ã€ŠI Gave Up Being Strongerã€‹


 Chapter 1: Prologue

    Chapter 1: Prologue

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had been obsessed with strength.

    Being the first to conquer unconquered dungeons and ying dangerous monsters were great pleasures for him. He knew that a single wrong move could lead to his demise, but that only served to thrill him.

    There was no pleasure greater than challenging the most difficult dungeons and clearing them. Finding hidden fields no one knew about and being the first to conquer them was also a big motivator.

    As time passed, Jin-Hyeok was eventually called the ¡®Sword King¡¯ of Korea. If he recalled correctly, people used to say that he was a true hero that led people forward against fear and trepidation with his self-sacrificial spirit¡­ or something like that. Jin-Hyeok said that he just loved ying, but no one ever really believed him. That was the honest truth, though.

    Jin-Hyeok was employed by the NIS[1]. In other words, he was a yer that served the government. There wasn¡¯t a particrly grand reason or noble purpose for which he became a government-affiliated yer. He simply thought that with the support of the government, it would enable him to be stronger sooner; or that he would be the first one sent into the most difficult dungeons.

    ¡®Well, at least I¡¯vee to my senses right before regressing.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had a change of heart on how he should have led his life at thest minute when he was on the verge of death in the Banyan Tree dungeon. This change was brought about in part by the curse unleashed on him by the final boss of the Banyan Tree dungeon, the Empress of Hell. Looking back on his life in thesest moments, he realized that it had been pretty brutal.

    ¡®What with the threat of being assassinated day in and day out¡­.¡¯

    There were no all-powerful Mary Sues in this new world. The top rankers¡¯ skill levels were a hair¡¯s breadth apart from each other¡ªand the top assassins'' attacks were always sharp and life-threatening.

    ¡®Why did that excite me so much back then?¡¯

    The tension he felt from the fact that someone could assassinate him at any time had always thrilled him. Moreover, those targeting him were more than just assassins; amongst those that sought his life were those that hunted down certain yers for the abilities they had earned after their Awakening, and likewise wanted his abilities for themselves. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had a good night¡¯s sleep.

    ¡®Looking back, I have no idea why I just went for the dangerous and deadly dungeons all the time.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok used to think that there was no point ying unless he risked his life fighting. There wasn¡¯t a moment where his life wasn¡¯t on the line.

    What was more, he had often been forcibly mobilized by the game¡¯s conscription measures and made to participate in dangerous Quests just because he was an outstanding fighter ss yer.[2] Everyone hated this rule, but he liked it.

    Looking back, Jin-Hyeok realized his way of ying had been pure insanity¡ªbut he hadn¡¯t realized it then, because he had been surrounded by people that were all like him. In other words, he and his friends had all been a bunch of lunatics.

    Thanks to the curse from the Empress of Hell, he was finally able to see himself objectively. It made hime to his senses in a way, in thosest moments.

    When Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes, he saw that he had returned to the past.

    He didn¡¯t know why he had regressed. He remembered being on the brink of death after getting struck by the curse of the Empress of Hell, but he couldn¡¯t remember anything after that.

    When Jin-Hyeok first properly realized that he had regressed, that familiar feeling of excitement overtook him again.

    ¡®I can be much stronger this time.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had all the umted know-how and experience as the Sword King. His heart pounded as he thought about bing a top ranker before anyone else. He wanted a sword in his hands as soon as possible.

    On the second day after his regression, Jin-Hyeok shook his head.

    ¡®I won¡¯t repeat this insanity. Not again.¡¯

    He was lucky(?) to have died in the Banyan Tree dungeon. Had he been just a little unfortunate, he would have kicked the bucket way before that. Jin-Hyeok could look at his situation pretty objectively now, and all things considered, it was clear seeking batshit crazy things was just in his nature. He could tell because he was still eager at the prospect of bing stronger even after breathing hisst¡ªactually, even after being on the brink of death multiple times before that.

    He needed to take a firm stance against his inner desires.

    ¡®No¡­ I don¡¯t want to be stronger.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok recalled his horrible past that he had long buried and forgotten about.

    ¡®Right. If I go crazy over power this time around too, I don¡¯t deserve to call myself a good person.¡¯

    Back then, he had been so focused on ying that he hadn¡¯t taken proper care of his family. While Jin-Hyeok had gone off to conquer a dungeon, his family had been murdered at the hands of the twisted serial killer, Jeon Nam-Gil. By the time Jin-Hyeok returned home from the dungeon, all of his family were already cold corpses. After that, Jin-Hyeok had tracked down Jeon Nam-Gil and killed him.

    In other words, Jin-Hyeok had all the strength to save his family, yet still could not. If he had paid just a little more attention to his family, he could have saved them for sure.

    Jin-Hyeok resolved never to lose his mind again. If he did, he truly had no conscience.

    ¡®I will get strong, but I won¡¯t go overboard this time.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok determined as if he was brainwashing himself.

    ¡®The Cataclysm will be in seven years.¡¯

    He began to make ns of his own.

    ***

    Seven years passed since his regression.

    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re a terrible son. When will you grow up?¡±

    Jong-Cheol, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s old friend, gave Jin-Hyeok an earful from the moment they met.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have a thing to say in retort even as he was scolded like a bad son. It had been seven years since Jin-Hyeok left home to live in the gosichon[3], iming he was going to prepare for the national civil service exam.

    ¡®Why does this restaurant''s seasoned bean sprouts taste so good?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought absentmindedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s been seven years since you¡¯ve entered the gosichon saying you¡¯d be a government official, but here you are streaming your game for just one viewer, if even that. What the hell are you doing?¡± Jong-Cheol chastised him again.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°How old are you now? Huh?¡± Jong-Cheol demanded.

    Jong-Cheol bbered on, but it fell on deaf ears¡ªJin-Hyeok was not paying any attention to him as usual.

    ¡°So what if you¡¯re ranked number one in a dead game no one ys? I mean, for fuck¡¯s sake¡­ even if it¡¯s a dead game, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something wrong if no one is watching when it¡¯s the number one ranker ying? Do you even remember when was thest time you met another user on there?¡± asked Jong-Cheol.

    ¡®This stir-fried chili pork is tasty, too.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Thanks for the meal,¡± he said.

    ¡°Where are you off to?¡±

    ¡°To stream.¡±

    ¡°Man, this guy has lost it¡­¡±

    ¡°You should pay for the meal, since I listened to your nagging,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he left.

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Cha Jin-Hyeok! You bastard! Stop right there!¡± Jong-Cheol shouted after him.

    After his meal with Jong-Cheol, Jin-Hyeok returned to his gosichon room and sat back at his desk, only to find a hundred thousand won in his bag. It seemed that Jong-Cheol had snuck it in without him knowing.

    Although Jong-Cheol spoke bluntly at times, he really cared about Jin-Hyeok¡ªnot just in life this time around, but thest time as well. For that, Jin-Hyeok was pretty grateful to his buddy.

    ¡®I will make it up to you.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok logged into the Eltube streaming tform and checked his streaming hours thus far.

    ¡®Roughly 49,998 hours.¡¯

    There were only two hours to go until he reached fifty thousand hours. He could reach that by the end of the day.

    After a deep breath, he turned on the stream and went on air.

    His streaming equipment merely included an ancient camera and a desktopputer. His streaming content of choice was The Dark Hill, an old game that was a shell of its former self.

    ¡®Can I even say there was a former self?¡¯

    Like Won Jong-Cheol had said, it was a doomed game.

    The Dark Hill was an MMORPG. There were rumors that a third-generation chaebol[4] used to run this game as a hobby, but it had be neglected. It certainly seemed like the owner had a lot of money, seeing as how this server was still running even though there were very few users ying this game aside from Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok started streaming as usual. There were still zero viewers.

    ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to be raiding Balongdua.¡±

    Balongdua was a monster that looked like a huge ck bull, and it was not easy to raid alone. However, Jin-Hyeok had already yed this game for almost fifty thousand hours, so it wasn¡¯t all that difficult for him.

    [YY has entered.]

    [YY: wtf, this moron is still streaming? ROFLPMP. My annual ie is now 70 million won. ROFLPMP. I guess I respect your effort tho ROFLPMP. You earning enough to eat at least? LOL]

    [YY was forced to leave.]

    It was this bastard again. This crazy son of a bitch visited Jin-Hyeok about twice a year¡ªthe times when he got a sry increase or a bonus.

    [pissoffwithyourban has entered.]

    [pissoffwithyourban: Am I riling you up, little piggy? Am I pissing off your insecure ass? There¡¯s nothing you can do about me, huh? Lmaooo.]

    What a show of effort from that bastard. He had rejoined with a new ount and IP.

    Jin-Hyeok was about to kick him out again, but decided not to.

    [pissoffwithyourban: Why don''t you kick me?]

    ¡°Today is myst time streaming.¡±

    Today was the day Jin-Hyeok was going to quit doing these meaningless streams. He checked his total time streaming again on the Eltube settings.

    ¡®49,998 hours...¡¯

    Just two hours to go. It had be a little dicey toward the end whether he could reach his target before the Cataclysm, but he was near the finish line. ¡®Babyshark,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok¡¯s only regr viewer whom he had been grateful to have, didn¡¯t show up today. Perhaps they were busy.

    ¡®Damn¡­ I wanted to say goodbye.¡¯

    That was a shame, but it was what it was.

    This had been a long and arduous journey of seven years. Jin-Hyeok had spent more than eighteen hours per day solely streaming.

    [pissoffwithyourban donated 100 won.]

    [pissofwithyourban: There you go. You might not get to join a goodpany like me, but at least be a functioning member of society.]

    [pissoffwithyourban was forced to leave.]

    Jin-Hyeok ended his stream andy down on his bed.

    He only slept for two to three hours nearly every day, because he needed to spend the rest of his time working to earn the bare minimum to pay his bills. It had truly been hellish, but he was finally done.

    Jin-Hyeok watched a cockroach crawl on his ceiling. He was exhausted, but he couldn¡¯t sleep because his heart was pounding.

    It was currently 7 May 2022 in Korea¡ªthe 2,782nd day since his regression.

    ¡®It will be midnight in four hours.¡¯

    Eventually, midnight came atst. It was exactly 12am, 8 May 2022 Korean Standard Time¡ª2,783 days after Jin-Hyeok¡¯s return.

    A message window formed from thin air in front of everyone at the same time.

    [A new Server, ¡¸Earth¡¹, has been incorporated into the game.]

    [The Open Beta service has begun for the new Server, ¡¸Earth¡¹.]

    And with that, the world they knew had changed.

    1. National Intelligence Service, South Korea¡¯s main intelligence agency. ?

    2. Likely fighter ss as in sses that are damage dealers in games,pared to, e.g. ¡°healer¡± sses. ?

    3. A street, or so-called ¡®vige,¡¯ in Korea that is filled with a cluster of cheap rent residencies housing students who are studying for academic exams that need to be sat to move into a profession, education, college of repute, etc. Residents look for such ces where they can fully concentrate for long hours, long-term. These residencies are generally infamous for their poor-quality facilities. ?

    4. A member of an extremely rich family that runs a conglomerate. Simr in vibe to the Japanese term zaibatsu. ?

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s experience, third ce was always the best.

    In third ce, you could still be happy and safe yet continue to chase wealth at the same time. The important thing, though, was that one wasn¡¯t able to just pretend to be third ce¡ªyou couldn¡¯t fake it if you tried.

    ¡®After all, scouter rankers are one scary bunch.¡¯

    Scout sses could find out everything about other yers, such as their Levels or hidden skills. If someone had outstanding strength and abilities, it was only a question of time before scouts painted a target on their backs, no matter how well they tried to hide it. That meant it was impossible for one to pretend to be third ce¡ªyou had to be third ce for real.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to rule out Awakening as a Swordsman yer. Who knew what would happen if he held a sword in his hands once more? Maybe he¡¯d forget all about his resolutions and find himself in first ce again.

    [The Open Beta service has begun for the new Server, ¡¸Earth¡¹.]

    [You have fulfilled the conditions to unlock Initial Awakening.]

    He had run a game-rted stream for 50,000 hours. This was the condition that needed to be satisfied to begin this new game as a Streamer that had undergone Initial Awakening.

    [You have been granted the Job of ¡¸Streamer¡¹ (Initial Awakener).]

    Streamers fell under one of the Jobs that had their safety guaranteed to some extent ording to the Server Rules and Regtions.

    ¡®They have more freedom as well, since they¡¯re excluded from the System¡¯s conscription measures.¡¯

    Of particr note was that yers that had be Streamers through the Initial Awakening process started the game with a special barrier ability reserved just for them, known as ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯ Among the abilities avable to non-fighter ss Jobs, this ability boasted the greatest defensive capabilities.

    These factors were precisely why the Job of Streamer was widely said to be the safest out of all Jobs one could find themselves in, while still remaining quite lucrative.

    ¡®Plus I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get a bonus perk for my Initial Awakening, since I was apetitive ranker.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was the undisputed first rank yer in ¡®The Dark Hill.¡¯

    [You have received an additional perk for your Initial Awakening. (Reached Rank 1 in an existing game)]

    [You may use your character from the existing game as ingredients for the Initial Awakening process.]

    A holographic character window appeared in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Name: Spine Breaker[1]

    Job: Grand Mage

    LV: 999

    Achievements:

    Victor in the War of Gods and Demons (Mythic)

    The Seven Mysteries (Mythic)

    Caliphoo, King of Giants (Mythic)

    [1][2][3]¡­¡­[11][12]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Ah, yes¡ªthe all-too-familiar character window. Jin-Hyeok had reached the maximum Level of 999 in The Dark Hill.

    He had unlocked enough Achievements to fill a whooping twelve pages¡ªa grand total of around 200 Achievements.

    Up until this point, this was all still very familiar to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡¯Why did my Inventory window pop up, though?¡¯

    The Inventory window had appeared right beside his character window.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Inventory]

    New Demon Lord¡¯s Undergarments (Mythic)

    Ne of Argonaxus (Mythic)

    [1][2][3]¡­¡­[44][45][46]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    The Inventory was filled with countless items. Most of them were Mythic items¡ªitems considered to be the highest grade in the game.

    It wasn¡¯t just the Inventory window that popped up out of its own ord. However, a window containing a list of his Skills automatically appeared as well.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Retained Skills]

    Lightning Storm (Mythic)

    Deep Freeze (Mythic)

    [1][2][3]¡­¡­[21][22]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    ¡®Why did my Inventory and Skill windows pop out all of a sudden?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok continued to be assaulted by notifications.

    [You have unlocked the Achievement¡¸The Grind Never Stops¡¹.][2]

    [You have unlocked the Achievement ¡¸Few Viewers, Faithful Broadcast¡¹.]

    ¡®And what on earth are these?¡¯¡¯

    ***

    By selecting the underlined terms with a nce, Jin-Hyeok was able to find out more about them.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [The Grind Never Stops]

    This Achievement is granted to those that fulfill the following three conditions:

    1) Within 10 years,

    2) Broadcast a game for a total of 50,000 hours,

    3) Without resting for more than 10 consecutive hours.

    Achievement Perk: You may use the Inventory of a character from an existing game as ingredients for the Awakening process.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Few Viewers, Faithful Broadcast]

    This Achievement is granted to those that fulfill the following three conditions:

    1) Unlock the Achievement, The Grind Never Stops.

    2) Reach Rank 1 in an applicable game,

    3) While maintaining an average viewer count of less than 10.

    Achievement Perk: You may use the Skills of a character from an existing game as ingredients for the Awakening process.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    The details themselves were not all that important¡ªit was more or less saying that he had fulfilled a bunch of nonsensical conditions. The really important thing was the bonus effects that the Achievements gave.

    [Would you like to use the Inventory of ¡¸Spine Breaker¡¹ as ingredients for the Awakening process?]

    [Would you like to use the Skills of ¡¸Spine Breaker¡¹ as ingredients for the Awakening process?]

    ¡®Wow, I didn¡¯t see thising.¡¯

    Not only could Jin-Hyeok use his previous in-game character along with all its Levels to boost the Initial Awakening process, but he could also use the items and Skills he had umted to be contributed as extra material toward the Awakening.

    Jin-Hyeok felt something stir inside him to his very bones.

    ¡®Something that¡¯s way too good to pass just fell into myp¡­''

    His heart fluttered with a momentary pang of excitement. Jin-Hyeok quickly willed himself to keep his cool. .

    He absolutely had to discard his bad habit of losing his mind over every small opportunity he came across. Jin-Hyeok recalled his old days when neither fire nor snow could ovee the thrill that overtook him at the prospect of clutching a new boon in his hands.

    ¡®Keep it together now.¡¯

    That was right. He was no longer the Cha Jin-Hyeok of the past. He was a changed man now, one that was going to pursue a life as a Streamer¡ªa life that was easy-going and peaceful, ordinary and normal.

    ¡®...but, you know¡­ it¡¯d be a waste not to use everything anyway, right?¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t because Jin-Hyeok wanted to be stronger. Of course not.

    Just because he made use of an unexpected boost to give himself a bit of a headstart, didn''t mean he was suddenly going to be insanely strong. After all, a Streamer was still a Streamer no matter how strong they became.

    ¡®Yeah¡­ I did good deciding to be a Streamer.¡¯

    It was good that he chose to be a Streamer, because it was a non-fighter ss with such a clear ceiling on how much one could grow¡ªand that meant it would help Jin-Hyeok restrain himself.

    Jin-Hyeok had been so sure that these self-imposed constraints would be steadfast enough to stop him from bing mad with ambition again.

    At least, up until now.

    ¡®I¡¯m not excited right now. I am not excited.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok suppressed his emotions as he selected the ingredients to boost his Awakening, one by one.

    [You selected ¡¸Victor in the War of Gods and Demons (Mythic)¡¹.]

    [You selected ¡¸New Demon Lord¡¯s Undergarments (Mythic)¡¹.]

    [You selected ¡¸Meteor Shower (Mythic)¡¹.]

    Everything Jin-Hyeok had achieved in the span of seven years went straight into the list of ingredients.

    Looking back now, Jin-Hyeok realized he had be hriously overpowered by the end.

    He had definitely started as a Mage, as it said on his character window¡ªbut at some point, he found himself wielding the Demon ying Sword in his right hand while casting Meteor Shower everywhere with his left.

    He had be well and truly unrivaled. Even Jin-Hyeok felt the heights he had reached just shouldn¡¯t have been allowed bnce-wise.

    Jin-Hyeok finished selecting all of his ingredients.

    [The Initial Awakening process has begun.]

    [¡¸Spine Breaker¡¹ has been used.]

    [¡¸Meteor Shower (Mythic)¡¹has been used.]

    [The Initial Awakening process is taking ce¡­¡­ ]

    [Processing 50%¡­¡­ 90%¡­¡­ 100%]

    Jin-Hyeok was hit by a sh of dazzling light.

    [You have been granted the Job of ¡¸Almighty Streamer¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok had often heard about Streamers that were granted their Jobs through the Initial Awakening headstart process¡ªInitially Awakened Streamers¡ªbut an ¡®Almighty Streamer¡¯ was a first, even for him.

    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t feel particrly different.

    However, he noticed two new ¡®Traits¡¯¡ªall the abilities that a yer had¡ªwere added to the corresponding Traits tab.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Traits]

    1. Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier

    2. Almighty Jack of All Trades

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was supposed to be an ability that was given to all Initially Awakened Streamers, so that came as no surprise.

    ¡®But what¡¯s Almighty Jack of All Trades?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had encountered countless different Traits in his lifetime, but he had never seen this one before.

    One thing Jin-Hyeok knew for sure was that there would be no such thing as an ¡®almighty¡¯ all-rounder in theing new world.

    Being an all-rounder ultimately meant that one was rtively alright at most things, but a master of none. They would never be able to reach the top of any one field.

    However, a ¡®Jack of All Trades¡¯ that was a master of none was perfect for Jin-Hyeok. He wanted to be third ce.

    ¡®That¡¯s a good start.¡¯

    In line with his pursuits, that was the true first impression Jin-Hyeok had of the ¡®Almighty Jack of All Trades¡¯ Trait.

    [You are logging into the streaming tform.]

    The interface was not all that difficult to use. Jin-Hyeok got right to the task of deciding what his channel would be called henceforth.

    [¡®Let me show you the new Server, Earth.¡¯][3]

    [Your first-person POV is being shared.]

    [You cannot check your viewer count as your current Level is too low.]

    [You cannotmunicate with your viewers as your current Level is too low.]

    Naturally, Jin-Hyeok was currently Level 1.

    As he walked out of his gosichon room, Jin-Hyeok slowly began his exnation.

    ¡°This ce is called Earth. I¡¯m currently somewhere called Seoul, a big city in the Korea Region of Earth.¡±

    There weren¡¯t exactly a whole lot of things that Jin-Hyeok had the capability to do with his broadcast right now. The best¡ªand only¡ªcourse of action was to gradually reveal and exin the new world around him to prospective viewers, step-by-step.

    Just like that, a week passed by.

    ***

    There were changes all around the world in this time.

    Many people who called themselves ¡®Initial Awakeners¡¯ began to appear. Though the public atrge had yet to believe it, so-called monsters began to appear all over the globe, and those calling themselves Initial Awakeners hunted down these monsters with great sess. Society was changing.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok continued with his streaming.

    ¡°I will try observing this creature before us using Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes turned a shade of red.

    [LV3/Big Paw Rabbit/Skills]

    Jin-Hyeok hade across a rabbit kicking its hind legs like a bull readying its charge as it faced off with a woman.

    ¡°This creature is named Big Paw Rabbit, and it is Level 3. It appears it has one Skill called ¡®Hind Kick.¡¯¡±

    While Jin-Hyeok proceeded with his stream, his mind was on a different track. Something felt off.

    ¡® Was it always possible to inspect monsters¡¯ Skills using Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight at this Level¡­?¡¯

    No, that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. He was pretty sure that even Initially Awakened Streamers could only check the Levels and names of monsters at his Level.

    However, there was currently no way tomunicate with other Streamers, so Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t know for sure.

    The woman and the Big Paw Rabbit engaged inbat.

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    ¡°It looks like she just became Level 4. The way she stepped back a heartbeat faster than the rabbit¡¯s attack before she swung with her sword was quite impressive. It seems she has some level of understanding about the art of swordsmanship.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t aware of it, but he gave off the air of a seasonedmentator who knew exactly what he was talking about.

    ¡°...That said, it would have been much more effective if she closed the distance a little more before she went for the swing.¡±

    Another Big Paw Rabbit took the moment to attack Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok avoided the attack purely on instinct.

    ¡®What a bother¡­¡¯

    The rabbit didn¡¯t cease to harass him¡ªso he stabbed the rabbit right in the head with his dagger, killing it.

    The action was as absent-minded as when one scratched an itch they had without giving it thought.

    Of course, this was not the sort of performance that a more ordinary Streamer at his Level would have been capable of.

    Yet Jin-Hyeok himself didn¡¯t think he had aplished anything particrly special.

    [You have in a Big Paw Rabbit.]

    Upon streaming for a while longer, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level increased.

    [You have be Level 9.]

    He was Level 9, just like that.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know how many viewers were watching him right now¡ªbecause he didn¡¯t have any method ofmunicating with them at all. If he had to hazard a guess, though, he bet that he would have a significant number of viewers based on the fact that he was leveling up much faster than most other yers.

    And the more viewers a Streamer had, the more experience points they earned.

    ¡®This is way too easy.¡¯

    In fact, it was too peaceful.

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life, he had run right off to a Tutorial Dungeon straight from the start, and was in fact killed many times over. Had there been no automatic revival feature in the Tutorial Dungeons at that time, his life would have been a very short-lived one indeed.

    Tedium began to slowly creep up on Jin-Hyeok as he continued to level up in the same manner.

    ¡®This is boring as heck¡­¡¯

    Catching himself in the wrong frame of mind, Jin-Hyeok hurriedly shut down that way of thinking.

    ¡®No. This isn¡¯t boring. This isfortable.¡¯

    Yes, that was right¡ªhis previous life was not loads of fun. He wasn¡¯t bored right now, he just had lots of breathing room¡ªhe wasfortable.

    Jin-Hyeok kept telling himself the same things over and over. He had to remind himself.

    ¡®Come on. Let¡¯s not lose my mind this time.¡¯

    After all, he couldn¡¯t be strong even if he wanted to as a Streamer¡ªa non-fighter ss Job wherebat was not meant to be the fort¨¦.

    At least, that was how he told himself repeatedly, as if trying to hypnotize himself into being rid of his boredom.

    All that said, the fact remained that his rate of leveling up was objectively rather fast.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have be Level 10.]

    Reaching Level 10 brought about a new development.

    [You may now check the number of viewers that are concurrently watching your broadcast.]

    ¡®I wonder how many there are.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok checked his viewer count.

    ¡®Hmm? This looks wrong¡­¡¯

    1. Modern term for spoiled brats that keep pestering their parents to buy them designer brand goods to keep up with their peers (and hence they "break their parents'' backs" keeping up with their kids'' demands). Can also refer to mature-age children who still financially leech off their parents. ?

    2. The original Achievement is called ¡®Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Fri, Fri.¡¯ The three ¡®Fri¡¯s refers to the fact that an individual is working on the weekends as well, and therefore the weekend is just like a never-ending Friday because you never take a rest from work. I have chosen to trante this into something a bit more elegant in English. ?

    3. To make things extra clear, from the original text this appears to be what Jin-Hyeok names his channel, rather than being a message from the game¡¯s system. ?

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    [3,000/3,000]

    As many as three thousand viewers were tuning into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel.

    Altogether, there were around five hundred Initially Awakened Streamers on the Open Beta Earth Server¡ªand of them, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel was undoubtedly and overwhelmingly in first ce.

    ¡®I heard Egan Paul has about three thousand viewers as well.¡¯

    Egan Paul was one of the biggest Streamers on Earth. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous lifetime, he had been unbudgeable from his position as the first ranked Streamer, from the Open Beta right up until Jin-Hyeok regressed. Egan had been dominant even in the overall yer Level ranking among Streamers.

    ¡®Why do I have the same number of viewers as Egan?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was baffled. Even he himself didn¡¯t think he was as good of a broadcast personality as Egan Paul was.

    ¡®How can that be possible?¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if some famous influencer had given his channel a shoutout.

    Although Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know the reason behind his exploding viewer count, he certainly wasn¡¯tining.

    Having a simr viewer count to Egan Paul meant Jin-Hyeok was dominating in first ce, just like him. He didn¡¯t exactly dislike that fact.

    That was when the realization hit him.

    ¡®I¡¯m still not strong enough mentally.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought that by boxing himself into a non-fighter ss Job, his thirst to be a winner would be reduced¡ªbut here he was, all happy that he was first ce just as usual.

    He was going to need to deny himself of his inner desires through sheer force of will.

    ¡®I want to be third ce. Really, I do.¡¯

    Firmly resolving to himself once more, Jin-Hyeok continued streaming as he roamed around Seoul.

    At some point, Jin-Hyeok reached Level 15.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have be Level 15.]

    This time, something changed.

    [You are now entering the Room of Awakening.]

    ***

    Most people were usually uninterested in the news of an Open Beta service, and the same was true on Earth.

    But the people of ¡®Orioles,¡¯ a ce that had an environment that was rtively simr to Earth, began to take interest in the Earth Server.

    Although Earth was but a minor Server, there was one yer who was attracting quite a bit of attention.

    - A crazy guy appeared on the Earth Server.

    - He stabbed a Big Paw Rabbit through the head with a dagger. I saw it live.

    - What¡¯s so crazy about that?

    - His Job is a Streamer.

    The low-Level yer¡ªwhose Job was a non-fighter ss on top of that¡ªseemed far too skilled inbat, all things considered.

    - It''s possible because he¡¯s a low Level. Don¡¯t you know that there¡¯s basically no distinction between Jobs at the lower Levels?

    -True. Streamers who run around like that, pretending they¡¯re fighters, are all gonna get weeded out before Level 100, definitely.

    - LOL yeah I don''t buy it. Not like we''ve seen this kind of poser once or twice before.

    However, Cha Jin-Hyeok was obviously not an ordinary Streamer.

    - This crazy ass dude got right into the face of a monster to observe it from up close. He opened a Red Fox¡¯s mouth to show how many teeth it has. He was Level 2 at the time, by the way.

    - The Red Fox is Level 6, no?

    - That¡¯s why he¡¯s crazy LOL. His fingers didn¡¯t get chomped off thanks to Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    Streamers in Servers that were still in their Open Beta service stages tended to behave in a rather simr manner, no matter which Server it was.

    It was yet far beyond their capabilities to make good ys. At this stage, they still couldn¡¯t flexibly utilize Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier like Cha Jin-Hyeok could. That was why most Streamers almost never took the risk of drawing too close to the monsters¡ªin some cases, even avoiding hunting them directly altogether.

    The majority of Streamers still froze, speechless with fear, when they came face-to-face with monsters.

    - He uses Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier just like a veteran would. If it¡¯s not that, then he¡¯s a freakin¡¯ genius.

    - How is it possible that he¡¯s a veteran when he''s on an Open Beta?

    - Maybe he¡¯s a regressor?

    - That¡¯s nonsense LOL. If he was a regressor, the Administrators would havee and executed his ass already lmao.

    Just like that, any rumors that Jin-Hyeok could be a regressor were quickly buried.

    - But he genuinely does have an excellent eye forbat. I thought I was watching a promentator for a second.

    - Well, one thing¡¯s for sure. A Streamer that has the likes of what¡¯s never been seen before has appeared.

    Jin-Hyeok was the only Streamer that was performing this well in the Open Beta service¡ªand only Jin-Hyeok himself was not aware of this.

    To be fair, his ignorance of this fact could be med on his previous environment. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous lifetime, not only was he one of the top rankers, but he waspletely surrounded by other top rank yers. As Jin-Hyeok had said before, everyone around him was a bunch of lunatics.

    This served to warp some of his standards to the point where they werepletely out of touch with reality¡ªbing the type of standard where, for instance, ¡®not facing a near-death experience at least seven or so times¡¯ was considered a rather peaceful life.

    ***

    Upon reaching Level 15, Jin-Hyeok entered the Room of Awakening.

    As his surroundings suddenly became pitch-ck, Jin-Hyeok realized he had been automatically transported to a dark space.

    Standing before him was a beautiful angel.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t feel particrly impressed or inspired by the sight of an angel.

    After all, that Angel was an AI.

    ¡°Please create your yer name, the name you shall be known by after your Awakening.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already had a name in mind¡ªa name that reflected his wish to be in a modest third ce.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±[1]

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo¡ªis that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°Would you like your yer information to be public? If you choose to publicize it, your ranking will be recorded on the public ranking board.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head.

    There were no benefits at all to making his ranking public knowledge. In fact, all there would be instead were more responsibilities and more enemies. Sure, it could bring him more fame and glory too¡ªbut he didn¡¯t need those now.

    ¡°Decline.¡±

    After the standard procedures and formalities were said and done with, Jin-Hyeok returned to where he was whisked away from. People were startled when he suddenly appeared, but he didn''t pay heed to them.

    They were going to get used to these surprises.

    ¡®Let¡¯s give the ranking board a look.¡¯

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Ranking Board (Korea Region)]

    [Swordsman][Archer][Martial Artist]¡­¡­[Healer]¡­¡­[Other]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Jin-Hyeok could see the rankings filtered by Job. He checked the Swordsman ranking list.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [1st. Lee Hyeon-Seong (LV:15)]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    It was a familiar name¡ªa wee sight.

    He hadn¡¯t been personally close with Lee Hyeon-Seong, but they had yed together in arger group on a few asions.

    ¡®The very top ranker is still Level 15?¡¯

    Lee Hyeon-Seong was at the same Level as Jin-Hyeok. Then again, Jin-Hyeok had also been around Level 15 at this point in time pre-regression.

    ¡®My level-up speed really is super fast.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok realized this was what was meant when it was said that Streamers were the best for leveling up. As a Streamer himself now, he could experience first-hand how much faster he leveled up depending on how many viewers he had.

    ¡®I should slow down.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided to pace himself, his willpower winning over his primal desires for now.

    ***

    Three days passed by.

    Jin-Hyeok tried to pace himself¡ªby his standards, at least¡ªbut he was already Level 19.

    ¡®I get that I¡¯m a Streamer, but how is my level-up speed still this fast?¡¯

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Swordsman]

    [1st. Lee Hyeon-Seong (LV:21)]

    [Martial Artist]

    [1st. Kim Sang-Hee (LV:21)]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Most of the first rankers for their individual Jobs were Level 21. As expected of those at the top, their Levels were all very simr.

    ¡®Seeing how there''s only two Levels between me and them, I guess they''re still getting the hang of things.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instinct was to say ¡®what a relief¡¯, but his rational side screamed at him to ¡®go slower.¡¯

    His current number of viewers was 5,700. For every Level he gained, the maximum possible capacity of viewers for the stream expanded by 300.

    Another day passed by.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have be Level 20.]

    Jin-Hyeok had already reached Level 20.

    [You are now able tomunicate with your viewers.]

    [Chat/Donations are now enabled.]

    The moment the stream chat window appeared, Jin-Hyeok immediately selected the ¡®Block Chat¡¯ setting and closed off all methods ofmunication.

    ¡®No thanks.¡¯

    The role model whom Jin-Hyeok was inspired to emte was not Egan Paul, but ¡®Mystery Box.¡¯

    Unlike Egan Paul, who was a massive celebrity, Mystery Box was a Streamer who was shrouded in mystery.

    ¡®Yeah, Mystery Box streamed strictly from the first-person POV to hide as much about his identity as possible. He didn¡¯t evenmunicate with viewers.¡¯

    Although some voices criticized Mystery Box as an iconic example of someone who had zero interaction with their viewers with a screw you all, do-it-my-way attitude, Mystery Box was nevertheless considerably sessful.

    Not long after he began his streaming career, Mystery Box received such arge amount of donations that he was able to buy a building located in Yeonhui-dong[2] outright.

    It was worth noting that Yeonhui-dong would be a premiumnd worth its weight in gold in the future, bing the area with the most expensive real estate in all of Seoul. This was because a Guardian Tree ended up growing there, which created a ¡®safe zone.¡¯

    ¡®Anyway, the important thing is that Mystery Box managed to acquire several buildings in an area like that...¡¯

    Mystery Box would retire young, unting his wealth as he lived the rich life full of luxuries.

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, Mystery Box was probably closest to what a Streamer who was third or fourth ce in the streaming world was like¡ªand Mystery Box had never been attacked by hunters that were after his Awakened abilities.

    ¡®No matter how I think about it, he did things the best way.¡¯

    Whether it was the past or present, the one thing that always stood above the creator of the universe was property owners.

    ¡°As a sort of celebration for reaching Level 20, I am about to enter this Tutorial Field and see what¡¯s going on.¡±

    The sort of memory Jin-Hyeok had of this ce was that of trying to tackle the Tutorial Field immediately after Awakening, and dying several times beforeing to grips with the fact that Level 1 might be too low to try the dungeon. He returned to challenge it once more after reaching Level 5.

    ***

    The ¡®Tutorial Field¡¯ that had spawned was shaped in such a manner that it traced along the subway stations. Jin-Hyeok was headed toward Seoul Station.

    On the first step that he took into the entrance of Seoul Station, Jin-Hyeok heard a notification.

    [You can enter the Tutorial Field: ¡¸Seoul Station¡¹.]

    [Do you want to enter Seoul Station?]

    Although the entrance was the same, yers were able to enter a ce that was not Seoul Station, but ¡®Seoul Station Field.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll show some of the Tutorial Field, and try to get my hands on an Extra Life when the time is right.¡¯

    Extra Life was an exceedingly rare Trait that could only be obtained in the few Tutorial Fields that existed¡ªand nowhere else.

    An Extra Life nullified any lethal attack¡ªthe one which could cause death¡ªjust once for the yer that possessed it.

    ¡®If I had one of those in the good old days when I was the Sword King, I could have been a lot bolder in battle.¡¯

    Before Jin-Hyeok entered the Tutorial Field, he reforged his resolve.

    ¡®I¡¯m not doing this because I want to be stronger.¡¯

    That¡¯s right¡ªthis was for his safety.

    Jin-Hyeok stepped forward into the entrance.

    ¡®Hmm?¡¯

    Unlike his previous experience, something unimaginable was happening before his eyes.

    Scanning around the area with Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, Jin-Hyeok found that the yers in here were all around Level 15.

    Yet contrary to their high Level, there were not one, not two, but three bodies on the bloodstained ground.

    ¡®Well, two bodies, to be exact.¡¯

    There were two males who were clearly dead. However, the third yer on the floor, a woman, was alive and breathing fine. Jin-Hyeok figured she was yer with an assassin ss Job.

    ¡®There¡¯s always someone pretending to be dead.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to pay her any heed as she didn¡¯t seem all that dangerous to him.

    ¡®Wow¡­ to think that Level 15 yers would be killed by Dwarves¡­¡¯

    The creatures that appeared at the Seoul Station entrance were ¡®Dwarf monsters.¡¯ They were blind and weak, which made them rather easy to deal with.

    ¡®To be honest, they should be no sweat even for a Level 10.¡¯

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok fought the Dwarves at Level 5. At present, all sorts of yers ranging from the Levels of 10 to 15 were fighting the battle of their lives against those same Dwarves.

    ¡®The yers of this day and age are a more sorry state than I remember.¡¯

    It was so long ago that Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t quite remember clearly, but they were definitely weaker than what he recalled about this period.

    ¡®Ah, I wish I could fight...¡¯

    s, this was a frame of mind that just had to be fixed outright. He was a Streamer now, and he was going to act like one¡ªnot just being one in name.

    Jin-Hyeok turned his attention to one corner of the area.

    ¡®I should get these guys as the stars of today¡¯s stream.¡¯

    He came across a group of nine boys, who looked to be a bunch of friends in theirte teens. They stood in a circle with one of them at the center.

    Jin-Hyeok felt himself itching to join the battle, so he hurriedly resumed hismentating.

    ¡°Alright, we will now be starting our stream.¡±

    ***

    The nine boys had some hurrah to them, but Jin-Hyeok felt it was wasted on something like this.

    ¡°HAH!¡±

    They shouted loudly as they thrust their spears.

    That said, though they were young, the way they adjusted fast to the transforming world around them was quite admirable. Jin-Hyeok took an initial liking to them.

    Jin-Hyeok made his way toward them, taking care in the route he took so the Dwarves didn¡¯te running at him. He began to give some light pieces of advice to these sprightly seedlings.

    ¡°Try fighting them without making sounds. It seems these Dwarves have pretty sensitive hearing.¡±

    The boys seemed to take Jin-Hyeok¡¯s advice on board as they shut their mouths at once.

    With this newfound advice, they managed to fell the Dwarves one after another in an orderly fashion, upon which they were finally able to take a breather.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The boys were rather grateful to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°So what do you do, hyung?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Does a Job called ¡®Streamer¡¯ exist?¡±

    ¡°Is it really that weird that Streamers exist when Lancers are a thing?¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°How did you know that the Dwarves were sensitive to sounds?¡± one of the boys asked.

    ¡°You can catch these sort of things if you¡¯re a bystander not involved in the fight. The Dwarves reacted whenever you and your friends shouted.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok observed the boys using Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [LV15/Master No. 1/1st ss Lancer/Skills/No Achievements Unlocked]

    [LV14/Master No. 2/2nd ss Lancer/Skills/No Achievements Unlocked]

    Jin-Hyeok could not only see their Jobs, but also their Skills. His Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight was certainly much more exceptional than that of the typical Streamer.

    The boys weren¡¯t all that different from each other, but one seemed a little peculiar.

    [LV17/Boss of Masters/Nine-Man Monarch/Skill/No Achievements Unlocked]

    His Job name was in green.

    Inter days, people would begin grading each Job, and those that were colored green woulde to be graded as being 5-Star Jobs.

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the boy''s Skills and saw that he had a Skill called ''Nine-Man Bulwark.'' Jin-Hyeok guessed that this Skill would give some sort of considerable buff to the yer and his party, if the party had nine people.

    ¡®Hmm, he¡¯s still a dreamer.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt there was something sweet and endearing about this yer aspiring to y together with his friends. To be honest, he thought a Job that required all nine of them to be together to create synergy was absolute trash¡ªbut at the end of the day, that was just Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opinion, and it wasn¡¯t his ce to lecture the boy on what he thought was good or bad.

    Jin-Hyeok continued to do his thing.

    ¡°Viewers, it seems there¡¯s some kind of synergistic effect when the nine of them stick together. I think that¡¯s their safest n for facing these Dwarves.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued hismentary for the stream, giving advice where he felt like¡ªthough to be honest, he felt like it was the sort of advice that literally anyone could give. He gave advice such as¡­

    ¡°Hey, you¡ªyeah, you, the one standing at the far end. Try making some noise to attract the monsters¡¯ aggro,[3] since they¡¯re sensitive to sound.¡±

    And¡­

    ¡°Hey, the one standing in the middle¡ªtry taking a step forward when you¡¯re facing them. You¡¯re maintaining too much distance.¡±

    ¡­And so on.

    The boys followed his advice quite well and managed to sessfully hunt quite a few Dwarves.

    After some time, the boys managed to finish off all the Dwarves in their vicinity. They stored the items that the Dwarves had dropped in their Inventories and came toward Jin-Hyeok.

    The boy who seemed to be their leader, the Nine-Man Monarch, was the one to speak.

    ¡°Hyung, you really are a Streamer, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m streaming right now, in fact.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    ¡°¡­Am I?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You were like a private tutor or something, picking out all the ces we were doing it wrong. Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°¡­Was I?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for letting me know what a Ruler should do.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was almost embarrassed by how thankful the boys were toward him; he didn¡¯t feel like he had been all that helpful.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°We appreciate it a lot!¡±

    At that very moment, Jin-Hyeok sensed a strange energy behind him.

    ¡®Hmm?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok figured it was a murderous energy, but the aura that was being exuded was so crude and poor that Jin-Hyeok was hard-pressed to say it felt murderous at all.

    Jin-Hyeok nced behind him nonchntly.

    One woman¡ªthe one who had been lying on the floor, pretending to be dead¡ªwas rushing toward him with a long de.

    Jin-Hyeok knew something like this wasing.

    TL: Fun fact: the female equivalent is Kim Yeong-Hui (???), which is ironic in its own right because it isn¡¯t thatmon of a name.

    1. Kim Chul-Soo is the Korean equivalent of saying ¡®John Smith¡¯ in English¡ªit is used as a very generic ceholder name for a male. ?

    2. A neighborhood located near Yonsei University, in Seoul. ¡®-dong¡¯ actually means neighborhood in Korean. ?

    3. Gaming term that is short for aggression, or an enemy¡¯s attention. ?

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    Cha Jin-Hyeok scanned the woman with Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [LV15(+2)/Crimson Killer Demon/Assassin/Skills/Nine Kills]

    Swoosh!

    The woman swung her de.

    ¡®Ooooh, an assassination!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body reacted to her all on its own.

    yers under Level 60 were considered as low-Level yers, and there were almost no distinguishing boundaries between Jobs at such a low level.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes could clearly take in the movements of the woman, as if she were in slow motion. Jin-Hyeok struck her right wrist with his left hand to make her drop the de.

    ¡®Oh wait, I have Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could have just blocked it using that ability, but he had reacted this way out of habit.

    ¡®I should try blocking with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier next time.¡¯

    A smile of enjoyment crept onto Jin-Hyeoks lips. He pulled out a dagger from his Inventory.

    Daggers had excellent versatility. Though their destructive power and durability was low, nearly all Jobs had ess to them. This meant that daggers could be used by most Jobs even at the higher Levels, and turned out to be a rather good weapon for Streamers to use.

    ¡®Where should I stab her?¡¯

    There were many openings¡ªtoo many.

    ¡®I think I should aim for the nape of her neck.¡¯

    Stab!

    The woman fell to the floor with a sharp scream. Having never experienced the pain of being stabbed before, she rolled on the floor in pain before copsing from shock. Half-unconscious, she convulsed with the dagger embedded in her neck.

    Jin-Hyeok felt nostalgic¡ªit had been a while since hest crossed swords with an Assassin.

    ¡®Phew, I almost had too much fun.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok calmly continued his stream.

    ¡°It looks like she was trying to get the Ten Kills Achievement. I saw that her original Level is 15, but her current actual Level is calcted as being 17¡ª2 Levels being added on top of her original.¡±

    This was rted to her recentlypleted Achievement, ¡®Nine Kills.¡¯ Thepleted Achievement gave her the effect of +2 Levels.

    ¡°I believe she was waiting for the perfect moment to unlock the Ten Kills Achievement, because she thought the added effect of that would allow her to kill everyone here. It seems she targeted me first because I looked like the weakest one here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced at the woman on the floor, still convulsing as if she was being electrified.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little bit shocked that she gave herself a name like ¡®Crimson Killer Demon.¡¯ She seems pretty old, too. Anyway, I¡¯ll now be retrieving my weapon.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nonchntly withdrew his dagger from her neck.

    Ssh!

    Blood sprayed out, soaking his entire body.

    ¡°I think I was able to deal with her without much difficulty because the Jobs are still pretty simr and have next to no distinguishing factors between them.¡±

    The woman was dead.

    It was an unspoken rule for yers to kill whoever ambushed them.

    ¡®If I went by the actual rule, I should have dragged her off to a ce where she can¡¯t revive to kill her offpletely.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok knew he should not apply the standards of the future to the present. This was still the early days of beginners¡ªso the only appropriate way of applying those standards was to lower them way down.

    On the other hand, Jin-Hyeok was indifferent to the sticky blood that covered his entire body. After all, by his standards it was normal to bepletely soaked in blood when one yed¡ªso this much was fine.

    ¡°You guys didn''t get hurt, right?¡±

    ¡°No, no!¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡±

    The boys answered Jin-Hyeok much faster than before while avoiding his gaze. They had fear in their eyes, but Jin-Hyeok didn''t realize it.

    ¡®These kids are way more well-behaved and polite than I thought they¡¯d be.¡¯

    ***

    The kids that Jin-Hyeok met in the past were not like them.

    As a yer for the National Intelligence Service, there hadn¡¯t been many asions ofing face-to-face with youngsters.

    ¡®The sort of kids I had to deal with personally were serious viins.¡¯

    The ones Jin-Hyeok had encountered had all been truly horrible individuals, though he knew they were the exception and not the norm. The manners of these boys at present, and the way they answered him so respectfully, was a pleasant surprise.

    A long while passed, and the boys¡¯ Levels increased by one or two. Hunting Dwarves was beginning to be much easier, perhaps even effortless for them.

    As midnight came, some kind of golden powder began to flow out from the dead bodies of the yers.

    [You activate the Skill ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight¡¹.]

    Once again, Jin-Hyeok felt the greatness of Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight. Through this Skill, the System kindly revealed to him what exactly was going on in the scene unfolding before him.

    The information was automatically inputted into his head.

    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s regen[1] time. When the clock strikes 12 o¡¯clock, the corpses are going to be revived. This seems like a good moment to interview them.¡±

    The dead bodies on the floor began to regain the vitality of life on their faces. The yers sat back up with a shaken, slightly puzzled expression, touching their bodies all over.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m alive?¡±

    ¡°R-really? I reallye back to life?¡±

    The two men who had been cold, hard bodies on the ground just a moment ago were bewildered. The boys looked at the things happening around them with equally shaken expressions.

    Jin-Hyeok thought these raw, unfiltered reactions were great¡ªdefinitely broadcast worthy.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s get to the interview. Hi, how did it feel to di-¡±

    But this interview was not going to go that easily.

    The chuunibyou¡ªno, Crimson Killer Demon¡ªthat had tried to backstab Jin-Hyeok previously grabbed a dagger from the floor to attempt stabbing him once more.

    ¡°Die!!!¡± the woman screamed.

    This woman really didn¡¯t know when to give up.

    Jin-Hyeok continued his stream regardless.

    Frankly speaking, Jin-Hyeok had been a little excited when she attacked him the first time¡ªbut not anymore. His rational side won over what little primal instinct he may have felt. He just continued hismentary coolly and confidently, just like a true Streamer would.

    ¡°Ah, yes, I need to mention¡ª-I¡¯m a Streamer that has Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to defend myself.¡±

    This was the time to finally use the Skill properly.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    The woman¡¯s dagger was unable to prate the barrier. Her yer name was so grandiose, yet her dagger was so pitiful.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    Crimson Killer Demon dropped her dagger with an abrupt cry. It appeared that she had strained her wrist from the recoil on contact with the barrier.

    ¡°I will now attempt to stab the same spot I had before,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Just as he said he would, he drew his own dagger and stabbed her in the same spot as before. This deliberate repeated blow brought forth the trauma of the first blow that was likely still fresh in her mind, making it much easier for Jin-Hyeok to subdue her.

    Crimson Killer Demon fell to the ground while bleeding.

    ¡°Aiming for the heart would be a surefire way to wrap this up.¡±

    Stab!

    Jin-Hyeok finished her by stabbing her heart.

    Ambushing people when they weren¡¯t looking was only something that viins who wished harm on others did. Even the lunatics who picked fights with Jin Hyeok in the past didn¡¯t conduct sneak attacks on him.

    ¡°So easy. This is the end of the livestream for today. Thank you for watching.¡±

    Only one person had died.

    It had been a very peaceful and easygoing stream.

    ***

    Egan Paul.

    Egan Paul was one of the United States of America¡¯s most famous streamers, and a ranker in the globally popr game ¡®Ordin.¡¯

    He was one of the people who adjusted to the phenomena happening across the world extraordinarily fast.

    ¡®A new era hase.¡¯

    It was a new world that couldn¡¯t be exined with mere science.

    After undergoing an Awakening and bing an Initially Awakened Streamer, Egan moved fast. Putting the experience he had umted to good use, he started ying as a Streamer and rapidly reached Level 15.

    When he was transported to the Room of Awakening, he simply chose ¡®Egan Paul¡¯ as his Awakened name, and put his name on the Ranking Board straight away.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Streamer (U.S. Region)]

    [1. Egan Paul (LV: 15)]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Egan was currently having a conversation with Joseph, who was his manager¡ªas well as his best friend.

    ¡°You¡¯re back on that weird ass stream again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I am. Come on, give it a chance.¡±

    ¡°How many viewers is it pulling?¡±

    ¡°1500.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck? Is that all? You have over twenty million subscribers on Eltube, and you¡¯re quitting that to do this? Have you lost your mind?¡±

    Egan Paul shrugged. ¡°I have to prepare for theing future. I¡¯m just going to be irrelevant if I keep doing things the way I have.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, okay. Whatever you say.¡±

    Joseph decided not to waste his worry on his pal, since he was already swimming in more than enough money to burn through.

    ¡°But why do you only have 1500 viewers?¡±

    ¡°The max capacity is limited to fifteen hundred right now. I did a bit of research, and turns out that¡¯s actually quite a lot. And the better you are at streaming, the greater the maximum number of viewers you get per Level you have.¡±

    ¡°So right now, you¡¯re getting a hundred viewers toward your max capacity per Level?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Egan Paul smiled contentedly. ¡°I¡¯m on a hundred maximum viewers per Level. But for most Streamers, the max viewer capacity only increases by thirty for every Level.¡±

    ¡°I saw on the inte that there¡¯s some dude who has around 3000 viewers.¡±

    Egan Paul grinned. ¡°That someone is me.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    Egan and Joseph had been the closest of friends since forever, and at this point there was no secret that Egan kept from Joseph.

    Egan Paul revealed that not only did he have the ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¯ Trait, but he also had another one called ¡®Stardom.¡¯

    ¡°The more famous I be, the more benefits that gives me. It¡¯s currently letting me manipte my viewer count. ¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re bluffing?¡±

    ¡°Yep. As of right now, I can make my number appear twice asrge with my ability.¡±

    Egan was doubling his actual viewer count by using the ¡®Viewer Count x 2¡¯ perk that came with the Stardom Trait, using it to balloon the count to 3000.

    Three dayster, Egan reached Level 20.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Streamer]

    [1. Egan Paul (LV: 20)]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Egan¡¯s real viewer count exponentially increased to 2000 viewers. Now he was able to use a ¡®Viewers x 3¡¯ perk, and further inte the viewer count to disy 6000.

    Through some information-gathering efforts, he was able to get an idea of just how wide the gulf between himself and other Streamers was.

    ¡®I''m overwhelmingly in the first ce.¡¯

    Egan Paul was yet to know about the existence of Kim Chul-Soo across the ocean.

    At that time, Kim Chul-Soo had reached Level 20 with a non-inted, real viewer count of 6000.

    [You are now able tomunicate with your viewers.]

    [Chat/Donations are now enabled.]

    Egan began tomunicate with his viewers in earnest and rue his fame.

    He also used his outstanding wealth and buying power to recruit rankers from each and every Job. This was not difficult at all¡ªafter all, he was already brimming to the top with money.

    ¡°Instead, you will sometimes be required to cooperate in our productions by following along with the script written by our in-house scriptwriter.¡±

    From time to time, the rankers would be needed to act out moments of bubblyradery, feign reactions to unexpected developments, and fake conflicts between teammates.

    The production team had seven professional scriptwriters ready to go.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sounds good.¡±

    ¡°As long as I get paid.¡±

    These yers were named the Avengers Army, and they began to go through the Tutorial Fields, learning about them one by one.

    ***

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly an expert on spears.¡±

    Of course, this was by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards. His definition of an expert was someone who was a Master Lancer at the least. As always, that was just how warped his personal standards were.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know too well about it, but I¡¯ll try to exin as much as I can.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°The middle guard is the most fundamental and important stance in the art of the two-handed spear. Since you guys are using a defensive nine-man formation and mainly try to fight enemies thate at you by impaling them, learning the middle guard would be most beneficial for you.¡±

    ¡°Yep, got it!¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to collectively refer to these boys as ¡®the highschoolers.¡¯ He and they slowly built an amicable partnership¡ªJin-Hyeok found the kids to be incredibly cooperative and good-natured.

    ¡®On that note, I got way too many viewers right now.¡¯

    Egan Paul had arge viewer count of 6000 at Level 20.

    Yet Jin-Hyeok also hit the same number of 6000 viewers when he reached Level 20.

    He was aiming to be Mystery Box, not Egan Paul.

    ¡®If I keep streaming the same content over and over, the viewers should get bored of me.¡¯

    With that in mind, Jin-Hyeok stayed and continued ying in the same Field. In the span of a few days, he already hunted down around three hundred Dwarves.

    ¡®Hmm, I¡¯m still getting a pretty big amount of donations, though.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok received donations of around 50,000 Dias per day.

    One Dia was worth approximately one Korean won. Considering that, earning 50,000 won per day for rtively light work was quite good.

    Meanwhile, Egan Paul publicly announced his streaming ie via the inte.

    ¡®Egan Paul said his donations total around 500,000 Dias per day, didn¡¯t he?¡¯

    The numbers had been inted, of course, but Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t aware of that fact. In reality, Egan Paul was also currently receiving around 50,000 Dias per day in donations.

    ¡®I¡¯m getting like one-tenth of the donations he does, so I¡¯m at just the right level I want to be at.¡¯

    That was when Jin-Hyeok heard a notificatione in.

    [You havepleted the hidden task ¡¸Hunt 300 Dwarves¡¹.]

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know much about the hidden aspects of such low-Level Dungeons. He had a few memorized, but only the ones that were immensely rewarding or granted Traits that were absolutely essential.

    ¡®Was there always a hidden task like this?¡¯

    That was not all, however.

    [You havepleted the Streamer-exclusive hidden task¡¸Have 6,000 viewers while in this Field¡¹.]

    [A hidden secret is being activated.]

    Jin-Hyeok knitted his brows.

    ¡®Why do I feel like things are just getting bigger and bigger?¡¯

    [¡¸Gargar, King of Dwarves¡¹ will begin.]

    ¡®Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me this is the same Gargar that I know of.¡¯

    This name was not supposed to appear in a Tutorial Field.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart started pounding.

    1. Stands for regeneration (revival). ?

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    The King of Dwarves, Gargar, was around Level 35.

    The strongest monster in the Seoul Station Tutorial Field was supposed to be the ¡®Red Boa,¡¯ with an average Level of 25. Yet a Level 35 monster had suddenly appeared.

    Gargar was of a higher Level than any monster that could possibly appear in Bupyeong Station Dungeon, which had been dubbed as the most grueling Tutorial Dungeon.

    ¡®It¡¯s a strong one!¡¯

    Gargar didn¡¯te out right away, as if the Tutorial Field was giving them some leniency.

    [You are about to enter the Field of a boss monster.]

    [The revival feature does not apply to this Field.]

    Jin-Hyeok was transported to a dark space.

    He couldn¡¯t tell exactly how big it was, but the space seemed quite wide. Thisrge opening was surrounded by several tens of circr pirs that were nted all along the wall.

    ¡®A magic circle?¡¯

    Indeed, there was a magic circle drawn on the floor.

    It seemed that Gargar was going to be summoned from this circle.

    ¡°Guys, listen. There¡®s no way you can beat the monster that¡¯s about toe out.¡±

    ¡°H-how do you know?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause of my Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight. It tells me a lot of things.¡±

    ¡°W-what should we do then?¡±

    ¡°Focuspletely on defense, no matter what. Just try to block its attack once. I¡¯ll take care of the rest somehow.¡±

    The strength of a Nine-Man Monarch was still pretty formidable at their present point in time¡ªthough who knew how strong it would be in the future.

    ¡°If you use Nine-Man Bulwark, you should be able to withstand one blow. Just hang in there for one attack, and leave the rest to me.¡±

    The ground began to rumble.

    The tip of a helmet began to emerge from the magic circle.

    Jin-Hyeok knew Gargar was much bigger than an ordinary Dwarf.

    [LV35/Gargar/Skills]

    Its name was marked in red, which meant that this monster was dangerous to fight at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current Level.

    ¡°When I raise my right hand, just shout out loud. Got it?¡±

    ¡°What about you, hyung?¡±

    ¡°No time to exin.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok briskly moved into action, his movements were extremely light.

    While he enjoyed hunting monsters head-on, that was not to say that using his head to devise a strategy wasn¡¯t fun in its own way.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Shop.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok opened the exclusive store for Streamers. The prices were exorbitant, but the upside was that there was quite a wide range of different things that one could purchase.

    ¡®Crazy expensive.¡¯

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Broadcaster¡¯s Store]

    * Rope (12m) - 500,000 Dias

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Would you like to purchase Rope (12m)?]

    So far, Jin-Hyeok had received a total of 700,000 Dias from donations.

    There was no time to decide whether he really wanted to spend his money on the rope or not. Gargar had already emerged up to its torso, so he quickly bought it.

    [Would you like to purchase Paralyzing Pills (ck)?]

    Just like that, the remaining 200,000 of the 700,000 Dias Jin-Hyeok had received were spent on the ¡®Paralyzing Pills (ck).¡¯

    ¡®Damn, I¡¯m getting kinda nervous.¡¯

    What was good was that in this low-Level period where the strengths¡ªand weaknesses¡ªof different Jobs were yet to emerge, Jin-Hyeok could still fight properly and freely to his heart¡¯s content. Plus, he had already faced Gargar in his previous life.

    Besides, people don¡¯t even see you as a yer until you reach Level 30. I should be fine if I fight it a little more aggressively, right?¡¯

    In fact, those under Level 30 were generally considered ¡®Tutorial-grade¡¯ yers, absolute beginners that hadn¡¯t even yet reached the point where they could be called low-Level yers. No matter how brilliantly he fought at this stage, it would only be considered child''s y¡ªno one would begin to pay him attention merely based on that.

    ¡®If I don''t fight properly here, I¡¯m actually going to die anyway. I have to fight for real.¡¯

    The lower half of Gargar''s body emerged, apanied by what looked like the wisps of a shimmery heat haze.

    ¡®It got such an intimidating entrance for a low-tier mob¡ªI¡¯ll give it that, at least.¡¯

    This was just like how Krillin[1] seemed so strong when he made his first appearance.

    Gargar began to stomp around. The King of Dwarves boasted a humongous frame that towered over two meters, and it clutched a crudely fashioned steel ax in its right hand.

    ¡®Now.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok raised his right hand high.

    ¡®Get its attention with your shouts!¡¯

    The boys needed to shout out loud to lure Gargar.

    ¡®Hmm¡­ they aren¡¯t making a sound.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok raised his right hand again just in case they didn¡¯t see it, but the kids didn¡¯t make any sort of shout.

    ***

    In the eyes of the high schoolers, before Gargar hadpletely emerged, Jin-Hyeok had been doing something quite a distance away from them.

    Whatever he was doing, they couldn¡¯t see it properly.

    Kang Nam-Il, the Nine-Man Monarch, talked quietly with his friends.

    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that this hyung¡¯s gonna use us as bait and make a run for it.¡±

    ¡°Yo, no way. As if¡­¡±

    ¡°Then why is he so far away from us? What is he even doing right now? That bastard said it himself¡ªthere¡¯s no way we can beat this creature with our own strength.¡±

    ¡°H-he told us to block one attack.¡±

    ¡°No, we need to go to where he is. The exit has to be there. That hyung must know something we don¡¯t!¡±

    Kang Nam-Il had a hard time trusting Jin-Hyeok.

    And so he didn¡¯t do as Jin-Hyeok had asked.

    ¡°He said the Dwarves are sensitive to sounds. So isn¡¯t it weird that he asked us to make sounds?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°We should move soundlessly, as quietly and carefully as possible. We should be fine as long as we don¡¯t make any sounds.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey¡­ wouldn¡¯t it still be better for us to just do as he says?¡±

    ¡°Bullshit. I¡¯m the Ruler here. Just listen to me.¡±

    Detached far away from the high schoolers, Jin-Hyeok continued to stream indifferently.

    ¡°It seems the boys no longer have trust in me. From the looks of it, I think the fact that I didn¡¯t have time to exin my position properly to them may have yed arge part. That¡¯s a real shame.¡±

    But this, too, was their choice to make at the end of the day, as far as Jin-Hyeok was concerned.

    Gargar was not the same as the run-of-the-mill Dwarves¡ªit was also sensitive to movement.

    ¡®And if it catches you moving¡­¡¯

    You were screwed.

    Even if the nine of them had set up a position where they solely poured all their energy and focus into defense, they would have been able to block were one to two strikes at the very most. Even so, if they had just fended off one attack from Gargar, Jin-Hyeok had been nning to do the rest.

    Gargar rushed towards the high schoolers who had drawn nearby.

    ¡°RAH!¡±

    With a roar, its ax came swinging down.

    ¡°AHHHHH!¡±

    The result was more of a ughter than a battle.

    None of the boys were able to properly gather themselves to defend against Gargar¡¯s ax.

    Six of them were killed in an instant.

    ¡°Now there¡¯s three of them left,¡± Jin-Hyeokmentated for his viewers.

    Gargar was significantly faster than an ordinary Dwarf, and didn¡¯t give the high schoolers a chance to run.

    Kang Nam-Il, the Nine-Man Monarch, fell onto his backside.

    ¡®S-s-shit.¡¯

    Crushed by fear, he scrambled backward desperately until his back was against the wall. He was faced with an overwhelming monster that didn¡¯t seem to possess a single weakness.

    ¡®N-no¡­!¡¯

    There was nothing he could do.

    Gargar jumped towards Kang Nam-Il.

    ¡°HEY, you bastard! Over here!¡±

    That was when Jin-Hyeok let out a sudden shout.

    THUMP!

    Gargar¡¯s axnded straight into the wall beside Kang Nam-Il.

    Kang Nam-Il trembled with fear as he began to cry. Completely overtaken by the fear of death, there was not a thing he could do as he stayed frozen in ce.

    ¡°Here!¡±

    Grrr?

    ¡°I said over here!¡±

    Gargar turned to where the sound emanated from. And just like that, it immediately began charging toward Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok was honestly a little surprised.

    ¡®Was that all it took to draw its aggro?¡¯

    He found it a bit odd, but he didn¡¯t have the luxury of pondering the question further.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    The ground shook.

    ***

    Kang Nam-Il tried to stand up.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to die.¡¯

    He wanted to live no matter what it took. The terror he had just felt was something he never wanted to experience again.

    But it was right then that Kang Nam-Il saw the monster¡ªthat had been charging toward Cha Jin-Hyeok with each stomp shaking the very earthe to an abrupt stop, wobbling before it fell right over.

    ¡®W-wait, is that a¡­?¡¯

    Nam-Il noticed something on the floor¡ªa rope had been installed.

    Gargar had tripped on the rope and fallen over.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    As soon as Gargar fell down, Jin-Hyeok soared like a swallow.

    ¡®W-what?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok leaped straight at the falling Gargar, and tossed something straight into the monster¡¯s mouth.

    Then, twisting his body like a gymnast in mid-air, he vaulted right over Gargar andnded straight on its back.

    Kang Nam-Il couldn¡¯t stop looking at Jin-Hyeok, staring at him as if in a trance.

    ¡®How¡­ How can he possibly move like that?¡¯

    Try as he may to apply his logic andmon sense as apletely ordinary human to what he had just seen, Kim Nam-Il couldn¡¯t fullyprehend what he had witnessed.

    Jin-Hyeok had to be from the special forces, or a professional gymnast. Whatever it was, there was no doubt in Nam-Il¡¯s mind that this man had undergone a tremendous amount of training in some manner.

    ¡®And why isn¡¯t that monster moving?¡¯

    Indeed, Gargar strangely seemed unable to move.

    Though Kang Nam-Il was not aware of it, this was the effect of the Paralyzing Pills.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok clutched a sharp dagger with both hands while he inhaled and exhaled deeply.

    His eyes were nted on Gargar¡¯s back. More precisely, they were focused on the big spot that covered the middle of the monster¡¯s back.

    As Jin-Hyeok calmed his fluttering heart, he talked steadily to his audience.

    ¡°That spot we see there is heaving up and down, like a chest that¡¯s breathing.¡±

    There would be a moment when that spot opened up.

    Jin-Hyeok was aiming for that moment.

    ¡°This looks like the timing we¡¯ve been waiting for. I¡¯ll try stabbing it.¡±

    With that, Jin-Hyeok thrust his dagger deep. His motions were natural and seamless.

    Shuk!

    Sickly green blood sshed onto Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    ¡®Wow, that¡¯s right¡­ this is how it feels.¡¯

    This was definitely the sensation of a critical shot.

    It was admittedly a sensation of enjoyment that he hadn¡¯t felt for long, and that he weed like an old friend.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly turned down those emotions. He was a Streamer now.

    ¡°I will finish the job properly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached the nape of Gargar, who was spread out cold on the floor, and stabbed at the area several times.

    Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

    Every time he stabbed, the green blood sshed everywhere wildly. Although Gargar had already ceased to show any signs of movement, Jin-Hyeok did not stop.

    He would have seemed like the devil incarnate to a bystander.

    [You have in ¡¸Gargar¡¹.]

    [You have unlocked the Achievement ¡¸Fall of the Little King¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok stood up atst.

    He was drenched in blood, but he was smiling brightly.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok approached Kang Nam-Il, who was still trembling with fear.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do as I asked?¡±

    ¡°W-w-well¡­ I told my friends that we should do as you say, but they¡­!¡±

    Kang Nam-Il suddenly kneeled on the floor and began begging.

    ¡°P-please, spare me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I would kill you, now did I?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found the whole situation to be rather weird.

    He had indeed never said he would kill Kang Nam-Il. On top of that, he was live and on air right now, and he most certainly didn¡¯t have some twisted hobby of killing people.

    The boys made a regretful choice, but the truth was that it was well within Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expectations.

    ¡°I¡¯d be an idiot if I couldn¡¯t tell that you wouldn¡¯t listen to me, considering how you guys were bickering and being so disorganized.¡±

    That was why Jin-Hyeok had actually made his move under the assumption that the boys wouldn¡¯t do as he asked. The boys had no duty to follow his orders¡ªafter all, they didn¡¯t have the tight bonds that long-timerades did.

    It urred to Jin-Hyeok that it could have been better for him to point out in advance to the boys that he suspected they wouldn''t listen to him.

    Then again, he hadn¡¯t had the time to exin anything properly, so it was what it was.

    Jin-Hyeok had acted for his own benefit, and so had the boys. Each of them were simply responsible for living with the consequences of their own actions.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s train of thought was broken and he began to feel a little awkward when the other two boys that had survived came kneeling before him, begging profusely.

    ¡°All in all, trying to hang in there with Nine-Man Bulwark would have given us the best chances. I¡¯m sure you guys noticed it as well, but that monster has a pretty long dy in between its attacks.¡±

    ¡°¡­There was a dy?¡±

    Anyone who had maintained just a bit of focus would have noticed a detail like that, but it seemed the boys had been too terrified to see it. And now, they also seemed to be in a state of great shock from losing their friends.

    However, all of that really didn¡¯t matter that much to Jin-Hyeok.

    He was maintaining conversation with the boys, but it was more being used as a vehicle to inform his thousands of viewers. It was a way to satisfy the need to enlighten his viewers on how he discerned the monster¡¯s weaknesses, and why he had chosen tobat the monster in the way he did.

    ¡°During that dy, I saw that the ck spot on its back kept opening and closing.¡±

    ¡°I-it was?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Anyone can notice things like that when they try to keep even just a bit of their wits about them in battle.¡±

    ¡°A-anyone can notice that?¡±

    Detector ss yers went beyond this, and were able to pinpoint much more subtle weaknesses of a monster in far greater detail. Other than the actual location of the weakness itself, they could even analyze fine details such as which weapons made out of what material should be used, how deep the blow should be, and how much power should be behind a blow to impart maximum damage.

    ¡°I deduced the spot was the weak point. Then I set up to create an optimal situation for attacking that weakness. While Gargar was a boss monster, the fact of the matter is that it was just another kind of Dwarf, and it was probably going to be big since it was a ¡®King.¡¯ ounting for this, I bought a rope in advance and installed it with the n of tripping it over. After you guys had blocked one of Gargar¡¯s attacks, I was going to lure it into the trap and begin my attack.¡±

    The process turned out a little differently, but the result was fortunately still pretty good.

    ¡°In the end, I was lucky to be able to y Gargar.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ you were¡­ lucky.¡±

    The boys still seemed to be despondent and out of their minds.

    Nheless, Jin-Hyeok thought this exnation would give the viewers a good enough understanding of what happened, in addition to his thought process.

    ¡®Now then, let¡¯s have a look at this Achievement.¡¯

    However, the Achievement Jin-Hyeok had received was upgraded as his fight with Gargar was ssified as a solo battle.

    [The ¡¸Fall of the Little King¡¹ Achievement is upgraded to the ¡¸Lord of the Tutorial¡¹ Achievement.]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Lord of the Tutorial]

    You have in Gargar, the Lord of the Seoul Station Tutorial Field.

    You receive the Lord¡¯s effect.

    You may select one of your Traits/Skills to be activated at all times.

    However, this effect can only be applied inside Tutorial Fields.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Jin-Hyeok was a little disconcerted.

    ¡®I¡¯ll be in the first ce for sure at this rate, not third ce.¡¯

    Yet at the same time, thinking about the prospect made him happy.

    ¡®I have to look out for this wicked mind.¡¯

    Regardless, Jin-Hyeok was greatly satisfied with the effect itself.

    [Would you like to apply the ¡¸Lord of the Tutorial¡¹Achievement effect?]

    Jin-Hyeok immediately applied the Achievement effect to the ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    As soon as he did so, Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier activated.

    [The Achievement effect is applied. ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¹will always be activated.]

    This was like a shield that would always be covering him. Now he wasn¡¯t going to find himself hurt or injured in the Tutorial Fields, at the least.

    ¡®Okay, now I really need to slow down and take a breather¡­¡¯

    It was admittedly a bit of a shame to stop now.

    It would have been fun if the Red Boa, the strongest monsters around these parts, popped up to him out of nowhere¡ªor if a skilled assassin tried to attack him.

    ¡®Shit. Pull yourself together, Cha Jin-Hyeok.¡¯

    With all that had happened, Jin-Hyeok was thinking about descending further down into the station.

    If he went down there right now, he could have a shot at getting an ¡®Extra Life¡¯¡ªthe thing that was the whole reason he came here in the first ce.

    ¡®But still, I think I need to slow down¡­¡¯

    [¡¸Lord of the Tutorial¡¹, please use the esctor to enter the subway tform.]

    [If you refuse to enter the subway tform, your Achievement will be withdrawn.]

    Oh, well.

    He had to go down to the subway tform now.

    After all, he really had no choice.

    1. A character from Dragon Ball. ?

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    Kang Nam-Il was trembling all over.

    ¡°H-how can I be like you, hyung?¡±

    ¡°Be like me? Everyone can do this much.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You just need a bit of training.¡±

    That, of course, was going by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards.

    He thought that even Merchant ss yers, who were evaluated to be the weakest of them all, could do this much in the beginner period.

    The fact was, however, that even those Merchants that Jin-Hyeok had encountered in the past were among the highest rankers. In truth, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were nowhere near the norm.

    To Nam-Il, it just sounded like Jin-Hyeok didn''t want to reveal who he was.

    After some time, the boss monster Field was unceremoniously lifted. Enveloped by the light of the magic circle, Jin-Hyeok and the boys found themselves returned to the original Field of Seoul Station.

    ¡°Are you, like¡­ part of some national special forces that prepared just for this day, or something?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess something like that,¡± Jin-Hyeok responded.

    ¡°I-I knew it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided that was the story he would go with, since he really had been a yer for the NIS before his regression.

    ¡°H-h-hyung, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. I¡¯m going to go down to the subway tform. It¡¯ll be even more dangerous downstairs.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. We can no longer cooperate from the point that you rejected my requests.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry. I won¡¯t disturb you, I¡¯ll just follow you from behind and learn from what you do.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok scratched his head.

    ¡°Okay, first of all, I¡¯m a Streamer, so there¡¯s not much you can learn from me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And second, I don''t work twice with someone who¡¯s broken my trust. If we were under a contractual rtionship or were actual teammates, I would probably have killed you.¡±

    Nam-Il was startled.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words were so violent, yet his tone was the same as someone talking about what they had for breakfast. Nam-Il felt the true width of the gulf between his life and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s just go our separate ways.¡±

    Nam-Il had Awakened as the Nine-Man Monarch, and a special characteristic of any Ruler Job was that one became highly receptive to the emotions of others. He was able to instinctively discern the feelings and emotional state of others.

    ¡®He genuinely doesn¡¯t seem to be housing any enmity at all¡­¡¯

    Nam-Il found Jin-Hyeok to be awfully strange. It was almost like parts of his brain weren¡¯t functioning the way they were meant to.

    Jin-Hyeok began to move further and further away from him. The whole sequence that Nam-Il had experienced today felt like a dream.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a dream, though, is it?¡±

    The group of nine had been reduced down to three.

    All Nam-Il could do was stare off into the distance in the direction that Cha Jin-Hyeok had gone, dumbfounded.

    That was when he heard one of his friends constantly mutter something under his breath.

    ¡°If he was that strong, he could have just saved us in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Nam-Il quickly turned to face his friend.

    His friend was shaking all over.

    ¡°Hey, you¡­ what¡¯s up with you?¡±

    ¡°He could have just saved us, that fucker.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Six of us died because of that prick. That fucker killed them.¡±

    Nam-Il felt something was off. Before him was certainly the friend that he knew, but at the same time he seemed like someone different. His friend¡¯s head was lowered.

    Drip. Drip.

    Red ink-like teardrops began to fall from his eyes.

    With a pang of ominous feelings, Nam-Il gave his friend¡¯s shoulder a strong shake.

    ¡°Hey! Park Sang-Hyeon! What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Park Sang-Hyeon raised his head.

    His eyes had turned blood red.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Nam-Il trailed off.

    Park Sang-Hyeon grinned.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    Park Sang-Hyeon reached out and grabbed Kang Nam-Il¡¯s neck, enclosing his grip.

    Snap.

    Kang Nam-Il¡¯s neck broke in an instant.

    Just like that, the Nine-Man Monarch died and copsed to the floor like a doll.

    ¡°Y-you crazy bastard! Gak!¡± Another friend screamed.

    Park Sang-Hyeon grabbed his friend¡¯s neck.

    In the meantime, two ck horns emerged from Park Sang-Hyeon¡¯s head.

    He looked like a devil straight out of mythology.

    Park Sang-Hyeon put in more strength in his arms, making the thick veins on his arm and the back of his hand pop up horrifyingly.

    ¡°Heeheehee¡­¡±

    ¡°S-spare me¡­ arghhh!¡±

    He snapped his friend¡¯s neck.

    Thud¡ª

    The now lifeless body fell to the ground.

    Except for the now-bizarre Park Sang-Hyeon, there were no other survivors of the Nine-Man Monarch¡¯s party.

    ***

    A notification popped up for Jin-Hyeok.

    [Do you want to take the esctor?]

    This esctor was set to go to B1F, the subway tform.

    [You have boarded the esctor.]

    [You have entered the ¡¸Subway tform¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok was met with the sight of wolves with gray fur slinking around.

    The name of this monster was simply ¡®Gray Wolf,¡¯ and they were Level 17 or 18.

    ¡®They¡¯re pretty weak.¡¯

    It would have been nice if there were slightly stronger creatures down here, but Jin-Hyeok had already known that would be too much to ask.

    One thing he had to give them credit for, though, was that they grouped together and attacked as a pack.

    Yelp!

    One of the gray wolves that had tried to chomp on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck let out a cry.

    ¡°It appears it broke some of its teeth.¡± Jin-Hyeok wasmentating for his stream as always.

    It was quickly turning out that thebination of the ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¯ ability and the ¡®Lord of the Tutorial¡¯ Achievement effect was almost too good. Thanks to the barrier¡¯s constant state of activation, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t need to pay heed to defending at all.

    This made it veryfortable for Jin-Hyeok to just focus on his livestream.

    ¡°They¡¯re surrounding me now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was carefree. Perhaps it could have been a little precarious if he had tried to fight them in this situation without Broadcaster''s Barrier, but that too was merely just a matter of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s rtiveck of experience with this particr fight.

    ¡®Wait, but should I be pretending that I¡¯m at least a little scared?¡¯

    Even if he had the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier ability, could it possibly look unnatural if a Tutorial-grade Streamer waspletely fearless in the face of this many monsters surrounding him?

    The thought entered Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, but he soon shook his head.

    Nevermind the fact that feigning fear with his acting skills would look unnatural anyway¡ªthere was no way he could act like he was frightened at all here.

    ¡®I can¡¯t help the fact that I¡¯m just not scared.¡¯

    Growling, several of the wolves rushed at Jin-Hyeok.

    Yelp!

    They didn¡¯t seem like very good learners. The wolves only stopped running at Jin-Hyeok after five or six of them broke their teeth on his barrier.

    Unable to feel the usual thrill and joy of conquering a Dungeon, Jin-Hyeok quickly got tired of the whole affair.

    ¡°I¡¯vee down to this new Field, but it seems there¡¯s not much here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pretended to have a look around.

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that? I see something out of the ordinary.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had alreadye down to this ce with a goal in mind¡ªand that goal was rted to the convenience store he saw off in the distance, the one he had been looking for.

    That store waspletely covered by vines.

    ¡°How intriguing. I¡¯ll go have a closer look.¡±

    ***

    These vines had not grown naturally.

    ¡°This looks to be the work of a Skill.¡±

    As always, Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight allowed Jin-Hyeok to detect many things. Beyond these vines, Jin-Hyeok could sense the presence of a yer.

    More precisely, he could see the yer¡¯s information.

    [LV21(+2)/Loser/Wood Lord/Skills/Survive for Six Days]

    ¡®Loser?¡¯

    It was a strange choice for an Awakened name, given that people chose their own names.

    That said, Jin-Hyeok recognised who this was.

    But the Mok Jae-Hyeon[1] he had known in his previous lifetime simply went by his real name for his yer name. Jin-Hyeok guessed that maybe that had been changed from thister down that timeline.

    ¡®His Job is colored in yellow. A 7-Star, just like I remember.¡¯

    For Jin-Hyeok yers with 7-Star rated Jobs were perfect to y together with.

    In truth, 7 Stars was a brilliant rating¡ªit fell within the top 10% of Jobs in terms of grading. But if someone were to have asked him if that meant 7-Star Jobs were top-tier, he would have to say no.

    ¡®And that is why they¡¯re perfect for someone who wants to be third ce.¡¯

    In fact, Streamer Mystery Box¡¯s main content of choice featured the ying of 7-Starrers.

    Jin-Hyeok knocked on the mass of vines.

    ¡°Excuse me, could you open the door for me? I¡¯m a human.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t hear any response. Maybe he was up to something on the inside, but there was no clue of what it could be.

    ¡°I¡¯m a good person, you can trust me. Please open the door for me.¡±

    Once again, there was no response. As expected, to be honest.

    A Gray Wolf came to try and chomp Jin-Hyeok in the rear, only to ruin its teeth.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t open the door, I¡¯ll just open it myself.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really not a dodgy person, I swear. I just want to interview you¡ªI¡¯m a Streamer. I also got some questions I want to ask.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took a look around and up close at the vines.

    ¡®I should be able to get through the entrance after like three hours.¡¯

    The name of the Skill that had created these vines was ¡®Wood Fortress.¡¯ It was known to be a very efficient and effective defensive ability.

    The +2 Levels that the yer inside was receiving right now was also due to being inside the fortress he had created.

    But while it truly was an outstanding skill, that didn¡¯t mean it was infallible. At the end of the day, this one had been created by a Tutorial-grade yer that was still in their low 20¡¯s in terms of Level.

    ¡®All I need to do is remove the vines step by step.¡¯

    If Han Sae-Rin, the resident navigator of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team in his previous life, had been here with them, a fortress of this caliber would have taken less than a second for her to remove.

    Jin-Hyeok drew his dagger and began to carve out a path by hacking at the vines.

    His mind began to wander due to the simple nature of the task. Beginning with Han Sae-Rin, the faces of his other teammates passed by his mind¡¯s eye one by one.

    ¡®I wonder if they¡¯re all faring well.¡¯

    Truth be told, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t bother to look for them after his regression.

    He was nning on leading a very different life, and there wouldn¡¯t be any asions for his and their paths to cross. He intended to cheer on their aplishments from a distance.

    That didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t miss those days a little. Those days of ying together with his team truly had been a thrill, and filled with joy.

    ¡®Oh? Looks like I¡¯m done.¡¯

    Not after long, Jin-Hyeok found that he had made an opening big enough for him to squeeze through.

    ¡®That was way faster than I thought.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had been expecting it to take at least three hours, but it took only one.

    It wasn¡¯t because Jin-Hyeok was surprisingly talented at Skill removal¡ªit was more likely because Wood Lords at this point in their ying were much weaker than Jin-Hyeok had anticipated.

    ¡°Hup.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok squeezed himself into the hole.

    ¡°Hello, I came here to interview-¡±

    ¡°AHHHHH!!! Ughhh! D-don¡¯te any closer!!!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon stepped backward, trembling as if he was looking at a ghost.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was wearing a school uniform and had a rather small physique. From what Jin-Hyeok could recall, the older version of Mok Jae-Hyeon that Jin-Hyeok hade to known in his previous lifetime had practically been a giant. He figured that Mok Jae-Hyeon was probably going to have a growth spurt all at onceter down the track.

    ¡°H-H-HELP, someone HELP ME!!!¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok noticed his reflection in the mirror hanging from the corner of the convenience store.

    ¡®Oh.¡¯

    To be fair, Jin-Hyeok lookedpletely horrid. He was still caked in Gargar¡¯s blood, giving him an ominous air that exuded terror. Jin-Hyeok had been so used to seeing himself like this, that he hadn¡¯t paid it as much heed as he should have.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a bad person,¡± he said.

    ¡°G-g¨Cgo away!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon squeezed his eyes shut and iled his dagger about. Even a child wouldn¡¯t have been hit by it.

    Jin-Hyeok stoodpletely still, the dagger failing to reach him.

    ¡°Loser-nim,[2] please, let¡¯s just talk for a bit. I¡¯m a Streamer yer.¡±

    Something about the word ¡®Loser¡¯ made Mok Jae-Hyeon twitch.

    ¡°I just want to have a conversation with you and get some video content while we¡¯re at it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok intended to ask what Quest Mok Jae-Hyeon was doing and how he got it.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon didn¡¯t tell him exactly what the Quest was, but vaguely answered that the reward was very good considering they were still in the Tutorial stage of ying.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok knew that it needed to be considered that it was something good from the viewpoint of someone with a 7-Star Job.

    This was an opportunity for Jin-Hyeok to get his hands on such a reward and possibly y with Mok Jae-Hyeon. It was perfect for someone gunning for third ce.

    However, Mok Jae-Hyeon was currently so seized by terror that it seemed like he would faint at this rate.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ you didn¡¯t actually want ¡®Loser¡¯ as your Awakened name, did you?¡±

    Observing Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face closely, Jin-Hyeok noticed it was dotted with faint bruises.

    ¡°Seems like someone beat you up badly, too.¡±

    These weren¡¯t wounds inflicted by monsters¡ªa monster would have just killed him.

    ¡°And judging by your personality, you wouldn¡¯t havee here all by yourself.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could conjecture that someone had forced Mok Jae-Hyeon to name himself ¡®Loser,¡¯ and that same someone then brought him here against his will.

    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It was only then that Mok Jae-Hyeon finally opened his eyes and looked at Jin-Hyeok.

    He still seemed to be afraid, but now it seemed like he had decided to talk at least.

    That was when Jin-Hyeok heard a notification.

    [The VIP chat request window has been activated.]

    [Do you want to ept the VIP chat request?]

    Jin-Hyeok wondered what this was.

    1. This character¡¯s name is meant to be a littleedic and ironic, because ¡®Mok¡¯ is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character for ¡®wood.¡¯ It is a real surname, though the actual surname has different semantics. ?

    2. An honorific used in formal settings, particrly when talking to strangers¡ªe.g. between a customer service staff member and a client. ?

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    Ah.

    Jin-Hyeok remembered Kang Mi-Na, who was a colleague and a Streamer herself, and the many times they had conversed about the VIP chat request function.

    - You can just think of it as VIP viewers unting their money and shit. They get to burn through their cash to have a special conversation with you.

    - So what¡¯s in it for you, then?

    - You can make some big bucks.

    - Wait, isn¡¯t that good for you then?

    - Come on, haven¡¯t you heard of high-risk, high-return? It¡¯s a fucking shitshow ¡®cause there are so many self-entitled brats. Once, there was this crazy-ass bastard who said he¡¯d send down a controble avatar so he could touch my boobs from afar.

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t remember too much because of all the swearing that their conversations were interspersed with, but one thing he did take away was that VIP chats were high risk, high return.

    Despite the fact that Kang Mi-Na was generally repulsed by VIP chat requests, she would say in the same breath that attracting VIPs and capturing their attention was essential if one wanted to be a top Streamer. Mi-Na would curse them out every day¡ªbut the moment a VIP chat request came in, she would instantly put on her best capitalist, rainmaker smile when weing the viewer.

    Sometimes, her two-sided personality frightened Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I should turn this chat request down.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was not aiming to be a top Streamer¡ªto say it again, his objective was third ce.

    He only needed to shoulder the level of risk that a third ce would. Now that he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t recall a single mention by Mystery Box about doing any content rted to VIPs¡ªand that was the path he wanted to tread.

    [You rejected the VIP chat request.]

    Jin-Hyeok felt relieved. Out of sight, out of mind.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that rumors were spreading about an insane Streamer that not only refused to engage with the ordinary chat function, but turned down VIPs as well.

    ***

    The interview with Mok Jae-Hyeon proved to be quite a sess.

    As Jin-Hyeok had correctly guessed, Mok Jae-Hyeon was semi-forced toe here.

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that after you were half-dragged all the way here, all your friends died and it¡¯s just you who¡¯s still here and alive, hiding away¡­ Is that right?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any bodies outside, though.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon grabbed his head with his hands and squatted on the ground.

    ¡°They must have all been eaten.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible. There aren¡¯t any monsters here that eat humans. You said you¡¯ve been here for three days, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Did you know that it bes regen time here at midnight?¡±

    ¡°Regen time?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Youe back to life even if you¡¯repletely dead. They were probably able to get away some way or another after being revived.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was quite shocked that the friends(?) who hade here with him had run away.

    ¡°Then, does that mean¡­¡±

    ¡°There definitely weren¡¯t any requests for help to rescue you. From the looks of things, they abandoned you and bolted.¡±

    The people who had forced Mok Jae-Hyeon toe with them seemed to have not spared him a single thought,pletely wiping him from their minds.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon clenched his fists.

    Jin-Hyeok felt it was a little unfortunate, but there were many worse things that could happen to one in the world.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s story didn¡¯t really move him or anything.

    ¡°You said you are holding out here because of the Quest?¡±

    ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    A quest to survive for seven days.

    When this Quest was cleared, one would be rewarded with the ¡®Extra Life¡¯ Trait.

    Jin-Hyeok was conversing with Mok Jae-Hyeon to figure out how he could trigger the Quest, when Mok Jae-Hyeon said something that instantly captured Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Well, actually... I can share it with you.¡±

    ¡°You can share the Quest?¡±

    In the norms of the future, asking someone to share their Quest would be something that was considered hical.

    It was highly probable that the Quest would start all over if it was shared with another yer. With that in mind, even Jin-Hyeok¡ªno matter how unconscientious he admittedly could be at times¡ªwould never ask someone to share their Quest.

    Besides, he had some amount of pride in being a yer for the government with proper ying etiquette.

    ¡°If you share it with me, you¡¯ll have to stake it out here for another seven days. It¡¯s okay¡ªit¡¯d be immoral of me to ask that of you. Can you just share how I can get the Quest?¡±

    ¡°L-look, it¡¯s fine. I can bear being here for seven more days. You came down here all alone and managed to stay alive. I-it¡¯s because I¡¯m so scared to be alone here. Can you just help me out a bit?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hade to Mok Jae-Hyeon wanting to know how to receive the Quest, but ironically Mok Jae-Hyeon was the one begging Jin-Hyeok for help.

    This was a pretty good situation that Jin-Hyeok had found himself in.

    ¡°Then, please join me on my broadcast more often.¡±

    ¡°S-sure. I promise.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had just killed two birds with one stone¡ªnow he could receive the Quest, and have a potential guest for his streams.

    ¡®It¡¯s gonna be way better for my peace of mind to have someone with me who knows Wood Fortress.¡¯

    No matter how well Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier protected him from the attacks of monsters, it left a little something to be desired in terms of peace of mind. If he even found a couple mosquitoes buzzing around his head when he slept to be annoying, it was going to be an irrefutable fact that being constantly harassed by these Wolf monsters would bother him no matter their harmlessness.

    ¡°Sounds good. That¡¯s a deal, then.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon shared the Quest with Jin-Hyeok.

    [The hidden Quest, ¡¸Survive the Subway tform¡¹, has been shared with you.]

    Jin-Hyeok cocked his head to the side as he read the details.

    ¡°What? Were there two conditions to clear this Quest?¡±

    In the previous life, Mok Jae-Hyeon hadn¡¯t revealed all the clear conditions. He had only revealed one clear condition, which was to stay alive for seven days.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Conditions to Clear]

    1) Survive for seven days in a valid Field, or

    2) y all monsters in a valid Field.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    ¡°I¡¯m allowed to kill all the monsters?¡±

    This was very good news.

    ***

    ¡°Well, the thing is...¡±

    After hearing Mok Jae-Hyeon out, it turned out things were not that simple.

    The Gray Wolf regenerated quicklypared to most monsters. Mok Jae-Hyeon told him that if he killed three of them, five more would take their ce¡ªor something like that.

    ¡®Fair enough, since the Wood Fortress Skill is better for defense than offense.¡¯

    As Jin-Hyeok recalled, Mok Jae-Hyeon would be able to extend branches from his Wood Fortress in the future, honing the Skill to bepetent in both offense and defense¡ªbut that was the future, and it looked to be too much for the Mok Jae-Hyeon before him at present.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go out and fulfill the second condition right now, and get it over with.¡±

    ¡°N-no way.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon started to tremble again with fear.

    ¡°If we leave, the Wood Fortress will be deactivated.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just re-cast it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    Casting Skills consumed the yer¡¯s Focus.

    This ¡®Focus¡¯ was a rather ambiguous thing. Not only was it unquantifiable, but the aggregate amount that one had would change on a day-to-day basis depending on their condition and health.

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok and hisrades underwent mental care through countless initiatives, such as hypnosis and psychotherapy. The one thing that had always been emphasized to them was the need to have an imperturbable mind.

    At present, all that seemed like it would be way beyond Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s understanding.

    ¡°Your Wood Fortress doesn¡¯t need to be this massive.¡±

    ¡°...Sorry?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t understand why on earth Mok Jae-Hyeon had to cover the whole convenience store.

    ¡°You can make it so that it¡¯s just about big enough to protect your body.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s give that a go. You don¡¯t have to cover the whole store this time¡ªjust imagine a smaller Wood Fortress that¡¯s big enough to keep yourself protected.¡±

    ¡°I-is that possible?¡±

    That question suggested Mok Jae-Hyeon had created this sprawling fortress instinctively, rather than with any deliberation.

    ¡°I reckon it would be way easier to do, actually.¡±

    Concrete visualization was the most important quality a yer needed to possess, above all else, for Skills that created tangible matter. Visualizing a shape for protecting one¡¯s own precious body would be much easier than the sprawling forms that Mok Jae-Hyeon had created.

    ¡°So, how about that? Do you think you can do it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Oh, and if you think things are getting too dangerous, feel free to run to that esctor over there. I¡¯ll guarantee you a safe path there at least.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok figured that for Mok Jae-Hyeon, his survival was more important than clearing the Quest at present.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Jin-Hyeok added, ¡°Now that I think about it, that¡¯s not a bad idea at all. Do you want me to just help you escape first?¡±

    ¡°S-seriously?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I can definitely do at least that much for you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon had a flicker of mistrust in his eyes as he looked at Jin-Hyeok, so Jin-Hyeok decided to tell him frankly.

    ¡°Then I can have the Quest reward for myself.¡±

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon had a look of realization on his face, followed by that of relief for some reason.

    Jin-Hyeok was taken aback by the fact that Mok Jae-Hyeon wasn¡¯t angry about this fact in the slightest.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be in your care,¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon said.

    With Jin-Hyeok¡¯s protection, Mok Jae-Hyeon eventually arrived at the base of the esctor.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you again,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was happy even though his Quest had basically been taken.

    It was a weird development, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think much of it beyond that. Both of them were able to reap their own benefits at the end of the day, so it was no harm no foul for Mok Jae-Hyeon. Probably.

    ¡°But hyung...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The esctor¡¯s not activating.¡±

    It was true.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with it?¡¯

    It was within the ordinary course of things for objects within Fields to break down or stop working. However, they were in a Tutorial Field¡ªan area where such events were actually quite rare.

    For something to break here could only mean that there had been some kind of massive change or update going on in the upper floor while they had been down here.

    ¡®Was there ever a time that the esctor at the Seoul Station Field stopped working?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t recall any.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s too bad then.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon asked.

    As Jin-Hyeok had said, it was indeed too bad. After all, the dungeon was meant to be a ce where anomalies outside one¡¯s expectations happened all the time.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon looked like he was about to burst into tears, but babysitting him wasn¡¯t Jin-Hyeok¡¯s responsibility.

    ¡°For now, I want you to create a Wood Fortress to protect just your own body.¡±

    ***

    Suppressing the smile that was creeping up on his face, Jin-Hyeok began exining his intentions to his viewers.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to spare all you watchers a seven-day-long process. I¡¯m fine withpleting the Quest by waiting seven days, but I would feel bad by making you suffer through such boring content. That¡¯s why I¡¯m just going to take the fighting way out¡ªno can do, you know.¡±

    That said, fighting and exterminating were two rather different things.

    It would have been boring if Jin-Hyeok just had to fight the Gray Wolves and win, but his itch to win was perked up by the fact that the mission was to annihte the monsterspletely before they could regenerate.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon trembled like a leaf as he watched Jin-Hyeok¡ªwho was, on the contrary, trying his best to control the absolute thrill he was feeling¡ªjump into the fray of the wolf pack.

    ¡®He¡¯s insane¡­¡¯

    Mok Jae-Hyeon stared at Jin-Hyeok as he ughtered the Gray Wolves with a mere dagger.

    ¡®W-who exactly is he?¡¯

    One of the wolves began to bound away, whimpering.

    Although it was swift, the man chasing it was even faster. He tracked it as if he already predicted where the wolf¡¯s steps of retreat would go.

    Shuk!

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed the wolf straight on the top of its head. The wolf fell to the ground without so much as a cry.

    ¡®H-how is he so strong? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be a Streamer?¡¯

    The other Gray Wolves tried to assault Jin-Hyeok together, but their sharp teeth were not able to reach his skin. A thin, shimmering web seemed to be wrapped around his body.

    ¡®O-only one left.¡¯

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was so shocked that he didn¡¯t even realize his Wood Fortress was being subconsciously unraveled. He merely continued to stare at Jin-Hyeok, his mouth agape.

    Yelp!

    One final cry ripped through the air.

    ¡°Finished. Finally.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was drenched in blood, like a demon driven mad with bloodlust.

    While Mok Jae-Hyeon remained frightened out of his wits, however, Jin-Hyeok had an expression of discontent.

    ¡®That was fun, but¡­ why am I already out of breath with something this small?¡¯

    The Gray Wolf¡¯s speed of regeneration was quite fast¡ªsimply hunting them down one by one was not enough to beat this speed.

    So Jin-Hyeok mapped the locations on the floor at which they regenerated and calcted a route that minimized the distance between each to create the most effective hunting route.

    ¡®I guess there''s no helping the limits of a Streamer.¡¯

    Indeed, Jin-Hyeok judged his fatigue to be stemming from the limitations of being a Streamer because, by his standards, there was no way he should have been out of breath with such a trivial amount of movement.

    Had Jin-Hyeok still been a Swordsman, that sequence would have been significantly easier. This got him a little wistful.

    [You have cleared the hidden Quest ¡¸Survive the Subway tform¡¹.]

    [You receive rewards for clearing the Quest.]

    ¡°I¡¯ve cleared the hidden Quest, so all that¡¯s left is the reward,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    A small box suddenly appeared in front of Jin-Hyeok. When he touched the box, something popped out.

    It was a Scroll.

    [Extra Life]

    ¡®The Tutorial really is so generous.¡¯

    Only a low-Level area such as this one would shower the yer with rewards.

    When Jin-Hyeok tore up the Scroll¡ªwhich said ¡®Extra Life¡¯ on it¡ªthe Trait that was imbued in it was absorbed by his body.

    [You have acquired the Trait ¡¸Extra Life¡¹.]

    A power that brought the dead back to life.

    Although it differed from yer to yer depending on their Focus, the cooldown time of the Trait was known as being around one week.

    ¡°I¡¯ve acquired the Extra Life. Now that I¡¯ve cleared the Quest, I¡¯m going to head for the esctor.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached the esctor again, but it was still ¡®out of service.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, this is a little troublesome.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok needed to find out why this was happening. Unlike Jin-Hyeok, who remained calm, Mok Jae-Hyeon was slowly beginning to lose his cool.

    ¡°W-we¡¯re not going to be stuck here and die, are we?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to think that far.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never heard about someone getting stuck in the Tutorial Fields and dying. Out of all the Fields that existed and the new ones that would open in the future, the Tutorial Field would always be the safest and most generous Field by far.

    ¡°W-why aren¡¯t you panicking at all, hyung?¡±

    ¡°Should I be panicking?¡± asked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to panic in a situation like this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t find this situation to be particrly panicky¡­¡±

    Would the stream be more interesting if he feigned panic just a little?

    ¡°Hey, hyung¡­ you are human, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am. What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°Y-¡­ You did start ying at the same time, in the same way as me, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Of course. We both underwent Initial Awakening, though there might be a difference of a few days between us.¡±

    ¡°But why¡­¡±

    ¡®¡­do you have the stink of a long-time veteran?¡¯ Was what Mok Jae-Hyeon wanted to ask, but the words did not leave his mouth.

    ¡°...and you are actually a Streamer, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m streaming right this moment.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok just decided to go back to scanning his surroundings.

    ¡®Why is the path to the first floor blocked off?¡¯

    First things first, he needed to find a clue that could shed some light on what was going on.

    Jin-Hyeok was interrupted by a new notification.

    [You have received a Surprise Mission.]

    [Creator of the Surprise Mission: Wind Wanderer.]

    This time, what was given to him was not a Quest, but a ¡®Mission.¡¯

    Unlike Quests, which existed naturally and were given to yers based on their clearing of certain set of conditions. Missions were tasks that were created by viewers on their whim for a Streamer toplete. Thepletion of a Mission would be apanied by arge donation.

    Jin-Hyeok read the notification again.

    [Creator of the Surprise Mission: Wind Wanderer.]

    ¡®Is this the one and the same Wind Wanderer?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok recognized this name.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    Jin-Hyeok remembered what Kang Mi-Na used to say in his previous life.

    ¡°Come on, just help me out a little here. It¡¯s the first Mission I¡¯ve received in a while. Yo, you get what I¡¯m saying? It¡¯s a Mission, man. The viewers need to spend their money to buy the VIP package if they want to give a Mission¡ªthese don¡¯t just grow on trees. Not everyone can give a Mission just because they feel like it. Soe on, help me out here¡­ please? Oppa?¡±

    Any semnce of a respectful tone usuallypletely went out the window when Kang Mi-Na talked to Jin-Hyeok¡ªwho was technically older than her though they were born in the same year, since he would have been in the grade above if they went to school together¡ª-but the moment she received a Mission, she¡¯d all of a sudden revert back to calling him oppa.

    Whatever the case, it was true that Missions were a fantastic reward opportunity for Streamers.

    That said, Kang Mi-Na¡¯s mood would also change depending on who the viewer who gave the Mission was.

    ¡°Wind Wanderer is seriously a top-tier viewer. He doesn¡¯t ask for more than what was agreed upon, he¡¯s polite, and he doesn¡¯t make any weird requests. As long as he¡¯s having fun, he gives out huge rewards to Streamers. He¡¯s suuuper chill. Thepensations for his Missions are always great, and his Missions are generally on the easier side too. He¡¯s a good one.¡±

    That same Wind Wanderer had offered Jin-Hyeok a mission.

    [Mission Title: Runaway Dog from the Heavens.]

    ording to the details, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Mission was to find some sort of divine dog that had strayed away from its home and take care of it until the owner came.

    The name of the dog was Boongboong.

    ¡®Boongboong? That name rings a bell somehow.¡¯

    For now, the question was where and how to find this Boongboong. Considering thatbor, the Mission reward was prettyckluster.

    [Mission Reward: Jade Jar of Perfume Oil.]

    The Jade Jar of Perfume Oil was an item that was exactly as its name suggested: a jar made of jade with perfume oil in it. It had a very good scent, so many people literally just used it as a fragrance. There was a wide range of other possible uses for it, but the fact was that this reward item was just not very useful for Jin-Hyeok.

    It was at this moment that Jin-Hyeok heard the bark of a dog.

    Woof, woof!

    ¡®A dog¡¯s bark?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok figured that if he was going to be spoonfed this much for the Mission, he might as well take it.

    [You have epted the Mission.]

    The barking sound wasing from the direction of the convenience store.

    When Jin-Hyeok entered the store, he saw a small bulldog¡ªthe dog technically wasn¡¯t that small, but the size was adorablepared to the massive monsters he was used to seeing¡ªthat looked to be around 10kg.

    ¡°Are you Boongboong?¡±

    He checked the dog using Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [LV35/Boongboong/Hungry/Haphephobia][1]

    The information he was met with was a little different than when he looked at yers. Instead of the Job or the most recentlypleted Achievement, there was a prompt description of the dog¡¯s current condition.

    Boongboong growled at Jin-Hyeok, baring its teeth.

    It had a much higher Level than Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to fight against Boongboong, but as a grown-up, he admirably controlled hisbat instinct.

    ¡°Hey, look, a sausage. Doesn¡¯t it look yummy?¡±

    It turned out Boongboong was a very easy one to tame. It didn¡¯t take long before ity wiggling on its back on the ground, asking for the sausage which it then received and immediately chowed down.

    Afterward, Boongboong looked at Jin-Hyeok with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°Hey, that was a 30,000 Dias sausage,¡± said Jin-Hyeok.

    Boongboong repeated a cycle of rolling on the floor and sitting up¡ªprobably in a disy of what it thought would look cute and curry up favors.

    Then it poked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand with its paw, looking at him ever so desperately.

    ¡°Phew. That¡¯s 30,000 Dias gone, just like that.¡±

    Boongboong had gobbled down a ridiculously decadent sausage worth a whopping 30,000 Dias in less than three seconds t. Now well and truly hooked on sausages, Boongboong continued to wag its tail.

    Contrary to Boongboong¡¯s status description of haphephobia, it seemed it actually quite liked the touch of a human.

    ¡®Now, the real question is when will its owner being.¡¯

    The Wind Wanderer¡¯s Missions were supposed to be on the easier end most of the time. It was more probable that he or she wouldn¡¯t have assigned a difficult Mission to a yer still traversing the Tutorial Fields.

    ¡®I should just try waiting for a bit for now.¡¯

    In the meantime, Jin-Hyeok and Boongboong built quite the friendship.

    ¡°Yo, Boongboong. Why do you feel so familiar?¡¯

    Boongboong barked once.

    Woof!

    It seemed that Boongboong understood what he said, so Jin-Hyeok rewarded it with a pat on its head.

    Jin-Hyeok was surer the more he thought about it¡ª-he had definitely seen Boongboong somewhere before.

    Some time passed, when Jin-Hyeok heard someone shouting anxiously.

    ¡°Boongboong!¡±

    It was a girl¡¯s voice.

    Boongboong snuggled in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arms as soon as it heard the voice, almost as if it didn¡¯t want to be found.

    Soon, a girl in a yellow dress entered the store. Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened the moment he saw her, a gasp escaping his mouth without him knowing.

    To be fair, this was a normal reaction to seeing an Angel for the first time. After all, Angels were well renowned for the absolute beauty that they were endowed with, trumping above all else in the Server.

    But Jin-Hyeok knew that one should not be fooled by their appearance.

    Therge majority of them were very muchcking in the social department.

    ¡®Hmm, that angel looks pretty familiar, too.¡¯

    The possibility urred to him that perhaps he was confusing this one with all the others. They were all simrly beautiful and good-looking, but that also meant they all looked the same to him, much like how Jin-Hyeok had trouble telling Caucasians apart.

    [LV?/Luluka/?/?]

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level was too low to even read her Level¡ª-it seemed the gulf between them was humongous. All he could see was her name: Luluka.

    It was not long before the Angel spotted Boongboong.

    ¡°Boongboong!¡± she called out to the dog, running toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°How dare you touch my Boongboong?!¡±

    With that, without even asking for a response from Jin-Hyeok, Luluka swung a fist at him.

    Jin-Hyeok tried to avoid it, but he couldn¡¯t because it was simply too fast.

    Smash!

    The Angel¡¯s fist collided with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    Even though Jin-Hyeok was protected by his barrier, he could feel the sheer impact of the punch reverberate through his entire body.

    This was soon followed by the realization that his arm may be broken.

    It was the first time in a while that Jin-Hyeok had felt this kind of pain, but it was actually a relief that he had gotten away pretty easily, considering that it came from an Angel.

    ¡®Now that I¡¯ve seen this punch, I finally remember.¡¯

    As they say, his body still remembered what his head could not.

    ¡®I see, so she¡¯s that Luluka.¡¯

    She was supposed to be an Angel that yers could meet at Hongik University Dungeon.

    Now that he remembered her, he could also recall that she was truly one bratty child for an Angel. Back then, she had told him that she was around 200 years old, hadn¡¯t she? That was actually a considerably young age for an Angel¡ªaround the equivalent of a middle schooler in terms of human years.

    ¡®I think she was the one that could be influenced easily if you motivate her by pissing her off a little in the right way.''

    Now that he thought about it, Boongboong was also found in Hongik University Dungeon. There was no wonder this friendly creature felt so familiar.

    Luluka picked up Boongboong and hugged it tightly, shooting Jin-Hyeok a re.

    ¡°You. Why do you not admire me?¡±

    ¡°Admire you for what?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked back.

    ¡°Do you not find me beautiful?¡±

    As expected, she was very unsociable.

    ¡°Is that the first thing you ask after breaking my arm?¡±

    Yet Luluka just continued to say what she wanted to, seemingly not caring about Jin-Hyeok¡¯s injury in the slightest.

    ¡°Hey, you,¡± she said as she pointed at Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    ¡°What do you think about my looks?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ beautiful...¡±

    Luluka nodded in approval, as if that was the correct response. She turned back to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Yet you insist that you are not moved by my appearance?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should thank me first since I found your dog for you, how about that?¡±

    ¡°Why do you talk to me in such an insolent manner?¡±

    ¡°You did it first.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am 284 years old.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re practically a child.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Luluka¡¯s face flushed pink. Only a child would be so offended at being called a child.

    ¡°And grown-ups don¡¯t talk like that,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Most of the angels were rude regardless of whether they were young or old, but adult Angels nheless didn¡¯t talk like Luluka. Even among Angels, only a child that wanted to be viewed as a grown-up would talk like that.

    ¡°How dare an ignoramus like you say such a thing? You know nothing!¡±

    ¡°I do know for a fact that you¡¯re just a kid. And I know Boongboong hates you.¡±

    Luluka¡¯s face turned red with anger. Seeing her like this brought many old memories back to Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok remembered that several of his teammates had a hard time pleasing her in his previous lifetime.

    ¡°Come here, Boongboong,¡± said Jin-Hyeok.

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok squatted and beckoned it toe, Boongboong iled in Luluka¡¯s arms to make its way to him. Luluka seemed to be in a state of considerable shock at that sight.

    Eventually, Boongboong was able to wriggle free from Luluka¡¯s hold and bounded toward Jin-Hyeok, where it rolled over and showed its belly.

    ¡°Hey. Why do you think it ran away from you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I tell you well and truly, it did not run away! It simply went on a trip!¡± Luluka tried exining.

    ¡°Without its owner? While it was starving?¡±

    ¡°It was going on a pic, I tell you¡­¡± Luluka faltered.

    ¡°That¡¯s called ¡®running away¡¯ in my dictionary. You know very well that it ran away, and that¡¯s what made you run around all over the ce searching for it. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°I do not run like you undignified beings¡ªI fly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you that much, since I can see your wings are all sweaty.¡±

    Luluka clenched her fists. She looked as if she was considering readying herself to strike Jin-Hyeok again, but it never came.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer. My abilities as a Streamer let me check out Boongboong¡¯s status, you know?¡±

    ¡°Hmph. You do not have the least bit of my attention.¡±

    ¡°But your ears are perking up.¡±

    ¡°...but if you truly wish to tell me out of your own volition, I shall lend you an ear. Consider it a privilege.¡± Luluka caved in.

    ¡°One of Boongboong¡¯s current conditions is haphephobia. It hates being touched.¡±

    It was obvious how that development hade out with a single nce¡ªLuluka had likely been overwhelming Boongboong with her love, cuddling and kissing it all day.

    ¡°Boongboong, am I right?¡± asked Jin-Hyeok.

    There was no way Boongboong didn¡¯t catch what Jin-Hyeok said.

    Woof! Woof!

    It barked as it nodded earnestly.

    Luluka indeed seemed very shocked.

    ¡°What a filthy trickster you are,¡± she tried using Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Why would I want to fool you? Anyway, you¡¯re the owner of Boongboong, so it¡¯s your problem.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok carefully scooped up Boongboong in his arms and handed it over to Luluka. Boongboong¡¯s ears and tail drooped immediately.

    Luluka glowered at Jin-Hyeok for a while with Boongboong in her arms, before finally speaking.

    ¡°How did you get Boongboong¡¯s heart?¡±

    ¡°With sausages,¡± replied Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Sausages are much better than kisses.¡±

    ¡°My kisses are priceless!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, tell that to someone who believes you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had a long conversation with Luluka. There was something delightful about teasing her.

    ¡°Anyway, as a mature and grown-up Angel, I shall grant you a reward for finding my dog,¡± said Luluka.

    Luluka grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm. Her hand was quite warm as Angels had higher body temperatures than humans. She murmured some words under her breath as if casting a spell as she rubbed it here and there.

    ¡®Wow, she needs to do all this just to heal a broken arm?¡¯

    There was no mistaking that Luluka didn¡¯t have a knack for healing.

    Nevertheless, the treatment waspleted.

    ¡°You are now healed. What else do you want?¡± asked Luluka.

    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want anything from a kid. Just go,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    In a situation like this, Luluka usually refused to yield and gave the best of whatever she had.

    With a face once again flushed with annoyance, Luluka plucked a feather from her wings.

    ¡°This is a feather imbued with the sacred power of the Angels.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not housing any diseases, is it?¡± ¡±

    ¡°I will split your head in half if you keep talking like that!¡±

    Luluka turned around and flew away. It looked like Mok Jae-Hyeon was trying to get a word in within the midst of all of this, but he waspletely ignored.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested inme men,¡± was all Luluka said.

    She nced back at Jin-Hyeok with some venom.

    ¡°And I hate rude men even more!¡±

    Luluka¡¯s wings were quivering. It sounded like there was a lot more emotions housed in her words than initially apparent.

    A gate, that appeared out of thin air, was gone soon after Luluka entered it.

    [You have cleared the Mission.]

    [As a reward for clearing the Mission, you receive the ¡¸Jade Jar of Perfume Oil¡¹.]

    The item entered Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Inventory immediately.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to sit down on a chair for a bit.

    ¡®What were the odds?¡¯

    Although the Jade Jar of Perfume Oil was normally used as a perfume, there was another way to use it, which was rather special.

    If a feather of an Angel was added to the Perfumed Oil, it became a Blessed Perfumed Oil that had the Angel¡¯s holy powers imbued in the oil.

    It didn¡¯t mean that the oil could work miracles such as heal the severely ill or injured, but this Blessed Perfumed Oil could be a very powerful tool when a yer was dealing with monsters with demonic characteristics.

    ¡®I did hear that Wind Wanderer gives a lot of helpful missions to yers.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok and Mok Jae-Hyeon were still unable to go up to the first floor.

    Jin-Hyeok began to suspect that it wasn¡¯t just an odd turn of events that he got the feather and oil in this situation.

    ¡®This is no coincidence.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok pictured the possibilities.

    ¡®Back then, there had been a few tragic incidents that happened in Tutorial Fields all around the world.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t remember the exact number, but there had been three or four urrences.

    Considering that there were at least tens of thousands of Tutorial Fields scattered around the world, the probability of getting rewards as good as this was small enough to almost converge to zero.

    ¡®A demonized human had appeared before.¡¯

    A demonized human was no longer a human being.

    They were just monsters filled with bloodlust, eager to murder and tear flesh. That was why people didn¡¯t bother to refer to these creatures as demonized humans, and just called them demons.

    Unless a Saintess of Miracles entered a battle against one of these, the only method to deal with them was to put them down.

    ¡®And whenever a demon appeared in the Tutorial Fields¡­ a Great Hero was born.¡¯

    The Great Hero was a Job. Graded as a 9-Star Job, it was considered the best amongst the best.

    That said, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t particrly fond of the Job. Since the Great Hero was literally a ¡®heroic¡¯ upation as the name suggested, there were many constraints on those that entered this Job.

    For instance, the constraints were such that they had to disy a noble spirit of self-sacrifice, or choose to die an honorable death.

    All the Great Heroes that Jin-Hyeok had known lived lives that were full¡­ and short.

    ¡°Huh? Hyung, the esctor¡¯s working now!¡± Mok Jae-Hyeok suddenly said. ¡°Hmm? Wait, who is that?¡±

    Someone wasing down on the esctor.

    His eyes were a deep ck, and horns sprouted from his head.

    As Jin-Hyeok had expected, a demon had appeared for real.

    ¡®Wow.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had goosebumps. His body was tingling head to toe, a sensation that he liked.

    ¡®He¡¯s a really strong one, isn¡¯t he?¡¯¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not realize it, but a smile crept across his face.

    1. Poor dog has a phobia of being touched. ?

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    ¡®Is he armed?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok instinctively went through the motions of checking out this new entrant.

    The neer wasn¡¯t holding any weapons. Seeing as how his fingertips were dyed red, he seemed to be one of those that used just their hands.

    ¡®Damn, that¡¯s a shame¡­¡¯

    The types that used their hands were easier to deal with than the ones that were armed.

    As always, this too became a different story when yers reached the truly high Levels, but this generally held true in the beginner stages.

    ¡®Usually, demons were the type to enjoy the despair and pain of their victims.¡¯

    For most ordinary demons, wielding a weapon made them much stronger than being unarmed.

    The demons that went out of their way to fight with their bare hands despite this fact did so all for the purpose of reveling in the sensation of tearing flesh.

    They also tended to be the kind that enjoyed killing others after thoroughly breaking their wills to live, taking pleasure in their victims¡¯ despair as they begged for their lives.

    [LV22(+15)/Iblis Kecil/?/?/y Your Friends]

    Iblis Kecil presently had a final calcted Level of 37, with 15 Levels being added to his base Level via his demonization.

    This was meant to be a Tutorial Field, yet his Level was higher than any Lords of the Tutorial that existed.

    Jin-Hyeok was unable to see Iblis Kecil¡¯s Job or Skills.

    Seeing as how Iblis Kecil had an Achievement called ¡®y Your Friends,¡¯ it seemed that he had killed all the survivors on the first floor.

    The demon slowly walked toward Jin-Hyeok, with an air that did not suggest a shred of urgency.

    ¡°Hyung, I missed you,¡± he said.

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok heard the voice of this powerful being before him, his body began to tingle.

    Now, this was exciting.

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°It turned out that you¡¯re pretty strong, hyung. So why couldn¡¯t you have just saved us all in the first ce?¡± the demon asked.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s responsible for all our deaths, you shithead.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t bother to answer back.

    He knew that the demon was not talking with the human emotions that it once possessed, but merely ying the part based on the dug-up memories of when it was once human.

    ¡°Why are you holding your dagger? What can you even aplish with that?¡± asked the demon.

    Jin-Hyeok dashed at the demon.

    Yet the demon stood in the same spot, viewing the iing Jin-Hyeok with an almost nonchnt expression.

    ¡°Are you gonna try and stab me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unleashed a flurry of consecutive attacks, but the demon sessfully avoided every single one. Though Jin-Hyeok was moving better than he expected of himself, the demon was just that little bit more nimble than him.

    The demon¡¯s hand became a blur, and found its mark on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    It had been quite a while since he had felt this sort of pain. A wide area of flesh around his shoulder was torn.

    ¡®I¡¯m bleeding.¡¯

    Finally, Jin-Hyeok felt alive.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you use that weird barrier ability of yours?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pretended to glower at the demon¡¯sment.

    The demon chuckled as he surveyed his surroundings, which were still littered with the corpses of Gray Wolves.

    ¡°Ooooh. You used it too much fighting here.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh well, that¡¯s okay. Even if you had that barrier, I would have killed you in the end, hyung.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced at the demon¡¯s nails. Something about them told him that another attack was going to be iing.

    Lo and behold, he watched as the demon indeed began its dash toward him.

    Yet despite not only anticipating, but seeing the attacking with his own two eyes, he still could not avoid it.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    This time, it was his left thigh. The demon had got him good¡ªthis strike ran deep.

    ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it? Hehehe.¡±

    A wave of intense pain hit Jin-Hyeok, and in turn, a smirk of amusement crept onto the demon¡¯s face.

    Truth be told, Jin-Hyeok''s pride was hurt, much more so than the physical pain he was feeling. This was a fun time, but his ego had admittedly been a little chipped.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s irritation began to rise at the fact that he could see the demon¡¯s movements, but his body couldn¡¯t follow suit in its reaction speed.

    ¡®I guess it¡¯s only a given considering I¡¯m a low-Level Streamer, but still...¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to be strong.

    ***

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was shaking.

    He himself couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint what he was so fearful of, or what kind of emotion he was feeling at all.

    In fact, Mok Jae-Hyeon was feeling the pressure that was exuding from the demon¡¯s very presence¡ªbut he was yet to have any experiences that could have clued him into this.

    ¡®I want to run away.¡¯

    Mok Jae-Hyeon wanted to take the esctor, but he couldn¡¯t move a single step. His mind was overtaken by the image of his head going flying if he were to move so much as an inch.

    Despite the fact that all he was doing was watching the fight from a fair distance, the overwhelming fear was pressing down upon him.

    ¡®And yet¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was a little different.

    Jin-Hyeok was already battered and bruised, covered in his own blood. He had sustained significant injuries on a shoulder and a thigh, not to mention the numerous smaller injuries that dotted his body.

    ¡®How is he able to do this?¡¯

    As if a spell had been cast on him, Mok Jae-Hyeon couldn¡¯t even begin to move his feet from where he stood. Standing here was literally the best he could give.

    Yet Jin-Hyeok continued to frantically swing his dagger, even with all his serious wounds.

    On the other hand, the demon looked like he was enjoying the fight.

    ¡°Hehe. Come on, show me something more,¡± the demon taunted Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon bit his lip.

    Whether it was himself or Jin-Hyeok that was concerned, the fact that their efforts were futile remained the same.

    But one of them was putting up a desperate resistance, while the other was cowering helplessly. One of them disyed courage, and the other despair.

    Where did this differencee from?

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ferocity struck a chord deep in Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡®Huh? Look ou¡­!¡¯

    A dangerous window of opportunity had appeared for the demon to capitalize on.

    The demon¡¯s mouth curled into a smile.

    ¡°It was fun while itsted.¡±

    The demon grabbed Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck with his left hand, and lifted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s entire body into the air just like that.

    Jin-Hyeok struggled to escape the grip, but the demon did not release his grasp.

    ¡°Now, you die,¡± the demon snarled.

    The demon straightened the fingers of his right hand, the muscles noticeably tensing. And with that hand, he plunged straight into Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart.

    SHUK!

    The horrifying sound of flesh ripping apart followed. Mok Jae-Hyeon squeezed his eyes shut.

    It was then that a scream broke into the air.

    But it wasn¡¯t Jin-Hyeok¡¯s.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Mok Jae-Hyeon carefully opened his eyes. The demon was grabbing his head and rolling around on the ground. There was a sweet scent in the air.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Looking closely, he noticed the demon¡¯s body was wet from head to toe in some liquid. A sort of sizzling sound emanated from the demon¡¯s skin, apanied by rising smoke.

    Jin-Hyeok immediately leaped onto the demon¡¯s back.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡±

    With that, he stabbed the demon in its nape several times.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon watched the scene unfold, his mouth agape.

    The image of Cha Jin-Hyeok thrusting his dagger into his opponent¡¯s neck over and over was much more akin to a demon than the recipient himself.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s was heartbroken.

    ¡®My movements were affected with only this much injury to my shoulder and thigh¡­?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt the same way when his arm was broken earlier¡ªthis body of his was much too frail.

    No matter which way Jin-Hyeok diced it, it looked like he was going to need to undergo training to increase his pain tolerance.

    To give himself credit where it was due, he had given it his all in the fight and fought as desperately as one could.

    After all, these demonic bastards enjoyed such disys.

    It was a pleasurable vice of theirs to watch their opponents¡¯ resolve crumble away as they threw themselves with desperation at the demons to no avail.

    ¡®Let¡¯s give him my neck.¡¯

    In the midst of the fight, this thought had urred to Jin-Hyeok.

    His heart was genuinely pounding at that moment, for he knew that the demon would not pass up such an opportunity.

    ¡®This one¡¯s going to finish by going for my heart.¡¯

    This was a quirk of lower-ss Demons¡ªthey loved to toy with their victims before killing them off by impaling them through the heart.

    Jin-Hyeok knew that the one window of opportunity where the demon had his guard down woulde when the demon thought he had well and truly killed his opponent.

    ¡®Herees the stab.¡¯

    Shuk!

    When he was struck, Jin-Hyeok still felt a sharp, powerful pain spread around his chest¡ªa searing, burning agony as the demon¡¯s nails tore through his flesh and dug into his inner organs.

    But it wasn¡¯t too much for Jin-Hyeok to handle.

    ¡®It¡¯s my turn now!¡¯

    The triumphant joy he felt when the pieces of a n fell into ce surpassed any other pleasure, any other pain.

    [An Extra Life is applied to you.]

    The demon just had a satisfied smile, thinking that Jin-Hyeok was dead. This gave Jin-Hyeok an opening that he couldn¡¯t find before.

    With the Blessed Perfume Oil that he had crafted as soon as he earned Luluka¡¯s Angel Feather, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t waste the window that was created by the Extra Life.

    He smashed the jar of oil right on top of the demon¡¯s head. As the jar shattered, the oil dripped all over the demon¡¯s body.

    Like the dutiful Streamer he was, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t forget he was on air even in the midst of all this.

    ¡°The skin around his neck is quite tough, so it¡¯s hard for a de to pierce it,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined to his viewers.

    Then he leaped onto the back of the demon¡ªwho was in a state of agony¡ªand rained down a streak of stabs.

    ¡°Okay, now it¡¯s going in.¡±

    Shuk! Shuk!

    The deep, dark crimson blood of a demon, much unlike the green blood of the monsters Jin-Hyeok had fought previously, began to ssh here and there. The demon¡¯s blood was quite hot, since demons had a higher body temperature than humans.

    ¡®One or two hits won¡¯t be enough.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok needed to make sure he finished the demon off while he had his chance.

    Jin-Hyeok could definitely feel the bastard was slowly losing strength. At this point, he waspletely slumped on the floor with his breathing bing short and ragged.

    But this, too, was not enough.

    ¡°I think I should make sure I kill himpletely,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued talking to his viewers.

    Jin-Hyeokthered his hands with the Blessed Perfumed Oil that had formed a small puddle on the ground, grabbed the demon by the horns, and added as much force behind his grip as he could muster.

    These horns were a demon¡¯s biggest weakness. The closer a demon was to death, the easier these horns were to break.

    ¡®I can¡¯t break them off.¡¯

    Even after the demon had suffered all these deadly wounds, the horns were still unbreakable. Jin-Hyeok tried hacking them off with his dagger, but this too proved to be hard as the de had lost its edge inbat.

    ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t give the demon any breathing room, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok threw his viewers a rhetorical question¡ªwith no answer, of course.

    Jin-Hyeok scooped the perfume oil off the ground with cupped hands and brought it to his mouth.

    Although the Blessed Perfume Oil was potentially lethal to demons, it was about as harmless as fragrant water to a human. While it was worth noting that the oil tasted disgusting, there was no time toin.

    With the Blessed Perfume Oil held in his mouth, Jin-Hyeok bit into one of the demon¡¯s horns.

    When he mped down with all his might, he heard a strong crunch.

    Eventually, Jin-Hyeok seeded inpletely breaking the horn.

    This was a rather different¡­ sensation¡­pared to using his hands to do the job.

    ¡°Aaaaargh!¡±

    Copious amounts of blood spurt forth from the broken horn like a fountain.

    Once one of the horns was down, the other one was much easier. It had lost a significant amount of its hardness, to the point where it could be easily broken even without the help of the Blessed Perfume Oil.

    [You have in ¡¸Iblis Kecil¡¹.]

    Rather than being relieved or triumphant, Jin-Hyeok almost felt a little dejected when he received the notification.

    He knew the name of this particr demon himself, but to refer to it by name on a System notification meant something more.

    ¡®A creature this weak is a Named monster?¡¯

    This came as a shock to Jin-Hyeok in its own right. It was true that the demon was massively strong for something that appeared in a Tutorial Field, but it still hadn¡¯t reached the bar to be a Named monster¡ªat least by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards.

    To him, a monster that deserved to be referred to by name should be dangerous enough that it could annihte the members of an entire party¡ªor more.

    Truthfully, Jin-Heyok didn¡¯t think a monster should be Named if it was able to be soloed by a yer, no matter what underhanded method or shortcut they had used.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have unlocked the Achievement ¡¸Exorcism¡¹.]

    The ¡®Exorcism¡¯ Achievement itself wasn¡¯t actually all that remarkable of a feat, but to give himself credit, this was still the Tutorial.

    ¡®This should trigger the start of the Great Hero path.¡¯

    For the record, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have a single bone in his body that intended to change to the Great Hero Job.

    As always, this was a Job he seriously disliked.

    Being a Great Hero meant working miserably hard for a miserably short life, with nothing to show for it but the oh-so-valuable respect of others. Even if they made a buck, there was no time to spend it since they were too busy doing good for the world; and all those grand tasks meant no time to spend with family either.

    The Job was the epitome of sacrificing the ¡°smaller things¡± for the greater good of all. There were some who liked this way of life, but it certainly wasn¡¯t for Jin-Hyeok.

    Regardless of his feelings, the notification came as expected.

    [You were sessful in your Exorcism in a Tutorial Field.]

    [You may now change to the hidden Job ¡¸Great Hero¡¹.]

    Without a shadow of hesitation, Jin-Hyeok selected ¡®NO.¡¯

    ¡®No.¡¯

    [Are you sure?]

    [You may now change to the hidden Job ¡¸Gre¡­]

    ¡®No.¡¯

    [You have chosen not to change to the hidden Job ¡¸Great Hero¡¹.]

    [You may yield the chance to change to the hidden Job, ¡¸Great Hero¡¹, to someone else.]

    Jin-Hyeok processed the messages in his head.

    He was able to give the opportunity of this Job change to another yer that the Exorcism was aplished together with, and the one person that fulfilled that condition was Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to be a Great Hero myself¡­ but having one as a teammate is a different story.¡¯

    There was no one who was more reliable to have as arade than a Great Hero.

    Other than it being near impossible for them to betray others due to the Job restrictions imposed on them by the System, trust and faith were central values by the Job¡¯s very nature.

    It would not be an exaggeration to say they made for the best teammates.

    On top of that, what would the oue be if Jin-Hyeok was the one giving away this offer to be a Great Hero to Mok Jae-Hyeon?

    It was likely that Mok Jae-Hyeon would need to repay the generosity that Jin-Hyeok had shown him and practically be at his beck and call like a loyal subordinate, because that was just the kind of thing that being a Great Hero entailed.

    Besides, Jin-Hyeok thought that having a Great Hero on his broadcast would add a fair bit toward making the content richer.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok called out to him.

    For some reason, Mok Jae-Hyeon seemed startled as Jin-Hyeok approached him. Perhaps seeing how cool Jin-Hyeok had been when he was fighting the demon had left an impression on him.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok went ahead with his question.

    ¡°I have a proposal I want to put forward to you.¡±

    ¡°...What is it?¡±

    Whatever the oue, giving this proposal a shot was better than letting the transfer offer go to waste, since Jin-Hyeok had no intention of epting it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be strong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel powerless just then? I mean, when you were oppressed by the demon¡¯s aura and couldn¡¯t do a thing. Wasn¡¯t it miserable?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok imagined if he had been in Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s shoes, it would feel as if the whole world was crashing down upon him. It would be horrible.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon indeed seemed to echo that sentiment.

    ¡°¡­It was miserable,¡± he answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of giving you the chance to be a Great Hero, Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°At the least, you won¡¯t have any more days where you¡¯ll feel powerless like today. Of course, you don¡¯t have to ept it if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m not too well-versed on the Job, but from what I know, it¡¯s one that has very clear pros and cons. I think the upside would be that, you know, you¡¯ll be way stronger, but the flipside is that you¡¯ll have to sacrifice a lot. Think about it carefully before you make a decision.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no intention of forcing this upon him. This was his choice to make.

    ¡°Hyung, can I ask you something?¡± asked Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon went ahead with his query with a deeply serious face.

    ¡°If I be a Great Hero, can I be strong like you?¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    Jin-Hyeok didn''t think he was strong.

    If he had been a Swordsman at his current Level, he knew he could have easily killed a low-Level demon like that even without the Blessed Perfumed Oil.

    That said, he at least understood logically why Mok Jae-Hyeon admired him so much.

    ''After all, a five-year-old kid would think his eight-year-old brother is strong.¡¯

    Considering that the current yers were very much like five-year-olds, it was not all that weird that Jin-Hyeok looked so strong to them, now that he thought about it.

    "I¡¯m actually quite weak,¡± Jin-Hyeok said truthfully.

    "I¡¯ve often heard that the people that are really strong are modest,¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon refuted.

    Jin-Hyeok knew why the really strong yers were humble. That was because they were afraid they would be killed.

    If one was truly strong, that meant they would attract Assassins and other hunters that pursued the Awakened that were equally as strong.

    "No. I''m not that strong," Jin-Hyeok repeated.

    And he had no intentions of bing overly strong, either. Perhaps he had be a little too absorbed in his sh with the demon, but Jin-Hyeok re-steeled his heart.

    ¡®That had been a real tempting one.¡¯

    Above all, Jin-Hyeok was relieved that he had chosen to be a Streamer¡ªa Job that had a ceiling on how strong one could be.

    A little while passed before Mok Jae-Hyeon decided to speak again.

    "I¡­ have made up my mind. I''ll do it. I want to receive that Job.¡±

    "Think about it carefully, please. It has as many drawbacks as it has benefits.¡±

    "No¡ªI think if I give up a chance like this, I''m not even man enough. Oh, and hyung¡ªyou don¡¯t have to be so polite with me."[1]

    Confirming Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s strong resolve, Jin-Hyeok passed on the Great Hero Job change opportunity to him.

    [You have yielded the chance to change to the hidden Job, ¡¸Great Hero¡¹, to someone else.]

    Mok Jae-Hyeon suddenly looked incredibly upied¡ªit was clear he was receiving all sorts of notifications.

    Eventually, Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face turned pale.

    ¡°Hyung. It says this Job has too littlepatibility with me,¡± said Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°What?¡±

    It was indeed true that the higher the grade of a Job, the stricter and more nit-picky its requirements and conditions were.

    For a Job of the sort of caliber that the Great Hero was, the Job began topletely screen people based on theirpatibility.

    ¡°It says that the Job change to Great Hero has been denied.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m too cowardly.¡±

    There was no way.

    That is, there was no way that the Great Hero Job change opportunity went poof, just like that. It was true that this situation came about because Jin-Hyeok himself didn¡¯t need the reward, but this was a waste and a half.

    ¡°It says the Great Hero Job change reward will be used as an ingredient and merged into my Wood Lord Job,¡± said Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    From the sounds of it, it was simr to what Jin-Hyeok had gone through when he was granted his own Job. That was a relief, at least.

    ¡°I-I got a Job titled ¡®Wood King.¡¯¡±

    People ssified Wood Lord as a 7-Star Job, and Wood King as a 9-Star one.

    Of course, a Wood King was much better than a Wood Lord.

    Even if one were to use the same Skills they already knew, their power and other effects were greater, while the amount of Focus that was consumed was decreased. Not only that, but the yer had a deeper instinctive understanding of their Skills, with their growth ceiling being raised.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± said Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°The W-Wood King Job is much better, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you.¡±

    ¡°If you really are thankful, guest star in my channel more often.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had earned himself quite the teammate.

    The grading of this teammate¡¯s Job was outstandingly high, but the person himself was likely going to be too frightened to use it to its full extent.

    All in all, it would likely be in such a manner that being first ce was going to be a tall order.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was the perfect teammate for Jin-Hyeok.

    At least, that¡¯s what Jin-Hyeok thought at the time.

    ***

    As soon as Mok Jae-Hyeonpleted his Awakening as a Wood King, Jin-Hyeok was hit with a series of notifications as if they had been waiting for him all along.

    [You have unlocked the Major Achievement ¡¸Completion of Tutorial¡¹.]

    When Jin-Hyeok selected the underlined part, the details of the conditions he fulfilled to unlock the Achievement were revealed¡ªand those conditions were as disgustinglyplicated as they came.

    1. Acquire the Achievement ¡¸Lord of the Tutorial¡¹.

    2. Acquire the Achievement ¡¸Exorcism¡¹.

    3. Clear the Hidden Quest ¡¸Survive the Subway tform¡¹.

    4. Yield the ¡¸Great Hero¡¹ Job to someone else.

    5. In triggering the ¡¸Great Hero¡¹ reward, have 0 dead yers.

    ¡®Now that it¡¯s done, I see that it was an extremely difficult set of conditions to satisfy.¡¯

    It was no wonder that Jin-Hyeok had not heard of any information regarding this Achievement prior to his regression¡ªit may very well have been that not a single person was actually able to satisfy all these conditions in his previous lifetime.

    [Would you like to register your Major Achievement in the Hall of Fame?]

    The Hall of Fame¡ªnow, that was a name he hadn¡¯t heard in a while.

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had amassed a total of fourteen of these Major Achievements in the Hall. And that, too, was only if the ones he achieved all on his own were counted¡ªthe number was far greater if the Major Achievements he had earned ying with others were included.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t need fame and glory anymore.

    There was no benefit to putting his name up on that register¡ªit was literally just for so-called ¡®fame,¡¯ as the name suggested. No matter how seriously he considered it, this sort of fame was going to be as irrelevant as dust in the wind for him now.

    Rather, registering his name in the Hall of Fame was just going to make things harder for him. It would mean he would be the target of hunters all around the world¡ªperhaps even hunters from other dimensions,ter down the line¡ªand it would be much more probable that he would be unwillingly conscripted into participating in major events.

    [Are you sure you want to forego registering this Major Achievement?]

    ¡®Yes.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t feel a shred of regret as he declined.

    Following giving away the Great Hero Job transfer opportunity and declining to register the Major Achievement, yet another reward was offered to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Wow¡­ as expected of the Tutorial to be so generous. Unlike every other time afterward.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was reminded that he was in a Tutorial Field, which was known to be kind to the yers.

    [One of your Traits will be strengthened at random.]

    [The Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight¡¹ is strengthened.]

    The name of the Skill didn¡¯t change. In fact, it was hard for Jin-Hyeok to tell at first nce what exactly had changed about the Skill.

    That was for him to find outter. For now, Jin-Hyeok just kept the fact that it had changed in mind and moved on.

    ***

    Egan Paul was now certain that his decision had not been wrong.

    It was a godsend that he had made the choice to abandon his Eltube channel with 20 million subscribers and start afresh in this new System.

    ¡®A new era ising.¡¯

    Egan Paul was one of those individuals that was adjusting to these changing times better than anyone else¡ªand he was confident that he was.

    Using his enormous fortune as aunchpad, he was currently gathering information about other yers that had Awakened as Streamers.

    ¡°Some viewers with registered ounts purchased a VIP package and requested a VIP-only chat with me,¡± Egan said to Joseph.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Joseph answered.

    Joseph, Egan Paul¡¯s manager and friend, seemed indifferent to Egan¡¯sments. He still didn¡¯t fully understand why Egan was focusing all his energy on such a strange tform.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the details, but it looks like whatever VIP package they bought required heaps of Dias. You know, I¡¯m the first one who¡¯s received this kinda request out of all the Streamers in the world,¡± Egan said.

    ¡°Wow, I guess that¡¯s something.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the Mission about?¡±

    Egan Paul had received a notification that there was a new Mission from a VIP.

    ¡°Joseph, have you been to South Korea?¡±

    ¡°South Korea? What about it?¡±

    ¡°I need to look for someone there.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Joseph asked, bing a little anxious about this whole Mission thing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any personal details,¡± answered Egan.

    ¡°...So you¡¯re telling me that you need to find a Korean, who you have zero identifiable info on, in Korea?¡±

    ¡°Find that person for me,¡± Egan said straightforwardly, ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for, right?¡±

    ¡°Friends, my ass. If you¡¯re going to ask me to do nonsense like that, I¡¯m gonna sue ya.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten thousand dors aspensation for your effort.¡±

    ¡°You can count on me, bro.¡±

    Joseph thought Egan was a wonderful friend.

    While that was fine and dandy, though, the fact of the matter was that he still needed a bare minimum of information in order to go about finding a specific Korean in Korea.

    ¡°Of course, I got a lead,¡± Egan assured, ¡°The person you¡¯re gonna be looking for is a Streamer who¡¯s mainly sticking around an area called Seoul Station Field. I heard he only streams in first-person view. He should be ying with another yer with abilities that use wood.¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking for him?¡± asked Joseph.

    ¡°That¡¯s precisely the Mission. There are 10 million Dias on the line here.¡±

    ¡°How much is that in dors?¡±

    ¡°Ten thousand.¡±

    Joseph¡¯s jaw dropped.

    He had always hung with Paul ever since they were young, and he was confident that he knew Paul better than anyone else.

    That was how he knew at this present moment that Paul was thrilled with the Mission.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting worked up over that? Wait, so let me get this straight: you would pay me ten thousand dors toplete a Mission that¡¯s worth ten thousand dors? Where¡¯s the profit?¡± Joseph ranted.

    ¡°Less than five people who watch my stream have purchased VIP packages. But apparently, there are more than ten people who¡¯ve bought VIP packages for that broadcast,¡± Egan exined.

    It was admittedly a bit of a blow to Egan¡¯s pride. If this Streamer was able to grow so much in such a short amount of time, there was no doubt that it was someone with a lot of experience in this field.

    ¡°And yet, he rejected his VIP chat requests. Not only that, but hepletely blocked the general chat on his stream as well. VIPs are dying to talk to him,¡± Egan added.

    In Egan¡¯s perspective, these were frankly the actions of aplete madman.

    Who in their right mind wouldpletely shut offmunication with their viewers? The move just did not, could not make any sense.

    ¡°Even with that, he seems to have more viewers than me. I need to find out who he is.¡±

    ¡°How many do you have again?¡± Joseph asked.

    ¡°Bout to reach 2600 in a bit.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s the fake public number?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve still got the x3 multiplier applied.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s disying as 7,800?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    Joseph stroked his chin.

    ¡°If he¡¯s the sort of yer that VIPs are wanting toe in contact with¡ªgiving you a Mission and all that¡ªwouldn¡¯t he be the type of person to be ranked first ce, or somewhere around that mark, in Korea? He might be easier to find than we think.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not a ranker.¡± Egan shut down that line of thought. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s got some sort of tremendous secret or some sort of charismatic sauce to be so popr. Please find him for me,¡± Egan earnestly requested Joseph in an honest manner.

    Joseph ended up boarding a ne that was headed to South Korea.

    ***

    Upon testing the upgraded Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight by looking at Mok Jae-Hyeon, Jin-Hyeok immediately realized he could glean much more information with it than he could before.

    ¡®Wow, I really can see all sorts of things.¡¯

    [#vague adoration #taken a liking, in as day #met my hero]

    Jin-Hyeok was taken aback by the high-sounding nature of the emotions that Mok Jae-Hyeon was feeling toward him. Truly, all Jin-Hyeok had done was try to have some fun while ying.

    ¡°Can I also be strong like you, hyung?¡± asked Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ll be stronger than me, for sure.¡±

    [#greatly assured #yearning for strength]

    Many thoughts and emotions were interpreted and ryed in real-time to Jin-Hyeok¡ªperhaps a little too much, including things he really didn¡¯t need to know.

    Jin-Hyeok was also starting to be a little tired¡ªthe upgraded Trait was consuming more of his Focus.

    ¡®Ah, I can control the sensitivity of this.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok opened the settings window, and lowered the sensitivity of what Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight picked up to the level it was originally.

    Now, that was better¡ªit wasn¡¯t nearly as suffocating.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mok Jae-Hyeon. Then, after a pause, he followed up with, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Why would Jin-Hyeok have a reason to say any differently? He was not a fighter ss Job, and Mok Jae-Hyeon was.

    But the more Jin-Hyeok interacted with Jae-Hyeon, the more it seemed like he was a much more sensitive guy than Jin-Hyeok. Just those few words, without any other form of extra input from Jin-Hyeok, were enough to move the teenager and he was choking back tears.

    ¡°No one ever said the sort of things to me that you do, hyung.¡±

    When they came back to the first floor, they noticed that more people had entered the Tutorial Field than before.

    As time passed, the number of people who had undergone Awakening was increasing ever so constantly, and knowledge of the Tutorial Fields¡¯ existence was likewise spreading.

    ¡°Hey, those kids are wearing the same school uniform as you,¡± Jin-Hyeok piped up.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon began to tremble ever so slightly.

    With just that, it was not difficult for Jin-Hyeok to guess who they were. They were likely the guys who scared Mok Jae-Hyeon intoing to this ce with them.

    There were three of them.

    Jin-Hyeok kindly introduced them to his viewers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know their names, so I will just be calling them the Three Little Piggies.¡±

    One of them, a guy with a shaved head and a fairly big frame, spotted Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°Hey, for fuck¡¯s sake, I told you to contact me right away, didn¡¯t I? Was what I said a fucking joke to you?¡±

    ¡°Mok Jae[2], you son of a bitch, d¡¯youe back here without even telling us? Looks like this fucker¡¯s stopped being scared of us.¡±

    ¡°You shit-for-brains, did you want your ass beat up some more that badly? What, you wanna start fighting back now, is that it?¡±

    They continued to cackle together, somehow enjoying themselves in a way that Jin-Hyeok could not understand, theirnguage interspersed with considerable vulgarity.

    Jin-Hyeok simply stuck to his task, continuing hismentary.

    ¡°The students don¡¯t seem to consider the possibility that Mok Jae-Hyeon could have survived valiantly and returned,¡± exined Jin-Hyeok.

    From the looks of it, they thought that Mok Jae-Hyeon had been killed as well, escaped once he regenerated, and came back into the Field.

    The Bald Piggy approached Mok Jae-Hyeon, and poked his forehead with a finger.

    ¡°Where have you been hiding instead of going back home?¡±

    ¡°¡­Y-you went to my ce?¡±

    ¡°You motherfucker. You didn¡¯t answer my call, so this is on you. You¡¯re meant to be the fucking tank of the group. What are we meant to do if you run away like a pussy?¡±

    ¡°I already asked you not to go to my ce,¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon said.

    From what Mok Jae-Hyeon told Jin-Hyeok, he was raised by his grandmother. It was most likely that only his frail, old grandma was at home.

    ¡°This shit¡¯s decided he wants to start talking back now, huh?¡±

    ¡°Man, he¡¯s really lost it now, hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Little bitch is forgetting his ce.¡±

    The Bald Piggy didn¡¯t stop poking Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Oh right, you didn¡¯t even contact your old hag, did you? Looks like you were scared shitless after all, ha. Fucking pussy.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued tomentate.

    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s a high probability that these students barged into the grandma¡¯s ce and acted quite rudely.¡±

    The Bald Piggy frowned and turned toward Jin-Hyeok, staring at him.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just a passing-by Streamer,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°A streamer? Am I live?¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok nodded, Bald Piggy grinned. He threw up a peace sign, presuming he was being filmed.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the camera?¡± he asked

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one. I¡¯m not an ordinary streamer, I¡¯m a yer whose Job is being a Streamer.¡±

    Out of the Three Little Piggies, the one that was thin like a girl chimed in.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look like a fucking hako chump?¡±[3]

    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®fucking hako¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Wait, a Streamer doesn¡¯t know what a fucking hako is?¡±

    It seemed the three of them were wholly unnecessarily trying to start something with him, so Jin-Hyeok took a couple steps back.

    ¡°You guys just go on with whatever you were doing. There¡¯s really no need to pick a bone with me too.¡±

    In all honesty, these fellows really were very cute little piggiespared to the truly viinous kids Jin-Hyeok had to confront in his previous life. Jin-Hyeok found their attempts at provoking him to be rather absurd, evenughable.

    Jin-Hyeok had one question to ask them, though.

    ¡°That said, do you n to continue teasing our friend, Mok Jae-Hyeon?¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you gonna help him, mister?¡±

    ¡°You can just stay put, mister. There¡¯s nothing for you to gain by being nosy other than getting the living daylights beaten the fuck out of you. There are no cops around here.¡±

    ¡°Right, there¡¯s no cops,¡± Jin-Hyeok echoed.

    Yes, there were no police¡ªso they could be the ones in a fair bit of danger.

    But Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t tell them that.

    In his eyes, Mok Jae-Hyeon was no longer in a state where he was all that frightened. If Mok Jae-Hyeon stayed calm and made the right moves, Jin-Hyeok knew that the Three Little Piggies might very well have a world of misery awaiting them.

    Bald Piggy was obviously the boss of the Three Little Piggies, and he kicked Mok Jae-Hyeo.

    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, why didn¡¯t your old hag even have any money in her wallet? You little shit.¡±

    All Jin-Hyeok did was resume his stream ever so calmly.

    He had his own things to say about this¡ªbut he decided to tone it down a little bit, because he remembered hearing somewhere that usingnguage that was too colorful could stir controversy and make his stream prizing for viewers.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve found ourselves a serious brat.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also changed the title of this stream.

    He wasn¡¯t sure what would be a good title to attract clicks, so he decided to just go with something concise that captured the gist of the content.

    [People Get Schooled.]

    Before Jin-Hyeok even noticed it, his viewer count rocketed past 8,000.

    Jin-Hyeok offered a word of advice to Mok Jae-Hyeon, in a way that was also geared to his viewers like the ever-diligent and respectful Streamer that he was.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, it¡¯s true that if someone dies in this space, they¡¯ll be revived,¡± Jin-Hyeok delivered the information calmly.

    ¡°But the pain is still real. It¡¯s terribly painful when you get your stomach pierced and intestines ripped out. For the record, though, the most painful thing is definitely when the ribcage is broken in such a way that the liver gets crushed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed out where the liver was.

    ¡°It¡¯s located right here. If you use your offensive Wood Spears Skill, it should be pretty easy to prate.¡±

    1. Up until now, Jin-Hyeok had been using the polite form of speech in the Koreannguage, as opposed to the casual form that would be used amongst good friends, siblings, or in certain contexts where someone is in a ¡°superior¡± position (for e.g. parents to children, drill sergeants to new trainees in the army, bosses to employees, etc., though thetter is muchmon nowadays). ?

    2. His name is Mok Jae-Hyeon, but the bullies refer to him as Mok Jae. Mok Jae is also a Korean word for lumber/wood. ?

    3. A ¡®hako broadcast¡¯ (???(?)) is a slightly derogatory ng term for small-time streamers or other content creators that receive little to no viewership. It originates from the Japanese word for a small box, ¡®hako¡¯ (Ïä), and stems all the way from the term used to refer to the tiny box-shaped homes that were built by homeless asylum seekersing south to Busan after the Korean War. ?

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    On ¡®Nerver,¡¯[1] the game System¡¯srgest onlinemunity, discussion around one particr Streamer spread more and more on the ¡®New Server (Earth)¡¯ forum.

    - This weird dude named Kim Chul-Soo appeared on the New Server''s Open Beta.

    - He¡¯s a strange one. He¡¯s super calm¡­ and twisted.

    A bit of interest in this Streamer was first kindled on the ¡®Orioles¡¯ Server¡ªa Server with strikingly simr cultures and values to Earth¡ªand from there, much discussion was spreading.

    - I reckon he¡¯s the strongest out of all the Streamers at his Level.

    ©¸ What Level?

    ©¸ Round mid tote 20¡¯s.

    ©¸ Pff, he¡¯s still at the Tute[2] stages.

    ©¸ Yo, if I was in the Tute stage as well, it¡¯d be easy as heck to be the strongest Streamer.

    ©¸ I could do it even as a Merchant. Yup, mark my words.

    Indeed, the Streamer in question was still in his beginner stages, where all the different Jobs were not as distinct in their strengths and weaknesses. The majority of the forum discussions revolved around this as an exnation. After all, not only was the Streamer a beginner, but he hadn¡¯t even finished the Tutorial¡ªhe was practically a fetus.

    - The fact that he thinks of himself as chump change annoys the hell out of me. You¡¯ll know what I mean when you see it for yourself.

    - Man¡¯s got some high-ass standards for someone who¡¯s practically a sperm.

    He really was a rather peculiar Streamer.

    - And yet he turns down VIP chat requests.

    ©¸ Yooo, for real?

    ©¸ There¡¯s dudes crazy enough to turn those down?

    The fact that he rejected VIP chats became a bit of a hot topic of its own.

    - I heard a few big fish bought a VIP package and basically got fleeced.

    When a VIP package was purchased, part of the purchase cost was automatically sent to the associated Streamer.

    - A dine and dasher?

    ©¸ Nahh, not really. He never asked anyone to purchase the package even once.

    ©¸ And still, Wind Wanderer even gave him a Mission.

    ©¸ Fr?[3] Already?

    ©¸ Seems more like it was to boost the Streamer¡¯s fame than an actual Mission. But the real kicker¡¯s that the guy didn¡¯t even react to it.

    ©¸ Wait, he didn¡¯t react at all? LOL damn this one¡¯s a crazy one for real¡­ lmao

    Wind Wanderer was one of the biggest viewers and donors, well-renowned even amongstmunities of different dimensions.

    They were well treated wherever they went, and every single Streamer would do all sorts of things to get their attention and tter them. Even when a Streamer received the smallest of patronages from them, it was simply the thing to do to give an enthusiastic reaction to show one¡¯s appreciation.

    - He doesn¡¯tmunicate with his viewers, period. He just babbles on and on by himself, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a good talker either. He¡¯s got zero understanding of how to stream properly or create good content.

    ©¸ Then why is he such a hot topic?

    ©¸ Hisbat knowledge is insane.

    ©¸ Nah nah, seems more to me like his ¡®screw y¡¯all, I¡¯mma do it my way¡¯ style¡¯s kinda working, no?

    ©¸ The heck kinda dumbass shit are you sayin¡¯? He¡¯s easily the Streamer who ys the least scared out of all the ones at that Level. That¡¯s what makes his stream so frickin¡¯ dynamic.

    A short clip began circting on Nerver.

    ¡°But pain is still real. It¡¯s terribly painful when you get your stomach pierced and intestines ripped out. For the record, though, the most painful thing is definitely when the ribcage is broken in such a way that the liver gets crushed.¡±

    The Streamer¡¯s tone was very matter-of-fact and nonchnt, as if he was describing some everyday thing like what he had for breakfast that morning.

    At the very least, he didn¡¯t act like a low-Level Streamer.

    ***

    ARGHH!

    The Three Little Piggies screamed out loud.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon had stabbed them just the way that Jin-Hyeok had taught him¡ªas expected of a yer worthy of a 9-Star Job.

    ¡®Wow, okay, that definitely looks a little painful.¡¯

    The Three Little Piggies were covered in blood, rolling around on the floor.

    This was only a natural result of Mok Jae-Hyeon now being of a higher Level, along with a Job that was of an iparably higher quality.

    Seeing them alternate between gasping for air and bleating likembs would make anyone think that death really was the less miserable alternative.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s get this interview underway,¡± said Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok approached Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill them? Did it turn out you didn¡¯t hate them enough to go that far?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t want to be a murderer.¡±

    ¡°But wouldn''t theye back to life anyway?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon had aplicated expression on his face. Jin-Hyeok knew that what was rising within Mok Jae-Hyeon was likely the instinctive repulsiveness everyone felt to the idea of taking someone¡¯s life.

    ¡°I might add that they look like they would be better off dead,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    As Jin-Hyeok had mentioned before, this field had a regen feature, but the pain that one had to experience was still very real.

    The bullies were in such agony that they could not even breathe properly¡ªand as long as they were alive, they had to continue experiencing this pain.

    The Three Little Piggies reached out a hand toward Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°P-please kill me¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry for what I did to your g-grandma¡­I-I will n-never¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out his dagger and approached the Three Little Piggies, squatting in front of them.

    ¡°Right, I will now get tomencing the interview. So, how is it? Is it painful?¡± asked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°A-are you serious¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what made you tease Mok Jae-Hyeon so much?¡±

    Their eyes were already out of focus, their pupils dting.

    ¡°Will you apologize for mistreating his grandmother?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It seemed that getting a proper interview out of them was going to be hard. They hadn¡¯t even been hurt that bad in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opinion, but they were already losing consciousness.

    They turned out to be quite mentally weak.

    At this rate, the trauma of this ordeal could mean that they would have some problems up in the noggin even after they came back to life.

    But that wasn¡¯t Jin-Hyeok¡¯s problem to deal with.

    ¡°It seems that continuing with this interview would be a bit difficult.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok muted the livestream for a brief moment, and whispered to the Three Little Piggies.

    ¡°I am not a fucking hako.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok might not have known what a hako was, but he certainly didn¡¯t like the way they said it.

    With that done, he plunged his dagger into their hearts. The Three Little Piggies all met their end.

    However, Mok Jae-Hyeon seemed a bit taken aback by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s actions more than anything.

    ¡°H-hyung? How could you k-kill them?¡±

    ¡°They were begging for us to kill them.¡±

    ¡°S-still¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d be much better off dead,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Besides, they¡¯ll be revived at midnight anyway. If we left them here, the Dwarves would have finished them off anyway¡ªand keeping that in mind, putting them down quickly is doing them a favor more than anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­.¡±

    And no¡ªfor the record, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t kill them because they called him a ¡°fucking hako.¡± Whatever that meant.

    ¡°Well then, Mok Jae-Hyeon, my good friend,¡± Jin-Hyeok quickly moved on, ¡°How was it when you actually fought them? It pretty much turned out to be nothing, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon stayed silent for a long time as if seriously pondering the question, before he finally gave a nod in response¡ªand then he said something a little unexpected.

    ¡°Thank you, hyung. Because of you¡­ I feel like I broke down a huge wall inside my heart.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon sincerely thanked Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think he had done much for him, though.

    ***

    In Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes, Cha Jin-Hyeok was, in fact, an individual who was¡­ off.

    He had zero qualms with killing people.

    It was like some part of him that was meant to make him human was broken.

    ¡°They¡¯d be much better off dead. Besides, they¡¯ll be revived at midnight anyway. If we left them here, the Dwarves would have finished them off anyway¡ªand keeping that in mind, putting them down quickly is doing them a favor more than anything. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    Those statements were all correct¡ªtechnically.

    But Mok Jae-Hyeon thought a bit deeper about what he had been through.

    ¡®Let¡¯s have a look at the situation I¡¯m in.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had found him hiding away in the convenience store and was the one to approach him first, then cleared the Quest to survive seven days together with him¡ªeven though Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really have to.

    And then Jin-Hyeok went so far as to yield the Great Hero transfer opportunity to him.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon felt the surge in power of a Wood King to his bones, emerging from the recycling of the Great Hero transfer opportunity to upgrade his previous Wood Lord Job. He was able to better manipte the branches of his Wood Fortress, and break them off to fashion them into separate spears¡ªspears that were so dangerous that they could easily pierce a human stomach.

    ¡®And he was the one who handed me this much power.¡¯

    And on top of all that, Cha Jin-Hyeok gave him the chance to enact his revenge at the end.

    Wait, or was it actually the chance for revenge that Jin-Hyeok was trying to give him?

    ¡®What was the hyung actually trying to show me?¡¯

    That was what Mok Jae-Hyeon needed to find out.

    Looking at the cold, hard bodies of the jerks that had bullied him seemed to shed some light on the answer. ¡®I don¡¯t feel better at all.¡¯

    Mok Jae-Hyeon really had wanted them to die.

    Before this moment, he had already killed them ten times over in his heart.

    But when he was finally face-to-face with their corpses on the floor, it neither brought him relief nor made him rejoice. Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t looked particrly cheerful when killing them either.

    ¡®It was like¡­ he was just doing what he had to do.¡¯

    Much like students studied because they just had to, or workers went to work because they just had to.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t seem emotional in the least when he did the deed.

    ¡°Well then, Mok Jae-Hyeon, my good friend,¡± Jin-Hyeok quickly moved on, ¡°How was it when you actually fought them? It pretty much turned out to be nothing, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    That question was what made Mok Jae-Hyeone to a revtion: revenge was the thing that pretty much turned out to be nothing. In fact, it waspletely in vain¡ªa futile exercise.

    As Mok Jae-Hyeon came to the conclusion that this was what the hyung had been trying to show him, something began to stir inside his chest.

    ¡®He¡¯s a real grown-up.¡¯

    Sweeping aside any obstacles in his way, Jin-Hyeok had offered his hand to a child that needed help¡ªnamely Jae-Hyeon himself¡ªand guided him all the way here.

    Perhaps through this ordeal, Cha Jin-Hyeok was showing him the path he needed to take.

    ¡®He¡¯s teaching me that this is the way I need to go moving forward.¡¯

    A notification suddenly chimed in for Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    [You have acquired the Trait, ¡¸Epiphany¡¹.]

    ***

    Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes had a sense of rity about them that they didn¡¯t have before.

    When Jin-Hyeok observed him with his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, he noticed that Mok Jae-Hyeon had earned the ¡®Epiphany¡¯ Trait.

    Traits rewards were usually hidden, and had to be sought out in Dungeons and other such locations, but they were sometimes granted to yers naturally if one was lucky enough for the conditions to align.

    ¡®Oh damn¡­ that¡¯s a really good one.¡¯

    This Trait strengthened one¡¯s mind and body, to the point that it became a very powerful fundamental driving force that significantly increased one¡¯s growth rate.

    ¡°Please contact me. No¡ªI¡¯ll contact you,¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon said.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The privilege of having a guest of this caliber star regrly on his stream was quite the catch for Jin-Hyeok too.

    ¡®Man, I¡¯m tired now.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew that he probably shouldn¡¯t, but he could not helpparing his current body to his past one.

    ¡®This is some damn poor stamina.¡¯

    No matter which angle he looked at this problem from, it was looking like he was just going to have to find an Elixir somewhere that could raise his stamina. He knew that Streamers were weaking in, but he didn¡¯t think they would be this frail.

    ¡®How about I have a look at my donations now?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t expect there to be so many transaction statements.

    It was an absolute relief that the unit of currency for all the donations were automatically converted into Dias, because the sprawling, highly extensive statement details were too much for Jin-Hyeok to digest.

    It was also a relief that there was a heading at the very end that said ¡®Total.¡¯ That certainly made things easier.

    [Total : 9,210,000 Dias]

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok rubbed his eyes, but the number didn¡¯t change.

    ¡®9.21 million Dias?¡¯

    This whopping number was all after just a single day of streaming.

    When Jin-Hyeok caved and had a closer look at the finer details of the transactions to work out where all these donations wereing from, he came across a transaction statement titled, ¡®VIP Package Donation.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok quickly figured that if someone purchased one of these so-called VIP packages, a portion of the purchase price was paid to him as a donation.

    ¡®Should I turn on the stream to thank them?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok pondered the idea, but shook his head not before long.

    He had already made up his mind not to give VIPs any special treatment. Getting too deeply involved with such things could prove to be a pain in the neckter down the line in more ways than one.

    Once again, he reminded himself that his role model was Mystery Box, not Egan Paul.

    ¡®But still, that¡¯s huge.¡¯

    9.2 million Dias was a number he never imagined. This really was the power of everyone¡¯s favorite educational schooling content.

    ¡®Dia Exchange.¡¯

    Dias were able to be exchanged for all the different currencies around the world. Jin-Hyeok exchanged 7 million of his 9.2 million Dias.

    [A conversion fee of 20% applies to your transaction.]

    [5,600,000 KRW has been deposited into the designated ount.]

    Soon, Jin-Hyeok got a text on his phone.

    [Alert from XX Bank: 5,600,000 Won has been deposited into your XX Bank ount.]

    ¡®Looks like I finally earned myself a paycheck.¡¯

    The big thing to note was that this was a mere day¡¯s worth of ie.

    Even ounting for the fact that he had some very special windfalls like the VIP package purchases, it was still a tremendous amount of ie for a day¡¯s work.

    It wasn¡¯t like he had to shoulder extremely dangerous risks, or had to be famous, or had to sacrifice for the people of the nation or for honor in order to make this kind of ie, like he had to do in the past.

    It indeed seemed true that being a Streamer was a straight path to and of milk and honey in this new world¡ªthough it came with the caveat that it was a tad boring and uneventful.

    ¡®I guess I won¡¯t be having any more windfalls like the VIP package purchases.¡¯

    Unless the big buyers wentpletely mad, Jin-Hyeok assumed there was likely close to zero chance of the VIP packages being bought again when he hadpletely shut down all prospects of VIP chats, arguably the biggest selling point of the packages.

    He had to assume that this was not going to happen again.

    ¡®Maybe I should go home¡ªit¡¯s been a while.¡¯

    He had been Spine Breaker for 7 long years.[4]

    He felt that he could now fulfill his familial duties and do the things he was supposed to as a son and as a big brother. It was certainly about time.

    Jin-Hyeok caught a taxi and stepped off in the vicinity of his old home. Today, his steps felt particrly light.

    The peace was broken when a scream pierced the air.

    Kyaa!

    ¡®Sounds like a crime is beingmitted somewhere.¡¯

    After the Beta Service had begun and yers began to appear all over, the public peace was broken in more ways than one.

    Speaking of the devil, Jin-Hyeok spotted a man copsed on the ground as he walked along.

    ¡®Seems like he got mugged.¡¯

    This was a period of social unrest, where after power first shifted to yers of the game, all sorts of crimes were beingmitted that made the yers quickly be a front-and-center issue.

    Perhaps it was because he had seen far too many massacres by truly evil viins, but Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t too perturbed by the sight of the copsed man.

    These trivial and trifling matters would solve themselves as time passed.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    Okay, this changed things.

    ¡°Cha Jin-Sol?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok saw his little sister being grabbed by her hair and dragged off somewhere by three men, right in front of their house.

    Now, this pissed him off a little.

    1. Parody of Naver, one of Korea¡¯s biggest search engines and a forum hub. ?

    2. Short for Tutorial. Adding this note just in case, for those less familiar with this (actually used) ng term. ?

    3. Means ¡®for real?¡¯ ?

    4. Remember, Spine Breaker wasn¡¯t just his literal in-game name before the Cataclysm, but also a ng term for children who leech excessively off their parents. This sentence has a double meaning. ?

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    As Cha Jin-Sol was being dragged to who-knows-where, she spotted Jin-Hyeok at the same time as he did her.

    ¡°Don¡¯te this way! Please don¡¯t!¡± Cha Jin-Sol shouted.

    She seemed to be worried about Jin-Hyeok, to say the least.

    When Jin-Hyeok drew close to them, one particrly vicious-looking guy shoved him back. Jin-Hyeok decided to call him Brute No. 1.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± asked Brute No. 1.

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m her oppa,¡± answered Jin-Hyeok.

    Cha Jin-Sol struggled to free herself from her captors as she thundered back at him, ¡°Piss off! This is none of your business! Oppa, my ass, you never came home once in seven years.¡±

    It seemed her attitude was going as strong as ever.

    Jin-Hyeok did understand how she felt, though. Jin-Sol was probably saying words like these because she was afraid he would be harmed.

    The brutes chuckled as they watched the two of them.

    ¡°You heard her. Go on your merry way,¡± one of them said to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Hang on. Let me report you guys first,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Jin-Hyeok whipped out his phone and dialed 112[1].

    Truth be told, Jin-Hyeok was just going through the motions of standard procedure¡ªhe knew that the police weren¡¯ting anyway. Any services that helped maintain the public order were practically paralyzed nowadays.

    He was simply mustering whateverst shred of conscience he had left over from his days as an upstanding government agent with integrity, in order to do the bare minimum of following standard emergency protocol before anything else.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna report us? Pff, that¡¯s a good one,¡± said one of the brutes dismissively.

    ¡°Did you hear that? He¡¯s going to report us, scary! Hahaha!¡±

    Having made minimal effort to report them to the police, Jin-Hyeok could check off keeping his conscience intact from the list. Now it was time for him to do whatever else he needed to.

    Jin-Hyeok drew his dagger.

    ¡°Oooh, what do we have here?¡± said one of the guys, not the least bit intimidated.

    Jin-Hyeok was confident he could roughly guess as to how strong they were even without the aid of Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    With how new this Server was, everyone was still more or less in the Tutorial stages¡ªand that meant Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current strength was about the same as the highest rankers.

    And he knew that the highest rankers didn¡¯t have the time to mess around doing meaningless things like this. Otherwise, with how exhausting and difficult bing a top ranker was, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it to the cream of the crop in the first ce.

    Even if this objective truth was ignored, just seeing their stances, as well as the distance¡ªorck thereof¡ªthey maintained told Jin-Hyeok all he needed to know.

    ¡°What are you even gonna do with that dagger?¡± taunted one of the brutes.

    ¡°If you got the time to talk, you¡¯d better off increasing the distance between us,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied matter-of-factly, ¡° Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m holding a weapon? You know I¡¯m gonna use it to stab you soon, right?¡±

    Oh, that¡¯s right¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to inform them about his intentions so nicely anymore. Habits were a frightening thing indeed.

    Back in the days when he was an agent of the NIS, he was required to follow the minimum of standard contact procedure, maintaining his politeness when encountering opponents no matter how vicious or viinous they were known to be.

    An attitude that was kind and informing, but a hand of justice that was merciless¡ªthat was what it meant to be an agent.

    And with that in mind, Jin-Hyeok swung his dagger through the air without a moment of additional hesitation.

    It sliced through one of the hoodlum¡¯s right wrist.

    ¡°Arghhh!¡±

    A loud shriek broke the air. A considerable amount of blood spurt from the area of the cut, probably because Jin-Hyeok had severed an artery.

    ¡®Ah, this wasn¡¯t it.¡¯

    The hoodlum¡¯s hand was dangling, still partially connected to his wrist. Jin-Hyeok was a tad disappointed that he couldn¡¯t cut it off with one clean strike. That was too bad, but it was only expected¡ªhis body couldn¡¯t keep up with his mind.

    ¡®And the scream should¡¯vee out a secondter, too.¡¯

    A cut could only be considered to be properly executed, if it was so clean that the enemy didn¡¯t notice right away that they had even been cut.

    That had not been the case just then¡ªthe scream had basically apanied the strike.

    ¡®Man¡­ I¡¯m way too weak.¡¯

    This could not stand.

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to be stronger.

    ¡­With a pang, Jin-Hyeok realized he was getting carried away again. He reminded himself of his promise to himself.

    ¡®It¡¯s only a given for me to be weak.¡¯

    This simply came with being a Streamer¡ªthere was nothing he could do about it.

    ¡°Y-you bastard, you think you¡¯ll be safe even afte¡ª GAAH!¡±

    Shuk!

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed the second guy in his side.

    The side was protected by one¡¯s ribcage, which made the task of prating the area substantially more difficult.

    But that didn¡¯t matter to Jin-Hyeok. He knew that if he aimed well and stabbed at the right angle, he had what it took to get between the ribs.

    It was then that it also urred to him that his sister Cha Jin-Sol could be so shocked by what she was witnessing, that she could lose her wits and perhaps even faint.

    That would not be a problem: in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s own humble opinion, he had a knack for reassuring and calming down citizens of the public in situations like this.

    A great way to soothe the public¡¯s nerves in a case like this was to exin what they were seeing in an objective manner, cool as a cucumber, as if he was exining to a bystander with no awareness of what was going on.

    ¡°So basically, the ribcage serves the function of protecting the human body¡¯s more important organs. Another way to look at it, though, is that the region inside the ribcage is a fatal weakness. In other words, if you¡¯re just able to prate the area between the ribs, you¡¯d be able to inflict a critical wound on your opponent. How does that sound? Not so hard, right?¡±

    With a calm and level-headed exnation like this, Jin-Hyeok was assured that Jin-Sol would be less scared.

    The brute before Jin-Hyeok seemed to be entering a state of shock from his profuse bleeding, unable to stay standing anymore. Now there was only one of them left.

    The final guy must have felt he was backed into a corner, because he frantically grabbed hold of Cha Jin-Sol. He threatened Jin-Hyeok as he pointed a dagger at her neck.

    ¡°D-drop your knife,¡± the hoodlum stammered.

    Jin-Hyeok was disappointed¡ªthis was a way too clich¨¦ turn of the situation. Nothing was remotely surprising about this development.

    ¡°I said drop the knife!¡± the guy shouted more firmly.

    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±

    Swoosh!

    Jin-Hyeok threw his dagger with all his might.

    ¡®Ooooh.¡¯

    Perhaps it was because he was sufficiently warmed up now, but his aim and timing were spot on.

    The moment the dagger left his hands, he knew it would hit the mark he had wanted.

    Shuk!

    His dagger hit the assant straight between the eyebrows, and he slowly toppled to the ground.

    ¡°When evildoers fully realize there¡¯s a gap in strength that can¡¯t be closed, they tend to hurry and try to capture a hostage. But what¡¯s ironic is that the moment they get a hostage, they let their guard down. I was aiming to capitalize on that moment. Did that make sense? You can breathe easy now because I¡¯m here,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined to her.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol sank to the ground where she stood. Jin-Hyeok knew it must have been because she was finally relieved by his cool, collected exnation.

    She was bawling her eyes out, but unfortunately, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know as far as how to soothe someone¡¯s crying daughter.

    And why was she crying in such a sad way? Weren¡¯t they meant to be tears of relief?

    ¡°First off, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol was distant, her eyes dead.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think she would be so shocked over an incident as trivial as this. He began to worry about how she was going to live in the harsh world that was toe with such a fragile psyche.

    Another person¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    ¡®Oh wow.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had reported the situation to the police without a shred of expectation that the police woulde, but they hade indeed.

    ¡°D-drop your weapon and surrender immediately! I-I¡¯m arresting you on ount of being in the process ofmitting a crime.¡±

    The police officer was shaking in his boots as he approached Jin-Hyeok, but it escaped Jin-Hyeok why on earth the officer was so frightened.

    Jin-Hyeok ced the dagger down on the floor, and raised both hands in the air in an orderly manner.

    ¡°I¡¯m the victim, and they were the assants,¡± Jin-Hyeok rified.

    He put out his hands and didn¡¯t raise a fuss as he was handcuffed. He felt something was missing, though.

    ¡°Oh, right. You should be informing me of my Miranda Rights[2] before arresting me.¡±

    This was a bit of a pet peeve of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s.

    Before his regression, the media had pestered him an unfathomable amount over whether he had or hadn¡¯t read people their Miranda Rights.

    There was one time Jin-Hyeok was fighting a mass murderer who had used arson to kill 3000 people¡ªa fight that was so difficult, that Jin-Hyeok himself nearly died in multiple moments.

    Jin-Hyeok got his fun out of the fight, but he had been irritated to no end by the media attacking him for the simple fact that he hadn¡¯t read the criminal his Miranda Rights before arresting him in the end. In fact, one of those journalists who criticized Jin-Hyeok had literally been rescued by him.

    All that said¡­ looking back now after all this time, it seemed like a good memory in its own way.

    ¡°Oh, we should be on our way home soon enough when this is over, so don¡¯t tell mom and dad. There¡¯s no need to worry them.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok could ept being taken to the police station, but this was doubtful.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m the victim here,¡± Jin-Hyeok once again tried to rify.

    ¡°Victim, my ass. Name?¡±

    This detective had some rather deep, dark circles under his eyes. It was fairly obvious that he was exhausted from the onught of working in.

    ¡°You should have arrested them, too.¡±

    ¡°I said give me your name.¡±

    It seemed that the world was bing a mess in more ways than one. An innocent citizen such as himself was being arrested and talked to so rudely.

    Jin-Hyeok admittedly began to feel a little annoyed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,[3]¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    The detective either didn¡¯t have his head screwed on properly because he was just that exhausted, or he was in an overly sensitive state. Whichever it was, it made the detective decide to raise his hand with the intent of bonking Jin-Hyeok on the head.

    ¡°You better not hit me. Else you¡¯re gonna hurt your hand.¡±

    ¡°¡­this crazy little shit!¡±

    The detective chose to go ahead with hitting Jin-Hyeok anyway.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster''s Barrier was solid¡ªin the detective¡¯s shoes, it was probably like hitting a brick wall.

    ¡°OW!¡±

    And that was exactly why Jin-Hyeok had warned the detective not to hit him. It was beyond him why the detective decided not to heed it.

    ¡®It¡¯s almost time for them toe.¡¯

    In truth, Jin-Hyeok had called a GM (Game Master).

    This era immediately following the Cataclysm was one of change after change; and in a world of such change, order was needed.

    As if right on cue, a magic circle appeared on the ceiling of the police station.

    ¡®They¡¯ve finally arrived.¡¯

    What was clearly a person slowly emerged from the circle starting from the feet, descending into this space.

    ¡®Looks like I got Kihael.¡¯

    It was indeed GM No. 3 Kihael, who managed the Seodaemun-gu.[4]

    He looked like a boy in histe teens, and he had a pair of wings on his back.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen him.¡¯

    Kihael was a GM with the quintessential personality of an unambitious sryman who just wanted to clock in his hours and get paid.

    He was the type that was perfectly satisfied with just doing what he was given to do, no more and no less. He truly embodied the attitude of an employee who pursued a work-life bnce where they could just cruise along peacefully.

    Kihael looked at Jin-Hyeok, but it was not a kind look.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a lunatic that smashes the call GM button when it¡¯s still in the Open Beta service,¡± Kihaelmented.

    ¡°As you can see, I was being oppressed by a state-level authority of a nation while ying the game.¡±

    ¡°Hold on for a minute.¡±

    The police detectives had been creating amotion as they yelled at Kihael, but this onlysted briefly before it died down.

    Kihael was around Level 100.

    No one could possibly challenge his undisputed strength in the present time. All Kihael needed to do was snap his fingers for everyone to shut up.

    He nodded as he watched some kind of recorded video of what had transpired.

    ¡°With consideration to the fact that this was a situation of ordinarybat between yers, I hereby forbid the intervention of the state,¡± Kihael concluded.

    Thanks to Kihael, Jin-Hyeok was able to walk free without much hassle.

    Jin-Hyeok was aware that policemissioners all around the world were being murdered by the GMs at present. The GMs were unafraid to force humanity to adjust to the System in ways that werergely violent and brutally efficient.

    To prevent governments from intervening in the business of yers, the GMs publicly executed those major politicians or policemissioners who meddled in yers¡¯ affairs or opposed adherence to the System.

    That was why at present, there was an official statement disseminated to all government departments to intervene as little as possible in interactions between yers¡ªand to meet the GMs¡¯ requests as satisfactorily as possible if one appeared.

    ¡°How did you know about the GM call function?¡± demanded Kihael.

    ¡°It¡¯s all in the yer Manual,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°You read that all already?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it made to be read?¡±

    Kihael looked at Jin-Hyeok as if he was looking at an alien.

    With time, countless people would be practically forced to be well-acquainted with the yer Manual. Whether they liked it or not, this was one of the primary ways to adjust to this new world.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really remember what it was like when he first began ying, so he wasn¡¯t sure when he had memorized all its details. Whatever the case, it was fortunate for him that the entirety of the yer Manual¡¯s content was already firmly inside his head.

    ¡°Who said you could talk so informally with me?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°You did it first.¡±

    Kihael frowned. He scanned Jin-Hyeok up and down with his eyes.

    ¡°The heck is this? Why¡¯s all your yer information set to private?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Not like there¡¯s a rule against it.¡±

    ¡°The default setting for the info is public. People usually do as the System tells them.¡±

    ¡°You see, I¡¯ve always been a bit of a misfit.¡±

    Although the whole predicament with the police had already concluded, Kihael didn¡¯t leave Jin-Hyeok.

    This was all ording to n. Jin-Hyeok had seeded in attracting his attention.

    ¡®Good for me.¡¯

    Kihael, GM No. 3 in charge of the Seodaemun-gu, was a keyponent for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s objectives.

    Kihael continued to pepper Jin-Hyeok with questions to dig out info about who he was.

    Kihael eventually resorted to using ¡®Administrator¡¯s Prerogative,'' something he couldn¡¯t do from the start because it had usage restrictions, and got to mining out Jin-Hyeok¡¯s identity in earnest.

    ¡°You¡¯re Level 28? Wait, so you¡¯re one of the current top rankers?¡±

    Administrator¡¯s Prerogative allowed the GM to see a yer¡¯s Level, Awakened name, and Job.

    ¡°Your Job is Almighty Streamer. You chose Kim Chul-Soo as your Awakened name?¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re able to see all that? Why did you so nosily ask me so many questions at the start then?¡±

    Kihael rubbed his chin.

    ¡°You¡¯re one of the top rankers at present, but you keep your information on private. You didn¡¯t even put your name up on the ranking board. And fame is an important value for Streamers, but you don¡¯t seem all that interested in it. When I watched the video just then, your movements weren¡¯t that of some ordinary yer at your Level. You¡¯re a real suspicious piece of work, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What exactly are you getting at?¡±

    With all this buildup, Jin-Hyeok could feel the real question at handing.

    It was clear that Kihael was finding the right time to ask his question¡ªand that time was now.

    ¡°Hey, are you a regressor?¡±

    The System did not officially recognize ¡®regression¡¯ as something that existed. Jin-Hyeok himself didn¡¯t think it was real until he actually regressed.

    In theter days of his previous life, Jin-Hyeok found out that even the GMs were divided on whether they believed regression existed.

    However, one thing was certain among them.

    Regardless of whether they believed regression was real or not, they all acknowledged it as an unintended bug, and regressors as a virus.

    ¡®Regression¡¯ was a term that caused the GMs serious rm.

    With time, some people would recklesslye out and shout to the world that they were regressors¡ªbut regardless of the validity of their im, they would all be killed by the GMs.

    ¡°Did you say regressor? What¡¯s that? You mean regression as in going back to the past?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Kihael¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Are you really not a regressor?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that is.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok received a notification.

    [Do you choose to ept the GM Quest ¡¸Room of Truth¡¹?]

    This was a mountain Jin-Hyeok knew he had to climb sooner orter when he came face-to-face with a GM.

    The earlier in his ying that he got this over with, the better it was for him.

    And it was even better that the one he had to face was Kihael.

    1. Police-only emergency telephone number in Korea. Fire and medical emergency services are 119. ?

    2. Typical things police say in America and many other West-aligned countries when arresting someone, such as: ¡®You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court ofw,'' etc. ?

    3. Jin-Hyeok switches from formalnguage to casual here, disying hisck of respect for the detective. ?

    4. One of the 25 districts in Seoul, located near the city centre. ¡®-gu¡¯ actually means district in Korean. ?

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    The ¡®Room of Truth¡¯ was a type of trial that was used by GMs to discern whether a yer was telling the truth.

    It was solely up to the yer whether they chose to consent to the trial¡ªbut as their Level increased, the Room of Truth became stricter as well.

    In other words, the Room of Truth was at the most lenient when one was at the lowest Levels.

    ¡®Not only that, but Kihael is the smooth-cruising type of worker that isn¡¯t very ambitious.¡¯

    Kihael was certainly not the scrutinizing type that actively dug at areas of concern to uncover the truth.

    He had an avoidant personality, preferring whatever work he was assigned to reached its finish without a hitch. He was someone who preferred to draw the curtains on something after sufficient investigation rather than make it bigger.

    ¡®Since I¡¯m a Tutorial-level yer, the Crystal of Truth should be active for one minute.¡¯

    In fact, the Crystal of Truth was only active for a minute for all yers below Level 30.

    ¡°I can livestream this, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok checked.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have the authority to stop yers from taking actions that are legal,¡± Kihael answered.

    Jin-Hyeok opened his channel. As always, he couldn¡¯t decide on a good title so he just went for a simple one.

    [I¡¯m Entering the Room of Truth.]

    The viewers began to pour in. In an instant, 8,000 viewers flocked to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    It was truly exceptional that a streaming room with a max capacity of 8,400 viewers was able to fill 8,000 of those spots within five minutes of starting a stream, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know this. He just thought that it could be chalked down to the hot start when he first began streaming.

    ¡°My fellow viewers, I¡¯m going to ept the GM Quest and see what happens. What could this Quest possibly be about? I was asked if I¡¯m a regressor just then, actually.¡±

    [You epted the GM Quest ¡¸Room of Truth¡¹.]

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a ¡®regressor¡¯ is, but I¡¯m certainly not one of them.¡± Jin-Hyeok made sure to state this as soon as he received the notification.

    The timing of this statement was critical.

    The Crystal of Truth hadn¡¯t appeared yet, so the GM could not discern whether this statement was the truth or not.

    Almost immediately afterward, the Crystal of Truth popped into existence. It was a violet crystal that floated in the air, constantly spinning at a fast speed.

    If someone were to tell a lie, this crystal would turn red.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Jin-Hyeok queried, pretending he knew nothing.

    ¡°The Crystal of Truth. It turns red if you lie to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a woman,¡± Jin-Hyeok tried telling a lie.

    Lo and behold, the crystal turned red. Although Jin-Hyeok still didn¡¯t know exactly how it worked, what was for sure was that it was fascinating to watch even now.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding,¡± said Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°It would¡¯ve been interesting if it didn¡¯t change color,¡± Kihaelmented.

    ¡°I¡¯m handsome.¡±

    The crystal stayed violet.

    Jin-Hyeok was actually joking around to buy some time, but the crystal didn¡¯t change color.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Jin-Hyeok said incredulously. ¡°It can make qualitative value judgments as well? How can a statement like that be judged to be true or false?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok certainly didn¡¯t feel bad about the fact that the crystal stayed violet, but it confirmed once more that the crystal¡¯s mechanisms were indeed iprehensible.

    ¡°So¡­what truth should I be revealing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    He had sessfully wasted around twenty seconds by purposefully asking silly questions, so there were now forty seconds left.

    Kihael quickly got to the crux of the issue.

    ¡°Tell me how you were able to adjust to the Beta Service this well and why it seems like you know everything, such as to use the GM call function to control your little ¡®situation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hmmmm.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok deliberately dragged his answer out.

    ¡°I know about the Great Prophet.¡±

    ¡°The Great Prophet?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, that¡¯s just what he ims to be. He¡¯s someone who¡¯s active in an onlinemunity under that name. I think he might be an Initial Awakener who Awakened even earlier than I did.¡±

    Although they were small in number, there did exist people who had Awakened before the Cataclysm happened¡ªeven earlier than the yers who had undergone Initial Awakening with the advent of the Open Beta service.

    Inter days, these pre-Open Beta service individuals woulde to be called the Beta Testers.

    Kim Shin-Won, the Great Prophet, was one of those Beta Testers.

    ¡°Anyway, the point is he posed as some sort of prophet and uploaded tons of info.¡±

    Of course, the views on his posts had initially been pitifully low.

    The type ofments that his posts normally received were along the lines of ¡®Is this some sort of shitty roley?¡¯, ¡®Don¡¯t feed the troll,¡¯ or ¡®Stop trying to be mysterious, it¡¯sme af[1]¡¯.

    Currently, histest posts were so dead that even those mockingments were nowhere to be seen¡ªthere were literally zeroments.

    However, with the long passage of time, Kim Shin-Won¡¯s posts would eventuallye to garner fame as new spotlights shone on them.

    ¡°See, if you look here¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok took out his phone and showed it to Kihael.

    One of Kim Shin-Won¡¯s posts was titled ¡®The Manual.¡¯

    ¡°The yer Manual¡¯s all here, and all I did was study up on it in advance.¡±

    The crystal stayed violet.

    ¡°You read that in advance? For what?¡± Kihael interrogated.

    ¡°To prepare for theing future, I suppose?¡±

    Violet.

    ¡°Though it¡¯s not awfully specific, his posts roughly mention the fact that monsters will begin to pop up all over; that these things called Tutorial Fields will also appear; that public safety and peace will bepromised; and that everything is basically gonna go to shit. It¡¯s all written in there.¡±

    The Crystal of Truth¡¯s rotational speed decreased a little. This was an indication that the crystal¡¯s activation period was nearly over.

    ¡°So basically, I knew what was going to happen in the future,¡± Jin-Hyeok concluded.

    Violet.

    ¡°And clearly, that day hase.¡±

    Still violet.

    The Crystal of Truth finally stopped spinning.

    Kihael nodded. He whipped out a notepad and wrote something down on it, murmuring to himself all the while.

    ¡°Read some predictions by a ¡®Great Prophet¡¯... found out about theing future through these predictions¡­ and was well-prepared for the present day.¡±

    Kihael let the crystal absorb the note he wrote.

    ¡°I will now begin a final inspection. Commence perusal of a record of the individual¡¯s past.¡±

    [A record of your past is being perused.]

    [Perusal keyword: ¡¸regression¡¹]

    Using the power of his Administrator''s Prerogative, Kihael began reading a record of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words and actions for thest three years.

    If Jin-Hyeok had been in the high-Level stage of y, hisst ten years would have been inspected instead, with a variety of keywords being tested for instead of just one.

    The point of this procedure was to scour a record of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past for any mention of the word ¡®regression.¡¯

    [The perusal of a record of the past of yer with the Awakened name ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯ has found no instances of ¡®regression¡¯ being mentioned or admitted. No suspicious instances have been found.]

    Kihael nodded with apparent satisfaction.

    Soon after, light shone from the crystal. It then outputs a single, final document¡ªa certificate of authenticity that noted what was said and attested that it was nothing but the truth.

    ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯

    Being a form of legal trial, the Room of Truth applied the double jeopardy rule to the findings. This meant that once a case was closed, it wouldn¡¯t be opened again in the future. Not with simr charges, at least.

    The Crystal of Truth finished outputting the piece of paper like it was some sort of printer. Kihael had a quick look at it first before handing it over to Jin-Hyeok.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Certificate of Authenticity]

    * Matter that was determined: A matter regarding yer with the Awakened name Kim Chul-Soo and their unrealistically fast adjustment to present circumstances, with a rted matter of regression.

    * Details of determination:

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a ¡®regressor¡¯ is, but I¡¯m certainly not one of them.¡±

    ¡°Read some predictions by a ¡®Great Prophet¡¯... found out about theing future through these predictions¡­ and was well-prepared for the present day.¡±

    * Result of determination: Truth.

    * This Certificate of Authenticity attests that all that was said was the truth.

    * This Certificate of Authenticity includes a ''Record of Perusal Activity of a Record of Individual¡¯s Past.'' Refer to attachment for details.

    * Issuer: Kihael, No. 3 GM of Seodaemun-gu.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Kihael gave the crystal a little push with his hand, in response to which it printed out a copy of the same certificate. This second copy was for rying to his seniors.

    ¡®Looking at him now, he might not even really care whether I¡¯m actually a regressor or not.¡¯

    Regardless, the important thing was that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s statements had been evaluated by the System to be the truth and nothing but the truth, and that Kihael was finished with all the duties he had as a GM¡ªwhich was all that really mattered to Kihael.

    Jin-Hyeok breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡®That went over easier than I expected.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had concerns about the optimal time to tackle the Room of Truth, but thanks to Kihael, that business was done and dusted in that one short sitting.

    Kihael also seemed to be in a lighter mood.

    ¡°Well, sir, enjoy your ying.¡±

    With that, he was gone.

    ***

    As Jin-Hyeok slowly descended the stairs of the police station, he was met with a familiar face.

    ¡°Oppa!!!¡±

    The one yelling as she ran toward him was Cha Jin-Sol.

    Jin-Hyeok dodged to the side, avoiding an ufortable amount of physical contact with his iing sister. That was one predicament he¡¯d gratefully avoid.

    She hadn¡¯te here alone¡ªshe was apanied by two other dapper men in suits.

    ¡°And who are¡­?¡± Jin-Hyeok trailed off.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Greetings, sir.¡±

    The two men handed their business cards to Jin-Hyeok.

    It appeared they werewyers working for the transnational corporate giant Googol Face. Cha Jin-Sol had brought two highly capablewyers with her.

    ¡°Damn, yourpany has some nice benefits.¡±

    To send two in-house attorneys for a new employee who had only joined a few months ago¡­ it confirmed what Jin-Hyeok had heard: Cha Jin-Sol was a much morepetent and promising young talent than he would have chalked her up to be.

    That said, there was one thing he didn¡¯t quite get.

    ¡°If they¡¯re gonna go this far for you, why didn¡¯t they just assign some bodyguards to you in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°The security department¡¯s stretched for manpower right now, so there was nothing they could do.¡±

    ording to her, it was more difficult to hire a security guard than awyer these days.

    Jin-Hyeok thoroughly exined to her what had happened at the police station.

    ¡°¡­and with that, I was able toe out with no issue.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­ a real relief.¡±

    ¡°Were you worried?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Worry about you?¡±

    If she was going to say that, she shouldn¡¯t have had tears welling up in her eyes. She could have been a little warmer with her words, at least.

    Jin-Hyeok just couldn¡¯t understand her.

    ¡®How was she able to worry over me so much?¡¯

    Cha Jin-Sol had clearly been in a state of huge shock. How was she able to make such rational decisions?

    For most first-time experiencers of situations like hers, the normal reaction would have been to leave the site of the incident and simply go hide somewhere, shaking with shock. Had Jin-Sol just run home and cried, her reaction would have still been well within Jin-Hyeok¡¯s understanding.

    Instead, she had quickly regained her focus, mobilizedwyers from her employer, and came to the police station of her own volition. To give credit where credit was due, it seemed she had some serious guts.

    ¡®I¡¯d barely even seen her for seven years.¡¯

    Indeed, Jin-Hyeok could barely meet anyone while he was on his grind to meet the 50,000-hour streaming target. As for his sister, he only called her around once a month and met her in person twice a year, if even that.

    Even those times came about because Jin-Sol dropped by to have a meal with him. That was the full extent of their interactions.

    Without warning, the memory of his sister before he had regressed bubbled up to the surface of his mind.

    The image of his sister¡¯s cold, hard body, rendered that way at the hands of Jeon Nam-Gil.

    It was a memory that Jin-Hyeok never wanted to recall, but it involuntarily entered his head every once in a while.

    ¡®If anything, I should be the one trying to be more affectionate.¡¯

    So how had things ended up like this, with her being the one to care for him?

    He had never reached out to her to talk and catch up, and he certainly hadn¡¯t been a good brother by any measure.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s whole n had been to treat her well. But so far, there was not a thing that he had done for her. She should have seen him as a pitiful, pathetic spine breaker.

    Jin-Hyeok was admittedly quite touched, wondering if this was what it meant to be family.

    Almost on cue, Jin-Sol bluntly asked him a question.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°For sure?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I would be?¡± Jin-Hyeok answered prickly.

    No matter the fact that Jin-Hyeok was a weak Streamer, there was no way he was going to let himself get hurt fighting against those two-bit chumps. Did he look that weak to her?

    He knew that it wasn¡¯t something over which his pride should be hurt, but he couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°You did get hurt!¡± Jin-Sol shouted.

    Looking closely now, Jin-Hyeok realized that the back of his hand was a little scratched. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had received the wound in the fight moments ago, or if he identally brushed it against some hard surface.

    Whatever the case, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure if something so minor could even be ssified as an injury, but Jin-Sol seemed to think so.

    ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ll treat it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    How on earth was she going to survive being that sensitive in this brutal, brave new world?

    ¡­at least that was what Jin-Hyeok thought, until Jin-Sol suddenly used a beginner-level healing ability.

    It was not an amazing Skill, but it was quite effective for dealing with a light abrasion like this. Seeing how quickly the wound faded away, it was apparent that she was rather skilled and had a considerable knack for this.

    ¡°You¡­ have you Awakened?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Got a problem with it?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Everyone around me¡¯s Awakened as well.¡±

    The future had shifted a bit.

    As far as Jin-Hyeok remembered about his previous life, Jin-Sol had never Awakened as a yer even to the point of her death.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on¡­?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t care about his future changing. If anything, he was set on proactively changing his future as long as it benefited him.

    However, it was a different story if it were his family¡¯s future that was changing too. This was definitely a little concerning.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok discovered some intriguing details when he surveyed his sister¡¯s info.

    [LV18/Babyshark/Blood Priest/Skills/Thousand Days of Prayer]

    It was merely a single line of info, but this one line was full of questions like Swiss cheddar was full of holes.

    ¡®Babyshark?¡¯

    Babyshark had been the only regr viewer of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. This angel of a viewer had silently, loyally donated to him and cheered him on from the sidelines for years¡­ and Cha Jin-Sol had the same nickname.

    It had to be a coincidence, right?

    At least that was how Jin-Hyeok reasoned to himself at first, but this was too much to simply ignore.

    ¡®Their donations had ramped up for thest two months, hadn¡¯t they?¡¯

    And as luck would have it, that aligned with when Jin-Sol had joined Googol Face.

    Then again, though, Jin-Sol wasn¡¯t exactly the type to be oh-so-kind to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Let¡¯s assume it¡¯s not her for now and move on.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to bring it up, in case he was about to open a Pandora¡¯s box and get himself into more than he asked for.

    Some things were better left unknown¡ªand besides, he felt things could get seriously awkward between him and Jin-Sol.

    ¡®But what¡¯s all this about being a Blood Priest?¡¯

    1. ¡¯AF/af¡¯ means ¡®as fuck¡¯ in Western cyber ng. ?

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    The text was red, meaning it was a 9-Star Job.

    Jin-Hyeok was pretty well-acquainted with ¡®Blood Priests.¡¯

    ¡®A Job that can go in one of twopletely different paths depending on how it¡¯s developed.¡¯

    At its core, the Blood Priest Job was one where the yer utilized their own blood.

    Using their blood, they had the capacity to either heal or harm others. If they used it to heal others, the yer would be a healer-type Blood Priest; and if they preferred to attack others instead, they would be an offensive-type.

    Their abilities were all incredibly strong, to the point of being almost unfair, but they came with arge risk to the user due to the nature of using one¡¯s own blood as a medium to cast those abilities.

    In fact, more Blood Priests died as a result of excessive bleeding than not.

    As a consequence, there was a time when people didn¡¯t understand the potential of the ¡®Blood Priest¡¯ Job very well, and it was ssified as merelyparable to a 3-Star Job.

    ¡®That said, Blood Priest is only really a good Job once the yer acquires all three of the [Blood Drain], [Enhanced Human], and [Enhanced Revival] abilities.¡¯

    ¡®Blood Drain¡¯ was a Skill that yers with the Blood Priest Job learned naturally as they leveled up, but the ¡®Enhanced Human¡¯ and ¡®Enhanced Revival¡¯ Traits had to be acquired externally.

    ¡®Should I help her get them?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok found himself in a bit of a dilemma.

    If Cha Jin-Sol intended to y seriously, acquiring Enhanced Human and Enhanced Revival was a must. A Blood Priest without those abilities really was no different to one of those mediocre 3-Star Jobs.

    A Blood Priest with them, however, was a Job that was outstanding even amongst the other 9-Star Jobs.

    That said, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think that Cha Jin-Sol necessarily had to be a great yer.

    He already knew that Googol Face would continue to be a highly sessfulpany even in theter days¡ªand with that in mind, it wasn¡¯t a bad option at all for her to just continue working there and living the way she had.

    Ultimately though, whichever path she chose, Jin-Hyeok wanted her to live the way she wanted. He was going to need to have a proper chat with herter.

    ¡®And what is this Thousand Days of Prayer?¡¯

    It had been less than a month, let alone a thousand days since the Open Beta Service had begun, and yet she had the Thousand Days of Prayer Achievement.

    That could only mean Jin-Sol was a yer since the start of the Beta testing phase¡ªa Beta Tester.

    Jin-Sol poked Jin-Hyeok in his nk.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you so upied?¡±

    ¡°Ow.¡±

    ¡°Ow, my ass. Do you have any idea how worried I was?¡±

    ¡°You were?¡±

    ¡°Are you for real? Of course I was! What the heck happened?¡±

    Jin-Sol rambled on for a while¡ªperhaps she was recovering from her recent shock slower than Jin-Hyeok had first thought.

    She said something about seeing the guy¡¯s wrist dangling; and how terrifying and horrific the whole situation was; and how she couldn¡¯t do a single thing because her head just went nk. Something along those lines.

    In summary, the gist of it seemed to be that the whole ordeal was a massive shock to her¡ªbut if Jin-Hyeok was being honest, he wouldn¡¯t be able to recite the details of her rant back to her because it went in one ear and out the other.

    ¡°¡­But thank you,¡± finished Jin-Sol.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alive right now because of you, oppa. To bepletely honest, you were really scary at the time.¡±

    That was strange. Jin-Hyeok could have sworn that in the moment, he had gone out of his way to exin everything to her patiently, with all the requisite politeness and civility there could be.

    ¡°Because you did¡­ that,¡± Jin-Sol said slowly. ¡°Without any expression, as if it was nothing¡­ like you werepletely used to it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you mean you were taken aback by how kind I was, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Jin-Sol was silent for a while before she gave her response.

    ¡°You were¡­ reliable.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you so d that I¡¯m your oppa? It¡¯s such a relief, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    In fact, she really did seem to feel that way.

    [#deeply relieved #scary but reliable #d #true family ¡®cause he says whatever he wants to me]

    There was no doubt that she was suffering from some kind of illness, seeing as she was morefortable with the idea of Jin-Hyeok treating her however he felt like.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of his home of old once more.

    It had been the home he had lived in up until seven years ago, yet now everything about it felt so unfamiliar.

    Before his regression, he had lost his entire family in an instant. The serial killer, Jeon Nam-Gil, had killed not only Cha Jin-Sol, but also his mother and father all at once.

    At the time, Jin-Hyeok had not been by his family¡¯s side and was unable to protect anyone, despite the fact that he was already more than capable of tracking down Jeon Nam-Gil and killing him the very next month.

    ¡®I guess at that time, I was insane in my own way.¡¯

    Indeed. In the past, Jin-Hyeok had focused his entire time and energy on his personal growth, without a single thought spared toward taking care of his family.

    This time around, he was going to make sure to never let that happen again.

    With all those thoughts in mind, here he was, returned home atst.

    ¡®I guess Mother and Father will be inside when I go in, right?¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t recall having any meaningful conversations with his parents after his regression. The asional chat over the phone was the full extent of it.

    Jin-Hyeok knew that his parents had basically broken their backs supporting him financially for seven whole years¡ªyet despite that, they had never particrly nagged or reprimanded him for how he was living.

    As ever, they simply continued to quietly support him from behind, believing in Jin-Hyeok and waiting patiently for him. They didn¡¯t proactively contact Jin-Hyeok very much either, perhaps because they thought that Jin-Hyeok would find any ensuing talk to be ufortable.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m home!¡± Cha Jin-Sol shouted.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re home?¡±

    ¡°Where are you, mom?¡±

    ¡°In the kitchen!¡±

    Jin-Sol took off her shoes. She ran into the kitchen and abruptly hugged mom, who was in the midst of chopping up some scallions, from the back.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you? What¡¯s gotten into you today?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I just needed a hug. Hug me back.¡±

    ¡°Go away, can¡¯t you see I¡¯m holding a knife? It¡¯s dangerous!¡±

    ¡°Pweez,e on, hug me, hug me. Will ya?¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol was like the sunshine of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s family. Although it was true that she talked super bluntly to Jin-Hyeok at times, even he thought that there were admittedly some sides to her that were lovable.

    It seemed that she hadn¡¯t told their parents of the major incident she was embroiled in today¡ªshe had just run to herpany straight away and brought thewyers with her.

    ¡°Oppa came with me, too. What are you doing, oppa? Come on in.¡±

    ¡°Jin-Hyeok¡¯se home?¡± their mom asked, her interest piqued.

    At her words, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father¡ªwho had been in the middle of cing the spoons and chopsticks on the dining table¡ªstraightened up and turned toward the front entrance, looking at Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled sheepishly.

    This was an indescribable mixture of feelings¡ªit felt like having a proper reunion for the first time in a few decades rather than a few years.

    Truth be told, Jin-Hyeok was not very close to his father.

    He felt distant enough from his father that it felt awkward to call him ¡®dad,¡¯ while he had no qualms with calling his mother ¡®mom.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok knew that his father was a good man and that his father loved him, but he still found the rtionship strangely awkward. It was difficult to get closer to him.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father was the first to speak.

    ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± he greeted Jin-Hyeok.

    He certainly didn¡¯t sound like someone who was meeting their son for the first time in a long while. He just took out one more set of spoon and chopsticks from the cutlery drawer and ced them on the table.

    With an air of nonchnce, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father tossed him short statements of only a few words at a time.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat then.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father weed him in his own way. On the other hand, his mother made a bit more of a ruckus.

    ¡°My goodness! Look how much weight you¡¯ve lost.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t lost weight. In fact, if anything, he had gained a little since he had been constantly sitting down for his streams. He was very lucky not to be the type that gained weight easily, or he would practically be obese by this point.

    Meanwhile, the mother and daughter pair were quite warm to each other when they exchanged words.

    ¡°Hurry and sit. I made those egg rolls you like.¡±

    ¡°With cheese inside?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    For the first time in a long time, Jin-Hyeok sat around the dining table with his family.

    His family treated him the same as usual, as if nothing was out of ce. They weed him just the same as if nothing exceptional had happened¡ªas if today was another ordinary day with ordinary going-ons. Just the way Jin-Hyeok remembered them.

    It was as if they were telling him that no matter the time, this ce will never change and would wee him just the same.

    Jin-Hyeok felt once more that home was precious.

    ¡®Yet I couldn¡¯t save them before.¡¯

    There really was nothing so objectively special about this little moment they were having, but Jin-Hyeok felt that tears were going to start welling up in his eyes any second.

    He had thought that by this point, he had be emotionally dull and desensitized after everything he had been through¡ªbut it looked like these kinds of feelings hadn¡¯t left him.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father, who had been maintaining silence for almost the whole duration of their meal, asked another prompt, nonchnt question to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°How¡¯s your health?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing pretty fine.¡±

    ¡°Then good.¡±

    His father finished his meal and went to his room.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother began to whisper to him.

    ¡°He pretends to be cool as a cucumber, but he cried over a photo of you.¡±

    ¡°¡­He cried?¡±

    ¡°I think he was worried sick about you,¡± his mother exined. ¡°Whether you were eating properly, if you weren¡¯t sick or hurting anywhere, and if your allowance was enough. We aren¡¯t exactly in a position to cut loose and send you lots, you know?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    In truth, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father was not able to work for long periods because of problems with his hip. As a result, their household actually wasn¡¯t well-off.

    Even as he was grateful, Jin-Hyeok was dumbfounded as to how his parents weren''t tired of him. Having a son who¡¯d spent seven years cooped up in a rental room, without a single result produced all these while, should have been more than enough to make anyone exhausted.

    ¡°Thanks for waiting for me this long,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his mom.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I found a job.¡±

    ¡°You found a job?¡± his mother¡¯s eyes widened.

    She held the expression of someone who had a whole torrent of questions they wanted to unleash, but were trying their best to restrain themselves. Perhaps she was worried that if she made too much of a fuss over the fact that he was finally employed, she would hurt his feelings.

    That said, what was amusing was that, just like magic, the door to his parents¡¯ bedroom that had been closed became slightly ajar as he said those words. His father seemed to have opened it slightly; moments like these made him admittedly seem a bit endearing.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied to his mom, ¡°I get paid a lot, and thepany has good benefits too. I got my first paycheck, and now I can be the one to give you money.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok considered telling his parents straightforwardly that he was a Streamer, but he decided to just say he found a job. His parents¡¯ generation thought that ultimately, the ideal life was simply finding work at a ce that treated you well, getting married, and having children. Phrasing it this way would probably give his mom more peace of mind than exining what his job was about.

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out a white envelope with five million won inside.

    When his mother received it and discovered its contents, she very much nearly fainted.

    ¡°What on¡­ why did you put in so much money?¡±

    The bedroom door opened a little wider.

    ***

    Ultimately, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s parents refused to ept the money.

    From the sound of things, his mom thought there was no reason to receive such arge sum of money from him, instead suggesting that he¡¯d better prepare for the future and try his best to save up while he was still young.

    Jin-Hyeok told her not to worry so much because he was going to be a property owner, to which she replied with a cackle ofughter.

    At some point, his father came out to the living room and slipped out a mere one hundred thousand won from the envelope, returning the other 4.9 million to Jin-Hyeok; apanied by the words that this much was enough for them, and for him to keep the rest.

    At the end of the ordeal, Jin-Hyeok returned to his room.

    ¡®It¡¯s clean.¡¯

    His room had been empty for seven whole years, but it had remained free of dust all this time.

    This room that had been his for so long felt so unfamiliar now.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s room was incredibly modestpared to the amodations he had stayed at prior to his regression. He had stayed at top-of-the-line hotels with hisrades, yet it was cozier and more homely than those would ever be.

    Knock, knock.

    Someone rapped on his door.

    ¡°Oppa. I¡¯ming in.¡± It was Jin-Sol.

    ¡°Why are you knocking all of a sudden?¡±

    From what Jin-Hyeok remembered, the Cha Jin-Sol of seven years ago was not the type that had the manners to knock before entering. She had matured, that was for sure.

    ¡°Did you actually get a job?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll never be rich if I just got a job.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was speaking from experience. After all, his previous ce of upation had been the nation, where he had been a kind of pseudo-government official.

    At that time, other yers who were of simr strength to him were able to acquire wealth to such a degree that it did not fall shy of the money of chaebols¡ªthough of course, their average lifespan was brutally short¡ªyet Jin-Hyeok was not able to aplish the same. His sry had been around 500 million won.

    While it was certainly an amount that would be considered more than enough by most people, it was pitifully smallpared to the money that other top-ranking yers were raking in.

    To be frank, though, it was because Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t been interested in making money at all at the time. He had solely been concerned with strength, and strength only.

    Come to think of it now, Jin-Hyeok realized that the government officials had maybe taken advantage of this characteristic of his.

    ¡°¡­Then what are you doing?¡± Jin-Sol pressed on.

    ¡°I¡¯m a streamer.¡±

    ¡°And where did that five million wone from?¡±

    ¡°I earned it while streaming.¡±

    ¡°You mean you saved that up over the seven years?¡±

    ¡°Nope. That¡¯s how much I made in a day.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes widened before it was slowly reced with a frown.

    ¡°Oppa.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Look, I fully understand that there are things you¡¯d want to keep secret from me. But tell me the truth on this one, please.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure how he could possibly have been more truthful.

    ¡°I absolutely don¡¯t intend to criticize or insult you even if you say you only saved up five million won over seven years¡ªno, in fact, I think it¡¯s admirable. You were able to save up a whole five million won even in an environment with all that hardship. You did your best, and I really think it was more thanmendable.¡±

    What was she building things up so much for?

    ¡°I¡¯ll support you and have your back whatever you do,¡± Cha Jin-Sol added.

    That sounded awfully like something Babyshark would say.

    It seemed that no matter what, Cha Jin-Sol wasn¡¯t going to believe that Jin-Hyeok had made 5 million won in a single day.

    ¡®Oh well, I¡¯m sure time will sort that one out.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have any intention of unting around this one trivial sess anyway. He had the patience to wait until he became a building owner in Yeonhui-dong to prove himself¡ªand that wasn¡¯t going to take so long.

    ¡°Hey, Jin-Sol.¡±

    ¡°What the¡ªwhy are you calling me that?¡±

    She wrapped her arms around herself protectively and shivered with apparent disgust. What was so weird?

    ¡°What exactly did I call you?¡±

    ¡°You just called me Jin-Sol,¡± she blurted.[1]

    She approached him and put a finger on his forehead.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s sick¡­¡± she muttered under her breath.

    Jin-Hyeok just decided to ignore that and continue the conversation.

    He was still curious about what choice Cha Jin-Sol wanted to make for herself.

    ¡°How¡¯s your workce? Fun?¡±

    ¡°What kind of psycho finds work fun?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a few that do.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok was with the NIS, he had actually found the work to be quite fun. In fact, he enjoyed most of his time working with them up until he was cursed by the Empress of Hell.

    Cha Jin-Sol, on the other hand, said she didn¡¯t like going to work.

    ¡°Then how do you find ying the game?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s fun. Whenever someone¡¯s healed because of me, there¡¯s a sense of joy and aplishment.¡±

    Joy and aplishment¡ªtruly, they had the same blood running through them. Jin-Hyeok secretly felt pretty proud of her.

    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±

    If that was how she felt, there was a little something he could do for her.

    Jin-Hyeok decided he would help her get the ¡®Enhanced Human¡¯ and ¡®Enhanced Revival¡¯ Traits.

    Even if she had those Traits, it wasn¡¯t like she was suddenly going to be a cream-of-the-crop ranker. Jin-Hyeok just wanted to ensure that even if she eventually chose to quit the gameter, she had a good time ying while itsted.

    ¡®Looks like we need to drop by Sareoga Mart Dungeon.¡¯

    He remembered there was a hidden stage there on the second floor.

    ¡®This is going to be fu¡ªstop it.¡¯

    Here was another thing he really needed to get around to: fixing this nasty habit of getting pumped up at the very prospect of entering a Dungeon.

    1. So far, Jin-Hyeok had referred to Jin-Sol using more off-handed or nonchntnguage (for instance, calling her by her full name in a slightlyedic manner, as siblingsmonly do when referring to each other. Kinda like in English when a mom calls out to her son using his full name (Wardell Stephen Curry,e here NOW!) when scolding him, instead of just calling him by his first name (Wardell!)). Here, thenguage Jin-Hyeok uses is more direct and a bit soft in addressing her and less ¡°deflecting,¡± which could be weird between siblings if they don¡¯t normally openly disy affection or care for each other. ?

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    Jin-Hyeok was about to get some sleep after deciding on their next destination, but Cha Jin-Sol wouldn¡¯t leave his room. He didn¡¯t feel like going out of his way to kick her out either, so the two of them just continued to talk.

    During one part of the conversation, Jin-Sol went over how she ended up Awakening.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, uh, it¡¯s kind of a long story.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with all this beating around the bushes? Just be out with it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you see, I often tagged along with Mom and Dad when they visited Bongeunsa Temple[1].¡±

    ¡°Bongeunsa Temple?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a ce like that. Anyway, just by coincidence¡ªpure coincidence¡ªI was burning some incense sticks there when I suddenly Awakened.¡±

    ¡°I noticed you earned yourself some Achievements as well. What¡¯s that about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? That¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    The name of the Achievement Cha Jin-Sol had obtained was ¡®Thousand Days of Prayer.¡¯ As the name suggested, this meant she had prayed for a thousand days, but she didn¡¯t tell him exactly what¡ªor who¡ªshe had been praying for.

    [#I¡¯ll never be exposed #Will kill myself if I am #Praying for oppa #Never done such a thing]

    Hit by a sudden, overwhelming assault of her emotions, Jin-Hyeok deactivated his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesightpletely.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Sol¡¯s face had be a little red.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know ¡®cause it¡¯s got absolutely nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking if it¡¯s got something to do with me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Cha Jin-Sol said, as her face flushed a little more.

    The two of them conversed a while longer, before Jin-Hyeok eventually put forward the suggestion of doing a Dungeon run together. To his surprise, Cha Jin-Sol epted his proposal without much hassle.

    ¡°Alright, thepany told me to take a couple days off anyway, so I¡¯ll do as you say. Let¡¯s try ying together then.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jin-Sol questioned.

    ¡°To be honest, I thought you¡¯d say no.¡±

    ¡°Why would I?¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean, I probably don¡¯t seem like the most reliable oppa out there.¡±

    ¡°If you knew that already, step up your game.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol stood up from her seat. Time had flown¡ªit was already 2 a.m.

    ¡°Still¡­¡± Cha Jin-Sol trailed off.

    ¡°Huh? Still what? Why did you stop mid-sentence?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you came back.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said it¡¯s good to have you back.¡±

    Jin-Sol¡¯s voice was so soft that she was barely audible and Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t catch all of it.

    ¡°What the heck are you saying?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked again.

    ¡°Forget it. Nothing. Go wash your feet and go to bed.¡±

    Her ears were flushed red.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok went over tomorrow¡¯s ns in his head.

    ¡®Sareoga Mart in Yeonhui-dong¡ªthat¡¯s our destination.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew that Sareoga Mart Dungeon was active there at present. This was a Dungeon that could be cleared fairly easily by anyone as long as they knew the right strategies of approaching it.

    Although Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure about the exact number, he was fairly sure that the maximum number of times the Dungeon was allowed to be cleared by yers was somewhere around 300.

    ¡®And in this low-difficulty Dungeon are some Trait rewards, up for grabs to hundreds of people just forpleting this single ce.¡¯

    The fact that these Traits were so easy to acquire meant that they were just that weak.

    ¡®Enhanced Human¡¯ and ¡®Enhanced Revival¡¯ were names that sounded far grander than the actual ability. In truth, these two Traits weren¡¯t actually particrly sought after by yers.

    ¡®There¡¯s a lot of Jobs that can technically learn these Traits¡­¡¯

    The Traits were fairly versatile: they were able to be learned and used by therge majority of Jobs. Not only that, but they were actually pretty useful in their own right at the very beginning of someone¡¯s yer life.

    ¡®...but I remember they were more and more widely considered to be trash abilities as time passed.¡¯

    This was because these two Traits had terriblepatibility with other ones, to the point where the yer who earned them may as well give up on pursuing and learning other Traits.

    ¡®They pretty much went out of use until Blood Priests came fully into the picture.¡¯

    A Blood Priest with the Blood Drain ability was able to make use of the massive synergy between it and the two Traits in question.

    While there certainly existed Jobs other than Blood Priest where the Blood Drain ability could be learned, these other Jobs still had poorpatibility with the two Traits. For instance, in the case of the ¡®Vampire¡¯ Job, acquiring the ¡®Enhanced Human¡¯ Trait had the counterintuitive effect of resulting in a sharp decline in its original strength.

    Consequently, it was not at all far-fetched to say that the Enhanced Revival and Enhanced Human Traits were pretty much geared toward Blood Priests only.

    As the clock ticked over to 3 a.m., Jin-Hyeok slowly began to be overtaken with drowsiness.

    ¡®Home sweet home, indeed.¡¯

    Before he regressed, Jin-Hyeok had never had the opportunity to sleep sofortably.

    In fact, it had been the same after he regressed as well.

    Had he really regressed?

    Had his whole previous life just been an borate dream?

    Would he really undergo an Initial Awakening and be a Streamer after pouring 50,000 hours of his time into streaming a game?

    What if the conditions had changed unbeknownst to him?

    Jin-Hyeok had been gued by anxiety day after day with such questions in his mind ever since he regressed.

    But today was different.

    ***

    ¡®I feel refreshed.¡¯

    The time was 7 a.m.

    Jin-Hyeok thought he had woken up pretty early, but it turned out the rest of his family were already up and moving busily around the house.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading out to work," Jin-Hyeok said to his parents as he left the house.

    Cha Jin-Sol came outside with him. As soon as they stepped out, she began to scold him.

    ¡°You¡¯re ¡®going to work¡¯ dressed like that? Couldn¡¯t you have put a little more effort into faking it?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with how I¡¯m dressed?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was simply wearing a pair of chinos with a in T-shirt.

    ¡°Come on, I''m not saying you should suit up, but have somemon sense, at least. Mom and dad are going to get suspicious.¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, Jin-Hyeok recalled that this was how social norms still were in this era.

    He knew that as more time passed, what was considered the quintessential white cor worker look was going to change a lot. In particr, for those who were yers and ran around during work time like Jin-Hyeok, casual clothing was absolutely the outfit of choice.

    Some would end up wearing armor, while others would wear robes. There would even be those that would fly around on creatures such as Wyverns, concealed under a cloak of invisibility.

    Seeing as how in the future, workers who were yers would dress like that even when making public appearances such as for an interview, people would practically be allowed to wear whatever they wanted on their way to a normal day of work.

    ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m definitely getting the feeling that I don¡¯t really have a strong grasp on what¡¯s normal in the present.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn''t have very clear memories of when he experienced this era in the past that he could draw from. Admittedly, he only really had memories of going from Dungeon to Dungeon like a rabid donkey, throwing his body recklessly into battle. Until he reached first rank, hepletely invested his all into ying like aplete madman.

    Even after that time, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s memories basically consisted of battling fiercely on behalf of the nation as a government official.

    With all that in mind¡ªon top of the fact that after regressing, he had stayed shut in that small study room for seven whole years¡ªit couldn¡¯t be helped that Jin-Hyeok was having trouble figuring out what was the normal way to do things.

    ¡°I have no money,¡± Jin-Hyeok blurted.

    Jin-Sol sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re making lots of cash? You made five million won in a day, right?¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have money for clothes.¡±

    ¡°Man¡­ you don¡¯t even feel like you¡¯re wasting your physique?¡±

    ¡°Is that apliment or an insult?¡±

    ¡°Aplinsult.¡±

    The two of them hailed a taxi, making their way to Yeonhui-dong.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok and Cha Jin-Sol had arrived at Yeonhui-dong and were walking toward the entrance to Sareoga Mart, when they heard an iing notification.

    [¡¸Sareoga Mart Dungeon¡¹ is currently active.]

    [Do you wish to enter ¡¸Sareoga Mart Dungeon¡¹?]

    ''Yay, it¡¯s a Dungeon.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    While Cha Jin-Sol looked exceedingly nervous, Jin-Hyeok swallowed with anticipation.

    ¡®Be still, oh heart of mine. This is a rtively easy Dungeon, so it was going to beme and boring.¡¯

    By telling himself that, Jin-Hyeok seeded quite well in suppressing the instinctive excitement he felt just by standing in front of a Dungeon. He pleasantly realized that he had improved a little in controlling his emotions.

    ¡°Why are you blushing?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°What on earth do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You look like someone who¡¯s finally about to reunite with his first love like they promised in the past. Is it just me, or do you look a little too thrilled?¡±

    She had no idea how much it took him to push down his instincts. It looked like Jin-Sol just didn¡¯t have an eye for his effort.

    A little while passed before they spotted someone frantically running toward them. It was Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°Hyung!¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon shouted.

    While Jin-Hyeok knew that this Dungeon was not that difficult to clear, having Mok Jae-Hyeon with them would make it that much easier.

    ¡°This is my little sister, Cha Jin-Sol. Jin-Sol, this is Mok Jae-Hyeon. He cleared the Tutorial Field with me,¡± Jin-Hyeok introduced them to each other.

    Now it was Cha Jin-Sol and Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s turn to greet each other. Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face was glowing red.

    ¡°I-I was not aware you had such a pretty little sister.¡±

    Why was his voice so small?

    ¡°My name is Mok Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    The two shook hands.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Cha Jin-Sol. How old might you be?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fifteen years old! How about you, noona?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-five.¡±

    ¡°T-then you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me, noona.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face turned even redder as they exchanged greetings. The whole ordeal seemed incredibly odd to Jin-Hyeok.

    At the least, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think that Cha Jin-Sol was so pretty that it warranted a guy helplessly turning red at the first meeting.

    Jin-Hyeok shot a few sideways nces at Jin-Sol to see her reaction. She looked like she was very familiar with this kind of reaction.

    ¡®Well, I suppose it¡¯s nothing to do with me.¡¯

    It was indeed none of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s business whether Mok Jae-Hyeon was crushing on her at first sight or not¡­ but it was a bit unsettling.

    ***

    [You have entered ¡¸Sareoga Mart Dungeon¡¹.]

    This was not the actual Sareoga Mart: they had entered a new space that only yers could ess. However, theyout and environment itself was exactly the same as the real mart.

    One thing that was different, however, was that they could see a battle unfolding before them.

    A monkey with enormous fists¡ªa type of monster¡ªwas just about tond a punch on a woman.

    THUMP!

    The resultant sound was considerably loud. Without even being able to let out so much as a cry, the woman instantly copsed to the ground, motionless.

    Ooo ooo aah aah aah!

    The monkey that felled the woman¡ªa ¡®Fist Monkey¡¯¡ªtriumphantly beat its chest and pranced about.

    Jin-Hyeok approached the woman and observed her closely.

    ¡°It appears that her skull has been dented.¡±

    The stream was on, as always.

    Jin-Hyeok checked her breathing.

    ¡°It looks like she¡¯s already dead. That means that there is not a single yer alive here other than our group. Mok Jae-Hyeon, let¡¯s deploy your Wood Fortress to secure a safe zone.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    The Wood Fortress ability was activated. In almost an instant, vines grew forth and covered Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party. This newly formed interior of the Wood Fortress was actually quitefy.

    ¡°Can you make it so that we can see what¡¯s going on out there, but only from the interior?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I mean, can you configure it so it¡¯s got a one-way transmission?¡±

    ¡°W-well, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sh of annoyance.

    Despite it having been a while since Mok Jae-Hyeon was promoted to ¡®Wood King,¡¯ it felt like his development had beengging.

    In truth, the rate at which Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s skills were improving was on the considerably fast side¡ªit was just that, by Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s exorbitant standards, it was irritatingly slow.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s still too soon for you.¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed.

    ¡°¡­Yeaaah. Uh, what was it called again? One-way something?¡±

    ¡°One-way transmission. It¡¯s a way of configuring a barrier so that we can see the outside from the inside, but not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t do it right now, but I¡¯ll try my best to learn it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok imagined that if he was the one that had his Job boosted by the Great Hero ingredient and promoted to Wood King, his strength would have been unparalleled in a ce like this. He would havebined the use of the Wood Fortress and Wood Spear Skills to cover both offense and defense, ying the monkeys left and right.

    That would have been heaps more fun, right?

    As soon as that thought entered his head, Jin-Hyeok quickly concluded with a ¡®no¡¯ to his own question.

    ¡®The monkeys are too weak for it to have been any fun anyway.¡¯

    After all, it was only really fun for him if his life was on the line. This ce was much too peaceful by his standards.

    Jin-Hyeok boredly peered through the gaps of the vines to check what was going on outside.

    ¡°Is it possible for you to make a small opening so that only I can get out?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°Oh, yes, I can do that!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon couldn¡¯t do that when they were at Seoul Station, but now he was able to.

    This growth too was only possible because of Jin-Hyeok, but Jin-Hyeok himself didn¡¯t think much of it. In his view, someone who was carrying around a title like ¡®Wood King¡¯ should certainly be able to do at least that much.

    ¡°Are you going to go out alone, oppa?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°I think I can handle them alone.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew that the ¡®Fist Monkeys¡¯ had an average Level of around 23, a Level that wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to face even by himself.

    With a dagger in hand, Jin-Hyeok exited the Wood Fortress. One of the Fist Monkeys spotted him and began approaching him.

    ¡®Here ites.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t show any reaction to the approaching creature.

    The Fist Monkey slowly drew closer and closer, before it rushed at him all of a sudden.

    Being a low-Level monster, its path of attack was astoundingly simple, and the timing of its movements was very easy for Jin-Hyeok to predict.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    ¡°This monster is called the Fist Monkey. As we can guess from its name, this is a monkey-like monster that probably uses its fists when attacking. I will try receiving one of its attacks head-on, counting on my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and my Level.¡±

    WHUMP!

    While the loud sound of the impact broke the air, the monkey¡¯s fist was ultimately unable to break Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    Another one came running at him and swung its fist at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. The result was the same.

    ¡°Just by using my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier when the time is right, I have received next to no damage.¡±

    It was as he thought: Jin-Hyeok had still held a sliver of hope that they would be able to inflict real damage on his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, but he was indeed sorely disappointed.

    ¡°If they varied their attack patterns to disorient me, I would not have been able to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier so efficiently. In that way, I¡¯m actually quite fortunate.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued to exin to his viewers.

    ¡°Oh, now that I¡¯ve observed them properly, I¡¯ve noticed that the monkeys tend to be more aggressive the closer I get to the fruit stand over there. It¡¯s almost as if they are trying to protect the fruits. Is it possible there¡¯s something hidden there?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked toward the stand.

    ¡®It would look good enough if I dragged things out and exined my thought process this much, right?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried his best to look natural, taking the time to seem as if he did some real thinking to arrive at the conclusion he did.

    ¡®That was real smooth¡ªnatural enough.¡¯

    However, that was not how it looked to his viewers at all. To them, he sounded like someone who had thoroughly memorized all the strategies, and was hurrying things along the most optimal route ofpletion.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok would never imagine that that was how they viewed him. He was simply getting antsy at the fact that he even had to slow things down this much.

    ¡®I kind of miss the old days.¡¯

    When Jin-Hyeok was the Sword King, he would usually have ughtered all the monsters in the vicinity first before everything else. That often made it harder to find any hidden rewards and the like, but it was a lot more liberating mentally.

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t stop missing how he used to do things as the Sword King, but he was now a Streamer, not the Sword King.

    ¡®Let¡¯s take this frustration in stride. This too is a form of training.¡¯

    Once more, he seeded in pushing down his primal desires with cool rationality.

    For now.

    1. A Buddhist temple in Korea. ?

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    Overall, the ensuing battle was rather easy.

    Finally standing in front of the fruit stand, Jin-Hyeok continued his livestream without much of a hitch.

    ¡°These fruits seem to have been very precious to these monkeys¡ªthough mind you, I don¡¯t think they seem very tasty. I¡¯m going to go ahead and open the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop, because I know of a fruit that would be way tastier than these.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok opened the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and searched for the fruit category.

    While it was true that the items in this store had exorbitant prices, one thing that was certain was their quality.

    [Priring Banana : 50,000 Dias]

    The bananas definitely looked delicious.

    They also cost 50,000 won per hand: a price where the seller, if there had been one, would need to do some exining if they didn¡¯t taste amazing.

    [You purchased a hand of Priring Bananas.]

    Jin-Hyeok enticingly dangled the bananas in front of the Fist Monkeys. The monkeys stopped attacking him, and started to sniff the air.

    ¡°You want one?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    He tore off one of the bananas and handed it to the monkey directly in front of him.

    Uki?

    The monkey gave the banana a try.

    Ukii!

    Its eyes became rather wide, and it began to tremble.

    Ukikiki!

    The other monkeys raised their arms into the air and raised a ruckus.

    The monkey that tasted the banana smacked its lips before reluctantly passing the remainder to one of the others.

    ¡°You want more?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed out more Priring Bananas to the other Fist Monkeys as well.

    One hand had around ten bananas.

    [You purchased a hand of Priring Bananas.]

    [You purchased a hand of Priring Bananas.]

    Jin-Hyeok continued to pay for the bananas, which was a painful process in its own right. A sausage cost 30,000 Dias the other day, and now a hand of bananas was 50,000 Dias. The prices were absolutely shocking.

    The Fist Monkeys were very well-mannered, queuing up in a line and patiently waiting for Jin-Hyeok to give each of them a banana.

    ¡°I guess this is one of the special features of this Dungeon: it looks like you can be friends with the monsters.¡±

    Monsters of the Dungeon and monsters of the Field were different in some ways.

    When talking about Dungeons, they often had some kind of storyline or quest, and it was even possible to improve one¡¯s rtion with Dungeon monsters through the fulfillment of a certain set of conditions¡ªas in the case of this Dungeon.

    On the other hand, the only rtionship that Field monsters could have with humans was that of hostility. Unless they were a Tamer, it was impossible for a yer to build rtions with Field monsters.

    [You have seeded in winning the favor of the Fist Monkeys.]

    [The 2nd Floor Field has opened.]

    The stairs leading up to the second floor had been covered by a pitch-ck void, impeding the way up. After earning the Fist Monkeys¡¯ goodwill, a staircase emerged in that space.

    ¡°Oooh! I¡¯m lucky it worked out like this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok headed to the stairs.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be heading up then.¡±

    ***

    Joseph was on the airne headed to Korea when he heard a notificatione in.

    [You are now entering the Korea Region, Earth Server.]

    It was a rather straightforward notification for whenever those that had Awakened as yers entered the sovereign airspace of a foreign nation.

    However, more notifications soon followed.

    [You have unlocked the Achievement, ¡¸Race Toward a New Civilization¡¹.]

    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    [Race Toward a New Civilization]

    This is a special Achievement bestowed on those who are able to adjust to this new age of civilization faster than anyone else.

    Conditions to unlock:

    1) Early Adopter Trait

    2) Korea channel?US channel?Norway channel?Qatar channel?China channel

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    ¡®I got it. If someone has the Early Adopter Trait and travels between all of those Regions, they can unlock this Achievement.¡¯

    [You can now ess the System Streaming tform (SSP).]

    [The SSP is integrated in its usage with the current Server¡¯s pre-existing civilizational artifacts.]

    [Only Streamers of the Earth Server are viewable.]

    [Integrated tform: Eltube]

    With a conflicted expression, Joseph whipped out his phone and opened the Eltube video tform.

    He immediately noticed there were some peculiar videos with a watermark saying ¡®SSP¡¯ on the top right of their thumbnails. Some of these videos were also marked as (LIVE).

    ¡®Is this the System streaming that Egan Paul was talking about?¡¯

    Joseph tapped open one of the videos. There were around two hundred viewers.

    ¡®What are these?¡¯

    Joseph was met by a shocking sight.

    Discussions in aliennguages he had never seen before were rampant in the chat.

    What was really strange, though, was that Joseph could understand these aliennguages¡ªdespite there being no mistake that these scripts did not exist on Earth.

    ¡®Howe I already know these words?¡¯

    If someone asked Joseph to actually use thesenguages and write a statement, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to. But somehow, he didn¡¯t have any problem understanding the meaning of something someone else wrote.

    As if responding to his bewilderment, more notifications poured in for Joseph.

    [TIP: The SSP''s (System Streaming tform)nguage trantion function is currently activated.]

    Joseph had a browse around Eltube, watching videos at random, before he came to a realization: the videos with the SSP mark were not the normal streamers that were actually streaming on Eltube, but System Streamers. Their videos were simply being uploaded to the Eltube tform.

    ¡®There¡¯s Paul¡¯s videos, too.¡¯

    It turned out that viewers not from Earth, but from other dimensions (Servers), also existed.

    While Joseph was browsing, he came across one feed that had an overwhelming number of viewers.

    ¡®What the heck?¡¯

    The number of viewers was almost ten thousand.

    Joseph found this one very odd. Unlike the other videos that had all kinds of colorful titles to provoke the viewer to click it, this one was incredibly simple.

    [Doing Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    Even the image that was used for the thumbnail was just a ck screen. Just at a nce, there was a stark contrast between this and the eye-catching images that the other Streamers used.

    ¡®He¡¯s definitely the one.¡¯

    Joseph was sure that this was the livestream that Egan Paul was talking about¡ªthe one he described as ¡®the best Streamer on Earth ording to the viewers.¡¯

    He tapped on the livestream.

    The stream was carried out from a first-person point of view.

    Joseph selected an optionbeled ¡®First-Person Mode¡¯ and immediately received a bizarre sensation.

    It was as if he was inside the video. It didn¡¯t feel real, but the experience was certainly much more dynamic than if he was merely watching the video through the screen.

    ¡®Oh!¡¯

    A Fist Monkey¡¯s punch came flying toward him. Joseph reflexively gasped and raised his arm in defense.

    ¡®Oh, right, it¡¯s just a video.¡¯

    The SSP videos were a whole new world to Joseph.

    ¡®This Streamer seems to have a special shield or something.¡¯

    Joseph had yet to realize that the ability he was looking at was the one that every Streamer that had undergone Initial Awakening had: ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    ¡®Amazing.¡¯

    This Streamer was using the least amount of strength possible to maximize efficiency. Joseph¡¯s Job was ¡®Scout,¡¯ and he was quite confident in his ability to discern the current strength and future potential of others.

    ¡®I-is this how he always streams?¡¯

    It looked far too dangerous¡ªthough as dangerous as it looked, it was equally thrilling.

    Another fist came flying.

    ¡®H-he dodged it!¡¯

    Everything was still filmed from a first-person point of view, so Joseph saw the fist whoosh right past his eyes. He felt a shiver go down his back¡ªthat looked like a punch that could shatter skulls if one was hit by it.

    ¡®He can do all this?¡¯

    It seemed as if the Streamer had the Fist Monkeypletely figured out, with absolute awareness of its attack patterns and timings. In fact, he looked very rxed, just like he was merely taking a walk in the park. Joseph was astonished.

    Joseph then heard the voice of Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°If they varied their attack patterns to disorient me, I would not have been able to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier so efficiently. In that way, I¡¯m actually quite fortunate.¡±

    ¡®Lies!¡¯ Joseph almost shouted out loud.

    How could this possibly be exined by luck?

    There was absolutely no mistake that the Streamer¡¯s ying sense was built from the ground up by an exhaustive amount of training and effort.

    ¡®And that¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier?¡¯

    Joseph had thought it was a special shield he hadn¡¯t seen before at first, but it turned out to be the same ability that Egan Paul had.

    Yet though they had the same ability, it looked totally different. They were only the same in name, much like how the same knife couldpletely differ in its effectiveness depending on who was using it.

    ¡®His movement is so natural and clean¡­ that it makes it look so much more unnatural.¡¯

    At this point, it seemed like the Streamer already had a strategy nned out that he knew would work, and was merely executing it.

    With that same strange fluidity and ease, Kim Chul-Soo (Cha Jin-Hyeok) opened the way to the second floor.

    Upon ascending the stairs with his twopanions, they met the ¡®Big Fist Monkey¡¯ on the second floor.

    It was a massive guy, with a body that was twice as big as the other Fist Monkeys. Beingrge enough that it wasn¡¯t far-fetched topare it to a gori or even the Hulk, its presence alone was thoroughly intimidating.

    Joseph swallowed. His palms became wet with his own sweat.

    ¡®I¡¯m terrified enough just watching the video.¡¯

    Then what about this Streamer and hispanions, who were facing it for real? Joseph couldn''t imagine how enormous the pressure they were feeling.

    ¡°Its Level is 29, and it has a Big Fist Belt strapped around its waist. I can see that it¡¯s itching to win.¡±

    The Streamer¡¯s voice housed a hint of excitement.

    This was a strange stream indeed.

    ***

    [You are now entering the Field of the ¡¸Big Fist Monkey¡¹.]

    Suddenly, a square ring emerged and surrounded both Jin-Hyeok and the Big Fist Monkey. It resembled a boxing ring.

    This was the Field of the ¡®Big Fist Monkey,¡¯ the hidden boss monster of Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    Unlike the regr Fist Monkeys, the Big Fist Monkey was wearing a big pair of boxing gloves.

    A pair of gloves appeared on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hands as well.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s the Big Fist Monkey!¡¯

    Ding!

    A bell rang.

    A timer showed up in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s vision.

    [Round 1/3, 3:00]

    It really was like he had entered a boxing ring. There were three rounds of three minutes each.

    The Big Fist Money raised its guard up tightly and began to approach Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I wonder how painful it would be if I got hit by it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt a spark of anticipation but continued hismentary as usual for now.

    ¡°Seeing as how this Field is shaped like a ring, there might be something out of the ordinary that the Field wants from me. For starters, I will try fighting him without using any weapons.¡±

    This took him back to the old days.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if Kim Jeong-Hyeon was doing fine in this timeline. His nickname had been the Martial King, and Jin-Hyeok used to spar a whole bunch with him.

    Compared to Kim Jeong-Hyeon, the Big Fist Monkey''s defenses had more holes than Swiss cheese.

    Sigh.

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly felt drained of his energy. The monsters of the low-Level Fields really were far too weak¡ªit was incredibly disappointing.

    Whump! Whump!

    Jin-Hyeok and the Big Fist Monkey continuously exchanged blows for a bit.

    Ding!

    The round bell rang for the break.

    [Round 1 is over.]

    The Big Fist Monkey went back to its corner and caught its breath. While its muscles were humongous, the trade-off was that its stamina was low.

    And yet, the power that came from those muscles was still not enough to break Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    In the current conditions of the fight, Jin-Hyeok had a definite advantage.

    ¡°I think I can easily beat it if I attack right now, but this Field seems to follow conventional boxing rules. I¡¯ll keep to them for now, and see what happens next.¡±

    Whatever the case, it was important to respect and follow the rules of the Field.

    The second round began.

    The general flow of this round was the same as the first, but the Big Fist Monkey¡¯s attacks and steps had be a little slower.

    Ding!

    [Round 2 is over.]

    Ding!

    [Round 3 will begin.]

    ¡®Hold on.¡¯

    Having dealt with the monkey thus far without a shred of concern, Jin-Hyeok came up with an interesting idea.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier forms a really solid barrier, right?¡¯

    On top of absorbing the strikes of opponents, none of the impact absorbed was transferred to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body.

    Then what would happen if he wrapped the barrier around himself and attacked?

    Wouldn¡¯t it be like hitting someone with a blunt weapon, but with none of the associated recoil?

    ¡®Ah¡ªnow that I think about it, there were some Initially Awakened Streamers that emted Martial Artists by enveloping themselves with their barrier.¡¯

    Yes, now he remembered.

    Most of those yers were killed right around when they reached Level 100.

    That was the Level where the strengths, weaknesses, and other distinguishing characteristics of the different Jobs became clearer¡ªand Streamers that continued to pretend they were Martial Artists were practicallymbs to the ughter.

    ¡®I¡¯m not having fun anyway, so let¡¯s at least try that out.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried to time the use of his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier with his attacks. It was a bit difficult for him at first, but he quickly got used to it after a few tries.

    THUMP!

    The impacts felt explosive, much akin to what the Martial King had always stressed one should look out for when punching.

    ¡®Hey, my striking power is way stronger now.¡¯

    Truly, it felt like little explosions were going off from the tips of his fists. This did seem like the feeling that Kim Jeong-Hyeon emphasized.

    ¡®Oooh.¡¯

    Seeming like he had learnt a new technique, Jin-Hyeok felt a pang of excitement..

    While his punches were probably far too shoddy to even be called a punch whenpared to the likes of the Martial King, he was definitely having fun.

    Pow!

    The Big Fist Monkey received a punch squarely to its jaw, and fell to the ground.

    [The Big Fist Monkey is down.]

    Jin-Hyeok stopped attacking once the Big Fist Monkey copsed.

    He patiently waited for the monkey to stand up, and knocked it to the ground several more times.

    When there were just three seconds left, the Big Fist Monkey waspletely knocked out. Any other ordinary yer would have taken this opportunity to put down the monkey for good.

    ¡°Since I¡¯ve been keeping to the System¡¯s rules of boxing rounds and timers, let¡¯s try waiting a little longer to see what happens. If this Field follows the rules of boxing, could there be something like a winner announcement?¡±

    Almost right on cue, a Fist Monkey that had a fur pattern of ck and white stripes jumped up into the ring, grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand, and held it in the air.

    Ukiki!

    [You won against the Big Fist Monkey.]

    [The Big Fist Monkey admits defeat.]

    At some point, the Big Fist Monkey had regained consciousness without Jin-Hyeok noticing and was kneeling down in front of him.

    The monkey took off the champion belt that had been wrapped around his waist, and presented it to Jin-Hyeok.

    [You have acquired the Champion Belt.]

    If a yer wore this belt from the Big Fist Monkey and searched around back on the first floor, they could find the hidden Trait rewards of ¡®Enhanced Revival¡¯ and ¡®Enhanced Human.¡¯

    Everything was going ording to n. That was when Jin-Hyeok received a notification he hadn¡¯t been expecting.

    [You have unlocked the Achievement ¡¸The Big Fist Monkey¡¯s First Defeat¡¹.]

    These Achievements for yers deemed the ¡®first¡¯ to do something were usually considered major aplishments, to the point where there were many asions where the reward itself would change purely on the fact that it was the first time something was done.

    ¡®Wait, so even a Dungeon this easy has a ¡®first¡¯ Achievement?¡¯

    Not only that, but a Field in which a ¡®first¡¯ Achievement was aplished could very well change in its entirety.

    That meant that the next time anyone came in, it could have be impossible for them to get their hands on the Enhanced Revival and Enhanced Human Traits.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok liked ¡®first¡¯ Achievements just like anyone else. After all, he was the type that inherently enjoyed collecting Achievements like badges, and finding out the hidden pieces of a Dungeon.

    But not today¡ªtoday was different.

    ¡®Oh, I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯

    Enhanced Revival and Enhanced Human were only really easy to get here, and the same didn¡¯t hold true for elsewhere.

    Jin-Hyeok dearly hoped those rewards didn¡¯t just inadvertently get reced with something ¡°better¡± that wasn¡¯t what he wanted.

    That was when he was hit with more notifications.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    Cha Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t receive any notifications that indicated the First Floor Field of the Dungeon would change from now on, or that the reward would be upgraded automatically. It seemed they would still be able to im the Enhanced Human and Enhanced Revival abilities as a reward, as originally expected. That was a relief.

    What was different instead was that a hidden third floor had opened.

    ¡®Wait, the Sareoga Mart Dungeon had a third floor?¡¯

    As far as Jin-Hyeok knew, no one knew about this. He figured that this was because the Third Floor Field of the Dungeon was configured to disappear once whoever fulfilled the set of special conditions to open it had visited it.

    If a Dungeon floor waspletely unknown to him, and thus to mostly anyone else, that meant one of two things: either the floor was so extremely difficult that there just hadn¡¯t been any survivors so far¡­ or whatever boony within was so rare and valuable, that its visitors had all kept their mouth shut about it.

    ¡®I¡¯vee all this way already, so please be the first.''

    Jin-Hyeok felt the sudden urge to butt his head against a wall as the intrusive thought shed by his mind. His heart did an instinctual flutter at the prospect that such an unforgiving fight was near. He felt he really should be fixing these knee-jerk urges quickly, but this was a tough nut to crack. It was going to be hard to fix it any time soon, but this inclination of his was something he absolutely needed to discard. For sure.

    ¡®Let¡¯s just ignore the third floor.¡¯

    That¡¯s what Jin-Hyeok thought to himself, at least, but it was at this moment that he received a new notification:

    [You have received a Surprise Mission.]

    [Creator of the Surprise Mission: Wind Wanderer.]

    Why did this guy keep proposing Surprise Missions to a newbie such as himself? Jin-Hyeok had no clue, but he knew one thing for sure: you had to pay tens of thousands of Dias to offer these missions even once. Whatever the Wind Wanderer¡¯s reasons for giving him the missions may be, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but itch with curiosity. Just a bit.

    [Mission Title: The king fist.]

    The king fist.

    The mission title and description couldn¡¯t have been any shorter, or blunter for that matter.

    ¡®Well, the second floor had a Big Fist Monkey, so I guess the third floor would have a King Fist Monkey.¡¯

    Fighting a King Fist Monkey should be fun, right?

    But if Jin-Hyeok ended up getting himself into more than he bargained for, he could very well die.

    ¡®Decline.¡¯

    The Level of King Fist Monkeys was usually in the upper thirties. There was no question what the result of a fight would be at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current strength. The Jin-Hyeok of the past would definitely have epted the mission, but this was the new Jin-Hyeok, the one that hade to his senses, and that meant a no. It was a shame, but he had already made up his mind.

    [Wind Wanderer proposes a mary reward forpletion of the Mission.]

    [Mary reward for Missionpletion: 10,000,000 Dias.]

    ¡®Decline.¡¯

    [Wind Wanderer proposes a mary reward forpletion of the Mission for the second time.]

    [Mary reward for Missionpletion: 20,000,000 Dias.]

    ¡®Decline!¡¯

    [Wind Wanderer proposes a mary reward forpletion of the Mission for the final time.]

    [Mary reward for Missionpletion: 100,000,000 Dias.]

    ¡®ept.¡¯

    [You have epted the Mission.]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t take the mission because it looked fun. No, of course not.

    He absolutely did not want to fight the King Fist Monkey. No, sir.

    ¡°Wind Wanderer, I¡¯ll do your mission in a few days.¡±

    ***

    For now, Jin-Hyeok went back down to the first floor with Mok Jae-Hyeon and Cha Jin-Sol.

    ¡°N-next time, I¡¯ll show you I can be better than this.¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon seemed apologetic for some odd reason, as per usual. Jin-Hyeok was starting to sense a trend here.

    ¡°You did good. You protected Jin-Sol well when we were on the first floor, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think¡­ she even needed much protection at that point¡­¡±

    Huh. Yeah, it did seem that way now that Jae-Hyeon mentioned it.

    That was weird. Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t even a tank ss, but he was the only one to draw so much aggro[1] from the Dungeon mobs.

    If Jin-Hyeok had to take a guess, it likely had something to do with his ¡®Almighty Jack of All Trades¡¯ Trait. It seemed that in these low-Level Fields, the tanking aspects of the trait were still able to have a pretty substantial effect.

    Meanwhile, Cha Jin-Sol refused the ¡°gift¡± that Jin-Hyeok offered her.

    ¡°You want me to put that on? Ain¡¯t no way.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok became exasperated at the fact that she refused to put the Champion Belt on just because it was a little funny to look at. She needed to strap it on if she was to be able to see the special Traits that were hidden inside the mart¡¯s fruit stand.

    ¡°Why not? It looks cool,¡± Jin-Hyeok tried to reason with her.

    ¡°If it¡¯s so cool, you put it on!¡±

    ¡°I heard if you put it on, you can find a hidden item on the first floor.¡±

    ¡°I guess I''m not gonna be needing that item then.¡±

    ¡°Nope, I reckon you do need it, actually,¡± Jin-Hyeok insisted.

    ¡°And why do I need it?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°I just have a feeling it¡¯ll be something really good.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ if it¡¯s so good, feel free to go right ahead and look for it yourself, oppa.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need all that extra power because I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol red at Jin-Hyeok, at a loss for words.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need the power?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Yep. I just need to be good at broadcasting,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    ¡°...you just need to be good at broadcasting?¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°...Nothing.¡± Jin-Sol opened her mouth then clenched it shut with that one word. She certainly didn¡¯t look like she had ¡°nothing¡± to say.

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t want to put that on. You said you have a lot of viewers on your stream.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not that many,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    His current viewer count was a little under ten thousand. Egan Paul¡¯s public viewer count was already around a hundred thousand, soparatively speaking, his viewer count wasn¡¯t that much¡­ right?

    ¡°Why are you trying to get me to put that thing on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not putting it on, it¡¯s equipping it. Get it right.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, the point is I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    ¡°You really hate the idea of it that much?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°A hundred and ten percent,¡± Jin-Sol insisted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hundred thousand won,¡± Jin-Hyeok offered.

    Cha Jin-Sol slowly took the belt from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hands.

    ¡°...I mean¡­ looking at it properly, I guess it does look pretty trendy.¡±

    ***

    With the Champion Belt firmly strapped on, Cha Jin-Sol browsed around the first floor of Sareoga Mart Dungeon while Jin-Hyeok continued his stream.

    ¡°It seems some other yers have entered the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.¡±

    ncing at them once using Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight revealed this was far too dangerous a ce for their strength. Jin-Hyeok approached them.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯d suggest you leave at your Level. It is possible that you could die.¡±

    ¡°...Th-thank you for the warning."

    Some received in-Hyeok¡¯s advice in stride and lived¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that horseshit.¡±

    And some ignored his advice, and perished. Of those that ignored him, a lucky few were able to flee with the help of Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head to one side puzzledly.

    ¡°Viewers, why do you think they keep ignoring my warnings?¡±

    It was a bit of a moot question, because Jin-Hyeok had long shut off hisms with his viewers and couldn¡¯t hear their voices. Jae-Hyeon answered in their stead.

    ¡°Could it be because you look so peaceful when you say it, hyung?¡±

    At that moment, there was a sharp spike in the number of likes on the stream. It seemed Jae-Hyeon had provided a voice for the viewers.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°You just don¡¯t seem like a dangerous dude at all. The way I see it, it¡¯s pretty clear that if a nonbatant ss yer tries to warnbatant ss yers like that, their reaction¡¯s gonna be¡­ w-wait, my apologies if it sounds like I¡¯m talking down at you¡­¡±

    ¡°No no, you got a point. Maybe I need to practice looking a little more desperate.¡±

    Right then, a single Fist Monkey rushed at Jin-Hyeok. It seemed whatever goodwill the monsters had for him had dissipated. Jin-Hyeok enveloped his fist with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and gave azy swing.

    POW!

    It was a rather absent-minded swing, but it was somehow a critical shot. Jin-Hyeok had struck lucky and somehow hit the monkey straight in the sr plexus.

    [You have in a Fist Monkey.]

    ¡®Damn, my body keeps moving on its own.¡¯

    Feigning desperation was harder than he thought.

    ¡®I mean, this kind of beatdown¡¯s only possible in the lower Levels¡­ maybe I should give up acting and enjoy this while I can.¡¯

    Wouldn¡¯t it be considered deceiving the viewers if he was feigning weak when he wasn¡¯t? Yes, this was a problem he needed to think through some more.

    Around that moment, Cha Jin-Sol seemed to have noticed something peculiar close to the mart¡¯s fruit stand. With the Champion Belt on, she had been able to freely roam around the mart without being attacked by Fist Monkeys. Jin-Hyeok came to a realization as he watched Jin-Sol scrummaging around.

    ¡°Ah, I think I¡¯ve got it, fellow viewers. It wasn¡¯t me that was causing people to have a false sense of security. Without a doubt, people are being lulled into thinking this is a safe ce because of her. Who would think this ce is dangerous, seeing her walk around like that?¡±

    The likes, which had been steadily pouring in throughout the stream, suddenly halted. Mok Jae-Hyeon again spoke for the people.

    ¡°...no, hyung¡­ between you and her, it will always be your faul-¡±

    ¡°Oppa! I see something green and shiny among the fruit!¡± Cha Jin-Sol suddenly shouted out. She fished out two pieces of paper.

    [Enhanced Human]

    [Enhanced Revival]

    It was two Traits in the form of Scrolls.

    ¡°That looks like what we¡¯re looking for,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It says to rip it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, do it.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ªhuh? This Scroll¡¯s being absorbed into me! This feels weird!¡± Cha Jin-Sol eximed.

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled while no one was looking.

    With that, Cha Jin-Sol learned the ¡®Enhanced Human¡¯ and ¡®Enhanced Revival¡¯ abilities. These twoponents were the start of any good Blood Priest.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok already weed a useful tank into his party, and it was none other than a yer with the Wood King Job. In fact, a Wood King was already way too much for what Jin-Hyeok was aiming for, but thankfully(?) the yer¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t exactly built to be a top-tier ranker. He would make for a brilliant tank until Jin-Hyeok fulfilled his dreams of bing a real estate investor in Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡®And I got a healer now, too.¡¯

    If he wanted to fight the King Fist Monkey, he was going to need at least two more damage dealers to join him.

    Jin-Hyeok, Jin-Sol, and Jae-Hyeon left the Sareoga Mart Dungeon and sat down at one of the cafes in the area. Jin-Hyeok turned off his stream, figuring that such a mundane, everyday activity wouldn¡¯t be the most riveting watch for the viewers.

    ¡°Not one, but two dealers?¡±[2] Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°We need at least two,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    For starters, they needed to be trustworthy and there needed to be some sort of guarantee about their skills.

    ¡°Hyung, can¡¯t you be one of those damage dealers?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer, though.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t have a Streamer fighting on the frontlines, can we now?¡±

    Yeah, he could say that again! Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer now, not the Sword King.

    Jae-Hyeon stayed silent for a bit before speaking up.

    ¡°Is that really what you think?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s what I think.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a stronger dealer than you up ¡®till now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re still in the newbie Fields.¡±

    Just as he thought before, Jin-Hyeok still believed that no such thing as an ¡®Almighty Jack of All Trades¡¯ existed in this world. That was an oxymoron.

    It was because he had stood on the pinnacle¡ªat least on the dimension of Earth¡ªof the singr art known as swordsmanship that he could say this with such assertion. As with him, all hispanions reached the very peaks of their respective fields, but were in turn just an absolute embarrassment in some other fields.

    ¡°Does being good at ser make you good at basketball?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He believed he wouldn¡¯t be able to produce this level of damage for too long. At best, this sort of output could be sustained up to Level 100 at the most, if even that.

    Jin-Hyeok had be sure about this from his experiences up until now. No matter what, Streamers that tried ying the part of abatant ss all died in action around Level 100. Without fail.

    ¡°...We have to get a dealer.¡±

    ¡°I saw that there were things like notice boards and whatnot popping up,¡± Jae-Hyeon suggested.

    Indeed, there was an increasing trend of yersing to agreements with others looking forrades via a bunch of onlinemunities. Egan Paul¡¯s Avengers Army was one such example.

    ¡°Right¡­ we can start having a look at them.¡± Jin-Hyeok entertained the idea.

    It was then that someone approached their table: a seriously rotund Westerner.

    To Jin-Hyeok, it was a familiar face.

    ¡®Joseph?¡¯

    At this moment in time, he was starting off as Egan Paul¡¯s manager, but he would eventually be called a ¡°Star Maker¡± inter days.

    In time, so-called Star yers would emerge in possession of both wealth and prestige, and woulde to enjoy a level of fame that surpassed typical celebrities. Of course, their average lifespan was short, but the point was that Joseph would be the mastermind behind a countless number of Star yers in the future. That same Joseph stood before him now, apanied by an interpreter.

    ¡°Do you happen to be that famous streamer I¡¯ve heard so much about?¡±

    Famous? Jin-Hyeok contemted himself.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Lies. I¡¯ve seen these two faces, clear as day.¡± Joseph nced at Mok Jae-Hyeon and Cha Jin-Sol in turn.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen them? Where?¡±

    ¡°On Eltube. It seems that SSP is integrated with it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok admitted that it caught him by surprise. He hadn¡¯t fathomed that SSP videos could be viewed on Earth at this time, this early on since the Cataclysm.

    Due to the nature of his Job, Jin-Hyeok could neverpletely hide his identity anyway. It had been the same deal with Mystery Box, who had tried to shroud himself in darkness. If people really resolved to find out the face behind the screen of any Streamer, they could.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect someone to find me this easily in this day and age, though¡­¡¯

    Joseph showed Jin-Hyeok his phone. As he¡¯d said, SSP was already fully integrated into Eltube.

    [LVL25/Love, Memories, Longing¡ï/Scout/Skills/Racing Toward a New World]

    Jin-Hyeok realized Joseph was likely here for this quest called ¡®Race to Find a New Name of Fame.¡¯ But on another note, he could not bear to read that Awakened name any longer. Of course, the original name that Joseph chose for himself after Awakening was likely not in Korean, but in English.[3]

    Of course, one can never fully trante the nuances and feelings expressed in onenguage tranted to another. But¡­ the system tried its best to trante Awakened names in real time. This meant that the system determined this was the closest equivalent to the original meaning. Yes, this monstrosity of a name that surely stuffed as many words as possible in the word limit,plete with the finishing touch of a star (¡ï).

    It didn¡¯t end there though. He didn¡¯t seem to be all there mentally.

    [#glimpsing the makings of a star #this boy¡¯s potential touches the sky¡ï #oh my gosh]

    Jin-Hyeok felt he needed to keep some distance from him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point. Work with me. I will make you a star.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°A diamond in the rough such as yourself, shines their brightest when they meet an agent that¡¯s thoughtful and sensitive to emotion, such as myself.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t believe he had just called himself thoughtful and sensitive to emotion. This was Mr. Love, Memories, Longing plus-a-star speaking.

    That was enough of associating with this man.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok rose from his seat. Joseph hastily cried wait, wait in English, but Jin-Hyeok had zero interest in being entangled in Joseph''s business. As he had repeated to himself over and over, Jin-Hyeok now wanted to be third ce and not first.

    Even if his heart continuously cried out to him in all its yearning to reach the top, Jin-Hyeok believed he possessed the objectivity to sufficiently repress those desires. Naturally, he didn¡¯t have a single inkling of desire to be a star.

    Having already been a star the first lifetime around, he knew what a restrictive way to live it was. There was no such thing as a personal life, and you had to live with the feeling you were being watched every single day.

    ¡®In fact, I remember two of the Star yers he does branding for ended upmitting double suicide in the previous timeline.¡¯

    It was a fairly famous incident domestically within Korea, as the Star yers in question were Koreans, and had the memorable fact of being a pair of twin sisters. From what Jin-Hyeok could recall, the Star yers were both assassin ss damage dealers, with the 8-Star Job Shadow Executioner, or something like that.

    ¡®Hm?¡¯

    While his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight was activated, Jin-Hyeok was taking a quick scan of his surroundings when he noticed twodies outside through the cafe window.

    [LV24/Unnie Shadow/Shadow Executioner (Right)/Skills/Remove the 7th Mark][4]

    [LV24/Dongsaeng Shadow/Shadow Executioner (Left)/Skills/Remove the 7th Mark][5]

    ¡®Speak of the devil¡­¡¯

    1. Aggro is a video game term that refers to when an enemy bes aggressive towards a yer. ?

    2. Dealers is a Korean abbreviation of damage dealers, and is a term for sses in games that are focused on dealing damage to enemies, i.e. DPSers. ?

    3. Reminder that the novel is in Korean, and the MC is Korean too. ?

    4. Unnie is the Korean term for a slightly older female that is used by females only. It can be used for both filial and non-filial rtionships and friendships. ?

    5. Dongsaeng is the Korean term for someone who is younger, either male or female, and can be used by both genders. It can be used for both filial and non-filial rtionships and friendships. ?

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    The text of their Jobs were in orange. They both had 8-Star Jobs.

    ¡®Okay, let¡¯s try talking to them first.¡¯

    yers with 8-Star Jobs were actually hard to find without seeking them out proactively. Statistically speaking, they fell within around the top 5% of Job star ratings.

    For Cha Jin-Hyeok, however, it went without saying that they didn¡¯t seem all that special because he had been surrounded entirely by 9-Starrers in his previous lifetime. He turned and started to make his way toward them.

    ¡°Wait!¡±[1] Jin-Hyeok felt a presence let out a cry and encroached on him from behind. Like lightning, Jin-Hyeok grabbed the approacher¡¯s sleeves and heaved all his weight over Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®Oh, oops¡­ I did a shoulder throw without thinking.¡¯

    This was why habits were a scary thing. Jin-Hyeok had sparred heaps with the Martial King, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, in the past, and of that time, a lot was spent training in hand-to-handbat as a contingent in the event that Jin-Hyeok was caught without his de.

    Perhaps he was sorelycking whenpared to Kim Jeong-Hyeon, but that was not to say Jin-Hyeok would have any trouble overpowering more ordinary individuals, like right now.

    THUMP!

    ¡®Frick, my body is screaming at me.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was pretty sure he just heard a crack from his own hip. Every fiber in his body groaned with just that one throw. Jin-Hyeok supposed that, to be fair, Joseph was a 190 cm tall dude with arge frame whose weight neared 110 kg.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know whether I should cry about the fact that this was enough to strain my body, or rejoice that I could even throw Joseph in the first ce with this untrained Streamer physique.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure. ¡®I mean, I guess Joseph¡¯s not abatant ss yer, so I did get kind of sloppy¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok imagined that if he was still abatant ss yer, he wouldn¡¯t have lost the intuition to properly establish his center of gravity first before trying the shoulder throw. Plus he would have done a lot of exercise rted to martial arts if he was still abatant¡­ and there¡¯d be a higher chance he wouldn¡¯t be suffering like he was right now.

    ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­ I can cut some ck for myself on this sort of sloppiness. I practically haven¡¯t exercised or trained properly.¡¯

    Even Jin-Hyeok could give a weakling like his present self a pass on this asion.

    ***

    When Joseph was flying through the air over Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder, it felt like time had stopped.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    A lot of different thoughts shed by in that moment.

    In truth, Joseph had been a wrestling athlete until he graduated high school, and was even a wrestling state champion at one point. No matter how much he may have not expected this situation or let his guard down, he never imagined he would be helplessly tossed about like this.

    ¡°My apologies. I don¡¯t really like it when people approach me from behind.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok offered a hand. With a dumbfounded look, Joseph epted it and stood up with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s assistance.

    ¡®Nothing popped up on him excelling in any physical activity when I was doing my research¡­¡¯

    If that was so, that meant the finesse Jin-Hyeok had just disyed came from his prowess and ying ability as a yer.

    But Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer. Just like Joseph himself, his Job was of a nonbatant ss. It was then that, through his almost primal level of intuition and gut feelings, Joseph came to a revtion.

    ¡®He¡¯s a dual-ss!¡¯

    His main Job had to be Martial Artist, so that meant Streamer was his secondary Job. That was the conclusion Joseph came to.

    After apologizing and helping Joseph up, Jin-Hyeok was in the process of walking away. Joseph activated his Skill ¡®Potential Evaluation¡¯ and concentrated on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    ¡®Wait, what?¡¯

    A sudden pang of dizziness hit Joseph. It seemed as if the entire universe was suddenly sucked into a singr point, that point being Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back. In this absolute darkness, only Jin-Hyeok sparkled with dazzling light, so dazzling that Joseph couldn¡¯t look at him properly.

    Before, the twin sisters Joseph saw lingering around seemed like they had some considerable potential as well¡­ but now, any thoughts about those two melted away from his mind, and only Jin-Hyeok remained.

    ¡®This is ridiculous.¡¯

    This situation was not all that different from that of a firefly¡¯s glow being dwarfed by the light of the sun. Jin-Hyeok was the sun, and all else were nothing but fireflies pitter-pattering about, including Joseph himself.

    Joseph swallowed. ¡®I need to recruit him into the Avengers Army. No matter what.¡¯

    The Avengers Army¡ªthe most elite of teams¡ªwas the brainchild of Egan Paul that started with his selective recruitment of rankers from ces all around the world, and this yer, Kim Chul-Soo, just had to be included as well.

    And Jin-Hyeok¡¯s potential didn¡¯t only lie in his ability as a yer.

    ¡®With those looks, I see the makings of a massive star.¡¯

    Joseph was certain in his belief that once society adapted to the System and it just became another part of daily life, there would be theing of a new age. And he was equally certain that Jin-Hyeok would not just be a star, but an icon of this new age: one that would embody its zeitgeist.

    Though by Joseph¡¯s standards, Jin-Hyeok looked far too slender and flimsy for his liking, there was no question that he had the face, the looks, of someone who was simply made for stardom.

    But from Joseph¡¯s perspective, it seemed that Jin-Hyeok himself hadn¡¯t had the self-awareness to realize this yet.

    ¡®It definitely looks to be that way, seeing as how he doesn¡¯t reveal his face on stream.¡¯ Joseph¡¯s heart steeled with resolve. ¡®I¡¯ll be the one to make him see. I¡¯ll help him break out of this shell he¡¯s made for himself and soar.¡¯

    Joseph had the confidence to market Jin-Hyeok the right way, and make him into a shining global star. A worldwide hero.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok was hastily getting away from Joseph and approaching the twin sisters.

    ¡°Excuse me, hi.¡±

    The one with the bob cut turned sharply and looked at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    The girl with the bob cut was Seo Ji-Soo, and she was the younger of the twins. After seeing who was calling her, the slight enmity she had seemed to simmer down a little.

    That was good because, as far as Jin-Hyeok was concerned, she was far too good-looking to have a frown on her face.

    ¡°Uh, I wanted to¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok trailed off.

    He¡¯d seeded in the first step of hailing them down before they went off elsewhere, but it was a bit of a challenge to think up where to go from here. He couldn¡¯t exactly just say ''Hey, you! Join my team!¡¯ out of nowhere.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be giving you my number., she said.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on asking for it.¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo seemed to flush a little.

    ¡°Th-then what is it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re a yer, right?¡±

    ¡°What of it?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to ask if you¡¯d like to raid a hidden Field of a Dungeon together.¡±

    ¡°D-did you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head slightly to one side. ¡®I¡¯ve got no idea where on earth she got the certainty that I¡¯d be asking for her number.¡¯

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok was genuinely curious now. After all, he wasn¡¯t too acquainted with such peaceful everyday social interactions(?).

    ¡°Why were you so sure I¡¯d ask for your number?¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean, it¡¯s pretty obvious what a guy wants if he randomly strikes a conversation with me on the street. It¡¯s always my number that they¡¯re after.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°For real?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°If I may ask, are you saying people ask you for your number that frequently?¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait, why is that so surprising?¡± Seo Ji-Soo asked in return.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m asking because I¡¯m genuinely curious.¡±

    ¡°Oh. My gosh.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°The fact you¡¯re genuinely curious makes me feel even worse actually. Are you looking for a fight?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Hearing those words made his heart flutter.

    Sword King! Let¡¯s make it clear who¡¯s the better out of us two!

    Sounds good to me. Bring it on!

    ¡®Man, that brings back memories.¡¯ So many fights had started along these lines.

    The ¡°older¡± sister, Seo Ji-Ah, tapped on Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Just give it a break. He says he¡¯se to ask us if we''d like to raid a hidden Field of a Dungeon together.¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo frowned at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Is the information regarding the hidden Field credible?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve even got it on video. Would you like to take a look?¡± Jin-Hyeok offered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a look then.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok confirmed for them that a third floor indeed existed in Sareoga Mart Dungeon, and it was open.

    ¡°I-I see you were telling the truth. Give me a moment, please. I¡¯ll just go over some things with my older sister first,¡± Seo Ji-Soo said.

    ***

    A few moments passed while the Seo sisters whispered back and forth amongst themselves.

    Seo Ji-Soo finally spoke up.

    ¡°Alright, sounds good to us. Let¡¯s do it together. It just so happened we needed toplete a hidden Field for a quest too.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t regret your decision,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. ¡°How about we head over to where my teammates are so everyone can say hi to each other first?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked back toward the cafe with the sisters tagging along.

    ¡°Hey, actually, I want to ask something,¡± Seo Ji-Soo piped up. ¡°You hear a lot that you¡¯re more sociallycking than what your looks would suggest, right?¡±

    It hadn¡¯t seemed like she was all that spiteful before this moment.

    ¡°Or do you hear a lot that you¡¯re a bit¡­ entric?¡± Ji-Soo asked Jin-Hyeok one question after another.

    ¡°This is my first time,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°Really? Is this really your first time hearing that?¡±

    ¡°This is really the first time I¡¯m hearing something like this since I was born.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like she had managed to strike a spot that hurt.

    Other than hispanions and teammates, the support team behind his team, and staff from the NIS, he had formed almost zero other social rtionships in the past. There literally just hadn¡¯t been any opportunity to.

    In truth, Jin-Hyeok had indeed been slightly worried that his social skills had degraded without him knowing, and Seo Ji-Soo had very precisely attacked this worry of his.

    ¡°That stung a little just then, didn¡¯t it?¡± Seo Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Jin-Hyeok denied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I reckon anyone with half an eye can tell that one stung.¡±

    ¡°I believe this is a misunderstanding on your part.¡±

    ¡°Why are you speaking as if you¡¯re a spokesperson for the royal family or something?¡±[2]

    ¡°A spokesperson? What do you mean?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Seo Ji-Soo suddenly burst out giggling.

    Later, Ji-Ah would ask her why sheughed, and she would answer: with the way he is, at that point his good looks are literally just part of the punchline.

    On the other hand, Jin-Hyeok was puzzled.

    ¡®What on earth is so funny?¡¯

    He didn¡¯t feel like he even said anything particrlyugh-worthy.

    ¡®Wait, does this mean I have a knack foredy?¡¯

    ***

    Seo Ji-Soo asked him again.

    ¡°This really isn¡¯t some big n to get our numbers, right?¡±

    At this point, it was almost like she wanted him to say, ¡®Yes! I wanted your number all along!¡¯

    ¡°Like I said, no.¡±

    Why couldn¡¯t she just take him for his word? Was she this untrusting of others?

    [#As if, right? #Doesn¡¯t he want my number? #He really doesn¡¯t have a thing for me?]

    At least this was a sight to see.

    Anyone who was so sure of their own charisma needed a proper rude awakening. It was better to treat this illness of hers now before it was toote.

    ¡°You often hear that you¡¯re pretty, don¡¯t you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Do I look like I do?¡± Ji-Soo answered, her gaze softening.

    [#Yeah, I knew it #Herees his true feelings #I¡¯m open to it, you know #¡¯Cause you¡¯re a handsome one]

    Jin-Hyeok turned off his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    ¡°Please just disregard any good samaritan that says that to you from now on.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re really not all that.¡±

    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±

    Maybe he was prattling on and telling her off like a boomer, but Jin-Hyeok felt she really needed that piece of advice. It would help her grow.

    He knew that if she continued ying as a yer inter days, a day woulde when she would realize to her core that surrounding oneself with yes men that only told you what you wanted to hear was a one-way ticket to destroying your life. And indeed, he¡¯d seen a lot of famous rankers decline for that very reason.

    To those that leaped into the frontlines of battle like the rankers, the only natural step after one¡¯s declination was death.

    ¡®And you two ended upmitting double suicide...¡¯

    As far as Jin-Hyeok was concerned, it was important to be a little selective when it came to befriending others. People needed friends who¡¯d give them appropriate pills of truth that may be hard to swallow at times, but were good for them¡ªinstead of offering nothing but sweet lies.

    Seo Ji-Soo seemed a little taken aback.

    ¡°So this is like your whole schtick, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°My schtick?¡±

    No, this wasn¡¯t some schtick of his where he was ying hard to get. He was telling her what he actually thought.

    But Ji-Soo simply charged forth and asked him straightforwardly.

    ¡°Do you really not find me pretty? I get that I¡¯m pretty a lot, you know.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well, firstly, you¡¯re really not up to that level in my eyes.¡±

    ¡°...Screw you.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t really like pretty girls all that much.¡±

    Yes, it was true. In fact, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t very fond of females in general, though he particrly did not like pretty ones. Based on his experience, just like how all kids that were exceptional happened to be that way because they were evil, all pretty women he had met had unfailingly capitalized on their beauty to operate as assassins or devise other schemes.

    ¡®It was frightening, even looking back now.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok found honey traps who lured others through temptation to be much more terrifying than some lunatic wielding dual axes and screaming for a fight. He would take thetter any day. At least they were straightforward, whereas if you were caught by the wrong woman, it was truly game over.

    Ever since Yeh-Lim, one of the few people Jin-Hyeok had actually opened his heart to, tried to feed him poison in the midst of kissing him, he never tried to get involved with women again. He only assessed them from a distance as if they were trees on the side of the road.

    It had been nothing but a necessary sacrifice if he wanted to survive.

    ¡°If you say you don¡¯t like pretty girls, does that mean I¡¯m pretty?¡±

    My goodness, she was a tenacious one.

    ¡°You go ahead and interpret it however you want.¡±

    ¡°Come on, tell it to me straight!¡±

    ¡°If I really had to analogize, you¡¯re a bit like a tree I¡¯m passing by on the side of the road.¡±

    No matter how beautiful a roadside tree was, a tree was a tree.

    Seo Ji-Soo grumbled. ¡°There¡¯s something about this oppa that makes me really not like him.¡±

    Regardless, Seo Ji-Soo and Seo Ji-Ah agreed to run some ys with Jin-Hyeok.

    They happened to bepleting a quest called ¡®The 8th Mark.¡¯

    ¡°For the 8th Mark, we have to hunt down any monster that isn¡¯t on public record. If it¡¯s a monster that was hidden in some way, like spawning in a hidden Field or through a hidden interaction, we get a bonus reward.¡±

    ¡°That sounds perfect,¡± Jin-Hyeokmented. ¡°The third floor of the Sareoga Mart Dungeon is a Field that hasn¡¯t been publicized even once, so there¡¯s bound to be a monster that has rarely been encountered.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only cooperating with you because our interests align,¡± Seo Ji-Soo said rather tly.

    ¡°Likewise,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m fully serious, so don¡¯t get it twisted. I¡¯m mentioning that just in case.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get what twisted?¡±

    ¡°That I¡¯m cooperating with you just because you¡¯re a looker or something.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m for real.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t even said anything that would remotely suggest he was getting his hopes up. Having understood this agreement that way from the get-go, he didn¡¯t even bother to retort back.

    The band headed back toward Sareoga Mart Dungeon. Jin-Hyeok was admittedly already a little d they had extra firepower with them now, though he did feel a little guilty because it felt like this wasn¡¯t really what Wind Wanderer had in mind when he first offered his mission. This was going to be a dine and dash of the mission reward, with way less of the needed blood, sweat, and tears paid.

    ¡®Mok Jae-Hyeon, Cha Jin-Sol, Seo Ji-Ah, Seo Ji-Soo¡­ this should be enough fighting strength.¡¯

    Ah, the opportunity to explore a third floor of a Dungeon that no one had known about¡­ Jin-Hyeok knew he shouldn¡¯t be getting excited, but he couldn¡¯t help himself for this one.

    ¡®I shouldpose myself for the livestream.¡¯

    Reminding himself that he needed to y the part of a Streamer, Jin-Hyeok went back on live.

    [I ampleting a mission with some new members.]

    He had a good feeling about the title he chose this time around..

    1. In English. ?

    2. She refers to the formal prose that was used by the Korean royal pce (???), which is used in the modern day as a ng term for when someone speaks very officially and tly without room for fun. I thought this trantion would carry some of that feeling while maintaining eloquence. ?

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    Meanwhile, Joseph was sitting down in the cafe shop.

    He knew that it would backfire if he continued to stubbornly pursue and push Cha Jin-Hyeok. These things took time.

    Joseph¡¯s phone dinged with a notification.

    [A channel you are following is now live!]

    [Kim Chul-Soo has begun streaming.]

    [Stream Title: I ampleting a mission with some new members.]

    Joseph shook his head as he read the title. ¡®Anotherme title?¡¯

    If he¡¯d been there to guide Jin-Hyeok, it would have been different. Maybe something more like ¡®What happens when a pair of TWIN BEAUTIES join my party? The results will SHOCK you.¡¯

    If someone asked Joseph right now what exactly was so shocking, he himself wouldn¡¯t be able to answer, but that wasn¡¯t really important and could just be shoehorned inter.

    ¡®He¡¯s aplete noob at streaming.¡¯

    Not only that, but Jin-Hyeok hadpletely blocked hisms. It was shocking that a channel like this had more viewers than Egan Paul¡¯s.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure his poprity¡¯s due to something else, like maybe the energy he exudes, or an outstanding analytical ability to exin his ys.¡¯

    But as far as Joseph was concerned, it was only a matter of time before other streams caught up to Jin-Hyeok''s, if these were the only things going for his stream. Eventually, the viewers were bound to seek higher-quality channels, and when that day came, Joseph was sure that Jin-Hyeok woulde to need him.

    ¡®Let¡¯s have a look then, shall we?¡¯ Joseph intended to pay close attention to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ying and way of handling the stream.

    When Joseph tuned in, Mok Jae-Hyeon was speaking.

    ¡°H-hello, noonas.¡±[1]

    Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face was bright red. Again. He couldn¡¯t even look at the twins properly.

    ¡°Hyung, how were you able to get them to join us?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon asked Jin-Hyeok in a tiny voice, in a volume that was nearly inaudible to Joseph.

    ¡®His voice is way too soft.¡¯ Joseph shook his head. It appeared to Joseph that Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t even know the proper way to handle audio. There was a mountain of things to teach him.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®how¡¯? I just went and asked them.¡± Jin-Hyeok looked puzzled.

    ¡°S-So there wasn¡¯t any particr tactic you used?¡±

    ¡°We just found our interests aligned. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol chimed in, ¡°Wow, so it just so happened that your interests aligned with some people you coincidentally came across on the street, and it just so happened that we ended up ying together right away, and it just so happened that they¡¯re that pretty. Damn, my brother encountered an awful lot of coincidences, huh? I¡¯ve heard that three just-sos in a row is something that was always meant to happen anyway.¡±

    ¡°Three hundred coincidences in a row don¡¯t stop them from being coincidences,¡± Jin-Hyeok refuted.

    Jin-Hyeok knew very well that as one reached an even higher Level, the more they were bound to run into events and developments that they would never have imagined. The higher one''s Level was, the more often they ran into a degree of coincidences that simply couldn¡¯t be exined.

    But Mok Jae-Hyeon had a look about him that suggested he bought into what Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Right, she¡¯s convinced me,¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon said.

    ¡°Convinced you of what?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­ seeing how you look, what she¡¯s saying does seem fairly possible.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t feel it was worth his time to answer back. What was wrong with this kid?

    But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Now it was Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s time to attack.

    ¡°Hm? Hey, don¡¯t tell me¡­ Is that a ¡®hurr durr I didn¡¯t know I was that good-looking¡¯ face you¡¯re making right now?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was silent. ¡®They really seem like they were all born for each other, huh ...''

    By his standards, this just could not be. Fluffing about like this right before entering a Dungeon, the appropriate thing to do was to brainstorm the plethora of possibilities that could unfold in the middle of the raid, and to steel oneself for the possibility of death. To n and n and n until their heads were pounding.

    ¡®They don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to be thrilled over a raid to the point of obsession.¡¯

    How was it even possible to be distracted like this?

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok did indeed have enough self-awareness to know at least that he was born quite a looker, but he didn¡¯t think it to be worth much.

    ¡®What good does being a looker do for me?¡¯

    It didn¡¯t help him improve his swordsmanship faster, which meant it didn¡¯t help him be stronger, at all. Rather, a face that stuck out meant a face that was memorable, and that in turn meant it actually created more danger for him. In fact, on one asion, numerous yers who specialized in seducing others simultaneously targeted Jin-Hyeok, almost as if it was a cruelpetition to see who could get to him first.

    This was noughing matter. The so-called ¡®Beauty King¡¯ Kang Eun-Woo, who was the very definition of the word handsome, had his life cut short in a simr fashion.

    So with all his own experiences and the things he had heard, being a looker didn¡¯t seem like much of a blessing to Jin-Hyeok.

    Anyway, at this present moment, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members were greeting each other.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Mok Jae-Hyeon. I¡¯m the tank for this team. I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°Hi, nice to meet you! I¡¯m Seo Ji-Soo. As you can see, we¡¯re twins. This here is Seo Ji-Ah. Hey, say hi.¡±

    Seo Ji-Ah was a person who did not speak unless it was absolutely necessary.

    ¡°Wow, she really does look the same as you,¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    ¡°She¡¯s pretty just the same, right?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s blushed once more at Ji-Soo¡¯s question. He was not used to engaging in conversation with creatures of the mythical female gender.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon fumbled around to change the subject, and finallynded on one.

    ¡°I guess I can recognize the noona with the longer hair as the older sister, and you with the shorter hair as the younger one.¡±

    With the quick introductions out of the way, Seo Ji-Soo went to the point.

    ¡°Hey, can I ask you something? There¡¯s a little something I want to know.¡±

    ¡°O-of course. I¡¯ll try to answer it to the best of my ability.¡±

    She gave a nce in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Would you say that guy is trustworthy?¡± Ji-Soo asked Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°H-he¡¯s definitely a cool guy, really. Out of the grownups I¡¯ve met, he¡¯s someone who¡¯s really taught me a lot of stuff,¡± Jae-Hyeon answered.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Though what¡¯s weird is sometimes it feels like there¡¯s something a little¡­ off with him.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by off?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°Sometimes it seems like he¡¯s pure-hearted, but sometimes it seems he isn¡¯t; sometimes he seems kind, but sometimes he doesn¡¯t. And he doesn¡¯t seem like a scary person, but sometimes he is. You¡¯ll know what I mean when you experience it first-hand,¡± Jae-Hyeon exined.

    If someone asked him what kind of person Jin-Hyeok was, Mok Jae-Hyeon would answer that Jin-Hyeok was an individual who was hard to pin down in more ways than one.

    Someone tapped on Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s shoulder. It was Cha Jin-Sol.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Hey, my brother¡¯s still a nice guy, all things considered.¡±

    ¡°W-wasn¡¯t there a time when you said he was a psycho?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Only I¡¯m allowed to say that!¡± Jin-Sol dered.

    Cha Jin-Sol rapped him on the head with her knuckle. They had be a lot closer over time.

    ¡°Ow, that hurts!¡± Jae-Hyeon cried.

    ¡°Stop yappin¡¯.¡±

    Feeling the situation was a tad unfair, a sh of anger surged up Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s belly, but that was indeed only a sh, because it melted like fine snow the moment he met eyes with Jin-Sol.

    ¡®She¡¯s just so pretty.¡±

    Even if he wanted to get angry with her, he couldn¡¯t.

    Cha Jin-Sol also spoke with the twin sisters. Seo Ji-Soo put on a polite smile as she talked with her.

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re that oppa¡¯s younger sister?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s smile became a little warmer as she seemed to ooze more of her sociability.

    ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet you, unnie! You¡¯re so pretty. I¡¯m Seo Ji-Soo, by the way, and I¡¯m a university student. Don¡¯t worry about having to be polite with me.¡±

    ***

    The motley crew was finally about to enter the third floor of the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    [The hidden Field, ¡¸Sareoga Mart Dungeon, Third Floor¡¹, is revealed.]

    [You are about to enter the Field of the ¡¸King Fist Monkey¡¹.]

    A single, long corridor was before them. It was an enormous corridor that stretched on and on with an incredibly high ceiling,plete with a red carpet.

    ¡®Yoooo, I get to see the King Fist Monkey again¡­¡¯

    It hadn¡¯t specifically been in this Field, but Jin-Hyeok had fought a King Fist Monkey in his previous lifetime during his early budding days as a yer. He had been around Level 30 at that time and tried to solo it.[2] Jin-Hyeok remembered that he nearly died at that time.

    Lining the walls of the corridor were enormous full-body photographs, each with an apanyingbel that had their name and year of birth.

    ¡°Here it seems we¡¯vee across some full-body photographs of the monkeys,¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stream was back online. ¡°They appear to me to be photographs of the greatest Fist Monkeys of all time¡ªa hall of fame.¡±

    The corridor didn¡¯t look like it was the type that wasden with traps. Regardless, Jin-Hyeok took a step back behind the others.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a resident Dungeon navigator to guide us in our party. So Jae-Hyeon, you take the lead.¡±

    ¡°M-me?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh. The tank¡¯s meant to go first if the party doesn¡¯t have a navigator.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon swallowed fearfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re the least likely to die out of all of us.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°...Hyung, aren¡¯t you the least likely to die out of us?¡±

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s anything particrly dangerous around here.¡±

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re sure, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh. Probably.¡±

    This was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first time venturing into this Dungeon Field as well, so nothing was 100% certain. If something truly dangerous popped out of nowhere, that was too bad. That was just the sort of ce Dungeons were.

    With Mok Jae-Hyeon at the lead, the party walked through the corridor. They reached the end without a hitch, upon which they came across a massive door. With a face on the brink of tears, Mok Jae-Hyeon slowly touched the door handle.

    As Jin-Hyeok had initially predicted, there hadn¡¯t been any traps.

    ¡®Why is this Field some?¡¯

    The conditions of entry were starkly easy too, so much so that Jin-Hyeok found it to be a bit of a disappointment.

    [The ¡¸Champion Belt¡¹ is required.]

    ¡°It appears we need the Champion Belt in order to enter,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers. ¡°Hey, Jin-Sol, you didn¡¯t chuck it away, did you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, it¡¯s right here.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol handed Jin-Hyeok the belt.

    [The ¡¸Champion Belt¡¹ is in your possession.]

    The gargantuan door opened.

    Instead of opening to another room, the entire space they were in transformed.

    ¡®Let me guess, a boxing ring?¡¯

    It was indeed a Dungeon Field fashioned like a boxing ring, just as Jin-Hyeok had experienced on the second floor. However, this one was a littlerger.

    [King Fist Monkey ¡¸Alexander¡¹ will enter in ten minutes.]

    [yers, prepare yourself to engage in battle with King Fist Monkey ¡¸Alexander (33)¡¹.]

    Wow, they gave me a whole ten minutes! In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, the System was being incredibly generous to them. Perhaps it was because this was a beginners¡¯ Field.

    He knew there would be no such luxuries inter Levels. In fact, you wouldn¡¯t receive any warning notifications at all. Instead, the monster¡¯s attacks woulde raining down first.

    Jin-Hyeok began exining his thoughts on theing boss rxedly.

    ¡°This dude uses destructive, wide-sweeping area attacks rather than sharp and targeted ones. Mok Jae-Hyeon, that means your Wood Fortress ability would be perfect for this one, since a strong stationary barrier is what we need.¡±

    ¡°H-how do you know the monster would be like that already?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon asked what was a rather obvious thing for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the photographs we passed on the way?¡±

    ¡°What about them?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see all the photographs had names and dates of birth?¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon turned to Cha Jin-Sol with a look of astonishment.

    ¡°Did you look at them properly, noona?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked Jin-Sol.

    ¡°W-well, I did see them, but¡­¡± Jin-Sol said.

    No one bothered to scrutinize what seemed like a trivial piece of information in such detail. For Jin-Hyeok, he was willing to cut some ck since they weren¡¯t navigators, but had they been one, they would have received a scolding and a half about now.

    ¡°You heard the notification about his name being Alexander, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°One of the photographs of the dudes out in the corridor was named Alexander. If thebel meant anything, he should be thirty-three years old since it said he was born in 1990.¡±

    ¡°...you remember all that?¡±

    Of course he did. As far as Jin-Hyeok was concerned, it was more like he could only remember that much because he wasn¡¯t a navigator.

    Real through-and-through navigators would be able to remember everything from the lengths of the monkeys¡¯ arms, to the circumference of their head. They were inhuman. He was willing to wager that someone like his pastrade, Han Se-Rin, would even have counted the number of hairs on their heads.

    Compared to people like that, Jin-Hyeok believed his level of perception may as well be about the level of a small child.

    ¡°The monkey had a really big build. Though his weight is probably nothing to sniff at, he¡¯s grown his muscles to the point where it¡¯d be inefficient forbat and weigh him down. That should put a serious handicap on his endurance. He should be simr to the one I met on the second floor, but bigger and stronger.¡±

    In essence, the second floor was almost like a lite version of the third floor. If the second-floor boss was the Hulk, perhaps the third-floor one could be called a King Hulk.

    ¡°But the fact that he was able to earn the title of King Fist despite his inferior stamina probably means his blows are just that powerful. So powerful that, though he¡¯s probably slow, he can take his opponents out of the fight with one hit as long as itnds.¡±

    ¡°S-so what exactly would happen if he hits me?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon asked.

    It was beyond Jin-Hyeok why a tank would ever be worried about something like that.

    In his opinion, the best way for a newbie tank to learn was to just go in head-on and break a few bones here and there. That should build some grit.

    ¡®I guess it¡¯s fair enough that a newbie asks something like that.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok let out an inward sigh. He squashed down his irritation and exined as nicely as he could.

    ¡°That monkey came to be called a King Fist Monkey because he fought other Fist Monkeys, nothing else. Your defense is way stronger than the attacks of a bunch of random apes, isn¡¯t it? Even if your defenses are broken, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll die in one blow.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I would die?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Mhmm, probably,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°...probably?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°What if you turn out to be wrong?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just bad luck then, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon turned pale.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to offer the party some additional pointers just in case. Though he felt that these pointers were so obvious that he wasn¡¯t sure whether they even needed to be said at all.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, there¡¯s no way the other Fist Monkeys would have just sat there and received the slow strike of the King Fist, right? He will definitely have some kind of special Skill to help himnd his attacks, like something to help him close his distance, or increase his attack speed for a short window. I¡¯ll observe him using my Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight and let you guys know what it is.¡±

    In that fashion, Jin-Hyeok and his party members discussed different aspects of the uing fight. Jin-Hyeok had always thought that ten minutes of free preparation time before a boss fight was a very long time. But today, it felt rather short, because his team members were all just that much of a beginner.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡±

    [10 minutes have passed.]

    [King Fist Monkey ¡¸Alexander¡¹ makes his entrance.]

    Lo and behold.

    An incredibly bulky and muscr monster that was closer to a gori than a monkey revealed himself.

    It was Alexander. He looked just like in the photograph Jin-Hyeok had seen.

    ¡°Stay on hold. It¡¯s not time yet,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was gripped with fear.

    They had discussed their strategy for the uing fight for a whole ten minutes, but the real thing was inevitably an altogether different matter to theory.

    Jin-Hyeok sensed that Mok Jae-Hyeon might cave to the pressure that Alexander exuded and use his Wood Fortress prematurely.

    ¡°Use your Wood Spears first!¡±

    Thankfully, Mok Jae-Hyeon had enough of his wits about him to heed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instructions. He unleashed the wooden spears, one of his few offensive Skills, which formed floating in the air and headed for Alexander¡¯s belly.

    ¡®There we go,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    KREEE!

    The King Fist Monkey seemed furious at Mok Jae-Hyeon, who had used a weapon that was not one¡¯s fists. He beat on his chest in a way that was reminiscent of King Kong¡­ and approached Mok Jae-Hyeon with the step of a boxer rearing to swing.

    ¡°Wood Fortress in three,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok noticed Mok Jae-Hyeon had his eyespletely shut. He could hear Mok Jae-Hyeon saying ¡°Fuck¡­ fuck¡­¡± under his breath, but chose to ignore it. That much was understandable in this situation.

    Maybe Mok Jae-Hyeon was a timid greenhorn, but what was truly worthy of praise was that he always did exactly as he was told.

    After exactly three seconds, Mok Jae-Hyeon used his Wood Fortress ability.

    THUMP!

    The spherical wooden fortress sessfully withstood the King Fist Monkey¡¯s punch, protecting the body within.

    ¡®Nice¡­ he held out way better than I thought,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    That attack just then was the King Fist Monkey¡¯s ¡®Right¡¯¡ªhis right hook, which was a swing which he put all his weight behind. Out of all of the King Fist Monkey¡¯s attacks, this one possessed the most pure lethal power.

    ¡®He should be able to take more abuse.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok figured Mok Jae-Hyeon should be able to withstand around ten more hits. Sure, he was going to end up with his fair share of non-minor injuries in the process, but it was the tank¡¯s role to take the hurt and the pain.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was surely taking all the King Fist Monkey¡¯s aggro. That was good.

    Now it was the twins¡¯ turn.

    Their expressions were hardened with resolve. It seemed they, too, were about to fight the battle of their lives.

    ¡®...damn. I want to join in.¡¯

    1. Noona is the Korean term used by males to refer to older females that are a few years older at the most. Can be used in both filial and non-filial rtionships. ?

    2. For those that may be confused, to ¡®solo¡¯ a monster in a video game means to take it on alone. ?

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    Jin-Hyeok suppressed his desires. If such a trivial temptation was enough to win him over, he would never be able to fulfill his dream of contentedly living his days out as a Yeonhui-dong real estate owner.

    ¡®Come on, let¡¯s just focus on the stream.¡¯

    Since it was the first time that the Seo sisters were fighting in tandem with the party, Jin-Hyeok took extra time to exin to them how to coordinate their tactics even in the heat of battle.

    ¡°Like I said before, don¡¯t just go straight for his vital spots. y it safe and slow. Target his ankles if possible, or his thighs if that proves hard.¡±

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, it was a tall order to finish off the King Fist Monkey in a single flurry of attacks at the Seo sisters¡¯ current skill level. If they tried to target his critical spots and failed, and the result was that the King Fist Monkey¡¯s aggro was drawn to the sisters, things could get hairy.

    With the Seo sisters'' defensive capabilities, it could prove difficult for them to withstand even one blow from the King Fist Monkey.

    ¡°Do you two copy? I need an answer.¡±

    It went without saying for Jin-Hyeok, but making sure people registered what he was saying was a must in any Dungeon raid. It was a way to ascertain that people understood instructions and the flow ofmand was being maintained. Jin-Hyeok had abided by this system without fail in his previous life.

    ¡°Copy that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I got you.¡±

    The sisters became half-transparent. Their mastery of this stealth ability was seriouslymendable considering their low Level.

    The two dashed at the King Fist Monkey, nking him on the left and right, their daggers shing as they engaged him in battle.

    Perhaps it was because they just didn¡¯t have that much experience, but their approach to attacking seemed rather sub-par to Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok felt a twinge of irritation, but he reminded himself that they were technically still beginners.

    ¡°Cha Jin-Sol, get ready.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Huh? Oh, right, yep.¡±

    ¡°And get your head in the moment. Step up your game.¡±

    Though Jin-Hyeok was someone that usually tried his best to get along with his sister and show some affection, it was naturally hard to speak to her nicely on the actual field of battle.

    He¡¯d always wondered why Ruler yers, whose whole Job was tomand in real time, were always chewing people out, but now he understood just a little bit of what they felt.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I got it,¡± Cha Jin-Sol answered.

    The King Fist Monkey wasnding blow after blow on the Wood Fortress. It looked like it was going to break soon enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to break soon.¡± Jin-Hyeok made it clear.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol looked nervous, perhaps because she was keeping in mind the fact that Mok Jae-Hyeon could very well die if she messed up.

    And she would be correct. If she messed up, Mok Jae-Hyeon could indeed die.

    CRAAACK!

    The Wood Fortress broke atst.

    The King Fist Monkey¡¯s next swingnded straight on Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s abdomen.

    THUMP!

    ¡°AAAH!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was thrown into the air. Jin-Hyeok figured he had probably broken one or two ribs, which, from his point of view, was a rather light injurypared to the shriek he was letting out.

    Cha Jin-Sol moved straight into action, much more briskly than Jin-Hyeok had expected. She immediately used her healing abilities to mend Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s injuries. As expected of someone with a 9-Star Job, her healing was exceptional.

    ¡°Alright, now redeploy your Wood Fortress,¡± Jin-Hyeok ordered.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon, who had been sprawled out on the ground, barely raised himself off the floor and readied himself to reactivate Wood Fortress.

    ¡®Oh? He got up.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had already written off Mok Jae-Hyeon as being no longer useful, after he had let out such a loud and unwarranted scream, disproportionate to the injury he¡¯d received. He¡¯d only cracked a few ribs. It was but a scratch.

    It was beyond his expectations to see Mok Jae-Hyeon stand back up.

    Jin-Hyeok knew humans were sensitive to pain. If one experienced pain that was too much for them to endure, they would be rendered ineffectual even for tasks they were usually good at.

    He had thought Mok Jae-Hyeon would be the same, but he was holding up rather well.

    ¡®Good, he¡¯s still of use to me.¡¯

    After all, it was an unspoken rule of society to use and abuse someone who wasn¡¯t having any trouble with what they were given.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s got a 9-Star Job, but he has a good sense for battle, at least.¡¯

    It was incredibly painful for Mok Jae-Hyeon, but he seeded in re-deploying his Wood Fortress in no time. What was more, he used his Wood Spears ability to draw the King Fist Monkey¡¯s attention to him again without even being ordered by Jin-Hyeok.

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, using the Wood Spears again was a meaningless maneuver¡ªthe monster¡¯s aggro was already fully locked in on Mok Jae-Hyeon¡ªbut his effort was praiseworthy nheless.

    ¡°Alright, now to repeat that from the start.¡±

    Now began the tedious part.

    ¡®It should take around four hours at this rate, right?¡¯

    The n was to chip away at the King Fist Monkey little by little and corner him.

    Really, four hours was actually very much on the punctual and quick side. When Jin-Hyeok was ying in his previous life, there was once a time when a fight spanned over the course of several months.

    What was certain, though, was that this was going to be a wearisome process. Other than the ¡°slight¡± injuries that Mok Jae-Hyeon had at the start, it was a rtively safe strategy of ying that didn¡¯t really have any risk factors to worry about.

    ¡°We n to continue repeating this same process. It seems like things are going to get rather tedious for a while from here on out.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok believed that no viewer would bother watching such a boring stream to the end.

    ¡°I will announce the results of this fight in another stream when it¡¯s all over.¡±

    Yeah, that sounded like a good n. He could just summarize the fightter in a separate stream. There was no need to continue this one.

    Wait, but if he was going to end the stream anyway, didn¡¯t that mean he could join in the fight now?

    ***

    Fatigue was slowly starting to creep up on Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo.

    ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯

    The fight was likely nearing the two-hour mark.

    It was the first time the sisters had fought in this style.

    ¡®It¡¯s pretty fun, though.¡¯

    It was admittedly a little enjoyable to coordinate with others on a defined n, synchronizing their movements with the rest of the team per someone¡¯smand to reach amon goal.

    Breathing heavily, Seo Ji-Soo used her stealth ability again.

    ¡®We should be able to target his weak spots soon.¡¯

    It was at this moment that Jin-Hyeok brushed by her.

    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?"

    In his hands was a single dagger. It didn¡¯t look like it was some special artifact, either.

    At that moment, Seo Ji-Ah stabbed Alexander in the thigh. Jin-Hyeok capitalized on the timing tond a stab right in Alexander¡¯s neck.

    Straight away, Alexander turned all his attention toward Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok had drawn the monster¡¯s aggro.

    ¡®Wow, that was all it took to draw his aggro?¡¯

    Though drawing the monster¡¯s aggro eventually was well within expectations considering what he had done, it was a little strange that Jin-Hyeok was able to draw the monster¡¯s aggro that well, as if he was in fact a tank yer.

    Unperturbed by the fact that he had just drawn Alexander¡¯s attention, Jin-Hyeok stood still and looked Alexander up and down.

    Alexander¡¯s fist came flying.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    THUMP!

    The King Fist Monkey¡¯s punch did not reach Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re a Streamer! Why did you just suddenly jump into the fight?!¡± Seo Ji-Soo shouted with a twinge of panic. ¡°Mok Jae-Hyeon, don¡¯t just sit there! Quick, use your Wood Spears to pull his aggro again!¡±

    The instant that she said that, another swing, this time a hook, came straight for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s temple.

    At that moment, Seo Ji-Soo felt like she could faint from the shock of the predicament.

    Sure, Jin-Hyeok could scrape by taking one hit with some luck. Ji-Soo had heard that Streamers had some sort of defensive ability that was unique to them in order to protect themselves better.

    But two hits would be too much.

    Ji-Soo could be sure of this after fighting Alexander for over an hour.

    ¡®You¡¯re gonna actually die if you get hit!¡¯

    How could a mere Streamer, the furthest thing from a tank there was, be able to take on one of those attacks with his bare body?

    The shimmering shield that had protected Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body just then seemed like it was long gone.

    ¡®I need to at least redirect his attack!¡¯

    Ji-Soo willed her body into action, but the monkey¡¯s fist was faster.

    His right arm came swinging down.

    ¡®NO!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok crouched down a little, and shifted his weight forward while tilting right, moving toward the monster.

    Whoosh!

    The fist shot by, going wide.

    It looked like a close shave to all bystanders present. That appeared far too dangerous¡ªthe fist seemed to pass by within a hair¡¯s breadth of Jin-Hyeok.

    Though it looked like Jin-Hyeok had barely avoided the attack, he headed straight for Alexander without missing a beat, and lunged straight for the pit of Alexander''s stomach with the dagger he gripped in his right hand.

    Shuk!

    The dagger plunged deeper and deeper into the monster¡¯s sr plexus.

    The King Fist Monkey let out a shriek of miserable pain before copsing onto the ground where hey there, shuddering. Saliva dripped out of his mouth and his pupils were dted.

    Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡®What was that?¡¯

    Having fought the King Fist Monkey herself, she was well aware how tough his skin was. Yet Jin-Hyeok had prated it like it was butter.

    The King Fist Monkey¡¯s body finally stopped convulsing andy spread out on the ground. He was still breathing, but only that, and was not long for this world.

    ¡°...didn¡¯t you say you were a Streamer?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Why is a Streamer like you so good at attacking?¡±

    ¡°I just looked out for when he was out of breath. While he was breathing in, his skin could be prated easily as long as I got the timing right. And that allowed me to maximize my damage output.¡±

    Right. Timing.

    It wasn¡¯t just that, though. Jin-Hyeok had actually used his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier Skill offensively rather than for defensive purposes.

    ¡°You¡¯re only talking because you were lucky enough to dodge his attack,¡± Seo Ji-Soo said. ¡°If you got hit, you would have died right there.¡±

    As far as she was concerned, the move pulled by Jin-Hyeok was far too dangerous.

    It really looked like he had avoided the punch by the skin of his teeth.

    ¡°That¡¯s how you¡¯re meant to dodge attacks,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    From his experience, one could better capitalize on windows for attack if they minimized the amount of movement needed to dodge iing strikes. To put it another way¡ªdodging by the skin of one¡¯s teeth was precisely the most effective way of dodging.

    ¡°There¡¯s such a thing as acting too much like you¡¯re tough and all that! Keep this up and you¡¯ll die for real!¡±

    ¡°I did that because I didn¡¯t think I would die.¡±

    ¡°Oh, for crying out loud¡­¡±

    It was true, though, that this level of intuition could only be burned into someone through countless experiences and learnings. There was no way to exin it in concrete detail to someone¡ªthey had to experience it.

    ¡®Hey, to be fair, I still took one hit on purpose, just in case.¡¯

    As if analyzing the King Fist Monkey¡¯s attack patterns for over a whole hour wasn¡¯t enough, Jin-Hyeok deliberately took on one of his attacks head-on just to see if he could take it. Being able to rehearse and experiment this much on the battlefield was a blessing, really.

    ¡®If I¡¯m not able tond a proper attack after that much testing, I can¡¯t even call myself a yer.¡¯

    Seo Ji-Soo stood there with a look of dissatisfaction. She was unconvinced by Jin-Hyeok''s exnation.

    ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re a bit pissed that I took away all the fun,¡± Jin-Hyeok said pointedly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°But it worked, and that¡¯s what matters at the end of the day, right?¡±

    With a twinge of annoyance, Jin-Hyeok wondered if Ji-Soo was pouting because she wanted all the fun for herself. He¡¯d held himself back the whole time, and had only joined in because it was just too good a timing to pass up and here he was, being told off for it.

    While Jin-Hyeok was considering whether to say this to Seo Ji-Soo or not, she was the first to speak up.

    ¡°If you were that strong offensively, you could have given us a hand from the start.¡±

    ¡°That timed attack was the best I could do.¡±

    A moment that struck an optimal bnce between risk and effectiveness¡ªthat was the moment that Jin-Hyeok had chosen to leap into the fray.

    ¡°At the least, you could have let us know of your ns before you did that. Do you know how much of a shock that gave me? I legit thought you were about to die,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°Do you really think that would¡¯ve worked?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I bet you wouldn¡¯t have been able to focus on your own attacks if you always kept an eye out for when I¡¯d move in.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had assessed the sisters¡¯ capabilities in battle rtively urately, and what he¡¯d concluded was that they weren¡¯t up to the level where it was better if he just shared his delicate ns with them.

    That was why he had chosen to wait for a good time to jump in on his own, and let everyone just focus on their own tasks.

    ¡°Do you actually think you would have been able to create that window of attack for me on purpose?¡± Jin-Hyeok queried Ji-Soo.

    ¡°...For some reason, I feel like you¡¯re looking down on me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts as they are.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What is?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°At least you ept it when someone says something you know is right. There are a lot of kids that can¡¯t even do that properly. Good to know you got that going for you, at least.¡±

    ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t talk to me. Even if you didn¡¯t tell us your ns, you could have joined us to attack as a three-man team from the get-go. That would¡¯ve been better than whatever you did.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m a Streamer. My job¡¯s literally to film stuff. You really think things would¡¯ve worked out if I fought with you guys?¡±

    This was something Jin-Hyeok was saying to himself as much as he was saying to Ji-Soo.

    ¡°...Yeah, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re a Streamer,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    Seo Ji-Soo didn¡¯t go so far as to ask why on earth a Streamer was stronger on offense than she was.

    What irked her the most was not so much that, but more so why such a strong Streamer was so unaware of the fact that his own strength just didn¡¯t make any logical sense.

    ¡®It almost seems like he actually thinks he¡¯s on the weaker side.¡¯

    And not just that, it seemed as if he was disappointed in his own strength.

    The gap between his thinking and reality was truly strange.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok approached the still-breathing Alexander¡ªwho was hanging on by a thread¡ªand stabbed him in the heart a few times.

    It took a few tries to get through because his ribcage was protecting it.

    Shuk!

    Jin-Hyeok finally pierced through. A copious amount of blood sprayed forth, but he knew that wasn¡¯t enough.

    Shuk! Shuk!

    This had to be done properly. It was only once they had confirmed that the monster was deceased that it was all over.

    ¡®Oh, man¡­ I can¡¯t help but keep falling back to my nastier habits.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but find it fun to join in the fighting himself.

    The moment he escaped a monster¡¯s attack by a hair¡¯s breadth and brandished his de was nothing short of exhrating.

    He kept telling himself that he was only joining in because it was ¡®something he could only experience in the lower Levels,¡¯ but truth be told, that seemed like an excuse. It was just difficult to rein in something that was a part of his very nature.

    ¡®Ah, yes¡­ this satisfaction.¡¯

    No, hang on. That wasn¡¯t right.

    Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

    ¡®I¡¯m just following standard procedure to make sure he''s deceased. That¡¯s what I¡¯m doing.¡¯

    Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

    ¡®I don¡¯t like doing things like this anymore. I don¡¯t.¡¯

    That was right. They needed to hear the System notification they were expecting before he could allow himself to stop stabbing, out of protocol.

    Yeah, it wasn¡¯t because he liked the sensation of it.

    The notification they wanted to hear finally came in.

    [You have in the King Fist Monkey.]

    Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

    [You are now Level 34.]

    ¡®Oh, wow,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡®I¡¯ve already reached Level 34.¡¯

    Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!

    ¡®Should I have just streamed everything?¡¯

    Streamers were able to Level up quicker depending on the number of viewers and the overall reaction toward their streams. The more viewers, the faster it was.

    ¡®Ah, not again!¡¯

    He caught himself mulling over the most efficient ways to increase his Level again. That was right. He needed to avoid Leveling up too suspiciously fast.

    Jin-Hyeok felt conflicted in a way.

    ¡®Would it actually be better to have the stream turned off when I¡¯m actually fighting, like today?¡¯

    He realized this was a decision that he needed to consider properly. Jin-Hyeok knew he wasn¡¯t exactly the most knowledgeable person about streaming there was, but one thing he did know was that he needed to make content that was sustainable in the long term.

    The farthest he could keep up ying the way he was now was Level 100, and even if he was a regressor, there was no way he was going to be a real estate owner in Yeonhui-dong by then.

    That meant he needed to think of content that could be outputted consistently past Level 100. Therefore, there was likely no way he could continue branding himself the way he was right now.

    ¡®Yeah, I need to give this one a proper think-through.¡¯

    [You have unlocked the Achievement ¡¸All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)¡¹.]

    ¡®An All-Clear, huh?¡¯

    At this point, Jin-Hyeok had been expecting that he¡¯d earn an Achievement along those lines. After clearing the second floor by defeating the Big Fist Monkey, he had received two ¡®First¡¯ Achievements, as it was the first time that the monster was defeated. He predicted there would be an even bigger Achievement upon clearing the third floor.

    An ¡®All-Clear¡¯ Achievement was unlocked if one not only cleared all the Fields of a Dungeon, but found and acquired all its hidden secrets.

    ¡®Damn, All-Clears were hard toe by even when I was the Sword King.¡¯

    Indeed, if asked beforehand, Jin-Hyeok would never have imagined he¡¯d be earning an all-clear at his present Level.

    All-Clears were rare even if one followed standard procedure for clearing Dungeons to a tee. In addition to the foray itself, a team needed to have good luck and timing in order to satisfy a variety of anomalous factors depending on the Dungeon. All in all, it was extremely difficult¡ªsome would even say impossible¡ªto deliberately aim for an All-Clear and get it.

    ¡®Wow, to get an All-Clear at this Level¡­¡¯

    Before Jin-Hyeok realized it, his heartbeat was quickening again.

    He checked his unlocked Achievements right away.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    Cha Jin-Hyeok checked his Achievements.

    [All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)]

    An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)

    - The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by the monsters of Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    - The Achievement bearer receives a significant boost in all experience gained in Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    2) +1 to Defensive Attributes

    - The Achievement bearer may boost the Attributes of one of their defensive abilities.

    - The Attributes of the defensive ability that are boosted will differ depending on the ability.

    The rewards for unlocking an All-Clear Achievement did not disappoint him.

    The perk that the yer would no longer be attacked by monsters was actually quite alright¡ªthough of course, its usefulness depended on whether the yer intended to return to Sareoga Mart Dungeon to grind despite already clearing it.

    Moreover, the fact that Jin-Hyeok would receive a significant boost to the experience he gained here meant he could train in this Dungeon and gain a few Levels in advance, being able to look ahead to see how he could shape himself as a yer.

    ¡®If I train here, I can see what path lies waiting for me ahead of time.¡¯

    True¡ªsuch a boon wasn¡¯t as impactful as it could have been since Jin-Hyeok had already relegated himself to the role of a Streamer. However, the opportunity to familiarize himself further with the Skills of ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight¡¯ and ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¯¡ªall the while preemptively gaining experience, experimenting and brainstorming on how he could mold himself as a Streamer going forward¡ªreally wasn¡¯t too bad of a constion prize in itself.

    Jin-Hyeok turned his stream on.

    ¡°As you can see, we¡¯ve managed to y Alexander. As I got an All-Clear, I got this mark here.¡±

    He raised his right arm into his, and therefore the camera¡¯s, view. A ck-colored mark in the form of a band was now imprinted on his wrist.

    ¡°It looks like a tattoo, doesn¡¯t it? I will now be changing its setting to be not visible.¡±

    There was no need to let every person he passed by on the street know that he had an All-Clear Achievement under his belt. The moment Jin-Hyeok configured his mark to be invisible, the band on his wrist faded away.

    ¡°One interesting thing to note is that I also get to boost the Attributes of one of my defensive abilities. I¡¯m not sure yet what exactly this is going to result in. I will try using it right now on Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, which is a defensive Skill.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok used the attribute boost on Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    [An attribute boost was applied to Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.]

    A momentter, a new buff popped up on the description for the Skill.

    Jin-Hyeok recited it to the stream as calmly as possible.

    ¡°It says, ¡®The following attribute has been added: When Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier is active, the yer is immune to all physical and other physical attacks received that are under Level 50¡¯... that¡¯s good.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok maintained hisposure when rying the information to his viewers, but his heart was beating rather fast at the moment.

    Which pre-Level 50 monsters had the strongest physical attacks again?

    ***

    Having defeated the King Fist Monkey¡ªand with the handsome bonus reward of the Mark of the All-Clearer to boot¡ªJin-Hyeokpleted the Mission he epted from Wind Wanderer and received his reward of a whooping one hundred million Dias.

    At least, that¡¯s what he thought would happen.

    ¡®You have got to be kidding me!¡¯

    As Jin-Hyeok was now above the System¡¯s designated ¡®Tutorial¡¯ period that was until Level 30, any beginner perks he had of discounts tomission rates were gone.

    ¡®The tform¡¯smission rate is fifty percent?¡¯

    Fifty million of those Dias were gone, just like that. Vaporized.

    Not only that, but the System made Jin-Hyeok pay mandatory appearance fees to the ¡®guest¡¯ yers that had assisted him on thepletion of his Mission.

    [Please set the payment rate for the appearance fee.]

    [The minimum payment rate you may set is 10%.]

    [ __% ]

    To be fair, it was only fair that those who helped him received a cut of the payout. Jin-Hyeok himself had received a copious amount in appearance fees for his colleague, Kang Mi-Na.

    Jin-Hyeok set the rate as the minimum of 10%.

    [The payment rate has been set to 10%.]

    [The item of the transaction is currently set as ¡¸Mary reward for Missionpletion¡¹. Would you like to include additional items of transaction?]

    It seemed that one could transact non-mary rewards to others¡ªprobably things such as yer items or experience points.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    [10% of 100,000,000 Dias, the Mary reward for Missiopletion, will be distributed.]

    10% of a hundred million¡ªthat came out to be ten million Dias to be transacted away.

    [Total amount of transaction: 10,000,000 Dias]

    [2,500,000 Dias were paid to yer ¡¸Babyshark¡¹.]

    [2,500,000 Dias were paid to yer ¡¸Loser¡¹.]

    [2,500,000 Dias were paid to yer ¡¸Unnie Shadow¡¹.]

    [2,500,000 Dias were paid to yer ¡¸Dongsaeng Shadow¡¹.]

    At the end of it all, Jin-Hyeok only had forty million Dias left in his possession. There was an additionalmission fee of around 20% if he were to convert the Dias into Korean won, so he had approximately 30,000,000 KRW remaining in terms of real money.

    ¡®Thirty million won is still a huge amount of money for a single payday.¡¯

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok knew that such fortunes were a rare urrence. In fact, it was so umon that it was better to treat it as something that would not be happening again.

    Seo Ji-Soo approached Jin-Hyeok with an uncharacteristically timid air about her.

    ¡°Hey¡­ oppa¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was cautious. Why was she suddenly acting so¡­ docile? It was suspicious.

    ¡°Would it be possible to work together again next time?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s with you all of a sudden? You¡¯re scaring me,¡± Jin-Hyeok responded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just been thinking, you know¡­ that it would be nice if I kept ying with you, oppa.¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo gave a cheerful smile. For some reason, she starkly reminded Jin-Hyeok of the master of capitalist smiles, Kang Mi-Na.

    It would indeed have been nice if somepetent damage dealers like the twins continued to work with him, but something about Ji-Soo was a little dodgy to Jin-Hyeok¡ªthough he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.

    ¡°The reason being?¡±

    ¡°Because it was fun working with you, oppa.¡±

    ¡°How was it fun?¡±

    ¡°I guess it felt like we had a¡­ mastermind? A captain to steer the boat? It kinda feels like you were something like that. It was such a nice and novel experience to coordinate as a team. Like a single unit.¡±

    Did she really feel all that when he wasn¡¯t even a Ruler yer? Just how low had her standards been?

    Jin-Hyeok felt that Ji-Soo should really get a chance to meet a true ruler ss yer to broaden her horizons. As far as he was concerned, if he was a run-of-the-milltte from Starbucks, a true Ruler would be a coffee made from beans straight out of heaven.

    ¡°Also,¡± Ji-Soo added, ¡°it was, like, amazing how you suddenly jumped into the fray without warning and showed us how skilled you were.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, something smells a little fishy¡­¡±

    What was even stranger was that Cha Jin-Sol also had a shining smile on her face, the likes of which Jin-Hyeok had never seen before.

    Those smiles.

    He knew it! Yes, he¡¯d seen those smiles many a time before.

    It was the smile of capitalism.

    ¡°Hey, but is it really okay for you to give me this much money?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked. There was something indescribable about the tone of her voice that unsettled Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d give me five million Dias. At this rate, you¡¯ll identally make me rich! Ha ha!¡±

    Out of all the expressions that Jin-Hyeok had ever seen Cha Jin-Sol make in his life, it was the most radiant.

    But that was strange¡ªfive million Dias? Jin-Hyeok recalled that he only given her 2.5 million.

    ¡®Oh¡ªI guess the System matches the yer¡¯s contribution.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok figured that since theirmission rates on transfers and currency conversions were so punishing, this was likely their form of a money-back policy to be a bit more fair toward recipient yers.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon tried to not to show it, but he looked considerably happy as well.

    ¡®Hey, now that I think about it,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought, ¡®it seems like five million Dias is meant to be big money at this stage.¡¯

    Judging by their levels of skill, he knew that everyone on his team would eventually reach a point where five million Dias became a trivial sum.

    ¡®They¡¯re still so pure.¡¯

    They seemed to be at a stage where they still had some innocence left in them.

    Now it was Seo Ji-Ah¡¯s turn to approach Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok never quite knew what she was thinking because she normally barely said a word¡ªbut today, she bowed deeply to him.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said in a barely audible voice. At least, that was what Jin-Hyeok guessed she had said. ¡°You did not need to give us this much.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    There was no way that Jin-Hyeok was going to tell her that that was the minimum rate he could pay her, when she was uttering those words with such a serious expression.

    ¡°Ji-Soo. Thank him properly.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, I get it, sis.¡±

    Even someone as unruly as Seo Ji-Soo caved and listened to her ¡®big¡¯ sister. Jin-Hyeok admitted it was a little cute to see someone like her bow to him so politely.

    ¡°Oppa, please give me your number.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Wait, no, not in that way! I need a way to contact you if we want to work together in the future!¡±

    A twinge of pink tinged Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your contact for any other reason, so don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡±

    ***

    Joseph was thoroughly impressed after watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stream.

    ¡®I knew it. He¡¯s not just some ordinary martial artist.¡¯

    Joseph had first thought Jin-Hyeok was a dual-ss yer, but now he realized that evaluation was wrong.

    Jin-Hyeok had to be a triple-ss yer. He had to be a Ruler as well¡ªthere was no other way to exin the level ofpetence he¡¯d disyed.

    Joseph looked towards the future with his experience garnered as a scout ss yer.

    ¡®Rulers like him will be more and more important in the future.¡¯

    Currently, they were in an era where the need to make cooperative parties for raiding Dungeons was on the rise. Joseph believed these parties would inevitably be bigger in scale over time, and inter days it would be increasingly apparent thatpetent leaders would be needed tomand the party, coordinating and uniting its members.

    ¡®And there is absolutely no doubt that Jin-Hyeok is a¡­ strategic ruler ss, Martial Artist, Streamer!''

    If Jin-Hyeok were to have heard this, he would havepletely mocked and ridiculed Joseph.

    After all, in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s view, there was no such thing as an all-powerful being in this world who could do anything and everything. Throughout his previous life, he had seen no such individual that was able to transcend across human boundaries and be a master at everything.

    ¡®He¡¯s so good at everything,¡¯ Joseph thought. ¡®That¡¯s why the stream¡¯s so satisfying to watch. There isn¡¯t a single point that¡¯s annoying or dissatisfying.¡¯

    The video was such a breath of fresh air for Joseph.

    Jin-Hyeok and his team had the monsterpletely figured out, and the blueprint to defeat it at the ready. They followed this n to a tee, slowly cornering the monster and boxing it in over time.

    It was the definition of a well-nned, well-executed Dungeon raid that was a thorough sess¡ªand through it, the enjoyment viewers could vicariously feel would be equally thorough.

    The whole entertainment factor of this Streamer¡¯s content was not to disy dangerous and desperate fights against monsters lurking in the Dungeons, but an exhibit of how to perfectly, wlessly hunt down Dungeon mobs. That was likely why Jin-Hyeok had cut out a whole chunk of the middle bit of the fight which he probably thought would be boring for viewers, heading straight to streaming the final result.

    Joseph found the whole style of presentation to be peculiarly refreshing.

    Furthermore, when the recorded version of the stream was published after the livestream was all over, Joseph discovered that all the truly exciting and important bits of the stream were edited out too, not making the final cut.

    ¡®He never showed most of the actual process of fighting Alexander. I¡¯m sure he used his excellent abilities as a Ruler to contribute to the battle after he turned his stream off.¡¯

    Joseph believed Jin-Hyeok should now be aware that people all over the world¡ªand beyond¡ªcould watch him through SSP. That should exin why he had chopped out a lot of scenes that were important for the viewer¡¯s entertainment¡ªJin-Hyeok didn¡¯t want to leak his strengths and weaknesses to the public.

    In Joseph''s eyes, Jin-Hyeok could do with some polishing when it came to being a Streamer. His ability to see the big picture and discern the trends of their time, on the other hand, were outstanding.

    ¡®I want him.¡¯

    Joseph¡¯s eyes had a glint in them.

    All things considered, it appeared that an even bigger monster than Egan Paul had entered the scene.

    ***

    Today was yet another day that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sister was acting all pouty.

    It hadn¡¯t taken all that long for the kindness and hospitality of capitalism to run dry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care whether you eat with me or not,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    She didn¡¯t seem to care in the least what time he was going toe home if he stayed outte, or indeed if he wasing home.

    To think she was the one viewer of his stream¡ªto think she was practically the only donor as well.

    It was still unbelievable.

    ¡°Do you like me or hate me?¡±

    ¡°Neither. I just decided to eat with you because I was nning to eat anyway.¡±

    That¡¯s what she said on paper¡ªyet she recited off a whole list of ces when Jin-Hyeok asked her if she knew any food joints that were good. She described the menus for some of them.

    ¡°This steakhouse does a really frickin¡¯ good pudding. Like, you have to try it at least once, got it?¡±

    Seeing her talk with her hands sped like a businessman, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure whether she was more passionate about the steak or the pudding.

    Jin-Hyeok increased the level of detail that his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight fed to him, and was met with an onught of hashtags describing her status.

    [#Serious business #This noona is for real right now #Today we feast until we regret our life choices #Till our stomachs burst]

    The constant assault of changing messages disoriented Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I gotta turn this off.¡¯

    The two decided to go to a steakhouse in Cheongdam-dong.[1]

    Jin-Hyeok was actually a bit of a foodie himself and liked to find good ces to eat. He definitely missed this after eating Korean fast food for seven long years to financially survive.

    ¡°I would never have imagined I¡¯d earn so much money while ying with you, oppa,¡± Jin-Sol said. ¡°Wait, then how much did you make?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I made an alright amount.¡±

    ¡°How much is ¡®alright¡¯?¡±

    ¡°About the same as you all.¡±

    ¡°Then next time, you don¡¯t have to give us as much.¡±

    She subtly started nagging Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest, we¡¯re not all that close with the other members. I think you gave them too much.¡±

    Wow. She could be stone-cold in the most unexpected of areas.

    That said, though, Jin-Hyeok thought it was still a bit iffy to tell her that he set the distribution rate to the bare minimum anyway, so he just sat there listening and saying nothing.

    However, he was a little curious about what was going on in her head.

    He took another little peek with Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [#Mountain of worries #The bigger sibling at heart #I¡¯ll be the one to protect my big bro¡¯s money #Reloading another round of nagging]

    A wave of tiredness suddenly washed over Jin-Hyeok like an ocean tide. She was chipping away at his psyche more intensely than any monster he had ever encountered.

    ¡°Hey, looks like the next course is the pudding,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes sparkled. Jin-Hyeok wondered just how good the pudding was to be able to elicit such a reaction out of his sister.

    Finally, the fabled pudding came out.

    But it was at that moment that a massive ruckus began near the entrance of the restaurant.

    ¡°Everyone, get DOWN!¡±

    Five robbers had entered the establishment.

    ¡®Again?¡¯

    These days, there was a massive upsurge of robberies just like this one.

    There was an outpouring of not only knife-rted incidents in broad daylight, but magic-rted ones too. There were hundreds of new cases of yer-rted crimes urring every day.

    Not only that, but it was reported in the news that the number of crime-rted deaths every day was over ten. This was a substantial number: about the same as the number of vehicle-rted idents that happened daily.

    ¡®It¡¯s not that surprising, though. Most of the yer-rted crimes have been concentrated in areas that are densely popted by yers, like the capital area.¡¯

    There were also quite a few crazy individuals who acted as if thew no longer existed.

    The government was doing what was within its means to establish countermeasures, but it was going to be a long time before things truly became safe and stable again. Meanwhile, ordinary non-yer people tried to maintain as normal a life as possible, hoping they wouldn¡¯t be caught in such an incident in the same way one would hope they weren¡¯t caught up in a car ident.

    Jin-Hyeok calmly scooped some of the dessert pudding they had just received and tasted a spoonful.

    Now he knew why Cha Jin-Sol had been dead serious about this pudding.

    ¡®Wow. Okay, this is he good.¡¯

    The junk food he¡¯d eaten for seven years and this pudding couldn¡¯t even be in the same conversation. There was noparison.

    Nom, nom¡­

    Hang on.

    One of the five robbers who had entered the restaurant seemed to ring a bell for Jin-Hyeok. Why was a robber ringing a bell?

    ¡®Wait, what? Why on earth is he over there?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was staring at the nerve-racked guy at the very back of the 5-man robber group.

    There was no way Jin-Hyeok, or anyone else for that matter, wouldn¡¯t notice him, for he stood at least three heads taller than everyone else.

    In truth, he was a very warm and lovable guy¡ªa bit of a big friendly giant¡ªbut you couldn¡¯t find a more rugged face anywhere.

    It was one of Jin-Hyeok¡¯srades from his past life.

    Standing at the back was the Martial King, Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡®What the heck have you got yourself into?¡¯

    1. A ward in Gangnam-gu, i.e. Gangnam District, in Seoul, South Korea. ?

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    The person in the whole wide world least suited to robbery¡­ was conducting a robbery right before Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    This was a person who stayed far away from petite and cute creatures like puppies and hatchlings. Jin-Hyeok asked Kim Jeong-Hyeon once why that was the case. With an expression that could not possibly have been anything but one filled with worry, he had replied:

    ¡°What if I identally make them explode?:

    Other than when he had to fight, asions where he resorted to violence were very far and few between. Even when someone teased, taunted, or picked a fight with him, he would simply reply with something along the lines of, ¡®Oh¡­ sorry¡­ it¡¯s probably my fault¡­¡¯ which served to irritate people to no end.

    ¡®Wow, I mean, seriously¡­ what is he doing?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had to admit he was concerned. This was a friend he had gone through thick and thin with for many years, including some of the toughest hardships. All the good and the bad.

    However, he knew that the Kim Jeong-Hyeon of then and the Kim Jeong-Hyeon of now were not the same person¡ªjust as how the Jin-Hyeok of then and the Jin-Hyeok of now were different.

    If the future unfolded the same way as it did in his previous life, this man would be the Martial King of Korea, the king of the fist, and a Hero who served the country and the people.

    It was worth noting that Jeong-Hyeon had found such a life to be immensely fulfilling.

    ¡°Hey, oppa? Oppa. Quick, get down,¡± Cha Jin-Sol urged Jin-Hyeok from under the table. He had no idea when exactly she decided to crawl under there, but she kept poking Jin-Hyeok in the knee.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear them tell everyone to get down?¡±

    As much as Jin-Hyeok knew it wasn¡¯t the right reaction, he couldn¡¯t help but have his pride be threatened at the notion of acquiescing in a situation like this. Why did he need to get down when he was stronger than them?

    ¡°If they¡¯re here for money, there¡¯s no reason for them to harass us, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, for¡ª... hey, oppa. Look. It doesn¡¯t hurt to be on the safe side, does it?¡±

    ¡°The ones we really need to watch out for would be targeting ces like bank vaults or police stations anyway.¡±

    As far as Jin-Hyeok was concerned, these guys were just petty crooks and there was no need to pay them much attention.

    Jin-Hyeok thought that if he had to spend all his time worrying over chumps like that, he might as well starve to death because he would never have the chance to even eat properly¡ªlike right now. He deserved this meal.

    Having fought against powerful assassins¡ªwhich these crooks didn''t even hold a candle to¡ªevery day in his previous life, it was hard for him to feel scared right now.

    Nom nom.

    This pudding was really good.

    ¡°Hey, you.¡±

    The short one out of the robbers slowly walked toward Jin-Hyeok. It appeared he was the leader of this group of five. Jin-Hyeok decided to call him Yellow Boy, because his hair was dyed a bright yellow.

    ¡°Yo. Did you not hear me?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    It would have been nice if this robber would just stop bothering him.

    ¡°I fuckin¡¯ told you to put your hands behind your back and get down.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok put another spoonful of pudding in his mouth. The pudding was great, for sure.

    Yellow Boy pointed a short spear close to Jin-Hyeok''s face. It seemed Yellow Boy did not have any manners at all.

    Perhaps he had never heard the saying that even dogs shouldn¡¯t be bothered when they¡¯re eating.

    ¡°If you came here to steal money, just get your money and piss off.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you say to me? Is this son of a bitch crazy?¡±

    With an expression of anger, Yellow Boy picked up a ss cup that was on the table. It seemed that he was aiming to smash Jin-Hyeok on the head with it.

    What an odd individual this was. He literally had a short spear in his hand, but he went out of his way to pick up the cup to use as a weapon for whatever reason.

    Yellow Boy raised the ss.

    Jin-Hyeok merely shifted himself slightly to avoid the cup that wasing down.

    CRACK!

    ¡®Oh, my.¡¯

    It seemed the robber had swung a bit too hard, because he lost grip of the cup mid-swing and it flew for a bit before it shattered upon contact with the floor.

    ¡®Hm, I could have just let it hit me, now that I think about it.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok had dodged out of habit, but he would have been fine if he just used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡°Alright, you tried to hit me first.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out his dagger and stabbed Yellow Boy in the chest.

    ¡®Oops, that was close.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok nearly went straight for the heart out of habit. He redirected his stab at thest second to avoid the heart.

    He nearly killed a man in the same satisfying, clean manner he killed Dungeon monsters. Truly, habits were a scary thing. There was no need to unnecessarily kill a man at a dinner table with his sister.

    In the future, of course, killing someone out of self-defense in a situation like this would not be an excessive precaution, but in these times, he had to act differently¡ªwhich Jin-Hyeok found understandable. When in Rome, you had to do as the Romans did.

    Jin-Hyeok believed he was adjusting well to this society of the past.

    ¡°AHHHHHHH!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Why was Yellow Boy being so dramatic over a mere flesh wound? It wasn¡¯t like it was a fatal injury. The stab wasn¡¯t even that deep.

    ¡°You crazy bastard!¡±

    One of therger robbers who had hair of the same color¡ªa Big Yellow Boy¡ªcame running at Jin-Hyeok. This one used a normal-length spear as his weapon of choice.

    In the chaos, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pudding fell to the ground.

    Now, this was stepping over the line.

    ¡°I was eating this pudding. How could you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok ducked to avoid the spear and stabbed Big Yellow Boy on the top side of his foot. He pulled his dagger out and made sure to stab the other foot as well.

    With just these two injuries, Big Yellow Boy let go of his spear and rolled around the floor in pain. What a wuss.

    ¡®Really? He¡¯s hurting that much over that?¡¯

    This might as well have been a mosquito bite back in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s day. Jin-Hyeok was concerned about how such a frail person was going to survive this harsh new world.

    Jin-Hyeok faced the one with ck hair¡ªnow to be called ck Boy in his head.

    ¡°You better hurry up and go get them treated. They won¡¯t die, at least.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Quick, buzz off. I didn¡¯t kill them ¡®cause I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡±

    God damn it.

    Jin-Hyeok had tried his best to ignore the elephant in the room, but it was just not possible.

    He approached Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°U-uh, I¡¯m¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, why is a robber like you so timid? Got anything to say?¡±

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon shrunk back until he was stuck against the wall.

    Though it appeared from the outside that he was just very cowardly, Jin-Hyeok knew Jeong-Hyeon wasn¡¯t someone that was frightened by a bit of blood.

    ¡®He¡¯s like that because he knows what he¡¯s doing is wrong.¡¯

    The Jeong-Hyeon whom Jin-Hyeok knew had a solid conscience, and lost all confidence just like now when he was made to do what he thought was wrong.

    In fact, whenever their activities required them to do something icky, Jin-Hyeok and his team had to take into consideration the fact that this straightced man was going to be stunted inbat since he was a lot less willing.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.¡¯

    [LV21/ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong/Sessor of Jang Kang-Cheol/Skills/¡ª][1]

    He had the same Job that he did in the past.

    By the artificially created lore of the System, Jang Kang-Cheol was a great grandmaster of martial arts. The number of individuals in the whole world who were bestowed the Job of ¡®Sessor of Jang Kang-Cheol¡¯ were very few.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon was the man who became South Korea¡¯s Martial King by training and refining his Job to the furthest limits it could possibly reach.

    ¡®Why is his Level so low? And why hasn¡¯t he obtained a single Achievement?¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s rate of growth was way lower than Jin-Hyeok had expected. He amplified his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight to glean some hints.

    [#I¡¯m human trash, but #I need the money]

    ¡®He needs the money?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried to remember anything from his past life, but there was nothing concrete that could exin why on earth Jeong-Hyeon was in this predicament.

    Even back then, Kim Jeong-Hyeon hadn¡¯t talked about his past very much. What little he revealed every now and then suggested he came from a rather underprivileged family background.

    Out of what he revealed, one thing that was of note was that he said there was a time when his mother was very sick¡ªbut Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know the details.

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s very close with the dyed-hair boys, either.¡¯

    They didn¡¯t really seem like truepanions of his.

    Then there could only be one answer.

    ¡°Did youe to some kind of agreement with these guys?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew there was no way small-time crooks like these would have promised to give any significant sum of money to Jeong-Hyeon.

    It was almostughable how the Martial King, one who was unrivaled in the ways of the fist in all thend, was rolling around in the mud like this to make a couple bucks.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a surge of anger rise within him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t im I know what you¡¯re going through¡ªbut couldn¡¯t you make money through a more normal method? Don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯re wasting that physique of yours?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    As always, he was a profuse apologizer.

    ¡°It¡¯s not me you should be sorry to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.... A-actually, I¡­ needed the money really urgently¡­¡±

    As always, Kim Jeong-Hyeon was a very slow speaker. Listening to him drawl on was like listening to a sloth that could talk.

    ¡°Look, there are things people should do and shouldn¡¯t do. Get a grip, you dunce.¡±

    This was something Jeong-Hyeon would normally say to him.

    Like the moralist that he was, Jeong-Hyeon would often lecture Jin-Hyeok whenever he was up to something that was no good, saying, ¡®... There are things¡­ people should do¡­ and shouldn¡¯t do¡­¡¯ in that slow drawl of his. Jin-Hyeok rather liked that, actually.

    Someone behind Jin-Hyeok suddenly chirped up.

    ¡°Yo! What the heck are you doing? If I gave you my damn money, you better do your money¡¯s worth!¡±

    The one shouting was Yellow Boy¡ªthe short one. It appeared that the ck-haired robber was a healer. It was guaranteed, then, that the injured robbers weren¡¯t at risk of death.

    ¡°Do your job and kill that bastard! Quick!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°D¡¯you want to pay ten times your fee for breaching our agreement? Huh?!¡±

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon twitched at the threat.

    Jin-Hyeok stared at Jeong-Hyeon with wonder. The Jeong-Hyeon of his past life would never have been perturbed over money like this.

    [#I hate myself, but still #I need to uphold the agreement #Feeling suicidal]

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon clenched his teeth, and swung a fist at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Yes, fuck yeah! Kill him!¡± Yellow Boy shouted gleefully.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t bother to avoid the punch.

    Not only did Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s punches possess incredible power, but the scary part was that he followed it through with an endlessbination of consecutive hits. It was better to receive the first attack head-on in order to break his tempo.

    ¡®And physical strikes that are from someone under Level 50 can¡¯t hurt me anyway.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok calmly observed the movements of the low-Level version of Jeong-Hyeon.

    He sensed a unique opportunity taking shape. yers with as much potential as Jeong-Hyeon were hard toe by.

    ¡®Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.¡¯

    THUMP!

    An explosive sound boomed across the restaurant.

    THUMP! THUMP!

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon continued to pummel at the shield rapidly, swiveling his hips. The strikes were hard to predict as he deliberately varied his rhythm.

    Even for Jin-Hyeok, it would not have been easy to evade these attacks or parry them head-on. That was irrelevant, though, because Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t intending to even try and predict Jeong-Hyeon''s movements.

    ¡®Wow, I actually might not have been unscathed if my barrier didn¡¯t nullify his attacks.¡¯

    The attack had considerable destructive power for a Level 21. It was indeed truly second to none.

    ¡®Yes. I knew you wouldn¡¯t disappoint me.¡¯

    This was more like it.

    Truth be told, yers of this caliber were a dime a dozen in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous lifetime, existing all around him. Every second person he fought could at least do this much.

    That said¡­ this was exciting.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to go easy either, you know.¡±

    The moment Jin-Hyeok saw an opening, he took it to ruthlessly stab Jeong-Hyeon in the side with his dagger.

    Shuk!

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s flesh felt rather dense. Despite not having used any defensive Skills, Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s body itself was quite tough. Jin-Hyeok might not have been even able to prate his skin if they had been the same Level.

    ¡®Wow, that¡¯s solid.¡¯

    Whoosh!

    Unlike the Yellow Boys, Jeong-Hyeon didn¡¯t cease his attack after being prated in his nk. The grit he disyed was on a different level.

    However, his subsequent movements were wide enough for Jin-Hyeok to dodge easily.

    ¡®Oh, right, there¡¯s no need for me to dodge.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok reminded himself¡ªwhile dodging a swing at the same time.

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed Jeong-Hyeon in his opposite nk.

    Shuk!

    He quickly pulled the dagger out, and pivoted his angle of attack to stab Jeong-Hyeon in the vicinity of his trapezius muscles. It was hard to execute his attacks properly because Jeong-Hyeon was so tall.

    When Jin-Hyeok had leaped in for the second stab, Jeong-Hyeon took the opportunity to grab him into a bear hug.

    ¡®Oh. He got me.¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon began to squeeze Jin-Hyeok with all his might.

    ¡®Hmm. He¡¯s pretty strong, for sure.¡¯

    This would have been enough to crush the ribcage of any normal yer like cracking open a walnut.

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier had been upgraded to nullify all physical attacks below the Level of 50. Jeong-Hyeon squeezed so hard that his veins bulged and his face turned red, but it was of no use¡ªhe only drained himself of his energy.

    ¡®Should I deactivate that upgrade and fight¡­?¡¯

    Yes, that would make for a much more interesting battle. This was much too boring.

    ¡®Wait, no. That¡¯s not right.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok berated himself. He was going to see through this fight in the safest, lowest risk manner possible, and then he was going to go back to the pudding. That was that.

    This time, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sensible side won the inner battle. That was a close one.

    ¡®Looks like he¡¯s slowly losing his grip strength.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wiggled his right arm free.

    ¡°Hey. Your eyes are unprotected.¡±

    With the dagger clutched in his right hand, Jin-Hyeok went straight for Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s eye.

    Puk!

    The dagger was buried firmly in Jeong-Hyeon''s eye.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon lost consciousness and copsed from the shock. For a moment there, Jin-Hyeok was worried Jeong-Hyeon would keep going even after that.

    ¡°Hey, you. Yellow Boy.¡±

    Yellow Boy was startled.

    ¡°You got any money?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, I do!¡±

    ¡°Gimme.¡±

    The man ran to him and frantically gave all the cash he had.

    This was the way it should be. The most deserved form of karma for robbers was to be robbed themselves.

    Jin-Hyeok tossed the money on Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s massive chest.

    ¡°Uh, excuse me¡­ a-am I free to go now?¡±

    ¡°Go.¡±

    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, no. Stop.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    ¡°Go to the counter and order a pudding for me. Wait, two puddings. No, wait, three. I didn¡¯t get to have mine ¡®cause of you. Make sure you pay for it.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Understood.¡±

    Yellow Boy went to the counter and ordered two puddings, ensuring he paid for both.

    ¡°Alright, you can go now.¡±

    The robber bolted out.

    Jin-Hyeok waited silently.

    ¡®When is he going to wake up?¡¯

    It seemed he was going to need to have a deep conversation with Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Jin-Sol, heal his eye a bit for me. You don¡¯t need to worry about being precise¡ªhe can take a lot of punishment, so it shouldn¡¯t take long for his eye to get better even if you did a sloppy job.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok expected, Jeong-Hyeon was incredibly receptive to healing. It was a short while before his eye was fully treated, and the bleeding on his sides came to a stop and also had its flesh regenerated. Jin-Hyeok believed it shouldn¡¯t take long for his eyesight to return to normal as well.

    Before long, Jeong-Hyeon stirred to consciousness.

    It seemed the vision in his right eye hadn¡¯t been restored yet because the eye didn¡¯t look focused, but Jeong-Hyeon was rather calm.

    ¡°Hey, big guy.¡±

    There was a question Jin-Hyeok had been waiting to ask.

    ¡°Your eye¡ªwhy did you give it to me on purpose at the end? You knew it was wide open.¡±

    1. The name ¡®Kang-Cheol¡¯ is meant to be a little corny, as Kang-Cheol is a homophone of the Korean word for ¡®steel¡¯ (assuming his name doesn¡¯t literally mean steel). Fun side note: Kang-Cheol¡¯s surname, Jang, is historically the Korean equivalent of the Chinese surname Zhang. ?

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    ¡°...¡±

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon did not answer. In fact, Cha Jin-Hyeok did not expect one from him.

    ¡®His stubborn personality seems to remain unchanged, whether it is in the past or now.¡¯

    Although it was frustrating, it was good news that he was still predictable. To Jin-Hyeok, it was like meeting the Kim Jeong-Hyeon he''d always known.

    ¡®Well¡­ It¡¯s probably because of his clumsy sense of justice.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could vaguely picture the situation. He was probably lured into joining the party by the ¡®high-paying part-time¡¯ aspect of the job. He was a pretty intimidating guy just by his presence, so he had to have been a good hire for the dyed-haired boys. He was a quirky guy, so if the party wanted to, they could me him for any problems.

    ¡®And he has already signed the contract, so I doubt he can run away from them.¡¯

    ¡°Well, what can I do? I guess it¡¯s good either way.¡±

    There was no fear in Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s eyes. To be able to maintain that kind ofposure after being stabbed in the eye just moments before was something he had never seen before. It did not matter how good one¡¯s physical attributes were, if one could not ovee that kind of fear and pain, one could not be a Ranker.

    In that sense, Jeong-Hyeon was a customized talent with both tremendous physical and mental strength.

    ¡°You must have been in a big hurry for money. Tell me what that is,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡­ have no reason to tell you.¡±

    ¡°I guess you are not in such a big hurry after all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked over to the counter, borrowed a ballpoint pen, and scribbled a number on a napkin.

    ¡°If you ever want to make money the legal, normal way. Just call me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am a streamer, and I am just offering this because I think we could create some interesting content together.¡±

    The choice was up to Jeong-Hyeon.

    Jin-Hyeok sat back down at his table.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s eat the pudding.¡±

    ¡°Oppa, how can you eat the pudding in a situation like this?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna eat it, I will.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    When he tried to take her pudding, she guarded it with her life.

    ¡°I knew this was going to happen.¡±

    Munch. Munch. Munch.

    The pudding that Yellow Boy bought for him was delicious.

    After all, everything tastes better when someone else pays for it.

    ? ? ?

    A week had passed since Jin-Hyeok had met with Jeong-Hyeon, and Jeong-Hyeon eventually reached out to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I¡­ I would like¡­ for us to work together,¡± Jeong-Hyeon said.

    ¡°If you want to work with me, you need to talk faster than that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I will try my best.¡±

    ¡®Wow. That is a lot of progress.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok remembered how Jeong-Hyeon used to talk. It used to be, ¡°This¡­ is an¡­ individual¡¯s right¡­ and freedom¡­ that should be¡­ respected. I¡­ do not want you to¡­ infringe on my rights, my friend,¡± and it drove Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok thought he was going to die of frustration. It was a good thing that Jeong-Hyeon was going to try his best.

    Finally, the contract with Jeong-Hyeon was a sess.

    ¡°First, I am giving you twenty million won in advance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok put the amount he just told Jeong-Hyeon into Jeong-Hyeon''s ount.

    ¡°Thank¡­ you. How¡­ can I¡­ repay this¡­ favor?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you to speak faster?¡±

    ¡°How¡­ can I repay this favor?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had heard that Jeong-Hyeon''s mother needed about twenty million won for her treatment. If it was just a physical injury, Jin-Sol would have been able to treat her, but her illness was much moreplicated than that.

    ¡°You will be paid for appearing in my content, and if you do not like it after a few times, you can find another path in your career.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­ are you this nice¡­ to me? Why are you giving me¡­ such a great offer?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that great of an offer.¡±

    If he could get Jeong-Hyeon for a mere twenty million won upfront, it was a great business. At least Jin-Hyeok thought so.

    ¡°But, I am going to get as much as I can from you, so I need you to make sure you try your best when creating content.¡±

    ¡°I promise¡­ I will.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not write any contract. It was not like Jeong-Hyeon was going to run off with the twenty million won, and even if he did, Jin-Hyeok would easily catch him and kick his ass.

    Without even a working conference room in his name, Jin-Hyeok gathered the people who were going to work with him¡ªMok Jae-Hyeon, Cha Jin-Sol, and the Seo sisters. The Seo sisters had be more active after ying with Jin-Hyeokst time. They said they had been ying separately for the past week, but they did not feel as much joy as when they yed with him.

    ¡°We also did not make as much money as when we yed with you.¡±

    After experiencing the taste of money, Ji-Soo became more agreeable.

    ¡°Never leave me,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°We are in this together. Forever.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swore he saw a little bit of madness in her eyes, but he pretended not to notice. After all, it was good for him that she was so enthusiastic about being in his content.

    ¡°The Seo sisters¡¯ attacks are strong, but they specialize in surprise attacks, which means once their attacks are exposed, their power is halved.¡±

    ¡®Wait,e to think of it, Ji-Soo stopped using honorifics when speaking to me.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not find it particrly annoying, so he decided to let it go.

    ¡°Once our attack is exposed, the power is halved?¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°You know I¡¯m right.¡±

    Ji-Soo pouted her lips slightly. It looked like her pride was slightly bruised by his words.

    ¡°You could have said that a good surprise attack can increase our chance ofnding a critical hit on an opponent, which is basically the same thing anyway.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I guess you are right.¡±

    Making eye contact with Jin-Hyeok, Ji-Soo blushed slightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m notining¡­ I¡¯m just saying you could¡¯ve said it in a nicer way,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    In any case, Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s arrival on the team was a good thing for them. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s n was to keep him with them until about Level 60 or 70. He had too much talent and potential to stay in the team forever. Jin-Hyeok thought it would be wise to take advantage of each other until then, and go their separate ways afterward.

    Ji-Ah, who was usually quiet, spoke up, ¡°So, where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Our next destination is the Bupyeong Station Dungeon.¡±

    At Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words, Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°That Dungeon is known to be the worst Tutorial Dungeon, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He was right. The Bupyeong Station Dungeon was considered the worst Tutorial Dungeon. However, the important thing to note here was not the word ¡®worst,¡¯ but ¡®Tutorial.¡¯ Even if it was the worst one, it was still a Tutorial Dungeon.

    ¡®And I have information about the hidden Achievement, which will make the Dungeon easier.¡¯

    It was always fun to find hidden secrets in the Dungeon. Of course, it was fun because of the amount of content that could be created with them. There was no longer a Cha Jin-Hyeok who enjoyed the hidden secret itself¡ªor the Dungeon itself.

    He kept reminding himself not to forget that.

    ¡®Since it¡¯s known as the worst Tutorial Dungeon ever, it¡¯s good for the content.¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We are going to that Dungeon. I think we could make a pretty good Eltube video from there.¡±

    He also realized he could get the Achievement of being the first to obtain the hidden Achievement for that Dungeon.

    ¡®Oh, Ipletely forgot about that. Damn it, I almost got excited again. What the hell am I supposed to do to not get excited about this Achievement? Can I even fix this?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did a lot of mind control, but he honestly did not know if he could stop himself from being like this. In the end, rather than finding the means to control himself from being excited, he instead desperately tried to find a more justifiable reason for his excitement.

    ¡®Wait. If I do this, I can make three hundred million Dias, right? Yes, That¡¯s right. A whopping three hundred million Dias. That should be enough reason to get me excited.¡¯

    He was happy that he could finally find justification(?) for his excitement.

    ¡°We are going to leave tomorrow, so make sure you are well-rested at home.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok tried to be with his family, at least for the dinners. As he ate his parents¡¯ home-cooked meal, he felt unnecessarily emotional again.

    ¡°I am going to buy you two a car.¡±

    His mom and dad thought he was joking andughed as they told him the name of arge sedan from a certain brand. They said it was the best sedan when it came to domestic brands.

    ¡®I¡¯m not joking, though¡­ I am sure they will be very surprised when I bring it to themter.¡¯

    Thinking about it made him feel good.

    That night, Jin-Sol came to his room.

    ¡°Oppa, is it going to take long to clear the Bupyeong Station Dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Hm... I dunno. It¡¯s my first time going there. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to know because I need to tell mypany how many days I am going to be away.¡±

    ¡®Oh, right. I totally forgot for a moment that she was an office worker.¡¯

    However, for some reason, she kept getting more serious.

    ¡°Oppa.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with that serious tone?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I should quit my job?¡±

    ¡°If you want to.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    His answer caught her off guard, and her eyes widened.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop me?¡±

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not care what she did for a living or how she did it. He was going to make a lot of money anyway, and she could just do whatever she wanted to do.

    ¡°People told me that I¡¯m crazy for even thinking about quitting this amazing job. They told me that I shouldn¡¯t quit.¡±

    [#Faint expectation #Tell me to quit #Please understand my feelings #But we are blood rtives #It¡¯s not going to work]

    Something about thest one was bugging him, but he couldn¡¯t say anything about it. It looked like she wanted someone to tell her that it was okay for her to quit her job. Anyway, he decided what he wanted to say regardless of the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. Do what you want to do.¡±

    ¡°...Really? I can quit my job?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why are you saying that?¡±

    ¡°There is no reason for me to not say it.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s a greatpany, and maybe I will never get another job at a simr level.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then how am I supposed to make a living?¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of ways to make a living. The real question you need to be asking yourself is, what do you really want to do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... I¡¯ve been thinking about it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re telling me this, doesn¡¯t that mean that you¡¯re leaning more toward quitting your job?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then quit.¡±

    [#My own brother? #This is the first time anyone has ever cared about me #Can I thank him a little?]

    ¡°Really? I can quit my job? Aren¡¯t you going to nag me to think more carefully, or something?¡± Jin-Sol asked again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you thought about this long and hard before telling me.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    After hearing his words, Jin-Sol seemed a little touched. She said something about this being the first time she had ever had someone around her who understood her feelings. Jin-Hyeok felt proud that he could act as her Oppa for a change, but he was also embarrassed because this was the first time he had done something like this.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t ask me to lend you money,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡®I¡¯m not going to lend you money. I am just going to give it to you.¡¯

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Jin-Sol jumped to her feet.

    ¡®Whew. This heartwarming ambiance is finally broken. The awkwardness was killing me.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, by the way, how did you set up your items?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    It seemed like she tried her best to prepare for the worst Tutorial Dungeon. However, when he saw how she did it, he frowned.

    ¡°You call this setting up?¡±

    ¡°Why? Why? I thought I did a good job.¡±

    ¡°A good job? Are you serious right now?¡±

    ¡°...Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡®I guess this is a good time to teach her a lesson.¡¯

    [I am going to teach my younger sister a lesson.]

    He realized this could be great content for his channel, so he started his livestream.

    ¡°I am going to ask you. Why did you put most of your resources into defensive items? It¡¯s probably a stupid reason anyway,¡± Jin-Hyeok asked his sister while starting his livestream. ¡°Why would you buy defensive items? A healer dies in one hit anyway.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Oppa, do you even read articles on the inte?¡±

    It seemed like she was talking about various websites spreading information about how to properly train each ss.

    ¡°Did those articles tell you that Priests need a lot of defensive items?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because Priests have very weak defensive stats.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s the point. Why would you increase your defense when it¡¯s already weak?¡±

    Even though he was asking Jin-Sol, he was actually talking to the viewers. Most of the viewers who were watching this new server were old-time yers. They would be well aware that the current strategies for each ss on this were wrong.

    ¡®With this livestream, I think I can scratch their itch.¡¯

    At this moment, they were in the Tutorial phase, so if a Priest invested their resources into their defense, they could survive. However,ter on, most of them would die in one hit from the enemy.

    One hit, and they were dead.

    It was not about how well they could defend themselves, but how well they could dodge enemies¡¯ attacks, and how well they were protected by their teammates.

    ¡°My defense is weak, so I improved my defense! Is that so wrong?¡± Jin-Sol said in frustration.

    As her Oppa, he decided to give her a lesson. He was not sure how much the viewers would like it because it was so obvious, but he still did it anyway.

    ¡°Do you think the Tutorial Field willst forever?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Do you think there is any other ce where you can experience death as freely as you can there? In the Tutorial Field, you need to take as many hits and die as many times as possible. And survive as long as you can. That¡¯s the entire reason why there is even the Tutorial Field in the first ce. To let you experience this kind of stuff. Why the hell would you increase your defense just to survive the Tutorial Field?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not noticed, but the Likes were starting to increase rapidly.

    He had no idea that this video would be so famous.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    ¡®I have died more times than I can count.¡¯

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had died more than a dozen times in the Tutorial Dungeon at Level 5 before his regression. ¡®How can I not die?¡¯ was never a consideration in his mind. He knew he was going to die many times, so what he tried to figure out was how to make it less painful.

    ¡®In hindsight, I was probably a crazy person.¡¯

    In any case, he learned a lot from his many deaths. He got used to the pain and even acquired a Trait called ¡®Death Immunity.¡¯ This Trait was only avable in the Tutorial Field during the Open Beta.

    ¡°You know, I think there are things you can only learn in times like this, like how to detect really dangerous attacks, and how to fail and die. You need to go through a lot of trial and error, with no help from your items. How long do you think relying on armor is going to work?¡±

    The number of Likes continued to rise rapidly. It was unprecedentedly fast. The name ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯ became trending on Nerver, which was the System¡¯s biggest onlinemunity.

    -He hit the nail on the head with that statement.

    ©¸ I feel so much better now.

    ©¸ I heard there were ridiculous strategies spreading across Earth.

    ©¸ I wish there were more Chul-Soos out there.

    It was a refreshing livestream for the viewers.

    -How is that newbie talking like he is an old-time yer?

    ©¸ That¡¯s how good he is. Haha.

    ©¸ Don¡¯t you guys think he is a regressor? I heard regression is a bug.

    ©¸ I bet you¡¯re one of those idiots who type stupid shit without even watching his old videos.

    ©¸ What¡¯s with the hate? Shut the hell up.

    ©¸ Your face is ugly.

    -Guys, stop fighting. Chul-Soo had already confirmed that he is not a regressor in one of his old videos.

    Chul-Soo showed great insight and made the viewers feel relieved. The fact that he was only a low-Level Open Beta yer had themunity buzzing. This was an insight that a low-Level yer could not possibly have.

    ¡°What about you, Oppa?¡± Cha Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°By the same logic, shouldn¡¯t you also grow without the help from the items?¡±

    That statement startled Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Wait,e to think of it, in the world of academia, you always need to prepare and review.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought that if he repeated the experience once again, he might get a new experience.

    ¡®That sounds exciting¡ªNo, no!¡¯

    He knew he shouldn¡¯t even start feeling this way.

    It was like smoking. Once you started, it was hard to stop.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t even start at all.¡¯

    He made up his mind and told his sister about his reasons.

    ¡°I am a Streamer, I do not need that kind of learning.¡±

    ¡°Did you just flinch?¡±

    ¡°Did I? I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I swear you just flinched. Like you were surprised or something.¡±

    She was right. He did flinch. However, it was for apletely different reason than she thought.

    ¡°Streamers are different. They do not have to die.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so different about them? Don¡¯t you learn a lot from dying too?¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s exactly what I am afraid of.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not say that out loud.

    ¡°Well, Healers are actually in battles, and Streamers just watch from the back,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, and I really don¡¯t care if you are convinced or not.¡±

    The brother and sister bickered for a while, then got back to the point.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me not to wear armor?¡± Jin-Sol asked again.

    ¡°Yes. Healers are supposed to heal people, not focus on defense. Get an item that increases your healing abilities. Also, since stamina is important for Healers, you should equip items that increase your stamina.¡±

    ¡°But that is different from what other people are saying around the world¡­¡± Jin-Sol sounded slightly dissatisfied.

    ¡°That¡¯s because the entire world is fucking stupid.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°How can idiotse up with good strategies? They can¡¯t.¡±

    There was another spike in his number of Likes. It was almost as high as the number of viewers.

    ? ? ?

    Joseph received a new notification on his cell phone.

    [I am about to enter the Bupyeong Station Dungeon.]

    He immediately tuned into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    ¡®Wait, he¡¯s just going to start his livestream like this?¡¯

    Joseph could not understand. Usually, Streamers had a warm-up period before they started streaming. It wasmon for Streamers to notify their viewers and wait for them so that they could get a decent number of viewers to tune in.

    ¡®He didn¡¯t even show any opening ads or any attention-grabbing thumbnails.¡¯

    Heck, even television shows and movies would use trailers to build interest.

    ¡®And there is still no audience interaction.¡¯

    What Joseph saw from his phone was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team entering the Bupyeong Station Dungeon. He did not tell the viewers how the team got together, what they were going to do, or how they were going to clear the Dungeon. He just started his livestream.

    Joseph could never get used to this kind of livestream.

    ¡®He even started his livestream after killing some of the monsters!¡¯

    Chul-Soo¡¯s teammates looked exhausted. They all looked very tired.

    Joseph heard Chul-Soo¡¯s voice.

    ¡°This will probably be the first death.¡±

    Thud!

    Arge fist of a monster mmed into Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s temple.

    ¡°The Shadow Executioner is dead.¡±

    It was a huge monster, over two meters tall. Its name was Brass Golem.

    ¡°Now Ji-Ah is also dead.¡±

    Soon after¡­

    ¡°Jin-Sol is also dead. Jeong-Hyeon and Jae-Hyeon are holding on, but they are struggling.¡±

    Eventually, both Kim Jeong-Hyeon and Mok Jae-Hyeon were also killed.

    ¡°With that, everyone on my team is wiped out except for me. The Brass Golems are stronger than I thought. This Dungeon has a setting where the difficulty is very high, but the revival timer is only thirty minutes. We are going to take a break and I will see you guys back in thirty minutes.¡±

    It was the kind of livestream that only showed results and not the process.

    Joseph looked back at his phone several times in disbelief, but the livestream had indeed been turned off just like Chul-Soo had said.

    ¡®What the hell is he doing?¡¯

    All he saw was the appearance of giant monsters called the Brass Golems and the annihtion of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team.

    The livestream onlysted about ten minutes.

    ¡®The livestream time, iing viewership, and attention are essentially money and experience points for Streamers.¡¯

    Egan Paul normally studied all of these things thoroughly before starting his livestream. He even would use big data and numerous psychological theories.

    However, Jin-Hyeok did not seem interested in any of that.

    ¡®What if he is alone? What then?¡¯

    Joseph could only shake his head, not realizing that Jin-Hyeok was using the ¡®All-Clear¡¯ Achievement.

    Half an hourter, the livestream came back on.

    From Joseph¡¯s point of view, Jin-Hyeok seemed unaffected.

    ¡°This is our fourth time, and I am afraid you guys might get bored if you watch the same thing over and over again, but the team members are so weak that I can¡¯t help it. As you guys can see, this content is about the growth of the weak yers, so I hope you guys will understand.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok did not see this oneing either.

    ¡®My team members are too weak. I was going to fight the monsters moderately and then pretend to struggle and find the hidden task and get my three hundred million Dias.¡¯

    The Brass Golem was a Tutorial-Level monster with an average Level of 29. It had very high defensive stats and did not get tired. If yers did not take advantage of its weakness, which was its Core, it could be very difficult to defeat the monsters. On the other hand, it was an easy monster to deal with if the yers focused on its Core.

    ¡®I already taught them that the glowing little stone on its chest is its weakness¡­¡¯

    He could not believe that they were this underwhelming even after he gave them the answer.

    However, they had their own excuses. In their defense, Brass Golems usually walked around in packs of five or six. His team had never faced that many at once before, so they could not adapt easily.

    ¡®They¡¯ve already died three times.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had not been able to get a good clip for his livestream for nearly two hours.

    He wanted his weak team members who could not do anything to be strong and fight the monsters impressively. After fighting hard like that, he would find the hidden task and get the Achievement for being the first to clear this Tutorial Dungeon.

    That was the flow of the content he had envisioned. However, it seemed like it would take too long to reach that point, so Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to keep ending his livestream.

    ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon was doing a good job, but he could not do this alone.

    ¡®I need to think of another n.¡¯

    The problem was that five or six of the monsters were swarming at once. It would be a lot better if there were only two or three of them. He really did not want to do it himself, but this was a situation where he really had no choice.

    ¡®I¡¯ve got about fifteen minutes before theye back to life.¡¯

    He moved closer to the monsters, and the monsters also moved closer to him.

    Whoosh!

    Jin-Hyeok felt their attacks. They were fierce and destructive, but it was not strong enough to excite him.

    The attacks were so slow that it was harder to get hit by them.

    ¡®This is so easy. If I dodge like this, it creates so many openings¡­¡¯

    He immediately closed the distance. He wrapped the dagger with the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and plunged it into one of the monsters'' Core.

    ¡®Hm¡­ It¡¯s tougher than I thought.¡¯

    However, that did not matter. With the right amount of impact, the Core shattered with a pop. If it did not work the first time, stabbing the same spot several times would do the trick.

    [You have defeated a Brass Golem.]

    After killing one, Jin-Hyeok was a little dumbfounded.

    ¡®I don¡¯t understand. Why can¡¯t they do this?¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon managed to do it once, but the others were not even close.

    Behind him, another Brass Golem swung its fist.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe they can¡¯t dodge this¡­¡¯

    It was as if the monsters were counting down before attacking and announcing to the world that they were about to attack.

    ¡®Top and bottom, or right to left¡­¡¯

    Even their patterns were simple. There were only two directions of attack. This meant that he only needed to recognize one of those two directions and dodge it.

    Jin-Hyeok sidestepped without even trying. A single step backward was enough.

    ¡®It¡¯s blowing my mind! How is this hard? Do I have too high of a standard?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to see if the attack was stronger than he thought, so he got hit on purpose. Thanks to the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, it did no damage to him.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure my standard is not that high¡­ It¡¯s strange¡­¡¯

    He could not understand it, but he reduced the number of the monsters anyway.

    [You have received a Brass Fragment.]

    [You have received a Brass Fragment.]

    It was easy to kill them and easier to loot them.

    Now, there was only one of them left, and one by one, the team members began to wake up.

    ¡°This is not going to work. Let¡¯s train with only one monster first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Oppa¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what happened here?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean what happened? I realized this is not going to work, so I killed all the Golems but one.¡±

    ¡°You can do that¡­?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s a lot weirder if you can¡¯t do this. But, I am a patient Streamer so I should tell them nicely.¡¯

    ¡°You guys will get there with practice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was sure that he didn¡¯t be this generous because he relieved stress by defeating those monsters.

    Absolutely not.

    With only one more monster to kill, he knew they could do it. He decided it was worth the hassle of teaching them one step at a time.

    ¡°Ji-Soo, what are you doing? This is your turn! You should¡¯ve gone in right after Ji-Ah¡¯s attack. Hey, Jae-Hyeon! You need to block that attack from the right. That way, Ji-Soo can move around more freely. I¡¯m not expecting you to read two steps ahead, but you need to anticipate at least one step ahead! That¡¯s it, Jeong-Hyeon! Good! If you hit the target urately and resonate precisely, the destructive power bes much stronger. What was it called again? ¡­ Yes, impact! Give it a little impact. Look, I told you. You can break it with one hit.¡±

    The only one he really liked was Jeong-Hyeon.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Sol was killed by the subsequent attack from the Brass Golem.

    ¡®Wow¡­ Our Priest walked up to the spot without even calcting the respawn time of the monster¡­ I really don¡¯t know what to say. I don¡¯t even know where to start teaching them.¡¯

    After the Healer died, the rest of the team eventually died. Clearly, they had a long way to go.

    It took about ten hours for them to get used to the Brass Golem.

    ¡®Out of those ten hours, less than ten minutes are video-worthy¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok realized how insane Egan Paul was to be able to get that much high-quality footage of him day in and day out.

    ¡®I guess that¡¯s why he is considered the top Streamer. I can never do that.¡¯

    The team members looked exhausted. They were about to be burned out.

    ¡°Let¡¯se back tomorrow.¡±

    A dayter, they entered the Bupyeong Station Dungeon again.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the livestream.¡±

    This time, Jin-Hyeok started off by killing just two of the Golems.

    Against three, they did quite well. And just like that, another two days had passed.

    Even though it was considered the hardest Tutorial Dungeon, it was still a Tutorial Dungeon.

    The team got used to the Bupyeong Station Dungeon. It was a bit surprising that it took them three days when he thought it would only take one.

    ¡°In the beginning, all they did was die. So this is an amazing improvement. They were really great.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok made up some excuse, thinking it would be less cathartic for the viewers if they found out that he, a yer who had overpowered skills like the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, had actively trained them.

    ¡°I guess immense hard work does not betray you after all.¡±

    In the meantime, the team leveled up a few times, and it became easier for them to deal with the monsters.

    After about two hours, they were able to take on five Golems without Jin-Hyeok¡¯s help.

    ¡°Now they are able to fight five Brass Golems. That¡¯s a lot of improvement.¡±

    He didn¡¯t like that it took them this long, but it was true that they had improved. The team was getting stronger and stronger, up until they had killed all the Brass Golems in the Bupyeong Station Dungeon.

    ¡®Good. We killed them all before they respawned.¡¯

    The hidden task in the Dungeon was to kill all the Brass Golems before they respawned.

    [You have killed all the Brass Golems.]

    [You have fulfilled the condition to unlock ¡¸Golem Breaker¡¹.]

    ¡®Finally!¡¯

    The long-awaited notification popped up. The only thing that mattered now was whether they were the first ones to do this.

    Being first was important. They needed to be the first to get the three hundred million Dias.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure no one beat us to it, right?¡¯

    He waited a bit.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had fulfilled the condition to obtain the hidden item, but there he did not get any notification for being the first one to do it.

    ¡®No way¡­ Did someone actually clear the Dungeon before me? Is that even possible?¡¯

    He wondered who it was.

    ¡®This feels like an attack to my self-est¡ªNo! I shouldn¡¯t feel like this.¡¯

    He snapped back to reality.

    ¡®Let¡¯s be a good Streamer and focus on streaming.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not hear the notification, but he knew the Hidden Stage was going to open.

    The next thing he knew, the ground shook like there was an earthquake, and part of the ceiling began to copse. The effect was so mundane that he wasn¡¯t even surprised.

    ¡°Hm¡­ It seems like the ceiling is copsing.¡±

    This was just the effect of the Field changing. Of course, if someone got hit by that copsing ceiling, they were definitely going to die.

    ¡®But what kind of idiots would die like¡ªoops. There she is.¡¯

    ¡°Jin-Sol?¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol was the first one to die. This was why Jin-Hyeok had always told them to sharpen their sense. He knew they still had a long way to go.

    ¡°Our Healer is dead.¡±

    [The boss monster of Bupyeong Station Dungeon, ¡¸Bronze Golem¡¹, has appeared.]

    It was hard enough to fight the boss monster with the Blood Priest, but without her, the team was bound to be annihted.

    [¡¸Loser¡¹ has been killed.]

    [¡¸Unnie Shadow¡¹ has been killed.]

    [The Hidden Stage will be closed when all yers are dead.]

    ¡°As expected, the worst Tutorial Dungeon is too strong. Our team has been wiped out, so I will turn the livestream back onter.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok ended the livestream.

    ? ? ?

    Joseph suddenly realized something was wrong with the way Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team yed.

    ¡®It looked so natural, so I almost couldn¡¯t catch it.¡¯

    The United States government strongly discouraged their yers from constantly dying like this. Not only was the risk of dying from shock too high, but there were too many cases of people bing extremely traumatized and psychotic.

    ¡®I heard that about a third of yers who died more than once within a three-day periodined of extreme side effects¡­¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party was different. They did not broadcast all of their deaths, but he knew they had to have died a lot of times.

    ¡®In a team of six yers, at least one person should have experienced the side effects¡­¡¯

    That was universal andmon sense. However, they seemed to be so used to dying. They had even be incredibly strong in this short time.

    As Joseph tried his best to understand it, the voice of the Streamer, Jin-Hyeok, was heard.

    ¡°Hm¡­ It seems like the ceiling is copsing.¡±

    It was clear from the video that the situation was very dire, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s tone was as if he was singing a luby. His own sister actually died, but he did not seem to care. From the perspective of a normal(?) person, his livestream was beyond bizarre.

    ¡®They¡¯re¡­ wiped out.¡¯

    Bronze Golems were often seen in the United States as well. There were no good strategies to kill these monsters yet, so they were usually avoided. It was not very difficult to escape from them because they were slowpared to their destructive power.

    ¡®If he is left alone, I¡¯m sure he is going to die with his team.¡¯

    As far as Joseph was concerned, Chul-Soo (Jin-Hyeok) was a man who did not mind dying.

    However, there was one thing Joseph was mistaken about.

    Jin-Hyeok was not dead.

    For the record, Jin-Hyeok had never died in the Bupyeong Station Dungeon.

    ¡®Looks like his livestream ended again.¡¯

    Joseph was sure that Jin-Hyeok had realized he would die soon. Actually, he was probably dead by now.

    This bizarre content, which seemed to take the deaths of his teammates and his own death in stride, had a whopping four thousand Likes.

    Forparison, a recent live video of Egan Paul had around four hundred Likes.

    ¡®I think they¡¯re all insane¡­¡¯

    Joseph realized that the fact that the six people were all behaving like this was probably a cultural thing. All of them ignored the statistics of the side effects and were actingpletely normal.

    This was not something Joseph could simply describe as ¡®weird.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe this is like a cultural trait of Koreans¡­¡¯

    He had to do a little research on Koreans.

    ? ? ?

    He heard a notification.

    [The Hidden Stage will be closed when all yers are dead.]

    [When the Hidden Stage is closed, all yers will respawn at the Bupyeong Station Dungeon entrance and will not be able to re-enter for two hours.]

    Jin-Hyeok turned to face the Bronze Golem and looked at it with the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [LV35(+3/)Bronze Golem/Skill]

    The original version of this monster was 35. However, since it was a boss monster, its Level increased by 3 and was now Level 38. The orange color indicated that it was quite tricky and dangerous to face at his Level. Like any boss monster in a Hidden Stage, it had a skill, and it was called ¡®Bronze Hammer¡¯.

    [Bronze Hammer]

    [A skill that strikes with a fist enveloped in mana.

    It applies a stun effect with a certain probability.

    The probability of the effect varies depending on the opponent¡¯s Level.

    Lower Level: 50%

    Higher Level: 2%

    Same Level: 8%]

    The skill had a fifty percent chance to stun its opponent if the opponent was lower Level than the Bronze Golem. In other words, it was an overpowered skill against lower-Level opponents.

    ¡®Since everyone is dead, it would be a waste to just¡­ leave, right?¡¯

    He did not have to die on purpose. There were things to learn from dying, but he knew he could learn a lot more from fighting.

    ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll just die, I guess.¡¯

    [The Achievement, ¡¸Lord of the Tutorial¡¹, is converted to the Achievement, ¡¸All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)¡¹.]

    [An attribute boost was applied to the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.]

    In exchange for giving up having the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier always activated, Jin-Hyeok received +1 for his elemental defense. He waspletely immune to all physical attacks below Level 50.

    ¡®It¡¯sing.¡¯

    The Bronze Golem was definitely much faster than the Brass Golem.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Thud!

    He felt a slight shake, but it did not do any direct damage to him. Interestingly, when he applied his Achievement, Bronze Golem¡¯s name turned from orange to ck.

    ¡®Its attack is stronger than I thought. Hm¡­ This is getting quite interesting. I need to target the joint points first.¡¯

    Unlike the Brass Golem, which Jin-Hyeok only needed to target the gem on its chest, he first needed to attack the four joint points, which were its ankles and wrists. He needed to umte a certain amount of damage before he could attack its chest.

    There were indentations near these joint points, and he could insert the Brass Fragments that he got when he hunted the Brass Golems into them for a perfect strategy.

    A perfect strategy.

    There were no words that resonated more with yers than that.

    ¡®Since I¡¯m all alone, I might as well go for the perfect strategy.¡¯

    There was nothing quite like the exhration of sessfully hunting down a monster and having everything go exactly as he intended. It was something a person had to experience to know.

    His blood was boiling.

    ¡®I just need to put the Brass Fragments into one of the joint points¡­¡¯

    It worked. The Bronze Golem¡¯s movement slowed down noticeably. It began to corrode rapidly around the joint.

    ¡®If I dodge right here, there is going to be an opening.¡¯

    He then approached the monster.

    ¡®And if I approach it like this, it¡¯s going to use Bronze Hammer.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had the opponent¡¯s pattern memorized. And just like he anticipated, the Bronze Golem used the skill, Bronze Hammer.

    ¡®Just as I predicted.¡¯

    His urate prediction of the monster¡¯s movements and the feeling of aplishment as he worked his way around it¡­ All of that started to excite him.

    The Bronze Golem¡¯s fist glowed with bluish mana. It mmed it down on Jin-Hyeok, but he had already moved out of harm¡¯s way.

    ¡®Another opening.¡¯

    He pierced through the gap and stabbed the Bronze Golem¡¯s Mana Stone in its chest. Again and again, he fought the Golem, doing the same thing. Several times, its fist was about tond on his temple, and if he had not used the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, its attack would have crushed his skull. He was a little disappointed that the monster did not have the ability to learn since it was a low-Level monster. If it had the ability to learn, the fight would have been much more interesting.

    Pant. Pant.

    Jin-Hyeok gasped

    ¡°I guess the daggers are weak after all¡­¡±

    With a better weapon, he would have had a much easier time defeating the Bronze Golem.

    As his rapidly rising emotions cooled, he started to think straight again. He had gotten too excited. Once he calmed down, he was able to look at the situation objectively.

    ¡®Wait a minute¡­ I¡¯m gasping for air?¡¯

    It was kind of embarrassing to be gasping for air when he was only facing this low-Level monster.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I am a Streamer. That¡¯s why. This identity crisis is driving me crazy!¡¯

    [You have defeated the Bronze Golem.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You are the first to clear the Hidden Stage of Bupyeong Station Dungeon.]

    Jin-Hyeok flinched for a moment. He had just be the first one to clear it.

    ¡®Ah, so I had to clear the Hidden Stage, not just open it, to be the first one to clear the Dungeon. So I was the first.¡¯

    His ego was almost bruised. Luckily, he was right the whole time.

    [The Achievement needs to be reconsidered.]

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    [Your wless solo y has been recognized.]

    [The Achievement, ¡¸First Bronze Golem Kill¡¹, will be adjusted to ¡¸First Bronze Golem Solo Kill¡¹.]

    Originally, the System reward for ¡®First Bronze Golem Kill¡¯ was the Bronze Mana Stone. With this, he could take it to Alchemist Choi Gap-Soo in Cheongdam-dong[1] and convert it into three hundred million won. This old man had nothing but money, so there was a possibility of receiving more than three hundred million won.

    ¡®I hope this doesn¡¯t change the reward.¡¯

    Luckily, that did not happen.

    [You have been given the High Bronze Mana Stone.]

    [Reward for clearing the dungeon 1: You have received 10,000,000 Dias.]

    [Reward for clearing the dungeon 2: You have received the Map of the Golden Golem Castle.]

    The rewards were much better than he expected.

    ¡®A High Bronze Mana Stone?¡¯

    His spirits lifted as he remembered that Grandpa Gap-Soo had bought the High Bronze Mana Stone for seven hundred million won.

    On top of that, he had received ten million Dias and the Map of the Golden Golem Castle. To be perfectly honest, the map was his favorite reward.

    ¡®Oh! I haven¡¯t seen this map before!¡¯

    His heart was pounding. Such a rare map would ignite a fire in a yer¡¯s heart¡ªno, rather, such a rare map would provide him with great content for his channel. Back in his crazy days, he would have jumped at any new map and thrown himself into it, but he was a different person now.

    He was going to approach these rare maps as content for his video since he was not a grown-up Streamer.

    ¡®I am not excited at all.¡¯

    However, he could not stop smiling.

    ? ? ?

    He opened the Hidden Stage several more times. The opening process itself was shown only once. Since he had already shown killing the Brass Golems multiple times, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be particrly interesting to the viewers. He boldly discarded the previous videos and started the livestream directly from the Hidden Stage.

    A few dayster, they finally seeded in hunting down a Bronze Golem.

    ¡°Finally, the team seeded in killing the Bronze Golem!¡±

    ¡®It took them a while. I thought I was going to die of frustration.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok still pretended to look pleased.

    ¡°Looks like the First Kill Achievement has been applied!¡±

    Honestly, he was expecting another First Kill Achievement, but the System did not give him one.

    [You have earned the First Solo Kill Achievement, which is a higher-tier version of the First Kill Achievement.]

    [Duplicated rewards are not possible.]

    ¡®So cheap¡­¡¯

    Instead, the team members were given a Bronze Mana Stone and three million Dias as rewards. They seemed to like the reward quite a bit.

    [The supporting cast reward ratio needs to be calcted.]

    Jin-Hyeok naturally assumed that it would be based on the ten million Dias he had obtained, because that would be the most sensible thing to do.

    [Calction standard: 300,000,000 Dias]

    [The maximum limit per appearance is 300,000,000 Dias.]

    ¡®Three hundred million? Why?¡¯

    Even if he set the minimum rate of ten percent, he would have to give them a whopping thirty million Dias.

    ¡®Why is the maximum limit three hundred million Dias in the first ce?¡¯

    If Jin-Hyeok had earned a lot, he was willing to give them a lot. However, this was not fair. It was unreasonable to give away thirty million Dias when he had only earned ten million Dias!

    No matter how he looked at it, it felt like he was being robbed.

    ¡®And there is no way I got three hundred million Dias from donations.¡¯

    He looked at the donation window, just in case. He had not looked at the donation window because he was pretty sure that the viewers were not that interested in their repeated tries to clear this Dungeon.

    ¡®What the hell?¡¯

    The donation window was filled with strange characters.

    ¡®How many zeros are there? One, two, three four¡­ eight zeros??¡¯

    There was a crazy person who donated three hundred million Dias. There were other small(?) donations that added up to around thirty million Dias, but when he saw the single donation of three hundred million Dias, nothing else mattered.

    ¡®Who would give me three hundred million Dias?¡¯

    He knew he didn¡¯t do anything to deserve this much. Also, he had been tricked before, so he was a little suspicious.

    ¡®I know my channel is in that initial opening frenzy phase, but still, this is strange¡­¡¯

    However, there was something even weirder. The donor¡¯s name was Alchemist Choi Gap-Soo.

    ¡®That old man? The Alchemist from Cheongdam-dong? How can he be the donor, when the only one who can watch System Streaming tform livestreams at this point is Joseph?¡¯

    As far as Jin-Hyeok remembered, Alchemist Kim was just a yer with a lot of money and time on his hands. He knew Alchemist Kim as an Earthling.

    ¡®So how could he watch my livestream and give donations to me? Does he have the Achievement, Race Toward a New World, just like Joseph?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet him.¡±

    He was a little excited when he was faced with this strange and bizarre situation.

    It felt like the moment before he went into a dangerous Dungeon.

    1. A Ward in the Gangnam District, which is one of the richest areas in Korea. ?

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    Omur, GM No. 1 in Gangnam-gu, was nearing his retirement age. Looking very much like an Earthling, he was recently transferred to the new server, Earth. If he could sessfully manage the Open Beta service, he would be able to rx with a generous severance package.

    He only had six more months to go.

    ¡®I just need to be careful for the next six months.¡¯

    As long as he did not get into any ident, in six months, his second life would begin.

    His youthful ambition was now gone. He spent his days hoping that he would just stay out of trouble.

    Suddenly, his administrator''s notification rang loudly.

    ¡®Ugh. What now?¡¯

    The System had a VIP system. If a person purchased a VIP package, they were eligible for VIP status. After that, if they spent more than one hundred million Dias in a year, they became White Tier. If they spent more than five hundred million Dias, they became Yellow Tier. They would be Blue Tier if they spent more than one billion Dias, and Red Tier if they spent more than two billion Dias.

    At Red Tier, they would be able to join any server they wanted as a yer.

    And at the top of the VIPdder was the Trinity Club.

    ¡®Wait, a VIP from the Trinity Club ising to Earth?¡¯

    Unlike the other tiers of VIPs, Trinity Club didn¡¯t have a VIP pricing threshold. It was an exclusive group, avable only to the top ny-nine people in the entire universe.

    ¡®Why would anyone want to y on this crappy Open Beta server?¡¯

    The person who announced their intentions to visit Earth was codenamed ¡®MoneyShower.¡¯ For the record, the Trinity status was renewed once a year. No matter how many Dias they spent in the year beforest, if they did not make the top ny-nine in the previous year, they would lose their Trinity status.

    MoneyShower was by far the top name, having made the Trinity list seven times in thest ten years.

    ¡®What fun is there to be had in such a barren server that has just opened?¡¯

    Omur, Administrator 1 of Gangnam-gu, was not too happy about the visit of MoneyShower to his district. It was very difficult to please VIPs. Even the slightest mistake was uneptable. It was not umon for a VIP¡¯s slightestint to make the Administrators be fired.

    Even though hisst months as an Administrator was about to be tiresome, he still put on a professional smile on his face.

    ¡°I am honored to have you here, sir. I will do my best to help you. How would you like to change your name and your status for the new server?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can do that?¡±

    "Yes, sir. Your ¡®second identity¡¯ can be activated right away on the Seoul Field.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news. But isn¡¯t that a ¡®Mystery¡¯?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay, sir. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±

    Sure, this would create some hassles for the GM, but Omur did not care. For now, the most important thing was to keep the VIP satisfied.

    And that was how Alchemist Choi Gap-Soo, age 38, was born.

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok received a message.

    [You have received an SVIP message.]

    ¡®Wow, so this is the epitome of capitalism.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s role model for livestreaming was Mystery Box, and Jin-Hyeok emted Mystery Box''s streaming approach. Mystery Box waspletely nonmunicative and did well because not interacting with the viewers worked as a concept. Jin-Hyeok tried to do the same thing, but this VIP¡¯s message was so embedded in capitalism that he could not ignore it.

    [I would love to meet with you, and if you are up for it, pleasee to where I am.]

    At the bottom was an address.

    [XX-XXX, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea.]

    ¡°Cheongdam-dong?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew where this was. Back in his past life, Grandpa Gap-Soo used to have an Alchemist¡¯s workshop in Cheongdam-dong, where he made many potions and artifacts.

    ¡®Wow, I had no idea that the old man was actually a big shot who has been watching my livestreams and is sending me an SVIP message right now during the Open Beta.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to go there as soon as possible, but he resisted the urge and thought for a moment.

    ¡®The life I am aiming for doesn¡¯t include meeting a tycoon like him¡­¡¯

    He was just trying to live a normal life with his family as a small building owner in Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t it too much to just meet someone like him?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought about it rationally. He felt like that was the least he could do.

    He wanted to meet Gap-Soo as a Streamer.

    [I will pay you one hundred million Dias immediately if youe to meet me.]

    Now there was one more reason to see him.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit stunned.

    ¡®Oh, so this is now a luxury retail store¡­¡¯

    He looked at the sign. It said that the store in front of him was just a high-end luxury retail store. It used to be an Alchemist¡¯s workshop back in his past life. The fact that the old man bought this building and turned it into his workshop meant that he was really rich.

    There was a man at the entrance. He looked about the age of Jin-Hyeok''s father, and he was dressed like an ancient Greek.

    ¡®Is that the Administrator?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t recognize him, so Jin-Hyeok guessed the man was one of the first Administrators of the Earth Server.

    [?/?/?/?]

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t identify the man even after using his skill. The man had to have been an old-timer.

    ¡°Are you Streamer Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°The Alchemist is waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°But who are you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Omur. I am Administrator 1 of Gangnam-gu.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Omur of Gangnam-gu.

    Jin-Hyeok did not recognize his face, but he had heard his name before. He had heard Omur had retired with a big smile on his face after getting rich back in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life.

    ¡°Mr. Choi Gap-Soo is on the second floor.¡±

    ¡®My god. I have never had an Administratore out and greet me like that in my past life.¡¯

    ¡°Are you here?¡±

    There he was, sitting on a couch that looked too extravagant. His face was the same as Jin-Hyeok remembered. In fact, he didn''t seem to look any younger nowpared to his future self that Jin-Hyeok met in Jin-Hyeok''s previous life, like he didn''t age at all between now and then.

    ¡®I¡¯m a little d to see him again.¡¯

    ¡°Are you Choi Gap-Soo, the Alchemist?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is him.¡±

    ¡°Are you a human?¡±

    ¡°In a way.¡±

    ¡°I heard you are an SVIP. What is that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could feel Omur, the Administrator, fidgeting next to him. It looked like it was an incredibly stressful atmosphere for Omur.

    ¡°I just have to spend a lot of money. Come, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a ss of iced Americano.¡±

    Two very clean and well-groomed employees, one male and one female, brought out coffee and tea. Based on Jin-Hyeok''s recollection, this building had none of these luxurious things in his past life¡ªit was just filled with wannabe Alchemists.

    ¡®I guess in this timeline, the old man seems to be quite enjoying this bourgeois concept.¡¯

    ¡°Why did you want to see me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Because I have never seen such an unusual Streamer as you. I was curious to know what you look like.¡±

    Apparently, there was a veryplicated process to send an SVIP message to a Streamer. Something about Trinity Club or whatnot. On top of that, Gap-Soo said he needed to spend about three billion Dias to buy the right to send a forced message. And about three hundred million of that was paid to the Streamer as a donation.

    ¡°...So you wasted over three billion Dias to send a single message?¡±

    ¡°Is that really that surprising?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had always known that the old man was a generous spender, but he didn¡¯t realize Gap-Soo was this generous. The Gap-Soo in this timeline had deeper pockets than the one he remembered.

    ¡®I guess he was more ustomed to Earth in my previous life.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought that the current Gap-Soo was still a little less limatized to Earth. There was a chance that Gap-Soo didn¡¯t know just howrge a sum three billion Dias were to humans.

    ¡°A rich man spares no expense for things he considers valuable,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Am I that valuable to you, old man?¡±

    Without thinking, Jin-Hyeok called him ¡®old man.¡¯

    Administrator Omur nearly jumped out of his skin.

    ¡°Hey, who do you think you are, calling people whatever you want!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Old man, huh? I like it. You can call me that from now on.¡±

    Omur, who had been yelling at Jin-Hyeok, quickly calmed down and stood with his hands sped politely together. Looking at that, Jin-Hyeok felt more pity than anger. The way Omur flinched at every word, every gesture, it was like he was worrying about even the slightest mistake.

    ¡®He must be close to his retirement.¡¯

    ¡°What was it about my livestream that was so captivating to you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Gap-Soo had always been famous for being a sucker. If only Jin-Hyeok could get along with him, it seemed like he could easily achieve his goals. By understanding the things that the old man liked and providing him with valuable content, Jin-Hyeok might quickly be a building owner in Yeonhui-dong.

    Then he could truly retire.

    ¡°Let me ask you one thing first. How can you be so calm and collected in the face of all that?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I mean, how are you able to exin things to your viewers without getting flustered in the middle of all that?¡±

    ¡°Because there was not much to panic about.¡±

    There was no need to pretend to be flustered or act surprised. It would be obvious to the viewers and his reactions wouldn¡¯t be genuine. That was why Jin-Hyeok was just behaving naturally.

    ¡°You looked like a regressor,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I proved that I am not a regressor in a previous video.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have already done that? I must have missed it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s much of a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s pretty brave of you.¡±

    After a while, this was how it was¡ªnothing could scare him after everything he had seen. For the record, Jin-Hyeok was the most sensitive one of his old teammates.

    ¡°Then who did you learn thementary technique from?¡±

    ¡°Commentary technique?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not recall learning anything like that.

    ¡°You exined each yer¡¯s movement in rtion to the current situation in a concise, to-the-point manner. Even a child could understand what was going on. You were like a seasoned veteran.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt good after hearing that. It was the insight of a professional audience.

    However, he didn¡¯t show how excited he was.

    ¡°The calm andposedmentary technique blended well with your style. It was also impressive to see you even exert your power when necessary, although I doubt you can do itter on. Did you really not have a mentor?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then that must mean your talent and insight is full of potential! Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly think it¡¯s anything remarkable.¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok was the king of insight, then his former teammate, Streamer Kang Mi-Na, would be the super king of insight. In the realm of livestreaming, he was nothingpared to her.

    ¡°Heh, how humble.¡±

    He was not being humble, he was just telling the truth. Still, the old man was impressed. Gap-Soo said a bunch of things about Jin-Hyeok''s livestream that, taken together, meant that he liked it.

    For Jin-Hyeok, that was a good thing.

    ¡°I have never had a Streamer inspire me so much in an Open Beta server. I have never seen a stream with so much anticipation and humility, and I loved it!¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I am that good¡­ I¡¯m a little embarrassed.¡¯

    He loved getting praised for his swordsmanship, but it was always a bit embarrassing to be praised for his streaming skills. Mi-Na would beughing at him if she was here.

    ¡°I am going to keep an eye on you. Is there anything you want to tell me?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°There is.¡±

    As far as he could tell, the old man was in a very good mood. It seemed like Jin-Hyeok managed to scratch the itch. This was his chance.

    ¡°You said you were an Alchemist, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, I am. I am thinking of practicing Alchemy on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Do you need a High Bronze Mana Stone by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    For some reason, the response was lukewarm, but Jin-Hyeok understood why. The Mana Stones were hard toe by on the Earth Server, which was still in its infancy, but there were plenty of them on the other Servers. It was an item that Gap-Soo could buy as much as he wanted.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten the Achievement for clearing the Hidden Stage. You saw the livestream, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    "This High Bronze Mana Stone is the first one to be obtained from the Earth Server in Open Beta. That¡¯s quite valuable, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s eyes flickered at the rarity of the Mana Stone. As always, he lived and breathed rarity.

    ¡°This is the only one of its kind on Earth.¡±

    ¡°How much will you sell it for?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know its value better than I do.¡±

    The old man didn¡¯t think too long.

    ¡°Two hundred million Dias.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it as you don¡¯t want to buy it.¡±

    To be honest, Jin-Hyeok was a little scared that the old man could see through his bluff. But then again, Gap-Soo had bought it for seven hundred million Dias in the previous life.

    Gap-Soo suddenly burst outughing.

    ¡°Hahahaha! You can recognize and appreciate the value of rarity! I like that.¡±

    Once again, Jin-Hyeok seemed to have pinpointed what the old man wanted.

    ¡°Here, do you think this will work?¡±

    Gap-Soo scribbled a number on a piece of paper and handed it to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see how many zeros there are¡­ One, two, three, four¡­ Five hundred million Dias?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was about to earn five hundred million Dias in one fell swoop. It was less than the seven hundred million he got in his past life, but he decided not to be greedy.

    After all, he had to make a good impression on his first trade.

    For his glorious retirement and his happy life.

    Gap-Soo also handed over the one hundred million Dias he said he would give Jin-Hyeok if Jin-Hyeok visited him. Yesterday¡¯s SVIP message also came with a donation of three hundred million Dias, so, in total, Jin-Hyeok had earned nine hundred million Dias yesterday and todaybined.

    ¡®Wow, that¡¯s much more money than I expected in this short period of time.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok started to believe that he could be a building owner in no time.

    ¡°I will repay you with good quality content, old man.¡±

    ¡°You better! Hahaha!¡±

    ¡®But it won¡¯t be long before I retire.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok honestly thought up until this point that he would retire when he had the money to buy a building in Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡°Can you give me a little hint as to what your next livestream is going to be about?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Yes, but this time only.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me in the future?¡±

    ¡®Of course not. My livestream is going to be gone soon.¡¯

    However, for now, Jin-Hyeok put on his capitalist smile and convinced the customer.

    ¡°It¡¯s no fun if I keep spoiling it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Fortunately, the customer was convinced.

    ¡°Okay, so what¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Well, I have a quick, everyday episode and one main episode. Which one would you like to listen to first?¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    ¡°It¡¯s more fun to start with a less stimting one. So let¡¯s start with the everyday episode,¡± Choi Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, but since I have made a lot of money, thanks to you, I want to start with a little filial piety.¡±

    ¡°Filial piety?¡±

    ¡°Well, my parents busted their butts trying to support me, so I thought I would buy them a new car and treat them to a nice dinner.¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had promised to buy his parents a new car the other day, so he decided to honor that promise. He knew he would not be able to touch people¡¯s emotions as subtly as Egan Paul, but he knew this filial piety content wasn¡¯t a bad idea. He knew he couldn¡¯t hit the jackpot, but it was still something.

    ¡°Oh, and aside from you, old man, there is this guy on the U.S. Server who is looking for me specifically.¡±

    ¡°Already? Haven¡¯t you been ying from your own first-person perspective?¡±

    ¡°Well, they can see my team members¡¯ faces.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°So I was thinking of covering our faces for the livestream. I went to the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and saw that they are selling masks that we can use to disguise our identities.¡±

    The Broadcaster¡¯s Shop sold a mask called the Deceiver¡¯s Mask, which had a one-year expiration date. It could hide a yer¡¯s real face. It was expensive, costing up to ten million Dias a piece.

    ¡°What would be the point of that? The viewers will find out eventually if they really wanted to.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s one less thing to be worrying about.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so.¡±

    ¡°So I am thinking of making the journey of buying this mask into content.¡±

    ¡°Good idea.¡±

    Gap-Soo said it was a good idea, but he didn¡¯t seem all that interested.

    ¡°What about the main episode?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Ah, the main episode is going to be¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took a step closer to him and lowered his voice.

    ¡°This is going to be the first time on the Earth Server. We are going to go hunting for a Golden Golem.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s eyes lit up. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes probably lit up too. It was a map that he didn¡¯t know anything about, so he was a little excited.

    ¡°I am looking forward to it,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I hope it can live up to your standard.¡±

    ¡°When are you going to start?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, my teammates are pretty weak right now, so I was thinking I should probably give them a week or so of training before we start.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for two weeks to be generous. Good luck.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok knew if he simply offered to buy them the car, his parents wouldn¡¯t take the offer. So he just bought it himself and took the car to his parents.

    It was the big ck sedan that they always wanted.

    ¡°Oh, my god¡­¡±

    Mom rubbed her eyes and Dad was shuddering.

    ¡°Why are you so impressed by something like this? This is nothing!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You just started your new job, and you have the money to buy this? You¡¯re supposed to be saving money!¡±

    ¡°Are you mad at me? Or do you like it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought his Mom was both angry and excited. There were even a few tears in her eyes.

    ¡°I got a big incentive from mypany.¡±

    ¡°What kind ofpany pays new hires so much money?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a very globalpany, but it is not that famous in Korea, so you wouldn¡¯t know if I told you.¡±

    Mom and Dad looked a little worried like he was doing something illegal or dangerous.

    ¡°Jin-Sol, you know where mypany is, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, I know.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s not a weird ce, is it?¡±

    ¡°...No?¡±

    ¡°See? I told you it is not a weird ce!¡±

    His parents were a little skeptical, but they were quickly convinced by Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s assurance.

    This was why everyday behavior was important as it left good impressions for the future.

    ¡®Now she seems to be fulfilling her role as my sister.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok almost got angry when she said, ¡°What about me? I want a car too, Oppa~¡± in an annoyingly cute voice. If she had just asked for a car normally, he would have bought one for her. Still, today was a good day, so he did not get upset and just ignored her.

    ¡°I am also taking you guys to a nice dinner.¡±

    They headed to a Korean beef omakase restaurant in Hannam-dong. Jin-Hyeok''s Dad, driving the new car, seemed to be trying his best to not show, but Jin-Hyeok could tell he was admiring the new car¡¯s performance. And Jin-Hyeok''s Mom was excited about everything.

    ¡°Oh, wow! The radio works really well!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is a car that doesn¡¯t have a good radio, Mom¡­¡±

    "Our old car¡¯s radio wasn¡¯t good. It always made that weird sound.¡±

    ¡®Did it? I have no idea. I kind of feel bad for not giving them a new car sooner.¡¯

    Anyway, on the radio, the news was on. It was talking about minor daily news that was happening.

    -Yesterday, there were forty-nine deaths from yer-rted crimes in a single day, far exceeding the number of traffic fatalities that urred yesterday¡­

    Nowadays, yer-rted crimes were beingpared to an epidemic. The recent epidemic that swept the world as a pandemic used to im hundreds of lives per day, but now the number of deaths caused by yer-rted crimes was said to be approaching that. The news was talking about the System, the monsters, the damages, and the public safety.

    -The government has also decided to implement a project to foster yers in order to prepare countermeasures¡­

    The news was talking about how the government was asking for a lot of support from the yers. It seemed like the government was moving fast, trying to contain the yers.

    ¡®Before the regression, I applied for that as soon as I heard it.¡¯

    Back then, Jin-Hyeok thought that with the support from the government, he could be a lot stronger, a lot faster. In fact, it was true that he was much stronger with the full support of the government.

    ¡®That¡¯s never going to happen now.¡¯

    He told himself over and over again.

    ? ? ?

    Joseph came to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house in person. Jin-Hyeok was not pleased to see him.

    ¡°You came to my house?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a little angry. His standards were set based on the future.

    ¡®If someonees to my house unannounced. They are asking to get stabbed.¡¯

    This was actually true. If this had happened at any other time, it would be considered self-defense, because the person on the other side of the door could be an assassin.

    That was why, in the future, from before the regression, the rule was always to call before visiting someone¡¯s house.

    ¡°Who is at the door?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mom asked.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my business partner. I think he has some questions.¡±

    However, since his mom was at home, he decided to calm down.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me first? I almost stabbed you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Joseph looked tense. He knew Jin-Hyeok said it as a joke, but he could still feel the sharpness in his words.

    ¡°It looks like you didn¡¯t bring a personal interpreter. Do you understand everything I am saying?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    Joseph pulled a small orb out of his pocket. It was a pretty decent Trantor Orb. Joseph was definitely more resourceful than Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°So why are you here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching your videos.¡±

    Joseph saw a magnificent future in his eyes.

    ¡°The half-hearted thumbnails, the unimpressive directing, the irregr livestreaming schedule, the passive camera movement, and frustrating progression that solely focus on first-person perspective andck of interaction¡­ As a Streamer, you fall short in all aspects. However, you have something, an essence that can hide all your weaknesses. I can make you a star. No, I will make you a star. You undoubtedly have exceptional potential.¡±

    ¡°Even more than Egan Paul?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Joseph was being serious. He felt like he had found a diamond in the rough that would sparkle with a little polish.

    ¡°Then I respectfully decline.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would say yes¡ªwait, what?¡±

    ¡°The next time youe here and take up my precious time, I won¡¯t be this nice to you.¡±

    ¡°Bu¡­ But¡­¡±

    Joseph offered Jin-Hyeok one hundred thousand dors as a down payment. He made it sound like he was offering a great deal, but it did not sit well with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I told you. I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood up.

    ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me again. Next time you¡¯re here, I might have to kill you.¡±

    ¡®Why is this guy trying to make a star out of me when I just want to live a normal life?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had already be a national hero before regression, and it was not as good as people thought.

    After leaving Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house, Joseph got on the phone with Egan.

    Egan sounded very unhappy.

    ¡ªWhat a stupid choice. Okay, I need you toe back to the States. If he hates it so much, so be it. It¡¯s up to him to take the opportunities thate his way.

    However, Joseph tried his best to convince Egan. He argued that Jin-Hyeok was someone they had to have on their side. His impassioned plea seemed to move Egan a bit.

    ¡ªI didn¡¯t think you would back him this much. Fine, let¡¯s do a little checking. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but it¡¯s good to just make sure.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡ªI am going to send ck Butterfly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Egan was building his own universe as he led the Avengers Army. ck Butterfly was the codename of the Avengers Army¡¯s Assassin, Kaylin.

    ? ? ?

    It had been a week since they cleared the Bupyeong Station Dungeon. Jin-Hyeok had given each team member their own assignment, one of which was to get to Level 35.

    For reference, Jin-Hyeok was Level 38, simr to the top-ranked yers in each ss on the leaderboard. For a while, Jin-Hyeok was really confused as to why the top-ranked yers were at simr Levels as him, even though he never really tried his best to level up.

    Now he knew.

    ¡®My standards are set too far into the future.¡¯

    He lowered it as much as possible, but it was not enough. He thought that he should try even less to lower his standards.

    ¡®It¡¯s good to see that Jeong-Hyeon got to Level 35 the fastest.¡¯

    Also, Jin-Hyeok gave them all the Deceiver¡¯s Mask with a one-year expiration date. Their faces were all changed due to the privacy settings, and there was a feature that prevented their names from being revealed.

    For example, if Jin-Hyeok called Mok Jae-Hyeon by his name or ¡®Loser,¡¯ which was his yer name, it would be reced with ''Tank'' on the livestream. It was not perfect, but it would save him the hassle for the time being.

    ¡°I¡­ just got¡­ Death Immunity¡­ as a Trait,¡± Kim Jeong-Hyeon said.

    ¡®Hm¡­ He got it sooner than I thought.¡¯

    Death Immunity allowed a yer to be not afraid of death, which could allow them to y more aggressively. It also had a nice effect of making them resistant to various fear effects and debuffs. It also did not conflict with any other Traits.

    ¡°Huh? We got that too!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It looked like the Seo sisters got the same Trait.

    ¡°I got it too!¡±

    ¡°Me too, Oppa!¡±

    Even Jae-Hyeon and Jin-Sol got Death Immunity.

    They could only get the Trait in the low-Level Tutorial Field, so it was a good thing they all got it now.

    ¡®My hard training is paying off.¡¯

    He was overwhelmed with pride. Just like how learning anguage at a young age is much more advantageous, Traits were best acquired at low Levels.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect Jin-Sol to get it.¡¯

    Healers usually do not experience death very often, because other yers would try their best to keep Healers alive, no matter what.

    That meant that even though Jin-Sol was a Healer, she yed just like any other yer, which Jin-Hyeok liked.

    Also, Jin-Sol eventually quit her job and decided to put all her efforts into being a yer. It seemed like being a yer was a good fit for her.

    ¡®I hope she doesn¡¯t be a top-ranked yer.¡¯

    It was hard to be one with half-hearted efforts and determination. Only people who were as crazy as Jin-Hyeok used to be became top-ranked yers.

    Even Assassins and those who hunt Awakeners rarely messed with Healers, because they knew killing a Healer would be met with international outrage. In retrospect, being a Healer was the best way to build a stable future.

    ¡®I also thought about bing a Healer for a moment.¡¯

    However, Healers were weak. So unimaginably weak.

    No matter how much Jin-Hyeok dreamed of a stable future, he honestly could not even imagine himself as a Healer. As the Initial Awakened Streamer, he had Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to help him out, but a Healer had nothing. Even now, Jin-Hyeok was d he didn¡¯t choose to be a Healer.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head to Sindorim Station.¡±

    They arrived at Sindorim Station. It was where the Golden Golem Castle was located.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­¡¯

    There were quite a few people inside Sindorim Station. On the way up to the Techno Mart, there were a lot of billboards on the walls.

    ¡®It was the fourth billboard.¡¯

    It was not too hard to find the entrance. Jin-Hyeok took the Map of Golden Golem Castle and touched the fourth billboard to open the gate.

    ¡®This should not be as hard as I thought.¡¯

    The fact that he was able to find the gate without a navigator meant that this Dungeon was not incredibly difficult. For the real high-Level Dungeons, they were hard to find even with a navigator.

    ¡®Hold on¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok sensed there was an Assassin in the distance. He could not see them, but he could definitely sense them.

    ¡®I guess the others can¡¯t sense them.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok used the Broadcaster''s Truesight to see the Assassin¡¯s hiding ce.

    [LV37/ck Butterfly/Superior Assassin/Skills/Heavenly Temptation]

    The fact that her Job''s name was in orange meant that she had an 8-Star Job. She had a pretty good Job and was at a very high Level. Once Jin-Hyeok saw her hiding ce, he could clearly see the Assassin.

    She was clearly looking for the opportunity to ambush him. He wasn¡¯t nning on ignoring her and letting her do her thing.

    ¡°Ji-Ah, do you have something like a poison dart?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Can you sense the person hiding in that sixth billboard over there?¡±

    ¡°...I will try.¡±

    Jin-Heok was a little disappointed that she didn¡¯t notice. Even though she did not talk very much, she was quite strong.

    ¡®No, let¡¯s lower my standard. Lower my standard¡­¡¯

    He pulled himself together and said again.

    ¡°Well then¡­ Do you see the person drawn on that billboard? I want you to shoot your poison dart at the left eye.¡±

    ¡°All I have is a deadly poison. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay. Just shoot.¡±

    There was a Level difference between the Assassin and Seo Ji-Ah. Also, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think the Assassin would die from this distance. However, he knew it was going to hurt like hell.

    Ji-Ah did as he asked, firing the poison dart with a careful, unobtrusive movement, and it hit the opponent with precision.

    The Assassin fainted and copsed, but Jin-Hyeok did not read much into it.

    ¡®She¡¯s nothing but a high Level.¡¯

    If a Level 35 yer was this powerless against Ji-Ah¡¯s surprise attack, it meant that she was just a Level Grinder. By the way, those who leveled up by just beating up monsters with no extreme training were called Level Grinders. They were much weaker than yers with the same Level because they focused only on leveling up and emphasized on the power thates with Levels, and not on building up their actual strength.

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to bother with such an Assassin, as he knew his party was going to meet many of them in the future.

    Jin-Hyeok opened the gates of the Golden Golem Castle.

    [You are entering the Dungeon, ¡¸Golden Golem Castle¡¹.]

    This was the beginning of his actual livestream.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    The party entered the Golden Golem Castle. As expected from the name ''castle,'' the Field was quite grand. The ceiling was very high, and the floor was covered with a red carpet. There were ivory marble walls and glittering golden chandeliers.

    ¡®Hm..¡¯

    In the distance, Cha Jin-Hyeok could see a staircase that split into two, diverging far away from each other and ascending upward. There was a statue of a Golden Golem sitting at the central point where the staircase split into two.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon gulped nervously.

    ¡°Hyung¡­ This ce is perfect for getting assassinated¡­¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    No matter how Jin-Hyeok looked at it, it was not a good environment for assassins. It was so quiet that even the slightest noise would be noticed, and the space itself was so bright it was difficult for assassins who relied on hiding in the darkness and shadows to operate in.

    ¡°Well, there is a big pir, and also..¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that huge space around it? It¡¯s like an open field!¡±

    Even though their Levels were low, Jin-Hyeok could not believe they were saying such ridiculous things.

    ¡®I want to know which area in this ce would be a good hiding spot for an Assassin to operate. I don¡¯t know how much lower my standards have to be.¡¯

    ¡°What¡­ should we do¡­?¡± Kim Jeong-Hyeon asked.

    ¡®Good. He is being more productive with those questions.¡¯

    ¡°There do not seem to be any monsters around. If you enter a Dungeon and there is no monster like this, it means two things. One, this is a safe zone where yers can take refuge, or two, this is a Farming Field."

    ¡°What¡¯s a Farming Field?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked while scratching her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Field where you loot stuff.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why it''s called a Farming Field. Now I understand.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was about to die from frustration. He tried to speak as calmly as possible.

    ¡°Do you see those stairs over there?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°If we go that way, it probably leads to the second floor, right? I believe that is where the real beginning of the Golden Golem Castle is. I also believe that we might need something to get it started. I think we are supposed to find that on the first floor.¡±

    ¡°To help us on the second floor?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Look carefully at every corner of this ce. There might be something useful.¡±

    ¡°Got it." Jin-Sol nodded. ¡°But how do you know all this so well?¡± she asked.

    ¡°This is just basic knowledge¡­¡±

    ¡°...This is basic?¡±

    Jin-Sol had a look of realization on her face as if she had learned something new. The team thoroughly searched the first floor but found no significant discoveries. Since Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t want his livestream to be a silent video, he conducted some interviews while trying to find something.

    ¡®Is it getting boring?¡¯

    Even he felt a bit bored. There was no tension and no rush of adrenaline. If he felt this way, the viewers would be bored out of their minds. He did not want to go up to the second floor right away, but for the sake of his livestream, he decided to go up.

    ¡°Shall we go up to the second floor?¡± Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    He could not help butugh unintentionally.

    ¡°The stairs leading to the second floor split into two paths.¡±

    In reality, it would not matter which of the two paths they choose, but this was a Dungeon. The difficulty level and the progress might vary depending on the staircase chosen.

    ¡°Which way should we go?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    Then, the entire team looked at Jin-Hyeok at once.

    ¡®Wait, I¡¯m not a navigator. I¡¯m just a Streamer. Why are they relying on me so much?¡¯

    For the record, the area of expertise that he was least confident in was navigation.

    ¡®I think we need to find a proper navigator.¡¯

    ¡°Maybe the left one?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I dunno.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jin-Sol looked confused.

    ¡°I thought you would have a good reason, Oppa.¡±

    ¡°I am not an explorer or a navigator. I¡¯m just a Streamer¡­¡±

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    ¡¯There is no way to determine the difficulty of the two paths. There is no point in overthinking it; there is no right answer. It is better to just go for it.¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let Jae-Hyeon take the lead, and he stayed at the back.

    [You are now entering the second floor of the Golden Golem Castle.]

    ? ? ?

    The second floor had a simr structure to the first floor. It felt evenrger, a vast empty space. And in the distance, he saw a huge statue.

    [After five seconds, the Golden Golem will start to move.]

    He could tell as soon as he saw it. That statue was going to transform into the Golden Golem.

    ¡°It looks quite massive.¡±

    [Golden Golem hase to life.]

    [The Raid of Golden Golem will now begin.]

    [LV45/Golden Golem/Skill]

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s Level 45. And the name is marked red.¡¯

    ¡°That monster is dangerous!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart started racing. He nced back.

    ¡®The stairs are still there..¡¯

    This meant that there was still an escape route. This might reduce the difficulty, but it seemed to be the nature of low-Level Dungeons.

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    The Golden Golem, nowpletely covered in golden light, charged toward them. It felt like a wild boar rushing in. It was faster than any other Golem.

    Jae-Hyeon was taken aback.

    ¡°Why¡­ why is that thing so fast?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon quickly unleashed his Wood Fortress Skill. The Skill covered his body. His Skill usage was much better than before, thanks to his dedicated training.

    ¡°Very efficient Skill usage. He¡¯s improved a lot.¡±

    He used to use his Skill so foolishly, like covering the entire convenience store, but now he forced more on covering only his own body. By selectively concentrating his mana on the parts that needed the most protection, it was more efficient.

    ¡°To be honest, if he concentrates his mana even more on the areas that are under attack, he could increase the efficiency even more. But I guess his skills and vision have not reached that level yet,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hyung! I¡¯m in trouble. Don¡¯t say things like that!¡±

    Although Jae-Hyeon was concealed by the Wood Fortress and could not be seen, his voice sounded quite frustrated. At that moment, the Golden Golem¡¯s fist struck him once again.

    Crack!

    The Wood Fortress was nearly shattered. The monster¡¯s power was quite strong.

    ¡°Hyung! Please!¡±

    His voice was filled with vulnerability and frustration.

    Among all professions, Tanks had the highest mortality rate. Especially when encountering monsters for the first time, the Tanks¡¯ death rate would reach nearly twenty percent.

    If Jae-Hyeon was having a conversation like this, it meant he wasn¡¯t in a critical situation yet, which seemed very promising.

    ¡°Oppa, what should I do? Should I attack now?¡± asked Seo Ji-Soo, who was in stealth mode.

    ¡°I need you to get out of stealth mode first.¡±

    Ji-Soo had a puzzled expression, but she listened to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words well. As her stealth was released, he could feel the Golden Golem twitching.

    ¡°I guess Jae-Hyeon couldn¡¯t fully taunt the monster.¡±

    The Tank, Jae-Hyeon, seemed too focused on defending himself, rather than taunting the monster. With things as they were, it would be difficult to have a sessful raid.

    ¡°Do not attack yet,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Then should I just stand by?¡±

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, I need you to go hit that Golem. Be prepared to take a hit as well. Try to avoid its attack if possible, but if you do get hit, try not to get hit on your vital areas as much as you can.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon nodded with a determined expression.

    Suddenly, the Golden Golem swung its fist downward.

    Boom!

    The Wood Fortress waspletely shattered, and Jae-Hyeon hastily rolled away. There was quite a lot of blooding out of his nose.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    He quickly crouched down.

    Whoosh!

    The monster¡¯s fist passed by above Jae-Hyeon¡¯s head, from left to right.

    ¡°Did you see its attack pattern?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°When you see it do that, jump up and take the hit. Try to fly toward the staircase behind you.¡±

    ¡°...Understood.¡±

    As soon as Jeong-Hyeon joined the fight, the Golden Golem immediately attacked him.

    Meanwhile, Jae-Hyeon crawled back in relief.

    ¡°Th¡­ That was crazy! I almost died for real.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the role of a Tank.¡±

    If he coulde back in one piece and speak like this, it meant he did note close to death. He was just overly dramatic.

    On the other hand, it seemed like Jeong-Hyeon could hold his ground against the Golden Golem for about a minute, but that seemed to be his limit. He was on the verge of getting destroyed by that monster.

    ¡°Ah, it looks like dealing with the Golden Golem is too much for the team right now. We are going to retreat for now.¡±

    They could not kill it with their current power.

    ¡°Seo sisters, I need you guys to go down to the first floor.¡±

    ¡°What about you, Oppa?¡±

    ¡°I am going to record you guys going down and then follow you.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Ji-Soo nced at him, her expression either dissatisfied or worried, then nodded. Judging by her tone, it seemed like she was never going to listen to Jin-Hyeok, but strangely enough, she did.

    ¡°Jin-Sol, give Jeong-Hyeon some healing boosts and quickly retreat with him.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to join us?¡±

    ¡°I will soon.¡±

    The Blood Priest¡¯s healing boost had a significant effect, instantly restoring Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s breathing. However, Jae-Hyeon was still standing behind him.

    ¡°Hey, why are you still here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well¡­ You didn¡¯t tell me to go down¡­¡±

    ¡®Ah, right. I forgot about him.¡¯

    Since the Wood Fortress was currently not avable, it would be a better choice for him to retreat with the rest of the team. Come to think of it, expecting that level of teamwork between them was difficult. Jin-Hyeok should have given him more specific instructions.

    ¡®I guess It¡¯s my fault, then.¡¯

    Back in the day, Jin-Hyeok, too, was just a Field operator who followed the Ruler¡¯s orders. In fact, he had not paid much attention to his team because he hadn¡¯t had much experience acting as a leader. He was morefortable with throwing himself into the battle rather than ying the role of a Ruler.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot about me¡­¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Please tell me that¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Just go down, you idiot.¡±

    Among the team members, Jae-Hyeon was the most cowardly, but he listened to the orders well. He did not retreat until Jin-Hyeok told him to, and as soon as he did, he went down immediately. If a yer could not make an active and excellent y, it was much better to have them listen to the orders.

    Boom!

    Jin-Hyeok heard a loud sound. Jeong-Hyeon crossed his arms in an X shape and blocked the Golden Golem¡¯s first. Just like Jin-Hyeok said, he deliberately lifted his body slightly and took the blow.

    His body flew up like a baseball hit by a bat.

    ¡°I expected this of Jeong-Hyeon. He is doing well in carrying out what I demanded.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon flew toward the stairs. With that level of impact, his arms were probably damaged and a few of his ribs had to have been broken. Still, his head was unharmed, and he did not die.

    Today¡¯s raid was quite peaceful.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, you too, go to the first floor.¡±

    After that, Jin-Hyeok leisurely walked toward the first floor. Although the monster ran fiercely toward him, there was still a considerable distance between them. There was no need to run, so as he was walking backward, he filmed the monster running toward him. As he got the close-up shot of the monster, it seemed like a pretty good shot, capturing the body of the Golden Golem.

    ¡®Wow, it¡¯sing closer.¡¯

    The momentum was impressive. If he were to get hit by its attack head-on, it would be truly devastating.

    ¡®Avoiding such incredible attack would be so thrillin¡ªNo, I shouldn¡¯t.¡¯

    ¡°That monster is quite something.¡±

    [Would you like to enter the first floor?]

    Jin-Hyeok waited a little longer. It was not to enjoy the thrill a little longer. He wanted to capture the Golden Golem up close as much as possible. It was part of his role as a Streamer.

    ¡®I think this will do.¡¯

    The tip of the monster¡¯s first grazed his nose. There were no visible injuries, but he could definitely feel the power.

    ¡°If that hit, it would have buried my cheekbones.¡±

    Still, since it did not hit, it did not matter. It was always fun to avoid attacks by the skin of his teeth.

    ¡°With this level of destruction, the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier wouldn¡¯tst long. There is a reason why this monster¡¯s name was marked in red.¡±

    Having fully experienced the power of the Golden Golem, he descended to the first floor.

    His heart was pounding.

    ? ? ?

    Sweat dripped down Jin-Sol¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Pant¡­ Pant¡­¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s injury was worse than expected, so it took quite an effort to heal him.

    His face was pale.

    ¡°Oppa, I feel dizzy¡­¡±

    ¡°Blood Priests are usually like that.¡±

    Since Jin-Sol didn¡¯t have any blood-sucking Skills yet, there were not many ways to supply blood from external sources. Thanks to the Traits, Enhanced Human and Enhanced Revival, she was able to use the abilities of a Blood Priest to some extent, so one could say that luck was on her side.

    ¡°Oppa, aren¡¯t you worried about me?¡±

    ¡°You said you wanted to do this, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    If she had said she didn¡¯t want to do it, Jin-Hyeok wouldn¡¯t have made her do it. However, Jin-Hyeok wanted to teach her how to be a Blood Priest in a more enjoyable way. For that to happen, she needed to experience and reach her own limits. Still, Jin-Hyeok had lowered his standards considerably, so he decided to provide some assistance.

    ¡°Here, take this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the blood transfusion packs he had prepared in advance.

    ¡°Blood? BLOOD?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get this?¡±

    ¡°I bought it at the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. Drink it.¡±

    These packs were ridiculously expensive. Each pack cost three million Dias. There was no other way to put it¡ªthis was an unparalleled monopoly.

    ¡®Later on, if she learns a blood-sucking Skill, I¡¯ll let her take my blood instead.¡¯

    ¡°You want me to drink this?¡±

    Jin-Sol¡¯s face turned pale. She looked like she was never going to drink it, no matter what.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t drink it, you will pass out from anemia.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Drink it, now.¡±

    She hesitated for a while. Then she noticed something.

    ¡°But, Oppa, what happened to the entrance?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just realizing it now?¡±

    Upon hearing that, Jae-Hyeon hurriedly turned his head and looked back at the way they entered.

    ¡°Hyung! The entrance really disappeared!¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok was thest one to arrive on the first floor, he already knew. Also, it was only natural for the entrance to disappear.

    ¡®We should be thankful that we have a safe zone for the Dungeon, and now they want to freely enter and exit the Dungeon too? That¡¯s some wishful thinking.¡¯

    Jin-Sol, who realized the seriousness of the situation, closed her eyes tightly and quickly drank the blood from one of the transfusion packs.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    She gagged several times, but herplexion returned. She would probably get used to it. After all, being a Blood Priest required this kind of hardship.

    With all the injuries healed, Jeong-Hyeon asked with a serious expression.

    ¡°Do you think¡­ we can get out of here alive?¡±

    Everyone seemed worried.

    ¡®How strange¡­ Am I the only one excited?¡¯

 Chapter 29

    <h4>Chapter 29</h4>

    Joseph did not return to the United States. He had to somehow make contact with Cha Jin-Hyeok, also known as Kim Chul-Soo. His instinct as a Star Maker had kicked in.

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo was born to be a star!¡¯</em>

    Joseph was in the midst of closely monitoring all of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream and videos in order to grasp him more precisely. Chul-Soo''s party seemed to be using the Deceiver¡¯s Masks, and the faces of his entire party members had changed as the livestream continued.

    The livestream was in first-person perspective, as usual, and Joseph was looking at Kim Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s expression and listening to his words. Although his face had changed due to the mask, Joseph had no trouble deducing which one was Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Do you think¡­ we can get out of here alive?¡±

    <em>¡®That guy is definitely not acting.¡¯</em>

    Even Egan Paul asionally staged dramatic performances. However, in many cases, the performances usually relied on the seamless storyline, with the yers¡¯ wless acting serving as the foundation. In order to deliver a proper show, they even scouted and hired acting coaches from Hollywood.

    Joseph prided himself on his keen eye and was able to easily perceive from Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s words that he was indeed not acting.

    The System Streaming tform, or SSP, was astounding.

    <em>¡®It just looks so real from the first-person perspective.¡¯</em>

    Just before descending to the first floor, the Golden Golem almost hit Chul-Soo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    Even Joseph, who was watching the livestream, closed his eyes out of fear. Every situation seemed to be happening right in front of him and the tension was something worse.

    Joseph gulped.

    <em>¡®There is no way this is going ording to Chul-Soo¡¯s n.¡¯</em>

    No one in their right mind would deliberately n something like this. No one would dare to risk their lives for such an act. If there were, they had to be insane. The livestream was as raw and unrefined as it got. There was something about his livestream that stimted the viewers'' nerves.

    Due to the overpowering presence of the Golden Golem, Chul-Soo¡¯s party members were in a great predicament.

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo must be deeply agonizing right now.¡¯</em>

    Of course, that was Joseph¡¯s misconception.

    When Jeong-Hyeon asked if they were going to make it out of here alive, Jin-Hyeok sighed in his mind.

    <em>¡®You too, Jeong-Hyeon? I trusted you.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok sighed as he saw the despair on Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s face. His teammate, Jeong-Hyeon, was supposed to be a man with a very strong mentality.

    <em>¡®No, let¡¯s not get so frustrated. This is not the same Jeong-Hyeon that I used to know.¡¯</em>

    His instincts and reason kept shing, and he had to control himself.

    ¡°Of course, we are going to survive. When you went up to the second floor, didn¡¯t you feel anything strange?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Something¡­ strange?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any weak points on the Golden Golem.¡±

    The Brass Golem and the Bronze Golem, which were lesser monsters of the Golden Golem, had glowing Mana Stones on their chests. However, the Golden Golem had none.

    ¡°Perhaps the Core is hidden somewhere else.¡±

    The Core was indeed hidden somewhere else.

    ¡°Maybe we can find a clue on the first floor.¡±

    The clue was definitely on the first floor. Jin-Hyeok realized that back when he first walked into the Dungeon. The staircase leading to the second floor split into two, and at the central point where the staircase split, therge statue of the Golden Golem that was there stood out to Jin-Hyeok from the very beginning.

    ¡°There is a statue in front of the stairs. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s suspicious?¡±

    This was a hunch that came with experience. He did not have the Skills of a navigator or an explorer, but he already knew from experience that the statue was suspicious. However, the rest of the team did not have that experience.

    ¡°Suspicious¡­?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so suspicious about a statue?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes shifted to the statue. They could not figure out why it was suspicious.

    Jin-Hyeok thought to himself, ¡®I should lower my standards even more,¡¯ as he opened his mouth, ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the statue.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok poked the statue.

    <em>¡®It¡¯s sturdier than I thought.¡¯</em>

    The statue¡¯s defense stats seemed to be simr to, or even greater than, that of the Golden Golem.

    ¡°It will be hard to break it with normal attacks.¡±

    The party¡¯s faces darkened at his words.

    <em>¡®Guys¡­ How can your emotions drastically change from one sentence?¡¯</em>

    Not a single one of them dared to hit it. Jin-Hyeok felt bad that they were so intimidated by his words. Still, he thought it looked pretty good for his livestream, so he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Let¡¯s figure out a way.¡±

    There were ways to break it. It just took some time, but they could break it by just hitting it.

    <em>¡®We just have to cut along the grain.¡¯</em>

    All objects had grain. It was not scientifically proven, but it was a special line that some swordsmen could see. If they cut along that line, they would cut through anything, no matter how hard it was.0

    For the record, Jin-Hyeok could vaguely see the lines.

    <em>¡®I can¡¯t see it as well as I used to.¡¯</em>

    When he was a Sword King, he could see it very clearly. He even had a grain-finding Skill. He could not see it that well now, but he could still sense it. Back in his previous life, all he did was kill monsters, so he had all those memories and experiences.

    <em>¡®I want to buy a longsword from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and cut things.¡¯</em>

    He wanted to sh like crazy.

    <em>¡®But I need to restrain myself.¡¯</em>

    He felt like if he crossed that line, there was no turning back. Also, he thought he should not be too active on the livestream.

    <em>¡®My livestream concept is about the growth of underdogs.¡¯</em>

    The concept shouldn¡¯t be messed with.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, you have the nting Skill, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s use it.¡±

    ¡°Right here? How?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ nt a seed right here. Make sure the roots go as deep as possible.¡±

    The expression on Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face was one that was full of doubt, but as usual, he listened to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s orders.

    ¡°No, you idiot. You gotta put a little heart in your touch.¡±

    ¡°...heart?¡±

    Just mindlessly using a Skill and putting one¡¯s heart and soul into it were two very different things. Even if a yer had the same Skill, the result would be very different depending on who used it and how.

    ¡°Yes. I need you to imagine and visualize it more vividly and concretely,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Uh¡­ what do I need to imagine?¡±

    ¡°Something with really thick roots, big and strong. And think about a nt with roots that digs really deep.¡±

    This was the basics of using a Skill. The caster had to focus their mind to materialize an image. The more specific the image, the more powerful the Skill.

    ¡°I¡­ I will try my best.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon gritted his teeth and tried his best¡ªfor over two hours.

    ? ? ?

    Still, Jae-Hyeon did pretty well after Jin-Hyeok taught him. There were dozens of small trees growing on the statue. They looked small, but their roots grew deep. Seo Ji-Soo looked at the statue and realized something.

    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ there was a time when our apartment¡¯s basement had a water leakage problem. The handyman said it was because of tree roots. I remember this because thendlords were fighting about whether they should do the repairs.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what she was talking about. He only did this because he had seen nt-elementalist ss yers crushing big boulders with this method. Soon, Jeong-Hyeon stepped in and threw some punches at the statue.

    <em>Thud! Thump!</em>

    With a loud crack, powder began to fall from the statue. Soon, Ji-Soo hugged Cha Jin-Sol and they shouted.

    ¡°We found it!¡±

    ¡°We found the Core!¡±

    Both of them looked very happy. Jin-Hyeok did not know when they became so close.

    He continued his own livestream.

    ¡°With luck on our side, we have found the Core.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was quite amused that he still had a keen eye. It was also a lot of fun to find the Core. Looking at it through the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight gave him more urate information.

    <strong>[Golden Golem¡¯s Outer Core]</strong>

    ¡°I believe this is the Outer Core. And if there is an Outer Core, that means there is an Inner Core.¡±

    At the same time, a notification popped up.

    <strong>[The Outer Core of the Golden Golem has been exposed.]</strong>

    <strong>[The second and first floors have been connected.]</strong>

    <em>¡®Hm¡­ I didn¡¯t see that oneing.¡¯</em>

    <em>Bang! Bang!</em>

    A loud sound could be heard from above. The Golden Golem was smashing through the gate on the second floor. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart began to race as he felt a slight sense of danger.

    However, the rest of the team¡¯s faces hardened.

    ¡°It looks like the Golden Golem ising down to the first floor after sensing danger, so let¡¯s break the Outer Core first.¡±

    The Seo sisters agreed. The Outer Core was not a living thing. This was the only time when they could focus on attacking the Outer Core without worrying about defense or stealth.

    This was when they were at their best.

    <strong>[The Outer Core of the Golden Golem has been destroyed.]</strong>

    The gate on the second floor has been smashed. The gigantic Golden Golem revealed its body. It leapt straight down from the second floor.

    <em>Thud!</em>

    It looked terrifying.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s reposition ourselves.¡±

    If they were seasoned yers, they would get back into position by themselves.

    It was hard to expect that from them as of now.

    ¡°Jin-Sol, I need you to stay next to me. Seo sisters, split to the left and right and hide behind the pirs over there. Jae-Hyeon, take seven steps ahead. And Jeong-Hyeon, I need you to be three steps behind Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    <em>¡®Wow, this is harder than I thought.¡¯</em>

    It was quite a struggle to verbalize what he knew instinctively and give orders to the team.

    At least he got the formation right. Since he wasn¡¯t crazy about being powerful anymore, he stuck to his actual job and focused on livestreaming.

    ¡°That monster is moving a lot slower than it was earlier. I think it is because the Outer Core was destroyed, which is a good thing among misfortunes.¡±

    Its speed was now at the Brass Golem level. The team had gotten used to that speed.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon will take the first attack, and Jeong-Hyeon will take the next one. Its attacks are destructive, but its speed is simr to a Brass Golem now, so you guys should be able to dodge it.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon nodded. There was a hint of fear on his face. He looked nervous. It was a good thing to keep a certain amount of tension when in battles. No matter how slow the monster was, if one of them got hit, they were dead.

    This was not time for them to rx.

    ¡°I think if they get hit, they will die. So it¡¯s best for them to not get hit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit disappointed in the weakened Golden Golem.

    <em>¡®What a nice and peaceful raid¡­¡¯</em>

    Normally, a raid was supposed to be a nonstop barrage of powerful and fast attacks. Now, the enemy is just powerful and not fast at all.

    The difficulty had been drastically reduced.

    ¡°The party seems to have pretty good coordination.¡±

    The Golden Golem¡¯s chest seemed tattered, and its outeryer started to peel off. A small glowing stone could be seen in the inner corner of its peeled-off chest. There had been a few dangerous moments, but the practice had not betrayed the party.

    That was why it was important to put their life on the line when training. If they didn¡¯t train like they did, their limbs would be stiff and they would not be able to perform as well as they were doing right now.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m d the team is not filled with Level Grinders. Even though they can be a bit frustrating sometimes.¡¯</em>

    ¡°Keuk!¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon, who had just punched the Golden Golem¡¯s chest, copsed while holding his fist. It seemed like his knuckles were broken by the reaction force.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in phase two.¡±

    The Golden Golem shifted its gaze to Jin-Hyeok. He could feel the bloodlust in its eyes.

    ¡°Our Tank haspletely missed his taunt. It looks like the monster is either targeting me, or the Healer next to me.¡±

    The monster raised its arms. It was about to use its phase two Skill, Rocket Fist.

    Jin-Hyeok read the description of the Skill with his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    <strong>[Rocket Fist]</strong>

    <strong>[Golden Golem fires its fist like a rocket.</strong>

    <strong>It is imbued with mana and is extremely destructive.]</strong>

    There was red mana gathering on its fist.

    However, Jin-Hyeok just continued to livestream.

    ¡°Ah, that one seems a bit dangerous. I believe I am going to die if I get hit by that.¡±

    <em>¡®Now this is getting interesting.¡¯</em>

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    ¡®Hey, I need you to calm down,¡¯ Cha Jin-Hyeok told himself.

    He had to control his instincts with his reason. It was a good thing he found a good reason to convince himself.

    ¡®I am not like this because this situation is fun. It is all because of the memories I have with Choi Gang-Byeok.¡¯[1]

    Jin-Hyeok was not getting excited because he enjoyed these heart-racing, life-or-death raids. He was now just an ordinary Streamer.

    Before the regression, Jin-Hyeok was considered the Sword King that could pierce anything, and Gang-Byeok was considered the Shield King that could block any attack. Because of this, Jin-Hyeok and Gang-Byeok were known as the best duo, and they had a lot of sparring with each other.

    It was known to the world as the Battles of Contradictions, and their sparring were known to the world as if they were doing impressive training.

    ¡ªDude. I¡¯m going to beat the shit out of your sorry ass, Gang-Byeok.

    ¡ªI¡¯d like to see you fucking try, haha!

    Jin-Hyeok tried his best to hit Gang-Byeok, and Gang-Byeok tried his best to block Jin-Hyeok. And when the sparring was over, they both imed to have won.

    Gang-Byeok always said that he won because Jin-Hyeok could never kill him.

    ¡®No matter how I look at it, I¡¯ve always won. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about.¡¯

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok sparred a lot with him, so he had a pretty good idea of what a Tank should do.

    ¡®If I blindly trust the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and get hit by that monster, I¡¯m gonna be in big trouble.¡¯

    It was true that the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was a great Skill. For a Streamer, it was one of the strongest defensive Skills that could go head-to-head with any Tank¡¯s Skill. On top of that, with the additional +1 to its Defensive Attribute, it allowed him to bepletely immune to all physical attacks that had a power of Level 50 or lower.

    ¡®The question is, can the monster¡¯s attack be considered a power of Level 50 or lower?¡¯

    The Golden Golem was Level 45. Just because its physical body was Level 45, it did not mean that its attack Skill was at the same Level. That was why it was never stated as ¡®exactly¡¯ Level 50, but rather the ¡®power of¡¯ Level 50.

    Even humans, when they were in danger, could unleash tremendous power. The same went for a boss-Level monster that was in phase two.

    For a brief moment, It was likely for this monster to unleash a destructive attack that had the power of Level 50 or higher. And if Jin-Hyeok was to be hit by the attack, he would be in danger.

    ¡®Honestly, I want to get hit by it, just to see how it feels.¡¯

    The old Jin-Hyeok would have said yes, but since he was now a Streamer, he restrained himself.

    ¡°It unleashed its attack.¡±

    The Golden Golem¡¯s Skill, Rocket Fist, was fired.

    ¡°Looks like the ranged attack is set to target our Priest.¡±

    He moved in front of Cha Jin-Sol. When the Rocket First was about to hit him¡ª

    ¡°Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok dodged to the side and pushed the Skill away. He did not block it outright, but just changed the trajectory of the Skill. He did what Gang-Byeok often did when they were sparring.

    ¡®It worked!¡¯

    It was surprisingly easy.

    Boom!

    The Rocket First mmed into the wall and was shattered upon impact.

    ¡°I¡¯m d it worked. I just slightly changed the trajectory of the Skill."

    His wrist felt numb, and the bones seemed to be slightly fractured. The shards of the Rocket Fist bounced in all directions, giving him a few minor cuts. He was bleeding a little, but the wounds were nothing major.

    He calmly continued the livestream.

    ¡°Even though I used my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier Skill, which is imbued with many Achievement effects, just changing the trajectory of the Rocket Fist caused this much destruction. If I just took the hit, I would be dead right now.¡±

    He nced at Jin-Sol, who was standing behind him. She looked very frightened, but she was still focused and trying to heal him. The attempt itself wasmendable, but the target was wrong.

    ¡°You are supposed to heal him, not me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed to Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    Jin-Sol bit her lower lip as if she was trying to stop herself from saying something.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why she was healing him when clearly Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s injury looked worse. If she made a stupid choice again, he was nning on scolding her, but fortunately, she had somemon sense left.

    She focused on recovering Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Good. You are doing great.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out a short exmation of admiration.

    ¡®I guess humans are evolving creatures after all.¡¯

    He hadn''t taught them anything, but the Seo sisters knew what they were supposed to do.

    ¡°I think they¡¯ve learned that after using a big Skill like that, there is always some sort of dy from the enemy.¡±

    The Seo sisters started to move side to side. They crossed each other and circled around the Golden Golem. Their fingertips were linked with thin lines of mana.

    ¡°The Seo sisters are using their cooperative binding Skill called Mana Restraint. It¡¯s a good choice.¡±

    Because they destroyed the Outer Core before, the monster was still slow. And the Seo sister¡¯s binding Skill was working as nned.

    ¡°Our damage dealers are finally starting to be proactive.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t order them to do anything. They just started to do it on their own.

    ¡®I¡¯m so proud of them.¡¯

    After using their binding Skill to hold the Golden Golem, the Seo sisters took turns stabbing at its Inner Core with all their might. However, they were both exposed to the monster, and Assassin-ss yers would be much weaker when attacking after being exposed.

    ¡°Next up is Jeong-Hyeon, who has somewhat recovered.¡±

    ¡®Good. Even the Seo sisters are this proactive. Our mighty Jeong-Hyeon shouldn¡¯t just stand still.¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon''s fist was covered with bluish mana. He swung his fist with all his might at the Golden Golem, which still could not move. Since he didn¡¯t have to care about defending against the monster, he swung with all his weight.

    BOOM!

    The Golden Golem trembled as if its own body was having an earthquake.

    Thud.

    The spherical Inner Core fell off it and rolled away. There were a few cracks in the Core, thanks to the Seo sisters and Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°It rolled right to me. Well then, I guess I will be the one to finish it off.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tried to raise the dagger with his right hand.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    His right hand felt wobbly. He thought he fractured his wrist, but it turned out that his right wrist was broken. He realized there were some injuries to his elbow as well, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m a little more injured than I thought.¡±

    Back in his previous life, an injury like this was nothing. Also, he might not have felt the pain because he was enjoying the situation so much.

    He put the Core down for a moment and grabbed his right wrist with his left hand.

    ¡°I think I can get the bones to align if I apply some pressure.¡±

    Crack!

    With a pop, the misaligned wrist bones snapped back into ce.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s break the Inner Core.¡±

    He mmed the dagger down on the Core. It had umted so much damage from the other teammates that it shattered with a single blow.

    [You have defeated the Golden Golem.]

    ? ? ?

    After defeating the Golden Golem, Jin-Hyeok reached Level 39.

    ¡®I¡¯m leveling up so fast!¡¯

    It was even a little faster than the top yers on the leaderboard right now.

    ¡®Even if Streamers are the best at leveling up, wouldn¡¯t it be weird if I was at a higher Level than Egan Paul?¡¯

    Apparently, being an all-rounder Streamer had an advantage in leveling up. He knew he shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but he also didn¡¯t feel bad about it. His reason was telling him not to be in first ce, but his heart still couldn¡¯t say no to that.

    [The reward for killing the Golden Golem is 1 Golden Mana Stone.]

    After destroying the Inner Core, a glittering Golden Mana Stone fell in front of Jin-Hyeok. He picked it up.

    ¡°I am going to sell this. I will share the profits equally,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Everyone was silent except for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t want to sell it?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. We can sell it,¡± Jin-Sol spoke up on behalf of the party.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you can tell me. We don¡¯t want some petty grievances to build up between party members.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ have any¡­ints,¡± Jeong-Hyeon said.

    ¡°What about you, Jae-Hyeon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any either.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon looked a little scared.

    ¡®The Golden Golem is dead, so what is he so scared of? There is nothing to be scared of, yet he is still like this.¡¯

    As he was thinking that, Jin-Sol asked, ¡°Oppa¡­ How is your wrist? Is it okay?¡±

    ¡°What? You healed me earlier, remember?¡±

    He twirled his wrist.

    ¡°It¡¯spletely healed,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Earlier¡­¡±

    ¡°Earlier what? Wait, why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°Your elbow bone was¡­¡±

    ¡°My elbow? What about it?¡±

    Jin-Sol finally burst into tears.

    ¡°The bone was sticking out¡­¡±

    The injuries Jin-Sol saw on her brother were not minor. His wrist bone was shattered and his elbow bone was sticking out through his flesh. Yet, he didn¡¯t scream once.

    Instead, he was smiling hysterically. Then, he put some pressure on it and pushed it back into his flesh. It looked like he was ying Lego with his bones.

    Jin-Hyeok still looked confused.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt that much though.¡±

    ¡°How can that not hurt?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you m your dagger down with so much power?¡±

    ¡°Well, I have to destroy the Inner Core¡­¡±

    ¡°Then, the bone popped out again¡­ Do you know how surprised I was?¡±

    After hearing her, Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. His elbow bone had popped through his flesh twice.

    ¡®But that would have actually hurt me¡­¡¯

    It was true that he was desensitized and used to pain. However, he wasn¡¯t numb to it.

    He would have felt that much pain. He wasn¡¯t even in his strong body before his regression, but in the body of a low-Level Streamer.

    ¡°You must be mistaken,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Now, I saw it clearly. I was the closest to you, remember?¡±

    ¡°Well, if my injury was that bad, howe you were able to heal me that fast? What are you, like Level 80?¡±

    ¡°Well, no¡­ But I really did see it.¡±

    Ji-Hyeok felt strange again.

    ¡°Did you guys all see the same thing?¡±

    They all said yes. They expressed that the sight of him realigning the bones without any disy of pain was quite shocking. After a while, Jin-Sol came to her own conclusion.

    ¡°It was strange, but my healing Skills worked so well on you, Oppa. Your recovery was amazing.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It felt like my heals were much more powerful than I am capable of. It felt like my healing power was being amplified by your body. Why do you think that is?¡±

    ¡°Well, everyone is different. I bet Jeong-Hyeon takes heals very well, too.¡±

    ¡°It was not like that. You were on a different Level.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok rubbed his chin. He tried to think reasonably and rationally.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but maybe it has something to do with us being siblings,¡± he said.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±

    ¡°Blood Priests use their powers through blood, and since you and I have gically simr blood, maybe your heals have greater power over me.¡±

    Even though he said that he still couldn¡¯t figure out the exact reason.¡±

    ¡°But, that¡¯s not how it felt like¡­¡± Jin-Sol muttered to herself.

    She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body just felt so different from everyone else¡¯s. She thought if Jeong-Hyeon maximized his physical advantages, it might have felt the same.

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s now how it felt like¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t know the answer.

    ? ? ?

    The reward for clearing the Golden Golem Caste was also given. He had received a pair of Umon-Grade daggers. They were pretty good daggers at this point.

    ¡°These daggers¡­ do you have to¡­¡± Ji-Ah said cautiously.

    But her voice was too quiet to be heard.

    ¡°What?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s saying that maybe you should have the daggers,¡± Ji-Soo tranted for her.

    ¡°Why should I?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Because¡­¡± She looked like she was about to say something, but decided not to. ¡°Forget it. We¡¯ll just keep it. I think it¡¯s a good idea for us to have each of the daggers, so we can get the effects of the items simultaneously. That way, we can attack more efficiently.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    It was normal for damage dealers to get the damage-dealing items. He didn¡¯t know why they were trying to justify something so obvious. It was like she was feeling bad for taking something that should¡¯ve been his.

    Soon after, a weed notification popped up.

    [Individual rewards have been given.]

    [The performers can decline to be ¡¸Paid¡¹.]

    The Seo sisters had a sense of conscience and refused to be paid. They were also given a ring that increased their defensive stats, but they gave that to Jae-Hyeon. He looked like he wanted to get paid, but he was still a good kid and refused.

    ¡°I will sell the Golden Mana Stone and share the profit with you all. I will record the whole process, so don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t scam you.¡±

    The party did not seem too interested in him taking the Golden Mana Stone.

    ¡®I guess the world still is beautiful and innocent. I dunno why they are so naive. What would happen if I just took the Mana Stone and left?¡¯

    After safely clearing the Golden Golem Castle, he headed to Cheongdam-dong.

    ¡°I saw everything on your livestream. You almost died twice,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°What do you mean almost died?¡±

    ¡°Ha. What is that look on your face?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Of course, if Jin-Hyeok had been hit by the monster, he would have died.

    But he didn¡¯t get hit.

    He had some adrenaline rush and it was indeed fun, but it wasn¡¯t a close call. To be honest, with the exception of the Rocket Fist, he was generally disappointed.

    ¡°Good. The sheer disparity between your calm facade and the reality of the situation gives me such great pleasure.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s not my facade. But if it shows like that on screen, I have nothing toin about.¡¯

    ¡°Well, overall, your livestream was very fun. Are you going to sell that Golden Mana Stone to me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll buy it off you.¡±

    The old man pped his hands together. The door swung open and a strange odor began to waft in. It smelled like sweet peaches.

    ¡®Wait¡­ I know this smell.¡¯

    It was a familiar smell.

    Someone was gracefully entering the room.

    ¡®Oh, I didn¡¯t expect this.¡¯

    1. Small tidbit: His name here tranted means: Sturdiest Wall. ?

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    She was dressed in a tight leather suit that showed the lines of her body.

    She was very tall and slender. Even without seeing her face, Cha Jin-Hyeok knew she was beautiful.

    ¡®Don¡¯t make eye contact,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    ¡®Look at my face. Look at my face.¡¯

    It was like someone was whispering in his ear. At the same time, the desire to see her face was stirring. It meant that the temptation had already begun.

    She was a Subus.

    The Demons of Dreams were very dangerous to both men and women. They were said to be able to seduce anyone they set their minds to, especially young men and women. Those who would fall prey to their beauty and seduction suffered unspeakable side effects. The mildest was hair loss, while the most severe side effect was death.

    It wasmonly expressed as having one¡¯s virility drained away.

    ¡®She is obviously at a much higher Level than I am.¡¯

    Normally, the Demons of Dreams Jin-Hyeok met had a minimum Level of 1000. They started at Level 70 when they were born. There had to have been at least a hundred of them who approached him before.

    Jin-Hyeok still shuddered just thinking about it. It was a hundred times easier to fight with swords. They were so tiring.

    ¡°I have brought the Dias you ordered.¡±

    Normally, Choi Gap-Soo could have just given Jin-Hyeok the Dias via donation. But the fact that Gap-Soo took her on as his secretary was a clear indication of his intentions. Jin-Hyeok did not know what Gap-Soo was trying to get out of him, but Gap-Soo probably ordered the Subus to seduce him.

    ¡°Thank you. I want you to take the Dias yourself, Jin-Hyeok,¡± the old man said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood up from his seat. The smell of sweet peaches lingered in his nostrils.

    It was the Scent of Seduction. It was one of many seduction Skills that the Subus had.

    He moved closer to her.

    ¡°You are very tall, and you have a handsome face,¡± the Subus said to him.

    Even though they were some distance apart, he could feel her breath on him. It felt like a touch. If he was at a higher Level, this seduction would be nothing. He was supposed to be immune to pretty girls, but with such arge Level difference, her seduction Skill seemed to be working.

    ¡®This is hurting my pride. I can¡¯t believe her Skill is working.¡¯

    ¡°My name is Lilia. What¡¯s yours?¡±

    Her voice sounded sweet. If someone asked him how a voice could be sweet, he would have no answer, but it really did feel that way.

    ¡°Is there a reason we have to share our names with each other?¡±

    ¡°Oh my, how cold you are.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are charming. It is making me curious about you.¡±

    ¡°I just need to get paid.¡±

    ¡°How about you get something better than money?¡±

    She took a step closer to him.

    ¡®Wow¡­ I¡¯m getting goosebumps¡­ Even in B-rated trashy movies, they wouldn¡¯t use such corny lines.¡¯

    Due to their innate seductive power, Subi didn¡¯t pay much attention to their lines or flirtatious remarks. What was really embarrassing was that he was being swayed by such corny lines.

    ¡®The good news is that these Demons of Dreams are a very proud race.¡¯

    That was why they did not seduce just anyone. At least, they would try to seduce those who were on their Level.

    And right now, in the eyes of this Subus, he was nothing more than a low-Leveled yer.

    ¡®She is only engaging in seductions that are within my own Level and that I can handle.¡¯

    Otherwise, Jin-Hyeok would have already fallen under her spell, and he would be a ve of her seduction. The good news was that he was aware of the temptation.

    ¡®The moment you recognize that the seduction is not genuine, the effectiveness of said seduction is decreased.¡¯

    He thought it was thebination of all these factors that kept him from being seduced. He could not believe he was barely able to do this.

    No matter how he thought about it, it hurt his pride.

    He epted the leather pouch from the Subus and turned to walk away.

    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After Jin-Hyeok left, Alchemist Choi Gap-Sooughed hysterically.

    ¡°Are you nning on breaking the contract with me?¡± he asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am not ignorant of the pride and dignity of the Demons of the Dreams. But aren¡¯t contracts meant to be honored?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Lilia sighed and sat cross-legged on the couch. She was wearing a tight leather suit, leaving her shoulders and arms exposed. Her shoulders and arms were tinged with a peachy color.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t messing around,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean that I did my best to seduce him.¡±

    Gap-Soo started tough again.

    ¡°Good. I guess you need to say that if you want to fully fulfill your end of the bargain. Yes, yes. I understand.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will just have to take your word that you did your best and failed to seduce a newbie Level 39 yer.¡±

    Lilia felt it was a little unfair. She had indeed done her best. However, she did not repeat herself by saying that she did her best. Fully admitting that would have been too much of a blow to her ego.

    ¡®How can a Level 39 yer, and from an Open Beta Server at that, have that kind of mental strength?¡¯

    It was like he was surrounded byyers of mental barriers. The Demons of Dreams were a race with the ability to prate the minds of their opponents very deeply, and naturally, she tried very hard to prate the mind of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®It didn¡¯t feel like he blocked it with a Skill.¡¯

    There was no way the Skill of a Level 39 Streamer could resist her seduction. Either he had the mind of a sage, or he was a eunuch, or he was just a madman who could not be seduced.

    She couldn¡¯t figure out why.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to seduce him right away. You have until the end of the Open Beta. Make sure you seduce him by then.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Suddenly, the building, which had been a luxurious retail store until now, had a new sign that read ''Alchemist Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s Workshop.''

    ¡®What the hell is that old man up to?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really ask because he was in a hurry to get away from the ce. It would have taken an astronomical amount of Dias to control such an egoistic Subus like that, and he could not figure out why the old man would go to such lengths.

    As he was thinking that, he realized that his mental strength was very different from before.

    ¡®Wow¡­ my mental strength is not what it used to be.¡¯

    He was sure that if his old teammates saw him like this, they would haveughed and made fun of him.

    ¡®How could I be so defenseless against the temptations of a Subus?¡¯

    In reality, he and his old teammates were not immune to mental attacks. They all had Traits like Mental Barrier or Imperial Resilience. For reference, Imperial Resilience was the higher-ranked Trait, and back in his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had the Mental Barrier Trait.

    ¡®If I wasn¡¯t careful, I was about to be seduced by her¡­¡¯

    He had decided to get the Mental Barrier Trait.

    ¡®Hm¡­ Would it be okay for me to obtain the Mental Barrier Trait?¡¯

    If a yer obtained the Mental Barrier Trait first, they could not obtain Imperial Resilience Trait in the future. The two Traits conflicted with each other. Obviously, it would be far better to get the Imperial Resilience Trait, but he could not get it at his current Level.

    ¡®Well, I¡¯m going to retire soon, so I think the Mental Barrier Trait is going to be good enough.¡¯

    He managed to get by with the Trait until Level 240. Come to think of it, if he had the Imperial Resilience Trait, he might have been able to withstand the curse of the Empress of Hell.

    ¡®Damn it. Why am I thinking about that?¡¯

    The Banyan Tree Dungeon would be challenged by a new Sword King of this timeline. Jin-Hyeok decided to get the Mental Barrier Trait since he would be subjected to various mental attacks in the foreseeable future.

    ¡®And it¡¯s a perfect Trait for a yer aiming to be third-ce.¡¯

    Imperial Resilience would be too good of a Trait. The Mental Barrier Trait was perfect.

    Jin-Hyeok hurriedly called Seo Ji-Soo.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Are you free right now?¡±

    ¡ªHey, I¡¯m with my sister right now. What¡¯s up?

    ¡°Do you have a minute?¡±

    ¡ªWhy?

    ¡°I need to see you for a second.¡±

    After a few moments of silence, Ji-Soo replied.

    ¡ªJust the two of us?

    ¡°What? No, the three of us.¡±

    ¡ªOf course, I thought so too. I was just testing you, hahaha!

    Sheughed for a while, but Jin-Hyeok was not sure what was so funny.

    ¡®She seems to have a uniqueugh trigger¡­¡¯

    To obtain the Mental Barrier Trait, he had to go to Mysia, and he needed the help of the twins. Only the Seo sisters could activate the entrance to the Petronas Twin Tower Dungeon.

    The three of them met at a coffee shop in Yongsan-gu. Ji-Soo asked him with a surprised look on her face.

    ¡°What? You want us to go on vacation with you?¡±

    ¡°No, not a vacation, a raid.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Well¡­ Still, you want to go abroad, right? Just the two of us?¡±

    There had to be something wrong with her hearing. Or maybe she was just tired from all the training she had been doingtely.

    ¡®How can she think that ¡®us¡¯ means just the two of us?''

    ¡°No, the three of us¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok corrected her.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are still a lot of Dungeons to clear in Korea. And a man and two women going abroad¡­ Why are we already traveling abroad together? I don¡¯t think we are that close.¡±

    ¡°Really? I thought we were close enough.¡±

    ¡°Re¡­really?¡±

    In the not-too-distant future, yers would team up with a stranger to go on an expedition abroad. They would trust each other with their lives, even though they had only just met, and they would go on missions or raids together.

    That was the world toe.

    Ji-Soo¡¯s earlobes flushed slightly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you thought so much of us¡­¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t wanna say so much, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Now I know you a little better.¡±

    ¡®What the hell is she talking about?¡¯

    ¡°So you are saying you want to go abroad with us so badly that you will cover the cost of the ne tickets and amodation?¡±

    Since this was for his own needs, he didn¡¯t disagree with her. It was only fair for him to pay for the expenses.

    ¡°You always act so bitch¡ªno, sorry. You always act so distant and not very warm-hearted¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought he heard her say ¡®bitchy,¡¯ but he didn¡¯t bother to point it out.

    ¡°Are you being tsundere?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    Jin-Hyeok could notprehend what the hell she was saying.

    ¡®She is definitely not normal.¡¯

    ¡°So, are youing with me?¡±

    ¡°Okay, we will think about it.¡±

    That evening, she called him and said, ¡°We will make an exception for you. If you are showing such dedication, then why not? We will go with you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not recall showing such remarkable dedication, but he was grateful that they perceived it that way and expressed their gratitude.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Oppa, I¡¯ming with you,¡± Cha Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll pay for my own expenses.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    Money was not the problem. However, Jin-Sol¡¯s Enhanced Human and Enhanced Revival Traits would sh with other Traits. They were probably going to sh with the Mental Barrier Trait, too.

    ¡°No, I need you to stay here.¡±

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ming with you. I¡¯ve always wanted to go on a trip to Mysia when I quit my job.¡±

    ¡°This is not a trip.¡±

    It seemed like his party members did not understand the world very well yet. It was very frustrating for him, but he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and let them figure it out over time.

    ¡°You said it was something really good written in that Future Diary, right? Then wouldn¡¯t it be good for me too? I want to get it as well.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so greedy. You have already obtained two Traits recently. If you are too greedy, you will lose everything.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m going with you. Don¡¯t go on a raid without me.¡±

    Jin-Sol was so stubborn, so he said yes. When he thought about it, he realized that it would be good for the other team members to get the Mental Barrier Trait as well.

    ¡®After all, we have to y together until I be a building owner in Yeonhui-dong.¡¯

    Since it turned out this way, he decided to also bring Mok Jae-Hyeon and Kim Jeong-Hyeon along with him.

    They arrived at Incheon Airport to leave for Mysia. The Seo sisters were waiting for them at the airport. Ji-Soo was wearing a pretty dress that was overly colorful for the raid.

    ¡®She shouldn¡¯t be wearing a dress like that. That¡¯s going to get in the way.¡¯

    He didn¡¯t know why she was wearing that straw hat.

    ¡°I thought it was just the three of us going?¡± Ji-Soo said while frowning.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re all going together now.¡±

    ¡°Then you should have told me beforehand.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡®But why do I get the feeling that she¡¯s mad at me?¡¯

    For whatever reason, it was always nice to have more people for a raid. He had always had problems with his party being understaffed, not overstaffed.

    That could happen if teammates were not good enough, but that wasn¡¯t the problem for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team. In fact, his team consisted of the Martial King, the Blood Priest, and the Wood King.

    She should be thanking him, but for some reason, she seemed mad at him.

    ¡®I thought she would be excited. I guess I was wrong.¡¯

    He would have bowed a hundred times in gratitude if his higher-ups had organized a team this strong without his knowledge while he was in the middle of a mission.

    ¡°But you still appreciate it, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Ji-Soo barely spoke to him until they arrived in Mysia. He thought she was too shy to say thank you.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know she was this shy.¡¯

    After around seven hours, they arrived at the airport in Ku Lumpur, the capital of Mysia.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    A day before going to Mysia, Seo Ji-Soo had changed her outfits several times in front of the mirror. Her bed was piled high with clothes she had worn and taken off.

    ¡°How does this look?¡± Ji-Soo asked her sister.

    Seo Ji-Ah, who was sitting at her desk reading a book, only nced up.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thirtieth time you said it¡¯s okay. Can¡¯t you be a little more sincere?¡±

    ¡°Just wear anything.¡±

    From Ji-Ah¡¯s perspective, her sister was acting a bit weird. She seemed much more excited than usual.

    ¡°Sigh. You really don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Jin-Hyeok is pretending to go on a raid abroad so that he can ask me out.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°He is obviously interested in one of us.¡±

    ¡°...I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so negative?¡±

    ¡®I think you¡¯re just overly positive,¡¯ Ji-Ah thought to herself as she shifted her gaze back to her book.

    ¡°Why are you like this, Unnie? What if he likes one of us?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to say no?¡±

    ¡°Say no to what?¡±

    ¡°I mean if Jin-Hyeok asked you to go out with him, would you say no?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ji-Ah didn¡¯t answer, and Ji-Soo was happily humming.

    ¡°See? You wouldn¡¯t say no either.¡±

    ¡°He seems like a nice guy, even if he can be scary sometimes.¡±

    Ji-Soo was sure he was asking her out, or she wanted to believe it.

    No matter how Ji-Ah looked at it, it did not seem right. She knew her sister would not listen to her, so she left her sister alone.

    Ji-Soo changed her clothes several times more, excitedly.

    A dayter, when she arrived at the airport, she was utterly disappointed. Everyone was huddled together and Ji-Soo¡¯s face turned red.

    ¡®Ugh¡­ This is so embarrassing.¡¯

    Awkwardness, embarrassment, and anger all flooded in at once. And a slight sense of frustration arose as well.

    ¡®Just wait and see.¡¯

    After they arrived at the airport, Ji-Soo said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you know what you¡¯re missing out on, Jin-Hyeok.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You will know soon enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok chuckled and nodded.

    He knew exactly what she was talking about. She was obviously telling him how determined she was as a damage dealer, as his party member, and as an Assassin of the party.

    This was how yers should approach raids. Jin-Hyeok was very happy with how determined she was about the raid.

    ? ? ?

    As they cleared the immigration and walked through the airport, Jin-Hyeok felt someone staring at him.

    ¡®Look at that. We¡¯re being followed.¡¯

    Being followed was actually quitemon, especially when traveling abroad. When Jin-Hyeok and his old teammates went overseas for raids, they were always followed by at least twenty people. At first, it was intrusive and annoying, but then he got used to it.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like a lot¡­ Wait, only one person? Only one person is following us? Ugh, I feel offended¡ªno wait, I shouldn¡¯t think like this.¡¯

    In fact, high-tier yers used to have ego battles amongst themselves about how many people would follow them. It was just that Jin-Hyeok was so used to that kind of life that he was not used to being followed by just one person. He decided not to think too much about why he was being followed. If he pondered about every little thing, his life would be miserable.

    Anyone could be followed, and Assassins and bandits followed people for their hobbies.

    If they did something that posed a threat to him, that would be the moment when he would try and kill them.

    ¡®I think this one is more skilled than thest one I saw in Sindorim Station. What was her name, ck Butterball?¡¯

    This one seemed to be more skilled than the Level Grinders, so he looked at her with the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight. He couldn¡¯t identify the location with just his senses, but he could see everything with this Skill.

    [LV40/ck Butterfly/Superior Assassin/Skills/Heavenly Temptation]

    ¡®Wait a minute. That¡¯s her again!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not pay much attention to herst time because he thought she was just a nobody, but it was a different story now.

    It was highly unlikely that he would run into the same person from Sindorim Station again, especially all the way over here in another country, so it was by no means a coincidence. She was intentionally following him.

    ¡®It¡¯s for the best I guess.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t need to overthink why an Assassin would follow him. She wanted to assassinate him.

    It might have been for different reasons, but that did not matter to him. It was still attempted murder when an Assassin silently stalked someone.

    ¡®I needed a bait anyway, so this worked out well.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Kaylin, also known as ck Butterfly and an Assassin for the Avengers Army, sang a happy tune in her mind.

    ¡®I bet they didn¡¯t notice my stealth this time.¡¯

    She had reached Level 40 and gained a new stealth Skill called Sneak. She was so ridiculously conspicuous thest time, but she did not get caught this time around. She could definitely feel how powerful this new Skill was.

    ¡®I am going to find out everything about you.¡¯

    She wondered why Egan had paid her so much money to follow Jin-Hyeok, and why Joseph cared about Jin-Hyeok so much.

    As time passed, she became more confident.

    ¡®I know they¡¯re in a foreign country that they don¡¯t know much about, but they don¡¯t seem to notice me at all!¡¯

    She thought maybe it was just a coincidence that they were able to detect her thest time.

    ¡®The navigator from the Avengers Army can detect me in a heartbeat.¡¯

    As a wise man once said, by seeing one, they could infer ten.

    The fact that none of them could detect her stealth meant that their overall Level was nowhere near that of the Avengers Army.

    ¡®Egan, Joseph, both of you were wrong!¡¯

    It was iprehensible that Joseph and Egan would pay so much attention to this man. She checked into the same hotel as Jin-Hyeok''s party and spied on them. Still, they did not seem to notice her.

    Another day had passed.

    She had been able to pick up their voices through an item she had secretly attached to the Healer of the party.

    ¡°We are going to the Petronas Tower.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at his sister¡¯s back. With the help of the Broadcaster''s Truesight, he could clearly see something on her back.

    [Voice Transmission Mana Ball]

    ¡®The Assassin must have put it on her when we were eating at the buffet earlier.¡¯

    A small bead-like item, invisible to the naked eye, was attached to Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s review our n. Ji-Soo, Ji-Ah, what are you going to do again?¡±

    ¡°You said to cross the sky bridge that''s on the 41st and 42nd floors.¡±

    The Petronas Towers were twin towers with eighty-eight floors. They were connected by a fifty-eight-meter sky bridge on the 41st and 42nd floors.

    If the Seo sisters started from different towers, crossed the sky bridge, and passed each other, the entrance to the Dungeon would be created.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon. What is your role?¡±

    ¡°To prevent other yers from entering the Dungeon during the time the entrance is active.¡±

    The Dungeon entrance created by the Seo sisters was only valid for ten minutes. During that time, Mok Jae-Hyeon would unfold his Wood Fortress to block other yers from entering.

    ¡°I will enter the Dungeon at exactly nine minutes and fifty-seven seconds, is that okay?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good.¡±

    The details of the operation were all transmitted to ck Butterly through the Voice Transmission Mana Ball.

    ? ? ?

    On the 41st floor of Petronas Tower, Ji-Ah began traversing the sky bridge.

    ¡®Is this really going to work? Is the Dungeon entrance really going to spawn like this?¡¯

    She had heard about the post created by the Great Prophet named Kim Shin-Won, but she was still skeptical.

    As she walked slowly, she saw her sister, Ji-Soo in the distance on the same floor. They crossed paths and kept walking.

    ¡®Nothing is happeni¡ª¡¯

    At first, nothing happened. However, when the sisters reached the opposite towers, there was a slight shaking. People looked around in surprise as if an earthquake had urred.

    ¡®There really is a Dungeon entrance.¡¯

    Ji-Ah could see it clearly. There was a space near the center of the sky bridge that was churning like a tornado.

    [Petronas Twin Towers Dungeon.]

    Taking advantage of the chaos, Jae-Hyeon unfolded the Wood Fortress and sealed off the entrance.

    ¡°I¡¯m going in first today,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    For today, he didn¡¯t turn on his livestream. He was not going to broadcast anything about obtaining the Mental Barrier Trait. He didn¡¯t know what kind of tricks Choi Gap-Soo woulde up with, and in fact, getting the Mental Barrier Trait was not for the sake of content, but just to be a little safer as a normal Streamer.

    He decided to be more direct since he was not livestreaming.

    ¡®This is going to be fun.¡¯

    He didn¡¯t try to deny the feeling. After all, he was not livestreaming now, and he knew he would not be able to enjoy this feeling for long. Later, when he became a higher-Level yer, he would not be able to y as aggressively as he wanted to.

    He was going to enjoy it while he could when he was low-Level.

    [You have entered ¡¸Petronas Twin Towers Dungeon¡¹.]

    Following Jin-Hyeok, Kim Jeong-Hyeon and Jin-Sol also entered. Soon after, the Seo sisters entered, and after about ten minutes, Jae-Hyeon entered. It looked like Jae-Hyeon did a good job, as no other yers had entered the Dungeon.

    It was dark inside, like entering a deep underground cave.

    ¡°Hold your position.¡±

    Looking over with the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, he saw that ck Butterfly was also in the far corner. Her gaze was still on Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Sol noticed something.

    ¡°Oppa, there is a green line over there.¡±

    They were inside the safe zone. It was a verymon setup for beginner Dungeons. If yers were inside the green line, they would not be attacked by the monsters.

    As Jin-Hyeok took a step outside the line, a notification popped up.

    [You are now out of the safe zone.]

    When he came back, another notification popped up.

    [You are now entering the safe zone.]

    ¡°I think there is only one way in, so I¡¯ll lead the way,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He used one of the Streamer Skills called Broadcaster¡¯s Light.

    Two bright light sources were created near his head. This was a Skill that all Streamers had. However, other Streamers only had one light source. Also, Jin-Hyteok¡¯s lights were much brighter than those of other Streamers, and they covered arger area. However, no one thought it was weird.

    Jin-Hyeok was basing everything on his former teammate, Kang Mi-Na, and the other team members had never met another Streamer before, so they wouldn¡¯t know what was normal or what wasn''t.

    Jin-Hyeok took the lead. After walking for a while, he saw a faint glow at the end of the way.

    ¡°Halt.¡±

    He walked closer to take a look. It was a special device that had been installed.

    ¡°It looks like a small freight elevator.¡±

    There was also a ¡®¡ô¡® button to call the elevator. He scratched his head.

    ¡°There are no up and down markings. If this was a real elevator, there should be the up and down markings.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    He pressed the ¡®¡ô¡¯ button. He didn¡¯t think too much of it, since he already knew the strategy to clear this Dungeon.

    [You have called the elevator.]

    Rumble.

    There was a slight vibration on the ground. He could not tell if the elevator wasing from below or above. Then, he heard a ding sound.

    [The elevator has arrived.]

    The elevator door opened and he walked straight in. Inside the elevator, there were ¡®¡ø¡® and ¡®¨‹¡® buttons.

    [Entry is limited to one person.]

    ¡°Only one person can get in at a time."

    [Please choose the direction.]

    Jin-Hyeok pointed at the buttons on the elevator.

    ¡°Guys, there are buttons here, okay?¡±

    [The elevator door will close in three seconds.]

    [Please choose your direction before the door closes.]

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go first. Come up, okay? Remember, the direction is up. Up! Up!¡±

    Despite his words, Jin-Hyeok chose down.

    Next, it was Jin-Sol¡¯s turn.

    ¡®Since he pointed the buttons with his left hand, I¡¯m going to choose¡­ down.¡¯

    This had been discussed with her brother before they entered the Dungeon. If he pointed to something with his left hand, Jin-Sol was to do the opposite, and if he pointed something with his right hand, she was ordered to obey it.

    ¡®Down.¡¯

    After Jin-Sol, the rest of the party members¡ªJi-Ah, Ji-Soo, Jae-Hyeon, and Jeong-Hyeon¡ªalso chose the down button. One by one, or course.

    With Jin-Hyeok''s party gone, the only person left here was ck Butterfly, Kaylin.

    ¡®They are so impulsive and have no set of rules.¡¯

    Egan¡¯s Avengers Army would not be this haphazard. They would gather as much information about the Dungeon as they could, and then proceed to attack it with the utmost care and precision.

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s approach was far too sloppy. He had the audacity of leading the way even though he was just a Streamer, turning on the light when he didn¡¯t know if the monsters were going to attack, not knowing what was in the elevator, and just overall going with the flow. The funniest part was when the other team members just sat idly by and watched him.

    Everything was so sloppy and weird.

    ¡®Do I really need to follow these degenerates all the way?¡¯

    She thought about stopping the stalking, but the entrance of the Dungeon had already disappeared.

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna say again. Joseph, Egan, both of you were wrong.¡¯

    As a member of the Avengers Army, she was determined to prove that they were far more capable than this ragtag team.

    She called the elevator.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe they didn¡¯t notice me the slightest bit.¡¯

    Honestly, she had expected them to notice a little, but they did not seem to have any idea of her existence. It was both gratifying and disappointing.

    She stepped confidently into the elevator.

    She pressed ¡®¡ø, ¡®the opposite of the direction Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team went.

    [You have arrived at the 88th floor.]

    [The door is opening.]

    When the door opened, she witnessed something shocking.

    ¡®FUCK!¡¯

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33

    The 88th floor of the Petronas Twin Towers Dungeon was the home of the Steel Centipedes. Each of these monsters wasrger than a man. Hundreds of Steel Centipedes were tangled together, rubbing against each other and making an unpleasant hissing sound. They were rubbing their bodies together and it looked like they were mating.

    It was gross, disgusting, and nauseating.

    ¡®God damnit.¡¯

    The Steel Centipedes had not noticed Kaylin because they were making so much weird noises. She saw a faint light in the distance. It was small, like a tiny star in the night sky.

    ¡®Is that the way out?¡¯

    Her chances of surviving a fight with this many monsters were close to zero. The elevator had stopped working. It was easy to get up here, but it was impossible to get back down. Caught in the middle of all these Steel Centipedes, she had to move as carefully as possible without being seen.

    ¡®I can¡¯t die here!¡¯

    She didn¡¯t even have the time to think about why she didn¡¯t see Cha Jin-Hyeok or any of his teammates, all of whom had gone before her.

    For now, she decided to focus on staying alive.

    ? ? ?

    [You have reached the Underground Habitat.]

    After a little time had passed¡ª

    ¡°It seems like everyone is here.¡±

    Not a single Steel Centipede emerged during the time it took for the party members to arrive one by one. Apparently, the bait on the 88th floor was doing her job. If even one yer entered the 88th floor, the difficulty of this Underground Habitat was greatly reduced. The number of Steel Centipedes to be dealt with was more than halved, and only the rtively weak ones were encountered.

    Cha Jin-Sol asked her brother, ¡°Oppa, why did we have to have that secret sign? You could have just told us toe down.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s because we were being followed.¡±

    ¡°Being followed?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I saw hering in with me. It was the same one from before. I think she got a new stealth Skill, too."

    Cha Jin-Hyeok did not look closely at her new stealth Skill. He figured it would be too conspicuous if he did.

    ¡®If it¡¯s a new Skill she learned at Level 40, it has to be something like Sneak.¡¯

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t you do something about it?¡± Jin-Sol asked another question.

    ¡°I wanted to send her up.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It is known that if a person goes up with the elevator, the difficulty down here goes down by a lot. I saw it in the Future Diary.¡±

    ¡°Then what happens to the yer that¡¯s up there?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    That was none of Jin-Hyeok''s business. It was an Assassin who had been following him around, trying to kill him. He could have her killed just based on the fact that she was following him.

    ¡®If she is really good at hiding and has great survival instincts, she will live. If she is just an ordinary Assassin, she is going to die.¡¯

    No matter what happened, Jin-Hyeok did not care. But since Jin-Hyeok could figure out that she was following him, it meant that she was probably going to die.

    Jin-Sol looked at her brother with wide eyes.

    ¡°Oppa, you know, sometimes you scare the shit out of me.¡¯

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The fact that you don¡¯t know scares me even more.¡±

    ¡°You sure are scared of everything.¡±

    Jin-Sol had always found him a bit difficult since they were young.

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged off her words and exined his own strategy. Since he wasn¡¯t going to be livestreaming, he did not have to exin in great detail.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start digging first¡±

    He started to dig with the party. They needed a fairlyrge pit, but thanks to Mok Jae-Hyeon, they were able to dig one pretty easily.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon. I need you to stay here and protect the other members.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°There is a monster over there. I am going to lure it out and trap it.¡±

    He assumed the other members would be in much danger. He wasn¡¯t sure how long ck Butterball upstairs wouldst, but if she did, it would be very easy, and if she didn¡¯t, it would be a little hard.

    ¡®I know that if there is a person upstairs, they only attack one by one.¡¯

    [LV37/Steel Centipede/Skills]

    These monsters were considered dangerous because they usually attacked in groups. Taking them on one by one was not too difficult.

    Jin-Hyeok picked up a rock and threw it at the Steel Centipede. The monster spotted him and started crawling toward him.

    Squeak!

    He could hear its legs moving.

    ¡®Ugh, I hate that screeching sound.¡¯

    He had not heard it in a long time, and he still hated it. The monster was still disgusting to look at. Sometimes even the most skilled yers were unable to use their full power against arthropods like that, which was understandable, seeing how gruesome it looked.

    ¡®It is faster than I thought.¡¯

    It closed it fast and spat poison at him.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Each of its attacks wasn¡¯t very strong. He used the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to block its poison attack. While he used the Skill, he jumped backward to have more distance between them.

    ¡®Pretty easy.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok seeded in luring it to the pit. There was a pathway at the edge of the pit, barely big enough for a human to pass through, and he used that to get over the pit.

    The Steel Centipede fell into the pit.

    ¡°Oppa, that thing is climbing up the pit!¡± Jin-Sol eximed.

    ¡°Of course it can.¡±

    These monsters could climb up even the slippery ss surface. It was obvious for them to be able to climb up the pit.

    Jin-Hyeok pulled a potion out from his sleeve.

    [Lesser Corrosive Potion]

    [A potion that reacts with anything of a certainposition to corrode it.]

    This stuff was only fifty thousand Dias a bottle if he got it through yers. It was hard to get it like that, so he bought it from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. It cost a whopping one million Dias per bottle from the Broadcaster''s Shop. This was definitely profiteering, no matter how he looked at it.

    Anyway, the Lesser Corrosive Potion was very effective against all steel-type monsters below Level 40.

    ¡®It works best when poured directly on the head.¡¯

    This was a proven method that had been studied and tested by countless people.

    Tssss.

    Smoke rose from the Steel Centipede''s head.

    Jin-Sol was stunned.

    ¡°Oppa! It¡¯s still climbing up!¡±

    ¡°Stop stating the obvious!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nonchntly poured the rest of the potion. There was no way a monster that was close to Level 40 would be killed this easily. It was obvious that it would keep climbing up.

    He had heard that some rich yers would buy tons of that corrosive potion and fill the entire pit to kill these monsters. To Jin-Hyeok, that was stupid and crazy. He would not want to do anything that inefficient.

    Tssss.

    As he poured out the entire potion, the Steel Centipede¡¯s head touched his foot.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    It bit his foot, but it didn¡¯t do much damage. The potion had left its skin mushy. The head, which was already its weak point, had turned into an even weaker point. The corrosive potion also made it more aggressive and desperate. It clenched its jaws as if it would not let go of his foot.

    ¡®This works out for me, actually.¡¯

    The tightness of its bite told him that its jaws were fully locked.

    He raised the dagger and stabbed it down on its head.

    Boom!

    Green blood spurted out. This blood was also slightly toxic, which could cause injuries, but not enough to interfere with his n. He just had to be careful not to get it in his eyes.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The dagger felt pretty good in his hand.

    [You have killed a Steel Centipede.]

    ¡°Hm¡­ I guess using only one bottle is a bit risky.¡±

    ¡°Then we should use two bottles,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    She had misunderstood his words.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    For Jin-Hyeok, expressing something as the ¡®riskiest¡¯ meant it was the most efficient. To give up on low cost and high efficiency and go for high cost and low efficiency was just crazy talk.

    ¡°There is another one spawning over there. I am going to kill it the same way. You guys just watch.¡±

    Come to think of it, ck Butterball was still alive upstairs. If she was dead, there would have been two or three spawns, but there was only one.

    The next one was one Level lower, so it was a little easier.

    The next one was one Level higher than the first one, and he actually had an easier time killing it than the first one because he had gotten used to doing this.

    He continued to kill these monsters.

    ¡®I believe this was my twentieth kill.¡¯

    At first, it was fun and exciting to kill the monsters, but now it has be a bit boring. It was because the Steel Centipedes were so weak against the corrosive potion that Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t feel any sense of crisis. If there was no sense of danger, it could not be fun.

    Boom! Boom!

    He plunged his dagger countless times into the head of thest Steel Centipede.

    [You have killed a Steel Centipede.]

    With that, no more Centipedes regenerated. He didn¡¯t have to think much about it, since he knew the whole strategy anyway.

    ¡°Looks like the regen for the Steel Centipede is finished. Let¡¯s move on.¡±

    The team walked down the long corridor.

    ¡®There should be a small ss box at the end of this path.¡¯

    Inside the ss box would be a scroll that glowed red. If he tore the scroll, he would obtain the Trait, Mental Barrier.

    ¡®There it is.¡¯

    Before regression, Jin-Hyeok struggled hard to obtain this. The reason was that this Dungeon was a special Dungeon that increased in difficulty exponentially as more and more yers cleared it. Jin-Hyeok and his old teammates were around the eighth team to obtain the Mental Barrier Trait here, but it disappeared after them.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    However, it was a little different this time.

    [?]

    It was supposed to be disyed as a Mental Barrier, but for some reason, it only showed a question mark.

    In such cases, he would only know for sure what the Trait was when he got his hands on it.

    ¡®It¡¯s probably the Mental Barrier Trait, I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok assumed the name of the Trait would be revealed after the first person acquired it. Unsuspecting, he reached for the scroll and ripped it apart.

    A notification popped up.

    [You have acquired the Trait ¡¸Imperial Resilience¡¹.]

    ¡®Excuse me?¡¯

    He was momentarily at a loss for words. He had no idea why the Imperial Resilience Trait was even in this Dungeon.

    ¡®This is so much better than I thought. I was only nning on finishing third ce. If you think I would be happy to obtain such a powerful Trait unexpectedly¡­ Then, you are right. Thank you!¡¯

    Once he got the Imperial Resilience Trait, the elevator spawned again in front of him. If he pressed the ¡®¡ø¡® button, he would be taken back up to where he came from, and the Dungeon would be cleared.

    ¡°There you have it, a super easy Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    For some reason, the party members did not say anything.

    ¡®I guess they¡¯re surprised at how easy the Dungeon is.¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s repeat this so that each of you will get the Trait.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon. You are up next.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok assumed that he acquired the Imperial Resilience Trait because he was the first to clear it.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know if the kids will get the same Trait or not. I guess I¡¯ll have to see for myself.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    ck Butterball seemed to be surviving longer than expected. The difficulty was very low.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make this quick, guys.¡±

    With the bait on the 88th floor, it would be best to move as quickly as possible. This was actually a good opportunity for the party.

    ¡°I¡­ just got something called¡­ Imperial Resilience¡­¡±

    ¡®No way!¡¯

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon got the same Trait as Jin-Hyeok. Apparently, a small number of people in the early stages were given the Imperial Resilience Trait, and the rest were given the Mental Barrier Trait.

    ¡°Next up is Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    ¡®Is he going to get the same one?¡¯

    ¡°I¡­ I got the same one!¡±

    The Seo sisters were up next.

    ¡°Imperial Resilience! Obtained!¡±

    ¡°I got the same thing as her.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was skeptical, but it seemed like everyone obtained the Imperial Resilience Trait. It took about ten hours and he waspletely covered in monster blood, looking like a green monster himself. His whole body was wet and sticky. It also smelled very bad, and at this point, he felt a little gross and wanted to wash it off.

    ¡°Oppa, are you sure I can¡¯t have that Trait?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s notpatible with you.¡±

    The Enhanced Human and Enhanced Survival Traits conflicted with other Traits. If she added some random Traits, it would not benefit her at all.

    ¡°...But.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re better off without it. Trust me.¡±

    He was d he didn¡¯t turn on his livestream. If he had turned it on, he would have had to ramble on and on about why it was bad for Jin-Sol.

    ¡°...Okay.¡±

    She seemed a little hard to convince, but in the end, she listened to her brother.

    ¡®You¡¯ll thank me in time.¡¯

    [You have partially cleared the Petronas Twin Towers Dungeon.]

    To fully clear it, they needed to clear the upper floors too. But the reward for that was so minusculepared to the effort that Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t bother.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have reached Level 40.]

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    He had not paid much attention to his Level because it was so low. But now that he had reached Level 40, it felt different.¡¯

    ¡®That means I¡¯m going to unlock another Job-rted Skill.¡¯

    He had a Job that was not known to the world called the Almighty Streamer. At Level 40, a typical Initially Awakened Streamer would gain a Skill called ¡®High-Speed Recording.¡¯ As the name suggested, it was a Skill that allowed Streamers to shoot a scene at lightning speed, and it was a must-have for any Streamer.

    [You are about to receive your Job Skill.]

    ¡®I bet it¡¯s something simr to High-Speed Recording¡¯

    He was not expecting much, but he was a little excited because it felt like he was ying with a Gacha machine[1], just like when he was a child.

    [You have unlocked a Job Skill.]

    ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯

    It was indeed something simr, but it was not something he expected.

    1. Gacha machines are those toy-vending machines that are popr in Asia. ?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    High-Speed Recording itself was not that good of a Skill. It was more like a modern-day super-fast camera. It could capture and film countless moments that the human eye could not see. But that was not the name of the Skill Cha Jin-Hyeok was given.

    [The Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹ has been revealed.]

    [Time-Lapse Recording]

    [The Skill forcibly restricts the movement of a subject in order to record them more efficiently.

    *Applies to: All subjects that are at the same Level as or below the Level of the recorder.

    *Limited range: x0.8 to x1.2]

    Jin-Hyeok reread this short description of the Skill several times.

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    He did not know if this could be called a filming technique. It was like asking his opponent to slow down since he didn¡¯t want to film fast. It was something that only Mages and Debuffers who dealt with curses would have.

    ¡®0.8x speed?¡¯

    In percentage, that was -20%.

    ¡®A Debuffer yer would have to be at least Level 80 to have a -20% debuff Skill. I wonder if a lot of my mental energy is required for a Skill like this.¡¯

    Skills had a lot to do with an individual¡¯s mental strength. This was not something that could be put into a number, but after using it a few times, yers would get a general idea of how it worked.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to try it out.¡¯

    The Skill was indeed akin to the Skill of a Level 80 Debuffer. There was no way such an overpowered ability would be given away for free. There had to be a price to pay.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, your movements will slow down for a moment. Don¡¯t be rmed and just try to hit me.¡±

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    [Speed: x0.8]

    Jin-Hyeok used the Skill but it did not take much of his mental strength.

    ¡®Hm? How is it possible that it doesn¡¯t take much of my mental energy?¡¯

    He was able to use it continuously. He calcted that he could use it at least three times in a row.

    ¡®Is this because of Imperial Resilience?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok believed so.

    ? ? ?

    Every day, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind struggled with a huge internal conflict. His head screamed for him to finish in third ce, but his heart wanted him to be in first ce. His subconscious mind had set the bar high, and his conscious mind was forcing him to lower it.

    His mind was in a constant battle.

    1. He had an obsession with not bing too strong.

    2. He had excessively high standards stemming from his past life.

    These two conditions created a strange reaction in his mind that caused him to repeatedly fail at self-objectification. Truth be told, being able to use an overpowered Skill like Time-Lapse Recording three times in a row was not something that could be exined just by the Imperial Resilience Trait alone.

    There had to be more than that.

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s rational mind decided not to ponder it any further. It was an unconscious defense mechanism that if he became objective about himself, he would eventually want to be first ce again.

    Apart from the fierce battle in his mind, he was actually impressed by the Skill¡¯s ability.

    ¡®It really is a Skill with the simr power of a Level 80 Debuffer.¡¯

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s movements slowed down significantly. Jin-Hyeok could easily dodge his attacks without concentrating that much.

    ¡®This is good.¡¯

    His teammates were also surprised. This was especially true for Seo Ji-Soo, who relied on speed. She opened her eyes wider than anyone.

    ¡°Hey, what did you just do?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°I cast something simr to a curse on him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°How can a Streamer cast a curse?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like casting a Skill that slows you down by twenty percent. I just got the Skill, so I know just as much as you do.¡±

    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s amazing! I think I can beat you if I had that Skill.¡±

    After Jin-Hyeok got the Skill, he got a little greedy.

    ¡®Should I go for the all-rounder Streamer for the early phase? I can definitely pull it off.¡¯

    It was possible to streamline the early part as a Streamer. His experience was enough to do it. He was getting much bigger donations than he expected, so he thought he would be able to retire in the not-too-distant future.

    ¡®So why not just enjoy it until I am on the verge of retirement?¡¯

    The thought shed through his mind, but¡ª

    ¡®Damn it! No! What if I can¡¯t retire?¡¯

    If Jin-Hyeok could not retire after the early stage, then there was going to be a big problem.

    ¡®The initial concept of a Streamer is the most important part of their career. Let¡¯s not be stupid. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m just an ordinary Streamer.¡¯

    He had to tell himself that again today.

    Just then, someone appeared with a foul odor all over her. It was a familiar smell. It was the secretions from the Steel Centipedes.

    ¡°I am going to kill you!¡±

    Her eyes were full of bloodlust, and she held a thorny whip in her right hand.

    It was ck Butterball.

    ? ? ?

    Kaylin, also known as ck Butterfly, was a member of the Avengers Army.

    And she had just gone through hell.

    ¡®I have to live.¡¯

    At first, that was all she could think about. Her only saving grace was that the monsters were extremely insensitive to touch. She moved by going along with them. The Steel Centipedes¡¯ bodies were covered with a sticky secretion, and she was now covered in it.

    Kaylin had been through hell and had barely escaped. It had taken her more than ten hours to move a mere one hundred meters.

    Then she realized¡ª

    ¡®It was a trap all along.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had to have set up the trap. He had to have realized he was being followed.

    She fought her way out of there.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to kill him.¡¯

    After more than ten hours of being held in an extreme situation, she lost her cool as soon as she saw Jin-Hyeok.

    Bloodlust took over her mind.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Chokehold¡¹.]

    She was nning on wrapping her whip around his body and then dragging him toward her. She thought this was the perfect timing to do that.

    ¡®This is going to work.¡¯

    It would be hard for the Tank and the Assassin of his to react. And it was true.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    But something was off. It felt like the whip was extending slower than usual.

    ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯

    She was gripped by the strange sensation of her thoughts slowing down. She felt like she was alone in the world.

    Strangely, only the time around her seemed to slow down. Everything else around her seemed to be moving faster than her. She felt like she was under a powerful curse.

    This was the effect of Time-Lapse Recording.

    ¡®Wait, what?¡¯

    The moment she was thinking that Jin-Hyeok deflected her whip. It was with his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    He reached his hand out immediately. It was too fast to dodge.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    In her slowed consciousness, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand was like that of a top-tier martial artist. It was more like a whip than her own. His hand reached out in a smooth path and grabbed Kaylin¡¯s throat.

    She heard his voice.

    ¡°Wow. This is a great Skill!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was thrilled with his new Skill, Time-Lapse Recording. It felt so good to have gotten the Imperial Resilience Trait and now this Skill

    ¡°I thought it was strange that you didn¡¯t attack before,¡± Jin-Hyeok said happily.

    He drew his dagger. He was not the type of yer who went around killing people, but he didn¡¯t let anyone who tried to kill him live either.

    And he did not really attach much meaning to death.

    As a result, he was not curious about his opponent¡¯s identity, and he was not angry.

    This was just his principle. If someone tried to kill him, he would kill them.

    Just as he was about to plunge the dagger into Kaylin¡¯s throat, he heard a panicked cry.

    ¡°WAIT!!¡±

    The voice was very familiar to him.

    ? ? ?

    The person who came running while yelling was none other than the Star Maker, Joseph.

    ¡®Why is he here?¡¯

    Joseph rushed over and grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this first.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s kill her first before we talk.¡±

    The order of business was wrong. It was more efficient to kill her first and then talk.

    ¡°As the manager of the Avengers Army, I apologize on their behalf. I assure you, ck Butterfly had no intention of harming you.¡±

    ¡°ck Butterfly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she is a member of the Avengers Army.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew all about theter members of the Avengers Army. Since he did not know who she was, she had to have been an early member, and she didn¡¯t survive until theter years.

    ¡°Please, let¡¯s talk about it. I¡¯ll exin everything.¡±

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    For now, Jin-Hyeok let go of the hand clutching her throat. This was the first time he had ever let an Assassin who wanted his life live.

    ¡®Well, if she¡¯s one of the Avengers Army, I would better hear her side of the story first.¡¯

    Egan Paul was an Earth-born Streamer. He was going to be one of the most influential Streamers on the. Joseph was going to be a Star Maker and a huge talent.

    Jin-Hyeok did not see any gooding from being hated by these guys. His goal was to be moderately sessful, and he would rather have no enemies than many allies.

    However, he also realized that letting her go would set a bad precedent. He decided to find the middle ground.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to cut her tendons on her limbs, how about that?¡±

    ¡°As long as you promise to keep ck Butterfly alive, I will do whatever you want, Mr. Kim, as long as it is within my power.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    People in this era were so pure.

    ¡®Did he just say he was going to give me whatever I wanted? What if I told him to give me his life?¡¯

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you, but the next time this happens, I will have to kill her. I don¡¯t like being stabbed in the back.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    They moved to another location to have a conversation.

    Back in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hotel room, Joseph told Jin-Hyeok all sorts of things. In short, Joseph nted someone to follow Jin-Hyeok because Joseph was interested in Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Who the hell would nt an Assassin as a tail?¡¯

    If someone were to put a tail on someone, they should not have it be an Assassin, but rather a Detective or a Rogue with no offensive capabilities. Since they were still in the early stage where Job boundaries were not clear, Jobs had not been so finely differentiated yet, and thanks to that, it seemed the very concept of it was not well established.

    ¡°I recognized your star quality and talent immediately. Egan also recognized your potential,¡± Joseph said.

    ¡°I have no intention of bing a star, and if the same thing happens in the future¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know. You are going to kill me.¡±

    Somehow, it looked like Joseph was never going to give up, but for now, he sighed deeply.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be bothering you for a while.¡±

    ¡°For a while?¡±

    ¡°You are going to shine wherever you go, and you can¡¯t hide that shine if you try.¡±

    Joseph had a point. Unlike those fictional movies, in the real world, there was no one who appeared socially inept or awkward but secretly possessed hidden strengths or abilities.

    But if Jin-Hyeok just decided to retire, that would be the end of the story.

    ¡°You are going to need me one day because you are meant to be a star,¡± Joseph said.

    He kept talking nonsense, so Jin-Hyeok just listened and let it go in one ear and out the other.

    ¡®Maybe if I retire, he will stop paying attention to me.¡¯

    ¡°You demanded a million dors inpensation and the life of ck Butterfly, right?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    What Jin-Hyeok had demanded was a million Dias, not a million dors. He did not want Egan to be his enemy and he was not exactly looking to make a fortune off of people¡¯s lives. He wanted to take the million Dias as a formality and be done with it. After all, that ck Butterfly was not much of a threat anyway. It just felt a bit excessive to demand one million dors just because an irritated little brat poked him with a finger.

    ¡°I believe I said one million Dias¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. I will pay you one million dors.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You spared ck Butterfly¡¯s life. This is the least I can do.¡±

    He sensed a determination in Joseph¡¯s eyes. It was a fierce determination to pay him a million dors no matter what.

    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t bother me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I have even written a contract right here.¡±

    Joseph was definitely a meticulous person. The contract stated that he did not expect or would not make any demands in exchange for this one million dors.

    Jin-Hyeok thought that this was enough for him to take it. Unbeknownst to him, Joseph had also paid Jin-Hyeok''s party members about one hundred million won each in damages.

    The party was smiling at the money they made. Even Ji-Soo, who looked a bit angry when she first came here, seemed happy.

    Cha Jin-Sol was also wearing a big capitalist smile.

    ¡°Oppa~ Is it okay if I love you, Oppa~?¡±

    ¡°Get off of me.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I love you~¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a pang of affection for his sister, whom he had lost once, but he kept it to himself. If he pretended to be a good brother or a loving brother, Jin-Sol would run away in disgust.

    He just treated her as usual, and she liked him more.

    They returned to Korea without incident. Jin-Hyeok headed straight to Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop.

    Gap-Soo looked a little annoyed.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you livestreaming anymore? You¡¯re being an unfaithful Streamer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to make a request.¡±

    ¡°A request?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You are an Alchemist, right? I bet you can make potions.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the Centipede Venom from his pocket. It was a potion-type item he had gotten while hunting Steel Centipedes.

    ¡°Can you use this to make a poison optimized for hunting toads?¡±

    He knew Gap-Soo could make it. And with it, Jin-Hyeok could clear the Golden Toad Dungeon, a Dungeon that was considered a gift to yers that were Level 60 or lower.

    With a few clears there, he could be a building owner in Yeonhui-dong.

    It looked like he would be able to retire much sooner than nned.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35

    As soon as Choi Gap-Soo saw the Centipede Venom that Cha Jin-Hyeok held out, he frowned slightly.

    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°From the Petronas Twin Towers Dungeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Petronas what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s from a Dungeon from a foreign country, but you probably would not recognize it even if I told you.¡±

    The old man looked a little offended.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you turn on your livestream?¡± Gap-Soo asked another question.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be that interesting,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Well, if you are a Streamer, you should have turned it on. Don¡¯t you think about the viewers who are waiting for you?¡±

    The old man was a little more hysterical than Jin-Hyeok expected. Jin-Hyeok wondered if the Earth Patch was not fullypleted yet. He gave Gap-Soo a brief exnation of what happened at the Petronas Twin Towers.

    ¡°...That¡¯s how I got it, but it¡¯s in the form of a vial, so I thought maybe an Alchemist could make something better.¡±

    ¡°You mean a poison potion[1] optimized for toads?¡± Gap-Soo said bluntly with his arms crossed. ¡°I can make it, but why should I make it for you?¡±

    ¡°Because there is a new Dungeon at the Ilsan Lake Park[2] right now.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°They say there are a lot of toad monsters there, so I thought having some poison would be handy.¡±

    ¡°And you think I will make it for you?¡±

    The old man was even more uncooperative than usual. He seemed to be very upset that Jin-Hyeok had cleared the Twin Towers Dungeon without turning on the livestream.

    This reminded Jin-Hyeok of something Kang Mi-Na had once said.

    ¡°When an extreme fan turns around, they be an extreme hater. That¡¯s something you really have to be careful about.¡±

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s so grand about being a fan? If they simply like something, they be a fan, and if they don¡¯t like it, they be a critic.¡±

    "Can¡¯t you concoct a poison potion with your name on it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked him again.

    ¡°My name? Why?¡±

    It was entirely at the makers'' discretion when it came to putting their names on the product, and the decision on whether they put their name on it or not was solely theirs and theirs alone.

    ¡°Well, I am going to be using the product a lot on the show, and I thought it would be nice if the name of the person who helped me was shown on my livestream.¡±

    Viewers on the SSP, especially the VIPs, paid astronomical amounts of money to watch the livestream. There were also viewers who donated money just to hear their names called in the live chat. It was weird to some, but Jin-Hyeok totally understood them.

    An innate desire to be the best¡ªit was something that existed in any and all fields, and it was certainly true even in the realm of viewers.

    Jin-Hyeok thought that aspiration was noble and that was why he was certain.

    ¡®The old man is definitely going to take this bait.¡¯

    ¡°Your nickname on the SSP is MoneyShower, right?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°Then how about we call it MoneyShower¡¯s Centipede Potion?¡±

    Gap-Soo crossed his arms and rubbed his chin, his fingertips trembling slightly.

    ¡°I am not doing this because my name is going to be on it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew this would work.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Give the potions you brought to Lilia,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°You can just take them, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Then why do I even have a secretary?¡±

    It was clear to Jin-Hyeok that Gap-Soo was trying to y a trick on him through the Subus.

    ¡®This is a great opportunity for me to test Imperial Resilience.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wondered how much better the Skill was than Mental Barrier, and how much he could resist the temptations of a Subus whose Level was so much higher than his own.

    He started to get a little excited.

    The old man pped once, and the door opened. Once again, Jin-Hyeok could smell the sweet smell of peaches. He tried to use his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight without making eye contact.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    This new Imperial Resilience was a perfect match for his Job. It seemed to have greatly enhanced the power of Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [LV97/Lilia/Skills/Night Ruler]

    It used to be all question marks, but now he could see a lot of information about her. However, he could not read the details because there was no underlining. He thought it was because the Level difference was too much.

    Also, Jin-Hyeok saw a strange status notification.

    [#Is he interested in me? #Of course he is. #Boys will be boys.]

    The only reason he was excited was so he could test the Imperial Resilience Trait. It was strangely irritating to think that she thought he was interested in her.

    ¡®Do I look that petty?¡¯

    [The Subus has used the Skill ¡¸?¡¹.]

    ¡®Wow. I can see that too?¡¯

    It was marked as a question mark because their Level difference was so great. If they were at a simr Level, he believed he would be able to read what the Skill was.

    ¡®I bet it¡¯s probably some sort of seduction Skill.¡¯

    His heart was not pounding like it used to. The sweet smell of peaches did not seem as deadly as before.

    ¡®I must have grown. Now this is what I call a sense of aplishment.¡¯

    [#Isn¡¯t he interested in me? #Didn¡¯t he get seduced by me? #What is he so excited about?]

    Gap-Soo took a sip from his cup of tea and asked her, ¡°Lilia, I hope you are doing your best.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I just used Night Temptation.¡±

    When Lilia said ¡®Night Temptation,¡¯ it sort of worked as a trigger. Now Jin-Hyeok was able to interpret what the question mark was.

    [The Subus has used the Skill ¡¸Night Temptation¡¹.]

    He scratched his head.

    ¡®Night Temptation? That is the most powerful seduction Skill avable to the Demons of the Dreams below Level 100.¡¯

    It was probably the strongest seduction Skill avable at this stage.

    ¡®No way¡­¡¯

    It was a very famous Skill that had a nearly one hundred percent chance of working on someone of the opposite sex if their Level was lower than the Level of the user. Even if Jin-Hyeok had the Imperial Resilience Trait, it would be difficult for him to resist the Night Temptation used by a Subus with a Level difference of more than fifty Levels.

    Even if he could, he couldn¡¯t be this casual about it.

    ¡®Is it because our Server hasn¡¯t been updated yet?¡¯

    All the information he currently had was from a couple of yearster. It seemed like the effect of the Night Temptation would be more powerful on the Earth Server in theter days.

    ¡®Maybe the Skill is currently set as a weak Skill.¡¯

    There was no way he could withstand a real Night Temptation Skill used by a nearly Level 100 Subus.

    Lilia walked toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°This is a bit of a blow to my pride.¡±

    After retrieving the Centipede Venom he had brought, she looked at him with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I am pretty?¡± she said.

    ¡°You are very beautiful.¡±

    ¡°But why do you seem excited about something else when you are in front of me?¡±

    He was at a loss for words. He couldn¡¯t exin it.

    ¡°You are right. I am attracted to you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hmm~ Is that so?¡±

    She flicked his shoulder with her index finger as if it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°What is your Level?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I am Level 40.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have ever met a male at Level 40 who wasn¡¯t all over me.¡±

    She leaned in and whispered into his ear.

    ¡°I think I am attracted to you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are making me curious.¡±

    ¡®Wow.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was on the verge of being creeped out. He knew this from before, but her lines were too corny, and her B-rated lines were like a wake-up call to him.

    Clearly, this Subus needed a lot of practice with her pick-up lines. She was like those Level Grinders who only relied on their Levels and Skills, not hard work and training.

    ¡®Ah, I guess that¡¯s why I am not seduced by her. She is just a Level Grinder.¡¯

    ¡°Hey, old man, when will the potions be ready?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew ignoring her was the answer. For the record, he never liked Level Grinders. They were just Leveling for the sake of Leveling, not for the sake of real aplishment and growth. They were full of shit.

    As he thought about it, it made him feel a lot better. He didn¡¯t think he would be seduced in the future now that he had lost interest in her.

    ? ? ?

    Three days had passed. Lilia came to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house and handed him the potion called MoneyShower¡¯s Toad Killer.

    She sat down on the couch.

    ¡°Do you see your sister over there?¡± Lilia asked.

    ¡°Yes, I see the lump of stone that is shaped like a human.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s mouth dropped open at the sight of Lilia, and she could not move. Lilia smiled and pointed at her.

    ¡°That is the normal reaction of someone who sees me for the first time.¡±

    ¡°Is it normal for people to be in awe of you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how beautiful I am.¡±

    ¡°Okay, whatever.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not feel like getting into a deep conversation with a Subus. He quickly cut to the chase.

    ¡°What did the old man ask forpensation?¡±

    ¡°He wants you to send him an invitation before the livestream starts.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    It was something that Jin-Hyeok was unfamiliar with. He did not interact with his audience at all, so he was not familiar with the system.

    ¡°You can buy invitations with one million Dias.¡±

    ¡°Does sending out invitations in advance change anything?¡±

    ¡°With an invitation, they can be the first to enter the livestream.¡±

    Lilia did not understand why Gap-Soo would brew his own potion just to get one of those invitations.

    For reference, that potion cost over three hundred million Dias in ingredients alone. However, Jin-Hyeok was very easily convinced.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already convinced?¡± Lilia said.

    She thought a normal yer would feel overwhelmed. Instead, he understood so easily that she was taken aback.

    ¡°Is there any reason not to be convinced?¡±

    ¡°I thought you would think it was weird.¡±

    ¡®I guess she knows nothing since she¡¯s just a Level Grinder. She has no idea how important it is for some people to be first in anything.¡¯

    He was disappointed in Lilia yet again. Unaware of his feelings, Lilia continued to talk.

    ¡°And then there is this thing called the Invitation List. The names of people who got the invitation would pop up there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they even get their names shown to the public?¡±

    ¡°You sound like you suddenly understand everything.¡±

    ¡°Of course. That is like a notarized statement that you¡¯re the only viewer who got an invitation to the livestream.¡±

    ¡°You can put it that way.¡±

    The feeling of being the only one.

    The feeling of being the best at something.

    Jin-Hyeok was briefly envious of Gap-Soo.

    ¡°Oh, and you will have the privilege of having a one-minute conversation on that channel.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ That¡¯s enough to make Gap-Soo take interest.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I might even say that he is getting ovepensated for what he has done.¡±

    [#I don¡¯t get it. #Am I weird?]

    Lilia was confused. She did not understand Gap-Soo, and Jin-Hyeok, who seemed to understand this so easily. So she just decided to let it go.

    ¡°...When are you going to start your livestream?¡±

    ¡°I am thinking of starting around 10 a.m. tomorrow.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After Lilia left his house, Jin-Sol, who had been like a stone, became human again.

    ¡°Oppa, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Who is she? She¡¯s not a human, is she?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone that pretty before. Is she some kind of celebrity? Wow, she¡¯s so pretty.¡±

    Jin-Sol spewed out words like a rapper. Jin-Sol kept asking him who she was, how did he know her, how can someone be that beautiful, why does she smell so good, are you dating her, etc¡­

    Jin-Hyeok did not remember all the questions because, after the first two questions, he just tuned Jin-Sol out.

    ¡°She is Gap-Soo¡¯s secretary, and we just met for business.¡±

    ¡°What kind of business rtionship would have someone to go to your house in that beautiful sundress and smile so innocently at you? Like, she had her entire body covered, but why was she so sexy?¡±

    ¡°...She was wearing a sundress?¡±

    He could not remember what Lilia was wearing.

    Anyway, Jin-Sol kept asking him who she really was. He told her several times that Lilia was just the secretary of Gap-Soo. Jin-Sol had a bad habit of tuning people out and only hearing things she wanted.

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to make a big deal out of it because he had the same bad habit.

    After thirty minutes, Jin-Sol¡¯s rambling stopped. Finally, the conversation moved on to the next topic.

    ¡°Oppa, can I apply for this?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    She held out her cell phone. There were various misceneous messages attached, but the message was simple.

    [We are asking for active support from outstanding yers.]

    This had already been announcedst time. It was the government¡¯s yer development policy. It became more specific, and they started to get support from many talented yers. Essentially, the government wanted to foster its own yers. It was a path Jin-Hyeok had taken before.

    ¡°If you want to do it, you can, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But what.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I want to stop you from going.¡±

    She would have to do more dirty work and had to take more risks than other yers. She would belong to the country.

    It was an honorable enough job, respected enough, and he knew someone had to do it. But he didn¡¯t want that someone to be his sister.

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I just wonder if it¡¯s a good choice to be a public servant after quitting your job at a global conglomerate.¡±

    Jin-Sol tuned this out too.

    ¡°Look! There is also a video. It¡¯s legit. Check this out.¡±

    She yed a video that he assumed was a public service announcement.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    The video was a little strange.

    ¡®Why is Lee Hyeon-Seong in that video?¡¯

    1. Just think of it as poison in the form of liquid, in a vial/bottle. We¡¯re adding the word potion here as it will be included in the item¡¯s name going forward. ?

    2. A little north-west of Seoul. ?

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36

    In the video, Cha Jin-Hyeok saw Lee Hyeon-Seong, the current number-one-ranked sword-wielding ss in Korea. Before Jin-Hyeok''s regression, Hyeon-Seong waspeting with him for the title of Korea''s Sword King.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok was a bit stronger.

    For reference, before Jin-Hyeok''s regression, he had never lost the top spot to Hyeon-Seong. Second through fifth ce were always chaotic, but Jin-Hyeok was the indisputable number one.

    Some might say that he was overwhelmingly powerful.

    He was suddenly nostalgic for that.

    ¡®No, stop it.¡¯

    He focused on Hyeon-Seong. Hyeon-Seong looked much younger than Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    ¡®I remember him telling me that he was never going to work for the government.¡¯

    The Hyeon-Seong that Jin-Hyeok remembered had a deep-rooted distrust of the state. Hyeon-Seong used to ask Jin-Hyeok why Jin-Hyeok was doing the government job with that much Skill. Jeong-Hyeon used to tell Jin-Hyeok that if Jeong-Hyeon was anything like Jin-Hyeok, Jeong-Hyeon would never be the government''s dog.

    Jin-Hyeok knew, if Hyeon-Seong had tasted the sweet growth with the government¡¯s help, Jeong-Hyeon wouldn¡¯t have said that.

    ¡®But now he is the face of a public service announcement?¡¯

    The past had changed. He thought this happened because of himself. Jin-Hyeok would have joined inter than this, but that job was actually his.

    ¡®I get why he¡¯s in the video, but what the hell is that?¡¯

    The fact that Hyeon-Seong was the one to fill the job that Jin-Hyeok had before the regression was surprising in itself. But there was something even stranger.

    ¡®Mother?¡¯

    There was one person they called ¡®Mother.¡¯

    She was a yer just like them, and she was basically their therapist, their mental support. They had always been in extreme environments and had been on numerous missions, and regr counseling and mental care were essential to keep them sane.

    This role was fulfilled by Mother.

    They learned that her yer name was Maria.

    Jin-Hyeok had a strange feeling as he looked at Maria¡¯s face.

    ¡®Her face is the same as I remember.¡¯

    For Hyeon-Seong, he looked much younger than Jin-Hyeok remembered. However, Maria looked exactly the same as Jin-Hyeok remembered. It was as if she didn''t age at all between now and Jin-Hyeok''s memories of her from his previous life''s future.

    ¡®For some reason, she doesn¡¯t look human.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not realize it at the time, but now he realized that there was something about her that did not feel human. It was like a strange sense of foreignness when someone would meet a human being from another Server. It wasn¡¯t immediately obvious to everyone, but only to those who had experienced a lot of humanity from other Servers.

    ¡°Oppa, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±

    He decided not to read too much into it.

    He didn¡¯t know why Hyeon-Seong, who hated the government, was now working for that very organization, and why Maria¡¯s face looked the same as he remembered.

    ¡®I wish I could let this go.¡¯

    But he couldn¡¯t.

    First, he called Kim Jeong-Hyeon. Jeong-Hyeon was also his teammate back in his past life, and Jeong-Hyeon had also applied to work for the government.

    ¡°Did you hear? The government is looking for yers to help them.¡±

    ¡ªYes¡­ I did hear that¡­

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡±

    With Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s personality, Jin-Hyeok thought Jeong-Hyeon would definitely apply, but Jeong-Hyeon''s answer was surprising.

    ¡ªI¡­ don¡¯t think¡­ I will¡­ apply¡­

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon was talking slowly, as usual.

    ¡ªBecause¡­ I think I¡¯m going to need money¡­ for a while. I looked at their conditions¡­ and they do not¡­ seem to be that good¡­

    ¡®That¡¯s unexpected.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok remembered him saying that he was d he was a government employee, back in Jin-Hyeok''s past life.

    ¡°I hear their sry and conditions are pretty good.¡±

    ¡ªI know¡­ but I think¡­ it is nothingpared to when I am with you, Jin-Hyeok.

    Jeong-Hyeon suddenlyughed and told him ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±

    He had always used honorifics when he talked to Jin-Hyeok, but he had never been this polite before. If this was considered a change, then it was indeed a change.

    ¡°Sleep well. We are going to clear the hottest Dungeon in Korea tomorrow.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The party chartered a small bus to make the trip more efficient.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, Jae-Hyeon, the Seo sisters, Jin-Sol¡­ I guess everyone is here. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    They boarded the bus and traveled to Ilsan. The Golden Toad Dungeon was located in the middle of Ilsan Lake Park.

    It was the hottest Dungeontely, along with Bupyeong Station Dungeon, which was said to be the worst Tutorial Dungeon.

    ¡°Oppa,¡± Seo Ji-Soo said.

    There were plenty of seats, but Jin-Hyeok had no idea why Ji-Soo was sitting right next to him.

    ¡°Are we really going to the Golden Toad Dungeon?¡±

    ¡°I thought you were there at the briefing.¡±

    ¡°I heard all the yers who discovered the Dungeon are now dead. Did you know that?¡±

    ¡°The first discoverers usually die.¡±

    Not all of them, but he would say about sixty percent of them died.

    ¡°And then I heard a whole bunch of yers went in to clear it but ran away and got out.¡±

    ¡°Good. That means there is a way out.¡±

    This meant that the Dungeon would fall on the friendlier side of the spectrum.

    ¡°Oh, right¡­ I guess you can put it that way.¡±

    They all seemed to be convinced by his logical exnation. Ji-Soo started to talk a little faster.

    ¡°But the yers who escaped alive from there found gold. A lot of it. They made millions of won, or even tens of millions of won, just by going in there once.¡±

    The Golden Toad Dungeon was such a ce. Although it was not widely known now, it was a notorious ce where the number of clears was even restricted due to how good it was.

    ¡®I remember the restriction being about one hundred clears.¡¯

    The Dungeon would disappear on its own after that many clears. It was also a ce that had an ¡®anti-monopoly'' setting. He didn¡¯t remember the exact number, but each team could only clear it about a bit more than ten times.

    ¡®That¡¯s not a problem. I¡¯ll have enough money to retire after ten clears.¡¯

    Just then, the bus driver yelled.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡±

    A dump truck had run a red light and was hurtling toward them.

    Jin-Sol looked out the window and screamed.

    ¡°AHH!!!¡±

    A big ident was inevitable. Jin-Hyeok did not even have time to think before he reacted.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    [Speed: x0.8]

    The subject of the Skill was the dump truck. He could apply the Skill to all things below Level 50. Most of the ¡®products of science,'' like the dump truck, were set to Level 1.

    He then used the Skill again, this time on their driver.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    [Speed: x1.2]

    He used it twice in a row and he didn¡¯t even feel anything to his mental strength. The bus driver, who was the subject of the second Time-Lapse Recording, turned the wheel faster than before.

    The dump truck slowed down, and the bus sped up. With a split second to spare, Jin-Hyeok threw himself out of the way.

    Crash!

    The window shattered as he jumped out. His body reacted on its own.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Even if he used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, he would still die if he collided with the dump truck head-on.

    Thanks to Time-Lapse Recording, the truck seemed to be approaching slowly.

    This phenomenon of making his enemy attacks appear slower had a simr feeling to when he entered the Sword Realm. It was impossible to do that with his current abilities, but his Time-Lapse Recording allowed him to have a simr effect.

    His heart started to beat fast.

    ¡®My body remembers everything.¡¯

    Memories from before the regression and the experiences he had gained while facing Golden Golem¡¯s Rocket Fist guided his body. His movements were more natural than they had been when he fought with the Golden Golem.

    It pleased him very much.

    The dump truck was about to hit Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I have¡­¡¯

    He needed to hit it. He needed to change the trajectory of the truck.

    Something inside of him started to itch. He couldn¡¯t help but spit it out.

    ¡°I have grown!¡±

    Boom!

    He hit the dump truck the same way he hit the Rocket Fist.

    When someone did not forget what they had learned once and do it again more naturally and more effectively, the feeling of aplishment was indescribable.

    ¡®But it seems like my shoulder is smashed.¡¯

    Still, it felt good.

    It was just a shoulder, he could get it healed. It was definitely a simr situation to when he hit the Rocket Fist, but if his power had regressed, it would have hurt a lot more than a shattered shoulder.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    Then he realized something was wrong.

    ¡®There is no driver on that truck.¡¯

    There was no one on that dump truck that almost hit him. It seemed like someone had set a trap.

    A ck van swooshed by behind the truck. Jin-Hyeok reflexively looked at the person in the passenger seat.

    ¡®Mother?¡¯

    She was someone he had spent so much time with before the regression. It was only a fleeting glimpse, but it was definitely Maria. This was probably not a coincidence.

    He used his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight at the right time.

    ¡®My eyes are tingling.¡¯

    His eyes were bloodshot and blood wasing out of them. If he hadn¡¯t obtained Imperial Resilience, his eyeballs would have burst from the reaction force.

    This was actually hurting him, but he endured it.

    [LV?/Maria/?/?]

    He can read the Level of Lilia, who was Level 97, but not Maria¡¯s. Even his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, which was enhanced by Imperial Resilience, could not see it.

    ¡®I remember Maria being a human¡­¡¯

    He was convinced that there was something hidden in this national yer development policy that he did not know about.

    ¡®This is going to be a problem.¡¯

    He did not know why this was happening, nor did he want to. However, what he didn¡¯t want even more was to get involved in the chain of events. He simply could not afford to get into a fight with Maria, the woman who supposedly caused the ident, at this moment in time.

    He would probably end up dead.

    While he did enjoy a good fight, he was not going to jump into a fight with someone whom he was no match for.

    He wasn¡¯t scared of her. It was because he had a goal in his mind, and it would be unfair to die without reaching it.

    That was how he came up with his reasoning.

    ¡®Is she targeting Jeong-Hyeon?¡¯

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon had told Jin-Hyeok that he refused to be a yer for the government. From what Jin-Hyeok heard, Mok Jae-Hyeon and the Seo sisters also refused. They all had their names on the ranking board, so it was easy for the government to identify them.

    ¡®But how could someone identify people whose name is on the ranking board? How did the government contact them?¡¯

    The ranking board contained yer names, not real names.

    Right now, Jae-Hyeon¡¯s yer name was ¡®Loser.¡¯ How could they identify ''Loser'' as Jae-Hyeon and contact him?

    ¡®It¡¯s not like the SSP is activated right now.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew the SSP would get activated atter times. It was true that when that timees, anyone who would have ess to the SSP would be able to check a yer''s registration information and verify their identity.

    However, they could not do that yet.

    ¡®This is so weird.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought there was some big conspiracy that he did not know about. The problem was, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it right now.

    Jin-Sol came running up to him, panting.

    ¡°Oppa! Are you okay?¡±

    Tears welled up in her eyes.

    ¡®Ugh, she¡¯s overreacting again.¡¯

    It was just a few shattered bones, nothing too serious.

    ¡°Why would you do something so dangerous? I¡¯m serious! Do you know how scared I was?¡±

    She was saying weird things again. If he had not done this, the dump truck would have crashed into the side of the bus.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t done this,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You would¡¯ve died.¡±

    ¡®You¡¯re still so weak.¡¯

    Aside from Jae-Hyeon and Jeong-Hyeon, the Seo sisters and Jin-Sol would have been seriously injured or even killed.

    He was telling her the facts. He didn¡¯t say this to hurt her, but if it were him, it would have hurt his pride.

    However, strangely, Jin-Sol seemed rather touched.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get hurt¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face and continued to treat her brother.

    ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m getting emotional again.¡¯

    ¡°Alright, is everyone okay?¡±

    Luckily, no one was injured. Jin-Hyeok also recovered quickly. It was only a minor injury, after all.

    ¡°This is going to be a problem,¡± he said.

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong? Where does it still hurt? Tell me!¡±

    ¡°No. I told the viewers that I was going live at 10 a.m.¡±

    ¡°You idiot! Is that so important?!¡±

    It was indeed important.

    Kang Mi-Na had once said that a Streamer¡¯s life depended on their punctuality. If he wanted to finish well and retire early, he needed to take care of the little things.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    He suddenly had an idea.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break now that everyone is a little freaked out.¡±

    A little whileter, it was ten o¡¯clock, the scheduled livestream time.

    As soon as he turned on the livestream, Gap-Soo entered the channel as if he had been waiting for him.

    [MoneyShower had entered the channel.]

    Jin-Hyeok turned off all notifications of who entered the channel, but it seemed like he was notified of people who had essed via the invitation. On the top right corner of the screen, the ¡®invitation list¡¯ was shown.

    It was like its sole purpose was to show the names of those who got the invitation.

    [VIP Invitation List]

    [1. MoneyShower]

    Jin-Hyeok could imagine the smiling face of Gap-Soo. He knew how Gap-Soo felt. Jin-Hyeok still remembered the thrill of seeing his own name at the top of the ranking board.

    [The invitation privilege has been applied.]

    [The invited have one minute to message on the channel.]

    The old man immediately sent a message on the channel. It was clear that he wanted to show off that he was the only one who could send a message.

    [MoneyShower: It¡¯s finally happening!]

    ¡°I was trying to clear the hottest Dungeon in Korea.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok expressed his frustration.

    ¡°However, there seems to be some force intentionally sabotaging our y. As all of you can see, there was a major ident, and the injuries and aftereffects are quite serious. I am really sorry, but I don¡¯t think we are going to be able to livestream today. I am just here to tell all of you what¡¯s going on. I will see all of you on the next livestream.¡±

    [MoneyShower: What? You little¡­ Wait a minute!]

    ¡°I am so sorry. I have no choice.¡±

    He could tell that Gap-Soo was very angry, but Jin-Hyeok just abruptly ended the livestream after he said everything he needed to say.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37

    It was nine in the morning.

    Omur, GM No. 1 of Gangnam-gu, was at the Alchemist¡¯s workshop in Cheongdam-dong. It was part of his routine to find the VIP of VIPs, the Trinity Club member, Choi Gap-Soo, to say hello and have a chat.

    Gap-Soo was quite fond of cracking jokes and making small talk. It was not just him, but most of the Trinity Club VIPs were like that.

    Having aplished so much, and with so much time on their hands, they were bound to get bored.

    ¡®I¡¯ll just have a quick chat with him today.¡¯

    Gap-Soo was one of the easier VIPs to deal with. He did not make ridiculous ims or get hysterical. As long as Omur made small talk, he did not bother the managers too much. Gap-Soo loved to talk, so as long as Omur listened to him, Omur was fine.

    ¡°I bragged to my friends about this!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°What did you brag about?¡±

    It was not too hard to figure out how to deal with the VIPs. All Omur had to do was repeat back to them what they had said and give them the asional admiring nce or smile. Couple that with three easy sentences and it was good to go.

    Really?

    That¡¯s amazing!

    You¡¯re amazing!

    These three were perfect. Omur knew it would be the same today.

    ¡°You know, that kid on the new Server. The one who has the nerve to ignore all the VIPs¡¯ requests to talk to him and notmunicate with his viewer at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean Chul-Soo?¡±

    New Servers, especially those in Open Beta, had a hard time getting noticed. The content would be still too new and limited. However, there was one yer who was getting a lot of attention.

    ¡°Yeah, Chul-Soo. I think he has a nickname or something.¡±

    ¡°I believe some people call him the Bulldozer because he does whatever the hell he wants.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, him. Anyway, he sent me an invitation.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Omur pretended to be surprised, but he actually wasn¡¯t. Sending out invitations was no big deal.

    ¡°Now my name is going to be stered on the top of the livestream!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a big deal.¡±

    ¡°It is. I wonder how jealous the other guys at the Trinity Club will be. Hahaha!¡±

    Omur still did not understand. Why was getting the invitation from Chul-Soo so important and what would the VIPs from the Trinity Club be jealous about?

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Omur did not understand with his heart, but he could understand it with his capitalist mindset. Capitalism had a mysterious knack for making even the most mysterious things understandable and agreeable.

    ¡°Nah~ You don¡¯t look that surprised, Omur.¡±

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t the VIPs of Trinity Club already aplished individuals who have achieved everything? So they don¡¯t covet or envy each other¡¯s possessions¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to sugarcoat that we are all the same.¡±

    Gap-Soo was right on the money. The Trinity Club was a gathering of the most sessful people on all the Servers, but inside the Inner Circle, everyone was simrly sessful.

    They were all equally great.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that you are all quitepetitive in small, mundane things, rather than big, grandiose things. It¡¯s a small way to enjoy the flow of life¡­¡±

    ¡°You can just say that we are childish.¡±

    A cold sweat ran down Omur¡¯s back. He could never say that Gap-Soo was childish, at least not in his own words.

    ¡°Anyway, I made a big bet with some guys about who is going to be the first to get on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, who is going to be the first name to be called out, and who is going to get their message shown on his livestream,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Oh, is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And in the end, I won! Haha! I was the first one to do that!¡±

    Gap-Soo seemed genuinely happy. Omur still understood his words only in his head. It was difficult to fully understand their world and their lifestyle.

    They were extraterrestrial beings who had spent hundreds of millions and even billions of won for such minuscule things.

    ¡®Let¡¯s just shut up and pretend to understand.¡¯

    This was about a world that had nothing to do with Omur.

    ¡°Huhuhu. The livestream is about to start.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be in a very good mood, sir.¡±

    This was his chance.

    ¡°I will go about my business. Have a good day, sir.¡±

    ? ? ?

    [MoneyShower: It¡¯s finally happening!]

    Gap-Soo sent his first message. This alone was a huge sess.

    ¡®I win, you bastards!¡¯

    He had made a bet of ten billion Dias for this. Within the group of five that he was part of and usually hung out with, his win would''ve meant he made a whopping forty billion Dias.

    However, he did not care about the money. It was more about pride than the forty billion Dias. The terms of the bet were to have a casual chat for at least thirty seconds.

    But then something crazy happened. Jin-Hyeok had turned off the livestream as soon as he started.

    Gap-Soo¡¯s friends contacted him through the SSP terminal.

    [The bet is still not over.]

    [I can¡¯t call that a win.]

    [It¡¯s more like a draw.]

    He only saw a glimpse of the messages, but he knew what they said and who sent them.

    Gap-Soo angrilyy down on his couch.

    Lilia cautiously approached and ced a cup of hot tea on the table.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo ising to see you in person,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s see what he has got to say.¡±

    Gap-Soo went to meet with Chul-Soo in a very unpleasant mood.

    ? ? ?

    The reason for Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s visit was simple.

    ¡°I know it was an ident, but it still doesn¡¯t seem right, so I am here to give you another invitation,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Have a seat. Tell me what happened,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I think there is a force out there that is intentionally sabotaging my y.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I can¡¯t even see their Levels with my abilities, so they are probably someone far more transcendent than me.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a guy like that on the Open Beta Server?¡±

    Gap-Soo''s mood became even more unpleasant. Who could be that powerful, trampling on his precious ytime and pride?

    ¡°Omur!¡± Gap-Soo immediately called for the GM he was in contact with.

    Less than three secondster, Omur appeared through the warp.

    Jin-Hyeok stared at Omur in disbelief.

    ¡®What? He came here in less than three seconds?!¡¯

    GMs were always overworked and working overtime. They were very busy.

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen a GM, who had to have umted quite a bit of seniority, show up in three seconds.

    ¡®That¡¯s crazy.¡¯

    ¡°Do you know anything about this?¡± Gap-Soo asked Omur.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Tell me now!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ssified, so I am not authorized to talk about it¡­¡±

    Gap-Soo frowned, and the GM tensed up. It was always scarier when someone who did not normally get angry got angry.

    ¡°So it¡¯s hard with your authorization?¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s voice got a little louder.

    ¡°Then get me the regional manager, no, bring in the Servel-level manager!¡±

    It looked like a Karen was demanding to see a manager at a retail store.

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen anything like this.

    ¡°Uh, well¡­¡±

    Omur¡¯s face became contemtive. He wondered why something like this was happening when he was so close to retirement.

    ¡°The Server-level manager, what¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s Director Chersi.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that kid is already a Director?¡±

    ¡°Give me a minute and I will let you know if he is avable, sir.¡±

    ¡°You have five minutes!¡¯

    Omur stormed out.

    Less than five minutester, he reappeared.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you exactly why, but Director Chersi told me that it won¡¯t happen again to yer Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s not gonna happen again, so I should just shut up and be quiet? Is that what Chersi told you to say?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok drank the citrus tea Lilia poured for him. The tea served by the Subus smelled wonderful.

    ¡®Wow, the old man is pretty angry.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew the old man did not get angry very often, but when he did, there was nothing that could stop him. If something like that had already happened, it was best to tell him the reasons and lie t until he calmed down.

    ¡®If you do that, the old man is going to calm down. I guess Omur hasn¡¯t figured that out yet.¡¯

    ¡°Gi¡­ give me a minute, sir.¡±

    ¡°This is thest time I¡¯m going to give you time. My time is precious.¡±

    Eventually, Omur returned like a dead man walking. Then, he began to confess.

    ¡°So¡­ it turns out¡­¡±

    ? ? ?

    The confession was quite a surprise to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®So the System is selecting and developing yers themselves?¡¯

    It was not at the national level, but at the System level. That meant that Jin-Hyeok was a Sword King who was selected and developed at the System level.

    ¡®Oh¡­ No wonder I was so strong.¡¯

    As he listened to Omur, he learned more details.

    ¡®I see. They must have tried to kidnap my party.¡¯

    It seemed like they were trying to kidnap his party members with 9-Star Jobs, like Mok Jae-Hyeon and Kim Jeong-Hyeon, and develop them.

    Since this was done on a System level, they were able to identify his party members.

    ¡®So that¡¯s what happened!¡¯

    Now, it was clear to Jin-Hyeok. Kidnapping low-Level prospects and raising them was a very efficient and excellent way of developing yers.

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had volunteered, but he wouldn¡¯t have minded being kidnapped either.

    ¡°...So, we will set Chul-Soo and his party members as exclusions, ensuring that they are not forcefully dragged into this project¡­¡±

    ¡°And if you try to ruin my fun again, next time, I will call that Chersi myself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I will keep that in mind.¡±

    Now Jin-Hyeok knew what was going on. There was no doubt that Lee Hyeon-Seong had been kidnapped. There was no way he would volunteer to work there when he used toin so much about not wanting to be a public servant.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if he was brainwashed or something.

    ¡®Wait, what if Hyeon-Seong takes over my old role?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was the strongest one. He was overwhelmingly powerful, and the other yers were just mediocre. Now that Jin-Hyeok thought about it, there might have been one or two times when he lost his first ce, but for the most part, he was the top-ranked yer.

    ¡®Hm¡­ Maybe it¡¯s more than once or twice¡­ But what if Hyeon-Seong is intensively developed at the System level and bes more powerful? Would he be stronger than me? I don¡¯t like the thought of that.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was already annoyed about how much Hyeon-Seong would brag about being the strongest.

    ¡®No. I shouldn¡¯t think like that.¡¯

    Swordsmen were bound to be stronger than Streamers. There was no reason for him to feel bad.

    ¡®Get a grip, Jin-Hyeok.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was on his way home.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    He got in the cab alone, but then a voice came from the seat next to him. The taxi driver screamed in surprise.

    It was Kihael, No. 3 GM of Seodaemun-gu.

    ¡°I need to talk to you for a minute,¡± Kihael said.

    He looked very angry.

    ¡°I thought we were done talking,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡±

    ¡°Just letting you know, I¡¯m livestreaming right now.¡±

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok told Kihael that he was livestreaming, Kihael''s expression suddenly softened. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why Kihael would pretend to be angry when Kihael was going to go along with Jin-Hyeok anyway.

    When looking at things like this, Kihael was definitely a rookie. Hecked experience and expertise.

    ¡°As the Administrator of Seodaemun-gu, I would like to talk to you a little bit more about what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I need to create a title for the livestream.¡±

    [The divine Swordsman in the infamous public service announcement is actually a result of a System project?! Find out the shocking story.]

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to have a simpler title, but he was so distracted by Kihael that he just wrote whatever came to mind.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have titled it this way.¡¯

    ¡°Remember the Administrator you saw?¡±

    ¡°When you say Administrator, you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. Team Manager Maria.¡±

    As far as Jin-Hyeok could recall, no Administrator ever referred to Maria as a team manager.

    ¡°She would like to see you for a minute.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had returned to the world with all the future knowledge, but now apletely unfamiliar world was unfolding before him.

    An unknown world was approaching.

    ¡®Ah, I¡¯m getting excited again¡­ I hate this feeling.¡¯

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy with my livestream? And I thought this information was confidential. Is it okay if I show it on my channel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s been cleared for release from the Secret.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What about the time and ce?¡±

    ¡°She said it¡¯s at your convenience.¡±

    ¡°Then tell her I¡¯ll see her at the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok agreed to meet with Maria.

    Soon enough, he was at the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    [You have entered ¡¸Sareoga Mart Dungeon¡¹.]

    Upon entering, he applied his Achievements.

    [You have applied the Achievement ¡¸All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)¡¹.]

    [You will no longer be attacked by the monsters in the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    [All of your stats have increased exponentially.]

    A line engraved with ¡®All-Clear¡¯ appeared on his right wrist. Thanks to the effect of the All-Clear Achievement, the Dungeon¡¯s monsters, the Fist Monkeys, paid no attention to him.

    ¡®What is she going to say to me?¡¯

    A magic circle formed on the floor. A white glow emanated from it, and a figure emerged from it.

    It was a face all too familiar to Jin-Hyeok.

    It was ¡®Mother¡¯ Maria.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, yer Kim Chul-Soo,¡± she said.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    ¡°I believe we¡¯ve met,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight conveyed new information.

    [LV202/Maria/Skills/Guardian of Faith/Confused]

    ¡®What? I can see it now!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was a good idea to choose this Dungeon as the rendezvous point after all.

    ¡®So let me get this straight. With the synergy between Imperial Resilience and Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, and after applying the All-Clear Achievement on the Skill, I am able to read even Level 200 opponents?¡¯

    The objectification of one¡¯s own Skills was very important.

    Of course, his reading was better because he already knew who Maria was, but it was still very encouraging to be able to read her, who was over Level 200.

    ¡®Wow. This is so exciting! I can¡¯t contain myself. I just managed to read information of a very high-Level yer.¡¯

    Although each country had a different ssification, Level 200 was the realm of a grandmaster. For reference, Jin-Hyeok''s Level before his regression was 240.

    ¡°You are right. This is not our first time. I apologize for what happened earlier.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly quick to admit it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I have to.¡±

    ¡°You mean you have to because of Gap-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡± Maria nodded. ¡°What¡¯s it like to see me through your Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight? Do you think you can handle it?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s not to handle? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m guilty of anything.¡±

    ¡°You have a lot of nerve.¡±

    Maria smiled and looked at Jin-Hyeok. He had a lot of good memories of her.

    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for her, I might not have been who I am today.¡¯

    Before his regression, he was just a lunatic who only cared about being strong and would do anything to get there.

    She had helped him use his strength for the right things.

    Jin-Hyeok was curious.

    ¡®So, is what I feel right now a sense of betrayal? Is it because she did something as inhumane as kidnapping? Or that she would brainwash and develop yers? Or maybe she would do something like that to me if she had the chance? But if that made me stronger, wouldn¡¯t that be okay? Or is it not okay?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was deep in thought when Maria spoke up.

    ¡°The human race on the Earth Server is not optimized for y.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew this. Even the Demons of Dreams alone were Level 70 from birth. However, humans of Earth, no matter how they were Awakened, always started at Level 1. It was a very slow-growth Server, with the early stage stretching to almost Level 100.

    ¡°We decided that the Earth Server was too upetitive and that artificial intervention was inevitable,¡± she exined.

    ¡°By kidnapping and brainwashing talented yers?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say we brainwashed them.¡±

    ¡°I know Hyeon-Seong pretty well. He is not the kind of person who would be a government official in his right mind.¡±

    ¡°Then you should talk to him. We did not brainwash him, I swear on my Job as an Administrator. We also didn¡¯t kidnap Hyeon-Seong. I am ashamed to say, but the only people we tried to kidnap were the Wood King, the Sessor of Jang Kang-Cheol, and the Blood Priest.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok now understood why he felt so bad. This was not the feeling of betrayal.

    ¡®This is a feeling of one¡¯s pride getting hurt.¡¯

    Mok Jae-Hyeon, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, and Cha Jin-Sol were at the top of her list of people she wanted to kidnap. However, Jin-Hyeok himself was not on the list.

    He frowned.

    ¡®Does that mean I¡¯m not that good?¡¯

    Not being the first choice was actually a good thing for him. He was aiming for third ce anyway. This was good news for him.

    ¡®But why do I feel so angry?¡¯

    Just for the record, Jin-Hyeok was only excluded because he did not register his yer name on the Ranking Board. But he didn¡¯t remember that.

    ? ? ?

    Maria¡¯s so-called ¡®project¡¯ could be considered both illegal and legal, but it was a little closer to illegal.

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of whether you see it as the Administrators overreaching, or you see it as the groundwork for building a better ecosystem,¡± Maria said.

    Jin-Hyeok was torn. He should be happy that he was not on the list, but he still felt bad.

    He still had a long way to go to grow up.

    He was angry, but he spoke to her as if he was calm.

    ¡°Just because the intentions are righteous does not mean the ends justify the means.¡±

    This was something Maria had always taught them. No matter how righteous their intentions were, if the method was not right, it was not right.

    ¡°If there was no illegal coercion, such as kidnapping or brainwashing, then this could be considered good groundwork. You say there was no brainwashing, but there is no way for you to prove that, and I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve already experienced your attempt at kidnapping,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Besides, the Level difference between you and me is so stark, I am not sure I would be able to handle it if you pulled another weird trick on us.¡±

    ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°How do I know you¡¯re true to that promise?¡±

    ¡°For our safety, for my safety, I am going to use the petition system.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not doing this because he was offended.

    ¡°...What kind of petition are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°A petition to stop the Earth Server Administrators from overreaching through misguided means.¡±

    Maria let out a small sigh.

    ¡°That, too, is a yer''s right.¡±

    For the beginner¡¯s phase, the System¡¯s petition system needed at least five thousand signatures to be effective. However, he assumed it would be difficult to meet the minimum number of signatures.

    Currently, only one human on Earth had ess to the SSP, which was Joseph.

    Without the help of other humans on Earth, it would be difficult for a newbie Streamer at Level 40 to get the support of five thousand viewers from other Servers.

    ¡°I am not going to interfere, just do your best,¡± Maria said.

    ? ? ?

    Gap-Soo was in a very good mood.

    [VIP Invitation List]

    [1. MoneyShower]

    Thanks to the invitation, he was able to send a message in the chat for one minute.

    [MoneyShower: Hey, MoneyShot, did you see this?]

    Both MoneyShower and MoneyShot were Named viewers. They were both big spenders wherever they went and were members of the Trinity Club. MoneyShower was a well-known individual who had been famous for a long time, while MoneyShot was a neer who had recently gained fame.

    They would argue over trivial matters and engage in battles of pride.

    This time, the bet was about who would exert influence first on the infamous Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, known for his unpredictable style.

    [MoneyShower: Hey, MoneyShot. You¡¯ve already lost.]

    The messagessted only a minute, but Gap-Soo enjoyed it.

    His secretary, Lilia, cautiously asked,

    ¡°Is it really that enjoyable for you?¡±

    ¡°Of course! That MoneyShot bastard needs to learn his ce!¡±

    Suddenly, Chul-Soo submitted a petition!

    ¡°Ha! It seems like there is another person who needs to learn his ce! Even after knowing his opponent¡¯s Level, how can he be so uncooperative?¡±

    ¡°He even has the nerve to call you an old man.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I like him.¡±

    MoneyShower wanted to be called Choi Gap-Soo on Earth. He was quite fond of being called the old man, but Lilia could not bring herself to call him that.

    ¡°He¡¯s really going to start the petition.¡±

    And indeed, the petition was created. For the record, all yers and viewers who participated in the y were collectively referred to as Users, and if enough of them agreed, the System would review the petition immediately.

    ¡°How many signatures does it take in the Open Beta Server for the petition to go into immediate review?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s five thousand.¡±

    ¡°Can I buy the signatures for the petition with money?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is set at one million Dias per signature.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cheap.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s buy five thousand signatures. Don¡¯t forget to show them who signed the petition.¡±

    Lilia was momentarily at a loss for words. Their world did not make sense to her.

    Giving up trying to understand, she essed the System¡¯s petition page.

    ¡°Chairman Choi, but¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to tell you this, but¡­ the petition has already reached five thousand signatures.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Gap-Soo jumped to his feet.

    ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t the viewers always so stingy about things like this? How can the petition already reach five thousand signatures? They are the type who can¡¯t even bother to press the ¡®Like¡¯ button! It¡¯s not like the Earth Server is that popr¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Lilia held up her terminal and showed him the screen.

    [Petition Signatures (Public): 4,200]

    [Public List: MoneyShot/MoneyShot2/MoneyShot3/¡­/MoneyShot3912/Wind Wanderer1/Wind Wanderer2/Wind Wanderer3/¡­/Wind Wanderer102/Love, Memories, Longing¡ï]

    Between the two of them, MoneyShot and Wind Wanderer had over four thousand signatures. In addition to them, several viewers also agreed to reveal their nicknames.

    [Petition Signatures (Undisclosed): 3,123]

    [Petition Signatures Total: 7,323]

    Note that to make one¡¯s nickname public, one had to log in and go through the hassle of biometric verification. Therefore, there were more people who agreed privately than publicly.

    However, due to MoneyShot and Wind Wanderer, there was a significant phenomenon where there were far more publicly disclosed petition signatures than undisclosed ones.

    Lilia doubted her eyes.

    ¡®As for MoneyShot and Wind Wanderer, I get it, but¡­¡¯

    The usage of the petition system itself in the Open Beta Server was unusual. However, even excluding the signatures from MoneyShot and Wind Wanderer, there were over three thousand viewers who signed the petition. This was an unprecedented event even on a universal scale.

    In fact, achieving three thousand ¡®Likes¡¯ on a video, which was much easier than a petition and only required a single touch, was not an easy feat either.

    ¡®How can a Streamer from an Open Beta Server have this much influence?¡¯

    There were only a handful of cases where the petition system was activated on the Open Beta Server, and even then, the number of signatures was all in the low double digits.

    However, Kim Chul-Soo had over seven thousand signatures.

    As a result, Chul-Soo¡¯s petition was immediately reviewed by the System and the results were sent to the petitioner, Jin-Hyeok.

    [The illegality of the project was verified.]

    [Is the petitioner¡¯s demand to stop or improve the project?]

    Jin-Hyeok did not think long.

    ¡®Improve.¡¯

    [The project in question has been directed to undergo improvement in response to the petitioner¡¯s requests.]

    Any illegal activity, including kidnapping and brainwashing, was now forbidden. The project was now monitored directly by the System.

    ¡®Ah~ I feel so much better now. Now we¡¯re definitely safe.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind felt a little lighter. Now he would not have to be kidnapped and forced to work on a project like that.

    ¡®And I don¡¯t have to meet with Hyeon-Seong.¡¯

    If there was anything illegal in the process of recruiting Lee Hyeon-Seong, the System would review and correct it on its own.

    ¡°The livestream took a brief detour, but I will proceed with my main content. The destination is Ilsan Lake Park, the Golden Toad Dungeon.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok changed the title of the livestream.

    [Golden Toad Dungeon. Challenge epted.]

    No matter how many times he looked at it, it was a clean and beautiful title.

    ¡®Yes. Titles should be this short and to the point.¡¯

    He felt like he was pretty good ating up with titles.

    Sometimeter, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s entire party gathered at Ilsan Lake Park.

    ¡®Wait, what the hell is that?¡¯

    The Golden Toad Dungeon was already a famous Dungeon, and quite a few yers were camped around thekeside.

    ¡®Why is everyone just standing there and not going inside? It¡¯s like they¡¯re waiting for a ride at an amusement park.¡¯

    By Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards, something stupid seemed to be happening.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Okay! Next customer! That would be one hundred thousand won.¡±

    Several uniformed men were running the ce.

    ¡°Okay! Next customer! That would be one hundred thousand won.¡±

    Most of them were big and had short hair. From a distance, they just looked like squares walking around.

    Suddenly, there was a bit of a scuffle between them and the yers.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t that woman in front of me only pay fifty thousand won?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, didn¡¯t you hear the price was raised?¡±

    The Golden Toad Dungeon was in the middle of theke, and they had to take a boat to get there. The boat was not big, but rather a small boat, since the water wasn¡¯t very deep. And the uniformed men were charging one hundred thousand won each time.

    ¡®Wow, they¡¯re literally robbing the yers.¡¯

    While Jin-Hyeok was in disbelief, Cha Jin-Sol was saying outrageous things.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a while before we get our turn.¡±

    ¡°Our turn?¡±

    ¡°Uh, there¡¯s a waiting list over there. Do you want me to get one?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand how his own sister could be so naive.

    ¡°Why do we need to be on the waiting list?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Um... to get on the boat? Duh.¡±

    Apparently, this had already been implicitly epted among the yers.

    ¡°This is illegal.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s illegal in this day and age? You can get away with murder as long as it happens during y.¡±

    It was true that GMs had taken a lot of liberties to get the y going quickly. But that was only between yers.

    Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers,

    ¡°Wow, these guys have quite the nerve.¡±

    He looked over at the uniformed men, just in case, and they were all non-Awakened. They were not yers, but they were pretending to be one.

    ¡°Non-yers are pretending to be yers andmitting such illegal acts without hesitation. That¡¯s a form of fraud, and such fraudulent behaviors need to be eradicated.¡±

    Stabbing innocent yers in the back to get their own way was something only viins did.

    And Jin-Hyeok hated viins.

    One of his main missions, back in the day, was to kill those viins, and a lot of people who tried to kill him were also viins.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice was loud enough that one of the big guys red in his direction. He could make out his name through Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight if he wanted to, but his name was not important, so he decided to just call him Square Man.

    ¡°Hey! You over there! What the hell did you just say?¡±

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39

    ¡°You know that¡¯s fucking illegal, right?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°This little shit is swearing at us!¡±

    The Square Men frowned when Jin-Hyeok swore at them. Jin-Hyeok was not sure why they were mad at him, seeing that they were the ones that swore at him first.

    ¡°I just ran into these Square Men with foul mouths. Looks like someone needs to wash their mouths with soap.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was stating a fact and not trying to start anything. They were the ones who provoked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m not talking to you. I¡¯m just livestreaming and I just wanted to let you guys know that this is illegal.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? We have a permit from the city.¡±

    One of them pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. It said something about the city giving them permission to operate here. Jin-Hyeok assumed it was forged. The only reason the cops did not crack down on them was because they thought these thugs were yers.

    ¡°I am going to give you a serious warning,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It is illegal for non-yers to impersonate yers and pretend they are ying. It¡¯s in the manual, but I guess you didn¡¯t read it.¡±

    Several of the Square Men walked toward Jin-Hyeok. They nced over at Kim Jeong-Hyeon and apparently decided that he was the most threatening one of the party.

    ¡®Wait, not me? Jeong-Hyeon looks stronger?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had been denying these feelings and turning away from them until now, but he decided to change this path. He believed that the only way he could fix these feelings was to admit them in the first ce.

    ¡°What you are doing is illegal, and I just gave you a friendly warning.¡±

    ¡°You little shit! shut the hell up!¡±

    One of the Square Men lurched forward and grabbed Jin-Hyeok by the scruff of the neck. His grip was so weak that Jin-Hyeok did not feel much of a threat. However, the Square Man seemed to think Jin-Hyeok was scared.

    ¡°You. Say that shit again.¡±

    ¡°That shit.¡±

    ¡°You think this is a fucking joke?¡±

    ¡°What? I did what I was told.¡±

    The Square Man was about to punch Jin-Hyeok, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t budge. If a non-Awakened person, who was not even a yer, swung his first with all his might like that, it was not going to end well on his side.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that¡¯s gonna hurt.¡±

    Snap!

    The sound was louder than Jin-Hyeok expected. It sounded like a fist hitting a wall, and it probably felt like that too.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was pretty solid.

    ¡°Looks like you have cracked a bone. They say whoever strikes first always wins, but I think that doesn¡¯t really apply in this situation.¡±

    It seemed like the Square Man was hurt so badly that he let go of Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok brushed the dust off his neck and said, ¡°Just letting you know, but I just called the GM, and if you¡¯d rather stop now, I can cancel the call and maybe we can just move on.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not know who the GM was for this district, but he assumed they should have been here by now. He even attached a video to the call, but they were not here yet.

    For the record, GM No.1 of Gangnam-gu, which was a much more densely popted district, popped up within three seconds of being called.

    Jin-Hyeok walked past the Square Man who was holding his broken fist.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go, guys.¡±

    ¡°You bastard! What did you do to him?¡±

    Another Square Man blocked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s path.

    ¡°Jesus, you really should listen to my advice.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you''re going to get off easy.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re all going to be in big trouble if the GM gets here. Why won¡¯t you listen to my sincere warnings?¡±

    If they were unlucky, they would get killed by the GM.

    Jin-Hyeok warned them again, this time more sincerely and kindly.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna get yourself killed.¡±

    ¡°Shut the hell up!¡±

    The Square Men did not heed his warning. They walked toward him with a menacing momentum. Jin-Hyeok hoped the GM woulde quickly, but they seemed to be really slow. In times like this, it was best to do the most damage with the most efficiency.

    Jin-Hyeok drew his dagger and stabbed the guy who had tried to stab him in the face in the shoulder.

    Stab!

    Blood gushed out. Jin-Hyeok angled it just right to make sure there was a lot of blood.

    That should be enough to scare them off.

    ¡°Get out of the way when I¡¯m telling you nicely. Don¡¯t mess with the good guy who is just trying to help you out.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know why they were trying to stir up the good guy.

    The Square Men were taken aback, and Jin-Hyeok didn''t waste the window of opportunity. He stabbed the man''s other shoulder.

    Stab!

    Blood gushed out again as he screamed.

    Jin-Hyeok grabbed him and held him hostage.

    ¡°Okay. Next, I am going to stab you in the neck.¡±

    ¡°You little shit¡­¡±

    Eventually, the Square Men gave up and let the party go through. With Jin-Hyeok leading the way, the party walked toward theke.

    The Square Man who was stabbed twice and being dragged, muttered, ¡°Pl¡­please don¡¯t kill me¡­¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s weird. I never said I was going to kill him, so why is he asking me not to kill him?¡¯

    The party reached the shore of theke and threw the Square Man down on the ground. He scrambled toward his friends. He panted heavily, barely surviving this ordeal.

    As soon as he got back to his friends, the Square Men showed their true colors.

    ¡°Kill him!"

    ¡°Kill everyone!¡±

    There were some who pulled out their knives. The bloodlust in their eyes told Jin-Hyeok they really wanted to kill him.

    ¡°Oppa¡­ What are you going to do?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think his party would be scared, but they seemed a little scared. He thought it was because they had never killed anyone before.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to do anything. Look! There is a magic circle up ahead.¡±

    The slow GM finally showed up. Jin-Hyeok wished the GM had shown up sooner, so he did not have to take action.

    ¡®Oh, so Joe is the GM for this area at this point in time.¡¯

    When Jin-Hyeok was at his peak during his previous life, Joe was GM No.1 of Yangcheon-gu[1]. He had one of the most brutal tempers among the GMs, and Jin-Hyeok had a few run-ins with him.

    ¡®From what I remember, that guy really has a nasty temper.¡¯

    ¡°I warned you guys. Don¡¯t me me for what¡¯s going to happen next.¡±

    Did Joe not know what was going on here?

    Jin-Hyeok did not think so. He believed Joe left the Square Men¡¯s operation alone because he was toozy. However, since a GM-Call came in, he had no choice but to act on it.

    Of course, he should be very annoyed right now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started to walk toward theke without looking back. It was too inefficient to take a boat into the water this shallow. It was not like there was some kind of underwater monster here. It was much faster to just walk.

    Jin-Hyeok took the lead. The water was not very deep, just enough to walk across.

    He heard screams from behind him. It was probably Joe¡¯s doing.

    ¡°I just wish they had listened to me when I warned them. However, I am not going to show you what¡¯s going on because it is not that important or special. I¡¯m not sure why they didn¡¯t listen when I warned them so sincerely and nicely.¡±

    Anyway, the party arrived at the entrance of the Golden Toad Dungeon.

    ¡°Now, we are about to enter the Golden Toad Dungeon."

    ? ? ?

    [You have entered ¡¸Golden Toad Dungeon¡¹.]

    They entered the Golden Toad Dungeon with Mok Jae-Hyeon leading the way. There were already quite a few yers inside. They were fighting with all their might against the Horned Toad, which was the size of a medium-sized dog.

    The Dungeon was arge cave-like Field with a sticky floor.

    ¡°This ce is very humid.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued to describe the ce as he looked around.

    ¡°There are teeth-like stones growing out of the edges of the ceiling and floor. They are pointy. I believe those are called stctites and stgmites.¡±

    The rest of the team was nervous as they looked around with him. Cha Jin-Sol came up to her brother and whispered, ¡°Oppa.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Do you see the timer that¡¯s floating in the air?¡±

    The running timer, showing minutes and seconds, was floating in the air.

    ¡°The moment that timer hits zero,¡± she said, ¡°something will jump out of nowhere and grab one yer. You have to be careful of that thing because once you¡¯re grabbed, you will disappear forever.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok heard about that on the inte. He wondered if it was real, but now he knew.

    ¡°Wow, so it was true. Look, there is a timer.¡±

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe there is a system that tells you when the Field will be attacked. How nice.¡¯

    There was nothing like this in the Golden Toad Dungeon before his regression. Perhaps the difficulty was drastically reduced since this was the Open Beta Server.

    Jin-Hyeok felt very rxed and continued to monitor his surroundings. The yers who were battling the Horned Toad began to take cover behind the jagged rocks.

    ¡°There is still over a minute left on the timer, but they¡¯re already hiding.¡±

    As beginner yers, they definitely looked intimidated. Jin-Hyeok could not believe they were wasting a minute like that. He used everyst bit of the time, then ducked behind a rock with the party.

    [00:03]

    [00:02]

    [00:01]

    Whoosh!

    As the timer ran out, something snapped out of the darkness in the distance. The yers all ducked for cover, but instead, a Horned Toad that had been wandering around was caught in the whip and dragged somewhere.

    At the same time, the timer reset.

    [30:00]

    Apparently, the timer triggered once every thirty minutes.

    ¡®Wow, can the difficulty be this low?¡¯

    When Jin-Hyeok first came to this Dungeon in his previous life, there was no timer like this, and those attacks were multi-pronged and even randomized. There was usually at least one a minute, and they were almost impossible to predict.

    ¡®This is so easy.¡¯

    The difficulty Level of this Dungeon was at its lowest. Other yers started fighting the Horned Toad again.

    ¡°It looks like the other yers have fought a lot of these Horned Toads, so we are not going to fight them.¡±

    The ce had be quite famous on the inte.

    ¡®They should know by now that killing those monsters has nothing to do with clearing the Dungeon. I want to know why everyone is putting their efforts into it.¡¯

    Those monsters would asionally drop Golden Fragments when killed, but they would actually be getting more bang for their buck by clearing the Dungeon.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to where the whip wasing from. There might be something hidden there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok almost led the way out of habit.

    ¡®Damn it. I shouldn¡¯t do this.¡¯

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, our trusted Tank, will lead the way.¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon seemed to have given up a bit and started walking ahead. It wasn''t just Jin-Sol who looked nervous, but Jeong-Hyeon too.

    ¡°Let me interview our party members for a moment. So, our beloved Ms. Cha Jin-Sol, how are you feeling right now?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m entering hell with my own feet.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ''Huh? But this Dungeon is not difficult at all.¡¯

    ¡°A few people went exploring in that direction, but they all disappeared. That is why no yers are going there now,¡± she said.

    ¡°In that case, shouldn¡¯t we explore even more because there might be a hidden secret?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a basic principle that there is a path to be found in a hidden ce?¡±

    ¡°...Basic, you say.¡±

    His words seemed to enlighten her. He felt proud that she was learning the basics.

    ¡®But the floor is so sticky.¡¯

    It was hard to walk forward anymore. Meanwhile, the thirty-minute timer had decreased significantly. They were going slower than he thought.

    ¡®This is so frustrating.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was tempted to just clear the entire Dungeon, but he resisted. He kept having to resist the urge to get out there and do what he did best.

    He was now a Streamer. He had an obligation to livestream his party¡¯s trials and tribtions to the viewers.

    ¡°We will take cover for now.¡±

    The timer hit zero and the red whip swung around once again. Unfortunately, one of the yers was caught by the whip and dragged somewhere.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    The scream grew more distant.

    ¡°A yer was dragged to somece. That¡¯s very unfortunate. Let¡¯s move on.¡±

    They resumed their movement. It was toward the side where the yer was dragged. The deeper they went, the more sticky the floor became, and the slower they moved.

    ¡°Hyung¡­ I can¡¯t move¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked around with his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight and realized that they were caught in the Sticky Trap. Jae-Hyeon could not move his feet anymore.

    The timer was ticking down to three minutes. There was no way he could get out of the trap in three minutes.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    Jae-Hyeon looked devastated.

    ¡°Wh¡­What should I do?¡±

    The others had already ducked behind the rocks, and Jin-Hyeok moved closer to Jae-Hyeon. Jae-Hyeon was scared out of his mind.

    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s think.¡±

    ¡°Think? At a time like this?¡±

    They had two and a half minutes left on the clock.

    ¡°What can we do so that we don¡¯t end up like that yer?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t know. What should we do?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon sounded panicked.

    They had around three minutes. There was still plenty of time, so Jin-Hyeok decided to give Jae-Hyeon some time to figure it out.

    ¡°You need to think harder than that.¡±

    ¡°Hyung! Please help me!¡±

    ¡°You need to think!¡±

    Two minutes left.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know! I can¡¯t think!¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±

    One and a half minutes left.

    Jin-Hyeok was trying to get some content where Jae-Hyeon broke out of his shell and did something great, but it seemed like that n was not going to work.

    Jin-Hyeok crossed his arms and purposely made himself look as rxed as possible. It was an effective way to reassure the people, but strangely it did not work on Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, Hyung. Please! I really don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°No! You do know! You can do this!¡±

    Thirty seconds left.

    They did not have much time to spare. Jin-Hyeok thought he would have to show Jae-Hyeon how to get out of the trap, but then Jae-Hyeon desperately started to do something.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    It was the same thing as Jin-Hyeok was thinking. He didn¡¯t know if he could even call this environment extreme, but humans grew faster when ced in challenging and extreme environments.

    ¡°I think Jae-Hyeon has finally found the answer!¡±

    ¡®See? I told you. All you needed to do was think. Now this video is going to go viral.¡¯

    1. A western District in Seoul. ?

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40

    Mok Jae-Hyeon unleashed the Wood Fortress but with a twist. Normally, his Wood Fortress was a vine that wrapped around the object it protected. This time, however, it was a vine with roots. The roots were deeply embedded above, below, and to the sides of the walls.

    ¡®He used it with his nting Skill.¡¯

    The deeply rooted Wood Fortress protected him and Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®There is no need to protect me, but okay.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew from the very beginning that the attack of the enemy had a designated target. The moment the timer reached zero, Jin-Hyeok realized that he was not the target. He felt at ease, but it seemed Jae-Hyeon still insisted on protecting him, despite it being unnecessary.

    ¡®It seems like Jae-Hyeon stillcks the ability to read battles.¡¯

    Still, Jin-Hyeok could not say anything because this was a matter of experience and instinct. Given enough time, he knew Jae-Hyeon would get better.

    Something jutted out of the deep pit and curled up around Jae-Hyeon¡¯s Wood Fortress, tugging at it, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. Soon, the whip-like thing went back into the hole, and Jae-Hyeon gasped for air after canceling his Skill.

    ¡°Whew¡­ I lived¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok went on with his y.

    ¡°The biggest threat to yers right now is getting caught by that whip-like thing. So let me ask our Tank a question. What do you do if you are scared of getting caught?¡±

    ¡°...Pardon me?¡±

    The other party members approached him. They asked him if he was okay, which was a needless question. Jin-Hyeok did not understand why they were worried when it was obvious that he was perfectly fine.

    Cha Jin-Sol came up to Jin-Hyeok and asked, ¡°So what should we do if we are scared of getting caught?¡±

    ¡°You just make sure you don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Sol seemed to be upset for some reason. Jin-Hyeok did not know why she was like that when he gave her the right answer.

    Jae-Hyeon even proved it brilliantly.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Honestly, it was not that great. He felt like Jae-Hyeon could have just put two roots on the ceiling and the ground. It was a waste to put roots on the sides. That was why Jae-Hyeon looked so tired¡ªhe used up all his mental and physical energy.

    Combat was supposed to be about maximizing efficiency with minimum effort. The allocation of mental and physical strength was also a skill.

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been observing continuously.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought he could tell the viewers the secret of this ce since he had spent enough time exploring.

    ¡°This whole ce feels like the mouth of a veryrge animal.¡±

    At the edges of where they were, the rocks, i.e. the stctites and stgmites protruding from above and below, were shaped like teeth.

    ¡°The sticky liquid on this floor feels a bit like saliva. And the asional red whip-like thing feels like its tongue.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked forward toward the deep pit. The width was not wide, but it was extremely deep, and he couldn¡¯t see anything inside.

    ¡°If we consider this to be its throat, that must mean that this hole is its esophagus.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked toward Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°I wonder if there is a stomach-like digestive system further down.¡±

    That was what people usually called the gut.

    ¡°The gut is usually a weak point. Couldn¡¯t the clue to clearing this Dungeon be in there?¡±

    That was a no-brainer. Anyone would think this hole was suspicious.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s start exploring. Jae-Hyeon, step forward.¡±

    He thought Jae-Hyeon would be happy to find the hidden clues. Strangely, Jae-Hyeon looked like he was about to cry.

    ¡®I guess those are tears of joy.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok assured Jae-Hyeon, ¡°There is no way its tongue would go backward and stab you while you are in its throat. You are going to be safe in there.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was speaking the truth. Once inside this hole, at least they would not be attacked by the tongue. If unlucky, they might be attacked by the strong acid that melted entire bodies, but that was unlikely. It was much less likely than getting into a car ident on the road.

    It was a safe bet.

    ¡°Here is the rope.¡±

    He handed Jae-Hyeon the rope he had purchased earlier. Jae-Hyeon tied it to a nearby rock and started to go down.

    Eventually, a few yers came over, interested. As long as they stayed out of his way, Jin-Hyeok let them do whatever they wanted.

    ¡°Do you want me to go down?¡±

    ¡°Just go down already.¡±

    ¡°Am I really going down?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    It looked like Jae-Hyeon was about to go bungee jumping. Jin-Hyeok knew his viewers would hate this slow progression of content.

    He gave Jae-Hyeon a quick shove.

    ¡°AHH!!!¡±

    ¡®Wait, you¡¯re supposed to use your foot and slowly go down. I didn¡¯t want you to fall so hard and defenseless.¡¯

    The rope was not that long, so Jae-Hyeon would not fall all the way down to where the stomach acid was.

    ¡°Do you see anything special?¡±

    It was interesting that when Jae-Hyeon went down the throat, the timer that they could see stopped. It meant that the tongue would not attack when someone was inside its throat.

    There was nothing of this sort back in Jin-Hyeok''s previous life. It had be a very yer-friendly Dungeon.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know! It¡¯s dark. I can¡¯t see anything.¡±

    ¡°Try touching stuff around you.¡±

    ¡°It feels gross!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean gross?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s slimy and wet!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok honestly thought Jae-Hyeon would find something in there.

    ¡®He should be hanging in just the right ce.¡¯

    This ce was indeed shaped like a throat. About ten meters down, there was an unusually weak spot. That was where the shortcut was that allowed yers to clear the Golden Toad Dungeon faster. Jin-Hyeok even made sure the rope was just the right length.

    ¡®I really hoped he found the spot by ident. Maybe it¡¯s too much to ask since he is not a Navigator. Ugh, this is so frustrating! No, I can¡¯t have that kind of mindset.¡¯

    As a Streamer, he was supposed to be capturing their y and making it as fun as possible for the viewers, but deep down, he kept getting frustrated.

    ¡®If I was there, I would¡¯ve found it in a heartbeat.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had a Trait called Almighty Jack of All Trades that specialized in low to mid-Level areas. This was where he could excel.

    ¡°Juste back up for now.¡±

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon tugged on the rope. Jae-Hyeon didn¡¯t really do much, but he was still huffing and puffing. As he climbed up, the timer started again.

    ¡°You really didn¡¯t find anything?¡±

    ¡°No, it was just slimy walls.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tried to stay in character as a Streamer. It was not very appealing for a Streamer to take such a forefront position. Furthermore, as a Streamer, he knew he could not do that in the future.

    ¡®But I am retiring, right?¡¯

    He could definitely retire after clearing the Golden Toad Dungeon a few times. Now that he had time to think about it, he would not mind ying it himself.

    ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll do that for a little bit.¡¯

    This was not about rationalizing.

    ¡°It¡¯s fascinating how you can go into a ce that suspicious and not find anything.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jae-Hyeon looked somewhat resentful. It was as if his expression was shouting, ¡®Then why don¡¯t you go instead!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tied the rope around his own body.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done a strategy like this.¡¯

    The thought of personally following the strategy made him excited.

    ? ? ?

    Joseph watched Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s first-person y on the SSP-connected Eltube. He swallowed nervously.

    ¡®He¡¯s going in.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was about to go into that deep and dark ce. The first-person perspective made it even more intense. It felt as if he himself was throwing his body toward the deep abyss.

    The screen became extremely dark.

    Chul-Soo felt around the walls and finally spoke.

    ¡°Hm¡­ There¡¯s something suspicious about this part. There is an unusually rough section.¡±

    The advantage of the first-person perspective was that it conveyed some sense of touch.

    ¡®What do you mean rough?¡¯ Joseph thought as he touched his palm. ¡®I¡¯m not sure what he is talking about.¡¯

    After hearing Jin-Hyeok, it kind of felt like it was rough, but if Joseph was the one looking for it, he did not think he could find the exact spot. He would have to have a very strong sense to find it.

    ¡°That looks suspicious, so I am going to stab it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said from the screen.

    Joseph¡¯s eyes widened. Who in the right mind would stab something because it looked suspicious?

    Stab.

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed the wall, and the whole screen shook. To Joseph''s horror, Joseph could hear the screams of the yers above Jin-Hyeok.

    In fact, even Joseph, who was watching from the screen, was surprised. It looked like an earthquake had just happened. However, Chul-Soo, who should have been impacted the most by the tremors, looked so calm while just hanging on by a single rope.

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve got a response! I¡¯ll stab it again.¡±

    After several stabs, a greenish ooze began toe out. It ran down the wall and made a hissing sound while white smoke rose from the area it passed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be touching it.¡±

    It was a strong acid that could dissolve even the bones. Chul-Soo waited a moment for the green liquid to stop oozing out.

    ¡°I am going to poke it again because I think I can see some light from the inside.¡±

    Chul-Soo poked the wall several times again. Soon, he let out a sigh.

    ¡°Oh, a door appeared. We¡¯re lucky.¡±

    He said he was lucky, but he knew exactly what he was doing.

    He rocked back and forth in the air to gain momentum and then threw himself inward. Soon, he untied the rope that bound him and walked along the narrow passage.

    ¡°Let¡¯s walk toward the light.¡±

    After walking for a while, he came to arge room.

    [You have entered the Hidden Field ¡¸The Gold Vault of the Golden Toad¡¹.]

    sh!

    Light burst forth.

    This meant that he had moved to another Field.

    ¡°Wow! There is a lot of gold!¡±

    The gold bars were piled up inside.

    ¡°Some of this I can take, and some of it I cannot. Wow! I will make a lot of money selling the gold. This is great!¡±

    Chul-Soo began to pack the gold bars into his inventory. Somehow, it was so easy for him to distinguish which bars he could take and which he couldn¡¯t. He was looting them so efficiently.

    ¡°Today is my lucky day.¡±

    When Chul-Soo had picked up all the gold, the pile of gold coins on one side of him crumbled.

    ¡°That looks suspicious.¡±

    Joseph wanted to say that the more suspicious one was Chul-Soo. Normally, the sudden copse of gold coins of that size in a windless Dungeon would raise a red g. However, there was no sign of hesitation on Chul-Soo¡¯s part.

    How could he have luck on his side every time?

    ¡®It seems like I had no idea who Chul-Soo is or what he is capable of,¡¯ Joseph thought.

    Still, he thought he knew more about Chul-Soo than anyone else on Earth, but he was wrong. The calmness of Chul-Soo could only be shown by the strongest of the strong. Otherwise, he could not exin any of Chul-Soo¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°Wow, there is a door.¡±

    [You are about to enter the boss room in the Golden Toad Dungeon.]

    [Do you wish to enter?]

    ¡®No.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok walked back to where he had started, tied the rope back on, and climbed back up.

    ¡°Guys. I found the exit. Let¡¯s go down.¡±

    Hearing his words, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party all arrived at the room where the gold bars were.

    Jin-Sol scratched her head.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you found the exit?¡±

    ¡°Oh, did I say that? I meant a boss room, not an exit.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It was a minor slip of the tongue.

    ¡°It will be an exit once we clear the boss room,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But people don¡¯t usually refer to boss rooms as exits.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t?¡±

    A few yers who were not part of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party but had the courage to follow him decided to join his party. When they saw the gold bars that could not be looted, their mouths watered with regret.

    There were four of them, and one of them was a woman.

    ¡°Can we join you guys?¡± she said.

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the woman who just spoke.

    [LV37/Angel Girl/Great Rogue/Skill/Hundred Theft]

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled when he saw her.

    ¡®Oh, wow! Fancy meeting her here. This is great.¡¯

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41

    Cha Jin-Hyeok almost stabbed her the moment he saw her face. If she was at a higher Level, she would have read his movement, but luckily she did not seem to notice anything amiss.

    ¡°I see that you have a Thief Job.¡±

    ¡°You can see that?¡±

    Her yer name was Angel Girl, but he already knew her real name. Song Ha-Young and Jin-Hyeok had a pretty bad history.

    Back in his previous life, he was once assigned the task of escorting the corpses of monsters that the government had acquired. At the time, a number of thief-ss yers were targeting the convoy, and one of them was Angel Girl. In that timeline, she was a major yer in Korea.

    It was almost impossible to find a ranker who had not been attacked by her.

    Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok had never been attacked by her, but on that day, that was about to change.

    Jin-Hyeok honestly did not even know when she stole it. On the spot where the monsters¡¯ corpsesy, there was a note with Angel Girl¡¯s signature note saying, ¡®I gotchu~¡¯.

    ¡®Should I just kill her now?¡¯

    Because of her, he was criticized so much by the public. The media wrote articles about how they were the NSS yers who got yed by Thieves, and they became the butt of many jokes.

    ¡®Even just thinking about it makes my blood boil.¡¯

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s defense, convoying was not his strong suit, and he even asked the government to recruit some excellent thief-ss yers if he were the one doing the job. He was rebuffed, of course, because the government did not want to recruit Thieves for their state work. Those higher-ups did not recognize the Thief Job as a real Job.

    In this world, there was no one who was a jack of all trades. If Jin-Hyeok fought with a sword, he could beat them every time, but he could not beat Thieves in their field.

    He did not have what it took to thwart their tricks. It would be easier just to kill them.

    ¡°Excuse me? You did not just fall in love with me right?¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly had the urge to punch her. However, she looked like she could die from just a single punch.

    She was short and skinny, and her hair was dyed a fiery yellow color.

    ¡®Just from the looks, she looks pretty cute. So cute that I want to punch her in the fa¡ªNo¡­ I shouldn¡¯t do that¡­¡¯

    ¡°What¡¯s the advantage of raiding with a thief-ss yer?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    The thief-ss yers were not particrly favored in raids. There were not many instances where the abilities of a Thief were required in raids.

    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m weak? Thieves are just as strong. I¡¯m also at a very high Level!¡±

    ¡°...Well, if you say so.¡±

    She was not wrong. She was still in the low-Level area, so she should be able to pull her weight.

    Something interesting caught his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [yer Angel Girl had used the Skill ¡¸Search for Goods¡¹.]

    The information was much more detailed and specific than when Lilia, the Subus, used her Skill. She was much weaker than Lilia, so he thought that was the reason why.

    It was even underlined.

    [Search for Goods]

    [Allows the caster to peek inside anything in the form of storage, including the opponent¡¯s inventory.

    *However, in the case of inventory, the caster must be at a higher Level than the opponent.

    *For jewelry and other valuable items, the Skill, Search of Goods, is maximized. (The caster can look through the inventory of a yer with up to +10 Levels of the caster.)]

    Lately, Jin-Hyeok had been thinking about how special his Broadcaster''s Truesight was.

    ¡®I don¡¯t remember the Search for Goods Skill to be this good.¡¯

    Then he saw Angel Girl giggling. It was for a very brief moment, but he clearly saw it.

    ¡®She must have seen the gold bars in my inventory.¡¯

    She was probably thinking about stealing them.

    He could see all of her Skills. In addition to Search for Goods, she also had the Skill, Touch of the Great Rogue.

    He could also see what she was currently thinking about.

    [#How much is that? #GIve me some of that gold. #Many thanks?.]

    She seemed pretty serious about stealing. She even put a heart at the end.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s raid together. It¡¯ll be nice to have more yers. Do you guys agree?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Before the big raid, Jin-Hyeok decided to give a very sensible warning.

    ¡°Just in case,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°don¡¯t take this the wrong way.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you can tell me.¡±

    ¡°You better not be stealing our stuff.¡±

    Angel Girl was startled, but she immediately smiled.

    ¡°What do you mean? Are you discriminating against Thieves?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°As long as we are working together, I would never do something like that. Isn¡¯t that right, guys?¡±

    Angel Girl looked around at her party members. Her teammates nodded vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°Okay. Well, I am relieved to hear you say that.¡±

    It would be a terrible mistake on Angel Girl¡¯s part if she actually tried to steal their things. Her Skill, Touch of the Great Rogue, was a high-risk, high-return Skill. The perk of sessfully stealing was that she would get nearly twice as much loot, but she also took nearly twice as much damage if she failed.

    To be precise, she would have to pay the person she was stealing from twice as much.

    ¡®I think the gold I have is worth about five hundred million won.¡¯

    That meant that she would have to pay him about a billion won for a failed Skill. At her current Level, that kind of damage would be disastrous.

    ¡°Trust me,¡± she said.

    [#Hey, everyone! #I am now rich! #Wipe the te clean.]

    She smiled in a way that looked cute to others.

    ¡°Then, Jae-Hyeon, you enter first.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon took a step forward, looking terrified.

    The other party members followed him.

    [You have entered the boss room, ¡¸Golden Toad Spawning Grounds¡¹.]

    ¡°This looks like a typical boss room. The floor is muddy and I can see a few Horned Toads roaming around, but I don¡¯t think they are much of a threat.¡±

    The Seo sisters hid in their own ways.

    ¡°It would be better for the Thieves to hide and wait for now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    As soon as he said this, Angel Girl ducked into hiding as if she had been waiting.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon walked up to Jin-Hyeok and said, ¡°The water¡­ is filling up¡­ little by little.¡±

    ¡°I can see that. The water is filling up.¡±

    The floor was a swamp, but the water was filling up little by little.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the kind of room that fills up and you drown after a certain amount of time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not really panic, because he already knew that. The other party members were a little startled, though.

    ¡°It¡¯s a boss room, but I do not see any bosses. I feel like I need to fulfill some kind of condition for the boss to appear.¡±

    He looked around with his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    ¡®Hm?¡¯

    [LV1/Golden Toad Egg]

    There were Golden Toad Eggs everywhere.

    ¡®Wow~ I can see all this with the Skill?¡¯

    The first mission when entering the boss room was to find the Golden Toad Eggs hidden in the room. If there was no good Navigator or Explorer, it would take a long time to find them.

    That was what Jin-Hyeok was nning on doing.

    ¡®This is bing a bit scary.¡¯

    His Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight was strangely overpowered. It was a little too good to be true, even for him.

    ¡°Luckily, I have found the clue to clear the boss room.¡±

    He instructed the party members to find the Golden Toad Eggs that were hidden all over the ce. Since they were now fairly well-coordinated, they did a good job following his instructions.

    ¡°Oppa! I found one!¡±

    ¡°Me¡­ me too!¡±

    ¡°I found one too!¡±

    ¡°Hyung! I found three at once!¡±

    The fastest one was Seo Ji-Ah. She did not make a big deal about it like the others, she just came up to Jin-Hyeok and gave him the eggs.

    She found seventeen of them.

    Including the ones that were clumped together, he estimated the number of eggs to be around three thousand.

    ¡°We have found many eggs but nothing is changing. I also see that the eggs have levels.¡±

    That meant that the eggs were also considered monsters.

    ¡°I am going to take a stab at it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed the Golden Toad Egg with his dagger. It popped like a water balloon.

    A lot of green, foul-smelling venom sprayed out, but it was only Level 1 venom.

    ¡°My party, what are you doing just standing there?¡±

    They had thousands of eggs to break. The party paused for a moment.

    Jin-Hyeok did not know why they were pausing, especially when this was such an easy task.

    ¡°Oppa¡­ But I¡¯m just a Healer¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only Level 1 venom. You¡¯re going to be fine.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. Haha.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol closed her eyes and cracked open the toad egg.

    Poof!

    Poisonous liquid sshed out, but she was still unharmed.

    ¡°Ew¡­¡±

    Jin-Sol held her nose.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeak asked.

    ¡°The smell is so disgusting¡­¡±

    ¡®Wow. This is making her nauseous? I am going to have to bring her along to some sewer Dungeons.¡¯

    He never even thought about this. The reason the team hesitated had to have been because of the smell.

    ¡°Today¡¯s best performer is our beloved Seo Ji-Ah. She is the fastest and has the most dexterous hands. She is showing what a damage dealer can do!¡±

    There was so much green venom sttering that it was hard to see her face. The green venom was in the form of a sticky oil that clung to her body.

    Seeing her sister getting praised, Seo Ji-Soo was starting to pick up her pace.

    ¡°Ji-Soo promised to show me what she was made of, and she is finally fulfilling that promise.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt unnecessarily proud to see them doing so well.

    And the Thieves were still in hiding. He nced over and saw that they were hesitant to do anything.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys help us instead of just standing there?¡±

    The Thieves wore disgruntled expressions.

    They reluctantly started to break open the eggs. They were much more squeamish than Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members.

    Even Angel Girl ended up throwing up.

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s disgusting.¡¯

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to throw up, please go somewhere far away or do it in a stic bag. Show some manners¡­¡±

    ¡°Blech!¡±

    ¡°rg!¡±

    The Thieves were all vomiting. However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party was still doing a great job.

    He was a little proud of that. Angel Girl, on the other hand, seemed a bit dissatisfied.

    ¡°Hey, why are you standing still?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just a Streamer, and Streamers don¡¯t usually participate in raids.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me? Just a second ago, you were so passiona¡ªBlech!¡±

    She mumbled something, but he decided to just ignore her. He did not even know what she was saying from all that vomiting.

    [The condition for spawning the boss monster has been met.]

    [The boss monster, ¡¸Angry Golden Horned Toad¡¹, has appeared.]

    In the distance, a whirlpool began to form to one side. The mud of the swamp was being sucked into it, and a crimson light leaked out. The boss monster was not even Level 50, but its entrance was very ostentatious.

    A toad the size of a bull jumped out.

    [LV47/Golden Horned Toad/Skills]

    Every time the Golden Horned Toad breathed, a purple smoke-like substance puffed out from its back.

    ¡°Hm¡­ I think that smoke is poisonous.¡±

    It was indeed poisonous smoke. It was the kind that got sprayed into the air and became more concentrated over time. At first, it did not affect people, but as the concentration increased, it gradually damaged their lungs.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try to fight that thing. Jae-Hyeon will take the lead.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon looked at him with an expression that said, ¡®Again?¡¯

    However, he obeyed Jin-Hyeok''s orders well, so he immediately unleashed his Wood Fortress and approached the Golden Horned Toad.

    ¡°It seems like Jae-Hyeon has got the boss monster¡¯s attention. Now it¡¯s time for the Seo sisters to attack.¡±

    The party worked well together. The Seo sisters and Jeong-Hyeon worked together to attack the Golden Horned Toad.

    ¡°It seems that its defense is solid and the attacks are not effective. This is a big problem.¡±

    The Golden Horned Toad shot out its long tongue. The tongue split into dozens of prongs and turned into a vine, covering the entirety of the Wood Fortress.

    Tss¡­

    Smoke billowed out, dissolving the Wood Fortress little by little.

    ¡°Its attack is quite powerful.¡±

    Through the cracks of the Wood Fortress, Jae-Hyeon¡¯s panicked face could be seen.

    ¡®There is no need to panic like that.¡¯

    There was no way it could use such a powerful attack twice in a row in a low-Level area with controlled difficulty.

    Just then, Ji-Ah stabbed her dagger into the Golden Horned Toad¡¯s back.

    Stab!

    Green blood sshed out.

    ¡°Looks like Ji-Ah¡¯s attack worked. Oh, it seems like the blood is also toxic. She is now slightly burned. I think this might be a crisis.¡±

    It was time to give Choi Gap-Soo a shout-out.

    ¡°I have prepared something just in case.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled an item out of his inventory. He lifted the potion bottle to his eye level so that it was clearly visible for the livestream. He covered the back of the vial with his palm so that the name was clearly visible.

    [MoneyShower¡¯s Toad Killer]

    ¡°I am going to use this. I don¡¯t know how well it will work.¡±

    ¡®Hm...¡¯

    The party looked busy. They were all doing their jobs and did not have time to take the potion from him. He didn¡¯t me them. Boss monsters were hard to defeat.

    ¡°It seems like they don¡¯t have time for me right now. So I am going to attack with the potion.¡±

    He didn¡¯t do it because it looked fun.

    He did it out of necessity.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42

    Ding!

    Choi Gap-Soo just received a notification on his cell phone.

    He was not using a Korean message app. It was the System''s message app, but it was automatically linked to his KakaoTalk.[1]

    Its features and interface were exactly the same as KakaoTalk.

    [MoneyShot: You sneaky little¡­]

    [MoneyShot: Why would you emphasize your name on the product¡­]

    After just ncing at the messages, Gap-Soo flipped his phone over.

    He was very satisfied.

    ¡°Haha! You can call this the skill of the seasoned veteran that none of those newbies can copy!¡±

    The younger yers who were just starting to show some potential could not match his experience. It felt like his self-esteem was being boosted every second.

    ¡°But is he going to attack that monster directly?¡±

    Kim Chul-Soo raised his dagger and approached the Golden Horned Toad.

    ¡°Does he even have a Skill that is purely an attacking Skill?¡±

    The Golden Horned Toad was a Level 47 boss monster. It was quite difficult for a low-Level Streamer to hunt it down on his own.

    Gap-Soo was a little worried.

    ¡°This is not the time for him to be full of himself.¡±

    Streamers needed to be Streamers. He had seen countless instances of Streamers mimickingbatant-type yers and killing themselves. They could survive by doing that if they were below Level 100, but after that, it was just not possible.

    This was something he had learned through experience.

    ¡°Oh well, he should be fine for a while. His defensive stats are pretty strong too.¡±

    Most of the Initially Awakened Streamers used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. Among them, Chul-Soo was one of those who used it very well.

    Even with the same sword, its power varied depending on who wielded it. In Gap-Soo¡¯s eyes, Chul-Soo¡¯s ability to utilize the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was the best.

    He heard Chul-Soo¡¯s voice from the screen.

    ?I am going to stab it with this poisoned dagger.?

    The first-person perspective made the battle scene quite realistic. Chul-Soo¡¯s dagger stabbed the Golden Horned Toad in the back.

    Stab!

    He didn¡¯t just stop after that.

    Stab! Stab! Stab!

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed the monster repeatedly in the back. Green blood spurted out and soaked his entire body.

    ?If it wasn¡¯t for the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, it would have been quite painful.?

    The green blood that made contact with the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier made a hissing sound. It did not do much damage to Jin-Hyeok. His voice was quite peaceful.

    ?I think Mr. MoneyShower¡¯s potion is working very well.?

    He took the time to emphasize the potion again. The Golden Horned Toady on its stomach, its limbs twitching. Outwardly, it looked as if it had been mortally wounded.

    ?I did not expect this to have such a great effect. This potion is truly remarkable.?

    The battle was stopped for the time being as the Golden Horned Toad convulsed. Gap-Soo, very pleased with today¡¯s livestream, rubbed his chin and focused on the screen.

    ¡°It¡¯s simply the effect of the poison that has made the toad so weak. It has not actually taken much damage. Has he noticed that?¡±

    This was the window of opportunity. This was the time for all the damage dealers to attack in unison.

    ¡°If they do not kill it right now, it''ll be going into phase two. Sooner orter, the monster will develop a tolerance to the poison.¡±

    Gap-Soo wished he could tell Chul-Soo that in chat. Other viewers were probably feeling the same way. Gap-Soo wanted to give Chul-Soo the information, but Chul-Soo hadpletely closed the lines ofmunication.

    Chul-Soo needed to attack now!

    He needed to kill it now with everything his party had!

    Gap-Soo could imagine the other viewers were thinking the same.

    Gap-Soo wanted to tell Chul-Soo so badly.

    ¡°This is so frustrating."

    Chul-Soo continued his rxed livestream. He even stroked the Golden Horned Toad¡¯s belly.

    ?It¡¯s soft to the touch. If I poke it here, I will be able to kill it more easily.?

    ? ? ?

    When Jin-Hyeok started to stab the Golden Horned Toad in the back, he had to fight his urge.

    ¡®In moderation. I need to stab it with care.¡¯

    The monster had already allowed the other party members to attack it several times. Its back was much less durable because of this, and it was easy to see where to strike to inflict a fatal wound.

    He could clearly see the ¡®Ways¡¯ that he had seen when he was the Sword King. Even with all his experience and memories, he wondered how he could see it clearly when his body had changed. If he had followed his instincts and just stabbed the monster following its path, the Golden Horned Toad would have been dead already.

    ¡®I am an ordinary Streamer with no attack Skills. Killing the Golden Horned Toad with my attack so easily, without any Skills, is too much power for a Streamer.¡¯

    His goal wasing in third ce. Although he was forced to participate in the raid himself, and almost lost his cool while swinging his dagger, he tried his best to be an ordinary Streamer.

    It was not like that boss monster was a low-Level monster, so he would be in trouble if he took it down that easily.

    If he was too good, those who hunt Awakened would be hounding him. Since he was in a very low-Level area, he did not have to worry too much about that, but he still wanted to be at least a little cautious.

    ¡®I can¡¯t show the world everything.¡¯

    He stabbed it just enough and did just enough damage. He also deliberately advertised the potion.

    ¡°I did not expect this to have such a great effect. This potion is truly remarkable.¡±

    The others started attacking the fallen Golden Horned Toad. While they were doing that, Jin-Hyeok hopped on top of the monster and approached its mouth.

    ¡®I need to be careful.¡¯

    He did not know when it would wake up, but when it did, it would spray a very powerful poison. If that hit him, he would almost certainly be dead.

    Well, that didn''t matter much because it was never going to hit him.

    ¡®I believe the monster opened its poison nds inside right before spraying the venom.¡¯

    He just needed to be careful of that.

    Jin-Hyeok forced its mouth open.

    ¡®Ugh, its breath stinks.¡¯

    Well, the same can be said for most monsters, but this one¡¯s breath was on another level. It was enough to make an untrained person faint.

    ¡®That ck mole in there is the poison nd.¡¯

    He did not bother telling that to his viewers. He just needed to be careful not to open it.

    ¡°I will pour my potion down the back of its throat. I think that will work the best, right?¡±

    The potion itself would not be as effective if he just poured it down, as its mouth had a way of neutralizing poison.

    Jin-Hyeok shoved his hand as far down its throat as he could.

    Drip. Drip. Drip.

    The potion poured out.

    ¡®Uh-oh. The poison nd is opening up.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok pulled his hand out since he poured all of the potion. Then, he jumped off the monster¡¯s body. Its poison spewed into the air, then poured down like rain.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    He did not get hit directly, so it was okay.

    ¡°If I had gotten a direct hit, my face would have melted, but I didn¡¯t so it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±

    One bottle was not going to cut it, so he climbed on top of it again.

    He poured another two vials of poison potions. However, it felt like the potions were not enough to kill it. The Golden Horned Toad was going to wake up eventually, and it would be difficult to defeat it when it goes into phase two. It seemed that their damage dealers were a bit weaker than he thought.

    ¡°Come to think of it, the mouth is usually a weak spot for any monster, so I will try stabbing it with my dagger.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thrust his arm in deep. Acidic poison spewed out of its mouth, but his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier protected him well.

    He shed at the inside of its throat with his dagger. While doing that, he was lucky enough tond a critical shot. It was a strange sensation that only the attacker could have felt.

    ¡®Wow¡­ I missed this feeling. Wait, no! This is not it!¡¯

    He almostughed out loud but managed to hold it in.

    A momentter, the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier protecting his arm broke. He pulled his arm out just in time.

    ¡°Wow! That was close! If I had pulled my arm out a littleter, it would have melted.¡±

    Ji-Soo clenched her teeth and stabbed the Golden Horned Toad in the stomach.

    ¡°Die!!¡±

    The monster¡¯s shield was almost nullified thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s critical hit. The Seo sisters had finished the job.

    [You have killed the Golden Horned Toad.]

    A Golden Horn was dropped and Jin-Hyeok picked it up.

    [You have acquired the Golden Horn.]

    An item that was dropped from killing a boss monster was likely to be valuableter on, so Jin-Hyeok kept it for now. The others did not have anyints about him taking it either.

    Meanwhile, Angel Girl smiled broadly. Jin-Hyeok found it kind of creepy that she was smiling while covered in green blood.

    ¡®I guess she doesn¡¯t own a mirror to fix herself.¡¯

    ¡°We actually killed the monster!¡±

    Angel Girl seemed overjoyed. She looked like an innocent little kid. She ran up to him and grabbed his hand, jumping up and down.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we would actually seed in killing it! You¡¯re amazing!¡±

    [#Now the gold is mine! #Give me the gold!]

    ¡°I am going to end the livestream now.¡±

    Kang Mi-Na had taught him that Streamers had to end their livestream once they were in the looting phase. Streamers call this the cutting technique, but Jin-Hyeok remembered not to use it often because viewers did not like it when Streamers used it often.

    Anyway, he thought it was best to turn off the livestream for now.

    ¡®There might be murder happening soon.¡¯

    Killing people was controversial content for Streamers. It was better to just avoid it altogether.

    Also, if a Thief stole from a yer, the best way for a yer to get their stuff back was to kill the Thief within five minutes. If they killed the Thief within five minutes, most of the stolen items would be dropped by the killed Thief.

    Jin-Hyeok turned to look at Angel Girl, who was holding his hand and smiling broadly.

    ¡®When are you going to pull a fast one? This time I can beat the crap out of you. I feel kind of excited.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Song Ha-Young was confident.

    ¡®Now is a good time.¡¯

    As much as he pretended not to, that Streamer undoubtedly managed to escape from a tremendous crisis. It was such an intense situation that even a nonbatant-type Streamer had to personally engage in the battle. After oveing such circumstances and achieving victory, it was only natural for him to let his guard down.

    Furthermore, this man did not seem to doubt himself at all.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Touch of the Great Rogue¡¹.]

    A strange feeling of glee rose in her stomach. It felt like now, she could truly live without any worries.

    Meanwhile, a System notification popped up.

    [You have acquired the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Fast Lane of Wealth¡¹.]

    This was what Jin-Hyeok was looking for. By taking the shortcut and clearing the boss monster, the Fast Lane of Wealth was awarded to the yers and its perk was applied.

    [Additional perk, ¡¸Double Return¡¹, will be applied.]

    [The ¡¸x2 Effect¡¹ will be applied to everything dropped in the dungeon.]

    Ha-Young smiled widely. She could not help but smile.

    ¡®I already get double the reward with the effect from the Touch of the Great Rogue!¡¯

    If she got the x2 Effect on top of that, she could get four times as much loot. Four times the value of those gold bars.

    Just thinking about it made her dizzy.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok looked at Ha-Young through the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight. To be precise, he was looking at the Skill she was using.

    ¡®Wow, I can do this too?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He saw two invisible hands. They floated around like ghosts and tapped Jin-Hyeok¡¯s chest. Then, his inventory was activated.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I can see all of this happening.¡¯

    Each of the two hands held a white handkerchief. With them, they quickly and carefully wiped the gold bar.

    Soon there was a ¡®V¡¯ mark on the gold bars.

    [The Skill, ¡¸Touch of the Great Rogue¡¹, is being applied.]

    [Progress: 10%]

    ¡®Ah, so this is how her Skill works.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was once again impressed by the power of his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    Two contradictory emotions ruled his mind. One was telling him how he deserved an overpowered Skill like this, and the other one was telling him that maybe this Skill was too much and that he was d he turned off the livestream.

    His two emotions shed. It had gotten to the point where he did not know which one to believe anymore.

    Earlier, he thought he was going to y aggressively until he retired, but now he was worried that he could not retire if he continued to do that. He needed to be cautious.

    His mind was going back and forth.

    ¡®Still, I think the second emotion is the right way to go.¡¯

    It seemed that a lot of time had passed and diluted his emotions, but he was reminded once again of the fact that his past life was really tough.

    A System notification popped up.

    [You have been credited with the First Clear of the Golden Toad Dungeon.]

    This was what Jin-Hyeok had expected. By bing the first to clear the Dungeon, he was granted an additional perk.

    [Due to the First Clear, an additional x2 Effect will be applied.]

    With the Hidden Achievement and the additional perk, Jin-Hyeok now would receive four times the loot.

    Meanwhile, the progress of the Touch of the Great Rogue was over seventy percent. Disabling this Skill at the moment of itspletion would be considered aplete Skill failure.

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly wondered.

    ¡®If this Skill fails, I am supposed to get twice the loot from the caster, right?¡¯

    On top of that, he would get the effect of the Fast Lane of Wealth. In other words, Angel Girl had to pay him x8 for a failed Touch of the Great Rogue.

    The progression rate of the Skill was now at ny-nine percent.

    Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young both thought at the same time.

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    Ha-Young grinned even wider.

    ¡®Stab her!¡¯

    ¡®Steal from him!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok stretched out his dagger and stabbed her in the shoulder.

    Stab.

    The best way to stop a Thief from stealing was to stab them.

    [The Skill, ¡¸Touch of the Great Rogue¡¹, has been neutralized.]

    Blood gushed from Ha-Young¡¯s shoulder, and the gold bar that she failed to steal fell to the ground.

    1. KakaoTalk is the most widely-used Korean messenger app in Korea. Kind of like WhatsApp. ?

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43

    There were two of Angel Girl¡¯s party members that were overshadowed by her presence. Cha Jin-Hyeok just decided to call them Ghosts because they were nobody.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Ghost 1 said as he lunged at Jin-Hyeok.

    He seemed to have learned judo as his movements were simr to a Martial Artist. Unfortunately, he never learned not to run toward an opponent who was wielding a dagger.

    Stab!

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed Ghost 1 in the shoulder. Ghost 2 lunged at him from the side. He seemed to be stronger than Ghost 1.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I can defeat him in one blow.¡¯

    If he mixed up his attacks, he could create a gap. There was also a gentler way to neutralize him by attacking his non-critical areas, but Jin-Hyeok did not feel the need to go soft on him.

    ¡®I¡¯m just going to stab him.¡¯

    Stab!

    He stabbed Ghost 2 in the nape of the neck. He bled a lot more than Ghost 1. It would not kill him instantly, but if he was unlucky, he might die.

    ¡®I¡¯m not really used to people blindly attacking me without properly knowing who they are attacking.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not know if they were weird or if he was the weird one. Either way, it was hard to get used to this situation.

    ¡°Jin-Sol. Please don¡¯t let him die.¡¯

    In the future, raids and Dungeon exploration would always be done as a team. All responsibilities were shared among teammates. In Dungeons, one bad teammate could wipe out their entire party. That was why in the future, everyone assumed equal responsibility and interpreted it as a collectivemunity.

    ¡®And these guys just betrayed thatmunity. They deserve to die.¡¯

    If it was a more vicious and mean yer, they might have gone after every yer known to have a rtionship with Angel Girl. At least in terms of y, and most importantly, betrayal within that y, it was not only the yer whomitted such a heinous act that was responsible, but also the people around them.

    This was the way it was supposed to be.

    Jin-Hyeok nced over at the fallen Angel Girl and the Ghosts. Only Ghost 2 was critically wounded, but they were all going to die if he left them alone.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered what kind of Thieves did not bring healing potions with them. A good Thief was always ready for the worst oue, even getting stabbed in the back.

    ¡®Should I just kill them?¡¯

    Even if he took this case to trial, what he did would be considered self-defense. People usually hold yers to a pretty harsh and strict standard as if they were government employees, but in cases like this, they would always side with Jin-Hyeok.

    If a yer wanted to steal from someone in a Dungeon, they better be ready to risk their lives.

    ¡®However¡­¡¯

    He looked at his sister and her face was white in fear. He thought it would be difficult for her to rise to be a top ranker if she was scared of something like this.

    She was too nice and gentle. She always freaked out like that when she saw human blood.

    On some level, he was kind of relieved that she was scared.

    Jin-Hyeok gave her permission.

    ¡°You can heal them.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Sol was deeply shocked.

    Without any warning, her brother, Jin-Hyeok, had suddenly stabbed three innocent people. All three were lying on the ground, moaning in pain, and one was critically wounded.

    She knew her brother had his reasons, but still, it was hard for her to ept.

    She was not the only one in shock. An exit for the Dungeon was created, but no one moved toward it. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shocking action froze everyone in their tracks.

    ¡°You can heal them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It sounded like he did not want to heal them, but he was only doing this out of generosity.

    ¡°So, I can heal them, right?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Yeah, if you really want to.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a little proud that he knew and understood his sister¡¯s feelings so well. This made him feel like he was a pretty good brother to her.

    Jin-Sol hastily used her healing abilities to heal Ghost 2¡¯s wounds. As a Blood Priest, she had to use her own blood as a medium, so it was hard to use too many abilities at once. If she fully healed him, she would be exhausted.

    ¡®I¡¯ll just heal him enough to keep him alive,¡¯ Jin-Sol thought.

    She healed all three of them, dividing her power appropriately.

    Jin-Hyeok then asked Mok Jae-Hyeon to unleash a thinyer of Wood Fortress.

    ¡°Uh¡­ A thinyer of Wood Fortress?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Yes. Pull it out like a vine and make some handcuffs. If you can¡¯t make something as borate as handcuffs, you can make a rope or something."

    Jae-Hyeon was also frightened to death. His skills were strong enough to block Jin-Hyeok¡¯s dagger, but this was a different matter. He was only able to maintain this muchposure because he had the Imperial Resilience Trait.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can do it.¡±

    ¡°O¡­okay. I will try my best.¡±

    Fear made Jae-Hyeon stronger. Even though he had never done it before, he seeded in forming a long vine in the form of a rope.

    ¡°See? I know you can do it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled, his face covered in blood.

    In Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes, he looked like a crazy killer.

    Jin-Hyeok tied the three of them with the rope.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s wait.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Song Ha-Young¡¯s Touch of the Great Rogue hadpletely failed. If so, it was now the time when Jin-Hyeok would receivepensation for the failed Skill, but it seemed to take a while because Ha-Young was still unconscious.

    Everyone remained silent as they realized the gravity of the situation.

    ¡®I understand. Anyone would be angry if the Thieves were trying to stab them in the back at thest minute.¡¯

    If this was back in Jin-Hyeok''s previous life, even Kim Jeong-Hyeon, who was the most mild-mannered of his party members, would have been furious in this situation.

    Jin-Hyeok assumed the party members were exercising extreme patience right now. He was a little proud of their growth.

    ¡®Seeing as how Jae-Hyeon has made the ropes so strong and tight, it must mean that he is very angry.¡¯

    Just then, Seo Ji-Soo came up to him.

    "Oppa, I need an exnation."

    Ji-Soo looked very serious. In a way, she looked a little angry, and her lower lip was trembling.

    ''I guess she is really angry. Since she is an Assassin, it seems like she wanted to kill them all.¡¯

    ¡°I think so too. We should¡¯ve just killed them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°But our Healer has a weak stomach.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, I didn¡¯t want to kill them in front of her. She¡¯s my sister, you know.¡±

    Ji-Soo was silent for a moment. It did not seem like a convincing exnation to her.

    ¡®I guess it might be hard to understand from an Assassin¡¯s point of view.¡¯

    Although Jin-Hyeok was not the one at fault, she really didn¡¯t show any mercy.

    If she experienced killing someone right in front of her, she would know that it was only natural to feel bad for them.

    Ji-Soo spoke again, ¡°So why did you suddenly stab them?¡±

    ''Wait. Something feels off. I need to check if we are all on the same page.¡¯

    ¡°I thought you were mad at me for not killing them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°No! What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    Clearly, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s social skills were not up to par. He tried to increase the sensitivity of his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [#I don¡¯t understand. #Why would you stab innocent people? #Are you crazy? #I¡¯m sure you have your reasons.]

    Jin-Hyeok was a little dumbfounded because he had not thought about it.

    ¡°Why did you suddenly stab people who were helping us? We were all so happy to clear the Dungeon together!¡± Ji-Soo yelled.

    Jin-Hyeok was a little flustered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you did this for no reason, but I hope you can give us an exnation that we can understand.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ji-Soo¡¯s lower lip was still trembling. It was hard for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s brain toprehend, but the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight conveyed what they were thinking.

    [....#Desperate Hope]

    She seemed to be desperate for him to give her a convincing exnation.

    ¡®Was I supposed to exin this in a way that made sense?¡¯

    He looked around at his party members. They seemed to be having simr thoughts.

    ¡®Wow. This is even more confusing than when Angel Girl tried to rob my inventory.¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually have a good exnation after doing something like this?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Usually I just assume they¡¯ll understand.¡±

    ¡®Where do I even begin to exin this?¡¯

    It was like trying to exin to kids how to breathe or how to blink.

    ¡°Think back to the moment when the gold bar suddenly dropped out of my inventory. It was when I was the most vulnerable, right? The gold bar fell at a time when it shouldn¡¯t have, and the person who was holding my hand was a thief-ss yer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And do you remember where those two were standing?¡±

    It seemed like they were too happy about clearing the Dungeon, they had not seen where the Ghosts were located.

    ¡°They were standing off to the left and right of me so that they could subdue me if there was any resistance. They were very tense.¡±

    ¡®Why would anyone be tense after just clearing a Dungeon?¡¯

    The circumstances were so obvious that he did not even feel the need to exin any of this.

    ¡°What does that tell you? They were trying to steal the gold bars in my inventory and failed!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best to kill yers who stab their teammates in the back during y, especially in Dungeons, because you can¡¯t trust them to have your back.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had seen entire teams wiped out by one or two of these bad apples. The scariest tithing in a Dungeon was an unreliable ally. That was why betrayal in Dungeons was severely punished by punishing even those around them.

    Ha-Young, who had finally regained consciousness, shouted, ¡°He¡¯s lying! Everything is a lie!¡±

    ¡®Oh? So that¡¯s how we¡¯re going to y?¡¯

    ¡°I just saw something fall out of his inventory and tried to pick it up.¡±

    Her big eyes were filled with resentment. Before he knew it, tears were welling up in her eyes and dripping down. It looked very real. With that kind of acting skill, she could be an actress.

    Jin-Sol came up to her brother and asked, ¡°Oppa, is what she said true?¡±

    At first, Jin-Hyeok was frustrated at his sister, but when he looked at her through the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, her status messages were a little strange.

    [#Did she just say Oppa was lying? #Is she crazy? #I just want to bash her head in.]

    She seemed to be questioning him, but her gaze was filled with trust. Thoseter status messages were a bit brutal. Jin-Hyeok thought she was gentle, but apparently, he was a little off.

    ¡°Of course not, she¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±

    ¡°Proof?¡±

    Then, Angel Girl interjected, ¡°There can¡¯t be any proof. I am the victim here!¡±

    ¡°Oppa, you are a Streamer. Don¡¯t you have any saved videos?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Angel Girl pushed herself up. She held one shoulder tightly as if it hurt a lot.

    ¡°Come on, let me see that video,¡± she said.

    She was still smug. It did not seem to ur to her that her Skills had been read. It was understandable, considering even Jin-Hyeok was surprised by the effectiveness of Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need for me to show the video.¡±

    ¡°See? I told you he didn¡¯t have any proof.¡±

    ¡°There will be proof soon enough.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok rubbed his chin and waited.

    Normally, the bigger the reward, the longer it took. Since they were in a beginner¡¯s Dungeon, the x8 effect was bound to take a long time.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting a reminder to pay me back?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ are you talking about?¡±

    It seemed like his attack had made her forget what was going on, but soon, the System notification for thepensation would pop up.

    ¡°You just tried to steal all my gold bars. How are you going to pay me back eight times the amount?¡±

    As he was telling her that, Angel Girl¡¯s face was starting to turn white. He wondered what kind of notification she was getting right now.

    After some time passed, she broke down. A notification soon came, this time for him.

    [yer, ¡¸Angel Girl¡¹, is severelycking inpensation.]

    [Do you agree to mediation through the System?]

    ¡®Wow, she¡¯s screwed.¡¯

    System mediation was simply a way of saying that the System would pay him back on behalf of Angel Girl. The System would reimburse him first, then would ask Angel Girl to pay it back to the System. Alternatively, it could guide her toward a different form ofpensation.

    [Depending on the circumstances, the System may proceed with the im for restitution.]

    [Do you agree?]

    Jin-Hyeok did not have to think about it.

    ¡®I do.¡¯

    The System was being quite reasonable and would give him what it deemed reasonablepensation.

    ¡®It would be great if it could just replicate the gold bars and give them to me.¡¯

    [The System will mediate the current situation.]

    Some time had passed.

    [Golden Headband[1] and one other item have been transferred to your inventory.]

    ¡®The Golden Headband? Why is it appearing here?¡¯

    1. Specifically the one used by Sun Wukong. ?

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was genuinely surprised.

    ¡®A Server-Grade item already?¡¯

    Among the items, there were a few that werebeled as ¡®Server-Grade.¡¯ These items could only be obtained within their respective Servers. They were usually based on myths or legends rted to that Server, and the Golden Headband was one of them.

    ¡®This is a rare item, only three of them have been found worldwide.¡¯

    The Golden Headband was an item that appeared in the story, Journey to the West. It was a special headband worn by Sun Wukong, one of the characters in the story. It was known to cause tremendous pain to him, reacting to the specific spell called Tight-Fillet Spell. Because of that, Sun Wukong submitted to the control of the Buddhist monk, Tang Sanzang.

    The one who used this item the best was a Korean-American yer named Park Terse, who was considered the world¡¯s strongest Tamer. He was called the world¡¯s strongest Tamer because he was able to ce the Golden Headband on the head of the Thunder Dragon.

    [Golden Headband (Target: Angel Girl)]

    [Grade: Server Specific

    Special spell ¡¸Tight-Fillet Spell¡¹ can be activated.

    The target wearing the Golden Headband will experience extreme pain that cannot be ovee due to the Tight-Fillet Spell.]

    Even during Jin-Hyeok¡¯s prime, the Level of the Thunder Dragon was shown with just a question mark. It was not just because he was a sword-wielding-ss yer. Even yers specialized in scout ss could not definitively confirm the Level of the Thunder Dragon.

    Countless teams from the strongest Server, Arvis, attempted to raid the Thunder Dragon, but all of them failed. However, after using the Golden Headband, the dragon obediently submitted to Park Terse.

    ¡®That means anyone can be made to submit as long as they wear this.¡¯

    It was an item that could make anyone below the Level of the Thunder Dragon obedient. Jin-Hyoek never imagined such an item woulde out in this low-Level area.

    Jin-Hyeok sighed.

    ¡®What a truly fantastic piece of trash.¡¯

    It was true that the Golden Headband was a rare Server-Grade item on Earth, but of all things, it had to have a designated target.

    ¡®Why is the target Angel Girl?¡¯

    The Golden Headband floated around in the air for a bit before it then settled on top of Angel Girl¡¯s head all on its own.

    ¡°Wh¡­what is this?¡± Angel Girl asked.

    Jin-Hyeok was not in the mood to answer her. In fact, he was quite unhappy

    He finally encountered a Server-Grade item, only to see it being wasted like this. Even if it was not the Thunder Dragon, even just cing it on the head of a Lesser Spirit would''ve had greatly improved his life.

    ¡°What good is there in making her obedient?¡±

    No matter how much he thought about it, there was not anything good about this. Knowing the usefulness of the Golden Headband, he could not help but feel disappointed. It felt like winning the lottery but having the winnings deposited into Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s ount.

    ¡®What¡¯s the other item?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided to ce his hope in that.

    [Lifetime Contract]

    [A contract between yers, guaranteed by the System.

    This contract defines the first party as yer Kim Chul-Soo and the second party as yer Angel Girl.

    0. The freedom of the second party belongs to the first party.

    1. The first party can exercise ownership over all possessions of the second party.

    2. The second party must respond to all demands of the first party, and failure toply will immediately trigger the Tight-Fillet Spell.

    3. The first party can share in all tangible and intangible rewards acquired by the second party.

    *Detailed Content.]

    If the Golden Headband exerted physical influence, then the Lifetime Contract seemed to be the administrative influence exerted by the System.

    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok initially expected around four billion won inpensation, which was exactly eight times the amount of five hundred million won. However, he was a bit disappointed that the reward fell short of his expectations.

    ¡®Wait a minute¡­¡¯

    As a once virtuous official yer of the government, he was not inclined toward malicious thoughts. Although he was somewhat disappointed with thepensation, upon further consideration, it seemed like a quite favorable condition.

    ¡®I know that she is going to be a Grand Rogue in the future.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had experienced hardships because of her as well. There were rumors that she had hidden cash amounting to tens of billions of won.

    ¡®I should just think of her as a walking building.¡¯

    A walking building.

    A splendid and high-quality building that would generate monthly rent. If he thought of it that way, this reward was quite good.

    ¡®She is not going to remain at a low Level forever.¡¯

    If she grew up and truly became a Grand Rogue and made great ys, it would ultimately be greatly beneficial for Jin-Hyeok too. By the way, stealing would be considered a great y among Thieves. In fact, he had used contracts of this kind extensively, so he had a rough idea of what needed to be done.

    [Detailed Content]

    [1. The first party grants ____% of freedom to the second party.

    2. The first party demands ____% of everything currently owned by the second party.

    3. The first party shares ____% of all tangible and intangible rewards acquired by the second party.

    4. The renewal of all contract conditions shall be done every ____ year(s).]

    In a way, Angel Girl was a goose thatid golden eggs. By now, a contract with the same content would have been delivered to Angel Girl as well. Judging from her pale face, she had to have been quite frightened.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t kill the goose thatys the golden eggs.¡¯

    Rather, it would be better for him to have her not only grow steadily, but also have a foundation for her growth. Currently, she might be just a shabby pawnshop, but in the future, she would be worth the same as a building in Gangnam-gu.

    Jin-Hyeok filled in the numbers for all the nk parts.

    [Detailed Content]

    [1. The first party grants 100% of freedom to the second party.

    2. The first party demands 0% of everything currently owned by the second party.

    3. The first party shares 0% of all tangible and intangible rewards acquired by the second party.

    4. The renewal of all contract conditions shall be done every 1 year(s).]

    For now, Jin-Hyeok decided not to demand anything. If he asked for too much right now, she would lose her motivation for growth.

    ¡®I need her to grow and be a Grand Rogue.¡¯

    It was better to leave her alone for now.

    The expression on Angel Girl¡¯s face was quite amusing. She seemed confused about whether tough or cry. Eventually, she approached him cautiously and said, ¡°...Thank you for showing mercy.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it mercy, but okay.¡±

    The contract would be renewed every year. He did not understand why she was already grateful. She had no idea what he would do and what he would demand in a year.

    ¡°Still, thank you. I¡¯m sorry for all the things that happened today.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to just ignore what she was saying. They were not particrly important at this point.

    ¡®But I am curious about how strong this Golden Headband is.¡¯

    As he thought if he had to recite some kind of spell himself, he heard a System notification.

    [Do you wish to activate the Golden Headband?]

    When a yer obtained an item, it was customary for them to try it. That way, they could feel its performance and utilize it appropriately.

    ¡®Activate.¡¯

    This was a natural step.

    ¡°AHHH!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok heard a scream. It seemed like the performance of the item was quite remarkable.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok headed to the Shop Field near Jongno 3-ga Station. The Shop Field near Jongno 3-ga Station was filled with merchants called Dimension Merchants, and it was also the home of the Jewelry Workshop operated by Katrina.

    Katrina was a man in his mid-thirties, well-built, and had a sensual figure. Although he looked like a woman at first nce, he was a cross-dressing man.

    ¡°Wow, for a beginner, you have quite a few gold bars.¡±

    His voice was thin for a man, and thick for a woman. His body looked hard and sturdy.

    ¡°You are quite resourceful!¡±

    The way he looked at Jin-Hyeok was somewhat unsettling.

    In the future, Katrina¡¯s alias was Man Hunter. Honestly, Jin-Hyeok did not have much desire toe here.

    ¡®At least he is a businessman with a conscience.¡¯

    The best way to deal with him was to keep the conversation strictly business without mixing in any personal discussions.

    ¡°Hm¡­ I think this should be worth around forty-two million Dias.¡±

    Katrina leaned on the ss disy case, crossed his arms, and looked at Jin-Hyeok with curious eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s the currency unit here?¡± he asked.

    Katrina disyed a screen in the air that only he could see and searched through it. It seemed like he did not know much since he had just arrived recently.

    ¡°Ah, yes! The Korean won! Right, if we do it in Korean won, I will give you forty-five million won. How is that?¡±

    This was a form of tax evasion. From his perspective, the Korean won was money with much less value than Dias.

    In the future, Dias would be the world¡¯s key currency. But it did not matter much to Jin-Hyeok at the moment.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s make the deal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Wow~ It¡¯s been a while since I had such a fast transaction like this. Alright, this is just for today. I am going to give you fifty million won for it. I am actually losing money on this deal~¡±

    ¡°Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a good deal because I like you~¡±

    ¡°So you are willing to give fifty million won for this amount?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Make sure to use my services often. Any. Service. You. Want.¡±

    Katrina tried to pat Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder with his index finger, but Jin-Hyeok blocked it using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡°Wow~ Are you friend-zoning me?¡±

    ¡°Can we trade some more?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? You have more gold bars?¡±

    Katrina¡¯s eyes widened. It seemed that he was quite surprised that a rookie at Level 40 had so many gold bars, at least ording to his standards.

    ¡°I have quite a few.¡±

    ¡°How many is ¡®quite a few¡¯?¡±

    ¡°More than you¡¯d expect.¡±

    ¡°What Level are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Level 40.¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Katrina nodded.

    ¡°Alright, since this is our first deal, I will give you the same rate. Give them all.¡±

    It felt like he was looking at Jin-Hyeok as if Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t possibly have that many more gold bars.

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok had almost forty times more than what he initially took out.

    ¡°Wait¡­ wait a minute.¡±

    The gold bars kepting out one after another.

    ¡°Why do you have so much?¡±

    The amount Jin-Hyeok initially obtained was worth around five hundred million won. Then, it was doubled because of the Fast Lane of Wealth Achievement, and then it was doubled again thanks to the x2 Effect for the First Clear of the Dungeon.

    Katrina, who had been smiling happily all along, suddenly turned pale.

    ? ? ?

    Before regression, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team had many people supporting them from the back. He called them the Support Team, and he had some acquaintance with the leader of the Support Team, Ahn Ji-Won. He was a Level 7 civil servant of the same age as Jin-Hyeok and was a merchant-type yer.

    ¡°Whenever I go with you to trade with Katrina, I get a much better deal, Mr. Jin-Hyeok.¡±

    ¡°WIth me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. With you there, Katrina barely leaves any profit for himself!¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re lying. What kind of merchant doesn¡¯t leave a profit?¡±

    It was the same as a government employee saying they weren¡¯t busy. For reference, government employees in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life were always busy. Looking at Ji-Won, who was the same age as him but had so much hair loss, and the exhausted Support Team, the answer was clear. He remembered Ji-Won telling him that Ji-Won had lush hair before Ji-Won was assigned to his Support Team.

    ¡°Katrina will do that. He goes crazy whenever he sees a handsome man. If you ever have to directly trade precious metals in the future, make sure to go to Katrina.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thanks for the tip.¡±

    Ji-Won gave him various pieces of advice.

    ¡°Also, if you are going to trade with Katrina, make sure you do not take everything out at once.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I know Katrina and he will offer a condition with almost no profit, or even a negative margin because he would be attracted to your appearance. You have to proceed with future trade based on that condition. He is a loyal merchant, so he will stick to what he says.¡±

    Ji-Won¡¯s motto was to save every penny. It was also his creed that not a single penny of the country¡¯s money would be wasted. Coming from such a person, this had to be valuable information.

    ¡®He is right. Katrina really keeps his word.¡¯

    Ji-Won''s advice was correct. Katrina handed Jin-Hyeok about two billion won with a pale face. It was precisely around 2.2 billion won, but Jin-Hyeok did not bother with the decimal ces.

    ¡°And if you set aside a portion of that and give it back, Katrina will be an unparalleled business partner in the future. It¡¯s a business partner if you put it nicely, but essentially Katrina will be a sucker for you.¡±

    Back then, Jin-Hyeok wondered why deals had to be soplicated, but Ji-Won¡¯s advice was quite effective.

    ¡°I will give you two hundred million won back. Just give me the twenty billion, without the decimals.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡± Katrina asked.

    ¡°This is our first trade. I want to maintain a good rtionship for future trades.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had to keep selling the gold bars in the future. He decided to aim for bigger profits rather than immediate small gains.

    ¡°Wow~ You¡¯re a feisty one, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    They concluded the transaction to their mutual satisfaction. Katrina smiled and continued to flirt with him.

    ¡°Hey, I want to ask you for a favor, is that okay?¡± he asked.

    ¡®Wait, this sounds like he is about to give me a Quest.¡¯

    [A Quest, ¡¸Katrina¡¯s Request¡¹, has been created.]

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok remembered his conversation with Ji-Won.

    ¡°Katrina would randomly give Quests to male yers he really likes. It¡¯s amazing. We call it Kat-lotto because it¡¯s like winning the lottery. I also want to win the Kat-lotto once and just retire as a civil servant¡­ But I guess that¡¯s not possible with my face.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had been doing a lot of thinkingtely. After all, as a Job, being a Streamer had its limits. No matter how strong or popr a Streamer would be, they were ultimately nonbatant ss yers. It was just like how a ser yer could not excel in archery.

    As time went by, it would be increasingly difficult for Streamers to enjoy aggressive y likebatant ss yers. In that sense, it seemed that he should make the most out of these low-Level stages and enjoy them as much as possible.

    Jin-Hyeok had to admit this.

    ¡®I¡¯m not a good person either.¡¯

    He was someone who could not easily give up the fun of ying. That was the case for most people.

    They were all supposed to quit ying games and study, but everyone would keep ying.

    They were supposed to stop drinking and take care of their health, but they would keep drinking.

    They know smoking is bad for their health, but they still struggle to quit.

    Jin-Hyeok was not the odd one out.

    ¡®Well, it¡¯s still just early stages of Open Beta, so I guess it¡¯s okay to enjoy it a little bit.¡¯

    In the grand scheme of the Server, even if he did well, he would not receive much attention in this insignificant Server that had just started.

    ¡®Yeah, who would care about someone like me, an insignificant yer?¡¯

    Even football fans would remember the names of famous teams or yers but would have no idea about promising young yers from Indonesia or the Maldives. In that sense, it seemed like it was okay to settle for first ce at the moment.

    This was not rationalization, but rather a fact.

    Before regression, his life truly started deteriorating once he surpassed Level 200.

    ¡®After all, I am just a nonbatant ss Streamer, right?¡¯

    He could only exert some strength in the Level 100 or below range; anything beyond that was difficult. No matter how he thought about it, it felt a bit regretful to just let this stage pass by. He even had the Trait called Almighty Jack of All Trades, which was very useful and shy for the low-Level stage.

    ¡®For now, it¡¯s best to maintain the quality of my livestream content.¡¯

    If he started going all out now, that was how his livestream¡¯s concept would be shaped¡ªas a Streamer that killed everything in his path.

    However, it was difficult to sustain this for a long time.

    It would be fortunate if he could retire in the low-Level stage, but he also had to consider the possibility that would not be the case. Jin-Hyeok was now trying to be a responsible person, he needed to think about the future.

    ¡®Since things are not bad right now, I should just keep doing what I am doing and avoid exposing myself too directly in y.¡¯

    It was not difficult. It was just a matter of doing it off the air.

    ¡®Alright. Let¡¯s just keep it like this till Level 100!¡¯

    This was only possible because he was in a low-Level stage.

    Everyone and everything had their own timing. Wearing a cute headband and a school uniform at an amusement park was enjoyable when people were young, but it felt a bit off as they got older. Once he reached a high Level, he could no longer enjoy this stage.

    ¡®Ah, this feels good.¡¯

    After making up his mind, a refreshing feeling rushed over him. It was like the fog that was blocking his path had lifted.

    He decided to y just like before, but only in the beginner stage¡ªno more, no less.

    ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll ept,¡± he said.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Katrina looked confused. ¡°But I have not even told you the details yet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s hear about it now.¡±

    It was customary for Jin-Hyeok to ept Quests first; then see what they entailed. If he started nitpicking, he would not aplish anything.

    He grew up that way and eventually became Korea¡¯s Sword King.

    It had been so long since he was this excited.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Who in the right mind would rob Katrina¡¯s shop?¡¯

    Katrina mentioned that someone had stolen a pair of precious nes while the shop was temporarily unattended. The suspect''s face was caught on camera, and Katrina used hiswork to identify who they were.

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you catch them yourself?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°This Server is in its Open Beta phase. It is difficult for me to exert direct physical power on the inhabitants of Earth. I have to consider the reaction from the Merchant Association. Also, if I create unnecessarymotion, it will only lower my credibility for not being able to protect my merchandise. It¡¯s troublesome in many ways.¡±

    It was quite fortunate for the thief who stole Katrina¡¯s nes. If he had personally taken action, their body would likely have been separated from their head. As a side note, Katrina had a lot of money and ran a mercenary organization called Gryphons on another Server. If the suspect had been caught by them, it would have been a real nightmare.

    ¡®I miss those days.¡¯

    The leader of Gryphons Mercenary Organization was very skillful with his spear. Jin-Hyeok remembered getting stabbed three times by him, and it was a lot of fun. Of course, Jin-Hyeok was able to stab him seven times. Some might argue that Jin-Hyeok lost the battle, but most people knew that it was a victory for him.

    ¡°Anyway, I hope you can help me with this, handsome.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    [You have epted the Quest, ¡¸Katrina¡¯s Request.¡¹]

    Jin-Hyeok left Katrina¡¯s shop.

    ¡®Hm¡­ A pair of Berklev Nes¡­¡¯

    He was not sure if this was a coincidence or fate.

    In his previous life, the Berklev Ne was an item he got by ident around Level 80 and wore until just before he regressed.

    The Berklev Ne was just an essory. It did not have any special effects on its own. However, after undergoing a special process, using six different materials, and asking the One-Eyed Giant to enhance it, it became an excellent ne.

    ¡®It was an overpowered item¡­¡¯

    Memories from that time came to mind, and Jin-Hyeok felt nostalgic. Now that he thought about it, his past life was not all about pain and torment.

    ¡®Oh, here I go again¡­¡¯

    As time went by, he tended to romanticize the past, so he had to be careful.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok called Angel Girl to see if she knew anything.

    ¡ª I am a bit busy right now¡­ Can we arrange a meetingter?

    ¡°But you¡¯re not even in a Dungeon. How can you be busy?¡±

    If she could answer her phone, it meant that she was not in a Dungeon. Then that meant she was not busy.

    ¡®Activate the Golden Headband.¡¯

    [You have activated the Golden Headband.]

    Jin-Hyeok heard a scream from the other end of the phone.

    ¡ª Fine! I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll go right now! Please stop it!

    Jin-Hyeok was right. She was not busy.

    Song Ha-Young took a cab and arrived at where Jin-Hyeok was.

    ¡°Why did you lie about being busy?¡±

    ¡°I was not lying. I was really busy.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like she was trying to tell him her story, but he was not in the mood.

    ¡°Do you want to tell me your story and feel the wrath of the Golden Headband, or just not say anything and not be in pain?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Was I about to tell you a story? Hehe, I don¡¯t have anything to say~¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered why she didn¡¯t do that in the first ce, which was a way more peaceful choice.

    ¡°Do you know this guy?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    He held out some photos.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Angel Girl picked up the photos and looked at them carefully.

    ¡°I think I recognize this guy. I forgot his name¡­¡±

    ¡°I heard his yer name is Im Kkeok-Jeong.¡±[1]

    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s right. Im Kkeok-Jeong. He is a Thief who operates near Sillim-dong. What about him?¡±

    ¡°I need to steal something from him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to steal?¡±

    Upon hearing that, Angel Girl suddenly chuckled. She seemed extremely excited at the thought of stealing. It looked like she was destined to be a top-tier Thief.

    Jin-Hyeok gave her a rough exnation.

    ¡°But why steal? Can¡¯t you just take it from him by force?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was just about to exin Katrina¡¯s difficult situation but decided not to. He knew how to deal with crazies like this.

    ¡°Well, stealing is more fun, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok expected this. She easily agreed.

    ¡°So, is this a formal request?¡±

    ¡°Um, yeah. Let¡¯s call it a formal request.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to just give her an order, but he stopped himself. She was the goose thatid golden eggs. He needed to feed her well so she could grow healthily.

    ¡°What¡¯s the reward?¡±

    ¡°How much do you want?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was thinking of around one hundred million Dias.

    ¡°How about¡­¡±

    ¡°Ten million Dias. Anything less won¡¯t do,¡± she said.

    Her standards were lower than he expected. It made him wonder if dealing with VIPs with unimaginable wealth, such as Choi Gap-Soo and Wind Wanderer, had made him lose touch with reality.

    ¡°Five million Dias,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s too little. I have to put my life on the line too.¡±

    ¡°Seven million Dias.¡±

    ¡°...Fine.¡±

    They settled on seven million Dias.

    ? ? ?

    There was no official alliance that had been formed. However, yers with simr Jobs had gathered and formed their own forces, and the fastest group to do so was the information, merchant, and thief-ss yers.

    One of the founding members of the currently ndestine Thief alliance, called the ck Rose Alliance, was Song Ha-Young, also known as Angel Girl.

    ¡°I was actually nning to get my hands on him anyway. This works out nicely.¡±

    There was a Thief who had set up a container warehouse called the Mountain near Sillim-dong as his hideout. That guy¡¯s yer name was Im Kkeok-Jeong. He recently expressed his desire to join the ck Rose Alliance but was immediately rejected.

    Among the Thieves of the ck Rose Alliance, there were their own rules, although they had not been fully established yet. They had three main rules:

    They do not steal from the weak or vulnerable, such as the elderly or young children.

    They do not steal from non-yers.

    They should try to avoid shedding blood during sacred thievery.

    However, that guy with the yer name Im Kkeok-Jeong had broken all three of these rules. ording to the submitted documents, his Level was around 20. On paper, he might be a Thief, but based on his activities, he was nothing more than a typical robber.

    ¡°I heard he beat up a middle school kid to a pulp,¡± Angel Girl said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Apparently he was stealing from that kid.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s robbery, not theft.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why it is so unjust!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And do you know what he stole?¡±

    ¡°What did he steal?¡±

    ¡°A cell phone.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you pissed?¡±

    ¡°Why should I be pissed?¡±

    ¡®Should I be angry at the fact that he hit a young kid? Or that a Thief engaged in a robbery?¡¯

    ¡°He stole something that is not an item! It was just a phone that¡¯s worth five hundred thousand won!¡± Angel Girl said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not tell if she was angry because Im Kkeok-Jeong stole a technological device, or because it was only worth five hundred thousand won.

    ¡°He has no pride as a Thief!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Ha-Young and Jin-Hyeok arrived in Sillim-dong.

    ¡°There, inside the vacant lot. That''s the guy¡¯s hideout.¡±

    ¡°But can we just rob your fellow Thief like this?¡±

    ¡°He is tarnishing the honor of Thieves. We need to show him the true nature of a Thief.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok asked something he had been curious about since earlier.

    ¡°Do Thieves really have honor?¡±

    ¡°Thieves have their own pride and honor, you know! My dream is to be a just Thief.¡±

    She was definitely crazy. There was no point in trying to reason with a crazy person, so he just let it slide.

    ¡°You wait here. I will get the item myself.¡±

    After using her stealth ability, she began to move to the hideout.

    ¡®That container warehouse is his hideout,¡¯ Ha-Young thought to herself.

    An old safe came into view, and she matched the numbers to open it, revealing a pair of Berklev Nes.

    ¡®Well, that was a piece of cake.¡¯

    She attached a note to the desk that said ¡®I gotchu~¡¯.

    Just as she was about to smoothly exit the container warehouse, her body suddenly froze.

    ¡®Is this poison?¡¯

    It felt like she had been poisoned by an odorless and colorless toxin. She hurriedly tried to use an antidote, but before she could, a rope flew toward her. An item in the form of a rope instantly ensnared Ha-Young¡¯s body.

    ¡°I got you, you little rat.¡±

    A man in a gas mask came closer.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a female rat!¡±

    Ha-Young was in a bind. It seemed like she had fallen into a trap.

    ¡®Damn it. I can¡¯t move.¡¯

    Im Kkeok-Jeong approached her.

    ¡°I gotchu? Oh, so you¡¯re the infamous Angel Girl.¡±

    He peeled off the note from the desk and crumpled it in his hand. He crouched down next to Ha-Young¡¯s head.

    ¡°Now why would you do that to a fellow Thief?¡±

    He forcefully shoved the ¡®I gotchu~¡¯ note into Ha-Young¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I heard rumors that Angel Girl was a founding member of the ck Rose Alliance, but I guess it is just baseless gossip if you are caught this easily¡­¡±

    Ha-Young fell to the ground, desperately trying to free herself from the rope. Although she had the Skill to break free, she was too distraught to activate it.

    ¡°How are you going to pay for this?¡±

    He chuckled, his eyes scanning up and down Ha-Young¡¯s face and body. Then he gulped.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a beauty. If you cooperate, I might spare your life. How about it?¡±

    Ha-Young responded with the calmest expression possible. She could not speak properly because of the note in her mouth.

    ¡°Mmmph mmph mmph. Mmm mmmph mmm mmph?¡±(I was just ying around. How should I cooperate?)

    Perhaps sensing Ha-Young¡¯s cooperative attitude, Kkeok-Jeong took out the note that he had put in her mouth. She desperately tried to smile with her eyes.

    ¡°I was just ying around. How should I cooperate?¡±

    ¡°I think you know better than me, don¡¯t you?¡±

    He gently scratched Ha-Young¡¯s cheek with his index finger and then started to touch her neck. It felt as if a snake was slithering all over her body. It was clear what he desired. A shiver ran down her spine, but that was not important at the moment.

    ¡°Alright. Since I failed as a Thief, I will pay the price. Do as you please.¡±

    ¡°Good. No backing out now.¡±

    Kkeok-Jeong chuckled and stood up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s each undress ourselves,¡± he said.

    He took off the jacket he was wearing and tossed it backward.

    At that moment, something pierced through the jacket!

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    It was none other than a dagger that shot out like an arrow. The dagger was stuck in the back of his head.

    Thud!

    He copsed to the ground.

    Jin-Hyeok was walking toward him.

    ¡®Wow! I finally remembered you, Im Kkeok-Jeong!¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It seemed inevitable that he would find the Nes here.

    1. Im Kkeok-Jeong was the leader of the peasant rebellion in Korea from 1559 to 1562. He is like a Korean Robin Hood. ?

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46

    There was a small connection between Cha Jin-Hyeok and Im Kkeok-Jeong. It turned out that Kkeok-Jeong was the previous owner of the item, the Berklev Ne, that Jin-Hyeok had worn before his regression.

    ¡®Well, the ownership of the item changed a few times in between.¡¯

    It went through several hands before ending up in the hands of Jin-Hyeok. To properly enhance the Berklev Ne, six special ingredients and one condition were necessary.

    The condition was that it had to consume the blood of its original owner. It had a wicked condition of consuming a lethal amount of blood and undergoing maturation.

    In the past, Jin-Hyeok easily fulfilled that condition.

    ¡®Because the Ne was already soaked in Kkeok-Jeong¡¯s blood then.¡¯

    He remembered what he had read in documents.

    Kkeok-Jeong was a famous yer who yed very well only in the early stages of the Server.

    Every ss had promising rookies. They grew with tremendous momentum until the early to intermediate stages, but they often could not survive for long and were eventually defeated. It was their unfortunate destiny.

    Im Kkeok-Jeong was such a case. He achieved tremendous growth in the early stages but was assassinated by an Assassin before long. The Assassin who killed him was a woman who had been sexually assaulted by him.

    That was why Berklev Ne was covered in Kkeok-Jeong¡¯s blood back then.

    ¡®But I am not sure if I can feed his blood to the Ne now.¡¯

    It could not be just any blood. It had to be the blood of an owner who had achieved certain Achievements. The present Im Kkeok-Jeong and the Im Kkeok-Jeong from that timeline were different. Jin-Hyeok examined the fallen opponent. He was barely clinging to life and it seemed like it was not going to take long for him to die.

    [LV35/Im Kkeok-Jeong/Bandit/Skills/Seven Lusts Ten Kills]

    ¡®Seven Lusts Ten Kills?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not believe Kkeok-Jeong had obtained that Achievement already in the early stage. It was a very notorious Achievement that a yer of the rogue and assassin ss could obtain by sexually assaulting seven people and killing ten people.

    ¡®Just having Three Lusts Five Kills would¡¯ve been enough¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok nced inside the container warehouse. He needed a suitable-sized container to hold the blood and the Berklev Ne, but there was none.

    ¡®I know for a fact that if I use the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop, they are going to rip me off.¡¯

    However, he had no other choice. He spent a whopping five hundred thousand Dias to purchase arge container. Then he approached Kkeok-Jeong. Kkeok-Jeong was already unconscious.

    Song Ha-Young was surprised beyond belief.

    ¡°Wh..what are you doing?¡±

    Ha-Young was more afraid of Jin-Hyeok than Kkeok-Jeong. Jin-Hyeok calmly pulled out the dagger that was stuck in the back of Kkeok-Jeong''s head. The blood flowed out in a crimson stream.

    Jin-Hyeok was so focused on his y that he did not hear a word from Ha-Young.

    ¡®I remember they said the fresher the blood, the better, right?¡¯

    Ha-Young was still trapped. She crawled like a caterpir away from Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°W-Wait! What are you doing?¡±

    ¡®What the hell am I looking at?¡± Ha-Young thought.

    The person in front of her was not a human, but a demon.

    ? ? ?

    After being safely released with the help of Jin-Hyeok, Ha-Young returned home, trembling.

    ¡®Why did he take the blood?¡¯

    He took out a strange container and filled it with blood. Then he dipped his finger into it and tasted it, only to spit it out. He said something about it not being fresh enough.

    He definitely seemed like a demon.

    ¡®And then he suddenly opened up Kkeok-Jeong¡¯s chest¡­¡¯

    Ha-Young stopped her recollection there. It was too horrific, and she did not want to remember any of it.

    The image of Jin-Hyeok holding Kkeok-Jeong''s still-beating heart in his hand remained unforgettable.

    ¡°This should be the freshest.¡±

    She witnessed him not just collecting the Berklev Nes, but putting one of them in a container along with blood and the heart of his enemy. After that, Jin-Hyeok casually released Ha-Young without saying anything.

    She trembled all over.

    ¡®That guy is clearly insane¡­¡¯

    She had hoped to seize the opportunity to escape and remove the Golden Headband, but even that desire vanishedpletely after she saw what Jin-Hyeok had done.

    ? ? ?

    Katrina let out a triumphantugh.

    ¡°You really brought them back!¡±

    ¡°One of them is mine, so I¡¯m going to take it.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Thank you so much!¡±

    The stolen item Katrina had was a pair of Berklev Nes. One of them was in a container with Kkeok-Jeong¡¯s blood.

    [You have cleared the Quest ¡¸Katrina¡¯s Request¡¹.]

    ¡°You might not know this, but this is a really great item.¡±

    ¡°It does not look particrly special.¡±

    ¡°When you meet certain conditions and gather specific materials, the Berklev Ne gains special properties.¡±

    [You have been given the Quest Reward ¡¸Berklev Ne Enchantment Recipe¡¹.]

    Katrina handed him a booklet.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this can be unlocked in the early stages of the Server, but anyway, a reward is a reward.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You still don¡¯t fully understand, do you? How valuable this reward is.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess it hasn¡¯t really sunk in yet.¡±

    The booklet probably contained the information Jin-Hyeok already knew. It would help him with the probability when enchanting in the direction he desired. It seemed that what Ahn Ji-Won from the Support Team said about Kat-lotto was right.

    ¡°I¡¯lle back when I have more things to sell,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Okay~ You cane empty-handed too~ Preferably at night!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do you like to drink?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not respond and turned his back and walked away. He knew that engaging in small talks with Katrina would be never-ending. He examined the booklet. It detailed things that even he could not fully remember.

    ¡®Oh, I need to mature the Berklev Ne for seven days.¡¯

    If it was not for the booklet, he would have taken the Berklev Ne out right away. Then, there was an additional note marked with an asterisk.

    [*If it is matured with the owner¡¯s heart, it will further enhance its effects.]

    This was pure luck on his part. Jin-Hyeok felt oddly pleased. This feeling ofpleting a proper strategy would be familiar to anyone who enjoyed ying.

    ¡®Alright. Let¡¯s try clearing the Golden Toad Dungeon again.¡¯

    He continued to clear the Golden Toad Dungeon with his party.

    Second clear.

    Third clear.

    ¡­

    Seventh clear.

    Jin-Hyeok kept obtaining gold bars. Although the amount varied with each clear, he was getting around four hundred million Dias worth of gold bars per clear, on average.

    ¡°You are pretty impressive~ What do you think about raising a family together?¡±

    Katrina¡¯s teasing became more intense, but Jin-Hyeok did not really respond to it.

    While the bnce on his ount was umting, he was able to reach Level 45.

    ¡®This would be the tenth clear.¡¯

    For a yer, ten clears of the Golden Toad Dungeon were the limit. It was a bit regrettable. If it were not just ten clears but a hundred, he could have roughly earned forty billion won.

    ¡®Still, four billion won is good enough.¡¯

    He earned money faster than he thought. He never expected that he would personally clear this ce this many times after bing a Streamer.

    ¡°So this is ourst clear,¡± Cha Jin-Sol said with a hint of regret.

    Jin-Hyeok paid the party about ten percent of the rewards he obtained aspensation, and they would divide the ten percent among themselves. Each of them would take around eight million won each time they cleared the Dungeon.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s over now.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ It is¡­ really unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Hyung. Thanks to you, we were able to earn so much money.¡±

    Just giving them ten percent of the rewards made them that excited and happy. Jin-Hyeok felt like he was being a bad leader. Still, they would not have had a clue how to clear this ce without him, so it was fair that he got most of the rewards.

    After the tenth clear, they walked toward the spawned door.

    [You have cleared the ¡¸Golden Toad Dungeon¡¹.]

    [You have achieved the Hidden Achievement ¡¸First Ten Consecutive Clear¡¹.]

    Suddenly, fireworks exploded before his eyes. They were not actual fireworks, but an effect created by the System. Usually, if this kind of effect was used, it meant that the System was about to reward something really good.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    This was something Jin-Hyeok did not know about. There had to be at least one yer who had been the first to clear this Dungeon ten times in a row. That someone knew about this Hidden Achievement but didn¡¯t tell the world about it. The treasure had to have been something so good that they had to keep their mouth shut.

    [The Hidden Boss Room ¡¸King Toad¡¯s Chamber¡¹ has been spawned.]

    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯

    Upon reconsideration, it might not necessarily mean that they obtained a treasure good enough to keep their mouth shut. They might have just gone into that room and did note back alive.

    [At least one person must enter the Hidden Boss Room.]

    The System was providing excessively detailed exnations, probably because they were in a low-Level dungeon.

    [yers who enter the Hidden Boss Room will be the King Toad¡¯s food.]

    [King Toad is Level 53.]

    [yers who enter the Hidden Boss Room will receive a ¡¸x7 Jackpot Effect¡¹.]

    [yers who do not enter the Hidden Boss Room will receive a ¡¸x2 Effect¡¹.]

    The party members¡¯ expressions started to darken. Mok Jae-Hyeon already seemed scared.

    ¡°Hyung¡­ What should we do?¡±

    Jin-Sol bit her lip and fell silent. Jin-Hyeok did not know what her intention was, but she gently grabbed onto the hem of his clothes.

    Seo Ji-Ah remained silent without any noticeable change in expression, and Seo Ji-Soo seemed slightly bewildered.

    ¡°So¡­ at least one person has to go in, right?¡± Ji-Soo asked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°It seems that way.¡±

    In front of them, in addition to the exit leading outside, another entrance had been generated.

    [As time passes, the King Toad bes more vicious.]

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon, who had a heavy expression, took a step forward. He seemed to have made up his mind.

    ¡°I¡­ will go¡­ inside¡­¡±

    It seemed like he felt that he should be the one to go in, and it made Jin-Hyeok feel ufortable.

    ¡°Why should you go in?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡®It¡¯s x7 Jackpot Effect. If I¡¯m not the one going in, I am going to be really mad.¡¯

    ¡°I¡­ think I am the most suitable candidate¡­ My¡­ chances of survival would be the highest¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I should do it.¡±

    While they were diligently clearing the Golden Toad Dungeon, Jin-Hyeok was just watching behind them. He did not find the idea of hunting Golden Toads particrly appealing. However, because of that, Jeong-Hyeon seemed to misunderstand a bit. He seemed to think he was stronger than Jin-Hyeok because his Level had increased.

    If Jin-Hyeok left it alone, he might end up being pushed aside.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys on the other side.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok confidently strode forward. Jin-Sol followed him, crying.

    ¡°Oppa!!!¡±

    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°Why does it have to be you who sacrifices your life?¡±

    ¡°Sacrifice? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡®What sacrifice. I¡¯m already excited to death right now.¡¯

    ¡°I have a clear direction of how I am going to y,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He could y however he wanted until Level 100. He could y ording to his own wishes up to that point.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took light-hearted steps toward the entrance.

    Jin-Sol clung to him tenaciously.

    ¡°Oppa, please, don¡¯t do this¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get the x7 Jackpot Effect ande back alive.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to act cool when it doesn¡¯t even suit you!¡±

    What is she talking about?¡¯

    He had never tried to act cool, so he did not understand why she was saying that. In her eyes, Jin-Hyeok looked cool.

    ¡®I just want to go in there as soon as possible.¡¯

    It had been a while since he had a duel with the King Toad and his body was already itching. But since it was a considerably high-Level opponent, he needed to prepare himself.

    ¡®Open the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop.¡¯

    In front of others, Jin-Hyeok only used a simple dagger. But now that he was alone and not livestreaming, he decided to do things his way.

    [Would you like to purchase the Steel Sword?]

    He purchased the best sword he could use at his current Level. Right now, he could only use items that all sses could use. He had to pay a whopping thirty million Dias at the exorbitant Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. The price was ridiculously highpared to its performance, but he was still feeling good about entering the Hidden Boss Room.

    ¡°Wait for me outside, everyone.¡±

    He grabbed onto his excited heart and headed toward the entrance that led to the Hidden Boss Room.

    [You are now entering the Hidden Boss Room ¡¸King Toad¡¯s Chamber¡¹.]

    The Field suddenly changed around him. He was now standing in the King Toad¡¯s Chamber. There was a fairlyrge pond in the room, and the pond had quite broad leaves floating on it.

    Bubble. Bubble.

    There was a presence inside the pond. He looked through the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight and saw that the King Toad was hiding in there.

    ¡®Should I just release the poison into the pond?¡¯

    He knew that it could be quite effective to release the poison into the pond.

    ¡®Nah, forget it.¡¯

    Since he already bought the Steel Sword, it would not be bad to have an intense battle. He had a good night¡¯s sleep yesterday, and his body was in excellent condition.

    ¡®Come out,e out, wherever¡ªhuh?¡¯

    Suddenly, the Hidden Boss Room entrance started to shake.

    ¡°Oppa.¡±

    Jin-Sol followed him inside.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon also entered.

    ¡°Why¡­¡±

    Following them, Jae-Hyeon, who had been caught in a headlock by the Seo sisters, also entered.

    ¡°No matter where we go, we are still a party. We can never let you go alone,¡± Ji-Soo spoke with a determined expression.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not expect to have this kind of camaraderie between the members. He underestimated the others while he was so concentrated on battling the King Toad.

    Ji-Soo started to tease him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you getting emotional?¡±

    ¡°I would never give up Oppa and live by myself,¡± Jin-Sol said while biting her lips.

    ¡®Sigh. If the party members are here, I have to protect them while fighting.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok hastily poured all the poison he had into the pond.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    He had decided to fight with all his heart, but it seemed like today was not the day.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47

    The King Toad leaped up onto the water and perched on a wide leaf. Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s Eyes widened.

    ¡°Oh my god! That thing is huge!¡±

    The King Toad was quiterge. It was even bigger than an average cow. Cha Jin-Hyeok chuckled quietly, unnoticed by anyone.

    ¡®The poison¡­ It¡¯s not as effective as I thought.¡¯

    It seemed that the King Toad had considerable resistance to the poison potion made by Choi Gap-Soo.

    ¡°For now, I want everyone to wait until I fully draw its attention.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Not me, but you?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    It was Jin-Hyeok who always put Jae-Hyeon at the forefront. Jae-Hyeon suddenly had a great realization.

    ¡®I guess when there is a real danger, he takes the lead,¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    He was slightly touched by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s different demeanor.

    ¡°If my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier is breached, you have to be the one tanking the monster¡¯s attack, so just wait there.¡±

    There was a hint of excitement on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face. Some might say that he looked like he was enjoying the situation, but Jae-Hyeon thought differently.

    ¡®He¡¯s trying not to burden me. That¡¯s why he purposely puts on such a cheerful expression.¡¯

    Jae-Hyeon knew he was just a coward. He knew that Jin-Hyeok was only doing this because if Jin-Hyeok showed any signs of timidity, he would freeze up and would not be able to do anything.

    ¡®Jin-Hyeok is so thoughtful!¡¯

    Today, Jae-Hyeon clearly realized it. It seemed like there was a reason behind all the crises he had been pushed into until now.

    ¡®He only threw crises at me that I could handle.¡¯

    Those crises were terrifying and frightening, but in the end, Jae-Hyeon managed to ovee them all. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s actions taking the lead this time left a strong impression on Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡®This time, it¡¯s a crisis that I can¡¯t handle. That¡¯s why Jin-Hyeok is the one to draw the attention of the monster instead of me.¡¯

    Jae-Hyeon''s Trait, Great Enlightenment, shone through. He now had a calmer mindset and an objective interpretation and understanding of the current situation.

    ¡®This is all possible because we are at a low-Level Dungeon. Jin-Hyeok is showing me the path I should take in the future.¡¯

    It had always been like that. Jin-Hyeok always taught him many things as an adult.

    In the meantime, Jin-Hyeok drew the perfect aggro. The King Toad¡¯s bloodlust was solely directed at him.

    ¡®It seems like I have a talent for drawing aggro,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It was not like he had any extraordinary Skills. He simply threw his dagger at the monster, but he managed to draw the aggro perfectly. It felt like he was better at it than Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart thumped as he engaged in directbat. The King Toad had resistance to the poison. The dagger had already fallen into the pond, and he swung the Steel Sword he had purchased from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop earlier.

    ng!

    With a loud noise, small sparks flew.

    ¡®A protective barrier?¡¯

    It sure was a boss monster. The King Toad had a powerful protective barrier, which was not surprising. Most of the monsters that would appear in the future would have their own protective barriers.

    At that moment, the monster spewed venom. While dodging its attack by moving backward, Jin-Hyeok activated the Broadcaster''s Barrier.

    Sizzle!

    The Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier that came into contact with the venom melted away.

    ¡®If I had been a littlete, I would have suffered quite a burn.¡¯

    It was fortunate that Jin-Hyeok used the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier while dodging. If he had only done one of them, he would have suffered significant damage. The King Toad started to look around in different directions.

    ¡®It¡¯s about to use a Skill.¡¯

    The King Toad had one quite annoying Skill. Its tongues would spring out from numerous points in the air. It was a Skill simr to the one on the first floor of the Golden Toad Dungeon that attacked the yers, but there were dozens of them. Jin-Hyeok knew this thanks to his Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    [The King Toad had used the Skill ¡¸Spear of Many Tongues¡¹.]

    Its first attack was aimed at Jin-Hyeok. Seven tongues rained down on him like spears.

    ¡®Wow.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok instinctively found the Path of Survival among the seven spears. In a fleeting moment, he read the subtle gaps. A new path emerged within an extreme state of tension. It had a significant impact on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Traits.

    [¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight¡¹ has been enhanced.]

    [¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight¡¹ has been upgraded to ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok immersed himself in a state ofplete focus. He concentrated all his senses and nerves on this battle.

    ¡®This is it.¡¯

    He evaded all seven spears.

    To be precise, he saw the Path of Survival and positioned himself at the end of the Path. Since the King Toad was not a high-Level monster, the attacks themselves were not that sophisticated. However, when viewed by others, it looked like a performance art.

    Seo Ji-Ah, who usually did not express her emotions, let out a short exmation. In Ji-Ah¡¯s eyes, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s movements were like the pinnacle of artistry.

    Jin-Hyeok immersed himself in his own world.

    ¡®So this is the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡¯

    In an instant, he saw where the seven spears would fly. It felt like glimpsing an extremely subtle future. This feeling was remarkably simr to the Skill he possessed during his days as the Sword King, Super Sensitivity. It was so simr that he could actively utilize it.

    ¡®I can see where the attacks willnd.¡¯

    Spear of Many Tongues was a Skill where spears would pour out from various points in the air. It seemed like he knew where the Skill was aiming.

    [The King Toad had used the Skill ¡¸Spear of Many Tongues¡¹.]

    [The King Toad had used the Skill ¡¸Spear of Many Tongues¡¹.]

    By reading where the spears werending, evading the monster¡¯s attacks became much easier. The King Toad looked frustrated.

    While all the attacks were focused on Jin-Hyeok, the Seo sisters attacked the King Toad. In the midst of it, one spear pierced through Ji-Ah¡¯s back.

    ¡°Unnie!¡± Seo Ji-Soo eximed in surprise, and the King Toad nced briefly in Ji-Soo¡¯s direction.

    Jin-Hyeok flinched.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯¡¯

    Neither Ji-Soo nor Ji-Ah had the defensive power to withstand the attacks of the monster. If they were hit once, it would be a severe injury or death. Just like how Ji-Ah was right now.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    However, the King Toad was still focused on Jin-Hyeok, seemingly disregarding Ji-Soo.

    ¡®That¡¯s fortunate.¡¯

    The creature¡¯s defense was much stronger than expected. No matter how much he attacked, the barrier would not break. Even when Jin-Hyeok managed to avoid the King Toad¡¯s attacks and approached to swing his sword, the monster was able to push him back by spewing its venom.

    The same thing kept happening.

    ? ? ?

    Jae-Hyeon maintained a sharp sense of readiness. He was prepared to unleash his Wood Fortress at any moment. Inspired by Jin-Hyeok, Jae-Hyeon subtly started to resemble him.

    ¡°Ji-Soo, don¡¯t be so flustered. It¡¯s only natural to get injured during a raid.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol began healing Ji-Ah¡¯s injuries. The injuries were severe, so it would take a while until Ji-Ah recovered.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to kill that thing,¡¯ Ji-Soo thought as she bit her lip.

    Ji-Soo actively participated in trying to kill the King Toad. Herbat sense was quite impressive and proved to be a significant help to Jin-Hyeok. Kim Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s martial arts also dealt some blows to the monster¡¯s defense. However, both Ji-Soo and Jeong-Hyeon gradually grew tired.

    ¡®Its defensive barrier won¡¯t break!¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s¡­ too¡­ powerful¡­ of an opponent.¡¯

    Both of them felt an insurmountable wall. They even entertained the thought that they might die here.

    Jin-Hyeok, too, was quite exhausted.

    ¡®Wow, I would¡¯ve died if I came in here alone!¡¯

    As Jin-Hyeok thought that, a sense of intense tension surged through him, and he felt good. He did not try to deny this emotion. He had already passed that stage where he contemted his feelings and concluded that he needed to control his feelings rationally.

    ¡°Listen carefully,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while evading the King Toad¡¯s venomous attacks. ¡°This creature has the ability to restore its protective barrier by submerging in water. Did everyone notice that?¡±

    Whenever the protective barrier seemed to break, the monster escaped into the water. When it resurfaced, the barrier had regenerated.

    ¡°So, we have two options. Either drag it out ontond or kill it quickly before it dives into the water.¡±

    However, there was no Debuffer or Curse Mage with the ability to restrain it or drag it ontond.

    Jin-Hyeok reached a conclusion.

    ¡°We have to kill it quickly before it goes into the water.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    Ji-Soo had already reached her physical limits. She was on the verge of exhaustion.

    ¡°Step back, Ji-Soo. Jeong-Hyeon and I will handle it.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°If I tell you to fall back, just fall back! There is no time to exin in detail!¡±

    There was no time for lengthy exnations. The King Toad was also slightly fatigued. The frequency and power of its Spear of Many Tongues had slightly decreased. Jin-Hyeok had a gut feeling that this was their one and only chance.

    ¡°And Jeong-Hyeon, do you see that over there? Can you see where I ced the item?¡±

    It was the Ward Jin-Hyeok had purchased from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. It was a round, translucent item floating on the water.

    ¡°Yes, I see it.¡±

    ¡°When the monster uses its Skill for the third time, move over there. Two spears will intersect and rain down at that spot. I need you to take the hit.¡±

    Right now, it was difficult to focus solely on attacking, because he had to dodge the enemy¡¯s attacks. Someone had to take the hit at least once.

    ¡°Ji-Soo might die from taking the hit, but I know you won¡¯t. And Jae-Hyeon can¡¯t move as nimbly as you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    That was why the suitable candidate was Jeong-Hyeon. Jin-Hyeok felt his sensesing alive.

    He truly felt alive.

    [The King Toad had used the Skill ¡¸Spear of Many Tongues¡¹.]

    [The King Toad had used the Skill ¡¸Spear of Many Tongues¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok swiftly moved, evading all the Spears of Many Tongues.

    ¡°Okay, the next attack!¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon nodded. He was slower than Jin-Hyeok, but still fairly quick in his movements as he leaped to the position designated by Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok then followed him.

    [The King Toad had used the Skill ¡¸Spear of Many Tongues¡¹.]

    Stab!

    Stab!

    The Spear of Many Tongues, intersecting in an X-shape, pierced through Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s body.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    It was evident that he was seriously injured. Jin-Hyeok immediately approached the King Toad. Thanks to Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s sacrifice, the path waspletely open, allowing him to focus solely on the attack.

    ¡®I see it!¡¯

    The Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance showed more than he thought. It faintly disyed the trajectory of his future sword strikes, which he knew through experience and intuition. It appeared as dotted lines, and it resembled the Skill he possessed during his Sword King days, Sword Ways.

    ¡®But this is not enough.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew that this was the final opportunity. Ji-Ah and Jeong-Hyeon were both seriously injured. After healing them, Jin-Sol would also be exhausted and unable to provide further help.

    ¡®I need to kill it right now!¡¯

    He needed to find a way. He had to kill the monster at this very moment.

    ¡®I must strike it down without fail.¡¯

    He solely focused on this situation. Every sense in his body was directed toward himself and the King Toad.

    The long-awaited, blood-boiling battle stimted his entire being.

    [You have acquired the Latent Skill ¡¸Sharp Spirit¡¹.]

    Ferocity was a Skill that sword-wielding ss yers awakened at Level 40.

    There was no time to think about that.

    [You have activated the Hidden Skill ¡¸Ferocity¡¹.]

    Intangible mana permeated Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Steel Sword. It looked like a powerful aura.

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword along the Sword Ways that he saw.

    ¡®The protective barrier has been destroyed!¡¯

    The King Toad seemed momentarily taken aback. Just as it was about to leap into the water, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword severed its neck. The speed at which he swung the sword left a blue afterimage in the air.

    [You have defeated the King Toad.]

    [¡¸x7 Jackpot Effect¡¹has been applied.]

    The protective barrier was incredibly resilient, but the monster¡¯s actual defense wascking.

    ¡°Pant¡­ Pant¡­!¡¯

    Having defeated the King Toad, Jin-Hyeok copsed onto the leaf. It had been a while since he felt such exhration and thrill.

    ¡®I missed this feeling¡­¡¯

    This was the true taste of raiding. The ecstasy was more intense than any drug, enveloping his body.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party defeated the King Toad, and everyone gained two Levels.

    [You have acquired the Major Achievement ¡¸Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. It was not something worthy of being registered in the Hall of Fame, but the sense of aplishment when achieving a Major Achievement was tremendous.

    [Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King]

    [Amidst countless repetitions of shortcuts, you hunted down the King who had hidden Skillfully for ages, yearning for greatness. Although it could not achieve greatness, it could indeed be called the King of Toads.

    Achievement Effect: Complete nullification of all attacks from toad-type monsters below Level 100 when using defensive Skills/ Traits.]

    ¡®Is this for real? Completely nullification of all attacks from toad-type monsters below Level 100? I think I can even defeat that monster with this!¡¯

    There was one monster that was not originally part of the n. It was a monster that sessfully achieved greatness among the aspiring Kings.

    ¡®Can I really defeat that monster?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure.

    Even though he would be much weaker, with this Achievement Effect, it felt like he had a chance.

    ¡®I¡¯m so excited!¡¯

    A day had passed.

    When Jin-Hyeok returned home, he checked his bank bnce again.

    ¡®It¡¯s going faster than I anticipated.¡¯

    He had received bigger donations than he expected. And with the ten Golden Toad Dungeon Clears and the x7 Jackpot Effect, all of that added to approximately eight billion won for Jin-Hyeok in cash.

    With this amount, he could easily buy a decent building in Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡®Oh, bute to think of it, there is something I should do before bing a building owner.¡¯

    It was such a simple logic, yet he had forgotten about it.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48

    ¡®I need a house first,¡¯ Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    In the past, he did not need a house. The government provided amodation for him. To be honest, most of the time, he just slept on the streets. That way, he could save time and fight strong monsters.

    However, things had changed. Jin-Hyeok had a family and he needed a ce to stay with them.

    ¡®Let¡¯s buy a house first.¡¯

    Two dayster¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this house.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to purchase a brand new house in excellent condition. He had even signed the contract. He now had no other choice but to postpone his retirement. Originally, if he had earned this much, he would have retired immediately, but this was something he had to do.

    Now he had a family to take care of.

    When he returned home, Cha Jin-Sol asked him, ¡°Oppa, why do you look so excited?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You always have that expression when Mom and Dad tell us they were going out when we were kids!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Come on, that¡¯s the expression you had when you secretly yed games without our parents knowing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I know you too well.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok exined slowly and carefully that it was not like that.

    He was someone who dreamed of retiring quickly and living happily bying in third ce as a nonbatant ss yer. He shouldn¡¯t be happy that his ying time had increased.

    ¡°I¡¯m excited because I bought a house.¡±

    ¡°Y-you bought a house? What kind of house?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you after paying the remaining amount.¡±

    Before moving, he showed the house to Jin-Sol first.

    ¡°This is crazy! A house with a backyard? In Seoul?¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s newly built.¡±

    It was a house that a famous architect designed and built for himself, but he suddenly had to go to the United States for work or something.

    ¡°You bought this, Oppa?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°How much did it cost?¡±

    ¡°Around six billion won.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Jin-Sol kept asking to make sure it was true. She asked if Jin-Hyeok had really bought the house.

    After showing her the real estate contract, she trusted him.

    ¡°Are you going to live here alone?¡± Jin-Sol asked her brother cautiously.

    ¡°If I was going to live alone, I would have just stayed homele¡ª¡±

    ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t say that.¡¯

    ¡°...I don¡¯t need such a big and nice house all for myself.¡±

    ¡°Then, will you let me live here with you?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I bought it with the intention of living together from the beginning.¡±

    Jin-Sol suddenly burst intoughter and rushed toward him, trying to hug him. In a hurry, Jin-Hyeok used the Broadcaster''s Barrier. A transparent barrier formed between them, and there was no physical damage done to him.

    A few dayster, his family moved into the house. It was a bit difficult to convince Mom and Dad, but he told them he got a big bonus from hispany. They did not fully believe his story, but it was not a big issue.

    ¡°I never thought that I would be able to live in a ce like this¡­¡±

    Mom¡¯s reaction made Jin-Hyeok feel extremely proud. It was a kind of excitement he had never felt in his previous life.

    Dad woke up early every morning to take care of the garden, and that sight was also pleasant to see.

    ¡®I guess I need to work hard to earn more money.¡¯

    Maintaining a house of this size required a lot of money. Jin-Hyeok felt like he had to y a bit longer.

    ¡°And I should find out more about Jeon Nam-Gil in advance.¡±

    Jeon Nam-Gil was the serial killer who ughtered his family. He did not know if he had Awakened as a yer at this point or not. Back then, Jin-Hyeok was desperate to just kill him without thinking rationally.

    After the Im Kkeok-Jeong incident, Song Ha-Young listened to him very well.

    ¡ª Jeon Nam-Gil? His yer name is Serial Killer? Who the hell would use that kind of name for themselves? Alright, I¡¯ll try to find as much information as possible for now.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream as usual.

    ¡°I have obtained an Achievement thatpletely nullifies all attacks from toad-type monsters below Level 100 when using defensive Traits or Skills.¡±

    He was shooting a preview for his video.

    ¡°Among the writings posted by the Great Prophet named Kim Shin-Won, there was content about the First Disaster that will happen in Korea.¡±

    Shin-Won predicted many things. Among them, there was information about a monster called Flying Toad that would appear in Yeosu.

    ¡°In early June of 2022, a monster with the shape of a giant toad is going to appear.¡±

    The Flying Toad was a winged monster with a body that resembled a toad. Jin-Hyeok remembered its Level was around 80.

    ¡°This will be the first monster to drive humans out of their territory.¡±

    And this would be a reality. Many people were devoured by the Flying Toad, and people eventually ended up fleeing from Yeosu. This problem would not only ur in Yeosu but it would happen frequently in many cities in the future. Humans and monsters would constantly wage war over territory.

    ¡®There is a reason why Yeonhui-dong, with the Guardian Tree, is such an expensive neighborhood.¡¯

    And the military was useless. As seen from battling the King Toad, a special protective barrier was formed around monsters that exceeded a certain Level. That barrier nullified modern weapons. In the future, scientific weapons that could neutralize such barriers would be developed, but that was in the distant future.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I defeated that monster, right?¡¯

    It was such a long time ago that he had forgotten, but he definitely defeated that monster in his past life. Looking back, it was a battle where he almost died.

    He remembered himself being around Level 70 at the time.

    He had leveled up a bit in the past few days, and now he was at Level 48.

    ¡°What do you guys think about me trying to kill this monster?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not suggest this because he was crazy. He just thought it would be a waste not to utilize such a good Achievement Effect.

    ¡®Can I use my LatentSkill again if I battled that monster?¡¯

    During the fight with the King Toad, he felt like he returned to his days as the Sword King. He waspletely immersed in the battle, focusing all his attention on the tip of his sword, giving his all in the fight. And then, the Hidden Skill, Ferocity, was activated. After the battle, when he checked again, the Hidden Skill was gone.

    ¡®I want to utilize that Skill again.¡¯

    Whether it was his Job or his mind, that Skill was imbued somewhere within him. He wanted that Skill to bepletely his, not as a Hidden Skill.

    ¡®It¡¯s just a low-Level Skill.¡¯

    If it were a high-Level, advanced Skill, he would not have such desires. He told himself that he wanted this because it was a low-Level Skill, and because he could only experience this thrill and enjoy raiding during his low-Level stages.

    ¡°I will level up to 50 and then try to kill that monster."

    When he reaches Level 50, the Skills he acquired at Level 40 would be enhanced. With an enhanced Time-Lapse Recording and other Achievement Effects, he believed he would be ready to fight against the Flying Toad.

    Now, he was finallying to his senses. In the past, he would have just rushed in and fought without any preparations or calctions. He felt like he had grown a lot, and it was slightly satisfying.

    ¡®This is going to be fun.¡¯

    Finally, Jin-Hyeok reached Level 50.

    ?The monster known as the Flying Toad, in the shape of a giant toad, had appeared near Yeosu¡­?

    ?Severe damage is ongoing¡­?

    The news was flooded with reports about the Flying Toad. Thousands of people had been killed by the monster, and many had fled from Yeosu to nearby cities. Kim Shin-Won¡¯s prophecies had spread among a considerable number of people, but not many believed them enough to take precautions in advance.

    ¡®Even though the government broadcasted and warned people to evacuate, there were so many who didn¡¯t listen to them.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand why. When he was a government official, the most challenging part was dealing with the civilians. While it was possible to defeat monsters, controlling the civilians was the most difficult task. Even though they knew they would die, they were stubborn and did not listen,ing up with conspiracy theories and whatnot.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to get down to Yeosu and see for himself.

    ¡°Since that monster is excessively high-Leveled, it¡¯s better for me to go alone.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Damn it. I overlooked something so basic again.¡¯

    All public transportation to Yeosu waspletely halted. In the past, the government would provide helicopters or vehicles in situations like this.

    Right now, Jin-Hyeok did not even have a driver¡¯s license. So, he had to call Kim Jeong-Hyeon for a ride.

    ¡°Hey, can you give me a ride?¡±

    ¡°Where to¡­ exactly?¡±

    ¡°Yeosu.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Do¡­ I have to fight¡­ with you?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was going to fight against a very dangerous monster, but looking at Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s disappointed expression for not being allowed to join the fight, Jeong-Hyeon was definitely a crazy person. Having such people around Jin-Hyeok, it was no wonder Jin-Hyeok did not realize how abnormal he was.

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok got in Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s car and headed to Yeosu.

    ¡®Wow.¡¯

    Yeosu had turned into a ghost town just because of one Level 80 Field monster. Jin-Hyeok sent Jeong-Hyeon back home.

    Jin-Hyeok knew the military and their weapons were not very effective, but still, they should at least block the roads and haveplete control over the civilians.

    It seemed like they did not even have such a system in ce.

    ¡®It¡¯s even more chaotic than I thought.¡¯

    During his time as a government official, Jin-Hyeok could not even imagine such a situation.

    He was able to enter Yeosu easily.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    He saw corpses that had not been dead for long. Judging by the items they were holding, they seemed to be yers.

    ¡®I guess there are crazy people beside me.¡¯

    Recently, a scout-ss yer revealed that the Level of the Flying Toad was around 80. That yer died on the scene.

    When other people flew their drones to confirm the yer¡¯s death, it showed the yer was smiling. Most people did not understand the meaning behind that smile, but Jin-Hyeok knew very well. It was undoubtedly a joyous reaction to being the first to confirm the Level of the most powerful monster in this era.

    Indeed, the world was vast, and there were many crazy people.

    ¡®I wonder where it might be¡­¡¯

    The monster had made a territory within approximately a three-kilometer radius centered around Yeosu City Hall. It used to reside near the roundabout in front of the City Hall, but now it seemed to have gone out for hunting.

    ¡°There are many corpses piled up. It is as if someone deliberately stacked them, like in a grocery store.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached the corpses.

    ¡°There is a considerably foul smell.¡±

    The smell was not only the typical odor of corpses but also due to the bodily fluids of the Flying Toad.

    asionally, drones flew around. Jin-Hyeok wore the Deceiver''s Mask because he did not want his face to be exposed unnecessarily.

    ¡°I see sticky bodily fluid. I will examine it through the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡±

    [Flying Toad¡¯s Bodily Fluid]

    [The bodily fluid of the Flying Toad. It has the effect of paralyzing the nervous system of living organisms while preventing decay.]

    The Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance showed him much more information.

    Swoosh.

    The wind blew, causing the tattered car door to sway.

    ¡®Ah, I missed this.¡¯

    The anticipation of not knowing when the Flying Toad would appear was a pleasant sensation that had awakened all his senses.

    ¡°Now, I will personally consume this poison and check if my Achievement Effect works with my defensive Traits.¡±

    If he just tasted the poison, he would probably have died. However, he had to taste it to urately perceive its power and devise a strategy for when he fought the monster.

    He activated his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and the Achievement Effect. It nullified all damage from toad-type monsters below Level 100.

    ¡®Hmm¡­ Just as expected. The bodily fluids of these monsters are always disgusting.¡¯

    Gulp.

    He swallowed it.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see what happens.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was currently Level 50. The boldly fluid of a Level 80 monster should naturally have a fatal effect on him.

    Or so it should.

    ¡®I¡¯m okay!¡¯

    The synergy between the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and the Achievement Effect seemed to be working well.

    ¡°Fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem to affect me at all. However, I have realized one thing. I need to time the use of the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier precisely when the damage is applied. Timing is crucial.¡±

    The Broadcaster''s Barrier was not omnipotent. It would be ideal to have it active at all times, but that was impossible at his current Level. He had to use it urately at the moment when the damage was applied. If he failed to time it properly and get hit by the Flying Toad, he would die instantly.

    ¡®My heart is pounding.¡¯

    Although he considered himself sane, this tension brought him joy.

    ¡°For now, I will hide among the piles of corpses. I do not know when that monster will return.¡±

    He dug through the piles of corpses and waited for about three hours.

    As dusk approached, he felt a strange sensation. It was an intangible sense of presence, even though there was no sound or visible sign.

    ¡®Monster.¡¯

    There was no doubt that the Flying Toad was approaching. He looked up at the sky. In the distance, something that looked like a helicopter was flying toward him.

    [LV83/Flying Toad/Skills/The First Step of the Yeosu Scenario]

    It was definitely the Flying Toad. There were remains that seemed to be human in its mouth.

    ¡®Yeosu Scenario??¡¯

    The Scenario was arge-scale Story Questposed of multiple Quests that came together to form a single narrative. The Yeosu Scenario was a city-wide Scenario that would only ur two years from now.

    Jin-Hyeok could not dwell on why it was happening already. The Flying Toadnded and was approaching him.

    ¡®I can already feel that it¡¯s strong.¡¯

    This was a monster that he could barely kill at Level 70 when he was the Sword King.

    ¡®Right now, I¡¯m just Level 50. If I can kill it at this Level. I can consider myself stronger than before. I can see it as oveing my past self.¡¯

    That thought greatly excited him.

    ¡®Just a bit more.¡¯

    The monster needed to be closer.

    ¡®Just a bit more.¡¯

    The monster approached, holding a few pieces of a corpse in its mouth. It then spit them aside.

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    ¡°Now, let the hunt begin,¡± Jin-Hyeok whispered softly.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49

    Omur, GM No. 1 for Gangnam-gu, was treading lightly as usual. The best he could do was to visit Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s Alchemist Workshop in Cheongdam-dong.

    ¡®I just need to have small talks with him.¡¯

    No one would bother him if he was with the VIP, Choi Gap-Soo. If he just had conversations with him, nothing dramatic would happen to either of them.

    It was because Omur was not nning to do anything.

    He knew that if he cked off during work hours, the other GMs in Gangnam-gu would have to work twice as hard, but the same thing happened when he was young.

    ¡°Haha, I see that you¡¯vee.¡±

    Fortunately, Gap-Soo seemed to quite like Omur.

    ¡°Take a look at this,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Oh, what is this?¡±

    Gap-Soo was holding his cell phone in his hand. It was a first-person perspective livestream that was linked with SSP.

    ¡®It¡¯s probably Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream again,¡¯ Omur thought.

    However, he pretended not to know. Sometimes, it was easier to pretend not to know even if he knew, and sometimes it was the contrary, to pretend to know even if he did not know.

    In fact, Omur had no interest in SSP. His only concern was his safe retirement. He had been doing GM work rted to SSP all his life, and he did not want to have any more interest in it.

    ¡°That looks interesting. Is it Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Why, yes it is!¡±

    Gap-Soo was quite satisfied with Omur¡¯s seemingly enthusiastic response.

    ¡°Who would have known that there would be someone crazy enough to have a taste of the Flying Toad¡¯s bodily fluid?¡±

    ¡°I agree with you, sir.¡±

    Even Omur was surprised and speechless at that part. No matter how powerful an Achievement Effect was, there was no one who would actually taste poison to confirm its effects on their body. Even if an antidote was present, there was no need to taste the poison.

    Moreover, Chul-Soo¡¯s Achievement Effect was not even verified.

    He was clearly not in his right mind.

    ¡°If I remember correctly, there were many Streamers who yed by themselves for their livestream content, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. However, most of them died around Level 100.¡±

    ¡°I think this guy is different?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Omur thought differently. He had lived as a GM for decades. He had seen countless promising talents. Although Chul-Soo was showing remarkable progress, Streamers had their limits.

    Omur had always thought that Chul-Soo would not be able tost that long. However, he never said it out loud.

    ¡°That Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight he uses, wait, it¡¯s now called Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, right? That Skill ispletely different from typical Streamers, right?"

    ¡°Yes, sir. It reads the opponent¡¯s Skills, Achievements, and sometimes their emotions or conditions.¡±

    ¡°Are there Streamers on Earth who can do that currently?¡±

    ¡°No, I believe there aren¡¯t any.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so either! I¡¯ve never seen it before. Hahaha!¡±

    Gap-Soo could not take his eyes off Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°That crazy bastard is trying to attack the Flying Toad.¡±

    A whileter, even crazier things began to happen.

    ¡°Wait, he¡¯s switching Achievements?¡±

    The reason why Jin-Hyeok was able to survive the Flying Toad was because of his Major Achievement, Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King. However, Jin-Hyeok switched to the All-Clear Achievement instead. The Achievement Effect for this one was +1 Defensive Attribute, which meant that the yer was immune to all physical attacks of Level 50 and below.

    Suddenly, Omur also started to focus on the livestream.

    ¡°If he gets hit even once by the Flying Toad, he is going to die.¡±

    Although Omur didn¡¯t want to do anything rted to SSP, he could not take his eyes off Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Hmph.¡¯

    Cha Jin-Hyeok twisted his body to dodge the ws of the Flying Toad. The Flying Toad was a monster in the form of a toad with sharp ws attached to its front legs.

    ¡®Ah, I¡¯ve managed to dodge it again.¡¯

    Although he had an Achievement Effect that could nullify the monster¡¯s regr attacks, his body reacted automatically. That meant that the Flying Toad had a sharp bloodlust¡ªenough for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body to react on its own.

    ¡®Its attacks don¡¯t work against me, but my attacks don¡¯t work either.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword could not even leave a scratch on the ck barrier of the Flying Toad. The Level difference was too significant, and aiming for weak points was futile.

    ¡®The basic physical difference is too big.¡¯

    If it were not for his Achievement Effect, he would have be the Toad¡¯s meal long ago.

    ¡®If this keeps on going, I can¡¯t defeat the monster.¡¯

    He needed to activate his Latent Skill, Sharp Spirit, again. However, due to the effects of the Major Achievement, his sharp senses did note back like before. In order to use the Latent Skill, he needed to maintain a much higher state of Awakening than now.

    That was why he changed the Achievement.

    [You have applied the Achievement, ¡¸All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)¡¹.]

    A ck mark appeared on the back of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand.

    [The Achievement Effect ¡¸+1 Defensive Attribute¡¹ has been applied.]

    ¡°When this Achievement Effect is applied to the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, I gainplete immunity to all physical attacks of Level 50 and below.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok threw himself backward. He rotated his body three times to dodge the Flying Toad¡¯s front legs. His right cheek felt as hot as if it were on fire. He managed to avoid it, but it felt a slight scratch from the ws. There was a bit of bleeding, but it was not a significant injury, even considering the fact that it was from a poisonous w.

    ¡°Just like this, there seems to be a partial immunity effect.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started to talk a little faster.

    ¡°It seems a bit difficult to y while talking. I should focus now.¡±

    He heightened his senses. He instinctively reacted to the direction and path of the Flying Toad using his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    ¡®I need to move half a step to the side¡­¡¯

    Once again, he narrowly dodged the ws. At the same time, he swung his sword.

    ¡®...and sh!¡¯

    ng!

    Now even a slight scratch appeared on the Flying Toad¡¯s barrier.

    ¡®That guy is strong.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. As it became harder to breathe, his blood boiled. The pressure and tension of knowing that one wrong move could result in death made him enjoy the situation.

    ¡®This is it! This is the feeling!¡¯

    It felt as if each cell in his body was Awakening. The powerful monster known as the Flying Toad continued to stimte his senses.

    [You have activated the Latent Skill, ¡®Sharp Spirit.¡¯]

    ¡®Got it!.¡¯

    Sharp Spirit was activated once again. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword was infused with intangible mana.

    ¡®But this alone is not enough.¡¯

    Simply relying on Sharp Spirit would not be enough to prate the Flying Toad¡¯s barrier. He needed a sharper and more threatening energy. He instinctively thought of it.

    [You have acquired the Latent Skill, ¡®Sharper Spirit.¡¯]

    All yers acquired Skills at Levels 40 and 50. Streamer Kim Chul-Soo acquired Time-Lapse Recording at Level 40 and an enhanced version of Time-Lapse Recording at Level 50.

    Just like how Streamer Kim Chul-Soo gained the enhanced version of Time-Lapse Recording at Level 50, Swordsman Cha Jin-Hyeok gained an enhanced version of Sharp Spirit at Level 50.

    And that Skill was called Sharper Spirit.

    ¡®I was right!¡¯

    When entering a state of extreme tension, the abilities engraved in his experience and soul manifested in the form of a Latent Skill.

    A faint purple energy permeated Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword. At that moment, the Flying Toad flew toward Jin-Hyeok with its massive body. It was obvious that if they collided, the impact would be much greater than any traffic ident.

    ¡®I just need to give it a little nudge¡­¡¯

    Just like how he had prevented a truck ident in the past, he turned his body slightly and used the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. He subtly nudged the flight trajectory of the approaching Flying Toad. Then, he swung his sword, following the Sword Ways shown by the Broadcaster''s irvoyance.

    ¡®Faster.¡¯

    He was in a trance as he swung his sword. The Flying Toad, which collided with an abandoned car, rose to its feet. Steam began to emit from its back.

    ¡®That means it is angry.¡¯

    It also meant that if provoked a little more, it would enter Phase 2. Jin-Hyeok provoked the monster with his finger.

    ¡°Come and get me.¡±

    Kiieeak!

    The Flying Toad folded its wings and leaped toward him like a wild boar. The power was much greater than before, but it was easier to dodge.

    Jin-Hyeok skillfully dodged the Flying Toad¡¯s charge as if he were in a bullfight, continuously shing through its protective barrier.

    ¡®It¡¯s working!¡¯

    The barrier was finally destroyed. Now he could strike the monster. His entire body was drenched in sweat.

    ¡®This is it.¡¯

    Just like the steaming out from the back of the Flying Toad, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body also looked like it was emitting wisps of steam. He evaded attacks that could be avoided and blocked unavoidable attacks using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    However, that did not mean he escaped unscathed.

    ¡®My left shoulder is dislocated.¡¯

    Crack!

    This could be fixed by popping it back into ce.

    ¡®And I think several of my ribs are fractured.¡¯

    Still, it did not hinder his movements, so it was okay.

    Blood trickled from the scratches from the ws, but since he wasn¡¯t poisoned, it was manageable. In contrast, the Flying Toad looked rtively okay, aside from the dagger stuck in its left eye.

    ¡®Now red steam is emitting.¡¯

    There were only a few seconds left. Once it entered Phase 2, it would transform into a red toad. It would get rid of its wings but it would grow muchrger.

    ¡®It¡¯s going to get ten Levels stronger.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok realized while fighting the Flying Toad that it was futile to fight head-on against it in Phase 2.

    ¡®This brings me back.¡¯

    He had lost a team member during his previous life''s encounter with the Flying Toad in Phase 2. Back then, they did not have sufficient information on the monster. The Broadcaster''s irvoyance provided him with the right information this time.

    [The ¡¸Flying Toad¡¹ has transformed into ¡¸Crimson Toad¡¹.]

    A small window of time was given. Jin-Hyeok started running. He could not focus on the livestream as he needed to focus on his breathing. After a while, he heard a ¡®Thump, thump!¡¯ sound from behind.

    The Flying Toad, or rather, the Crimson Toad now, was charging toward him. With each leap, it closed the distance by several meters.

    The Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance detected its Skill.

    [The Crimson Toad activated the Skill, ¡¸Toad Legion¡¹.]

    Croak. Croak.

    The sound of toads began to echo in the surroundings.

    ¡®There are so many.¡¯

    They were small toads. They flooded in like a zombie horde from the abandoned cars and buildings. Toads surrounded Jin-Hyeok from the front, back, left, and right, spewing venom toward him.

    [You have applied the Achievement, ¡¸Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t react at all to the Toad Legion¡¯s attacks as all of their attacks were nullified by his Achievement Effect.

    ¡®I can almost see the ocean.¡¯

    The Crimson Toad was a monster that could not be killed at the current Level. Even if he was a Swordsman, it would be impossible. No, if he was a Swordsman, he would have been already dead.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

    The sound of the Crimson Toad¡¯s footsteps became slightly more distant. It was because the summoned Toad Legion was actually hindering the monster¡¯s movement.

    Jin-Hyeok nced back for a moment.

    ¡®It¡¯s still stupidly big.¡¯

    The Crimson Toad, which was the size of a small building, was chasing after him. It was like a life-or-death game of tag, and Jin-Hyeok found it enjoyable.

    With a bit of breathing room, he quickly spoke for his livestream.

    ¡°A significant number of casualties urred in Yeosu. But I noticed something strange. Many people died or were injured, yet those who were near the seaside were fine. The Flying Toad did not approach the beach beyond a certain distance.¡±

    This fact had already been widely reported through the media. As time passed, the fact that the ocean was the Flying Toad¡¯s weakness would also be known, but at this moment in time, no one knew that.

    ¡°So I n to lure it to the sea. Conveniently, the sea is about five hundred meters away.¡±

    The eyes of the Crimson Toad turned red. Its speed and strength would increase exponentially.

    ¡®The monster is probably going to charge toward me like a tank.¡¯

    The transformed Crimson Toad did not care about what was in its way. It entered some kind of berserk state. While the sea was a weakness to the Flying Toad, it was a different story for the crazed Crimson Toad.

    ¡®Whether it¡¯s a human or a monster, no one should go crazy like that. The result would be like that thing running toward me. Nobody wants to be like that.¡¯

    The Crimson Toad was almost in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®The pressure is immense.¡¯

    It swung its front leg, even bigger than an elephant¡¯s.

    Whoosh!

    A shockwave echoed.

    ¡®And since that¡¯s just a regr attack, it shouldn¡¯t be higher than Level 100.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided to take the hit.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    At the perfect timing, he used the Skill to nullify its attack.

    ¡°Idiot.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok leaped toward the sea. The Toad Legion, including the Crimson Toad, charged at Jin-Hyeok. The sea looked like it had been hit by artillery shells. The monster seemed to bepletely submerged in the water. The crazy Crimson Toad continued to swing its front leg at Jin-Hyeok. Meanwhile, red steam erupted from its body uncontrobly.

    ¡®It is slowing down.¡¯

    However, the Crimson Toad did not even notice its body bing sluggish.

    As more time passed, its body gradually began to shrink.

    [The ¡¸Crmson Toad¡¹ has transformed into ¡¸Flying Toad¡¹.]

    ¡®I did it.¡¯

    The current Flying Toad was soaked and could not fly. Its skin hadpletely dissolved in the seawater, making it easy to kill.

    ¡®Now I can kill it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword several times. With each strike, green blood spurted from the Flying Toad. The surrounding water was stained with a deep green color.

    The defeated Flying Toad flipped its belly and floated in the seawater.

    [You have defeated the Flying Toad.]

    Jin-Hyeok, too, was covered in green blood all over his body. He smiled brightly.

    Afterward, notifications began pouring in.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level had increased twice at once!

    [You have reached Level 52.]

    No special items were dropped. Instead, other System notifications popped up.

    [You have destroyed the first Fragment of the Yeosu Scenario.]

    [You have acquired the Major Achievement, ¡¸Early Resolution of the Flying Toad¡¹.]

    However, it was somewhat strange in various ways.

    ¡®When I defeated this guy in the past, I did not receive this Major Achievement.¡¯

    At that time, the term, Yeosu Scenario, did not appear. And the notification said that he destroyed the first Fragment and notpleted it.¡¯

    ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound so good.¡¯

    Furthermore, there was another strange thing. The Major Achievement, Early Resolution of the Flying Toad, did not have an underline.

    ¡®It needs to have an underline if I want to see the detailed information.¡¯

    This was the first time it had happened.

    ¡®Is this an error?¡¯

    During the Open Beta Server period, various errors would ur frequently, so he thought this might be one of them.

    ¡®Should I call one of the GMs?¡¯

    There were hardly any people in Yeosu right now. So, the GMs in the area would rtively have a lot of free time. Jin-Hyeok thought they would respond quickly to a GM Call.

    As he tried to use a GM Call to report the error on the Achievement, a magic circle appeared in front of him. A man with shiny short hair popped out of the magic circle. He had considerable muscles, and Jin-Hyeok knew him very well.

    ¡®Serchan?¡¯

    Serchan was the person who would be the GM No.1 in Gangnam-gu in the future. He was a passionate individual who gave his all to the role of a GM.

    ¡°Who is this crazy bastard that came all the way to Yeosu?¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°Crazy bastard? That¡¯s pretty rude, considering we¡¯ve just met.¡±

    Before regression, these two used to get along pretty well. Jin-Hyeok felt strange that he suddenly called him a crazy bastard.

    ¡°Hey, you! How the hell did you kill the Flying Toad?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve caught it all on my livestream. Didn¡¯t you see it? Or are you too stupid to look it up?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty rude thing to say, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I could say the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Why you little¡­¡±

    Serchan raised his fist as if he was about to hit Jin-Hyeok, but he didn¡¯t flinch. Serchan might look intimidating, but in reality, he was a pacifist and an Administrator. He was not good at fighting.

    ¡°Wait a minute. You are Kim Chul-Soo, the SSP Streamer, right?¡±

    Serchan indeed took his job seriously. Jin-Hyeok was not even a very famous Streamer, but it seemed like Serchan knew quite a bit about him. He checked how Jin-Hyeok defeated the Flying Toad through Eltube.

    ¡°Holy shit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not count how many times Serchan swore in a short span of time.

    ¡°You actually defeated it in a normal way,¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°Are there abnormal ways to hunt?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a saying. Shut up, you bastard.¡±

    ¡°If you keep calling me a bastard, this bastard is going to get angry.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew deep down that he was fundamentally a crazy person. He felt tremendous excitement while fighting the Flying Toad. That was why he was suppressing his instincts with reason.

    He had to convince himself that he was not a crazy person and that he was just a typical human being who was going through the process of socialization.

    Jin-Hyeok made thatmitment and put in the effort, so it bothered him when he was constantly called a crazy bastard.

    ¡°Sigh. Did you acquire a Major Achievement?¡±

    ¡°I was trying to use the GM Call precisely because of that. Why isn¡¯t there detailed information on it?¡±

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice in his head. It was the Secret Telepathy System, only for the Administrators.

    [The Administrator-only ¡¸Secret Telepathy System¡¹ has been activated.]

    [You can nowmunicate via telepathy.]

    ¡®Hey, turn off the livestream for a moment,¡¯ Serchan said telepathically.

    ¡®Why?¡¯

    ¡®I need to tell you something important. I will provide appropriatepensation for ending the livestream early, so just turn it off for now.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    GM Serchan, who managed Yeosu, was the type of Administrator who enjoyed working overtime. He felt great satisfaction with the Yeosu Scenario he was in charge of.

    ced at the forefront of the Scenario was the Flying Toad.

    ¡®The Flying Toad should be enough.¡¯

    Although the monster had a clear weakness, which was the ocean, Serchan believed it was the best choice. Due to the nature of the Earth Server, a ce where scientific knowledge had advanced significantly, the monster needed a powerful barrier that could withstand any attacks from human technology. The monster also had to berge to leave a strong impression on people¡¯s memories, and it needed to enjoy eating human flesh, aiming to evoke great anger and fear in Earth yers at the same time.

    ¡®In the end, this monster will be the focal point that gathers the power of yers in Jeonam-do.¡¯[ref -do, like Jeonam-do, refers to provinces in Korea. And Yeosu is in Jeonam-do.[/ref]

    Serchan, who was devising the Scenario, let out a satisfiedugh.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure there is no way this monster will be defeated.¡¯

    That could not happen. He set the difficulty Level by referring to the Ranking Board. Currently, the highest-Level yers in each ss were in theirte 40s.

    Even if he expanded the scope globally, there were very few yers who had reached Level 50. Even if all those top-ranked yers gathered, they could not be a match for the Flying Toad.

    ¡®I need you to keep the yers active for at least a month, Flying Toad.¡¯

    There was no expectation that the Flying Toad would be hunted down. Based on the assumption that the monster would survive and roam Yeosu for at least a month, the next Scenarios were designed.

    ¡®After about a month, heroes who saved humanity from the monster that plunged Yeosu into despair will appear.¡¯

    The Earth Server yers were mostly low-Leveled. In the future, as the interaction between Servers became more active and the System difficulty increased, humanity would fall into despair. Hope was needed for the people of Earth.

    ¡®I already got approved by the higher-ups as well.¡¯¡¯

    The Yeosu Scenario would ultimately ignite the spark of hope in Korea.

    The birth of great heroes.

    That was the ultimate goal of the Yeosu Scenario and the project that Serchan was devoted to. The Scenario was nearing its final stages, and Serchan was sitting in the Administrator¡¯s room, conducting the final check of the Yeosu Scenario.

    Beep- Beep-

    A loud warning sound rang out.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    He hurriedly moved the screen to monitor Yeosu.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    To his surprise, a yer had defeated the Flying Toad. He mmed the desk and stood up.

    ¡°God fucking damn it!¡±

    Since being selected as aunching member of the Earth Server, Serchan had been preparing for this project for three years. If he seeded in this project, he could climb up to the position of a high-Level Administrator.

    In the System, a high-Level Administrator was usually the GM of a densely popted metropolis. Serchan¡¯s target was the Gangnam-gu GM position. GM Omur, the current GM No.1 for Gangnam-gu, would retire in a little while, and then there would be an opening for that position.

    This was his chance.

    ¡°Why the hell did the Flying Toad die?!¡±

    He had created an unkible monster, but it ended up being killed. The project he had been working on for three years, which started with the premise of the Flying Toad surviving and ravaging Yeosu for at least a month, was now destroyed. Now that the Flying Toad had been killed, it essentially meant that Serchan had wasted hisst three years.

    [You have acquired the Major Achievement, ¡¸Early Resolution of the Flying Toad¡¹.]

    The Yeosu Scenario was not a naturally generated Scenario by the System. The GMs assigned to the Scenario had to create coherence and storylines one by one.

    Although it was very unlikely, Serchan had to create every possibility for the Scenario, even in the case that the Flying Toad was quickly hunted down. He needed to do this so that the Scenario could pass the evaluation by the higher-ups.

    That was why the Major Achievement, Early Resolution of the Flying Toad was created.

    From Serchan¡¯s perspective, this was three years ago, and he barely remembered it.

    However, he only included the Achievement for evaluation purposes, without any predetermined details. That was the reason why Serchan urgently sought out Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®So, what you¡¯re saying is that this is a fake Scenario?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok asked telepathically.

    ¡®You bastard! You¡¯re calling it a fake? I¡¯ve worked my ass off for three years to create it!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok rubbed his chin. After hearing the exnation, he somewhat understood what was going on. The Yeosu Scenario was ultimately the effort of the GMs to give birth to hero yers.

    ¡®So that¡¯s why we obtained the Genius Trait after defeating the Flying Toad before regression.¡¯

    And then Jin-Hyeok and his team were able to grow as top-ranked yers in each ss. At that time it was not called the Yeosu Scenario.

    ¡®Perhaps the name changed during the course of the project.¡¯

    Thanks to the sess of the Scenario, Serchan would finally be dispatched as the GM for the Gangnam-gu he so desired.

    ¡°Well, I guess that did not work out as you nned. That¡¯s a pity,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°But, it seems like it¡¯s none of my business.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Serchan¡¯s expression changed rapidly.

    ¡°So, regardless of what happened, I acquired the Major Achievement, and I think it¡¯s unfair there is no reward for it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Tell me what you want.¡±

    ¡°What is the final reward I can obtain by finishing the Scenario?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t disclose.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew that reward was a Genius Trait. He also knew Serchan could not tell him that.

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. He was trying to figure out a n that could benefit him the most.

    ¡®Serchan is willing to give up anything and everything to put this Scenario back on track,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    If that was the case, there was only one thing he could ask for.

    ¡°Can you give me Mystery?¡±

    ¡°You know about Mystery?¡±

    ¡°I know that it is a mysterious power that the System hasn''t defined properly. It is a power that does not fall under Skills or Traits, but possesses special abilities¡­. ording to the Future Diary.¡±

    Mystery referred to an enigmatic power that yers could acquire through specific conditions, regardless of their Jobs. It resembled Skills or Traits in terms of manifesting abilities, but it had distinct differences.

    Unlike Skills or Traits, Mystery was not standardized.

    For example, some Mysteries involved significant mental energy consumption, while others had no mental energy consumption at all. Sometimes, the same Mystery might require mental energy consumption, while other times it might not. It might also vary depending on the user, with some experiencing mental energy loss while others did not.

    The effects could be inconsistent, and the cooldown could be erratic. Conversely, some Mysteries exhibited structured abilities simr to Skills. It was an ability that could not be precisely defined. However, in many cases, thepatibility between Mystery and the user¡¯s innate Traits yed a more crucial role than the individual¡¯s training.

    ¡°....Damn it. What kind of Mystery are you looking for?¡±

    Something immediately came to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I want the Unleashing Technique.¡±

    Mentioning the actual name, Unleashing Technique, was slightly risky. However, Jin-Hyeok considered this opportunity worth taking the risk.

    ¡®If I back down every time there is a risk, I am not a real man.¡¯

    ¡°... I can¡¯t give you that,¡± Serchan said.

    This was expected, because the Mystery, Unleashing Technique, was a unique Mystery hidden only in the Yeosu region.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t give it to me, I will file a formalint with the System. I don¡¯t care if the Scenario you prepared for three years just falls apart.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hold on. Do we really need to go that far?¡±

    ¡°I almost died. I risked my life to defeat that monster, and the GM should provide me with something worthy, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Serchan was lost for words.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give it to you directly. That requires approval from the top-Level authorities. I¡¯m just a lower-Level GM.¡±

    ¡°But as a lower-Level GM, you are involved in designing such a significant Scenario?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it works! Don¡¯t you know about the funnel effect? In the end, the grunt does all the work.¡±

    Serchan looked indignant. Jin-Hyeok narrowed his eyes.

    Birds of a feather flocked together.

    ¡°The truth is, you enjoy it, don¡¯t you?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    Just as Jin-Hyeok enjoyed the thrill of danger, Serchan also relished the challenges that came his way. A madman recognized another madman.

    ¡°So, don¡¯tin about how tough or unfair this is. I need to get the reward I deserve.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. He already glimpsed the potential through the Hidden Skill.

    ¡®Unleashing Technique¡­ This is a Mystery that brings out one¡¯s inherent talents and abilities.¡¯

    This Mystery was possessed by an Unleasher named Kwak Chan-Yeong. As mentioned before, thepatibility between the Mystery and the user was the most crucial factor. In that sense, Unleashing Technique had a very favorablepatibility with Chan-Yeong. He used that power to Awaken the non-Awakened and bring forth their hidden potential. In the early stages of y, he gained tremendous poprity as the savior of yers.

    ¡®But he was killed by those who hunted the Awakened shortly after the Open Beta ended.¡¯

    It was an extremely unusual urrence. Hunting down yers who had barely left the beginner stage was a significant burden even for those who hunted Awakened. After that incident, public opinion toward them had be excessively negative, and as a result, they were hated by themunities. However, despite that, those bastards hunted down Chan-Yeong and took away his Unleashing Technique.

    Jin-Hyeok wanted that Mystery.

    ¡®If I obtain the Unleashing Technique and apply it only to myself, it will be enough. Our conversation will not be disclosed to the outside world anyway.¡¯

    As confirmed through his Hidden Skill, he had the potential to Awaken the abilities he had acquired in his previous life. With Unleashing Technique, he could draw out that power¡ªthe power he had honed as the Sword King. If this became possible, he could be much stronger.

    ¡®Of course, there will be limitations as a Streamer.¡¯

    However, that didn¡¯t matter to him.

    ¡®Just up to Level 100. If I can enjoy ying the way I want, without any restrictions until Level 100, that would be the best.¡¯

    Without realizing it, a smile spread across his face. The notion of reason that cautioned against bing too powerful was momentarily forgotten in the face of Unleashing Technique.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51

    Serchan had a lot on his mind.

    ¡®Wait, but how does he know the name ¡°Unleashing Technique¡±?¡¯ Serchan thought.

    He could only think of one answer to the question. To know about the Unleashing Technique Mystery, Cha Jin-Hyeok had to be a regressor.

    ¡®If that guy is a regressor¡­¡¯

    Then Serchan could kill him. There might be a little disturbance in the world, but Serchan could restore the original trajectory of the Yeosu Scenario by portraying the dead Flying Toad as a male and introducing a new female Flying Toad that was waiting for the male. That could work.

    When Serchan thought of this solution, it suddenly seemed like there was still hope.

    Jin-Hyeok could see Serchan¡¯s status messages with his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    [...#A Ray of Hope. #Please let him be a regressor. #This is the happiest ending.]

    ¡®Wow, I can see all this?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The status messages that were not visible when Serchan was surprised earlier were now visible. This meant that Serchan was experiencing intense emotions that broke through the Level difference.

    ¡®I guess he is hoping that I¡¯m a regressor.¡¯

    That had to be the reason why Jin-Hyeok could see Serchan¡¯s emotions as a status message like this.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. He provoked Serchan once again.

    ¡°Unleashing Technique. Either this or I will not cooperate.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Serchan put on a serious expression.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are you a regressor?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok intentionally acted like he was surprised, and Serchan started to be drawn into his acting. Under normal circumstances, Serchan would not have fallen for such acting, but he was too desperate.

    In psychological warfare, the one in a hurry was bound to lose.

    ¡®He¡¯s a regressor!¡¯ Serchan thought.

    If it was any other day, Serchan would have taken some time to learn more about Kim Chul-Soo and verify if he had gone through regressor validation. However, Serchan did not have that luxury at the moment.

    ¡°R-Regressor? What is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s useless to act surprised.¡±

    The only thought dominating Serchan¡¯s mind was that he had to return the Yeosu Scenario to its original state.

    [The GM forced Quest, ¡¸Room of Truth¡¹, has been activated.]

    ¡®Haha. He must really be in a hurry,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought while chuckling.

    Serchan had activated a forced Quest called the Room of Truth. Forced Quests posed risks even to the GMs. If they engaged with innocent yers and the yers raised formalints, it could be exhausting and challenging for the GM.

    ¡®This will appear very negatively in his performance reviews¡­ This is the worst oue for the passionate Mr. Serchan.¡¯

    The Room of Truth was created. It looked exactly like the ce where he had met Kihael before. A purple Truth Crystal appeared.

    Serchan immediately asked a question.

    ¡°Are you a regressor?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could sense the anger in Serchan''s questioning. Serchan was ready to execute Jin-Hyeok immediately if he got the answer he wanted. Despite feeling a strange excitement from Serchan¡¯s anger, Jin-Hyeok knew this was not the right time for that. He pretended to regain his memory.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you were talking about,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Answer me.¡±

    ¡°Here, look at this first.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed over the Certificate of Authenticity.

    ¡°Certificate of Authenticity¡­? Matter that was determined¡­ Kim Chul-Soo and their unrealistically fast adjustment to present circumstances, with a rted matter of regression¡­ Huh¡­?¡±

    Serchan¡¯s face turned pale.

    ? ? ?

    [The conditions for creating the ¡¸Room of Truth¡¹ are not valid.]

    [The ¡¸Room of Truth¡¹ will be automatically closed.]

    The Room of Truth followed the principle of non bis in idem, which was a legal doctrine to the effect that no legal action could be instituted twice for the same cause of action.

    If this was a trial, Jin-Hyeok was the defendant who was once again standing before the judge for the same charge. This was because he had been forced into a Quest against his will.

    ¡°Wow, this is really unfair,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m innocent, so why am I being tormented with the same thing over and over again?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    [...#My life is over. #Will there be a way out of this? #What about my promotion?]

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. He was not Serchan¡¯s enemy, and he did not intend to trample on Serchan¡¯s life and goals. Before regression, they had been quite friendly with each other.

    ¡°Unleashing Technique. If it¡¯s too difficult to give it to me directly, at least tell me how to obtain it.¡±

    "W-Well¡­¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me anything, I can¡¯t cooperate with you under any circumstances.¡±

    What Serchan was asking from Jin-Hyeok was the return of the Major Achievement. Jin-Hyeok had acquired it due to an error in the System, and if he returned it, the Scenario could return to its original state. However, this was something Jin-Hyeok had to agree to. And in ordinary circumstances, no one would agree to this. Who in their right mind would return a Major Achievement just like that?

    ¡°Not to mention, you just tried to kill me, without any good reason,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will file a formalint for the forced Quest.¡±

    Eventually, Serchan raised the white g.

    ¡°I can give you the location and rough information. But that is all I can provide,¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°That will do.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was confident that he could obtain the Mystery that Kwak Chan-Yeong could. Since Chan-Yeong obtained it during the early stages of y, if Jin-Hyeok could find it, he should be able to obtain it too.

    ¡°Alright, I think we have a deal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°The location is Nak An Historic Vige. To obtain the Mystery, you will need proof indicating that you have defeated a boss-level monster.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could hear the gears turning in Serchan¡¯s head. Serchan would probably take every measure avable to ensure that Jin-Hyeok could not hunt another boss-level monster for a while.

    That did not matter to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Okay. Then I will return the Major Achievement.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not need a useless Achievement like this, with no actual effect. In the end, Serchan got the Major Achievement back.

    ¡°What happened today needs to remain strictly confidential, understand?¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not want today¡¯s events to be known to other people anyway. There was no usible exnation he could provide for knowing about the Unleashing Technique Mystery.

    ¡®Alright, then. Shall I go get the Unleashing Technique?¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok arrived at Nak An Historic Vige. This ce was a folk vige consisting of an old castle wall and choga.[1] This ce was also a habitat for low-Level monsters like Big Paw Rabbits and monsters close to Level 20 like the Gray Wolves.

    Jin-Hyeok could see some yers hunting those monsters.

    ¡®This is a peaceful ce,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea how Chan-Yeong had obtained the Unleashing Technique here. He maximized the sensitivity of his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance and looked around the surroundings. There might be hidden clues that he could discover.

    ¡®I feel like I have be a Navigator.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if as his Broadcaster''s irvoyance developed, it would be simr to the abilities of a Navigator.

    ¡®Nah, that¡¯s unlikely.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok reminded himself that there were no Mary Sue yers in the future world. The reason he could do this was probably because he was a low-Level yer. As Levels increased and the boundaries between Jobs became clearer, Streamers would never be able to rece Navigators.

    ¡®I should stop thinking about useless stuff and start searching.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok walked along the castle path, which could be considered the highest point in the area.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    His Broadcaster''s irvoyance caught something.

    ¡®That choga looks a bit peculiar.¡¯

    A green aura was faintly emanating from the choga, as if something was hidden inside.

    ¡®No¡­ That can¡¯t be right.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought there probably was not anything really hidden there. Nevertheless, since he had no clues, he decided to go in that direction. As he got closer, he noticed a green aura that could not be seen by the naked eye, growing stronger and stronger. He arrived in front of the choga. It now appeared as if it were an actual monster.

    [Suspicious Choga]

    It even had the underline so he could check more detailed information about it.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I can see this.¡¯

    [Suspicious Choga]

    [Strange mana is swirling around. This choga is suspicious for some unknown reason.]

    ¡®No way¡­¡¯

    He decided to enter. As soon as he stepped into the yard, a Giant with two heads suddenly swung a club at him. Its whole body was red.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    That was a Level 70 monster called a Two-Headed Giant. However, Jin-Hyeok was not particrly surprised.

    ¡®Wait a minute. That¡¯s just an illusion!¡¯

    Through the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, it was clear that this monster was just an illusion. Since he possessed the Imperial Resilience, such illusions had no effect on him whatsoever.

    ¡®This Imperial Resilience is really handy.¡¯

    With a casual wave of his hand, the Two-Headed Giant dispersed like smoke. Several more Giants appeared afterward, but it was meaningless. He knew they were all fake.

    Jin-Hyeok opened the door of the choga.

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    There was a nket that was haphazardly spread out inside. He noticed a twopartment drawer made out of mother-of-pearl. A green light was emanating from inside the drawer.

    ¡®There is no way¡­¡¯

    He opened the drawer. The firstpartment was empty. The secondpartment would not open.

    [The drawer will not open.]

    [A special condition is required.]

    This was the original notification, but when viewed through the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, it was underlined.

    [A special condition is required.]

    [Special Condition]

    [Proof of defeating a boss-level monster is required.]

    ¡®Can conditions be easily identified like this?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok took out the Golden Horn from his inventory. It was something he obtained from killing a boss monster, the Golden Horned Toad.

    ¡®So how does this work?¡¯

    He pondered for a moment. He thought about what Han Sae-Rin would have done.

    ¡®Hm...¡¯

    If Sae-Rin, his old team¡¯s Navigator, were here, she would have probably already obtained the Mystery and left to enjoy a nice lunch.

    ¡®Well, since the firstpartment is empty¡­¡¯

    There was definitely a reason why it was a twopartment drawer. So Jin-Hyeok simply put the Golden Horn into the firstpartment and closed it.

    [Condition satisfied.]

    [Would you like to use the ¡¸Golden Horn¡¹ to unlock the ¡¸Locked Drawer¡¹?]

    ¡®No¡­ really? There¡¯s no way it¡¯s this easy.¡¯

    [You have unlocked the ¡¸Locked Drawer¡¹.]

    Light burst out all of a sudden. It was only visible to him, but a green pir of light shot up into the sky.

    [You have acquired the Mystery¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    ¡®... I actually obtained it.¡¯

    Rather than being happy, he felt slightly bewildered.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Is this really the Unleashing Technique?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought he should try using it to find out.

    [You used the ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    It was hard to describe. It felt like an unknown energy was permeating his body and his subconsciousness. Green light emanated from his body.

    [You have unlocked the Hidden Skill ¡¸Sharp Spirit¡¹.]

    [You have acquired the Skill ¡¸Sharp Spirit¡¹.]

    It actually worked. Jin-Hyeok wanted this to happen, but he did not expect it to be this easy.

    [You have unlocked the Hidden Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]

    [You have acquired the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]

    The Hidden Skills that could only be used under extreme tension and in an Awakened state had now be Skills themselves. The unknown energy continued to envelop his body. He felt as if there were giant eyes scanning him

    ¡®It feels like something is about to happen, but I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it.¡¯

    The Hidden Skills were easily unlocked since they were experiences he had already gone through with this body. However, within his subconscious, there was a vague feeling that something was about to happen but could not quite manifest. It was an inexplicable itch, and Jin-Hyeok could not pinpoint where it wasing from.

    ¡®Let¡¯s try this.¡¯

    He sat down on the floor in a cross-legged position. He had practiced meditation a lot for his mental health, and through meditation, he had gained many insights. Some Traits were Awakened through meditation.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯

    Inhale and exhale.

    Jin-Hyeok focused his breath and observed his body from a third-person perspective. Calmly, within his mental world, his body became its own universe. At the far end of the universe, there was a bright shining light somewhere. He threw a string of consciousness toward that direction. The light seemed close, yet out of reach.

    ¡®This is hard.¡¯

    It felt like he was swimming toward somewhere. However, he was too exhausted to move any further.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    But there was a force assisting him. It was probably the Imperial Resilience. It enabled him to keep swimming without giving up.

    He could not tell how much time had passed.

    ¡®The light¡­¡¯

    It felt like he could reach out and touch the light.

    ¡®Did I touch it?¡¯

    He sessfully touched the light with his hand.

    sh!

    There was a bright light, just like when he acquired the Mystery. His once-dark universe was now filled with light. A sense of satisfaction washed over him as if he had finally gotten what he had been searching for.

    ¡®This feeling¡­ Could it be¡­?¡¯

    Somehow, it felt familiar. The Unleashing Technique had discovered something within his subconsciousness.

    [You have unlocked the Trait¡¸Sword Emperor¡¹.]

    Suddenly, his head throbbed with intense pain.

    ¡®I have to endure it.¡¯

    He focused on preventing himself from losing consciousness. The Imperial Resilience aided him, and the countless hardships and obstacles from his past experiences helped him withstand this agony. Eventually, a notification popped up.

    [You have acquired the Trait ¡¸Sword Emperor¡¹.]

    ¡®Wait, I just obtained the Sword Emperor Trait.¡¯

    However, an even more surprising notification followed.

    1. Choga directly trantes into ¡®house made of grass¡¯ and is one of two traditional nature-friendly house types in Korea. It was the main kind of housing for the working ss in Korea from prehistoric times until the mid 20th century. The main building materials are straw, wood, and soil. ?

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52

    ¡®But¡­ What is this?¡¯

    The light of the Sword Emperor Trait dimmed. More precisely, a darkness darker than the light swallowed the illumination of the Sword Emperor Trait. An indeterminate sense of unease flooded in. Within Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s meditative state, his inner world shook violently. The darkness darker than the light of the Sword Emperor Trait was none other than this microcosm itself.

    [The Trait, ¡¸Sword Emperor¡¹, is being absorbed.]

    [Absorption rate: 0%... 35%...]

    This microcosm was ridiculously dark, absorbing the light of the Sword Emperor Trait relentlessly.

    Like a ck hole.

    ¡®This is insane! How could this happen to a Trait I just obtained? Why is it vanishing?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok desperately reached out and swam toward the light of the Sword Emperor Trait, but it was futile.

    [...70%...90%...100%]

    The light that briefly illuminated his inner selfpletely disappeared, and profound darkness descended. He opened his eyes abruptly and ended the meditation.

    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±

    Without realizing it, profanity slipped out. Of course, being a Streamer, his Job and Trait efficiency was not as great as when he was a Sword King. However, obtaining the Sword Emperor Trait would have allowed him to wield a sword with much more freedom.

    Jin-Hyeok would have been able to converse with the sword and easily reach the realm of unity between the sword and himself. At least until around Level 100, he could have possessed power simr to what he had in the past.

    ¡®Why isn¡¯t it working?! If this was going to happen, It would¡¯ve been better for it to not appear at all. If I had not had any expectations from the beginning, I wouldn¡¯t have been disappointed like this. Sigh.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok let out a long sigh.

    ¡®Let¡¯s think for a moment.¡¯

    There were instances in the past where Traits were absorbed.

    ¡®I forget what the reason was¡­¡¯

    It was not amon urrence, so the reason did note to mind easily. Someone had experienced a situation simr to this, but he could not remember.

    ¡®Ah! It was Han Sae-Rin!¡¯

    Although it was a long time ago, Jin-Hyeok remembered because she let the world know of what happened by cursing for an entire day.

    ¡®After venting her frustration by swearing and going on a rampage, she disappeared for a few days¡­ Then she reappeared, smiling as if nothing happened.¡¯

    As he recalled the memory, other memories began to resurface one by one. Finally, it clicked.

    ¡®I remember this happens when there is a higher-tier Trait that surpasses the newly acquired Trait!¡¯

    It was a rare urrence, but it definitely existed.

    ¡®If a higher-tier Trait devours a lower-tier Trait¡­ The Trait itself bes enhanced. Wait a minute¡­ Does that mean there is a higher-tier counterpart to the Sword Emperor within me? Does such a thing exist? The only one that would make sense is my Almighty Jack of All Trade.¡¯

    In the end he was able to draw one conclusion.

    ¡®The Almighty Jack of All Trade might be a growth-type Trait!¡¯

    Traits could be broadly divided into two types:

    Active Traits

    Passive Traits

    Active Traits were those that were actively triggered by the caster¡¯s will, like Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. Passive Traits were those that were automatically applied to the body or soul, regardless of the caster¡¯s will, just like his Imperial Resilience. Active Traits consumed mental energy, while passive Traits had little to no mental energy consumption. These two types were generally known in the world.

    Sae-Rin, who started as a Navigator andter rose to be an unrivaled Ruler, had a growth-type Trait called Pioneer of Miracles. This Traitter grew into the Trait called Absolute Monarch.

    So in this world, there was one more type of Trait called the growth-type Trait.

    ¡®What about my Almighty Jack of All Trade?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had a rough idea of what Almighty Jack of All Trade was as a Trait. It elevated most talents to a reasonably good level, serving as a foundation for bing a moderately versatile yer.

    ¡®Now that I have absorbed the Sword Emperor Trait, my abilities with the sword should be better, right?¡¯

    Thinking that way, it did not seem like apletely bad idea. Although he did not know if it¡¯s the same as Sae-Rin¡¯s case, she was very satisfied with her growth-type Trait.

    ¡®Wait, Now that I have absorbed the Sword Emperor Trait, can I absorb other Traits, like Dao Emperor, or Mana Emperor?¡¯

    Dao Emperor and Mana Emperor.

    These were the Traits possessed by the monsters that gave Jin-Hyeok a really hard time. There were also Traits like Martial King, God of Archery, and others. A multitude of top-tier Traits came to mind immediately.

    ¡®If I were to absorb all of these¡­ Then my Almighty Jack of All Trade can potentially transform into something like a Complete All-Rounder?¡¯

    This unrealistic thought briefly crossed his mind.

    ¡®Nah, that¡¯s not possible.¡¯

    It would be foolish for Jin-Hyeok to get ahead of himself. The concept of the Almighty Jack of All Trade was a Trait that had never been known in the world. It could not be directlypared to Sae-Rin¡¯s case. Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok snapped out of his happy daydream.

    ¡®What was I thinking?¡¯

    Seven years had passed since his regression. It seemed that those years made him forget his sense of reality. He knew very well that there was no such thing as a Complete All-Rounder in the world he had experienced, yet he found himself entertaining such thoughts. People truly did not change.

    Once again, Jin-Hyeok recalled the truth he had kept in his heart.

    ¡®It is difficult to excel even in just one thing.¡¯

    In the past, he lived much more intensely than he did now. Looking back, he was truly obsessed. It was through that obsession that he barely became a master in one field.

    ¡®It¡¯s impossible to master every field.¡¯

    So Jin-Hyeok decided not to indulge in empty fantasies.

    ¡®Even if it were possible¡­¡¯

    It was unlikely, but if his Almighty Jack of All Trade truly possessed such potential and power¡­

    ¡®...Then I would be hunted down around Level 200.¡¯

    By that point, the power of the Almighty Jack of All Trade would have revealed itself to some extent, and Scouts or yers with scanning abilities would be able to grasp that power. Then, the yers who hunt down Awakened woulde into action. They usually did not bother yers below Level 200, but if the Almighty Jack of All Trade was truly an extraordinary Trait, that was a different story.

    They might face worldwide ridicule, but they would quickly kill Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok reached a conclusion.

    ¡®I need to reach Level 100 at least. This is not going to work.¡¯

    It was certain that he absorbed the Sword Emperor Trait. Until the lower Levels, where Job boundaries were not clearly defined, he should be able to unleash the power of Sword Emperor to a levelparable to that of yers of the de-wielding ss.

    ¡®But only until Level 100.¡¯

    His original n had not changed. It was just that the intermediate process had slightly shifted.

    Just a little bit.

    ? ? ?

    Serchan let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡®This should do.¡¯

    He quickly deployed a new monster called Flying Toad (¡â). Despite staying up for three consecutive nights to stabilize the Yeosu Scenario, he managed to aplish it.

    ¡®It¡¯s back on track.¡¯

    During that time, he barely even had time to use the restroom.

    ¡®What happened to that guy? Surely he didn¡¯t actually obtain the Unleashing Technique.¡¯

    He cautiously examined the Nak An Historic Vige using the Administrator¡¯s Prerogative.

    ¡®That crazy bastard.¡¯

    In the meantime, Kim Chul-Soo had already obtained the Unleashing Technique.

    ¡®How on earth did he get it so quickly.?¡¯

    Serchan did not understand. For this to be possible, Chul-Soo would have had to be a regressor, but he even had the Certificate of Authenticity from the System.

    ¡®This is a problem that is out of my hands.¡¯

    He decided not to dwell on it any longer. Serchanpletely erased Chul-Soo¡¯s existence from his mind.

    ¡®It¡¯s none of my business.¡¯

    Unleashing Technique might be an excellent Trait, but it did not have any significant impact on the Yeosu Scenario or the world like the Master Trait. It did not matter who obtained it.

    ¡®I¡¯ve never met Kim Chul-Soo, and that¡¯s how the world is going to remember it.¡¯

    Serchan decided to focus only on his own affairs.

    For the sake of the promotion.

    ? ? ?

    When Jin-Hyeok returned home, he saw several articles about him.

    [Where has the hero of Yeosu disappeared to?]

    [Yeosu¡¯s swordsman. What is his true identity?]

    [The hero who faced the monster that even the military could not handle.]

    Even on Eltube, it was filled with stories about that hero. A considerable number of drones captured footage of Jin-Hyeok wearing the Deceiver¡¯s Mask. But when Serchan appeared, all the drones were destroyed and Jin-Hyeok disappeared without a trace.

    [He was a hero who had true power.]

    [Has the hero who showed his power to the world fallen into the sea?]

    Everyone thought he was dead.

    ?The coast guard has been immediately deployed for a search operation¡­?

    ?After sixteen hours of searching¡­ we still hold onto a desperate hope¡­ for the hero¡¯s return. This is Park Dae-Jeong, reporting.?

    For now, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s identity had not been exposed. The Deceiver¡¯s Mask seemed to have yed its role quite well. But this was only a temporary solution. Eventually, the people were going to find out about him. The National Intelligence Service of South Korea had exceptional capabilities.

    ¡®If I want to truly enjoy ying more actively, I need a more fundamental solution.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s just until I reach Level 100,¡± Jin-Hyeok murmured to himself, trying to find a good solution.

    Heid down on the bed. Absorbing the Unleashing Technique might be hisst chance to enjoy ying. It was a bit regretful to obtain it as a Streamer, but it could not be helped. He had to make the most of this precious time.

    ¡®I need to kill two birds with one stone.¡¯

    Regardless, it was right for him to grow as a Streamer.

    ¡®Now that I am not a crazy person anymore, I should focus more on my livestreaming.¡¯

    He wanted to be the owner of a building in Yeonhui-dong and live a happy and easy life. He was truly someone who desired that. It was much better than bing stronger.

    It was true.

    ¡®Let¡¯s put being a Streamer as my main job, and bing strong with a sword as my hobby.¡¯

    A normal person would focus on their main job rather than a hobby.

    ¡®But for that to happen, I need a way to hide my identity better.¡¯

    He thought about what could be done. It was something that was not originally part of his n, so he had to dig up memories from a long time ago.

    ¡®There is something I can do, but¡­¡¯

    He came up with a suitable idea.

    There was a Mystery called the Second Identity. With this, anyone couldpletely transform into a different person. Even fingerprints and irises changed. In gaming terms, it was like leveling up an alternative character. It was quite a rare Mystery, and there was one person who used it amazingly well. Jin-Hyeok had a big run-in with her back in the day.

    ¡®Angel Girl.¡¯

    Angel Girl was a skilled Thief who made great use of the Second Identity. This was not something Jin-Hyeok discovered by himself.

    Before regression, Angel Girl was always one step ahead of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team. It was not Jin-Hyeok who caught Angel Girl, but top-tier yers from the National Police Agency[1] who eventually caught Angel Girl.

    In the end, it was the police who caught the Thief, and Angel Girl¡¯s methods were all exposed to the media. The arrest of one of the most famous Thief yers in Korea was a big issue. Jin-Hyeok remembered the National Police Agency guys mocking him.

    ¡®I remember Angel Girl obtained Second Identity in the early stages.¡¯

    He was not sure if Angel Girl obtained it during the Tutorial. Anyway, she obtained it before Level 60, that was for sure.

    ¡®The location¡­ Where did she obtain it?¡¯

    It was somewhere in Jongno-gu, Seoul, but Jin-Hyeok could not remember exactly.

    ¡®I should look into this.¡¯

    If he wanted to enjoy his hobby, he should be willing to put in this much effort.

    ¡®But I really want to hold a sword right now¡­¡¯

    Using the Unleashing Technique consumed a lot of his mental energy. So he hadn¡¯t had a chance to hold the sword in the past few days because he had been taking a break. He didn¡¯t know it would have such an aftermath when he used the Mystery.

    ¡®For now, let¡¯s focus on the main job.¡¯

    Hobbies were just hobbies. His main job was being a Streamer.

    Coincidentally, Cha Jin-Sol came into his room and asked, ¡°Oppa, what¡¯s the next big content going to be?¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m nning to enhance the ne.¡±

    ¡°Ne?¡±

    ¡°This one.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream as a teaser.

    [This is the teaser for the next content.]

    Jin-Sol turned her head.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t want to see that¡­¡±

    It was the Berklev Ne imbued with Im Kkeok-Jeong¡¯s blood. Jin-Hyeok assumed it had absorbed enough blood.

    ¡°So? What are you going to do with that?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°I received this booklet from Katrina, who owns a jewelry store.¡±

    There were detailed exnations on how to enhance the Berkalv Ne. And Jin-Hyeok had already decided which way he was going to enhance it.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to manifest this ability,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    While flipping through the booklet, he pointed to one section. Jin-Sol came closer and examined the booklet carefully.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, even though he was not going to consider her opinion anyway.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°This one.¡±

    Jin-Sol looked at the content for a moment, then raised her eyebrows in confusion.

    ¡°Hm¡­ Hm? Huh? What the¡­¡±

    She looked at her brother with a perplexed and incredulous expression.

    ¡°Is this for real? Are you sure?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand why her reaction was like that.

    1. One of the national police organizations in South Korea. ?

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53

    The Berklev Ne could be enhanced in various directions, and the direction Cha Jin-Hyeok wanted to enhance was ''Reflection.''

    [Reflection]

    [Ability to reflect an attack that result in an instant death. (Probability: 70%)

    However, an attack that result in a fatal injury may be converted into an attack that result in an instant death instead. (Probability: 30%)]

    An ¡®instant death¡¯ referred to an attack that could cause immediate death upon receiving it. A ¡®fatal injury¡¯ meant an attack that, if received and not promptly treated, could lead to death. The System automatically distinguished between an instant death and a fatal injury, but yers could generally get a sense of what the attacks were by experiencing near-death crises several times.

    ¡®So this is an ability with a high probability to reflect attacks that would kill me, but the same ability alsoes with a low probability to turn attacks that could kill me into attacks that would kill me.¡¯

    The Reflection probability was a whopping seventy percent. That was why Jin-Hyeok still wore the Berklev Ne even after he had reached beyond Level 240. Even if he searched the entire Server, there was no item that could reflect attacks resulting in an instant death with a probability of seventy percent.

    ¡®Although the fact that a fatal injury attack could be converted into an instant death attack isn¡¯t a trivial problem.¡¯

    However, honestly, if a yer suffered a fatal injury duringbat, they could consider themselves dead. In such desperate situations, there was no time to receive appropriate treatment from a Healer. If they were going to suffer a fatal injury, it was better to die cleanly and quickly, which could also be helpful to their teammates.

    The fact that Jin-Hyeok had survived until he reached beyond Level 240 proved that this was a great item.

    ¡®There is another good thing about it.¡¯

    Despite having such excellent effects, the usage rate of this Berklev Ne was surprisingly low. That was very advantageous for Jin-Hyeok. There were no items that were great in every aspect. There were definitely items that could counter this Berklev Ne.

    ¡®The fact that the number of yers wearing this Berklev Ne is low means that there are few yers that have items to counter this Berklev Ne.¡¯

    It was only a thirty percent chance of instant death. If one did not have the guts to ept even this level of risk, one was not cut out for the y. However, Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s expression was strange.

    ¡®She looks oddly terrified.¡¯

    Lately, Jin-Hyeok had been refraining from using the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance when interacting with people. Somehow, he felt like his social skills were slightlycking, and to bring them back to their original state, Jin-Hyeok believed he needed to better observe the other person¡¯s thoughts and emotions. The Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance provided too much information and hindered his personal growth.

    ¡®Why is she acting like that?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok quickly found the answer.

    ¡°The effect on the item is pretty overpowered, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Are you freaking crazy?!¡±

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know the item was that good.¡¯

    ¡°So what you are saying is that if you wear this, you can die from attacks that are not supposed to kill you,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    She kept saying weird stuff.

    ¡°Who the hell would wear an item with a fatality rate of thirty percent?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see that the reflection rate is seventy percent?¡±

    ¡°Do you know that even the mortality rate of the previous global pandemic that paralyzed the world was less than two percent?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not know why his sister was getting so worked up. He found it difficult to understand her thoughts, so he eventually had to resort to using the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    [...#A fatal injury doesn¡¯t mean death. #I can just heal him. #Is he crazy?]

    ''Just heal me?¡¯

    Sometimes Jin-Hyeok thought that she tended to underestimate the severity of the y. Suffering a fatal injury meant being in an incredibly desperate situation.

    However, Jin-Hyeok understood her with a generous heart.

    ¡®She hasn¡¯t experienced battles that intense. That could be it.¡¯

    Intense and thrilling battles where Healers could not even properly heal yers. Jin-Hyeok felt like she could not understand because she had never experienced that electrifying¡ªno, dangerous battle.

    ? ? ?

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, Jin-Sol had never experienced an exhrating battle that pushed the limits. However, that was only based on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards. Jin-Sol had already died countless times in the Tutorial Dungeons. It meant she had experienced battles so intense that there was no way out except death.

    Even when a Level 100 yer faced a Level 110 monster, or when a Level 10 yer faced a Level 20 monster, the situations were equally intense. The perceived intensity was simr, whether high-Level or low-Level.

    Except for Jin-Hyeok, other high-ranking yers rarely used the Berklev Ne enhanced with the Reflection ability. Having even a slight chance of dying from a non-lethal attack was such a fatal and dangerous disadvantage.

    ¡°We will start gathering materials to enhance the Berklev Ne starting Monday. I need you and the other team members to go to the Heyri Art Valley[1] in Paju,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But tomorrow is Saturday. I was nning on taking a break.¡±

    ¡°Weekends don¡¯t exist for yers. You even quit your old job to pursue this path. You should think about how to be stronger, not how to take more breaks. You do want to get stronger, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Go to the Valley and build up your skills there. It is a Field where the revival setting is in ce, so if you work hard, you will get good results.¡±

    This was advice born from experience. Many diverse monsters between Levels thirty and fifty appeared there, making it a great training ground. yers could learn various patterns and attack styles.

    Sometimes the Field boss monsters would appear, and they would get killed, but it was a Field where it only took three minutes for yers to revive, so it was an excellent ce for leveling up. In other words, it meant that yers could experience a second death within three minutes, and governments around the world were conducting campaigns to avoid consecutive deaths within three days.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with us, Oppa?¡±

    ¡°I am going to take a break from livestreaming for the weekend.¡±

    ¡°You just told me that there are no weekends for yers. You said we need to be stronger!¡±

    ¡°How can a Streamer get stronger?¡±

    Jin-Sol felt slightly indignant.

    ¡®You¡¯re the strongest among us, Oppa!¡¯ Jin-Sol thought.

    However, she knew that the only response she would get would be something like, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m still a low-Level.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Saturday morning dawned. Without realizing it, Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes wide.

    ¡®Wow! It¡¯s Saturday!¡¯

    He had now firmly decided on his direction of y.

    During the weekdays, he would focus on his main job, which was livestreaming. On weekends, he would take the time to rejuvenate and recharge through wholesome hobbies.

    And of course, a wholesome hobby for him involved wielding a sword.

    ¡®This sounds like a good n to me.¡¯

    Working five days a week, and resting on weekends. To maintain this universal and ordinary life for a longer period, it seemed essential to have the Mystery called the Second Identity that the Angel Girl possessed in his previous life.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like waking up at six in the morning,¡± Song Ha-Young said.

    She seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

    ¡°What kind of Thief cares about what time it is?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°This is when I go to sleep.¡±

    ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right.¡¯

    Normally a Thief would sleep when the sun rose and move around when it set.

    However, Jin-Hyeok did not care. He was not the one who was tired.

    ¡°Today, we will explore Dungeons in Daehak-ro. I heard there are a lot of Dungeons there.¡±

    Daehak-ro had quite a few small theaters. Dungeons had been created in each of those theaters.

    ¡°Why are we going there?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°My senses are telling me that there are many mysterious treasures hidden there. There are even Dungeons exclusively for Thieves. Isn¡¯t that interesting?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡®Really? That can¡¯t be true.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had be much more perceptive now. He checked with the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, just to be certain.

    [...#OMG! #I¡¯m so excited! #I hope I can get even stronger!]

    As expected, Jin-Hyeok was not wrong. It seemed his social skills had almost returned.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s have some bread before we do anything,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t people normally say let¡¯s have a meal or something?¡±

    ¡°Bread! Bread! Bread! Bread!¡±

    Ha-Young sang a little tune.

    [#Give me bread! #Give me bread! #I love bread!]

    It seemed she could not hear him.

    ¡°There is a really famous bakery around here.¡±

    Ha-Young half-dragged Jin-Hyeok along as she walked. Her footsteps were incredibly light, probably because she was a Thief.

    She bought several types of bread, some baguettes that were about half her height, and some cream-filled ones with names Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t pronounce. All in all, she bought a lot of bread.

    ¡°Are you going to eat all that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Surprisingly, she did eat all of it. He wondered how it all fit into her small frame, but she actually ate every single one of them.

    ¡°Why do you eat so little?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°I need to stay light to fight well.¡±

    ¡°But I thought you were here to livestream?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I am going to y, just like you.¡±

    ¡°But you said the Dungeon we¡¯re going to was exclusively for Thieves.¡±

    ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s for nonbatant ss yers.¡±

    Nonbatant ss yers during this period had been exhibiting inexplicable behavior. In this low-Level range, there was almost no difference in abilities betweenbatant ss yers and nonbatant ss yers. Yet, nonbatant ss yers rarely entered nonbatant exclusive Dungeons. Instead, they tend to form parties withbatant yers to enter regr Dungeons.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young started exploring the theaters in Daehak-ro one by one.

    [Would you like to enter the nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Content Box¡¹?]

    Upon entering, Jin-Hyeok saw Dwarf monsters and Goblins wandering around. He felt like wielding a sword would be too easy, so he drew a dagger instead.

    Stab!

    [You have defeated a Goblin.]

    Stab!

    Normally, defeating such weak monsters was not particrly enjoyable. But today was different.

    ¡®Yes! I love this feeling!¡¯

    Seeing the precise Sword Ways through the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance exhrated him. Each hit on the monster was a critical hit.

    ¡®This is what I was missing out on!¡¯

    This thrilling sensation excited him. He was certain. The sense in his hand holding the sword was clearly telling Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®The Almighty Jack of All Trade Trait is imbued with the Sword Emperor Trait! I can feel it!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could feel it. He purposely moved roughly, attacked inefficiently without striking vital points, and yet his rhythm was much more refined. His footsteps were light, and his body was filled with energy.

    ¡®This is what a yer should be like!¡¯

    It was a sensation that could not be felt until reaching a high Level.

    The agility of moving as one with the sword.

    He had not reached the realm where he was one with the sword, but handling the sword had be much more natural than before he obtained the Sword Emperor.

    Of course, this did not mean he was incredibly satisfied with himself. By his standards, he had barely escaped the realm of being weak.

    Still, it was something to be grateful for. By relentlessly defeating monsters, he managed to clear the Sub-Dungeon.

    [You have cleared the nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Content Box¡¹.]

    ¡®Great.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young left to go to another Sub-Dungeon. He hoped there would be tougher monsters.

    [Would you like to enter the nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Uniplex¡¹?]

    Jin-Hyeok knew that the Mystery called the Second Identity was somewhere in one of the Sub-Dungeons, but he did not know the exact location. It would be easy to see where it was by using the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, but he decided not to use it. He knew what he was doing was inefficient.

    ¡®But hobbies are inherently inefficient, right?¡¯

    Why bother pursuing efficiency in a hobby meant to be enjoyable? Just by having this kind of normal thinking, it was undeniable evidence that Jin-Hyeok had truly regained his senses.

    ¡°Um¡­ Are you okay?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You seem a bit strange, like a madman¡­¡±

    ¡°So? What about it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Nevermind.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to enter the next Sub-Dungeon as soon as possible.

    The sensation in his hand.

    This thrilling sensation!

    Before this feeling subsided, he needed to enter another Sub-Dungeon. He hoped to god that the enemy monsters were stronger.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in.¡±

    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡±

    Angel Girl¡¯s face was filled with disappointment. It seemed she was too disappointed that she did not get a chance to shine. Since Jin-Hyeok would give her a chance to sher, he decided to ignore her for now.

    They traversed various Sub-Dungeons in the vicinity, exterminating the monster in their way.

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸Goblin yer¡¹.]

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸Crimson Wolf yer¡¹.]

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸Fierce Deer yer¡¹.]

    He obtained many seemingly useless Achievements, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    It was the fun that mattered to Jin-Hyeok.

    Soon, it was already 1 p.m.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat some bread,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Again?!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean again? That¡¯s an insult to bread.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    For Jin-Hyeok, as long as he filled up on calories, it didn¡¯t matter which type of food he ate.

    ¡°Mmm~ Delicioso!!¡± she said.

    Jin-Hyeok did not know why she spoke like that. Clearly, she was not in her right mind.

    [#I love you, bread. #I love flour! #I want to eat more bread.]

    While eating bread, she seemed to want more bread. If bread were a monster, the System would have given her the Bread yer Achievement.

    Anyway, they explored various Sub-Dungeons even during lunchtime.

    [Would you like to enter the nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Laon Art Hall¡¹?]

    [Would you like to enter the nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Arko Arts Theater¡¹?]

    After clearing out the surrounding Sub-Dungeons, it was already evening. Now it was time to start looking for the Mystery.

    1. Heyri Art Valley is an artisticmunity in Paju. It was constructed by artists, writers, painters, and other creatives, and is Korea¡¯srgest artisticmunity. ?

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54

    [You used the Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance¡¹.]

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Cha Jin-Hyeok walked around for a while and discovered a phenomenon simr to what he saw at Nak An Historic Vige. A green light was slowly emanating from one direction.

    [Nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Spring Art Hall¡¹.]

    ¡°Are we going in there again? We¡¯ve already been there three times!¡± Song Ha-Young said.

    To be honest, this was the same ce they cleared earlier. They just had not found the hidden Mystery.

    ¡°This time it¡¯s different. I can feel it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I have no idea why you brought me along.¡±

    ¡°I brought you along to buy you more bread.¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, please call me any time. Hehe.¡±

    [Would you like to enter the nonbatant exclusive Sub-Dungeon ¡¸Spring Art Hall¡¹?]

    Just like the notification, it was a Sub-Dungeon. It was quite small in scale, with about ten Goblins wandering around.

    [You have killed a Goblin.]

    Jin-Hyeok took care of all visible monsters, leaving only one alive. If he defeated all of them, this Sub-Dungeon would be cleared.

    ¡®Hm¡­ Where is it?¡¯

    Using the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok scanned the surroundings and noticed the green light seeping from the ceiling. Jin-Hyeok could not see it properly because the other lights on the ceiling were too bright.

    ¡°It looks like something is hidden up there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Ha-Young seemed pleased.

    ¡°Can you climb the wall?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can!¡±

    Seeing her be happy like this when the opportunity to shine came, it was clear that the reason she looked pale before was due to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s selfishness.

    ¡°Watch me!¡±

    She climbed the wall like a spider. She had a lot of skill and agility. As Jin-Hyeok watched her hanging upside down from the ceiling, he realized she had a great talent for thievery.

    ¡°No, a bit more to the left. Yes! A bit more. There! Do you see anything strange there?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Yes, there is! There is a space big enough for a person¡¯s forearm to fit in.¡±

    ¡°Put your hand in.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t any dangerous trap in there? Let¡¯s say a trap that could slice my arm?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    If there were, Angel Girl would not have her right arm right now. She pushed her arm deep inside.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Suddenly, the green light erupted. Ha-Young¡¯s body fell to the floor.

    ¡°I got you!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok caught her. An intense green light, invisible to the naked eye, covered her body.

    ¡°Th-thank you. I suddenly felt dizzy and confused for some reason¡­¡±

    It was not surprising. When absorbing Mystery, such phenomena urred. One needed a certain amount of mental strength to absorb the Mystery into their body.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I feel dizzy¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve been poisoned.¡±

    Blegh!

    She started to vomit. Ha-Young, who had slipped from his embrace, knelt down and hunched over, continuing to vomit.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Thump!

    Jin-Hyeok struck her temple really hard. It was a strike infused with the power of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, and she immediately fell unconscious without making a sound. The green light that had been flowing into her body formed a peculiar pattern in the air.

    [Mystery ¡¸Second Identity¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok reached out his hand toward it. Ha-Young struggled to absorb it, but it was different for him . Thanks to his Imperial Resilience Trait, he could absorb it without much resistance.

    [You have acquired the Mystery ¡¸Second Identity¡¹.]

    After a while, Ha-Young woke up.

    ¡°W-What happened?¡±

    ¡°I think you were poisoned. I gave you an antidote, so you are going to be fine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    Since Jin-Hyeok had gotten what he wanted, he nned to end today¡¯s hobby at this point. But then, notifications popped up.

    [The Achievement, ¡¸Goblin yer¡¹, has been confirmed.]

    [The Achievement, ¡¸Fierce Deer yer¡¹, has been confirmed.]

    [The Master Quest, ¡¸Sub-Dungeon Destroyer, Stealer of the Mystery¡¹, has been activated.]

    The entire theater started shaking as if an earthquake had urred. The scent of danger filled the air.

    ''...What a stroke of luck.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    A Master Quest was one step higher than Hidden Achievement. Naturally, it had a higher difficulty level and much greater rewards. There was also a high probability of it being connected to a significant Scenario, which could be considered a major storyline.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The Goblin that Jin-Hyeok had left behind earlier started to grow in size.

    [LV20/Lesser Goblin Warrior/Skills]

    Angel Girl gasped in surprise.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting bigger!¡±

    [LV25/Intermediate Goblin Warrior/Skills]

    Realizing that they could not dy any longer, Ha-Young quickly rushed in and threw a shuriken. She had a talent for thievery, but it seemed shecked any aptitude for attacks.

    ¡®Who in the world would get hit by that weak shurik¡ªno way¡­¡¯

    It might have been because the monster was still evolving, but the Intermediate Goblin Warrior was hit in the neck by the shuriken, causing it to bleed. However, that did not pose a significant threat to the Intermediate Goblin Warrior.

    [LV30/High Goblin Warrior/Skills]

    The size of the monster did not increase any further. However, its muscles became more toned, and a well-crafted axe appeared in its hand, like that of a well-trained warrior.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Kill that monster!¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What if it gets stronger?¡±

    ¡°Well, that would be even better!¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡¯

    A white light emanated from the monster¡¯s body, and it was now wearing silver armor.

    [LV40/Supreme Goblin Warrior/Skills]

    Now, Angel Girl¡¯s shuriken could not even prate its skin.

    ¡®Could it possibly grow into the Queen Goblin?¡¯

    [LV45/King Goblin/Skills]

    ¡°Attack that monster, please!¡± Ha-Young was practically begging him.

    ¡°Just wait for a minute.¡±

    ¡°At this rate, we are all going to die!¡±

    For reference, the leader of the Goblins was a female. The Queen Goblin was much stronger than the King Goblin. Moreover, Queen Goblin was a formidable opponent to deal with, as she could summon multiple Supreme Goblin Warriors.

    [LV50/Queen Goblin/Skills]

    Jin-Hyeok gulped. The Queen Goblin truly emerged before them. He patiently waited for her to summon the Supreme Goblin Warriors.

    ¡®Hm¡­ Which weapon should I choose.¡¯

    Instead of a dagger, Jin-Hyeok wielded a sword.

    It was time to truly savor the battle.

    ? ? ?

    Jongno-gu No.1 GM, Berby, grimaced deeply.

    ¡®Who the hell activated the Master Quest?!¡¯

    Berby continuously bit his fingernails. If this were a normal Master Quest, he would not be so anxious. However, this was not a normal Master Quest. He had artificially created it using the authority of a senior Administrator.

    ¡®This was not made for Earth yers!¡¯

    The Mystery called the Second Identity, and the Master Quest in this ce were deliberately hidden from Earth yers.

    ¡®That Mystery was meant for Gustav!¡¯

    The person Berby had dealt with was the drug lord named Gustav. Frequent transactions took ce between corrupt GMs and criminals in need of new identities. GMs could gain significant wealth, and criminals could obtain new identities.

    It was an implicit practice.

    ¡®There is no way a nonbatant ss yer can face the Queen Goblin¡­¡¯

    Berby had put all his efforts into managing the Mystery. He hid the Mystery in a nonbatant exclusive Dungeon and set up conditions that were impossible to clear, ensuring that the Master Quest wouldn''t be activated. And as if that was not enough, he even set the Queen Goblin, with a Level of 50, as the boss monster. He desperately wanted to disy what was going on in the Dungeon, but he held himself back.

    ¡®I can¡¯t leave too many traces.¡¯

    If he looked up specific yers, that would be left on the records. He nervously hoped and wished for the Queen Goblin to kill the yers without leaving any evidence behind.

    ¡®I need to do something.¡¯

    That alone was not going to be enough. In case the Queen Goblin was killed, Berby decided to make one more arrangement. He urgently activated the Administrator¡¯s Prerogative.

    [Would you like to enable the setting ¡¸Chain Box¡¹?]

    This was the most powerful vault that could be set during the Open Beta period. To unlock it, a Technician or a Barrier Maniptor of at least Level 100 was required. Berby applied the Chain Box to the reward for the Master Quest. Although the Second Identity had been taken away, he could not allow them to take the reward for the Master Quest as well.

    ¡®Good. This would do.¡¯

    Finally, Berby felt relieved.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was extremely disappointed.

    ¡®Too weak.¡¯

    Even though he fought without using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, it was not that difficult. The monsters were at a simr Level as Jin-Hyeok, so he had some expectations, but they weren¡¯t met.

    Stab!

    [You have defeated the Queen Goblin.]

    An item was dropped. It was an item called the Queen Goblin¡¯s Essence. Judging by the fact that it didn¡¯t exist in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s memory, it did not seem like such an important item.

    ¡°I¡¯m so relieved!¡±

    ¡°About what??¡±

    ¡®Was Ha-Young worried about me?¡¯

    ¡°That I am on your side, and that I''m not your enemy.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I thought you were actually insane. Oh, this is apliment, so don¡¯t take it the wrong way.¡±

    ¡°Is there a lunatic who takes being called insane as apliment?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not know the reason, but she seemed very confused. Well, it was understandable considering that a Level 50 boss monster appeared in a nonbatant exclusive Dungeon. Moreover, it was a monster that could summon Level 40 Supreme Goblin Warriors. From the perspective of a nonbatant Thief like her, it would be certainly surprising.

    ¡®I hope this is not over.¡¯

    It was a Master Quest, after all. It could not end like this. Jin-Hyeok discovered a ce where the green light was slowly emanating with his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    ¡®Huh? This feels like a Mystery.¡¯

    It came from in front of him. It was below the stage. It was not visible until now, but it started to be visible.

    ¡®As expected, there is another gate.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew defeating the Queen Goblin would not be the end.

    At that moment, Angel Girl also noticed that something was off below the stage.

    ¡°That area looks strange. It seems like something has been created¡­ Did you know about this?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes. I think a passage has been created down there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought he heard Angel Girl murmuring, ¡°Is he insane?¡± under her breath, but there was no need to pay attention to such trivial things. When he examined the floor of the stage, he found a staircase leading downward.

    ¡®An intense green light.¡¯

    As if entranced by the light, Jin-Hyeok followed the light down the staircase. There were no traps or dangerous monsters to be found.

    ¡®Why aren¡¯t there any? This is so frustrating.¡¯

    He walked a considerable distance and saw arge box tightly bound with thick iron chains. It was locked with an enormous padlock. Angel Girl was also very excited.

    ¡°That looks like a treasure. I can feel it!¡± she said as she touched the box.

    ¡°But it seems to be set in a way so that it cannot be opened.¡±

    As if it were her specialty, she took out a long metal stick that looked like a skewer from her pocket and tried various ways to open it. As time passed, sweat started pouring down her forehead like rain.

    ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be right¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you are a Thief?¡±

    ¡°Just give me more time.¡±

    She tried every possible method to unlock the padlock, but in the end, she failed.

    Suddenly, a thud sound was heard. The staircase they had descended was blocked by a thick wall. It was like a trap, and it made Jin-Hyeok slightly excited.

    ¡®They forcibly blocked the exit?¡¯

    There was no doubt that an Administrator was involved in this. Moreover, it was likely that it was a high-Level Administrator.

    ¡®I can sense it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not know who it was, but someone was clearly determined to hide this Master Quest. Blocking the exit meant they wanted to trap Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young, and kill them. It signified that a massive secret was hidden that warranted their death.

    Jin-Hyeok could sense that this was not a coincidence.

    ¡°Huhuhu¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are youughing so creepily? Please don¡¯t kill me¡­ I don¡¯t taste good¡­¡± Angel Girl said.

    She kept saying bizarre things. Perhaps she was not in her right mind due to the mental strain of trying to unlock the padlock.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But we need to unlock this to get out.¡±

    ¡°Let me try¡±

    ¡°What difference does it make?¡±

    ¡°Just shut up and let me try.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok held the padlock.

    [Setting ¡¸Chain Box¡¹.]

    It was not visible from afar, but when he held it in his hand, he saw an activated setting through his Broadcaster''s irvoyance.

    ¡®Oh? Chain Box?¡¯

    He knew it was a setting that could only be unlocked by a Level 100 or higher Barrier Maniptor.

    ¡®Hm¡­ Would this work?¡¯

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    Click.

    The lock opened.

    ¡®...it worked?¡¯

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55

    sh!

    As the padlock of the box was unlocked, a green pattern shot up into the air. It emitted a mysterious light, unmistakably extraordinary. With the help of the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Cha Jin-Hyeok could see the name of the object inside the box.

    [Consumable Mystery ¡¸Extreme Enhancement¡¹.]

    Mysteries were actually more unknown than known. That was why they were considered the ¡®enigmatic power¡¯ by the System. Nevertheless, humanity had roughly ssified Mysteries, and Consumable Mystery was one of them.

    ¡®So this is a Mystery that can be used on other Mysteries¡­¡¯

    It referred to a Mystery that was depleted as a material and influenced other Mysteries.

    ¡®But why is there an underline on the Mystery?¡¯

    Mysteries were an enigmatic power, challenging for the System to define, yet for some reason, Jin-Hyeok could open up the detailed information on it. It was not difficult for him to guess why this was happening. An Administrator¡¯s influence had to have been deeply involved. The possibility that this Extreme Enhancement was also a Mystery manipted to the fullest extent within an Administrator¡¯s domain was very high. Just like how humans manipted genes.

    [Extreme Enhancement]

    ¡­

    [Dramatically enhances the abilities of a Mystery obtained within thest hour.]

    The part naked with ¡®......¡¯ was probably the original power of the Mystery, which would be the actual enigmatic power itself, and the information he could see at the end was likely an ability artificially created by an Administrator.

    Jin-Hyeok touched the green pattern. Mana expanded, and a green storm was generated. The green light swelled up as if it were about to explode and was absorbed into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body.

    [You have obtained the Consumable Mystery ¡¸Extreme Enhancement¡¹.]

    [The Consumable Mystery ¡¸Extreme Enhancement¡¹ has enhanced the Mystery ¡¸Second Identity¡¹.]

    [The Mystery ¡¸Second Identity¡¹ has been enhanced.]

    [You have acquired a Mystery ¡¸Multiple Lives¡¹.]

    It was a Mystery, but it was underlined like a Skill or a Trait.

    [Multiple Lives]

    ¡­

    [-Identity/abilities are not revealed by detection abilities below Level 200.

    -Free selection, change, and storage of any appearance/identity/abilities are possible.

    -The fake identities can be registered on the Ranking Board.

    -It is possible to manifest an avatar identical to the original body.]

    Jin-Hyeok had always used Skills or Traits he had obtained right away.

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Multiple Lives¡¹.]

    The Mystery, skillfully integrated with the System¡¯s interface, was activated.

    ¡®Wait, is this the Room of Awakening?¡¯

    This room looked simr to the Room of Awakening where yers entered at Level 15 to set their yer name. In front of Jin-Hyeok appeared an AI in the form of an angel.

    ¡°Please designate your yer name,¡± the angel said.

    ¡®Wow, this literally means I can create an alternate character!¡¯

    It was incredibly fascinating. He never imagined that research of Mysteries had progressed to this extent.

    ¡°Please designate your yer name.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought of a name that was even more ordinary than Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Kim Pyeong-Beom.¡±[1]

    Jin-Hyeok set his yer name as Kim Pyeong-Beom. Then, he tried various things with the Mystery.

    [You have hidden the Trait ¡¸Almighty Jack of All Trade¡¹ from the list.]

    [You have hidden the Mystery ¡¸Second Identity¡¹ from the list.]

    ¡®Wow. I can do that?¡¯

    Detector-ss yers could thoroughly examine the Skills and Levels of other yers. They could even discover and share the strengths and weaknesses of Skills that even the yer being examined did not know about.

    However, Jin-Hyeok was able to hide his abilities from detection abilities. He could even choose whether to hide or reveal them.

    [Your Level is now shown as Level 15.]

    [Your Level is now shown as Level 37.]

    [You cannot set a Level that exceeds your current Level.]

    Jin-Hyeok had the freedom to set his Level to any Level below or up to his original Level. He could even manipte his Skills and Traits.

    [You have modified the name of the Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¹ to ¡¸Super Strong Barrier¡¹.]

    [You have modified the name of the Skill¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹ to ¡¸Duller Spirit¡¹.]

    ¡®Summon Avatar¡­ What is this?¡¯

    When he used it, an avatar identical to his appearance was created. It could not think or act freely, but just having it lying in bed could create an alibi for him.

    This meant that he could go out and do whatever he wanted and the world would think that he was just sleeping in his own bed.

    ¡®With this ability, I can do whatever I want even if I surpass Level 100!¡¯

    There was no chance of his abilities being discovered by detection skills below Level 200. He was now even freer than ever.

    ¡®No, snap out of it!¡¯

    Of course, the yers who hunted the Awakened did not bother yers who were low-Leveled, but Jin-Hyeok still had not forgotten about his initial promise.

    ¡®For now, this is only up to Level 100.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok could not help but smile.

    ? ? ?

    Berby, GM No.1 of Jongno-gu, suddenly stood up from his seat.

    ¡°Who the hell is this crazy bastard!¡±

    Some idiot managed to unlock the Chain Box and ultimately obtained the Mystery. This should not be possible in the Open Beta Server. No matter how much he thought about it, this should not be possible.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    The situation had gotten out of control. The drug lord, Gustav, was involved with the Mystery, and even some higher-Level Administrators were also involved.

    ¡®I have to take it away, even if it means killing them.¡¯

    It had not been long since that crazy bastard obtained the Mystery. Berby had to extract the Mystery from them, even if it meant killing them.

    Just then, he got a GM Call.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The location of the call was where the Mystery was.

    ¡®Perfect!¡¯

    It would have been a big problem for a GM to go and kill a yer without a proper reason. There had to be an alibi for why Berby went there. However, this crazy yer voluntarily called a GM.

    Before three seconds passed since the GM Call, Berby revealed himself in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Berby asked.

    And then, he immediately used his Administrator¡¯s Prerogative to read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s information.

    ¡®He is Level 1? And his yer name¡­ is Kim Pyeong-Beom? His Job is¡­ Not Gonna Tell Ya?¡¯

    He was definitely mocking Berby.

    ¡®This bastard!¡¯

    Berby almost burst out with anger, but he held himself back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you used the Administrator¡¯s Prerogative to check who I am.¡±

    Instantly, Berby felt a strange difort. He checked the Server Jin-Hyeok was currently connected to again.

    ¡®It says Earth Server, just as I expected¡­¡¯

    That strange nonchnce.

    It was an attitude that could only be seen in yers with Levels above 200. Pyeong-Beom was disying a side that yers in the Open Beta Server could never show.

    Berby had a hunch. Something was going on here.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Berby asked again.

    ¡°I guess you really can¡¯t figure out my identity, even if you check with your Administrator¡¯s Prerogative.¡±

    Beryby was Level 180. A GM with a Level of 180pletely failed to notice Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true identity.

    ¡°I know that if you check my y videos, you can find out who I am, but those probably don¡¯t exist, right? I¡¯ve hidden everything that I can, so there is no record of me whatsoever, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Cold sweat ran down Berby¡¯s back. He felt like everything had been exposed.

    ¡®Is he here to audit me?¡¯

    The System had an audit team. They were the GMs¡¯ biggest fear.

    ¡®Shit. He¡¯s from the audit team.¡¯

    It felt like the sky was spinning. Berby tried his best to not leave any trails behind, but it seemed like he was caught. He had nned to retire from GM afterpleting the deal with Gustav, but it seemed to havee to an end.

    Jin-Hyeok was confused.

    [#Caught. #Why only me? #Everyone does it. #Unfair world.]

    The status message of the Level 180 GM was revealed in detail. It meant that the GM was experiencing intense emotions.

    ¡°I have the original video. It¡¯s the recording of how I obtained the Master Quest. It¡¯s all in there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok did not n to reveal it through his livestream anyway. However, he did not forget that his main Job was being a Streamer. This was the evidence that he wasn¡¯t going insane to be stronger.

    So whether he broadcasted or not, he always recorded videos.

    ¡°I set the video to be automatically released in an hour.¡±

    This was the best choice Jin-Hyeok could make and the best way to protect himself. This was the least he could do to prevent Berby from harming Jin-Hyeok.

    However, Berby thought differently.

    ¡®He¡¯s not arresting me? Even with all the video evidence? He¡¯s only threatening me. What does this mean?¡¯ Berby thought.

    Then, he realized. This auditor wanted something else.

    ¡®He is as corrupt as me!¡¯

    ¡°Do you have something else that you want?¡± Berby said while smiling.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    [#Dreamse true. #The determined will find a way. #Let¡¯s be corrupt together.]

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, Berby¡¯s reaction was a bit strange, but he did not care. Jin-Hyeok was prepared to do anything to get the result that he wanted. Just like how there were a million ways to kill a monster, Jin-Hyeok only cared about the end goal.

    ¡°I want one billion Dias,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Berby swallowed hard.

    One billion Dias was a lot, but Berby could afford it with the money he had umted through corruption and bribery.

    [#Cheaper than I thought. #Not bad. #Everything will be fine. #Cheer up!]

    Jin-Hyeok was a little confused. He was going to ask for a billion Dias, or the route to the mobile boss monster, Arachne. He wanted to hunt Arachne to get the main enhancement materials for the Berklev Ne. In fact, the initial offer of one billion Dias was a fake offer to make it easier to obtain the route to Arache. It was a tactic often used by Han Sae-Rin, who was the Ruler of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party before regression, when dealing with GMs.

    ¡°They are sensitive to money. Despite having tremendous authority, they are still office workers. There aren¡¯t many wealthy GMs around. So, it is better to create an opening by asking for money first, then demand what you really want.¡±

    ¡°Do we really have to go that far? I think I can just tell them what I want. If not, we can just stab them to get what we want.¡±

    ¡°Are you stupid? Give it a try. GMs are extremely hard to negotiate with.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled involuntarily.

    ¡®I should have called Sae-Rin here.¡¯

    If she was here, she would¡¯ve gloated over the fact that she was right.

    Jin-Hyeok received one billion won in cash.

    Since transferring Dias would leave traces, Jin-Hyeok got it in cash instead. From his perspective, this was a very good deal.

    ¡°And I need the real-time location and movement route of Arachne,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t give me?¡±

    ¡°No, I can.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was able to find out the real-time location and movement route of the mobile boss monster, Arachne.

    ¡°Thank you for doing it in secret,¡± Berby said while bowing.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ¡®This is a good deal.¡¯

    Moreover, he did not even promise Berby that he was going to delete the original video. Jin-Hyeok was actually going to use that to get what he wanted.

    Jin-Hyeok kept seeing weird status messages that he still couldn¡¯t understand.

    [...#It¡¯s over. #We are now in the same boat. #I survived!]

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand what it meant when Berby said they were in the same boat.

    Right now, it was 10:40 p.m.

    ¡®Is it still Sunday? There are still two hours left.¡¯

    Though there were only one hour and twenty minutes left, Jin-Hyeok considered it two hours. After parting ways with Song Ha-Young, he immediately headed toward Heyri Art Valley.

    ? ? ?

    Once it was past 10 p.m., the monsters in Heyri Art Valley became much stronger. It wasn¡¯t that their Levels increased, but they became more powerful due to the Darkness Buff. There wasn¡¯t much benefit in hunting these stronger monsters.

    That was why yers generally left Heyri Art Valley before 10 p.m. However, Jin-Hyeok had a different perspective.

    ¡®I bet my party is still hunting.¡¯

    Fewer yers meant that there were more monsters to hunt. And the stronger the monsters, the more enjoyment they could get out of the battles. Even if there was no extra experience gained from the stronger monsters, it meant there were things to learn and opportunities for growth that differed from usual.

    This was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective.

    ¡®There was a time when I specifically targeted monsters with these Traits.¡¯

    Even if the monsters were at the same Level, fighting these stronger monsters often led to great enlightenment. While recalling old memories, he looked around.

    ¡®I see them!¡¯

    In the distance, he could see his party members. They were hunting the Field boss monster, the ck Brown Bear, and even from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, their coordination seemed quite good.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was killed by the ck Brown Bear¡¯s front paw attack. However, this Field had a setting where yers would respawn after three minutes. The Seo sisters drew the attention of the ck Brown Bear with all their might, and in the meantime, Jae-Hyeon respawned.

    ¡®Hm... They¡¯ve improved a lot.¡¯

    They were truly fighting their butts off.

    ¡®Still, they were no match for the ck Brown Bear.¡¯

    Nevertheless, they continued to fight without giving up. That sight was pleasing to see.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. He looked at his watch and it was already 11:30 p.m.

    ¡®I still have two hours left.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok calcted the time with his own miraculous form as he thought to himself.

    ¡®I am still Kim Pyeong-Beom.¡¯

    1. Pyeong-Beom or ?? literally means ordinary in Korean. ?

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56

    Kihael, who was GM No.3 for Seodaemun-gu, was a typical GM that only worked on the tasks that were given to him. His goal was to work only as much as he was paid to work, monthly, and he had a strong aversion to working overtime.

    Yet, he found himself gued by overtime work.

    ¡®Why me¡­?!¡¯

    He hated this so much. The culprit behind all this was the GM named Serchan, who had transferred from Yeosu to Seoul. In Kihael¡¯s eyes, Serchan was an overly passionate man.

    ¡°Hm? Already leaving work, Kihael?¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go, Assistant Manager Serchan.¡±[1]

    ¡°But we have a project to work on.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we do it tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Then we won¡¯t meet the deadline. You know better than that, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you to set a more reasonable deadline. I clearly said it was impossible.¡±

    ¡°If we hurry, we can meet the deadline. That means my deadline is possible.¡±

    Kihael always thought of overtime work as thest resort, while Serchan always thought overtime work was something that should be done as a matter of course. The gap in their difference of opinion was not narrowing.

    ¡°If you just think about doing something, you can do anything in the world. I wish you had a bit of passion too, Kihael.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Recently, Kihael and Serchan were assigned a new project. Unexpectedly, with the rapid integration of SSP into the Earth Server, thanks to Joseph, they had to connect SSP and Eltube more quickly and establish SSP websites and apps sooner. It was to ensure that people from the Earth Server could properly use SSP.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t give me that look. Let¡¯s just try our best. Today¡¯s hardship will be our assetter on. It would be great if you could also focus on work with a sense of responsibility, Kihael.¡±

    Kihael wanted to kill Serchan, but looking at Serchan''s overwhelming muscles, Kihael¡¯s fighting spirit vanished.

    Sigh.

    Kihael ended up with yet another day of working overtime.

    This was already the seventh day in a row.

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Sol, who was facing off against the ck Brown Bear, was having a hard time.

    ¡®It is too strong!¡¯ she thought.

    Nevertheless, this ce was a Field where revival settings were in ce. In a ce like this, she knew that fighting stronger opponents was the key to faster growth. No one taught her that, but she believed it to be true.

    It wasn''t only Jin-Sol. All the members of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party had the same thought. Well, except for Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°I think we should go back now¡­¡± Jae-Hyeon muttered.

    Jae-Hyeon was the Tank of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party and had experienced the most deaths among them. Thanks to his Traits, Death Immunity and Imperial Resilience, he did not have trauma from dying, but the pain of death was still very real. However, Seo Ji-Ah frowned at his words.

    ¡°What are you talking about? We still have a long way to go. We¡¯ve gotten stronger,¡± Ji-Ah, who usually did not say much, whispered as she passed by Jae-Hyeon.

    This was her way of questioning why Jae-Hyeon would give up this opportunity for growth.

    Jae-Hyeon wanted to cry.

    ¡®You guys didn¡¯t die as much as me. You don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going through,¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    While Jae-Hyeon died five times, Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo only died once or twice. Objectively speaking, all three of the other party members had experienced a considerable number of deaths, but their standards had somehow be simr to that of Jin-Hyeok''s.

    Only Jae-Hyeon was slightly not on par with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, please stop them. They¡¯re all going crazy!¡±

    By the way, Kim Jeong-Hyeon had just died and was revived.

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t feel it?¡± Jeong-Hyeon said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Our¡­ amazing¡­ progress¡­¡±

    Jae-Hyeon could see the madness in Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Jae-Hyeon decided to give up on convincing his party.

    ¡®He¡¯s undoubtedly a crazy person who only sounds calm,¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    There was no choice. He could only clench his teeth, provoke, taunt, and fight against the ck Brown Bear. Then, suddenly, Jae-Hyeon saw a strange man.

    ¡®Hm?¡¯

    Above the man¡¯s head, his Level and yer name were disyed. Normally, yers would hide their Levels and yer names, but if they wanted to, they could show them like this.

    ¡®Level 1? Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡¯

    The man looked like an ordinary newbie who had mistakenly entered here. Jae-Hyeon blocked the ck Brown Bear¡¯s front paw attack with his Wood Fortress. His Skill was torn apart, and Jae-Hyeon stepped back a few steps.

    The ck Brown Bear stood up on its hind legs and roared. Jae-Hyeon quickly spoke, ¡°Jin-Sol! Do something about that person!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jin-Sol also noticed Kim Pyeong-Byeom.

    ¡®Level 1?¡¯ Jin-Sol thought.

    This ce was too dangerous for him. The man seemed to be someone who had identally entered here. He was approaching with a sword. He looked way too rxed, as if he was a fool that was rushing in where angels fear to tread. Jin-Sol cautiously approached him without provoking the ck Brown Bear.

    ¡°Hey! How did you get in here? Our team¡¯s Tank is holding aggro of the monster, so this is your chance to run away!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Smirk.

    Pyeong-Beom smiled.

    ¡®They really can¡¯t recognize me?¡¯ he thought.

    Since his own sister couldn¡¯t even recognize him, he felt confident that he wouldn¡¯t be noticed by anyone for a while. He would be able to enjoy his hobbies to his heart¡¯s content.

    ¡®Jae-Hyeon¡¯s improvement in skills is particrly remarkable,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Indeed, Jae-Hyeon died a lot, but that was how his skills would be stronger rapidly. Jin-Hyeok started charging toward the ck Brown Bear with a sword in hand.

    Smirk.

    He smiled again.

    ¡°H-Hey!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok passed by his sister. For some reason, Jin-Sol felt a creepy sensation when she saw that smile. Madness clearly flickered in that man¡¯s eyes.

    And the battle began.

    ¡®What the¡­¡¯ Jin-Sol thought.

    That man was definitely not Level 1. A Level 1 yer would not be able to fight this well against the ck Brown Bear. He effortlessly dodged the front paw attacks and quickly closed the distance, inflicting wounds on its tough hide. An intense exchange of attacks followed.

    Pyeong-Beom and the ck Brown Bear¡¯s breathing became rough, revealing their animosity toward each other. Pyeong-Byeom¡¯s longsword tore through the ck Brown Bear¡¯s hide, while the sharp ws of the monster pierced his shoulder.

    Smirk.

    Kim Pyeomg-Beom smiled again.

    ¡®This is it. I am finally breaking my bad habit!¡¯

    Whenever he sensed danger, he unknowingly relied on the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. If he relied too much on the Skill, his essence as a Swordsman would be blurred. Where would anyone find a Swordsman who relied on barrier Skills?

    ¡®That¡¯s a fake Swordsman!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was intentionally training without using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡®Oh, she is healing just at the right time.¡¯

    Jin-Sol¡¯s healing came through just in time. The peculiar sense of aplishment and pleasure that one felt when engaging in excellent teamwork stimted his senses. The blood of the ck Brown Bear sttered, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s own blood sttered as well.

    About an hour had passed, and Jin-Hyeok received a notification.

    [You have defeated the ck Brown Bear.]

    Kim Pyeong-Beom checked the time. It was already one in the morning.

    ¡®I still have one hour left.¡¯

    Without exchanging any words with his teammates, Pyeong-Beom dashed toward somewhere, hoping that there would be at least one more boss monster in this Field.

    ¡®Please let there be one more. It would be great if the monster was a resilient one.¡¯

    Using his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, he searched for a location where there might be a strong opponent. Luckily(?), he found a turtle-like monster known for its exceptional defensive stats.

    Smirk.

    A smile escaped his lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s always polite to finish with a grand finale.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok did not arrive home until seven a.m. on Monday morning. He was a bitte because he had to wash off the blood and sweat from his entire body. His Mom looked extremely worried.

    ¡°You had to work overtime? Even on a Sunday?¡± his Mom said.

    ¡°Ah¡­. Yes.¡±

    ¡°Take it easy. Work is important, but your healthes first, you know?¡±

    ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Seeing his Mom¡¯s worried expression, Jin-Hyeok suddenly snapped to his senses. He realized that he needed to be more careful from now on.

    For some reason, memories of his school days came to mind. He used to love ying games back then. He would always tell himself that he was going to y for just another five minutes. However, those five minutes would eventually turn into four hours.

    This time, the same thing happened.

    ¡®This is my first time, so I should just let it go.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok enjoyed it because it was his first time, but he won¡¯t enjoy it like this anymore. As he yed as his alternate character Kim Pyeong-Beom, he felt something certain. His true Job was undoubtedly a Streamer.

    ¡®It¡¯s hard to level-up just from hunting monsters.¡¯

    Streamers became stronger through livestreaming. Livestreaming itself was a productive activity, and he could earn money as a member of society. He spent the night crazily hunting monsters, but his Level did not go up, and he could not earn any money.

    He did acquire a few items, butpared to the donations, it was a small amount. The y itself was incredibly inefficient.

    ¡®Since I am an adult now, I should know how to differentiate between my main job and hobbies.¡¯

    If he could not differentiate between them, then he could not be the person he promised himself to be.

    While eating the breakfast his Mom prepared, he was able to renew his determination. After finishing his meal, he returned to his room andy down on his bed.

    ¡®But overall, I feel refreshed.¡¯

    Even though he stayed up all night, his body felt refreshed. That was why maintaining a healthy life required having appropriate hobbies, it seemed. Suddenly, the door swung open.

    ¡°Oppa! I have amazing news!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I found an incredible yer! We must recruit him into our party!¡±

    ¡°An incredible yer?¡±

    Jin-Sol had somewhat strange standards. Even if someone was just slightly good, she described them as amazing. She sometimes used the term when watching videos of yers on Eltube¡ªnot videos of System Streamers linked with SSP, but videos of regr streamers.

    ¡°Yes! I saw him in the Heyri Art Valley. His name was Kim Pyeong-Beom. He was only Level 1, but he practically soloed the ck Brown Bear.¡±

    ¡°... How can a Level 1 yer defeat the ck Brown Bear?¡±

    ¡°No, seriously! He used a sword, and he was really amazing!¡±

    ¡°Was he really that amazing?¡±

    ¡®Was I really that amazing? No, if I keep thinking like this, I can¡¯t help but smile again.¡¯

    [...#So Cool. #I want to see him again. #Maybe I am, #Falling in love.]

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood turned sour again.

    ¡°Get the hell out of my room.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok thought a lot about if he should save up a bit more money and buy a building in Yeonhui-dong, or if he should invest more for now.

    ¡®Let¡¯s invest more for now.¡¯

    With the one billion won that Berby gave him, he acquired a small office. It was also in Yeonhui-dong. With this amount of money, he could not afford a lucrative building, so it was a very old and small office.

    By the way, even though it was worth only one billion won now, in a few years, people would not be able to buy this ce even with ten billion won.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party gathered in the office.

    ¡°First of all, I want to talk about the next content for the livestream.¡±

    The next content was already decided. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was to enhance the Berklev Ne in the direction he wanted. For that, he needed materials, and one of them was the Ibustible Spider Web.

    ¡°I am thinking of hunting a special monster called Arachne. This information is confirmed by the GM, but there is a bit of a problem.¡±

    Arachne resided in a Labyrinth-type Dungeon. It was a mobile monster with a setting that moved only in Labyrinth-type environments.

    ¡°I think our team needs a capable Navigator as well.¡±

    As far as Jin-Hyeok knew, the most exceptional Navigator in Korea was his former team member, Han Sae-Rin. However, she had extraordinary abilities. She did not match Jin-Hyeok¡¯s n. Also, the government might have already contacted her before him.

    ¡°Who knows a good Navigator?¡±

    SSP was not fully activated yet, so the interaction was currently limited to people on Earth through the inte. The unique matchmaking system of SSP, yer rmendation system, and various convenience features were not yet activated. It would take at least a few more months for these to be activated.

    Jin-Sol raised her hand.

    ¡°Me! I know a famous person!¡±

    She said something about how she knew about this famous Navigator on the inte. There was a site specifically for yers where they could view other yers¡¯ history and achievements.

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    Just by looking at the profile, this yer was not impressive. Jin-Hyeok could tell just by seeing which Dungeons they cleared and what equipment they were wearing.

    ¡®Damn¡­ Is there no good Navigator on Earth yet?¡¯

    Even though Jin-Hyeok always wanted to be in third ce instead of first, his standards could not be lowered.

    ¡®I think my standards are not that high. I just need someone who can do the basic stuff.¡¯

    If this is the case, it might be better to y with Sae-Rin. Jin-Hyeok thought of just leveling up with her until Level 100, or even Level 150 if he was being ambitious.

    ¡®But how do I find Sae-Rin?¡¯

    [The SSP System will now start connecting with Earth¡¯swork.]

    ¡®Huh? Why is this already showing up?¡¯

    This was supposed to start after the Open Beta ended, but it was already connected.

    Jin-Hyeok immediately turned on his phone.

    [.SSP]

    A familiar interface appeared. It was more outdated than the version Jin-Hyeok knew, but overall, it was familiar.

    [yer Registration Information]

    Jin-Hyeok could easily find Sae-Rin on the website. She was one of the top contenders for the best Navigator in Korea. Her yer name was Pathfinder.

    In other words, it meant that she was registered on the Ranking Board. And if she was registered on the Ranking Board, it would show up in the yer Registration Information.

    If Jin-Hyeok spent some money, he could even find out her current location. It was a feature that would be abolishedter due to human rights issues, but it was still functioning for now.

    [2nd ce, Pathfinder.]

    Jin-Hyeok immediately clicked on Pathfinder¡¯s profile. He spent one million Dias to reveal her location.

    ¡°Just a moment. I will be right back."

    Jin-Hyeok started running.

    ¡®Why is she there?¡¯

    [Current location: Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    1. While they are all GMs, they still have a hierarchy within their own organization like a normalpany. Here, Serchan is an assistant manager, while Kihael is just a senior staff. ?

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57

    yer name, Pathfinder.

    Han Sae-Rin, whose Job was called Secret Pioneer, felt a strange energy.

    ¡®What is this ce¡­?¡¯

    It felt very different from other Dungeons. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly what was different, but the aura emanating from the Dungeon itself was very weird.

    ¡®I should check what is different.¡¯

    So, Sae-Rin had been exploring the Dungeon for several days. She also noticed that there was a Hidden Field in this ce.

    ¡®There are traces leading to the second floor!¡¯

    She immediately searched the inte for information about the Dungeon, but nothing came up.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    This was like a blow to Sae-Rin¡¯s pride. Someone had already opened the Hidden Field of the Dungeon, and she could not even find the way to the second floor. After a few days, she finally found the path to the second floor.

    ¡®Of course.¡¯

    Even though she found the Hidden Field, her questions were still unanswered.

    ¡®Something is still different.¡¯

    It felt different from other Dungeons. She likened exploring the Dungeons to writing a serialized novel. Dungeons were like a new world where anything could happen, a chaotic world where only the author knew the ending. She had always been a bookworm, so she enjoyed exploring the Dungeons and finding hidden paths.

    For her, exploring Dungeons was like reading a novel, page by page, conquering it.

    ¡®But this ce¡­¡¯

    It felt like this novel¡¯s ending waspletely blocked, a novel with a lock on the cover, preventing her from seeing the ending. It drove her mad, not being able to see the clear ending that she believed existed.

    [...#Who the hell did this? #I know it¡¯s not that guy. #Please share the ending.]

    When Cha Jin-Hyeok found Sae-Rin, he smiled. It was like he had found another person with a simr personality.

    ¡®She seems a bit insane right now.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    If there was someone who wielded a sword better than Jin-Hyeok, he would go crazy. He had to be stronger than that person to be satisfied. In fact, everyone around him felt the same way, including Sae-Rin. In the world of Navigators, there were two leading figures in Korea; one was Han Sae-Rin, and the other was Ha Seung-Jo.

    ¡®Right now, Seung-Jo is ranked first.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Therefore, Sae-Rin seemed eager to surpass Seong-Jo. Moreover, she instinctively felt that this ce had been fully cleared. The fact that someone else had fully cleared the Dungeon, but she couldn¡¯t¡­

    ¡®...It must be hurting her pride.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew exactly how she felt.

    He approached her.

    ¡°Pathfinder?¡±

    In response, several poison darts shot toward his eyes.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok blocked the darts with his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. Navigators always resorted to this kind of response when someone threatened them because their physical power was rtively weakpared to other yers.

    ¡®A straw shows which way the wind blows.¡¯

    Even though no one taught Sae-Rin, she already seemed to be throwing poison darts without hesitation. It kind of made Jin-Hyeok proud.

    ¡°Hey, I am not a suspicious person.¡±

    ¡°Well, the bastards who say that are usually the most suspicious.¡±

    ¡®Wow, It¡¯s been a while since I saw her swearing right off the bat. This takes me back.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok fully understood why she was acting like this. Navigators were only noble Jobs before the Dungeons were cleared. It was because their physical power was weakpared to other yers. After a Dungeon was cleared, they often end up being ignored or used for various reasons.

    Han Sae-Rin had to have already experienced that many times and her trust in yers had to have been at rock bottom. Plus, yers who would approach other yers this recklessly were most likely dangerous.

    ¡°Can we talk for a moment?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Sure. Fine.¡±

    Sae-Rin smiled, as she approached Jin-Hyeok. The fact that she wasing so willingly meant she intended to attack him.

    [You have applied the Achievement ¡¸All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)¡¹.]

    The mark of All-Clear appeared on his right wrist and the additional Defensive Attributes were added to the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. Within Sareoga Mart Dungeon, all of his abilities increased dramatically.

    ¡®Is she going to use a bomb?¡¯

    At this point, Jin-Hyeok was curious if she could use mana bombs. Navigators were weak in terms of their own abilities, but skilled in creating traps, bombs, and other things.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart was beating faster.

    ¡®I wonder how powerful it would be?¡¯

    Boom!

    An explosion urred.

    ¡®Wow, she actually used a bomb!¡¯

    Its power was enough to kill yers below Level 30.

    ¡®Not bad. Should I try it without using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought about it, but then he realized that he was currently livestreaming. He needed to focus on his main job during the weekdays.

    ¡°I am really not a suspicious person. I am actually a Streamer.¡±

    The bomb, sometimes also used like a smoke bomb, obscured Jin-Hyeok¡¯s vision. Meanwhile, Sae-Rin seemed to be trying to escape from this ce.

    [LV49/Pathfinder/Skills/Twelve Secret Passages]

    Regardless of the smoke, his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance urately pinpointed her location. He took a few steps to the side and urately grabbed Sae-Rin¡¯s wrist. She immediately tried to attack him.

    ¡®Ah, I¡¯m so proud of her. This is the proper way to handle a suspicious person who suddenly approaches. She¡¯s following the basics.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt good to see her executing this move that she seemed to have learned in her early stages of y. However, apart from that, Jin-Hyeok needed her right now.

    ¡°No wonder you are not ranked first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What did you say to me?¡±

    This always made the rankers angry.

    ¡°I saw that you were surpassed by Mole Man.¡±

    For reference, Mole Man was Ha Seung-Jo¡¯s yer name. Sae-Rin stared at him in silence.

    [...#I¡¯m going to kill him. #I¡¯m already annoyed enough. #How should I kill him?]

    If she had just stopped at being annoyed, Jin-Hyeok would have been disappointed. It was only when the thought of ¡°How should I kill him?¡± followed that he could consider it the normal thought process of a ranker. This was a special situation inside the Dungeon, and external factors that created such variables were usually eliminated.

    ¡°You see this? Do you see the mark on my right wrist? This is the mark of All-Clear.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok assumed Sae-Rin did not know about All-Clear. However, with the innate intuition of a Navigator, she should have some understanding that it was something remarkable. In fact, Sae-Rin had mentioned it like this in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life.

    ¡°The moment I saw the mark of All-Clear, it felt like my heart had stopped. It was as if I was encountering a beauty that did not exist in this world and my eyes were blinded by it.¡±

    A Navigator of her caliber would instinctively sense the mark of All-Clear. And sure enough, she just stood still as if turned into a stone.

    [...#What is incredible beauty? #I feel like my eyes are blinded.]

    Jin-Hyeok quickly spoke, ¡°This is the Achievement given when you perfectly conquer everything in the Dungeon. It is the mark of All-Clear, symbolizing that I have cleared everything in this Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°How can I obtain it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could clearly see the madness forming in Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes. The true potential to rise to be the top ranker.

    ¡°There is a hidden third floor here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! A third floor?¡±

    ¡°If you want, I can show you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sae-Rin pondered deeply.

    [...#I want to see it. #I want to know. #I want to explore. #But at what cost? #Fool me twice¡­]

    Jin-Hyeok did not know the details, but it seemed she recently fell into big trouble by being deceived by some yers. However, it was not a big deal for Navigators since such incidents happened to them frequently.

    ¡°The second floor has the boss monster and the third floor has the hidden boss monster.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s actually a Named.¡±

    ¡°N-Named?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew very well that she was going to follow him in the end.

    As expected, she followed him and Jin-Hyeok showed her the third floor.

    ¡°Wow! There actually is a Field on the third floor!¡±

    It was a ce he had visited before. It was a Field adorned with photographs of the mighty King Fist Monkeys. As soon as they arrived here, Sae-Rin began various preparations.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked

    ¡°Setting up a shelter.¡±

    She was creating some kind of safe zone. However, Jin-Hyeok knew there were no traps on the third floor.

    ¡®Ah, this is a bit disappointing.¡¯

    If she were the Han Sae-Rin from before his regression, she would have concluded that this was a safe ce at a nce.

    Jin-Hyeok took a moment to observe what she was doing. She had created various safe zones all around and even generated hiding ces where a Navigator could take cover. It seemed like she had already nned escape routes.

    Watching her excessively cling to safety, Jin-Hyeok could recall something she had said in his past life.

    ¡°In the past, I was obsessed with safety to an extreme degree. It brought me a high sess rate in missions, but it wasn¡¯t very efficient.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was the right path. I, as a Navigator, believed that was what it took to go up the ranks.¡±

    ¡°But watching you, Jin-Hyeok, I feel like I have learned a lot. That in order to reach the highest rank, sometimes you have to take on even greater risks.¡±

    yers could safely climb to a moderately high rank. However, to reach truly great heights, they could not rely on safe methods. Ultimately, it required gambling and taking on numerous risks.

    ¡°What didn¡¯t kill me ultimately made me stronger.¡±

    That was something Sae-Rin had said to Jin-Hyeok about a year after joining his party before regression. Since then, she had shown rapid growth, so Jin-Hyeok had good memories of iting to mind.

    Feeling a sense of pity, he offered some advice, ¡°If you¡¯re so obsessed with safety, you will never reach the top rank.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°If it was the Mole Man, he would have gone straight to that door right there. Why are you acting so excessively cautious as if there is some great danger here?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? You can say that because you¡¯ve been here before, but this is my first time. I need to be prepared for any danger¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed at his own eyes.

    ¡°Do you see that my eyes are red?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can see that.¡±

    ¡°I am a Streamer, and I use the skill called Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok said Broadcaster''s Truesight because he wanted to hide the fact that he had Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, as it seemed he was the only yer with the Skill.

    ¡°This is a famous Skill, so I am assuming you have a rough idea of what it does,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°When I look at this ce, I see no danger here. With my Streamer Skill, I can assess everything at once. Why can¡¯t you do the same? Aren¡¯t you a Navigator?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sincerely gave her advice, ¡°If you focus too much on safety, you won¡¯t reach where you want to be.¡±

    She would eventually realize it on her own, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to tell her beforehand. Whether she immediately agreed with him or not was not that important.

    ¡°...¡±

    In the end, Jin-Hyteok showed her the hidden boss monster, King Fist Alexander, and gained a certain level of trust.

    ¡°So doing all this and that, you get this mark of All-Cle¡ªHey! Get off of me!¡±

    Every time Jin-Hyeok showed her the mark of the All-Clear when he exined to her how to obtain it, Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes became hazy looking at it. At one point, she even tried to rush at him and bite his wrist.

    Jin-Hyeok was delighted by her craziness.

    ¡®This is the Han Sae-Rin that I know!¡¯

    Her determination and obsession with All-Clear were her identity and the driving force behind her growth.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to join our party. We need a capable Navigator for now, so let¡¯s form a temporary partnership,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He knew her personality well. She was the kind of person who would not do something that she didn¡¯t like even if it meant her own death.

    However, this method always worked on her.

    ¡°If you refuse, I am going to ask Mole Man,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He subtly showed her the mark of All-Clear. It carried a lot of meaning. It showed that Jin-Hyeok acquired this without a Navigator and that he could achieve a lot more with a capable Navigator.

    It meant that he could acquire another mark of All-Clear, which would widen the gap between Sae-Rin and Mole Man.

    [...#Let¡¯s not get fooled. #What kind of trick does he have up his sleeve? #This is not my first rodeo. #There are no police inside Dungeons.]

    It was strange how these rational thoughts of hers felt so familiar andforting. It was clear that she was on the brink of partnering up with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party.

    ¡°Well¡­ Being second is still a great feat¡­¡±

    There was nothing more humiliating than telling someone who desired to be first in the rankings that being second was good enough. He knew this too well from his own experience.

    [...#I don¡¯t care anymore. #Give me the mark of All-Clear.]

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. When, where, and what do I need to do?¡± Sae-Rin said.

    It worked.

    ¡°We are going to defeat a mobile boss monster.¡±

    ¡°A mobile boss monster? I had no idea such a thing existed.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel excited by her vivid reaction.

    ¡°Yes. This is a boss monster that moves around, focusing on explored Dungeons. Its name is Arachne. My party is going to kill it. It seems like we will need a good Navigator.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s somewhat intriguing.¡±

    Her tone and expression were quite different from what she was saying. The widening of her nostrils showed that she was already thrilled.

    [...I¡¯m in. #Please, take me with you. #I will do my best.]

    ¡®...Should I have just suggested going together to defeat the mobile boss monster from the beginning?¡¯

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58

    Kihael firmly rubbed his temples.

    ¡°Assistant Manager Serchan, why would you grant ess to the location information? Don¡¯t you know that is a controversial matter?¡± Kihael asked.

    SSP was a video tform integrated with Eltube that also provided numerous conveniences for yers. yer Registration Information was no exception. This was linked to the Ranking Board, allowing ess to the personal information of top-ranked yers.

    And Serchan granted ess to location information as well.

    ¡°But there are many Servers that allow it,¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°The ratio of that is three to seven.¡±

    ¡°See? There are seven Servers, out of every ten Servers, that allow it!¡±

    Kihael gritted his teeth and replied, ¡°There are only THREE Servers, out of every ten Servers, that allow it! We looked at the same statistical data, I don¡¯t know why you remember it differently. We just saw it yesterday!¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±

    ¡°Why are youughing?¡±

    ¡°The provision of abundant information means an exchange of numerous pieces of information, and an active exchange of information leads to more proactive y. We are about to witness a Server filled with passion! Isn¡¯t that beautiful?¡±

    A world filled with passion. It was a world that Kihael despised.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re getting along, Assistant Manager.¡±

    Those words greatly surprised Serchan.

    ¡°I thought we got along pretty well!¡±

    Kihael was about to ask Serchan how Serchan saw it that way, but he stopped himself. He knew Serchan would interpret and hear things in Serchan''s own way anyway.

    Serchan lightly pat Kihael¡¯s back.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite shy, aren¡¯t you? I understand how you feel. Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°...You know that it¡¯s going to be a pain in the ass if the exposure of information leads to unnecessary crimes among yers, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just because such a system exists doesn¡¯t mean there will be crazy people who will immediately exploit it.¡±

    At the mention of crazy people, Kihael immediately thought of Kim Chul-Soo. However, he quickly erased that face from his mind.

    He knew anything associated with Chul-Soo would require a lot of work. Just thinking about Chul-Soo gave Kihael the chills.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen for the time being,¡± Serchan said.

    Kihael also nodded.

    ¡®I just hope I won¡¯t be here when it¡¯s time to take care of those issues. I¡¯ll just let the other workers handle them.¡¯

    That was Kihael¡¯s n.

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok returned home andy on his bed.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    He tried not to pay much attention to it, but it kept bothering him.

    Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance could read the opponent¡¯s conditions. This ability often had a greater effect than he expected. It was particrly pronounced when the opponent¡¯s mental strength or Level was significantly lower than Jin-Hyeok¡¯s, or when the opponent experienced intense emotions.

    ¡®So I can read other people¡¯s memories?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he could read other people¡¯s memories. It was the first time he experienced such a feeling.

    ¡®It looks like Han Sae-Rin got stabbed in the back by Go Doo-Hyeon.¡¯

    As frencers, Sae-Rin and her father formed a party as Navigators and conducted a Dungeon Clear in coboration with Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party. Toward the end of the Dungeon, Doo-Hyeon used a Skill to smack Sae-Rin¡¯s father from behind. Her father fell, bleeding.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    Doo-Hyeon did this so that his party could get more rewards from the Dungeon clear.

    [The reward will be evenly distributed based on the number of survivors in the Clear Zone.]

    [Clear Reward: 30,000,000 Dias]

    [Number of survivors in the Clear Zone: 12]

    Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party seemed to have decided to eliminate Sae-Rin and her father.

    ¡°Just think of it as being unlucky.¡±

    Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party also incapacitated Sae-Rin. However, he eventually changed his mind about killing Sae-Rin and her father. It was because the Streamer in his party stopped him.

    ¡°Hyung! They gave us a mission to keep them alive outside the Clear Zone! The mission is worth three hundred thousand Dias!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    As time passed, the monsters in the Dungeon would respawn. The perverted being who gave them the mission probably wanted to see the monsters tear Sae-Rin and her father apart.

    ¡°I think we should just tie them to that tree.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡±

    Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party bound Sae-Rin and her father together and then tied them to a tree.

    ¡°Since she is going to die anyway, can we have some fun with her?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. I am not going to risk the thirty million Dias. Hurry up, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    The ten party members, with a hint of regret, clicked their tongues.

    And so, Sae-Rin and her father were abandoned there.

    ¡®However, Sae-Rin wasn¡¯t really unconscious and she somehow managed to escape.¡¯

    ¡°I really want to kill that bastard,¡± Jin-Hyeok murmured without realizing it.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s old party members wererades who had gone through great ordeals together and were like brothers and sisters. The memories of exploring Dungeons and staying up all night for days were still vivid.

    ¡°He should be grateful that I¡¯ve be a better person.¡±

    If this was the past, i.e. before his regression, Jin-Hyeok would have annihted them without question. However, the situation was different now.

    Sae-Rin did not ask for help, and Jin-Hyeok knew that the Han Sae-Rin before the regression and the Han Sae-Rin after the regression were not the same person.

    ¡®I should at least know where this bastard is.¡¯

    Fortunately, the SSP website had been opened, and Jin-Hyeok knew Doo-Hyeon was likely to be ranked quite high.

    ¡®He is probably in the Qi manipting ss.¡¯

    Among the numerous sses, there existed the Qi manipting ss. It was a ss that processed mana into a certain form and utilized it like martial arts. The ss felt closer to a martial arts-type Mage.

    [Qi Manipting ss]

    [1st. Shadow Man]

    ¡®Ah, that¡¯s him.¡¯

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok saw it, he remembered that Doo-Hyeon¡¯s yer name was Shadow Man.

    ¡®Wait, he is the first in the Qi manipting ss?¡¯

    The Go Doo-Hyeon he remembered was not such a powerful viin. He was just a mediocre yer, but at this point in time, he was ranked first in that ss. He was probably one of those yers who were powerful in early stages, but then became irrelevantter on.

    ¡®I wonder where he could be.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok paid Dias to obtain Doo-Hyeon''s location information.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    [Current Location: Unavable]

    [Last Login Record: 3 days ago. Hapjeong Station Exit 1.]

    ¡®Okay. So three days ago, he was at Hapjeong Station Exit 1.¡¯

    In the early stages, it was rare for a Dungeon clear to take three days unless it was aplex Labyrinth-type Dungeon that required a long time to clear.

    ¡®It seems like our destination is exactly the same.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok might even meet Doo-Hyeon inside the Dungeon.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok introduced Sae-Rin to his party members.

    ¡°She is our new Navigator who will be joining our party for this content.¡±

    They exchanged brief greetings.

    ¡°I am Seo Ji-Soo, and this is my sister, Seo Ji-Ah. We are known as the Shadow sisters. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Shadow sisters¡­?¡±

    Sae-Rin was quite surprised. The Shadow sisters upied the eighteenth and neenth spots in the rankings for the assassin ss. The Ranking Board disyed up to the top twenty. In other words, they were among the top-ranking yers in their sses.

    ¡®This party has two top-ranking yers within the top twenty¡­ Is such a party possible?¡¯ Sae-Rin thought.

    Jin-Hyeok carefully observed Sae-Rin¡¯s reaction, and he misinterpreted it.

    ¡®It seems like she is surprised by the low rankings of the Seo sisters,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He wanted to exin that their approach was different from those who simply focused on leveling up, as his team had umted diverse and practicalbat experience.

    However, Jin-Hyeok found it awkward to borate on that.

    ¡°You are ranked pretty high,¡± Sae-Rinmented.

    Jin-Hyeok raised an eyebrow in response.

    ¡®Is she being sarcastic?¡¯

    When Jin-Hyeok said Sae-Rin was only ranked second, she was so angry at him, but right now she was praising another yer for being in the eighteenth ce.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I am Mok Jae-Hyeon. And my yer name is¡­ uh¡­¡±

    Jae-Hyeon¡¯s voice became much quieter.

    ¡°...is Loser. And I am¡­ the Tank for the party¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    Her eyes widened again. Unable to contain his curiosity, Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to read Sae-Rin¡¯s status message.

    [...#Who is this guy? #He is ranked ninth in ability ss? #This guy is also highly ranked.]

    Surprisingly, Sae-Rin was sincere.

    ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right. She was always lenient toward others and strict with herself.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok realized she was someone who considered others being ranked twentieth as excellent, despite feeling humiliated by her own ranking of second ce.

    ¡°As for me¡­ I am¡­ Kim Jeong-Hyeon. My yer name is ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong. I am a damage dealer and also a sub-Tank for the party.¡±

    [...#What? #Ranked fourth? #Is this for real? #What kind of party is this?]

    ¡°My name is Cha Jin-Sol. My yer name is¡­¡±

    [...#Ranked seventh? #Ranked seventh in the healer ss? #This party is insane.]

    From Sae-Rin¡¯s point of view, this party had an unusualposition. Though notrge in scale, all the party members were top-ranked yers on the Ranking Board.

    ¡°What is your yer name?¡± Sae-Rin asked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. My yer name is Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting yer name.¡±

    ¡°You think this is interesting?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised an eyebrow.

    ¡®This is the most ordinary yer name in the world after Kim Pyeong-Beom.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly disappointed. Although his standards for Sae-Rin were already quite low, she was slower than he thought in finding the entrance.

    The party was at Hapjeong Station Exit 1. Jin-Hyeok deliberately refrained from using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. If he used it, he would¡¯ve easily found the entrance, and Sae-Rin would¡¯ve been disappointed.

    ¡°Are you sure a Dungeon was created at Hapjeong Station Exit 1?¡± she spoke to him, as if sulking.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    It took her almost thirty minutes. If it were back in the old pre-regression days, it wouldn¡¯t have taken her more than three minutes.

    ¡®Ah, I miss that old Han Sae-Rin so much.¡¯

    ¡°I found it! Just wait a moment. I need to activate the entrance properly.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°...Got it!¡±

    Before he knew it, Sae-Rin seeded in activating the entrance of the Dungeon. The entrance to Hapjeong Station Exit 1 Dungeon appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to start the livestream now.¡±

    It looked like Jae-Hyeon¡¯s body was trembling slightly in fear.

    ¡°S-So¡­ Do I have to go in first?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°Since we have a Navigator now, I think she should go in first.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon seemed visibly relieved.

    They entered the Dungeon. It was a Labyrinth-type Dungeon with vegetation much taller than a person. It was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first time entering personally, but he had encountered it a few times on paper.

    He started the livestream in his own way.

    ¡°This is a ce filled with bushes much taller than a person. And it also looks like a maze. But now that our party has a Navigator, this kind of maze should be a piece of cake.¡±

    Following Sae-Rin¡¯s guidance, they started walking through the maze.

    ¡°There are traces of someone being here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the remnants of a campfire.

    ¡°Yeah, someone passed by here about three days ago,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°How do you know it was three days ago?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already knew the answer, but he still asked, as if he found it interesting.

    In response, Sae-Rin pointed at her temple and said, ¡°Trace Detection. It¡¯s one of the Skills for Navigators.¡±

    [...#How do you like that? #This is what I can do! #AKA Pathfinder.]

    ¡®Hm¡­ I didn¡¯t actually ask because I didn¡¯t know¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok asked to provide information to the viewers, and it was a little ridiculous that she was this happy to show off.

    ¡®But¡­ She is definitely impressive.¡¯

    They were gradually closing the distance with the team that entered this Dungeon before them.

    ¡°They stayed here about an hour ago.¡±

    The other team, probably Go Doo-Hyeon¡¯s team, took three days to get this far, but Jin-Hyeok''s party arrived here in just a few hours.

    ¡®If we¡¯re lucky, we might run into them.¡¯

    In the distance, the sound of a battle could be heard. Jin-Hyeok turned on the livestream that he had momentarily turned off.

    ¡°It seems like the boring part is almost over. We are entering the area where monsters appear, so I will resume the livestream.¡±

    They moved toward the direction where the sound wasing from.

    ¡°Oh, a wide space suddenly appeared.¡±

    There was a fierce battle between a monster riding a horse and yers.

    ¡°The monster is called Skeleton Cavalry. It is Level 51. It is very agile, considering it is riding a horse. The battle seems to be quite intense.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok carefully looked around and continued the livestream as usual.

    ¡°Oh, There is an incrediblyrge crystal in the middle!¡±

    [Clear Crystal 1/1]

    ¡°Ah, it seems like if that thing is broken, the Dungeon will be cleared.¡±

    ¡®My god, the difficulty of the dungeon is really low.¡¯

    It only took a Navigator that was ranked second, not first, only a couple of hours to find the ce where the Clear Crystal appeared.

    An urgent voice could be heard.

    ¡°Break that thing! Now!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing! Break it!¡±

    There were about ten yers engaged in the battle. Half of them were fighting the monster, while the other half were trying to break the Clear Crystal.

    ¡°Loser, I need you to protect the Crystal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What? Protect the Crystal? And not the yers?¡±

    ¡°If that thing breaks, Arachne will disappear.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon followed his instructions and activated the Wood Fortress.

    The yers attacking the Clear Crystal shouted.

    ¡°What the fuck?!¡±

    ¡°Who the hell did this?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok asked the Seo sisters.

    ¡°You can handle that monster, right? It is fighting the other yers, so I think you two can easily attack from behind.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    The Skeleton Cavalry was at the same Level as the ck Brown Bear they faced in Heyri Art Valley. However, that ck Brown Bear had received a Darkness Buff and had tough skin. This monster was much easier for the Seo sisters to deal with.

    ¡®Still, my party is much stronger than the other party.¡¯

    His party risked their lives in Dungeons, so Jin-Hyeok knew they were much stronger. Seeing this kind of improvement made him feel proud.

    Although the Seo sisters suffered minor injuries, they were able to defeat the Skeleton Cavalry without much difficulty.

    ¡°We have defeated the Skeleton Cavalry. Oh, look! The other yers are approaching us. I suppose they want to express their gratitude.¡±

    One of the men approaching Jin-Hyeok came into view.

    [LV50/Shadow Man/Devious Qi Maniptor/Skills/Master of Backstabbing]

    ¡®Wow. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m meeting Doo-Hyeon in a pce like this.¡¯

    It was quite amazing. Although Jin-Hyeok did not chase after him, now that they have met, Jin-Hyeok decided not to leave him alone.

    ¡®I wonder what he is going to say.¡¯

    However, Doo-Hyeon¡¯s reaction was more polite than Jin-Hyeok expected.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59

    ¡°Are you guys here to steal our reward?¡± Go Doo-Hyeon asked.

    ¡®...Huh?¡¯

    It was a surprisingly sensible question.

    ¡®If I were them, I would have been really pissed off.¡¯

    Cha Jin-Hyeok would''ve been well and truly pissed off if another party suddenly interfered while he was in the middle of fighting a strong monster, especially when the other party then proceeded to snatch thest hit.

    Jin-Hyeok hesitated for a moment, which gave Doo-Hyeon some confidence.

    ¡°I asked if you were here trying to steal my party''s reward. Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± Doo-Hyeon asked again.

    Doo-Hyeon was not in the wrong, but Jin-Hyeok did not care.

    ¡°Do you want to get beaten up to the point of wanting to die? Or do you want to get hit to the point of not wanting to live?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...What did you just say? I can¡¯t overlook such deceitful actions.¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­ you can at least try to overlook it.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m speaking very politely.¡±

    ¡°Do you think saying that politely makes any difference?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand why Doo-Hyeon did not believe him. If Jin-Hyeok really wanted to pick a fight, he would have swung his sword at him without hesitation.

    ¡®Ah, maybe I should just kill him.¡¯

    While he was contemting, Doo-Hyeon noticed Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Wait, I know you!¡±

    Doo-Hyeon¡¯s expression brightened as he recognized a familiar face.

    [...#It¡¯s that bitch from back then, right? #She is alive?]

    ¡°Do you remember when we saved you back then?¡± Doo-Hyeon shamelessly asked.

    ¡°Saved¡­ me?¡±

    ¡°We did save you. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°We wanted to have some fun with you but decided not to. I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t remember us!¡±

    Sae-Rin clenched her fist. If it were her old self from Jin-Hyeok''s previous life, she would have kicked him between the legs right away. The Han Sae-Rin of this period was quite docile.

    ¡°Tell your boss here that this ce belongs to us. Tell him that we won¡¯t tolerate any stealing,¡± Doo-Hyeon said to Sae-Rin.

    ¡®Wait, but I¡¯m the boss. Who the hell is he talking about?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok followed Doo-Hyeon¡¯s gaze and realized he was looking at Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡®Really? Do I look weaker than Jeong-Hyeon? I guess I have to kill Doo-Hyeon after all.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    First, Jin-Hyeok turned off his livestream. It was well known that livestreams with content that was too gruesome were not well received by the viewers.

    Jin-Hyeok pulled Sae-Rin back and said to Doo-Hyeon, ¡°I think you guys need to die.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Doo-Hyeon chuckled as if he found it absurd. About ten yers led by him clenched their weapons. Seo Ji-Ah, who was always quiet but quick on her feet, swiftly moved and slit the throat of one of the ten yers.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    The yer died instantly. He was the other party''s Streamer.

    ¡°Now there won¡¯t be any evidence left,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while smiling.

    He took out a longsword from his inventory.

    ¡°Hey, guys, you don¡¯t need to help me. Just stay there and watch me.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol tried to say, ¡°But, Oppa!¡± but could not continue her words. In that instant, her brother seemed different, like he was someone else. Even though he was her

    older brother, Jin-Hyeok looked somewhat intimidating in Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes.

    Ironically, the biggest coward, Mok Jae-Hyeon, took a step forward.

    ¡°Hyung! I will fight with you!¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Stay out of it.¡±

    Doo-Hyeon clenched his lips tightly.

    ¡°You cowardly bastards!¡± Doo-Hyeon shouted.

    Jin-Hyeok did not respond. As a wise man once said, a fist was faster than words, and a sword was faster than a fist.

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword. His sword left an afterimage as it shed something.

    Shwack!

    Blood sprayed out.

    ¡°One guy down.¡±

    Thunk.

    A round object rolled on the ground. It was the head of Doo-Hyeon, who was standing closest to Jin-Hyeok. The Qi Maniptor, who was at Level 50, could not even put up a decent fight against Jin-Hyeok and died instantly. Even Jin-Hyeok himself was caught by surprise at how easy it was to kill Doo-Hyeon¡ªit was just too easy.

    ¡°I kindly warned you that I was going to kill you, so why didn¡¯t you run away?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand.

    ¡°You fucking bastard!¡±

    A martial artist ss yer rushed toward Jin-Hyeok. Just like in bullfighting, Jin-Hyeok skillfully evaded his attack. At the same time, another yer swung his sword at Jin-Hyeok.

    [You have activated the skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    0.8x speed.

    The yers¡¯ bodies momentarily slowed down.

    ¡°Wh-What¡¯s going on?!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok passed by the slowed-down yers and stood in front of another man.

    [LV44/Yes Man/Noble Cleric/Skills/-]

    ¡®This guy¡­ is one of the guys who asked if he could have some fun with Sae-Rin.¡¯

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok was annoyed again.

    ¡°Do you think you can hide the fact that you are a Healer just by wielding a weapon?¡±

    Yes Man wielded a dagger as soon as the battle started. It was in an attempt to conceal his Job as a Healer, but it did not work on Jin-Hyeok.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]

    With a single sword strike, Yes Man¡¯s head rolled on the ground. At the same time, someone shot an arrow toward Jin-Hyeok. The arrow, filled with crimson mana, was aimed at his back.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    By using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, he deflected the arrow. Then Jin-Hyeok thrust his sword into the back of the martial artist ss yer who first attacked him.

    Stab!

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword pierced through his body. Although the martial artist ss yer had a sturdy defense, it was not enough to block Jin-Hyeok''s sword.

    ¡°Keuk!¡±

    The martial artist ss yer fell to one knee.

    Cough!

    Blood spewed from his mouth. Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok was holding a dagger in his hand.

    Stab!

    He plunged the dagger into the martial artist ss yer¡¯s neck. The martial artist ss yer fell to the ground, convulsed, and then died.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next? Does anyone want to die? Show of hands?¡±

    At this point, the surviving yers retreated, taking steps back. Theypletely lost their morale.

    ? ? ?

    One of the yers screamed and ran away, shouting in fear. Jin-Hyeok did not bother to chase after him. This ce was a Labyrinth-type Dungeon, and without a Navigator, abatant ss yer could not survive alone.

    ¡®That guy was an aplice.¡¯

    Those ten yers were all guilty.

    ¡°Should I kill the others too?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Sae-Rin.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If there is anyone who needs to be spared, let me know.¡±

    ¡°I have never seen that man before,¡± Sae-Rin said, pointing at a certain man.

    ¡°Hm¡­ I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought he could kill them all since there were exactly ten. But it seemed one of them was innocent. This one seemed to be a frence Navigator who was hired for this Dungeon.

    [...#What the hell is going on? #Why is this happening? #Fuck, am I going to die?]

    ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s the normal reaction.¡¯

    Most of the other yers had status messages saying things like ¡°I¡¯m innocent¡± or ¡°This is so unfair." If they were truly innocent, they would be confused and angry.

    ¡°I almost killed him by mistake.¡±

    ¡®Well, since I didn¡¯t, it¡¯s fine.¡¯

    The Navigator¡¯s face turned pale. Meanwhile, the others scattered and fled toward the maze without any n.

    ¡°They entered the maze without any precautions. They won¡¯tst long before they die.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok turned around and his party members were all staring at him, standing there frozen.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all?¡±

    Jin-Sol approached him, shaking her head. She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the blood and talk, okay?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve got blood on me. I just killed three people!¡±

    Without responding to his words, Jin-Sol wiped his arms with the handkerchief.

    ¡°Oppa, why did you kill those people?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Because they were ugly.¡±

    ¡°Stop joking around.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not feel the need to exin the reasons. To do that, he would have to bring up Sae-Rin¡¯s past. However, Sae-Rin spoke up, ¡°...I think it¡¯s because of me.¡±

    ¡°Hey, we don¡¯t have to talk about it.¡±

    Sae-Rin was already a famous Navigator, and how pathetic would it be for her to be betrayed by those scumbags? She was enduring such humiliation by just talking about it.

    She was so different from the Han Sae-Rin of his previous life, who would never have spoken up.

    ¡°...So, to sum up, this is probably why all this happened. But I am also curious why you went to such lengths for my sake. I never asked you to kill them.¡±

    She seemed somewhat conflicted. She seemed to derive some pleasure from their deaths but also felt disgusted by herself for feeling that way. And she seemed to be curious as to why Jin-Hyeok had gone this far.

    Jin-Hyeok presented his reasoning, ¡°yers like those scumbags should be controlled by society. Otherwise,w and order will be shaken from the core. I did not kill them for you specifically, but to uphold a healthy order, wielding the sword of justice.¡±

    Jin-Solughed exaggeratedly at his statement.

    ¡°Hahaha! You did great, Oppa! I always believed that you had your reasons.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew she was lying. Jin-Hyeok saw that she was looking at him with those scared eyes earlier. Only Ji-Ah understood his intentions and moved quickly. Come to think of it, he was grateful to Ji-Ah.

    ¡°I thought the same, Oppa. Good Job!¡± Ji-Soo chimed in.

    [...#He¡¯s so sexy! #A heroin chic!][1]

    Jin-Hyeok decided to stop looking at it and turned his livestream back on.

    ¡°There was a conflict between our party and the party that was here before us. There was a battle, and our party emerged victorious. We fought hard together and achieved victory. Three enemies were killed, one was captured, and the rest escaped. You can say that we were lucky.¡±

    Right now, he was not Kim Pyeong-Beom but Kim Chul-Soo. He lied and said that the party fought together. The other members seemed a bit bewildered, but their expressions were not captured on screen.

    ¡°Simply breaking that Crystal won¡¯t make it easy to locate Arachne¡¯s whereabouts.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok focused the camera on Han Sae-RIn.

    ¡°What do you think we should do to find the mobile boss monster Arachne that is hiding somewhere here?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Sae-Rin cautiously spoke up. Jin-Hyeok thought it would take some time, but it seemed like she already found out. ¡°It seems like there are clues right here.¡±

    Sae-Rin pointed at the Clear Crystal, which had turned red.

    ¡°Huh? The color of the Clear Crystal had changed!¡±

    Sae-Rin continued to talk, ¡°There are several conditions that require the death of people to activate, but that has been resolved, so we do not need to know the details anymore¡­¡±

    Sae-Rin touched the Clear Crystal with her hand.

    While mumbling something that sounded like the name of a Skill, she touched the Clear Crystal here and there. Jin-Hyeok deliberately did not use the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance because the answer would appear too clear and specific.

    Suddenly, there was a vibration.

    Thud.

    Chains sprouted from the empty space around the Clear Crystal and tightly bound it. In the center, a giant lock made of steel appeared.

    ¡°If we unlock this, the hidden stage will open,¡± Sae-Rin said in a confident manner.

    She seemed very confident as if she had already forgotten about earlier events and fully regained her self-assurance. She was quite a crazy person, after all.

    ¡°But I think we need to think for a while about how to unlock this. Hey, what¡¯s with that face? It was all because of me that we were able to discover the secret and activate the conditions so quickly!¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°How long do you think it will take to unlock it?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something we will only know once we try. But it¡¯s securely bound. The conditions are tooplex, so it won¡¯t be quick.¡±

    ¡®...Hm¡­ I feel like I could solve it pretty quickly,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    1. The second hashtag inthe raws is ???, referring to the aesthetic that celebrates the beauty in ¡°bad¡± things. But it also refers to the special ce the idea holds in contemporary Korean aesthetics especially in Korean photography and Instagram. ?

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    The existingworks on Earth and the SSP had started to gradually be interconnected.

    ?What is this unidentified and unknown system called the SSP??

    ?What is the SSP??

    Although still limited, connections with other Servers were also possible. The System¡¯srgestmunity Server, Nerver, began to interconnect with Earth¡¯s websites, and some of its features were activated in the Korean Region.

    ?A new Minor Gallery[1] for the Korean Region!?

    ?The SSP had prated into the intework!?

    Not everyone could use the SSP.

    Kihael, GM No.3 of Seodaemun-gu, made an announcement.

    [Based on the System''s review, the proportion of early adopters in the Korean Region is significantly higherpared to other Regions.]

    [Among the various regions on the Earth Server, the SSP will be interconnected with the Korean Region first for a trial operation.]

    [Through a random drawing, 3,000 Korean Region users will be granted priority ess.]

    [The ess is currently limited, but it will be open to all users in the future.]

    Users from other Servers flocked to the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    ¡°Assistant Manager Serchan, it¡¯s an emergency,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°We just opened the Minor Gallery, and the concurrent users have exceeded eight thousand. At this rate, the Server will crash within five minutes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to secure enough Server capacity.¡±

    ¡°...But you didn¡¯t even give me enough time to do that!¡±

    Kihael clenched his fist tightly.

    ¡°For now, we will impose a user limit. The Server won¡¯t be able to handle it like this,¡± Kihael said.

    After restricting the total number of active users to five thousand, he forcibly adjusted the entry of users from other Servers to one thousand.

    Kihael let out a deep sigh. He could not understand why there was so much attention on this remote Open Beta Server. With all this attention, the workload would increase. He had already been forced to work overtime for the past eleven days, in-a-row, and it seemed today won''t be any different.

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    ¡°This project is going to be a huge sess!¡± Serchan chuckled.

    ? ? ?

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was a Systemmunity derived from an existing site in Korea.

    -Anonymous[2]: Holy shit, there are so many posts up already.

    There were many different rumors circting.

    -Anonymous: Idiots on Earth, be aware. After five months, the Open Beta service will be over, and you will all be crushed by the power of the mighty Hammas.

    -Anonymous: But why is the Minor Gallery so popr?

    -Anonymous: Did you get on thismunity without even knowing this? LOL

    -Anonymous: Get this finger princess[3] out of here!

    There were posts with an unusually high number ofments. Posts that received many Likes were categorized separately as Trending posts.

    -Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s true identity was revealed. [92]

    The number at the end indicated the number ofments on that post. As soon as the name ''Kim Chul-Soo'' was mentioned in the title, the number ofments would typically be close to a hundred. Considering that other posts rarely had more than tenments, it was quite an abnormal phenomenon.

    -No doubt, Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party annihted them all. [110]

    Currently, the most trending post was about whether Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party had wiped out a group of yers.

    -No doubt, Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party annihted them all.

    ©»Anonymous: Look at this wannabe expert. There is no sign of a battle. What the hell are you talking about?

    ©»Anonymous: With that little evidence, that means one or two of them wiped out the entire party. Do you think that¡¯s possible?

    ©»Anonymous: I bet they just fell into a trap.

    The mainstream opinion was that it did not make sense for Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party to havepletely wiped out Go Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party.

    ©»Anonymous: If they died from the trap, why did only the yers from Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party die?

    ©»Anonymous: No, you idiot, there is no sign of a battle!

    ©»Anonymous: There wasn¡¯t even a drop of blood on the other members of Chul-Soo¡¯s party.

    ©»Anonymous: How can you even assume there was a battle? You keyboard warriors who didn¡¯t even experience a single minute of y have no sense of reality.

    Among them, there was a fairly well-known user from Nerver, Mireuk.[4]

    ©»Mireuk: If we assume that a battle took ce between the two parties, the only possibility is that Chul-Soo (Streamer) alone killed those three and made the rest flee. Are there any plebs who believe that is possible?

    ©»Anonymous: Hey, isn¡¯t this the famous troll from Nerver?

    ©»Mireuk: From my power of knowledge, your mind seems to be clouded.

    In any case, if the current situation was indeed a result of a battle, a somewhat absurd assumption that a Streamer single-handedly annihted a party of nearly ten yers had to be established.

    ©»Anonymous: To make that possible in the Earth Server, that person has to be at the level of the Yeosu Swordmaster.

    Yeosu Swordmaster was what people called the mysterious figure who disappeared after defeating the Flying Toad. If it was not him, it was impossible.

    ©»Anonymous: So enough about that. What the hell are they doing?

    ©»Anonymous: They¡¯re unsealing the Clear Crystal in order to battle the mobile boss monster.

    The chat for Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream waspletely blocked. And there were already nearly twenty thousand viewers who wanted tomunicate in there. Already thirsty for some chats, the Korean Region Minor Gallery became their only way ofmunication.

    ©»Anonymous: I can¡¯t believe that even this ce has a user limit.

    The SSP¡¯s connection to Earth¡¯swork happened much faster and earlier than anticipated, and this was what the GMs hade up with as a solution. However, it only made the viewers thirstier.

    ©»Anonymous: That person seems to be quite a skilled Navigator.

    ©»Mireuk: From my power of knowledge, she is the second-ranked Navigator in the Korean Region.

    ©»Anonymous: Yeah, hallelujah.

    Viewers from other Servers who were longing formunication flooded the discussions about Chul-Soo.

    ©»Anonymous: Is this the Korean Region Minor Gallery, or is it the Kim Chul-Soo Minor Gallery?

    ©»Anonymous: Shut the hell up. Is there anyone else worth watching in this shitty-ass Server?

    ©»Anonymous: I just asked because I was genuinely curious. Why the hell are you swearing at me?

    ©»Anonymous: Sorry.

    The name Kim Chul-Soo filled the Korean Region Minor Gallery. Other discussions were buried under the name Kim Chul-Soo. Korean users who were new to the SSP knew very little about Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡®Who the hell is Kim Chul-Soo?¡¯

    ¡®Why is there such amotion about him?¡¯

    Integration with Eltube had not happened yet. Korean users had very limited information about Kim Chul-Soo. Due to the limited information, they started searching ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯ on search engines. Although ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯ appeared on trending topics, it was such amon name that no significant information came up.

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was a little surprised.

    ¡®When did Han Sae-Rin pick that up?¡¯

    She had to have looted hidden items on the way here. In fact, Jin-Hyeok knew about them through the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, but he did not bother picking them up.

    There were always so many hidden things in a Dungeon, and if he were to pick up every single one of them, he would actually be slowing himself down instead, which would have resulted in him taking a much longer time to clear the Dungeon.

    Most of the things yers picked up were close to garbage. It took wisdom to only pick up what they really needed, and Sae-RIn had a special talent for instinctively distinguishing that.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    About thirty minutes had passed. Beads of sweat were forming on Sae-Rin¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Do you see it?¡± she said.

    The lock was wobbling. It was almost about to unlock.

    ¡°Oh, I see it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started to get anxious. The lock was wobbling, but it had not been fully unlocked yet.

    ¡°Will it take long? Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m actually going pretty fast.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had to admit she was right. It usually took three days to unlock something like that. She looted all the misceneous items that Jin-Hyeok did not pay attention to and used them to unlock the Clear Crystal. It was true that she was doing her best as a Navigator, and that this was the proper way to proceed.

    ¡®But. I am livestreaming right now...¡¯

    If Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer like Egan Paul, who could create exceptional storylines with exceptional directing, it might not be a problem. However, in his honest opinion, he was not such an exceptional Streamer. His strengthy in a fast progression based on his knowledge of the future. It was his strategy as a Streamer with limited talent to secure third ce.

    ¡®Damn it. I started the livestream too early.¡¯

    Usually, when it was about ny-eight percentplete or when the end was in sight, that was when the time went by the slowest.

    [...#Almost done! #This is making me frustrated! #What¡¯s thest step?]

    Jin-Hyeok was right.

    For reference, Jin-Hyeok was applying his Second Identity and only showed what he wanted to show on the livestream. He was not broadcasting the thoughts of his party members because he thought it would not have the same impact if he revealed everything they were thinking about.

    ¡°Now, I am going to try and have an interview with our hardworking Navigator.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disturb me. I¡¯m concentrating!¡± Sae-Rin eximed.

    ¡°As expected, our Navigator is working hard. I am so lucky to be able to meet such an amazing Navigator. I am really fortunate.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok captured Sae-Rin¡¯s beautiful and passionate appearance up close. And from an angle that wasn¡¯t captured on the screen, Jin-Hyeok used the Mystery toward the lock.

    [You have used the ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s unlocked!¡±

    Sae-Rin smiled brightly.

    Jin-Hyeon genuinely thought, ¡®Wow, she is truly beautiful.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok believed that her smile was the most beautiful thing in the world.

    It was a smile she put on after a dedicated and focused y, and when she finally achieved what she set out to do. That expression was the most beautiful expression in the world.

    ¡°You¡¯re truly beautiful,¡± Jin-Hyeok said sincerely.

    ¡°...What?¡± Sae-Rin flinched. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m in the middle of livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°No, tell me. What did you say just now?¡±

    ¡°I said you looked beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Why are you spouting nonsense all of a sudden?¡±

    Sae-Rin turned her head, seeming somewhat displeased. Jin-Hyeok wondered why she always reacted like that when he expressed his genuine feelings, whether it was now or before regression.

    ¡®I should stop using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡¯

    In ordinary human rtionships outside of Dungeon y, Jin-Hyeok tried his best not to rely on the Skill too much. If he depended on it, he felt like his social skills kept deteriorating.

    Seo Ji-Soo approached him.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s your type?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what she was talking about.

    ¡°You just wait. In just three more years, I will be much sexier than her,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ???

    The chains broke, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members began breaking the Clear Crystal. Just before the Crystal shattered, a red light burst forth from the cracked Clear Crystal.

    [You are now able to move to the Hidden Field ¡¸Arachne¡¯s Temporary Residence¡¹.]

    [Do you wish to move to ¡¸Arachne¡¯s Temporary Residence¡¹?]

    [The Dungeon will still be cleared if you decide not to move.]

    The System even kindly provided them with a warning.

    [Statistically, the death rate when yers of your current Level range move to ¡¸Arachne¡¯s Temporary Residence¡¹ is 80%.]

    Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face stiffened. It seemed like he could not help it with his innate disposition.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I think we will be fine,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    That statistic represented all yers. It did not distinguish between a yer with a 1-Star Job and a yer with 9-Star Job in the statistics. There was a world of difference between a yer with 1-Star Job and a yer with a 9-Star Job, even if they were at the same Level. Of course, the number of yers with a 9-Star Job was extremely small, and the number reflected in the statistics itself was very low.

    ¡®Considering all that, an eighty percent death rate is actually a very low death rate.¡¯

    It also did not even differentiate between the Level Grinders and actual yers. In fact, the death rate was disappointingly low. The Dungeons Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party challenged before the regression had a statistical death rate of around 99.98%.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon was smiling faintly.

    ¡®Just as expected!¡¯

    Sae-Rin was also the same. She was undoubtedly more excited than Jin-Hyeok. She was already in a highly excited state, with adrenaline rushing through her.

    ¡®It seems like the Seo sisters are happy about it.¡¯

    Cha Jin-Sol seemed to be okay with it too.

    Everyone was not afraid of new adventures and had a mental state of not being swayed by mere statistics of death rates. They were all solidifying their fundamentals.

    ¡®But Jae-Hyeok seems a bit scared.¡¯

    Even though he might look scared, he was the kind of person who managed to fulfill his role somehow.

    [You are about to move to ¡¸Arachne¡¯s Temporary Residence¡¹.]

    All of them moved to Arachne¡¯s Temporary Residence.

    ¡°We have arrived in a Cave-type Field.¡±

    The path ahead was a long and straight tunnel where no crossroads were visible.

    ¡°There is a stench mixed in the wind.¡±

    Sae-Rin took the lead. It was convenient andforting to have a party member who acted efficiently even without Jin-Hyeok¡¯smand. He could focus more on his livestreaming.

    Sae-Rin, being an excellent Navigator, even gave information to the party.

    ¡°This smell is the scent of rotting corpses. Arachne is said to be a spider-type monster. So it probably wraps its prey tightly with spider webs and keeps them stored.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok followed behind Sae-Rin. She had discovered something.

    ¡°Look over there.¡±

    It was the prey that she had mentioned. There were monsters and human corpses.

    ¡®They¡¯re all dead.¡¯

    They were Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party members. They had to have fallen into traps while escaping the maze and ended up here.

    ¡°They have not been eaten yet, so it seems Arachne is not hungry at the moment.¡±

    Intermittently, small spiders appeared on the walls and then vanished as if they were taken by an invisible wave.

    ¡°Arachne probably uses these spiders as scouts. It will learn that intruders have appeared in its precious food storage,¡± Sae-Rin continued to boast.

    Jin-Hyeok saw Sae-Rin smirk. She seemed to be enjoying this.

    ¡°I wonder how impressive a mobile boss monster can be,¡± she said with a slightly excited voice.

    After a certain point, she stopped leading the way and stepped back. She stood behind Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°I think my role ends here.¡±

    Now, show yourself. The enchanting battle of the crimson light.

    It felt like Jin-Hyeok was hearing voices, but he just thought it was his imagination.

    Step. Step.

    Jin-Hyeok heard something approaching. It was a creaturerger than a bull.

    Arachne, a spider-type monster with eight legs, revealed itself.

    [LV57/Arachne/Skills]

    ¡®Wait. It¡¯s at a higher Level than the Arachne I know. Will the party be able to handle it with their current abilities? I hope they can¡¯t. Then I have no choice but to turn off my livestream and join the fight¡ªWait, no. I shouldn¡¯t be thinking like this.¡¯

    ¡°The monster¡¯s Level is really high. Let¡¯s fight with all our might.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not know what kind of impact this battle would have on him.

    1. A Minor Gallery is a sub-forum (kind of like a subreddit) dedicated to a specific topic for arge Korean forum website called DC Inside (kind of like Reddit). ?

    2. The raw says (-??: ). This is used on DC Inside website, and people can post anonymously. ?

    3. Finger princess is an online ng used to describe users who don¡¯t do their own research and just ask other users to find the answers. ?

    4. Mireuk or ?? is Maitreya, who is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. ?

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61

    Arachne.

    It was a spider-type monster with a shimmering blue body that was muchrger than a bull. It had six flickering red eyes on its head, and while it was not as imposing as the Flying Toad, it had its own sense of intimidation.

    [Skills]

    [1. Biting Fangs]

    [2. Spider Web Spray]

    [3. Hidden Tentacles]

    It was at a higher Level than the Arachne Cha Jin-Hyeok knew of, and it even had a Skill that he had never seen before.

    ¡®I¡¯ve never seen that Hidden Tentacles Skill before.¡¯

    Instantly, Jin-Hyeok reflected on what he had just thought.

    ¡®It¡¯s natural not to know the opponent¡¯s Skills in the first ce.¡¯

    This was the reason why he did not want to get too ustomed to Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. It was natural to engage inbat without knowing the opponent¡¯s Skills. Normally, yers would learn while fighting, but if Jin-Hyeok kept reading everything through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, it felt like his battling ability was declining.

    He needed to be careful.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon was still frightened, but he took the lead and unleashed his Wood Fortress. He performed excellently in his role as a Tank.

    Arachne had a split jaw and sharp teeth. The monster moved sideways along the wall, gnashing its teeth in mid-air.

    ¡°That¡¯s its Skill, Jae-Hyeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok could see where the monster¡¯s Skill wasnding, but there was no time to exin each and every detail.

    ¡®I have no choice but to trust Jae-Hyeon¡¯s Wood Fortress.¡¯

    It was undeniable that Jae-Hyeon¡¯s proficiency in operating the Wood Fortress had greatly improved.

    ¡®Good. Right there.¡¯

    Tooth-shaped ¡®effects¡¯ were generated around the Wood Fortress.

    Crunch.

    Crunch!

    It left tooth marks on the vines surrounding the Wood Fortress.

    ¡°Good job!¡±

    That ability was the monster''s long-ranged attack Skill, Biting Fangs. Although the tooth marks varied slightly, the monster used a total of three Biting Fangs.

    ¡°Remember the feeling just now. You are an excellent Tank, and you can definitely sense where it¡¯s attacking,¡± Jin-Hyeok told Jae-Hyeon.

    It should be known that just using the Wood Fortress alone could notpletely circumvent Arachne¡¯s Skills. Jae-Hyeon had to increase the intensity of his Skill usage at specific areas where the monster¡¯s Skill directly hit, and he did an excellent job in that task.

    ¡°I need you two to split up and approach from the left and the right,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the Seo sisters.

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok purchased aser pointer from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop in order to indicate a more precise location to his party.

    Seo Ji-Soo tended to be overly enthusiastic and tended to hurry if Jin-Hyeok did not indicate the exact path.

    ¡°Ji-Soo, I need you to follow the points I indicate with theser.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed out each point with theser pointer. He could not create points as precise as an actual Ruler, but he could mimic it to some extent.

    He started exining to the viewers in his own way.

    ¡°I believe that this monster avoids closebat. All three of its Skills are considered long-range attacks. Among them, the Spider Web Spray can entangle its enemies. It can be a lethal attack for our agile party members who prioritize mobility.¡±

    Ji-Soo moved following the points Jin-Hyeok indicated. She looked like a flying squirrel.

    ¡°From looking at the monster¡¯s movements, I believe it will attack Jae-Hyeon with its main attack, Biting Fangs, while restraining our party members with its secondary attack, Spider Web Spray.¡±

    Ji-Soo ran toward the next point. Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance kept Jin-Hyeok informed about what was going on.

    [Arachne used its Skill ¡¸Spider Web Spray¡¹.]

    Squirt!

    The monster shot out its spider web. Ji-Soo, who was prepared in advance, quickly stepped to the side. Even though she was prepared, avoiding itpletely was impossible. The spider webnded around her ankle. However, Ji-Soo calmly cut the web with her dagger.

    ¡°The cooldown for Spider Web Spray is twelve seconds. Ji-Ah, I need you to approach the monster and stab its eyes.¡±

    Seo Ji-Ah ran toward the monster and stabbed her dagger into the monster¡¯s red eyes.

    Squirt!

    Green monster blood sprayed out!

    ¡°Just as I expected, the eyes seem to be its weak point.¡±

    Arachne swung its front legs toward Ji-Ah. She used her Stealth Skill and stuck to the wall, narrowly avoiding the monster¡¯s front legs.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, it¡¯s your turn now.¡±

    The aggro was still focused on Jae-Hyeon. With Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members adequately diverting it''s attention, it was not surprising to introduce Kim Jeong-Hyeon, who had a bulky physique.

    Also, Jeong-Hyeon had acquired a Skill called ¡®Heavier Punch¡¯ upon reaching Level 50.

    ¡®I¡¯m counting on you, Jeong-Hyeon.¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon jumped high and swung his fist with mighty force toward Arachne, who was hanging on the wall. His fist was aimed at its red eyes.

    Bam!

    In mid-air, he swung his fist twice, popping two of Arachne''s eyes.

    Squirt!

    Green blood sprayed out again. Meanwhile, the Spider Web Spray Skill, which had a cooldown of twelve seconds, was usable again.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, extend the tree branches.¡±

    ¡°Roger that.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon understood Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words well. He extended one of the tree branches of the Wood Fortress to protect Jeong-Hyeon.

    [Arachne used its Skill ¡¸Spider Web Spray¡¹.]

    The spider web that targeted Jeong-Hyeon tightly bound the tree branch instead of him. The tree branch that came into contact with the spider web could not ovee its toxicity and rotted away. Jae-Hyeon severed the tree branch and created a new one.

    ¡®Hm¡­ This is¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know if he should even think like this as a Streamer.

    ¡®...This is kind of fun!¡¯

    ? ? ?

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was filled withments and posts.

    ?Regarding Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s main Job.?

    ?It is certain that Kim Chul-Soo is a Ruler-ss Streamer.?

    ?Is Kim Chul-Soo really a Streamer??

    Sincemunication was impossible on Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, viewers who wanted to chat flocked to the Korean Region Minor Gallery. Moreover, even the Korean Region Minor Gallery had a limited number of participants, so only the most proactive viewers who desired some sort ofmunication could enter. As a result, its enthusiasm surpassed other onlinemunities.

    -But Kim Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t have any Ruler Skills at all.

    ©»How is it possible to have such fluentmands without any Ruler Skills?

    ©»I¡¯ve been watching Chul-Soo since he was Level 1. It¡¯s true. He does not have Ruler Skills.

    -Stop kissing his ass. I¡¯m pretty sure everyone can do this at low Levels. I don¡¯t understand why everyone is making such a fuss about him.

    ©»That would be true for Servers where all the yers have ess to all the strategies.

    ©»This is an Open Beta Server. Who can do that without any Ruler Skills in an Open Beta Server? With that much potential as a Ruler, Chul-Soo might have just picked the wrong Job for himself.

    ©»But even so, if you look at the overwhelming number of viewers, he might¡¯ve just picked the perfect Job. MoneyShower, MoneyShot, Wind Wanderer¡­ All these Named viewers are watching his livestream. I would call this a huge sess.

    ©»Oh shit, you¡¯re right. I just checked and he is in first ce by miles!

    Various discussions were circting. While it was true that Kim Chul-Soo was showing tremendous growth as a Streamer, there were still differing opinions that he should have chosen the Ruler Job.

    However, Jin-Hyeok (Kim Chul-Soo) was also experiencing simr emotions.

    ¡®Wow¡­ What is this¡­?¡¯

    It was apletely unfamiliar sense of euphoria. He did not engage in the battle directly, but it stimted his essence with a sensation that was no less, or perhaps even greater, than actually participating. It was said that the Ruler-ss yers had their own unique sense of pleasure and it felt like that statement was true. Some Rulers even referred to this sensation as Rulergasm.

    ¡®Why is this so fun?¡¯

    [You have defeated Arachne.]

    Even to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s own standards, this was a remarkably excellent raid.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸Outstanding Team y¡¹.]

    [You have acquired ¡¸Ibustible Spider Web¡¹.]

    Arachne¡¯s eyes were all destroyed. The protective barrier surrounding its head was shattered by Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo¡¯s relentless attacks, and Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s powerful strike crushed Arachne¡¯s head. Although Arachne¡¯s final strike, the Hidden Tentacles that emerged from its back and inflicted a fatal blow that pierced through Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s back, Jin-Sol, who was prepared in advance, immediately healed the wound.

    ¡®The coordination¡­ was perfect.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he had just felt some sort of pleasure that he shouldn¡¯t have felt. It was like stepping into forbidden territory. And he even acquired an Achievement from it.

    ¡®When ying together with party members who share the Achievement, an additional four percent attacking power and four percent defensive power are added. In addition, a twenty percent reduction in cooldowns of Skills.¡¯

    It was an Achievement that would have a significant impact in the low-Level stages. Everything made Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart beat faster.

    ¡®And¡­ what was that notification I heard in the middle?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was sure that he heard it.

    [You have acquired the Latent Skill ¡¸Wide Vision¡¹.]

    Wide Vision was a skill that Ruler-ss yers acquired at Level 40. It granted a wider field of vision than ordinary humans. As the Level increased, it allowed for a 360-degree view, and even the ability to see beyond, such as the sky or underground.

    ¡®While it made some sort of sense for the Swordsman Skills, why is this Ruler Skilltent?¡¯

    The reason was unknown. However, it pleased Jin-Hyeok.

    The fact that Ruler Skills weretent within his body meant that someday he could truly unleash those Skills.

    ¡®If there were a few more Arachnes, I could have learned even more clearly.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok sincerely felt regret. This feeling was simr to the sensation of stepping into the Sword Realm.

    The Arachne raid hade to an end, and Navigator Han Sae-Rin muttered to herself as she observed Jin-Hyeok and his party, ¡°...Beautiful.¡±

    Sae-Rin had a gleam of madness in her eyes as she smiled.

    Jin-Hyeok, unaware of that gaze, spoke, ¡°The Arachne raid hase to a close. Once we find the exit, it will be over.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok no longer wanted to focus on livestreaming. He wanted to surrender himself to the pleasure he had just experienced.

    ¡°Thank you all for watching. I will see you on my next livestream!¡±

    He turned off the livestream, leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the lingering excitement. The party members, who thought Jin-Hyeok was just exhausted, waited patiently without approaching him.

    After a while, Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes.

    ¡°Oppa¡­ Are you okay?¡± Jin-Sol asked in a worried manner.

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, Jin-Sol¡¯s cautious manner of speaking was puzzling. From the look on her face, it looked like she was sick or something.

    Jin-Hyeok reluctantly used the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to confirm.

    [...#Incredible leadership. #Of course you are tired. #You can rest a little bit more.]

    Jin-Hyeok was dumbfounded and almost burst intoughter.

    ¡®She is great and all, but sometimes she worries about really strange things. How can she be worried about such trivial things?¡¯

    However, he understood her feelings. In fact, even since his regression, he had been experiencing simr emotions toward his sister.

    ¡°Sae-Rin, find the exit for us.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Finding the exit was not too difficult.

    [You have cleared the Hapjeong Station Exit 1 Dungeon.]

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, the clear reward itself was not anything special.

    Afterward, Jin-Hyeok became more determined to find the materials to enhance the Berklev Ne. During the process, Sae-Rin joined the party. She was the one who asked him to let her join the party for a while.

    ¡°Let me join you guys for a while. I want to enjoy those beautiful moments. I was so ecstatic back then,¡± she said.

    Others might not understand, but Jin-Hyeok understood what she was talking about immediately. He allowed Sae-Rin to join, and for five days, they actively explored Dungeons together. Unfortunately, they could not experience the same pleasure as they did when facing Arachne.

    And so, five days passed, and it was Friday.

    ¡°As you all saw on the livestream, my party generously gave me their items.¡±

    Ibustible Spider Web.

    Frozen Green Eye.

    Faded Gem of the Eastern Fiend.

    Aged Lizard¡¯s w.

    Red Spring Water of the Moonlight Pond.

    Jin-Hyeok had obtained all five ingredients.

    ¡°For this week¡¯s final livestream, we will be focusing on enhancement. I am going to attempt to enhance the Berklev Ne.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok headed straight to Jongno-gu.

    He arrived at the workshop of the master of enhancement, the one-eyed giant, Mulinus.

    As Jin-Hyeok entered the workshop, the over-two-meter-tall one-eyed giant, Mulinus, spoke in an irritable tone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t take requests from kids.¡±

    ¡°I came here to request an enhancement.¡±

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t take requests from kids. Now, get out of here.¡±

    ¡°I have all the materials.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you to get lost?¡±

    ¡°I came here to request an enhancement, you sky sniffer.¡±

    ¡°Get the hell out!¡±

    Mulinus swung his massive fist. It was a much stronger attack than Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s fist, and it contained a destructive power that the current Jin-Hyeok could not handle.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62

    Mulinus¡¯ attack was aimed at Cha Jin-Hyeok, and the destructive power contained within it was undoubtedly threatening.

    If that hits, Jin-Hyeok would surely die.

    ¡®But it¡¯s not that intimidating.¡¯

    Perhaps it was because Jin-Hyeok knew that Mulinus was not actually going to hit him, but the current situation itselfcked any excitement. Honestly, it felt rather mundane.

    In fact, what was more dangerous than the attack itself was Jin-Hyeok''s sudden realization that he felt no intimidation whatsoever from this punch, despite it being an attack which could kill him.

    ¡®Oh, it must be because of Imperial Resilience.¡¯

    This Trait definitely seemed more effective than Mental Barrier.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯m THAT crazy to be unaffected by that destructive punch.¡¯

    Somehow, Jin-Hyeok felt a bit relieved.

    Whoosh!

    A strong wind blew as Mulinus¡¯ fist brushed past above Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    This was some kind of test. If by any chance Jin-Hyeok showed signs of weakness against that punch, he would not be able toe to this workshop anymore.

    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Mulinus asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not pleasant hearing those words from someone who swings their fist at their client.¡±

    Mulinus angrily walked toward a chair and sat down.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you are here to enhance the Berklev Ne, right?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Katrina told me. He said there is a very interesting Open Beta yer.¡±

    ¡°Well then, it makes things easier. Yes, I came here to find you for the enhancement of the Berklev Ne.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the materials he had gathered one by one and ced them on the table. Mulinus put on green sses and examined the materials. His hands were sorge that the things Jin-Hyeok brought looked like small pebbles.

    But then, Mulinus made a strange remark.

    ¡°So those videos weren¡¯t fake?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard about the controversy?¡±

    ¡°What controversy?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what Mulinus was talking about.

    ¡°People are constantly fighting over whether you are a real Streamer or not, whether the content you provide is real or fake.¡±

    ¡°Is that something to be fighting about?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the Korean Region Minor Gallery?¡±

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±

    Mulinus burst intoughter.

    ¡°Hahahaha! You have the same personality for your livestream and in real life. This is great.¡±

    ¡®What the hell is he talking about?¡¯

    ¡°You are perfectly executing the do-it-my-way attitude. You don¡¯t care about anything other than your livestreaming, and this includesmunicating with your viewers, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m d I met the crazy Streamer hiding behind the screen. I guess that makes me the third viewer to know your true identity?¡±

    ¡°You can say that.¡±

    For reference, the first viewer was Choi Gap-Soo, and the second one was Katrina. Mulinus seemed quite pleased.

    Jin-Hyeok did not know Mulinus enjoyed watching Streamers through the SSP. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life, he never had such personal conversations.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ept your request. However, themission fee is very expensive. Enhancing the Berklev Ne is abor-intensive task.¡±

    ¡°How much is it?¡±

    Before regression, Jin-Hyeok remembered it cost two hundred million Dias to enhance the Berklev Ne. Mulinus was a guy who arbitrarily set prices depending on his affinity with the client. Generally, the cost of enhancing the Berklev Ne was around three hundred million Dias, but since Jin-Hyeok had a good rtionship with Mulinus, he was able to get a lower price.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it for one hundred million Dias.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cheaper than I thought.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not spare money when it came to artifacts. Having good artifacts could save one¡¯s life.

    There was always a reason behind something being too cheap. Moreover, Jin-Hyeok had not built much affinity with Mulinus, so one hundred million Dias was quite surprising. It almost felt like he wasn¡¯t nning on doing a good job because Jin-Hyeok was just a low-Level yer.

    ¡°Hahaha! Is one hundred million Dias too cheap for you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand him at all, so he ended up using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. He was not sure if he could read Mulinus due to the significant Level difference.

    [...#That¡¯s how good I am. #One hundred million is pretty cheap, isn¡¯t it? #Are you seeing this, Dragolf?]

    Mulinus was Level 209. Jin-Hyeok heard that his Level had been fixed at that Level ever since Earth was integrated into the System. With this Level difference, normally, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t have read anything even with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    ¡®How intense of an emotion is Mulinus feeling?¡¯

    If Jin-Hyeok could even read a specific word like ¡®Dragolf,¡¯ it meant that Mulinus had to have been feeling a really intense emotion.

    ¡®Dragolf¡­ Isn¡¯t that the cksmith located around Seocho-gu?¡¯

    The reasons Jin-Hyeok chose Mulinus instead of Dragolf were simple: Jin-Hyeok was somewhat close with Mulinus in his previous life before his regression, and Mulinus was located closer to Jin-Hyeok''s home.

    ¡°Hey, Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Mulinus said.

    ¡°You even know my yer name.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    If he had been continuously watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s videos through the SSP, it was not strange that he knew about Jin-Hyeok. Meeting viewers here did feel a bit fascinating.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely possible to enhance the Berklev Ne with the materials you have gathered.¡±

    [The Quest, ¡¸Mulinus¡¯ Advanced Smelting¡¹, has been activated.]

    ¡°But if one additional material is added, I can create an even better Berklev Ne. How about it? Will you give it a try?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok returned home and had dinner with his family in their nice new house. Suddenly, he felt grateful that he could spend time with his family in such a good home.

    ¡°This is Mom¡¯s allowance, and this is Dad¡¯s.¡±

    He put five million won each into their wallets. Both Mom and Dad tried to refuse, but Jin-Hyeok forcibly managed to slip the money into their wallets. Seeing his surprised parents checking the amount, Jin-Hyeok quickly escaped to his room.

    ¡®I wanted to give them more, but I guess even that amount is surprising for them.¡¯

    Anyway, he felt proud.

    He entered his room andy down on his bed. For some reason, he had been receiving overwhelming support and donations over the past week.

    ¡®Shall I do a little progress check?¡¯

    He turned on Eltube and checked the statistics. During his livestreams, he had an average viewership of about fifteen thousand people. The daily donations amounted to about seven million Dias, and after deducting various expenses, it came down to a profit of around three million won per day.

    ¡®And there are also those who purchased the VIP package separately.¡¯

    He really did not understand. Unlike other Streamers, he did not provide any special treatment to VIPs. He nevermunicated with them, so he did not know why they kept buying the VIP package.

    Jin-Hyeok alsopleted a couple of missions sent by the viewers. Combining the revenue from the VIP package and the mission donations, it amounted to around one billion Dias.

    To sum up, Jin-Hyeok earned one billion Dias in one week.

    ¡®I¡¯m losing touch with reality¡­¡¯

    Since he did not engage with viewers, he had no idea why all these things were happening. Perhaps there was a battle of pride going on between Choi Gap-Soo and the people around him. That was what Jin-Hyeok suspected, at least.

    ¡®What was it called? Trinity?¡¯

    To those people, spending one billion Dias was akin to themon people spending one hundred Dias. If a few of those people decided to spend their money, one billion Dias wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to them.

    ¡®I might actually retire before reaching Level 100!¡¯

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok did not let his guard downpletely. He did not expect this kind of luck to continue indefinitely. It might continue, but it was wise to exclude such ie from his regr earnings.

    At that moment, someone opened his door.

    ¡°Oppa! Oppa! Look at this!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡±

    It seemed like Cha Jin-Sol could not hear him. She looked extremely excited.

    ¡°Look at this! It says Egan Paul earned a whopping six billion Dias this week!¡±

    ¡°Six billion Dias?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he announces his weekly ie every Friday night. He is a Streamer from the United States.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°He has an average viewership of about forty thousand! How many do you have, Oppa?¡±

    ¡°I have around fifteen thousand.¡±

    ¡°Wow! He has way more than you! He must be really amazing.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    As time went by, the gap between Jin-Hyeok and Egan seemed to be getting wider. Although Egan¡¯s earnings seemed hugepared to his viewership numbers, that was probably his ability.

    ¡®It seems like I¡¯m doing well ording to my goals.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt relieved. Compared to Egan, it might seem modest, but even being in third ce was enough for Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Sol went outside, and some time passed.

    ¡®Wow! He has way more than you! He must be really amazing!¡¯

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    He could hear the ticking of the clock. Once he heard it, it became incredibly irritating. He could not sleep. One thing he could say for sure was that he was ying rather aimlesslypared to before his regression.

    ¡®But, is the difference really that huge?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had fifteen thousand viewers.

    Egan had forty thousand.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t this a level where I can somehowpete? If I work hard like he used to, can¡¯t I catch up with him? Even if I¡¯m half-assing right now?¡¯

    ¡°Stop thinking like this, you idiot.¡±

    This damn obsession of wanting to be first ce was something that could not be fixed. It was inevitable.

    People used to say the sadness of breaking up could be fixed by another form of love.

    Saturday wasing soon.

    ¡®Let¡¯s just enjoy my hobby to the fullest.¡¯

    Jin-Sol, who had gone outside, came back again. She kept entering his room as if it was her own. It was annoying, but at the same time, Jin-Hyeok did not dislike it.

    ¡°Oh, Oppa. Our party is nning to go to Paju again for the weekend. I think it will be a good opportunity to see how much we¡¯ve grownpared tost week.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re going to take a break?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just going to rx. It¡¯s the weekend, after all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was nning to take a break, under the name of Kim Pyeong-Beom.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok decided to y as Kim Pyeong-Beom, having summoned an avatar body of himself andid it on the bed.

    [Mulinus¡¯ Advanced Smelting]

    [A method newly devised by the one-eyed giant Mulinus to enhance the Berklev Ne. It requires the finger of the ¡¸Moon Shaman¡¹ that is sleeping in the Hongik University Dungeon.

    Quest Location: Hongik University Dungeon.]

    Jin-Hyeok had to go to the Hongik University Dungeon first. This ce appeared to be a beginner¡¯s Dungeon mainly used by yers with Levels in the 30s to 40s.

    However, there were several hidden secrets here. It would be revealed in the future in a Scenario on the scale of Seoul, but this Hongik University Dungeon was a forward base established by a force called the Army of the Full Moon. This was a Scenario that appeared after Level 100, so it was not important now. Anyway, the Hongik University Dungeon had secrets and, naturally, Hidden Stages.

    ¡®And the boss monster of the Hidden Stage is the Moon Shaman.¡¯

    Based on what Jin-Hyeok remembered from his previous life, yers could choose to either side with the Moon Shaman, or to fight against her. For reference, Jin-Hyeok was on the side opposing the Moon Shaman.

    ¡®If I fight the monster now, I would probably be dead the second Iy my eyes on the Moon Shaman.¡¯

    Just thinking about it made his chest tingle, as if various stimuli were rushing through his nerves. Fighting against the Moon Shaman had been truly thrilling.

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t count how many times he had to face the boundary of death when he was fighting the monster. The memory of dancing on the edge of that precarious boundary, immersed in the Sword Realm, came back to him and his heart raced. He kept that memory, like his first love, tucked away in a corner of his heart as he met Han Sae-Rin at a coffee shop.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Cha Jin-Hyeok?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had changed his appearance. Just to be sure, he changed his appearance from the face widely known on the inte as the Yeosu Swordmaster.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be true,¡± Sae-Ran said.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be?¡±

    She kept doubting, so he called her on his phone to confirm his identity. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s name was saved in her phone as Enchanting Cha Jin-Hyeok. She examined Jin-Hyeok and the screen back and forth.

    ¡°But your face¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty ordinary, right?¡±

    ¡°Ordinary?¡±

    He didn¡¯t understand why her reaction was like that. He almost considered using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, but he held back. He might lose all his social skills at this rate.

    ¡°Why do you have that expression?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Do you really think that your face is ordinary?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I think your standard of ordinary seems too high.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought Sae-Rin¡¯s standard of ordinary was low if she thought that his face was extraordinary.

    ¡°Well, I guess if you lived your whole life with your original appearance, you might think that way. Anyway, so why did you call me separately? I doubt you called to ask me on a date.¡±

    ¡°There is a Hidden Field in the Hongik University Dungeon.¡±

    Sae-Rin knew very well what was important. The mention of the Hidden Field made her forget about everything else.

    Jin-Hyeok loved the twinkle in her eyes. It put him in a good mood.

    ¡°There is a monster called the Moon Shaman. I received a Quest to retrieve her finger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been there before, but I could not find the Hidden Field.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have grown a lot in the past week. Maybe you can find it this time?¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s expression was filled with excitement. Her cheeks turned pink

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She grabbed his wrist tightly, and they hurried toward the Hongik University Dungeon.

    [You have entered the Hongik University Dungeon.]

    ¡°But don¡¯t we have toe with our other party members? If it is a Hidden Field, just the two of us might have a hard time,¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more thrilling to do it with just the two of us?¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    After all, clearing Dungeons with a small number of yers was more fun. The more they aplished with a small group, the greater the sense of achievement. If possible, solo-clearing Dungeons were the best.

    It was great to y with her because Jin-Hyeok did not have to exin everything in detail.

    They have begun their y.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63

    There were quite a few yers inside the Hongik University Dungeon.

    ¡®They seem energetic,¡¯ Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Everyone was diligently hunting, and their prey were monsters called Frush. Frushes were Level 30 monsters that took the form of a brush and measured about fifty centimeters tall. It was probably called Frush because it could fly. Being a flying-type monster, it was tricky hunting them down due to their swift movement speed.

    ¡®If I remember correctly, those monsters dropped quite a lot of Dias¡­¡¯

    Among the Level 30 monsters, Frushes were known for dropping the most Dias. That was why they were popr monsters to hunt among the yers.

    In other words, the Hongik University Dungeon was a popr hunting ground.

    ¡°This Dungeon is tightly controlled by Hongdae[1] Alliance, which is led by students from Hongik University,¡± Han Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Oh really?¡±

    It was something Jin-Hyeok did not know about. However, it was not surprising that he didn¡¯t know, as academic, personal, and family connections would be utterly useless in theing future. If the yers gathered as a specific group, such as Hongik University students, then it was impossible for that group to have excellent yers. The fact that Jin-Hyeok had no idea about this meant that it would be irrelevant pretty soon.

    ¡°So, you need permission from the Hongdae Alliance to y in the Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t get permission? Are they going to kill us?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think they would go that far.¡±

    Seeing her flustered was somewhat amusing.

    Before his regression, it was Han Sae-Rin herself who told Jin-Hyeok that it wasmon for an Alliance that monopolized y in a Dungeon to kill intruders because it was the most efficient way to do so.

    ¡°They probably just harass the yers who didn¡¯t get permission in a sneaky way, like taking theirst hit on the monsters and taking the Dias from the dead monsters,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    The yers currently hunting seemed to either belong to the Hongdae Alliance or have obtained permission from the Alliance.

    ¡°I should have a conversation with their leader to make things go smoothly,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I know who the leader is.¡±

    Sae-Rin looked around and spotted a woman fighting a Frush in a corner.

    ¡°That person over there. Her yer name is Anen. She is skilled and influential, so the members of the Alliance follow her well.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    It had been a while since Jin-Hyeok had seen Anen. She belonged to one of the Alliances of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party before his regression.

    Back then, she was not a top-ranked yer, but Jin-Hyeok had a favorable impression of her. Jin-Hyeok remembered her as having earned the respect of the members and having adequate leadership qualities.

    ¡®I guess she started as the leader of this Hongdae Alliance.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok approached Anen.

    ¡®She is Level 48.¡¯

    She couldn¡¯t be considered a top-tier yer, but she still had a rtively high Level. She was in her early twenties, and her appearance was more striking than Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    ¡°You¡¯re Anen, right?¡±

    ¡°If you want to buy the Permission Ticket to y here, the line is over there.¡±

    Anen seemed indifferent toward him. She subtly pointed to the aforementioned direction with her chin. There was a considerably long line over there.

    ¡°I didn¡¯te to buy that. I have a good proposal to make.¡±

    ¡°...Didn¡¯t we just meet? Why are you speaking informally?¡±

    From way back then, since long before his regression, and up to now in the present, this kind of situation happened to Jin-Hyeok innumerable times. They spoke to him in an informal manner, but when he talked back to them in a simr manner, they got angry at him. Jin-Hyeok still couldn''t understand why.

    ¡°Well, you spoke to me like that first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. So, what¡¯s the good proposal? My time is valuable, you know.¡±

    She suddenly acted all serious.

    ¡®Well, my time is precious, too.¡¯

    She seemed to have a bit of a heroplex. But to Jin-Hyeok, she was just radiating chuuni[2]energy.

    ¡°If the proposal is not good, you are not going to get away easily,¡± Anen said.

    Anen¡¯s personality was a bit different from the Anen Jin-Hyeok knew before regression.. He didn¡¯t know what she meant when she told him that he was not going to get away easily, but he didn¡¯t want to pick a fight unnecessarily. Opening the Hidden Stage here was more important than causing trouble.

    ¡°You know the items dropped by the Frushes, like Sky Paint, Earth Canvas, and Wind Brush? I want to buy them all from you.¡±

    The Hongdae Alliance had a tight grip on this ce. They had to have most of the items from the Frushes.

    ¡°You want to buy those?¡±

    Anen raised an eyebrow. Jin-Hyeok tried to avoid using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance as much as possible, but he needed to use it now.

    [...#Why does he want to buy those trash items? #Is there any use for them?]

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get me wrong. I am not buying them because they are good items.¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for my Quest. You said it yourself, time is precious. I feel the same way. It¡¯s not something important, but I am willing to spend money to save some time. It would take a long time for me to acquire them myself.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay generously. I have a lot of money.¡±

    ¡°Just wait for a moment.¡±

    Anen called another yer. The hierarchy seemed to be well-established as a yer wearing sses came rushing over.

    ¡®A Level 40 Demagogue?¡¯

    His yer name was Backstabber.

    ? ? ?

    Hongik University¡¯s fourth-year student, Gu Ja-Yeol, was Awakened as a Demagogue. Through eloquent speech and persuasion, he sessfully established the Hongdae Alliance and appointed the charismatic junior, Anen, as the leader. In reality, the leader of the Alliance was Ja-Yeol himself.

    His yer name was Backstabber.

    ¡®So he has a lot of money?¡¯ Ja-Yeol thought.

    First, he decided to figure out this neer¡¯s identity. As a Demagogue, his Job was all about manipting and controlling others, while possessing the exceptional Skill called Demagogue¡¯s Eye.

    [Backstabber used the Skill ¡¸Demagogue¡¯s Eye¡¹.]

    Unfortunately, Demagogue¡¯s Eye was of a much lower grade than Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster''s irvoyance. As such, Jin-Hyeok could clearly see how the Skill worked. It was simr to when he read the Skills of Angel Girl. Several green lines seemed to scan Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body.

    [Broadcaster''s irvoyance can block ¡¸Demagogue¡¯s Eye¡¹.]

    However, Jin-Hyeok decided not to block it.

    Ja-Yeol¡¯s Skill disyed the manipted identity created by the Mystery, Multiple Lives.

    ¡®Level 31? His Job is Swordsman?¡¯ Ja-Yeol thought as he smiled.

    The neer didn¡¯t seem all that impressive. The woman beside him seemed to be a Navigator, but it was difficult to read her information. She was probably using a Skill or item to block Ja-Yeol¡¯s Skill.

    ¡®If she is apanying a Level 30 Swordsman, she can¡¯t be that impressive of a Navigator.¡¯

    Although Level 31 couldn¡¯t be considered a very low Level, there were over ten yers around Level 30 in the Hongdae Alliance.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a good condition, it might not hurt to listen to him, Leader,¡± Ja-Yeol said to Anen.

    ¡°Then you do the talking.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Watching their conversation, Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    ¡®Ha! Look at these two.¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    While it was quitemon to appoint a figurehead as a leader of an Alliance, looking at this situation while knowing their rtionship was a bit amusing to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Anen isn¡¯t the type to take the lead. Hm¡­ Weird.¡¯

    But Jin-Hyeok did not really dwell on it. After all, everyone had their own reasons.

    ¡°How much have you collected so far?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°130 Sky Paints, 181 Earth Canvases, and 111 Wind Brushes. How much are you willing to pay?¡±

    ¡°What about ten times the buy-in price at the shop?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    [...#That¡¯s pretty good. #Maybe he is hiding something. #Am I making a mistake?]

    Jin-Hyeok was frustrated. Ja-Yeol was overthinking something that could simply be a win-win situation for both parties, especially when Ja-Yeol himself did not even know how to properly use the items.

    ¡°Think about it carefully. How long would it take to gather that many items with the participation of all Hondae Alliance members?¡±

    ¡°Probably about a week.¡±

    ¡°That means the items are not that rare. As I mentioned earlier, I proposed the trade to save time, not because there is some ulterior motive.¡±

    [...#He is right. #How much would I get if I sold everything?]

    It was ten times the shop¡¯s buy-in price. Since each item was worth about eight hundred Dias, the shop¡¯s buy-in price for all the items would be around 330,000 Dias.

    ¡®Wait, so, 3.3 million Dias in total?¡¯ Ja-Yeol thought.

    [...#Is he really going to buy all these? #These useless items? #Aka Rich af?]

    This neer was willing to spend a whopping 3.3 million Dias to buy items that could be obtained in a week.

    ¡°Alliance Leader, it seems like this could benefit us as well,¡± Ja-Yeol said to Anen.

    He was politely bowing and speaking, but his eyes were directed toward Jin-Hyeok, not the leader.

    [...#He is definitely rich. #I think I can make more money out of him. #This idiot. #He should¡¯ve kept himself hidden.]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

    ? ? ?

    The trade with the Hongdae Alliance ended sessfully. Backstabber was looking at Jin-Hyeok weirdly, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really care.

    ¡°I heard there are NPCs in this Dungeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. There is an NPC that buys Sky Paints, Earth Canvases, and Wind Brushes. If you go straight down that path, you will be able to find the NPC. Why? Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re like a vending machine.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Every time I ask you a question, you always seem to have an answer.¡±

    ¡°...This is prettymon sense for Navigators.¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had been feeling slightly pleasedtely. As he met friends who had simr standards, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of camaraderie. He tried his best to lower his standards, yet still struggled in this world. However, after meeting people like Song Ha-Young and Han Sae-Rin, he understood something.

    ¡®My standards are notpletely wrong.¡¯

    ¡°So, every Navigator knows about this?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Guided by Sae-Rin, they entered a room. In the corner, there was a female NPC wearing a beret. Just like the Angel he saw in the Room of Awakening, she was an AI. ording to the settings of the System, her name was Nameless Painter. Just like every AI, she spoke lines that were programmed into her.

    ¡°Not everyone can fly into the sky. You need an invitation from an Angel. Adventurer, have you received an invitation from an Angel?¡±

    A selection window popped up.

    [Yes. I have received the invitation.]

    [No, I have not received the invitation.]

    ¡°A lot of yers have chosen YES here and ended up in a bad situation. If you im to have received an invitation, you need proof,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    However, if the yer did not have any proof, Nameless Painter brutally assaulted them with the brush she held in her hand.

    The door to this room remained firmly locked until the assault was over. That was why most yers did not dare toe here.

    Click.

    The door locked.

    Nameless Painter asked again, ¡°Not everyone can fly into the sky. You need an invitation from an Angel. Adventurer, have you received an invitation from an Angel?¡±

    ¡°You need to choose NO, for now. I don¡¯t really know what the Angel¡¯s invitation is. We mighte across it while exploring this Dunge¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have received the invitation.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Sae-Rin shouted. ¡°What are you doi¡ªhuh?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed something to Nameless Painter.

    ¡°Oh! It has been a while since I have met an adventurer who has the right qualifications,¡± Nameless Painter said.

    It was the Feather of Luluka that Jin-Hyeok had obtained in the Seoul Station Dungeon a long time ago. This Feather helped Jin-Hyeok to create the Blessed Perfume Oil to defeat the demonized human.

    The bookshelf on one side of the wall slowly started rotating. Beyond the bookshelf, stairs became visible.

    ¡°Move along. Troublemaker Luluka is waiting for the adventurer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was about to take the lead but nced back for a moment.

    ¡°What are you doing? You need to take the lead.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Yeah, sorry. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sae-Rin was baffled. She didn¡¯t understand how Jin-Hyeok met the condition for the Angel¡¯s invitation. However, that was a part she did not need to understand.

    ¡®He was able to do it, but I couldn¡¯t?¡¯ Sae-Rin thought.

    It left a big scratch on her pride.

    ¡®He knew what the invitation was, but I didn¡¯t?¡¯

    Recently, Sae-Rin had risen back to the top of the rankings, albeit by a small margin. She felt a slight sense ofcency, but quickly regained her determination.

    [You are moving to the Hidden Stage ¡¸Cloud Garden¡¹.]

    As they climbed a few steps, the Field changed. Sae-Rin looked around.

    ¡®Are we¡­ in the sky?¡¯

    The ce seemed to be set in the sky. The floor was made of clouds, incredibly soft and fluffy.

    Woof! Woof! Woof!

    They heard the sound of a barking dog. In an instant, Sae-Rin tensed up and surveyed her surroundings once again.

    ¡°Hey, be careful,¡± she said.

    She could sense just from the sound that what she was hearing that it was something to be reckoned with. It was an entity she could not possibly fight against.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a being that we cannot fight. We need to find a ce to hide,¡± she said.

    She needed to buy some time. This Field was not created for fighting. If they fought, they would definitely die.

    Now, this was the realm of the Navigator. She had to ze the trail to find a good hiding spot.

    Woof! Woof!

    The barking sound grew louder, which meant that the entity was approaching. The ce was an expansive, wide-open space, yet she couldn¡¯t pinpoint where the sound wasing from. Perhaps it was rushing toward them from somewhere beneath the clouds.

    Her heart started to pound.

    ¡°I need to find a solution.¡±

    Suddenly, something in the form of a bulldog burst through the clouds.

    At that moment, she had an intuition. It was a monster that they could never hope to defeat together.

    ¡®We¡¯re done for,¡¯

    In the end, she couldn¡¯t find the way.

    ¡®I guess I¡¯m not fit to be a Navigator.¡¯

    She felt a bit sorry for Jin-Hyeok.

    She left him with a parting remark.

    ¡°Hey, Jin-Hyeok. It was fun while itsted. And also, you¡¯re handsome as hell.¡±

    Since it was the end anyway, she decided to say everything she wanted to say.

    ¡°I almost fell for you at first sight. If we happen to meet again alive, I¡¯ll properly confess my love to you.¡±

    1. Hongdae, or ??, is shortened term for Hongik University. ?

    2. Chuuni is a shortened term of the wor dChuunibyou, which is a Japanese ng term for the embarrasing behavior of 13-to-14-year-olds. The term literally means middle school 2nd year syndrome. ?

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64

    Cha Jin-Hyeok sighed in his mind.

    ¡®Why is she like this? She can¡¯t even distinguish between monsters and non-monsters.¡¯

    Of course, in a life-and-death situation, judgments could be clouded.

    ¡®But it¡¯s Han Sae-Rin. She should be better than that.¡¯

    Being someone with high expectations for Sae-Rin, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel a bit disappointed.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression inflicted another wound on Sae-Rin¡¯s pride.

    Woof! Woof!

    The barking sound was from Boongboong which Jin-Hyeok had encountered during the Runaway Dog from the Heavens mission given by Wind Wanderer. It pounced on Jin-Hyeok with its big body.

    ¡®Wow, you¡¯ve grown a lot.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t ovee the weight of Boongboong and fell down. It thought that it was ying and happily wagged its tail.

    [#y with me!! #y with me!! #y with me!!]

    It wagged its tail vigorously, shaking its rear end as if it were dancing. Boongboong licked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face excitedly.

    ¡°This dog still thinks it is a puppy and jumped on me. It just wants to y with me. How did you not see this?¡±

    After the regression, when Jin-Hyeok first met Boongboong, he didn¡¯t recognize it.

    ¡®Now I know it¡¯s not my fault that I couldn¡¯t recognize it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt a slight sense of relief. The reason he did not recognize Boongboong was not that his eye for detail was poor, but because the dog was still too young at that time.

    The Boongboong he met after regression was a young puppy weighing about ten kilograms. Its Level was only 35 then. However, now, Boongboong had grown significantly. It resembled the appearance of Boongboong before regression.

    [LV77/Boongboong]

    [#I¡¯m so excited! #I¡¯m so excited! #I¡¯m so excited!]

    Jin-Hyeok gently pushed away the now forty-kilogram Boongboong, that still considered itself as a puppy. Sae-Rin just looked at Jin-Hyeok without saying a word.

    ¡®I had no idea that wasn¡¯t a monster, but how did he know?¡¯ Sae-Rin said.

    It did not matter whether Jin-Hyeok had a close rtionship with that dog or not. She was frustrated at the fact that Jin-Hyeok, a Streamer, recognized that the dog was not a monster. When Sae-Rin was preparing for her final moments, Jin-Hyeok had other thoughts in his mind.

    Jin-Hyeok approached her and spoke, ¡°It¡¯s disappointing to see such a rookie mistake.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sae-Rin clenched her fist tightly. Her pride was hurt too much, and she could not ept this fact at all. She felt so embarrassed that she wanted to hide somewhere, even if it meant jumping down from the clouds.

    ¡°And what was that thing you said to me? Falling for me? Confess your love?¡±

    ¡°W-Well¡­!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say such creepy things to me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t see Sae-Rin as a woman. She was arade and a brother to him, but never a woman. Sae-Rin bit her lips.

    ¡®Yeah, I showed a pathetic side of me.¡¯

    Since she had shown such a side, she had no words to say even if he found it creepy. She fully understood Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words.

    His standards were so on point that she had nothing to say.

    ? ? ?

    Somewhere, a voice could be heard.

    ¡°Boongboong~ Where are you~¡±

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok heard it, he felt a bit uneasy. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary voice. It sounded like the speaker¡¯s nose was clogged up. Some might say it was a voice filled with cuteness.

    Anyway, from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant sound to hear. If he was to describe how the voice sounds in words, it would be like ¡°Boongboong?~¡±

    ¡°Where is my lovely Boongboong~?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew the identity of the owner of that voice.

    It was Luluka, the young Angel who broke Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm as soon as they met.

    ¡°Where is my Boongboong hiding~?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯sing from above,¡± Sae-RIn said.

    Jin-Hyeok looked upward. After making a big mistake once, Sae-Rin seemed like she was sharpening her senses.

    Far away, an Angel with white wings fluttered and flew toward them. Lulukanded on the floor.

    ¡°Who are you guys?¡± she asked.

    Luluka kept shifting her gaze between Jin-Hyeok and Boongboong. The dog was sitting snugly by his side. They had be quite close after Jin-Hyeok showed Boongboong some affection and gave it a sausage.

    ¡°Why have you stepped into my private space, you mere mortals?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act all high and mighty. It doesn¡¯t suit you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°And adults don¡¯t act as pompous as you think they do.¡±

    Luluka had a slight misunderstanding about adults. She thought that all adults spoke in a formal and lower tone.

    For reference, even adult Angels spoke in the same way as humans.

    ¡°Boongboong,e here.¡±

    Boongboong just turned its head and kept sitting beside Jin-Hyeok. Luluka¡¯s fingertips trembled.

    [#How could you¡­ #Do this to me? #I am your guardian!]

    Luluka, who was going through the teenage phase, started to unnecessarily bother Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you admire my beauty?!¡±

    ¡°What should I admire about you?¡±

    ¡°Look at me! Look at Luluka! Everything you see in front of you is the epitome of beauty!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help butugh. Most Angels had poor social skills, but she was particrly bad.

    So Jin-Hyeok told her the truth.

    ¡°I think she is more beautiful,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while pointing at Sae-Rin.

    Sae-Rin always tried her best while ying. Jin-Hyeok always admired the way she devoted herself to ying and got happy when she achieved something. Although he was a bit disappointed in her today, those moments were beautiful enough.

    ¡°I now understand your poor taste! You are just like that crazy person with the family name Kim!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea who that crazy person with the family name Kim was, they obviously got their head screwed on straight. It was clear that this Kim person knew how to handle Luluka.

    They just had to gently provoke and tease her. That was the way to get what they wanted from Luluka.

    ¡°I will ask again. Why have you stepped into my private space?¡±

    ? ? ?

    The official name of the Field Jin-Hyeok was currently standing on was ¡®Tomb of the Moon Shaman.¡¯ It was literally where the Moon Shaman was buried. Jin-Hyeok fought the monster before, so he knew she was incredibly powerful.

    ¡®ording to the System settings, she is considered a Demi-God.¡¯

    Among the opponents Jin-Hyeok had fought, she was one of the strongest, so the memory was vivid. The real Moon Shaman was said to possess a power so strong that she could bring about the destruction of the universe. By the way, the Moon Shaman he fought was not the real one, but a fake created by some faction.

    Even though the monster only borrowed a fraction of the real Moon Shaman¡¯s power, the monster was still incredibly strong. ording to the System''s settings, the Moon Shaman was defeated and killed in a hundred-year war against the Ruler of Twilight.

    ¡®How powerful must the Ruler of Twilight, who killed her, be?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had yed until he reached Level 240, but he never encountered such a being.

    [¡°Though the Moon Shaman was an enemy, I respect her. Build a pce for her in a ce untouched by the breath of the sky and bury her deep where no one can find her.¡±]

    A tomb-like pce was built, and the Moon Shaman wasid to rest deep within the clouds. Her tomb was filled with spiritual energy. That spiritual energy was infused with the breath of the Moon Shaman and brought about various miracles.

    However, over thousands of years, the power gradually faded. As a result, people''s memory of the Moon Shaman faded and her grand tomb was eroded by time. However, a small part of the spiritual energy remained, causing minor phenomena.

    The Hongik University Dungeon was one of them.

    ¡®This is the ce where mischievous Luluka turned into her own yground.¡¯

    Luluka acted just like a typical chuuni. She was a child who avoided studying and just did whatever she wanted. Jin-Hyeok remembered Luluka telling him something about how she had a dream of bing a painter, but her parents opposed it.

    So, Luluka would run away to this ce every day and would secretly paint.

    [¡°My parents don¡¯t understand me at all.¡±]

    Although she was young, Luluka¡¯s feelings were genuine. The sincere feelings of the young Angel,bined with the spiritual energy of this ce, gave birth to this Dungeon named Hongik University Dungeon¡­ That was the background story behind the creation of this Dungeon.

    Not all Dungeons had suchplex settings. The fact that this ce had such an incredible backstory meant that it would y an important role in the future.

    ¡°Luluka, do you happen to know¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Oh, never mind.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Why did you start talking and then stop? No, wait¡­ For what reason did you initiate verbal discourse only to abruptly discontinue it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had felt this before, but it seemed like Luluka was not very good at sticking to her concept. When she got frustrated, her usual way of speaking burst out.

    ¡°I came here to find something. Well, you wouldn¡¯t know. Never mind. I¡¯ll find it myself,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Luluka seemed angry.

    ¡°Are you iming that I don¡¯t know what you are trying to find with your narrow-mindedness and limited perspective?¡±

    ¡°Why would I ask a child for help?¡±

    ¡°I am not a child!¡±

    If anything, Luluka seemed younger than a middle schooler. It felt like she was about six years old in human terms.

    ¡°Do you even know who the Moon Shaman is?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Heh! If you¡¯re talking about the Moon Shaman, that¡¯s a well-known fairy tale that even little kids know about."

    ¡°Oh. Okay. Cool.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded as if he was not interested and gently patted the head of Boongboong.

    ¡°Boongboong, you want a sausage?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked while ignoring Luluka.

    Luluka¡¯s wings turned red. She seemed extremely angry.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know about the Moon Shaman?!¡± she said.

    ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t know anyway.¡±

    ¡°What would you do if I told you that I do know?¡±

    ¡°Ah, forget it. Don¡¯t bother.¡±

    ¡°There is a tomb where the Moon Shaman was buried here. Angels can find their way even in the clouds. How do you feel about experiencing my incredible power?¡±

    ¡®This is too easy.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    If this ce was an actual ce on Earth, it would be like a neglected cultural heritage site. It was minimally maintained by the Angels, but in reality, it was an abandoned ce. Luluka flew ahead, cutting a path through the clouds.

    ¡®Wow, why is she so fast?¡¯

    It was hard to keep up with her. Honestly, if Jin-Hyeok hade alone, he might have gotten lost in these clouds.

    It was a good thing that Sae-Rin was with him.

    ¡°Hold my hands,¡± she said.

    Sae-Rin showed her incredible abilities as a top-ranked Navigator.

    [Pathfinder used the Mystery ¡¸Tracking Art¡¹.]

    ¡®She already acquired a Mystery?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin flew through the clouds. Thanks to Sae-Rin, they were able to keep up with Luluka.

    ¡°Hmph. You mortals are pretty fast.¡±

    The clouds that obstructed their vision cleared, revealing a field made entirely of clouds. In the middle of the field, there was a small tomb.

    ¡°Do you see it? This is the tomb that is said to be where the Moon Shaman isid to rest.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster''s irvoyance to reveal the information.

    [Tomb of the Moon Shaman]

    [A model created to visualize the tomb where the Moon Shaman is buried.]

    This was what Jin-Hyeok had been looking for. He knew he couldn¡¯t find the real tomb at his current Level anyway. He would probably be annihted by the Guardians before even reaching the entrance.

    ¡°Wow, so you really knew about this ce,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Luluka.

    ¡°With your limited abilities, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to find this ce.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. You¡¯re amazing.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok gently patted Luluka¡¯s head. He was not sure who discovered this strategy, but patting her head after teasing and provoking her would make her open up.

    ¡°Hmph! You think I would be pleased if you do that?¡±

    [#Thump, thump. #I got praised! #Was I that amazing?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok bought a pickaxe from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and started digging the tomb.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± Luluka shouted.

    ¡°I think what I am looking for is here.¡±

    Luluka did not attack people she had a favorable impression of. What Jin-Hyeok was doing wasn¡¯t particrly special.

    In the future, it would be a method used by all yers, since the Moon Shaman¡¯s Finger was a key material used in various Quests and Scenarios.

    There was a coffin inside the tomb, and when the coffin was opened, a finger would be found inside it.

    [Moon Shaman¡¯s Finger (Replica)]

    ¡®Originally, there should be a model resembling the corpse.¡¯

    However, some of the Angels responsible for managing this ce used up most of the budget and could only replicate the finger with whatever they had left. That was why Jin-Hyeok could freely dig through this ce.

    If this ce had been officially and properly managed, the Angels would have caught him immediately.

    However, in its current state, they wouldn¡¯t do anything to Jin-Hyeok even if he wreaked havoc in here.

    ¡®It¡¯s a quite well-made replica. I got this easier than I thought.¡¯

    It seemed Jin-Hyeok was lucky. It was also written as a replica on the enhancing manual. And in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s life before regression, he had enhanced the Berklev Ne using a simr method.

    ¡®Now, I should go and enhance it.¡¯

    Returning to the Hongik University Dungeon from here was not that difficult. He just needed to threaten Luluka.

    ¡°Do you want me to spread rumors that it was you who destroyed this ce?¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Luluka.

    In response, the frightened middle-schooler, no, the six-year-old, Luluka would open the exit with tears in her eyes, along with a warning not to spread such baseless rumors.

    ¡°You are such a bad person!¡± Luluka sniffled.

    ¡°Just think of it as a valuable lesson.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok patted her head once again. In a way, she was quite fragile. Honestly, if they were to fight, she would be the one to win. If their roles were switched, he would¡¯ve just killed her and moved on.

    [Why is he so handsome? #But he is not my type. #I hope he¡¯s not my type. #But still handsome. #Wait, is he my type?]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why Luluka was thinking that when Jin-Hyeok just had an ordinary face.

    ¡®Ah, maybe she is practicing her honey-trapping method for the future.¡¯

    It seemed like she had heard that even if someone was not good-looking, she had to brainwash and control herself to effectively use the honey-trapping method on them.

    Jin-Hyeok should be cautious.

    However, thanks to Luluka, they were able to return to the first-floor area where they were earlier.

    ¡®I should quickly go to Mulinus¡¯ Workshop.¡¯

    That was his n, but he couldn¡¯t proceed with it. Several binding Skills were directed at him. They were Skills used by yers. It seemed like they were trying to restrain Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    It seemed like the yers were trying to kidnap him. It had been a while since someone tried to kidnap him, so he felt a bit excited.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65

    Gu Ja-Yeol, yer name Backstabber, was a Level 40 Demagogue, and he just contacted his friend, Go Bong-Hyeok, someone whom he had known since high school.

    ¡ª What¡¯s up?

    ¡°Gather the Sogang Alliance members and quicklye to the Hongik University Dungeon.¡±

    ¡ª Why?

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a rich kid on our hands.¡±

    ¡ª Oh, really?

    Backstabber was the actual leader of the Hongdae Alliance. And Bong-Hyeok, yer name Sinchon[1] Rascal, was the leader of the Sogang Alliance. He had a Hidden Job called Descendant of Justice Bao[2] and was a skilled Debuffer specializing in binding Skills. His Level was 44.

    He heard Backstabber¡¯s voice.

    ¡®Why are you sote? Don¡¯t look at me. Just say hi to Anen.¡¯

    This was one of Ja-Yeol¡¯s Demagogue Skills called Whisper. It allowed him to secretly transmit his voice.

    ¡°Leader Anen, I¡¯m sorry for beingte,¡± Bong-Hyeok said.

    The actual conversation was with Backstabber, but he pretended to have a conversation with Anen.

    Backstabber whispered to Anen, ¡®Let¡¯s double-check our operation.¡¯

    ¡°Leader of the Sogang Alliance, are you familiar with our operation?¡± Anen asked.

    ¡°Of course. This isn¡¯t my first rodeo. Word is that some wealthy guys have entered there, is that correct?¡±

    The Sogang Alliance had a significant number of Debuffer yers under the leadership of Bong-Hyeok.

    ¡°So I am going to bind them, you guys are going to attack them, and we will take their money. It¡¯s a happy ending for everyone,¡± Bong-Hyeok said while smirking.

    He and his Alliance members were prepared.

    ¡°Judging by the fact that the entrance is still closed, the people inside should be severely injured."

    Even the young masters ofrge chaebol families who entered here with optimism had alle out severely injured. The Alliances would bind them and take their money and items, which had already amounted to over two hundred million won.

    ¡°I was a bit disappointed that the rich kids had stoppeding here.¡±

    After a while.

    nk.

    The sound of the door opening was heard.

    ¡°Sogang Alliance, get ready!¡±

    Soon, the two severely injured yers would appear from the other side of the door.

    As the door was opening, Bong-Hyeok heard a puzzling remark.

    ¡°Damn, I was expecting more.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Damn, I was expecting more.¡¯

    Encountering skilled yers from different sses was always an exciting experience. However, Cha Jin-Hyeok was greatly disappointed. He saw a shabby made of mana threads flying toward him.

    [Enemy used the Skill ¡¸Binding Rope¡¹.]

    [Enemy used the Skill ¡¸Binding Net¡¹.]

    [Enemy used the Skill ¡¸Walk Slower¡¹.]

    In addition to these Skills, a few more binding Skills were added. All of these Skills formed a scatteredwork of traps flying toward Jin-Hyeok. There were too many ways he could avoid these Skills that he didn¡¯t know which way he should choose.

    ¡®Only idiots would get caught by these Skills.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen such shabby traps before. If he moved just three steps to the side, he would easily dodge the traps. So that was exactly what he did.

    ¡®What kind of idiot would get hit by¡ªnever mind.¡¯

    When he looked to the side, Han Sae-Rin had been caught in the binding Skill. A ck arm protruded from the ground, tightly gripping Sae-RIn¡¯s ankle.

    ¡®No way¡­ How did she get caught?¡¯

    Sometimes, Sae-Rin could be truly magnificent, but in moments like this, she fell short. As someone who had high hopes for Sae-Rin¡¯s future, it was a disappointing situation.

    However, the most absurd thing about all of this was that crazy guy with the yer name Sinchon Rascal.

    ¡°Hahahaha! This is the power of the Sogang Alliance!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what this Sogang Alliance was about.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn! Attack them!¡±

    Some of the yers Jin-Hyeok saw on the first floor approached them.

    Sae-Rin bit her lip.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean what¡¯s going on? We¡¯re being kidnapped,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Sae-RIn. Then, he turned around and spoke to the enemies that were about to attack him, ¡°I will give you guys five seconds. If you don¡¯t want to regret what is going to happen, drop all your weapons and surrender, or just surrender and walk away. I am not in a good mood right now.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about, you idiot!¡± Sinchon Rascal said whileughing.

    It seemed like he was convinced that Jin-Hyeok was caught in his binding Skill.

    ¡®How? Why? Why is he so sure? I¡¯m so confused.¡¯

    ¡°You just look fine on the outside, but I know you¡¯re seriously injured on the inside!¡± Sinchon Rascal said.

    ¡®I¡¯m injured? I¡¯ve never felt this refreshed in my life. This guy has been talking nonsense from the start.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s so weird that every time I kindly warn people like you, they just don¡¯t listen¡­¡±

    This was the pain Jin-Hyeok had to live with for not being famous. Before regression, his warnings had some weight, but Jin-Hyeok just guessed this was how things were now.

    ¡°AHHH!¡±

    A man yelled and approached Jin-Hyeok. It seemed like this guy also thought Jin-Hyeok waspletely trapped. That was why he was rushing at Jin-Hyeok so recklessly.

    Stab!

    He was so reckless that Jin-Hyeok just poked him in the shoulder with his dagger.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    The members of the Alliance widened their eyes. To be honest, until the veryst moment, Jin-Hyeok had a faint hope that these guys were just acting and were just trying to catch Jin-Hyeok off guard. However, it seemed like they really believed that Jin-Hyeok was caught in a bind.

    ¡°Who would get caught in such weak traps? Even a three-year-old could avoid them if they had eyes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    In the meantime, another set of binding Skills flew toward him.

    [Enemy used the Skill ¡¸Binding Rope¡¹.]

    [Enemy used the Skill ¡¸Binding Net¡¹.]

    [Enemy used the Skill ¡¸Walk Slower¡¹.]

    ¡®Huh? They¡¯re reusing the same set of Skills?¡¯

    These yers seemed to have learned nothing. Even though their surprise attack failed earlier, now they were just tantly reusing the same set of Skills.

    It was frustrating to see those whocked the basics in their abilities but were so full of themselves. If they were going to execute a kidnapping y, they should have done it properly and convincingly. Jin-Hyeok thought this was just wasting everyone¡¯s time.

    This time, he didn¡¯t dodge.

    ¡°We did it!¡±

    ¡°We got him!¡±

    Two yers holding spears from the Hongdae Alliance approached him. However, perhaps because they saw Jin-Hyeok stab another yer before, they seemed a bit cautious.

    ¡°Hey! What the hell are you waiting for? Go and stab him!¡± Sinchon Rascal said.

    Jin-Hyeok was not actually caught in the binding Skills. He didn¡¯t dodge, but he blocked them with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. He also blocked the spears the enemies thrusted with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ng! ng!

    The two spears bounced off his Broadcaster''s Barrier andnded on the ground. Then, Jin-Hyeok closed the distance and swung his dagger toward the shoulder of the person who tried to stab Jin-Hyeok.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]

    Slice!

    Jin-Hyeok severed the enemy¡¯s arm.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok picked up the severed arm and threw it at the group of yers. These guys reallycked the basics.

    ¡°Closing your eyes while attacking? Turning your head?¡±

    That was seriously crossing the line.

    Stab!

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed his dagger into the enemy¡¯s shoulder as well. As the tide had turned to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s favor, more than ten of the guys on the other side began to falter. This was why momentum was crucial in a battle.

    Then, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! This is just his special ability! When he feels a serious threat, he unleashes great power. Don¡¯t lose courage. We are the Hongdae Alliance and the Sogang Alliance. If we don¡¯t crumble right now, we can definitely subdue him!¡±

    It was the voice of Anen, the leader of the Hongdae Alliance. However, Jin-Hyeok could easily tell that it was Backstabber, using the Instigate Skill, and manipting Anen to say whatever he wanted.

    ¡®Wow, he¡¯s just borrowing someone else¡¯s voice.¡¯

    Leader Anen stood before Jin-Hyeok, wielding a sword.

    ¡°I am going to fight him. His health is almost depleted, so just kill him when¡ª¡±

    Anen was rying the words of a Demagogue. This caused a dy.

    Humans were originally designed to do only one thing at a time. Acting like this significantly slowed down their reaction.

    So, Jin-Hyeok quickly approached her and swung his dagger.

    ¡°Keuk¡­¡±

    ¡°Who talks so much during a battle?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You coward¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the cowardly one.¡±

    Initiating a surprise attack with this many yers¡­ Jin-Hyeok did not know who was calling whom cowardly.

    When Anen lost her arm, the members of the Hongik Alliance, on the contrary, became more courageous and resolute.

    ¡°Hm¡­ you must have been an impressive leader.¡±

    Some of the yers rushed toward Jin-Hyeok, and a chaotic battle ensued. In the midst of it, Backstabber shouted loudly, ¡°We have to kill him right here, right now! If he happens to survive ande back, terrible things will happen to us! He will hire numerous yers to kill us all!¡±

    Even in this extreme(?)bat situation, his Instigate Skill worked quite effectively.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    It looked like Backstabber was trying to run away after telling his fellow members to attack Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I guess those who are attacking me are quite admirable.¡¯

    These were the guys who did not care about themselves and charged at Jin-Hyeok for attacking their leader. So, Jin-Hyeok only stabbed them without severing their arms.

    Stab! Stab! Stab!

    Jin-Hyeok even avoided the vital points. Even so, they wouldn¡¯t be able to attack him anymore.

    ¡°You¡¯re running away, leaving behind your Alliance Leader and your other members?¡±

    He was the actual person who orchestrated all of this, yet he was the one farthest away from Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°You really crossed the line.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grabbed his dagger and threw it. It struck Backstabber precisely at the back of his head. He copsed without uttering a word. The remaining yers surrendered, and Jin-Hyeok only cut off one finger each.

    ¡°If you guys go to your Healer and ask for help, you are going to be good as new.¡±

    These low-ranked yers had their own problems. If their leader asked them to do something, they had to do it, no matter how stupid it was. They were still young and growing, so Jin-Hyeok decided to have some mercy.

    ¡°But the leaders won¡¯t get off so easily.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok picked up Anen¡¯s arm and walked toward Sinchon Rascal, the Leader of the Sogang Alliance.

    ¡°I am a good yer who respects human rights.¡±

    Habits were scary. Jin-Hyeok maintained aposed and undisturbed demeanor, calmly stating his position.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cut it off without causing much pain. Give me your arm,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Sinchon Rascal.

    ¡°No!! Please!¡± Sinchon Rascal stumbled backward.

    Jin-Hyeok warned him nicely, but it seemed like Sinchon Rascal didn¡¯t understand the severity. Jin-Hyeok closed the distance and cut off his arm.

    ¡°You two should take responsibility.¡±

    Anen pressed her shoulder with a pale face as she approached Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I will take the responsibility," Anen said.

    ¡®What is she talking about? The responsibility has already been taken. Can¡¯t she see the arm I¡¯m holding?¡¯

    Anen kneeled down and extended her neck.

    ¡°In exchange, spare the members of my Alliance. They only acted under my orders.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t understand why she naturally assumed he was going to kill her. He never said he was going to kill them.

    However, Jin-Hyeok''s thoughts were interrupted.

    ¡°You motherfucker!¡± Sinchon Rascal screamed as he fled.

    ¡®Compared to Anen, that guy is a nobody.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought of a great idea. He took out a dagger from his pocket and threw it toward the back of Sinchon Rascal¡¯s head. Jin-Hyeok was a bit confused as to why he would run away after what happened to Backstabber.

    ¡°That guy paid with his life. I don¡¯t have to kill you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tossed aside Anen¡¯s severed arm. Instead of taking two arms from the leaders, Jin-Hyeok decided to take one life.

    ¡®Ah, it reminds me of the old days.¡¯

    When Jin-Hyeok thought back, there was something romantic before regression. Sparing the leaders who loved their subordinates was amon urrence.

    ¡®I¡¯ve also been spared like that several times¡­¡¯

    They said they were impressed by the sight of Jin-Hyeok who fought fearlessly, risking his life until the end.

    ¡°Do whatever you want with your arm. Just don¡¯t pull a stunt like this again. I can only forgive you once that you were manipted by a Demagogue.¡±

    Anen looked at him with a shocked expression.

    ¡®Did she think I wouldn¡¯t know about that?¡¯

    [#I¡¯ve escaped from the maniption! #I will never forget your favor. #I will be stronger. #And repay you.]

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of satisfaction.

    ? ? ?

    Sae-Rin, who was hiding in the shadows, covered her mouth.

    ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ she thought.

    At first, she was surprised. She knew that Jin-Hyeok was considered one of the strongest Streamers, but she did not expect him to be this powerful.

    ¡®He is incredibly strong¡­¡¯

    She did not take her eyes off Jin-Hyeok for even a moment, no, she could not take her eyes off him.

    ¡®So beautiful¡­¡¯

    The way he fought was incredibly beautiful. There was no unnecessary movement in his action. His movements were graceful as if he was dancing.

    After everything was settled, Sae-Rin approached Jin-Hyeok as if she was possessed.

    ¡°That¡­ was incredible!¡±

    Then she touched every part of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body like a crazy person. She gasped for breath and got lost in a trance.

    Jin-Hyeok looked at her with a proud expression.

    ¡®Yes! That¡¯s the expression!¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    There was no doubt that Sae-Rin was inspired. This inspiration would soon lead to enlightenment. Jin-Hyeok had no intention of interrupting her inspiration.

    ¡°Touch to your heart¡¯s content.¡±

    Finally, it felt like Jin-Hyeok was actually ying. He willingly offered his body for her enlightenment.

    Time passed by, and Sae-Rin suddenly snapped out of her trance, realizing that she had been resting her head on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Oh, um¡­ No¡­ this, um¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you attain enlightenment?¡±

    At that moment, Sae-Rin felt that Jin-Hyeok understood everything about herself. He understood her better than anyone else. The urge to make excuses vanished, reced by a sense ofplete satisfaction filling her heart.

    ¡°It feels like I caught a glimpse of the future I need to strive for,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Well, in that case, it¡¯s all good. About getting caught in those bindings earlier, that was a bit disappointing.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I was really disappointed.¡±

    Those words of disappointment made Sae-Rin incredibly happy. It was the whip that would discipline her to be stronger.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. Really. It will never happen again. And also¡­ thank you.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s face turned red.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok turned on the livestream.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the enhancement livestream! Luckily, I managed to get the materials. I skipped the boring parts of getting those materials. We will be arriving at Mulinus¡¯ workshop soon!¡±

    Before long, they arrived at Mulinus¡¯ workshop. He was pleasantly surprised.

    ¡°You already got this?¡± Mulinus chuckled while taking the Moon Shaman''s Finger. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to actually get this so soon.¡±

    Mulinus examined the Moon Shaman¡¯s Finger for a while before grabbing an old apron and a hammer.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin the enhancement.¡±

    ng! ng!

    Mulinus started hammering. With each hit, a bright light shed, and one of the materials was consumed and disappeared. This went on one by one until all the materials were used up.

    ¡°Finally!¡±

    With a brilliant light, the shape of the Berklev Ne changed.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    The moment Jin-Hyeok received the enhanced Berklev Ne, a new notification popped up.

    [You are the first person in the Server to sessfully enhance the Berklev Ne.]

    [You have acquired the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Record Breaker¡¹.]

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    1. Sinchon is an area in Seoul where a lot of notorious universities are located, such as Sogang University. ?

    2. Justice Bao, or Bao Zheng, was a Chinese politician in China¡¯s Song Dynasty. He was known for his honesty and uprightness, hence the nickname, Justice Bao. ?

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66

    Nerver was thergestmunity in the System. Some posts started appearing on the Earth Server, which was considered one of the smallestmunities in Nerver.

    -Someone just broke the Server-level record on the Earth Server.

    ©» An Open Beta Server yer broke the Server-wide record? Don¡¯t fuck with me. LOL

    ©» Nope, not gonna fall for that.

    Posts iming to have broken the Server-wide record during the Open Beta service had been around for a long time.

    -Here is the link to the SSP video. Go check it out.

    ©» Huh? It was real?

    ©» What Level is the yer?

    ©» Probably in thete 50s.

    Some even managed to uncover the previous Server-level record.

    -Level 112, a super rookie named Henser from Arvis set the recent record, but that was seven years ago.

    After seven years, the Server-wide record was broken. Not everything that imed to be a new record was recognized as a ¡®record¡¯ by the System. The System only acknowledged a record-breaking achievement if there were sufficient reasons or evidence.

    The Berklev Ne was no exception.

    Some also captured screenshots from the SSP video and posted the rewards Cha Jin-Hyeok obtained.

    [Record Breaker]

    [You have surpassed the System¡¯s best record. This Achievement has a significant impact on enhancement effects.]

    The Record Breaker effect was immediately applied to the Berklev Ne.

    [Reflection +1]

    [Ability to reflect an attack that result in an instant death. (Base probability: 70% +10%)

    However, an attack that result in a fatal injury may be converted into an attack that result in an instant death instead (Base probability: 30%)]

    The base probability of Reflection had increased by ten percent.

    -Isn¡¯t 80% Reflection as good as a Mythic-Grade item?

    ©»No, it¡¯s not.

    ©»Stop exaggerating. How can there be a Mythic-Grade item in an Open Beta Server?

    ©»I know the Earth Server has been very popr these days, but that¡¯s a bit over the line.

    ©»LOL! You think Mythic-Grade items are that easy to acquire?

    Many people gathered to say that the item¡¯s performance was not Mythic-Grade. However, themunity¡¯s Named user, Encyclopedia, appeared, and public opinion quickly changed. Their post was disyed in bold, unlike the others.

    -In practical terms, reaching a Reflection chance of 80% is indeed considered Mythic-Grade. I have not seen an 80% calction other than for Mythic-Grade items. However, if it were a true Mythic-Grade item, it wouldn¡¯t have such penalties. The Reflection performance itself is Mythic-Grade, but the penalty is too severe, making it an aberrant item. Statistically, yers who use such items are unlikely to reach the top-rank. As everyone knows, items with excessive gambling characteristics eventually kill their users.

    [Written by: Encyclopedia.]

    This Named user of Nerver was known for having knowledge about everything among all users, and they just proved that Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Berklev Ne performance was close to a Mythic-Grade item.

    -Maybe there will be a new record on the Moon Fragment Scenario as well?

    ©»No way. That¡¯s just wishful thinking.

    ©»You¡¯re going too far. LOL

    ©»Don¡¯t you remember you set that record? You need to be more realistic. Haha.

    An Open Beta Server was usually a ce with little interest from people. However, with the Record Breaker Achievement, more people started taking an interest in this Open Beta Server.

    I just logged into the Open Beta Server for the first time.

    ©»Huh? Me too!

    More people logged into the Open Beta Server for the first time, bringing joy to the heavy users.

    -I told you! There is good content even in the Open Beta!

    Some were worried.

    -Ah¡­ I was trying to keep this ce a secret.

    -I didn¡¯t even try to promote it. Why is it already bing famous?

    Without Jin-Hyeok even realizing it, he was gradually bing the most famous Streamer on Earth.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Hm. I just got the Record Breaker Achievement.¡¯

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had acquired many Major Achievements and First Achievements before regression. However, setting a new record was a different story. It epassed all Servers.

    ¡®Maybe I¡¯m bing too sessful.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew this new record was not an incredibly remarkable one. Not all records were the same. There were records for sessfully enhancing a single item and records for breaking through a massive Scenario involving the entire Earth.

    The record Jin-Hyeok set would be a modest and minor one.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure a lot of yers could do the same.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt that while looking at Han Sae-Rin. Despite not having the merit of regression, she showed an extraordinary power that exceeded Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expectations. She disappointed him in some aspects, but as a regressor, he had to take that into consideration.

    If he did not have the benchmark of Egan Paul, he might have thought he did things too well.

    However, Egan was already far ahead of him.

    ¡®What I am achieving right now¡­ should be about half of what Egan has aplished.¡¯

    Thinking that way, Jin-Hyeok did not feel like he was doing too well. He seemed to be ying at a reasonably good level.

    Jin-Hyeok unknowingly smiled.

    ¡®Tomorrow is Sunday! I can keep being Kim Pyeong-Beom!¡¯

    Suddenly, he realized something strange.

    ¡®Wait, did I turn on my livestream on a Saturday?¡¯

    Weekends were his day off. He intended to only y as Kim Pyeong-Beom, but it seemed like Jin-Hyeok wanted to show off the enhancement content. Without his knowledge, it seemed like he was transforming into a real Streamer.

    ¡®Is this a good thing?¡¯

    Lately, even when there were no viewers, he felt like talking to himself as if he was livestreaming. He acted as if he was livestreaming even when he hadn¡¯t turned it on. It seemed like a positive change.

    Anyway, tomorrow, he would still be Pyeong-Byeom.

    ¡®I should try out the Berklev Ne.¡¯

    If he had obtained a new item, it was customary to try it out. Luckily, he knew the perfect ce to use this item.

    ¡®Will Serchan be angry?¡¯

    Serchan was a passionate man immersed in his work and also the GM of Yeosu. He might me Jin-Hyeok for ruining the Scenario he had prepared so carefully. But that did not matter to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®What could be more important than testing a new item?¡¯

    Serchan¡¯s Scenario being ruined was Serchan¡¯s concern. Jin-Hyeok just hoped Serchan would understand.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok purchased a bus ticket bound for Yeosu. The buses were operating with significant restrictions, and he had to wait for a long time to board the bus.

    ¡®Wow, time really doesn¡¯t seem to pass.¡¯

    Time always felt slower when he was looking forward to something. He was so excited just thinking about fighting against the Flying Toad again, but the damn bus was so slow.

    ¡®I miss the old days.¡¯

    He used to travel by helicopter or with the help of a Teleportation Mage. Compared to that, this journey was inefficient and exhausting.

    He finally arrived at Yeosu.

    ¡®I should still contact him.¡¯¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried to call the GM, but there was no response.

    ¡®Huh? I thought he would answer my call right away.¡¯

    He expected Serchan to make a fuss.

    He used the GM Call one more time, and this time, he received a message.

    ?If you keep bothering me, I¡¯ll kill you. Sender: Hagon?

    It was a name Jin-Hyeok did not recognize. It seemed that the GM for this city had changed.

    ¡®Well, this makes me feel more at ease.¡¯

    With an eased mind, Jin-Hyeok headed toward Yeosu City Hall. Along the way, he saw corpses that had died not too long ago.

    ¡°There are a lot of crazy people.¡±

    He could tell just by looking at the corpses. They were defenseless against the Flying Toad and ended up dead.

    ¡®They should¡¯ve thought about fighting monsters in their Level range to get stronger. Shame on them.¡¯

    Just fighting strong opponents would not make yers improve their skills. There needed to be a certain level ofpatibility. They had to fight the strongest opponents they could handle to be stronger.

    ¡®I guess there¡¯s always those crazy people in any timeline.¡¯

    The number of corpses was more than he had thought. This was partly due to the existence of the Yeosu Swordmaster (Cha Jin-Hyeok). The Yeosu Swordmaster had single-handedly annihted the Flying Toad, instilling hope in numerous yers that they too could do it. As a result, many yers began to actively hunt the Flying Toad.

    Jin-Hyeok did not deeply contemte the cause and effect of this.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s only natural to want to fight the strongest opponents. That¡¯s human instinct.¡±

    And there was someone observing Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    Inside the building that had almost turned into ruins, there was a woman hiding behind a pir. She was using her irvoyance Trait to scout the area near Yeosu City Hall when she noticed Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°He is holding a sword.¡±

    Seeing him alone, there was no doubt that he would meet his end soon.

    ¡®Ha¡­ I wanted some good content for my livestream.¡¯

    Her name was Kang Mi-Na. She was the seventh-ranked Streamer in the Korean Region rankings.

    She came to Yeosu with excitement. The strongest monster currently in existence was in Yeosu. With that, it seemed like she could create good content.

    She continued her livestream.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s another person cosying as the Yeosu Swordmaster.¡±

    There were quite a few that mimicked the Yeosu Swordmaster.

    ¡°It was amazing how ignorant some people are, not knowing the difference between the Flying Toad they see on the screen and the real Flying Toad.¡±

    When they came here in teams, she managed to extract some decent Eltube material. However, if they came by themselves, like that idiot, she knew she couldn¡¯t get a single second of good content. They all died in an instant.

    ¡®I guess I should get a couple of clips for the teaser video.¡¯

    Thinking that way, she examined Jin-Hyeok and was startled.

    ¡®W-What the¡­¡¯

    It felt like their eyes had just met. A strange chill went down her spine.

    ¡°I feel like¡­ we just met eye contact, but of course, it must be an illusion, right? Hahaha¡­¡±

    But for some reason, it did not feel like an illusion. She hastily rewound the recorded footage. In the recorded video, the man was looking at her and smiling.

    She was shocked beyond words.

    ¡®He smiled at me?¡¯

    The distance between here and Yeosu City Hall was a whopping three kilometers.

    ¡®He¡­ he waved his hand?¡¯

    The chance of the yer wielding the sword recognizing her was practically zero.

    ¡®I-it must be just a coincidence¡­¡¯

    She calmed her startled heart. She told herself again and again that this could not be true.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The man suddenly disappeared from her sight.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    It was the first time her irvoyance had missed its subject. Feeling an inexplicable uneasiness, she frantically searched for the man.

    ¡®He¡¯s gone!¡¯

    It felt like she was possessed by a ghost. She even wondered if he was not a person but another monster in human form. After a short while, she heard a voice from behind.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    The man was waving his hand, with a very weing expression.

    ¡°AHHH!!!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The world was vast, and there were many crazy people. The fact that a Streamer who had absolutely nobat power managed to sneak into Yeosu said it all.

    Thanks to the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok was able to recognize that Mi-Na was there.

    ¡®There are not many yers who have the irvoyance Trait at the early stages.¡¯

    Also, the aura of the Skill felt too familiar. That alone could not guarantee that Kang Mi-Na was here, but still, Jin-Hyeok thought it would be nice if it were her. Whether it was luck or something expected, it turned out to be Mi-Na.

    She was startled when she saw him.

    ¡°W-What¡­ How did you¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry in advance.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok struck Mi-Na¡¯s head with an iron rod he had prepared in advance. This was the method Mi-Na herself taught him.

    ¡°When you wish for the livestream not to be aired, the most certain method is to knock out the Streamer.¡±

    During y, there were times when yers did not want to be exposed on the livestream. In such cases, it wasmon to ask the Streamer to stop the livestream.

    ¡°Among Streamers, we call this method ¡®bashing the head in.¡¯"

    When a Streamer lost consciousness, the livestream was automatically disconnected from the SSP, and the livestream would end. It was a method that Mi-Na had used a lot, before regression.

    ¡®Come to think of it, she really is a crazy person.¡¯

    She had no mercy for Streamers who filmed the same content as her or stole her original ideas. Streamers even called her the Head Basher.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeak struck her head using the method she taught him and waited for her to regain consciousness. If she turned on her livestream again as soon as she woke up, Jin-Hyeok would have to strike her again.

    ¡®Maybe, that¡¯s too much¡­¡¯

    With a kind heart, valuing his former party member, Jin-Hyeok bought an expensive hood from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and covered her eyes. I was being kind to her because he liked her; otherwise, he would have treated her much harsher.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    Before he knew it, Mi-Na regained consciousness, and Jin-Hyeok calmly exined to her as a good person.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want this to be livestreamed¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re insane! Get lost!¡±

    It might have been because she could not see, but she was swinging her dagger randomly and the resistance was fiercer than Jin-Hyeok expected. He wondered why she was like that.

    The Kang Mi-Na he knew would not be flustered in such a situation and would even try to turn this into her livestream content. The Kang Mi-Na of this time seemed tockposure. If he had known, he would have tied her arms and legs.

    ¡°This is your fault. Don¡¯t me me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to knock her out again, tie her arms and legs and secure her to a pir. He hoped she would feel more at ease when she woke up.

    After some time, Mi-Na woke up.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be gentle here. You just need to listen,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What is it that you want? Why are you doing this to me?¡±

    ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re calm.¡±

    He made a proposal that would benefit both parties.

    ¡°I will let you film my battle against the Flying Toad. I am nning on defeating it by myself.¡±

    But judging by her extremely guarded demeanor, convincing her wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    ¡°You will be the only one filming me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Deal, Oppa.¡±

    Mi-Na smiled.

    Jin-Hyeok also smiled.

    Now, she was more like the Kang Mi-Na Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    By the way, she was older than Jin-Hyeok.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67

    It had always been like this for Kang Mi-Na. She would go crazy at the mention of an exclusive filming. Regardless of what the filming was for, she would always say yes first. She would always prioritize securing exclusivity rather than reviewing what she was filming.

    ¡®Exclusive filming is advantageous to me,¡¯ Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Even if it was not Mi-Na, someone would keep an eye on him. Whether it was drones or whatever other means, they would find a way to monitor him.

    Once Jin-Hyeok entered an exclusive contract with a Streamer, other Streamers or technology would not be able to film him.

    ¡®I¡¯ll only be captured on screen through Mi-Na¡¯s perspective.¡¯

    Rather than exposing himself to numerous people, it seemed better to show himself through just one person, which in this case, was Mi-Na. It also made editing any potentially problematic footage easier.

    He had a brief conversation with Mi-Na.

    ¡°Actually, the Yeosu Swordmaster is my disciple.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°Since it killed my disciple, I must seek revenge. I will definitely defeat the monster, so make sure you capture everything.¡±

    They started drafting the Streaming contract.

    ¡°What do you think about the conditions?¡±

    ¡°I like it. It¡¯s a bit disappointing that it won¡¯t be a livestream, though.¡±

    Still, the edited version was better than nothing. She would be the first Korean Streamer to film the Flying Toad being killed.

    ¡°Then, can I release a teaser?¡± Mi-Na asked.

    ¡°A teaser?¡±

    ¡°I need to use it to attract the viewers, saying that you are going to kill the Flying Toad. With a short teaser, I can draw in more viewers and it will also be easier to get the video on the real-time trending list.¡±

    She seemed to have adapted to the SSP much faster than Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°But what if I fail to defeat the monster? Wouldn¡¯t that be all for nothing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Are you going to fail?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not going to happen.¡±

    ¡°You need to promise me that you will kill the Flying Toad. Even at this very moment, there might be yers hunting the monster somewhere in the world. Being first in anything is the key.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok saw the madness flickering in her eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that the crazy person who can read my Skills and track my location will be killed by the Flying Toad.¡±

    Her madness excited Jin-Hyeok. It was as if he had met the old Kang Mi-Na, and it brought him a sense of joy.

    ¡°Cover my eyes again,¡± Mi-Na said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°And tie my wrists and ankles.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°For a thumbnail clickbait, of course.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Mi-Na was undoubtedly insane. After tearing her clothes here and there with her own hands, she posed like a damsel in distress who had just been kidnapped. Even to Jin-Hyeok, she looked like she had been through something quite harsh.

    ¡°This should do. Now, listen carefully, here is the n. I was subdued by a mysterious viin. This viin forced me to film only him, with a warning that he would kill me if he was not filmed properly. I had no choice but to sign an exclusive contract.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡®Ah, this brings back memories.¡¯

    Mi-Na always filmed something multiple times, even if it was the same thing. Even though it looked the same to other people, she would change the directing method for something as simple as saying hello.

    Before regression, Jin-Hyeok and his party members would get tired of it, but in the end, they always did it the way Mi-Na wanted.

    ¡°And this time, we will start with a scene where we officially sign the contract as yers. Do you understand the concept?¡±

    She even changed her outfit right in front of him.

    ¡®This really brings me back.¡¯

    Before regression, they had been through hell together, so there was no sense of embarrassment between them. It was nice to remember those times.

    ¡°And the concept for this time is¡­¡±

    People usually got tired of her, but her pure passion for ying was truly admirable. Jin-Hyeok believed that this pure desire was the most beautiful thing in the world.

    ¡°And the setting for this time is¡­¡±

    After filming various intros and teasers, they selected the most fitting one to stream before the main video.

    Jin-Hyeok felt something after meeting her.

    ¡®I need to retire at an intermediate Level.¡¯

    He would not be able toe up with diverse directing ns or ideas like her. He could tell at a nce that this was an area of raw talent and skill, and sword-crazy yers like Jin-Hyeok could never keep up.

    Right now, with thebination of early-stage buffs and a few strokes of luck, he was doing exceptionally well. But as his Level increased, it was clear that he would be outssed inpetition with people like her.

    ¡®I just need to keep my sanity until then.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok almost lost what he was striving for just from the few small sesses he had recently. He had the arrogance to do whatever he wanted and to aim for retirement on his own terms.

    However, the world was not that easy. There were so many talented and crazy people in the world.

    ¡®I should approach my y with humility.¡¯

    He reflected on himself. This became a catalyst for him to regain hisposure.

    ? ? ?

    Kihael, GM No. 3 for Seodaemun-gu, asked, ¡°Assistant Manager Serchan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not nothing. Why are you constantly fixated on Yeosu?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I had a Scenario I wanted to finalize, and I¡¯m worried about it¡­¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the city-wide Scenario? Damn, you¡¯re so passionate. You have already received recognition for your contribution to the Scenario, and you even got promoted, so why are you concerned about that?¡±

    Kihael could not understand Serchan. He could not grasp why Serchan worked so diligently.

    Serchan couldn¡¯t answer him.

    ¡®Kim Chul-Soo wouldn¡¯t go after the Flying Toad again, would he?¡¯ Serchan thought.

    Serchan hoped Chul-Soo wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡®He may be crazy, but he is smart. He knows that we have taken precautions and won¡¯t try to hunt the monster again. He can¡¯t be that insane.¡¯

    The Flying Toad could not be allowed to die. Measures had been taken to ensure that it wouldn¡¯t. As an example, a lock was ced to prevent it from entering Phase 2. If it entered Phase 2, it would lose its rationality and would jump into the ocean.

    Also, its weakness was set as ¡®the ocean¡¯ rather than ¡®the ocean water.¡¯ In case the military was mobilized, captured the monster, and threw it into the ocean, a Skill that enabled teleportation was created and included in the settings.

    ¡°You seem uneasy about something,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Hey, what if there was a monster in an Open Beta that could use an unblockable attack?¡±

    ¡°Where would you find such a monster in an Open Beta Server?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just assume there happens to be one. What if such a monster gets killed?¡±

    ¡°Well, the System would have to provide tremendous rewards to the person who could kill such a monster, I suppose,¡± Kihael replied in azy manner, as if he found it bothersome to even think about it.

    ¡°How great would that be?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why are you asking me all this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Just in case, Serchan had even granted an ultimate attack, which was considered an unblockable attack, to the Flying Toad.

    At the time, Kim Chul-Soo utilized the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier so well that Serchan believed that it was a different, more powerful Skill. Chul-Soo had a level of skill surpassing that of the top Tanks on Earth.

    Therefore, to neutralize the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, Serchan included the Devouring Swamp Skill, an unblockable attack. Even for Serchan, this was going too far.

    ¡®I¡¯ve gone too far from causality.¡¯

    When a GM exerted artificial power to prevent a certain oue, it was necessary to have an opposing force of equal magnitude. There would be various side effects, but the rewards could be disproportionately favorable.

    ¡®Let¡¯s not think about unnecessary things. Besides, killing the Flying Toad is impossible now.¡¯

    However, for some reason, Serchan couldn¡¯t shake off this lingering uneasiness.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Ah, this is nice,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    A refreshing breeze blew. There was a slight stench of blood and decaying corpses, but it didn¡¯t really bother Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s set to be a female monster.¡¯

    [LV90/Flying Toad(¡â)/Skills/The First Step of the Yeosu Scenario]

    The Flying Toad that Jin-Hyeok encounteredst time was Level 83. However, this female Flying Toad was Level 90. The GM had brought in a stronger opponent.

    ¡®Wow, Serchan really went all out.¡¯

    Even a Level 83 monster would have already far exceeded the standards of the Korean Region, let alone a Level 90 one. Jin-Hyeok could sense Serchan¡¯s determination not to allow the Flying Toad to be killed, which made Jin-Hyeok happy.

    The harder it was to kill a monster, the more satisfying it was when he seeded. Breaking what the GM created to be unbreakable brought him an immense thrill.

    ¡®Great. I am so thrilled!¡¯

    There was even a new Skill added. It was called Spatial Leap.

    ¡®Oh¡­ Is it to avoid being captured and falling into the ocean? To escape?¡¯

    That was not all. The media had also revealed the information that seawater was no longer the monster¡¯s weakness.

    Serchan had really gone all out.

    ¡®And I believe that¡¯s a new Skill. Devouring Swamp? It''s too bad I can¡¯t see the details of that Skill.¡¯

    Even Jin-Hyeok could not obtain information about that Skill.

    ¡®That means Serchan must have set it up to prevent the Flying Toad''s Phase 2 from starting.¡¯

    That way, the possibility of the Flying Toad falling into the sea would decrease. Jin-Hyeok felt even better.

    ¡®With that much effort put into the Flying Toad, the rewards must be incredible.¡¯

    It didn¡¯t matter to Jin-Hyeok.

    This very moment of facing the Flying Toad was all Jin-Hyeok could ask for. The stronger monster, the added Skills¡ªthrough these, Jin-Hyeok could understand the intention behind the creation of this monster. For a yer, there was no greater joy than this.

    ¡®Also, it¡¯s a perfect opportunity to see how much I¡¯ve improved.¡¯

    What used to be Latent Skills, Sharp Spirit and Sharper Spirit, had now be his perfected Skills.

    He could hear the fluttering sound of the Flying Toad¡¯s wings. Soon, she would charge toward him like a runaway lotive. And if he collided with her, it was instant death¡ªassuming Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t apply any Achievement effects, of course.

    ¡®She''sing.¡¯

    The monster flew toward him. Jin-Hyeok lunged sideways to dodge the monster¡¯s attack.

    ¡®Though I didn¡¯t really need to dodge that.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was currently applying the Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King Achievement. It grantedplete immunity to attacks from toad-like monsters below Level 100.

    However, colliding head-on with such a massive creature was not exactly a wise move for a Swordsman.

    ¡°Come at me!¡±

    The Flying Toad, which was lying on the ground, rose and red at him. Just like her male counterpart, she folded her wings and charged toward him like a wild boar.

    ¡®She''sing.¡¯

    The monster¡¯s gradually growing figure caught his sight. He followed her movements with his eyes and swiftly struck her with his sword. He avoided attacks that had to be avoided and ignored attacks that could be ignored. Thanks to the Achievement effect, the monster¡¯s attack could not reach him.

    ¡®My attacks are leaving minor wounds on the monster.¡¯

    With this, Jin-Hyeok could confirm that he was able to strip away her protective barrier much faster than that of her male counterpart he had previously encountered. Jin-Hyeok''s skills had improved significantly.

    He engaged inbat with the Flying Toad for two hours.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t sustained any significant injuries.¡¯

    It felt different from thest time he battled the Flying Toad. Back then, to sharpen his senses, Jin-Hyeok reluctantly applied the All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon) Achievement. But now, there was no need for that anymore.

    With just the Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King Achievement, he was able to freely swing his sword and inflict wounds on the monster.

    ¡®It is not as satisfying as before, but still¡­¡¯

    In the previous battle, his left shoulder was dislocated, and he had a fracture on his rib. But now, he had no injuries.

    There was no clearer evidence that Jin-Hyeok had be stronger.

    ¡®This is making me excited!¡¯

    Having sessfully stripped away her protective barrier, Jin-Hyeok found himselfughing uncontrobly.

    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!!¡±

    And he red at the Flying Toad. Once the protective barrier was gone, normally, the monster would emit red steam and enter Phase 2.

    ¡®But there is no Phase 2.¡¯

    In that case, Jin-Hyeok was curious about what would happen. He wondered which path the monster would choose.

    Suddenly, he felt a chilling presence.

    ¡®Wow.¡¯

    This was the feeling right before impending death. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life, he experienced this feeling hundreds of times, so he knew very well what was going on. He thought of this feeling as ¡°death approaching.¡±

    ¡®Is it from underneath?¡¯

    Bubble. Bubble.

    Something was bubbling and boiling beneath the monster¡¯s feet. Finally, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance interpreted the situation and showed him what was going on. The Devouring Swamp was so powerful that even Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance was a bit slow in showing him how powerful the enemy¡¯s Skill was.

    [The Flying Toad used the Special Skill ¡¸Devouring Swamp¡¹.]

    A green magic circle formed beneath the crouching Flying Toad.

    A mixture of purple and green mana surged, and the swamp beneath the monster''s feet started to bubble and boil even harder. Smoke rose from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    Surprisingly, his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was melting away.

    ¡®Is that her unblockable attack?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised that a monster in an Open Beta Server had this kind of attack. He could not believe that the monster had a setting that could ignore Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Achievement effects.

    Serchan was definitely a terrifying individual.

    ¡®If he went to such lengths with the settings, I wonder what the reward the monster would give?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had already confirmed his growth. Now, he wanted to get some rewards.

    His body was gradually being corroded by the effect of the Devouring Swamp, and he had difficulties breathing.

    ¡®If that attack hits me, I¡¯m dead for sure.¡¯

    Just as his vision was getting blurry, suddenly, everything in front of him turned pitch-ck. He felt a sudden mana wave.

    Thud!

    [The effect of the Berklev Ne has been activated.]

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    However, it was a bit peculiar. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s defense and mental resilience were greater than he had expected.

    ¡®This is not how it¡¯s supposed to work.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok assumed this attack to be an instant death attack. But it seemed like his Achievement effects and physical defensive stats were far better than he anticipated.

    ¡®I had no idea I was this strong.¡¯

    No matter who it was, this attack should have killed anyone. However, it seemed like Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intuition and standards were off. It was rare for him to make mistakes.

    An attack that was supposed to cause instant death was now considered an attack that only inflicted a fatal injury.

    [This attack qualifies as a fatal injury attack.]

    [It will be converted into an instant death attack.]

    Thud!

    An invisible sword pierced through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68

    [The fatal injury attack has been converted into an instant death attack.]

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was about to die. His consciousness started to fade. It felt like he was falling away from this world.

    Oddly, he felt somewhat delighted.

    ¡®This is interesting.¡¯

    He was sure that the attack was an instant death attack. He was confident from the numerous experiences he had had before. However, his expectations were pleasantly wrong, and then he was pleasantly surprised that a mere thirty percent probability was triggered.

    That was why people called ying a series of miracles.

    [The Trait ¡¸Extra Life¡¹ has been applied.]

    ¡®Whew! I thought I was going to die.¡¯

    It was thrilling. If Jin-Hyeok did not have the Extra Life Trait, he would have truly died.

    The Flying Toad shot up into the sky. It seemed that she was nning to carry out an artillery attack.

    ¡®I need a better n.¡¯

    He stopped using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and deactivated all his applied Achievements.

    ¡®I should not think about defending.¡¯

    That way, he could perfectly get hit by an instant death attack. In order for the Berklev Ne to perform its role, Jin-Hyeok needed to get hit by an attack that would instantly kill him. The item could reflect attacks that qualify as instant death with an incredible eighty percent probability.

    ¡®I¡¯ll just expose my vital points.¡¯

    The Reflection probability was eighty percent.

    ¡®This is an extremely advantageous effect for me.¡¯

    There was no such thing as one hundred percent probability in ying. Anyone who imed they had seen one was a fraud.

    If yers were not willing to take the slightest risk, they shouldn¡¯t even y at all. If a yer could not even utilize such an excellent item, they should quit ying.

    ¡®Here shees!¡¯

    The monster grewrger andrger.

    This time, Jin-Hyeok had a strong intuition.

    ¡®Getting hit by that monster means death!¡¯

    Bam!

    The monster collided with him.

    ¡®Just as I expected.¡¯

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    Kiiaaak!

    The Flying Toad screamed in agony. Her belly was torn open, and she fell to the ground with foam oozing from her mouth. The protective barrier waspletely gone.

    ¡®I¡¯ve be so much stronger¡­¡¯

    With great joy, he climbed onto the monster¡¯s belly and swung his sword. In the end, Jin-Hyeok seeded in hunting another Flying Toad.

    [You have leveled up!]

    [You have reached Level 56.]

    [You have acquired the Major Achievement ¡¸Early Resolution of the Flying Toad¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok acquired the same Achievement he had returned before.

    Once again, there was no underline indicating a reward.

    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me there is no reward!¡¯

    It was not like he did this for the sake of a reward, but still, not receiving anything at all was a different issue. Jin-Hyeok managed to kill the Flying Toad, and on top of that, the monster was incredibly stronger with the additional settings. It would be wrong not to get anything at all.

    That would be crossing the line.

    But then, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice.

    ¡°Hey, you bastard!¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew that voice.

    ? ? ?

    The recently appointed GM of Yeosu, Hagon, had gotten the job through nepotism. His father was a Server-level GM and held the executive managing director position in one of the Servers.

    ¡°Hagon, there is a very high-profile Scenario prepared in Yeosu. If you handle it well, you will be set for the rest of your career.¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t cause any trouble, Hagon. Apetent employee over there has almost finished everything by himself. Just watch and don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±

    Since Hagon¡¯s childhood, he had been involved in numerous troubles. If his parents had any wishes for him, it was simply for him to eat less and not get into any more trouble.

    ¡°Why does this yer keep using the GM Call? Damn it!¡±

    Hagony on the floor, caressing his big belly. With his right hand, he picked up a bag of chips and ate it. He didn¡¯t know much about anything else, but he was damn sure the Earth¡¯s snacks were quite tasty.

    ¡°If he calls me one more time. I¡¯m just going to kill him!¡±

    Fortunately, there were no more GM Calls.

    From the moment he arrived in Yeosu, Hagon established one rule: if someone bothered him three times, they would die. He almost killed one junior GM, and had already killed six yers because of his rule.

    ¡®My father told me not to cause trouble.¡¯

    No matter how he thought about it, it was a good thing for that junior GM. The junior GM kept asking Hagon to take the GM Calls, pay attention to Server management, and handle the paperwork. It was so annoying that Hagon almost killed him, but in the end, he restrained himself.

    ¡®I¡¯m bing a better person.¡¯

    If it was in the past, Hagon would have killed the junior GM without hesitation.

    ¡°I should just take a nap.¡±

    Although it was working hours, it didn¡¯t matter. If he just killed time, eventually the Scenario set up by the predecessor would work smoothly, and then Hagon would be recognized for his contributions and get promoted.

    ¡°If I want to work at a higher level, I should do my best.¡±

    Even if he wanted to work harder, this Region was too small.

    ¡°And I highly doubt that someone can even defeat the Flying Toad.¡±

    Hagon was confident that would not happen. The predecessor, GM Serchan, was known to be very meticulous and diligent, and he had never made a single mistake so far.

    Since the predecessor had thoroughly and carefully nned everything, there should be no issues.

    Hagon fell into a deep sleep. In the meantime, the intern GMs sent several messages to him.

    ?Assistant Manager Hagon, the Flying Toad is in the middle of a battle.?

    ?The situation is a bit different from the usual.?

    ?I need you to check out the situation.?

    The intern GMs could not wake Hagon from his nap. They knew waking him up would lead to a horrifying oue. As they hesitated and could not decide what to do, time passed by.

    ?The Flying Toad has been killed.?

    At that moment, the GM¡¯s office was filled with ring sirens.

    Beep! Beep!

    This was a setting created by the predecessor, Serchan.

    ¡°What the fuck! What¡¯s going on!¡±

    Startled, Hagon checked the messages he had received.

    ¡°Why are there so many messages?¡±

    Hagon¡¯s face turned pale as he checked the messages.

    ¡°What the hell! These useless intern GMs! I can¡¯t count on them for anything!¡±

    Several intern GMs hurriedly entered the GM¡¯s office. Hagon pped three of the intern GMs one by one with the slipper he was wearing. Even so, his anger did not subside, and he scolded them fiercely. He wanted to punish them even more, but resolving the situation at hand was the top priority.

    ¡®If I knew this would happen, I should have learned the teleportation spell.¡¯

    ¡°Who here knows how to use the teleportation spell?¡±

    The teleportation spell was a basic spell for GMs. With a little effort and the help of the System, one could learn to use teleportation spells rather easily.

    All three of the intern GMs knew how to use the teleportation spell.

    They all raised their hands. Hagon chose the only female intern GM among them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Hagon and the intern GM quickly teleported somewhere else.

    ? ? ?

    While filming Jin-Hyeok, Kang Mi-Na was taken aback.

    ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ she thought.

    The man on the screen seemed stronger than the Yeosu Swordmaster. However, at thest moment, he extended his arms whileughing uncontrobly. His eyes, gazing at the falling Flying Toad, were filled with madness. Though Mi-Na did not know what was going on, Jin-Hyeok seemed incredibly satisfied.

    And then, a miracle happened.

    Jin-Hyeok seeded in killing the Flying Toad.

    ¡®Wow, he actually did it! He is truly insane!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok and Mi-Na agreed to leave out the scene where Jin-Hyeok kills the monster. So, within the agreed limits, she pondered on how to edit the video.

    However, the incident was not over.

    ¡°Hey, you bastard!¡±

    Suddenly, the GM appeared. He had a human-like form, but he was huge, possibly over two meters tall, with one horn protruding from his forehead. He was being carried by a female GM who was much smaller than him.

    ¡®Why is the GM suddenly here?¡¯

    Though Mi-Na could not understand, she kept filming. However, at one point, she felt a strange sensation again. She felt that Jin-Hyeok was looking at her.

    With this, she was certain.

    ¡®That man can perfectly tell my position.¡¯

    She did not know how, but it felt as if Jin-Hyeok could discern the flow and traces of her Skills.

    ¡®He is undoubtedly insane.¡¯

    Crazy people recognized each other. She read the madness in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze and bit her lip.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but this must be a hint.¡¯

    Kim Pyeong-Beom was conveying some messages.

    ¡®I am going to capture every scene!¡¯

    She activated the High-Speed Recording, an exclusive Streamer Skill, and then focused her entire mind on filming.

    ? ? ?

    A horn about the size of a finger protruding from his forehead.

    An arrogant expression on his face.

    A belly sticking out so much that it could not be concealed by his clothes.

    Disproportionately short arms and legs.

    Jin-Hyeok knew this guy very well.

    [LV65/Hagon/Yeosu GM No. 1]

    [#This bastard. #How dare you ruin my project? #Should I kill him?]

    Despite being a GM, Hagon was only Level 65. He belonged to the Goblin race, and from what Jin-Hyeok remembered, anyone from that race was born as Level 50.

    ¡®I remember his name as Kirudon.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew why he changed his name to Hagon. There was a good chance that he had changed his identity after causing some trouble. The Kirudon¡ªnow called Hagon¡ªthat Jin-Hyeok knew was the GM No.1 for Dobong-gu in Seoul. He was notorious among yers.

    ¡®There have been many incidents involving Hagon, but the worst would probably be the arson incident that happened in the Dobong Station Dungeon.¡¯

    Hagon set fire to the Dobong Station Dungeon simply because he didn¡¯t like one yer. Setting a Dungeon on fire was usually done as an extermination action when the Dungeon had serious issues or bugs. However, Hagon did this when there were over one hundred yers legitimately ying inside. The standard procedure for extermination was to guide all yers outside first and then close the Dungeon entrance.

    ¡®What he did was so wrong and I remember many yers protested¡­¡¯

    However, Hagon only received a three-month suspension as punishment. The verdict was that there was no evidence left since everything was burned down, and that Hagon¡¯s authority as a GM had to be respected. Still, everyone was angry at the p-on-the-wrist punishment.

    Jin-Hyeok still had a vivid memory of this because one of his cooperative parties, Nightfall, was annihted in that incident.

    ¡®And Hagon also got caught taunting the bereaved families on Nerver¡­¡¯

    Hagon taunted the families saying things like the yers being grilled like the meat on a hot skewer. He also made so many other insulting posts that Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t remember them all.

    ¡®If I want to expose this bastard, I need solid evidence.¡¯

    Luckily, Mi-Na, who was crazy about capturing everything on video, was observing this area.

    ¡°Hey, return the Major Achievement,¡± Hagon said.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Hagon was even simpler and more ignorant than the guy Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    ¡°If you return it, I will spare your life.¡±

    ¡°B-But¡­¡±

    ¡°You have ten seconds. Ten. Nine.¡±

    ¡°But I worked so hard to¡­¡±

    ¡°Four. Three.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok made a resentful expression. A bluish energy emanated from Hagon¡¯s fist.

    Bam!

    His fist struck Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    He was ten Levels higher than Jin-Hyeok, but Jin-Hyeok could not believe how weak he was. He was definitely a Level Grinder.

    Jin-Hyeok deliberately jumped back to make it look like his punch sent him flying.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    It didn¡¯t hurt at all, but pretending to be in pain was exhausting.

    Bam! Bam!

    Hagon continued to hit him. Jin-Hyeok wished Hagon would hit him more, but he eventually stopped because he got too tired.

    ¡®This guy is so weak!¡¯

    ¡°W-Wait a minute,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Pant. Pant. You¡¯re dead meat!¡±

    ¡°I will return it! I will return the Major Achievement!¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I will return it.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    [The Major Achievement ¡¸Early Resolution of the Flying Toad¡¹ has been returned.]

    Having lost the Major Achievement, Jin-Hyeok desperately grabbed Hagon¡¯s leg.

    ¡°On second thought, I don¡¯t think this is right! Please give it back,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Do you want to die?¡±

    ¡°Give it back! You took it from me!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok moved around while still holding Hagon¡¯s leg. He wanted Hagon to be standing in front of a sharp rock. When they got to the position Jin-Hyeok wanted, he stopped.

    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Hagon said.

    Hagon tried to get away from him, but Jin-Hyeok grabbed his leg and did not let go.

    ¡®He should be furious any time now,¡¯

    ¡°You fat pig. You¡¯re so fat that you want to eat my Achievement, too?¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered softly so that it wouldn¡¯t be audible to Mi-Na¡¯s livestream, but it was perfectly audible by Hagon.

    ¡°You motherless bastard!¡±

    Hagon started to swear as he pulled out the horn on his forehead. The horn elongated and transformed into an axe-like shape. Holding onto his leg, Jin-Hyeok intentionally showed Hagon the back of his own head.

    ¡°Give me back my Major Achievement!¡±

    The back of the head was a vital point. If Hagon hit Jin-Hyeok there, it should count as an instant death attack.

    Hagon took a deep breath, gathering his mana. Jin-Hyeok patiently waited, making sure not to disturb Hagon''s concentration.

    ¡®Oh, he¡¯s fully gathered his mana.¡¯

    [Hagon used the Skill ¡¸Plummeting Goblin Horn¡¹.]

    Though Hagon was just another Level Grinder, the power of his Skill was incredible. Normally, Jin-Hyeok would have dodged it, but he decided to take the hit on the weak point. Hagon¡¯s axe struck the back of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. Since Jin-Hyeok had experienced how to die perfectly before, he was able to devise an even better n this time.

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    Unlike when Jin-Hyeok was fighting the Flying Toad, there was no mistake this time.

    Jin-Hyeok had grown once more.

    ¡°ARGH!!!¡±

    Hagon screamed in pain, falling down on the ground.

    Thud!

    His head hit the rock that was behind him.

    ¡°What? A sharp rock right behind him? What are the chances?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69

    ¡°What are you doing, not treating him?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said abruptly.

    He felt sorry for the intern GM who came with Hagon. The intern¡¯s face was full of panic, not knowing what to do.

    ¡®Since she doesn¡¯t have any healing Skills, she won¡¯t be able to treat him.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok still told her to try to treat the GM anyway. The trial was going to start soon, and he wanted to appeal that he did his best to provide the best medical aid for Hagon.

    Jin-Hyeok opened the lid of a healing potion and poured it over Hagon¡¯s head. Jin-Hyeok knew it would only partially heal Hagon¡¯s injuries as Hagon was suffering from the Reflection''s effect, and it wouldn¡¯t be of much use.

    As expected, Hagon ended up dying.

    [A GM has been killed.]

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s surroundings started to darken. A ck barrier seemed to rise from the ground and covered the area around him.

    The Field had changed.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here.¡¯

    This ce was the Judgment Room, which automatically activated when someonemitted a significant crime.

    Three people dressed in legal robes appeared in the sky. Overall, the Field looked like a courtroom, but next to him were beings in the form of small dinosaurs from the Dragonian Race. They were born at Level 140.

    [You cannot have weapons.]

    [You cannot use Skills.]

    [You cannot use Traits.]

    [You cannot use Mysteries.]

    With all of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abilities restricted, it was challenging to determine the exact Level of these Dragonians, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really care. As long as he did not engage in any violent actions, they would not bother him either.

    The judge sitting in the middle spoke, ¡°The GM has been murdered. Do you acknowledge this?¡±

    The judge was an AI implemented by the System.

    ¡°It was not intentional, but I do acknowledge it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Murdering a GM is a serious crime.¡±

    Many yers who came here on the charge of killing a GM received unjust punishment.

    Those ¡®judges¡¯ were AIs working for the System. Their sole purpose was the stability of the System, and the deprivation of yers¡¯ rights was not much of a concern in the process.

    ¡°I request a witness. There was a Streamer who was recording everything at the scene.¡±

    ¡°Your request has been granted.¡±

    Shortly after, an invitation was sent to Kang Mi-Na.

    ? ? ?

    Mi-Na had a strong intuition that this was a great opportunity for her.

    ¡®I will reveal the video of the Flying Toadter,¡¯ she thought.

    She was bound by the contract anyway. She could only upload it with Kim Pyeong-Beom¡¯s permission.

    ¡®I¡¯ll just sneakily show my viewers the aftermath first.¡¯

    She deliberately framed the shot to show half of the Flying Toad¡¯s corpse.

    ¡®And what happens afterward is not within the scope of our contract.¡¯

    She started her livestream.

    [Shocking aftermath of a hunt! And a suspicious behavior of the GM that followed. Is this just a coincidence?]

    Viewers flocked in faster than usual. The fact that she partially exposed the Flying Toad¡¯s corpse quickly became trending. With her initial strategy of securing the viewers¡¯ attention, she angled the camera to avoid fully revealing the corpse. As a result, among the viewers, debates arose about whether the Flying Toad was truly dead or not. However, with Hagon¡¯s appearance afterward, the truth of the Flying Toad¡¯s death was revealed and became an established fact.

    -Was he trying to take away the Major Achievement?

    -LOL I would be so pissed off if I were Pyeong-Beom.

    -Even if this is an Open Beta Server, isn¡¯t that too much? Do they have no dignity? Haha.

    Mi-Na silently celebrated her clever move. The chat was much more active than usual.

    ¡®The SSP is really amazing.¡¯

    People from each Server used differentnguages, but all of it was automatically tranted, and it sounded very natural.

    This was called the Transcendental Trantion, which was one of the System settings that provided the best trantions to the viewers.

    -Wait a minute, Hagon died?

    -Are you serious?

    -A GM died?

    When Hagon met his demise, Mi-Na¡¯s livestream reached its maximum viewership, which was the first time it had happened.

    -What an idiot! Hahaha!

    -I bet my life that Hagon got his job because of his dad!

    After that, Mi-Na almost screamed.

    ¡®What the hell? Why did Pyeong-Beom disappear?¡¯

    A strange ck barrier appeared, and Pyeong-Beom vanished.

    -Looks like he was moved to the Judgment Room.

    -He¡¯s done for! LOL

    -Bye~

    The number of viewers started to drop rapidly.

    ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Mi-Na said urgently. ¡°I¡¯ve received an invitation.¡±

    [The first-ever journey into the Judgment Room! Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in there.]

    The viewer count surged again.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°It was an ident. I did nothing but only received attacks from Hagon. I will submit evidence regarding that,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mi-Na submitted the video. The video was disyed on the screen, and three judges examined it. Jin-Hyeok continued to speak.

    ¡°After the incident, I made efforts to remedy the situation. I believed that the GMs had the basic healing Skills, so I asked another GM who was nearby to provide treatment.¡±

    What Jin-Hyeok said was captured in the video. One of the judges questioned the intern GM, Marie.

    ¡°Is everything Kim Pyeong-Beom said true?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ It is all true,¡± Marie replied.

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok was dered innocent with strong evidence. However, from the judges¡¯ perspectives, it was not a particrly enjoyable oue. For them, the stability of the System was the top priority, and punishing the yer who killed a GM would have been better for them.

    However, Jin-Hyeok presented such irrefutable evidence that they had no choice.

    ¡°Does the witness have any objections?¡±

    ¡°...No, sir.¡±

    Hagon¡¯s colleague, Marie, did not seem to have any issues with the ruling either.

    Everything went smoothly for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°We will render a verdict. The incident was initially set as the First Step of the Yeosu Scenario. If the Scenario had gone as nned, it would have been a significant and impressive Scenario. However, it went terribly wrong, and it became evident that the managing GMcked the necessary abilities and was negligent in their duties. Therefore, the System orders the abandonment of the Yeosu Scenario.¡±

    The intern GM, Marie, looked pleased for some reason.

    ¡°Furthermore, we will grant the final reward of this Scenario to Kim Pyeong-Beom, the yer who was unfairly deprived of a Major Achievement in this incident. Considering that yer Kim Pyeong-Beom was almost killed under the unjust tyranny of a GM, we deem this reward to be just.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok gulped.

    ¡®Really?¡¯ he thought.

    If he sessfullypleted the Yeosu Scenario, he would ultimately obtain the Genius Trait. Alongside the Sword Emperor Trait, this was the Trait that elevated Jin-Hyeok to be a top-ranked yer in his previous life.

    ¡®They¡¯re really giving it to me?¡¯

    He was delighted, but at the same time, he felt suspicious.

    ¡®They are being too kind.¡¯

    Of course, the judges were fair since they were a part of the System¡¯s AI. If presented with good evidence, they would render a corresponding verdict.

    ¡®But in the end, they are not on my side.¡¯

    They were not on anyone¡¯s side. Their priority was the smooth functioning of the System.

    ¡°Do you agree?¡± one of the judges asked.

    ¡°Yes, I agree.¡±

    ¡°However, please be aware that this reward needs to consider the current Level of the Earth Server,¡± the judge who was sitting on the left said.

    This time, the judge sitting on the right spoke, ¡°Hence, I rmend setting a Level requirement of 110 for acquiring the Genius Trait.¡±

    The judge in the middle closed his eyes, seeming to ponder for a moment before speaking, ¡°The verdict was confirmed. This case will¡­ Therefore¡­ Recognizing the necessity of the Level requirement¡­ A probationary period will be required¡­ Therefore¡­ We will¡­ ordingly¡­¡±

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    He struck the gravel.

    [The verdict of the Judgment Room has been confirmed.]

    [You have acquired the final reward of the Yeosu Scenario, the Trait ¡¸Genius¡¹.]

    [However, the acquisition of the Genius Trait is deferred until Level 110.]

    ? ? ?

    Mi-Na tightly held onto Jin-Hyeok''s wrist.

    ¡°Hey, do you want to date me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±

    He never expected to hear such words from Mi-Na.

    Before regression, she was hisrade and was like a brother to him. Hearing this from his former party member gave him the chills.

    ¡°Then, how about a kiss?¡±

    She stepped forward and tried to hug him.

    He knew the reason why she was acting like this. She possessed a Trait that could bind her and another person¡¯s souls through a kiss. Supposedly, it allowed her to track the subject.

    It did not necessarily have to be a kiss; the more intimate the physical contact, the stronger the effect was.

    ¡°Get lost, seriously,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Then, how about we sleep together?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was genuinely creeped out. He was outraged that Mi-Na was seducing him. Seeing his former party member, whom he shared life-and-death moments with before his regression, doing this to him made him want to throw up.

    ¡°Okay, I willpromise. How about just giving me your number?¡±

    Mi-Na¡¯s eyes showed desperation. It seemed like she would do anything to not let him slip away, which actually made him feel somewhat pleased.

    ¡®Good. This is the way you should y.¡¯

    ¡°It will be hard to see each other for a while,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Why? Are you thinking about quitting ying just because you killed a GM?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re feeling guilty about killing a GM?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not say anything, but she suddenly raised her voice. She was so desperate that she was even making outrageous assumptions.

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s okay! yers kill people when they¡¯re ying. It¡¯s not like you massacred three thousand people. Why are you acting all timid like this? If a Swordsman doesn¡¯t kill people, can we really call him a Swordsman? Get a grip.¡±

    ¡°The fact that you drew that conclusion from my short answer astounds me.¡±

    She subtly stopped using honorifics with him, but he didn¡¯t really pay attention.

    Anyway, she seemed to be growing well on her own.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let go. No, I can¡¯t let go. Give me your number. y with me! If not, I¡¯m just going to kill myself,¡± Mi-Na said.

    ¡®Kill yourself? You? And not be able to y?¡¯

    She was lying through her teeth.

    ¡°Still, it was nice meeting you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you go!¡±

    Thwack!

    Jin-Hyeok hit her neck and knocked her unconscious. Her body slumped.

    ¡®I don¡¯t see any real danger nearby¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok looked around to see if there was any immediate threat that could harm Mi-Na when he left. Just to be sure, he concealed himself nearby to observe her waking up. Even after regaining consciousness, her eyes still flickered with madness.

    ¡°I need to sleep with that bastard.¡±

    She muttered to herself repeatedly. From her expression, she seemed more resolute than when they entered the Banyan Tree Dungeon.

    ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to find him. I am going to find him, and sleep with him.¡±

    ¡®...Should I just kill her now?¡¯

    ? ? ?

    When he returned home, the Cha Jin-Hyeok avatar he had summoned was still sleeping peacefully on the bed. He had left the livestream on while his avatar was sleeping, so he had the perfect alibi.

    ¡®But why are so many people watching this? It¡¯s just me sleeping.¡¯

    Moreover, it was in first-person view, so there was nothing particrly interesting to see, yet thousands of people were watching it.

    Looking at the massive donationsing in, it was a world full of surprises, even for Jin-Hyeok.

    He sat on the bed and started meditating.

    ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯

    They gave him the Genius Trait way too easily. Even if this was an Open Beta Server and was still on a low-Level stage, Jin-Hyeok wondered why they would just hand over the Trait for the Scenario like that. There had to be some tricks behind all this.

    ¡®And there¡¯s the Level requirement.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok closed his eyes and observed his inner self¡ªhis Skills, Traits, and Mysteries. Not a lot of yers could do this. They would alwaysin that they could not do this, but to Jin-Hyeok, they were not just trying hard enough. yers who had gone back and forth between life and death would naturallye to realize this observation technique.

    Those who could not do this meant they had not experienced such intense y. All the top rankers he had encountered could do this.

    ¡®Genius Trait¡­ Hm¡­¡¯

    Inside his inner universe, bright lights were shining.

    ¡®That must be the Genius Trait.¡¯

    Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be sealed with chains.

    ¡®So it unlocks when I reach the Level requirement.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not figure out exactly what kind of trick the System set up. Thus, he decided to wake up.

    ¡®This is not working.¡¯

    He felt like there was no answer here. He immediately headed to the Sareoga Mart Dungeon. It was only a ten-minute walk from here.

    [You have entered the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    ¡®Ah, even the air is different.¡¯

    This was the Dungeon where Jin-Hyeok achieved an All-Clear, and because of that, his abilities skyrocketed when he was inside the Dungeon. He activated the Hidden Stage, which was on the third floor, and sat in the corridor.

    Here, he would not be disturbed by other yers. He closed his eyes and started meditating.

    ¡®I¡­ see something.¡¯

    The bright stars in his inner universe.

    Inside one of those stars, he saw something nibbling away at it.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    With his enhanced Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, he closely examined the light emitted by the Genius Trait. He saw a small bug-like being devouring the Genius Trait. His Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance interpreted it and told Jin-Hyeok what it was.

    ¡®Holy shit. This could¡¯ve been bad.¡¯

    Nobody should ever underestimate the System. If Jin-Hyeok were just a newbie, he would have fallen for it.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70

    After finishing his meditation, Cha Jin-Hyeok stood up and opened the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­¡¯

    His current wealth amounted to around seven hundred million Dias. When he first received his first one hundred Dias, it was surreal, but he was now getting used to it. He was receiving much more donations than he anticipated. It seemed like Mystery Box¡¯s concept was really catching on.

    [Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl]

    [A resonating bowl. It contains the energy of Bahara, aiding in meditation.

    Duration: 1 minute

    Price: 10,000,000 Dias]

    It was a well-known fact that Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl had better effects than regr singing bowls. But the price difference was a whopping ten times.

    ¡®I should buy it, right?¡¯

    With only the effect of the All-Clear in the Dungeon, it would be challenging to fully utilize the Unleashing Technique. If he touched the Genius Trait carelessly, it could lead to an explosive disaster.

    If that happened, his mental world would bepletely destroyed, and there was a high possibility he would be crippled. However, waiting until the Level requirement was reached on the Genius Trait would mean that poison would have already spread throughout it. The unlocked Genius Trait would undoubtedly cause a huge sh with his Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait.

    ¡®This is so fucked up! What can I do?¡¯

    That was why Jin-Hyeok felt excited. Judging by how reluctant the System was to give this to him, it had to bring about a tremendous effect. There was no need to curse the System; it was just like the Dungeons. Easy to break meant the reward was nothing special, but difficult to break meant it brought a fantastic reward.

    When Jin-Hyeok thought about it that way, it made him calm.

    [You have purchased Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl.]

    From his extensive experience in meditation, this was probably going to take a very long time.

    [You have purchased Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl.]

    [You have purchased Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl.]

    Jin-Hyeok emptied his entire wealth and bought seventy Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowls. Then, he went back home and waited for his sister, Cha Jin-Sol.

    He thought about going to Paju to find her, but he did not want to risk the two of them missing each other, so he decided to wait instead.

    ¡®She should being home soon.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok was wrong.

    Jin-Sol, who had gone on a monster hunt to the Heyri Art Valley in Paju, did not return until 5 a.m.

    ¡°What were you doing that made youe home sote?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Er, my gawd~ Were you waiting for me?¡±

    It seemed like she was not in her right mind. It didn¡¯t seem like she was drunk, but she appeared to be intoxicated by the monster hunting. It happened sometimes. But only those with the potential to be top-ranked yers showed such signs of intoxication.

    ¡®Should I let her take a break for a while?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew his sister would be more exhausted if she became a top-ranked yer.. He believed she did not have the potential to be one, but he was still concerned.

    ¡®For now, let¡¯s just focus on the matter at hand.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Luckily, it didn''t take long for Jin-Sol to regain herposure. When they entered the third floor of the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, she seemed to be wide awake and lucid, or even more so than usual.

    ¡°Are we doing this secretly? There must be something more hidden, right? That¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    Her eyes sparkled brightly. Her appearance reminded Jin-Hyeok of Angel Girl or Han Sae-Rin, making him feel weird. The madness of others might have been entertaining, but the madness of his family members was a bit unsettling.

    ¡°Take this.¡±

    He handed her the seventy Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowls.

    ¡°Time it precisely and use this Singing Bowl every one minute, no, every fifty-nine seconds.¡±

    Honestly, Jin-Hyeok wanted to tell her to use it every sixty seconds, but he was afraid she might make a mistake.

    ¡°What is this for?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a tool to help with my meditation.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to meditate now? Here?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If you don¡¯t use it urately, my head might explode and I could die.¡±

    Jin-Sol was surprised.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dead serious.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? I can¡¯t do it. I won¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not you, there is no one else I can trust.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was literally trusting her with his life. Entrusting this to others would bring too much risk.

    ¡°I¡¯m trusting you to do it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the person I trust the most.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that kind of sweet talk is gonna work?¡±

    It seemed like it worked just fine.

    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to do it, I can ask someone else.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Sol nodded in the end.

    ¡°Just one of these every fifty-nine seconds, right? If possible, every minute would be even better, right?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok took his seat and got ready.

    Ding!

    [Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl effect has been activated.]

    He began meditating, just like before, bing an observer of his inner universe. A small cosmos unfolded before his eyes, and many things started to be visible.

    He approached the twinkling stars and reached out his hand.

    ¡®This is the virus that consumes the Genius Trait.¡¯

    He focused his mind. If he used the Unleashing Technique recklessly, his head would explode.

    ¡®This is interesting.¡¯

    This was even more thrilling than when he first encountered the Flying Toad. He cautiously touched the shining Genius Trait, and each time he did, his hand bounced off, nearly breaking his concentration.

    Without the effect of the All-Clear and Bahara''s Singing Bowl, his meditation would have been disrupted numerous times.

    ¡®I need to use the Unleashing Technique after grasping and observing the Genius Trait as urately as possible.¡¯

    Knowing the opponent and knowing oneself ensured victory in all battles. It was a universal truth. Jin-Hyeok had to examine and re-examine both the Trait and the bug-like creature that was in the middle of consuming it urately.

    He had no idea how much time had passed.

    ¡®Now¡­ I can draw the Genius Trait in my mind even without looking at it.¡¯

    This includes even the movements of the bug-like creature that was consuming the Trait from the inside. Jin-Hyeok had reached a level where he could visualize everything in his mind.

    All preparations wereplete.

    ¡®I need to finish this in one go.¡¯

    Inside his conscious world, he took a deep breath. He could feel his heart racing.

    ¡®Rx my body¡­¡¯

    Tension would cause the body to be stiff. This was an incredibly delicate and careful process, and any mistake would result in his head exploding.

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    [You have used the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    ? ? ?

    Sweat dripped down Jin-Sol¡¯s forehead. Her body was already soaked in sweat, and she had exhausted most of the Bahara''s Singing Bowls in her possession during this extreme state of tension.

    ¡®Now, there is only one left,¡¯ she thought.

    She had used sixty-nine Bahara''s Singing Bowls, trying her best to use them exactly once every minute, in order to give Jin-Hyeok as much time as possible under its effect.

    It had been over an hour.

    ¡®I¡¯m not sure, but¡­¡¯

    It seemed like an intense battle was raging within Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body. Just like Jin-Sol, he was also drenched in sweat.

    ¡®Oppa, please¡­¡¯

    Images of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head exploding kept shing in her mind. Her heartbeat increased, and fear overwhelmed her.

    ¡®This is thest one.¡¯

    She used thest Bahara¡¯s Singing Bowl. After a moment, a golden ray of mana began to emanate from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body.

    He opened his eyes.

    ¡°Heal me.¡±

    With those words, Jin-Hyeok lost consciousness.

    ¡°Oppa!¡±

    Jin-Sol used her healing Skills on Jin-Hyeok, but ended up fainting herself.

    A day passed, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that Jin-Hyeok was already awake.

    ¡°Oppa, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°How can you not be able to control your own healing Skills?¡±

    ¡°I asked if you were okay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, that¡¯s why I¡¯m scolding you right now.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Sol bit her lip.

    ¡°If you ask me to do something like this again, I will be the one who is going to make your head explode.¡±

    [#Do you know how worried I was? #I thought your head was going to explode! #Why was your head throbbing so much?!]

    Jin-Sol continued to speak, ¡°So, why did you do something like this? What did you risk your life for?¡±

    ¡°To gain something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. It would be exhausting if this became known to the world.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to keep it a secret from me too? You don¡¯t trust me?¡±

    ¡°I do trust you.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you keeping it a secret from me?¡±

    ¡°There are crazy bastards out there who can pry open your mind and extract memories and information. It¡¯s better not to know about this.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok examined the changes in his body. Fortunately, using the Unleashing Technique was aplete sess.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home and rest for a bit.¡±

    For the next few days, it seemed like taking a break from livestreaming would be necessary.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®I am all out of energy.¡¯

    His entire body had been drained of energy. Jin-Hyeoky down on the bed and opened the Traits window.

    [Traits]

    [1. Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier]

    [2. All-Rounder]

    [3. Extra Life]

    [4. Imperial Resilience]

    Jin-Hyeok recalled the moment when the Unleashing Technique seeded in unlocking the Genuis Trait.

    [You have acquired the Trait ¡¸Genius¡¹.]

    It was just like when the Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait had devoured the Sword Emperor Trait. This time, the Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait had consumed the Genius Trait. And there was a significant change.

    [The Trait ¡¸Almighty Jack of All Trades¡¹ has been upgraded to ¡¸All-Rounder¡¹.]

    The Almighty Jack of All Trades and All-Rounder were essentially the same.

    [All-Rounder]

    [An advanced Trait that surpasses the Almighty Jack of All Trades. It draws out all potential to its limit, emitting a unique brilliance.]

    [Conditions for activation]

    [1. Almighty Jack of All Trades]

    [2. Assimtion of ¡¸King¡¹ or higher-Level Trait]

    [3. Assimtion of ¡¸Prodigy¡¹ or higher-Level Trait]

    This was not just a passive Trait that was applied to the body.

    Some Traits held another set of Skills within them. These skills were called Inherent Trait Skills, or shortened to Inherent Skills.

    [Inherent Trait Skills]

    [1. Reach the Sky ¡ª Increases experience gained by 10%.]

    [2. See the Future ¡ª Temporarily elerates the revealing of Job Skills by 30 Levels.]

    [3. Persevering Genius ¡ª Significantly reduces mental strength consumption when using all Traits and Skills.]

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standpoint, each of these Skills seemed overpowered.

    ¡®A ten percent increase in experience gain rate?¡¯

    As if he was not already a fast-leveling Streamer, adding an extra ten percent on top of that was surreal. In the future, a ring that added five percent to the experience gain rate would go for around thirty billion Dias. Jin-Hyeok had never seen an item that increased by ten percent, and if it even existed, it would likely be worth hundreds of billions of Dias, making them imusible.

    ¡®And I can temporarily elerate the revealing of the Job-specific Skills by thirty Levels?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok confirmed that his own Skills from when he was the Sword King were inherent in his soul. If he could convert them from Latent Skills to his regr Skills, it meant he could use Skills much higher Level than his current self.

    ¡®The downside is that those Skills would consume a lot of mental energy¡­¡¯

    If he used a Skill that was too high in Level, it would consume too much mental energy too quickly. However, Imperial Resilience and Persevering Genius would prevent that from happening.

    ¡®If people found out about these Skills, it¡¯s going to be devastating.¡¯

    These Skills were so overpowered that those who hunted other yers would do anything to obtain them. It was a good thing that Jin-Hyeok had Multiple Lives. As soon as he obtained the All-Rounder Trait, he changed the name back to Almighty Jack of All Trades as it was originally.

    ¡®Once I surpass Level 200, I won¡¯t be able to fully hide the Trait even with Multiple Lives. At that point, some truly terrifying and dangerous individuals will target me. That would put my family in danger too.¡¯

    Though he was delighted to gain such an ability, he regained hisposure.

    ¡®I must retire before reaching Level 200.¡¯

    If he continued to be active until then, his ability would be exposed. That would lead to theplete loss of his current happiness and tranquility. His everyday life might crumble once again.

    ¡®Maybe I should quit ying at Level 150, just to be sure.¡¯

    Without realizing it, his maximum Level before retiring had shifted from 100 to 150.

    ¡®I must give my best and y until Level 150. By then, I will have built a solid foundation for retirement.¡¯

    There were many ¡®short-term¡¯ yers that were famous for only a short period of time. The recently deceased yer, Shadow Man, was one of them.

    ¡®Backstabber was just a nobody in the future that I was in, but here he was ranked first in the Qi-manipting ss.¡¯

    That provided Jin-Hyeok with a good excuse, the excuse of allowing Jin-Hyeok to be able to be an active yer until he reached Level 150. These short-term yers received some attention in the early stages but were soon forgotten. Jin-Hyeok thought it would be safe for him to gain that much fame.

    ¡®Just to Level 150. If I be more ambitious, I won¡¯t forgive myself.¡¯

    After taking a three-day break, Jin-Hyeok decided to return to livestreaming.

    ¡®The integration between the SSP and Eltube is almostplete.¡¯

    This meant that people on Earth could now ess the livestream of the Streamer Kim Chul-Soo through Eltube.

    ¡®Huh? What the hell is this?¡¯

    Just before starting the livestream, Jin-Hyeok noticed something strange.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71

    ¡®Why has the capacity for the viewers increased so much?¡¯

    Originally, the capacity increased by three hundred per Level. Currently, Cha Jin-Hyeok was Level 56. The number of viewers allowed in his livestream was limited to around 16,000.

    ¡®Why did it suddenly triple?¡¯

    The capacity for viewers had increased significantly to 50,000. He had a hunch that this phenomenon was due to All-Rounder.

    ¡®I guess this Trait has a characteristic that greatly affects both my body and abilities.¡¯

    It undoubtedly had a significant impact on his Job as well.

    ¡®I should hide this.¡¯

    Regardless of his determination to y with ambition, this rapid increase was too irrational. Although there might not be any yers who targeted him yet, it was still wise to be cautious.

    ¡®I¡¯ll keep the All-Rounder Trait as the Almighty Jack of All Trades, just like before. But how can I adjust the viewer capacity?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could change the name and the description of Traits with Multiple Lives, but he could not alter the viewer capacity. However, there seemed to be a way to limit the number of viewers, which he found after exploring the interface.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ Right now, Egan Paul has around 50,000 viewers.¡¯

    So, Jin-Hyeok decided to set the capacity limit back to the original number for now and gradually increase the number of viewers allowed.

    ¡®Now that I looked at Egan¡¯s numbers, he¡¯s pretty insane.¡¯

    Egan¡¯s livestream had already surpassed 50,000 viewers. When Jin-Hyeok checked the Ranking Board, Egan had a higher Level than him. Egan had already reached Level 60.

    ¡®Still¡­ I feel good about this.¡¯

    Comparing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abilities to Egan¡¯s, he realized that they were quite simr. Having a simr viewer capacity meant they were on a simr level as Streamers.

    ¡®See? I told you, Jin-Sol.¡¯

    In the past, Cha Jin-Sol had praised Egan, saying that his number of viewers was overwhelmingly high and that he was an amazing Streamer.

    ¡®This is how good your brother is.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was not nning to reveal his true power on the Ranking Board anyway. Officially, Egan would remain at the top, but this was a matter of personal satisfaction.

    ¡®I might even be able to catch up to him.¡¯

    As the saying went, ambition grew as one got closer. When something seemed too far away, he did not feel greedy, but as it came within reach, he started to yearn for it.

    ¡®I want to be number one.¡¯

    An uncontroble desire welled up within Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    Joseph came to see Jin-Hyeok. Then, suddenly, he knelt down in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I have temporarily parted ways with Egan Paul,¡± Joseph said.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know what Joseph was talking about. Even right before Jin-Hyeok''s regression, Joseph was a Star Maker and the closest aide to Egan.

    ¡°I simply cannot forget you. You are destined to be a star.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will make you a star, the most famous person on the Earth, no, on all Servers. With my help, even the impossible can be possible.¡±

    It was a tempting offer, but Jin-Hyeok declined.

    ¡°I am nning on retiring at Level 150. So, I hope you don¡¯t bother me anymore.¡±

    Egan, who was known to value his colleagues, would be furious if his colleague joined Jin-Hyeok¡¯s side, especially if it was Joseph, Egan would surely put a target on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    ¡®Wow¡­ Even just thinking about it makes me tired.¡¯

    Honestly, Jin-Hyeok believed he could reach unofficial rank one until Level 150, even without Joseph¡¯s help.

    ¡°I am going to devote my life to you, Mr. Kim.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Just go away.¡±

    ¡°You know what they say, the tall poppies are the ones that get cut down. A shining star like you will undoubtedly attract dark forces like a ma. I want that brilliant light to shine even brighter, like the radiant glow of the sun. I will protect that light. Make it shine more brilliantly, more dazzlingly!¡±

    ¡®What the hell is he talking about?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what he said in English, but the trantion was very melodramatic.

    ¡®I should¡¯ve known since his yer name is Love, Memories, Longing¡ï. But¡­ he is notpletely wrong.¡¯

    Joseph spoke as if he had experienced the high-Level stages. His eyes for predicting the future seemed quite outstanding. No wonder he became such a famous Star Maker in the future.

    ¡°Mediocre light is bound to be devoured by darkness. But the sun is different. If the darkness tries to devour the sun, it will just shine brighter to get rid of the darkness.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m just a mediocre light?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, I am saying that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok became somewhat interested in what Joseph was saying.

    ¡°Just think about it. Everyone covets gems that emit a mediocre but beautiful light. However, the sun is different. No one covets or dares to touch the sun.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will make you into the sun, Mr. Kim.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew he should not entertain such thoughts, but he could not help feeling drawn into it. When he thought back to the time before his regression, he supposed he was just a mediocre light. He was considered strong enough on the Earth Server, but not across all the Servers. If there had been a Server-level ranking, he would probably have been barely in the top 100.

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but think about what if he became powerful enough to overpower everyone and how that would make things easier for him.

    ¡®Ah¡­ I should get a hold of myself.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok seemed to have a tendency to only hear what he wanted to hear. In this world, no one could be an all-powerful being. Despite experiencing that fact rather painfully, Jin-Hyeok found himself swayed by such sweet talk. It seemed he still had a lot to learn on how to control himself.

    ¡°There are no all-powerful beings in this world. I am going to retire at Level 150, and you should just go back to Egan.¡±

    Joseph remained on his knees and did not stand up.

    ¡°I know better than anyone that you are not even considering retiring.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? I said I would retire.¡±

    ¡°It is absolutely impossible.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not make sense of what Joseph was saying. Jin-Hyeok wondered if hisck of social skills prevented him from understanding Joseph, so he activated his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    [#You¡¯re lying. #Nothing can deceive me. #My intuition can touch the sky¡î]

    It did not seem like Joseph had any tricks or ulterior motives. He genuinely believed what he was saying. Seeing how he confidently trusted his intuition just reminded Jin-Hyeok that Joseph was just a big fish in a small pond.

    ¡°I will take that to mean I am not right for you¡­ yet,¡± Joseph said.

    ¡°That is not what I meant.¡±

    ¡°I wille back to you when you reach Level 150, but until then, I am going to get some hands-on experience with Egan¡¯s Avenger¡¯s Army to help myself grow. When the timees, please ept my proposal.¡±

    [#You are not going to retire. #No, you can¡¯t.]

    ? ? ?

    Someone visited Choi Gap-Soo¡¯¡¯s Alchemist''s workshop. It was Michelle Jang, a slender woman in her mid-thirties and a sessful and prominent overseas Korean entrepreneur.

    ¡°Look at this old man¡¯s face. I heard that you¡¯re using the name Choi Gap-Soo here, am I right?¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°I never invited you here.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were close! Do I need to be invited toe here and chat? I¡¯m saddened by the imaginary wall that you¡¯re putting in between us.¡±

    In the Earth Server, her name was Michelle Jang, but her real name was MoneyShot. She was the rising tycoon and a famous user of the SSP, challenging the throne currently held by MoneyShower.

    She crossed her legs as she sat down.

    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know what?¡±

    ¡°Why Kim Chul-Soo is not livestreaming these days.¡±

    ¡°I know it!¡±

    Michelle¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°See? You don¡¯t know anything,¡± she said.

    ¡°I told you, I know!¡±

    ¡°If you knew, you would have boasted about it already. You would say something like, Kim Chul-Soo is taking a break from livestream because of this and that, h h.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Recently, the two of them had been interested in Kim Chul-Soo. Chul-Soo¡¯s presence overshadowed both of them.

    ¡°You wasted so much money, but you don¡¯t even get the VIP treatment. You¡¯re just like me. An average viewer,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°Shut up. If I wanted to know what was going on, I could¡¯ve found out easily, but I just didn¡¯t bother. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I mean, Chul-Soo could¡¯ve given you a quick text or something, but I guess he didn¡¯t even do that.¡±

    Michelle chuckled softly. Gap-Soo¡¯s face turned red with anger. But at that moment, his Subus secretary, Lilia, knocked on the door.

    ¡°Director, Kim Chul-Soo is here to see you.¡±

    ¡°Tell him toe in.¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s shoulders broadened, and he raised his chin while crossing his legs. Gap-Soo looked at Michelle and whispered softly, ¡°Do you see who I am?¡±

    Gap-Soo then shifted his attention to Chul-Soo and spoke to him, ¡°Come in, and let¡¯s hear what you have to say, Streamer Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ? ? ?

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok saw her, he knew.

    ¡®Michelle Jang?¡¯

    They did not have a deep connection, but she was a prominent entrepreneur who had made a big impact in the United States. Seeing that she had the same face as the one Jin-Hyeok remembered, it seemed that this woman was also rted to Gap-Soo, the old man.

    Jin-Hyeok had a gut feeling.

    ¡®Is she also part of that Trinity Club or something?¡¯

    But today, the old man was acting unusually friendly toward him.

    ¡°So, I heard that you have enhanced the Berklev Ne, correct?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Yes. Thanks to your help, it has beenpleted.¡±

    ¡°When are you going to use it?¡±

    ¡°I am nning to do it soon. I¡¯ve been studying how to use it and conducting various tests, so I couldn¡¯t start my livestream.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re nning on doing that, at least post a notice on your channel. Don¡¯t you know how much the viewers were waiting?¡±

    ¡°....I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized that he had not paid attention to that detail. It was a basic thing for a Streamer. It was his mistake not to have done that.

    ¡°I am sorry. I got too carried away in understanding the new item¡¯s abilities¡­ I¡¯ll make sure to post timely notices from now on.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Gap-Soo looked at Jin-Hyeok with an understanding gaze andughed. Jin-Hyeok had no idea why the old man was being so nice to him.

    ¡°Ah, what am I doing¡­ This friend is Michelle Jang, who runs a business in the United States. She is a distant rtive of mine,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Michelle extended her hand toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Michelle Jang.¡±

    ¡°My name is Kim Chul-Soo. Nice to meet you too.¡±

    ¡°There seems to be something you want to ask, so just tell us straightforwardly. Why beat around the bush? Tell us.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had heard that she had the ability to see through people¡¯s minds, and it seemed like her ability was genuine.

    ¡°Uh, well¡­¡±

    ¡°If you came here to ask me for a favor, you should look at me and talk, not look elsewhere. Speak up. What brings you here?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t quite sure, but there seemed to be a strange tension between them. They seemed close, but at the same time, not that close. It felt like they both wanted Jin-Hyeok to ask them for the favor.

    ¡°There''s a Dungeon that requires an entrance fee.¡±

    ¡°Entrance fee?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s for the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon. I heard that there are monsters over Level 50 roaming around there. If the regr monsters are at that Level, there might be even stronger boss monsters¡­¡±

    While the old man was stroking his chin, Michelle spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    A faint smile of a winner appeared on Michelle¡¯s face as she said that. Jin-Hyeok had not even exined the entrance fee yet, but she still offered to help.

    ¡°I don¡¯t nitpick about what and how things should be done like some people. If there is a target I want to invest in, I support and invest in it wholeheartedly. So, about the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon¡­ How much is the entrance fee there?¡±

    ¡°It is one million Dias per person,¡± Lilia, who was standing beside her, answered.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did note here to receive one million Dias per person as an investment.

    ¡°But the thing is, along with the entrance fee, this Dungeon also has a resurrection setting,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Having both the entrance fee and a resurrection setting means that the Dungeon is challenging and dangerous, don¡¯t you think?"

    ¡°I suppose so.¡±

    ¡°It seems like it will take several attempts to clear it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and his team would have to try many times. He believed he would need to attempt it more than ten times. He wanted to make this into his livestream content, but for some reason, Michelle was overly friendly to him.

    ¡°Of course. You can try as many times as you want, even a hundred times. I will give you an upfront payment for ten attempts. In return, give me a VIP invitation,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Gap-Soo said while making a displeased expression. ¡°I will double it.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to be this bad-mannered by interrupting?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo came here to ask me for help, so technically, you are the one interrupting and not me, Michelle.¡±

    These two people¡¯s gazes shed in the air. The Alchemist¡¯s Workshop vibrated. It felt like a small earthquake had urred. Jin-Hyeok could not exactly understand why they were acting this way, but soon enough, he was the one receiving their ufortable gazes.

    ¡°Alright, Chul-Soo. What do you think? What do you believe is right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I want to know from you, Chul-Soo. Surely, you were here to get help from me, so it¡¯s only natural that you receive my support, right? Did I mention that I am going to double the amount?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could feel a considerable sense of pressure. If he did not have Imperial Resilience, he might have been overwhelmed by that force.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    After gaining the All-Rounder Trait, Jin-Hyeok began to see things differently. In the past, he would have simply said that he would take it from whoever paid the most. However, now he saw other things beyond that.

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    An invisible multitude of calctions shed through his mind.

    [You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Wide Vision¡¹.]

    The Skill, Wide Vision, which ruler-ss yers acquired at Level 40, was activated once again. Additionally, a series of notifications followed.

    [You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Wider Vision¡¹.]

    This, too, was a Skill of ruler-ss yers. It was a Level 50 Skill that enhanced the previous Skill received from Level 40. Soon after, another notification followed.

    [You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Diplomacy¡¹.]

    A world Jin-Hyeok had never experienced before began to unfold before him.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72

    Diplomacy was a Skill that yers of the ruler ss acquired at Level 60.

    Above the heads of Choi Gap-Soo and Michelle Jang, a unique window called Favorability appeared.

    [Hostile¡ªUnfriendly¡ª?Neutral?¡ªFriendly¡ªVery Friendly]

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was not unfamiliar with this Skill. Currently, it showed as Neutral, but he knew it could change in real-time. Right now, it was a simple window, but top-ranked ruler-ss yers could see all sorts of elements in it.

    ¡®So, this is how it feels.¡¯

    The difference between simply knowing what it was and actually seeing it with his own eyes was monumental, and experiencing it firsthand opened a whole new world for Jin-Hyeok. Information that Jin-Hyeok had not considered important until now became meaningful and redefined. It felt like he was bing smarter.

    ¡®The old man seems to ce a significant emphasis on the trust and goodwill between people.¡¯

    As a result, once a yer gained favor and built a friendly rtionship with Gap-Soo, they could have a very positive and longsting rtionship. There was a reason why Gap-Soo was famous for being a sucker.

    ¡°I appreciate your proposal, old man. I am puzzled as to what you see in me that makes you spare no effort in investing in me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    [Hostile¡ªUnfriendly¡ªNeutral¡ª?Friendly?¡ªVery Friendly]

    ¡°What are you trying to say with all this sweet talk?¡±

    ¡°While I am grateful for your offer, I don¡¯t want to be a foolish person who only seeks immediate benefits.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°At least for this matter, Michelle was the first one to show me unconditional favor and trust. Therefore, I believe it is only right to repay that.¡±

    [Hostile¡ªUnfriendly¡ªNeutral¡ª?Friendly?¡ªVery Friendly]

    ¡®Oh, there is a reaction!¡¯

    The line between ¡®?Friendly?¡¯ and ¡®Very Friendly¡¯ was shaking quite vigorously.

    ¡°Therefore, on this asion, I think it is only appropriate to forgo my material gains and take the hand that Michelle Jang extended to me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood up and bowed to Michelle Jang.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me the opportunity and investing in me, who still has nothing to show.¡±

    In response, Michelle extended the back of her hand to him. Jin-Hyeok was unsure why she was doing that, but still, he kissed the back of her hand lightly. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have much information, but he assumed this to be some kind of custom from where she lived.

    Diplomacy caught Jin-Hyeok¡¯s action, and the Skill judged it as a gesture that could win her favor.

    [Hostile¡ªUnfriendly¡ªNeutral¡ªFriendly¡ªVery Friendly¡ª???]

    Michelle smiled brightly.

    ¡°Your every word, your every move, they touched me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You described yourself as someone who has nothing to show, right?¡±

    ¡®Huh? Did I say that?¡¯

    ¡°That means that there would be a lot more to see from you in the future, right?¡±

    After saying that, Michelle shifted her gaze to the old man.

    ¡°To be honest, I started paying attention to Chul-Soo to win against the old man.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! You think you can win against me?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°But after meeting Chul-Soo, I understand. How did you discover such a gem? I have to admit that you have a good insight, at least for this time.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Gap-Soo seemed a bit sensitive to praise. Jin-Hyeok noticed Gap-Soo¡¯s ears turning slightly red.

    ¡°And you are also my type,¡± Michelle said to the old man while smiling.

    She seemed to find the old man attractive.

    ¡®Her taste is quite unique.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok started his livestream, he began with an apology.

    ¡°Due to recent personal circumstances, I could not post any notices for my viewers. I apologize to the viewers who waited for my livestream. As a still inexperienced Streamer, there is much to learn. Please forgive me. If I have to take a break due to unavoidable circumstances, I will make sure to announce it on my channel.¡±

    After the apology, Jin-Hyeok entered the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon with his party.

    ¡°The entrance fee was supported by the generous sponsor, Michelle Jang, who is a sessful entrepreneur in the United States. Our party might die several times here, but Michelle promised to cover the entrance fee every time. Thanks to that, we can proceed with today¡¯s livestream content more freely. I just want to say thank you.¡±

    There was one change in this livestream. Jin-Hyeok created something resembling the Hall of Fame for supporters who had given great help with creating the content for his livestream. On the right side of the screen, Jin-Hyeok put the name ¡®Michelle¡¯ under the title [Contributors]. Additionally, he granted them a very slight privilege.

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShot¡¹ is satisfied.]

    This was it.

    Jin-Hyeok added a feature that allowed the Contributors to express their feelings using specific predefined sentences. It was limited to simple expressions such as ¡®likes it,¡¯ ¡®dislikes it,'' and ¡®is satisfied.''

    ¡®Ah, so Michelle is MoneyShot.¡¯

    Even before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, he didn¡¯t know this. He wondered how many more things he didn¡¯t know about in this world.

    [Only Level 45 and above can enter the Dungeon.]

    [You have entered the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon.]

    When they entered, there were hardly any peoplepared to other Dungeons. To be precise, there were none.

    ¡°The Dungeon looks simr to the department store.¡±

    Except for the fact that humanoid monsters were walking around instead of people, the first floor looked almost identical to the department store.

    [LV52/Decayed Mummy/-]

    The first floor seemed to be the habitat for the Decayed Mummies. They wandered around slowly, wrapped in dirty bandages from head to toe.

    ¡°It seems bad here. It¡¯s probably the scenting from these monsters.¡±

    At that moment, some yers entered the Dungeon. Judging from the rtivelyrge number entering at once, they seemed to be a party.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok saw a familiar face.

    ¡°Han Sae¡ªno, Pathfinder?¡±

    ¡°So, you remember me. How dare youe here without me?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t leave you behind.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok excluded Han Sae-Rin from this Dungeon y. Sheined and questioned Jin-Hyeok if she had done something wrong and imed that this was unfair.

    However, that was not the issue. The reason he came here was to properly show the Berklev Ne to the viewers. And if he could clear the Dungeon in the process, that would be a plus.

    ¡®I thought it would be too easy to clear the Dungeon if you were in my party.¡¯

    This Dungeon did not have any Hidden Achievements or Items. There were just some strong monsters around his Level, but other than that, it was a pretty straightforward Dungeon. If Jin-Hyeok had a capable Navigator in his party, they could clear it with ease, especially by avoiding fighting the boss monster, the Decayed Pharaoh.

    However, Jin-Hyeok nned to fight the Decayed Pharaoh. He wanted to show off his Berklev Ne in the most dramatic moment, and having Sae-Rin here would disrupt his n.

    ¡°Watch closely. I will show you how capable of a Navigator I am.¡±

    ¡®I told you, I don¡¯t need you to be capable¡­¡¯

    Behind Sae-Rin, a few more yers entered.

    ¡®Lee Hyeon-Seong?¡¯

    He was once Jin-Hyeok¡¯s rival for the top position in the de-wielding ss. Now, Hyeon-Seong appeared as part of the government party, which Jin-Hyeok was part of before his regression.

    He smiled warmly and acted like he and Jin-Hyeok were close.

    ¡°Ah, are you Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Do you know me?

    ¡°Of course! You are very famous. I¡¯ve heard about your remarkable achievements.¡±

    If this were before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Hyeon-Seong wouldn¡¯t say these things. It was quite intriguing to see it now.

    No matter how he looked at it, Jin-Hyeok was much stronger than him, but back then, Hyeon-Seong kept talking about how he was much stronger than Jin-Hyeok.

    Now that Hyeon-Seong was no longer Jin-Hyeok¡¯spetitor, he seemed to be at ease.

    ¡®What an idiot.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m famous? I know that I¡¯m not that famous.¡±

    ¡°Wow. You are even humble.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So I guess that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t even bother to register on the Ranking Board. Haha!¡±

    A few more yers entered behind Hyeon-Seong, and some of them looked familiar to Jin-Hyeok while others were unfamiliar.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the country was organizing a party under the government¡¯s name. It seems like they¡¯re here.¡±

    Actually, it was quitemon to encounter other yers like this. The hunting grounds for top-ranked yers were limited, after all.

    Thest person who entered spoke to Jin-Hyeok in an aggressive tone.

    ¡°So you¡¯re the unofficial top-ranker, Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡®Kang Mi-Na? I guess she has also joined the party.¡¯

    Seeing Sae-Rin and Mi-Na, who used to be Jin-Hyeok¡¯s teammates, in the same ce like this made his heart ache for some reason.

    ¡°I will show you that I am a better Streamer than you,¡± Mi-Na said.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am?¡±

    Mi-Na seemed a bit overconfident.

    ¡°I am the undisputed top ranker in the streamer ss, the extraordinary Streamer who exclusively livestreamed the recent Flying Toad hunt and the GM assassination incident. You still don¡¯t know who I am?¡±

    ¡°I thought the undisputed top raker was BonjourTV, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I made the top rank recently! Right, I am in first ce!¡±

    Certainly, it seemed like Mi-Na had a strong sense of rivalry toward Jin-Hyeok because they were in the same ss. Jin-Hyeok originally aimed for third ce, but if she kept provoking him like this, he could not help but want to be first.

    So Jin-Hyeok provoked her back.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard someone im to be the undisputed number one in the streamer ss,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of that term?¡±

    ¡°No, really. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard that.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know who the undisputed top ranker is?¡±

    ¡°Is it BonjourTV?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered why she was acting like this. She just imed to be the undisputed top ranker herself. It seemed like she wanted him to say it.

    ¡°Sigh.¡± Mi-Na sighed while smiling as if she could not believe what was happening. Her gaze was fierce, and it seemed like she even harbored a grudge against him.

    ¡°Now I see that you¡¯re just messing with me."

    ¡®What is she talking about?¡¯

    ¡°So you¡¯ve never heard of the term undisputed top ranker?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Are you really sure?¡±

    Mi-Na red at Jin-Hyeok as if she were about to kill him. He didn¡¯t know why she was acting like this.

    ¡°Whatever. Today is thest day you will be messing with me. I will definitely show you who the undisputed top ranker is.¡±

    This time, Sae-Rin spoke up. She also seemed to have a score to settle.

    ¡°We will be the first to clear this Dungeon. I hope you don¡¯t get in our way. I will show you who the best Navigator is.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The other party led by Sae-Rin moved away from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party. It seemed they took the esctor and went up to the second floor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on what we have to do.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party could notpete with the other party in terms of speed. If they had a Navigator like Sae-Rin, maybe they could find shortcuts to clear the Dungeon. However, they could never clear it in a straightforward approach faster than the other team.

    [You have defeated a Decayed Mummy.]

    Jin-Hyeok used a straightforward approach, taking down the monsters in front of them one by one and heading to the next checkpoint.

    ¡°Huh? The Decayed Mummy dropped a special key.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok picked up the key.

    The name of the key itself was Special Key, but there was no further exnation. It was nothing special; it was just one of the keys that led to the boss room.

    ¡°Our party members fought better than expected. They didn¡¯t die even once to the Decayed Mummies.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had set the standard quite low in his mind, but now he felt like he could raise that standard a little bit. His party members were certainly not a bunch of Level Grinders.

    ¡°We will now head to the second floor.¡±

    The esctor moved slowly.

    ¡°Oppa, aren¡¯t you angry?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked her brother.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°That party that we met earlier. What if they clear the Dungeon faster than us?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Sol looked quite anxious. Come to think of it, the expressions of the other members were simr, except for Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°In the first ce, our goal isn''t to clear it quickly,¡± Jin-Hyeok said calmly.

    ¡°But still, there is the top-ranked Streamer on the other party. I bet many people are watching, and if they clear first¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right! We can¡¯t lose. No, we won¡¯t lose, right guys?¡± Seo Ji-Soo chimed in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away. This is about our progression in the advanced Dungeon, and to see what my new Berklev Ne can do. Whether the other party clears it fast or not has nothing to do with us,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was impossible to clear the Dungeon faster than them.

    ¡°You seem the most anxious¡­¡± Seo Ji-Ah mumbled quietly behind Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±

    Ji-Ah poked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back, telling him that he seemed the most anxious.

    ¡®Me? Anxious? What is she talking about?¡¯

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±

    Someone came running toward them in a fluster. Jin-Hyeok wondered who was crazy enough to dare toe to this Dungeon alone, but that crazy person turned out to be someone he knew.

    He was previously the top-ranked Navigator but now was ranked second behind Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡®Mole Man?¡¯

    If he was here, they might be able to clear this ce really quickly.

    ¡°My name is Mole Man, the top-ranked navigator-ss yer. I saw your livestream and rushed over here.¡±

    [#I¡¯m here to help. #Enemy of my enemy is my friend. #Regaining my throne. #I will show you the true greatness.]

    ¡°You mean second-ranked.¡±

    ¡°...I was first ce until recently.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if someone could use the term ¡®three days ago¡¯ interchangeably with the term ¡®recently.''

    Ji-Ah poked his back again.

    ¡°You seem excited.¡±

    ¡®Not really. I¡¯m not excited at all.¡¯

    Smirk.

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but smile.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73

    ¡°Can we trust that person? Seo Ji-Soo asked Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°He does seem suspicious.¡±

    Honestly, Mole Man¡¯s appearance looked suspicious to anyone. His yer name was Mole Man, but he seemed more like a Roon Man. He was wearing a roon-like costume.

    It was quite strange; it looked like an animal costume, but in reality, it just looked like he was covered in dirty rags. And, weirdly, his frown paws(?) were like the paws of a mole.

    ¡°I think he might be a cross between a roon and a mole. I¡¯m not sure if we can trust him.¡±

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok firmly believed in the abilities of Mole Man. He would be one of the leading Navigators in Korea.

    ¡°I am not some kind of a weird person,¡± Mole Man said while waving his paws.

    He waved his chubby front paws, and the ws were quite sharp. Jin-Hyeok wondered if moles did have paws that sharp.

    Anyway, thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members raising doubts and asking whether they could trust Mole Man, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream was smoothly progressing. When various opinions arose, it allowed for a more dynamic production for the livestream.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to care about that right now! We¡¯re falling behind!¡± Cha Jin-Sol raised her voice a little.

    Upon hearing her words, Ji-Soo¡¯s gaze wavered.

    ¡°Oppa, do you trust him?¡± Seo Ji-Ah asked.

    ¡°I think we can trust that person¡¯s skills.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll trust him too.¡±

    Although Ji-Ah did not express it outwardly, she also didn¡¯t want to lose to Han Sae-Rin¡¯s party. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members had an intensepetitive spirit. He felt proud.

    ¡°Kim Jeong-Hyeon, what do you think?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I¡­ think it''s high-risk¡­ high-return situation. If we are expected to lose in the standard way¡­ then¡­ we need to use another approach¡­¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve just said that you agree. You didn¡¯t need to say an entire paragraph to exin it.¡±

    ¡°I will¡­ try to fix it.¡±

    However, Mok Jae-Hyeon didn¡¯t seem pleased.

    ¡°Hyung, our goal was to test out your new item.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°But suddenly ying with a Navigator who just joined our party without any n feels too abrupt.¡±

    Ji-Soo lightly hit the back of Jae-Hyeon¡¯s head.

    ¡°Hey, Dungeons are naturally unexpected ces.¡±

    ¡°Y-You also said that you find that person suspicious!¡±

    ¡°Upon second nce, I think he looks kind of cute.¡±

    Upon hearing the word cute, Mole Man shifted his gaze and scratched his cheek with his index finger.

    Jin-Hyeok remembered that Mole Man was weak to being called cute. He seemed like a guy with a screw loose somewhere in his head.

    ¡°I guess our party¡¯s opinion hase together.¡±

    ¡°H-Hyung! I didn¡¯t agree yet¡­¡±

    Even if Jae-Hyeon didn¡¯t agree, Jin-Hyeok knew Jae-Hyeon was happy. Jin-Hyeok prided himself on having be quite perceptivetely. He did not need to check using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    Jin-Hyeok was sure that Jae-Hyeon was also happy that Mole Man joined their party. Jae-Hyeon just wanted to be that person who said no when everyone else shouted yes.

    ¡°Sounds good. Mole Man, let¡¯s y together,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°H-Hyung!¡± Jae-Hyeon shouted.

    They unanimously decided to team up with Mole Man.

    ? ? ?

    Mole Man was definitely not normal.

    ¡°Make way for Mole Man! Holy moly!¡±

    Once they started to y, Mole Man kept saying ¡°Holy, Moly.¡± Jin-Hyeok remembered Mole Man saying that even before his regression. It didn¡¯t make sense back then, and it still didn¡¯t make sense now. Jin-Hyeok had no idea what concept Mole Man was going for.

    ¡°Sprinkle, Moly!¡±

    Mole Man skillfully avoided the wraps of the Decayed Mummies and sprayed blue paint on the bodies of specific Decayed Mummies. Jin-Hyeok continued to livestream.

    ¡°Mole Man uses a spray-like item to write numbers on the monsters. He marked them from one to seven with the blue spray.¡±

    It seemed like the other party members didn¡¯t quite understand what Mole Man was doing.

    ¡°It seems like he is probably writing down the order they should be killed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew this strategy. By exterminating all the Decayed Mummies in the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store, he could obtain the keys for each floor. It was a slow but sure-fire strategy.

    However, if they kill specific Decayed Mummies in a certain order, they could generate the keys without having to kill all the monsters.

    ¡°Now we are going to try and kill them in that order.¡±

    Hearing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words, the party members dispersed on their own. They showed a certain level of active movement without Jin-Hyeok having to point out everything.

    ¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing, though¡­¡¯

    Back when Jin-Hyeok yed the role of a Ruler, it was truly enjoyable. But he realized he needed someone much stronger than him to take on that role now. For now, he had entrusted everything to the party.

    ¡°Now there is only one monster left.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok admired the party members. He thought some of them might die a few times. But it seemed they trained hard in Paju. It was either that or they were unleashing superhuman strength driven by a sense of responsibility.

    ¡°We seeded in killing the seventh monster.¡±

    Meanwhile, Mole Man pped his strange outfit and started running somewhere.

    ¡°Shoong~¡±

    ¡°Seeing how Mole Man is saying onomatopoeic words out loud, it is making me question if he is normal or not.¡±

    Mole Man, who had disappeared somewhere, came running back with a key in his right hand.

    ¡°I found the key, moly!¡±

    The key worked like an aggro for the monsters. All of the Decayed Mummies on this floor started rushing toward them at once.

    ¡°Everyone, run to the esctor, moly! I am going to give the key to the strongest person in the party, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok reached out his hand to grab the key, but Mole Man passed by him and handed the key to Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡®Huh? He passed me and gave the key to Jeong Hyeon?¡¯

    ¡°What are you doing? Run, moly!¡±

    Mole Man grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shirt, telling him to run.

    ¡°We need to run fast, moly! Those angry Decayed Mummies are much faster than the regr ones, moly.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t grab me. It¡¯s making the camera shaky.¡±

    ¡°I know the livestream is important to you, moly. But your lifees first, moly.¡±

    Mole Man ignored what Jin-Hyeok was saying and kept pulling him.

    If Jin-Hyeok had filmed the Decayed Mummies rushing toward him like in those zombie movies, it would have been a much better clip for his Eltube channel. But it got ruined because of him. If Mole Man were the enemy, Jin-Hyeok would have already cut off that hand, but he was still an ally.

    ¡®I¡¯ll just talk to himter.¡¯

    ¡°We got on the esctor. The Decayed Mummies are not chasing us anymore. The esctor to the third floor is quite long, and it will take some time. I think we need some time to reorganize, so I am going to take a short break from the livestream.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Mole Man. Come here for a second,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while clenching his fist.

    After putting the livestream on pause, it seemed like right now was not part of Mole Man¡¯s ying time. His tone had returned to normal.

    ¡°Haha! You can say thank youter. I also consider protecting Streamers as one of the Navigators¡¯ duties,¡± Mole Man said.

    He continued to speak with arrogance.

    ¡°It took a total of 2 hours, 49 minutes, and 33 seconds to clear the second floor. Let me see¡­ Pathfinder¡¯s team took 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 4 seconds. There was supposed to be about an hour¡¯s difference, but now we have reduced it to within thirty minutes¡­ Huh? Why do you look angry?¡±

    ¡®How dare you ruin my livestream. You¡¯ve just crossed the line.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery, or the KRMG for short, was flooded with users at the moment. They were gathered there tomunicate since any form ofmunication was impossible on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    -Han Sae-Rin is officially ranked first in the navigator-ss Ranking Board. And her start was much faster. You can say that Chul-Soo had already lost.

    ©»Didn¡¯t you see that Chul-Soo reduced the time by almost thirty minutes after clearing the second floor?

    ©»Well, on the second floor, there are only Decayed Mummies, which are much weaker. If you watch MiNaTV, you can see that there are actual Mummies starting on the third floor. Even if it was possible to kill the monster that fast and clear the second floor, that method would not work on the third floor. The time gap that had been reduced on the second floor will surely widen again. Even if Chul-Soo¡¯s party was doing.

    ©»Does anyone know what the hell this guy is saying? LOL

    ©»I¡¯ve never seen someone write an entire essay on here.

    ©»I can¡¯t believe this guy couldn¡¯t finish his essay due to the word limit. HAHA

    The users were almost certain that Sae-Rin¡¯s party would win.

    -In the clearing strategies of both parties, there are inherent limitations. As many of you may already know, the motif of the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon in the Earth Server has already appeared on numerous Servers¡­ and¡­ Many people believe that Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party is using the standard strategy, while Pathfinder¡¯s party is using the shortcut strategy. In conclusion, it is inevitable that Pathfinder¡¯s team is going to be the faster party to clear the Dungeon.

    Written by: Encyclopedia

    ©»Wow! The almighty Encyclopedia has arrived.

    ©»I actually was rooting for Chul-Soo¡¯s team, but it seems like there is no way they could win.

    Some of the users felt this was unfair.

    ©»What the hell? That guy¡¯s post is so much longer than mine! Why isn¡¯t he getting ridiculed? We¡¯re literally talking about the same thing.

    ©»Even yourining is boring. How is that possible?

    ©»You¡¯re just a nobody, but that guy is the almighty Encyclopedia, you understand?

    Meanwhile, Sae-Rin was determined.

    She had to be the first one, no matter what.

    ¡®I need to find a faster route.¡¯

    On the third floor, there were regr Mummies instead of Decayed Mummies. They were much faster than the Decayed Mummies, and each of their attacks was deadly.

    ¡°We need to minimize the fights.¡±

    As they progressed, there were unavoidable sacrifices that had to be made.

    ¡°Let¡¯s break through by sacrificing one Tank. Who is willing to do it?¡±

    ¡°I have a Skill called Death Immunity.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    A Tank from her party stepped forward and sacrificed himself. The Mummies rushed toward the Tank and tore him apart while he was still alive.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    No matter how used to death the Tank was, the pain was still there. MiNaTV¡¯s Kang Mi-Na quickly put a 19+ age restriction on her livestream.

    ¡®Wow, that¡¯s really brutal.¡¯

    If she had just broadcasted it without the restriction, the video would have definitely been demized. Sae-Rin lightly tapped Mi-Na¡¯s back.

    ¡°Follow me. Unless you want to be eaten by the Mummies.¡±

    ¡°Wait, he sacrificed himself for us; we should at least capture his moment for a bit longer.¡±

    The party proceeded to the fourth floor. Sae-Rin checked the timer while on the esctor.

    ¡®3 hours and 8 minutes.¡¯

    It did not matter that Mole Man joined the other party. Sae-Rin was confident that they could not catch up with her.

    ¡®We won!¡¯

    ? ? ?

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Some people only listened to orders when they were beaten up. Mole Man was exactly that. Even after receiving multiple exnations, Mole Man still did not listen, or at least not until he received a few punches from Jin-Hyeok, and then he immediately became submissive.

    ¡®Ah, damn it. I can¡¯t believe that I couldn¡¯t film that perfect angle before. What a waste.¡¯

    ¡°If you ruin my livestream one more time, I will cut off one of your hands.¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Jin-Sol, I need you to heal that guy. He looks too beaten up. It¡¯s not good to go on the livestream in that state.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±

    When Jin-Sol¡¯s hand touched Mole Man, his face returned to normal. All of this happened in just about thirty seconds since they got on the esctor.

    ¡°Oppa, why haven¡¯t you started the livestream?¡±

    ¡°It will probably go in the same way as before anyway.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shifted his gaze to Mole Man.

    ¡°How many floors do you think there are here?¡±

    ¡°ording to my preliminary research, I estimate there will be five floors, moly.¡±

    ¡®Man that ¡®moly¡¯ thing is really pissing me off.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok was a teammate who respected other party members¡¯ y style, so he decided to let it go.

    ¡®Still, he is really talented. There¡¯s no doubt about that.¡¯

    Just like Mole Man said, this Dungeon went up to the fifth floor. If they took the shortcut route, the Dungeon would be acknowledged as cleared as soon as they exited the fifth floor. However, if they followed the standard route, they needed to defeat the hidden boss in order to be recognized as having cleared the Dungeon.

    ¡°The approach will be the same, I guess. Mole Man, you will mark the monsters with your spray again?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called Mole Man¡¯s Holy Moly Guacamole Spray, moly.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will know for sure when we reach the third floor, moly.¡±

    ¡®Sigh. How much of his ridiculous concept will I have to tolerate?¡¯

    They arrived at the third floor.

    ¡°I was right. It should be the same as the second floor, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok still had not started the livestream. There was no one on the third floor.

    He drew his sword.

    ¡°I will fight alongside you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Are you actually going to?¡±

    The expressions on his party members¡¯ faces brightened.

    ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t get me wrong. It¡¯s just that this is a truly unavoidable situation and that¡¯s why I am fighting with you.¡±

    Everyone enthusiastically agreed with Jin-Hyeok. The determination not to lose to Sae-Rin¡¯s party was shared by all. Looking at Jae-Hyeon, who was also smiling, Jin-Hyeok knew he was right.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone crazy, moly. A Streamer wielding a sword. The world ising to an end, moly,¡± Mole Man muttered to himself.

    ¡®Hehe. I feel thrilled. But wait¡­ Didn¡¯t I say that I would only do this on the weekends?¡¯

    Come to think of it, there was no need to restrict himself to only the weekends. Streaming was his main job, and as long as he gave his best during the livestream, it should be enough.

    ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m just ying around, right?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword with all his might. This was truly an unavoidable situation where he had to wield the sword himself. Jin-Hyeok, too, did not want to lose to Sae-Rin¡¯s party.

    sh!

    He beheaded one of the Mummies. Luckily, it went down with one swing. The feeling in his hands was exhrating.

    ¡°The key! I found the key, moly!¡±

    They headed to the fourth floor.

    The fourth floor did not have a significantly different difficulty level. There were just more of the same monsters.

    ¡®I want to take down a few more of them.¡¯

    However, the sheer number of them swarming in made it impossible to keep shing. No matter how strong Jin-Hyeok was, it was a bit embarrassing that he could not defeat them all by himself.

    ¡°I found another key, moly!¡±

    They arrived at the fifth floor. There was nothing on the fifth floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to change my clothes. Hold on.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had brought new clothes with him, just in case. He thought he should always look tidy on the screen. Even though it was a first-person perspective, it might be a bit off-putting for the viewers if Jin-Heok had blood stains on his sleeves.

    There were no monsters on the fifth floor. He restarted the livestream.

    ¡°Progression on the third and fourth floors was the same, so there was not much to show you. We have reached the fifth floor. Looking around, there are no monsters on this floor. It¡¯s rather calm.¡±

    Instead, there was arge coffin ced ahead. It was tied with thick iron chains and secured with four locks, and something inside was shaking violently.

    ¡°I can feel something dangerousing from that coffin,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mole Man plopped down on the ground.

    ¡°We are in trouble, moly¡­¡±

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74

    ¡°I sneaked in here without buying the entrance ticket, moly,¡± Mole Man fell down on the floor.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party each paid one million Dias to enter the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon. Most yers entering this ce did the same. That way, even if they died, they would be resurrected.

    ¡°We can¡¯t defeat that monster. Just by looking, it is Level 80 or higher. It is not a monster created for us to kill. Damn it! I think I made a mistake because I was too obsessed with beating Pathfinder, moly.¡±

    ¡°Why on earth did you enter without buying a ticket? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have one million Dias at your disposal, right?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon muttered as if he could not understand Mole Man.

    For Jae-Hyeon, this was the worst situation. ording to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s strategy, if someone had to die first among the party members, it was always the Tank. And if someone had to be saved, the Navigator and the Healer were the priority.

    ¡®I really thought I wouldn¡¯t die today,¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    Even if he had the Death Immunity Trait, the experience of dying was always painful. Jae-Hyeon hated pain so much that he was scared of getting paper cuts on his fingers and hitting the doorstep with his toes.

    Of course, he hated dying even more.

    ¡°Having a n B is for pussies, moly.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    Jae-Hyeon was at a loss for words.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have a safety. You should always y by risking your life, moly.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°Having your back against the wall will always bring out your full potential, moly.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon found it so absurd that he started tough. He could not believe there really was someone crazy enough not to use one million Dias to save their life.

    ¡°Do you see how everyone is silent right now?¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    He wanted to say that Mole Man was out of his mind, but Jin-Hyeok suddenly stepped forward.

    ¡°You¡¯re a true yer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Mole Man.

    His face became serious.

    ¡®I should really reflect on myself,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    For the safety of his party members, Jin-Hyeok proceeded to y with the help of Jang Michelle. Upon reflection, he realized that this was too boring and mundane of a y.

    ¡®I¡¯ve lost my touch.¡¯

    If it had been the old Cha Jin-Hyeok, he would not have bought tickets like this. Having such advantages made one lose their edge. Tension would be reduced, and skill improvement would be slowed down.

    If it were an unknown Dungeon, it might be understandable, but this was one of the Dungeons that Jin-Hyeok knew all too well. Mole Man¡¯s words seemed correct no matter how Jin-Hyeok thought about it.

    Mole Many on the floor and cried softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m frustrated, moly! I don¡¯t wanna die, moly!¡±

    He was not afraid of impending death. Dying was not scary at all.

    ¡°Now I will be remembered as the one who was defeated by Pathfinder. That title is going to haunt me forever, moly¡­¡±

    Tears, like chicken droppings, fell from Mole Man¡¯s eyes. He was angry about being recorded as someone who lost to Han Sae-Rin.

    Jin-Hyeok patted Mole Man¡¯s back.

    ¡°I know that feeling.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was deeply impressed by Mole Man. Constantly saying ¡®moly¡¯ after every sentence was annoying as hell, but he was someone Jin-Hyeok could learn from.

    ¡®People should not lose their edge.¡¯

    Mole Man was a mentor to whom Jin-Hyeok was grateful to, and also made Jin-Hyeok realize this.

    ¡®...Wait a minute.¡¯

    Now that he thought about it again, it seemed like a good choice to have bought the tickets and distributed them to his party members.

    ¡®I¡¯m not alone anymore.¡¯

    The old Jin-Hyeok and the current Jin-Hyeok were quite different. He almost forgot his current self, swayed by Mole Man¡¯s charm.

    ¡®I have a family to protect and a daily life to live.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew very well that he kept going back and forth between his old self and the current self, and sometimes his words from yesterday were different from the day after. In truth, he was in a state of indecision.

    Sometimes it seemed like one thing was right, and at other times, it feltpletely wrong.

    ¡®I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s right anymore.¡¯

    What mattered right now was that Jin-Hyeok was on the air.

    He decided to focus on the livestreaming.

    ¡°It seems like we need to unlock the seal of that coffin with the keys we¡¯ve obtained from the previous floors.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached the coffin.

    ¡°Why are you just standing there, Jae-Hyeon? Come here.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think needs to die first in this situation?¡±

    ¡°...Me.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon¡¯s face turned red, but it did not matter much. He might be timid, but he was truly skillful and capable.

    ¡°Hm¡­ Judging by the shape of the coffin, it seems the entity inside is not in the form of a human. The size is approximately two meters, I suppose. Since we have hunted monsters rted to Mummies, I am assuming what¡¯s inside is going to be simr to that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok positioned the party members one by one. He pointed with hisser pointer.

    As their leader, a sense of excitement welled up within him.

    ¡°I need the Seo sisters to use theirbination attacks right here, and Jin-Sol to stand behind that pir over there. Kim Jeong-Hyeon, I need you to protect me from the front while we¡¯re moving.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already knew what was going toe out of the coffin. He knew the monster¡¯s habits and attack patterns. The battle strategy against it had already been visualized in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. It felt like he had glimpsed into the future.

    ¡®Damn¡­ This is going to be amazing.¡¯

    It felt like Jin-Hyeok was stepping into a forbidden area again, even though he promised himself not to.

    [You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Wide Vision¡¹.]

    [You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Battle Foresight¡¹.]

    One by one, the ruler-ss Skills had been unlocked.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start the battle.¡±

    Since his livestream was in the first-person perspective, it would be thrilling to pick the lock himself.

    ¡®I need to do it slowly to maintain the tension for the viewers.¡¯

    Click.

    Click.

    Jin-Hyeok intentionally took his time to unlock the locks, trying to drag out the suspense. The lid of the coffin trembled as if it would explode.

    Click.

    Click.

    [The boss monster of the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store, ¡¸Decayed Pharaoh¡¹, has been revealed.]

    As the lid broke, a purple toxin spread heavily on the ground. Jae-Hyeon instantly deployed a fence-like Wood Fortress and trapped the toxin within the fence.

    And then he died.

    A golden light seemed to be imbued into Jae-Hyeon¡¯s now purple-colored corpse, and when the light suddenly burst out, his body disappeared along with it.

    "Thanks to the resurrection setting, it looks like he is back to life. He must have been thrown out of the Dungeon.¡±

    Thanks to Jae-Hyeon¡¯s sacrifice, Jin-Hyeok could see the power of the toxin.

    ¡°Yaaap!¡±

    ¡°Hayyaa!¡±

    The Seo sisters could not execute proper attacks. It was because bandages suddenly came out from both sides, restraining them.

    ¡°W-What the hell is this?¡±

    From above the Seo sisters¡¯ heads, a purple sticky liquid poured down like a waterfall.

    ¡°The Seo sisters also died instantly from the monster¡¯s attack. That Decayed Pharoah is definitely a Level 80 monster.¡±

    Mole Man stood beside Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Are you really able to see the Level of monsters, moly?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could sense Mole Man¡¯s determination to resolve his curiosity, even if it meant dying. Jin-Hyeok liked that attitude. That was how the y should be.

    ¡°I can see it. I can see the Level and the name, Decayed Pharaoh. I can even see the names of some of its Skills.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive, moly.¡±

    Mole Man looked at him with admiring eyes. Jin-Hyeok did not mind the gaze at all.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Sol got entangled in the bandages.

    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±

    ''Tsk. You should have taken better cover.¡¯

    ¡°Our Healer died too. That means that Kim Jeong-Hyeon will die soon.¡±

    The Decayed Pharaoh was a giant Mummy wearing a golden mask. However, for some reason, that golden mask looked familiar to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Have I faced that monster before?¡¯

    The monster jumped high.

    Thump!

    It stood in front of Jeong-Hyeon and grabbed his wrist.

    ¡°I just heard the sound of Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s forearm bone breaking. That¡¯s going to hurt a lot.¡±

    Yet, Jeong-Hyeon did not scream. Instead, he punched with his other arm toward the golden mask.

    ng!

    It sounded like metals colliding with each other.

    ¡°Hm¡­ that¡¯s not good. It looks like the mask is made of metal, and punching it with your fist doesn¡¯t seem like a wise choice."

    It looked like his fist was broken. The Decayed Pharaoh cocked its head back.

    ¡°It seems like it is trying to use a headbutt¡ª¡±

    Boom!

    The Decayed Pharaoh¡¯s forehead struck Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s face with great force.

    ¡°That¡­ has to hurt a lot.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s neck waspletely twisted. The destructive power of the headbutt was evident, as his neck was almost torn apart.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon died instantly.¡±

    Thanks to that, Jin-Hyeok could make up his mind.

    ¡®I need to get hit by that headbutt.¡¯

    Upon calction, the boss monster¡¯s other Skills seemed a bit weak to activate the instant death effect. Jin-Hyeok needed one good blow for his livestream. That way, it was easier to get clips for his Eltube channel.

    ¡°It was nice knowing you, moly.¡±

    Mole Man stepped forward.

    ¡°I need you to capture my final moment, moly. Even if I am going to die, I want to die in a cool way, moly.¡±

    ¡°This weakling seems to be just all talk. I am going to knock him out for the time being.¡±

    If Mole Man stayed conscious and kept moving around, it was going to disrupt Jin-Hyeok¡¯s n. So, he hit Mole Man¡¯s neck to make him lose consciousness.

    Jin-Hyeok hit him gently, but it almost broke his neck.

    ¡®Holy¡­ I almost killed him.¡¯

    Fortunately, he was still breathing.

    Purple breath came out from the Decayed Pharaoh¡¯s mask.

    ¡®It saw me.¡¯

    It came toward him with a thumping sound.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already memorized his patterns.¡±

    Soon, the toxin was going to be released. Jin-Hyeok distanced himself as much as possible from Mole Man. He was too weak, and just a touch of that purple toxin meant death.

    The Decayed Pharaoh exhaled.

    ¡°I will step on the wall and jump into the air. Thanks to Jae-Hyeon¡¯s sacrifice, I learned how to avoid its attack.¡±

    The toxin was spread on the ground. Its range and duration were predetermined. It disappeared on its own after two seconds.

    ¡°Good. I was able to avoid it quite easily. You can say that I was lucky.¡±

    The toxin dispersed. He approached the boss monster with a dagger, just as the Seo sisters did.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯m assuming the bandages that are going to bind me wille out from the sides, right? Any time now¡­ Three, two, one. Hmph!¡±

    He threw himself forward and rolled once.

    ¡°And once more.¡±

    He threw himself forward again and rolled one more time.

    ¡°I¡¯ve dodged the attacks. Lucky again.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached the Pharaoh. And then, just like Jeong-Hyeon, he punched the mask.

    Thunk!

    The Decayed Pharaoh grabbed his wrist.

    ¡°As I expected, it¡¯s the same pattern. Ouch. This one hurts a little.¡±

    Its strength was quite powerful, and his wrist bone broke.

    ¡°Since my right wrist is broken, I will try to hit it with my left hand.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung his left hand. He didn¡¯t make the mistake of imbuing his fist with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. He didn¡¯t want to kill the monster, just in case he was stronger than he thought.

    ng!

    The sound, simr to what happened to Jeong-Hyeon, echoed in the ce.

    ¡°My left hand is also broken. Herees the headbutt.¡±

    The Pharaoh cocked his head back again, and its neck stretched.

    ¡°The pressure is tremendous.¡±

    Just in case, Jin-Hyeok did not apply any Achievements. It was highly unlikely, but not dying instantly to the monster¡¯s attack would disrupt his entire n.

    ¡®Good thing I practiced with the Flying Toad.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of improvement once again. It was like being able to look at himself a little more objectively. Understanding himself urately was the first step to growth.

    Boom!

    He felt as if his head was breaking. This was definitely an instant death attack.

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has not been applied.]

    ¡®Keuk¡­ Damn it!¡¯

    [The Trait ¡¸Extra Life¡¹ has been applied.]

    Jin-Hyeok touched his neck.

    ¡®The probability of the Reflection effect is eighty percent! How did it not work?¡¯

    ¡°Unlucky. I will try again.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did the same thing again. The Pharaoh¡¯s pattern waspletely standardized, so repeating the same actions was not too difficult. Enduring the pain was a bit challenging, but Jin-Hyeok managed to bear it.

    ¡°Herees the headbutt.¡±

    ¡®Seriously, if it doesn¡¯t work this time, it¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s eighty percent!¡¯

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    ¡®There you go!¡¯

    The Pharaoh¡¯s neck was torn open and swayed loosely. Jin-Hyeok drew his sword and struck that neck several times.

    ¡°Now I am going to kill the monster.¡±

    But that swaying neck was sturdier than he thought. Jin-Hyeok was having a hard time cutting it.

    ¡°I think I am not that powerful because I¡¯m just a Streamer. But I will try my best to cut the head.¡±

    Nevertheless, the boss monster was already on the brink of death. It took some time, but Jin-Hyeok finally killed the Decayed Pharaoh.

    [You have defeated the ¡¸Decayed Pharaoh¡¹.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have reached Level 58.]

    Smirk.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡°Just to be sure, I will attack it several more times to see if it really died.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued to sh. It was not that he wanted to enjoy the feeling of shing, but it was for safety.

    Really.

    [You have acquired ¡¸Pharaoh¡¯s Golden Mask¡¹.]

    When he got the item and examined it, he realized where he had seen the mask. It was a bit inferior to the mask that he knew of, but it was undoubtedly very simr to the mask worn by the Masked Sage.

    ¡®That guy was ridiculously strong.¡¯

    [You have acquired ¡¸Pharaoh¡¯s Failed Herb of Immortality¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok struck the Decayed Pharaoh¡¯s neck again. Just to emphasize, it was not that he wanted to enjoy the shing.

    ¡°I think the boss monster is dead.¡±

    After a few more shes, Jin-Hyeok suddenly came to his senses.

    ¡®Wait, something feels strange.¡¯

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75

    It was only because of Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s own experience that he enhanced the Berklev Ne with Reflection.

    ¡®The probability was close to one hundred percent¡­¡¯

    The Reflection effect was supposed to work most of the time. A seventy percent probability was considered very high.

    ¡®I never experienced any penalty before my regression¡­¡¯

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had never faced the penalty where a fatal injury attack instantly turned into an instant death attack. Of course, he knew all this revolved around luck and coincidence, but it was still a significant differencepared to his current life after his regression.

    ¡®Perhaps I used up all my luck during the regression.¡¯

    He knew he had to do something.

    ¡®I need to obtain Mysteries rted to luck.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok did not know how to obtain such Mysteries. It was not like Mysteries were easy to find.

    ¡®Hm¡­ A Mystery rted to luck¡­¡¯

    As far as he knew, he knew one person that possessed such Mystery. And thanks to that Mystery, that person managed to escape death several times.

    ¡®Jeon Nam-Gil the Serial Killer.¡¯

    The serial killer who murdered his family had a Mystery rted to luck. Because of that, Nam-Gil was able to block Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attacks. Even when he swung a random stick at Jin-Hyeok, it miraculously blocked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword.

    ¡®There was also that time when a flower pot fell on me while I was trying to capture him.¡¯

    A kid unrted to Nam-Gil supposedly threw the flower pot as a prank, but it ended up benefiting the serial killer.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know how, but he knew he had to take that Mystery away from Nam-Gil.

    Meanwhile, Mole Man rushed toward him and hugged him tightly.

    ¡°You really did it, moly!¡±

    Mole Man was extremely excited, pointing ahead and jumping around.

    ¡°The gate has been opened, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok considered pushing him away, but it seemed like a good clip for his video, so he just let him be. Mole Man¡¯s expression looked genuinely thrilled, making it perfect for his livestream.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, moly!¡±

    Mole Man held Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand firmly, and then they walked briskly toward the gate. The gate was locked with a padlock.

    ¡°I knew this was going to happen, so I obtained one more key, moly!¡±

    Mole Man was prepared. No wonder he was the number two Navigator. Jin-Hyeok brushed off Mole Man¡¯s grip and continued the livestream.

    ¡°It seems like the Dungeon has been cleared. I wonder if Pathfinder¡¯s team has cleared it.¡±

    Click!

    The gate opened.

    [You have cleared the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon.]

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸Conqueror of Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon¡¹.]

    It was not a particrly special Achievement. Some Dungeons would give yers an Achievement just for clearing them, and Jin-Hyeok was familiar with this one. It made finding the Hidden Achievement inside this Dungeon easier and had a probability of increasing the rewards received from the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon.

    But at that moment, Mole Man held his head and got on the ground.

    ¡°No¡­ No!!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s toote, moly.¡±

    The ears on Mole Man¡¯s hat, which was of a roon''s for some reason, drooped sadly. He sure was a yer who stayed true to his concept. Then, he started to cry loudly, like a baby.

    ¡°I think this guy needs someforting. I will mute the livestream for a moment.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t needforting, moly! I lost, moly!¡±

    With the mute mode on, Jin-Hyeok ced his hand on Mole Man¡¯s shoulder and whispered into his ear, ¡°If you ever try to hold my hand again, I will cut off your wrist.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Mole Man flinched. As someone who was sensitive to bloodlust, he fully understood what was going on.

    ¡°If you understand, smile at the camera.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Mole Man¡¯s sobbing stopped abruptly. Jin-Hyeok released mute mode.

    ¡°I¡¯veforted him enough. Luckily, it seems like my encouragement worked well.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s rather forceful encouragement, Mole Man stopped crying. Although he had managed to calm down, Mole Man was still upset.

    ¡°They cleared it seven minutes faster than us!¡± Mole man said while gritting his teeth in anger.

    ¡°They took the Achievement for the First Clear away from us, moly!¡±

    Just then, on the pedestrian crossing across the street, Han Sae-Rin and Kang Mi-Na were standing. When the light turned green, they started to walk toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream.

    ¡°We will have a talk as to who won this time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members, who were also waiting outside, joined him, and Sae-Rin and Mi-Na¡¯s members were waiting across the street at a coffee shop.

    ¡°Everyone is sitting down as if they have won. Some are even foolishly smiling like victors.¡±

    They sat facing each other around a long table. On the opposite side of Jin-Hyeok was Lee Hyeon-Seong.

    Hyeon-Seong spoke first, ¡°We were seven minutes faster, so I think we can call it our victory.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit annoyed. Honestly, if someone else had said it, he wouldn¡¯t have been this bothered.

    ¡®Hyeon-Seong always boasts like this, whether it is now or before.¡¯

    Even though Jin-Hyeok was clearly much stronger, Hyeon-Seong still had this typical Swordsman-like attitude, iming he won. Hyeon-Seong had always done that before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, and he was still doing it.

    Jin-Hyeok was going to let them im victory because it was not a high-level Achievement or anything, but seeing Hyeon-Seong acting like this changed everything.

    ¡°Do you seriously think that you won?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°iming victory while taking a shortcut and not even fighting the boss monster? And you call yourself a Swordsman?¡±

    ¡°Our mission was to clear the Dungeon as fast as we can.¡±

    Seeing how easily Hyeon-Seong stopped using honorifics, it looked like his true nature was about toe out. Of course, Jin-Hyeok was the first to stop using the honorifics, but he decided not to mind it.

    ¡°Why do you even have a sword? It¡¯s embarrassing,¡± Jin-Hyeok provoked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You ran away from a boss monster that even a Streamer like me could easily defeat!¡±

    Then, Sae-Rin, who was the Navigator for Hyeon-Seong, chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s not like we couldn¡¯t defeat the boss monster. We just chose a more efficient strategy. Our goal was to clear the Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m wondering if you can even call that a legitimate clear.¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a legitimate clear.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s from a Navigator¡¯s perspective.¡±

    Navigators always pursued more efficient and safe routes. From Sae-Rin¡¯s perspective, they did everything perfectly.

    ¡°How about you, Lee Hyeon-Seong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°How the hell do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°One search on the KRMG or the SSP and everything about you pops up. A well-prepared Streamer should know who the top-ranked Swordsman is. And stop beating around the bush and answer my question. You. You. You. You!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed his finger at each member of their team.

    ¡°From your perspective, do you really think that was a legitimate clear?¡±

    And finally, he pointed at Mi-Na.

    ¡°Did you get better clips for your Eltube channel than me?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course!¡±

    Maybe she was telling the truth. She had the ability to produce great content even from mundane events like snow falling from the sky.

    ¡°How many viewers did you have?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It was not really a question. Jin-Hyeok could check that on Eltube. Her viewer count was probably around ten thousand.

    ¡°A Streamer¡¯s ability is determined by the number of viewers. Am I wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Simply saying that Streamer¡¯s ability is based solely on viewer numbers is not correct. It is moreplicated than that.¡±

    ¡°What other objective metrics are there then?¡±

    For now, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s viewer count was much higher than hers. For Streamers, having arge number of viewers was the most important thing.

    ¡°Is your Level higher than mine?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, not only do you have fewer viewers than me, your Level is also lower than mine¡­ It sure sounds like a loss to me.¡±

    Mi-Na bit her lip. She seemed quite frustrated.

    ¡°So I guess the only one who can im victory from your team is Pathfinder, right?¡±

    ¡°We only lost two members. That means we didn¡¯t clear by using our colleagues¡¯ sacrifices as stepping stones,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    Just then, Cha Jin-Sol chimed in, ¡°Sacrifice? What sacrifice?¡±

    ¡°I know some of you died in the Dungeon. Even though there¡¯s the resurrection setting in the Dungeon, the pain and fear of death are still real.¡±

    ¡°Why would that be considered a sacrifice?¡±

    Jin-Sol looked toward the Seo sisters and asked them, ¡°Do you guys think it was a sacrifice?¡±

    The Seo sisters both shook their heads at the same time. They genuinely could not understand why this was considered a sacrifice.

    ¡°It¡­ was a good death,¡± Seo Ji-Ah spoke first.

    ¡°Experiencing death through the boss monster¡¯s attack was a valuable learning experience. I really learned a lot,¡± Seo Ji-Soo said.

    ¡®Well done. Well done.¡¯

    They had such a desirable way of thinking. Furthermore, Kim Jeong-Hyeon added more to it, ¡°The feeling¡­ of my neck breaking¡­ and my head getting crushed¡­ were very unfamiliar sensations¡­ I think¡­ It is something every Martial Artists should experience¡­ at least once¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok spoke up, ¡°Our party learned a lot from this Dungeon.¡±

    Thanks to Mole Man, he regained his original mindset. They had learned a lot from this ce.

    ¡°Then what about you guys? Besides just being seven minutes faster, were there any other aspects where you were better than us? Of course, in thepetition between Navigators, you guys won.¡±

    Mole Man seemed like he wanted to say something, but he closed his mouth after locking his eyes with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°So what I¡¯m saying is, in thepetition between Mole Man and Pathfinder, it¡¯s a win for Pathfinder. In all other aspects, it¡¯s a victory for us. After looking at the facts, why are you still trying to argue?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The other team seemed eager to say something, but they could not bring themselves to speak.

    Mi-Na was the first to stand up.

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    She red at each of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members.

    ¡°If I find Kim Pyeong-Beom, you guys are all done for! Hmph!¡±

    Mi-Na walked away. Despite her attitude, it seemed like she was admitting to her defeat.

    ? ? ?

    Mok Jae-Hyeon could not understand the situation at all.

    ¡®What does it matter who wins?¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    Looking at the people on the other side, they seemed to have lost everything. Looking at his members, they seemed to have gained everything.

    ¡®Am I the weird one?¡¯

    He couldn¡¯tprehend why everyone was fixated on such trivial matters. It was not like someone would pay them for being recognized as having the Dungeon''s First Clear.

    Of course, that was Jae-Hyeon¡¯s misconception.

    ¡°I knew Kim Chul-Soo was not going to let us down.¡±

    Choi Gap-Soo donated ten million Dias to Cha Jin-Hyeok, and Jang Michelle also donated ten million Dias to him.

    ¡°Who would have thought we could see such a high-quality livestream on the Earth Server?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Solo clear by a Streamer, huh,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°Chul-Soo showed off his skills, and every move he made was exceptional.¡±

    When Chul-Soo moved, he was agile like an Assassin, and his attacks were powerful like a Martial Artist.

    ¡°His use of Extra Life and Berklev Ne was also remarkable.¡±

    ¡°I admit he was excellent, but I wonder how long he could y like that.¡±

    ¡°I guess we will have to wait and see.¡±

    MoneyShower and MoneyShot had been watching the SSP for a long time. There have been many Streamers who tackled various Jobs in low-Level stages for a long time. However, very few became high-Level Streamers.

    ¡°For some reason, I have a feeling that Chul-Soo will show incredible skills even in the high-Level stages.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because you want that to happen, old man.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Perhaps. It might be my wishful thinking.¡±

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok received twenty million Dias in total from just those two. And the nearly twenty thousand viewers also donated around ten million Dias in total.

    Jin-Hyeok had obtained thirty million Dias, and he proceeded to distribute among his party members their share of it¡ªin the form of one million Dias each. The party members trembled with excitement.

    ¡®Fantastic rewards.¡¯

    ¡®Amazing! If Ibine it with my sister, that¡¯s two million Dias!¡¯

    ¡®One million Dias in a day¡­ Awesome¡­¡¯

    ¡®Hehe. I guess I met an amazing Oppa.¡¯

    ¡®So if I win¡­ I get money?¡¯

    Everyone was extremely satisfied. The fact that they won thepetition made everyone, except for Jae-Hyeon, happy.

    Meanwhile, when Jin-Hyeok returned from clearing the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon, he examined his rewards.

    [Pharaoh¡¯s Golden Mask]

    [Pharaoh¡¯s Failed Herb of Immortality]

    ¡®Where do I use these?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t recall. Since he did not know when or where these items could be useful, he decided to keep them for now.

    Just then, his phone started to ring.

    ¡®Who could it be?¡¯

    The caller was Angel Girl.

    ¡ªI found him.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡ªThe person you wanted me to find. Jeon Nam-Gil.

    Angel Girl found where Nam-Gil was.

    ¡ªBut¡­ something is a bit off.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡ªTake a look. I¡¯ll send you the link on KakaoTalk.

    Ding!

    A link was sent to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s phone.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76

    It was a link to an Eltube livestream. It had around one hundred viewers, and Cha Jin-Hyeok knew who it was.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t that FreakKingTV?¡¯

    It was the first time Jin-Hyeok actually watched FreakKing¡¯s livestream. That was because, before his regression and when he was an active yer, FreakKing was already dead.

    From his recollection, FreaKing died at quite a low Level, around thirty or forty. The reason why Jin-Hyeok remembered him was one thing.

    ¡®He was the first victim killed by Jeon Nam-Gil.¡¯

    FreakKing was a Streamer who mainly focused on bizarre or freaky content. Jin-Hyeok remembered him filming content like dissecting small monsters or torturing them.

    Then one day, FreakKing suggested to Nam-Gil, ¡°How about we kill one of the yers? That¡¯s still considered ying, right?¡± and ended up being murdered by him. That was the information Jin-Hyeok came across while gathering data on the serial killer.

    ¡®They¡¯re already ying together.¡¯

    ¡ªDid you check the link that I sent you?

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t really want to see it, though.¡±

    In the livestream, Nam-Gil and FreakKing were torturing a cat-type small monster. FreakKing zoomed in on the struggling creature.

    ?The world has be a better ce, guys!?

    FreakKing seemed incredibly excited, shouting in such a high-pitched voice that it was annoying to listen to.

    ?It was freaking tough because of those animal rights and animal protectionws, but now, thanks to the monsters, the world of gore has opened! Can you guys see its pupils dting? Oh my god! Thank you for the five thousand Dia donation! Thank you! Bing-Bong!?

    FreakKing moved his hand as if he was begging while shaking his butt side to side.

    ?Now, this is for the donation! I will poke the monster¡¯s eyes! Hahaha!?

    He picked up an awl. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t want to watch any further, so he turned the livestream off.

    ¡ªI found him just as you said. So, can I have some free time now?

    ¡°Did you locate their position?¡±

    ¡ªWell, I did¡­ But¡­

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡ªI¡¯m a little busy right now.

    ¡°How can you be busy and still be on this call?¡±

    Angel Girl still had note to her senses. If she was talking on the phone, clearly, it meant that she was not busy. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why she was lying.

    ¡ªWell¡­ It¡¯s my sibling¡¯s birthday¡­

    ¡°Do you want me to use the TIght-Fillet Spell?¡±

    ¡ªIt¡¯s customary to celebrate a sibling¡¯s birthday a littlete.

    Jin-Hyeok took a cab and arrived at Hongje-dong, which was in Seodaemun-gu. It was about a ten-minute drive from Yeonhui-dong, which was really close to Eunpyeong-gu, which was very close to where he used to live.

    ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s pretty obvious.¡¯

    Before the regression, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s family lived in Eunpyeong-gu, and they were all killed by Nam-Gil. This meant that Jin-Hyeok''s family was within Nam-Gil¡¯s activity radius.

    After waiting in front of the Hongje Station for a bit, Jin-Hyeok spotted Song Ha-Young looking around. Jin-Hyeok sent her a text.

    [I am wearing a ck hoodie, ck cap, jeans, and ck shoes. Height around 175 centimeters.]

    Ha-Young approached Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Um¡­ excuse me¡­¡±

    It looked like she was here to buy something from him.

    ¡°See? I told you, you weren¡¯t busy,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    If she were really busy, she wouldn¡¯t be here even if he used the Tight-Fillet Spell.

    ¡°If you werete, I would have acknowledged that you were busy.¡±

    ¡°Really? You would do that? And not use the spell?¡±

    ¡°Of course I would¡¯ve used the spell.¡±

    ¡®I would¡¯ve acknowledged that you were busy, but using the spell is a different story.¡¯

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go over there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But why are we looking for them? It can¡¯t be to rescue those small monsters, right?¡±

    ¡°Why the hell would I rescue them?¡±

    No matter how small or cute the monsters might be, they were still monsters. Those born as monsters inherently held animosity toward humans. The small monsters they were torturing were still dangerous to children.

    Monsters and humans could never coexist.

    ¡°Then why bother going after those scumbags?¡±

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    After all, Jin-Hyeok did not even turn on his livestream. There was no need to worry about usibility. Ha-Young seemed curious about something and kept asking questions.

    ¡°But how did you change your appearance so perfectly?¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°Was the Deceiver¡¯s Mask that wless?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just keep quiet and go.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re going to use the Tight-Fillet Spell if I say one more word.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know if it was because she was a Thief, but she seemed to have urately read his mind. Jin-Hyeok was already counting the words.

    ¡°So, now I can only say one more word, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, go ahead and try me.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it now.¡±

    Ha-Young was definitely perceptive.

    They entered a narrow alley in Honje-dong.

    ¡°There.¡±

    It was a dim alleyway with old buildings awaiting redevelopment, and among them was a dpidated house with broken windows.

    ¡°They¡¯re livestreaming from inside there.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll take it from here. Take this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed over one hundred thousand won.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your sibling¡¯s birthday today, no?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    From the perspective of someone with a sibling, this was the least Jin-Hyeok could do.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok would¡¯ve been disappointed if she had taken the money willingly. Fortunately, she attempted to pickpocket him.

    [Angel Girl has used ¡¸Sleight of Hand¡¹.]

    Inside Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pocket was an envelope containing one million won. With his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok saw exactly how her Skill was used. He decided to just let it slide because he thought it was a clever move.

    ¡°Thanks, I didn¡¯t know you cared about me this much,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Yeah, make good use of the one million won.¡±

    ¡°...You knew?¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t even try, I would have been greatly disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Why would you be disappointed?¡±

    ¡°If a Thief does not attempt theft, it would be disappointing. What, you want me to praise them?¡±

    Ha-Young shook her head.

    ¡°I can never understand you.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Aftering out of the alley in Hongje-dong, Ha-Young was astounded.

    ¡°What just happened?¡±

    Suddenly, she remembered what Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yeah, make good use of the one million won.¡±

    There was a specific reason why he mentioned the amount.

    ¡°When did he take back the one hundred thousand won?¡±

    The one hundred thousand won that Jin-Hyeok had initially given her was missing. In other words, while he simply gave Ha-Young the one million won by letting her steal it, he stole back the one hundred thousand won at the same time.

    ¡°I just lost a battle of theft against him?¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like he had any thieving Skills, but Ha-Young still had no idea when he stole it.

    ¡°Damn it. This is gonna hurt my pride.¡±

    She was careless, but she never expected to be deceived like this. Despite saying her pride was hurt, she smiled slyly.

    ¡®Is he provoking me?¡¯ Ha-Young thought.

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely strip you down to your panties,¡± Ha-Young vowed.

    She hid in an abandoned house. Curious about what Jin-Hyeok was up to, she turned on FreakKingTV¡¯s livestream. In the livestream, FreakKing was poking the eye of a monster whileughing maniacally. His eyes were soaked with considerable madness, and she swore she had seen those eyes somewhere before.

    ¡®That¡¯s the same eyes as Kim Chul-Soo!¡¯

    They were definitely the eyes of a lunatic. The body of the struggling monster finally went limp after resisting until its death.

    In the livestream, FreakKing started to talk.

    ?Now it¡¯s your turn, S-Mania.?

    ?I have no interest in dealing with a dead one.?

    S-Mania (Jeon Nam-Gil) painted all the ws of the dead monster with red nail polish. It seemed to be some kind of ritual for S-Mania.

    ?Next time, it¡¯d be nice if you hand them over while they are still alive.?

    ?I promise! Hehehe!?

    FreakKing, who was taking a short break, continued to speak.

    ?But, you know, isn¡¯t killing these small creatures getting a bit less fun now? The world has be so much better. How long are we going to keep fixating on the little guys??

    ?Do you have any good ideas then??

    ?Let¡¯s kill people.?

    ?People??

    ?We can kill other yers. There is no legal responsibility for what happens during y.?

    FreakKing got excited, wrapping his arms around himself

    ?How exhrating would it be? They would beg for their lives, and we would cut off the tongues of those who plead for mercy¡ª?

    The livestream was suddenly cut off.

    [ording to the System settings, the age restriction has been automatically applied.]

    [This livestream is not suitable for youth viewing.]

    [Age verification is required.]

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Ha-Young quicklypleted the age verification and re-entered the livestream. The situation on the screen had taken a sudden turn.

    ?Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!?

    Ha-Young doubted her own eyes. FreakKing was covered in his own blood for some reason.

    ?You crazy bastard!?

    ?Those eyes, I really like them.?

    S-Mania was licking his lips while looking at FreakKing.

    ?How is it? How does it feel getting stabbed??

    S-Mania looked genuinely curious.

    ?Okay, stop fucking around, you crazy bastard. This is not funny!?

    ?Liar. You¡¯re having fun. You can beg for your life if you want.?

    S-Mania stabbed FreakKing in the chest

    ?ARGH!!?

    Ha-Young frowned. It seemed like a total mess of a livestream, but when she looked at the chat, it was even more of a mess.

    -Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!

    -Kill up! Kill up! Kill up!

    Hundreds of people in the chat were soaked in madness. The viewers who questioned what was happening or called it too extreme, even for a staged livestream were automatically banned by the settings FreakKing had prepared.

    -Ban the trolls!

    -Ban all the pretentious viewers!

    The remaining viewers were all fans of FreakKing¡¯s bizarre livestream.

    -LOL LOL!!!!

    -This staged content is particrly awesome!

    FreakKing shouted for help.

    ?Please! H-Help me! Report this to the police! I¡¯m begging you!?

    [¡¸Anonymous¡¹ has donated 50,000 Dias.]

    [¡¸Anonymous¡¹: Hey, FreakKing, remember to put the livestream on dy, so you don¡¯t turn it off identally.]

    ?H-Help me!! ARGH!?

    In the end, FreakKing was killed by S-Mania. However, the livestream didn¡¯t end because the dy setting for the livestream was activated.

    -That¡¯s so damn funny! Hahaha!

    -That was amazing! LOL!

    -I¡¯mughing so hard right now!

    -But did he really die?

    -No way, for real? Did he die?

    -Are you guys stupid? This is all acting. You are a true Streamer, FreakKing! LOL.

    On the screen, S-Mania painted red nail polish on the fingers and toes of the deceased FreakKing. When the nail polish was almost finished, the screen went ck and the livestream was cut off.

    [Now, what should I watch? Rmend me some channels, you noobs.]

    The viewer number quickly dried up.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    ¡°Why the hell do you use nail polish on the dead?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached Nam-Gil closely, and Nam-Gil turned around. His mouth was covered in blood.

    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡±

    Nam-Gil hurriedly shoved something into his mouth, like a dog not wanting to lose its snack.

    ¡°What the hell? Why would you eat another person¡¯s heart?¡±

    Actually, this was not an unusual case. Surprisingly, there were perverts who did such things quite often in Dungeons, a perfect ce for people to go crazy. There was a higher probability than people might think of encountering such behavior.

    Nam-Gil wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Would you know who I am if I said my name?¡±

    ¡°Today, I¡¯m in a very good mood, so I would prefer it if you just go your way.¡±

    This was true. ording to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, only one word was describing Nam-Gil.

    [#rity]

    Jin-Hyeok approached the dead FreakKing.

    ¡°I can somewhat understand eating the heart, but I can never understand why you¡¯re putting nail polish on the dead man. Why the hell are you doing that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had met numerous viins, but Nam-Gil was the only one with such a bizarre ritual.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Something was caught by Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. A green mana line was emanating from FreakKing¡¯s corpse. To be precise, from the tips of his fingers and toes.¡¯

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    This feeling was familiar.

    ¡®This feels like a Mystery.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Kihael, GM No.3 for Seodaemun-gu, was feeling good for the first time in a while.

    ¡®No overtime today,¡¯ Kihael thought.

    The work to integrate Earth¡¯s existingwork with the SSP was nearlyplete. Especially in Korea, where scientific civilization and inte infrastructure were well-developed, the integration of the SSP was smoother than expected.

    ¡°Uh, is it okay if I leave early toda¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, wait for a second. An Administrator notification popped up. Just check that out for me, will you?¡±

    ¡®Ah, I really don¡¯t wanna do that.¡¯

    However, seeing Serchan¡¯s twitching muscles, it was hard to refuse.

    [The Mystery, ¡¸Wishing Good Luck¡¹, has been created.]

    [Creation location: Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu.]

    Kihael raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Did you insert a Mystery by any chance?¡±

    ¡°What Mystery?¡±

    ¡°Wishing Good Luck? That¡¯s the name of it.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, that one! It¡¯s probably the Mystery forcibly inserted by the higher-ups. I heard that it is going to be used for a Scenario, I dunno.¡±

    ¡°Is it an important Mystery?¡±

    ¡°Can you put up the screen with the Administrator¡¯s Prerogative?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can.¡±

    ¡°Then it must be important. What are the conditions for the Mystery creation?¡±

    ¡°Well, the yer must be below Level 50, and¡­¡±

    The conditions were a bit weird.

    ¡°...They need to paint red nail polish on the fingers and toes of a corpse that has not been dead for more than ten minutes and eat the heart. There are some other minor conditions, but it seems they are mostly satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Someone satisfied those weird conditions?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°Who in the hell¡­ Open the screen and check.¡±

    ¡°I see two people on the screen. One is named S-Mania, and the other one is someone I¡¯ve never seen before. Let¡¯s see¡­ His yer name is Asdfasdf.¡±

    Although Asdfasdf was Kim Chul-Soo with a different identity, Kihael didn¡¯t know that.

    Kihael let out a relieved sigh, knowing it wasn¡¯t Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s not Kim Chul-Soo. It seems S-Mania has consumed the Mystery.¡±

    Kihael was right.

    Nam-Gil had absorbed the Mystery. A feeling of something pleasant filled his body.

    [S-Mania has acquired the Mystery ¡¸Wishing Good Luck¡¹.]

    Suddenly, the ceiling copsed, and bundles of money poured down.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s raining luck.¡±

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77

    The passionate GM, Serchan, tilted his head.

    ¡°I guess Kihael has a date with his girlfriend.¡±

    Otherwise, Kihael would never ask to leave early.

    ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t Kihael say that there were two people over there?¡±

    Serchan immediately called Kihael. However, Kihael did not pick up the phone.

    ¡°I guess he really went to meet his girlfriend, huh.¡±

    That was the only exnation as to why Kihael would not pick up his senior¡¯s call. Thus, Serchan left instructions via KakaoTalk.

    [About the ¡®Wishing Good Luck¡¯ Mystery, I¡¯ve thought of something.][1]

    Wishing Good Luck was a Mystery that brought luck to the owner of the Mystery. Luck was something that could not be concretized or standardized; it was inherently mysterious. Mysteries of this kind generally had their own will¡ªa will to bring luck to their owners.

    [I hope the person nearby wouldn¡¯t suddenly steal the Mystery. I need you to confirm that. That Mystery has its own will.]

    [Could you imagine what would happen if someone who obtained the luck Mystery suddenly dies or gets seriously injured? The Mystery would fall into self-contradiction. Then its power will likely amplify on its own.]

    [I know that this scenario has significant influence in the Seodaemun-gu Scenario, and even further in the Seoul Scenario, so please make sure to check.]

    After texting the work instructions, Serchan put down his phone and started focusing on his own tasks, firmly believing that diligent Kihael would handle everything today.

    Of course, Kihael did not read the texts, and, in fact, he had been single for the past three years.

    ? ? ?

    There were two main ways to obtain a Mystery¡ªone could acquire it directly, or one could steal it from someone who just acquired it. Cha Jin-Hyeok found stealing to be easier.

    ¡®I think stealing is a lot easier.¡¯

    From the perspective of Song Ha-Young, who had her Second Identity stolen, it might feel a bit unfair, but that was life.

    Now Jin-Hyeok had to make another choice. He could knock out the opponent, or just straight up kill him. He didn¡¯t really hesitate much.

    ¡°Time for you to die.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised his dagger. Knocking the opponent unconscious was one way, but killing him was better.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to stab me with that dagger?¡±

    Jeon Nam-Gil chuckled and raised his sword, but Jin-Hyeok knew that was all for the show. Nam-Gil was not a Swordsman. He was an ability-ss yer. He had the ability to attack opponents using needlesunched with mana.

    [S-Mania has used the Skill ¡¸Silver Needle¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t avoid the attack and went straight toward him. Jin-Hyeok saw a smile spreading on Nam-Gil¡¯s face.

    ¡®Activate Broadcasters¡¯ Barrier.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok blocked the Silver Needle with his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. He tried to avoid using Broadcaster''s Barrier as much as possible when fighting nowadays, but in this situation, it was okay because this was not a fight.

    It was a hunt.

    Jin-Hyeok approached him closely and stabbed his dagger into his neck.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]

    Thud!

    Nam-Gil¡¯s defense was pathetic. Even before his regression, it was only Nam-Gil¡¯s Skill, Silver Needle, that was troublesome, but his defense was nothing special.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    Nam-Gil screamed and started stumbling backward.

    ¡°W-Who the hell are you?!¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Asdfsadf.¡±

    ¡®Or was it Asdfasdf?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not remember it well since he had made up the name on the spot.

    Jin-Hyeok got even closer to him.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced back for a moment.

    ¡°Why did you do that to him then?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Nam-Gil¡¯s back hit the wall. There was no way out for him anymore.

    ¡°Still, you¡¯re lucky.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not give him too much time. As time passed, the Mystery wouldpletely permeate itself throughout his body.

    ¡°You should consider yourself fortunate to have met me now.¡±

    When Ji-Hyeok used to kill people before, he made them suffer a lot.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you die without pain.¡±

    ¡°W-What the¡­ What the hell are you saying?¡±

    He stabbed the dagger into Nam-Gil¡¯s heart.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    He thought he hit the heart perfectly, but Nam-Gil twisted his body at thest minute, causing the dagger to only graze his heart. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t something personally done by Nam-Gil, but instead, it was the Mystery helping him. However, Jin-Hyeok was not sure if missing the heart was a lucky thing for Nam-Gil.

    ¡°I was actually going to kill you without any pain¡­¡±

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    Nam-Gil screamed in pain again.

    ¡®I guess stabbing someone doesn¡¯t hurt, but getting stabbed hurts like hell.¡¯

    ¡°What an ungrateful Mystery,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Dust and dirt rose from the ground as Nam-Gil struggled. Due to the obstruction in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s field of view, he couldn¡¯t attempt another stab to his heart. He didn¡¯t know if he should consider that lucky or unlucky.

    It was just a matter of time before Nam-Gil died. Eventually, he copsed, and a green pattern emerged from his body.

    ¡®Should I try to consume it?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried to touch the pattern, but sparks flew out.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    This was something new. It felt like the Mystery was rejecting him. He knew that some Mysteries had their own will, but it was the first time he encountered a Mystery that rejected him.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    In such cases, it was wise to just give up on acquiring the Mystery. There was no point in trying to obtain something that would only cause conflicts in the mental realm.

    ¡®It¡¯s a shame. Where else can I find a luck-rted Mystery?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok examined the Mystery with his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. However, it was challenging to understand the reasons or principles behind the Mystery rejecting him. The green light continued to emit from the pattern, almost as if it was growing stronger. It felt like the Mystery was mocking him.

    ¡®That bastard! If you¡¯re mocking me, I can¡¯t let this slide.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok immediately activated the Inherent Trait Skill from his All-Rounder Trait.

    [You used the Trait Skill[2], ¡¸See the Future¡¹.]

    [You have temporarily elerated the revealing of Job Skills by 30 Levels.]

    Jin-Hyeok activated Exclusive In-Depth Interview, a Streamer-exclusive Skill. This was a Skill Streamers learned at Level 80.

    [You used the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]

    While Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance was a Skill that read the overall situation and flow, Exclusive In-Depth Interview was a Skill that focused on one subject only. It was kind of like an ability that could let Streamers see the individual tree instead of the forest.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    As he used the Skill, the threads of mana surrounding the Mystery became more visible. They were densely intertwined like tightly wound threads.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because the Mystery is a high-Level skill, my mental strength iscking.¡¯

    He decided to rely more on the All-Rounder Trait.

    [You used the Trait Skill ¡¸Persevering Genius¡¹.]

    He cautiously stood in front of the Mystery.

    Using Exclusive In-Depth Interview, he could feel even stronger hostility emanating from the Mystery. This made it more fun.

    y should be challenging to be enjoyable.

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    Now he could see it.

    [You have failed to unlock the Mystery.]

    Unleashing Technique could unlock a lock set by the GM, yet this Mystery managed to block it. This made Jin-Hyeok even more excited.

    ¡®How powerful is this Mystery?¡¯

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    [You have failed to unlock the Mystery.]

    Sweat started pouring down his back. Through Exclusive In-Depth Interview, Jin-Hyeok applied what he grasped with his eyes to the Mystery. It was physically and mentally demanding, but he had no choice. Unlocking was impossible by simply using the Unleashing Technique.

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok knew constantly trying would unlock the Mystery.

    [You have unlocked the Mystery.]

    ¡®I did it!¡¯

    A sense of aplishment surged within him. This was why he loved ying. The threads of mana surrounding the Mystery unraveled at once, revealing the clear green pattern.

    In an instant, Jin-Hyeok felt dizzy.

    ¡®Wow, I almost fainted.¡¯

    And if he had fainted, it would have been a big problem. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know how he got there, but he had walked up to the unzed window. It seemed like while Jin-Hyeok was engrossed in unlocking the Mystery, the Mystery had lured him to this area. If he had fainted, he could have fallen out of the window.

    [You have acquired the Mystery ¡¸Wishing Good Luck¡¹.]

    However, that was not the end.

    [The ability of the Mystery, ¡¸Wishing Good Luck¡¹, has been amplified.]

    ¡®Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    The Mystery, as if trying to enter his body, suddenly exploded. It felt like it was going on a rampage. Green mana lines burst out randomly.

    [You have acquired the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    After that, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t remember anything.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes.

    ¡®What the hell just happened?¡¯

    His head was throbbing painfully. He looked around.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just feeling like my head will split, but it almost did, huh?¡±

    Based on the situation, it seemed like he fell from the fifth floor. Fortunately, hended on a flower bed with a lot of soil, so he wasn¡¯t severely injured.

    ¡°Thankfully, I didn¡¯t fall down head first.¡±

    It was nighttime, as his surroundings werepletely dark.

    "What kind of Mystery would resist this much?¡±

    His entire body was drenched in sweat. He did not even have the strength to move a finger. However, thanks to that, he felt a sense of satisfaction.

    ¡®Being this exhausted feels so good.¡¯

    The fact that his body was exhausted was proof that he gave his all. In the end, the sense of aplishment from obtaining the Mystery made him happy. Jin-Hyeok closed his eyes to savor the moment.

    However, an uninvited guest appeared.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my call¡­ huh?¡±

    Song Ha-Young came running toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Your head¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°What about my head?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head was covered in blood. He tilted his head in confusion.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    He thought he didn¡¯t fall down head first, but apparently, he did. There were signs of bleeding when he touched his head.

    Ha-Young¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°How are you not dead?¡±

    ¡°That sounds awfully like you were wishing me to be dead.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. Was that too obvious?¡± Ha-Young said while scratching the back of her head.

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°I got lucky.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure being lucky can exin what happened here. You¡¯re a calmly insane guy.¡±

    ¡°How can you be calm and insane at the same time?¡±

    ¡°I thought that was impossible too, but seeing you, it seems fairly possible. Didn¡¯t you almost die just now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alive, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed upward with his finger.

    ¡°There. I¡¯ve left you a gift. Take it. It¡¯s on the fifth floor.¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡±

    Ha-Young swiftly climbed up the wall to the fifth floor at the mention of a gift. Jin-Hyeok could hear a joyful cheer from above.

    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡±

    There was a pile of money. Ha-Young immersed herself in ecstasy as she smelled the money.

    ¡®I was nning on betraying you¡­!¡¯ Ha-Young thought.

    Thinking back to the moments with Jin-Hyeok, he did not seem like such a bad person.

    ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡±

    ¡°Those are stolen money.¡±

    The money was not exactly clean. Leaving to a Thief was the best option.

    ¡°Any unimed money is yours,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Really? You are really giving this to me?¡±

    ¡°It suits you more than me. And it¡¯s your sibling¡¯s birthday, right? Get a lot of presents and stuff.¡±

    Swordsmen wielded their swords.

    Streamers did their livestreams.

    And Thieves took the loot.

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards, this was the right thing to do. However, it was different for Ha-Young.

    ¡®He¡¯s insane, but he¡¯s a good kind of insane!¡¯

    ¡°I will be your loyal servant from now on! I love you!¡±

    ¡°You can leave now.¡±

    ¡°Okay~ See you!¡±

    Ha-Young left the ce, very pleased. Jin-Hyeok got up and chugged a potion in one gulp. He was surprised again when he saw the amount of blood around him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t die with this much bleeding. I guess I was lucky.¡±

    ¡®Was it because of the Mystery?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He tried to see the description for Pure Luck, but it was impossible. There was no description,

    ¡®That¡¯s how Mysteries are, I guess.¡¯

    There were more Mysteries without description than those with them. That was because Mysteries were the realm of the unknown. yers could only understand them by trying them out.

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    Suddenly, a sh, like a lightning strike, seemed to illuminate the area.

    ¡®What was that?¡¯

    Smoke was rising from a distance far away. And in a moment, the smoke vanished like illusions. Jin-Hyeok tried to use the Mystery again, but further usage was no longer possible.

    ¡®This Mystery is a bit tricky. The cooldown for this must be quite long.¡¯

    He had to figure it out by using the Mystery multiple times.

    ¡®But what the hell was that sh just now?¡¯

    It felt like an opportunity of great fortune had passed by. Jin-Hyeok moved to find the area where the lightning had struck.

    ¡°I think it was here¡­¡±

    Like most houses in the area, it was an extremely old and worn-down house, more resembling a shack than a proper house.

    It was a house made of bricks, on the verge of copsing. Jin-Hyeok opened the creaking door and went inside. In the yard, there was a ck gate that had suddenly appeared.

    [Hope Rising From the Ruins]

    It was the entrance to a Dungeon, and it had just been generated by chance.

    [Hope Rising From the Ruins]

    [Search for a glimmer of hope amidst the crumbling ruins. For hope is the most sublime value.

    Entrance limit: 1 person.]

    It was a Dungeon with a name he had never heard before. However, the entrance gate started to be hazy.

    ¡®Wait, could this be an Event Dungeon?¡¯

    There were Dungeons that randomly appeared from time to time in various parts of the world and then disappeared. These were referred to as Event Dungeons. They were quite rare, and there was limited data on their clears, making them less known than Hidden Dungeons, which were hidden in specific ces.

    ¡®The entrance is limited to one person?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok quickened his pace. It was a Solo Dungeon.

    ¡®If I don¡¯t go in there, I wouldn¡¯t call myself a yer.¡¯

    [You have entered the Dungeon ¡¸Hope Rising From the Ruins¡¹.]

    1. I guess smaller-sized fonts indicates that they are messages sent on Kakaotalk. ?

    2. Maybe Inherent Skill might make more sense here, but we also thought that the author might be trying to say that it¡¯s a skill that came inherently from a trait. ?

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78

    Kihael threw his constantly buzzing phone onto the sofa.

    ¡°No matter what happens, I am not going to look at my phone today.¡±

    He could not even count how many times he left work only to be called back again. He was so exhausted from those calls that he bought a new personal phone in addition to his work phone.

    ¡°How many emergencies can there be?¡±

    But whenever he went to check, there was never a real emergency.

    Even now, he received messages that were urgent, but he didn¡¯t bother checking. However, the messages weren¡¯t from Serchan¡¯s KakaoTalk.

    [Emergency. The Seoul Scenario, ¡¸Revered One¡¹, has begun.]

    [Remove variables for a stable progress of the Scenario.]

    [Emergency. The Seoul Scenario, ¡¸Revered One¡¹, has begun.]

    [Remove variables for a stable progress of the Scenario.]

    ¡°Why does it keep on buzzing?¡±

    Kihael, who grabbed a can of cold beer from the fridge, hesitated dozens of times about whether to check the incessantly buzzing phone. He wondered if it was really urgent with that much buzzing.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to be fooled this time,¡± Kihael said to himself as he shook his head.

    ¡°I noticed that the actual emergenciese as System notifications.¡±

    If something really urgent happened, something of a System level, it woulde as a System notification, just like how yers would receive them.

    His phone kept buzzing.

    [System intervention is not possible.]

    [Upon confirming this message, please discreetly remove the variables.]

    Kihael decided to turn off the phone altogether. He thought if he let the phone keep on buzzing, he would eventually check it.

    ¡°I heard that Netplus on Earth has a lot of interesting content.¡±

    Meanwhile, the phone of the passionate Serchan also kept buzzing endlessly. It was the same messages sent to Kihael, but Serchan also couldn¡¯t check them.

    ¡®These damn reports!¡¯ Serchan thought.

    It was lucky for Serchan to have left the Yeosu Scenario behind. However, the fact that an ipetent GM had taken his spot was very unlucky for him.

    ¡®All he needed to do was to manage what I had left behind! If he had just calmed down the yer, the Flying Toad wouldn¡¯t have died!¡¯

    The ipetent GM died on the scene, and the Yeosu Scenario was discarded. Serchan was already on his umpteenth page of the report rted to that.

    [System intervention is not possible.]

    [Upon confirming this message, please discreetly remove the variables.]

    Serchan¡¯s entire attention was focused on the report, so he could not check the messages at all.

    ? ? ?

    This was perfect content for Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Eltube channel.

    ¡°I got really lucky and found a Dungeon!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered whether he was allowed to tell his viewers that this was an Event Dungeon or if he should just describe it as a randomly generated Dungeon. Since he could note up with an appropriate term, he didn¡¯t mention it at all.

    ¡°I came in here by sheer ident, and suddenly, I received a notification that the Scenario has started.¡±

    Actually, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t turn on the livestream at the moment. He was not sure whether he should reveal the video of him ying. If this was a Dungeon he could clear with his abilities as a Streamer, he was going to post the video. If it was a ce where he had to utilize other Skills, then he wasn¡¯t going to post it.

    ¡°Let me show you the notification that I got.¡±

    [The 4th Seoul Scenario, ¡¸Revered One¡¹, has begun.]

    ¡°I am not sure what a Scenario is, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s more significant in scale than simple Quests.¡±

    Large and small Quests woulde together to create a massive flow and create oneplete story. That was what a Scenario was.

    Although Jin-Hyeok knew that, he pretended to be clueless as he looked around.

    ¡°Currently, I am in a ce that looks like a ruin. It feels like the whole ce has been bombed.¡±

    It seemed like he entered a veryrge abandoned house.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any monsters and traps that are threatening.¡±

    Event Dungeons were known to be challenging. Jin-Hyeok was well aware of that, and thanks to it, he was delighted.

    ¡®I never thought I would enter an Event Dungeon in an Open Beta Server, especially one rted to a Scenario.¡¯

    This might be the first of its kind in the world. Event Dungeons usually urred after the Open Beta.

    ¡°There is a giant hole in the ceiling.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could see the night sky from the hole.

    ¡°It feels like something enormous came through that ceiling.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intuition was telling him that something would appear from thereter. It could be a regr monster or a boss monster. Jin-Hyeok felt like he had been to a simr ce before.

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk along the corridor. It¡¯s so quiet that I¡¯m getting more tense.¡±

    The corridor became darker and darker. The dust made it hard to see ahead.

    ¡°Oh? There¡¯s a door over there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached it. Simply opening the door, without having any information whatsoever, could be dangerous. If he opened the door without precautions, he might encounter unexpected threats, like a metal arm suddenly popping out or boiling molten iron pouring down.

    Nevertheless, there was no other choice.

    ¡°Since I don¡¯t have a Navigator with me, I have to open it myself. Just in case, I¡¯ll prepare to use my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡±

    He opened the door.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier!¡¯

    Although he prepared for potential threats, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

    ¡®That¡¯s strange.¡¯

    If something dangerous was going toe out, it should havee out by now. The situation inside the Event Dungeon was quite different from what he had experienced before.

    Inside, a human-like figure appeared.

    ¡°Jesus, that scared me.¡±

    It was not a human but a skeleton.

    ¡°Judging by the clothes she is wearing, she was probably an old woman. I¡¯ll get closer to see if there are any clues.¡±

    Oddly, there were no traps. Jin-Hyeok carefully examined the area around the skeleton. It seemed like the owner of this skeleton had met her demise while knitting.

    ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve seen this skeleton from somewhere before.¡¯

    Since a while ago, this ce felt strangely familiar. Perhaps he had seen too many skeletons in this form.

    Just then, a gust of wind blew in.

    Boom!

    The door closed with a loud sound. Jin-Hyeok tried opening the door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯m trapped. There must be some clues inside.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok searched the skeleton¡¯s clothes and found a note inside her pocket.

    [This ce is filled with the aura of death. Everything I desired to live for has knelt before the authority of death, and even my beloved sons have been devoured by evil spirits. Ah¡­ the pain¡­ How can I convey this anger? If only my voice could be heard by someone¡­]

    It was not a particrly special note. ying in Dungeons, one woulde across countless simr content.

    ¡°I feel like we should extract more information from the skeleton.¡±

    ¡®God, I miss Han Sae-Rin.¡¯

    If she had been here, Jin-Hyeok could have found the right path even faster.

    ¡°Then, I think it wouldn¡¯t hurt to temporarily revive this skeleton. I can use the item I obtained from the Gangnam Shinsegae Department Store Dungeon.¡±

    [Pharaoh¡¯s Failed Herb of Immortality]

    [The pharaoh sought immortality and created the Herb of Immortality through numerous studies. Though it failed to grant immortality, it possesses the power to call forth the souls of the deceased.]

    ''I am definitely in a Scenario.¡¯

    The notification explicitly mentioned it as the Seoul Scenario. That meant things obtained from various ces in Seoul could be used here. Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok could use the item he got in the previous Dungeon.

    ¡°I am going to use the Pharaoh¡¯s Failed Herb of Immortality.¡±

    The Herb of Immortality had red petals. When he put it into the skeleton¡¯s mouth, she started trembling. Blue light emerged from her eyes and she began to speak.

    ¡°The army of death invaded and engulfed everything in death.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can have a proper conversation with her,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the screen.

    She seemed to be in an NPC-like form, spitting out preset phrases.

    ¡°You can no longer find the light of hope in thisnd. Only through death can the flower of hope bloom. The flower needs to grow by itself. Ah, how white and beautiful the flower was. It seemed to embody a pure life. Remember, only flowers can drive away death.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The withered winter has passed, and the abundant spring¡ª¡±

    The Pharaoh¡¯s Failed Herb of Immortality, which had fulfilled its role, disappeared.

    ¡°I guess the dialogue was interrupted.¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok could meet all the conditions, and not just the Herb of Immortality, he could fully revive that skeleton and obtain much more valuable information. However, hoping for that much was too greedy.

    ¡®But¡­ those lines sound familiar to me.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had heard many simr lines, but still, this dialogue felt eerie. The level of familiarity could only mean that he had experienced this before.

    Anyway, activating this dialogue was the key to escaping from this room.

    Click!

    The locked door opened.

    ¡°I will now leave this room.¡±

    As he stepped outside, he noticed a faint light seeping in from the distance.

    ¡°It looks like starlight is seeping through that hole in the ceiling.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked in that direction. Suddenly, something sprang up from under his feet.

    ¡°A spear?¡±

    He quickly turned his body to avoid the spear. But it didn¡¯t end there. As the walls crumbled, six red spears shot out at him.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier!¡¯

    He managed to dodge some and block the others.

    Stab!

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t block this one.¡±

    One of the red spears pierced his thigh. Still, Jin-Hyeok thought he made a good decision in that short moment.

    ¡®I still got it.¡¯

    ¡°I had to choose between my heart and my thigh. If I survive this, I will edit the video with my Time-Lapse Recording and show it to you guys.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been here before.¡¯

    Until just now, Jin-Hyeok was unsure, but after getting stabbed, he was certain. Even if the mind had forgotten, the body would remember.

    ¡®This is the Scenario I faced on the U Server, right?¡¯

    The name of the Scenario was not ''Revered One,'' but the content was the same.

    By the way, the U Server openedter than the Earth Server, and Jin-Hyeok encountered this Scenario there. Of course, there were a few differences.

    ¡®At that time, I was around Level 150. The skeleton was actually an old woman and was even capable of conversations. I believe other yers had entered the Dungeon before me and attempted to clear it. By doing so, the skeleton had gained life. This would mean that the monsters here are the Headless Knights.¡¯

    The average Level of the Headless Knights was around 100. They were tough opponents for Jin-Hyeok at the moment.

    [LV101/Headless Knight/?]

    [LV102/Headless Knight/?]

    [LV100/Headless Knight/?]

    ¡°Their Level seems to be around 100, and they are called the Headless Knights.¡±

    They emitted a sinister ck aura while wearing ck armor and wielding ck swords.

    ¡°Just looking at them, I know I can¡¯t defeat them.¡±

    Indeed, Event Dungeons were different from the other Dungeons. To create an army with an average Level of 100 on a Server that was merely in Open Beta was absurd. This Dungeon was not designed for yers to clear; it was designed for yers to die.

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, he did seed in killing all those Headless Knights. The real problem was the Bodiless One that popped up after the Headless Knights were all dead.

    The Headless Knights had no head, and the Bodiless One was just one giant face.

    ¡®And that gaping hole in the ceiling is where that thing came and went.¡¯

    The Bodiless One was around Level 160, and Jin-Hyeok fought with it for three days before finally killing it. He nearly died multiple times.

    Beautiful memories from that time filled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Now, I am going to start the livestream. For those curious about what happened before, please check this recorded video. It will be uploaded as soon as possible.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started the livestream.

    ¡°This might be myst livestream, who knows.¡±

    Dozens of Headless Knights were approaching him.

    ¡°Some are holding spears, and others are wielding swords. It¡¯s quite rming for them toe at me with their weapons drawn.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised his dagger and suddenly realized.

    ¡®I really love livestreaming!¡¯

    That moment when he was being overly dramatic by saying this might be hisst livestream, he realized his genuine desire to enjoy livestreaming more.

    Before Jin-Hyeok knew it, he had grown to fully love livestreaming.

    The Headless Knights were now right in front of him.

    ¡®This is going to be such amazing content!¡¯

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79

    Joseph could not take his eyes off the screen.

    ¡®Even if it¡¯s Kim Chul-So, this is going to be impossible,¡¯ Joseph thought.

    He felt the brilliant rookie was about to meet his demise.

    That was the thing about ying. No matter how exceptional a yer was, once they died, it was over.

    Kim Chul-Soo seemed to have been overly greedy.

    ¡®Please, don¡¯t die.¡¯

    In the first-person view, Chul-Soo was barely evading the attacks of the Headless Knights. His powerful Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and agile movements were all failing to nullify the attacks from the monsters.

    ¡®He got stabbed in his thigh three times already.¡¯

    For yers with weak mental strength, such injuries were enough to make them give up already. In the Korean Region Minor Gallery, posts iming that Chul-Soo¡¯s journey hade to an end were rapidly appearing.

    -Looks like Kim Chul-Soo is done for, LOL.

    -He was too greedy and got punished for that. Haha~

    -He thought he was invincible! And that Dungeon is limited to one person, so no one can go in to save him, lol. Bye, bye~

    ©»You¡¯re pissing me off. If Chul-Soo dies, I¡¯m gonna stop using the KRMG. Without Chul-Soo, what else is there to watch on this tiny-ass Earth Server?

    ©»Bye~ Nobody is stopping you. Go back to your~

    ©»You piece of shit. You wanna fight?

    ©»Cry more plz.

    ©»I¡¯m gonna find you.

    ©»Sure, buddy. My house is on Mars.

    As if things weren¡¯t bad enough, a stronger monster than the Headless Knight appeared.

    -What was that monster called again? Bodiless Knight? That guy¡¯s head is ginormous!

    -Look at that hideous face. So damn ugly.

    A giant monster with only its massive face came into view. Its eye sockets were hollowed out as there were no eyeballs. Its mouth was slit on both sides, andrge teeth protruded from it. The teeth wriggled like living creatures.

    -Why are its teeth moving around? Disgusting.

    -I think those are snakes.

    Each tooth was actually a white snake monster. Its appearance was so grotesque that it instinctively evoked feelings of disgust from anyone who looked at it.

    -Wait, are those hairs or centipedes?

    -I was watching on the SSP, but had to turn it off. So gross.

    -I almost threw up for real.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams were always in first-person view, which added a realistic aspect to the livestream. Many viewers from Earth who were not ustomed to such perspectives stopped watching the livestream.

    However, Joseph could not take his eyes off the screen. If Chul-Soo were to die here, he had to remember the moment.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll encounter another star like him.¡¯

    Among the gems Joseph had seen, this one shone the brightest. He focused even more on the screen.

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was almost out of breath. No matter how overtly he focused on defense and evasion, the Headless Knights were formidable monsters for Jin-Hyeok to face.

    ¡®How many more of these monsters are there?¡¯

    After a certain amount of time, the boss monster, Bodiless One, would reveal itself.

    Jin-Hyeok barely managed to dodge a spear thrust toward his side. When he was nearing his limit, finally, something enormous started to appear from the hole in the ceiling.

    ¡®It¡¯s finally here.¡¯

    Bodiless One. A massive face was descending slowly from the ceiling.

    This was where the real battle started.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go in one shot.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised his dagger.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to attempt suicide.¡±

    Without hesitation, Jin-Hyeok stabbed himself in the heart. Instantly dying was crucial. Even a slight hesitation could make it difficult to trigger the instant death condition.

    ¡®Good. This is perfect.¡¯

    His vision darkened. For a moment, he felt dizzy, but soon he opened his eyes again.

    The KRMG was in chaos. People were astonished by Chul-Soo¡¯s suicide attempt, followed immediately by his resurrection.

    -Who the hell executes a suicide so perfectly?

    Joseph was also witnessing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s madness in real time. The first-person view made it even more captivating. Chul-Soo had stabbed his own heart without any hesitation.

    ¡®That¡¯s true madness,¡¯ Joseph thought.

    The screen darkened. Joseph murmured with a solemn expression, ¡°Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s era¡­ It¡¯s over¡­ Wait!¡±

    Suddenly, the screen brightened again.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m alive. I guess I¡¯m lucky,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Headless Knights and the Bodiless One were all gone. The dagger was still lodged in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart, and he pulled it out.

    ¡°I need to stop the bleeding. Please wait for a second.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attitude was remarkably calm.

    ¡°The hole in my chest has been patched up. Luckily, my gamble had paid off. Ah, I will exin why I yed like this. I paid close attention to what the skeleton said earlier.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. He was eager to tell what happened, and his heart pounded with excitement.

    ¡®Livestreaming is so much fun!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok yed a portion of the video that he had recorded earlier.

    ¡°Only through death can the flower of hope bloom. The flower needs to grow by itself. Ah, how white and beautiful the flower was. It seemed to embody a pure life. Remember, only flowers can drive away death.¡±

    Smoothly executing the ideas he had nned in his mind was as satisfying as killing monsters.

    ¡°I got the idea from the skeleton tantly telling me that I had to die. After analyzing what she said, it was basically a suggestion tomit suicide. There is no way I can win the battle anyway, and surprisingly, this worked.¡±

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok did not just try this on a whim. In fact, this method was the clearing method discovered by Imanarii Kun, whoter became known as the New Server Adventurer.

    ¡°I was lucky.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok had experienced in a different Server before the regression, the Seoul Scenario was amon System Scenario shared by most Servers. Although the names and details might be slightly different, the overall progression and rewards were very simr.

    ¡°Oh? A white flower is blooming on my chest. It¡¯s where the hole was.¡±

    It was a white flower. As the flower bloomed, white petals began to flutter down from the hole in the ceiling. Then, as the sunlight shined through, the grass started to grow on the floor.

    As the warm spring breeze blew, the fluttering petals flew toward where the skeleton was earlier. In an instant, the creaking of a door opening was heard, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching.

    The old woman, who had previously appeared as a skeleton, revealed her human form.

    Now she lookedpletely like a human. Holding a staff, she approached Jin-Hyeok and knelt before him.

    ¡°Ah, you are the one who bloomed the white flower.¡±

    ¡°The flower fell on its own. It is flying toward the old woman¡¯s hand,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    The white flower touched the old woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You have driven away death and bloomed the flower willingly.¡±

    Then the old woman continued speaking. It was quite a long speech, but for Jin-Hyeok, it sounded meaningless.

    ¡°To the one worthy of reverence, may the light¡¯s protection be with you,¡± the old woman said.

    She crawled closer to Jin-Hyeok and kissed his feet with deep respect.

    [You have cleared the Event Dungeon ¡¸Hope Rising From the Ruins¡¹.]

    Soon, everything disappeared. Jin-Hyeok stood in an empty dark space with nothing left. Then, three chests appeared, emitting golden dust.

    [You will receive a reward for clearing the Event Dungeon ¡¸Hope Rising From the Ruins¡¹.]

    [Choose one of the three chests.]

    [You have twenty seconds.]

    Numbers appeared in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    [20:00]

    [18:22]

    As the number rapidly decreased, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice.

    ¡°Whatever you choose, you will be rightfully revered. Now, the flower petals of your beginning will flutter. Take the first step toward the reverence of your future.¡±

    Even with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, it was impossible to know the details about the chests, and he could not use Exclusive In-Depth Interview as that would take too much time.

    Jin-Hyeok did not hesitate.

    [You used the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    Fortunately, the Mystery was off cooldown.

    Thud!

    Jin-Hyeok felt a huge shock in his head. It was the side effect of consecutively using the Pure Luck.

    ¡®My head feels like it¡¯s going to explode¡­¡¯

    In that brief moment, he saw a lightning strike.

    It was the first chest. He reached out his hand toward that chest.

    [You have chosen ¡¸Chest 1¡¹ as your reward.]

    The lid of the chest opened, and an item popped out.

    ¡®T-That¡¯s!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok recognized the item.

    [Rule Breaker]

    ? ? ?

    Rule Breaker.

    This was a Mythic-Grade item.

    Mythic-Grade was not a ssification of the System, but of users. It was a grade usually given to extremely rare items, even among Server-level items, and their number was extremely small.

    ¡®Holy crap. This is actually the Rule Breaker!¡¯

    Among the yers from the Earth Server, no one had possessed the Rule Breaker. There were rumors that some absolute beings on Arvis had it, and the Sword Master Zoro from the Outul Server, who had handed Jin-Hyeok a defeat, had the Rule Breaker.

    ¡®But it looks a bit less impressive than what I know.¡¯

    It was an item that looked like a small hammer. The Rule Breaker he knew had much more intricate designs with various decorations and runic inscriptions, but the Rule Breaker he was holding was just a in golden hammer.

    [Rule Breaker (Upgradable) (Bound)]

    [A weapon that can destroy thews.]

    ¡®Wait, this item is upgradable?¡¯

    It was an item that grew alongside the owner¡¯s growth. That was what an Upgradable item was.

    ¡°It ims it can destroy thews. I will have to find out more about what it can destroy.¡±

    Since there was no detailed description, Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to see it for himself.

    Suddenly, sparks flew.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The Rule Breaker was resisting Jin-Hyeok. It also seemed to have a slight will of its own, like Mysteries.

    ¡®It¡¯s resisting me? Me? How dare you!¡¯

    It hurt Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride a little bit. He thought of using Unleashing Technique to try and unlock it, thinking it might be some kind of barrier or magical effect. However, he stopped himself, fearing that unlocking the full power of the Rule Breaker could cause trouble.

    Zap! Zap!

    Sparks continued to shock him. It felt like his hand was burning, but he endured it with his superhuman mental strength.

    ¡°How can I tame this item?¡±

    The answer was not difficult to find.

    [You have unlocked the Achievement¡¸All-Clear (Hope Rising From the Ruins)¡¹.]

    After the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, Jin-Hyeok unlocked another All-Clear Achievement. Another All-Clear mark appeared on the back of his right hand.

    Unknowingly, his body trembled.

    ¡°The effect of the All-Clear is nothing special.¡±

    Among all the All-Clear effects Jin-Hyeok knew, this was the least versatile one. It allowed him to subdue any item rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like tons of items with this much resistance will appear in this Dungeon.¡±

    Items with some kind of resistance were already rare, and it was unlikely to encounter many of them in one Dungeon.

    ¡°Nevertheless, it is good that I can use the Achievement right here. I will try to subdue the Rule Breaker.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately applied the All-Clear (Hope Rising From the Ruins) effect. The Rule Breaker, which had been resisting, finally became his.

    Several pieces of information were inputted into his mind.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    With the current Rule Breaker, there were not many things he could do. However, one thing was certain.

    ¡®I can break the ss restrictions on items!¡¯

    As yers went higher in Level, the boundaries of sses became clearer. One of the reasons for this was the restrictions on items. A high-Level Swordsman¡¯s sword could not be used by a high-Level Archer.

    ¡®And with the Rule Breaker, I can ignore that restriction!¡¯

    In other words, he just became a Streamer who could use high-Level swords exclusive to Swordsmen.

    ¡®Wow¡­ I never even thought of this. So, even if I be a high-Level Streamer, I can still use swords?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not believe it. Just thinking about it made his heart race.

    ¡®Moreover, it is a Bound item, which means there is no risk of it being stolen or taken.¡¯

    Bound items disappeared when their owner died. This meant Jin-Hyeok could show this on his livestream without worry.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be this excited, but I can¡¯t help it!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried his best to stay calm and continued the livestream.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m still inside the Dungeon.¡±

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s recollection, there was no setting that required finding a separate exit.

    ¡®Do I need to find the exit myself?¡¯

    As he wondered, the space in front of him started to distort and something appeared.

    ¡®Why is that guy here all of a sudden?¡¯

    A person in ck clothing revealed their presence. They were wearing a mask, so Jin-Hyeok could not see their face. However, one red eye was visible.

    The ominously shining red eye was unsettling.

    ¡®The Shadow of the Secret Chamber?¡¯

    They were an assassin group directly operated by the System, also known as the System Guardians. They were the cleaners mobilized to remove elements that caused harm to the System.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on? I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯

    It seemed like they were here to kill Jin-Hyeok.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80

    ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Kihael couldn¡¯t just ignore his phone forever. Eventually, he checked the phone he had turned off.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    ¡®Why today of all days?¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t messages from Serchan, but direct messages from the System.

    ¡®Why not send them as System notifications!¡¯

    Cold sweat ran down Kihael¡¯s back.

    ¡®Wait, is it because the System doesn¡¯t want to leave any record of this?¡¯

    From the System¡¯s perspective, this was a crucial matter. However, it seemed the System only attempted to contact through personal contacts to avoid leaving a record.

    The phone kept buzzing.

    [Do you wish to deploy the System Guardian? Y/N]

    ¡®But I still don¡¯t know what the situation is.¡¯

    However, it was already quitete. Even though he didn¡¯t know what was going on, the System seemed to hope for the deployment of the System Guardian.

    To at least confirm the situation, Kihael rushed back to the office. The passionate Serchan was so engrossed in some other work that he did not notice Kihael¡¯s return. That kind of concentration was truly intimidating.

    The phone buzzed again.

    [We cannot dy any longer.]

    [Deploying the System Guardian.]

    Regardless of Kihael¡¯s intentions, the System Guardian was deployed. Kihael examined the monitor and got a rough idea of what was going on.

    ¡®The 4th Seoul Scenario!¡¯

    It was a Scenario the System was most diligently working on in the Open Beta Server. The GMs¡¯ interventions were limited, and it was a System Scenario that was self-generated and operated by the System itself. Because of this, there were numerous restrictions in ce, making it impossible to fully read the situation inside the Dungeon.

    ¡®All I can tell right now is that a yer from Earth entered here¡­ That¡¯s everything.¡¯

    Kihael frowned.

    ¡®This Scenario was originally for yers from other Servers.¡¯

    This Scenario was for yers from other Servers, which in Earth¡¯s perspective, were invaders of the. By letting invaderse and y the Seoul Scenario, it would give formidable power to unite the yers on the Earth Server against themon enemies.

    Creating the concept of public enemies from Earth Server¡¯s viewpoint was the role of this 4th Seoul Scenario.

    ¡®However, it seems they are close to clearing it or having already cleared it.¡¯

    So, it seemed the System was trying to get rid of that Earth yer inside the Dungeon for System stabilization purposes.

    ¡®In that case, as long as they are not a Streamer, we are in the clear.¡¯

    Actually, it did not matter even if they were a Streamer. As long as they were not livestreaming at the moment, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. They just needed to be killed without a trace.

    However, a trace of anxiety brushed past Kihael. He immediately searched for the SSP livestream on Eltube.

    [Search: Kim Ch]

    The livestream was already among the rmended videos. The Streamer from Earth with an overwhelminglyrge number of viewers, Kim Chul-Soo was livestreaming.

    As always, the title was very straightforward.

    [4th Seoul Scenario. In-Game.]

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Chul-Soo was livestreaming everything. Chul-Soo was speaking calmly on the screen.

    ?An unidentified and strange person has appeared. It doesn¡¯t seem to be a yer or an NPC. I can¡¯t figure out their identity. I¡¯ll try to interview them.?

    Kihael¡¯s heart raced.

    ¡®I need to stop this.¡¯

    The System didn¡¯t want to leave any records of human intervention. That was why, even for GMs, the System had only contacted them through phones instead of System messages.

    ¡®If a yer gets attacked by the System Guardian¡­ I can¡¯t imagine the uproar.¡¯

    It would lead to severe criticism from users who strongly disliked fabricated interventions. Public opinion would turn very negative, and that would undoubtedly result in a massive workload for Kihael.

    He urgently used his Administrator¡¯s Prerogative to send himself inside the Dungeon.

    ? ? ?

    The Shadow of the Secret Chamber was one that wielded a sickle attached to a chain, making them somewhat of an assassin-type.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Chains flew toward Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back. The end of the chain had a sharp sickle attached to it.

    ¡®Ugh.¡¯

    From just one attack, Jin-Hyeok knew.

    ¡®That guy is powerful.¡¯

    Even though he concentrated the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier in one spot to block it, the attack broke through the defense, and the sickle pierced Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    ¡°That really hurts. Their attack power is on another level.¡±

    From the upper right side of Jin-Hyeok, another chain targeted him. Jin-Hyeok threw a dagger to slightly alter the trajectory of the chain and then dodged the attack.

    The sickle hit the ground with a loud thud. It would have been instant death if that hit him.

    ¡°What an incredible attack. I guess today¡¯s livestream will be thest one.¡±

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok knew it would not be thest. Jin-Hyeok needed to hold on for just a few more seconds. He knew when and why the System Guardian revealed themselves. It was thest resort deployed when something did not go as nned by the System, to correct the abnormality.

    ¡®The fortunate thing is that I am a Streamer.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was broadcasting the evidence to the entire universe in real time. The System was persecuting him for ying by its rules. It was certain that the GMs would take action to correct what was going on.

    ¡®I just need to survive until then.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok believed he could manage that much. His eyes and instincts were already capable of reading the trajectory of the attacks.

    ¡®Good thing I can see where the attack ising from.¡¯

    Knowing that fact made him happy. But it was disappointing that even with that knowledge, he couldn¡¯t fully avoid the attacks.

    ¡°I seemed to be forced into a corner with these consecutive chain attacks.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok switched his weapon to a sword and continuously parried the iing chains. Of course, he was able to parry those attacks because they were just illusions without the actual power of the System Guardian.

    ¡°By continuously throwing weak attacks, it seems like they are preparing to use a finishing move on me.¡±

    Despite knowing all this, Jin-Hyeok could only block the chain attacks. The enemy was gradually pushing him into a corner.

    ¡°Now there is no way out. I think the ultimate attack is going toe after three attacks.¡±

    Cling! ng! ng!

    He deflected three chains. Then, a thick iron chain rushed toward him in an irregr pattern.

    ¡°I hope you enjoyed my livestream. I think this is the end. Goodbye, all.¡±

    Suddenly, someone revealed himself.

    Stab!

    It was an insane person who took the blow instead of Jin-Hyeok. The sickle pierced through that insane person and gave Jin-Hyeok only minor injuries in his abdomen.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a crazy person! It¡¯s Kihael. The GM revealed himself. I have no idea what¡¯s going on. Let¡¯s try and have an interview.¡±

    First, Jin-Hyeok applied a potion to Kihael¡¯s wounds. He seemed to be on the verge of losing consciousness, so Jin-Hyeok even poured the potion into Kihael¡¯s mouth. The potion absorption was quite effective, probably because he was a GM.

    ¡°Can I do an interview?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...Do you not see the injuries?¡±

    ¡°I do see it.¡±

    There was a hole in Kihael¡¯s stomach, and blood was gushing out. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why Kihael was acting so hostile. For Jin-Hyeok, interviewing was very important.

    ¡°So, who is that? Why did they attack me?¡±

    ¡°Wel¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also didn¡¯t understand why Kihael was hesitating. He knew Kihael was going to say something like ¡°It is a System error.¡±

    ¡°...It is a System error.¡±

    ¡°A System error?¡±

    ¡°I made a mistake and activated the System Guardian.¡±

    ¡°I see. So you made a mistake, and that mistake almost killed me.¡±

    ¡°Hey, can you turn off the livestream?¡± Kihael whispered softly.

    ¡°Nope. Not gonna happen.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok now roughly understood what was going on.

    From Kihael¡¯s perspective, this was the best option. Kihael intentionally created a dramatic situation, even though he could have stopped the System Guardian earlier.

    ¡®I learned a thing or two, Kihael. Good job.¡¯

    It was a valuable lesson for Jin-Hyeok. To minimize the criticism about the System and GMs, Kihael deliberately appeared at perfect timing and took the attack on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s behalf, emphasizing that all of this was an unintentional ident.

    ¡®This is so much fun.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok just learned a new way of staging, and the process of acquiring this knowledge was very fun for him. Next time, Jin-Hyeok wanted to try something simr.

    Anyway, Kihael kept repeating simr statements. He said that this was all because of a temporary error and that the cleaner system, which was the System Guardian, was activated as a bug.

    ¡°As for thepensation rted to this incident, we will discuss it at ater time. For now, I think I need some treatment,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss it now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost too much blood. I feel dizzy, and we can¡¯t have a normal negotiation if I¡¯m this dizzy.¡±

    Honestly, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t buy it.

    ¡®How can someone feel dizzy after losing only that much blood? But looking at his pale face, he does seem like he¡¯s telling the truth¡­ I can create more content with the negotiation for my Eltube channel.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided to talk about thepensationter.

    He finally exited the Hope Rising From the Ruins Dungeon. The number of likes on his livestream was over ten thousand.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body trembled with excitement.

    ¡®I never knew livestreaming was this much fun!¡¯

    It was not just swinging the sword that was entertaining. Jin-Hyeok almost unlocked themunication restriction and was on the verge of interacting with the viewers.

    The desire to talk to the viewers slowly emerged. He didn¡¯t even know he had such a desire.

    ¡®The number of likes is increasing rapidly, and there are many viewers¡­¡¯

    Compared to Egan Paul, his number of viewers was still small, but this was still quite impressive. Jin-Hyeok was also manipting his view count to make it lower, so essentially his view count was on par with Egan Paul.

    ¡®I hope the number of viewers increases.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok initially aimed for third ce, but now, he wondered if aiming for second ce would be better.

    ¡®Should I just go for the second ce?¡¯

    He decided not to pursue the goal of being in the first ce.

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t do that to myself. I¡¯m not a monster.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Having returned home, Jin-Hyeok fiddled with the Rule Breaker and became lost in thought.

    ¡®So¡­ It alwayses down to who has more overpowered items, huh.¡¯

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had overlooked the importance of items. One of his beliefs was that true experts did not rely on their tools; they focused on enhancing their own abilities without relying on items. However, as time passed, he came to realize that what remained significant among skilled yers was their adeptness with items.

    ¡°I need to equip myself with more specialized items.¡±

    Since he now had Rule Breaker, this allowed him to use items exclusive to Swordsmen.

    ¡°I guess the first thing I should obtain is the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, right?¡±

    It was one of the most useful items Jin-Hyeok used when he was below Level 150. It was a massive two-handed sword that yed a crucial role in his growth to be the Sword King.

    ¡°I heard you can obtain this item somewhere in Yangpyeong¡­¡±

    The Greatsword of La¡¯kan was not something he personally acquired. The government gave it to him. The first discovery of the item was somewhere in Yangpyeong, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know the exact location.

    ¡°I should thoroughly search that area first.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to explore the Dungeons around Yangpyeong with his party members.

    About two weeks had passed.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Navigator, Han Sae-Rin, who was currently ranked second after Mole Man managed to take her first ce, could not hide her disappointment.

    ¡°Why are we wandering around these worthless Dungeons?¡±

    Although she was not the current top-ranked Navigator, she still showed exceptional skills as a Navigator.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are wasting your party¡¯s talents by doing this?¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with our y?¡±

    ¡°All we¡¯re doing is some amateurish stuff. I know I¡¯m here to help you, but I dropped my ranking because of you!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna be here, you can leave. I can just call Mole Man anyway. I¡¯m sure he would be thrilled to be here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want that either!¡±

    ¡°Why? If I y with Mole Man, wouldn¡¯t that be a good thing for you? You can rank up again.¡±

    ¡°If I leave now, Mole Man is gonna sweep in and take the reward! I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    Sae-Rin frowned.

    ¡®Maybe this is the power that I possess as yer Kim Chul-Soo.¡¯

    A vague sense of anticipation and the expectation that someday he would bring something significant to the table¡­ Because of these hopes, Sae-Rin continued to apany Jin-Hyeok.

    Meanwhile, Joseph also could not help but feel a bit disappointed.

    ¡®Is he in a slump?¡¯ Joseph thought.

    Though Chul-Soo seemed to be ying diligently around Yangpyeong, there wasn¡¯t anything particrly noteworthy about his performance. There was no difference from what the other Streamers could do.

    ¡®It is just a very ordinary y. There is no differentiating factor. Did he run out of contents?¡¯

    Joseph wondered if Chul-Soo¡¯s previous content, the appearance of the System Guardian, was too intense.

    Even releasing content needed some sort of timeline. If Streamers released excessively powerful content upfront, there would not be much excitement left for what came after.

    ¡®He must have hit his limit.¡¯

    The viewer count had dropped by around three thousand.

    ¡®He is going to need me. If it were up to me, I could turn Chul-Soo into a superstar.¡¯

    In the meantime, Jin-Hyeok reached Level 60, and Sae-Rin exploded with anger.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand this anymore. I quit!¡±

    ¡°Then should I call Mole Man?¡±

    ¡°Do whatever the hell you want!¡±

    Sae-Rin had fallen to third ce in the rankings. The difference between second and third ce was massive. She felt as if she had fallen into a pit of despair.

    Jin-Hyeok, not sure if he understood her feelings or not, spoke to her.

    ¡°I reached Level 60.¡±

    ¡°So what? Everyone knows that Streamers level up really quickly.¡±

    ¡°Just bear with me for one more day. I actually learned a new Skill.¡±

    It was a Streamer-exclusive Skill that could be learned at Level 90. Jin-Hyeok could now use a Skill called Preview.

    ¡°What Skill is it? And what does that have to do with me?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Hear me out¡­¡±

    Sae-Rin gulped as she listened to what Jin-Hyeok had to say.

    Her eyes widened.

    ¡°Really? Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°Apparently so.¡±

    Sae-Rin became more desperate.

    ¡°Show me, please!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem desperate enough.¡±

    Sae-Rin grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand eagerly.

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you to show me. I¡¯ll do whatever you ask.¡±

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81

    ¡°It¡¯s a Streamer-exclusive Skill that you can obtain at Level 90. The name of the Skill is Preview,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°A Level 90 Skill? You¡¯re already using that?¡± Han Sae-Rin said while her eyes sparkled with excitement. Her mouth fell open, and a bit of drool trickled down. She let out a sigh as if she was jealous of Jin-Hyeok for being able to experience Level 90 in advance.

    ¡°So, you can have the ability to see what¡¯s inside a Dungeon without entering one? Is that really possible?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a power that gives me a rough idea of the rewards or how the Dungeon should be cleared. And I can share it with one of my party¡¯s Navigators.¡±

    ¡°Please share it with me. Please!¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeok could not quite understand the somewhat crazy-looking Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Why is she acting so crazy?¡±

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that kind of power what Navigators always dream of?¡± Cha Jin-Sol answered on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Do I really have to exin this to you?¡±

    Jin-Sol couldn¡¯t understand Jae-Hyeon either. She turned her head toward Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo and asked them, ¡°You guys don¡¯t get it either?¡±

    ¡°No, we get it.¡±

    ¡°Of course, we know what you¡¯re talking about! How many chances do Navigators get to have that kind of ability?¡±

    Jin-Sol looked at Jae-Hyeon as if she was saying, ¡°I told you so.¡± Jae-Hyeon felt a bit confused, wondering if he was the strange one.

    ¡°Hyung, do you think the same way?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Experiencing high-level Skills¡­ That¡¯s the dream of all¡­ yers¡­¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s eyes were also filled with envy. It was a look that said he was dying of jealousy.

    Jae-Hyeon clenched his fist.

    ¡®No, I am not the strange one. They¡¯re the ones that are weird¡­¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    He kept thinking about that, but even if he was confident about it, he could not help but get confused when everyone around him said the opposite thing,

    ¡®Maybe I¡¯m the weird one¡­¡¯

    As Jae-Hyeon¡¯s entire principle was being shaken to its core, Sae-Rin received the Preview from Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I¡­ I see it!¡¯ Sae-Rin thought.

    She examined the Dungeon she had just cleared through the Preview. Her experience inside the Dungeon and the content she saw through the Preview was not significantly different.

    She was infatuated with how remarkable this Skill was.

    ¡°It seems like ces I have already cleared are shown more clearly,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Sae-Rin chuckled. She was so excited that she couldn¡¯t properly hear Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words.

    ¡°Show me other Dungeons too!¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°Please!¡±

    Sae-Rin looked so desperate that she almost looked like she was about to cry. Jin-Hyeok smiled with satisfaction. He knew that to be a top-ranking yer, they had to be a bit crazy like her. He was pleased to see the real Han Sae-Rin that he knew of.

    They roamed around Yangpyeong, examining the Dungeons. Sae-Rin embraced herself in excitement, looking like she was about to go crazy.

    ¡°A herd of monsters that look like ck cows appear in this Dungeon. They are around Level 40, but some of them have berserk abilities, making monsters around them more powerful. The path splits into three, and after passing through several traps, you eventually reach the clear spot. This is a spot where you unlock the final password with clues collected along the way, and that is where the exit is¡­ But if you make a mistake, a boss monster will spawn, and everyone will be wiped out,¡± she muttered.

    It was as if she was experiencing the Dungeon, even though she had not set foot inside. Of course, there were things that could not be seen by the Preview Skill. She was aware of the traps, but she could not see what kind of traps they were. She knew there would be a boss monster, but she could not tell what type of monster it was.

    Just like the name, it was a preview of the Dungeon.

    However, for Sae-Rin, this alone was a whole new world.

    ¡°I can see it! I can see it!!! AH!!!!¡±

    She even shed tears. With eyes zing, she looked for new Dungeons.

    Perhaps she was addicted to the taste of the Preview as she found and activated Dungeons at an rming rate.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in¡­ Let¡¯s go in¡­ Let¡¯s go in!¡±

    She roamed around Yangpyeong like a mad person, pushing herself to the point where Jin-Sol, who had rtively weak stamina, was almost reaching her limit.

    Before she knew it, the sun had set. Lost in her thoughts, they found themselves in the middle of a hilly area.

    Tired, Jin-Sol spoke, ¡°Unnie, that¡¯s enough for now¡­ Can¡¯t we rest a bit now? I¡¯m almost at my limit.¡±

    ¡°Just this one.¡±

    They were in Baemi Mountain, which was a small mountain located about one kilometer away from the Yangpyeong Station. They weren¡¯t using a hiking trail, but just going up the mountain on rough terrain, making it quite demanding for Jin-Sol.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    Sae-Rin started to dig the ground like a mad person. Although it seemed like she was out of her mind, she was actually using an advanced Navigator Skill to dig the ground. She was much faster than ordinary people using shovels.

    Before long, arge pit had been dug, and beneath it, a small gate was revealed.

    [Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan]

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡®I found it,¡¯ he thought.

    The name of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s beloved sword was the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ? ? ?

    A heated debate erupted in the Korean Region Minor Gallery over a topic. It was about whether Jin-Hyeok¡¯s recently acquired Preview Skill was a cheat or not.

    -No Level 90 yer can figure out that much about a Dungeon just from the Preview Skill. This is definitely a cheat. The synergy between the Skill and his physical ability is insane!

    There were also opposing views.

    -How is that a cheat? It¡¯s all thanks to Time Mileage.

    Time Mileage referred to the umted time from ying in a Field for a long time. It was known to have a significant impact on the Preview.

    -He¡¯s right. It¡¯s all because of the Time Mileage. I know a Streamer who could do the same.

    ©»LOL. But Chul-Soo is only Level 60. You¡¯re such an SI.

    SI was an acronym for System Illiterate. The term was normally used when undermining other users, saying that they did not know anything about how the System worked. The Gallery was filled with users who called each other System Illiterate.

    ©»Nope, you¡¯re the SI. The fact that Chul-Soo can use a Level 90 Skill means that he is as powerful as a Level 90 yer. So that Skill is a Level 90 Skill umted with enough Time Mileage. I dunno why you guys are making such a big fuss.

    ©»Can you use a Level 90 Skill when you¡¯re only Level 60? Do you think it¡¯s easy? You¡¯re just a nobody sitting in your room just tapping on your keyboard. You have lost all sense of reality.

    The opinions were roughly divided into a seven-to-three ratio. Seven out of ten believed that Chul-Soo¡¯s ability was excessively outstanding, and the remaining three argued that his ability was just on par with a normal Level 90 yer.

    While the Gallery was chaotic with heated discussions, the infamous Encyclopedia appeared on the scene.

    -Using a Level 90 Skill at Level 60 is not such a surprising feat. There are many abilities that allow yers to use Skills from the future. However, the question is whether he can handle that Skill as if he were an actual Level 90 yer. Moreover, Chul-Soo used that Skill consecutively.

    Encyclopedia, who was a Named User, attached several screenshots throughout the post. They captured images of Jin-Sol looking exhausted, although her face was not revealed, thanks to the Deceiver¡¯s Mask.

    -What is remarkable is that Chul-Soo, who used Preview countless times, is physically much more stable than a Healer who did not use any healing Skills. From the limited information from the first-person perspective livestream, such as footsteps, breathing, and Skill usage frequency, it can be spected that Chul-Soo is in apletely non-exhausted state.

    Encyclopedia pondered for a long time about whether to include the following content. After all, their writing needed to carry credibility. They hesitated, wondering if they were too hasty in judging one yer, but eventually, they made up their mind.

    -I have studied numerous cases of Streamers and have vast amounts of data on them, not only for Streamers but also for other Jobs. And dare I say that Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s Preview Skill is not at Level 90. It might be even higher than that, perhaps over Level 100.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s current Level was 60. However, he was showing much more impressive results than an actual Level 90 Streamer¡¯s Preview.

    -I can safely say that Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s talent as a Streamer is at a level never seen before.

    Even if using the same Skill, the effect could vary depending on who was using it. In the System, this was usually referred to as talent.

    ¡®But what is interesting is that Chul-Soo himself seems tock enthusiasm for how talented he is,¡¯ Encyclopedia thought.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s nonchnt attitude was also a factor that sparked debates among the users. To Encyclopedia, who possessed all sorts of data, Chul-Soo had a remarkably exceptional talent, but when it came to the person himself, Chul-Soo, he used it as if it were nothing special. As a result, those who saw this could not help but feel as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    -I¡¯m sure there is an overwhelming difference between him and Egan Paul, known as the top-ranked Streamer on the Earth Server. My analysis will be confirmed when Egan reaches Level 90. Then, we can make a properparison.

    -Written by: Encyclopedia.

    Encyclopedia couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the SSP terminal.

    ¡®It looks like he found another new Dungeon.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    After using the Preview to examine the Dungeon, Jin-Hyeok continued with the livestream.

    ¡°It looks like a special type of Dungeon where only one monster appears.¡±

    A gigantic monster with a huge body came into view. It was wearing a golden helmet, hiding its face, but it was a humanoid monster. It held an enormous sword that could not be seen clearly with the Preview.

    ¡°The overall space seems to be rectangr, filled with fire andva.¡±

    sh!

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes started to hurt.

    ¡°As I shifted my gaze toward the edge of the rectangr space, the Preview ended on its own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the kind of Field that burns you in theva if you are pushed out of that space,¡± Sae-Rin chimed in.

    ¡°Sounds like a dangerous ce. I need to ask my Navigator¡¯s opinion. Are you sure we should go in there?¡±

    Sae-RIn rubbed her chin for a moment. Jin-Hyeok was going to trust her word on this one.

    ¡°Of course, we should go in,¡± Sae-Rin said while looking around at everyone.

    Jin-Hyeok expected that response.

    ¡°The Navigator has spoken. After everyone recovers their stamina, we will enter the Dungeon.¡±

    No one in the party opposed Jin-Hyeok. They seemed eager to clear the Dungeon. It was understandable since all they had been doing was following Jin-Hyeok around while using the Preview on Dungeons. It was only natural that they were this eager. Just looking at Jae-Hyeon¡¯s unenthusiastic face, it was obvious that he was bored. Now that things were going to be interesting, Jin-Hyeok wondered if Jae-Hyeon¡¯s spirits would lift soon.

    ¡°Ah, wait. Before entering the Dungeon, I will perform a few tasks as a precaution. I think I can create an escape route,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡®An escape route? That is going to decrease the thrill of entering the Dungeon. But I guess safetyes first,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was no longer the crazy guy he used to be, so he did not object to Sae-Rin creating an escape route.

    Jin-Hyeok took a quick nce at Jae-Hyeon and saw his spirit being lifted. It seemed like he was excited about entering the Dungeon.

    ¡°We¡¯re ready to enter.¡±

    [Do you wish to enter the Dungeon ¡¸Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan¡¹?]

    They entered the Dungeon.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite hot in here.¡±

    The overall space had a reddish atmosphere. Just like the Preview had shown, the Dungeon was rectangr. It looked like a stage floating onva.

    ¡°There are mes shooting up here and there. It seems like some sort of a trap. Let me lightly put my hand in to test it. It doesn¡¯t shoot up from random ces, but from small holes in the floor. Alright, Jae-Hyeon, try putting your hand on it. When the mees out, just try to touch it.¡±

    ¡°M-Me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was sure that Jae-Hyeon was worried that he might monopolize all the fun.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Tank. Of course I will let you go first. No need to thank me.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll put my hand on it.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon stood in front of the hole, looking quite nervous.

    Roar!

    mes shot up and Jae-Hyeon put his hand in.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ So he got burned to that extent. It¡¯s not going to be fatal, but it will severely restrict your movements if you get hit.¡±

    There were several other devices in the Field as well.

    ¡°The center of the Field is the safe zone. It seems to be set up to prevent the monster we saw with the Preview from entering.¡±

    Knowing that there was a safe zone made Jin-Hyeok even more excited. In a Dungeon like this, where there was an obvious safe zone, it was almost certain to be a highly challenging Dungeon. It meant that without the safe zone, it would be impossible to clear.

    ¡®And we were given enough time to look around the Field.¡¯

    All the clues indicated that this Dungeon was going to be difficult to clear.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart kept pounding.

    ¡°At each corner of the Field, there seem to be special devices.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok moved toward one of the four edges of the rectangr Field.

    ¡°Oh, entering the corners teleports you back to the safe zone in the center. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any limitation on the number of attempts. If a dangerous situation arises, we can escape to this area. However, we should be careful about¡­¡±

    This Dungeon was like an ind floating on theva. Jin-Hyeok nced at the side. It was clear how dangerous it would be if he fell into theva. He didn¡¯t need to try to know that.

    ¡°If we identally slip and fall into theva, that would mean death.¡±

    Soon, a notification popped up, indicating that the boss monster, Swordmaster La¡¯kan, was summoned.

    [10]

    [9]

    The party entered the safe zone. From a distance, Jin-Hyeok could see theva beginning to boil, and then something shot up.

    Thud!

    A gigantic creaturended on the floor. It was the monster Jin-Hyeok saw with the Preview.

    [LV83/Swordmaster La¡¯kan/Skills]

    ¡°It¡¯s an enormously huge monster. Looks like it is about five meters tall. It is a monster in a humanoid form, wielding a massive sword.¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was drawn to that Greatsword without even realizing it.

    ¡®That looks amazing.¡¯

    Droop.

    ¡®Wait, did I just drool?¡¯

    Thankfully, the livestream was in first-person perspective. If it were in the third person, Jin-Hyeok might have looked pathetic to the viewers.

    ¡®A sword should always look that amazing.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to quickly snatch that sword that La¡¯kan was wielding and make it his. A stronger urge than ever boiled up within him. Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok heard Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s urgent voice.

    ¡°Oppa! That guy is getting closer.¡±

    ¡°Let ite.¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok felt tremendous pressure from the approaching monster, Jin-Hyeok knew nothing bad was going to happen while he was inside the safe zone. The monster swung its Greatsword with a menacing force.

    Boom!

    The barrier that protected the safe zone was hit by the attack. The feeling of threat was real, and Jin-Hyeok could see that the others were also afraid. Jin-Hyeok wondered if this was because they were not ustomed to experiences like this.

    He didn¡¯t me them. Even watching horror movies could make people shiver. Jin-Hyeok could understand feeling nervous when there was a huge and powerful monster swinging its massive sword in front of them.

    Whoosh!

    It continued to swing the sword.

    Boom!

    There was an explosion, and sparks flew as the greatsword shed with the barrier of the safe zone.

    Even so, the safe zone remained intact. For the barrier to be broken, it needed to be a Dungeon that was at least Level 150. Even that was very umon, so Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party was safe.

    ¡°Mok Jae-Hyeon, how is it? Can you withstand an attack?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can take it head-on. If I deflect it, I might be able to withstand it a couple of times.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok patted Jae-Hyeon¡¯s shoulder. It was alright to feel tense and scared. But if that were it, Jin-Hyeok would have been disappointed. There was a reason why the safe zone was conspicuously ced here. It was the System¡¯s intention to have yers analyze the enemy¡¯s attack more urately.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to analyze the enemy¡¯s attack patterns a bit more, and then I will designate your position.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    With an expression full of tension, Jae-Hyeon observed as the monster swung its greatsword.

    Unknowingly, Jin-Hyeok started to feel a little excited.

    ¡®Damn it. Not this again.¡¯

    Lately, there had been so much fun in his life. His weekends were filled with excitement, and streaming had be very interesting as well. Also, acting like the party''s Ruler was immensely enjoyable. ying as a Ruler provided a peculiar sense of satisfaction that was hard to feel while ying directly.

    ¡°The ability to swing such a massive sword so effortlessly might have a reason behind it. Do you guys have any ideas, Seo sisters?¡±

    The initially frightened Seo sisters had now approached La¡¯kan and were closely observing its attacks. Soon, Seo Ji-Ah spoke up, ¡°That monster is a Demonic Swordsman.¡±

    ¡°I think so too,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    Jin-Hyeok continued with the livestream.

    ¡°It seems like it might be using a gravity-rted magic spell. We need to confirm whether this magic only affects the sword, or if it can be applied to the entire Field.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shifted his gaze to Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Pathfinder might be able to confirm what I just said is true. How about it, Sae-Rin?¡±

    ¡°...I think I can figure it out.¡±

    The role of a Ruler was to position party members strategically to maximize their capabilities. The thrill when he seeded in doing that was indescribable.

    ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°There are bursts of mesing up from the small holes from time to time. Those represent terrain that threatens the yers and at the same time help us understand La¡¯kan¡¯s abilities. The focal point of the gravity magic is La¡¯kan. Compare the height of the mes shooting up from the holes closer to La¡¯kan with those from the holes further away. You will notice a significant difference."

    Sae-Rin was right. Jin-Hyeok nodded and conveyed the information to the viewers.

    ¡°It appears to be a gravitational field expanding around the monster. The farther away you are from it, the weaker its force bes.¡±

    This time Jin-Hyeok looked at Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Kim Jeong-Hyeon. This monster apparently maniptes gravity. If we get too close to it, our speed will drastically slow down. Jae-Hyeon can block only up to two attacks at most. How should we defeat it?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ we need to¡­ fight it first¡­ to know, but¡­¡± Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s eyes were shing with apetitive spirit. ¡°...In the end¡­ Ites down to two¡­ options¡­ First¡­¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo seemed frustrated by Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s slow response and cut in, ¡°We need to stab faster than we usually do, or we need to deliver a powerful enough blow to kill it with one shot! Ugh, can¡¯t you talk any faster?¡±

    "That was a valid point as well.¡±

    ¡°But looking at the monster¡¯s armor, it doesn¡¯t seem like attacking faster would have much of an impact. Its protective barrier also looks really solid. It might be better if my sister, Ji-Ah, and I distract its attention while Jeong-Hyeonnds a strong attack. Luring it and pushing it into theva could also be a viable approach.¡±

    Everyone was making valid points. The Seo sisters¡¯ attacks involved stabbing and shing, while Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s attack involved delivering significant blows in each of his attacks. For this type of monster, Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s attack would be more effective.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s begin the battle.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Wood Fortress!¡± Jae-Hyeon deliberately shouted loudly.

    He did this to precisely convey the timing of his Skill to the party members. At the same time, Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo spread apart and dashed forward.

    Whoosh!

    The Greatsword hit the Wood Fortress.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    With just one regr attack, the Wood Fortress was shattered into pieces. After shattering the Wood Fortress, the Greatsword was about to hit Jae-Hyeon in the head. He rolled to the side to narrowly avoid it.

    Meanwhile, Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo approached.

    ¡®I¡¯ve slowed down!¡¯

    ¡®My movement is slower!¡¯

    The Seo sisters thought.

    If they had gone in without knowing it, they might have been greatly startled. However, through the conversation with Jin-Hyeok, they had already anticipated this level of difficulty and proceeded to attack without panicking.

    Jin-Hyeok pointed at an area with hisser pointer.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, go over there!¡±

    While the Tank and Damage Dealers attracted its attention, Jeong-Hyeon moved to the back of La¡¯kan, who was wielding the Greatsword.

    ¡°Jeong-Hyeon, you are in the gravitational field. You can¡¯t move quickly anyway. Minimize your presence and approach slowly. Focus on your breathing!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Now was the time to trust his party members. Jeong-Hyeon was not the type to overwhelm opponents with speed. If the monster turned its attention to Jeong-Hyeon, he could be taken down with just one attack.

    ¡®I trust you, Jin-Hyeok,¡¯ Jeong-Hyeon thought.

    Jeong-Hyeon had experienced that his abilities were maximized when ying with Jin-Hyeokpared to ying alone, and he had experienced this many times. Thus, he trusted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s orders.

    La¡¯kan¡¯s back was getting closer.

    ¡®I need to target the back of the knee first.¡¯

    Because La¡¯kan was sorge, attacking the vital points from the start seemed difficult. Following Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instructions, Jeong-Hyeon moved slowly, approaching.

    [ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong activated the Skill ¡¸Crushing Fist¡¹.]

    Jeong-Hyeon punched the side of La¡¯kan¡¯s knee.

    Thud.

    The attack was a sess, but for a moment, La¡¯kan¡¯s attention bounced toward Jeong-Hyeon.

    Suddenly, he heard Jin-Hyeok shouting, ¡°Now!¡±.

    Following theser point, Jeong-Hyeon threw himself forward. In an instant, mes surged up from the hole and engulfed him.

    Roar!

    Jeong-Hyeon was hidden by the mes, making it impossible to see him.

    Whoosh!

    He suddenly felt chills on his back. Though the mes obscured the view, La¡¯kan¡¯s first almost struck the back of his head.

    ¡®That was close.¡¯

    If the mes had not hidden him, his skull would have been shattered by that punch. Despite suffering severe burns all over his body, it was still better than taking a blow from that fist.

    La¡¯kan roared in anger.

    ¡°Guuuooooo!¡±

    Meanwhile, Jin-Sol desperately applied heals to Jae-Hyeon and Jeong-Hyeon. She was a Blood Priest, using her own blood as a medium, and as time passed, her face grew increasingly pale.

    ¡®I feel so dizzy,¡¯ Jin-Sol thought.

    However, she could not fall down here. Swordmaster La¡¯kan was more powerful than any monster she had faced so far.

    ¡®If the Healer goes down now, we¡¯re all done for.¡¯

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using Blood Drain?¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you realize that you can¡¯t do this with only the blood packs?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I know, but¡­¡±

    Blood Priests unleashed their true power when theybined Blood Drain with their abilities.

    ¡°B-But¡­¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long? Use the Blood Drain!¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to suck your blood, Oppa?¡±

    ¡°Who else is here beside me?¡±

    Jin-Sol unwillingly pulled up the sleeve of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing? Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m trying to use Blood Drain.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that sucking on the neck is the most effective?¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    Jin-Sol bit her lip. The idea of biting her brother¡¯s neck to suck his blood didn¡¯t sit well with her. The target of the Blood Drain would lose a significant amount of blood. It could pose physical issues, and in unlucky cases, it could also inflict a psychological impact.

    ¡°Hurry up! Can¡¯t you see the members are struggling?¡±

    Jin-Sol momentarily met Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. They were eyes filled with profound disappointment. In that instant, she napped back to reality.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok subtly bent his knee to make it easier for Jin-Sol. Her teeth became like fangs.

    [Babyshark activated the Skill ¡¸Blood Drain¡¹.]

    Chomp!

    [The target, Kim Chul-Soo, experiences significant bleeding and pain.]

    The System message clearly indicated that, but there was no indication that Jin-Hyeok was in pain. Instead, he continued the livestream calmly andfortably.

    ¡°As confirmedst time, my blood and her Job are quitepatible. I am already looking forward to seeing what kind of power this Blood Priest who¡¯s consumed my blood will disy.¡±

    Gulp, gulp.

    Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes turned red as she drank her brother¡¯s blood. Unconsciously, she thought to herself,

    ¡®This is delicious¡­¡¯

    The grade of blood consumed during the Blood Drain also affected the Blood Priest¡¯s abilities. As she bit Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck and drank his blood, she could feel her heart start to race.

    ¡®This¡­¡¯

    It was an electrifying sensation beyond what could be expressed as euphoria, sending tingles throughout her spine and body. It was as if a massive tidal wave had surged into her body, turning her whole being upside down.

    At that moment, Jae-Hyeon was once again hit by one of La¡¯kan¡¯s attacks.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Jae-Hyeon narrowly avoided the Greatsword, but he was hit by its left fist. His right arm contorted as if it had been crushed in apactor. It was so grotesquely distorted that it was hard even to recognize it as a human arm anymore. Lost in ecstasy, Jin-Sol halted her Blood Drain and shouted loudly, ¡°Heal!¡±

    Simultaneously, a miracle urred. With just one healing, Jae-Hyeon¡¯s shattered right arm was instantly restored. Jin-Hyeok calmly continued the livestream.

    ¡°It is an incredible healing power. Since Jae-Hyeon was healed many times before by the Blood Priest, his body seems to have evolved to receive the Blood Priest¡¯s heals more effectively.¡±

    However, Jin-Sol knew the real reason.

    ¡®No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s all because of Oppa¡¯s blood!¡¯

    To Jin-Sol, her brother¡¯s blood was like a treasure. It was an elixir that maximized the abilities of the Blood Priest. Honestly, even Jin-Sol herself was surprised by how adeptly she had used her healing Skill.

    After that, she sucked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood several times, fulfilling her role as a Healer.

    ¡°Even though they¡¯re fighting well, the power difference between my party and the monster is too extreme. It seems hard to defeat it. Seo sisters, let¡¯s try to use what we¡¯ve saved up.¡±

    It was a special move of their own.

    Ji-Ahn and Ji-Soo used the Shadow Movement.

    [Unnie Shadow activated the Skill ¡¸Shadow Movement¡¹.]

    [Dongsaeng Shadow activated the Skill ¡¸Shadow Movement¡¹.]

    It was a Skill that allowed movements through shadows. After that, the two of them cooperated to execute their cooperative Skill called Shadow Fusion.

    Emerging from La¡¯kan¡¯s shadow, Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo attacked the designated points on both sides of its hamstring that Jin-Hyeok had indicated.

    ¡°Guuuooo!¡±

    They seemed to have dealt a substantial amount of damage, as La¡¯kan turned and swung its sword. Jae-Hyeon unfolded his Wood Fortress and blocked the attack.

    ¡°Thankfully, only Ji-Soo¡¯s wrist was severed by its attack.¡±

    Ji-Ah took her sister¡¯s severed right hand and returned to the safe zone. After receiving healing from Jin-Sol, Ji-Soo was fully restored.

    Later, Jeong-Hyeon and Jae-Hyeon, who could not hold on any longer, also returned to the safe zone.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Although everyone has made significant progress in their abilities, it is still far from enough. We will have to aim for the next opportunity.¡±

    The battle continued in the second round.

    Third round.

    Fourth round.

    Fifth round.

    As time passed, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members became more skilled in facing off against Swordmaster La¡¯kan.

    Sixth round.

    In the sixth round, Jin-Hyeok turned off the livestream and personally joined the battle.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this to find better strategies by engaging directly. There is no ulterior motive,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Although it seemed to others that there might be an ulterior motive, the members did not oppose him. Even though her ranking dropped to third ce, Sae-Rin, who had been with them until the sixth round, was in shock.

    ¡®T-That crazy bastard!¡¯ Sae-Rin thought.

    While ying as a direct participant, Jin-Hyeok managed to block La¡¯kan¡¯s left fist, the same fist that had shattered the Tank¡¯s arm in one blow.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    However, something was a bit strange.

    ¡®Wait, how is he unharmed?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok calmly spoke, even though he was no longer livestreaming. However, he seemed like someone engrossed in a livestream, as if a person consumed by the game could not distinguish reality from the game.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get a sense of it in just one attempt,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He looked like he was disappointed.

    ¡°I will try once more. I think I need to sh my fist against the monster¡¯s fist one more time to truly understand its power.¡±

    Sae-Rin could see that Jin-Hyeok was smiling softly. It was undoubtedly a manifestation of madness.

    La¡¯kan extended its massive fist. In response, Jin-Hyeok extended his own much smaller fist toward La¡¯kan¡¯s fist.

    Their fists collided.

    In an instant, Its gravitational magic was canceled, causing mes to burst high from all the holes. It was columns of mes of a height never seen before.

    ¡®W-What¡¯s happening?¡¯

    Soon, the mes subsided.

    Sae-Rin rubbed her eyes and looked ahead.

    An unbelievable event was unfolding before her eyes.

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83

    The categorization of stages¡ªsuch as novice, beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert¡ªvaried slightly from Region to Region. The terms used to refer to each stage also differed. For instance, in the case of the Chinese Region, instead of terms like advanced or expert, they used words like Profound Realm and Enlightenment Realm.

    This ssification was not a System-based one but rather based on people¡¯s convenience in each Region, resulting in slight differences. However, there was one thing that was unified.

    They regarded reaching Level 60 as a significant milestone. Taking the Korean Region as an example, Level 60 marked the beginning of the intermediate stage. This was because upon achieving Level 60, yers received several perks. All Skills and abilities were slightly upgraded, and the yers¡¯ physical attributes significantly improved. The difference between Level 59 and Level 60 was said to be like night and day.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok muttered as if he were livestreaming, ¡°I just reached Level 60 and many of my abilities got enhanced.¡±

    Boom!

    Fists collided together. Jin-Hyeok took a few steps back, and Swordmaster La¡¯kan also flinched.

    A moment of stalemate followed. Jin-Hyeok gritted his teeth and fixed his dislocated shoulders, making a cracking sound.

    ¡°My shoulder seems to be dislocated from the attack, but I can manage this much.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was very excited. He had parried such a devastating attack, an attack that even the Tank could not withstand head-on. If he could parry this, he could withstand even more. It would be much easier with a sword, too.

    The opportunity to experience the power of reaching Level 60 was incredibly enjoyable.

    Jin-Hyeok continued to speak.

    ¡°As I reached Level 60, I even gained the opportunity tobine some Achievements.¡±

    Hepletely forgot that he had turned off the livestream. He continued speaking as if he were still livestreaming.

    ¡°So Ibined the All-Clear Achievement from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon and the Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King Achievement. The main Achievement was the former, and the consumed Achievement was thetter.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok exined whileparing each line with the previous Achievement descriptions. He had already captured the descriptions of the Achievements beforebining them.

    [All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)]

    [An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    ¡°This was the previous description.¡±

    [1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)

    - The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by the monsters of Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    - The Achievement bearer receives a significant boost in all experience gained in Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    ¡°The Achievement effect that used to apply only within the Sareoga Mart Dungeon has changed to this.¡±

    [1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist}

    - The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by monsters within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    - This effect applies inside Dungeons that are within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    - The Achievement bearer receives a significant boost in all experience again within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

    The Achievement effect was now applied not only inside the Dungeon but also within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    ¡°However, what was important today is the following.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok moved to the safe zone for the livestream, though the livestream was still off. His party members started fighting against Swordmaster La¡¯kan as before, ensuring a stable environment for his livestream(?).

    ¡°Take a look at this. This was the original Achievement effect.¡±

    [2) +1 to Defensive Attributes

    - The Achievement bearer may boost the Attributes of one of their defensive abilities.

    - The Attributes of the defensive ability that are boosted will differ depending on the ability.]

    ¡°Thanks to upgrading my Defensive Attributes, I waspletely immune to all physical attacks below Level 50. And bybining the Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King Achievement, it is now changed like this.¡±

    [2) +1 to Defensive Attributes

    - The Achievement bearer may boost the Attributes of one of their defensive abilities.

    -When using defensive Skills/Traits,

    ©»Complete immunity to physical attacks below Level 80.

    ©»Partial immunity to physical attacks below Level 100.]

    ¡°I am currently using this All-Clear Achievement, and I am in a state of partial immunity to all physical attacks below Level 100. Thanks to this, I was able to withstand attacks from Swordmaster La¡¯kan to the extent of just my shoulder getting dislocated.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok finished speaking, he felt a mix of various kinds of pride and suddenly snapped back to his senses.

    ¡®What the hell am I doing right now?¡¯

    He had turned off the livestream, and he was not even recording. There were no ns to put this content on his channel either. Yet, he had acted as if he were actually livestreaming.

    ¡®This¡­ is a symptom of insanity¡­¡¯

    And he was happy about that.

    ¡®First, I should join the fight and take down that monster.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok actively joined the battle against the Swordmaster La¡¯kan. With Jin-Hyeok¡¯s participation, the party finally seeded in hunting down La¡¯kan on the seventh attempt.

    For the next few days, they continued to challenge the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan and kept defeating the monster. Thanks to this, the Levels of the party members gradually increased, and Han Sae-Rin also reimed second ce in the Ranking Board.

    Sae-Rin was not so much happy as astonished. Her amazement toward Jin-Hyeok was beyond imagination. The more she observed, the stranger Jin-Hyeok seemed.

    ¡®Is he a Streamer, a Damage Dealer, a Tanker, or a Ruler?¡¯ Sae-Rin thought.

    His true identity was utterly confusing. She should have noticed when he killed Go Doo-Hyeon¡¯s party back then.

    ¡®He just seems like a Streamer, but in reality, he is an All-Rounder, isn¡¯t he?¡¯

    Moreover, even the party¡¯s sole Healer, Cha Jin-Sol, needed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s assistance, which was his blood, to fully disy her abilities.

    ¡®This is a unique party where top-tier yers from each ss are gathered¡­¡¯

    And even then, Jin-Hyeok, a non-ranker, stood out in this unique party. Sae-Rin was beginning to have doubts about the Ranking System.

    ¡®What¡¯s the point of rankings if it¡¯s like this?¡¯

    Under Jin-Hyeok, everyone else seemed to be on an equal footing. Furthermore, as time passed, Jin-Hyeok seemed to lose some of his rationality. While he had initially held back his strength intentionally, now it seemed like he was rampaging recklessly.

    However, the more he did so, the shorter the time it took to defeat La¡¯kan.

    The initial awe gradually faded for Sae-Rin as she became ustomed to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s power.

    ¡®When are we going to stop killing the same monster?¡¯

    Sae-Rin wanted to go to more challenging Dungeons. Her desire for extremely difficult challenges was growing.

    ¡°I really want that Greatsword, but it¡¯s not dropping as a reward,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°The fact that we killed the monster so many times, and it still didn''t drop, could it be an item that cannot be dropped?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I can see it with my Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡±

    Actually, not everything was visible, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t say that part.

    After several more attempts, they eventually gave up for the time being.

    ¡®I need a better n,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    When Jin-Hyeok returned home, he summoned Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young. He had been separately recording videos since the seventh attempt and showed Angel Girl the footage.

    At first, Ha-Young was irritated, feeling her time had been taken away, but she gradually got engrossed in the videos.

    ¡°Is there anything strange about the videos?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course there is. Why wouldn¡¯t it be there?¡±

    ¡°What is it?

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you stealing that Greatsword the monster is holding?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok barely suppressed his excitement. He had never mentioned wanting that Greatsword, but Ha-Young had figured it out herself.

    ¡®As expected, she is an expert!¡¯

    He had been frustrated by her in the past when she was his enemy, but now that she was on his side, he could not feel so dependable.

    ¡°How do you steal that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I only know that it¡¯s possible to steal the Greatsword. But to be more certain, I think I need to see it firsthand.¡±

    Ha-Young decided to join the party as well.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°You two know each other?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young, and Pathfinder, Han Sae-Rin, had met each other before. To be precise, it was more like they were enemies. It was something about Sae-Rin having her wallet stolen by Ha-Young.

    ¡°My wallet!¡±

    ¡°Did I steal your wallet?¡±

    ¡°Give it back, you thief!¡±

    ¡°What kind of bad Thief gives back what they¡¯ve stolen? That¡¯s tarnishing the honor of Thieves.¡±

    They were both arguing so intensely that Jin-Hyeok had to mediate the situation.

    ¡°Hey, how can a Navigator get things stolen by a Thief?¡±

    The Navigator¡¯s role was to protect and guide the party through the Dungeons. It was also the Navigator¡¯s role to anticipate and prepare for threats from Assassins and Thieves. Sae-Rin had failed at that.

    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself,¡± Jin-Hyoek said.

    His logical intervention fortunately worked well.

    ¡°He¡¯s right. But to have the audacity to ask for the wallet back? Can a Navigator really do that?¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I want your apology, Navigator.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m a big-hearted person, so I will ept your apology.¡±

    Both Ha-Young and Sae-Rin were convinced and they were able to strengthen their teamwork.

    Anyway, the party reentered the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan Dungeon. On the fifth attempt after Ha-Young joined, she discovered something.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I notice this before?¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The Dungeon¡¯s name is the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, right? That giant monster is not the main target, it¡¯s the Greatsword itself!¡±

    When the giant monster died, the Greatsword also lost its life and disappeared, but regardless, the main target should have been the Greatsword.

    ¡°I think we need to take that sword away from that monster.¡±

    Just like what Ha-Young had said, the party made several attempts and eventually seeded in cutting off La¡¯kan¡¯s wrist. Ha-Young moved swiftly to grab the Greatsword. Compared to her swift movements, she was barely able to drag the Greatsword. She stuck the Greatsword into the hole where the pir of mes was shooting up.

    ¡°It¡¯s only this hole that the me keeps shooting up to the same height, right?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    The Thief and the Navigator were coborating properly. It seemed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intervention worked well. Suddenly, the mes shot up.

    A muchrger me than usual engulfed the Greatsword. Ha-Young leaped into the pir of mes.

    ¡°It¡¯s your time to shine, Healer!¡±

    Ha-Young seemed quite happy as she leaped into the mes. mes like these could not possibly quench her passion for Thievery. Jin-Sol did her best as a Healer to heal Ha-Young, and eventually, Ha-Young retrieved a sparkling orb from within the mes.

    It looked like a Core of something.

    ¡°Here. I was able to retrieve this. I managed to get this far, but from now on¡­¡±

    Ha-Young could not continue her words any further. Her body was suddenly cut in half horizontally. For a moment, everyone was silent.

    Ha-Young tilted her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why am I lying down?¡±

    She seemed as if she did not even feel the pain of her body being cut in half. After a momentary pause, the eyes of Swordmaster La¡¯kan, having struck down Ha-Young, lost its light, and it fell to the ground.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m dying,¡± Ha-Young said while she smiled. ¡°Still, I¡¯m probably the only one in the world who has stolen¡ª¡±

    She lost consciousness. She looked as though she were dead. The orb that she had been holding turned to dust and disappeared. Jin-Hyeok approached her and murmured softly, ¡°That could¡¯ve been great content for my channel¡­¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok called Ha-Young when he returned home. The phone rang several times, but no one answered the call.

    ¡®So this is how it¡¯s going to be?¡¯

    [Do you wish to activate the ¡®Tight-Fillet Spell¡¯?]

    Jin-Hyeok activated the spell. In less than thirty seconds, his phone started ringing.

    [Song Ha-Young]

    ¡®I knew it would be like this. How dare she ignore my call?¡¯

    [Do you wish to activate the Tight-Fillet Spell?]

    ¡®Activate.¡¯

    His phone kept ringing. But he decided not to answer.

    [Do you wish to activate the Tight-Fillet Spell?]

    ¡®Activate.¡¯

    ¡®Activate.¡¯

    ¡®Activate.¡¯

    ¡®Activate.¡¯

    Since she ignored his call for thirty seconds, he decided to annoy her for thirty minutes. His KakoTalk went crazy, buzzing incessantly.

    [Please, save me.]

    [I¡¯m sorry. I waspletely wrong.]

    [I¡¯m on my way now.]

    [Please forgive me.]

    Jin-Hyeok answered the call and said, ¡°If you don¡¯te within ten minutes, I will keep using the Tight-Fillet Spell.¡±

    Ten minutes passed.

    ¡®Activate!¡¯

    Ha-Young was probably suffering and having seizures whileing here, but that was not Jin-Hyeok¡¯s fault.

    [I¡¯m on my way!]

    [Please!]

    Another ten minutes had passed.

    ¡®Activate!¡¯

    Despite facing some significant difficulties along the way, Ha-Young somehow managed to arrive at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. She copsed in front of the front door, panting heavily. Her appearance was not the most dignified, but that was not his concern.

    ¡°Using a clone to pretend you died was a pretty clever move. Turning the orb into dust to feign not stealing it was also a good attempt. All in all, you¡¯ve portrayed the role of a Thief quite impressively. I am genuinely surprised,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Pretending to die using a clone was indeed a decent strategy.

    After all, a good Thief should always pursue freedom. She had to keep running away from Jin-Hyeok. Settling down was not an option.

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t tried these tactics, I would have been disappointed in you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    And her act of dying looked genuinely real. If staged well, it might be suitable for an Eltube video.

    ¡°Your attempts were truly amazing,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°B-But, why on earth did you¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, you got caught.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point if you get caught? You should¡¯ve not gotten caught.¡±

    Ha-Young looked at him as if she realized something.

    ¡°So, trying to escape, secretly swiping the Core, none of that was wrong?¡±

    ¡°A Thief should always try their best to steal and run away. If you don¡¯t steal, can you even call yourself a Thief?¡±

    Ha-Young could not argue with his logical and sensiblement. It was hard to counter something that made so much sense.

    ¡°Alright, hand it over,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°In what scenario would a Thief give back what they¡¯ve stolen?¡±

    ¡°Well, in a scenario where they¡¯re getting robbed.¡±

    Being a Thief did not mean they didn¡¯t get robbed from time to time.

    ¡°Give it to me, now.¡±

    ¡°...This is going to tarnish my reputation as a Thief.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting robbed, so it¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°A-Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your reputation isn¡¯t tarnished.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you¡­?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡±

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok obtained the Core from Ha-Young.

    [Core of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan]

    ¡®But how can I make this into the form of a sword?¡¯

    No matter how much he thought about it, he could not figure out the method.

    ¡®Ah! Could that method work?¡¯

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84

    It seemed like Cha Jin-Hyeok needed help from the GMs. When the System Guardian appeared and attacked him, Kihael said at the time, ¡°As for thepensation rted to this incident, we will discuss it at ater time.¡±

    If Kihael was apologetic, he should have spoken up first to discuss what thepensation was going to be and how it would proceed. However, it seemed Kihael wasn¡¯t apologetic enough, so Jin-Hyeok decided to call him instead.

    ¡®If I ask him how to transform this Core into a sword, he would show me the ways, right?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok pondered for a moment. It was fine to call the GM and learn about the crafting process, but it would also be good to provide some usibility about how he obtained the Core in the first ce. He also needed to persuade his viewers.

    ¡®It seems like no matter what I do, I am always thinking about my viewers first.¡¯

    He felt aplished as a Streamer.

    Jin-Hyeok called Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Holy¡­ What kind of ce is this?¡±

    Sae-Rin, who was visiting his house for the first time, was amazed and asked for a tour of the house.

    ¡°You have a house in downtown Seoul? Were you born with a silver spoon?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important right now.¡±

    ¡°Then what is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about giving a narrative to the whole situation. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°A narrative?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew who Sae-Rin was. If he were to describe her, she always pretended not to be an attention seeker, yet she was.

    ¡°So here¡¯s the thing. Saying that I acquired this item ultimately means I hunted down Swordmaster La¡¯kan. But I don¡¯t really want to tell people that I actively participated in the hunt,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking about saying that you, our great Navigator, acquired the Core with your secret ability.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like my n?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I dislike it, but I¡¯m just a bit reluctant. Do you really need to hide that you were involved?¡±

    ¡°I just think it¡¯s better this way. For my conscience. I don¡¯t think this can affect you in a bad way.¡±

    ¡°My value can be overestimated. Underestimating my value is disheartening, but overestimating could put me in danger.¡±

    ¡°But Mole Man is going to see this too.¡±

    ¡°The narrative sounds good.¡±

    Sae-Rin agreed immediately. She confirmed once again.

    ¡°I found a way to clear the Dungeon through my secret abilities, and I did my best as a Navigator. That¡¯s the narrative, correct? And to avoid exposing my full power, you had to turn off the livestream. That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to say on your livestream, right?¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s body trembled with joy.

    ¡°And Mole Man is definitely going to see this.¡±

    ? ? ?

    A few days ago, Mole Man had been monitoring Han Sae-Rin through Eltube. Coincidentally, she was with Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Pathfinder¡­! Even though she dropped to third ce in the rankings, this woman still makes me anxious!¡±

    It was hard to exin, but it was like she was hunching over momentarily to get more momentum to soar into the sky.

    ¡°There is no reason for me to be anxious¡­¡±

    Mole Man had no interest in the yer was currently ranked second. His only interest was Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party was in the process of clearing an unknown Dungeon called the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. They had tried several times but failed. After that, Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream was turned off for a while, and a surprising fact was revealed a few dayster.

    ?...As a result, I was able to obtain the Core of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. ording to the information I obtained during the acquisition, it is possible to restore this Core into the Greatsword through proper crafting. However, I haven¡¯t found the method yet. Anyway, I want to express my deep gratitude to the best Navigator, Pathfinder, who helped me clear the Dungeon.?

    Mole Man¡¯s body trembled. He quickly checked the Ranking Board.

    [Navigator ss]

    [1. Pathfinder (LV57)]

    [2. Mole Man (LV56)]

    ¡°No!¡±

    In no time, Pathfinder had reimed the first ce.

    ¡°What secret abilities and strategies did she use?¡±

    Mole Man had watched the videos that had been released so far multiple times, but he could not see how she did it. As a Navigator, he couldn¡¯t figure out how they cleared that Dungeon.

    There were limitations to learning from the videos. He had to go see it for himself.

    ¡°Where is that Dungeon, moly?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t let himself fall behind like this. Analyzing the videos had given him a rough idea of the location. He clenched his fist tightly.

    ¡°If Pathfinder could do it, Mole Man can do it too, moly!¡±

    On an afternoon of his day off, he began to search for the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ? ? ?

    After the livestream, Jin-Hyeok used the GM Call.

    ¡®I knew this was going to happen.¡¯

    None of the GMs answered his call. The expected wait time was eight hours, which meant the GMs were extremely busy. Eight hours was a precious time, and Jin-Hyeok could not stand waiting.

    He headed straight to Cheongdam-dong. The Subus, Lilia, weed him.

    ¡°I heard you did something amazing recently,¡± Lilia said.

    The sweet scent of peaches lingered. She was trying to seduce Jin-Hyeok again. Every time she did this, Jin-Hyeok realized how fortunate he was to have Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and Imperial Resilience. Lilia approached him while shaking her head.

    ¡°I think I might have failed in seducing you again,¡± she said.

    ¡°Why would you seduce me in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°My boss said he would offer a big reward if I seeded. Like some kind of a bounty.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay that you¡¯re telling me all this?¡±

    ¡°Well, it seems like I can¡¯t seduce you with my Skills, so why not.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what she was talking about. Lilia took another step closer to him. She sneakily put her arm into his without him realizing. Her movement was quite discreet and swift.

    ¡°It might not work with my Skills, but I was wondering if I could seduce you with my heart. I really like you, you know,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Subus is naturally drawn to strong men.¡±

    She just put her arm in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm without him knowing. This meant that if she really wanted to, she could have easily stabbed him without him knowing.

    ¡®How can someone that powerful call me a strong man? Does she not realize how nonsensical she sounds?¡¯

    She looked at him with a beautiful smile. Unintentionally, Jin-Hyeok saw how pretty she was.

    ¡®She¡¯s dangerous.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had encountered many instances of honey trapping before. If he was not careful from the beginning and didn¡¯t fend them off, he might end up in a troublesome situationter.

    Jin-Hyeok drew out a dagger.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna count to three. And you¡¯re going to let go of my arm, or I am going to stab you.¡±

    Lilia smiled mischievously and moved away to the side.

    ¡°Did you just think about how pretty I am?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny that you are pretty.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t disagree with her on that one. He hadn¡¯t seen the honey-trapping strategy being used by people who couldn''t be described as, at the very least, attractive. In fact, the more beautiful they were, the more dangerous they could be.

    ¡°But you¡¯re still pushing me away like this?¡± Lilia said.

    She murmured things like ¡°Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?¡±, and so on. Thanks to that, Jin-Hyeok could regain hisposure. It seemed like she didn¡¯t get rid of her corny pick-up lines.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s okay for now,¡± Lilia said.

    She smiled yfully and kept sneaking a peek at him.

    ¡®If you want to look at my face, then just look. Why are you sneaking peeks?¡¯

    ¡°For now, I will guide you to the Chairman.¡±

    Lilia took the lead and started to walk in a graceful manner, or at least, that was how she perceived it.

    ¡®Why is she moving her butt like that? It¡¯s annoying.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    ¡°You did something amazing recently,¡± Choi Gap-Soo said.

    That was his name for the Korean Region. His real username was MoneyShower.

    ¡°Did you watch it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I saw that you obtained the Core of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. Are you here to show it to me?¡±

    Gap-Soo seemed oddly satisfied. He genuinely looked quite pleased. It felt like he had be a viewer who received special treatment from a Streamer.

    ¡°Yes, do you want to see it?¡±

    ¡°So this is how you manage your viewers now! Hahaha!¡±

    Gap-Soo was very content. With just this, he had something to brag about to his friend, MoneyShot.

    Jin-Hyeok, acting as if he had suddenly remembered something, asked Gap-Soo, ¡°Oh, by the way, can I use the GM Call to Seodaemun-gu?¡±

    ¡°GM Call to Seodaemun-gu? But we¡¯re in Gangnam-gu.¡±

    Normally, to use the GM Call to Seodaemun-gu, a yer had to be in Seodaemun-gu.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can make it happen,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s possible, but why should I do that? That is a form of abusing my privileges.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to abuse your privileges. I¡¯m doing this so that I can invite you to my livestream which is limited to one viewer.¡±

    A System message was sent to Gap-Soo.

    [You have received an invitation for the livestream ¡¸Regarding the Restoration of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan¡¹.]

    [Viewers: 0/1]

    Within ten seconds, Kihael appeared in front of them.

    ¡°Hello, GM Kihael, I was almost killed by the System Guardian. Do you remember?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Are you livestreaming right now?¡±

    ¡°There is only one viewer.¡±

    Kihael could roughly sense what was going on. This livestream was solely for Gap-Soo. Seeing Gap-Soo watching Eltube with such a proud expression, there was no doubt about it.¡±

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Kihael thought.

    He didn¡¯t know what was different between watching with his own eyes and watching through a livestream. He couldn¡¯t really understand Gap-Soo. In any case, Gap-Soo was wearing a very satisfied expression.

    ¡°You said we would discuss thepensationter, but you haven¡¯t said anything for days, so I had to use the GM Call,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡®This bastard used one of the members of the Trinity Club for the GM Call? And it was a call from Gangnam-gu to Seodaemun-gu?¡¯

    Kihael wanted to question Jin-Hyeok, but couldn¡¯t. Gap-Soo looked too happy for Kihael to even think about disrupting the atmosphere of the room.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I was too injured to do anything,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase. I obtained this recently. I¡¯m not sure if you saw it through my livestream or not.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok presented the Core of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. Kihael¡¯s face twitched.

    ¡®He obtained that? How?¡¯

    Kihael had monitored until the third attempt. Eventually, he concluded that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party could not clear the Dungeon with their current abilities and turned off the screen.

    But now suddenly, Jin-Hyeok was presenting this Core in front of him.

    ¡°You can find the details in my videos. I¡¯ve uploaded all the content.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Kihael couldn¡¯t press further. Jin-Hyeok was saying that there were videos on Eltube that could support his usibility. There was nothing more for Kihael to say.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for much. How can I craft this into a sword?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even asking you to do it for me. Just tell me how to do it. Considering you tried to kill me by mistake, I think we can agree on thispensation.¡±

    ? ? ?

    After receiving the information for Kihael, Jin-Hyeok headed to Jongno-gu. Right now, Jin-Hyeok was doing a special livestream just for the old man, Choi Gap-Soo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t think of this sooner. Of course, I should have talked to cksmith Mulinus about this.¡±

    Even though there was only one viewer, Jin-Hyeok received ten million Dias in donations. Gap-Soo said something about how it was nice to see a yer manipte a GM that well to get what he wanted.

    One-eye giant, Mulinus, who enhanced the Berklev Ne, was already on good terms with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯te to visit me,¡± Mulinus said.

    ¡°Did you see my livestream?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did. You¡¯ve been using the Berklev Ne quite effectively. Well done."

    Mulinus looked quite pleased. There was a sense of fulfillment for the cksmith when items he enhanced were used well.

    Anyway, the rapport between Jin-Hyeok and Mulinus was still holding strong.

    ¡°The method to restore the Greatsword of La¡¯kan? Yeah, I know it.¡±

    ¡°Then let me make a formal request.¡±

    ¡°First, one hundred million Dias.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®Why is it so expensive?¡¯

    ¡°I didn¡¯t set the price. It¡¯s the standard price set by the System.¡±

    ¡°The System has set prices?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    There was only one reason why the System would do that. This item had a connection with a Scenario that the System itself created.

    ¡°And you will need a lot of gold. Go see Katrina. He should have a considerable amount of gold bars left from when you sold them.¡±

    Thankfully, Katrina was quite friendly toward Jin-Hyeok as a merchant, and Jin-Hyeok managed to obtain the gold bars at a reasonable price. He said he would sell them even cheaper if Jin-Hyeok gave him a kiss, so he just bought them at the standard price.

    ¡°There is no problem crafting the Greatsword, but there might be an issue for you,¡± Mulinus said.

    ¡°What kind of issue?¡±

    ¡°The Greatsword of La¡¯kan contains a bit of ego. So it¡¯s going to be a weapon that will choose its owner.¡±

    The Greatsword of La¡¯kan from before the regression had acknowledged Jin-Hyeok as its owner without any problem.

    ¡°Come tomorrow. I can craft it pretty easily.¡±

    A dayter, Mulinus did indeed restore the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°Take it. I wonder if the sword will acknowledge a mere Level 60 yer as its owner,¡± Mulinus said.

    Jin-Hyeok turned on the livestream.

    [The sword is about to choose its owner.]

    When Jin-Hyeok gripped the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, he almost dropped it.

    Tsss! Crack!

    Intense sparks flew from the sword¡¯s hilt. The resistance was so strong that even Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder tingled.

    ¡°The flesh from my palm is being torn off, and blood ising out.¡±

    It was true that blood was dripping down from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand. He had received significant burns up to his forearm.

    ¡°The pain is considerable.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that with that nonchnt face?¡± Mulinus asked.

    ¡°How should I subdue it? Do you have any tips, Mulinus?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. But seriously, it looks really dangerous. The burn has reached your shoulder!¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess I need to think of a way to handle this.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Your flesh is melting! It¡¯s getting all gooey!¡±

    When ying, various things would happen. Jin-Hyeok did not understand why Mulinus was making such a big deal.

    ¡°Just put it down for now! Let¡¯s think about it together!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I just thought of a great idea.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to give it a try. Watching Jin-Hyeok, Mulinus flinched.

    ¡°...What did you just do? How did you manage to subdue it in one go? Oh, wait, are you okay? Your arm is all mangled!¡±

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85

    Cha Jin-Hyeok provided a brief exnation to the viewers.

    ¡°Among many factors, the most important thing was definitely the experience and the feeling left in my body. The Rule Breaker resisted me in exactly the same way.¡±

    Things that were learned through memorization were usually quickly forgotten. But what was learned through the body and experience wasn¡¯t easily forgotten. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know if others were the same, but for him, this was especially true.

    ¡°I felt the same way about the Rule Breaker¡¯s resistance.¡±

    The Rule Breaker was an item rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario. Through various circumstances, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan also seemed to be rted to that Scenario in some way.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I changed my Achievement.¡±

    He disyed a screenshot for the viewers.

    [All-Clear (Hope Rising From the Ruins)]

    [In a ce where there was no hope, a white flower bloomed.

    Now, one can dream.

    Achievement Effect: Subdue all items rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario.]

    ¡°The Achievement was somewhat disappointing because itcked versatility, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be useful again like this. I guess I was lucky.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. His prediction was correct. This sword was an item rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario, and he could subdue it in one try.

    ¡°It¡¯s light.¡±

    Although its size was tremendously huge, it was quite light due to its very own gravity magic being cast on it. With a little exaggeration, it was simr in weight to his dagger.

    ¡°The weight seems simr to that of my dagger, but the destructive power is beyondparison.¡±

    Mulinus, who had run off, came back and poured a potion onto Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm. He said it was good for burns. The effect of the potion seemed remarkable. The burn healed quickly, and new skin grew.

    ¡®Ah, now it looks less dramatic to the viewers¡­¡¯

    ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re not grateful at all?¡± Mulinus said.

    ¡°Oh, no. Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Your face doesn¡¯t show any sign of gratitude!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like his arms needed to stay burned in order to have better content for his livestream, so it was a bit disappointing.

    ¡°Thanks again, Mulinus. Do you think I can use the Greatsword of La''kan properly?¡±

    ¡°Are you serious? Did you even read the description?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately disyed the reference material.

    [...(Exclusive to Swordman-rted Jobs)]

    ¡°Then, can I change the item a bit so that I can use it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    cksmiths did not really like it when someone messed with the weapons they had crafted. Jin-Hyeok would have still done it whether Mulinus agreed or not, but he still asked. It was a preliminary step to maintain a good rtionship with Mulinus. Despite Mulinus¡¯rge appearance, he was a bit timid.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to manipte it? You?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. After all, it¡¯s not even my own creation.¡±

    It was like Mulinus saying this item was just a fake created by the System. Since the Greatsword of La''kan did not have Mulinus¡¯ craftsmanship or affection, it seemed like he didn¡¯t have any connection with the item. Jin-Hyeok could fully understand that statement.

    ¡°Then I will try manipting it right here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the Rule Breaker. He swung the Rule Breaker onto the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ng!

    With a loud noise, the Rule Breaker¡¯s ability was applied.

    [...(Exclusive to Swordman-rted Jobs)(Exclusive to the owner of the Rule Breaker)]

    ¡°I¡¯ve acquired a new item. Unfortunately, it¡¯s already Friday. I will rest well over the weekend and try out its actual use on Monday. Thank you all for watching!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok ended his livestream. Saturday was near.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok headed toward Yangpyeong.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s somewhere here¡­¡±

    Han Sae-Rin¡¯s absence felt particrly pronounced today. Even though Jin-Hyeok had entered the Dungeon dozens of times, finding it was not easy. It felt like he had be directionally challenged.

    ¡°It took a bit longer than usual. It was hard to find the entrance.¡±

    His livestream was turned off, but he yed as if he were livestreaming. After all, he was a Streamer.

    Just like a Swordsman practicing his swings in the air, a Streamer should always be ready. And it was quite enjoyable.

    ¡°I am going to enter the Dungeon. Going by myself¡­ I already feel excited!¡±

    [You have entered the Dungeon ¡¸Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan¡¹.]

    Even though he had been here before, it felt quite different entering alonepared to being with his party members.

    ¡°Huh? But someone is inside already.¡±

    Someone was in the safe zone. Swordmaster La¡¯kan had already been summoned. Jin-Hyeok quickly moved and entered the safe zone.

    ¡®Mole Man?¡¯

    As soon as he saw Mole Man, he knew what was going on. It looked like Mole Man was provoked by Sae-Rin¡¯s performance. To the public, it was all thanks to Sae-Rin¡¯s secret and amazing abilities that they were able to clear the Dungeon.

    ¡®I guess he is here thinking that if Sae-Rin can do it, so can he.¡¯

    Since Jin-Hyeok had revealed that the Dungeon could be cleared using the Navigator¡¯s power, it seemed like Mole Man came here to achieve the same thing.

    ¡°Unfortunate yer. I can¡¯t see a way to clear it at all, moly,¡± Mole Man said.

    ¡°Mole Man?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, moly. I¡¯m Mole Man.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°My rival cleared this ce using her power. Thus, if she can do it, I should be able to do it too, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok used Multiple Lives to change his identity, so on the outside, they were just two strangers meeting for the first time. However, for some reason, Mole Man didn¡¯t use honorifics, so Jin-Hyeok also decided to do the same.

    ¡°So you came here all alone?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, moly.¡±

    Mole Man was definitely crazy. No matter what,ing here alone was quite something.

    ¡°What if you die?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, there is something more valuable than life, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew what Mole Man was talking about. However, since Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer, he decided to ask, as if he was conducting an interview.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s about proving one¡¯s greatness, moly.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t you have to be alive for that to have any meaning?¡±

    ¡°Not really. A world where I can¡¯t achieve what Pathfinder has achieved? In that world, I am nothing more than worthless trash who isn¡¯t even worth taking a breath. It¡¯s better to die than live like that, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was deeply impressed. If his party members had such desperate and resolute minds, they could be even stronger.

    ¡°Quite moving,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Do you understand me, moly?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°An exceptional yer with great potential. What is your Job? Are you a Streamer, moly?¡±

    He almost said yes.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a Swordsman.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°T-That sword¡­!¡±

    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s the same one as what that guy¡¯s holding,¡± Jin-Hyeok whispered to Mole Man. ¡°Clearing the Dungeon with a partner would be much more valuable than clearing as a party, right?¡±

    ¡°M-Moly?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s try clearing it together, just the two of us.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok was deeply impressed, he decided to give Mole Man a gift. He stepped out of the safe zone and began to fight with Swordmaster La¡¯kan.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok knew this already.

    ¡®If I fight that guy head-on, I¡¯m going to lose no matter what.¡±

    Fighting the Swordmaster La¡¯kan head-on would lead to defeat. The Level difference was too significant and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s basic physical attributes were too weak. However, determining the oue of a battle was never solely based on simple physical prowess.

    ¡°The power of our weapons is the same.¡±

    They were both wielding the same weapon, but one of the weapons was being used by someone with a more exceptional physique.

    ¡°But its attacks are rather straightforward, and its attack patterns are repetitive.¡±

    The Greatswords shed with each other.

    ng!

    The sound of metal shing resounded in his ears.

    ¡°And the entity that controls the monster is actually the sword.¡±

    Defeating the ¡®body¡¯ was meaningless. Attacking the Greatsword yielded much more meaningful results.

    ng! ng!

    The swords shed continuously. With each sh, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body was pushed back.

    At a nce, he was at a disadvantage.

    ¡°Even if two identical cars collide, one might be totaled while the other remains intact. It¡¯s because of the difference in collision angles.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not simply blocking the monster¡¯s attacks. He was striking the center of the monster¡¯s Greatsword.

    [You have activated the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]

    ¡°Because the monster¡¯s destructive power and speed far surpass mine, it¡¯s difficult to use powerful Swordsman-ss Skills.¡±

    This was where the foundation of swordsmanship shined.

    ¡°All I can do is sharpen the edge of my de and focus on striking the surface of its Greatsword.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had already learned its attack pattern. He would definitely die if he was hit by one of its attacks, but as long as he didn¡¯t get hit, he would be fine. Jin-Hyeok faced Swordmaster La¡¯kan alone for quite a long time. The monster¡¯s Greatsword was starting to crack, and eventually, it shatteredpletely.

    [You have defeated ¡¸Swordmaster La¡¯kan¡¹.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have reached Level 61.]

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body trembled.

    ¡®Did this really work?¡¯

    He thought it would work, but actually achieving it made his heart race. He had soloed a boss monster with a Level difference of almost 20. An exhrating feeling surged throughout his body.

    ¡®I missed this feeling.¡¯

    A sense of ecstasy engulfed his entire being. It felt like surrendering to the exhrating current of a pleasure-filled river. Mole Man, who had witnessed it all, shed tears.

    ¡°That was amazing, moly!¡±

    Mole Man embraced Jin-Hyeok and was overjoyed. Even though he had not personally yed a significant role, he still witnessed the miracle of a Solo Clear. It brought significant inspiration to Mole Man.

    [You have been credited with Solo Clearing the Dungeon.]

    [You have unlocked the Hidden Quest ¡¸Another Death of the Greatsword¡¹.]

    Thud!

    The body controlled by the Greatsword of La¡¯kan copsed. mes surged high from every hole.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know there was a Hidden Quest here.¡¯

    It seemed like seeding in the Solo Clear of the Dungeon activated the Hidden Quest. The mes that shot up high engulfed the fallen body of the monster before ring up brightly. It was gradually turning into ashes.

    Mole Man lifted his head.

    ¡°I cannot let that go away, moly!¡±

    Mole Man dashed toward the burning corpse.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put on the gloves, moly!¡±

    Wearing gloves resistant to mes, he began to rummage through La¡¯kan¡¯s body. He pulled out a few small mana orbs and then started running around.

    ¡°Is it here?¡±

    He inserted the orbs into the holes. From where the mes had surged, beams of radiant iridescent light began to flow out.

    ¡°It¡¯splete, moly!¡±

    Just like the pirs of mes that had shot up earlier, seven beams of light surged high. These beams twisted around, resembling the mes, and this time, they covered the shattered pieces of the Greatsword. The fragments of the Greatsword floated up like dust in the air. When they touched the radiant iridescent light, they disintegrated like sand.

    And in their ce, a small gate was formed.

    [You have unlocked the Hidden Dungeon ¡¸The One Who Buried the Greatsword¡¹.]

    Mole Man was about to cry.

    ¡°I did it! I found what Pathfinder couldn¡¯t, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also looked at Mole Man with deeply moved eyes. Mole Man¡¯s movements were determined. The resolution to not let the Hidden Quest disappear right in front of him astonished Jin-Hyeok. His genuine dedication to the y was truly beautiful.

    Mole Man approached Jin-Hyeok and asked, ¡°It¡¯s a Hidden Dungeon! Will you join me, moly?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The two of them felt a kind of camaraderie. Without hesitation, Jin-Hyeok entered the Hidden Dungeon with Mole Man.

    [You have entered the Hidden Dungeon ¡¸The One Who Buried the Greatsword¡¹.]

    Meanwhile, Pathfinder, a.k.a. Han Sae-Rin, was conducting interviews with various media outlets.

    ¡°Yes, of course. I sessfully cleared the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, a feat that even Mole Man could not achieve. It¡¯s all thanks to my power as a Navigator. It proves the stark difference between Mole Man and me. Well, who knows? I think it will be challenging for Mole Man to show better performance than me for a while. Unless, of course, there are Hidden Quests or Dungeons in the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan that I couldn¡¯t find.¡±

    Sae-Rin smiled contentedly.

    ¡°Oh, one more thing. If Mole Man proves that he can clear the Dungeon with significantly fewer party members than our party, he might be able to im he is the better Navigator than me.¡±

    ¡®However, that is a really unlikely scenario. I have Jin-Hyeok in my party. Hehe¡¯

    However, she didn¡¯t say thatst part out loud.

    ¡°Yes of course. I don¡¯t pay any attention to Mole Man. Not at all. But I have a feeling that Mole Man might care about me.¡±

    A few hourster, a rebuttal post appeared on Mole Man¡¯s social media.

    -There is a Hidden Dungeon in the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. I¡¯m posting this right after clearing it, moly. Moreover, I did it with only one other member. The two of us cleared the Dungeon together. I achieved everything you mentioned. Check the Ranking Board, moly.

    He even attached a screenshot of the Ranking Board. The top rank of the Navigator ss was once again imed by Mole Man.

    -You would be surprised if you knew what I obtained from here, moly. I acquired something tremendous, moly! I will reveal it in an hour.

    People were curious about the reward, but the real uproar was among the GMs.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86

    The GMs overseeing Yangpyeong-gun in Gyeonggi-do enjoyed quite peaceful days. Kihael, who was a firm believer in work-life bnce, was particrly envious of the GMs of Yangpyeong. Although it was located in Gyeonggi-do, which could be considered the core area of the Korean Region, there were not many events taking ce in Yangpyeong despite its rtivelyrge poption.

    There were a total of four GMs in Yangpyeong, and GM No.1 was Kudli, who was nearing his retirement age. Kudli belonged to the Sheep Tribe, characterized by the horns of a sheep on his head and white wool growing all over his body. He had recently neglected grooming, so he waspletely covered in fur.

    ¡°This ce is like heaven.¡±

    He didn¡¯t really work on any of the ongoing operations. All he needed to do was to enjoy snacks and have peaceful days. After all, the subordinates would handle the actual tasks.

    By spending his days this way, he hoped to enjoy afortable retirement with a generous pension. But one day, he got a call from the GM of Seodaemun-gu.

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t really know. Talk to the GM No.4.¡±

    His favorite excuse when he felt bothered was to im ignorance. However, that did not work today.

    ¡°What? There was something rted to the Seoul-level Scenario hidden in Yangpyeong?¡±

    Kudli quickly stood up from his seat. The Korean Region in the Open Beta Server, Earth, was a significant one. It was also the first region of the Server where the SSP was made avable and integrated.

    ¡°Just wait. Let me check.¡±

    However, due to having poor eyesight, he first had to spend quite some time looking for his sses. The whole situation was exacerbated when, as it had been quite a long time since hest used it to do work, he was not familiar with the interface, and thus had to spend even more time fumbling through it.

    ¡°Okay, there is a record. Yes. It clearly states that the Guardian Ring was acquired. It looks like the top reward in Yangpyeong¡­ How is this rted to that Seoul-level Scenario?¡±

    Kihael gave up on exining any further and immediately reported to Serchan, ¡°They have acquired the Guardian Ring. They seem to be nning to reveal it in an hour.¡±

    ¡°Verify their identity and prepare to contact them. Also, share this information with Maria from the Korean National Intelligence Service,¡± Serchan said.

    The GMs of Seoul became busy. Especially the GMs from Seodaemun-gu, who, unfortunately(?), were deeply connected to the 4th Seoul Scenario.

    Then, Kihael found Mole Man. He was with an unidentified yer named Boiling Comradeship.

    ¡°Hey, you obtained the Guardian Ring, right?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was taken by surprise. There was a Hidden Dungeon in the Tomb of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, and of course, it was quite encouraging and delightful for him to have cleared it. However, he was not sure if this was important enough for Kihael to show himself like this.

    ¡®Besides, today is Saturday.¡¯

    Kihael, the work-life bnce addict, showed up on the weekend.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll exin briefly. That item was allocated for someone in the Earth Server by the System,¡± Kihael quickly spoke.

    The item Jin-Hyeok acquired was the Guardian Ring, and Jin-Hyeok knew well about this ring. This ring was an item used by the top-ranked Tank of his party, Choi Gang-Byeok, before regression.

    ¡°There is the 4th Scenario in Seoul. Some crazy guy broadcasted it on his livestream, do you know about that?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Ah, I know! I saw it on Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream!¡± Mole Man said.

    ¡°Yeah, that one.¡±

    It seemed like Kihael didn¡¯t recognize the person standing in front of him was Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°In fact, that Scenario wasn¡¯t for the people on Earth. It was a Scenario for invaders who were nning to invade Earth.¡±

    The 4th Seoul Scenario was ultimately about creating a public enemy. It was a Scenario that provided Earthlings with a tform to feel threatened, unite, and grow.

    Kihael just said that some lunatic had messed it all up.

    ¡°Conversely, the Dungeon that you just cleared was for the heroes on Earth that were supposed to protect the Earth Server. That was the original setting.¡±

    The 4th Seoul Scenario had two themes:

    1. A setup for invaders (attackers).

    2. A setup for heroes (defenders) to block the invaders.

    However, Jin-Hyeok took what was meant for the invaders, which was the Greatsword. The GMs had to work overtime and slightly adjust the settings.

    ¡°We worked hard to adjust the two setups. In a reversed manner,¡± Kihael said.

    Jin-Hyeok took what the yers from other Servers should have taken. So, the GMs adjusted the details so that what the ¡®heroes¡¯ should¡¯ve taken was taken by the yers from other Servers.

    ¡°But the sad fact is that an Earth yer took that item too.¡±

    It seemed like the whole Scenario would fall apart. Kihael sighed.

    ¡®How on earth did he get this?¡¯ Kihael thought.

    Even for Kim Chul-Soo, it would have been difficult. To his knowledge, Chul-Soo was just lying around in his room right now.

    ¡®Chul-Soo is also a guy who values work-life bnce.¡¯

    Kihael¡¯s head already hurt because of Chul-Soo, but now another crazy guy named Boiling Comradeship appeared out of nowhere. Despite the raging headache, Kihael had to address the situation.

    ¡°So, I suggest selling the Guardian Ring you obtained,¡± Kihael said.

    Boiling Comradeship, who was actually Jin-Hyeok, replied, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Do you think if you spoke in a stoic manner, I¡¯m just going to sell the item? Nope, not selling. You can go back now.¡±

    ¡°Do I sound like I¡¯m making a suggestion?¡±

    ¡°You did say the word suggest.¡±

    ¡°It was a suggestion until you said no,¡± Kihael said while looking around.

    There were no witnesses around.

    ¡®I need to retrieve it even if I have to kill him.¡¯

    Suddenly, an annoying voice could be heard.

    ¡°I finally found him! Mole Man! I believe we¡¯ve met. Nice to see you! Phew, I finally found you!¡±

    It was Kang Mi-Na from MiNaTV, and she was livestreaming.

    ¡°See? I told you I¡¯d find him. Hehe, thank you for the donations! Yes, thank you! Let¡¯s see what he has obtained!¡±

    Kihael couldn¡¯t kill Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found himselfughing unexpectedly. His mother, seated across the dining table, tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°Why are youughing?¡±

    ¡°Good things keep happening.¡±

    Upon hearing this, his mother smiled brightly. She seemed truly happy that he had something to rejoice about.

    ¡°I¡¯m done eating. Thanks for the food.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok returned to his room and sat on his chair, but he kept chuckling.

    ¡°So I¡¯ve obtained both the offensive item and the defensive item.¡±

    The offensive item was for the invaders and the defensive item was for the heroes. And Jin-Hyeok had acquired both.

    ¡®Thanks to Kihael, I now fully understand the 4th Seoul Scenario.¡¯

    The 4th Scenario, called The Revered One, was the same Scenario Jin-Hyeok experienced in the U Server in the past.

    ¡®So, back then, I was in the position of an invader?¡¯

    He recalled not being able to clear it properly and then failing to be an actual invader of the U Server.

    ¡®In the end, I was defeated and had to leave the U Server.¡¯

    Ultimately, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party, before regression, failed to conquer the U Server. It was because the hero of U, Xenon, had appeared. That was the general storyline of the Scenario. An invader would appear and attack the Server, and a hero would rise to stop them.

    Simrly, aparable Scenario unfolded on Earth. Jin-Hyeok remembered himself fighting against the invaders.

    ¡®And that was when the Guardian Ring was obtained by Choi Gang-Byeok.¡¯

    At that time, the invaders were engaged in The Revered One Scenario, and Jin-Hyeok and his party were the defense force opposing them. The hero back then was the Shield King, Choi Gang-Byeok.

    ¡®So that¡¯s how it was¡­¡¯

    ¡°So, I¡­ I acquired the item that Gang-Byeok was supposed to get?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled slyly. He had no remorse about taking something intended for Gang-Byeok.

    ¡°He should¡¯ve done better.¡±

    It was only natural for the yer with the best performance to get the best items. Since Jin-Hyeok performed better than Gang-Byeok, acquiring the Guardian Ring was a matter of course.

    ¡°I hope he gets stronger soon.¡±

    Thepetition between Cha Jin-Hyeok, the Sword King, and Choi Gang-Byeok, the Shield King¡ªthis paradoxicalpetition was always a topic of debate.

    Before regression, there were some who imed Gang-Byeok had won the battle between the two when Jin-Hyeok clearly had won.

    In this life, it seemed like Jin-Hyeok might win by a bigger margin.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    He started to feel giddy, like a young girl smitten with her first love.

    ? ? ?

    Kihael returned without any good news.

    ¡°Sigh. Why is the Earth Server Scenario so hard to manage?¡±

    Just with Kim Chul-Soo, it was headache-inducing, but now there was another factor called Boiling Comradeship.

    ¡°There¡¯s the Yeosu Swordmaster, Asdf-something, and now Boiling Comradeship.¡±

    yers of calibers that should not be in an Open Beta Server were now emerging one after another. This was way beyond what the GMs had anticipated.

    Serchan patted Kihael¡¯s back.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. Let¡¯s just be grateful that the Guardian Ring did not end up with Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s true, but isn¡¯t the 4th Seoul Scenario something the System considers quite important?¡±

    The System would surely modify the 4th Scenario in some way and proceed with it. If that happened, the GMs would be the ones suffering in the middle. Numerous variables would arise, leading to more overtime work.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exciting?¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°...You find this exciting?¡±

    ¡°Experiences like this are rare. If we handle it well, our capabilities as GMs will be recognized.¡±

    ¡®...He really doesn¡¯t match my vibe,¡¯ Kihael thought.

    He walked with a heavy step and sat on a chair. Even though it was Saturday, it looked like work was inevitable today.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok felt he was wasting time.

    ¡°I can¡¯t spend my precious weekend like this.¡±

    There were only four hours left on Saturday. He had to make good use of it.

    First, he gathered Song Ha-Young, Han Sae-Rin, and Kang Mi-Na in one ce.

    ¡°Introduce yourselves. Sae-Rin and Mi-Na probably know each other, but it¡¯s your first time meeting Ha-Young, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok figured with this trio, he could gather more information about the 4th Seoul Scenario.

    ¡®This Scenario seems like it was prepared just for me.¡¯

    Kihael would surely swear at Jin-Hyeok if he heard that, but that was how Jin-Hyeok felt.

    Invaders and heroes¡ªJin-Hyeok was already excited thinking about how much fun it would be if he took on all the Quests for both sides.

    ¡°I need you three to work together and gather some information."

    "But why do we need a Streamer for this task?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°Because it is an important Scenario where GMs might intervene even at the slightest mistake. They might even try to kill you if you are not livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It might be a tough job.¡±

    At the mention of its difficulty, all three of them began to show interest. Jin-Hyeok knew that feeling all too well.

    ¡®It¡¯s always more satisfying to conquer something challenging.¡¯

    He then entrusted the three with the task of researching the 4th Seoul Scenario and headed straight to Mok-dong. He had heard rumors that a powerful monster had appeared there.

    ¡®How annoying.¡¯

    There was no powerful monster in Mok-dong. At most, there were monsters of Levels forty to fifty. He felt like he had just wasted his time.

    Sigh.

    On his way home, he got a call from Cha Jin-Sol.

    ¡ªOppa. I feel so wronged!

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡ªWe got chased out of the Heyri Art Valley.

    As always, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members were training and building teamwork in Heyri Art Valley in Paju. They had progressed to the point where they could now easily hunt the once-challenging Field boss monster, ck Brown Bear.

    Now they were exploring Hidden Dungeons instead of Fields.

    ¡ªSome crazy guys said they would monopolize the Heyri Art Valley and then they ambushed us!

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡ªWe were outnumbered. We had just cleared a Dungeon, so we were at a disadvantage in terms of stamina.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon suffered a severe injury with a broken neck, and Mok Jae-Hyeon had one of his arms cut off.

    ¡ªWe nearly died.

    Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo managed to get them out, desperately escaping but severely injuring their legs in the process. Treating those injuries, Jin-Sol passed out three times.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡ªHuh?

    ¡°Are you telling me that you guys lost?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was very upset. After hanging up the phone, he muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s still the weekend.¡±

    He quickly headed to Paju.

    Boiling Comradeship had arrived at Heyri Art Valley.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87

    Three weeks of nning¡ªthat was what it took for the Silver Spoon Alliance tounch their attack. Using their well-connectedwork, they discovered that Kim Chul-Soo and his party frequented the Heyri Art Valley for weekend ying.

    The limitation of the Deceiver¡¯s Mask was evident. While one could disguise their face and voice, one could not change their party¡¯s structure and ystyle. Thus, the Alliance managed to locate and track Chul-Soo¡¯s party.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    Just as Chul-Soo¡¯s party finished clearing a Dungeon, looking nearly defeated and exhausted, the Alliance struck. Despite their fatigue, Chul-Soo¡¯s party fought back with surprising resilience.

    The Alliance¡¯s Streamer, Choi Jae-Gyeom, who went by the yer name JG and channel name JG TV, passionately live-streamed the action.

    ¡°Despite being the so-called ace of the Korean Region, their reputation may have been exaggerated. We are overwhelming them! Oh, thank you for the donation!¡±

    As the battle raged, members of Chul-Soo¡¯s party found themselves surrounded. The leader of the Silver Spoon Alliance, Kang Seong-Wook, sneered, ¡°Anyst words?¡±

    The idea to ask for thest words was Jae-Gyeom¡¯s. Showing this climactic scene was sure to boost his views and poprity. For him, there was nothing more thrilling than the fall of the legendary Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party.

    However, just when the end seemed near, the Assassins from Chul-Soo¡¯s party made a surprising countermove. They broke through the encirclement and managed to escape.

    ¡°All of them got away! This is bad!¡± Seong-Wook said.

    Jae-Gyeom approached Seong-Wook. Even though Seong-Wook was the leader in title, everyone knew that Jae-Gyeom was the real power behind the Silver Spoon Alliance. Switching to mute mode, Jae-Gyeom whispered furiously, ¡°What were you thinking, letting them escape, you idiot?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ll catch them next time,¡± Seong-Wook replied.

    ¡°You better. You are getting paid for this after all.¡±

    Jae-Gyeom¡¯s instruction had been clear: Kill all the men, and capture all the women.

    Switching off mute mode, Jae-Gyeom resumed his livestream.

    ¡°What a shame. Next time, we will show you aplete victory. As a bonus, I promise strip-show content. Oh, thank you for the donation! You like the twins? We will make sure to deliver! Ah yes, We will also unmask the Deceiver¡¯s Masks. I¡¯ve heard the girls are quite attractive! We will definitely show you! Their Healer is also said to be a beauty. Stay tuned!¡±

    Lost in the thrill of his livestream, Jae-Gyeom¡¯s face lit up with excitement.

    ? ? ?

    [You have entered the Heyri Art Valley Field.]

    As soon as the notification appeared, a bolt whizzed through the air, aimed straight at Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s forehead. The precision and skill spoke volumes; this attacker was no amateur Assassin.

    ¡®An ambush?¡¯

    Facing an expert attacker was strangely thrilling.

    ¡®But¡­ wait.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok activated his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, and an odd realization hit him.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t an item-based attack.¡¯

    His initial excitement quickly turned to annoyance. Using a physical crossbow in this sacred Field rather than an item did not sit well with Jin-Hyeok.

    It was worth noting that most attacks stemming from real-world physics, like the crossbow, barely registered on Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, except for nuclear bombs, which Jin-Hyeok had never experienced firsthand.

    Arge number of figuresy hidden around him, some were yers, and some weren¡¯t. It looked like some wealthy individuals had hired people to serve as guards.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t this a strategy usually used by some rich kids?¡¯

    Using his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to deflect minor attacks, he used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to pinpoint the enemies¡¯ locations. After defeating a few, the tide turned in his favor.

    ¡°P-Please! I just did what I was told. Don¡¯t kill me!¡± one of the guards pleaded.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re just the pawn, you don¡¯t just shoot at someone with real crossbows simply because you were told.¡±

    Had the target been anyone less adept, like Jin-Hyeok''s sister, Cha Jin-Sol, she might have already met her doom. Jin-Hyeok still had the bolt that was shot at him earlier.

    ¡°Did you even consider that this could kill someone?¡±

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t think¡­¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t know, let me educate you.¡±

    With that, Jin-Hyeok thrust the bolt into the man¡¯s throat. The guard fell to the ground, lifeless.

    ¡°See how dangerous this is? And you say that you didn¡¯t think about it.¡±

    The guard¡¯s excuse saying that he was just following orders wasughable.

    ¡°Only one left now.¡±

    Thest one, a yer, abandoned his weapon and started running away.

    ¡®Abatant yer discarding his weapon? I can¡¯t let this pass. Also, why is this Archer so slow?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know if he was fast, or the Archer was slow. Either way, he effortlessly caught up to the fleeing yer and quickly defeated him.

    From a distance, the presence of many yers was felt. As Jin-Hyeok walked toward them, he heard someone talking nonsense.

    ¡°What a shame. Next time, we will show you aplete victory. As a bonus, I promise strip-show content. Oh, thank you for the donation! You like the twins? We will make sure to deliver! Ah yes, We will also unmask the Deceiver¡¯s Masks. I¡¯ve heard the girls are quite attractive! We will definitely show you! Their Healer is also said to be a beauty. Stay tuned!¡±

    ¡®Strip-show content? This guy is spewing nonsense.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok approached the guy who was talking.

    [LV44/JG/Initially Awakened Streamer/Skills/Provocative Content]

    Without hesitation, Jin-Hyeok swung his sword, shing the yer beside the guy.

    [LV52/Silver Spoon Theorist/2nd Demonic Swordsman/Skills/Faithful to Money]

    This one seemed to be the strongest yer around.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok seized the opportunity and shed across the man¡¯s chest. Capitalizing on the momentary imbnce, Jin-Hyeok swiftly threw a dagger thatnded squarely in the man¡¯s heart.

    ¡®I need to kill him cleanly.¡¯

    The number of enemies was overwhelming, at least thirty. If there were a powerful Ruler in their party that could maximize their strength, Jin-Hyeok would be the one dying, not them.

    In a one-versus-many situation, momentum was vital. Jin-Hyeok needed to seize the initiative from the get-go, ensuring they could not fully harness their collective strength.

    He then approached JG.

    ¡°Hey, repeat that. A strip-show? Did you really say that?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡®What was my name again? Ah, right.¡¯

    ¡°My name is Boiling Comradeship.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone as skilled as you.¡±

    JG was audacious, stepping forward without retreating, gazing at Jin-Hyeok with a mix of arrogance and curiosity.

    ¡°A signing bonus for one hundred million won, and a yearly sry of one billion won. This is my offer.¡±

    ¡°...Huh.¡±

    ¡°And I will forgive your rudeness, just this once.¡±

    ¡°Rudeness?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s why you¡¯re acting so foolish.¡±

    ¡°Who are you again?¡±

    ¡°I am Choi Jae-Gyeom.¡±

    ¡°Who the hell is Choi Jae-Gyeom?¡±

    ¡®Ah, wait. I think I might know of him.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok barely remembered because Jae-Gyeom died in the early stages, but he believed Jae-Gyeom was the third generation of a chaebol family. He was a Streamer who led a group called Silver Spoon Alliance. He mainly dealt with very stimting and provocative content such as murder and rape.

    ¡®How outrageous does his content have to be to have an Achievement called Provocative Content?¡¯

    If Jin-Hyeok remembered correctly, Kim Jeong-Hyeon would smash this guy¡¯s head in the future. Jin-Hyeok remembered now that that guy¡¯s name was Choi Jae-Gyeom.

    ¡°Do you now know who I am?¡± Jae-Gyeom asked.

    ¡°I think so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you did.¡±

    Suddenly, he became very arrogant.

    ¡°Let me say it again. A signing bonus of one hundred million won and an annual sry of one billion won.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do one billion won for the signing bonus, and an annual sry of ten billion won.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°It means I¡¯ll never take your offer, you bastard.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately cut the guy¡¯s throat. He died instantly.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think he would die so easily.

    ¡®How can this happen, when he also has Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier? He has the same kind of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, but it doesn''t do anything!¡¯

    It was shocking.

    ¡®A magic attack this time?¡¯

    A magic attack flew toward Jin-Hyeok. It was a powerful fire magic.

    ¡°Die!¡±

    A zing fireball descended toward Jin-Hyeok as if shot from a catapult.

    ¡®I could probably handle it with my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok realized again after looking at what happened to JG; the same Skill could have different powers depending on who used it.

    The same went for items. In the end, relentless effort and repeated learning were the only ways to survive.

    ¡®I must diligently practice using the Guardian Ring.¡¯

    [Guardian Ring (Exclusive to tank ss) (Exclusive to the owner of the Rule Breaker)]

    [The word ¡¸Guardian¡¹ means to protect and defend. This ring contains a strong will to protect and guard its owner, allowing the use of the Skill ¡¸Star Shield¡¹.]

    Shar Shield was the name of the Skill of the item, i.e. the Item Skill. It was the top-contributing Skill that allowed Choi Gang-Byeok, the strongest Tank in Korea, to dominate the Server before his regression. It was a ridiculously overpowered Skill that neutralized all attacks for a very short time.

    ¡®I remember the Skill as being able topletely neutralize all attacks from the same or lower Level.¡¯

    And Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer, which was a Job that was known for fast level-ups. It seemed like the Skill suited Jin-Hyeok more than Gang-Byeok.

    Just before the fireball hit him, Jin-Hyeok heard the hopeful voice of a Mage.

    ¡°It worked!¡±

    ¡®Worked my ass. I purposefully took the hit.¡¯

    [You have activated the Item Skill ¡¸Star Shield¡¹.]

    A very thin barrier formed.

    ¡®The duration of the barrier is only half a second? I remember itsted about three seconds when Gang-Byeok used it. Still, half a second is still very good.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, which could block most attacks. The real problems were the opponents¡¯ ultimate attack and bombardment spells from numerous enemies. But now, Jin-Hyeok believed he could block them all if he used Star Shield effectively.

    ¡®The cooldown on this skill is incredibly short, about one second.¡¯

    The fact that it didn¡¯t consume any of his mental energy was very impressive. If used in conjunction with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, it could produce incredible synergy. It would be hard to use both Skills one after the other, but if he couldn¡¯t even learn how to do that, he wouldn¡¯t consider himself a yer.¡±

    ¡®Wow, so this is the power of the Guardian Ring! That bastard, Gang-Byeok¡­ He was only strong because of this item! No wonder he was so obsessed with enhancing the Ring.¡¯

    Minor attacks followed, but using Star Shield along with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, Jin-Hyeok could easily block them all.

    He approached the Mage, who shot the fireball at him and slit his throat. The tides had already turned in his favor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ So you are a Martial Artist.¡±

    The enemy was Level 49. At a nce, he seemed like the guy who broke Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s neck. He probably wasn¡¯t alone; several had to have ganged up on Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡®I don¡¯t eveny my hands on Jeong-Hyeon. How dare you hit him?¡¯

    As a gift, Jin-Hyeok also slit his throat.

    ¡°Usually, people run away at this point.¡±

    However, these yers were fighting Jin-Hyeok with all their might. Thankfully, due to them shooting dozens of arrows and bullets at Jin-Hyeok, he was able to practice controlling Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and Star Shield without any issues.

    ¡°From the fact that they are not running away, it seems something scarier is preventing them, or someone is ckmailing them.¡±

    It was better this way. Jin-Hyeok had no intention of sparing them anyway.

    Fighting a battle half-heartedly was worse than not fighting at all. Jin-Hyeok had to show the enemies how strong he was and warn them, so they wouldn¡¯te back and bite him in the ass.

    After wrapping everything up, Jin-Hyeok sat on a nearby bench.

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸Blood-Soaked yer¡¹.]

    This was an Achievement a yer acquired when they killed a certain number of people within a specific time frame. From what Jin-Hyeok knew, the serial killer, Jeon Nam-Gil, also had a simr Achievement.

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really check the Achievement because it was not the type of Achievement he particrly liked.

    ¡®Why isn¡¯t my partying? If they were beaten up that much, they shoulde back for revenge. It would be quite disappointing if they didn¡¯te back.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Sol felt angry no matter how she thought about it.

    ¡°We can¡¯t go home embarrassed like this. We need to take revenge. We were just exhausted. It¡¯s not like wecked skills, right?¡±

    ¡°Noona, take a look in the mirror. You arepletely pale,¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon replied with a gloomy face.

    Thanks to Jin-Sol, everyone recovered well, but Jin-Sol herself was on the verge of copsing.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys upset that we lost to such losers?¡±

    Everyone felt the same way. However, Seo Ji-Soo checked out a livestream on Eltube and saw something surprising.

    ¡°Wait, someone went there and fought them!¡±

    And that someone took down the Alliance leader, who was also the Ruler of the Alliance. After that, he took down the Streamer of the Alliance, and the livestream ended.

    ¡°We have an exhausted Healer, and they don¡¯t have a Ruler. Aren¡¯t we at an advantage right now? They might be many, but honestly, their skills weren¡¯t that impressive.¡±

    ¡°We¡­ need to go¡­ back¡­ To restore¡­ our honor¡­¡± Jeong-Hyeon said while standing up from his seat.

    Everyone returned to Heyri Art Valley. Although Jae-Hyeon swore he would never return, he found himself with the party before he knew it.

    When they arrived, they witnessed something astonishing.

    The Seo sisters stood frozen in their tracks.

    ¡°Annihtion.¡±

    ¡°Really? They¡¯re all dead?¡±

    A voice could be heard from a distance.

    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re just getting here now?¡±

    The voice sounded familiar. Jin-Hyeok raised her head abruptly.

    ¡°Oppa?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached his party.

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that you guys lost to these idiots?¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­ But how did you get here?¡±

    ¡°Is that what¡¯s important? The fact that you lost is.¡±

    ¡°We, well actually¡­¡±

    ¡°So, you did lose.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out a heavy sigh.

    ¡°With your skills, even if you guys were tired, you shouldn¡¯t have lost to these idiots. If you fought efficiently, you would have surely won.¡±

    ¡°B-But¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses. I fought them myself. I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    Jin-Sol felt unfairly treated. Earlier, she and the other members fought with all their might. Jeong-Hyeon and Jae-Hyeon almost died.

    ¡°Whatever. I am still disappointed in you all, but what¡¯s done is done,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He then changed the topic.

    ¡°Alright, each of you. Take your positions and pretend that you fought hard.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon tilted his head in confusion.

    ¡°Do you mean that we should act like we fought them and defeated them?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to start my livestream now.¡±

    ¡°But why? You did everything, right?¡±

    ¡°Do you think it makes sense for a Streamer to have killed them all?¡±

    ¡®But you did do it though¡­¡¯ Jae-Hyeon wanted to say that, but he decided not to.

    ¡°We need to show the world what happens when they mess with us. Do you actually think this is going to be thest time they¡¯re going to attack us?¡±

    Such incidents happened countless times in the early stages of y. There was going to be a transition period when yers would incessantly kill other yers until order was established.

    Jin-Hyeok uploaded a short clip.

    ¡°Our Kim Chul-Soo Alliance will not avoid battles thate our way, but if you do decide to attack us, you must be prepared to die.¡±

    But then, a strange phenomenon began to unfold. Something resembling a ma started forming in the sky, and before long, weapons like crossbows, guns, and knives began to be drawn toward it. Soon, even corpses started being pulled up, forming a giant mass.

    It was clear that something ominous was forming.

    A haunting wind started blowing, putting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party on edge. That damp wind was heavilyden with the scent of blood.

    Jin-Hyeok looked up at the sky.

    ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Swallowing hard, Jin-Hyeok thought, ¡®...another content for my channel?¡¯

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88

    A monster that appeared out of nowhere when certain conditions were met¡ªsuch creatures do exist, and that creature probably had a high chance of being one of them. The monster, seemingly crafted from a mix of dirt mounds, weapons, and corpses, was named the Muddled Specter. It was roughly seven meters in size.

    [LV62/Muddled Specter/Skills]

    Its Level was merely 62, yet it was marked in orange. It was likely much stronger than its Level indicated.

    Thud!

    Itnded on the ground with a loud noise. With a face dripping with goo, it looked around until it spotted Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party.

    ¡°The Muddled Specter has noticed us. It¡¯s hard to predict its next move. Its movements are slow, most likely due to its size.¡±

    The monster raised both of its arms. It held a gun in each hand.

    ¡°Take cover!¡±

    The other members, sensing the threat, hid behind cars and trees.

    ¡°A monster wielding guns¡­ It¡¯s quite unusual. Its movements are slow, but its attacks with the guns are incredibly fast.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought it was a ghost-type monster because of the name Specter, but it seemed more like a mechanical monster.

    ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Except for a minor injury on Seo Ji-Ah¡¯s arm, everyone was rtively unharmed.

    ¡°Its attack is quite powerful.¡±

    It didn¡¯t possess the destructive power to explode a tree, but the attack had enough damage to prate a human.

    Thud. Thud.

    The monster, though slow, took heavy steps as it searched for the party.

    ¡°Mok Jae-Hyeon. We need to join forces on this,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What should we do?¡±

    ¡°What do you think would be the best?¡±

    A passive yer who listened to orders was always better than a yer who was proactive but didn¡¯t listen. However, the best yer was one who listened well and was also proactive.

    Up until now, Jin-Hyeok had been somewhat satisfied with Jae-Hyeon¡¯s y, but after today, his opinion changed.

    Jae-Hyeon was stillcking.

    ¡°I¡¯m just gonna do what you tell me to do¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you guys lost.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon had to realize how embarrassing it was to lose to the Silver Spoon Alliance, and hopefully learn a lot from the incident.

    ¡°Just think! Why would I, a Streamer, volunteer to be the Tank?¡±

    ¡°Because the monster has two primary weapons¡­ right?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon was right. The Muddled Specter wielded two submachine guns. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party had to block each of their attacks separately.

    ¡°So, which side do you want to tank?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡®Ah, this won¡¯t work.¡¯

    They did not have much time. Jin-Hyeok would have to give him special trainingter.

    ¡°Come here. Swap ces with me.¡±

    ¡°W-Why?¡±

    ¡°The attack from its right hand is stronger. That monster is right-handed. You handle that.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter when the monster is shooting with guns?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was frustrated. If the impact marks made by the bullets were analyzed, anyone could easily tell that the shots fired from the right hand were stronger.

    ¡°...Ah.¡±

    It seemed that Jae-Hyeon finally realized. Fortunately, even if he didn¡¯t figure things out on his own, he got it when given clues.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, you¡¯re our main Tank. Do not forget. And Cha Jin-Sol, stand beside me. You are going to move with me. Time it well and suck my blood.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, I will handle the aggro. Seo sisters, what do you think you should do?¡±

    ¡°Well, for one thing, that looks rather suspicious,¡± Ji-Ah said while raising her hand to point, still hiding behind a car.

    Jin-Hyeok pointed to a spot with theser pointer. It was the monster¡¯s tail.

    ¡°Are you talking about this?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She was right on the mark. What looked like a tail was not actually a tail. It seemed like a power cord connecting the monster to the ground.¡±

    ¡°Good call. It seems the Muddled Specter draws its mana from that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try cutting it.¡±

    Ji-Ah showedmendable judgment. She was definitely qualified as a Damage Dealer.

    ¡°What about you, Kim Jeong-Hyeon?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was most excited about Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s answer. He was a colleague of Jin-Hyeok before regression. Except for his excessive sense of justice, Jeong-Hyeon always showed exceptional y.

    ¡°I¡­ will wait in¡­ standby¡­¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°My clumsy attack¡­ might draw its attention¡­¡±

    Deciding to leave the attack to the Seo sisters and stay on standby was a brilliant move.

    ¡°When the monster¡¯s attention¡­ is diverted¡­ I will go in and get its aggro¡­¡±

    Everyone seemed to grasp their roles quite urately. With this level of tactical understanding, Jin-Hyeok wondered how they lost to the Silver Spoon Alliance.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, start moving.¡±

    Jae-Hyeon began rushing forward while using Wood Fortress.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok grinned.

    ¡°Focus on its attack patterns and rhythm. It may seem like the monster is just firing randomly, but there is definitely a pattern.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok became used to the Muddled Specter¡¯s attacks much faster than Jae-Hyeon, the main Tank.

    ¡®I just need to block most of its attacks with my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    And Jin-Hyeok blocked the asional lethal attacks, i.e. attacks that targeted his vital points, with Star Shield, the Guardian Ring¡¯s Item Skill.

    ¡®This synergy is insane!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok modified the name of Star Shield to Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier using the Multiple Lives. Thanks to that, it appeared as though he blocked all of the Specter¡¯s attacks just using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡°The attacks from its left hand are definitely weaker. I can block them easily.¡±

    It was more about the synergy between Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and Star Shield being extremely efficient, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think that way. It was because the standard was his friend, Choi Gang-Byeok.

    ¡®Shit, I got hit in the arm.¡¯

    If it had been Gang-Byeok, he would not have been hit. This was a blow to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride. Just in case Jin-Sol intervened, Jin-Hyeok told his sister, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t heal me.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    The one Jin-Sol needed to focus her healing on was not her brother but Jae-Hyeon. Jae-Hyeon was in a worse condition than Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Hey! Dodge when you need to, and block when you can! And if it¡¯s necessary, you take the damn hit!¡± Jin-Hyeok yelled.

    Tanks could not block every attack. There were no Tanks in the world where they didn¡¯t get hit at least once. Jae-Hyeon was only struggling because he was trying so hard not to get hit.

    ¡°Just trust your Healer and take the hits when you have to!¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­!

    ¡°How can you call it a y if you don¡¯t get hurt?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon bit his lip.

    ¡®He¡¯s right,¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was right. Out of fear, Jae-Hyeon had been trying to minimize damage, which was the wrong approach.

    ¡®I can¡¯t block every attack.¡¯

    It felt as though a barrier in his heart had shattered. He felt his own growth.

    ¡®It¡¯s much easier now.¡¯

    Blocking attacks now felt much more effortless than before.

    ¡®And I¡¯ll take this hit.¡¯

    There was pain, but soon Jin-Sol¡¯s healing came at the perfect moment. Jae-Hyeon once again used Wood Fortress, setting up a more stable defense.

    ¡®Let¡¯s show them what we¡¯ve got.¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s show them what we¡¯ve got.¡¯

    Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo were in sync.

    The monster¡¯s attention was definitely drawn to the other members. The Seo sisters did not care about their defense at all and moved solely for offensive purposes.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Shadow Fusion¡¹.]

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Shadow Fusion¡¹.]

    It was a Skill in which the Show Executioner (Left) and Shadow Executioner (Right) worked together to maximize their damage. ck mist rose from the bodies of the two Shadow Executioners, who were moving as fast as rays of light. The two leaped high into the sky, crossing over each other in an X formation. Their afterimages remained in mid-air.

    Then, Jeong-Hyeon loudly called out his Skill.

    ¡°Body m!¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon rushed toward the Specter.

    The moment Shadow Fusion was used, there was a sign of aggro being diverted, and that was when Jeong-Hyeon intervened.

    Boom!

    Jeong-Hyeon collided with the monster and crashed violently, making a loud noise, and took four bullet hits. Thanks to him, Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo perfectly executed their Fusion Skill. A mark in the shape of an X seemed to be carved on the power cord, and then it was swiftly cut.

    ¡°Unnie! We did it!¡±

    Ji-Ah gave a short nod. It was a high-level monster of Level 62, but they managed to hunt it down easier than expected.

    [You have defeated ¡¸Muddled Specter¡¹.]

    Ji-Ah nkly watched the falling body of the Muddled Specter.

    ¡°...Now I understand,¡± Ji-Ah said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What Jin-Hyeok said.¡±

    Ji-Ah seemed to have received quite a shock on her own.

    ¡°He was right.¡±

    ¡°Right about what?¡±

    ¡°We¡­¡±

    Ji-Ah bit her lip and looked down at the ground. The fact that they defeated a Level 62 monster so easily was not very satisfying.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have lost to them¡­¡±

    Having yed alongside Jin-Hyeok, she felt she now understood. If they had moved as efficiently as Jin-Hyeok had suggested, she felt like they would not have lost to the Silver Spoon Alliance. It felt like she had only used half of her actual power when battling the Alliance.

    And it was not just Ji-Ah who felt this way.

    Everyone from the party felt a simr emotion.

    Especially Jae-Hyeon.

    He looked at Jin-Hyeok with trembling eyes.

    ¡®This is the y we can achieve,¡¯ Jae-Hyeon thought.

    The difference between having Jin-Hyeok and not having him in a fight was too vast. Jae-Hyeon stared nkly at Jin-Hyeok and muttered, ¡°You told me that it¡¯s not a y if one doesn¡¯t get hurt¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not harmed at all. Though he had sustained a minor injury earlier from a bullet graze, he had already recovered.

    Upon hearing that, Jin-Hyeok scowled.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer, after all.¡±

    Witnessing that audacious demeanor, Jae-Hyeon realized a new truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a y if one doesn¡¯t get hurt, but if one transcends to a higher level, one can avoid getting hurt¡­ And you¡¯re physically demonstrating that to me now,¡± Jae-Hyeon said to Jin-Hyeok.

    Jae-Hyeon felt like he had just witnessed firsthand a y beyond this world.

    Today, Jae-Hyeon, who broke through his potential, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Maybe I could¡­¡¯

    Somewhere deep within Jae-Hyeon''s heart, the desire to be stronger began to sprout.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok felt proud in many ways.

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You have reached Level 63.]

    ¡®I leveled up already?¡¯

    ¡°It seems like the monster gave a lot of experience points instead of any significant rewards.¡±

    After all, today was a day for his hobby, and having leveled up, nothing felt wrong. It seemed the party members had gained some insights, minor or major.

    ¡®Our y was pretty perfect too.¡¯

    There were some disappointing points, but this level of performance was quite satisfactory to him. The party members utilized their full abilities in the fight.

    ¡®This is why I y as a Ruler¡ªno, as a Streamer¡­ Whew, that was dangerous.¡¯

    Lately, Jin-Hyeok had been feeling restless. Swinging a sword went without saying, ying the role of a Ruler was fun, and Streaming was also way too enjoyable. It was hard enough to achieve greatness in one field, and he kept wanting to dip his toes in various sses. He knew if he continued like this, he would end up aplishing nothing.

    ¡®But I¡¯m only going to y up to Level 150, so does it really matter?¡¯

    Upon reflection, trying various things did not seem like an issue.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok returned home in a pretty satisfied state. There were a few things to sort out.

    ¡®In the past life, Jeong-Hyeon killed Choi Jae-Gyeom.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok remembered getting entangled in a very tiresome matter because of that. JG was the grandson of the leading domestic conglomerate, the Shinil Group.

    ¡®If I remember correctly, the Chairman of the Shinil Group said something along the lines that it can¡¯t be helped that his worthless grandson died, but whoever dared to harm his bloodline must bear responsibility¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was sure that this happened. After oveing so many adversities and hardships, he ended up forgetting these minor incidents.

    Bang! Bang!

    Someone was banging on his door.

    ¡°Oppa! Oppa! Look at this! This is big news!¡±

    Jin-Sol rushed into his room with her phone. The content was roughly what Jin-Hyeok had anticipated. The head of the Shinil Group publicly announced something.

    ¡°He promised to bring to justice the one who murdered his grandson. If thew can¡¯t help him, he said he will personally deliver justice. He doesn¡¯t care about the means. Did we just get ourselves into a big mess?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    Judging from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s vague memory, it seemed his party easily overcame this crisis(?) before the regression. It probably was not a significant incident. The only difference was that back then, he had support at the national level or from the System led by Maria, which he didn¡¯t have now.

    ¡°Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s getting interesting~,¡± Jin-Sol said in a cute voice.

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    ¡®Ah, it¡¯s not like I can hit her for real.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok organized his thoughts after shooing Jin-Sol away.

    ¡®This is something we have to face sooner orter.¡¯

    If the opponent is the Shinil Group, it couldn¡¯t be better. During the transitional period of the stages, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party had to fight countless yers. After suppressing the Shinil Group, the number of those who would challenge them would decrease significantly.

    ¡®It would be best to crush the Shinil Group overwhelmingly.¡¯

    While thinking, Jin-Hyeok recalled the Guardian Tree Dungeon.

    ¡®Yes, that¡¯s it. Speaking of which, isn¡¯t the Guardian Tree Dungeon about to open?¡¯

    Within the Open Beta service, the Guardian Tree Dungeon was the most influential Dungeon. It was a Dungeon where the gate constantly changed, and it started somewhere in Yeonhui-dong when certain conditions were met.

    ¡®It would be great if we could find it.¡¯

    It was one in the morning and Jin-Hyeok stepped outside.

    ¡®What were the conditions for the Guardian Tree Dungeon to open? Were they ever disclosed?¡¯

    No matter how hard he tried to recall, nothing came to mind.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok sensed something peculiar.

    The intuition he had acquired through countless experiences was warning him of danger.

    [You have activated the Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¹.]

    He felt a light impact near his head. Something had fallen to the ground.

    ¡®Mana bullet?¡¯

    The mana bullet on the ground made a hissing sound and vanished. He had anticipated the Shinil Group making a move, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be so fast.

    ¡®A sniper¡­¡¯

    From what he could sense, it seemed like the sniper was highly skilled.

    Jin-Hyeok took a deep breath.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯

    That feeling of being targeted by a skilled sniper. A sensation he had forgotten, being so ustomed to peace, felt like it was surging from the tip of his toes. From his feet, calves, knees, and up to the spine to the brain, this ominous yet electrifying sensation filled his body.

    ¡®Ah, I really shouldn¡¯t be feeling this way. Why am I feeling so excited?¡¯

    <sub></sub>

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89

    The world had entered an era of great upheaval. Various nations were nurturing yers, led by their intelligence agencies, and a handful of corporations were also sparing no support in raising their own yers.

    The Shinil Group¡¯s Milky Way Alliance was no exception. By leveraging its vast capital, the Shinil Group had gathered promising talents from all over Korea and was in the process of nurturing them with full-fledged support. Among the yers the Shinil Group was most ardently cultivating were assassin-ss yers, especially those in the long-range sniping-ss yers. This was the will of the Shinil Group¡¯s Chairman, Choi Ik-Hwan.

    ¡°I shall assign the first official mission.¡±

    Ik-Hwan called together the five who could be considered the leaders of the Milky Way Alliance. Within the Milky Way Alliance, they were known as the Pentagram. Three of them were snipers from the special forces, and the other two were members of the national shooting team.

    ¡°We are going to annihte Kim Chul-Soo and his partypletely.¡±

    The Pentagram stood at attention before Ik-Hwan, listening intently to his words.

    ¡°Start with the leader, Kim Chul-Soo, no, Cha Jin-Hyeok first.¡±

    ¡°Shall we kill them one by one?¡±

    The Pentagram thought that it would be efficient to wipe out Chul-Soo¡¯s entire party at once. That way, they would not be able to defend themselves properly. However, Ik-Hwan¡¯s thoughts were slightly different.

    ¡°Make sure to kill them one by one, slowly.¡±

    Ik-Hwan exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke.

    ¡°That way, they will realize who they dared to touch.¡±

    Ik-Hwan wanted them to die slowly, one by one. They had to sense the impending death and tremble in fear.

    ¡°That feeling of powerlessness and terror that they can¡¯t escape, no matter how much they struggle¡­ That¡¯s what we must bestow upon them.¡±

    The first target was Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok smiled. It seemed like the grandfather was much smarter than his grandson. The grandson had even mobilized non-yers to attack Jin-Hyeok, but the grandfather had brought in skilled snipers.

    ¡®Yes. Now I remember.¡¯

    Among the Alliances that had made a name for themselves in the early stages of y, there were these guys called the Milky Way Alliance. It was an Alliance under the Shinil Group.

    ¡®The ones leading the Milky Way Alliance were called the Pentagram or something like that.¡¯

    He remembered them all being snipers.

    ¡®And that¡¯s why the Milky Way Alliance disbanded.¡¯

    He could only conclude that the Shinil Group¡¯s Chairman, Choi Ik-Hwan, had failed to read the current trends properly. While snipers certainly performed exceptional roles, it was hard to see them possessing the abilities that fit a leader.

    Leaders should naturally be set as Rulers. The Milky Way Alliance failed to adhere to even this fundamental aspect, meaning that they were shaking from the very basics. They could neverst long if the foundation were not solid.

    ¡°I will start the livestream. It is going to be an exciting show. I almost got a hole in my head just now.¡±

    Perhaps for the sake of his Eltube content, his cell phone started to ring loudly.

    ¡°I have a feeling that the person calling me right now is the head of the faction that¡¯s trying to kill me.¡±

    He hoped that would be the case.

    ¡ªHow was my gift? Did you like it?

    ¡°It was okay.¡±

    It was undoubtedly Choi Ik-Hwan, the Chairman of the Shinil Group. Unconsciously, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s tone rose a bit. He was thrilled because this could spice up his livestream.

    ¡ªDo you happen to like blowfish?

    ¡°Blowfish? No, I haven¡¯t tried it yet.¡±

    ¡ªBlowfish can¡¯t swim fast due to its round body and small fins. When a predator approaches, it swallows water to inte itself.

    Jin-Hyeok covered his cell phone slightly and exined what was going on to the viewers.

    ¡°I have no idea what he¡¯s talking about, but let¡¯s just listen to him.¡±

    ¡ªNot only that, but it also makes a crackling sound to threaten its predator.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡ªIt means that you can¡¯t fool me. I can hear the deep fear behind your contrived voice.

    Jin-Hyeok sincerely tilted his head in confusion.

    ¡®Me? Deep fear within me? What part of me made him think that? Let¡¯s think from the viewers¡¯ perspective.¡¯

    Though Ik-Hwan was not his viewer, he was close to a viewer in this situation. There had to be a clear reason Ik-Hwan felt that way after hearing Jin-Hyeok''s voice.

    ¡ªThis is going to be yourst night.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok kept feeling more excited.

    ¡ªRemember, you cannot hide your fear, even with your exaggerated voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m scared.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok forcibly held back augh, showing a scared and fearful expression on his face.

    ¡®I think I have gained inspiration from this old man.¡¯

    Pretending to be scared.

    Pretending to be fearful.

    Pretending to be overwhelmed by terror.

    This could be a part of his act, too! As a Streamer, he maintained his expression well and spoke solemnly, ¡°I will do my best to survive.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was talking to the viewers, but Ik-Hwan misunderstood.

    ¡ªThat is not going to be possible.

    The call was disconnected.

    However, it felt a bit strange. If he could send an Assassin, Jin-Hyeok wondered why he seemed unaware that Jin-Hyeok could also send an Assassin.

    ¡®Does he really think he¡¯s the only one who can use Assassins? Ah,e on. He wouldn¡¯t be that dumb.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok disapproved of his theory. Anyone with a smidge ofmon sense would not think like that.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok hid behind a utility pole and continued the livestream.

    ¡®This is kind of exciting!¡¯

    There was a saying that a situation could change a person. Hiding behind the pole and pretending to scan the surroundings, he felt an unexpected sense of tension. He hoped that this tension, the uncertainty of when and where a bullet might fly, would be conveyed well through the screen.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t block the attack too easily.¡¯

    Earlier, he blocked too easily. Having been harassed by Assassins so often, the sensation had be second nature to him.

    ¡®I guess I¡¯ve grown again.¡¯

    He felt proud that he seemed to be putting on a better production as a Streamer. He moved cautiously, like the protagonist in a spy movie.

    Bang!

    A mana bullet grazed the pole as he slightly leaned out his head. He spoke in a hushed, tense voice, ¡°If he were a truly excellent sniper, he wouldn¡¯t attack me like this. Truthfully, Yeonhui-dong isn¡¯t a great ce for sniping. There aren¡¯t many hiding spots for the snipers.¡±

    This was a quiet residential area. Most houses were at most two stories high, and there were very few ces for cover.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t many hiding spots. I can guess where the enemy is hiding.¡±

    The direction from which the bullet came, and the angle at which it hit the pole, all led Jin-Hyeok to a few possible spots. He used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to look in that direction.

    [LV58/Shin So-Ryong[1]/Jeet Kune Do Striker/Skills/108 Combo Strikes]

    ¡°Now I know why the sniper didn¡¯t run away.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok threw himself toward the next utility pole.

    ¡°He¡¯s got someone to protect him.¡±

    Just like before, he once again hid behind the pole. ying like this was really fun. It felt like ying hide-and-seek as a child and had a unique charm.

    ¡°However, in my opinion, this is a very wrong decision.¡±

    Having a guard like that by his side lowered the sniper¡¯s stealthiness. And an excellent sniper would have packed up and fled as soon as the first shot missed. But this one kept trying to snipe, trusting that the guard was by his side.

    ¡®Hecks the basics.¡¯

    The sniping skills themselves seemed outstanding, as did his stealth abilities. He was not visible through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, perhaps because of the distance.

    ¡®But without the basics, it¡¯s meaningless.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok slowly closed the distance. Eventually, he climbed onto the roof of a house. Right now Jin-Hyeok was Level 63. Although he didn¡¯t possess the physical attributes of a Thief, nor was he abatant ss yer, he had enough physical abilities to climb fences and roofs.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally found him!¡±

    Just as Jin-Hyeok had anticipated, there were two of them. As he closed the distance, he caught sight of the sniper¡¯s description.

    [LV59/Steel Sniper/Sniper King/Skills/All Target Clear]

    It had been a while since Jin-Hyeok had seen a 9-Star Job, and the Level was quite high. Steel Sniper slowly rose from his position.

    ¡°He¡¯s quite fatigued,¡± Steel Sniper said.

    A chill ran down his spine.

    ¡®Wow, I¡¯ve grown.¡¯

    Though the opponent was not tired at all, the fact that Jin-Hyeok allowed himself to believe that he was tired, meant Jin-Hyeok¡¯s production skill was outstanding as a Streamer. He felt pleased as if his ability had been acknowledged.

    Shin So-Ryong, who had been standing beside Steel Sniper, walked toward Jin-Hyeok. She was a slender and small-statured woman, seemingly in herte twenties.

    ¡°yer name Shin So-Ryong. She possesses the impressive Achievement called the 108 Combo Strikes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He wasn¡¯t usually interested in others¡¯ Achievements, but this one piqued his curiosity. The name seemed to ignite a fire in a man¡¯s heart, so Jin-Hyeok took a closer look.

    [108 Combo Strikes]

    [I have sessfully attacked one hundred and eight times.

    Ah¡­ The attacks move like Wushu.

    Smooth yet strong, heavy yet fast.

    Achievement Effects:

    +2% stacking damage on sessful strikes.

    +1% attack speed on sessful strikes.]

    ¡°It¡¯s an effect where if you seed in abo attack, the damage continues to stack, and the attack speed also increases. Quite good, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Such an Achievement was valuable because of itspounding effect. It continuously added two percent due topounding. Theoretically, if the attacks were sessful 108 times and with thepounding two percent keep being applied¡­

    ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ Hm¡­ Anyway, So-Ryong¡¯s attacks be really strong.¡¯

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon had something simr, and he could even unleash tenfold destructive power.

    ¡°I will take out a calctor and check the numbers.¡±

    He pulled out his phone and started doing the calctions with the calctor app, all the while ignoring So-Ryong¡¯s best attempts to attack Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°For those who may be new to my livestream, let me exin that I am currently using this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok disyed an exnation on the side of the screen.

    [Complete immunity to physical attacks below Level 80.

    ©»Partial immunity to physical attacks below Level 100.]

    So-Ryong amassed roughly eighteen hits so far, but the impact on Jin-Hyeok had been minimal. Steel Sniper yelled in frustration, ¡°So-Ryong! What are you doing? Stop messing around!¡±

    To Jin-Hyeok, Steel Sniper was the one who was more frustrating. He should be leaving this ce to find another sniping spot. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know what Steel Sniper was doing over there.

    ¡°Ah, theoretically, if she seeds in about one hundredbo attacks, she can unleash a whopping eight-fold destructive force! The attack speed will increase by roughly 2.8 times. I think she has seeded in about thirty hits so far, but there is still no significant damage.¡±

    Since it waspounded, Jin-Hyeok imagined the first part of her attacks could be weak. Jin-Hyeok had been gathering data on his own.

    ¡®A basic attack from an 8-Star Martial Artist who is lower Level than me is not hurting me at all. My body seems pretty strong.¡¯

    With Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok closely read So-Ryong¡¯s movements. Jin-Hyeok began to feel a little confident.

    ¡®Maybe I should take some hits before the attacks get any stronger.¡¯

    This kind of experience was notmon¡ªan experience of fighting a Martial Artist trying to kill him, and an experience of taking the fists of an 8-Star Martial Artist with his body.

    ¡®Once I cross Level 150, this will be difficult.¡¯

    The pleasure that could be enjoyed now had to be enjoyed at this very moment. Jin-Hyeok switched the applied Achievement to remove the Defensive Attributes.

    Jin-Hyeok blocked the fist flying toward his cheek.

    Thump!

    It was a rather dull sensation.

    ¡®She¡¯s pretty strong!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok created some distance between him and So-Ryong, and she agilely closed the gap once again. She kicked toward his head.

    [Shin So-Ryong used the Skill ¡¸6 Combo Strikes¡¹.]

    For a moment, it looked like she had three legs. The attack came in an instant.

    ¡®She¡¯s quite fast.¡¯

    It was difficult to react by just watching with his eyes. The voice of Steel Sniper came through, ¡°That¡¯s enough ying! Just finish him quickly!¡±

    It seemed he thought Jin-Hyeok was on the losing side. Jin-Hyeok felt proud again, thinking that he was acting so well for his livestream.

    ¡°The consecutive attacks are too fast. There is no time for me to even breathe!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued to fend off So-Ryong¡¯s attacks. His body was gradually pushed back, reaching the rooftop railing. Before he knew it, her attacks were nearing the eightieth attack. At this point, it became quite burdensome to take the hits without using appropriate Achievements.

    ¡®I see. So around the eightieth attack, it bes hard to block.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was in a good mood, thinking that he was gathering useful data.

    ¡®Simply blocking is practically impossible.¡¯

    From here on, he had to utilize Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier intermittently. Using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier made blocking much more manageable.

    ¡®But look at her eyes.¡¯

    The look in her eyes said she had something up her sleeve. It was an expression so transparent that Jin-Hyeok could see right through her.

    ¡®Doesn¡¯t she know that she should thoroughly hide such expressions when fighting?¡¯

    Seeing this kind of thing made him a little angry.

    ¡®I know she¡¯s trained hard, and she is not even a Level Grinder!¡¯

    People like her kept overlooking the basics, despite having decent skills.

    She finally managed to hit Jin-Hyeok one hundred times. It was an impressive disy of consecutive attacks. By now, fending them off with only Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body had be almost impossible.

    ¡®Activate Star Shield.¡¯

    At one point, Jin-Hyeok had to use Star Shield to protect his jaw. That was all well and good, but that fierce look in her eyes, hiding her ace in the hole, was really getting on his nerves.

    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡®Really now? Showing your intention through your expression and then kindly warning me on top of that? Do you think ying is easy?¡¯

    ¡°This is crossing the line,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He might tolerate her trying to kill him, but this, he could not stand.

    1. So-Ryong, or ??, is the Korean name for Bruce Lee. ?

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90

    Assassins began targeting Cha Jin-Hyeok around Level 200, as he recalled. There had been some minor assassination attempts before that, but things truly got real from Level 200. Looking back, Jin-Hyeok realized that he had spared many of the Assassins during that time.

    Around Level 200, Jin-Hyeok thoroughly enjoyed the thrill and tension. Memories of fighting skilled Assassins and honing hisbat senses came to mind. He was happy that he was able to fight another skilled Assassin, but those feelings were instantly gone when Shin So-Ryong said that this was the end.

    [Shin So-Ryong activated the Skill ¡¸Soaring Dragon¡¹.]

    With Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok could see what she was about to do, what Skill she was using, and how mana was used on the Skill. Jin-Hyeok even saw where she was aiming.

    ¡®She¡¯s aiming for my philtrum?¡¯

    Anyone who had fought knew that the philtrum was a difficult spot to hit. It was also hard to kill a person by striking there. This was something anyone could learn from watching the news. People often heard of deaths from blunt force to the head, but rarely from a hit to the philtrum.

    Yet, So-Ryong was targeting this difficult spot.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t good.¡¯

    [You have activated the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok slightly slowed her speed. Meanwhile, he deactivated all Achievement effects and exposed the back of his head.

    ¡®If you¡¯re going to hit me, hit me here.¡¯

    Having taken many blows from So-Ryong¡¯s fist, Jin-Hyeok could feel instinctively that a hit to the back of the head would be instant death. Just in case, Jin-Hyeok took precautions. Though the timing was difficult, if this worked, it would have a great effect.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    Thwack!

    A strong impact resonated on the back of his head. Subconsciously, he smiled a sly grin.

    ¡®Perfect timing.¡¯

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    The Berklev Ne did not betray him.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    The attack that qualified as an instant death attack was reflected back to So-Ryong. Along with a brief scream, she fell to the ground. A pretty nasty injury was left on the back of her head. It felt excessively brutal, so Jin-Hyeok quickly blurred out her face.

    ¡°Thanks to the Berklev Ne, I barely survived.¡±

    ¡®Huh? But what is that?¡¯

    Something was floating above So-Ryong¡¯s body. It had a mana pattern, simr to a Mystery, but it felt different from Mysteries. As Jin-Hyeok was about to touch it, the mana pattern swirled around and became a scroll.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what this is.¡±

    [Achievement ¡¸108 Combo Strikes of the Soaring Dragon¡¹.]

    The name sounded impressive.

    ¡®An Achievement popped out?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had heard that Achievements could be dropped as a reward, but seeing one with his own eyes was a first. As far as he knew, only top-ranked Thieves, especially those above Level 200, could do this.

    [You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸108 Combo Strikes of the Soaring Dragon¡¹.]

    Moreover, it was in a scroll form. This meant that it could be transferred to other yers.

    ¡®Wait, this is Kim Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s!¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon had used something simr like this before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, and Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s application of it had been nothing short of brilliant.

    ¡®Ah, I miss the Kim Jeong-Hyeon of that time.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m quite lucky. Oh, but the sniper is escaping. I¡¯m going to chase him.¡±

    [You have activated the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok slowed down the Assassin¡¯s movement and quickly closed the gap.

    [#How? #Why is the Streamer so fast?]

    He seemed to be utterly shocked that Jin-Hyeok was catching up. On the other hand, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t believe the sniper was stunned by something so simple. It was frustrating for Jin-Hyeok. Running alongside him at the same speed, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°A quick interview, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    ¡°I-Interview?¡±

    Fortunately, the sniper was not as dumb as Jin-Hyeok thought. Perhaps realizing that escape was futile, he gave up on running away.

    ¡°Alright, you can sit here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    As a well-prepared Streamer, he always carried a small chair in his inventory. Steel Sniper sat down, looking quite tense.

    ¡°First off, I¡¯m assuming you guys are yers who have gone through harsh training, with quite impressive skills. So tell me, who are you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why hide it? I even received a call from the Chairman of the Shinil Group. Shall I exin on your behalf? This person is one of the leaders of the Milky Way Alliance, affiliated with the Shinil Group. His name is Steel Sniper, one of the Pentagram. Am I right?¡±

    Steel Sniper¡¯s eyes wavered greatly.

    [#Who is this guy? #How much does he know?]

    ¡°But I am really disappointed. I understand that you guys are different from the Level Grinders. It¡¯s not just about having high Levels, but you¡¯ve undergone rigorous training too, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t you study me before you attacked me?¡±

    ¡®If you were going to ambush me, you should have done it right. You should¡¯ve attacked me with all you got.¡¯

    It just didn¡¯t make sense no matter how Jin-Hyeok thought about it.

    ¡°I already showed the Berklev Ne through my previous livestreams.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And I showed you how I use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. I even revealed Time-Lapse Recording!¡±

    Talking about it made Jin-Hyeok raise his voice in anger.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be like this.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was conducting an interview as a Streamer, so he had to regain hisposure.

    ¡°I¡¯ve also revealed that I be much stronger once I surpass Level 60. And not only that, thanks to the effect of my Achievements, all my abilities are greatly enhanced in the vicinity of Yeonhui-dong¡­ I revealed everything.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You should have prepared strategies ordingly. Can you call yourself an Assassin if you rely solely on your sniping ability, without any information about your opponent?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was really furious. It seemed Steel Sniper had to reflect on his actions a lot.

    However, looking at his attitude, a proper interview seemed difficult. Jin-Hyeok thought about binding him with handcuffs and ropes but just left him alone. He seemed so weak that Jin-Hyeok thought it would be fine just to take him without any binds.

    ¡°For now, I am going to take him to my house.¡±

    ? ? ?

    It was three in the morning and Cha Jin-Sol stood at the front door, continuously biting her nails.

    ¡°Pleasee back soon¡­ Please¡­¡±

    Although she was watching the livestream, she could not help but worry. Soon, the front door opened. Worried that her sleeping parents might wake up, Jin-Sol spoke in a hushed tone, ¡°Oppa! Are you okay? You¡¯re fine, right? You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing up sote?¡±

    ¡°How could I sleep? You were ambushed!¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you watched my livestream too?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡®Of course. Since she was my avid viewer, Babyshark, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her to keep watching my livestream.¡¯

    With that thought, Jin-Hyeok walked toward the living room.

    ¡°Did you really bring that person here?¡±

    Jin-Sol couldn¡¯t understand her brother¡¯s actions.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who was trying to kill you! Why are you keeping him alive?¡±

    ¡°You say such cruel things so nonchntly, Jin-Sol.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m praising you for talking like an actual yer.¡±

    Her face turned slightly red.

    ¡°But Oppa, shouldn¡¯t we hide somewhere for a while?¡±

    ¡°Hide? Why?¡±

    ¡°You said the Shinil Group is targeting us. We should at least hide for the time being.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head.

    ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Even you can¡¯t think of this?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s really strange. Why does everyone think only they can send Assassins? If they can send Assassins, it¡¯s only natural that we can send them too.¡±

    Soon after, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s phone began to ring. It was Seo Ji-Ah.

    ¡ªMission, sess.

    Jin-Hyeok could also hear Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s voice.

    ¡ªWe captured this bastard, Choi Ik-Hwan!

    ? ? ?

    Chills ran down Kang Mi-Na¡¯s back.

    ¡®I never thought I would be broadcasting something like this in my lifetime!¡¯ Mi-Na thought.

    She never expected to be broadcasting the live capture of Choi Ik-Hwan, the reigning chaebol of South Korea.

    ¡®And they actually managed to kidnap him?¡¯

    Science and technology failed to cause any harm to Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo. They had really captured Ik-Hwan as a hostage, and the scene was vividly conveyed.

    ¡°But, why are you here?¡±

    Bong King of BonjourTV, the current top-ranked Streamer, also joined in. He was twenty-eight years old. He was a bit chubby, but to the eye, a very ordinary man. He began livestreaming the situation to the viewers with wittymentary.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t sign an exclusive contract, did you? Anyone can stream it.¡±

    Not only him, but reporters started to flood in. The Chairman¡¯s office was filled with people.

    It was four in the morning and South Korea was experiencing its noisiest dawn.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members, including Jin-Hyeok himself, arrived one after another. Jin-Hyeok walked toward Ik-Hwan, feeling a pleasant thrill.

    ¡®Ah, the sweet smell of amazing content.¡¯

    ¡°Why did you only think of sending gifts and not receiving them? Jin-Hyeok asked Ik-Hwan.

    ¡°I acknowledge my defeat.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you admit it so candidly.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand the ecosystem of the yers well enough.¡±

    Even with Ji-Ah¡¯s de at his throat, Ik-Hwan did not seem particrly afraid. Jin-Hyeok liked that spirit.

    ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have made such a careless mistake,¡± Ik-Hwan said.

    ¡°I suppose so. Even I thought it was too sloppy.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Well, right now, I¡¯m considering whether to kill you or not.¡±

    The reporters seemed uneasy when Jin-Hyeok said that, murmuring in disbelief, wondering if Jin-Hyeok would really kill Ik-Hwan.

    Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin, as if in deep thought.

    ¡®If it were the old days, I would have definitely killed him.¡¯

    If it had been Jin-Hyeok, the Sword King, he would have done so. However, now he was no longer the Sword King. Although his swordsmanship might beckingpared to the days before regression, he now saw a broader picture and thought more profoundly.

    ¡®I¡¯m a Streamer now.¡¯

    A streamer had to be able to capture the hearts of the public. Only then could they seed as a Streamer. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s experience with Diplomacy, which was a Skill of a Ruler, had also been a great help. There was a significant difference between something he had experienced, even a little, and something he had not.

    ¡®If I kill him now, it would work as a warning, but it would also instill fear in the public.¡¯

    Even without using the Diplomacy Skill, many factors flitted through his mind.

    ¡°I will forgive you this time,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Forgive me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not for free. Compensation of ten billion won. Quite cheap for the price of your life, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Ik-Hwan nodded.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°And since you tried to take my head, I suppose I am going to have to cut a finger off of each of the Pentagram.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from treating them. Actually, we¡¯ll take care of the treatment. There won¡¯t be any aftereffects, though the pain will be excruciating.¡±

    ¡°Do you really have to go that far?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sparing your life instead of killing you.¡±

    This footage was being broadcasted live. It was a warning to other yers, a warning not to mess with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party.

    ¡°Ji-Ah, you do it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Ji-Ah nodded.

    The reporters were highly tense.

    ¡°Are they really going to chop the fingers off?¡±

    ¡°Nah, they must be just scaring them.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    In the end, Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party did cut off the index fingers of Ik-Hwan and all the members of the Pentagram.

    ¡°He really did it..!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s crazy!¡±

    A few reporters even screamed. The sight caused significant chaos as it was the first time they had witnessed such a scene. Jin-Sol immediately used a healing spell to reattach the fingers, unintentionally showcasing her overwhelming healing ability.

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°We¡¯ll let it slide this time since it¡¯s your first offense.¡±

    The reporters seemed afraid. Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡®The reporters of this era still seem to have an innocent side.¡¯

    In the future, reporters would not even blink an eye at something as minor as fingers being chopped off.

    ¡°Next, our party leader, ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong, will speak.¡±

    ¡®...Huh?¡¯ Kim Jeong-Hyeon thought.

    He nearly tilted his head out of confusion.

    ¡®When did I be the leader?¡¯

    Jeong-Hyeon wasn¡¯t sure, at that moment, a note had been ced in his hand. It was a note that Ji-Soo had given him in the midst of the confusion.

    [Just warn them threateningly. You seem to be the strongest in the eyes of the people.]

    Jin-Hyeok smiled slyly. Not long ago, the fact that Jeong-Hyeon appeared to be the strongest had hurt his pride. But now it was different. As time passed, Jin-Hyeok realized this was a good thing. It was good for hyping up his Eltube channel and various other production aspects.

    Jin-Hyeok felt that he had grown again as a Streamer.

    Jeong-Hyeon spoke to the camera, ¡°If there is another attack¡­ we will annihte¡­ all of you¡­ There will be¡­ only one warning¡­¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s face was stiff as he spoke words that did not match his usual temperament, but outwardly, he looked incredibly grim and dangerous.

    Visually, he fulfilled everything Jin-Hyeok wanted.

    The tumultuous dawn passed, and Sunday morning dawned upon them.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91

    Cha Jin-Sol seemed very excited as she entered her brother¡¯s room and began reading aloud a few posts.

    ¡°A rtively peaceful and democratic method. Tolerance and virtue shown by the winner, yet a thorough and firm warning. By seizing both practical and rational aspects of the situation, he had aplished everything that could have been aplished, and the public cheered. ming Fist¡¯s party showed the best y possible. Oh, ming First is just a short form for ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong.¡±

    ¡°...What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s from a post written by someone called Encyclopedia on the Korean Region Minor Gallery. Apparently, they¡¯re pretty famous. I didn¡¯t know much about it, but what you did was no joke. What happened yesterday seems to have been a huge deal. The inte and TVworks are all in chaos. The trending keywords from rank one to ten are all rted to us!¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok shook his head dismissively.

    He wondered why people were making such a fuss about something so trivial.

    ¡°The second round will being soon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Second round?¡±

    ¡°I read Choi Ik-Hwan¡¯s true intentions.¡±

    At the moment when Seo Ji-Ah cut off his finger, Ik-Hwan had vowed revenge.

    ¡°Why? Is he going to take revenge on us?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s obvious?¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯ve been humiliated in front of so many people, you¡¯re not human if you just ept what happened. He will seek revenge, of course.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok spoke with a slightly serious expression, ¡°This time, Ik-Hwan is going to study hard and prepare to take us down. It might be a little dangerous. Those yers were definitely not Level Grinders.¡±

    Jin-Sol thought it was strange that her brother seemed a little excited.

    ¡®But why do I feel a little excited too?¡¯ Jin-Sol thought.

    She denied the feeling.

    ¡®No, it must be the feeling of my heart racing because I drank too much coffee earlier.¡¯

    Afterward, Jin-Hyeok went outside.

    When he used Pure Luck, it wasn¡¯t just an Achievement that popped up. He had clearly felt something else. It was a feeling simr to when lightning struck in Hongje-dong. He felt he would have to go and investigate to know for sure.

    ¡®I have a really good feeling about this.¡¯

    After changing his appearance and yer name to Boiling Comradeship, he began to walk down the alleys of Yeonhui-dong, heading toward the ce where he fought with Shin So-Ryong yesterday.

    ? ? ?

    Even though Jin-Hyeok changed his appearance to a mysterious Swordsman, Boiling Comradeship, and not Streamer Kim Chul-Soo, he still continued to speak as if he was livestreaming. He lived as though he was livestreaming every moment, and acted like he was livestreaming although he didn¡¯t turn it on¡ªJin-Hyeok thought this was a given for a Streamer.

    ¡°This is the spot where Shin So-Ryong died yesterday.¡±

    However, something was slightly off.

    ¡°But there is a Tombstone erected here.¡±

    [Tombstone that Consumes Achievement]

    ¡°There is an option to see the detailed description. Let¡¯s open it.¡±

    [An Achievement will show a new path. The opportunity given to you is only once.

    Consumed Achievement (_____)

    Remaining time: 16:44:21]

    Soon, a notification popped up.

    [Please select the Achievement to be consumed.]

    ¡°I see! It seems like a setting that requires offering an Achievement as a sacrifice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen anything like this before. The remaining time was sixteen hours. Judging by the description, he only had one chance to do this.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure which Achievement to offer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok first tried to use the Pure Luck Mystery, but it failed.

    ¡®Ah, damn it!¡¯

    A Mystery did not have a precise cooldown like a Skill, but there was nothing as unstable as a Mystery.

    ¡®I guess I can¡¯t use the Mystery.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok tried to find clues using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance and Exclusive In-Depth Interview, but he could not find any hints.

    ¡®But I¡¯m in Yeonhui-dong!¡¯

    In Yeonhui-dong, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stats significantly increased. Despite that, he could not figure it out.

    ¡®Ah, this is hurting my pride. No, wait, I shouldn¡¯t think like that.¡¯

    Finding such clues was the Navigator¡¯s domain, so there was no reason for him to feel like this. By changing his attitude, his mind became much more at ease.

    ¡®Do I need to bring in apetent Navigator to figure this out?¡¯

    Han Sae-Rin was busy, so he wondered if he should call Mole Man.

    While he was contemting a bit, his phone started to ring.

    ? ? ?

    Ding!

    ¡®Someone sent me a video.¡¯

    The sender was Jang Michelle (MoneyShot).

    [I thought it would be fun if you knew, so I¡¯m sending you this video. Hope you find what you¡¯re looking for.]

    There were four people present in the video¡ªChoi Gap-Soo; Jang Michelle; Seodaemun-gu GM, Kihael; and Gangnam-gu GM, Omur.

    They were having various conversations, talking about the incident that urred yesterday. Gap-Soo and Michelle looked quite amused, while Kihael and Omur seemed somewhat serious.

    ¡°So? What¡¯s this Tombstone about?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s a bit¡­ difficult to exin¡­¡±

    After some hesitation, Kihael and Omur finally spoke. The background and conditions of how the Tombstone came into existence were quite intriguing. It was partly rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario, The Revered One. To be more precise, it was connected to the defenders, who could be considered the enemies of The Revered One, the attacker.

    In other words, it was a Tombstone rted to the heroes protecting the Server.

    ¡°So the Scenario got tangled up when Earth-born Kim Chul-Soo consumed the rewards meant for the attacker, and the entire system of the Scenario was reversed. That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    Originally, this Tombstone was an item rted to the defenders. However, because of Jin-Hyeok, everything began to reverse. Things intended for the attackers, or invaders, went to the defenders, and vice versa.

    Omur said in the video,

    ?To properly activate the Tombstone, you must possess Achievements rted to the attacker, like Achievements rted to being a yer of some sort.?

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Subsequent Achievements or Traits rted to desperate survival were designed to be required, but we don¡¯t know anything more specific.¡±

    The video ended there. Jin-Hyeok immediately sent a reply.

    [Thanks for the video. I¡¯ll put it to good use. I¡¯ll repay you with great content.]

    Michelle had sent a smiling emoticon as a reply.

    ¡®An Achievement rted to yer?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Tombstone.

    [Please select the Achievement to be consumed.]

    [You have selected the Achievement ¡¸Blood-Soaked yer¡¹.]

    It wasn¡¯t an Achievement he liked anyway, so it worked out.

    [The ¡¸Tombstone that Consumes Achievements¡¹ has devoured your Achievement.]

    A green mana line spewed forth from Jin-Hyeok, then transformed into a symbol that contained mana. The Tombstone began to grow. A red mouth appeared, stretching sideways, and then swallowed the mana symbol.

    Gulp.

    The Tombstone trembled, and a gate appeared where the mouth had been.

    [Do you wish to enter the Dungeon ¡¸Guardian Tree¡¹?]

    ? ? ?

    It had been a while since Jin-Hyeok had seen such a radiant and warm Dungeon.

    ¡°The sun shines down on an open field. There, in the distance, stands a towering tree, glowing golden.¡±

    A refreshing breeze gently rustled. Reeds as tall as a person brushed against each other, creating a pleasant friction sound. Far away, a tree emanated a majestic presence.

    ¡®That¡¯s the Guardian Tree.¡¯

    It was a giant golden tree. Its hundreds of branches stretched out in all directions, with lush leaves. What was peculiar was that the trunk and stems were made of gold.

    ¡®It¡¯s different from what I remember.¡¯

    The Guardian Tree that he had experienced was grand and majestic, but it did not gleam with a golden light.

    As he approached, he could even read its name with his skill.

    [Golden Guardian Tree]

    It was muchrger up close than it appeared from a distance. It was the first time he had seen a tree so big since his regression.

    ¡°There is a gate in the central part of the tree trunk.¡±

    About ten meters up the tree, there was a gate.

    ¡°I believe that is the exit.¡±

    An exit was already in ce, and no dangerous monsters were in sight. Unlike typical Dungeons, the atmosphere here was utterly peaceful and warm.

    ¡®Usually, a ce like this is dangerous.¡¯

    However, no matter how much he looked, he could not find any danger.

    ¡°I will climb toward the exit for now.¡±

    Under normal circumstances, he could''ve just cut notches in the tree with his dagger and then used the notches to climb up. However, this tree was too hard. He could not cut the tree with his dagger.

    Thus, Jin-Hyeok purchased a rope and a Whirling Arrow from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. The Whirling Arrow was not a remarkable item. By attaching the rope to the Whirling Arrow, it would then wrap around tree branches with a rotational force. It was a basic item avable to anyone over Level 20.

    ¡°I will shoot the Whirling Arrow and hang the rope on one of the branches.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought it would not be easy since he had never tried it before, but he seeded in one go.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m lucky.¡±

    He pulled the rope tight, secured it, and began to climb.

    [You cannot exit the Dungeon.]

    [A fruit from the Golden Guardian Tree is needed.]

    ¡°It seems I need to pick a fruit to leave.¡±

    He continued to climb higher on the rope.

    The Guardian Tree was incredibly tall. Regardless, he climbed and perched on a branch where he spotted a fruit that glowed gold.

    ¡°It looks like a bowling ball made of gold.¡±

    He reached out to grab it, then hesitated.

    ¡°It¡¯s clearly a venerable treasure, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok was right, taking this outside and nting it would grow a Guardian Tree. The existence of the Guardian Tree made Yeonhui-dong the most expensive neighborhood in Korea. It was that of a tremendous treasure.

    ¡®Normally, when you touch something like this, a guard appears to protect it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok looked around. The surroundings were still excessively peaceful and beautiful.

    ¡®That means the guard will definitely appear.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could slowly begin to see what was going on.

    ¡®And the exit is ced right in front of me.¡¯

    This was very ominous. Moreover, the condition for leaving the Dungeon was acquiring the fruit, which was an extremely simple and easy condition. If the condition was this easy, it meant that the guard had to be outrageously strong.

    ¡®But if there is a guard strong enough to protect this¡­ what kind of creature will it be?¡¯

    Even the old and crazy Cha Jin-Hyeok from before the regression would not have been entirely happy with this situation. Of course, he was obsessed with bing stronger, but he had his own rules and limits. He had always clenched his teeth and challenged anything with a 0.0001% chance, but he had boldly given up on things with a zero percent chance.

    ¡®This seems like a total no-win situation.¡¯

    The best option would be to pick the fruit of the Guardian Tree and then immediately hurl himself toward the exit to escape. Jin-Hyeok ran the simtion in his head several times, but due to the branches blocking his way, it seemed it wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    ¡®I¡¯ll try running at full speed.¡¯

    However, he would probably fail.

    So, in the end, it meant he would have to face the guard that would inevitably appear.

    ¡®Winning through battle won¡¯t be the answer.¡¯

    A Guardian Tree had grown in Yeonhui-dong before regression. Jin-Hyeok was not sure who brought the fruit of the Guardian Tree, but that time was not too far from the current timeline. No yer from that era could defeat the guard that was going to appear.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure the guard is somewhat an intellectual being. Mere fighting won¡¯t be the solution.¡¯

    Sigh.

    He felt tense for the first time in a while. Still, he couldn¡¯t find the answer. He boldly gave up on what had a zero percent chance, but when there was no way to avoid it, confronting it quickly was the morefortable way.

    [You have harvested the fruit of the Golden Guardian Tree.]

    ¡®Now, I just need to run¡ª¡¯

    Suddenly, he felt a chilling sensation.

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t even know what flew toward him, but somehow the Reflection +1 was applied. He didn¡¯t fully understand, but it meant something had struck him that could kill him in one blow.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    But he could feel it. Despite the Reflection effect, his opponent was unharmed. An invisible, tremendous pressure was felt on the wind.

    ¡®Someone blocked the effect of the Berklev Ne.¡¯

    It was clear that his current Level was no match for his opponent. He couldn¡¯t see where or what wasing at him.

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    [The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]

    After being attacked so many times, he roughly understood what kind of attack it was. A barrage of light,posed of pure light, pierced his body.

    ¡®This is hopeless.¡¯

    The attack was so fierce that he could not even take a step forward. In other words, spears of light continuously pierced through him.

    In the end, he lost his bnce and fell to the ground.

    The rope was also cut.

    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

    [This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]

    Ultimately, Berklev Ne failed to apply the Reflection +1 effect. It was understandable since the effect was only eighty percent probability, not one hundred percent.

    ¡®This feels rather unfair.¡¯

    He was not upset about dying because he was weak. That was part of ying. If a yer was weak, it was only natural to die. However, it felt a bit unjust to die when he was just beginning to discover new hobbies.

    ¡®But that opponent is really strong, I¡¯m not gonna lie.¡¯

    Regardless of the unfairness, the enemy¡¯s attack was strong enough to kill him instantly.

    [The Trait ¡¸Extra Life¡¹ has been applied.]

    When Ji-Cheok opened his eyes again, someone was looking down at him.

    ¡®Holy shit!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew who this person was.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92

    Even during the days before Cha Jin-Hyeok regressed, the world was filled with many mysteries that remained unsolved. Among them were matters rted to the Masked Sage.

    He was a Wizard that wore a mask that was strikingly simr to the Pharaoh¡¯s Golden Mask that Jin-Hyeok had obtained. Nothing was known about the Masked Sage¡¯s identity. All that was known was that he was a Wizard who sometimes got rid of Earth¡¯s cmities that were too difficult for the yers to deal with.

    Worldwide, the Masked Sage had revealed himself only seven times, and Jin-Hyeok had met him in person.

    ¡®I remember him saving my party when we were fighting Shin Yu-Ri, yer name: Shwerer Gustav.¡¯

    Shin Yu-Ri was one of the most notorious viins in Korean history. She led a viin alliance called the Demigod Alliance, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party battled with her in his previous life.

    ¡®We underestimated Yu-Ri¡¯s power, and we almost got wiped out.¡¯

    The one who helped them then was the Masked Sage.

    Even though that person was not wearing a mask right now, Jin-Hyeok could recognize him instantly. It was undoubtedly the Masked Sage.

    ¡®His face is severely burnt.¡¯

    The Masked Sage¡¯s face was distorted beyond recognition. That had to have been why he wore the mask. The Masked Sage looked down at Jin-Hyeok and said, ¡°The price has been paid.¡±

    His voice was not pleasant to hear. Rather, it was so husky it seemed to grate like metal. Just hearing his voice seemed to drain Jin-Hyeok¡¯s energy.

    Before Jin-Hyeok knew it, the fruit he had plucked was in the Masked Sage¡¯s hand. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t even know when he had taken it.

    ¡°Go back.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok needed the fruit to pass through the exit gate. The Masked Sage¡¯s eyes were on Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok clearly understood what those eyes were trying to say¡ªthey implied that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s problems had nothing to do with the Masked Sage.

    Since the Masked Sage had taken Jin-Hyeok¡¯s life once and received the price for the fruit, the Masked Sage¡¯s stance was that he had done his part. Whether Jin-Hyeok was trapped and died here, or starved to death, was none of his concern. It was so rational and self-evident that Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to ept it.

    ¡°I apologize. I asked a pointless question,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He asked something far more productive, ¡°I need the fruit to exit through that gate. I want to pay a fair price to obtain the fruit.¡±

    ¡°The price is for you to propose.¡±

    It seemed Jin-Hyeok was on the right track. Rather than trying to steal or seize the fruit from the Masked Sage, he instead needed to properly negotiate with him.

    [Trade with ???

    You must propose a trade condition that ¡¸???¡¹ will find eptable. However, you have only one chance, and if you propose an unsuitable condition, you may be killed by ¡¸???¡¹.]

    The thought of being killed by the Masked Sage did not particrly bother him. If Jin-Hyeok could not properly obtain the fruit, he would die anyway.

    ¡®I have almost nothing that would satisfy him.¡¯

    Logically speaking, that was the case. Jin-Hyeok did not know the Masked Sage¡¯s exact Level, but it was at least over 250. There was no way that Jin-Hyeok, whose Level was that much lower, could possibly possess something that would please him. Even the items that could be considered as his best items, such as the Berklev Ne, the Guardian Ring, or the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, would be junk in the Masked Sage''s eyes.

    ¡®I really can¡¯t fulfill his needs.¡¯

    Thus Jin-Hyeok had to approach it differently.

    ¡®The answer had already been decided from the moment he showed up.¡¯

    The Masked Sage did not wait long for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Show me your offer.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled an item from his inventory.

    [Pharaoh¡¯s Golden Mask]

    This was the only thing Jin-Hyeok could offer. Even before his regression, the Masked Sage wore a mask simr to this one.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡®What should I reply to make the item seem impressive?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok quickly thought of an answer.

    ¡°It is a mask of the one who dreamed of eternity.¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t sell the item on practicality, he needed to sell it on style.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The Pharaoh¡¯s Golden Mask that was in his hand had vanished. When Jin-Hyeok looked to see where it had gone, the Masked Sage was already wearing it. The Masked Sage lightly touched the item with his own hand.

    ¡®Wow¡­ How¡¯s that possible?¡¯

    Theparatively worn-out Pharaoh¡¯s Golden Mask had transformed into the detailed and magnificent Golden Mask that Jin-Hyeok was familiar with. It was as if a junk item had morphed into a Mythic-Grade item.

    ¡°The price has been paid,¡± the Masked Sage said.

    The fact that this mask was worth more than Jin-Hyeok¡¯s life was a bitter pill to swallow, but it seemed to have satisfied the Masked Sage nheless.

    By the time Jin-Hyeok hade to his senses, the Masked Sage had long vanished. With his current skills, Jin-Hyeok could not even perceive the Masked Sage''s movements.

    ¡®I knew it before, but that guy is truly formidable.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart inexplicably pounded.

    ¡®Someday, if I truly be strong, could I be even stronger than the Masked Sage?¡¯

    Just merely envisioning that made him feel incredibly excited and happy. It was like the happiness he felt in the past when he imagined winning the lottery.

    ¡®First, let¡¯s go get that fruit.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok bought another rope. Using the Whirling Arrow, Jin-Hyeok climbed onto the tree branch in the same way as before.

    ¡®Wait. Are these fruits all the same?¡¯

    That was highly unlikely. Even apples from the same tree tasted different.

    ¡®Since I can only take one, I should choose very carefully.¡¯

    The Masked Sage had not given Jin-Hyeok a time limit, so he decided to take his time and think. Simply picking the prettiest one based on appearance seemed pointless.

    ¡®It would be nice if I could use Pure Luck. By the way, when I can use this damn Mystery agai¡ªOh, now I can use it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but somehow Pure Luck had one again be avable for use. Since it had be avable for use, there was no point in thinking and reasoning about it in his head.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    After the Masked Sage disappeared, Jin-Hyeok felt a bit more at ease.

    ¡°I just used the Mystery.¡±

    At the same time, Jin-Hyeok reflected on himself. When faced with a truly urgent situation, he could not proceed with his y as if he was livestreaming. All his attention had been focused on figuring out how to get out of the aforementioned situation.

    ¡®If this keeps happening, I can¡¯t really call myself a true Streamer.¡¯

    A real professional should be able to maintain a consistent quality of livestream in any situation. However, with the appearance of the Masked Sage, Jin-Hyeok had forgotten what he was supposed to do. It was fortunate that his livestream was not actually on, since Jin-Hyeok would¡¯ve died of embarrassment if it had been the real livestream.

    Jin-Hyeok regained hisposure and continued to speak.

    ¡°Among the numerous fruits, I see one that shines particrly bright.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok began to climb the tree as if enchanted by something. Using the Whirling Arrow and rope, he moved around like Tarzan.

    ¡°This must be the one¡­ Huh?¡±

    He reached out to pick the fruit, but it suddenly warped. Looking around, he saw the shining fruit in the distance.

    ¡°I need to pick it before the light disappears.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok bought a spray from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. He approached and marked the fruit with the spray, and what followed was a continuous grind.

    ¡°It warped again. It¡¯s incredibly fast.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡®What kind of fruit warps this fast?¡¯

    He continued to chase after the fruit.

    Gasp!

    Despite moving carefully, he almost touched a different fruit. It was a close shave. He sighed in relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

    ¡°This task requires substantial physical stamina and precise mental focus.¡±

    He might not look like it from the outside, but he was in a highly tense state. If he were to identally touch two fruits, he would die as the Masked Sage had only permitted him to take one.

    ¡®And not getting that fruit I want would also be a terrible oue.¡¯

    Dying during y was amon urrence, but failing to obtain what he had aimed for was even more dreadful than death.

    ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to obtain it!¡±

    He smiled again.

    ¡®How long has it been since I felt this level of tension! This is what ying is all about!¡¯

    He had not felt this kind of tension recently. This thrilling sensation that even a slight mistake could cost his life was making him smile.

    ¡®I feel so alive.¡¯

    This primal sensation that made him feel alive seemed to awaken every dormant cell in his body.

    ¡®The fruit warped again!¡¯

    The fruit was too fast. That was why it was so enjoyable. He could enjoy this time even more because of it.

    ¡°I will catch it no matter what.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. It felt like roughly ten hours had gone by.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±

    Heaven always helped those who helped themselves. In the end, he was able to get the fruit that he wanted. Fearing it might warp again, he quickly put it in his inventory and immediately ran toward the exit.

    [The fruit has been identified.]

    [You have escaped the Guardian Tree Dungeon.]

    Normally, the term, clear, would be used in the notification, but this time, the word, escaped, was used. Perhaps the concept of clearing did not even exist in this ce. There was no significant reward given. The wriggling fruit inside his inventory seemed to be the reward.

    ¡°It¡¯s already evening.¡±

    He looked at his inventory again.

    It felt kind of weird. Jin-Hyeok had no way of describing the feeling.

    ¡°It sort of feels like my inventory will explode if I leave it in there.¡±

    He had never heard of an inventory exploding, but he had a feeling that something would go wrong if he left the fruit as is.

    ¡°I think I need to nt this fruit in the ground!¡±

    He knew nothing in regards to what were the conditions that needed to be met, or what he needed to do, but he did know exactly where the Guardian Tree in his previous life used to grow.

    He began to run with all his might.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    He felt significantly lighter. Just yesterday, he had the nighttime run with Steel Sniper, so he could precisely sense the difference.

    ¡®I¡¯ve grown!¡¯

    A thrilling chill ran down his spine. It seemed that maintaining a state of extreme tension while leaping between tree branches had led him to grow in some way. This sensation was not represented by any numbers, like Levels or Skills. This subtlety, which Level Grinders could never know, could only be gained through practice and training. This growth made him happy once again.

    Today was a happy day in many ways for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Damn it. I need to calm down.¡¯

    A sense of crisis that his inventory might burst washed over him. It felt like his life as a yer would be over if his inventory exploded. It felt like running with a time bomb inside him. A more urate description would be the sensation of needing to relieve oneself urgently.

    ¡®Please! Not now!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok arrived at the Yeonhui Intersection. It was an intersection with two roads that were about fournes wide. In Jin-Hyeok''s past life, someone had grown a Guardian Tree here in the middle of the intersection.

    ¡®It¡¯s really going to explode!¡¯

    A second felt like a minute. It seemed like the fruit was going to explode any second.

    ¡®Hurry up!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok called Mok Jae-Hyeon, thinking that he might handle it better than Jin-Hyeok. Fortunately, Jae-Hyeon was nearby, watching over Cha Jin-Sol or something, and he said he wasing on a bike.

    ¡®He¡¯sing!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok exined the situation on the phone as he was on his way. Jae-Hyeon arrived and hurriedly got off his bike.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to set up a barricade first,¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    Using the Wood Fortress, Jae-Hyeon pulled stems from the ground.

    Honk! Honk!

    The sudden appearance of Jae-Hyeon¡¯s Wood Fortress created a massive traffic jam on the road.

    ¡®Jae-Hyeon, you¡¯ve grown too!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was quite happy with how Jae-Hyeon took care of everything effortlessly without being told what to do. On the other hand, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s fruit was about to explode.

    ¡°Hey! Hurry up!¡±

    Jae-Hyeon used the stems to dig at the ground, forming a about three-meter-deep pit. Jin-Hyeok threw the Guardian Tree¡¯s fruit into the newly dug pit. The fruit made contact with the earth.

    Rumble.

    An earthquake urred in the area. The tremor was strong enough to cause nearby shop signs to fall to the ground.

    Then, a notification for the entire Server popped up.

    [The ¡¸Seed of the Golden Guardian Tree¡¹ has been nted.]

    From the area where Jin-Hyeok had thrown the fruit, a magnificent beam of golden light shot up, soaring high enough to touch the clouds, standing like a pir.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t see anything like this happen before the regression¡­¡¯

    Something had changed.

    ¡®This beam of light¡­ it must be¡­¡¯

    He had never seen it on the Earth Server, but he had seen it on other Servers. It was known that such a pir of light would rise when a Golden Guardian Tree, not an ordinary one, was nted.

    [72:00:00]

    The pit had mysteriously covered itself, and instead, a number was floating above it. It was a 72-hour timer.

    [71:59:48]

    In seventy-two hours, the Golden Guardian Tree would grow from the pit.

    ¡®If I remember correctly, there were only about six Golden Guardian Trees across all the Servers.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen one on a small Server like Earth. He remembered that three of them were on Arvis, the strongest Server, and the remaining three were on other powerful Servers.

    Not much was known about the Golden Guardian Tree. Since the Servers where they were located did not disclose much information about them, they were rumored to have much greater power than ordinary Guardian Trees.

    ¡®This is incredible.¡¯

    Underneath the timer, faint letters could be seen.

    [nter: Kim Chul-Soo]

    It seemed like these characters were visible only to him.

    ¡®nter?¡¯

    It indicated that Jin-Hyeok was the one who nted it, but he was not sure why this was being recorded. Jin-Hyeok would probably know more after seventy-two hours.

    Soon, golden dust began to rise from the spot where the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s fruit was buried, and another global notification followed.

    [A safe zone will be set within a radius of 1,000m.]

    The safe zone was already set, even though the Guardian Tree hadn''t grown yet. It seemed to be because this was a Golden Guardian Tree, not an ordinary one. The seed itself was quite extraordinary.

    ¡®The boundary of the safe zone is clearly drawn in my mind.¡¯

    It felt as if a small map had unfolded in his mind. It seemed that various benefits were given to the nter.

    ¡®I wish the seven-two hours would pass quickly.¡¯

    He did not realize it, but a smile crept across his face. As he returned home with a beaming smile, he found that the secretary of Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan of Shinil Group was at the front door.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93

    The reason for the secretary of Choi Ik-Hwan to seek Cha Jin-Hyeok out was simple.

    ¡°Here¡¯s a cashier¡¯s check. You¡¯re wee to check it."

    It was a cashier¡¯s check for ten billion won, as promised.

    ¡°It looks good. Please send my regards,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok had juste into possession of ten billion won. It seemed like he might finally be able to realize his long-held dream.

    ¡°Wait, why are all the real estatepanies closed??

    By his standards, Jin-Hyeok could not understand why thepanies were closed on Sundays.

    ¡®How can they all take a break just because it¡¯s the weekend?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok just thought there were no real estate agents who wanted to be the best. Fortunately, he met with the agent who brokered his current house, and the contract was quickly finalized. He decided to purchase a building at the Yeonhui Intersection, the very spot where the Guardian Seed was sprouting, albeit at a slightly inted price.

    ¡°I won¡¯t sell it even for seven billion won. Stop bothering me,¡± the building owner said.

    ¡°How about eight billion?¡±

    When the building owner said he would not sell for seven billion won, Jin-Hyeok offered one billion won more, and the building owner agreed. The owner said something about how he had never seen such a young man with that much money, but honestly, Jin-Hyeok was so intoxicated with the joy of fulfilling his long-held dream that he hardly recalled the conversation.

    When Jin-Hyeok was asked about his upation, he said he was a Streamer.

    ¡®It used to be a bit embarrassing, telling people that I am a Streamer¡­¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t that Jin-Hyeok disliked being a Streamer, but his pride as a Swordsman was overwhelming. He had aplished a lot as a Swordsman, but as a Streamer, there was so much left undone. It had been a bit embarrassing to introduce himself as a Streamer, but now, it didn¡¯t feel shameful at all.

    That dawn, Jin-Hyeok went back to the Yeonhui Intersection.

    [53:33:31]

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve achieved my dream. And I¡¯m not even Level 100 yet.¡¯

    Bing the building owner where the Guardian Tree grew was his dream. Now that he had fulfilled this dream, he felt incredibly happy.

    ¡®Wait a minute¡­ Does that mean I have to retire now?¡¯

    He raced toward this day since his regression. Now he had a home where he could live happily with his family, and he even owned this building. Bing the building owner in Yeonhui-dong and retiring quietly, almost invisibly, while living happily¡ªthat was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal, his ideal.

    ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯

    Although the dream of his had now be a reality, he somehow did not feel particrly joyous. Standing there, he recalled the vows and promises he made to himself.

    ¡®I must not live the life I once did.¡¯

    It was indeed thrilling and entertaining, but that was the perspective of a madman. From the viewpoint of a sane person, it was a life fraught with excessive danger and uncertainty.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t live like that¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had prepared the foundation to live differently.

    ¡®But why am I not happy?¡¯

    Somehow, life suddenly felt dull, even empty, to the point that it made him depressed.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    He sensed something peculiar. The rustling and shuffling movement gave him the feeling of Assassins nearby.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡¯

    Looking around, he saw Assassins hastily moving near the building he had purchased.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    It seemed like they were installing something in the building.

    ¡®Bombs?¡¯

    Some were real bombs, while others were items.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    Apparently, they wanted to demolish the building he had bought. He was not sure, but it looked like a warning sent to him by the Shinil Group.

    ¡®This is amazing!¡¯

    If that building got destroyed, he would have to rebuild another one. To do that, he would need construction fees. If he was going to build a new one, he might as well make it the most magnificent building in the area. That would require a lot of money.

    ¡®I guess I don¡¯t have to retire.¡¯

    He felt like he would get in the way of the bombing if he stayed there.

    ¡®What if they couldn¡¯t detonate it because they were scared of me? Hahaha.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok hummed a tune as he turned away to make an exit. A momentter, a massive explosion resounded.

    Boom! Boom!

    ? ? ?

    After concluding a contract with Cha Jin-Hyeok, Lee Deok-Gyu returned home, wrapping his head in deep thought.

    ¡®He bought it for a billion won more than the market price in this area,¡¯ Deok-Gyu thought.

    Deok-gyu wondered why Jin-Hyeok would do that.

    ¡®Could it be that the young man had some kind of secret information?¡¯

    His mind became tangled. From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s point of view, he just quickly threw out an offer of eight billion won to get the building as soon as possible, but this had instead confused Deok-Gyu¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Should I cancel the contract?¡¯

    In truth, the Yeonhui-dong building was a minor asset in his portfolio. Though it was merely a small-scale building not exceeding ten billion won, what mattered was not the size. What mattered to him was his pride as an investor. He had never once made a loss in his investments. His assets had grown on the basis of his meticulous calctions and analysis, one of the driving forces of his life.

    ¡®No matter how I think about it, there is no reason for him to buy it for one billion won more.¡¯

    This had to mean that Jin-Hyeok bought the ce with the certainty that it would yield more profitster on.

    ¡®I can¡¯t let this happen.¡¯

    Deok-Gyu had already received a down payment of eight hundred million won. Yet, he felt a strong urge that he should cancel the contract.

    ¡®Even if I have to pay back double the down payment, I must cancel the contract.¡¯

    Deok-Gyu refused to make a losing investment, especially when it came to being duped by a kid. But then he saw the shocking news.

    ¡®Wait, the building copsed?¡¯

    It was dawn, and fortunately, there were no casualties. Although the cause was suspected to be an explosion, the exact reason remained unknown.

    ¡®It hadpletely crumbled!¡¯

    Things had beplicated. The contract had been made, but it was not yetplete. Deok-Gyu had offered thend and the building, and now that building was destroyed. This was an unprecedented situation, and he didn¡¯t know what to do.

    The next day, as he met with Jin-Hyeok, Deok-Gyu hesitantly spoke, ¡°Um¡­ About our contract¡­¡±

    It seemed that Deok-Gyu had to force the contract through, no matter what. Only by selling it somehow could he minimize his loss.

    ¡°Well, I guess I have no choice but to honor the contract. Since I decided to buy it, I decided to just go with it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Strangely, Jin-Hyeok seemed to be in a very good mood.

    ? ? ?

    The news continually reported the explosion incident at the Yeonhui-dong building. Ik-Hwan lightly stroked his chin and smiled faintly.

    ¡®Surely the warning is clear enough,¡¯ Ik-Hwan thought.

    The war had already started. No one could back down now. He no longer underestimated Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I was caught off guard in our first encounter.¡¯

    Who would have expected someone to send a pair of Assassins into the Chairman¡¯s office? But now Ik-Hwan meticulously prepared for everything. Given the situation, he was sure Jin-Hyeok was a dead man.

    ¡®Let¡¯s slowly corner him to his demise.¡¯

    He gathered information about Jin-Hyeok and ordered research institutes in various fields to analyze and research how to neutralize and suppress Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Cha Jin-Hyeok doesn¡¯t seem to care much about the copsed building, sir.¡±

    ¡°Of course. He probably already knows it¡¯s me,¡± Ik-Hwan said.

    A true warrior would not be bothered with such trifles. It looked like Jin-Hyeok had epted the war in his mind.

    ¡°Any other movements?¡±

    ¡°None so far, sir.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s scared? He didn¡¯t seem like the type to be scared, though¡­¡±

    ¡°He is livestreaming with his party as usual. There aren¡¯t any unusual movements. The Assassins are with him too.¡±

    Then it seemed Jin-Hyeok had no intentions of infiltrating Ik-Hwan¡¯s side.

    ¡°Do you think all of this makes any sense?¡± Ik-Hwan said whileughing.

    ¡°Pardon, sir?¡±

    ¡°A building he had just bought copsed yesterday. It¡¯s like a toy you wanted so badly has broken right in front of your eyes. Even children cry and throw tantrums when their toys break.¡±

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s behavior was too far beyond reason. He acted as if the building¡¯s copse meant nothing, merely continuing his y as usual.

    Ik-Hwan could only think of one answer.

    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing. He¡¯s showing that he cannot be shaken by such matters. But that show of strength is evidence that he¡¯s actually shaken. He¡¯s still too young, overestimating himself.¡±

    The reporter remained silent. He had just watched Chul-Soo¡¯s y on Eltube.

    ¡®Chul-Soo seemed to be enjoying his y too much to be considered shaken¡­¡¯ the reporter thought.

    The reporter thought it was because his view differed from the Chairman¡¯s. Of course, that thought was wrong. Jin-Hyeok was genuinely enjoying livestreaming.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move onto the next challenge!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    People often indulge in hobbies to clear their minds. For Jin-Hyeok, livestreaming was just that. Suddenly, he forgot everything else and focused solely on his livestream.

    Thus, the seventy-two-hour timer of the Guardian Tree finally started racing toward zero.

    ¡®It¡¯s somehow been seventy-two hours already.¡¯

    At first, Jin-Hyeok thought he would die of boredom, feeling as if time wouldn¡¯t pass.

    ¡®Just like I thought, having hobbies can have good effects on people¡¯s minds.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok waited at the Yeonhui Intersection for the Guardian Tree to grow. Soon, the ground began to shake. The golden light seeping from the earth deepened.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Something began to protrude bit by bit from the ground.

    ¡®It¡¯s growing!¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok began recording right away. Livestreaming was the most vivid and enjoyable, but there were some precautions to take. Jin-Hyeok always conducted his livestreams from a first-person perspective, and it was possible that he could be revealed as the nter of the Guardian Tree. If that were to be discovered, his other identity, Boiling Comradeship, would also be exposed. Keeping it a secret forever would be difficult, but for now, he had decided that recording was the best way to go.

    ¡°Something is growing!¡±

    A tree trunk shot up in an instant.

    ¡°It grew at an incredible speed!¡±

    It was the Guardian Tree, shining in golden light. In less than three minutes, it grew to a size almost equal to the surrounding street trees, with its branches extending out. Golden and green leaves sprouted abundantly. It was a mini-version of the giant Golden Guardian Tree Jin-Hyeok had seen in the Guardian Tree Dungeon.

    [Young Golden Guardian Tree]

    ¡°Brilliant colorful dust is falling on the ground. It looks mystical and magnificent.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok received a notification that the safe zone setting was still effective. However, that was not all.

    [The protection of the Golden Guardian Tree is bestowed upon the nter ¡¸Kim Chul-Soo¡¹.]

    ¡°Ah, unfortunately, this part won¡¯t make it to the video.¡±

    Editing for his video would require quite a bit of work.

    ¡®Anyway, what¡¯s this protection of the Golden Guardian Tree?¡¯

    [Within the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s domain, the nter is set to ¡¸Non-Attackable¡¹.]

    [This epasses attacks from all living and non-living beings such as monsters, NPCs, and yers, that are below Level 150.]

    ¡®Non-Attackable?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen this setting before.

    [You have acquired the nter¡¯s Record Journal.]

    A small book slowly fell from the Young Golden Guardian Tree.

    [nter¡¯s Record Journal]

    [A journal that automatically records the birth and growth of the Golden Guardian Tree.

    ?2022/7/26: Seed was sown.

    ?2022/7/29: The Young Golden Guardian Tree has grown.]

    Wondering what this was, Jin-Hyeok opened the journal. Several pieces of information were transferred into his mind.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    It was not just this. The nter¡¯s Record Journal also allowed the nter to name up to ten co-growers who could help raise the Guardian Tree. These ten people would also receive the protection of the Guardian Tree, just like the nter.

    Jin-Hyeok wrote down the names of all his family members for now. The setting was applied to his mom, dad, and Cha Jin-Sol.

    ¡®Wow, I can¡¯t believe this works.¡¯

    At least around Yeonhui-dong, it seemed that his family would not be attacked. Although there was no need for this uninteresting setting to apply to Jin-Hyeok as well, it was not a big issue since he could simply go outside Yeonhui-dong if he wanted to be attacked.

    ¡®And my party members.¡¯

    Seo Ji-Ah.

    Seo Ji-Soo.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    Jin-Hyeok wrote down their names as well. As the magnificent tree grew here, people began to flock.

    ¡°Wow, a lot of people areing to see the Guardian Tree.¡±

    Among them, he could sense the presence of the Assassins who had blown up his building a few days ago.

    [You have activated Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.]

    The Assassins were distributed here and here. Some were on top of buildings, and others were hiding behind windows, aiming to snipe Jin-Hyeok. About dozens seemed to have found their hiding spots, attempting to surround Jin-Hyeok.

    Amid this slightmotion, someone whispered in his ear.

    ¡°Follow me quietly.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are already surrounded.¡±

    The voice was chillingly stern. Jin-Hyeok could feel bloodlust around him. They seemed to have prepared quite thoroughly this time.

    From their seamless movements, they appeared to have even recruited a fairlypetent Ruler.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time. Follow me quietly.¡±

    ¡°Is it not allowed to follow noisily? I need to record videos.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled mischievously. Truthfully, in the past seventy-two hours, although Jin-Hyeok had personally found it enjoyable, he didn¡¯t think it was a great y from a livestream perspective.

    From the viewer¡¯s standpoint, it was probably just another mediocre livestream. Jin-Hyeok was about to think about other content to film, but thanks to the Assassins, he had found the content he was looking for.

    ¡®Sweet.¡¯

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94

    As always, Joseph had been keeping up with Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. Every day, he diligently recorded the fluctuations in Likes and the increase and decrease in the number of viewers, studying and analyzing Jin-Hyeok. Joseph thought this was necessary to urately grasp Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s needs and be able to work with him.

    ¡®He must absolutely be a star,¡¯ Joseph thought.

    Kim Chul-Soo was someone born for this. Joseph felt he was born to help him with that, and even began to assemble a party for Chul-Soo. It was a party created to make Chul-Soo a star, and Joseph was currently coordinating efforts with Wang Yu-Mi. Anyway, Joseph continued to monitor Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream trend with an unwavering sense of purpose.

    ¡®The past three days, the number of viewers continues to decrease.¡¯

    Of course, even with the decline, the number of viewers was high. It was an overwhelming number,parable to Egan Paul on the Earth Server.

    ¡®Considering that Egan is using special abilities to inte his viewer count artificially, Chul-Soo is effectively the number one Streamer on the Earth Server.¡¯

    However, what was important to Joseph was not just the numbers. In his eyes, Jin-Hyeok had the natural quality of a true star. And a star of that caliber should notpete with others, but insteadpete with one¡¯s yesterday self and future self.

    ¡®The quality of the content is inconsistent. Right now, it¡¯s too boring. Chul-Soo¡¯s unique characteristic has beenpletely missing in the livestreams for nearly three days. What¡¯s important is not the absolute number of viewers, but the decreasing trend.¡¯

    However, Chul-Soo, in the livestream, did not seem to recognize the problem. This was good for Joseph. If the content quality fluctuated, Jin-Hyeok would eventually have to recognize his own limitations.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    But the situation had changed slightly.

    ¡®The situation itself is producing content for Jin-Hyeok!¡¯

    Since Joseph was viewing from a first-person perspective, he almost entirely knew what Chul-Soo was seeing. Many Assassins were caught by Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. Suddenly, the content became interesting.

    ¡®And it¡¯s not just Assassins.¡¯

    There were other supporting yers and even a tank-ss yer was approaching Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®There are just too many of them.¡¯

    Even Joseph, who was viewing the situation through the screen, felt tense. Someone was speaking quietly to Jin-Hyeok.

    ?Follow me quietly.?

    ?You are already surrounded.?

    In an instant, the viewer count began to skyrocket. The channel¡¯s maximum capacity of twenty thousand viewers was filled to the brim. A cold sweat trickled down Joseph¡¯s back.

    ¡®If Chul-Soo can ovee this¡­ It¡¯s an opportunity of a lifetime.¡¯

    The content was rolling in without Jin-Hyeok even having to try. Joseph considered this luck to be part of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abilities.

    ¡®Just as I thought. He is undeniably a star sent from heaven.¡¯

    With eyes half filled with adoration, Joseph began to focus on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ? ? ?

    Feeling cheerful, Jin-Hyeok grinned and spoke, ¡°I guess Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan must have sent you guys, right? Are you guys in the Milky Way Alliance?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced around. Some flinched, while others pretended not to know what Jin-Hyeok was talking about.

    ¡°I have a feeling that a big battle is about to take ce here. I advise non-yers to please take the utmost care of your safety. If possible, please move away from this area,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was scary how habits persisted. Even though Jin-Hyeok was no longer a public official, nor did he have a duty to warn the public, Jin-Hyeok found himself kindly addressing the citizens without even thinking. Some heeded his words, searching for cover, while most just stood still, gawking at him.

    ¡®Nothing¡¯s changed. As usual.¡¯

    In truth, people never really obeyed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s orders in his past life, either. Even when big incidents happened, they tended to think they wouldn¡¯t get hurt. And when injuries or fatalities urred, they always med Jin-Hyeok, the public official. However, out of courtesy, he warned the citizens again, ¡°I will say it again. It looks like a big battle is about to happe¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t speak any further.

    [You have activated the Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¹.]

    Someone, he didn¡¯t know who, had sniped Jin-Hyeok. He quickly picked up the fallen mana bullet.

    ¡°See? This is a dangerous area. Please leave the premises. I warned you.¡±

    Even after showing evidence and speaking, people merely gazed vacantly. They always listened well when a nefarious viin warned them, but for some reason, they tended not to listen to government officials.

    Jin-Hyeok continued with his livestream.

    ¡°But if I fight here, a lot of innocent civilians will get hurt.¡±

    In the meantime, several more sniping attempts followed, and Jin-Hyeok blocked them all using the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. There was a reason why Jin-Hyeok was using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier despite being in the vicinity to be protected by the Guardian Tree. Firstly, he still had not decided whether to reveal that he was the nter of the Golden Guardian Tree, and secondly, he just felt uneasy.

    ¡®There¡¯s no crazy person who willingly gets shot just because they¡¯re wearing a bulletproof vest!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was willing to get shed, but a bullet was different. The sensation of being shed by a de and getting shot by a gun differed vastly. Jin-Hyeok never liked getting shot at.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to move.¡±

    ¡°Or you could just not attack me. Don¡¯t try to justify yourself after striking first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while shaking his head. He then started to speak to the viewers, ¡°If things escte here, these guys will definitely manipte the media to portray me as the bad guy."

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡®Damn, this is giving me PTSD.¡¯

    Back in the day, Jin-Hyeok really worked hard as a public official, but some journalists and citizens treated him like a terrible viin. They used him of killing a viin who could have been apprehended alive, or that innocent civilians died during his battles with monsters.

    ¡®It pisses me off even thinking about it again. Why don¡¯t they try it themselves?¡¯

    People had no idea how much Jin-Hyeok suffered because of those who, without knowing the actual situation, cried out about human rights. Of course, there were political issues behind the media portraying Jin-Hyeok as a bad guy, but exining that would take too much time.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok often ended up as a victim of media warfare.

    ¡°So far, about twelve bullets have targeted my head,ing from five directions,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Do not move!¡±

    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m livestreaming right now. Just give me a second.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the five directions they were shooting from. Thanks to the protection of the Guardian Tree and the All-Clear Achievement effect, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instincts were amplified beyond words. With his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok could see everywhere, and how and where the opponents were hiding.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you viewers can see it too, right? Oh, there is even Steel Sniper whom we had met before. Judging by the orange and red colored Jobs, it seems those five are from the Pentagram. Their Levels are mostly in thete 50s.¡±

    If there were apetent Ruler on their side, they would be spying on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. Sure enough, the Pentagram members began to rise from their positions one by one. It was a significant advancementpared to thest time when they were just standing idly by.

    ¡°The distance is too far to kill them right now. I will deal with the enemies surrounding me first.¡±

    Then, Jin-Hyeok stabbed the man who was standing next to him. The dagger that the man had hidden fell onto the ground.

    ¡°If you wanted to attempt an assassination, you should have approached without that bloodlust. If that¡¯s too difficult, at least hide the weapon without giving yourself away.¡±

    Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan seemed to have chosen to kill Jin-Hyeok with overwhelming power and strength. Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be easy if they went all out on Jin-Hyeok. After all, having a lot of manpower was considered an asset, and Jin-Hyeok wascking in that aspect.

    ¡°Hey, Healer! You need to treat this man. Otherwise, he¡¯s going to die soon.¡±

    In truth, Jin-Hyeok had intended to kill him because that man had tried to kill Jin-Hyeok first. It was only natural for a person to be prepared to be stabbed when they were about to stab another person.

    But then, a voice brushed past his mind.

    [I wish no life was taken in my domain.]

    It was the desperate voice of a child. Jin-Hyeok reflexively looked toward the Young Golden Guardian Tree. As if the words he had just heard were an illusion, no more voices were heard.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could have dismissed it as a hallucination, but he chose not to. There was no doubt that the Guardian Tree had spoken to Jin-Hyeok.

    Also, Jin-Hyeok was ustomed to capturing enemies without killing them, so he was willing to fulfill the voice¡¯s wish.

    ¡°At this point, my party¡¯s Healer still hasn¡¯te. She had to have seen my livestream,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    This ce was not far from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s home. Since he confirmed that Jin-Sol was at home, she would have rushed here or called if she had seen the livestream.

    ¡°It seems the enemies have moved quite strategically this time.¡±

    They had to have taken Jin-Sol hostage or attacked her. There was a high probability that Ik-Hwan had sent other yers to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members.

    Jin-Hyeok walked among the crowd.

    ¡°Now they¡¯re starting to run away!¡±

    The people didn¡¯t run when he kindly warned them earlier, but they began to flee only after he stabbed a person.

    ¡°The members of the Milky Way Alliance, disguised as the crowd, are eagerly targeting me, and it¡¯s a bit intimidating.¡±

    ¡®Oh wait. I shouldn¡¯t get too excited about livestreaming. Let¡¯s pretend to be scared and intimidated.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had learned itst time about pretending to be scared even if he wasn¡¯t and pretending to be in a crisis even if it was not one. This would enhance the quality and entertainment aspect of his livestream.

    ¡°I¡¯m quite afraid, but I will fight until I fall. Thanks to Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, I can clearly distinguish who is an enemy and who isn''t.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was now a pro.

    ? ? ?

    His name was Lee Jin-Seong and his yer name was Moist Liu Bei.[1]

    Jin-Seong was a skilled yer, ranked seventh in the ruler ss in the Korean Region. He was also a talent scouted by the Milky Way Alliance of the Shinil Group. Despite possessing remarkable skills, he was unable to join the Pentagram due to Ik-Hwan¡¯s unusual love for snipers.

    However, with the failure of the recent attack on Jin-Hyeok, the importance of a Ruler was highlighted, and Jin-Seong was able to rise rapidly as an essential figure of the Alliance.

    ¡®My strategy is perfect,¡¯ Jin-Seong thought.

    He expected some casualties, for he never underestimated Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Jin-Hyeok has mastered the effective usage of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was an ability on apletely different level from other Streamers. Jin-Seoung thought it was appropriate to give it an entirely different name.

    ¡®If Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stamina is good, it¡¯s reasonable to consider the Skill as an invincible barrier that blocks all attacks.¡¯

    Jin-Seong decided that thinking this way was the only way he could capture Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Overall, his actual Level is at least 80.¡¯

    Jin-Seong followed his n as conservatively as possible.

    ¡®It¡¯s better to assume he¡¯s a yer with all abilities overwhelming the top-ranked yer in every ss.¡¯

    This was especially true when it came to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s use of his sword and his use of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡ªthey were exceptional.

    ¡®However, human stamina is not infinite.¡¯

    No matter how resilient a person might be, they eventually tire. Through the screen, Jin-Seong could hear Jin-Hyeok¡¯s breathing bing faster and faster as time went by.

    ¡®Jin-Hyeok values justice and public reputation.¡¯

    That was why Jin-Hyeok was not killing people. In fact, restraining them was much harder than killing them. Thanks to this, Jin-Hyeok seemed to tire more quickly than expected.

    Jin-Seong reported back to Ik-Hwan.

    ¡°Jin-Hyeok will soon realize that he¡¯s running out of stamina and will retreat. The expected retreat routes are these two. Either follow this main road to retreat or bypass this side road. The destination is his house where the Healer, Cha Jin-Sol, is at, or perhaps the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, where he can exert greater power.¡±

    Ik-Hwan nodded approvingly.

    ¡°The Pentagram has moved to the location I designated earlier, pretending to leave their positions. They will hunt the tired Cha Jin-Hyeok there.¡±

    Jin-Seong wanted to tell Jin-Hyeok that no matter how strong he was, he couldn¡¯t do anything alone. Jin-Seong was confident that ultimately, this fight would be the Ruler¡¯s victory.

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok was actually bing exhausted.

    ¡®It¡¯s harder than I thought when I¡¯m outnumbered like this,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    In a disorderly brawl, it might have been different, but Jin-Hyeok could feel that someone had diligently nned this. Little by little, following the main road, Jin-Hyeok retreated as Jin-Seong had orchestrated. Jin-Seong¡¯s n was meticulous, and the intermittently ced traps and yers greatly disrupted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concentration.

    Continuous use of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and Star Shield had significantly dulled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s senses. Steel Sniper sensed the moment of opportunity.

    ¡®It¡¯s time to seek revenge,¡¯ Steel Sniper thought.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head was visible. This happened asionally when the target appeared sorge. In such cases, it was always a direct hit.

    ¡®Bye.¡¯

    Steel Sniper used his most lethal Skill: Hyper-Sonic Mana Bullet.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Hyper-Sonic Mana Bullet¡¹.]

    He knew as soon as he pulled the trigger.

    ¡®It¡¯s a hit!¡¯

    Just as he expected, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t dodge it. Even his prided Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier seemed to have failed.

    ¡®His head must be gone by now.¡¯

    Steel Sniper lowered the barrel of his rifle, filled with a sense of achievement and relief. Variousplex emotions welled up within him.

    Pant. Pant.

    He was supposed to be the hunter, yet he was also exhausted. But then, a voice came from behind.

    ¡°No! No! I¡¯m disappointed in you again!¡±

    It was Jin-Hyeok, wielding the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°Y-You are¡­!¡±

    ¡°You should have confirmed that the target was dead. What are you doing not confirming the kill?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why Steel Sniper kept ignoring these basics. It was true that Jin-Hyeok was a bit tired, but it was by no means a condition where he couldn¡¯t use Star Shield. Jin-Hyeok easily blocked the attack with Stsr Shield at the right timing.

    Jin-Hyeok sighed and swung his Greatsword with an indifferent face.

    sh!

    The Greatsword rushed past the sniper¡¯s head. A few strands of hair were cut off, and Steel Sniper fell on the floor.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Steel Sniper thought.

    Jin-Hyeok had disappeared from his sight.

    ¡°It seems like he still hasn¡¯t learned that in a situation like this, you must run away to gain distance,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers.

    Steel Sniper felt someone grabbing his wrist, followed by a sense of emptiness.

    Blood spurted out.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Steel Sniper no longer had his right hand. His life as a sniper came to an end.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Seong, hiding his bubbling anger, said, ¡°The situation is unfolding exactly as I have designed. With the small sacrifice of Steel Sniper, we will be able to kill him.¡±

    Unaware of what was going on on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, Jin-Seong continued briefing Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan with a sly smile.

    1. Liu Bei was a warlord and the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han. He is most known for his role in the novel ¡®Romance of the Three Kingdoms.¡¯ He was portrayed as a virtuous andpassionate leader. ?

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95

    ¡°This location is an ideal spot for an attack by the rest of the Pentagram members, excluding Steel Sniper,¡± Lee Jin-Seong said.

    He disyed a map of the terrain that he had prepared beforehand.

    ¡°As you can see, three sides out of four of Cha Jin-Hyeok''s location is without any cover, and he is at a lower position than the Pentagram. I have already positioned the four men, and an odorless and colorless nerve paralysis gas, which is heavier than air, has been sprayed around the area. By now, Cha Jin-Hyeok, or rather, Kim Chul-Soo, would be feeling that his body is heavier than usual. He won¡¯t be able to use his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier properly either.¡±

    Choi Ik-Hwan nodded his head with a quite satisfied expression. He felt that he had been ignorant about the y so far.

    ¡®Times have changed,¡¯ Ik-Hwan thought.

    He thought about the y too traditionally. He thought that all he needed was to utilize the snipers well. However, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡°I will assassinate Chul-Soo at yourmand, sir. Everything is ready.¡±

    ¡°You have done well, Jin-Seong.¡±

    ¡°Shall I proceed?¡±

    ¡°You are the one who nned all this, so you should know the answer.¡±

    Jin-Seong nodded.

    ¡®Wow, he¡¯s never going to say kill Jin-Hyeok with his own words¡­¡¯ Jin-Seong thought.

    He ultimately made his judgment and gave the order, ¡°Kill him.¡±

    The four who were already on standby used their respective Assassin Skills toward Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had spread his arms as if he had given up, said, ¡°I believe that honestly recognizing one¡¯s own limitations is the first step toward growth.¡±

    He then let out a cry, as if he had been hit by an attack, and fell to his knees. Soon, a cloud of dust rose around Jin-Hyeok. It was the style difference of the members of the Pentagram. Three of them had the style of a skilled sniper, while the remaining one had a wide-area rapid-fire style.

    Jin-Hyeok, who was now crouching, had a bright idea.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok shook the camera. It was to make the screen shake like a gunfight in a movie.

    ¡®This should make it more realistic, right?¡¯

    Next, he increased the volume. The dust was rising quickly, and his livestream was filled with the relentless sound of gunfire from a submachine gun-type weapon.

    ¡®This looks pretty good!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok deliberately did not speak and justy down, biding his time. The feeling that he was continually growing as a Streamer came with an incredible thrill. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t stop there. Hey downpletely still.

    ¡®Now I look like a corpse!¡¯

    With that, Jin-Hyeok turned his head toward Steel Sniper, ensuring that the man was in his field of view. He deliberately quivered his voice as he spoke to create tension, ¡°Steel Sniper¡­ is also¡­ unable to¡­ move¡­¡±

    This was a poisonous gas Skill used by one of the binding ss yers. Jin-Hyeok had already known what it was because of his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, but he didn¡¯t expressly reveal what he had learned.

    ¡°The Shinil Group¡¯s¡­ Milky Way Alliance¡­ They are¡­ a force that can never be¡­ underestimated¡­ They¡¯re terrifying¡­¡±

    Andst but not least, as the grand finale, Jin-Hyeok closed his eyes, as if he had lost consciousness.

    Lee Jin-Seong¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo appears to have lost consciousness.¡±

    Suddenly, Jin-Seong felt strangely uneasy.

    ¡®Wait, shouldn¡¯t the livestream be cut off if he¡¯s unconscious or dead?¡¯ Jin-Seong thought.

    But the screen had only darkened and the livestream was still ongoing. Perhaps a special setting, such as a dy, was put in ce. As Jin-Seong was mulling over that, Jin-Hyeok started to speak again on his livestream.

    ?I almost died, but luckily I survived.?

    Jin-Seong almost threw his phone on the ground.

    ¡®Luckily? How can luck allow him to get up so unscathed?¡¯

    Jin-Seong gritted his teeth.

    ¡®My n was perfect.¡¯

    He had set up traps far exceeding Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities that he had assessed so far. Chul-Soo should have died here.

    ¡®But how?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice continued toe through.

    ?In fact, I was lucky earlier to receive the protection of the Guardian Tree.?

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Ah, this feels good.¡¯

    Thanks to the enemies pushing Jin-Hyeok to his limits, he found out just how far he could go. This had been excellent training for Jin-Hyeok. He had always thought of realbat to be the best training.

    Jin-Hyeok was so grateful that he thought of paying the enemies for the training.

    ¡°I am not going to think about my defense now.¡±

    To be honest, Jin-Hyeok was a little skeptical, but the protection of the Guardian Tree did its job splendidly. The mana bullets that the Pentagrams fired did not properly reach him and simply disappeared mid-air.

    ¡®The poison gas is useless as well.¡¯

    Everything that could harm him was literally useless. This was not in a realm of blocking attacks, it was closer to the concept of deleting attacks.

    ¡®This feels good.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt very good, thanks to realizing what he could do.

    ¡°I¡¯m also quite exhausted. Now it¡¯s going to be a battle of basics.¡±

    Using Skills or Traits was difficult. Now he just had to move around and fight them. Since he didn¡¯t have to worry about blocking attacks, it was going to be a piece of cake.

    ¡°But what I don¡¯t get is that the enemies are not running away even after their attacks have failed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had taught them several times through his livestreams, but they still didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡®Ah, that¡¯s a bit annoying.¡¯

    He wished they would do their best, just as Jin-Hyeok did his best in the livestream. It was no fun if he caught them too easily.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok approached the one who was closest to him.

    ¡°Level 57. Her yer name is Rainbow Gun.¡±

    She looked to be about 160 centimeters tall. She seemed somewhat familiar, but that wasn¡¯t a particrly important issue.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯te!¡±

    Rainbow Gun fired her gun. Jin-Hyeok habitually ducked slightly to dodge the bullets.

    ¡®Habits can be scary like this.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok straightened his back again.

    ¡®But just walking while getting hit wouldn¡¯t look cool, right? What could make a cool production for my livestream?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok raised his right hand and opened his hand in front of him. Then, he walked slowly toward her. All the bullets fired by Rainbow Gun that touched his right hand disappeared. Jin-Hyeok thought of a cool line to say.

    ¡°The Shooter of the Seven Colors. Your rainbow cannot touch me.¡±

    ¡®Man. That was so cool. But why isn¡¯t she running away?¡¯

    She should desperately try to maintain distance so that it would look cool on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. She seemed to have excellent shooting skills, but her other abilities appeared to becking.

    Swish!

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword toward her right wrist.

    ¡°She won¡¯t be able to use her gun from now on. The next target is over there.¡±

    He continued the livestream as he moved.

    ¡°I heard a voice like a hallucination. The Guardian Tree requested that I refrain from killing within its territory. I¡¯m not sure if that was truly the Guardian Tree¡¯s voice, but it might be the request of a divine tree, so I¡¯mplying.¡±

    ¡®Huh? What the hell?¡¯

    ¡°He¡¯s holding a dagger!¡±

    The sniper discarded his rifle and picked up a dagger. He had to have mastered some special martial arts.

    ¡°I know that the boundaries between Jobs are not clear at low Levels, but still¡­¡±

    ¡®How does this make sense? A sniper wielding a dagger instead of a rifle? Is this right?¡¯

    Swish!

    This time, Jin-Hyeok did not cut the wrist, but the shoulder. It was because the man did not stick to his Job.

    ¡°They¡¯re moving as fast as they can, but their movements are very clumsy.¡±

    Next was 707 Warrior.

    Swish!

    Next was Agency A.

    Swish!

    Jin-Hyeok took care of all the members of the Pentagram.

    ¡°I think the Milky Way Alliance might find it difficult to recover after the battle. Also, I have something to say to the Ruler of the Alliance and Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan, who may be watching this livestream.¡±

    He took a pause, then slowly continued to speak.

    ¡°If you ask me who is scarier between an Assassin and a Thief, I would undoubtedly choose the Thief.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The sh between Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party and the Milky Way Alliance had be a significant societal issue.

    -Battles between yers. How far can we allow this to happen?

    -24 non-yers were injured during the incident.

    The Shinil Group systematically guided public opinion in their favor.

    -I heard Kim Chul-Soo deliberately used civilians as shields.

    ©»Really?

    ©»If that¡¯s true, he¡¯s a piece of trash.

    ©»Yeah, that¡¯s why the Milky Way Alliance couldn¡¯t attack him properly.

    -I heard that Chul-Soo fought deliberately to get good content for his livestream, and many civilians were seriously injured because of that

    ©»No wonder he looked so cool on the livestream.

    ©»It seems like he hid among the non-yers and fought cowardly.

    -But wasn¡¯t the first attackunched by the Milky Way Alliance?

    ©»No, Chul-Soo killed the grandson of the Shinil Group¡¯s Chairman first.

    ©»Wow, really?

    ©»It¡¯s disgusting that such people, who would have been punished for murder in the past, unt themselves as popr Streamers.

    Cha Jin-Sol was exasperatedly surfing around various onlinemunities and the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    ¡°This is too organized! Whenever a post criticizing Oppa appears, it suddenly gets lots of upvotes and bes a trending post!¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that surprising.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was unperturbed. A few hourster, he started his livestream.

    ¡°What I have in my hand is the Shinil Group¡¯s operation n. You see, outstanding Rulers usually devise meticulous ns, document them, and keep physical files.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew very well about the habits of Rulers.

    ¡°To me, the swordsmanship diary¡­ no, the livestream diary is an enormous asset and treasure, and it¡¯s the same for the Rulers.¡±

    Song Ha-Young had stolen this. In it were details about using civilians (non-yers) as shields or obstacles to kill Kim Chul-Soo, along with information rted to the use of biological weapons. It even detailed how to respond if civilians were affected by the biological weapons. Everything was designed to ce all the me on Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I bet the Milky Way Alliance will probably say that this file is also fabricated.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not really going to care about that.¡±

    No matter how many good and kind deeds one did, there would always be haters. Worrying about every single one would prevent Jin-Hyeok from fully enjoying his y.

    ¡°Ah, also I have captured Moist Liu Bei, who drafted this n.¡±

    The Shinil Group was such a fool. They should have protected their Ruler instead of Choi Ik-Hwan. Overall, their skills were no match to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I will conduct an interview.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had a conversation with Moist Liu Bei, whose real name was Lee Jin-Seong. He testified that they really intended to kill Kim Chul-Soo and all of his party members.

    ¡°I will end today¡¯s livestream here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream caused quite a stir.

    -So ording to that livestream, didn¡¯t the Milky Way Alliance n all of this and try to me Chul-Soo?

    -There was also something about poisonous gas being released in the rey of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ©»That video is probably manipted. Chul-Soo is the number one Streamer in the unofficial ranking. I¡¯m sure he has the skills to do it.

    ©»Manipted my ass.

    ©»Chul-Soo didn¡¯t even edit the video, and it¡¯s from the livestream. How can you im it¡¯s manipted?

    ©»Are you working for the Shinil Group? You¡¯re disgusting! LOL

    ©»The Group should fire these people. They¡¯re not making any sense at all!

    Later, Jin-Seongmitted suicide, leaving a note that read, ¡°I thought I was ying better than Kim Chul-Soo. But I was merely a jester to him. As a Ruler, I have beenpletely defeated. I have no confidence to ovee this sense of defeat.¡±

    The incident escted rapidly. The name Kim Chul-Soo became an enormous issue and everyone knew who he was. The fact that the identities of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s party were all fake became known, and there were people trying to find out their real faces.

    ¡®I knew it woulde to this eventually,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The Deceiver¡¯s Mask had its limits, and he knew long ago that it was hard to keep his fake identity aplete secret due to the nature of a Streamer¡¯s Job.

    ¡®Bing too famous might now be the best idea¡­¡¯

    It was a little different from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s initial n. He smiled.

    ¡®But why do I feel so good?¡¯

    The title of being number one in the unofficial world ranking was pleasant to hear, and receiving the attention of many people wasn¡¯t such a bad feeling.

    ¡®I might be a bit of an attention whore¡­¡¯

    He had faintly sensed this before his regression, but at that time, he was so devoted to being a Swordsman that he never really thought about it.

    However, as he grew as a Streamer, Jin-Hyeok came to know himself better.

    ¡®Well, I¡¯m still safe for now.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok considered his poprity to be that of a promising ser yer from some ind country. He judged that he was not yet significant enough for the yer Hunters or the real powers to eye him. It all pleased him in many ways.

    ¡®And the other party members did their part, too.¡¯

    None of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members had lost to the Milky Way Alliance. That also made him feel good.

    Meanwhile, the inte was still aze. The issue had transcended the simple theme of the war between Cha Jin-Hyeok and Choi Ik-Hwan and had expanded into a social issue. It was like a transitional period before entering the new era of civilization. A social consensus was needed.

    -yers should also be required to have moral values.

    -How long must crime be condoned?

    -Under the guise of y, many people are being killed or injured.

    Things that couldn¡¯t have happened just a few months ago were now urring frequently, and the public authority had been greatly weakened.

    -In Europe, they say there¡¯s already some agreement between the yers and the civilians.

    Europe was the quickest to do something about this. They had established their own rules and were quickly finding stability. Swiftly, they created the European yer Union (EPU). And centered around the EPU, they were in the process of building a rtively mature ying culture.

    -Do you think that could happen in this shitty-ass country? Do you know how many serious crimes like rape and murder urred just yesterday?

    ©»How many?

    ©»Well, I don¡¯t know the exact number, you idiot.

    -Korea is just totally screwed. If you have other opinions, you¡¯re probably right.

    ©»2222

    ©»3333

    However, there were also certainly heartwarming stories of yers using their powers to save civilians in danger.

    -Japan is shocked, and America is amazed by the level of Korean yers!

    -Korean yers who have plunged the world into a sea of emotion with their good deeds.

    -China is jealous, and Europe envies Korea¡¯s ying culture!

    -An era of the new civilization where light and darkness coexist.

    The world was entering a new era. Jin-Hyeok epted this natural flow and enjoyed his rest. After searching for other posts about Kim Chul-Soo on various websites and finding nothing more to see, he logged onto the Korean Region Minor Gallery. The talk of Chul-Soo on the KRMG satisfied Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    -©¸?©´But honestly, isn¡¯t Kim Chul-Soo a great person?

    That was the title of the post. Both the title of the post and the post itself were in bold, proof that it was posted by one of the Named users of the KRMG.

    -The Shinil Group tried to kill Chul-Soo, but he just inflicted injuries and left it at that. Honestly, that Guardian Tree hallucination excuse seems to be fake, and I think Chul-Soo showed the aspect of a great person. Chul-Soo¡¯s caliber and ability were too overwhelming! The Ruler who felt an insurmountable wall between him and Chul-Soo eventually¡­ I¡¯ll stop here! Bye~ >_<?

    What Jin-Hyeok focused on wasn¡¯t the content of the post.

    [Written by: KingGodGeneral Yumi]

    KingGodGeneral Yumi.

    Upon confirming the username, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand began to tremble.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96

    KingGodGeneral Yumi was a person who wouldter be scouted as the team leader of the Future Strategy Team, one of the teams that cooperated with Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party. The name of the team was grand, but she was just in charge of public rtions and how Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party was perceived by the public.

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok and his party members, as yers affiliated with the government, were surrounded by much criticism and were involved in quite a few incidents. Whenever that happened, KingGodGeneral Yumi led the so-called Future Strategy Team to carry out various operations.

    ¡®I hadpletely forgotten about this woman.¡¯

    Her real name was Wang Yu-Mi, and she was a master of image-making and story nning.

    Jin-Hyeok was never afraid of dangerous monsters or viins, but Yu-Mi was a little frightening to him.

    To Jin-Hyeok, Yu-Mi was like an unavoidable disaster.

    ¡®Did I intentionally forget about her, or did I justpletely forget she existed?¡¯

    After the regression, Jin-Hyeok never once thought of Wang Yu-Mi. It felt as though someone had carved away his memories rted to Yu-Mi with a knife. Either consciously or unconsciously, it seemed Jin-Hyeok refused to remember her at all.

    ¡®Whenever I think about that time¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok shivered. He tried to push the memories rted to Wang Yu-Mi to the back of his mind, but it was toote. Now that he remembered her, the memories came flooding back,

    ¡°Seven civilians died. Criticism will surely boil over again,¡± Yu-Mi said to Jin-Hyeok.

    It was only natural for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party to receive criticism. If they did well, no one noticed, but if not, they were scolded by the public. The person who changed that kind of situation was Yu-Mi.

    ¡°We need to create our own universe.¡±

    Then at some point, a hypothetical universe was implemented to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party. When he first heard of this universe, he nearly threw up.

    ¡°The basic point of creating our own universe is to empathize through hope and be one through y.¡±

    If it was just this much, Jin-Hyeok could''ve understood and epted it, but she didn''t stop and kept going.

    ¡°Let¡¯s set it up so that we are yers that are not humans. New divine beings who have flown in a spaceship from an unknown world.¡±

    Yu-Mi suddenly set the members up as new divine beings from an unknown world. She said something about this Great Will that had existed since the beginning of time¡­ It was a story that began along those lines, and it was quite an intricately woven narrative.

    To be honest, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t remember it well.

    ¡®By the way, what was I again? Ah, yes. I was in charge of eclipses or something. A divine being that became a legend¡­ or something.¡¯

    ¡°Jin-Hyeok is the most handsome, and his skills are beyond words. He is perfect for generating numerous fans, but it can also be a bit exhausting and dangerous.¡±

    Yu-Mi¡¯s mouth watered every time she looked at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°So sensual and sexy¡­¡±

    There was always madness in her eyes.

    Through her work, Jin-Hyeok became a part of the universe she had created. He was a sacred someone who asionally gifted darkness, or an eclipse, to the world.

    ¡®Ah, now I remember the exact name. I was the Moon King of the Ashen World.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone who looks good in red lipstick like you, Jin-Hyeok. Trust me, you look beautiful!¡±

    That was the most terrifying thing for Jin-Hyeok. He still could not understand why a yer wielding a sword had to apply lipstick. However, he was also a yer affiliated with the National Intelligence Service at that time, and he had toply when ordered from above.

    ¡°Do you feel your poprity now, Jin-Hyeok?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, who was considerably tormented by Yu-Mi, just epted it as his fate. She also said something about his fan clubs spreading all over the world.

    Jin-Hyeok was the Moon King of the Ashen World, and his fans were called something else.

    ¡®Ah, I remember this too.¡¯

    They were called the Moon Army, or Marmy, for short. Jin-Hyeok remembered there were many incidents because he had so many extreme fans.

    ¡®The makeup¡­ the scripts¡­ I had to do all of that because the higher-ups told me to¡­¡¯

    Yu-Mi had said that these things were necessary for the party. She said something about howmunication with the public was essential in these times.

    For reference, Kim Jeong-Hyeon was the lyrical poet who sang Songs of the Grass, and Choi Gang-Byeok was the chief of the sturdy Rock Giants. For some reason, Kang Mi-Na was the Girl of mes from the of Fire, and Han Sae-Rin was remembered as a goddess or something lost in narcissism.

    It was so cringy that Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡®I eventually dered that I wanted out of this shenanigans.¡¯

    After some time, Jin-Hyeok said he would no longer cooperate with Yu-Mi. When he said that, Yu-Mi craftily modified his character.

    Heter learned that he was no longer the Moon King of the Ashen World and had transformed into a haughty and aloof Moon Emperor who didn¡¯t care about anything other than y.

    ¡°Hehe. The Marmy fans love this concept even more!¡±

    She would even raise her hands and shout things in a dark room.

    ¡°The Moon Emperor hasmanded silence! People entranced by the beauty of darkness, obey the lunar decree! HAHAHAHA!¡±

    After that day, Jin-Hyeok avoided Yu-Mi.

    Anyway, seeing the name KingGodGeneral Yumi, the bad memories started to bubble up inside Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I must never get involved with her.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    ¡®I wonder what Mystery Box is up to these days.¡¯

    As y became more popr, and the SSP and Eltube integration took off, countless Streamer channels wereunched. In Korea, BonjourTV was ranked first, with MiNaTV close on its heels.

    ¡®Buy why isn¡¯t Mystery Box on the Ranking Board?¡¯

    As far as Jin-Hyeok could recall, Mystery Box consistently maintained a position around third ce. However, his name was missing from the Ranking Board.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­¡¯

    Upon searching on Eltube, he found that Mystery Box had uploaded several first-person perspective videos in May. Jin-Hyeok had pressed the subscription and the notification button, but Mystery Box¡¯s channel had been quiet since then.

    ¡®Is he not ying anymore?¡¯

    That seemed unlikely. Just then, Mystery Box¡¯s videos were uploaded.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The concept was strange. Even the name of the video category was Stalking Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡®What is he trying to do?¡¯

    A few dayster, Jin-Hyeok could see what kind of livestream Mystery Box was doing.

    He was livestreaming about Jin-Hyeok.

    It seemed like he had gained some permission to post Jin-Hyeok¡¯s y on Eltube.

    ¡®A livestream about my y?¡¯

    Previously, Mystery Box had been a first-person Streamer producing on-foot content, but now he was just sitting in his studio, talking.

    Jin-Hyeok soon figured out Mystery Box¡¯s tactics.

    ¡®The viewer numbers are higher than I thought.¡¯

    Watching a few videos, Jin-Hyeok noticed how active Mystery Box¡¯s chat was. During the scene where Jin-Hyeok was confronting the Bodiless One andmitted suicide, a torrent of chat messages poured in.

    -LOL. Hemitted suicide right there! Haha!

    -WTF! Lol. This is amazing!

    -? This is so easy. I tried the Tutorial Field after watching this.

    Mystery Box cleverly pinned some of the chat messages. This enabled ament feature on the selected chats, simr to a forum. It was a system Jin-Hyeok had not seen with other Streamers.

    [*Feel free to leave yourments. *Excessive attacks/profanity may be deleted without notice. * Please refrain from political/hate speech. *Excessive hatements may lead to being cklisted.]

    [

    Anonymous:? This is so easy. I tried the Tutorial Field after watching this.]</pinned>

    ©»AKA, just tried.

    ©»AKA, just shouting in pain after stabbing himself.

    ©»AKA, can¡¯t evenmit suicide.

    ©»AKA, just being invincible. LOL!

    There were manyments mocking Real Man.

    After Jin-Hyeok showed himselfmitting suicide on his livestream, a few Streamers tried to do the same thing.

    ¡®Strangely, they all seemed to have a hard time dying.¡¯

    No one was stopping them, and there were no monsters hindering them either. Even the resurrection setting was tantly activated. If they properly stabbed themselves, they could die easily, but everyone failed. Jin-Hyeok could not understand why.

    They just needed to stab themselves well in one blow for instant death. If they half-assed it, it only hurt, and they wouldn¡¯t die, but most of the Streamers Jin-Hyeok saw didn¡¯t instantly die.

    [Real Man: I¡¯m serious! I can show you my video as evidence!]

    In his livestream, Mystery Box received a video from the viewer and shared it on the screen. The video seemed a bit odd and the other viewers knew what was wrong with it.

    ©»Hahahahaha! Did he really put 1.8x speed on the video? LOL

    ©»Even with the increased speed, he¡¯s slower than Kim Chul-Soo! What a fail! Haha!

    ©»Getting stabbed at 1.8x speed but still lost to Chul-Soo. LOL

    Some even broke down the video frame by frame to create a meme topare with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video.

    ©» I just made aparison meme of Kim Chul-Soo and Real Man¡¯s suicide.

    ©» LOL! LOL! LOL!

    ¡®They made a meme so quickly and uploaded it!¡¯

    Compared to Jin-Hyeok''s, Real Man¡¯s act ofmitting suicide looked quite clumsy.

    ©»Please bring out the next loser! LOL

    ©»Stop teasing, hahaha! He might cry!

    Jin-Hyeok also smiled at thements. It wasn¡¯t that funny, but the viewers were having fun teasing Real Man.

    ¡®This is¡­ sort of fun.¡¯

    It felt like the viewers were kids visiting an amusement park called Mystery Box. Somehow, watching that was entertaining for Jin-Hyeok too.

    Suddenly, during the livestream, there was a sound of coins jingling. It was the sound effect for a donation.

    [_Roundy has donated 1,000 won.]

    An electronic voice read out _Roundy''s message.

    [_Roundy: I want to see Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes in the third person perspective. He seems like a real madman.]

    Reading thatment, Mystery Box responded.

    ?Hey, Roundy, do you really think we can describe that as madness? It is more than that. His madness is something beyond dimensions of insanity, something miraculous and sacred from a realm beyond. Let¡¯s not spheme Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s divine status.?

    ¡®What the heck is he trying to say? Wait a minute, there¡¯s something strangely off about his livestream.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok continued to watch Mystery Box¡¯s livestream as if he was mesmerized by something.

    ¡®I wonder if this works.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance on Mystery Box¡¯s livestream. His livestream was within the realm of y, so Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance should be able to see what was going on.

    ¡®He¡¯s using something like the Deceiver¡¯s Mask.¡¯

    Mystery Box was hiding his real face too. It was difficult for Jin-Hyeok to find out about Mystery Box¡¯s real face, and he spent hours watching Mystery Box¡¯s livestream, trying to grasp his true form. As Jin-Hyeok continued to look, something caught his eye.

    ¡®Wait a minute. Why does he seem so familiar?¡¯

    It seemed Jin-Hyeok was on the verge of finding out.

    After a few more hours, Jin-Hyeok was finally able to see Mystery Box¡¯s true face.

    ¡®KingGodGeneral¡­ I mean, Wang Yu-Mi?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could faintly see Yu-Mi¡¯s face from Mystery Box, who was hosting the livestream.

    ¡®But wait¡­ Why is she¡­¡¯

    But then, thinking back, there were some hints that suddenly fit together like a puzzle. In Jin-Hyeok''s past life, Mystery Box had retired rtively early, and around the same time, Wang Yu-Mi had joined the team that supported Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party.

    ¡®So Mystery Box was actually Wang Yu-Mi?¡¯

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had done some digging into Mystery Box during his United Nations Security Council days, but back then, Mystery Box''s supposedly real identity was under a different name, and was even a male.

    ¡®Could it be¡­?¡¯

    A theory formed in his mind.

    ¡®Mystery Box must have had a Mystery like Multiple Lives or Second Identity. Perhaps it was a higher-grade Mystery, one at the level of Multiple Lives!¡¯

    That was why Mystery Box concealed her identity so thoroughly while she was active, and only after bing an owner of a building did she join Jin-Hyeok¡¯s support team in her true form.

    ¡®No wonder she knew the yers so well.¡¯

    So it seemed Yu-Mi retired from being a Streamer and enjoyed what she loved doing, ying with Jin-Hyeok and other members like dolls.

    Then something else urred to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®The Lonely Moon Emperor souvenir series¡­¡¯

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life, Yu-Mi had made T-shirts with his face on them, and even pillowcases and nkets. There were even life-sized dolls of Jin-Hyeok that were sold out in seconds.

    Thanks to this, Yu-Mi was said to be really rich. Jin-Hyeok also made a lot of money but never paid attention since his only concern then was bing stronger. Even in this timeline, it seemed Yu-Mi was still making money by selling Jin-Hyeok.

    The sound of coins jingling continued as donations were stilling in.

    ¡®Selling me again and bing rich, are you? Hm¡­ Hold on¡­ This is starting to irk me. But I can just activate my chat settings and be done with it, right?¡¯

    The reason Yu-Mi¡¯s livestream could thrive was that Jin-Hyeok had notmunicated at all on his livestream. Jin-Hyeok realized he should activate his chat window on his livestream

    ¡®But ying andmunicating with viewers at the same time, like her, is impossible for me.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt he was stillcking as a Streamer when he met the Masked Sage.

    ¡®Should I just open the chat window and not talk to the viewers?¡¯

    That would mean the viewers would have no reason to watch Yu-Mi¡¯s livestream.

    ¡®If the viewers can chat in my livestream, Yu-Mi will naturally have to give up content rted to me. Then I can get rid of her once and for all!¡¯

    The next day, Jin-Hyeok started his livestream.

    [Would you like enable your ¡¸Chat ON¡¹ setting?]

    [¡¸Chat ON¡¹ setting will be enabled.]

    For the first time, Jin-Hyeok opened the chat window.

    -Devils: Huh? What¡¯s going on?

    -MyTails: Why is the chat working?

    -Anonymous: ???

    -HelloWorld: This is really happening?

    -AngelinaJelly: THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!

    It seemed that the viewers marked in bold were those who had given donations to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel.

    -FeelsGood: Hmm? What¡¯s with the chat window?

    -PigRun: ?????

    -BangBang: ???????

    As the chat window became chaotic, Jin-Hyeok felt something prick in his head. An indescribable ominous feeling washed over him. Reflexively, he froze the chat window again.

    ¡®What is this feeling?¡¯

    It felt like he had opened Pandora¡¯s box that shouldn¡¯t have been opened. As he briefly examined the chat window that had gone wild, he discovered something unbelievable.

    ¡®What¡­ is this?¡¯

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97

    [You have received a secret message. (30)]

    This was not an ordinary chat message, nor was it the bolded chat message of a donor.

    It was something entirely new.

    (30)

    (29)

    (28)

    The number decreased by one with each passing second. It was most likely a countdown.

    Putting aside the fact that this was a form of chat that Cha Jin-Hyeok had never seen before¡­

    [Sender: KingGodGeneral Yumi]

    The sender was none other than Wang Yu-Mi. Jin-Hyeok had no clear understanding of what the situation was. It was bewildering, but he had to pull himself together.

    ¡®I¡¯m a professional Streamer.¡¯

    This, too, was part of the content. He had to deal with this unexpected situation and create enjoyable content.

    ¡°I just received a type of message that I have never seen before. It¡¯s also underlined! The sender is KingGodGeneral Yumi. It looks like it will automatically open in ten seconds. I will go ahead and open it.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok selected the underlined message with his eyes, the actual hidden message began to appear. Like after a donation, the electronic voice read the message out loud.

    [¡°Hello! I¡¯m the Storyteller, KingGodGeneral Yumi, and my yer name is Mystery Box. You might not know me, but we have a lot to talk about! >_< Let¡¯s meet! I¡¯ll treat you to an iced chocte!¡±]

    Though it was clearly the electronic voice, it seemed like Jin-Hyeok could hear Yu-Mi¡¯s actual voice.

    ¡®That darn iced chocte.¡¯

    Come to think of it, Yu-Mi would have two sses of iced chocte every single day.

    But then, suddenly, a notification popped up.

    [The Storyteller¡¯s Trait ¡¸Forced Connection¡¹ has been applied.]

    At the same time¡­

    [The livestream transmission is not smooth.]

    Literally, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream was not transmitting properly. In a panic, he checked Eltube and found his livestream wasgging. It was impossible to continue to livestream in this state.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    He was genuinely furious at that moment. Had Yu-Mi been in front of him, there would have been serious trouble.

    ¡®How dare she ruin my livestream?¡¯

    The electronic voice sounded again, along with a notification.

    [¡°See you soon. >_< Bye~¡±]

    The notifications about his livestream kept popping up one after another.

    [The livestream transmission is not smooth.]

    [The livestream transmission is not smooth.]

    Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to end the livestream. It would be better not to livestream at all than do it in this state. Without realizing it, he found himself angrily reciting Yu-Mi¡¯s yer name.

    ¡°King. God. General. Yumi¡­!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what she was up to. Nor did he know how she could do such a thing to his livestream.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let this go.¡±

    As he cooled his anger and returned home, an astonishing scene unfolded.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Yu-Mi was sitting on his sofa! Jin-Hyeok wanted to rush over and grab her by her cor, but that wasn¡¯t so easy to do.

    ¡°Oh, Jin-Hyeok, you¡¯re home!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother was preparing tea and fruit to wee the guest, and next to Yu-Mi, Cha Jin-Sol was seated. She wasn¡¯t just sitting. She was even leaningfortably with her arms linked to Yu-Mi¡¯s arm as if they were close friends.

    ¡®I need to keep calm.¡¯

    It felt like this was the hardest thing to do since Jin-Hyeok started ying.

    ¡°Oppa,e over and sit down!¡±

    ¡°Okay, but who the hell is that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was also curious.

    ¡®Why on earth is Yu-Mi in my house?¡¯

    ¡°Why are you being so rude, Oppa? You shouldn¡¯t say things like that.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Yu-Mi stood up from the sofa.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, I am Wang Yu-Mi.¡±

    ¡°I know. KingGodGeneral Yumi.¡±

    ¡°You already figured it out?¡±

    Yu-Mi covered her mouth andughed with her eyes forming crescent moons. Jin-Hyeok almost poked her eyes out.

    ¡°Why are you two together?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t I tell you? I told you about a senior at work who helped and looked after me a lot when I first joined thepany.¡±

    Come to think of it, Jin-Hyeok seemed to remember hearing something like that over the phone. Jin-Sol said that she was very thankful or something.

    Thanks to that senior, Jin-Sol was able to blend into thepany.

    ¡°So¡­ that senior is Wang Yu-Mi?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I really like her!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    This was something Jin-Hyeok did not know in his previous life.

    Yu-Mi wasughing heartily.

    ¡°We have a lot to talk about, don¡¯t we?¡±

    Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes were extraordinarily bright.

    ¡®I¡¯ve seen those eyes before.¡¯

    As his anger subsided a little, he began to see new things.

    ¡®Whenever Yu-Mi showed those eyes, she always gave me solutions to my problems and I ultimately benefited a lot from that.¡¯

    Along with the Support Team, Yu-Mi was an absolutely indispensable being to Jin-Hyeok in his previous life. Setting aside their personal differences, it was an undeniable fact that she had been of great help.

    ¡®What does she want to talk about?¡¯

    Yu-Mi began to speak.

    ? ? ?

    Yu-Mi spilled the words without a pause.

    ¡°The quality of the livestream you¡¯re doing makesmunication with the public difficult. Therefore, coboration with a contracted Storyteller is essential.¡±

    In essence, Yu-Mi wanted to handle public interaction while broadcasting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°Of course, you can refuse my proposal if you want.¡±

    Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes were tinged with madness, flickering wildly.

    ¡°I will proceed with my duties as a yer. I believe that no one has the right to force anything on my y.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you were disturbing my y.¡±

    ¡®My livestream transmission is still not smooth.¡¯

    It was the first time Jin-Hyeok had seen something like this from the System.

    ¡°That¡¯s part of my y. If you were an outstanding yer, shouldn¡¯t you have stopped my y with your y?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Wow! Quick to admit! So cool, hehe!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m not saying that I will broadcast your livestream for free. We will have to make a System contract, and I would have to pay a reasonable fee.¡±

    Yu-Mi handed him a piece of paper.

    ¡®A System contract?¡¯

    This was not created by a person. It probably was a Job item that she acquired when she became a Storyteller.

    ¡°As you can see, ny-nine percent of the donation that I will receive will be yours. The umted donations until now are around thirty million Dias. If you sign the contract, the future donations will be automatically sent on the first day of every month.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at her.

    ¡°Ny-nine percent?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ny-nine percent.¡±

    Ny-nine percent was almost the same as one hundred percent. She was willing to give him all the profits she made.

    ¡®She hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯

    It had always been like this. Yu-Mi was never really interested in her tangible gains, probably because she had set up her retirement funds when she was Mystery Box. She did not care about profits; she wholly devoted herself to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s NIS party so that they would thrive. Her motivation seemed to lie there.

    As Jin-Hyeok had thought in his past life, while the direction of her y did not align with his, it was undeniable that she was passionate about her work and was a massive help to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party.

    ¡®So, money doesn¡¯t matter to her.¡¯

    She seemed to want to enjoy her work as a Storyteller. What did revenue matter when a yer was indulging in a hobby that was thrilling beyond imagination?

    Jin-Hyeok looked into Yu-Mi¡¯s still-mad eyes.

    ¡®That look¡­ I hate that I like it.¡¯

    While mentally tormenting Jin-Hyeok, those eyes promised numerous benefits. The Wang Yu-Mi that Jin-Hyeok was annoyingly familiar with from his previous life, like a warm iced Americano, was here in front of him.

    ¡°My main content ismunication with viewers, centered on you, Jin-Hyeok. It¡¯s kind of like a yground!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°My livestream is amunication yground. However, it will never catch up to your livestream! Hehe!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I cannot fully capture the excitement and tension unique to your first-person perspective livestream as a Storyteller! Ultimately, my livestream will only serve to enrich your livestream. Because your livestream is so superior and beautiful!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a subtle, yetplicated emotion. Although this Wang Yu-Mi was undoubtedly different from the one in his previous life, he kept seeing the two ovep.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t think like this¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reason protested against joining hands with Yu-Mi.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t. I shouldn¡¯t. I shouldn¡¯t. I should. I should. I should.''

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instinct insisted that he had to join hands with her.

    It was as if somebody was whispering in his ear.

    ¡®With Yu-Mi, you can grow to even greater heights. Don¡¯t you want to climb higher? Yu-Mi will make that possible. You¡¯ve experienced how good she was in your previous life!¡¯

    ¡°And Jin-Sol said her Oppa was really handsome, you know?¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°Unnie!¡±

    ¡°Considering you two are brothers and sisters, I thought Jin-Sol was hit in the head or something, but seeing you personally, I can see why Jin-Sol would say that.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this handsome. I can understand why a blood rtive calls you handsome.¡±

    ¡®Why are those eyes looking more vacant and chaotic?¡¯

    ¡°You remind me, for some reason, of a moon rising high and cold at dawn.¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I can do another Moon Emperor thing in this lifetime¡­¡¯

    Yu-Mi covered her mouth with her hand and keptughing.

    ¡®I don¡¯t like where this is going¡­ But why do I feel so excited? Can I grow even more?¡¯

    ? ? ?

    In a coffee shop in downtown Seoul, Yu-Mi met someone after finalizing the contract.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t know he would be that different,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°Right?¡±

    Her counterpart was arge foreigner named Joseph. He was Yu-Mi¡¯s investor and manager, and together they had built an exclusive partnership. Joseph took care of the financial and administrative support, allowing the Storyteller, Wang Yu-Mi, to concentrate solely on her y.

    ¡°When I met him, I knew for sure. It was strange. Jin-Hyeok seems to want to grow higher than anyone else, but at the same time, it feels like he¡¯s shackling himself with bizarre self-imposed restrictions.¡±

    ¡°I felt the same way. He¡¯s suppressing himself, as if afraid of something unknown.¡±

    Joseph stroked his chin thoughtfully.

    ¡°But a person can never go against thew of nature. There wille a day when Jin-Hyeok breaks his own restrictions and takes flight.¡±

    ¡°Like a salmon returning home?¡±

    They looked at each other andughed together. Their bright smiles made them look as affectionate as a loving couple.

    ¡°We must prepare and wait for that day. When he spreads his wings, we must help him so that he can ascend more effortlessly.¡±

    It felt like they were born to do so.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. When he eventually breaks out of his own shell, we must take good care of him so that he isn¡¯t confused. After all, he is someone who must shine.¡±

    ¡°Huhuhu. Le¡¯ts pave the way for him."

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to have met a kindred spirit. Cheers.¡±

    ¡°Cheers.¡±

    One sipped espresso, and the other gulped down an iced chocte.

    ? ? ?

    The Young Golden Guardian Tree began to attract the attention of the public. Information about what the Guardian Tree was started to be released from the SSP and the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    [Moreover, the Golden Guardian Tree is an incredibly rare Guardian Tree, one of the few across all Servers. Considering that such a Guardian Tree has grown during the Open Beta service, perhaps the Great Will (*a term epassing everything that governs the System¡¯s order) is bestowing significant protection upon the Earth Server. Although it is still a young Golden Guardian Tree now, if it grows well in the proper environment, it will undoubtedly be a blessing like no other for Earth.

    *Written By: Encyclopedia]

    Numerous offers also came to Jin-Hyeok, who owned a building right in front of it.

    ¡ªThey are offering twenty billion won for the building. How about selling the building?

    The value of the building Jin-Hyeok bought for eight billion was now twenty billion won.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m not selling. If you contact me again, I am going to block you.¡±

    The spotlight poured onto Yeonhui-dong in the news and various onlinemunities. The house where Jin-Hyeok and his family stayed soared to eight billion won in price. It was an unprecedented surge.

    Before long, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s worth reached over thirty billion. As a person who became wealthy in a short amount of time, Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin.

    ¡®The Guardian Tree grew too fast, much faster than I expected.¡¯

    If the timing was just a littleter, bing a building owner in Yeonhui-dong would have been much harder.

    ¡®Ah¡­ I should¡¯ve bought it a bitter.¡¯

    If Jin-Hyeok tried to purchase the buildingter, it would¡¯ve been very difficult. Retiring from ying wouldn¡¯t even have crossed his mind.

    However, having fulfilled half his dreams, he was now at a stage where he had to consider retirement. Jin-Hyeok felt a little down. It was as if thest legitimate excuse he had not to retire had disappeared. For now, remodeling was underway on the building that had copsed before. Unfortunately(?), it seemed doable with the money he had.

    ¡°What did you say? Building permissions have be overlyplicated and challenging?¡±

    Various administrative regtions started to be implemented as Yeonhui-dong began to attract too much attention. The government officials didn''t seem to like any change happening in Yeonhui-dong.

    Jin-Hyeok began to feel a little happier.

    ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s okay. I guess it can¡¯t be helped. I spent so much money on it, but I can¡¯t even rent it out.¡±

    It couldn¡¯t be helped. No rent meant he could only focus on his y. He also thought it would be nice to have a building in his parents¡¯ names.

    ¡®It would be a great sixtieth birthday gift to give my parents a building in Yeonhui-dong, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯

    That would mean ying for a long time. Retirement seemed to be pushed back even further.

    ¡®Ah, what a shame.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood lifted slightly more. That was until just before he received a call from Maria, who was from the National Intelligence Service and referred to as Mother.

    ¡ªTherefore¡­ we are proposing¡­ If you ept this proposal, we will help facilitate various administrative procedures that are currently troubling you, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Administrative procedures?¡±

    ¡ªI understand that the building permit has been halted. How frustrated must you be? I can help with that. You will be able to begin the renovation work right away. How about it? It¡¯s a good offer, isn¡¯t it?

    Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    ¡®...She¡¯s pissing me off.¡¯

    He took a breath and asked again, ¡°Please tell me again. What do you want me to do?¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98

    Externally, Maria was the Vice Minister of the Office of New Civilization Management of the National Intelligence Service. However, in reality, she was sort of an administrator, handpicked to oversee the System and directly responsible for cultivating yers.

    ¡°Soon, the Free Duel System, or PvP Zone, will be introduced. It¡¯s a system where you fight in individual or team battles with resurrection settings enabled,¡± Maria said.

    ¡®I will make it hard for you to refuse my offer,'' Maria thought.

    She wanted regr interactions and duels between ming Fist¡¯s party and the National Intelligence Service yers.

    ''We must maintain a continuous rtionship with ming Fist¡¯s party. It¡¯s for the development of our team.¡¯

    She especially thought it was essential to continue interactions with Cha Jin-Hyeok. Maria was pouring great interest in him from a yer management perspective. Some people might undervalue Jin-Hyeok as a shy prospect due to his talent, but Maria did not see it that way. A saying that those too versatile could not be the top in one field did not concern her.

    ¡®Cha Jin-Hyeok, no, Kim Chul-Soo, is the yer showing the clearest and the greatest potential in South Korea.¡¯

    And Jin-Hyeok had a peculiar obsession with buying buildings. It even seemed as if buying houses and buildings in Yeonhui-dong was his lifetime goal.

    ¡®But various administrative restrictions have be a great inconvenience to him.¡¯

    Maria judged that relieving Jin-Hyeok¡¯s inconvenience would make him very happy. However, his reaction was very different from what she had expected.

    ¡ªSorry, but I refuse.

    ¡°I knew you woulde aro¡ª What did you say?¡±

    ¡ªI see no reason to interact with your team.

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly uneasy. Maria had often catered to his convenience in the past. If she carelessly eased the administrative restrictions now, it could lead to trouble. Jin-Hyeok did not want even one excuse for why he shouldn¡¯t retire or why he should y harder to disappear.

    Jin-Hyeok spoke firmly, ¡°Your team is too weak.¡±

    This was true. He was thinking with significantly lowered standards, but still, the current level of yers was far below his standards.

    ¡®I remember I was just like them.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok always reminded himself that he was also once weak. Still, Jin-Hyeok tly refused Maria¡¯s offer.

    After hanging up, Maria sat at her desk and closed her eyes.

    ¡®I was so sure that he would say yes to this offer,¡¯ Maria thought.

    Yet he refused.

    ¡®Is our team so pathetic that he would refuse even such a sweet offer?¡¯

    It deeply wounded Maria¡¯s pride. She clenched her fists under the desk.

    ¡®We just need more proactive support.¡¯

    Her actions had to be cautious. As an administrator officially recognized by the System, she couldn¡¯t disregard the bnce with other yers. She began to draft a document. It was a formal request for additional support and assistance in yer development.

    ? ? ?

    Lately, Jin-Hyeok had found himself immersed in deep thought.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know how long I will be able to y like this, with such joy.¡¯

    In his previous life, he learned a bitter lesson. There was no such thing as being perfect at everything. A yer might be adequate at many things but never the best. Even if what Jin-Hyeok was experiencing now was extraordinary and revolutionary, he always had the thought that it wouldn¡¯tst forever.

    ¡®Still, I think I can do this until I¡¯m Level 150.¡¯

    He had only about 90 Levels left. He didn¡¯t need to worry about whaty beyond, at least for now.

    Finally, he made up his mind

    ¡®If I want to enjoy this to the fullest in this short time, I have no choice but to pursue extreme efficiency.¡¯

    In this regard, clearing Dungeons on his own was the best way, and clearing with just one partner was almost as enjoyable.

    ¡®Soon, with the addition of the PvP Zone, there will probably be Solo Dungeons and Dual y Dungeons.¡¯

    PvP Zone.

    Solo Mode.

    Dual y Mode.

    They seemed to be updated more quickly than in his past life, but these three things tend to be released simultaneously. Jin-Hyeok had little opportunity to properly experience them because he was bound to a party, but a man¡¯s dream, after all, was solo y.

    ¡°Each one of you can fulfill your roles in any party, or you can form your own parties,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He decided to let his nurtured(?) members be independent. He really wanted to not tell them, but there was one more honest reason.

    ¡°If, just if, I can still actively participate even after Level 150, I will gradually need my own faction.¡±

    Those who had their own faction and were top of their game were rtively safe. Being strong as an individual and being strong as a group were entirely different. Therefore, if Jin-Hyeok were to grow to the point of being targeted by other yers, forming a faction would be much more advantageous. Of course, Jin-Hyeok was not saying that he would enjoy ying like this beyond Level 150. That would be utterly unconscientious of him.

    Cha Jin-Sol wore a serious expression.

    ¡°Why? Is it because we¡¯re weak?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do better. We will work hard to meet your standards. So, let¡¯s just keep ying together, Oppa. I hate the thought of ying without you. There¡¯s a thrill I can only feel when I¡¯m with you,¡± Jin-Sol said while her voice quivered.

    Seo Ji-Ah also stepped forward, slyly grabbing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sleeve. It seemed Ji-Ah felt the same way as Jin-Sol.

    ¡°I¡­also¡­ feel the same way¡­¡±

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon appeared to share his sentiment as well.

    However, Mok Jae-Hyeon wore a slightly relieved expression.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon, what about you?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I am sad about it, but I think I know why you made this decision. Through the recent battle with the Milky Way Alliance, I¡¯ve learned a lot too.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, there is a clear limit to how well a single party can do. We need a faction too. To do that, I think we should split up and each form our own parties.¡±

    On closer examination, it seemed Jae-Hyeon had a knack for seeing how the future unfolded.

    After quite a lengthy discussion, the members finally agreed to respect Jin-Hyeok¡¯s decision. Ji-Ah¡¯s tears started to flow.

    ¡°Why are you crying like that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    He had no idea why. If someone saw them, it might look like they were breaking up.

    [#Where to find a Ruler of simr skill? #No hope. #So frustrating. #Gotta look for another Ruler.]

    ¡®Ah, if she is crying because of that, I totally understand.¡¯

    Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s eyes were also red, probably for a simr reason.

    ¡°But still, Oppa, have a coffee with me now and then,¡± Ji-Soo said with a slightly sullen tone.

    ¡°Coffee?¡±

    ¡®How strange. Not a sword fight, but a coffee?¡¯

    ¡°I haven¡¯t shown you what I¡¯m capable of yet.¡±

    ¡®That makes sense.¡¯

    It would be weird if she could show her true capability when she wasn¡¯t even Level 100.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t found out my true beauty yet, Oppa. You¡¯ll be surprised how beautiful I will be when you see me the next time.¡±

    That was a good resolution. To be that beautiful, she would have to be really strong.

    Jin-Hyeok patted Ji-Soo¡¯s shoulder with a sudden feeling of pride.

    They decided to form their own parties. Everyone agreed to establish a close cooperative rtionship, promising to be each other¡¯s steadfast partners.

    No one knew that this wouldter be the precursor to the Earth Server¡¯s most powerfulwork USK (United States of Korea/United States of Kim Chul-Soo).

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream.

    ¡°What makes me angry is the uncivilized attitude of not acknowledging defeat.¡±

    The issue of yers joining forces to attack Jin-Hyeok was not at all troubling. It was only natural for yers to fight for their beliefs. However, theplete denial of such a clear defeat was a very uncivilized act.

    That was what Jin-Hyeok thought, at least.

    ¡°I demand Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan to ept defeat. Stop dragging this out disgracefully.¡±

    Ik-Hwan had recently felt a significant threat to his personal safety, and this had dramatically increased the number and size of his security forces. He was extremely cautious when it came to his outside activities, not knowing

    ¡°...So, what you¡¯re demanding is not an apology orpensation, but acknowledgment?¡± Ik-Hwan said.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s what is being said for now.¡±

    Ik-Hwan felt his entire sense of reason shaken to the very core. Lost in agony, he mumbled to himself, ¡°Am I failing to adapt to how the world is changing, or does that person have an abnormal mindset?¡±

    It was as if Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t mind that someone had tried to kill him. Jin-Hyeok was just insisting that Ik-Hwan acknowledged his defeat.

    ¡°I will set up a meeting,¡± Ik-Hwan said.

    Ik-Hwan had reached where he was without knowing defeat, but that was a different matter. In fact, Ik-Hwan didn¡¯t ce much importance on losing as a yer.

    He arranged an official meeting and formally invited Jin-Hyeok. He also invited BonjourTV and MiNaTV, two of the most popr Streamers, and numerous reporters gathered.

    ¡°Will my acknowledgment of defeat really suffice for you?¡± Ik-Hwan asked.

    ¡°What more do I need?¡±

    ¡°But I tried to kill you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡±

    Ik-Hwan couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Jin-Hyeok, and he realized that Jin-Hyeok was sincere. It didn¡¯t look like Jin-Hyeok was hiding any ulterior motives. To Jin-Hyeok, acknowledgment itself was what mattered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that. Butmon sense dictates that if you have been defeated to this extent, you should officially acknowledge defeat and make a defeat pledge, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to confuse what¡¯smon sense and what¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°And? Does that mean you are not going to admit it?¡±

    Ik-Hwan shook his head. Already, many of his files had been stolen by an unknown Thief. Ik-Hwan now seemed to understand what Jin-Hyeok meant when he said that a Thief could be scarier than an Assassin.

    Everyone had their weaknesses, and Ik-Hwan was no different. Jin-Hyeok was holding the weaknesses in his hand.

    ¡°I will officially admit defeat,¡± Ik-Hwan said.

    ¡°Are you saying that as the Chairman of the Shinil Group, or as the head of the Milky Way Alliance?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°It sure does.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Ik-Hwan chuckled helplessly.

    ¡®My life¡¯s work, my enterprise, it seems to have no value to that man. The world is changing too quickly,¡¯ Ik-Hwan thought.

    If a person could not adapt to change, they became obsolete. Though Ik-Hwan was willing to step down from his throne, he had no desire to be obsolete.

    ¡®It seems it¡¯s about time for me to retire as well.¡¯

    Ik-Hwan finally dered his defeat.

    ¡°So, what do you want?¡±

    The victor always took everything from the loser, and the loser always gave everything to the victor¡ªthat was the truth of the world, as Ik-Hwan had experienced. He thought this philosophy would also be applied in this situation.

    However, Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    ¡°You¡¯re not nning on giving me money, are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°It looks like you intend to pay a substantial amount of money aspensation. You¡¯d best not think about doing that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok almost lost his temper for a moment.

    ¡®He¡¯s thinking like Maria,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Maria, offering to simplify administrative procedures, and Ik-Hwan, wanting topensate with money¡­ From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, both were contemptible.

    ¡°Just sign here.¡±

    [Defeat Pledge]

    There was a provision that if a yer from ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong¡¯s party were to go to war with someone, Ik-Hwan would automatically participate. Also included was the content that all yers belonging to the Milky Way Alliance could not attack any yers of ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong¡¯s party.

    [However, if a yer from ming Fist of Cheongdam-dong¡¯s party attacks a yer from the Milky Way Alliance, retaliation is permitted.]

    Essentially, it meant that they could not attack first, but once they were being attacked, retaliation was allowed.

    In truth, such details were not particrly important to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®I¡¯ve obtained a defeat pledge.¡¯

    The more defeat pledges he had, the more prestigious his party became. The higher the reputation of the opponent, the better.

    Jin-Hyeok was happy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s consider our dispute settled.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡±

    Ik-Hwan couldn¡¯t believe that simply acknowledging defeat and drafting a pledge would erase all that had happened, and even the part where he was actively trying to kill Jin-Hyeok would be resolved. It was utterly shocking that the situation was being wrapped up so quickly.

    ¡°Why? Do you want to do more?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was the first to leave the conference room, and Ik-Hwan nkly stared at him from behind.

    ¡®Is he just big-hearted, or hismon sense is different from everybody else?¡¯ Ik-Hwan thought.

    It was hard to know the answer to that question. Everyone else in the world would do what it took to receive as much money as they could, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t even care about that. Ik-Hwan decided to give up on trying to understand him.

    Meanwhile, after leaving the conference room of the Shinil Group, Jin-Hyeok saw a woman on the first floor.

    ¡®A person protesting by herself?¡¯

    Her face looked oddly familiar. She was a family member of someone who had been in an ident while working for a subsidiary of the Shinil Group. She was demanding a thorough investigation and a sincere apology.

    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok stopped to observe the woman conducting the solitary protest. He felt like he knew who she was.

    ¡®Is that Shin Yu-Ri?¡¯

    She was the viin who had once plunged Korea into shock and horror, a woman with the alias, Siege Weapon.

    ¡®What is Shin Yu-Ri doing here?¡¯

    The alliance of viins.

    It was unmistakably Yu-Ri, who had led the Demigod Alliance.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99

    ¡®To think that I¡¯d see Shin Yu-Ri here. Should I kill her now?¡¯

    For a brief moment, the thought of killing her crossed Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, but he shook his head. Most people considered Yu-Ri to be Korea¡¯s worst viin, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thoughts were different.

    ¡®She¡¯s not like Jeon Nam-Gil, who is an absolute scum.¡¯

    People like serial killer Jeon Nam-Gil were garbage. They didn¡¯t differentiate between yers and non-yers, recklessly rampaging, driven only by their desires.

    However, Yu-Ri was not like that. Yu-Ri of the Demigod Alliance always waged war with yers and even issued derations of war beforehand. The so-called powerful Alliances were destroyed by the Demigod Alliance. Also, Jin-Hyeok and his party, who faced her in his previous life, would have been annihted too, if it wasn¡¯t for the Masked Sage.

    ¡®It¡¯s a bit too much to call her a viin.¡¯

    While it was true that she killed many people, that was all within the realm of y, and she just did what a yer had to do. Jin-Hyeok felt that she might have been treated a bit unfairly. What people called a disaster or bloodbath at that time was an unavoidable aspect because her power was excessively strong.

    ¡°I am going to have an interview with her.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached her. Her eyes were swollen, probably from crying so much.

    ¡°Are you a reporter?¡± Yu-Ri asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a reporter. I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    Upon hearing that he wasn¡¯t a reporter, she looked somewhat disappointed. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride as a Streamer was hurt a little.

    [#Grasping at straws. #I need the world to see this. #Please help me find the corpse, at least.]

    Jin-Hyeok had to restore his damaged pride. In the age of new civilization, he had to prove that a Streamer was better than an average reporter. Of course, if he had been a reporter, he would have wanted to prove that a reporter was better than an average Steamer.

    [You have used the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]

    Yu-Ri was a Level 1 yer. Even though she was Awakened as a yer, in reality, she was virtually a non-yer. The vast difference in their Levels allowed Jin-Hyeok to quickly discern her situation. It was simr to how Han Sae-Rin¡¯s past, which he didn¡¯t particrly want to see, automatically reyed in his mind.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your husband, haven¡¯t you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Shin Yu-Ri was one of the most destructive viins by the standards of the future. However, right now, she was a wife who had lost her husband just three months after marriage.

    ¡°They forced him into the Coal Mine Field that appeared near Pangyo[1].¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡®Well, that crosses the line.¡¯

    Forcing non-yers into Fields to farm loot was a crime that usually happened in third-world countries. Non-yers were much cheaper in terms ofbor costs than yers, thus some unscrupulous corporations would employ non-yers to acquire certain items.

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lip and then continued to speak, ¡°...I see. So that¡¯s what happened.¡±

    He wished Yu-Ri could see how angry he was.

    ¡°So, to summarize, the deceased Kim Min-Jong was an employee of a subcontractor under the Shinil Group. He was assigned to mine low-Grade Mana Stones in Pangyo Coal Mine Field and died suddenly due to a monster attack. The Shinil Group is not acknowledging this, iming that your husband returned home normally¡­ Is this correct?¡±

    ¡°...Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡®Should I just go back up and beat the hell out of Choi Ik-Hwan? Employing non-yers? If it were the old me, he would be dead right now.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok had grown now. He immediately contacted Sae-Rin and Mole Man. They both said they were busy, but¡­

    ¡°Should I call Mole Man then?¡±

    ¡°Should I call Pathfinder then?¡±

    Upon hearing that Jin-Hyeok was going to call their rivals, they both rushed over at once.

    ¡°Why is Mole Man here?¡±

    ¡°Why is Pathfinder here, moly?¡±

    ¡°Two heads are better than one, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said while shrugging his shoulders.

    ¡°I can¡¯t work with Mole Man!¡±

    ¡°I am not going to work with Pathfinder, moly!¡±

    There seemed to be quite a bit of animosity between the two. Their nces shed in mid-air almost sparking.

    ¡°Are you guys stupid?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, moly?¡±

    ¡°I am going to give you both the same request. Same Field, same time, same information.¡±

    Their expressions began to change. They were top-ranked yers, so they understood what Jin-Hyeok was trying to say.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the best opportunity to outdo each other?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeokid out a ying field for them topete.

    ¡°Reading the traces of the past and the present to pioneer the future safely and quickly. That¡¯s in the Navigator¡¯s domain. I believe Pathfinder and Mole Man can do it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    They arrived at Pangyo.

    ¡°You can¡¯te in here.¡±

    ¡°This is private property.¡±

    These people were talking nonsense.

    ¡®How can a Field be a private property? If it was a matter of forceful possession, maybe, but private property?¡¯

    Fortunately, the people blocking Jin-Hyeok were yers.

    ¡°What nonsensical talk are you spouting?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I am going to count to ten, if you don¡¯t move, you¡¯re all going to die. One, two, ten.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    Whoosh!

    The Greatsword grazed the hair above one of the men¡¯s head. Fortunately, the guys were quick-witted and fled, screaming in terror.

    ¡°I cannot tolerate acts that disturb the order of y.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and the Navigators entered Pangyo Coal Mine Field, where the two Navigators were zealouslypeting to collect clues and evidence.

    ¡°I¡¯ve traced a non-yer¡¯s footsteps, moly!¡±

    ¡°I got a non-yer¡¯s body hair!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know how they did it, but the two had gathered evidence that a non-yer had been there.

    ¡°Huh? Wait, something is here....¡±

    Mole Man dug into the ground with his wed hand, and his expression darkened. Mole Man had found a skull. It was unmistakably human bones.

    ¡°This makes it hard to feel happy about it, moly.¡±

    Sae-RIn also approached with a somewhat somber face.

    ¡°Is this skull of a non-yer?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, moly. There are distinct traces, moly. I¡¯m detecting traces of a chemical process done by a yer¡¯s ability, moly.¡±

    ¡°Can we confirm the identity of the skull?

    Mole Man hesitated a bit. Then Sae-Rin interjected, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to confirm the identity, but I can restore the face from when he was alive. Since it was decayed by a yer¡¯s ability, I should be able to restore it with mine.¡±

    Mole Man found the skull and Pathfinder restored the face of the skull. In a situation where it was ambiguous to say who was better, it seemed the two had given up on furtherpetition.

    ¡°Let¡¯s postpone thepetition for next time,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ll let you off this time, moly.¡±

    They went outside the Coal Mine Field and showed Yu-Ri a photo of the restored face. Yu-Ri copsed into tears with a choked sob, unable to say anything for a while, just crying.

    ¡°Ah, how heartbreaking it must be.¡±

    Sae-Rin embraced Yu-Ri tightly. Mole Man muttered, ¡°This situation is too ufortable,¡± and disappeared somewhere.

    After a while, Yu-Ri spoke to Jin-Hyeok, ¡°I know it¡¯s too much to ask, but¡­ can you find the body? I will surely reward you.¡±

    At that moment, Mole Man, who had disappeared somewhere, reappeared. Arge coffin was slung over his shoulder.

    ¡°Here it is.¡±

    This was a rare asion where Mole Man didn¡¯t say moly. He set down the coffin and disappeared again. When Yu-Ri opened the coffin¡¯s lid, she sobbed uncontrobly for a long time.

    Sae-Rin consoled her and asked, ¡°Shall I restore the body for you?¡±

    In the end, she restored the body. The wife, who had lost her husband just three months after their wedding, clung to his body, sobbing and wailing until she fainted.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt powerful mana emanating from the entrance of the Coal Mine Field. Thousands of strands of mana wrapped around Yu-Ri¡¯s unconscious body like a silkworm cocoon. Simultaneously, an Awakening NPC from the Room of Awakening revealed itself.

    ¡°You have fulfilled the special conditions.¡±

    The NPC in the form of an Angel appeared by the mana cocoon, with only the face of Yu-Ri peeking out. It gently kissed her forehead.

    ¡°You shall be reborn with a special Job ''Artillery of Nemesis.'' May you carry out your will,¡± the angel said.

    Nemesis.

    As far as Jin-Hyeok knew, she was the Goddess of Vengeance. Jin-Hyeok silently stared at Yu-Ri, who had transformed into a silkworm cocoon.

    ¡®So this is how Yu-Ri was Awakened.¡¯

    Ordinary yers were usually Awakened officially at Level 15 in the Room of Awakening. However, there were those who were Awakened like this, bypassing the process. This required satisfying several intricate and difficult conditions, of which the exact details were almost unknown. People Awakened this way were referred to as Irregrs.

    Jin-Hyeok could see Yu-Ri¡¯s Level rising before his eyes.

    [LV9]

    [LV10]

    [LV44]

    [LV45]

    Her Level shot up to forty-five in an instant. It wasn''tmon, but it wasn¡¯t unheard of either.

    Irregrs often start at Levels different from normal yers. It was simr to Subuses, who were born at Level 70.

    Watching Yu-Ri, wrapped by the mana threads, he felt aplex mixture of emotions.

    ¡®Is she going to form the Demigod Alliance and be a great viin again?¡¯

    Regardless of what he thought, most people saw her as a viin.

    ¡®But wouldn¡¯t it be better if I just raised her? She¡¯s not a viin yet.¡¯

    The reason why he wanted to do that was not very grand. Before regression, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party had lost to the Demigod Alliance that she led.

    ¡®If she grows up properly, it feels like we can fight again.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to battle the Shin Yu-Ri from his past life, who had overwhelming power.

    ¡®If I pave the way, I¡¯m sure she will grow up to be a great yer.¡¯

    Then, Jin-Hyeok thought of a great idea.

    ¡®I¡¯ll support her a bit and leave her to Maria. Shin Yu-Ri joining the National Intelligence Service¡¯s party¡­¡¯

    The current NIS party was quite weak, but with the addition of Yu-Ri, it would probably be considered the strongest one in Korea.

    ¡®Fighting against that NIS party would be fun too.¡¯

    Though Yu-Ri was pitiable as a person, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t exactly deeply moved by her husband¡¯s death. He had experienced too many deaths to mourn each one individually. He simply decided to do a little of what he had to do.

    ¡°Ms. Shin Yu-Ri. You wanted a sincere apology from the Shinil Group, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ? ? ?

    In various onlinemunities, including the Korean Region Minor Gallery, chaos broke out once again, and at the center of the issue was Kim Chul-Soo. Memes from the Mystery Box channel were rapidly produced and spread everywhere.

    [¡°At this moment, Kim Chul-Soo showed a calm demeanor without overly mourning, which could be seen as a dignified way of showing respect to Shin Yu-Ri. He verified what Yu-Ri really wanted and acted upon it. Truly, it was a graceful constion and magnanimity that only a strong yer could show.¡±]

    ©»So cool.

    ©»2222

    ©»3333

    ©»I think I¡¯ve watched that scene three hundred times. But every time it feels like I¡¯m watching it for the first time. It¡¯s so thrilling. How can we define this amazing Chul-Soo? Just purely brilliant. I¡¯m d I¡¯m a citizen of the country that has Kim Chul-Soo.

    [¡°In the end, Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan of the Shinil Group personally came forward, knelt down, and apologized. He promisedpensation for Shin Yu-Ri.¡±]

    ©»Justice is alive.

    ©»Wow, we¡¯re experiencing history.

    ©»Behold, Kim Chul-Soo has turned the world upside down with his hammer of justice. He has blown the trumpet of righteousness.

    Ik-Hwan¡¯s decision was incredibly swift because he had watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream in real time. He felt a peculiar emotion from Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t mind being targeted by Assassins, and he doesn¡¯t care about money. But he¡¯s furious about non-yers being used in y,¡¯ Ik-Hwan thought.

    Having seen Jin-Hyeok in person, Ik-Hwan was able to make a decision.

    ¡®I was already thinking about when to retire. Perhaps this is a good opportunity.¡¯

    Ik-Hwan called a press conference, knelt before Yu-Ri, and apologized. He promised punishment for those involved andpensation for her and spoke of taking responsibility by stepping down from his throne.

    ©»But isn¡¯t using non-yers still legal? Then why is he apologizing?

    ©»I heard Europe already dered it illegal, our government officials really do nothing with our tax money.

    Although it had not been dered illegal yet, the public opinion was buzzing that justice had been served.

    Joseph and Wang Yu-Mi sat across from each other at the desk in their new office. They were trembling together with the same expression on their faces.

    ¡°The star¡­ is rising.¡±

    ¡°The moon¡­ is rising.¡±

    They both stared into space with identical looks. Yu-Mi murmured, ¡°The narrative is amazing! There are so many elements to bing a fan of Jin-Hyeok that I have no idea what to choose! Among them, my favorite element is this one. There is something twisted about the way he hides his tearing heart, the way he mourns the wife who lost her husband in his own way, the way his sublime silence is sublimated into a beauty that reeks of danger.¡±

    Joseph no longer heard what Yu-Mi was saying. He chuckled as he browsed through the hot reactions from various onlinemunities. Money and fame didn¡¯t matter to him. Joseph simply wanted to see Jin-Hyeok shine brightly as a star. Seeing that Jin-Hyeok was gradually aplishing that made Joseph feel very good.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok received an unexpected proposal.

    ¡°What do you think of this offer? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    The person who made the proposal was none other than Maria.

    1. Pangyo refers to a nned city just south of South. It is known as the Korean Silicon Valley. ?

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100

    Maria proposed a sort of quest to Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    She wanted him to persuade Shin Yu-Ri, who had Awakened as Artillery of Nemesis, to join the National Intelligence Service''s party. It seemed that Maria had recognized Yu-Ri¡¯s potential. If he seeded in this quest, Maria promised to provide him with one piece of information of any kind, within Maria¡¯s authority.

    ¡®This is a win-win for me!¡¯

    Even if Maria hadn¡¯t proposed it, Jin-Hyeok had intended to do this all along. Of course, Yu-Ri¡¯s own opinion would be the most important, but Jin-Hyeok thought it would be better for Yu-Ri to grow in the NIS under proper management, rather than be consumed by the recently acquired power and be a viin.

    ¡°I refuse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Had it been the old Jin-Hyeok, he would have epted without a second thought. In his previous life, his goal was simply to be stronger. However, now it was different. He had tasted what it was like to y as a Ruler, and he was able to identify which situation was good content for his Eltube channel.

    Now that he knew the taste of pizza and fried chicken, it felt a bit disappointing to eat only sd.

    ¡°Why so?¡± Maria asked.

    ¡°To be precise, I refuse half of your proposal.¡±

    Maria calmly sipped her tea, waiting for his exnation.

    ¡°A yer¡¯s future can bepletely changed depending on how the early growth is determined.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°In the beginning, I n to stand by and guide her.¡±

    ¡°You, as in Mr. Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Let me ask you this then. Who else but me can support Yu-Ri, who lost her husband and is on the verge of copse?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Though it wasn¡¯t solely for Yu-Ri¡¯s sake, but still, Jin-Hyeok managed to get the Shinil Group to apologize to her, leading to punishment for many responsible. Chairman Choi Ik-Hwan even stepped down from his position. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t n on being Yu-Ri¡¯s sturdy support, but it happened as he did what he had to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ve unintentionally be an emotional support for her, am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°I will guide and nurture her in the beginning if she wishes. But after some time passes, I will try to persuade her to join your side.¡±

    Maria took another sip of her tea.

    A bit of time passed.

    ¡°What do you request in return, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Information.¡±

    ¡°Information?¡±

    ¡°Information that aligns with our mutual interests. I want the information to properly nurture Shin Yu-Ri. There must be a Skill that is essential for her. Since our interests align, I would appreciate more detailed and useful information.¡±

    Maria and Jin-Hyeok talked for a while, and they were able toe to a very satisfying conclusion. As Maria got up from her seat, she cautiously asked, ¡°But why¡­ why are you doing this?¡±

    It was as if she was saying the Kim Chul-Soo whom she knew didn¡¯t seem like a person brimming with humanity.

    ¡®I knew she would ask this.¡¯

    And as Jin-Hyeok had already expected that question and had prepared an answer in advance¡­

    ¡°Because I want to help her, " Jin-Hyeok calmly replied.

    At his words, Maria looked at him with a somewhat bewildered expression but didn¡¯t question any further.

    ? ? ?

    The livestream of Mystery Box (Wang Yu-Mi) attracted more viewers than ever before. Kim Chul-Soo was currently livestreaming content on his daily life. In such cases, more viewers flocked to Mystery Box¡¯s channel. She paused the screen for a moment, then rewound the video slightly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s watch that again,¡± she said.

    On the screen, Chul-Soo was speaking.

    ?Because I want to help her.?

    The viewer¡¯s chat went wild.

    -Barack_Yomama: Mind. Blown.

    -OneMoreBeer: Look how insanely cool he looks!

    -SemiAutomaticPrinter: Why am I crying so hard?

    Exmations of awee up incessantly.

    -LoveChulSoo: Oppa, you can have me!

    -JunePapa: Truly strong people act like that. I want to be like him too. ^.~ I¡¯m so touched!

    To the viewers, Chul-Soo seemed to ask for nothing in return. The sincerity of simply wanting to help came across, and it created a wave of emotion. Mystery Box discussed various aspects of this scene with the viewers,municating with them. She then put her hands together in a slightly exaggerated manner, ced them against her cheek, and made a dreamy expression.

    ¡°They say heroes are born in troubled times, don¡¯t they? I feel like I¡¯m witnessing that right now. What do you all think?¡±

    ? ? ?

    [You have epted the Quest ¡¸Maria¡¯s Proposal¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok epted Maria¡¯s quest. He received a call from Yu-Ri right away, so he immediately left the house.

    They met at a coffee shop.

    Yu-Ri was dressed in ck.

    ¡°Thank you so much. Thanks to your care, I was able to retrieve my husband and hold a proper funeral. I am truly sorry that I couldn¡¯t express my gratitude properly before as I was overwhelmed. Thank you,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I wanted to help you..¡±

    ¡°...Thank you for saying that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok meant what he said, but somehow, she didn¡¯t seem to believe him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you would do all this for me.¡±

    ¡®What I don¡¯t understand is why she is getting choked up.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeokd decided to understand that she was being this erratic because she was not in a mentally sound state.

    Yu-Ri ced her cell phone on the table and slid it toward him.

    ¡°I¡­ I saw this,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was Mystery Box¡¯s channel on Eltube. It was a video edited by KingGodGeneral Yumi.

    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯

    The video attracted many viewers, and they seemed heavily focused. While overly praising Jin-Hyeok, Yu-Mi was attaching an emotional narrative to what he had done.

    ¡®Wow, really? She¡¯s making me look like a saint! But it does seem a bit forced.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok almostughed. Receiving attention was more enjoyable than he thought.

    ¡®Should I turn on my chat, too? No, no. If I do that, the livestream quality will decrease. I¡¯ll just keep doing what I usually do, and watch the viewers¡¯ reactions through Mystery Box¡¯s channel.¡¯¡¯

    ¡°I know the general content through your previous videos. I don¡¯t know all of it, but please let me join you. Uh¡­ What should I call you¡­?¡±

    ¡°Call me Kim Chul-Soo when I¡¯m streaming, and Cha Jin-Hyeok when I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°The favor you¡¯ve done for me, Jin-Hyeok, is too big for me to keep to myself.¡±

    In summary, Yu-Ri also wanted to be a person who exercised a good influence, like Jin-Hyeok. She said there had to be many people like her husband, and she wanted to help them.

    ¡®What on earth happened in the previous life that turned this lovely person into a viin?¡¯

    ¡°How can I be as strong as you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not strong.¡±

    It rather hurts Chul-Soo''s pride to be called strong at this stage.

    ¡®I¡¯m actually thinking of retiring at Level 150 while hiding my skills, because I¡¯m weak, yet you call me strong?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t agree with her, but he let it go.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll help you,¡± he said.

    Jin-Hyeok exined the Job called Artillery of Nemesis to Yu-Ri.

    ¡°Your abilities right now are iplete.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°For the time being, there is only one Skill that you will be able to use, and tha is to materialize a gigantic cannon and fire it.¡±

    However, its destructive power was far from ordinary.

    ¡°It takes a long time to charge mana, and there is a lengthy cooldown after firing. Also, your physical abilities are very weak. Therefore, it¡¯s a Job that¡¯s not very useful in small-scale battles.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I can¡¯t be strong?¡±

    ¡°In small-scale battles, no.¡±

    However, inrge-scale battles, it was a different story. No area-effect spell from any Mage couldpare to Yu-Ri¡¯s cannon.

    That was the case on Earth, at least.

    ¡°If you have a good team around you and are in an environment where you can be well protected, you will unleash more formidable firepower than anyone else. And Maria¡¯s party should be more than capable of fulfilling that role.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°However, it would be good if you had some other protective abilities of your own.¡±

    It would be good for her to have abilities that she could use to protect herself, like Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    And Jin-Hyeok already knew what ability would suit her the best.

    ¡®Iron Dome.¡¯

    It was a defensive Mystery. It was a unique Mystery that had only been discovered once in the whole universe. It was the special ability that Yu-Ri had in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life.

    ¡°It would be nice if you could get a defensive Mystery, and even better if you could get a mobility Mystery to move around.¡±

    A defensive Mystery and a mobility Mystery were all the things that Yu-Ri possessed in his previous life.

    ¡°Fortunately, I have received information about them. By the way, the fact that I received all of this is a secret to others. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not livestreaming right now.¡±

    It was actually unexpected. No matter how much Maria had the System on her side as an administrator, Jin-Hyeok never thought she would provide such detailed information.

    Maria said, ¡®It¡¯s all because of you, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo,¡¯ but it wasn¡¯t a convincing exnation.

    ¡®What did I do?¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s start as soon as you are ready,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I can start from tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I want to immerse myself. Otherwise, I feel like I¡¯ll go mad.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ¡®She¡¯s right. She should want to immerse herself. She should feel like going mad if she doesn¡¯t y.¡¯

    It was the right mindset for bing a top-ranked yer.

    ¡®I wish she could be strong quickly.¡¯

    The mere thought of Yu-Ri joining the National Intelligence Service made his heart pound.

    ? ? ?

    There was a timely update notification.

    It was a System-wide notification.

    [Solo Mode has been updated.]

    [Dual y Mode has been updated.]

    If a yer entered a Dungeon after setting it to Solo Mode or Dual y Mode, the Dungeon¡¯s difficulty and content would be partially adjusted ordingly.

    ¡®It¡¯s literally just a partial adjustment, though.¡¯

    There was no kindness from the System like, ¡®You want to go in alone? Alright, I¡¯ll lower the difficulty a lot for you! Come on in!¡¯

    It was only a partial adjustment.

    Naturally, the efficiency of Solo or Dual y was much lower. No matter how much the difficulty and content were adjusted, there was a tremendous efficiency gap between a party of experts ying together and one or two people ying.

    In Jin-Hyeok''s previous life, he had strongly avoided Solo or Dual y.

    ¡®Back then, I was obsessed with efficiency.¡¯

    However, now it was different. Jin-Hyeok thought that he was no longer the madman obsessed with efficiency.

    ¡®Because I¡¯ve grown to be a Streamer who knows romance and elegance.¡¯

    Honestly, even the previous life¡¯s Cha Jin-Hyeok wanted to try Solo y at heart. The same went for Dual y.

    Typically, Dual y meant onebat yer teaming up with one Healer. That was the norm.

    ¡®Dual y without a Healer¡­ A y without the possibility of retreating or healing¡­ That¡¯s a man¡¯s dream. Wouldn¡¯t that be the slightly foolish but cool y that ignites a man¡¯s heart?¡¯

    That was what Jin-Hyeok thought as he climbed Bukhansan[1] with Yu-Ri.

    ¡°It¡¯s surprisingly not that hard,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you are Level 45.¡±

    They were wandering around Bukhansan.[2] Thanks to the map that Maria had provided them, they were able to find the entrance to the Dungeon in just fourteen hours.

    ¡°Do you see that shimmering space above thatrge rock?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the entrance to the Dungeon. A new Field will unfold once we enter there.¡±

    ¡°Can we rest for a moment before going?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head out of confusion.

    ¡®But we¡¯ve only been wandering around for fourteen hours. Why was she tired already from just climbing the mountain? Even if she¡¯s a Level Grinder, she¡¯s still Level 45. How can she be tired after just fourteen hours?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok still hadn¡¯t let go of his own standards. For average Level 45 yers, moving this much would be exhausting.

    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a disconnect between your mind and body,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°At around Level 45, you wouldn¡¯t usually be tired at this point. But it seems like your mind hasn¡¯t caught up with the change in your body yet. Let¡¯s rest a bit before we go in.¡±

    ¡°...Is that so?¡±

    Yu-Ri took deep breaths, lost in thought.

    ¡®My mind is really weak¡­¡¯ she thought.

    It had to be because the loss of her husband still had not healed.

    ¡®But soon, I will be able to do it too.¡¯

    She consoled herself that way and began to learn from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s misguided(?) standards.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try to enter the Dungeon now. We can set up the Dual y Mode.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    After setting it as Dual y Mode, they entered the Dungeon called the Ruins in the Forest.

    Yu-Ri looked around.

    ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s like apletely different world has opened up.¡±

    They were in a forest. However, it felt very different from the forests they were familiar with in Korea. The trees were muchrger, and they heard bird calls they hadn¡¯t heard before. There wereplexly shaped vines growing around the trees, and monkeys with red faces were jumping around them.

    ¡°It feels like we¡¯ve entered a primeval forest.¡±

    At least for this very moment, Yu-Ri felt as if she had escaped from reality. She could momentarily forget the sorrow of losing her husband.

    Unlike Yu-Ri, who was immersed in the sensation of having arrived in a different world, Jin-Hyeok was unimpressed.

    ¡°If we follow this path, we will reach the Vige of the Forest Dwarves.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like we have entered a fairy tale.¡±

    They began to walk. Jin-Hyeok was excited in a different way from Yu-Ri.

    ¡®The size of Dungeons has grown significantly.¡¯

    In truth, based on Jin-Hyeok''s perspective, all the Dungeons up until now had been too small. A Dungeon should be vast and immense, like entering a different world. That was his standard.

    ¡®It¡¯s starting to take on the shape of a real Dungeon.¡¯

    In his mind, a real Dungeon needed to have various NPCs, Quests within the Dungeon, Dungeons within the Dungeon, and wicked ces where unexpected variables would pop out.

    ¡®So this is a Dungeon with a vige of NPCs.¡¯

    It was finally starting to feel like a real Dungeon. It felt like returning home.

    ¡°Look over there. I¡¯ve never seen such huge mushrooms before,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    Colorful mushrooms were growing. These mushrooms were asrge as fir trees, and there were windows in the middle of the Mushroom stems.

    [You have entered the Field ¡¸Vige of the Forest Dwarves¡¹.]

    1. Otherwise known as Bukhan Mountain ?

    2. Bukhansan or Bukhan Mountain, is a mountain on the northern periphery of Seoul. ?

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101

    As soon as Cha Jin-Hyeok and Shin Yu-Ri entered the vige, the Dwarves, who each appeared to be around 120 centimeters tall, aimed their bows at them. Characteristically, their ears and feet were unusuallyrgerpared to their bodies, and most of them were dressed as hunters.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    This vige seemed to have an untold story as they were wary of strangers. It was very clich¨¦.

    Yu-Ri, who was standing beside Jin-Hyeok, flinched slightly.

    ¡°A strange window popped up,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°You just need to stand still.¡±

    Both Jin-Hyeok and Yu-Ri were reading the same notification that each of them had received. Anyway, it was a prompt asking them to choose how they would respond based on the given choices.

    [1. We are adventurers, following the call of the Great Will to arrive here. I must ask, are there any in need of help?]

    [2. Hehehe, so you¡¯re the Dwarves of the Forest, eh? I hear your ears make excellent potion ingredients. Hand them over willingly, and I will spare your lives.]

    Jin-Hyeok was considerably disappointed after examining the choices. He remembered Maria saying, ¡®The difficulty of the first choice will be very low. I don¡¯t think I need to help you with that.¡¯

    ¡®I guess I should be happy about the fact that the Dungeons are getting moreplicated.¡¯

    Usually, the first challenges are the easiest. One shouldn¡¯t be greedy from the get-go, so Jin-Hyeok naturally chose option 1.

    ¡°We are adventurers, following the call of the Great Will to arrive here. I must ask, are there any in need of help?¡±

    [Forest Dwarves¡¯ Trust Level toward the party has increased by 1.]

    [Current Trust Level: 1]

    At that moment, the Dwarves lowered their bows, and one of them spoke, ¡°Sorry for the misunderstanding. There are many in this vige who could use help. We look forward to your help.¡±

    There was no real need to read too much into it. These NPCs were passive NPCs, programmed to behave ording to preset variables. The Dwarves who were aiming their bows at Jin-Hyeok and Yu-Ri dispersed as if they had never been hostile in the first ce.

    ¡°This is fascinating. It¡¯s like ying a game,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite simr.¡±

    Yu-Ri seemed to be quite interested as well. It was a great start. One had to be interested and intrigued by something for one to properly engage in it.

    ¡®I wish I could livestream this.¡¯

    In exchange for being provided with an abundance of information about the ce, Jin-Hyeok had agreed with Maria not to livestream while inside the Dungeon. She said she jumped through hoops to get that information, and she didn¡¯t want it to be public.

    ¡®Still, it¡¯s good to have her by my side.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok nced at Yu-RI. The newbie who had just set foot in this world was reacting quite vividly to everything.

    ¡®Is this simr to the joy of interacting directly with viewers?¡¯

    Though Jin-Hyeok only had one, the fact that he had a viewer(?) was enough to give him a sense of excitement. Moreover, her enthusiastic reaction and quick grasp of all the things Jin-Hyeok was teaching her, were somewhat endearing.

    ¡°I see! So we need to talk to NPCs and obtain Quests?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But there is usually a certain order to these things.¡±

    ¡°Order? What happens if you mess up the order?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just less efficient, and you might miss out on the rewards you want.¡±

    Every strategy had its optimal route. Since Jin-Hyeok already knew all the information about this ce, he had nned out his own shortest strategy route.

    ¡°Our first goal is to secure a Trust Level of 12.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked toward a small cabin nearby. There was a young boy with a glum expression inside. As he approached, the young boy¡¯s dialogue automatically activated.

    ¡°Ah, you must be the adventurer who came to our vige. Could you please help me a little?¡±

    [Young Dwarf¡¯s Request]

    [The young Dwarf is too scared to milk the goat. He is seeking an adventurer to acquire ¡¸Goat Milk¡¹ on his behalf.]

    Yu-Ri looked at the boy with a sympathetic expression. Being a newbie, she seemed emotionally invested in the NPC, who looked like a real person.

    ¡°Do they even make kids dobor like this?¡±

    This wasmon for newbies. Without much exnation, Jin-Hyeok pulled out an itembeled ¡®Goat Milk¡¯ from his inventory.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    [You have cleared the Quest ¡¸Young Dwarf¡¯s Request¡¹.]

    [Forest Dwarves¡¯ Trust Level toward strangers has increased by 1.]

    [Current Trust Level: 2]

    Yu-Ri looked surprised.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to milk it yourself?¡±

    ¡°That would take a long time.¡±

    Whether as a Swordsman, a Streamer, or even as a Ruler or a Navigator, the reality was that the content of milking a goat did not offer much merit. The early Quests in this vige were nothing special.

    ¡°Also, if we proceed in this order, the Herbalist, who is a friend of this young Dwarf, will immediately ask for our help.¡±

    [You have received the Quest ¡¸Herbalist¡¯s Minor Request¡¹.]

    The request was for Silverbell Root, which could be easily found near the vige or even purchased at the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop.

    [You have cleared the Quest ¡¸Herbalists¡¯ Minor Request¡¹.]

    [Forest Dwarves¡¯ Trust Level toward strangers has increased by 1.]

    [Current Trust Level: 3]

    The information Maria gave was urate. Jin-Hyeok had listened to the NPCs the first couple of times just in case, but now there was no need for that.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the adventu¡ª¡±

    [You have received the Quest ¡¸Innkeeper¡¯s Request¡¹.]

    [You have cleared the Quest ¡¸Innkeeper¡¯s Request¡¹.]

    The current Trust Level was 4.

    ¡°Ah, hello! You¡¯re the¡ª¡±

    [You have cleared the Quest ¡¸Young Lady¡¯s Request¡¹.]

    The current Trust Level was 5.

    Soon enough, Jin-Hyeok reached Trust Level 12 and got a new notification.

    [You have reached Trust Level 12.]

    The old Dwarf who had given him the previous request spoke up, ¡°The vige chief wants to see¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was already walking toward the chief¡¯s house.

    ? ? ?

    Yu-Ri was gradually getting used to the System.

    ¡®Ah, so NPCs aren¡¯t real people,¡¯ Yu-Ri thought.

    She knew that they weren¡¯t real people, but it had not really sunk in. They spoke and appeared to think like real humans, after all.

    ¡®So, the conversation can just be cut off, and everything still progresses!¡¯

    It seemed like it was all pre-programmed. Even if she proceeded without listening to the requests, the Quests would still be marked asplete.

    She had learned that this was the standard from Jin-Hyeok. Achieving a Trust Level of 12 was quick. It seemed easier than she had thought.

    Yu-Ri, while keeping pace with Jin-Hyeok, asked, ¡°Is this how you usually y?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is the basics.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    She had learned the wrong standard. Her reference point had be Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    In the distance, a colorful and gigantic mushroom came into view. That was the vige chief¡¯s house. The story that unfolded afterward was fairly standard. Various words were exchanged, but ultimately, the Quest was nothing more than the age-old tale of rescuing the chief¡¯s granddaughter.

    [You have received the Quest ¡¸Save the Chief¡¯s Granddaughter¡¹.]

    Truth be told, the Quests of these Dwarves were not of much consequence. The only reward they offered was Trust, which was essentially useless. What mattered was the chief¡¯s granddaughter.

    ¡°Did you understand the story?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, roughly. The chief¡¯s granddaughter was kidnapped by an army of ants and taken to a giant tree called the Sacred Tree. The roots of this massive Tree are deeply embedded in the ground and are hollow, serving as the habitat for the ant army. We need to rescue the kidnapped granddaughter.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. She had a full understanding of the general storyline.

    ¡°How big do you think this Sacred Tree is?¡±

    ¡°It has to be enormous. The chief said it¡¯s muchrger than the trees around here.¡±

    For some time now, Yu-Ri had seemedpletely engrossed in the y, as if she had temporarily forgotten reality. This was a talent, perhaps, and fortunate for her.

    They looked at the map and moved. Even after about fourteen hours of y, Yu-Ri showed no signs of fatigue.

    Clearly, her earlier tiredness came from her mindset.

    Jin-Hyeok pointed at a tree that just came into view.

    ¡°That looks like the tree.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never seen a tree that huge before.¡±

    As the chief had said, the tree that came into view was enormous. It was an old tree that looked like a Zelkova tree. Though it was gigantic, it didn¡¯t appear particrly lively.

    ¡°That tree seems to have lost a lot of its vitality since the ant army nested in its roots. If left like this, the Tree will die off before long.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I hadn¡¯t thought of that. I just saw it as a big tree.¡± Yu-Ri spoke as though making a resolution. ¡°I will reflect on it.¡±

    As they drew closer, a name appeared.

    [Sacred Tree]

    Curiously, no other nts grew around the Sacred Tree. It stood alone, as though it was the only tree in this area of the forest.

    ¡°I see the ants.¡±

    Around the Sacred Tree, ants the size of a human palm scurried about. They had eight red eyes on their heads and rather sharp jaws.

    [LV44/Red-Eyed Worker Ant/-]

    [LV42/Red-Eyed Worker Ant/-]

    [LV44/Red-Eyed Worker Ant/-]

    ¡°Each individual Ant isn¡¯t particrly strong.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced at Yu-Ri to see if she was frightened by the Ants. Some yers had a particrly hard time with insect-type monsters. However, Yu-Ri disyed no signs of fear. Instead, her eyes held a strange madness, undoubtedly the gleam of someone thirsty for hunting monsters and ying.

    It seemed she hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but just seeing her eyes like that gave Jin-Hyeok a bit of a thrill.

    ¡°However, when these Ants form an army, they be dangerous. These creatures can attack in swarms of thousands, sometimes tens of thousands. It¡¯s practically impossible for the two of us to kill them all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok paused for a moment. It was to allow the audience to soak in the tension. As a Streamer, it was essential to pause at crucial moments like this. Jin-Hyeok continued to grow as a Streamer, even at this very moment.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s likely there is another way to clear the Quest, aside from killing the monsters directly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had already fought the Red-Eyed Ant Army before, and their weaknesses were fairly well-known.

    ¡°Let¡¯s look for something sweet nearby to lure them in, like honey, for instance.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that will actually work?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s the official strategy, but I¡¯ve already prepared it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took several jars of honey out of his inventory.

    ¡°We will lure them and annihte them with this.¡±

    Maria had told Jin-Hyeok that the Red-Eyed Ant Army inhabited this area. She didn¡¯t tell him how to deal with them, but knowing they were here was practically the same as knowing the strategy to kill them.

    ¡®Hm? But she didn¡¯t mention this.¡¯

    ¡°Shin Yu-Ri, I want you to handle ranged attacks,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°We are ying right now, so call me by my yer name, Waiting Wife.¡±[1]

    ¡®Good attitude.¡¯

    She even actively offered her opinion on the strategy.

    ¡°But once I attack, I¡¯ll be vulnerable to counterattacks. Unless we can kill all the Ants in one go, it might actually put us in danger,¡± she said.

    It was an excellent point.

    Yu-Ri was also growing as a yer.

    ¡°Look closely at the Sacred Tree. Do you feel anything?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    He had some expectations, but it seemed she was not there yet.

    ¡°I have no idea. I will be better.¡±

    ¡°The Ants have left numerous scars on the Sacred Tree. But above a certain height, there are no scars.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡±

    ¡°It probably means the Sacred Tree itself has some power to keep the Ant Army at bay.¡±

    ¡°So the upper area of the Sacred Tree is safe?¡±

    ¡°It should be.¡±

    Of course, nothing was one hundred percent in a Dungeon. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s guess was likely correct, but if he was wrong, so be it. If a yer couldn¡¯t take a chance, they were not fit to be ying.

    ¡°I will use this honey to lure the Ants. Once they¡¯ve gathered, unleash your abilities, Waiting Wife.¡±

    Yu-Ri, or rather, Waiting Wife, climbed up the Tree. She had climbed trees a lot as a child, and her skill showed. Jin-Hyeok distanced himself from the Sacred Tree.

    ¡®This should do.¡¯

    From here, Waiting Wife would certainly be able to unleash her full potential. As Jin-Hyeok shattered the jar of honey, the Worker Ants immediately turned their attention toward him.

    ¡®They¡¯re crawling in.¡¯

    Many Worker Ants also jumped out from the ground. Their numbers were so overwhelming it was as if a dirty river was surging backward.

    Jin-Hyeok cautiously moved back, just in case.

    Then Waiting Wife, once called the ultimate viin after her Irregr Awakening, unleashed her one and only Skill.

    [Waiting Wife activated the Skill ¡¸Wrath of Nemesis¡¹.]

    The firepower was incredible for a Level 45 Skill. It was like firing a railgun with a diameter of about two meters. A beam, or rather, a pir, of purple light erupted, tearing through the surrounding area as if to rip it apart. The force was so fierce that Jin-Hyeok almost wanted to get hit by it.

    Just then, the purple beam strangely curved, pointed skyward and started to descend. It was like a pir of light descending from heaven.

    ¡®Toward me?¡¯

    The attack from Waiting Wife was descending upon Jin-Hyeok. Far away, he could make out the movement of Yu-Ri¡¯s lips.

    Die.

    1. In the raw, it says ???, which literally trantes, A stone waiting for her husband. Ites from the legend that a wife died waiting for her husband, who had gone away and turned into a stone. ?

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102

    Her gaze.

    Her demeanor.

    Everything about Shin Yu-Ri resonated deeply with Cha Jin-Hyeok, leaving an impression that could not be ignored.

    A descending pir of light, seemingly aimed toward him, struck the ground right in front of him.

    ¡®She is only Level 45, and her Skill is this powerful.¡¯

    Some might call her a halfpleted yer, but her single-strike destructive power was top-notch.

    ¡®She almost killed it!¡¯

    Only half of the monster¡¯s body managed to emerge from the ground.

    [LV55/Red-Eyed Deputy Commander Ant/Skills]

    It was a monster that was more than ten levels higher than the average Red-Eyed Ant. It was significantlyrger too.

    It was roughly about fifty centimeters, and its teeth attached to its jaw were as sharp as des. Jin-Hyeok unsheathed his dagger and finished off the nearly dead Red-Eyed Deputy Commander Ant.

    [You have defeated a Red-Eyed Deputy Commander Ant.]

    Then, as Jin-Hyeok looked up in the distance, Waiting Wife was biting her lip.

    [#Could have killed it in one strike. #I¡¯m stillcking. #I need to be better.]

    More than just resonating deeply within him, Waiting Wife¡¯s attitude was inspiring. Today was her first real battle. She wasn¡¯t even in perfect mental condition. Yet, she had anticipated the enemy that would spring forth before Jin-Hyeok and proactively attacked the area.

    ¡®Normally, that attack shoots in a straight line, but she managed to curve it.¡¯

    Any yer with artillery skills could do it, but this was a different matter. It was her first time casting the Skill. This could only be described as a God-given talent.

    But what inspired Jin-Hyeok more was Waiting Wife¡¯s mindset.

    ¡®She could easily be pleased with this minor sess, but instead, she is whipping herself to do better.¡¯

    yers, especially the low-level ones, or those who had not been ying for long, tend to be ted even by small sesses, thus it was reassuring to see that Yu-Ri was setting her first foundations well.

    Jin-Hyeok moved slowly, and cautiously, so as not to provoke the lesser Ants and climbed the Sacred Tree. He hid his joy and excitement, opting to educate this yer to be a better one.

    ¡°Your instincts were good. However, urately assessing and judging your allies¡¯ abilities is also one of the important virtues of a yer.¡±

    ¡°Please teach me more.¡±

    ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know there was a Deputy Commander Ant there?¡±

    ¡°...Ah, I see.¡±

    ¡°It was more efficient for me to kill that one. It was stronger, but it was alone. Your role was to annihte those weaker ones thate in groups. How long is your Skill''s cooldown?¡±

    ¡°About five minutes.¡±

    ¡®Wow, that¡¯s long. Being able to attack only once every five minutes¡­ Depending on the situation, she really could be considered a halfpleted yer.¡¯

    ¡°That one attack wasted us five minutes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I will do better.¡±

    She could''ve easily taken a hit to her pride, but she was ready to learn to be stronger. Teaching such a quick learner always made Jin-Hyeok enthusiastic about passing on even more knowledge.

    ¡°We¡¯re nearly at the five-minute mark. This time, we will move as we agreed upon.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok and Yu-Ri divvied up roles and battled against the Red-Eyed Ants. Jin-Hyeok took out the asional Deputy Commander Ant that revealed itself, while the remaining lesser Ants melted under Yu-Ri¡¯s artillery fire.

    As time passed, Yu-Ri astonishingly gained three levels.

    ¡®My cooldown has been reduced by a whole thirty seconds!¡¯ Yu-Ri thought.

    She saw hope. The higher her Level, the shorter the cooldowns. Every now and then, Jin-Hyeok climbed onto the Sacred Tree and offered Yu-Ri various pieces of advice, and each time, she felt a deep gratitude bubbling up from her heart.

    For his part, Jin-Hyeok was enjoying himself as well. He was broadcasting for an audience of one, but the viewer¡¯s reaction was excellent and impressive.

    ¡°If the Deputy Commander Ants have appeared, what do you thinkes next?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Is there a Commander Ant?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Now, look at those Ants sloppily submerged in the honey and slurping it up. What do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡±

    Yu-Ri desperately wanted to give the right answer. Her brain was racing.

    ¡°They don¡¯t seem intelligent enough to act in a coordinated group,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct!¡±

    ¡°...Ah!¡±

    Yu-Ri had an epiphany.

    ¡°Then that means something ismanding these lesser Ants, and that must be the Commander Ant, right?¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s my assessment.¡±

    ¡°So, a Commander Ant would be a monster with significantly greater intelligence?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, who was proud of her answer, nodded, giving her time to continue.

    Yu-Ri suppressed her tion and spoke calmly, ¡°The Deputy Commander Ant wasn¡¯t enticed by the honey and tried to ambush Master instead. It was smarter than the lesser Ants.¡±

    Before Jin-Hyeok knew it, Yu-Ri was addressing him as her Master, and Jin-Hyeok seemed to naturally ept this title.

    ¡°So the Commander Ant would be an even more intelligent monster.¡±

    She had urately grasped what Jin-Hyeok was trying to teach her.

    ¡°In that case, I will cease my attacks when the Commander Ant shows up. Such an intelligent being would definitely identify me as a threat and attack me if I took any action. However, if Master sessfully hunts down the Commander Ant, the organized lesser Ant Army will fall into disarray, which should improve our situation,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but p. It was an incredibly satisfying answer.

    ¡°Exactly. Managing and adjusting the aggro well is another important virtue you should have, Waiting Wife. It¡¯s not all about strong attacks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    And the situation unfolded just as Jin-Hyeok and Yu-Ri had anticipated.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok sensed something lurking beneath his feet. Depending on its depth, the entity would sometimes appear and sometimes vanish from his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. As the monster approached, it came into full view of Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance

    [LV65/Red-Eyed Commander Ant/Skills]

    ¡®It¡¯s approximately one meter below the ground.¡¯

    Given the scale of the Ant Army, Jin-Hyeok assumed there would be at least five Commander Ants.

    ¡®Here ites.¡¯

    He subtly shifted himself backward.

    ¡®Moving further back would be safer, but¡­¡¯

    He deliberately moved only a slight distance.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    By now, using Broadcaster''s Barrier had be second nature to him. He had tried to minimize its use while getting ustomed to the ability, but things were different now. He could operate Broadcaster''s Barrier exactly when needed and in just the right amount.

    He felt a sharp energy surge up from the ground, and he blocked it at the right time.

    ¡®I can feel it.¡¯

    He had a sense of the monster¡¯s capabilities now. The size of the Commander Ant that had revealed itself began to grow. Underground, its size had been simr to that of Deputy Commander Ant, but as it emerged onto the surface, it was almost as tall as Jin-Hyeok. It stood on two legs, like a human, but a pair of scale-like wings were attached to its back.

    ¡®It can use its eight eyes for some minor hypnosis.¡¯

    The monster possessed psychic abilities that could make its enemies disoriented or slow. However, Jin-Hyeok, who bore Imperial Resilience, was not affected in the slightest.

    ¡®Flying monster is a bit annoying, but¡­¡¯

    Fortunately, a drizzling rain began to fall. Monsters with scale-like wings like this one could not fly properly when it rained.

    ¡°Then it will attack me with its front legs that look like swords,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. These days, he found joy in many things, but he always loved sword-versus-swordbat the most.

    ¡°I will stick to what I love the most.¡±

    He swung his Greatsword of La¡¯kan. As he did so, he thought about what catchphrase would suit the moment if it were an actual livestream.

    ¡°You are already dead.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok had discussed, Yu-Ri did not attack the Commander Ant, and just when it died, she targeted the Worker Ants.

    Roughly six hourster, Jin-Hyeok had managed to kill seven Commander Ants.

    ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯

    The Worker Ants began to scatter. Originally around Level 45, the Worker Ants became mere garbage monsters of around Level 15 due to the -30 Levels penalty. The glow faded from their eight radiant red eyes. It meant that all the Commander Ants were gone.

    ¡°We were lucky. Thanks to the rain, killing them was much easier,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even see your sword properly. Your movements were too fast,¡± Yu-Ri replied, visibly excited.

    Seeing her reaction, Jin-Hyeok cleared his throat. Such reactions always pleased him.

    ¡°Anyone could do this much,¡± he said modestly.

    ¡°The world of y is truly astonishing!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, all the Commander Ants are dead now. Let¡¯s move toward the root passage. There should be a gate leading to the roots among the ces the monsters were digging through.¡±

    At the very location where he had killed thest Commander Ant, a gate had formed approximately three meters underground.

    [Roots of the Sacred Tree]

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Although the gate was three meters below them, Jin-Hyeok simply hurled himself toward the gate, and Yu-Ri, who was ying for the first time today, also threw herself in without hesitation.

    [You have entered the Field ¡¸Roots of the Sacred Tree¡¹.]

    ? ? ?

    This ce felt like a cave, with long winding passages split off in multiple directions. Embedded throughout the roots were luminescent stones that seemed to glow. It was the sap leaking from the Roots of the Sacred Tree, in a solidified and glowing state.

    Jin-Hyeok took the first step forward. Just then, an odd notification popped up.

    [You are entering a fragment of the Scenario ¡¸Copsed Reverence¡¹.]

    ¡®A Scenario? Here? And the name of the Scenario is Copsed Reverence?¡¯

    Several clues floated into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    ¡®The mere existence of a Scenario isn¡¯tmon, and with a name like this¡­ it must be rted to the Revered One Scenario.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok knew of the 4th Seoul Scenario, named the Revered One, which was for those invading Earth. He knew there was a counterpart Scenario for the defenders, but he had no idea what it was called.

    ¡®There is a high chance that it¡¯s called the Copsed Reverence.¡¯

    Thinking about it, the pieces seemed to fit together like a puzzle.

    ¡®It seems like Yu-Ri had once progressed through the Copsed Reverence Scenario as the defender.¡¯

    Since she had been a legendary viin, she had not particrly fought against the invaders. That was why Scenarios like the Revered One or the Copsed Reverence weren¡¯t widely known.

    ¡®Yu-Ri must have acquired the abilities of the defenders here.¡¯

    Specifically, the defensive Mystery called the Iron Dome.

    It was a sufficiently usible story. Jin-Hyeok felt like he was finally piecing together the timeline of his previous life.

    ¡®Thanks to Yu-Ri turning evil, we have a hell of a time fighting against those from other Servers.¡¯

    His vision seemed to be more clear. No wonder things had felt so tough not long after the Open Beta service.

    Back then, Jin-Hyeok had briefly sumbed to self-loathing, thinking his rate of growth was too slow, but there was no need for that. Yu-Ri, who should have been a stronger defender on their side, had turned into a viin. It was no wonder Jin-Hyeok struggled before his regression.

    ¡®That¡¯s right. I was never weak back then.¡¯

    As to confirm his theory, a choice notification popped up.

    [1. Enter the fragment of the Scenario ¡¸Copsed Reverence¡¹.]

    [2. Refuse to enter the fragment of the Scenario ¡¸Copsed Reverence¡¹.]

    Upon clicking the choices, several exnations followed. To put it simply, it was familiar information. This Scenario came with immense responsibility and risk, and those who were either not chosen or unqualified would face the judgment of the Sacred Tree and so forth. There was also a mention that their route would differ based on the choice.

    Jin-Hyeok turned to Yu-Ri and asked, ¡°Yu-Ri, you can see the choices too, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can see them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re seeing the same thing as me, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What would you like to choose?¡±

    ¡°Option one.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it says ites with greater risks and heavier responsibilities.¡±

    ¡°Is that more appealing to you? Isn¡¯t that usually a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°Hm.. you might be right, but for some reason, option one feels right. I¡­I might be the odd one¡­¡±

    Yu-Ri seemed a bit flustered. However, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think this was a matter to be flustered about. After all, this is how everyone should be ying. There were many yers who could learn from Yu-Ri, such as Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re perfectly normal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Yu-Ri looked genuinely relieved at his words. With a sigh of relief, she cautiously asked him another question, ¡°Do you happen to know what they mean by the special qualifications and conditions required here?¡±

    ¡°Not precisely, but if this Scenario is rted to what I think it is¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve already met some of the conditions.¡±

    Truth be told, matters like this were typically in the realm of Navigators, so even Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know the exact details, but this time, he had a hunch.

    He felt like he would know for sure if he just went with his decision. So, he immediately chose option one.

    A voice, likely that of the Sacred Tree, resounded. It said something about following the will and qualifications. Jin-Hyeok listened carefully, just in case there was important information, but there was nothing particrly useful. The most crucial part was at the end.

    ¡°How can this be? Why do I sense the Will to Protect from you?¡±

    The voice was so loud that his head began to ring.

    ¡°Prove your worth to me. Show me that my seven thousand years of waiting, enduring humiliation from those vile ants, was not in vain.¡±

    The entire passage quivered.

    [You have received the Hidden Quest ¡¸Seven-Thousand-Year Wish of the Sacred Tree Bakurudnaima¡¹.]

    ¡®Huh? This is exciting.¡¯

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103

    Anything involving the word Hidden or Scenario usually brought joy to Cha Jin-Hyeok. When the two were interwoven, the joy doubled. The name of the Quest alone gave off such an intense vibe that he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart race.

    [Seven-Thousand-Year Wish of the Sacred Tree Bakurudnaima]

    [The Sacred Tree, Bakurudnaima, was born out of the ¡¸Will to Protect¡¹. Though time had weathered its appearance and diluted its power, it had never forgotten its original essence.]

    [Offer a fragment of your ¡¸Will to Protect¡¹.]

    [Offer Bakurudnaima a single piece of evidence that can prove your ¡¸Will to Protect¡¹.]

    The current Hidden Quest was connected to the Set Scenario called The Revered One, and The Copsed Reverence.

    ¡®If it¡¯s rted to the Will to Protect¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had two pieces of evidence¡ªone was the Guardian Ring, and the other was the nter¡¯s Record Journal rted to the Golden Guardian Tree.

    ¡®Judging by the specification of offering only one piece of evidence, the route might differ depending on what I offer.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wondered which one would be better. Not all Quests or Scenarios operated solely on rational choices and logical reasoning. Scenarios were not math problems, after all. In times like these, the answer was predetermined.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok might not trust in his own luck, but he did trust in Mysteries. Perhaps its vigor had wanedtely, but the Mystery did not shoot out bolts of lightning like it used to.

    ¡®I can feel it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok made his choice. For his single viewer, Jin-Hyeok thought of a catchphrase for this situation.

    ¡°May this journal serve as evidence of my Will to Protect, and hopefully, offer some sce to your seven-thousand-year vignce.¡¯

    With that said, Jin-Hyeok took out his nter¡¯s Record Journal. A furtive nce revealed his only viewer¡¯s eyes sparkling. It seemed like he chose the right catchphrase as he was satisfied with Shin Yu-Ri¡¯s reaction.

    The Hidden Quest was important, but so was the reaction from the viewer before his eyes. Usually, he tried not to read into their feelings with his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, fearing it might erode his social skills. However, this time, he was too curious.

    ¡®Was it good? Was it too cheesy? Was my catchphrase too clich¨¦?¡¯

    [...#Beautiful. #Very.]

    A swell of pride washed over him. Jin-Hyeok always found beauty in an excellent y and judging by Waiting Wife¡¯s reaction, they were equally entranced by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s y. Recognized by a fellow enthusiast, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood soared even higher.

    The nter¡¯s Record Journal in his hand started to float. With a soft sound effect, it unfolded. And then, the voice of the Sacred Tree came through.

    ¡°Impossible¡­ You were meant to be a king, destined to rebuild the civilization of gold. The Will that surrounds you is indescribable. Ah, it¡¯s dazzling.¡±

    [You have cleared the Hidden Quest ¡¸Seven-Thousand-Year Wish of the Sacred Tree Bakurudnaima¡¹.]

    In an instant, a shimmering liquid started seeping through the dark passage. It was as if the roots of the Sacred Tree were shedding tears.

    "Oh, Glorious One, follow this path. Beyond this road where life and death intersect, there shall be a radiance that will brightly illuminate you. My seven-thousand-year wait has not been in vain."

    Among the multiple branching passages, one was exceptionally radiant. The Sacred Tree had paved the way itself.

    ¡°But do proceed with caution. At the end of this path, a queen harboring boundless greed gnaws on my spirit for thousands of years.¡±

    It was probably talking about the Red-Eyed Queen Ant.

    ¡°Has this Queen been kidnapping children?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she has defied the natural order and feasted on children for thousands of years. She seems to believe that after consuming ten thousand children, she can be human.¡±

    Just then, the Sacred Tree fell silent for a moment.

    ¡°The Queen just consumed her ten thousandth child.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood plummeted. Those words essentially meant that the Quest to save the chief''s granddaughter had failed. Even if it was a minor Quest, a Quest was still a Quest. Failing it hurt his pride.

    ¡°You must act quickly, Heir of the Golden King. The obsession and greed umted over thousands of years have finally culminated in a usible miracle. The Queen is transforming herself. I have underestimated the corrupted will of the Queen. Time is of the essence. Prevent the impending cmity, Heir of the Golden King.¡±

    Even in his previous life, which operated at a much higher level, nothing like this ever happened.

    ¡®The Red-Eyed Queen Ant is eating children? Consuming ten thousand children over thousands of years? And transforming into a human as a result?... So what will she be?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t know for sure, but a sudden, piercing headache overwhelmed him. An image formed in his mind. It felt as if a piece that had taken its ce in his psyche shattered into smithereens.

    ¡®Pure Luck?¡¯

    The Mystery that he possessed, Pure Luck, felt as if it had broken. Jin-Hyeok had an inkling of what this sensation meant.

    ¡®Luck alone can¡¯t avert the situation unfolding before me.¡¯

    Something big was about to happen.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and Yu-Ri began to run down the brightly lit passage.

    ? ? ?

    ¡®This passage is incredibly long.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok continued to sprint down the path. Perhaps it was because the Sacred Tree had fulfilled its role and was gradually dying, but the light was progressively dimming. The duo increased their speed, but it wasn''t long before Yu-Ri reached her limit.

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t go any faster¡­! Go on without me.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stopped briefly to whisper something into the ears of the panting Shin Yu-Ri.

    After listening to Jin-Hyeok, Yu-Ri replied, ¡°Okay. I will do as you said.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please take care.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok left Yu-Ri behind and dashed forward like a madman. Just as his breathing grew erratic and fatigue set in, he felt a momentary sense of danger. Jin-Hyeok instantly ducked, activating Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier at the same time.

    ¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯

    In a sh, the Barrier shattered, and even the usually stoic Jin-Hyeok felt a chill running up his spine.

    ¡®Had I not ducked, my neck would have been severed.¡¯

    Something appeared from the void¡ªa thin thread, shimmering as the fading light was reflected by the thread.

    ¡®A silver thread?¡¯

    He reflected the iing silver thread by swinging his Greatsword.

    ¡®It¡¯s sharp.¡¯

    It was much sharper than any ordinary sword, the destructive power imbued within it tingling his wrist.

    ¡®This guy¡¯s incredibly strong.¡¯

    An attack wasing from somewhere, but Jin-Hyeok could not pinpoint where it wasing from. Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t even see it with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. This implied a significant difference in Levels or abilities.

    ¡®I stand no chance in a one-on-one fight.¡¯

    However, he felt one thing.

    ¡®It¡¯s getting closer to me.¡¯

    Slowly, bit by bit, the monster was approaching from beyond the faint light.

    ¡®I need to buy some more time.¡¯

    Relying on his animalistic sense, Jin-Hyeok dodged and parried iing attacks.

    ¡®Activate Star Shield.¡¯

    Seven strands of silver thread aiming for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck were deflected. Soon after, even the faint light disappeared entirely, and a voice echoed in the darkness.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    A voice that was neither male nor female, neither adult nor child, resonated. It was a cacophony of many voices intertwined. As the voice gradually neared, something appeared from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    [LV???/???/???/???]

    It was a monster with all its details disyed as question marks. All that could be seen was a dark silhouette, the rest was obscured by the darkness.

    ¡°Are you the Queen Ant?¡±

    ¡°Show some respect, you fool.¡±

    As the voice got even closer, Jin-Hyeok felt as if his breath was stuck in his throat.

    ¡®The pressure is overwhelming.¡¯

    Judging by the approaching silhouette, she appeared to be about 150 centimeters in height, roughly the size of a short person.

    ¡°This body, these abilities, everything is ecstatic and beautiful.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind was in turmoil. He was wondering how to fight this being without any regrets. Even if he were to die, he would want to fight without any regrets to make it enjoyable.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I will establish a beautiful empire,¡± the monster responded. It was an answer befitting a Queen Ant. ¡°My offspring, inheriting my beautiful blood, will escape this dark underworld and dominate the ces where light touches!¡±

    The Queen Antughed ominously.

    ¡°Soon, my children will awaken!¡±

    ¡°Well, if you want to see the light so much, here it is,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while smirking.

    [You have activated the Skill ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Light¡¹.]

    sh!

    His Skill brightened the area. Instantly, the Queen Ant stepped back and shot silver threads from her fingertips. Jin-Hyeok hurled himself to the side and dodged them.

    ¡®She¡¯s almost just like a human, isn¡¯t she?¡¯

    Aside from the antennae on her head and the scaly wings on her back, she looked entirely human. Her overall form even seemed somewhat feminine.

    ''She has the power to overwhelm me, yet she only revealed herself after it waspletely dark. It seems like she¡¯s weak to light and overly cautious.¡¯

    Being overly cautious often hampered movements. Confused by the sudden light, she was even more cautious. Now was the opportunity.

    Jin-Hyeok lunged forward immediately, utilizing Sharper Spirit to slice at the Queen¡¯s torso.

    ¡®It¡¯s not working.¡¯

    The Queen Ant was protected by a barrier and it was so sturdy that not even a sliver of damage could be inflicted. Once again, dozens of silver threads rushed toward Jin-Hyeok, who evaded and deflected them with nimble movements.

    ¡®She seems much stronger in melee battles than me, but..¡¯

    Despite this, the Queen Ant insisted on long-rangebat, controlling her silver threads. She outright denied Jin-Hyeok any form of closebat.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got some cute tricks,¡± the Queen said.

    By now, the Queen Ant had grown ustomed to the light from Broadcaster¡¯s Light. The Skill no longer had any effect on her. Silver threads flew toward Jin-Hyeok, entangling the Greatsword.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a fun game,¡± she said.

    Abandoning his Greatsword of La¡¯kan, Jin-Hyeok flung himself backward, rolling three times.

    ¡®A Swordsman letting go of his sword¡­¡¯

    His rational mind, which had always insisted that he was not a Swordsman but a Streamer, was overtaken by his primal instincts. It was an utterly humiliating moment, but there was no other choice. He was too far from his Greatsword of La¡¯kan now, so he drew his dagger.

    Just then, two strands of silver threads flew in and stabbed both of his thighs. Unable to hold himself up, Jin-Hyeok partially knelt down on the ground.

    ¡®Paralysing toxin has entered my system.¡¯

    His body gradually grew heavy. The Queen Ant, now assured of her victory, began to approach. More strands of silver threads formed, tying Jin-Hyeok¡¯s wrists and ankles and lifting him into the air. The threads dug into his skin. Drops of red blood trickled down the silver threads.

    ¡°Red blood is beautiful.¡±

    She looked up at Jin-Hyeok as if admiring a piece of art. A single drop of red blood fell on her finger, flowing from one of the silver threads. She licked the drop of blood and let out a smug smile.

    ¡°Your blood is incredibly sweet.¡±

    Then suddenly, the Queen Ant screamed, ¡°No!!!¡±

    She started to fly away.

    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered.

    Jin-Hyeok, who was still connected to the Queen Ant through the silver threads, was pulled along at a swift pace. Grasping the silver threads that had pierced his wrists, he clenched his fist tightly.

    ¡®I¡¯ll die if I let go.¡¯

    He focused Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier on his wrists and palms.

    ¡®I need to concentrate. Otherwise, my wrists will be cut off.¡¯

    Floating in mid-air, Jin-Hyeok managed to draw out his Greatsword of La¡¯kan that was stuck in the ground. He sessfully retrieved it.

    ¡®It¡¯s getting hotter.¡¯

    A familiar smell reached his nose. It was the scent of gunpowder from Yu-Ri¡¯s Skill Wrath of Nemesis.

    ¡®She must have carried out my request well.¡¯

    Soon, a vast space appeared before him, engulfed in mes and filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder.

    ¡®Her intrinsic setting of cherishing her own eggs hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok was certain that somewhere here was the Hatching Chamber. He had requested Yu-Ri to destroy the Ant eggs in the Chamber, and it seemed she had done so sessfully. Amid the roaring mes, a human figure became visible.

    ¡°You wretch!¡±

    The Queen Ant, devoid of rationality, flew toward Yu-Ri. Her hand transformed into a sharp, glimmering silver de. Just then, Yu-Ri spoke loud enough for Jin-Hyeok to hear as well.

    ¡°Activate the Mystery, Iron Dome.¡±

    Instantly, the most powerful mechanical defensive Mystery revealed itself. Hundreds of mana bullets shot out from behind her. This Mystery disyed the most efficiency when used in defense. The Mystery, which had an exceptionalpatibility with Yu-Ri and her Job, aimed at the Queen Ant.

    Boom!

    Dozens of explosions sounded almost instantaneously. Dozens of mana bullets hit the Queen Ant, while the other dozens of mana bullets were fired behind her to block her retreat. Additionally, another set of mana bullets was fired in a specific location.

    As the explosions continued, a vacuum state formed for a brief moment, followed by a fierce wind strong enough to blow away any human.

    Jin-Hyeok felt his Mystery, Pure Luck, which had shattered earlier, begin to regenerate.

    ¡®I guess I can use my Pure Luck now.¡¯

    [You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸One With the Sword¡¹.]

    The inertia from being tangled by the silver threads,bined with the gusts from the explosions, Jin-Hyeok poured all of that force and his own weight into activating his Level 90 Swordsman-exclusive Skill One With the Sword. The Iron Dome had weakened even the protective barrier around the Queen Ant.

    Thud!

    Jin-Hyeok sessfully thrust the Greatsword of La¡¯kan into the Queen Ant¡¯s back.

    ¡°Kiieaak!¡±

    The Queen Ant screamed in agony and swatted with her arm.

    Thwack!

    Jin-Hyeok was struck and sent flying.

    ¡®I think my cheekbone just caved in.¡¯

    Despite the surge of intense pain, Jin-Hyeok was smiling.

    ¡®The direction I¡¯m being sent flying in is perfect.¡¯

    At the end of the path previously cleared by Yu-Ri¡¯s Mystery, a green mana rune was glowing.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104

    The direction Cha Jin-Hyeok was sent flying was nearly perfect. As he reached out his hand to the green rune, he felt something subtly different from when he usually gained a Mystery.

    ¡®This is not a Mystery!¡¯

    It was simr to a Mystery, but not quite one. It was a feeling that Jin-Hyeok had never experienced before.

    [You have made contact with ¡¸Will to Protect¡¹.]

    Just then, the voice he had heard earlier spoke again.

    [Oh, Glorious One, follow this path. Beyond this road where life and death intersect, there shall be a radiance that will brightly illuminate you. My seven-thousand-year wait has not been in vain.]

    The ce where life and death intersected¡ªJin-Hyeok surmised that the true reward of the Hidden Quest awaited there, and that ce was none other than the Hatching Chamber, where Shin Yu-Ri had destroyed all the eggs, turning life into death. It seemed as though the Will to Protect revealed itself where countless lives and deaths intersected.

    [You have proven your qualification to ¡¸Barudnaima¡¹, so the ¡¸Will to Protect¡¹ will awaken as a Mystery.]

    Green mana lines flowed from his hand, across his shoulders, and spread throughout him.

    It felt as if he had plunged into an ocean made of mana. The high density of mana even made it slightly difficult to breathe.

    ¡®Ah, so this is it.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok came to a realization. He couldn¡¯t be sure if this were the correct term, but the ¡®Will to Protect¡¯ was an ingredient for the Mystery. It seemed this ingredient had met him, the yer, and a custom-made Mystery was being born.

    ¡®Yu-Ri must have gone through a simr process in my previous life.¡¯

    The resulting Mystery would''ve been the only one in the entire universe. The reason Iron Dome was the only one in all the Servers was precisely because that Mystery was custom-fitted for Yu-Ri.

    ¡®Who would have thought such a thing existed.¡¯

    However, something felt off. As mana was absorbed into him, Jin-Hyeok could clearly sense something. The Will to Protect was converting into a defensive-type Mystery.

    [You have acquired the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    Phantom Swordswoman.

    Once again, it was a Mystery with a name he had never heard before. It felt like a custom-tailored Mystery, one made just for him, yet it still felt a bit peculiar.

    ¡®This doesn¡¯t feel like a defensive-type Mystery.¡¯

    Just like how Pure Luck had felt like a solid fragment earlier, Mysteries had their own unique sensations. When a yer focused on a specific Mystery, an image of it naturally came to mind.

    ¡®No matter how I think about it, this Mystery feels too aggressive.¡¯

    Anyone who possessed this Mystery would say that the Phantom Swordswoman felt more like an offensive-type Mystery rather than a defensive one.

    There was no way of precisely knowing until he used it. Jin-Hyeok immediately activated the Mystery.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    In that instant, it felt as if something had been pulled out of his body.

    ¡®A ghost?¡¯

    Something resembling a ghost appeared, translucent. In her right hand, she held a sword that closely resembled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Greatsword of La¡¯kan. Her overall form appeared feminine, but the face was not fully visible.

    ¡®The veil is covering her face down to her nose.¡¯

    Below that, only the mouth was visible.

    ¡®She¡¯s smiling.¡¯

    She was indeed grinning. With Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok could examine the phantom body his Mystery had created.

    [#Die. #Die. #Die.]

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intuition was right. He had thought that it seemed more like an offensive-type Mystery rather than a defensive one, and soon enough, he understood why.

    ¡®Ah, right.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had momentarily forgotten, caught up in using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, that the best defense was a good offense. This simple truth, which he had forgotten, was exemplified by the Phantom Swordswoman.

    The Phantom Swordswoman had a ghostly form, facing few physical restrictions. She could float through the air and pass through walls.

    ¡®This makes long-range attacks possible!¡¯

    What could be considered Jin-Hyeok¡¯s clone, the Phantom Swordswoman, was at a considerable distance from him, swinging her sword toward the Queen Ant.

    ¡®What¡¯s the cooldown on this?¡¯

    Compared to the unpredictable Pure Luck Mystery, this one felt much more familiar. It was as if Jin-Hyeok had been in thepany of an oldrade.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    ¡®Can it be used consecutively?¡¯

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    A total of three Phantom Swordswomen manifested. All of them charged toward the Queen Ant, their faces adorned with eerie smiles.

    ¡®Ah, but I should stop now.¡¯

    The Phantom Swordswomen were mentally connected to him, and he had to partially control them.

    ¡®With my current mental strength and my abilities for controlling the Mysteries¡­ three is my limit.¡¯

    To be honest, even three were pushing it. He could barely manage to control one properly.

    ¡®Can I deactivate it?¡¯

    [You have deactivated the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    [You have deactivated the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok dispelled two of the entities. Now, he could focus more on controlling the remaining Phantom Swordswoman.

    ¡®This is it.¡¯

    He charged at the Queen Ant while focusing on controlling his Phantom Swordswoman. Unintentionally, he was muttering as if he was livestreaming.

    ¡°This Queen Ant is overly cautious and thinks too much. She seeks stability, as she¡¯s been nning for thousands of years.¡±

    ¡®I should¡¯ve raised my voice.¡¯

    He wanted his only audience, Yu-Ri, to have heard him, but he failed to raise his voice properly.

    ¡°Being a monster that despises close-quartersbat, especially in an injured state, and with all her possible allies destroyed, she really only has one choice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword cut through the air. The Queen Ant, which had been in front of him, vanished. True to her character of not tolerating even the slightest risk, she fled despite possessing far greater power.

    ¡®Whew.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had hastily canceled the use of the Phantom Swordswoman Mystery because the Phantom Swordswoman was about to swing her sword at Yu-Ri.

    ¡®I almost attacked Yu-Ri by ident.¡¯

    He had let his guard down for a moment because the Queen Ant ran away, causing this unintended consequence.

    Interestingly, Yu-Ri had also been about to use her Iron Dome in a defensive stance.

    ¡°Why did she stop attacking?¡± Yu-Ri asked.

    [#What a shame. #She looked Strong. #I wonder if I can block jer attack.]

    It looked like Yu-Ri actually wanted to be attacked.

    ¡®Brilliant.¡¯

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Do you often encounter monsters like the one we just faced when you are ying?¡± Yu-Ri asked.

    ¡°It depends on how you y.¡±

    If a yer was a Level Grinder, who only farmed in easy areas to level up safely, it was unlikely they would run into creatures like the Queen Ant. They didn¡¯t even get to engage in exciting situations like Hidden Quests or Scenarios.

    Jin-Hyeok could read Yu-Ri¡¯s mind.

    ¡°There¡¯s a sense of tension, but it also strangely thrills and excites you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You can be honest. There¡¯s nothing strange about it.¡±

    ¡°Is this normal?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    Yu-Ri nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t save the child.¡±

    ¡°No need to feel bad.¡±

    NPCs were just programs. They might seem like they had emotions, but they just appeared and disappeared as required.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mourn when you delete an app from your phone.¡±

    When they returned to the Dwarf vige earlier, the entire area was reduced to ashes. Dwarf corpses were strewn everywhere, likely victims of the Queen Ant. A quick nce at Yu-Ri revealed she seemed unfazed.

    ¡®She catches on really quickly.¡¯

    Many yers would be emotionally affected or mentally shaken by such a sight. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t think they were wrong, but it put them at a disadvantage as yers. They have to be able to see NPCs as NPCs. In that regard, Yu-Ri seemed inherently well-suited for ying.

    ¡°Have we aplished most of what we can here?¡± Yu-Ri asked.

    ¡°Yes, we will be leaving now.¡±

    ¡°How can we get out?¡±

    ¡°Although there are various types of Dungeons in the world, you usually can exit by sessfully hunting down the boss monster.¡±

    ¡°Was that creature from earlier the boss monster?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    However, it had vanished somewhere. Even if they went looking for it, the chances of defeating the Queen Ant right now were slim.

    ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s a hole over there.¡±

    A hole wide enough for a couple of people to enter was visible. It was so deep that its depth was unfathomable.

    ¡°It seems like a route the Queen Ant made to escape to the outside.¡±

    Although rare, there had been cases where the boss monster created a path to escape the Dungeon.

    ¡°So, should we jump down here?¡± Yu-Ri asked without a hint of hesitation.

    ¡°We could, but there¡¯s also a chance we might die.¡±

    While the probability was high that it led to the outside, there was no certainty. If they were unlucky, death awaited them.

    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly afraid of dying,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t a Dungeon a ce where you could die with just one wrong move?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    She was right. Too many foolish yers in the world failed to grasp this simple premise. A Dungeon was a ce very close to death.

    Jin-Hyeok found himself grinning unconsciously.

    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±

    ¡°If I were with foolish yers, we would spend about thirty minutes debating whether or not to go down there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew that in other situations, he would undoubtedly have had lengthy discussions and debates on whether jumping was the right or wrong move.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    They jumped down, falling for what felt like an eternity.

    [You have entered the Field ¡¸Midpoint of Bukhansan¡¹.]

    Both Yu-Ri and Jin-Hyeok were able to return to Bukhansan, and there was no trace of the Queen Ant to be found.

    ? ? ?

    As they descended Bukhansan, Yu-Ri seemed somewhat disheartened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget how you are feeling right now. That¡¯s how you will be stronger,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, I will not forget.¡±

    They were defeated by Queen Ant today. Yu-Ri seemed bitterly disappointed, and Jin-Hyeok felt the same. Before they knew it, they hadpletely descended the mountain.

    ¡°Is it okay if I continue to y alongside you, Master?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. He had set her on the right path.

    ¡®I¡¯ve done my part.¡¯

    Yu-Ri¡¯s firepower was unparalleled, but there were various constraints in ying together all the time. It would be best to enjoy Dual y as needed rather than always being together.

    ¡°Contact this number.¡±

    ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°A person named Maria will answer when you call. She is affiliated with the National Intelligence Service, and she will take good care of you. Even better than I could.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m with Maria, then¡­¡±

    Yu-Ri hesitated for a moment, watching Jin-Hyeok closely.

    ¡°Go ahead, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Can I be stronger than you, Master?¡±

    It was a wee question to hear.

    ¡°You might, but it won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°I will strive to be really strong, strong enough not to disappoint you, Master. And I will try to be stronger than you. I¡¯ve learned so much and¡­¡±

    As if the tension had finally dissipated, Yu-Ri copsed onto the ground with a huge sigh. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed softly. Inside the Dungeon, she could momentarily lose herself in y, forgetting all else. However, as soon as she stepped outside, reality seemed toe crashing back.

    ¡®She suddenly looks so vulnerable.¡¯

    It seemed like the reality of losing her husband and being left alone was hitting her again. After sobbing for a while she bit her lip and spoke, ¡°I will never forget your kindness. I will definitely repay you someday. I am truly, truly grateful.¡±

    Then, a notification popped up.

    [¡¸Contract of Blood and Iron¡¹ has been created.]

    Looking with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, this was a Trait of the Artillery of Nemesis Job.

    A metal te dripping with blood and a quill pen, its tip stained with blood, appeared in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°This is a token of my gratitude and respect toward you, Master. If you write the name of a person who bears you malice on it, I must be the embodiment of vengeance and kill them.¡±

    ¡°Is that how you understood it?¡±

    Before even hearing Yu-Ri¡¯s exnation, he had inspected the Contract of Blood and Iron through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. Yu-Ri wasn¡¯t wrong, but she wasn¡¯t exactly right either.

    ¡°Did I misunderstand?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not only for vengeance. It can be utilized in various ways.¡±

    Apparently, the detailed description had probably only written about the revenge-rted aspects. It was no surprise. The detailed description did not contain everything. There were other underlying functionalities, and it was up to the yer to be able to read between the lines.

    ¡°In other words, it¡¯s like a forced directive.¡±

    Although ordering her to take revenge on his behalf was possible, it also allowed for other options.

    Jin-Hyeok picked up the bloodstained quill pen that had materialized in mid-air and began to write on the metal te.

    [No forcibly holding back tears.]

    [Mourn as much as you like, but do not break down.]

    In truth, these vaguemands were difficult to enforce effectively. To function properly instead of saying, ¡®No forcibly holding back tears,¡¯ themand should be more specific and clear, like ¡®Use your right hand to wipe away the tears that are currently flowing.¡¯

    ¡°...Ah.¡±

    It didn¡¯t really matter anyway. The important thing was letting her know that the Contract of Blood and Iron wasn¡¯t strictly limited to revenge.

    Just before parting ways, Jin-Hyeok suddenly recalled his own experiences and shared them with her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve also lost people who were precious to me.¡±

    The immense sense of loss and loneliness couldn¡¯t be filled by someone else¡¯sfort. Oveing that heavy weight of solitude was her own burden to bear. Jin-Hyeok offered onest piece of advice.

    ¡°ying will help you ovee those feelings.¡±

    ¡°...Okay. Thank you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok parted ways with Yu-Ri and headed toward Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡®Hm¡­¡¯

    There were noticeably more people than usual near the Sareoga Mart. The alleys were bustling everywhere.

    ¡®Why are there so many people?¡¯

    It didn¡¯t really matter. He had something he needed to do here.

    He headed straight for the Young Golden Guardian Tree. It was only a few hundred meters away, yet for some reason, it felt incredibly distant.

    ¡®I¡¯ve finally arrived!¡¯

    Standing in front of the Young Golden Guardian Tree, he started the livestream. His heart pounded with excitement at being able to share this with his viewers.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105

    As Cha Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream, he could see the number of viewers watching the stream rising in real-time.

    ¡®Oh.¡¯

    Through this experience, one thing became abundantly clear. Jin-Hyeok much preferred livestreaming for the masses rather than the premium livestream for one viewer. While Jin-Hyeok wasn''t actuallymunicating with the viewers in the traditional sense, Jin-Hyeok decided tobel it as such because he was, in fact, talking to his audience.

    ¡®Now I have ten thousand live viewers.¡¯

    Not even a minute had passed since starting the livestream, and the viewer count had already surged past ten thousand. Before two minutes were up, it soared past twenty thousand. Of course, that was what appeared on the surface.

    [19,200/19,200]

    However, in reality, the flood of viewers continued to surge. The exhration from watching the numbers climb was intoxicating. Jin-Hyeok wondered if this was why Streamers turned on their livestreams without doing anything, just passing the time with music and such. Jin-Hyeok had learned something new.

    All of a sudden, something urred to him. He remembered an interview with Egan Paul he saw a few days ago. Egan Paul had said something about being the first to adapt to the new civilization, boasting record-breaking viewership.

    ¡®But I have more viewers than him.¡¯

    Originally, Jin-Hyeok had aimed for third ce. It was a given that Egan Paul would take the top spot. However, now, the narrative seemed to be changing. Egan had mentioned Jin-Hyeok first. To be precise, the reporter had asked Egan Paul a question.

    ¡°How do youpare yourself to Korea¡¯s Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°I often hear that he¡¯s trying to surpass me. However, we¡¯re notparable. We started on different ying fields.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by different ying fields?¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo disys a range of versatile performances. However, a single human''s time and abilities are limited. The gap already started to show in the viewer count. You will understand as time goes on.¡±

    In his earlier days as a Streamer, Jin-Hyeok had time and time again conceded to the fact that Egan had an overwhelming number of viewers, but right now, Egan¡¯s viewer count was around fifty thousand, roughly on par with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s.

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea why Egan acted so superior when their viewer counts were simr. This shouldn¡¯t bother Jin-Hyeok, but it was starting to.

    ¡®A Streamer proves himself through livestream. Let¡¯s just focus on that.¡¯

    ¡°Here I am, standing before the Golden Guardian Tree. I think it¡¯s time to sprinkle some Bakurudnaima''s Spirit Water that I happened to acquire.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out the item he had gained as a reward for clearing the Hidden Quest earlier.

    ¡®Egan Paul, I bet you have never nted a Golden Guardian Tree. You don¡¯t even have any Bakurudnaima''s Spirit Water, never fought against the Queen Ant, and don¡¯t even possess any custom-crafted Mysteries.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to spill all of this, but he restrained himself. Instead, he just changed the title of the livestream.

    [World Premiere! What happens when 7,000-year-old Sacred Tree Spirit Water is sprinkled on Earth Sever¡¯s only Golden Guardian Tree?]

    The title felt excessively long, but today, Jin-Hyeok felt like going with it.

    ¡°As you can see, Bakurudnaima''s Spirit Water contains the essence of a spirit of a Sacred Tree that was born from the Will to Protect. This is the Spirit Water of a spirit that has nurtured a single Will for seven thousand years and is said to greatly enhance the Guardian Tree. Let¡¯s try using it.¡±

    As he sprayed the Spirit Water, it touched the air and transformed into golden mist before being absorbed into the trunk of the Golden Guardian Tree. Almost immediately, a mist began to rise around the tree. The mist collided with the golden light emanating from the Guardian Tree, creating a soft, reflective glow. Even as time passed, the mist continued to circte around the Guardian Tree, enhancing its already majestic appearance.

    ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯ve turned on some lights. How splendid.¡±

    Before he knew it, the name of the Golden Guardian Tree had changed.

    [Spirited Young Golden Guardian Tree]

    A descriptor had been added to the Golden Guardian Tree, apanied by new changes.

    ¡°It seems the application Will to Protect has strengthened, allowing for a sort of Restricted Zone type of setting to be set by me. It¡¯s fascinating.¡±

    Now, Jin-Hyeok could control who entered and left the Guardian Tree¡¯s domain at will. He was not entirely sure, but he believed anyone below Level 150 would find it hard to break through his control.

    ¡°Let¡¯s run a test. There seems to be a party of Assassins targeting me.¡±

    It was a given that top yers attracted the attention of Assassins.

    ¡°Ah, I forgot to show you guys this.¡±

    He pulled out a red piece of paper from his pocket.

    [We will hunt you down tonight. -Written by: ck Thorn Alliance]

    This note was dropped to him while he was waiting for the viewers to gather on his livestream. These guys were clearly professional Assassins. They had given him a prior warning and even disclosed their Alliance. It was a textbook y by Assassins.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try driving these guys away for now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Golden Guardian Tree. A regal aura cascaded from its branches, enveloping him.

    ¡°Over there. Over there. And over there. I see three of them. Their yer names are Thief Lynx, ck Hippo, and Lawless Hell. It seems the Restricted Zone setting can be adjusted ording to their Level and my capabilities.¡±

    Their Levels were in the 40s. They were not exactly exceptional yers.

    ¡®This is something I have to visualize in my head.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok needed to control this as well. He had to mentally formte where to designate the Restricted Zone. If he were not someone who had meditated a lot, handling this power from the start would¡¯ve been hard.

    ¡°Ah, the Assassins seems to be retreated, but¡­¡±

    There were also side effects. Two of them ran toward the road, moving outside of Yeonhui-dong, but one fell from the window. It almost looked like he wasmitting suicide.

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    The Assassin fell from a height of five stories. He didn¡¯t die, but it seemed like he broke both of his legs. Despite the broken legs, he forcibly stood up and started walking somewhere, most likely making his way out of Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡°It seems like the Restricted Zone can control their body and make them leave the area that I¡¯ve set, seeing that that guy is still moving even though both of his legs are broken.¡±

    ¡®That must hurt a lot.¡¯

    From a distance, Jin-Hyeok heard someone shouting, ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    The voice wasden with indignation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re so mad.¡±

    It was not like he used a gun or anything. Jin-Hyeok wondered why his enemies were angry when Jin-Hyeok fought back fair and square with his y.

    ¡°They¡¯re probably furious because they failed to assassinate me.¡±

    Additionally, within the Guardian Tree¡¯s domain, the defensive-type Mysteries, Traits, and Skills were maximized.

    Jin-Hyeok was itching to show this off to the viewers, but he held back.

    ¡®Showing off everything at once takes away the fun, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯

    A little pause before the livestream started.

    A slightly more provocative title.

    And pacing his content.

    Jin-Hyeok felt proud of himself once again.

    ¡®I¡¯m still growing as a Streamer. Are you watching this, Egan Paul?¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok had made the area around his home a Restricted Zone. Except for his family and those with permission, no one else could approach the area. Though he had used the Deceiver¡¯s Mask, his identity was already well-known. Many reporters had already found out Jin-Hyeok¡¯s address and set up camp around his ce.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    The reporters found themselves involuntarily moving away.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±

    ¡°My body¡¯s moving on its own!!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just the reporters, even the Streamers were not immune to the effects of the Restricted Zone. After chasing away the unwanted guests to a certain distance, Jin-Hyeok rxed at home while waiting for nightfall.

    ¡®Those guys had some grit, at least.¡¯

    Their Levels were rtively low, but they were true to the reputation of the ck Thorn Alliance. If it were the ck Thorn Alliance that Jin-Hyeok knew, they wouldn¡¯t give up on Assassination that easily.

    ¡®They said it¡¯s tonight, right?¡¯

    The ck Thorn Alliance leader was named Magpie Viper.

    If that guy were in on the assassination, he would surely make his move.

    Checking his phone, Jin-Hyeok noticed several missed calls.

    It was from Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡ªWhy aren¡¯t you picking up your phone?!

    ¡°I was busy. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡ªThere are people from the ck Thorn Alliance that are trying to kill you.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡ªYou know? How?

    ¡°They¡¯ve been scouting me with an advance party. They even dered war with a note.¡±

    ¡ªDamn it! Do you know who their leader is?

    Jin-Hyeok knew the leader very well. It was Magpie Viper¡ªKwak Do-Hyeong. He was a yer who had quite a reputation in Jin-Hyeok''s past life.

    ¡°Hm.. I don¡¯t know. Who is it?¡±

    ¡ªHis yer name is Magpie Viper. He is an assassin-ss yer specializing in deadly poisons and incantations. His Level is currently estimated to be in thete 50s. Those guys approached my party for information on you!

    ¡°What information did you give them?¡±

    ¡ªAre you crazy? We didn¡¯t give them anything.

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in disbelief.

    ¡°You provided nothing? Why? No, seriously, why? You guys are an alliance of Thieves and Informants. Why would you not provide information?¡±

    ¡ªAre you being serious right now?

    ¡°You should have. No, do it now. Do you know that I am way stronger in the vicinity of Yeonhui-dong? If they want to kill me, they should drive me north past the Seodaemun-gu Office or south below Yeonhui Interchange, which is the small road that connects Yeonhui-dong to the highway. Make sure to collect a hefty fee for this information.¡±

    ¡ª...Why on earth would you want me to share this information?

    ¡°Because it makes things more interesting. Also, it will spice up my Eltube content.¡±

    At that, Ha-Young snapped back to reality. She felt like she had momentarily forgotten the fundamental rule that ys needed to be enjoyable.

    ¡ªFine. I will ry the information. It¡¯s urate, right? You¡¯re not lying?

    ¡°Of course. What do you take me for? Oh, one more thing. Approaching the area near my home is outright impossible, so they should avoid that. I just said that on my livestream. You didn¡¯t happen to miss it, did you?¡±

    ¡ª...

    ¡°Seriously, how can the leader of an alliance consisting of Thieves and Informants be so out of the loop?¡±

    To be fair, Ha-Young had her reasons. She, too, had only one body and could not monitor everything by herself. There were Informants specifically assigned to collect information rted to Cha Jin-Hyeok (Kim Chul-Soo), and they would send her reports. The report on his recent livestream had not yet been submitted.

    Still, Ha-Young made no excuses.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll do better.

    ¡°Good, you should.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok ended the call andy down on his bed. Today¡¯s y had been extremely fun, but he felt a significant amount of physical and mental fatigue umting.

    ¡°Assassins, huh.¡±

    A wry smile crossed his lips.

    ¡°No, this is not supposed to be fun.¡±

    Though no one was listening, he convinced himself with his monologue.

    ¡°Once I reach a higher Level and the real deal Assassins and Hunters starting after me, it¡¯s going to get really exhausting.¡±

    For now, he was mentally nning to y up to Level 150 and then retire.

    ¡°But you never really know, right? What if I end up enjoying my y even at higher Levels?¡±

    If that happened, truly dangerous yers that hunted other yers would starting after Jin-Hyeok. No matter how good the Streamer Protection Treaty was, Traits like All-Rounder that Jin-Hyeok possessed were definitely enticing enough to make those Hunters salivate.

    ¡°If, by some chance, I am still enjoying ying at that Level, it might be a good idea to hone my practical skills against the Assassins.¡±

    No one knew the future. Training for practical purposes was always important, and maintaining a light level of tension was very beneficial for always having a good condition.

    ¡°So, I would appreciate it if more Assassins came my way.¡±

    With that thought, he closed his eyes for a moment.

    ? ? ?

    Evening had arrived. The anticipation of the night¡¯s event helped Jin-Hyeok get a good night¡¯s sleep. When he opened his eyes, night had fallen. Stretchingzily, he got out of the bed.

    ¡°Shall I get moving then?¡±

    With his heart pounding in excitement, he started the livestream.

    [Breaking News! Forewarned murder by the ck Thorn Alliance? Kim Chul-Soo on the run, danger iing.]

    As he began the livestream, he walked down an alleyway. Surprisingly, the streetlights were out, shrouding the area in darkness. It seemed like even the electricity had been tampered with beforehand.

    ¡®Oh.¡¯

    He could already sense the presence of Assassins. There were roughly seven by his count. They had even prepared traps for him here and there.

    ¡®Wow, they really did prepare a lot.¡¯

    There was no one else around, not a single soul. It appeared they had blocked non-yer¡¯s ess beforehand.

    ¡®Good. This is the basics of ying.¡¯

    As if to test Jin-Hyeok¡¯s awareness, an arrow flew toward him from somewhere.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    An intriguing idea popped into his head.

    ¡®What if I just let it hit me?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abilities were significantly boosted in Yeonhui-dong. He wondered if he could withstand a mere warning shot without any aid from his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. He believed his defensive stats should be more than enough for that.

    ¡®The aim is slightly off.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok moved slightly to the right.

    Thud!

    A minor impact was felt on his chest. The arrowhead fell to the ground, unable to pierce through him.

    ¡®I should act startled. Grasping my chest would make it seem more painful, wouldn¡¯t it? This is great for my livestream.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok nced around. As if that was the enemies¡¯ cue, a barrage of arrows showered down on Jin-Hyeok. There were quite a lot. Jin-Hyeok now wondered what would happen if he were to get hit by all of the arrows.

    ¡®Would my defense hold?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had to find out.

    ¡°This is rather painful.¡±

    Even a massage from a strong man hurt, but being hit by arrows hurt way more than that. For the sake of performance, Jin-Hyeok pretended to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡®They¡¯re not really trying to kill me with these attacks. They¡¯re doing a good job.¡¯

    It seemed they had good information on how to assassinate Jin-Hyeok, probably thanks to Ha-Young. Their intention had to be to drag him out of Yeonhui-dong by various means.

    ¡®They are leading me toward that magic circle.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok saw the magic circle. It looked like it had a debuff that would drain his health.

    ¡®I should also check my mana resistance while I¡¯m at it.¡¯

    With the enemies¡¯ meticulous preparation, it was an excellent chance for Jin-Hyeok to see the limits of his capabilities. He skillfully dodged some arrows and took some hits, adding a touch of acting based on his previous experience in showmanship.

    ¡®Huh? What?¡¯

    His performance was perfect. Jin-Hyeok hade a long way.

    ¡­Or so he thought.

    Jin-Hyeok should have checked the chat in Mystery Box¡¯s Eltube channel. Not doing so was his mistake. He was blissfully unaware of what was being discussed there.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106

    Wang Yu-Mi had changed her Eltube channel name from Mystery Box.

    ¡®The initial concept I had in mind is long gone, after all¡­¡¯ she thought.

    The original idea behind Mystery Box was to remain anonymous while featuring yers with average skill levels. That concept had been abandoned long ago, prompting the need for a new name.

    ¡°I will change the channel name to KimKnowItAllTV! As you all may know, I chose this name because this is a channel dedicated to Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    Her lively chat continued as always.

    [KimKnowItAllTV has been selected for a ¡¸Non-Stop Laughter Livestream¡¹ in real-time.]

    [KimKnowItAllTV has been selected for a ¡¸Bustling Livestream¡¹ in real-time.]

    Although these notifications did not bring a significant benefit to Yu-Mi, they lifted her spirits considerably as a Streamer. It felt like receiving a sort of medal.

    -Kim_Woof_Woof: Wait, isn¡¯t Kim Chul-Soo in a crisis right now?

    Yu-Mi promptly pinned thest chat. The chat in KimKnowItAllTV, which was like a yground for the viewers, heated up even more.

    [Kim_Woof_Woof: Wait, isn¡¯t Kim Chul-Soo in a crisis right now?]

    ©»Yeah, he does seem to be in a bit of a danger.

    ©»How can arrows be raining down like that?

    ©»Isn¡¯t this the first time Chul-Soo himself acted as if he was in pain?

    ©»Looks like he¡¯s also caught in a magic circle trap. This is really dangerous.

    At first, there were viewers who expressed concerns, but that was short-lived.

    ©»Do y¡¯all really think he¡¯s in a crisis?

    ©»Sigh. You guys don¡¯t know Chul-Soo at all. You¡¯d be better off not watching.

    ©»Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s a build-up for the Kim Scenario? Lol.

    [Exnation AI¡ª Kim Scenario: A directorial approach where Kim Chul-Soo deliberately acts as if he is in a crisis to induce tension and amusement.]

    A quarrel broke out among the viewers. Yu-Mi interjected at just the right moment.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure myself. What¡¯s important is that Chul-Soo is doing his best.¡±

    From Yu-Mi¡¯s perspective, it was clear as day. At the moment, Chul-Soo was not doing his best in terms of power, but he was certainly putting in all his efforts as a Streamer.

    ¡®It¡¯s kind of fascinating. From what I see, it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s just toying with the enemies, but it seems the viewers don¡¯t quite see it that way.¡¯

    Yu-Mi decided to do a real-time poll.

    [1. This is totally a Kim Scenario. (60%)]

    [2. What are you talking about? He¡¯s in a real crisis. (40%)]

    The vote split sixty to forty in ratio. It was surprisingly close.

    ¡®Hm?¡¯

    However, as time passed, public opinion started to shift.

    [1. This is totally a Kim Scenario. (88%)]

    [2. What are you talking about? He¡¯s in a real crisis. (12%)]

    Now, it was bing apparent even to the viewers.

    ¡®This could be problematic.¡¯

    Yu-Mi thought it would be better to spice up the chat with more heated exchanges of opinions. That way, it would attract more attention and be a bigger topic. Yu-Mi decided to change her strategy.

    ¡°From what I see, the chances of this being a Kim Scenario are about 30,000 percent.¡±

    [1. This is totally a Kim Scenario. (92%)]

    [2. What are you talking about? He¡¯s in a real crisis. (8%)]

    ¡°But there is no doubt that Chul-Soo is acting like he¡¯s having a tough time.¡±

    This became some sort of a meme.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with the suffering Kim Chul-Soo. What do you think?¡±

    [KingGodGeneral Yumi: The Kim Chul-Soo who thinks he¡¯s struggling, the Kim Chul-Soo who¡¯s giving his all, the Kim Chul-Soo who really thinks that he¡¯s pulling it off.]

    ©»LOOOOL. By the looks of it, Chul-Soo really thinks he¡¯s fooling the viewers.

    ©»If that¡¯s the case, why not just be in a crisis for real? LOL

    ©»Not a scratch on him. Hahaha!

    ©»He¡¯s just panting, but there''s not even a single drop of sweat! LOL

    ©»Is this really happening? Haha!

    Yu-Mi even captured a screenshot of Chul-Soo¡¯s expression.

    [KingGodGeneral Yumi: The epitome of tranquility.]

    ©»LOOOOL. So true. LOL

    ©»LOL LOL. Externally intense, internally tranquil. Haha!

    And thus, a meme was born.

    This was the birth of the IntenseMan Kim Chul-Soo, who thought he was intense but was actually more tranquil than anyone else.

    The news started to spread like wildfire even on onlinemunities like the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    [Chul-Soo looks really struggling this time. He¡¯s up against the ck Thorn Alliance, known as Korea¡¯s strongest Assassin Alliance.]

    ©»Yeah, was watching the livestream, and it really worried me.

    ©»What¡¯s gonna happen? Isn¡¯t this a dangerous situation?

    ©»He¡¯s in too dangerous of a situation.

    [Honestly, shouldn¡¯t someone of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s caliber be a promising figure in Korea? Why is everyone so silent? Someone should step in and protect him!]

    ©»2222.

    ©»333.

    ©»Really hope Chul-Soo manages this crisis wisely.

    During a brief break from the livestream, Joseph, who had been waiting in another room, was visited by none other than Yu-Mi herself, and he held out his hand toward her.

    ¡°Yu-Mi, I think coborating with you was a brilliant choice.¡±

    Yu-Mi and Joseph shook hands, both wearing satisfied grins.

    ¡°IntenseMan Kim Chul-Soo thinks he really appears in a crisis. This livestream will not be archived, so only those who watched it live will know what happened today. That way, Chul-Soo will think he looked genuinely in danger and will feel like he has grown as a Streamer,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    It would not matter when Chul-Soo eventually found out this was all a meme. What was important to Yu-Mi was right here, right now. She continued to speak.

    ¡°What we have here is what¡¯s known as the unexpected charm. You see, Chul-Soo is actually too skilled, which makes him less rtable. But this vulnerability will be a huge point of affection for his fans.¡±

    Star Maker Joseph had already grasped the essence, but he learned a new term today.

    ¡°Unexpected charm¡­ I¡¯ll have to take a note.¡±

    ¡°Cheers to IntenseMan.¡±

    ¡°Cheers.¡±

    The two clinked their beer sses, sharing the same satisfied smile.

    ? ? ?

    At this point, it felt like Cha Jin-Hyeok had done enough to sell the performance. He had fallen into their exhausting traps. He had been hit by arrows, albeit only a few. He had even pretended to be out of breath and wiped away non-existent sweat.

    ¡®The arrows do fly at an impressive speed, though.¡¯

    From his point of view, the speed of the arrows was reasonable, but it probably seemed incredibly fast to a casual or low-Level yer. Their relentless pursuit as they tried to drive him out of Yeonhui-dong was rather admirable.

    ¡®But they¡¯re missing that final touch.¡¯

    At this rate, it would take forever. However, it seemed like the Assassins were already aware of this problem. A powerful figure emerged, aiming to speed up the process of driving Jin-Hyeok out of Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡®Oh!¡¯

    [LV56/Taekwon V[1]Incarnation of Hwarang[2]/Skills/Their Trusted Ways]

    To be honest, Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased.

    ¡®That¡¯s Kim Doo-Hwan, also known as Taekwon V!¡¯

    Naturally, this Taekwon V looked much younger than the one Jin-Hyeok remembered. A memory floated into his mind.

    Doo-Hwan and the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, Kwak Do-Hyeong, had been friends since childhood. They wouldter publicly deny their friendship, but anyone who needed to know already did.

    ¡®To see Hwarang of Ashen Cherry Blossom here¡­¡¯

    Though Jin-Hyeok had no personal rtionship with Doo-Hwan, he had always admired him. Doo-Hwan was not a yer who went out killing monsters. He was like an Entertainer-ss yer. As time went on, the types of yers would diversify, and Doo-Hwan would grow into an Entertainer-ss yer. A former national Taekwondo representative, Doo-Hwan would integrate the martial art into his y, disying shing and beautiful techniques.

    ¡®He was truly cool.¡¯

    Whenever Doo-Hwan used his Skills, ashen cherry blossoms would bloom, creating a spectacle. He was a type of yerpletely different from Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok was a hunter, pursuing extreme efficiency, but he had a genuine affection for Entertainer-ss yers.

    It was like¡­ they ignited a fire in a man¡¯s heart. There was even a time when children aspired to be Taekwon V.

    ¡°He¡¯s closing in at a considerable speed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok quickly increased the distance between them. During that time, dozens more arrows flew at him, disrupting his movement.

    ¡®They¡¯re working well together.¡¯

    Rather than directly attacking Jin-Hyeok, Doo-Hwan was gradually applying pressure, forcing him to move continuously.

    ¡°His kicks are incredibly shy.¡±

    Doo-Hwan embroidered the air with hues of ash. The cherry blossoms had not reached full bloom yet, but it was still delightful to watch the y of a yer Jin-Hyeok had admired.

    [You have activated the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]

    Doo-Hwan¡¯s movements slowed to 0.8 times his usual speed, allowing Jin-Hyeok to see his movements in detail.

    ¡°Such beautiful kicks.¡±

    Cling!

    With a light sound effect, Time-Lapse Recording was deactivated.

    ¡°For the first time, my Time-Lapse Recording Skill has been broken. It seems like the opponent has considerable resistance or control over adjusting the timepse recording speed. It¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡®I mean, to exhibit such shy, remarkable, and swift kicks, one would need that kind of ability.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok continued to be pushed back. Their grueling(?) battle went on. A great deal of time had passed¡ªover four hours, it seemed.

    At a certain moment, Jin-Hyeok intuitively knew.

    ¡®I¡¯ve left the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s territory.¡¯

    He could no longer rely on the protection of the Golden Guardian Tree. As a Streamer who was constantly growing, one thought crossed his mind.

    ¡®I should pretend to try to re-enter Yeonhui-dong.¡¯

    That would make the scene more intense. Naturally, the enemies staked their lives on preventing Jin-Hyeok from entering Yeonhui-dong. After roughly fifteen minutes of trying, Jin-Hyeok finally gave up and stopped trying to enter Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡°The arrows have stopped, and the opponent''s spectacr kick attacks have also ceased,¡± Jin-Hyeok noted.

    Doo-Hwan stood, blocking his path. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Doo-Hwan spoke, ¡°I apologize for ganging up on you. However, I must do my job. As long as you don¡¯t attempt to go further in, I won¡¯t attack you. It was a favor for an old friend of mine.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok almost cracked a rather satisfied smile.

    ¡®I guess they¡¯re actually going to assassinate me now.¡¯

    ck Thorn Alliance was an alliance of Assassins. However, their actions against Jin-Hyeok were too overt to be considered assassination attempts.

    ¡°It seems like what they¡¯ve been doing was just preparation for the actual assassination,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    Herding him out of Yeonhui-dong was their preliminary move. The real domain of assassination was about to begin.

    ¡°I can feel the sharp bloodlust closing in.¡±

    It had to be the sharp bloodlust from Magpie Viper¡ªKwak Do-Hyeong. He seemed to be waiting for the right opportunity, for the right ce, to resolve this himself.

    ¡®However, I like Kim Doo-Hwan. I should give it my best when facing him. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not keep pulling his punches when facing a yer he respected. It wouldn¡¯t be courteous to him.

    ¡°Now I will give him my best,¡± Jin-Hyeok dered, gripping his Greatsword of La¡¯kan as he stood before Doo-Hwan.

    ¡°By the way, I do acknowledge that your y has entered the realm of art,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Doo-Hwan.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°However, we arepletely different types of yers.¡±

    Doo-Hwan had yet to find his proper path. He was not the type of yer who hunted down monsters. He was more of an Entertainer-ss yer.

    ¡°When I give it my all¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok pondered on how to make this sound and look as dramatic as possible. He wanted to say a cool catchphrase that went along with the situation. ¡°¡­the Ashen Dance shall crumble before my imprable barrier.¡±

    It sounded corny, but it was still cool. Jin-Hyeok had been drawn to these kinds of linestely. He looked down at his right wrist, quite pleased with his line. His viewers would be able to see it as well. A ck pattern materialized on his right wrist. He deliberately disyed the All-Clear mark that had been in stealth mode.

    At the same time, he opened a window on the right of the screen to aid the viewers¡¯ understanding.

    [2) +1 to Defensive Attributes

    - The Achievement bearer may boost the Attributes of one of their defensive abilities.

    -When using defensive Skills/Traits,

    ©»Complete immunity to physical attacks below Level 80.

    ©»Partial immunity to physical attacks below Level 100.]

    Then, Jin-Hyeok deliberately began to walk forward, slowly.

    ¡°Your art will experience a tragedy today.¡±

    In honor of the man Jin-Hyeok once admired, he resolved to give it his best.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve finally decided to take the punishment.¡±

    Doo-Hwan¡¯s tone was weird, undoubtedly affected by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous dialogue. Doo-Hwan advanced and unleashed hundreds of kicks in a split second, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t even bother to defend.

    [Complete immunity to physical attacks below Level 80.]

    Doo-Hwan''s physical attacks had no effect on Jin-Hyeok. Even though Doo-Hwan linked various techniques and showcased moves that would be considered finishing strikes, they were meaningless.

    ¡®Activate Star Shield.¡¯

    All attacks from those of the same Level or lower were entirely nullified. If Jin-Hyeok timed it right, he could block everything without taking any damage. Doo-Hwan was getting worn out, and Jin-Hyeok took a quick nce behind him.

    ¡®It¡¯s about time for Do-Hyeong to make his move.¡¯

    Do-Hyeong would undoubtedly try to seize an opening to ambush Jin-Hyeok. But then, a brilliant idea came to mind. There was no need to keep waiting to counter Do-Hyeong. Jin-Hyeok had an excellent defensive Mystery, after all.

    ¡°I will now reveal my most powerful defensive Mystery,¡± Jin-Hyeok announced, feeling that the timing was just right.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹.]

    1. Taekwon V is the main character from Robot Taekwon V, which is a South Korean animated film released in the 70s. It¡¯s oftenpared to the Japanese anime series Mazinger Z. Taekwon V is unique in that it incorporates elements of traditional Korean martial arts, Taekwondo, into its fighting style. ?

    2. Hwarang, or Flowering Knights, were an elite group of male youth in the ancient Korean kingdom of Si, which existed between 57 BC and 935 AD. ?

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107

    Wang Yu-Mi, who operated the KimKnowItAllTV (Previously known as Mystery Box) channel on Eltube, was as happy as ever.

    [Breaking! Live reveal! Kim Chul-Soo unveils the ultimate defensive-type Mystery ¡¸Phantom Swordswoman¡¹!]

    ¡°What exactly is this so-called ultimate defensive-type Mystery, the Phantom Swordswoman?¡±

    Utilizing one of the special skills exclusive to Streamers, Yu-Mi activated Stream Dy. This Skill deliberately slowed down the livestream feed of the contracted Streamer. It gave viewers a moment to freely discuss their thoughts about the defensive Mystery¡ªPhantom Swordswoman.

    ?Now, I am going to show you the ultimate defensive-type Mystery, the Phantom Swordswoman!?

    Then, on screen, Chul-Soo activated the Phantom Swordswoman. The oue was strikingly different from what people had expected.

    -SquareCloud: ??? Defensive Mystery?

    -BusterCall: ?????

    Suddenly, a ghostly figure of a woman appeared on the screen and swiftly flew off somewhere.

    -SummerInck: What was that?

    -DoDoDoDong: Why is that woman so pretty?

    -IAmCalm: She¡¯s so pretty even with her face covered!

    The Phantom Swordswoman that had revealed herself abruptly assaulted Kwak Do-Hyeong, the Assassin that was lurking. Unable to put up much resistance, he perished.

    [Octabucks has donated 10,000 Dias.]

    [Octabucks: That long-range defensive Mystery is specialized in counterattacking. It may look like an offensive Mystery, but it¡¯s a defensive-type. Trust me.]

    The chat window that was filled with question marks erupted into a cascade of LOLs.

    -BusterCall: LOL LOL! A long-range defensive Mystery specialized in counterattacks. Totally legit! LOL

    -Iboo: LOL. That¡¯s a defensive Mystery? Hahaha!

    -AngelinaJelly: IntenseMan¡¯s defensive Mystery LOL. That¡¯s new.

    After killing Do-Hyeong, the Phantom Swordswoman dissipated like smoke.

    Soon after, Do-Hyeong rose to his feet once more.

    ¡®I never heard anything about long-range attack capabilities¡­¡¯ Do-Hyeong thought.

    A chill ran down his spine. Do-Hyeong had prided himself on thoroughly researching Kim Chul-Soo. He thought he had aprehensive understanding of Chul-Soo Skills, but evidently, there were many secrets yet to be revealed.

    ¡°...Kim Chul-Soo?¡± Do-Hyeong said.

    ¡°His Level is 59. And his yer name is Viper.[1] He is the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance and the Assassin who is trying to kill me. Fortunately, I¡¯ve sessfully defended his attack. It could have been dangerous without my long-range defensive Mystery,¡± Chul-Soo calmly exined to his viewers.

    And his viewers happened to include Yu-Mi, who had been livestreaming the event on her own livestream channel, KimKnowItAllTV.

    "It seems like IntenseMan made a mistake. He should¡¯ve been more intense, but he got too excited about showcasing his new Mystery and messed up. That was not very intense at all," Yu-Mi seamlessly chimed in, trying to create another trend for Chul-Soo.¡°

    [*Feel free to leave yourments. *Excessive attacks/profanity may be deleted without notice. * Please refrain from political/hate speech. *Excessive hatements may lead to being cklisted.]

    [

    IAmIntense: He got so excited showing off his mystery, that he forgot about the concept he was going for.]</pinned>

    ©»An unintense IntenseMan. LOL

    ©»LOL! Let¡¯s pretend we didn¡¯t notice.

    ©»People make mistakes. Haha.

    ©»Just say it was intense! LOL

    ©»The most intense battle I¡¯ve ever seen. Haha!

    Yu-Mi grinned as she watched the viewers freely share their opinions,ughing and chatting.

    ¡®Mysteries aren¡¯t even that familiar to the general public¡­¡¯ Yu-Mi thought.

    Thanks to IntenseMan, the only one who thought he was intense, the viewers were very easily andfortably epting the concept of Mysteries.

    ¡®This is the power of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s content!¡¯

    She subtly inserted a few pieces of information.

    ¡°As far as I know, Mysteries have human-like traits. The same Mystery can behave differently depending on who wields it. There ispatibility between the caster and the Mystery, and certain conditions make one handle the Mystery well. The fact that Kim Chul-Soo killed a top-ranked Assassin in one go shows that he has perfect synergy with the ultimate defensive Mystery.¡±

    Yu-Mi naturally continued to glorify Chul-Soo, and the viewers of KimKnowItAllTV collectively chose to turn a blind eye to his mistake. Consequently, the assassination attempt by the ck Thorn Alliance was recorded as an event that had put Kim Chul-Soo in great jeopardy.

    ? ? ?

    Kim Doo-Hwan clenched his teeth. It seemed his ego was severely bruised, as all his attacks had been futile.

    ¡°At least there was some romance to your attacks," Cha Jin-Hyeok offered what he considered to be a sincere constion.

    Doo-Hwan¡¯s attacks carried a ir that went beyond mere functionality. That alone earned Jin-Hyeok¡¯s respect.

    ¡°...Are you mocking me?¡± Doo-Hwan asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡±

    ¡®Why is he getting mad at mypliment? Is he trying to be modest?¡¯

    [...#Deep sense of defeat. #Helplessness. #Insurmountable wall.]

    ¡®No, he is genuinely frustrated. But he doesn¡¯t need to feel defeated just for losing to me. Would a ser yer feel defeated for losing at basketball to a basketball yer?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok left Doo-Hwan, who was drowning in his self-loathing, alone and instead approached the corpse of Viper¡ªKwak Do-Hyeong.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead but not really dead,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He saw Do-Hyeong¡¯s finger twitch.

    ¡°It seems like he¡¯s under some kind of resurrection setting. I will investigate thoroughly with my Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. I will use the Exclusive In-Depth Interview as well.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already knew a lot about Do-Hyeong''s abilities, but Jin-Hyeok acted as if he were seeing them for the first time. Jin-Hyeok was proud that his acting skills had reached a considerable level, even nailing the act of being surprised.

    ¡°My goodness! He has an incredible Trait called Seven Captures Seven Releases!¡±

    Just like the name, it literally meant being captured seven times and being released seven times. However, Do-Hyeong¡¯s Trait had a more specific nuance.

    ¡°Viper can attempt assassination up to seven times on a single target. Once a target is designated for assassination, he can evene back to life if he gets killed by the target. What a powerful Trait.¡±

    ¡°...Enough¡­¡±

    Do-Hyeong struggled to his feet. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t quite catch what he meant by ¡°enough." People could be so cunning. Jin-Hyeok knew he shouldn¡¯t rely on Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, but he could not help it.

    [...#That¡¯s my Achilles'' Heel. #Shut up. #Cruel bastard.]

    Come to think of it, the reveal of Do-Hyeong''s Trait would have been far in the future. Perhaps Jin-Hyeok revealed it too soon, but it wasn¡¯t his fault. Doo-Hyeong was ying his role as an Assassin, and Jin-Hyeok was just doing his job as a Streamer.

    ¡°I¡¯m just ying my role as a Streamer, you know,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°As a Streamer?¡±

    [...#A Streamer? #Are all Streamers this strong? #How did I get one shot by a Streamer?]

    Do-Hyeong looked highly aggrieved. However, he soon hid his expression and spoke to Jin-Hyeok, ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t even tell you what it is.¡±

    ¡°You wanted to ask if you could get six more chances, right?¡±

    Seven Captures Seven Releases was not just about reviving seven times. It also provided seven chances to assassinate the designated target, but if all attempts failed, Do-Hyeong had to devote loyalty to that target as a penalty.

    ¡®Kwak Do-Hyeong, I choose you.¡¯

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life, Do-Hyeong had targeted Lee Hyeong-Seong for assassination, not Jin-Hyeok, denting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride. Jin-Hyeok always wondered why Do-Hyeong chose Hyeon-Seong over him, who was clearly superior.

    When Jin-Hyeok held an overwhelming number one rank in the swordsman ss, what made him angry was the constant teasing from Hyeon-Seong that Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have any loyal subordinates.

    ¡°So, do you have any subordinates?¡± Hyeon-Seong would always ask.

    Truth be told, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t. He had surpassed Hyeon-Seong in all aspects, except for having subordinates.

    ¡°Ever heard of Viper of Seven Captures Seven Releases?¡±

    That was almost the only moment when Jin-Hyeok felt defeated by Hyeon-Seong. Once Hyeon-Seong had Do-Hyeong as his subordinate, Hyeon-Seong ruled as the honorary alliance leader of the ck Thorn Alliance led by Do-Hyeong.

    ¡®The ck Thorn Alliance will eventually emerge as an Assassin Alliance vying for top status in Korea, or even globally,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Since Jin-Hyeok needed to create his own faction, this could be a huge benefit for him. Seeing that Jin-Hyeok seemed to know a lot about Seven Captures Seven Releases, Do-Hyeong bit his lip.

    ¡°...How much do you know?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tapped the corner of his eye.

    ¡°Streamers know everything.¡±

    Then, two months passed.

    ? ? ?

    In the span of two months, Jin-Hyeok had focused on leveling up in Solo Mode while gathering information about the Queen Ant.

    ¡®The Queen Ant has disappeared from sight.¡¯

    She was undoubtedly hiding somewhere, preparing for something. All he could do at the moment was to level up in preparation for when the Queen Ant would reappear. Though sporadic ambushes from Viper had urred, Jin-Hyeok managed to deftly evade them, showcasing his performance skills befitting a Streamer. To the eyes of the viewers, it would seem as though he barely survived those assassination attempts.

    ¡®I¡¯ve reached Level 90.¡¯

    For context, Jin-Hyeok was three Levels higher than Egan Paul, who kept mentioning and provoking him. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why Egan kept getting cocky when Egan''s Level was lower than Jin-Hyeok''s.

    ¡®Today marks Kwak Do-Hyeong¡¯s seventh defeat.¡¯

    It waste summer. On a stormy night, Viper¡ªKwak Do-Hyeong¡ªsuffered his seventh defeat against Cha Jin-Hyeok. Viper copsed at Jin-Hyeok''s feet, and Jin-Hyeok pointed his de at Do-Hyeong¡¯s neck.

    ¡°I win again,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Ridiculously, Do-Hyeong had failed in his attempt to assassinate Jin-Hyeok within Yeonhui-dong this time. Until now, he had tried to kill Jin-Hyeok outside of Yeonhui-dong, or by infiltrating Dungeons that Jin-Hyeok was about to enter. However, Jin-Hyeok thought thisst attempt was admirable. Just as he had given his all during his battle against Doo-Hwan, perhaps Do-Hyeong had grown a semnce of respect for Jin-Hyeok during their seven encounters.

    Thus, Do-Hyeong had to have done his best to attack Jin-Hyeok in Yeonhui-dong, where Jin-Hyeok could perform at his peak.

    ¡°Kill me,¡± Do-Hyeong said.

    ¡®Hm? This is not what¡¯s supposed to happen. With the seventh encounter of the Seven Captures Seven Releases concluded, he should be pledging loyalty to me.¡¯

    ¡°Kill me, I said.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°How much longer will you toy with me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand why Do-Hyeong was willing to pledge loyalty to Hyeon-Seong after defeat, but only demanded death from Jin-Hyeok.

    [...#Overwhelming defeat. #Endless despair. #Insurmountable. #Ego broken by a monster.]

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea how Do-Hyeong sessfully led the ck Thorn Alliance in Jin-Hyeok''s past life with this kind of mentality.

    ¡®Was it all just a fluke? How did Hyeon-Seong win him over?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could not figure out the method. It had to have involved skillful coaxing. Jin-Hyeok sheathed his sword back into his inventory.

    ¡°Please just kill me.¡±

    ¡°Even if I want to, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Stop mocking me!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok never mocked him. He did want to finish the seven battles quickly, but he had made an earnest attempt to make those battles look challenging. And the online response from the Korean Region Minor Gallery had been electrifying. He had even earned the nickname IntenseMan, indicating his excellent performance.

    ¡®So what mockery is this guy talking about?¡¯

    ¡°This territory is under the domain of the Golden Guardian Tree, and I can¡¯t kill people in here.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see that in one of my previous videos?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Do-Hyeong, who had been lying on the ground, slowly dusted himself off and stood up.

    ¡°Let me ask again. You¡¯re not keeping me alive just to mock and manipte me, are you?¡±

    ¡°Is that what you want to hear? If you wish, I can do as you please.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°As you already know, I am well aware of the Seven Captures Seven Releases. Why do you think I¡¯ve kept you alive all this time?¡±

    ¡°...Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I want apetent subordinate.¡±

    ¡°...Competent? Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Say that again.¡±

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    ¡°Say I¡¯mpetent again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯repetent.¡±

    Do-Hyeong¡¯s eyes widened. He looked as if he could not believe he was being praised.

    ¡°Hm.. How many Assassins in Korea are more outstanding than you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    Do-Hyeong¡¯s eyes seemed to light up a little.

    ¡°The Seo sisters from my previous party even consider you as their role model.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    His gaze appeared to grow softer, almost twinkling.

    ¡°I never expected you to evaluate me aspetent.¡±

    ¡°Well, not now, but you will be in the future.¡±

    At those words, Do-Hyeong visibly flinched.

    ¡°I see. You value my potential.¡±

    Sincerity resonated between them.

    [The contract of the ¡¸Seven Captures Seven Releases¡¹ has been sessfully established.]

    [¡¸Viper¡¹ has sworn loyalty to ¡¸Kim Chul-Soo¡¹.]

    In the end, Do-Hyeong pledged his loyalty to Jin-Hyeok, and Jin-Hyeok was able to bring the ck Thorn Alliance under his control. Preparing such a small(?) faction for the future did not seem like a bad choice at all.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    However, an unexpected issue rted to this arose, something Jin-Hyeok had not even considered.

    1. From this chapter on, the author decided to just use Viper when referring to Magpie Viper. ?

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108

    The Seo sisters, Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo, who had been in scarce contact with Cha Jin-Hyeok in the past month, suddenly came over.

    ¡°Oppa, I feel hurt,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve really been trying so hard to meet your standards. You know I even formed the K-KillerS Alliance, right?¡±

    Apparently, the K could stand for Korea or Kim Chul-Soo, and the capital S at the end stood for either Seo Ji-Soo or Seo Ji-Ah. Just for convenience, her Alliance was pronounced K-Killers.

    [...#Feeling hurt. #Really hurt. #Extremely upset. #I might cry.]

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why Ji-Soo was so upset with him. Even Ji-Ah, who usually kept her emotions in check, looked grim.

    [...#Are we weak? # Self-reflection. # Self-loathing.]

    ¡®Why is she acting like this too?¡¯

    Ji-Soo clenched her fist and spoke, ¡°I thought you would be the first to recognize and ept the K-Killers as a cooperative Alliance.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Of course, we still have a lot to improvepared to the ck Thorn Alliance. We are the underdogs, I understand that. But we thought we would be your first choice, so we have worked really hard. We take pride in the fact that we¡¯re growing much faster than the ck Thorn Alliance.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok listened, he began to understand how they felt. Having their top spot taken would''ve been a big blow to their pride.

    ¡°You are mistaken. You are my first cooperative Alliance.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Just like she said, the K-Killers have shown tremendous growth. Both Ji-Soo and Ji-Ah are already in theirte 70s, Level-wise, holding fifth and sixth rankings respectively. It was quite rare for one Alliance to have two high-rankers. Moreover, they were not Level Grinders. While they ranked fifth and sixth in terms of Levels, their actual skills were likely higher.

    ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok vaguely sensed that he needed help from his faction in the distant future. His most substantial base of support consisted of his original party members. If they wavered, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s entire faction wavered.

    ¡®I need to set the discipline.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok decided to gather them for a discussion. He was nning to listen to their concerns, evaluate how well they were doing in their respective roles, and offer advice if he could.

    ¡®If possible, I should also conduct one-on-one meetings asionally.¡¯

    It reminded Jin-Hyeok of the Han Sae-Rin of his previous life, who became a Rulerter on and often held such meetings.

    ¡®So, this is why she had all those meetings¡­¡¯

    Ji-Soo, who had sought Jin-Hyeok out in a state of emotional turbulence, now wore a regretful expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just so angry because it felt like we were pushed aside. Actually¡­ I was jealous and hurt.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. This is also something I should be doing as a Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Did you just say that you are a¡­¡±

    ¡®What did I just say?¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok asked Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young, to objectively investigate the standing of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s original party members.

    ¡°Quite intriguing,¡± she started. ¡±Though they had a bit of ate start, they have all established themselves quite remarkably. Let¡¯s start with Mok Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    ording to her, Jae-Hyeon¡¯s journey was different from the others. He wandered a bit before finding his way.

    ¡°At first, he was part of an Alliance that prioritized safety, ying cautiously. He seemed content, at least on the surface.¡±

    However, it wasn¡¯t long before Jae-Hyeon left that Alliance.

    ¡°Looks like he got tired of repeating the same thing over and over. Recently, he formed a new Alliance called KSM. Do you know what that stands for?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Kim Chul-Soo Ssibal[1] Mok Jae-Hyeon.¡±

    As she spoke, Jin-Hyeok realized that it took Jae-Hyeon some time to truly understand himself. The stifling environment of the safety-first mediocre Alliance led him to branch out, and eventually, he founded his own Alliance and became its leader.

    ¡°Jae-Hyeon wasn''t satisfied with other Alliances, so KSM had been growing explosively,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Good to hear.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s interesting is that, although their process differed, the results for your other party members are quite simr.¡±

    Unlike Jae-Hyeon, the Seo sisters hit the ground running. They immediately formed the K-Killers Alliance, gathering Assassins and expanding their influence.

    ¡°Even the ck Thorn Alliance is taking notice. The K-Killers¡¯ growth rate is unparalleled. And as for Kim Jeong-Hyeon, he is leading the ming First Alliance, which as you know, has grown into one of the top five major Alliances in Korea within just three months. Probably due to the name recognition of the ming Fist Alliance.¡±

    Mok Jae-Hyeon, the Seo sisters, and Kim Jeong-Hyeon¡ªthey were all leading their own Alliances, and they were all Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first picks for his cooperation Alliances.

    ¡°You know that Han Sae-Rin, who was nning on joining the National Intelligence Service team, became the Navigator for the ming Fist Alliance, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard.¡±

    ¡°And the man known as Mole Man, considered Sae-Rin¡¯s rival, has joined the Kim Chul-Soo Ssibal Alliance. Mole Man said the name appealed to him, but I think he just wanted topete with Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡®Why does it feel like Ha-Young emphasized the word ssibal?¡¯

    "People usually call it the KSM Alliance, don¡¯t they?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked skeptically.

    ¡°I just like saying the full name.¡±

    ¡®But I think she didn¡¯t even say the Mok Jae-Hyeon part of the name¡­¡¯

    Regardless, everyone was growing tremendously, not only withpetent Navigators, but also by gathering exceptional talents in various fields. Jin-Hyeok already knew all of this, but hearing it reported by the leader of the ck Rose Alliance made him inexplicably proud.

    ¡°Everyone is achieving remarkable sess, but still, the best among them is your sister, Cha Jin-Sol.¡±

    ¡°Jin-Sol?¡±

    She had been extremely busy these days. Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t had much time to talk to her, so he was not sure what she had been up to recently.

    ¡°yer name: Babyshark. Alias: Saintess of Freedom,¡± Ha-Young said.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a chill run down his spine when he heard his sister¡¯s alias.

    People called her the Saint of Freedom.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t affiliated with any particr Alliance, but instead wanders freely, showing miraculous healing powers wherever she goes. Although her Level ranking is only within the top ten, she is famous for being the most coveted Healer across all Alliances. Everyone is absolutely desperate to recruit her. Her worth is astronomical, and her influence is immense,¡± Ha-Young filled him in.

    ¡®But that¡¯s not entirely a good thing.¡¯

    Given Jin-Sol¡¯s current growth rate, she was bound to be a top-ranked yer. If that happened, she would need a strong Alliance to keep her safe from threats like those yers who hunted other yers.

    ¡®To think that I would worry about her bing a top-ranked yer¡­¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok had initially thought that was impossible, but it appeared there were no absolutes in life. He was proud, or rather, worried about how she would grow and create new concerns for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®But it¡¯s not an immediate concern.¡¯

    Healers and Streamers were rtively safe, so it was not time to worry about that just yet.

    ¡°Apart from their incredible growth rate, there is another striking simrity among them,¡± Ha-Young continued.

    ¡°And what would that be?¡±

    She tilted her head, as if unable toprehend the next point, and then spoke, ¡°They all severely underestimate themselves. They keep saying that the things they were doing were just basic stuff.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But their idea of basic stuff is bizarre.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°You know how the United States is trying to prohibit dying consecutively within three days, right? Well, your party members tell their Alliance members to die dozens of times a day. If the Alliance members couldn''t handle that, they were told to leave the Alliance. They have many such strange standards, and they consider that to be the basics.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also tilted his head.

    ¡®...Isn¡¯t that the basics?¡¯

    ? ? ?

    Just like how Sae-Rin had done in his previous life, Jin-Hyeok held a gathering with his party members. Though now that he thought about it, Sae-Rin mostly just cursed at her members.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you all have been maintaining the basics well,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He also introduced them to Song Ha-Young and Kwak Do-Hyeong, who could be considered their allies in this cooperative venture. Ji-Soo, slightly tipsy, yfully flirted, saying, ¡°Oppa, if I be stronger than that man, will you date me then?¡±

    That man here referred to Do-Hyeong, who was also an Assassin like her. Jin-Hyeok promptly knocked Ji-Soo unconscious with a tap on the nape of her neck.

    Ji-Ah, on the other hand, quietly sipped her wine until she fell asleep. Jae-Hyeon, being underage, drank grape juice. He mmed his ss down.

    Thunk.

    ¡°I thought I was going to die of frustration ying with my previous Alliance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea why Jae-Hyeon, who hadn''t drunk a single drop of alcohol, was acting drunk.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking¡­ This might be crazy¡­¡± Jae-Hyeon continued, muttering obscenities under his breath. He seemed deeply frustrated for some reason. ¡°...As much as I hate to admit it, there are times when I miss ying just among us. I know I¡¯m being crazy right now."

    Jin-Hyeok considered knocking him unconscious for talking too much, but left him alone. Come to think of it, Sae-Rin did curse a lot at her party members in Jin-Hyeok''s past life, but she also listened to them. As a Ruler, it was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s duty to do the same.

    ¡°Why is everyone not able to just stick with the basics? It¡¯s simple!¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    ¡°I agree with you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°The basic premise is that you can die in Dungeons, right? If you can¡¯t handle that, you shouldn¡¯t be ying!¡±

    It seemed Jae-Hyeon had a lot to get off his chest. He continued to speak.

    ¡°Do ser yers quit because they¡¯re afraid they will hurt their legs? Do volleyball yers quit because they¡¯re afraid they will hurt their fingers? Do athletes quit because they¡¯re afraid they will hurt their joints? No! They don¡¯t! They y despite knowing they¡¯ll get hurt because they are professionals! So why don¡¯t yers have the same mindset? Why is everyone¡¯s standard so messed up?!¡±

    Listening to this, Ha-Young coughed awkwardly to bring Jae-Hyeon back to reality.

    ¡°Well, those athletes don¡¯t have to worry about dying, while yers have to,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Then they should just stop ying!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Why are you yelling at me?¡±

    ¡°If dying is one of the basic premises, then why are they overlooking the basics?¡±

    ¡°I agree with you. I¡¯m just saying that¡¯s how people think.¡±

    There was a lot of back and forth, but the mood of the room remained amicable overall. Do-Hyeong, the head of the ck Thorn Alliance, sat next to Jin-Hyeok and quietly spoke.

    ¡°To be honest, I thought I was the crazy one. There was a lot of opposition within the Alliance when I designated Hyung as the assassination target,¡± Do-Hyeong admitted.

    Do-Hyeong was older than Jin-Hyeok, but he still called Jin-Hyeok Hyung. Jin-Hyeok guessed it made Do-Hyeong feel morefortable or something.

    ¡°...But now I understand. Coming here, I realized I¡¯m not the crazy one. In a world of abnormalities, it¡¯s the sane ones who get ostracized. Turns out, I was sane.¡±

    Do-Hyeong seemed deeply touched, as if he had found inner peace.

    ¡°Please invite me to gatherings like this in the future.¡±

    At first, setting up this gathering felt like a nuisance, but as time passed, Jin-Hyeok found it oddly enjoyable. It was a kind of joy he had never felt before. After a significant amount of time had passed and Ji-Soo had regained consciousness, Jin-Hyeok opened his mouth.

    ¡°Both Solo Mode and Dual y Mode have been updated. The Open Beta service will end soon,¡± Jin-Hyeok informed them.

    The atmosphere turned serious as the topic of y arose. Their reactions were quite gratifying.

    ¡°Before the officialunch, I suspect there will be a major event.¡±

    Originally, there should be a war tiedto the 4th Seoul Scenario between invaders and defenders. Normally, a powerful invader would appear, and people from the Earth Server would have to unite and drive the invaders out. That should have been the event signaling the officialunch.

    However, since Jin-Hyeok was the one leading both the invasion and the defense, he was not sure how it would turn out.

    Ha-Young abruptly raised her hand.

    ¡°Regarding that, I have a few serious things to say. I wish I could im I found this out on my own, but¡­¡±

    Do-Hyeong visibly flinched. Apparently, the rtionship between the two was not all that harmonious. It seemed like they had some sort ofpetitive edge. It might be due to their ovepping sses.

    ¡°Unfortunately, It¡¯s information that Viper and I found out together. What I¡¯m about to say is huge. I would appreciate it if what¡¯s discussed here doesn¡¯t leak outside of this room.¡±

    Do-Hyeong added one more thing, ¡°After listening to our stories, it would be nice if you paid us an appropriate fee for the information. After all, information¡­¡±

    Ha-Young smiled and picked the conversation up from where Do-Hyeong left off, ¡°...has its own price.¡±

    ¡®Huh, I can¡¯t tell whether their rtionship is bad, or good.¡¯

    [...#It¡¯s our time to prove¡­]

    [...#Our superiority.]

    These two never seemed intent on epting anypensation for the information in the first ce.

    ¡®The instinct to savor the superiority of one¡¯s information is only natural.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok understood that sentiment perfectly. The desire to boast about one¡¯s expertise in one¡¯s field was quite natural.

    ¡®But why do I get the feeling they¡¯re thinking about me?¡¯

    [...#This time I will win. #Kim Chul-Soo is below me.]

    [...#I will win. #Defeat Kim Chul-Soo.]

    ¡®...Huh?¡¯

    With a prideful expression, Ha-Young continued, ¡°Let me reiterate, it¡¯s crucial that this stays confidential. This is rted to the Seoul Scenario. It¡¯s a big event that even involves the GMs and the mysterious VIPs referred to as Trinity.¡±

    ¡®...They think that they can surpass me with just this information? They¡¯ve crossed the line.¡¯

    1. As most of you probably already know, Ssibal, or ??, is a Korean swear word. Most of the time, it means ¡®fuck,'' but for this asion, I think the author is just trying to emphasize that Jae-Hyeon created this Alliance while thinking of Kim Chul-Soo. ?

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109

    The leader of the ck Rose Alliance, ''Angel Girl'' Song Ha-Young, and the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, ''Viper'' Kwak Do-Hyeong¡ªtogether, they began to unravel the information they had obtained by helping each other.

    The first to speak was Do-Hyeong.

    ¡°A certain deal has been made with the GMs.¡±

    It was an illicit deal. Corruption was everywhere, and the ck Thorn Alliance had already established connections with several corrupt GMs.

    ¡°Thanks to this, we¡¯ve learned that a major event is nned around the time of the Open Beta service¡¯s termination. It¡¯s also connected to the officialunch of the Earth Server. The ultimate goal of this event is to unify the yers on the Earth Server by introducing a powerful invader.¡±

    Next, it was Ha-Young¡¯s turn to talk.

    ¡°However, there was a slight problem in the process. They call this a Scenario, and for some reason, the Scenario got all tangled up. So the System¡¯s own recovery program had to be activated. This required significant manpower and resources. Numerous GMs had to work overtime, and some entities that are in a group called the Trinity Club seemed to have helped a bit on the officialunch of the Earth Server."

    Ha-Young and Do-Heyong looked at Cha Jin-Hyeok with eyes full of anticipation. Jin-Hyeok, who had been looking forward to hearing what they would say, seemed a little disappointed.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked incredulously.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re trying to say is that, instead of the original Scenario, a major event is going to take ce. Basically, to make Earth yers tightly united.¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief. He exined, ¡°The original Scenario you mentioned is called The Revered One, the 4th Seoul Scenario.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°As you said, there are supposed to be invaders attacking Earth, and Earth yers have to band together to stop them. The Scenario being conducted by some of the invaders who have infiltrated the Earth Server in advance is The Revered One. The Scenario that the Earth yers have to carry out to stop them is called The Copsed Reverence.¡±

    Ha-Young and Do-Hyeong looked at each other.

    ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯d like to ask the same.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok thought they had brought valuable information, but he was already well-versed in the information they had brought, and in even more specific details, to boot.

    ¡®I feel like we¡¯re losing this. Say something!¡¯

    ¡®No, you say something!¡¯

    Feeling as though they had hit an insurmountable wall, they were briefly disheartened. However, their ears were already tuned to Jin-Hyeok. As their vague information took concrete shape, their curiosity was sated, filling them with an intoxicating sense of satisfaction.

    ¡°So, in the end, humans need a cmity to unite them, and I think that might be rted to the Queen Ant,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He yed a video rted to Queen Ant that had not been publicly disclosed. The moment his party members saw Queen Ant in the video, they were visibly shocked.

    ¡°That¡¯s insane¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a monster that strong?¡±

    Each expressed their surprise and concern in their own way before Jin-Hyeok continued to speak.

    ¡°But you said the System is self-repairing, right? A lot of manpower and resources are being consumed in the process.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the GMs are simply setting up an event to make the Queen Ant attack us. That wouldn¡¯t cost too much.¡±

    Ha-Young¡¯s pride was no longer wounded. Humbly adopting an attitude of learning, she quietly inquired, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Something as simple and boring as that would not get Trinity Club¡¯s VIPs to sponsor it. They¡¯re not on the side of the GMs.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Those VIPs are a group who always think of their own interests and entertainment. To make them sponsor the GMs, something more interesting is needed. I don¡¯t know what it is yet,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Do you know a lot about the Trinity Club?¡± Do-Hyeok asked nervously.

    ¡°I know at least two of the VIPs who are actively involved in Korea.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell us?¡±

    ¡°Choi Gap-Soo from Cheongdam-dong, and a Koeran-Amerian businesswoman set as Gap-Soo¡¯s distant rtive, Jang Michelle."

    Do-Hyeong¡¯s eyes widened. As if he had been electrocuted, his body trembled for quite some time.

    ¡°Is it okay to tell me such high-level information?¡±

    ¡°There was no request to keep their identities a secret. They were openly revealing themselves in the livestream.¡±

    ¡°In the livestream?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys see it? On the right side of my livestream, it says Contributor, Jang Michelle.¡±

    ¡°....Ah!¡±

    Do-Hyeong could not escape the sea of shock. He had thought he could outdo Jin-Hyeok in terms of gathering information, but that was a huge misconception.

    ¡®I was foolish,¡¯ Do-Hyeong thought.

    He was stillcking. Clenching his fist, he looked at Jin-Hyeok. It felt like Jin-Hyeok was standing on a distant peak, looking down upon Do-Hyeong. It was a humiliating defeat, but less so than when he had lost in the battles. After being defeated in the battles, the only thing Do-Hyeong felt a sense of hopelessness, but right now he was burning with apetitive spirit.

    ¡®Someday, I will definitely surpass you. Even if I have to join forces with that damned Angel Girl!¡¯

    ¡®I will beat you, Jin-Hyeok. Even if I have to cooperate with that despicable Viper!¡¯

    Even though Ha-Young and Do-Hyeong didn¡¯t seem to like each other, due to their same goal, they reconciled.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok asked the other party members to make some preparations on their own.

    ¡°See if you can recruit a tamer-ss yer, especially those who deal with ant-type monsters. Or yers specialized in dealing with insectivorous nts would also be good,¡± Jin-Hyeok suggested.

    Having Jin-Hyeok¡¯s own faction made things convenient. He had people who could do these tasks for him, so he didn¡¯t have to do it all himself.

    ¡°Also, try to bring in yers who can wield fire-type Skills.¡±

    There was one more thing. If it came to a battle with the Queen Ant, they would certainly need Shin Yu-Ri¡¯s power.

    For this, Jin-Hyeok contacted her.

    ¡ªOf course. Although I am currently serving the National Intelligence Service, my true allegiance is with you, Master.

    Jin-Hyeok had already talked this through with Maria. Three times a year, Yu-Ri could defy orders from the NIS to act on her own ord with Jin-Hyeok. It was a condition in her contract when she joined the NIS.

    ¡ªI¡¯ve been working hard to be stronger. If the ant army really shows up, I promise I will be a lot more helpful this time.

    Yu-Ri¡¯s voice seemed brighter. She seemed to have healed from her past wounds, which lightened Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart.

    ¡®All preparations that can be done now are done.¡¯

    After finishing the call with Yu-Ri, Jin-Hyeok called Lilia the Subus.

    ¡ªChairman Choi Gap-Soo? Yes, he is avable. Oh? You¡¯reing now? I haven¡¯t even done my makeup yet.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±

    ¡ªWouldn¡¯t a Subus naturally want to look good in front of someone she¡¯s fond of?¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t given up?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought she had given up, but she was at it again.

    ¡ªBecause of you, I had to pay Chairman Choi a massivepensation fee.

    ¡°Compensation fee?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was on his guard.

    ¡®If she asks for some money, I¡¯m hanging up immediately.¡¯

    ¡ªI had to pay ten times the initial contract fee because I failed to seduce you. I don¡¯t have that kind of money, so now I¡¯m working for the Chairman without pay.

    She went on and on, probably leading up to ask for a loan. Anyway, since Jin-Hyeok had told her that he was going there, he just hung up the phone.

    Click.

    When Jin-Hyeok arrived at the Alchemist Workshop, Lilia was standing at the door. She pouted her lips in annoyance.

    ¡°How could you hang up on ady like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lending you any money.¡±

    ¡®Does she think I¡¯m new to this honey-trapping game?¡¯

    ¡°When did I ever say I wanted to borrow money?¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t going to?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to¡­¡±

    Lilia put on a slightly pitiful expression, one so forlorn it could evoke great sympathy from ordinary people. People on the street snuck nces at her, captivated by her aura.

    ¡°I just wanted to say that I have a crush on you. I was going to tell you that I don¡¯t mind working here for free since it gives me an opportunity to be near you,¡± she said softly.

    Some people even stopped in their tracks, entranced by Lilia. Quite a few people fell in love with her at first sight.

    ¡®That won¡¯t work on me.¡¯

    The most dangerous things in the world were beautiful women. Swords weren¡¯t frightening, but beauty could be deadly. There were truckloads of top-tier yers who died from beautiful women¡¯s honey-trapping skills.

    ¡°Cut the shit and just show me the way,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Lilia wiped a tear from her eye with her right hand. Seeing her like that, Jin-Hyeok almost fell for her trap. Anyway, the two of them ascended to the second floor to meet Chairman Choi Gap-Soo.

    ¡°Old man, I heard you were making a significant investment in the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°Heh heh. Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Does it have anything to do with me?¡±

    There was nothing like this in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s previous life. Until the moment he regressed, Chairman Choi had never revealed that he was a member of the Trinity Club, nor had he ever been so proactive. This meant some variable had altered his behavior, and the most likely candidate was Jin-Hyeok. Gap-Soo readily admitted it.

    ¡°Why else would I invest in this boring Server if not for you?¡±

    Gap-Soo seemed to have nothing else to hide.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I made a bet involving you,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°A bet involving me?¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    Gap-Soo made a phone call, and before even a few minutes had passed, someone came up the stairs.

    ¡®Jang Michelle?¡¯

    Michelle was approaching with a light smile on her face.

    ? ? ?

    Michelle and Gap-Soo had made a bet on whether Jin-Hyeok could maintain the same level of performance even after reaching Level 100.

    ¡°So, let me get this straight. There have been countless Streamers with simr concepts who all eventually fizzled out around Level 100. And you want to see if that¡¯s the case for me. That¡¯s the gist of this bet?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Both of them answered simultaneously.

    ¡°Who said it was just the two of us?¡±

    ¡°No one mentioned it being just the two of us.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not entirely sure, but it seemed like more viewers might be involved in this bet.

    ¡®To think they ced such a wager on me.¡¯

    ¡°So which side did you two bet on?¡±

    ¡°I wagered that you would be fine up to at least Level 130.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a tiny bit pleased. Just as expected, VIPs had a good eye for talent.

    ¡°However, the majority are predicting your downfall. History and data don¡¯t lie, and they¡¯re saying you will fall.¡±

    Though it stung Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride a bit, it wasn¡¯t entirely untrue. It was something he himself had been worrying about.

    ¡®But isn¡¯t saying I will go down around Level 100, too much?¡¯

    Come to think of it, Jin-Hyeok was a bit disappointed at these two who knew Jin-Hyeok rtively well. Setting their bet on Level 130 instead of Level 150 was somewhat disappointing. While Jin-Hyeok¡¯s brain said it was a good thing, meaning he had hidden his abilities well, his heart found it unpleasant.

    ¡°So, how about I make you two an offer that¡¯s really tempting?¡±

    ¡°Tempting?¡±

    ¡°You seem quite confident,¡± Michelle observed, her eyes narrowing slightly.

    Although she was smiling at Jin-Hyeok, he did not feel entirelyfortable. It was as if she could see right through Jin-Hyeok, and every inch of him felt exposed. While it was ufortable, it wasn¡¯t exactly terrifying.

    ¡°I assure you, it will be intriguing.¡±

    ¡°And if it¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°I will quit livestreaming and cut off my tongue.¡±

    ¡°HAHAHAHA! Are you saying you would give up the most valuable thing in your life right now? Good, good. A man should have that level of boldness. Alright, what¡¯s your proposal?

    ¡°I will ensure that both of you win, no matter what.¡±

    ¡®Level 130? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯

    ¡°I can maintain my current performance up to at least Level 150,¡± Jin-Hyeok asserted.

    Chairman Choi, who had beenughing heartily, abruptly stopped.

    ¡°That¡¯s some audacious confidence. I¡¯ve seen many like you, but they all copse around Level 100.¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s confidence based on evidence. I don¡¯t particrly like people who just talk without any basis,¡± Michelle added.

    The atmosphere grew heavy as they became serious, and Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of pressure. Had it not been for his Imperial Resilience, he would have been disoriented.

    ¡°So, I n to show just the two of you a little more.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately sent out the invitation.

    [Would you like to enter the ¡¸Top VIP Exclusive Livestream¡¹? (0/2)]

    It was a private livestream for just the two of them. Just the fact that they were invited to this livestream seemed to make them extremely satisfied. Though they were right in front of Jin-Hyeok, they took out their phones tounch the Eltube app. They seemed quite pleased with the situation.

    -MoneyShower: Off to a good start.

    -MoneyShot: Then let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got to show.

    ¡°However, the content of this livestream must remain strictly confidential. I trust that both of you will keep this secret.¡±

    -MoneyShower: Of course.

    -MoneyShot: I promise on my honor.

    ¡°And you, old man?

    -MoneyShower: Promise made. I stake my honor and entire fortune on it.

    ¡®Done.¡¯

    The guarantee of secrecy seemed secure. Not only would they find immense pleasure in knowing something no one else did, but if those two Trinity Club members said that they would keep it a secret, that was as good of a guarantee.

    MoneyShower: Consider it promised.

    MoneyShot: I promise too.

    Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream.

    ¡°First, let¡¯s watch some videos.¡±

    They were recorded videos of when Jin-Hyeok yed as the Yeosu Swordmaster, as Kim Pyeong-Beom, and finally, recent episodes of the Queen Ant.

    ¡°Moreover, I will disclose my hidden Mystery, Multiple Lives. This is confidential information, only for you two, the top VIPs and the biggest supporters of my livestream."

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110

    Chairman Choi Gap-Soo burst into heartyughter upon discovering all of Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s secrets. Both he and Jang Michelle were highly satisfied with his livestream.

    ¡°So, why are you showing this to me?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    Though it seemed like a casual question, Michelle quickly caught on the nuance.

    ¡°You mean showing this to us, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sharp. Alright, why show this to us then? Or better yet, why have you been hiding such abilities?¡±

    There was no need for a lengthy exnation.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it boring if I reveal everything?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°The important thing is that I¡¯ve proven that both of your judgments about me were correct. With my abilities, I can at least maintain my performance up to Level 150.¡±

    Gap-Soo nodded. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. What do you think, Michelle?¡±

    ¡°I agree. Although I¡¯ve seen countless Streamers with this concept, what¡¯s especially impressive is the All-Rounder Trait he hid as the Almighty Jack of All Trades. Have you ever seen the All-Rounder Trait, old man?¡±

    ¡°Never. This is a first for me.¡±

    Both of them were quite satisfied with the content Jin-Hyeok provided. Watching their reactions, he, too, felt a sense of satisfaction.

    ¡®This is what I was aiming for.¡¯

    This was the joy of livestreaming. It was regrettable that he had not known this excitement in his previous life.

    ¡°I¡¯ve shown you everything. Secrets unknown to tens of thousands are now known only to the two of you. I will leave it to you both to evaluate the worth of this livestream.¡±

    This time, Michelle spoke first.

    ¡°Alright. The price has been more than met. So? What¡¯s this tempting proposal you mentioned earlier?¡±

    ¡°I know there is a major event before the officialunch of the Earth Server. I need you to help me survive it.¡±

    Michelle narrows her eyes.

    ¡°Someone wants you dead, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°From the System¡¯s perspective, I am highly likely to be a disruptive element in the ecosystem. The GMs aren¡¯t too fond of me either. If I were them, I would want to eliminate me during the uing event.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s impending crisis¡ªhis gut told him Gap-Soo and Michelle already knew. Considering them entirely on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s side would be a mistake. These two were extreme hardcore viewers among the hardcore, living for their own enjoyment. However, that also made them more predictable.

    ¡°To perfectly unfold the story andplete the Scenario, I suspect they will back the Queen Ant. I¡¯ve detected a certain strategy in y here.¡±

    ¡°What kind of strategy?¡±

    ¡°The Queen Ant is powerful in her own right, but she essentially wants to build an empire. Hence, she needs an army and numerous ants as her soldiers. However, as you saw in the video, her army-level ants are all dead, and the eggs in the Hatching Chamber were also destroyed. So, she must be raising ants somewhere as we speak.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok reached a single conclusion.

    ¡°For a newly raised ant army, the Queen Ant will need arge amount of food. However, Earth doesn¡¯t have quality food in abundance.¡±

    This was the essence of the Scenario Jin-Hyeok had discerned.

    ¡°I anticipate Monster Waves urring all over the world.¡±

    Monster Waves were a frequent event, but triggering one would require a substantial amount of resources. If the members of the Trinity Club were making moves, a Monster Wave was highly likely.

    ¡°Most likely, Monster Waves will erupt to provide food for the ants. And I suspect that the Queen Ant, empowered time and time again at various corners of the world, will ultimately aim for the Korean Region, where I¡¯m currently located.¡±

    Gap-Soo stroked his chin and looked at Jin-Hyeok, his eyes filled with genuine interest.

    ¡°Haha. I thought you were just crazy, but it turns out you are a clever kind of crazy.¡±

    ¡°Is my theory urate?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know the details. Do you watch TV with such deep analysis? No. I¡¯m just a consumer, not a creator.¡±

    Michelle added ament.

    ¡°However, hearing you out, your argument does make sense.¡±

    Michelle wore a subtle smile, clearly very satisfied with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s theory.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s bet on your future then. I¡¯m looking forward to your episode with the Queen Ant. What do you need? Just say it. If it¡¯s something money can aplish, consider it done,¡± Michelle said.

    ? ? ?

    After the Cataclysm, the demand for online games surged dramatically. No longer were they a realm of fantasy, as monsters and Dungeons now existed in the real world and yers lived among civilians. What was once an escape from reality had now be reality itself, and those who could not engage as yers in the new world became even more engrossed in games.

    Naturally, the poprity of game Streamers rose exponentially, and among them, ShutUpAndy was a Streamer who recently garnered much attention. Although he had Awakened as a yer, he ultimately could not ovee his fear of actually ying and transitioned sessfully to being an online game Streamer. He had just blown three million won on a Gacha game.

    ¡°AHHH!! Damn this luck-based trash game! Fuck! AH!!¡±

    Pounding his keyboard furiously, ShutUpAndy yelled, and his chat window was filled with LOLs. His livestreaming persona was simple: whatever he did, he was bad at it, and whatever he tried, it never worked out. Yet, he was always overly confident and energetic, which ultimately led to him losing his temper and smashing things.

    Grabbing a baseball bat, he struck his keyboard.

    Thud! Thud!

    -LK312: LOL! Herees the keyboard shotgun!

    -Takumi: HAHAHAHAHA!

    -Handsome: LOL

    Still fuming, ShutUpAndy dered, ¡°If I ever y this shitty-ass luck-based garbage of a game again, just kill me please.¡±

    -GrandBaby: LOL. If that¡¯s the case, he should¡¯ve been killed 322 times.

    -DungDungPoo: Maybe he¡¯s immortal. Haha!

    The chat was buzzing, and a considerable amount of donations flowed in. ShutUpAndy eventually ended his livestream. He then tuned into the most popr channel, KimKnowItAllTV, to keep tabs on what was trending around the world. The host, KingGodGeneral Yumi, spoke.

    ¡°For those of you unfamiliar with the Gacha system, let me exin briefly. A single draw costs a whopping ten million Dias! If you don¡¯t have the money, you can¡¯t even attempt it, and most of the time, you end up with crap. All Gachas are luck-based disasters, but the System¡¯s Gacha is the epitome of a luck-based garbage game.¡±

    It was the bitter truth ShutUpAndy had just experienced.

    ?Egan Paul had famously poured about seven hundred million won and ultimately gave up. What do you think Kim Chul-Soo has in mind??

    A lot of people were eagerly tuning into the actions of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    -WhistleHouston: That¡¯s insane! LOL. This guy just lost 370 million won. Hahaha!

    -TaylorSwag: So the downfall rumors are real, huh?

    -ChulSooIs#2: Streamers of this sort usually fizzle out around Level 100. It¡¯s academically established.

    For context, ChulSooIs#2 was actually ShutUpAndy.

    -ElCute: 400 million has evaporated and he¡¯s still going!

    -CrazyOne: He doesn¡¯t even feel about it though.

    Thement gaining the most traction was that of ChulSooIs#2.

    [

    ChulSooIs#2: Streamers of this sort usually fizzle out around Level 100. It¡¯s academically established.]</pinned>

    ©»Seems urate.

    ©»222.

    ©»333.

    ©»Looks like he¡¯s dumping all his assets before quitting.

    ©»Why the hell would he dump all his assets like that?

    ©»No need to worry about Kim Chul-Soo.

    ©»He¡¯s a billionaire with a building under his name. LOL. No worries.

    ShutUpAndyughed without realizing it.

    ¡°Haha. This feels good,¡± he said.

    ShutUpAndy had always been envious of Chul-Soo. Both as a yer and as a Streamer, he had felt insignificant inparison. It was because Chul-Soo was always above him.

    ¡°He¡¯s plummeting! Straight into the abyss!¡±

    In ShutUpAndy¡¯s view, Chul-Soo wasmitting career suicide as a Streamer, probably pulling these stunts to grab thest bit of attention. Though no one was listening, he smugly said, ¡°Most people face the harsh reality of their limits around Level 100. The sense of loss and despair they feel upon encountering their own limitations are almost impossible to ovee!¡±

    He grinned slyly.

    ¡°If you can ovee that like I did, you can make aeback in another field. It won¡¯t be easy for someone like you, who¡¯s had a smooth path all along, haha.¡±

    However, something felt off. As more time passed, ShutUpAndy, too, sensed the strangeness.

    -WhistleHouston: Two billion won gone, just like that.

    2.1 billion.

    2.2 billion.

    2.4 billion.

    2.5 billion.

    Chul-Soo was recklessly pouring out Dias to the Gacha game. The chat, which once mocked him, now sang praises of awe and astonishment. This was something ShutUpAndy could not stand.

    [ChulSooIs#2 has donated 10,000 Dias.]

    [¡°Kim Chul-Soo is not in his right mind right now. He is burning hisst spark even while using his building as coteral and umting debt. Rumor has it that his donation money is almost exhausted.¡±]

    ShutUpAndy began to spill his own calctions and experiences, arguing how much Chul-Soo would have earned, what his current assets should be, and how close he was to bankruptcy.

    Hisment rose to the surface thanks to the invisible support of Wang Yu-Mi and became a major topic of discussion. So manyments flew by that usernames became almost impossible to read. However, with keen eyes, Yu-Mi did not miss one specific name.

    -MoneyShower:? What do you guys take me for?

    [

    MoneyShower:? What do you guys take me for?]</pinned>

    ©»? Is that really him?

    ©»It¡¯s MoneyShower! Up! Up! Up!

    ©»MoneyShower up!

    ©»What? MoneyShower?

    ©»Wooow. This is insane!

    ©»Seems legit.

    ©»This is madness. MoneyShower has arrived!

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the screen, Chul-Soo kept rolling the Gacha.

    3.1 billion won had evaporated.

    3.2 billion won had evaporated.

    3.3 billion won had evaporated.

    ¡°Once again, thank you to MoneyShower and MoneyShot for your support. This is the first time I¡¯ve received unlimited donations.¡±

    As Contributors, both of them could send messages directly on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShower¡¹ is proud.]

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShot¡¹ is pleased.]

    ¡°MoneyShower, thank you for the one hundred million won donation. If I get what I want in between, I will refund the rest. MoneyShot, thank you for the one hundred million won donation.¡±

    [¡¸MoneyShower¡¹ refuses the refund.]

    [¡¸MoneyShot¡¹ refuses the refund.]

    MoneyShower continued his donation as if to show off and didn¡¯t forget to leave ament on Yu-Mi¡¯s livestream.

    [

    MoneyShower: What did you say about my donation?]</pinned>

    ©»LOL! Where did ChulSooIs#2 go?

    ©»Hey, ChulSooIs#2, where are you? I thought Chul-Soo had no donation money left!

    ©»Chul-Soo is showering with money!

    ©»Can I borrow some money?

    ©»MoneyShower sensei! How can I get rich like you? Teach me your ways!

    ©»LOL, he¡¯s literally saying that his donation is unlimited! Where did ChulSooIs#2 go?

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok had spent four billion Dias. Even he could not believe the reality of this unlimited donation. Both Gap-Soo and Michelle promised unlimited support, but he didn¡¯t think it would be this much.

    ¡®But when will my Pure Luck be ready?¡¯

    After a few tries, Jin-Hyeok could feel it¡ªthe timing of when to use Pure Luck for the most significant effect. He was waiting for the perfect moment.

    ¡®It¡¯s not time yet.¡¯

    4.1 billion.

    4.9 billion.

    Having invested nearly five billion Dias, Jin-Hyeok felt the time hade.

    [You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]

    Timing it perfectly, Jin-Hyeok pulled something from the Gacha system.

    ¡°Atst, I have acquired a Mythic-Grade Card! It is a card-type item of Mythic quality. I think I¡¯m the first one on the Earth Server to do so. Truly, the greatest poweres from items!¡±

    ShutUpAndy let out a loud scream. He wasn¡¯t even on air, but he still smashed his phone with a hammer in a fit of rage.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    His phone shattered to pieces.

    ¡°Fuck! How can anyone be this damn lucky?!¡±

    From that day on, ShutUpAndy retired from livestreaming, and nobody remembered his retirement. Two massive events had eclipsed his exit.

    Firstly, Jin-Hyeok had acquired the first-ever card-type Mythic-Grade item, and he had done so by spending a staggering five billion Dias. Given that one Dia held a currency value of approximately one Korean won, it was akin to spending five billion won.

    [A Five Billion Won Miracle: What is this Mythic-Grade Item?]

    [A Journey of a Streamer or Unrivaled Content?]

    News outlets and countless onlinemunities were stered with stories about Jin-Hyeok. At the same time, another event unfolded.

    The United States.

    Germany.

    China.

    A new Scenario, Devourer of Bugs, was simultaneously activated across three different Regions. Swarms of bugs appeared, causing significant damage to these countries. The situation was so severe that it was widely predicted to escte into a global catastrophe. Thus, the so-called Bug Tsunami had begun.

 Chapter 111

    <h4>Chapter 111</h4>

    In a world consumed by chaos, the event known as the Bug Tsunami gave birth to countless heroes. Leading the charge, the United States¡¯ Avengers Army repelled swarms of bugs in epic battles. The ground was so covered with the corpses of the bugs that they were almost beyond count.

    [Egan Paul deres, ¡°Nothing can destroy our freedom.¡±]

    The casualty count in America roughly reached one hundred thousand. As time passed, the Avengers Army and other American heroes began to effectivelybat the Bug Tsunami. The United States became the first country to reduce daily casualties to the thousands.

    China, too, sessfully fended off the Bug Tsunami.

    [Emerging from the Shadows, the People¡¯s Force Revealed Themselves.]

    Nurturing formidable yers at a national scale, China had been secretly forming a group known as the People¡¯s Force. These heroes resisted the Bug Tsunami, strategically cing yers where they would be most effective, thus minimizing damage. Although they had the most yer casualties among the three major countries, civilian casualties were the lowest.

    The current death toll in China stood at around seventy thousand.

    [President Yuan Hao urged, ¡°We shall all unite and wisely ovee this disaster.¡±]

    President Yuan Hao¡¯s approval ratings skyrocketed during this crisis. Despite some criticisms regarding the forced conscription and human rights abuse of yers, it was undeniable that China had managed tobat the Bug Tsunami effectively.

    However, the story was different in Germany.

    [A Divided EPU in the Face of Humanity¡¯s Cmity.]

    As soon as the Cataclysm had begun, Europe had hastily established the EPU, promising coboration and unity among yers. Yet, due to tangled interests among its member states, Europe could not respond as swiftly as the U.S. or China. Germany¡¯s yers were insufficient to effectivelybat the Bug Tsunami. The casualty count in Europe had reached about 140,000, twice that of China. Eventually, they managed to establish a cooperative system and began to counter the Bug Tsunami.

    The media coverage around the globe focused extensively on these three nations. ShutUpAndy, now retired, sighed as he scrolled through various news stories.

    ¡°Such nonsensical national pride disgusts me.¡±

    Headlines shed with absurd narratives, such as America astonished, Japan shocked, and so on. There were articles on how XXX nation, which once ignored South Korea, was not begging for help, Europe weed Korea with open arms, and so forth.

    Normally, ShutUpAndy would block such titles immediately, but this time he hesitated. The video had been posted by none other than KimKnowItAllTV¡¯s KingGodGeneral Yumi.

    [Video Category: KingGodGeneralPatriotism]

    [Undoubtedly the world¡¯s strongest, the United States, enters the 1,000-casualty-per-day mark for the first time ever, and what are they begging South Korea for?]

    ShutUpAndy stared nkly at the video. In the footage, the narration of KingGodGeneral Yumi continued.

    ?As if foreseeing all of this, Korea had made extensive preparations. With Waiting Wife as their leader, they formed the Phoenix Knight Brigade, made up of fire-elemental-ss yers and even various yers with abilities that were efficient in dealing with bugs. All of them were in a temporary alliance.?

    It was revealed that they had actually arrived in the U.S. even before the Bug Tsunami erupted.

    ?They called themselves the K-Force.?

    Opinions were divided among the people whether the K stood for Korea or it stood for Kim in Kim Chul-Soo. Wang Yu-Mi did notment on that.

    ?They are all part of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s cooperative Alliance and worked effectively against the Bug Tsunami alongside the Avengers Army and other America¡¯s heroes.?

    Then, an interview with an American citizen followed. It was filled with content saying that they would not have defended as efficiently without the help of Korean yers, expressing gratitude.

    ?Subsequently, even China has requested cooperation from the K-Force. The same was true for Germany. Currently, the K-Force continues to get calls from countries around the world. We will end this video by dedicating footage of the glorious K-Force.?

    After watching the entire video, ShutUpAndy nkly stared at the screen and rewatched it several times. Something indefinable began to bubble up within him.

    <i>¡®I too... want to create videos like this.¡¯</i>

    He had run away from being a yer because he was too scared to y himself. However, seeing the heroes of the K-Force being active and praised worldwide ignited a fire in his chest. The fact that everyone was associated with Chul-Soo strangely made his heart race.

    Chul-Soo, once the target of his fervent jealousy, had somehow be the idol of his heart.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo... He is a God!¡¯</i>

    After living like a bum for a while, ShutUpAndy suddenly stood up from his chair. He sent an email to KingGodGeneral Yumi.

    [Hello, I am applying in response to your editor recruitment notice.]

    ? ? ?

    Like a catastrophe for all of humanity, swarms of bugs had appeared everywhere. The Bug Tsunami had gradually abated due to the actions of heroes around the world and the K-Force. People began to see hope, escaping their fear.

    However, this respite was brief.

    The new Scenario, Devourer of Bugs, was just beginning.

    People would soon learn what the Devourer of Bugs meant.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    ¡°UUUAAH!¡±

    If, during the Bug Tsunami, various insect-type monsters had assaulted humanity, now a single type of monster started attacking people. They first appeared along the Pacific coast of the United States.

    [The new Scenario, Devourer of Bugs, refers to the Red-Eyed Ants.]

    [Escting Damage, Snowballing out of Control.]

    [A Swarm of Ants Emerged, Far More Powerful than the Bug Tsunami.]

    Supeputers warned the people that this swarm of Ants was a scourge that would destroy the human race.

    The Devourer of Bugs was the herald of the end of mankind. However, the one silver lining for the United States was that the Red-Eyed Ants were moving across the Pacific rather than the American continent.

    System notifications followed on each Region.

    <strong>[A Server-wide new Scenario has begun.]</strong>

    <strong>[The ¡¸Queen Ant¡¯s Prophecy¡¹ is transmitted.]</strong>

    A notification sounded for all Awakened yers. At the same time, a Prophetic Scroll was added to their inventories.

    <strong>[Foolish humans, behold.]</strong>

    Upon checking the Scroll, a hologram was generated. It resembled a human, but was, in fact, the Queen Ant.

    ¡°I shall dominate every ce that the light touches.¡±

    The story began with this promation from the Queen Ant. Their first target was the Korean Region. The Red-Eyed Ant swarm had already spread its wings and was crossing the Pacific.

    ¡°Struggle all you want, it makes it more fun for me. Remember my name, Arloa P. Demiras. The name that will bring all of you to your knees.¡±

    Given that all yers received this message, the Queen Ant¡¯s Prophecy immediately became a global issue.

    -SomeIdiot: Is it just me, or is the Queen Ant kinda hot? Lol. Oddly sexy.

    Some people still could not grasp the gravity of the situation. Cult leaders in Korea imed that the end was near. Airports were flooded, and the nation went into a state of emergency.

    [Egan Paul deres, ¡°Heading to Korea, the frontline of freedom.¡±]

    [Yuan Hao deres, ¡°China will use all means to protect Korea.¡±]

    Heroes from all over the world came to fight the Red-Eyed Ants, while some people fled Korea.

    Meanwhile, in an office in Yeonhui-dong, Cha Jin-Hyeok gathered his Alliance members. This time, Maria from the National Intelligence Service was there too.

    ¡°We will start by defending the East Sea. Though we probably can¡¯t stop them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Cha Jin-Sol wore a worried expression and asked, ¡°Oppa, we will be okay, right?¡±

    ¡°If we just fight them head-on, we won¡¯t be. The point of this Scenario seems to be to wipe out at least one Region.¡±

    The System was fully capable of uniting all Earth yers by destroying one Region.

    ¡°Crossing the Pacific and passing by Japan will exhaust the enemy to some extent,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.¡±

    ¡°I heard that yers are gathering in Japan, saying they will intercept them midway.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t count on that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged his shoulders. He had been through this kind of crisis more times than he could count, and he knew all too well how the yers from each nation and each Alliance would move.

    ¡°Do you honestly think Japan will bother intercepting the Ants flying toward us? At most, they¡¯ll put on a show and then back off. Why would they unnecessarily draw the Ants¡¯ aggro? They definitely don¡¯t want any damage done to maind Japan,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He assessed even the so-called heroes who were willing to die for Korea and freedom in a simr light.

    ¡°They just don¡¯t want to fight on their own turf. If they have to fight, they would rather do it in Korea.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had the inclination to interpret the situation less harshly, but years of experience had taught him to see it inly.

    ¡°Those who have flown in to save Korea will probably flee when things get hard. We should operate under the assumption that they won¡¯t be around.¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo raised her hand. ¡°So if we mobilize all our resources to somehow draw the Queen Ant near the Golden Guardian Tree, we should be okay, right?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok scanned the faces around him and then continued to speak.

    ¡°What I¡¯m asking you all to do is kill the Red-Eyed Commander Ants. There should be hundreds of them, at least, by the scale of their army.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok showed them an image of the Commander Ant.

    ¡°This one. Kill these Ants, and the rest of the Ants will be significantly weakened. We have gained real-world experience fighting in the U.S., China, and Germany, so I believe we can take them on.¡±

    Sending yers to other nations had been for precisely this reason. After all, nothing beat real-world experience.

    ¡°As for the Queen Ant, I will handle her myself,¡± Jin-Hyeok shared his ns with the Alliance members and Maria.

    As he concluded, he shed a sly grin, ¡°Let¡¯s live to tell the tale, shall we?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Arriving on the rooftop of a hotel near the East Sea coast, Jin-Hyeok began his livestream.

    ¡°Far in the distance, over the horizon, dark swarms are approaching. The Red-Eyed Ants have passed through Japan, but it looks like they have not suffered much damage.¡±

    The sky was nketed with the Red-Eyed Ants, and it seemed like only a matter of minutes before they would makendfall.

    ¡°I am getting ready for Dual y with Siege Weapon, Waiting Wife. How are you feeling?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m... nervous...¡±

    ¡°Waiting Wife, You¡¯ve fought these Ants before, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes... I have.¡±

    ¡°Then, you will be able to fight them even better this time.¡±

    ¡°Yes. They operate in a very organized manner. They have a certain flow to their movements, and disrupting that could easily throw them into chaos.¡±

    The globally renowned Siege Weapon, Shin Yu-Ri, prepared her arsenal.

    ¡°Should I use Iron Dome?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s reserve that for defense, for when we absolutely need it. We will focus on offense. But we need to be mentally prepared.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready. I¡¯ll fight with all I¡¯ve got.¡±

    ¡°Not like that, I meant something else.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out an item from his inventory. It was the Mythical-Grade Card, obtained only after investing billions of won.

    ¡°I¡¯m revealing this for the first time. This is the Mythic-Grade Card I acquired with the help of MoneyShower and MoneyShot.¡±

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShower¡¹ is proud.]

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShot¡¹ is curious.]

    Jin-Hyeok raised the front of the Card so the viewers could see it clearly. Written on the front was the name of the Card.

    <strong>[To Stand at the Summit of that Path.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok only showed the name. Revealing everything at once would be less exciting than doing it bit by bit.

    ¡°Waiting Wife, get ready.¡±

    Yu-Ri¡¯s right hand transformed into a massive cannon. Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream.

    ¡°In terms of destructive power, this cannon is unparalleled. It is a weapon infused with the power of Nemesis, the Goddess of Vengeance. It seems even more powerful than thest time I saw it.¡±

    Mana surged around Yu-Ri. The war between the yers and the Red-Eyed Ants army had already begun. Along the coast, piles of Ant corpses were umting, and human casualties were mounting as well.

    Jin-Hyeok read the name of the Card out loud, ¡°To Stand at the Summit of that Path. I will now reveal the power of this Mythic-Grade item.¡±

    The Card in his hand gently floated up. Sprouting a golden aura, it transformed into dozens of streams of light, which were then absorbed into Jin-Hyeok. To fully harness the power of this Mythic-Grade Card, the designated incantation was required.

    ¡°Those who fail and crumble, unable to reach the summit.¡±

    Golden aura began to ripple from Jin-Hyeok. In his eyes, the world began to appear in shades of gold. Although he could not be certain, it felt like his irises had taken on a golden hue.

    ¡°...Sing a song of despair as you face the unreachable summit.¡±

    The first line was the real incantation, the second one was just Jin-Hyeok¡¯s own creation. He thought he did a good job. It felt rather impressive, and he was pleased.

    ¡°The power of this Mythic-Grade Card allows me topletely duplicate an ability of one targeted individual during a focused livestreaming session.¡±

    There were some restrictions, of course. Deep observation and understanding of the target had to precede the process, and the consent of the streamed target, in this case, Shin Yu-Ri, was also required. While he could copy the ability, it might not bepatible with him, meaning he might not be able to use the ability properly. Furthermore, since it was a Mythic-Grade item, it could only be used while engaged in at least a city-wide Scenario.

    It wasplicated, so he kept his exnation brief and to the point.

    ¡°I feel a great power surging in my right hand.¡±

    Some people referred to this kind of power as the ck me Dragon.[1]

    Regardless, a cannon simr to Yu-Ri¡¯s had materialized in his own right hand. It felt like it harmonized extraordinarily well with him. With the All-Rounder Trait, he had anticipated this, but it felt even more natural than he had expected, as if it had always been a part of him.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, his cannon continued to emit a golden aura. Shortly thereafter, it began to disassemble and reassemble itself in a mechanical fashion.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s as if my arm is one of the Transformers.¡¯</i>

    Yet, it seemed to be a phenomenon he was already familiar with.

    <i>¡®I know what¡¯s going on!¡¯</i>

    1. This is just referring to a famous meme in Korea, where the line ¡°I feel the power of the ck me Dragon surging in my right hand.¡± is used to describe a very <i>chuuni </i>person. So no special meaning to the actual story here. ?

 Chapter 112

    <h4>Chapter 112</h4>

    In Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life, the legendary viin, Shin Yu-Ri, was a yer who wielded a formidable artillery, capable of killing many with a single strike. The phenomenon that was happening to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right arm right now was a scene observable when her artillery entered the Tier-2 phase.

    <i>¡®Wasn¡¯t it said that Yu-Ri first manifested the Level 2 phase when she reached Level 100?¡¯</i>

    At the moment, his Level was 92. Yu-Ri was an individual with an extraordinarypatibility to the Job known as the Artillery of Nemesis. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that she was born to be the Artillery of Nemesis. And yet, Jin-Hyeok managed to reach Level 2 much sooner.

    <i>¡®Can this really be happening?¡¯</i>

    It was said that even a difference of two or three Levels could indicate arge power gap between yers, but the current Jin-Hyeok was eight Levels below the Shin Yu-Ri of his previous life when she first manifested her Level 2 phase. It seemed he had an even betterpatibility with the Artillery of Nemesis Jobpared to Yu-Ri.

    ¡°However, it feels somewhat difficult to control.¡±

    The artillery had transformed, bing even more massive and noisy. An enormous amount of mana was concentrated in his right hand, making it difficult to control. He was forcibly holding it down for now, but he felt a looming sense of danger as if it might explode at any moment.

    ¡°I think I need to devise a n to manage this.¡±

    In the meantime, Waiting Wife spoke up, ¡°Activate Wrath of Nemesis.¡±

    Once again, Yu-Ri manifested the power that Jin-Hyeok had witnessed when she previously fought the Ants. Currently, Waiting Wife was at Level 69. Despite being only Level 69, her destructive power seemed to be on par with yers above Level 100. Wherever Waiting Wife shot, thousands of Ant corpsesy scattered. Although he didn¡¯t know for sure, it was clear that the many people watching this situation would be admiring Waiting Wife¡¯s performance.

    <i>¡®I need to do well too.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered what was the point of creating a Level 2 artillery if he could not control it to his liking. It was as if his physical capabilities could not catch up to his abilities.

    ¡°I need to concentrate for a moment.¡±

    Not being able to handle a power beyond his control could be worse than not using it at all. At this point, employing the Wrath of Nemesis he had acquired could potentially harm even his allies who were fighting the Ants.

    <i>¡®I can see blood seeping from my arm.¡¯</i>

    There were no external injuries. The pressure within the arm could not be contained, and blood was slowly oozing out from within. The area near the biceps was tinged with a purplish hue as if the arm was rotting away.

    <i>¡®I need to be at a higher Level to properly handle this.¡¯</i>

    He wondered if he needed to reach at least around Level 100¡ªthe Level the Shin Yu-Ri of his past life had been at when she first manifested this ability¡ªto be able to control it proficiently.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    That was not all. The artillery that had advanced to Level 2 began to morph again, emitting mechanical whirring sounds, and started to form into an evenrger shape. It continued to grow in size.

    <i>¡®This is insane.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok also knew what this was. It was the ultimate version of the artillery that Yu-Ri had wielded in the past. It was not just a transformation of the right arm into an artillery; her entire body would be a gigantic cannon. She would eventually be a mobile siege weapon. This was a unique case where a Skill had acquired its own nickname.

    Without a doubt, it was the Skill known as Babylon Cannon.

    <i>¡®But mine seem to be smaller in size.¡¯</i>

    For reference, this Skill was something Yu-Ri had controlled when she reached Level 150. It was a Level 3 artillery, and she had called it the ultimate weapon.

    <i>¡®I remember the southern part of Gyeonggi-do was engulfed in mes back then.¡¯</i>

    In the aftermath, some people referred to Yu-Ri as a walking tactical nuclear weapon. If Jin-Hyeok could properly use this, annihting those swarms of Ants would be no problem at all.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t.¡¯</i>

    Not only would it kill the swarms of Ants, but it might also kill all the people here. Carried away by this unimaginable destructive power, he might even end up losing his life. This was a force he absolutely could not control in his current state.

    <i>¡®Should I just give up on this method?¡¯</i>

    His physical body couldn¡¯t keep up with his talent. It was both exhrating and depressing.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    He didn¡¯t want to give up. Yu-Ri looked at him with a worried expression.

    ¡°Master, are you okay?¡± she asked.

    Jin-Hyeok could not respond. There was not enough time to talk. He sat down cross-legged right where he stood just moments ago. He did not want to miss this moment. This sensation of not wanting to miss this moment was the tantalizing feeling that appeared right before a realization.

    Jin-Hyeok closed his eyes. He heard Yu-Ri speaking again.

    ¡°I will protect you, Master. Without fail!¡± she said.

    Though the situation might expose him to being defenseless, he concentrated his mind to the fullest on his right hand. At the Level 2 phase, his right arm was consumed by this ability, but now it felt like his entire body was being torn apart by this ability. The Skill, Wrath of Nemesis, felt like it was eroding his entire body.

    <i>¡®I need a way to control this violent power, and to do it efficiently.¡¯</i>

    As he closed his eyes and contemted his inner self, it felt like he could see the universe within him. This universe was protected by a solid shell, and he could feel that it was Imperial Resilience. Imperial Resilience was holding his inner universe firmly yet flexibly, preventing it from crumbling.

    Jin-Hyeok reached out to a brightly shining fragment in the dark universe. This fragment was undoubtedly the Mystery Pure Luck. The Mystery elusively darted around, seemingly graspable yet evading his grip. He ran swiftly to catch that fragment. He couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed, he only knew that he had been engrossed in this illusion for quite a long time.

    <i>¡®This ce is...¡¯</i>

    Within the universe of his inner world, he halted his steps somewhere and finally opened his eyes.

    <i>¡®I know the way now.¡¯</i>

    If his body could not ept the Wrath of Nemesis, if he could not control the Skill with his power, he just needed to draw upon another power for help.

    He understood now.

    ¡°I have an amazing defensive-type Mystery.¡±

    Thinking back on how the old Yu-Ri was able to handle this overwhelming and oppressive Skill, the answer became clear. Yu-Ri also would not have been able to handle this Level 3 phase Babylon Cannon with her power alone.

    ¡°This violent Skill is perfected through abination with a superior defensive-type Mystery.¡±

    Yu-Ri¡¯s defensive Mystery, Iron Dome, and her offensive Skill, Wrath of Nemesis, merged to create the siege weapon, Babylon Cannon, moving as a single power. If Yu-Ri could do it, so could Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°The materialization of the previously ghost-like form of the Phantom Swordswoman is underway.¡±

    The ghost-like figure of the Phantom Swordswoman transformed into a human-like form. The veil hiding the face disappeared, revealing a woman with flowing golden hairid long. She had a paleplexion, and six white wings sprouted from her back. Her wings were torn here and there, akin to a Fallen Angel. She was clothed in white fabric, with crimson wounds and scars vividly disyed across various parts of her body.

    ¡°Blood is streaming down both of her eyes. Dark purple veins are expanding across her skin.¡±

    And the sword that the Phantom Swordswoman had been holding began to be stained in a dark violet hue. The Phantom Swordswoman opened her mouth, ¡°Grasp the de of vengeance in your hands.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok zoomed in to capture the image of the Phantom Swordswoman up close. He heightened the volume to precisely make out the words she was murmuring.

    ¡°Let them know what the end of the fools are like.¡±

    She swung the violet sword she held in her hand. A deep and ominous bloodlust could be felt emanating from that sword.

    ¡°What is the target of annihtion, my Master?¡±

    Their eyes met, and it felt like Jin-Hyeok¡¯s psyche, protected by Imperial Resilience, was shaking in its entirety. Receiving that gaze, drenched in profound bloodlust, was quite a thrilling experience.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sessfully connected Phantom Swordswoman with my mind. Let¡¯s try using the defensive Mystery.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman spread her wings and began to fly. While the sight was beautiful, there was a hint of disappointment. It seemed as if some background music should apany this scene, but there was no time for that now, and he couldn¡¯t bear the silence. He, as a Streamer, conjured the coolest line he could think of. He stretched his right hand, which harbored the destructive power, and said, ¡°Swing the de of vengeance. Let them know what the end of the fools look like. Prove your will to annihte.¡±

    <i>¡®Sigh. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡¯</i>

    He knew it looked absurd, but something inside him was bubbling up and he could not suppress it.

    ¡°Tear out the enemy¡¯s heart.¡±

    <i>¡®...Good. I have to admit, that sounded pretty cool.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    Leading the Avengers Army, Egan Paul adeptly conducted the livestream, true to his seasoned Steamer persona. Facing off against the swarm of Red-Eyed Ants, he felt a sudden sense of crisis.

    <i>¡®This absurd level of destructive power... Could it be Korea¡¯s Waiting Wife?¡¯</i> Egan thought.

    He was well aware of the abilities of Waiting Wife. However, this power was overly mboyant and potent, drawing the viewers¡¯ attention overwhelmingly in that direction.

    <i>¡®I need to film the actions of my yers...¡¯</i>

    The Avengers Army was also fighting well. They were disying enough mor, yet, inevitably, their single-strike destructive power could not match up to Waiting Wife.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no helping it.¡¯</i>

    But still, Egan was a professional Streamer. Grasping what was more important, what the viewers wanted at the moment, he swiftly captured and disyed the Wrath of Nemesis of Waiting Wife urately. He captured the Red-Eyed Ants melting away instantly under her railgun-like attack on the screen. After showing the awe-inspiring spectacle, he naturally continued the livestream.

    ¡°yers from all around the world are joining forces to battle against humanity¡¯s cmity. This here is the forefront of freedom, Korea.¡±

    Rather than focusing solely on Yu-Ri, he portrayed and showed that numerous yers worldwide were uniting to fight against the disaster. The sight of humanity¡¯s heroesing together and sacrificing to fight against amon enemy touched the entire world. In various ces around the world, people held candles for the heroes, singing songs for them. Countless people took to the streets, waving the gs of various countries, praying for humanity¡¯s victory.

    <i>¡®This is good. This is how I wanted to frame my livestream.¡¯</i>

    It had to capture the efforts of all those who were uniting and working together, not just the unteral actions of one individual. And naturally, at the center of it all had to be the Avengers Army. That was his n for directing the scene.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    But then, an ominous figure of an Angel appeared. Egan Paul had hired a few staff for the livestream, and one of them informed him by writing in a notebook.

    [That¡¯s Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s ability. Defensive-type Mystery called Phantom Swordswoman.]

    ¡°That ability belongs to Kim Chul-Soo, a popr Streamer in Korea. That defensive-type Mystery is called Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    [He used the Mythic-Grade Card.]

    [He¡¯s copying and merging with Waiting Wife¡¯s Skill.]

    ¡°He also used a Mythic-Grade Card to copy and merge with Waiting Wife¡¯s ability and now possesses...¡±

    As a seasoned Streamer, Egan continued the livestream but soon found himself at a loss for words.

    After a brief moment, he swiftly regained hisposure and resumed.

    ¡°The sword has transformed into d-dozens of whips, attacking the area like a tornado...!¡±

    The sacred sacrifices of the heroes were supposed to be the focal point of this content. The Avengers Army should have been at the center stage. However, that could no longer be.

    ¡°It seems like a violet rain is pouring down!¡±

    This was not what Egan had nned. In the face of the overwhelmingly magnificent sight unfolding before them, all he could do was capture the Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s martial prowess on screen.

    ¡°It kind of looks like swords are raining down. And each droplet is ughtering the Ants!¡±

    It clearly started as swords, but it ended in explosions.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe this!¡±

    Egan Paul, the leader of the Avengers Army, was engulfed in a profound sense of defeat. He had never seen anything like this before.

    ¡°To sum it up, It is a shing, explosive,rge-scale area of effect, defensive-type Mystery...?¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s sword stretched out like whips, pouring down like rain. Everywhere the rain touched caused a massive explosion, dismembering the Ants into dozens of pieces. In an instant, tens of thousands of Ants were ughtered. Amidst this, the Ants began to scatter in all directions. It seemed almost as if they were fleeing, but it wasn¡¯t a retreat.

    ¡°Foolish, utterly foolish.¡±

    Among the scattered Ants, the Queen Ant revealed herself. Moving at an unimaginable speed that was barely perceptible to the eyes of an average human, the Queen Ant flew toward the Phantom Swordswoman and grabbed her by the neck.

    In the blink of an eye, the Phantom Swordswoman disintegrated into dust and disappeared. Jin-Hyeok, who was controlling the Phantom Swordswoman, had deliberately ceased using the Mystery, and the Queen Ant shifted her gaze toward the building where Jin-Hyeok was hiding at.

    ¡°The one who harmed my beloved children.¡±

    The Queen Ant flew toward the building where Jin-Hyeok was hiding at, but not at a particrly fast pace. The Queen Ant¡¯s voice reached all the yers.

    ¡°Experience the terror of death that slowly corrodes you. I swear upon my name.¡±

    She ascended to the rooftop of the building, the very ce where Jin-Hyeok was hiding.

    ¡°You won¡¯t die afortable death.¡±

    At the tips of the Queen Ant¡¯s fingers, a silver thread that was almost invisible to the naked eye fluttered. From behind the airconditioner units on the rooftop, Jin-Hyeok rose up from his hiding spot and walked toward the Queen Ant.

    ¡°This is great content for my livestream.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled as he stood before the Ant Queen, an entity set to be recorded as humanity¡¯s first cmity since the Cataclysm.

 Chapter 113

    <h4>Chapter 113</h4>

    <i>¡°Experience the terror of death that slowly corrodes you. I promise.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You won¡¯t die afortable death.¡±</i>

    In truth, the nature of the Queen Ant had not changed at all, as evidenced by the lines she just said. Despite saying a torrential amount of words, what she meant remained the same¡ªshe was nning to kill slowly and with utmost caution.

    <i>¡®Good,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    In other words, she was a coward. Such cautious beings might make fewer mistakes, but they could never seed in the end. That was what Jin-Hyeok believed, at least.

    ¡°I will try to fight the Queen Ant.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]</strong>

    First, he slowed down the Queen Ant¡¯s speed to the utmost...

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]</strong>

    Then, he tried hard to read the movement of the Queen Ant with an Exclusive In-Depth Interview.

    In the process, Jin-Hyeok saw a glimmer of hope.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s much clearer now.¡¯</i>

    The silver threads flew toward him.

    <i>¡®Left. Three strands.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if he should dodge the attack, or block it.

    <i>¡®This time, I¡¯ll block it.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¹.]</strong>

    He blocked all three silver threads effortlessly. Two months ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to block this easily. However, his current Level range was now in the 90s, and things were distinctly different the moment he stepped into that range.

    ¡°That was just a containment attack from the Queen Ant.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could read the Queen Ant¡¯s attacks much better than before. He even had the leisure to livestream it. Once he had the Queen Ant as a benchmark, he could clearly realize it.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve grown.¡¯</i>

    The exhration felt when perceiving his own growth was what made him excited.

    ¡°The next attack is going to be from above my head. And from below the feet. A total of ten silver threads are targeting me.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡¹.]</strong>

    He deployed Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier under his feet to block the iing attacks from below. Then, he swung his sword¡ªthe Greatsword of La¡¯kan¡ªand parried several strands of silver threads. He twisted himself to dodge several more threads, before he hurled himself backward, performing two aerial somersaults.

    ¡°I¡¯ve avoided them.¡±

    He felt a faint heat on his cheek. Touching it with his hand, he found it was bleeding.

    ¡°But I could not avoid thempletely.¡±

    Soon, Jin-Hyeok closed the distance between the Queen Ant and himself, and he swung the Greatsword of La¡¯kan fervently.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]</strong>

    The Queen Ant took to the air using her scale wings, evading his sword with just that simple motion. Jin-Hyeok had clearly grown a lot, but he was still far behindpared to the Queen Ant.

    <i>¡®It needs to start raining soon.¡¯</i>

    If Jin-Hyeok could not dampen those wings to decrease her mobility, he would not stand even a one percent chance of winning.

    <i>Du-du-du-du.</i>

    The sound of a helicopter reached his ears.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s here.¡¯</i>

    He had asked Maria for this in advance. In case he ended up fighting the Queen Ant, he asked Maria to mobilize a fire-fighting helicopter.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Water poured down.

    ¡°If it were up to me, I would have destroyed the helicopter before it approached. However, the cowardly Queen Ant didn¡¯t do that. This is proof that she is paying more attention to me than expected. It¡¯s easy to read what she is thinking. This is going well.¡±

    Psychological warfare was part of a battle. A strong person who could not conduct psychological warfare was just a muscle-bound idiot. All of a sudden, the Queen Ant brushed past Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Keuk.¡±

    The Queen Ant had attacked his arm.

    ¡°It hurts quite a bit.¡±

    The Queen Ant, who had been sticking to ranged attacks up until now, suddenly approached him and swung her de-like arm. Although Jin-Hyeok managed to twist himself at thest moment, his left shoulder was still almostpletely severed.

    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that her wings got wet, otherwise it might have been my neck that had been severed.¡±

    This was indeed a good fortune.

    ¡°Anyways, there is a significant limitation on my movements now. Rather than leaving it dangling like this, it might be better to just cut it offpletely.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok himself severed his own left arm and carefully ced it in his inventory. Having dealt this level of injury on Jin-Hyeok, the Queen Ant¡¯s mouth widened eerily from side to side.

    ¡°I did promise you wouldn¡¯t die easily.¡±

    The Queen Ant stretched out her ten fingers, firing dozens of silver threads. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t feel the need to block them. There was absolutely no bloodlust in her attack.

    ¡°This is not an attack that was designed to kill me.¡±

    Instead, it was just an attack with the intention to torment him, rather than to kill. Among the dozens of silver threads, not a single one dealt a fatal blow. All of them just grazed near his skin, causing him to bleed and a searing pain to surge.

    ¡°It stings. And my left shoulder is hurting more than I thought.¡±

    He had experienced the pain of losing an arm hundreds, if not thousands of times. However, this was something more.

    ¡°Ah, there was poison.¡±

    The area around his left shoulder was grotesquely darkened. It was spreading toward his neck and body, much like a fungus. Jin-Hyeok made a face as if he had fallen into despair. The Queen Ant seemed to enjoy his expression.

    ¡°Feel free to be terrified and sing a song of fear. It will continue to erode you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked around anxiously as if searching for a way to escape. The quick-witted (?) Queen Ant read his movements. She crossed her arms in a nonchnt manner.

    ¡°Yes. Since your two legs are still intact, try running away. Every ce your feet touch will be a prison that binds you.¡±

    The poison seemed to hold a special power. No matter where Jin-Hyeok fled, the Queen Ant would be able to chase after him.

    <i>¡®I need to run.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok ran toward the temporary warp portal he had prepared earlier, and the Queen Ant just stood still, simply watching him with her arms crossed.

    <i>¡®She ispletely off guard.¡¯</i>

    As expected, Jin-Hyeok had shown the world another IntenseMan moment. He was able topletely deceive the Queen Ant.

    <i>¡®I am heading to Yeonhui-dong.¡¯</i>

    The Queen Ant waspletely off her guard. He had seeded in inducing her to let her guard down, and now it was time to move on to the next step.

    ***

    In the midst of escting chaos, MiNaTV¡¯s Kang Mi-Na was trembling, her legs shaking as she hastily retrieved her phone. Despite the anxiety that coursed through her, she managed to maintain her role as a Streamer, narrating each event with a shaky but steadfast voice.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo promised toe. He wille, right?¡±

    Before the Ant army set foot in Korea, Jin-Hyeok and Han Sae-Rin, along with Mi-Na, had meticulously nned out the escape routes.

    ¡°Oh, for those who have just joined, let me exin again. We are currently in the process of creating a temporary warp portal with the help of Pathfinder, our Navigator.¡±

    Though the venture had been costly, Jin-Hyeok had managed to finance it, easing some of their concerns.

    ¡°Since Kim Chul-Soo has retreated, he is expected toe this way. The odds are fifty-fifty. We have prepared two escape routes, just in case,¡± Kang Mi-Na narrated the precarious situation, the tension palpable even through the screen.

    They had two exit strategies in ce. One was being overseen by MiNaTV¡¯s Kang Mi-Na, while the other was manned by BonjourTV¡¯s Bong King, both on standby and prepared to act at a moment¡¯s notice.

    <i>¡®Pleasee this way!¡¯ </i>Mi-Na pleaded silently.

    Suddenly, a burst of green light emanated from the temporary warp portal that was created on the ground beneath her.

    ¡°He hase this way! He looks extremely pale and is on the brink of death! It seems the Queen Ant¡¯s poison is stronger than we thought!¡± Mi-Na reported with urgency as Jin-Hyeok emerged, his body soaked in sweat and bearing the unmistakable scent of the Queen Ant¡¯s poison.

    Though they encountered several Red-Eyed Worker Ants and Warrior Ants along the way, Mi-Na had sessfully thwarted their attacks with her Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is nearly unconscious, so I will take over the livestream!¡±

    With the aid of the temporary warp portal they had prepared in advance, they continued to move, making strides toward safety.

    ¡°We only need to pass through four more warp portals to enter Seoul. Chul-Soo has lost consciousness. I am on my way. Please be prepared, Saintess of Freedom!¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok fell unconscious, his livestream ended abruptly. This, in turn, caused a surge of viewers flocking to MiNaTV, their anxious eyes fixed on Mi-Na¡¯s live updates.

    ¡°Yes, thank you for your donation. Yes, wee to my channel. Please like and subscribe to my channel. Don¡¯t forget to turn on the notifications. Yes! He ispletely unconscious. His body is turning dark blue and it seems the poison is spreading rapidly. It seems to be an extremely potent poison.¡±

    The condition of Jin-Hyeok was being broadcast live through MiNaTV. In Yeonhui-dong, Cha Jin-Sol, who had been waiting in advance, was biting her nails nervously, anticipating Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arrival.

    ¡°We¡¯re here, everyone! I will hand Chul-Soo over to Saintess of Freedom. The healing process has begun! Look at Saintess of Freedom, gulping down the blood from the blood packs we prepared. No, this isn¡¯t product cement. Although watching her makes it seem somewhat appetizing. But please regain your senses, that¡¯s not a beverage, it¡¯s blood!¡±

    Jin-Sol, while drinking the prepared blood, administered treatment to Jin-Hyeok. After a considerable amount of time, Jin-Hyeok finally opened his eyes.

    ¡°Chul-Soo has regained consciousness! But the battle with the Queen Ant was so fierce that... huh? Everyone! Where are you going? Don¡¯t leave my livestream! My livestream is entertaining too!¡±

    Actually, Jin-Hyeok had regained his consciousness a while ago. However, he deliberately kept his eyes closed, focusing his mind and choosing to rest until he felt capable enough to resume livestreaming.

    <i>¡®I should rest as much as possible until I can manage to livestream again,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Before he knew it, his arm was reattached and his stamina recovered to a point where he could livestream again. Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream. The viewers who had shifted to MiNaTV came flocking back to Chul-Soo¡¯s channel as the livestream resumed. Jin-Hyeok spoke, ¡°I will use the Mythic-Grade Card once again.¡±

    He nced at Mi-Na. Mi-Na, whose audience had been stolen, was ring back at him, her face turned a bright shade of red. Jin-Hyeok raised the Mythic-Grade Card with a cheeky smile, causing Mi-Na to have an auditory hallucination.

    [You don¡¯t have a Mythic-Grade Card, do you?]

    Regardless, Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream.

    ¡®I will acquire the ability of the Blood Priest,¡± Jin-Hyeok stated confidently, indicating that several conditions had already been met. It seemed he had grown slightly more ustomed to the Card since this was not his first time using it.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    His body, which was decaying from the Queen Ant¡¯s poison, began to revitalize.

    ¡°It seems to be thanks to the Enhanced Human and Enhanced Revival Trait that I copied.¡±

    Normally, these two Traits should have caused a significant sh with other Traits. However, Jin-Hyeok could feel the transformations urring within his body.

    <i>¡®The All-Rounder Trait is gently harmonizing these two Traits with my other Traits.¡¯</i>

    However, this wasn¡¯t something he could disclose on the livestream.

    ¡°The Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait is mitigating the rejection tendencies of these two Traits toward other Traits. Now, I will use Abnormal Status Healing, one of the Blood Priest¡¯s Skills.

    The current state of Jin-Hyeok was far from normal.

    ¡°I think I need some blood.¡± He urged his sister toe closer, ¡°Come closer?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to suck the blood out of Jin-Sol.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok bit down sharply on Jin-Sol¡¯s nape.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    Jin-Sol was taken aback. She had always been the one to suck other people¡¯s blood, never the one on the receiving end.

    <i>¡®My stomach feels queasy...!¡¯ </i>she thought.

    This sensation of having all her blood drained, if exaggerated a bit, felt like her internal organs were being pulled out through her neck. It sent a strange chill down her spine. An urge surged within her to push Jin-Hyeok away at this very moment. Suddenly, she realized something.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s been enduring this all along? While appearing unaffected?¡¯</i>

    Being the victim of blood-sucking transcended mere difort¡ªit was downright revolting. It felt as if the organs inside her were being obliterated, invoking a primal and instinctive fear.

    <i>¡®So this is how it feels to have your blood sucked.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Sol bit her lips tightly, trying to control the turmoil of emotions raging within her. Now she could truly feel the weight of what her brother had been bearing all along.

    However, this was a misconception on Jin-Sol¡¯s part. In truth, Jin-Hyeok had not experienced as horrendous emotions as she did. Initially indifferent to negative emotions, he also had Imperial Resilience, which differentiated him from Jin-Sol. Anyway, the disgust that Jin-Sol felt transformed into a surge of affection toward her brother.

    ¡°Oppa...,¡± Jin-Sol managed to utter weakly. ¡°I need you to stop now...¡±

    Jin-Sol wanted to yell at Jin-Hyeok to stop sucking, and that she felt dizzy, but she couldn¡¯t. She lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Only then did Jin-Hyeok regain his senses. He scratched the back of his head.

    ¡°I must have sucked too much blood unknowingly. Sucking blood feels really good. It seems I couldn¡¯t control it since it was my first time.¡±

    He had been so engrossed in the act of blood-sucking that he had not paid much attention to Jin-Sol¡¯s condition. She was pale as a sheet, and if he had sucked any more blood, he would have had to return some of the blood he had absorbed.

    ¡°I guess I should focus on recovering now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok picked up Jin-Sol and headed home. Heid her down on her bed, and then he tooid down.

    ¡°It seems like the recovery will take quite some time. I will adjust the screen briefly. This is the first time I have revealed my livestream in the third-person perspective. However, I have significantly altered my face using the Deceiver¡¯s Mask.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok turned off the screen momentarily. Then, heid down an avatar he had created using his Multiple Lives ability on the bed. The avatar looked just like the current Jin-Hyeok and was even poisoned all over its body. Then, Jin-Hyeok used a Level-70 Skill exclusive to Streamers.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Fixed Camera¡¹.]</strong>

    It was a Skill that allowed him to install an external camera and livestream through that camera. He even changed the title of the livestream.

    [A sleeping livestream has begun.]

    This was sort of a sleeping livestream and a recovery livestream. Afterying the avatar down, Jin-Hyeok moved to the living room to begin his actual healing process.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Abnormal Status Healing¡¹.]</strong>

    Perhaps because he had consumed arge amount of his sister¡¯s blood, which had a goodpatibility, the recovery was not as difficult as he had anticipated. It felt far more effective than when Jin-Sol used it, leading him to ponder,

    <i>¡®Maybe I have a talent as a Healer as well?¡¯</i>

    He could not help but smirk as he once again realized the true power of his All-Rounder Trait. Then, he stepped outside and headed toward the nearby Guardian Tree. A few people seemed to recognize him, but the only person who truly identified home was Kang Mi-Na.

    Overwhelmed with excitement, Mi-Na shouted, ¡°K-Kim Pyeong-Beom!! Kim Pyeong-Beom has revealed himself!!! The Kim Pyeong-Beom who seeded in killing the Level 90 Flying Toad a few months ago! That¡¯s right, Earth¡¯s strongest Swordsman has shown himself! Yes, you heard right! The person MiNaTV revealed a few months ago has appeared! Thank you for your donation, Mr.FunnyGuy.¡±

    The viewer count on MiNaTV began to increase exponentially.

 Chapter 114

    <h4>Chapter 114</h4>

    Previously, Kang Mi-Na had acquired exclusive rights to livestream Kim Pyeong-Beom. In other words, Mi-Na was the only person who could broadcast Pyeong-Beom.

    ¡°I will conduct an exclusive interview with Kim Pyeong-Beom! I will disable donations temporarily to ensure a smooth interview process!¡±

    She even disabled the donations. Utilizing the Skill, Air Steps, Mi-Na dashed toward Cha Jin-Hyeok like a wild boar. Jin-Hyeok nced at her, running toward him.

    <i>¡®Air Steps?¡¯</i>

    It was a skill that allowed her to create a thin panel in the air to step on, enabling her to run in the sky.

    <i>¡®She rarely uses it unless it¡¯s extremely urgent.¡¯</i>

    It was one of the Skills that even Mi-Na hesitated to use due to the risk of potentially falling to her death if misused. However, at the moment, it seemed like nothing else mattered to her. Her sole mission appeared to be securing an interview with Pyeong-Beom.

    ¡°Kim Pyeong-Beom! It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t remember whether he spoke informally or formally with Mi-Na.

    <i>¡®When in doubt, informal speech is the way to go.¡¯</i>

    That way, he wouldn¡¯t appear weak.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, indeed.¡±

    ¡°Can I interview you?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    This was the reason why Jin-Hyeok had stationed Mi-Na in this very location.

    ¡°What have you been doing, showing up here all of a sudden?¡± Mi-Na asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is much time to answer such trivial questions.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Check out BonjourTV right now.¡±

    ¡°BonjourTV?¡±

    Mi-Na pulled out her phone and opened Eltube. Through BonjourTV, she saw the Queen Ant flying toward them. Coincidentally, the feed from BonjourTV showed Bong King giving up on trying to follow the Queen Ant.

    ¡°I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t chase her any longer, <i>huff huff!¡¯</i>

    Soon, the image of the Queen Ant disappeared from the screen. Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Kim Chul-Soo said that the Queen Ant ising here.¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo? You know him?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Is he alright?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s recovering right now. He¡¯s doing a sleeping livestream if I¡¯m correct.¡±

    <i>¡®Well, it¡¯s actually Cha Jin-Sol who¡¯s doing the sleeping livestream.¡¯</i>

    However, he didn¡¯t say that part.

    ¡°It seems the Queen Ant¡¯s poison is very potent. And it possesses a special ability. Thanks to that ability, the Queen Ant is able to pinpoint her target¡¯s location and fly here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°And you revealed yourself to fight the Queen Ant directly?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out the Greatsword of La¡¯kan from his inventory.

    ¡°That sword is...?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Chul-Soo¡¯s sword.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be quite close to Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Quite.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung the Greatsword of La¡¯kan around as if it was his first time handling it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sword that I fancy.¡±

    ¡°From what I know, that is known to be a really good weapon. Did he lend it to you for free?¡±

    ¡°This is not the only thing he lent me.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stalled for a moment. He was doing his best as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve got the editing points figured out...¡¯</i>

    And then, he pulled out another item within his inventory.

    ¡°I also got this.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait... This is...!¡±

    Mi-Na¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Hold on a moment, everyone! Take a look at this! Is this for real?¡± Mi-Na said to her viewers.

    -BonelessChicken: This is crazy! Lol!

    -2017: Wow, a Mythic-Grade loan, is this even real? LOL

    -SpicySauce: This is amazing! I¡¯m absolutely stunned.

    -Gobu77: I don¡¯t know who¡¯s crazier, a yer borrowing a 5 billion-worth item, or a yer lending a 5 billion-worth item.

    <strong>-WasteWaterFilter: I think we can safely say that Kim Pyeong-Beom is Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s wife. LOL.</strong>

    A whopping five billion Dias were spent just to obtain the item. Jin-Hyeok even used the luck-rted Mystery Pure Luck.

    Pyeong-Beom was holding the Mythic-Grade Card that brought Kim Chul-Soo the greatest fame.

    ¡°He lent this to you?¡± Mi-Na asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°This is that item, right? The one worth five billion Dias? He lent it without any coteral?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Then, speaking like a true Streamer, he said, ¡°Now is not the time to discuss that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really believe in beautiful ideals or justice. His life had been too harsh and brutal for such beliefs. However, while studying Egan Paul¡¯s livestream this time, he realized what moved people¡¯s hearts.

    ¡°yers from across the Pacific, from other continents, risked their lives toe here. To defend the frontline of freedom. To prevent the end of humanity predicted by the supeputer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to fully utilize Egan¡¯s content. One had to learn what could be learned and benchmark what could be benchmarked to follow the path of sess.

    ¡°Even China, with whom our rtions had been slightly strained recently due to various issues, has sent their elite forces. They are still fiercely battling the Red-Eyed Ants army in the East Sea. On the other side of the globe, yers affiliated with the EPU are steadily arriving to help.¡±

    Everyone was fighting together. All of humanity was fighting against an unprecedented Server-level disaster.

    ¡°We, as humanity, are doing well.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to say something cool but stupid, but he suppressed the line in his heart. He was now a seasoned Streamer, and he knew when and where to utter such lines.

    ¡°The goodwill and justice of countless people havee together, forming the first line of defense against the cmity. Right now, numerous people are lighting candles, waving their respective national gs, and protecting Korea in spirit.¡±

    Mi-Na did not interrupt Jin-Hyeok and waited quietly.

    <i>¡®His speech isn¡¯t too fast, nor too slow. This pace and tone are just right for editing. Anyone can see that Kim Pyeong-Beom is a hero in his own right.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°In this situation, my old friend, Kim Chul-Soo, asked me for a favor.¡±

    ¡°What did he ask?¡±

    Mi-Na, who had been speaking informally until now, suddenly used honorifics. The chat window was flooded with messages such as ¡®Yes, that¡¯s how one should address a hero of humanity.¡¯

    ¡°He asked me to protect our parents, our children, and our territory.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a request, it was an order. I received an order on behalf of humanity. An order to fight against the Queen Ant. While giving me such a noble order, Chul-Soo handed over the Mythic-Grade Card.¡±

    For a while, Mi-Na said nothing. The still somewhat naive (?) Mi-Na was half genuinely moved, and half creating a moved atmosphere. Wiping away a tear swiftly, she said, ¡°My earlier question was foolish and rude.¡±

    She brought up a screen exining what the question was.

    ?¡°This is that item, right? The one worth five billion Dias? He lent it without any coteral?¡±?

    Meanwhile, Kang Cheol, the new editor at KimKnowItAllTV, who was watching Mi-Na¡¯s livestream, felt his heart swell with emotion.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    He mmed the desk.

    ¡°This is it!¡±

    Tears streamed down his face. The former ShutUpAndy Kang Cheol bit his lips firmly.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo. He is a God.¡±

    The meeting between the reclusive strongest Swordsman in Korea, who had thoroughly concealed his true identity, and the unofficial top-ranked, the most famous Streamer in Korea, was quite touching.

    With clenched fists, he made a vow.

    ¡°I will dedicate a beautiful video.¡±

    For this purpose, he began gathering all videos and information rted to Kim Chul-Soo. He immediately started working on it.

    ? ? ?

    Bong King from BonjourTV shuddered violently.

    ¡°Why did it have to be Mi-Na who got this opportunity...!¡±

    An exceptionally favorable opportunity had been given to Mi-Na. Moreover, the production was phenomenal.

    <i>¡®This has to be Egan¡¯s intended scheme,¡¯ </i>Bong King thought.

    It was the same scheme, yet on a wholly different level.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a total defeat for Egan Paul, who was close behind Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s first ce.¡¯</i>

    Bong King wondered if this could be a coincidence. However, the season Streamer Bong King didn¡¯t think so.

    <i>¡®This is meticulously nned and directed by Kim Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    It was also a warning thrown at Egan, who was in second ce, not to covet the position of the top-ranked Streamer. It subtly yet powerfully conveyed the gap between them.

    Egan felt the same as Bong King.

    <i>¡®I lost,¡¯</i> Egan thought.

    The Avengers Army was also fighting well against the Red-Eyed Ants in the East Sea. However, given the current situation, they were nothing more than sidekicks. They were just supporting roles in the grand epic of Kim Chul-Soo and Kim Pyeong-Beom.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t back down now either.¡¯</i>

    The whole world was watching. If they considered this battle had no further metis and pulled out now, it would make them look like traitors to humanity.

    <i>¡®Damn it! Kim Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    Egan clenched his teeth hard.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t you dare die.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s situation looked dire. Exaggerating a bit, it seemed like his entire body had turned purple.

    <i>¡®You can¡¯t die. Not until I surpass you!¡¯</i>

    Egan desperately wanted to surpass Chul-Soo and make Chul-Soo kneel before him. Egan had always dreamed of bing the overwhelming number one in the streamer ss.

    He called the office manager at his headquarters in his home country.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, about the thing we acquired this time. Just in case, have it shipped to Korea. It might be necessary for Chul-Soo¡¯s recovery. Shut up! Just send it if I say so! I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Do you really intend to fight the Queen Ant?¡± Mi-Na asked cautiously.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok showed her the back of the Mythic-Grade Card.

    <strong>[At the Summit of That Path, One Shall Look Down.]</strong>

    ¡°As seen on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, the front side copies the abilities of the designated streaming target, but the back side contains a power that maximizes the strength of the Streamer themselves.¡±

    ¡°The Streamer themselves? You mean...?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not a Streamer.¡±

    However, it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Chul-Soo has a special ability,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean...!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Rule Breaker.¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter much since, technically, he was a Steamer, but since he was pretending to be a Swordsman, it was necessary to grant some coherence to the narrative.

    ¡°So, amidst such severe injuries, Chul-Soo used the Rule Breaker to alter the settings of the Mythic-Grade Card and passed it on to you, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, but it feels like I¡¯m ttering myself. I like it.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Wow...¡±

    Suddenly, Mi-Na pulled out a white and yellow flower from her pocket andid it at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s feet.

    ¡°This is a snowdrop. It symbolizes hope,fort, and patience. Through Chul-Soo and Pyeong-Beom, I felt hope and foundfort simultaneously. It showed that there is still hope for humanity. Even if another disaster strikes, I know that we can sufficiently get through it. We are, indeed, doing well.¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, my. She seems to understand my concept very well.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[...#Touched. #There is hope. #Can I love you?]</strong>

    <i>¡®...Strange. Why is she moved by something like this? Is it because she¡¯s still innocent?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ah, my viewers told me that the operations of the military forces worldwide are going well,¡± Mi-Na said.

    The military could not exert much power against monsters beyond a certain level. However, it was entirely possible to destroy the weakened Red-Eyed Ants that had lost their Commander Ant, and the Ant eggs hidden in various ces around the world.

    ¡°They say that they found and destroyed more than several billion Ant eggs globally.¡±

    <i>¡®Then the Queen Ant will go even crazier and rampage.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok slowly walked toward the Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®The Queen Ant is going to be off guard, and in a state of anger.¡¯</i>

    Under normal circumstances, the Queen Ant would not set foot here, but now things were different. She would breach the domain of the Guardian Tree to kill Jin-Hyeok, even if it meant risking everything.

    Suddenly, a voice rang out.

    ¡°What is that monster?¡±

    It was the voice of the Guardian Tree that he had heard before, like a hallucination.

    It was the voice of a child.

    ¡°Ugh. I don¡¯t like that one. Why did you bring that gross monster here?¡±

    Wondering if Jin-Hyeok couldmunicate with it, he asked in his mind.

    <i>¡®Can you stop that monster?¡¯</i>

    To his surprise, a response genuinely echoed back.

    ¡°I¡¯m still just a child. How am I supposed to stop that?!¡±

    It seemed it was thanks to the Mythic-Grade Card. The Card basically added 20 Levels on top of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current Level. Thanks to this, it seemed that he could now converse with the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°I can¡¯t fight her. It seems like it would hurt.¡±

    <i>¡®Then don¡¯t fight her. Instead, conserve your power to assist me.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±

    <i>¡®I am going to kill the Queen Ant.¡¯</i>

    The All-Clear mark appeared on his right hand. The effects of the All-Clear mark were activated. Within a radius of one kilometer from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, all of his abilities would increase in power dramatically.

    <i>¡®Mythic-Grade Card, All-Clear mark, and even the assistance of the Golden Guardian Tree...¡¯</i>

    Now, the preparation wasplete.

    Before he knew it, from afar and at the end of the street, the Queen Ant was slowly walking in this direction.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m really not going to stop her! I¡¯m just going to let her pass through. S-She really came in! I didn¡¯t stop her!¡± the Golden Guardian Tree said.

    <i>¡®But your power should still be intact right now.¡¯</i>

    There was no need to protect the entirety of Yeonhui-dong. After all, a certain amount of damage was inevitably necessary.

    <i>¡®Protecting a broad area would be more challenging than simply protecting me, don¡¯t you think?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m scared.¡±

    The Queen Ant approached Jin-Hyeok. Then, she tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°What a strange urrence,¡± the Queen Ant said.

    She seemed to find it odd that Jin-Hyeok had transformed into Kim Pyeong-Beom.

    ¡°I can clearly smell the pungent odor of the fool on you.¡±

    The Queen Ant smiled sardonically.

    ¡°I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter. I intend topletely annihte humankind. Tell me, are you attempting to stop me?¡±

    Information about the Queen Ant began to appear before his eyes.

    <strong>[LV178/Arloa P. Demiras/<u>Skills</u>/<u>Achievements</u>]</strong>

    Before he could even respond, a silver thread flew toward him.

    <i>¡®Wow, the boss monster is attacking me before I get the chance to answer! Huh?¡¯</i>

    It was much faster than before.

    <i>Swoosh.</i>

    He felt a sensation as if his throat was being cut off.

 Chapter 115

    <h4>Chapter 115</h4>

    In the moment when the silver thread was flying toward Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck, he felt an illusion as if time hade to a halt. It happened sometimes, this phenomenon where in the heat of battle, engrossed in a relentless fight, time seemed to slow, as if he and his surroundings were operating on a slower timeline. It felt like entering apletely different space-time, a domain where the sense of reality became detached.

    It was a phenomenon that high-Level yers wouldter refer to as entering the Transcendent Realm.

    <i>¡®This is such good content for my Eltube channel.¡¯</i>

    He even thought of an awe-inspiring title for the hypothetical video.

    [SSS-Tier Queen Ant Conceals Her True Power.]

    He felt like if he uploaded a video with this title, he would gain at least a thousand subscribers. Lately, his knack for crafting titles seemed to be bing more and more exceptional. Unfortunately, as he was not Kim Chul-Soo but Kim Pyeong-Beom at this moment, he couldn¡¯t possibly upload such a video.

    In an instant, the Queen Ant¡¯s silver thread made contact with his neck. Simultaneously, he deactivated the All-Clear Achievement effect.

    <i>¡®This is a guaranteed instant death.¡¯</i>

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    He felt a brutal sensation as if his neck was truly being severed. Just experiencing this sensation would be enough to deal severe mental damage to most yers.

    This was one of the reasons why one should not try to be a Level Grinder.

    <strong>[This attack qualifies as an instant death attack.]</strong>

    <strong>[The effect ¡¸Reflection +1¡¹ has been applied.]</strong>

    Although the sensation of his neck being cut chilled him to the marrow, he was d the Berklev Ne yed its role.

    <i>¡®It won¡¯t work on the Queen Ant anyway.¡¯</i>

    It was an already failed method of attack. He never thought it would seed.

    <i>¡®I just need a brief opening.¡¯</i>

    The Queen Ant was fundamentally fearful by nature. Those who were fearful tended to be cautious, reacting sensitively even to minor changes or attacks.

    <i>¡®It was just like this in the previous fight.¡¯</i>

    When Jin-Hyeok first battled the Queen Ant, he fully utilized the effects of the Berklev Ne. Although he didn¡¯t count how many times he had used the item, he believed the Berklev Ne had reflected the instant death attacks at least five times. Each time, he noticed the Queen Ant would only flinch ever so slightly. However, that flinch was all Jin-Hyeok needed right now.

    <i>¡®The opportunity onlyes once.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok used Time-Lapse Recording to widen that brief opening.

    <i>¡®My movement feels light.¡¯</i>

    In a blink, he closed the distance between him and the Queen Ant.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸One With the Sword¡¹.]</strong>

    Once again, he entered the Transcendent Realm. All his senses focused intently on the Queen Ant, filling this Realm entirely with her presence. She seemed dozens of timesrger than her original size, a sensation of bing one with the sword enveloped him. It was a mysterious euphoria that could not be exined to those who had not experienced it.

    ¡°Ah, whatever! Take this! Hmph!¡± the Guardian Tree said.

    Once again, the All-Clear mark surfaced on his right hand. The All-Clear Achievement effect, which Jin-Hyeok had momentarily deactivated for the Reflection +1 effect, was reactivated. Then, a notification popped up.

    <strong>[The Golden Guardian Tree has manifested its power.]</strong>

    <strong>[The Golden Guardian Tree has manifested the power ¡¸What is the Best Defense¡¹.]</strong>

    A formidable mana surged into Jin-Hyeok. It felt as if the Golden Guardian Tree was lending him immense strength. As Jin-Hyeok delved deeper into the Transcendent Realm, his senses expanded even further, and he began to perceive the world around him.

    The posture of the Queen Ant.

    The bloodlust directed at him.

    The direction of the wind.

    The firmness of the ground he stepped upon.

    Everything around him transformed into a series of data transmitted to him.

    <i>¡®The best defense is offense.¡¯</i>

    To put it simply, it was a buff from the Guardian Tree. This mana harbored a strange bloodlust within. The mist that had enveloped the Golden Guardian Tree expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire area of Yeonhui-dong.

    <strong>[The Will of the Sacred Tree ¡¸Bakurudnaima¡¹ assists you.]</strong>

    The mist that had covered the area deepened, and the humidity escted in a sh.

    <i>¡®The scent of trees?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could smell the refreshing smell that one could experience when entering a lush forest. It felt as though he had stepped into a pine forest. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance captured the surroundings and saw what was going on.

    <strong>[World of Phytoncides]</strong>

    <strong>[The Sacred Tree ¡¸Bakurudnaima¡¹ has been harassed by the Red-Eyed Ants for a long time. To protect itself from the Ants, it produced a massive amount of phytoncides. Oh, Sacred Tree. Return the ancient pain to the enemy.]</strong>

    Through the thick mist, Jin-Hyeok could hear Kang Mi-Na¡¯s voice.

    ¡°It smells of phytoncides! Mi-Na trivia time! Phytoncides refer to the vtile organicpounds deliberately produced by nts to fend off bacteria, fungi, and pests that threaten their survival, and have lethal efficacy.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could feel that this World of Phytoncides had temporarily weakened the Queen Ant¡¯s abilities. The mist, denser than water, restrained the Queen Ant¡¯s mobility.

    <i>¡®Now.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Inherent Skill ¡¸See the Future¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have temporarily elerated the revealing of Job Skills by 30 Levels.]</strong>

    Right now, Jin-Hyeok was Level 92. He also temporarily gained 20 Levels due to the back of the Mythic-Grade Card, bringing him to Level 112. By adding 30 Levels with See the Future, he was now at Level 142. Although it was still significantly lower than the Queen Ant¡¯s Level, it didn¡¯t matter.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Perish Together¡¹.]</strong>

    It was a Skill acquired at Level 140 for the swordsman ss. It maximized destructive power at the cost of one¡¯s life, boasting the strongest attack power under Level 200. When used in conjunction with One With the Sword, its ability was amplified, and incidentally, only around ten yers in Korea were able to use One with the Sword and Perish Together at the same time.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve felt this sensation!¡¯</i>

    Utilizing the Perish Together Skill meant putting his own life on the line. It was a Skill normally used in areas with resurrection settings or in PvP Zones. It wasn¡¯t a favored Skill among yers due to the immense mental strain it imposed after use, but Jin-Hyeok was one of the few who favored using the Skill.

    <i>¡®Time for my attack.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, the Transcendent Realm shattered, and all sensations returned to their original state. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulders were trembling uncontrobly.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve stabbed her.¡¯</i>

    Time resumed its normal flow. The GreatSword of La¡¯kan had properly pierced the Queen Ant¡¯s chest.

    <strong>[The Trait ¡¸Extra Life¡¹ has been applied.]</strong>

    <i>Barf!</i>

    Due to the aftermath of using Perish Together, Jin-Hyeok involuntarily retched.

    <i>¡®I need to kill her now.¡¯</i>

    A battle could end with a single choice, with a single sh of a de. Standing on top of the Queen Ant, Jin-Hyeok repeatedly struck her with his Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    <i>¡®Her protective barrier ispletely gone.¡¯</i>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The Queen Ant screamed and iled violently. Her sharp ws grazed his body.

    <i>¡®It stings.¡¯</i>

    Blood oozed from various parts of his body. However, there were no fatal injuries. In contrast, the condition of the Queen Ant was far from okay.

    <i>¡®The effect of phytoncides is quite remarkable.¡¯</i>

    The phytoncides were causing the Queen Ant¡¯s wounds to fester as if they were poisonous.

    <i>¡®The phytoncides are granting me a detoxifying effect too.¡¯;</i>

    They were neutralizing the Queen Ant¡¯s poison.

    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡±

    The Guardian Tree¡¯s voice rang in his ears.

    ¡°The best defense is indeed offense. Now I know!¡±

    The voice seemed slightly altered, and when Jin-Hyeok nced back, he noticed the leaves of the Guardian Tree had taken a slight purple hue. Originally entirely golden, now it harbored a mysterious purple tone. It looked even more unique and better.

    <i>¡®But I thought you disliked anyone dying in your domain.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Since the best defense is offense, it seems unavoidable.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed his Greatsword of La¡¯kan into the Queen¡¯s chest once more.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    <strong>[You have defeated the Queen Ant ¡¸Arloa P. Demiras¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have leveled up!]</strong>

    <strong>[You have reached Level 93.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wait, I only leveled up once for defeating her? I guess as a Streamer, I should stick to livestreaming.¡¯</i>

    That was the only way to level up efficiently. Doing this was highly inefficient.

    <i>¡®And there¡¯s no reward?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok killed the boss monster in a Scenario of this magnitude, and there was no reward.

    He smirked as he realized the hidden meaning behind this.

    Meanwhile, Mi-Na seemed extremely delighted.

    ¡°H-He did it! He just solo killed the Queen Ant! A miracle has happened!¡±

    ? ? ?

    A huge number of viewers flocked to MiNaTV. She did not miss the opportunity to capture every aspect of Kim Chul-Soo, who was in the form of Kim Pyeong-Beom, on screen.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve gone up by three levels!¡¯ </i>Mi-Na thought.

    She had leveled up a whopping three times. Donations poured in from all over the world.

    <i>¡®The concurrent viewer count is an astonishing five hundred thousand!¡¯</i>

    For some unknown reason, the viewer limit had disappeared. Nevertheless, achieving a concurrent viewer count of five hundred thousand was a first for her. All of this felt like a dream.

    <i>¡®This is insane. Truly insane.¡¯</i>

    And this dream was very emotional for her.

    ¡°October 10, 2022. I wish today could be the starting date of me and Pyeong-Beom¡¯s rtionship!¡±

    Half a million viewers¡ªshe could not predict when would be the next time she¡¯lle even remotely close to having such an amount of viewers, if ever again.

    ¡°I will attempt to interview Kim Pyeong-Beom!¡±

    However, Pyeong-Beom had already vanished. As he had always done, he disappeared once again, leaving no trace.

    ¡°Sadly, I couldn¡¯t get to do an interview. Instead, let¡¯s thoroughly examine the Queen Ant¡¯s corpse!¡±

    The whole world was enveloped in a festive atmosphere. Numerous videos rted to this event were produced, and festivals erupted both online and offline. Humanity, having learned that they could achieve great things, would continue to advance today.

    -K&K. The lessons learned from the heroes.

    -K&K

    The names of Kim Chul-Soo and Kim Pyeong-Beom rose to unprecedented heights. They topped trending search rankings on online websites worldwide. The Eltube number of views of channels reveling in national pride soared.

    [12 Ways the Two Korean yers Prevented Humanity¡¯s Catastrophe.]

    [Top 3 Reasons Why Foreign yers Admire Korean yers.]

    [Why Top-Ranked yers Worldwide Are Horrified and Causing a Stir About Korean yers.]

    [The Definitive Reason Why Korean yers are Receiving Unprecedented Praise All Over The World.]

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok was very pleased with the reactions on the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    <strong>[The aplishment of defeating the Queen Ant by the cooperative work of Kim Chul-Soo and Kim Pyeong-Beom cannot be attributed to mere luck. Through meticulous calction and coboration, they prevented a catastrophe. Firstly... Secondly... Thirdly... They navigated through numerous variable calctions... And thus, they eventually managed to hunt down the Queen Ant. The Queen Ant¡¯s estimated Level was in thete 100s. Even if, through various allocations, the two managed to elevate the Level of one of them to around Level 140, it was still a difficult monster to kill. However, Chul-Soo and Pyeong-Beom eventually showed a miracle that made the impossible possible. Today, I witnessed a miracle.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by; Encyclopedia]</strong>

    Numerousments were posted on the analysis article by the Named user Encyclopedia.

    ©»Wow, so much calction went into those few seconds!

    ©»I just thought it was endless stabbing, and that¡¯s it.

    ©»It really is true that you see as much as you know. I didn¡¯t realize so much calction went into it. Thanks for the analysis article.

    ©»They are simply radiant. We should call them Radiant Chul-Soo and Radiant Pyeong-Beom.

    ©»Just radiant? How dare you! They¡¯re Gods!

    ©»All hail God Chul-Soo and God Pyeong-Beom!

    Encyclopedia fairly urately analyzed how Jin-Hyeok was able to confront the Queen Ant, and even inferred the Level of him and the Queen Ant rather precisely. Encyclopedia was indeed very smart.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m bing too famous.¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok was a promising young ser yer from an ind nation before, now it seemed like he was a promising yer from a prestigious ser club.

    ¡°I want to be more famo¡ª¡±

    Almost revealing his true intentions, Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Bing too famous without sufficient power could be problematic. Although he was not sure for how long he could do this, it was indeed wiser for him to only show the <i>power-rted </i>side of him when using the identity of Kim Pyeong-Beom.

    <i>¡®I am a Streamer, after all. I should be safe for the time being.¡¯</i>

    ording to the global treaty, Streamers were protected. The Job of being a Streamer itself would serve as a primary institutional barrier protecting him and his surroundings.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just enjoy until Level 150.¡¯</i>

    Having experienced the vicinity of Level 140, he was certain. Up to Level 150, he could achieve aplishments beyond those of his past life. He was confident that his current self was stronger than his past self at this stage in time. The fact that there was a possibility that, in the future, he could be even stronger than he was in his past life, made his heart flutter as if falling in love for the first time.

    <i>¡®I should stop looking now.¡¯</i>

    The reactions from countries worldwide were so heated that he could not take his eyes off them, but with superhuman patience, he closed various websites from the screen.

    <i>¡®It will pile up more if I wait a bit, right?¡¯</i>

    Everything tasted better if eaten in one sitting after starving. It would be even better if, in between, there were a lot of trending posts.

    He hoped the name Kim Chul-Soo spread even more.

    Lying on his bed, he reviewed the Record Journal.

    <strong>[nter¡¯s Record Journal (Bound)]</strong>

    <strong>[A journal that automatically records the birth and growth of the Golden Guardian Tree.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/7/26: Seed was sown.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/7/29: The Young Golden Guardian Tree has grown.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>*2022/10/10: Sessfully connected with the nter, learning that both the Will to Protect and Will to Kill can coexist through ¡¸What is the Best Defense¡¹.]</strong>

    It sort of felt like writing a childcare diary. Jin-Hyeok was proud to see the Guardian Tree learning and growing so well. It seemed the Golden Guardian Tree was connected to the nter¡¯s mind, heavily influenced by his values and thoughts. Seeing the highlighted bolded text, it seemed like he was doing a good job. He had a feeling that he needed to continue putting efforts into proper upbringing.

    <i>¡®Oh, I almost forgot.¡¯</i>

    Heading to Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s room, he found her still lying down, sleeping. Jin-Hyeok kind of felt sorry for her, so he revealed his neck and moved closer to his sister. Jin-Sol iled her arms around like someone lost in a dream before biting into his neck and drinking his blood.

    <i>¡®The color seems to have returned to her face.¡¯</i>

    He believed she should wake up in a few hours.

    <i>¡®I really want to turn on my livestream.¡¯</i>

    The withdrawal symptom of not being able to livestream was worse than he expected. In the public eye, Jin-Hyeok was still critically injured, so turning his livestream on was somewhat challenging.

    <i>¡®But there is always a way.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok headed to Cheongdam-dong. He met with two people who knew his true identity. Choi Gap-Soo and Jang Michelle were sitting on the sofa, anticipating his arrival.

    ¡°Oh! If it isn¡¯t the hero of humanity, Kim Pyeong-Beom, Kim Chul-Soo, and Cha Jin-Hyeok!¡±

    Their eyes were sparkling. It seemed like they wanted something from Jin-Hyeok. And he knew exactly what it was.

    ¡°I have brought a video exclusively for both of you. It¡¯s a super rare collector¡¯s edition video from a first-person perspective.¡±

 Chapter 116

    <h4>Chapter 116</h4>

    Jang Michelle squinted her eyes and muttered softly, ¡°A super rare collector¡¯s edition video from a first-person perspective... exclusively for the two of us.¡±

    A faint smile hung on her lips.

    ¡°Yes, it is an unreleased collector¡¯s edition. I want to give it to both of you," Cha Jin-Hyeok said in a stern manner.

    ¡°You¡¯re giving it to us?¡±

    Michelle¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Unlike Choi Gap-Soo, who was stroking his chin with a thoughtful hum, she was not one to hide her emotions.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, you are giving it to us?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nning on doing that.¡±

    ¡°Not selling it?¡±

    ¡°I did consider selling it.¡±

    To be honest, selling it was not a bad choice either. However, this time around, while ying as the Swordsman, Kim Pyeong-Beom, and finding himself unable to livestream, Jin-Hyeok realized a very important fact.

    ¡°Even a single viewer is extremely precious.¡±

    He had now be a full-fledged Streamer. Just swinging a sword, fighting fierce monsters, and defeating strong adversaries did not provide the same joy and sense of achievement as before.

    ¡°I have properly learned this time how valuable and fulfilling it is to showcase my y and share my videos with others¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not be more grateful for these two. Without them, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to achieve things that he had achieved.

    ¡°So, to also express my gratitude, I want to dedicate the video to both of you.¡±

    Gap-Soo, who had been continuously stroking his chin, finally opened his mouth, ¡°I don¡¯t have a desire to see the content I like for free. Just for my sake, I like to pay a fair price for the joy provided for me. How about you sell the video to one of us?¡±

    <strong>[The Quest ¡¸Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s Proposal¡¹ has been activated.]</strong>

    The Quest was to sell the video to one of them.

    ¡°I offer one billion Dias.¡±

    ¡°Then I offer 1.1 billion Dias.¡±

    ¡°1.2 billion.¡±

    ¡°1.3 billion Dias.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded. He knew exactly what this feeling was.

    <i>¡®I can activate my Latent Skill.¡¯</i>

    The inherent Skill in the Almighty Streamer Job was trying to reveal itstent form.

    <i>¡®Latent Skill¡ªDiplomacy.¡¯</i>

    This was the Level 60 Skill that was exclusive to Rulers.

    <i>¡®Latent Skill¡ªMaster of Negotiation.¡¯</i>

    This was the Level 90 Skill that was also exclusive to Rulers. Jin-Hyeok considered using both Skills, but decided not to.

    <i>¡®No, never mind.¡¯</i>

    Honestly speaking, Jin-Hyeok did not need money at the moment. Not only was money unnecessary, it was even to the point of it being undesirable. He had a feeling that if he had too much money, he would have to retire earlier. In fact, he was even pretending not to know about the donations from his livestream since, as the saying goes¡ªout of sight, out of mind¡ªand he really didn¡¯t want to know about the donations.

    Jin-Hyeok now realized this.

    <i>¡®Using the Diplomacy Skillst time was a mistake.¡¯</i>

    Using a mere Skill to sway their hearts or to resolve the situation was not a good idea when dealing with these two, because, in the eyes of experts, the actions of the inferior were always clearly seen.

    Jin-Hyeok recalled the memory of using Diplomacy during his previous encounter with these two.

    <strong>[Hostile¡ªUnfriendly¡ªNeutral¡ªFriendly¡ªVery Friendly¡ª???]</strong>

    At that time, the arrows were pointing at the question mark and not at Very Friendly. Just because it was listed after Very Friendly, it did not necessarily mean that it was more favorable than Very Friendly. Now, Jin-Hyeok understood.

    <i>¡®The Diplomacy Skill wasn¡¯t sessfully activated back then, these two just found me cute. That¡¯s all.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt fortunate to realize this now. If the Skill did not work, there was no other way but to approach sincerely. And he<i> was</i> indeed grateful to them.

    Jin-Hyeok did not bother to awaken any Latent Skills.

    ¡°I reject your proposal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    <strong>[You have rejected the Quest ¡¸Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s Proposal¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°A fledgling yer whose Level is merely in the 90s is rejecting my Quest? A Quest that is worth one billion Dias?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°If I ept money here, won¡¯t the value of my video plummet?¡±

    ¡°Why? How so? You are the producer who creates the videos, and I am the consumer who buys them.¡±

    ¡°And that is why I have created this appreciation video for my viewers. I learned the hard way this time that I exist because of my viewers. This is my appreciation video, not amercial one. If I sell this for money, it feels like my gratitude toward the viewers will be distorted. Please understand.¡±

    Michelleughed as if this whole situation was amusing.

    ¡°Hahaha! How does it feel to be rejected by a Level 90 yer?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too bad, actually. It feels like I¡¯ve met a proper Steramer after a long time. These days, kidsck sincerity. Back in my day...¡±

    Gap-Soo was about to start a very long story, but Michelle cut him off at the right time.

    ¡°I could fully recognize your sincerity as a Streamer. It was a much better choice than using a trivial Skill like Diplomacy. I¡¯ll gratefully ept the video,¡± Michelle said to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I will also ept it gratefully,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    With a fluttering heart, Jin-Hyeok handed over the collector¡¯s edition video to both of them. They immediately viewed the video, showing various reactions. Those reactions made Jin-Hyeok proud.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m d I became a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    His old username was ChulSooIs#2. Now, he changed his username to ChulSooIsGod and continued his active life online.

    <strong>[InteseMan Kim Chul-Soo was indeed intense. This is his sincere intense mode.]</strong>

    He even revealed his true identity.

    He was the new editor of KimKnowItAllTV. He quickly rose to fame as a Named user on the Korean Region Minor Gallery by editing videos rted to Kim Chul-Soo''s and uploading them to Eltube, and distributing various memes on KRMG.

    <strong>[If IntenseMan is serious, he will save the world.]</strong>

    ©»LOL. Sincere intense mode! That¡¯s clever.

    ©»Is there a fake intense mode?

    ©»There is no such thing as a fake intense mode!

    ©»IntenseMan is always intense, hence he is IntenseMan.

    <strong>[Scratch that. IntenseMan is always intense. Therefore, there is no such thing as a sincere intense mode. He is sincere at every moment.]</strong>

    And today, Kang Cheol met his God. His God, Cha Jin-Hyeok, was resting at his residence in Yeonhui-dong.

    ¡°Hello. I am Kang Cheol, the new editor of KimKnowItAllTV.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. I have been enjoying your posts and watching the videos.¡±

    Upon seeing Jin-Hyeok, Kang Cheol could not help but open his mouth wide.

    ¡°Is that appearance right now the real look of Cha Jin-Hyeok?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re truly beautiful.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok read the youthful craziness in Kang Cheol¡¯s eyes. Those eyes, which could see the real beauty, were quite appealing.

    ¡°My new editor seems to know exactly what the fans want, and the editing quality is excellent, probably because he is a huge fan of Your Majesty himself. I brought him here on purpose today because we need to get permission from you, Your Majesty," Wang Yu-Mi intervened.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok slightly frowned. From some point, she kept referring to Jin-Hyeok as Your Majesty. Seeing his past life¡¯s self ovepping, he suddenly wanted to keep a distance from Yu-Mi.

    ¡°Can we stop with all the Your Majesty talk?¡±

    ¡°The important thing isn¡¯t what I call you, Your Majesty. The reason I specifically brought Kang Cheol is because we have a favor to ask you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok listened.

    ¡°...So we are considering creating a separate Kim Bbong[1] category,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°Kim Bbong?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you heard right. Originally, it was going to be KingGodGeneralNationalPride, but upon consideration, Kim Bbong seemed to be a more appropriate name.¡±

    She said she was going to create a new category for videos simr to the nationalistic videos, but it would be specifically about Kim Chul-Soo.

    <strong>[...#I really want to do it. #Admiration and #Respect #He is a God. #<u>Genuine Repentance</u>.]</strong>

    How intense the emotions Kang Cheol was feeling were evident from the underlined Genuine Repentance that was visible to Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok was able to read some parts of Kang Cheol¡¯s past.

    <i>¡®So in the past, he harbored intense jealousy and envy toward me, but now he serves me in repentance. Something like that, I guess. But why does this feel like something is not right?¡¯</i>

    In his past life, only Yu-Mi was obsessed with him, but now it seemed that someone even more obsessed than Yu-Mi had appeared. There was a vague anxiety that, as time passed, a more difficult situation than in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life might unfold.

    Jin-Hyeok weed a moderate amount of madness, but if that went too far, it tended to make many people ufortable.

    He felt that he should prevent the creation of the Kim Bbong category.

    ¡°With more narratives, Streamer Kim Chul-Soo can surpass even Egan Paul, and obviously, be a Streamer loved by people all over the world,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to give permission.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure why Kang Mi-Na and Wang Yu-Mi were fighting.

    ¡°I am the only Streamer who has an exclusive contract with Kim Pyeong-Beom,¡± Mi-Na snarled.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m Streamer contracted with Kim Chul-Soo, you know,¡± Yu-Mi retorted with a smile.

    ¡°Your livestream is fake! You are just showing Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, not your own.¡±

    ¡°I create secondary creation videos based on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, providing a yground-like environment where viewers can have fun.¡±

    ¡°I am ranked number one in Korea. I can¡¯t bepared to a nobody like you.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a Level Grinder like you, Unnie.¡±

    ¡°Unnie? How am I an Unnie to you?¡±

    ¡°Well, you look like you¡¯re older than me.¡±

    ¡°How old are <i>you?</i>¡±

    ¡°This many?¡± Yu-Mi said while holding up four fingers.

    ¡°You little...!¡±

    The topic of their fight changed constantly.

    ¡°Humph! Your content is a secondary creation at best. Nobody will recognize you as a real Streamer!¡± Mi-Na said.

    ¡°I¡¯m a pioneer in a new genre of livestreaming. I am contributing to diversifying content and increasing the market pie. Why do you belittle what I do, Unnie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your Unnie!¡±

    ¡°They say that you lose when you¡¯re angry. Are you angry right now, Unnie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry!¡±

    Yu-Mi covered her mouth with her hand andughed. Even for Jin-Hyeok, Yu-Mi¡¯s teasing made him a bit angry. Mi-Na¡¯s face turned red.

    <i>¡®This is just like the past life.¡¯</i>

    Mi-Na had always lost to Yu-Mi. Jin-Hyeok remembered from his past life when Mi-Na just gave up arguing with Yu-Mi and epted to be the Girl of Fire who was dearly raised on Fire and did as Yu-Mi told her to do.

    Eventually, Mi-Na clung to Jin-Hyeok and whined, ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you talk to her?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    Watching his old colleague, Mi-Na, like this somehow calmed his heart. It felt like he had entered a battlefield where swords were flying around.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, I¡¯ve been to many battlefields with Mi-Na...¡¯</i>

    ¡°You decide who is the best Streamer!¡± Mi-Na said to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard our conversation so far.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if what he had witnessed until now could be categorized as conversation. Anyway, Mi-Na demanded an answer from him, ¡°Make a decision. Now.¡±

    She seemed ready to grab his cor if he didn¡¯t answer quickly.

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head vigorously.

    ¡°Is that even a question?¡±

    Mi-Na gulped noisily, focusing on what Jin-Hyeok was about to say. On the other hand, Yu-Mi was calmly drinking warm green tea.

    ¡°Right? I¡¯m the best, right?¡± Mi-Na asked again, as if to confirm.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what she was talking about. She seemed like she had not gotten out of the beginner¡¯s mindset yet. To get out of the beginner phase, one needed to start with self-objectivity.

    ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m number one,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mi-Na wore a face as if she had been pped. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know why she was making that face when he was saying something so obvious.

    Yu-Mi, who took a sip of the tea, gave the answer, ¡°You¡¯ll always be below Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Yu-Mi already knew the answer.

    Just like in the previous life, Mi-Na had lost again.

    ? ? ?

    Kihael wished he could die instead.

    <i>¡®My work-life bnce!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    It had already been three days since thest time he went home. He felt so disconnected from society that he couldn¡¯t tell whether he was alive or dead. Earth¡¯s Scenarios, the Revered One and the Copsed Reverence, had derailed so much from the original n that even the new Scenario was smashed to bits.

    <i>¡®Earth''s Scenarios should have obliterated the Korean Region and parts of the Chinese Region from the beginning...¡¯</i>

    In truth, Kihael wished and wished for that to happen. He had hoped that if the Korean Region were destroyed, he would be able to take a rtively long break.

    <i>¡®The new Scenario should havested at least more than two months...¡¯</i>

    It should have, but it came to a halt within a few days. Now, there was a gap created before the officialunch. Besides being physically exhausted, his head felt like it was about to explode.

    However, Serchan was humming a happy tune.

    ¡°If we handle this incident well, we might get promoted,¡± Serchan said.

    An event that had never urred across all dimensions was unfolding.

    ¡°One yer managed to finish most of the two conflicting Scenarios, and even the newly introduced alternative Scenario was cleared by the same yer. It¡¯s an unprecedented event, signifying that we are writing history. We are about to set a precedent, Kihael.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to leave work for three days, Assistant Manager...¡±

    ¡°Kihael, you are great and all, but it seems like youck a bit of devotion. Talking about leaving work at a time like this? You¡¯re joking, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Kihael had to hold back his urge to punch Serchan in the face.

    ¡°You know that I am currently utilizing all the administrative power to postpone the reward for clearing the Scenario, right? I am constantly entering new codes, removing unexpected variables, documenting System rationales... I feel like I¡¯m going to go insane!¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°See? I knew you were apetent GM!¡±

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t want praise!¡¯</i>

    He wanted to shout, but he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°I can¡¯t postpone it any longer. We have used up all viable resources. Eventually, we have to meet up with Kim Chul-Soo and Kim Pyeong-Beom and settle this.¡±

    Kihael wondered why on earth this mess was happening in Seodaemun-gu. If the Scenario rewards proceeded as it was, the bnce issue would surely be raised.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll be back,¡± Kihael said.

    Since Pyeong-Beom was hard to locate, he decided to meet Chul-Soo first.

    However, Kihael did not know yet that Chul-Soo had the potential to awaken the Latent Skills Diplomacy and Master of Negotiation. Or that Chul-Soo was even able to determine the perfect timing to use them appropriately.

    1. Bbong is a Korean inte ng that refers to a state of being overly immersed in the bragging points of the object of one¡¯s affection. ?

 Chapter 117

    <h4>Chapter 117</h4>

    In the midst of an ever-expanding world, Cha Jin-Hyeok found himself basking in the vivid sensation of being alive each day. It was a testament to his personal growth that had be more noticeable recently.

    He had evolved in multiple facets, not only as a Swordsman but also as a Streamer and even as a Ruler. His growth as a Ruler, in particr, felt immensely pronounced, akin to how teenagers shoot up in height during puberty.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s probably because I was such a novice as a Ruler, the growth seems hugely apparent.¡¯</i>

    The initial phase of growth in any venture was always great. Being a novice Ruler, Jin-Hyeok was savoring that greatness to its fullest extent.

    <i>¡®The reward was too stingy.¡¯</i>

    He had only leveled up once for killing the Queen Ant. This could not possibly be the reward.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s definitely something forcibly dying the rewards. Probably an issue with System bncing.¡¯</i>

    In a small country like Korea, even events like the college entrance exams received k if not properly bnced. In a universe-level Server, the repercussions of ack of bnce were iparable to any exam. The GMs had to be frantically dying rewards while discussing countermeasures.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I thought of that.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was getting goosebumps. The Cha Jin-Hyeok from his previous life would have muttered. ¡°What the hell? What a shitty reward,¡± and just moved on, but not anymore. While things like these did not appear before the eyes of the Swordsman Jin-Hyeok, they were crystal clear before the Ruler Jin-Hyeok.

    In any case, it didn¡¯t take long before Kihael visited him. He too had been through a lot.

    ¡°...So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Surprisingly, Kihael did not beat around the bush. He disclosed most matters candidly. Just like when Jin-Hyeok faced Choi Gap-Soo and Jang Michelle with sincerity without resorting to trivial Skills, it seemed Kihael chose to confront him with genuine methods.

    <strong>[You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Master of Negotiation¡¹.]</strong>

    For reference, they were inside Jin-Hyeok¡¯s home, a domain where all his abilities were amplified. As soon as Kihael stepped into his house, Jin-Hyeok boosted his Level by 20 using the effect on the back of the Mythic-Grade Card. Though Jin-Hyeok¡¯s experience as a Ruler was still in its infancy ording to his standards, various effects made it seem like he had transformed into a remarkable Ruler. Jin-Hyeok instinctively felt how to grill Kihael to get what he wanted.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Bncing is indeed crucial. Due to the GMs¡¯ mistake in management, if all of the rewards are acquired by one yer, it would be problematic. Those rewards were probably created to be distributed among several yers, like the protection of the Guardian Tree, the Rule Breaker, or the Guardian Ring, custom-designed defensive-type Mystery, and so on,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    As he spoke, Kihael¡¯s expression progressively worsened. It seemed the bleak reality was bing more perceptible as he listened.

    ¡°I understand the predicament of the GMs.¡±

    ¡°...Really?¡± Kihael asked while looking at Jin-Hyeok with a hint of skepticism.

    Jin-Hyeok found himself feeling dubious too. He was articting his arguments too well.

    ¡°I also understand that the GMs are employing every means to dy the rewards. So it¡¯s alright to postpone it further. I also know that if I¡¯m on the same side as you, it would be a lot easier for you guys to dy the rewards. Am I wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Kihael¡¯s eyes widened slightly. It was a very subtle change, but in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, it appeared significantly pronounced. This too, was the effect of Master of Negotiation.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Now why would you say that? I just wish for your convenience.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Thebination of the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance and Master of Negotiation demonstrated an excellent coboration. Jin-Hyeok could real Kihael¡¯s mind much better than before.

    <strong>[...#I don¡¯t believe it. #He is a capitalistic monster! #Devoid of blood and tears.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok lowered his voice a bit.

    ¡°What is done is done.¡±

    While dying the rewards might be possible, denying them entirely was not. It was a fact known both to Jin-Hyeok and Kihael. And Jin-Hyeok had no intention of refusing the rewards at all.

    ¡°Someone has to clean up the mess, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok said and paused at the perfect moment, amusing himself by watching Kihael¡¯s reaction.

    Kihael seemed to gulp nervously and his ears twitched, not literally, but that was how it appeared to Jin-Hyeok, thanks to the effect of the Master of Negotiation.

    ¡°...You just don¡¯t want to be the one responsible, right? Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, a symbol visible only to Jin-Hyeok appeared above Kihael¡¯s head.

    <strong>[!]</strong>

    It seemed like Kihael had an epiphany.

    ¡°The Open Beta service will end soon and the officialunch will begin, right? You just have to transfer to another department before the officialunch. I will wait until then.¡±

    What Jin-Hyeok had just said was half true and half false. Jin-Hyeok found Kihael likable. It was almost certain that the GMs assigned to manage Jin-Hyeok exclusively would include Kihael, who had been observing him for a long time. Consequently, Kihael would not be able to transfer and would have to continue apanying Jin-Hyeok, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t mention that.

    ¡°B-But...!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s well known that the mess created by the predecessor is cleaned up by their sessor, who also takes the me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good idea, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The predecessor could not avoid taking some me, but it was much better than being the sessor. This would undoubtedly be a sweet proposal for Kihael, who had the spirit of a weary office worker.

    <i>¡®I can read all these psychological nuances!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was growing day by day.

    Kihael, not yet ready to relinquish thest thread of skepticism, asked, ¡°Why are you being this nice to me?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not being nice to you. This is all for my benefit.¡±

    ¡°For your benefit?¡±

    ¡°Yes, by doing this, it grants me a just cause. My actions will serve as a political gesture demonstrating that I¡¯ve shown utmost consideration in the System¡¯s operation, that I am fully prepared to cooperate with the GMs, and that I¡¯m not a despotic ruler without any leniency.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not flourish alone. In the end, he needed to expand his influence, and he would be an outcast if he just boasted about his greatness and antagonized everyone around. The Swordsman Jin-Hyeok might be able to afford to do that, but the Ruler Jin-Hyeok could not.

    ¡°What is your Job again?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Me?¡± Jin-Hyeok said, perplexed by the obvious question. ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Upon dying the rewards for clearing the new Scenario, it was decided that it would be received after the officialunch. What that reward would be, however, was still under the System¡¯s discretion.

    ¡°Hehehe,¡± Jin-Hyeok giggled.

    Cha Jin-Sol, who was eating soybean paste stew, looked at her brother with strange eyes.

    ¡°Oppa, you¡¯re acting like a crazy person.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever seen a crazy person as smart as this?¡±

    After a cheerful family dinner, Jin-Sol followed Jin-Hyeok persistently.

    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s making you so excited? Did a really strong monster appear?¡±

    ¡°Before the Official Server opens, I n to strive to raise the standard of the entire Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°Raise the standard of?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t receive any rewards at the moment. The rewards given to him at this point were too overpowered, disrupting the bnce severely, which was the reason.

    ¡°Yes. That way, other yers will grow stronger, and I might receive less k.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok briefly exined the incident with Kihael to his sister. Being someone who had studied diligently, she understood quickly.¡±

    ¡°Ah! So you¡¯re trying to raise the overall standard of the Earth Server to make your rewards seem not so overpowered?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that bad for you? Rtively, the quality of the rewards would decrease, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only if you look at it from Earth¡¯s perspective.¡±

    However, there was more than just the Earth Server to consider. Once the Official Server wasunched, inter-Server movements would gradually be more liberalized. Eventually, Servers wouldpete with each other, and the raised standard of the Earth Server meant that his home base was bing stronger.

    ¡°More powerful beings will appear, more resurrection settings will be applied, and more good items will drop,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°We should prepare ordingly, too. Thanks for the info, Oppa. Did the GM tell you this?¡±

    ¡°Do you think the GM is crazy enough to tell me all of this?¡±

    Jin-Sol blinked her eyes and stared at him.

    ¡°So you came up with this all by yourself?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Jin-Sol¡¯s reaction was quite promising. It felt like watching a viewer with lots of reactions, which he quite liked.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m finally getting rid of my newbie sticker. I¡¯m growing,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...getting rid of what? Growing? You, Oppa?¡±

    <i>¡®Why can¡¯t she acknowledge it? I was clearly growing.¡¯</i>

    This was somewhat hurting his pride.

    ¡°Yes, as a Ruler.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Sol showed a facial expression that he could notprehend. She frowned and then tilted her head in confusion. Jin-Hyeok considered using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to see what she was thinking but decided to let it be.

    Relying on Skills even in such a mundane conversation with his sister seemed like it wouldpletely evaporate his social skills. Jin-Hyeok believed that the appropriate use of Skills was a necessary virtue for a yer.

    ¡°Alright, yeah, let¡¯s just assume you are still a newbie. So, what is the newbie Oppa nning to do now?¡±

    Technically, it was a hiatus now. The new Scenario was supposed tost for two to three months, which also meant Jin-Hyeok had that amount of leisure time.

    ¡°I was thinking of visiting the New World.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Bug Tsunami engulfed three nations: the United States, China, and Germany. Moreover, Korea faced an invasion by the Queen Ant. In various locations of the capitals of these four nations, Dungeon gates bearing the same name revealed themselves.

    <strong>[New World]</strong>

    Though there were multiple gates, they all led to the same Dungeon. The minimum Level required for entry was 70, making it the Dungeon with the highest Level restriction on the Earth Server as of now.

    [What is the New World?]

    [Rankers Unable to Avoid Struggles at the Threshold of the New World.]

    Numerous yers had already ventured into the New World, yet none had witnessed its end.

    [Infinite Resurrection. Is It a Blessing or a Poisoned Chalice?]

    The New World had an infinite resurrection setting. In unfortunate circumstances, one might face death continuously, resulting in a number of yers sumbing to a state of exhaustion. Also, relying heavily on infinite resurrection during y could push them beyond a mental breaking point, plunging them into a vegetative state.

    The New World was a Dungeon that was both kind and unkind to the yers. It was the first Dungeon where the save and load settings were implemented! It was also a Dungeon where yers could freely enter or exit and even establish save points. Once dead, they could resurrect at the save point, retaining all progress made prior to establishing the save point.

    <i>¡®New World...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded heavily.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve struggled quite a bit in there in my past life...¡¯</i>

    It was a Dungeon that he had cleared in his previous life. He knew every detail and strategy to clear it.

    <i>¡®Back then, my party¡¯s average Level was around 120.¡¯</i>

    In his past life, for a long time after the official release, the New World remained an unexplored Dungeon. Only when a substantial amount of time had passed, when the average Level of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party members reached around 120, did they manage to clear it. At that time, having achieved a personal Level of 124, Jin-Hyeok finally managed to clear the Dungeon.

    <i>¡®Can I clear it now? Probably not, right? But what if I proceed with the Solo Mode setting?¡¯</i>

    Entering with the Solo Mode would slightly reduce the difficulty of the Dungeon.

    <i>¡®The content won¡¯t change even if I go with the Solo Mode activated.¡¯</i>

    That was a fact he already knew very well. In fact, before clearing with his party, he had entered the New World several times on his days off.

    <i>¡®I think I died more than two hundred times back then.¡¯</i>

    The number wasn¡¯t that urate since he had stopped counting after the tenth death.

    <i>¡®My Level was around 115 when I attempted the Solo Mode, probably.¡¯</i>

    Thus, the New World could be considered a great benchmark topare the past and the present Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®¡¯I really hope the content hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯</i>

    The likelihood of improvements in rewards or experience gains was high, probably because the GMs would have begun efforts to uplift the average skill level of the Earth Server. However, altering the content of a Dungeon created by the System itself was not an easy task.

    <i>¡®My current Level is 93.¡¯</i>

    With the effect of At the Summit of That Path, One Shall Look Down applied, he would be Level 113. Moreover, he had the same weapon as his past life, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    <i>¡®I can y at a Level simr to my past self.¡¯</i>

    His heart throbbed excitedly. He believed that the ultimatepetition was the one with oneself. If it could be proven that his current self, who had awakened as a Streamer and discovered more joy and fun, was stronger than his past self who was self-obsessed solely with the sword, then he felt he would be able to savor a great sense of aplishment.

    It seemed like he would be able to fully relish being alive.

    <i>¡®I absolutely have to go to that Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    The gate to the New World in Korea was located on the forty-fourth floor of the Lotte World Tower.

    [1st floor]

    [2nd floor]

    [3rd floor]

    The elevator ascended rapidly and his heart began to beat increasingly faster. As the elevator door would open on the forty-fourth floor, so would the gate to the New World.

    ¡°I will now venture into the New World, the talk of the town these days. Just for reference, I am going in by myself.¡±

    After confirming the flood of viewers streaming in like a tidal wave, he set it to Solo Mode.

    [30th floor]

    [31st floor]

    <i>¡®Uhm, but wait a second.¡¯</i>

    [41st floor]

    [42nd floor]

    <i>¡®Ah...¡¯</i>

    [42nd floor]

    [43rd floor]

    Jin-Hyeok had forgotten about something.

    [44th floor]

    The door opened, but he could not step out.

    [The door is closing.]

    Jin-Hyeok got off not on the forty-fourth floor, but on the forty-fifth floor. Before satisfying his ambition and quenching his thirst, there was an issue that absolutely needed to be addressed.

 Chapter 118

    <h4>Chapter 118</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok valued and emphasized the basics more than anyone else. In his time as the Swordsman, he believed that striking one more time with the sword was more important than leveling up.

    <i>¡®One must not forget the basics.¡¯</i>

    This was a principle that still applied even now as a Streamer.

    A Streamer produced high-quality content for the viewers. The viewers, in return, provided attention and support to the Streamer, and the Streamer reciprocated with gratitude by offering even better content.

    <i>¡®A Streamer doesn¡¯t exist without their viewers.¡¯</i>

    Recently, Jin-Hyeok felt a deep sense of gratitude toward the viewers. As a Streamer, he obviously had to show reactions of appreciation for the support. That was the basics of being a Streamer.

    <i>¡®Up until now, I was so engrossed in my own greed that I forgot about the basics.¡¯</i>

    He reflected deeply. When money became too plentiful, he felt like he had to retire earlier. It seemed like the lingering vestiges of his conscience made him deliberately avoid the donation window. However, he decided to return to his original principles and basics.

    <i>¡®But what should I do if the viewers donated too much money?¡¯</i>

    With a trembling heart, Jin-Hyeok opened the donation window. And he began to express his gratitude one by one.

    ¡°Thank you for the thousand Dias donation, StrongArm. Thank you for the three thousand Dias donation, MorningStar. Thank you, PinkPooPoo, for the two thousand Dias donation.¡±

    It was said that famous Streamers even had their very own signature reactions when they received donations, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have anything prepared. There was still a long way to go for him as a Streamer.

    Jin-Hyeok once again realized his ipetence.

    <i>¡®I should feel bad for my viewers.¡¯</i>

    The face of Shin Yu-Ri, who always said that she would reflect, came to mind. If Yu-Ri was improving by constantly self-reflecting, then he couldn¡¯t afford to forget the basics.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think I need to read them all, but...¡¯</i>

    This was the way Jin-Hyeok was reflecting. At least for this time, he felt he had to diligently read each and every donation.

    ¡°Thank you, Victim''sPerspective, for the three thousand Dias donation... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you...¡±

    Quite a long time had passed. Cherishing and memorizing each word, and calling out the viewers¡¯ names with care, it had already be dark outside. Jin-Hyeok discovered quite an astonishing fact.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no end to this!¡¯¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew the reason why.

    <i>¡®Are donations umting faster than the speed I can read them?¡¯</i>

    The content he was currently providing was not particrly interesting. He just earnestly and wholeheartedly reacted to the donations, though calling it a reaction seemed too grandiose. Yet, strangely, the donations were pouring in abundantly.

    <i>¡®This can¡¯t go on.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did his best, but he realized that it was impossible to catch up with the speed of the donationsing in. In the end, he had to close the donation window.

    Meanwhile, at the yground for the viewers watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, Wang Yu-Mi of KimKnowItAllTV was once again showcasing the fervor of IntenseMan.

    ¡°He is really fiercely continuing his battle with himself! IntenseMan is intense even today! It seems he hasn¡¯t realized yet that the speed of donations is faster than his reactions to the donations. I¡¯m curious about the expression he will have when he realizes it!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    The chat window of the KimKnowItAllTV channel was filled with LOLs. The viewers were forming up to make the intense Kim Chul-Soo even more intense.

    -I¡¯m gonna donate also.

    -Oh, you too? Me too!

    -Everyone! Donate away!

    Yu-Mi continued to subtly influence the situation, not letting her excitement show.

    ¡°I will try donating too. Will he call out my name too? Ah, I hope he does.¡±

    The demand from those who wished to garner attention from famous Streamers was always there. There were quite a few viewers who desperately wanted to have their usernames called out by Kim Chul-Soo, who was famous for not doing so, and Yu-Mi stimted their desires. The donations didn¡¯t stoping. When Chul-Soo¡¯s donation reaction surpassed eight hours, the Korean Region Minor Gallery also started to be chaotic with the topic.

    [Seems like Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream has failed. LOL. His livestream is utterly boring haha.]

    ©»His donation just surpassed 1.2 billion Dias.

    ©»You¡¯re calling a 1.2 billion Dia in a single livestream a failure? Haha.

    [But why is he so intense? Is it really necessary to be that intense?]

    ©»That¡¯s because he is IntenseMan! LOL

    ©»He¡¯s never been this intense before!

    ©»You can say his Sincere Intense Mode Season 2 has been activated. HAHA!

    IntenseMan referred to Kim Chul-Soo, who thought he was intense, but in reality, wasn¡¯t intense at all. However, it was different this time, as IntenseMan was genuinely intense.

    [I¡¯m with him on this. I¡¯m still young, so I should also be intense! ^.~ LOL.]

    ©»You sound so old...

    ©»Let¡¯s goooo!!

    It took a few more hours after Jin-Hyeok closed the donations for his reactions to finally finish. Jin-Hyeok felt like he had finallypleted a long-procrastinated assignment, but he wasn¡¯t entirely happy. There was nothing to be happy about. After all, he only did what he was supposed to do.

    <i>¡®I need to create my very own signature donation reactions.¡¯</i>

    He couldn¡¯t be a real Streamer who didn¡¯t adhere to the basics of a Streamer. It was immensely distressing for him that all he could do was read the usernames and express his gratitude.

    <i>¡®Kang Mi-Na and Wang Yu-Mi manage to make their reactions incredibly fun while naturally carrying on the conversation.¡¯</i>

    While watching the emergence of KingGodGeneral Yumi, Jin-Hyeok thought he couldmunicate with his viewers better than her. However, he repented for being greedy, wanting tomunicate with viewers and livestream at the same time.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m just a beginner...¡¯</i>

    He was d to leave themunication to Yu-Mi.

    ¡°Now, I will really venture into the New World. For a smoother y and to focus on the Dungeon, I will temporarily close the donation window.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The elevator door opened.

    <strong>[You have entered the Dungeon ¡¸New World¡¹.]</strong>

    As he took a few steps forward, a new world, both literally and figuratively, unfolded before him. It was the square of a vige, with a background reminiscent of medieval Europe.

    <strong>[You have entered ¡¸Azov Vige¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®It¡¯s been a long time.¡¯</i>

    The vige was quite extensive. Looking from the warp portal situated at a rtively high point, the red roofs stretched out in the distance. It wasrge enough to be called a city.

    <i>¡®I have finally entered a proper Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    A Dungeon had to be of this scale to be deemed a proper Dungeon. There should be many NPCs, a variety of Quests within the Dungeon, and diverse clear routes. Only then would y be enjoyable.

    ¡°It seems like I have been transferred to a separate space because I¡¯m in Solo Mode.¡±

    For reference, if a yer proceeded in the general mode, they could meet other yers.

    ¡°I will go down the stairs.¡±

    As he descended the stairs, an NPC approached and started a conversation.

    ¡°Are you a new adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is this your first time in Azov Vige? If so, I can tell you a few things.¡±

    Options appeared. He had a choice between exchanging pleasantries and engaging in a conversation, and just ignoring the NPC altogether.

    ¡°I know that quite a lot of strategies for this Dungeon are already known to the public, so I am going to choose to ignore it.¡±

    Numerous yers had already tried to clear this Dungeon. While no one was sessful, the route up to the mid-boss monster had been pioneered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done my research by watching several videos. I will quickly skip the initial parts that everyone else has already gone through.¡±

    The Dungeon had the vige at its center, nked by routes leading to the west and east. To the westy the Burning Fortress, and to the east, the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.

    <i>¡®Normally, it would be easier to start with clearing the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.¡¯</i>

    For some unknown reason, other yers were starting with the Burning Fortress. Come to think of it, he seemed to have done the same in his past life.

    <i>¡®Clearing that in one go is impossible anyway.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew he might die several times and perhaps even fail to clear it. For now, he decided to move ording to the strategies disclosed by others that had cleared it.

    He arrived at the western gate of Azov Vige. A guard dressed in worn-out armor stood there.

    ¡°Hi, Adventurer, are you nning to venture west?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are rumors that treasure might be hidden in the Burning Fortress.¡±

    ¡°Then could you do me a favor?¡±

    <strong>[You have received the Quest ¡¸Request of the Western Gate Guard¡¹.]</strong>

    This was a mandatory Quest to ept. This guard asked for a favor to retrieve one of the Thermal Flowers, which only grew in the Burning Fortress. To properly harvest the Flowers, a special vase given by this guard was needed. That bottle would be valuableter, but it seemed like no one had yed up to that point yet. No one had even found the Thermal Flowers to begin with.

    ¡°I will definitely find the Thermal Flowers for you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Please do.¡±

    Having epted the Quest, he headed toward the west.

    <strong>[You have entered the western region ¡¸Barren ins¡¹.]</strong>

    To make an urateparison with his past self, he applied the effects of the Mythic-Grade Card.

    ¡°The air is quite dry. The ground is crumbly, and the nts are withered. Over there, there seems to be a creature resembling a Gpagos giant tortoise. It¡¯s about two meters tall, weighing roughly seven hundred kilograms. It¡¯s walking over here cutely.¡±

    <i>Thump. Thump.</i>

    For an animal, it was quiterge, but for a monster, it was rather adorable in its size.

    ¡°I heard the monster has extremely high defensive stats and can be very tricky to fight against since it hides inside its shell if necessary.¡±

    <strong>[LV70/Desert Tortoise/<u>Skills</u>]</strong>

    It was Level 70. Jin-Hyeok raised his weapon, Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°I will test the waters first.¡±

    Instead of using any Skills, he tried to pierce the monster with normal attacks.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The Greatsword of La¡¯kan had pierced through the body of the monster.

    <i>¡®It pierced through more easily than I thought.¡¯</i>

    The surprised Desert Tortoise flipped its body and hid within its shell.

    ¡°They say it bes very easy to kill when it resorts to this pose.¡±

    The underbelly of the monster was rtively weak in terms of defense.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]</strong>

    This was a basic Skill acquired at Level 50. Since it was a basic Skill, the preparatory motion was minimal and it consumed significantly less mental energy.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to cut through in one go.¡±

    He had to break through the protective barrier. However, the structure of the barrier was very uniform, making it easy to find the point to strike.

    ¡°I will try shing at it around seven times.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shed at it seven times.

    The protective barrierpletely disappeared.

    ¡°I think I can just stab the monster now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok climbed atop the Tortoise.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    With a thrilling sensation in his hand, dark green blood sshed up.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy.¡±

    He was more exhrated than he should be.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    He continued to stab it.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s certain. It¡¯s easier than my past life.¡¯</i>

    Of course, even when he first entered this Dungeon in his past life, this monster wasn''t one that could be considered difficult. It was primarily because there was a significant Level difference between him and the monster. However,paring the Cha Jin-Hyeok who was a Swordsman of around Level 110 back then to the Cha Jin-Hyeok of right now, it seemed like the current Jin-Hyeok was stronger.

    <i>¡®Alright, let¡¯s not get too excited.¡¯</i>

    This monster was too weak to be considered the benchmark. Also, the current Jin-Hyeok had much more experience than the past.

    <i>¡®It might not be that my abilities have improved, but that I¡¯ve umted more experience.¡¯</i>

    He suppressed his excitement as much as possible.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    <strong>[You have killed a ¡¸Desert Tortoise¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud1</i>

    <strong>[You have acquired ¡¸Piece of the Desert Tortoise¡¯s Shell¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Completely suppressing his excitement, he leapt off the Tortoise.

    ¡°This is how you should kill this monster.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly taken aback.

    <i>¡®Did I portray the killing as being too easy?¡¯</i>

    But on second thought, it seemed unnecessary to make every encounter intense. If things were portrayed in the same pattern every time, the viewers might get bored.

    <i>¡®I should change the concept a little for this content.¡¯</i>

    Being intense should fundamentally underlie the narrative. If IntenseMan was not intense, it wouldn¡¯t be right.

    He killed a few more Desert Tortoises, even though he didn¡¯t really need to.

    ¡°So you stab it like this.¡±

    He taught the viewers who might be struggling against such minor monsters.

    ¡°Then you flip it over like this.¡±

    <i>Swoosh. Swoosh.</i>

    Jin-Hyeok swung his Greatsword.

    ¡°This is how it¡¯s done. Easy, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought surely there would not be any yer unable to do it after being taught to this extent. Even so, he fervently showed the viewers, giving consideration to those who might be slightly inferior.

    After killing a total of seventeen Tortoises, he continued to move forward. There were monsters resembling cacti and scorpions here and here, but he ignored them as they were unrted to clearing the Dungeon.

    ¡°Those monsters might stab you from the back like this, but you can just ignore them. No need to waste energy unnecessarily, right?¡±

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, he blocked several spike attacks and tail attacks. The cacti and scorpions eventually grew tired and distanced themselves.

    ¡°For now, I will set up a save point here.¡±

    <i>¡®My word, a Dungeon where you can save? How considerate of them.¡¯</i>

    Such a yer-friendly setting should be utilized wisely.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting increasingly hot.¡±

    The sight of the crimsonnd began to unfold before him. A clear demarcation from the Barren ins was apparent.

    ¡°There¡¯s flowingva up ahead.¡±

    <strong>[Lava Valley]</strong>

    ¡°It seems like I have to cross that.¡±

    Crossing it in itself wouldn¡¯t be a big problem. He just had to run across swiftly. He might get a bit burned, but probably would not die. However, death was a given in unfortunate situations.

    ¡°The issue isn¡¯t theva, but the Lava Fish that jump out of it.¡±

    Theva alone wasn¡¯t the problem, and the Lava Fish alone weren¡¯t the problem either¡ªthe trouble began when the two werebined. He had seen it many times in videos.

    ¡°yers tend to freeze up the moment a Lava Fish bites their leg, which often results in them falling into theva.¡±

    Those fortunate could simply cross the Lava Valley. Those unlucky got engulfed and burned to death in theva.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try as well.¡±

    He took a running leap. It could be considered unfortunate, but a Lava Fish bit his leg as soon as hended on theva.

    ¡°I got bitten, but it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok just kept running, and he soon reached the other side.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t flinch even when bitten, you can safely get across.¡±

    The monster had such tremendous biting force that quite a bit of flesh was torn away.

    ¡°When injured, you get affected much more easily by the heat of theva, inducing a state of thermal injury.¡±

    Consequently, the wound became mushy, and the skin melted away, revealing the bones in his ankle. It was a minor injury.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked slightly.

    ¡°The difficulty seems rather lowpared to the notoriety of the New World, doesn¡¯t it?¡± he asked his viewers.

    It felt significantly easier than the New World he remembered from his previous life.

    <i>¡®Or maybe It¡¯s just my perception.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 119

    <h4>Chapter 119</h4>

    In the KimKnowItAllTV channel, a new poll was presented to the viewers.

    [1. That injury is minor. The difficulty level of the Dungeon is low.]

    [2. How can that injury bebeled minor? Kim Chul-Soo is the weird one.]

    From a rational standpoint, everyone should have chosen option 2.

    [1. That injury is minor. The difficulty level of the Dungeon is low. (72%)]

    [2. How can that injury bebeled minor? Kim Chul-Soo is the weird one. (28%)]

    However, in an unexpected turn, the majority of the viewers on KimKnowItAllTV chose option 1. At this, Wang Yu-Mi could not suppress a sly smile that graced her lips.

    <i>¡®Excellent, everything is going ording to the n,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    It was a known fact amongst the viewers that such a ghastly injury could not possibly be insignificant. However, regardless of the truth, they had willingly chosen option 1.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s proof that Chul-Soo¡¯s persona ising along perfectly¡¯</i>

    She firmly believed that the power of the content¡¯s sess emanated from meticulously shaping a Streamer¡¯s persona.

    <i>¡®Look at his extraordinaryposure! His sense of morality seems twisted somewhere! His peculiar attitude makes it seem like everything is easy while it¡¯s clearly a difficult situation!¡¯</i>

    As Yu-Mi livestreamed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, she found herself bing an ardent fan of Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®A pity... such a pity...¡¯</i>

    Her only regret was that Jin-Hyeok had not revealed his true face to the world.

    <i>¡®If he showed his face, he could elevate his livestream to a whole new level...¡¯</i>

    That was the belief she held¡ªwhen it came to matters rted to Jin-Hyeok, at least.

    <i>¡®Nevertheless, there wille a time when he will reveal himself.¡¯</i>

    With anticipation bubbling inside, she decided to infuse the narrative with even more story and character depth, preparing for that fateful moment when Jin-Hyeok would step into the light.

    ¡°Wow, that looks really easy. Huh? I think we just got newsing in. Several alliances and parties are reportedly attempting to replicate the y showcased by Chul-Soo. Oh, they sent me videos to my email. Yes, thank you! Let¡¯s check out the footage,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    An influx of reports poured in from victims (?) who had endeavored to mimic the strategiesid out by Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. The Desert Tortoise strategy was where it started.

    Yu-Mi, who shared the videos, shook her head with an amused smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s so strange. They¡¯re unable to aplish something so easy!¡±

    The chat window was now flooded with strings of LOLs.

    -MarryMe: LOL. Wow, they can¡¯t even do that.

    -KwakKwakKwak: How are they so dumb? Even I can do that and I am Level 25.

    <strong>-Mireuk: Their y seems to be clouded.</strong>

    From a general standpoint, Chul-Soo¡¯s y was nearly an art form, killing the Desert Tortoise with an efficiency that bordered on mastery.

    Everyone was well aware of this fact. Nevertheless, they all insisted that Chul-Soo¡¯s y was incredibly easy.

    ¡°There are also quite a few videos where yers manage to follow along quite well.¡±

    There were those who could somewhat mimic the strategies up until the Desert Tortoise hunting part. Although not as seamlessly as Chul-Soo, they managed to seed reasonably well in killing the Desert Tortoises.

    ¡°The real problem begins with the Lava Valley.¡±

    Watching Chul-Soo, it seemed remarkably easy to get across the Lava Valley, and the injuries appeared to be nothing significant. However, there were no yers who could replicate it.

    -AverageJoe: I am one of the yers who sent the videos. I¡¯m sorry for not being able to do something so easy. T_T

    The viewers were telling these yers to reflect on their y.

    <strong>[AverageJoe has donated 1,000 Dias.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°I will reflect on my actions. T_T. I¡¯m such garbage for not being able to do something so easy.¡±]</strong>

    Running across the Lava Valley like Chul-Soo seemed almost impossible. Even if their physical abilities were up to par, many failed mentally. Even those who managed to muster the courage to run could not cross the threshold that was the Lava Fish.

    <strong>[

    IceDemonKing: Who the fuck is saying this is easy? How is this easy? You guys are a bunch of insane fucks!]</strong>

    Among those who couldn¡¯t get with the program, a few were subjected to a barrage of public criticism.

    -You don¡¯t have any friends, do you?

    -I can¡¯t even do this simple strategy. LOL

    -Just need to run as fast as you can while getting bit by a Lava Fish until only the ankle bones are showing, yet you can¡¯t do this?

    -Watch how IntenseMan is ying. It¡¯s damn easy, what¡¯s the fuss?

    Engrossed in his y and unable to check what was going on on the KimKnowItAllTV, Jin-Hyeok fell into a brief moment of contemtion.

    <i>¡®If I only show the easy parts, the tension decreases,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Around thirty minutes had passed. He had fully healed his ankle by drinking a potion. Feeling that the progress of his livestream was bing toox, it seemed like the right time to showcase something new.

    ¡°While recovering from the injuries, I took a closer look at the Lava Valley. It seems there might be an Item hidden within the valley that could be acquired.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shared the information that he had gathered from Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, capturing and sharing the details of the Item.

    <strong>[Magma Fruit]</strong>

    ¡°Inside the valley, there exists an Item called the Magma Fruit. However, I¡¯m unsure how to retrieve it.¡±

    Without the help of a Thief or a Navigator, extracting it seemed nearly impossible. As of now, even Jin-Hyeok was unable to ascertain the strategy. It was a testament to the inefficiency of the Solo Mode.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s a certain romance to it.¡¯</i>

    The more unknowns and the more seemingly impossible the tasks were, the more enjoyable the y became. Despite pondering intensively, he couldn¡¯t figure out how to retrieve it.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s just remember that the Magma Fruit is there, and continue on our journey.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok resumed the move forward.

    ? ? ?

    <i>¡®It¡¯s hot.¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok continued walking through the Lava Valley Field toward the Burning Fortress, he arrived at a Field right before the fortress, known as the Sun-Scorched Wilderness.

    ¡°The overallndscape is simr to the Barren ins we passed earlier, but it¡¯s even more parched and desated. There were cacti and monsters in the Barren ins, but nothing seems to be visible here.¡±

    All Jin-Hyeok could see was barrennd and sand. Apart from the blistering sun, nothing else was in sight.

    Far away, the Burning Fortress, looking like a mirage, served as andmark, zing fiercely.

    <i>¡®A mid-boss monster appears here.¡¯</i>

    No particr monsters appeared in this area. However, a Level-90-something mid-boss monster called the ¡®Madman of the Wilderness¡¯ did make an appearance here.

    <i>¡®His level isn¡¯t that high, but...¡¯</i>

    Despite that, Jin-Hyeok had died to that monster more than five times in his past life. The mid-boss monster was adept at utilizing this terrain, a monster perfectly optimized for this Field. Simplifying having a higher Level was not enough to overpower him.

    ¡°I have seen a few videos of this monster, the Madman of the Wilderness, appearing in this area.¡±

    He shared a few prepared photos with the viewers. The photos captured the appearance of the Madman of the Wilderness.

    ¡°He has a face resembling a crazed old man, and a form simr to that of a spider.¡±

    The Madman of the Wilderness resembled what one might imagine a giant human would look like if they crawled around like a spider. He had an old man¡¯s face with unkempt, dirt-streaked white hair, and freakishly long arms. Those arms resembled both the limb of a person with necrotic flesh, or of rotten wood.

    ¡°He is a monster with eight limbs, with the front two being grotesquely long and monstrous. Can we really fight and defeat such a monster? I¡¯m a bit terrified.¡±

    Having adequately portrayed the diligent instructor role till now, it was time to revert to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s original style and show his IntenseMan side.

    <i>¡®The tension is gradually building up.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok became curious about the kind of challenge the Madman of the Wilderness, whom he was about to face directly now, would present.

    <i>¡®Here hees.¡¯</i>

    Using his grotesque arms, the monster could freely move beneath the sands of this wilderness. It had the knack of emerging unexpectedly, attacking yers by snapping at their heads.

    <i>¡®I should refrain from using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance for now.¡¯</i>

    Utilizing it would allow him to pinpoint the monster¡¯s position too urately. Being able to move freely while concealed in the sand was the monster¡¯s special ability.

    <i>¡®This way, not only does the tension remain, but I can alsopare well with my past self.¡¯</i>

    To the viewers, it would look like a situation too urgent to properly use Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    As expected, a brief message arrived from Yu-Mi.

    [You have received a message from KingGodGeneral Yumi.]

    [¡°You didn¡¯t use Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance!¡±]

    Clearly, Jin-Hyeok must have looked quite frantic. Considering Yu-Mi, who tried to minimize direct intervention during livestreams, made the effort to send this message, it had to have been quite noticeable.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s underneath my feet.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok narrowly avoided an attack from the Madman of the Wilderness, erupting from below with a twirl. The monster soared into the air. An old man¡¯s face was visible. Drool dripped down steadily from his mouth. He spat something from his mouth. It was a string of green, sticky spider webs.

    ¡°Eek.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok retreated a few steps backward. The green spiderweb touched the spot where he had just been, and with a sizzle, the sand melted away.

    <i>¡®Oh, I managed to avoid his attack even without Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡¯</i>

    This attack was what had brought about Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first death here in the past life. Now, he managed to dodge it purely with his physical ability and instinct. It was a considerably good oue, but it was not enough to im that he had be stronger than his past self simply based on this.

    <i>¡®I knew what kind of attack wasing at me.¡¯</i>

    Blocking an attack one was aware of and blocking an unknown attack were two different things.

    <i>¡®Should I swing my sword a bit, as if I¡¯m panicking?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok intentionally didn¡¯t say anything out loud. To the viewers, it would have looked like he was so pressed that he didn¡¯t even have the leisure to use the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. Without a word, he charged directly toward the Madman of the Wilderness and swung his sword. The monster blocked his de by crossing its elongated forelimbs in an X shape.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    A dull sound echoed, resembling the noise of chopping wood.

    <i>¡®That monster hardly took any damage.¡¯</i>

    The Madman of the Wilderness hid beneath the sands once more. Seeing that opportunity, Jin-Hyeok spoke.

    ¡°The defense capability of monsters with unusually long front limbs is quite substantial. I think tond effective hits, I have to attack while avoiding those two limbs.¡±

    Now regaining someposure (?), Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    ? ? ?

    Thanks to Multiple Lives, Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance was renamed to Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight.

    ¡°The situation seemed too urgent to even use Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    The viewers also poured out various reactions. Using the Feedback Skill, Yu-Mi selected a few reactions and sent them as messages to Jin-Hyeok. This was the Streamer¡¯s feedback, discreetly conveyed to Jin-Hyeok without being disyed on his livestream.

    -Mireuk: Judging by my perspective, Kim Chul-Soo seems very, very intense.

    -TaylorSwag: Never seen such an intense battle. How about that tension? Amazingggg

    Feedback Summary: People love the tense portrayal. They are enthralled by the breathtaking battle scenes.

    Of course, the feedback was filtered.

    -He intentionally didn¡¯t use Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, right?

    -It¡¯s so obvious that he¡¯s just pretending. LOL

    -Another day of being the only intense person in his intense world. HAHA.

    -This is kind of like being a campus couple, where everyone knows you¡¯re dating, but you don¡¯t know that everyone knows.

    Various other reactions were not included in the feedback.

    -The IntenseMan who believes he is genuinely intense, but in reality he¡¯s pretty easy to read.

    Whether it was a concept or not, it didn¡¯t matter. What mattered to Yu-Mi was Chul-Soo¡¯s image and character development, which had already achieved a certain level of sess.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was very pleased with Yu-Mi¡¯s feedback. He clenched the hilt of the Greatsword of La¡¯kan tightly in his hand. Judging by Yu-Mi¡¯s feedback, it seemed he had seeded in giving the viewers a sense of tension.

    <i>¡®Tension is essential in content.¡¯</i>

    Once again, the Madman of the Wilderness sprang up from the sand.

    <i>¡®Should I stab him?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was sure that he could stab the monster in the face while he was in mid-air. However, the IntenseMan portrayal was currently working well.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s hard to verify my growth against this monster.¡¯</i>

    Comparing his past self with his present self seemed difficult with just a mid-boss monster. Strangely, the Madman of the Wilderness felt too easy.

    <i>¡®If it¡¯s hard to verify through attacking, then...¡¯</i>

    Communication in a battle wasn¡¯t limited to attacks. Getting hit was also a part of themunication.

    ¡°Haah!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword toward the monster that leaped into the air. He aimed for the monster¡¯s forehead, but the monster evaded the sword with grotesque movements. Then the monster snapped his own neck backward, and lunged himself forward like a stretched rubber band that was released to bite down on Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Chomp!</i>

    The Madman bit down hard on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood was dripping down along with the monster''s drool flowing from the monster¡¯s mouth. Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased with the result.

    <i>¡®His bite attack seems much softer than before.¡¯</i>

    Incidentally, Jin-Hyeok did not even use the Berklev Ne. When facing a mediocre monster, the Item could actually be disadvantageous for him, since the Item could turn potentially fatal attacks into instant death attacks.

    <i>Chomp! Chomp!</i>

    The Madman of the Wilderness was biting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head with strong jaw strength, meanwhile dragging Jin-Hyeok down with his freakishly long and strange arms, as if trying to separate Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body.

    <i>¡®Hehehehe.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt that he had grown once more. Just as expected, having a benchmark allowed him to feel the growth more tangibly.

    <i>¡®Should I let myself die at this point? It seems like the Eltube views would skyrocket if I do that.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok pondered for a moment. If Jin-Hyeok kept this going, it was clear he would die, either from his head being crushed or his body being torn apart.

    <i>¡®Dying doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea right now.¡¯</i>

    But then Jin-Hyeok saw the monster¡¯s tongue.

    <i>¡®The tongue. That¡¯s his weakness.¡¯</i>

    To be more precise, the ck stones dangling at the tip of the tongue were this monster¡¯s weak point. In any case, if Jin-Hyeok were to rip out the tonguepletely, the monster would die instantly. In other words, saying that the tongue was the monster¡¯s weakness wasn¡¯t incorrect.

    Swallowed by the monster¡¯s maw, Jin-Hyeok pondered rather calmly.

    <i>¡®Should I die here or should I kill the monster? What would make a better scene for my livestream? Hm... I think I should die to heighten the tension.¡¯</i>

    While Streamer Jin-Hyeok was thinking so, a grotesque voice resounded.

    ¡°Weak... Pathetic... Bastard...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok extended his hand above his head.

    ¡°I... Will... Eat... You...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stretched his hand toward the monster¡¯s tongue, which was surprisingly soft for its size, and grabbed it fiercely.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok yanked out the tongue, roots and all. For a moment, he forgot that he was a Streamer. His instincts took over his mind.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m weak?¡± he asked.

    <i>¡®How dare you bite me? You want to eat me?¡¯</i>

    <i>Crunch.</i>

    Jin-Hyeok bit down hard, shattering the ck stones at the tip of the monster¡¯s tongue

    <i>¡®How dare you.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have defeated the ¡¸Madman of the Wilderness¡¹.]</strong>

    Only then did Jin-Hyeok regain hisposure.

    <i>¡®...Huh? This isn¡¯t supposed to happen...¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You are the first to have sessfully soloed the ¡¸Madman of the Wilderness¡¹]</strong>

    <strong>[The conditions for activating the New World Scenario ¡¸Walking Alone in a New ce¡¹ have been met.]</strong>

    It was the first time he heard this notification. Even Jin-Hyeok, who had ventured into this Dungeon hundreds of times before in his previous life, had not heard of such a notification before.

 Chapter 120

    <h4>Chapter 120</h4>

    ¡°Wait, this ce is a Scenario Dungeon?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    In fact, there had been a lot of talk regarding whether this ce was a Scenario Dungeon or not.

    A Scenario Dungeon, as the name implied, was a Dungeon with a Scenario. Numerous Quests merged to form a single story within the Dungeon. Naturally, for a Dungeon to be a Scenario Dungeon, it had to be of a certain scale and quality.

    <i>¡®This fact was not revealed in my previous life.¡¯</i>

    As always, there were only two possible answers as to why that was the case¡ªit was either because the yers, who had acquired this Scenario, all died without being able to reveal the information; or because the rewards they obtained from it was so exceedingly rare and good that they thoroughly concealed its content.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok remembered what Han Sae-Rin used toin about in his past life.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why the name of this Dungeon is New World,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Back in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Swordsman days, he couldn¡¯t understand why Sae-Rin was discontented. He just assumed it was because she was inherently a person with a lot of anger in her heart.

    ¡°There¡¯s no coherence to the name! No coherence at all!¡±

    Of course, eventually, some minimum coherence was established.

    Upon clearing the New World, the yer was granted the qualification to move to a different Server. To be precise, it was called the New World License, a certificate with an expiration date. Although slightly varying depending upon the quality of the clear, they usually received one valid for two years.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s still not enough! Think about it carefully. It¡¯s a Dungeon that announces the officialunch, which is very important. And the name is New World, at that. Do you really think the System gave it such a grand name just to issue a license? Hey, if that thing above your neck isn¡¯t just a decoration, put some thought into it!¡±

    Naturally, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t engage in such thoughts. That was the role of a Navigator or a Ruler, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s role in his previous life was to wield a sword skillfully.

    Anyway, it seemed a Scenario that he wasn¡¯t aware of was hidden here.

    ¡°As you all probably noticed, the first to defeat the monster in the Solo Mode seems to be the condition for activating the Scenario.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. He was ecstatic about how he was about to challenge the unknown, and in Solo Mode at that.

    <strong>[You have acquired the ¡¸Fragment of the Madman¡¯s Memories¡¹.]</strong>

    It was an item that he had never managed to acquire before. An orb-shaped item was transmitted to his inventory.

    <strong>[Fragment of the Madman¡¯s Memories]</strong>

    As he took out the item and held it in his hand, an illusion unfolded before him.

    ¡°We were happy.¡±

    It was a forest bathed in the warm rays of the sun. Small huts were huddled together, presenting a peaceful sight as it merged with the sound of chirping birds and theughter of ying children. An old man was sitting on a small bench in front of one of the huts, watching the children with a contented smile.

    ¡°It was a dazzling and beautiful time...¡±

    But then someone dressed in a white gown appeared. It was a man with blond hair wearing sses.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    It was a face Jin-Hyeok knew.

    <i>¡®Dr. Jonprich?¡¯</i>

    Dr. Jonprich¡¯s right hand was made of machinery. That hand was known as the All-Purpose Hand, a hand that could transform into various machines such as a saw, a knife, or even an axe. Holding a leather bag in his left hand, Dr. Jonprich visited this small vige with a gentle smile on his face.

    ¡°Before that despicable bioterrorist, Jonprich, showed up, that is.¡±

    Afterward, a horrifying scene unfolded. On a rainy day, Dr. Jonprich poisoned all the vigers, knocking them out, before conducting all sorts of biological experiments on them. He severed limbs to attach them elsewhere, artificially created conjoined twins, and even experimented withbining them with other creatures or monsters, creating grotesque beings.

    ¡°All I remember is resisting that man.¡±

    The old man had been fused with a spider-like monster. Locked behind iron bars, he continued to transform grotesquely due to various drugs and experiments. The world darkened, leaving only his voice echoing.

    ¡°Ah, please return my happy days to me.¡±

    The illusion ended there. With a ng, the Fragment of the Madman¡¯s Memories shattered. It turned into a red powder that softly fell, scattering in the wind.

    ¡°So, the monsters that are here were originally humans. It seems like that¡¯s the setting for the Dungeon.¡±

    The important thing was that this monster was rted to Dr. Jonprich. He was a globally famous celebrity, especially in the United States, where he enjoyed immense poprity. Although his background was not disclosed, his exceptional surgical skills led him to heal many people whom others had given up on, earning him the nickname of Godly Doctor.

    <i>¡®So he was originally a bioterrorist? And has connections with the New World?¡¯</i>

    It was an interesting fact. Sae-Rin, who had always imed that something more was hidden in this Dungeon, seemed to have been right all this time. Yet, Jin-Hyeok discovered another interesting fact.

    ¡°The red powder seems to be moving in one direction.¡±

    The red powder flew somewhere as if it possessed its own will.

    The powder reached the corpse of the Madman of the Wilderness. It seemed to be circling around the right shoulder, and soon it was absorbed into the right arm.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    The Madman¡¯s right arm fell off.

    <strong>[<u>Madman''s Right Arm</u>]</strong>

    <i>¡®So this is now an Item.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[An stic arm created by grafting a tree that grew roots and blossomed in theva. It has the properties of being hard, tough, and resistant to heat.</strong>

    <strong>Equipment Restriction: Exclusive to navigator-ss yers.]</strong>

    ¡°This Item seems to be exclusive to Navigators, but that doesn¡¯t really matter to me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok used the Rule Breaker to remove the restriction of being exclusive to Navigators.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try to wear the Item.¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, this is fascinating.¡¯</i>

    ¡°My arm has be extremely long.¡±

    Moreover, if he wanted, he could stretch it even further with ease.

    ¡°It kind of feels like a rubber band.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung his right arm around to test it. It didn¡¯t really feel like it was his own arm, but it moved rtively well.

    ¡°It seems like this Item was made from a very special tree called the Lava Tree. I think I know why it was given to me at this stage.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately retraced his steps and headed toward the Lava Valley.

    ¡°I think I can use this to retrieve the Magma Fruit.¡±

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, he precisely located where the Maga Fruit was. He immediately reached out with his right arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite hot.¡±

    Just because he could endure the heat did not mean that it wasn¡¯t hot. It felt like his flesh was melting. However, that didn¡¯t matter. The important thing was the fact that he could obtain it himself without the help of Navigators or Thieves.

    ¡°The fish are rushing toward me and biting, but it¡¯s useless.¡±

    This was the arm that had effortlessly blocked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword. Such clumsy bites from those fish had no significant effect on him.

    ¡°I got the Magma Fruit.¡±

    He retrieved the Magma Fruit that was submerged in theva. Theva dripped down his arm.

    <i>Tsss...</i>

    Theva that dripped down on the ground solidified.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sessfully acquired the Magma Fruit. Let¡¯s ride this momentum and head straight to the Burning Fortress.¡±

    Once again, Jin-Hyeok entered the barren wilderness.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Wilderness of the Test Subjects¡¹.]</strong>

    The Field that revealed itself looked quite different from what he originally knew.

    ¡°...This is not going to be easy.¡±

    Monsters of strange shapes loomed everywhere. There was a monster that looked like several humans joined together, like a centipede; a monster with a human upper body and a lower body of a snake; and even one with a lion¡¯s face and a sheep¡¯s body.

    <i>¡®There are many monsters I¡¯m seeing for the first time.¡¯</i>

    They were artificially created monstrous beings. Most were around Level 70 to 80.

    ¡°I will try fighting them first.¡±

    After shing a couple of monsters, he noticed something peculiar.

    ¡°It seems like the monsters don¡¯t die even when shed.¡±

    Even when beheaded, the monsters still moved. It seemed like they weren¡¯t alive in the first ce, but instead controlled or manipted by something else.

    ¡°This is going to be hard. My stamina is also decreasing.¡±

    A monster horde of this scale naturally brought a surge of tension. However, Jin-Hyeok already knew how to kill these creatures. It was somewhat simr to the Madman of the Wilderness. There would be something like ck orbs somewhere in their bodies, and all Jin-Hyeok had to do was either shatter them or expel them from their bodies.

    <i>¡®I should fight fiercely, and maybe die at some point.¡¯</i>

    Dying a few times would probably make this livestream more enjoyable.

    ¡°It would be good to retreat and contemte a strategy, but...¡±

    That seemed like a slightly pride-hurting choice.

    ¡°...This time, I will fight to the death. This is going to be fun.¡±

    Instead of considering stamina management or efficientbat strategies, Jin-Hyeok decided to simply surrender to his instincts. He swung his sword like a madman. Before he knew it, he was almost out of breath, and his head was feeling dizzy. He felt as heavy as a waterlogged sponge. He couldn¡¯t even tell how much time had passed. Like how one hour felt like ten minutes when deeply engrossed in a game, his sense of time became dulled. He couldn¡¯t even remember how he fought.

    <i>¡®Huh? Why are there no attacksing toward me?¡¯</i>

    ¡°...I guess I didn¡¯t die.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had intended to die but seemed to have identally killed all the monsters. He couldn¡¯t remember much, but the monster corpses were piled up like mountains around him. Dark fluids and green blood from those monsters formed puddles here and there, transforming the arid ground into something resembling a marsh.

    ¡°I was so lost in a trance that I didn¡¯t even realize I had activated my defensive Mystery.¡±

    It seemed he had ventured into the Trance Realm, beyond the Transcendent Realm. It was a realm where, in extreme situations, one discarded oneself to bring out instincts solely for battle.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I just experienced this,¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not believe that he had just experienced the Trance Realm, something that a yer would generally experience only at Levels over 200. It was an unimaginable situation. His body felt tingly, as if electrical currents were flowing through it.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are five Phantom Swordswomen...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could properly control only about one Phantom Swordswoman with his own will. However, in the Trance Realm, he managed to wield as many as five Phantom Swordswomen.

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t remember much. But that¡¯s okay.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found himself speaking faster without realizing it. In his previous life, during his Swordsman days, he worked tirelessly to observe himself entering the Trance Realm, because the Trance Realm brought out another level of skill from within Jin-Hyeok that he didn¡¯t know about.

    ¡°There should be recorded footage of me fighting the monsters!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could view and study himself immersed in the Trance Realm from a more objective point of view. Without realizing it, he clenched his fist tightly, exhrated.

    ¡°I can, be, even, stronger...¡±

    He had reached Level 95 without even realizing it. Everything was perfect.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Achievement ¡¸One Who Breaks Artificiality¡¹.]</strong>

    Suppressing his pounding heart, he went on his way, heading toward the Burning Fortress perched on a cliff.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Burning Fortress¡¹.]</strong>

    ???

    Bong King of BonjourTV had been feeling a serious sense of crisis recently. It was because Kang Mi-Na, whom he considered to be perennially ranked second, had been maintaining the first ce for several days now.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t lose to MiNaTV!¡¯</i>

    It was something Bong King¡¯s pride couldn¡¯t allow. He wanted to be the best Streamer in Korea, excluding Kim Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo is in a league of his own anyways.¡¯</i>

    From Bong King¡¯s perspective, Chul-Soo was someone who was untouchable. He never considered Chul-Soo to be hispetitor. His truepetitor was MiNaTV.

    <i>¡®Wait, she¡¯s not the onlypetitor.¡¯</i>

    If MiNaTV was a rival in a traditional sense, KimKnowItAllTV was a rapidly rising rival. It was overwhelming enough with just MiNaTV, and now KimKnowItAllTV had entered the scene.

    <i>¡®It can¡¯t just let this go on.¡¯</i>

    Bong King nned new content for his channel.

    [Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s New World Strategy. Can a party of ordinary yers replicate the God-like yer¡¯s strategy?]

    Bong King rallied the top-tier yers he was already acquainted with to try Chul-Soo¡¯s strategy for the New World. His livestream received quite a lot of positive responses.

    ¡°Ordinary yers can do it too! We sessfully killed the Desert Tortoise very easily! Indeed thanks to the number one yer in the swordsman ss, Lee Hyeon-Seong! He is truly remarkable!¡±

    -Ultraman: Calling Lee Hyeon-Seong an ordinary yer? That¡¯s quite a novel bullshit. LOL

    -???: No, you.

    -ChulSooIsGod: Anyone who is not Kim Chul-Soo qualifies as ordinary.

    Bong King was quite thrilled with the fairly positive reactions.

    <i>¡®This is good!¡¯</i>

    After killing the Desert Tortoise, they reached the Lava Valley.

    ¡°Fortunately, we also have an excellent Thief with us?¡±

    The Thief used the Thief-exclusive Skill and sessfully extracted the Magma Fruit from theva.

    ¡°We did this even better than Chul-Soo! The next stop is the barren wilderness! Thanks to Chul-Soo, we¡¯ve figured out the weak point. I will show you how Chul-Soo did it.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong, who was Level 88, attempted the same strategy as Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Ugh!¡¯</i> Hyeon-Seong thought.

    He deliberately offered his head to the Madman of the Wilderness, but it felt like his head was getting crushed. The pain was much more severe than anticipated.

    The mouth of the Madman of the Wilderness was excessively confined, dangerous, and filled with a foul smell.

    <i>¡®I... I need to find the tongue!¡¯</i>

    Even Hyeon-Seong momentarily panicked.

    <i>¡®I found it.¡¯</i>

    Eventually, he managed to rip off the tongue in the same manner as Chul-Soo. However, he felt no joy.

    <i>¡®If my party members had not diverted the monster¡¯s attention with their attacks, I could not have done it. If I had been alone, my head would have been smashed.¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong ended up realizing the gap that separated him from Chul-Soo. Not caring about Hyeon-Seong¡¯s emotions, Bong King continued the livestream with excitement.

    ¡°Lee Hyeon-Seong! He has done it! Technically, he didn¡¯t do it alone, but it was close! From now on, I shall refer to Hyeon-Seong as the Sword King!¡±

    Hyeon-Seong couldn¡¯t hear what Bong King was saying.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo... How far have you climbed...?¡¯</i>

    He felt loneliness amidst the noisy crowd. Bong King maintained high tension, speaking quickly, ¡°Oh! We have also entered a Scenario! I will reveal the name of the Scenario!¡±

    <strong>[Glory to the One Following the Lonely Footsteps__]</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before. The letters at the back are nk. Hm... Following the lonely footsteps, huh. It seems to imply following the footsteps of Chul-Soo, who is clearing the Dungeon in Solo Mode, but we need to progress further to understand it fully!¡±

    Bong King puffed out his chest and shouted loudly.

    ¡°This is great content for my Eltube channel. Don¡¯t you guys agree?¡±

    Unbeknownst to Jin-Hyeok, a new Scenario had unfolded.

 Chapter 121

    <h4>Chapter 121</h4>

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Burning Fortress¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Ah, it¡¯s been a long time since I was here. From what I remember, there should be a giant mace thates swinging down at me as soon as I enter. Hmm, something¡¯s odd.¡¯</i>

    The corrupted Fire Spirit, Ifrit, roamed freely on the first floor of the Burning Fortress. In fact, it was quite normal for Cha Jin-Hyeok to, upon entry, encounter a fiery mace that woulde swinging right at him, but no such attack came this time around.

    <i>¡®Why?!¡¯</i>

    For the sake of good content, Jin-Hyeok wanted to get hit by the mace. He was extremely frustrated, but he didn¡¯t show it and looked around the area instead.

    ¡°This ce is quite hot. Everything is on fire. Over there in the distance, you can see a monster resembling a Demon. Its name seems to be Ifrit, and it looks like a spirit-type monster.¡±

    <strong>[LV99/Ifrit/Skills]</strong>

    With a barely audible gasp, Jin-Hyeok almost revealed the full extent of his disappointment, which was also clearly written all over his face, to the viewers.

    <i>¡®Level 99? Why? Why is it nerfed? Is it because of the Solo Mode? No... that¡¯s not it. ¡¯</i>

    Back in his Swordsman days, he came here often in Solo Mode.

    <i>¡®It used to be around Level 110...¡¯</i>

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had struggled quite a bit against Ifrit. It was a monster that was quite strong against swordsman-ss yers. Being a Spirit-type monster, it inherently had a high resistance to physical attacks, even more so to sharp weapons like knives and swords. To counter it, dull weapons without edges were much more effective than sharp ones.

    <i>¡®This is so annoying.¡¯</i>

    It felt like the monster was nerfed due to the regression of the Scenario, but it wasn¡¯t the development Jin-Hyeok had hoped for. His zeal to clear the Dungeon seemed to be diminishing in real-time.

    ¡°That is a Level 99 monster. It seems to have noticed me.¡±

    He drew his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°I will give it a try.¡±

    The burning Spirit flew toward him. Its face resembled a ck bull.

    ¡°The image of a burning ck bull, flying toward me on two legs, is quite ominous.¡±

    He swung his sword and shed the monster.

    <i>¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t like this feeling.¡¯</i>

    He definitely cut it, but it did not feel like a solid hit. It was closer to the sensation of having shed through the air. The part he shed seemed to disperse like smoke, only to gather back again.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s certain, Spirits really don¡¯t match well with me.¡¯</i>

    This time, it swung its fist at Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A destructive sound echoed in the air.

    <i>¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯</i>

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, Jin-Hyeok blocked Ifrit¡¯s punch, and it seemed bewildered, disappearing like smoke only to reappear at a distance.

    ¡°The monster seems to have a Skill simr to warping.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was deep in thought.

    <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t have the same impact as the Madman of the Wilderness.¡¯</i>

    The Madman of the Wilderness was really grotesquely formed and used the terrain around him, making it great for extracting visual aesthetics for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Eltube content. However, this monster, although at a higher Level, did not seem to be that great for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s content.

    ¡°My sword doesn¡¯t seem effective, but the monster seems fairly weak. I think I will just use something else.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t angry because it was nerfed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wield something other than my sword.¡±

    This would have been unimaginable during his Swordsman days. How could a Swordsman wield a weapon other than a sword? This alone showed how much Jin-Hyeok had matured and grown.

    ¡°This is the Rule Breaker.¡±

    The Rule Breaker was indeed a weapon, but it was a hammer-type weapon. As Jin-Hyeok mentioned before, the Swordsman, Zoro, from the Outul Server, also used this Rule Breaker.

    ¡°Since this is a hammer-type weapon, it seems good for hitting.¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, I wish I had some proper movement-type Skills or Mysteries.¡¯</i>

    A proper Streamer should have at least one movement Skill.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok quickly approached Ifrit, and it put its hand to its mouth and whistled loudly.

    <i>Wheek!</i>

    Then, small ripples began to emerge from the mes engulfing the area. From those ripples, one by one, more Ifrits began to reveal themselves.

    ¡°I can see their feet sticking out. It seems like it thought the battle would be hard on its own, so it¡¯s calling its friends for help.¡±

    In the meantime, Jin-Hyeok swung the Rule Breaker at the first Ifrit that appeared. The Rule Breaker made contact with its chest.

    <i>Psh!</i>

    Smoke billowed up. It definitely felt more like a solid hitpared to when using the Greatsword.

    <i>¡®It feels different, but it¡¯s not bad.¡¯</i>

    It kind of felt like beating soft tonkatsu batter. Though devoid of sophisticated skills or techniques, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level still exceeded 110. Using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to fend off the monster¡¯s attacks, he hit its head with the hammer. After several exchanges of blows, he was able to kill the first Ifrit.

    <strong>[You have defeated ¡¸Ifrit¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®It¡¯s too easy.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of a crisis. Ifrit had be much weaker than he expected due to the nerf.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s no tension or intensity... This won¡¯t make good content for my channel.¡¯</i>

    It seemed there was somewhat of a problem with bncing the difficulty of the Dungeon.

    <i>¡®I need to skip through this section quickly.¡¯</i>

    He considered deactivating the bonuses applied by the Mythic-Grade Card for the sake of content, but that did not seem like a good choice. The fact that the monster being nerfed was infuriating enough, Jin-Hyeok wondered how pissed the viewers would be if the main character of the livestream were also nerfed.

    <i>¡®Killing these monsters with overwhelming power has its own kind of fun after all.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok swung the hammer.

    ¡°Die!¡±

    <strong>[You have defeated ¡¸Ifrit¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°Die! Die!¡±

    <strong>[You have defeated ¡¸Ifrit¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°Die!!¡±

    <strong>[You have defeated ¡¸Ifrit¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok beat up every Ifrit that came into his view. It was for the sake of a quicker progression, absolutely not because he was angry.

    <i>¡®Huh? Why are the Ifrits retreating?¡¯</i>

    This was the first time he saw something like this.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was hugely disappointed.

    <i>¡®I wish they would at least fight back!¡¯</i>

    They were nerfed, and now not willing to fight. They weren¡¯t helpful in any way. It felt as though the livestream was spiraling downward. Jin-Hyeok had to find something, anything, that could make for an entertaining livestream.

    <i>¡®I guess now is the time.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok slowly unraveled information that he already knew, as if he was just realizing it.

    ¡°From my experience in the Lava Valley earlier, the mes here somewhat feel artificial. Oh, now I remember other yers¡¯ strategies.¡±

    The strategies for the first floor of the Burning Fortress were already well-known to the public. While fighting the Ifrits, at one point, a slightly special-looking Ifrit would appear¡ªan Ifrit engulfed in blue mes. However, there was no significant difference in its abilitiespared to regr Ifrits.

    ¡°I understand that if you fight the Blue me Ifrit, a Scroll called ¡®Breaking the Fire Prison¡¯ drops as an Item.¡±

    Throwing that Scroll into the pce ahead, where mes were fiercely burning, would put out part of the mes and create a staircase leading upward.

    ¡°With the amount of Ifrits I have killed, it seems about time for the Blue me Ifrit to show up. I wonder why It¡¯s not appearing.¡±

    <i>¡®The Blue me Ifrit is not showing up, and the Ifrits that should be charging at me keep subtly retreating. Why is this happening?¡¯</i>

    Monsters hardly ever retreated. After all, being monsters, they were beings filled with hostility toward humans. It seemed like a lot had changed as he progressed through the Scenario. Jin-Hyeok slightly changed his strategy.

    ¡°I will try to solve the problem as a Streamer.¡±

    <strong>[You have used the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok discreetly used the Skill toward the interviewee who was running away from him.

    ¡°Retreating means having at least the minimal intelligence to suppress hostility toward humans and make rational judgments. Communication might even be possible. Hey, let¡¯s talk this out.¡±

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance and Exclusive In-Depth Interview simultaneously, characters made of mana appeared above one of the Ifrit¡¯s heads.

    [??? ??? ????][1]

    They were strange characters that could not be interpreted. Had it been anguage from Earth, it would have been automatically tranted.

    <i>¡®It turned out to be for the better.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok changed the title of the livestream.

    [Shocking content¡ªwhat would the Fire Spirit, which had been hostile toward humans, reveal in an interview after suffering a severe beating?]

    <i>¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of this before?¡¯</i>

    Simply beating them up was too straightforward. As a Streamer, he should conduct interviews even with monsters. Jin-Hyeok approached the Ifrit while being happy about his personal growth. Before he knew it, the Ifrit had been cornered.

    [??? ????]

    Although Jin-Hyeok could not interpret it, the monster seemed filled with fear.

    Jin-Hyeok, who was using Exclusive In-Depth Interview, asked, ¡°Why are you running away?¡±

    The eyes of the Ifrit, who resembled a ck bull, was filled with injustice and fear. Its pupils alone made it look like it was a calf.

    ¡°I will reveal it for the first time on the Earth Server.¡±

    <i>¡®Are you watching this, Egan Paul? I¡¯m the best.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok, who prided himself on not caring much about things like beingpared to Egan, said, ¡°This is Transcendental Trantion, a Level 100 Streamer-exclusive Skill.¡±

    This was a Skill that did not just trante thenguage of humans, but went further to trante the intentions and inner feelings of the interviewee.

    ¡°It has the ability to interpret the underlying meaning contained within thenguage.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Transcendental Trantion¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°By this point, you must be considering participating in the interview, right, Mr. Ifrit?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok even used honorifics, as the monster seemed too frightened. Instantly, text appeared above the Ifrit¡¯s head.

    [...Need to... ignite... Blue me...]

    <i>¡®Wow... An interview with a monster...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was very proud of himself for being the first person on Earth to do so.

    ¡°Blue me... But why aren¡¯t you igniting the Blue me?¡±

    [...Need to... ignite... Blue me...]

    Through Transcendental Trantion, the meaning contained in thenguage was conveyed to Jin-Hyeok.

    Over time, a certain number of Ifrits would be generated on the first floor of the Burning Fortress. And after some more time, the energies of the Ifrits would gather, revealing the Blue me Ifrit.

    <i>¡®I see.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok now realized.

    <i>¡®I killed them too quickly.¡¯</i>

    The Ifrits, who had been sent back to the Spirit realm, would be blessed with fire in the Spirit realm and would reappear after recovering. That was the setting on the first floor of the Burning Fortress. However, the Ifrits that were hammered by Jin-Hyeok refused to be summoned again, hence there wasn¡¯t enough energy umted to create the Blue me Ifrit.

    <i>¡®So... I messed it all up.¡¯</i>

    At this point, he had no choice but to admit it.

    <i>¡®I was indeed angry when I hammered them.¡¯</i>

    If he had proceeded with a more careful observation, this would not have happened.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t tell this to the viewers, can I?¡¯</i>

    It clearly looked like a botched development for his livestream. The fact that Jin-Hyeok was unable to progress because he excessively assaulted the monsters was difficult to reveal as it was a significant mistake as a Streamer. The usage time of Transcendental Trantion was almost over.

    [...Need to... ignite... Blue me...]

    ¡°After finding out through Transcendental Trantion, it seems that the fire energy needs to strengthen for the Blue me Ifrit to appear. I will give a present to the interviewee who sincerely participated in the interview.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the Magma Fruit from his inventory.

    ¡°Eat this. It¡¯s good for your body.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached with a sly smile.

    ? ? ?

    Bong King had fairly effortlessly entered the first floor of the Burning Fortress.

    ¡°Today, the party members apanying me really have tremendous skills.¡±

    At this point, he felt that it might be time to change his livestream concept a bit.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo is wandering around the first floor right now...¡¯</i> Bong King thought.

    Although Chul-Soo was fighting the Ifrits on his own, for some reason, the Blue me Ifrit was not revealing itself.

    <i>¡®After all, as of now, clearing the second floor and above is impossible for the Earth yers.¡¯</i>

    The second floor was like an imprable wall. Unless Kim Pyeong-Beom, known to be a friend of Chul-Soo, made a surprise appearance, Chul-Soo wouldn¡¯t be able to clear it. And Bong King knew that was not going to happen because Pyeong-Beom had once again entered a period of seclusion.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo must know this himself too. That¡¯s why he is trying to extract content for his channel on the first floor as much as he can.¡¯</i>

    From Bong King¡¯s perspective, he thought his judgment was very logical.

    <i>¡®Now, it¡¯s time for us to take the lead.¡¯</i>

    Unlike Chul-Soo, who was struggling on the first floor, he decided to move to the second floor smoothly.

    ¡°The Blue me Ifrit has appeared! Unfortunately, Chul-Soo hasn¡¯t reached this stage yet. I should change my livestream title now.¡±

    The original title was¡ª

    [Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s New World Strategy. Can a party of ordinary yers replicate the God-like yer¡¯s strategy?]

    Bong King still recognized Chul-Soo as an otherworldly yer, but at least for today, he felt like he might be able to triumph even against Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Shall I try to attract some viewers with my title?¡¯</i>

    [Seems like I beat Kim Chul-Soo today. It¡¯s no big deal.]

    Bong King, along with the yers apanying him, entered the second floor of the Burning Fortress. Then, a new notification rang out.

    [You have acquired the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Overtaking the Lonely Footsteps¡¹.]

    And that notification was also shown to Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    The Magma Fruit had granted the Ifrit a sufficient amount of fire energy, and eventually, the Blue me Ifrit revealed itself.

    <i>¡®I would have simply beat it to death under normal circumstances, but...¡¯</i>

    Thanks to the recent mistake, Jin-Hyeok learned a valuable lesson.

    He needed to be more careful.

    The narrative on the first floor of the Burning Fortress changed as he progressed the Scenario. Therefore, the response needed to change slightly as well.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s interpret this further.¡¯</i>

    Due to the nerf on the monster, he could observe it more calmly and smoothly. While blocking its attacks with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, Jin-Hyeok utilized Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance and Exclusive In-Depth Interview to extract information from the monster.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s blurry, but I can see something.¡¯</i>

    It was hiding something in its belly. Jin-Hyeok observed it for quite a long time.

    <i>¡®I see it!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Transnted Spirit Gate]</strong>

    As a yer who had cleared this ce numerous times, this was content he was seeing for the first time. The cooldown for Transcendental Trantion was seventeen minutes, and Jin-Hyeok once again used the Skill tomunicate with the Blue me Ifrit.

    [Save...Her...]

    Jin-Hyeok realized that simply killing the Blue me Ifrit to advance to the second floor was not the end. There was something else hidden.

    <i>¡®I can smell the Hidden Achievement!¡¯</i>

    Only now did his confidence as a Streamer sprout exuberantly. It was a slightly relieving sensation.

    ¡°From now on, I will venture into entirely new content. It seems like this might also be a premiere.¡±

    1. This is Arabic, but the author probably used it as a ceholder for a foreignnguage. ?

 Chapter 122

    <h4>Chapter 122</h4>

    <strong>[You have activated the Hidden Quest ¡¸Seal the Transnted Spirit Gate¡¹.]</strong>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood had greatly improved. As a Streamer, it was necessary to exert effort to excavate such content. He needed to find a story that only he could undertake¡ªa unique narrative that others could not achieve. Then a notification suddenly popped up.

    <strong>[The conditions of the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Overtaken by Those Who Follow the Footsteps¡¹ have been fulfilled.]</strong>

    <i>¡®A Hidden Achievement? What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    ¡°What kind of notification is this all of a sudden? I have no clue.¡±

    At the moment, Jin-Hyeokcked information. Though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure, the word ¡®Overtaken¡¯ there didn¡¯t have a good ring to it. Besides, it did not say that Jin-Hyeok had fulfilled the conditions, but rather, it sounded like someone else had done so.

    <i>¡®This somehow doesn¡¯t feel right.¡¯</i>

    [You have received a message from ¡¸KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¹.]

    Today, the involvement of Wang Yu-Mi felt more frequent than usual. Nevertheless, it seemed like it would be helpful, so Jin-Hyeok immediately checked. He could hear her voice.

    [¡°BongKingTV[1] and other top-tier yers followed your strategy and entered the second floor faster than you. They¡¯re pretty audacious, aren¡¯t they?¡±]

    <i>¡®They entered the second floor before me?¡¯</i>

    To be honest, it wasn¡¯t a big blow to his pride. After all, quite a number of yers had already reached the Burning Fortress¡¯s Second Floor. It wasn¡¯t really a problem, but Yu-Mi seemed to know exactly what to say to get Jin-Hyeok riled up.

    [¡°Sword King Lee Hyeon-Seong¡¯s performance was quite remarkable.¡±]

    <i>¡®Sword King? Now I¡¯m pissed off. Who the hell does he think he is, calling himself the Sword King? ...Let¡¯s not get agitated...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was no longer the Sword King. Now, he was a Streamer. It didn¡¯t particrly matter that that brazen fellow took the title of Sword King. Jin-Hyeok proceeded with his livestream with a sly smile on his face.

    ¡°It seems someone, somewhere, decided to make progressing faster than me their concept.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t bother checking Eltube.

    ¡°Fast clearings make good content too.¡±

    Content that involvedpetition always tended to have demand from the viewers. However,pared to the content Jin-Hyeok was currently working on, it was nothing.

    ¡°The fact that they entered the Dungeonter than me but reached the second floor earlier than me indicates that they missed this precious Hidden Quest. I will proceed step by step while working on the Hidden Quest.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt more at ease instead. Whilepetition certainly had demand, the intrinsic power that the content held was different. Any Streamer could create contentpeting with Jin-Hyeok, but right now, the only one capable of igniting that small door flickering with mes before his eyes was Jin-Hyeok.

    He didn¡¯t feel threatened. It seemed like he was still growing.

    ¡°That looks like a ring of fire. The surroundings have be considerably hot.¡±

    <strong>[Transnted Spirit Gate]</strong>

    ¡°This is the Spirit Gate created by the Blue me Ifrit when it sacrificed itself. It seems like it¡¯s set to be connected to the Spirit world.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of that gate.

    ¡°I have read the Ifrit¡¯s mind through Transcendental Trantion.¡±

    Neither Bong King from BongKingTV nor Sword King Lee Hyeon-Seong could undertake something like this. It was information discovered through the power of Exclusive In-Depth Interview and Transcendental Trantion.

    ¡°The Spirits told me to save them.¡±

    The Spirits here were forcibly summoned by someone and imprisoned in this ce, the Burning Fortress.

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s rted to one of Dr. Jonprich¡¯s experiments, like those we saw in the wilderness earlier, it gives off that kind of vibe.¡±

    The Burning Fortress was Jonprich¡¯s Spirit Experimentation Ground. Jin-Hyeok had ventured into the New World a great deal, but he never expected such a setting to be hidden here.

    <i>¡®So this means that I¡¯ve grasped what Han Sae-Rin failed to grasp back then?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had entered this Dungeon to verify that he had surpassed his past self, but it turned out he proved something else. Of course, it was ambiguous to im he had surpassed Sae-Rin with the abilities of a Navigator, but at least the result seemed that way. It was a pity he could not brag about this to Sae-Rin, but his mood was gradually improving.

    ¡°So the Transnted Spirit Gate is an artificial Spirit Gate forcibly opened by Jonprich. It seems to be used to summon Spirits through it. The Blue me Ifrit asked me to seal it, and that is what I am going to do.¡±

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShower¡¹ warns you of ¡¸Spirit Fever¡¹.]

    [Contributor ¡¸MoneyShot¡¹ warns you of ¡¸Heat Illness¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok already knew about those. If attacked by a Fire Spirit, one ran the rare risk of suffering from the aftermath of Spirit Fever. It was like a sensation where a person¡¯s mind was on fire, though there was not any actual me.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s really torturous...¡¯</i>

    The fortunate thing was that if a yer overcame Spirit Fever, they would develop a tolerance. Just for reference, Jin-Hyeok already had this tolerance. Jin-Hyeok wondered if it disappeared when he regressed. Still, since it affected the mind, he presumed the tolerance remained. If not, this would be an excellent opportunity to develop it.

    ¡°Thankfully, I have an Item for this Scenario.¡±

    It was an arm made by grafting a tree that grew roots in theva that could withstand magma. It looked somewhat grotesque at a nce, but regardless, Jin-Hyeok equipped this useful wooden arm.

    ¡°The Spirit Gate is artificially created, so I think I might be able to seal it with this artificially created arm. The size seems just right.¡±

    He shoved the wooden arm in.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    As he pushed the arm into the hole, he could feel it intuitively.

    ¡°Huh. I guess I still have a tolerance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok still possessed tolerance against Spirit Fever. As expected, since it was engraved in his mind, the tolerance seemed to be working well.

    ¡°It seems like the seal is gradually forming as I keep it blocked like this.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok endured for a while, the mes that filled the first floor gradually diminished.

    ¡°It does feel like my arm is melting though.¡±

    It was painful, but Jin-Hyeok could withstand it. Roughly after fifteen minutes of blocking the hole, a notification finally popped up.

    <strong>[You have sessfully sealed the ¡¸Transnted Spirit Gate¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have cleared the Hidden Quest ¡¸Seal the Transnted Spirit Gate¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°I somehow sealed the gate.¡±

    <strong>[You have acquired the Clear Reward ¡¸Fragment of the Spirit Stone¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Clear Reward ¡¸Final me¡¹.]</strong>

    ? ? ?

    Yu-Mi was thrilled.

    ¡°The world¡¯s first! First! Absolute first! He managed to sessfullyplete the Hidden Quest of sealing the Transnted Spirit Gate! I never thought that in the New World, where countless yers are trying to clear, a story like this would be hidden. However, do any of the viewers know well about this Spirit Gate?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just viewers from the Earth Server watching the KimKnowItAllTV. Over a third were from other Servers, sharing information about the Spirit Gate. Theirnguages were automatically tranted and reinterpreted to suit the respective Servers by the System.

    -Ultraman: The moment an ordinary person touches the Spirit Gate, they burn because of the Spirit Fever. Their body remains unharmed, but their mind burns away.

    Yu-Mi immediately pinned thisment.

    ©»People only know one thing and ignore the other factors. tsk tsk.

    ©»The Spirit Fever is the second thing to act after the physical burn.

    ©»The body burns before being affected by the Spirit Fever. That¡¯s the norm.

    ©»Even if it¡¯s a gate artificially created, it is well known that any yer below Level 150 dies the moment they touch it.

    Yu-Mi struck her left palm with her right fist.

    ¡°Ah! So it¡¯s well known that any yer below Level 150 dies upon touching it, but Chul-Soo managed to endure it! Of course, he had help from the Scenario Item, but is such a thing usually possible?¡±

    -Ultraman: Impossible

    <strong>-TaylorSwag: Clearly, enduring that shows that there is something wrong with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mental state! A sane person could not withstand that!</strong>

    There were also manyments in the Korean Region Minor Gallery. Although the opinion that the Gallery should be promoted to an official Gallery instead of a minor one was overwhelming, simr contents were flooding the still minor Gallery.

    <strong>[The New World¡¯s biological experiment Scenario has only been executed twice in the whole universe. It¡¯s a progression rare enough that not many people know about it. Using the Madman¡¯s Right Arm to seal the artificially created Spirit Gate is correct. However, it was not meant to be cleared like that. Originally... thus... hence... was the method intended for sealing. There is no correct answer in y, but the two previous ys seeded in sealing the Spirit Gate that way. Both of those yers died about six times to get that far.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia]</strong>

    People were only focused on one detail from the post by Encyclopedia.

    <strong>[However, it was not meant to be cleared like that.]</strong>

    ©»LOL! So it wasn¡¯t supposed to be cleared like that.

    ©»I can hear the one who created the Scenario tearing their hair out from here. LOL

    ©»Eh, seasoned yers don¡¯t care about such things.

    ©»Koreans tear apart the developer¡¯s intentions.

    ©»Koreans? No. Kim Chul-Soo? Yes.

    Thesements were soon distorted to narratives iming Kim Chul-Soo actually tore apart the developer. Yu-Mi found all these phenomena incredibly pleasing.

    <i>¡®The IntenseMan persona is really good, and now a seasoned yer tearing apart the developer is added to his persona.¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi focused on another point.

    <i>¡®But he doesn¡¯t know it himself!¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi, without realizing it, let out an exhrated moan, hugging herself. From her perspective, Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s persona was unspeakably beautiful. While Chul-Soo took a moment to recover, Yu-Mi also paused the livestream briefly. She immediately started talking with Joseph.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is just doing his best. That¡¯s it. But the rumor says that he tore the developer apart. Isn¡¯t that cute?¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not cute, but I understand what you are saying.¡±

    ¡°How can you not think this is cute? Aren¡¯t you a Star Maker?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed that you can¡¯tprehend this pure cuteness.¡±

    ¡°I will try to understand.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, it seems like a good idea to put this concept into his persona.¡±

    Yu-Mi paused, lost in thought for a moment before speaking again.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo Universe. Let¡¯s shorten it to Chul-Soo Verse.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It means a universe where Chul-Soo, albeit he doesn¡¯t know it himself, is the best. We will use this for Chul-Soo¡¯s persona.¡±

    ¡°Hm... Chul-Soo Verse...¡±

    Joseph, who had proudly imed to be a Star Maker, nodded in admiration.

    ¡°I learn a lot from you, Yu-Mi.¡±

    ¡°Please proceed with the PR.¡±

    Before long, hours had passed and Chul-Soo resumed the livestream.

    ? ? ?

    It took quite a while for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm to recover.

    ¡°My arm has almost melted.¡±

    It felt genuinely painful for some reason.

    ¡°It would have been easier if there was a Healer, but then, there wouldn¡¯t be the romance of the Solo Mode, am I right?¡±

    This was why Jin-Hyeok loved Solo Mode.

    He got up.

    ¡°The mes have all been extinguished, and stairs to the second floor have been created. I will go up and check.¡±

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Burning Fortress Second Floor¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[The conditions of the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Overtaken by Those Who Follow the Footsteps¡¹ are still fulfilled.]</strong>

    The second floor of the Burning Fortress was generally simr to the first floor. Perhaps because the Spirit Gate was closed, the mes had significantly subsided, but instead, the area was filled with ck smoke.

    ¡°Breathing is a bit difficult here. It seems I will need to conserve my breath.¡±

    Between the plumes of ck smoke, Jin-Hyeok could see the information with his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[LV111/Igrit/Skills]</strong>

    From what Jin-Hyeok could remember, a fierce battle with that monster was inevitable. Igrit, a higher-grade Spirit than the Ifrit, was significantly smaller and more nimble, resembling a small lizard but possessing far greater destructive power. For reference, Jin-Hyeok had died about seven times to that monster in his previous life.

    ¡°The Fragment of the Spirit Stone acquired on the first floor supposedly allows me to converse with the sentient being of fire. Fortunately, I have Skills that facilitate easiermunication, so let¡¯s use them together.¡±

    He decided to use Transcendental Trantion and Exclusive In-Depth Interview, along with the Fragment of the Spirit Stone. At this point, it felt like the Scenario was created solely for Streamers. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s satisfaction with his Streamer Job was gradually increasing. As time went on, it became more enjoyable.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Transcendental Trantion¡¹.]</strong>

    Brushing aside the smoke, Jin-Hyeok approached Igrit and shattered the Fragment of the Spirit Stone.

    <strong>[You have shattered the ¡¸Fragment of the Spirit Stone¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Colorful mes surged from the shattered Fragment of the Spirit Stone, disappearing shortly after.

    ¡°I approached Igrit closely, but I don¡¯t sense any hostility. Moreover, the information has changed.¡±

    <strong>[Anguished Fire Spirit]</strong>

    It had transformed into a setting more akin to an NPC rather than a monster.

    ¡°It seems that having a casual conversation will be difficult.¡±

    [Afraid... Must... stop... that person... Jonprich...]

    ¡°The one I need to stop is Jonprich, as expected.¡±

    [Please... save... the... daughter... of the... Spirit King...]

    <i>¡®Wait, hold on a minute. The daughter of the Spirit King? Was this where it all began?¡¯</i>

    Somehow, Jin-Hyeok felt like he knew what this Scenario entailed.

    1. From here on out, BonjourTV is now called BongKingTV. ?

 Chapter 123

    <h4>Chapter 123</h4>

    There was always going to be a certain amount of coherence in the System. Usually, there were causes and effects, no matter how trivial. Even though there were certainly instances when something iprehensible urred via the System, most of the time, the cause of the oue was revealed as time passed.

    <i>¡®But there were a few cases that remained a mystery until my death.¡¯</i>

    One of them was the frenzied invasion of the Spirit King, Alkinas. It was a kind of incident that was truly difficult for humanity to understand.

    <i>¡®Spirits usually refrain frommitting acts of violence.¡¯</i>

    Yet, Alkinas had perpetrated ughter beyond mere violence. At the time, no one understood the reason behind it. The first appearance of Alkinas was in Nevada, USA. He massacred the nearby people as he kept repeating the phrase, ¡°Give me back my daughter.¡±

    <i>¡®The scale of the damage was at least the level of a Server Scenario.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t remember exactly, but at least hundreds of thousands of civilians died. It was an event that shocked the United States.

    <i>¡®He was too powerful, we couldn¡¯t stop Alkinas by fighting him head-on.¡¯</i>

    Humanity realized they could not kill the Spirit King and began to devise other methods, ultimately seeding in sending the mighty Spirit King back to the Spirit world.

    <i>¡®We had to seal the Spirit Gate.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know the location of the Spirit Gate.

    Anyway, it was said that yers with special abilities joined forces and, at the cost of their lives, sealed the Spirit Gate that appeared somewhere.

    <i>¡®With the Spirit energy from the Spirit world being cut off, Alkinas eventually went back to where he came from.¡¯</i>

    It was a very mysterious incident. It was not rted to any known Scenario, yet a monster of the final boss tier had appeared. If it was rted to the System, there should have been some sort ofpensation in some way. However, no one managed to acquire any significant rewards. The invasion of the Spirit King was indeed a war, bringing only destruction and death.

    <i>¡®There truly was no coherence to the incident.¡¯</i>

    That was why people simply referred to this incident as a disaster. Jin-Hyeok remembered that the incident was summed up as ¡®One day, the crazed Spirit King wreaked havoc in the wrong ce.¡¯

    <i>¡®So that monster really had his daughter kidnapped, then.¡¯</i>

    Now it felt like the pieces of the puzzle were falling into ce, one by one.

    <i>¡®Afterward, the yers who were harmed by the Spirit King suffered serious after-effects, and the one who treated them was the surgeon, Dr. Jonprich.¡¯</i>

    He not only treated the after-effects caused by the Spirit Fever but also gifted the yers with scientifically inexplicable prosthetics and artificial organs. At that time, he even received praises as the surgeon bestowed by the Gods.

    <i>¡®I wondered how he was so knowledgeable on the Spirits.¡¯</i>

    It seemed Jonprich had set up this artificial experimental facility, conducting all sorts of biological experiments on Spirits. Jin-Hyeok vigorously shook his head.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s one bad bastard.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps the conclusion of the New World Scenario Jin-Hyeok was currently progressing, titled Walking Alone in a New ce, might eventually be about rescuing the daughter of the Spirit King.

    <i>¡®If I do that, I can prevent the disaster from my past life along the way, perhaps?¡¯</i>

    Honestly speaking, Jin-Hyeok did not have any sense of mission or justice to prevent the disaster. However, he felt that if he proceeded well with this Scenario, he might be able to build a good rtionship with the Spirit King.

    <i>¡®Spirits are a race who easily forget grudges, but never forget favors.¡¯</i>

    They usually did not make enemies. Instead, once they be friends, they regard them as friends forever. Once they became friends, they possessed the disposition to turn a blind eye to any misdeeds, within reasonable bounds.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve always wanted to meet the Spirit King anyway.¡¯</i>

    In his previous life, he was not able to fight against the Spirit King. Jin-Hyeok wondered how strong the Spirit King was that the top-tier American yers suffered such a massacre. He wanted to experience being engulfed in that ze at least once.

    [Will...you...Help...?]

    Options appeared before him.

    <strong>[1. ¡±Of course, I will find the Spirit King¡¯s daughter, thwart Jonprich¡¯s nefarious deeds, and stand with you.¡±]</strong>

    <strong>[2. ¡°Battles are the only thing that keeps me alive. I have dreamed of battling you, Igrit, the Fire Spirit.¡±]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wow.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok nearly chose the second option.

    <i>¡®I have to clear the Dungeon properly. Let¡¯s stay focused.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok steeled his mind.

    ¡°Of course, I will find the Spirit King¡¯s daughter, thwart Jonprich¡¯s nefarious deeds, and stand with you.¡±

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Just as Jin-Hyeok thought mes were going to burst from Igrit¡¯s body, it suddenly turned into a ball of fire and flew somewhere. Following its movement, he saw stairs leading to the third floor in the distance.

    [Please...]

    As Jin-Hyeok approached the stairs, he noticed some kind of special barrier. He didn''t sense any Spirit power, and it seemed to be more like a trap of some kind.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t remember this being here.¡¯</i>

    Originally, Igrit, on the second floor, was set to transition into a total of three phases. Although dealing with Igrit was quite difficult, once defeating it a few times, the way to the third floor opened up.

    ¡°I see some kind of semi-transparent barrier.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tried hitting it a few times with his sword, but it didn¡¯t budge. With Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, he saw a name appear.

    <strong>[Seperating Barrier]</strong>

    ¡°The barrier seems very tough, making it difficult to just break it and enter the third floor. However, I don¡¯t think it is much of a concern. I have the new Achievement at my disposal, after all.¡±

    The New World really was a well-constructed Dungeon, which was quite pleasing.

    ¡°You all remember that I obtained this Achievement in the barren wilderness earlier, right?¡±

    <strong>[One Who Breaks Artificiality]</strong>

    <strong>[Break down all that is artificial. Judgment will befall upon all actions that defy thews of the New World. On that day, everything will shatter.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement Effect: Amplifies the ability to destroy all things artificial. (This effect is limited to the New World.)]</strong>

    ¡°By artificial, it means something is created by humans, not from the power of nature. This barrier seems man-made. Probably the work of Jonprich, right? I¡¯ve applied the Achievement. I wonder if it will break.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°It broke. I think yers can proceed with the Scenario this way.¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, would this be unlocked by the Unleashing Technique? I should¡¯ve tried. What a pity.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    Bong King gulped nervously.

    <i>¡®How can that monster be so powerful?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    There was only one monster, merely a lizard the size of a human forearm. The issue was that the entire body of the lizard was engulfed in raging mes.

    ¡°The only yer capable of close-range attack seems to be the Sword King, Lee Hyeon-Seong,¡± Bong King muttered.

    Hyeon-Seong managed to inflict damage on Igrit by oveying a special Sword Aura, a feat others could not replicate. They couldn¡¯t even approach Igrit, let alone attack it effectively.

    ¡°The mes are too intense, igniting anything that gets close.¡±

    It was clear that they would have been wiped out already had their Tank, Choi Gang-Byeok, not been present. Eventually, even Gang-Byeok met his demise, followed shortly by Hyeon-Seong.

    ¡°I guess I have to die with them. It¡¯s a shame. We could have seeded if we had strategized a bit better,¡± Bong King said.

    Every party member had previously set their save points well and resurrected immediately. Given the instant resurrection setting was in ce, the yers waited at the save points.

    ¡°Is everyone alright? I think this is the seventh time resurrecting,¡± Bong King asked.

    ¡°If we weren¡¯t, we would have left the Dungeon already.¡±

    The majority of yers apanying Bong King were of a high caliber, unafraid of death. Despite the official decrees from various nations discouraging repetitive deaths, these individuals paid no heed. They believed that if someone was mentally affected by consecutive deaths, it was due to their own weakness. The Ruler overseeing the entire party, Kang Min-Hyeok, said, ¡°Let¡¯s try again. I have a good feeling about this time.¡±

    Bong King re-entered the Burning Fortress on the second floor, resuming the livestream. Due to the ever-present threat of being burnt to a crisp at any moment of carelessness, he had no time to check his Eltube channel separately.

    <strong>[The conditions of the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Lead the Way For Those Who Follow the Footsteps¡¹ have been fulfilled.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Bong King had no idea what this notification was about. The phrase ¡®have been fulfilled¡¯ irked him greatly.

    <i>¡®Did Kim Chul-Soo surpass me? Last time I remember, he was wandering around on the first floor!¡¯</i>

    It was believable that he cleared the first floor, but Bong King had no idea how Chul-Soo could advance faster than him on the second floor. It was logically inconceivable.

    <i>¡®Who does he think he is, Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡¯</i>

    As time passed, Bong King¡¯s party faced another failure.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s really disappointing. We were so close to killing it. We will definitely kill it next time.¡±

    Having resurrected, Bong King concealed the sense of urgency and opened Eltube to check Chul-Soo¡¯s y. Chul-Soo had already reached the third floor.

    <i>¡®The third floor? Really? Unbelievable!¡¯</i>

    Bong King almost screamed out loud. He was struggling even with the Sword King, Lee Hyeon-Seong, and his rival, Choi Gang-Byeok. He could not believe that Chul-Soo, who was in Solo Mode, had already reached the third floor.

    <i>¡®I should rewind and check the earlier part of the Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.¡¯</i>

    Bong King moved the scroll slightly to see what had transpired earlier.

    <i>¡®Wait, he managed to have a conversation with that violent Spirit?¡¯</i>

    Ultimately, the conversation was sessful, and the path to the third floor was immediately opened. Bong King wanted to scream.

    <i>¡®Is this even fair?!¡¯</i>

    It seemed impossible, yet it happened. Then, a message arrived from KingGodGeneral Yumi, another one of hispetitors.

    [<strong>¡¸</strong>KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¹ has donated 1,000,000 Dias.]

    [¡°Mr. Bong King, I have a really great idea. Would you like to hear it?¡±]

    ? ? ?

    The path to the third floor was opened. As Jin-Hyeok set foot there, another notification popped up.

    <strong>[You have fulfilled the conditions of the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Lead the Way For Those Who Follow the Footsteps¡¹.]</strong>

    It seemed like Bong King and his party were struggling on the second floor.

    <i>¡®Should I be enjoying this?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was focusing on the intrinsic fun and quality that the content held, a unique story that only he could pursue, something the others could not do. Hence, the simple matter of clear speed was unrted to him. It was not something he cared about.

    Even though he thought that, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    <i>¡®Hehe. How dare you try to clear faster than me?¡¯</i>

    Although the clear speed was not important, it would be nice to be faster since he was already doing it.

    <i>¡®Ah, I feel at ease now.¡¯</i>

    With a rxed mind, Jin-Hyeok entered the third floor.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Burning Fortress Third Floor¡¹.]</strong>

    The third floor had a quite different vibepared to the first and second floors.

    ¡°There¡¯s no mes engulfing the ce.¡±

    A perfectly normal space revealed itself. Rather than being hot, a fairly cool breeze was entering through the open window.

    ¡°The window is open. I suspect that if Jonprich was here, he might have escaped through there.¡±

    Chasing Jonprich recklessly wasn¡¯t a great strategy. Jin-Hyeok decided to look for some clues. The third floor was much smallerpared to the first and second floors.

    ¡°I see some tools scattered on the ground that I have never seen before. Ah, this seems to be scissors. Even without viewing through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, it is not hard to guess that someone escaped hastily.¡±

    Usually, ces like these had clues rted to the Scenario.

    ¡°The bed cover is burnt in the shape of a person. It seems someone was restrained here. It seems Jonprich kidnapped the Spirit King¡¯s daughter and conducted some sort of experiment.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started to be impatient. Finding the clues quickly would prevent his livestream from bing boring. Jin-Hyeok quickly searched the area.

    <strong>[You have received a Surprise Mission.]</strong>

    <strong>[Creator of the Surprise Mission: Wind Wanderer.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had wondered if Wind Wanderer had stopped watching his livestream, but after a long hiatus, he created a Surprise Mission for Jin-Hyeok. Whenever Jin-Hyeok saw Wind Wanderer, he thought of Kang Mi-Na.

    <i>¡°Wind Wanderer is seriously a top-tier viewer. He doesn¡¯t ask for more than what was agreed upon, he¡¯s polite, and he doesn¡¯t make any weird requests. As long as he¡¯s having fun, he gives out huge rewards to Streamers. He¡¯s suuuper</i> <i>chill. Thepensations for his Missions are always great, and his Missions are generally on the easier side too.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok also held a bit of gratitude toward Wind Wanderer. He once provided Jin-Hyeok with the Runaway Dog from the Heavens Mission, helping Jin-Hyeok fight the Demon. However, apart from that incident, the fact that a viewer from when Jin-Hyeok first started the livestream was still consistently watching him made him happier.

    These days, Jin-Hyeok continually felt like he had truly be a Streamer.

    <strong>[Mission Title: Assassinate Jonprich.]</strong>

    <strong>[Mission Reward: Phoenix Heart.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok unconsciously stopped his livestream and looked at the Mission Reward.

    <i>¡®Phoenix Heart? Is he really giving this out as the Mission Reward?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 124

    <h4>Chapter 124</h4>

    Phoenix Heart¡ªit was one of the dream Items for the fire-elemental-ss yers. When consumed in a special manner, it greatly enhanced resistance to fire, and it was known as the ultimate elixir for those under Level 200.

    <i>¡®The yers who managed to contend with the Spirit King of Fire, Alkinas, were mostly those who had consumed the Phoenix Heart.¡¯</i>

    Less than one hundred of these were released on the Earth Server. At one time, a Phoenix Heart appeared at an auction, and one of the chaebols bought it for about 460 billion won, which was a hefty sum. It was said, perhaps in jest, that just consuming it would ce a yer within the top 100 yers worldwide.

    <i>¡®Oh, and it grants immunity to poison as well.¡¯</i>

    Not every yer who consumed the Phoenix Heart acquired the poison immunity. However, for those who acquired it, it was known to grantplete immunity to poison attacks below Level 200.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a Mission given by Wind Wanderer, I have to do it. This is amazing.¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok epted the Surprise Mission.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what the Phoenix Heart is, but Wind Wanderer has been watching my livestream since the beginning. Thank you for loving my livestream from the start, and I hope you keep watching it until the end. I will try my best to entertain you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok never had thought that the Phoenix Heart would be listed as a Mission Reward.

    <i>¡®Being a Streamer is great!¡¯</i>

    When Jin-Hyeok first chose to be an Initial Awakening Streamer, he had many concerns. To put it simply, it seemed somewhat less coolpared to a Swordsman, and he believed it had a clear limit in terms of bing powerful. However, now, his thoughts had changed a lot.

    <i>¡®If I consume the Phoenix Heart...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was to enjoy ying, like he was right now, until Level 150. But perhaps he could enjoy it even up to Level 200. It seemed like he could be powerful enough to not be envious of others by Level 200.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s focus on clearing the mission first!¡¯</i>

    Without realizing it, Jin-Hyeok cracked a sly smile. Perhaps it was due to his improved mood, but he began to notice things that were not apparent before.

    ¡°There. That bookshelf seems suspicious.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached the bookshelf and pulled out a few books. Nothing seemed to change.

    ¡°I have a feeling that there is a special space behind this.¡±

    However, he could not just destroy everything that might be a clue. For moments like this, there was a very useful Mystery.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Pure Luck¡¹.]</strong>

    Sometimes, it was good to rely on sheer luck to solve problems.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    A swift sh of light zipped by.

    ¡°There is a predetermined order of pulling out the books!¡±

    It was like drawing a pattern to unlock a cell phone. Jin-Hyeok had to pull several books out in a specific and consecutive order, but given that there were dozens of books, he couldn¡¯t quite remember the order.

    ¡°Being a Streamer is truly a blessing.¡±

    It did not matter that he couldn¡¯t remember. Everything was recorded on his livestream, after all.

    ¡°This is thest book.¡±

    As he pulled thest book, a creaking sound echoed, and the bookshelf began to rotate. It made a sound like turning a stone door, revealing a narrow gap just big enough for a person to squeeze through.

    ¡°I will go in and take a look.¡±

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Jonprich¡¯s Secret Chamber¡¹.]</strong>

    It was a space even smaller than the third floor of the Burning Fortress.

    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything special. Just that enormous safe over there.¡±

    It was a ck safe. It flickered with a gleaming light and looked extraordinarily heavy.

    <i>¡®Wait... Isn¡¯t that Azovral Obsidian?¡¯</i>

    Azovral Obsidian was known to be the hardest material in the world. He had heard that only a very limited number of cksmiths could work with this material. This was only the second time he had seen it in person.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a safe this fancy. I guess I have to try and open it, right?¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery had transformed into an onlinemunity where discussions only rted to Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream proliferated.

    [That probably seems to be a safe made of Azovral Obsidian.]

    ©»What is that?

    ©»Just memorize that it¡¯s freaking awesome.

    [From my power of knowledge, I conclude that Chul-Soo can¡¯t open that safe.]

    ©»Jesus, another idiot cosying Mireuk. LOL

    ©»A safe made of Azovral Obsidian, haha. Even high-level Thieves nearing Level 200 can¡¯t open that monstrous safe.

    ©»He might open it, but I¡¯m sure it will take several days.

    The discussions about the safe made of Azovral Obsidian heated up both Nerver and the KRMG. Users who already knew about the Azovral Obsidian asserted that Chul-Soo would not be able to open the safe. Posts continuously emerged, iming that Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities were being grossly overestimated.

    <strong>[At best, he is a promising yer in an Open Beta Server. If he keeps ying like that as a Streamer, he will be obsolete soon. What¡¯s the use of reaching that far? He can¡¯t even open the safe alone. He¡¯s just a halfplete yer. If you refute this, you are wrong.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    Numerous rebuttalments were posted.

    ©»This bastard is spouting nonsense here again, LOL.

    ©»Are you okay?

    ©»LOL! You¡¯re the one that¡¯s obsolete.

    ©»¡ª-----Do not feed the troll.------------

    The post author, NoOverpackagingPlz, was a Named user who had recently gained fame on the KRMG. He was famous for writing posts that criticized and belittled Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    In a dark room, Joseph stared at theputer screen andughed.

    ¡°Come at me! Like moths to a me! More! More!¡±

    The more Joseph got criticized, the more magnificent Chul-Soo would appear! The reason heroes stood out in movies was because they were viins. With a vigor as if to break the keyboard, Joseph typed away.

    <i>Tap-tap-tap-tap!</i>

    <strong>[Chul-Soo has hit his limit now. It¡¯s over for him. His downfall is imminent! Let¡¯s all enjoy hisst struggle together! Teehee^?^¡ï]</strong>

    His thick trapezius muscles twitched. Joseph, who had uploaded the post, lit a cigarette.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Numerousments were being posted under his post. He didn¡¯t particrly check thements.

    <i>Hoo.</i>

    Joseph exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke and murmured, ¡°Chul-Soo has the Unleashing Technique. The Unleashing Technique will tear the safe apart!¡±

    ? ? ?

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]</strong>

    The Mystery known as the Unleashing Technique¡ªeven Jin-Hyeok thought it was an incredibly overpowered ability. It was known that safes made of Azovral Obsidian were difficult to open even for Thieves in thete Level 100s. It was generally believed that instead of opening the safe on the spot, it was better to steal the entire safe and take time to slowly open itter.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe this worked!¡¯</i>

    <i>Click!</i>

    With that sound, the safe¡¯s door opened. It was quite a tumultuous experience, but bearable.

    ¡°Wait...¡±

    <i>sh!</i>

    A burst of light erupted.

    <i>¡®This is...¡¯</i>

    The light engulfed him.

    <i>¡®...It¡¯s a trap.¡¯</i>

    It seemed very likely that this was a trap set by Jonprich. And this explosion was quite familiar to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s the same as the Skill of the high-ranking Spirit, Magnar.¡¯</i>

    The high-ranking Spirit, Magnar, was originally a monster found on the third floor of the Burning Fortress. Its Level was around 130.

    <i>¡®It uses a very annoying andplex Skill called Exploding Fire Orb.¡¯</i>

    When facing Magnar, it would throw a few orbs of light into the air, and touching them triggered this kind of explosion.

    ¡°It seems to be the power of a Spirit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. In a very short time, he also used Star Shield.

    <i>¡®Holy shit.¡¯</i>

    The explosive power was insane. Though the explosion happened just once, it felt like hundreds of beams of light were piercing through him.

    <i>¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok twisted himself to minimize the effects of the explosion and repeatedly activated Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. Within that seemingly singr explosion, there were clearly points and methods to minimize the damage.

    Soon, the white light began to fade. Cold sweat trickled down Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    ¡°I was lucky to survive the attack.¡±

    Without realizing it, a giggle escaped from his mouth.

    <i>¡®Did I really withstand that head-on?¡¯</i>

    At this very moment in time, Jin-Hyeok came to a realization and understood something¡ªhe had be much stronger than his past self.

    <i>¡®The past me could not have endured even one hit from that!¡¯</i>

    Dodging those kinds of attacks was the best strategy. Apart from Choi Gang-Byeok and Kim Jeong-Hyeon, no one from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party from his past life could have withstood this attack directly.

    But now, he had endured it.

    <i>¡®I am stronger now than I was then.¡¯</i>

    At least in terms of defensive abilities, this was clearly the case. His voice grew a little louder.

    ¡°It seems like a trap crafted by Jonprich using the power of a Spirit. Touching those light orbs floating in the air there might cause some trouble. Perhaps another massive explosion?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok made a save point just in case. There was a possibility that he might die here.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to touch it!¡¯</i>

    An explosion urred. This time, he couldn¡¯t block it properly.

    ¡°...It seems like I died.¡±

    He was resurrected once thanks to the Extra Life Trait, but still died in the end.

    It seemed Jin-Hyeok died twice from a single explosion.

    <i>¡®I think I can block it with some practice.¡¯</i>

    There were about seven light orbs. Jin-Hyeok tried each one of them. He died to the first four orbs but didn¡¯t die to thest three.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve gotten used to these explosive attacks now.¡±

    Though it wasn¡¯t formalized as a notification, it seemed he had developed some resistance to this kind of attack.

    Jin-Hyeok had achieved another milestone in his growth.

    ¡°Huhuhu.¡±

    He had be stronger again.

    <i>¡®Ah, wait a minute. What was I doing again?¡¯</i>

    He quickly regained hisposure.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s inspect the inside of the safe. It didn¡¯t get a single scratch even within such a powerful explosion.¡±

    <strong>[¡¸Warp Portal of Encounter¡¹ Recipe]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok could not tell whether this was something Jonprich failed to retrieve or something generated through the System Scenario.

    ¡°Oh, it describes a method to activate a teleportation circle. It seems like I can move to the Eastern Ancient Castle Town in one go from here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked outside the open window.

    ¡°I think I know why Jonprich fled with the window open.¡±

    Upon closer inspection, Jin-Hyeok could see faint traces of mana with his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    ¡°Over there! There was a Warp Portal in the air. It seems like the remnants left by the Warp Portal of Encounter. Through that, we might be able to chase after Jonprich.¡±

    ? ? ?

    A few ingredients were necessary.

    <strong>[Teeth of the Molten Horseshoe Crab]</strong>

    <strong>[Eyeball of the Three-Headed Beast]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Knee made of Old Tree]</strong>

    ...Among other things.

    These misceneous Items were acquired when Jin-Hyeok ventured into the Trance Realm and ughtered numerous monsters.

    ¡°These ingredients will be turned into powder by burning them in the Final me, and then sprinkled on the faintly remaining mana circle to create the Warp Portal of Encounter.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok gathered the Items in one ce.

    Then, using the Final me, an Item left to him by Igrit, he set the Items aze.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The mes soared high as if to touch the ceiling, only to have all the Items turn into ck powder and disappear in a blink of an eye. The ferocious mes subsided just as quickly.

    ¡°I will sprinkle the powder and try to chase after Jonprich.¡±

    <i>¡®Hm... But I think I¡¯m too far away.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I just need to jump higher, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok jumped up high. It seemed like he could jump higher than his Swordsman days.

    ¡°I will sprinkle the powder.¡±

    He sprinkled the powder downward. The ck powder dispersed in the air before taking shape.

    A ck magic circle was created.

    <strong>[You have activated the ¡¸Warp Portal of Encounter¡¹.]</strong>

    He passed through the magic circle. It felt like he was being pulled somewhere.

    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m falling somewhere.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, this is much more dynamic than I expected, like jumping off a cliff toward a ck hole with my arms spread wide.¡¯</i>

    The feeling was quite interesting as it felt like his flesh was being pulled inward. The falling speed elerated to a point where it was slightly dizzying. This was the first time he felt this way while going through a warp portal. It was definitely not an ordinary warp portal.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite fun.¡±

    <strong>[You have received a message from ¡¸KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°Can you please pause the screen? The viewers are getting motion sickness.¡±]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh? They get motion sickness just from this? Why?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I will momentarily stop the livestre¡ª¡±

    It seemed there was no need to stop.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s view brightened. A new ce appeared before his eyes.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The surroundings were aze.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew this was not an ordinary warp portal, but he did not expect this to happen.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Burning Fortress Second Floor¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok assumed he would be transported to Jonprich¡¯s hideout, or perhaps the Eastern Ancient Castle Town. Instead, he was transported to the Burning Fortress Second Floor.

    <strong>[Solo Mode is still in effect.]</strong>

    Sounds of shouts echoed from various directions. Those familiar shouts belonged to Lee Hyeon-Seong.

    <i>¡®Is he fighting with the Sword Aura? And he¡¯s pushing Igrit to the brink of death.¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong seemed to have grown quite a bit.

    <strong>[You have activated the Hidden Achievement ¡¸Encounter with the Footsteps Follower¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[New World Scenario, ¡¸Walking Alone in a New ce¡¹ has been adjusted to ¡¸Walking Alone, and Together in a New ce¡¹.]</strong>

    While maintaining the Solo Mode, Jin-Hyeok entered the New World that other yers were clearing. This was a setting he was seeing for the first time. It seemed that while ying together in the same space, the privileges of the Solo Mode, such as slight difficulty adjustment and monopolizing experience points, remained intact.

    ¡°Were you the ones who were following my footsteps?¡±

    <i>Haaap!</i>

    Hyeon-Seong was swinging his sword toward Igrit, from left to right. He seemed to think it was his final attack. His face looked truly desperate. He seemed to be trying very hard, but it wasn¡¯t particrly impressive.

    ¡°Ah... That¡¯s not how you use a sword.¡±

    Without realizing it, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s inner voice had slipped out.

 Chapter 125

    <h4>Chapter 125</h4>

    <i>¡®Oh, I unintentionally revealed my true feelings,¡¯</i> Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    For a moment, Jin-Hyeok saw that Lee Hyeon-Seong was startled.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s not good. He shouldn¡¯t be able to hear my voice when fighting so fervently against the Igrit.¡¯</i>

    The only voices that should be heard during a battle were those of one¡¯srades¡ªespecially the voice of the Ruler whomanded the party members. Conversely, yers should avoid hearing their Streamer¡¯s voice as much as possible, because a Streamer was someone who broadcasts, not someone whomands.

    Therefore, reacting to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice so easily meant that Hyeon-Seong¡¯s training was severelycking.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see... I guess their Ruler is Kang Min-Hyeok, right?¡¯</i>

    Kang Min-Hyeok wouldter be one of the top ten Rankers in the future. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have a personal rtionship with him, but anyway, he knew Min-Hyeok was a guy with quite excellent qualities as a yer.

    <strong>[LV88/Commander/Iron-Blooded Ruler/Skills/Following the Footsteps]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok approached Min-Hyeok.

    ¡°Iron-Blooded Ruler, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re the Ruler of your party, right?¡±

    He seemed busy. He wasmanding the battlefield while deploying his members here and there, utilizing the Ruler¡¯s buff Skills and others.

    ¡°Can I join your party?¡±

    Perhaps it was too hectic, but no reply was heard.

    Jin-Hyeok spoke to his viewers, ¡°Since he didn¡¯t answer, we can assume that he gave permission, right?¡±

    <i>¡®No answer usually means okay, right?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out his weapon, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, and approached Hyeon-Seong, who was still fiercely fighting with Igrit.

    <i>¡®Ah, this is frustrating... What¡¯s the point of fighting your ass off when you¡¯re not doing it properly? He is very different from the Lee Hyeon-Seong that I once knew.¡¯</i>

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok would admit that his standards were high. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards on Hyeon-Seong were set to the Lee Hyeon-Seong of his previous life, when Lee Hyeon-Seong was around Level 200. However, acknowledging that did not change the fact that this situation was frustrating. It was that frustrating feeling a person would get when their mom asked them the same thing about new technologies multiple times.

    ¡°I feel like I am going to die of frustration,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®How? How can he be so bad despite having such a good Sword Aura?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Igrit has roughly six patterns.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked in between Hyeon-Seong and Igrit. Seeing the ming lizard, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded heavily.

    <i>¡®This is the real Igrit that hasn¡¯t been nerfed at all!¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong yelled out in anger, ¡°What are you doing, putting yourself in danger like this?!¡±

    ¡°The easiest pattern to deal among them is this current one. It moves from side to side, utilizing an attack that resembles a whip made of mes as its tongue.¡±

    The basics of swordsmanship came from footwork and distance control. It was quite obvious, but a Swordsman needed to fight at a distance that favored them, and if that seemed difficult, at the very least, they should be faster than the opponent. If that was also challenging, then having the sense of perception to find the opponent¡¯s weak points was a must.

    ¡°Igrit usually moves in the opposite direction of its tongue attack.¡±

    If it moved to the left, the tongue attack woulde flying from the right. If it moved to the right, the tongue attack would fly in from the left.

    ¡°The attack itself is quite destructive. What should you do when such a dangerous attackes flying at you?¡±

    The answer was very simple.

    ¡°You just have to move your feet to dodge it.¡±

    <i>¡®How can Hyeon-Seong not be able to do something this easy?¡¯</i>

    Among several of the monsters¡¯s patterns, unfortunately, they were fighting against the easiest one. It would be more exciting to fight if a challenging pattern urred.

    Even though Jin-Hyeok did not like the fact that it was the easiest, he decided to focus since now was the time for some lessons.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The tongue came flying in.

    ¡°By just moving a couple of steps forward like this, you can avoid the tongue,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    However, this was a trap set by Igrit.

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s dangerous to approach like that!¡± Hyeon-Seong shouted at Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    mes surged upward. Approaching in a straight line like this would cause the mes imbued with Spirit energy to attack the opponent.

    ¡°There is no fight in this world that isn¡¯t dangerous.¡±

    The important thing here was whether or not Jin-Hyeok could withstand after taking the hit. Jin-Hyeok already blocked the white explosion on the third floor of the Burning Fortress. If he could block that, this was a piece of cake.

    ¡°You have to take hits like these to fight properly. I can¡¯t understand how you think you can fight without taking any hits!¡±

    <i>¡®Ugh, this is so frustrating. No wonder he¡¯s having a hard time...¡¯</i>

    ¡°Do you think you will die if you get hit by this?¡±

    The answer was no. Only a considerable amount of skin would melt. Jin-Hyeok had Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and Guardian Ring, so it only reached the level of skin melting. If Hyeon-Seong got hit, even his organs might melt to some degree. Of course, if really unlucky, he could die.

    <i>¡®But that¡¯s why there¡¯s a Healer. For this exact reason. I don¡¯t know what he is doing when there is a perfectly good Healer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I see a significant weak point in Igrit. That¡¯s expected since the monster is setting up traps and performing a difficult maneuver that involves conjuring mes imbued with Spirit energy while using its tongue.¡±

    Even writing with both hands at the same time was difficult, not to mention executing such aplex attack. When someone would do something difficult, even for monsters, weak points would emerge.

    ¡°And when you see a weak point like this, you can just stab it.¡±

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok stabbed Igrit¡¯s torso.

    ¡°Usually, it wouldn¡¯t get stabbed this easily, but when you see a weak point, it¡¯s this easy.¡±

    Once it got stabbed, its body would stiffen. Then all he needed to do was to swing his sword to cut off its head.

    ¡°If you know where the punch ising from, you¡¯re not going to die. The same goes for swords.¡±

    This was something Jin-Hyeok learned from the Martial King, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, in his past life. He said something about how yers could withstand even the strongest punches if they knew where the attack wasing from.

    <i>¡°Y-Yes... Whether my punch hits hard... or soft... if itnds well... the enemy will be gone... to another ce...¡±</i>

    ¡°In the end, what matters is the timing.¡±

    From a physical-type yer¡¯s perspective, the <i>unknown punch</i> was said to be the most dangerous punch. No matter how strong the punch, if they saw the attack and took it, it was bearable.

    <strong>¡®Not... knowing and taking the hit... That¡¯s the... best!¡¯</strong>

    The principle was the same just now. Jin-Hyeok stabbed Igrit, now full of weak points, making it startled and weakening its barrier and defense. Then, Jin-Hyeok swung in an unseen trajectory, cutting its head.

    He looked at Hyeon-Seong, concealing his growing frustration.

    <i>¡®Why can¡¯t you do this? You should at least be able to do this much. It¡¯s infuriating.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    In a secluded conversation, Bong King was discussing in the chat with KingGodGeneral Yumi. Bong King almost raised his voice in anger.

    -What did you say? You¡¯re telling me to adopt that weird pounding-on-my-keyboard concept? Me? Bong King? You want me to just be a Streamer who rages at Kim Chul-Soo? You really want me to do that?

    -Think about it carefully. Do you really believe that you can beat Kim Chul-Soo with conventional methods?

    Bong King gritted his teeth.

    Chul-Soo was a Streamer beyond anyone¡¯s reach. Many predicted Chul-Soo¡¯s downfall as he reached a higher Level, but as of now, he was on another level.

    -Can you move like Chul-Soo?

    -No, but no Streamer can imitate that!

    -Then, can you convey the thrill and tension of killing monsters from a first-person perspective?

    -Absolutely not! Chul-Soo is the weird one for being able to do that!

    -Or can you find Hidden Achievements like Chul-Soo, showcasing what other yers cannot?

    -Are you picking a fight right now?

    -Look at what Chul-Soo is livestreaming right now. He¡¯s telling his viewers how to properly y. Can you exhibit such an incredible y as a Ruler?

    Bong King felt a deep cut in his pride but admitted what needed to be acknowledged. He was the kind who believed there was growth only in eptance.

    -There¡¯s no need to be down. It¡¯s not just you. I can¡¯t do it either, nor can Kang Mi-Na from MiNaTV. Even Egan Paul, who was proimed as being the world¡¯s number-one Streamer, can¡¯t do it. It¡¯s not that we are inadequate. It¡¯s Chul-Soo who is unrivaled. Let¡¯s ept that we cannot surpass him with conventional methods and move on.

    Bong King could not type in the chat for a while. Actually, he was too preupied with livestreaming the current situation, which was Chul-Soo strangely killing Igrit with ease, to focus on the chat with Wang Yu-Mi. Continuing the secret conversation with her amidst all this was adding to the chaos that was already happening.

    However, Yu-Mi kept the conversation going.

    -But you know that Kang Mi-Na has Kim Pyeong-Beom on her side, right? I¡¯m not sure, but the rumors say that she slept with Pyeong-Beom.

    -What?

    -You know about Mi-Na¡¯s ability, right? If she engages in intimate physical touch, a contract is automatically formed, or something along that line... Though I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true, an exclusive contract has definitely been formed between them.

    Kim Chul-Soo was a Streamer beyond reach.

    Kang Mi-Na had Kim Pyeong-Beom, an irreceable weapon.

    <i>¡®Then, what do I have?¡¯ </i>Bong King thought.

    He made a decision. Atst, the path he needed to take started to be clear. If he just put down his pride a bit, a path of growth would appear.

    ¡°Pshh. Anyone can do that much,¡± Bong King said.

    Outwardly, he seemed to mock Chul-Soo, but inwardly, he was readying his hidden card.

    <i>¡®I need to stack up my bad karma!¡¯</i>

    Bong King needed to be the one to put himself against Chul-Soo and show the world his angry and embarrassed face after being defeated by Chul-Soo. With a furious determination, Bong King threw himself with everything he got.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like Chul-Soo is all that great. He was able to do that only because we took most of the energy out of Igrit.¡±

    Approaching Jin-Hyeok with a confident stride, Bong King questioned, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the same, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was indeed lucky,¡± Chul-Soo said, nodding in agreement.

    ¡°But it will be a different story from the third floor onward.¡±

    Bong King captured the angles of all the yers apanying him in a single shot.

    ¡°Do you think you can maintain this solo performance? I personally don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible,¡± Bong King said.

    Jin-Hyeok liked how Bong King was thinking.

    <strong>[...#Just a show. #No pride here. #Bong King the indestructible toy. #The super durable toy that won¡¯t break even when beaten.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had a rough idea of Bong King¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Impossible, you say?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes. The third floor is an uncharted territory, never cleared before. From your livestream, it seems you cleared the third floor rather unconventionally, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Their gazes collided in mid-air, seemingly at odds on the surface. Yet, Jin-Hyeok admired Bong King in his mind.

    <i>¡®He was doing his own livestream, conversed with Yu-Mi, and monitored my livestream at the same time?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Executing three tasks simultaneously was no small feat.

    <i>¡®I guess he really is a king.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to humbly acknowledge Bong King¡¯s ability as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I find it overwhelming tomunicate with the viewers alone. That¡¯s why I have Yu-Mi for this very reason. This truly deserves respect.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt greatlyckingpared to the top-tier Streamers with exceptional talents. His standards escted once more at this moment.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we bet on who can clear the third floor more brilliantly, and who can create a better scene for their livestream? Though it¡¯s clear that we¡¯ll do better,¡± Bong King asserted confidently.

    <strong>[...#Even if I be a toy. #A toy that wriggles when stepped on. #The wriggling toy.]</strong>

    Numerous viewersughed as they ced various Missions on respective livestreams. The popr opinion among viewers was that Bong King was making an absurd im.

    He erupted in anger, seemingly quite aggrieved on the outside.

    ¡°Why am I the underdog here?! We have far more yers! We have the top-ranked Swordsman and even the top-ranked Tank! You guys know nothing. I will show you what we¡¯re made of. Just don¡¯t wher,¡± Bong King said.

    He arrived at the third floor alongside Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    <i>¡®Man, I¡¯m so excited! I really get to fight against Magnar?¡¯</i>

    Magnar was the high-ranking Fire Spirit. It was quite regrettable not being able to fight properly before. This time it seemed like a genuine opportunity to truly experience his own growth.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Burning Fortress Third Floor¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[The Scenario ¡¸Walking Alone, and Together in a New ce¡¹ is underway.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok could hear the voice of Min-Hyeok, who was the Ruler.

    ¡°Watch the walls! Be careful of the walls!¡±

    From the walls, several orbs of light gently floated up.

    ¡°Choi Gang-Byeok!¡± Min-Hyeok yelled loudly.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s former colleague, Choi Gang-Byeok, shouted as he rushed toward the orbs of light. He used one of his Skills, Steel Wall, as he charged forward.

    <strong>[Choi Gang-Byeok has activated the Skill ¡¸Steel Wall¡¹.]</strong>

    It had been a while since Jin-Hyeok had seen that Skill. It was a beginner Skill that summoned a wall to block frontal assaults. Despite being a beginner Skill, it held a considerable defense capability and had high versatility.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The Steel Wall, five meters tall, surged from the ground, colliding with the orbs of light.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold for long. Everyone brace yourselves!¡± Gang-Byeok yelled.

    Having manifested the Steel Wall, Gang-Byeok moved a few steps aside to protect the Ruler. It seemed like he was carefully preventing the aftermath of the explosion from reaching Min-Hyeok. The remaining members shielded themselves from the explosion in their respective ways.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    It felt like the light itself was exploding. Several explosions urred, and the entire third floor was engulfed in raging mes. This time, a few orbs of light fell from the ceiling. Gang-Byeok took a firm step forward with a thud.

    <strong>[Choi Gang-Byeok has activated the Skill ¡¸Steel Umbre¡¹.]</strong>

    The surroundings darkened. A dome-like structure made of steel formed from the ground covered their heads. Bong King seemed slightly excited.

    ¡°Here it is! The Steel Umbre, stronger than a nuclear shelter! It feels like being protected inside a fortress of steel. No matter how powerful the light explosions are, it feelspletely safe inside the Steel Umbre, even somewhatforting!¡±

    He nced at Jin-Hyeok and continued, ¡°I bet Kim Chul-Soo can¡¯t do something like this.¡±

    Chul-Soo looked above his head. Indeed, Gang-Byeok¡¯s Steel Umbre seemed sturdy. It was indeed a magnificentrge-scale defensive Skill.

    ¡°...Ah.¡± Unwittingly, Chul-Soo muttered once more, ¡°That¡¯s not how you y as a Tank...¡±

 Chapter 126

    <h4>Chapter 126</h4>

    <i>¡°That¡¯s not how you y as a Tank.¡±</i>

    Choi Gang-Byeok heard thatment crystal clear. While using his Skills to protect his party members, he opened his mouth with an angry expression.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Gang-Byeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°You just insulted me.¡±

    ¡°Insulted you?¡±

    <i>¡®What did I say?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t remember what he had said to himself. As far as he remembered, ¡°That¡¯s not how you y as a Tank¡± was just him talking in his mind.

    ¡°You said that¡¯s not how you y as a Tank,¡± Gang-Byeok said.

    ¡°...Oh!¡±

    ¡°Did you just say oh?¡±

    ¡°Can you... read my thoughts?¡±

    <i>¡®Did Gang-Byeok have such a Skill?¡¯¡¯</i>

    ¡°If you continue to insult me, I won¡¯t hold back anymore.¡±

    ¡°You will regret saying that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out a deep sigh and then stepped forward. He ryed information to the viewers.

    ¡°The orbs of light explode upon contact, causing a big destruction. But if they don¡¯t make any sort of contact, the explosion range is considerably small.¡±

    If the orb of light didn¡¯t hit any surface, the explosion wasn¡¯t considered a wide-range attack.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand why he would create a wall so big and allow the orbs of light to blow everything up.¡±

    Of course, it was possible to defend against the orbs of light like that. However, the stamina consumption was tremendous, since Gang-Byeok was getting hit by things that could be easily avoided.

    ¡°I happen to have an ability simr to a Tank too. It¡¯s a defensive ability called Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    Gang-Byeok wanted to ask Jin-Hyeok how his defensive ability was simr to his.

    ¡°It¡¯s an ability to defend a localized area,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    From above the ceiling, the high-ranking Spirit, Magnar, revealed itself. Magnar had a slightlyrger form than the lizard-like Igrit. If Igrit resembled amon lizard, Magnar resembled a lizard capable of bipedal movement.

    ¡°Magnar, the high-ranking Spirit, is looking down at me. I suspect another attack is imminent.¡±

    Just as expected, the orbs of light regenerated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure if I defend like Choi Gang-Byeok, I won¡¯t be able to withstand many of the monster¡¯s attacks and will be overwhelmed.¡±

    There was no need to block everything. It was fine to let the non-fatal hitsnd. The party members here weren¡¯t weak yers, after all.

    Magnar swept its hand from left to right and six orbs of light appeared in mid-air.

    ¡°A total of six. I am not going to block two of them.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had already observed their flying trajectory earlier. Monsters around Level 100 did not have particrlyplex attack patterns. Of course, this was by the standards of Jin-Hyeok, who had forgotten how weak he was when he was around their Levels in his past life.

    ¡°The important part is what to do with the other four.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sneaked a nce behind him. Gang-Byeok was preparing to block the orbs in his own way. Judging by his stance, Gang-Byeok seemed to be ready to block one of them on his own.

    ¡°So he¡¯s not trying to block them all at once,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Every y came down to footwork.

    Jin-Hyeok moved to an appropriate position and activated Phantom Swordswoman.

    ¡°Activate Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman surged into the sky, then she embraced one of the orbs.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    An explosion urred.

    ¡°The Phantom Swordswoman managed to prevent the spread of the explosion effectively.¡±

    Blood trickled from the corners of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mouth, but he didn¡¯t mind.

    <i>¡®Gang-Byeok, you can block like this too, can¡¯t you?¡¯</i>

    Instead of widely dispersing the Steel Wall used earlier, he just needed to focus on a narrow range and form it into a box shape.

    ¡°Now one of the orbs is gone. This way, the monster¡¯s full attention is on me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok promptly hurled himself toward Magnar, who was floating in the air.

    ¡°I think I can block its attack with just my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡±

    Having taken a hit through the Phantom Swordswoman, Jin-Hyeok felt a bit more confident. As a yer, it was only natural to experience things first-hand.

    Of the remaining five orbs, a whopping three were flying straight toward him. Jin-Hyeok tightly embraced Magnar. Although it could deploy orbs of light with a formidable explosive force, its physical strength was almost nonexistent.

    ¡°If I maintain Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier at a rtively weak yet uniform level, I can even withstand the mes from a high-ranking Spirit. It¡¯s akin to taking shallow, elongated breaths for an extended period.¡±

    It was more exhausting to keep breathing shallowly for a long time than to let out one big breath. The same principle was applied to using Skills.

    <i>¡®Sure, a lot of yers can¡¯t do it, but you, Choi Gang-Byeok, you have to!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt deeply betrayed.

    <i>¡®Lee Hyeon-Seong! Choi Gang-Byeok! You guys can¡¯t keep letting me down like this!¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, one of the orbs flying toward Jin-Hyeok collided with Magnar, unable to ovee the inertia.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The orb exploded along with Magnar.

    ¡°You can block such a powerful explosion with Star Shield.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started to fall to the ground, his body in tatters. He felt a bit woozy.

    <i>¡®How can you guys not be able to do something that I can?¡¯</i>

    Meanwhile, Gang-Byeok, who had sessfully blocked one of the orbs, quickly ran over to catch the falling Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Healer!¡± Gang-Byeok shouted.

    A healing spell was cast on Jin-Hyeok. The Healer of the party, Lim Jong-Min, was shocked.

    <i>¡®Wait, my healing ability was this powerful?!¡¯</i> Jong-Min thought.

    To Jong-Min, Jin-Hyeok appeared nearly half-dead. It was a miracle that he was still alive, given how his entire body was melting. Despite the severe injuries, Jin-Hyeok recovered in no time. Jin-Hyeok quickly regained his senses.

    ¡°As you can see, the attack can be blocked this easily and simply.¡±

    Though Jong-Min¡¯s healing ability was maximized due to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s All-Rounder, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t see it that way.

    <i>¡®Perhaps Magnar¡¯s attacks are less lethal than I thought. That¡¯s why I recovered so easily.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    By his own strict standards, Jin-Hyeok could not consider himself to be exceptional.

    ¡°In the meantime, the damage-dealing yers, including Hyeon-Seong, are causing problems for Magnar with their fierce attacks.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stole a quick nce at Gang-Byeok. His body was shaking uncontrobly. Gang-Byeok had realized something thanks to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I have to discard what needs to be discarded and take the damage that I have to take. Even if it means sacrificing my own body...¡¯ </i>Gang-Byeok thought.

    Though he knew it in his mind, it had been difficult to put into action. Seeing Jin-Hyeok demonstrate it made all the difference.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know I could construct a cubic structure using my Steel Wall.¡¯</i>

    And that was how he blocked one of the orbs.

    Creating a smaller Steel Wall proved to be far more efficient than when he created the giant wall.

    ¡°Are you regretting your past actions?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°See? I told you you¡¯d regret it.¡±

    Gang-Byeok bit his lip.

    <i>¡®So he wasn¡¯t mocking me, but he was only trying to teach me.¡¯</i>

    In essence, Gang-Byeok had made the outrageous mistake of warning his supposed mentor never to insult him.

    ¡°You¡¯re feeling ashamed right now, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You should apologize to me.¡±

    ¡°I will apologize after we hunt down Magnar.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok joined the party to kill Magnar.

    <i>¡®Did I overdo it by acting like a big shot?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He felt as if he had overstepped due to his frustration. By Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards, his offensive capabilities were far lesspared to Hyeon-Seong¡¯s at Hyeon-Seong¡¯s peak. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s defensive abilities were also far inferiorpared to Gang-Byeok¡¯s at Gang-Byeok¡¯s peak.

    So, Jin-Hyeok decided to be a bit humble.

    ¡°At this stage, Job boundaries aren¡¯t that clear, which is why I was able to do this,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Usually, at around Level 100, Job boundaries would be distinct. Jin-Hyeok had always thought and said so. Although he was vaguely aware that something was wrong with his standards, he didn¡¯t actively admit it.

    ¡°I think this style of y should be possible up to Level 150. It looks like Gang-Byeok has grown a little too. I¡¯m d I could help. It shouldn¡¯t take long to kill the Magnar.¡±

    It took roughly six hours.

    Jin-Hyeok grinned widely.

    ¡°It really didn¡¯t take long.¡±

    <strong>[You have defeated ¡¸Magnar¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°I wonder who is going to get the biggest reward.¡±

    In most cases, the yer who dealt the most damage got the biggest reward.

    ¡°I doubt it¡¯s going to be me.¡±

    Even though Jin-Hyeok said that, he was secretly hoping for the biggest reward.

    Bong King also chimed in, ¡°It definitely won¡¯t be Chul-Soo. How could a Streamer get the biggest reward?¡±

    <strong>[You have acquired the Item ¡¸Superior Spirit Stone of Fire¡¹.]</strong>

    The Item was given to Jin-Hyeok.

    ? ? ?

    In a whirlpool of sarcastic donations, the chat roared withughter.

    <strong>[¡¸TaylorSwag¡¹ has donated 10,000 Dias.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°???</strong>[1]<strong>: I mean, it¡¯s not like Chul-Soo is all that great. He was able to do that only because we took most of the energy out of Igrit.¡±]</strong>

    [¡¸EatShit¡¹ has donated 10,000 Dias.]

    [¡°???: Do you think you can maintain this solo performance? I personally don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible.¡±]

    [¡¸AngelinaJelly¡¹ has donated 10,000 Dias.]

    [¡°I bet Kim Chul-Soo can¡¯t do something like this. ¡û He actually said this! LOL!]

    The never-ending flood of donation alerts mocked Bong King as viewers were typingughter emojis at him. With a theatrically aggrieved expression, Bong King offered all sorts of excuses.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo only managed to do well because our Tank did a good job in the beginning!!! We were the ones that figured out how strong that monster was! That¡¯s why Chul-Soo yed so well!¡±

    Bong King became a self-appointed clown. His ears flushed crimson as he vented his frustration. Even Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but admire his performance. The Bong King that Jin-Hyeok was seeing was a professional.

    <strong>[¡¸FiniteChallenge¡¹ has donated 10,000 Dias.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°You¡¯re pathetic, Bong King. LOL! Chul-Soo is not even a Tank. He is a Streamer. Haha!¡±]</strong>

    ¡°What do you mean pathetic? Our party¡¯s damage was way higher!¡±

    A torrent of donation alerts ensued.

    <strong>[¡°Yet the reward item went to Chul-Soo.¡±]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°Nope, you¡¯re wrong.¡±]</strong>

    ¡°It¡¯s just because of the unique system that acknowledges only Chul-Soo¡¯s Solo Mode that his damage was the highest!¡±

    <strong>[¡°Nope, you¡¯re wrong.¡±]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°The System never lies.¡±]</strong>

    Pathetic Bong King. Shameful Bong King.

    Countless taunts andughing emojis filled the chat, as donations continued to pile up. Tears welled up in Bong King¡¯s eyes.

    <i>¡®The viewers are enjoying it!¡¯</i>

    It was a moment of awe for him. He had never seen so manyughing LOLs andughing emojis before.

    <i>¡®KingGodGeneral Yumi was right.¡¯</i>

    The viewers¡¯ enjoyment was also Bong King¡¯s joy. Tears of exhrating happiness streamed down his face.

    <strong>[¡°Dude, is that guy crying?¡±]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°LOL Bong King? More like Cry King!¡±]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°HAHAHA! Why are you crying?!!¡±]</strong>

    To the viewers, it appeared as if Bong King was crying because it felt unfair to him. However, Jin-Hyeok, who was looking at him in the distance, understood Bong King.

    <i>¡®This is why people should be humble. How could he even think of such an innovative concept? I know I wouldn¡¯t have pulled that off. He is really a cool guy.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Bong King had earned a special ce in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart. As Jin-Hyeok nced at Hyeon-Seong and Gang-Byeok, he sighed.

    <i>¡®You guys should learn something from Bong King!¡¯</i>

    1. This is a meme in Korea where people don¡¯t write the specific name of the person who actually said the phrase, just to mock them even more. For this instance ¡®???¡¯ would be Bong King. ?

 Chapter 127

    <h4>Chapter 127</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was not only impressed by Bong King. He also marveled at the healing prowess of the Healer, Lim Jong-Min, who had treated him well. Though in fairness, this wasrgely because Jin-Hyeok responded exceptionally well to healing Skills. Jin-Hyeok was equally in awe of their Navigator, Kim Mu-Jin.

    ¡°During that time, Mu-Jin had discovered a hidden space behind the bookshelf. Truly remarkable skills,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Without causing any disruption to the yers fighting the monster, the Navigator, Kim Mu-Jin, managed to find a secret space behind the bookshelf and opened it.

    ¡°It seems that various conditions needed to be met to open this hidden space, and he managed to satisfy them all by himself. Their Navigator is indeed remarkable.¡±

    In truth, Mu-Jin had been able to locate this space because he had reviewed footage from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. Still, Mu-Jin felt somewhat flustered by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s praise.

    <i>¡®I...I¡¯m remarkable?¡¯ </i>Mu-Jin thought.

    He had seen firsthand how Swordsman Lee Hyeon-Seong and Tank Choi Gang-Byeok had been thoroughly trounced by Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Both Lee Hyeon-Seong and Choi Gang-Byeok got humiliated by him, but I got praised?¡¯</i>

    Mu-Jin felt ted, a feeling neither he nor Jin-Hyeok understood. Mu-Jin was unaware that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were erratic. To be fair, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know it either.

    When it came to Jin-Hyeok''s rival, Lee Hyeon-Seong, and Jin-Hyeok''s formerrade, Choi Gang-Byeok, Jin-Hyeok had unknowingly set the standards for them to be exceedingly high. An aplishment that would''ve appeared extraordinary when achieved by others felt mundane when done by them.

    Unfortunately, even Jin-Hyeok himself was unaware of this cognitive dissonance of his.

    As a side note, he was most strict with himself. If he had been a bit more forgiving toward himself, he wouldn¡¯t have thought, ¡®I¡¯m just a Streamer; I can¡¯t possibly go beyond Level 150.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Mu-Jin, his face flushed from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s praise, cautiously approached Jin-Hyeok and asked, ¡°Do... you want to be the first to go in?¡±

    <strong>[...#It would be an honor for Chul-Soo to go in first.]</strong>

    Mu-Jin wanted to dedicate the first glory he had discovered to Chul-Soo.

    If Han Sae-Rin or Mok Jae-Hyeon had said the same thing, Jin-Hyeok would have definitely replied, ¡®Why would a Streamer go in first? Do you stillckmon sense?¡¯ However, the current Jin-Hyeok just nodded.

    ¡°If the Navigator has chosen so, I must follow.¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s simple acknowledgment made Mu-Jin¡¯s heart race. After all, it essentially meant that Chul-Soo respected him as a Navigator.

    Mu-Jin¡¯s heart swelled with emotion again.

    <i>¡®I can be the greatest Navigator!¡¯</i>

    Today, he was finally able to confirm his limitless potential for growth. Leaving an emotionally touched Mu-Jin behind, Jin-Hyeok moved toward the secret ce.

    <strong>[You have discovered the ¡¸Suspicious Secret Passage¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You are the first to discover the ¡¸Suspicious Secret Passage¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was the first to find the passage.

    <strong>[The Hidden Achievement ¡¸Encounter with the Footsteps Follower¡¹ is still activated.]</strong>

    <strong>[The New World Scenario, ¡¸Walking Alone, and Together in a New ce¡¹, is still in progress.]</strong>

    The New World Scenario, Hidden Achievement, and the fact that Jin-Hyeok was the first to discover the passage merged, and Jin-Hyeok was given a Scenario Item.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Scenario Item ¡¸Fragment of Jonprich¡¯s Lost Research Journal¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[As a Scenario reward, the Field ¡¸Suspicious Secret Passage¡¹ has been changed to ¡¸Jonprich¡¯s Secret Passage¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok began to feel excited.

    ¡°It feels like I have taken one step closer to Jonprich.¡±

    His pace quickened. Enraptured, he walked along Jonprich¡¯s Secret Passage. Soon enough, light began to appear in the distance.

    ¡°There is light up ahead.¡±

    Following the light, Jin-Hyeok quickly moved and eventually emerged outside.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Jonprich¡¯s Hideout (formerly, Eastern Ancient Castle Town)¡¹.]</strong>

    His heart pounded. It was the first time he had entered the Eastern Ancient Castle Town in this manner.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®Why is no one following me?¡¯</i>

    A few minutester, only Mu-Jin, the Navigator, came running, gasping for breath.

    ¡°Please... Wait for us...!¡±

    ? ? ?

    The yers finally arrived at Jonprich¡¯s Hideout muchter.

    ¡°We are in the Eastern Ancient Castle Town. I¡¯ve seen a lot of videos of other yers in this Field, but this is the first time I have entered since it¡¯s been changed to Jonprich¡¯s Hideout.¡±

    Both Jin-Hyeok and Bong King were excited. Bong King spoke, spitting as he talked.

    ¡°See? What did I tell you guys?! Didn¡¯t I say I would show something super cool? This is a world-first, Jonprich¡¯s Hideout!¡±

    <strong>-TaylorSwag: Yeah, all thanks to Kim Chul-Soo.</strong>

    -FiniteChallenge: Yeah, the super cool part is all Kim Chul-Soo.

    Inside the fortress walls, a ruined vige was visible.

    ¡°Monsters appearing here have changed a lot. Their Levels are in the 90s, simr to the barren wilderness. Creepy Chimeras are roaming around.¡±

    If the Chimeras in the barren wilderness had diverse forms, the ones here seemed to be made based on humans. Jin-Hyeok continued his livestream while staying out of the fight.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you participating in the battle, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo?¡± Bong King asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I am a Streamer.¡±

    -FiniteChallenge: ???

    -MapOfWhat:?

    -OutsiderMan: ?????????

    Many question marks filled Bong King¡¯s chat. Most people had forgotten that Chul-Soo was a Streamer. Bong King quickly understood Chul-Soo¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°This is too boring for you right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Am I right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok denied it, ¡°I¡¯m just focused on my livestreaming. The party¡¯s cooperative y is excellent.¡±

    Bong King wanted to say, ¡®After humiliating Hyeon-Seong and Gang-Byeok, you say our teamwork is excellent?¡¯

    It was clear that the Level 90 monsters here were too boring for Chul-Soo to personally engage in battle.

    However, Jin-Hyeok thought differently.

    <i>¡®It is a bit boring, but...¡¯</i>

    Killing easy monsters had its own charm. Though it was less thrilling, it helped reinforce what he had learned in intense battles. Yet Jin-Hyeok chose to stick by Bong King¡¯s side because he recognized Bong King as an excellent Streamer.

    ¡°I feel like I can learn a lot from you, Bong King.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to see firsthand how Bong King interacted with his viewers. He wanted to see how a livestream should be properly conducted and if there was anything he could learn from Bong King.

    Bong King was momentarily flustered but hid it with a grin.

    ¡°You hear that, guys?¡±

    Many question marks appeared in the chat again.

    ¡°Can you repeat that, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo?¡± Bong King asked again.

    ¡°I said it feels like I can learn a lot from you, Bong King.¡±

    Bong King wore a triumphant expression.

    ¡°See, guys? Even the almighty Chul-Soo wants to learn from me!¡±

    Though Bong King was showing off to his viewers, he was actually sweating bullets. Unlike Mu-Jin, who simply epted Chul-Soo¡¯s praise, Bong King had a more skeptical personality.

    <i>¡®What is Chul-Soo up to? He can¡¯t seriously think he can learn something from me, can he?¡¯ </i>Bong King thought.

    That seemed unlikely. In his mind, Chul-Soo was an extraordinary yer.

    ¡°Let me teach you a thing or two, haha!¡± Bong King said, sweating slightly.

    ? ? ?

    Quite some time had passed. This ce also had a resurrection setting, so numerous yers had died and came back to life multiple times. The Ruler, Kang Min-Hyeok, felt that something had changed significantly.

    <i>¡®Everyone... is not afraid of dying at all.¡¯</i>

    The atmosphere of the entire party had changed considerably since meeting Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®No one even cares about getting their heads cracked open.''</i>

    If they could efficiently kill the monsters, then losing an arm or a leg was practically expected. The standard for dangerous y had changed in an instant. Everyone had be bold. Even Min-Hyeok¡¯s own standards were being shaken.

    <i>¡®This way... is actually more efficient.¡¯</i>

    There was a chance that someone might lose their mind and be critically exhausted. However, if only looking at the efficiency, this was remarkable.

    <i>¡®We would have avoided this kind of risk before...¡¯</i>

    Min-Hyeok would not have given suchmands or directions under normal circumstances. However, something shocking kept catching his eye.

    <i>¡®Surprisingly, everyone seems to be fine!¡¯</i>

    It was well known that continuously dying was dangerous, yet that had be irrelevant. All the yers that entered the New World with Bong King were top-tier yers. Min-Hyeok¡¯s standards were gradually changing.

    <i>¡®So... I guess Rankers can afford to die...?¡¯</i>

    It seemed that safety could be slightly less of a priority.

    <i>¡®Somehow, this feels like the new norm.¡¯</i>

    Finally, they had killed all the continuously spawning monsters. They also managed to kill a monster that looked like several humans stitched together into a serpent, which was called Jonprich¡¯s Toy.

    <strong>[You have defeated ¡¸Jonprich¡¯s Toy¡¹.]</strong>

    After that, no more monsters appeared. The Field was silent.

    The crows¡¯ caw resonated the silent Field from time to time, but no other changes were detected.

    Min-Hyeok approached Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°All the monsters have been defeated. It seems like we can¡¯t progress any further.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    Min-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®Oh, right. Chul-Soo is a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    Such discussions should be had with their Navigator, Mu-Jin. He had unintentionally sought advice from Chul-Soo, the Streamer.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± Min-Hyeok said.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize to me for. But you should apologize to the Navigator, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Just then, Mu-Jin came running up, sweating.

    ¡°I¡¯ve found something strange.¡±

    Mu-Jin had been searching through the ruined houses for clues. Among them, he had found a house with arge well, from which a mist-like smoke was continuously rising.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    <i>¡®So, what I saw earlier was correct,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok had actually noticed it earlier when he had climbed the wall of the fortress. It was simr to when he had found the Unleashing Technique in Nak An Historic Vige.

    However, he did not expose it on the livestream. Even in livestreams, pacing was necessary. Rushing the content could tire out the viewers.

    Jin-Hyeok and Bong King¡¯s party followed Mu-Jin to the well.

    ¡°That¡¯s a really suspicious well. How did you find this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    If Han Sae-Rin had been here, Jin-Hyeok would have scolded her about why it took her so long to discover the well. However, Mu-Jin was met with boundless generosity.

    ¡°I cut off limbs from various monsters and threw them into this well. With my Skills as a Navigator, I could hear constant murmurs of hunger. At first, there was no reaction, but after cooking the meat with the Spirit Fire and throwing it in, the mist began to rise.¡±

    Mu-Jin was filled with emotions while looking at Jin-Hyeok, who was listening attentively. Mu-Jin had validated his own talent and shattered his own limitations.

    ¡°I employed some interpretive skills and found a thin barrier of sorts spread over this well,¡± Mu-Jin said.

    He took out some unidentified powder and blew it toward the well. A name floated in the air.

    <strong>[Last Line of Defense]</strong>

    ¡°It feels faintly imbued with Spirit energy. It seems like a barrier made using Spirit power. However, I am not sure how to break this barrier.¡±

    ¡°I think I can handle that,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He stepped in front of the well, pulling out the Rule Breaker. It was not necessarily needed for this task, but he felt that using a hammer-shaped Item would make for a better visual for his livestream.

    <i>¡®What should my cool line be?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Depending on how he staged the same task, the oue could be different. Jin-Hyeok came up with a line that was uniquely cool for him.

    ¡°My sword shatters artifice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised the hammer high and struck down. The applied Achievement was the One Who Breaks Artificiality.

    <strong>[One Who Breaks Artificiality]</strong>

    <strong>[Break down all that is artificial. Judgment will befall upon all actions that defy thews of the New World. On that day, everything will shatter.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement Effect: Amplifies the ability to destroy all things artificial. (This effect is limited to the New World.)]</strong>

    BongKingTV¡¯s viewers expressed reasonable doubts.

    -A sword?

    -Did he just say sword?

    -Not a hammer?

    However, the viewers came to a conclusion.

    -If Kim Chul-Soo says it¡¯s a sword and not a hammer, that thing is now a sword. No matter what.

    Jin-Hyeok used the Unleashing Technique with the activated Achievement. When the barrier shed with the Rule Breaker, red mes erupted. From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, it was quite a satisfying visual effect.

    <i>¡®I broke it.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok spoke swiftly.

    ¡°The destruction of the Last Line of Defense means that even Jonprich doesn¡¯t have many moves left. He will likely be desperate. From here on, it¡¯s a race against time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok promptly threw himself into the dark well.

    ¡°I will go after him.¡±

    Bong King looked down into the well that Jin-Hyeok had just plunged into.

    ¡°Fuck! I have acrophobia! I can¡¯t even see the bottom of the well! How the hell am I supposed to jump?! This is crazy! I¡¯m not a coward! Chul-Soo is the crazy one! Normally, you would die if you fell from here! How could he jump without knowing what was down there?! Even the Navigator hasn¡¯t figured it out yet! He¡¯s insane! I¡¯m not gonna jump! No, I can¡¯t jump!¡±

    Bong king looked at Min-Hyeok, who he believed was a rtively sane person.

    ¡°Ruler, what should we do? Surely, there is another way without this reckless approach...¡±

    However, Min-Hyeok was about to dive as well.

    ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Min-Hyeok asked.

    Beside him was the Navigator, Mu-Jin.

    Bong King mumbled with a face of utter despair, ¡°...Everyone is going insane...¡±

 Chapter 128

    <h4>Chapter 128</h4>

    The well was incredibly deep.

    <i>¡®How deep is this well?¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok did not have acrophobia, but he did feel the pressure to fill the silence in his livestream.

    ¡°Ah, just a word of advice. Even if you are in a hurry, jumping down haphazardly like this is not something I¡¯d highly rmend.¡±

    Normally, one would die from a fall like this.

    ¡°As for me, I set a save point at the top of the well, and I can absorb most shocks with my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and Star Shield. But even so, no sane yer would jump like I did, right?¡±

    While falling, Jin-Hyeok kicked the well walls multiple times.

    Right to left.

    Left to right.

    He zigzagged, adjusting his speed by leaping from wall to wall several times.

    ¡°If there are any protrusions on the wall that I can put my feet on, it¡¯s good to control my speed like this...Huh?¡±

    ¡°AHHHH!¡±

    Someone else was plummeting down the well.

    ¡°The Navigator... seems to be falling faster than me.¡±

    <i>¡®Why is our Navigator falling so fast like that?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was puzzled.

    ¡°AHH!¡±

    Another person went past Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s our Ruler.¡±

    The Ruler, Kang Min-Hyeok, was also falling.

    ¡°They¡¯ll die if they fall like that. Why are they so reckless?¡±

    <i>¡®Does our skilled Navigator have some special Skills that I don¡¯t know about? Am I wasting my time trying to reduce my falling speed?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had an epiphany.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s fine to just fall down. I¡¯m going to let gravity do the work.¡±

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t need to waste my energy if it¡¯s not going to kill me.¡¯</i>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok hit the bottom of the well.

    <i>¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯</i>

    He used the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to minimize the impact. Lying on the ground, Kim Mu-Jin was unconscious and bleeding profusely.

    ¡°The Navigator is seriously injured, and the Ruler is dead.¡±

    Looking at Mu-Jin, Jin-Hyeok felt a touch of admiration.

    ¡°Just like how dodging attacks by the razor¡¯s edge is most efficient, it seems like pioneering a new path is the same.¡±

    He poured a potion over Mu-Jin¡¯s head and carefully poured some into his mouth as well.

    ¡°Our Navigator risked just enough danger to not die when he jumped.¡±

    Of course, that was not true. Mu-Jin had embarrassingly trailed behind Jin-Hyeok earlier. It was such a shameful situation that Mu-Jin would rather die than experience it again. That was why he jumped without care. However, since he survived, it did not matter anymore.

    ¡°But it looks like the other party members are taking their time to arri¡ª wait a minute,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    ¡°Did something just break?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced to the side.

    ¡°I was right. Something really did break.¡±

    To his side, Jin-Hyeok spotted the remnants of someone who was once Bong King.

    ¡°It looks like the Streamer was too reckless trying to capture good content for his Eltube channel. He died instantly.¡±

    Still, Jin-Hyeok thought that Bong King¡¯s passion wasmendable.

    ¡°With the Last Line of Defense copsed, it looks like Jonprich will try to escape somewhere. Seems like he can freely manipte warp portals. Before waiting for others, I should chase him down.¡±

    Without waiting for the other party members, Jin-Hyeok moved swiftly.

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but I will proceed on my own.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Theyout is very much like aplicated sewer system.¡±

    In other words, this ce was an undergroundbyrinth. The paths branched so much that it was difficult for Jin-Hyeok to find the correct way. Even if he could identify the right path, it would likely take too much time. His seasoned yer¡¯s intuition told him that this was now a race against time.

    ¡°A guide I¡¯m quite fond of once told me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he raised his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. ¡°The quickest way through a maze is to destroy it.¡±

    This was a method favored by Han Sae-Rin. Of course, it helped that Kim Jeong-Hyeon, who could destroy just about anything, was on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party in his previous life.

    <i>¡®But she always did say that this isn¡¯t the orthodox method. Would it look strange if a Streamer went through thebyrinth by breaking the walls? The visual might not be as appealing...¡¯</i>

    As he contemted, Jin-Hyeok justified himself, much like Sae-Rin did in the past.

    ¡°While it would be nice to have the skill and leisure to properly navigate through the maze, unfortunately, I don¡¯t have that luxury as a Streamer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached a wall and touched it.

    ¡°These maze-like structures are artificial constructs made by Jonprich to buy time.¡±

    That made things much simpler. Standing before the wall, he took a deep breath.

    <i>¡®I got a shot of myself for my thumbnail, so that¡¯s good.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok uttered the previous cool line that he thought of, ¡°My sword shatters artifice.¡±

    He swung his sword. Though he shed through the walls, he was not quite satisfied with his work.

    <i>¡®Jeong-Hyeon would have shattered it more efficiently.¡¯</i>

    Comparing his own power to the standards he had set for Jeong-Hyeon, he couldn¡¯t help but feel humble.

    <i>¡®I never really liked this Skill in the first ce, but I guess I have no choice.¡¯</i>

    The Skill¡¯s name was Shattering Sword. It was a Swordsman-exclusive skill acquired at Level 60.

    <strong>[You have unlocked the Latent Skill ¡¸Shattering Sword¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Skill ¡¸Shattering Sword¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok always prioritized the basics, usually favoring Skills acquired below Level 100. However, Shattering Sword was an exception.

    Shattering Swords was a kind of special technique that allowed him to use a sword as if it were a blunt weapon. ording to Jin-Hyeok, a sword was not a blunt weapon. Using it as such was inefficient. The satisfaction of cutting something was alsocking. Besides, using this Skill always made him feel like he was losing to Jeong-Hyeon.

    <i>¡®Well, that¡¯s not the important reason, anyway.¡¯</i>

    While most of his old party members would insist that was the most important reason, Jin-Hyeok himself was oblivious to it.

    ¡°For the first time, I will show this Swordsman-exclusive Skill, Shattering Sword, which can be acquired by a Swordsman at Level 60.¡±

    He swung his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    With a loud noise, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan mmed into the wall.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    As if hit by a giant hammer, the wall started to show cracks.

    ¡°I¡¯m making my way! How fortunate.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Wang Yu-Mi watched the chat with a satisfied smile.

    <i>¡®The chat is extra lively today,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Without her having to steer the conversation, the viewers were buzzing with enthusiasm. The content had a powerful pull all its own, and the viewers were very interested.

    -WarmAmericano: LOL, the Navigator just died for real!

    Although the Navigator had not actually died, it seemed as though he had.

    -DooDoo: LOL, it¡¯s like a mere sparrow is trying to imitate a phoenix but managed to die instead.

    -PaPooRika: The Ruler¡¯s also dead. The Streamer is dead. LOL. Why the heck are they following Kim Chul-Soo?

    -GreenAttacker: Even Chul-Soomented that falling down recklessly was not a good idea, yet they did exactly that!

    -WarmAmericano: They just need to do exactly like Chul-Soo, yet they can¡¯t even do that LOL.

    In Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, he did not wait for the other party members. He just went ahead and started to explore the maze.

    ?It¡¯s unfortunate, but I will proceed on my own.?

    The moment the viewers heard him say that, they went wild.

    -WarmAmericano: I bet he is not sad at all right now.

    -ShoeBalm: LOL I bet he¡¯s happy that he is finally able to do something interesting.

    -DooDoo: Just be honest, Chul-Soo. I know you were bored this whole time.

    Then, on-screen Chul-Soo said something unexpected.

    ?While it would be nice to have the skill and leisure to properly navigate through the maze, unfortunately, I don¡¯t have that luxury as a Streamer.?

    -FishGod: He¡¯s back! IntenseMan is back!

    -KimchiCactus: The humble IntenseMan LOL!

    -ShoeBalm: The Kim Chul-Soo Universe has appeared LOL!

    -FierceMan: I am Intense, therefore I am IntenseMan. Haha!

    The Kim Chul-Soo Universe¡ªa world where Kim Chul-Soo is the greatest, unbeknownst to Chul-Soo himself¡ªprovided an unexpected catharsis to many viers. Wang Yu-Mi selectively messaged to Jin-Hyeok the most reasonable chats for feedback.

    <strong>[-MoreMoneyPlz: Looks like Chul-Soo is making the best of the current situation as a Streamer.</strong>

    <strong>-ExtremeYouth: It¡¯s beautiful to see a young man doing his best even in a bad situation. ^.~ I will always cheer for you!</strong>

    <strong>Feedback Summary: Although unorthodox, your earnest effort is garnering positive reactions.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok liked the feedback. The idea of a Streamer being passionate and doing their best was something he wanted to emte. His excitement involuntarily increased.

    ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s keep smashing through these walls!¡±

    [¡¸RealMoleMan¡¹ has donated 10,000 Dias.]

    [¡°Is that even possible?¡±]

    A viewer iming to be the real Mole Man spat out his disbelief. Yu-Mi pinned thement.

    ©»Is that really him?

    ©»The real Mole Man?

    ©»No way. 120% that¡¯s an imposter.

    ©»I¡¯ll bet my wrist that¡¯s not the real Mole Man.

    RealMoleMan kept asserting that he was the true Mole Man, and he was outraged.

    [¡¸RealMoleMan¡¹ has donated 10,000 Dias.]

    [¡°That¡¯s not how a Navigator ys! A Navigator would never do that!¡±]

    ©»You¡¯re right, he¡¯s not a Navigator.

    ©»He¡¯s a Streamer.

    ©»That guy is so angry at the Streamer, maybe he is the real Mole Man.

    RealMoleMan was the nickname he used for the KimKnowItAllTV channel. His yer name was Mole Man and he almost threw his cell phone out of frustration.

    ¡°What is he going to do about those venom darts, moly?¡±

    Chul-Soo blocked them with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    ¡°What about those flying des, moly?¡±

    Chul-Soo blocked them with Star Shield.

    ¡°What about that giant arm attack, moly?¡±

    A wooden arm that looked exactly like the arm of the Madman of the Wilderness attacked Jin-Hyeok. It wasn¡¯t hard for him to dodge the attack. On the screen Jin-Hyeok said,

    ?It¡¯s the same arm that was attached to the Madman of the Wilderness, but the attack pattern is simpler.?

    Jin-Hyeok shared how he dodged it.

    ?You can dodge by moving your feet like this.?

    ¡°Everyone knows that you can dodge attacks like that, moly! It¡¯s just hard to execute!¡±

    Mole Man mmed his desk in frustration. What Chul-Soo was doing was unforgivable. After a long watch, Mole Man slumped his shoulders in defeat.

    ¡°How is he managing to make that work, moly?¡±

    ?That looks like Jonprich¡¯s footprints. I think we are closer to him than I thought.?

    Kim Chul-Soo had discovered watery footprints.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok had discovered human footprints.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve found it.¡¯</i>

    Though there were minor traps along the way to this point, none were much of a problem. The most bothersome one was the Wooden Arm, but fighting against the Madman of the WIlderness had trained him well enough to deal with it effortlessly.

    ¡°The water hasn¡¯t dried yet. It looks like he hasn¡¯t gotten far. I will hurry and follow.¡±

    A dark, lengthy tunnel appeared before him, so dark that he could not see a thing ahead.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Broadcaster¡¯s Light¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°There are footprints on the wall! Looks like he has some kind of a wall-climbing Skill.¡±

    The footprints seemed to continue up the wall. When Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Light to illuminate the dark tunnel, he noticed an increasing number of footprints, as if dozens of people had randomly stamped their feet on the wall. Jin-Hyeok came to his own conclusion.

    ¡°Looks like he has got a lot of feet.¡±

    Then, suddenly, the footprints vanished.

    ¡°But there¡¯s an odd chemical smell in the air.¡±

    It was a scent simr to what one might smell in a hospital. Jin-Hyeok began to feel a slight heaviness in his movements.

    ¡°It seems like some sort of poison is spreading.¡±

    Soon, a voice echoed through the tunnel.

    ¡°Wee to myb.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lifted his head to look at the ceiling.

    ¡°There is a spider wearing sses. Oddly, it has a rather rotund belly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head out of confusion.

    ¡°Is that an obese spider?¡±

    The overall appearance resembled a spider. He looked quite simr to the Madman of the Wilderness Jin-Hyeok had encountered before. His face was identical to that of a surgeon Jin-Hyeok knew, Jonprich.

    <strong>[LV128/Jonprich/Bio-Researcher/<u>Beyond Multiple Dimensions</u>]</strong>

    ¡°He seems to be more insane than I thought. Turns out he wasn¡¯t running away, but luring me into a trap. Purple smoke is leaking from his mouth. I think that is some sort of anesthetic or¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could no longer continue speaking.

    ¡°That was a trap!¡± Jonprich said while bursting into raucousughter.

    The purple smoke was merely a diversion. Jonprich had already dispersed an odorless anesthetic in the air.

    ¡°First, your tongue will go numb. Then, you won¡¯t be able to see. And within a minute, your lungs will rot and decay. You will be the finest specimen, neither dead nor alive!¡± Jonprich said whileughing. ¡°You are going to make quite an interesting test subject.¡±

    He leaped down from the ceiling. Using his rotten wooden arms, he touched Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Ah, such fresh flesh. Haha! I can merge you with the Spirits!¡±

    Jonprich extended his long wooden arm like vines to lift Jin-Hyeok into the air and examined him carefully. Just then, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes snapped open.

    ¡°This is also a trap!¡±

 Chapter 129

    <h4>Chapter 129</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok threw out his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. Having be familiar with the Skills he had been using throughout his journey through the maze, he immediately activated Shattering Sword. The Greatsword shattered Jonprich¡¯s sses and struck one of his eyes.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Jonprich let out a scream, covering his eyes with his four limbs. This allowed Jin-Hyeok to break free from him.

    ¡°Through Broadcaster''s irvoyance, I have already seen that a colorless, odorless anesthetic gas was filling the area,¡± Jin-Hyeok quickly said.

    He had been deliberately hiding this information. He was beginning to know what to reveal to the viewers and what to keep hidden. His coboration with Bong King had been quite helpful in that aspect.

    ¡°I¡¯m also reaching my limit on holding my breath.¡±

    Using the same principle as before, Jin-Hyeok had protected himself with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier by maintaining a thinyer of it over his skin to minimize his contact with the anesthetic gas.

    <i>¡®That was really tough.¡¯</i>

    Not only did he have to pay attention to his livestream, but he also had to avoid being fatally injured by Jonprich, hold his breath, and maintain the Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier all at the same time.

    <i>¡®The path of bing a great Streamer is truly high and steep.¡¯</i>

    Being a Swordsman seemed so much easier inparison. Back then, all he had to do was just mindlessly swing his sword. However, the moreplicated his life got, the greater the sense of aplishment he felt.

    ¡°I will use this,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, pulling out an item from his inventory.

    <strong>[Superior Spirit Stone of Fire]</strong>

    ¡°If I detonate the Spirit energy with this, I should be able to clear out all of this colorless, odorless anesthetic,¡± Jin-Hyeok dered.

    He tossed the Spirit Stone into the air and swung his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, like a bat.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Shattering Sword¡¹.]</strong>

    A ze of red fire ignited. mes imbued with Spirit energy enveloped both Jin-Hyeok and Jonprich. Naturally, the fire consumed Jin-Hyeok as well, filling him with a sense of pride.

    <i>¡®Humans really are adaptive creatures.¡¯</i>

    Had he encountered these mes when he first entered the New World, the agony would have been far worse. However, repeated interactions with the Spirits had made him quite ustomed to the Spirit energy.

    ¡°But it seems Jonprich has far greater resistance to the Spirit me than I do.¡±

    The Spirit me could not even stick to Jonprich¡¯s legs.

    ¡°After all, he is a monster with eight limbs made of wood from theva. It makes sense that he would have that sort of resistance.¡±

    Although the mes had caught onto Jonprich¡¯s face and torso, the monster puffed up his belly and inhaled the mes.

    ¡°He ate the fire! His belly area has turned red.¡±

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know that was possible. Can I do that too? Wouldn¡¯t it be convenient if I could block fire like that?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily curious, but he had little room for experimentation right now. Just conducting a livestream while battling Jonprich was overwhelming enough.

    ¡°A madman who experiments with Spirits on living creatures would naturally have such resistance,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok never intended to inflict damage on Jonprich with the Spirit me, so it did not matter.

    Just then, a wooden arm flew toward Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    ¡°I just need to quickly dodge the attack.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok still could afford to broadcast his next step to his viewers. He took a few steps backward and dodged the wooden arm.

    ¡°Another attack ising.¡±

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    The freely extending wooden arms drove into the ground. Once again, Jin-Hyeok took several steps backward and dodged them.

    ¡°It looks like Jonprich¡¯s appearance has be quite grotesque.¡±

    On Jonprich¡¯s torso, which originally had eight limbs, dozens more had sprouted. Each arm writhed as if it possessed its own life.

    ¡°He¡¯s definitely a high-Level monster.¡±

    The arms themselves stretched and contracted like rubber, moving freely at will. They attacked Jin-Hyeok in various ways: once like a whip, another time like a blunt weapon, and yet another like a spear. asionally, they even caused explosions. Theplex and clever range and means of attack left Jin-Hyeok without the leisure he had before.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s strong.¡¯</i>

    A sly grin formed on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face. Jonprich was indeed a Level 128 monster.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been rtively able to dodge his attacks thanks to his attacks being slightly off the mark.¡¯</i>

    Reducing Jonprich¡¯s field of vision during the first attack had been a wise choice. The monster¡¯s precision had faltered. Yet, Jonprich seemed to be growing ustomed to his impaired vision.

    ¡°The attacks are bing sharper. It¡¯s really hard to counter with ordinary swordsmanship,¡± Jin-Hyeokmented.

    While pressuring Jin-Hyeok with most of his arms, Jonprich used two remaining arms to mold y into a round shape. Soon after, he pierced his damaged eye with a quick stab, plucked it out, and threw it to the ground.

    ¡°He is an interesting fellow.¡±

    Jonprich inserted the round clump of mud into his eye socket. The clump of mud began to spin before morphing into an eyeball. Jonprich had fully recovered from the injury.

    A sly chuckle escaped from Jonprich.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s really get down to business.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°We need to move quickly,¡± Kim Mu-Jin, the Navigator, said.

    Before he knew it, the resurrected Bong King, Kang Min-Hyeok, Lee Hyeon-Seong, and even Choi Gang-Byeok had descended into the well. Time was running out, and Mu-Jin grew increasingly anxious.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo is still progressing in Solo Mode. It¡¯s quite strange when you think about it. Why does this Dungeon have a setting where someone is set as the one who is leading and the others are the ones who follow? And why, after bringing them all together, allow that one person to retain the Solo Mode? There are some bizarre contradictions urring here,¡± Mu-Jin said.

    Mu-Jin barely managed to calm his pounding heart. Having recovered from a near-death state, he felt like he had pushed his own limits. It thrust him into a state of intense euphoria.

    ¡°To fully clear this New World, toplete the Scenario, our roles have clearly been assigned. Chul-Soo has shattered the maze and headed somewhere. We can¡¯t say his path is wrong, but the path I thought of is a bit different.¡±

    Mu-Jin spoke fervently.

    ¡°Our paths have been different from the start. We must go a different way. Our role is not just to follow the steps of the one who has gone before but to go on our own. We have to show our strength elsewhere. We should notpete with Chul-Soo. We must coborate! In our own way!¡±

    Mu-Jin then began to pave a new path, in the style of a Navigator. It was in the opposite direction to Chul-Soo¡¯s path.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s easier than I expected.¡¯</i>

    Though he was not sure why, many traps seemed to have been destroyed. It was probably because Chul-Soo had demolished the maze to create his path.

    Mu-Jin entered the Trance Realm, advancing at a pace that would make it difficult for other yers to catch up. His eyes shone with a madness akin to someone with a runner¡¯s high.

    Lagging behind, Ruler Kang Min-Hyeok felt intensely stimted in his own way.

    <i>¡®That look in his eyes... That¡¯s the same look Chul-Soo has,¡¯ </i>Min-Hyeok thought.

    That look was indeed the foundation of an excellent yer.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been thinking about this all wrong.¡¯</i>

    To reach great heights, one had to be a bit mad. Though Min-Hyeok knew this intellectually, it was the first time he felt it viscerally. Even the eyes of Min-Hyeok, who was considered to have the mostmon sense, began to change a little.

    Bong King caught this transformation on his livestream.

    ?Our Ruler is Awakening! Are you guys seeing this? Our party members are growing stronger in real-time! This is all thanks to me, Bong King!?

    The viewers mocked Bong King.

    -Yeah, right.

    -Anyone can see that he is only motivated because of Chul-Soo. Stop lying.

    <strong>? ? ?</strong>

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s really get down to business.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok heard Jonprich¡¯s voice, he changed his Achievement.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t been using the One Who Breaks Artificiality Achievement until now.¡±

    The change was instantaneous.

    ¡°You know, upon reflection, Jonprich is the very definition of artificiality.¡±

    Jonprich had modified his own body, fusing it into a Chimera-like amalgamation of body parts. This made the One Who Breaks Artificiality Achievement exceedingly effective against him.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Shattering Sword¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Apanied by the sound, a wooden arm belonging to Jonprich snapped off powerlessly.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t be doing this...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok still saw swords as weapons meant for slicing and stabbing.

    <i>¡®This is not supposed to be this fun!¡¯</i>

    Swinging the sword like a blunt weapon was clearly frowned upon in the world of a Swordsman. It was almost disrespectful to the de itself.

    <i>¡®But then again, I¡¯m not a Swordsman, am I?¡¯</i>

    Upon reconsidering, he recalled his actual Job: a Streamer. And a Streamer had no obligation to think like a Swordsman.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m right. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯</i>

    Truthfully, the sensation of swinging his sword like a blunt weapon was not too unpleasant.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s even more fun because I have never done this before.¡¯</i>

    Employing the One Who Breaks Artificiality Achievement had made deflecting Jonprich¡¯s attacks substantially easier. Despite his diminished stamina, facing the opponent had be more manageable.

    <i>Snap!</i>

    Another wooden arm twisted grotesquely and broke off.

    <i>¡®If the same thing keeps happening, my livestream will get boring, right?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok already figured out the attack patterns.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just quickly break the arms.¡¯</i>

    In just fifteen minutes, dozens of the wooden arms that clung to Jin-Hyeok were smashed to smithereens. With all his limbs shattered, Jonprich screamed, ¡°You bastard!¡±

    A stream of purple venom spewed from his mouth.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    Upon contact with the air, the liquid instantly vaporized. Jin-Hyeok quickly covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the venom is specifically targeting me. More likely, Jonprich is just buying time. I will take a closer look.¡±

    The broken arms shattered into fragments, embedding themselves into the ground surrounding Jonprich. Soon enough, the fragments coalesced, forming a fortress-like barrier around him.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need to take a closer look through the gaps.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok managed to slow down Jonprich¡¯s movement. The monster was not particrly fast to begin with, so slowing down his movement allowed Jin-Hyeok to see what Jonprich was doing.

    ¡°He is using his arms to construct a fortress, shielding his back,¡± Jin-Hyeok narrated, finding the situation vaguely familiar.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, isn¡¯t that ability quite simr to Mok Jae-Hyeok¡¯s Wood Fortress?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a curious sense of nostalgia but maintained his focus on the livestream.

    ¡°The back is beginning to split. Something seems to be squirming and emerging from there.¡±

    A sticky green liquid oozed from Jonprich¡¯s back, and from it, something covered in white scales started wriggling like arva and then began to rise.

    ¡°Ah, I get it. He is in the middle of transforming.¡±

    Being vulnerable during transformation, it seemed Jonprich was using the purple poison mist and the wooden fortress for protection.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered,¡± Jin-Hyeok mused, recalling his childhood fascination with robot cartoons.

    <i>Why don¡¯t the viins get attacked while they are transforming?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the perfect time to attack be during a transformation?¡±

    A wry smile crept onto Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face. The target was too tempting, too opportune.

    Unconsciously, he found himself murmuring, <i>¡°</i>What a wonderful day for a good stabbing.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was currently located inside a sewer. It wasn¡¯t possible to confirm the weather, but that did not matter.

 Chapter 130

    <h4>Chapter 130</h4>

    In a world where alliances reigned supreme, the KSM Alliance stood out as a testament to a new direction. WIth the illustrious full name of ¡®Kim Chul-Soo Ssibal Mok Jae-Hyeon Alliance,¡¯ it was an alliance formed by Mok Jae-Hyeon due to his frustration with his previous affiliated alliance in regard to their overly cautious ys that prioritized safety.

    Known by various names such as the K-Division or K-Alliance, it was a faction under Kim Chul-Soo¡¯smand and had recently been enjoying a surge in poprity. Mok Jae-Hyeon, the leader of the KSM Alliance, skillfully utilized his favorite defensive Skill, Wood Fortress, to block the relentless assaults from a bird-type monster.

    The monster¡¯s attacks were razor-sharp and it was as swift as a giant eagle. However, that was based on ordinary standards.

    <i>¡®This is too easy!¡¯ </i>Jae-Hyeon thought.

    Let¡¯s put it this way. When someone was going at a speed of one hundred kilometers per hour, they would naturally be considered as going pretty fast, right? However, if the very same person was used to going at a speed of one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour, and they suddenly had to drop their speed down to one hundred kilometers per hour, it would naturally feel slow. To the person, at least.

    Jae-Hyeon was experiencing such a phenomenon.

    <i>¡®Such weak attacks...¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, his training partner was always Choi Gang-Byeok. After his regression, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s training partner was always Mok Jae-Hyeon. Having been trained against Jin-Hyeok, Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened.

    <i>¡®Compared to Jin-Hyeok...¡¯</i>

    With thoughts of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attacks in his mind, Jae-Hyeon parried the bird-type monster¡¯s talon assault.

    <i>¡®...This is nothing!¡¯</i>

    Jae-Hyeon was tinged with a hint of madness. He could feel himself spiraling, a state he could not deny, especially given what his party members were sayingtely¡ªthat he was bing influenced by Jin-Hyeok. It was a confusing mix of emotions, one he both enjoyed and disliked.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice seemed to echo in his ears.

    <i>¡°Why are you wasting such good physical attributes?¡¯</i>

    Though Jin-Hyeok was physically fighting the bird-type monster, in Jae-Hyeon¡¯s mental world, his real opponent was the Cha Jin-Hyeok in his mind. In this inner universe, the sharp talons and the beak of the monster had suddenly transformed into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword.

    ¡°YAAAH!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled softly. The buoyancy of his mood nearly made him draw his sword at that instant, but he exercised extreme restraint and quickly spoke, ¡°I will talk about ser as an example. Some yers excel at dribbling, some have a wide field of vision, some have an exceptional shooting ability, and some have a knack for positioning.¡±

    Yet, if one excelled in certain areas, there were bound to be shorings as well.

    ¡°Jonprich¡¯s defensive ability seems to be incredibly poor.¡±

    The wooden arm created from theva was undoubtedly durable and strong¡ªfar more resilient than the wood conjured by Jae-Hyeon¡¯s Skills. However, its application was inferior inparison. Jin-Hyeok spat out the words he had already said to Jae-Hyeon several times before, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why he would use such impressive physical attributes so ineffectively.¡±

    Without a second thought, Jin-Hyeok lunged at Jonprich.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a shame I had to prevent his second phase...¡¯</i>

    Had Jin-Hyeok been the Swordsman Cha Jin-Hyeok, he might have allowed the second phase tomence. However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective widened as he became a Streamer, and he embraced the bigger picture now.

    <i>¡®Somewhere out there, I bet Bong King and the other yers are up to something.¡¯</i>

    In this Scenario, Jin-Hyeok was the one who was leading, while Bong King¡¯s team were mere followers. Their rtionship was both cooperative andpetitive.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t lose to them.¡¯</i>

    Strong opponents would continue to emerge, but defeat was evesting.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸One With the Sword¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Sharper Spirit¡¹.]</strong>

    By simultaneously activating two Skills, Jin-Hyeok maximized their effects. A different kind of excitement and thrill washed over him, distinct from his days as a Swordsman.

    <i>¡®I like this.¡¯</i>

    These days, Jin-Hyeok was tasting a new world of exhration. He was learning that there was a joy beyond just fighting strong opponents.

    ¡°Before the second phase, Jonprich seems to be in an incredibly vulnerable state.¡±

    Digging into the opponent¡¯s weaknesses and striking urately, even quelling them before they could fully disy their Skills¡ªthis too provided endless delight and excitement for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°If I just target these weak points and strike them, I can prate the wooden fortress formed by his wooden arm. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡±

    Inside, Jin-Hyeok found Jonprich in the midst of a transformation. A viscous green liquid oozed without pause, making him look like a human-shapedrva. Jin-Hyeok grinned devilishly and lunged toward Jonproch.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯</i>

    ¡°I will try and sh hi¡ª¡±

    <i>¡®Wait a minute.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok barely stopped his sword in time.

    ¡°It seems like I got carried away by the Surprise Mission.¡±

    He almost embarrassed himself as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®A normal Streamer would not be this sloppy on a livestream.¡¯</i>

    After catching his breath, Jin-Hyeok carefully examined Jonprich, who was still in the midst of transforming. He approached him to ask him something.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Exclusive In-Depth Interview¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    No reply came, of course. Not that Jin-Hyeok actually wanted one.

    <i>¡®I need to rescue the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter.¡¯</i>

    Fighting Jonprich led to this realization that Jonprich was not just a spider with a big belly.

    <i>¡®It seems like the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter is trapped inside that belly.¡¯</i>

    He sensed an odd Spirit energy near Jonprich¡¯s stomach. It seemed like the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter was sealed in there. While brainstorming ways to rescue her, Jin-Hyeok did his best to keep the viewers entertained.

    ¡°Mr. Jonprich, may I kill you?¡±

    If he killed Jonprich outright, he might also kill the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter. He needed to cut open the belly to rescue her, but even he wasn¡¯t confident about that.

    <i>¡®If it¡¯s just killing, I can do it easily, but...¡¯</i>

    However, saving someone was a different story. With his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, Jin-Hyeok sliced several strands of the sticky green fment. Groaning in what seemed like agony, the unconscious Jonprich writhed.

    ¡°It looks like Jonprich is absorbing nutrients from these fments.¡±

    He decided to stop this source first. Jin-Hyeok swung his sword wildly.

    <i>sh! sh! sh!</i>

    Relentlessly, he cut through the regenerating green fments. A fair amount of time passed.

    Jonprich, who failed to transform, finally spoke, ¡°J-Just... kill... me...¡±

    Entranced by the invigorating feel of the battle, Jin-Hyeok could not hear him. He continued to sever the regenerating green fments with relentless determination.

    ? ? ?

    <i>¡®Should I give up on rescuing the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had already wasted much time. It took quite a while before he could hear Jonprich¡¯s whimper of, ¡®Just end it, kill me,¡¯ which hadpletely dampened Jin-Hyeok¡¯s enthusiasm.

    The fun was gone.

    <i>¡®Is it too greedy to save the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter as well?¡¯</i>

    Killing Jonprich alone would secure him the Phoenix Heart. To wish for more in such a situation felt like greed, but he was the only one who had advanced up to this point in the Scenario of the New World, so a little greed seemed justifiable.

    <i>¡®As time goes by, it seems Jonprich is suffering more.¡¯</i>

    There was no enjoyment in repeatedly shing a monster that had lost his will to fight. Jonprich had by now shriveled in size. The Level of the fallen monster that failed to transform plummeted to around Level 50.

    <i>¡®The content will be too boring at this rate.¡¯</i>

    This could not go on. Jin-Hyeok had to just kill Jonprich.

    Just as he made up his mind, Mu-Jin the Navigator hurriedly ran up to him. By the way, the fortress made of wooden arms had long since shriveled.

    ¡°Hey! I think I have discovered something!¡± Mu-Jin said, his face flushed with color. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve figured out why this ce is called the New World!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°This pce is set as Jonprich¡¯sboratory. Jonprich conducted experiments on cutting and merging things that were originally separate. In the process, the power of the Spirits was needed.¡±

    Mu-Jin had proceeded with the New World in a different way from Jin-Hyeok and had obtained many clues in his own way.

    ¡°Spirits are entities that roam the various corners of the universe without constraints. They move to other Servers through a special ritual called summoning. The existence of Spirit Summoners on Earth, which was not yet connected to other worlds, is proof of that.¡±

    ¡°...Hmm.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never thought about it that way. He was intrigued as well.

    ¡°The power that links the worlds. Jonprich used and studied that power. He created rifts between dimensions through that power.¡±

    In some ambiguous space, neither of this dimension nor that, there existed a ce called the rift between dimensions.

    ¡°It seems that Jonprich forcibly conducted experiments to artificially create a rift in dimensions within his own belly,¡± Mu-Jin said.

    ¡°Why??¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but if the connected dimensions get severed, it generates an immense explosive force that damages both dimensions.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s actually true.¡¯</i>

    It was a fact that woulde to light in the future. In his past life, there were indeed some viinous Alliances who hadmitted acts of terrorism by deliberately severing dimensional passages.

    ¡°I think Jonprich thought that he could rule the world if he could control that power. Could you possibly permit me some time to dissect his belly?¡± Mu-Jin asked.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Mu-Jin¡¯s expression was incredibly earnest.

    ¡°However, Jonprich must not die,¡± Mu-Jin said.

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, having already lost interest, was casually severing the green fments that were supplying energy to Jonprich.

    ¡°And I shouldn¡¯t give him enough time to fully recover as well, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, that would be great.¡±

    ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no choice.¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok was uninterested, it seemed like he had to continue this monotonous, repetitivebor.

    ¡°Just... kill... me...!¡± Jonprich wailed.

    Jin-Hyeok found himself somewhat empathetic toward Jonprich¡¯s agony.

    <i>¡®Neither alive nor dead... Being in between is always the hardest.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew that feeling all too well, so he was exceptionally good at regting Jonprich¡¯s current state.

    <i>¡®If I cut off any more here, he will die.¡¯</i>

    Thus, Jin-Hyeok deliberately supplied some energy.

    <i>¡®If I give him more energy, he is going to fully recover.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok severed just enough of the green fments so that Jonprich would stay in the current state. His delicate bncing was nothing short of extraordinary.

    Mu-Jin was sweating bullets as he worked on dissecting Jonprich¡¯s bloated abdomen.

    ¡°Just... one more step and we¡¯re done...!¡±

    Before he knew it, Mu-Jin¡¯s whole body was covered in a thick, green, groovy liquid. A foul odor, indescribable in its potency, radiated from him. Yet, unfazed, he looked at Jin-Hyeok with eyes filled with an unquenchable thirst.

    ¡°We just need one more piece. For that... I need your assistance, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Mu-Jin said.

    ¡°My assistance?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I need the lost research journal that Jonprich...¡±

    Mu-Jin hesitated. Through Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, he knew that Chul-Soo had acquired the Fragment of Jonprich¡¯s Lost Research Journal. Asking for it felt audacious.

    ¡°Oh, this?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He held out the Journal without any conditions attached.

    ¡°You¡¯re giving this to me just like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, if it will help you dissect the abdomen effectively.¡±

    Jonprich mumbled, ¡°I... can hear you... You wretched beings...!¡± but Jin-Hyeok paid him no mind.

    ¡°However, if anything goodes out of that belly, it¡¯s mine, alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The Kim Mu-Jin, before and after entering the New World, were entirely different beings. He had turned into someone who found great satisfaction in aplishing things that nobody else had. The sheer act was pleasurable; the rewards that followed were immaterial. Jin-Hyeok admired Kim Mu-Jin.

    <i>¡®As expected, he¡¯s amazing.¡¯</i>

    Mu-Jin felt exhrated under Jin-Hyeok¡¯s approving gaze.

    Meanwhile, Bong King watched the two of them and gulped.

    <i>¡®...I hope it wasn¡¯t a mistake to change my livestream concept...¡¯</i>

    There was no doubt that Jin-Hyeok was not just crazy, but the kind of crazy that drove everyone around him mad. Bong King was doing his livestream with the concept of belittling and ridiculing such a madman, and it was working to some extent. However, now, he found himself increasingly anxious, feeling like he had fallen into the trap of KingGodGeneral Yumi.

    Still, Bong King did not let it show and continued his livestream enthusiastically.

    ¡°Jonprich¡¯s abdomen has split open! Brilliant rays of light are seeping out! And there are numerous mes of various colors erupting! These are Spirit Fires, made up of tremendous Spirit power!¡±

    The surrounding atmosphere grew extremely hot in an instant.

    It was hotter than the Burning Fortress.

    Mu-Jin quickly shouted, ¡°We need a medium to channel this overflowing Spirit power back into the Spirit Dimension!¡±

    Then he turned to Lee Hyeon-Seong.

    ¡°I need you to stab his anus,¡± Mu-Jin requested.

    ¡°...Anus?¡±

    ¡°Yes, deeply.¡±

    ¡°How deep?¡±

    ¡°Deeper than what Chul-Soo would have done.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong¡¯spetitive spirit red up. He was to pierce deeper than what Chul-Soo would have done.

    Gritting his teeth, Hyeon-Seong muttered, ¡°Then I shall pierce it, without question, deeply.¡±

    <i>¡®Watch me, Kim Chul-Soo!¡¯</i> Hyeon-Seong thought, his eyes filled with madness.

    Lying helplessly on his back, Jonprich, neither dead nor alive, mumbled, ¡°Please... save me... from the world of madmen...¡±

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Emboldened by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stylish (?) line of ¡®My sword shatters artifice,¡¯ Hyeon-Seong muttered to himself, ¡°My sword will shatter your anus.¡±

 Chapter 131

    <h4>Chapter 131</h4>

    Lee Hyeon-Seong gave it his all as he stabbed Jonprich''s anus. Although it was only for a brief moment, Hyeon-Seong felt as if he had entered the Trance Realm. Exhaling a heated breath, he unconsciously let his true feelings slip.

    .¡°How does it feel?¡± Hyeon-Seong asked

    Jonprich trembled as if shocked by electricity. Jonprich was unable to scream, and his eyes turned a shade of red that went beyond bloodshot, morphing into the color of ripe tomatoes.

    ¡°Urghh... Uck.... Eeek...¡±

    Jonprich emitted groans that were barely considered groans¡ªit was the most he could muster after he was overwhelmed by Hyeon-Seong¡¯s madness. Jonprich himself had conducted innumerable experiments on others, but even he himself never had the audacity to ask his test subjects how they felt. Such a question went beyond the bounds of morality, venturing into the grotesque.

    However, the ¡°How does it feel¡± was not intended for Jonprich. Instead, it was aimed at Cha Jin-Hyeok, who was frowning slightly.

    <i>¡®Wow,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought to himself, his mood darkening a notch.

    <i>¡®Stealing my spotlight just like that?¡¯</i>

    This was a clear vition of their respective Jobs. Interviews were the domains of Streamers, not Swordsmen.

    <i>¡®Why can¡¯t we respect each other¡¯s domains?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s lips moved to form these words, but no sound emerged. Hyeon-Seong, whose focus had entirely shifted to Jin-Hyeok, was taken aback.

    <i>¡®What about all the things that you¡¯ve done till now? Were you respecting my Job?¡¯</i> Hyeon-Seong thought. He wanted to counter Jin-Hyeok¡¯s argument but held himself back. After all, Jin-Hyeok was in the middle of his livestream, seemingly having had some sort of epiphany.

    ¡°Ah, so Hyeon-Seong was asking me, not Jonprich,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered, his mood souring even further.

    <i>¡®He didn¡¯t even do much, but he¡¯s asking me ¡°How does it feel?¡±? This is from Lee Hyeon-Seong, who once eagerly dered himself my rival?¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was deeply disappointed in him, but the situation was too pressing to express that outright. It was time to move on with his content.

    ¡°A medium that can channel the Spirit power, huh...¡±

    Pretending to be lost in thought, Jin-Hyeok conveyed a moment of intense internal struggle. In the meantime, their Healer could not take the heat from the mes and died.

    <i>¡®Since the Healer is dead, the others are going to die also.¡¯</i>

    ¡°The agony of burning to death might be painful, but it seems like everyone has grown rather numb to pain.¡±

    Experience was crucial, after all.

    <i>¡®They should all be thankful for me, right?¡¯</i>

    Just as Jin-Hyeok was basking in this inner satisfaction, Bong King, drenched in sweat, asked, ¡°Do you have any brilliant ideas this time around?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Everyone is full of expectation that the almighty Kim Chul-Soo would know what to do,¡± Bong King said, raising the tension with his irritating tone. ¡°Even the almighty Chul-Soo seems to be out of options. We should just focus on killing Jonprich. Don¡¯t you have a mission rted to killing Jonprich?¡±

    The subtext was clear: Stop being greedy and just take the Phoenix Heart and leave. Jin-Hyeok was once again impressed.

    <i>¡®Wow, look at his detestable expression. I just want to punch him in the face.¡¯</i>

    Bong King was nailing that kind of acting. His expression, tone, and the subtext of what he was saying were all perfect.

    <i>¡®There¡¯s so much to learn from him.¡¯</i>

    Seeing that expression on Jin-Hyeok, Hyeon-Seong¡¯s pride had taken a blow. It was the kind of look he had long yearned for from Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®What am Icking?! Why isn¡¯t he looking at me like that?¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong thought.

    Once again, Hyeon-Seong lifted his sword and, with more passion than before, cut through the anus.

    ¡°My... sword shatters anus...!¡±

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The mes roared even more fiercely, apanied by the sound of sobbing from somewhere. Spirit Fire raged as if to consume the entire area. Enveloped by these intense mes, Hyeon-Seong met a valiant death. Jin-Hyeok then approached Jonprich¡¯s anus.

    ¡°Finally, Hyeon-Seong has done something useful.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok needed this much crack in the anus so he could proceed with what he was trying to do.

    ? ? ?

    Before he joined up with the Bong King¡¯s party, Jin-Hyeok had a conversation with Fire Spirit Igrit.

    [Please... save... the... daughter... of the... Spirit King...]

    <strong>[1. ¡±Of course, I will find the Spirit King¡¯s daughter, thwart Jonprich¡¯s nefarious deeds, and stand with you.¡±]</strong>

    <strong>[2. ¡°Battles are the only thing that keeps me alive. I have dreamed of battling you, Igrit, the Fire Spirit.¡±]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had nearly chosen the second option, but his refined judgment led him to choose the first.

    [Please...]

    With that, Igrit had transformed into a small ember and moved somewhere else. The path Igrit led him to had been the next Field, the Burning Fortress Third Floor.

    Jin-Hyeok then continued his livestream.

    ¡°Igrit, who had gone up to the third floor before me, has now vanished.¡±

    Igrit knew exactly what his role was.

    ¡°It seems it was waiting here for an opportunity. It revealed itself when the Spirit power was strengthening.¡±

    The moment Jonprich¡¯s belly split and Spirit Fire roared the area, Jin-Hyeok knew that Igrit, who had vanished earlier, would reappear here. With the help of the Streamer-exclusive Skill Transcendent Trantion, Jin-Hyeok could read Igrit¡¯s intentions.

    [Use me... as the medium... to open the... Spirit Gate...]

    That was already three minutes ago.

    Jin-Hyeok heard Bong King talking to him.

    ¡°Ugh... I can¡¯t hold on anymore. Let¡¯s meet at the save point. There¡¯s no point for me to hold out any longer. So just die, so we can have a tactical meeting. Okay?¡±

    Bong King¡¯s skin had melted and looked soggy. It was hard to understand why he had deteriorated so quickly when he also had Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, like Jin-Hyeok.

    Especially when he was such a great Streamer.

    <i>¡®Is his ability to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier subpar?¡¯</i>

    While Bong King¡¯s character design and storytelling were great, his ability to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier might becking. Still, it was understandable, since every Streamer had their own strengths and weaknesses.

    Anyway, Bong King had died, and Jin-Hyeok continued with his livestream, highly motivated.

    <i>¡®Bong King, watch closely. I deliberately didn¡¯t disclose my conversation with Igrit.¡¯</i>

    Everything had its proper timing. Around the time when everyone except Choi Gang-Byeok had died, Jin-Hyeok spoke, ¡°I think we can open the Spirit Gate using Igrit as the medium.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok leaped high and swung his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, at the fiery form of Igrit. The Spirit, which was a single mass of me, dispersed like smoke and began to absorb the surrounding mes. It acted like a small ck hole, sucking up all the various mes that were burning the area.

    <i>Sob... Sob...!</i>

    The sound of a young girl crying came from somewhere. It was from within Jonprich¡¯s belly. Perhaps it was because Jonrpich expelled all the Spirit energy he had been holding, but his belly looked emaciated.

    Jin-Hyeok asked Gang-Byeok, the only one who had survived, ¡°Check inside the belly. I hear a voice.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Somehow, this Choi Gang-Byeok did not seem like the Gang-Byeok he knew, who never listened to what he said.

    Gang-Byeok¡¯s expression looked somewhatplex. It looked like he had something to say but was holding back for now.

    Anyway, Gang-Byeok rushed toward where the crying wasing from, and Jin-Hyeok continued with his livestream.

    ¡°I will try to control the situation so Jonprich does not regain his strength.¡±

    Before fully rescuing the daughter of the Spirit King of Fire, Jin-Hyeok decided to postpone killing Jonprich.

    Just in case.

    <i>¡®Did I overdo it?¡¯</i>

    Jonprich kept begging for a quick death, and it was bing boring.

    After a bit of time passed, Gang-Byeok appeared, carrying a young girl.

    ¡°I saved her,¡± Gang-Byeok said.

    Thanking him right now would be a bit awkward. If it had been the old days, Jin-Hyeok would have promised to stab him in the heart next time. However, this was not the time to say that.

    In the midst of the awkwardness, Jin-Hyeok eventually said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    It felt like the biggest growth he had had in a long time.

    Then, Gang-Byeok whispered to him, ¡°What the hell are you trying to do?¡±

    ? ? ?

    A few minutes ago.

    In Gang-Byeok¡¯s mind, an inconceivable picture was drawn.

    <i>¡®Did Kim Chul-Soo know everything from the start?¡¯ </i>Gang-Byeok thought.

    It seemed unlikely, but for some reason, he felt that way. Chul-Soo appeared to have known about Igrit from the start and had some idea of how to open the Spirit Gate.

    <i>¡®Was he waiting for most of our party to die...?¡¯</i>

    Dramatically solving a problem in a moment of crisis was considered a bit clich¨¦, but it was effective.

    <i>¡®He could have saved everyone but chose not to.¡¯</i>

    Everyone was burned alive. Party members who had be incredibly ustomed to moderate suffering were screaming when they died. Some could not bear the pain, rolling on the ground until they died. Some yers even took their own lives.

    <i>¡®And he just turned a blind eye to all this? Is that how he built the concept for the livestream?¡¯</i>

    Gang-Byeok clenched his fists. Chul-Soo¡¯s actions had a significant impact on him.

    <i>¡®Wow... He is something else.¡¯</i>

    Admiring Chul-Soo for a moment, Gang-Byeok suddenly became angry. He whispered softly to Chul-Soo, ¡°What the hell are you trying to do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swiftly muted his livestream, cutting off Gang-Byeok¡¯s voice.

    ¡°You can speak up. I¡¯ve muted the livestream,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You have been intense the entire time. You¡¯ve deeply impacted me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not say anything. It was notmon for him to receive such praise from Gang-Byeok.

    ¡°But look at yourself right now,¡± Gang-Byeok said.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at his appearance and had a small realization.

    ¡°...Ah.¡±

    ¡°Bong King is the number one Streamer in Korea.¡±

    He was neck and neck with Kang Mi-Na, but right now, Bong King was still considered number one.

    ¡°And Bong King melted and died.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The disappointment in Jin-Hyeok was as great as the respect Gang-Byeok had for him.

    ¡°So shouldn¡¯t you at least suffer third-degree burns to make the story believable?¡± Gang-Byeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What the hell is going on? You look so clean! Are you even really a Streamer?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I get it, you¡¯re very skilled. But is that right for a Streamer? Are you some kind of Tank? Or a Swordsman?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s always been good at telling harsh truths,¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Old memories flitted through his mind. Gang-Byeok had always been good at speaking ufortable truths.

    <i>¡°You say the right thing. So right that I¡¯m gonna punch you in the face.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®I used to just stab him back then.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡°Why would you stab me with a warning, you idiot!¡±</i>

    <i>¡®And Gang-Byeok used to just block my attack and yell at me.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡°If you were going to stab me, you should¡¯ve done it without warning!¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok considered just stabbing him again like he used to, but couldn¡¯t. The current Jin-Hyeok was not a Swordsman, but a Streamer with a livestream to run.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m stillcking as a Streamer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Like Bong King, Jin-Hyeok needed to be able to do three things at once, but he had not yet reached that level of expertise. The standards he had set for himself had risen.

    ¡°Then do better,¡± Gang-Byeok said.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unmuted the livestream and continued his narration.

    ¡°There is a young girl here. She is unconscious. There is not much I can do right now, so we will wait for the Healer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shifted his gaze to capture the Spirit Gate that had consumed all the mes.

    ¡°That Spirit Gate... I have a feeling something might burst out of it. What if the Spirit King of Fire appears when it fully opens?¡±

    Yet nothing significant happened.

    ¡°Before the Healer arrives, I want to ask you, Wind Wanderer. I¡¯ve sessfully killed Jonprich. Does that count as the mission aplished?¡±

    A notification followed.

    <strong>[You have cleared the Mission.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have received ¡¸Phoenix Heart¡¹ as the mission reward.]</strong>

    Just then, a throbbing heart revealed itself from the Spirit Gate. The heart, engulfed in mes, slowly descended andnded on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s palm.

    <i>Tssss.</i>

    His flesh sizzled. Despite using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, the heat was difficult to ward off.

    <i>¡®Wow, the heat is no joke.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, another Surprise Mission was generated.

    <strong>[You have received a Surprise Mission.]</strong>

    <strong>[Creator of the Surprise Mission: MoneyShower.]</strong>

    It did not stop there.

    <strong>[You have received a Surprise Mission.]</strong>

    <strong>[Creator of the Surprise Mission: MoneyShot.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®I thought it was difficult to generate consecutive Surprise Missions.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had heard that a ton of money had to be poured into the System for this to happen, though he could not confirm that.

    <strong>[Mission Title: Eat It Quick.]</strong>

    <strong>[Mission Title: We¡¯re All Gonna Die!]</strong>

    Two iprehensible missions were given.

    ¡°So, MoneyShower has given me the ¡®Eat It Quick¡¯ mission and MoneyShot has given me the ¡®We¡¯re All Gonna Die!¡¯ mission.¡±

    The contents of the missions were strange.

    ¡°The ¡®Eat It Quick¡¯ mission wants me to consume the Phoenix Heart and I get the Phoenix Liver as the reward.¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, the Phoenix Liver was sold for three hundred billion won in an auction! Can this really be called a mission?¡¯</i>

    ¡°And for the ¡®We¡¯re All Gonna Die!¡¯ mission, the reward for consuming the Phoenix Heart is the me of Nebidia.¡±

    The two missions promised the Phoenix Liver and the me of Nebidia respectively, just for eating the Phoenix Heart.

    <i>¡®Ah...!¡¯</i>

    Upon checking the mission rewards, Jin-Hyeok could see why they were doing this.

    <i>¡®So, this is how it is.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok smiled.

 Chapter 132

    <h4>Chapter 132</h4>

    In Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s Alchemist Workshop...

    Lilia the Subus informed Choi Gap-Soo, ¡°Chairman, Michelle Jang hase to visit.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡±

    ¡°Shall I send her up?¡±

    ¡°No need. I think she¡¯s already here.¡±

    <i>Ding!</i>

    With that sound, the elevator door opened. This elevator was not the creation of human technology but a System Artifact. The official term for it was the Dimensional Gate and where it led to was Gap-Soo¡¯s self-made sanctuary called the Media Room.

    It was a secluded space where he could indulge in his hobbies without interruption. Lately, he had been enjoying watching Netplus and Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams here.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been frequenting my Media Room quite a lottely,¡± Gap-Soo said with a frown.

    ¡°Where else could you find a ce as well-equipped as this? How much have you invested in your hobby?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should start charging admission for the room.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still happy, though, aren¡¯t you?¡± Michelle said with a chuckle.

    ¡°With what?¡±

    ¡°That I acknowledge the quality of this room. You¡¯ve really done well.¡±

    ¡°You can call this the epitome of life experience, taste, and ss.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Aren¡¯t you also happy that you have someone to enjoy it with?¡±

    Michelle sat down on the sofa. The Media Room was optimized to bring out the most lifelike experience of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams, and Gap-Soo took considerable pride in that fact.

    ¡°It took 1.2 billion Dias just to set up the sound system,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°It¡¯s cheaper than I thought, by the look of things.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. When will you stop measuring everything by its cost? When will you move beyond that upstart mindset? Creating this space with such a modest sum is a great feat by itself, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    <i>¡®A modest sum?¡¯</i>

    Lilia doubted what she had just heard.

    <i>¡®The 1.2 billion Dias was just for the sound system. You actually spent around forty billion Dias for the entire room...¡¯</i>

    No matter how many times Lilia overheard such conversations, they never ceased to boggle her mind. Before she knew it, Gap-Soo and Michelle were engrossed in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°Chul-Soo eventually killed Jonprich. He should receive the Phoenix Heart any minute now,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Even with money, the Phoenix Heart is hard to get. This Wind Wanderer guy seems to really favor Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Seems so. I haven¡¯t seen him in any other livestreamstely.¡±

    ¡°He must be utterly smitten by Chul-Soo. At least we¡¯re not that bad.¡±

    ¡°True. That guy is simply overboard.¡±

    ¡°Compared to Wind Wanderer, we¡¯re not crazy, right?¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡±

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think you can say that when you spent forty billion Dias for a room specifically designed to watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream... And you think it¡¯s cheap! How are you guys not crazy?¡¯ </i>Lilia thought to herself.

    Michelle, who imed they were not crazy, continued to speak.

    ¡°But at this rate, the Spirit King of Fire will appear, right? I¡¯ve seen him in another livestream, he waspletely out of his senses.¡±

    ¡°Then Chul-Soo will be in danger too.¡±

    The two of them looked at each other, having the same facial expression.

    ¡°This feels awfully like a strategy designed by the System, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s as if the System is treating Chul-Soo like some sort of virus.¡±

    The both of them erupted in anger.¡¯

    ¡°No one else in the world produces such high-quality livestreams!¡±

    ¡°This crosses the line.¡±

    Gap-Soo was the first to give out the Surprise Mission.

    [Mission Title: Eat It Quick.]

    Michelle followed by creating her own Surprise Mission. Since she was slower than Gap-Soo, she ended up using three times the Dias to do so.

    [Mission Title: We¡¯re All Gonna Die!]

    ¡°Lilia, fetch the Phoenix Liver from the storage,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°M-Me?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°My Level is only 110... I hardly have any fire resistance.¡±

    ¡°There should be a pair of gloves in the storage. Wear those and bring it.¡±

    <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to go personally?¡¯</i>

    The <i>gloves</i> that Gap-Soo mentioned were single-use fire-resistant gloves that cost a whopping one billion Dias. Using the pair of gloves once would waste one billion Dias. However, for Gap-Soo, those few minutes it took to walk to the storage seemed more valuable than the billion Dias. Lilia headed to the storage, and Michelle shrugged,menting, ¡°I¡¯ve set the mission reward to be the me of Nebidia.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    They shared the same sentiment.

    ¡°I can stand it if we¡¯re the ones killing Chul-Soo, but if it¡¯s the System... I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡±

    The Phoenix Liver and the me of Nebidia were auxiliary Artifacts that assisted in properly consuming the Phoenix Heart. However, the order of consumption was extremely crucial.

    ¡°If Chul-Soo consumes the Phoenix Liver first, it¡¯s lethal, right?¡±

    ¡°The chances are high.¡±

    One had to consume the me of Nebidia first and then swallow the Phoenix Liver. While this method was less effective, it was considerably safer.

    ¡°But if he consumes it the other way around, the effect is superior, right?¡± Michelle asked. ¡°That¡¯s the charm. Which will Chul-Soo choose? The less effective, but safer way, or the highly effective yet risky way?¡±

    ¡°What if he dies?¡±

    ¡°When livesetreaming sincerely, it¡¯s a risk one might have to take, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Either way, it¡¯ll be entertaining.¡±

    Meanwhile, after retrieving the Phoenix Liver from the storage, Lilia hurriedly logged into KimKnowItAllTV and quickly sent a message.

    <strong>[¡¸ChulSooIsHandsome¡¹ has donated 100,000 Dias.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°He has to eat the me of Nebidia first. Otherwise, it¡¯s going to be dangerous. Please make sure he knows this.¡±]</strong>

    ? ? ?

    If a yer were to recklessly consume the Phoenix Heart, disaster would ensue. Their stomach would burn from the inside out, turning a charred ck. Assistance from a fire-elemental-ss yer was typically required.

    In Korea, this would be akin to seeking help from someone like Yeom Tae-Goo, also known as the Fire King. However, there existed a method to consume the Phoenix Heart without Tae-Goo¡¯s aid.

    <i>¡®They¡¯ve given me the Phoenix Liver and the me of Nebidia,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He knew that he had to swallow the me of Nebidia first and then consume the Phoenix Liver. Doing so provided significant aid in controlling the mes emanating from the Phoenix Heart.

    <i>¡®It seems like the old man and Michelle really want me to grow as fast as I can.¡¯</i>

    It would have been better if they had informed him of the correct sequence, but that might have made the livestream less thrilling. While not knowing the order could have been a potentially deadly mistake, it turned out for the better.

    <i>¡®This is perfect for my livestream.¡¯</i>

    It felt like a sign of respect toward his role as a Streamer.

    [You have received a secret message from ¡¸KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¹.]

    Jin-Hyeok paused the livestream for a moment to check the secret message.

    [¡°You must first consume the me of Nebidia! It¡¯s dangerous if you don¡¯t.¡±]

    It appeared someone among his viewers cared deeply about him. He decided not to disclose this information and continued with the livestream.

    ¡°By consuming the Phoenix Heart, I can clear two Surprise Missions at once. Thank you for giving me such an easy task.¡±

    His hand felt searing hot. Taking the genuine advice from Choi Gang-Byeok, Jin-Hyeok held the Phoenix Heart with his bare hands. His skin nearly melted off, but presenting it this way seemed more intense and appealing.

    <i>¡®It would appear as though I had exhausted all my energy battling Jonprich, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Now, I shall consume the Phoenix Heart!¡±

    <i>Gulp.</i>

    A sensation of scorching heat coursed through as the massive fireball passed down his throat, seemingly burning his esophagus.

    <i>¡®This is quite painful. I think at this point, I need the assistance from Yeom Tae-Goo.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have cleared the Surprise Missions.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired ¡¸Phoenix Liver¡¹ as the mission reward.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired ¡¸me of Nebidia¡¹ as the mission reward.]</strong>

    Both rewards manifested on his palms. One was the zing Phoenix Liver. The other, a lump of me, burning in a majestic purple hue. Given their fierce intensity, his hands werepletely scorched. If merely holding them felt this excruciating, consuming them would probably incinerate his insides.

    <i>¡®I should eat the me of Nebidia to be safe...¡¯</i>

    But then, the sincere advice from Gang-Byeok shed in his mind.

    <i>¡°What the hell is going on? You look so clean! Are you even really a Streamer?¡±</i>

    While the viewers from the Earth Server might be oblivious, there would certainly be those from other Servers who knew the danger of consuming the Phoenix Liver first.

    Memories of his Swordsman days surfaced.

    <i>¡®Greater danger brings more thrill.¡¯</i>

    This was a truth almost too evident. He decided not to overlook that fact.

    <i>¡®I should consume the Phoenix Liver first.¡¯</i>

    Upon reflection, this was not a matter of choice. It was imperative. Being a Streamer, the right course of action was clear. As a Streamer one should stream, or rather showcase, the riskier, more thrilling choice.

    ¡°I will consume the Phoenix Liver first.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok chewed and swallowed the zing Phoenix Liver. Instantly, he felt as if mes were engulfing the inside of his stomach.

    <i>¡®Wow, this is pretty painful.¡¯</i>

    At moments like this, a Streamer should stay focused, ensuring that there were no silent gaps in his livestream. However, right now, he did not have the luxury to think about that. He still had much to learn as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I have a method in mind.¡¯</i>

    Jonprich was capable of artificially creating a space to imprison the daughter of the Spirit King of Fire. To keep the Fire Spirit from dying, even when cut offpletely from the Spirit Realm, Jonprich had to have devised an artificial environment of fire.

    <i>¡®If Jonprich could do it, so can I.¡¯</i>

    Desperately, he recalled his earlier memories.

    <i>¡°He ate the fire! His belly area has turned red.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know that was possible. Can I do that too? Wouldn¡¯t it be convenient if I could block fire like that?¡¯</i>

    This was what he thought just a while ago. Acing on them now was, in a way, fortuitous.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s recall what Jonprich did.¡¯</i>

    Immediately, Jin-Hyeok assumed a cross-legged position. Being defenseless was a bit risky, but he trusted Gang-Byeok to protect him. If he did not focus, he would likely meet his end either way.

    <i>¡®And now, I need to consume the me of Nebidia.¡¯</i>

    A wave of nausea hit him. His body instinctively seemed to reject any more fire energy.

    <i>¡®I need to suppress the urge to vomit.¡¯</i>

    He concentrated on his meditation. He toiled to navigate the microcosm within his mind, seeking an answer.

    <i>¡®What would the Fire King, Yeom Tae-Goo, have done in this situation? Damn it...! I might go crazy!¡¯</i>

    He felt like he was on the verge of shattering his meditation. The microcosm, where only he existed, seemed ame. And to be precise, it was actually engulfed in fire.

    <i>¡®If I don¡¯t handle this properly, I might melt away, soul and all.¡¯</i>

    Though the resurrection setting was active for the Dungeon, he was certain that even if revived, he would be left in a vegetative state. It felt as if his spirit, not just his body, was dissolving.

    <i>¡®I must get through this.¡¯</i>

    The Phoenix Heart, Phoenix Liver, and me of Nebidia¡ªthe intense heat of these three Artifacts zed through his inner universe.

    <i>¡®I might genuinely perish at this rate.¡¯</i>

    Yet, paradoxically, his consciousness felt sharper. The deeper the agony and torment, the more heightened his senses became. This electrifying sensation of death¡¯s approach, as much as he loathed to admit, was an intense pleasure for him, amplifying his senses to their peak.

    <i>¡®I had forgotten this sensation for a while.¡¯</i>

    Without realizing it, he became wholly engrossed in the situation. It felt like a pendulum swinging between should and shouldn¡¯t.

    <i>¡®This is... exhrating!¡¯</i>

    At some point, he began to drift into the Trance Realm. Within this bubbling euphoria, with his sharpened senses, he instinctively started searching for what he needed to do.

    ¡°...Ah!¡±

    He let out an exmation, seemingly involuntarily. It felt as though he had discovered something. It was a method he had never considered before.

 Chapter 133

    <h4>Chapter 133</h4>

    Stepping into the Trance Realm, Jin-Hyeok saw a brilliant light within his inner universe. Reaching out toward that light, he was able to obtain something.

    <strong>[You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Fire Control Technique¡¹.]</strong>

    For Jin-Hyeok, he could notprehend how this could happen. While it made a certain amount of sense for the abilities that were once imprinted on his soul, like the Skills of a Swordsman, were lying dormant within him, there was absolutely no reason for the Fire Control Technique, which he had never ever possessed before, to also be lying dormant within him. In fact, it was absolutely baffling, but s, he was already in a state where he had lost his reason and failed to realize the peculiarity of the situation.

    Meanwhile, Choi Gap-Soo, who was watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, clenched his jaw.

    ¡°He seems to have lost his senses, but the livestream has not stopped. Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t know how this can happen. It must mean his obsession with livestreaming is tremendous,¡± Michelle Jang replied.

    ¡°It seems a vast array of Skills are dormant within Chul-Soo¡¯s mind. Fire Control Technique? Isn¡¯t that a Skill only yers who control fire possess?¡±

    ¡°Well, I see it differently.¡±

    MoneyShot had aparatively more flexible way of thinking than MoneyShower.

    ¡°I believe that the Fire Control Technique is innate in everyone. After all, every individual possesses infinite potential,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°That¡¯s preposterous.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the human potential. It¡¯s boundless. It¡¯s just that ordinary people cannot tap into the talents innate to them.¡±

    A gleam sparkled in Michelle¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°In my opinion, out of all the talents Kim Chul-Soo has, his most exceptional talent is his survival instinct.¡±

    ¡°Survival instinct?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the ability to find a way to survive and awaken even in the most perilous situations. I believe this ability is beyond imagination, for example...¡±

    Michelle continued to speak by mentioning the earlier situation.

    ¡°...If I know Chul-Soo, he would have at least tried using Pure Luck before consuming the Phoenix Heart. Yet he did not, or rather, he couldn¡¯t. Why? Because the situation was too dire. The mes emitted by the Phoenix Heart were just too powerful.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you are right about that.¡±

    ¡°It was in that pressing situation that his survival instinct shone through. His heightened senses eventually awakened one of the infinite potentials within him.¡±

    ¡°So he was able to awaken the Fire Control Technique?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I believe.¡±

    Michelle started to speak in a slightly exhrated manner.

    ¡°It is as if he has ovee countless threats of death. In doing so, his naturally honed survival instinct always finds a way. It feels like talent augmented with experience, wouldn¡¯t you say? If you say I¡¯m wrong, I am not going to argue with you.¡±

    Michelle was unaware of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression but demonstrated remarkable insight. In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had ovee numerous near-death experiences. While he believed he had merely been <i>lucky </i>to survive, there was more to it. Despite his penchant for risky ys, his survival was also due to his formidable survival instinct. Anyone acting like Jin-Hyeok would typically die before bing the Sword King.

    Gap-Soo shook his head vigorously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see it that way.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I believe Chul-Soo is very good at hiding his capabilities. Like the secret only we know of, the All-Rounder, per se.¡±

    Michelle subtly nced toward Lilia.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. She is bound by the Secret Oath of Subus, so she can¡¯t disclose anything she learns through me,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Got it. But the All-Rounder? He told us about that already.¡±

    ¡°What if that¡¯s just a cover? What if there is something even more remarkable than the All-Rounder? Wouldn¡¯t he keep that hidden as well?¡±

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok had nothing more to hide, but Gap-Soo was dead serious.

    ¡°While I don¡¯t disagree, would that even be possible? Or rather, does such a thing even exist?¡± Michelle asked.

    ¡°In theory, yes. Or perhaps, it¡¯s more apt to call it a legend.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s such a legend? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°Well, youngsters like you wouldn¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡±

    In hindsight, both Gap-Soo and Michelle were correct. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s acquisition of the Fire Control Technique was due to the All-Rounder Trait, as well as his outstanding survival instinct. Regardless, the important point to take here was that Jin-Hyeok had acquired the Fire Control Technique.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Fire Control Technique¡¹.]</strong>

    With the assistance of the Skill, Jin-Hyeok began to gradually regain his consciousness.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m adapting...slowly...!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Eventually, he seeded in controlling the mes that surged from within his body. He had sessfully consumed the Phoenix Heart. He felt hot, as if his body was filled with fiery blood, but it was not ufortable.

    <i>¡®My consciousness... is returning.¡¯</i>

    He quickly checked his livestream.

    <i>¡®It wasn¡¯t cut off!¡¯</i>

    This was truly fortunate. To not have the livestream interrupted even when he lost consciousness was a stroke of luck. A feeling of aplishment, having ovee the crisis, surged within him.

    <strong>[You have acquiredplete immunity to fire up to Phoenix-Grade.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquiredplete immunity to poison up to Snake King-Grade.]</strong>

    With his consciousness fully restored, Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes.

    <i>¡®Wait... Should I be delighted just because the livestream was not interrupted?¡¯</i>

    Having set high standards for himself, Jin-Hyeok was slightly disappointed in himself.

    <i>¡®I should not be happy over something like this. Keeping the livestream running is just the basics, right? Being content with just aplishing the basics? I still have a long way to go...¡¯</i>

    After criticizing Lee Hyeon-Seong to such an extent, he felt ashamed of his own behavior. He quickly reflected on himself and began to assess himself with even stricter measures.

    <i>¡®I couldn¡¯t fill the silent gaps for the livestream. The production was not on point either. I was merely fixated on consuming the Phoenix Heart.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lips.

    <i>¡®I need to reflect on this diligently and strive to be a better Streamer.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    The moment Jin-Hyeok ate the Phoenix Liver, Lilia almost silently yelled, ¡®No!¡¯

    <i>¡®No, that¡¯s not what I told you!¡¯ </i>Lilia shouted in her mind.

    She concealed her trembling hands behind her back. The keen-eyed Gap-Soo did not miss her trembling hands.

    ¡°Lilia, why are you so restless?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°You were hired to seduce Chul-Soo, but it seems you might have been the one who got seduced.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°God, I miss being young,¡± Gap-Soo said while chuckling.

    ¡°... I¡¯m embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I failed in my attempt to seduce Chul-Soo.¡±

    Even though she tried to genuinely seduce him, she failed. None of her Subus Skills or abilities had any effect on Jin-Hyeok. The only thing left was to approach him sincerely.

    ¡°But tell me, how did youe to be so fond of Chul-Soo?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°That is...¡±

    Lilie could not think of a proper response.

    ¡°To put it in terms of the Korean Server, is something like ¡®No man has treated me like this before?¡¯ type of thing?¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s not entirely untrue...¡±

    <i>¡®What should I say?¡¯</i>

    Reflecting on it, even she did not know when or why she became so sincere toward Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Old man, are you genuinely asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± Michelle said with a deep sigh.

    ¡°Do you know?¡±

    ¡°Of course I know! And Lilia knows it too.¡±

    Gap-Soo and Lilia turned their gazes to Michelle. With an expression suggesting, ¡®Why don¡¯t you get something so obvious,¡¯ Michelle said, ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Gap-Soo slightly frowned.

    ¡°...¡±

    And Lilia had a small realization.

    Gap-Soo, who somehow seemed a bit upset, asked again, ¡°That¡¯s the only reason?¡±

    ¡°If someone looks like that, what other reason do you need? Don¡¯t you agree, Lilia?¡±

    Lilia found herself involuntarily nodding. Knowing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true face, it was a truth she could not help but resonate with.

    Michelle licked her lips with a hint of regret.

    ¡°If I were only two hundred years younger, I would have tried to woo him no matter what. What do you think, Lilia?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Just say whates to mind.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but agree with you.¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s mood darkened even more.

    ¡°Do you know what irritates me the most?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    It was not because of Michelle or Lilia spewing such nonsense that he was angry.

    ¡°The most annoying thing is that I find myself somewhat agreeing!¡±

    Gap-Soo decided to stop his donation for the day.

    ? ? ?

    Upon entering the New World, Jin-Hyeok proceeded in a manner he had never tried before and eventually even killed Jonprich. Everything had gone smoothly. He had a premonition that he was on the brink of achieving a significant milestone.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok faced an unexpected obstacle.

    <i>¡®...What should I do with her?¡¯</i>

    The Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter, who had been carried on the back of Choi Gang-Byeok, hade to her senses. Presumably having lost most of her Spirit powers, her appearance now closely resembled that of a human. Except for the asional mes flickering from her, she looked just like a human.

    <i>¡®If she were human... she looks like she is about five years old.¡¯</i>

    In reality, it was hard to tell her age. Whether such a small child was three, five, or seven years old was unclear. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter seemed almost like a baby.

    ¡°Um...¡±

    <strong>[LV80(-69)/Elines/-/-]</strong>

    Her name was Elines. Originally at Level 80, but due to exhausting all her Spirit power, her current Level had dropped to around 11.

    ¡°Can I interview you...?¡± Jin-Hyeok said softly.

    Terrified, Elines stepped backward.

    <strong>[...#Help me. #When will Daddye? #Elines is here. #Please help.]</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hurt you...¡±

    ¡°Kyaaah!!¡±

    Elines ran even farther away. When her back hit a wall, she seemed to give up on everything. Covering her face with both hands, she huddled down and began to sob uncontrobly.

    ¡°Elines didn¡¯t do anything bad!¡± she said.

    A sorrowful cry echoed.

    ¡°You guys are bad people! My Daddy will scold all of you!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok scratched the back of his head. With her being trapped in overwhelming fear and anxiety, it was not possible to have a regr conversation.

    ¡°I understand that after enduring hardships inside Jonprich¡¯s belly, it¡¯s hard for you to trust anyone, but...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought it would¡¯ve been easier just to fight monsters. This was a challenge tooplex for him.

    ¡°The energy emanating from the Spirit Gate is intensifying by the moment,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    The Spirit Gate had opened. The Spirit energy that Jonprich had trapped inside his belly had carved a path, linking the Spirit Realm to this ce.

    ¡°If the Spirit King of Fire, Alkinas, appears, we are in for some serious trouble.¡±

    Even in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life, no yer had ever faced Alkinas head-on.

    <i>¡®If Alkinas, misunderstanding the situation, takes a single wrong breath, it could spell doom for us all.¡¯</i>

    At that point, even the resurrection setting in this Dungeon might be meaningless. The resurrection in the New World was designed to revive those who met New World-level deaths.

    The death bestowed by the Spirit King of Fire would surpass the New World-level resurrection setting. A death by the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s hand might mean no return.

    <i>¡®The Spirit King of Fire who has lost his sanity is terrifying.¡¯</i>

    That would be a disaster. Even for Jin-Hyeok, who enjoyed fighting with powerful opponents, the Spirit King of Fire was an adversary he was not prepared for.

    ¡°We probably do not have much time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had to find a solution.

    <i>¡®Even if I have fire immunity up to Phoenix-Grade, I won¡¯t be able to withstand Alkinas¡¯ attacks.¡¯</i>

    The Phoenix-Grade me was one of the highest-grade mes, but it was still ranked a notch below the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s me. In other words, no me other than that of the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s me could harm Jin-Hyeok now.

    Though it was a remarkable progression, the imminent threat was the arrival of the half-deranged Spirit King of Fire. And the girl leaning against the wall, clearly traumatized and crying, was the daughter of the Spirit King of Fire

    <i>¡®I¡¯m truly at a loss.¡¯</i>

    In this intense moment, even his famed <i>survival instinct </i>did not shine through. The situation was too challenging for him.

    Soon, resurrected yers began to arrive one after another, which only intensified Elines¡¯ fear.

    ¡°Stay back! Stay away from me, you wicked beings!¡±

    Approaching her seemed impossible. Jin-Hyeok felt trapped.

    <i>¡®I could really use Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s advice right about now.¡¯</i>

    Whenever he found himself at an impasse, it was always Yu-Mi who provided the solution. Her advice, though often beyond Jin-Hyeok¡¯sprehension, always turned out to be correct.

    <i>¡®I really need Yu-Mi¡¯s help now.¡¯</i>

    Just then, a secret message from her arrived.

    <strong>[You have received a secret message from ¡¸KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡°You have no choice. Show her your true face. That will solve everything. I will handle the livestreaming aspect. Just ensure Elines sees your true face.¡±]</strong>

    Once again, her advice was baffling.

 Chapter 134

    <h4>Chapter 134</h4>

    During Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s time as a government official, his social status fluctuated daily. After handling an incident well, he would be hailed as a national hero. However, if he made a slight mistake, he was treated like garbage by everyone.

    To put it nicely, it was a shift in his social status, but in reality, it meant he was just a punching bag for the public.

    However, things began to change significantly after Wang Yu-Mi joined.

    <i>¡°Jin-Hyeok, you shouldn¡¯t be doing that!¡±</i>

    One day, there was an incident with civilian casualties. Though the situation wasplicated, the bottom line was that an entire family had died. To note, had Jin-Hyeok and his party tried to save them, they would have been the ones in danger.

    As always, the mediashed out at them, and this time, Jin-Hyeok was their primary target. Demands poured in, urging him to make an official statement and apologize. Jin-Hyeok thought that, as a government official, he shouldply with the public¡¯s outcry. He believed it was the only way to enjoy the benefits provided by the government.

    He believed that every gain came with a loss.

    <i>¡°Jin-Hyeok, you should just go with the bite-me approach.¡±</i>

    Yu-Mi¡¯s direction, however, was different. Some might even call it peculiar.

    <i>¡°Trust me and go with it. Speak your mind. Say that you would have been in danger if you tried to save the family. Say that you are deeply regretting not being able to save them... Wait, no, just let me write your lines, and you can use them for the interview.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt quite perplexed when he got the script (?) from Yu-Mi. His understanding of a public apology was typically humbly bowing down and saying that he was sorry. However, Jin-Hyeok was not even sure if this script could be called an apology. The main gist of it was, ¡®I mourn the deaths deeply, but I did nothing wrong.¡¯

    <i>¡°You want me to go on air with this? I¡¯ll get heavily criticized, you know?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Just trust me. This is the right direction for your persona.¡±</i>

    Yu-Mi winked and shed a sly grin.

    <i>¡°You are from the Moon King¡ª¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Stop!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Of the Ashen World.¡±</i>

    Chills ran down his spine, and he fled from Yu-Mi.

    Nevertheless, he followed her advice, and it surprisingly worked in his favor. He did not know why, but in Yu-Mi¡¯s words, it was because of his hardcore fans, and his fandom. She said something about the ridiculously cringy Moon King of the Ashen World concept that somehow became a huge hit.

    Many incidents urred thereafter, but Yu-Mi¡¯s advice always turned out to be the best.

    <i>¡®I don''t understand it, but let¡¯s give it a try,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought after reminiscing about the past.

    ? ? ?

    Upon receiving Yu-Mi¡¯s suggestion, Bong King was bbergasted.

    -Okay, I get that you want me to cover Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s face.

    Chul-Soo strictly livestreams only from a first-person perspective. Moreover, he always used the Deceiver¡¯s Mask to conceal his true face.

    Jin-Hyeok was about to reveal his true self, and Bong King understood why Yu-Mi wanted him to cover Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    -But what¡¯s the point in doing that now? Why reveal his face at this moment?

    -There is a reason. You¡¯ll see.

    -What reason?

    -From what I¡¯ve gathered, Elines has a thing for handsome faces.

    -What?

    -Apparently, she was kidnapped by Jonprich because of it.

    Yu-Mi started to write, ¡®It wasn¡¯t just about the looks. Jonprich used his unique dimensional fusion abilities and Spirit affinity techniques to gain her favor first...¡¯ but she erased it all. These were trivial details. The important fact was that Elines, the Spirit Princess, had a fascination with handsome faces.

    -Do you really think that this will work?

    To Bong King, this strategy was insane.

    -Do you really think it won¡¯t?

    A few minutester, Bong King was taken aback. Elines, who had been paralyzed with fear till now, started to let her guard down. She stopped trying to escape. Bong King was momentarily speechless at the bizarre turn of events, but he was a professional Streamer.

    ¡°You can see Kim Chul-Soo from the back and Elines from the front. I don¡¯t know what magic Chul-Soo has cast, but strangely, Elines seems to be responding to the interview. Fear is still evident in her eyes. What? Chul-Soo is reaching out his hand, and she¡¯s taking it!¡±

    Bong King shifted to where Jin-Hyeok was standing, maintaining a distance not to make Elines too anxious.

    <i>¡®Fuck,¡¯ </i>Bong King thought.

    There had been much spection about why Chul-Soo never revealed his face. There were rumors about how he could have a significant burn scar or an incredibly ugly face. Some even spected that he had tattoos that would invoke intimidation or disgust.

    However, when Bong King saw Chul-Soo¡¯s face, he felt a hint of defeat.

    <i>¡®He is number one in the unofficial rankings without revealing that face? And he¡¯s number one by a significant margin!¡¯</i>

    Bong King believed that looks had apetitive edge. Being good-looking was undeniably advantageous. He suddenly felt envious of Jin-Hyeok, who held the top rank without disying such an asset.

    A voice interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°Yes. My name is Elines. I was so scared~¡± Elines whimpered and hugged Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok, with his rugged hands, gently patted Elines¡¯s back. At one point, Elines mumbled, ¡°Please say everything is going to be okay~¡±

    Bong King found it hard toprehend what was going on.

    <i>¡®Besides Chul-Soo revealing his face, what changed?¡¯</i>

    Everything else seemed the same. Yet, Elines had lowered her guard and was now crying in Chul-Soo¡¯s arms.

    <i>¡®Is this for real?¡¯</i>

    While Bong King was grappling with various feelings of defeat, a sudden burst of mes erupted. From the Spirit Gate, ck mes surged. In an instant, the entire sewer was engulfed in the ck fire.

    Bong King could no longer continue the livestream.

    <i>¡®What just happened?¡¯</i>

    For a brief moment, it felt like his memory had been cut off.

    ¡°Did I just die?¡±

    Looking around, it seemed everyone had died and resurrected from their save points.

    <i>¡®Did even Choi Gang-Byeok die?¡¯</i>

    ¡°What happened? Were we attacked?¡± Bong King asked Gang-Byeok.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any attacks.¡±

    Unlike the others who had unknowingly faced death, Gang-Byeok had confronted a substantial terror.

    ¡°The Spirit King of Fire killed us merely with his presence,¡± Gang-Byeok said.

    ¡°With just his presence? Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s the first time I have experienced this.¡±

    Gang-Byeok bit his lip. Even if their opponent was the mighty Spirit King of Fire, to die without even experiencing an actual attack was unsettling.

    ¡°One thing is for sure... If the Spirit King of Fire had truly tried to kill us...,¡±

    Gang-Byeok felt a shiver down his spine, foreseeing a grim possibility.

    ¡°Our resurrection setting would have probably broken. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise.¡±

    Then, Gang-Byeok nced around and clenched his fist.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is not here.¡±

    It was clear that Chul-Soo had survived the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s overpowering presence. The fact that he lived while Gang-Byeok had died was a huge blow to his ego. Gang-Byeok walked over to Lee Hyeon-Seong and sat next to him.

    ¡°Your sword technique, I saw that, Hyeon-Seong.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Show that sword technique to me as well.¡±

    Though Gang-Byeok¡¯s speech pattern seemed a bit off, probably influenced by Chul-Soo, Gang-Byeok didn¡¯t realize it.

    ¡°My sword?¡± Hyeon-Seong asked.

    ¡°We now share amon goal. He is just a Streamer, but he is tougher than a Tank and stronger than a Swordsman. At least in our domain, our field, don¡¯t we need to beat him?¡±

    ¡°...I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    A spark ignited in Hyeon-Seong¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°There is no point re-entering the sewers now. We can¡¯t do anything, so...¡±

    Hyeon-Seong drew his sword. Actions always spoke louder than words.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! It¡¯s time for some training! Try and cut me!¡±

    ¡°If you wish.¡±

    Bong King, observing their sudden enthusiasm, was utterly bewildered.

    ¡°They¡¯re sparring all of the sudden?¡±

    Externally, Bong King continued to livestream, but internally, he wanted to scream.

    <i>¡®You crazy bastards! Why are you suddenly sparring here? It¡¯s been less than three minutes since we resurrected! And why are you talking like you¡¯re in a historical drama?!¡¯</i>

    Sweat trickled down Bong King¡¯s back.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re being influenced by Kim Chul-Soo...¡¯</i>

    Bong King internally vowed that he would never go mad like them.

    <i>¡®I will not be infected by the Kim Chul-Soo virus!¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    A loud voice echoed in the sewer.

    ¡°You fool!¡±

    The sewer was already filled with the ck mes summoned by Alkinas.

    The hottest and most malevolent fire in the universe.

    A hellfire manipted by the deranged Spirit King of Fire.

    It was the Tainted mes.

    Jin-Hyeok almost let out a slyugh.

    <i>¡®All the party members died.¡¯</i>

    They all perished with the arrival of the Spirit King of Fire.

    <i>¡®But I survived!¡¯</i>

    It was burning hot, but it was somewhat bearable.

    <i>¡®Three minutes? No, four minutes? No, maybe even five minutes? I think I can hold out for five minutes!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could feel the bloodlust of the Spirit King of Fire. The sharp and piercing aura felt like hundreds of spears stabbing him. His consciousness felt shredded, and his body felt like it was about to be torn into hundreds of pieces.

    However, amidst all of this, he felt exhrated.

    <i>¡®I want to withstand it for at least five minutes.¡¯</i>

    Had it been his Swordsman days, he could not even think about withstanding the heat. His resistance to fire would have been weaker than now. This was all thanks to properly consuming the Phoenix Heart.

    <i>¡®Compared to my past self, the current me is stronger. At least when ites to fire resistance.¡¯</i>

    This sense of surpassing his former self ted Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I wish the mes would surge just a bit more.¡¯</i>

    Unfortunately, the situation did notst long. Elines stood between Jin-Hyeok and Alkinas.

    With her short arms spread wide, Elines blocked her father.

    ¡°Daddy! He is on my side!¡±

    ¡°Elly, move out of the way!¡±

    ¡°No! He is a good person!¡±

    The standoff persisted for a while. The Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter restored the sanity of her father. Before long, the Tainted mes that had filled the surroundings died down, and the sharp bloodlust directed at Jin-Hyeok gradually subsided.

    <i>¡®Isted three minutes and twenty seconds.¡¯</i>

    It was an astonishing achievement for Jin-Hyeok.

    For a novice, at least by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards, who had not even reached Level 150, to withstand the Tainted mes invoked by the furious Spirit King of Fire for a whole three minutes and twenty seconds was no small feat.

    <i>¡®¡¯I¡¯d love to experiment more... but now is probably not the right time.¡¯</i>

    The Spirit King of Fire and his daughter were having a tearful reunion. Being a Streamer, Jin-Hyeok felt obligated to capture this touching moment dramatically.

    <i>¡®Some background music would be perfect right now.¡¯</i>

    However, he had no idea which track to y or from which angle to shoot the scene. Once again, he found himself reflecting.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve always just been fighting haphazardly and strategizing for Hidden Achievements that I¡¯ve never thought about how to produce delicate and heartwarming scenes.¡¯</i>

    This was a new challenge for Jin-Hyeok. Upon reflection, Kang Mi-Na was incredibly skilled at this kind of thing¡ªevoking emotions with her production.

    He felt he might have to shadow Mi-Na in the future and learn a thing or two.

    ¡°...Yes! That Oppa saved me! He also said everything was going to be okay!¡±

    It took quite a long time for things to finally settle down. Exhausted from crying, Elines fell asleepfortably nestled on her father¡¯s back.

    The Spirit King of Fire, Alkinas, approached Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I apologize for the misunderstanding. And thank you.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to thank me for. I simply kept the Spirits¡¯ promise.¡±

    Alkinas flinched slightly.

    ¡°Do you not feel my presence?¡±

    ¡°I feel it. Your mere presence burned and killed all myrades.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating. Most tremble in fear in my presence.¡±

    It was typical for most to be so overwhelmed by his presence that they could not even lift their heads.

    However, Jin-Hyeok was different.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not just about concealing fear. This guy genuinely does not feel any fear toward me,¡¯ </i>the Spirit King of FIre thought.

    It almost felt as if a part of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s brain was malfunctioning.

    ¡°Rare to meet a madman these days,¡± the Spirit King of Fire said.

    ¡°A madman?¡±

    <i>¡®Did he just call me a madman? Me? Who is sanely and diligently growing as a Streamer?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He sought affirmation from his viewers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys agree that this is crossing the line?¡±

    Slightly frowning, Jin-Hyeok asked the Spirit King of Fire, ¡°Is that how you address someone who just saved your daughter?¡±

    ¡°I meant it as apliment. I quite like madmen. Your affinity with fire is beyond imagination. By any chance, did you consume the Phoenix Heart? I even sense the me of Nebidia in you.¡±

    ¡°I did consume both of them.¡±

    ¡°You managed to survive then. Normally, one would have been burned to ashes.¡±

    ¡°I was lucky.¡±

    ¡°Do you think merely being lucky would have been enough to survive? At a bare minimum, you must have been born with an extraordinary affinity for fire.¡±

    Alkinas hummed thoughtfully and seemed lost in his thoughts for a while. After some time, he finally seemed to make up his mind.

    ¡°Listen, lend me your hand for a moment. I need to verify something.¡±

 Chapter 135

    <h4>Chapter 135</h4>

    Wang Yu-Mi hosted her livestream while simultaneously monitoring Bong King¡¯s livestream. As she watched his livestream, she unwittingly let out a gasping sigh.

    <i>¡®Ah...¡¯</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she murmured.

    Entranced, Yu-Mi kept muttering. Even in her distraction, she professionally made sure her voice was not broadcasted by muting her livestream.

    ¡°It¡¯s like thepletion of the world.¡±

    Gorgeous scenes continuously flitted through her mind.

    ¡°Where ashy elegance and fiery passion intertwine... Behold, a new world unfolds.¡±

    <i>Gulp.</i>

    Yu-Mi whipped the droll from the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°When one beauty meets another beauty. It creates the utmost beauty. I shall call it the super-ultra beauty.¡±

    No one knew when, but someday, Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true face would be revealed. The emotional masterpiece of today would undoubtedly be re-evaluated then. She decided to perfectly save today¡¯s footage for that future moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just the beauty of appearance. His sole existence is the epitome of beauty!¡±

    Meanwhile, the Spirit King of Fire, Alkinas, who was holding Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand, started to frown.

    <i>¡®He consumed the Phoenix Liver, too?¡¯ </i>the Spirit King of Fire thought.

    Alkinas found out that Jin-Hyeok was around Level 100, which was considered low by the Spirit King of Fire''s standards. Alkinas wondered how a low-level yer could consume both Phoenix Heart and Phoenix Liver, as well as the me of Nebidia.

    ¡°How did you obtain the Phoenix Heart, Liver, and the me of Nebidia?¡± Alkinas asked.

    By his understanding, a yer of this Level could not possibly acquire these items. Even if one managed to obtain one of the three, getting all of them was inconceivable.

    ¡°Are you by any chance a member of the Trinity Club directly involved with the System?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I am just a regr yer.¡±

    Alkinas frowned once more. Spirits were entities close to ethereal beings. By holding Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand, Alkinas could fairly urately find out Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current mental state.

    <i>¡®He genuinely believes he is ordinary!¡¯</i>

    However, something felt oddly twisted about it. If Alkinas were to condense the myriad sensations from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s psyche into humannguage, it would roughly trante to [Compared to the world¡¯s top-ranked yers in various Jobs, I am only Korea¡¯s number one, which is just average.]

    However, Alkinas wondered how a so-called ordinary yer could consume the Phoenix Heart in that manner and still survive. He was clearly far from ordinary.

    ¡°To be able to do that at your Level, you need...¡±

    There was only one usible scenario.

    ¡°...You must have received donations.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°I knew that¡¯s not true, so what I wa¡ª wait, what did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I got those from donations.¡±

    Alkinas could not believe what he was hearing.

    ¡°How can you get donations?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    This time, it was Jin-Hyeok who found Alkinas hard toprehend.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer. And Ipleted missions to get the donations.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re a Streamer?¡±

    Alkinas was aware that when he had appeared here, numerous humans had perished. He wasn¡¯t blinded by his rage. Even the sturdy fellow (Choi Gang-Byeok) was instantly burned to death. However, he could notprehend how a Streamer managed to survive.

    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t I look like a Streamer to you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Do <i>you </i>think you look like a Streamer?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt slightly offended. He thought he had grown quite a bit, but apparently, he was stillcking by the Spirit King of Fire''s standards.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t think like this. I can¡¯t grow if I feel offended by trivial things,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He felt the need to use this humiliation as motivation to strive harder.

    ¡°I will try my best to look more like a Streamer next time.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Even while holding his hand, understanding Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mental state was incredibly challenging. It felt as though Alkinas was encountering an entity far more advanced than a mere human. Alkinas ceased trying to understand Jin-Hyeok from a logical standpoint.

    ¡°Anyway, you have consumed the Phoenix Heart in a mysterious, no, an impossible manner. If my guess is correct, you are fully qualified to be a vessel for the Spirit King of Fire,¡± Alkinas said.

    Red mes surged from Aliknas. Like fire traveling down a fuse, the red mes crawled from his shoulders, down his wrists, and onto his hands, consuming Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°You are a vessel capable of epting the fire of the Spirit King of Fire,¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I, Spirit King of Fire, Alkinas, offer you a pact. Be my vessel, and I will grant you the power to burn anything.¡±

    Being a vessel for the Spirit King of Fire, who was capable of receiving the Spirit King of Fire''s power, was extremely rare.

    ¡°I refuse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let go of the hand he had been holding and spoke as if exasperated, ¡°I¡¯m not a Spirit Mage, I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The greatest privilege given to the VIPs of the Trinity Club was the ability to directly participate in the y, to act like a yer without actually being one. It was a special treatment all VIPs desired. The Spirit King of Fire felt the same.

    ¡°You might not know, but Spirit Kings have many restrictions when traveling between worlds. After all, with great poweres great responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Restrictions?¡±

    ¡°Just by existing, I consume a vast amount of Spirit energy. Outside of the Spirit Realm, it¡¯s challenging to find a ce with enough Spirit energy to sustain my existence.¡±

    Much like the VIPs, Spirit Kings, too had a strong desire to participate directly in the y. However, due to various restrictions, it was practically impossible. What made it possible was the vessel of the Spirit King. A vessel with the physical and mental capacity to fully receive the Spirit King''s power. Although very rare, they were asionally found. Establishing a formal contract with such a vessel allowed the Spirit King to roam the worlds more freely.

    ¡°So, like the VIPs of the Trinity Club, you want to freely roam the System¡¯s worlds?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jin-Hyeok declined instantly.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m a Streamer. It would be weird for a Streamer tomand Spirits.¡±

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t it more weird that you survived my mes in the first ce? Aren¡¯t you practically a Spirit Mage with your level of affinity for Spirits?¡¯ </i>Alkinas thought.

    There were so many points of contention.

    ¡°Streamers should focus on their livestreams, and look like they¡¯re professionals. I was highly motivated by what you said, after all,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not rejecting the Spirit King of Fire''s offer simply because he was a Streamer.

    <i>¡®If I make a pact with the Spirit King of Fire, there will be too many restrictions,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Spirit power would be so strong that it would hinder the growth of his other abilities. Essentially, it would burn away all other abilities. It would certainly hamper his growth as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®His power doesn¡¯t fit my style, anyway,¡¯</i>

    No matter how cool and powerful the ability, it was pointless if it did not resonate with a yer.

    <i>¡®Of course, I would be much stronger.¡¯</i>

    However, the power would only be wieldable properly at a minimum Level of 200. If Jin-Hyeok consumed a power that he could not handle, there would be an avnche of side effects. Weighing the pros and cons, making a pact with the Spirit King of Fire seemed to have more disadvantages.

    ¡°More than anything, I am not yet ready for your power.¡±

    Things would have been different if Jin-Hyeok had reached a pinnacle where he could handle the Spirit King of Fire''s power with ease, or if he had be an extraordinary Streamer, unaffected by the Spirit King of Fire''s power. However, the timing for a pact with the Spirit King of Fire was not right.

    Just then, Elines raised her hand exuberantly.

    ¡°Me! Me!¡± Elines spoke clearly. ¡°Then I want to make the pact! I¡¯m still a child anyway!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Having the Spirit King of Fire''s power felt a bit intimidating.

    <i>¡®But what about the Spirit King of Fire''s daughter? If she grows up, she could be a Spirit Queen someday, right?¡¯</i>

    It was like an unimed lottery ticket. The Spirit King of Fire''s lineage was said to continue by blood. It was a surefire lottery ticket with a one hundred percent chance of winning.

    <i>¡®She will be much easier for me to handle right now.¡¯</i>

    Alkinas seemed to appreciate Elines¡¯ proposal. He gazed at Elines with fond, lingering eyes.

    <i>¡®Does he want to grant her the opportunity he couldn¡¯t seize for himself?¡¯</i>

    From that perspective, it seemed understandable. It was a father¡¯s hope for happiness he could not experience but wishes for his daughter. The intensity of that sentiment briefly revealed Alkinas¡¯ true feelings.

    <strong>[...#If not me, then #At least my daughter. #For my daughter¡¯s future...]</strong>

    In front of his child, even the mighty Spirit King of Fire was just like every other father.

    Elines¡¯ status was clearly visible to Jin-Hyeok.

    <strong>[...#Let¡¯s do it! #The pact! #Oppa is mine! #Mine! #Lovestagram????]</strong>

    <i>¡®...Her status seems a bit off?¡¯</i>

    Either way, they both clearly wanted Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I must have a knack for Spirit Mage. Had it been to my taste, I would have passionately pursued it, but our rtionship seems a bit mismatched.¡¯</i>

    ¡°If it¡¯s a pact with Elines, I will consider it. But, there is one condition,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Condition?¡± Alkinas eyebrows twitched. ¡°I feel a bit ufortable, like I am the only fool here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just your feeling. Sitting in a position of power for so long makes even the trivial feel like a challenge to one¡¯s authority,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Even if you were tricked, so what? I saved your daughter.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I allowed the pact with my daughter.¡±

    ¡°I never asked for this. Elines did.¡± Jin-Hyeok turned to Elines and asked, ¡°Right, Elines?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Even though everything he said was right, Jin-Hyeok could not figure out why Alkinas looked so forlorn. Alkinas¡¯ face looked like Jin-Hyeok was about to kidnap his daughter.

    ¡°My condition is nothing difficult. I would appreciate it if you could get me a Thermal Flower.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok first entered the New World Dungeon, the first Quest he received was to collect Thermal Flower. Originally, he was supposed to obtain it from the Burning Fortress, but an unexpected Scenario progression prevented him from doing so.

    ¡°Such an easy condition. But why the Thermal Flower?¡± Alkinas asked.

    ¡°I have to stick to the basics.¡±

    Even if an unforeseen Scenario was unfolding, even if the contents of the New World hadpletely changed, the essence of clearing the Dungeon remained unchanged. Jin-Hyeok still needed to do what he originally intended. What he did was an unconventional and exceptional y, so he should not overlook the basics of y.

    ¡°You seemed to have your head screwed on the right way.¡±

    Alkinas produced a flower from his hand. It was a flower burning in a vibrant purple me.

    ¡°Here, the Thermal Flower.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®I asked for a Thermal Flower...¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Mysterious Thermal Flower]</strong>

    Alkinas handed him a Mysterious Thermal Flower. Jin-Hyeok assumed by the standards of the Spirit King of Fire, that this was a regr Thermal Flower.

    <i>¡®What an unusual standard.¡¯</i>

    ¡°To hold this, you will need a specially crafted vase. A mere human cannot grasp it with bare hands,¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°Will this do?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out the vase that the guard at the western gate of Azov Vige had given him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bitcking, but it should suffice for now.¡±

    With a flick of Alkinas¡¯ finger, the Mysterious Thermal Flower floated gently into the vase. There was a sensation of intense heat, but Jin-Hyeok felt no harm to him. It seemed he had genuinely absorbed the Phoenix Heart.

    Elines stood in front of him.

    ¡°Make a pact with Elly! Hehe! Elly is a good child!¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Elines held out her tiny hands. Following her expectant gaze, Jin-Hyeok took her hands.

    ¡°You¡¯re mine!¡±

    The contract seemed to be written in a strange format.

    <strong>[You have formed a pact with the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter, ¡¸Elines¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Spirit Summoning Technique¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[Due to the request of the summoned entity, the name of the Skill ¡¸Spirit Summoning Technique¡¹ has been changed to ¡¸Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡¹]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡¹]</strong>

    ¡°You are mine now, hehe.¡±

 Chapter 136

    <h4>Chapter 136</h4>

    Elines seemed to be a bit strange in various ways.

    <i>¡®But she is cute, though,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The smile that gleamed brightly at him was brimming with genuine affection.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a selfie!¡±

    ¡°...A selfie?¡±

    Surprisingly, she disyed a bubbly demeanor, making it hard to believe she had just experienced a traumatic event. Perhaps it was because she was the daughter of the Spirit King of Fire, but her mental recovery seemed unimaginably swift.

    ¡°Daddy, give me your phone.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Alkinas hesitated for a moment, then created an object resembling a phone.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know modern Spirits use smartphones too.¡¯</i>

    Taking the phone from Alkinas, Elines hugged Jin-Hyeok¡¯s leg and took a picture. Jin-Hyeok thought she might take one or two shots, but her enthusiasm exceeded his expectations. Her passion was so pure and profound that Jin-Hyeok willingly yed along.

    ¡°Hehe, finally got one good picture.¡±

    <i>¡®Just one?¡¯</i>

    Regardless, she did not seem like an ordinary child, but then again, she was the Spirit King of Fire¡¯s daughter, so it was understandable.

    ¡°Can I post the picture?¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°On Enstagram!¡±

    Enstagram was a universally used social media tform. For the record, Jin-Hyeok had never used it before. He did have an ount before his regression, but it was managed by the support team and Wang Yuu-Mi.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, Enstagram has not been introduced on Earth yet.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Can I upload it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew his true face would be known to the world at some point, but theter that happened, the better. It would mean less hassle for him.

    Elines¡¯ expression turned serious. It looked like she might burst into tears in about three seconds.

    ¡°This is a precious memory between Elly and me. Let¡¯s keep it a secret. Since Elly is a good girl, I know you are going to listen to me, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Good girl.¡±

    ¡°Then, can you pat my head?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok gently patted Elines¡¯ head, she giggled.

    In any case, he had formed a pact with the daughter of the Spirit King of Fire.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s fascinating that I can do this even though I am not a Spirit Mage.¡¯</i>

    For Jin-Hyeok, this was an astonishing experience. Alkinas, holding Elines, spoke to him, ¡°I will return to the Spirit Realm for now. If fate allows, we will meet again. I am grateful for yourpany. I won¡¯t forget this favor.¡±

    True to a Spirit¡¯s nature of never forgetting favors, Alkinas handed Jin-Hyeok an item.

    <strong>[Spirit Stone of Alkinas]</strong>

    ¡°This item serves as a medium to summon me once, even without a contract. Call upon me if you face insurmountable challenges.¡±

    The grade of the item was Mythic-Grade. Jin-Hyeok had acquired another Mythic-Grade item, which most yers could hardly even see once in their lifetime.

    <i>¡®I got the Mythic-Grade Card out of luck, but this time it¡¯s different.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had only (?) spent five billion Dias, but he was lucky to have obtained the Mythic-Grade Card. However, that was thanks to the Pure Luck Mystery. Jin-Hyeok never expected to obtain a Mythic-Grade item without the aid of the Mystery.

    In the midst of his overwhelming job, he was shocked, as if he had been hit in the head.

    <i>¡®Ah.¡¯</i>

    He once again found himself disappointed in his own actions.

    <i>¡®I left silent gaps on my livestream again!¡¯</i>

    Caught up in his conversation with the Spirit King of Fire, engrossed in the contract with his daughter, and mesmerized by the Mythic-Grade item, he failed to focus on his livestream.

    <i>¡®Did I just make the same mistake? Damn it, Why don¡¯t I ever learn?¡¯</i>

    Even though he felt a tad dejected, showing it would not leave a good impression on his viewers.

    ¡°Wait, Alkinas!¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    The Spirit King of Fire, who heading toward the Spirit Gate, stopped and looked back at him.

    ¡°Do you have any further business to discuss with me?¡±

    As a Streamer, there was something he had to say. To erase the shameful repeated mistakes from his own consciousness, he mustered his resolve and said with a stern expression, ¡°Please subscribe, like, and turn on the notifications.¡±

    ***

    The Spirit King of Fire returned to the Spirit Realm through the Spirit Gate. The mes that were fiercely burning at the Spirit Gate died down, leaving a looming gate-shaped void in the air.

    <strong>[<u>Closed Spirit Gate</u>]</strong>

    ¡°With that, the Spirit King of Fire has be one of my subscribers. Everyone, please wee Alkinas for bing a member of Thirdsies.¡±

    The term Thirdsies was a yful nickname for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subscribers, derived from the term <i>third ce</i>. Since Jin-Hyeok had aimed, or used to aim, for the third ce, he named his subscribers, Thirdsies. He was contemting Ordinary[1] as the nickname, but then it would be too obvious that he was Kim Pyeong-Beom, so he went with Thirdsies.

    Jin-Hyeok felt his social skills had improved, and personally, he quite liked the nickname Thirdsies. It aligned perfectly with his initial direction of y.

    He checked the detailed description of the Closed Spirit Gate.

    <strong>[Closed Spirit Gate]</strong>

    <strong>[The connection to the world of fiery heat has been closed. But where there is a bond, there is also a break, and vice versa.</strong>

    <strong>Today¡¯s closure is not the end.]</strong>

    Then a notification followed.

    <strong>[You havepleted the New World Scenario ¡¸Walking Alone, and Together in a New ce¡¹.]</strong>

    Closing the Spirit Gate and connecting the New World with Earth seemed to be the conclusion of this scenario. A magic circle formed beneath him. In an instant, mana circuits extended, and a powerful force erupted, covering him entirely. It was a transportation spell.

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the other party members.

    <strong>[In the New World, it is survival of the fittest. The ¡¸One Who Walks Alone¡¹ will now im everything.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i>

    The One Who Walks Alone referred to Jin-Hyeok, who chose the Solo Mode. This meant that he would get all the rewards for himself.

    <strong>[As the victor, would you like to share or yield your rewards?]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok could tell Bong King received a simr notification. Bong King looked at Jin-Hyeok with pleading eyes.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Suddenly, he was transported to the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.

    ¡°The System made it clear from the beginning that the New World was a winner-takes-all-type of Dungeon. Sharing or yielding rewards would be a foolish act, contrary to that principle.¡±

    Of course, even without that notification, Jin-Hyeok would have imed everything for himself. However, Jin-Hyeok refrained from saying that aloud. After all, he was in the process of learning social cues, and he now prided himself on having quite decent social skills andmon sense.

    <strong>[A reward has been granted to the ¡¸One Who Walks Alone¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Major Achievement ¡¸<u>One Who Walked Alone to Completion</u>¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[One Who Walks Alone]</strong>

    <strong>[Oh pioneer, your steps lead the way, and they are your glory.</strong>

    <strong>Your journey toward the New World shall benefit the future.</strong>

    <strong>All who follow in your footsteps will eternally chase after you.]</strong>

    Upon acquiring the Major Achievement, another notification sounded, asking if Jin-Hyeok would like to register it in the Hall of Fame.

    <i>¡®Ah... The Hall of Fame...¡¯</i>

    In the past, when Jin-Hyeok acquired the Major Achievement Completion of Tutorial, he outright refused to register it in the Hall of Fame. After all, all that remained from registering it in the Hall of Fame was mere honor. It was essentially a way to advertise that Jin-Hyeok was number one and that he was powerful.

    <i>¡®Wel... Should I register it? Considering that I have been livestreaming everything anyway... No, Let¡¯s not forget about my initial purpose.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had decided to y until Level 150 and retire. Going beyond that might really be dangerous. And there was also the risk, as before, of absurdly losing his family members.

    <i>¡®If I¡¯m a sane person, I need to snap out of it.¡¯</i>

    The decision to register it or not in the Hall of Fame was not the main concern. It was more a matter of principle. In the early stages of the Tutorial, when he first encountered the Hall of Fame, he considered it to be useless.

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to forget that perspective.

    ¡°I will not be registering my Major Achievement in the Hall of Fame.¡±

    <i>¡®But why does it feel so bitter? There is no real benefit of registering.¡¯</i>

    Hiding his bitterness, he continued with his livestream.

    ¡°Let¡¯s check out the effects of the Major Achievement.¡±

    <strong>[Achievement Effects:</strong>

    <strong>1. Constant application of all Achievement effects acquired in the New World Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>2. Enhancement of Achievement effects acquired during the first progression of any Scenario.]</strong>

    ¡°The Achievement I acquired from the New World is the One Who Breaks Artificiality.¡±

    This Achievement increased damage against artificial beings, like mechanical monsters or chimeric monsters, allowing one to perform significantly better against them.

    ¡°It seems this effect, which was originally only applicable in the New World, is now always active, even outside the Dungeon!¡±

    It was quite a satisfying effect. This power gave a definite advantage against specific types of monsters and situations.

    ¡°Also, when starting a Scenario for the first time, there seems to be an advantage in the form of enhanced Achievement effects.¡±

    This seemed like something he could use to get great content for his Eltube channel.

    Continuing the livestream, Jin-Hyeok noticed a change.

    ¡°The name of the previously Closed Spirit Gate has changed.¡±

    <strong>[Clear Gate]</strong>

    ¡°Through that Gate, I can exit the Dungeon. It seems the Clear of the Dungeon has already been recognized.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could Clear the New World right now, by going through the Clear Gate. Although the strategies he knew from before his regression had changed significantly, he had essentially Cleared the Dungeon in a different way. However, he had no intention of passing through just yet.

    ¡°I need to go back to the basics. The Clear Gate might be open, but I still need to finish the first Quest I epted.¡±

    After some walking, Jin-Hyeok arrived at the earlier part of the New World, the western gate of Azov Vige. The NPC guard at the gate recognized him.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you! You have returned alive! The Thermal Flower. Did you get it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s right here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeak handed over the vase containing the Mysterious Thermal Flower. As the NPC took the vase...

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A purple me soared.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The NPC holding the vase was burnt to ash on the spot. And then, a series of strange notifications followed.

    ***

    <strong>[The Seed of the New World has sprouted.]</strong>

    From the ashes of the burned NPC, a peculiar nt began to grow. Rapidly expanding, it soon resembled the giant beanstalk from Jack and the Beanstalk, reaching so high that it touched the clouds.

    ¡°It has reached the clouds. I can¡¯t even fathom its height... Wait, the entire Azov Vige is being scattered by the wind.¡±

    The New World Jin-Hyeok knew before his regression was, frankly, too grandiose to be named so.

    ¡°Azov Vige has disappeared, reced by a massive magic circle.¡±

    The sight, never seen before, involuntarily made him gulp. He regretted not learning a new Skill, like Drone Flight Recording. Being so fixated on a first-person perspective prevented him from acquiring such useful tools. The view from above would have been quite refreshing.

    ¡°And it¡¯s getting dark.¡±

    The magic circle gleamed in five distinct colors, while the towering three radiated a deep red hue.

    ¡°And stars are falling.¡±

    Numerous stars with glowing tails started to descend from the dark sky. With so many celestial bodies moving, it felt as if the ground itself was in motion, much like the way trees seemed to move when viewed from a moving vehicle.

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful sight.¡±

    Suddenly, a loud bang echoed. He instinctively looked up, even though he had a gut feeling of what had transpired.

    ¡°It seems the tree, which grew to the height of the sky, has hit this world¡¯s ceiling.¡±

    The Dungeon, the New World, was not infinite. Somewhere high, beyond his sight, there seemed to exist a boundary, an endpoint to this world. The massively grown tree, eager to grow further, writhed at its base, seemingly trapped.

    ¡°The tree is struggling, and the sky feels like it''s shaking.¡±

    The beautiful meteor shower, which gracefully painted the sky, had now started to fall chaotically. Another explosion urred.

    ¡°The meteor shower isn¡¯t beautiful anymore.¡±

    Meteor showers were beautiful when viewed from afar, but when those meteors fell nearby, they turned into a meteor storm.

    <i>BOOM!</i>

    A dust cloud billowed. Lost meteors began to plummet to the New World.

    ¡°If this continues, the New World will crumble into oblivion. And I, who am inside, will go down with it.¡±

    <i>¡®Good. This is what I call a Dungeon. It had been too easy up to this point.¡¯</i>

    ¡°This is getting interesting.¡±

    1. Ordinary in Korean is ??, or Pyeong Beom. ?

 Chapter 137

    <h4>Chapter 137</h4>

    In Great Britain, Charles, a journalist and human rights activist, was one of the leading figures in the HARD movement.

    [¡°His y is excessively HARD.¡±]

    The acronym HARD stood for Harmful, with Adverse effects, Risky, and Dangerous.

    The HARD movement was also known as the Anti-Kim Chul-Soo movement. Charles imed that Chul-Soo had a profoundly negative influence on the world.

    ¡°There are countless cases of yers bing disabled after imitating his style of y. Even if we disregard such direct adverse effects, it is undeniable that his style of y contributes to public sentiment that trivializes grave dangers.¡±

    From Charles'' perspective, the way Chul-Soo yed was far too reckless.

    ¡°Or he is sending an irrational message to society that one must y like that to level up. Why must we bear so many risks? We are humans, and we have the right to live as such.¡±

    Many social activists sided with Charles. With Europe at the forefront, the momentum of the HARD movement grew. The opinion that Chul-Soo¡¯s style of y was inhumanely intense began to gain traction.

    ¡°I know that an overwhelming number of people are fervent admirers of Kim Chul-Soo. But that does not necessarily mean they are right. Humans have always fought against wrongs, and will continue to do so because we are human.¡±

    Charles turned his attention to the new Dungeon, New World, that Chul-Soo had recently entered.

    ¡°After experiencing countless deaths, even the most resilient of minds are bound to crack. Perhaps Chul-Soo has already lost his sanity. However, those yers are different.¡±

    This time, it was not just Chul-Soo; other yers, including Bong King and his party, were also ying in the New World. And Chul-Soo went so far as to admonish Lee Hyeon-Seong and Choi Gang-Byeok, iming they were just <i>basics</i>, even though they were performing well. This infuriated Charles. In Charles¡¯ eyes, Hyeon-Seong and Gang-Byeok were performing their roles adequately. Yet, Chul-Soo excessively berated and cornered them. Other regr yers witnessed it, and countless viewers saw it as well.

    ¡°Some of them will lose their minds, and their lives will be shattered. A family¡¯s happiness, which once dreamt of a joyful life, will be broken. The countless children who have watched his livestreams will behave the same way and see their daily lives copse. Yet, no one takes responsibility.¡±

    <i>¡®Once theye out of the New World Dungeon, someone will surely have gone mad,¡¯</i> Charles thought.

    They had experienced too many deaths. Right now, they might be maintaining an alert state due to high tension, but as soon as they exited the New World, some minds would undoubtedly copse.

    <i>¡®The world must know that Chul-Soo¡¯s style of y is malevolent.¡¯</i>

    Charles boarded a ne to South Korea to interview Bong King¡¯s party.

    <i>¡®Hyeon-Seong and Gang-Byeok might just agree with me.¡¯</i>

    ***

    A meteor fell right above Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. Seeing it directly, it was bigger than he had thought.

    <i>¡®Activate Star Shield.¡¯</i>

    He used the Star Shield to fend off the meteor.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not an instant-death attack.¡¯</i>

    Meteors were falling everywhere. To his senses, it felt like multiple Mages with Levels around mid tote 100s were targeting and attacking him at the same time.

    ¡°The dust is rising so thickly, making it hard to find the way. For now, my destination is to head back to the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok recalled the optimal route of the New World.

    1. Enter Azov Vige.

    Engage in a conversation with the guard and acquire the vase.

    2. Enter the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.

    Gather a few items and power up to fight the Fire Spirits residing in the Burning Fortress.

    3. Enter the Burning Fortress.

    Defeat the Fire Spirits and acquire the Thermal Flower embedded somewhere in the Fortress.

    4. Re-enter Azov Vige.

    After delivering the Thermal Flower to the guard, obtain ownership of the vase.

    5. Re-enter the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.

    Deploy the vase in a special location located somewhere in the Eastern Ancient Castle Town.

    When the vase was returned by the guard, it was supposed to be imbued with several special settings. It will then act as a key to operate the Clear Gate. This was the optimized route discovered after countless challenges by numerous yers.

    <i>¡®Up to step 4, it was more or less simr.¡¯</i>

    Originally, the guard would take the vase and do something with the Thermal Flower. What the guard did exactly was unknown. The important point was that after the Thermal Flower was extracted, the remaining vase, now with those special settings, was to be returned to Jin-Hyeok by the guard.

    ¡°Over there. The vase is lying on the ground.¡±

    It was supposed to be returned to Jin-Hyeok with those special settings, but the guard had been burnt to death, preventing that.

    ¡°I will pick it up for now. I need to hurry before it gets destroyed by the meteor shower.¡±

    While Jin-Hyeok could have simply picked it up, he threw himself at it. It would appear more intense that way. Rolling several times, he managed to rescue the vase.

    ¡°A violet aura is swirling around the vase. It seems to be due to the Mysterious Thermal Flower inside.¡±

    The vase was quite hot, but it was not a problem to handle.

    ¡°It feels like a heat below the Phoenix Grade. I am not affected at all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok considered feigning an intense reaction, pretending his palms were melting, but it seemed pointless. It felt more appropriate to clearly show the effects of the Phoenix Heart.

    ¡°Come to think of it, the guard was instantly incinerated upon holding this. Had I not consumed the Phoenix Heart, I would have faced a simr fate.¡±

    Trying not to look too intense felt a tad awkward. He could almost hear Bong King from a distance scolding him, saying, ¡®That is not how Streamers do it!¡¯

    ¡°I was indeed fortunate.¡±

    <i>¡®What if I had received this Mysterious Thermal Flower without the Phoenix Heart?¡¯</i>

    The chilling thought was oddlyforting.

    <i>¡®Now that I¡¯ve obtained the vase...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had to progress through this Dungeon while maintaining a modicum of logical consistency. He instinctively felt that the time allotted to him was not long.

    ¡°This vase seems to act as a key. There was a keyhole-like slot right above the oval-shaped Spirit Gate.¡±

    He set his course back to the Eastern Ancient Castle Town. The ground constantly shook, as if it was in the middle of a massive earthquake, and the meteors kept raining down, so even walking was not exactly an easy task, but he had to press on.

    ¡°I believe that inserting this into that slot willplete the New World.¡±

    This was a path he had traversed twice already, and showing the same content consecutively meant he had to diligently fill the silent gaps of his livestream.

    ¡°The New World Dungeon has always spoken of connections and junctions with new worlds.¡±

    Jonprich had said the same, and so did the Spirits.

    ¡°I think the transformation of the Closed Spirit Gate into the Clear Gate is part of that process. Both the Spirit Gate and the Clear Gate symbolize connections with other worl¡ª¡±

    A meteorite collided with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head, shattering on impact.

    ¡°Ouch! That one hurt quite a bit. That was a sizable meteorite.¡±

    Trying to multitask was not easy.

    <i>¡®I messed up my control.¡¯</i>

    ¡°There is a bit of blood on my head.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a warm sensation. Warm blood streamed down his face, wetting his clothes.

    ¡°It would be good if I could stop the bleeding, but I don¡¯t have that luxury.¡±

    Given the choice between livestreaming and stopping the bleeding, livestreaming was the obvious choice. He felt he would not die from losing this amount of blood, so he needed to focus more on the livestream.

    ¡°I believe that the culmination of all the Scenarios I have progressed through here is the Spirit Gate, which connects this world with the Spirit Realm. And as the Clear Gate, which bridges this world to the outside, it is the epitome of everything this Dungeon and Scenario represents.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like his speech skills had improved. Working alongside a talented Streamer like Bong King seemed to have helped. His confidence began to swell slightly, and his crumbling self-esteem started to rebuild.

    ¡°This vase had a special power. It housed the Thermal Flower, protecting its mystical me from ever fading.¡±

    Simply holding the Thermal Flower would burn it out. It could only be harvested with this vase. For the Thermal Flower, this vase was its world.

    ¡°Much like Jonprich¡¯s stomach that engulfed Elines. Lee Hyeon-Seong¡¯s cleaving sword became the medium to split open Jonprich¡¯s belly, ultimately connecting two isted worlds, as many of you may recall.¡±

    Everything was interconnected.

    ¡°So, I believe that breaking this correctly will open a path to a new world.¡±

    Exiting through the Clear Gate would technically be apletion, but not a perfect one. What the New World Dungeon demanded was inserting this exact key into the Spirit Gate.

    <i>¡®I found it!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was inspired by Bong King, who managed three tasks at once. Inspiration without change led to no progress. While streaming and dodging meteors, Jin-Hyeok captured the area of the screen where the Spirit Gate appeared and disyed it to the viewers as a reference.

    ¡°Right there. That hole looks like where the vase goes.¡±

    <i>Crack.</i>

    The world split.

    ¡°It looks like the sky is about to copse.¡±

    It resembled a building about to fall.

    ¡°I need to move quickly.¡±

    Breathlessness consumed him. Talking and moving made his breathing erratic.

    <i>¡®I see it.¡¯</i>

    The Clear Gate was in view. It floated high in the air, but that was no problem. He ran up the walls of the Eastern Ancient Town Castle and leaped into the air. The world shook massively. Time was truly running out.

    <i>¡®I only have one chance.¡¯</i>

    He recalled the image of Hyeon-Seong, focusing on a single point. Although Jin-Hyeok had been disappointed with him numerous times before then, Hyeon-Seong looked great back then. Hyeon-Seong¡¯s line was so earnest it resonated deeply with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°My vase knows not of failure.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to recite a more impressive line, but he could not think of one in the rush. Though it was a pity, he finally inserted the vase into the slot.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t even have the time to check the notification.¡¯</i>

    The moment the vase was ced, Jin-Hyeok immediately exited through the Clear Gate.

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeon ¡¸New World¡¹.]</strong>

    ***

    In the Korean Region Minor Gallery, there was much debate on whether it should be upgraded from a Minor Gallery to an Official Gallery. Yet, for some reason, it still held the title of a Minor Gallerymunity. Traffic surged at the site.

    [Honestly, isn¡¯t he actually intense right now? Isn¡¯t he going to die like that?]

    [If it was that intense, could he livestream AND y like that? LOL, what¡¯s this intense concept even about?]

    ©»Are you dumb? You don¡¯t understand?

    ©»?

    ©»The reason he livestreams like that is that the situation is intense. IntenseMan is always intense.

    ©»What the hell are you talking about? If it was really intense, could he run and livestream simultaneously? Normally, he would just run for his life.

    ©»Do you think Chul-Soo is normal?

    ©»Sorry.

    [It looks like a lot of blood is flowing from Chul-Soo¡¯s head.]

    From the first-person perspective, it was hard to be certain, but the traces of blood made the injury look severe.

    [Is he really livestreaming in that condition?]

    [Excuse me everyone, but isn¡¯t he genuinely intense if he is bleeding that much?]

    The viewers were confused. They were wondering if Chul-Soo was genuinely intense, or if he was just acting.

    Then, a Named user of the KRMG, NoOverpackagingPlz, joined the conversation.

    <strong>[Of course, it¡¯s freaking dangerous. Chul-Soo is just pretending to be nonchnt and squeezing out falseposure for his livestream. I have told you many times before. Kim Chul-Soo is overrated LOL. He is going to croak from blood loss LMAO!]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    As Joseph, who was NoOverpackagingPlz, flexed his huge trapezius muscles and posted hisment, countless users began to unite in condemning him.

    ©»When did this bastarde back here? If Chul-Soo is fluff, you¡¯re bluff

    ©»Is that supposed to be a joke? Tsk tsk.

    ©»Damn it, Iughed T_T I wanna die.

    [When will NoOverpackagingPlz kick the bucket?]

    [Is NoOverpackagingPlz¡¯s mom doing okay?]

    [He is just a troll. Let¡¯s not feed the troll.]

    Joseph chuckled. As he mocked Chul-Soo, people began to rally around him.

    [101 Reasons Why Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s y is Brilliant.]

    [The Sole SSS-Tier Korean Streamer Providing Content No One Else Can.]

    Chul-Soo¡¯s y began to be idolized, and Joseph was thrilled.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Joseph thought.

    [Why is someone trying to assassinate Chul-Soo?]

    In Chul-Soo¡¯s first-person view, just after clearing the Dungeon and moving outside, someone came into view. It was an Assassin with blond hair and blue eyes.

    [Holy shit! Chul-Soo got stabbed! This seems like an actual dangerous situation!]

    [Who the hell is that foreign-looking girl?]

    ©»She¡¯s like a foreign viin.

    [This is a diplomatic issue. How dare they try to stab Chul-Soo? Is she out of her mind?]

    ©»But she¡¯s pretty hot! ?

    It was Kaylin, the Assassin from the Avengers Army.

    yer name: ck Butterfly.

 Chapter 138

    <h4>Chapter 138</h4>

    A few days ago, Kaylin, also known as ck Butterfly, visited Korea.

    ¡°So you are the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance?¡± Kaylin asked.

    ¡°A pleasure. I am Kwak Do-Hyeon, the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance. You must be the Assassin from the Avengers Army, ck Butterfly.¡±

    An Assassin representing the United States and another representing Korea met.

    ¡°I heard my friend received great help from you, thank you,¡± Do-Hyeong said.

    ¡°Well, it was a mutual favor.¡±

    The meeting between Do-Hyeon and Kaylin was the butterfly effect set off by Cha Jin-Hyeok. The root of this situation was Do-Hyeong¡¯s close friend, self-proimed Hwarang, alternatively called Taekwon V, Kim Doo-Hwan. After suffering a resounding defeat at the hands of Jin-Hyeok, Doo-Hwan had an epiphany and began pioneering his own path. Guided, though not overtly taught by Jin-Hyeok, he emerged as a performance-type yer.

    This development urred much sooner than it had before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. Thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s help, Doo-Hwan started traveling the world sooner,bining his training with performance.

    ¡°My goal is to be a performance-type yer. My y ultimately has meaning when showcased to others, and the stage where I perform is also my training ground. I will stand on stages around the world.¡±

    Thus, Doo-Hwan decided to travel the world, and his first destination was the United States. The concept of a performance-type yer was still nascent, and especially in America, there was a tendency to overlook such yers. This led to significant conflicts with some yers in the United States, and that was when the rtionship between Do-Hyeon and Kaylin began when Kaylin helped out with matters rting to Doo-Hwan.

    ¡°I was quite impressed by the way you handled Chul-Soo¡¯s assassination,¡± Kaylin said.

    ¡°I had been defeated quite brutally then.¡±

    ¡°If you managed that much, you did well. I waspletely overpowered without even putting up a fight.¡± Kaylin got straight to the point and asked, ¡°How were you able to survive?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking why Chul-Soo was so lenient with you and your Alliance.¡±

    Kaylin still had nightmares from time to time. In them, Chul-Soo approached her with an indifferent expression, only for his eyes to be suddenly filled with bloodlust as he stabbed her.

    ¡°He was not just lenient with me and my Alliance,¡± Do-Hyeong said.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is lenient with all yers, assuming they stick to the basics.¡±

    The Chul-Soo that Do-Hyeon knew was the very embodiment of ideals. He was infinitely kind, gentle, and affectionate to yers who yed fairly.

    ¡°As you know, I tried to assassinate him and still attempt it repeatedly. If given a chance, I am always ready to stab Chul-Soo in the heart. I survived because he always looks favorably upon yers who stick to the basics,¡± Do-Hyeong exined.

    ¡°...¡±

    After conversing with Do-Hyeon and returning to her hotel room, Kaylin had a profound realization.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t stick to the basics...¡±

    Reflecting upon it, an Assassin¡¯s attack should always be a surprise attack. The very definition of a surprise attack was an unexpected, sudden attack.

    <i>¡®What I did was not a surprise attack.¡¯</i>

    She recalled the situation after escaping the Petronas Twin Towers when she attacked Chul-Soo. At that time, Kaylin, who had struggled for over ten hours to escape the Steel Centipedes that surrounded her, lost her sanity as soon as she saw him

    <i>¡®I unknowingly exuded bloodlust and attacked fiercely.¡¯</i>

    By that point, she had already revealed her presence to Jin-Hyeok. The surprise attack had already failed.

    <i>¡®I should have chosen to flee or surrender then.¡¯</i>

    Yet, she used her Chokehold Skill to attack Jin-Hyeok in that situation.

    <i>¡®If I had attacked more like a true Assassin, if I had been more faithful to the basics, the oue might have been more meaningful.¡¯</i>

    She calmly devised a new assassination n, targeting Jin-Hyeok, who had unexpectedly be the dream and ideal of Assassin worldwide.

    The next day, Kaylin met Do-Hyeon again to talk.

    ¡°But what if, even after sticking to the basics, Chul-Soo retaliates excessively?¡± Kaylin asked.

    Do-Hyeok looked slightly irritated.

    ¡°What do you mean by excessive retaliation?¡±

    ¡°If Chul-Soo sincerely retaliates, wouldn¡¯t the Assassin likely die, or rather, have a high chance of dying?¡±

    ¡°Do you n to act like an Assassin while worrying about trivial things like that?¡± Do-Hyeon frowned.

    He threw a dagger. Kaylin swiftly turned her head to dodge, but a shallow cut appeared on her cheek, and a line of blood trickled down.

    ¡°ck Butterfly, I am disappointed in you. I hope we don¡¯t cross paths again.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok caught the wrist of the woman who had aimed for his heart.

    <i>¡®It hurts, but...¡¯</i>

    Still, he narrowly contorted himself to avoid a fatal stab to the heart. Though there was significant pain, it was not unbearable.

    <i>¡®If I try to suppress her properly, it won¡¯t work.¡¯</i>

    He was already exhausted from clearing the New World. That was why he purposely exposed his chest and captured her wrist.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, ck Butterball.¡±

    By the way, this situation was currently being livestreamed worldwide. It was the moment when the yer name of Kaylin, a prominent Assassin from the Avengers Army, would be established. She looked at Jin-Hyeok with a momentarily flustered expression.

    <i>¡®He recognized me immediately?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    She knew that Streamers could read their opponent¡¯s information with the Broadcaster¡¯s Truesight, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Skill seemed exceedingly efficient.

    <i>¡®I even used the Deceiver¡¯s Mask, but it was all for naught.¡¯</i>

    With his left hand firmly gripping Kaylin¡¯s wrist, Jin-Hyeok swung a dagger with his right.

    ¡°Keuk!¡±

    The dagger pierced Kaylin¡¯s chest.

    ¡°We¡¯re even now.¡±

    Kaylin tried to escape Jin-Hyeok¡¯s grasp using the Skill Smooth and Flexible Body.

    <i>¡®How strong is this Streamer...?¡¯</i>

    She could not overpower him with strength alone. Amplifying the smoothness on her wrist with her Skill, she barely managed to free herself and quickly retreated. Then, she raised both hands.

    ¡°Enough. I surrender,¡± she said.

    ¡°Surrender? What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    Kaylin felt that something was off.

    <i>¡®What is going on?¡¯</i>

    This was not the Kim Chul-Soo she knew. In the past, it was hard to detect any emotional fluctuation in Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes, which were always filled with bloodlust. He was like a doll, indifferent to murder.

    But currently, it was different.

    <i>¡®He seems really angry.¡¯</i>

    It was an iprehensible situation for Kaylin.

    <i>¡®I clearly seeded in surprising him and even managed tond a significant blow on him!¡¯</i>

    Despite her fundamental y yielding a meaningful result, Chul-Soo seemed much more irritated than before.

    ¡°How dare you stab me here?¡±

    She could see Chul-Soo getting closer and closer. It felt as if a gigantic mountain was looming over her. Kaylin grew desperate.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to die at this rate.¡¯</i>

    She could feel death approaching. She began to melt.

    <strong>[ck Butterfly has activated the Skill ¡¸Liquifying to Escape¡¹.]</strong>

    Kaylin liquefied herself and hid in the cracks of the ground. As she retreated as far as she could, cold sweat poured down her back.

    <i>¡®If I just stood there, I would¡¯ve instantly died.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ck Butterfly¡¯s attack was quite threatening. Jin-Hyeok was significantly fatigued from clearing the New World, and it was true that he momentarily let his guard down in the euphoria of the Clear. It was the perfect situation to be caught off guard, and ck Butterfly took full advantage of that moment.

    It was amendable y for an Assassin. It brought back the tension in Jin-Hyeok, which was rxed for a bit, and was a great mock drill for future encounters. On a normal day, he might have even appreciated such a challenge.

    But not now.

    <i>¡®She ruined my livestream!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok went through many challenges to clear the New World. He even unlocked the All-Clear Achievement.

    ¡°This is the third All-Clear I have achieved while ying.¡±

    An All-Clear was a rare Achievement. After his regression, he had achieved it only twice. Once in the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, and once in the Hope Rising From the Ruins.

    <i>¡®But the Hope Rising From the Ruins was... a bit of a special case.¡¯</i>

    It was somewhat forced upon him due to its connection with the 4th Seoul Scenario. As per his own experience, the only genuine All-Clear was the Sareoga Mart Dungeon. He achieved such a precious and rare All-Clear, and the fact that someone was trying to ambush him was utterly infuriating.

    ¡°I sessfully achieved an All-Clear in the New World. There is an additional engraving on my right hand.¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. I should¡¯ve shared this with the viewers first. The flow of my livestream has been disrupted. Still, I have to show what needs to be shown.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I will share the All-Clear details.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok reyed the recorded scene for the viewers to see.

    <strong>[All-Clear (New World)]</strong>

    <strong>[An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear New World Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer is recognized as the Pioneer of the new world and granted the right to move between Servers.</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer has the ability to choose the first Server to be connected to the Earth Server.</strong>

    <strong>2) Pioneer¡¯s Privilege</strong>

    <strong>-It is a privilege given to those who sessfully connect worlds.</strong>

    <strong>-Upon moving to another Server, one chosen Trait of the Achievement bearer gets an enhancement.</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement Bearer can assist the nter to strengthen the Guardian Tree and acquire certain rights.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have shown everything to the viewers.¡¯</i>

    In a rush to return to normal livestreaming, Jin-Hyeok might have been a bit hasty.

    <i>¡®Well, hiding too much information might have a counterproductive effect.¡¯</i>

    It might be better to reveal everything transparently. After all, it was an All-Clear Achievement. Jin-Hyeok did not want people¡¯s imaginations to run too wild.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not like I uncovered it just to show off.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a detailed look from the beginning.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok zoomed in on a part of the All-Clear Achievement effect and disyed it on the screen.

    <strong>[-The Achievement bearer is recognized as the Pioneer of the new world and grants the right for Server Teleportation.]</strong>

    ¡°I am not entirely sure what they mean by ¡®granted the right to move between Servers.¡¯ We might need to observe this more closely to understand.¡±

    <strong>[-The Achievement bearer has the ability to choose the first Server to be connected to the Earth Server.]</strong>

    <i>¡®I get to choose this?¡¯</i>

    A list of connectable Servers unfurled in his mind. Servers vastly different from the Earth Server were disyed in faint gray text, while those that could be connected were disyed in ck bolded text.

    <i>¡®Wow, this is amazing.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was able to selectively connect to a Server that was the most advantageous to him, a Server that was best for generating interesting content.

    <i>¡®Moreover, I would be the first one to establish this connection, right?¡¯</i>

    Anythingbeled as ¡®world premier¡¯ always had its appeal. He felt like this could draw a lot of Eltube views.

    ¡°This seems to be like the Pioneer acts as a fuse, so to speak, tounch the Official Service. That¡¯s good news. I am quite fortunate. Let¡¯s move on and look at the Pioneer Privilege.¡±

    <strong>[-Upon moving to another Server, one chosen Trait of the Achievement bearer gets an enhancement.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Enhancing one Trait?¡¯</i>

    Several pieces of information were transmitted into his mind.

    ¡°It appears that among Traits, there are those that are growth-type Traits. If I choose wisely, one of the Traits I possess can be powerfully enhanced. However, if the chosen Trait is not a growth-type Trait, then this effect vanishes. A careful selection seems paramount. Also, multiple selections are not permitted and the chance to choose onlyes once.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized that he could not choose a new Trait every time he moved to a new Server. Once a choice was made, it seemed to be a permanent setting.

    His heart raced.

    <i>¡®I already possess a growth-type Trait, don¡¯t I?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew this for sure because his Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait, which had consumed both the Sword Emperor Trait and the Genius Trait as ingredients, had been enhanced to the All-Rounder Trait.

    ¡°I need to think about this and attempt itter.¡±

    The answer was already decided. He was nning on enhancing the All-Rounder Trait. However, he did not disclose this detail.

    ¡°Lastly, there is this part. It contains some interesting information."

    <strong>[-The Achievement Bearer can assist the nter to strengthen the Guardian Tree and acquire certain rights.]</strong>

    ¡°As many of you might know, that nter is me.¡±

    Though he was feeling physically drained and worn out, ending the livestream now was not an option. The momentum was built and it felt right to conclude this livestream properly.

    <i>¡®I did bleed quite a bit and feel slightly dizzy, but a quick healing session should sort that out.¡¯</i>

    He could not possibly stop the livestream just because he lost some blood.

    ¡°Oh, I had not even noticed this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok only now noticed the dagger lodged in his chest.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s pretty impressive. How focused on the livestream must I have been to overlook this? I must be doing well as a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I will go straight to the Guardian Tree. In between, I will summon the Blood Priest to heal my wounds. I will catch up with you guys in Yeonhui-dong. Please subscribe, like, and press that notification button! If you set up your notification, you will not miss the livestream right after I arrive in Yeonhui-dong!¡±

    Shortly after, he arrived in front of the Guardian Tree.

 Chapter 139

    <h4>Chapter 139</h4>

    Before Cha Jin-Hyeok arrived at the Guardian Tree, Cha Jin-Sol came running to him.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    She had clearly been eating something in haste as ketchup and mayonnaise were smeared around her mouth. Being the elder brother, Jin-Hyeok chose not to mention it. It was she who should be embarrassed, not he.

    ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± Jin-Sol shouted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like being called that.¡±

    <i>¡®Why would she call me a crazy bastard? I have nurtured a fair amount of social skills, and I am no longer just crazy about swords like before.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Is it wrong to call a crazy bastard a crazy bastard?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°I am not a crazy bastard.¡± Jin-Hyeok could handle most insults, but being called a crazy bastard got under his skin.

    ¡°Seriously, if you are going to be crazy, at least be moderate,¡± Jin-Sol said as she tended to his wounds.

    <i>¡®Was she always this naggy?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had neverined about her nagging during the seven years he had been messing around after his regression, but it seemed to have increased quite a bit recently.

    <i>¡®Has her personality changed?¡¯</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s so crazy about what I did?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sure, you got hit on the head by a meteorite. I get that it couldn''t be helped, given the urgency. You needed to survive first. Okay, and then the Assassin appeared. That can be excused too. But what did you do after everything was over?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    <i>¡®Why is she asking such an obvious question?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You were obsessed with your livestreaming, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, is this not nagging but praise? But why does her praise sound awfully like a scolding?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I get that you are a Streamer, and you need to stream, but shouldn¡¯t you take care of your injuries while doing it? What were you saving the potion for? Why did you wait until I arrived? To be honest, I knew your head injury and the stab wound in your chest were serious.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was noticeable?¡±

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s the case. It¡¯s great news. It must have made for a quite thrilling livestream.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Obviously! If you were fine, would you have just let the Assassin run away? You would¡¯ve chased her immediately!¡±

    ¡°Did I... look intense?¡±

    ¡°Oppa, please! You will really die acting like this!¡±

    As they conversed, Jin-Hyeok could tell it was not praise.

    ¡°But aren¡¯t your priorities a bit off?¡± he asked.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Between treating injuries that are critical but non-fatal and livestreaming right away, which is more important?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Jin-Sol flinched. It seemed her brother¡¯s wise words had enlightened her.

    ¡°And you¡¯ve died a lot, so you should know. With injuries like these, you get a feel for whether they¡¯re fatal or not, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And I felt mine weren¡¯t.¡± Jin-Hyeok won the argument with logic.

    Having conceded defeat, Jin Sol refuted with just one sentence. ¡°...Normally, any yers with your kinds of injuries would die.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Until now, Jin-Hyeok thought his teachings were providing her with a profound realization.

    ¡°This is not the time for me to be like this,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know you won¡¯t change anyway, since you are a maniac. In the end...¡± Jin-Sol mumbled to herself.

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to say that he was not a maniac, but Jin-Sol was already lost in her own world, biting her nails and deep in thought.

    <i>¡®What is she thinking so deeply about?¡¯</i>

    Unable to understand her mind, he used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[...#I¡¯ve decided. #I need to form the strongest Healer alliance on Earth. #I will make him unkible. #I can do it.]</strong>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok started his livestream in front of the Guardian Tree. A considerable crowd had gathered around him.

    ¡°Is that Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem as handsome as I had imagined.¡±

    ¡°He''s probably using the Deceiver¡¯s Mask. He does not like revealing his true face.¡±

    Whispers echoed from all directions. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart thumped unexpectedly.

    <i>¡®All this crowd just to see me live?¡¯</i>

    He was suddenly reminded of the growing influence of livestreaming.

    <i>¡®Egan Paul also draws massive crowds when he streams. It would be great if I could pull in more people than hi¡ª No! I shouldn¡¯t think like that.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok calmed himself.

    <i>¡®Lately, I keep losing sight of my initial goal.¡¯</i>

    Losing one¡¯s initial goal could be fatal for long-term sess. It was a timeless truth.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just aim for third ce.¡¯</i>

    His aim was the same, but its essence had changed significantly. In the past, his goal really was to be in third ce. His standard might have been a bit abnormal, but he genuinely aimed for that. Now, his resolve was different.

    <i>¡®Maintaining one¡¯s initial goal is essential for longevity.¡¯</i>

    This wasmon in every field. Jin-Hyeok believed that never forgetting one¡¯s initial goal was the foundation of growth. So, his new ¡®let¡¯s aim for the third ce¡¯ aim was closer to self-hypnosis for longevity. Past Level 150, even up to Level 200, or perhaps even beyond, his instinct guided him for even higher growth.

    ¡°Fortunately, I am both the Pioneer and the nter.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Guardian Tree. From all around, chants filled the air.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    <i>¡®This... feels pretty good.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok began to realize more about himself. He quite liked the attention.

    <i>¡®Maybe I am an attention whore.¡¯</i>

    He recalled that even during his Sword King days, he did not exactly despise attention. However, back then, he was obsessed solely with swords and had never contemted it. Now, things had changed.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s natural for a Streamer to enjoy attention.¡¯</i>

    Now, he had a Job that thrived on attention. As he pondered the audience¡¯s attention, he recognized his deep-rooted desire for it.

    <i>¡®I should have been a Streamer even before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Now, the remaining <i>longing for being a Swordsman </i>had vanished inside him. Not a shred of regret remained.

    <i>¡®Streaming is my true calling!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok proceeded with the livestream, with elevated tension.

    <i>¡®Back when I was just a novice Streamer, I was too focused on producing content quickly.¡¯</i>

    Those were his low-Level days. While calling him a high-Level yer would still be a stretch now, he felt he had grown.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s stall and wait for the right moment.¡¯</i>

    Once a sufficient number of viewers had gathered and the atmosphere was ripe with anticipation, Jin-Hyeok spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this is about.¡±

    <strong>[-The Achievement Bearer can help the nter strengthen the Guardian Tree and acquire certain rights.]</strong>

    The All-Clear Mark lit up on his right hand. Shadowy energy emerged from the tattoo-like mark, swirling and heading toward the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°Ah, it tickles!!¡±

    The energy spread over the Guardian Tree like ink dripping into water.

    -¡°Hehehehe! Hahahahaha! It¡¯s tickling!¡±

    The Golden Guardian Tree trembled. Its gold-hued leaves shimmered and fell in the breeze.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s gold!¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    The surroundings instantly turned chaotic. The leaves that fell from the Golden Guardian Tree contained gold, and people¡¯s eyes turned red as they raced to collect them.

    ¡°Move!¡±

    ¡°This one is mine!¡±

    Some even started to fight. The world they were heading toward was naturally stained with battles. Jin-Hyeok, seemingly unperturbed, warned someone, ¡°Hey, you. With the yer name Blue Grandpa, the one you are pointing your spear at is a non-yer. You know what happens if a yer attacks a non-yer, right?¡±

    yers fighting among themselves wasmon. However, a yer attacking a non-yer disrupted the bnce. Blue Grandpa had no choice but to release the leaf he was holding.

    ¡°...Yes, I apologize.¡±

    Blue Grandpa, his face flushed, disappeared as if he was fleeing from the scene. This was quite a novel experience for Jin-Hyeok as well.

    ***

    <i>¡®I remember they used to be so disobedient,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Actually, eight or nine out of ten used to listen to him and his colleagues. Most of them followed theirmands. However, one or two troublemakers would always exist, and they were the ones who left asting impression on Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®They said things like how I lived off of their tax money and stuff...¡¯</i>

    Perhaps they took advantage of him being a government official. However, now, things had changed quite a bit.

    <i>¡®It feels good not to be a government official anymore.¡¯</i>

    People were hanging on to his every word. It felt like he had even more influence on people now than he did during his Sword King days. Everything seemed to be falling into ce.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree is slowly growing.¡±

    It was stillining about the tickling. The Guardian Tree seemed like it would run out of breath, but it was a tree, so that probably would not happen.

    A timer appeared before Jin-Hyeok.

    <strong>[23:52:03]</strong>

    <strong>[23:52:02}</strong>

    <strong>[23:02:01]</strong>

    The timer showed the countdown in hours, minutes, and seconds.

    ¡°It seems like the Guardian Tree will take twenty-four hours to grow.¡±

    This was a bit of a letdown, but it could not be helped. Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t just wait here for twenty-four hours. Resting and recovering to continue the livestreamter seemed like a better decision.

    ¡°I will take a break now and see you guys in twenty-four hours.¡±

    When he returned home, he saw two uninvited guests: ck Butterfly and Kwak Do-Hyeong.

    ¡°ck Butterball?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®An Assassin came to my home without my permission again? This can¡¯t go on. I should... well, probably can¡¯t kill her.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother was serving them a bowl of fruit.

    <i>¡®This always happens once in a while. Do they know that my mother will be here?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Oh, Jin-Hyeok, your friends are here.¡±

    <i>¡®Why does Mom seem so pleased?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not supposed to rely too much on the Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, but he wanted to know why she looked so happy.

    <strong>[...#Relieved. #My son has friends.]</strong>

    The hashtags were brief but quite powerful. It seemed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother thought he did not have any friends.

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± ck Butterfly replied in fluent Korean and gave a seemingly genuine smile.

    <i>¡®Who would think of her as an Assassin?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Just have fun. I¡¯ll leave you guys to it.¡± His mother passed by Jin-Hyeok, patting his shoulder with a relieved look as if she felt reassured.

    ¡°Sorry for dropping by unannounced. I tried calling multiple times, but you did not answer.¡± Do-Hyeong spoke first.

    ¡°How dare you Assassinse into my house without my permission?¡± Jin-Hyeok whispered. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my mom, I would have killed you. Do-Hyeong is okay, but ck Butterball? Seriously?¡±

    <i>¡®I keep thinking about how she messed up my livestream earlier. Damn... I really wish I could kill her.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I genuinely wanted to ask you something,¡± ck Butterfly said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why did you try to kill me earlier?¡±

    <i>¡®What kind of nonsense is she spouting?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Is that something an Assassin should be asking?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I think I stayed true to the basics. As an Assassin.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°You seemed to wee such Assassins.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    The past Jin-Hyeok might have. Assassins used to torment Jin-Hyeok in novel and thrilling ways. He could not tell how exhrating those moments were. However, it was supposed to be different now.

    ¡°Do I look like that to you?¡±

    <strong>[...#Yes. #You are a legit yer. #I admire you. #You just smiled a little.]</strong>

    <strong>[...#You love this. #Kim Chul-Soo is the real deal.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Did I smile? No way!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was no longer the crazed Swordsman. He was an average Streamer now. ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    ¡°Is it because my skills arecking? Did I not meet your expectations?¡± ck Butterfly asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    For a moment, Jin-Hyeok wondered if she was right. Reflecting on it, he realized that if she had done a little better when she tried to stab him earlier, she could havended a more threatening attack.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Who in their right mind would wee an assassination?¡±

    <strong>[...#He is right here.]</strong>

    <strong>[...#You wee it. #Are you tsundere?]</strong>

    ck Butterfly continued, ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t good enough. Then please give me permission, too.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°To officially target you. I will give it my all and try to stab you.¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, that almost got me excited... but I¡¯m sure it did not show on my face, right?¡¯</i>

    ¡°But why did you say ¡®too¡¯?¡±

    ¡°You gave permission to Viper, right? You have officially allowed him to attack you, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I never did such a thing,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I would appreciate it if you would give me the same permission.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I never granted him such permission!¡±

    ¡°...Why am I an exception? Do you think that I am that inadequate?¡±

    <strong>[...#Am I weaker than Viper? #I want your recognition.]</strong>

    ck Butterfly bit her lip slightly. ¡°Just give me the permission, and I promise I willnd a good stab.¡±

    As he thought about it, Jin-Hyeok thought giving permission to her might not be such a bad idea. Maintaining constant vignce would surely help improve his skills. He was now roughly at a promising young talent level, and before going into the big league, he wanted to maximize his capabilities. At least before he retired.

    A smirk appeared on his face. ¡°Do you also want to do the Seven Captures Seven Releases?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but I am in.¡±

    In the end, ck Butterfly also promised to partake in the Seven Captures Seven Releases. Someone as desperate as her was bound to aplish something, which would likely be beneficial for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Well then, I will go now,¡± Do-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I promise a more satisfactory surprise next time. You can count on that,¡± ck Butterfly said.

    After the two of them left, it wasn¡¯t long before Jin-Hyeok heard a knock on the door.

    <i>¡®Who could it be?¡¯</i>

    To Jin-Hyeok¡¯s surprise,

    <i>¡®Kihael?¡¯</i>

    It was GM No.3 of Seodaemun-gu, Kihael, with his hat pulled low over his eyes.

    ¡°Kihael, what brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Can we have a private conversation for a moment?¡± He seemed far more serious than usual. ¡°I would appreciate it if you kept my visit a secret.¡±

 Chapter 140

    <h4>Chapter 140</h4>

    ¡°I see... I had a feeling something was off,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Keuk...¡± Kihael covered his face with his hands and sobbed loudly.

    Jin-Hyeok looked at him with a hint of pity in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s sad enough that you and your girlfriend broke up. But your boss, Serchan, actually said it was a good thing and was happy about it?¡±

    ¡°...Yes<i>,</i>¡± Kihael replied with a sigh.

    ording to Kihael, the passionate Serchan was a ruthless devil without anypassion. Serchan had said something along the lines of ¡®Now you can focus more on your work! Hahaha! It¡¯s music to my ears. Let¡¯s drown in our work!¡¯

    ¡°Serchan doesn¡¯t even know why we broke up!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of that bastard!¡± Kihael mmed a beer can on the table. He seemed to be harboring a deep grudge against Serchan.

    <strong>[...#Jerk. #If he had less muscle, I would have hit him. #Damn him.]</strong>

    ¡°Why is Serchan the reason you broke up with your girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°He ruined my work-life bnce! He constantly demands overtime, and if I don¡¯t do it, he treats me as if I am the abnormal one. He acts as if workingte is the most natural thing in the world! If he loves it so much, why doesn¡¯t he do it himself instead of forcing it on others?!¡±

    <i>¡®Hmmm, he really hates overtime. Back in my government official days, I quite enjoyed the extra hours.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Well, you do value work-life bnce, which is quitemon and sensible among GMs.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. But that jerk thinks he is the epitome ofmon sense and reason. That¡¯s what pisses me[1] off the most.¡±

    A GM using suchnguage was surprising. Lately, Jin-Hyeok had noticed that GMs, and not just them but also Choi Gap-Soo and Michelle Jang, seemed to use trendy Korean ng quite often.

    <i>¡®Is it because of my livestream? Could it be that my livestream has be so popr and has a significant influence on people?¡¯</i>

    It was a pleasant thought, but Jin-Hyeok quickly shook his head.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not some high-tier Streamer, so I probably don¡¯t have that kind of influence. I doubt even Egan Paul, who has a simr number of viewers as I have, has that kind of influence.¡¯</i>

    It was essential to dream big but also stay objective.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what good cane out of this if I keep living like this!¡± Kihael said.

    He vented his frustrations for a while before getting to the main point. ¡°Rather than working my ass off, I might as well leech off you.¡±

    ¡°Leech off me?¡±

    ¡°Do you realize you are now the target of all the GMs?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± To Jin-Hyeok, this was an iprehensible statement. ¡°Why would they target me?¡±

    ¡°Are you serious? After everything you have done, you still need to ask that?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯ve done?¡±

    <i>¡®I just yed intensely. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Forget it. You wouldn¡¯t get it. What¡¯s the point in exining to a crazy bastard?¡±

    ¡°You know, I hate it when people call me that.¡±

    ¡°Then how should I describe you? No, never mind. Fine, you are not crazy. But anyway, you are a target for the GMs. They are waiting for the perfect chance to get rid of you.¡±

    <i>¡®Do GMs have that much free time on their hands? Kihael might be exaggerating. They must be extremely busy with the officialunch. How can they spend so much energy on a mere yer like me? Maybe Kihael is overinterpreting things because of his issues with Serchan.¡¯</i>

    ¡°They will probably try to torment you within legal limits,¡± Kihael added.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Does that mean they will raise the difficulty to its maximum within the legal limits?¡±

    ¡°Well...yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. He believed that true y came out when the difficulty was high.

    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±

    ¡°If the difficulty increases, it means that the thrill also... no, the rewards will also be better.¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®This guy isn¡¯t normal either,¡¯ </i>Kihael thought.

    For some reason, the world seemed to be filled with crazy bastards. In such a world, Kihael needed to keep his sanity.

    ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ve decided to ride on your coattails.¡±

    Havinge this far, Kihael nned to elevate Jin-Hyeok as much as possible and reap the Cha Jin-Hyeok effect. He had even secured a promise for a future job at KimKnowItAllTV, with a promise of a higher sry and better working conditions.

    ¡°I will provide you with as much helpful information as I can. Today marks the start of that. You are currently waiting for your Guardian Tree to grow, right?¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°A Guardian Tree, once matured, is a divine tree that showcases unmatched vitality and protective power. However, for it to fully grow and reach that state, a few processes are needed. Did you know this?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not.¡±

    This was surprising to Kihael. He had assumed that the monstrous Jin-Hyeok knew everything, but it seemed even this crazy bastard was not aware of some things.

    <i>¡®No, let¡¯s be real. It¡¯s normal for him not to know.¡¯</i>

    Although Jin-Hyeok had demonstrated excellent y in various ways, he was not a God. Kihael thought his standards of Jin-Hyeok were bing skewed, so he reprimanded himself.

    ¡°By now, fruits should be forming on the tree,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Fruits?¡±

    ¡°They are called the Unripe Golden Fruits. But they are not entirely beneficial.¡±

    The Unripe Golden Fruits drew the life force from the Golden Guardian Tree to grow.

    ¡°One fruit among them will stand out, shining brighter andrger than the others. The problem is that one. It sucks up all the life force from the Golden Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, before the Guardian Tree fully matures, what¡¯s colloquially known as pruning is necessary¡ªto remove any fruit that excessively drains the tree¡¯s vitality.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°So I need to promptly remove that greedy Unripe Golden Fruit for the sake of the Golden Guardian Tree?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. But you will need an exceptional Harvester for the job.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the intel.¡± Jin-Hyeok stood up. ¡°I was hoping to rest a bit since I had the time.¡±

    Once Jin-Hyeok decided to move, he felt he was not that tired. He had also received healing from Cha Jin-Sol, so he was not in a bad state.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been toocent,¡± he said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°I should have been more intense. Thanks for making me reflect on this, Kihael.¡±

    Had he stayed by the Guardian Tree¡¯s side, he might have noticed the changes urring within it. Allowing fatigue and injuries to keep him away from the tree, even briefly, had been a mistake.

    ¡°...Reflect on what?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Resting leads to stagnation. When you can do more, you should. You made me realize this.¡±

    <i>¡®...I did? When?¡¯</i>

    Kihael avoided eye contact with Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes eerily resembled Serchan¡¯s.

    ¡°Is that... a veiled dig at me?¡± the GM asked.

    However, Jin-Hyeok did not answer. He had already exited the door.

    Rushing to follow, Kihael saw Jin-Hyeok was already too far away. Kihael wanted to shout, ¡®Hey! You need to find the Harvester first!¡¯ but stopped himself. Adjusting his hat, he quietly exited Yeonhui-dong.

    ???

    A moment of realization or reflection often sparks an unrecognizable vitality in a person. Jin-Hyeok was experiencing that now.

    ¡°I was too excited to keep resting,¡± he said to the viewers.

    He started his livestream in front of the Guardian Tree. The moment he began livestreaming, an exhrating thrill surged through him.

    <i>¡®This is so much fun.¡¯</i>

    Watching his viewer count rise in real-time was satisfying, and the increasing number of likes gave him a tremendous sense of aplishment. Just to be safe, he set the title:

    [A Chill Livestream that Might Be a Bit Boring]

    Over ten hours were still left for the Guardian Tree to fully grow. The livestream was aid-back one before any major events would ur.

    <i>¡®I do want to interact with the viewers a bit during times like these.¡¯</i>

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opinion, he was not yet cut out for that level of interaction.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s maintain a sustainable concept.¡¯</i>

    He did not want inconsistency in his livestreams¡ªinteracting with his viewers at one moment, then not at another. Thankfully, Wang Yu-Mi had created a yground ecosystem for the viewers, so this was not an urgent matter.

    ¡°Some peculiar fruits are growing on the tree.¡±

    Approaching the Guardian Tree, which was still emitting a majestic glow, Jin-Hyeok touched its trunk. ¡°How does it feel?¡±

    He heard a voice.

    -¡°It tickles so much I feel like I¡¯m going to die!¡±

    <i>Hehehehe!</i>

    The Guardian Tree still seemed to be in difort.

    ¡°At a nce, there does not seem to be a problem...¡±

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, Jin-Hyeok examined the branches.

    <strong>[<u>Unripe Golden Fruit</u>]</strong>

    At first nce, the Unripe Golden Fruits scattered throughout the tree resembled green apples.

    <i>¡®That should be the one.¡¯</i>

    While the other fruits looked like apples, one looked like a watermelon. It was significantlyrger than the others, predominantly green but shimmering in a unique gold hue.

    ¡°These fruits look good. I will see if I can harvest them.¡± He checked the underlined details, but the specifics did not expand.

    <strong>[Only Harvesting-ss yers can view the details.]</strong>

    <strong>[Only Harvesting-ss yers can view the details.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. ¡°It seems like the Golden Guardian Tree is set up in a way that prevents me from harvesting these fruits. This could be problematic.¡±

    Meanwhile, Yu-Mi smiled contentedly, watching the chat window of KimKnowItAllTV.

    -IntenseMan is being intense again.

    -His voice sounds so calm, yet he thinks the situation is intense.

    The viewers found a remarkable calmness in Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s voice.

    -He¡¯s like a memory foam mattress, so calm!

    -It¡¯s so cute that he really thinks he is being intense.

    -Wait, isn¡¯t he genuinely intense this time?

    Debate sparked among the viewers again. Yu-Mi timely initiated a poll to channel the debate into an engagement.

    [Chul-Soo is genuinely intense this time VS IntenseMan is just being typically intense.]

    [1. Chul-Soo is genuinely intense this time.]

    [2. IntenseMan is just being typically intense.]

    -What¡¯s your take, KingGodGeneral Yumi?

    -Let¡¯s bring in our Kim Chul-Soo expert, KingGodGeneral Yumi!

    Yu-Mi naturally leaned toward the second option. She prided herself on being able to gauge Jin-Hyeok¡¯s psychological state just by the tone of his voice. However, outwardly, she responded rather seriously. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like he is genuinely, truly intense this time?¡±

    [1. Chul-Soo is genuinely intense this time. (45%)]

    [2. IntenseMan is just being typically intense. (55%)]

    The percentage of option 1 instantly surged. Highly satisfied with the result, Yu-Mi secretly grinned.

    <i>¡®The more diverse the opinions be, the more Chul-Soo will feel threatened! Then his content will naturally be richer and more controversial!¡¯</i>

    Tilting her head slightly, she said,

    ¡°Actually, Harvesting-ss yers, what are they called... Foragers? Harvesters? Anyway, without them, harvesting those fruits seems impossible... As Kim Chul-Soo just said, those fruits are consuming too much of the Guardian Tree¡¯s life force. So, finding a Harvester should be his priority!¡±

    Yu-Mi began to speak faster. ¡°You guys know the value of the Guardian Tree, right?¡±

    She shared a few pieces of data she had prepared in advance, which equated the Guardian Tree¡¯s value in mary terms. ording to a report from an American research institution, the Guardian Tree was worth at least several hundred billion dors.

    ¡°To protect such a valuable tree, Chul-Soo is undoubtedly exerting immense effort right now. The Guardian Tree is essentially a shield for Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and by extension, the entire Korean Server. Chul-Soo is always devoted to its protection!¡±

    -Protect Korea? LOL. That¡¯s a wild exaggeration.

    -That¡¯s a major leap. LOL

    - We don¡¯t know that. If the Guardian Tree grows significantly and expands its territory, maybe it can truly protect the entire country.

    -Calm down with the national pride. LOL. Do you really think that makes sense?

    -How can a single tree cover Korea? Korea isrger than you think.

    -Yeah, just like your face is huge.

    ¡°Huh? Chul-Soo is making a move!¡±

    On the screen, Chul-Soo began climbing the trunk of the Guardian Tree. As it was not that big, Chul-Soo was able to climb it rather quickly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try to harvest some fruits then,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -Huh? He¡¯s not even a Harvester!

    -What¡¯s he thinking?

    -Did he get sucked into his intense concept? Some things are just impossible.

    -Isn¡¯t that overdoing it?

    Chul-Soo continued, ¡°Typically, in such cases, one would usually hire a Harvesting-ss yer or a Foraging-ss yer, but I will try a different method.¡±

    1. In the raws, it says ???, which is abination of the words ¡®king¡¯ and ¡®angry.¡¯ It is an online ng, where users use king + any adjectives to amplify the meaning. ?

 Chapter 141

    <h4>Chapter 141</h4>

    [¡®KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¯ has sent you a message.]

    [¡°Is it possible to pick the fruits without a Harvester? Do you want me to look for one?¡±]

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s right. This is why I livestream.¡¯</i>

    He did not think Yu-Mi had sent the message out of ignorance. In his life, he had never seen a supporter as capable as Yu-Mi. She noticed and interpreted things he glossed over from a different perspective and informed him about them.

    So this message meant that everyone was curious about his next steps.

    <i>¡®My actions have caught everyone off guard!¡¯</i>

    To a Streamer providing content and story, it was an immense thrill.

    ¡°I can harvest those fruits even without a Harvester. Why? Because I have grown immensely.¡± Jin-Hyeok immediately took out the Rule Breaker to share its effects with the viewers.

    <strong>[Rule Breaker (Upgradable) (Bound)]</strong>

    <strong>[A weapon that can destroy thews.]</strong>

    However, this alone was not enough.

    ¡°Even if I use the Rule Breaker to shatter the rules, I am not a Harvester; those fruits have their own will, so I might not be able to harvest them easily.¡±

    He prepared another information screen.

    <strong>[All-Clear (Hope Rising From the Ruins)]</strong>

    <strong>[In a ce where there was no hope, a white flower bloomed.</strong>

    <strong>Now, one can dream.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement Effect: Subdue all items rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario.]</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯ve obtained the power to subdue all items rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario.¡±

    The 4th Scenario had ended a while ago. Instead of invaders from other Servers, the Queen Ant had appeared in the scenario.

    ¡°As I reflected on the disappointment I felt due to the previous All-Clear, I realized something.¡±

    The Achievement effect of Hope Rising From the Ruins was limited to only items rted to the 4th Seoul Scenario. When Jin-Hyeok had gained the achievement, he had been disappointed, thinking its versatility wascking.

    ¡°The Achievement effect was not wed. I was just weak.¡± He just could not properly utilize it.

    Jin-Hyeok disyed the final information screen. ¡°The long-awaited Major Achievement... the One Who Walks Alone!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok omitted the details and shared only the Achievement effect.

    <strong>[2. Enhancement of Achievement effects acquired during the first progression of any Scenario.]</strong>

    ¡°Hope Rising From the Ruins was the Scenario I undertook first.¡±

    His All-Clear was proof that he had cleared the Scenario first.

    ¡°I will use this Major Achievement effect now.¡± Jin-Hyeok recorded and shared the entire process with his viewers. He had disyed two Achievement sections on the screen, the All-Clear section on the left and the Major Achievement section on the right, intending to show the viewers how the effects interacted with each other.

    <strong>[You have applied the Major Achievement effect of the ¡¸One Who Walks Alone¡¹ to the Achievement effect of the ¡¸Hope Rising From the Ruins¡¹.]</strong>

    A golden light momentarily shed in the Major Achievement section, then became semi-transparent and moved to the left section. As it ovepped with the All-Clear section, sparkling golden dust fell. It seemed as if a synthesis was taking ce.

    <strong>[The Achievement effect of ¡¸Hope Rising From the Ruins¡¹ has been enhanced.]</strong>

    <strong>[All-Clear (Hope Rising From the Ruins)]</strong>

    <strong>Achievement Effect: Subdue all items rted to the ¡¸Seoul Region¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°With the Rule Breaker, All-Clear effect, and Major Achievement effect, it seems I can harvest those fruits even without a Harvester. I am quite fortunate.¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°T-This crazy bastard!¡± Kihael inadvertently shouted inside a coffee shop near Yeonhui-dong. He had been watching Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream through KimKnowItAllTV.

    Feeling the stares of people around him, he quickly covered his mouth. After pulling his hat low over his face, he resumed watching the livestream. He was aware that Chul-Soo was crazy, but he had not realized the extent of the yer¡¯s madness. Kihael felt a growing sense of dread, realizing he had sorely underestimated Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I clearly told him to get rid of that massive fruit!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had ignored Kihael¡¯s advice. Instead of going for the ringlyrge fruit, he was harvesting the smaller ones surrounding it.

    <i>¡®Why?!¡¯</i>

    Kihael gripped his head in frustration.

    <i>¡®He doesn¡¯t even care if everything copses...¡¯</i>

    That was the only answer Kihael could think of. Otherwise, Chul-Soo¡¯s current actions were iprehensible.

    <i>¡®He simply thinks it is enough to just get good views on his Eltube channel!¡¯</i>

    Everything seemed to be falling apart.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t have trusted him!¡¯</i>

    A wave of despair washed over Kihael, and it left him feeling like he would forever be trapped by hispany and Serchan.

    ? ? ?

    However, Kihael was unaware of one thing: Serchan was not a mere musclehead brimming with passion.

    <i>¡®Serchan is remarkably sociable.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Serchan had been the GM of Gangnam-gu and waster promoted to an executive position. If Jin-Hyeok¡¯s memory served him right, Serchan had be the youngest executive. It was not something one could achieve with passion alone; one needed to be quick-witted and adept at handling situations.

    In other words, Serchan was smart.

    <i>¡®Serchan said it was rather a good thing that Kihael lost his girlfriend in front of him?¡¯</i>

    That was not the Serchan Jin-Hyeok knew. Serchan was a GM obsessed with passion, but he was not socially inept. At the very least, he would have offered Kihael some form of constion, even if just for formality¡¯s sake. Serchan was not the type to cheerily exim and tell someone to get lost in their work and die from overwork.

    <i>¡®Serchan manipted Kihael into feeding me false information. But why?¡¯</i>

    The answer hade from Kihael himself. Jin-Hyeok was on every GM¡¯s watchlist. By eliminating him, one would receive a significant reward. It was evident that Serchan had plotted against Jin-Hyeok by using Kihael.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t feel wronged, Kihael. This was inevitable.¡¯</i>

    Serchan always lived fiercely, while Kihael yearned for a bnced life. It was clear why Serchan was morepetent than Kihael.

    <i>¡®Well... There¡¯s a chance that I am wrong.¡¯</i>

    There was no such thing as one hundred percent certainty in this world. Perhaps Kihael had indeed brought urate information to him. However, pondering this for too long would yield no answer. Jin-Hyeok had to move forward with the mindset of epting errors.

    He continued with his livestream. ¡°I am thrilled to offer you guys content in a new way.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like his mindset had evolved. Previously, personal growth and strength were the most important to him. However, his focus was now on whether or not that strength could be harnessed as content.

    <i>¡®I bet no one else has put out content centering on aiding the growth of the Guardian Tree like this.¡¯</i>

    It seemed his very constitution had transformed, fitting that of a Streamer. His mood lifted unknowingly, boosting his energy.

    ¡°I won¡¯t pick thatrge fruit since it looks beneficial.¡± Jin-Hyeok picked the smaller fruits one by one. He held the fruits and cut the stem near the fruits, and the fruits fell effortlessly. With a swift sound, the hand-picked Unripe Golden Fruits then disappeared into thin air.

    ¡°These fruits are seedless. They seem to have no reproductive ability and merely hinder the Guardian Tree¡¯s growth. Let¡¯s remove them all.¡±

    The task was not tough. As Jin-Hyeok moved between branches, picking dozens of fruits, he heard the Guardian Tree¡¯s voice.

    -¡°Phew, I feel better now. Thought I would die of hunger.¡±

    Now, only thergest fruit was left. Jin-Hyeok rubbed his chin, pondering whether to remove it. ¡°Hm... Should I pick this too? Nah, I¡¯ll leave it be. Why, you ask?¡±

    His heart raced again.

    <i>¡®Did I pose a question to myself? Did I just seed inmunicating with the viewers?¡¯</i>

    ¡°No particr reason.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt like he had grown once again.

    ? ? ?

    The Golden Guardian Tree grew rapidly. This was odd, considering plenty of time was still left out of the twenty-four hours.

    ¡°The timer is decreasing at an rming rate!¡±

    Once the fruits were removed, the Guardian Tree began to grow more quickly. It was as if Jin-Hyeok had applied the Time-Lapse Recording Skill on the tree.

    <i>¡®Huh...? Wait, how could I have missed that?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹.]</strong>

    -¡°Ugh, I feel dizzy.¡±

    ¡°You need to endure such dizziness to be an adult,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°I... I think I¡¯m going to vomit.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Trees do not throw up.¡±

    -¡°A-Are you sure...?¡±

    The Guardian Tree seemed to be a little convinced by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s logical exnation. However, the next second, it disyed another dramatic reaction.

    -¡°M-My body feels like it¡¯s breaking apart!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just growth pains.¡±

    <i>¡®How can one grow without experiencing growth pains?¡¯</i>

    The Guardian Tree screamed and wailed, but Jin-Hyeok did not think it was a serious issue.

    -¡°I-I¡¯m dying!¡±

    ¡°No, you are not.¡±

    There was no visible damage on its trunk or sudden wilting, so Jin-Hyeok was not sure why the tree was making such a fuss. In human terms, this was like having a few bone fractures.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s growing nicely.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps because Jin-Hyeok was a nter, he felt pleased seeing the Guardian Tree thrive. The timer rapidly decreased, leaving just an hour on the screen. However, given the rate of decrease, Jin-Hyeok estimated the growth wouldplete in less than ten minutes.

    -¡°Aaargh! I feel like I am going to explode!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just getting stronger.¡±

    Indeed, the Guardian Tree¡¯s trunk thickened and strengthened. It became so thick that it could fill a fourne road.

    ¡°Leaving that especiallyrge fruit seems to have been a good decision.¡±

    That special fruit was absorbing the Guardian Tree¡¯s vitality appropriately. Without that fruit, the Guardian Tree could have indeed broken apart, as the tree imed.

    ¡°That fruit is like a safety mechanism for the Guardian Tree¡¯s growth. I¡¯ve learned something new. This is how you should nurture a Guardian Tree.¡±

    A shiver ran down Jin-Hyeok¡¯s spine.

    <i>¡®I bet this is a brand new strategy on how to nurture a Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    Little was known about the Golden Guardian Tree. Yet, here Jin-Hyeok was, discovering a new fact and livestreaming it to the world. As a Streamer, this was definitely the proudest moment for him.

    Soon, a magnificent tree emitting a golden aura revealed itself.

    <strong>[The ¡¸Young Golden Guardian Tree¡¹ has evolved into the ¡¸Golden Guardian Tree¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[The territory of the ¡¸Golden Guardian Tree¡¹ has expanded.]</strong>

    A blinding golden light burst forth from the Guardian Tree. Allmunications and electricity in the vicinity were momentarily disrupted.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Jin-Hyeok came across something interesting.

 Chapter 142

    <h4>Chapter 142</h4>

    <i>sh!</i>

    The light enveloped the entirety of Seoul.

    <i>¡®Have all the monsters vanished?¡¯</i>

    The small monsters hiding in narrow alleyways had disappeared. Even Broadcaster''s irvoyance did not show anything.

    <i>¡®There are no monsters in all of Seoul.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[The ¡¸ Hongeun Overpass¡¹ Dungeon in Seoul, Korean Region, Earth Server, has been closed.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[The ¡¸...¡¹Dungeon in Seoul, Korean Region, Earth Server, has been closed.]</strong>

    The relentless stream of simr notifications forced Cha Jin-Hyeok to fiddle with the settings and turn off the notification alerts.

    ¡°It seems that not only have the monsters in Seoul vanished, but the Dungeons have also shut down.¡±

    This was not entirely good news. Now, Jin-Hyeok could not enjoy Dungeon y in Seoul anymore, and he needed Dungeons and monsters to create content for his livestream.

    <i>¡®The Guardian Tree has gotten too big for its own good.¡¯</i>

    Had Jin-Hyeok achieved this during his government official days, he would have received great appreciation from the public.

    ¡°This tree will ensure the safety of the citizens of Seoul to an extent, and that makes me very, very pleased.¡±

    <i>¡®But then again, why did it have to close all the Dungeons in Seoul?¡¯</i>

    This was like eradicating all cars because some people died or got injured in car idents every year.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think even the three Golden Guardian Trees growing in nt Arvis can cover such arge area.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not imagined a Guardian Tree could cover the entirety of Seoul.

    -¡°This body has matured,¡± the Golden Guardian Tree dered. Its tone was a bit odd, as if it believed it had be an adult.

    -¡°This level of pain is nothing. I was not affected by the pain at all! Muahahah!¡±

    ¡°I will check just how sturdy the Guardian Tree has be.¡± Jin-Hyeok approached the Guardian Tree and kicked it.

    <i>¡®Considering it has grownrge enough to cover Seoul, I think it would be alright if I kicked it with some sincerity.¡¯</i>

    -¡°Ouch! Why did you hit me?!¡±

    ¡°It seems the Guardian Tree has grown strong.¡±

    -¡°That hurt a little!¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. I just kicked you to test how strong you¡¯ve be.¡±

    -¡°I don¡¯t believe you. I definitely felt something.¡±

    ¡°The nter¡¯s Record Journal has been updated.¡±

    <strong>[nter¡¯s Record Journal (Bound)]</strong>

    <strong>[A journal that automatically records the birth and growth of the Golden Guardian Tree.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/7/26: Seed was sown.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/7/29: The Young Golden Guardian Tree has grown.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/8/19: The Young Golden Guardian Tree has grown significantly and be the Golden Guardian Tree (LV.3).]</strong>

    The tree had skipped Level 2 and jumped straight to Level 3. This was probably due to the Pioneer¡¯s Privilege achievement, which Jin-Hyeok had acquired in the New World.

    <strong>[The power of the ¡¸Golden Guardian Tree¡¹ has been shared with the ¡¸nter¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[Within the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s domain, the nter is set to ¡¸Non-Attackable¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[This epasses attacks from all living and non-living beings, such as monsters, NPCs, and yers, that are below Level 200.]</strong>

    <strong>[The designated co-growers will also share in the same settings.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was aware that the co-growers could also enjoy the protection of the tree, but this effect had be even stronger now.

    <strong>[The limit on the number of co-growers has been removed.]</strong>

    <strong>[However, the number of co-growers cannot exceed the Guardian Tree¡¯s capacity.]</strong>

    <i>¡®I feel like if this bes known, hordes of people will swarm me.¡¯</i>

    The idea was both somewhat annoying and enticing, as it could make him too much money. This made him worry; such an amount of money would allow him to retire faster, which he did not like.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly shook off these thoughts. ¡°Huh? The Golden Guardian Tree is wobbling!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure if it was trying to help him, but the Golden Guardian Tree began to shake. At the same time, golden dust started raining down. It seemed unlikely that his kick had caused this.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Therge special fruit that had been precariously dangling from the tree due to its massive size shook as well. The Guardian Tree groaned softly, probably exerting force to drop that fruit. The situation mirrored that of a human struggling on the toilet due to severe constipation.

    <i>¡®That fruit is about to fall. Can I catch it in time?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was certain that if he caught the fruit with his hand, it would vanish into smoke. Without hesitation, he activated Time-Lapse Recording to dy the drop.

    -¡°What are you doing? Why are you meddling with my natural process?¡±

    The Guardian Tree seemed to protest, but Jin-Hyeok had no time to spare. He quickly pondered how to secure the falling fruit.

    <i>¡®There has to be a way.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok considered why the fruit could disappear. Typically, such a thing would happen with an item because the item was unsuitable for the Server environment. It was like a fish taken out of the water.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t have much time to think.¡¯</i>

    The fruit began its inevitable descent.

    ¡°Spirit Summoning Technique.¡±

    If the fruit was ipatible with the Earth Server, then perhaps something not of Earth could catch it. A Spirit seemed like a perfect match.

    <i>¡®But why isn¡¯t she responding? Oh, right... That¡¯s not the right way... I can¡¯t believe I have to say the incantation out loud during the livestream.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok briefly thought about giving up, but that would not be fitting for a true Streamer.

    ¡°Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡±

    A Spirit Gate made of fire materialized in the air, and out jumped a barefooted girl. It was Elly. She waved at Jin-Hyeok with a big smile, but there was no time for exnations.

    As Elly sprinted toward him with arms wide open, Jin-Hyeok quickly scooped her up and threw her toward the falling fruit. Elly soared effortlessly, probably thinking it was a game. Her arms fluttered like butterfly wings.

    ¡°Elly is flying!¡± she eximed.

    ¡°Elly! I need you to catch that fruit!¡±

    ¡°A mission? For Elly?¡± Her expression shifted, reminiscent of a kitten eyeing its prey. ¡°Elly¡¯s first mission! Yay!¡±

    Despite her cute looks, her current Level was in the 80s. She possessed agility and strength far surpassing those of average yers on the Earth Server.

    ¡°Missionplete!¡± She hugged the fruit, almost asrge as her, and tumbled on the ground, eventually colliding with the Guardian Tree. A thud echoed, leaving a trail of mes that were shortly extinguished. ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Impressively, Elly held onto the fruit and stood up. She was covered in dirt, a quick ssh of Spirit Fire enough to clean her, yet she found it fun to keep the dirt on her.

    ¡°Did Elly do well?¡± she asked. Herrge eyes were full of anticipation, seeking Jin-Hyeok¡¯s approval.

    <strong>[...#Elly do great? #Your praise will make me happy!?]</strong>

    ¡°You did well, Elly. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten the fruit,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Elly beamed, setting off multicolored mini fireworks above her head. ¡°I got praised by Oppa!¡±

    She approached Jin-Hyeok and poked her head toward him. He affectionately patted it, eliciting heart-shaped mes around her.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok sent Elines back to the Spirit Realm.

    ¡°I still haven''t found a way to properly store that fruit on Earth.¡±

    He felt he needed something like the belly of Jonprich to properly store that fruit. A tinge of regret surfaced inside him, as he wondered if he should have at least taken Jonprich¡¯s corpse.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should consult Lee Hyeon-Seong, as he was the one who had stabbed Jonprich¡¯s belly.¡¯</i>

    ¡°We will need to store the fruit in the Spirit Realm until we find a way,¡± he said.

    During his livestream, the Korean Region Minor Gallery had finally been upgraded to an Official Gallery.

    <strong>[The ¡¸Korean Region Minor Gallery¡¹ has been incorporated into the System¡¯s onlinemunity ¡¸Nerver¡¹.]</strong>

    It was the first time an onlinemunity from the Earth Server had been integrated into the System¡¯s onlinemunity, Nerver. While the identity of the creator and the manager of the Korean Region Minor Gallery remained unknown, as per rumors, they had received a whopping nine hundred billion Dias from the System.

    Due to the significance of the KRMG, the System had granted it the privilege of being a proper part of the System¡¯smunity. Now, it was not just a Minor Gallery of the Korean Region, but a Minor Gallery of the System¡¯s onlinemunity.

    Choi Gap-Soo proudly grinned. ¡°Lilia, it¡¯s been years since a minormunity from a Region was integrated into Nerver, right?¡±

    ¡°ording to the official data, it has been thirty-eight years.¡±

    ¡°Hm... But why do you look so happy?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    <i>¡®Because it is an achievement of my dear Kim Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>she almost blurted out.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Your reason is probably the same as mine. Hahaha!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    He was a sponsor who had discovered and supported Kim Chul-Soo from the beginning. As a sponsor, he found it fascinating and joyful to see Chul-Soo¡¯s achievements. Arge part of the reason the KRMG was integrated into Nerver was the Streamer Kim Chul-Soo. Over ny percent of the content that made the KRMG trending was rted to Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more appropriate to call it Kim Chul-Soo Minor Gallery?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±

    ¡°This is undoubtedly an achievement that is not rted to his y.¡± Gap-Soo, feet propped up on a coffee table, remained focused on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. ¡°He just sent the daughter of the Spirit King back to the Spirit Realm. He can take some time to rest right about now.¡±

    At this point, Gap-Soo and Lilia¡¯s reactions diverged.

    ¡°But I¡¯m d to see him push through. What a great Streamer!¡±

    ¡°I am concerned about his physical condition,¡± the Subus said.

    While Gap-Soo praised Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attitude, Lilia worried about his health.

    Gap-Soo chuckled. ¡°Who would have thought the day woulde when a Subus would be concerned about someone else¡¯s health? This is truly astonishing. Haha!¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m embarrassed,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s admirable. I support your genuine feelings. Ah, it seems like Chul-Soo is about to choose the Server to connect with the Earth Server!¡±

    Straightening his posture, Gap-Soo intently stared at his phone. On the screen, Jin-Hyeok spoke.

    ?Upon clearing the New World Dungeon, I was given the choice to select the first Server to connect with the Earth Server.?

    This Server connection signified the officialunch of the Earth Server. Many Servers already showed immense interest in the Earth Server.

    ¡°MoneyShot, no, Michelle Jang told me that yers from a lot of Servers want to establish a connection with the Server that nurtured a yer like Chul-Soo,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Every Cindere story had an origin, and the current Earth Server was the origin of Chul-Soo¡¯s Cindere story. Many Server Pioneers and Adventurers showed deep interest in Earth.

    ¡°I wonder which Server will be the first to connect with Earth!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I believe Chul-Soo wille to the best decision.¡± With unwavering faith, Lilia eagerly awaited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s choice.

    ?The first Server I will connect with is...?

    Gap-Soo clenched his fist.

    ¡°Haha! He is indeed a Streamer! He knows how to take his time to build up the suspense!¡±

    Watching the Streamer Chul-Soo grow was both gratifying and frustrating for Gap-Soo.

    ¡°Hopefully, he doesn¡¯t choose Arvis,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I checked in advance, and Arvis is currently not a connectable Server.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    If Arvis had been connected to Earth, Earth would have instantly be a colony.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t remember Lilia being such a diligent secretary,¡¯</i> Gap-Soo thought.

    Both Chul-Soo and Lilia had grown. Gap-Soo was pleased with their growth.

    ¡°I wonder if he will use the Pure Luck to make his choice. He¡¯s dragging this out!¡±

    Just as Chul-Soo was about to make his choice, a few protesters appeared.

    ?Kim Chul-Soo, shame on you! Aren¡¯t you ashamed as a privileged individual??

    One of them was the leading representative of the HARD movement, Charles, a journalist and human rights activist from Great Britain.

    ?Your actions lead countless children and youths astray. You promote extremely dangerous y, set strange standards, and normalize absurdities. Your negative influence causes pain for people worldwide. Please, deeply reconsider the impact you have. I beg you.?

    Charles handed the microphone to Jin-Hyeok.

 Chapter 143

    <h4>Chapter 143</h4>

    Charles¡¯s eyes held an undeniable confidence.

    <i>¡®This is my domain.¡¯</i>

    Cameras were rolling, a crowd had surrounded him and Kim Chul-Soo, and he had posed a pointed question to Chul-Soo. While Charles did not know how incredible a yer Chul-Soo was, he was certain that right now, they were in his domain.

    <i>¡®His head will surely go nk.¡¯</i>

    Charles was certain that this situation was unfamiliar to Chul-Soo. He assumed that Chul-Soo, who had grown ustomed to being exalted by everyone, would never be able to escape this intricate trap.

    <i>¡®He will stumble after making a few good remarks.¡¯</i>

    Charles¡¯s goal was not the downfall of Chul-Soo per se. He simply wanted to raise awareness about the HARD movement and inform people that Chul-Soo¡¯s style of y was overly dangerous and harmful to humanity. With so many viewers, Charles was confident Chul-Soo would y right into his hands.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok scowled. Seeing Charles brought back memories he never wanted to recall.

    <i>¡®Ah, this is giving me PTSD,¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had been a government official who was constantly under media scrutiny. Things had improved slightly after Wang Yu-Mi joined his side, but whether he performed well or poorly, he always faced criticism.

    <i>¡®Back then, I had to endure the frustration no matter what.¡¯</i>

    At the time, there had been certain things Jin-Hyeok was unable to change. He was a yer sponsored by the government, and to enjoy the benefits of that sponsorship, he had to endure such treatment from the public.

    ¡°yer Kim Chul-Soo, don¡¯t you have any regrets about your actions?¡± Charles asked again.

    ¡°What kind of bullshit are you spouting?¡± Jin-Hyeok approached Charles. ¡°Good thing you are a yer too.¡±

    Charles was Level 10. Although that was extremely low, he was still a yer. If he were not, confronting him would have been a bit difficult for Jin-Hyeok. Thankfully, he was.

    ¡°Anyone can act all high and mighty like you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Anyone could <i>say</i> those things, that everyone should y with elegance and nobility and as humanly as possible, ensuring everyone¡¯s safety. Charles¡¯s words were indeed appealing.

    ¡°Have you cleared a Dungeon even once?¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate it if you remained respectful, Kim Chul-Soo. Instead of making offensive remarks, please answer my question.¡±

    <i>¡®I¡¯m getting under Chul-Soo¡¯s skin!¡¯ </i>Charles smirked.

    As far as he knew, Chul-Soo livestreamed without interacting with his viewers. Charles suspected this was due to hisck ofmunication skills. So, a situation like this had to be unfamiliar and frightening for Chul-Soo.

    ¡°This is my answer.¡± Jin-Hyeok lifted Charles by the waist. It did not require any effort due to the vast Level difference between the two of them.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°People like you, who just run their mouths, need a firsthand experience.¡±

    Contrary to Charles¡¯s expectation that Jin-Hyeok would not do anything with so many viewers, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s approach was quite radical.

    ¡°Go inside a Dungeon and see if you can still spout such nonsense.¡±

    ? ? ?

    A fully-grown Guardian Tree came with a few advantages.

    <strong>[With the nter¡¯s authority, you can open Dungeons.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had gained the authority to reopen closed Dungeons. This was a significant achievement in its own right; he could now create rtively safe Dungeons without worrying about a Dungeon Break.

    <strong>[You have entered ¡¸Sareoga Mart Dungeon¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°Hey, let go of me! What are you doing?¡± Charles shouted.

    Sometimes, actions spoke louder than words. And sometimes, violence spoke louder than actions.

    ¡°Try it,e on.¡±

    ¡°How can you call yourself a civilized yer after this?¡±

    ¡°I never said I was.¡± Jin-Hyeok threw Charles amid a group of Fist Monkeys and continued his livestream. ¡°I think Charles is confused about the definition of peace.¡±

    This was not something new. Those engrossed in peace would alwayse out to challenge and annoy Jin-Hyeok. He did not think their thoughts or beliefs were wrong, but they pissed him off. No matter how hard he risked his life and aplished dangerous missions, they would alwaysin about how he could not save everyone, how he could have done it faster, or why he did not find a safer method.

    ¡°With the Server connection imminent, I do not have the luxury of indulging in such talks.¡±

    Humans could live like humans only when they were strong. The yers of Earth Server were mediocre in terms of strength. That was why, before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, humans were often caught between powerful Servers, getting bullied and intimidated. However, this was only because they were at least moderately powerful; had they been any weaker, other Servers would have colonized them.

    A fairlyrge percentage of the poption on many Servers lived in near-very.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    The Fist Monkeys started beating up Charles.

    <strong>[...#How can he be so barbaric? #Chul-Soo is insane!]</strong>

    <i>¡®I guess he is still delusional.¡¯</i>

    ¡°AHHH!!¡±

    <strong>[...#Please save me! #I don¡¯t want to die!]</strong>

    The Fist Monkeys treated the newly arrived low-Level yer like a toy. They tossed him around and used him as a punching bag.

    <i>Thud! Thud!</i>

    The satisfying sounds of blows echoed throughout the entire Dungeon.

    ¡°Pl...Please save me...¡±

    ¡°If you spout off about peace and human rights in front of me one more time, I will smash your head in,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... Please, just this once...¡± With the fear of death loomingrge, naturally, Charles softened up.

    <i>¡®But, he sure is a drama king.¡¯</i>

    His insides had not sttered out, and he was not even bleeding profusely enough to die, but the way he shook in fear suggested he was greatly underestimating his limits.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should let him get beaten up a bit more.¡¯</i>

    ¡°The world we are going to live in from now on is like this.¡±

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Charles went flying. A Fist Monkey leaped and smacked Charles as if it were spiking a volleyball.

    ¡°If we are powerless, this is what happens. We might even be abused by intelligent beings from other Servers.¡±

    <i>¡®Hm... Maybe I should just end him.¡¯</i>

    Recalling the things he had endured during his time as a government official, Jin-Hyeok was tempted to do so.

    <i>Tsk.</i>

    Nevertheless, he decided to spare Charles since the journalist was a low-Level newbie. If Charles¡¯s Level were over 60, Jin-Hyeok would not have turned a blind eye to him. However, it was basic courtesy among yers to be lenient toward low-Level newbies.

    ¡°Peace is the privilege of the strong. I hope there won¡¯t be other shameless beings who leech off the peace created by the strong while demanding that they fulfill even more responsibilities. They make me seriously want to smack them in the head.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lifted the unconscious Charles as if he were picking up a plush toy from a w machine. ¡°I am going to spare him because he is a low-Level yer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok subtly applied some force, breaking another one of Charles¡¯s ribs¡ªa petty act of revenge.

    ? ? ?

    At the Korean Region Minor Gallery, as always, discussions were explosive.

    -Damn, he is so cool! Totally swooning over Kim Chul-Soo right now. That was so satisfying!

    -That¡¯s what true power looks like.

    -How is he so rxed?! He speaks too calmly!

    A few also expressed concern over Chul-Soo¡¯s aggressive and violent actions.

    -Isn¡¯t that too violent? Honestly, wasn¡¯t Charles somewhat correct?

    ©»Get this SJW outta here.

    ©»Without Chul-Soo and other yers during the Queen Ant¡¯s raid, we would¡¯ve all died.

    -He is excessively oppressing the weak. That doesn¡¯t look too good.

    ©»Charles barged in and confronted him about remorse. What weak are you talking about?

    ©»This is reverse discrimination against the strong.

    A former Streamer with the yer Name ShutUpAndy and now an editor of KimKnowItAllTV and a Named user on KRMG, ChulSooIsGod, left a lengthyment.

    <strong>[IntenseMan is showing us a miniature version of reality. If you are weak, you get devoured. And you won¡¯t gain strength by sitting in yourfy chairs. The fact that you guys are not supporting or backing those who risk their lives and sacrifice themselves and instead have the audacity to criticize them for being a negative influence is just beyond me. IntenseMan saved Earth, yet these jerks demand more things from him! Can you guys think of any medicine that doesn¡¯t have even a few side effects? IntenseMan has achieved and will continue to maintain peace in the world, and you leeches are siding with the HARD movement? Get a life!]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: ChulSooIsGod]</strong>

    Then, another Named user, NoOverpackagingPlz, chimed in.

    <strong>[Did Chul-Soo really need to show the reality in such a violent way? Even if that¡¯s close to reality, he crossed the line. Just because he is that powerful, he has no right to act like a thug. And you guys praise such violent acts? Praise when it¡¯s due, idiots.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    ©»So you¡¯re admitting that¡¯s the reality?

    ©»He just admitted that this is what happens when you¡¯re weak. LOL! You are an idiot.

    ©»At this rate, you are not a hater, but actually a fan of Chul-Soo. LOL!

    Joseph, known on the KRMG by the username NoOverpackagingPlz, chuckled. ¡°Good, Good! Mock me all you want!¡±

    Joseph did not care if he became the target of ridicule. If it helped Jin-Hyeok, he was prepared to be the scapegoat.

    He gently tapped the shoulder of the person sitting next to him. ¡°Hey, Kang Cheol! Try using more radical and aggressive expressions in yourments!¡±

    ¡°I am trying, hehe.¡±

    Kang Cheol, with the username ChulSooIsGod, drew in radical advocates for Chul-Soo, and Joseph subtly swayed those in the middle ground to side with Chul-Soo. The mastermind behind the two was none other than Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s recent actions were quite aggressive, which had me worried, but things seem to be going smoother than expected,¡± Yu-Mi said with a smile.

    This was the power of a powerful persona. Had anyone else but Chul-Soo acted in the same manner, they would have received harsh criticism.

    ¡°The Great Britain government probably won¡¯t openly protest to what happened in Korea.¡±

    From the outset, it was challenging for governments and authorities to intervene in the y.

    ¡°Having witnessed the power of the Queen Ant, they would not want to fall out of His Majesty¡¯s favor, hehe.¡±

    Yu-Mi believed that if another powerful monster like the Queen Ant emerged, the national governments of other countries would inevitably seek Jin-Hyeok¡¯s assistance. Therefore, they would not criticize or attack Jin-Hyeok.

    Just then, Yu-Mi received a secret message from Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i> Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    While she often sent secret messages to Jin-Hyeok, this was the first time he had sent one to her.

    <i>¡®This is exciting.¡¯</i>

    The content of the message was not particrlyplicated.

    [¡°Rich Server Vs Aggressive Server?¡±]

    Yu-Mi immediately deciphered the meaning hidden in this short message and swiftly sent a reply.

    [¡°Aggressive Server.¡±]

    Jin-Hyeok smiled upon seeing her response. He had been uncertain and had reached out to Yu-Mi for guidance. She had promptly pinpointed the essence of his question and provided the answer. Yu-Mi then offered another piece of advice.

    [¡°Apologize to your viewers. Say you are sorry for the dy in the livestream due to an unwanted guest.¡±]

    Kang Cheol questioned, ¡°Why ask him to apologize? Chul-Soo did nothing wrong.¡±

    ¡°It will make every viewer from across the universe criticize Charles,¡± Yu-Mi exined.

    ¡°...Ah!¡±

    ¡°We need to clean up anything that gets in His Majesty¡¯s way.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to more of your teachings, Master.¡±

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok resumed the livestream. ¡°I will now attempt to connect to another Server. I sincerely apologize for the dy in our content due to the unexpected intrusion. Let¡¯s get back on track.¡±

    As Yu-Mi had predicted, the criticism toward Charles became even harsher.

    Jin-Hyeok scrolled through the list of connectable Servers and selected Scanorbia. Scanorbia was a Server inhabited by highly aggressive warriors. This was the beginning of a new era in its truest sense.

    ¡°Scanorbia. I have chosen this Server as the first connection.¡±

    The boundary between day and night disappeared, plunging the entire Earth into darkness. Some long-dormant volcanoes began erupting, and auroras became visible in the skies everywhere.

    <strong>[Preparation for the Official Service of the new Server ¡¸Earth Server¡¹ has begun.]</strong>

    On the back of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand, the All-Clear mark emitted a dazzling light, simr to the auroras seen in the sky.

    <strong>[The Official Service of the new Server ¡¸Earth Server¡¹ hasunched.]</strong>

    As the notification for the officialunch of the Earth Server appeared, Jin-Hyeok saw several changes.

 Chapter 144

    <h4>Chapter 144</h4>

    <strong>[Pioneer¡¯s Privilege has been applied.]</strong>

    <strong>[When you move to another Server, one of your Traits will be enhanced.]</strong>

    Another notification followed immediately, asking Cha Jin-Hyeok to select a Trait.

    <i>¡®Right now? I¡¯m livestreaming!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had already decided which Trait he was going to enhance. For getting the maximum benefit from a single application, the most rational choice was the All-Rounder Trait, which epassed all his Traits.

    <i>¡®If I do it here, it will reveal too much about me.¡¯</i>

    He reassured himself several times that he was going to retire at Level 150.

    <i>¡®Of course, it should be alright to have a n B, right?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not forgotten about his retirement n, still determined to stop at third ce.

    <i>¡®I should have at least a trump card of my own. That should be okay, right?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought he had evolved as a genuine Streamer, but unforeseen situations could not be avoided sometimes.

    With increased confidence in his ability to act, he spontaneously spoke to his viewers. ¡°Wait a minute! What¡¯s going on? The signal seems to be getting weaker.¡±

    He hurriedly shut down his livestream, making it appear as though he was facing technical difficulties. However, his act was not as natural as he believed. In truth, Jin-Hyeok was not cut out for acting.

    -Ah~ IntenseMan is being intense again~~

    ©»Does he really think he is good at acting? That¡¯s hrious, LOL.

    ©»Must be his concept. Haha!

    ©»No, he genuinely believes he is a good actor. No doubt.

    ©»This is clear evidence that he does not monitor his livestream, LOL.

    ©»Ugh, you guys are idiots. It¡¯s a gimmick. How can you guys fall for this? LOL

    The viewers of KimKnowItAllTV once again debated over whether Jin-Hyeok¡¯s acting was genuine or just a part of his streaming persona.

    1. Kim Chul-Soo intentionally cut the livestream.

    2. No, a Streamer as devoted as Kim Chul-Soo would not intentionally cut off the livestream.

    As these two opposing opinions shed, the viewers began to express their doubts.

    -Why would Chul-Soo deliberately cut the livestream? It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s done this.

    The debate continued fervently on the Korean Region Minor Gallery, which had recently merged with the Nerver onlinemunity, with many wondering why Chul-Soo would do such a thing.

    -It¡¯s the perfect time for him to livestream, isn¡¯t it? Why would he cut it off just as the new Server is officially opening?

    -I¡¯m inclined to believe this was an unintended glitch.

    The unexpected termination of the livestream at this crucial moment raised many questions among the audience. However, a figure emerged to offer a definitive answer.

    <strong>[It is likely this was a temporary disruption due to a System error. A meticulous Streamer like Kim Chul-Soo, who calctes his every move, would not intentionally cut off his livestream before such a golden opportunity. Chul-Soo cleverly used his awkward and inadequate acting to turn this disruption into content. Despite the interruption, his viewers are invested in his content and discussing what is going on without anyints. Chul-Soo¡¯s response to the System error epitomizes the essence of a Streamer.]</strong>

    <strong>[-Written by: Encyclopedia]</strong>

    ©»Wow, Encyclopedia¡¯s analysis is on point!

    ©»2222

    ©»3333

    ©»Anonymous: The livestream was interrupted due to a System error, but Chul-Soo showcased his top-tier adaptability.

    ©»What¡¯s with the quality of this summary? It¡¯s amazing!

    ©»Thanks for the summary! Long posts are so tedious.

    With the Encyclopedia¡¯s input, everyone came to that conclusion. Of course, they were wrong. There was no System error. However, Chul-Soo¡¯s intensity was genuine, not a gimmick.

    <i>¡®Since the livestream is off, I should choose the Trait.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok immediately selected the All-Rounder Trait. This Trait was the upgraded version of the Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced as he wondered what the next upgrade would be.

    <strong>[You have applied Pioneer¡¯s Privilege to the Trait ¡¸All-Rounder¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[The Trait ¡¸All-Rounder¡¹ has been upgraded to the Trait ¡¸<u>???</u>¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®What the hell is going on? Question marks?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[???]</strong>

    <strong>[A special constraint has been applied to the Trait, rendering it unviewable.</strong>

    <strong>*Attempting to break the constraint can lead to the destruction of the Trait.</strong>

    <strong>[Until the constraint is lifted, the Trait ¡¸???¡¹will act as the Trait ¡¸All-Rounder¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had a guess about why this had happened.

    <i>¡®The System, or perhaps the GMs, doesn¡¯t want me to acquire this Trait.¡¯</i>

    Given how the constraint was applied to the new Trait, it might even be the System¡¯s will. While Jin-Hyeok was slightly disappointed, it was not a big deal.

    <i>¡®Kihael might have some insight.¡¯</i>

    Today, of all days, Jin-Hyeok wanted to see Kihael.

    Afterward, continuous notifications popped up about theunch of the Official Service of the Earth Server.

    <strong>[Four hours remain until the Server connection isplete.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Oh, that¡¯s good.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok left a post on the livestream bulletin. He apologized for the poor livestream environment, mentioning overload from connecting to the new Server as a probable reason. He also added that he would take a short break.

    <i>¡®I can finally take a break.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps it was the constant forward momentum, but he had started to feel some fatigue.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll rest a bit and start again.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    The ck Rose Alliance had swiftly risen to be Korea¡¯srgest information and Thief Alliance. This was a significant change from the state before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. Unknown to him, prior to his regression, this point in time had been chaotic for the information and Thief Alliances; numerous Alliances had waged silent wars over the position of Korea¡¯s strongest.

    However, the ck Rose Alliance had bypassed that struggle entirely this time. Centered around the Alliance leader, Angel Girl, many thief-type yers had united in this Alliance.

    <i>¡®In truth, they gathered because of Kim Chul-Soo, not me,¡¯ </i>Angel Girl thought.

    It was the so-called Kim Chul-Soo effect. Song Ha-Young knew this well and pushed herself even harder, continuously refining her skills.

    <i>¡®I need to be stronger. That is the only way to prevent the Alliance from falling apart.¡¯</i>

    She endeavored to be a better yer, a yer who prioritized the basics. She closely followed in the footsteps of Chul-Soo, the one who set the standards. As a result, she was recognized as the genuine leader of the ck Rose Alliance.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad that we are called the Twin Alliance. We can focus on our respective areas and support each other,¡± Ha-Young said.

    The ck Rose Alliance and the ck Thorn Alliance pledged to form a tight cooperation. The one who had made this all possible was none other than Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I also think it is a good idea.¡±

    ¡°But let¡¯s get one thing straight. I want my Alliance to be the Noona of the two Alliances,¡± Ha-Young said.

    The leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, Kwak Do-Hyeong, disagreed. ¡°I think we should be the Oppa.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re the elder one.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Do-Hyeong had dozens of reasons prepared about why the ck Thorn Alliance was superior.

    ¡°I met Chul-Soo first,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s nice to meet you, Dongsaeng.¡±

    ¡°...You too,¡± Do-Hyeong replied.

    ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°...You too, Noona...¡±

    This was another deviation from before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life, the ck Rose Alliance and the ck Thorn Alliance had been rivals and adversaries.

    ¡°So, why did you want to see me... Noona?¡±

    ¡°The Saint of Freedom, Cha Jin-Sol, has started to move.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Ha-Young had predicted that the Saint of Freedom, Jin-Sol, would eventually make her move. Alliances of Healers had started appearing worldwide, bing privileged groups. Korea also had a few Healer Alliances, but none were as influential as the foreign Alliances because the country¡¯s strongest Healer, the Saint of Freedom, had yet to make significant moves.

    ¡°The existing powers will definitely challenge her. Acting away from Kim Chul-Soo, the Saint of Freedomcks strong support. She will face resistance from yers and, undoubtedly, pressure from the government.¡±

    ¡°The government?¡±

    ¡°The government is nurturing yers right now. They will not want a powerful Healer Alliance centered around the Saint of Freedom.¡±

    It was a global trend. Non-yers getting involved in y because of state power was problematic, but yers were a different story. The government nurtured government-official yers to maintain control and power.

    ¡°I see.¡± Do-Hyeong nodded. ¡°So, what do we have to do?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    They needed to eliminate all factors hindering the rise of the Saint of Freedom and do everything possible to ensure Jin-Sol properly established her position. That was the new goal for the ck Rose and ck Thorn Alliance, colloquially known as the ck and ck Alliance.

    ? ? ?

    In a coffee shop in downtown Seoul, KingGodGeneral Yumi, also known as Wang Yu-Mi, met with the Saint of Freedom, Jin-Sol.

    ¡°What is so urgent that you wanted to speak about?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°I want you to heal the British journalist, Charles.¡±

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Jin-Sol frowned. She disliked Charles even more than Jin-Hyeok himself did. She had long been aware of the HARD movement and that her brother was a prime target of it.

    ¡°Why would I heal such a person?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s all for the sake of Mr. Cha Jin-Hyeok.¡±

    Jin-Sol and Yu-Mi talked for quite some time.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t fully understand, but I will do as you ask,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°You might want to hurry up. If my assumptions are correct, the ck Thorn Alliance might be targeting Charles.¡±

    ¡°The ck Thorn Alliance? Do you think my brother ordered them to?¡±

    ¡°Nope! His Majesty has no reason to get involved in such a mess. Hehe. Anyway, that¡¯s my guess. At this point, the only one who can save Charles is the Saint of Freedom, which is you, Babyshark. Du-du-du-du.¡±

    Tracking Charles was not too difficult. Streamers following him had made his location quite evident; he was heading to a hotel near Gwanghwamun. Having narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Fist Monkeys, Charles copsed as soon as he reached the hotel lobby.

    ¡°Look! It¡¯s the Saint of Freedom!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Unlike Jin-Hyeok, Jin-Sol was rtively famous.

    She approached the fallen Charles and emitted a holy power, healing him.

    <i>¡®His injuries are more serious than I thought.¡¯</i>

    It was not just his physical injuries; Charles¡¯s mental trauma seemed severe too.

    The 9-Star Healer, Blood Priest, also mended Charles¡¯s mind. Yu-Mi livestreamed the entire process, and the Assassins of the ck Thorn Alliance gave up on killing Charles. They couldn¡¯t kill Charles, especially after the Saint of Freedom, who was also Chul-Soo¡¯s sister, had saved him.

    The incident of Jin-Sol helping Charles became a topic of interest.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this to be trending,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°See how the chat is exploding?¡±

    -Wow, the mighty Blood Priest is healing him. LOL.

    -It reminds me of my mom applying ointment after spanking me.

    -Isn¡¯t this almost like parental-level care? LOL.

    Yu-Mi winked. She quickly set her chat to mute mode before speaking. ¡°This will provide a valid justification for Jin-Hyeok. The harsh treatment of Charles was, after all, a passionate lesson for humanity! What a grand excuse! This video is going to let everyone understand where His Majesty stands, forced to harshly punish his ignorant subject. Hopefully, it has been a valuable lesson for Charles.¡±

    Indeed, Jin-Sol¡¯s actions garnered significant attention from the public, severely weakening the HARD movement. The poprity of Chul-Soo and Saint of Freedom skyrocketed, with global tforms being almost stered with their names.

    <strong>[The Server connection isplete.]</strong>

    <strong>[The ¡¸Earth Server¡¹ has been connected to the ¡¸Scanorbia Server¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[Warp portals have been created throughout the Server.]</strong>

    Resting at home, Jin-Hyeok received a barrage of notifications.

    <strong>[Adventurer ¡¸Captain¡¹ from the American Server has requested warp portal ess.]</strong>

    <strong>[Navigator ¡¸Zi Yuan¡¹ from the Chinese Server has requested warp portal ess.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Adventurer ¡¸La¡¹ from the Czech Republican Server has requested warp portal ess.]</strong>

    The flood of notifications was overwhelming. Taking a deep breath, Jin-Hyeok turned them off.

    <i>¡®Whew, that was an unexpected onught.¡¯</i>

    Clearly, the System was not fond of him. The sheer volume of information pouring in from all around the world had almost made him lose his focus.

    <i>¡®Had it not been for Imperial Resilience, I would have lost it. It was like some kind of DDoS attack.¡¯</i>

    With no room for rxation in this world, Jin-Hyeok became really happ¡ª tired. He could understand why he had received such notifications.

    <strong>[The Achievement bearer is recognized as the Pioneer of the new world and granted the right to bestow the permission to move between Servers.]</strong>

    <i>¡®So no one can move between the two Servers without my permission?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok gulped. Soon, travel between the two Servers would be frequent, and yers from all over the world would be using the warp portals. Yet, only one individual had the authority to allow the passage.

    <i>¡®Before my regression, everyone could use it freely after paying a fee.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had never heard of a mere yer being granted such massive authority.

    <i>¡®Should I just hit the [Approve All] button?¡¯</i>

    But there was a slight issue with this.

    <strong>[Ten percent of the warp portal usage fee will be automatically transferred to the Pioneer¡¯s inventory.]</strong>

    ¡°Oh, this is just too good.¡± Jin-Hyeok instinctively frowned.

    <i>¡®...Ah, I might be the richest man on the.¡¯</i>

    He began to suspect whether the System was trying to expedite his retirement.

 Chapter 145

    <h4>Chapter 145</h4>

    Suddenly, Cha Jin-Hyeok remembered a piece of statistical data he had seen long ago. As connections between Servers would be more active over time, just the fees of using warp portals for moving between Servers would amount to tens of billions of Dias a day.

    If the System automatically transferred ten percent of that amount into his inventory, he would be receiving billions of Dias every day. It could be an even more amazing source of ie than the rent a building owner would earn in Yeonhui-dong. Warp portals would remain in use as long as the Earth did not meet its end.

    <i>¡®Billions of Dias per day?¡¯</i>

    This had to be a scheme by the System. Its intent to rush him into retirement was clear. Jin-Hyeok wondered why else would it offer billions of Dias a day to a mere yer like him.

    <i>¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was resolute about his initial intentions. He had managed toe this far precisely because he had never forgotten his noble goal of just aiming for third ce.

    <i>¡®Receiving that much amount of Dias every day is a shortcut to bingcent.¡¯</i>

    Realizing that drastic measures were needed, Jin-Hyeok immediately headed for Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop.

    As he entered the workshop, Lilia the Subus greeted him warmly. ¡°Your performance has been quite remarkabletely.¡±

    ¡°Even better than Egan Paul¡¯s?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    <i>¡®Why do I keep thinking like this? I should be aiming for the third pce, but I keep finding myself unconsciously considering the first-ce yer as my rival.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Thanks for thepliment,¡± Jin Hyeok said.

    ¡°Shall I take you inside? I will notify the chairman.¡±

    ¡°Before that... I¡¯d like to get a phone number.¡±

    ¡°My number?¡± Peach blossoms burst into full bloom around the Subus. The surrounding mana seemed to be reacting to Lilia¡¯s mana, creating a floral mana pattern.

    <i>¡®What sort of seducing technique is this? Yeah, that¡¯s not going to work on me.¡¯</i>

    The entire city of Seoul had be the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s domain, and within the tree¡¯s domain, Jin-Hyeok received its protective buffs. The buffs could block any attack at or below Level 200, whether physical or mental.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t activated a phone on Earth yet... but I will do it right away. I¡¯ll give you the number,¡± Lilia said, her face slightly flushed.

    With her bright smile, she looked as lovely as one would expect a Subus to be. Jin-Hyeok guessed he was getting a bit more rxed, being able to appreciate such things now.

    ¡°Huh? I saw Michelle Jang using a cell phone the other day. What are you talking about?¡± he suddenly said.

    ¡°Huh?¡± The peach blossoms around Lilia wilted instantaneously.

    ¡°You want Michelle¡¯s number and not mine?¡±

    ¡°Why would I want yours?¡±

    <i>¡®Do Subuses also practice the art of seduction via cell phones these days? If that is the case, I wouldn¡¯t mind getting seduced by her, just to check it out.¡¯</i>

    This would be a good opportunity to see how much his resistance had increased. After all, it was always good to experience various kinds of attacks.

    ¡°Let me know when you get a phone. You can call me from time to time,¡± he said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, feel free to seduce me all you want.¡±

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t wait to face a genuine attack from a Subus.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, the peach blossoms bloomed again. It meant Lilia¡¯s mana flow was fluctuating. She was probably excited about being able to freely test her new seduction skills.

    ¡°Can I ask why you are looking for me?¡±

    <i>¡®Whoa, that surprised me.¡¯</i>

    A magic circle appeared in mid-air, and Michelle emerged from it.

    ¡°What was that just now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s a standard personal portal.¡±

    <i>¡®So it¡¯s something like a private jet.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had only heard rumors that such things existed, but judging by Michelle¡¯s attitude, it seemed likemon technology for the members of the Trinity Club.

    ¡°I have something important to discuss,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°With me? And not Gap-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± Michelle smiled broadly, though a somewhat terrifying gleam shone in her eyes. ¡°Looks like I won today.¡±

    ? ? ?

    They were in a trendy coffee shop in Cheongdam-dong, yet not a soul was in sight. It was the work of Lilia¡¯s mental abilities.

    ¡°Your abilities are more exceptional than I thought, Subus. You¡¯ve improved a lot,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lilia did seem to be growing at a rtively rapid pace. Being next to the Trinity Club member Gap-Soo had probably elerated her growth.

    ¡°But why are you here, old man?¡± Michelle asked.

    Gap-Soo was sitting there with a gloomy expression. Even at a nce, he looked disgruntled. ¡°You two got to know each other because of me. It would be unfair to leave me out of the conversation.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t really have any business with you...¡±

    ¡°Are you ignoring me because I am old?¡±

    <i>¡®Yikes, better be careful when he says that.¡¯</i>

    That phrase meant Gap-Soo was genuinely in a bad mood. Jin-Hyeok could not afford to upset his esteemed viewer too much. So, he said, ¡°I was just worried that we might take up too much of your time for no reason.¡±

    ¡°I have time to spare anyway. Hmph!¡± Gap-Soo seemed to rx a little, allowing Jin-Hyeok to start the conversation with Michelle.

    When Michelle heard Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proposal, her eyes widened. ¡°...So you want to create a foundation that actively nurtures and trains yers?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    This would be one of the charitable endeavors Michelle, a Korean-American entrepreneur, would undertake in the future.

    ¡°And the foundation¡¯s operating costs will be covered by the ten percent of the revenue generated from the warp portals?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to do this?¡±

    ¡°I would like the Earth Server to bepetitive.¡±

    While part of the reason was the System¡¯s scheme, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t lying. The Earth Server had to be strong so that yers from other Servers could not act recklessly here. If you want peace, you must prepare for war; It was a sad but true statement.

    <i>¡®Jin-Sol is also unnecessarily getting stronger.¡¯</i>

    She was growing faster than he had expected. Herpatibility with the Blood Priest Job was excellent, and she was enjoying the y a lot. So, it had be awkward for Jin-Hyeok to tell her to stop ying. Instead, it might be more appropriate to transform the Earth Server into a safer one.

    ¡°The Kim Chul-Soo I know is not the most phnthropic,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°The more outstanding yers there are, the more varied content I can create,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s true. But why are you asking me to chair the foundation?¡±

    ¡°Receiving billions of Dias per day is a huge amount by normal standards.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    For a member of the Trinity Club, it was nothing. They were rich individuals as per the standard of the whole universe, and not just the Earth.

    ¡°The amount is so big that I might go insane if I keep it.¡±

    ¡°And you think that I won¡¯t, right?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that reason, and... I thought you would like it, Michelle.¡±

    Michelle, who was an entrepreneur of Korean descent to the public, operated several non-profit organizations in the United States.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the point of the Trinity Club VIPs getting ess to the yers¡¯ Fields that they can experience the joy of ying for themselves?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Perhaps it was because he had honed his Diplomacy Skill in the past, but he seemed to speak better now than he did when he was a Swordsman.

    <i>¡®Or maybe it¡¯s just my imagination.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I provide the content, and I want to offer special opportunities to special VIPs,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    These words amused Michelle, her smile somewhat resembling that of a victor as she looked at Gap-Soo.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Gap-Soo mmed the table. ¡°Hey, what about me?¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°If you are offering special opportunities to special VIPs, why am I left out? I am your number one cumtive sponsor! And by a margin!¡±

    ¡°By a margin? Did you not see my donation yesterday? It¡¯s a small margin. Where do you get off acting high and mighty, Gap-Soo?¡± Michelle red up.

    Jin-Hyeok tried to calmly mediate. ¡°I thought you were not particrly interested in a foundation for yer development, old man.¡±

    Gap-Soo rolled up his sleeves and stood up. ¡°I want you to create content that allows me to participate in active y right away. I may not care about other things, but I can¡¯t bear to lose to MoneyShot. My pride will not allow it.¡±

    It seemed like Jin-Hyeok had ended up hiring two employees who were too eager to work for him.

    And for free, at that.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Fine. I will be the chairman of the foundation,¡± Michelle said.

    There could be no one more reliable and safer(?) to take this role.

    ¡°Hm... Chairman of the Choi Gap-Soo franchise business... It¡¯s not bad,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Gap-Soo had ambitiously decided to expand his workshop business. He nned to form an active partnership with the foundation Michelle was creating. First, Gap-Soo would boost the foundation¡¯s recognition by crafting and enhancing weapons for the Alliance members that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s original party members led. Later, the business would branch out into franchises.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite exciting to y this proactively after a long time. Huhu,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to give our yers enhancements at a discount, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± Gap-Soo scowled, his mood seemingly sour today. ¡°Every business starts with investment. If you skimp on investment, you can¡¯t seed. Are you telling me to skimp?¡±

    His tone was harsh, but the meaning behind it was warm.

    ¡°Enhancements for up to second-tier Alliance members are free! Don¡¯t you dare to even think about paying me!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Alliances led by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s original party members, including Jin-Sol, were considered first-tier Alliances. The second-tier Alliances were those directly coborating with Jin-Hyeok and the members of the Alliances led by the original party members.

    So, in essence, the KSM Alliance led by Mok Jae-Hyeon would be first-tier, and the ck Rose Alliance and the ck Thorn Alliance would be second-tier.

    ¡°This is going to be fun, huhu.¡±

    ¡°I am intrigued for the first time in a while too!¡±

    Seeing the two of them filled with such energy made Jin-Hyeok happy. Even though the two of them were working for free, they looked so happy doing it. This was why people liked to say that one must try doing a job they love.

    <i>¡®Guess I will have to spend all my money. I can¡¯t retire now. What a pity! Hehe.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had to put his retirement on hold.

    <i>¡®So this is well taken care of...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s phone started ringing incessantly, and strangers began showing up at his home.

    ¡°Our chairman would like to buy the power of the Guardian Tree...¡±

    The power they were talking about was the one that provided yers protection from attacks below Level 200 in the domain of the Guardian Tree. Numerous people wereing to Jin-Hyeok to buy this power.

    ¡°Please, I just need a couple of minutes of your time.¡±

    ¡°Our chairman also would like to...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not know how there were so many chairmen, nor how they had gotten his phone number. It was infuriating, to say the least.

    ¡°It¡¯s not for sale.¡±

    <i>¡®They keep offering astronomical sums of money. Are they mad? Or perhaps they are Thieves?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I told you, I am not selling it!¡±

    After Jin-Hyeok warned the first person who kept pestering him that he would cut off their tongue, things finally quieted down. Life was surprisingly shallow. People would not listen unless he went to such extremes. This was something he had experienced since his days as a government official.

    <i>¡®I really need a secretary to handle these trivial matters.¡¯</i>

    That way, he could avoid all these annoying tasks.

    Feeling utterly exhausted, Jin-Hyeok was about to take a quick break when he suddenly got up to his feet. The overwhelming fatigue instantly evaporated.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s right! There was that option!¡¯</i>

    He immediately picked up his phone and made a call. ¡°Yes, we should meet.¡±

    About thirty minutester, two people came to see him. One was Lee Hyeon-Seong, who had recently gained some fame and even a nickname as the Anus Destroyer, and the other was Maria, also known as Mother.

    ¡°Good to see you, Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°Have you finally be stronger?¡±

    ¡°I am still training. I am nothingpared to you.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong¡¯s modesty, unlike how he always insisted that they were rivals before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, was rather appealing.

    ¡°I would like to speak privately with Maria,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here to protect her...¡±

    ¡°You? How are you going to do that?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Maria is much stronger than you. Who is protecting whom here? I guess you¡¯re still not grasping the situation, huh? I was just starting to like your humility.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong tended to go off track just when he was about to be likable.

    Maria shrugged. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk privately for a moment.¡±

    "My sword can cut anuses!¡± the furious Hyeon-Seong shouted, but he was ultimately kicked out of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house.

    Left alone with Maria, Jin-Hyeok got straight to the point. ¡°Maria, your goal was to enhance the abilities and standards of Korean Server yers, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, but why...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok informed her about the discussion he had with Michelle and Gap-Soo. Not one to show much emotion usually, Maria stared at him with a stunned expression for a long while.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Two members of the Trinity Club are helping you out that enthusiastically?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s more like they are enjoying what they find interesting, so it appears as though they are actively assisting me.¡± Jin-Hyeoktely felt that his mind had be incredibly sharp, almost as if he could be a Ruler.

    ¡°Think about it. How much can the government really help you? What¡¯s the annual budget?¡± he asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I can potentially allocate billions of Dias to you per day. Well, not yet, but soon.¡±

    ¡°That day won¡¯t be too far off, I assume.¡±

    Many government agencies struggled with limited budgets, including Maria¡¯s, even though she had a rtivelyrger allocation. Maria was keen to squeeze out more funding; she would wake up from sleep if someone so much as mentioned the word <i>budget.</i>

    ¡°Our goals align. Ultimately, we aim for the effective nurturing of strong yers.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Think carefully about what would be better: the National Intelligence Service or my side.¡±

    Clearly, Jin-Hyeok needed to start headhunting capable yers from the NIS. Most people there said they would quit if they could, so recruiting yers from among them would not be too difficult. Jin-Hyeok already had Wang Yu-Mi, and going after Ahn Ji-Won from the support team did not seem like a bad idea.

    ¡°And while you are at it, you could serve as my secretary.¡± Jin-Hyeok snuck this into the conversation as well.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you an answer right now.¡±

    It did not matter. Jin-Hyeok could see Maria was already on board. She could be the head of a yer-development agency with a potential daily budget in the billions, supported by two members of the Trinity Club. Maria would not miss this opportunity. Moreover, Jin-Hyeok would get the mostpetent secretary he knew.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t this a fabulous trade for both parties? Wait... what¡¯s going on? Am I actually good at this?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had now recruited two unpaid workers from the Trinity Club and a Level-200 administrator with exceptional practical administrative skills.

    <i>¡®Maybe I do have a talent for being a Ruler.¡¯ </i>

 Chapter 146

    <h4>Chapter 146</h4>

    Back at the National Intelligence Service office, Maria fell deep in thought.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s influence is prizing.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had a profound influence on the entire Earth Server. The positive aspect of it was that many top-tier yers were growing faster than Maria had anticipated because of him. However, his actions also had a negative impact on the yers.

    <i>¡®He blocked Queen Ant¡¯s raid too easily.¡¯</i>

    That Scenario should not have ended like that. At the very least, the Queen Ant should have consumed the entire Korean Server and given humanity a more severe threat of extinction. By saving the world from the Queen Ant so effortlessly, Chul-Soo had hindered humanity¡¯s progress.

    That was why the idea of joining forces with Chul-Soo involved a lot of contemtion.

    <i>¡®As time goes on, warp portals will undoubtedly be more active, and as Chul-Soo said, the daily fees could add up to billions.¡¯</i>

    With such an amount, Maria could achieve everything she dreamed of. She wished the most for the Earth Server to adapt well to the System and establish itself as a formidable Server every yer would want to y in.

    <i>¡®And there would be less pressure from the higher-ups.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s proposal sounded very different from her experience of working at the NIS. If what Chul-Soo said was true, they would be backed by a foundation operated by two members of the Trinity Club, with those two members being MoneyShower and MoneyShot.

    <i>¡®Sometimes emotion shoulde before reason and logic.¡¯</i>

    That was the case with yer development. However, at the NIS, Maria had to be conscious of her superiors. She was required to submit a thoroughly rational report on whether a yer was suitable for investment. Even then, she would strive to extract maximum efficiency at minimal cost through strict evaluations and verifications.

    However, with MoneyShower and MoneyShot in the picture, the story would change.

    <i>¡°Hmm~ That looks fun. Let¡¯s invest!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I like their style of y. Let¡¯s nurture them!¡±</i>

    The gracious voices of those two seemed to echo in her ears.

    <i>¡°Such a paltry sum isn¡¯t a big deal. It¡¯s the process that is important! Hahaha!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I liked your fierce effort. Keep going and continue to shine!¡±</i>

    Maria had already thought of an answer. Chul-Soo¡¯s expression, which spoke volumes, came to mind. She felt like she was dancing in the palm of his hand, but the sensation was not particrly unpleasant. Without hesitation, she picked up her phone and contacted him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was abuzz.

    -Apparently, MoneyShower and MoneyShot have joined the Earth Server.

    ©»Everyone knows that.

    ©»Did you see it in the Choi Gap-Soo Workshop Gallery? He¡¯s been ying from there.

    ©»No, he established an organization for yer development called ¡®For the Beautiful y¡¯.

    ©»Seriously? You¡¯re joking.

    For the Beautiful y was known to be almost like a non-profit charity organization.

    -I heard he bought a massive piece ofnd in the middle of Seoul to build a school.

    ©»Like a yer Academy? Isn¡¯t that a luxurious thing that only top Servers have?

    ©»Fewer than twelve of those exist in the entire universe.

    ©»An Academy in a server that has just finished the Open Beta Service? Lol, that¡¯s not weird at all!

    The interesting news was that two rivals known for their bad rtionship with each other, MoneyShower and MoneyShot, had entered into an active partnership.

    -They have been on good terms all along, haven¡¯t they?

    ©»I think they set themselves up as distant rtives on the Earth Server.

    ©»LOL! Who said they weren¡¯t close? They¡¯re like BFFs!

    MoneyShower and MoneyShot establishing that foundation was undoubtedly an unusual move, as they had never shown such a gesture before.

    -But why are the members of the Trinity Club moving so proactively?

    ©»There¡¯s an interview on that.

    ©»Send link please.

    /watch....

    Gap-Soo¡¯s interview became the talk of the town.

    ?On this Earth Server, a person has shown a y more beautiful than anyone else¡¯s. I was deeply inspired by him and wanted many yers to express such beauty.?

    Many gave their opinions on who Gap-Soo was referred to, but they had all reached a consensus.

    -Isn¡¯t he talking about Kim Chul-Soo?

    ©»To impress MoneyShower like that, it must be Chul-Soo.

    ©»Totally agree.

    -But isn¡¯t Egan Paul the top Streamer on the Earth Server?

    ©»I find that weird too.

    ©»Based on influence, Chul-Soo dominates, but Egan Paul has more viewers.

    ©»Probably has more casual viewers.

    While people didn¡¯t exactly believe that the foundation was established at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s suggestion, the consensus was that he had a significant influence on its establishment. Viewers from other Servers also wrote down their opinions on the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    -Earthlings, understand that this is a huge opportunity for you.

    -You guys are so lucky! You should bow to Chul-Soo, like a hundred times a day.

    -I¡¯m so jealous. Can we clone Chul-Soo for our Server?

    As the so-called Kim Chul-Soo effect became well-known, the HARD movement ironically began to face more criticism than before.

    -Don¡¯t we eventually have to y like Chul-Soo to survive?

    ©»Right! Anyone can say things that the public wants to hear. It was hrious in the Dungeon with Charles or whatever his name was.

    ©»That¡¯s the truth. He¡¯s just all talk about peace and human rights. LOL.

    ©»Screw those peace lovers. Hahaha.

    With the rising poprity of the Kim Chul-Soo effect, British journalist Charles could not roam free in other countries.

    ¡°Go back to your country!¡±

    <i>Smack!</i>

    Someone threw an egg at him.

    ¡°Eat shit!¡±

    Someone even threw ice cream.

    Charles quickly sought police protection and fled back to Enndter that night.

    <i>¡®This is madness,¡¯ </i>Charles thought.

    He did not think he was wrong. Chul-Soo¡¯s y was possible only because he was Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®At least one of his party members should have gone crazy. That would have given momentum to the HARD movement.¡¯</i>

    Charles regretted that this had never happened. Somehow, it seemed like heaven had favored Chul-Soo.

    ¡°People should not y like Chul-Soo! It¡¯s a matter of human dignity. Why is everyone so blinded?¡±

    Charlesmented time and time again. Chul-Soo¡¯s harmful style of y would influence many and trample on the rights of many others. The naive slogan of ¡®Beautiful y¡¯ would mislead many youngsters. Children would grow up learning and following the wrong things.

    <i>¡®They are not educated, that¡¯s why. I just need to teach them.¡¯</i>

    Being an intellectual, Charles believed he had a duty to enlighten the uneducated public.

    <i>¡®I need to find a way.¡¯</i>

    His worries deepened.

    ? ? ?

    The first Server connected to the Earth Server, Scanorbia, was a Server of brave warriors.

    ¡°Valiant warriors! A newnd has opened!¡±

    Originally, Scanorbia was a Server made up of numerous tribes. It was a Server where approximately one billion inhabitants flocked to live on a single. Thend was barren, making farming difficult, and the¡¯s resources were scant. Thus, the people there survived through plunder and invasion. For thousands of years, people at the tribal level killed and looted each other, with only the strong surviving, but the scene had changed recently.

    ¡°Our Scanorbia is the most formidable!¡¯

    ¡°Khan! Khan! Khan!¡±

    ¡°Khan! Khan! Khan!¡±

    Holding huge axes, Scanorbia¡¯s warriors stomped and chanted Khan. Khan was the great leader of Scanorbia. He had stopped inter-tribal warfare and unified the continents. By consolidating the¡¯s tribal power, he invaded other Servers rich in resources. Not just settling for plunder, he started colonial rule with strength, and Scanorbia weed an unprecedented era of peace.

    ¡°Look at the Earth Server! They know not hunger!¡±

    A video of the Earth Server was being yed In the middle of a square. Then there were the images of massive amounts of food being wasted and luxurious scenes of piled food being selectively consumed. To the warriors of Scanorbia, this was an astonishing and inconceivable act.

    ¡°And look! How deeply they are immersed in such futile peace!¡±

    A video rted to the HARD movement started next, showing people holding yellow gs symbolizing peace and shouting, ¡°HARD!¡±.

    Scanorbia¡¯s warriors clenched their fists and stomped, unable to contain their anger.

    ¡°Such unwarrior-like behavior!¡±

    ¡°How can such weaklings breathe and live in such a prosperousnd?¡±

    Seeing the furious warriors, Khan smiled. ¡°We need to teach them what a warrior is, what the heart of a warrior is, what the spirit of a warrior is! Go, brave warriors. Show them who is the strongest! Imand you all to set sail!¡±

    Their first target was the British Region.

    ? ? ?

    The connection of the Servers did not always promise blessings and prosperity.

    ¡°Brave warriors! Trample thisnd and ce it under your feet!¡±

    The warriors of Scanorbia made their presence known, their first destination being Great Britain. The average Level of these warriors surpassed 100. The yers of Great Britain were unable to fend them off with their abilities, and Great Britain crumbled in a mere five days.

    As the Prime Minister and the Queen dered surrender, a notification rang out for yers worldwide.

    <strong>[The ¡¸Great British Region¡¹ of the Earth Server has been registered under the colonial jurisdiction of the Scanorbia Server.]</strong>

    The warriors of the Scanorbia Server transferred many products manufactured in the Great British Region to their Server. Compared to Scanorbia, Earth was a much more civilized and prosperous Server. For the warriors, this was a blessing.

    [Shocking! Young Children Under 18 are Being Enved!]

    [Horrifying Human Rights Abuses! Can We Really Call This the 21st Century?]

    [The EPU Must Take Action! We Can''t Just Stand By!]

    Many were in shock. Cameras captured British residents being dragged away with chains on their necks and limbs. A considerable number of yers were mobilized to do forcedbor.

    World leaders gathered to discuss how to respond, but could not find any clear solutions. After all, it was part of the y, and the military could not intervene. The consensus was that they needed to make Earth¡¯s yers stronger. The leader of the EPU, the European yer Union, Louis, called out to the yers for help.

    ?The Great Britain is copsing. Our enemies are unimaginably strong. All Earth yers need to unite against their inhuman oppression and exploitation. Please gather your strength. We don¡¯t know what will be next after Great Britain.?

    Cha Jin-Hyeok chewed on the spicy squid legs while watching the TV. ¡°That¡¯s why I said you need to be prepared.¡±

    The ce where the HARD movement was most actively carried out was Great Britain. Because of this, Great Britain was regarded as the country that had the least side effects from ying; their yers even pointed fingers at foreign yers and described them as barbaric and abnormal.

    ¡°You can¡¯t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pondered a bit.

    <i>¡®If I go there, can I fight warriors over Level 100?¡¯</i>

    Fighting as Kim Pyeong-Beom again, instead of Kim Chul-Soo, seemed a fun prospect. However, the odds were against him.

    Suddenly, the door opened wide, and Cha Jin-Sol walked in with an angry expression. ¡°Oppa, look at this.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Sol showed him a provocative video featuring Khan. The video was horrifying. Charles, who had led the HARD movement, had been tied to a tree and was burning. The warriors executed Charles for not being warrior-like, and the video showed all this without any filter.

    Jin-Hyeok watched the video emotionlessly. From the perspective of the Earth Server, this was an unimaginable act, but from a universal perspective, it was quite ordinary. very was a horrifying system on Earth, but universally, it was amon and natural system.

    The future was not just peaceful and beautiful. Without power, people were bound to be oppressed. The future did not protect the weak.

    For Jin-Hyeok, who had witnessed countless gruesome deaths, an execution like this was not a special event.

    He continued chewing on the squid legs. The butter vor was rich, and it tasted delicious.

    ?Are all Earth yers this weak??

    <i>¡®Wait, did he just say weak?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Sol paused the video and said while gritting her teeth, ¡°They¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°On Earth, there is Kim Pyeong Beom,¡± she said with a serious expression.

 Chapter 147

    <h4>Chapter 147</h4>

    It was as if Cha Jin-Hyeok were hearing voices.

    -Hey, Kim Pyeong-Beom, are you going to just take that?

    -He is saying that all the yers on Earth are weak!

    Those sincere voices reached Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart, shaking his emotions.

    ¡°Cha Jin-Sol, do you know what a critical point is?¡±

    ¡°A critical point?¡±

    ¡°A critical point is the end point in thermodynamics until which equilibrium can be maintained. Beyond that, the boundaries get blurred,¡± he exined.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°My heart was like water at ny-nine degrees Celsius.¡±

    Jin-Sol¡¯sment had added one more degree to that, and at one hundred degrees, water starts to boil and turn into steam.

    ¡°This is all because you called out Kim Pyeong-Beom, okay?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    This was not his fault. Jin-Sol had provoked him from the side. Some people were very vulnerable to temptation, and if someone stimted them like how Jin-Sol had done right now, they would sumb easily.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to fight them.¡±

    <i>¡®ying with my sword in a battle against warriors with an average Level of 100! How enjoyable it will be!¡¯</i>

    Just the thought of it sent goosebumps on his skin. It felt like thest thread of sanity he was holding on to had snapped.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the weekend yet, but the weather is perfect for Pyeong-Beom to shine.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to call the other members?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. If they included all their original party members and the second-tier members led by the original party members, they could have a massive battle in the Great British Region.

    ¡°Alright, I will gather all the members,¡± Jin-Sol replied.

    ¡°Can I ask you one thing?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Do you also want to fight them?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was okay with fighting those warriors, but having his sister join in on it too would be a bit awkward. Even though Jin-Hyeok constantly denied it, he knew he was a bit of a crazy guy. It was not that big of a problem; as long as he did not get provoked, he could control himself perfectly well. Also, he thought it was okay to be a bit crazy from time to time.

    However, he hoped his sister would never be like that.

    ¡°No way! I¡¯m not a crazy person,¡± she answered.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°...Yes, of course. I was just angry because it sounded like they were calling Pyeong-Beom weak. I am his fan, after all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had been just asking, but for some reason, Jin-Sol was a bit aggressive.

    ¡°I am not your fan, I am Pyeong-Beom¡¯s fan.¡±

    That statement puzzled Jin-Hyeok a bit, but he figured it had to be some kind of trendy Gen Z thinking, so he just let it slide.

    ¡°Okay, I will gather the Alliance members. It will take some time for me to issue the official notification, so please wait a bit.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    <i>¡®...Why does she look so excited?¡¯</i>

    Thinking about it felt like trying to open a Pandora¡¯s box, so Jin-Hyeok gave up using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. He just hoped his sister was normal.

    ? ? ?

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok and Jin-Sol¡¯s n came to a pause, thanks to the active intervention of Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°You want to take Kim Pyeong-Beom to Ennd?¡±

    Song Ha-Young had read Jin-Sol¡¯s movements and ryed the information to Yu-Mi. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know when Ha-Young and Yu-Mi became so close, but they seemed to have a strong connection.

    ¡°I have a much better idea. Would you like to hear it?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    She had never given him wrong advice. Even if Jin-Hyeok could not fully understand her n at the time, Yu-Mi¡¯s advice always turned out right in the end.

    ¡°There is a way to use Pyeong-Beom more effectively. It will bring the best results.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt strange. It seemed as if Yu-Mi knew he was Kim Pyeong-Beom.

    <i>¡®Did she figure it out?¡¯</i>

    If anyone could, it would be the formidable Yu-Mi, but neither she nor Jin-Hyeok mentioned this.

    ¡°Oh, and this idea isn''t just my own. I have an excellent advisor with me. Her yer name is Pathfinder...¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°Han Sae-Rin?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I know that you¡¯re familiar with her. But you shouldn¡¯t disregard her just because she¡¯s a Navigator.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never disregarded her. Sae-Rin, who started as a Navigator, wouldter be a great Ruler with the Absolute Monarch Trait.

    ¡°She has excellent insight, so we often discuss things. Our first idea is this. I need Kim Pyeong-Beom to...¡±

    <i>¡®Is Sae-Rin already acting as a Ruler?¡¯</i>

    She seemed to be growing fast.

    <i>¡®Maybe it¡¯s just my imagination.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    As the Scanorbian warriors upied the Great British Region, unthinkable things started happening. Terrible things were happening to humanity one after another.

    [Charles, the Leader of the HARD Movement, Was Burned Alive.]

    [What Should Humanity Do in the Face of Horrific Human Rights Abuse?]

    [Why are the World and the EPU Silent?]

    Amid all this, one piece of news spread worldwide like wildfire. It came from a livestream by Kang Mi-Na, one of Korea''s famous Streamers.

    [Korean SSS-Tier yer Kim Pyeong-Beom: ¡°I will crush the warriors of Scanorbia.¡±]

    Mi-Na¡¯s livestream revealed the appearance of Pyeong-Beom, known as the most powerful yer in Korea.

    ¡°Who is the strongest among Scanorbia¡¯s warriors? Let¡¯s have a duel. If you are a coward, you can run away,¡± Pyeong-Beom said.

    It was a simple provocation.

    -What¡¯s the point of this? LOL! Pyeong-Beom is acting like a child.

    -He should fly to the UK right now and fight the Scanorbian warriors? What¡¯s he doing?

    -Do those savages from Scanorbia even watch livestreams? LOL.

    -This is mocking the suffering of the British civilians. We should take this rather seriously,

    Contrary to the opinions online, the warriors of Scanorbia readily epted the challenge. They brought some British Streamers and released a video. Khan, the great leader of Scanorbia, spoke directly.

    ?Tell me your Level, desired location, and time. I will split your head in half!?

    Khan also said that the brave warriors of Scanorbia never backed down from a fight. Khan seemed to be quite pleased with Pyeong-Beom¡¯s provocation and challenge.

    ?At least there is someone who can feign valor.?

    Khan even paused his raid on the Great British Region.

    ?Behold, the greatness of my warriors!?

    From the outside, Pyeong-Beom looked to be around Level 130. So Khan chose Pongpuru, a Level 138 top-tier warrior from Scanorbia, to send to Korea. Matching levels in an official duel was the warriors'' tradition.

    ¡°Go. Show them who is the true warrior and return with your enemy¡¯s head!¡±

    Pongpuru nodded to Khan and raised his axe high. He headed to Korea on the British Prime Minister¡¯s private ne, which they had hijacked earlier.

    People were curious about how the battle between Pongpuru and Pyeong-Beom would turn out.

    -Are Earth yers finally fighting back?

    -Isn¡¯t Pyeong-Beom the strongest Swordsman on Earth?

    -Yeah, he¡¯s as strong as an Irregr. But he probablycks realbat experience.

    However, the duel never came to fruition. Astonishing news rocked the world.

    ? ? ?

    [Pongpuru, a Top-Tier Warrior, Found as a Corpse.]

    [Pongpuru¡¯s Death Suspected to be the Work of an Assassin.]

    Pongpuru had been assassinated inside the ne heading to Korea. It was well-known that only a few yers could kill Pongpuru in a fair one-on-one duel. However, an assassination was a different story. Assassins could easily kill opponents at a Level significantly higher than theirs with thorough preparation.

    -Who the hell killed him?

    ©»Probably the British resistance?

    ©»So the British yers actually did something for a change, LOL. I thought they were all weaklings.

    Next to Pongpuru¡¯s corpse was a note with the catchphrase ¡®I gotchu~¡¯.

    -Wait, isn¡¯t that Angel Girl¡¯s signature catchphrase?

    ©»Are you dumb? Angel Girl is a Thief, not an Assassin!

    ©»LOL! Do you actually think that Angel Girl has some sort of an exclusive patent on that catchphrase?

    ©»I gotchu~ ¡ì%^@¡ì Profit rate 300% I gotchu~ ???? Guaranteed ?¡ó Click ¡ì???

    To be precise, it was not the sole act of Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young. She was a Thief, and her assassination skills were unexceptional. However, things had changed when she teamed up with Assassin Kwak Do-Hyeong.

    Inside the ck Rose Alliance¡¯s secret hideout. Do-Hyeony on the bed, with arge wound on his chest. ¡°Thanks to you, Noona, it was rtively easy.¡±

    When Thief Ha-Young and Assassin Do-Hyeon teamed up, they became twice as strong.

    ¡°How is your wound?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m entering the recovery phase.¡±

    ¡°Pongpuru was really strong. It seemed like he had prepared thoroughly.¡±

    ¡°If the de had gone just three centimeters deeper, I would have died too.¡±

    The ones who had assassinated Pongpuru were the joined forces of the ck and ck Alliance.

    Do-Hyeong cautiously opened his eyes. ¡°Do you think Chul-Soo will acknowledge my y?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will. We did our bes¡ªARGH!!!¡±

    ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s the Tight-Fille¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tight what?¡±

    Ha-Young rolled on the floor in agony. After a while, she got a call from Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡ªWas it you guys?

    ¡°Please, just stop it! ARGH!!¡±

    Ha-Young could not understand why Jin-Hyeok had used the Tight-Fillet Spell. If this was not a perfect y, she didn¡¯t know what was. They had even intentionally left a note to confuse people about who had done the assassination, employing a disinformation tactic. It was a y that adhered to the basics, so she thought that Jin-Hyeok, who valued fundamentals, would be pleased.

    <i>¡®But why is he using the Tight-Fillet Spell?¡¯</i>

    Witnessing Ha-Young¡¯s agony, Do-Hyeon slowly disappeared into thin air. He used his stealth skill to make it look like he was not there.

    Ha-Young shouted in frustration, ¡°Where are you going? I thought you couldn¡¯t get u¡ªARGH!!!¡±

    Due to the pain and how disoriented she felt, she could not tell where Do-Hyeon had hidden.

    ¡°Ahh!! I will tell you! It was Kwak Do-Hyeon! He is the one who did it! He killed Pongpuru!¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done?!¡±

    Ha-Young was already on the brink of death, and Do-Hyeong¡¯s chest wound bled profusely. Ha-Young could not quite understand why Jin-Hyeok was reacting this way, but she tried her best to make sense of it.

    She asked, ¡°Are you worried that Khan will get angry and escte their invasion because of this? If that¡¯s the case...¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like a Ruler? Why should I care about that?¡± While Jin-Hyeok was somewhat aware of his talent as a Ruler, he was not particrly attracted to the Job. ¡°I am a Streamer. Why on earth would a Streamer care about that?¡±

    ¡°Then why are you doing this to us?¡±

    Do-Hyeong also seemed a bit aggrieved. ¡°Did we not follow the basics? If so, please scold us. We will dly take that punishment.¡±

    ¡°I told you, it is not my concern whether you followed the basics or not.¡± Jin-Hyeok scowled. ¡°Why would you take away Pyeong-Beom¡¯s opportunity to fight?¡±

    ¡°...Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how much Pyeong-Beom wanted to fight the invaders from another Server? You don¡¯t understand Pyeong-Beom¡¯s feelings at all.¡± Jin-Hyeok was furious.

    Ha-Yong and Do-Hyeon could only bow their heads and apologize in the face of his urgency and sincerity.

    <i>¡®Oh, right. They are really close friends...¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®They are close enough that he would lend a Mythic-Grade Card to Pyeong-Beom.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why did you crush Pyeong-Beom¡¯s dream?¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    In any case, the top-tier warrior, Pongpuru, had died. Infuriated at this, the great leader Khan intensified the looting of the British Region.

    ?You cowards! I will kill every one of you!?

    Amid Khan¡¯s intense anger, Scanorbia¡¯s warriors began to rampage even more, and strange rumors began to circte.

    [The Force that Assassinated Pongpuru is the ck Thorn Alliance from Korea.]

    [Viper Kwak Do-Hyeong: ¡°I led the assassination of Pongpuru.¡±]

    Even Do-Hyeon had personally stepped forward and confessed to assassinating Pongpuru. It was even reported that Kim Pyeong-Beom was behind it.

    ¡°Cowards like no other!¡±

    ¡°We will rip out their hearts and chew on them!¡±

    The Scanorbian warriors shouted to immediately charge into the Korean Region. Pongpuru¡¯s death had turned the situation into an unpredictable state of chaos.

    Jin-Hyeok was lost in thought.

    <i>¡®Wow! This really worked?¡¯</i>

    All this had yed out exactly as Yu-Mi and Sae-Rin had nned.

 Chapter 148

    <h4>Chapter 148</h4>

    Cha Jin-Sol stopped eating and raised her head with a puzzled expression. Unable to understand it, she asked, ¡°Oppa, but didn¡¯t you already know it would turn out like this, and that¡¯s why you orchestrated it?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I mean, the Scanorbian Warrior. Pingpong or Pongpuru, whatever his name is, you know he would be assassinated, and the Scanorbian warriors would get angry and head to Korea. Since they are not that smart, they will storm into Seoul, where there is the Golden Guardian Tree. Didn¡¯t you, Wang Yu-Mi, and Han Sae-Rin n all that together?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°So why did you use the Tight-Fillet Spell?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok chewed his food and casually replied, ¡°I have to discipline her once in a while.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because she is Angel Girl.¡±

    When he thought about what had happened before his regression, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s anger toward Angel Girl resurfaced. To control her, he needed to give her such treatment from time to time.

    ¡°So... you mean she didn¡¯t really do anything wrong?¡±

    ¡°Well, she did do one thing wrong.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Stealing Kim Pyeong-Beom¡¯s enjoyment."

    ¡°Ah ha!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hesitated for a moment.

    <i>¡®I was joking...¡¯</i>

    Song Ha-Young and Kwak Do-Hyeon had not done anything wrong. He had just been making a yful remark with the Pyeong-Beomment. In the end, Jin-Hyeok could not resist and used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance on his sister.

    <strong>[...#Guilty! #Guilty! #Guilty!!! #How dare she mess with Kim Pyeong-Beom!]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. His sister¡¯s state of mind did not look normal at all, no matter how he tried to think of it. It seemed like she was slowly going crazy, and that was unsettling.

    Jin-Sol seemed to be unaware of Jin-Hyeok¡¯splicated feelings toward her, as she spoke while her mouth was full. ¡°So what you did to Ha-Young was like a form of leadership, so to speak.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You disciplined her, showing your leadership, so that Angel Girl could not harbor any mischievous thoughts, right?¡±

    ¡°...I guess?¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°I just got inspired.¡±

    ¡°Inspired about what?¡±

    ¡°I need to be more like you.¡±

    <strong>[...#Excellent leadership. #Great leader. #I should be more like Pyeong-Beom.]</strong>

    ¡°Well, Oppa, actually, I¡¯ve been working on somethingtely.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the details. I¡¯m working on it because of some crazy person.¡±

    A fervent determination burned in Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes. It was a kind of madness that Jin-Hyeok had never seen before. The letters representing that madness flickered in red.

    ~

    <strong>[...#For the crazy one.]</strong>

    ~

    Jin-Hyeok slowly lowered his spoon and frowned. ¡°Hey, are you dating someone these days?¡±

    He was very curious about who this crazy person might be.

    ? ? ?

    Returning to his room, Jin-Hyeok recalled his memories of Khan.

    <i>¡®When we fought, Khan¡¯s Level was in the 220s.¡¯</i>

    At that time, Jin-Hyeok was around Level 200. Despite the 20-Level difference between him and Khan, he had won. Though, it was mostly luck. He was fortunate that luck had allowed him to pierce Khan¡¯s heart, but that had still been an unsettling and unpleasant experience for him.

    <i>¡®Right now, Khan¡¯s Level is in the early 200s.¡¯</i>

    The Level difference was much worse now. Naturally, if they were to face off head-to-head, Jin-Hyeok would lose. However, Jin-Hyeok thought that it might be easier to deal with Khan now. After all, Khan was heading toward Seoul, where Jin-Hyeok had the Golden Guardian Tree on his side.

    -¡°Master, are you thinking about me~?¡±

    The Guardian Tree¡¯s tone had be somewhat strange. The spiritual connection between the tree and Jin-Hyeok had be quite strong, which sometimes led to such annoying situations.

    -¡°Well, I am rather reliable, am I not?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not bother to reply because he knew that if he did, the Guardian Tree would start praising itself endlessly.

    -¡°I am quite beautiful too, I must say.¡±

    -¡°Surely, Master, you haven¡¯t fallen head over heels for me at first sight?¡±

    -¡°You are not the right type for me yet.¡±

    -¡°You should be manlier and more handsome for me to fall in love with you.¡±

    <i>¡®God, I wish there was an on and off button on this tree.¡¯</i>

    Since the Guardian Tree was talking telepathically, Jin-Hyeok could not just ignore it, which made it quite annoying.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t even want to think about what would¡¯ve happened if I didn¡¯t have Imperial Resilience.¡¯</i>

    Even thinking about it was dizzying. If not for Imperial Resilience, he would have been unable to think about anything else other than the Guardian Tree¡¯s mutterings.

    <i>¡®Hm... This is a dilemma.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was in doubt.

    <i>¡®Should I go as Kim Chul-Soo or Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡¯ </i>

    Naturally, Pyeong-Beom would be the right choice if he wanted to fight more aggressively. However, the Chul-Soo character would allow him to fight in a way that suited him better. He was a Streamer now, not a Swordsman, so going as Chul-Soo seemed better.

    <i>¡®But I¡¯ve built up the whole situation as Pyeong-Beom, so it would be a bit strange to go as Chul-Soo...¡¯</i>

    It was a night filled with deep contemtions.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok sat in the center of the sofa, observing Yu-Mi and Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡®When did the two of them be so close?¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin had always disliked Yu-Mi. To be precise, she liked Yu-Mi but was afraid of her.

    <i>¡®Now, they seem like soulmates.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was at a loss for words. The two women were sitting close together, affectionately looking at each other and chatting happily.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Pathfinder had such insight, hohoho!¡±

    ¡°I never thought I would have a friend who couldmunicate with me so well!¡±

    Yu-Mi then exined, ¡°These Scanorbian warriors are uncivilized barbarians who rely on strength and violence!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why their growth has limits.¡±

    People on the Scanorbia Server were born with strong physical attributes. However, their tendency to rely excessively on their strength had limited their growth.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter how strong goris can be, humans will always be superior.¡±

    The exceptional Navigator, Sae-Rin, had already infiltrated the Scanorbia Server through the warp portal and gathered information about its warriors with the help of the ck Rose Alliance.

    ¡°They pride themselves on being strong and exceptional warriors who even the other major Servers do not invade.¡±

    While the people on the Scanorbia Server might pride themselves over that, ording to the information Sae-Rin had personally gathered, the reality was different.

    ¡°Scanorbia is a Server that is just not worth conquering.¡±

    The major Servers had no reason to invade or conquer the Scanorbia Server. In essence, it was a useless Server.

    ¡°The people on that Server are so uncivilized and dumb that it¡¯s even questionable if they can be used as ves.¡±

    ¡°But even the uncivilized give birth to geniuses sometimes!¡±

    Yu-Mi stood up from her seat. ¡°And their Great Leader, Khan, is one of those geniuses! He is the only one among the warriors who knows how to use his head. That¡¯s why they chose Great Britain as their first target. They judged it to be the easiest Region, and since it is an ind, they would face fewer hindrances from other surrounding countries.¡±

    Sae-Rin also stood up. ¡°Originally, they would not have cared about Korea, which has the Guardian Tree. But because of the assassination of their top-tier warrior, they got angry and agitated!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s feelings toward his oldrade were somewhatplicated.

    <i>¡®Sae-Rin was never this enthusiastic...¡¯</i>

    The personalities of both Jin-Sol and Sae-Rin seemed to be changing bit by bit.

    <i>¡®...Wait, why are they crossing their arms like that?¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi¡¯s excitement grew even bigger. ¡°If he wants to appease the agitated warriors, Khan has no choice but toe to Korea; otherwise, there will be riots within their army!¡±

    ¡°So, like it or not, there will be a battle in Seoul, where there is the Golden Guardian Tree and even Artillery of Nemesis! In fact, right now, I bet Khan does not want toe here at all.¡±

    Khan had announced that he would strike Seoul in twenty-one days, with the condition that Korea would be forgiven if they gave up Pyeong-Beom and his associates.

    Jin-Hyeok knew what this meant. ¡°So I need to provoke them even more. To prevent their anger from subsiding.¡±

    ¡°As expected, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s insight is amazing!¡±

    ¡°Not bad at all, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Khan would try to dy their move to Korea by any means possible. He would roar as if he was ready to attack immediately, but the probability was high that he was hoping time would pass and things would be forgotten.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. His oldrades had undoubtedly been a great help to him. ¡°I should start my livestream.¡±

    Thanks to them, he was sure of one thing: he needed to y a more active role as Kim Chul-Soo.

    ? ? ?

    The inheritor of the HARD movement and Charles¡¯s friend, Erin, cried out for peace. She actively sought help from various countries and the EPU and even led a liberation movement within Ennd. So when Pyeong-Beom showed up and issued that challenge, Erin burst into tears.

    <i>¡®...There is a hero after all,¡¯ </i>Erin thought.

    Pyeong-Beom had shifted the attention of the Scanorbian warriors toward himself. While the European yers Erin had trusted turned away, a hero from a small country across the sea had risen for the sake of peace for humanity.

    As time passed, the Scanorbian warriors set sail for Korea on British warships. As a result, the situation in the British Region improved significantly. From the perspective of the British people, Pyeong-Beom and Do-Hyeong were heroes and freedom fighters.

    [We must not forget Kim Pyeong-Beom¡¯s spirit, his love for peace, and how the strong should use their power to keep that peace. Pyeong-Beom is our hero, teaching us what is right.]

    This was different from Chul-Soo¡¯s style of y, which always pursued ruthlessness. Pyeong-Beom was showing a good example of how someone with true strength should use that power.

    [Kim Pyeong-Beom is truly the ideal we should strive for. Our hero!]

    Erin shed tears and wrote numerous articles for various media outlets. After that, she sighed. ¡°Chul-Soo and Pyeong-Beom. How can two extremes like them be born in the same country?¡±

    The evil of humanity, Kim Chul-Soo.

    And the hero of humanity, Kim Pyeong-Beom.

    It was something she could notprehend. Her articles received a considerable response not only from various onlinemunities but also from the Korean Region Minor Gallery, where the famed user Encyclopedia posted a reply to Erin¡¯s article.

    <strong>[I agree with much of what she wrote in the article. But I don¡¯t think this is a decision Pyeong-Beom took on his own. Pyeong-Beom surely has an excellent advisor. Therefore, we need to study and research the unique characteristics of the Korean Region. There is a secret there. What kind of ce is it, and why did yers like them emerge? If we study that, yers can progress further.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia]</strong>

    As the sh between the Great Leader of Scanorbia, Khan, and the hero of the Earth Server, Pyeong-Beom, loomed, the tension in the Earth Server continued to rise. In the meantime, Chul-Soo uploaded several provoking videos, saying, ¡°How can savages like the Scanorbian warriors possibly win against Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡±

    He also continued to livestream. The influence of the Streamer Chul-Soo was significant, and it drew considerable attention to the Earth Server from across the universe.

    <strong>[This scum is making a fuss again, trying to piggyback off Pyeong-Beom. Pyeong-Beom does all the work, but it¡¯s Chul-Soo who is raking in all the profit. Regardless of the Guardian Tree or whatever, everyone knows that Chul-Soo will die from just one attack from Khan.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    <strong>[LOL, you basement-dwelling loser. It¡¯s because of guys like you that this country has not progressed at all. How is your mother by the way? I feel bad for your mother for raising a **** and **** kid like you.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: ChulSooIsGod]</strong>

    The sh of the Named users on the KRMG highlighted Chul-Soo even more. yers¡¯ interest in him skyrocketed, to an extent that even Jin-Hyeok could not have predicted.

    Amid all this, a piece of news came that the 7th Fleet of the United States Navy had annihted the invaders from Scanorbia at sea.

    <i>¡®Wait, is that even possible?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    This had never happened before his regression. Egan Paul vividly shared the news, and numerous viewers flocked to his livestream. For the first time, Egan¡¯s livestream was trending more than Chul-Soo¡¯s.

    Jin-Hyeok clenched his fist.

    <i>¡®Egan Paul...!¡¯</i>

    His pride was hurt.

 Chapter 149

    <h4>Chapter 149</h4>

    -The United States is the world¡¯s most powerful nation!

    ©»Indeed, the superpower!

    ©»I don¡¯t care if we are in a new civilization or something, the United States has once again proved its strength. LOL.

    ©»They deployed the Seventh Fleet of the United States Navy... Holy...

    Many onlinemunities were buzzing with excitement. Media outlets were all over this incident, and the public was also focused on it.

    It was an ordinary evening for Cha Jin-Hyeok. He had some time free for his family, so they gathered for dinner. The news channel on the TV was continuously reporting the incident where the United States had annihted the Scanorbian warriors, showing the warriors sinking into the ocean on their burning ships.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really fortunate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, I suppose,¡± Jin-Hyeok vaguely replied to his mother.

    ¡°I knew that the United States was a strong country, but I did not expect them to defeat those warriors so easily. Should I immigrate to the United States with Jin-Hyeok and Jin-Sol?¡±

    This startled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father, who was eating with his chopsticks. ¡°Why am I left out?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just overthinking~ How¡¯s yourpany doing these days?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother replied.

    Even though it did not seem like Jin-Hyeok¡¯s father was overthinking, he just cleared his throat and answered, ¡°It¡¯s about the same as usual. There¡¯s just chatter about the new civilization or not. How about you guys at work?¡±

    Jin-Sol, who had been eating quietly, flinched. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine. Good benefits and all. It¡¯s pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t just idle around, work diligently at your job.¡±

    ¡°...Okay, Dad.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol was quite famous as a yer, especially known as the Saint of Freedom among the younger generation. Her Eltube videos easily garnered a million views each. However, it seemed that her fame had yet to reach the older generation.

    ¡°Um... I was thinking of ying...¡± Jin-Sol carefully said.

    ¡°Excuse me?! Didn¡¯t you just hear what your Dad said? You need to work hard at your job, save up, meet a good man, date him, and get married. What is this y nonsense? Only crazy kids do that.¡±

    The older generation, including her mother, had a strong aversion to the term y. Jin-Sol just nodded while picking at her food.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re going to find out anyway...¡¯</i> she thought.

    In reality, it was only a matter of time. Whether on the inte or Eltube, a quick search for the Saint of Freedom would reveal Jin-Sol¡¯s face and what she was doing.

    <i>¡®Ah, whatever.¡¯</i>

    The right moment to tell them had already passed. Moreover, asking for forgiveness was a lot easier than seeking permission in the first ce.

    <i>¡®But why does Oppa look so serious?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not said much during the meal.

    <i>¡®He always treats Mom and Dad more affectionately. Today, he doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.¡¯</i>

    After dinner, Jin-Sol cautiously knocked on her brother¡¯s door and entered his room.

    Jin-Hyeok found this version of Jin-Sol unfamiliar. ¡°Since when did you start knocking on my door?¡±

    ¡°Oppa, is something bothering you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was browsing the news on his phone. The news was about the Seventh Fleet of the United States annihting the Scanorbian warriors.

    ¡°Well... from a global perspective, isn¡¯t this a good thing...?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°I suppose.¡±

    Eliminating such threats as quickly as possible was the best option. If the warriors had shed in Seoul, the consequences could have been unimaginable. From a rational standpoint, it was a good thing, but Jin-Hyeok felt uneasy. ¡°It just seems strange no matter how I think about it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡±

    ¡°That our world¡¯s science and technology can have such a direct influence on y.¡±

    No matter how he thought about it, it was unbnced.

    ¡°Oh, that. I saw it in the breaking news just now. They said this was all because the Ruler of Authority had appeared,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Ruler of Authority?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what was his name again? Humphrey Millen? Something like that. Wait, let me check. Yup. His name is Humphrey Millen.

    ¡°It seems like he has a special power to bestow authority on our science and technology. He prays and temporarily draws our current technology into the realm of y. Oppa, are you listening?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Egan Paul considered the Korean Region Minor Gallery the most important among the numerous onlinemunities. Some argued that it should be called the Kim Chul-Soo Gallery, but Egan Paul was now realizing that he had be the main topic on the forum.

    -Did you guys see Egan Paul¡¯s video? Watch it ten times, no, a hundred times. Hell, watch it a thousand times!

    -Egan Paul and the Seventh Fleet¡¯s performance was incredible.

    ©»222

    ©»333

    -This is the power of the world police, the United States!

    -The top-tier weapon of the superpower amazed the entire world and terrified Scanorbia, and the people on Earth cheered!

    The video of Egan¡¯s operation, Savior of the Pacific, which he had just revealed, skyrocketed to the top of the trending list on Eltube. He picked up his phone and called Joseph.

    ¡ªJoseph, did you see? Stop fooling around ande back to my side now.

    Egan needed Joseph.

    ¡ªYou didn¡¯t even sign a formal contract with Chul-Soo. You have done enough. That should be sufficient. Don¡¯t you understand that to pursue your dreams, you must choose my side?

    Despite these words, Joseph was unmoved. Joseph delivered the same old speeches, iming that Chul-Soo was the true star, which infuriated Egan.

    ¡ªAre you serious? Haven¡¯t youe to your senses yet? Since when did your judgment be so messed up? Even after seeing what I just did, are you still talking about Chul-Soo? Fine. I don¡¯t need you anymore. Stick with Chul-Soo for the rest of your life!

    Egan ended the call and threw his phone. His eyes were filled with hatred and anger directed toward one person.

    ¡°Joseph, I will prove you wrong. Chul-Soo can never be my match.¡±

    Egan Paul was not only creating exceptional content himself but also mobilizing a considerable number of paid users toment on onlinemunities. Thesementers were tasked with manipting public opinion in favor of Egan and skillfully praising his videos. Even if his video did not seem entertaining at first, if many people said it was entertaining, human psychology would make other people want to watch it more.

    ¡°Yes, this user. Try to recruit this NoOverpackagingPlz from the Korean Region Minor Gallery. He seems like he wants to tear down Chul-Soo. Get him by any means necessary.¡±

    Egan bit his lip. He was determined to prove that Chul-Soo was beneath him no matter what.

    ? ? ?

    Humphrey Millen.

    Jin-Hyeok had a realization.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that the partner of Jonprich the Surgeon?¡¯</i>

    Jonprich was a scam artist.

    ¡°A friend of a scam artist is obviously a scam artist too.¡±

    While not always the case, it was generally true. Humphrey would definitely be another scam artist.

    ¡°Huh? What are you saying?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    After finishing his conversation with Jin-Sol, Jin-Hyeok urgently summoned Wang Yu-Mi, Han Sae-Rin, and Song Ha-Young and got straight to the point. ¡°I think this is all staged.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    None of them had considered the possibility of a setup.

    Sae-Rin cautiously asked, ¡°On what basis do you make that im?¡±

    ¡°Think about it rationally. Do you think the System would allow the bnce of y to copse like this?¡±

    ¡°Then what about you?¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You are also overwhelmingly strong.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m still weak.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ha-Young interjected, ¡°Come on, be honest. Are you just upset because you think you lost to Egan and just making excus¡ª ARGH!!!¡±

    Before she could finish, she rolled on the floor in pain. Sometimes, Jin-Hyeok had to discipline those who disobeyed him.

    ¡°Do you think I am getting upset over something like that?¡± he said.

    <i>¡®Wait, why does everyone seem to be nodding? Is it just me?¡¯</i>

    Thankfully, Yu-Mi seemed to be reading his mind well today. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s assume for now that Egan and the United States broadcasted a manipted video. We should discuss it with that assumption. For now.¡±

    With that assumption in ce, Sae-Rin quickly made her point. ¡°So, Khan did not want toe to Korea. But since the warriors were so angry, he had no choice but toe here.¡±

    Khan¡¯s feelings on this matter were easy to discern. It would have been faster toe to Korea using the warp portals, but Khan insisted on traveling through unfamiliar warships, taking the long route. His antics of dying time like that spoke volumes about his state of mind.

    ¡°And the United States wanted to showcase its role and power as a superpower.¡±

    Since the appearance of yers, the power of nations had significantly weakened. Although nations were gradually regaining their former status with governments employing yers and establishing them as government officials, inparison to the past, these nations were still weaker.

    ¡°This incident has undeniably given the United States the status of the world¡¯s foremost superpower.¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s expression became exceedingly serious. ¡°What if there was a secret deal between the United States and Khan? For example, Khan received substantial supplies of food and medical materials from the United States?¡±

    <i>¡®In exchange, he cooperated with the United States to fabricate that staged livestream??¡¯</i>

    ¡°Khan has always strived to unify the Scanorbia Server and ensure that the people of Scanorbia did not starve. This is a very usible story.¡±

    Shortly after the incident, news outlets had reported that Khan had returned to Scanorbia with a couple of his trusted advisors.

    ¡°Khan is thoroughly blocking and controlling information. Earthlings¡¯ resistance turned out to be much more stubborn than he expected, and they lost many warriors. However, he ims to have subdued Earth and, as a result, received a lot of tribute from Earth. It seems that people on the Scanorbia Server believe this,¡± Ha-Young added.

    In fact, an enormous amount of rice and wheat had traveled from Earth to the Scanorbia Server, but the media had not reported anything about it.

    ¡°Wow! Do I have to raid the White House for this? The White House is a bit tough,¡± Ha-Young said while shivering.

    However, she seemed quite excited.

    The sensible Jin-Hyeok put a damper on her unconventional enthusiasm. ¡°Instead of raiding the White House, why don¡¯t you look into Egan Paul?¡±

    ¡°Egan Paul?¡±

    ¡°It seems more suspicious on the side of Egan and Humphrey than the American politicians.¡±

    Ha-Young, Sae-Rin, and Yu-Mi all fell silent. Jin-Hyeok wondered what this silence meant and used his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[...#So he is pissed off at Egan. #I guess losing to another Streamer hurt his pride. #Saying that it¡¯s staged is just his excuse.]</strong>

    <strong>[...#He already had a n. #He just #Wants to take down Egan Paul.]</strong>

    <strong>[...#Everything goes as Jin-Hyeok wishes. #I am just here to help. #Egan is doomed.]</strong>

    They were all misunderstanding something. Jin-Hyeok was not angry at Egan because thetter had outperformed him in terms of poprity. He was not feeling a useless and unnecessary emotion like a sense of defeat. Although he had been pushed out to second ce, his initial goal was third ce anyway. These three were quite clueless about his feelings.

    ¡°Staging is an act of disrespect to sacred livestreams.¡±

    It was definitely not because he had lost first ce to Egan.

    ¡°If I let this go, I cannot call myself a Streamer. For the sake of a proper Streaming culture and a healthy livestreaming ecosystem, Streamers should all strive together, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You are always upright and just!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Was Chul-Soo such a righteous person?¡±

    Sae-Rin kept doubting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pure sincerity, and only Yu-Mi seemed to somewhat understand his feelings.

    Jin-Hyeok posted an announcement.

    [I will show the Earth Server¡¯s retaliation. Tomorrow at noon, I will cross over to Scanorbia with Korea¡¯s top Navigator, Pathfinder.]

    Today, for some reason, Jin-Hyeok could not sleep. Until a while ago, it was very noisy, but suddenly it felt too quiet. This quiet night brought a lot of contemtion.

    <i>¡®Egan shouldn¡¯t have done that. It¡¯s human decency. I know that he wants to beat me, but to do a staged livestream? And even coborating with that scam artist, Humphrey? If he thinks I am going to let this go, he doesn¡¯t know me at all.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was indeed much stronger in various aspects than he was during his Sword King days, but that only applied with respect to his current Level. Apart from his resistance to fire, he was still far inferiorpared to his prime days before regression.

    <i>¡®Did I post the announcement too hastily?¡¯ </i>he wondered. But when he thought about the hical Egan Paul, he could not just stay still.

    <i>¡®When was I ever calcting and strategic in my y?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized that he had been overthinking thingstely. He needed to act more like himself.

    <strong>[???]</strong>

    <strong>[A special constraint has been applied to the Trait, rendering it unviewable.</strong>

    <strong>*Attempting to break the constraint can lead to the destruction of the Trait.]</strong>

    He felt a strange sense of confidence.

    <i>¡®I can unlock this. I know it.¡¯</i>

    In the silence of this night, he had a strong feeling that he could sessfully unlock this Trait. He sat cross-legged and began to meditate. Today, he had a powerful conviction that everything would work out.

    <i>¡®That Egan Paul... How dare he aim for my first ce?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 150

    <h4>Chapter 150</h4>

    Determination rose in Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart; he had to unlock this Trait. What he had to do was something he had done multiple times before. through meditation, he floated in the universe within him.

    <i>¡®I will make it happen.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok told himself that he could do it and that the Unleashing Technique shredded all limitations.

    <i>¡®Is it impossible? Is today the day I ultimately fail?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, fear struck in his heart, and his focus wavered for a minute. Then the image of Egan Paul appeared before him¡ªthe Egan Paul who always prided himself on being a step ahead of Kim Chul-Soo. Although Egan feigned modesty to the public, Jin-Hyeok could clearly see Egan Paul¡¯s true self.

    <i>¡®Egan Paul!!!¡¯</i>

    At that moment, a minor explosion urred in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s universe, like a big bang. It created a small crack in his cosmos, and for a moment, something seemed to be visible through that crack.

    <i>¡®Now¡¯s the time.¡¯</i>

    At times, anger could be a strong motivation or nourishment. Jin-Hyeok felt that the happenings before him worked on a simr principle. A unique force had caused an explosion in his mental world, providing immense power and drive to his Unleashing Technique.

    <strong>[The special constraint has been destroyed (Unlocked).]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok knew he could do it; he just had been foolishly holding back all this time. He felt as if millennia of pent-up stress had just melted away.

    <i>¡®This is why people should live as they are meant to.¡¯</i>

    He picked up the phone and called Wang Yu-Mi.

    Even though it was three in the morning, she rushed to his ce immediately and asked, ¡°What is it? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Yu-Mi, this is confidential. You cannot tell anyone about this.¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok shared the information exclusively with the Storyteller. ¡°So, this is a secret. It¡¯s about my Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! The Almighty Jack of All Trades Trait.¡±

    <i>¡®How would Yu-Mi use this information to help me? Surely, she will think of a way I can¡¯t even imagine. Would it ensure Egan never surpasses me again?¡¯</i>

    ¡°It has been upgraded to a special Trait called All-Rounder. Thought you should know before we proceed with the content.¡±

    ¡°Hm... Okay.¡± Yu-Mi exaggeratedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. ¡°Thank you for trusting me! This kind of trust is a first for me.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±

    After sending Yu-Mi back, Jin-Hyeok stayed up all night with eyes wide open, looking at his lovely Trait throughout the dawn.

    <strong>[Munchkin]</strong>[1]

    <i>¡®Who would have known such a Trait existed? If I y this out well, I don¡¯t need to retire! No, that¡¯s not right. I am a yer who never loses sight of the basics, always remaining true to my aim.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to harbor the weak mentality of possibly not retiring. He believed the reason he could be this strong was his challenging mindset that he was going to retire at Level 150.

    <i>¡®This Trait is only activated in other Servers.¡¯</i>

    On Earth, it was simply applied as the All-Rounder Trait, so there would not be many changes to his character on Earth. Jin-Hyeok once again reassured himself.

    <i>¡®I need to retire at Level 150, so I should enjoy it to the fullest until then. But... now that I think about it, Level 150 seems kind of low.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok always stuck to the basics and had never lost track of his goal, but there was nothing wrong with raising the bar a little more.

    <i>¡®Maybe just until Level 175?¡¯</i>

    Yes, 175. The number seemed pretty, and Jin-Hyeok liked it.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s just a difference of 25, so it should be okay, right?¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    The next day at noon, Jin-Hyeok met with Pathfinder, Han Sae-Rin, in front of Seoul Station.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me this opportunity.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could feel she had be much more modest than she was in his previous life. She was not the type to throw such cringeworthy lines at him, so this made him oddly embarrassed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said.

    ¡°I intend to show you this time.¡±

    ¡°Show me what??¡±

    ¡°That I am superior to Mole Man.¡±

    Without realizing it, Jin-Hyeok found himself smiling warmly. Indeed, one grew best when they had a rival. Sae-Rin seemed to have grown faster than he remembered, which lifted his spirits.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Between me and Mole Man, who do you think is a better Navigator?¡±

    ¡°Numbers don¡¯t lie.¡±

    ¡°... Numbers?¡±

    ¡°I am talking about the Ranking Board.¡±

    Mole Man and Pathfinder had always been neck and neck, alternating between the first and second spots in the Ranking Board. Unfortunately, Mole Man was currently ranked first. Sae-Rin bit her lip and red up with determination. It was quite a sight to behold.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head out, IntenseMan.¡±

    The warp portal to Scanorbia was located within the Tutorial Dungeon at Seoul Station.

    <strong>[Would you like to use the warp portal heading to the ¡¸Scanorbia¡¹ Server?]</strong>

    <strong>[Pioneer¡¯s Privilege exempts you from the usage fee.]</strong>

    ¡°It might get dizzying, so I will pause the livestream for a moment.¡± With that usible excuse, Jin-Hyeok paused the livestream momentarily. It would be a bit troublesome if his Munchkin Trait were exposed.

    <strong>[The Pioneer has proceeded with the Server Teleportation.]</strong>

    <strong>[Pioneer¡¯s Privilege has been applied.]</strong>

    The updated setting values automatically appeared before his eyes.

    <strong>[Trait: Munchkin]</strong>

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok arrived at the Scanorbia Server.

    <i>¡®The Server of warriors... It¡¯s been a while.¡¯</i>

    He took a deep breath. The air felt much clearer here. The warp portal of this ce was right in the middle of a vast forest, and he could see quite a few yers from Earth.

    ¡°It seems like we¡¯ve entered an ancient forest. The bushes are dense, and the tree trunks are thick. There are many old trees, giving this ce a feeling of an agednd.¡±

    ¡°Should I proceed as nned? No changes, right?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Just a moment.¡± Jin-Hyeok tapped Sae-Rin¡¯s shoulder. Rushing could ruin things sometimes.

    ¡°The foliage is so dense that the sky is hardly visible. Still, the sunlight filtering through the green leaves is refreshing.¡± As a Streamer in first-person perspective, he had a duty to convey the experience of this pce vividly to his viewers. ¡°I can also hear sounds of unknown animals, somewhat like monkeys, from various ces. There is also the sound of many birds.¡±

    Just then, a bird perched on a branch pped its wings and took off. It was a red bird, as big as an eagle, but with a beak sorge it resembled a pelican.

    ¡°A bird that I have never seen before has just flown by... and, oh, it seems to have bitten a yer¡¯s head.¡±

    That bird¡¯s name was Large Beaked Muncher. It tended to bite anything that fits in its mouth. Although it was not a monster, it was considered to be around Level 30.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Blood trickled from the bitten yer¡¯s head, but that was the end of it. He did not have any major injuries, and the surrounding area seemed quite peaceful other than that.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving then.¡±

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok heard whispers and murmurs. A few yers even approached him.

    ¡°Are you really Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Oh my God!¡±

    A man who looked to be in his mid-20s jumped in excitement. ¡°It is truly an honor to meet my idol, especially here.¡±

    A woman, appearing to be in her early 30s, could not take her eyes off Jin-Hyeok. For a moment, Jin-Hyeok wondered if she might be an Assassin, but fortunately, she was not.

    <strong>[...#World¡¯s number one Streamer. #So cool. #I hope I can be like him someday.]</strong>

    She was also a Streamer, one of the Initially Awakened Streamers, with a Level in the 90s.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a surge of pride.

    <i>¡®It seems I have be quite respected among other Streamers.¡¯</i>

    Being admired by yers with the same Job was indeed gratifying. While his heart swelled with pride, he tried his best not to show it.

    <i>¡®Wait, her yer Name is Five Crystals?¡¯</i>

    The name sounded familiar. When he saw her face, he felt like they had met before his regression, but he could not quite recall her.

    ¡°Pathfinder, did you do what I asked you to?¡± Jin-Hyeok said in a serious voice.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your voice?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°No, never mind.¡±

    <strong>[...#Why is he acting so serious all of a sudden?]</strong>

    ¡°Anyways, I have paved the shortest route. There will be monsters along the way. Are you nning to hunt them?¡± Sae Rin asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I will guide you in a route that avoids contact with monsters as much as possible.¡± Sae-Rin took the lead and started walking. A significant number of Earth yers began to follow them.

    <strong>[...#If I follow Chul-Soo, #Perhaps I can get some rewards.]</strong>

    <strong>[...#Let¡¯s try to get anything I can.]</strong>

    Most of them were pitiful yers.

    <strong>[...#He is the world¡¯s top-ranked yer. #I must see him in person. #Let¡¯s emte my ideal yer.]</strong>

    Though, some were admirably driven, Five Crystals being one of them. Because of her attitude toward y, as well as her demeanor toward him, Jin-Hyeok found her quite likable. Of course, it was not just because she had acknowledged him as the world¡¯s top-tier yer.

    Definitely not.

    ¡°There are asional monster ambushes along the way. Insect-type monsters seem particrly dangerous. They often hide in trees and suddenly shoot venom.¡±

    Due to these intermittent monster attacks, some yers died on the way, and Jin-Hyeok even had to save a few. He did not save them out of goodwill, but because he wanted to experience the venom, rumored to be quite potent.

    ¡°I guess it is true I have acquiredplete immunity to poison up to Snake King-Grade. I don¡¯t feel a thing.¡± Jin-Hyeok would have loved it if there were monsters with even stronger venom, but it was quite disappointing that there did not seem to be any.

    ¡°T-Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous from here on out, so you should turn back.¡±

    Before he realized it, no yer was following them. Sae-Rin was moving incredibly fast, and more powerful monsters had begun to appear, which had likely deterred the other yers.

    <i>¡®Hmm... But Five Crystals seems to be following us from a distance.¡¯</i>

    She seemed to be diligently following them, using Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream as a guide. He found it quite admirable that she was one of his viewers.

    Sae-Rin, who was cutting down vines with a big sword, suddenly seemed to recall something. She asked, ¡°Why did you save that girl earlier?¡±

    ¡°A girl?¡±

    ¡°You never cared about yers dying. Why did you save her?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not remember that it was a girl. When he recalled the incident, it seemed like the person he had saved was Five Crystals.

    ¡°Are you the type of person who is kinder to women than men?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°No way.¡± Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but reflect on himself.

    <i>¡®Did I show such a pitiful side of me to my oldrade?¡¯</i>

    Perhaps Sae-Rin was warning him in her own way.

    ¡°Did it seem that way to you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, she was pretty good-looking.¡±

    ¡°Was she?¡±

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok did not remember her face at all.

    ¡°I just wanted to feel how strong the venom was. That¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Sae-Rin, who had been eying him with suspicion, quickly epted his exnation and smiled. She had to have missed the exnation when Jin-Hyeok said it in his livestream earlier. Thankfully, she did not seem too disappointed in him.

    ¡°But you could have just gotten hit by the venom and not saved her,¡± she added.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to save someone if possible?¡±

    ¡°I guess. There is no need to force it, but saving someone incidentally isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not saved Five Crystals just because she had acknowledged him as the world¡¯s top-tier yer. Definitely not. However, he wondered if Sae-Rin was this cold-hearted before his regression.

    <i>¡®Maybe she is growing faster than she did before my regression. Maybe this is just my imagination.¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin seemed to be swinging harder to cut down those vines. Jin-Hyeok was happy that she seemed to be in a better mood.

    Suddenly, they encountered a massive lizard-type monster.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Jin-Hyeok tightly grabbed Sae-Rin and jumped up onto a tree.

    <i>¡®Oh, I feel light.¡¯</i>

    It was because of the Munchkin Trait. From what he could sense, it felt like his Level had increased by 30. He felt as light as a feather, so hopping around the tree branches while holding Sae-Rin was not that difficult.

    ¡°There is arge hump on the monster¡¯s tail. It is swinging the hump with a considerable force. The tail stretches out like a rubber band and whips, making a more precise attack than expected,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined to the viewers.

    <strong>[LV77/Hump-Tailed Lizard/Tail Swing]</strong>

    Its Level was only 77, yet that attack had almost hit Sae-Rin¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®But Sae-Rin would not just let such an attack hit her, right?¡¯</i>

    The Hump-Tailed Lizard was quite adept at hiding, but not enough to go unnoticed by Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡®Was she caught off guard?¡¯</i>

    If she had been caught off guard or made a mistake, that was a bit disappointing

    Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Why did you allow such an attack to almost hit you?¡±

    In his embrace, Sae-Rin raised her head to look straight into his eyes. ¡°Because I wanted this to happen.¡±

    1. Munchkin is a gamer who disrupts the game''s progress by solving everything alone, instead of following the rules and cooperating with other characters. ?

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151

    Cha Jin-Hyeok paused for a moment.

    ¡®She wanted this to happen? What does that mean?¡¯

    Before his regression, Han Sae-Rin often spoke in an illogical way. Many times, her words held profound insights as the words of a Navigator, and they often gave Jin-Hyeok substantial inspiration.

    ¡®Ah, I get it!¡¯

    Lightlynding on a tree branch, Jin-Hyeok surveyed the scene below. The Hump-Tailed Lizard was trying to w its way up the tree but kept slipping and falling.

    ¡®This tree is really slippery.¡¯

    The Hump-Tailed Lizard could not climb the tree. Upon closer inspection, Jin-Hyeok realized that the tree was secreting slippery sap in response to the presence of external life forms. And it was the same for the area beneath his feet.

    ¡®But I¡¯m holding someone right now.¡¯

    Remarkably, despite holding Han Sae-Rin, he had no difficulty maintaining his bnce. It seemed Sae-Rin had read this situation perfectly.

    ¡®Sae-Rin is such a formidable Navigator.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok concluded that she had thoroughly calcted both the Hump-Tailed Lizard¡¯s path and his path to predict the best way to dodge the monster¡¯s attack.

    ¡®And she tested how well I can stand on this slippery tree. It is essential for a Navigator to test out the abilities and limitations of their party members.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt that this was like a test, which he had passed with flying colors.

    Nestled in his arms, Sae-Rin asked, ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m happy.¡±

    ¡°H-Happy?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Very.¡±

    For some reason, Sae-Rin chose not to speak any further, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t particrly mind.

    ¡®First, let¡¯s get away from the Lizard and find a safe ce tond.¡¯

    He leaped across a few more trees while holding Sae-Rin, proving beyond a doubt that he could effortlessly execute such maneuvers.

    ¡®Time to set her down, I guess¡­ Huh?¡¯

    He attempted to set Sae-Rin down but failed. She was holding onto him tightly.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t she getting down? What more does she want to test?¡¯

    ¡°Keep holding me,¡± she said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°...D-Do you not realize this is the most efficient way to move around?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Sae-Rin was currently only around Level 110, yet Jin-Hyeok keptparing her to the Level 200 version of Sae-Rin he knew before his regression.

    ¡®Of course! It¡¯s far more efficient and quicker for me to carry her. How could I overlook that?¡¯

    Once again, her perceptiveness impressed him.

    ¡°I apologize. I was being shortsighted,¡± he said.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok held Sae-Rin tight and started to move again.

    ¡°Look at your eleven o¡¯clock direction. No, a little more to the left.¡± Like handling a ship¡¯s wheel, Sae-Rin subtly tugged at the cor of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s clothes, steering him in the right direction.

    Jin-Hyeok was coborating with Sae-Rin in this way for the first time, yet their efficiency was remarkably good.

    ¡®As expected of Sae-Rin¡­¡¯

    After a while, they discovered a vige surrounded by arge wooden fence.

    ¡°Over there,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin moved toward the fence. Sae-Rin¡¯s face was flushed in a peculiar way, which made Jin-Hyeok pleased.

    ¡®This kind of rapid and efficient cooperation must be a first for her, too.¡¯

    He was no longer a simple Swordsman. As a Streamer, he had learned to empathize and understand yers of various Jobs.

    ¡®The thrill when a n you have only imagined bes a reality¡­ The immense satisfaction a Navigator gets when they safely cut through the shortest route must be incredible!¡¯

    However, something seemed off. They had reached their destination, but Sae-Rin was still lightly holding onto Jin-Hyeok¡¯s clothes as if she found it somewhat regrettable.

    ¡®Is she missing the thrilling sensation of steering me by pulling on my clothes?¡¯

    With a broad grin, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°We will do this again next time.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s cheeks flushed even more, and Jin-Hyeok felt as if hepletely understood her. She was indeed excited.

    Suppressing his sense of pride, he walked toward the wooden fence. ¡°Warriors who guard the wooden fence, hear me! We havee to meet your esteemed elder, Aliharum!¡±

    The next instant, an arrow flew toward Jin-Hyeok¡¯s forehead.

    ¡®From here on out, I will show the world my strategy of a Regressor.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok nned to show them a livestream of an entirely different dimensionpared to Egan Paul¡¯s show, a show he was convinced was scripted, although this was yet to be confirmed.

    A livestream of exceptional quality.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Is this the way he went?¡± Five Crystals ran withbored breaths, intently moving forward.

    ¡®Here. there¡¯s a trace of him.¡¯

    Just then, she encountered a significant threat.

    ¡®Hump-Tailed Lizard?¡¯

    It was the Hump-Tailed Lizard from earlier, furious at having lost its prey.

    Kiiieek!

    The Level-77 monster hissed aggressively. Using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, Five Crystals sessfully defended against its attack.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way.¡±

    Although the monster¡¯s Level was considerably lower than hers, Five Crystals found herself struggling somewhat. After several fierce exchanges, she bit her lip tightly. ¡°I have to chase after Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    [You have used the Mystery ¡¸Fanatical Obsession¡¹.]

    Her eyes and fingernails turned red. Hot steam escaped from her mouth.

    Soon enough, her eyes and nails reverted to their original colors.

    ¡°I told you not to interfere!¡± With a disdainful spit, she flung a piece of the Hump-Tailed Lizard¡¯s flesh aside. Next to hery the brutally mauled Lizard, which was still bleeding.

    Five Crystals¡¯s eyes flickered between red and ck.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ hungry¡­¡± A monstrous hunger flooded her senses. She buried her head into the Lizard¡¯s nk and feasted on its innards. In a trance, she revealed her true desires. ¡°I want to eat¡­ Kim Chul-Soo¡­¡±

    Snapping back to reality at once, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What was I doing¡­ Ah, right, I have to chase after Chul-Soo.¡±

    Having regained her senses, she resumed her pursuit of Chul-Soo.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok already knew that an arrow wasing. Using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, he shielded his hand and caught the arrow mid-flight.

    ¡°Which coward shot this arrow?¡± Annoyed, he threw the arrow back toward the wooden fence.

    Thunk!

    The arrow lodged itself into the wood.

    ¡°If you are a true warrior, fight me like one! With swords and spears, not with bows! Do you not even know the honor of a warrior?¡± he shouted, surprised at the volume of his own voice.

    ¡®Was my voice always this loud?¡¯

    His voice resonated as if he was using a microphone. His words had probably reached even the warriors behind the fence.

    ¡°Come out! Let¡¯s duel like warriors!¡± Jin-Hyeok drew his Greatsword of La¡¯kan and looked up at the fence. The threat of another arrow seemed of no concern to him.

    ¡®Soon, the one who shot the arrow will reveal themselves.¡¯

    He had a few moments to spare, and he took this time to indulge in some theatrics. The Streamer knew his lines had impressed Lee Hyeon-Seong and Choi Gang-Byeok before, and he took great pride in his dramatic dialogues.

    ¡°The ck-me sword in my right hand is thirsty for battle!¡±

    Thanks to the Phoenix Heart he had eaten, his ability to control fire had tremendously improved. Furthermore, his affinity for fire had increased after he had signed a contract with Elines, the Spirit King¡¯s daughter.

    ¡®I need to think about the Spirit King¡¯s Tainted me.¡¯

    Although he was still working on how to incorporate fire in his attacks, Jin-Hyeok could at least create a fire effect. ck mes flickered around the de of the Greatsword.

    ¡®Huh? It works!¡¯

    Though not particrly practical, it was visually impressive. He was very pleased with the swirling ck mes. Soon, the fence gate opened, and a hulking warrior stepped out, a long red beard trailing down his face, an axe in one hand and a wooden shield in the other.

    ¡°Hey, what is your name?¡± the warrior asked.

    ¡°I am not going to speak with anyone who is not a warrior,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lowered his Greatsword, making it clear he had no intention to fight. ¡°Someone whoes with a shield is hardly a warrior.¡±

    Seemingly embarrassed, the warrior shuddered once and threw his shield away.

    ¡°I guess you are more of a warrior than I thought,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The warrior took a deep breath and channeled his mana into his axe. ¡°Show me the ck-med sword you hold in your right hand!¡±¡¯

    With a powerful leap, the warrior charged at Jin-Hyeok at an incredible speed. Jin-Hyeok also nted his feet on the ground, locking his gaze forward.

    ¡®I will block it head-on.¡¯

    He was properly wielding his sword for the first time after acquiring the Munchkin Trait. His heart pounded in anticipation.

    ¡®Here ites.¡¯

    The warrior¡¯s attack was straightforward¡ªa charge like a rhinoceros followed by a powerful swing. It was the trademark attack of Albangbang, the warrior from behind the fence.

    ¡°I will block his attack without using any Skills. I will use only my strength.¡± Recklessly receiving such an attack wasn¡¯t to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s taste. As a Swordsman, he would never directly counter such an attack, but he was a Streamer now.

    ng!

    A shower of sparks erupted as the axe de collided with the Greatsword. Thick veins bulged on Albangbang¡¯s neck and forehead.

    ¡°Kraaah!¡±

    A contest of brute force unfolded. Although Albangbang was considerablyrger, he was being pushed back. With sheer strength, Jin-Hyeok pushed aside Albangbang¡¯s axe, reading his timing.

    ¡®And now.¡¯

    At that moment, the opponent¡¯s bnce subtly copsed. Jin-Hyeok did not miss this perfect opportunity, informed by his countless experiences. On top of that, he squeezed in a corny line in the livestream. ¡°I will be the one to cut your warrior¡¯s pride.¡±

    Whoosh!

    A massive wind pressure burst forth as the Greatsword of La¡¯kan traced a ck trajectory. Soon, the de of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Greatsword touched Albangbang¡¯s shoulder, eliciting a short scream from the warrior.

    ¡°Keuk!¡±

    Thud.

    The arm holding the axe fell to the ground.

    Surprisingly, the one who found this absurd was Jin-Hyeok himself.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡¯

    He had intended to inflict a deep wound on the shoulder, not sever the arm. It seemed he needed a bit more time to adapt to his overpowered attributes.

    ¡®Well, what¡¯s done is done.¡¯

    Not showing any signs of his internal disarray, Jin-Hyeok pointed his Greatsword at Albangbang¡¯s throat. ¡°A warrior has dropped his weapon. What a shameful act! You have lost your pride as a warrior.¡±

    Albangbang uncontrobly trembled. Losing an arm was one thing, but losing his weapon amid a battle was a disgrace.

    ¡°If you are aware of your shame, then guide me to the esteemed elder, Aliharum,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ? ? ?

    Sae-Rin was stunned by the battle between Albangbang and Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡®Has he be even stronger?¡¯ she thought.

    Typically,batant Streamers teaued around Level 100. Yet, Jin-Hyeok seemed to grow stronger and stronger with time.

    Albangbang, who had lost his right arm, clutched his shoulder while leading the way. ¡±Follow me.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Jin-Hyeok walked behind the warrior with his Greatsword stowed in his inventory.

    Sae-Rin followed suit but could not tear her eyes away from Jin-Hyeok for even a second.

    ¡®As I expected¡­ He is beautiful.¡¯

    None of the Swordsman-ss yers Sae-Rin had seen had ever demonstrated such beautiful y. She was certain that even the Anus Destroyer Lee Hyeon-Seong, who held the rank of Korea¡¯s number Swordsman, could not disy such elegance.

    ¡®So beautiful!¡¯

    Unconsciously, she licked her lips and savored the taste in her mouth. A difficult-to-define sense of possessiveness wriggled within her.

    Gulp.

    She unconsciously gulped, capturing every nuance of Jin-Hyeok in her eyes. Moments when she had been in his arms earlier shed through her mind.

    ¡®I want to have him.¡¯

    Soon after, a notification sounded.

    [You have entered the Field ¡¸Alikum Tribal Vige¡¹.]

 Chapter 152

    <h4>Chapter 152</h4>

    Entering the Field, Han Sae-Rin looked around.

    <i>¡®Civilization is definitely less advanced here,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Inside the wooden fence, several young warriors were burning with fighting spirit, watching Cha Jin-Hyeok. Not one of them had a smartphone.

    <i>¡®Even Spirits use smartphones, yet such a civilization exists. Feels like the Joseon era.¡¯</i>[1]

    Instead of smartphones, these young warriors held wooden swords and slingshots.

    Albangbang spoke in a stern voice. ¡°This man defeated me through legitimate means, make way.¡±

    The warriors surrounding Jin-Hyeok stepped aside.

    Passing by wooden huts, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s group headed toward the square. Near the square, a small aze altar caught their eyes.

    ¡°Over there, beyond the altar, is where our Lord Aliharum resides.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin continued to walk.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Aliharum¡¯s Hut¡¹.]</strong>

    This notification signified that Jin-Hyeok was on the correct route. If they had entered the Field without meeting certain conditions, they would not have received it.

    The inside of the hut was rather humble, with the hut having only a worn bed and chair. On the bedy an old man.

    ¡°I heard that there is a tradition among the warriors of Scanorbia,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was a fact not yet widely known on the Earth Server and or universally for that matter. However, the information was essible to anyone interested.

    ¡°I would like to undergo the Great Warrior Ritual.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had undergone a simr ritual before his regression. As for why he would do that, there were two reasons:

    To obtain the Warrior¡¯s Will Trait forpleting the Great Warrior Ritual.

    To fight with a top-tier warrior, Khan.

    Although the second reason was more important, the first could not be ignored as well. Either way, going through this ritual would eventually lead Jin-Hyeok to Khan.

    <i>¡®This bastard. I will expose that he plotted with Egan Paul. How dare he tarnish the sacred realm of livestream?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt he needed to step in, as this was rted to the honor of all Streamers. When he had been overshadowing Egan, he had never thought about the honor of Streamers. However, now, he was an advocate for the integrity of the livestream and the honor of Streamers.

    Aliharum slowly got up from his bed. He was an old man with long white eyebrows that covered his eyes. ¡°A foreigner? Why?¡±

    ¡°Do I need a reason to challenge the honor of the Great Warrior?¡±

    The white eyebrows twitched.

    <strong>[Aliharum has activated the Skill ¡¸Perceptive Eyes¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier has blocked ¡¸Perceptive Eyes¡¹.]</strong>

    ¡°You are an enigmatic young man. Are your words genuine?¡± Aliharum asked.

    ¡°Of course. I also want to fight the Great Leader. I have heard that bing a Great Warrior leads you to Khan.¡±

    Aliharum turned and gingerly ced his emaciated legs on the ground. ¡°I cannot read your mind, but I can read the sincerity in your eyes. You have the eyes of a warrior. However, to challenge the Great Warrior Ritual, you need deep recognition of a warrior. Can you handle the many trials required for that recognition?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. This was actually a K-Strategy. The term K-Strategy referred to a y focusing only on efficiency and maximum reward.

    ¡°I already have recognition from Albangbang, the warrior who guards the wooden fence.¡±

    This was the most efficient and quickest strategy.

    Albangbang kneeled and kissed the feet of Aliharum. ¡°I have no choice but to fully acknowledge this man.¡±

    This was the K-Strategy. From what Jin-Hyeok knew, the Great Warrior Ritual Quest was next. However, the standard flow of quests had twisted this time.

    ¡°This man is more of a warrior than anyone else. I confess, Lord Aliharum, that I felt more overwhelmed when I met this man than when I met the Great Leader, Khan.¡± Albangbang opened his inventory and offered his severed right arm. ¡°I offer my right arm as a mark of a warrior. Please grant him the honorable recognition of a warrior.¡±

    This was an unfolding of events even Jin-Hyeok had not seen before.

    ? ? ?

    <strong>[The Quest ¡¸Great Warrior Ritual¡¹ has been created.]</strong>

    <strong>[The Great Warrior Ritual]</strong>

    <strong>[Go forth and prove that you carry the heart of a Great Warrior and should be recognized as one. Only a Great Leader can appoint you another Great Leader.]</strong>

    As the quest activated, Aliharum handed Jin-Hyeok a map and a small pouch.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Quest Item ¡¸Map to the Capital¡¹.]</strong>

    He also received an item he did not know about before his regression.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Quest Item ¡¸Aliharum¡¯s Leather Pouch¡¹.]</strong>

    Aliharum said, ¡°In truth, I was once a Great Warrior. Now, I am but an old man of the wilderness.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already knew about this story, but he feigned interest for the sake of his viewers. They talked for quite some time.

    ¡°So, you were Khan¡¯s mentor, and this pouch contains a message you have for him?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. With this map, you will be able to find Khan. And with this pouch, you will be able to meet him.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I will strive to be a Great Warrior, honoring your wishes.¡±

    ¡°Remember, do not open the pouch until you meet Khan.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt exhrated because this was new content that he had never seen in his past life. Experiencing something no one else had was thrilling.

    ¡°Now, I would like to rest. Be on your way.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok left Aliharum¡¯s Hut, following the guidance of Albangbang, and went back to the wooden fence.

    The blood on Albangbang¡¯s shoulder had stopped, and the warrior said, ¡°Thank you for reminding me of the mindset a warrior must have.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Jin-Hyeok patted him on his left shoulder. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t carry a shield.¡±

    ¡°I will remember this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok left the vige feeling uplifted. He handed the map to Sae-Rin, who looked at the map with intense excitement.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you so excited?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Look at this! The arrow on the map moves in real time, like a GPS!

    The City of Dawn, which Khan ruled, could be found only with the help of such a map.

    ¡°So even the best Navigator would not be able to get to the capital without this. Let¡¯s see... The capital is called the City of Dawn. I think we are the first Earth yers to find it!¡± she said.

    ¡°It seems so,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I bet Mole Man doesn¡¯t even know it exists.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could feel that Sae-Rin was speaking to him while purposely trying to make eye contact with him.

    ¡°I bet Mole Man has never even heard of the City of Dawn. Hohoho!¡± she said it again while leading the way with a light step. Clearly, she was taunting Mole Man through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    After they left the vige and walked for a while, a much denser forest began to appear.

    ¡°The trees are so thick, it¡¯s really dark inside.¡±

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Central Forest of Scanorbia¡¹.]</strong>

    This Field felt like a massive tropical rainforest. The deeper they walked in, the more humid it became, and the trail gradually started to disappear.

    ¡°There are no artificially maintained paths anymore... Ah, there is a sign over there.¡±

    [Warning. Turn back.]

    This pce was an incredibly vast forest. ording to Navigators and Explorers, it was hundreds of timesrger than the Korean Penins.

    Sae-Rin spoke with a somewhat gloomy expression. ¡°It looks like we will have to go through this forest.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡±

    ¡°We will need to make substantial preparations. If we had something to fly on, it would¡¯ve been a different story.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s perception was sharp. The Central Forest of Scanorbia was not an area meant to be traversed on foot. Even seasoned Navigators and Explorers had given up on walking through it. They were supposed to fly over it.

    ¡°I think we need to find something to fly on,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was about time to get a mount. Usually, yers got mounts around Level 150, but getting one a bit earlier would not be a problem.

    ¡°Can you even get one?¡±

    Mounts were still a novel concept to Earth Server yers. Few of them operated mounts, and those who did were Tamers. In other words, no non-Tamer yer had a mount.

    ¡°There should be arge cliff somewhere in the Central Forest of Scanorbia, where small Wyverns are said to reside. Maybe we can tame one of those?¡±

    Subduing a high-intelligence mount typically required a Tamer¡¯s help. However, taming a small Wyvern felt doable.

    ¡°Is that possible?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen yers from other Servers do it.¡±

    ¡°Should we give it a try?¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes twinkled.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit strange seeing her so excited about taming a small Wyvern. The current Sae-Rin seemed rather innocentpared to the Sae-Rin from before his regression.

    ¡°Alright. I will go look for the small Wyverns¡¯ habitat. It¡¯s easier for me to scout alone, so wait here,¡± Sae-Rin said while moving toward an unknown destination.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to sit on a rock and take a brief rest.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it...¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had heard rumors that Park Terse, known as Earth¡¯s strongest Tamer, had tamed a Thunder Dragon in the Scanorbia Server.

    <i>¡®It would be nice if I could tame a Thunder Dragon too.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew it was an absurd thought. It was just wishful thinking, no different than people fantasizing about winning the lottery even while knowing they would never win it.

    <i>¡®What if I actually encounter a Thunder Dragon here? Damn... just thinking about it gives me goosebumps... Thunder Dragons are truly majestic.¡¯</i>

    Among all the magical and mythical monsters Jin-Hyeok had encountered, the Thunder Dragon was the most radiant being, coursing with high-voltage electricity. The thrill he felt when their eyes met was indescribable.

    <i>¡®The truly terrifying thing is that they devour Mysteries.¡¯</i>

    If he could tame a Thunder Dragon, he would be ecstatic. Of course, an encounter with an adult Thunder Dragon would mean instant death, but it would be a different story with the younger ones. Even the daughter of the powerful Spirit King was born as merely Level 80.

    <i>¡®Maybe the Thunder Dragon would be young and a lot weaker, which would make it much easier to tame. Ah, I doubt that would happen though.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to stop indulging in useless fantasies. Stull, it felt good to imagine that, even for a moment.

    ? ? ?

    Five Crystals¡¯s heart began to race. She asked, ¡°Which way did he go?¡±

    ¡°Over there.¡± Albangbang seemed indifferent to Five Crystals, neither fond of her nor aggressive toward her. Perhaps it was because she had voluntarily identified herself as a Streamer. Attacking a nonbatant-ss yer like a Streamer went against a warrior¡¯s pride.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Five Crystals also moved toward the forest. She hade to know through Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream that without the map, navigating through the Central Forest of Scanorbia was impossible.

    <i>¡®I need to find him before he goes in too deep.¡¯</i>

    She had to reunite with Chul-Soo,e what may.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Central Forest of Scanorbia¡¹.]</strong>

    It was a dense forest where sunlight hardly reached the ground. As soon as she stepped in, she lost her sense of direction.

    <i>¡®Where am I?¡¯</i>

    Even after looking at Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, she could not make head or tail of her location. After stumbling around for what seemed like forever, she eventually found a familiar signpost.

    [Warning. Turn Back.]

    <i>¡®This is the same sign that Chul-Soo saw.¡¯</i>

    She grew anxious.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo found this sign not long after entering this Field. The time gap between us is toorge.¡¯</i>

    Soon, Pathfinder would probably find out the habitat of the small Wyverns. Chul-Soo, who was probably waiting somewhere, seemed increasingly likely to leave.

    <strong>[You have used the Mystery ¡¸Fanatical Obsession¡¹.]</strong>

    Her eyes turned blood-red. She sniffed the air loudly, ring her nostrils.

    ¡°I have to... find Kim Chul-Soo.¡± Five Crystals ran like a four-legged beast. ¡°Consume. Kim Chul-Soo. Kim Chul-Soo. Kim Chul-Soo. Kim Chul-Soo. Kim Chul-Soo. ¡°

    Saliva dribbled down the corners of her mouth.

    1. The Joseon era was thest dynastic kingdom of Korea,sting a little over 500 years, from around 1400 to 1900. ?

 Chapter 153

    <h4>Chapter 153</h4>

    Waiting in the forest, Cha Jin-Hyeok felt the tension drop a notch. Sensing that the livestream was bing a bit tedious, he even considered ending it.

    <i>¡®I need to think. Is this really the best I can do?¡¯</i>

    Skipping the dull moments was a decent enough strategy, but he wondered if there was something even better to captivate the viewers.

    <i>¡®It would be nice if something unexpected happened.¡¯</i>

    For instance, if a powerful monster came flying from the sky, a mysterious portal appeared out of nowhere, or a lost NPC appeared and asked for help, such situations would have been amazing for his livestream.

    Jin-Hyeok snapped back to reality.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t always rely on external factors!¡¯</i>

    He was a Streamer and a content creator. While unnned events spicing up his nned content would be nice, waiting for external events to make his livestream interesting was not the way to go. Kang Mi-Na would have scolded him if she knew what he was thinking.

    Jin-Hyeok had a lot to learn.

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯</i>

    At that moment, an idea popped into his head.

    ¡°To obtain a mount, I would need a Skill rted to Taming.¡±

    By around Level 150, yers could subdue a small Wyvern without any specialized Skills. It was simr to how people tamed horses or interacted with dogs.

    <i>¡®But having the Skill would be better than not having one at all.¡¯</i>

    It would be revealed in the future that most people had at least one Skill rted to Taming. Not everyone was a professional Tamer, but everyone had some sort of innate abilities rted to Taming. This was also a defining feature of the Earth Server.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure I have one too.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had experienced many mounts before his regression. He started with small Wyverns, moved to medium, and then to therge ones. The bigger they got, the morefortable the ride became.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m fairly certain...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok closed his eyes and began to meditate. Meditating on-stream could be risky if an unexpected variable came into y, but that would also make for good content.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s find my talent.¡¯</i>

    Exploring the small universe within him, he found a twinkling star. Such quick discoveries were rare, but the Munchkin Trait had probably helped him this time.

    Keeping his concentration, he slowly opened his mouth.

    ¡°I am going to use the Unleashing Technique.¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, it worked.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was now able to speak while meditating. It created a slight disturbance in his inner universe, but it was still a significant leap forward.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve grown again.¡¯</i>

    The old Jin-Hyeok could not even twitch while meditating. And now, here he was, meditating and livestreaming simultaneously. He had once again surpassed his past self.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ¡¸Unleashing Technique¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok did it.

    <strong>[You have activated the Latent Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    ? ? ?

    Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s y was nothing short of a spectacle. Before his y, the trending topic in the Korean Region Minor Gallery had been Egan Paul¡¯s stream, but Chul-Soo had triumphantly snatched back his ce on the list. The trending topic now was ¡®Is it possible to livestream while meditating?¡¯

    -Hey guys, is that such a big deal?

    ©»Even on the Arvis Server, one of the strongest Servers in the universe, no Streamer has seeded in doing that.

    ©»What Chul-Soo just did is supposed to be impossible.

    ©»Looks like Chul-Soo is the only one who can do this in the entire universe!

    -If you break your concentration while meditating, the death rate is said to be 72%.

    ©»72%? What the hell are you talking about? Stop spreading fake news.

    ©»? Here¡¯s the source. /...

    High-Level yers, in particr, were extremely cautious about doing anything else while meditating. As one¡¯s Level increased, so did the concentration required for meditation and fortifying their inner universe. Breaking that state led to severe consequences, with a staggering seventy-two percent chance of death.

    -There is also a 20% chance of bing a cripple.

    ©»Chul-Soo seems to be doing just fine though.

    ©»Well, Chul-Soo is...

    Various opinions converged into one conclusion on the Korean Region Minor Gallery, a buzzing online forum.

    -Chul-Soo is insane.

    ©»He would not hesitate to kill himself for the sake of his livestream, LOL.

    ©»This is how intense IntenseMan should be. LMAO

    ©»I don¡¯t know why calling him crazy triggers him, though. LOOL

    ©»He is not insane. He is IntenseMan!!

    Many users erupted intoughter upon seeing Chul-Soo unlock the Taming (Physical) Skill. The situation amused even Choi Gap-Soo, who was engrossed in the livestream.

    ¡°Hahaha! To think he would discover and unlock such a Skill!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Chairman, is that really something tough about?¡± Lilia felt a sense of unease. She wished Gap-Soo would take things more seriously.

    ¡°Every Skill is useful if you use it right.¡±

    ¡°And...?¡±

    ¡°There is almost no yer who uses that Skill well.¡±

    Taming (Physical) was like a double-edged sword.

    Gap-Soo exined, ¡°It¡¯s a disciplinary Skill that forces monsters to obey you by inflicting severe pain on them. But use it too much, and the monster dies; too little, and it rebels. It¡¯s all about finding that sweet spot, especially when dealing with vtile monsters. And how many yers do you think can do that?¡±

    Lilia bit her lip.

    <i>¡®You can do it!¡¯</i>

    Rooting for Chul-Soo, she took to the Korean Region Minor Gallery to give the users ridiculing Chul-Soo a piece of her mind.

    [Do you all even know what you are talking about? Chul-Soo has always been this intense, and he always finds a way. All your ridicule will only tire your fingers. Why mock someone who has acquired such a great Skill? May you all trip and fall into poop.]

    [Written by: ChulSoosGF486]

    Her distinct writing style, not quite in tune with the forum¡¯s tone, drew attention, catapulting her to fame as one of the KRMG¡¯s Named users.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was no expert in Taming Skills, and he had no idea how valuable the Taming (Physical) Skill could be. Only hands-on experience would tell.

    <i>¡®Is Sae-Rin still not here?¡¯</i>

    Being new to this Field, Sae-Rin was taking longer than expected to return.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt something approaching him.

    <i>¡®Killing intent?¡¯</i>

    That was not an urate description. The sensation felt oddly familiar, but he could not describe it.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s... more like madness.¡¯</i>

    It felt like something insane wasing toward him. Perhaps the visceral memories from before his regression were the reason he could recognize this feeling.

    <i>¡®But... why does it feel so familiar?¡¯</i>

    It felt like an energy he had encountered before. His gaze shifted toward the rustling bushes in the distance. A shadowy figure was sprinting toward him through the trees.

    ¡°It looks like a four-legged monster.¡±

    The distance was still too great to get a clear look, but the presence was unmistakable.

    ¡°However, I do not sense the typical aura of monste¡ª¡±

    The four-legged creature entered his field of vision. However, it was not a monster¡ªit was a human.

    <i>¡®Ah...!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s memory shed, and he remembered who Five Crystals was before his regression.

    <i>¡®She was the viin who wanted to eat me!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had killed countless viins who had tried to attack him during his time as a Swordsman, so remembering them all was hard. However, the dark energy swirling around the four-legged human sprinting at him jogged his memory.

    <i>¡®Back then, I just thought she was another viin and killed her.¡¯</i>

    The memory of the viin swinging her crimson nails toward his heart resurfaced. She had been quite ferocious, but far too weak than the others after him.

    ¡°I... want to eat...¡± she growled as if she were some kind of wolf, crawling toward him on all fours. Her body had swelled up, indicating that she had drunk a lot of blood.

    ¡°Hm... It¡¯s Five Crystals, one of the yers I met earlier. She appears to be infected by something strange. I will use Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to get a more urate read. Oh, and since Five Crystals is too long of a name, I am just going to call her Gluttony.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt significantly different from his Swordsman days, and this lifted his spirits. Back then, he would have cut her throat without a second thought. He was contemting the situation more carefully, even considering how to make good content for his Eltube channel.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any parasites inside her.¡±

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Gluttony¡¯s attack scratched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face. As her nails had made slight contact with his skin, he felt a tingling sensation.

    ¡°Her attacks are quite strong!¡± Jin-Hyeok had deliberately taken that hit. Those red nails flying toward his face looked pretty gruesome, which provided good content. ¡°Her movements are quite slow and predictable. It feels like she is relying on instinct as shecksbat abilities since she is just a Streamer. But something feels off.¡±

    Through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, he noticed something peculiar.

    <i>¡®That does not look like true madness.¡¯</i>

    Her state was different from the madness that Sae-Rin and Mi-Ni exhibited. It felt like someone had forcibly injected this madness into her.

    ¡°It¡¯s neither a parasite nor magic. The problem seems to be within Gluttony herself. Yikes!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok bent down to dodge Gluttony¡¯s nail attack. Having learned from before, Gluttony twisted her waist and swung her nails at him again. While her earlier attacks were single, isted moves, this time, she unleashed two, then three consecutive swipes.

    Jin-Hyeok was grateful for the extra effort. ¡°She is learning while attacking.¡±

    She was bing more streamlined in her movements, likely influenced by observing Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°It seems like she is learning how to move by watching me.¡±

    A viin growing this quickly while fighting him was rather exciting. Jin-Hyeok hoped that she would grow strong enough to be a real challenge. ¡°However, there must be a limit to what she can do as a Streamer. Streamers are inherently weak.¡±

    Gluttony¡¯s attacks were bing more ferocious, and Jin-Hyeok intermittently used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to block them. He counterattacked when he could, but she used her Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to defend against his greatsword as well. Her learning speed was impressive.

    ¡°She is even showing brawler-like movements now.¡±

    While Jin-Hyeok was momentarily distracted by the livestream, Gluttony lunged at him. He had expected another nail attack, but this time she did something different¡ªshe bit his arm.

    ¡°A bite attack?¡±

    For a moment, he contemted using the Star Shield. With it, he couldpletely block the attack.

    <i>¡®But losing a bit of flesh would not hurt that much, would it? It would make good footage, too.¡¯</i>

    Instead of using the Star Shield, he activated Time-Lapse Recording, capturing Gluttony in great detail at 0.8x speed.

    ¡°Her teeth have elongated like hooks. Even if I try to shake my arm free, they don¡¯te off easily. It¡¯s like I am snagged on a fishing hook.¡±

    He kicked Gluttony hard in the abdomen.

    <i>Thud.</i>

    Sent flying, she crashed into a rock, but a sizable chunk of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s flesh was also torn away.

    ¡°My arm is in shreds. It¡¯s quite painful.¡± Jin-Hyeok smiled. He had been worried that the tension would drop without Sae-Rin. However, Gluttony¡¯s appearance was like a blessed rain after a drought.

    <i>¡®But dragging this on too long could be tedious.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok calcted the best way to perform and conclude this event in his mind.

    ¡°Tasty... Your blood...¡± Gluttony¡¯s tongue elongated as she licked up the blood spattered on her face. It was a bizarre but exhratingly provocative sight. ¡°I want... more. Give me more...!¡±

    Her red eyes were glued to him, flickering with artificial madness.

    ¡°Ah, I see it now. Her Mystery was forcefully activated.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood suddenly soured.

    <i>¡®Why is she acting like she is truly mad when she is not?¡¯</i>

    Gluttony roared as she ripped open the front of her shirt. ¡°KIIIEEEAAAK¡±

    Beastly fur sprouted from her chest, and she bulked up, taking on a bear-like shape. Her elongated, red nails looked extremely impressive.

    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s a second phase!¡±

    <i>¡®Wait a minute. I hope my voice sounded sufficiently shaky just now.¡¯</i>

    He had grown a lottely, so it probably had.

 Chapter 154

    <h4>Chapter 154</h4>

    Wang Yu-Mi had a smile on her face.

    -StrongGuy: IntenseMan is intense again! LOL.

    -WalnutPrince: Ah~ He is intense as always~

    As usual, the Chul-Soo Verse was exceptionally intense. The viewers on KimKnowItAllTV thoroughly enjoyed and empathized with Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s intensity. On the screen, Chul-Soo spoke.

    ?Whew, I have a moment to breathe. I will heal my wounds with a potion.?

    -AngelinaJelly: What¡¯s he doing?

    -FreakOut: He should just attack that weird-looking monster!

    -WalnutPrince: The way he pretends it¡¯s urgent is hrious. LOL!

    Five Crystals, who seemed to have entered the second phase, had many weak points. She looked like an easy target, but Chul-Soo was not attacking her.

    -DonkeySaint: But it does seem like he is quite injured, haha.

    -StrongGuy: Right? He is so calm about it that the injury seems minor. LOL.

    -WalnutPrince: Isn¡¯t that beyond just pretending...?

    Chul-Soo disinfected his wounds with a potion.

    -OppaDoIt: Why is he disinfecting his wounds? It obviously looks like he is trying to waste time.

    The viewers might have wanted IntenseMan¡¯s raw intensity, but they quickly called him out on his overly staged intensity.

    Yu-Mi sent Jin-Hyeok a secret message: ¡®It might be good to tone down the fake intensity >_<.¡¯ Cha Jin-Hyeok immediately took the feedback, quickly healing his wounds.

    Standing firmly on his feet, he looked at the wailing Five Crystals and said, ¡°We are in the Scanorbia Server, thend of warriors. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I will act as a warrior should. Attacking while transforming would not be warrior-like.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unconsciously smirked. Although he had just stated a usible reason for not attacking, his heart was pounding.

    <i>¡®This is again good content for my Eltube channel. Acing ording to the culture and style of each Server... It¡¯s a good concept to have. And Five Crystals even entered the second phase.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was excited to witness her second phase, something he had not encountered before his regression.

    ¡°Attacking an enemy during their transformationcks style,¡± he said to the viewers.

    -???: Really? Is there actually a pervert who attacks during transformation?

    The viewers of KimKnowItAllTV truly lived up to their name¡ªthey knew Jin-Hyeok quite well. They instantly flooded the Korean Region Minor Gallery, investigating Chul-Soo¡¯s past behavior and posting screenshots as evidence.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered, wouldn¡¯t the perfect time to attack be during a transformation?¡±

    The current Chul-Soo and the Chul-Soo who had faced off against Jonprich were starkly different. Back then, he had said that attacking during a transformation was a good strategy; now, he said itcked style.

    <strong>[What the hell?! LOL, this guy can¡¯t make up his mind! Seriously? Is Chul-Soo really that impressive? He changes his standards whenever he wants LOL.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    Joseph, named NoOverpackagingPlz on the Gallery, did not stop there. He created a meme from what Chul-Soo had said earlier and uploaded it.

    -¡°However, there must be a limit to what she can do as a Streamer. Streamers are inherently weak.¡±

    <strong>[What is this nonsense? He is even admitting that Streamers are inherently weak! He just called himself the weakest man on Earth, LOL!]</strong>

    ©»Nope, that¡¯s you.

    ©»He is weak by IntenseMan¡¯s standards. By the standards of average top-ranked yers, he is really strong.

    ©»Even a Level 999 with SSS-Rank would be weak by IntenseMan¡¯s standards.

    Joseph¡¯s post again rallied many users. And most of them did not seem to mind Chul-Soo¡¯s fluctuating standards.

    -After all, the <i>me</i> from yesterday and today are different. Haha!

    ©»Agreed. Just yesterday, I decided to go on a diet, but right now, I¡¯m eating fried chicken. LOL

    ©»Is there anyone who actually consistently lives by their own standards?

    Oddly enough, Chul-Soo¡¯s inconsistency appealed to most users.

    <strong>[He is so down to earth! How can a person be so charming? Even Chul-Soo¡¯s inconsistency is so adorable! Kim Chul-Soo is the best! Awesome! </strong>^,~????<strong>]</strong>

    ©»This noona has to be over sixty, with the way she talks.

    ©»Seems like she is well over 60, LOL. You should just call her ma¡¯am and not noona!

    ©»Her concept is on point! LOL.

    The user ChulSoosGF486, who was Lilia, became so famous that her posts started to appear in bold font.

    ? ? ?

    Gluttony¡¯s second phase seemed to be stronger than before.

    ¡°She has be faster and much stronger,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    However, Jin-Hyeok was still disappointed. Given her lengthy transformation time, he had expected something more special, but nothing of the sort seemed to have happened.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t she getting any stronger?¡¯</i>

    He felt like he were facing an ordinary martial arts ss yer of around Level 100. He even used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to search for any unique Skills Gluttony might possess, but there wasn¡¯t anything remarkable.

    <i>¡®This is no fun.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok contemted ending the fight, but it looked like Han Sae-Rin would not be returning anytime soon. In the meantime, he had to think of an appropriate narrative for his viewers.

    ¡°Guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt to practice Taming.¡±

    Taming generally did not work on entities with high intelligence. Moreover, using Taming Skills on a human was, ethically and morally, somewhat frowned upon.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s hard to see her as a human in her current form.¡¯</i>

    Gluttony looked simr to a bear, but her posture resembled that of a feline creature. She was more like a monster, with incredibly long and sharp teeth and nails.

    ¡°I will try to fight for real this time.¡±

    yers often referred to this as serious mode. Anyway, Jin-Hyeok engaged with Gluttony, raising the stakes in their fight.

    After a while, Gluttonyy on the floor, spitting blood. Her chest was riddled with sword cuts, and every spot on her arms or legs had wounds on them.

    ¡°Those wounds are not going to kill her.¡±

    The injuries were not too severe. They looked gruesome, but they weren¡¯t serious enough to impede her movement. The look in her eyes was also very much full of life.

    ¡°If I use the de, it might be fatal for her, so I will hit her with the blunt side of the sword...¡±

    However, that felt like disrespecting the sword. A sword was meant for shing and stabbing, not for hitting. Even though Jin-Hyeok was no longer a Swordsman, he had to show a basic level of respect that one should have for the weapon.

    ¡°I have a better item for this.¡±

    The Rule Breaker.

    ¡°I am going to use this hammer.¡±

    Shaped like a hammer, Rule Breaker was optimal for striking Gluttony.

    ¡°Kiiiiaaak!¡± Gluttony growled in defiance.

    ¡°Still got some fight in you, I see.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹ has failed.]</strong>

    <i>Thump!</i>

    Rule Breakernded squarely on Gluttony¡¯s forehead. There was a sound of something breaking, but she still seemed to be okay.

    ¡°See, if she were seriously injured, she would have not been able to see clearly, but she is looking straight at me.¡±

    A trickle of blood flowed down her face but it was fine. That also fell under minor injuries.

    ¡°Activate Star Shield.¡± Jin-Hyeok effortlessly blocked Five Crystals¡¯s w attack. When using Taming (Physical), subduing one¡¯s target both physically and mentally was essential. So Jin-Hyeok decided that it would be better to suppress herpletely.

    ¡°The back of her head seems to be a weak point.¡± He struck her there.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    The sound was considerably louder this time, and it seemed like the blow had done its job. Gluttony fell, foaming at the mouth and trembling.

    ¡°Finally, it looks like we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡±

    She shuddered as shey on the ground, finally subdued.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough damage for now.¡± Though not critical by any means, Jin-Hyeok assumed this would be enough to tame her.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹ has failed.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was about to say, ¡®Looks like more beating is in order,¡¯ but stopped himself, opting to maintain his dignity as a Streamer.

    ¡°I think a more physical approach is required.¡± Although he thought he was still weak, he believed he was more sensitive to death than anyone else. She didn¡¯t look like she was on the verge of death just yet. He wagered that beating her near death should make Taming (Physical) more effective.

    ¡°Kiiiiaaak!¡± Gluttony let out an inhuman scream. It sounded like the final gasp of a dying animal, confirming that Jin-Hyeok had pushed her to her limit.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹ has seeded.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok realized something peculiar at that moment.

    <i>¡®Wait, I didn¡¯t tame Gluttony... It¡¯s something else!!¡¯</i>

    Gluttony was disying fake madness; clearly, she had been under the control of someone or something else. Jin-Hyeok saw the true entity that had been behind this fake madness reveal itself.

    <i>Blegh.</i>

    Gluttony spat out something. It appeared to be a red object at first. But a closer look revealed that it was a green object that looked red only because of the blood.

    ¡°It seems to be a Mystery.¡±

    <strong>[Fanatical Obsession]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok could not hide his excitement over this discovery. A chill flowed through his brain and down his spinal cord.

    ¡°I think by using the Taming Skill, I made her spit out her Mystery!¡±

    In a few incidents, yers spat out their Mysteries after being knocked unconscious. Jin-Hyeok assumed this was a simr situation.

    <i>¡®Wait, can this work on other people? Please... let that be true...! That would be amazing! Hm... Come to think of it... Does this make me simr to the yers who hunt the Awakened?¡¯</i>

    These yers hunted the Awakened and stole their abilities. What Jin-Hyeok had done seemed fairly simr, but he thought more experimentation would be necessary.

    Trembling with excitement, he continued with his livestream. ¡°That is a Mystery, likely a form of power that eats at the body and soul.¡±

    Before he knew it, Gluttony started to regain her original appearance. He sprayed a healing potion all over her, poured more into her mouth, and covered her with a nket he bought from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. His actions were not out of pity, but were rather a reward for enhancing his livestream and offering him a new hope.

    <i>¡®It seems a faint connection still exists between her and the Mystery...¡¯</i>

    This Fanatical Obsession seemed to have its own will. It appeared as if the Mystery desperately wanted to enter Gluttony¡¯s body.

    ¡°It¡¯s fascinating to feel something like this. Seems like the taming process was a sess.¡±

    Having conjured excellent content, Jin-Hyeok was quite satisfied with today¡¯s livestream. Just as he thought it was a good time to wrap up and take a break, he chanced upon an extraordinary stroke of luck.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Lighting descended from the sky.

    <i>¡®This seems familiar.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok found the energy quite familiar, akin to the lightning energy used by the Thunder Dragon that Park Terse had tamed.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like natural lightning.¡±

    Lightning surged around him.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    Yellow bolts descended on the ground, yet miraculously, they did not set the trees aze or damage the forest. The densely grown branches swayed as if they were under some invisible influence. Then, a space opened up suddenly, revealing the blue sky.

    ¡°Look there!¡±

    In the center of the blue sky, a dragon wreathed in golden electrical currents became visible. Compared to the dragons Jin-Hyeok had seen and knew of, this one was considerably smaller and seemed less imposing.

    <strong>[LV132/Thunder Dragon/Baby of the Central Forest/Prince]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok realized that Terse had indeed tamed a Thunder Dragon in Scanorbia. Furthermore, right now, that dragon was just Level 132.

    <i>¡®Ah...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a hunch about why the dragon had revealed itself. Its eyes, emitting a green glow, were fixed on the Fanatical Obsession Mystery. Although the Mystery didn¡¯t show any changes, Jin-Hyeok felt that it was trembling as if it had met its predator.It seemed desperate to hide within Gluttony, whom Jin-Hyeok had subdued earlier.

    Jin-Hyeok grabbed the Mystery and absorbed it.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Mystery ¡¸Fanatical Obsession¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had extracted an untamed Mystery from another being. Since he had tamed and absorbed this Mystery, he was confident he could call upon it to activate it.

    The Thunder Dragon seemed enraged at his actions.

    <i>¡®Damn! It¡¯s so bright my eyes hurt.¡¯</i>

    When he used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, his eyes tingled ufortably.

    <strong>[The Thunder Dragon has activated the Skill ¡¸Thunder Dragon Roar¡¹.]</strong>

    The surrounding trees withdrew as if they were living beings, making crackling sounds. What was once a dense forest had now transformed into a small barren area.

    <i>Krooooah~!</i>

    The young Thunder Dragon roared, and dark clouds gathered in the sky. A fierce and powerful aura loomed, eliciting a small grin from Jin-Hyeok. He sheathed Rule Breaker and took out his primary weapon, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    ¡°I am going to have a conversation with the Thunder Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 155

    <h4>Chapter 155</h4>

    The young Thunder Dragon was a disappointment.

    <i>¡®It looks shy, but is nothing but a show.¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok felt that the Level-132 dragon had capabilities under Level 100. While its innate power and abilities corresponded to those of a creature at Level 132, the dragon seemed unable to harness any of those. The reason for this could be that the dragon was still a baby.

    <i>¡®How much longer should I keep taking its attacks?¡¯</i>

    The sparkling effects were somewhat cool, which made Cha Jin-Hyeok put up with its attacks. However, even that was bing tedious.

    <i>¡®Why is it so weak?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok never had the chance to properly fight with a Thunder Dragon before. The ones he had met were usually apanied by Park Terse and never fought with him.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see how it feels to get hit directly.¡¯</i>

    <i>Crack!</i>

    He let himself get hit by the Thunder Dragon¡¯s thunderbolt.

    <i>¡®A disappointment as expected.¡¯</i>

    The attack¡ªsaid to consume an enormous amount of stamina, but possessing unparalleled destructive power among elemental attacks¡ªfelt like a slightly strong static shock. It was a bit ufortable, but he felt no strain on his body. Jin-Hyeok even wondered if he had such a high resistance to electrical attacks. That hadn¡¯t been the case even back in his Sword King days.

    ¡°I think I need to meditate and do some inner exploration,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    The only way to know for sure would be meditation and self-exploration.

    <i>¡®It feels like the Phoenix Heart is somehow involved in all this.¡¯</i>

    Ever since he had consumed the Phoenix Heart, he had gainedplete immunity to fire.

    <i>¡®And with the addition of my Munchkin Trait... it feels like my resistance to other elemental attacks has improved as well.¡¯</i>

    While he needed to research this further, the crucial point was that he had significant resistance to electrical attacks.

    Suddenly, he heard a voice.

    [¡°Give it!!!¡±]

    It was a shrill voice.

    ¡°Oh, you can talk?¡±

    [¡°Give it to me now!!!¡±]

    While precisemunication seemed difficult, the young Thunder Dragon was ardently expressing its desires.

    <i>¡®Every taming process has its time and ce, and one must know when to use the carrot and when the stick.¡¯</i>

    It was well known that if a subject¡¯s attention was somewhere else, it could not properly hear the Tamer¡¯s voice. Jin-Hyeok was no expert Tamer like Park Terse, but he decided to give it a shot.

    <i>¡®Get out.¡¯</i>

    He took a deep breath and then exhaled. The Fanatical Obsession Mystery within him tried to cling on like glue, but its efforts did not matter much. It could have been due to the Taming (Physical) Skill, but his control over the tamed Mystery was excellent.

    The green pattern materialized in the air.

    <strong>[Fanatical Obsession]</strong>

    ¡°Hey, do you want to eat this?¡±

    [¡°Give it!¡±]

    As someone who aimed to be a versatile Streamer and who was obligated to provide a variety of content to his viewers, Jin-Hyeok needed to seize this moment.

    [The Story of How an SSS-Tier Young Thunder Dragon, Consumed by Hostility, was Moved and Amazed by the Goodwill of a yer from the Earth Server.]

    ? ? ?

    -LOL! I don¡¯t think this can be considered nationalism! It¡¯s more like Earth-ism!

    -Haha! You¡¯re right. I think I¡¯m getting drunk on this Earth-ism! Oh waiter~ Another bottle of Earth-ism, please!

    On the screen, the young Thunder Dragon curiously examined the green pattern before it, then greedily licked it.

    [¡°Tasty!¡±]

    The dragon grabbed the pattern and sucked on it as if it were candy.

    -LOL. I didn¡¯t know dragons did mukbangs![1]

    -But it¡¯s kinda cute! I find reptiles adorable.

    While users from the Earth Server were engrossed in this spectacle, long-time users from other Servers expressed concern.

    -If a baby Thunder Dragon is there, its mother must be near too.

    -Yupp. He needs to be careful. If you get caught by the mother Thunder Dragon, you¡¯re toast.

    Wang Yu-mi collected this information and secretly messaged Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Ah, the mother could be nearby.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok contemted his options.

    <i>¡®Even if I sessfully tame it by tempting it with food... If the mother appears, it¡¯s game over.¡¯</i>

    There was no chance of him defeating the mother Thunder Dragon.

    <i>¡®But I really want to tame this one. What should I do?¡¯</i>

    The thought of losing the precious Mystery¡ªwhich had not really been precious before but had suddenly be so¡ªseemed concerning. The cost-benefit ratio was not to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s liking.

    <i>¡®I have to tame it, but if I get caught by its mother, I¡¯m dead.¡¯</i>

    Just then, a new figure emerged on the scene.

    ¡°I havee to lend my strength, moly!¡±

    Prompted by Pathfinder¡¯s taunt, Mole Man hastily appeared before Jin-Hyeok. With an excited expression, he said, ¡°So, you want to know where the small Wyvern''s nest is, moly?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°No need to reject my favor! I ask for nothing in return, moly. I simply wish to wholeheartedly assist you, Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°You want to help me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok made a request to the passionately enthusiastic Mole Man. ¡°If you¡¯re here to help, could you take thatdy back to the Earth Server for treatment?¡±

    ¡°That crazy woman, you mean?¡±

    ¡°She is not crazy anymore. She was just temporarily crazy due to the Mystery.¡±

    If Mole Man had not appeared, Jin-Hyeok would not have cared too much. However, since Mole Man was here, Jin-Hyeok decided to show a bit of consideration.

    <i>¡®Before my regression, I thought she was a viin and simply killed her.¡¯</i>

    In retrospect, although Five Crystals had charged at Jin-Hyeok, she was not a viin who had harmed others. The prospect of killing her without much thought bothered Jin-Hyeok a little.

    -This is the generosity of the Earth Server¡¯s best yer!

    -The true top dog is always generous to the underdog.

    -He is so cool! Please take me, Oppa! I love you!

    Mole Man seemed somewhat displeased.

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°You said you wanted to help me.¡±

    ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s correct, moly¡±

    ¡°Show the dignity of being the top-ranked yer, then.¡±

    ¡°Top-ranked?¡± Mole Man checked his ranking. Just like thirty minutes ago, he was still the top-ranked yer. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am number one, moly! So, Chul-Soo, let me ask you a question. Who do you think is the best Navigator in Korea?¡±

    ¡°Numbers do not lie. Look at the ranking. You are number one.¡±

    ¡°So, can I call myself the Navigator recognized as number one by Kim Chul-Soo, moly?¡±

    ¡°You are number one, Mole Man.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡± With a brisk stride, Mole Man picked up the fallen Five Crystals. He then waved at Jin-Hyeok, though, in his mind, he was waving at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s viewers and Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°I am the true top-ranked yer, moly!¡± He formed a V with his fingers. ¡°Pathfinder is second, moly!¡±

    Mole Man left the areaughing heartily. Not long after, it began to rain.

    <i>¡®Rain?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt chills running down his spine. He looked at the sky through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, and his eyes began to hurt

    <i>Boom!</i>

    It felt like something had exploded, like a light bulb bursting due to an overload.

    <i>¡®Ouch, my eyes!¡¯</i>

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    A p of thunder rang out.

    <i>¡®Wow, now it¡¯s hard to breathe.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew what this feeling was.

    <i>¡®This is the aura of a Thunder Dragon.¡¯</i>

    He felt the auraing from a considerable distance, yet he was already having trouble breathing. The air around him seemed heavy, as if it was crushing him. The clouds formed a whirlpool-like pattern, and then a huge storm cloud appeared. Hundreds of bolts of lightning shed in the sky.

    ¡°The density of the mana around me seems to be increasing. It feels like I have fallen underwater.¡±

    Possibly due to his nervous system being on high alert, his body became stiff. Jin-Hyeok raised his hand. ¡°My hand is trembling against my will. I can feel only one thing right now: something overpowering is approaching, something I can¡¯t face with my current strength.¡±

    He looked at the sky again with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance but saw nothing.

    <i>¡®Keuk!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a heavy, oppressive sensation as if he were sinking into the dark depths of the ocean. Then, a voice like thunder echoed in his head.

    [¡®What have you done to my son?!¡±]

    ? ? ?

    A few minutes ago, the Great Leader of Scanorbia, Khan, knelt before someone and bowed his head. ¡°I apologize, my lord.¡±

    Due to Scanorbia being connected to the Earth Server, Khan should have found many Mysteries, but he did not. Or rather, he had chosen not to. He had made a deal with Streamer Egan Paul and the United States government, securing food and resources for the hungry citizens of Scanorbia.

    [¡°I spared you because you are useful, Khan.¡±]

    ¡°I am aware.¡±

    [¡°Prove me that you are useful.¡±]

    ¡°I will find high-quality Mysteries in abundance. Just grant me more time.¡±

    The Thunder Dragon before Khan, Atanna, was a significant reason behind Khan¡¯s rise to power in Scanorbia. Atanna was the true ruler of Scanorbia.

    At that moment, Atanna felt that something was off.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    She always maintained a mental link with her son Aton, the young Thunder Dragon. Aton was still weak¡ªby her standards¡ªand required much protection. Atanna sensed that her offspring, who was ying in the Central Forest of Scanorbia, was being tainted by something strange.

    With one of her ws, she gripped Khan tightly.

    ¡°M-My Lord! I don¡¯t taste that good.¡±

    Atanna pped her gigantic wings. Electrical energy flickered, causing whirlwinds to swirl around.

    [¡°Do you carry any herbs that induce vomiting?¡±]

    ¡°I-I have some that humans use, my lord.¡±

    [¡°That will do.¡±]

    The massive Atanna soared into the sky. Khan swallowed hard and looked down.

    <i>¡®S-So high!¡¯ </i>he thought. In just a couple of ps, they had already reached the clouds.

    Atanna flew toward the Central Forest at a speed that seemed faster than light. From a distance, she sensed her son and the impurities around him.

    <i>¡®Human?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    The one around her son was not a Scanorbian; he seemed to be a human from Earth, which had been recently connected to her Server.

    [¡°What have you done to my son?!¡±]

    She spat out the words in ash of fury but immediately regretted it. She could feel that she had released too much draconic energy. It would be difficult for a mere human to withstand such immense presence.

    <i>¡®Did he faint?¡¯</i>

    Khan, whom she had gripped in her w, had already fainted. But then, a strange voice reached her ears.

    ¡°The Thunder Dragon has appeared! It¡¯s enormously huge! I think it¡¯s the one that caused those gigantic thunderclouds!¡±

    The human seemed to have lost all sense of fear and was babbling nonstop.

    ¡°It¡¯s so overwhelming that it¡¯s hard to breathe. My whole body is tingling even though the electrical energy did not hit me. It¡¯s like I have plunged into a sea made of electrical energy! How can something be so overwhelming? If the end of the world had a feeling, this would be exactly that!¡±

    It was a truly strange event. Atanna observed that the human before her looked excited, rather than frightened.

    1. Mukbang is a type of livestream in which the streamer, or the host, consumes various quantities of food while interacting with the audience. It is very popr in Korea. ?

 Chapter 156

    <h4>Chapter 156</h4>

    When Atannaid eyes on Cha Jin-Hyeok, she saw a man whose aura flickered with a peculiar madness.

    <i>¡®Annoying,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    However, the urgent matter at hand was her son. Aton¡¯s eyes were tinged with red.

    [¡°Ipetent fool! Bring out the herbs!¡±]

    Atanna called for Khan, but Khan was still unconscious. Her presence had significantly affected his mental state. Agitated, the Thunder Dragon tossed Khan aside and approached Aton. Aton was wheezing and stumbling about as if he were under a spell, like a dragon intoxicated due to drugs.

    [¡°Tell me what has happened to my son.¡±]

    ¡°The dragon is trying to speak to me. The pressure from her presence has lessened a bit,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers.

    Atanna found this ridiculous.

    <i>¡®Is heughing?¡¯</i>

    The human was cheerfully walking toward her with a smile. It was a situation Atanna found a bit perplexing for their first encounter.

    ¡°I will try to interview her,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    [¡°I asked what my son has eaten!¡±]

    ¡°He ate a Mystery.¡±

    Atanna was annoyed by Jin-Hyeok¡¯sck of respect toward her, but she did not make a big issue of it. Her priority was checking on her son¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Can I touch you? Your body is flickering with the electrical energy. It looks interesting.¡±

    Summoning her draconic energy, Atanna exerted her presence on the audacious human in front of her. An invisible force weighed down on Jin-Hyeok, making his breathing rugged and sweat pour like rain. He looked visibly distressed.

    [¡°I asked you what you have fed him.¡±]

    ¡°Ooh, this feels good.¡±

    To Atanna, Jin-Hyeok looked like a madman.

    ¡°A bit more.¡±

    [¡°...¡±]

    ¡°Make it a bit stronger.¡±

    Getting a coherent response from this madman seemed difficult.

    [¡°You are annoying.¡±]

    Atanna decided just to kill him. It was the nature of Thunder Dragons to eliminate whatever irritated them. However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s next words stopped her.

    ¡°Your son ate the Mystery called Fanatical Obsession.¡±

    It was a close call. Though Jin-Hyeok himself was unaware of it, this was a testament to his true talent for survival.

    [¡°What? Fanatical Obsession?¡±]

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes narrowed. A tingling sense of anticipation that he might be able to tame a Thunder Dragon shed through his mind. He replied, ¡°Yes. Was it something that the young Thunder Dragon wasn¡¯t supposed to eat?¡±

    Even the most powerful beings could show vulnerability before their offspring. While his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance previously showed all information about Atanna as question marks, he could now read her status. Atanna had fallen into a state of extreme panic.

    <strong>[...#Why did it have to be a tainted Mystery? #What should I do? #There is no time. #There is no way out.]</strong>

    The intense emotion was so overwhelming that a sense of immense despair flowed into Jin-Hyeok. If not for Imperial Resilience, he would have plunged into depression and panic. That was how desperate Atanna felt.

    ¡°She might be a formidable being, but it seems shecks experience as a mother.¡±

    Atanna did not hear Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words. Novice mom Atanna¡¯s mind went nk. Thunderbolts incessantly rained down from the sky, reducing everything they struck to ashes. The one expansive forest was being ttened.

    <i>¡®If she decides to really attack me, I will be done for in a single blow.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok found this razor-edge tension quite thrilling. He grinned. ¡°I think there might be a way to save him.¡±

    [¡°Speak.¡±]

    ¡°But you might not like it.¡±

    [¡°Speak. Any wish you have, I will grant.¡±]

    ¡°I can force him to vomit the tainted Mystery, but it will be a bit unsightly. Are you okay with that?¡± Jin-Hyeok was thinking more of a physical approach. ¡°You have to swear in Draconic that you will just watch whatever I do to your son. In return, if I fail to save your son, you are free to take my life.¡±

    Moved by the sincerity of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words, Atanna nodded.

    [¡°I swear.¡±]

    ? ? ?

    KimKnowItAllTV¡¯s chat was going wild

    -Is he betting his life against the Thunder Dragon?

    -I knew he was crazy, but this is next level, LOL!

    -Is the Thunder Dragon really that strong?

    -Even the strongest yers on Arvis cannot guarantee victory against a Thunder Dragon despite forming teams of dozens. It¡¯s one of the most powerful beings in the universe.

    -And he is risking his life against that?

    -Sincere IntenseMan Mode has descended upon us.

    The sentiment that this was Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s sincere intensity, not just a concept, gained traction. Wang Yu-Mi gulped, keenly observing the viewers¡¯ reactions.

    <i>¡®What Jin-Hyeokcked was just one thing.¡¯</i>

    To her, Jin-Hyeok was perfect in all aspects¡ªexcept for one.

    <i>¡®Conveying a sense of crisis.¡¯</i>

    It was hard to find any sense of crisis in Jin-Hyeok. Heroes usually found themselves in crises; it was oveing these situations that made them shine.

    -Sincere IntenseMan Mode, LOL! That¡¯s rich.

    -What if something goes wrong?

    -If something goes wrong, he¡¯s screwed, obviously.

    -Well, yers dying isn¡¯t really a new thing.

    Keeping the stream in first-person perspective, Jin-Hyeokmenced his ruthless physical interactions with the young Thunder Dragon.

    [¡°Kraaaah!¡±]

    Atanna turned her head away, closing her eyes shut, finding it hard to watch Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Taming (Physical).

    <i>¡®This lunatic... What is he doing to my son...!¡¯ </i>

    The sky unleashed even fiercer thunderstorms. The clouds that once covered the nearby area expanded, enveloping the entire Central Forest. All animals held their breath; the trees themselves seemed to shrink. Before the overwhelming presence emitted by Scanorbia¡¯s supreme being, all things withered. The only life form that remained unaffected was Jin-Hyeok.

    Tears streamed down Atanna¡¯s tightly shut eyes.

    <i>¡®I did swear in Draconic.¡¯</i>

    She could not stop him.

    Jin-Hyeok eximed in sheer excitement, ¡°The dragon is incredibly sturdy!¡±

    It felt good to hit the dragon. He found hitting such a robust creature thrilling.

    ¡°The mental barrier of this dragon is quite strong too! It¡¯spletely nullifying my Taming Skill!¡± Jin-Hyeok kept reveling in new realizations, ecstatic about his ongoing discoveries. ¡°Such a robust mental barrier, yet it got tainted by a mere Fanatical Obsession!¡±

    No matter how strong one¡¯s power was, if one could not utilize it effectively, it was meaningless. The young Thunder Dragon was living proof of this. Although it had a strong mental barrier, it seemed incapable of using the barrier. On the other hand, Fanatical Obsession was making good use of that mental barrier.

    <i>¡®Still, I¡¯m stronger.¡¯</i>

    The young Thunder Dragon was utilizing his abilities well in his fight against Jin-Hyeok. However, Jin-Hyeok was also someone who effectively used his abilities.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Please fail!¡¯</i>

    It failed.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Please fail!¡¯</i>

    It failed again.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled as he continued his rapid strikes. Attacking with his primary weapon, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, feltpletely different from using the Rule Breaker.

    <i>¡®If I strike now, I will be able to sessfully tame him.¡¯</i>

    In essence, the young Thunder Dragon had be an excellent tool for him to practice his Taming Skill. Having continually practiced against the creature, Jin-Hyeok was getting the hang of it.

    <i>¡®If I use it now, then I will definitely be able to tame him.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok took a momentary pause.

    <i>¡®And if I strike now, I will fail.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Taming (Physical)¡¹.]</strong>

    Having tried every possible approach and practiced against the young Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok felt he had be quite adept at using Taming (Physical).

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s finish this.¡¯</i>

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok seeded in drawing out Fanatical Obsession, just as he had done with Five Crystals earlier. It did not just stop at subduing the Mystery; Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proficiency seemed to have increased significantly.

    <strong>[You have sessfully tamed ¡¸Aton¡¹.]</strong>

    Above Aton¡¯s head, a halo shaped of the Golden Headband formed. As it appeared to settle on Aton¡¯s head, it expanded, scanning him once. The golden halo then burst into light and vanished.

    <strong>[The ¡¸Taming Contract¡¹ has been established.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Oh.¡¯</i>

    This was not a new feeling for Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®This feels simr to being mentally linked with the Golden Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, the mother Thunder Dragon, Atanna, spoke.

    [¡°Human, break the contract.¡±]

    ? ? ?

    <i>¡®Wow... This is no joke!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had almost subconsciously obeyed Atanna. The authority imbued in the words of the mother Thunder Dragon was indescribable; it was simply extraordinary.

    <i>¡®She must have used Draconic,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    ¡°Uh... N¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was about to decline when the mother Thunder Dragon spoke again.

    [¡°I shall inherit that contract.¡±]

    Just like before, a wave of intense emotions flooded into him.

    <strong>[...#Not my son. #Not him. #Freedomes at a cost.]</strong>

    The desperation of an inexperienced mother was quite overwhelming. Tears started to fall from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, without his will.

    <i>¡®Is this even possible?¡¯</i>

    It was a first-time experience for Jin-Hyeok, to share emotions this strongly.

    [¡°If you refuse...¡±]

    Suddenly, it felt like his eyeballs were going to burst. He did not need to hear herplete the sentence. Clearly, the mother Thunder Dragon was willing to annihte the entire forest, wiping out every life form in a magnificent ze of fury. It seemed like the sentiment of a mother who could not bear to see her son robbed of his freedom.

    <i>¡®Why is she so self-conscious? What does she think I¡¯m going to do with her son?¡¯</i>

    At most, Jin-Hyeok was nning on using Aton as a mode of transport. He had no idea why she was being so sensitive. He was not even a professional Tamer. He did not have the skill to fully draw out the power of a Thunder Dragon. Even a Tamer at the level of Park Terse had said that handling a Thunder Dragon was difficult, and that was with the help of the Golden Headband.

    ¡°I am not going to refuse.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he understood how Terse had tamed an adult Thunder Dragon. He had to have tamed this young Thunder Dragon first, then the mother Thunder Dragon could not stand to watch that and thus inherited the contract.

    [¡°The contract shall be inherited¡±]

    A halo of golden light, iparably more intense than before, materialized. Thunderbolts wavered around the halo. As the halo enveloped the mother Thunder Dragon, it burst into light, filling the entire world with a blinding white light.

    <i>¡®Whoa. Thought I was going blind there.¡¯</i>

    It took Jin-Hyeok a long while to open his eyes again.

    <strong>[The contract has been inherited.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have established a Taming Contract with the Thunder Dragon ¡¸Atanna¡¹.]</strong>

    Notifications came in quick session.

    <strong>[A portion of the Thunder Dragon ¡¸Atanna¡¯s¡¹ power has been transferred to you.]</strong>

    The mother Thunder Dragon was so strong that just making a contract with her had transferred some of the dragon¡¯s enormous strength to him.

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    .

    .

    .

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Current Level: 144]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok hit Level 144 in a blink of an eye. This kind of rapid leveling was something he had not experienced in a long time, and he could not help but feel ted.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Major Achievement ¡¸Thunder Dragon Contract¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[Would you like to register your Major Achievement in the Hall of Fame?]</strong>

    <i>¡®I bet Egan Paul is watching this exhrating moment of me achieving this Major achievement. Are you watching, Egan Paul? Yes, I want to register it.</i>

    The moment he decided to register the new Major Achievement, he realized something.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve lost sight of my initial goal.¡¯</i>

    However, right now, losing sight of that initial goal felt okay.

    <i>¡®How can anyone maintain their initial goal every single day?¡¯</i>

    No human could do that. Just for today, he decided not to adhere to his initial goal.

    <strong>[The Major Achievement ¡¸Thunder Dragon Contract¡¹ has been registered in the Hall of Fame.]</strong>

    This was his first entry into the Hall of Fame. However, that was not the end.

    <strong>[The ¡¸Hall of Fame¡¹ is evaluating/reviewing this Major Achievement.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Uh... could it be?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[The ¡¸Hall of Fame¡¹ has dedicated this Major Achievement to the ¡¸Astonishing List¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had managed to do something he could not even do back in his days as a Sword King.

    <i>¡®Did I really aplish this?¡¯</i>

    The notifications kepting.

 Chapter 157

    <h4>Chapter 157</h4>

    Making it onto the Astonishing List was the dream and ultimate goal of every yer. However, there was no concrete information avable on how an Achievement could enter the Astonishing List.

    Before his regression, Cha Jin-Hyeok would alwaysin about the vague criteria for earning a ce on the Astonishing List.

    Back then, among the Korean Swordsman-ss yers, Lee Hyeon-Seong was the only one who had made it onto the Astonishing List. This had infuriated Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok had surpassed Hyeon-Seong in many aspects, yet Hyeon-Seong was the one who had made it onto that coveted list.

    Not many Achievements were worthy of the Astonishing List, and naturally, Jin-Hyeok was convinced that the selection criteria were garbage.

    <i>¡®Maybe the criteria are quite reasonable after all.¡¯</i>

    However, now that one of his Achievements was on the Astonishing List, he understood. The criteria were not unreasonable.

    <strong>[An ¡¸Astonishing Invitation¡¹ has been sent to the one who has earned a spot on the ¡¸Astonishing List¡¹.]</strong>

    A ticket arrived in his inventory. It was a ticket to a festival held once a year and exclusive to yers who had made it onto the Astonishing List,monly known as the Glory Society.

    <i>¡®I finally did it!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered what Hyeon-Seong always used to say to him before his regression.

    <i>¡°I have the experience of attending the Glory Society, Jin-Hyeok.¡±</i>

    Hyeon-Seong would unt his attendance at the Glory Society whenever he felt cornered. With this invitation, Jin-Hyeok would not have to hear such nonsense in this life.

    <strong>[The Major Achievement ¡¸<u>Thunder Dragon Contract</u>¡¹es with special benefits.]</strong>

    The Thunder Dragon, Atanna, solemnly spoke.

    [¡°You are lucky, madman.¡±]

    ¡°I am?¡±

    [¡°The weight of the responsibility of someone with great power is very heavy.¡±]

    Atanna began to exin, but it was not anythingplicated.

    ¡°So what you are saying is that, normally, moving between Servers is hard for you, right? Under normal circumstances, it is difficult for one to leave the Scanorbia Server, but the special privilege granted by the Astonishing List removes those restrictions.¡±

    [¡°Yes, but some restrictions still exist.¡±]

    Atanna chuckled.

    [¡°Regrettably, you will not be able to fully utilize my power.¡±]

    ¡°Fine by me.¡±

    [¡°Pity, but you have to... What?¡±]

    <i>¡®What the hell is she talking about?¡¯</i>

    [¡°What I mean is, you will not be able to fully harness my almighty Thunder Dragon powers in other Servers.¡±]

    <i>¡®Almighty, my ass! You can¡¯t even save your son from being tainted. What¡¯s so almighty about that?¡¯</i>

    [¡°I will not be able to assist you in battles. I do not know how long this restriction willst, but it is likely rted to your growth.¡±]

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Do I look like a Tamer to you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tried to convey the situation to his viewers as objectively as possible. ¡°The Thunder Dragon seems to be a little confused. I am not a Tamer, and I have no intention of summoning it for something grandiose.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not nning on using the Thunder Dragon¡¯s power as Park Terse had, maximizing the potential of Atanna¡¯s power. Even for an adept Tamer like Terse, wielding the Thunder Dragon¡¯s power was a huge burden. So, attempting to fully utilize the dragon¡¯s power would be overly ambitious for a Streamer like Jin-Hyeok.

    [¡°Madman, you also desired this contract with me. I sensed your fervent wishes through my draconic eyes. Are you going to deny that now?¡±]

    ¡°I did wish for the contract.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never seen a mount as impressive as a Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon could summon thunderstorms and tear through the skies. It was a great mount with an overwhelming power that took people¡¯s breath away. Nothing couldpare to it, not even a Ferrari.

    ¡°You are the most fantastic mount in the world.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Thunder Dragon Atanna found herself engulfed in confusion for a while. Over the course of thousands of years, many humans had attempted to form contracts with her, all with the same objective¡ªto dominate the world with her power. A lucky few even became the most powerful heroes of their time, thanks to her assistance.

    <i>¡®Did he just say I am the most fantastic mount in the world?¡¯</i>

    It took her a moment to grasp the meaning of those words. She had never met a human mad enough to consider her merely a <i>mount.</i>

    [¡°Mount? You want to use me as a mount, madman?¡±]

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    [¡°Me? A mount?¡±]

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    [¡°And why is that?¡±]

    ¡°It looks cool.¡±

    Atanna scowled. Jin-Hyeok was an utterly iprehensible human.

    [¡°So you have noints about being unable to utilize my power in battles?¡±]

    ¡°I just need the cool factor.¡±

    In truth, if the contractor wished, some of the restrictions could be released. Atanna was willing to do that much as a favor for the man who had saved her son. She had expected Jin-Hyeok to beg for her power or to release those restrictions, but that did not happen.

    <i>¡®To actually say something like that...¡¯</i>

    Atanna still found it difficult to believe those were Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true thoughts. However, thousands of years of beliefs could not be overturned in a single moment. She tried to understand Jin-Hyeok in her own way, through her own eyes.

    <i>¡®Is he perhaps considering my well-being?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had risked his life to save Aton. He had even repeatedly warned Atanna to stay still so as not to interfere with the healing(?) process.

    <i>¡®Yes, perhaps he is a warm-hearted madman... one who would risk his life to save a dragon.¡¯</i>

    Atanna considered it carefully. Every human in the world would covet the power of a Thunder Dragon and regret being unable to use it for battles.

    <i>¡®Then why is he like that? He is being considerate because I am a mother.¡¯</i>

    Young dragons were vulnerable in many ways. They could easily lose their lives due to the tainted Mystery. That was why they always needed their mother by their side.

    <i>¡®From the start, this madman never intended to make use of me.¡¯</i>

    In her perspective, Jin-Hyeok had thought of her as a novice mother struggling with childcare; so, he did not find it too regrettable that he was unable to actively use her power!

    Deeply moved, Atanna transmitted this intense emotion directly to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Hmm?¡¯</i>

    Perhaps due to the contract, Jin-Hyeok could precisely sense Atanna¡¯s feelings.

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i>

    Knowing how Atanna felt, he decided it was wise to win the dragon¡¯s favor. He said, ¡°Well, you are a mother.¡±

    [¡°...¡±]

    ¡°I have no intention of dragging a mother raising a young child into battles.¡±

    [¡°I see. So you are a considerate madman, after all.¡±]

    Feeling Atanna¡¯s newfound fondness, Jin-Hyeok grinned.

    <i>¡®All I wanted was to look cool while riding a dragon.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had never intended to use the Thunder Dragon¡¯s power in the first ce, regardless of the objective difficulty in doing so. Using the Thunder Dragon¡¯s power would essentially mean using cheat codes in his y.

    <i>¡®Where is the fun in using cheats?¡¯</i>

    That was far removed from the style of y Jin-Hyeok pursued.

    ¡°I see Khan hase to his senses. I will go have a chat with him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers. He then pped Khan, who was groaning softly.

    ? ? ?

    The chat window of KimKnowItAllTV was as lively as ever.

    -LOL! That p was personal.

    -The Great Leader of Scanorbia getting pped! Haha!

    -If I remember correctly, the Level difference between Chul-Soo and Khan is over 50, yet Chul-Soo is pping Khan like Khan is his younger brother, LOL! Is this for real? He¡¯s got guts!

    Khan soon regained his consciousness and red at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°You fool!¡± Khan tried to stand up and kick Jin-Hyeok, but he couldn¡¯t

    [¡°Do you wish to die?¡±]

    Atanna, the true ruler of Scanorbia, spoke in a chilling voice.

    ¡°I-I was...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned and pped him again. ¡°Snap out of it, Khan!¡±

    <i>Smack! Smack!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok pped him left and right, alternating between cheeks.

    -??? He already woke up. What¡¯s the problem???

    -LOL, you still don¡¯t know who Chul-Soo is, do you?

    Some hardcore users even dug up old videos of Chul-Soo.

    -See? The enemy is already dead, but Chul-Soo keeps stabbing him.

    -He said it was to confirm the kill, but I don¡¯t know.

    -LOL, but he already got the notification that he defeated the enemy! LOL

    -The consensus is that he kept stabbing the enemy because he wanted to.

    So, right now, Chul-Soo was pping Khan because he wanted to. Casual users of KimKnowItAllTV and newbies gained this insight.

    ¡°Wake up, Khan!¡±

    <i>Smack! Smack!</i>

    Only after several more ps did Chul-Soo stop and speak. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake now.¡±

    ¡°You little...!¡± Khan was furious, but his fear of Atanna prevented him from showing it.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s proceed with an interview with the Great Leader of Scanorbia, Khan. Is that okay, Khan?¡±

    ¡°...Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo? You mean the good friend of Kim Pyeong-Beom? That Kim Chul-Soo?¡± Khan clenched his fist, then shouted, ¡°Where is Pyeong-Beom? Show yourself, you coward!¡±

    The next moment, an earthquake urred. Atanna roared in immense fury.

    [¡°If you dare insult my contractor and the one who saved my son, I will make sure you die painfully.¡±]

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Lightning struck.

    <i>sh!</i>

    Khan¡¯s vision cleared, and only then did he look around.

    <i>¡®The forest... is gone?¡¯</i>

    The Central Forest, thergest forest in Scanorbia, had disappeared. All he saw was an expansive in. Even the horizon was visible in the distance.

    <i>¡®The forest vanished...!¡¯ </i>Khan thought, trembling.

    This was the power of a Thunder Dragon. Khan immediately knelt, adopting a respectful posture. ¡°I apologize, Contractor of the Thunder Dragon. I willply with the interview.¡±

    ¡°Did you do a staged livestream, or not?¡±

    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Egan Paul, Humphrey Millen. Do those namese to mind?¡± Jin-Hyeok checked his current viewer count on his livestream¡ªa staggering two hundred thousand.

    <i>¡®When did it increase this much?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Jin-Hyeok could not exactly determine the specific form, but it seemed some of the viewer limit restrictions were lifted as his Level increased.

    <i>¡®I will show the world the true meaning of fair livestreaming.¡¯</i>

    It was not that Jin-Hyeok was angry because someone was trying to take his number one spot. He just wanted to show everyone that.

    With that thought, Jin-Hyeok asked Khan again. ¡°You don¡¯t know those names?¡±

    Khan pondered the question for a moment, but he could not lie. If he did, the Thunder Dragon would easily detect it. So, he said, ¡°...I know them.¡±

    ¡°Did they ask you to do a staged livestream with them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it was staged, but...¡±

    ¡°The United States wiping out your army with its might, that was staged, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Khan remained silent for a moment but eventually spoke under Jin-Hyeok¡¯s, or rather, the Thunder Dragon¡¯s pressure. He earnestly requested, ¡°Could you please pause your livestream for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°There are some things that are difficult to discuss.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Stopping the livestream at this point would be an unforgivable move in terms of production. Although Khan looked quite pitiful, that was not Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concern.

    ¡°I want you to say those things that are difficult to discuss.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why? Did you make a secret pact with Egan Paul? Like getting support for food and medical supplies?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You guys are suffering from starvation due to your barrennd, so their offer must have been tempting.¡± Jin-Hyeok deeply sighed and continued, ¡°But even if that was the case, why would you do that? There are things like ethics andws in this world. If everyone livestreamed like that, then anyone could be a Streamer, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Khan began to feel that something was off.

    <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like he is questioning me about invading the Earth Server and exploiting humans...?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 158

    <h4>Chapter 158</h4>

    The Great Leader Khan had zeroed in on one irrefutable point.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo is not asking me to take responsibility for the invasion at all!¡¯</i>

    In Scanorbia, the winner took all that the loser had. Ever since the Thunder Dragon had sided with Chul-Soo, Chul-Soo had be the de facto victor. Being the loser, Khan would have had to yield to all of Chul-Soo¡¯s demands. Thankfully, it seemed that such a situation was unlikely.

    <i>¡®But... the things he is saying do not feel like they are directed at me...¡¯</i>

    So, whom were they meant for? If Chul-Soo was not criticizing Khan¡¯s invasion, then what was this all about? What did Chul-Soo want?

    <i>¡®Who is he talking to?¡¯</i>

    Finally, Khan arrived at a conclusion he could hardly believe.

    <i>¡®Is he really just mad at the staged livestream, like he says?¡¯</i>

    At first, Khan thought there had to be some hidden meaning behind Chul-Soo¡¯s words, but as he listened on, that did not appear to be the case. Chul-Soo was genuinely angry about the staged livestream.

    <i>¡®Why is he making such a big deal about it?¡¯</i>

    Khan was a capable ruler who had unified Scanorbia and prided himself on his skill at reading others. However, he had utterly failed to fathom the depths of Chul-Soo¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Manipting things like that isn¡¯t just, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®Wait, is justice a concept that reigns over both his mind and body?¡¯ </i>Khan thought.

    ¡°Y-Yes, I agree.¡± Confused, Khan decided to go along with it for the time being.

    ¡°So you admit that it was a staged livestream, right?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    There was still no mention of the terms of Khan¡¯s agreement with Egan Paul and Humphrey Millen, nor of any benefits Khan might have gained. So, the situation still left Khan bewildered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for such dark temptations next time.¡±

    ¡°...I will keep that in mind.¡±

    Only then did Chul-Soo smirk. Finally, he felt a sense of relief.

    <i>¡®See, Egan Paul, the truth can never be defeated by lies.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Oh, and one more thing.¡±

    Chul-Soo had precisely pinpointed why Egan¡¯s staged livestream had seeded. It was because Egan had perfectly met Khan¡¯s needs. Only because Egan¡¯s and Khan¡¯s interests had aligned so well had a staged livestream been possible.

    <i>¡®I won¡¯t let that happen again. How dare he try to take my number one spot?¡¯ </i>Chul-Soo thought.

    A voice within Chul-Soo, which even he did not recognize, took control of his mind and body. He said, ¡°Document your admission of the staged livestream officially. I want you to provide evidence if you have any.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Khan¡¯s face visibly darkened. If he were to vite the confidentiality use first, all promises and assistance from Egan would vanish into thin air. The countless warriors of thisnd would remain in starvation.

    ¡°In exchange, I will take responsibility for your food supply.¡±

    The considerate mad saint, Kim Chul-Soo, had made his official first move.

    ? ? ?

    Jang Michelle, a member of the Trinity Club who was living another life on the Earth Server, was exhrated. ¡°Can we really deploy these yers into the field this soon?¡±

    This was a golden opportunity for the yers nurtured by the MK Foundation to gain real-world experience.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to develop yers with less popr Jobs anyway.¡±

    Copying what everyone else was doing was no fun. Michelle was actively participating in y, and sticking to mainstream strategies would make it dull. So she had spared no effort in supporting yers with less favored Jobs, including those rted to agriculture.

    ¡°This is going to be fun!¡±

    yers with newly awakened talents in farming, based on the Earth Server¡¯s advanced agricultural civilization, were deployed to the Scanorbia Server.

    ¡°They¡¯re really giving usnd?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they really are!¡±

    A considerable number of Farmer-ss yers made their way to Scanorbia.

    ¡°I heard thend there is too barren for farming.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but we do have special Skills rted to farming, so it should be okay. They are also giving usnd, and they said they will give us subsidies if farming fails.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, it is.¡±

    Scanorbia had almost nond suitable for agriculture. However, things had changed due to the recent rampage of a certain Thunder Dragon.

    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s more fertile nd than we thought!¡±

    ¡°It looks like this area used to be an expansive forest.¡±

    The Central Forest had been ttened, transformed into a vast in that stretched as far as the eye could see.

    ¡°The MK Foundation is even providing support from Water Elementalists. They told us to dream big!¡±

    ¡°Wow, the support is really solid.¡±

    There was no reason for Farmer-ss yers to reject the opportunity to go to Scanorbia. yers from the MK Foundation gradually transitioned to the Scanorbia Server to gain real-world experience, passing on their skills to the Scanorbian warriors. In the process, the abilities of the MK-affiliated yers improved by leaps and bounds, to say the least.

    This made Michelle very proud. ¡°It seems like we will see significant results in the not-so-distant future, hohoho!¡±

    ¡°Are you pleased?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Absolutely. It feels like raising many avatars!¡±

    <i>¡®I knew she would love this,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Michelle was very interested in this project. The members of the Trinity Club spared no expense when it came to their entertainment, even if that meant running at a loss. As long as they were enjoying themselves, nothing else mattered.

    Jin-Hyeok sneakily nced at Maria, who was demurely sitting beside Michelle.

    <i>¡®She looks better than before.¡¯</i>

    Maria looked more rxed than when she had been with the National Intelligence Service. Sure enough, once her budgetary issues had been resolved, her face had brightened up.

    Michelle stood up from her seat. ¡°I need to take a look around the Great ins of Scanorbia. Our yers are said to be doing exceptionally well, so it¡¯s worth checking out.¡±

    Humming a tune, she left, leaving Jin-Hyeok and Maria alone.

    ¡°Why are you bestowing so much favor upon the Scanorbia Server?¡± Maria asked Jin-Hyeok, curious about his actions.

    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly remember bestowing any favor...¡±

    Recently, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream had been continually trending on Eltube, breaking the view count record. He had now reached three hundred million subscribers.

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought you would use the Thunder Dragon for terraforming.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not asked the Thunder Dragon to do that. It was more like the Thunder Dragon had terrorized the area on her own ord. Jin-Hyeok stopped himself from saying that; he just let Maria interpret it as she pleased.

    ¡°You have not only instilled a sense of hope in the Scanorbia Server but also significantly increased goodwill toward the Earth Server. This will have a very positive impact on future Server connections.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good then.¡±

    ¡°However, you should be careful about pressure and containment from the United States side. They were humiliated this time.¡±

    Khan had spilled the beans. Egan Paul and Humphrey Millen had secretly approached him, proposing a scheme. Not keen on entering the Korean Region, Khan had epted their offer and received support from the United States. As a result, Egan and Humphrey had gained fame, and America could once again unt its prowess as the world¡¯s superpower.

    ¡°The United States government is ming everything on Egan and Humphrey, but I¡¯m sure it was involved in some way,¡± Maria said.

    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± Jin-Hyeok did not seem to consider that a big deal.

    ¡°You might want to be cautious,¡± Maria said.

    ¡°Are you worried about me now?¡±

    ¡°N-No, not particrly...!¡±

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Sword King days, he had fought against various skilled yers to survive. They had employed intricate and meticulous tactics against him, using traps and decoys to target him.

    <i>¡®The United States government is nothingpared to them. At most, they will send Assassins as a warning. Just like this.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok pulled a small dagger from his pocket and threw it toward the ceiling.

    <i>¡°Keuk!¡±</i>

    With a short scream, an Assassin from the Avengers Army, ck Butterfly, fell to the ground. The fallen Assassin grumbled in a voice that sounded like she was dying. ¡°You almost hit my heart.¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t even dodge that, can you really call yourself an Assassin?¡± Jin-Hyeok removed the dagger lodged in ck Butterfly¡¯s chest. ¡°I told you not to attempt anything while I¡¯m in the Korean Region. Do you think you can hurt me?¡±

    ¡°...I didn¡¯t attempt anything.¡±

    ck Butterfly sounded a little wronged. She had not intended to attack; she had just been observing Jin-Hyeok.

    For a moment, Jin-Hyeok seemed flustered, but he shamelessly retorted, ¡°Getting caught is the same as attempting.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®What kind of twisted logic is that?¡¯ </i>ck Butterfly wanted to argue but decided against it, seeing no benefit in that.

    ¡°If you think it¡¯s unfair, just don¡¯t get caught next time,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°This is your sixth Assassination attempt. You have one chance left. You got it?¡±

    ¡°...Fine.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok carelessly picked up ck Butterfly and threw her out of the window. They were only on the sixth floor, so she would be fine.

    ¡°Now, where were we?¡±

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Aaaaahhh!!¡± Egan tore at his hair, letting out a wail. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!!!¡±

    It felt like everything was falling apart because of Chul-Soo. Countless people were mocking and ridiculing Egan¡¯s staged livestream. Moreover, the United States government had shifted all the me onto him and Humphrey. Egan was at his wits¡¯ end. He had no choice but to forcibly insert the text [This video has been staged with prior agreement] into his past video.

    ~

    -Lol, scripted.

    -Scripted, what a loser!

    -Toote for a disimer, LOL.

    -Get this loser out of here!

    ~

    Egan developed a temporary social phobia. It was the greatest hardship of his livestreaming career. For days, he remained cooped up in his room, avoiding all human contact.

    Then, one day, Humphrey paid him a visit. ¡°Egan, I have a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Good idea?¡±

    ¡°Remember how the MK Foundation dispatched Farmers to Scanorbia, led by Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°...So?¡±

    ¡°What if they were found dead overnight? We could send Chul-Soo into the abyss. It would backfire on him for recklessly pushing this endeavor for his own glory.¡±

    ¡°Wait... That¡¯s a bit...¡± As much as he despised Chul-Soo, Egan knew where to draw the line. He had no intention of pushing innocent people to death.

    ¡°Just imagine, without Chul-Soo, you could be the most outstanding Streamer on the Earth Server!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Humphrey pulled a pocket watch from his coat and swung it back and forth.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I am going to calm your anxious mind.¡± As if he were casting a spell, Humphrey whispered, ¡°All you need is for Chul-Soo to be gone. Then you will be the most outstanding Streamer on Earth.¡±

    ¡°The most... outstanding... Streamer...¡± Egan¡¯s eyes began to lose focus.

    ¡°Just like on Earth, extremist armed forces also exist in the Scanorbia Server. Using them would make things much easier. If you send me, I will contact them,¡± Humphrey said.

    ¡°Without... Kim Chul-Soo...¡±

    ¡°Yes, without Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Egan¡¯s eyes were dyed ck.

    ¡°To do so, we need to create an event that will divert Chul-Soo¡¯s attention. A sort of decoy operation.¡±

    ¡°...Decoy... operation...¡±

    ¡°The world is currently showering the Farmers with special Skills with expectations and praise.¡±

    ¡°...Uh...Ah...¡± Egan¡¯s body slumped. Laid bare to Humphrey¡¯s psychic attack, he was almost as good as half-dead.

    ¡°But we also have exceptional Lumberjack-ss yers in our ranks. They are also armed with special abilities. I know an outstanding Lumberjack. He is from my hometown, and his Level is staggering 200.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s use him to cut down Seoul¡¯s Golden Guardian Tree. If we seed, it will make headline news, and if we fail, we would still have diverted Chul-Soo¡¯s attention. Either way, it¡¯s a win for us.¡±

    ¡°...Uh... Uh....¡± Egan twisted his body as if he was resisting, shaking his head from side to side.

    However, Humphrey swayed his pocket watch back and forth, whispering, ¡°If only Kim Chul-Soo were not around, you would be the top Streamer.¡±

    ¡°...Uh...!¡±

    ¡°All you have to do is sign off on the operation n. I will take care of the rest.¡± Humphrey extended a piece of paper. Then, he lifted Egan¡¯s thumb and stamped the paper with it.

    Humphrey took the stamped paper, turned his back, and walked away with a sinister smile.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Sooo... I will never forgive you.`</i>

    Chul-Soo was his sworn enemy. Chul-Soo had killed Humphrey¡¯s only friend, Jonprich, and ruined the experiments and ns they had been working on. Humphrey had no intention of forgiving Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I will make you feel that you would rather be dead.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 159

    <h4>Chapter 159</h4>

    Havingpleted the brainwashing, Humphrey Millen exited Egan Paul¡¯s office and headed for a meeting room arranged in a secret bunker.

    <i>¡®Good, no one is tailing me,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Navigating through the maze-like hallways and passing several magical barriers, he arrived at the meeting room. In the center of the roomy arge crystal orb. When Humphrey touched it, he received a series of notifications.

    <strong>[Agent ¡¸Humphrey Millen¡¯s¡¹ identity has been verified.]</strong>

    <strong>[Network ¡¸ck¡¹ is now active.]</strong>

    Humphrey was an agent of ck, an Alliance active across the universe. Hailing from the Seef Server, he had joined the ck Alliance more than a decade ago and took on various field missions. His Level was in the mid-150s, and he specialized in secretive tasks such as infiltrating newly connected Servers to acquire Hidden Items.

    Holograms flickered into existence, revealing a few humanly shadowy figures.

    -¡°Is Jonprich confirmed dead?¡±

    -¡°I guess our mission to tame the Spirit King¡¯s daughter is scrapped then.¡±

    This mission on the Earth Server had been thergest and most crucial one that Humphrey had ever undertaken. Even for a yer in the Level 150s, the project was enormous. Moreover, this mission had be avable only due to protocols protecting the new Earth Server, which he and Jonprich were assigned to.

    -¡°Well, I never had high expectations to begin with.¡±

    -¡°I saw thising.¡±

    The mission involved meddling with the Spirit King and the Spirit Realm. It was a heavy burden for just two Level 150 yers; even the higher-ups at the ck Alliance did not have much hope.

    -¡°So you''re telling me that you want to take down the Golden Guardian Tree? And you are asking for military support to provide a distraction?

    -¡°What¡¯s the meaning of that?¡±

    -¡°You are not nning to use the organization for petty revenge, are you?¡±

    Visibly startled, Humphrey dismissively waved. ¡°How can I dare make suggestions based on such disrespectful intentions? I live for the ck Alliance, and I will die for this organization.¡±

    Humphrey paused before continuing, ¡°The Golden Guardian Tree on the Earth Server has yet to fully take root. It has only just sprouted. Moreover, it is weakened at the moment due to several forced adjustments. We have ample opportunity to take it out and nt it somewhere else.¡±

    ? ? ?

    A man wielding a pair of enormous axes on his back strolled through downtown New York. The axes wererge enough to draw attention, but on a where yers had bemonce, the sight was not entirely foreign.

    He took off his sunsses in a coffee shop. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Humphrey.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°I thought you never wanted to see me again.¡±

    ¡°I do not like you. That hasn¡¯t changed. But your skills are admirable.¡±

    Named Rumbol, this man was a Lumberjack-ss yer with a Level in the 190s.

    ¡°Coming into this Server was a pain in the ass, so you better make it worth my while.¡±

    Due to the new Server protection protocol, movements of high-Level yers to a fairly new Server, like the Earth Server, were considerably restricted. The only Server officially connected to the Earth Server was Scanorbia, and breaking into the Earth Server in a shady way required significant resources.

    ¡°Here. This is the key to a five-star hotel. You will get the beautiful night view that you wanted.¡±

    ¡°And the escorts?¡±

    ¡°I am going to send one Incubus and two Subi.¡±

    ¡°Good. Are they all blonde? Like I asked?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Seemingly satisfied, Rumbol chuckled before inquiring about the mission. ¡°Is the intel solid?¡±

    ¡°Very. The Guardian Tree has just evolved. We can discuss the details at the hotel.¡±

    Upon arriving at the hotel, Humphrey spread out a map. ¡°This is the area covered by the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± Rumbol was shocked by the scale of the area. ¡°That¡¯s over five hundred square kilometers!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s actually over six hundred. It¡¯s toorge of an area for this Level of a Guardian Tree to cover.¡±

    ¡°Never excepted a metropolis of this scale on a Server where the average Level is around 70.¡± Rumbol grabbed a can of beer from the hotel mini-fridge and said with gleaming eyes, ¡°It would be hard for a Guardian Tree to settle its roots covering a city of this scale.¡±

    He continued, ¡°I think I can chop that tree down. Who is the nter?¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo? I¡¯ve heard that name before.¡±

    ¡°He is an up-anding Streamer.¡±

    ¡°A Streamer is the nter? This should be easy then. I can just kill him first.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate him. He is stronger than he looks.¡±

    ¡°How strong can a Streamer be? In the end, he is just a Streamer,¡± Rumbol said with augh. ¡°What, you need an army just to cut down a Golden Guardian Tree grown by some Streamer? And you even need a decoy for it? You¡¯ve gotten too scared after Jonprich died.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be cocky. It¡¯s been approved by the higher-ups.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. A Streamer who is also a nter... What a world we live in, haha!¡±

    The n was that mid-Level yers dispatched from the ck Alliance would attack Seoul from three directions. In the ensuing chaos, Rumbol would cut down the Guardian Tree. Then some Scanorbian warriors would massacre the Earth yers working in Scanorbia.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I get to chop down a Golden Guardian Tree myself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Chul-Soo. He took down Jonprich.¡±

    ¡°Jonprich was weak. He was born a loser who couldn¡¯t do anything but leech off of other people.¡±

    Humphrey clenched his fist, and Rumbol justughed.

    ¡°What, are you going to hit me now? Try it, and I will cut you in half.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Though Lumberjacks were ssified as nonbatant-ss yers, they were the closest tobatant-ss yers among them.

    ¡°The higher-ups want a more secure operation. They are going to pair you up with a Scenarist,¡± Humphrey said. ¡°A Scenarist? Why?¡± Rumbol scowled as if he did not like where this n was going. ¡°Sending a Scenarist for a newbie Server with an average Level of 70 is just absurd.¡±

    With Scenarios active, Rumbol¡¯s stats would skyrocket. After all, he was a Scenario Lumberjack, a yer whose abilities were maximized when participating in a Scenario.

    ¡°It¡¯s a decision from the higher-ups,¡± Humphrey said.

    ¡°Fine by me. It¡¯ll only make me stronger anyway.¡±

    Scenarists were yers with special abilities. They were rated as the weakest in terms ofbat power among all yers and were notorious for dying young due to the stress of their roles. However, they had the authority to forcibly activate Quests and Scenarios with specific narratives. Some exceptional Scenarists were even directly scouted by the System to serve as GMs.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to activate a Scenario. The name of the Scenario is going to be the Fall of Yeonhui-dong. Surprisingly, the System approved it quicker than I thought,¡± Humphrey said.

    ???

    At midnight, Kihael showed up at Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s door and said, ¡°A Scenario is about to be activated. It is an unnned one.¡±

    ¡°You think wearing your hat low like that will keep you from being recognized?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t monitor low-level GMs like me, anyway.¡±

    ¡°For a low-level GM, you seem to possess a lot of information.¡±

    Kihael bit his lip tightly. ¡°That¡¯s because I get dumped with all the work! Serchan, that son of a bitch, offloads so much work onto me. It¡¯s unbearable!¡±

    For Kihael, who valued work-life bnce, it was a nightmare. ¡°This is all because that bastard is my senior.¡±

    ¡°If you hate it so much, why not just frag[1] him?¡±

    ¡°Have you seen his muscles?¡± Kihael shook his head, trembling. The mere thought of the overly passionate Serchan had sent chills down his spine.

    ¡°Those muscles are just for show,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...He benches 400 kilograms.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t fight, though.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s your standard,¡± Kihael muttered, clearly dissatisfied. His mood had evidently worsened, probably due to workce stress. He kept mumbling curses about what kind of Streamer Jin-Hyeok supposedly was.

    ¡°Anyway. When a Scenario is suddenly assigned like this, it is usually because a Scenarist is involved,¡± Kihael exined.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    <i>¡®A Scenarist is involved already?¡¯</i>

    They were rtively rare to begin with. Moreover, they were usually part of the System¡¯s administrative staff.

    ¡°It got emergency approval. The System probably intends to add a sense of crisis to the Earth Server.¡±

    Having Kihael as a spy turned out to be a good decision. He could provide various pieces of information about what was going on with the System.

    ¡°You know if I get caught, I will be fired without a severance, right?¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±

    It seemed like Kihael still did not trust Jin-Hyeok much.

    ¡°If something goes wrong, I will get you a job at the MK Foundation. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    At the mention of the MK Foundation, Kihael¡¯s face lit up. It made Jin-Hyeok realize just how much the reputation of the MK Foundation had skyrocketed recently.

    ? ? ?

    The development of the Scenario was abrupt, to say the least.

    <strong>[The Sudden Scenario ¡¸Fall of Yeonhui-dong¡¹ hasmenced.]</strong>

    Armies of thousands of yers emerged from three different directions¡ªGimpo-si to the southwest, Nowon-gu to the northeast, and Gangnam-gu to the southeast. They were all yers from other Servers.

    -¡°So these wretches dare show their faces and invade thend I guard? I will show them what true terror is,¡± the Guardian Tree dered with bravado. However, its confidence did notst long.

    -¡°A few yers in their ranks can be quite problematic for me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok estimated that these yers included those in the Lumberjack ss, who were a natural counter to the Guardian Tree. They seemed to have done their homework on Seoul.

    <i>¡®How did they mobilize thousands of yers so quickly?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    Undoubtedly, a significant power was behind all this. Jin-Hyeok pondered the possible suspects, and one name came up as most likely.

    <i>¡®Maybe it has something to do with the ck Alliance.¡¯</i>

    The ck Alliance was a universal Alliance infamous for its atrocities against new Servers. It was considered a viinous Alliance from the Earth Server¡¯s perspective, and Jin-Hyeok had shed with the ck Alliance yers multiple times before his regression.

    With Scenarists being involved in this situation, Jin-Hyeok had to assume a powerful Alliance, like the ck Alliance, had to be involved.

    <i>¡®Has the ck Alliance infiltrated the Earth Server? Is their target the Guardian Tree?¡¯</i>

    The chances of them aiming for the Guardian Tree were high.

    -¡°I must unleash my true power.¡±

    Soon, a notification popped up.

    <strong>[The territory of the ¡¸Golden Guardian Tree¡¹ has shrunk.]</strong>

    Once covering the entire city of Seoul, the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory had shrunk. The news spread globally in real-time.

    -The Downfall of the Safety Zone of Seoul.

    -Even Seoul Cannot Guarantee Safety Anymore.

    The Guardian Tree¡¯s territory had shrunk to a five-kilometer radius. Only a few districts, like Seodamun-gu, Mapo-gu, Eunpyong-gu, Jongno-gu, and parts of Yongsan-gu, remained under the tree¡¯s protection.

    -Continuous Dungeon Breaks, Monsters Emerge!

    -Abyssal Monsters Swarm the Gangnam Area.

    Cities that had once been safe thanks to the Guardian Tree were now enveloped in chaos. Amidst this chaos, yers from other Servers who had initiated the Fall of Yeonhui-dong demanded a path be cleared.

    ¡°Our target is only Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Open a path to Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to spill pointless blood, yers of Earth.¡±

    The sessor to the HARD movement, Erin, proimed, ¡°This is heaven¡¯s judgment upon Kim Chul-Soo. He must pay for leading countless people astray.¡±

    The invading yers began their simultaneous assaults from three directions, converging toward Chul-Soo. All eyes were on him, yet Chul-Soo didn¡¯t react for a long time.

    Erin had to shout, ¡°Where is the overly confident Chul-Soo? He who said growthes through risky y is now hiding. He is nothing but a coward and a hypocrite. We must now abandon the misguided standard that is Chul-Soo and seek true justice!¡±

    A dayter, Chul-Soo, the Steamer with three hundred million subscribers, finally went live.

    [Why did yers from across the universe flee in horror when an ordinary Earth Streamer brought out an SS-tier secret weapon?]

    Jin-Hyeok wrote this trendy title at first but shook his head and went for another.

    [Annihtion]

    <i>¡®Simplicity is best after all.¡¯ </i>He preferred it this way.

    ¡°Hello, everyone. This is Kim Chul-Soo.¡± He began with some rather iprehensible words. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I greeted you with some Solo Mode content.¡±

    1. Frag or fragging is military ng for when a soldier kills a superior officer. ?

 Chapter 160

    <h4>Chapter 160</h4>

    A while ago, Erin, the sessor of the HARD movement, had a ndestine meeting with her benefactor, who secretly supported and assisted the cause. Though the man wore the Deceiver¡¯s Mask that concealed his true identity, Erin knew who he was.

    <i>¡®He is a person of utmost integrity and righteousness.¡¯ </i>

    This benefactor was none other than Humphrey Millen, a gracious individual who had realized the righteousness of the HARD movement early on and generously supported it.

    Erin and Humphrey engaged in a heartfelt conversation.

    ¡°For a long time, only Seoul has enjoyed a peace that others could not,¡± Humphrey said. ¡°This has caused significant chaos and inflicted greater damage on other cities. I me this forced peace on Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡± Erin nodded.

    Humphrey prodded Erin a bit further. ¡°Erin, I understand how pure and beautiful your spirit is.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for seeing me that way.¡±

    ¡°Would you go to Korea to further spread the righteousness of the HARD movement and prove that Chul-Soo is wrong? I will cover your expenses.¡±

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s what I have been hoping for!¡±

    Thus, Erin boarded a ne to Korea. Once in her seat, she sped her hands and prayed.

    <i>¡®Seoul must be suffering great damage,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    It would be the best situation for Erin if some children lost their parents in the ensuing crisis. That would be a perfect illustration to show the world just how meaningless Chul-Soo¡¯s faux peace was. Erin pulled up a map of Seoul on her phone and studied it intently.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see... the greatest damage will likely ur here... Nowon-gu...?¡¯</i>

    She prayed, <i>¡®I hope many children lose their parents.¡¯</i>

    Only then could she teach people what was right and just.

    Upon arriving at the airport, Erin headed straight to Nowon-gu.

    ? ? ?

    Kihael was monitoring the invaders in Gimpo-si.

    Serchan let out a heartyugh and patted him on the back. ¡°Kihael, you have grown enough to even monitor areas outside our jurisdiction now.¡±

    ¡°...Well, this is a Scenario where even a Scenarist is involved...¡±

    ¡°With that much passion, I think I can give you more work now. I¡¯m d you¡¯re growing.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Kihael felt the urge to punch Serchan in the face but had to restrain himself due to the imposing muscles of the man.

    However, it seemed that even Serchan was quite interested in this matter. ¡°What¡¯s the current situation?¡±

    ¡°A battle erupted on the Olympic Highway, which connects Gimpo-si to Seoul. But the Earth yers are holding up much better than expected.¡±

    ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t the Invaders¡¯ Levels higher than them?¡±

    ¡°Yes. On average, about 15 Levels higher. Although some might be keeping their personal information private and manipting their Levels, there¡¯s no doubt that in terms of raw power, the invaders have the upper hand.¡±

    ¡°And yet the Earth yers are holding up? How?¡±

    ¡°I suspect... it¡¯s Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s influence.¡±

    The Korean Region was the one most affected by Kim Chul-Soo. yers native to the Korean Region seemed to be adopting his style of y more and more.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that there are no Level Grinders? But that wouldn¡¯t be enough, right? There isn¡¯t a central alliance in the Korean Region yet,¡± Serchan said.

    ¡°Officially, there isn¡¯t any, but there is the K-Force.¡±

    ¡°The K-Force? What¡¯s that?¡±

    Kihael sighed deeply. It was unfathomable that someone so obsessed with work would not know about the K-Force. ¡°How can you, as a GM in Seoul, not know about the K-Force?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You need to do some studying, Serchan.¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. Please tell me more about this K-Force.¡±

    ¡°Do you know about Chul-Soo¡¯s original party and its members?¡±

    ¡°I don''t watch a lot of livestreams, so I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Well, Loser, Babyshark, Unnie Shadow, Dongsaeng Shadow, ming Fist, and some more are the original members of Chul-Soo¡¯s party. They are the central axis of the current Korean Region. Korea actually has some other Alliances that don¡¯t like them, but....¡±

    Kihael tilted his head in confusion. This was something even he found a bit puzzling. ¡°But strangely enough, when fighting against invaders, all of them, even those belonging to the Alliances that hate Chul-Soo¡¯s original party members, unite as if they are part of one team. Just a few days ago, they were at each other¡¯s throats.¡±

    Yet, when facing the invaders, they were suddenly tightly knit. Disying unparalleled teamwork, they repelled the invaders. This was a phenomenon difficult to find in other Servers.

    ¡°The Earth yers are not backing down even when they are up against stronger opponents with higher Levels. Moreover, the Healer Alliance led by Babyshark, also known as the Saint of Freedom, is disying extraordinary power. If we don¡¯t do something about this Healer Alliance,pleting the Fall of Yeonhui-dong Scenario will be difficult.¡±

    Meanwhile, Encyclopedia was analyzing this event in depth.

    <strong>[This seems less like a characteristic of the Earth Server and more like a unique feature of the Korean Region. It¡¯s fascinating that they tear each other apart on normal days, but show such strong unity in the face of external threats.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia]</strong>

    Once again, the Korean Region, just a small Region in a new Server, began drawing attention.

    ? ? ?

    Gimpo-si was well covered by other yers, and Yongsan-gu was protected by the Golden Guardian Tree. The problem was the northeastern part of Seoul, Nowon-gu.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, so I am a bit nervous, Master.¡±

    ¡°No need to be nervous. Today¡¯s content is going to be just myself,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He had learned much from Egan Paul.

    <i>¡®That guy coborated with not just Humphrey Millen but even the American government to run a staged livestream.¡¯</i>

    The staged livestream had enthralled many people. Even after the livestream had been exposed as fake, Egan still had an overflowing number of loyal followers. His subscriber and real-time viewer counts had increased even more after the staged livestream.

    -Isn¡¯t a bit of performance mandatory for Streamers?

    -It says right at the beginning of the video that it¡¯s staged, so what¡¯s the big deal?

    Over time, more and more people took Egan¡¯s side.

    -We should protect our lovely Egan!

    -Will you guys take responsibility if he stops livestreaming because of haters like you?

    Egan¡¯s followers were protecting him with unconditional love. Jin-Hyeok took great inspiration from this. He learned things like livestreaming with a bit of exaggeration and deception, such as telling his viewers that he was going solo even though he was not nning to.

    <i>¡®Going solo that isn¡¯t quite soloing. This is how I¡¯m going to be from now on.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had brought Nemesis Artillery Shin Yu-Ri along with him. Before his regression, she had once been the strongest viin in Korean history. Now, she was a yer affiliated with the MK Foundation. She had been affiliated with the National Intelligence Service a while ago, but had changed her allegiance to stay by Maria¡¯s side.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s quite reassuring to have her on my side now, considering how troublesome she was as an enemy. It¡¯s also good for my Eltube content.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok continued his livestream with a serious expression and tone. He invoked the activation phrase of the Mythic-Grade Card, ¡°To Stand at the Summit of that Path.¡±

    He added another sentence just to sound cool. ¡°Those who fall and crumble, unable to reach the summit, will sing a song of despair as they face the unreachable summit.¡±

    The first sentence was the real activation phrase, and the second was just something he had made up for the livestream, but it didn¡¯t really matter.

    <i>¡®As long as it sounds cool.¡¯</i>

    Then, he spoke with fitting ir. ¡°Grant me great power to my right hand once more!¡±

    <i>¡®Nice. That sounded cool, too.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok materialized mes wrapped around his right hand. The mes boasted no lethality but were impressive, nheless. As they flickered, a mechanical object manifested around his right hand with smooth mechanical sounds.

    He calmly continued the livestream. ¡°Do you guys think those who invaded Seoul were desperate?¡±

    Had they been desperate, they would not have charged in so recklessly.

    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder, why do people live so thoughtlessly?¡±

    His viewers on KimKnowItAllTV cheered.

    -LOL! Live so thoughtlessly? Is he talking about himself?

    -Says the guy who always lives without a n.

    -???: The one who lives the most recklessly but acts like he doesn¡¯t.

    Although it was a controversial statement, many empathized with it andughed. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words transcended into both a joke and a charm point, a quality of his character, IntenseMan.

    ¡°If it were me, I would have studied my opponent more intensely, tirelessly searching for their weaknesses. I would have devised every method possible for maximum efficiency. If I found no weaknesses, I would not have recklessly charged in.¡±

    -Kim Chul-Soo (2X years old.)/IntenseMan: Doesn¡¯t run away even when the angry Spirit King appears.

    -Kim Chul-Soo (2X years old)/IntenseMan: Tries to fight the Thunder Dragon. (Almost died)

    -LOL, isn¡¯t he the most reckless one in the world? Why is he pretending he¡¯s not?

    -Didn¡¯t he eat the Phoenix Heart in one bite? Haha. What a guy!

    -He¡¯s so hypocritical.

    Jin-Hyeok, who wasn¡¯t aware of his own recklessness, was deadly serious. ¡°If they had previewed our videos on the battle against the Queen Ant, they would not have done something like this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was sincere. He had seen many simr yers during his Swords King days¡ªthose who boasted of their effort butcked understanding of Dungeons or monsters. They were like moths to a me, not conducting any research on their opponents.

    <i>¡®They im to have diligently researched me.¡¯</i>

    But from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, they had not. Theycked desperation.

    <i>¡®If they were really desperate, they could have killed me and stolen all my abilities.¡¯</i>

    Among the forces and Assassins targeting Jin-Hyeok, some yers were stronger than him. However, they had all failed. He thought it was because they were not desperate enough.

    ¡°I have grown a lot. My Level has increased, too. I have be desperate and intensely strong. But it seems they have not. Those who are not intense cannot ovee those who are.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Hiding in a building, Erin recorded a voice message as she observed the situation. ¡°Judging the desperation of others so carelessly, such arrogance is unbearable! We are all desperate in our lives, doing our best to live. Yet Chul-Soo judges the world by his standards and belittles our desperation! This is why we must continue the HARD movement.¡±

    In Erin¡¯s eyes, Chul-Soo was unbearably arrogant. She wondered how he could measure and cut down other people¡¯s desperation by his standards. Just because they were not doing something his way, it did not mean that they were not desperate.

    However, it was a valid point from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective.

    <i>¡®You¡¯ve seen my previous videos, haven¡¯t you?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    If it were him, he would not have made the foolish move of using a Scenarist.

    <i>¡®The duplicating ability on my Mythic-Grade Card bes possible only during ys that involve city-level Scenarios.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not publicly disclosed this information. He always disclosed only seventy percent of any information about himself.

    <i>¡®If it were Han Sae-Rin, she would have considered every single possibility and acted ordingly.¡¯</i>

    Even though Jin-Hyeok had not revealed the fact that his Mythic-Grade Card abilities shone the most when a Scenario was in y, anyone truly desperate would have taken that into ount. That was his standard.

    <i>¡®In any case, I should keep that a secret.¡¯</i>

    For now, disclosing that information was not necessary.

    Jin-Hyeok continued with the livestream. ¡°A mighty force is stirring in my right hand.¡±

    The sensation he felt right now was very different from the one he had felt when he had used the duplicating ability at Level 92. Mana began to fill Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand.

    <i>¡®My enemies are about 15 Levels higher than me.¡¯</i>

    However, that did not matter to him. Thanks to his Mythic-Grade Card, he had already received a 20-Level boost, and this was the territory of the Golden Guardian Tree.

    A cannon began to take shape in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand, its mechanical parts locking together with nking noises. This astonished many viewers, who likened it to the transformation of a Transformer. Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased with his performance.

    <i>¡®I can control mana better and more easily now.¡¯</i>

    The cannon forming in his right hand grewrger. The Artillery of Nemesis quickly advanced to the Tier-2 phase.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Just when it seemed the mechanical cannon would spread from his right arm to the rest of his body, it transformed into a spherical shape and burst out of him. The cannon had separated¡ªa phenomenon Jin-Hyeok was witnessing for the first time.

    <i>¡®I have no idea what¡¯s going on, but...¡¯</i>

    He spoke anyway, pretending to know what was happening. ¡°Scatter, Iron Powder.¡±

    The cannon soon disintegrated into fine particles, swirling around like petals floating in the spring breeze. The particles filled the area around him, disying a dazzling effect.

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery and the chat window for KimKnowItAllTV were both abuzz.

    -Does anyone know what is going on?

    -Looks like heavy metal poisoning, LOL.

    Even the famous Encyclopedia was silent.

    -At least, it looks insanely cool. He looks like a robot that¡¯s transforming.

    -IntenseMan! He knows exactly what his male audience wants!

    -Let¡¯s not get carried away. That just looks like iron powder, not <i>Iron Powder.</i>

    -Shush, ept the cool lines Chul-Soo said with passion, you fools!

    Moreover, NoOverpackagingPlz had not appeared in chat this time.

    -Seems like even NoOverpackagingPlz is not picking a fight this time, LOL!

    -If NoOverpackagingPlz is truly a man, he shouldn¡¯t nitpick about that swirling Iron Power. Haha!

    -Even NoOverpackagingPlz must have been overwhelmed by the majestic scene.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok, who had put on a spectacr disy for the Chul-Soo Verse, focused on his transformation.

    <i>¡®I think this is the Tier-3 phase, but...¡¯</i>

    The cannon had revealed a formpletely different from the one that had appeared during his battle with the Queen Ant or even the Tier-3 form Yu-Ri used during her viin days.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never seen this before...!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok almost drooled unconsciously.

    <i>¡®It looks... so cool!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 161

    <h4>Chapter 161</h4>

    A phenomenon Cha Jin-Hyeok had never seen unfolded before him. The swirling iron particles came together to form a cannon.

    <i>¡®Is the visual effect different from that of the Tier-3 form from before my regression?¡¯</i>

    Streamer Jin-Hyeok was more excited by this cool and curious sight than the fact that the Artillery of Nemesis had automatically evolved to Tier 3.

    <i>¡®It¡¯splete.¡¯</i>

    The ultimate weapon that Shin Yu-Ri had once wielded, a mobile siege weapon called the Babylon Cannon, revealed itself. Jin-Hyeok managed to contain his pounding heart.

    <i>¡®When Yu-Ri used it, her entire body would transform.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered that before his regression, Yu-Ri¡¯s entire body would transform into a massive cannon when she used this Skill. However, this time, a standalone cannon akin to a colossal tank had been formed.

    <i>¡®This is way cooler!¡¯</i>

    His excitement elevated the tension of the livestream. He began to speak faster. ¡°This is the third tier of the cannon I briefly showed you before.¡±

    He received a secret message from Wang Yu-Mi at that moment. She had sent him the old data and videos he had been searching for, organized chronologically and categorically.

    <i>¡®Trust Yu-Mi to get it right.¡¯</i>

    With how neatly everything was organized, it was clear that former NIS member Ahn Ji-Won had joined the team. Just the file names and formats were enough to tell Jin-Hyeok that Ji-Won had a hand in organizing them.

    ¡°The cannon I showed you back then was smaller andcked many features.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s excitement grew higher and higher. ¡°Also, I had difficulty handling the Babylon Cannon at that time, so I had no choice but to use my defensive Mystery.¡±

    The corresponding video was also well organized, so Jin-Hyeok immediately disyed it on the screen. Once the data was up on the screen, links were automatically generated, making it convenient for the viewers to ess them. Jin-Hyeok relished the joy of harmonizing with his team, and his heart throbbed.

    ¡°But this time, it is going to be a bit different.¡± He decided to show the viewers just how much stronger he had be.

    ? ? ?

    Erin sensed something was off.

    <i>¡®There are no corpses.¡¯</i>

    Nowon-gu was far from what she had envisioned. She had thought she would find a city in ruins, children crying over their lost parents. However, the area was surprisingly intact.

    <i>¡®It feels like a ghost town.¡¯</i>

    Everyone seemed to have evacuated in advance. Erin felt as if her understanding of the world had shattered.

    <i>¡®How is this possible?¡¯</i>

    Great Britain had also experienced invasions from another Server. The Scanorbian warriors had wreaked havoc across the British Region, damaging the city and destroying even human dignity.

    <i>¡®The British government did rmend evacuation, but people didn¡¯t listen well.¡¯</i>

    Managing a crowd in a crisis was never easy. Riots would break out, hoardings would take ce, protests would be organized, and demagogues would lead people astray. Society would plunge into chaos.

    <i>¡®But... something is weird about the Korean Region.¡¯</i>

    The absence of people on the streets meant only one thing: everyone had evacuated. There was no other exnation.

    <i>¡®How could this happen?¡¯</i>

    Erin was not well-acquainted with the situation in Korea and Seoul. Nowon-gu was an area rich in apartment buildings and underground parking lots, which served as makeshift bunkers. With additional help from a few Barrier Maniptors dispatched by the NIS, most civilians had already finished evacuating.

    NIS, which had been proactively participating in the y led by Maria, had now shifted its role to providing support. This was because all the top-tier yers affiliated with Maria had transferred to the MK Foundation.

    Interestingly, the NIS preferred and excelled in civilian support rather than direct intervention in y. The agency and its affiliated yers skillfully evacuated civilians, whoplied well, minimizing damage and preventing societal chaos like riots.

    -I hate excessive nationalism. Still, I can¡¯t help but acknowledge this.

    -Wow, this is the epitome of civic consciousness!

    -People abroad are already saying that this quick evacuation is supposed to be nearly impossible. Hats off to the Koreans!

    -In the French Region, we opposed evacuation. We even had a festival...

    -Then the Dungeon Break happened, and everyone died.

    -The K-Force is insane! The Korean Region is the best!

    -Their unity during a crisis is crazy! LOL

    Foreign media focused on Korea¡¯s crisis response capabilities. The unique attributes of the Korean Region in the face of external threats became a subject of study, promising great benefits for other countries as well.

    Yu-Mi of KimKnowItAllTV, who had now gathered a considerable number of team members, had a special request for the newly recruited team leader Ahn Ji-Won. ¡°I like nationalism, but I need you to maintain it so that it does not go overboard. It can cause a bacsh.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I will also let the media know so that people don¡¯t get too over-excited. I will pay special attention to the public opinion.¡±

    ¡°You really read my mind,¡± Yu-Mi replied.

    When she looked at the livestream, even theposed Yu-Mi felt her jaw drop. ¡°Wow... So that¡¯s the Babylon Cannon?¡±

    Chul-Soo fired the Babylon Cannon. The next moment, a massive beam of light melted over half of the invading force, which numbered in the hundreds. The light beam left a giant crater in its wake, as if a tremendouslyrge serpent had destroyed everything in its path.

    Chul-Soomented, ¡°It¡¯s weaker than I thought.¡±

    The cannon was powerful enough, but Jin-Hyeok could not control it to its full extent. ording to him, if he could not utilize his strength properly, then he was weak.

    -LOL. Well, this is considered weak if we¡¯re talking about the Chul-Soo Verse.

    -Very weak. (Half of them are dead.)

    -LOL, see how serious IntenseMan looks! So funny!

    Jin-Hyeok felt both disappointment and awe toward his ability. He was disappointed that he could not fully harness the Skill, yet amazed by his growth.

    <i>¡®It won¡¯t be long before I can use this power effectively.¡¯</i>

    He felt he could soon exhibit Artillery Skills almostparable to that of Yu-Ri, who had once been the Empress of Viins. Moreover, he was now stronger than when he had faced the Queen Ant, and this brought him great joy.

    ¡°I have realized that using this Skill against a small number of enemies is not very efficient.¡±

    Experience was always the best teacher. Thinking about something and doing it were two entirely different realms.

    -A couple of hundred enemies is a small number by IntenseMan¡¯s standards. Haha!

    -To IntenseMan, one-on-one or one-on-a-hundred feels the same. LMAO.

    -It¡¯s because he is always intense!?

    People who had yet to fully adapt to this new age expressed concern.

    -Invasion or not, yers still died. Is it really okay tough about this on air?

    -I think this is crossing the line. This is not some sort of action movie. This is real life!

    In the meantime, Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°I think it¡¯s time to use my defensive Mystery.¡±

    He employed the same method as before, fusing the Babylon Cannon with the Phantom Swordswoman. The translucent, ghost-like figure of the Phantom Swordswoman materialized with long, flowing golden hair and pallid skin. Six torn white wings spread out behind her.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I have seen the materialized Phantom Swordswoman. Tears of blood are still streaming from her eyes.¡±

    On the Korean Region Minor Gallery, people were so captivated by the angelic or perhaps fallen-angel-like appearance of the Phantom Swordswoman that they even created fan ounts to celebrate her.

    Jin-Hyeok silently counted to three before speaking; as he remembered the lines said by the Phantom Swordswoman previously, he was able to say them exactly at the same time.

    ¡°Grasp the de of vengeance in your hands.¡±

    ¡°Grasp the de of vengeance in your hands.¡±

    Speaking alongside the Phantom Swordswoman made for a cool scene for his livestream.

    ¡°The fools shall meet their death.¡±

    ¡°The fools shall meet their death.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman asked, ¡°Who is the target of annihtion, my Master?¡±

    At the same time, heroic music yed in the background. Jin-Hyeok had regretted not having background music for this moment thest time.

    <i>¡®I seeded in adding background music this time.¡¯</i>

    He could feel that he had grown since then, thanks to Ji-Won¡¯s list of potentially helpful BGM files.

    <i>¡®I need to say something cooler than before to move the audience.¡¯</i>

    Being merely strong was not enough; he had to be creative too. ¡°I shall teach these fools who dare encroach upon my domain.¡±

    He also received an apt suggestion from Yu-Mi.

    [Using words like protect or defend would be effective. >_<]

    Jin-Hyeok agreed with her. The Phantom Swordswoman was a defensive Mystery, after all. It was wise for Jin-Hyeok to give orders that fit her role. ¡°Let them understand the true meaning of protection.¡±

    The defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman took to the sky. Fused with the Babylon Cannon, she disyed her divine powers, ying the remaining invaders without a trace.

    <i>¡®Keuk.¡¯</i>

    Activating the Phantom Swordswoman for such an extended period had taken a toll on Jin-Hyeok. Unintentionally, he coughed up blood.

    <i>¡®When did I overexert myself this much?¡¯</i>

    He was used to pushing himself to the limits, so even a slight overexertion led to side effects like this.

    rmed, Yu-Ri quickly supported him. ¡°A-Are you okay, Master?¡±

    ¡°One who wishes to protect must bear the weight of that responsibility.¡±

    ¡°B-But you have pushed yourself too hard.¡±

    ¡°Protectiones at a great cost.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pondered his next actions for a moment.

    <i>¡®Should I faint right now, or not?¡¯</i>

    Truthfully, he was not at the point of fainting, so faking it would be like putting on an act.

    <i>¡®Egan Paul can put on a good fake show, but so can I.¡¯</i>

    However, as a Streamer, hisst shred of pride rejected the idea of faking it. Cheating was not an option.

    <i>¡®Ah! Holding my breath should do it. I just need to let myself faint.¡¯</i>

    He held his breath forcefully, and ultimately, he did faint. His heroic image was captured on video. Moreover, despite him losing consciousness, his livestream continued uninterrupted.

    After a little while, a voice reached Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ears.

    -¡°Master, someone was unable to evacuate. I was too busy to protect them.¡±

    A death had urred in Nowon-gu. It was presumed they had died, swept away by the fearsome force of the Babylon Cannon. The victim was an unidentified British woman who had ignored the evacuation order and hidden in a building.

    -¡°Master, this could be somewhat dangerous.¡±

    The Guardian Tree spoke hurriedly.

    -¡°A madman wielding dual axes had appeared! This smells really dangerous!¡±

    In his urgency, he even forgot to use his antiquated tone and yelled.

    -¡°W-Who the hell is that guy?! He is trying to cut me down!¡±

    Just when the forces in Korea, including Jin-Hyeok, were spread thin, the Scenario Lumberjack named Rumbol arrived in Yeonhui-dong, apanied by Egan Paul, the top-ranked Streamer from the United States.

 Chapter 162

    <h4>Chapter 162</h4>

    Egan Paul¡¯s vision was blurry. He felt as though he were adrift alone in a vast ocean, enshrouded in thick fog. The dark sea,den with mist, whispered to him.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo needs to be gone.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®With Chul-Soo gone, you will be number one.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Only if Chul-Soo is gone.¡¯</i>

    The yearning for first ce was the driving force behind Egan Paul at that moment. He turned on his livestream and wrote a title, almost instinctively.

    [Let¡¯s start the relocation of the Golden Guardian Tree.]

    Numerous viewers logged on to Egan¡¯s livestream.

    -Did he just say he is going to relocate the Guardian Tree?

    -Wait a minute, that¡¯s our Server¡¯s Named Lumberjack!

    -A Named Lumberjack? Is that even real?

    -Of course. You just don¡¯t know. Every Job has its master.

    -How Named is he?

    -He¡¯s not a top-tier Named yer, more like a rookie, but if he actually seeds in felling the Guardian Tree, he will definitely rise to fame.

    Some viewers recognized the visage of Rumbol, the Scenario Lumberjack.

    -Wow, this livestream is going to be legendary!

    -Right now, the Guardian Tree has focused all its energy on the southeast part of Seoul. It must be weakened.

    -What a brilliant strategy. The invasion of the other areas was just a decoy.

    Egan exined the current situation with considerableposure. He dered his intent to move this treasure, monopolized by Korea and Chul-Soo, to the great United States.

    ¡°I promise to research it further so that more people can enjoy freedom and peace.¡±

    The viewers of his livestream were enthralled. Yet, Egan was not as thrilled. He still felt as though he were drifting in that foggy ocean.

    <i>¡®I just want to create stimting and excellent content for my viewers.¡¯</i>

    He knew saying these things would excite the viewers, but this was not a narrative he had genuinely constructed. A realization dawned on him that someone was intervening with his consciousness, controlling him.

    <i>¡®The Guardian Tree has protected Seoul well all this time.¡¯</i>

    Thanks to the tree, Seoul was considered the safest city in the world, its real estate prices soaring far higher than New York. Seoul was a city where countless people could roam without worry. To cut down that Guardian Tree to relocate it somewhere else was an absurd idea.

    <i>¡®I honestly don¡¯t even know if it is possible.¡¯</i>

    Egan wondered if this was the right thing to do and even contemted how this livestream content could be hical. However, the voices kept echoing in his mind.

    <i>¡®You have to surpass Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®You have to beat Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Do you want to be in second ce forever?¡¯</i>

    Egan knew very well that being anything but first was meaningless. Although the world of livestreaming was not a zero-sum game, it was undoubtedly structured so that the winner took all. He had no desire to be relegated to second ce.

    <i>¡®But this is not right.¡¯</i>

    Hisst staged livestream had hurt no one. It was a deal that had left the United States, him, and the Scanorbian warriors all satisfied. However, this one was different. Nearly ten million citizens would lose their guarantee of safety.

    <i>¡®Stop these pointless thoughts.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Focus on the livestream.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Look, the viewers are excited, aren¡¯t they?¡¯</i>

    Various thoughts and consciousness shed within, unsettling Egan¡¯s mind. His enthusiasm dipped, and the livestream was less smooth than usual. Meanwhile, Rumbol approached the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°Even as I get this close, it can¡¯t stop me. How pitiful,¡± said Rumbol, raising his axe. ¡°Prepare to be cut down. Take it as an honor. My name is Rumbol, the man who will be known as the Lumberjack of the Guardian Tree.¡±

    Just then, lightning bolts began to fall from various points in the sky above Seoul.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    The sky turned a shade of purple, and a kind of massive, never-before-seen cloud formed over Seoul. Meteorologists marveled at the sight.

    ¡°A s-supercell!¡±

    Various media outlets poured out information about the supercell.

    -A supercell is a form of thunderstorm and a type of cumulonimbus cloud that...

    -An exceedinglyrge thunderstorm...

    -Significantlyrger than independent thunderstorms...

    It seemed as if a cmity had descended upon Seoul. A monstrous cloud, reaching heights of ten thousand meters and a width of a hundred thousand meters, seemed to have unleashed hell over Seoul¡¯s airspace with its purple lightning and explosive updrafts.

    -Typically, strong tornadoes ur around a supercell, but no tornado has been observed around this one.

    -There are also no signs of explosive precipitation, which is one of the characteristics of a supercell.

    -This is not a natural phenomenon.

    Kang Mi-Na of MiNaTV shouted, ¡°So, to sum it up, this is what the experts are saying. As you can see, dear viewers, this is astonishing. We have already seen it through Chul-Soo¡¯s previous livestream, but it looks even more incredible in person!¡±

    Nearby, Bong King could not stop talking either. ¡°Guys! Look at that! A massive dragon covered in lightning is ascending from the sky!¡±

    -Ascending means going up, LOL. Why are you calling something that¡¯s descending as ascending?

    -Who cares about the specifics, as long as you get the gist!

    Bong King, focused on interacting with his viewers, deliberately used incorrect words to engage his viewers, while Mi-Na, who was more story-driven, concentrated on the supernatural spectacle orchestrated by the Thunder Dragon.

    ¡°The giant Thunder Dragon has wrapped itself around the Guardian Tree! Like a snake constricting its prey!¡± Mi-Na was captivated by the overwhelming grandeur of the Thunder Dragon. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful...¡±

    She zoomed in on the scene to capture the expression of Rumbol, who seemed to be visibly distressed. He looked to be hastily trying to make a phone call, but the powerful lightning emanating from various points in the sky interfered with the signal.

    ¡°Damn it! No one said anything about this!¡± he shouted.

    Mi-Na zoomed in on Rumbol and maximized the sound to read his every move and word.

    ¡°They said that the Thunder Dragon would not get involved! Damn that Humphrey Millen!¡±

    All of this was being broadcast in real-time through Mi-Na¡¯s channel. It confirmed that Humphrey was behind all of this.

    The Thunder Dragon spoke.

    [¡°I am not getting involved, human. I am merely present here. You are free to do whatever you wish.¡±]

    ? ? ?

    Rumbol bit his lip.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t give up now.¡¯</i>

    The Thunder Dragon had said that it would not directly intervene. So Rumbol drew his double axes.

    <i>¡®This has been the goal of my lifetime.¡¯</i>

    Cutting down a Guardian Tree was an unthinkable feat. Had Earth not been a unique environment, this opportunity might have been beyond his reach forever. This was his one and only chance.

    <i>¡®I am going to cut it down.¡¯</i>

    Rumbol approached the Golden Guardian Tree and took a deep breath.

    <i>¡®Even if the Thunder Dragon wraps itself around the tree like armor, there have to be gaps somewhere.¡¯</i>

    If he could urately exploit those gaps, he could seed in cutting down the Guardian Tree. Rumbol focused his mind, searched for the gaps, and found them.

    <i>¡®Not yet.¡¯</i>

    He needed a bit more time.

    Meanwhile, the Guardian Tree let out a scream.

    -¡°It stings! Please make this Thunder Dragon go away! It feels like I am rubbing against sandpaper!¡±

    The Guardian Tree, back to using a child-like tone, pleaded with Cha Jin-Hyeok. It was unbearably painful.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t help you right now. Just hang a bit longer. I will be there soon,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok said telepathically.

    -¡°And this Thunder Dragon is female, right? I don¡¯t like females! I prefer males!¡¯

    <i>¡®Why are you worrying about gender right now? Do you rather want to be axed?¡¯</i>

    -¡°Whether the Thunder Dragon is here or not, that guy will still cut me down! He is going to hack at me with that monstrous axe! Oh, he¡¯sing! He¡¯sing!¡±

    <i>¡®I know.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was observing the situation through various livestreams¡ªEgan Paul¡¯s channel, Mi-Na¡¯s channel, and Bong King¡¯s channel.

    Rumbol, who was deep in thought, suddenly opened his eyes wide and raised his axes. A violet aura flickered in his eyes, and the des of his axes began to shine.

    -¡°Do something! You¡¯re my nter after all!¡±

    Soon enough, Rumbol swung his axes.

    <i>Whoosh~!</i>

    A powerful shing sound resonated in the air. Mi-Na precisely captured what Rumbol was doing, even briefly applying slow motion to vividly capture the moment.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Rumbol had precisely targeted the gap in the Guardian Tree enveloped by the Thunder Dragon.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The axe strikes continued. The more he swung, the stronger the violet aura in Rumbol¡¯s eyes became, and his confidence soared.

    <i>¡®I can do this,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    As long as his axe swings continued, his weapons would be increasingly powerful. The more he persisted, the more he would evolve into an exceptional Lumberjack.

    <i>¡®I will be recorded as the man who logged a Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    With all his might, he swung his axes once more. At that moment...

    <i>Crack!</i>

    He felt as if something had pierced through him.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    His vision darkened, and then he saw nothing at all.

    <i>¡®What in the hell...?¡¯</i>

    Rumbol could no longer move. He had died on the spot.

    ? ? ?

    The first to muster courage was none other than Bong King.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t fall behind MiNaTV.¡¯</i>

    Today was Mi-Na¡¯s day. On a day when the power of content was overwhelmingly strong, a Streamer who was focused on delivery rather than interaction had the advantage. So, Bong King had to take the plunge. He approached the Thunder Dragon. ¡°What exactly is going on here, Mr. Thunder Dragon?¡±

    [¡°Humans of Earth are fascinating. Are you not afraid of me?¡±]

    ¡°Could you please exin what just happened, Mr. Thunder Dragon?¡± While requesting an interview, Bong King also lightly poked Rumbol. ¡°Hey, are you ok¡ª Ack!¡±

    Bong King also became unable to move. The residual energy remaining in Rumbol had paralyzed him.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t lose consciousness,¡¯ </i>he thought, desperately struggling to remain alert. <i>¡®Chul-Soo keeps livestreaming even if he faints! I can do it too!¡¯</i>

    While he knew he could never be exactly like Chul-Soo, he had already be a Streamer with an incredible following. Yet, he still felt the need to follow in Chul-Soo¡¯s footsteps, however distantly that may be. It was a matter of pride for Korea¡¯s top-ranked Streamer.

    <i>¡®Wait, why did she have toe now?¡¯</i>

    The second-ranked Mi-Na also arrived at the scene. She outdid Bong King and seeded in securing an interview with the Thunder Dragon, asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were not going to directly get involved in the situation?¡±

    [¡°I did not get involved. I merely wrapped myself around the Guardian Tree and took a break.¡±]

    ¡°But the Lumberjack died.¡±

    [¡°It is likely due to his attack being deflected. I did nothing. It seems he died due to the deflection of my mana field while trying to cut down the Guardian Tree.¡±]

    Not long after, Jin-Hyeok arrived at the Guardian Tree.

    ? ? ?

    With Rumbol¡¯s death, the situation seemed to havee to a temporary end.

    While passing by Bong King, Jin-Hyeok whispered, ¡°Well done, Bong King.¡±

    Hearing those words, Bong King immediately closed his eyes. He had fainted while still standing, but a thin smile remained on his face, and his livestream did not disconnect.

    -Did he just faint?

    -He fainted, but the livestream is still going? LOL.

    -I thought only Chul-Soo could do that, but Bong King can too?

    Bong King had met Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards. Jin-Hyeok walked on, brushing past Mi-Na as well. ¡°Mi-Na, you did well too.¡±

    He had carefully watched the livestreams of both Mi-Na and Bong King on the way. They each had their unique style and had creatively showcased the same content. They were like skilled chefs producing different dishes from the same ingredients.

    It was also impressive that neither had let the Thunder Dragon¡¯s overwhelming presence overshadow their content and had managed to secure interviews with her. Their beautifulpetition to outdo each other was quite striking.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Jin-Hyeok stood in front of Egan.

    Many people had assumed that Egan was in the same boat as Rumbol and that Jin-Hyeok would give him a fitting retribution.

    Sensing Rumbol¡¯s demise, Egan too felt he was fated for the same.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to die too,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    The Fall of Yeonhui-dong had ended in failure. A notification indicating the failure of the Scenario arrived, and Egan prepared for his end.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s die with style. At least for this moment, I can be remembered as number one.¡¯</i>

    Even if briefly, Egan wanted to be remembered as a Streamer who had surpassed Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok raised his hand

    <i>p!</i>

    His palm fiercely struck Egan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Hey.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok seemed incredibly angry.

    <i>¡®Of course, he is angry. We tried to cut down the Golden Guardian Tree, the most precious treasure to him.¡¯</i>

    <i>p!</i>

    Another p across the face.

    Jin-Hyeok scoffed as he spoke. ¡°Are you seriously calling yourself a top-ranked Streamer?¡±

    <i>¡®What the hell is he talking about? I don¡¯t think he is angry at what I thought about.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why is your livestream so poor? Is this the best you can do with such content? You call yourself America¡¯s number one? Where is your energy? What exactly are you thinking while livestreaming? Have you lost your mind?¡±

 Chapter 163

    <h4>Chapter 163</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok felt a visceral surge of fury, but he could not pinpoint why it was so. Perhaps deep within him, he recognized Egan Paul as his rival.

    <i>¡®I am disappointed in you, Egan.¡¯</i>

    Egan¡¯s performance was starkly different from that of Bong King and Kang Mi-Na, who had evolved considerably as a Streamer. Egan had no unique Traits or character; he was just passively capturing the view for the livestream.

    ¡°Did you lose your touch?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Is this the performance of America¡¯s top Streamer?¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok took a closer look at Egan, thetter seemed to be affected by, perhaps, a mental attack or brainwashing. It was puzzling why a Streamer would be affected by such an attack as any real Streamer should have Imperial Resilience, but Jin-Hyeok had no idea what Egan was doing.

    <i>¡®How is this guy my rival? How dare he eye my top spot?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok pped Egan again. The strange thing was, with every p, Egan¡¯s eyes became clearer.

    ¡°...Hit me,¡± Egan said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said... hit me again.¡±

    ¡°If you insist.¡± Jin-Hyeok wrapped his arm in mes and repeatedly pped Egan.

    After just a few hits, Egan¡¯s lips burst with blood and his cheeks swelled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you do any physical training?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, it¡¯s so disappointing! How can a Streamer not do any physical training? How does he n on livestreaming in extreme conditions? He isn¡¯t relying solely on his Skills, is he?¡¯</i>

    Unable to hide his disappointment, Jin-Hyeok pped Egan again multiple times. ¡°This is a rather mysterious phenomenon.¡±

    <i>p! p!</i>

    ¡°My ck me Martial Art, or rather, my ck me p Art is purifying Egan¡¯s mind. It seems his mind was poisoned.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok assumed it was the doing of Humphrey Millen. Humphrey was known as a famous Anesthetic and Potion Mage when he was working with Jonprich. An expert in handling poisons, he had probably used toxic herbs on Egan and disguised them as mental attacks.

    <i>¡®How can a top-ranked Streamer fall for something like that?¡¯</i>

    Just the thought of it irritated Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>p! p!</i>

    ¡°My ck me devours the deadliest poisons.¡±

    His me could remove poison. This was new information for Jin-Hyeok as well. He was not just resistant to poison below the Snake King Grade, but he could also remove poison from others.

    ¡°Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡± At some point, Egan seemed to have regained his senses.

    <i>¡®Oh? Not bad. But that¡¯s not gonna stop me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok paused for a bit and pped Egan again. Egan momentarily deactivated Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and reactivated it to block his p. The transition was pretty smooth and quick, which pleased Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Well, at least he did that correctly.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could have fooled Egan and hit him again, but he chose not to. Repeating the same things could make the livestream boring.

    With his senses fully restored, Egan managed to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on me, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Humphrey¡¯s real target is not the Golden Guardian Tree.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Egan had begun to regain his senses the moment Jin-Hyeok had started to p him. When he had somewhat regained his consciousness, he was puzzled.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is not questioning me about trying to kill his Guardian Tree at all.¡¯</i>

    Obviously, Chul-Soo had already figured out who was behind all this.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s why he is healing me with that ck me or whatever.¡¯</i>

    Of course, that had not been the case. Jin-Hyeok had wrapped his right arm in the ck mes only to make the p look cooler. The purifying effect of the me had been activated inadvertently. However, given the situation, it was easy for Egan to misunderstand.

    <i>¡®And just now, he read my Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier perfectly.¡¯</i>

    As the one getting hit, Egan knew this very well. Chul-Soo could have hit him even more.

    <i>¡®But he didn¡¯t.¡¯</i>

    That meant Chul-Soo¡¯s real intent was not to assault him. Chul-Soo was waking him up using his purifying effect, allowing him to escape from the fog-filled abyss.

    <i>¡®He is considerate of me in many ways. Is it because we are yers in the same field? Or because we are rivals?¡¯</i>

    Egan could not figure out why Chul-Soo was being so considerate.

    <i>¡®I tried to cut down his Golden Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    No matter how much Egan had been brainwashed, it was no excuse.

    <i>¡®And yet, he...¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was critiquing the quality of Egan¡¯s livestream while showing apetitive spirit. Egan was moved.

    <i>¡®Joseph was right.¡¯</i>

    Egan finally understood why Joseph had left him to assist Chul-Soo. Today was aplete defeat for him, and Chul-Soo was the grand victor.

    <i>¡®I have no choice but to tell him.¡¯</i>

    It was the least he could do.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on me, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Humphrey¡¯s real target is not the Golden Guardian Tree.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked surprised. Seeing his expression, Egon felt a strange emotion.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s acting? Hm... he doesn¡¯t seem to be particrly good at it.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Then, what is his real target?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say. It¡¯s bound by a contract.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡± Jin-Hyeok lifted his Greatsword of La¡¯kan and pointed it at Egan¡¯s neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m not refusing to tell you. I just can¡¯t. I am bound by the System contract.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, I will kill yourrade, who you care for.¡±

    Egan continually felt something was off. Chul-Soo gave off a strange aura, something he could only sense now that they were face to face.

    ¡°Kill myrade?¡±

    ¡°ck Butterball. I¡¯ve forgiven her six times and was prepared to do so for another. But depending on your answer, I might not.¡±

    Egan finally realized the strangeness.

    <i>¡®This is scripted!¡¯</i>

    The way Chul-Soo talked was unnatural. Chul-Soo was definitely spouting lines he thought sounded cool.

    <i>¡®He is not actually curious about the real target.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Chul-Soo was only thinking about how to make his viewers more engrossed at that particr moment. Cold sweat trickled down Egan¡¯s back.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo already knows that Humphrey¡¯s real goal lies in Scanorbia.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    Pufangculi, one of the great warriors of Scanorbia, gripped his axe. He did not look favorably upon the decisions of the Great Leader Khan.

    <i>¡®How could he offernd to yers from another Server, especially those who are not even warriors?¡¯</i> Pufangculi thought.

    It was an act uneptable for a warrior.

    ¡°Brothers, take up your arms!¡±

    ¡°Whaaaa!¡±

    The warriors following him lifted their weapons high.

    ¡°Show the cowards of Earth what a true warrior is!¡±

    ¡°Whaaa!¡±

    Leading a force of nearly a hundred warriors, Pufangculi headed toward the Central ins, which used to be called the Central Forest of Scanorbia. There, neers from the Earth Server, mere farmers, were tilling the soil.

    ¡°How dare these Earthlings invade our territory, we shall ughter the¡ª¡±

    Just then, a figure appeared in mid-air. It was a dwarf-sized old man with a long white beard, someone Pufangculi knew well.

    ¡°Barman?¡± Pufangculi said.

    ¡°Stop this instant!¡±

    ¡°Why is a GM intervening?¡±

    ¡°He will exin everything.¡±

    A magic circle appeared beside Barman, who used to manage the Central Forest and now oversaw the Central ins, and a man in a suit appeared.

    ¡°I am Omur, GM No.1 of Gangnam-gu, Korean Region, Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°What is a GM from another Server doing here?¡±

    ¡°We have consulted with GMs from the Scanorbia Server to dere the Central ins a temporary demilitarized zone.¡±

    ¡°A demilitarized zone?¡± Pufangculi frowned.

    <i>¡®How can there be a demilitarized zone in and of warriors?¡¯</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s a demilitarized zone?¡± Pufangculi asked.

    ¡°Simply put, it is a zone of peace. Any form of PvP or hostility against yers is prohibited inside it.¡±

    ¡°I have never heard of such a thing in my life! Step aside. I must cleave these Earthlings.¡±

    Barman struck the ground with his staff. Green lines stretched out in all directions, then light began to leak out of them.

    <strong>[The Light of Peace is enveloping the Central ins.]</strong>

    <strong>[This ce has been dered as a ¡¸Demilitarized Zone¡¹ on the System¡¯s authority.]</strong>

    This was happening all because a VIP member of the Trinity Club, Choi Gap-Soo, had visited the Central ins of Scanorbia a while ago.

    ¡°I have to see firsthand whether the MK Foundation¡¯s yer development policies are working,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Gap-Soo strolled around the Central ins, looking pleased as he picked on various issues here and there.

    Unable to contain her curiosity, Lilia eventually asked, ¡°Why do you look so happy when you keep pointing out issues?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°I asked to learn so I can serve you better.¡±

    ¡°Doesn''t the M in MK stand for Michelle?¡±

    ¡°...Ah!¡±

    Gap-Soo was trying to exploit this inspection to get on Michelle¡¯s nerves. Lilia felt like she now understood why Gap-Soo was so delighted.

    ¡°Now, do you know why I am so happy?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Yes, I think I understa¡ªWhy are you here?¡± Lilia stood in front of Gap-Soo, ready to protect him.

    Gap-Soo chuckled and gestured for her to move, and she did. ¡°Lilia, do you know this man?¡±

    ¡°Yes, his name is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself.¡± Humphrey interrupted Lilia, bowing deeply. He continued with a steely gaze, ¡°My name is Humphrey Millen. I am the one who nned the Fall of Yeonhui-dong Scenario and the Central ins Massacre.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. The Fall of Yeonhui-dong must be the ongoing Scenario in Seoul, correct? But what exactly is the Central ins Massacre?¡±

    ¡°It is a n to mobilize the discontented warriors of Scanorbia and ughter the Earth yers who have invaded the Central ins.¡±

    Gap-Soo stroked his chin. ¡°Are you referring to yers affiliated with the MK Foundation? You do realize you are discussing this in front of a non-executive director of the MK Foundation.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious to see how Chul-Soo will respond to this? How he will ovee this crisis?¡± Humphrey spoke quickly, eager to make his point. ¡°Chul-Soo is dealing with many crises right now. Seoul is likely to be engulfed in significant chaos, and he will face a lot of criticism for that.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Both Humphrey and Gap-Soo had not seen Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°But what if the MK Foundation¡¯s yers are massacred here? Chul-Soo will undoubtedly be stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Aren¡¯t you curious to see how he will ovee this? It will make for enjoyable content. Give me just one opportunity, and I promise you a great deal of entertainment.¡±

    ¡°That does seem likely, but I need to ask you one thing.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Have you seen this?¡± Gap-Soo took a crumpled piece of paper out of his coat pocket.

    <i>[Humphrey wille to tempt you with something interesting. Do not fall for it because he is not truly desperate.]</i>

    A sensation of being smacked in the head washed over Humphrey.

    <i>¡®Has information leaked? From Scanorbia? Or from Earth?¡¯</i>

    As he was trying to collect his thoughts, Chul-Soo¡¯s voice echoed in the area. ¡°Hey, old man. I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re earlier than expected,¡± Gap-Soo said, surprised.

    Jin-Hyeok was about to say that his enemies were weaker than he thought and that half of them had fallen to just a single artillery shot, but he held back.

    <i>¡®That would reduce the sense of crisis, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok pondered his next words, especially considering Gap-Soo was a VIP viewer.

    ¡°Twists make things more interesting, right?¡± he said to Gap-Soo.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Gap-Soo chucked, thoroughly pleased with the response.

    Chul-Soo continued, ¡°Humphrey Millen, let me prove to you why youck desperation.¡±

 Chapter 164

    <h4>Chapter 164</h4>

    A few days ago, Song Ha-Young had visited Cha Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I have something important to discuss.¡±

    Ha-Young hade along with Han Sae-Rin. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Sae-Rin would have trembled at the very mention of Ha-Young; now, they were unting their friendship as if they were the closest friends in the whole world.

    ¡°Good timing, Sae-Rin. I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°With me? Why?¡±

    Sae-Rin looked at Jin-Hyeok with an inexplicably ambiguous gaze, and it was quite ufortable. Unable to figure out why she was looking at him like that, Jin-Hyeok reluctantly used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[...#Does he like me? #Does he think I¡¯m pretty now? #Shall we start dating?]</strong>

    Seeing those ludicrous thoughts, he quickly deactivated the Skill. It was profoundly unsettling. Arade with whom he had traversed battlefields and shed blood and sweat having such thoughts for him gave him chills.

    ¡°No, Angel Girl informed me that severalbatant-ss yers areing to the Earth Server from other Servers via unofficial routes. Their numbers are fairly significant, but they do not seem to be making any conspicuous movements. It is as if they are waiting for something, although I can¡¯t be sure of what.¡±

    ¡°And why did you want to discuss this with me?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°I thought you might know what they¡¯re after.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Why would you think I would know? I¡¯m just a Navigator.¡±

    ¡°Hm... You¡¯re right. Why would I think of you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew better than anyone that although Sae-Rin had started as a Navigator, she would grow into a great Ruler in the future. He might get annoyed at her odd fantasies about romance, but he did acknowledge her capabilities.

    ¡°I just thought you would know,¡± he said.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying you sensed my potential. You do have discerning eyes.¡±

    ¡°I am a bit like that.¡±

    ¡°But why do youck discernment when ites to women?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the point. What do you think they are after?¡±

    Sae-Rin made rtively urate predictions about what was going to happen next. ¡°First, I think there is going to be a new Scenario, and second...¡±

    Just as expected, Sae-Rin was smart. She considered all the possible oues and even thought of countermeasures. Jin-Hyeok felt proud, as if he were looking at the Sae-Rin who had been a great Ruler in his previous life.

    ¡°Well, these are just my predictions, anyway.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok then asked, ¡°Do you know a guy named Humphrey Millen?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±

    ¡°Well, he is really good friends with Jonprich, whom I killed before.¡±

    ¡°Ah, is that so?¡±

    ¡°And he has been going back and forth to the Scanorbia Servertely.¡±

    Ha-Young¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten who created the warp portals after clearing the New World?¡±

    ¡°...Ah!¡± Ha-Young clutched her head in dismay. ¡°So you can know who is moving to which Server?¡±

    ¡°If I set up keywords, yes I can.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t show that on your livestream.¡±

    ¡°Well, I discovered it when I was taking a break from livestream.¡±

    At the time, Jin-Hyeok had carefully checked the notifications.

    <strong>[Adventurer ¡¸Captain¡¹ from the American Server has requested warp portal ess.]</strong>

    <strong>[Navigator ¡¸Zi Yuan¡¹ from the Chinese Server has requested warp portal ess.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[Adventurer ¡¸La¡¹ from the Czech Republic Server has requested warp portal ess.]</strong>

    If Jin-Hyeok wanted to, he could know exactly who was moving where. There was no need to monitor everything. So far, Jin-Hyeok had set up only two keywords; one was Egan, and the other was Humphrey.

    Ha-Young seemed quite pleased that they had obtained this new information, herplexion improving.

    Sae-Rin had also heard the conversation and spoke after giving it some thought. ¡°The likelihood that Humphrey hates you is high, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°Then I know what they are after.¡± Sae-Rinid out a few scenarios.

    In the end, her predictions turned out to be urate. One of her scenarios included Humphrey inciting the Scanorbian warriors to massacre the Earth yers dispatched to Scanorbia. That day, Jin-Hyeok had received a fresh shock and became humble again.

    <i>¡®I had thought maybe I also have a talent for being a Ruler.¡¯</i>

    That was his misconception. If Sae-Rin were the sun, he were just a small firefly.

    <i>¡®I gotta thank Sae-Rin for reminding me that I have a lot of room to grow.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had almost be arrogant. He still had a lot to learn.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°If Humphrey were really desperate, he would not have used the warp portal that I had created. Its usage is fully recorded, so tracking who moves where through it is easy. Humphrey has visited this Server several times ording to the record,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Choi Gap-Soo.

    Humphrey attempted an immediate rebuttal, but Gap-Soo raised his hand to stop him. ¡°Continue, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°If he really wanted to divert my attention, he would not have brought in so many yers from other Servers. Even if he had proceeded discreetly, it would have been noticeable given the size of the operation. This too serves as evidence that he was not truly desperate.¡±

    ¡°Hm... Go on.¡±

    ¡°He made it too obvious that he was targeting me. It was a very one-dimensional diversionary tactic. Even a mere Navigator, not a Ruler, noticed it immediately. How can you call a n this sloppy a desperate one?¡±

    Gap-Soo stroked his chin before asking, ¡°Isn¡¯t that ack ofpetence rather than ack of desperation?¡±

    ¡°If one is truly desperate, they have to bepetent.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice was filled with conviction. ¡°Anyone can see this is not about desperation.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Your standards are indeed strict, Chul-Soo!¡±

    Humphrey was fuming.

    <i>¡®I used hundreds of different routes and moved my troops in small units. I managed everything through a cell organization, evading the informationworks of every country. Given the standards of the Earth Server, tracking yers¡¯ movements should have been nearly impossible! This operation was bullet-proof!¡¯ </i>Humphrey thought.

    What Humprey did not know was that the average Korean Region yer, heavily influenced by Kim Chul-Soo, had grown much more than yers from other Regions. While the Levels of the Korean yers were lower, their actual abilities tended to dominate those of yers from other Regions.

    <i>¡®Even though we have been caught, it is not because we failed; it is because you got lucky. It¡¯s not that we weren¡¯t desperate; you were just too fortunate!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face remained resolute. He seemed to be scolding Millen for hisck of desperation and saying that Humphrey could never change his mind.

    ¡°Moreover, Humphrey gave away that he has abilities rted to dealing with poison,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°He deals with poison, you say?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Yes. He used poison to manipte Egan Paul.¡±

    Humphrey involuntarily widened his eyes, shocked that Jin-Hyeok had found it out.

    Gap-Soo, seemingly intrigued, asked, ¡°Did you read this through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance?¡±

    ¡°No, I found it out through my ck mes p Art.¡±

    ¡°ck me what?¡±

    ¡°This.¡± Jin-Hyeok raised his right hand, conjuring mes. ¡°Thanks to the Phoenix Heart that the Named user Wind Wanderer gave to me, my ck me p Art has gained the ability to purify poison.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was now a skilled Streamer, and he never forgot to please his donors. Delighted to hear his name, Wind Wanderer donated 100,000 Dias to Chul-Soo.

    ¡°If Humphrey were really desperate, he would not have been caught using poison.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s quite a bit of a stretch,¡± Humphrey interjected.

    ¡°What¡¯s the stretch?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Humphrey felt the urge to punch him in the face.

    ¡°That¡¯s why my friend, the Navigator, contemted this. Would Humphrey really have only one n? Perhaps there is a n following the failure of the first one, a n involving the Scanorbian warriors?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Humphrey¡¯s face started to lose color. Jin-Hyeok was spot on.

    ¡°My Navigator predicted that Humphrey would resort to poison if the massacre n failed as well,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable assumption,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°But if it was too obvious, it would be problematic, so it wouldn¡¯t be in gas form. And making people eat poisonous solids would be awkward. The easiest method would have been to poison the drinking water.¡±

    The viewers of KimKnowItAllTV were engrossed in the livestream. Arguments erupted on whether Jin-Hyeok¡¯s prediction was correct.

    ¡°However, I was sure that Humphery would not have used an overly potent poison. He would have chosen a toxin that was odorless, colorless, and left no trace.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°A Level 80 Fire Spirit was more than capable of purifying such a poison.¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered, ¡°Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡±

    An adorable Spirit Gate materialized, and a small girl enveloped in mes appeared out of it.

    ¡°Elly wants praise,¡± Elines said.

    ¡°You did well,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Jin-Hyeok released a new video on the livestream. It involved Elly and him purifying the nearby well water.

    Humphrey was speechless.

    <i>¡®How quickly did he clear the Fall of Yeonhui-dong Scenario? Did those mercenaries just take the money and run? How could Chul-Soo have this much free time?¡¯</i>

    That made no sense to Humphrey.

    As Jin-Hyeok patted Elly¡¯s head, she giggled.

    ¡°How can he be this careless if he were truly desperate?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Gap-Soo.

    ¡°I see.¡± Gap-Soo nodded as if he was convinced.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s convinced by this?¡¯</i>

    Humphrey wanted to scream. Viewers watching this through KimKnowItAllTV felt the same.

    -I think Humphrey¡¯s ns were desperate enough.

    -He seemed pretty desperate, in my opinion.

    However, in the Chul-Soo Verse, this kind of desperation was nothing.

    -From the perspective of the IntenseMan, Millen was toozy.

    -He got caught because he was not desperate enough. LOL

    -How not desperate do you have to be to getpletely figured out by a mere Navigator? You should reflect upon yourself, Humphrey. LOL

    The chat also had somements about self-reflection.

    -I¡¯ve been living my life all wrong.

    -I reflect on how un-desperate I was. In the eyes of the IntenseMan, I am a nobody.

    -We gotta get more desperate, guys. IntenseMan is watching us.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°Are you going to ept a proposal from someone who is not truly desperate? It will be boring. Just leave it to me, and I will entertain you with much more exciting content.¡±

    Gap-Soo heartilyughed. ¡°I will no longer interfere. This is between the two of you, so sort it out.¡±

    Gap-Soo thought the ongoing events were too thrilling. He rushed back to Earth to enjoy the livestream in his media room, which was equipped with the best sound system. As Gap-Soo returned to Earth, the deration of the Demilitarized Zone was repealed.

    Meanwhile, the K-Force had traveled to Scanorbia Server via the warp portal and joined forces with Great Leader Khan to undermine Pufangculi¡¯s power.

    ¡°Right now, you have two choices: fight for your life or run away,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Humphrey while unsheathing his Greatsword of La¡¯kan. ¡°Shall we have an honorable fight, nonbatant against nonbatant?¡±

    Humphrey tensed, raising his hands as if he had been expecting this confrontation.

    Jin-Hyeok began to speak in a solemn tone. ¡°My sword will show you what true justi¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, two dark shadows lunged forward and stabbed Humphrey¡¯s calves with their daggers. They were none other than Kwak Do-Hyeok, the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, and ck Butterfly, a member of the Avengers Army.

    Jin-Hyeok had used his dialogue with his weapon to divert Humphrey¡¯s attention, allowing the others tounch a surprise attack.

    ¡°...true justice looks like from behind.¡± Jin-Hyeok finished his sentence in the same tone.

    ¡°Y-You... coward!¡± Humphrey shouted.

    The theme of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current content was a surprise attack.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect ck Butterball to be a part of this though,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Regardless, it had worked. If he were a Swordsman, he would have never engaged in such tactics, but as a Streamer, he was delighted. He could not even begin to describe how worried he had been that the surprise attack might fail.

    Meanwhile, Do-Hyeon and ck Butterfly had Humphrey subdued and on his knees. To prevent any chance of escape, they also ced knife points at his thighs.

    ¡°Considering the scale of this operation, you could not have acted alone,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. ¡°We need to find out who is backing you. Let¡¯s start a peaceful interview, Mr. Humphrey Millen.¡±

 Chapter 165

    <h4>Chapter 165</h4>

    ck Butterfly Kaylin was puzzled.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t he killing him?¡¯</i>

    The Kim Chul-Soo Kaylin knew would have killed Humphrey Millen on the spot.

    <i>¡®He even killed Erin.¡¯</i>

    Erin had been one of Kaylin¡¯s assassination targets. However, it was not due to an order from the Avengers Army; it was because of a personal matter. Kaylin could not stand how Erin, the supposed sessor of the HARD movement, was making noise about Chul-Soo¡¯s wrongdoings.

    If one were to champion the HARD movement, one at least needed to have a n for maintaining peace for humanity. To Kaylin, Erin was an idealist who was all talk and no action and a detriment to the Earth Server in the long run.

    Eventually, Kaylin had tracked Erin to Nowon-gu, only to find her already dead. Aside from a few scraps of clothing, not even a trace of Erin could be found.

    Kayin was certain.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s like she evaporated.¡¯</i>

    Kaylin had misunderstood Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®He killed her for the sake of peace on the Earth Server.¡¯</i>

    In Kaylin¡¯s eyes, Chul-Soo appeared more righteous than he actually was, and she thought he was a yer who positively contributed to the Earth Server. Whether it was fighting against the Queen Ant, lifting the restrictions on warp portals, or working with the MK Foundation, it seemed as if he was doing all this for humanity¡¯s sake.

    <i>¡®It might appear like he is working solely for his content, but in reality, he is doing it all for humanity.¡¯</i>

    If this was the case, killing Humphrey on the spot was the right thing. Humphrey was a major threat to world peace. Yet, for some reason, Chul-Soo was casually interviewing him.

    ¡°If you tell me who was behind all this, I will spare your life, Mr. Humphrey Millen,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Humphrey did not open his mouth. The organization he was affiliated with, the ck Alliance, was not a secret Alliance, but speaking about it here would not look good.

    ¡°Wait a minute, hm... The livestreaming quality is not very good right now.¡±

    Wang Yu-Mi, who always paid close attention to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreams, quickly caught on to his intentions. She activated her Storyteller Skill.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸To the Room of Truth (Exclusive)¡¹.]</strong>

    Using this Skill, a Storyteller could emit interference waves around the original provider of the narrative, who was Jin-Hyeok here. It was a Skill exclusive to Storytellers and one that Yu-Mi could use whenever something happening around Jin-Hyeok needed to be kept secret, when some truth had to be hidden, or when the flow of the story had to be interrupted.

    Yu-Mi turned the screen ck and spoke. ¡°The livestream quality on my end is not that great either. I will get it back up and running. Just hang on a bit!¡±

    Then she sent a secret message to Jin-Hyeok.

    [¡°No evidence will remain. You can unlock the Room of Truth!¡±]

    ? ? ?

    When Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream resumed, Humphrey¡¯s face was blurred out. Jin-Hyeok exined, ¡°I know he is a rebel who threatened the Earth Server¡¯s peace, but I still have to respect his right to his image.¡±

    The users of the Korean Region Minor Gallery expressed their curiosity.

    -All of a sudden? LOL.

    -I know Humphrey has been blurred out, but why is his face so red?

    -Warm blood flows in IntenseMan¡¯s peaceful interview.

    The chat window on KimKnowItAllTV overflowed withughter.

    -LOL. Did he just say that he has to respect the rights of Humphrey¡¯s image? What an excuse!

    -IntenseMan is right. If he doesn¡¯t listen, he should be beaten.

    -IntenseMan¡¯s fist can uncover the truth.

    Initially, the prevailing sentiment was that IntenseMan¡¯s fist had uncovered the truth. However, the tide quickly changed when a user named MoneyShower joined the chat, causing a sensation.

    -MoneyShower: IntenseMan¡¯s fist isughable.

    The sudden appearance of MoneyShower, who seldom engaged in chat, captivated the other users.

    <strong>[

    MoneyShower: IntenseMan¡¯s fist isughable.]</strong>

    ©»MoneyShower up!

    ©»Wow, it¡¯s MoneyShower!

    ©»Hello, MoneyShower!

    -MoneyShower: But a hammer is not to be taken lightly.

    <strong>[

    MoneyShower: But a hammer is not to be taken lightly.]</strong>

    ©»Huh? A hammer?

    ©»LOL, I think he is talking about the Rule Breaker!

    ©»He¡¯s right! Haha! IntenseMan¡¯s main weapon isn¡¯t his fist but a hammer!

    ©»A hammer is perfect for a peaceful interview >_<

    Whether Chul-Soo had used a first or a hammer remained unclear, but it was obvious that Humphrey had powerful backing.

    As promised, Chul-Soo released Humphrey.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s livestream. See you again tomorrow!¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he ended the livestream.

    Only then did ck Butterfly Kaylin ask, ¡°Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you going to stab me right here?¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze seemed to say that their rtionship involved nothing but attacking and defending, making Kaylin feel oddly rejected.

    ¡°May I ask why you didn¡¯t kill him?¡± Kaylin wondered if there was a bigger n for the Earth¡¯s peace. She thought there had to be some righteous intent. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that the ck Alliance was behind all this?¡±

    ¡°I did, but I didn¡¯t mention the name ck Alliance on the livestream. Also, what does that have to do with releasing Humphrey?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not specifically mentioned the ck Alliance, only referring to them as some sort of an organization.

    ¡°Content is best consumed bit by bit. A story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. It loses its charm if you reveal too much at once,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Leaving Humphrey alive might make the ck Alliance contact him, or vice versa.¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned slyly.

    <i>¡®That alone will make great content for my Eltube channel.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Or perhaps a stronger viin might appear,¡± he added.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you doing this with a righteous intention?¡± Kaylin asked.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a frown. ¡°Why would a Streamer think about righteous intentions while trying to create good content?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Kaylin closed her mouth.

    <i>¡®No there has to be a righteous intention,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    However, when she reflected on it, Jin-Hyeok had never once imed to be doing the right thing, not in his own words.

    <i>¡®He seems to be shier than I thought.¡¯</i>

    Kaylin stole a nce at Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®But that makes him kind of cute in a way.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    Kang Mi-Na and Bong King sat across from each other at the table. An awkward silence filled the air.

    ¡°Um...¡±

    ¡°Um...¡±

    Bong King extended his hand. ¡°You go first.¡±

    ¡°No, you go first.¡±

    Awkwardly timing each other, they spoke at the same time.

    ¡°Have you reflected?¡±

    ¡°Have you reflected?¡±

    Both nodded resolutely. The tension between them slightly eased.

    After taking a sip of her coffee, Mi-Na spoke first. ¡°I was very happy at first. You were too, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course! It was apliment from Chul-Soo.¡±

    Both Mi-Na and Bong King had received praise, while the supposedly great Egan Paul had received ps. This had be a topic of conversation, with memes circting about it. Both were moved by this, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words to Egan Paul had made them reflect on themselves.

    ¡°Mi-Na... Have you... ever done physical training?¡± Bong King asked.

    ¡°Do you think I did?¡±

    Initially Awakened Streamers received a special barrier called Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. With that, they could fend off most dangers, so they typically did not focus on physical training.

    ¡°Exactly, you probably haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Bong King, you haven¡¯t either, have you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Never even thought of it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words had struck a chord in both Streamers.

    <i>¡°Don¡¯t you do any physical training?¡±</i>

    It had made both of them realize that physical training was essential for Streamers.

    Bong King continued, ¡°Egan Paul fell for Humphrey¡¯s brainwashing attack, but Chul-Soo didn¡¯t. It¡¯s not just physical training.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. Chul-Soo has some kind of mental barrier. I don¡¯t know exactly what.¡±

    ¡°I heard there is a Mystery that forms a mental barrier.¡±

    ¡°Can you find it?¡±

    ¡°If it were that easy, it wouldn¡¯t be called a Mystery. I will have to pull out all the stops and look into it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Their eyes met. Although they were alwayspetitive, this time, they both thought they should join forces.

    ¡°Shall we work with each other until we find the Mystery?¡±

    ¡°I was going to propose the same thing. Let¡¯s coborate until then.¡±

    They stood up and shook hands. For a moment, they decided to aim for the same thing¡ªto be better Streamers and better rivals. It was a day of significant meaning for both.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok came home andy down on his bed.

    <i>¡®Man, this is exhausting.¡¯</i>

    Creatingrge-scale content was mentally and physically draining. He had to constantly monitor the fluctuating viewer count and strive to create even better content with the same resources. Every moment was fraught with tension. It was more tiring and challenging than his days as a Swordsman, but it was also more enjoyable.

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice.

    [¡°May I return now, Contractor?¡±]

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still here?¡±

    It seemed the Thunder Dragon had stayed near the Golden Guardian Tree after being summoned. The dragon¡¯s powerful aura had disruptedmunicationworks throughout Seoul.

    ¡°Ah, yes. But before you go, can I ask you something?¡±

    [¡°What is it?¡±]

    ¡°Why did you make such a dramatic entrance? What was your intention?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had to admit that when the Thunder Dragon had appeared in Seoul, he had been awestruck. Although he had also orchestrated moments meant to stir the souls of men, they paled inparison to the supercell that the Thunder Dragon had conjured. The aura it exuded felt as if it was prophesying the end of the world.

    However, the Thunder Dragon Atanna was usually not this grandiose.

    [¡°I wonder about that myself¡±]

    ¡°So you didn¡¯t do it on purpose?¡± Jin-Hyeok thought she had intentionally made a grand entrance.

    <i>¡®I thought she wanted to look cooler than me, but was I wrong?¡¯</i>

    [¡°There is no reason for me to do it on purpose. I am limited by many restrictions when ites to inter-Server movement. The act of moving alone is physically taxing. Consciously generating such a massive thunderstorm would be impractical and inefficient.¡±]

    <i>¡®Then why did it happen?¡¯</i>

    [¡°One thing I can say is that I am influenced by the soul of my Contractor.¡±]

    ¡°...What?¡±

    [¡°But it¡¯s strange. I cannot image you, my Contractor, being so irrational.¡±]

    ¡°...¡±

    Sometimes, style took precedence over efficiency. Transformers and other shape-shifting robots did not transform dramatically without reason.

    [¡°Perhaps there is a protocol to protect Earth, encouraging me to consume more of my strength and energy to minimize my impact on Earth.¡±]

    ¡°...¡±

    [¡°If you wish, I can try to minimize such inefficiencies.¡±]

    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. You got your hands full with childcare. No need to go to such lengths.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had a change of heart. The Thunder Dragon was his mount, after all. If she looked magnificent, that reflected well on him. Just like driving a fancy supercar drew attention, having an extraordinary mount would ultimately make him the center of attention.

    <i>¡®I was about to get jealous of my mount...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt more at ease.

    [¡°I am grateful for your magnanimity.¡±]

    ¡°How¡¯s the childcare going?¡±

    [¡°Scanorbia is a barrennd. It is hard to find good Mysteries there to feed Aton, but otherwise, everything is fine.¡±]

    The Thunder Dragon returned to Scanorbia, and immediately after, the Guardian Tree spoke.

    -¡°I can¡¯t forgive that Thunder Dragon.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    -¡°How am I supposed to get married now? I¡¯ve been vited!¡±

    The Guardian Tree had abandoned its formal tone.

    -¡°The Thunder Dragon wrapped around me entirely, squeezing tightly! And it was a female Thunder Dragon!¡±

    The tree let out a long, sorrowful howl. Understanding its thoughts was beyond theprehension of ordinary human logic, so Jin-Hyeok decided to ignore it.

    -¡°But, Master, there is a human that insists on meeting you.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people want to meet me. Just ignore them.¡±

    -¡°But this time, it feels like you should meet her. Ahem, my excellent intuition tells me she is an important person. You can trust the Guardian Tree¡¯s instincts!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok abruptly stood up. The Pure Luck Mystery within him was giving an intense reaction.

 Chapter 166

    <h4>Chapter 166</h4>

    The real name of Five Crystals was Oh Soo-Jung.

    Ever since the day she attacked Kim Chul-Soo under the influence of the corrupt Mystery Fanatical Obsession, Soo-Jung had not taken a step outside her house.

    <i>¡®I¡¯d rather die...¡¯</i>

    The memories of her transforming into a monster and muttering how she wanted to eat Chul-Soo had been vivid in her mind. It didn¡¯t matter how much the tainted Mystery had corrupted her at the time; she just could not bring herself to face the world.

    <i>¡®I should at least apologize.¡¯</i>

    Then one day, she happened to watch a livestream where Chul-Soo tried his best to bring Egan Paul back to his senses.

    ?Why is your livestream so poor? Is this the best you can do with such content? You call yourself America¡¯s number one? Where is your energy? What exactly are you thinking while doing your livestream? Have you lost your mind??

    ?Is this the performance of America¡¯s top Streamer??

    ¡°Ah!¡± Soo-Jung murmured in admiration. She felt the sincerity in Chul-Soo¡¯s voice, and Chul-Soo had ultimately saved Egan.

    <i>¡®So Egan was poisoned too. That¡¯s why he was forgiven.¡¯</i>

    Jung realized something. Whether he was facing someone consumed by a tainted Mystery or someone afflicted by a poison, if there was a reason worthy of consideration, Chul-Soo showed infinitely generosity. The way he scolded Egan made Soo-Jung feel as though the scolding was directed at her.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo truly wants the best for Egan. That was why he was so stern. I need to get my act together. Why else would he have saved me?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo could have killed her easily, but he chose to save her. There had to be something he expected from her. Soo-Jung felt as though he had taught her a lesson to allow her to live her life the best she could.

    <i>¡®I need to get up. I need to face the world. I must do something to make sure that his saving me was not in vain.¡¯</i>

    With a sense of apology and gratitude toward Chul-Soo, Soo-Jung resolved to take a step forward in life. She sat on the floor, appearing to be entranced by something. She spent a long time exploring the microcosm within her, focusing on her inner self.

    Something seemed just within her reach, yet also unreachable, almost visible yet not, making her restless. She left everything to her instincts.

    <i>¡®I need to find something.¡¯</i>

    She had felt this sensation before. It was just like when she had acquired Fanatical Obsession.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never been particrly talented.¡¯</i>

    Yet, she had acquired that Mystery. Oddly, back then, she had felt as though the Mystery was calling out to her, giving her a mysterious confidence that she could acquire it.

    <i>¡®I must find something within me, just like how I found that Mystery.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, she touched something twinkling within her microcosm, and the NPC from the Room of Awakening immediately revealed itself.

    ¡°You have met the special conditions.¡±

    Just like how it had been for Shin Yu-Ri and the Artillery of Nemesis, Soo-Jung had triggered Irregr Awakening.

    ¡°You are now about to be reborn as a Mystery Hunter. May your will be fulfilled.¡±

    ***

    ¡°You¡¯ve Awakened as a Mystery Hunter?¡± Jin-Hyeok could not believe it.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And it is all thanks to you. You have given me enlightenment.¡±

    Mystery Hunter was a special and extremely rare Job categorized as a 9-Star Job. Mystery Hunters were technically considered Navigators but were so rare that they did not even have a separate ranking system. However, they were unmatched when it came to finding Mysteries.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it myself, but it seems I have an innate talent for finding Mysteries. I meditated, and somehow, I became a Mystery Hunter,¡± Soo-Jung said.

    ¡°Hm... So that¡¯s why you possessed a Mystery with your skill level.¡± Jin-Hyeok had memories of questioning her ability before his regression, thinking she was exceptionally weak for a viin.

    Soo-Jung knelt before Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I am really sorry for that time. I wasn¡¯t myself.¡±

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. At least I got a lot of views for that content.¡±

    Soo-Jung, who was a rtively reasonable person, felt a lump in her throat.

    <i>¡®He is saying that everything is okay because he got a lot of views despite my attacks. He cannot possibly mean just that. He is definitely saying it to put me at ease.¡¯</i>

    In Soo-Jung¡¯s eyes, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mindset was on another level. After expressing her sincere apologies, she felt a sense of relief. She looked up to see him and found herself staring nkly at his face for a while.

    <i>¡®He is so handsome.¡¯</i>

    It made sense why the Spirit King¡¯s daughter had hugged him upon seeing his face.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Ah... I am sorry. You¡¯re just so handsome that I lost track.¡±

    Soo-Jung¡¯s words just went in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s one ear and out the other. He had never thought of the incident with Soo-Jung in Scanorbia as something important. At that time, he had spared her life just because he felt guilty for having killed her before his regression and not because he knew that she would prove beneficial to him.

    ¡°You know Kang Mi-Na and Bong King, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I am going to introduce you to them. You are going to join their team.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m just a little shocked, that¡¯s all. Those two are ranked second and third among the Streamer ss, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®Did their rankings drop a step without me knowing?¡¯ </i>

    He checked the Ranking Board, and Mi-Na was still in first ce and Bong King second.

    <i>¡®It seems that Soo-Jung is mistaken.¡¯</i>

    Since it was not his ranking and the mistake was not particrly important, he chose not to point out the error.

    ¡°There are limits to what you can do alone. You can¡¯t really y by yourself. So, go there, offer help, and receive it. They are currently desperate to find a Mystery.¡±

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t... y by myself?¡¯ </i>Soo-Jung thought.

    She clearly remembered Chul-Soo¡¯s past videos where he was killing monsters all by himself. However, she did not bring this up.

    ¡°Kyaaaa!!!¡± Soo-Jung screamed suddenly.

    A ghostly figure had burst out of the ceiling and stabbed Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Ah, I thought I killed you this time.¡±

    ¡°I pretended to get stabbed since this is thest time.¡±

    It was Kaylin, also known as ck Butterfly. She had just attempted her seventh andst assassination on Jin-Hyeok, ultimately failing. Blood dripped from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand, which had caught Kaylin¡¯s dagger.

    Kaylin sheathed her dagger and said, ¡°Still, it was thrilling and fun. I have quit the Avengers Army. Now, I want to be your subordinate.¡±

    Soo-Jung found this situation absurd, but Jin-Hyeok and Kaylin were calm.

    Jin-Hyeok took a few tissues and wiped the blood from his palm. ¡°I¡¯m not a Ruler, so how can you be my subordinate? You know Kwak Do-Hyeong from the ck Thorn Alliance, right?¡±

    ¡°You mean Viper?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I need you to work with him. And whenever I call you, I need you toe as fast as possible.¡±

    ¡°...Okay.¡± Kaylin nodded.

    Kaylin, who had been irreverent before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression due to obsolescence in the Avenger Army, had now joined the ck Thorn Alliance.

    After barely regaining her senses, Soo-Jung approached Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Uh... Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Kaylin pushed Soo-Jung, and thetter flew backward like a paper doll and hit the wall behind her.

    ¡°She is a nonbatant-ss yer. You should be more careful,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Kaylin.

    ¡°Sorry, since you are also a nonbatant-ss yer, I keep forgetting the boundary between thebatant and nonbatant sses.¡±

    Kaylin approached Soo-Jung and helped her to her feet. ¡°The dagger was coated with a deadly poison. If that blood had sshed on you, you would have died in three seconds. That¡¯s why I pushed you to the side. There are no hard feelings, so I hope there is no misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°...Got it.¡±

    On a closer look, Soo-Jung saw holes in the table where the blood had dripped.

    <i>¡®She tried to stab someone with that? And that someone pretended to get stabbed by it? How can he be so nonchnt about it?¡¯</i>

    Soo-Jung felt as if she had tumbled into a strange new world.

    And then a month passed.

    ***

    [¡°Thank you.¡±]

    The Thunder Dragon expressed profound gratitude toward Jin-Hyeok.

    The efforts of the Mystery Hunter Five Crystals were remarkable. Teamed up with Mi-Na and Bong King, Five Crystals had uncovered numerous Mysteries. She collected the ones that were not particrly useful to yers and delivered them to the Thunder Dragon. These served as exquisite sustenance for Aton, the young Thunder Dragon, and the mother Thunder Dragon conveyed her deep gratitude to Jin-Hyeok.

    <strong>[Your affinity with your tamed subject has greatly increased.]</strong>

    <strong>[Some restrictions on your tamed subject have been lifted.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    <i>¡®So I can now make the Thunder Dragon retaliate against those who attack me first?¡¯</i>

    This news was not exactly a cause for celebration. By the Earth Server¡¯s standards, such a counterattack would be akin to cheating. But that was not the main concern.

    <i>¡®The Thunder Dragon¡¯s attack looks cooler than mine...¡¯</i>

    Even if Jin-Hyeok tried to maintain a rxed demeanor, he had to show his viewers that he was vignt. The protagonist of his livestream had to be himself, and he certainly had to be the coolest.

    <i>¡®Just the Thunder Dragon¡¯s appearance achieved peak viewership, and now it can attack too? That¡¯s crossing the line.¡¯</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be mutually helpful, isn¡¯t it? Aton is growing well, I assume?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was mentally connected to the Thunder Dragon, so he could feel her genuine gratitude. With the connection, using her as a mount would be much easier now.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m lucky!¡¯</i>

    Although he was annoyed at the Guardian Tree¡¯s constant whining about the female Thunder Dragon¡¯s harassment, everything else was progressing smoothly. He had now reached Level 150.

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was buzzing with talk that Chul-Soo had finally hit his limit and that he could not get any stronger as a Streamer.

    However, Jin-Hyeok thought differently.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t have to retire yet.¡¯</i>

    He could be much stronger going forward. He could feel it for sure now that he had reached Level 150.

    <i>¡®But... the yers who hunt the Awakened will start eyeing me now.¡¯</i>

    The Streamer Protection Treaty would offer him some shelter, but it wasn¡¯t infallible.

    <i>¡®I have no choice.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure about his initial goal anymore, so he decided to push his retirement Level a bit higher. He decided to enjoy ying up to Level 200.

    <i>¡®To do that, I will need to be stronger. There¡¯s just no way around it.¡¯</i>

    Once he adjusted his retirement Level, he felt at ease.

    Moreover, the Golden Guardian Tree assured his family¡¯s safety on Earth. The tree had been growing rapidly ever since it had been harassed by the Thunder Dragon. It felt like the Guardian Tree had this urge to grow quickly, and it seemed that even trees became stronger when faced with a crisis.

    <i>¡®What should be the next content?¡¯</i>

    Many ideas immediately sprang to mind, but Jin-Hyeok mulled over which one would make his viewers ecstatic.

    Suddenly, he felt Cha Jin-Sol tap him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Oppa, it¡¯s the weekend. Aren¡¯t you going to y as Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡±

    ¡°Nope, not today.¡±

    ¡°Why not?!¡±

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    Lately, ying as Kim Pyeong-Beom had lost its appeal for him. It seemed his life as a Streamer was now much more enjoyable than his life as a Swordsman. The saying that people change turned out to be true in his case.

    Jin-Hyeok thought of a good idea. ¡°I was going to retire when I reached Level 150.¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, that¡¯s right! Pyeong-Beom can retire instead of me.¡¯</i>

    Since Pyeong-Beom was his avatar, this retirement would count as fulfilling his initial goal. Jin-Hyeok had been feeling a bit embarrassed for not keeping his promises, but now he did not have to be.

    ¡°Can you help me out just once more as Pyeong-Beom? For a retirementmemoration, thest y,¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    <i>¡®Thest y does not sound too bad.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So, what is it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Take a look at this first.¡± Jin-Sol handed him her phone. The screen showed something happening on the American Server, across the Pacific.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Berserker Oliverne?¡±

    It was about the top-ranked Daoist-ss yer in the United States, named Oliverne.

    <i>¡®Wait, hold on.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok focused on the screen.

 Chapter 167

    <h4>Chapter 167</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that Kim Doo-Hwan?¡¯</i>

    The screen showed the yer Taekwon V, Kim Doo-Hwan, bloodied and his wrists shackled with chains.

    ¡°What is this? Are they filming a movie or something?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Cha Jin-Sol.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a movie. It¡¯s for real.¡±

    He found the situation iprehensible. ¡°It must be some kind of performance.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not!¡±

    After suffering a crushing defeat at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hands, Doo-Hwan seemed to have had an epiphany and had been honing his skills in the field of performance. Jin-Hyeok had found this extremely satisfying.

    Doo-Hwan was an entertainer-ss yer[1] whom Jin-Hyeok had admired even before his regression, someone who had integrated Taekwondo into his y to create shy and beautiful techniques, standing at a pinnacle different from that Jin-Hyeok stood on. Doo-Hwan was known as the Hwarang of the Ashen Cherry Blossom, an impressive nickname in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°If this is not a performance, then what is it?¡±

    Doo-Hwan¡¯srades were also beaten to a pulp and scattered across the floor.

    ¡°Hold on. I need to see when the video first starts. Rewind it for me,¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    On the screen, a man with a red beard, Oliverne,ughed.

    ?Behold. This is the true face of fake martial arts. These are the kinds of trash who are even worse than the fools supporting the HARD movement.?

    Jin-Hyeok scowled again.

    <i>¡®Comparing the HARD movement with entertainer-ss yers? What kind of nonsense is this?¡¯</i>

    ?This trash will be executed at noon tomorrow.?

    <i>¡®What? Abatant-ss yer is about to execute entertainer-ss yers? By what right?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You know that Taekwon V is closely associated with the ck Thorn Alliance, right?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°I know. He is best friends with Kwak Do-Hyeong.¡±

    ¡°And the ck Thorn Alliance is very close to us too. They are under yourmand.¡±

    ¡°Under mymand?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t remember saying yes to that.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Yeah, the K-Force. I know you didn¡¯t create it, but everybody in the world knows that you are its leader,¡± Jin-Sol replied.

    She did not seem intent on making Jin-Hyeok understand. It was as if she just wanted him to silently ept the position of the leader of the K-Force.

    Jin-Hyeok was not a Ruler, nor did he have the capability of one¡ªit was a bit embarrassing that they would even suggest this to him.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should lure Han Sae-Rinter to take the leader position instead of me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t know me at all.¡±

    Since he hade to this realization just minutes ago, it was not strange that Jin-Sol was unaware.

    ¡°Kim Pyeong-Beom has retired,¡± he said.

    ¡°Retired? Pyeong-Beom?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Pyeong-Beom is someone who knows how to keep his promises to himself.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Sol had misunderstood her brother. She thought Jin-Hyeok would consider saving a nonbatant-ss yer pointless and unnecessary.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s Taekwon V,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.<i> </i>

    He was a yer who set the hearts of many men aze, possessing a brilliance that Jin-Hyeok could not exhibit and a talent too great just to be left to die here.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m just a little d that it¡¯s Oliverne. Now I can teach him a lesson.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Oliverne had always been somewhere between being a viin and being a hero. He was too ambiguous to bebeled as a clear-cut viin, yet he did too many insane things to be considered a hero. Hence, he was known as the Berserker.

    Whilebatant-ss yers being obsessed with strength was amon sight, Oliverne had a particr fixation. He relished duels with strong yers.

    <i>¡®He is a guy who isn¡¯t satisfied until he has utterly smashed his opponents.¡¯</i>

    Oliverne acted as if he bore a personal grudge against his opponents,pletely crushing them.

    <i>¡®We nearly came to blows a few times.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had wanted to fight Oliverne, but was held back by the higher-ups. Every time, Oliverne would mock him and say, <i>¡°The Sword King of Korea is but a cowardly, immature brat.¡±</i>

    Just thinking about the past ground Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gears. Back then, Jin-Hyeok had been a government official, so he could not freely engage in a fight with Oliverne.

    <i>¡°I am always ready. I await you on this throne for your pathetic sword to challenge me,¡±</i>

    Oliverne had provoked him multiple times, and Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to remain silent. People thought he was afraid and that he had fled with his tail between his legs. Eventually, the System¡¯s onlinemunity, like Nerver, rated the American Berserker higher than Korea¡¯s Sword King. Jin-Hyeok did not usually remembermunity reactions well, but thosements were still vivid in his mind.

    <i>-Shouldn¡¯t a top-tier yer like Cha Jin-Hyeok be able to duel at will?</i>

    <i>¡®But I couldn¡¯t.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok desperately needed national support to be stronger, so he had no choice but to follow the government¡¯s directives.

    <i>-He¡¯s just silent because he is scared, LOL.</i>

    <i>-The Sword King got cold feet? Haha!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he could finally address that past frustration.

    ¡°Right now, I am a nonbatant-ss yer, aren¡¯t I?¡± Jin-Hyeok started to hum happy tunes. ¡°If a nonbatant-ss yer like me defeats the Berserker...¡±

    That would naturally imply that the Jin-Hyeok before regression, who was abatant-ss yer, was stronger than the Berserker. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a wless logical proposition.

    ? ? ?

    At Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, located in the Pacific Ocean, chaos erupted within the US Space Force Space Operations Command.

    ¡°Something is approaching fast!¡±

    An unidentified flying object, not discernible to even America¡¯stest radar technology, appeared on their screens. As soon as it was detected, all radar equipment went dead.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±

    Emergency sirens rang throughout the base. Although the exact cause was unknown, it was suspected to be an EMP attack. The Air Force issued an emergency alert and immediately went into abat-ready stance. However, the rm ended as quickly and absurdly as it had begun.

    Commander Leopold firmly pressed his temples and said, ¡°So you''re telling me, it was Kim Chul-Soo who flew over, and not a stealth fighter?¡±

    ¡°...Yes, that is correct, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Our strategic assets couldn¡¯t detect that, and we found out only because of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream? He just flew across the Pacific by himself? Is that what you are telling me?¡±

    ¡°He was not just flying, Sir. He used a mysterious mount called the Thunder Dragon.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying he flew across the airspace that our military is supposed to be guarding...¡±

    ¡°...Yes, Sir.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to lose my mind.¡±

    For Commander Leopold, who held the responsibility of guarding the American airspace, the situation was nothing but sigh-inducing.

    Meanwhile, the yer who had inadvertently caused chaos at Anderson Air Force Base set foot on the US maind.

    ¡°Much faster and morefortable than amercial ne, am I right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>Blegh!</i>

    Mok Jae-Hyeon vomited as soon as he touched down at the beach.

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disappointment. ¡°How are you going to lead the KSM Alliance if you''re this weak?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon couldn¡¯t answer and retched for a long time.

    ¡°Jin-Sol, are you okay?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Not really... but I can bear it.¡± Jin-Sol was feeling a bit better than Jae-Hyeon but was considerably disappointed in herself.

    <i>¡®I should be able to cure motion sickness if I am to be called a true Healer. What if it were my brother?¡¯ </i>

    She thought that by her brother¡¯s standards, even motion sickness should be curable.

    <i>¡®I still have much to learn.¡¯</i>

    She reflected on her frailty for not being able to cure motion sickness and climbed back onto the Thunder Dragon.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream. ¡°Oliverne. You think you¡¯re good at fighting?¡±

    After all the ck he had gotten from people before his regression, challenging Oliverne to a fight made him feel a lot better.

    ¡°If you are as strong as you im to be, why not try to fight me, a nonbatant-ss yer?¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed with a look of incredulity. ¡°How pitiful must a person be to drag an entertainer-ss yer into such nonsense? Aren¡¯t you ashamed as abatant-ss yer?¡±

    Not long after the livestream aired, Egan Paul started his livestream. An interview with Oliverne the Berserker was underway.

    ?Kim Chul-Soo, I saw your pathetic provocation.?

    Oliverne heartilyughed for a while.

    ?I heard that you are a nonbatant-ss yer who forgot his ce and just happened to catch the public¡¯s attention by pure luck.?

    The Berserker garnered a significant response on Egan¡¯s livestream.

    ?You are to deceive me with such bizarre y??

    Oliverne imed that most Streamers¡¯ ys were staged, and he was not fooled by fakes. He also expressed his disgust for phonies like Chul-Soo.

    ?You were just lucky all this time, thanks to your precious Guardian Tree. How dare you challenge me??

    Oliverne described Chul-Soo as a bubble.[2] He mocked Chul-Soo, saying that Chul-Soo got stronger only because of the Guardian Tree in Seoul and the special privileges he gained during the Server connection.

    ?Luck doesn¡¯tst forever, kid.?

    The phrase ¡°You are a bubble¡± instantaneously became a meme.

    ?And I am the king who will burst that bubble.?

    ? ? ?

    Just in case he needed help, Jin-Hyeok had brought Jin-Sol and Jae-Hyeon along, but thankfully, things were going smoothly. Oliverne announced he would have a one-on-one duel with Chul-Soo, and they agreed to meet in a nearly deserted in in Texas, on the American Server.

    ¡°Oppa, are you really sure about this one-on-one duel?¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, wow! Even my sister doesn¡¯t believe in me.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Do you also think I am an overrated yer who is riding on the coattails of the Guardian Tree¡¯s power?¡±

    ¡°N-No! How could I think that? It¡¯s just that I am worried about you, that¡¯s all.¡±

    At least Jae-Hyeon seemed to have a better grasp of Jin-Hyeok. He said to Jin-Sol, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about Hyung. Are you really worrying about him right now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about yer Chul-Soo at all.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s Cha Jin-Hyeok that I am worried about!¡± Jin-Sol had gotten better with the cheesy talks.

    Jin-Hyeok rubbed his nose. Hearing Jin-Sol say things like that was a bit embarrassing, but he did not exactly dislike it.

    Anyway, Jin-Hyeok headed to the location Oliverne had mentioned.

    <i>¡®Heh heh heh.¡¯</i>

    Before he knew it, his subscriber count had reached 350 million. The number was growing exponentially, and the live viewer count had reached a whopping one million. It seemed that this content was receiving more attention than he had thought.

    Soon after, a flock of Wyverns appeared in the sky. They were flying in with a roar akin to that of eagles, all tamed by yers.

    Jin-Hyeok urgently spoke to the Thunder Dragon. ¡°Atanna, it¡¯s time for you to go back and focus on your son. Thank you for everything.¡±

    Having the Thunder Dragon beside him would have made for a more spectacr scene, but Jin-Hyeok had to tell her to go back. Wyverns inherently feared Thunder Dragons and could not even spread their wings properly in front of one.

    If he had not let the Thunder Dragon go, the Wyverns would have fallen from the sky.

    <i>¡®I should avoid livestreaming their shoddy appearance.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok temporarily stopped the livestream. For good content, enemies needed to appear strong to heighten the tension. Jin-Hyeok could not present such sloppy content to his viewers. However, Oliverne misunderstood his intentions.

    ?It appears that even your vaunted Thunder Dragon loses its luster in front of an army of forty Steel Wyverns. A mount that cannot attack cannot be considered a good mount.?

    Jin-Hyeok was so astonished by the Berserker¡¯s ignorance that he was at a loss for words. Even if there were four hundred million Wyverns here and not forty, they would have still crumbled and squirmed in front of a Thunder Dragon.

    Soon, the Wyvern armynded on the ground.

    <i>¡®Is that Park Terse?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered who couldmand so many Wyverns at once, and it turned out to be Terse. For some reason, Terse was currently with the Avengers Army.

    In any case, Oliverne jumped off from thergest Wyvern.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    With a loud noise, Olivernended. It had been a while since Jin-Hyeok had met him; he was as big as ever but much younger than the Oliverne Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    Oliverne approached Jin-Hyeok and whispered, ¡°Your king has descended.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok saw plenty of opportunities to strike him, but didn¡¯t take them. It took a superhuman patience to suppress his instincts as a Swordsman. Jin-Hyeok had flown all the way to the United States, so he had to produce at least a minimal amount of content.

    <i>¡®But was he always this full of openings?¡¯</i>

    That did not seem likely; something felt a bit off. When Jin-Hyeok reflected on it, a few things started to look somewhat suspicious.

    1. Previously tranted as performance-type yer ?

    2. In Korea, calling someone a bubble means that they are overrated. I would¡¯ve tranted it as such, but then there is an English meme in this chapter, calling the main character a bubble, so I left it like this. ?

 Chapter 168

    <h4>Chapter 168</h4>

    From the beginning, something seemed off about Oliverne, and Cha Jin-Hyeok was on the verge of grasping what it was.

    <i>¡®He doesn¡¯t usually wear anything when he fights, right?¡¯</i>

    Oliverne was the type who took pride in his size and muscles, and he always fought shirtless. Jin-Hyeok remembered that Oliverne used to im that the truly formidable did not rely on armor.

    <i>¡®But right now, he¡¯s wearing armor.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Oliverne had imed in an interview that he never wore armor from the very beginning. He had said it was something only cowards and the faint-hearted used, which had his hardcore fans praising him as the epitome of manliness.

    <i>¡®I guess his younger self wears armor..¡¯</i>

    This meant that Oliverne did not always shun armor. As for why he did thatter on, Jin-Hyeok could guess the reason without much difficulty.

    <i>¡®He must haveter acquired a Mystery or special ability that makes wearing armor decrease his defensive capabilities.¡¯</i>

    Surprisingly, quite a few such Mysteries and abilities existed.

    <i>¡®This bastard! So he was lying back then.¡¯</i>

    Despite his strong dislike for Oliverne, Jin-Hyeok begrudgingly respected parts of him. Oliverne¡¯s audacity in discarding his armor and fighting like a wild dog was something Jin-Hyeok could not help but admire.

    <i>¡®All that was a sham?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok scowled and asked, ¡°Were you fake all along?¡±

    ¡°Is that your way of introducing yourself?¡±

    <strong>[LV138/Dao King/<u>Skills</u>/Blessing of the Fighting Dog]</strong>

    <i>¡®His Job is just an average 9-Star Job.¡¯</i>

    Oliverne was the top-ranking Daoist on the American Server. It would be strange if he did not have a 9-Star Job.

    ¡°I feel insulted. I thought at least your Level would be high,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Do you not know that Level is just a number?¡±

    ¡°Even so, isn¡¯t 138 too low?¡±

    ¡°You fail to realize that you could level up quickly only because you are a Streamer.¡±

    Oliverne was not entirely wrong. Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer, and Streamers did level up quite faster than yers with other Jobs.

    Oliverneughed heartily. ¡°Like a coward, you sneak a look at my information. Go ahead, look all you want. I will give you all the time in the world.¡±

    This was when Jin-Hyeok sensed something else amiss.

    <i>¡®From what I remember before my regression, Oliverne would have already drawn his axe and attacked without bothering about having a conversation.¡¯</i>

    This Oliverne was quite different from the Oliverne the world knew before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    <strong>[...#I will show the world. #The limits of a fake. #I can wait as long as you want.]</strong>

    This guy knew how to calcte his moves. As things progressed, Oliverne only disappointed Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®So his madness was just a show. Then what about when he provoked me before my regression, wanting to fight? So he had calcted that thoroughly as well? That I wouldn¡¯t be able to fight?¡¯¡¯</i>

    When Jin-Hyeok thought about it, he realized that Oliverne the Berserker engaged only in battles he was sure to win. Oliverne had never provoked Lee Hyeon-Seong, who was significantly weaker than Jin-Hyeok, although Hyeon-Seong thought otherwise.

    <i>¡®My head is spinning from the betrayal.¡¯</i>

    At that time, Jin-Hyeok used to think Oliverne was quite decent. Now, it turned out that the Berserker had been picking on the weaker ones to obtain fame.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s why he could survive even after pulling off such insane stunts.¡¯</i>

    Even Jin-Hyeok could see that Oliverne had done too many crazy things. Even after winning his fights, Oliverne would still brutally wreck his opponents.

    <i>¡®So that wasn¡¯t an insane frenzy born from battle. It was cold and calcted brutality?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok faced Oliverne, meticulously examining him with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <i>¡®This bastard is wearing the Phaelon¡¯s Ne!¡¯</i>

    In this world, there was no such thing as an all-purpose item. If an item excelled in one aspect, it was oftencking in another. Some items could be stronger than others, but weaker than different ones. Oliverne¡¯s Ne of Phaelon was a counter to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Berklev Ne.

    <i>¡®I have to make sure this does not appear on the livestream.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of pride as he edited out this detail. Editing a livestream in real-time was a sign of growth in his skills as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I might need to use this informationter, so I better take a screenshot.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Phaelon¡¯s Ne.]</strong>

    <strong>[A ne imbued with the magic of the Curse Mage Phaelon.</strong>

    <strong>It adds a curse buff to all damage reflection abilities.</strong>

    <strong>However, the wearer¡¯s defense is reduced by 20%.]</strong>

    Typically, such items always carried a curse that ate away at the wearer¡¯s abilities.

    As Jin-Hyeok pulled out Rule Breaker, Oliverne¡¯s expression soured and he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to draw your sword?¡±

    ¡°To deal with a fake like you, a hammer is more fitting.¡±

    ¡°Then, I too shall not resort to using a weapon.¡±

    Jin-Hyeokughed as if the situation were absurd. Oliverne kept acting as if he were a madman, though he was perfectly normal. True madmen did not have such mundane eyes.

    ¡°You are simr to me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You are not crazy, so why pretend to be one?¡±

    <i>¡®Aren¡¯t you sorry for the actual madmen?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok kicked off the ground and leaped. He swung Rule Breaker at Oliverne, who stepped back twice to dodge the attack.

    ¡°Too easy.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attacks continued, Oliverne began to gain confidence.

    <i>¡®What is this? He is not as great as I thought!¡¯ </i>Oliverne wondered.

    The attack patterns were simplistic and the timing obvious. Chul-Soo was fast for a Streamer, sure, but still within expected parameters.

    ¡°The fake can never surpass the real, Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ferocious attacks kepting from left to right, then from right to left.

    Despite the Streamer¡¯s surprisingly quick and powerful strikes, Oliverne gradually became moreid-back. Easily dodging the attacks, he said, ¡°You are a bubble.¡±

    Many watched the battle, and quite a few began to subscribe to the Kim Chul-Soo Bubble Theory.

    -Chul-Soo is attacking so earnestly but notnding a single hit!

    -I¡¯ve had a simr experience before. When it¡¯s like that, it feels like hitting a wall, for real.

    -Was he actually just riding on the coattails of the Guardian Tree?

    Jin-Hyeok furiously swung Rule Breaker, but none of his attacks even grazed Oliverne¡¯s clothing.

    -Come to think of it, Chul-Soo is physically talented, but he has never shown exceptional skill as a Swordsman, right?

    -That¡¯s the limit of his Job. Eventually, as the Level increases, Streamers like him will inevitably be obsolete.

    -Even if he bes obsolete, he will still be much richer than you.

    -That¡¯s not the point. Why are you trying to pick a fight?

    -Guys, Oliverne just started to fight back.

    After dodging and waiting for an opening, Oliver threw a punch. Itnded squarely on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s forehead.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    A hefty impact noise filled the air.

    Oliverne almost winced.

    <i>¡®What kind of defense does he have?¡¯</i>

    Oliverne had broken through the Broadcaster¡¯s Barriers of many Streamers before. However, he had never encountered one as solid as this.

    <i>¡®My fingers are fractured.¡¯</i>

    Oliverne had not even put much force behind the attack, yet his bones had broken. Chul-Soo¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was so sturdy it almost seemed like it had the ability to reflect attacks.

    <i>¡®Wait, are his fingers broken?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It seemed likely and would exin why Oliverne showed such a big opening.

    <i>¡®Really... is this some kind of joke?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok immediately closed the distance between them and swung Rule Breaker. His attack pattern was the same as before, but Oliverne could not dodge it this time.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Rule Breaker struck Oliverne¡¯s chest with a loud noise. Oliverne hastily swung his right arm to create some distance and catch his breath.

    ¡°Hey, Oliverne. Do you know what is harder than getting a perfect score on a test?¡±

    ¡°...What are you talking about?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok would have been really disappointed if Oliverne had taken a potion right then, but Oliverne did not seem that desperate. The Berserker kept his guard up against Jin-Hyeok, ready to draw his axe at any moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting zero on the test, and that is so because you have to know all the answers to get zero.¡± Jin-Hyeok approached him with the same speed and trajectory as before and swung Rule Breaker again.

    Many viewers began to snicker and type in the chat.

    -He¡¯s doing meaningless things again, LOL.

    -Maybe that¡¯s the only attack he can do?

    -He¡¯s not drawing his Greatsword of La¡¯kan, probably prepping excuses for losing. Haha!

    -Today is the day when the Chul-Soo bubble bursts, LOL.

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s poprity rose, so did the number of his haters, and today seemed to be the day for them.

    -This is proof that Chul-Soo is a brainless idiot. He¡¯s just a bubble! Can¡¯t do anything!

    -Busting his bubble is so refreshing~~¡î

    -Without his Guardian Tree, he is just a nobody. His Level means nothing!

    -He always talks shit about Level Grinders, but he¡¯s one himself! LMAO!

    Closing in on Oliverne, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Two steps back.¡±

    Oliverne immediately retreated two steps, and Rule Breaker sliced through the air.

    ¡°And now dodge to the left.¡±

    Oliverne moved as if he were enchanted, following Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°Now, you will have an opening.¡± Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok shifted Rule Breaker to his left hand and tapped Oliverne¡¯s temple with his right palm. ¡°Now, you will jump back counterclockwise in surprise.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok moved first, and Oliverne followed suit in the same manner. Jin-Hyeok tapped Oliverne¡¯s forehead with his right hand. ¡°Your movements are so predictable.¡±

    And with that, he kicked Oliverne. He had fortified his foot with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, concentrating the energy on his foot. It didn''t seem like a very strong kick at first nce, but Oliverne staggered back several steps and repeatedly coughed.

    ¡°Do you now understand why scoring zero is harder than scoring one hundred?¡± Jin-Hyeok could see Oliverne¡¯s weak points all too clearly. ¡°I was trying to get a decent amount of content.¡±

    He immediately brought up the previous video on the screen again. It was the scene where Oliverne had hit Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and fractured his fingers.

    ¡°If you expose such a big gap here, I can¡¯t really get a good battle scene for my livestream.¡±

    The gap was too obvious.

    -What gap? What is he talking about?

    -I can¡¯t see anything.

    -It seems Chul-Soo can see something that we can¡¯t.

    Only a veteran Swordsman who had gone through numerous battles and had crossed the boundary between life and death countless times could discern such a gap, so it was not easily noticeable to the average user¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s no fun if it bes too obvious that I am going easy on you. Why aren¡¯t you cooperating?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°How dare you provoke me with such lowly skills?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Beyond his physical prowess, Olivernecked a lot as a fighter. He had far too little experience, especially since it appeared he had never fought against an opponent who was better at fighting than himself.

    ¡°Why does someone weaker than the Anal Destroyer act so cocky?¡±

    Oliverne trembled. Thick veins stood out on his forehead and nape, showing his fury.

    -Oliverne is pissed!

    -The Berserker has appeared, LOL!

    -Now it¡¯s gonna get real.

    -Chul-Soo talks big only to get beaten up, LMAO!

    Oliverne spat on the ground and drew his twin axes, his prized golden and silver axes. He held the golden axe in his right hand and the silver one in his left.

    ¡°The joke ends here,¡± Oliverne said.

    ¡°Oh, it was a joke till now?¡±

    ¡°I will kill you!¡± A mirage flickered around Oliverne the Berserker. It was a Skill known as Frenzy, which greatly amplified all his physical abilities.

    <i>¡®Hm... This is somewhat decent to look at.¡¯</i>

    Oliverne was fast now.

    <i>¡®But still slowpared to ck Butterball and the Seo sisters.¡¯</i>

    Having grown ustomed to his party members¡¯ speed, Jin-Hyeok was not surprised by Oliverne¡¯s speed.

    ¡®I¡¯ll separate your head from your body!¡±

    The golden axe drew a golden trajectory as it flew toward Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck. At the moment when Jin-Hyeok tried to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, the silver axe followed with a slight dy, aiming at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    Egan, who was livestreaming this, applied a slow-motion effect to enhance the viewers¡¯ experience.

    -That is Oliverne¡¯s signature move! The Synchronized Attack!

    -Chul-Soo can¡¯t dodge this!

    -He was the one insisting on a fierce fight, and now he can¡¯t keep up. LOL

    -Farewell, Mr. IntenseMan.

    Oliverne¡¯s silver axe touched the top of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. However, Jin-Hyeok, as shown on Egan¡¯s screen, was smiling.

    -Huh? He¡¯s smiling?

    -What?!

    Many spected the reason behind that.

    -The Berklev Ne!

    -Doesn¡¯t that item reflect damage?

    -Wait, Chul-Soo had an item that powerful? That¡¯s crazy!

    Egan cleverly switched the screen to disy his pre-recorded interview with Oliverne.

    ?In the end, Chul-Soo will try to use the Berklev Ne, but I also have my ns. I will burst his bubble!?

    And when Egan switched back the screen, it showed Oliverne grinning slyly. It seemed he already knew that Jin-Hyeok would use the Berklev Ne.

    ¡°I knew it all along!¡± Oliverne shouted.

    However, an unexpected situation unfolded.

 Chapter 169

    <h4>Chapter 169</h4>

    Oliverne prided himself on being exceedingly methodical and superior in his thinking, even though he yed like a madman.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo has the Berklev Ne. He will aim to create a dramatic twist for his livestream using his ne¡¯s reflection ability. And that¡¯s why I am wearing the Phaelon Ne.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo would think that Oliverne fully trusted the power of Phaelon Ne. However, the important part came next.

    <i>¡®That guy possesses an extremely tricky ability, Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was likely to easily discover that Oliverne was wearing the Phaelon Ne. Oliverne had thought up to this point.

    <i>¡®The initial confrontation is crucial. I need to carefully observe how he moves while conversing with me.¡¯</i>

    As he talked with Chul-Soo, Oliverne received real-time analysis of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream from a colleague who was a Ruler and also an expert in analyzing videos.

    [¡°Chul-Soo edited his livestream. It seems like he has discerned that you are wearing the Phaelon Ne, but he has edited that part out. He¡¯s smart.¡±]

    Chul-Soo was pretending not to know about the Phaelon Ne. Oliverne calcted and recalcted in his head.

    <i>¡®Then, he won¡¯t use the Berklev Ne.¡¯</i>

    However, to draw out Chul-Soo¡¯scency, Oliverne shouted, ¡°I knew it all along!¡±

    It was all going as per Oliverne¡¯s n. Chul-Soo had not used the Berklev Ne, instead taking the silver axe to the back of the head.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo has the Extra Life up his sleeve,¡¯ </i>Oliverne thought.

    Due to that, Oliverne had analyzed many yers with Traits simr to Extra Life andpiled statistical data.

    <i>¡®On average, it takes about five seconds toe back to senses after resurrection.¡¯</i>

    However, for those with strong willpower, the time was four seconds. For those with very strong willpower, it was approximately three seconds.

    <i>¡®Since Chul-Soo possesses spectacr willpower, two seconds would be a safe assumption.¡¯</i>

    However, even that did not feel safe enough, so Oliverne considered the time as one second.

    <i>¡®Reviving with the Extra Life is meaningless.¡¯</i>

    In that one second, Oliverne could swing his golden axe three times. However, Oliverne¡¯s n did not go as he thought.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    His silver axe had pierced the back of Chul-Soo¡¯s head. Yet, Chul-Soo had not died.

    ¡°Why am I not dead?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said. Blood dripped steadily from the back of his head, yet he was alive.

    ¡°You idiot! I let you hit my vital spot perfectly, how can you fuck that up?!¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    Just as Oliverne¡¯s n had crumbled, so had Jin-Hyeok¡¯s production. Jin-Hyeok had predicted that Oliverne would not use the Phaelon Ne. He hadn¡¯t really analyzed it; it had just been a hunch.

    Whether Oliverne used the Phaelon Ne or not did not really matter, so Jin-Hyeok had not paid much attention to it.

    ¡°You should¡¯ve killed me!¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted. He had a n regarding this fight for his livestream.

    He was nning on not using the Berklev Ne and dramatically surviving with the Extra Life Trait.

    Then, he would haveunched a counterattack.

    Having anticipated Chul-Soo¡¯s n, Oliverne would have effectively countered the attack, leading to an intense battle.

    Jin-Hyeok would have won the battle after a fierce fight, achieving victory.

    Chul-Soo had been devising a narrative where a nonbatant-ss Streamer would ovee abatant-ss Daoist. However, his n did not go past even step one.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s the use of devising a n when the opponent is so weak?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok felt his head split, but he was still conscious. Even though blood continued to gush out of his head, making his back wet, his mind was clear.

    ¡°Do you know what I hate about yers like you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Although Oliverne swung his golden axe, Jin-Hyeok could see the trajectory clearly. The Streamer dodged the golden axe with minimal movement. ¡°yers like you are all sh and no substance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok closed the distance, dodging the ensuing silver axe attacks, and stabbed Oliverne¡¯s right foot, then his left foot. He was much faster than Oliverne.

    Oliverne screamed as he brought down the golden axe from above, but Jin-Hyeok had already backed away.

    ¡°I should have been dead after that attack! You piss me off.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was too angry to focus on his livestream and production. It was infuriating that Oliverne¡¯s madness was fake and even more so that it was all for show.

    ¡°You¡¯re not even an entertainer-ss yer, yet you act so shy.¡± Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°Now, I have to beat the crap out of you.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was abuzz with excitement.

    -Wow, Chul-Soo is just toying with Oliverne the Berserker! LOL.

    -Oliverne got wrecked!

    In the face of Chul-Soo¡¯s fierce onught, Oliverne could not do anything. The content of the livestream was so brutal that it was pped with a Rated R restriction, but this only attracted more viewers.

    -Ugh, I can¡¯t watch this.

    -I¡¯ve never seen IntenseMan this mad! It¡¯s terrifying!

    -Just from this battle alone, shouldn¡¯t we call Chul-Soo the strongest yer who uses blunt weapons?

    -I can¡¯t believe the number-one-ranked Daoist in the American Server is getting beaten like that.

    Then something enraged Chul-Soo even further.

    ?What the hell is this? Amunication device? You had this on? Why? Were you stream sniping? ?

    Oliverne¡¯s hiddenmunication device slipped out, making Chul-Soo furious.

    -I think he might die.

    -Maybe he is already dead?

    Just because Oliverne was about to die, Mok Jae-Hyeon and Cha Jin-Sol stepped in. Jae-Hyeon used his Wood Fortress to protect Oliverne, and Jin-Sol blocked Jin-Hyeok from attacking.

    ¡°Move,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Now is not the time, Oppa.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t care much for Jin-Sol¡¯s words. Oliverne had clearly tried to kill him, so he asked, ¡°If I had been weak, I would¡¯ve died. So why are you stopping me?¡±

    That was the nature of y. If a yer braced themselves to kill an opponent, they had to be prepared to die as well. If they engaged inbat with another yer with the intent to kill, it was only right that one of them ended up dead.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t fully adapted to the y, have you?¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his sister.

    <i>¡®That would be very disappointing.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok squinted at his younger sister, prompting her to snap back and say, ¡°What do you take me for?! I don¡¯t care if that musclehead dies or lives. It¡¯s his fault for trying to kill someone first. He deserves to die.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression softened a bit.

    <i>¡®Good. Now you¡¯re talking like an actual yer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°But think about your livestream, Oppa. By now, the ck and ck Alliance and the Avengers Army would have rescued Taekwon V, right?¡±

    ¡°...Right.¡±

    ¡°Are you not going to film the sincere apology content? Are you going to miss out on that?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took a moment to reflect on himself. He had been so angry that he had forgotten about the content. Only part of his nned performance had gone awry; the overall narrative was not over yet.

    <i>¡®I still have a lot to learn.¡¯</i>

    He was embarrassed that he had been proud of himself just for doing live edits. ¡°You¡¯re right. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°Oppa, you seem to have lost some of your desperation.¡±

    ¡°I will reflect on that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok put Rule Breaker back into his inventory. Scratching the back of his head, he asked, ¡°But, can you... save him?¡±

    The bloodied Oliverne was lying down with his eyes open and tongue sticking out. He was not breathing and seemed to have already died.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll try to save him.¡±

    It was a moment when the fame of the name Saint of Freedom soared.

    ? ? ?

    An Alliance representing the Korean Server, the ck and ck Alliance, had coborated with the Avengers Army, an Alliance from the American Server, to rescue Taekwon V and hisrades.

    -Egan Paul, ¡°For the righteous cause, we cooperated with Oliverne.¡±

    Egan had contacted Oliverne to save Taekwon V and livestreamed thetter¡¯s situation. Thanks to the Saint of Freedom¡¯s miracle, Oliverne, who was barely alive, fell to his knees before Taekwon V, weeping and begging for mercy.

    However, Taekwon V did not forgive him. Ultimately, Oliverne died at the hands of Kaylin, who used to be a part of the Avengers Army and was now an Assassin for the ck Rose Alliance. This became quite an issue.

    -Berserker found dead.

    -So I guess Taekwon V never forgave him.

    -Experts find traces of ck Butterfly on the Berserker¡¯s corpse.

    -ck Butterfly is currently known to be associated with Chul-Soo¡¯s ck Rose Alliance.

    -Was Chul-Soo the one behind the Berserker¡¯s death?

    The debate over the morality of humans killing humans remained heated. Many imed the world was going mad, while others loudly questioned the right anyone had to take a life. Despite this, people slowly began to get used to new concepts in this new era.

    The concept of Stars also became popr among the people.

    -LOL, a mere 9-Star Job yer provoked Chul-Soo.

    -Yeah, a 9-Star Job is too ordinary on the Chul-Soo Verse.

    Consequently, opinions started to boil over the topic that top-tier yers like Chul-Soo and Egan were establishing order in the world.

    -We need to strictly distinguish between entertainer-ss yers andbatant-ss yers.

    -Combatant-ss yers must respect yers from different fields.

    Until now, people tended to praisebatant-ss yers the most. However, Chul-Soo, a significant variable, had changed that flow.

    -The new style of y established by Kim Chul-Soo.

    This brought about a muchrger impact than the HARD movement, which had once heated Europe. Combatant-ss yers, who subtly disdained nonbatant-ss yers, became cautious in their actions, and nonbatant-ss yers, who had been in the shadows, started engaging in y more confidently.

    Experts started to talk about a greater peace approaching as different types of yers began to respect each other. Furthermore, the idea that stream sniping was cowardly spread across the world.

    -Stream sniping is such bad manners, LOL.

    -Who even stream snipes anymore? That shit is embarrassing.

    -Berserker? More like Stream Sniper, LOL.

    Meanwhile, ChulSooIsGod, a Named user in the Korean Region Minor Gallery and editor for KimKnowItAllTV, was more active than ever.

    <strong>[Wanna know something surprising? Chul-Soo didn''t even use his Mythic-Grade Card. So you can say that Chul-Soo was going easy on him.]</strong>

    ©»Seriously?

    ©»I re-watched his videos, and it¡¯s true!

    ©»Nah, you¡¯re lying. He must have used it.

    ©»No no, if you look at the original livestream, there was no editing done to that part.

    ©»He only edited the part where he checked out the Phaelon Ne. No application of the Mythic-Grade Card at all.

    ChulSooIsGod, whose real name was Kang Chul,ughed while looking at his monitor in his dark room.

    <strong>[Now, do you guys believe that my username is true? HAHAHA!]</strong>

    ©»This guy¡¯s concept is crazy, LMAO!

    ©»But it¡¯s not like he is wrong.

    ©»I don¡¯t think it¡¯s his concept. He¡¯s just crazy, LOL!

    Many posted their views on the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    [yers like Oliverne seem to act too tough for their own good.]

    [The truly strong yers like Chul-Soo don¡¯t show off.]

    A public opinion formed that truly strong yers did not boast about their strength, and this had a significant impact on the top-tier yers around the world. Many yers became humble.

 Chapter 170

    <h4>Chapter 170</h4>

    Oh Soo-Jung, who had be active as a Mystery Hunter, was working with Bong King and Kang Mi-Na. Whenever Bong King and Mi-Na met, they would bicker about who was the better Streamer, but Soo Jung didn¡¯t think their squabbles were bad.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that you two actually get along quite well,¡± she said.

    Both Bong King and Mi-Na eximed in unison.

    ¡°How rude!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s offensive!¡±

    However, the two of them were aware of it themselves. They did get along quite well. They were not sure about their personal rapport, but as Streamers, they had excellent synergy. Bong King was better atmunicating and interacting with the viewers, while Mi-Na excelled in creating narrative and providing direction.

    Soo-Jung, who had been a perfectly ordinary(?) civilian before her incident, shattered Bong King¡¯s and Mi-Na¡¯s mindsets.

    ¡°If you watch TV shows, you see multiple people hosting together, right? Is there really a need to insist on livestreaming alone?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Bong King and Mi-Na were not yet ready to let go of their pride.

    ¡°No matter how good it is, I will not coborate with that person. Besides, I am currently the top-ranked Streamer. Why would the first ce need to join with the second ce?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you only got to the top because I let you take all the credit for the recent content on finding that Mystery. Before that, I was in first ce!¡±

    ¡°Who cares? I¡¯m in first ce now.¡±

    ¡°So this is what I get for helping you. You don¡¯t even appreciate my help.¡±

    ¡°h h h. I can¡¯t hear anything~¡±

    Soo-Jung shook her head in disbelief. ¡°Even Kim Chul-Soo is reflecting on his actions right now.¡±

    Chul-Soo had almost killed Oliverne in a fit of anger without even thinking about his content, and he deeply regretted it.

    ¡°Even the infamous IntenseMan, or rather, OrderMan, is reflecting on himself right now.¡±

    OrderMan was Chul-Soo¡¯s new nickname. It was created because he was establishing order in the new civilization.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Even he is reflecting and striving for improvement, and you two are here just arguing?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You know what is the right thing to do, yet you won¡¯t do it because of your pride?¡±

    Massaging her throbbing temple, Mi-Na replied, ¡°Don¡¯t hit me with facts. I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Really. How mean to attack with facts!¡±

    ***

    A few dayster, an interesting piece of news spread across the world. The top two Streamers of the Korean Region had joined hands for a new beginning.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok also heard this news.

    <i>¡®Oh? So this is happening?¡¯</i>

    This had never happened before his regression. It was clear to Jin-Hyeok even before that if these twobined their strengths, they would create a considerable synergy.

    <i>¡®They told the world that they would never join forces.¡¯</i>

    Yet, they were doing the same thing right now.

    Jin-Hyeok thought about how these two, who were once as ipatible as water and oil, had suddenly joined forces. There was only one answer.

    <i>¡®Could it be to surpass me?¡¯</i>

    At that thought, his heart began to race. Qualified challengers boldly stepping up to the te was always exciting and enjoyable.

    <i>¡®Shall I check out what they are doing?¡¯</i>

    He examined the new Eltube channel that the alliance of Bong King and Mi-Na had created: BongMiNaTV.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    An intriguing scene was unfolding.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok spent a good while checking out BongMiNaTV. As expected, there was quite a bit to learn from the coboration of the top two powerhouses.

    <i>¡®Are they on the Scanorbia Server?¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, the Earth Server around this time had been in chaos, suffering from the attacks of yers from other Servers. The first Server formally connected to Earth had not been Scanorbia but the much more challenging Fey Server. The yers from the Fey Server outssed the humans and had their way with them.

    <i>¡®We were usually at the receiving end of this, but now we''re the ones attacking other Servers.¡¯</i>

    The Official Service had just started not too long ago. The growth of Earth¡¯s yers was truly remarkable and filled Jin-Hyeok with pride. Also, they had not just barged into the other Server mindlessly.

    <i>¡®They even secured a just cause by moving with the yers developed by the MK Foundation. That¡¯s not all. What was his name? ... Phoo Pad Phong Curry? Something like that... He tried to massacre the Farmer-ss yers from the MK Foundation. The two Streamers even have the cooperation of Khan, who is the leader of the locals.¡¯</i>

    Invading a Server head-on without any humanitarian consideration was not somethingmendable. Invading another Server required at least a pretense of a just cause, and it was necessary to consider the perspective of all Servers involved.

    Without a just cause, mindlessly invading a Server could turn all yers from other Servers into enemies, which would be the worst-case scenario. The best way to invade was to gain the help and support of the locals. With that, no one could point fingers at the invaders.

    <i>¡®And the yers of the MK Foundation are quite skilled...¡¯</i>

    With Lee Hyeon-Seong, the Anus Destroyer, at the forefront, Shin Yu-Ri was performing exceptionally. Of course, they were all still weaker than Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®All the elements are well-aligned and functioning smoothly.¡¯</i>

    Many changes had taken ce after Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. The ck Rose Alliance and the ck Thorn Alliance, once adversaries, hadbined forces to be called the ck and ck Alliance. The once mortal enemies, Song Ha-Young, also known as Angel Girl, and Pathfinder Han Sae-Rin, had be friends. Now, even Bong King and Mi-Na were joining hands. Earth yers, who would get beaten up by other Servers¡¯ yers in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past life, were now invading other Servers and making their mark.

    <i>¡®Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not because of me.¡¯</i>

    Regardless of the reason, these changes were quite encouraging.

    <i>¡®Hm... I should send some donations.¡¯</i>

    Being a Streamer himself, Jin-Hyeok realized how hard it was to produce content. Since BongMiNaTV had been giving him a great deal of pleasure, he wanted to give them a fitting reward.

    [¡®2Weak2Retire¡¯ has donated 1,000,000 Dias.]

    [¡°Anus Destroyer seems weaker than I thought, haha.¡±]

    Seeing the one million Dias donation, Bong King suddenly shouted, ¡°Woooaaahhh! Thank you, 2Weak2Retire! Thank you for the donation! It¡¯s my first time seeing you on my channel, but I will take it as an encouragement to work harder! Thank you so much!¡±

    Bong King¡¯s reaction was genuine. He did not waste a single second. Jin-Hyeok had not donated for the sake of getting this reaction, but it felt good regardless.

    <i>¡®So this is how you react to donations... I don¡¯t think I can do that. Does that mean I¡¯m not as intense as I thought I was? Hm...¡¯</i>

    Countless viewers filled the chat.

    -Holy shit! Someone donated for the first time, and it¡¯s one million Dias?

    -2Weak2Retire seems really rich, wow!

    -A million Dias for donation... That¡¯s insane!

    -All hail 2Weak2Retire!

    Rubbing his nose, Jin-Hyeok watched the flood of chat messages.

    <i>¡®What am I feeling right now?¡¯</i>

    He never thought of it before.

    <i>¡®This... feels good?¡¯</i>

    It was like a drug. He felt the urge to keep donating.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see... How much Dias do I have from donations?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t checked his Dias recently; he thought that if he found out he had too much, he would probably have to retire. However, it didn¡¯t matter now. Since another version of him, Kim Pyeong-Beom, had retired, money wasn¡¯t going to be an issue anymore. It did not make logical sense, but Jin-Hyeok decided not to sweat the small stuff.

    <i>¡®How many zeros are there? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine...¡¯</i>

    ying on an inter-Server scale, Jin-Hyeok realized he had umted about seventy billion Dias. It was too much, even for him. Dismissing it simply because Pyeong-Beom had retired felt wrong, so he had to consider what to do with such a massive amount.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute.¡¯</i>

    He suddenly realized how desperate Bong King and Mi-Na were. They were like oil and water, yet they hadbined their strength to surpass him.

    <i>¡®They will need financial support if they want to surpass me, won¡¯t they?¡¯</i>

    It was not that he did not want to retire. And it was not because he was high on the chat¡¯s fervor. He was simply setting an example for his juniors(?), as a senior(?), by nurturing them.

    [¡®2Weak2Retire¡¯ has donated 10,000,000 Dias.]

    [¡°Anus Destroyer is weak!¡±]

    The chat exploded.

    -LOL! You gotta listen to him, Anus Destroyer! He¡¯s saying you need to strive harder! HAHA!

    -Yes, Anus Destroyer is weak.

    -If 2Weak2Retire says he¡¯s weak, then he¡¯s weak.

    -The first donation was a million Dias, the second one was ten million Dias... How much is the third one going to be?

    The viewers¡¯ passionate responses continued nonstop. Jin-Hyeok wondered if a ten-million-Dias donation was really that significant, but since he hardly watched any other livestreams, he could not be sure.

    [¡®2Weak2Retire¡¯ has donated 100,000,000 Dias.]

    [¡°The weak Anus Destroyer.¡±]

    Anus Destroyer¡¯s nickname became the Weak Anus Destroyer.

    It was a highly satisfying conclusion.

    ***

    Kihael visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house once again, and when he saw Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s got you so excited?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s got you so pissed off?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the sorrow of us office workers.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand the sorrow of a Streamer like me?¡± Jin-Hyeok felt something strange all of a sudden. ¡°You used to at least pretend to sneak around. What happened?¡±

    Kihael hade to Jin-Hyeok in broad daylight, not even bothering to wear a hat. Kihael¡¯s face was quite well-known around Seodaemun-gu, and likely, many people had seen him on his way.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand being a GM anymore. I hate it!¡±

    From what he had told Jin-Hyeok, it sounded like he had reasons to be angry. The problem was the growing discrepancy between the Korean Region and other Regions on the Earth Server.

    If teachers tried to adjust the difficulty level of a test to cater to all students, they were bound to be criticized. The GMs of the Korean Region had simrly tried to design an appropriate level and difficulty suitable for all yers. However, they had failed and were constantly getting crushed by the higher-ups, day in and day out.

    ¡°You said you are going to make sure I get a solid job at the MK Foundation, right?¡± Kihael asked.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s very different from what I said.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I said I would help you get a job at the MK Foundation if you got fired.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m trying to do. Get fired.¡± Kihael was implying that he was going to tantly leak confidential information about the System. ¡°You said that the MK Foundation is going to take full responsibility for anypensation, right?¡±

    ¡°Kihael, why aren¡¯t you desperate?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°If you were truly desperate and fervent, trying your best to do everything, and then ended up getting fired, of course, the MK Foundation would scout you under very favorable conditions.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But if you are just going to be half-hearted and sloppy because you got criticized, I¡¯m not sure if I can help you.¡±

    The MK Foundation did not need someone who wasn¡¯t desperate.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how desperately I¡¯m surviving?¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Are you? Were there any asions where you were on the brink of death?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Or any asions where your internal organs nearly burst out?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Or any asions where you couldn¡¯t handle the exhaustion from overworking and copsed for about three days straight?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Or at least any asions where you were so busy working that you did not have time to eat and became malnourished?¡±

    ¡°...Is that your standard of being desperate?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°If you have time to eat, you¡¯re not desperate enough.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Listening to those words, Kihael had an epiphany. He red at Jin-Hyeok with burning eyes, and Jin-Hyeok could feel a strong resolve and will.

    ¡°...Enough about that. Anyway, this time, a rather tricky one is going to show up. At the Han River,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°The Han River?¡± Something clicked in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind all of a sudden.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s the Swallowing Croaker Scenario!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 171

    <h4>Chapter 171</h4>

    Kihael shared several pieces of information with Cha Jin-Hyeok. The Swallowing Croaker Scenario was one of the Scenarios that could not be cleared by the Korean Region alone. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, the National Intelligence Service team had been mobilized to clear it but had failed.

    <i>¡®It was only after Park Terse arrived that we were able to clear the Scenario.¡¯</i>

    Terse was the original owner of the Thunder Dragon and the top-ranked Tamer in the American Server.

    <i>¡®I definitely have to do this.¡¯</i>

    Aplishing something he was unable to in his past life meant a lot to Jin-Hyeok. The opportunity excited him.

    ¡°Why are you grinning like that?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Because it seems like fun.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Kihael shook his head.

    Jin-Hyeok thought that Kihael had not met someone really crazy; after all, he was calling an ordinary person like him crazy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell you what the reward is, and you¡¯re still happy?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure something good wille out.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew exactly what the reward was going to be. It was a reward that he needed at this point, but he decided not to focus on it. He was a Streamer now, and his rewards shoulde from a good livestream. He did not want the reward to be his goal.

    A few dayster, a piece of breaking news spread across the Korean Region.

    ?A cruise ship in the Han River was swallowed by an unidentified monster!?

    An unidentified fish monster had appeared in the Han River. It opened its mouth bizarrely wide and swallowed a cruise ship whole. Many people died or went missing.

    ?The great powers of the Guardian Tree did not reach the waters.?

    Some people med Jin-Hyeok, saying he had intentionally reduced the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory, making the Han River unsafe. However, Jin-Hyeok was quite ustomed to such nder and attacks from his days as a government official.

    ?The Swallowing Croaker vanished into the water.?

    ?Where did that giant fish go??

    Even with the current technology, it was impossible to even detect the monster. As time passed, the monster, called Swallowing Croaker, caused more trouble.

    One dawn, it appeared out of the blue and bit off several pirs of the Cheongdam Bridge, causing part of it to copse. This led to many casualties. The traffic was paralyzed, and the news incessantly talked about the Swallowing Croaker. Numerous yers attempted to find the monster, but it was nowhere to be found in the Han River.

    Still, some kept talking nonsense.

    -Where is Kim Chul-Soo?

    -He is a cowardly Streamer who doesn¡¯t do content unless it¡¯s profitable.

    Jin-Hyeok was not a government official anymore, but he did not understand why people would say things like that. However, having such haters did increase his fanbase, so it had its positive effects.

    -Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t have to listen to you.

    -Is Chul-Soo responsible for your safety?

    -You know what they say... if a favor continues, people take it for granted. I guess you¡¯re one of those people.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subscriber count had now reached 360 million. It had appeared to be stuck at 350 million, but as more people started bashing him, it surged by ten million. Most of the nonsense actually worked in his favor. Jin-Hyeok wondered if this was what people called viral marketing.

    <i>¡®But this is crossing the line.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok received a legal notice. It was from the building owners in Nowon-gu. During the Fall of Yeonhui-dong Scenario, Jin-Hyeok had fought with yers from another Server and destroyed parts of Nowon-gu. The notice demandedpensation for those damages.

    <i>¡®This is pissing me off.¡¯</i>

    It was kind of PTSD for him. Such attacks had tormented him when he was a government official.

    <i>¡®They want me to pay for the damage?¡¯</i>

    Back then, he was unable to retaliate against such people; so, he would just sit there like an idiot whenints of that nature came in. He had to argue about paying for the damage and was scolded for not being more careful. Even thinking about those times made him furious now. In a perfect world, people would not demandpensation for damages after being saved, but sadly, his world was not perfect.

    <i>¡®If I want to be called a true Streamer, I have to be able to create Eltube content in these kinds of ridiculous situations as well.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, such situations urred often, but Wang Yu-Mi and Ahn Ji-Won usually handled them.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s annoying to deal with it by myself.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized it was best to consult with them on these matters.

    ***

    Yu-Mi was drinking chocte milk straight out of a bottle when she said, ¡°I¡¯d love to just wipe them out. How dare they challenge the authority of a king?!¡±

    Ji-Won, seated with Yu-Mi, added no furtherments. With her short hair and sses, Ji-Won just wrote something down in her notebook. She was noticeably more reticent than she had been before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long, but it seems those noisy brats have forgotten the humiliation that Great Britain suffered during the invasion of the Scanorbian warriors!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    During the Scanorbian invasion, the British Region had crumbled. Countless citizens had be ves, and many inhumane and terrible events had unfolded.

    ¡°However, wiping them all out would not look good for Streamer Kim Chul-Soo. It would look like the strong trampling the weak. But we can¡¯t just leave it be. We need to strike at the head in times like these,¡± she added.

    ¡°The head?¡±

    ¡°There must be ringleaders. I don¡¯t know who they are, but we can find them quickly by asking the ck and ck Alliance to help us. They must pay dearly for challenging the king. Leave the direction and narrative rted to that to me! Storyteller Yu-Mi at your service!¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, that¡¯s reassuring. It¡¯s good to have her on my side,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It felt like a breath of fresh air.

    ¡°And there are a few other things I have been thinking about, but I will not tell you what they are. It will be better for your livestream if you don¡¯t know,¡± Yu-Mi told Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but smile warmly at the sight of Yu-Mi, who seemed even more devoted to his livestream than he was. Then, he turned his attention to Angel Girl Song Ha-Young and asked her something.

    ¡°The Pain Bat? You could get that at an auction these days, right? Or you could check the Nerver Item Market or somewhere like that. It¡¯s not that rare an item, you know,¡± Ha-Young answered.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t Lee Hyeon-Seong acquire one recently?¡±

    Lee Hyeon-Seong, also known as the weak Anus Destroyer, had recently acquired the Pain Bat from the Scanorbia Server.

    ¡°...Damn, you sure love torturing Hyeon-Seong,¡± Ha-Young said. Lately, she had been casually mixing formal and informal speech, but Jin-Hyeok just let it slide. As long as she was loyal and the work was done right, he did not care.

    Ultimately, Ha-Young stole the Pain Bat from Hyeon-Seong.

    ¡°Wow, I was worried I might get caught! But it was easier than I thought,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Did you leave your signature mark at the scene of the crime?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Just as Jin-Hyeok thought, Hyeon-Seong was weak. Otherwise, she would not have been able to steal such an item this easily.

    Less than an hourter, he got a call from Hyeon-Seong.

    ¡ªDid you do this? There¡¯s Angel Girl¡¯s signature mark here.

    ¡°The Pain Bat?¡±

    ¡ªYes, the Pain Bat! Why did you steal it?

    Jin-Hyeok knew Hyeon-Seong was hysterical due to their interactions before his regression, but he didn¡¯t know Hyeon-Seong was <i>this </i>hysterical.

    ¡°Why are you getting angry?¡±

    ¡ªWhat?

    ¡°You are the weak yer who couldn¡¯t protect his things from a Thief.¡±

    ¡ª...

    Hyeon-Seong needed to be taught a lesson with facts once in a while. Otherwise, he kept thinking he was the strongest. Of course, Jin-Hyeok had not seen that side of Hyeon-Seong after regression, but that was Hyeon-Seong¡¯s true nature.

    ¡°Why else would you be called the weak Anus Destroyer?¡±

    ¡ªThat¡¯s because some crazy bastard donated a shit-ton of¡ª

    ¡°Crazy bastard? A shit-ton of what?¡±

    ¡ª<i>Sigh! </i>Never mind. Just forget it.

    Just as Jin-Hyeok thought, Hyeon-Seong¡¯s temper was still bad. If Hyeon-Seong had earned the nickname the weak Anus Destroyer, he had to reflect on why he got it and be stronger.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s always throwing fits. No wonder he can¡¯t improve and remains weak.¡¯</i>

    No matter how much money Jin-Hyeok threw around, if people thought Hyeon-Seong was strong, they would not have added the word weak to his nickname.

    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself, weak one.¡±

    ¡ª...

    ¡°You should protect what¡¯s yours. If it had been a sword you were robbed of, would you be calling me so leisurely?¡±

    ¡ªT-That is..!

    ¡°Why are you getting so worked up over a Thief who stole fair and square? That¡¯s why you are called weak¡ª¡±

    The call ended before Jin-Hyeok could finish.

    <i>¡®This is what you get for messing with me before my regression. Think of it as your karma. Ah~ What a refreshing day today!¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    At eleven in the night, after having a conversation with Jin-Hyeok, Cha Jin-Sol returned to her room, giggling andughing. As shey on her bed, she covered her face with her nket, reveling in her delight.

    ¡°Oppa asked me for a favor!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was an unparalleled yer. The number of yers who wanted to appear on his livestream was countless. At this point, Jin-Hyeok was in a position to give help, not receive it. Yet, he had asked for her help.

    ¡°To think that I can be of help...¡±

    He had asked her to gather a group of Healers led by the Saint of Freedom to assist with his content.

    Plenty of Healers wanted to be featured on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. Jin-Sol recruited a select group of about thirty Healers and joined forces with Jin-Hyeok. Soon after, KimKnowItAllTV and the Korean Region Minor Gallery were aze.

    -Holy shit! He¡¯s beating them up! LOL

    -I think this livestream should be R-rated, LOL!

    -Oh, it¡¯s so brutal. BUT I LIKE IT!

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I realized something with my hammer.¡±

    He hit a man¡¯s head with the Pain Bat. The Pain Bat was a deformed item that minimized damage while maximizing pain. ¡°I quite like the feel of welding a blunt weapon.¡±

    <i>Thwack! Thwack!</i>

    The Healer group Jin-Sol led was busy casting heals on the injured.

    <i>¡®W-Why is he so strong...?!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®That guy¡¯s about to die! I need to heal him!¡¯</i>

    -Who the hell calls the Rule Breaker a mere hammer? LOL

    -Is he using the Pain Bat? LMAO! How is he dealing so much damage with that?

    -Wow, it looks painful just watching!

    -The amazing thing is that there is one damage dealer and thirty healers, LOL, and the healers are getting exhausted first!

    A few individuals whom Chul-Soo had beaten up were cursing vehemently.

    ¡°Just kill me!¡±

    ¡°You devil!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued to speak calmly, unaffected by their reactions, ¡°Why do you think they can talk back to me like that? Is it because they are trying not to sumb to violence? No, it¡¯s because the violence is too weak!¡±

    When the best Healers in Korea had all but copsed from exhaustion, Chul-Soo¡¯s words became reality.

    ¡°P-Please... I can¡¯t take it anymore...¡±

    ¡°I am so sorry... I was blinded by greed...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok spoke again. ¡°Being able to talk like that means they haven¡¯t been hit enough, right?¡±

    <i>ARGH!!!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had assaulted about ten people. They were the representatives of the 00 Civil Alliance and the heads and vice-heads of the Nowon-gu Building Owners¡¯ Union.

    As time passed and the Healers began to fall one by one, the leader of the Nowon-gu Building Owners'' Union, Baek Deok-Soo, profusely begged with his hands.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t speak. If I speak, I¡¯ll get hit more,¡¯ </i>Deok-Soo thought.

    Deok-Soo¡¯s mind was consumed by an immense fear he had never experienced before.

    ¡°Yo, are you not going to talk?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>Aaaaah!</i>

    Deok-Soo fainted and woke up several times, then he begged again. ¡°Please...! I will tell you everything!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stopped swinging the Pain Bat.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi had told him to beat them up until his anger subsided and then show the mercilessness of a king. However, she had also suggested him to stop if they begged and promised to tell him everything.

    ¡°How would I know that you¡¯re telling the truth right now?¡± Jin-Hyeok decided to hit them a bit more.

 Chapter 172

    <h4>Chapter 172</h4>

    Bae Deok-Soo was confused, having no idea how to end this terrible beating. He said, ¡°...Then, I will just tell you a little bit...¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses.¡±

    <i>Thwack! Thwack!</i>

    ¡°O-Okay! I will tell you everything then!¡±

    ¡°How do I know you are telling the truth?¡±

    ¡°Aaah! I will tell you everything! Really!¡±

    ¡°The fact that you can talk means that you need more.¡±

    ¡°P-Please!!!¡±

    The merciless beating continued relentlessly. Most of the Healers had fallen to the ground, and even Cha Jin-Sol, the Blood Priest, was gasping for breath. ¡°Oppa... I¡¯m at my limit too.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sweat streamed down Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face. Only now did he notice the fallen Healers.

    He wiped the sweat from his forehead. With its durability exhausted, the Pain Bat crumbled to pieces.

    ¡°My livestream is all about being intense. You all know that, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers.

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, he hadn¡¯t carried out this beating because of anger, and it definitely was not because of the memories from before his regression.

    ¡°I just wanted my beating to be intense.¡±

    -Hahaha! Typical for IntenseMan!

    -Good-hearted IntenseMan never gets angry. LOL

    -He didn¡¯t beat them out of anger~ If he says so. LOL

    ¡°Now that Mr. Bae Deok-Soo has joined our intense content, shall we have an intense conversation?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course! I will tell you everything!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not ask any questions; Deok-Soo voluntarily confessed the secrets. This matched Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s prediction.

    <i>¡®How far had Yu-Mi foreseen?¡¯</i>

    ¡°We never originally wanted anypensation. It¡¯s true! Some people instigated us!¡± Deok-Soo said.

    <i>¡®Oh! No wonder so many forces collectively acted against me all at once!¡¯</i>

    ¡°He called himself the third-ranked Ruler of the ck Alliance.¡±

    The term third-ranked Ruler brought back a memory. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, around the time the Swallowing Croaker Scenario had unfolded, a Ruler had caused chaos in Korea.

    ¡°Was his name Heilik?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...Do you know him...?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not.

    ¡°So... Heilik is behind all this.¡±

    This moment provided justification for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s excessive assault. There had been foreign intervention from the ck Alliance, and as the guardian of peace, Jin-Hyeok had used physical force to find out who was behind all this.

    Given that the people of Earth had experienced the invasion of Scanorbia and the Fall of Yeonhui-dong Scenario and were wary of invaders, it made sense.

    Yu-Mi was also surprised.

    <i>¡®I knew someone would be behind all this. And I intended to naturally capture Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s process of discovering it, through noble and beautiful violence,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Yu-Mi did not think Jin-Hyeok was skilled in acting. Therefore, instead of asking him to pretend with his awkward acting, she aimed to capture the natural discovery of the perpetrator. She knew that with his noble violence, he could reveal anything.

    <i>¡®But he already knew?¡¯</i>

    How he knew that was something even Yu-Mi could not fathom, but she decided just to ept it.

    ¡°He¡¯s so amazing! He is the best! He is the sexiest! When IntenseMan is desperate, he can find out anything he wants!¡±

    Since IntenseMan was desperate, it was natural for him to know such things. Logic or usibility was not very important to Yu-Mi.

    <i>Slurp!</i>

    She wiped the saliva dripping from her mouth.

    ? ? ?

    As soon as the name Heilik, the third-ranked Ruler of the ck Alliance, was mentioned, public opinion about Jin-Hyeok improved drastically.

    -Where are those idiots who were criticizing Chul-Soo¡¯s beating?

    -I knew it! OrderMan wouldn¡¯t just beat someone intensely out of anger.

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s violence is always right!

    Many people praised his actions as the right way to solve the problem. Of course, a few people posted opinions that such personal revenge or sanctions were still wrong, but they quickly deleted their posts and disappeared in the face of numerous dislikes and a barrage of hatements.

    After ending the livestream, Jin-Hyeok logged onto the Korean Region Minor Gallery to check what people were saying about him.

    <i>¡®That was satisfying.¡¯</i>

    This was exactly what he had wanted to do during his days as a government official¡ªbeat up those who recklessly demandedpensation, like the time when he had rescued someone¡¯s grandmother but then got sued by her son because she got injured in the process, or when he had destroyed a store while dealing with a powerful monster, and the owner had thanked him at first butter demanded repair costs.

    <i>¡®Yu-Mi is crafting a usible narrative to improve my public image.¡¯</i>

    She said something about how Jin-Hyeok had realized the existence of a dark power behind all this and that he had to deliver a painful punishment to them personally. It did not quite make sense to him, but strangely, this method worked well with the public.

    -Thinking about how much OrderMan¡¯s heart must have hurt while beating them brings me to tears. T_T

    -IntenseMan surely did not want to use his intensity in such ways.

    -For justice, cheers.¡î

    Some citizens¡¯ alliances and other unions promised not to hold him ountable anymore.

    Amid this, Maria from the MK Foundation announced an operation called the Disaster Recovery Support Program. It was a relief effort by the MK Foundation aimed at those affected in Nowon-gu. Jin-Hyeok had not even told her to do that, but for some reason, people were praising him.

    -IntenseMan is merciful.

    -If it were me, I would¡¯ve killed all those ungrateful bastards. LOL

    -Wow, a powerful yer who is also merciful? That¡¯s just cheating.

    Jin-Hyeok briefly turned on his livestream to rify that he was not the one responsible, but people did not believe him.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re not believing me again?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    This felt like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. In his past life, nobody believed him when he said, ¡°I¡¯m just ying because it¡¯s fun.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok got home, he found Song Ha-Young sitting on the sofa.

    ¡°Heilik, the third-ranked Ruler of the ck Alliance. How did you know? How did you find that out before me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the leader of the ck Rose Alliance? How could you <i>not</i> know before me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be too embarrassed to ask how I know.¡±

    Ha-Young bit her lip as if her pride was hurt, then said, ¡°What do you think the ck Alliance¡¯s goal is? Do you know anything?¡±

    ¡°Why are you interrogating a mere Streamer? You should discuss that with your friend.¡±

    ¡°My friend?¡±

    ¡°Han Sae-Rin. It¡¯s her specialty, figuring out things like that.¡±

    Ha-Young, who had been mixing formal and informal speech, had nowpletely dropped formality. It was not a crucial element for ying, so Jin-Hyeok decided not to point this out.

    ¡°I want to know what IntenseMan is thinking. You are the first one to recognize the existence of Heilik, the third-ranked Ruler,¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°Hm... Well, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°The first thing thates to mind is that Heilik is doing this in retaliation for Humphrey Millen¡¯s death.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    <i>¡®Wow, she really does not know anything! An inter-Server Alliance like the ck Alliance seeking revenge for the likes of Humphrey Millen? That¡¯s rich.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why are youughing at me? You told me to share my thoughts!¡±

    ¡°Well, what you¡¯re saying is nonsense. That¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ha-Young bit her lip again. ¡°You¡¯re especially rude to me. You know that right?¡±

    ¡°I most certainly am not.¡±

    ¡°No, you are. Just to me and Lee Hyeon-Seong. Why are you so harsh with only us? Were we some kind of archenemies in a past life?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re quite perceptive.¡±

    ¡°Stop kidding around!¡±

    <i>¡®See? She doesn¡¯t even believe me even when I am telling the truth.¡¯</i>

    ¡°If you were good at what you do, do I think I would be this harsh on you?¡± he said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Did you see the video where I praised Bong King and Kang Mi-Na?¡±

    ¡°...Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°I praise when it¡¯s deserved.¡±

    ¡°I stole the Pain Bat from the Anus Destroyer though.¡±

    ¡°Stealing from such a weak yer is not something to be proud of.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ha-Young fell silent. Jin-Hyeok contemted using the Tight-Fillet Spell if she harbored any disrespectful thoughts.

    <strong>[...#Stop being harsh. #I need to be better. #I¡¯m craving his praise.]</strong>

    Regrettably for him, Ha-Young was devoutly listening to him with quite a proper mindset. He did not get the chance to use the Tight-Fillet Spell.

    ¡°So, what do you think the ck Alliance is trying to do?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just seems like they are trying to draw attention.¡±

    ¡°Draw attention?¡±

    ¡°They are pinning people against me for mere damagepensation. What can the ck Alliance gain from that? At most, it will just upset me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, they must be aiming for something else, right?¡±

    ¡°And what do you think that is?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t figuring that out your role? How much do I have to spoon-feed you?¡±

    The ck Alliance was drawing all this attention everywhere to hide the Paper Sorcerer Makendra¡¯s movements. Their n was to have Paper Sorcerer Makendra secretly infiltrate the Earth Server and raise an army of Paper Soldiers to devour part of the American Region.

    That was the likely oue if the situation yed out the same as it did before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    To have Makendra and her army infiltrate the Earth Server at its current level, a lot of deception was needed, which was why many third-ranked Rulers had been dispatched to a considerable number of Regions. One of these Rulers was Heilik, who was dispatched to the Korean Region.

    <strong>[...#He¡¯s right. #That is my role. #I just want to rely on him. #He is so cool. #He¡¯s a jerk, but so cool. #I need to be stronger.]</strong>

    Some of her thoughts were odd, but her resolve to try and be better wasmendable.

    <i>¡®You know what they say, as long as the intention is good, it¡¯s okay.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Multiple expeditions had been organized to hunt the Swallowing Croaker, but none had been sessful.

    [Without a clear strategy, citizens trembling with fear have to use the bridges...]

    [With 92 dead and over 120 missing so far...]

    The damage caused by the Swallowing Croaker continued to increase, and all cruises and leisure activities on the water were banned. For safety, ess to the Han River bridges obviously needed to be restricted, but that was impractical, so many citizens had to use the bridges in fear.

    Then, someone set foot in Korea.

    ¡°This is Korea, the homnd of the Perfect Tamer.¡±

    His name was Park Terse. Although he was one-quarter Korean, he did not know much about the country. He was aware that Korea had developed quite rapidlypared to other Regions, but that was not his area of interest. He had begun to take a keen interest in the Korean Region only recently, especially after Kim Chul-Soo had sessfully tamed the Thunder Dragon.

    <i>¡®When people used to say something was special about the Korean Region, I was not impressed.¡¯</i>

    However, the story had changed now. Terse wondered what was in the Korean Region that had produced someone like Chul-Soo and how a Streamer could tame a divine beast like the Thunder Dragon.

    <i>¡®How sincere is his bond with the Thunder Dragon?!¡¯</i>

    Terse was filled with the thought of meeting and talking to Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®How can I meet him?¡¯</i>

    He wanted to converse with Chul-Soo on equal terms or at least not in a position to be ignored. However, being the top Tamer in the American Region was not enough for that. Even Oliverne, the top Daoist of the American Region, and Egan Paul, the top Streamer of the American Region, were nothingpared to Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®The Swallowing Croaker is a major issue in the Korean Region...¡¯</i>

    Terse had learned that many Korean yers had struggled to hunt the Swallowing Croaker but to no avail. He was confident in dealing with such disasters. He had prevented much damage caused by monsters, more than what was known to the world.

    <i>¡®Fish monsters are usually less intelligent, making them easier to tame.¡¯</i>

    He felt that resolving the Swallowing Croaker Scenario might earn him the right to have a private conversation with Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve made up my mind. I will participate in the Swallowing Croaker Scenario.¡¯</i>

    Thus, Terse made his move.

 Chapter 173

    <h4>Chapter 173</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Tamer before, moly.¡±

    ¡°Are you Mole Man, the number one Navigator in the Korean Region?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Yes, moly. I reimed the top spot yesterday, moly. Now that Park Terse has joined me, I can further solidify my position at the top, moly!¡±

    Terse, guided by Mole Man, arrived at the Han River.

    <i>¡®The river is wide,¡¯ </i>Terse thought.

    It was a river of considerable breadth.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t feel the presence of any powerful monsters.¡¯</i>

    There was no need to rush. Taming required lots of time and dedication. Moreover, luck was on his side.

    ¡°Huh? Kim Chul-Soo started his livestream, moly.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Terse asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already liked, subscribed, and clicked on the notification bell on his channel, moly.¡± Mole Man grinned.

    As always, Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream was in first-person view, and he had arrived somewhere along the Han River.

    ¡°Let¡¯s join Chul-Soo, moly. If I am with the famous American Tamer, Chul-Soo will not have a reason to refuse, moly.¡±

    ¡°The Han River is a long river, stretching 494 kilometers. How do we n to meet him?¡±

    Not even a single bridge over the Han River could be seen in the livestream. It seemed like Chul-Soo was not in Seoul. The natural scenery was not particrly unique, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint his location on the river just from the first-person footage.

    <i>¡®Maybe there is a reason this guy is the number one Navigator in Korea. He might have a solution.¡¯</i>

    A Navigator definitely had their own methods. Terse wondered if Mole Man could find Chul-Soo with just a slight hint. He watched Mole Man with eyes full of expectation, curious about how Korea¡¯s top-ranked Navigator would find Chul-Soo. Perhaps, Mole Man would generously demonstrate his skills and expertise.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo, it¡¯s me, Mole Man. I am currently with Park Terse. We want to join you, moly. Okay. Where do you want us? Give me the address, moly.¡±

    After finishing the call, Mole Man put down his phone. Terse looked at him with a disappointed expression, but Mole Man started walking toward the Han River.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Aren¡¯t youing, moly?¡±

    Suddenly, arge duck-shaped mount appeared on the Han River. It was Mole Man¡¯s mount, the Duck Man. Mole Man skillfully climbed aboard the Duck Man and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the Han River is home to a dangerous monster? You said that it swallows a crust ship whole.¡± Terse wondered if the Duck Man could have some special barrier to protect them from the Swallowing Croaker.

    <i>¡®Maybe the top-ranked Navigator has something up his sleeve.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Mole Man, who usually ended his sentences with the word <i>moly</i> during his y, did not add the word this time. It meant he was quite displeased. But Terse did not understand that.

    ¡°There are no safe ys in the world,¡± Mole Man added. Among Korean yers, Mole Man was one of the yers most influenced by Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°No, but you said there is a monster called the Swallowing Croaker that lives in the Han Ri¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, but what¡¯s your point?¡± Mole Man frowned. ¡°Am I making a mistake by bringing this amateur along, moly?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get on in three seconds, I am leaving without you.¡±

    Terse was confused. This style of y was too different from that used in the American Region. A Swallowing Croaker was roaming the Han River, yet Mole Man was nning to travel across the Han River in this duck, of all things. It seemed like madness.

    <i>¡®But I need to meet Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    In the end, Terse boarded the Duck Man.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok recalled his memories of Park Terse.

    <i>¡®In many ways, we were ipatible.¡¯</i>

    Terse was unusually kind to monsters. He was a unique character who loved andmunicated with them. It wasn¡¯t that the worldcked such crazy yers, but most of them would get eaten or killed by monsters.

    Monsters were naturally hostile to humans, an immutablew of nature. Yet, some yers defied this natural order, like Terse, a rare breed. For someone with a normal mindset like Jin-Hyeok, understanding Terse was difficult.

    ¡°Are you Kim Chul-Soo?¡± Terse asked. He looked much younger than what Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    Mole Man hopped off the Duck Man and greeted Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I brought Terse, but something feels off, moly.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°He seems to have a cowardly personality, moly.¡±

    <i>¡®Terse? A coward? That¡¯s impossible.¡¯</i>

    Terse had even tamed a Thunder Dragon before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    <i>¡®Wait, hold on... Now, since I have tamed the Thunder Dragon, well, it¡¯s more like a contract than taming, does that make me superior?¡¯</i>

    Defeating a top yer in any field was quite a joy.

    <i>¡®Maybe I have some talent as a Tamer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So anyway, why are you in Korea? Why did you look for me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Terse.

    ¡°I have something crucial to ask you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡¯

    ¡°I am not yet worthy to ask. After we clear the Swallowing Croaker Scenario, I will.¡±

    It was obvious what Terse wanted to ask.

    ¡°Why beat around the bush? You want to know how I tamed the Thunder Dragon, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Even a kid could guess that.¡±

    It was not that big of a deal, so Jin-Hyeok decided to tell the truth. ¡°I was just lucky.¡±

    ¡°You were lucky?¡± Terseughed as if he found it ridiculous.

    Not understanding what was funny about his statement, Jin-Hyeok reluctantly used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[...#Is he keeping it a secret? #I would too. #But I won¡¯t give up. #I want to know his secret!]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand why Terse was overthinking a simple statement about luck.

    <i>¡®Why won¡¯t he believe me?¡¯</i>

    Terse continued with a serious expression, ¡°The Thunder Dragon was originally mine.¡±

    <i>¡®He¡¯s sharp.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, it had indeed been Terse¡¯s, so technically, Jin-Hyeok might have taken it from him.

    ¡°So?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°...What?¡± Terse tilted his head in confusion, seemingly surprised by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s response.

    <strong>[...#Why isn¡¯t he angry? #Even though I am being unreasonable. #Why?]</strong>

    ¡°Are you proud that something of yours got robbed? Why are you telling me this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    <strong>[...#That is a weird way of putting it.]</strong>

    ¡°Why are you saying that the Thunder Dragon was originally yours as if it¡¯s something to be proud of?¡±

    ¡°...I apologize. Seems like I lost my senses to jealousy for a moment.¡± Terse seemed to think that Jin-Hyeok harbored some incredible secrets. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in detail after the Swallowing Croaker Scenario. As you know, I am the top-ranking Tamer of the American Region. I might be of help.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok started his livestream with a heightened tone. ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot about the word <i>Swallowing</i>.¡±

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Terse had sessfully managed to draw the attention of the Swallowing Croaker. Subsequently, many top-rank yers, including an NIS team, had coborated to subdue the monster.

    Terse had wanted to pacify the Croaker and had reached an agreement with the NIS team to that effect. However, the situation spiraled into chaos when some yers initiated an attack, intending to kill the monster.

    <i>¡®I remember Terse became infuriated and threw a tantrum, protesting that this was a breach of their agreement.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand Terse¡¯s perspective at that time, but he empathized with the sentiment. He knew better than anyone the frustration of not being able to y as one desired.

    <i>¡®But Terse getting angry was a minor issue.¡¯</i>

    The important part came after. A tragedy urred when the Swallowing Croaker ate several yers, including Lee Hyeon-Seong.

    <i>¡®And the severely injured Swallowing Croaker escaped after swallowing the yers.¡¯</i>

    However, around the time when a memorial march had begun for these yers, including Hyeon-Seong, they miraculously appeared at Ttukseom.[1]

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, Hyeon-Seong was already the infamous Anus Destroyer even then!¡¯</i>

    These yers had survived inside the Swallowing Croker, eventually escaping by breaking through its anus. A few dayster, a gigantic fish, resembling a whale, had surfaced on the water, marking the end of the Swallowing Croaker Scenario.

    At that time, Hyeon-Seong had been a Swordsman contending for the top spot with Jin-Hyeok. After the end of the Scenario, Hyeon-Seon had gained the number one spot and maintained it for about two weeks. Jin-Hyeok had been furious about that.

    ¡°Ultimately, it seems we need to be swallowed for this Scenario,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He then turned his gaze toward Terse. ¡°The top-ranking Tamer of the American Region has rushed to offer his help. Terse, with your abilities, you can surely draw the attention of the Swallowing Croaker, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Terse was in a state of confusion, struggling to understand Jin-Hyeok¡¯s way of thinking. ¡°...So, because the Scenario is named the Swallowing Croker, you want to try being swallowed? Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Since we are on the air, let¡¯s try to talk more formally, shall we? The trantion technology is not quite advanced and is incapable of distinguishing between casual and formal speech, Mr. Park Terse.¡±

    The sharp viewers of KimKnowItAllTVmented things such as ¡®Huh?¡¯ and ¡®Usually, Chul-Soo speaks informally just fine?¡¯, and Jin-Sol wrote ¡°???¡¯, but these were drowned by otherments such as ¡®If OderMan says so, then that¡¯s how it is.¡¯

    <strong>[You fools, do not judge OrderMan by your narrow perspective. Haven¡¯t you seen the recent incident where he nobly beat the crap out of those people? Lord Chul-Soo is always right!]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: ChulSooIsGod]</strong>

    <strong>[Just stop with thatme justification. He is just doing whatever the hell he wants. Isn¡¯t that disgusting? Earthlings, you fawning over Chul-Soo with your Earth-centric views makes me sick to my stomach.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    As usual, a big fight broke out between the two Named users in the Korean Region Minor Gallery, with most people siding with ChulSooIsGod. NoOverpackagingPlz, or Joseph, who was actually on Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s side, had yed a sessful role in solidifying Chul-Soo¡¯s fan base by using overly provocative and offensivenguage.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok continued with the livestream. ¡°Why? You can¡¯t do it? You just have to summon the fish here.¡±

    ¡°Why do you assume I can do it so easily?¡±

    ¡°I just thought Park Terse would naturally be able to.¡± Jin-Hyeok was a bit disappointed. Indeed, the Swallowing Croaker Scenario had urred a few months earlier than it had taken ce before his regression. However, after his regression, the yers around him were growing at a faster pace than before.

    <i>¡®I thought he would be much stronger by now.¡¯</i>

    Although the Scenario had urred a few months earlier, Jin-Hyeok thought Terse could sessfully summon the Swallowing Croaker even now. However, it seemed he had overestimated Terse.

    ¡°...You can¡¯t do it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had high hopes for Terse, so he was disappointed. His disappointment toward Terse was profound, almost feeling like a betrayal. If this was the case, there was no point in surpassing Terse at all.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s the point of being better than Terse, who is already weaker than me?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I should just call King Gook-Hyeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°King Goo-Hyeon?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the top Tamer of the Korean Region. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know how King Gook-Hyeon is?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unconsciously slipped into informal speech. As Joseph pointed out, his standard seemed a bit inconsistent.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you even studying yourpetitors in the same field? And you call yourself a Ranker?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I am not obsessed with rankings! I just enjoymunicating with lovely monsters, and through thatmunication, I found myself at the top of the rankings.¡±

    This was Terse¡¯s philosophy of y. He never particrly soughtpetitive y. He never strived to be at the top; it just happened while he did what he loved.

    <i>¡®Even if he is Chul-Soo, he has no right to interfere with or criticize my y philosophy!¡¯ </i>Terse thought.

    As Terse red at him, Jin-Hyeok spoke. ¡°Do you seriously think you can tame the Thunder Dragon with that kind of attitude?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Even if you thoroughly analyze yers of simr caliber and try to fill your shorings and grow, taming the Thunder Dragon is still a long shot.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It was the moment when Terse, a pure and passionate Tamer, began to falter.

    ¡°Fine, I guess I need to call King Gook-Hyeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Terse bit his lip. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I will try what you suggested.¡±

    The Swallowing Croaker Scenario officially began.

    1. Ttukseom is a small park located near the Han River. ?

 Chapter 174

    <h4>Chapter 174</h4>

    ¡°To catch the fish, we must go to the river.¡±

    For Park Terse, discerning what was the right course of action had be increasingly difficult.. Globally, the Korean Region was famous for hiding something mystical and special. However, if one arrived in Korea, the illusion would seem to shatter.

    <i>¡®Well, it¡¯s not wrong to say that to catch a fish, one must enter the water,¡¯ </i>Terse thought.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s n was so rudimentary that it barely qualified as a strategy. It involved a three-person partyprising a Navigator, a Streamer, and a Tamer riding the Duck Man to summon the Swallowing Croaker while cruising along the Han River.

    <i>¡®I thought Korea would have more thorough strategies, umted know-how, and unique and brilliant tactics...¡¯</i>

    Terse was doubtful. He wondered if this was the entirety of the n and whether Kim Chul-Soo was still keeping some secrets from him. The Tamer held onto the sliver of hope until the moment he boarded the Duck Man. Then the Duck Man began to float along.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo, I somewhat understand your n to let the Swallowing Croaker swallow us. But will the process really go as smoothly as you think?¡± Terse asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Taming a dangerous monster usually requires a lot of dedication, time, and love. Not to mention the necessary materials and manpower.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was unfamiliar with this topic. Since the ones keeping the group afloat in the water were the Duck Man and Mole Man, Jin-Hyeok calmly continued his interview with Terse. ¡°What exactly do you mean by necessary materials and manpower?¡±

    ¡°Tomunicate with a monster, ample time is a must. You must not show any hostility. This requires a Tank who can withstand the monster¡¯s attacks for a long time. Navigators and Rulers with special abilities that canprehensively assess the monster¡¯s characteristics and tendencies are needed as well. If there are yers specialized in restraint or barrier spells, in case the monster goes berserk, that would be even better.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Terse saw a glimmer of hope in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s response. Meanwhile, Mole Man seemed annoyed for some reason. Heined about how his ranking was bound to drop if he kept ying with Terse.

    ¡°There is always a proper process to taming. Our current y is far too abnormal. We don¡¯t even have a Tank to withstand the Swallowing Croaker¡¯s attacks. Let¡¯s say you get swallowed as you n to. Then what?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily flustered. He had not pondered what woulde next after being swallowed. Like Mole Man, he had assumed things would work out somehow. After all, he believed that in y, if everyone did their best in their roles, things would work out by themselves.

    ¡°Well, someone who tamed the Thunder Dragon like you would not have failed to consider the aftermath,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you are keeping your y a secret, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

    ¡°..¡±

    ¡°But what if the Swallowing Croaker swallows me or Mole Man instead of you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. The end could always justify the means. He said, ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. I am actually pretty good at being a Tank.¡±

    Suddenly, Mole Man started to yell. Being heavily influenced by Jin-Hyeok, he thought that Jin-Hyeok was displeased right now. ¡°God damn it! You talk way too much! Just admit that you¡¯re scared to shit! I can¡¯t stand it! Chul-Soo, do we really have to y with such a coward, moly?¡±

    ¡°Terse¡¯s theory is mostly correct. Why are you so heated?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°...Moly?¡±

    ¡°If somebody is right, you should listen and be receptive.¡±

    ¡°...Your standards are a bit inconsistent, moly.¡± Mole Man had a feeling that if he had acted just like Terse, he would have received a severe scolding from Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®He definitely would have scolded me,¡¯ </i>Mole Man thought.

    It seemed as though Chul-Soo was giving Terse more leeway.

    ¡°There is no consistency in your standards, moly!¡±

    ¡°Why does that matter?¡±

    ¡°...Moly?¡± Mole Man had a major realization.

    <i>¡®Even now, Chul-Soo is teaching me a lesson! Everything must be proven through skills. If that is the case, a little inconsistency andck of uniformity are minor issues! After all, Chul-Soo is the unofficial world number one despite his fluctuating standards.¡¯</i>

    Mole Man was quite pleased with this enlightenment.

    <i>¡®Right. I should also y as I feel at the moment, without sticking to consistency.¡¯</i>

    It was an excellent lesson.

    ***

    Although Jin-Hyeok wandered around the Han River with Terse, they did not find anything significant.

    ¡°It seems like we might have to wait a while. But I believe in ourselves. If it¡¯s Terse, he will eventually be able to catch the attention of the Swallowing Croaker.¡±

    Terse felt an odd sense of emotion. It felt like a small but significant acknowledgment from Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I will find the Swallowing Croaker, no matter what,¡¯ </i>the Tamer thought.

    Having met Mole Man and Chul-Soo, Terse had changed slightly. His initial aim had been to meet the new monster, the Swallowing Croaker, and build a special rapport with it. He wanted to share a peaceful and beautifulmunion with the monster and, if possible, tame it. However, his desire to find and catch the Swallowing Croaker had started to intensify.

    Days passed.

    ¡°Is this guy actually any good, moly?¡± Mole Man seemed slightly dissatisfied again today. ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s now fallen to second ce, moly. I don¡¯t usually work with someone who is not in the first ce, moly.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Mole Man, you¡¯re so loud. It¡¯s killing me. Let¡¯s focus,¡± Terse replied.

    ¡°A second-ranked yer is talking back to a top-ranked yer? How dare you?!¡±

    Amid the bickering, Terse suddenly widened his eyes. ¡°Shh!¡±

    Terse scattered the bait he had prepared into the river water and muttered an iprehensiblenguage. Faint silver threads, made of mana, swirled at the tips of his fingers, sparkling as they met the sunlight. They resembled fishing lines, yet also spider webs.

    Jin-Hyeok also peered into the depths of the Han River through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <i>¡®It¡¯sing!¡¯</i>

    Feeling something approaching, he kicked off the back of the Duck Man and leaped far away.

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    Somethingrge in the water opened its mouth wide and leaped out. Its target was Jin-Hyeok, who was suspended in the air.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a slight thrill and said to his viewers, ¡°It¡¯s trying to swallow me.¡±

    This was the advantage of a first-person perspective livestream. He could urately observe the giant mouth trying to engulf him.

    ¡°Its teeth look incrediblyrge and strong. Indeed fierce enough to tear down a bridg¡ª huh?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was hugely disappointed. ¡°I...¡±

    This was a mistake.

    ¡°I must have jumped too high.¡±

    The Swallowing Croaker had failed to reach him, probably because he had not controlled himself due to his excitement. He almost lost his words in frustration but continued the livestream with superhuman patience. ¡°I will dive in and look for it.¡±

    He had sessfully showcased the majesty of the Swallowing Croaker. There was no need for another dramatic visual disy; just being swallowed by the monster would suffice.

    ¡°Maybe it will chase me more eagerly if I dive into the water.¡±

    The water¡¯s surface was approaching.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to dive in now.¡±

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok fell into the waters of the Han River.

    ¡°Ubbub.¡± He could not speak underwater, which disappointed him.

    <i>¡®I wasn¡¯t intense enough.¡¯</i>

    He should have made preparations to livestream underwater. He had only thought about being swallowed by the monster and had not considered a way to speak underwater.

    <i>¡®Han Sae-Rin would have scolded me a lot if she saw this.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt embarrassed, thinking he had shown a shameful side to Wang Yu-Mi and Bong Mi-Na, a nickname for the duo of Bong King and Kang Mi-Na.

    He swam up to the surface. ¡°This huge monster disappeared in an instant. I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    ***

    Terse was shocked.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t even properly stand there.¡¯</i>

    It was not easy to find a stable footing or stand properly on top of the Duck Man. Terse did not even think that it was possible to jump so high from there. Even a famously agile Archer or Thief would not be able to do that.

    <i>¡®I should... just focus on my task,¡¯ </i>he thought<i>.</i>

    Terse had clearly seen the Swallowing Croaker, albeit for a moment. Through the mana thread connected to his fingertips, he had made contact with the monster and aptly read its mind and psychology.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the monster¡¯s jumping power was so trash,¡± Chul-Soo said.

    ¡°...Don¡¯t you think you jumped too high?¡±

    ¡°Everyone jumps this high.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standard here was Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.

    <i>¡®I think Ha-Young can jump higher than me,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Deciding not to be surprised by Chul-Soo¡¯s bizarre standards anymore, Terse continued, ¡°The Swallowing Croaker is a shy creature. I was able to read its mind through the mana thread. Its mind is pure and clean, like that of a young child.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but how can it disappear so quickly? With that size, it should be visible to the naked eye.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like a shy boy who easily gets embarrassed. Except when it¡¯s hungry, it seems to live as a small and cute fish.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head.

    <i>¡®Shy... and easily embarrassed...¡¯</i>

    To say such things about a monster that had eaten numerous people, Terse was surely not in his right mind.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s definitely crazy.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So, the monster can adjust its size at will?¡±

    ¡°That would be an easy way to understand it.¡±

    That was why it had been invisible despite their efforts to find it.

    Terse¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°Still, I¡¯ve marked it with my mana. Things should be easier now. But I hope you will keep your promise.¡±

    ¡°What was the promise again?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Not to hurt the Swallowing Croaker too much. Then, I think I can summon it as early as tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®He¡¯s the same, before and after my regression.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I will try my best.¡±

    ¡°...Fine.¡±

    The next day, Terse managed to summon the Swallowing Croaker. Jin-Hyeok applied a liquid Terse gave to him all over his body and dove into the Han River.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s approaching!¡± Jin-Hyeok felt the Swallowing Croaker recognize him as food and move toward him. ¡°Here ites.¡±

    <strong>[LV124(+20)/Swallowing Croaker/<u>Skills</u>]</strong>

    ¡°It seems like the monster gets an additional 20-Level boost because it is underwater.¡±

    Its movements were much better inside the water than in the air. The monster approached Jin-Hyeok with its mouth wide open.

    ¡°I will try to get eaten without letting it chew me.¡± Jin-Hyeok curled up like a ball and then jumped into the mouth of the Swallowing Croaker. Since it was a creature from a Scenario, its body was recognized as a new Field.

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸Inside the World of the Swallowing Croaker¡¹.]</strong>

 Chapter 175

    <h4>Chapter 175</h4>

    ¡°Look at those sharp teeth,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok remarked, nimbly twisting his body to avoid the gnashing teeth. ¡°That was close. I nearly got split in half at the waist.¡±

    He noticed his clothes were slightly torn, but he was otherwise unharmed. His heart began to race. He could not deny the exhration of feeling alive in such moments. He had to admit that this kind of y was thrilling and made his heart pound.

    <i>¡®I had denied this feeling after I regressed.¡¯</i>

    He used to think that he should not get excited over such things given that he was no longer crazy. However, his thoughts had changed just now.

    <i>¡®If I¡¯m enjoying it this much, the viewers must be on the edge of their seats.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was broadcasting the stream in the first-person perspective.

    <i>¡®The more excited I get, the more vivid and enjoyable the livestream will be for the viewers.¡¯</i>

    After he had Awakened as a Streamer, he no longer considered such actions crazy. He was not insane; he was merely fulfilling his role as a Streamer. At least, that was what he believed.

    He continued his livestream with a slightly excited voice. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve reached the throat.¡±

    No special effort was needed. The Swallowing Croaker took care of ingesting him on its own.

    ¡°I am passing through the esophagus now. It feels like I¡¯m sliding down a waterslide,¡± Jin-Hyeok described, though he felt a bit sticky and unpleasant. He did not even mention the nauseating stench, considering it a minor detail.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had been devoured by countless monsters. However, this was the first time that he had been eaten by a monster since his regression.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve definitely becent.¡¯</i>

    He used to get caught and eaten so often in the past. Breaking out from the inside after being eaten by a monster was an excellent hunting method. Except for a few unique ones, most monsters usually had very weak internal organs, and the only thing to be wary of inside their bodies was just the digestive fluids.

    ¡°We¡¯ve reached a squishy, ground-like area,¡± he announced upon arriving in arge, squirming space. ¡°Bones resembling those of humans are scattered all around.¡±

    The Swallowing Croaker seemed to have digested most of those things.

    ¡°They said it swallowed a cruise ship, but I can¡¯t find any remains of that. Seems like the ship¡¯s beenpletely digested.¡±

    As he scanned the area with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, something unusual caught his eye.

    <strong>[Unidentifiable Fibrous Material]</strong>

    The object looked like paper soaked in water, but Jin-Hyeok had no idea what it was. ¡°There is quite a lot of this Unidentifiable Fibrous Material scattered around.¡±

    Suddenly, a wave of intense heat surged through the area, and the smell of acid hit him.

    ¡°Hm... It feels like the monster is about to secrete its digestive fluids. Given the acidic smell, it¡¯s probably a strong acid.¡± He felt a chill down his spine.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had thought this adventure would not be too dangerous since Lee Hyeon-Seong had survived inside the monster, but it seemed more perilous than he had expected. The greenish fluid slowly oozing out of the high walls seemed extremely dangerous.

    ¡°This digestive fluid is recognized as a monster in itself.¡±

    <strong>[Swallowing Croaker¡¯s Digestive Fluid/LV124(+99)]</strong>

    ¡°This fluid¡¯s Level is the same as that of the Swallowing Croaker, but inside the monster¡¯s body, the fluid gets a +99 adjustment. It¡¯s practically a monster over Level 200.¡±

    This was quitemon. Even the weakest human stomach acid was a strong acid with a pH level below two.

    ¡°A misstep here might be deadly, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized that the reason Hyeon-Seong had survived inside the monster was that he had quickly passed through this ce before the digestive fluids were secreted. If one inevitably ended up inside a monster, avoiding the stomach at all costs was the standard practice.

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled to himself.

    <i>¡®This is what I call a real y!¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok tried resisting first with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. As the digestive fluid touched the barrier, it sizzled, producing heat and smoke.

    ¡°The fluid is prating the barrier,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Fortunately, the digestive fluid was falling in patches, allowing him enough space to dodge.

    <strong>[You have used the Skill ¡¸Time-Lapse Recording¡¹</strong>.<strong>]</strong>

    Slowing down the fluid made avoiding it somewhat manageable.

    <i>¡®The flow of the digestive fluid is increasing.¡¯</i>

    What started as a drizzle of digestive fluid gradually turned into a downpour. Jin-Hyeok did his best to evade, but he could only avoid so much.

    <i>¡®Hm... Then I must ultimately break through the stomach wall.¡¯</i>

    If one entered a monster¡¯s body, the best course of action would be to avoid the digestive fluid altogether. But if one encountered the fluid, it was imperative to escape from the stomach quickly. The insides of a monster were resistant to acid or poison, but often weak to physical impacts.

    <i>¡®But is this really the best I can do?¡¯</i>

    Cutting through the stomach wall seemed the right way to survive. However, he was not sure if it was the best option.

    <i>¡®And I also promised Park Terse...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had promised Terse to treat the Swallowing Croaker as gently as possible. Of course, he could break that promise, but it was also a matter of pride.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t show a performance simr to that of the weak Anus Destroyer.¡¯</i>

    The Anus Destroyer of the past had survived but failed to save the Swallowing Croaker. Subduing a monster, rather than killing it, was dozens of times harder. To prove himself superior to the Anus Destroyer, Jin-Hyeok had to save the Swallowing Croaker at all costs.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t think of a way...¡¯</i>

    He had to think. Eventually, the digestive fluid rose to his ankles. Nearing the limit of his barrier and endurance, he sighed deeply. ¡°It seems I have to break through the stomach wall after all...¡±

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice.

    ¡°You treacherous betrayer!¡±

    It was the all-too-familiar voice of hisrade.

    ¡°Pathfinder?¡±

    Han Sae-Rin fell from the ceiling. The way she fell looked dangerous, so Jin-Hyeok caught her.

    ¡°Why are you falling head first?¡± he asked. If he had not saved her, she would have died on impact.

    Freeing herself from his arms, Sae-Rin casually replied, ¡°I exerted myself too much getting in here and lost consciousness for a bit. Anyway, I¡¯ll make sure to exact the price for this betrayalter thoroughly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea what betrayal she was referring to, but Sae-Rin moved swiftly despite the fluid sloshing around their ankles.

    ¡°She is wearing shoes that protect against strong acids. She is always well-prepared, a testament to a true Navigator.¡±

    <i>¡®I hope Mole Man is watching my livestream,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Mole Man, who was with me before I entered the monster¡¯s body, did not advise me to prepare such an item in advance. It seems like Pathfinder¡¯s preparedness is superior,¡± he said to the viewers.

    Sae-Rin quickly went off somewhere and tinkered with something. She gathered what he had seen earlier, the Unidentified Fibrous Material, and used a Skill on it.

    ¡°What Skill is that?¡± Jin-Hyeok wanted to use Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance to check it out, but he refrained. It was hisrade¡¯s secret, and he thought exposing her powers was not necessary unless she chose to reveal them herself.

    Green mana lines converged around the material, and then, with a sh, a green light burst forth.

    <strong>[Paper Soldier¡¯s Protective Gear]</strong>

    ¡°This is a new item. I have never seen it in the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop. Let¡¯s try it on as Pathfinder suggests.¡±

    It seemed to be Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first time wearing a full-body armor item.

    ¡°It feels like wearing a gas mask.¡±

    The item blurred his vision slightly and made breathing a bit ufortable. However, it perfectly blocked the digestive fluid that was trying to dissolve his skin.

    ¡°Aside from a slight sting around the ankles, I¡¯m fine. This protective gear is quite impressive!¡±

    He was not sure, but it seemed the skin around his feet, which had been exposed to the acid for a long time, had taken significant damage. Still, he could walk without any problems, so he approached Sae-Rin for an interview. ¡°Pathfinder, you have given me very effective protective gear. How did you make this?¡±

    ¡°You saw, right? I used the Fluffy Water-Absorbing Elephant[1] to absorb moisture and turn it into crafting materials with my crafting skills. I had the materials and the skills, so I just whipped it up.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s what I¡¯m asking. Aren¡¯t you a Navigator, Pathfinder?¡±

    <i>¡®Sae-Rin is supposed to transition into a Rulerter, but her current Job is clearly... wait, what?¡¯</i>

    Originally, Sae-Rin¡¯s Job had been the Secret Pioneer, but now, it had changed to Secret Destroyer.

    <i>¡®Destroyer?¡¯</i>

    It seemed she had undergone a Job change without Jin-Hyeok¡¯s knowledge.

    <i>¡®Has her style of y be more aggressive?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Is it weird for a Navigator to do some crafting?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not normal.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Sae-Rin looked puzzled.

    <strong>[...#Why is he like that? #I¡¯m quite normal. #Is it because we¡¯re on air?]</strong>

    ¡°We are living in a world where a Streamer is soloing high-Level invaders from outside factions and even clearing a Scenario on his own,¡± she replied.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So wouldn¡¯t it be normal for a Navigator to be capable of crafting?¡±

    ¡°Well... you are right.¡± Jin-Hyeok was easily convinced.

    ? ? ?

    Sae-Rin had also worn protective gear, but her basic defense was weak, so Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to help her.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not particrly fond of skin contact, but...¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin was hisrade and brother-in-arms. As such, physical contact felt awkward and somewhat embarrassing.

    <i>¡®But, given her weak defense, I have no choice.¡¯</i>

    He lifted Sae-Rin and used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier appropriately. It was far more efficient than deploying the barrier while they were apart. With both the protective gear and the barrier, surviving the acid shower was not too difficult.

    ¡°It seems to be finally over,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. Sae-Rin had stayed in his arms for a long time.

    ¡°I said, what are you doing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked again.

    ¡°Huh?¡± It was then that Sae-Rin seemed toe to her senses and stepped away from him. Her face was as red as a ripe apple.

    ¡°Ms. Pathfinder, your face is really red.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to use informal speech, stick to it, and if you are going to use formal speech, stick to that!¡± she said.

    ¡°Is that important?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s confusing.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be confused about? I¡¯m always inconsistent,¡± he replied.

    Jin-Hyeok knew why she was so excited. ¡°Was that your first time using that crafting skill, Pathfinder?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°To achieve your first crafting sess in a Scenario of this scale. You must be really happy.¡± Jin-Hyeok understood that feeling well. The thrill and sense of achievement after sessfully executing a y as intended felt almost like the high of a drug.

    He continued, ¡°But you should not forget your duty as a Navigator. It looks like the exit is opening over there. Should we head that way?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Sae-Rin seemed embarrassed at having her feelings revealed. She quickly led the way.

    Watching her back, Jin-Hyeok felt quite proud.

    <i>¡®Sae-Rin has grown a lot.¡¯</i>

    As far as he remembered, Sae-Rin did not have crafting skills in the past. It seemed she had stumbled upon a crafting skill and just trained on her own. Considering she had prepared the Fluffy Whatever in advance, her intuition and senses were also remarkable.

    Just then, she suddenly turned back. ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just happy.¡± He was pleased with the sessful tension-filled production and the growth of an oldrade. Surely, Sae-Rin had to be enjoying this too.

    ¡°You¡¯re right about it being the exit. I don¡¯t know where it leads, though...¡±

    It looked more like a ck hole than an exit. Where it led was unknown, but it likely connected to some Field inside the intestines.

    Sae-Rin reached her hand out to him. ¡°We might fall into different areas, so let¡¯s hold hands while moving.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s hand, which held Jin-Hyeok¡¯s, trembled slightly. She had to be quite excited.

    <i>Smirk.</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt excited too.

    1. In Korea, there is a famous moisture absorber brand called Water-Eating Hippo. So, this was sort of a y on words for it. ?

 Chapter 176

    <h4>Chapter 176</h4>

    <strong>[You have entered the Field ¡¸The Twisted World of the Swallowing Croaker¡¹.]</strong>

    Han Sae-Rin and Cha Jin-Hyeok entered a new Field. They didn¡¯t encounter anything special upon entry.

    Jin-Hyeok let go of Sae-Rin¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It kind of feels like we are in a cave.¡±

    It was a space full of crinkly wrinkles and rtively squishy ground. The darkness prevented them from seeing far. Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Light to illuminate the surroundings.

    ¡°Do you always act on your own without being told to ensure visibility by the Navigator?¡± Sae-Rin said.

    She had brought up a valid point. However, her words would have applied to him only if he were a Swordsman.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that lighting is essential for livestreaming?¡± he replied.

    ¡°Before it¡¯s a livestream, we are in a y.¡±

    ¡°For me, ying is livestreaming.¡±

    Sae-Rin looked at him, slightly annoyed. ¡°Next time, ask for my permission first.¡±

    <i>¡®She¡¯s really making a fuss about the lighting.¡¯</i>

    Although he thought that, he could understand her point as well. In dark ces, sudden changes in brightness could trigger traps. An arrow could strike their eyes just due to brightening the area, if they were unlucky.

    <i>¡®I should think of ways to conduct livestreams effectively even in the dark.¡¯</i>

    He could consider using tools like infrared cameras. Jin-Hyeok promised himself to practice talking underwater and livestreaming in the dark after clearing this Scenario.

    ¡°Hey, did you hear what I said?¡± Sae-Rin said in a deliberately stern voice.

    ¡°Yeah, whatever.¡±

    Thanks to her, Jin-Hyeok had realized a limitation¡ªthe difficulty of livestreaming in the dark. Out of gratitude, he simply agreed with her.

    ¡°And don¡¯t just grab my hand without asking,¡± Sae-Rin added.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair. You are the Navigator, so you should know better. Right now, I am the only one who can protect you, and when we enter such a suspicious space, we should always move togeth¡ª¡±

    ¡°Anyway! Ask for my opinion before grabbing. You¡¯re confusing me!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand what was so confusing. Perhaps, there was some Navigator¡¯s code that he was not aware of.

    Sae-Rin started walking ahead.

    ¡°It seems she is exploring the walls and spreading mana to find the right path. I would expect parasites inside such a huge creature, but there don¡¯t seem to be any.¡±

    Theck of imminent danger made the tension drop. Jin-Hyeok regretted turning on the lights. The darkness would have added a unique tension.

    As the livestream started to feel a bit loose, Sae-Rin said, ¡°I know you must have felt it, but this is a veryplex maze.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s specialty as a Secret Pioneer was finding her way through mazes. However, the two of them were not in a maze-type Dungeon, so Jin-Hyeok assumed it was unlikely that she would lose her way in a Field inside a monster¡¯s body.

    ¡°It¡¯s very long. Even if we find the right path, it might take us about fifteen days to traverse it.¡±

    ¡°Ah... That¡¯s too long. Can¡¯t we shorten it?¡±

    ¡°At best, ten days, assuming there are no dangerous parasitic monsters or traps,¡± she answered.

    ¡°But there will be parasitic monsters or traps, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s likely. Which means it would take even longer.¡±

    Wandering in a maze for ten days, or even more, did not seem like great content. Jin-Hyeok wondered who would enjoy content where the path looked the same no matter how far they went.

    <i>¡®I have to produce interesting content for my livestream continuously.¡¯</i>

    This was a crisis.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, can you summon the Thunder Dragon here?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°If this Field is not disconnected from our world, probably?¡±

    That seemed possible, but there was a problem with it.

    ¡°But if I summon the Thunder Dragon here, the Swallowing Croaker might die.¡±

    ¡°Does that matter? If our goal is to hunt the Swallowing Croaker, that might be the quickest way.¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes sparkled. She seemed curious about what would happen if he summoned the Thunder Dragon inside a monster.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because...¡±

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t do the same thing as the weak Anus Destroyer!¡¯</i>

    He needed to prove that he was better than the Anus Destroyer. Simply killing the Swallowing Croaker was not meaningful enough. Unable to say this, Jin-Hyeok pondered his next words for a moment before saying, ¡°It¡¯s because I promised Park Terse.¡±

    ***

    Terse, who was sitting on a bench in Yeouido Han River Park and monitoring the livestream, was moved.

    ?It¡¯s because I promised Park Terse.?

    Chul-Soo truly lived up to his position as the world¡¯s number-one Streamer. The weight of the promise was very heavy.

    <i>¡®If I were in Chul-Soo¡¯s shoes... I might have summoned the Thunder Dragon,¡¯ </i>Terse thought.

    However, in the end, Chul-Soo strived to keep his promise. That alone was a gratifying thing for Terse. A wave of warm emotion surged in his heart.

    <i>¡®I must seed inmunicating with the Swallowing Croaker, no matter what.¡¯</i>

    Terse urged Mole Man to ride the Duck Man to the Han River. Finding the Swallowing Croaker was not difficult since Terse had marked it with his mana before.

    Terse managed to catch the Swallowing Croaker using a specially-made fishing rod.

    ¡°What? This is the Swallowing Croaker? It¡¯s so small, moly!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The Swallowing Croaker had transformed into a small carp the size of a palm.

    ¡°If you could catch it like this, why didn¡¯t you catch it earlier, moly?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t confident.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Taming is all aboutmunication. It¡¯s a matter of sensitivity. Until now, I did not have the confidence to catch the Swallowing Croaker. Icked both confidence and the will to do it.¡±

    However, things were different now. Terse¡¯s mindset had slightly changed, and his ability tomunicate had greatly increased.

    ¡°Now that I understand the weight of the promise, I must seed inmunicating with the Swallowing Croaker.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go through the walls,¡± Sae-Rin suggested.

    ¡°...Like break through the walls?¡±

    This approach was more akin to Mole Man¡¯s style than Pathfinder¡¯s. Normally, Pathfinder would find the correct path, while Mole Man would create a new path. Yet, she was talking about breaking through.

    ¡°The walls are soft, easy to cut through. We can just make holes and move through them,¡± she exined.

    Jin-Hyeok now realized why Sae-Rin had transformed from the Secret Pioneer to the Secret Destroyer.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t making holes in the walls akin to puncturing the intestines, if wepare it to a human body? Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s not okay?¡± Sae-Rin frowned but continued, ¡°Small holes in the belly are not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    They started moving by making holes in the walls. Initially, cutting through was tough, but as Jin-Hyeok practiced with his sword, it became easier.

    ¡°You¡¯re cutting pretty well now, huh?¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Looks like it.¡±

    At first, the Swallowing Croaker seemed to struggle painfully; it felt like an earthquake was urring throughout the Field. But now, the monster seemed to be okay. It meant Jin-Hyeok¡¯s swordsmanship had improved.

    <i>¡®The number of viewers is dropping.¡¯</i>

    The live viewer count had dropped by five thousand, from 300,000 to 295,000. A sense of crisis enveloped him. So, he changed the title of the livestream.

    [Secret reason why this monster is Scenario-level.]

    Then he asked Sae-Rin, ¡°Sae-Rin, why do you think this monster is Scenario-level?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean, its very name implies it is part of a Scenario. But it seems tock an impact like that of the Queen Ant or the Fall of Yeonhui-dong Scenarios.¡±

    Sae-Rin pondered the question for a moment. ¡°Maybe because it can change its size at will? Actually, without Terse¡¯s help, it would have been almost impossible to find. It repels all attacks from the outside.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s all?¡±

    Sae-Rin peeled off some sticky substances stuck to her shoes. ¡°Well, there might be something else connected to it. It¡¯s strange that we keep encountering this Unidentifiable Fibrous Material.¡±

    It seemed like she was starting to get a clue.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I was surprised when you used it to make the Paper Soldier¡¯s Protective Gear.¡±

    Paper Soldier was a foreshadowing for the soon-to-appear Paper Sorcerer Makendra. The words ¡®Paper Soldier¡¯ helped Jin-Hyeok realize that this Swallowing Croaker was the starting point of a Connected Scenario.

    <i>¡®Before my regression, the weak Lee Hyeon-Seong killed the Swallowing Croaker, so the Scenario was not fully cleared.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered it had been only partially cleared. Keeping the Swallowing Croaker alive and doing something with it was probably the way to get an All-Clear. The Connected Scenario would start then.

    After giving it another thought, Sae-Rin quickly continued, ¡°Chul-Soo, you asked me before if the ck Alliance was aiming for something else.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this fish has some connections to the ck Alliance.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Check this out.¡± Sae-Rin peeled off more of the Unidentifiable Fibrous Material from the wall. ¡°The Swallowing Croaker has a gourmet taste. It does not swallow the same thing twice.¡±

    It had swallowed a cruise ship and then a bridge.

    ¡°And itpletely dissolves everything it swallows.¡±

    There was no trace of steel bars, concrete, or steel tes inside it. The Swallowing Croaker had digested everything.

    ¡°But there is too much of this Unidentifiable Fibrous Material. It¡¯s almost as if someone fed it deliberately,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Remember when I made the protective gear earlier? I made it with just a handful of this stuff.¡± Sae-Rin scraped off more of the Unidentifiable Fibrous Material andid it on the ground. ¡°Look at this. There is enough here to make dozens of protective gears like the one I made before. This isn¡¯t something the Swallowing Croaker ate on its own... It¡¯s as if the monster was forced to swallow all this.¡±

    ¡°It could have swallowed arge amount at once.¡±

    ¡°But the distribution of these substances is too even. We found some above and right at the entrance of the Field. We have been cutting through for a while, and there is so much here too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure how the Swallowing Croaker was rted to the ck Alliance. However, that did not really matter.

    <i>¡®Great. The number of viewers is going back up.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Terse ran with all his might, valuing the fishbowl more than his own life, as he searched for Cha Jin-Sol. ¡°Yes, please treat it quickly.¡±

    Blood was oozing out from the anal region of the Swallowing Croaker.

    ¡°Mr. Gobble is in a lot of pain. Please help.¡± Terse had named the Swallowing Croaker Mr. Gobble.

    Jin-Sol shook her head in disbelief.

    ¡°You said it was an emergency! I can¡¯t believe you asked for me to treat a fish¡¯s hemorrhoids. Do you really think I have that much free time?¡± She yelled as she red at Mole Man, ¡°You said it was really important. I postponed an important meeting for this. Is treating a fish¡¯s hemorrhoids that urgent?¡±

    ¡°Well... you see, moly...¡±

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. Mr. Gobble¡¯s real name is the Swallowing Croaker,¡± Terse exined.

    ¡°What?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Inside it are your brother and Pathfinder. We don¡¯t know what will happen to the world inside if it dies.¡±

    ¡°You should have said that earlier! What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Just as I said... You need to treat it.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve never treated a monster before,¡± Jin-Sol replied.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the Blood Priest? I can feel it. With your power rted to handling blood, you can heal Mr. Gobble. Trust me.¡±

    Jin-Sol began to treat the Swallowing Croaker¡¯s hemorrhoids.

    Terse sighed in relief. ¡°You need to keep treating it. As you can see from Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, some brutal y is going on inside Mr. Gobble.¡±

    Terse wiped the sweat beading on his forehead. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, Blood Priest, Mr. Gobble might have died.¡±

    ¡°What happens if Mr. Gobble dies?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll answer that, moly. If the body dies, it would be like a Dungeon copsing, moly. If the Dungeon copses, all the yers inside might die, moly,¡± Mole Man interjected.

    Jin-Sol focused on the healing even more intently.

    <i>¡®What kind of bizarre</i>[1]<i> fish is this?¡¯ </i>Jin-Sol thought.

    Using too much of her divine power could cause addiction symptoms. She needed to gently and continuously infuse a tiny amount of divine power into the monster. It was not an easy task. It was easier to exhale in one big breath than to draw out long, thin breaths.

    ¡°I rmend you stream snipe Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, moly.¡± Mole Man showed her his phone.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream showed him cutting the inner walls at that moment. Jin-Sol timed her healing with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s cutting.

    ¡°There is no shame in this kind of stream sniping, moly. I think your brother can understand.¡±

    Hours passed, and finally, Jin-Hyeok found a Gate flickering in a ck aura. There was even a polite sign saying [Farewell, this is the end of the World Inside the Swallowing Croaker].

    Jin-Hyeok approached the Gate and examined it before asking, ¡°How about it? Seems like we found an exit, right? If we go through here, we will probably clear it, right?¡±

    ¡°No, wait a moment.¡±

    Sae-Rin examined the Gate for a while, then uttered something strange.

    1. The raws use the word ¡°sunfish,¡± which is apparently a terribly fragile creature. In Korea, people who are too sensitive or fragile are sometimes described as sunfish. ?

 Chapter 177

    <h4>Chapter 177</h4>

    ¡°Can you turn off the livestream?¡± Han Sae-Rin asked.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok curiously tilted his head.

    <i>¡®What, now?¡¯ </i>

    He could not fathom why, but Sae-Rin was not the type to spout nonsense without reason.

    <i>¡®Well, it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡¯</i>

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opinion, the Swallowing Croaker content was not as intense as he had thought it would be. There had been close calls with its teeth and digestive fluids, but that was not intense enough to make a fuss about. He thought stirring up some curiosity with the final production could be a good idea.

    <i>¡®Or maybe Sae-Rin has found something, like a Hidden Achievement.¡¯</i>

    Holding onto a sliver of hope, Jin-Hyeok ended the livestream. ¡°So, why did you make me turn it off?¡±

    ¡°I thought there might be something more.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Jin-Hyeok stepped back a couple of paces.

    Sae-Rin¡¯s face was slightly flushed, and her breathing was a bit faster.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s excited!¡¯</i>

    This was an excellent sign. It meant that the Navigator had discovered something he hadn¡¯t!

    <i>¡®What did she find? I hope it¡¯s a Hidden Achievement.¡¯</i>

    Worried about interrupting her, he stepped back again.

    Then Sae-Rin said, ¡°Come stand next to me.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    <i>¡®What is she trying to find? What is she trying to show me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was getting more and more excited.

    ¡°Turn off the lights too,¡± she added.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Since they were not livestreaming, there was no need to keep Broadcaster¡¯s Light on. With a pop, the lights went out, and darkness fell upon them. The Twisting World of the Swallowing Croaker was very dark. Only the silhouettes of Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin were barely distinguishable.

    Sae-Rin made another request. ¡°Hold my hand.¡±

    ¡°Your hand?¡± He did not understand her intention, butplied anyway. It was natural to follow the instructions of a Ruler or a Navigator during y.

    Soon, Sae-Rin said, ¡°You can let go now.¡±

    She asked him to hold her hand several more times, which he did without understanding why.

    Eventually, he asked, ¡°What are we doing?¡±

    ¡°I have a Skill where if I hold hands with someone, I can copy their stats. It¡¯s random, so I don¡¯t know when it will activate.¡±

    <i>¡®I also wanted to see if my heart races when I hold your hand,¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought, but didn¡¯t say it out loud.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you had that kind of ability.¡± Jin-Hyeok was sure Sae-Rin did not have such an ability before his regression. Clearly, she had progressed in many ways.

    ¡°Yeah, the other person has to be a nonbatant-ss yer, and there are various other restrictions. Anyway, I can temporarily share your stats and Level with this Skill.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good Skill.¡± Jin-Hyeok became more enthusiastic about holding and releasing her hand. ¡°How often does this random activation happen?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. My guess is around one percent?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty high, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let go too quickly. I have to hold it for at least three seconds.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Sae-Rin and Jin-Hyeok focused on holding hands. While trying to copy his stats, Sae-Rin casually asked, ¡°So, do you ever think about dating someone?¡±

    ***

    Sae-Rin did think there might be something more hidden in this ce, which did not seem particrly intense considering this was a Scenario. However, it was also true that she wanted to be alone with Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®My heart is pounding so fast,¡¯</i> she thought.

    The very first time she held his hand, she had felt a thrill. She wanted to know if that excitement came from the unfamiliar y or Jin-Hyeok himself. Every time they held hands, her heart raced.

    <i>¡®So far, the stat-copying effect has not been activated.¡¯</i>

    They had a moment to talk, so she asked, ¡°So, do you ever think about dating someone?¡±

    ¡°Dating? Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Because it can impact your y,¡± Sae-Rin said with a slightly flushed face as if she was making an excuse. ¡°You know how important yer rtionships are in y, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°As a Navigator, I need to know about your rtionships with other yers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good point. You¡¯re much smarter than Mole Man,¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a nod.

    ¡°In normal y, it is not a big deal. But if you start seeing other yers as romantic interests, it can be problematic and lead to biased decisions,¡± she replied.

    <i>¡®Including me.¡¯</i>

    But Sae-Rin did not say that out loud.

    ¡°You think someone would see me as a romantic interest? Don¡¯t worry. There is no one like that.¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head with certainty. After all, he had only hisrades around him.

    ¡°What about Angel Girl Song Ha-Young?¡±

    ¡°What about her? Hm... She ispetent. No other Thief can match her skills, and she is excellent at information gathering. Lately, she has been generating explosive synergy with the ck Thorn Alliance,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while stroking his chin.

    Jin-Hyeok confided everything to Sae-Rin, who was supposed to be a Ruler in the future.

    ¡°The only downside is that she is sopetent these days that I don¡¯t get the chance to use the Tight-Fillet Spell.¡±

    ¡°Ha-Young is really cute and lovable. Small and delicate, you know, the kind that makes you want to protect her?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Her small stature is an advantage for infiltration. That¡¯s for sure.¡±

    Sae-Rin secretly smiled.

    <i>¡®So Ha-Young is definitely not the one. Hm... Who¡¯s next.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What about MiNaTV, or rather, BongMiNaTV¡¯s Kang Mi-Na?¡±

    Mi-Na was not only capable as a Streamer but also famous for her charming appearance and sensual physique. Anything she wore was often sold out, earning her the nickname Trendsetter.

    ¡°She¡¯spetent. There is a lot to learn from her. She is great at highlighting the rtionships and characters of the people who appear in her livestreams. She has the ability to catch and direct the fine details that I often miss,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I heard she dered she would seduce you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡± Jin-Hyeok frowned, then shivered as if he felt a chill. ¡°She said something about how being in an inappropriate rtionship with me would enhance her abilities.¡±

    ¡°Inappropriate rtionship? Why would that be inappropriate? Wouldn¡¯t it be good for you if Mi-Na¡¯s abilities improved?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re like family. I can¡¯t do that.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt nauseous. He was answering Sae-Rin¡¯s questions sincerely, but he did not want to think about it any further. ¡°I guess holding hands like this is the most I can do.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s smile deepened.

    <i>¡®So not Mi-Na. Who¡¯s next...¡¯</i>

    ¡°What about the twin Assassins?¡±

    ¡°Seo sisters? They are doing really well. Their Jobs might be a bit lower in rankpared to that of the others, but the sisters are effectively using their Job characteristics and working well with each other. I highly value that aspect.¡±

    They would probably be weaker if they yed separately, but together, they were exponentially stronger. They had only 8-Star-rank Jobs, but they had ovee their Job limitations through cooperation.

    ¡°You talk about them much more affectionately than the first two,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I think about them a lot.¡±

    Since their Job rank was only 8 Stars, they were considered somewhat weak. Also, since Jin-Hyeok did not have memories of ying with them before his regression, the intensity of the hardships he had faced with them was much less than those with the first two.

    So, to him, the Seo sisters felt more like juniors who needed to be nurtured and cared for, rather than brothers orrades. They were like endearing juniors, a bitcking in talent but diligently striving to do their best.

    ¡°...Why do you think about them a lot?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Their way of finding their paths is admirable.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not see the twin Assassins as romantic interests either. This thought somewhat satisfied Sae-Rin.

    ¡°What about Shin Yu-Ri? She seems to really like you.¡±

    ¡°With Yu-Ri, it is more like a teacher-student rtionship.¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed deeply and then continued, ¡°And how can I see her as a romantic interest? She lost her loving husband not long ago.¡±

    ¡°...You understand those emotions?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±

    Sae-Rin really wanted to say, ¡®You <i>are</i>,¡¯ but decided not to.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re not stupid, but you¡¯re definitely crazy.¡¯</i>

    To her, Jin-Hyeok was a person who was crazy about y to the point of being blind to everything else.

    She continued the interrogation. ¡°What about Kaylin?¡±

    ¡°Kaylin? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°ck Butterfly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ck Butterball? She¡¯s just mad because she can¡¯t kill me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was much more familiar with the name ck Butterball than he was with Kaylin. Realizing he did not even know the Assassin¡¯s real name, Sae-Rin was happy.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t need to exin,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ah, but there is one person who sees me as a romantic interest.¡±

    ¡°There is? Did she confess?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I do not know her ulterior motives, but she is a Subus.¡±

    ¡°Subus... The only Subus that I know of is... the one from Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop. Is it her? That really pretty one?¡±

    ¡°All Subi are pretty.¡±

    Sae-Rin suddenly felt tense. The idea of a Subus confessing to Jin-Hyeok set off rm bells in her mind. ¡°But be careful. Subi are dangero¡ª¡±

    ¡°Huh? What was that? I just felt a tingling sensation. Was that my stats being copied?¡± Jin-Hyeok interrupted her with a smile.

    ¡°Yeah, it worked. It¡¯s actually the first time I have seeded.¡±

    ¡°Wow! How does it feel? Can I upload this to my Eltube channel?¡±

    ¡°You can.¡±

    ¡°Can you see something now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient.¡± Sae-Rin closed her eyes for a moment, trying to feel the surroundings. She seemed to sense everything, from the sticky humidity to the slight movement of the air.

    <i>¡®Holy shit!¡¯</i>

    She had anticipated a significant difference in their stats, but not to this extent.

    <i>¡®Is this what Chul-Soo feels?¡¯</i>

    Of course, Sae-Rin had known there would be a difference between being a Streamer and a Navigator. Even with the same stats, their perceptions would differ. However, this was beyond that.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s like a new world has opened up.¡¯</i>

    Her heart pounded even more fiercely, and her eyes snapped open. She took a deep breath and began to move as her instincts indicated.

    <i>¡®I can feel its wounds healing very quickly.¡¯</i>

    This was not the self-healing power of the Swallowing Croaker; it was more like an external force at work.

    <i>¡®The divine power is moving through the blood of the Swallowing Croaker and healing the inner walls we cut.¡¯</i>

    As if she were possessed, Sae-Rin ran toward the wound. She began to frantically tear at the nearly healed inner wall with her hands.

    The Swallowing Croaker was in great pain, causing an earthquake, but Sae-Rin paid it no heed. Her eyes were filled with madness.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s definitely gone mad,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought as he looked at her eyes. The eyes of the insane always harbored such madness, and he found that madness appealing.

    Sae-Rin became covered in blood as she tore at the inner wall with her bare hands.

    ¡°...I found it.¡± She lifted an item. ¡°Hehehehe.¡±

    With her blood-stained hand, she brushed back her hair andughed loudly. ¡°I found it!¡±

    She excitedly continued, ¡°The blood flow was more concentrated than usual near the wounds to heal them. It seems like this got stuck here while circting.

    Sae-Rin approached Jin-Hyeok with a giggle, handing over a bloody item.

    <strong>[Research Journal on Paper Soldiers]</strong>

    Just from the name, it appeared to be rted to Makendra.

 Chapter 178

    <h4>Chapter 178</h4>

    Han Sae-Rin had always thought it was strange.

    <i>¡®Why is he like that?¡¯</i>

    Many people believed that men and women could be just friends too. However, this concept did not seem to apply to Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡°I actually like you.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Will you go on a date with me?¡±</i>

    Whether it was a person she had known since her childhood, someone she had met recently, or an old acquaintance, all the men around her had ended up confessing their feelings to her. Rejecting each confession was one thing, but dealing with the aftermath was another. At least those who gave up on her cleanly were bearable.

    Some of them considered themselves lumberjacks, saying, <i>¡°You know what they say, little strokes fell great oaks.¡±</i>

    Quite a few behaved absurdly.

    <i>¡°How dare you reject me?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You were the one who flirted with me first!¡±</i>

    It was somewhat tolerable in everyday life, but this aspect of her life was the same even during y.

    <i>¡°Pathfinder, what do you think of me as a man?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I¡¯ve admired you for a long time.¡±</i>

    Amid her y, Sae-Rin would suddenly find herself receiving confessions wherever she went. It was baffling to her, and she always thought that those guys were pathetic.

    <i>¡®They can¡¯t even y properly because they are always too busy fawning over me.¡¯</i>

    A yer had to always focus on their y. These yers had made Sae-Rin wonder how a person who could not even adhere to this basic principle aspired to be a man for a woman.

    <i>¡®I just want them to stop confessing. It¡¯s so annoying. It is like a barrage of attacks.¡¯</i>

    Every time she thought she had found apatible party member, they would confess to her in the end, making it difficult for her to form a proper party.

    However, Cha Jin-Hyeok was different. He was genuinely happy about obtaining the Research Journal on Paper Soldiers. He was a person who truly enjoyed y, and thus, he was admirable.

    Right before handing him the item, Sae-Rin asked, ¡°What do you think of me?¡±

    ¡°You? You are an excellent Navigator. You are also myrade, who sees and thinks more than I do. Just like now!¡±

    ¡°Then are we like brothers and sisters?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Sae-Rin smiled bitterly.

    <i>¡®I guess I just got rejected.¡¯</i>

    In contrast, Jin-Hyeok was just happy.

    <i>¡®Sae-Rin is amazing!¡¯</i>

    He thought of the many battlefields he had traversed with her before his regression, and it made him happy. So, he offered her his highest praise. ¡°I bet Mole Man would not have found this.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± Sae-Rin smiled again. Being in a position to reject others every day, she felt it was refreshing to be rejected by someone.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s why I like him even more.¡¯</i>

    She even thought of bing a lumberjack herself.

    ¡°Looks like there is nothing hidden in this area now. Shall we head out?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Sure. Do as you please. If you want to look around more, that¡¯s fine with me. Pioneering the path is your role. I trust you.¡±

    His words, which were filled with boundless belief, made her heart flutter again.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never felt this kind of trust from anybody before.¡¯</i>

    It was a sense of trust that was more solid than anything else. This feeling stirred Sae-Rin¡¯s heart far more than any sweetly wrapped confession.

    <i>¡®If I want to make someone like Jin-Hyeok mine, merely proving my abilities won¡¯t be enough.¡¯</i>

    A desire to spend more time alone with him subtly emerged inside her heart.

    ¡°Have you finished assessing the item?¡± she asked.

    ¡°There seems to be some sort of security lock on it, but that shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Right. You have the Unleashing Technique.¡± Sae-Rin almost blurted out how sexy he looked, but stopped herself.

    Jin-Hyeok immediately used the Unleashing Technique to deactivate the security lock on the item. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡±

    ¡°The lock was weaker than I thought.¡±

    Neither Sae-Rin nor Jin-Hyeok realized that it was not the lock that was weak, but that the Unleashing Technique was exceptionally powerful.

    ¡°Once you hold it, information rted to the Paper Soldier gets uploaded into your mind. It¡¯s a highly advanced item from the new era. Want to hold it?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Just by holding the item, one could acquire all sorts of information.

    Sae-Rin handed the item back to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Here, take it back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who found it. Are you giving it to me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy enough as a Navigator to have found the hidden item. Consider it a gift.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡± Jin-Hyeok was already excited at the thought of making a thumbnail about the first reveal of this item.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but just in case there is any danger, hold my hand,¡± he said.

    The moment Sae-Rin held Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand, she felt it again.

    <i>¡®I really like him.¡¯</i>

    Holding Sae-Rin¡¯s hand, Jin-Hyeok passed through the Gate with a sign that said ¡®Farewell, this is the end of the World Inside the Swallowing Croaker.¡¯

    ¡°Hm?¡± Jin-Hyeok found Cha Jin-Sol, half-dead and sprawled on the floor. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Barely able to move her eyes, Jin-Sol said after some struggle, ¡°You hemorrhoid-inducing monster... What the hell took you so long?¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had achieved a remarkable feat, far superior to that earned by the weak Anus Destroyer. The evidencey in Park Terse¡¯s sessful taming of the Swallowing Croaker.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can say I tamed it... Never mind. Anyway, I¡¯ve sessfullymunicated with the Swallowing Croaker. It is all thanks to you guys. I am truly grateful. I also extend my deep gratitude to the Blood Priest.¡±

    Terse seemed moved, as he expressed his gratitude to Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin. Mole Man, who was nearby, imed he had yed a crucial role too, but no one responded to hisment.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo. You have truly inspired me.¡± Terse¡¯s eyes seemed clearer now, resembling those of Sae-Rin when she had been delving into the mysteries of the monster¡¯s inner organs. It was a very positive change.

    ¡°You taught me that those who try cannot surpass those who enjoy; those who enjoy cannot surpass those who enjoy <i>and </i>try; and those who enjoy <i>and </i>try cannot surpass those who intensely enjoy and try. I am sincerely thankful to you, IntenseMan.¡±

    After expressing his gratitude several times, Terse shared a few things with the group. ¡°It seems that Mr. Gobble had escaped a facility. I¡¯m not sure where that facility is, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be on Earth.¡±

    ¡°You can talk to Mr. Gobble?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°A little.¡± When Terse put his hand in the fishbowl, the Swallowing Croaker approached his hand¡ªa fascinating sight. ¡°It seems Mr. Gobble was force-fed something as part of an experiment.¡±

    ¡°It must be this.¡± Jin-Hyeok pulled out the Unidentifiable Fibrous Material from his inventory.

    Terse grabbed his head in agony. ¡°Stop. Put that away!¡±

    It seemed the Swallowing Croaker¡¯s emotions had been transferred to him. ¡°I can¡¯t tell what was done with it. Anyway, is the Swallowing Croaker Scenario cleared?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cleared.¡±

    Before his regression, the Scenario had disappeared forever with the death of the Swallowing Croaker. However, this time, Jin-Hyeok had managed to unlock a Connected Scenario.

    ¡°Since it has not been revealed on my livestream yet, I need you guys to maintain confidentiality,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°The next Scenario is the Hunters of the Facility. It has to be rted to the facility you just mentioned.¡±

    Terse bit his index finger, trembling.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Gobble is extremely frightened. Chul-Soo, is there a way to protect Mr. Gobble?¡± Terse replied.

    For Jin-Hyeok, it was a wee proposal.

    <strong>[Hunters of the Facility]</strong>

    <strong>[Hunters employed by the facility that researched the Swallowing Croaker have begun to trace its whereabouts.</strong>

    <strong>It seems that the Swallowing Croaker holds many secrets.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was thinking of suggesting to Terse to shift the Swallowing Croaker within the jurisdiction of the Golden Guardian Tree. Fortunately for him, Terse had requested it himself.

    ¡°I will get you a house in Yeonhui-dong. Stay in Korea for a while. The Guardian Tree will protect you and Gobble. Meanwhile, try tomunicate more with Gobble.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Gobble.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry. Mr. Gobble. Try tomunicate more with Mr. Gobble. You never know what information you might get.¡±

    ***

    Having examined the Research Journal on the Paper Soldiers, Song Ha-Young said, ¡°The information is quite limited. It looks like you can create an army of Paper Soldiers with this, but I do not understand what that means. Is an army of Paper Soldiers going to invade us?¡±

    Soon after, her words became reality.

    ¡°My goodness! It¡¯s an army of Paper Soldiers.¡±

    The Paper Sorcerer Makendra also showed up. She introduced herself as a high-ranking official of the ck Alliance and dered her intention to take over several Regions of the Earth Server.

    ¡°Over three thousand casualties in California already. They are desperately resisting, but it seems futile. Never thought a day woulde when just one person would toy with yers like this. The state of California is practically hers now.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    It was the same as before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. Now, Makendra would use the American Region as a base and dispatch Paper Soldier armies worldwide.

    ¡°Almost all of Vancouver in the Canadian Region has been upied too.¡±

    Soon after, Ha-Young discovered amonality in the upied Regions. ¡°They are ces set up by the third-ranked Rulers. You know about them, right?¡±

    ¡°I do. They were a nuisance to me.¡±

    One of the third-ranked Rulers had mobilized building owners and people in Nowon-gu to sue Jin-Hyeok for the damages. It was the third-rank Ruler dispatched to the Korean Region, named Heilik.

    ¡°By the way, did I tell you that Kwak Do-Hyeong and Kaylin eliminated Heilik?¡±

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Did they kill him?¡±

    ¡°They did.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°When you were inside the Swallowing Croaker. Anyway, thanks to them eliminating Helik, no bases of the Paper Sorcerer were established in Korea. Some say you are the reason that Korea¡¯s peace was preserved, but that¡¯s not important, is it?¡±

    The important thing was Makendra. She was moving even faster.

    ¡°The biggest problem is the upation of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Seems like she is trying to gain control over oil resources to manipte the Earth Server. Her Paper Soldiers are so powerful that even yers over there are helpless,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    Although a new era had dawned on the, and various resources could rece oil, oil was still a crucial resource.

    ¡°So, Ha-Young... What do you think Makendra is after? Do you think she is after our oil?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. There are no Servers outside ours that use oil.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew exactly what Makendra was after. She was staging a preliminary battle to obtain Picasso¡¯s Brush, the Earth¡¯s Server-Grade item.

    Before his regression, Makendra had managed to steal Picasso¡¯s Brush, eventually growing into a top-tier yer on the Strongest Server, Arvis.

    ¡°She does not seem interested in upying the Earth Server entirely. She is not exploiting like the Scanorbian warriors. She is only imposing some restrictions on y, not doing anything cruel. But to mobilize an army of this scale, she would have needed extensive groundwork,¡± Ha-Young said.

    That would require a lot of manpower and resources. Dispatching the third-rank Rulers earlier to attract attention from yers was also a matter of money and resources.

    Ha-Young continued, ¡°That means there is only one thing she could be after. Probably a Server-Grade item unique to the Earth Server.¡±

    Ha-Young frowned and tapped on the Golden Headband on her head. ¡°Something with a performance as undeniably strong as this.¡±

    As Makendra used her Paper Soldiers army to upy various parts of Earth, an interesting story came to light.

    ?My most cherished subordinate, Heilik, was murdered in the Korean Region. I will not let this go unanswered.?

    Makendra had identified Jin-Hyeok as Heilik¡¯s murderer. Technically, it was not Jin-Hyeok, but he didn¡¯t particrly deny the im.

    ?Once I finish my urgent tasks, I wille for you, Kim Chul-Soo. Live each day in fear and be consumed by dread.?

    Then, Jin-Hyeok handed a piece of paper to Ha-Young. She took it, and her eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°What is... this exactly?¡±

 Chapter 179

    <h4>Chapter 179</h4>

    At Song Ha-Young¡¯s question, Cha Jin-Hyeok confusedly tilted his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you know where this is?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <strong>[Attach picture]</strong>

    Ha-Young realized that this drawing(?) was like a map pointing to a particr ce.

    ¡°So, these pointy triangles are roofs, and these squares are windows,¡± he exined.

    Several drawings resembling houses were sketched on the paper. Another drawing looked like waves, but whether it was a stream or a creek was unclear.

    ¡°Ah, and these look like sailboats, not leaves.¡± Jin-Hyeok took his pen and wrote leaves beside the picture, then crossed it out and wrote sailboats.

    Astonished, Ha-Young asked again, ¡°And these floating things are clouds, right? So, this is a drawing of andscape?¡±

    ¡°Clearly.¡±

    She locked eyes with him. It felt like confronting the depths of an unfathomable universe.

    <i>¡®Why is he so confident?¡¯ </i>Ha-Young thought.

    She could not understand why he thought it would be normal for her to determine the location just from this drawing, wondering where such confidence came from.

    ¡°...So, you are saying I should deduce the location from this drawing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°...What exactly do you think I am?¡±

    ¡°Apetent Thief and an informant?¡±

    Ha-Young flinched. Jin-Hyeok¡¯spliment resonated in her mind. She replied, ¡°I appreciate you seeing me like that, but I can¡¯t tell the location from this. But are you actually being serious?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    He seemed dead serious.

    ¡°...Wow, you are. You thought I could pinpoint the location just from this drawing?¡±

    <i>¡®What¡¯s with his expression? It¡¯s as if I should know it!¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young was dumbfounded, but Jin-Hyeok looked slightly disappointed.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know?¡± He clicked his tongue.

    Ha-Young was speechless at his expression.

    <i>¡®Is this something to be disappointed about?¡¯</i>

    This filled her with a surge of determination. ¡°Give me more specific details. Like, what color were these roofs?¡±

    ¡°Uh... They seemed sort of red.¡±

    ¡°Where did you see thisndscape?¡±

    ¡°I glimpsed it on TV or Eltube while scrolling. It appeared briefly in the background during an interview.¡±

    <i>¡®I knew there was more to it!¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young saw a glimmer of hope. ¡°Then give me the link to that video.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gone now.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It was deleted.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The video Jin-Hyeok had seen was from before his regression. It was a brief interview with the Paper Sorcerer, Makendra. The location was uncertain, but thendscape had briefly appeared in it. Makendra had acquired Picasso¡¯s Brush in that area.

    ~

    A few dayster, Jin-Hyeok beamed. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s the ce. See? I told you that you could do it.¡±

    ¡°...Do you see these dark circles down to my jaw?¡± Ha-Young replied. Her eyes were heavily shadowed. Even she was amazed at how she had managed to find the location.

    Jin-Hyeok patted her on the shoulder. ¡°You can always find a way when you are intense.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are Song Ha-Young. I knew you would figure it out.¡±

    She flinched again.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t be happy with merepliments.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words were like a drug for her. She knew she should not be pleased by them, but she could not help feeling happy. After all, only a few yers on the Earth Server had earned the recognition of IntenseMan.

    <i>¡°You are Song Ha-Young.¡±</i>

    Those words kept echoing in her ears.

    <i>¡®...I shouldn¡¯t be happy. I shouldn¡¯t, I shouldn¡¯t, I shouldn¡¯t.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Of course. Sorry, I couldn¡¯t find it sooner. I guess I wasn¡¯t intense enough.¡±

    <i>¡®.... But I can¡¯t help myself.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Let me know if you need help again. After all, I <i>am </i>Song Ha-Young.¡±

    ***

    ording to the information Jin-Hyeok got from Ha-Young, the ce where Picasso¡¯s Brush was located was a small vige in the Nethends, called Giethoorn. Unbeknownst to Jin-Hyeok, it was one of the Nethends¡¯s iconic tourist destinations.

    The ce was decorated quaintly like a vige out of a fairy tale, with canals connected like awork of roads, allowing for travel by yacht or ferry.

    Seo Ji-Soo, who had joined him on this trip, seemed very excited. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s just like a vige from a fairy tale. The sky is so blue and beautiful. Don¡¯t you think so, Unnie?¡±

    Seo Ji-Ah just stood there beside her sister, looking nkly. She seemed slightly annoyed, but Jin-Hyeok could not guess how she was feeling, so he had to rely on Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    ~

    <strong>[#Beautiful. #Gorgeous. #>_<?]</strong>

    ~

    Jin-Hyeok found Ji-Ah hard toprehend. Even though she was having such thoughts, she looked angry.

    Without any expression, Ji-Ah looked around and then said to Jin-Hyeok, ¡°I have a question.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok had told Han Sae-Rin, he felt a strong emotion of wanting to take care of the Seo sisters. Maybe because they were yers with 8-Star Jobs squeezed among those with 9-Star Jobs, or perhaps it was because they maintained their top-ranker status through sheer hard work, despitecking innate talent, Jin-Hyeok felt more concerned for them. He knew they might not be able to keep their top position as time went on.

    It was especially so for Ji-Ah, who was the more reticent one. Therefore, Jin-Hyeok felt morepassionate whenever she asked him a question.

    ¡°What about your livestream?¡± Ji-Ah asked.

    ¡°Ah, I decided not to livestream this time.¡± Jin-Hyeok did not mention that they were here to find something secretly. It would not be good if the word got out.

    ¡°Recorded livestreams, or VODs, have their own charm you know. They were really well-received by my viewers.¡±

    Wang Yu-Mi, with the help of the highly capable editor Gang Chul, also known as ChulSooIsGod, excelled at cutting and editing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s live content into something interesting.

    If the Scenario Swallowing Croaker had continued as a livestream, it would have ended up being quite draggy. The edited version of it had received a much hotter response. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subscriber count had increased significantly. Although the edited videos brought in fewer donations, the number of viewers was much higher, which was a good sign.

    ¡°Livestreams inevitably have boring moments. By cutting those out and mixing what I want to show and what I don¡¯t want to show, I can make it more entertaining. Of course, that requires a skilled editor and production director.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand what you mean,¡± Ji-Ah said.

    Ji-Soo, who hade closer to Jin-Hyeok, poked him on the shoulder. ¡°But why us?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Why did you bring us all the way to the Nethends?¡±

    ¡°I thought I might need Assassins to help me.¡±

    ¡°There are other Assassins like Kwak Do-Hyeong and ck Butterb¡ª no, ck Butterfly Kaylin.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had remembered that before his regression, in Makendra¡¯s video, two yers who seemed to be Assassins were guarding her. Therefore, he had brought his own Assassins along, thinking he might need them to acquire Picasso¡¯s Brush.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we yed as a party. We need to maintain our teamwork so that it doesn¡¯t get rusty,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°We are... a party?¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re a team?¡± Ji-Ah said, reacting simrly.

    ¡°Why are you making such a fuss over the obvious?¡±

    ¡°Really? You really think of us as a team?¡± Ji-Soo asked again.

    ¡°How many times do I have to say it?¡±

    Ji-Soo suddenly hugged him. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t need us anymore, Oppa.¡±

    Then, she started crying in his arms. For a moment, he felt like sharp thorns were pricking his heart.

    <i>¡®Is this a new kind of assassination technique?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if they were testing it on him since Kaylin and Do-Hyeong often tested their new skills on him. So, he decided not to let his guard down.

    <i>¡®Wait, Ji-Ah too?¡¯</i>

    While she was not hugging him outright like her sister was, Ji-Ah hade close to him and was lightly holding onto his clothes.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s weird. It does not seem like an assassination attempt. But why do I feel pain in my heart?¡¯</i>

    ***

    A couple of days ago, the Seo Sisters were having a conversation. They were always mentally prepared for Jin-Hyeok to leave them.

    ¡°Our Jobs are not that specialpared to that of other yers. You know that right?¡± Ji-Soo said.

    Ji-Ah nodded. The sisters were aware of their limitations. Although they were currently maintaining their top positions through coborative synergy, it was only a matter of time before they would lose their spot.

    Ji-Soo bit her lip tightly. ¡°In a world where effort alone is not enough, maintaining our position in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team... it¡¯s going to be harder and harder.¡±

    ¡°...Are you sad?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am sad. We are trying really hard not to let Jin-Hyeok down as his original party members. But honestly, I don¡¯t know how long we can keep this up.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Maybe we are already drifting apart. Jin-Hyeok now has the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, Do-Hyeong, and Kaylin by his side.¡±

    Ji-Ah shook her head. ¡°We just need to do our best in our own way. We need to be more intense.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. But it still makes me sad. Sometimes, I wish we had never been his original party members from the start. Why can¡¯t we have 9-Star Jobs?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a ssification people made up. We shouldn¡¯t set our limits just because of our Jobs.¡±

    ¡°I know you feel it too, Unnie. I think it¡¯s more brave to acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The concept of rating yers¡¯ Jobs in Stars was more of an arbitrary distinction people had made on their own, but Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo were feeling it in their bones.

    ¡°We are already starting to notice the difference between our growth rate and that of the yers with 9-Star Jobs.¡±

    The sisters felt the existence of a small gap that effort alone could not close. This small gap was certain to grow over time. Eventually, Jin-Hyeok would discard them; even if he did not do it himself, they would no longer be able to hold their positions as his original party members.

    However, today, the Seo sisters heard what Jin-Hyeok truly thought of them.

    <i>¡°It¡¯s been a while since we yed as a party. We need to maintain our teamwork so that it doesn¡¯t get rusty,¡± </i>

    Those words felt particrlyforting.

    <i>¡®Someday, if we be unworthy as Oppa¡¯s party members, we will leave on our own...¡¯</i>

    But that time was not now. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words about being a team moved Ji-Soo and Ji-Ah. But Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to understand why they were acting this way. Having given up on understanding them, he did not make much effort to do so.

    ¡°But, I have a question,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He was curious about something. ¡°When exactly are you guys going to attack me?¡±

    <i>¡®I am waiting, you know,¡¯ </i>he thought.

 Chapter 180

    <h4>Chapter 180</h4>

    The Seo sisters had undoubtedly been waiting for an opportunity to attack Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Oh, nice.¡¯</i>

    A thin silver thread appeared on Seo Ji-Ah¡¯s wrist as she kept holding Jin-Hyeok¡¯s clothes. She had used one of her Skills. The silver thread quickly wrapped around his entire arm.

    <i>¡®Her binding ability is quite impressive.¡¯</i>

    The Skill seemed to be more powerful with direct contact. Simultaneously, Seo Ji-Soo, who was embracing him, bit his chest.

    <i>¡®Poison?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had anticipated this. Ji-Soo had hidden a potent poison in her teeth.

    <i>¡®Using teeth instead of weapons is also a refreshing approach.¡¯</i>

    Thanks to the Phoenix Heart, the poison had no effect on him, but a typical yer would have been in serious trouble.

    <i>¡®I knew it. I should always be wary of yers crying and trying to hug me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had faced this assassination technique frequently before his regression. Typically, it involved deceiving with the appearance of a beautiful person of the opposite sex; however, his opponents would also often use a cute child or an animal for this technique, which was why Jin-Hyeok needed to constantly be vignt.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been tricked too many times to fall for it again.¡¯</i>

    The Seo sisters definitely knew about his resistance to poison, so this seemed like just a practice run.

    ¡°Good. This would have worked on most.¡±

    The act of hiding poison in the teeth and biting him was not particrly impressive. However, the setup before that was exceptionally well done.

    ¡°Did you also learn acting skills? Looking at you...¡± Jin-Hyeok could not quite describe the pain he had felt earlier. ¡°It really made me sad. I felt a spontaneous desire to hug you.¡±

    The sisters seemed embarrassed by the praise and did not say a word.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Feeling happy, Jin-Hyeok smiled. ¡°Keep improving. You two can be great Assassins. This is kind of like a seduction technique. Depending on how it¡¯s used, it can be really lethal. Anyway, well done.¡±

    Seduction techniques were what Jin-Hyeok disliked and guarded against the most before his regression. Just thinking about them brought back a series of dreadful memories.

    <i>¡®Seduction techniques are too dangerous and powerful.¡¯</i>

    The group then looked around the vige, and Jin-Hyeok headed to a small wine bar. The wine bar was operated by a woman who appeared to be in herte thirties.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The woman looked human, but neither she nor the patrons were human. The woman, presumably the owner, smiled with her eyes and asked, ¡°How did humanse in here?¡±

    A delightful scent filled the space. It smelled like sweet peaches.

    <strong>[The Skill ¡¸Deadly Charm¡¹ has been used.]</strong>

    <i>¡®...Huh? Another seduction Skill? This is exciting.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok now had a chance to practice how to defend against seduction techniques.

    ***

    Lucia narrowed her eyes.

    <i>¡®My Deadly Charm waspletely nullified!¡¯</i>

    It was a moment where the Subus¡¯s pride had been wounded, but she did not show it and merely smiled. ¡°You are amazing, Mr. Cha Jin-Hyeok.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°How can you be so unaffected? At the very least, you should feel a bit of excitement, like those two people beside you,¡± she added.

    Jin-Hyeok nced sideways and saw both Ji-Soo¡¯s and Ji-Ah¡¯s cheeks slightly flushed.

    <i>¡®Wow, did they really fall for the charm skill?¡¯</i>

    The temptation of a Subus knew no bounds of age or gender. The saying that a seasoned Subus could tempt anyone was not baseless.

    Jin-Hyeok asked Lucia, ¡°Did you put your charm Skills on them too?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. It¡¯s just that when you broke my charm, some of its effects scattered around.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that they were affected by the charm even though it did not hit them directly?¡±

    He looked back and forth between the Seo sisters. They avoided his gaze, looking guilty.

    ¡°But that¡¯s still quite impressive. Just a slightly faster heartbeat and some blushing... That¡¯s not bad,¡± Lucia said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry too much, Mr. Cha Jin-Hyeok. They were affected by the charm because of you.¡±

    The potency of a mental Skill varied greatly depending on many factors, such as the atmosphere at the moment of its activation, the situation, the people present, and the psychological state of the target. Lucia could easily discern the Seo sisters¡¯ state of mind.

    <i>¡®Those two are very fond of Jin-Hyeok, which created many vulnerabilities in their minds,¡¯ </i>Lucia thought.

    However, Jin-Hyeok seemed oblivious to this. He even appeared quite disappointed in them, which Lucia found somewhat amusing.

    ¡°I had no idea Mr. Cha Jin-Hyeok was this oblivious,¡± she said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jin-Hyeok wanted to say that he was very well aware of his surroundings, but he did not say it out loud. Boasting about oneself was something only a novice yer would do.

    ¡°My sister seems to be in difficult unrequited love. Ah, her name is Lilia. You know her, right?¡± Lucia said.

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you smelled familiar.¡±

    ¡°People usually just say that we look alike.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, you do look simr.¡±

    Lucia burst outughing. ¡°Do you even remember Lilia¡¯s face?¡±

    ¡°I can tell her apart when I see her.¡±

    ¡°And if you just try to remember her face?

    ¡°Who in their right minds would want to remember a Subus¡¯s face?¡±

    No sane yer would do such a thing. That was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, and in fact, most yers did not remember a Subus''s face. ording to Jin-Hyeok, anyone who remembered a Subus¡¯s face was a crazy, madly obsessed yer who had sumbed to a seduction technique.

    Stroking her chin, Lucia curiously asked, ¡°How can this be? Have you had a terrible experience with seduction techniques or something? From what I have researched, there was no record of that about you. Do you have something like Imperial Resilience?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok almost flinched for a moment, but Lucia continued, ¡°Wait, no. Even with Imperial Resilience, this would be impossible. I just can¡¯t figure out who you are.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Are you perhaps an alternate character from somewhere like Arvis?¡±

    ***

    Finding Lucia¡¯s bar had been a great discovery for Jin-Hyeok as well. Subi bars typically operated as ces for exchanging information. There, one could obtain many Quests and share information. Therefore, such establishments were often referred to as Taverns of Exchange.

    While this concept had not been fully introduced on Earth, it was quitemon in other Servers.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect Subi to establish such a ce so soon on Earth,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He wanted to find the Great Navigator Golumberum, who hailed from the Arvis. Jin-Hyeok believed that if he yed diligently, he would eventually meet the Navigator, but him stumbling upon a Subus¡¯s bar had made this task much easier. Of course, he would first need to gain the favor of the owner of the bar.

    ¡°Give me a drink. The most expensive one,¡± he said.

    The best way to win a bar owner¡¯s heart was, after all, to spendvishly in their establishment.

    ¡°Hoho, you¡¯re generous. Our drinks are quite pricey. Are you okay with that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nonchntly shrugged to indicate it was fine, and Lucia showed him her favor. He thought about buying some drinks and then getting down to business for the information.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡¯</i>

    Neither the Seo sisters nor Lucia had used their full potential in their attacks, not embedding true bloodlust. This made the whole situation somewhatcking in the thrilling tension he was ustomed to. He wondered if the reason Lucia went easy on him was that she was Lilia¡¯s sister, but that did not seem to be the case.

    ¡°Do you think I care about what my sister thinks? Nope. For us, two sisters liking the same man is nothing special.¡±

    The Seo sisters seemed shocked.

    ¡°Oh my! We Subi are very different from humans, kids.¡±

    <i>¡®It sounds like Lucia is trying to teach them weird things... Should I leave them be?¡¯</i>

    Even Ji-Ah, who was usually expressionless and reticent, widened her eyes in surprise and asked, ¡°Is that really true?¡±

    Lucia provided a lot of insight into the nature of Subi.

    ¡°Whether I seduce Jin-Hyeok or not, Lilia wouldn¡¯t care. The concepts of monogamy or polygamy do not exist for us. We are a race that craves free love and passionate physical rtionships.¡±

    She exined that under the guise of free love and passionate physical rtionships, Subi engaged in all sorts of rtionships that were iprehensible by human standards.

    ¡°I even dated Lilia when we were younger,¡± Lucia said.

    ¡°Y-You dated your sister?¡±

    ¡°That reaction is a bit rude, I think. We are not humans. We are Subi. We would prefer not to be judged by your standards.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    The Seo sisters gulped, intently listening to the Subus.

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he should stop Lucia, but Lucia winked at him and said, ¡°Sisters liking the same man is a verymon and ordinary thing for us. It¡¯s also verymon for them to be in a rtionship with the same man.¡±

    The Seo sisters nodded as if these words had hypnotized them, as though they too liked the same man.

    ¡°I know some septuplets Subi who were in a rtionship with the same female.¡±

    ¡°S-Septuplets? Were they all male?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Some of them were male and some were female. They were siblings.¡±

    The Seo sisters seemed quite confused but eventually epted the idea, thinking, ¡®Well, different species, different norms.¡¯

    Lucia seemed to enjoy her time with the sisters due to their rich reactions.

    ¡°Hm... I prefer females over males. It¡¯s more fun to seduce them. I like the cute ones,¡± Lucia said.

    Ji-Soo, who was tipsy from the alcohol, pointed at herself and cautiously asked, ¡°S-So... Do you intend to seduce me too?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If you were Lucia¡¯s type, you would have already been seduced. The fact that she has not seduced you yet means you are not her type. What are you worried about being seduced for?¡±

    ¡°W-Why? I can be her type. You never know!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t understand why Ji-Soo was getting defensive over a simple truth. ¡°Do you want to be seduced?¡±

    ¡°No, but...¡±

    Lucia smiled broadly. ¡°Ji-Soo. You are attractive enough. It¡¯s just that you are not my type, so be confident. Humans as a species are not typically my type. Well, they weren¡¯t until I met Jin-Hyeok here.¡±

    She looked at Jin-Hyeok with a slightly seductive gaze, and he began to feel a bit flustered.

    <i>¡®Oh, is she finally going to seduce me properly?¡¯</i>

    He wished to face a more aggressive, even dangerous seduction technique. After his regression, he had not experienced a proper seduction technique. It was important to practice and prepare in advance to defend well in real-life situations.

    ¡°I thought Lilia was exaggerating when she kept saying how handsome you were. I thought she waspletely blinded by love, exaggerating your beauty,¡± Lucia said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But it turns out, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. It was an understatement.¡±

    ¡°How did she describe me?¡±

    ¡°She said your hair is like flowing ck silk. Your neatly extended eyebrows and obsidian-like eyes are as deep as the night sky. Your lips are red like autumn leaves...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Jin-Hyeok already knew Lilia¡¯s sensibilities were pretty tacky, but he didn¡¯t expect her expressions to be so clich¨¦. He thought Lilia needed to be more intense.

    <i>¡®I mean, how can she not put in more effort when trying to seduce me?¡¯ </i>

    Nevertheless, Lucia showed quite a bit of fondness toward him. After all, he had spent a whopping twelve million Dias in her establishment in just one night.

    <i>¡®Money does solve most of the problems.¡¯</i>

    Back in his days as a government official, he was always cautious because of the budget. He remembered how ufortable he had felt when Ahn Ji-Won from the support team had earnestly pleaded with him to cut back on the budget.

    ¡°Could I possibly get a list of Navigators operating in this area?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°A list of Navigators?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I n to y in this area for a while.¡±

    ¡°Just a moment.¡± Lucia reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a scroll. ¡°Would you like to take a look?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit disappointed that she did not make a more active attempt at seducing him.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see.¡¯</i>

    He examined the list.

    <i>¡®There he is, on the top of the list.¡¯</i>

    The Great Navigator Golumberum. Jin-Hyeok also knew his yer name for his alternative character.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s Gollum.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, the Paper Sorcerer Makendra had found Picasso¡¯s Brush with Gollum¡¯s help.

    ¡°This guy, Gollum. Can you introduce me to him?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Gollum. I see.¡± Lucia crossed her arms with a somewhat troubled expression. ¡°He¡¯s refused all requests so far. I have tried introducing Adventurers to him a few times, but he alwaysins...¡±

    ¡°Why? He doesn¡¯t like working with Adventurers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He seems uninterested in money. They even offered him seven hundred million Dias, but he still refused.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew why Gollum reacted that way. ¡°Just ask him to meet me.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll probably make a big fuss again. There are many otherpetent Navigators on the list. How about them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay one hundred million Dias just for the introduction.¡±

    ¡°I will bring him right away.¡± Lucia grinned and disappeared somewhere.

    A few hourster, she returned with someone.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s Gollum!¡¯</i>

    It was none other than Golumberum, a renowned yer from Arvis.

    <i>¡®Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart began to race.

 Chapter 181

    <h4>Chapter 181</h4>

    Seo Ji-Soo was surprised.

    <i>¡®Huh? That¡¯s the famous Navigator?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    He was very short and hunched over. It would not be easy to find anyone else who suited the name Gollum so well.

    <i>¡®Even for an alternative character, he looks so ugly!¡¯</i>

    The Seo sisters and Cha Jin-Hyeok had intended to search for a Navigator named Gollum from the beginning of their visit here. However, they had not expected to meet him so easily, nor had they expected him to be so unimpressive.

    ¡°I heard you were looking for me,¡± Gollum said as he swept his few strands of hair to the side and looked at Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ¡°What¡¯s your Level?¡± Gollum asked.

    ¡°Around 150, but I can bump it up to 170.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the yer with the Mythic-Grade Card, right? Your name was... Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    This was unexpected for Jin-Hyeok. ¡°You know me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You¡¯re the most famous yer on the Earth Server.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was pleased. A universally known yer like Golumberum often did not pay much attention to rookie yers. It was like how seniors in high school didn¡¯t really care about freshmen.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think this conversation is going to go easier than expected. I want your guidance while I y here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°My fee is high.¡± Gollum sneered and looked at Lucia. ¡°Lucia, how many have I rejected recently?¡±

    ¡°Around thirty yers?¡±

    Gollum nodded and turned his gaze to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Make an offer. How much will you use me for?¡±

    ¡°Five hundred million Dias.¡±

    Gollum burst outughing. ¡°Only five hundred million to hire me? You must be crazy.¡±

    Lucia sighed. She had known this would happen.

    <i>¡®Actually, five hundred million Dias isn¡¯t a small amount, but...¡¯</i>

    When another yer had offered him seven hundred million Dias before, Gollum had sneered at it. He had scolded Lucia, saying, ¡®What do you take me for?¡¯ and she had sweated bullets.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s definitely an alternative character of a ranker from another Server.¡¯</i>

    Lucia assumed Gollum was leveling up an alternative character on the Earth Server, as he could not y as his main self here. Usually, top-rankers from other Servers did this. For rankers who had nowhere else to grow, ying an alternative character in a weaker Server was a kind of entertainment culture.

    Gollum¡¯s Level was rtively low at around 130, but Lucia¡¯s seduction skills had no effect on him. He had probably worn all kinds of items that resisted mental attacks.

    <i>¡®If this keeps up, my reputation is going to go down the drain,¡¯ </i>Lucia sighed.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a frown.

    ¡°I told you. My fee is high. Did you really think you could hire me with only five hundred million Dias?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t five hundred million per hour reasonable?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°How can someone use a Navigator of your caliber for just five hundred million Dias?¡± Jin-Hyeok earnestly asked.

    Those words moved Gollum.

    ***

    Gollum heartilyughed with a slightly reddened face, clearly pleased with the deal. ¡°Lucia! Why didn¡¯t you introduce me to such a noble person sooner?¡±

    The beer tasted exceptionally refreshing and good today. The atmosphere of the table was quite pleasant. Lucia seemed overjoyed, probably thinking about the hefty referral fee she would receive.

    <i>¡®Good thing that it all worked out,¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Some yers referred to Gollum as a ranker who did not care about money, but Jin-Hyeok knew that was not the case.

    <i>¡®He is quite starved for money.¡¯</i>

    Not all top rankers are wealthy. The real rich ones were usually Merchant-ss or Streamer-ss yers. Excluding those with such extraordinary Jobs, the real top rankers often lived in a state of poverty.

    <i>¡®Just clearing a Dungeon once costs billions.¡¯</i>

    Navigators with weak defensive stats required significant amounts of money to clear Dungeons. To survive in top Dungeons, they had to keep spending and spending. They earned a lot, but they spent just as much.

    Earning a million and spending eight hundred thousand would leave two hundred thousand to spare, but earning one billion and spending 1.1 billion would result in a deficit of one hundred million. That was why most top rankers from other Servers were poor. Ordinary people would think it was madness, but it was true. Moderately high ranked yers were often wealthier.

    <i>¡®Especially Navigators are ves to money.¡¯</i>

    That was one of the reasons Han Sae-Rin had given up on being a Navigator and switched to being a Ruler.

    As the night deepened, Gollum became heavily drunk. ¡°You have about 350 million subscribers?¡±

    ¡°About 370 million.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite an achievement for an Earth yer. Streamers can make a living with that much, right?¡±

    ¡°Fairly so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous.¡±

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Gollum¡¯s forehead hit the table, and he fell asleep. Only a few customers were left in Lucia¡¯s bar.

    ¡°I should get going,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Lucia, who was attending another table, rushed over to him. ¡°Leaving already?¡±

    ¡°I have to.¡±

    She seemed a bit disappointed. In just one day, Jin-Hyeok had be a VIP of this bar. He had never experienced this during his time as a government official, but it felt quite convenient and pleasant.

    ¡°Take care. Come back again! And give my sister a chance. She¡¯s a pretty decent girl.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok left the bar and walked down the street. The street had been bustling during the day, but it was incredibly quiet and peaceful at this time. After walking for a while, he stopped. ¡°Why are you following me?¡±

    Someone had been following him since he had left the bar. This yer¡¯s name was Kayn, and he was a Swordsman who was around Level 180.

    ¡°You seem to have quite a bit of money, kid.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had known Kayn was there from the moment he had entered Lucia¡¯s bar. Kayn wouldter be a rather famous viin. He was more famous for being a viin from Arvis than for his prowess.

    Arvis Server was arguably the strongest Server in the universe, and its inhabitants took great pride in that. They prided themselves as cosmic police and pursued their own sense of justice. The fact that a yer from such a was ying the viin on the rtively weak Server was eye-catching.

    ¡°And?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°If you hand over everything you have now, I will spare your life.¡±

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Kayn had begged him for his life, saying, <i>¡°Please spare my life, and I will give you everything I have.¡± </i>

    <i>¡®He thinks he is stronger than me. That¡¯s cute. Well, he might be stronger than me now.¡¯</i>

    Currently, Kayn was at a higher Level than Jin-Hyeok. Also, Kayn was a skilled Swordsman. Jin-Hyeok did not want to fight him if he could avoid it.

    ¡°I am a Streamer, you know. Ever heard of the Streamer Protection Treaty?¡±

    ¡°You are not seriously depending on such a superficial treaty, are you?¡±

    ¡°Well, not exactly.¡±

    Kayn drew his sword and strode toward him. ¡°Let¡¯s start by taking your left arm.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It was somewhat ridiculous that Kayn had swung his sword right in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®How little does he think of me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered who would just stand there and get hit by such an obvious attack. He stepped back to dodge Kayn¡¯s sword.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    An awkward silence fell between them.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Kayn asked.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t really think I would get hit by that, did you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had shown his true skills in all of his livestreams, but it seemed Kayn had not watched any of those videos. Kayn started exerting more power. He mixed in feints and footwork to create openings in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s defense.

    <i>¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to block all of his attacks.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled at operating Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. You would have achieved much more if you were abatant-ss yer.¡±

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok felt irritated. Kayn¡¯s words somehow felt like an insult, as if he were saying, ¡®You are not cut out to be a Streamer.¡¯

    ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t watched my livestreams. I have improved a lot in livestreaming.¡± Anyway, Jin-Hyeok focused on his defense, and Kayn relentlessly attacked him.

    ¡°How long are you going to keep cowering behind your defense?¡± Kayn said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Kayn¡¯s attacks were not dull. Jin-Hyeok was umting more and more minor wounds, and it was lucky that he had experienced fighting Kayn before. Otherwise, he would have had suffered more severe injuries.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s definitely from the Arvis Server.¡¯</i>

    It was said that even the kids walking on the streets of Arvis could be rankers in other Servers. Though Kayn¡¯s Level was only around 180, he was by no means an easy opponent.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m just blocking his attacks, and it¡¯s taking a toll on me.¡¯</i>

    Usually, defending was easier than attacking. If a yer just decided to defend, they could somewhat hold their own even against those with superior skills.

    Before Jin-Hyeok knew it, he had reached a dead-end alley. When his back hit the wall, he extended his hand.

    ¡°Wait, I will give you five hundred million Dias. That¡¯s all I have right now.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out a leather pouch full of Dias from his inventory.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re talking sense.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s five hundred million Dias. If you spare my life, I will add another five hundred million to make it an even one billion.¡±

    ¡°Make it five billion.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you rich enough to spend five hundred million per hour hiring a Navigator?¡± Kayn chuckled. ¡°How can someone as insignificant as you earn such a huge sum of money? Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok quietly ced the leather pouch on the ground and raised his hands. When Kayn smirked and bent down to pick it up, a translucent silver thread wrapped around his wrist.

    <i>¡®Perfect timing.¡¯</i>

    It was Ji-Ah. Assassins could prove weak in a direct confrontation, but they exhibited tremendous power in surprise attacks.

    <i>¡®And now it¡¯s Ji-Soo¡¯s turn.¡¯</i>

    Ji-Soo released her poison attack. It emitted a much more concentrated form of the venom she had used when she bit Jin-Hyeok earlier, now in a gaseous form.

    Kayn was calmer than expected. ¡°What a pitiful attempt.¡±

    He easily got out of Ji-Ah¡¯s binding skill and formed a thin mana barrier around him to prevent the poison fog from reaching him. Just as he was about to gather mana to create a Sword Wind, Jin-Hyeok, who had been ready to draw his sword at any moment, swung it. ¡°This is how you set up.¡±

    It was rare for someone to fall for a trick right away. Jin-Hyeok had to mix feints and disturbances one, two, or three times in a row to execute the attack he wanted. The de of his Greatsword of La¡¯kan, now covered in sword energy and sharpened to the extreme, swiftly decapitated Kayn.

    <i>¡®That was easier than I thought.¡¯</i>

    The reason Jin-Hyeok had been testing Kayn until now was to make sure thetter was truly unaware of his livestreams.

    If Kayn had watched even a bit of them, he would have known about the Berklev Ne and that it could reflect fatal attacks.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t even have to use the Berklev Ne.¡¯</i>

    Kayn¡¯s eyes flickered as his heady on the ground, making Ji-Soo scream.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s from the Arvis Server. They¡¯re tough, so they don¡¯t die easily even when severed,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®Typical of an Arvis native.¡¯</i>

    ¡°...How did you know? Do you know about me?¡± Kayn asked.

    Jin-Hyeok leaned close to his face and whispered in his ear, ¡°Not telling.¡±

    Kayn¡¯s eyes widened in anger, turning red.

    ¡°When you meet a yer from Arvis, you must make sure to confirm the kill.¡± Jin-Hyeok lifted his Greatsword of La¡¯kan and stabbed Kayn in the heart several times. It was not because he wanted to feel the satisfaction of killing.

    But then, he heard someone pping. Someone was approaching them.

 Chapter 182

    <h4>Chapter 182</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok looked across the alley and saw a small figure crawling on all fours. He was not particrly surprised, but Seo Ji-Soo seemed shocked. She clung to his left arm, and Seo Ji-Ah lightly grabbed his right elbow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Assassins should be this scared...¡± Jin-Hyeok thought the sisters could be pretending to be scared to try and attack him again, but they did not.

    <i>¡®But why don¡¯t I feel angry about it?¡¯</i>

    Since he showed such an opening, the sisters should have stabbed him. They should have used something like a wooden sword or a finger to let him know that he had an opening. An Assassin¡¯s job also included discovering the weaknesses of their colleagues and informing them about those.

    It was strange that Jin-Hyeok was not angry even though the sisters had not fulfilled their roles as Assassins.

    Anyway, it seemed like Jin-Hyeok was more lenient on them.

    ¡°Great job, Kim Chul-Soo. Quite surprising. I know there was quite a Level difference between you two.¡± The neer was none other than Gollum.

    ¡°Why are you crawling on all fours?¡±

    ¡°To make a dramatic entrance.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok reflected on himself for asking such a needless question. It seemed he still had a long way to go to understand how to be stylish while ying.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t use the Mythic-Grade Card, right?¡± Gollum asked.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Jin-Hyeok had intended to fight one-on-one with Kayn if his tricks did not work. He could have lost, but there was also a chance that he could have won.

    Gollum giggled. ¡°But did you know that guy was affiliated with the ck Alliance?¡±

    ¡°The ck Alliance? Kayn??¡± It was news to Jin-Hyeok. Even when he had fought Kayn before his regression, thetter had never revealed that.

    ¡°Did you kill him without knowing that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I see. I thought you killed him because he was a member of the ck Alliance.¡± Gollum seemed to be aware that Jin-Hyeok was in conflict with the ck Alliance.

    ¡°Are you one of my subscribers?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Gollum didn¡¯t answer the question and instead said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it was, but it seems like this guy was doing something quite important in the area.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized Gollum had just given him some important information. Whatever Kayn had been doing was likely rted to Picasso¡¯s brush. So, he asked, ¡°Do you know where this guy was staying?¡±

    ¡°Of course. He was staying at an inn that Lucia operates. Room 302.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed Gollum a leather pouch containing five hundred million Dias. ¡°This is for the information.¡±

    ¡°...Tsk. It¡¯s cheap.¡±

    When dealing with a miser like Gollum, it was best to spend generously. Being stingy would only backfire. Gollum was poor not because he was unable to earn money, but because he spent too much. Since Jin-Hyeok earned a lot, giving a small amount to Gollum was almost worse than giving nothing.

    ¡°This amount isn¡¯t enough to satisfy me,¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°I thought it was a decent amount for just information.¡±

    The gap in their Levels was significant, but Jin-Hyeok could still see Gollum¡¯s status.

    <strong>[#Nice.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok immediately went back to Lucia¡¯s bar.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you again.¡± Lucia had definitely sensed the smell of blood on him, but she didn¡¯t say much about it.

    ¡°I need the key to Room 302.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡±

    ¡°What do I need to make it possible?¡±

    ¡°Well~ Do you have an ID or something?¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out the ID he had taken from Kayn. It was a bit stained with blood, but they both pretended not to notice that.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the key.¡±

    <strong>[#VIPs are Gods.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had never received such treatment during his time as a government official. Money seemed to be a wonder in many ways.

    <i>¡®Money... it¡¯s really good.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if this was why everyone talked about financial freedom. He thought he should be nicer to Choi Gap-Soo and Jang Michelle.

    <i>¡®I guess I have to earn a lot of money now.¡¯</i>

    He used to think that if he earned too much money, he would have to retire earlier than nned. He had even set up a foundation to spend his Dias because he was afraid of earning too much money. But he now realized that had been a naive thought.

    <i>¡®If I be a universal top ranker, I will actually be short of money.¡¯</i>

    Of course, it could be a bit different since he was a Streamer, but in general, that would be the case.

    <i>¡®So it¡¯s okay to have a lot of money because I might be a top ranker.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok guessed he did not need such naive thoughts about earning a small amount of money anymore.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok thoroughly searched Room 302. He checked under the desk and the bed and inside the closet for anything significant but did not find anything noteworthy.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t even see anything suspicious with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡¯</i>

    If a mana barrier had been ced in this room or something had been hidden with a Skill, it would have been easier to find clues, but that did not seem to be the case.

    <i>¡®Should I break down the walls?¡¯</i>

    He tried using the Pure Luck Skill, but there was no significant response. He just felt a strong conviction that something was present in the room.

    Meanwhile, Ji-Ah stood near the door, observing him.

    <i>¡®Jin-Hyeok Oppa must have been disappointed.¡¯</i>

    She had sensed a little of his disappointment when Gollum had appeared earlier.

    <i>¡®I should have stabbed him then.¡¯</i>

    At the very least, she should have poked him with her finger to show that he had a vulnerability. She felt unbearable shame for not fulfilling her duty as an Assassin.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s put on a good performance from now on.¡¯</i>

    She thought that since there were no intruders here at the moment, this was a good opportunity to demonstrate her skills as an Assassin.

    <i>¡®To surprise attack him...¡¯</i>

    As she observed him, she found a suitable spot.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s hide in the shadows under the floor.¡¯</i>

    Using her unique Skill as a Shadow Assassin, Shadow Movement, she merged into the shadow of the desk¡¯s leg. When Jin-Hyeok came close, she attacked the sole of his foot with a mock knife.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Caught off guard while searching for clues, Jin-Hyeok quickly lifted his foot and struck the floor with his sword, the Greatsword of La¡¯kan. Had it been Kwak Do-Hyeon or Kaylin, he would have used the de, but since his opponent was Ji-Ah, he used the t of the de.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The wooden floor broke. The Shadow Movement Skill was disrupted, revealing Ji-Ah.

    ¡°It was still a good attempt,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I will... try harder next time.¡± Ji-Ah seemed inexplicably frustrated. Her eyes were fixed on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword.

    Sensing her gaze, he realized something.

    <i>¡®She must have felt that I went easy on her. That¡¯s an insult to an Assassin.¡¯</i>

    Though it had been unintentional, he felt a bit sorry.

    At that moment, Ji-Soo found something. ¡°Hey, Oppa. There¡¯s something written under the floor!¡±

    They weren¡¯t any special words written on paper or with a special artifact. They were just some words written under the floor with a marker.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t notice them because it¡¯s a lousy method.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok asked the sisters, ¡°Can you guys neatly cut along the grains of the floorboards? I think something is written on the back. It¡¯s a bit difficult for me to do.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The Seo sisters felt alive.

    <i>¡®We¡¯re being helpful.¡¯</i>

    They were not sure how long they could do it, but at least for now, they were helping Jin-Hyeok. They meticulously and reverently removed the floorboards, revealing the words written underneath.

    <strong><s>[Hadyon and Guardian Dungeon]</s></strong>

    <strong><s>[Ermeasia Constetion Dungeon]</s></strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong><s>[Girzail¡¯s Carpenter Dungeon]</s></strong>

    Most of the entries were crossed out, with only three Dungeons names left.

    <strong>[Saint of Hexayle Dungeon]</strong>

    <strong>[Bridge of Agony Dungeon]</strong>

    <strong>[Zermin Dergo Dungeon]</strong>

    The next morning, Jin-Hyeok gifted Lucia fifty million Dias. ¡°We tore up the floorboards. This is for the restoration costs.¡±

    ¡°Twenty million Dias should be sufficient for the repair.¡±

    ¡°Then, could you return the extra thirty million Dias?¡± he asked.

    ¡°However, I can¡¯t just ignore your generosity and kindness, so I will dly ept it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok secretly hoped Lucia would use her seduction Skill, but that did not happen. Lucia seemed to be a businesswoman who knew how to separate personal and professional matters.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit disappointing,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you would actively seduce me.¡±

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to try fighting against various seduction skills.¡±

    Lucia realized something.

    <i>¡®This VIP is crazy!¡¯</i>

    Noticing the madness flickering in his eyes, she began to understand why her sister was fascinated by him.

    <i>¡®Crazy people are sexy, after all.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok met with Gollum and started exploring the three Dungeons one by one.

    ¡°This is the Saint of Hexayle Dungeon.¡±

    Most Dungeons existed along waterways, and conditions such as how to board the yacht, how many people boarded it, and the order and method of boarding had to be fulfilled for the Dungeon entrance to activate.

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeon ?Saint of Hexayle?.]</strong>

    With Gollum¡¯s help, Jin-Hyeok cleared the Saint of Hexayle Dungeon. It was a Dungeon with a storyline involving rescuing a saint captured by gargoyles, but it was not particrly difficult.

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeon ?Zermin Dergo?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok cleared two Dungeons back to back in just one day, taking about eighteen hours to do so.

    ¡°It would be nice if you could pay me a daily wage,¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°Sure thing.¡± Jin-Hyeok handed over nine billion Dias.

    ¡°Have you found the Bridge of Agony Dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Well, I think I might find it by tomorrow.¡±

    After deciding to rest, Jin-Hyeok and the Seo sisters started eating ate dinner at Lucia¡¯s bar.

    ¡°Oppa, is something bothering you? Ji-Soo asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly that...¡± he replied. Nothing seemed extraordinary about Gollum¡¯s style of y. ¡°I¡¯ve cleared two Dungeons, but not a single Hidden Achievement or Items appeared.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, there weren¡¯t any, were there?¡±

    Usually, clearing a Dungeon would yield at least one Hidden Item, and a proper clearance would often lead to an Achievement.

    Lucia poured Jin-Hyeok a ss of wine. ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite normal not to find any Hidden Items while clearing just two Dungeons?¡±

    ¡°How can that be normal?¡±

    Lucia realized that Jin-Hyeok was being serious. This was not a pretense or a joke.

    ¡°I can understand that acquiring an All-Clear needs a lot of luck, but how can there be no Hidden Items at all?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The interesting thing was that Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo were both nodding. This left Lucia a bit bewildered.

    <i>¡®What on earth is the Korean Region like?¡¯</i>

    Although there had been a recent universal interest in the Earth Server and the Korean Region, Lucia had not paid much attention to that. However, seeing their attitudes, she felt she should perhaps be more interested.

    ¡°Do you usually find at least one Hidden Item or Achievement in each Dungeon you clear?¡±

    ¡°That is usually the case.¡±

    Of course, that was not supposed to be the case. The word ¡®Hidden¡¯ in ¡®Hidden Item¡¯ wasn¡¯t meaningless. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were unusual, and Lucia¡¯s interest in the Korean Region grew.

    The next day, Jin-Hyeok and his group met with Gollum again and wandered around Giethoorn.

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a Dungeon named the Bridge of Agony...¡± Gollum muttered, slightly embarrassed.

    ¡°Can I share my opinion now?¡± Jin-Hyeok had been holding back his words, respecting the Navigator. Four hours had passed since they started ying, so he felt he had a reason to speak up.

    ¡°Look at that bridge over there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Gollum shifted his gaze. It was a bridge that opened upwards when boats passed through. ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange that so many Spirits are gathering there?¡±

    ¡°You can sense Spirits?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± Jin-Hyeok looked at Gollum as if thetter was the one being absurd.

    Gollum coughed and fumbled his words. ¡°Well... this is just my alternative character, so...¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only Level 138.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    Gollum¡¯s face turned red. ¡°I haven¡¯t learned the Skill to sense Spirits yet.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have such a Skill either.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Wait, you can¡¯t sense Spirits without skill?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Gollum wondered if Jin-Hyeok was trying to insult him and scrutinized his expression. However, the Navigator sensed no ill intent in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s demeanor.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s serious. He is genuinely puzzled,¡¯ </i>Gollum thought.

    That was even more humiliating. Having suffered a blow to his pride, which was more precious than money, Gollum dered, ¡°I won¡¯t take today¡¯s pay.¡±

    <i>¡®...Nice!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

 Chapter 183

    <h4>Chapter 183</h4>

    <i>¡®He¡¯s refusing the money,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought as he looked at Gollum again. <i>¡®I was a bit disappointed, but this will do.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not see how Gollum was any better than Pathfinder or Mole Man. If Gollum were ying as his main character, it would have been a different story, but his alternative character did not demonstrate any particrly impressive qualities.

    <i>¡®But still, he hasn¡¯t forgotten the basics.¡¯</i>

    Gollum¡¯s refusal to ept his daily wage was a form of self-discipline. He did not believe he had earned his keep, so he did not expect any reward for it. This was surprisingly hard for many yers. A lot of yers expected disproportionate rewards for their ys. Jin-Hyeok believed these yers had no conscience and that they did not climb high on the Ranking Boards. In that sense, Gollum was like a yer who had not forgotten the basics.

    His pride slightly wounded, Gollum clenched his fists and took the lead. ¡°Let¡¯s go... Spirits are gathering here, so there must be something.¡±

    Approaching the bridge, the Navigator took out a strange powder from his pocket and scattered it. He hunted the nearby fish monsters, throwing their blood into the air.

    Jin-Hyeok could not exactly tell what Gollum was doing. <i>¡®Is that the Arvis method?¡¯</i>

    He closely observed Gollum. He did not need to imitate the Navigator, but for a smooth broadcast, it was important to have some level of knowledge. At least, he needed to understand and exin to the viewers what was going on.

    <i>¡®Ah, so that¡¯s how he is gathering the Spirits.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not a Spirit Mage, so he was not aware of the exact details, but this ce seemed to be surrounded by Spirits. They were the lowest-grade Spirits without any self-awareness. What Gollum was doing was akin to gathering the essence of these Spirits.

    Gollum plucked a strand of his few remaining hairs and muttered some words like an incantation. ¡°By my name, Imand. Open the path.¡±

    The hair fluttering in the wind suddenly burst into mes. At the same time, a Gate appeared before them.

    <strong>[Bridge of Agony Dungeon]</strong>

    ¡°We found it. The Bridge of Agony.¡±

    ***

    Gollum had done his best.

    <i>¡®This is cheating though...¡¯ </i> the Navigator thought.

    When ying as an alternative character, Gollum intended to use only that character¡¯s abilities. However, activating this Gate had been beyond the scope of his alternative character¡¯s abilities; to achieve that, he had used a method known to his main character, Golumberum, with a few activation material recipes known only to the main character.

    Still, he praised himself. <i>¡®Well done, Gollum.¡¯ </i>

    Then, with a triumphant look, he gazed at Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®I have changed the conditions so that everyone can enter this low-level Dungeon. This is something not everyone can do. What do you think, Kim Chul-Soo?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You¡¯re just fooling around as your alternative character, are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate it if you gave it your all.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If it were Pathfinder or Mole Man, they would have found it much earlier.¡±

    Gollum clenched his teeth. Proud of his sharp intuition, he could easily sense that Jin-Hyeok was being sincere.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s serious...¡¯</i>

    Gollum wondered how high Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were. As a Level 138 yer, Gollum was ying exceptionally well.

    <i>¡®Aren¡¯t I...?¡¯</i>

    By the standards of Gollum¡¯s main character, 138 was indeed a very low Level. Just like how not many yers remembered their strengths when they were at low Levels, Gollum could not recall how skilled he had been at Level 138.

    <i>¡®Maybe I was stronger than this? I¡¯m not sure...¡¯</i>

    When he reflected on it, he realized he did not have the same intensity as he had back then. This was not his main character, but an alternative character, closer to a form of entertainment for him.

    Having gained some insight, Gollum made a silent vow. <i>¡®Just you wait.¡¯</i>

    He had to show Jin-Hyeok how a Great Navigator came to be called a Great Navigator.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll earn your recognition sooner orter.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have entered the Dungeon ?Bridge of Agony?.]</strong>

    <strong>[The minimum entry Level for the Dungeon is 30, and the rmended minimum entry Level is 50.]</strong>

    Gollum decided not to show off how much time it took to lift the entry restriction.

    <i>¡®Right. I shouldn¡¯t brag about such minor things. I will show him something even more astonishing.¡¯</i>

    Gollum thought there was no need to show off with such trivialities to get proper recognition from Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Maybe he already knows.¡¯</i>

    Gollum looked around. He was standing on a sunny and bright field.

    ¡°Wow! Can a Dungeon be this refreshing? Why is the sunlight so warm?¡± Ji-Soo said, feeling excited.

    Ahead of them was a stream,rger than a brook but smaller than a river.

    ¡°Look! There¡¯s a bridge made out of rainbows!?¡±

    A bridge made of rainbows stood over the river. In the middle of the bridge sat a child-like ghost. Noticing the visitors, the ghost stood up and said, ¡°Will you y with me?¡±

    ***

    Bridge of Agony was a low-level Dungeon. Known for being therapeutic and refreshing, it had no notable monsters, just warm sunshine and endless green fields. It was a peaceful Dungeon with a small river and a rainbow bridge. The Dungeon was quite famous among low-Level yers, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party, being too high-Level, had missed it.

    Ji-Soo suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, now that I think about it, I have heard of a therapeutic Dungeon with a rainbow bridge.

    Gollum reacted to that a bit sensitively. ¡°You¡¯ve heard about this ce before?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think it was said to be the easiest Dungeon in the world, located in the Nethends. You just have to y Rock Paper Scissors with the child on the rainbow bridge and win.¡±

    If they won, they could cross the bridge, and if they lost, they had to go down ande back up again.

    ¡°They say you get some experience points for winning the game, and the weather is so nice and warm that yerse here for pics. I scoffed at the idea of such a Dungeon, but who knew it really existed.¡±

    Gollum¡¯s pride was hurt again. <i>¡®I had no idea!¡¯</i>

    Even if it was a Dungeon for low-Level yers, he was a Navigator. Gollum wondered how he could not know something that an Assassin across the ocean knew. In his younger days, he could even recite the names of Dungeons from other Servers.

    ¡°Rock Paper Scissors, huh? Let¡¯s give it a try,¡± Gollum said, hiding his wounded pride.

    Gollum went up to the rainbow bridge first and approached the ghost. A [???] symbol appeared above the ghost¡¯s head.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors! Aww, I lost.¡±

    When the ghost lost the game, raindrops fell on its head.

    <strong>[You have won at Rock Paper Scissors. You may pass.]</strong>

    <strong>[1/3]</strong>

    Gollum crossed to the other side and came back.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors! Aww, I lost.¡±

    <strong>[You have won at Rock Paper Scissors. You may pass.]</strong>

    <strong>[2/3]</strong>

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors! Aww, I lost.¡±

    <strong>[You have won at Rock Paper Scissors. You may pass.]</strong>

    <strong>[3/3]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Achievement ?Three Consecutive Wins!?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Three Consecutive Wins!]</strong>

    <strong>[You have a natural talent for Rock Paper Scissors.</strong>

    <strong>You now feel happier for the next three hours and find joy in the smallest things.]</strong>

    Gollum found this absurd.

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeon!]</strong>

    Far off in the distance, a white door appeared.

    <strong>[Heartwarming Exit]</strong>

    It was a Gate with no danger at all. Gollum approached the door and inspected it, but found no signs of danger.

    ***

    The Paper Sorcerer, Makendra, visited Lucia¡¯s bar.

    ¡°I cannot disclose information about our guests,¡± Lucia said.

    ¡°But thest time I contacted him, he was staying here.¡±

    ¡°All I can say is that the guest in Room 302 left the room yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I will give you twenty million Dias for the information.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Makendra frowned. Normally, Subi running bars and inns loved money. They usually provided quite a bit of information for a fee, and twenty million Dias was not a small sum.

    <i>¡®It seems she really doesn¡¯t know anything,¡¯</i> Makendra thought. Obtaining any information from Lucia seemed difficult.

    Makendra started her own investigation and soon found traces of Kayn.

    <i>¡®Kayn...It¡¯s likely he died here,¡¯ </i>Makendra thought.

    This area was also very important to Makendra. It was the most likely location where Picasso¡¯s Brush was hidden. That was why she had been particrly attentive to it and had sent her most trusted subordinate here.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute... Room 302?¡¯</i>

    Makendra returned to Lucia. Her Paper Soldiers surrounded Lucia, pointing their paper spears at her.

    ¡°What is this about, Ms. Makendra?¡± Lucia asked.

    ¡°Has Room 302 checked out?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you repairing it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Was the fee I offered too low?¡±

    Makendra took out a leather pouch containing fifty million Dias and threw it in Lucia¡¯s face.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The pouch hit Lucia, and golden coins scattered on the floor.

    ¡°I will buy information rted to Room 302. If it¡¯s good information, I will pay another fifty million Dias.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But first, kneel and pick up the coins with your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Lucia knelt and did so.

    When she put thest coin into the pouch, Makendra spoke. ¡°Greedy Subus, you shouldn¡¯t have overstepped.¡±

    A Paper Soldier¡¯s spear pierced Lucia¡¯s back. The chilling de went through Lucia¡¯s back and came out of her abdomen.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Spears from the surrounding Paper Soldiers pierced Lucia from multiple directions, and thick blood dripped down. Makendra stepped on her face. ¡°I said I would give it, but I didn¡¯t say anything about taking it back.¡±

    Lucia¡¯s eyes had already lost focus. With herst strength, she reached out toward the leather pouch. ¡°N-No...¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Another spear pierced Lucia¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Even while dying, you¡¯re greedy for money. Truly a despicable race.¡±

    Makendra read the records from the calendar on the wall of Room 302.

    <i>¡®Gollum and three unknown yers. They have discovered something.¡¯</i>

    She did not know who the other three yers were, but she knew who Gollum was.

    <i>¡®I need to track down Gollum.¡¯</i>

    Makendra snapped her fingers, and the Paper Soldiers poured oil over Lucia¡¯s body and set her on fire. Lucia¡¯s bar and inn turned to ash, and Makendra released her Paper Soldiers to track down Gollum¡¯s whereabouts.

    ***

    For Gollum, it was a matter of pride. It was a battle to see whether he would be recognized as a true Navigator or not.

    <i>¡®No!¡¯ </i>It was not just that. <i>¡®This is a battle to see who is the morepetent Navigator!¡¯</i>

    Gollum had to acknowledge Jin-Hyeok¡¯s keen perception. It had all started with a remark from Jin-Hyeok. ¡°There are ghosts floating around the river, invisible to the eye. Simr to Spirits, they are not easily noticeable, if not for their aura. It is a simr structure to before the Gate was activated. Well, you must know this already, right?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, I knew.¡± Gollum had not seen what Jin-Hyeok did. This was the first moment Gollum felt a sense of crisis.

    ¡°And exactly every two minutes and eighteen seconds, the child on the rainbow bridge changes. Is it the soul that¡¯s changing?¡±

    Feeling another sense of crisis, Gollum quickly added, ¡°No, the body changes too. If you look closely, the mole on the right wrist disappeared. The next ghost used the left arm for Rock Paper Scissors. Before that, it was the right arm. The stripes on the clothes of the one who appeared this time are subtly different.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok also admired Gollum¡¯s sharp observation. Gollum had pinpointed differences that average yers would not have found easily.

    <i>¡®Maybe this is what it¡¯s like to be an alternative character of a great Navigator,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. A peculiar sense ofpetitive pride arose in him. <i>¡®Why do I want to beat him? Our Jobs arepletely different!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had never felt this emotion toward Pathfinder or Mole Man. But strangely, he wanted to beat Gollum.

    <i>¡®Even though I am a Streamer, I want to prove I am a better Navigator than him!¡¯</i>

    It was an odd feeling. And soon, Jin-Hyeok realized why.

    <i>¡®Maybe it¡¯s because I think I can win against him?¡¯</i>

    That seemed to be why hispetitive spirit kept growing. Now that it hade to this, Jin-Hyeok wanted to win. This was a soothing Dungeon, after all. A madness only Jin-Hyeok was unaware of flickered in his eyes.

    <i>¡®This is apetition.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 184

    <h4>Chapter 184</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok and Gollum were fiercelypeting.

    Seo Ji-Soo whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t think this is considered soothing or therapeutic...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    This Dungeon was supposed to be therapeutic and soothing. Jin-Hyeok himself had mentioned it was therapeutic.

    ¡°Is that... really therapeutic though?¡±

    At this rate, one would wonder why Jin-Hyeok had even bothered to bring along a Navigator, as he was so earnest in exploring the Dungeon himself.

    ¡°Gollum¡¯s eyes are about to pop out,¡± Ji-Soo continued.

    It was not just Jin-Hyeok. Both he and Gollum were busily scurrying around, conscious of each other, trying to find one more clue than the other.

    ¡°Why are a Streamer and a Navigator evenpeting to begin with? And how is it that the Streamer is actually neck and neck with the Navigator?¡±

    It even seemed that the Streamer had a slight edge in thispetition. The Streamer, Jin-Hyeok, had been the one to discover that the area had some rtion to Spirits and that the child on the bridge changed every two minutes and eighteen seconds.

    Seo Ji-Ah, who had been silent, also spoke up. ¡°I guess what is considered therapeutic differs for everyone.¡±

    However, even she found it hard to understand Jin-Hyeok and Gollum.

    Amid this, Jin-Hyeok got a good idea and used his Skill. ¡°Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡±

    His voice was loud enough to be heard across the entire field.

    ¡°Did he say the activation phrase so that Gollum could hear from far away?¡± Ji-Ah asked with a deep sigh.

    ¡°...Yes,¡± Ji-Soo replied.

    ¡°Is it because he wants fairpetition? Kind of like, ¡®I am going to use Spirits, just letting you know?¡¯¡±

    ¡°...Probably.¡±

    Not to be outdone, Gollum also shouted the name of his Skill. Jin-Hyeok and Gollum were smiling.

    ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    Ji-Ah was walking toward the rainbow bridge.

    Watching her sister¡¯s back, Ji-Soo said, ¡°If you want to y Rock Paper Scissors, just say it. Still, it¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    In the endlesspetition between the Streamer and the Navigator, the peaceful sound of Rock Paper Scissors echoed.

    ¡°Rock, Paper, Scissors!¡±

    ***

    ording to Gollum¡¯s judgment, this ce was somehow rted to Spirit power.

    <i>¡®That guy has the upper hand,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Despite being a Streamer, Kim Chul-Soo was also a Spirit Mage and possessed the ability to control Spirits. Yet, he seemed to have enough conscience not to use Spirits.

    <i>¡®One ghost is floating above the river and has exceptionally strong Spirit power.¡¯</i>

    In his highly concentrated state, Gollum could discern a lot.

    <i>¡®Is it being somewhat ostracized among the ghosts?¡¯</i>

    As Chul-Soo had said, the child on the rainbow bridge would change precisely every two minutes and eighteen seconds. This rule had been constant so far. But then, Chul-Soo was summoning a Spirit.

    <i>¡®Coward!¡¯</i>

    It seemed that the nature of this Dungeon had put Gollum at a disadvantage. However, Chul-Soo appeared to be struggling with some issues.

    <i>¡®Serves him right!¡¯</i>

    Whatever the problem was, Gollum did not care. Every minute and second were precious now. He had to discover the Dungeon¡¯s secret first.

    Meanwhile, the two Assassins seemed happy, enjoying a peaceful game of Rock Paper Scissors.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    Chul-Soo was still conversing with the summoned Spirit, and Gollum realized something new.

    <i>¡®Winning at Rock Paper Scissors is also a condition!¡¯</i>

    The child ghost on the rainbow bridge kept winning. In other words, Ji-Ah kept losing.

    ¡°Hey, try to do better.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ji-Ah¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment. Even her usually calm eyes showed obsession and apetitive spirit.

    ¡°I won again! Hehe!¡± the child shouted.

    Thanks to Ji-Ah¡¯s exceptional(?) skills in Rock Paper Scissors, Gollum could now understand what was going on.

    <i>¡®If a ghost keeps winning at the game, it doesn¡¯t switch to another!¡¯</i>

    Gollum observed the Seo sisters closely. Ji-Ah demonstrated Rock Paper Scissors skills with a near-zero percent win rate, and Ji-Soo was no different, though her win rate was slightly higher.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to win again! Rock, paper, scissors! Ugh, so annoying!!!¡±

    Gollum discovered a pattern.

    <i>¡®The ghosts... they are not peacefully waiting for their turn.¡¯</i>

    This ce was an arena of endlesspetition, and the same applied to the ghosts.

    <i>¡®They are also fiercely fighting to enjoy their turn at Rock Paper Scissors!¡¯</i>

    There was no order or peace. It was a world of fierce survival of the fittest.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    The ghost with the strongest Spirit power was unable to properly join in thispetition. That was why Gollum had felt that this ghost was being ostracized by the others.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s being rejected.¡¯</i>

    There had to be a reason the Dungeon was set up this way.

    <i>¡®Then, the key is to bring out this outcast ghost to the Rock Paper Scissors arena.¡¯</i>

    Gollum had to find a way to do this before Chul-Soo. Although this was his alternative character, he could not afford to lose to Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I will find a way! Before you do!¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡±

    From within the Spirit Gate, Elines revealed herself. However, she seemed a bit different than usual. With a pouty face and arms crossed, she would not even make eye contact with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Elly?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Elly, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Elly remained silent for a long time before abruptly turning her head away. ¡°Elly is upset!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, who had no experience in childcare, faced a crisis of sorts. He could not figure out why Elly imed to be upset.

    <i>¡®There was no difort when I summoned her...¡¯ </i>

    Spirits could refuse their summoner¡¯s call, and if the summoning failed, it would cause considerable difort to the summoner. In severe cases, it could lead to nausea and vomiting multiple times. However, Jin-Hyeok had sensed no such feeling when summoning Elly.

    <i>¡®The Spirit Gate is sparkling so brightly. Doesn¡¯t that mean Elly was waiting for this summoning? She must have been excited about it, so why is she acting like this?¡¯</i>

    Then, Jin-Hyeok realized something.

    <i>¡®Ah, I haven¡¯t summoned her for too long.¡¯</i>

    Elly was at an age of rapid growth. Full of curiosity and energy, she needed to gain a variety of experiences and training. However, it seemed Jin-Hyeok had left her in the peaceful Spirit Realm for too long.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elly.¡±

    Indeed, a Fire Spirit of her age should be creating objects like fire arrows to shoot at monsters like Centaurs. Jin-Hyeok had been thoughtless. He resolved to summon Elly next time in a ce where powerful monsters appeared.

    Elly¡¯s face turned red at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s apology. ¡°Hmph! Elly is still upset!¡±

    ¡°I will definitely summon you next time.¡±

    ¡°Elly doesn¡¯t trust you. Elly was lonely!¡± Although she said that, her expression gradually became better.

    After looking at her, Jin-Hyeok became a bit more confident that she was about to forgive him. He said, ¡°You are not alone. Let¡¯s y together next time.¡±

    ¡°...y?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s try some intense y in a Hidden Dungeon.¡±

    Elly did not quite understand the concept of a Hidden Dungeon, but it seemed like a good idea. All she wanted was to spend time with Jin-Hyeok. She wanted to ask if she could y every day, but she felt that it would annoy him, so she chose different words out of a bit of fear.

    ¡°Often?¡±

    ¡°Yes, often.¡±

    Elly did not really understand what a Hidden Dungeon or intense y meant, but the fact that she could meet her summoner more often made her heart lighten. Small, colorful mes burst with a pop above her head.

    ¡°Elly, do you see the many ghosts floating above the water?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see them¡±

    ¡°Anything unusual?¡±

    Elly put her little finger to her chin, pondering it, and then noticed something.

    ¡°There is a kid with Spirit power there.¡± Elly instinctively felt it upon seeing that ghost. ¡°It¡¯s being bullied by the others.¡±

    ¡°Bullied?¡±

    ¡°The other ghosts are creep-blocking[1] it! ¡±

    ¡°Do you even know what creep-blocking means?¡±

    ¡°Yes! It means blocking the way!¡±

    <i>¡®What in the world is Alkinas teaching his kid?¡¯ </i>For a moment, Jin-Hyeok was startled. <i>¡®I feel like I¡¯m turning into her parent.¡¯</i>

    This was the first time he had felt this way while ying, and the feeling was unfamiliar. Just looking at Elly made his heart soften, a feeling hard for Jin-Hyeok to understand. He figured out the reason this was happening.

    <i>¡®Parenting content is popr these days.¡¯</i>

    Videos involving parenting content had been popr and in solid demand for a long time. As a Streamer, this was an opportunity for him to expand his content scope.

    <i>¡®So that¡¯s why I¡¯m feeling this way!¡¯</i>

    It was because he had discovered another opportunity as a Streamer. Yes, that was why he felt this way.

    ¡°I want to help that ghost...¡± Elly said.

    ¡°You want to help?¡±

    ¡°Friends should get along. Bullying is bad. It¡¯s not okay.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt immensely proud of Elly. It seemed the child was growing up well. Without him noticing it, his voice became more tender. ¡°So, what should we do?¡±

    Being a Spirit, Elly was very sensitive to the surrounding energy. So, she noticed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s tenderness, which made her feel much better and more spirited.

    ¡°Elly will help!¡± she said.

    ¡°You think you can help it?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Easy-peasy!¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok found it hard to guess what era Elly was from just from her words.

    ***

    <i>¡®While you were talking with the Spirit, I explored hundreds of methods,¡¯ </i>Gollum thought.

    He had devised numerous hypotheses and run simtions in his mind.

    <i>¡®Seventeen types of wildflowers are growing in this field.¡¯</i>

    Out of these seventeen types, four showed a unique reaction to ghosts. Mixing these in the right amount and sequence and crushing them in a mortar would produce a special liquid.

    <i>¡®And then, using the principle of single-volume mana amplification theory to amplify it...¡¯ </i>Gollum¡¯s calctions were alreadyplete. <i>¡®...and then by liquefying the gas and then evenly spraying it with this specially made sprayer, the ghosts¡¯ true forms will be revealed.¡¯</i>

    He approached Jin-Hyeok. This was a task that required immense capability as a Navigator, and he was confident that a Streamer merely pretending to be a Navigator could not mimic it.

    ¡°...so, if we draw the mana circuit like this... it will look like this... and then we can use physical force. In other words, we can create a foundation to lead that ghost with exceptional Spirit power to the Rock Paper Scissors arena,¡± Gollum said to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± It all seemed gibberish to Jin-Hyeok. He said, ¡°Just bring it over.¡±

    Right beside Elly, the ghost was holding her hand, tears streaming from its eyes.

    <i>¡®He caught a ghost?¡¯</i>

    Golem was at a loss for words.

    ¡°Why are you not saying anything?¡±

    ¡°So, the principle of single-volume mana amplification...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t just bringing the ghost here easier?¡±

    ¡°...¡± An indescribable sense of defeat engulfed Gollum. ¡°To capture a being with such Spirit power by hand, one must also have extraordinary Spirit pow¡ª¡±

    ¡°You mean a being like the daughter of the Spirit King, right?¡±

    ¡°...You made a contract with the daughter of the Spirit King?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a video of the contract on my channel. Feel free to watch it. Don¡¯t forget to like and subscribe.¡±

    At that moment, Elly shouted, ¡°You guys are bad! Friends should y nicely together!¡±

    The ghosts scattered in fear.

    On the rainbow bridge, the game of Rock Paper Scissors was in full swing.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors! Yay! I won! How do you like my Rock Paper Scissors skill?¡± Ji-Soo said.

    Just then, two minutes and eighteen seconds had passed. The ghost beside Elly pped her hand away and quickly flew to sit on the rainbow bridge.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Elly¡¯s hand turned red.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a surge of irritation but suppressed it with superhuman patience. This was part of the y, and it was natural to get injured while ying. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, hehe.¡± Elly rubbed her hand while watching the ghost fly away to y Rock Paper Scissors with fond eyes.

    This time, Ji-Ah stepped forward, and Ji-Soo cheered her on with a serious expression. ¡°Unnie! You can do it!¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With a very serious attitude, Ji-Ah yed Rock Paper Scissors and ended up losing seven times in a row. Meanwhile, Gollum and Jin-Hyeok simultaneously realized something.

    ¡°Ji-Ah! Keep losing!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Assassin! You have to keep losing!¡±

    ¡°I said it 0.02 seconds faster.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®That¡¯s because your phrase was three words shorter! You said four words, and I said seven!¡¯ </i>Gollum thought. However, he did not argue over it. Arguing would have been akin to admitting defeat.

    Meanwhile, the ghost that won seven times in a row had grown a bit bigger.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    After the ghost won twelve consecutive times, a ck mist began to rise from behind it. The ghost had grown to a sizeparable to Ji-Ah¡¯s.

    ¡°329 matches, 328 losses. Rock, paper, scissors!¡± Ji-Ah murmured.

    After seventeen consecutive wins, the ghost began to materialize more distinctly. Horns appeared on its head.

    After twenty-one consecutive victories, the ghost fully materialized, and ck wings appeared on its back. Its eyes had turned blood red.

    ¡°338 matches, 337 losses... Rock, paper scissors!¡±

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors.¡± The ghost¡¯s voice had also be much deeper, and the rainbow bridge of seven colors had turned ck.

    Incidentally, Ji-Ah, who was solely focused on the game, did not notice any of these changes.

    1. Creep-blocking is a gaming term when a yer physically blocks their creeps¡¯ path to achieve a specific goal. In this context, the term is being used as ng for simply blocking someone¡¯s path, which is what the ghosts are essentially doing. ?

 Chapter 185

    <h4>Chapter 185</h4>

    <strong>[The Condition for the Hidden Achievement ?Impossible Condition? has been satisfied.]</strong>

    <strong>[A boss monster is about to be spawned.]</strong>

    The clear sky turned overcast with dark clouds. The cloudspletely obscured the warm sunlight, and the river water quickly overflowed, threatening to engulf the rainbow bridge, which had now turned ck.

    Seo Ji-Soo quickly moved to pull her sister into her arms and went back down the bridge. ¡°Unnie! Snap out of it! What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Rock... paper... scissors.¡± Seo Ji-Ah was half out of her senses.

    Gollum felt an instinctive fear.

    <i>¡®That ghost is undergoing demonization.¡¯</i>

    He wanted to stop the process, but it was toote.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s at least a mid-tier Demon.¡¯</i>

    It could even possess powerparable to that of a high-tier Demon. Gollum had already felt that something was hidden in this Dungeon.

    <i>¡®But I had suspected there would be another Dungeon within the Dungeon...¡¯</i>

    However, it was an Irregr boss monster instead.

    <i>¡®What kind of crazy bastard put such a powerful boss monster here?¡¯</i>

    Although such a monster spawning naturally wasn¡¯t impossible, Gollum¡¯s intuition told him otherwise. This Demon had forcibly been inserted in this Dungeon by the GMs of this area, along with all sorts of difficult conditions.

    <i>¡®This is not something one or two GMs could do.¡¯</i>

    It seemed all of the GMs from the city had worked on this.

    <i>¡®That monster is at least Level 180, in the worst case, around 220.¡¯</i>

    They had almost no way to confront it with their current strength. A direct fight would naturally lead to annihtion, but Gollum had confidence in his abilities.

    <i>¡®Even though I came here as an alternative character... I can¡¯t let my party members die like this.¡¯</i>

    He had to show Kim Chul-Soo the power of a Great Navigator. A party led by a Great Navigator would survive even in the most dangerous ces.

    A Great Navigator was a Navigator who created miracles.

    ¡°Activate Agony for the Best Choice.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Agony for the Best Choice?.]</strong>

    <strong>[The appearance of the boss monster is dyed for 7 minutes.]</strong>

    The stream that had now be like a river due to the rapids became still. It was as if time in the Dungeon had frozen. The world was dyed in shades of ash, and only the yers retained their colors.

    Gollum stood in front of Jin-Hyeok with a serious expression. ¡°Listen, I have paused time with my Skill. Now, we have about six minutes and thirty seconds left.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°We either fight or run. There is an exit over there, so running away is possible.¡±

    ¡°Did you use such a grand skill just to tell me something so obvious?¡±

    ¡°That monster is at minimum Level 180. It could even be a high-tier Demon over Level 200. There is no chance in a direct confrontation.¡±

    ¡°What about a method other than a direct confrontation?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Have you ever killed a Demon before?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Fortunately, he had encountered and killed a Demon in the Tutorial Field.

    ¡°Was it a Named Demon?¡±

    ¡°It sure was.¡± Jin-Hyeok opened his Achievement window to check.

    <strong>[Exorcism]</strong>

    <strong>[You have defeated the Demon Iblis Kecil.]</strong>

    <strong>[Your resistance to Demonic power has increased by 55%.]</strong>

    ¡°You defeated a Named Demon?¡± Gollum asked.

    ¡°I was lucky back then.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not expected the Tutorial Field to have a Named Demon either. At that time, he had not ced much importance on the Achievement he had gained from defeating the demon, Exorcism. The Achievement was not that important in itself; rather, it was significant as the start of the Hidden Job Great Hero.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s good news. We might actually be able to defeat this Demon. The Exorcism Achievement has a Hidden Trait. It gives you much greater power when facing a Demon far superior to yourself. The System understates it as an increase in Demonic power resistance,¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°It does mention an increase in resistance to Demonic power...¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve acquired the Achievement at your Level, that means...¡± Gollum had numerous data and experiences on the subject. ¡°...around twenty percent?¡±

    ¡°It says fifty-five percent actually.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Gollum¡¯s understanding of the subject was shattered. At that Level, and only having exorcized one Named Demon, no yer could acquire the Exorcism Achievement with fifty-five percent Demonic power resistance.

    ¡°Is that good?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite decent.¡± Gollum barely hid his astonishment and continued, ¡°The Achievement boosts your defensive stats. Since yourmand on your Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier is quite good, you can focus entirely on defense.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing you don¡¯t know. I have the strongest defensive Mystery.¡± Even though he said that, Jin-Hyeok did not actually think it was the strongest. This was just one of the corny lines he had prepared for hister videos.

    ¡°Defensive Mystery?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s called Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    Gollum tilted his head in confusion. He had experienced the Phantom Swordswoman Mystery a few times before, but the Mystery was closer to a physical manifestation of a phantom-ss offensive Mystery rather than a defensive one.

    Although Gollum did not understand that, with little time left, he continued, ¡°Fortunately, Demons have clear weaknesses. They are strong, but if you exploit their weaknesses well, you can defeat them.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about their horns?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the horns. With this demon having two of them, we can definitely defeat it,¡± Gollum replied.

    Gollum performed numerous analyses as a Navigator. ¡°Listen. First, the Demon is definitely a boss monster forced in by the GMs. Probably prepared since the Open Beta through numerous processes. In such cases, one of two things is true. Either something as precious as a Server-Grade Item is hidden here, or it is connected to a city-level Scenario. Anyway, that¡¯s forter. The important thing is that the Demon is very troublesome. It must be hit with twenty-one critical hits to be killed.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But you need to keep the Demon¡¯s aggro on you between the critical hits. The aggro won¡¯t switch as long as you hit it with above two-thirds of the critical hit damage.¡± Gollum continued, observing the frozen Demon, ¡°There is a snake symbol on its left chest, but I wouldn¡¯t advise touching it. It¡¯s like a Dragon¡¯s sensitive point. Best to avoid that area.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    There were only two minutes left.

    ¡°The Demon is currently sitting in the center of the bridge. The rapids are flowing at two meters per second. The wind is a southeast breeze. The sun¡¯s brightness is about 6000K, though it is obscured by the clouds now. The temperature is twenty-eight degrees Celsius. With this area, the simple Dungeon constant value is... So... If you calcte these conditions with the First Dungeon Equation...¡± Gollum kept talking.

    Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    <i>¡®Why is he doing such inefficient calctions?¡¯ </i>For Jin-Hyeok, things like Dungeon constants and Dungeon Equations were not at all important. What mattered was how to deal with the Demon.

    ¡°Don¡¯t Navigators usually not do this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Usually, they just give me the conclusion.¡±

    Gollum¡¯s face reddened a bit, but he shamelessly continued, ¡°We need to attack the Demon at least three times per second. Three times with ded weapons, twice with blunt weapons, and again four times with ded weapons. I¡¯ll tell you the restter.¡±

    In the meantime, Ji-Ah hade to her senses. She and her sister intently listened to Gollum¡¯s words.

    ¡°I¡¯ll decide your positions. Remember, it¡¯s a high-tier Demon. A single mistake can lead to the worst oue.¡±

    <strong>[The boss monster ?Dermiane Metodum? has spawned.]</strong>

    ¡°Muahahaha!¡±

    Suddenly, a storm raged, and purple lightning struck from the sky. Gollum raised his right arm, a sign for Ji-Ah to attack.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Gollum was surprised.

    Ji-Ah had not moved.

    He raised his left arm, a sign for Ji-Soo to attack.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±

    Both Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo ignored Gollum, and Jin-Hyeok left the position Gollum had assigned him.

    ¡°You idiots! Did you even listen to anything I¡¯ve told you?¡± the Navigator shouted.

    ***

    The GMs of the Dutch Region, specifically Giethoorn, visited Seodaemun-gu in the Seoul Region in a hurry to find Kihael. Kihael was so thrilled to see them.

    <i>¡®Serves you right, you bastards.¡¯</i>

    Kihael hated all his colleagues. Starting with Serchan, his superior and a workaholic, he hade to dislike all his colleagues around him. For him, this was almost a natural progression.

    ¡°Why? You made a fuss about me not being able to manage the Server, and now you¡¯vee here?¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°I-I have never said that...¡±

    ¡°But if I search my name on thepany bulletin board, it¡¯s nothing but insults.¡±

    The bulletin board was filled withments saying that the birth of a monster like Chul-Soo was the fault of the Seodaemun-gu GMs, who had failed at bncing the y. Someone had to take the me, and it had long been the GMs of Seodaemun-gu.

    ¡°Why are you guys in a hurry? Are there some Server-Grade Items hidden there?¡±

    ¡°I cannot disclose that as it is confidential departmental information. Kihael, we must stop Chul-Soo. Wouldn¡¯t the failure in bnce adjustment be enough just for the Korean Region?¡±

    <i>¡®Why the hell are they keep saying that we¡¯ve failed at bncing the y? It¡¯s not my fault that Chul-Soo is a monster!¡¯</i>

    Kihael almost shouted that, but he felt pleased.

    <i>¡®Yeah, I¡¯m just going to let them sweat it out.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Once Chul-Soo goes on a rampage, no one can stop him. You said there is a high-tier Demon there, right? Even Chul-Soo can¡¯t beat a high-tier Demon. Why worry when he will just end up buried there?¡± Kihael said with a feigned look of regret.

    The faces of the Giethoorn GMs brightened.

    <i>¡®I see. So that¡¯s what they wanted to hear.¡¯</i>

    In other words, they needed Kihael¡¯s confirmation on whether Chul-Soo had any more hidden cards up his sleeves.

    ¡°Even so, Chul-Soo always exceeds my expectations and imagination. As a GM, I think it is best to use the maximum authority to ensure the strongest Demones out. Every time I think it¡¯s enough, Chul-Soo always ovees it.¡±

    Of course, this would require a significant budget, but that was not Kihael¡¯s concern.

    After parting with the Giethoorn GMs, Kihael immediately went to Wang Yu-Mi. ¡°Can you send a secret message to Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can. He is not livestreaming right now, so there is a limit on how many words per message and how many times I can send it.¡±

    ¡°Send a message saying that the difficulty of the Dungeon has been raised to the highest.¡±

    ¡°They increased the difficulty? Why?¡±

    ¡°Since they increased the difficulty, they have to put something in return.¡± Kihael smiled. The higher the difficulty, the greater the reward. The more the GMs forcibly intervened, the greater the reward would be.

    ¡°Also, tell him there is a strange code on the exit Gate. It¡¯s something that was not noticed before. I don¡¯t know what the code is, but it will be helpful either way.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok checked Yu-Mi¡¯s messages while talking with Gollum. Due to the character limit, the content was heavily simplified.

    [1. Giethoorn GMs ¡ú Difficulty Adjustment ¡ú Big Rewards!?]

    [2. Exit Gate Strange Code ¡ú Not Normal!]

    Jin-Hyeok made up his mind. Gollum had been rambling on, but Jin-Hyeok had not really listened to him. Jin-Hyeok gestured to Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo to stay put.

    <i>¡®How absorbed in his own talk can he be not to notice me signaling the Seo sisters?¡¯</i>

    This was a disqualification for a Navigator. Jin-Hyeok could not understand why Gollum was so distracted, talking so pretentiously and for so long.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Gollum was in a hurry. Against all odds, a high-tier Demon of over Level 200 had appeared. Moreover, Jin-Hyeok, who should have been focused on defending against the Demon, had left his position.

    ¡°You idiots! Did you even listen to anything I¡¯ve told you?¡± Gollum shouted.

    Everything seemed to be falling apart. There was no chance of winning now.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t die here,¡¯ </i>Gollum thought.

    He nned to escape alone. Even an outstanding Navigator could not save party members who would not listen.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. ¡°What¡¯s important about Dungeon constants and equations? Killing it is what matters.¡±

    Meanwhile, the Demon Dermiane Metodum smirked as it walked over the water. ¡°Wee. You all look quite tasty. Allow me to offer a simple greeting.¡±

    <i>sh!</i>

    A purple lightning bolt struck down from the sky. Jin-Hyeok used his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to block the lightning. Thanks to his resistance to Demonic power, he managed to fend it off. Jin-Hyeok smirked too.

    <i>¡®Twenty-one critical hits? That¡¯s not important.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why do you think twenty-one attacks are necessary? It¡¯s because those are weak attacks,¡± he said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°One strong attack can finish it.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? How can that be true?¡± asked Gollum.

    Jin-Hyeok took out an item from his inventory.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve won again, Gollum!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 186

    <h4>Chapter 186</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had taken out the Spirit Stone of Alkinas, having already thought of how to present the scene to his viewers.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s set an editing point here and bring in a scene from the past.¡¯</i>

    Although he was not livestreaming right now, he yed as if he were. He visualized disying a very short clip from the past.

    <i>¡°This item serves as a medium to summon me once, even without a contract. Call upon me if you face insurmountable challenges.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®Alright, I can use this clip.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had learned something from watching Gollum. Even if someone was his subscriber, it wasn¡¯t a certainty that they had watched all his videos.

    <i>¡®It seems like Gollum has not watched my videos rted to Alkinas. He doesn¡¯t even know about the contract with Elly.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized he had to add more exnations to his videos. It seemed like the duty of a Streamer for the subscribers.

    <i>¡®I guess I need to break this in order to activate it.¡¯</i>

    <i>Crack!</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the ?Spirit Stone of Alkinas?.]</strong>

    Fierce fire energy enveloped the entire Dungeon, making the Dungeon feel like a world of fire. Jin-Hyeok rxed, savoring the world of zing mes.

    <i>¡®Whether it¡¯s the Thunder Dragon or the Spirit King, their entrance looks really cool.¡¯</i>

    He wished he could make such a cool entrance too, feeling a bit disappointed in himself.

    However, a minor problem urred.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s too hot...¡±

    Small blisters formed on Seo Ji-Soo¡¯s skin. Her face turned so red it seemed like it would melt right away.

    <i>¡®Oh, this won¡¯t do.¡¯</i>

    Seo Ji-Ah was in a simr situation, though she didn¡¯t disy her struggles.

    Due to the powerful Spirit energy, the Demon just tensely watched the situation, which gave Jin-Hyeok some breathing space.

    <i>¡®I think I need to throw them to the side.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok first picked up Ji-Soo. She was much lighter than he thought.

    <i>¡®If I throw her like a shot put, she should be safe.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Kim Jeong-Hyeon used to do this often to help his party members escape; back then, Jin-Hyeok had been thrown a lot and had seen people being thrown.

    <i>¡®I just need to do exactly as Jeong-Hyeon used to.¡¯</i>

    Fortunately, the Seo sisters were light and agile, so throwing them was probably not difficult.

    ¡°Hurry up and get out.¡± He threw Ji-Soo.

    <i>Whoosh.</i>

    She flew better than he thought, which was satisfying.

    <i>¡®If I put this in my video, it would probably get good views. I should edit it and turn it into a short video, with the title </i>Flying Twins<i>. That would be fun.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ji-Ah, you get out too.¡±

    Since they were twins, they had simr weights. The difference this time was that, having seen Ji-Soo first, Ji-Ah put in extra effort by twisting her body and adding rotational force to fly further. This made Jin-Hyeok almost proud to death.

    The Seo sisters nced over at the Gate. They seemed to be having a brief conversation, probably discussing whether it was okay for them to leave like this. Jin-Hyeok thought it would be more helpful for him if they just left quickly. He decided to scold them about thister.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a good thing that the Demon is scared right now. If it hadn¡¯t, one of them would have died.¡¯</i>

    The overwhelmed Demon just stood there.

    The next moment, a high pir of fire rose, breaking the ckened bridge. Then, Alkinas¡¯s voice rang out.

    [¡°Did you call for me?¡±]

    ¡°Your entrance iste and kind of overdramatic.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew Alkinas could have appeared quickly if he wanted. The Demon probably also knew this, which was why it had been so tense.

    ¡°Well, I understand.¡±

    Alkinas¡¯s daughter was here. Jin-Hyeok fully understood a father¡¯s desire to look cool in front of his daughter.

    [¡°Why did you call me?¡±]

    ¡°Do you see him?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°The Demon?¡±

    ¡°It said some terrible things about Elly.¡±

    <i>¡®Holy... Firebolts do exist.¡¯</i>

    It was the first time Jin-Hyeok had seen real firebolts, having only heard of them before. Thousands of firebolts struck down.

    ¡°It said something about how Elly looks tasty because she is full of Spirit energy.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not even give the Demon a chance to exin itself.

    [¡°This unforgivable scum!¡±]

    In front of the enraged Spirit King of Fire, the high-tier Demon was just as strong as a speck of dust, and it did turn into dust in the end.

    It was an absurdly anticlimactic end.

    Jin-Hyeok looked toward Gollum, wearing a triumphant smile. ¡°See? I told you I could kill it in one hit.¡±

    ***

    The Spirit energy residing in the Spirit Stone was exhausted, and Alkinas returned to the Spirit Realm with Elines.

    Gollum copsed with a sour expression. ¡°You... won.¡±

    Inside the Bridge of Agony Dungeon, this Navigator had no choice but to recognize Jin-Hyeok¡¯s victory.

    ¡°Technique bes meaningless in the face of overwhelming power.¡±

    Intricate calctions?

    Complex forms?

    Analysis of various factors?

    All of these were meaningless. They were nothingpared to <i>¡®just doing it because it works.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have defeated the high-tier Demon ?Derminane Metodum?.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have sessfully defeated the boss monster.]</strong>

    Moreover, Jin-Hyeok had defeated the Demon all by himself.

    <i>¡®Could this be an All-Clear?¡¯ </i>Gollum gulped.

    He had experienced All-Clears several times with his main character, but never with his alternative character Gollum. His heart fluttered at the thought of acquiring it. Unfortunately, no All-Clear notification came.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Major Achievement ?Demon Hunter?.]</strong>

    Gollum settled(?) for the Major Achievement.

    <strong>[Would you like to register your Major Achievement in the Hall of Fame?]</strong>

    After registering the Major Achievement in the Hall of Fame, Gollum approached Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I got the Demon Hunter Achievement, what about you?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Jin-Hyeok pondered his reply for a moment. He did not like the name of the Achievement he had acquired.

    <strong>[One-Shotting Demons is the Best]</strong>

    ¡°Why? What is it? You must have gotten something better than me,¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°The name is a bit off.¡±

    ¡°The name?¡± Gollum tilted his head in confusion and then suddenly remembered something. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean...¡±

    ¡°One-Shotting...¡±

    ¡°...Demons is the Best? That one? Seriously?¡±

    ¡°Oh? You know this Achievement?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Gollum could not speak for a moment. ¡°You really acquired that Achievement?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a shame the name doesn¡¯t sound cool.¡±

    <i>¡®Should I tell him or not?¡¯ </i>Gollum contemted the question for a moment.

    He recalled the intense moments ofpetition he had shared with Jin-Hyeok. To him, Jin-Hyeok was a remarkably goodpetitor and rival. Even as a Streamer, Jin-Hyeok had the skills to make a Navigator sweat.

    ¡°I think we had some good momentspeting with each other, so I will tell you a secret,¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°A secret?¡±

    ¡°Are you not going to register this Achievement in the Hall of Fame too?¡± As far as Gollum knew, Jin-Hyeok did not register Achievements in the Hall of Fame.

    Jin-Hyeok slightly furrowed his brow. ¡°Didn¡¯t you watch my recent videos? I have started registering my Achievements in the Hall of Fame now.¡±

    ¡°...So, you are going to register?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Do you know a yer named Zoro?¡±

    ¡°Zoro?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did know him. Zoro was a yer from the Outul Server. He was one of the owners of Rule Breaker and a Swordsman who had given Jin-Hyeok a bitter defeat before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    ¡°That Zoro had the same Achievement as the one you just acquired. Thanks to you, I now know how to acquire it.¡±

    By finding and analyzing themonalities between Zoro and Jin-Hyeok, Gollum clearly understood the conditions to acquire the One-Shotting Demons is the Best Achievement.

    ¡°So, to acquire this Achievement, you must sessfully subdue a Named Demon in a lower-level Dungeon and then one-shot a significantly stronger Demon. No wonder only two yers in the entire universe possess it.¡±

    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Zoro is insane.¡±

    ¡°...Why are you saying that all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°For some Major Achievements, registering them in the Hall of Fame requires a donation.¡±

    This was a well-known fact. However, donations were usually rare.

    ¡°But the donations don¡¯t really change anything. They are mostly used for GMs¡¯ end-of-the-year parties, generally.¡±

    ¡°Do you enjoy beating around the bush? Just get to the point,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You can make a donation when registering the One-Shotting Demons is the Best Achievement. By the way, Zoro, that crazy guy, poured all his Dias from his inventory as a donation. He said that is what a real man does.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had about fifteen billion Dias in his inventory. He had taken out some Dias from his donation to pay Gollum¡¯s daily wage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the condition is. Whether you need to use all the amount in the inventory or the eighty million Dias that were Zoro¡¯s entire fortune. I don¡¯t know which one is correct.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Anyway, Zoro seeded in upgrading the Major Achievement effect through that. The name of the Achievement itself changed upon registration.¡±

    ¡°You mean the Instant Kill Achievement?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Instant Kill.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unwittingly opened his mouth wide. Amused by his reaction, Gollum seemed quite pleased.

    ¡°You seemed to know about Instant Kill.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know. It¡¯s an Achievement with a brutally strong effect. Everyone hates going against that Achievement.¡±

    Instant Kill was an Achievement that could indiscriminately trigger critical hits on the opponent. The danger of that one fatal, unpredictable hit meant the opponent had to be constantly cautious.

    <i>¡®I remember losing a lot of stamina being cautious of that,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It was like a nuclear weapon in terms of Earth civilization. Having Instant Kill was akin to possessing a nuclear weapon.

    ¡°...You speak of it as if you have experienced it?¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°...or so I¡¯ve heard. There are a lot of stories about it.¡± Jin-Hyeok did not hesitate. ¡°I should make a donation.¡±

    ¡°How much are you nning to donate?¡±

    ¡°Roughly a little over fifteen billion.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°You said you are not taking money from me anyway, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    The money that Jin-Hyeok was nning on paying Gollum was essentially the same amount.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had no regret in spending fifteen billion Dias on the donation.

    <strong>[Instant Kill]</strong>

    <strong>[After a treacherous journey, a great power was obtained. </strong>

    <strong>Holder of the Major Achievement, strike your enemy with the power of Instant Kill.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement effect: 7% chance to activate Instant Kill.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the Achievement with a dazed expression. Never in his dreams had he thought he would possess Instant Kill. This single Achievement could be more useful than leveling up dozens of times.

    Checking the Hall of Fame, Gollum smirked. ¡°You got it. Instant Kill.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Gollum chuckled for a long time. ¡°See, miracles do happen when I am the Navigator! Hahahah!¡±

    As a Navigator, Gollum seemed to have regained his confidence after falling behind in thepetition with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Can you share the Achievement effect with me?¡± Gollum asked.

    ¡°Are you crazy? To share this?¡±

    Gollum did not give up and tried his best to get information out of Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I know it¡¯s applied at a certain percentage. Just say up or down when I tell you what I think the percentage is.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    From what he said, it seemed like Jin-Hyeok could roughly guess the activation percentage of Zoro¡¯s Instant Kill.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Gollum looked at him several times before speaking. ¡°About 0.7 percent?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok almost choked in shock. Gollum¡¯s words and way of speaking implied that Zoro¡¯s Instant Kill probability was also around 0.7 percent.

    ¡°It¡¯s higher than that.¡±

    ¡°H-Higher than 0.7 percent?¡± Gollum was stunned.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if Zoro¡¯s Instant Kill chance was much lower than this.

    <i>¡®Then...¡¯</i>

    On second thought, he felt a bit aggrieved. If the probability was less than 0.7 percent, he could have fought Zoro without being cautious in his previous life.

    <i>¡®Thinking about how much stamina I lost for being cautious of Instant Kill is infuriating. If I had not been mindful of Instant Kill, I could have won. I should fight him againter.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought he could win against Zoro if he reached around Level 200. The thought made his heart race. If he could now defeat an opponent he could not beat before his regression, it would mean that he had grown.

    Gollum was quite satisfied with himself. He seemed to think that he had a part in Jin-Hyeok acquiring a Major Achievement and even obtaining the Instant Kill Achievement through his guidance.

    <i>¡®Well, I¡¯ll just let him be.¡¯</i>

    There was some truth to it being thanks to Gollum. Jin-Hyeok had to acknowledge what was due.

    Gollum, feeling quite ted, continued, ¡°But you know. I think something more is hidden here.¡±

    ¡°You just realized that?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Gollum flinched and cautiously asked, ¡°...Do you feel something?¡±

    ¡°That Gate. Doesn¡¯t that look a bit strange?¡± Jin-Hyeok did not even know what was strange about it. He had just received a message from Wang Yu-Mi.

    <strong>[2. Exit Gate Strange Code ¡ú Not Normal!]</strong>

    Finding out what was strange was Gollum¡¯s job.

 Chapter 187

    <h4>Chapter 187</h4>

    While Gollum was thoroughly examining the exit, Cha Jin-Hyeok was lost in his own thoughts, focused on the first secret message from Wang Yu-Mi.

    <strong>[1. Giethoorn GMs ¡ú Difficulty Adjustment ¡ú Big Rewards!?]</strong>

    The phrase ¡®Big Rewards!¡¯ seemed a bit ambiguous. Jin-Hyeok had acquired a rare and excellent Achievement like Instant Kill in this Dungeon, but that was only because he had spent fifteen billion Dias after taking down a high-tier Demon in one hit; it wasn¡¯t something he had earned thanks to the GMs.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    <i>¡®The big reward probably refers to Picasso¡¯s Brush!¡¯</i>

    Moreover, Gollum, who was burning with passion, was sure to eventually discover what was hidden in the Gate by drawing out his potential.

    ¡°I¡¯ve... found it!¡± shouted Gollum, with his few remaining strands of hair fluttering. ¡°This exit is not just a simple exit!¡±

    <i>¡®There he goes again, stating the obvious. I should just start calling him Mr. Obvious.¡¯</i>

    ¡°If the settings of the Gate are tweaked a bit, it transforms into an entrance to another Dungeon. Do you know how to tweak it, Kim Chul-Soo?¡± He approached Jin-Hyeok with a triumphant look.

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then, I win in thispetition.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Why are you admitting defeat so easily?¡±

    <i>¡®Why does he seem dissatisfied even when I agree with him? If I hadn¡¯t agreed, he would¡¯veined about that too. Maybe he is not Mr. Obvious, but Mr. Cominer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°It must be nice for a Navigator to beat a Streamer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Oh, right. You are a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°So, you lost this one?¡±

    ¡°N-No, I can¡¯t agree with that.¡±

    Gollum seemed like a great Navigator as his main character, but his alternative one had been a bit mediocre. Jin-Hyeok had a feeling that this could be theirst y together.

    After some time, Gollum pped his hands. Miraculously, the name of the Gate changed.

    <strong>[Agony of the Art-Obsessed Dungeon (Locked)]</strong>

    Gollum continued with pride, ¡°My prediction of this Dungeon having an Inner Dungeon was correct. I¡¯m sure you know about Inner Dungeons.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Dungeon within a Dungeon.¡±

    Mr. Obvious started exining again, about how Inner Dungeons were rare, much more difficult, and so on. It was all uninteresting information that Jin-Hyeok already knew, but he calmly listened anyway.

    <i>¡®Go ahead. Keep talking.¡¯</i>

    The more Gollum rambled, the more content Jin-Hyeok could gather for his livestream. Jin-Hyeok hoped at least one in ten of Gollum¡¯s words could be useful. The rest of the unneeded rambling didn¡¯t bother him, as he had apetent editor who would be dealing with that.

    ¡°...So, if we unlock this, we can enter the Inner Dungeon,¡± Gollum said.

    ¡°So, we can¡¯t enter it now, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Right. To unlock it, we need a few things.¡±

    ¡°And we start looking for them now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re solving this really fast!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief. He wanted to tell Gollum to bring his main character¡¯s standards.

    <i>¡®Why is he bringing such low standards and making a fuss about being great? </i>

    ¡°Move aside,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s unlock it quickly.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I can unlock it in no time, just...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok used his Unleashing Technique. With that Skill, unlocking something like this was easy. As expected, he unlocked it without much effort.

    ¡°...You have the Unleashing Technique?¡± Gollum asked.

    ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t?¡±

    The more they talked, the stranger Gollum¡¯s standards seemed.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t a remarkable Navigator have at least one unlocking skill?¡¯</i>

    Now that Jin-Hyeok thought about it, Han Sae-Rin and Mole Man probably did not have one either.

    <i>¡®No way! They must have something.¡¯</i>

    They probably did not have the exact Unleashing Technique but something simr.

    ¡°What kind of Navigator are you without the Unleashing Technique...?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s genuine thoughts slipped out.

    ¡°...Are you serious?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Agony of the Art-Obsessed was abyrinth-type Dungeon.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be disorienting, so I rmend keeping your eyes closed,¡± Gollum said.

    It felt as if multicolored fireworks were irregrly bursting all around. High-pitched, unpleasant sounds intermittently echoed in the Dungeon, and it seemed as though the world was spinning.

    ¡°It appears to be a Dungeon that embodies the psyche of a mad artist.¡±

    ¡°That seems about right.¡±

    Just when Jin-Hyeok thought he was walking straight, he would suddenly find himself upside down, and even though he was sure he was moving forward, he would be walking backward. The colors of the walls also kept changing wildly, sometimes red, sometimes blue...

    As if he were expecting this, Gollum asked Jin-Hyeok, ¡°Feeling dizzy?¡±

    <strong> </strong>

    <strong>[#Say you¡¯re dizzy. #You are dizzy. #But. #I might be a bit dizzy too.]</strong>

    Gollum¡¯s status made it seem that he was boasting about how he was not dizzy and Jin-Hyeok was weak because he was. The Navigator¡¯s standards really seemed off.

    ¡°If I get dizzy this easily, I shouldn¡¯t even be a Streamer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°S-Streamer?¡±

    <strong>[#Not a Navigator?]</strong>

    ¡°Yeah. Streamers must maintainposure and lead the livestream in any situation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    <strong>[#His standards. #Are crazy. #Like Zoro.]</strong>

    Gollum seemed to agree outwardly, but his mind was obviously elsewhere.

    <i>¡®This is why I can¡¯t turn off Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.¡¯</i>

    iming to be the second-best at navigatingbyrinth-type Dungeons in the universe, Gollum led the way. After about thirty minutes, a door appeared in the distance.

    <strong>[No Exit From the Artist¡¯s Agony (Locked)]</strong>

    Next to the doory a shining steel box.

    <strong>[Box Containing a Key]</strong>

    Gollum boasted again. ¡°I anticipated this. It¡¯s amon pattern in Inner Dungeons. Often, both the entrance and the exit have simr mechanisms. So, I figured this exit had a simr mechanism as that of the entrance. And it would also be locked. Want to know how that box ended up here?¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok nodded, Gollum went on with his exnations. ¡°Remember the continuous red and blue lights on the walls? The wavelength of the blue light is about 450 nanometers, and the red light is around 650 nanometers. These wavelengths,bined with the Dungeon Coefficient... and calcting... using the simple trigonometric addition forms... the tangent of alpha plus beta equals the tangent of alpha plus the tangent of beta divided by one minus the product of the tangents of alpha and beta... and so... we set our path... and... that is how I managed to tweak the setting to summon the box right next to the door.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand a word, but he realized one important thing.

    <i>¡®This is so boring.¡¯</i>

    No viewer in the world would want to listen to such an exnation for long. No matter how it was edited, this would make for a dull video. The best editing would be to cut it entirely or speed it up by thirty-two times and just skim through it.

    ¡°What¡¯s inside the box?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Probably a key to get out of here.¡±

    Genuinely curious now, Jin-Hyeok asked again, ¡°But why doesn¡¯t it open?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°We need to open it to get the key, right?¡±

    ¡°...Isn¡¯t summoning it here enough?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok asked again, sincerely, ¡°Are you... satisfied with just this?¡±

    <i>¡®And you call yourself the Great Navigator?¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Are you... satisfied with just this?¡±

    Gollum was not upset by this question. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words were sincere, and sincerity usually resonated within Gollum.

    <i>¡®I... I have lost my passion,¡¯ </i>the Navigator thought.

    When he was ying with his main character, it was never like this. No matter what Achievement he attained, his thirst for more never quenched. Back then, he did not know what satisfaction was as he always aimed higher.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been too lenient with this alternative character!¡¯</i>

    Gollum felt like he was finally seeing the essence of his y. He suddenly felt ashamed of having lost his passion.

    ¡°Do you think you can unlock this box with your Unleashing Technique?¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Unleashing Technique?.]</strong>

    A green light enveloped the box, and the box began to tremble slightly. However, there was no noticeable change.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Unleashing Technique?.]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Unleashing Technique?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok repeatedly used the Mystery.

    Gollum watched him, spellbound, then finally asked, ¡°So the Unleashing Technique is a Mystery, right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Disturbed, Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    <i>¡®Ah... I almost lost my mind there,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Regaining his senses, he realized he had overexerted himself. He was so focused on using the Unleashing Technique continuously that he did not notice the strain on his body.

    <i>¡®Well, I guess he stopped me at the right ti¡ª wait, no! If I had kept going and copsed here, it would have been perfect content for my Eltube channel!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why are you rudely interrupting my concentration?!¡± Jin-Hyeok yelled.

    ¡°Do you know that normally, you can use the Unleashing Technique only two or three times in a row?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°Even if you have a Trait like Imperial Resilience, you can only use the Unleashing Technique around four times.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°If you use it repeatedly like you just did, you can¡¯t maintain your sanity. You would go insane.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Although Jin-Hyeok was sweating profusely, his body temperature was dropping significantly, he was gasping for breath, and his mouth was dry, he believed his sanity was still intact. He said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Normally, you would go insane...¡± Gollum frowned. ¡°...But maybe you¡¯re okay because you are already insane.¡±

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok sessfully opened the box after using the Unleashing Technique some more times.

    <strong>[You have unlocked the ?Box Containing a Key?.]</strong>

    The steel box opened, revealing a golden key.

    ¡°This must be what we need to use.¡±

    <strong>[No Exit From the Artist¡¯s Agony (Locked)]</strong>

    He inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it.

    <i>Click!</i>

    <strong>[You have opened the ?No Exit From the Artist¡¯s Agony?.]</strong>

    As the locked sign disappeared, the name itself changed.

    <strong>[There is an Exit From the Artist¡¯s Agony]</strong>

    ¡°It looks like this is the way out.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah.¡± Gollum followed Jin-Hyeok with a sense of deep inferiority, unable to assert his role as a Navigator. He acknowledged Jin-Hyeok in his mind.

    <i>¡®He is the true Navigator.¡¯</i>

    Notifications soon began to follow.

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeons ?Bridge of Agony - Agony of the Art-Obsessed?.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Achievement ?<u>All-Clear (Bridge of Agony - Agony of the Art-Obsessed)</u>?.]</strong>

    Gollum was surprised and moved. His skill, Automatic Recording, had deciphered the conditions for the All-Clear and transcribed them onto parchment.

    <i>¡®Solo-killing the boss monster, clearing the Inner Dungeon, and intervention by the GMs... These three elements were the conditions for the All-Clear!¡¯</i>

    Whether by luck or misfortune, the GMs had heavily intervened in this Dungeon. Gollum had now attained an All-Clear with his alternative character as well.

    Jin-Hyeok was equally delighted. He immediately checked the Achievement.

    <strong>©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤</strong>

    <strong>[All-Clear (Bridge of Agony - Agony of the Art-Obsessed)]</strong>

    <strong>[An Achievement given to those who All-Clear the ?Bridge of Agony - Agony of the Art-Obsessed? Dungeons.</strong>

    <strong>1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)</strong>

    <strong>- The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by the monsters of the ?Bridge of Agony - Agony of the Art-Obsessed? Dungeons.</strong>

    <strong>- The Achievement bearer will receive a significant boost in all experience gained in the ?Bridge of Agony - Agony of the Art-Obsessed? Dungeons.</strong>

    <strong>2) Agony of the Artist</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer can enhance their Mystery through meditation.</strong>

    <strong>-The Mystery to be enhanced must contain artistic elements.]</strong>

    <strong>©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤</strong>

    Gollum was surprised once again. ¡°You¡¯ve already... finished meditating?¡±

    Meditation was essential for enhancing a Mystery, and Jin-Hyeok had alreadypleted it. It was a speed of meditation that Gollum had never seen before.

    Jin-Hyeok nonchntlymented. ¡°To be a proper Streamer, you need to multitask.¡±

    Meditation required intense concentration, so multitasking alongside it was not possible, but Jin-Hyeok could finish it quickly. The day he could multitask even during meditation, he could truly call himself a proper Streamer.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll get even better at itter,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Noticing a green glowing pattern, he extended his right hand toward the pattern.

 Chapter 188

    <h4>Chapter 188</h4>

    It seemed like only Cha Jin-Hyeok could see the green pattern.

    <i>¡®This is familiar.¡¯</i>

    He felt a Mystery that he had acquired a long time ago and that had been with him for quite a while reveal itself and undergo enhancement. Touching the pattern felt like touching something soft and squishy. The green pattern spread out like a cloud as Jin-Hyeok touched it, enveloping him and covering him in green light.

    <strong>[The Achievement effect ?Agony of the Artist? is enhancing the Mystery ?Pure Luck?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea why Pure Luck was considered to have artistic elements, but that was the pick of the Agony of the Artist effect.

    <i>¡®The two are a perfect match!¡¯</i>

    Even ketchup tasted different depending on whether it was eaten with fries or sd. The Agony of the Artist effect and the Pure Luck Mystery were just like fries and ketchup¡ªa perfectbination. Their synergy was incredible. Jin-Hyeok feltfortable as if he were lying on a cozy bed.

    <i>¡®Pure Luck seems happy... maybe too happy!¡¯</i>

    Some Mysteries possessed their own consciousness, just like Fanatical Obsession, which had once corrupted the young Thunder Dragon. Pure Luck seemed to have gained a bit of consciousness. Jin-Hyeok could hear hystericalughter responding to his voice.

    <i>¡®Am I hallucinating?¡¯</i>

    Thebination of fries and ketchup was excellent. However, eating too much of it could be harmful to one¡¯s health.

    <i>¡®This feels like it¡¯s too much.¡¯</i>

    A sense of unease engulfed him.

    <i>¡®Pure Luck alone requires a lot of physical stamina. Sometimes, it even drains all my mental energy.¡¯</i>

    Being a Mystery that could create miraculous effects, Pure Luck naturally had its restrictions. It would unexpectedly wriggle in situations he had not intended and send signals as if there were signs of fortune. Sometimes, it would activate on its own ord. From his perspective, it was almost like a variable beyond his control.

    <i>¡®Controlling Pure Luck was somewhat manageable until now. But what if it develops a consciousness and starts acting wildly? What if it suddenly activates while I am facing a formidable enemy like Zoro and devours all my physical and mental energy? What if it creates a rift at a crucial moment?¡¯</i>

    While it often worked in his favor, he could not ignore the possibility of the opposite.

    <i>¡®Variables beyond my control are dangerous.¡¯</i>

    He had to stop it now, before the enhancement waspletely finished and before it was fully absorbed into his body.

    ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply? What is happening to your body? Did your mediation cause a side effect or something?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Jin-Hyeok found himself smiling unwittingly. ¡°I feel like I have changed a lot.¡±

    ¡°Why are youughing like a crazy person?¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok were the Swordsman he used to be, he would have stopped this change at all costs. Variables beyond his control created too many risks.

    ¡°I¡¯m just d I chose to be a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right...¡±

    Since he was a Streamer, unexpected variables were perfect content for his Eltube channel. He would surely be flustered, and his confusion would bring joy to the viewers. It felt like a vast world had opened up that he could neither imagine nor see in his Swordsman days.

    Golem made a weirdment. ¡°Why not just say you are a munchkin?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Did I ever give away that I have the Munchkin Trait?¡¯ </i>

    Although Jin-Hyeok thought that Gollum was not apetent Navigator, Gollum seemed to be quicker on the uptake than Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ? ? ?

    <strong>[You have acquired the Mystery ?God of Luck?.]</strong>

    It felt like a great blessing had settled into him. Jin-Hyeok was not sure how to put it exactly, but it felt like warm, golden sunlight was enveloping him. It also felt like being wrapped up in a cozy nket. To sum up, the feeling itself was pleasant.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    He did not dare use it. He had an intuition that using it would drain all of his physical and mental energy.

    <i>¡®Well, I would know for sure only if I tried.¡¯</i>

    However, now did not seem like the right time. If he were to try it, he would have to do so safely, inside the domain of the Guardian Tree, where no one could disturb him.

    ¡°We havepletely cleared the Dungeon. But the calction of the clear reward is taking quite a while. In such cases, it is mostly due to GMs¡¯ interventions. Or it could be a reward so significant that it might disrupt the Server¡¯s bnce. Or perhaps... something else has happened.¡± Mr. Exiner did the usual.

    Jin-Hyeok already knew all this, but he just casually listened to Gollum. It was the editor who had to work hard, not him.

    <strong>[You have acquired ?Picasso¡¯s Brush? as the Clear Reward.]</strong>

    <strong>[The owner is determined ording to the contribution in clearing the Dungeon.]</strong>

    After about three seconds,

    <strong>[yer ?Gollum? has been awarded with Picasso¡¯s Brush.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok doubted what he had just heard.

    <i>¡®How could Gollum acquire it when I clearly did much better? Does that mean Gollum won? ...Ah!¡¯</i>

    He felt as if he had been struck on the head as he realized something

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t show anything as a Streamer!¡¯</i>

    If he had been a Navigator, a Tank, or a yer from any damage-dealing ss, he was sure all the contributions would have been attributed to him. However, he was a Streamer, and he had not even turned on the livestream, the essence of a Streamer¡¯s role. Of course, he was recording everything, but still, the highlight of a Streamer was the livestream.

    ¡°Why did you guys give me all the contribution points?!¡± Gollum yelled. He was so furious that Jin-Hyeok could see his nostrils ring and the few strands of his hair stand on end.

    ¡°It is clear that Chul-Soo was the best!¡± Unable to contain his anger, Gollum stomped on the ground. ¡°I need the GMs right here! Come out right now! Which brain-dead GM messed up distributing contribution points like this? Come out!! It¡¯s obvious that the System picked Chul-Soo, but you guys tinkered with it so arbitrarily, which is why it took so long and caused the Dungeon¡¯s mana flow to stutter! What kind of nonsense is this?! And look at this! Look how messed up the exit Gate is! I am going to formally raise this issue, you bastards! Aaaaaah!!!¡±

    ? ? ?

    Gollum threw a tantrum for a while, but no GMs appeared. After some time, Gollum angrily said, ¡°They must be afraid to show up.¡±

    ¡°But why are you so angry?¡±

    ¡°Do you think this is fair? The reward is clearly a Server-Grade Item, and it can be bound to a yer!¡±

    ¡°So? Isn¡¯t that good for you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Gollum was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so angry? You¡¯re acting like someone stole something from you.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, this is not right. Every y should be fair to everyone, and I can¡¯t forgive such biased judgment. My pride won¡¯t allow it.¡±

    Gollum¡¯s anger escted again, and he yelled again. ¡°For your information, this is my alternate character! My main character¡¯s yer name is Golumberum! My main Server is Arvis! I will not let this go. I won¡¯t let anyone off the hook!!!¡±

    After ranting for a while using colorfulnguage, the Navigator finally said, ¡°If you reverse it now, I won¡¯t make it an issue. This is still an early Server, and I can overlook this as a mistake by inexperienced GMs!¡±

    Then, after a while, another set of notifications came.

    <strong>[A System error has been found.]</strong>

    <strong>[The System error is being corrected.]</strong>

    The GMs did not show up themselves, but Picasso¡¯s Brush, which had been awarded to Gollum, was transferred to Jin-Hyeok.

    Gollum was still full ofints. ¡°System error, my ass! They are just making excuses. This is not even the kind of mana flow you get from a System error message.¡±

    ¡°Can you distinguish mana flow?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, curious.

    ¡°Of course. If I reverse-engineer the mana value, I can even find out who the GMs are.¡±

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°Well... not exactly me, but Golumberum...¡± Gollum said, his face turning slightly red.

    ¡°Why bother with an alternate character then?¡± Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you are going to show off your main character¡¯s abilities, why y as an alternate character?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The more I see, the less impressive you get.¡±

    ¡°I got you your reward, and you¡¯re still talking shit. What a jerk.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate you handing over the item, but that¡¯s a separate issue. Don¡¯t you agree that your y this time was not very intense? That is why you handed over Picasso¡¯s Brush to me.¡±

    ¡°You have a knack for picking the right words to tick people off.¡± Gollum shook his head in dismay and then stood at the exit. ¡°Well, I have gained some insight, so it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m quite grateful to you. It would be great to y together again.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...Answer me!¡± A look of earnestness appeared on Gollum¡¯s face. ¡°You inspire me quite a bit. You are the strange guy who can reignite the passion and spirit I thought I had lost.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s y together sometimes.¡±

    ¡°...I will think about it,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Desperation began to edge into Gollum¡¯s earnestness. ¡°Please! I¡¯ve learned a lot today. I promise to y more intensely from now on.¡±

    ¡°...I said I will think about it.¡±

    ? ? ?

    When Jin-Hyeok got out of the Dungeon, he found himself facing an unexpected situation.

    <i>¡®The Seo sisters?¡¯</i>

    He almost lost his calm in that instant. It felt like something in his head snapped. If it had not been for his Imperial Resilience, he could have actually lost his sanity.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s you.¡±

    The Seo sisters were in a dreadful state. Their bodies were covered in blood, and they were bound back-to-back with paper chains.

    ¡°Atst, you show up, Gollum. And Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    It was the Paper Sorcerer, Makendra. Suddenly, the surroundings were filled with Paper Soldiers.

    <i>¡®I need to stay calm.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok tried to control his rage as he surveyed the surroundings. The Paper Soldiers on the paper boats were aiming arrows at him, and many Paper Soldiers were pointing spears at him from the bridge. There seemed to be no escape route. Far across the bridge, the bloodied Seo Ji-Ah was mouthing ¡®Run away...¡¯

    <i>Thump!</i>

    One of the Paper Soldiers struck Ji-Ah¡¯s head with the butt of its spear. She copsed without a scream.

    <i>¡®That bastard...!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lip hard, desperately clinging to his fading sanity.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo. I had said I would kill you.¡± Makendra looked like a clown. She was wearing a pointed hat and had a face as white as if it was covered in flour, with ck diamond shapes around the eyes. She also was wearing white stockings fit for a prince in a fairy tale and puffed pants. Her ridiculous appearance had not changed from before.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t summon Alkinas anymore. Then should I summon the Thunder Dragon?¡¯</i>

    However, with the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok could notunch a preemptive attack. Only passive defense was possible. The mere presence of the Thunder Dragon was not enough to drive Makendra away or intimidate her.

    <i>¡®There are too many Paper Soldiers, and Makendra¡¯s abilities are stronger than mine right now.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Haha! I can see that you are trying to think of a n to kill me.¡± Makendra covered her mouth andughed. She did not seem to be hiding her thoughts as Jin-Hyeok could read her status.

    <strong>[#Sumb to #fear.]</strong>

    ¡°Chul-Soo... You have been a pain in my ass in more ways than one. Now, you have two choices.¡± Makendra extended her forefinger. ¡°One, watch them get brutally torn apart, and then get chopped up yourself.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She extended her middle finger and continued, ¡°Two, get brutally torn apart first, and then watch them get chopped up. So, what is your choice?¡±

    ¡°Spare them.¡±

    ¡°Why should I do that?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You killed my precious subordinate, Heilik. And my sex partner.¡±

    ¡°Sex partner?¡±

    ¡°Kayn! You killed Kayn! Room 302 in the inn run by Lucia. Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I am talking about.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    With a flick of Makendra¡¯s finger, one of the Paper Soldiers raised its spear and stabbed the kneeling Ji-Soo in her thigh. Ji-Soo forcefully suppressed her emerging scream.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t show that I¡¯m in pain right now. That would show that I am not intense. I can¡¯t create any variables for him.¡¯ </i>Ji-Soo did not scream and held it in until she eventually passed out.

    Makendraughed joyously, and onlookers started to gather.

    ¡°I am going to kill all of you, and everyone rted to you, Chul-Soo,¡± Makendra loudly announced to those around. ¡°Now, all of you, witness the pathetic end of the naive brat, Chul-Soo!¡±

    However, Makendra did not know that Jin-Hyeok had always been intense. He had been preparing intensely ever since the conflict with Makendra was foreshadowed. He had just not expected it to be today.

 Chapter 189

    <h4>Chapter 189</h4>

    Park Terse had not taken a step outside the house Cha Jin-Hyeok had provided to him. He devoted all his dedication and time to bonding with his new friend, Mr. Gobble, previously known as the Swallowing Croaker.

    After his special efforts, Terse had reached a level where he couldmunicate with Mr. Gobble to a certain extent. However, rather than justmunicating, it was more about Terse understanding Mr. Gobble¡¯s inner thoughts and feelings.

    ¡°Those guys are probably affiliated with the ck Alliance, Mr. Gobble.¡± Tears welled up in Terse¡¯s eyes. He could sense the experiences and pain that Mr. Gobble had suffered in the facility.

    ¡°I will protect you, Mr. Gobble.¡± He put his index finger into the fishbowl and reached toward Mr. Gobble. Mr. Gobble, as if understanding his feelings, rubbed against his finger.

    ¡°Ah, my lovely Mr. Gobble.¡± Terse expressed his affection by gently tapping Mr. Gobble¡¯s dorsal fin with his index finger. ¡°They kept feeding you weird and filthy stuff, didn¡¯t they, Mr. Gobble?¡±

    He already knew what they were feeding it, the Unidentifiable Fibrous Material. Terse had given all information about it to Angel Girl Song Ha-Young so that she could continue researching what the material was.

    ¡°Today, Angel Girl is supposed to visit us, Mr. Gobble. It would be nice if there was some more good news for you.¡±

    Suddenly, a person jumped out from his shadow and said, ¡°Are you still crazy about that fish?¡±

    Terse screamed in shock! ¡°AH! The doorbell is not just a decoration, you know?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever seen a Thief ring the doorbell?¡±

    ¡°This is a home invasion.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± Ha-Young casually sat on the sofa. Despite making these heavy movements, strangely, she made no sound. ¡°You speak so respectfully to the fish, but you speak informally to me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a fish. It¡¯s Mr. Gobble. I wish you would call it by its name.¡±

    ¡°Fine, Mr. Gobble. Anyway, as we suspected, Mr. Gobble and the ck Alliance are rted, and it¡¯s almost certain that they are connected to the Paper Sorcerer Makendra. The Unidentifiable Fibrous Material is also definitely the material her Paper Soldiers are made with.¡±

    Ha-Young despised Makendra. Due to Makendra exerting her influence around the world, the ck Rose Alliance led by Ha-Young had suffered. Ha-Young had been in the process of expanding the ck Rose Alliance¡¯s influence worldwide. She had set up several branches with great efforts, only for Makendra topletely destroy them.

    ¡°That pervert is definitely looking for something. Yeah, but let¡¯s put that aside. Why is Makendra taking out her frustration on my alliance members when she¡¯s the one who can¡¯t find what she wants?¡± Ha-Young said.

    Makendra had destroyed three branches of the ck Rose Alliance, killing dozens of overseas dispatched personnel in the process.

    ¡°If she¡¯s looking for information, she could do it quietly. Even thinking about her makes me furious!¡±

    ¡°Did youe here to gossip? I¡¯m a bit busy at the moment,¡± Terse replied.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been home for the past three days. What are you busy with?¡±

    ¡°I have to bond with Mr. Gobble.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Ha-Young shook her head, thinking he had be insane. ¡°And the extracted digestive fluid?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡±

    Ha-Young noticed the ck briefcase. It was an artifact made of aluminum with added refrigeration functionality. Inside it were tubes shaped like blood collection tubes, half-filled with green liquid. Terse called these Treasure Tubes.

    ¡°Was it difficult to extract?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No. If I bring the Treasure Tube close to Mr. Gobble, it spits out the digestive fluid on its own.¡± Terse demonstrated that.

    ¡°Wow, it does work!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Mr. Gobble also feels much morefortable. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°You were raging about how barbaric it was. I guess you¡¯re fine with it now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t understand Mr. Gobble back then.¡±

    Mr. Gobble was suffering from a disease caused by the terrible torture of being forced to eat the Unidentified Fibrous Material continuously¡ªit produced excessive digestive fluid. Periodically drawing out the correct amount of digestive fluid was much better for Mr. Gobble.

    ¡°But what are you going to do with this?¡± Terse asked.

    ¡°Why do you think Makendra did this to Mr. Gobble?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it was Makendra?¡± Terse was also angry at Makendra since she was the one who had been cruel to his cute and lovely Mr. Gobble.

    ¡°Yes. I am one hundred percent certain, but I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence.¡±

    ¡°But why would Makendra do this to Mr. Gobble?¡±

    ¡°She must have wanted to create Paper Soldiers that could withstand this digestive fluid,¡± Ha-Young said as her eyes narrowed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say those ck Alliance guys are still looking for Mr. Gobble?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I am hiding within the protective domain of the Guardian Tree. It¡¯s a very unfortunate reality. I want to show Mr. Gobble the sea and beautifulkes.¡±

    ¡°Well, you figure that out. Anyway, if they are still looking for Mr. Gobble, it means they have not found any alternatives to ovee this digestive fluid yet.¡± Ha-Young grinned, pleased. ¡°If we research this, we might be able to hit Makendra where it hurts.¡±

    ***

    A few days ago, in a Shop Field located in Jongno-3-ga, Mulinus, a craftsman and a one-eyed giant, lifted a small gem. ¡°I did it.¡±

    Beside him, a man with a voluptuous and sensuous figure, Katrina, pped his hands with a loud snap. ¡°I knew you¡¯d do it!¡±

    These two had been working together on quite a big project. It was an item development project conducted by the MK Foundation. It involved refining the mysterious undiluted solution Ha-Young had given them into a gem.

    Katrina, with a broad smile, greeted someone. ¡°Unnie! Wee!¡±

    The neer was a VIP of the Trinity Club, known across the universe as the biggest spender, MoneyShot. Her Earth name was Jang Michelle. She was the chairperson of the MK Foundation and the one who hadmissioned this project.

    ¡°I heard youpleted it. Kim Chul-Soo will be here soon, so let¡¯s talk in detail then,¡± Michelle said.

    Soon after, Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young arrived at Mulinus¡¯s workshop. After exchanging brief greetings, Mulinus handed Jin-Hyeok the small gem.

    ¡°This is the Treasure Gem requested by the MK Foundation. It¡¯s a gem containing the treasure. I¡¯m not sure why this nearly poisonous thing is called a treasure.¡±

    It was named like that because Terse called the undiluted solution the treasure, though his reason for calling it that was unknown.

    ¡°I have turned it into a buff item that can be attached to weapon-type artifacts. Katrina¡¯s help was significant,¡± Mulinus said.

    Katrina stood up, grasped the hem of his dress, covered his chest, and bowed gracefully. He was quite flirty in front of Michelle. True to his voluptuous and sensuous male physique, his pectoral muscles were imposing.

    ¡°But there is still a problem.¡±

    ¡°What problem?¡±

    ¡°What you call a treasure is technically poison. The solution was somewhat poisonous to begin with, but the refining process turned it into an actual poison. It has the characteristic of dissolving anything. It is a special poison that even dissolves substances that do not react chemically. It can melt human flesh. This small gem contains enough liquid to swallow about five adult men.¡±

    ¡°The term swallow has a nice ring to it.¡±

    Since the solution was from the Swallowing Croaker, Jin-Hyeok liked how Mulinus described it. As Jin-Hyeok smiled, Mulinus continued, ¡°I did my best to seal it, but some poison will inevitably leak out. Moreover, it is difficult to store for long. Katrina managed to somehow seal it with the engraved barrier formu¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know how it works. So, you¡¯re saying it has a shelf life?¡±

    ¡°S-Shelf life?¡± Mulinus was not pleased to hear his masterpiece treated like groceries, but the term shelf life seemed fitting. ¡°Yeah, well, once the shelf life expires, the gem itself will dissolve. And the treasure inside will spill out. If you¡¯re lucky, it will ruin only your inventory; in the worst case, it can also melt the holder¡¯s body.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out a deep sigh. ¡°Mulinus. You introduced me to the Korean Region Minor Gallery. The concept of the IntenseMan started somewhat with your foundation.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok reflexively recalled their first conversation. This content could also be turned into a videoter, so he wanted to recall their exact conversation.

    <i>¡°Don¡¯t you know about the Korean Region Minor Gallery?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°What the hell is that?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Hahahaha! You have the same personality for your livestream and in real life. This is great. You are perfectly executing the do-it-my-way attitude. You don¡¯t care about anything other than your livestreaming, and this includesmunicating with your viewers, right?¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok frowned and continued, ¡°And as a person who knows me that well, you don¡¯t watch my livestreams?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°If you watched my livestreams, you wouldn¡¯t say that. Don¡¯t you know I consumed the Phoenix Heart?¡±

    Mulinus was speechless. For him, watching livestreams was just a hobby. It was fun but not an essential part of his daily life.

    ¡°If you want to keep doing business with me, subscribing to and liking my content is essential,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Jin-Hyeok lifted the Treasure Gem and broke it above his head. A small amount of the gem¡¯s content, the digestive fluid of the Swallowing Croaker, trickled down.

    Mulinus recoiled in horror. ¡°W-What the hell are you doing?¡±

    <i>¡®Oh wow! What a reaction! It¡¯s perfect for my video.¡¯</i>

    ¡°See? I¡¯m immune to any poison below the level of the Snake King.¡±

    Michelle pped her hands. ¡°You made exactly what I wanted! It looks good for Chul-Soo to use too.¡±

    Pleased, she took out a thick leather pouch from her bosom.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t count it, but I brought my piggy bank. It is much more than what we initially talked about,¡± Michelle said while winking at Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Please show me something fun with this, Chul-Soo. I like your edited videos, but I prefer your livestreams. You understand, right?¡±

    ¡°I will keep the promise.¡±

    ***

    ¡°I will keep the promise.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to title his livestream ¡®Justice Served.¡¯ In the past, titles like ¡®SSS-Rank this and that¡¯ were trendy, but nowadays, short and impactful titles were in vogue. It worked out very well for Jin-Hyeok.

    He started the livestream, and viewers quickly began to pour in. Notably, he had sent an invitation to Michelle, so she was the first to enter.

    Makendra tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Promise? What promise?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±

    ¡°Heh, still so cheeky. It¡¯s quite adorable how unshaken you are.¡±

    ¡°I chose the first option.¡±

    <i>¡°One, watch them get brutally torn apart and then get chopped up yourself.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®If I choose the first option, that Makendra freak will attack the Seo sisters first. For a moment, her focus will be divided toward the sisters.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok seized the opportunity and swung his Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    His sword sliced through the air. Just as he expected, Makendra¡¯s abilities were much stronger than his. He had attacked her, aiming for the gap, but could not even graze her.

    <i>¡®But I achieved my objective.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not really trying to attack her. He just needed to create a slight opening. At that time, Ha-Young would rescue the Seo sisters.

    ¡°ying quite a clever game, aren¡¯t you? Well, fine. It¡¯s fun to crush something that squirms!¡± Makendra went on with her rant, and Jin-Hyeok continued his livestream in his own way. He gave a brief exnation as to why Ha-Young was here.

    ¡°Fortunately, Angel Girl was hiding around here. She bears a grudge against Makendra and has been monitoring her movements. When Makendra started moving toward this pce, Angel Girl followed her here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok zoomed in on the Seo sisters on the screen. Suddenly, he lost his fierceness.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t want to see them like this.¡¯</i>

    The Seo sisters were in an appalling condition. Such injuries were too familiar and really nothing big, but somehow, he did not want to see them. It felt like he was under some strange mental attack.

    Nevertheless, as a Streamer, he tried to regain his fierceness. He captured the Seo sisters on screen. The paper chains that had bound them were gone, but the Paper Soldiers still surrounded the sisters and Ha-Young.

    ¡°Unfortunately, they failed to escape,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    It was not really a failure. With the sisters¡¯ injuries, expecting the group to break through the Paper Soldiers¡¯ encirclement and escape was never a realistic hope.

    ¡°But Angel Girl has a special ability.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, Justice Served, had just begun.

 Chapter 190

    <h4>Chapter 190</h4>

    Several months ago, Song Ha-Young had been contemting which of the two Traits to activate.

    1. Lightspeed Escape.

    2. Sanctuary.

    Light Escape was a Trait that allowed one to quickly escape dangerous situations, while Sanctuary formed a kind of safe zone for yers.

    After much thought, she had decided to consult Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡± he replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m confident in gathering information, but how to use that information is another matter.¡±

    ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you ask a Ruler or Han Sae-Rin instead of me?¡± He frowned, a reaction she had anticipated.

    <i>¡®He is very strict with himself and others around him,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    His standards were entrically high.

    <i>¡®I must have frustrated him by not properly handling this information and asking him instead of a Ruler.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok, as stringent with himself as he was, disyed an immense level of humility in such situations.

    <i>¡®But I know, ultimately, the decision he makes will be the best one for me.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I am going to ask Sae-Rin too. I am just curious about what a Streamer would think about this,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ah, really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. When we y together, I have to consider your Eltube channel too and how to make good content.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I guess I misunderstood you.¡± Jin-Hyeok sincerely considered the question, and his mood significantly improved. ¡°In my opinion...¡±

    He recalled Ha-Young before his regression.

    <i>¡®So that infuriating ability she kept using was called Light Escape,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Despiteing close to it before his regression, he had never caught Ha-Young because of that Trait.

    ¡°Light escape seems to be the most beneficial Trait for you,¡± he said.

    ¡°Really? So, you think Light Escape suits me better?¡±

    ¡°Well, not exactly.¡±

    Light Escape would be the more efficient choice for ordinary yers.

    <i>¡®But for yers who hunt and capture other yers? I¡¯m not so sure¡¯</i>

    The Song Ha-Young before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression had ultimately been caught. Experts believed she had be overconfident in her mysterious ability, which was Light Escape, leading to her downfall.

    <i>¡®In the short term, it¡¯s very advantageous for Ha-Young, effective up to the master level. However, in the realm of the grandmasters, it¡¯s a different story.¡¯</i>

    Using Light Escape was like taking a shortcut. Ultimately, the reason Ha-Young did not be one of the Best Thieves in the universe was probably that she relied on abilities that were convenient but far from being fundamental, like Light Escape.

    ¡°I think Light Escape is like cancer for yers,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That bad?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What do you think is the essence of being a Thief?¡±

    ¡°Hm... Speed and stealth?¡±

    ¡°And if you master Light Escape? Do you think you will train your speed and stealth when you have a Trait that helps you? Are you sure that you won¡¯t rely on it instead of honing your skills?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok voted for the Sanctuary. Sanctuary referred to a sacred site during the Three Han Period[1], where offerings were made to the heavens. There, a ritual tform was established, and arge tree adorned with bells and drums was erected for ceremonies. It was a ce of sanctuary where even criminals could not be pursued.

    ¡°Ultimately, such a Trait is best utilized once in extreme situations to achieve maximum efficiency,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Sanctuary was a Trait that created a safe zone seven times, eachsting seven minutes. However, within this zone, one could neither move nor attack. It was a Trait that guaranteed a total of forty-nine minutes of safety.

    ¡°Sanctuary would be used in only extreme situations, right?? When you are stuck between a rock and a hard ce or when you can¡¯t find a way out on your own, that is when this Trait bes your final fortress. A trump card, if you will.¡±

    Ha-Young saw something in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes.

    <i>¡®I see madness...!¡¯ </i>she thought.

    She felt she understood why he was exining it to her so meticulously. This was sure to be content for his future videos.

    Jin-Hyeok, thrilled to have captured this good content, was genuinely happy. His earnestness in y once again stirred Ha-Young.

    ¡°In such a situation, it would be best to rely on external help. Forty-nine minutes is enough time to wait for it,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t using Light Escape prevent such extreme situations in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°What do you think y is?¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disapproval. Ha-Young still had much to learn. ¡°If there are no extreme situations, is that really considered ying?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And, after all, everyone has their limits. There are no munchkin yers in the world.

    <i>¡®No munchkin yers? Then what about you?¡¯ </i>Ha-Young wanted to ask him that but held back.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression said that he genuinely believed he was not particrly strong.

    Now, monthster, Jin-Hyeok uploaded the video he had recorded at that time as reference footage.

    ***

    Ha-Young activated Sanctuary. A yellow dome materialized around her, covering her and the Seo sisters. Atop the dome, a small altar fluttered in the wind with a white g that disyed a timer.

    <strong>[6:57]</strong>

    <strong>[6:56]</strong>

    <strong>[6:55]</strong>

    ¡°Such an annoying ability.¡± Makendra frowned.

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok swung his Greatsword of La¡¯kan. ¡°Where¡¯s your focus?¡±

    Makendra moved to the side to dodge the attack, smirking. ¡°What do you n to do with that pathetic swordsmanship?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I promised to show you endless fear and despair.¡± She stepped back, and numerous Paper Soldiers appeared before her, filling the bridge. Makendra snapped her fingers on the other side of the bridge. Several Paper Soldiers around her turned into chairs. ¡°Let¡¯s see what your little show is.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are going to experience despair in the face of overwhelming power!¡±

    ¡°She talks way too much. It seems like she is quite the chatterbox,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers as he lifted his Greatsword of La¡¯kan. ¡°If you guys are watching my livestream right now,e and help. Especially Mok Jae-Hyeon. Protect the Seo sisters. We have forty-nine minutes left. If you use the warp portal, you can make it here just in time. Contact KingGodGeneral Yumi for the exact location.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok once again swung his swords. His attacks hit the Paper Soldiers but did not cause much damage. No matter how much he sliced them, they regenerated to their original form.

    ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s like fighting an army of immortal monsters. Each Paper Soldier seems to be around Level 100, but their regeneration ability is too overpowered.¡±

    Opinions on KimKnowItAllTV also suggested this would be a tough battle.

    -Has Kim Chul-Soo ever openly asked his party members for help like this?

    -He is speaking much faster than usual. This means he is in real danger.

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery shared simr views.

    [Aren¡¯t the abilities of Makendra¡¯s Paper Soldiers seriously overpowered? How can you even fight those things?]

    ©»Is the universe filled with such powerful beings?

    ©»Seems unbnced, if you ask me.

    [There is some talk that fire-attribute abilities are somewhat effective against them.

    ©»Nope. Do you guys know that French ranker who was famous for having me skills? He lost to Makendra too.

    ©»In the face of absolute power, attributes are meaningless.

    Many users reveled in mocking Jin-Hyeok¡¯s anticipated failure.

    [Always acting like he is the best. I couldn¡¯t stand him. Good riddance, LOL. Farewell, Chul-Soo~ You won¡¯t be missed. Hahaha!]

    ©»Are you insane?

    ©»How can you spout such nonsense about Chul-Soo, who is fighting on the front lines for world peace?

    ©»People like you should get their fingers chopped off.

    ©»Yeah, right. As if. ^^ Even IntenseMan is useless before Lord Makendra, right? Clueless much?

    However, the tide of the battle began to change.

    ¡°Actually, I knew I would sh with Makendra,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. After creating some distance from the Paper Soldiers with a swing of his sword, he caught his breath. ¡°Knowing that and not preparing would have been unwise. I will try and fight more fiercely.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to use the Treasure Gem, crafted by the joint efforts of Park Terse, Katrina, and Mulinus. This small gem was like a supporting artifact that could bebined with existing items.

    <strong>[You have applied the ?Treasure Gem (Crafted)? to the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok swung his sword, slicing through a Paper Soldier.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    A loud striking sound echoed.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not cutting the Paper Soldier.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps due to the effect of the Treasure Gem, the greatsword had not cut the Paper Soldier. Instead, the Paper Soldier became soft and mushy. Its movements became extremely heavy and slow, like a sponge soaked in water.

    <i>¡®So, this is the effect!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised but did not show it. Instead, he switched his weapon. ¡°If cutting them is futile, it¡¯s better to switch to a lighter and faster hammer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out the Rule Breaker. It was weaker in attack power but allowed for lighter and more agile movements.

    <strong>[You have applied the ?Treasure Gem (Crafted)? to the Rule Breaker.]</strong>

    Like a wolf leaping into a flock of sheep, Jin-Hyeok swung the hammer at the Paper Soldiers. His attacks were not intended to deal direct damage but to inflict the negative status effects of the Treasure Gem. Since he was not aiming for lethal hits, his movements were quick and concise. Merely tapping the Paper Soldiers was effective, making the process quite efficient.

    Eventually, the Paper Soldiers began to act erratically, breaking free from Makendra¡¯s control; some even melted away. Then, a crucial ally appeared to deal the fatal hits.

    ¡°I...am a... fast... man.¡± Kim Jeong-Hyeon, who had stepped on the path to be the Martial King of Korea, revealed himself. ¡°My... attacks are... swift... and powerful.¡±

    Though not typically talkative, Jeong-Hyeon had always wanted to help Jin-Hyeok. His sincerity was to show his best on the livestream, genuinely inspired by Chul-Soo. He was also a devoted viewer and follower of Chul-Soo and drew much inspiration from him.

    ¡°Take... my righteous... fist.

    ¡°In my... right hand... dwells... the Dark... Dragon.¡±

    His speech was slow, but his movements were not. Quick and agile, his physical attacks effortlessly subdued the Paper Soldiers, which had significantly slowed down.

    ¡°Look at that. The Paper Soldiers hit by the fist of the ming Fist are swelling up!¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    They swelled like balloons and then burst with a bang! The Paper Soldiers, which had been regenerating no matter how many times they were cut a while ago, could not recover their form and dispersed in the wind.

    Jeong-Hyeon seemed quite pleased with his performance. Inspired by Lee Hyeon-Seong, who rose to stardom with his famous quote ¡®My sword will shatter your anus,¡¯ Jeong-Hyeon delivered his long-pondered line. ¡°My fist... shreds... paper.¡±

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok was content in his own way.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not a bad idea to fight with Jeong-Hyeon! We have a pretty good synergy.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok focused only on inflicting a negative status effect, leaving the finishing blows to Jeong-Hyeon. He found thisbination enjoyable in battle. In front of the duo of Jin-Hyeok and Jeong-Hyeon, the Paper Soldiers appeared powerless.

    [Where¡¯s that idiot who was mocking Chul-Soo earlier? Come out, wherever you are~ LOL]

    ©»Probably ran away, haha!

    ©»His fingers got chopped off~

    ©»He doesn¡¯t know the first thing about being intense! Keep yapping plz~ LOL

    ©»He already deleted his post! What a guy~

    [How intense must it be for him to prepare such crafted artifacts in advance? But isn¡¯t that thing really expensive?]

    ©»How dare you talk about money in front of IntenseMan?!

    ©»Saw the other day his worth is over one hundred trillion.

    ©»For real?

    As unverified facts spread in real-time, Jin-Hyeok and Jeong-Hyeon had eliminated almost half of the Paper Soldiers.

    1. Three Han Period, also known as the Samhan Period, is the collective name of three confederacies, Byeonhan, Jinhan, and Hahan, that emerged in the first century BC. ?

 Chapter 191

    <h4>Chapter 191</h4>

    In the meantime, Song Ha-Young once again used the Sanctuary Trait to buy more time.

    Seated in the chair, Makendra scowled. ¡°You¡¯re quite the trickster. But how about this?¡±

    She snapped her fingers again. The Paper Soldiers began to spin, with groups of three joining hands.

    However, Cha Jin-Hyeok simply ignored them.

    Standing beside Jin-Hyeok, Kim Jeong-Hyeon asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you attacking them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not gentlemanly to attack during a transformation.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon had a profound realization.

    <i>¡®I was just blindly focused on defeating the Paper Soldiers.¡¯</i>

    He had thought he was fighting better than expected and even hoped to earn praise from the notoriously strict Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I was too inadequate to earn his recognition.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted not just to fight, but to fight stylishly. This meant he was engaging in fights that were one step further than the mere efficient fighting style that Jeong-Hyeon had been preupied with.

    Jeong-Hyeon quietly muttered to himself, fueling his fighting spirit, ¡°I need to fight stylishly.¡±

    He also stopped attacking the Paper Soldiers, and the battle entered a temporary lull. The Paper Soldiers stretched out and transformed into individual sheets of paper. The sheets then folded into heads, bodies, and legs, connecting to form new entities.

    ¡°The transformation looks quite impressive. A new type of monster has appeared,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The new Paper Soldiers revealed themselves, twice the size of the previous ones, with their number exceeding dozens.

    ¡°Then, I will transform as well.¡± Jin-Hyeok pulled out a card he had been saving until now.

    <strong>[At the Summit of That Path, One Shall Look Down.]</strong>

    For those unaware of the Mythic-Grade Card, he added a direct link about the Mythic-Grade Card to his livestream. Jin-Hyeok used the effect of the back of the card to increase his Level from 159 to 179. After that, he immediately utilized the ability on the front of the card.

    <strong>[To Stand at the Summit of that Path.]</strong>

    ¡°Those who fall and crumble, unable to reach the summit, will sing a song of despair as they face the unreachable summit.¡±

    This Mythic-Grade Card allowed him topletely duplicate an ability of one targeted individual during a focused livestreaming session. Jin-Hyeok had chanted the real incantation, and he was now ready to say his own line for the added ir.

    ¡°Power of the destructive fist, grant me the strength promised to me.¡±

    Since Jin-Hyeok had confirmed that Martial King Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s physical attacks were highly effective against the Paper Soldiers, copying thetter¡¯s abilities forbat was the efficient choice.

    ¡°This is my first time fighting with fists, so this is quite thrilling,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok used to extensively spar with Jeong-Hyeon. He knew the Martial King¡¯s techniques better than the Martial King himself, and he had to, if he wanted to win a spar against Jeong-Hyeon.

    Holding the Treasure Gem, Jin-Hyeok copied Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s abilities and exhibited an extraordinarily unique level of physical skill.

    <i>¡®I feel lighter,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. His eyes reddened as he charged toward the transformed Paper Soldiers.

    <i>¡®I can feel the power...! I can!¡¯</i>

    The synergy between Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and his newly acquired physical attacks was significant. It was a new experience for him, and he felt like he were flying through the air.

    <i>¡®So, this is the physical ability of a Martial Artist.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had just experienced a new world. With such physical capabilities, wielding a sword would take him into another realm. This was another enlightenment he had experienced through his body. As he got lost in a trance, swinging his fists, Makendra rose from her seat.

    ¡°A pathetic fly seems to be putting on quite a show.¡± The Paper Soldiers were valuable assets for Makendra. She could not just leave them be. So, she snapped her fingers again. ¡°Now, I will face you with all my strength.¡±

    The remaining Paper Soldiers transformed back into paper and flew toward Makendra. The papers gathered around her started to spin, then transformed into two objects.

    ¡°This is my sword.¡± Makendra grasped the paper sword in her left hand. ¡°And this is my spear.¡±

    Holding a spear in her right hand, she said, ¡°Nothing escapes my sword and spear.¡±

    ***

    Makendra was quite cunning. She put on a show, drawing all attention to her sword and spear with fancy lines, but Jin-Hyeok knew better. The most dangerous thing about her was her shoes. Those shoes made her incredibly light. Her fast and precise steps made it difficult for her opponents to properly fight her at a distance.

    <i>¡®Especially since I am in the position of a Martial Artist now.¡¯</i>

    Closing the distance against someone possessing a weapon as long as a spear was not easy. Even if Jin-Hyeok managed to close in, her sword was waiting for him.

    <i>¡®I feel like I am just a bit away from gaining more enlightenment.¡¯</i>

    Regrettably, the time to stop ying the role of a Martial Artist came to an end soon.

    ¡°I will face you with all my strength too.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out the Greatsword of La¡¯kan once again.

    <strong>[You have applied the ?Treasure Gem (Crafted)? to the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok engaged in several exchanges with Makendra and suffered various minor and major injuries to his arms and legs.

    Jeong-Hyeon, who was fighting beside him, was in a slightly worse state.

    <i>¡®It seems like his cruciate ligament is torn.¡¯</i>

    Somehow, with his muscle and willpower, Jeong-Hyeon had managed to block Makendra¡¯s spear, but it was not easy. He grasped for breath.

    ¡°She... is... too... fast.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    At least Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier allowed them to continue fighting her somehow.

    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got to challenge me?¡± Makendra asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    She swooped in like she had wings. Swinging her paper sword close, she inflicted a deep wound on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stomach.

    <i>¡®I shall sacrifice my stomach to take her neck.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok let her hit his stomach and shed at Makendra¡¯s neck. However, she was too fast, and he could notnd a proper hit. It was just a very light wound, barely noticeable.

    ¡°Is that all you can do, trying to take me down along with yourself?¡± Makendra smirked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to do that to kill you.¡±

    ¡°I will cut off your tongue before I kill you!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged and pulled out another item. The real fight was about to happen now. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve been searching for?¡±

    It was Picasso¡¯s Brush. This was the item she had been fervently searching for on the Earth Server.

    ¡°Just so you know, it¡¯s bound to me.¡± Jin-Hyeok purposelyughed. ¡°Do you think you can take it from me if you kill me?¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of ways to take it after killing you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, there would be.¡±

    Certainly, some yers with rare abilities could extract bound items. However, capturing Jin-Hyeok alive would be much easier than killing him, and that was what Jin-Hyeok was aiming for.

    <i>¡®She haspletely seen the gap between us now. I have seeded in making her let her guard down.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had made Makendra think of not killing him. Thanks to this, he could attack her more boldly. Hended a few more hits on her, but took more damage too.

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy.¡± Jin-Hyeok had lost a lot of blood. He had no idea when the others would arrive. He believed it was going to get better once Cha Jin-Sol came, but for now, he had to fight Makendra, assuming Jin-Sol was noting.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not even acting... This battle is genuinely tough.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok poured all his strength into it. Yet, he could inflict only a few minor wounds on his opponent.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time to end this fight.¡± Makendra approached him.

    Jin-Hyeok also sensed that the moment hade.

    <strong>[You have activated the Inherent Trait Skill ?Persevering Genius?.]</strong>

    He used the Trait Skill inherent in the All-Rounder Trait. Persevering Genius significantly reduced the mental energy consumption when manifesting any Traits or Skills. It simrly worked on Mysteries as well.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?God of Luck?.]</strong>

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s vision swirled, and he nearly copsed. He swung his sword, but Makendra caught it between two fingers.

    <strong>[The Achievement effect ?Instant Kill? has been applied.]</strong>

    Then, he said, ¡°After a perilous journey, I have obtained great power.¡±

    Unable to support himself any longer, he nted his sword on the ground and leaned on it as if it were a cane. Before himy Makendra, now a corpse.

    <i>¡®Seven percent probability is lower than I thought.¡¯ </i>

    Even though Jin-Hyeok had sessfullynded a dozen minor attacks on Makendra, the Instant Kill effect had never triggered. He had no choice but to overexert himself,bining the God of Luck Mystery with his attacks, and ultimately Makendra had lost to the Instant Kill effect.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t lose consciousness just yet.¡¯</i>

    He still needed to do some more things. He could not forget Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s cool line about his destructive fist. Being a Streamer, Jin-Hyeok wanted to be cooler than Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°I want all yers to enjoy the freedom of being a yer. Although I cannot guarantee freedom to every yer, at least those rted to me should be free to roam the Fields as they wish.¡± Jin-Hyeok painfully lifted his head and looked in the direction of Ha-Young, far away.

    Makendra had shattered several branches of the ck Rose Alliance. Fortunately, this served as a good pretext.

    ¡°And I had promised. I had vowed to ensure the freedom of myrades who are with me. It was a solemn oath and my pledge.¡±

    Ha-Young looked in his direction at perfect timing. He caught her expression in a close-up.

    ¡°Unfortunately, the freedom and rights of myrades were threatened.¡± He shifted his gaze toward Makendra. ¡°Today, I had to uphold that vow.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no recollection of what happened after that. It seemed he had fainted, leaning against his sword.

    ***

    The viewers of KimKnowItAllTV were in a frenzy of excitement. They were particrly focused on Chul-Soo¡¯s new ability, Instant Kill.

    -Instant Kill... That sounds so cool!

    -So amazing!

    -Makendra got owned, LOL.

    -I never expected he had the Instant Kill Achievement!

    -Isn¡¯t it overpowered for a Streamer to have an Instant Kill ability?

    A renowned user from the Korean Region Minor Gallery analyzed the video in real-time and posted a briefment.

    <strong>[This victory was not achieved due to just Instant Kill. It was possible because of Chul-Soo¡¯s thorough setup. There were immense details throughout the battle. I will post a detailed analysister.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia.]</strong>

    Furthermore, people on the Earth Server were moved by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s speech at the end.

    -Wooow! That was so moving!

    -So he fought Makendra for the ck Rose Alliance?

    -It makes sense that Angel Girl was there.

    -This is so crazy and so cool! Please marry me! (I¡¯m a guy).

    Ha-Young, a direct party involved in the issue, trembled.

    <i>¡®What...?¡¯</i>

    She had always known that Makendra and Jin-Hyeok would eventually sh. However, she had never imagined that this was why Jin-Hyeok wanted to fight Makendra.

    <i>¡®He... fought that hard... for me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could have easily run away. He could have sought help from his allies of the Trinity Club. Perhaps, that could have been a better choice for him.

    <i>¡°Today, I had to uphold that vow.¡±</i>

    Still thinking about Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words, Ha-Young bit her lip.

    <i>¡®Now... I can¡¯t betray him.¡¯</i>

    She had always resolved to stab him in the back once he lifted the curse of the Golden Headband, but even that determination crumbled. Tears welled up in her eyes.

    <i>¡®He cared for me, and us, to this extent?¡¯</i>

    It felt like they had truly be one. She felt a sense of security at being affiliated with Jin-Hyeok.

    Seo Ji-Soo and Seo Ji-Ah, who had reimagined theirposure, faintly smiled.

    ¡°We... won...!¡±

    Streamer Chul-Soo had won another battle against an invader from another Server.

 Chapter 192

    <h4>Chapter 192</h4>

    ¡°What are you doing, Oppa?¡± Cha Jin-Sol found her brother¡¯s actions a bit odd.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok appeared much more tense than usual, sitting on the edge of the bed and shaking his legs nervously.

    ¡°Why are you staring at your phone like that?¡± Wondering what he was up to, Jin-Sol sat beside him and sneakily nced at his phone screen.

    Jin-Hyeok, who looked incredibly anxious, suddenly sprang up from his seat. ¡°I did it!¡±

    ¡°Ah, you scared me! What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I reached four hundred million subscribers!¡±

    ¡°Ah... I thought it was something more important.¡± Jin-Sol was less impressed. Everyone knew that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subscriber count would soon reach four hundred million.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that special, right? It¡¯s not like they are giving you a gold button or something,¡± she said.

    At the mention of the gold button, Jin-Hyeok flinched. SSP was a universal streaming system. Although Earth had a few Streamers with a few hundred million subscribers, the universe had quite a lot of them. Moreover, Streamers received a silver button for reaching one hundred million subscribers and a gold button for a billion. These buttons were more like medals, not having any special functions.

    ¡°But it still feels good.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m happy.¡± Jin-Sol sat back on the bed and tapped the space beside her. ¡°Come, sit down.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s monitor your old livestreams together. We should check out the onlinemunity reactions and see what your subscribers are thinking, right?¡±

    ¡°I am already doing that sufficiently with Wang Yu-Mi.¡±

    ¡°But Yu-Mi asked me to help you.¡±

    ¡°You? Did you acquire a second Job that¡¯s rted to this kind of stuff?¡± Jin-Hyeok was ready to scold her if she had, but fortunately, she had not.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, but Yu-Mi thinks that you listen to me more.¡±

    ¡°I listen to Yu-Mi as well.¡±

    ¡°She must have judged that you listen to me more than her.¡±

    <i>¡®That seems unlikely.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion but epted it since it wasing from Yu-Mi.

    <strong>[The probability of the Instant Kill effect activating is at least seventy percent, no matter how you estimate it. The reason the passionate, intense, dramatic, and fierce IntenseMan refrained from using Instant Kill was that he wanted a more perfect storyline for his livestream.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: ChulSooIsGod]</strong>

    Reading a post from the Korean Region Minor Gallery, Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Does anyone actually believe this kind of bullshit?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s getting positive reviews.¡±

    <i>¡®Instant Kill at seventy percent...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew that even the powerful beings from the Arvis Server would not possess such an absurd ability. ¡°Wow... There is a lot of talk about the probability of the activation of my Instant Kill.¡±

    ¡°Yu-Mi insists we should add more to the confusion.¡±

    ¡°So that they can¡¯t urately guess the probability?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Making it impossible for an opponent to deduce the Instant Kill probability was crucial. The adversaries¡¯ responses would vary depending on this percentage.

    <strong>[What the hell are you talking about? There is no such absurd probability in the entire universe! The sess probability of an overpowered ability like Instant Kill is at most 0.1 percent. Stop exaggerating Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: NoOverpackagingPlz]</strong>

    Though the two posts saidpletely opposite things, both garnered as many as fifty thousand likes.

    ¡°It seems everyone believes what they want to believe. But what is the actual probability of the activation of your Instant Kill? Oh, no, wait. Don¡¯t tell me!¡± Jin-Sol made a ¡®h-h¡¯ noise and covered her ears. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might identally tell people.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok just looked at her for a while. His calm gaze made her feel somewhat embarrassed.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Why did youe to my room?¡±

    ¡°I told you... It was Yu-Mi¡¯s idea to...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had been feeling strange emotionstely. It had all started with the Seo sisters. Getting hurt or even dying while ying wasmon. However, when he had seen Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo seriously injured, he was engulfed in emotions he could not understand.

    Even now, looking at Jin-Sol, he was experiencing these odd, hard-to-define emotions. Also, despite not using Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, he seemed to be able to read Jin-Sol¡¯s emotions to some extent.

    ¡°Um... A lot of people died in the recent battle: members of the ck Rose Alliance and Lucia, whom you were somewhat close with. Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo almost died too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s normal. I know it¡¯s not a y if it is not dangerous. I know how you feel about this, but...¡± Jin-Sol was cautious, worrying that bringing this up could only lead to more scolding. ¡°...but I was just really worried.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I thought you were going to die there.¡± At first, she had been cautious, but soon, her suppressed emotions burst out. She could not help it. She felt she had to say this.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you go easy on such dangerous ys? No matter how fiercely you had prepared, the battle with Makendra was too risky. What if the Instant Kill ability had not worked? Then it wouldn¡¯t have been Makendra dying but you. You know that, right?¡± she added.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you camete.¡±

    ¡°Then you should have taken me with you from the start!¡±

    <i>¡®Then you would have died at the Bridge of Agony.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok did not say that out loud. <i>¡®For some reason, I am not that angry at her.¡¯</i>

    He felt he should scold her for such thoughtless words, but strangely, he was not upset. Since the regression, he felt like he was learning something new.

    <i>¡®I¡¯d like to use Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance on myself.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok became a little curious about what exactly this feeling was and about this ticklish sensation in his chest.

    ¡°I will try to be more careful next time,¡± he said.

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°I said I will be careful next time.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jin-Sol ced her hand on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s forehead. ¡°Did you hurt your head or something?¡±

    ***

    The Server-Grade item, Picasso¡¯s Brush, had potentially game-breaking abilities, depending on how it was used.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    <strong>[Picasso¡¯s Brush (Bound)]</strong>

    <strong>[A brush imbued with the passion of an artist who burned with an artistic soul. </strong>

    <strong>Everything touched by his brush became a masterpiece of the century.</strong>

    <strong>Item Skill ?Retouch? avable for use (0/3)</strong>

    <strong>-When it is applied to an item, there is a certain probability of grade/effect enhancement.</strong>

    <strong>-When it is applied to a yer, there is a certain probability of Job change and level-up.</strong>

    <strong>(*Note: Retouch is limited to one use per item or yer and cannot be used on the holder of the item.)]</strong>

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Picasso¡¯s Brush was a consumable item, and it was only usable three times.

    ¡°How could we take this from you...?¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    The Seo sisters rejected Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proposal.

    He sighed. ¡°Are you going to be this uncooperative?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about being uncooperative, but...¡± Ji-Soo turned her gaze toward Ji-Ah, who then came up with a response.

    ¡°Shameless.¡±

    Ji-Ah continued, ¡°Yes, shameless! We would be shameless if we just took it from you. Don¡¯t put so much... what¡¯s that word?¡±

    ¡°Pressure.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t put too much pressure on us! It should be used on yers far more talented than us.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disappointment.

    ¡°Is it easier to level up from 1 to 10 or from 100 to 101?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°The former.¡±

    ¡°Using it on overlyplete yers would have minimal effect,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Until right before his regression, the highest Job grade was 9 Stars. There were rumors of 10-Star Jobs, but that was like an urban legend. Essentially, 9 Stars was the limit for Job grades.

    ¡°Using it on you guys would have a dramatic effect.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°And you both have enough narrative.¡±

    They were like tragic heroes who worked harder than anyone but could not climb higher due to theirck of innate talent. He had already discussed everything with Yu-Mi.

    ¡°This is going to be perfect content for my Eltube channel.¡±

    Eventually, the Seo sisters epted his proposal, and Jin-Hyeok used two of the three Retouches on them.

    ¡°But to maximize the effect, it seems we need to use the item with the God of Luck Mystery, and we need the help of the Golden Guardian Tree. I have to be in top condition. I want to do it in a quiet ce with no disturbances. So, when I call, Ji-Ah,e to my house first.¡±

    ¡°To... your house?¡±

    ¡°Yes, to my house.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s going to be... just the two of us?¡±

    God of Luck was a Mystery too dangerous for his current self to handle. If mishandled, it could shatter his psyche. However, the exceptional effect of the Mystery was worth taking the risk for.

    A few dayster, Ji-Ah came to his house. She was wearing more makeup than usual, as they were not ying, and she had worn a white dress, which she rarely wore. When Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes fell on the dress, she blushed.

    ¡°Is it bad?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s bad.¡±

    Ji-Ah¡¯s face turned even redder.

    ¡°Your body might release filthy water while we do this,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That dress looks expensive. Are you sure you¡¯re okay wearing that?¡±

    For some reason, Ji-Ah, whose face had turned bright red, nodded. She underwent the Retouch effect and Awakened as the Shadow Ruler. During the process, her fluttery dress almost melted into rags, and filthy water poured out of her body, but that was not important.

    <i>¡®I feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was bedridden for a whole week. <i>¡®This really is not something people should do. Ever.¡¯</i>

    About two weekster, when Ji-Soo visited his home, she arrived in strange clothing. Sealed in a ck rubber suit from head to toe, she had even wornrge goggles over her face, making Jin-Hyeok wonder how she could breathe.

    ¡°Is that a diver¡¯s suit?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hot?¡±

    ¡°Assassins must adapt to and endure extreme environments. We never know when or where our targets will give us an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok repeated the same process for Ji-Soo, and she also Awakened as the Shadow Ruler. He thought she would be happy, but it seemed she wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°...I want to die,¡± she said.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ji-Soo had changed into a tracksuit that Jin-Hyeok had prepared in advance. The diver¡¯s suit had been unable to withstand the toxins that had seeped out of her and had burst soon after the process. Filthy water had sshed everywhere, but thankfully, the Guardian Tree¡¯s barrier prevented the house from being contaminated. However, due to the barrier, the filthy water had risen to their knees.

    Just like Ji-Ah, Ji-Soo did not seem particrly happy. Both sisters decided to research their new Jobs and went off the grid for a few days, and Jin-Hyeok found that quite gratifying.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see such a thirst for knowledge.¡±

    ***

    Jang Michelle was pleased with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. ¡°I was on the edge of my seat watching it. I am d the project we prepared has borne good fruit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was relieved that Michelle liked it. Though he had not checked, it seemed she had donated a considerable amount of Dias to his stream.

    ¡°Yes, thanks to you, my livestream reached first ce in the universally trending video list, and my subscriber count has gone past four hundred million,¡± he said.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredibly fast.¡±

    ¡°They say I have also reached the top ten trends on the universal scale.¡±

    ¡°So, which one is it? Are you first ce or tenth ce?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if the person I am sponsoring is in first ce.¡±

    ¡°I only know that it is within the top ten. The detailed information was not disclosed.¡±

    Michelle sighed, seemingly disappointed. Jin-Hyeok had many conversations with her as part of SVIP management. During one of them, she made a significant remark.

    ¡°Did you know that Makendra was a high-ranking officer of the ck Alliance?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°At this point, the ck Alliance might directly intervene. Soon, numerous warp portals will be activated.¡±

    Earth was soon going to lose the privileges of being a newly opened Server. Although it would not be connected to a super Server like Arvis afterward, many powerful Servers would be linked with it.

    ¡°Yes, I am prepared for that,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while grinning unwittingly. ¡°Stronger foes will appear incessantly.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be enjoying this.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just happy I can create good content for my Eltube channel.¡± His heart was pounding.

    A few dayster, indeed, many warp portals began appearing around the world, connecting the Earth Server to numerous Servers. A cataclysm had begun, and Jin-Hyeok immediately sensed someone¡¯s presence as soon as the sun came up. It could be someone rted to the ck Alliance or perhaps a yer who hunted other Awakened yers.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, it was someonepletely unexpected.

    <i>¡®Zoro? Why is Zoro here?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 193

    <h4>Chapter 193</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok could hear the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s voice.

    -¡°Usually, many crazy people ask to meet you, but this one is quite powerful. It¡¯s difficult for me to push him away!¡±

    Zoro had contacted Jin-Hyeok through the Guardian Tree. A man with hair cut so short it appeared almost shaved, Zoro was wearing a tight-fitting t-shirt. As always, he was quite muscr, and his physique was optimized for sword fighting.

    Immediately after meeting with Jin-Hyeok, Zoro handed him a white envelope. ¡°Join the Instant Kill Club.¡±

    ¡°The Instant Kill Club?¡±

    It was an invitation. Zoro said something about a secret club of yers around the universe with the Instant Kill ability.

    <i>¡®I had no idea this was a thing,¡¯ </i>

    ¡°Yes. You may not know, but those with the Instant Kill ability are typically targeted by the yer Hunters.¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, I almost got excited just now. I guess I still haven¡¯t fully grown as a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had known having this ability would attract the attention of the yer Hunters¡ªyers who killed other yers to steal their items and abilities. However, hearing it directly from someone else made it feel different. His heart almost raced without him realizing it.

    <i>¡®Wait, no. It¡¯s perfectly normal to feel excited because I can create another piece of great content for my Eltube channel, right?¡¯</i>

    There was no need to think that he had not fully grown as a Streamer.

    ¡°And?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be tough to handle on your own. The ck Alliance seems to be targeting you too.¡±

    Looking at Zoro, Jin-Hyeok noticed something strange. The Zoro before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression was like a crazy, excited puppy that wanted to fight him, but right now, Zoro seemedpletely normal.

    As they talked, Jin-Hyeok understood the reason behind Zoro¡¯s calmness. ¡°Wait a minute. Do you see me not as a rival, but as someone to protect?¡±

    Zoro flinched.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m right. He sees me as someone to protect.¡¯ </i>

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Jin-Hyeok unconsciously said.

    ¡°You are...¡±

    If Zoro replied something like ¡®You are weak. You need protection,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok was ready to draw his Greatsword of La¡¯kan right away.

    ¡°...a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Zoro moved his hand toward the dual swords strapped to his back. However, instead of drawing them, he did something else.

    <i>¡®There is a pocket on his back?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand why Zoro would keep his phone in his back pocket.

    ¡°I am your subscriber,¡± Zoro said, showing his phone to Jin-Hyeok.

    The phone showed that he had watched all of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s videos.

    ¡°I also liked them all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    ¡°You know about the Streamer Protection Treaty, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Some yer Hunters will ignore that treaty and still go for you. Instant Kill is an attractive ability. The same goes for the Mysteries you possess.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I want to enjoy your content for a long time, as your subscriber.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok opened the envelope to check what was inside. It was an invitation to the Instant Kill Club. ¡°Is there a special procedure to join the club? Or any obligations I must fulfill?¡±

    ¡°No special procedures are needed. The Instant Kill Club is quite exclusive, and membership is extended through only rmendations from existing members. Club members do not even know each other, except for those who have rmended each other. It¡¯s a very small club.¡±

    This meant that even if Jin-Hyeok joined the Instant Kill Club, he would hardly ever encounter other club members.

    ¡°However, if a member of the Instant Kill Club is threatened by yer Hunters or other yers, the club will respond, and a summoning order may be issued then.¡±

    After a lengthy conversation, Jin-Hyeok finally decided to join the Instant Kill Club. It seemed like the club would provide plenty of opportunities for great content. In the distant future, there was a chance he could even create content involving the first reveal of the Instant Kill Club.

    ¡°Now that we are finished with this matter, I have something else for you,¡± Zoro said.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The clear sound of a sword drawing rang out. It was a really pleasant sound that Jin-Hyeok had not heard in a long time, a melody that only a skilled Swordsman could produce. Hearing such a crisp sound made his heart flutter. Before he knew it, Zoro¡¯s dual swords were touching his throat.

    ¡°I am curious about your sword skills.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Zoro and Jin-Hyeok headed to the garden. The Guardian Tree created a barrier to prevent their powers from escaping outside.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see the sword skills of a Streamer.¡± Zoro rapidly closed the distance between them.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s fast...!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current skills were insufficient for him to block Zoro¡¯s dual sword attacks.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t match him with pure swordsmanship.¡¯</i>

    From his perspective, it was a one-sided fight, but Zoro seemed quite astonished.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you are a Streamer?¡± Zoro asked.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    Zoro remained silent for a while.

    ***

    Zoro was shocked.

    <i>¡®His sword almost touched my throat just now,¡¯ </i>Zoro thought.

    <i>¡®He is not even using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. Kim Chul-Soo is trying to face me with just the power of his swordsmanship.¡¯</i>

    It was quite a shock to him.

    <i>¡®Even with the help of the Mythic-Grade Card, his Level is only around 180.¡¯</i>

    However, Chul-Soo''s skills were not that of a Level-180 Streamer. Zoro had sparred with many strong opponents and could gauge someone¡¯s ability just by standing with his swords crossed.

    <i>¡®From my calction, his Level should be at least 200.¡¯</i>

    Even considering they were in the domain of the Guardian Tree, Chul-Soo¡¯s skills were impressive.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you are a Streamer?¡± Zoro asked.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Zoro sheathed his dual swords. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°About how far you can grow as a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°How about we duel again on another Server? I know your abilities are maximized when you are on another Server.¡±

    ¡°You really have watched my livestreams diligently.¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok had lost the duel, he was not unbearably upset. It was eptable for a Streamer to lose to a Swordsman in swordsmanship. In fact, Jin-Hyeok felt somewhat proud at the moment.

    <i>¡®He did watch my livestreams. He is a true subscriber,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°As you said, my power is maximized on other Servers, but I am not sure if I can be stronger than I am now,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    In other Servers, his Munchkin Trait woulde into y. However, he would not be able to receive the buffs from the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°Simply looking at sword skills, it might be better here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°I am a Streamer. When I go to other Servers, my abilities as a Streamer are amplified.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo, I have a proposal for you,¡± Zoro said.

    ¡°A proposal?¡±

    ¡°I want to fight with you under more equal conditions.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok noticed the madness in Zoro¡¯s eyes. It was one of those special auras only exuded by those truly passionate about y. Curious about what Zoro was thinking, Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[#Get on my bus. #I will carry you. #I can make you stronger. #?]</strong>

    <i>¡®This guy wants to nurture me.¡¯</i>

    ¡°My current Level is 224,¡± Zoro continued.

    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you just told me that.¡±

    ¡°You are too low-Level. It is not a fair game. I want you to be stronger quickly.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I know a Dungeon specialized for leveling up. Training there, you can quickly reach Level 200. With your Mythic-Grade Card effects, you can increase your Level to 220.¡± Zoro wiped the saliva dripping from his mouth. ¡°Then we can fight on an equal Level basis.¡±

    Zoro¡¯s eyes sparkled with madness. ¡°I want to see with my own eyes how strong a nonbatant-ss yer can be.¡±

    His hands trembled as if he was experiencing tremors. ¡°And I want to see it as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Hm... really?¡± Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin while Zoro gulped, focusing on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s lips. ¡°Now...¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Zoro asked.

    The sun was about to set, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s and Zoro¡¯s shadows had elongated considerably. Their shadows swayed. Suddenly, ck figures burst out from the shadows, taking the form of dwarves.

    Some of these shadowy figures held spears, while others carried ropes. They closely resembled the Paper Soldiers created by Makendra. This was the ability of Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo, who had Awakened as Shadow Rulers, and they were inspired by Makendra. The Seo sisters called these entities Shadow Soldiers.

    Three Shadow Soldiers lunged forward with shadow spears, and two others threw their ropes. Simultaneously, Jin-Hyeok swung his Greatsword of La¡¯kan. Zoro swiftly bent backward to doge Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attacks and shed at the approaching Shadow Soldiers.

    The Shadow Soldiers wielding three spears dispersed into smoke and vanished. Zoro swung the sword in his left hand and obliterated a flying rope aimed at him.

    However, he could not evade thest remaining shadow. It wrapped around him like a rope, immobilizing him. At that moment of opportunity, Jin-Hyeok ced his sword against Zoro¡¯s throat and said, ¡°If I had used God of Luck and Instant Kill together, I would have won.¡±

    ¡°... I thought you were going to only use your power as a Swordsman.¡±

    ¡°But, I am a Streamer.¡±

    This was a setup. Pretending to fight using only his swordsmanship skills, Jin-Hyeok had lured Zoro in and distracted him. Then, using the hidden Shadow Soldiers, he restrained Zoro, allowing him to finish the job.

    ¡°A Swordsman relies only on their swords, but a Streamer does not.¡±

    ¡°...You won. Streamers are quite powerful.¡±

    The Seo sisters, who were hiding in the shadows under the eaves, revealed themselves. Ji-Soo, who had been listening to the conversation, was curious about something.

    <i>¡®How does setting up and defeating someone off guard, leading to victory, rte to being a Streamer?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    It seemedpletely unrted to being a Streamer. It could make sense for a Ruler, but not for a Streamer.

    ¡°The Seo sisters¡¯ abilities have improved remarkably. It seems they have taken inspiration from Makendra¡¯s abilities. yers indeed learn a lot from battles they put their hearts and souls in,¡± Zoromented.

    ¡°You know the term ¡®Seo sisters¡¯?¡± Jin-Hyeok said, satisfied.

    ¡°Of course, I am one of your early subscribers.¡±

    ***

    Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo were amazed by their power.

    ¡°Did we really do it?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it.¡±

    If they had remained as mere Shadow Assassins, this feat would have been impossible. They had sessfully bound a Swordsman of over Level 200. Although the bindingsted less than three seconds, in the world ofbat, three seconds was more than enough time to decide who won or lost the fight.

    ¡°It seems like your Job change was the right choice.¡±

    ¡°It appears so.¡±

    Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo began to harbor hope. They escaped the anxiety of potentially bing obsolete someday. Ji-Soo giggled and sat down to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right. ¡°Oppa, is it okay if I love you?¡±

    Ji-Ah, without much to say, sat down to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s left. Although she loved her sister, this was a different matter.

    ¡°A rival,¡± she muttered quietly.

    Jin-Hyeok grinned with satisfaction. ¡°Do you like being Shadow Rulers that much?¡±

 Chapter 194

    <h4>Chapter 194</h4>

    The Seo sisters had anticipated this reaction from Cha Jin-Hyeok. Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo had learned a lot from him, the most impressive lesson of which was the attitude of being intensely dedicated to everything.

    When interacting with Jin-Hyeok, they were equally intense andpetitive. Knowing that he was somewhat crazy, they could predict his response.

    <i>¡®He is so predictable,¡¯ </i>Ji-Soo giggled.

    ¡°Have we grown a lot?¡± she asked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ji-Soo nced at Ji-Ah. Although she loved Ji-Ah, this was a fairpetition.

    <i>¡®I read the book </i>SSS-ss, 101 Ways to Win a Person¡¯s Heart<i>!¡¯</i>

    Ji-Soo always had admirers around her. She was born beautiful, and she never needed to try hard to gain affection. However, due to her affection for Jin-Hyeok, she had spent a whopping 150,000 won on a book called <i>SSS-ss, 101 Ways to Win a Person¡¯s Heart</i>.

    She had fallen for the marketing hype.

    ¡°Then pat my head, please,¡± she said, pushing her head forward.

    Anyone else would have been flustered at this moment, but Jin-Hyeok was no ordinary man.

    <i>¡®Is this a new assassination technique?¡¯</i> he thought.

    Remaining alert, he gently stroked her head. He was excited, half-expecting some bizarre assassination attempt from the Shadow Ruler.

    <i>¡®No assassination attempt, though. Then this must be a setup.¡¯</i>

    He became more excited, expecting a lethal moveter. Ji-Ah also silently pushed her head forward, wanting the same attention.

    ¡°You want your head patted, too?¡±

    Ji-Ah nodded.

    <i>¡®Both of them are doing this... This has to be a joint attack, right?¡¯</i>

    It did not seem like the attack was going to happen right now, but he was certain they would try to assassinate him eventually. Therefore, without letting his guard down, he stroked Ji-Ah¡¯s head too.

    <i>¡®They have grown so much. They are thoroughly setting up their strategies now.¡¯</i>

    He felt pleased.

    <i>¡®They must have been inspired by the setups I used against Makendra and Zoro.¡¯</i>

    Watching their growth was always a joy for him.

    ¡°But that guy earlier, he seemed pretty cool,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°Cool?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He said he wanted to fight you properly, so he offered to help you and even send you to another Server.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s all there is to it?¡± Jin-Hyeok shrugged.

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    ¡°You used Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, right?¡± Ji-Ah said, confusedly tilting her head. She was questioning if he had read that man¡¯s innermost thoughts.

    ¡°Real madness and fake madness are different,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    If Zoro had been really insane, there would not have been ¡®#?¡¯ or something simr in his status. The question mark indicated that the madness was feigned.

    ¡°To be honest, I almost mistook it for real madness.¡± However, Jin-Hyeok knew. He knew what item the Swordsman Zoro from the Outul Server would eventually use.

    <i>¡®The guy is indeed crazy, but not about me. He is crazy about the Rule Breaker I possess.¡¯</i>

    Zoro seemed to be targeting the Rule Breaker.

    <i>¡®He can¡¯t take it from me now, which means that he perhaps needs my Level to rise significantly before he can.¡¯</i>

    This meant that Zoro was somewhat telling the truth when he said he wanted to fight after Jin-Hyeok leveled up some more and there was less of a gap between their Levels.

    ¡°So, you knew and still epted the fight? Why?¡± Ji-Soo said, jumping up from her seat.

    Ji-Ah pressed down on her sister¡¯s thigh, sat her down on the sofa, and whispered, ¡°For Eltube content.¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°The gold button. We have to go for it.¡±

    Ji-Ah¡¯s eyes gleamed with real madness. Unlike the status of someone who wielded dual swords, Ji-Ah¡¯s status showed only two words in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[#Gold Button]</strong>

    ***

    The universally well-known ck Alliance had suffered a major blow to their prestige.

    ¡°Makendra¡¯s death is such a huge loss.¡±

    The ck Alliance had two co-leaders: Sephia and Grandel, artificially created conjoined twins. They had two heads but shared one body. Sephia had the face and personality of a woman, while Grandel had those of a man.

    ¡°Losing Makendra is such a waste,¡± Sephia remarked.

    Grandel looked toward Sephia and said, ¡°She was too obvious about her weakness. Anyone who should have known knew how to deal with her.¡±

    The information brokers of the major Servers were already aware of the ck Alliance¡¯s Facility and its purpose. They simply did not interfere out ofck of necessity.

    Grandel continued, ¡°Think of it as a blessing in disguise.¡±

    ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°It gave us the pretext to take over the Korean Region. We lost several third-ranked Rulers and significant projects under Jonprich and Humphrey Millen. Makendra¡¯s death adds to that.¡±

    The ck Alliance was a universal alliance, but not a major one; a major alliance would not covet a new Server like Earth. But they were notpletely obscure, which made carrying out their operations not entirely easy. They had certain standards and pretenses to maintain as strong entities. That was why they had sent only a minimal force to the Earth Server.

    Sephia grumbled and scowled at the view before her. ¡°Now that I think about it, we were supposed to acquire Picasso¡¯s Brush. We invested so much in that...¡±

    ¡°No need to discuss what we already know.¡±

    They had bribed numerous GMs in Giethoorn.

    ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± Sephia asked.

    ¡°No, not at all. What I mean to say is that we have suffered enough losses already.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    Sephia could not fully grasp Grandel¡¯s words. Nor did she need to. Strategizing was Grandel¡¯s responsibility. She had <i>swallowed</i> Grandel, not out of preference, but for his intelligence. Her ability was to<i> swallow </i>things. The Swallowing Croaker managed at their Facility had been partially imnted with Sephia¡¯s ability.

    ¡°Of course, Earth is not a resourceful Server, nor is it overflowing with great artifacts. But it has Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Grandel said.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°I need you to swallow Kim Chul-Soo. Now that we have suffered enough, no one canin about you taking direct action. Swallow him, take ownership of the Guardian Tree, and sell Seoul to people from the major Servers.¡±

    ¡°They want thend in Seoul?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect for their vacation homes, especially for parents with young kids. They will be rushing to buy it. There is a big river for yachting. We can demolish the existing buildings, build vacation homes suited to these individuals¡¯ tastes, and make a fortune selling them.¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± Sephia giggled. ¡°Are we going to be rich?¡±

    ¡°I will make us rich, Sephia.¡±

    They faced each other. Grandel nervously gulped, then stretched his neck out to press his lips against Sephia¡¯s. Sephia considered pushing him away but then let him be. The thought of bing rich pleased her, and someone she had swallowed harboring affection for her seemed natural to her.

    After a moment, Sephia stopped him. ¡°I didn¡¯t allow you to use your tongue.¡±

    With a slightly flushed face, Grandel licked his lips. ¡°When we sell our first vacation home, let me kiss you.¡±

    ***

    [Fast Level-Up]

    Just like the title of his livestream, Jin-Hyeok continued to swiftly level up. Zoro¡¯s offer to help him was indeed genuine.

    ¡°This is definitely a Dungeon specialized for leveling up. And here I am, not even doing much as a Streamer.¡±

    The setting allowed the party member, Zoro, to funnel his experience points to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°The buffaloes are respawning in herds again.

    <strong>[LV182/Giant Horned Buffalo/Horn Charge]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok quietly observed Zoro from a corner, careful not to draw the monsters¡¯ aggro. This Dungeon was arge space where hundreds of buffaloes spawned at once. When Zoro swung his sword to taunt the buffaloes, hundreds of them charged at him simultaneously.

    ¡°With thebination of high-Level and lifesteal items, Zoro is easily hunting Level 180 buffaloes. Plus, his dual swords mean his attacks are incredibly fast.¡±

    For a Level 220 yer, hunting Level 180 buffaloes would not yield many experience points. However, all those experience points were being funneled to Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok had already reached Level 170. It was as fast as leveling up in the Tutorial Field.

    <i>¡®This is such an easy way to level up. Why don¡¯t other Streamers use it?¡¯</i>

    This Dungeon¡¯s name was the Buffalo Temple, a special temple created by those who worshiped buffaloes. Jin-Hyeok already knew about this ce. He knew that it was a leveling-exclusive Dungeon best suited for yers from Levels 150 to 200.

    However, he had never entered this dungeon before his regression, believing that Level and experience should go hand in hand. He believed that low Levels had their own unique experiences and high Levels theirs, and leveling up too fast meant not going far as a yer.

    <i>¡®But that¡¯s forbatant-ss yers. Streamers should be using this ce, right?¡¯</i>

    Regardless of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s beliefs, many yers used the Buffalo Temple. Plenty of them were desperate for fast leveling.

    <i>¡®But strangely, Streamers don¡¯t seem to use this ce.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok slightly twisted his body and deflected an attack from a buffalo charging at him. He avoided strong attacks to prevent drawing the monsters¡¯ aggro, using minimal movements.

    ¡°With so many monsters, some of the aggro seems to be getting diverted from Zoro.¡±

    Since the hunting was bing a bit boring due to its repetitive nature, Jin-Hyeok was d to maintain a certain level of tension. It seemed the number of live viewers was not dropping much either.

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have reached Level 180.]</strong>

    The users of the Korean Region Minor Gallery, well aware of this Buffalo Temple, clicked their tongues in disbelief.

    [That ce is generally used bybatant-ss Tanks, especially those specialized in defense, who want to level up fast.]

    ©»Exin, please.

    ©»Please make it easy for newbies to understand.

    [That Dungeon is optimized for high-Level, damage-dealing yers to massacre buffaloes. Buffaloes are aggressive and have strong attacking power, but their defense is rubbish. Simply put, they are damage-focused monsters. They don¡¯t have any resistance to life steal, so a high-Level damage dealer with life steal items can easily massacre them inrge numbers.]

    [The key factor is that those monsters are damage-focused. A high-Level yer can take a few hits even without any life steal items, but it¡¯s a whole different story for the low-Level yers that are there to level up.]

    Ultimately, some buffaloes would attack the low-Level yers. Reacting too strongly could lead to a swarm of buffalo attacks and eventually death.

    [In the end, to survive inside this Dungeon, you need to be able to easily deflect the buffaloes¡¯ attacks with minimal movements. And not many low-Level yers can do that, physically and mentally.]

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, anyone could use this Dungeon to level up, but his memory was slightly distorted. Not everyone could level up in the Dungeon; only those with enough defensive stats to withstand the buffaloes¡¯ attacks and the mentalposure to handle them calmly did. In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s view, it was just a ce for everyone.

    [It looks easy, though. If I go there, I can level up quickly too!]

    ©»Watching someone do it is always easier than actually doing it, you idiot.

    ©»Yeah, I can y ser better than Son Heung-Min[1] if I¡¯m just sitting in a chair watching the game.

    Many users shared links to videos of incidents in the Buffalo Temple on the Korean Region Minor Gallery. Contrary to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s distorted memory, the Buffalo Temple was quite challenging. The entry was limited to five yers, typically consisting of four high-Level yers and one low-Level yer. Only wealthy yers from affluent families could afford to hire four high-Level yers.

    [Both Zoro, who is dealing all that damage alone, and Chul-Soo, who seems unfazed at Level 170, are crazy.]

    ©»Did you not watch the livestream? He is Level 180 now.

    ©»Eh? In just two days?

    ©»You didn¡¯t watch the livestream for two whole days?

    ©»You¡¯re not intense enough. Tsk, tsk.

    ©»I repent. I was not intense enough. Please forgive me, Mr. IntenseMan.

    [Holy shit, Chul-Soo just reached Level 200. How is that even possible?]

    ©»Isn¡¯t that the fastest level-up up to date?

    ©»Wow, Chul-Soo is no longer a mid-Level yer.

    ©»Technically, with the Mythic-Grade Card, he¡¯s essentially Level 220!

    Jin-Hyeok had indeed reached Level 200 at an incredible speed, faster than even he had anticipated.

    <i>¡®This actually... works?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Right after he reached Level 200, a notification sounded for him.

    1. Son Heung-Min is a South Korean professional footballer who ys as a forward for and captains both Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the South Korea national team. Often regarded as the greatest Asian footballer of all time, he is known for his speed, finishing, two-footedness and ability to link y. ?

 Chapter 195

    <h4>Chapter 195</h4>

    <strong>[You have set a new universal record for leveling up the fastest in the 180-200 Level range.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Major Achievement ?Faster Than Anyone?.]</strong>

    Encyclopedia, a celebrity on the Korean Region Minor Gallery, was exhrated these days.

    <i>¡®Again! He did it again!¡¯</i>

    Because of Kim Chul-Soo, Encyclopedia had be a super-celebrity among the Named users. He boasted the highest viewership among the users who specialized in analysis, and he had gained a multitude of followers on his personal social media ount.

    Encyclopedia¡¯s analysis post on how Chul-Soo had defeated Makendra and instantly killed her, detailing the thorough setup process, had garnered over three hundred million views. Hence, Encyclopedia was desperate to analyze Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo has done it again!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s sess was also a victory for Encyclopedia.

    [Chul-Soo has reached Level 200.]

    [The System is in chaos. Chul-Soo has received the Major Achievement called Faster Than Anyone. He just registered it in the Hall of Fame.]

    ©»Are you serious? Is that a new universal record?

    ©»Obviously.

    Faster Than Anyone was a record given to yers who had leveled up the fastest for a specific range of Levels. This record was mostly held by yers from the Arvis Server, and the current records were so extraordinary that surpassing them seemed almost impossible.

    [Who originally held the universal record?]

    [We need you, Encyclopedia! Tell us!]

    [All hail Encyclopedia!]

    [Encyclopedia will tell us. Just wait.]

    Everybody wanted the onlinemunity celebrity, and Encyclopedia moved his fingers with great satisfaction.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s wait just five more minutes.¡¯</i>

    He was extremely proud to see the other users in such eager anticipation. Although he had intended to wait at least five minutes before responding, he could not suppress the impulse.

    Fifteen secondster, he was rapidly typing.

    <strong>[Kim Chul-Soo has set a new record for leveling up in the 180-200 Level range. His record,pleting the level-ups in less than forty-eight hours, surpasses the previous one for this range, held by the Arvis Server¡¯s Named yer ¡®Markwon¡¯, who took about fifty-five hours. The location was the same: the Buffalo Temple.]</strong>

    ©»As expected of Encyclopedia. Thumbs-up!

    ©»Who is this guy? How does he know everything?

    ©»Wow! So. Chul-Soo broke Markwon¡¯s record?

    ©»Who is Markwon?

    ©»You don¡¯t know Markwon? He¡¯s a super super super Named Tank from the Arvis Server. Actually, it is not clear if he is a Tank or not, but he ims to be one.

    After watching Chul-Soo¡¯s videos from multiple angles, Encyclopedia quickly published an analytical post.

    <strong>[Three factors yed a role in this new universal record.</strong>

    <strong><1> The presence of Zoro, a dual sword-wielding Damage Dealer and Tank.</strong>

    <strong><2> The unique characteristics of the Streamer Job.</strong>

    <strong><3> The party including only two members.</strong>

    <strong>I will write and share the detailed analysister. It will take about two hours.]</strong>

    For the next two hours, users eagerly sought Encyclopedia, and afterpleting his analysis, Encyclopedia finally posted his article. The post instantly received thousands of likes and became one of the top trending posts.

    <strong>[Streamers receive a leveling speed adjustment based on the number of their viewers and the viewers¡¯ reactions. There is a reason Streamers level-up the fastest. Chul-Soo currently has over four hundred million subscribers, and his livestreams reach an impressive eighty million concurrent viewers. (Typically, only five to ten percent of a Streamer¡¯s subscribers participate in livestreams. However, Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream attracts around twenty percent of his subscribers, which is almost double than that of a regr Streamer.)</strong>

    <strong><u>This indicates a remarkably high viewer-to-subscriber ratio, suggesting that he has arge number of loyal subscribers</u>. </strong>

    <strong>The question is whether a Streamer can survive in the Buffalo Temple. Many Streamers have attempted to level up in this Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>Attached links:</strong>

    <strong>eltube.abs/watch_...</strong>

    <strong>eltube.abs/watch_...</strong>

    <strong>As you can see in the links, most of them died in the Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>So, to survive in this Dungeon, a Streamer would need 1) the ability to focus on their livestream, 2) defensive stats as solid as that of an average Tank, 3) the ability to handle a few buffaloes on their own, and 4) the skill to stealthily take down the buffaloes without drawing aggro...</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>...Therefore, it is implicitly considered impossible, and most advanced Servers tacitly stipte a party having five members as an implicit rule. I did not attach separate videos, so I encourage you guys to look them up.</strong>

    <strong>In Chul-Soo¡¯s case, the elements <1>, the presence of Zoro, and <3>, the party including only two members,e into y.</strong>

    <strong>(Skipped)</strong>

    <strong>A Damage Dealer or Tank can be good at both roles, but it also means neither role is exceptionally outstanding. This trantes into a significant burden for the rtively lower-Level yer Chul-Soo.</strong>

    <strong>Chul-Soo will be recorded as a unique case whopletely took on this burden as a Streamer...</strong>

    <strong>(Skipped)</strong>

    <strong>Therefore, there is no room for debate about Chul-Soo¡¯s record being a new universal record. I predict that<u> Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s record will not be broken for at least several decades.</u></strong>

    <strong>With the hopes that Chul-Soo¡¯s record remains unbroken, this dedicated post is written by Kim Chul-Soo expert, Encyclopedia.]</strong>

    ©»Can someone summarize this?

    ©»Summary: Chul-Soo is amazing.

    ©»Thanks for the summary.

    Encyclopedia bit his fist and let out a happy scream. ¡°Normally, for a post this long, I would be getting hatements telling me to get lost...!¡±

    This was a risk he had to take. Such lengthy posts were not in line with the recent trends of the onlinemunity. Being concise was the norm; otherwise, one would be mocked as a boomer. However, today was different for him.

    ©»This analysis is incredible!

    ©»Shouldn¡¯t we be paying to read this kind of analysis? Seriously mind-blowing.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any hatements!¡±

    Instead, users were moring for even more analysis. For Encyclopedia, who had been in the business ofmentary and analysis for two hundred years, this was almost a first.

    ¡°Glory to Chul-Soo!¡± A green light flickered in Encyclopedia¡¯s eyes. It was true madness.

    <i>¡®A new universal record after a long time... What Major Achievement effect will he receive?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had not yet disclosed it, but Encyclopedia¡¯s mind was already brimming with tens of thousands of possibilities.

    <i>¡®The most likely effect would be that, but...¡¯</i>

    There was one remaining issue.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t it about time for Zoro to show his true intentions?¡¯</i>

    Zoro had not hesitated to go through hell to be stronger. Encyclopedia seemed to know why Zoro was helping Chul-Soo, and his fingers started to dance as if he were possessed.

    <strong>[ording to my prediction, an attack on Chul-Soo by Zoro is imminent. This is because of Zoro¡¯s...]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia.]</strong>

    ***

    ¡°You have been looking unwelltely,¡± Choi Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Do you need some time off?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As Lilia remained silent, Gap-Soo heartilyughed. ¡°Normally, you would say ¡®No, thank you for worrying about me.¡¯ Okay, I will give you a vacation. Would a week be enough?¡±

    ¡°...Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No wait. Take two weeks. Have a good trip!¡±

    Lilia received her vacation and headed to the Cherbyl Server.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here.¡¯</i>

    For Subi, the concept of a main Server was not really significant. They often wandered across numerous Servers, but for some reason, many Subi had settled in the Cherbyl Server. It was also the hometown of Lilia and Lucia.

    Lilia visited an orphanage.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The orphanage director was a Subus with orange hair and round sses. She was cautious of Lilia.

    ¡°I am Lucia¡¯s younger sister.¡±

    The director¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re Lucia¡¯s sister!¡±

    Lucia was one of the major sponsors of this orphanage.

    The director led Lilia in, and they had tea together.

    ¡°Yes, well, as you know, the situation isn¡¯t so good. Child abductions are stillmon, and the social perception of Subi is not very good,¡± the director said.

    Subi were known for their seduction skills. Their allure did not discriminate, and some Subi even destroyed happy families. However, this was the deviation of a few extreme or foolish Subi. Nevertheless, the majority of people despised the entire Subus race.

    [An unclean and filthy race.]

    [A dirty n that ruins peaceful families.]

    Such were the perceptions regarding Subi. Throughout their long history, Subi had faced oppression. They were also used as toys by the powerful. Even though the practice of using Subi as toys had disappeared from most Servers since the Arvis Server, a Server advocating for justice, gained dominance as a superpower, Subi¡¯s lives were miserable until as recently as two hundred years ago.

    ¡°Thanks to Lucia¡¯s support, over thirty children are growing up here.¡±

    Even two hundred years after the abolishment of the practice of using Subi as toys, many Subi still led miserable lives. That was why well-established Subi often sponsored other Subi. The only ones who helped the Subi were the Subi themselves. The reason they owned bars and inns on various Servers was mostly due to this.

    ¡°I intend to continue that support,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°Does that mean...¡±

    Rather than being happy, the director cautiously observed Lilia. There was only one reason why the donations had stoppeding.

    ¡°Yes. She was murdered a few days ago,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°... I see.¡±

    It was an all-too-familiar reality for the Subi. The director expressed deep condolences for Lucia¡¯s death and had a lengthy conversation with Lillia. She then introduced Lilia to the children in the orphanage.

    ¡°Kids, this is Aunt Lilia.¡±

    ¡°She looks like Aunt Lucia!¡±

    ¡°She is as pretty as Aunt Lucia!¡±

    The children were quite innocent. They warmly weed Lilia, knowing she was Lucia¡¯s sister. Some of them could not control their instincts and tried to enchant Lilia, but it was a harmless and cute action. Lilia called each child by their name, making eye contact with them and exchanging greetings.

    <i>¡®These children are the sprouts that my sister left behind, aren¡¯t they?¡¯</i>

    Lucia often used to say that she hoped the children would be happy and that they would not have to grow up in an environment like hers. To achieve that, she worked to earn money, believing that it brought happiness.

    <i>¡®I will take care of what you¡¯ve left behind, Lucia...¡¯</i>

    After finalizing the sponsorship agreement, Lilia took a photo with the children. To the right of a group photo of Lucia and the children hung a new one of Lilia and the children. The children in the photo on the right were older than those on the left.

    <i>¡®They are growing up healthy and well.¡¯</i>

    During her vacation, Lilia devoted herself to caring for the children. She also had a brief rtionship with the orphanage director. The difference between their ages was about seventy years, but that did not matter much.

    On thest day of their rtionship, the director said to Lilia, ¡°It seems you have someone else in your mind.¡±

    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°Very. A Subus in love... Does the other person know that you love them?¡±

    ¡°I think he might, or he might not. Or maybe he just doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°Lilia, you are truly charming. It seems that the other person doesn¡¯t realize your charm.¡±

    ¡°I wish he did.¡±

    ¡°If things don¡¯t work out,e to me. I really like you, Lilia.¡±

    ¡°I will think about it.¡±

    They shared a light kiss before saying their goodbyes.

    ¡°I am going to return to my ce in life now,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°Alright. I will be cheering for you from here, Lilia.¡±

    Lillia returned to Cheongdam-dong.

 Chapter 196

    <h4>Chapter 196</h4>

    Lilia could not believe what had happened to the workshop.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on...?¡¯</i>

    It was almost like a ruin left in the wake of a war. Various artifacts and materials were scattered around, and all sorts of potions and alchemical ingredients were out of ce.

    ¡°An explosion happened while I was researching alchemy, and I almost died. I had failed in mixing the most basic ingredients,¡± Choi Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Are you alright? You are not someone who makes such careless mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s been over a hundred years since I gathered basic ingredients myself. I have always left it to secretaries or assistants, haven''t I? And recently, you have been doing all that for me.¡± Gap-Soo sighed and shook his head.

    He continued, ¡°The workshop is a mess without you. I tried hiring others, but they were no help. I need you, after all. I will increase your sry tenfold if you continue working for me. How about it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why? Is ten times not enough? Then I will make it twenty.¡±

    Lilia knew why Gap-Soo was acting like this. He would not just throw around offers of tenfold or even twentyfold increases to keep someone from leaving him. Gap-Soo was generous with money on things he valued but frugal on things he deemed worthless.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you know about my situation,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°Not everything, but I have a rough idea.¡± Gap-Soo did not ask for details. He believed everyone had their own problems to deal with. ¡°I too had a rtionship with a Subus when I was young.¡±

    ¡°...Thank you for your offer.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You can take a couple more days off if you want.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lilia returned to her room and sat cross-legged. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Then she rummaged through people¡¯s dreams, eventually finding the person she was looking for.

    -¡°Mr. Kim Chul-Soo, this is a dream. But don¡¯t worry. It is true that I have feelings for you, but I don¡¯t intend to seduce you this way.¡±

    She conveyed the message through the dream.

    -¡°Thank you for avenging my sister¡¯s death. But my revenge is not over yet. Makendra did not act alone. The ck Alliance has been investing a lot in the Earth Sever. They might try to eliminate you. Since I care for you and intend to carry out my revenge, I want to bring down the ck Alliance. I will help you, as a Subus. ording to the Subiwork, the ck Alliance¡¯s leader is meeting with Egan Paul in America.¡±

    ***

    Around the same time, Sephia and Grandel, the leaders of the ck Alliance, met with Egan Paul.

    Grandel initiated the conversation. ¡°You¡¯re Egan Paul, the top Streamer on the official Earth Server ranking, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. And who might you be?¡± Egan was nervous. No one from the Avengers Army could stop these two. If they had decided to, they could annihte the Avengers Army at any moment. They were undoubtedly a powerful force from another Server.

    ¡°Then you would know about Chul-Soo, right?¡±

    Egan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yes, I do know him.¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you something. If you have apetitor, you need to mercilessly crush them. That is the world we live in.¡± Grandel chuckled. ¡°I will tell you how to crush Chul-Soo.¡±

    After hearing everything, Egan gulped and asked with feigned fear, ¡°If you have that much power, wouldn¡¯t it be better to do it yourself?¡±

    ¡°There are too manyplications for me to get directly involved.¡±

    ***

    After parting ways with Sephia and Grandel, Egan sat down with a stern face. The groveling, fearful demeanor he had shown in front of them was nowhere to be seen.

    <i>¡®What to do now...¡¯</i>

    Egan wanted to surpass Cha Jin-Hyeok. He was confident that one day, he would be a greater Streamer than Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It has to be me who crushes Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Him being the one who crushed Chul-Soo was very important to him. Egan wanted to stand above Chul-Soo as a Streamer against a Streamer. That was his new goal.

    <i>¡®Soon, Chul-Soo is going to face a crisis...¡¯</i>

    Currently, Chul-Soo was receiving help from a ranker from another Server. There was no immediate way to contact him, and even if there was, it was better not to do that for now.

    <i>¡®They said they were affiliated with the ck Alliance...¡¯</i>

    Although Grandel had not revealed much, Egan could infer a lot from their conversation.

    <i>¡®So, they are a mid-sized alliance that is neither a superpower alliance that can do anything at will nor a small-sized alliance that acts recklessly without considering others. They always have to be cautious.¡¯</i>

    That was why it seemed Grandel wanted to use Egan as a scapegoat instead of taking direct action. Sephia and Grandel had talked about swallowing Chul-Soo too, but Egan just assumed it was their euphemism.

    He made a phone call. ¡°Hey, Joseph. It¡¯s been a while. Let¡¯s have a drink. No, no special reason. Just friends enjoying a drink. How about it, bro?¡±

    <i>¡®Just friends enjoying a drink?¡¯ </i>Joseph knew something had to be going on. He was certain of it.

    ***

    ¡°Everyone close to me is either part of the Avengers Army or affiliated with their support teams. I want to share a personal connection with them, but it always ends up in business talk, which is no fun,¡± Egan ranted.

    Joseph casually shrugged and sipped his wine a bit.

    <i>¡®He is indirectly letting someone know that I am not part of the Avengers Army,¡¯ </i>Joseph inferred. <i>¡®He must be under surveince.¡¯</i>

    Joseph naturally clinked sses with Egan and continued the conversation.

    With his face flushed, Egan pretended to be slightly drunk and said, ¡°Nowadays, I don¡¯t have any secrets. Whatever I try to hide, journalist yers somehow find out. Detective-type yers dig it up, and even confidential documents get stolen by Thieves.¡±

    It seemed Egan had a secret to share. They spent most of their time reminiscing about old times like when they got stuck in a pit they dug at the beach and had to be rescued by the firefighters or arguing about who was the better fighter in their youth.

    After parting with Egan, Joseph spoke with Wang Yu-Mi. He had administrative rights to Yu-Mi¡¯s channel and conversed with her through administrator chat.

    -It seems like Egan wants to convey something to Jin-Hyeok. He appears to be under strict surveince.

    -Really? Does that mean we need him to pass on the information secretly? I know just the right person for the job.

    Yu-Mi went to Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop in Cheongdam-dong. Although getting an appointment there was usually hard, Yu-Mi had a good rtionship with Jin-Hyeok. So, she could visit the workshop without one.

    ¡°What? You didn¡¯te to see me?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°No, I think we need Lilia¡¯s help.¡±

    After a conversation, Lilia nodded. ¡°I will enter Egan¡¯s dream and talk to him.¡±

    Lilia entered Egan¡¯s dream and conversed with him. It was a very business-like and public conversation about the schemes of the ck Alliance¡¯s leaders, Sephia and Grandel.

    ¡°Mmmm...¡± Egan, who was sleeping, half-opened his eyes, still not fully sober. ¡°So... beautiful...¡±

    Lilia¡¯s face flickered in his mind. He was intoxicated by the dream for a while before pping his cheek toe back to his senses.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Egan looked puzzled. ¡°I was sure that I just dreamt of something.¡±

    It felt like a dream where he had met a gorgeous woman, but he could not remember it well. He tried to recall the dream, feeling somewhat disappointed.

    ¡°What was that dream abo... What? What the hell is this?¡± He was surprised to find that he had a wet dream after a long time.

    ***

    <strong>[Faster Than Anyone]</strong>

    <strong>[You have set a new universal record in the 180-200 Level range.</strong>

    <strong>The holder of this great record will receive a special buff for 24 hours.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement effect: When this buff is activated, experience points gained are increased by 120% for 24 hours.</strong>

    <strong>Note, this Achievement effect is one-time only.]</strong>

    After registering the Achievement in the Hall of Fame and observing it, Jin-Hyeok heard Zoro¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Like I promised, I helped you level up to 200. The rate of leveling up in the Buffalo Temple slows down drastically after Level 200. So, this is where we end¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Check out my Achievement effect. Turn on my livestream right now.¡±

    True to being Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subscriber, Zoro skillfully tuned into his livestream. ¡°That¡¯s an incredible Achievement effect. An increase of 120% is unheard of.¡±

    ¡°Help me out for just another twenty-four hours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit shameless. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Zoro said.

    ¡°What do you mean? You should obviously help me.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°If I get stronger, won¡¯t it be more fun for you? Isn¡¯t your reason for helping me is to have a more enjoyable fight with me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Then, since it¡¯se to this, help me level up for another twenty-four hours. I will make it more interesting for you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Okay.¡±

    To make the most out of the Achievement effect, they decided to take a short break.

    ¡°Alright, Let¡¯s meet again in eight hours.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Rest and meditation were essential for ensuring optimal conditions and efficiency.

    <i>¡®I guess I¡¯ll sleep first.¡¯</i>

    A Subus appeared in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s dream. He almost attacked her instinctively, but he recognized the face and held back.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s appearing in my dream now? Is she actually trying to seduce me?¡¯</i>

    The Lilia in the dream world was far more beautiful than the Lilia he had seen in the real world, possessing a more enchanting peach fragrance. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart started pounding.

    <i>¡®Is she going to use her seduction technique?¡¯</i>

    He felt like he needed to build up more immunity to such attacks to be at ease. Considering how long the Subus had waited, she probably had prepared a lot. He was looking forward to seeing how meticulously she would attempt to seduce him.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, it did not seem like she was trying to seduce him. Instead, she was passing on information she had gotten from Egan.

    <i>¡®Is this some kind of a new seduction technique?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure what to make of it.

    ¡°Zoro is going to attack you,¡± Lilia said in the dream.

    ¡°I know that.¡± Jin-Hyeok kept his guard up as they conversed. Every time Lilia spoke, the sweet scent of peaches seemed to fill his mouth.

    ¡°You knew?¡±

    ¡°I think he is after my Rule Breaker.¡±

    ¡°You knew that too?¡± Lilia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Her usual calm andposed demeanor made this reaction seem quite unusual and a bit cute.

    <i>¡®Wow... I was right. This IS a new seduction technique.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok quickly snapped out of it. The growing fondness he felt for Lilia indicated that this was a new seduction technique¡ªwhere she pretended not to seduce him while actually doing so.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to stop at stealing your Rule Breaker. Sephia and Grandel of the ck Alliance are also making a move.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, the artificially created Siamese twins?¡±

    Lilia was visibly startled.

    <i>¡®He is always intensely ying...¡¯ </i>she thought. It wasn¡¯t just direct y; he was involved in intense battles in every unseen aspect. That was probably how he had climbed to his current position.

    <i>¡®But even with such intensity, getting information about Sephia in the Earth Server shouldn¡¯t have been easy.¡¯</i>

    As she was trying to take over Lucia¡¯s role, Lilia became curious about how Jin-Hyeok had acquired such information. ¡°How did youe to know this?¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°Isn¡¯t thatmon knowledge?¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been easy to gather such information on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Sephia is pretty famous.¡± His expression suggested that this wasmon knowledge to everyone.

    Lilia tried to put it in perspective for him. ¡°What do you think the most famous country on Earth is? The United States, right?¡±

    ¡°Where are you going with this? But yes, I think so.¡±

    ¡°Do you know any well-known but mid-sizedpany in the United States?¡±

    ¡°No, why?¡±

    ¡°See? It¡¯s normal not to know.¡±

    Chul-Soo had no idea about the name of a mid-sizedpany owner in another Region on the same Server, but he knew the exact details about a mid-sized alliance leader from a different Server. Additionally, he was acting like this wasmon sense. It seemed learning anything from Chul-Soo would be difficult. His skills could not be exined by sheer intensity alone.

    ¡°Grandel, the brain behind it all, has crafted a scheme. They are going to use Egan,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°Egan?¡±

    The mention of Egan made Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart beat faster. Currently, Egan¡¯s subscriber count was 450 million, higher than Jin-Hyeok¡¯s. Of course, this number was likely exaggerated.

    <i>¡®Egan is like a mountain I have been unable to climb despite all my efforts,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He did not quite understand. Egan was inferior to him in terms of content quality, quantity, and intensity, yet had more subscribers and views.

    <i>¡®Numbers don¡¯t lie.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was unaware that numbers could indeed be misleading. Nevertheless, the mention of Egan made his eyes sparkle, and Lilia felt both happy and sad at this.

    <i>¡®He is much happier about Egan than me,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Though she knew it, it was still hurtful. Hiding her disappointment, she continued, ¡°I think the ck Alliance is going to give a mission to Zoro through Egan. Not just to steal the Rule Breaker but to assassinate you.¡±

 Chapter 197

    <h4>Chapter 197</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to fully agree with what Lilia had just said. ¡°Would Zoro really try to kill me over this?¡±

    Zoro was, in rtive terms, a sensibly insane person. Like Jin-Hyeok, he enjoyed having a good number ofpetitors around. Although it was annoying that he was thinking of taking the Rule Breaker, as a yer who wanted to be stronger, Jin-Hyeok could understand that sentiment to some extent.

    ¡°Maybe Zoro is helping me out because he enjoys it, but also perhaps because he feels a bit guilty?¡±

    The thought of just taking the Rule Breaker from Jin-Hyeok could prick Zoro¡¯s conscience.

    ¡°It seems that the Rule Breaker can only be upgraded with a certain method,¡± Lilia said.

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®Right, I forgot about that.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, the Rule Breaker that Zoro used was a pretty stylish ck sword. In contrast, the Rule Breaker that Jin-Hyeok used now was hammer-shaped. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Rule Breaker had its cute aspects, but it did not match the coolness of Zoro¡¯s Rule Breaker. The ck sword that Zoro wielded had been so trendy that it was nicknamed the most fashionable sword in the universe. Some even called it the most beautiful sword.

    ¡°I think that method is going to be a part of the mission,¡± Lilia said.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°In the end, Zoro is going to kill you, and I don¡¯t want you to die.¡± Lilia bit her lip.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I have already lost someone I loved. If I lose you too, I feel like I will be nothing.¡±

    <i>¡®...Is she watching a K-drama from twenty years ago?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew Lilia was not the most modern Subus, but these words were particrly cringeworthy. Normally, Jin-Hyeok would have been disgusted by them.

    <i>¡®But why does she think that I will lose? I¡¯m Level 200 now. But... why does my heart feel so weird?¡¯</i>

    The Seo sisters, Cha Jin-Sol, and now Lilia. Talking with them stirred strange feelings in him. Something intangible seemed to be wriggling in the cosmos of his inner self, but he could not quite figure out what it was.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°Can you promise me?¡¯

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    It was time for Jin-Hyeok to meet Zoro.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start leveling up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, help me level up.¡±

    Zoro faithfully helped Jin-Hyeok level up for the next twenty-four hours. During those twenty-four hours, Jin-Hyeok reached Level 204.

    After the Achievement effect time ended, Zoro showed his true colors.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo. There is something I need to get from you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It would be better for you if you just hand it over willingly.¡±

    ¡°So, what is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your Rule Breaker. It¡¯s an artifact I have been searching for decades.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew this all along, but he asked for the sake of formality, ¡°Did you help me level up just to steal my Rule Breaker? Was there a Level restriction to steal this bound item?¡±

    The sensibly insane person honestly answered, ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡±

    ***

    Egan yed the role of a Streamer filled with greed. ¡°Yes, I will do that.¡±

    The ck Alliance¡¯s Navigator opened the way to the Dungeon, and Egan immediately entered the Buffalo Temple.

    ¡°Yes, this is the infamous Buffalo Temple where Zoro is helping Chul-Soo level up. I have nned a unique and fun event here.¡±

    He promptly created his livestream title.

    [Is Kim Chul-Soo facing his end here?]

    Seeing the provocative title, viewers instantly flocked to the livestream.

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s end? What¡¯s that about?

    -Bullshit. This is just a clickbait. Who the hell would believe this?

    -But it seems like Chul-Soo and Zoro are about to fight.

    -Huh? Really?

    -Even if Chul-Soo has reached Level 200, can he really go toe-to-toe with a Swordsman around Level 220?

    -If Chul-Soo uses the Mythic-Grade Card, his Level is going to be 224. Their Levels are almost equal.

    The chat was much hotter than usual, and Egan, as he had promised to Sephia and Grandel, proposed a mission. ¡°Zoro, I want to give you a mission to kill Chul-Soo. How about it?¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Zoro did not seem to like Egan, who had suddenly intruded into the Dungeon. If Egan were not a Streamer, Zoro would have already cut him down.

    Egan, as practiced, confidently smiled and continued, ¡°I know the upgrade recipe for the Rule Breaker.¡±

    Zoro¡¯s expression hardened. He had been searching for the Rule Breaker for decades, but not because he needed it.

    ¡°If you kill Chul-Soo, I will give you the upgrade recipe,¡± Egan said.

    ¡°Why would you?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is mypetitor. If I can kill him, I should, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    This caused an uproar in the chat.

    -LOL, is he being serious? He can¡¯t surpass Chul-Soo, so he decides to kill him?

    -I¡¯m sure Egan has his reasons.

    -Reasons? He is just blinded by jealousy and has lost his mind, that¡¯s all.

    The users insulting Egan and those praising his wise decisions shed fiercely.

    -Egan has way more subscribers and livestream views. Honestly, calling it jealousy is a bit of an exaggeration.

    -Nah, it¡¯s all inted. If you actually check the forums, Chul-Soo¡¯s support is overwhelming.

    -Online forums and reality are two different things. ept that things can be different in reality.

    -Plenty of normal people don¡¯t go on onlinemunity stuff. It¡¯s idiots like you who think the onlinemunity is everything.

    -So, you¡¯re saying that if someone doesn¡¯t go on an onlinemunity, they¡¯re normal? This guy¡¯s really going overboard with generalizations.

    -This is part of Egan¡¯s grand n as a Streamer to create enjoyable content.

    Various conversations flew back and forth. Egan could not read everything in the exploding chat. He zoomed in on Zoro¡¯s expression. Fortunately, he captured the Swordsman¡¯s contemtive and then decisive expressions.

    -What¡¯s going to happen to Chul-Soo?

    -Is he actually going to die?

    -Let¡¯s face it. Chul-Soo is a Level Grinder right now. He¡¯s going to lose the fight.

    ¡°Chul-Soo. Think of it as bad luck.¡±

    Zoro and Chul-Soo shed.

    ***

    <i>¡®He is going to hit the bottom,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Many types of Swordsmen existed, and Zoro was a pattern-type Swordsmen. He exchanged sword strikes with his opponent using certain patterns and habits.

    <i>¡®And next, the middle.¡¯</i>

    As it was a movement all too familiar to Zoro, it flowed naturally like water.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s fast.¡¯</i>

    Even though Jin-Hyeok knew the pattern of Zoro¡¯s attack, blocking the sword wasn¡¯t easy. Jin-Hyeok had already applied the +20 Level effect of the Mythic-Grade Card.

    <i>¡®Here, he will either thrust at my abdomen or create distance and shoot a sharp Sword Aura. It¡¯s one of the two.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not urately predict what Zoro¡¯s next move would be since the preparatory technique was the same for two different attacks. During his days as a Swordsman, he had to rely purely on instinct, but now it was different.

    <i>¡®He is going to step back.¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level increased exponentially, his Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance also became stronger. With its help, he could perceive Zoro¡¯s actions a bit more clearly and concretely. Jin-Hyeok felt a bit more at ease because he knew that Zoro was about to create distance.

    ¡°A Streamer needs to have good eyes,¡± As soon as Jin-Hyeok spoke, the situation changed rapidly, even though his intuition and Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance had confirmed that Zoro was going to create distance.

    <i>¡®But he¡¯sing at me!¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok focused on the livestream, a slight opening emerged, and Zoro did not miss it. Zoro quickly changed his original n and closed the distance between them. He truly had the demeanor of a prominent Swordsman. It was toote for Jin-Hyeok to block the attack with the Greatsword of La¡¯kan.

    <i>¡®Fortunately, there are no follow-up attacks after this.¡¯</i>

    Zoro thrust his sharp sword. However, Jin-Hyeok focused on a single point of the attack and blocked Zoro¡¯s attack with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    <i>¡®The pain is quite intense.¡¯</i>

    Although it hurt, Zoro¡¯s sword was unable to prate Jin-Hyeok¡¯s chest. It seemed that Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier had considerably improved as Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level had risen considerably.

    Zoro stepped back for a moment and admired it. ¡°That barrier is really overpowered.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure the name of that barrier is Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°I have met many Streamers in the 200 Level range. I have met many Streamers having higher Levels than me. But their Broadcaster¡¯s Barriers and your Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier are quite different. It¡¯s as if... a seasoned Swordsman has mastered Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged. ¡°And your sword is not as fierce as I thought.¡±

    <i>¡®Now, he¡¯s going to enter the second phase.¡¯</i>

    Pattern-type Swordsmen had the advantage of maximizing efficiency with minimal stamina, but on the flip side, they showed weakness to opponents who knew their patterns. That was why they had a certain limit to their growth.

    ¡°How far do you think you can grow with just your standardized patterns?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s next? Increase your mana to boost your speed?¡±

    Zoro was indeed going to increase his speed forcibly. It consumed a lot of mana, but he employed a form of dual swordsmanship that minimized stamina loss with familiar patterns.

    <i>¡®What are you nning to do about this?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Time-Lapse Recording?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Speed: 0.6x]</strong>

    ¡°Just so you know, this is 0.6x speed. It¡¯s like a forty percent debuff,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s like a Skill from a top-tier Debuffer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer, after all.¡±

    Egan, clinging to his sanity, closely watched their duel.

    <i>¡®They seem evenly matched!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    However, the more he watched them, the more Chul-Soo seemed at ease. Zoro was the more anxious one.

    -Can we really call Chul-Soo a Level Grinder at this point?

    -Who the hell said Chul-Soo was a Level Grinder?

    -Do you think Zoro is giving his best? So far, he is just toying with Chul-Soo.

    -What are you smoking? It looks like Zoro is the one who¡¯s serious. Are you blind? LOL

    -I have a feeling that Chul-Soo is just answering every question with ¡°I¡¯m a Streamer, after all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was good with a sword because he was a Streamer. He had excellent eyes because he was a Streamer. He applied debuffsparable to that of a top-tier Debuffer because he was a Streamer.

    -Were Streamers always this strong?

    -Anonymous: It turns out that the Streamer Job is actually an overpowered Job.

    Zoro sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to show this swordsmanship on this livestream.¡±

    However, Chul-Soo was unexpectedly strong. He was not just strong for a Level 220 Streamer; even for Zoro, a Level 220 Swordsman, Jin-Hyeok was extraordinarily powerful. It appeared that Jin-Hyeok had already fully assimted the power enhancements that came with his rapid level-ups. He was definitely not a Level Grinder.

    <i>¡®Is this what true talent and genius look like? </i>Zoro thought.

    He was very disappointed.

    <i>¡®If it weren¡¯t for the situation, I would have wholeheartedly supported your true talent.¡¯</i>

    Given a few more years or even months, Chul-Soo would undoubtedly have be stronger than him. The fact that Zoro would not be able to see such a formidable yer grow was regrettable.

    Zoro took a stance with his dual swords, while a ck tiger made of mana writhed behind him. ¡°I am revealing my final attack for the first time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok held the Rule Breaker in his left hand and took the same stance as Zoro.

    Zoro grimaced as he recited the sword technique. ¡°To sing of the emperor¡¯s might.¡±

    ¡°To sing of the emperor¡¯s might.¡± Jin-Hyeok repeated the same words.

    Even as he gathered his mana, Zoro was bbergasted.

    <i>¡®Does he think imitating my technique will work?¡¯</i>

    ¡°There is nothing to fear.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to fear.¡±

    Zoro leaned slightly forward and sprung like a coil, instantly closing the distance. ¡°The Song of the ck Tiger.¡±

    As Zoro swung his sword, two ck tigers made of mana, baring their sharp teeth, lunged toward Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok did the same thing. ¡°The Song of the ck Tiger.¡±

    ¡°Do you think imitating me will work?!¡± Zoro shouted in frustration.

    He was very disappointed. In a critical situation, clumsily copying someone else¡¯s technique was useless. One needed to block with a well-practiced technique, even if that technique was not powerful.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s current choice was wrong on so many levels.

    <i>¡®I feel foolish for having thought you were a true talent. You might as well die like this.¡¯</i>

    Seeing Chul-Soo¡¯s foolish choice, Zoro felt he would have no regrets killing the Streamer. With the wildly rampaging ck tigers, Zoro swung his sword again.

    <i>¡®What?¡¯</i>

    Somethingpletely unexpected happened.

    <i>¡®What the hell?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 198

    <h4>Chapter 198</h4>

    As Cha Jin-Hyeok had surpassed Level 200, Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance had gained a new ability.

    <strong>[Imitation]</strong>

    <strong>[A skilled Broadcaster should be able to understand and ry the actions of their subject more urately. </strong>

    <strong>To deeply understand the subject, it is necessary to imitate their actions.</strong>

    <strong>Bing the subject and acting as them is the best way to analyze and understand them from multiple angles.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    This reminded Jin-Hyeok of the effect of his Mythic-Grade Card: To Stand at the Summit of that Path.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t this a bit redundant?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok would be somewhat disappointed if his new ability and the ability of the Mythic-Grade Card were simr. He did not think his audience would appreciate the same type of performance.

    <i>¡®Still, I should give it a try.¡¯</i>

    He was not sure if Imitation was more efficient than the Mythic-Grade Card, but efficiency was not everything. Jin-Hyeok was a Streamer, not a Swordsman. As a Streamer, his priority was to produce good content and give a more impressive performance.

    <i>¡®Imitating his Skill should be easy.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had already experienced Zoro¡¯s sword technique several times. From Zoro¡¯s perspective, this would be Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first encounter with that sword technique. However, in reality, that wasn¡¯t the case. Jin-Hyeok had experienced the Song of the ck Tiger technique several times before his regression. It was a sword technique that had given Jin-Hyeok a painful defeat, so he had spent a long time studying how to counter it.

    <i>¡®Hm... It works.¡¯</i>

    It felt asfortable as perfectly fitted clothes. Apparently, Jin-Hyeok¡¯spatibility with the Imitation Skill was quite good. ck tigers created with his mana started to appear behind him.

    <i>¡®Why do I have three tigers when Zoro only has two?¡¯</i>

    Five ck tigers tangled and fought each other. Zoro¡¯s ck tigers were stronger individually, but Jin-Hyeok had the upper hand in numbers.

    <i>¡®Why does this seem to work so well?¡¯</i>

    The ck tigers Jin-Hyeok created handled Zoro¡¯s troublesome ck tigers. Hence, Jin-Hyeok only needed to focus on Zoro¡¯s sword.

    <i>¡®Wow, he¡¯s really fast!¡¯</i>

    This was the advantage a pattern-type Swordsman enjoyed in battles. While theycked adaptability in certain situations, they disyed consistent performance.

    Jin-Hyeok also drew his sword, lightly deflecting Zoro¡¯s attack.

    <i>¡®I will just deflect the path of the sword.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was nning on using Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier on the attacks that could not be deflected.

    Suddenly, the trajectory of Zoro¡¯s sword changed. Zoro threw the sword in his right hand on the ground. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword cut through nothing but air.

    ¡°I knew how you would react like that,¡± Zoro said. He shifted the sword in his left hand to his right. Then he rotated half a turn, swinging his sword from right to left. The rotational force added to the fierceness of the de.

    <i>¡®I haven¡¯t seen this pattern before.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Greatsword of La¡¯kan could not keep up with Zoro¡¯s attack speed.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Zoro¡¯s sword struck him in the neck, and Jin-Hyeok felt dizzy. He could feel his body copsing.

    <i>¡®Wow. It¡¯s been a while since I felt this powerless.¡¯</i>

    ¡°The Song of the ck Tiger is the sword of Instant Kill,¡± Zoro said.

    Jin-Hyeok faced death once again.

    ***

    The Song of the ck Tiger was an ability that maximized the probability of Instant Kill. If the yer could urately strike a vital point for a critical hit, it would nearly always result in an instant kill with almost a hundred percent probability. However, due to therge movements and the high risk of counterattack associated with this ability, it could not be used recklessly.

    Zoro looked down at the fallen Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Just like you thought of your thorough setup, so did I,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    He had not expected to use this setup against Chul-Soo, a Streamer who had recently leveled up to 200.

    <i>¡®You read my patterns too quickly as if you had fought me several times before.¡¯</i>

    That was both a strength and a weakness for Chul-Soo.

    Zoro nced back and spoke to Egan. ¡°I made him think he had read all my moves. So, Chul-Soo became too confident in his attacks. You can say that Chul-Soo wascent, and I took that opportunity to execute my sword technique.¡±

    Zoro exined his thought process to Egan. This was also a way to ask for the upgrade recipe of the Rule Breaker as the mission reward.

    However, instead of replying to Zoro, Egan pointed behind him. ¡°Look!¡±

    Zoro hastily moved to dodge an attacking from behind him. Jin-Hyeok had gotten up and swung his sword.

    ¡°...You!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re indeed fast. I thought I could at least hit you from behind.¡±

    At that moment, Zoro realized something. ¡°Extra Life?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You said that you¡¯ve been watching my livestream from the beginning, but how could you forget that?¡±

    Zoro chuckled in disbelief.

    <i>¡®I was so blinded by the Rule Breaker that I missed the basics,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    ¡°I gotta say. Your sword hurts like a bitch,¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a smile.

    ¡°This time, I will painlessly end your life for good.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can let you do that.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You see... I¡¯ve got my content for the day.¡± Jin-Hyeok rotated his arm. He had staged his death and fully demonstrated his newly acquired Imitation Skill. ¡°With a Streamer¡¯s eye, I can see exactly how the Song of the ck Tiger ability works.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You might be doing it intuitively, but I see it concretely. I can even see how the Skill maximizes the effect of Instant Kill.¡±

    The ck tiger absorbed the surrounding energy like a ck hole. Its sharp teeth and ws weren¡¯t really that important.

    ¡°How should I exin it for you to understand... Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    Zoro could not just charge in and kill Jin-Hyeok. He felt that his fate was telling him to stop and listen.

    ¡°Imagine there are threads around a person, many connected strands. Oh, think of a marite with strings attached. I think it¡¯s easier that way.¡±

    Zoro realized Jin-Hyeok was trying to teach him something, and his heart fluttered.

    ¡°The energy of the ck tiger cuts the strings attached to the arms, legs, and head.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That maximizes the chances of Instant Kill activating.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you use Instant Kill when all the strings are cut, the opponent will die no matter what. However, the strings reconnect instantly, so timing the ability is tricky,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined, still smiling. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve taught you the principle, consider this as a payback for helping me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok closed the distance with Zoro and swung his sword. The swords shed.

    <i>ng!</i>

    At that moment, Zoro sensed something was off.

    <i>¡®His sword is much heavier! This bastard was hiding his true power!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok smirked and said, ¡°This is how a Streamer hides their power.¡±

    He activated the Munchkin Trait, which could be activated only on other Servers.

    ***

    KimKnowItAllTV¡¯s chat was aze.

    -What the hell? What just happened?

    At the moment of Chul-Soo¡¯s death, numerous viewers had cried,ughed, enjoyed, and mourned. When he had revived due to Extra Life, some were relieved, thinking that Chul-Soo always had a n, and others boasted that they knew it all along.

    Even though all viewers were watching the same situation, a variety of reactions were inevitable. However, right now, the reactions were almost unanimous.

    -What the?

    -Why is Chul-Soo dominating?

    -It looks like Chul-Soo is much stronger.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s Greatsword of La¡¯kan relentlessly pressured Zoro. Zoro appeared to be struggling just to fend off Chul-Soo¡¯s attack.

    -Wait, did Chul-Soo go easy on Zoro because of his content?

    -Did he just die for his content? Who the hell would do that?

    -Well, there¡¯s Chul-Soo to start...

    The viewers poured out numerous opinions on how this could be possible, and Chul-Soo gave them the answer.

    ?This is how a Streamer hides their power.?

    -Wooow! Is that really possible?

    -How can a Streamer hide their power against a Swordsman?

    -This is a truly magnificent performance.

    As time passed, Zoro became drenched in sweat.

    -Wow, look at that delicate swordsmanship!

    -How can he be a Streamer? He¡¯s more like a Swordsman.

    -Seems slow and smooth, but actually super fast.

    Wang Yu-Mi forgot her role as a Storyteller and became immersed in watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Unlike Zoro, who was tense all over, Jin-Hyeok was rxed. He moved lightly and quickly, yet sharply targeted Zoro¡¯s weaknesses.

    -I think Chul-Soo is blocking the attacks that he can¡¯t deflect with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier while attacking Zoro continuously.

    -He can attack and defend at the same time! Seems overpowered to me.

    A heated discussion ensued on how this could be possible, and the viewers reached a conclusion.

    -Of course, a Streamer should be capable of both defending and attacking.

    Tanks and damage-dealing yers expressed rtive feelings of deprivation.

    -How is this fair?

    -So unfair, LOL. I¡¯m speechless! I put my soul into bing a Tank, and there is a Streamer who can defend better than me...

    -This is proof that the Earth Server GMs totally failed at bncing difficulty.

    -I feel so deprived!

    -I don¡¯t want to y anymore. Honestly, isn¡¯t this way too unfair for other yers?

    -If you feel it¡¯s unfair, imagine how Zoro feels right now.

    -You think you¡¯re more aggrieved than Zoro? LOL

    Jin-Hyeok dominated Zoro, feeling ted.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s so good to have a rough idea of when Instant Kill will trigger.¡¯</i>

    Zoro was a yer whose skills were often overrated due to his possession of the Instant Kill ability. His opponents were naturally cautious against Instant Kill, making it hard for them to fully unleash their abilities against him.

    Jin-Hyeok started to have some regrets about his past battles with Zoro.

    <i>¡®I should have just fought without worrying about his Instant Kill ability. The probability of it triggering seems low anyway.¡¯</i>

    Being overly concerned about Zoro¡¯s Instant Kill had been one of the reasons for his past failures.

    <i>¡®Well, even considering all that, I have now surpassed my past self.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart started pounding.

    Before his regression, even if he did not worry about the Instant Kill ability, he could not have dominated Zoro like he was doing right now. Of course, Jin-Hyeok was reaping the benefits of the Time-Lapse Recording Skill, but that too was a part of his abilities.

    <i>¡®If the Levels are matched, it is not too difficult to take on a Swordsman.¡¯</i>

    The fact that Zoro was a pattern-type Swordsman yed a part in it, but despite that, this achievement was encouraging. Victory seemed certain within a few minutes.

    <i>¡®Then, I can safely say that I have be much stronger than I was in the past.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered whether, with this rate of growth, retirement was really necessary. At this point, even discussing retirement seemed meaningless. He seriously considered not retiring at all.

    <i>¡®What do I need to do to not retire at all?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had wanted to stop bing stronger, but now he had a different n.

    -This is crazy. A Streamer from the Earth Server is dominating a top Swordsman from another Server, and it¡¯s a low-Level Streamer at that!

    -Are we all being fooled here?

    -Are Chul-Soo and Zoro coborating for a staged livestream?

    -This is totally scripted, LOL

    -If you can¡¯t understand it, it¡¯s scripted? Wow~ Is there anything real in your world?

    Yu-Mi clenched her fist and began typing rapidly.

    [Mr. IntenseMan has opened a new horizon for us! >_<]

    Advancing toward uncharted territory was challenging. However, it was different when there was a leader who could pioneer the way for the others. Chul-Soo was bing a leader for Earth¡¯s yers. He was the standard and the benchmark.

    ¡°Everyone can y like Chul-Soo!¡± Yu-Mi said with a bright smile. Her fingers continued to move busily.

    [Our goal is to be like Kim Chul-Soo~?]

    -I agree!

    -22222

    -333333

    <i>¡®After today, the overall level of the Earth Server is going to rise significantly.¡¯ </i>Yu-Mi was certain.

 Chapter 199

    <h4>Chapter 199</h4>

    Zoro lost both his swords. One had broken, and the other had left his powerless hands. He gasped for breath as he kneeled on one leg. ¡°You really were hiding your true strength.¡±

    ¡°I am a Streamer, after all.¡±

    Zoro felt a profound sense of defeat.

    <i>¡®While I was distracted by the Rule Breaker and forgot about his Extra Life, Kim Chul-Soo was making thorough calctions and setups for his livestream.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had been fighting on a level above him. Zoro had felt after just a couple of shes that Chul-Soo was hiding his true power. Even while leveling up to Level 204, Chul-Soo had meticulously concealed his true self. Zoro wondered if Chul-Soo had yet to reveal all his abilities even now.

    <i>¡®I was rambling on about how Chul-Soo was a true talent, while I didn¡¯t even know anything about him.¡¯</i>

    Zoro had no choice but to acknowledge hisplete defeat.

    ¡°I never thought I would lose to a yer who just reached Level 200, especially a nonbatant-ss yer.¡± Zoro closed his eyes. ¡°Kill me.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°Is this also part of your performance? I was going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°I am also interested in knowing about how to upgrade the Rule Breaker. How about I make you a deal?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok was not particrly interested in whether Zoro lived or died. His primary concern was acquiring the most stylish sword in the universe. It seemed like Egan Paul knew somewhat about the upgrade recipe, but that was not enough.

    ¡°I really want to upgrade the Rule Breaker. How about you trade your life for the information you know?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Zoro had been researching the Rule Breaker for decades. Jin-Hyeok judged that he would definitely need Zoro to upgrade his Rule Breaker perfectly.

    Yet, Zoro remained unmoved. ¡°It¡¯s only fair that I offer my life since I aimed for yours.¡±

    Several heated exchanges followed. Eventually, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret your decision.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯d be okay with not being able to see how much stronger I be?¡± Jin-Hyeok snorted.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°I am only around Level 200 right now. And I consider myself a Level Grinder at the moment.¡±

    ¡°...Level Grinder? You consider yourself a Level Grinder?¡± In Zoro¡¯s eyes, Jin-Hyeok was far from being just a Level Grinder.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? My leveling speed was the fastest in the entire universe. I didn¡¯t even have time to get used to this.¡±

    It was only thanks to his memories as a Swordsman that Jin-Hyeok was able to draw out even this much power.

    Zoro was speechless for a while. He realized that standards differed from person to person and that his standards were different from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s. He also realized that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were probably the right ones!

    ¡°So what do you think will happen when I level up even more and when I am no longer a Level Grinder?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? Don¡¯t you wanna see?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    -Wow! The audacity!

    -LOL! But it seems like Zoro is getting convinced!

    -How is he getting convinced by that? LOL!

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s reasoning behind his persuasion is a bit weird, haha.

    ¡°I am going to be incredibly strong, you know,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -That confidence is insane, LOL.

    -But we all know he¡¯s not talking out of his ass.

    -Honestly, I¡¯m also curious about how strong he can get.

    Finally, the defeated Zoro replied, ¡°What do I need to do?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words made Zoro want to live. The Swordsman yearned to witness Chul-Soo¡¯s growth with his eyes. However, Zoro believed that everything came with a price; hence, he had thought that for attempting to kill Chul-Soo, he needed to pay with his life.

    ¡°No, wait. I will first steal the upgrade recipe of the Rule Breaker from that guy. Hold on a second.¡± Zoro walked toward Egan.

    Egan frantically waved his hands. ¡°W-Wait! I¡¯m just a Strea¡ª AHHH!¡±

    It was an unfortunate event for Egan. After torturing Egan for a while, Zoro said, ¡°Are you still not going to give me the upgrade recipe?¡±

    Egan could not speak properly, with his lips swollen and several teeth broken. ¡°I never said I wouldn¡¯t tell!¡±

    ¡°What a resilient yer.¡±

    <i>¡®I never said I was being resilient!¡¯ </i>Egan wanted to yell it, but his body wouldn¡¯t obey.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    After giving Egan some more horrific treatment, Zoro finally obtained the upgrade recipe. He then handed the paper with the recipe to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°It took some time because he¡¯s tight-lipped.¡±

    Egan wanted to curse Zoro but couldn¡¯t. All he could do wasy on the ground, groaning.

    -I¡¯d say that¡¯s enough to get him talking.

    -I¡¯m just surprised Egan isn¡¯t dead.

    -Honestly, I would spill everything after getting tortured like that.

    Zoro grabbed Egan by the cor and lifted him. ¡°Who sent you? What? You are not going to tell me?¡±

    Right before another catastrophe urred, Jin-Hyeok intervened. ¡°You can find it in Egan¡¯s livestream. I think their names were Sephia and Grandel. They introduced themselves as the heads of the ck Alliance.¡±

    ¡°Stubborn guy. He¡¯s refusing to talk till the end,¡± Zoro said while letting Egan go.

    <i>¡®I was not being stubborn, you damn bastard!¡¯</i> Egan felt wronged, but he could not express his grievances in the face of brutal force.

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s theplete recipe?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the leaders of the ck Alliance. They would never hand over theplete recipe. This must be just a part of it.¡±

    ¡°That might be true...¡±

    ¡°To get theplete recipe, we need to find Sephia or Sophia, or whatever the hell her name is.¡± Jin-Hyeok announced through his own livestream and Egan¡¯s, ¡°You, the Siamese twins, I will be the one to kill you.¡±

    ***

    <strong>[Do you wish to delete your Avatar, yer name ?Gollum??]</strong>

    Gollum was an alternative character that the Great Navigator Golumberum had created to enjoy ying in the new Earth Server. That character had now been deleted. Golumberum, the Navigator belonging to the Desert Alliance in the strongest Server, Arvis, had returned.

    Marshmallow, the vice alliance leader of the Desert Alliance, weed Golumberum¡¯s return. ¡°Why are you back? You said your main character was not fun anymore!¡±

    Most of the members of the Desert Alliance had at least one alternative character. The minimum requirement to create an alternative character was achieving Level 250 on the main character.

    ¡°I met someone who reminded me of my initial passion,¡± Golumberum said.

    ¡°Really? On the Earth Server?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Marshmallow incredulouslyughed. He could not believe that someone from a lower-tier Server like Earth had inspired Golumberum. ¡°I think it¡¯s less about someone amazing inspiring you and more about you finding something to get inspired.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Kim Chul-Soo. He gave me many inspirations, showed me a side of myself that I had forgotten,¡± Golumberum replied.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo? That name sounds familiar.¡±

    ¡°You will know soon enough. It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you think so highly of him.¡±

    ¡°Yes. He... was the real deal. Maybe someday...¡± Golumberum hesitated before adding, ¡°...he might even surpass you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s his Job?¡±

    ¡°Streamer.¡±

    ¡°Streamer?¡± Marshmallow burst outughing. ¡°Has he received a gold button yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Currently, he has about four hundred million subscribers.¡±

    ¡°And you think he will surpass me?¡± Marshmallow shook his head in disbelief. ¡°When I was Awakened, I already had three hundred million subscribers. By the time I reached Level 10, it was already four hundred million.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s thanks to your parents.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that also a talent?¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s parents were high-Level rankers of the previous generation. They were not just any rankers, but those from the Arvis Server. Just by being their son, Marshmallow had drawn three hundred million subscribers from across the universe.

    ¡°Well, anyway, if the Great Navigator speaks so highly of him, I should at least remember his name. What was it again?¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo. Remember it.¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo... Alright, I¡¯ll remember.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any Dungeons you would like to send me to?¡±

    Marshmallow satisfactorily smiled. He didn¡¯t think much of the yer Kim Chul-Soo, but it was encouraging that the Great Navigator, who had hit a growth limit and found no more joy in ying as his main character, had regained interest in his Job.

    ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s make a Q&A video to celebrate the Great Navigator¡¯s return! It will get good views.¡±

    It would be great content for his Eltube channel.

    ***

    Encyclopedia was engulfed with a great shock. He felt as if his entire body had suddenly turned cold. This was in stark contrast to the chat of the Korean Region Minor Gallery and KimKnowItAllTV, which were aze right now.

    ¡°What the...¡± He nkly stared at the screen for a while before furiously ruffling his hair. ¡°The precision of Chul-Soo¡¯s analysis is a secondary issue.¡±

    While it was surprising that Chul-Soo had exined the principles of the Song of the ck Tiger, that was still understandable. The real issue was Chul-Soo''s Imitation ability.

    <i>¡®There were definitely three of them.¡¯</i>

    They were ck tigers of almost the same quality as the ones materialized by Zoro.

    Overwhelmed by the shock, Encyclopedia banged on the door of the house next door.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    His neighbor was his childhood friend, known by the yer name Marshmallow. Marshmallow and Encyclopedia, who had been close friends since childhood, were still very close.

    Wearing a marshmallow-shaped hat and pajamas, Marshmallow opened the door. ¡°Why are you making such a racket?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you have the Imitation ability, right?¡±

    ¡°Imitation?¡± Marshmallow tilted his head in confusion. After thinking for a while, he finally remembered. ¡°Ah, the one I used when I was two years old?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that one.¡±

    Most Streamers of the Arvis Server had the Imitation ability. Even if they did not have innate talents like Marshmallow, they usually mastered Imitation at an intermediate Level.

    ¡°How urately can you replicate an opponent¡¯s Skills?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    ¡°It depends on what the opponent¡¯s Skill is.¡±

    ¡°A Skill that can nearly raise the probability of Instant Kill activation to one hundred percent.¡±

    ¡°Man, there aren¡¯t many of those in the entire universe. What was his name? Zoro, wasn¡¯t it? I think he uses it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that one. How urately can you imitate it?¡±

    ¡°Why would a Streamer replicate that?¡±

    ¡°Just tell me. How urately can you do it!¡± Encyclopedia yelled.

    Marshmallow covered his ears. ¡°Why are you yelling so early in the morning? Jeez!¡±

    ¡°Please tell me.¡±

    ¡°Are you that desperate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Then call me hyung.¡±

    ¡°Hyung.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you really are desperate.¡± The marshmallow-shaped hat on Marshmallow tilted slightly. ¡°Say it again.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Hyung.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re serious.¡± Eventually, Marshmallow answered, ¡°I guess I can mimic a simr shape or something.¡±

    ¡°Can you produce the same effect as Zoro does?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? That¡¯s not imitation. That¡¯s copying. Even I can¡¯t do that easily.¡±

    ¡°Right? So you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s not supposed to be easy, right?¡±

    Marshmallow straightened his hat. Seeing Encyclopedia¡¯s demeanor, he too became more serious. ¡°Did anyone copy such a Skill with Imitation?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Who is he?¡± What does he do? Does he have a specialized Job?¡±

    ¡°Nope, he is just a Streamer?¡±

    ¡°What? A Streamer used Imitation to copy a Skill of that grade perfectly?¡±

    ¡°Even more impressive. In some aspects, it was superior to Zoro¡¯s Skill.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. How is that even possible?¡±

    Encyclopedia showed him a recorded video.

    After watching the video, Marshmallow incredulouslyughed and asked, ¡°And there is no sign of any editing done to this video?¡±

    ¡°Nope, this is the original. And I also saw it live.¡±

    Marshmallow looked at Encyclopedia with disbelief. ¡°Yo, what the hell is going on? How is this possible?¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t know either.¡±

    ¡°Imitation is not supposed to work like this.¡± Marshmallow looked at the video for a long time before asking, ¡°What¡¯s this guy¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Kim... Chul-Soo?¡± A spark of interest appeared in Marshmallow¡¯s eyes.

    Encyclopedia would realize why Marshmallow looked so interested only a few dayster.

    <strong>[...It is like a mysterious power. As Chul-Soo already has experience copying an opponent¡¯s abilities through the Mythic-Grade Card¡¯s ability several times, we can only infer that it maximized the Imitation ability¡¯s effect. (However, it is difficult to consider this a perfect analysis.) It might also be interpreted as the application of the All-Rounder Trait, but producing such an effect with just the All-Rounder Trait alone would be hard.</strong>

    <strong>(Skipped.)</strong>

    <strong>...So, I have to be a bit cautious writing this, but it could be that Chul-Soo has already acquired the legendary Munchkin Trait, which is only spoken in legends.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok also saw Encyclopedia¡¯s post on the Korean Region Minor Gallery. Numerous users fiercely shed with each other over the mysterious Trait called Munchkin. It was the hottest topic of recent controversies, with viewers andments skyrocketing on the post. Other posts rted to Chul-Soo were also being posted in onlinemunities all the time.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. This was great content for his Eltube channel. He started his livestream.

    [Munchkin.]

    The title of the livestream was simple.

 Chapter 200

    <h4>Chapter 200</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok met with Wang Yu-Mi after a long time and filmed a video in the form of an interview.

    ¡°Wow, the Munchkin Trait! Just hearing about it makes my heart swell with excitement! Does such a Trait really exist?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    Jin-Hyeok could not tell if she had used a special Skill, but colorful question marks kept appearing and disappearing above her head. Soon after, a [>.<] emote popped up. Hidden behind the round sses, her eyes were filled with madness. Jin-Hyeok had always felt that she was kind of scary.

    ¡°If such a Trait exists, I would like to have it too,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°ording to my research, there has been only one yer in history with the Munchkin Trait.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®Where did she get that information? I never heard of the Munchkin Trait even before my regression.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Known as the sexiest Demon King in the universe, Garbinu! He is the only Demon to have ruled Arvis! They say he possessed the Munchkin Trait.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok had never heard of that name before. It seemed to him like she had picked up some weird information from somewhere.

    <i>¡®His name sounds like the word </i>garbage<i>.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So, you are saying that the almighty IntenseMan does not have the Munchkin Trait?¡±

    [>_<?]

    <i>¡®I think I might go crazy with all those emotes.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    Yu-Mi was leading this livestream, and she had nned the content. After the simple interview, what followed was the Majang Lake Dungeon clear in Paju. This Dungeon was known to be extremely difficult, and only a few alliances had been able to clear it.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been here quite a lot before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had visited this ce several times during his days as a Swordsman, so he cleared the Majang Lake Dungeon without much difficulty. There was a lot of fog here, which made it hard to see. He also got a bit wet during the clear process, and his clothes were torn here and there, but overall, the Dungeon clear was not too difficult.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s check out my viewers¡¯ reactions.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had solo-cleared the Dungeon, but the reactions seemed a bit underwhelming.

    -Oi, oi. Solo Clear is expected from our great IntenseMan.

    -I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m not surprised anymore by Chul-Soo clearing a Dungeon all by himself.

    -Guys, even if it¡¯s Chul-Soo, it¡¯s still a Solo Clear! I think that only five alliances in Korea have cleared the Majang Lake Dungeon!

    The reactions on KimKnowItAllTV made it clear that a simple Solo Clear had its limits. Jin-Hyeok needed to clear a Dungeon with a difficulty level that he could not deal with on his own, but that was honestly a tough task even for him.

    Soloing such an easy(?) Dungeon was not particrly good content for a Streamer. However, recovering from suchckluster content was precisely the skill of a great Streamer, and in that sense, Yu-Mi possessed exceptional ability.

    -He is so hot! I can¡¯t stop looking at him. T_T

    -Did you see his dreamy face emerging from the fog? I was done right there.

    -Huff, huff. Look at Chul-Soo¡¯s jawline!!

    -Dear rain... please don¡¯t stop pouring. Don¡¯t let his clothes dry.

    -I want to buy Chul-Soo¡¯s washboard abs!

    -Everyone! Watch Chul-Soo¡¯s videos twice, no, three times, no, a hundred times!

    Even though the Deceiver¡¯s Mask hid Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face, the viewers kept saying he was handsome.

    <i>¡®Why do they want my clothes not to dry? </i>Stanning<i>? Does that mean what I think it means? </i>Thirsty, <i>what¡¯s that supposed to mean? Why would they feel thirsty watching me?¡¯</i>

    Back when he had first started his Eltube channel, he did not even know what Hakko[1] meant, but now he was different. Having grown into a Streamer worthy of recognition, he had the deciphering skill(?) to understand these terms, but it was still hard to understand why these viewers were using those words in the first ce.

    During a brief rest, Yu-Mi exined to him, ¡°I have used some filters and lighting. No matter how much you hide your face, you can¡¯t hide everything. Today¡¯s weather is really great, and theke is quite a romantic ce, so the shots came out incredibly well.¡±

    The number of likes on KimKnowItAllTV caught Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eye.

    <i>¡®Six hundred thousand...¡¯</i>

    It was an astonishing number. In contrast, the number of likes on his actual livestream was only two hundred thousand.

    <i>¡®Wow... Yu-Mi is amazing!¡¯</i>

    Clearly, Yu-Mi possessed something he did not. However, he still found it hard to grasp what she meant by the shotsing out incredibly well.

    ¡°By the way, are you really not going to reveal your face?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m considering it.¡±

    ¡°You know. I can see what you¡¯re thinking right now,¡± she said.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes met Yu-Mi¡¯s. It felt a bit scary, as if she could see right through him.

    ¡°You¡¯re envious of the number of likes on my livestream, right?¡± she asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re jealous of how lively my chat is.¡±

    Despite the livestream being paused, thements were still pouring in like crazy. This was happening even though they weren¡¯t in the middle of intensebat!

    ~

    -Please show us your face, Chul-Soo. I will offer you my entire bank ount. T_T?

    -It¡¯s so cold outside. I just want to be in his arms. ?

    -I¡¯m so jealous of Yu-Mi right now. I want to see his face too!

    -I was stunned by the silhouette of Chul-Soo¡¯s body line reflected in the light earlier... T_T

    ~

    Yu-Mi said with a smug look on her face, ¡°If you reveal your true face, you might be able to beat me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit...¡±

    If people wanted to find Jin-Hyeok, they could. Skilled yers could most definitely find him without much difficulty. People had even deciphered Jin-Hyeok¡¯s weird drawing of Giethoorn, so the thought that they were unable to find him was nonsense.

    However, having his face revealed to the public was a different issue. When one¡¯s face waspletely exposed, there tended to be more negatives than positives.

    ¡°Do you see my lively chat window and the number of likes?¡± Yu-Mi said, adjusting her round sses.

    [Smug]

    [I win.]

    <i>¡®Oh, my Deceiver¡¯s Mask is broken for some reason.¡¯</i>

    For the first time ever, Jin-Hyeok livestreamed in the third-person perspective, revealing his face.

    <i>¡®Can I also achieve six hundred thousand likes with this?¡¯</i>

    His heart pounded with anticipation.

    ***

    -Yo, wtf? This is just too unfair!

    -God is fair. Chul-Soo¡¯s intestines must be ugly.

    -I totally understand Elly¡¯s reactions now.

    -I had criticized it ascking usibility, but I regret it now.

    The number of likes on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream skyrocketed, but so did the number of dislikes.

    -If he just did vodcasts, I think it would¡¯ve been a sess too.

    <i>¡®The likes of Kang Eun-Woo are made for vodcasts, not me. I don¡¯t think I will be that sessful. They¡¯re seeing me too favorably.¡¯</i>

    -Right now, I feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a 300 kph KTX train.[2] I can¡¯t even deny that he is my new bias now.

    -He is so sexy, beautiful, cool, pretty, and handsome.

    -Oh my lord... His face is the most intense part of him...

    Jin-Hyeok did not know how his looks rted to his intensity, but the number of likes on his livestream was increasing rapidly.

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i>

    He loved that the like count had already surpassed four hundred thousand. At this point, he really wanted to open the chat window on his livestream, but doing too much at once could lead to disaster, so he opted not to.

    <strong>[You have reached 600 million subscribers.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was genuinely surprised. In fact, after he had surpassed three hundred million subscribers, his subscriber count growth had significantly slowed down. The recent content with Zoro had sped things up a bit, but not to this extent.

    <i>¡®Did SSP throw a huge exposure event my way? What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    Above Yu-Mi¡¯s head, the [??] symbol and small fireworks appeared.

    ¡°The IntenseMan has finally revealed his true self.¡±

    <strong>[You have reached 700 million subscribers.]</strong>

    <i>¡®What?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not done anything particrly intense, yet he had gained another one hundred million subscribers.

    <i>¡®Is this really happening?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit skeptical. ¡°Uh... Thank you guys for the seven hundred million subscribers.¡±

    His face reveal was definitely not the reason for such a rapid increase in his subscriber count. Jin-Hyeok wondered if the Storyteller Yu-Mi had something to do with it, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. Yu-Mi was beyond his understanding. It was much easier to just ept and adapt.

    <strong>[You have reached 800 million subscribers.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wait a minute... At this rate, I might be able to get the gold button.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ve just reached eight hundred million subscribers. Thank you so much!¡±

    ¡°Time for a reaction to celebrate!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    [£À_@]

    [@-@]

    [@_@]

    Jin-Hyeok did not know much, but doing as Yu-Mi said often led to sess.

    ¡°Please show us a sword dance! Maybe with that new Song of the ck Tiger Skill you acquired! Oh wait. Let me sprinkle some water on you first.¡± She scooped upke water in a bucket and sshed it on him. ¡®Now we¡¯re ready.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t understand why she had poured the water, but he remembered Zoro¡¯s movements and swung his sword a few times.

    <i>¡®Fog?¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi had manipted something to create fog. Four ck tigers rose behind Jin-Hyeok, and he swung his sword a few times toward the sky before wrapping up.

    -He... is so amazing! Where is that? I want to go there now.

    -Chul-Soo is insane!

    -Wow, so, so intense!

    -Can a livestream be this graceful?

    <strong>[You have reached 900 million subscribers.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have reached one billion subscribers.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wow... What is going on?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Chul-Soo¡¯s face reveal heated up the entire universe. Across different Servers, races, andnguages, the discussions were predominantly about Chul-Soo¡¯s looks, albeit in various expressions.

    ¡°Wow...¡± Cha Jin-Sol covered her mouth as she browsed through various onlinemunities. ¡°Yeah, he is good-looking.¡±

    Even Jin-Sol acknowledged his good looks, which meant that Jin-Hyeok was indeed exceptionally handsome. Jin-Sol had grown up seeing him, so she did not feel it much, but she was aware that her brother was considered attractive.

    ¡°But to this extent?¡±

    <i>¡®Is he handsome enough to stir up the entire universe like this? Had I really been so unaware of it before? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just because of his face,¡¯ </i>Jin-Sol thought.

    The image Jin-Hyeok had built over time as the passionate IntenseMan, the heroic strides he had taken breathlessly, and the added production from Yu-Mi, all had yed a crucial role in making Jin-Hyeok look this exceptionally handsome.

    <i>¡®The romantic atmosphere of the Majang Lake and the fog were also used aptly.¡¯</i>

    It wasn''t just one thing. Many factors had yed a crucial role in making Chul-Soo the hottest and trendiest person in the universe. During the stream, his clothes had beenpletely soaked, revealing his physique. He had a strangely excited expression, the reason for which was his envy toward the number of Yu-Mi''s likes. Moreover, Yu-Mi had cleverly edited the stream to show his captivating smile while he was checking the number of his likes and how he had been delighted like a child at the increasing subscriber count.

    -This is why I stan Chul-Soo!

    -I¡¯m not usually into promoting Streamers, but please, if you have time, watch Chul-Soo¡¯s videos!

    Posts promoting Chul-Soo flooded various online tforms.

    ¡°But it seems like you don¡¯t really care about all this stuff,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jin-Hyeok was just lying on the bed, idly wiggling his toes. He was constantly refreshing the page to check the number of his subscribers. It had already surpassed 1.3 billion.

    ¡°I think everyone will notice you if you even step one foot outside,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, I can always use the Deceiver¡¯s Mask.¡±

    ¡°...Ah?¡±

    <i>¡®That¡¯s true,¡¯ </i>Jin-Sol thought.

    ¡°But really, how are you this calm?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You must have received like three hundred million proposals by now.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Do you even check the onlinemunity reactions?¡±

    ¡°No, I am busy watching my number of subscribers go up.¡±

    Jin-Sol shook her head. It seemed her brother was not grasping how popr he had gotten. She felt a little bit annoyed by his nonchnce.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Hey, am I really that handsome?¡±

    1. Hakko in Korea means an unpopr streamer, usually with less than ten viewers. ?

    2. KTX or Korea Train eXpress, is South Korea¡¯s high-speed rail system. ?

 Chapter 201

    <h4>Chapter 201</h4>

    ¡°Huh?¡± Cha Jin-Sol was astonished.

    <i>¡®How could he not know he is handsome when that¡¯s the face he looks at every time in the mirror? Is he being serious?¡¯ </i>

    She responded in a slightly bitter tone, ¡°I guess you are somewhat handsome.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It seemed that she believed he was messing with her. So, Jin-Hyeok exined, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m somewhat handsome, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m handsome enough to cause this muchmotion.¡±

    To Jin-Sol, it sounded like Jin-Hyeok considered himself just <i>somewhat handsome.</i>

    <i>¡®Ah... So, this is the face of a person who is somewhat handsome...¡¯</i>

    She was too baffled to speak.

    ¡°People must think I am quite unattractive,¡± he added.

    Indeed, some onlinemunities had mentioned this.

    -The expectations for Kim Chul-Soo were so low that this sudden rise of fame was inevitable.

    -He is the epitome of overrated.

    Interestingly, Jin-Hyeok also agreed with thesements.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s probably because Kang Eun-Woo has not started ying seriously yet,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    In contrast, Jin-Sol was at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®Is he serious?¡¯</i>

    Exining to him seemed pointless, so she gave up. ¡°The standards you¡¯re applying to yourself are bizarrely high...¡±

    In just a few days, various people iming to be fans of Chul-Soo had flocked to the Enstagram ount created by Wang Yu-Mi, forming a massive fandom. The ount had gained three hundred million followers just a day after its creation. Yu-Mi did not stop at just creating an ount for Chul-Soo; she also established an official fan club.

    [We are recruiting first-generation members for Chul-Soo Land.]

    The Server crashed while recruiting the first-generation members, and all the membership slots sold out(?) in one second. It was the dawn of Chul-Soo Land. Unbeknownst to Chul-Soo himself, he had gained an army of fans.

    ***

    Many users flooded the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    -Is this the main base for Chul-Soo?

    -Anyone know the username for the homepage master?

    -What¡¯s a homepage master?

    -It¡¯s sort of like a website manager. Also, there are no photos of Chul-Soo here since this was the first time his face was revealed. Sorry T_T.

    -Just follow his Enstagram ount. At least, there are some pictures of Chul-Soo there.

    -Anyone selling Chul-Soo¡¯s past photos?

    Thements posted on the Korean Region Minor Gallery were more intensepared to those posted in other onlinemunities. A renowned user of the KRMG, ChulSooIsGod, typed ecstatically.

    <strong>[I knew this day woulde. IntenseMan has attained all perfections. Chul-Soo Land''s first-generation memberships were sold out instantly. You ignorant people, repent for not recognizing Chul-Soo!]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: ChulSooIsGod]</strong>

    However, the most heated reactions came not from ChulSooIsGod, but from NoOverpackagingPlz. Each of thetter¡¯s posts hit at least a million views, but the posts also had twice as many dislikes as there were likes. Currently, his top post was titled [Tips to Increase Views without Giving Public Recognition].

    NoOverpackagingPlz typed furiously.

    <strong>[Overhyped much? Damn, is this even real? Chul-Soo? Handsome? Then I¡¯m super handsome.]</strong>

    ©»Says the basement dweller.

    ©»Even Chul-Soo¡¯s toenail is more handsome than you.

    ©»LOL, he can¡¯t even bepared to Chul-Soo¡¯s toe. That¡¯s harsh.

    ©»Chul-Soo¡¯s toenail: I¡¯m offended T_T.

    NoOverpackagingPlz expressed negative opinions on how Chul-Soo could have possibly defeated Zoro.

    <strong>[Zoro is a pattern-type yer who relies on the Instant Kill ability. So, once you figure out his strategy and pattern, he is easy to beat. That is why he is considered one of the weakest among the rankers. He is also listed in the top ten yers with clear growth limits. Chul-Soo was a terrible matchup for Zoro. Plus, Chul-Soo got buffs for being on another Server. Honestly, without those buffs, he would have easily lost to Zoro.]</strong>

    ©»Do you even remember how Chul-Soo fought Zoro without fully adapting to his quick level-up?

    ©»Seems like you forgot that Chul-Soo is a Streamer. Oh my! What an idiot.

    ©»Nice to see an inferiorityplex pretending to be smart.

    <strong>[Why do you think Chul-Soo revealed his face? He knows he did not win against Zoro with his skills! He is bound to be exposed eventually! So, he revealed his face to draw massive attention!]</strong>

    ©»LOL! So, you admit that he drew massive attention with his handsome face?

    ©»He just admitted that Chul-Soo is handsome. What an idiot! Haha!

    ©»Honestly, his face is his strongest asset right now. Just admit it and it¡¯s over.

    ©»Are you dumb? If you wanna be a hater, at least be smart about it, LOL!

    After posting numerousments, the man behind NoOverpackagingPlz, Joseph, put down his phone with a big smile.

    Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses and said, ¡°But I think it¡¯s time to be a bit cautious.¡±

    ¡°Cautious?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo Land has started digging into NoOverpackagingPlz¡¯s personal info.¡±

    ¡°But SSP ispletely secured, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Officially, yes.¡±

    However, nothing was perfect in this world.

    ¡°There are really skilled hackers in Chul-Soo Land,¡± Yu-Mi continued.

    ¡°Hackers... They already found out my personal details?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. You know that I used SSP for Chul-Soo Land¡¯s first-generation member recruitment?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve set the timer so that the recruitment would start at midnight.¡±

    Joseph started feeling uneasy.

    ¡°But someone joined at 11:55 PM. They broke into the System and forcibly entered their name as a first-generation member. If you get caught by such a skilled person, your personal information will be exposed in no time.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, I think you can stop pretending to be a Chul-Soo hater. With Chul-Soo¡¯s sudden surge in poprity, there will be plenty of haters to take your ce.¡±

    ¡°What should I do now?¡±

    Joseph, who called himself the Star Maker, was confident in his abilities, but he acknowledged Yu-Mi¡¯s exceptional talent. She had timed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face reveal to coincide with when he needed to start dealing with the Awakened Hunters. She had prepared in advance, gathering numerous fans and forming the official force of the Chul-Soo Land to protect him.

    Even the most skilled Awakened Hunters would find targeting Chul-Soo inconvenient now. Everything fell into ce like gears in a machine.

    ¡°You are going to release a statement exining why you were such an active hater. Now is the perfect time, when the interest in Jin-Hyeok is at its peak. Just like how you could be forgiven for anything done in the early days after a promotion. You will exin that you became a strategic shield for Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°....Do I really have to go that far?¡±

    ¡°You might end up stoned to death otherwise. Do you want that?¡±

    ¡°I will release the statement today.¡±

    ¡°And after that, you are going to be the Adventure Captain of Chul-Soo Land¡¯s first generation!¡±

    ¡°Adventure Captain?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sort of like being the president of a fan club.¡±

    ¡°You want me to lead a male yer¡¯s fan club? With a title like Adventure Captain?¡± Joseph¡¯s trapezius muscle twitched. His majestic pectoral muscles also quivered.

    <i>Sigh!</i>

    Joseph would never have guessed this would happen to him. ¡°I like it!¡±

    ***

    ¡°I want to fight you.¡± Lee Hyeon-Seong, who had recently be the Weak Anus Destroyer from the Anus Destroyer because of Jin-Hyeok, came looking for the Streamer. ¡°I want to experience Zoro¡¯s swordsmanship, the Song of the ck Tiger.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok narrowed his eyes and looked at Hyeon-Seong. After observing him for a while, Jin-Hyeok crossed his arms and asked, ¡°If you lose this time, will you acknowledge your defeat?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s demeanor seemed to say, ¡®You have never really epted defeat before!¡¯ Hyeon-Seong did not quite understand that but agreed nheless.

    ¡°Are you going to admit it on my livestream?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°If you lose, you have to say, ¡®I lost!¡¯ three times, okay?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Hyeon-Seong looked at him, puzzled by his attitude.

    Jin-Hyeok, as if feeling provoked, raised his voice. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t... say I don¡¯t want to...¡±

    ¡°So, what are you going to do if you lose?¡±

    ¡°I will admit it on your livestream and say I lost three times.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    So, they decided to duel. Thinking it was best to fight outside the territory of the Golden Guardian Tree, they moved toward Goyang.

    In a deste field in Goyang, Jin-Hyeok and Hyeon-Seong drew their swords.

    <i>¡®I can see his Sword Path!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He was currently at Level 204, while Hyeon-Seong was at Level 179. Their Levels were unmatched from the start.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect to read Hyeon-Seong¡¯s Sword Path so easily.¡¯</i>

    His heart pounded. Before his regression, he and Hyeon-Seong had been archrivals. Jin-Hyeok imed to be much stronger, and Hyeon-Seong insisted he was stronger, but their skills and growth rates were nearly identical. However, things were much different now.

    ¡°You¡¯re too easy to read,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he kicked Hyeon-Seong after blocking his attack.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    Hyeon-Seong stumbled back several steps. Then, Jin-Hyeok used the Song of the ck Tiger technique, mimicking Zoro¡¯s style.

    <i>¡®This technique is only about increasing the chance of the Instant Kill ability.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had disabled the Instant Kill Achievement for now, so there was no chance of it activating.

    <i>¡®Zoro used it only for the Instant Kill, but...¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a different idea.

    <i>¡®A man¡¯s about style!¡¯</i>

    He had replicated the Song of the ck Tiger just for the cool effect. After all, he was now a Streamer, not a Swordsman. A Streamer¡¯s y should have ir.

    Three tigers roared mightily, charging at Hyeon-Seong.

    <i>¡®My sword has style!¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong, with his eyes wide open, methodically cut down the three tigers.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok appeared amidst the tigers.

    <i>¡®When did he...?¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong thought.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s movements were much faster than expected. Even though Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t have the buffs from the Guardian Tree and his +20 Level effect, Hyeon-Seong could not read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s movements. Before the Swordsman knew it, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sword was at his throat.

    ¡°...I lost.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned without realizing. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said I lost.¡±

    ¡°Say it more formally.¡±

    ¡°I lost, Sir.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong had to loudly proim on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, ¡°I have lost! I am the Weak Anus Destroyer!¡± three times.

    ***

    Viewers from KimKnowItAllTV were shocked by the oue of the duel between Chul-Soo and Hyeon-Seong.

    -Isn¡¯t he ranked first among the Korean Region Swordsmen?

    -Aren¡¯t yers from the Korean Region significantly stronger than yers from other Regions?

    -Is the Korean Region overrated?

    The chat was instantly flooded with messages.

    -Isn¡¯t it logical to think that among the strong Korean Region yers, Chul-Soo is just overwhelmingly powerful?

    -There is a video of the number one Swordsman from the Polish Region fighting Hyeon-Seong. Check it out to see if Hyeon-Seong is really the Weak Anus Destroyer. Here¡¯s the link.<u> eltube...</u>

    -Here is a video of Hyeon-Seong fighting the number one Swordsman from the Chinese Region. <u>eltube...</u>

    Hyeon-Seong was not weak. It was just that his opponent, Chul-Soo, was excessively strong.

    Yu-Mi smirked. <i>¡®I don¡¯t need to gather information myself.¡¯</i>

    There were so many fans that they posted the information themselves. However, the activeness of the chat made it almost impossible to read thements.

    <i>¡®I think I need to split the channel.¡¯</i>

    It seemed time tounch season two of KimKnowItAllTV. Splitting the channel and creating separate viewer tiers for differentiation seemed necessary. Many viewers were already moring for a separate channel for Chul-Soo fans, iming they would willingly contribute financially.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi received a System message.

    [There was an attempted hack.]

    <i>¡®Wait, a System message? Was it really sent by the System?¡¯</i>

    [I am Reina, the first member of Chul-Soo Land¡¯s first generation.]

    ¡°Can a user send a System message?¡±

    Reina did not give a precise answer.

    [Anyway, there was a hacking attempt on KimKnowItAllTV. The attempt came from the Chinese Region. After backtracking it, I found that the ones behind it are Sephia and Grandel. I¡¯ve blocked the attack for now since it seems like they were up to something.]

    The next message was in red font.

    [Sephia and Grandel must be eliminated.]

    Yu-Mi now knew the exact location of Sephia and Grandel.

 Chapter 202

    <h4>Chapter 202</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok sensed that he hade to a crucial crossroads.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve already revealed my face... and everyone knows my house is in Yeonhui-dong.¡¯</i>

    Many things were bound to be inconvenient.

    ¡°At least I have you, Guardian Tree. I¡¯m lucky for that.¡±

    -¡°Do not forget, Master. The best defense is a good offense. Hehehe.¡±

    The Guardian Tree had changed a bitpared to how it had been before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, but Jin-Hyeok thought it was a desirable change.

    -¡°Today, I smashed two hundred cell phones. Destruction is pure bliss!¡±

    Only authorized persons could use cell phones within a one-hundred-meter radius of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. It was not just cell phones; all electronic devices were prohibited. If someone approached the restricted area with an electronic device, the Guardian Tree¡¯s barrier would destroy the device. Some had criticized this as an overreach of power, but faced with the substantial power of Chul-Soo Land, they had to bite their tongue.

    -How much stalking must have happened for our kind Chul-Soo to set up such a barrier?

    -Please, let¡¯s keep our fandom within the bounds of fandom.

    -Protect our Chul-Soo at all costs!

    Public opinion instantly swayed in favor of Chul-Soo Land. Even politicians could not openly criticize Kim Chul-Soo, as they were conscious of their votes.

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, his fan club was called the Mommy, short for Moon Army; this club was more intense and had a significantlyrger fanbase than Chul-Soo Land.

    -¡°But shouldn¡¯t we call that fiery little one? What was her name? Elly? Ally? She might get sulky.¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, right.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to maintain a good rtionship with Elly. It wasn¡¯t so much out of necessity, but rather because he felt like it.

    <i>¡®But there is no reason for me to summon her. Should I just call her? That seems a bit odd.¡¯</i>

    The concept of meeting someone without any particr reason had not yet settled in his mind. So, he sought a reason.

    ¡°I should look for content for my Eltube channel.¡±

    -¡°Oh! If it¡¯s a massacre, I wee it! And if it could happen near here, that¡¯d be nice. I¡¯d be able to join in!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not respond to the Guardian Tree. He used to find its words quite annoying, but now, he seemed to have gotten used to it. Though no one was listening, he exined as if he were justifying himself, ¡°The recent content has been quite provocative and intense.¡±

    Of course, there was no answer since no one was near him.

    ¡°The content I have nned forter is also pretty provocative.¡±

    The battle with Sephia and Grandel of the ck Alliance was sure to be intense and provocative.

    ¡°Too much intense content in a row can actually cause viewer fatigue.¡±

    -¡°To whom are you speaking?¡±

    ¡°Bncing intense content with calm, everyday content is essential for a good Streamer, isn¡¯t it? Of course, too much calm content can be boring.¡±

    -¡°Are you ignoring me right now? I¡¯m feeling so lonely.¡±

    ¡°I need content that is not too provocative nor too calm. Maintaining that fine line is important.

    -¡°My pride is hurt! I guess I will have to smash some monster heads!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok still had not noticed the Guardian Tree¡¯s corruption(?). He was busy making excuses. ¡°I should practice filming everyday content by summoning Elly.¡±

    Like a duck on water, calm on the surface but fiercely paddling underneath, Jin-Hyeok was busy looking for a justification for his content. ¡°Finding joy in calm, everyday content is twice as tough as extracting fun from intense, provocative content.¡±

    It seemed he would need a lot of practice. That meant calling Elly more often.

    ***

    To be a great Streamer, one had to epass a variety of domains. Having hurriedly pursued growth until now, Jin-Hyeok felt he now had to look around and learn from the surroundings.

    [This is a restricted video.]

    Jin-Hyeok was unable to connect to the Arvis Server, so ess to livestreams of Arvis¡¯s Streamers was impossible. It was somewhat disappointing not to be able to watch the videos of Marshmallow, who was the master of everyday content and the most famous Streamer in the entire universe.

    Jin-Hyeok knew there were ways to bypass the Server settings and adjustments, but he was not sure of exactly how to do that.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m stillcking as a yer.¡¯</i>

    A Streamer should know how to bypass a Server¡¯s restrictions to ess that Server¡¯s content. He had hit another wall as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure Yu-Mi knows how to do it.¡¯</i>

    He was about to call her when she called him first.

    ¡ªJin-Hyeok! I found their location!

    ¡°Location? Whose?¡±

    ¡ªThe leaders of the ck Alliance! They should be in China, but I think...

    Before telling their exact location, Yu-Mi shared her thoughts about this, which was simr to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s. She suggested postponing the battle with Sephia and Grandel, concerned that a continuous stream of intense content could heighten viewer fatigue.

    <i>¡®Wow...!¡¯</i>

    Chills ran down Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arms for the first time in a while.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve grown too! I really have!¡¯</i>

    His heart raced, and his speech quickened without realizing it. ¡°So, I was thinking of filming some everyday content with Elly.¡±

    ¡ªOh, that¡¯s a great idea! I was going to suggest that!

    Yu-Mi, true to form, provided more detailed insights.

    ¡ªElly has a bit of a cute side, right? She looks like a child on the outside. Showing your kind and warm side to such a harmless and cute target will increase your charm by ten million times! Since you are not particrly kind to anyone else, if you show kindness to only one target, and if that target is a harmless child, it will definitely increase the viewers¡¯ immersion and give them vicarious satisfaction!

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but put on a sly smile.

    <i>¡®Then, I guess it¡¯s okay for me to be nice to Elly.¡¯</i>

    Yu-Mi had given him the best reason to be kind to Elly. Although he wasn¡¯t sure why, he felt at ease and eager to summon Elly.

    ¡°But first, I think I need to study. I want to watch some videos of Marshmallow from the Arvis Server.¡±

    ¡ªOh, isn¡¯t he the most famous Streamer in the universe?

    ¡°Yes, do you know how to ess his videos? I can¡¯t seem to get past the Server restriction.¡±

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know the specifics, but I think I can find out. I will call you back in thirty minutes!

    True to her words, she did teach him how to bypass the restrictions thirty minutester.

    ***

    Marshmallow stood at the pinnacle of everyday vloggers as an Eltuber. He was known as a sentimental Eltuber, though Jin-Hyeok was not quite sure what that meant. Marshmallow preferred the term Eltuber over Streamer because he seldom did livestreams. Roasted Marshmallow, his alternative character, handled livestreaming instead.

    <i>¡®I should watch some of his videos.¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow¡¯s videos typically had lengthy titles.

    [(Subtitle) Why Outings with Spirits are Joyful ©¦ Warmer Times Together ©¦ Pure Fun]

    [(Subtitle) A Week in a Garden with Sunlight, Forest, and Spirits ©¦ Record of the Spirit Realm ©¦ Daily Life Vlog]

    [(Subtitle) ying Dolls with Spirits ©¦ How to Braid Hair ©¦ Dressing Up in Pretty Clothes ©¦ Apple Pie ©¦ Chocte Milk.]

    Quite a few of the videos were rted to Spirits. The view counts were typically in the billions. Seeing those staggering numbers ignited apetitive fire within Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®The videos themselves don¡¯t seem particrly special.¡¯</i>

    Theycked extraordinary visual ir or intense excitement. Jin-Hyeok could not quite grasp the sentiment people talked about. He thought he still had a long way to go, assuming that there had to be some profound intensity in the videos.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s just doing ordinary activities like camping and going to the beach.¡¯</i>

    Even after watching half a dozen videos, Jin-Hyeok could not find anything that he could learn immediately. Perhaps, Marshmallow¡¯s sentimental videos were too sophisticated for his current level. However, as luck would have it, Marshmallow, who rarely did livestreams, started one at that moment.

    <i>¡®Viewers are flocking by the millions.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok tried to watch the stream.

    <strong>[ess Denied.]</strong>

    <strong>[You are automatically entering the Storyteller¡¯s Ry Room.]</strong>

    Just like how Jin-Hyeok had Yu-Mi as his Storyteller, Marshmallow had his own Storyteller too. Nearly a billion people had already joined the Ry Room.

    <i>¡®Wait, it¡¯s just him eating! A billion viewers for a mukbang? Is that even possible?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was astonished. Moreover, it was one billion viewers in the Ry Room, not Marshmallow¡¯s actual livestream. Directmunication with the Streamer was not possible in the Ry Room.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was shocked.

    <i>¡®So, to enter the actual livestream, one must donate a substantial amount to the Storyteller in the Ry Room.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea how much that would be. The amount wasn¡¯t posted anywhere either.

    <i>¡®Most of the viewers are in the Ry Room. The livestream is limited to just one hundred people.¡¯</i>

    Experiencing Marshmallow¡¯s livestream for the first time, Jin-Hyeok could not recover from the shock.

    <i>¡®Wait, this means that the ones in the main livestream are...¡¯</i>

    They had to be the VIPs of the Trinity Club. Jin-Hyeok had two VIPs who sponsored him. Even that made his donation levels iparable to other Streamers. Yet, Marshmallow had one hundred VIPs supporting him.

    <i>¡®So, he put most of the viewers in the Ry Room and justmunicates with only the hundred people in his livestream.¡¯</i>

    It felt like a glimpse into his own future as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®Those one hundred people are Marshmallow¡¯s royal supporters.¡¯</i>

    It was like a p to the face.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not about his content, but about the persona.¡¯</i>

    The chosen one hundred VIPs seemed to cherish Marshmallow. Jin-Hyeok saw messages like ¡®This is why I¡¯m a Marshmallow fan!¡¯

    <i>¡®Being loved for the persona...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had always thought that content alone was enough, but Marshmallow¡¯s livestream seemed to offer something more.

    <i>¡®For Marshmallow, he is the intense content. Just by eating some food, he can attract a billion viewers in no time...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok now understood why Yu-Mi always insisted that he needed to create his own persona. Marshmallow¡¯s livestream was a profound revtion for him. Marshmallow had be his new mentor, and a newpetitive drive to surpass him someday was ignited within Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I remember there was a yer who was content being in third ce.¡¯</i>

    That Chul-Soo was gone. Now, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was Marshmallow.

    <i>¡®Ah, but first, I need to surpass Egan Paul.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt the need to attract people with more varied content. He was not sure how much it would help, but he nned to show his face more often. Anyway, he decided to summon Elly and film some therapeutic everyday content. He was trying his hand at sentimental vlogging, unsure of the oue.

    Only trying would tell.

 Chapter 203

    <h4>Chapter 203</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok went camping with Elly in a deep part of the Taebaek Mountains, [1] a ce untouched by yers.

    ¡°Elly, you look really cute.¡±

    mes engulfed Elly¡¯s face. If she were a normal child, it would be a big deal, but such acts were nothing for a Fire Spirit. It was quite cute how she expressed her embarrassment in such a way.

    With her face wrapped in fire, she excitedly asked, ¡°Really? Am I cute?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are.¡±

    Right now, Jin-Hyeok was not livestreaming and just recording what was going on. Since he was not quite adept at creating this type of everyday content yet, he nned to edit and upload itter with the help of Wang Yu-Mi and Kang Cheol, his editor.

    ¡°Thank you for saying I¡¯m cute! I¡¯m so happy!¡± Elly twirled around, with a yellow flower in her hair, looking even cuter.

    <i>¡®I should be careful even if someone is being this cute.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not fully have his guard down even around Elly. All beautiful and cute things in the world had to be handled with care, after all. However, since he was filming, he thought it was okay to express how cute she was to his heart¡¯s content.

    ¡°Elly, thanks to you, starting a campfire is incredibly easy.¡± Jin-Hyeok grabbed her wrist and pointed at the stack of firewood. ¡°Elly, fire!¡±

    ¡°Yap!¡± A ball of fire flew from the tip of Elly¡¯s finger, igniting the firewood. ¡°Camping is so fun! The best!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but smile. He did not know why he was smiling, which made him wonder if she had a Trait that made people smile.

    Elly squatted and rested her chin on her hands, nkly staring at the flickering mes. She then asked, ¡°Is it okay if I dive in?¡±

    At Jin-Hyeok¡¯s approval, she excitedly jumped into the campfire. Elly transformed into a fireball andughed for a while. The campfire seemed to dance. Soon, she returned to her human form. Then she came over to Jin-Hyeok and sat down, leaning against him.

    ¡°Dancing with the campfire made me tired...¡± Seeming exhausted, she leaned on his shoulder and dozed off for a while. Even though she could have continued to sleep, she woke up as she wanted to watch the fire till the end. Jin-Hyeok felt a different kind of warmth in watching her than he felt while watching the Seo sisters.

    They were somewhere in the Taebaek Mountains, and Jin-Hyeok was not exactly sure of the exact location. asionally, monsters living deep in the mountains would attack them.

    <i>¡®This is going to be a perfect therapeutic video.¡¯</i>

    The monster that had just attacked him was a bug monster, resembling a cockroach about three meters in size, which was a delicacy when roasted over fire.

    <i>¡®I remember almost dying to this monster several times before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Living in damp and dark ces, these monsters had incredible vitality and were often found deep in Dungeons. They were a wee sight when food supplies ran low. Although they looked somewhat disgusting, they were nutritionally perfect. As long as they were cooked over a fire, there were almost no side effects. However, if a yer cut them or made them explode, the monsters sprayed foul-smelling blood. Hence, yers needed to pierce these monsters properly.

    <i>¡®Oh, and I forgot how those hairy legs had a negative texture when eating.¡¯</i>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had killed the monster properly. It had been a while, but killing these monsters was fun.

    <i>¡®Calm content like this isn¡¯t so bad,¡¯ </i>he thought. Of course, everyone had their preferences and tastes.

    <i>¡®But wouldn¡¯t it be more fun to find a Hidden Dungeon or something?¡¯</i>

    Coming across a Hidden Dungeon or an Event Boss while rxing would be more interesting.

    Just when Jin-Hyeok was feeling a bit bored, he sensed something strange.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute.¡¯</i>

    Something was rustling in the darkness. He kept hearing weird sounds that resembled animal cries.

    [Violence... redeems... all things.]

    Jin-Hyeok thought it sounded simr to a human¡¯s voice.

    [Violence... redeems... all things.]

    ***

    Kang Il-Nam and Kang Yi-Nam were brothers who had turned forty-two and forty-one, respectively, this year. Il-Nam, who was unemployed, had identally killed their father, who was over seventy years old, in a fit of rage while demanding more allowance. Subsequently, he had Awakened as a ck Mage of Patricide. Seeing his brother Awaken as a yer with a hidden ss, Yi-Nam had killed their mother and Awakened as a ck Mage of Matricide.

    Afterward, they became very interested in ying.

    Initially, they found the thrill of not being punished for killing people fascinating, butter, they enjoyed growing stronger. The local residents who once scorned them for being jobless alcoholics began to fear the Kang brothers.

    ¡°We need to be stronger.¡±

    ¡°We must grow stronger.¡±

    Their growth rate was considerably faster than that of other yers, thanks to their ¡®Joy of Murder¡¯ Trait, which allowed them to gain massive amounts of experience points from killing. The elder brother, Il-Nam, chose to grow as a summoning ck Mage, and the younger brother, Yi-Nam, became a crafting ck Mage. They were a well-matched duo.

    Yi-Nam regretfully said, ¡°It would be nice if there was a child here.¡±

    He was disappointed that this vige only had elderly people.

    ¡°Look, there¡¯s one.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    The Kang brothers had gathered the vigers in front of the vige hall, forcing them to kneel. Four beheaded corpsesy there, and the vigers, unable to resist, merely pleaded for their lives. Il-Nam pointed to a woman with a noticeably big belly; a pink badge indicating her pregnancy was attached to her bag.

    Yi-Nam grinned. ¡°Ah! You¡¯re right! There <i>is </i>a child!¡±

    He approached the pregnant woman with a dagger emitting ck energy. As she screamed and tried to flee, Il-Nam¡¯s summoned nt monster caught her with its vines. The bound pregnant woman struggled. ¡°P-Please! Don¡¯t kill me!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We don¡¯t need you, just the child.¡± He brought the dagger close to the woman¡¯s belly, but an elderly man threw a stone at him.

    ¡°You despicable fiends! Aren¡¯t you afraid of heaven¡ª¡±

    The nt monster extended another vine, grasping the old man¡¯s neck and lifting him into the air.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The man¡¯s neck snapped, and his body went limp. The people kneeling in front of the vige hall covered their mouths, barely holding back screams. No one could stop the rampaging Kang brothers, and the brothers achieved their goals.

    ¡°Good. We have got the fresh blood of a child, and now we just need to melt down a Spirit. Hyung, you said you could catch one, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The only ingredient they needed now was a Spirit. The Taebaek Mountains, being a ce of strong natural energy, were ideal for Spirits. So, the mountain range had a strong presence of Spirits, who asionally revealed themselves in the mountains.

    ¡°The Carnivorous Flower I summonedst time should be able to consume a Spirit,¡± Il-Nam said.

    ¡°You mean the one I helped you summon with the ingredients I gathered?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. The Carnivorous Flower <i>we </i>summoned.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get our facts straight. You always take all the credit.¡±

    Il-Nam frowned and red at his brother but then shrugged. ¡°Sorry, my bad.¡±

    Suddenly, they saw something they had never expected to see in the deep mountains. It seemed a father and daughter duo was camping in this remote location. Upon closer observation, the young girl seemed to be a Fire Spirit.

    Yi-Nam chuckled. ¡°It seems heaven is on our side.¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that guy look familiar?¡±

    ¡°Maybe he''s just a celebrity look-alike.¡±

    The father was quite handsome. Il-Nam tilted his head. ¡°Is he some kind of K-pop idol?¡±

    ¡°Do you even know any K-pop idols? Do you know VTS?¡±

    VTS was a globally famous Korean idol group. They had dominated the Billboard charts multiple times and had hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. Even Il-Nam was familiar with their name.

    ¡°I know the group name.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what they look like?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡±

    ¡°Then how can you say that guy is a K-pop idol? There are so many people who are that handsome. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re confused with someone else.¡±

    However, Il-Nam felt inexplicably uneasy. ¡°I feel like he knows that we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? We¡¯re hiding our presence with our ck magic!¡±

    ¡°Still, this doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±

    ¡°You always say that, Hyung.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just watch the situation for a bit. There is no harm in being cautious. If he is camping so leisurely in a ce where powerful monsters appear often, he must be someone powerful.¡± This was merely a hunch. ¡°We should probably summon the Yeti of Salvation to take a closer look.¡±

    Yi-Nam frowned. ¡°We need five human hearts to summon that.¡±

    ck magic was very powerful, but it required numerous offerings and ingredients. The more life the offering had, the more potent was the effect of the magic spell. The Kang brothers often used human hearts as offerings.

    ¡°We can get more heartster. I¡¯ll get them after this.¡±

    ¡°If you get the ones from teenagers, I will agree to summon the Yeti of Salvation.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do that.¡±

    ¡°Promise me. Last time, you brought the hearts of twenty-year-olds and said they were teenagers.¡±

    ¡°I said I got it.¡±

    Il-Nam summoned the Yeti of Salvation. Among the creatures he could summon as a ck Mage, this was the most powerful. It was a gift from a cult leader who had made the Kang brothers what they were.

    <strong>[LV 177/Yeti of Salvation/Beauty of Violence]</strong>

    The monster¡¯s name and Level were in red even in Il-Nam¡¯s eyes, signifying how strong it was.

    [Violence... redeems... all things...]

    Even Il-Nam could not control it precisely. He could only designate a target andmand the monster to attack the target.

    ¡°Kill that man first.¡±

    They decided to kill the guy with the handsome face first to make the job easier. It did not matter if he was someone significant.

    ¡°While that guy fights the Yeti of Salvation, we will abduct the Spirit.¡±

    That was the moment Jin-Hyeok recognized the Kang brothers. He had sensed them earlier but had not paid much attention. He had almost not noticed them. It was kind of like not noticing all the bugs in a massive forest.

    When going for a therapeutic pic, one would not particrly care about the number of flies flying around, where they were going, or what they were thinking. However, the situation changed if the bug was actually harmful, like a mosquito. A fly flying around far away was ignorable, but a blood-sucking mosquito had to be eliminated.

    ¡°Now that we have summoned the Yeti, we must kill that man,¡± Il-Nam said.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also saw the Yeti of Salvation.

    <i>¡®Wait, isn¡¯t that the Yeti of Salvation?¡¯ </i>He had seen that monster before. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that the summoned entity created by the followers of the Truth of Violence cult?¡¯</i>

    He didn¡¯t know much about it because he had in the followers of this cult without questions each time he had encountered them. The Truth of Violence was one of the official state-designated viinous organizations, and the Yeti of Salvation was a target for unconditional extermination.

    <i>¡®Hm... I think there was something important rted to the Truth of Violence cult.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not quite remember. It was like trying to recall the brand of a punching bag he used. In keeping with his calm vlog style, Jin-Hyeok calmly and serenely said, ¡°Ah, I think it¡¯s time for some genuine therapy.¡±

    1. Taebaek Mountains are a mountain range located along the eastern edge of the penins and runs along the eastern coast of the Korean Penins. ?

 Chapter 204

    <h4>Chapter 204</h4>

    [Violence... redeems... all things...]

    Cha Jin-Hyeok agreed with that. Even viins deemed beyond redemption tended to find salvation(?) when exposed to pure violence.

    <i>¡®Well, since the bad guy turns good, I guess we can say it¡¯s a form of salvation.¡¯</i>

    Violence was always the answer. If it did not work, the reason was simply that there was not enough violence. Every viin could be saved with an appropriate level of violence¡ªtoo low, and it would not work; too high, and they would die.

    <i>¡®Ah, now that I think about it, these sentimental vlogs are usually done with subtitles rather than spoken words.¡¯</i>

    When watching Marshmallow¡¯s videos, he had realized subtitles were much more prevalent than voiceovers. So, he prepared subtitles in advance for his videos. As a Streamer, being able to create subtitles while progressing with the content was a necessary skill.

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out the Rule Breaker and wrote subtitles at the same time.

    [Let¡¯s take out the handy and elegant weapon that can be held in one hand. :)]

    He wasn¡¯t sure why he wrote elegant, but it felt right. In the meantime, the Yeti of Salvation charged at him.

    [Swinging the hammer around while enjoying the forest scent.]

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    He already knew all the moves of the Yeti. Having hunted it numerous times before his regression, he found it extremely easy to deal with. The monster disyed movements like that of a skilled martial artist, but they were nothing special to him.

    [Breaking the monster¡¯s nose shuts it up. Let¡¯s enjoy this profound silence. :)]

    As Jin-Hyeok had smashed the monster in one hit, it stopped making weird noises. Attacking the monster half-heartedly would have only made it angrier. The Martial King, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, had discovered this strategy of using fists or bludgeons to break a monster¡¯s nose in one go.

    The Yeti of Salvation vanished into ck smoke without any resistance.

    <i>¡®I thought they usually move in packs... but there is only one.¡¯</i>

    Now, it was time to meet the ones who had summoned the monster.

    [Today, they are going to learn the lesson that violence redeems everything. :)]

    Holding the Rule Breaker, Jin-Hyeok walked toward the ck Mages hiding in the bushes.

    ***

    Kang Il-Nam was shocked that the Yeti of Salvation had disappeared. He could not believe that a Level-177 monster summoned by a powerful ck Mage had vanished after facing just one attack. It was an expensive monster summoned using five human hearts as the offering!

    ¡°Let¡¯s... move out of here for now,¡± he said.

    ¡°Why should we move?¡± Kang Yi-Nam scowled. ¡°He was just lucky. He just happened to hit its weak spot, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Even so, do you think we can face someone who killed the Yeti in one hit?¡±

    ¡°Fuck! So, you want to run away? We just need to get the Spirit. Buy me more time. I will catch that Spirit.¡±

    All preparations wereplete. ording to what their cult¡¯s leader had said, with the right ingredients, they could summon a monster far more powerful than the Yeti.

    ¡°Use all the hearts we have collected so far. Just buy time!¡± Yi-Nam said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you run away now, you¡¯re no longer my brother, you coward.¡±

    Il-Nam was in a dilemma. He knew that without Yi-Nam¡¯s help, he too was an iplete yer. ¡°Then I will buy us some ti¡ª¡±

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Il-Nam was startled. Yi-Nam had copsed without making any noise. As Yi-Nam fell, the face of a man standing behind him became visible.

    <i>¡®When did he...?¡¯</i>

    The man was grinning.

    ¡°The taste of cracking a skull is... ah, I shouldn¡¯t say that.¡± The man muttered something strange and then scowled. ¡°These calm vlogs are tough.¡±

    ***

    The Kang brothers had suffered overwhelming violence. Their faces were so messed up that they had be unrecognizable, almost ckened.

    Elly curiously asked, ¡°It seems if a bruise is severe, it turns ck.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s almost like necrosis.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting!¡±

    ¡°You want to see more?¡±

    While Yi-Nam was unconscious, Il-Nam could still hear the conversation of the girl. He said, ¡°S-Stop...!¡±

    These people were insane. The man¡¯s eyes flickered with madness as he kept muttering, ¡°Camp...fire. Tea... warm... conversation... calm...¡±

    Incidentally, Jin-Hyeok was muttering those words unconsciously. Setting subtitles and titles for the sentimental vlog was too difficult for him; so, he was murmuring to himself as he wrote them.

    [Sentimental Vlog ©¦ Indulge in a warm cup of tea by the campfire. ©¦ A time for conversation. ©¦ Calm violence :)]

    ¡°Drink this,¡± Jin-Hyeok offered Il-Nam a cup of tea. His tone was bizarrely eerie. His expression screamed ¡®drink this or die,¡¯ yet the tone of his voice oozed kindness(?). It seemed like a madman pretending to be normal. It was iprehensible why this person would suddenly offer tea in this situation.

    ¡°I will do anything if you spare me,¡± Il-Nam said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy a warm cup of tea.¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, is he stupid or something?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°I said drink it, you bastard.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found it frustrating that Il-Nam seemed clueless about the vibe of an everyday and calm vlog. In any case, Il-Nam hurriedly drank the tea. He was so scared that he could not appreciate the tea at all.

    Jin-Hyeok hit Il-Nam¡¯s head with the Rule Breaker.

    ¡°Hey, this is sentimental content.¡± He was frustrated at Il-Nam¡¯sck of understanding of the situation. ¡°Drink it with feeling. Slowly savor the tea.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Ah, this isn¡¯t easy. This kind of scene probably doesn¡¯t fit in a sentimental vlog, right?¡¯</i>

    Since Il-Nam did not get on with the program, Jin-Hyeok hit him a few times with the Rule Breaker. After the beating, Il-Nam seemed to have understood how to behave. Jin-Hyeok tried his best not to kill him while hitting him. However, it appeared to be a bit brutal for a sentimental vlog, so Jin-Hyeok decided to have it edited outter.

    ¡°How did you fools manage to summon the Yeti of Salvation?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡± Il-Nam was too confused toprehend what he was hearing. The man kept saying he was trying to create sentimental content, but in reality, the content was filled with violence and threats. Il-Nam admitted that the man¡¯s tone was a little sentimental, but he did not have the courage to challenge the idea that just having a calm tone meant creating calm content.

    ¡°I have the ability to summon monsters of a higher Level than my own by using offerings,¡± Il-Nam answered

    ¡°I know that. You are the ck Mage of Patricide, and the more youmit acts close to patricide, the more power you can draw from your shitty ability.¡±

    Il-Nam was even more confused. Setting aside the discrepancy between the tone of the voice and the content, he was genuinely curious as to how this man knew everything about him. Then it dawned on him.

    <i>¡®How does he know about the Yeti of Salvation?¡¯</i>

    Only three people in the world knew of the existence of the Yeti of Salvation: he and his brother and their cult¡¯s leader. Il-Nam guessed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s identity. ¡°Did the Cult Leader send you?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok was momentarily speechless. He felt like he had heard something significant.

    <i>¡®Ah, this is a dilemma.¡¯</i>

    Content needed a concept. No matter how popr a concept was, cramming everything into one video would turn it into a mishmash that was neither good nor bad.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s continue with the sentimental content for now. I need to get the footage.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok avoided answering about the Cult Leader and instead had a conversation with Il-Nam. Yi-Nam regained consciousness in the meantime, and Jin-Hyeok offered him tea as well. Of course, Yi-Nam did notply at first but obeyed eventually. After all, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s violence was imbued with immense power.

    ***

    <i>¡®Wow, these guys are really crazy! It¡¯s not easy for a sane person like me to understand their way of thinking. At least, I¡¯ll attract attention with this content.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok already had a title in mind for the video.

    [Madmen.]

    The Kang brothers seemed to feel an affinity toward Jin-Hyeok. They boasted about their so-called heroic deeds before him. Yi-Nam praised his own excellent insight. ¡°Yes, eventually, I found a child from the group.¡±

    They had attacked a vige in need of a child, but there were no children in that vige, only old people.

    ¡°The woman was in her trimester, so she was valuable enough.¡± Yi-Nam grinned as if he was proud of his smart decision.

    Next, Il-Nam spoke. ¡°As you know, Mr. Messenger, to create the legion of the Mountain Madmen, Spirits are absolutely necessary, and we were searching for them in the Taebaek Mountains.¡±

    They were calling Jin-Hyeok Mr. Messenger, an emissary sent by the Cult Leader. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t deny it. The Yeti of Salvation, the Truth of Violence cult, the Mountain Madmen, and the Cult Leader... Jin-Hyeok began to understand how all these were rted.

    <i>¡®Now that I think of it, the Truth of Violence cult was a subversive force trying to overthrow our current government.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered the cult briefly shaking up Gangwon-do,pletely taking over the region before his regression. He did not know much about what exactly they had done. Back then, he had just been a pawn who used the sword diligently as instructed by the higher-ups; so, he had simply ughtered many of them as ordered.

    <i>¡®But the legion of Mountain Madmen?¡¯</i>

    The Mountain Madman was one of the most powerful entities that the Truth of Violence cult could summon. Its Level was in the early 200s. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, several high-Level rankers had to team up to just hunt one of the Mountain Madmen. As far as he remembered, only two or three Mountain Madmen had appeared in Korea.

    <i>¡®But they¡¯re talking about creating a legion of them.¡¯</i>

    Something was different this time. It seemed that the Truth of Violence cult had evolved more than it had before his regression.

    ¡°Why did you guys join the Truth of Violence cult?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    As soon as the words ¡®Truth of Violence cult¡¯ came out of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mouth, the brothers seemed moved. It looked like even thest thread of their doubt had disappeared.

    ¡°We want to create a better world.¡±

    ¡°A fairer world.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok remembered. Creating a better and fairer world was the values that the Truth of Violence cult incessantly preached.

    ¡°What makes a world better, and what makes it fairer?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a world where the powerful can rightfully enjoy their power.¡±

    ¡°A world where we live ording to thews of nature!¡±

    Their argument was simple¡ªthe survival of the fittest was their definition of thew of nature. They believed only foolish humans denied thisw. These foolish humans insisted that the strong had to protect the weak and that the strong harming the weak was unjust, maintaining an abnormal society for the majority who were weak.

    The right thing, ording to the brothers, was that the strong should rule over the weak. This was the direction the new world should head toward.

    ¡°Wow, you guys are really crazy,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    <i>¡®This is unbelievable.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why is that thew of nature?¡± Jin-Hyeok believed these crazy guys seemed to have a misunderstanding ofmon sense. ¡°The strong should be thinking about fighting someone stronger.¡±

    <i>¡®Where is the time to rule over the weak? Where is the time to torment them? In a world where one can fight the strong if they wish, what¡¯s unfair? The current world seems fair enough.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ah, so by your logic, me beating you up is also thew of nature, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°O-Of course!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right...!¡±

    Their eyes just shook. Jin-Hyeok disliked these kinds of fake insanity. True insanity should be consistent and unchanging, not fluctuating when it was inconvenient. Of course, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were quite variable, but that was because he believed he was not a madman.

    <i>¡®But if the Mountain Madmen legion really appears, it is going to be a bit troublesome.¡¯</i>

    Ideally, he wanted Korea to be peaceful. Korea was like a home to him, and homes should be morefortable than dynamic. One or two Mountain Madmen appearing in Korea was okay, but if a legion were to appear, that would wreck his home.

    <i>¡®I need to find this Cult Leader.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, he had never uncovered the identity of the Cult Leader. At some point, the Cult Leader had disappeared, and the Truth of Violence cult had copsed.

    <i>¡®I do want to get more information out of them, but...¡¯</i>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The two guys copsed one after another. Elly poked Il-Nam¡¯s cheek with a twig. ¡°Is he asleep?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought his actions were truly faithful to creating sentimental content. The day hade when he gave up the taste of hand-to-handbat and resorted to using poison.

    <i>¡®Wow, you do see everything if you live long enough.¡¯</i>

    The poison he had handed them earli¡ªno, the tea he had handed them earlier had poison in it. Jin-Hyeok had drunk it with them, so the act was not cowardly.

    Elly tilted her head. ¡°He¡¯s not breathing.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in a deep sleep.¡±

    <i>¡®This feels so strange. Why can¡¯t I just say that these guys were nning to kidnap you, Elly, and use you as a sacrifice? They were very bad people, and I just killed them. I want to tell her, but for some reason, I can¡¯t. Why can¡¯t I say this simple thing?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok gently told Elly, who was tilting her head, ¡°Let¡¯s light a fire to keep them warm while they sleep.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    It was a sentimental vlog after all.

 Chapter 205

    <h4>Chapter 205</h4>

    Song Ha-Young was hearing the term ¡®Truth of Violence cult¡¯ for the first time.

    ¡°Sorry... I¡¯ve never heard of them.¡± Her face turned red with embarrassment. It was quite shameful for her as the leader of the ck Rose Alliance. She sincerely apologized again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t know everything in the world. It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Ha-Young looked at Cha Jin-Hyeok with surprise. She had expected him to be disappointed, but instead, he wasforting her.

    <i>¡®Why is he so kind today?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was lenient because if it weren¡¯t for his regression, he would not have known about the cult either. After all, the cult had not been active prominently.

    However, although he had just made a general valid point, to Ha-Young, it sounded like warm and tender constion. Her spirits were lifted. ¡°Really? Thanks for saying that. I will work hard not to disappoint as the leader of the ck Rose Alliance.¡±

    <i>¡®Why is she so enthusiastic all of a sudden?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt oddly proud. These days, it seemed he did not need to use the Tight-Fillet Spell. However, he soon corrected himself.

    <i>¡®Ah, I almost got fooled again.¡¯</i>

    Lately, Ha-Young had not only stopped rebelling but also be very friendly toward him.

    <i>¡®The moment I let my guard down, she will strike from behind!¡¯</i>

    He did not think that was a bad thing. A great Thief should always take the best opportunity to strike their opponents.

    Nevertheless, Jin-Hyeok resolved not to be deceived by Ha-Young¡¯s changes. All pretty and cute things in the world had to be approached with caution. If anything, Ha-Young was pretty and cute. She was exactly the kind of person Jin-Hyeok should be wary of. Even now, she had just made him think it was unnecessary to use the Tight-Fillet Spell.

    A few dayster, Ha-Young visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house again. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Cult Leader is an Earth yer.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°In the video you showed me, that Yeti of Salvation had an incredibly high Level.¡±

    ¡°Was it?¡±

    <i>¡®What was its Level again? It didn¡¯t seem that high.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok tilted his head.

    ¡°Yes, it was Level 177.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Hey, I know what you¡¯re thinking. You don¡¯t think it¡¯s high, right? From your perspective, it is hard to grasp the principles of the world.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean that your perspective is twisted. It is so distorted that even I get confused sometimes.

    <i>¡®My perspective? My perspective is perfectly normal and rational!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to say that, but Ha-Young quickly continued, ¡°This is not an entity that can be summoned at Earth¡¯s level. There must have been an aplice. I could not find anything about the Cult Leader, no matter how much I searched. Their ability to hide taxes is quite advanced. That means we are dealing with an opponent much stronger than us...¡±

    Ha-Young crossed her arms with a very serious expression. Dark circles had appeared under her eyes due to her staying up at nights. However, her face was full of vitality. She said, ¡°To be honest, a few forces or individuals areing to mind at this point.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡±

    ¡°What about you? What do <i>you </i>think? Do you have any suspects in mind?¡± Ha-Young always felt inspired by Jin-Hyeok. Expecting new insights, she waited for his response.

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t thought about any of this. His mind was full of thoughts about content and production; he did not want to worry about anything else.

    Ha-Young nodded as if she understood his stance and continued, ¡°Think more carefully. Who was involved with Jonprich? Who was conducting strange chimera experiments? Who was involved with the organization that was conducting various experiments on Mr. Gobble? And which group has information so advanced that they publicly promised to reveal the upgrade recipe for the Rule Breaker?¡±

    ¡°Ah.... the ck Alliance?¡±

    ¡°Yes. yers as strong as Sephia and Grandel, the leaders of the ck Alliance, could have taught those two murderers how to summon the Yeti of Salvation, right?¡±

    It sounded pretty usible.

    ¡°So, I did some research.¡± Ha-Young¡¯s expression brightened even more.

    Seeing her smile so radiantly made Jin-Hyeok feel good too. Indeed, people looked their best when they were focused and enjoying their work.

    ¡°There is a record of Sephia and Grandel logging into the Korean Region.¡±

    ¡°Really? A record?¡±

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t the warp portal usage record be encrypted and stored by the System and be inessible to the public?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    This was not something a yer from the Earth Server could find. It would be possible only for a handful of super high-Level hackers in the entire universe. Jin-Hyeok became interested. ¡°How did you find that out?¡±

    Ha-Young scowled, as if something displeased her. ¡°You¡¯re quite popr, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    <i>¡®Why is she talking about how popr I am when I asked how she found out?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You must be happy to be so popr.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok could not understand why Ha-Young suddenly seemed upset.

    <strong>[#So annoying. #Why isn¡¯t it me as number one? #I am not bad at what I do either!]</strong>

    Even after seeing this, he could not understand. He began to question himself.

    <i>¡®I should just use the Tight-Fillet Spell if she is spouting nonsense, but...¡¯</i>

    Strangely, he did not feel like using the Tight-Fillet Spell these days.

    <i>¡®Weird. Did she do something to me without my knowing?¡¯</i>

    He could not understand why he was feeling so strange.

    ***

    Lately, the abilities of the people around Jin-Hyeok seemed to be far surpassing what he had thought. They had even managed to find Sephia¡¯s and Grandel¡¯s location and discover that the twins had been in Korea.

    <i>¡®Everyone must be working really hard.¡¯</i>

    In contrast, Jin-Hyeok was lying in bed, idly passing the time.

    <i>¡®Well, one must take rest seriously too.¡¯</i>

    To an outsider, it could look like he was justzing around, but that was not the case. He was earnestly taking a break. As he had filmed a calm, everyday sentimental video, it was time to get back to his main content.

    <i>¡®The next content will likely be a battle with Sephia and Grandel.¡¯</i>

    However, fighting them in China seemed like a losing battle. He thought the only chance was to fight within the territory of the Guardian Tree, so he was pondering how to lure them to Korea.

    <i>¡®Before my regression, I would have just fought them without thinking...¡¯</i>

    It made him realize he had changed quite a bit. He had be cautious and capable of more universal thinking. He was bing more rational, but someone was changing in an irrational way.

    -¡°Hehehehehehe! I smashed their heads!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if this was a bit too much. The Guardian Tree tried to act solemn, but there was a childishness in its voice. Hearing it in a child¡¯s voice somehow felt inappropriate.

    -¡°I was bored with theck of monster invasionstely, but this is great! Hehehe!¡±

    The tree shouted and then seemed to havee back to its senses.

    -¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t act like this. I mean... I am proud that my protective powers have grown! Muahaha!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had a go at tranting the Guardian Tree¡¯s sentence. ¡°So, you mean the monsters are not approaching because you have been actively ughtering them?¡±

    -¡°T-That¡¯s right!¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level increased, his mental connection with the Guardian Tree had strengthened as well. Now, he could sense its presence, not just its voice. He saw something humanoid with golden hair. Its body shimmered, only revealing a silhouette tinged in red.

    <i>¡®Was the Guardian Tree always like this?¡¯</i>

    As he became more attuned to it, the tree seemed to sense his inner thoughts as well.

    -¡°I-I am just faithfully fulfilling my role as a Guardian Tree...!¡±

    <i>¡®Who said anything about that?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered why the tree was stuttering and acting so embarrassed.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing well, Guardian Tree.¡±

    The best defense was indeed a good offense. In that sense, the Guardian Tree was experiencing very positive growth.

    -¡°Really? Do you think so too?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The Guardian Tree, which had been tinged in red, shimmered in golden light again. Its joy was palpably transmitted to Jin-Hyeok.

    Suddenly, the Guardian Tree sensed something.

    -¡°The dual-sword monster has appeared again.¡±

    ¡°You mean Zoro?¡±

    -¡°Now that you have be stronger, I¡¯ve gotten stronger too. Shall we go smash some heads?¡±

    ***

    Sitting in a chair at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house, Zoro said, ¡°This space itself seems quite hostile to me. The Guardian Tree must dislike me.¡±

    ¡°You can feel that?¡±

    If he could feel that, then the Guardian Tree still had a long way to go. The best defense was offense, and the best offense was a stealth attack. It was best to knock one¡¯s opponent out without even letting them realize they were being hit. Of course, even if it was an open attack, if one got hit extremely hard, they would get knocked out anyway. But the Guardian Tree did not have that kind of power yet.

    -¡°I-I will reflect on this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not say a word, but having read his thoughts, the Guardian Tree entered a proactive mode of self-reflection. Jin-Hyeok was guiding it in the right direction, which was quite satisfying.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found a way to upgrade the Rule Breaker,¡± Zoro said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I knew the gist of it already, but I just needed a tiny bit more information. The information that Egan Paul had was exactly what I needed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in thought. The pieces fitting together so perfectly seemed suspicious, so he called Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Wait, I know him...!¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Say hello. This is Zoro. Zoro, this is Pathfinder.¡±

    Sae-Rin looked at Zoro with displeasure. She still had a long way to go, also. If she was to Awaken as a Ruler in the future, she needed to manage her expressions better. Showing such obvious distaste and suspicion was never a good sign. Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance clearly captured her emotions.

    <strong>[#I do not like him.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Why does she dislike him so much? Sure, Zoro tried to kill me, but that alone should not make her hate him this much.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok cautiously wondered if he was unaware of something. Sae-Rin, arms crossed, continued to talk to Zoro with a displeased look, ¡°I think the information this guy has is real.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°The problem is...¡± Sae-Rin red at Zoro again. ¡°You have to entrust your Rule Breaker to this guy, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°And what if this guy takes the Rule Breaker and runs off?¡±

    Zoro loudly retorted, ¡°How dare you see me like that!¡±

    ¡°Who tried to kill Kim Chul-Soo to steal the Rule Breaker?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Zoro hung his head in shame. It looked like a clear power dynamic at first, but now Jin-Hyeok realized he misunderstood.

    <i>¡®She is exaggerating her thoughts to put him down.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought a Ruler should always hide such emotions, but he realized he was wrong. Exerting pressure from a position of power seemed quite effective. In fact, Zoro could not properly argue back and was just stuttering.

    ¡°Anyway, it seems too coincidental that everything fits so neatly and flows in your favor,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like the result of a fangirl¡¯s obsession.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know what it means. There is a person who keeps iming to be the number one fan of Chul-Soo, and although it annoys me, their abilities are real.¡±

    <i>¡®Ha-Young and now Sae-Rin... They keep talking about this number-one fan, but I have no idea what that means. Even if I ask, they just get annoyed and don¡¯t give me a proper answer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Well, anyway, the answer seems clear,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he took out the Rule Breaker and handed it to Zoro.

    Surprisingly, Zoro was shocked. ¡°You¡¯re giving this to me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to take it to upgrade it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It did not matter if he took the Rule Breaker or not. Jin-Hyeok already knew where Zoro lived. If he wanted to, he could send Angel Girl to steal back the hammer. Also, Zoro had a wife whom he loved more than his life. Jin-Hyeok was not nning to take Zoro¡¯s wife hostage, but if Zoro tried to backstab him first, he was fully prepared to retaliate.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t say that part though.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had learned a lot about social interactions and be more rational. He felt there was no need to say all the things he was thinking. He was contemting what to answer when Zoro knelt before him. ¡°You are a true warrior.¡±

    <strong>[#I saw the code of chivalry. #In this era.]</strong>

    Zoro seemed moved.

    A few dayster, he came back with the upgraded Rule Breaker.

    ¡°Take it. It¡¯s your Rule Breaker.¡±

    <i>¡®...Huh?¡¯</i>

    Something seemed a bit off.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 206

    <h4>Chapter 206</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok felt something was off about the upgraded Rule Breaker.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t it be in the form of a magnificent longsword?¡¯</i>

    The Rule Breaker he remembered was second to none in terms of mboyance. It was not called the most stylish sword in the universe without reason.

    <i>¡®So, why is it still shaped like a hammer?¡¯</i>

    Of course, this hammer was also a masterpiece, filled with meticulous details. Made of shiny ck iron, it looked extremely heavy and solid at a nce, but was as light as a feather, making it perfect for swinging. Moreover, it was intricately engraved with patterns, exuding an air of luxury.

    If Zoro¡¯s Rule Breaker from before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression was called the most stylish sword in the universe, this hammer could be called the most luxurious hammer in the universe.

    Zoro continued with a triumphant expression, ¡°The Rule Breaker is a weapon that chooses its master and manifests in the form most suitable for them.¡±

    ¡°So, this is the most suitable weapon for me?¡± Jin-Hyeok examined the Rule Breaker in his hands, scrutinizing every aspect of it. It certainly looked expensive. However, something still seemed off.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t the weapon most suitable for me be a sword...? Or.. is it something else?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was a little confused. Before his regression, he had started as a Swordsman and eventually ascended to the throne of the Sword King.

    Being a Sword King was not bad, but it was not a unique title. After all, he was the Sword King of the Korean Region, and quite a few other yers were called Sword Kings in different Regions. Since each Server had numerous Regions, the number of Sword Kings was so high that it was amon epithet. Every Server had at least ten of them.

    <i>¡®But something is peculiar about this.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had first felt this strange emotion when he had first met Gollum, the alternative character of the Great Navigator Golumberum from the Arvis Server. Such a top ranker was less intense than Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®He was called the Great Navigator despite being less intense.¡¯</i>

    Conversely, before his regression, despite his intense efforts, he was never called the Great Sword King. In the grand scheme of the universe, many yers were stronger than him. It was like being first in ss but only thirtieth in the country.

    <i>¡®Could it be that my talent in swordsmanship wascking?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had always thought his greatest talenty in the sword, but he now started to wonder if ity somewhere else.

    <i>¡®What if I had wielded a hammer instead? I¡¯m not going to lie, but the Rule Breaker feels quite satisfying in my hands.¡¯ </i>

    The weapon felt surprisingly natural in his hand, and he enjoyed using it to strike his enemies. Recently, he had even chosen the Rule Breaker over a sword under the guise of a livestream.

    <i>¡®And also...¡¯</i>

    His thoughts trailed on. His increasingly strong mental bond with the Guardian Tree, who kept shouting, ¡°I¡¯ve smashed their heads!¡± could be rted to his true aptitude.

    <i>¡®Maybe my true talent lies in wielding a hammer.¡¯</i>

    It felt like a revtion, and he felt a thrill. He now understood why despite all his efforts, he had reached the top of only his ss and not that of the country.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should have started with a hammer instead of a sword to be first in the country. The good thing is... this doesn¡¯t hurt my pride.¡¯</i>

    If he had realized this during his days as a Swordsman, he would have been depressed rather than happy. All his hard work would have been in vain. However, it was different now. He was a Streamer. A Streamer swinging a hammer would not be strange.

    ¡°Zoro, I have a favor to ask,¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a duel.¡±

    ¡°When? Now?¡± Zoro¡¯s eyes were full ofpetitive spirit. He had a smug smile on his face.

    ¡°I need to test out the upgraded Rule Breaker,¡± Jin Hyeok replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear.¡±

    ¡°We are in the territory of the Guardian Tree. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°What Swordsman would fuss over such trivial matters?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok went out to the yard and began to duel with Zoro, and he finally realized after a while.

    <i>¡®Yes! The answer was the hammer! I was only a Sword King because I wielded a sword!¡¯</i>

    Zoroy beaten and exhausted on the ground. ¡°You win...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the Rule Breaker, unable to hide his excitement. The ck iron brilliantly shone in the sunlight, showcasing its splendid form.

    ¡°You¡¯ve be stronger...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably because I found a weapon more suited to my hand. Plus, the Guardian Tree¡¯s blessing helped out.¡± Jin-Hyeok was grinning continuously.

    Zoroy on the ground, still watching Jin-Hyeok, seemingly wanting to say something.

    ¡°If you have something to say, just say it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Did you... not feel something?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jin-Hyeok reflected on their duel. In the past, he always meditated and reviewed the fight immediately after a duel, but he seemed to have becent.

    <i>¡®How am I supposed to be the strongest of the universe like this?</i>

    Jin-Hyeok needed to reflect deeply. He crossed his legs and meditated briefly.

    <i>¡®...I understand now.¡¯</i>

    Something was missing. Amidst the thrilling sensation in his hands, something tiny was missing. He could not quite put his finger on it, but it felt a bit empty as if the Rule Breaker was too light.

    ¡°I can see that you have realized something,¡± Zoro said.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized that it was already evening. <i>¡®I guess the days are getting shortertely.¡¯</i>

    ¡°How long did I meditate?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°About four hours.¡±

    <i>¡®Only four hours have passed, and it¡¯s already dark.¡¯</i>

    ¡°The one who refined this Rule Breaker is a master craftsman of the Arvis Server, Professor Daleyaman. He said whoever holds this weapon and realizes something will reach the pinnacle. I don¡¯t know what that something is,¡± Zoro said while extending his hand, ¡°but it was a pleasure to meet a true warrior. Let¡¯s meet again.¡±

    Externally, Zoro seemed calm, but Jin-Hyeok felt a strange sensation. Zoro seemed to want to say something more.

    <strong>[#Should I say it? #Should I? #Or not?]</strong>

    ¡°Just say it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°You want to say something. Since I epted this from you, I will answer almost anything.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Zoro hesitated, seemingly struggling to speak, then finally opened his mouth. ¡°...When is the Elly video being posted?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    <i>¡®Is he aware that I filmed a sentimental vlog? I haven¡¯t even uploaded anything yet.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve rewatched the video of you two making that pact about three hundred times...¡± Zoro was not prophetic; he was just an Elly fan.

    ¡°Something amazing is going to be uploaded. Just wait.¡±

    ¡°Something... amazing?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lowered his voice and briefly spoiled the video just for him. ¡°She is going to dive into a campfire.¡±

    ¡°D-Diving into a campfire?¡± Zoro¡¯s eyes widened as if they could pop out. He seemed to be imagining the cute scene. ¡°And then? What happens after the dive?¡±

    ¡°She dances with the mes.¡±

    ¡°D-Dancing with the mes?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was about to stop there but decided to properly repay the Swordsman for the Rule Breaker. ¡°And then she gets tired, leans on my shoulder, and dozes off. The video is going to be calm and therapeutic in nature.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will contact you before uploading it. Just for you.¡±

    Zoro¡¯s dual swords dropped to the ground. His expression was filled with immense gratitude. ¡°Thank you, friend.¡±

    It seemed like there was a solid demand for sentimental content. Jin-Hyeok felt proud, thinking he had done proper market research.

    ***

    Recently, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s peers kept dodging questions with excuses about ¡®Number one this and that¡¯, so he asked Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°Ah, that?¡± She straightened her back after adjusting her round sses.

    <i>¡®Oh, that posture. It¡¯s giving me PTSD.¡¯</i>

    It was the exact look she had when she was about to push something important onto him. Thankfully, she had not been pushing anything about the Moon King or suchtely, but sometimes, Jin-Hyeok found her intimidating. After all, she always ended up making the right decisions.

    ¡°One day, you will naturallye to know what that is, but for now, it¡¯s better if you remain unaware, Jin-Hy¡ªno, Chul-Soo. Try not to pry into it.¡±

    Switching to his yer name meant that the matter was more rted to y than his daily life.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Because I think Chul-Soo Land will go crazier if you don¡¯t know anything about it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew about Chul-Soo Land, his fan club. Yu-Mi was managing it, so he had not paid it much attention, but she did not want him to get too involved with it.

    ¡°For now, we will go with a mysterious concept. Chul-Soo, you are intensely dedicated, but you have unexpectedly naive aspects, which have be your charming point. People are going insane!¡±

    She showed him some examples, confident Jin-Hyeok wouldn¡¯t understand.

    -But Chul-Soo seems unaware of his poprity. So cute... T_T

    -Seems he doesn¡¯t know much about Chul-Soo Land either. We should protect Chul-Soo!

    -Kim Chul-Soo, the bright-eyed madman. I love him!

    -KingGodGeneral Yumi said she is going to manage Chul-Soo Land. There is a rumor that she is extremely cautious to not let Chul-Soo neglect his y over external matters.

    -Our unrequited love hurts, but for Chul-Soo¡¯s intensity, what can¡¯t we endure? T_T Let Chul-Soo do whatever he wants. I love you, Chul-Soo!

    -Guys, look at how cute our Chul-Soo is. Watch it ten times!

    Yu-Mi summarized it for Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Simply put, the fans are in unrequited love with you. It¡¯s rare for fans to love a Streamer this much when the Streamer doesn¡¯t show their love back to the fans... But you¡¯ve done it! It is not just about looks; it¡¯s abination of your achievements and intense personality.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok thought of a word while listening to Yu-Mi. ¡°So... I¡¯m somewhat like a y-tainer.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s the word I thought of a few days ago! As expected of Jin-Hyeok! You are so smart!¡±

    y-tainer was abination of the words ¡®yer¡¯ and ¡®entertainer¡¯. Even though Jin-Hyeok was engrossed in his y, he knew about ng such as y-tainer. Allpetent yers would eventually achieve stardom,parable to or even surpassing that of celebrities, and use their fame to act like entertainers.

    <i>¡®Kang Eun-Woo was like that.¡¯</i>

    Kang Eun-Woo was also known as the Beauty King. If Jin-Hyeok was considered the top Swordsman in the Korean Region before his regression, Eun-Woo was among the top ten y-tainers in the universe. He was universally recognized as an ideal type and the first yer to establish the concept of a y-tainer on Earth.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it. What is Eun-Woo doing these days?¡¯</i>

    While the Weak Anus Destroyer Lee Hyeon-Seong and Zoro had shown themselves, Jin-Hyeok had no idea what Eun-Woo was up to. He had received a lot of help from Eun-Woo before his regression.

    <i>¡®For now, I will just follow Yu-Mi¡¯s lead.¡¯</i>

    For the moment, Jin-Hyeok needed to focus more on training with the Rule Breaker, fully integrating this weapon as his own. The more he swung it, the more refreshing it felt, yet he felt a lingering sense of emptiness. Unraveling this could lead to obtaining a weapon perfect for him.

    <i>¡®But I am curious about what Eun-Woo is doing.¡¯</i>

    He asked Song Ha-Young to look into Eun-Woo. A few dayster, she brought back some unbelievable news.

 Chapter 207

    <h4>Chapter 207</h4>

    Song Ha-Young¡¯s information was hard to believe.

    ¡°Wait, Kang Eun-Woo is livestreaming nowadays?¡±

    <i>¡®Why would he do that? He has a natural talent for acting, doesn¡¯t he? He should know that.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had thought Eun-Woo would be ying as an idol of sorts, Awakening to a Job with that kind of vibe. However, Eun-Woo had be a Streamer for some reason.

    ¡°But he is aplete Hakko.¡±

    ¡°He is?¡± Jin-Hyeok had grown enough to know what Hakko meant. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense...¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen his face?¡±

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t revealed his face yet. He just has messy hair and a full-grown beard, and he wears sses and a mask. So, people do not really know what he looks like.¡±

    The more Jin-Hyeok heard about him, the more absurd it seemed.

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he revealed his face?¡± he asked.

    <i>¡®If he is not going to use that face properly, he might as well give it to me.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Eun-Woo had no idea how much of an asset his appearance was. He was frustratingly clueless.

    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s number two,¡± Ha-Young said with a frown. ¡°He¡¯s doing it to imitate someone.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at Ha-Young for a while then realized. ¡°Wait, me?¡±

    <i>¡®Why the hell would he imitate me?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt that Ha-Young had be significantly more cooperative.

    <i>¡®In the past, she would have said something like ¡°Hey I¡¯m the leader of the ck Rose Alliance. Stop sending me on these unimportant errands.¡± But now, she is surprisingly cooperative.¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young found Eun-Woo¡¯s address in less than a day. ¡°Here is it.¡±

    ¡°That was easy.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a Streamer. Tracing the livestream location was easy.¡± Ha-Young shook her head disapprovingly. ¡°He is trying to imitate you, but it¡¯s so clumsy.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok confusedly tilted his head. Ha-Young appeared to be irked for some reason. People around him seemed to get upset over strange things these days.

    <strong>[#Imitators are the worst. #If he is going to copy, at least do it well.]</strong>

    Ha-Young was genuinely annoyed.

    <i>¡®Why is he imitating Jin-Hyeok?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Whether they imitated him well or poorly did not matter; she just disliked the idea of someone copying Kim Chul-Soo. Lately, many Chul-Soo imitators had popped up, and Ha-young despised them all. Incidentally, she was Chul-Soo Land member number ny-nine, a fact she kept secret from Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Why the hell is he number two? How could such a pathetic imitation im to be number two, while I am ny-nine?</i>

    This waspletely wrong, and it bothered her the most. She asked Jin-Hyeok, ¡°Why do you need his address? Are you going to punish him?¡±

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°Well, he is an imitator.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok flinched.

    <i>¡®Why would I want to hurt someone just because they are imitating me?¡¯ </i>

    The Guardian Tree and now Ha-Young, everyone seemed to be getting more violent.

    <i>¡®Technically, I also imitated the concept of Mystery Box.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had no right to im originality, and he did not want to either. Anyone could do such performances, and he had never thought of himself as an exception.

    ¡°Then why?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Just want to meet him.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Ha-Young¡¯s voice sharpened.

    <i>¡®Does he know that Eun-Woo is number two? This better not be a fan meeting,¡¯</i> Ha-Young thought.

    ¡°I just want to give him a piece of my mind,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Ha-Young smiled broadly. ¡°Give him a good scare for me.¡±

    -¡°Smash his head! Hahahaha!¡±

    The Guardian Tree also chimed in.

    ***

    <i>¡®Wait, Sareoga Mart Dungeon?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was dumbfounded. Eun-Woo, who struggled with Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, was imitating Jin-Hyeok and clearing the Sareoga Mart Dungeon all by himself even though the Streamer Job was not fit for soloing Dungeons.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯</i>

    Seeing Eun-Woo was almost like watching a right-handed person use his left hand, a basketball yer ying ser, or a wrestler swimming. It looked just so out of ce and awkward.

    <i>¡®And what is this?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[#Lack of self-esteem. #I am nothing. #Dust in the universe.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok approached Eun-Woo, who had heavily disguised himself with a wig, sunsses, and a mask. He probably could not afford the Deceiver''s Mask.

    ¡°Yo, what are you doing here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Y-You are...?!¡± Eun-Woo seemed to have recognized Jin-Hyeok. He stiffened, then suddenly turned and dashed away.

    <i>¡®Why is he running away?¡¯</i>

    This was getting more perplexing by the second. Eun-Woo¡¯s escape route seemed poorly nned. His heading that way would only result in him getting beaten up by the Fist Monkeys.

    <i>¡®Sigh!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to help him out, foreseeing that Eun-Woo could end up like the Guardian Tree had said, with his head smashed.

    <i>¡®He doesn¡¯tck the skill to use Broadcaster''s Barrier; he just doesn¡¯t have the Skill at all!¡¯</i>

    Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was like a special privilege given to an Initial Awakener with the Streamer Job. Eun-Woo was not an Initial Awakener, so he did not have the Skill.

    ¡°Yo, let¡¯s talk for a minute.¡±

    ***

    Eun-Woo could not meet Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, and his hands were trembling.

    <i>¡®This doesn¡¯t suit him,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Eun-Woo was a confident person, and Jin-Hyeok had received a lot of help from him. Eun-Woo had taught Jin-Hyeok how to resist powerful seductions and not fall for the temptations of Subi.

    The world also knew that the two of them were friends, and Eun-Woo had mentioned Jin-Hyeok several times on his Enstagram ount, which was also a huge help. Eun-Woo was a superstar on a universal scale, and his words could sway public opinion.

    <i>¡®I was always the one receiving help.¡¯</i>

    As a yer affiliated with the NIS, Jin-Hyeok had to be mindful of public opinion, whether he liked it or not. When public opinion about his party worsened due to various mistakes, just a few words from Eun-Woo could turn it around. Eun-Woo had hundreds of millions of fans on the Earth Server alone. Even politicians, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s superiors, and Maria from the NIS had to be wary of Eun-Woo. He was a strong supporter of Jin-Hyeok, but in this life, he was rather pitiful.

    ¡°Why are you livestreaming?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I-I am sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to imitate you...¡± Eun-Woo looked like he was about to cry, tears welling up in his eyes. Anyone would think Jin-Hyeok was bullying him.

    <i>¡®This won¡¯t do. He helped me before my regression, so I should help him now.¡¯</i>

    ¡°You need to quit being a Streamer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Pardon me?¡±

    ¡°I know this maye as a shock to you now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of pride. Before his regression, he would have resorted to violence, but now he knew how to resolve things through conversation. He felt like he had truly be an ordinary person. Being a sensitive and emotional Eltuber who made sentimental vlogs, Jin-Hyeok decided to change Eun-Woo¡¯s mind with kinder and warmer words.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you chose to be a Streamer, but this is not the right fit for you.¡±

    yers usually hated changing their Jobs. It involved starting from scratch in terms of Level, and there was no guarantee of getting their desired Job. People tended to make the mistake of gravitating toward what they were familiar with. Jin-Hyeok had done the same. He had reached for a sword instead of a hammer, despite having held the hammer form of the Rule Breaker.

    ¡°B-But... I...¡± Eun-Woo was always stubborn.

    <i>¡®Ah, should I just hit him?¡¯</i>

    Since Jin-Hyeok had a lot of experience where violence solved everything, he found himself wanting to resort to it too easily. Going the long way around when an easier path existed was frustrating.

    ¡°I... just want to be like you, Mr. Chul-Soo...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea why Eun-Woo had a crying expression. He had not even hit Eun-Woo.

    <i>¡®Should I just hit him? Then, he would have a reason to be this upset.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Y-You are my idol, Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®What is he even talking about?¡¯</i>

    ¡°S-So, I wanted to be like... you... even if it¡¯s hard.¡±

    ¡°I recently had a good experience and gained some enlightenment rted to this.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt this enlightenment should be shared. Rather, he wanted to brag about it. ¡°I always thought wielding a sword was my greatest talent. But it wasn¡¯t. So, I recently changed my main weapon. It was really tough, and it hurt my pride too.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Eun-Woo started taking notes.

    Jin-Hyeok found this a bit embarrassing yet fulfilling, like bing a notable figure. It especially felt gratifying because the one listening to him was Eun-Woo.

    ¡°But changing paths opened my eyes to many things. I learned that clinging to the sword was the wrong path. I felt like I grew a lot.¡±

    ¡°En...lightenment... Got it.¡± Eun-Woo diligently noted down everything.

    ¡°You can do it too. Changing paths is not as hard as you think. There is a lot to gain from it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Then, a good idea struck Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Now that I think about it, Streamers were always desperate to have Eun-Woo as a guest in their livestreams.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, whenever Eun-Woo appeared on a Streamer¡¯s livestream, the Streamer¡¯s subscriber count would explode. However, Eun-Woo¡¯s high appearance fee and an exclusive contract with another Streamer, Marshmallow from the Arvis Server, made that difficult.

    <i>¡®What if I secure him for myself? It would be a jackpot.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective had broadened since he had filmed the sentimental vlog. His old way was more in line with that of a skilled Swordsman who livstreamed, rather than that of a true Streamer.

    <i>¡®That was a narrow-minded approach.¡¯</i>

    To grow his channel, Jin-Hyeok needed content that could appeal to various generations and species. In that sense, bringing Eun-Woo on board was a great strategy.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to livestream by yourself. If you really want to livestream, you can just appear on mine,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Tears welled up in Eun-Woo¡¯s eyes again.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if the man did not like the offer. He even thought of forcing Eun-Woo to sign a contract if Eun-Woo hated it.

    ¡°You mean... I can be on your livestream?¡± Eun-Woo asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Can someone as pathetic as me really appear on your show?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Suddenly, mana swirled around Eun-Woo. A significant change seemed to be happening.

    <i>¡®A sudden Job change? I just had a couple of words with him, and he¡¯s changing Jobs?¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo¡¯s talent was truly top-notch.

    ¡°I... changed my Job.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could see that too. It seemed like Eun-Woo had undergone Irregr Awakening as he started his new Job at Level 50.

    <strong>[LV50/Kang Eun-Woo/Homepage Master/Skills/Low Self-Esteem But Still Number Two]</strong>

    <i>¡®Homepage Master? Not ¡°Everyone¡¯s Idol¡±? Is this like the initial phase of bing ¡°Everyone¡¯s Idol¡±? And what about those rainbow colors? That¡¯s new.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 208

    <h4>Chapter 208</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was not quite sure why the Job title was rainbow-colored. Nevertheless, Kang Eun-Woo seemed to be quite moved, speaking with an air of deep emotion. ¡°Oh... I will try... my best to find the right path.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    <i>¡®You have the potential to be a superstar of the universe, as long as you are on the right path. It would be a shame to waste that.¡¯</i>

    With his face turning red, Eun-Woo gauged Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction and cautiously asked again, ¡°So... Can I really join your livestream, Mr. Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, if you do well.¡± Jin-Hyeok was immensely grateful for this opportunity. He wanted to tell Eun-Woo that, but managed to hold back.

    A few dayster, Jin-Hyeok introduced Eun-Woo to Wang Yu-Mi, who seemed quite pleased.

    ¡°He is not as charming as you are, but his foundation is trendy. And a Homepage Master doesn¡¯t have to be particrly handsome anyway. I will take good care of him.¡± Yu-Mi seemed to know quite a bit about the Homepage Master Job.

    A few more days passed, and Eun-Woo came to Jin-Hyeok with a camera as big as a cannon. Apparently, taking pictures and videos of Jin-Hyeok rapidly increased his Level. Eun-Woo did not look like the morous Eun-Woo Jin-Hyeok knew before his regression; he was dressed more modestly and was even wearing a baseball cap, looking very different from the Eun-Woo Jin-Hyeok remembered.

    <i>¡®Is this really what he should be doing? He should be ying as Everyone¡¯s Idol, not Homepage Master.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was thinking of trusting Yu-Mi¡¯s decision, as she always made the right choices, when strange notifications came to him.

    <strong>[You have be the subject of a Homepage Master.]</strong>

    <strong>[Homepage Master¡¯s Trait ?Are You Worthy of Love? has been activated.]</strong>

    <i>¡®What is this? Are you Worthy of Love?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[The Traits ?Are You Worthy of Love? and ?Munchkin? are violently reacting with each other.]</strong>

    <strong>[The Trait ?Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol? has been created.]</strong>

    Up to this point, the situation was somewhat understandable. The problem was what came next.

    <strong>[The Traits ?Imperial Resilience? and ?Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol? are violently shing with each other.]</strong>

    The System didn''t usually give such detailed exnations. Thanks to his consistent meditation and training in contemting the microcosm within him, Jin-Hyeok could urately sense what was happening inside his body.

    <i>¡®This might fuck me up real bad.¡¯</i>

    For the first time in a while, he felt a significant threat. So, he immediately sat down with his legs crossed.

    <i>¡®shes between Traits aremon.¡¯</i>

    But this felt more like an explosion. It was like a nuclear bomb dropping in his mind. If left unchecked, his mental world would get torn apart, leading to a high likelihood of him bing a vegetable.

    <i>¡®Even Extra Life won¡¯t help me in this case.¡¯</i>

    The explosion that was about to ur would far exceed the revival value allowed by Extra Life. In his microcosm, two stars were about to collide, both bursting into mes. Jin-Hyeok had to choose sides between the two stars, and at this point, he could not choose both.

    <i>¡®Right now, the easier Trait for me to handle is Imperial Resilience.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had possessed this Trait for a long time, and it was well-settled in his microcosm. He could not let the new Traite in and disrupt his entire mind. So, he tried to help Imperial Resilience and push the new Trait out of his microcosm.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i>

    The new Trait pushed in regardless of his will. As he tried to push it out, he felt like he was burning, and the sensation was especially intense in his palms. Jin-Hyeok liked this feeling.

    <i>¡®This is thrilling!¡¯</i>

    Filming a sentimental vlog had loosened his mental discipline, but now, he felt he could get it back on track. It was the real thrill he had missed for a long time.

    <i>¡®Hey, what are you doing?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok called in another star from his microcosm, a veryrge star called Pure Luck. It seemed as if Pure Luck itself was speaking to him

    -If I help now, the microcosm will be destroyed. You will die, Master.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s okay if you destroy it. Extra Life can handle the fissure you''ll create.¡¯</i>

    Although Extra Life could not stop the explosion caused by the collision of the two Traits, it could handle the fissure that Pure Luck would create.

    <strong>[You have used the Mystery ?Pure Luck?.]</strong>

    <i>sh!</i>

    There was a bright sh before his eyes. Then, he lost consciousness, and it seemed like he had died.

    ***

    It was only after three days that Jin-Hyeok could open his eyes.

    <i>¡®Thank goodness for Extra Life.¡¯</i>

    The first thing he saw was Eun-Woo tied up with ropes against the wall. Cha Jin-Sol was dozing off beside Eun-Woo, seemingly watching over him.

    ¡°...What are you doing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Oppa! You¡¯re awake!¡± Jin-Sol ran to him and shook his shoulders. ¡°Are you alive?¡±

    ¡°What? Did you think I was dead?¡±

    ¡°You <i>are </i>alive!¡± She pinched her cheeks hard. Then, suddenly, she hit him hard on the back. ¡°You crazy bastard! What the hell did you do?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could have dodged the hit, but he chose not to. Somehow, it felt like taking the hit would be less exhausting.

    ¡°I thought you had really died because you were not breathing.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok noticed that her eyes were swollen. Faintly, he remembered what had happened in the meantime.

    -Please! Please don¡¯t die! If you die, I will really kill you!

    When the news of him waking up spread, his mother, who had been resting in the room, rushed over to him. Surprisingly, his father came running too, his eyes red.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re not dead.¡± After speaking gruffly, his father turned away.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if his father was actually angry, so he checked with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <strong>[#Men don¡¯t cry. #Especially not in front of their sons.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Dad, your shoulders are shaking too much to hide it...¡¯</i>

    His mother hugged him and cried her heart out. Jin-Hyeok awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°Why is everyone acting so sad when I¡¯m not even dead?¡±

    ¡°You weren''t breathing, you maniac!¡± Jin-Sol had another outburst.

    The people around Jin-Hyeok had been acting strangetely.

    <i>¡®Is there somew of conservation of madness?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like as Jin-Hyeok regained his senses, those around him lost theirs.

    ¡°Ah, I guess I had died, since Extra Life is on cooldown right now.¡±

    ¡°...You talk about it so casually.¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be casual?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt wronged. He had boldly used Pure Luck because he had Extra Life. Even if this Mystery went berserk and destroyed him, he coulde back to life once.

    <i>¡®Would an idiot n this much ahead? And why am I the one being scolded?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok believed he had made the best choice, sessfully reviving by calling on Pure Luck; so, he did not understand why he was being reprimanded.

    <i>¡®But why don¡¯t I feel bad about being scolded?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had been feeling strangetely. His mother went to the kitchen to cook samgyetang[1] for him. Then, the Seo sisters, who had been hiding on the ceiling, revealed themselves. Long shadows stretched from the ceiling and rained down, binding Eun-Woo. They pressed down on him like a python, causing him to make a pained sound.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    <i>¡®I think one of his ribs just broke.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    <i>¡®Are they training? But Eun-Woo seems too weak for training. What kind of training is this?¡¯</i>

    Seo Ji-Soo asked with a fierce expression, ¡°Did this bastard try to kill you, Oppa?¡±

    Seo Ji-Ah, who seldom showed emotions, had an expression as if she was about to murder Eun-Woo. ¡°I am going to kill him.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, the Seo sisters have loosened up again after acquiring impressive Jobs!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok smacked both sisters on the head and said, ¡°Do you really think he has the ability to kill me? Are you that stupid?¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The sisters¡¯ reactions were strange too. Even after being smacked, they did not seem too upset.

    <i>¡®They are Shadow Rulers now, but they¡¯re not even fighting back.¡¯</i>

    <i>Tsk! </i>

    Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue and looked over at Eun-Woo. Eun-Woo was making muffled sounds, looking wronged. Upon closer inspection, Jin-Hyeok realized that Eun-Woo had a gag in his mouth. Eun-Woo had been tied up for the three days Jin-Hyeok had been unconscious.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Seeing Eun-Woo like that brought back some of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s lost memories. Jin-Hyeok had eventually seeded in expelling the Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol Trait, which had burrowed into his microcosm, with the help of the Pure Luck Mystery. The homeless Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol Trait had been absorbed by Eun-Woo. For a moment, Jin-Hyeok felt a great regret.

    <i>¡®With that Trait, I could have be a top ranker of the universe.¡¯</i>

    However, he soon corrected his thoughts.

    <i>¡®No, it¡¯s actually good that he absorbed the Trait.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could mimic others¡¯ abilities. It was much better for him to receive these abilities filtered through Eun-Woo.

    <i>¡®Eun-Woo will grow in his own way.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a conversation with Eun-Woo, and it seemed that Eun-Woo had acquired a dual-ss Job following his Job change. Now he was both a rainbow-colored Homepage Master and a rainbow-colored Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol.

    <i>¡®I guess real talent shines through.¡¯</i>

    What had been a Trait for Jin-Hyeok had be a Job for Eun-Woo. This meant that Eun-Woo and the Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol had an incredibly goodpatibility.

    <i>¡®Obtaining fate like this? I didn¡¯t know it could work like that.¡¯</i>

    A kid with the qualities of a universe-level ranker really was different. Though it took a roundabout way, Eun-Woo had eventually obtained the Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol Job.

    <i>¡®Wait, but before my regression, wasn¡¯t he just Everyone¡¯s Idol?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jang Michelle visited Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop at Cheongdam-dong after a while and engaged in a lively conversation. She asked, ¡°The Rule Breaker is a weapon that finds its master¡¯s aptitude on its own, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. In the Arvis Server, they are also used as talent identifiers,¡± Gap-Soo answered.

    ¡°But why did Chul-Soo¡¯s Rule Breaker turn into a hammer? Why not something more fitting for a Streamer, like a microphone or a camera?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! You don¡¯t know?¡± Gap-Soo said,ughing heartily.

    ¡°Do you know, old man?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. It means that Chul-Soo¡¯s talent is most specialized in wielding a hammer. Haven¡¯t you seen the Guardian Tree in Seoul?¡±

    ¡°The Guardian Tree?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Among the Golden Guardian Trees of the entire universe, only one breaks the back of monsters with a hammer. This aspect is unique to the Guardian Tree in Seoul.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°A Guardian Tree naturallyes to resemble its owner.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t livestreaming Chul-Soo¡¯s greatest talent?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true he has incredible talent in livestreaming. I, too, find Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams the most entertaining these days. But even that innate talent pales inparison to the Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique?

    ¡°That¡¯s a name I came up with. Fits Chul-Soo¡¯s style, right?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know Chul-Soo¡¯s style nowadays!¡± Michelle said while shaking her head in disbelief.

    ¡°What don¡¯t I know?¡±

    ¡°The old Chul-Soo might have preferred a name like the Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique. But not anymore. He has evolved and is bing a more refined yer.¡± Michelle continued with a confident expression, ¡°I have decided to call Chul-Soo¡¯s talent a Graceful and Complete Hammer.¡±

    ¡°...What does that mean? Why include the wordplete?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I just decided to.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! There is no name cooler than the Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique!¡±

    ¡°Come out of your old-fashioned sentiment, old man.¡±

    ¡°Shall we make a bet on which name Chul-Soo likes better?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the wager?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s bet ten billion Dias. Half of it will be donated to Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I will bet double, twenty billion!¡±

    It seemed necessary to ask Chul-Soo directly. However, at that moment, someone arrived at the workshop to meet Gap-Soo, guided by Lilia.

    It was a girl in herte teens, wearing a school uniform and sporting a bob cut. She had aptop on her left side and a yellow name tag on her left chest, with the number ¡®1¡¯ instead of a name.

    Gap-Soo immediately stood up. ¡°What brings you to this humble ce?¡±

    Michelle tilted her head in confusion.

    <i>¡®Who is this girl that made MoneyShower behave so respectfully?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Who is she that you are acting like this?¡± Michelle asked.

    ¡°Stand up and greet her,¡± Gap-Soo replied to Michelle. He then guided the girl to sit on the sofa and said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since west met.¡±

    ¡°Do you recognize me?¡± the girl asked.

    ¡°Of course. What kind of idiot wouldn¡¯t recognize the Mad God of Favoritism?¡±

    As he said ¡®idiot,¡¯ he subtly nced at Michelle. She was also surprised.

    <i>¡®Mad God of Favoritism?¡¯</i>

    It was a name she also recognized.

    1. Samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is a traditional Korean soup for nourishing the body. ?

 Chapter 209

    <h4>Chapter 209</h4>

    Jang Michelle was well aware of the name Mad God of Favoritism.

    ¡°I greet you, Fragment of the God.¡±

    At the beginning of the universe, The First Will gave birth to the world. It was said that when The First Willmanded light to exist, light was born. The First Will separated light and darkness into day and night, morning and evening. People called it the Creator or God.

    However, after creating the universe, The First Will fell into a deep slumber, handing over the operation of the universe to sentient beings. No one knew when The First Will would awaken or influence the universe¡¯s order directly again.

    <i>¡®She is one of the small fragments that fell from the sleeping God...¡¯</i>

    The First Will was mighty enough to give birth to a universe, and even the tiny fragments that fell from it held immense power. These fragments quietly observed the world ording to the God¡¯s will.

    However, like how different humans had different personalities, these fragments were very different from each other. The Mad God of Favoritism was one of those more actively involved in the world. Specifically, she liked to mess around with subjects of her obsession. Some fragments of The Great Will referred to her as <i>the crazy bitch with her head in the clouds</i>.

    ¡°Do you know me?¡± the Mad God of Favoritism asked.

    ¡°Of course. It is my first time seeing you in person, though,¡± Michelle answered.

    ¡°My name is No.1.¡± The Mad God of Favoritism smiled contentedly.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I am Chul-Soo Land¡¯s member number one.¡±

    Both Choi Gap-Soo and Michelle realized it at the same time.

    <i>¡®Ah, this crazy God is obsessed with Kim Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Instead of the dumbfounded Michelle, the experienced Gap-Soo calmly replied, ¡°However, this is the world of humans. That name is quite peculiar.¡±

    ¡°I like this name.¡±

    ¡°Using such a name might prevent you from seeing Chul-Soo for long.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± No.1 flinched.

    ¡°I am aware that you have woken up after a long sleep. Before that...¡±

    Gap-Soo talked about an incident from the early days, when the Mad God of Favoritism had been obsessed with Garbinu, the first-generation idol of the universe and the sexiest Demon King ever known. She was not just a fan, but a crazy fan. Worthy of the title <i>Mad God</i>.

    <i>¡®This crazy woman had volunteered as the first member of the Demon King¡¯s army.¡¯</i>

    For the Demon King, she had gone to great lengths. With her help, Garbinu had be the first Demon emperor of the Arvis Server.

    ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten about Garbinu. Turns out, he was aplete yboy with a messy personal life. I don¡¯t know why I was so crazily devoted to him.¡±

    ¡°<i>Ahem. </i>Anyway, don¡¯t you remember what happened back then?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°I do remember. My mom dragged me away and made me shave my head, damn it! Then she gave me sleeping pills. It was two thousand years ago, but I still remember it vividly,¡± she said, clenching her fist.

    Fragments of the God existed in various forms. If a fragment like the Mad God of Favoritism became excessively fixated on something or someone, other fragments could find it objectionable. If the Mad God of Favoritism interfered with the human world too much, another God would suppress and seal her away. Ultimately, these fragments were parts of the God, and they moved ording to The First Will.

    ¡°If you act too noticeably, your mother will eventually intervene. Gods dislike excessive interference in the human world, don¡¯t they? It might not end just with a shaved head and sleeping pills this time,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    ¡°No.1 is too conspicuous. Try using a simple name, like Min-Ji, or...¡± Gap-Soo cautiously nced around. Remembering the gctic-scale devastation caused by No.1 from the Demon King¡¯s army, Gap-Soo thought of something else. ¡°...Maybe ask Chul-Soo to give you a new name?¡±

    ¡°Great idea!¡±

    ¡°And he is actually on his way here.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± The Mad God of Favoritism suddenly stood up and started acting like a meerkat, her face turning bright red. ¡°You should have told me that earlier!¡±

    Soon, her entire body turned red.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She burst into mes and disappeared. Theptop she had been holding also burned up and fell to the ground.

    ¡°Phew. Lilia, please clean up the mess. Since it¡¯s divine fire, be sure to wear protective gloves,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°So, the Mad God of Favoritism does exist. I had only heard of her in legends, but seeing her firsthand is something else,¡± Michelle said, sighing in relief.

    Gap-Soo seized the opportunity to lecture Michelle about how kids these days did not think about learning, that they did not believe what adults said, and that this was why they needed to learn from the wisdom of elders.

    ¡°Enough, old man. I feel like blood wille out of my ears.¡±

    ¡°See? You can¡¯t even endure an adult¡¯s nagging for a minute!¡±

    ¡°I endured it for eight minutes and twenty-two seconds.¡±

    ¡°You should be open to receiving the elders¡¯ wisdom. This is all for your good...¡±

    ¡°So, why did the Mad God of Favoritisme here? It doesn¡¯t seem like she came to see Chul-Soo...¡±

    Considering her current state, it seemed unlikely she would ever meet Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Come to see Chul-Soo? Absolutely not. Even when she was No.1 of the Demon King¡¯s army, she could not look the Demon King in the eye.¡±

    ¡°Then why...?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Gap-Soo came to a conclusion. ¡°Maybe she wanted to spread the word that she is No.1?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°After all, we arepeting for the number 1 and number 2 fan spots of Chul-Soo.¡± Gap-Soo sighed. ¡°It seems like she came to just tell us that she is the No.1¡±

    ¡°...Do Gods move for such reasons?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about Gods. That¡¯s the nature of this crazy bi¡ªno, this Mad God.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Hm... Something feels a bit off today,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He sensed an auspicious energy in the workshop that he had never felt before.

    ¡°I just sprayed some perfume.¡± Gap-Soo chuckled.

    ¡°Perfume?¡±

    <i>¡®What kind of perfume would give off this feeling?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Anyway, you said you wanted to ask me something?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Yes. It has not been disclosed on the livestream, but do you know about HM?¡±

    ¡°HM?¡± The old man looked puzzled, but Michelle seemed to know.

    ¡°Of course. HM is short for Homepage Master. But what about Homepage Master?¡± Michelle asked.

    ¡°Well, I just got one for my channel.¡±

    ¡°Then I can expect high-quality videos and some fan cam. How exciting! What Level is your HM?¡± Michelle pped her hands in excitement.

    ¡°He is not even 100 yet.¡±

    ¡°Tell him to level up quickly. Then you can render fan cams in 3D!¡± Michelle looked very pleased.

    ¡°But do you know about the Job rankings people use?¡±

    ¡°You mean like 1-Star Jobs, 2-Star Jobs, and so on?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Normally, people say 9-Star Jobs are the best. Did you know that?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Of course. That ssification is not used on just the Earth Server. Most Servers use the same method, and the ssifications are quite simr. But why?¡± Michelle engaged Jin-Hyeok in an extremely interesting conversation.

    In contrast, Gap-Soo seemed a bit upset. ¡°You guys are hitting it off, and I¡¯m just an old man in the back room.¡±

    <i>¡®This is your fault, old man. You don¡¯t even know what HM stands for. How can I have a conversation with someone who knows nothing?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I see 9-Star Jobs in red,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s the universal standard.¡±

    ¡°Do you know whates after that?¡±

    Michelle, who had been confidently carrying on the conversation, hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. MoneyShower would know more about that...¡±

    Then she looked at Gap-Soo, who turned his head with a snort. It looked like he was saying he wouldn¡¯t tell them anything, but Jin-Hyeok knew better. Just a few encouraging words, and the old man would undoubtedly start showing off due to his itching to boast.

    ¡°Could I seek some advice from the wise elder?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Gap-Soo.

    ¡°Hmph! You were treating me like a lonely old man a minute ago.¡±

    ¡°This is an exclusive video that won¡¯t be released on the livestream, only shared with my channel¡¯s two top VIPs.¡±

    Gap-Soo seemed very interested as his eyes turned toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°It¡¯s an unreleased video. No one has seen it yet,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°... Let¡¯s see it then.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok showed them the incidents that had urred with Eun-Woo. ¡°This is a collector¡¯s unreleased edition. It¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Ahem...¡± Gap-Soo began talking excitedly, clearly delighted.

    ***

    Gap-Soo talked for about two hours, mixing self-praise with nagging. ¡°One thing is for sure. Jobs beyond 9 Stars definitely exist.¡±

    ¡°So, ultimately, you don¡¯t know about rainbow-colored Jobs,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What? When did I say I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Then, is a rainbow-colored Job a 10-Star Job?¡±

    ¡°T-That...¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡±

    ¡°When what is it?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? In the end, the highest rank, the ultimate one, regresses to having the ck color.¡±

    ording to Gap-Soo, the colors yellow, green, orange, and red indicated 6-Star, 7-Star, 8-Star, and 9-Star Jobs, respectively. However, beyond that, the unknown transcended to ck. After all, if one mixed all the colors, one would get the ck color.

    <i>¡°Kind of like the Munchkin Trait.¡±</i>

    Gap-Soo had told him that the Munchkin Trait was marked as ck, which puzzled Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®But Munchkin is not a Job. It¡¯s a Trait.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Gap-Soo was a bit inconsistent. The information seemed jumbled and not entirely clear.

    <i>¡®But again, I can¡¯t be sure.¡¯</i>

    What happened to Eun-Woo had provided Jin-Hyeok with a big hint. In Eun-Woo¡¯s situation, a Trait had transformed into a Job. Jin-Hyeok had seen it himself¡ªif a Trait and a yer were perfectlypatible, the Trait could be a Job in itself.

    <i>¡®So, can my Munchkin Trait also be a Job? Nah, that seems highly unlikely. Munchkin as a Job would be ridiculous and way too overpowered.¡¯</i>

    If Munchkin and Jin-Hyeok were such a perfect match, the Trait would have be a Job long ago.

    Jin-Hyeok asked again, ¡°So,bining all colors results in ck, and that¡¯s the highest rank? Is that what you are saying?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°What about the rainbow color then?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I do know! Having many colors, wouldn¡¯t that be one rank just before ck?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a guess, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah! We have two things we want to ask you.¡± Gap-Soo was definitely deflecting the question. ¡°It¡¯s very important, so you need to answer seriously.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Listen. The Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique. What do you feel about that name?¡±

    ¡°Hm... The Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique. It¡¯s a cool name,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Exactly, right?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Michelle interrupted the conversation. ¡°Stop leading the witness. We should be fair. How about the name ¡®The Graceful and Complete Hammer,¡¯ Mr. Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok paused, Gap-Soo grinned slyly. Jin-Hyeok had a guess.

    <i>¡®Oh, they had a bet of some sort.¡¯</i>

    Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance immediately captured the state of their intense emotions.

    <strong>[#I know Chul-Soo¡¯s style better. #Two hundred billion Dias are mine!]</strong>

    <strong>[#Chul-Soo has grown. #Time to pay up the one hundred billion Dias!]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wow! Could it be that Gap-Soo bet one hundred billion and Michelle bet two hundred billion? Then the answer is simple.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Of course, the Graceful and Complete Hammer sounds better.¡±

 Chapter 210

    <h4>Chapter 210</h4>

    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked Choi Gap-Soo.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡±

    ¡°It seems like you are.¡±

    ¡°Who would get upset over such a trivial thing!¡±

    Sitting cross-legged with his arms crossed, Gap-Soo definitely looked annoyed and offended. In contrast, Jang Michelle was smiling contently, seemingly relishing a tremendous sense of victory.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s all this fuss about...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    After some time, Gap-Soo, who had calmed down a bit, asked with a sense of injustice, ¡°Why did you choose that bizarre name?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    <i>¡®Should I say that I read the VIPs¡¯ minds? Would that upset them?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok was about to speak honestly but then had a better idea. ¡°The Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique is definitely cooler. But the Graceful and Complete Hammer seems like a name that signifies my growth.¡±

    ¡°Signifies your growth?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you have seen the sentimental vlog I recently shared, you would know that I have grown a lot from filming that video. Also, changing my main weapon was a good opportunity to reflect on my narrow-minded views.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°To create a better channel and bring more joy to more subscribers, I think the name Graceful and Complete Hammer well represents my direction. That is why I chose it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, I must be a better Streamer, or rather, an Eltuber. Please see this as part of my effort to provide quality content.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re good at selling yourself.¡± Gap-Soo was always generous with those who showed effort. Although somewhat old-fashioned, he was forgiving to those who tried their best.

    ¡°A few days ago, I would have definitely chosen the Infinite Chaotic Hammer Destruction Technique. It sounds cool,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°Exactly, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt like he was doing a good job bncing between the two giants without having to use his special Diplomacy Skill. He sensed his growth once again.

    Jin-Hyeok believed that <i>just doing something</i> was the peak of a yer¡¯s ability. Without using skills, studying, or understanding the principles of something, just being able to do it was the realm of a master.

    Now, it was time to throw a carrot at both of them. ¡°My next content, as you know, is going to be about Sephia and Grandel.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be easy,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    Michelle added, ¡°They might be a small alliance, but they are still a universal alliance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure if the ck Alliance was a small alliance, but that seemed to be Michelle¡¯s perspective.

    ¡°If it were the old me, I would have simply focused on destroying Sephia and Grandel. But now, it is going to be different.¡±

    The battle with Sephia and Grandel was important, but it was just an event. Jin-Hyeok had realized that other elements were also important. Along with peculiar events, a livestream needed to have a narrative and character development for it to seed. He felt like he was finally stepping out of his narrow-mindedness.

    ¡°This time, I n to focus on change and growth,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. It was a bit hard to do that alone. With the help of his Storyteller, Wang Yu-Mi, and Homepage Master, Kang Eun-Woo, he was going to prepare carefully. This would be a good opportunity to show Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s inner growth as a Streamer and the future direction of the channel.

    ¡°That sounds great. Send me an invite. Make sure I am the only one who can enter. This is what I won from the bet. I¡¯m going to double it as promised.¡± Michelle donated ten billion Dias in total.

    Jin-Hyeok hade to ask about the rainbow-colored Job title, but ended up receiving ten billion Dias.

    <i>¡®Is this okay?¡¯</i>

    He was happy, but not as happy as he should be. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your reaction after receiving ten billion Dias as one donation?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I will work on my reactions.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Michelle heartilyughed. ¡°I like your awkward face. It¡¯s enjoyable and refreshing. I¡¯m just d I get to see your reaction this close-up. I hit the jackpot!¡±

    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I can¡¯t wait to register to be a second-generation member of your Chul-Soo Land.¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®In the end, I did not learn much about the rainbow-colored Job.¡¯</i>

    From what he had learned, the ck color represented a 10-Star Job, which was thebination of all colors.

    <i>¡®So does that mean a rainbow-colored Job is like a 9.5-Star Job?¡¯</i>

    Since Kang Eun-Woo had obtained the Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol Job, just like before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, it was sure to be of great help to him.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok received a message from his editor, Kang Chul.

    [I have finished editing the sentimental vlog video. I have made revisions after getting confirmation from Yu-Mi. Shall I upload it?]

    He uploaded only a shortened version of the vlog, but even that caused quite a stir.

    -Wow! This is what I call K-Healing![1] LOL

    -This is the true essence of K-Entertainment! LMAO.

    -This is great! So entertaining and hrious!

    ~

    Some viewers understood and enjoyed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s calm and sentimental concept.

    -Amazing... His rosy cheeks... his sweet gaze toward Elly... the confidence... Can a person be this beautiful...? He is wondrous and mystical.

    -I¡¯m falling for him... T_T Did you guys see Chul-Soo¡¯s expression at the end? The video needs to be preserved for the next generation.

    -Does Chul-Soo know how cute he is?

    -The fact that he doesn¡¯t know how handsome he is, is his charming point.

    Onlinemunities were buzzing with Chul-Soo¡¯s new video, and his subscriber count increased tremendously. Some viewers focused more on Jin-Hyeok, the Streamer, rather than the event or the concept. It seemed like his first attempt at a new concept was a huge sess.

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely did not understand why they found him cute, but he wasn¡¯tining.

    <i>¡®I guess my yful moments with Elly must have seemed quite cute to them. Looks like I did a great job with the sentimental concept!¡¯</i>

    Sorting thements on the Eltube video by the number of likes, he could more urately gauge the reaction of his viewers.

    -Among all the charming videos so far, the face, affection, background, expression, and even the quality of this video are all legendary...

    (??41722 ??622)

    -Congrats, Chul-Soo, on being so handsome.

    (??38722 ??422)

    -Really great on the new concept. Insanely entertaining, LOL!

    (??19722 ??82)

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok noticed a bit of a pattern.

    <i>¡®Comments focusing on me as a Streamer have a high number of likes, but also a high number of dislikes. And conversely,ments focusing on the event have fewer likes, but also fewer dislikes. ¡¯</i>

    Naturally, somements also criticized him. Jin-Hyeok guessed he needed to strike the right bnce.

    -Honestly, he¡¯s just crazy, not cute. I don¡¯t even think he is that handsome. Frankly, it¡¯s a bit off-putting.

    ©¸When I see Chul-Soo, my heart doesn¡¯t just beat; it¡¯s about to explode.

    ©¸I would love to look like that even for just a day. He is so handsome!

    ©¸His face glowing in the campfire is art itself. I¡¯m proud to be in the same country as him! This is what I call welfare! Chul-Soo is amazing!

    ©¸I¡¯m thankful for such a gracious face.

    Interestingly, the number of dislikes on the hatements was skyrocketing into the thousands, and thosements were receiving a carpet bombing of replies.

    Ever since Chul-Soo had revealed his face, both livestreaming and uploading edited videos to Eltube had brought about many changes. He had be the center of enormous attention. His fans kept calling him cute, adorable, and other strange things.

    <i>¡®But... Why don¡¯t I feel bad about it?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok, too, found it hard to understand. It felt like meditation would not even provide the answers, which seemed like an overwhelming feeling.

    <i>¡®Why do I feel excited?¡¯</i>

    He found himself searching his name online much more often than before.

    ***

    After meeting with Eun-Woo, an old friend of his from before his regression, Jin-Hyeok found himself thinking about Won Jong-Cheol.

    <i>¡®That guy has not contacted me even once.¡¯</i>

    Back when Jin-Hyeok had been obsessed with livestreaming, Jong-Cheol used to visit often, buy him meals, and nag at him. However, the contact had suddenly stopped.

    <i>¡®Now that I recall it, we barelymunicated during my Sword King days too.¡¯</i>

    In his previous life, Jin-Hyeok had be busy with his own path, and Jong-Cheol with his. Once best friends, the two of them had forgotten each other as they lived their lives.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should reach out to him.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok sent him a quick text.

    [Hey.]

    He received a reply from Jong Cheol hourster.

    -[Hm?]

    [What¡¯s up?]

    -[I¡¯m just at home, why?]

    [Wanna go for a bite to eat?]

    -[Toozy.]

    [My treat.]

    -[Let¡¯s go.]

    Finding texting bothersome, Jong-Cheol called Jin-Hyeok, and they made ns. Jin-Hyeok owed Jong-Cheol for all the meals thetter had bought him, so he treated his friend to a Korean beef barbeque.

    Jong-Cheol suspiciously squinted at him. ¡°Yo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m broke. I don¡¯t have money to lend you.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s suspicious that you are buying expensive Korean beef barbeque.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You know what they say. Pork is the limit for unconditional kindness. Only those who want something buy Korean beef barbecue.¡± Jong-Cheol found it suspicious that his friend was treating him to a beef barbeque.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and just eat,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Their conversation was not particrly pleasant. Jong-Cheol used to nag at him a lot, but now, he seemed tock the energy for it.

    ¡°You look old,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s because I¡¯m going bald.¡±

    The conversation was choppy, but it did not seem ufortable. After finishing the meal, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°You have something on your mind, right?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    <i>¡®This must be it. Now I know.¡¯</i>

    Back when they were good friends, whenever something was going on with Jin-Hyeok, Jong-Cheol had this uncanny ability to sense it. Jin-Hyeok had always wondered how his friend could tell that every single time, but now he understood.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s on my mind,¡± Jong-Cheol replied.

    ¡°That used to be my line.¡±

    Not wanting to beat around the bush, Jin-Hyeok checked with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <i>¡®So, that¡¯s what¡¯s going on.¡¯</i>

    In summary, Jong-Cheol was facing amon but painful situation. Stretched thin on a civil servant¡¯s sry, Jong-Cheol had managed to buy a house, but the soaring interest rates had increased his monthly burden. His kid was growing, his parents were getting sick, and he had endless social obligations to fill, like weddings and funerals. His bank ount was closer to zero than ever before.

    To make matters worse, his wife had been diagnosed with early-stage stomach cancer. It was treatable with surgery, but with his current financial situation, he couldn¡¯t afford the treatment.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you call?¡±

    ¡°Why would I bother you with that?¡± Jong-Cheol avoided Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze, seeming embarrassed.

    However, Jin-Hyeok felt oddly upset.

    <i>¡®Why does this bother me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not offended when people called him cute or adorable, but for some reason, Jong-Cheol¡¯s response irked him. He had never felt this way before his regression.

    <i>¡®Why am I annoyed that he did not contact me?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Did you stop contacting me because you didn¡¯t want my help?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Why would you say it like that?¡± Jong-Cheol exined that he didn¡¯t want to burden him and that he did not want to cling to his sessful friend.

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to smack him in response, but restrained himself, thinking he could hurt his friend in the process. He instead said, ¡°Let¡¯s get your wife treated first.¡±

    ¡°We have to wait a few weeks. The appointments are full.¡±

    <i>¡®Who goes to a university hospital to treat cancers these days?¡¯</i>

    Cancer treatment was best left to Doctor yers. Jin-Hyeok knew of a 9-Star Doctor in Gangwon-do, named Hwa Ta.[2] Getting an appointment with him was hard, but Jin-Hyeok believed he could manage.

    <i>¡®If not with money, physical power always works.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Hey, I can take care of my family. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jong-Cheol said.

    ¡°Do you think I am doing this for you?¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡±

    ¡°This is all for a narrative,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°A narrative to highlight myself.¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°This is perfect for my new sentimental concept.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was going to Gangwon-do anyway for the fierce battle with Sephia and Grandel, to see if they really were the leaders of the Truth of Violence Cult. If they were, Jin-Hyeok needed to find what they wanted through the cult. It seemed like a good subplot for his content.

    <i>¡®This is all for my content.¡¯</i>

    However, he still felt strange. He had just gained good content for his next video, but he was much happier and prouder than he usually did after securing such content.

    1. In Korea, there is a meme of putting anything that¡¯s Korean with the letter K in front. For example, K-Pop, K-Drama, K-Food, etc... ?

    2. Hwa Ta, or Hua Tuo in Mandarin, was a Chinese physicist who lived during thete Eastern Han Dynasty. He was known for his expertise in surgery and anesthesia. ?

 Chapter 211

    <h4>Chapter 211</h4>

    During y, healing injuries, lifting curses, or curing poisons was the job of a Healing Mage. Healers like Cha Jin-Sol were collectively referred to as Healing Mages.

    Those who cured diseases not rted to y were called Medical Mages, and due to the confusion between the terms healing and medical, they weremonly referred to as Doctor yers. Doctor yers were one of the alternatives to traditional doctors, but their exorbitant fees made them inessible to ordinary people.

    <i>¡®Hwa Ta was something else...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief.

    Hwa Ta guy was a Doctor yer who dealt with only conglomerate heads, high-ranking government officials, or top-tier yers.

    <i>¡®I remember he was such a snob before my regression.¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok had wanted to punch Hwa Ta in the face dozens of times.

    Before Awakening as a Doctor yer, Hwa Ta had been studying for the public service exam for six years. Back then, he had borrowed three million won from his friend and then cut off all contact. After Hwa Ta became famous, that friend publicized the incident, which made Hwa Ta furious.

    <i>¡°Three million won? Ha! That¡¯s how much I spend on food every day. Are you seriously groveling over such a trifle? Get lost, you wretch.¡±</i>

    When this incident became widely known, Hwa Ta received a lot of hate. However, he didn¡¯t change his stance. Jin-Hyeok also remembered Hwa Ta¡¯s livestream on Enstagram.

    <i>¡°Ultimately, these ipetent fools who can¡¯t do their part are just barking up the wrong tree. Let them bark all they want. I am earning in a day what they will make in a lifetime. Losers!¡±</i>

    He was the kind of person who referred to most ordinary people as ipetent or losers. Even Jin-Hyeok¡¯s team members from the NIS asionally needed Hwa Ta¡¯s treatment, and the disdain they received from the Doctor yer each time was unbelievable.

    <i>¡°I am treating you guys only because the director of the NIS personally requested it.¡±</i>

    He would mutter to himself, ¡°I¡¯m not someone who deals with mere civil servants.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok recalled one incident. He did not remember when it took ce exactly, but it was probably around the time when Han Sae-Rin¡¯s mother was ill.

    <i>¡°So, you are an Absolute Monarch?¡±</i>[1]

    At that time, Sae-Rin had changed her Job to Absolute Monarch. She was undoubtedly at the top of the Korean Region among the Rulers, but she was still a civil servant and was treated with disdain.

    Jin-Hyeok and his team genuinely did not have much moneypared to their fame, and to Hwa Ta, people without money were just ves. Jin-Hyeok really wanted to beat Hwa Ta up, but he had to hold back. The team had to ensure quite a few things in exchange for national support.

    <i>¡°I¡¯ve heard that you were pretty, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be this beautiful. Are you free tonight? Let¡¯s have dinner at a fancy restaurant and a drink. I will make sure to cure your mother.¡±</i>

    What had followed was like something out of a cheesy and trashy movie. Hwa Ta had made some distasteful remarks about saving Sae-Rin¡¯s mother if sheplied, and if she had not stopped Jin-Hyeok, Jin-Hyeok would have smashed Hwa Ta¡¯s head right then.

    <i>¡®I had forgotten about that guy.¡¯</i>

    When Jin-Hyeok thought about that, his mood significantly improved. He was not a civil servant anymore. Now was a great time to proceed with his sentimental content. With this content, he could providefort that was even warmer than Elly¡¯s me.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was growing into an Eltuber who knew how to handle emotions, so he had more to think about than just efficiency. Sure, riding the Thunder Dragon would have been the easiest and fastest way to travel, but he chose to ride the train. It seemed like the right choice, as along with the train came the opportunity to capture a peaceful scenery from the window.

    Sitting next to him was Song Ha-Young, and behind them was Kang Eun-Woo, who looked excited.

    ¡°This is nice,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized everything had be much easier now than it had been during his government official days. Back then, attempting to do anything involved an absurd amount of reporting to his superiors. He also had to submit tons of paperwork. The bureaucracy was always best atplicating things. They had a knack for making easy things difficult. But now, Jin-Hyeok just had to ask Ha-Young, and she would handle most things for him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we found Hwa Ta so easily.¡±

    ¡°It was not a big deal. He¡¯s quite famous around Wonju.¡±[2]

    In this life, Hwa Ta had yet to be extremely famous. He was in a phase of building his reputation by treating various people. Right now, people still considered him a bit of a quack. He had set up a treatment room in Wonju.

    ¡°Ha-Young, can you cast a simple barrier skill to prevent people from entering the treatment room?¡±

    ¡°I can keep out beginner yers and ordinary people.¡±

    ¡°That should be enough.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and his party entered Hwa Ta¡¯s treatment room. A woman in a nurse¡¯s uniform greeted them. The ce was decorated quite simrly to an actual hospital.

    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Hm, I see. We ept only clients with appointments. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to make one now.¡±

    ¡°B-But, sir!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok strode toward the room marked Consultation Room.

    Hwa Ta¡¯s voice, which sounded a bit young, came from the room. ¡°This is all for the treatment. Please undress and lie down here.¡±

    ¡°A-Are you asking me to take all my clothes off right here?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could also hear a woman¡¯s panicked voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want the treatment? You said you were terminally ill. If you don¡¯t like it, then you can leave.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait a moment.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, he¡¯s still the same as before my regression.¡¯</i>

    The nurse ran up to Jin-Hyeok. Though she was called a nurse, she was actually an Assassin yer, employed as a guard.

    ¡°She seems like an ordinary nurse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The Assassin merged into the wall¡¯s shadow, probably thinking that would fluster Jin-Hyeok.

    However, since this vlog was supposed to be calm and sentimental, Jin-Hyeok spoke slowly. ¡°...If she is an Assassin, that¡¯s a different story.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but smile. He took out the Rule Breaker. ¡°This is just a small hammer.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    After taking a hit, the Assassin copsed.

    ¡°My new weapon of choice is truly elegant. It has a great feel to it.¡±

    The Assassiny unconscious on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Jin-Hyeok thought about killing her but decided not to. He wasn¡¯t a crazy yer anymore; he was an Eltuber with a conventional mindset. Plus, Wang Yu-Mi had requested him to avoid killing if possible.

    <i>sh! sh!</i>

    The sound of the sh continued. Eun-Woo, who had Awakened as the Homepage Master and Everyone¡¯s (Beloved) Idol, seemed to have pressed the shutter about three hundred times. His intensely dedicated appearance was nice to see.

    Jin-Hyeok opened the door of the room wide.

    <strong>[LV114/Incarnation of Greed/Hwa Ta/<u>Skills</u>/Treated 100 People]</strong>

    ¡°W-Who are you?¡± Hwa Ta yelled, and the woman inside screamed, covering her chest.

    ¡°Kyaaaa!¡±

    <i>¡®Ugh, I¡¯m the one who wants to scream.¡¯</i>

    This video was supposed to have a sentimental concept, and it would be a big problem if the video got demized. Jin-Hyeok bought arge cloth from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and threw it to the woman. It was a good item that could keep her warm. ¡°Cover yourself with this for now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached Hwa Ta, or rather, ¡®Incarnation of Greed¡¯. Earlier, Jin-Hyeok used to call him Hwa Ta, not knowing his yer name.

    <i>¡®Incarnation of Greed, huh? What a fittingly awful name.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Yo,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Hwa Ta was frantically pressing a button under his desk. It seemed like a button to summon the Assassin.

    ¡°Why would you hire an Assassin for protection?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Assassins were meant for attacking, not protecting. Hwa Ta hiring an Assassin for protection showed how little he understood about the y.

    ¡°W-Who are you?!¡± Hwa Ta asked.

    ¡°Are you Incarnation of Greed?¡± Jin-Hyeok stood before Hwa Ta. He felt like hispanion weapon, Rule Breaker, was pleading to smash Hwa Ta in the face.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t need to worry about the audio, right? I¡¯m sure this part is going to be edited out anyway. My capable editor will take care of it.¡¯</i>

    ¡°H-How do you know who I am? Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°W-Who the hell is that?¡±

    <i>¡®Wow... He doesn¡¯t know who I am?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not expect everyone to know him, but still, it hurt his pride a bit. Hwa Ta did not seem that old and had probably watched a lot of Eltube. Yet, he still didn¡¯t know about Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I have a long way to go.¡¯ </i>Feeling inadequate, Jin-Hyeok swung the Rule Breaker.

    ¡°Also, my hammer is quite modest.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    <i>¡®Ah, this satisfying sensation.¡¯</i>

    The Jin-Hyeok before enlightenment and the Jin-Hyeok after enlightenment werepletely different. The solid impact sound of the Rule Breaker made his heart race. If the old <i>thwack </i>sound was the sound of a recorder, the current one was the sound of an entire orchestra.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡± Hwa Ta screamed, even though Jin-Hyeok had controlled his strength well enough not to crack his skull.

    <i>¡®Ah, wait! That woman is a civilian. I should help her out first.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Hey, Eun-Woo. Help this person out and wait outside for a moment.¡±

    Eun-Woo, who was filming Jin-Hyeok with his cannon-sized camera, looked startled. He was so focused on the camera that Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry for breaking his concentration.

    ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up.¡±

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Eun-Woo looked a bit regretful to leave the room this early, so he took a few more shots before leaving with the woman. It was nice to see his dedication until the end.

    With the woman gone, it was time for a grand and majestic orchestra.

    <i>Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!</i>

    The most important thing was not to kill Hwa Ta. The Rule Breaker seemed to understand Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intent very well, resonating with his will and significantly reducing its lethality.

    <i>¡®Wow, can¡¯t believe this is working.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had sensed this feeling after a long time, the feeling of synchronizing and resonating with his weapon. It seemed like he had surpassed his Sword King days.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    At that moment, Jin-Sol entered the room.

    <i>¡®Good. Now I don¡¯t have to worry about killing him¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why are you hitting me? What did I do wrong?¡± Hwa Ta said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you did anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°Then, why are you doing this to me?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making a sentimental vlog. I need you to cooperate.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are yo¡ªARGH!!!¡±

    Now that a capable Healer had joined the group, Jin-Hyeok could y a more varied melody with his Rule Breaker. The second act of Chul-Soo¡¯s main theme, ¡®Thwack Thwack and More Thwack¡¯, began.

    Jin-Sol, now an audience member, seemed quite moved by her brother¡¯s performance. She healed Hwa Ta with all her heart while enjoying the elegant hammering.

    ¡°So... Beautiful,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    <i>¡®She might be my sister, but she knows her music. Her understanding of art and sentimental content is quite high. This is really exciting, but I¡¯m not this excited because I¡¯m beating him up... You know what? Scratch that. I love beating him up. I¡¯m so d I¡¯m not a government official anymore.¡¯</i>

    1. This was previously a Trait, but the author wrote it like a Job in this chapter. ?

    2. Wonju is a city in Gangwon-do. ?

 Chapter 212

    <h4>Chapter 212</h4>

    Hwa Ta, or rather Incarnation of Greed, became very submissive. He said he would do anything as long as his life was spared. If he had been like this before Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, it would have been great, but Jin-Hyeok did not mind it happening now.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok first cleaned the blood around Hwa Ta and asked Cha Jin-Sol to heal him; it would be better if the Doctor yer did not look like he had just been beaten up to a pulp. His clothes also seemed quite damaged, so Jin-Hyeok bought him new clothes from the Broadcaster¡¯s Shop and told him to wear them.

    Jin-Hyeok had healed Hwa Ta and even bought new clothes for him. If this was not a sentimental vlog, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t know what was.

    ¡°Kang Eun-Woo, tell that woman toe back in.¡± Eun-Woo came in supporting the woman, whose expression looked much morefortable. She seemed to have developed a good impression of Eun-Woo after talking with him outside.

    <i>¡®Getting people¡¯s favor so quickly! It¡¯s just like the Eun-Woo from before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized that Eun-Woo seemed to have be more handsome in the past few days.

    Hwa Ta devoted himself to treating the woman, exerting his healing skills with all his might. ¡°I-I¡¯ve cured her.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The Incarnation of Greed burst into tears. ¡°Why did you hit me when I did as you told?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I would not hit you.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The taste of the smack was so beautiful and ecstatic that Jin-Hyeok could get addicted to it.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to me... What did I do...?¡± Hwa Ta asked.

    ¡°Soybean paste soup is made with chickpeas, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, o-of course. Everything you say is right, SIr.¡±

    ¡°And the Earth is t?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°How can the Earth be t?¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    It felt like decades of pent-up frustration were being released.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. The Earth is...?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Round.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°I told you it¡¯s t.¡±

    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Hwa Ta couldn¡¯t help himself.

    ¡°Hm... I guess my smacking wasn¡¯t enough.¡±

    Jin-Sol shook her head in disbelief. ¡°Oppa, do you really need to do this? He doesn¡¯t seem that evil. I do agree that your smacking was beautiful.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know. You will think differently if I tell you what he did to that woman earlier. He deserves every ounce of it.¡±

    When she learned about what had happened to the woman, Jin-Sol smiled. ¡°Hit him more. I¡¯ll heal him.¡±

    <i>Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!</i>

    After enduring several rounds of beautiful beating, Hwa Ta gave up. The physical brainwashing seemed to have worked perfectly.

    Pleased, Jin-Hyeok muttered to himself, ¡°Violence redeems all things.¡±

    ¡°Wait... did the Cult Leader send you?¡± Hwa Ta asked.

    <i>¡®Huh? Why is he talking about the Cult Leader all of a sudden?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I... was going to keep my promise... I will reach Level 120 soon.¡±

    <i>¡®What promise?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok even thought of all the subtitles.

    [I have created a beautiful melody with my graceful hammer, and a miracle happened. :)]

    With tears in his eyes, Won Jong-Cheol thanked Jin-Hyeok. His wife¡¯s stomach cancer had been in the early stages, and Jin-Hyeok humbly said that she could have been cured even without his help. Jin-Hyeok was sure that this moment would look quite beautiful in his video.

    Jong-Cheol¡¯s wife bowed to him. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°No, I owed Jong-Cheol a lot. I am d I could repay him.¡±

    Jong-Cheol, who hardly ever said cheesy things to his friend, firmly grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand. ¡°Really... Thank you.¡±

    His eyes were filled with tears.

    <i>¡®He loves his wife to death. He must have been incredibly worried about her. To think there woulde a day when I would be holding hands with him... Life is full of surprises.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt strangely ticklish in his heart. It was a sensation totally unfamiliar to him, but not necessarily bad.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life. I promise.¡±

    ¡°You do you, buddy. I am one hundred percent confident that she is cured, but you should still go to the hospital for a check-up.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s notpletely cured, let me know.¡± Jin-Hyeok nced at Hwa Ta.

    If Hwa Ta had tried his best, she should have been fully cured. If she had not been, it meant that Hwa Ta had not given his all. In that case, Jin-Hyeok would have to conduct the greatest orchestra once again.

    Jin-Hyeok looked at Hwa Ta more closely.

    <i>¡®Did I hit him too much?¡¯</i>

    Hwa Ta was somewhat dazed and crying. Jin-Hyeok felt like he could edit the clip to make it look like Hwa Ta was crying out of joy for their friendship.

    <i>¡®If I add some calm music, it will make a convincing video, right?¡¯</i>

    Meanwhile, Eun-Woo was busily pressing the shutter with his cannon-sized camera.

    <i>¡®Ah, right now, I¡¯m filming in the third-person perspective, so Eun-Woo keeps getting in the frame, but it should be fine.¡¯</i>

    He knew his editor would take care of minor things like this.

    Jin-Hyeok thought he had gathered enough content for his subplot.

    <i>¡®Now, shall I talk about the Cult Leader?¡¯</i>

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok approach him, Incarnation of Greed staggered backward and fell on his knees. ¡°The Earth is round and t. Soybean paste soup is made with chickpeas. I am ready to obey anything, Messenger. Please, have mercy...!¡±

    He earnestly begged on his knees.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s also calling me the Messenger. What exactly is the leader of the Truth of Violence Cult doing in Gangwon-do?¡¯</i>

    ***

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was more chaotic than ever.

    [Did you see the official teaser for Chul-Soo¡¯s new video on his Enstagram?]

    ©¸I already have my tears ready. T_T

    ©¸Honestly, if I were that sessful, I don¡¯t think I would care about my old friends.

    ©¸Whether it¡¯s his face, personality, or ability, what doesn¡¯t he excel at? T_T Please take me, Chul-Soo.

    [But who is that person asionally seen in the video?]

    ©¸I heard he is the new Homepage Master.

    ©¸Name: Kang Eun-Woo, Age: 23, Characteristic 1: He is handsome. Characteristic 2: He is cute. Characteristic 3 (the most important): He has insane visual chemistry with Chul-Soo.

    ©¸If both of them are in the video, I might need sunsses to watch as they¡¯re so dazzling.

    Two main themes were trending on the Korean Region Minor Gallery. One was the narrative of Chul-Soo sincerely helping to treat an old friend¡¯s wife. The other was the fleeting glimpses of Eun-Woo in Chul-Soo¡¯s video, highlighting their incredible visual chemistry.

    [A handsome guy next to a handsome guy. A cute guy next to a cute guy. Thank you so much for creating them, God.]

    ©¸Eun-Woo is tantly cute. It¡¯s super adorable how he gets embarrassed and blushes when Chul-Soo says something. T_T

    ©¸Despite that, he is diligent with the camera. Even when flustered, he works hard.

    The number of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s followers on Enstagram increased in real time. This also positively impacted the subscriber counts of Chul-Soo¡¯s channel and KimKnowItAllTV.

    Yu-Mi, who managed the Enstagram ount, was very pleased. ¡°Eun-Woo is doing a great job. Extracting dozens of A-cuts like this one. Especially this angle, it¡¯s insane.¡±

    She carefully examined one of the photos. It was a photo of Chul-Soo reaching out to a man lying on the ground. She assumed the man on the ground had just tripped or something. In this photo, Chul-Soo¡¯s sharp nose and red lips stood out, evoking a dreamy atmosphere along with his gentle demeanor.

    ¡°His face makes him look so cold and intimidating...¡±

    But his actions were kind and gentle. This gap created a dreamy and mysterious vibe that the viewers loved.

    ¡°And in the next photo....¡±

    Somehow, the deeply moved man (Hwa Ta) was seen standing up and wiping his tears. The scene could be interpreted as a doctor being moved by Chul-Soo¡¯s loving friendship with his old friend, shedding tears of empathy. Together with this narrative, these photos deeply touched the hearts of not only Yu-Mi but also the public. The reaction to the teaser and photos was explosive.

    ¡°And that photo where Jong-Cheol hugs Chul-Soo... Perfect angle. The fan cam angle looks so good!¡±

    Jong-Cheol was crying in that photo. His slightly balding head and wrinkled eyes added a more dramatic aspect. The man looked a bit haggard and unimpressive in the photos, but his expression was genuine.

    ¡°Eun-Woo is doing such a great job. We can¡¯t lose to a newbie, right?¡± Yu-Mi excitedly shouted at Kang Chul.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Editor Kang Chul also gave his best.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t let a newbie beat me!¡¯ </i>Kang Chul thought.

    Although the nature of the work he did for Chul Soo was slightly different from that of Eun-Woo¡¯s, Kang Chul felt a great sense ofpetition with Eun-Woo. Working under the username, ChulSooIsGod, Kang Chul could feel that Eun-Woo was full of admiration for Chul-Soo, just like him. Such quality photos and fan cam videos could not be produced without admiration.

    <i>¡®I will show my true ability!¡¯</i>

    Kang Chul gave his best to prove that he was no less than Eun-Woo in every aspect except appearance.

    <i>¡®I need to edit this part... cut here... do this...¡¯</i>

    The end result was almost akin to creating a new video. Kang Chul thought he had edited too much, so he asked for confirmation from Yu-Mi, who gave him a big thumbs up.

    She said, ¡°It¡¯s perfect! Let¡¯s go with this. Oh, but add that part where Jin-Sol mumbles about how beautiful it is...¡±

    ¡°What if people criticize the video for being too manipted?¡±

    Yu-Mi wiggled her index finger from side to side. ¡°Just insert a disimer that the video includes some dramatization for quality purposes!¡±

    ¡°What if Hwa Ta protests?¡±

    ¡°Then another beautiful melody will ring out across Gangwon-do! Thwack Thwack and More Thwack! Hehehe.¡±

    Madness twinkled in Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes behind her round sses. The video released afterward was quite a surprise even for Jin-Hyeok.

    ***

    <i>¡®Wow... the view count is rising faster than I expected.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a profound realization. ¡°So, this is why they make teasers and separate short videos.¡±

    Thanks to the teaser on Enstagram and the short videos, his new video had surpassed one hundred million views as soon as it was uploaded.

    ¡°It was not even a major event that happened in the Server, but just a simple sentimental vlog.¡±

    The editing made it seem like a very moving video. Once again, Jin-Hyeok was surprised at howpetent Yu-Mi and Kang Chul were.

    Jin-Sol, who was resting in the next room, rushed into his room. Her expression made it evident that she liked the video. ¡°Oppa! Do you remember the scene where you helped Hwa Ta up after beating him up? This part!¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ¡°They edited it to look like you were encouraging and helping up Hwa Ta after he was tired from treating your friend¡¯s wife!¡±

    Both Jin-Sol and Jin-Hyeok were surprised. The power of editing was more astonishing than he thought.

    ¡°It looks like you are sincerely helping him.¡±

    Editing indeed created facets that did not exist. Additionally, Jin-Sol¡¯s words ¡°So beautiful¡± were aptly inserted in the video. It appeared as if she had been moved by Hwa Ta¡¯s devoted healing. Thanks to that, it looked as if they had tried their best and challenged the impossible.

    ¡°They selected some of Hwa Ta¡¯s arrogant expressions and connected them so naturally. Initially, he seemed indifferent to the healing, but the dedicated healing he performedter contrasted this, doubling the dramatic impact!¡± Jin-Sol said.

    It seemed like the editing actually made Hwa Ta look good to the public. The scene where everything ended and Jin-Hyeok was smiling happily as if he had the world was also perfectly ced. In reality, it was a satisfied smile due to the Thwack Thwack and More Thwack!

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s really surprising. Even with the power of editing, I did not expect such simple content to get this much response.¡¯</i>

    Indeed, there was so much in the world that Jin-Hyeok did not fully understand.

    <i>¡®And why do I look so handsome?¡¯</i>

    In some fan cam videos, he seemed even more handsome than he was in real life. It had to be the ability of Homepage Master. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Storyteller, editor, and Homepage Master were all working hard, so he felt like he should y more diligently, intensely, and beautifully.

    <i>¡®I need to study more.¡¯ </i>

    As a form of study, he started reading through thements.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯</i>

    There were many interesting reactions.

 Chapter 213

    <h4>Chapter 213</h4>

    After conducting a more meticulous analysis and segmenting the statistics by gender and age, Cha Jin-Hyeok understood his subscribers¡¯ preferences. Originally, eighty percent of his channel¡¯s subscribers had been men, mostly in their teens to their thirties, but that had undergone a significant change recently.

    <i>¡®The gender ratio has almost reached fifty-fifty.¡¯</i>

    This did not mean that the number of male subscribers had decreased. Rather, it was the result of a rapid increase in the number of female subscribers.

    Moreover, in terms of leavingments or reactions, women in their teens to their thirties were the overwhelming majority.

    <i>¡®Looks like I am a bitcking with the audience over the age of forty.¡¯</i>

    Egan Paul had recently released data that he was loved by all genders and age groups.

    <i>¡®I guess I still have a long way to go.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew he could not surpass Egan, let alone Marshmallow, if his main audience were only viewers in their teens to their thirties. To be a Streamer loved across the universe, he at least needed to be loved across genders and ages, even just on the Earth Server.

    <i>¡®Well, it has not been that long since I¡¯ve been enlightened.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized that he should not be impatient. He calmly went through thements.

    -He didn¡¯t ride the Thunder Dragon for his friend¡¯s frail wife. What a guy! T_T

    ©¸Please stop overreacting. It¡¯s getting old.

    ©¸Do you know how much Chul-Soo earns in an hour? From his perspective, by wasting time riding the train, he is throwing billions of won into the trash. How am I overreacting here? Can someone exin?

    ©¸Just the way Chul-Soo remembers his past as a weak yer and cares for the sick shows his character.

    ©¸He has such a warm heart. I cried... T_T

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized he had be a very warm person without trying to be. Although manymenters criticized him as well, they were overwhelmed by those defending him. He felt goosebumps on his forearms.

    <i>¡®So, this is how it feels!¡¯</i>

    Having many fans meant having so many people on his side. Jin-Hyeok knew it earlier as well, but today, it felt especially clear. Maybe it was because he had several realizationstely.

    -Everyone knows Chul-Soo squeezed in time while doing his main content, right?

    ©¸True story. He should have his hands full nning how to defeat Sephia and Grandel.

    ©¸And he stepped up to help a friend? He¡¯s amazing!

    ©¸Chul-Soo has everything but me. Now he just needs me to be perfect!

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t really squeeze in that much time though...¡¯</i>

    He was not even sure if Sephia and Grandel were the Cult Leaders. But he still felt weird.

    <i>¡®Even before my regression, I had many fans...¡¯</i>

    He had many fans and haters. Usually, one hater would stand out more than a hundred fans. However, for some reason, the presence of his fans felt muchrger now. It was probably because he had switched to being a Streamer who could interact with the viewers.

    ¡°Lots of people are talking about Kang Eun-Woo,¡± Cha Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Yeah, I saw that,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°He really looks good on camera. He was handsome before, but he looks even better on camera.¡±

    ¡°Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the same.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yeah, you look great on camera too! Eun-Woo must be a huge fan. It looks like each photo is taken with care. Themunities are buzzing about it.¡± Jin-Sol showed him somements that she had captured as screenshots.

    -Their visual chemistry is insane. T_T Never thought I would see this handsome duo in my life.

    -The cold but actually kind prince and The scared but brave little deer.

    -And the little dear is following Chul-Soo around and growing up. T_T

    -Must protect the little dear!

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely did not understand any of this.

    <i>¡®How can a person be cold but kind? Is that like ordering a warm iced Americano? And what¡¯s with the prince and the deer? I guess I¡¯m the prince and the brave little deer is Eun-Woo, but I still have a lot to learn. I don¡¯t understand! But anyway...¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo had been appearing briefly on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s videos and drawing quite positive reactions. Jin-Hyeok thought of focusing more on promoting Eun-Woo, which would be a huge help to him in turn. Jin-Hyeok just had not expected the fans¡¯ enthusiasm to be this immense. He felt like he had an entire army of people helping him out just from having Eun-Woo on his side.

    After some days, Han Sae-Rin visited Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve noticed that you changed your concept quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°Why did youe sote?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy! I came straight here after finishing my work.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not finished with Hwa Ta yet. Hwa Ta had tagged along with him of his own volition, sporting a smile on his face. As they had been on the way to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ce, people recognized them and took pictures. Sighting photos of Hwa Ta circted in onlinemunities.

    <i>¡°Smile. If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t be able to stop myself from bing a wonderful conductor who creates beautiful melodies.¡±</i>

    Of course, that conductor would be holding a hammer, not a baton. After hearing that, Hwa Ta had desperately smiled, and those photos and videos were now circting as heartwarming memes. After arriving at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ce, Hwa Ta had been tied up in the corner of the room.

    ¡°It seems better for you to do the interrogation, I mean, questioning, instead of me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Sae-Rin.

    With her being here, it was time to delve deeper into the Truth of Violence Cult.

    ***

    Sae-Rin was one of the people who had been closely observing the recent changes in Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo... is aiming for a significant change.¡¯</i>

    He had cast aside his familiar sword and was diversifying his content. Despite already being sessful, hepletely changed directions. It was a move with considerable risk. In fact, as new types of subscribers flooded in, some existing ones left in protest.

    <i>¡®But Chul-Soo pulled it off spectacrly.¡¯</i>

    He had reached one billion subscribers recently, received a gold button, and already surpassed 1.3 billion subscribers. Even those who had unsubscribed to him were returning like salmon in their spawning season, saying ¡®Still, nothing is as entertaining as Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams.¡¯

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo paved the way. I can do it too.¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin had always believed her talenty in finding paths and pioneering Dungeons. However, as time passed, the feeling that she had chosen the wrong path had grown stronger.

    <i>¡®Being a Navigator is not that bad. But is this really the best I can do? Is being a Navigator what the sword was to Chul-Soo? Am I missing out on what I truly excelled at? Come to think of it... Chul-Soo has always treated me somewhat like a Ruler. Maybe he knows more about me than I do.¡¯</i>

    Thus, she had entered a deep meditation thatsted three days. In her meditation, her inner microcosm was dark and murky, but a small light flickered far away. Strangely, that light felt like Chul-Soo. The path shown by Chul-Soo, the decisions he made, the choices he had taken... all these were signposts for Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡®The stars are starting to shine.¡¯</i>

    Stars that had lost their light in her microcosm were gradually finding their brightness again. Some stars shone blue, others red, some brilliantly, some faintly, filling her microcosm with their own colors and brightness.

    <i>¡®This is it.¡¯</i>

    Then, a very bright star exploded in her inner microcosm. It was like a big bang, and the aftermath shattered the microcosm enveloping her mind.

    <i>¡®I must find a new universe.¡¯</i>

    If the shell of an egg was broken by an outsider, it meant the development of a fried egg; however, if the shell of an egg was broken from the inside, it was the birth of a new life. Ultimately, she had transitioned to the Job of an Absolute Ruler, and today was her first day stepping into that role.

    ¡°So, you want me to find out about the Truth of Violence Cult and their leader, right?¡± It was not that difficult for Sae-Rin. ¡°Leave it to me. I will talk to this guy alone.¡±

    Sae-Rin took Hwa Ta into a room. She then pulled out a club, smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s start the conversation, shall we?¡±

    Hwa Ta saw a glimmer of hope. To him, Sae-Rin looked quite gentle on the outside. She seemed like someone with whom he could reason with. So, he sobbed, expressing his innocence. ¡°I-I am innocent! I was just brought here for no reason!¡±

    ¡°Did anyone ask?¡±

    After her transition through meditation, a new Trait had emerged in her; it was a Trait that Sae-Rin didn¡¯t have before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    <strong>[Absolute Violence]</strong>

    ¡°You will tell me everything, even if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Sae-Rin said, madness glinting in her eyes.

    ¡°I will tell you everything! Please!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop hitting you even if you talk.¡±

    ¡°Please... Please don¡¯t kill me...¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. But it will hurt so much you will wish to die. Hehehe.¡±

    ¡°You... crazy bastards!!¡±

    She decided to test the extent of her power as a Ruler.

    ***

    <i>¡®I want to go in and see what they are doing.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok heard quite a beautiful sound of beating. The sound made it seem like Sae-Rin was using a club, perhaps with some special Skill or Trait. Jin-Hyeok could feel a deep resonance between Sae-Rin and the club, which made him quite proud.

    <i>¡®Sae-Rin has grown. But her style of y seems a bit more aggressive than before. I don¡¯t recall her treating opponents this way.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure why she became this aggressive, but he was somewhat relieved knowing that she had Awakened as Absolute Ruler. Just like the famous Korean saying ¡®The end justifies the means¡¯, Jin-Hyeok was sure Sae-Rin would do well with her new Job.

    Since the beating was going to take some time, Jin-Hyeok decided to do something else.

    With a slightly scrunched expression, Song Ha-Young asked, ¡°Why exactly?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, Hwa Ta is too valuable a piece to simply throw away.¡±

    Hwa Ta could cure many diseases that modern medicine could not. It was said that the only disease he had not conquered was baldness.

    ¡°I thought he would be quite useful if I put the Golden Headband on him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Ha-Young¡¯s reaction was very unexpected. He thought she would be happy if he said he would remove the Golden Headband, but strangely, she seemed a bit displeased.

    ¡°I told you. I haven¡¯t found a way to remove the Golden Headband yet,¡± Ha-Young said irritably.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°With this.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out the Rule Breaker. The upgraded Rule Breaker was exuding a mysterious charm, shimmering brightly. ¡°This is more of an artifact to break rules than a weapon. I think I can use it to remove the Golden Headband bound to you and put it on Hwa Ta. It will require a delicate operation, though.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Her reaction is oddly strange.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Are you not happy?¡± he asked her.

    ¡°...I am happy,¡± Ha-Young replied.

    ¡°I thought you''d be desperately wishing for the Golden Headband to be removed.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you seem to dislike it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it!¡±

    <i>¡®Ouch, my ears! Why is she yelling?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not understand why she was yelling and making a fuss. ¡°Looks like you dislike it no matter how I see it.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m really happy, okay? Just remove this damn thing already!¡±<i>¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Why is she acting like this?¡¯</i>

    He just couldn¡¯t understand it.

 Chapter 214

    <h4>Chapter 214</h4>

    Song Ha-Young felt troubled.

    <i>¡®He is going to remove my Golden Headband?¡¯</i>

    The Golden Headband was a Server-grade item that bound her. She had tried to get rid of it numerous times but had always failed. Without it, she would have been free from Kim Chul-Soo and could strike him from behind immediately.

    At least, that would have been the case a few months ago. However, her perspective hadpletely changed during her battle with the Paper Sorcerer Makendra in Giethoorn.

    <i>¡°And I had promised. I had vowed to ensure the freedom of myrades who are with me. It was a solemn oath and my pledge.</i>

    <i>¡°Today, I had to uphold that vow.¡±</i>

    That day, Chul-Soo¡¯s demeanor had left a profound impact on Ha-Young. She began to feel grateful for the Golden Headband that tormented and bound her.

    <i>¡®If it weren¡¯t for the Golden Headband, I would have betrayed Chul-Soo long ago.¡¯</i>

    Without the headband, fostering the rtionship she currently had with Chul-Soo would have been impossible. It was because of the Golden Headband that she was where she was in her life. It was the link between her and Chul-Soo, creating a special bond between them. The fear of drifting apart from Chul-Soo if that special link disappeared overwhelmed her.

    pping his left palm with his right fist, Chul-Soo said, ¡°Ah! I get it! Your pride is hurt because I figured out something you couldn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    <i>¡®No, that¡¯s not it! I don¡¯t care about any of that! Am I of no use to you anymore? Are you ignoring me because you think you are so popr now?¡¯</i>

    She almost said those words out loud but managed to control her feelings. However, Ha-Young knew it was an excuse. She was well aware that transferring the Golden Headband to Hwa Ta would be more efficient and beneficial for Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I...!¡± Ha-Young¡¯s eyes reddened slightly as she put forth her own justification. ¡°The Golden Headband was the driving force behind my growth...¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to betray you so badly! To hit you from behind! To steal your weapons and abilities! And live in luxury! But this damned Golden Headband prevented all that. I have been honing my skills to escape its power. But now I realize that only with this can I grow truly desperately and earnestly!¡±

    <i>¡®Of course, I have signed a lifelong contract with the System, but that alone is insufficient!¡¯</i>

    She would have said this if Chul-Soo had used counterarguments like, <i>¡®</i>Hey, you already signed a lifelong contract, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ but she refrained from that.

    ¡°Uh... Oh, I haven¡¯t thought of that,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok was also a bit confused at the moment. If Ha-Young did not obey him, he could just use the Tight-Fillet Spell, but for some reason, he did not want to use it. Instead, he proposed an alternative. ¡°Then, how about I beat you harder than when I use the Tight-Fillet Spell?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned as he spoke. On second thought, he realized that it did not seem like a particrly pleasant method either.

    <i>¡®There is no method more efficient and convenient than violence... But why do I hate it so much?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    ¡°...But I don¡¯t want to do that,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    ¡°...You don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°But you agree with me, right? If I beat you harder than the Tight-Fillet Spell, that should give you the motivation that you wanted.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Instead, if another powerful binding item like the Golden Headband appears, I will definitely use it on you.¡±

    Ha-Young bit her lip. Logic said that she should hand over the Golden Headband. So, she seriously said, ¡°Promise me. Like you did back then.¡±

    ¡°You want me to make a vow?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Make a sincere vow. Like you did in Giethoorn.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok was unsure but agreed due to her strong stance. ¡°Alright. If a second Golden Headband appears, I will definitely use it on you.¡±

    The two solemnly pinky-promised. Cha Jin-Sol, silently observing this, tilted her head in confusion.

    <i>¡®That seems a bit too much... Is that something to make such a fuss about?¡¯ </i>

    It seemed odd to her that the party at a disadvantage, with such a detrimental item bound to her, would insist on such a promise. She could not quite understand that.

    <i>¡®Maybe I still have a lot to learn, but is that Golden Headband really that good?¡¯</i>

    She found herself slightly wanting it.

    ***

    ¡°Done...! The Rule Breaker has done it again!¡± Jin-Hyeok wiped the sweat from his forehead. The Rule Breaker did not betray him, as expected. In the end, he had seeded in breaking the System settings that bound Ha-Young to the Golden Headband.

    Holding the removed Golden Headband, Ha-Young blinked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be called the Rule Changer rather than Rule Breaker?¡±

    The description of the Rule Breaker had changed a bit. Originally, it was simply described as a weapon that could destroy thews, but now, it had an additional description.

    <strong>[Rule Breaker (Upgradable) (Bound)]</strong>

    <strong>[A weapon that can destroy thews and establish a new order.]</strong>

    As Jin-Hyeok resonated with the Rule Breaker and struck the Golden Headband with all his might, a significant change urred to the headband.

    <strong>[Golden Headband (Target: ¡ª)]</strong>

    <strong>[Grade: Server specific</strong>

    <strong>Special Spell ?Tight-Fillet Spell? can be activated. </strong>

    <strong>The target wearing the Golden Headband will experience extreme pain that cannot be ovee due to the Tight-Fillet Spell.]</strong>

    <strong>*The item has changed to a bound item by the Rule Breaker. (Owner: Kim Chul-Soo)</strong>

    <strong>*The <u>rental function</u> has been activated by the Rule Breaker. (Renter: ¡ª)</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok examined the rental function. As the name implied, it allowed him to lend the item to someone, with an added option of immediate recall of the item if he wished.

    <i>¡®Wow, this is amazing!¡¯</i>

    The Rule Breaker seemed to know how Jin-Hyeok was feeling as it resonated with a humming sound, as if it were pleased too. Sharing this moment of joy with the weapon, Jin-Hyeok was thrilled.

    <i>¡®Come to think of it, I have not even given a name to the Rule Breaker.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry. He had thought it was a bit funny when Park Terse had named the Swallowing Croaker Mr. Gobble, but he understood the sentiment now.

    <i>¡®One truly learns from experience. I should think of a good name for it.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, Sae-Rin came back from the other room. As she opened the door, a wave of hot air gushed out. It seemed she had been engaged in an intensely passionate y inside. The majestic melody she had created resembled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Thwack Thwack and More Thwack. Her style of y seemed to have be much more aggressive.

    Sae-Rin pointed to Hwa Ta lying in the corner in a rather pitiful state. ¡°He said he will acquire a skill to cure a heart disease once he reaches Level 120.¡±

    ¡°What kind of heart disease?¡±

    ¡°It seems the Mountain Madmen have a chronic heart condition. I think someone was helping Hwa Ta grow so that he could cure it.¡± This was just the beginning. ¡°So now, the important thing is who helped Hwa Ta and how.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°It seems likely that the Cult Leader has the Authority of Swallowing. They have reached the level where they can swallow other yers¡¯ abilities and transnt them into different entities. The Kang brothers and Hwa Ta are the results.¡±

    ¡°Tell me more about the Authority of Swallowing in detail.¡± Jin-Hyeok knew what it was, but he wanted his viewers to know it as well.

    Sae-Rin exined it in the simplest terms, perhaps sensing his intention. ¡°It is the power to devour others and steal their strength or ego. I¡¯m sure you have seen a simr ability somewhere?¡±

    <i>¡®Hm... I can¡¯t remember.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to think too hard about it. He knew Sae-Rin would tell him anyway. She continued without waiting for his response, ¡°Right. It¡¯s simr to the ability transnted into Mr. Gobble.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Gobble could only open its mouth wide and swallow, though.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Gobble was an iplete experiment. It did not get the full extent of the ability,¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Mr. Gobble was locked up in a secret facility, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the facility was created by the Cult Leader so that they could experiment with transnting the Authority of Swallowing into someone else. Officially, the facility was presented as a means to research the weakness of the Paper Soldiers.¡± Sae-Rin continued, ¡°I am confident that Sephia and Grandel are the Cult Leaders. They have been researching the Authority of Swallowing and orchestrating their ns ording to it.¡±

    She pointed out an important aspect. ¡°It turns out Sephia is the original viin. Grandel is a victim she devoured decades ago. Apparently, Grandel was so intelligent that Sephia decided to use him as an advisor, giving him the form of her conjoined twin.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was starting to see the bigger picture. ¡°So, the research was something that Grandel wanted, not Sephia?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. If I am right, Grandel wanted to research and transnt the Authority of Swallowing to someone else.¡±

    Sephia had no need to research the Authority of Swallowing. She already possessed that power.

    ¡°Grandel wanted to transnt the Authority of Swallowing into himself, stealing it from the original, Sephia,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m right, Grandel will betray and devour Sephia.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, what a perfect teaser for my next video!¡¯</i>

    If that really happened, the views would be incredible.

    ***

    Sae-Rin pped her hands in delight. ¡°Really? I can borrow the Golden Headband? That¡¯s fantastic!¡±

    <strong>[Do you want to lend out the ?Golden Headband??]</strong>

    She ced the Golden Headband on the head of Hwa Ta, who wasfortably sleeping(?) on the bed.

    <strong>[The ?Golden Headband? has been lent out. Renter: Pathfinder]</strong>

    <strong>[The ?Golden Headband? has been applied to ?Incarnation of Greed?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Pathfinder can now use the ?Tight-Fillet Spell?.]</strong>

    Using an item as soon as one acquired it was a universal rule. Sae-Rin grinned and recited the Tight-Fillet Spell.

    ¡°Aaaaarrggh!¡± Hwa-Ta, who had been unconscious, suddenly got up. He felt intense pain but there was no sign of defiance in his eyes.

    Sae-Rin clicked her tongue, seemingly disappointed. ¡°I thought he would resist more fiercely, but I guess I was wrong.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was also surprised at how docile Hwa Ta had be.

    <i>¡®If it were me, I couldn¡¯t have tamed him to this extent. I should sincerely praise her.¡¯</i>

    ¡°You¡¯ve tamed him well,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Thanks. But there is still room for me to grow.¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s face turned slightly red.

    Jin-Hyeok then said to Hwa Ta, ¡°From now on, you will be working in the MK Foundation¡¯s medical department.¡±

    ¡°Me? Really?¡±

    One great thing about the Golden Headband was that it left no aftereffects. While the Tight-Fillet Spell caused extreme pain, the subject returned to normal once the spell ended. Hwa Ta¡¯s condition was rtively good.

    ¡°Yes. You will be working as a deputy team leader. You can perform righteous medical practice there.¡±

    ¡°Deputy team leader... What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°You can discuss your sry and such with the team leader.¡±

    ¡°And the team leader is...?¡±

    ¡°You know her. It¡¯s Han Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sae-Rin was just the nominal team leader. She did not have specific duties; she would just regrly train Hwa Ta. She had just promised to milk all the benefits from Hwa Ta until a proper medical team was formed in the foundation, which pleased Jin-Hyeok. It seemed like a good decision to entrust everything to Sae-Rin.

    Afterward, Jin-Hyeok called Terse. ¡°Have you talked with Mr. Gobble?¡±

    ¡ªI actually wanted to talk about that. I had a deep conversation with Mr. Gobble.

    Terse suddenly became enraged on the phone. Unable to contain his anger, he wanted toe over and talk in person.

    ¡ªI¡¯m on my way!

 Chapter 215

    <h4>Chapter 215</h4>

    The sky was dyed a violet hue, with lightning bolts cascading down in every direction, as if it was doomsday.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s always the Thunder Dragon with the most dramatic entrance.¡¯ </i>

    The Thunder Dragon could naturally present such a scene, without any deliberate staging. Envious of the spectacle, Cha Jin-Hyeok believed this had to be the dragon¡¯s God-given talent.

    <i>¡®Well, she is still just a one-trick pony with only the cool and dramatic entrance.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not feelpetitive.

    Anyhow, the Thunder Dragon seemed quite displeased.

    [¡°I shall never carry this fellow on my back again.¡±]

    From the looks of it, Park Terse had nearly been turned into a barbecue.

    [¡°I spared his life considering he is your friend.¡±]

    ¡°Blegh!¡± Terse wretched multiple times atop the Thunder Dragon¡¯s back.

    The dragon summoned a powerful lightning bolt to incinerate the vomit without a trace.

    [¡°I need to dip into theke and clean myself. I shall take my leave now.¡±]

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Terse and the Thunder Dragon were on good terms, but now, the Thunder Dragon loathed Terse.

    It was disappointing for Terse. He was disoriented for a while. When he asked Cha Jin-Sol if she could treat him, she said she couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Hey, how about you?¡± Terse asked Hwa Ta.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... how to cure motion sickness...¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Hwa Ta wore a slightly aggrieved expression.

    Jin-Hyeok teased him a bit more, sensing Hwa Ta was on the verge of exploding. ¡°Are you upset because I hit only you and not her?¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that...¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The sensation of the Rule Breaker was truly exceptional. However, Jin-Hyeok had miscalcted his strength, and Hwa Ta fainted. He imparted wisdom to the unconscious Hwa Ta. ¡°You are a Medical Mage and Jin-Sol is a Healing Mage. It¡¯s understandable if she can¡¯t cure motion sickness, but you have to be able to.¡±

    <i>¡®I imparted such good teachings with just a couple of thwacks. He should be grateful to me. But now that I think of it... before my regression, Hwa Ta had gottenzy once he earned a lot of money. He could not cure male pattern baldness before my regression, but if I push him hard enough in this life, maybe he can eventually cure it. After all, he is a 9-Star Doctor yer. </i>

    <i>¡®Hm... I need to think of a way to make him work harder. Maybe he will turn into a goose thatys golden eggs.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to ask Han-Sae Rin for advice regarding this.

    Anyway, Terse finally calmed his stomach and, all of a sudden, tearfully confided in Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Those bastards were really bad people. They tormented my Mr. Gobble, beat it, tied it up, experimented on it, tortured it, and fed it weird things!¡±

    ¡°Hey, you should calm down a bit.¡±

    Terse struggled to calm down. Jin-Hyeok believed a few thwacks would help with that, so he thoughtfully lifted the Rule Breaker, but Terse regained his senses just then. Terse spoke clearly. ¡°Mr. Gobble was originally a kind and innocent young fish living peacefully in a stream.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It liked eating nkton and small shrimps. It was a modest and happy gourmet.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, Terse is really crazy when ites to empathizing with animals. It¡¯s strange how crazy people always seem to flock around me.¡¯</i>

    ¡°The ones who shattered those warm and peaceful days of Mr. Gobble were the leaders of the ck Alliance, the Siamese Twins,¡± Terse continued.

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°They injected a strange power in him.¡±

    Terse said that the facility was not made for Makendra¡¯s Paper Soldiers. It was made solely to create the Swallowing Croaker. Understanding the weakness of the Paper Soldiers was just a side experiment.

    ¡°And that power is the Authority of Swallowing.¡±

    Now, it was clear to Jin-Hyeok. The Cult Leaders were Sephia and Grandel. If this went as Sae-Rin had predicted, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video was going to be another hit. Jin-Hyeok quickly contacted Wang Yu-Mi to ask her to privately upload Sae-Rin¡¯s prediction video.

    <i>¡®Will Grandel really betray Sephia? If that actually happens, my video will be the talk of the town.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a feeling that it was going to be a hit.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin made another recap video, hoping it would get a lot of views.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s summarize. Sephia and Grandel found a way to imnt the Authority of Swallowing. That¡¯s how they created the Swallowing Croaker.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°However, I believe it would be difficult for them to randomly imnt that power in other beings. The fact that they created only one Swallowing Croaker proves it. If they needed more, they could have just created them, but they didn¡¯t.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok silently listened to Sae-Rin. Her eyes were shining brightly, and watching her was a pleasure. She indeed shone the most when ying as a Ruler.

    <i>¡®But why is she avoiding eye contact?¡¯</i>

    In the past, she was confident and proud, looking at Jin-Hyeok with an <i>¡®</i>I am the best¡¯ attitude. Jin-Hyeok wondered why she was now subtly avoiding eye contact.

    <i>¡®Could it be ack of confidence in her opinion? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it...¡¯</i>

    As arade who had been working with Sae-Rin for a long time, Jin-Hyeok could feel it. She was speaking with conviction. Almost everything she had stated so confidently before had been correct.

    ¡°As I said earlier, Hwa Ta Awakened with a prominent Job, without any particrly outstanding qualities. This means that his Awakening is not a natural phenomenon,¡± Sae-Rin said. Hwa Ta twitched at her words but didn¡¯t protest. She continued, ¡°...Rather, it is much more usible that the Cult Leaders imnted the power in him.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°But Grandel is an advisor. He might be targeting you, Jin-Hyeok. This might be a stretch, but I am also worried that maybe Grandel lured you here.¡±

    ¡°Targeting me? Lured me here?¡± Jin-Hyeok could not help but smile.

    ¡°Why do you seem excited?¡±

    <i>¡®Oops. I¡¯m falling back into my old habits again.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Because this is great content for my Eltube channel,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    <i>¡®I¡¯m excited only because this is great content for my channel. Really. I¡¯m different from that emotionally insane guy who keeps muttering, ¡°My Mr. Gobble is so kind and caring.¡± It¡¯s definitely not because I enjoy the thrill of being attacked. Really. But... I can¡¯t help but wonder when they will attack me.¡¯</i>

    His heart raced with anticipation.

    ***

    Grandel yawned, his neck stretched out.

    Sephia frowned in displeasure. ¡°What are you doing? Pull yourself together.¡±

    ¡°My neck hurts, I probably slept wrong. I need to do some stretching.¡± Grandel yawned wide, his mouth stretching big. It opened just like the Swallowing Croaker had.

    <i>Chomp!</i>

    Then he engulfed Sephia¡¯s head and crunched on it. ¡°Tastes terrible.¡±

    It took him about three minutes to devour Sephia. He then pulled out several napkins to wipe off the blood.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡± Grandel was the advisor. He had gained Sephia¡¯s trust over a long time and plotted his moves carefully.

    ¡°It was still a good meal.¡± Grandel belched loudly.

    This was something that had not happened before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. Grandel was the cautious type, having concealed his dark intentions for a long time. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, he kept pleasing Sephia, waiting for the right moment. But in this life, things had changed. A significant variable, Kim Chul-Soo, had appeared.

    <i>¡®I must swallow Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    To Grandel, Chul-Soo was a person of the highest talent. Chul-Soo possessed outstanding abilities in all aspects, and crucially, he also had a radiant appearance.

    <i>¡®His face will be mine.¡¯</i>

    Grandel knew that this was his chance; if he missed it, he might never have another. ¡°The speed of Chul-Soo¡¯s growth is beyond imagination.¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s fame was exploding. Left unattended, he would be a powerhouse beyond reach. That was why the greedy Grandel could not help himself and, even at the risk of overreaching, decided to swallow Sephia.

    A few minutester, Grandel vomited something out. It was a pulsating heart.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need Hwa Ta,¡± he said.

    Hwa Ta was just a smokescreen to deceive Sephia. With Sephia¡¯s heart, Grandel couldplete the army of Mountain Madmen. He could summon a perfect form of the Mountain Madman, free from any chronic heart disease!

    ¡°Chul-Soo... I will swallow you no matter what...!¡±

    ***

    Kang Eun-Woo was ecstatic.

    ¡°This photo is great, and this one too...¡± Happily reviewing the photos he had taken, Eun-Woo marveled at one in particr. It was almost like art. ¡°This one is spectacr.¡±

    He had taken this photo when the conversation between Sae-Rin and Jin-Hyeok was reaching an end.

    <i>¡°...but I am also worried that maybe Grandel lured you here¡±</i>

    When Chul-Soo had heard that, his expression had been like the morning sun. It chased away the darkness of dawn and brightened the entirend with warm sunlight.

    Eun-Woo had not missed the moment when Jin-Hyeok¡¯s smile faded.

    <i>¡®That expression is truly beautiful.¡¯</i>

    The atmosphere, the gaze, the sharp line from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s nose to his jaw¡ªeverything was perfect in this spectacr photo. Eun-Woo then read the warmth in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. Precisely, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze exuded his pride over witnessing Sae-Rin¡¯s growth, but regardless, it was an affectionate gaze toward Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s exclude Sae-Rin from the cut,¡¯ </i>Eun-Woo thought.

    The entire universe of Chul-Soo Land could revolt if they saw Chul-Soo looking at Sae-Rin like that.

    <i>¡®I will edit his gaze so that it¡¯s directed at Jin-Sol.¡¯</i>

    After the photo was released to the public, Eun-Woo¡¯s Level rapidly increased.

    -In my next life, I will be born as Jin-Sol... T_T

    ©¸Me too. So jealous of her!

    ©¸Chul-Soo seems like apletely different species from my mother¡¯s son.

    ©¸Jin-Sol looks like she doesn¡¯t care about his gaze though.

    ©¸I think Chul-Soo is usually very affectionate to his sister. She sees it every day. Personally, if Chul-Soo looked at me that way, I might melt.

    ©¸Is it toote to be born as Chul-Soo¡¯s sister?

    For a while, keywords such as ¡®How to be Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s sibling¡¯ dominated the top spot on various onlinemunities. Grandel also saw the photo on Chul-Soo¡¯s Enstagram ount.

    <i>¡®He is annoyingly handsome,¡¯ </i>Grandel thought.

    Grandel had an Enstagram ount before Sephia had swallowed him. He had only a few dozen followers, and the number of likes orments on his posts was virtually zero. However, Chul-Soo¡¯s ount had followers in the hundreds of millions even though the ount was not managed by Chul-Soo himself, and the number of likes andments was increasing exponentially.

    Grandelughed, imagining what it would be like to live as Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I will definitely devour him!¡¯</i>

    Combining clues from the photo, Grandel could pinpoint Chul-Soo¡¯s location. It was better to swallow Chul-Soo in Gangwon-do rather than in Seoul. Grandelughed to himself again.

    <i>¡®I bet you didn¡¯t know I lured you out of Seoul!¡¯</i>

    The ck Alliance was still a step ahead of the ck Rose Alliance. Knowing that Ha-Young was trailing him, Grandel had intentionally leaked some information to ensure Chul-Soo would catch the scent ande to Gangwon-do. It was much more convenient to swallow Chul-Soo in Gangwon-do, away from the Golden Guardian Tree of Seoul.

    Losing Hwa Ta in the process was unexpected, but ultimately, everything had gone ording to Grandel¡¯s n.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s time to start the grand scheme.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 216

    <h4>Chapter 216</h4>

    Choi Soon-Nam was a merchant who sold vegetables at the market.

    <i>¡®I hope business goes well today.¡¯</i>

    She wanted to buy toys and cook something delicious for her adorable grandchildren. Having done this for thirty years, she always earned about the same ie, but today, for some reason, she felt like the business would be good.

    <i>¡®Hmm?¡¯</i>

    However, upon arriving at the market entrance, she sensed that something strange was happening.

    ¡°Mr. Kim! Mr. Kim! Are you okay? Why are you wandering around drunk in broad daylight?¡±

    Soon-Nam saw Mr. Kim, a herbal medicine merchant, wandering around half-naked. She hurriedly ran to him, but Mr. Kim¡¯s eyes seemed different.

    ¡°Violence...¡± He was murmuring strange words, looking like a zombie from a movie.

    <i>¡®Eek!¡¯</i>

    Soon-Nam felt inexplicably anxious and quickly turned around. Seeing Mr. Kim slowly walking toward her, she quickened her pace.

    ¡°Violence... redeems...¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kim! Why are you like this?¡±

    ¡°...all things...¡±

    Mr. Kim followed Soon-Nam. His gait was unsteady, like that of a drunk person. She bit her lip and ran away in small steps. She could run faster if she dropped the bundles on her head, but she could not do that. In the meantime, Mr. Kim¡¯s steps got faster.

    ¡°Violence...,¡± he suddenly shouted, ¡°...redeems all things!¡±

    He ran toward Soon-Nam and kicked her in the back. She fell forward. Even in the midst of this, she tightly held onto the bundles she was nning on selling that day.

    ¡°M-Mr. Kim!!¡± She fell and scrambled back, and Mr. Kim was still charging at her. Hugging her bundle tightly, she closed her eyes.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    She heard a voice. A young man had appeared before her. It was all so chaotic that she could not understand what was going on. The ground was covered in blood, and the young man was putting away his blood-stained sword. Soon-Nam was too shocked to say anything.

    ¡°...¡±

    She had seen this man on the news a few times but could not remember who he was exactly. He had a very strange name, something like Butthole Sword or something.

    Lee Hyeon-Seong spoke as if this situation had happened many times before. ¡°Yes, yes. I am the Anus Destroyer, Lee Hyeon-Seong. I am a yer affiliated with the MK Foundation, cooperating with the government in relief operations. Please get up. Our Support yers will guide you to a safe area.¡±

    Suddenly, Soon-Nam murmured, ¡°Violence...¡±

    Hyeon-Seong, who was helping her stand up, drew his sword.

    ¡°...redeems...¡±

    Soon-Nam began to tear her clothes with one hand, just like Mr. Kim.

    Hyeon-Seong sighed. <i>¡®She was fine until just now... I guess I have to cut her down.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t kill her yet,¡± said Maria, arriving at the scene. She was in charge of this operation.

    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Look at her left hand.¡±

    While Soon-Nam was tearing her clothes with her right hand, she was still tightly holding onto the bundle with her left, as though she would never let it go.

    ¡°She still has willpower left in her. Let¡¯s capture her alive. We might find a clue to this bizarre phenomenon.¡±

    ***

    A so-called zombie virus had spread in Gangwon-do. People exposed to this virus would tear their clothes and mutter, ¡°Violence redeems all things,¡± being violent toward everything in sight. Some even bit and tore at others, and some continued their assault until their fists broke.

    Han Sae-Rin said, ¡°They are moving quite openly. It seems like a mental spell cast by the Cult Leader. yers above Level 30 can defend against it, but... the idea of it melting brains is pretty horrifying.¡±

    The curse was not particrly dangerous to yers above Level 30, but it was lethal for non-yers or low-Level yers.

    ¡°The worst part is that the Healers¡¯ debuff neutralization spell does not work.¡± Sae-Rin scowled deeply, wrinkles forming between her eyebrows. It was rare for her to be this angry. ¡°Those affected by this curse have their brains destroyed. Even if the curse is neutralized, they die. It is a very nasty curse specialized against non-yers.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok agreed.

    The ck Alliance was a universal alliance. They were somewhat subject to the scrutiny of the universal society, yet they resorted to such extreme measures. No one knew why.

    ¡°The Cult Leader must be in a hurry right now. He must proceed with something, even at the risk of the universal society¡¯s condemnation,¡± Sae-Rin continued.

    ¡°And what do you think that something is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s either of two things, but my head and heart disagree on what that one thing is.¡±

    The Sae-Rin Jin-Hyeok knew before his regression always believed in what her head said, but in this life, Sae-Rin seemed a bit more emotional.

    ¡°What does your head say?¡±

    ¡°My head thinks this scheme could lead to the creation of the army of Mountain Madmen, even without Hwa Ta¡¯s help.¡±

    With the army of Mountain Madmen, the ck Alliance would be able to dominate the entire Earth Server. Jin-Hyeok was not sure if Earth was that attractive as a Server, but taking over an entire Server was the dream and pride of many alliances. Hashtags like #ThisServerIsMine and #ThiIsMine were indeed symbols of true flex.

    ¡°And what does your heart say?¡±

    ¡°It seems like the Cult Leader wants to consume you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    <i>¡®Is Sae-Rin suggesting that Grandel did all this to consume me?¡¯</i>

    That seemed like a bit of misjudgment.

    ¡°This curse has the characteristic of being transmitted in aerosol form. It¡¯s weak, but it can be quickly disseminated to arge, unspecified group of people. Identifying the dispersal points is not that difficult...¡± Sae-Rin created a virtual map in the air.

    The Sae-Rin before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression was always caught up in thepulsion of the ¡®I¡¯m no longer a Navigator but a Ruler¡¯ type of thinking and hardly utilized her Navigator skills. However, in this life, she had a more flexible mindset.

    ¡°...If we join the dispersal points with lines like this, the points seem to be connected by a certain distance form, and we can find a route heading toward the Taebaek Mountains.¡±

    A green line connecting several points appeared on the map.

    ¡°The next dispersal point will be here.¡± Coincidentally, the news reported new victims at the very location Sae-Rin pointed out. ¡°And the next one will be in this mountain area. I think the Cult Leader is luring you. He is asking you to find him and saying that he is waiting for you.¡±

    ***

    Grandel, the instigator of the chaos in Gangwon-do, climbed up a mountain and looked down at the burning cities below. ¡°I like the sight of that.¡±

    [Violence redeems all things.]

    Grandel believed certain phrases held a mystical power, and he called these phrases Mantra. The more people chanted a mantra, the stronger the mantra became. Thousands of people were currently chanting the Mantra he had created, and Grandel thought this was making him stronger.

    ¡°The Mantra will soon reach its full power.¡±

    Originally, he had intended to slowly infiltrate the Earth Server and naturally umte the power of the Mantra, a method that would take a lot of time and resources. The fatal w of a Mantra was that those who recited them had to truly believe in and utter them sincerely.

    <i>¡®Melting the brain is indeed the fastest way.¡¯</i>

    Destroying the brain, preventing rational thinking, and instilling a blind belief that violence brought salvation to everything was the quickest and easiest method. Although it would draw some criticism, the Earth Server was not entangled with other powerful Servers in terms of yer rights. Also, Grandel could simply pin all the me on the deceased Sephia.

    He ced Sephia¡¯s still-throbbing heart on a stone altar. Then, ording to the form, he arranged the numerous sacrifices he had gathered over time. Eyes, livers, fingers¡ªmost were human organs.

    ¡°Now, the summoning ritual of the Mountain Madmen begins.¡±

    He envisioned a rosy future.

    <i>¡®With the army of Mountain Madmen, I will live as Kim Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Grandel felt as thrilled as if he had conquered the universe. Then he muttered like he were under a spell, ¡°Everyone will admire me, right?¡±

    He was going to be stronger and more impressive. With his brilliant mind, he would aplish everything. Women who had despised him would look up to him.

    ¡°It is my world now!¡± he dered. ¡°Just two hours. In just two hours, it will be done.¡±

    ? ? ?

    <i>¡®He¡¯s quite defenseless, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was somewhat skeptical. It was as if Grandel thought that no one could discover this ce.

    Sae-Rin quietly asked, ¡°Are you going to attack him alone?¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s watch him a bit more. What is the chance that this is all a trap?¡±

    ¡°Quite high.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok recorded the scene. Sae-Rin mentioning this could be a trap added ayer of tension to the footage. After all, in horror films, the moments before the ghost appeared were often more tense than the actual appearance of the ghost.

    ¡°Some horrific things are ced on the altar. It seems like a lot of people have been sacrificed,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He captured as much detail as he could. The editor would take care of anything too graphic.

    Grandel was sitting cross-legged on the altar, meditating.

    ¡°He seems easy to attack with all those weak points.¡± Jin-Hyeok lifted his Rule Breaker. He could feel it eagerly vibrating, as though it were anticipating the thrill of the attack. Suddenly, he felt guilty.

    <i>¡®Ah, I have not named you yet, have I? I will give you a real name. Just wait a little longer.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok apologized to the Rule Breaker in his mind. He promised to devote time to naming it properly once this mission was over.

    ¡°I am going to try a surprise attack. This might be a trap, so I will approach him as quietly as possible.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok made sure to add some editing points.

    [*Add tension-building background music here.]

    Even if he did not, his editor would know what to do, but Jin-Hyeok did it anyway. He moved through the bushes, stealthily approaching the target. Grandel still seemed unaware of his presence.

    [*From here on, use subtitles. Add voice-over after editing. (The parts to voice-over will be marked with an asterisk and inserted as subtitles.)]

    ying the assassin for once, after always being the target, was thrilling and enjoyable for Jin-Hyeok. Grandel¡¯s back of the head was a perfect target for a symphony of thwacks.

    [*There must be a trap somewhere.]

    Jin-Hyeok scanned the area with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance but found no signs of traps, adding to the suspense.

    <i>¡®I have no choice but to attack.¡¯</i>

    He crept up and yed his thwack symphony on the back of Grandel¡¯s head. The Rule Breaker struck Grandel in the head hard.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    It was a loud, satisfying sound. The sensation Jin-Hyeok felt in his hand was more thrilling than usual. It was a perfect thwack.

    <i>¡®Wow... nice!¡¯</i>

    The sensation, which felt as if the hammer had pierced deep into space, was exhrating.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Grandel copsed.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    He was not breathing.

    <i>¡®No way! Is he dead?¡¯</i>

    That seemed unlikely. A sinister background music and all the built-up tension leading to this oue would not make for a good video. Jin-Hyeok thought that if Grandel was really dead, he should switch to aedic approach, but that seemed difficult given the number of civilian casualties.

    <i>¡®No, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. This must be a trap.¡¯</i>

    It had to be a trap.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    At that moment, the blood flowing from Grandel reversed and flowed back into his body. His limp fingers began to twitch.

    <i>¡®Thank goodness it¡¯s a trap.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit relieved. He quickly stepped back three steps and spoke urgently. ¡°You bastard...! This was a trap!¡±

    <i>¡®Good. I think I look startled enough for the video.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 217

    <h4>Chapter 217</h4>

    Dark energy emanated from the altar, looking like arms made of darkness.

    <i>¡®It feels simr to the Seo sisters¡¯ abilities.¡¯</i>

    It appeared as though the shadow had formed several tendril-like arms and intended to attack Cha Jin-Hyeok. However, the armscked the finesse of the Seo sisters¡¯ abilities and felt more ominous.

    <i>¡®Activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok defended in a way befitting a Streamer. The dark energy could not prate his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier and instead covered the barrier and wriggled around it like seaweed. It looked like a ck octopus trying to grasp something.

    Suddenly, having regained consciousness, Grandel swung his hammer at Jin-Hyeok with a bewildered look.

    <i>¡®Wait, a hammer?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was surprised.

    Grandel seemed eager to break Jin-Hyeok¡¯s barrier, which Jin-Hyeok sensed instantly.

    <i>¡®Such amateurish hammering.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could tell a lot just from Grandel¡¯s stance and swing. It was a disrespect to the sacred hammer. If Jin-Hyeok were a hammer expert, he would not have forgiven Grandel, but he was just a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I should weaken Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to add some tension.¡¯</i>

    He weakened the part of the barrier that Grandel was hitting, and the barrier started to crack. Grandel repeatedly hammered it, eventually shattering the barrier. The ck arms still writhed around the altar. Grandel¡¯s triumphant expression and the broken barrier seemed the perfect point for another edit.

    Panting, Grandel asked Jin-Hyeok, ¡°What is the name of that Skill?¡±

    ¡°This Skill?¡±

    <i>¡®What is this? A clever trick? I know that some people don¡¯t watch my livestream, but how can an advisor of a mid-sized Alliance fighting me not know of my abilities? It¡¯s obviously called Broadcaster¡¯s Barri¡ª¡¯</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier,¡± Grandel said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°A Streamer¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier cannot have such defensive power.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily speechless.

    <i>¡®Is he being serious right now? My Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier is special, but not that much. It¡¯s much less sturdy than Mok Jae-Hyeon¡¯s Wood Fortress.¡¯</i>

    ¡°This is a miscalction on my part. I thought I could swallow you here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead and said, ¡°That was close. I thought I was going to be devoured.¡±

    ¡°I thought so too. But your barrier is surprisingly strong.¡± Grandel smirked, clearly hiding something more. ¡°But this too is within my expectations.¡±

    It seemed Grandel had abandoned his n to consume Jin-Hyeok with the help of the altar. The dark energy no longer flickered.

    <i>¡®Ah, that was a good visual effect. It¡¯s a shame that it¡¯s gone. But why does he seem a bit flustered?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Grandel had known Kim Chul-Soo would find this ce. After all, the Streamer had a capablepanion, Pathfinder¡ªthough Grandel had yet to learn that she had newly Awakened as a Ruler.

    <i>¡®It will take Chul-Soo at least an hour to get here.¡¯</i>

    This was Grandel¡¯s mistake. Chul-Soo had arrived much earlier than Grandel expected. Chul-Soo didn¡¯t show much emotion upon finding the ce, and neither did Pathfinder, whose standards were based on Chul-Soo¡¯s.

    Sae-Rin did not consider herself an exceptional Navigator. If she had been a naturally gifted Navigator, she would not have beenpeting with Mole Man for first ce. She thought that not being overwhelmingly better than Mole Man meant she did not possess extraordinary talent. That was why she didn¡¯t think she had achieved anything particrly remarkable.

    Grandel was flustered.

    <i>¡®The Swallowing Altar is notplete yet...¡¯</i>

    This meant that he could not unleash his full power. Moreover, Chul-Soo¡¯s hidden power (Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier) was stronger than he had expected, which prevented Grandel from properly devouring the Streamer.

    <i>¡®It would have been best to swallow Chul-Soo here, but my n¡¯s already messed up.¡¯</i>

    Nevertheless, this was still within Grandel¡¯s expectations. He had a contingency n for such a situation. His voice changed slightly. ¡°I wanted to fight you anyway.¡±

    Grandel pulled out a greatsword from his inventory. This greatsword belonged to one of the yers he had swallowed before. It seemed like Grandel and the yer had switched personalities. ¡°My name is Jansen... I was a Streamer... before.¡±

    A Streamer wielding a greatsword. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. It seemed like perfect content for creating a buzz.

    Sae-Rin shouted, ¡°He is trying to buy time! You know that, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded, feeling excited. It reminded him of the times he had yed together with Sae-Rin before his regression.

    <i>¡®If she wanted to keep that information a secret, she would have whispered into my ears using one of her Ruler Skills.¡¯</i>

    The message was intended for Grandel to hear.

    Jin-Hyeok started fighting Grandel, who was wielding the greatsword.

    <i>¡®Ah... this is disappointing.¡¯</i>

    Creating a tense battle scene in this fight was proving hard. It seemed like handing Grandel an overwhelming defeat would be better for his content.

    ¡°Yo, that¡¯s not how you use a sword,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he drew his Greatsword of La¡¯kan. He felt sorry for the Rule Breaker, but the sword fit the fight more. As Jin-Hyeok swung his Greatsword of La¡¯kan, Jansen (Grandel) used Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The barrier was too weak.

    <i>¡®I almost cut his throat.¡¯</i>

    The personality handling the fight was the Swordsman Streamer Jansen, but the body was still Grandel¡¯s. Had Jin-Hyeok not adjusted his power, he could have easily cut Grandel¡¯s throat; Grandel was much weaker than expected. Thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s restraint, Grandel¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier did not break.

    ¡°Die!¡± Jansen swung the sword, and Jin-Hyeok blocked it with his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok realized something. ¡°You are not Grandel, are you?¡±

    <i>¡®Of course, even Grandel can¡¯t be this weak.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Grandel had ced his puppet here.

    <i>¡®I can feel it.¡¯</i>

    It was a sophisticatedly made puppet, likely an evolved form of the Paper Soldiers of Paper Sorcerer Makendra.

    ¡°Well done! But it¡¯s already toote!¡± a voice replied from beneath the altar.

    A green magic circle appeared below the altar, and unknown hieroglyphic mana characters floated around the altar.

    ¡°High Magic. Activate Spatial Separation.¡±

    A green light began to cover the altar. Soon, it formed a cube, enveloping the entire altar.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s getting harder to breathe.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt an unknown sense of crisis and quickly moved away. The Paper Puppet iming to be Jansen melted away.

    ¡°That cube seems to be a different dimension created by Grandel.¡±

    The real Grandel showed up, sitting at the center of the altar. ¡°I admit, you are far more skilled than I expected.¡±

    <i>¡®...But I was holding back.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could not bring himself to say that out loud.

    ¡°Now, I have one more reason to swallow you.¡± Grandel wore a confident expression.

    Jin-Hyeok briefly contemted breaking into the cube. His Rule Breaker could do it, but he shook his head.

    <i>¡®If I do that, it would not be any different from my previous livestreams.¡¯</i>

    Thankfully, Grandel provided further exnation with even more confidence. ¡°As your friend said, I was buying time.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s shout had made Grandel slightlycent. As though he had another n, Grandel said, ¡°I needed to buy some time because you arrived faster than I thought.¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®What is he saying? We arrived too quickly? Is this some kind of a trap?¡¯</i>

    ¡°If I could have swallowed you here, it would have been ideal, but I have given up on that n. After using Jansen to buy more time, I used my great magic spell, Spatial Separation,¡± Grandel said.

    <i>¡®Good. He is creating good content for me.¡¯</i>

    The more he talked, the better. Jin-Hyeok wanted him to keep talking.

    ¡°This is a dimensional discement magic spell that separates your space and this spacepletely! It is a high-level spell beyond your current Level. Setting it up takes time and effort, but its effects are exceptional.¡±

    ¡°...Is that what the Mage you swallowed taught you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    <i>¡®This is disappointing.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok partly acknowledged Grandel¡¯s intelligence. However, no matter how smart Grandel was, if he kept stagnating in one ce, he was bound to rot, like uncircted water.

    Jin-Hyeok left a note on the video being recorded.

    [*Failed self-objectification. Lived too long as Sephia and Grandel.]

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely wanted to tell Grandel his true thoughts.

    <i>¡®Do you really think a Mage weak enough to be swallowed by you would be a notable Archmage? Apetent Archmage would not be defeated by the likes of you.¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok pretended to be tense. ¡°Hm... It does feel like the dimensions are separated.¡±

    He then started his livestream.

    <strong>[Great Magic]</strong>

    Viewers flocked in instantly. The KimKnowItAllTV chat room was so overwhelming that it was hard to read all thements. Even with settings adjusted to allow only the VIPs to chat, it was still overwhelming. Raising the standard of the VIP entry seemed a necessity now.

    -Is that the culprit of the Gangwon-do incident?

    -Our great Chul-Soo is shining again.

    -I think he went alone to face danger and catch the bad guy. He is the GOAT.

    -It¡¯s like he is doing what the government is supposed to be doing right now. I used to think that Chul-Soo was just showing off, but for this, I have to be on his side.

    Wang Yu-Mi and Kang Chul timely uploaded a video they had prepared earlier. It showed that Jin-Hyeok had anticipated that Sephia and Grandel were the Cult Leaders and that Grandel would swallow Sephia.

    -Wow, did he predict all this?

    -No way! They must have manipted the video to make it look like he predicted it.

    However, video expertsmented that the video was not edited.

    -No way! Is Chul-Soo a God? How could he predict and act on everything that¡¯s going on?

    -ChulSooIsGod would be so confused right now.

    -The great Chul-Soo knew everything!

    -But it seems like he is struggling right now.

    -Even if he knows everything, a defeat is unavoidable against a powerful opponent.

    Yu-Mi sent the reactions to Jin-Hyeok through a secret message.

    <i>¡®Everything is going ording to the n,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    [The tension is being maintained at a fairly good level. Keep doing what you¡¯re doing.]

    Too much tension could lead to criticism for being frustrating.

    [The consensus is that ¡®Although Grandel is a dangerous opponent, with Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities, there is hope!¡¯ This is the best expectation to instill in the viewers. The progress seems very smooth and good.]

    During his Sword King days, Jin-Hyeok had never received such praise from Yu-Mi.

    <i>¡®I was right. The sword doesn¡¯t suit me,¡¯ </i>he thought, feeling proud.

    ¡°Soon, my army will descend.¡±

    ¡°You mean the army of Mountain Madmen?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even your powerful Thunder Dragon won¡¯t be able to stop them!¡± Grandel confidently continued, ¡°Your Thunder Dragon is powerful, but it has a fatal weakness: it can¡¯t attack first. My army will never attack your Thunder Dragon. In thirty minutes, my army will descend!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. Grandel had bought some time with the conversation, but the livestream felt a bit loose.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s make it look like I am desperate.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok lifted the Rule Breaker, which pleasantly resonated in his hand.

    <i>¡®Please, Rule Breaker, don¡¯t hit too hard.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Then I have to break the cube,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t break it, please.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok attacked the cube with the hammer, bing one with the weapon. Grandel appeared rxed on the outside but was tense on the inside. Of all things, Chul-Soo¡¯s weapon was the Rule Breaker. Although its target right now was dimensional separation, the Rule Breaker could nullify the magic itself.

    <i>¡®Thank god!¡¯ </i>Grandel thought.

    Fortunately, it seemed Chul-Soo did not have that capability yet. Chul-Soo attacked the cube desperately, or so it looked.

    ¡°Your attack cannot surpass my great magic!¡± Grandel had mentioned it would take thirty minutes for the army of Mountain Madmen to appear, but that was also a trap. He only needed seven minutes.

    <i>¡®This bastard firmly believes it¡¯s going to take thirty minutes! He won¡¯t have time to prepare.¡¯</i>

    Grandel finallypleted the summoning magic. Dozens of ck summoning gates appeared in the sky.

    ¡°Wee, my army! Join me willingly and enjoy eternal life!¡±

    However, what Grandel could not see was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sly smile.

    For Chul-Soo, this was the climax of his production. He changed the livestream title.

    [A Twist.]

    The former Navigator Pathfinder was now making her official debut as the Absolute Ruler Han Sae-Rin.

 Chapter 218

    <h4>Chapter 218</h4>

    <i>¡°He is trying to buy time! You know that, right?¡±</i>

    This was kind of like putting up a smokescreen. By emphasizing that they knew Grandel was stalling for time, Cha Jin-Hyeok and Han Sae-Rin had feigned urgency, conveying to Grandel that they didn¡¯t know much more than that. However, what Sae-Rin, the Absolute Ruler, aimed for was something more.

    <i>¡®I need him to perform well,¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was intensely carrying on with his y. Creating a suitable tension and sense of crisis for his livestream, he was carefully controlling himself not to overwhelm Grandel even by mistake. He was doing his best. It was a much more difficult and sophisticated act than simply smashing heads.

    <i>¡®Song Ha-Young, it¡¯s your turn now.¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin could not see Ha-Young, but she knew in her heart that Angel Girl was already in action. While Jin-Hyeok was at the forefront, putting on a fierce and splendid performance, the core of the strategy was in Ha-Young¡¯s hands.

    Wang Yu-Mi set the title of the livestream to ¡®Disturb From East, Strike From West¡¯.

    They had nned to create a disturbance in one direction so that they could attack from another. Grandel, focused only on Jin-Hyeok, had failed to notice Ha-Young, who had secretly infiltrated the altar where the ck arms were fluttering.

    Her heart was pounding.

    <i>¡®I have to steal the most valuable thing.¡¯</i>

    Among the various horrible things ced on the altar, she had to steal the most valuable and horrible one. She had already discussed it with Sae-Rin and Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡°The Mountain Madman is said to have a chronic heart problem. That¡¯s why Grandel helped Hwa Ta level up so that thetter could cure the chronic disease. And since Grandel is moving so urgently despite not having Hwa Ta, he must have solved the problem.¡± </i>

    Sae-Rin continued, <i>¡°There might be something rted to the heart. That could be the key. But this is just an assumption. Ha-Young, see for yourself and make your judgment. I trust your intuition, Angel Girl.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Summoning such a dark magic entity must require sacrifices, right? What about stealing all the sacrifices?¡± </i>Ha-Young asked.

    <i>¡°That won¡¯t work. First, if you try to steal too much, it will be noticeable. Grandel will catch on. Second, Jin-Hye¡ªno, Chul-Soo is hoping that the army of the Mountain Madmen will be summoned.¡±</i>

    At this point, an ordinary yer would have asked, ¡®Who would think like that?¡¯ But Ha-Young was not ordinary.

    <i>¡°...Ah! You¡¯re right.¡±</i>

    She knew that the army of the Mountain Madmen had to be summoned for Chul-Soo¡¯s Eltube channel. She understood that this would lead to high-quality content.

    Ha-Young had seeded.

    <i>¡®The heart. That¡¯s it. I did not expect the heart to be out in the open like that.¡¯</i>

    The synergy of themander¡¯s insight and the field agent¡¯s experience was perfect.

    <i>¡®I just have to steal that.¡¯</i>

    Thanks to Jin-Hyeok doing his part so well, Grandel did not notice Ha-Young¡¯s thievery at all. The army of the Mountain Madmen would eventually be summoned with the chronic heart disease uncured.

    ***

    Dozens of magic circles engraved with various magical symbols formed in the sky.

    Grandel burst into madughter. ¡°Kahahaha!¡±

    Soon, monsters with red fur emerged out of those magic circles.

    Jin-Hyeok tensely narrated, ¡°Their overall appearance is... simr to that of goris, except that these creatures have very thick fur.¡±

    Grandel leisurely said, ¡°That¡¯s right. They are the Mountain Madmen. You can check their Levels with your Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes... Their Level is... 217.¡±

    That was a considerably high Level by the Earth Server¡¯s standards.

    ¡°Magic circles are constantly being created. The Mountain Madmen are revealing themselves from within!¡± Jin-Hyeok said in a trembling voice. He seemed genuinely tense. In reality, though, he was trembling a bit out of excitement.

    -Wow, how many are there?

    -At least, a few hundred, it seems.

    -Isn¡¯t this dangerous for Chul-Soo, no matter how strong he is?

    -I think he needs to run away and gather allies to fight them.

    Even the viewers who knew Chul-Soo¡¯s prowess were worried about him. The momentum of the Mountain Madmen, who were now beginning to form ranks, was indeed tremendous. Having set foot on the ground, the Mountain Madmen swung their vicious muscr arms and cut down the surrounding trees. The trees bent helplessly, and the surroundings soon became t.

    -They clearly look like warrior-type monsters.

    -Their resistance and attack power seem incredibly strong.

    -Chul-Soo, there is no winning against sheer numbers. Better to run for now.

    Yu-Mi ryed these viewer reactions to Jin-Hyeok in real-time.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know why, but this doesn¡¯t hurt my pride.¡¯</i>

    Had he still been a Swordsman, his pride would have been hurt, but now, he felt okay. It meant that the tension was being portrayed well.

    Savoring his victory, Grandel said, ¡°I will devour you. I will be you, and you will be me, living a beautiful life together!¡±

    Lined up behind Grandel were hundreds of Mountain Madmen, their sinister red eyes glowing menacingly. They growled with a sound that filled the air with a pungent stench.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, retreat,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Of course, this was part of the script. Jin-Hyeok, Sae-Rin, and Yu-Mi had nned what to say at this moment beforehand.

    <i>¡°I will tell you to retreat at the right moment. We will decide what to say based on the reactions of KimKnowItAllTV¡¯s viewers. If the viewers are worried about you, I will say ¡®Chul-Soo, retreat.¡¯ But if they are excited and cheering for you, I will say ¡®Retreat, Chul-Soo.¡¯¡±</i>

    Sae-Rin¡¯s words were the cue. As per the agreement, Jin-Hyeok took a step forward instead and said, ¡°No.¡±

    He lifted the Rule Breaker. Currently, the stream was showing the scene from the perspective of a third-person drone view. Chul-Soo looked like a mere fly standing alone against a tsunami.

    ¡°If I retreat here?¡± Jin-Hyeok did not exin further. Being too emotionally dramatic could be overdoing it. Instead, Jin-Hyeok let the viewers imagine, and they were moved by their conclusions.

    -Chul-Soo has already witnessed numerous civilian casualties.

    -He can¡¯t just stand by and watch more civilian harm.

    -Chul-Soo: If I retreat here, what about the city of civilians behind me? That¡¯s why I can¡¯t retreat. Even if I can¡¯t fight them by myself.

    -In intense ces, one must be intense. ¡ªThe IntenseMan.

    -I¡¯m touched! ^.~

    Chul-Soo pulled out a golden card. It was the Mythic-Grade Card. For added ir, it had been slightly upgraded by Katrina of the jewelry workshop, using gold thread. The upgrade cost a whopping three hundred million Dias. It didn¡¯t improve the functionality of the card; it just made the card prettier.

    ¡°I need to stop this.¡±

    Grandel was pleased with Chul-Soo¡¯s desperation. He extended his hand andmanded the army of the Mountain Madmen. ¡°Charge, my army! Bring him to me. Do not kill him.¡±

    Simultaneously, Sae-Rin said, ¡°Chul-Soo, activate Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡±

    Chul-Soo deployed Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier with all his might. ¡°Fire the Babylon Cannon.¡±

    Far away, a thick beam of smaser shot out. It was the Babylon Cannon, known as the strongest firepower in battles where one individual had to defend against an army.

    ***

    Lee Hyeon-Seong, who had earned the nickname Weak Anus Destroyer, was somewhat dissatisfied. ¡°Why do we have to follow Chul-Soo¡¯s orders?¡±

    ¡°For the public good,¡± Maria answered.

    Convinced by the mention of ¡®public good,¡¯ Hyeon-Seong eventually agreed.

    Maria continued, ¡°And don¡¯t forget that Chul-Soo is practically the real owner of the MK Foundation. We have the privilege of receiving full support from the VIPs of the Trinity Club because of Chul-Soo¡¯s help. It is rare to get this much support so easily in any Server.¡±

    ¡°I know that... But I was just worried it might be too dangerous for Shin Yu-Ri.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Wood King will be dispatched to protect Yu-Ri.¡±

    ¡°Wood King?¡±

    They had assigned Mok Jae-Hyeon to protect Yu-Ri.

    Yu-Ri smiled. ¡°Hyeon-Seong, don¡¯t worry. I am happy to have a chance to shine.¡±

    ¡°...okay.¡± Hyeon-Seong could not directly look at Yu-Ri¡¯s face. Whenever he saw Yu-Ri, his heart raced and his face felt hot. The thought of Yu-Ri being involved in a dangerous operation made him a bit worried.

    ¡°Thank you for worrying about me,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    The very act of talking to Yu-Ri was overwhelming for Hyeon-Seong. That made him even more frustrated.

    <i>¡®Why does Yu-Ri even like that crazy guy? Chul-Soo is a madman!¡¯</i>

    Although Yu-Ri had never directly said she liked Chul-Soo, it was clear to Hyeon-Seong, who liked her. She definitely had feelings for Chul-Soo, whether she thought of him as a mentor, a benefactor, or a romantic interest. In any case, Hyeon-Seong was incredibly jealous.

    <i>¡®Hmph! I will just have to be stronger! Then she would notice me, not Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong decided to shed his weak and ridiculous nickname of Weak Anus Destroyer. With a firm resolve, he muttered to himself.

    <i>¡®I will be the Powerful Anus Destroyer!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Babylon Cannon was the ultimate weapon of the artillery Yu-Ri had handled. When she used it, she transformed into a giant cannon, capable of firing a shot with tremendous destructive power. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, this ability had made Yu-Ri, who led the Demigod Alliance, notorious as one of the worst viins.

    Jin-Hyeok attached a link to a video he had previously livestreamed.

    [¡°This violent Skill is perfected through abination with a superior defensive-type Mystery.¡±]

    Yu-Ri¡¯s defensive Mystery, the Iron Dome, and her offensive ability, the Wrath of Nemesis. Thebination of these two realized the walking siege weapon, Babylon Cannon. The Babylon Cannon was so formidable that it devastated the area it targeted.

    A hazy cloud of dust rose. It seemed that the attack had torn the skin of the seemingly robust Mountain Madmen, and some even bled, but none were killed.

    ¡°Hmph! Chul-Soo, I have analyzed how you stopped the Ant Queen,¡± Grandel said.

    When summoning the Mountain Madmen, Grandel had paid special attention to resistance against artillery attacks. Although the monsters¡¯ attack power was slightly weakened due to him increasing their resistance to artillery attacks, it did not matter to Grandel. This was enough to conquer the Earth Server.

    ¡°Your artillery attacks are powerful but have a long cooldown andck precision!¡±

    The Mountain Madmen began to spread out, slowly encircling Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Even if another artillery attackes, it won¡¯t matter. By then, I will have already swallowed you!¡± Grandel looked toward Sae-Rin and sneered. ¡°It seems that you have transitioned to a Ruler.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I was just like you when I thought I was smarter than anyone else, ying at the top of their heads.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Bad luck for you. If it were a few years, no, a few monthster, the situation might have been different. But you are too much of a rookie, and the limits of a rookie Ruler are clear!¡±

    Sae-Rin bit her lip. Although it was intentional from her, Grandel, intoxicated with a sense of victory, just giggled.

    Sae-Rin signaled Jin-Hyeok

    <i>¡®Now¡¯s the time.¡¯</i>

    This was the true beginning.

 Chapter 219

    <h4>Chapter 219</h4>

    Wang Yu-Mi gave Cha Jin-Hyeok a lot of valuable and impactful advice.

    [¡°I think livestreaming in a third-person perspective is better, especially for content themed around sentimental and calm, everyday activities. Try to asionally capture your home environment in the frame.¡±]

    [¡°When a real battle starts, though, switch to first-person perspective. Intense battles have a unique vor. By Streaming in a first-person perspective, you can capture the tension that ordinary Streamers cannot. I searched around quite a bit and found that yers with your style of y usually fall behind around Level 100.¡±]

    Therefore, being a Streamer, or rather, an Eltuber at Level 200 made Jin-Hyeok unique¡ªa one-of-a-kind Eltuber. There was no other phrase that made him feel so good.

    [¡°So, switch to first-person during battles, okay? And it is fine to awaken the ferocious ck me Dragon[1] that lies dormant deep within you and let it run wild!¡±]

    The cool lines Jin-Hyeok frequently used in his streams were nowadays being tossed around onlinemunities as part of sarcastic memes. The users of thesemunities said these lines were way too cheesy.

    That was why Jin-Hyeok had been holding back on saying cool linestely, but Yu-Mi was encouraging him to unleash the ck me Dragon even more.

    [¡°It will be a part of your concept, so don¡¯t worry. Do whatever you feel like doing. Feel free to unleash those cheesy, romantic lines. We will handle the editing.¡±]

    Yu-Mi was so reassuring. Jin-Hyeok decided to let loose and pour out all the lines he wanted to say.

    ¡°A person that protects is stronger than a person that destroys,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued, looking at Grandel. ¡°I will bring out my protective power and use all my might to stop you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman. Just like Shin Yu-Ri had created the Babylon cannon by fusing her defensive Mystery Iron Dome and offensive ability Wrath of Nemesis, Jin-Hyeok could also fuse the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman with the copied Wrath of Nemesis.

    ¡°Activate the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok activated the special effect artifact. A golden magic circle appeared beneath his feet, and a mighty golden aura enveloped him and fiercely spun around him. The wind rose, making his hair and clothes flutter. This artifact was also made in Katrina¡¯s workshop; its visual effect was fantastic, but its actual ability was nothing special.

    The Phantom Swordswoman revealed herself. She had an angelic figure, with skin so pale it looked almost white. Long, flowing golden hair graced her shoulders. On her back were six white wings, torn here and there, and her body was marked with dark red wounds and scars.

    She looked a bit different than before; she was holding a golden hammer, probably because Jin-Hyeok¡¯s main weapon had changed as well

    ¡°Grasp...¡± Jin-Hyeok paused and waited for the Phantom Swordswoman to say the line ¡®Grasp the de of vengeance.¡¯ He intended to say it together with her, thinking it would look cool in a parallel edit. However, that was not what happened.

    ¡°Grasp the hammer of vengeance.¡±

    <i>¡®Hammer, not de?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to keep quiet.

    <i>¡®I think the next line is ¡°Let them know what the end of the fools are like. What is the target of annihtion, my Master?¡¯¡¯¡¯</i>

    Something had definitely changed.

    ¡°Let them know what will happen to the back of the fools¡¯ heads. What is the target to smash, my Master?¡±

    Her line seemed even cooler.

    ***

    When Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream switched to a first-person perspective, the tension and vividness of the battle doubled, but many viewers missed seeing his face.

    -I am not interested in the battles. I just came to see my Chul-Soo¡¯s face!

    -When will we see his face again? I can¡¯t live without my daily dose of Chul-Soo.

    -Battle content is boring. We want to see his face!

    Yu-Mi anticipated such reactions. However, she had no intention ofplying with these requests. The essence of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream was to offer something different from that presented by other Streamers, such as directbat content based on unmatched skills, something other Streamers could not show. While other aspects were important, the essence could not be forgotten.

    Therefore, she instead created a special space for viewers who focused on Chul-Soo. She said, ¡°Real-time photos and videos are being uploaded on Chul-Soo¡¯s official Enstagram ount! Please check them out!¡±

    Numerous viers flocked to Chul-Soo¡¯s Enstagram ount.

    (Picture)

    <strong>443,270 Likes</strong>

    <strong>officil_chulsoo </strong>vs Grandel... more

    -Wow, his face is a mix of an angel and a devil, leisurely and intense... So handsome!

    -Please post more photos of Eun-Woo...

    -I have decided to stan Chul-Soo.

    Short videos, no longer than fifteen seconds, were also uploaded to the ount. They showed Chul-Soo murmuring, ¡°Activate the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    Initially, thements were full of mocking.

    -This concept is so cheesy! LOL

    -Literally cringing every time I see this. Haha!

    -Is he a protagonist of a fantasy novel or something? LOL

    However, that was only for a moment.

    -Do you guys not understand this?

    -Those who do not get this livestream concept, please leave.

    As Yu-Mi and Jin-Hyeok had intended, the viewers epted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s deeply rooted ck me Dragon concept.

    -Wow... This is so cool!

    -He is so amazing! I might die!

    -Absolutely spectacr. I wonder what it feels like to live such a life.

    Chul-Soo had be the protagonist of a hero movie, standing alone against the army of Mountain Madmen and protecting the Earth. Furthermore, the angles andpositions Kang Eun-Woo captured made the scene look almost like a movie starring Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok continued to exin, ¡°The Babylon Cannon and the Phantom Swordswoman are powers that have the same root.¡±

    Soon after, having sessfully reloaded, Yu-Ri fired the Babylon Cannon again. The massive beam of light, devastating the surroundings, swept through the army of Mountain Madmen. Rocks the size of houses turned to dust, and thick dust clouds billowed. Even Chul-Soo, captured in Eun-Woo¡¯s lens, seemed to be engulfed by the Babylon Cannon.

    Walking through the thick dust, Chul-Soo slowly emerged. ¡°Therefore, the Babylon Cannon cannot harm me.¡±

    Next to Chul-Soo stood the Phantom Swordswoman, as if she was guarding him. A golden protective shield surrounded Chul-Soo, which was also just an effect of the artifact earlier. While the surroundings were devastated, everything behind Chul-Soo remained intact.

    ¡°And I shall protect the world.¡±

    The Mountain Madmen were indeed strong, but not strong enough for Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®They are weaker than the Mountain Madmen that I remember.¡¯</i>

    They were weaker because Grandel had focused on developing resistance to artillery attacks, neglecting other abilities. Thanks to this, Jin-Hyeok could easily engage in battle with them.

    -Wow, what did they say earlier? They boasted that Chul-Soo would be swallowed before the next cannon attack.

    -Another cannon fired! That viin couldn¡¯t even swallow him! The Madmen got sted. He can¡¯t do anything! Haha!

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery¡¯s Named user Encyclopedia analyzed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s battle.

    <strong>[Therge-scale bombardment is being handled by the Babylon Cannon, which caused appropriate damage to the Mountain Madmen, while the Phantom Swordswoman, more focused on individual attacks, is smashing the back of their heads.]</strong>

    The Phantom Swordswoman was immune to the effects of the Babylon Cannon. Darting between the Mountain Madmen, she forcefully swung her golden hammer and cunningly aimed for only the back of the monsters¡¯ heads. The hammer caused arge explosion each time it struck a monster.

    ¡°Break. Heads,¡± she said in a mystical voice as if she were reciting an incantation.

    <strong>[I have never seen a Phantom Swordswoman so graceful yet aggressive. The ones I have seen before were not like this.]</strong>

    When she swung her hammer, she was a butterfly fluttering in the air. Her movements made her look like a noble angel wielding a devil¡¯s hammer. There was a saying that the appearance of a Mystery followed its master, and Chul-Soo and his Mystery were proving that true.

    Compared to other yers¡¯ Phantom Swordswomen, Chul-Soo¡¯s was particrly beautiful and mysterious. It had even reached the point where fans were following Chul-Soo¡¯s Phantom Swordswoman. By just being next to Chul-Soo, the Phantom Swordswoman shone even brighter, as their appearances synergized well.

    -A handsome guy next to a pretty girl, a pretty girl next to a handsome guy. My eyes are blessed.

    -Just watching them makes me happy.

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s appearance synergy is insane no matter who he is paired with. He is the harmonious IntenseMan.

    Some viewers enthusiastically preached about the visual synergy between Chul-Soo and the Phantom Swordswoman, but to Encyclopedia, that was not what mattered.

    <strong>[That powerful Babylon Cannon, instead, seems to manifest around Chul-Soo as if it is a stage prop. Sometimes like fireworks, sometimes like lighting...]</strong>

    Encyclopedia was thrilled. In this universe, if asked to find a yer stronger than Chul-Soo, one could name at least dozens, no, hundreds. However, finding a yer who fought as romantically as Chul-Soo was difficult.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is using everything as a stage element. Plus, this Eun-Woo, Awakened as the Homepage Master, has extraordinary abilities,¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought.

    Eun-Woo was capturing the most beautiful and intense moments of Chul-Soo. A person could lookpletely different in different photos depending on who was capturing them. When captured by Eun-Woo ¡®s cannon-sized camera, Chul-Soo looked much more beautiful than how he appeared in the third-person livestream.

    Everything pointed to Chul-Soo¡¯s progress.

    <strong>[Chul-Soo is surpassing the level of his past ys.]</strong>

    Before today, Chul-Soo was closer to being a <i>Streamer who was good at being a Swordsman.</i> However, that was not the case anymore. Now, he was a true <i>Streamer </i>who wielded a hammer well.

    <strong>[Chul-Soo has evolved. We have to acknowledge that he has taken a leap that cannot simply be measured by Levels. We might be witnessing the rise of a Streamer who will surpass Marshmallow.]</strong>

    ***

    <i>¡®These monsters are definitely tough.¡¯</i>

    After Jin-Hyeok had joined forces with Yu-Ri, the fight had gone well. Now, it was almost impossible to find a Mountain Madman that was in good condition. They were all battered and bloodied.

    <i>¡®But not a single one is dead.¡¯</i>

    Their regenerative abilities were formidable. Grandel, who had seemed a bit tense earlier, had regained hisposure. ¡°I told you Ipletely analyzed you.¡±

    ¡°...It seems that way.¡±

    ¡°Now, it is time to end all this. ytime is over.¡± Grandel pointed at Jin-Hyeok andmanded, ¡°Move, my Madmen!¡±

    The Mountain Madmen, their eyes glowing red, moved in unison. They shifted into a Crane Wing Formation,[2] quickly surrounding Jin-Hyeok and the Phantom Swordswoman.

    The Phantom Swordswoman, having fulfilled her role, had be translucent.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to her.

    The Phantom Swordswoman still had the will to smash the back of the monsters¡¯ heads, but Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Her role was done. They had made quite a spectacle for his livestream. It was time for him to finish the fight.

    ¡°Anyst words?¡± Grandel said, chuckling.

    ¡°There is a limit to what a novice can do.¡± Jin-Hyeok was irritated.

    <i>¡®How dare he judge Han Sae-Rin?¡¯</i>

    It was far more annoying than Grandel judging him.

    ¡°You will experience that limit firsthand.¡± Jin-Hyeok lifted the Rule Breaker.

    Seeing this as Jin-Hyeok¡¯sst-ditch attempt, Grandel smirked. ¡°If you had not resisted, I would have swallowed you painlessly.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But it is toote now. I will start by chewing up your head!¡±

    Pointing the Rule Breaker at a Mountain Madman facing him, Jin-Hyeok muttered a line he had seen somewhere, a really cool one that he had been waiting a long time to say. ¡°You are already dead.¡±

    The next instant, the Mountain Madman coughed up blood, clutched its chest, and copsed. However, this did not happen because Jin-Hyeok had pointed at the monster with Rule Breaker; he had just timed his action perfectly.

    Grandel¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°W-What is this?!¡±

    1. This is just a reminder that the termes from a famous meme in Korea where it is used to describe a very <i>chuuni</i> person. ?

    2. Crane Wing Formation, or ???, is a tactic used to envelop the enemy in a fan-shaped formation. It is widely known for its use by General Yi Sun-Sin in naval battles such as the Battle of Hansan during the Imjin War. ?

 Chapter 220

    <h4>Chapter 220</h4>

    The Mountain Madmen were quite formidable, and the ones that Grandel had summoned were at Level 217. Moreover, these monsters appeared as an army, moving in unison under Grandel¡¯smand.

    If Cha Jin-Hyeok had really been an insane yer, desiring to create truly chilling content, he would have ensured Grandel summoned the Mountain Madmen with their heart problems cured. The old Jin-Hyeok would have done so, but now, he had changed.

    <i>¡®If I do that, too many people would die or get hurt.¡¯</i>

    An army ofpletely healthy Mountain Madmen would have been too risky. Jin-Hyeok could escape from such an army on his Thunder Dragon, but a single mistake could bring chaos to not just Gangwon-do but all of Korea.

    <i>¡®It is a bit disappointing, but there has to be a line that I should not cross.¡¯</i>

    He felt he had significantly evolved. Now, he could think like ordinary people, realizing what social appropriateness meant.

    Jin-Hyeok pointed at another Mountain Madman with the Rule Breaker. ¡°You are already dead.¡±

    That Mountain Madman also vomited blood and copsed. Jin-Hyeok had already figured out which ones were in the worst condition through Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance.

    <i>¡®I just need to time it right.¡¯</i>

    He also changed the livestream title.

    [Undercover Genius]

    As the Mountain Madmen copsed one by one, Grandel roared, ¡°What trickery is this?!¡±

    ¡°The Mountain Madmen have a chronic heart condition, right?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t mean...!¡± Grandel, being quite intelligent, quickly caught on to what was going on. ¡°You deliberately created tension and bought time...!¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was waiting for you to summon the army of the Mountain Madmen with their chronic condition uncured.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had put on a good show, keeping Grandel¡¯s focus on him, and Angel Girl had yed her part very well.

    ¡°This is called teamwork,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Soloing had a unique vor, but so did teamwork. The exhration from a seamless coboration between team members was priceless.

    ¡°Bleed and kneel.¡±

    <i>¡®This is the level difference between you and me.¡¯</i> [1]

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to pay homage to a cool phrase he had heard somewhere, but the timing was off as all the Mountain Madman around him had already copsed. Another Mountain Madman followed suit, vomiting blood. The timing seemed perfect. Some Mountain Madmen charged at Jin-Hyeok, but they were too weakened to effectively breach his Broadcaster¡¯s Barrer.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s still hard to fight against sheer numbers.¡¯</i>

    Due to their sheer numbers, some Mountain Madmen managed to attack him from blind spots. Jin-Hyeok could not block all of them, which resulted in a torn shoulder and possibly a ruptured thigh muscle. His ankle seemed broken too. Still, he was in pretty good shape.

    Dodging through the Mountain Madmen¡¯s attacks, Jin-Hyeok moved toward Grandel. The livestream captured Grandel¡¯s expression of horror. This was the charm of the Undercover Genius concept.

    <i>¡®Hm.. They are timing their attacks well.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could afford to take a direct hit from a Mountain Madman.

    <i>¡®I will just take the hit.¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Sol would arrive soon, so Jin-Hyeok decided to take the hit. Dodging everything would make approaching Grandel harder. The best defense was offense, after all.

    ¡°Activate the Song of the ck Tiger.¡±

    This Skill, which he had learned from Zoro, seemed more suited for a hammer than for a sword. Releasing the energy with the hammer felt much more natural. The Song of the ck Tiger was also visually stunning. Seven ck tigers appeared, rushing toward Grandel.

    ¡°Instant Kill,¡± Jin-Hyeok swung the Rule Breaker at Grandel¡¯s head.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    A beautiful melody yed.

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i>

    Grandel¡¯s body melted away, like the finely crafted Paper Soldier Jin-Hyeok had seen before.

    ¡°It seems like he was not the real Grandel. A very intricately made Paper Soldier, I must say. The real Grandel must be hiding somewhere else.¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°For my Act Two, please check out BongMiNaTV!¡±

    ***

    Bong King and Kang Mi-Na hadbined their strengths to run a channel called BongMiNaTV. The union of these two, who used topete for the first and second ce in the official Korean Region rankings, maintained the first ce in Korea by an overwhelming distance.

    The two were running as fast as they could, deep in the mountains.

    <i>Pant... Pant...</i>

    <i>Huff... Huff...</i>

    Eventually, they found a shabby hut.

    ¡°We have managed to follow them somehow.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    The ones they were chasing with all their might were the Seo sisters. Tracking the movements of the Shadow Rulers with the bodies of Streamers was almost impossible. It was only thanks to the Seo sisters¡¯ consideration that Bong King and Mi-Na could follow them this far.

    The sisters spoke simultaneously.

    ¡°Bind, shadows.¡±

    ¡°Bind, shadows.¡±

    Dozens of ck magic circles formed around the shabby hut, and strands of ck mana energy stretched out and enveloped the hut. It seemed like some kind of barrier.

    Then Seo Ji-Ah opened the door of the hut. ¡°We¡¯ve found him.¡±

    Hiding inside the hut was Grandel. His eyes widened in shock. ¡°H-How did you find this ce?!¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo smirked. ¡°They say a clever rabbit digs multiple burrows.¡±

    Grandel had exposed too much of his strength. At the altar, he had used his shadow power in conjunction with the Authority of Swallowing and even put forward a finely crafted Paper Soldier as his double.

    ¡°But IntenseMan was just cleverer than you,¡± Ji-Soo continued. She looked like she was about to lunge at Grandel to stab him at any moment, but Ji-Ah stepped forward and blocked her.

    She nced at Bong King and Mi-Na and said, ¡°Traces remain when you wield the power of shadows.¡±

    Bong King and Mi-Na took the hint. Ji-Ah¡¯s lines were an exnation for the viewers.

    ¡°Shadow Rulers can detect that power,¡± Ji-Ah continued.

    Meanwhile, Grandel tried to muster his magic power to escape.

    ¡°Shadow Rulers control all shadows. Trying to run is useless,¡± Ji-Ah said.

    ¡°Y-You maniacs!¡±

    Ji-Ah drew her dagger. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo sent us here.¡±

    ¡°Unnie, can we kill him now?¡± Ji-Soo asked.

    Ji-Ah nodded.

    Grandel, who dreamed of ruling the world with Chul-Soo¡¯s face, died on the spot. It was a pathetic end to a pathetic man.

    ***

    A surge of new users flooded into the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    [What is an Undercover Genius?]

    ©¸It refers to someone who hides or conceals their true strength or capabilities, often appearing socially awkward or nerdy on the surface.

    ©¸Does that mean Chul-Soo hid his power?

    ©¸Seems like it. I was anxiously watching lol.

    The early tension in the livestream proved very effective. Chul-Soo¡¯s videos had captivated numerous viewers.

    [But why hide his power in the beginning when he could have just destroyed Grandel?]

    ©¸Probably looking ahead to the future.

    ©¸What future?

    ©¸Didn¡¯t you see the greed in Grandel¡¯s eyes? He would have summoned the Mountain Madmen army eventually. Better to make him summon them now and root them out.

    ©¸Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier to just kill Grandel from the start?

    ©¸LOL, is Chul-Soo a phnthropist? He¡¯s gotta milk it for the Eltube views, smh.

    ©¸If this keeps up, people will start thinking it¡¯s normal for Chul-Soo to stop Grandel.

    ©¸Honestly, Chul-Soo could have just moved to another Server with his family. He would probably be weed in the Arvis Server.

    Chul-Soo defeating the ck Alliance became a popr issue in the universe. The app Chul-Soo Verse, created by Wang Yu-Mi for all the members of Chul-Soo Land worldwide, was also bing more famous. It was a group chat-style app, and millions of fans had already joined it. However, only the official first-generation Chul-Soo Landers could chat directly on it.

    -ChulSooLand_1: Chul-Soo is so cool. But how could he do all that when he is only Level 204?

    The oue of the battle was shocking to many. Essentially, Jin-Hyeok had just raised his Rule Breaker, and the Mountain Madmen had copsed. Many events had led up to that, but that was the general feel of the battle.

    -ChulSooLand_2: He is not Level 204. He is 205 now. He leveled up recently. ^^

    ChulSooLand_1 was the Mad God of Favoritism, who had changed her name to Kim Min-Ji for the Earth Server. She trembled and bit her nails. Madness flickered in her eyes. ¡°Ugh, do you think you know about Chul-Soo more than me?¡±

    ChulSooLand_1, Min-Ji, and ChulSooLand_2, Kang Eun-Woo, conversed very amicably, at least on the outside.

    -ChulSooLand_1: Wow really? I did not know that he was Level 205. His leveling is so fast. ssic Chul-Soo.

    -ChulSooLand_2: ??

    -ChulSooLand_1: So, he used the Mythic-Grade Card to be Level 225 and defeated the Mountain Madmen, right?

    -ChulSooLand_2: It was not just brute force. He secretly deployed Angel Girl to steal their key ingredient, the heart. The Undercover Genius concept was just a smokescreen! Isn¡¯t that cool?

    <i>¡®Who is this ChulSooLand_2?¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought as she bit her lip.

    The things ChulSooLand_2 said had not been shown to the public yet. Yu-Mi had livestreamed the fight under the title ¡®Disturb From East, Strike From West¡¯, but she had not revealed details like stealing the heart as a key ingredient.

    -ChulSooLand_1: Of course. Chul-Soo is the coolest! But how did you know about the stealing of the heart?

    -ChulSooLand_2: That¡¯s a secret. ??

    Dozens of Chul-Soo Landers learned something new from Eun-Woo. They were thrilled to learn another secret of Chul-Soo. However, Min-Ji felt differently. <i>¡®Who is this guy?¡¯</i>

    Jealousy red in her.

    <i>¡®How could someone know such details in advance? Why is he acting so close to Chul-Soo? Should I hack this guy and reveal his identity? Is he stalking Chul-Soo? How sinister! No... I can¡¯t do that...¡¯</i>

    The guy was ChulSooLand_2 after all. They were fans admiring the same person, so there were ethics to upload.

    ¡°Anyway, Chul-Soo swept away the Mountain Madmen army at Level 225, right?¡± She thought about the fight, stroking her chin. ¡°He showed too much. He is too cool! Just watching him is enjoyable, exciting, and beautiful. But...¡±

    She stood up. ¡°It¡¯s not just me who sees him like that, right?¡±

    She was thrilled just thinking about Chul-Soo, and her heart pounded. Such an experience had been rare. True treasures shone on their own. She knew other fans beside her would have noticed Chul-Soo¡¯s brilliance. No doubt, yer Hunters eyeing Chul-Soo and his abilities would start moving. He was too beautiful to be left alone.

    ¡°I will protect my Chul-Soo, no matter what.¡±

    ***

    The ck Alliance had copsed. The ck Rose and ck Thorn Alliance, also known as the ck and ck Alliance, absorbed the ck Alliance¡¯s power and emerged as a universal alliance. The Earth Server was growing much fasterpared to how it had before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    The MK Foundation recruited Hwa Ta.

    ¡°I was moved by Chul-Soo¡¯s beliefs and his sense of justice. I will dedicate my life to practicing medicine at the MK Foundation.¡±

    After the Doctor yer officially debuted, numerous people visited the MK Foundation¡¯s medical center, and Hwa Ta tirelessly treated patients day and night.

    ¡°Thank you so much. I am really grateful, Doctor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Doc. I owe you my life.¡±

    ¡°How can I ever repay this kindness?¡±

    Hwa Ta was enveloped in a strange emotion. <i>¡®This feeling... is not bad at all!¡¯</i>

    He had always thought money was everything, but now he was questioning that belief before shaking his head vehemently. <i>¡®No... Money is still the best.¡¯</i>

    He was cooperating with Chul-Soo only because of that damn Golden Headband. That was the only reason. He convinced himself of that.

    As the Doctor yer¡¯s reputation grew, so did the praise for Chul-Soo.

    -Wow... a universal alliance and now a Doctor yer too...

    -There is no ce untouched by Chul-Soo¡¯s influence.

    -Of course. He is the IntenseMan, embodying beauty, passion, order, justice, protection, and harmony.

    The Korean Region was recording more dazzling growth and development than any other Region.

    1. This is a really famous quote from a Korean webtoon called Noblesse. ?

 Chapter 221

    <h4>Chapter 221</h4>

    The video of Cha Jin-Hyeok defeating Grandel topped the list of real-time trending videos on Eltube. Its view count had already surpassed five hundred million, and the number of subscribers on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel was increasing even more rapidly, exceeding 1.5 billion.

    Egan Paul trembled as he browsed Eltube. ¡°He has beaten Marshmallow¡¯s video!¡±

    Marshmallow, the top Eltuber in the universe, had also uploaded a video, which ranked third in the trending list. The second ce was Egan¡¯s video, but this position was meaningless because the numbers for his video were inted.

    ¡°He is really impressive.¡±

    Other Eltubers tended to avoid uploading videos when Marshmallow did. No shrimp in the world wanted topete with a whale.

    ¡°But Kim Chul-Soo just uploaded his video without caring about any of that. And he beat Marshmallow. Truly insane!¡±

    It was not just Chul-Soo who was remarkable. Bong King and Kang Mi-Na held the number one position in the Korean Region¡¯s Streamer rankings as a duo. Their Channel, BongMiNaTV, was also experiencing explosive growth. Although the duo was ridiculed for leeching off Chul-Soo, their channel¡¯s growth was notable.

    <i>¡®BongMiNaTV will soon receive the gold button too,¡¯ </i>Egan thought. He had also received the gold button. But it was a manipted one. In reality, his subscriber count was around seven hundred million.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo aside, I am nearly two hundred million subscribers behind BongMiNaTV.¡¯</i>

    He was alsogging behind in terms of viewing time and viewer firepower.

    <i>¡®There is just something about the Korean Region.¡¯</i>

    First, it was the Ant Queen Incident, and now, the battle with Grandel¡ªthe Korean Region was something else. The System seemed to have set the Korean Region as the main Region of the Earth Server. Otherwise, it was impossible for BongMiNaTV, a channel run by two rankers from the small Korean Region, to surpass his channel. Considering that the quantity and quality of content in a Region tended to be proportional to the Region¡¯s size, the Korean Region was very special.

    ¡°I am going to Korea.¡± Egan decided to focus the content of his next major video on the Korean Region. As it was going to be a major video, he nned to bring arge group of elites from the Avengers Army.

    ¡°I can¡¯t beat Chul-Soo.¡± Egan did not think about beating Chul-Soo. Chul-Soo was his role model, an ideal he wanted to reach but could not. ¡°...But I can¡¯t lose to BongMiNaTV.¡±

    As the American Region¡¯s top Streamer, he had to prove that being number one in the American Region was far superior to being the official number one Streamer in the Korean Region, which was the duo of Bong King and Kang Mi-Na.

    <i>¡®There is a very famous Unexplored Dungeon in Korea.¡¯</i>

    Although the Haeundae[1] Dungeon had not shown any sign of a Dungeon Break yet, it had remained unconquered for several months. It was an Unexplored Dungeon in the Korean Region or, as some people called it, a Chul-Soo Region. Clearing this ce would undoubtedly attract significant attention and interest.

    <i>¡®If I can do this, maybe Chul-Soo will acknowledge me a bit?¡¯</i>

    Egan¡¯s heart raced with excitement.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was not in a good mood. He had gradually stopped watching Egan¡¯s videos. The Jin-Hyeok of the past, who was content with being in third ce, had disappeared. He now felt stronglypetitive toward Marshmallow, the Streamer who was number one in the universe by an overwhelming margin. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride was hurt, and an indescribable desire for that spot burned within him.

    ¡°Marshmallow¡¯s content is just him lying down...¡±

    The video that Marshmallow recently uploaded had no real content. It was just a short video of him lying down and having a casual conversation with his viewers.

    ¡°But the view count of his video isn¡¯t much different from that of mine!¡± Jin-Hyeok still had a long way to go. It seemed that he needed to be more intense. ¡°How to get more intense from here...¡±

    There was one good way.

    <i>¡®I can conquer an Unexplored Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    That was the n.

    ***

    In each era and in each Region, there was always an Unexplored Dungeon that represented that time and Region. These Dungeons would change slightly as yers progressed. Currently, the most famous Unexplored Dungeon in the Korean Region was the Haeundae Dungeon.

    <i>¡®Wait, I can¡¯t seem to remember why it is an Unexplored Dungeon...¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, the Haeundae Dungeon was known as a ssic example of a first-generation Unexplored Dungeon. At that time, Jin-Hyeok had been busy dealing with the Demigod Alliance, and Lee Hyeon-Seong had cleared this Dungeon all by himself.

    <i>¡®Ah! I remember now.¡¯</i>

    A Dungeon could remain unexplored for various regions. Sometimes, the difficulty of the Dungeon was too high, or its entry conditions were unknown. Often, even after annihting all the monsters inside, yers could not figure out the clear conditions of the Dungeon and ended up dying of starvation.

    <i>¡®The Haeundae Dungeon could only be cleared by going in there alone. And Hyeon-Seong proved that with his efforts.¡¯</i>

    Not many yers were crazy enough to enter a Dungeon alone. Reflecting on it, Jin-Hyeok realized that Hyeon-Seong had definitely been insane.

    Wang Yu-Mi asked Jin-Hyeok, ¡°The Haeundae Dungeon? Do you think you can clear it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have to go in and find out.¡±

    ¡°You know that yers have recently made attempts to clear it, right? They managed to kill all the monsters inside but ended up starving to death. They brought a lot of food, but it all suddenly rotted away at some point.¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses and continued, ¡°Chul-Soo on the brink of starvation, and the Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo sharing his pain... That might look really good for the content... hehe!¡±

    ¡°Ah... I¡¯m going to go in there by myself.¡± Jin-Hyeok interrupted her.

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Kihael gave me some information about the Dungeon, and I think I need to go solo.¡±

    ¡°Hm... information from a GM... Then I will think about it too. Make sure to contact me before you go in!¡±

    The way Yu-Mi treated him had changed a bit since the regression, but as long as she did not start calling him the Moon King, Jin-Hyeok was fine with anything.

    Yu-Mi gave him good advice in her way. ¡°You handed the leader of the ck Alliance a perfect defeat through cooperation with many people, right? nning and building it up carefully, step by step. This time, it would be good to appeal to a different charm.¡±

    ¡°A different charm?¡±

    ¡°Yes. For example, I really, really, like eating broli, but eating it every day for a month can get a bit boring.¡±

    <i>¡®She finds it only a bit boring? I had to eat rotten meat for a month to survive, and that was extremely boring. She doesn¡¯t seem normal either.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So, to sum it up, I think this will be a good time to show the overpowered Chul-Soo, withoutplex calctions or cooperation between party members. Just Chul-Soo¡¯s sheer strength, breaking everything in his path. But do you think that is possible in the Haeundae Dungeon?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    <i>¡®If the weak Hyeon-Seong did it, there is no reason I can¡¯t.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Kihael visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house wearing a hat, sses, and a trench coat that covered him from top to bottom. It looked like Kihael wanted to be inconspicuous in public, but dressing like that was bound to attract more attention rather than less.

    ¡°Yo, honestly, I think you want yourself to be caught now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just tired of your job, where they pay you peanuts and make you work overtime all the time. Is that why you¡¯re dressed like that? To be caught and get fired?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°And if you do get fired, you will be employed by the MK Foundation with better benefits and higher sry.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not nning to get fired on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you would say that.¡±

    This seemed a bit suspicious. It was about time that the System, or the higher GMs, noticed that Kihael and Jin-Hyeok had a very close connection. Normally, if a GM had an excessively deep rtionship with a specific yer, the System would intervene.

    ¡°I am going to say this one more time. If you get fired on purpose, we are not going to hire you.¡±

    <i>¡®You should work for me as a GM as long as you can!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to say it, but he believed Kihael knew that.

    ¡°So, did you find out what I asked you to?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    A few days ago, Jin-Hyeok had asked, more like ordered, Kihael to find out how to use Picasso¡¯s Brush on himself. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Makendra had used Picasso¡¯s Brush on herself and be a powerful ranker in the universe. Jin-Hyeok thought that if Makendra could do it, he could too, but he had no idea how.

    ¡°ording to what I found out...¡± Kihael looked serious. He leaned in a bit and continued cautiously. It seemed like he was about to share something very important and secretive. ¡°...I have no idea.¡±

    He then put on an exultant expression. Kihael seemed quite proud to have pulled one over Jin-Hyeok

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Kihael clutched the back of his head and screamed, ¡°Ouch! This crazy bastard is assaulting a GM!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Who else is here beside you?¡±

    ¡°Do you think you would still be in one piece if I were the one who hit you?¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten who was the only person in the Korean Region to have killed a GM and then went to the Judgement Room?¡± If Jin-Hyeok had really hit Kihael, Kihael wouldn¡¯t even have felt the pain.

    ¡°Why? Do you want me to hit you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°N-No... Who said I want you to?¡± Kihael¡¯s face turned pale.

    Watching his face change in real time was kind of cute. Anyway, Jin-Hyeok had indeed not hit Kihael. The culprit was the Golden Guardian Tree, which had recently developed a taste for smashing heads.

    -¡°GMs¡¯ heads are tougher than I thought.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not gained much from meeting Kihael, except for the fact that the difficulty of the Haeundae Dungeon changed ording to the number of entrants. However, since Jin-Hyeok was nning to go in by himself anyway, this information was essentially useless.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°Why are you hitting me, you crazy yellow tree!¡± Kihael shouted.

    -¡°If something is tough, wanting to break it is an instinct. That is the nature of the great Golden Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°...so he says.¡± Jin-Hyeok ryed the message to Kihael.

    ¡°That¡¯s the nature of the Golden Guardian Tree?¡± Kihael looked at Jin-Hyeok as if he could not believe it.

    It was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first time hearing that too. It seemed this Golden Guardian Tree was just an odd one.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m bing more rational and sensible, but why is my Guardian Tree bing even crazier?¡¯</i>

    With arge lump on his head, Kihael gritted his teeth and said, ¡°A Guardian Tree has a strong bond with its nter and is greatly influenced by the nter¡¯s soul.¡±

    <i>¡®If the Guardian Tree were influenced by my soul, it would have be more rational.¡¯</i>

    It seemed Kihael was misinformed. Anyway, after Kihael left without providing any useful information, the Guardian Tree kept nagging Jin-Hyeok.

    -¡°Let¡¯s just use the Rule Breaker to hit Picasso¡¯s Brush!¡±

    The Guardian Tree was talking about the much-improved Rule Breaker. It argued that the Rule Breaker could break the condition embedded in Picasso¡¯s Brush. However, to Jin-Hyeok, that seemed like the Guardian Tree just wanted to break something.

    <strong>[(*Note: Retouch is limited to one use per item or yer and cannot be used on the holder of the item.)]</strong>

    The Guardian Tree was suggesting breaking the ¡®cannot be used on the holder of the item¡¯ condition.

    ¡°What if it fails?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit worried because the performance of the Rule Breaker had improved greatly. If he recklessly swung it around, the Server-grade item Picasso¡¯s Brush could bepletely destroyed.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt immense disappointment from the Guardian Tree. Unexpectedly, the Guardian Tree stated a profound truth.

    -¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for something to break if the enhancement fails?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he had been hit on the head. It was such an obvious statement.

    -¡°How can you be called IntenseMan if you can¡¯t bear that weight?¡±

    ¡°You are right.¡±

    Server-grade item or not, it was natural for something to break if the enhancement failed. Just like dying while ying was natural, this was also a very, very natural principle. Jin-Hyeok gained great enlightenment and immediately started recording.

    [Enhancement]

    Recently, Jin-Hyeok had be a very pathetic person, forgetting the basics and the truth. He decided not to be pathetic anymore.

    ¡°I am going to start the enhancement content.¡± Before clearing the Haeundae Dungeon, Jin-Hyeok decided to do that first.

    The Guardian Treeughed heartily.

    -¡°The true IntenseMan has returned! All hail the IntenseMan! Hahahaha!¡±

    1. Haeundae is a district in the city of Busan, which is located very south-east of Korea. It is known for its beaches. ?

 Chapter 222

    <h4>Chapter 222</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok moved closer to the Golden Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®Having people recognize my face is not as ufortable as I thought.¡¯</i>

    Right now, not wearing the Deceiver¡¯s Mask was more convenient. During y, he had to pay attention to several things, so reducing the number of these things, whatever they were, was helpful. Deceiver¡¯s Mask was better for him when he was not livestreaming. Using it in his everyday life was far morefortable.

    Jin-Hyeok arrived in front of the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°A splendid idea indeed! Although the difference is slight, enhancing by my side is definitely more advantageous!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok adjusted the settings of the Guardian Tree so that no one could approach it within a twenty-meter radius. Those who were already within the area were gradually pushed out. Then, he created a semi-transparent dome-shaped barrier outside the area. The people driven outside of the radius pressed their faces against the barrier, trying to peek inside.

    -¡°Regaining your initial determination is important! You shall block the gaze of those human beings!¡±

    The semi-transparent dome soon turned a golden color,pletely blocking the view from outside.

    Jin-Hyeok leaned against the Guardian Tree and sat down, immersing himself in a moment of meditation. Before he proceeded with the enhancement, focusing his mind and meditation were essential. Even though that would take some time, it did not matter, since he could edit those parts outter.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    <i>¡®Huh? That was definitely the voice of the Guardian Tree, but why did it sound like it wasing from another person?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok slowly opened his eyes.

    ¡°I see you have opened your eyes, my nter, my master.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok almost lost his bnce and fell over. The Guardian Tree that had been supporting his back had vanished without a trace; a small girl had appeared in its ce instead. She seemed to be of a simr age to the young Fire Spirit, Elines. This girl had been supporting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back with hers.

    ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± Jin-Hyeok instinctively knew this girl was the Guardian Tree, but he did not understand why the Guardian Tree had taken on a human form.

    ¡°My desire to walk was strong,¡± the Guardian Tree replied.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So that I could smash our foes¡¯ heads more effectively, hehe.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°As your Level increased, I reached a point where I could materialize and implement my will.¡±

    A closer inspection revealed that her right hand was round. It seemed like in ce of a hand, she had a small mace.

    Feeling Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze, the Guardian Tree raised her right hand and lovingly stroked it. ¡°The ck me Dragon sleeping in my right hand will smash the heads of our enemies!¡±

    ¡°...Hey, but why do you look so weird?¡± Jin-Hyeok understood her strong desire. He could also ept that her right hand could turn into a weapon. However, her face was just indescribable.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with how I look?¡±

    ¡°You look like a five-year-old who stole her mother¡¯s makeup and smeared on lipstick.¡±

    ¡°How dare you! I was inspired by the Thunder Dragon!¡±

    Not only her appearance but also her way of speaking was quite strange. However, this was not the first time the Guardian Tree had acted strangely, so Jin-Hyeok decided to let it go.

    ¡°And what about those high heels? They are bizarre.¡±

    ¡°Such insolence to ady!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never heard that the Guardian Tree had a gender.

    <i>¡®Oh, now that I think about it, trees have male and female parts, so there¡¯s that.¡¯</i>

    ¡°And did you cover your face in flour?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked. Saying it was flour was being too kind. What she had done to her face was slightly terrifying. It was a ssic case of children terribly imitating adults.

    ¡°If you had a mother, she would have smacked you on the back,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°Wow, talking about my mother... very befitting of my master.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She seemed quite excited. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with the enhancement, now!¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®I have plenty of time,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He decided not to rush. If it took a long time, the editor would do his job well.

    Jin-Hyeok had to find the optimal timing for the enhancement and proceed with it in the best condition. That had to be the attitude of a yer trying to enhance something.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do our best! Let¡¯s do your best!¡± The Guardian Tree, engrossed in the enhancement, suddenly snapped back to reality and started speaking in that strange tone again.

    ¡°Just stay still. You¡¯re disrupting me.¡±

    ¡°Understood...¡± The Guardian Tere looked a bit downcast.

    For now, it was important to tinker with the conditions of Picasso¡¯s Brush, so Jin-Hyeok decided to console herter. He took a long breath.

    <i>¡®Should I use God of Luck?¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok felt that the Mystery was unwilling to activate. Since it had a will of its own, forcing it to activate would not yield good results.

    <i>¡®I trust you, Rule Breaker.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok ced Picasso¡¯s Brush on the ground and struck it down. <i>¡®Please, let it work!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[The ?Rule Breaker? has been applied to ?Picasso¡¯s Brush?.]</strong>

    Numerous illusions shed through his mind. It felt like data values made of zeros and ones were whizzing by. Amid all this, Jin-Hyeok had to find the value he wanted.

    <i>¡®Now, one more time!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok struck down with the Rule Breaker again.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Among the illusions, a crack formed on the image of Picasso¡¯s Brush.

    <i>¡®That wasn¡¯t an illusion?¡¯</i>

    Picasso¡¯s Brush cracked.

    <strong>[?Picasso¡¯s Brush? has been destroyed.]</strong>

    The luminous Picasso¡¯s Brush turned to ash gray. The broken Server-grade item rolled on the ground, split in half.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok had been prepared for failure, his heart ached when it actually happened. This was how enhancement worked. Even though heforted himself, he could not suppress the bitter feeling. Still, as a professional Streamer, he continued filming.

    ¡°The enhancement... has failed.¡± With a heavy heart, Jin-Hyeok did a close-up of the broken Picasso¡¯s Brush. ¡°Picasso¡¯s Brush has been broken.¡±

    ¡°Ex-excuse me...¡±

    Suddenly hearing an unfamiliar voice, Jin-Hyeok snapped out of his meditation and stood up. Someone had broken through the barrier of the Guardian Tree and entered the protected space, and because of this, the Guardian Tree was lying unconscious.

    <i>¡®An enemy?¡¯</i>

    However, the voice carried no malice. Jin-Hyeok saw a ck silhouette before him. The shadow seemed to flicker, and he could not clearly make out who it was.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t be scared. My name is... K-Kim Min-Ji...¡± The voice sounded quite young and seemed to belong to a girl.

    Jin-Hyeok could not see her face clearly, but the girl seemed to be in herte teens.

    <i>¡®What the hell?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could not see anything even with Broadcaster''s irvoyance.

    ¡°I-I am Chul-Soo Land No.1.¡±

    ¡°Ah... You are a member of Chul-Soo Land?¡±

    Wang Yu-Mi had told Jin-Hyeok to speak informally with the Chul-Soo Landers as such a practice was customary in fan clubs, and fans loved informal speech more. That seemed to be true.

    <i>¡®Her face is turning red?¡¯</i>

    It was interesting. Jin-Hyeok could not see her face, but somehow, he knew her face was turning red.

    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I h-have a r-rare ability that lets me a-avoid barriers and e-enter any space.¡± She stammered a lot and seemed very intimidated by him. ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry about the Guardian Tree. She is just asleep for a moment. I did not hurt her. Really.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I...I actually know a lot of things and really wanted to help you, Chul-Soo... I am sorry for intruding like this!¡±

    The person in front of Jin-Hyeok had prated the Guardian Tree¡¯s barrier and appeared before him; it was an entity he could not see through with Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance. Obviously, she was much stronger than him.

    <i>¡®But why is she so afraid of me?¡¯</i>

    ¡°How are you going to help me?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You were trying to enhance something, right?¡±

    <i>¡®How did she know I was enhancing an item?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok was just recording a video, titled Enhancement; he hadn¡¯t released it to the public yet.

    ¡°And... it looks like you just failed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was heartbreaking,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. If you are sad... I might cry.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok mentioned that it was heartbreaking, the person named Min-Ji seemed even more shocked.

    He could feel tears forming in her eyes. It was really strange to feel all this even though he could not see her face.

    ¡°If I follow you too eagerly, my mom will scold me.¡± Her words made it seem like she was a kid, but her presence felt so immense. ¡°So, it¡¯s difficult to help you much, b-b-b-but... I¡¯m really sorry...¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well... it¡¯s just that...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Could you.... Could you please hold my hand? I¡¯m sorry...¡± Min-Ji asked.

    Jin-Hyeok felt her heat up. He was a bit on guard, wondering if this was a new assassination technique, but at this moment, being wary of her seemed pointless. If she wanted to, she could do anything to him.

    He extended his hand. She hesitantly reached out a finger and barely touched the tip of his hand. Suddenly, the entire world around him darkened, as if he had entered outer space.

    ¡°This is a kind of hacker room,¡± she exined.

    ¡°A hacker room?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes. I know a bit about hacking...¡±

    <i>¡®So, she hacked the System?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok vaguely remembered Yu-Mi mentioning something about a hacker.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time... but I can tweak some settings here to help you.¡± She took out the vibrating phone from her pocket, ignored the iing call, and turned it off.

    ¡°You have the Extra Life Trait, don¡¯t you, Chul-Soo?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°If you use it, I can restore the broken Picasso¡¯s Brush.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Extra Life was a rtivelymon ability. Jin-Hyeok had never heard of anyone using it to restore an item.

    ¡°B-But, in return, Extra Life will bepletely gone.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew that past Level 200, having Extra Life was not that significant. Most attacks at higher Levels far exceeded the settings of Extra Life.

    ¡°D-Do you agree to this?¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But there is a minor problem.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart started to race. More precisely, God of Luck was going wild. The Mystery that had refused to act earlier was squirming as if it were having a fit. At this point, Jin-Hyeok was certain this was a fateful opportunity.

    ¡°You need tomit suicide once with the Rule Breaker...¡± Min-Ji exined.

    ¡°Suicide?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, but it¡¯s a bit more difficult than you might think...¡±

    To Jin-Hyeok, who had died many times, this was an easy task. ¡°It sounds simple.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok struck his temple with the Rule Breaker.

    <i>¡®Just enough power not to exceed the settings of Extra Life...¡¯</i>

    With the experience he had umted, maintaining such fine control was not difficult. Jin-Hyeok instantly died on the spot.

    Watching this, Min-Ji¡ªor rather, the Mad God of Favoritism¡ªcast her eyes down and fidgeted with her toes. ¡°So cool...!¡±

    Not only was the precise control of the Rule Breaker impressive, but the way he struck his temple without a moment¡¯s hesitation was also perfect. Such an act was impossible without self-assurance. The Mad God of Favoritism gulped hard at the sight of Jin-Hyeok¡¯splete belief in himself.

    <i>¡®So sexy... So cool... So thrilling... He is the best. I must protect Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    When he died, the Extra Life Trait was activated. At that moment, ck arms stretched out from various directions in the hacker room and passed through Jin-Hyeok, rummaging around here and there. Soon, they extracted a glowing green pattern and transnted it into Picasso¡¯s Brush.

    The Mad God of Favoritism said, ¡°Do not resist.¡±

    Her tone and attitude were markedly different from when she had earlier spoken to Jin-Hyeok. Fitting for a fragment of a God, her voice was filled with strong power and authority.

    When the Mad God of Favoritism ced the writhing green pattern that was resisting and squirming into Picasso¡¯s Brush, color began to return to the previously ashen brush.

    <i>¡®O-Oops. He is about to wake up.¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji quickly ced a pre-prepared note on top of Picasso¡¯s Brush and hurriedly left the scene. She decided to maintain the hacker room for another five minutes¡ªto prepare for the possibility of people flocking into the territory of the Guardian Tree as she had briefly knocked out the tree to prate her barrier.

    Slowly opening his eyes, Jin-Hyeok discovered Picasso¡¯s Brush restored to its original state and the note on top of it.

    <i>¡®A note?¡¯ </i>

    After looking at Picasso¡¯s Brush and the note, Jin-Hyeokughed out loud.

 Chapter 223

    <h4>Chapter 223</h4>

    [You never saw me! Please keep this between us! I am always cheering for you. - From Kim Min-Ji, Chul-Soo Land No.1.]

    The note had another hastily written line.

    [The hacking room is only effective for five minutes!]

    It was not detailed but seemed to imply something like ¡®Otherwise, I will get scolded by my mom.¡¯

    <i>¡®Kim Min-Ji... Who exactly is she?¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok looked around. This hacking room seemed almost like a new dimension. He wondered why someone with the ability to create such a thing was concerned about her mother¡¯s scolding.

    <i>¡®What kind of person is Min-Ji¡¯s mother?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but chuckle.

    <i>¡®Everything rted to this is good content for my channel.¡¯</i>

    He then examined Picasso¡¯s Brush and left a checkpoint in the recorded video.

    [*This was the original setting of Picasso¡¯s Brush.]

    <strong>[(*Note: Retouch is limited to one use per item or yer and cannot be used on the holder of the item.)]</strong>

    This setting had changed just as he wanted, but that was not the end.

    <strong>[(*Note: The number of times you can use Retouch is unlimited for one person. (Hacking room privilege is applied.)]</strong>

    <i>¡®Ah, so this is why Min-Ji told me the hacking room is only effective for five minutes. This... is fate.¡¯</i>

    After obtaining Picasso¡¯s Brush, Makendra became a world-renowned ranker. Jin-Hyeok wondered if he could do the same.

    <strong>[Do you wish to use ?Picasso¡¯s Brush??]</strong>

    He applied Picasso¡¯s Brush to himself. It felt like he was covered in many different colors of paint, as though he had fallen into a pool filled with paint. Yet, he felt no suffocation or difort. The various colors of paint seemed to seep into his skin, flowing through his body like blood.

    <i>¡®It feels sort of refreshing.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[?Picasso¡¯s Brush? has been applied to you.]</strong>

    He could not feel any significant changes.

    [*I think it would be good to add my old dialogue here.]

    [¡°Using it on overlyplete yers would have minimal effect.¡±]

    It was just as he had suspected. Until now, the God of Luck Mystery seemed to be rejecting him, but now it felt like the Mystery was shouting at him to use its power immediately.

    <i>¡®I will use it, but not just yet.¡¯</i>

    God of Luck could be used only once. This Mystery was too powerful for him to handle right now, and using it would undoubtedly knock him out.

    <i>¡®I will try to use God of Luck after I¡¯m done using Retouch on myself.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized something.

    <i>¡®Wait, doesn¡¯t retouching too many times ruin the artwork?¡¯</i>

    ***

    The Mad God of Favoritism, also known as Kim Min-Ji, was pulling her hair out in frustration. ¡°What if Chul-Soo is confused because of me?¡±

    Choi Gap-Soo offered her an iced chocte andforted her. ¡°Please calm down. At this rate, the buildings in Cheongdam-dong will all copse.¡±

    An unusual earthquake had struck the Cheongdam-dong area, causing evacuation chaos.

    ¡°Too much Retouch can actually backfire,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°...Still, Chul-Soo will be happy. He loves great content for his channel.¡±

    ¡°But! What should I do? Should I go back quickly and tell him not to use Retouch too much?¡±

    ¡°I think if you help him again, your mother might find out.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± Min-Ji let out a deep sigh and sat on the sofa. ¡°If I make even a little more sound, Mom will probably shave my head and put me in an endless hell. She will say, ¡®Haven¡¯t youe to your senses yet?¡¯ And she would put me to sleep for the next three thousand years this time.¡±

    Debris began to fall from the ceiling of Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop. At this rate, the workshop would copse soon.

    ¡°Hold on. Do you doubt Chul-Soo, Miss Min-Ji?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Doubt him? Me? No one believes in Chul-Soo as much as I do!¡±

    ¡°Then why are you so anxious? Chul-Soo is the best content creator, chosen by the one and only Kim Min-Ji! You need to trust him more.¡±

    Those words made Min-Ji a bit relieved, and she took a sip of her iced chocte. ¡°You¡¯re right. I like Chul-Soo not just because he is handsome.¡±

    <i>¡®You¡¯re lying! I know it¡¯s because he is handsome!¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo wanted to shout.

    ¡°Hm... If I may ask, can you peek at what Chul-Soo is doing right now? You know... with your abilities?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not right!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°That is not respectful toward Chul-Soo. He might have things he does not want to show... Such shameless acts are what stalkers do.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. It would have been a great opportunity to observe Chul-Soo¡¯s crisis management and situation handling.¡±

    ¡°...You just really want to see Chul-Soo y, don¡¯t you.¡±

    Gap-Soo pondered what to reply for a moment, then smiled lightly. ¡°Yes! I really, really want to see it. A private y video just for me! I really, really want to see it!¡±

    ¡°So, if I use my abilities to peek at Chul-Soo, it¡¯s all because of you, okay? Not me.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Thank you for giving me such a great opportunity.¡±

    ¡°I guess I have no choice then. You have been a great help to me living on Earth. This is repaying the favor. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re making me do this.¡±

    A keyboard appeared in the air. As Min-Ji typed severalmands on the keyboard, a video yed in the air.

    ***

    <i>¡®Min-Ji... She¡¯s quite cute, but that¡¯s a sign of danger,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Being cute was a very dangerous thing. Anything pretty and cute needed to be approached with caution.

    <i>¡®Ah wait. This could be one of the System¡¯s tricks!¡¯</i>

    The System always prioritized bnce. That was why it did not acknowledge <i>regressions.</i>

    <i>¡®She might be pretending to be on my side while nning to stab me in the back. She could be a high-level GM.¡¯</i>

    That was probably why she had disyed these strange powers with the hacking room and such. Jin-Hyeok was bing more and more convinced of his theory.

    <i>¡®The whole Chul-Soo Land No.1 fan thing can also be a smokescreen to deceive me.¡¯</i>

    This was the logical and rational way to understand what was going on.

    <i>¡®She must be pretending to bestow favors on me, inducing me to use Retouch multiple times.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like God of Luck had seen through this and tried to warn him. Jin-Hyeok picked up Min-Ji¡¯s note.

    Min-Ji, who was watching the live video, got very excited. ¡°Oh, what should I do? Chul-Soo seems to be reading my note again!¡±

    <strong>[Kim Chul-Soo has activated the Latent Skill ?Fire Control Technique?.]</strong>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    With a hint of anger, Jin-Hyeok burned Min-Ji¡¯s note to ashes.

    ¡°W-Why...?¡± Min-Ji blinked in confusion.

    Gap-Soo was momentarily flustered, not knowing how to console her. ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    However, Min-Ji found an excellent exnation herself. ¡°It has to be for his Eltube channel, right?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course...¡±

    ¡°Look at that splendid me. I remember Chul-Soo obtained the Fire Control Technique as a Latent Skill after consuming the Phoenix Heart. He gained that Skill during meditation in the Trance Realm.¡±

    ¡°You remember all that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I should remember all that as a fan, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The mes are prettier than before. He must have made the mes prettier for the video he is going to uploadter. His professional attitude toward his livestream is so cool!¡±

    <i>¡®I think you just find anything Chul-Soo does cool.¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo wanted to say that but had to hold back.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok was gathering his resolve.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m counting on you, God of Luck.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?God of Luck?.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated ?Picasso¡¯s Brush?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok proceeded to use Retouch once again.

    ***

    <i>¡®I activated God of Luck and didn¡¯t even faint.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was surprisingly stable. This hacking room was extremely favorable to him. It felt like the space itself was aiding him.

    <i>¡®Hm... I guess the System thought such privileges would prevent me from suspecting anything.¡¯</i>

    As always, cute and pretty things needed to be handled with caution. Jin-Hyeok knew this very well, but he had learned the lesson again today.

    <i>¡®This actually worked.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had many doubts. Various colors of light burst out from his microcosm, and he had to make a choice¡ªwhich light to grasp and how to apply the effects of Retouch.

    ¡°I think helping the Seo sisters transition to their new Jobs was a great experience.¡± If he had not led them and helped them Awaken as Shadow Rulers, it would have been difficult. ¡°And I was inspired by the Homepage Master, who helps me a lot.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure whether he should release this video or not. Still, he continued speaking enthusiastically, as if he were doing a livestream.

    ¡°Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo... He showed me the miracle of turning Traits into a Job. He showed me that it was possible.¡± That was how Jin-Hyeok was able to make a choice. ¡°This is one of my Traits called Munchkin.¡±

    Publishing this video right away was probably not the right call. Almost no one knew that Jin-Hyeok had the Munchkin Trait, and he did not want to reveal it yet. However, maybe in the distant future, after bing the universe¡¯s greatest Streamer, he could release this video and make for a touching story.

    ¡°This Trait has be my Job.¡±

    <strong>[Munchkin Streamer]</strong>

    Since the basic concept of Picasso¡¯s Brush was retouching, the major framework of the Streamer job was not broken. Just Munchkin had been added in front of Streamer.

    ¡°Now, my Job is called Munchkin Streamer.¡±

    Had he been a Swordsman, he could have been slightly disappointed. Munchkin would have been a more versatile Job than Munchkin Streamer.

    <i>¡®But I prefer it this way.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was extremely satisfied with being a Streamer. Every day was exciting and fun.

    ¡°Someday, I hope to be remembered as a Great Streamer. This video is dedicated to my future self.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also kept one fact a secret.

    <i>¡®She said Extra Life would be destroyed!¡¯</i>

    However, the Trait seemed to have be stronger instead.

    <i>¡®I can even use this for my next Eltube video!¡¯</i>

    He was thrilled in many ways.

    ***

    ¡°Ugh, my heart!¡± Min-Ji said, clutching her heart.

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°I made eye contact with Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°...What? Chul-Soo is just talking to himself right now.¡±

    ¡°No way! You don¡¯t know anything about Chul-Soo, do you?¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Chul-Soo knows that I am a hacker. I think he is aware that I might be watching him.

    <i>¡®No, that¡¯s definitely not it,¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo thought.

    ¡°He knows that I got nervous and made a mistake. That is why he is kindly exining things to me. Telling me that everything is okay.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She seemed to be reading too much into it.

    ¡°He¡¯s so good to his fans. I have no choice but to love him even more!¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You think so too, right?¡±

    ¡°...Aren¡¯t you going to love him more no matter what?¡±

    Min-Ji was not listening to Gap-Soo. ¡°I¡¯m going to love him forever.¡±

    In the video Jin-Hyeok said,

    ?¡°Someday, I hope to be remembered as a Great Streamer. This video is dedicated to my future self.¡±?

    Min-Ji sped her hands and reverently nodded. She was thrilled, as if she had heard him say, ¡®I dedicate this video to you, Min-Ji.¡¯

    ¡°Wow... His fan service is unreal!¡± she said.

    Gap-Soo struggled to understand how this could be described as fan service. He had no idea where she found such an emotional moment, but he again held his tongue.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok continued to film himself. ¡°My Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier has been strengthened. Its name has been changed to Absolute Barrier... Quite a grand name. We will have to see if it lives up to the name. And Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance has been changed to Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. We will also have to see¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly stopped talking.

    <i>¡®This strange sensation...¡¯</i>

    He felt as if his hair was standing on end. A tingling sensation seemed to spread throughout him, climbing up his spine.

    <i>¡®Someone is targeting me.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 224

    <h4>Chapter 224</h4>

    The spine-tingling sensation resonated deeply within Cha Jin-Hyeok. He felt an intense gaze on him, as if someone was watching him from somewhere. The feeling was unmistakable.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s an Assassin of an extraordinary level.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to show any signs that he was aware of this Assassin. By disying how vulnerable he was, he would entice the attacker to make a move. After all, an Assassin¡¯s cover was mostpromised when they were about to attack.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m ready.¡¯</i>

    He calmly waited, but the Assassin did not show up.

    <i>¡®I was sure that an Assassin was looking at me.¡¯</i>

    He had rarely felt such a powerful gaze. As apetent yer, Jin-Hyeok was able to tell just from the gaze that it was an Assassin with extreme skills.

    <i>¡®How strange. I felt like they would pounce at me any moment.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Thank you all. I will see you in the next video!¡±

    He was still a bit confused. After returning home and taking a rest, he saw things differently.

    <i>¡®Was that gaze not from an Assassin but from Kim Min-Ji?¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji certainly had the capability. Given the circumstances, the probability that it was Min-Ji rather than an Assassin seemed higher. This thought furtherplicated his mind.

    <i>¡®Why didn¡¯t she attack?¡¯</i>

    Given how intense that gaze was, Jin-Hyeok had been sure she would attack him.

    <i>¡®The only reason that I can think of for Min-Ji to look at me like that is that she wanted to attack me. But then again, someone with her abilities would not need to resort to such an ambush... If it was her, why would she disappear like that and secretly watch me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®I have no idea... Anyway, it seems like Jin-Sol has gone out to y as well.¡¯</i>

    The house was quiet. Jin-Hyeok decided to put aside his thoughts about Min-Ji for the time being. Thinking more about her was not going to provide any answers.

    He sat on the sofa and took out the Rule Breaker. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been neglecting you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had promised to name it but had never gotten the chance to. He ced a soft cloth on the coffee table and set the Rule Breaker on it. The weapon¡¯s elegance was captivating. He gulped hard. It was like a Swordsman going crazy over a fine sword.

    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± He was lost in thought, admiring the Rule Breaker. ¡°What should I name you?¡±

    Suddenly, a golden magic circle appeared right beside Jin-Hyeok, and a girl emerged from it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a name either!¡± It was the materialized Golden Guardian Tree.

    Just as Jin-Hyeok could feel the emotions of the Guardian Tree, the Guardian Tree could feel his emotions. Knowing exactly how Jin-Hyeok had felt earlier, the Guardian Tree had appeared this time without the bizarre makeup from before and wearing ordinary sneakers.

    Jin-Hyeok could vividly sense the Guardian Tree¡¯s feelings.

    <i>¡®She seems upset.¡¯</i>

    Herrge eyes were brimming with tears.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you given me a name?¡± she said.

    Tears fell, drop by drop. She wiped her eyes with her mace-like right hand, but that was not enough. Tears continued to flow down her cheeks, turning into golden, sparkling crystals upon touching the air.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Guardian Tree¡¯s Pure Gold]</strong>

    This was a material artifact traded at a much higher price than ordinary gold. It was a precious material, sought after by high-ranking Engineers, avable only in minute quantities.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    A closer inspection with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight revealed a more urate name.

    <strong>[Yggdrasil¡¯s Pistil]</strong>

    <strong>[?]</strong>

    <strong>***</strong>

    Yggdrasil was the name of the Guardian Tree that resided on Arvis thousands of years ago. It was considered the mother of Arvis and had created all the other Guardian Trees in the universe. The people of Arvis called Yggdrasil the World Tree.

    Jin-Hyeok picked up the crystals that had fallen to the ground.

    <i>¡®These tears are pistils!¡¯</i>

    Not being a botanist and unsure about the details, he searched various websites on his phone.

    <i>¡®So, stamens and pistils meet to create seeds and reproduce. If these are pistils, could stamens be found somewhere else? Does that mean that I can nt Yggdrasil on Earth?¡¯</i>

    He collected the tears and put them in his inventory for the time being.

    The Guardian Tree bit her lip tightly, seemingly upset at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s actions. ¡°I¡¯m crying right now!¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. Just cry a little more.¡±

    Unfortunately(?), although she continued to cry, no more pistils fell. Only ordinary tears dripped down. It was then that Jin-Hyeok came to his senses.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>He could feel the Guardian Tree¡¯s emotions. She was genuinely upset. <i>¡®Ah, this feels terrible.¡¯</i>

    He noticed only then that the Guardian Tree was crying. Until now, Jin-Hyeok had regarded her more as a tree than a sentient being. However, looking at her now, he could tell she was undoubtedly human.

    ¡°You always adore the Rule Breaker!¡± she said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You always carry around only the Rule Breaker!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You never gave me a name!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are a bad person! I hate you!¡± In her rampage, the Guardian Tree threw cute punches at Jin-Hyeok, and as expected, it did not hurt a bit. Since she was the <i>Guardian </i>Tree, she seemed incapable of attacking her master.

    <i>¡®I know it doesn¡¯t hurt physically, but why does my heart ache?¡¯</i>

    Feeling a twinge in his heart, he put his hands under the Guardian Tree¡¯s armpits and lifted her to sit next to him. ¡°I will give you a name.¡±

    The Guardian Tree did not want to reply. She tried her best to keep her mouth shut. However, she was also feeling Jin-Hyeok¡¯s emotions.

    <i>¡®Master is upset right now,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Clearly, Jin-Hyeok was in distress. Therefore, she could not help but speak. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do you have a name in mind?¡±

    ¡°ck me Dragon!¡± she replied.

    ¡°ck me Dragon?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡¯

    ¡°It sounds cool, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok was not sure if the name ck me Dragon suited the Guardian Tree. A name being cool did not mean it fit well everywhere. Everyone had a name that suited them.

    ¡°If I name you ck me Dragon, my viewers might confuse you with the Thunder Dragon. Since you will also appear in my livestreams in the future, it would be better to have a name that suits your character,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Me? I am going to appear in your livestreams?¡± The Guardian Tree¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°You said you were upset because I always take the Rule Breaker around but not you.¡±

    ¡°I-I am not that upset...¡± The Guardian Tree blushed and looked down. She felt unqualified as a Guardian Tree for being angry at her master.

    ¡°Since you are a Guardian Tree, how about I name you Suho?[1] That sounds pretty cool, right?¡±

    ¡°It sounds like a boy¡¯s name...¡±

    In the Guardian Tree¡¯s standard, the name ck me Dragon was fine because it was gender-neutral, but Suho was not.

    ¡°I am a tree with a mission to assist my master,¡± she continued. She also could not ignore what the viewers wanted, so she slightly modified Suho to better fit her style. ¡°How about changing Suho a bit and naming me Seo-Hyo? This name seems good!¡±

    <i>¡®Seo-Hyo? That sounds a bit weak...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was about to say that, but seeing the Guardian Tree¡¯s sparkling eyes, he could not bring himself to say it. The Guardian Tree was very excited.

    ¡°Alright. From now on, your name will be Seo-Hyo,¡± he said. He thought he could make a videoter on the content of ¡®How Suho became Seo-Hyo.¡¯

    The Guardian Tree, now Seo-Hyo, stuck out her tongue at the Rule Breaker and said, ¡°I got my name first! I am number one!¡±

    The Rule Breaker vibrated as if it were replying.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok named the Guardian Tree Seo-Hyo and the Rule Breaker Miri.

    ¡°The Rule Breaker seems to like this name,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he was filming.

    [*The Rule Breaker has a bit of consciousness. Include a link to the previous video for reference.]

    When he had first acquired the Rule Breaker, it resisted him. He had nearly failed but, ultimately, managed to subdue it by applying the effect of the All-Clear Hope Rising From the Ruins.

    ¡°I can definitely feel that it likes the nam¡ª¡±

    -I like the name Miri.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok heard a remarkably graceful and calm voice. He realized that this was the voice of the Rule Breaker.

    -I really like that it is a name derived from Muhri.[2]

    Jin-Hyeok was aware of the Rule Breaker¡¯s intense desire. He was not genuinely sure if it was his desire or that of the Rule Breaker, but in any case, the weapon wanted to smash the back of his enemies¡¯ heads. That was why he had derived the name Miri from the word Muhri.

    Seo-Hyo suddenly stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to my master! You are just number two! How dare you engage in conversation when you have just acquired your name! It¡¯s too soon!¡±

    Seo-Hyo stood with her hands on her hips, looking quite assertive. She was definitely still a child.

    <i>¡®I guess she is very possessive of me,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    She looked like a daughter saying, ¡®He is my dad!¡¯ Seo-Hyo definitely had her cute aspects, but Jin-Hyeok needed to be careful with this emotion. Cute things had to always be handled with care. Since they were deeply connected mentally, he knew she would understand him.

    -Jealousy is a wasteful and useless emotion, Seo-Hyo.

    Although the weapon wasn¡¯t audible, Seo-Hyo could hear it.

    ¡°I am not jealous, okay? I am number one, so number two has to listen to me!¡±

    Miri chuckled. Although Seo-Hyo felt intense emotions toward Miri, Miri seemed to have no particr feelings toward Seo-Hyo. Instead, Miri conveyed strong emotions toward Jin-Hyeok.

    -Master.

    Its voice was excited yet restrained, hiding a subtle madness in its calmness.

    -I want to smash heads. Find me an enemy.

    It seemed they would make excellent partners.

    Seo-Hyo, slightly displeased with their conversation, muttered to herself, ¡°Just as I thought. The best defense is offense. I need to be a weapon, not armor. I must be a weapon. Only as a weapon can I continue to be together with my master.¡±

    She continued to murmur the same thing, biting her fingernail.

    ***

    Before heading to Busan, Jin-Hyeok discussed his uing content with Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°You should bring Eun-Woo with you,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°I need to do this by myself. I told you.¡±

    ¡°That has been taken care of. Eun-Woo¡¯s Skills can still let you Solo Clear the Dungeon while he¡¯s with you.¡± Yu-Mi shared an interesting piece of information.

    ¡°So, Eun-Woo won¡¯t be recognized as a yer?¡±

    ¡°No. He would be like a ghost, and you can treat him like he doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    The name of the Skill was unique. It was called Homepage Master¡¯s Passion, and it possessed a fascinating ability. This too made for great Eltube content.

    ¡°If Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier is a defensive Skill that protects Streamers, then Homepage Master¡¯s Passion is more of an evasion Skill that protects Homepage Masters.¡±

    With this Skill, Homepage Masters did not need other defensive Skills. They would be aplete ghost, immune to any attack. In Dungeons, they would not even be counted as a yer.

    <i>¡®Wow... I had no idea that could be possible.¡¯</i>

    However, there were a few restrictions on this Skill.

    ¡°Of course, a Homepage Master must be filled with passion for the subject of their filming,¡± Yu-Mi exined. This meant that Kang Eun-Woo could use this Skill only in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s presence.

    She continued, ¡°There is a prerequisite of having over ten thousand passionate photographs of the subject, three thousand hours of filming time, and over one hundred million followers on the fan ount. Eun-Woo has already cleared that. He¡¯s pretty amazing, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Eun-Woo blushed and smiled shyly. He was now able to join Jin-Hyeok in the Haeundae Dungeon.

    Knowing what the viewers wanted, Jin-Hyeok decided to travel by train again.

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯</i>

    However, a very minor problem arose.

    1. Suho, or ??, is Korean for the word ¡®Guardian¡¯. ?

    2. Muhri, or ??, is Korean for head. So, I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s rted to smashing heads lol. ?

 Chapter 225

    <h4>Chapter 225</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok came across a situation that had be somewhat unfamiliar to him.

    <i>¡®I guess I have been used to my life being peaceful for too long.¡¯</i>

    Of course, he had faced significant events and lived intensely in his own way, but it was true that his everyday life was too peaceful.

    <i>¡®This is how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡¯</i>

    Seoul had excellent public safety, all thanks to the Golden Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®The Guardian Tree keeps smashing the heads of... no, protects the city from the monsters, and peace is somewhat maintained.¡¯</i>

    Additionally, the government made efforts to maintain public safety through coborations with powerful yers. They were also in close cooperation with the MK Foundation.

    Despite the dawn of the SSP era, Seoul had almost regained its previous level of public safety. This had led to some criticisms such as ¡®People from Seoul are living toofortably¡¯, ¡®Too muchfort can result in lesspetitiveness in the distant future¡¯, and ¡®There is no future for those steeped in peace.¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok did not entirely agree with them.

    <i>¡®Then what about Arvis?¡¯</i>

    Arvis, the strongest Server in the universe, was said to be unbeatable even if all Servers in the universe joined forces. Yet, in terms of peace and public safety, they were the best.

    In other Servers, like Earth, it was not unusual for powerful yers to exert indiscriminate violence on weaker yers. Jin-Hyeok just had not encountered such a situation recently due to his stable environment.

    ¡°You bastard! Do you want to die?¡± said a huge man. He seemed to be over two meters tall, and his main weapon was a il. Despite the train cabin being narrow, he swung the il quite fiercely.

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯</i>

    Another many on the ground.

    The yer name of the man wielding the il was Jang Do-Hwan. His Level was around 150. Other people around him were too terrified to move.

    <i>¡®I guess being Level 150 is enough to scare people like that. But why was it different when I was the Sword King? I was much stronger than this yer is now, yet I was always the scapegoat.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok watched the situation while drinking water. He did not know what was happening, but if a yer was weak, they could not help being treated like the man on the ground.

    <i>¡®The world has be like this... Huh? He is not just taking the beating.¡¯</i>

    The Level of the man being beaten was about 50. He was still a novice yer, but he seemed to be protecting something, lying face down.

    ¡°I am sorry! I am really sorry!¡±

    ¡°Sorry? You think that¡¯s enough?¡± Do-Hwan kicked the man several times, still not appeased.

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯</i>

    The attacks were strong enough to knock someone out, but the man lying down endured them. His mental strength wasmendable.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew situations like this were all toomon. They happened across the world. The peace of the past was gone, and this was the new norm.

    <i>¡®But... why is it irritating me?¡¯</i>

    At first, it did not bother him, but when he saw a young girl lying under the man, his heart felt uneasy. She was crying and screaming, ¡°Don¡¯t hit my dad!¡±

    She was pale-faced but still yelled at Do-Hwan.

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure if the yelling was helpful in this situation, but the girl still caught his eye.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i>

    Getting involved in such trivial matters could distract him from more important things.

    <i>¡®...Wait. Wouldn¡¯t saving the girl be great content for my channel? I am not a government official anymore, but a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    Educational content was always in demand.

    <i>¡®Yes. This is going to be great content.¡¯</i>

    He had to step in. It was definitely not because the young girl reminded him of Elines or Seo-Hyo. It was really because this was a great opportunity for his content.

    <i>¡®Oh, but...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok found himself smirking. <i>¡®Wow, I didn¡¯t see thising!¡¯</i>

    An unexpected person was hiding in the cabin.

    ***

    With Munchkin in his Job, Jin-Hyeok had experienced many changes, such as Broadcaster¡¯s irvoyance being upgraded to Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    He had also acquired some abilities, and one of them was called Rewind. This ability had the power to rewind events to see what had happened. Depending on his condition, the amount of time he could rewind varied, but usually, in everyday situations like this, he could rewind for almost an hour.

    <i>¡®But I can rewind only 5 minutes in this situation?¡¯</i>

    Therefore, this issue definitely involved high-Level yers.

    <i>¡®High-Level yers... But I didn¡¯t notice any.¡¯</i>

    He surveyed the surroundings with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight and examined the yer names.

    <i>¡®Wait, Swamnd No.3 is there?¡¯</i>

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok recognized the name Swamnd No.3, he understood what was going on.

    <i>¡®yer Hunters are after me.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.3 was a well-known yer Hunter. More precisely, the Swamnd Crew was a well-known yer Hunter Crew. People usually called them a crew because the number of members in the group and its sheer size were too small for the group to be called an alliance.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s been a while, you bastard.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.3 was a yer Hunter who had targeted Jin-Hyeok several times before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, and he seemed to be targeting Jin-Hyeok even after the regression.

    <i>¡®I remember him being pretty witty.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized what was going on. The beating was staged. They were creating various scenarios to understand Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reactions and weaknesses.

    <i>¡®They saw my sentimental vlog and want to see what my weaknesses are.¡¯</i>

    In that video, Jin-Hyeok had a pleasant time with Elly. He had made a campfire so that Elly could sleep well. Many viewers who saw the videomented that they wanted to be Elly and that Kim Chul-Soo should adopt them. Some even called him a doting father.

    So, Swamnd No.3 was checking if Jin-Hyeok would react to a young girl in distress.

    <i>¡®Good.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like the yer Hunters were actively trying to get close to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®If they were more active, it would be more fun... wait, no. It would be good for my channel.¡¯</i>

    However, they seemed hesitant due to the Streamer Protection Treaty.

    ¡°I am going to start the educational content.¡± Jin-Hyeok stood up.

    Miri trembled in his inventory.

    <i>Woong! Woong!</i>

    He heard a resonating sound.

    -Let me smash their heads. Haah...!

    It sounded like Miri was excitedly breathing. Being mentally connected to the Rule Breaker, Jin-Hyeok pictured its state in his mind. He saw a woman with a dreamy expression. Her face was bloody red, and she was exhrated.

    She muttered like a mad person.

    -I want to smash...heads...! Let¡¯s see... whose head should I smash?

    Jin-Hyeok did not know why Seo-Hyo and Miri acted crazy when their master was very ordinary.

    ¡°I promised something to KingGodGeneral Yumi.¡± Jin-Hyeok did not mention the girl. He did not show any false chivalry. He just wanted to start the educational content. ¡°I promised Yu-Mi that the new content at the Haeundae Dungeon is going to be very straightforward. So, this is going to be like a rehearsal.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok rushed at Do-Hwan and swung Miri.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    -Ah... such a beautiful melody...!

    Blood sttered from the back of Do-Hwan¡¯s head, and the yer fainted after taking one hit. Jin-Hyeok assumed it was because Do-Hwan¡¯s Level was low.

    The man lying down got up with a grateful face. He thanked Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°<i>Very </i>straightforward.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok struck the back of this man¡¯s head too. He did not kill him, as this man did not seem to havemitted a bad enough crime.

    -Ha... I¡¯m so happy. More...! Treat me rougher...!

    ¡°Weakness is a sin.¡±

    Using low-Level yers to attack another yer was a typical strategy of Swamnd No.3. Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had been a civil servant, so he could not mistreat low-Level yers. Even if they were suspicious, he had no choice but to let them go.

    <i>¡®Next is her.¡¯</i>

    ¡°This is for waking me up.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok fiercely swung Miri toward the girl who was crying in terror.

    ***

    Even Yu-Mi was slightly flustered.

    <i>¡®Um... Chul-Soo...?¡¯</i>

    It was fine when Chul-Soo had knocked out Do-Hwan. The viewers¡¯ reactions were quite favorable. But then, he suddenly hit the head of the father who was protecting his daughter, knocking him out too.

    -WHAT?

    -Why is he suddenly beating up the victim?

    -IntenseMan: Weakness is also a crime, LOL!

    -Isn¡¯t this too much?

    However, right after that, Chul-Soo knocked out the young girl by hitting the back of her head. It was not a good look on the screen.

    -Hahaha! What the hell is he doing? Is he a psycho?

    -This is definitely crossing the line.

    -What did the kid do to deserve this?

    Yu-Mi took a deep breath to calm herself.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo can differentiate very well which content is good or bad for his channel. There is no way he can make this kind of mistake.¡¯</i>

    The chat was aze, but Yu-Mi did notment on it. She decided to trust Jin-Hyeok and wait. Then a slight change began to ur.

    -Huh? The girl¡¯s body is getting bigger!

    -What?

    -That looks disgusting!

    The yer, who was thought to be the young girl, grew and turned into a robust man.

    -So, he transformed into a girl beforehand?

    -Lol, this is my first time seeing a Shapeshifter. That¡¯s disgusting.

    -What is happening here?

    Chul-Soo in the video scratched his head and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this to happen...¡±

    -Haha! No way he didn¡¯t know!

    -LOL, is this also one of his concepts?

    -Chul-Soo: I just swung around and this happened!

    ¡°It seems like he was some sort of Actor-ss yer. I¡¯m surprised too,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    -Wait, did he really swing without knowing?

    -Look at his calm face lol. How can anyone say that he looks surprised?

    -He¡¯s lucky that it was a Shapeshifter. What if it really was just a kid?

    -This is not something tough off.

    -Honesty, saying that weakness is a sin is crossing the line.

    Many viewers criticized Chul-Soo¡¯s actions and what he said.

    -You idiots. Please just watch the livestream. It¡¯s obviously a concept.

    -People cannot differentiate between a show and real life. This is why people call y¡¯all stupid.

    -Remember, this is all part of the Chul-Soo Verse.

    Many people defended Chul-Soo¡¯s concept.

    -IntenseMan always ys intensely. And that¡¯s what he did today.

    -Our IntenseMan always has a n!

    -He seems crazy on the outside but is intensely rational on the inside.

    Jin-Hyeok let Miri control a part of his mind for more dramatic effect and the weapon spoke through him. ¡°Hehe! I want to be handled more roughly!¡±

    The third member of the Swamnd Crew, Swamnd No.3 frowned. <i>¡®He is crazier than I thought.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.3 was monitoring the situation through KimKnowItAllTV live. The viewers understood Chul-Soo¡¯s actions as part of his concept, but Swamnd No.3, who observed the scene directly, thought differently. <i>¡®He is actually crazy.¡¯</i>

    Just as he had said, Chul-Soo had definitely swung his weapon without knowing the truth. The passionate breathing, the flustered face, the lingering thrill of swinging the hammer, and that insane look could not be just an act.

    Swamnd No.3 had to revise the information he had about Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®He doesn¡¯t have a soft heart for young girls. That information was wrong.¡¯</i>

    This could no longer be used as a weakness. More research on Chul-Soo was necessary.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like their eyes met for a moment. Swamnd No.3 acted naturally without showing any panic.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure it was just a coincidence. He knows nothing about me.¡¯</i>

    Just in case, hepletely concealed his yer Name. He had locked his yer Name so well that Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities could not detect it.

    <i>¡®He knows nothing about me.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.3 stood up and approached Jin-Hyeok, acting naturally. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it...! You¡¯re Mr. Chul-Soo, right? I was watching KimKnowItAllTV, and I realized you were livestreaming right here! I am a fan!¡±

 Chapter 226

    <h4>Chapter 226</h4>

    ¡°I am your fan.¡±

    As Swamnd No.3 approached him, Cha Jin-Hyeok received feedback from the viewers through Wang Yu-Mi. She said they were mostly favorable toward him.

    <i>¡®This is great.¡¯</i>

    The all-knowing IntenseMan has a n for everything¡ªas the viewers saw him as such, Jin-Hyeok had many people to defend him. This allowed him to act as he wanted, a wee changepared to how his life had been before his regression.

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re a fan of mine?¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Swamnd No.3 and reached out his hand to him.

    Swamnd No.3 was the fastest yer among the Swamnd Crew but very weak in terms of strength. He had enhanced only abilities regarding speed, leaving his other abilities quite unimpressive. But knowing his limitations, Swamnd No.3 always moved with meticulous nning when hunting yers.

    Jin-Hyeok shook the yer Hunter¡¯s hand. When he applied a bit more strength, Swamnd No.3¡¯s expression contorted.

    ¡°Ugh...!¡±

    <i>Crack!</i>

    <i>¡®Wait, did I hear a bone breaking? I didn¡¯t even put that much strength into it...¡¯</i>

    Even though Jin-Hyeok was the Munchkin Streamer now, breaking the bones of a high-Level Assassin with a handshake shouldn¡¯t be this easy.

    ¡°Aaargh!¡± Swamnd No.3 grasped his hand and screamed. He seemed to be tantly faking it.

    ¡°Stop faking it. I turned off the livestream,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...You turned off the livestream?¡±

    Upon inspecting the yer Hunter with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok could read his thoughts quite clearly.

    <strong>[#A Streamer turned off the livestream? #Even better.]</strong>

    It seemed Swamnd No.3 somewhat cared about the Streamer Protection Treaty. He was happy that the livestream was turned off.

    ¡°Did you hire them?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked without letting go of his hand.

    ¡°First, could you let go of my hand?¡±

    ¡°Just answer.¡± Jin-Hyeok increased the pressure a little more. Swamnd No.3¡¯s hand made a crunching sound, but Jin-Hyeok just assumed that was part of the act. ¡°Your acting is quite good. You faked your Level too. Let¡¯s see... Your name is...¡±

    ¡°My name is Kim Min-Soo.¡± Swamnd No.3 tried hard to conceal his true identity using his abilities. It seemed like a fog was covering his yer Name, but the yer Hunter¡¯s effort turned out to be meaningless.

    When Jin-Hyeok focused his eyes and looked more carefully, the real yer name emerged soon.

    ¡°So, your name is Swamnd No.3.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <strong>[#What the hell? #How does he know my real name?]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit surprised too. He had not expected to see the name so clearly. Being a cautious yer, Swamnd No.3 had definitely secured his identity several times over, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Insight saw through it all at once.

    <i>¡®Have I be stronger than I thought?¡¯</i>

    Since this Job path was new to Jin-Hyeok, he had yet to grasp the full extent of his capabilities.

    ¡°Swamnd No.3? I have no idea what you are talking about. I¡¯m just your fan... ARGH!¡± Swamnd No.3 shouted.

    He seemed to be overreacting. Jin-Hyeok had applied only a little pressure to his hand, yet Swamnd No.3 was screaming at the top of his lungs.

    <i>¡®Ah, now I understand why he is acting like this.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Acting like this is pointless,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...A-Acting?¡±

    ¡°Nobody can record what is happening here right now.¡±

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Swamnd No.3 was someone who would not hesitate to use public opinion and maniption to hunt yers. It seemed to be the same case now.

    Swamnd No.3 was creating a situation where it looked like Jin-Hyeok was oppressing him, hoping others would see it as such. However, this was a futile struggle.

    ¡°Do you think my Homepage Master is an idiot?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ? ? ?

    Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo was using the Skill ¡®Only I Can Film You.¡¯ Through this Skill, he had acquired the portrait rights of Jin-Hyeok. Currently, no one except Eun-Woo could film Jin-Hyeok.

    Eun-Woo was eagerly filming Jin-Hyeok with his cannon-sized camera, gulping nervously.

    <i>¡®I am the only one... who can film Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Eun-Woo was ecstatic because of this ability. <i>¡®I should brag about this to Chul-Soo Land No.1ter.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo Land No.1 and No.2 were feeling strongpetitive urges toward each other. The ability to exclusively film Chul-Soo was undoubtedly a powerful weapon.

    ¡°Do you think my Homepage Master is an idiot?¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok said that, his eyes met with Eun-Woo¡¯s. Already in a good mood, Eun-Woo smiled brightly.

    <i>¡®Since this is not a directbat situation, he must be recording in the third-person perspective!¡¯ </i>Eun-Woo thought.

    Eun-Woo remembered Yu-Mi¡¯s instruction. If he ever got into Chul-Soo¡¯s camera angle, he had to be always smiling brightly.

    Jin-Hyeok liked Eun-Woo¡¯s smile.

    <i>¡®I can hear the sound of subscribers flocking in,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Every time Eun-Woo¡¯s face was exposed in the livestream, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subscriber count skyrocketed by millions. It felt like a cheat code for bringing in subscribers. Currently, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream was turned off, but Homepage Master Eun-Woo was working hard.

    <i>¡®I really like this photo,¡¯ </i>Eun-Woo thought.

    To Eun-Woo, Jin-Hyeok was the epitome of beauty. He had the pure madness that only someone truly passionate about y could exhibit. The smile he had while breaking the bones of his opponent¡¯s hand was truly beautiful.

    Eun-Woo promptly uploaded the photo that he took of Jin-Hyeok to Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s official Enstagram ount.

    (Picture)

    <strong>2,230 Likes</strong>

    <strong>official_chulsoo </strong>#train_pic<strong> </strong> more

    -Holy moly! This unbearable handsomeness!

    -He is the epitome of beauty.

    -Who is that ugly squid next to him? Why is he holding Chul-Soo¡¯s hand?

    -I¡¯ll buy that hand.

    As always, fans from all over the universe instantly flocked in. Meanwhile, Eun-Woo noticed somements.

    -Wait, isn¡¯t that a member of the Swamnd Crew?

    -Holy shit! It¡¯s definitely the Swamnd Crew.

    -He¡¯s Swamnd No.3.

    Theizens of the universe easily identified Swamnd No.3

    -He is disguised, but he cannot deceive my eyes.

    -That bastard killed my father!

    -I am a Level 150 Archer. With my fantastic vision, I can tell that it is definitely Swamnd No.3

    If Swamnd No.3 could see thesements, he would be shocked. He had disguised himself to the best of his ability, and a Level 150 Archer would not normally recognize his true identity.

    This was all thanks to the capability of the Munchkin Steamer Jin-Hyeok and Homepage Master Eun-Woo. Jin-Hyeok had unwittingly livestreamed what he saw with his own eyes. Swamnd No.3, despite his efforts, could not deceive Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. Jin-Hyeok had unconsciously seen the true form of Swamnd No.3.

    A simr thing happened with Homepage Master Eun-Woo. Eun-Woo¡¯s ability was unparalleled, as his photos and videos were limited to only the subject he was filming¡ªChul-Soo. Since Eun-Woo captured Swamnd No.3 holding hands with Chul-Soo, Swamnd No.3¡¯s disguise was revealed in the camera. To the viewers, Swamnd No.3 was just a poorly disguised enemy.

    -How lightly must he regard Chul-Soo to attack him in his true form?

    -Our Chul-Soo, we must protect him at all costs!

    -I have already contacted KingGodGeneral Yumi. That guy is a yer Hunter.

    -Good. This is an attack on a Streamer, so we need to formally protest to SSP. The protest petition link is here. ssp...

    Fans of Chul-Soo from across the universe were furious, sending real-time tips to KimKnowItAllTV about everything rted to Swamnd No.3 Even Yu-Mi was surprised by this.

    <i>¡®I knew that if theizens started investigating something, they could gather so much information, but this is so much more than I expected...!¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Even information about the real name of Swamnd No.3 was being shared. Although not all this information was reliable, the sheer volume of it was overwhelming for her. Information about Swamnd Crew spread quickly, thanks to theizens.

    -What the hell is Swamnd?

    ©¸It¡¯s a crew of yer Hunters.

    ©¸He definitely approached Chul-Soo with ill intentions.

    ©¸Ugly bastard! Trying to steal his face! -_-

    -The Swamnd Crew resides in the Kaelber Server. The crew consists of five members. He is the third one, a sly yer Hunter specializing in strategies and speed.

    -But why would a yer Hunter go after a Streamer?

    -Did he just forget about the Streamer Protection Treaty?

    -Protest petition link: ssp...... Currently, 300,000 people have signed.

    People were beginning to wonder why Chul-Soo had turned off his livestream at that time and whether he had done it voluntarily.

    -I bet Swamnd No.3 used despicable means to make Chul-Soo turn off his livestream.

    -Such a low-life. To attack a Streamer as a yer Hunter.

    -Please sign the petition! We have just hit 400,000 signatures!

    As the situation escted, Swamnd No.3 also became aware of it. He heard the voices through the voice transmission device imnted in his ear. Upon hearing what was going on, Swamnd No.3 wanted to scream.

    <i>¡®What the hell? When the hell did I attack him?!¡¯</i>

    It was true that he intended to attack, but he had not made any moves yet. In fact, he was the one who was being attacked.

    <i>¡®What? I look like a criminal?¡¯</i>

    He felt extremely wronged.

    <i>¡®I was the one who got my bones smashed! And someone wants to buy my hand? Is holding hands with Chul-Soo that honorable?¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.3 was almost bursting with anger. The pain was unbearable, something he had not experienced in a long time. Had he not trained to endure pain, he would have surely fainted.

    <i>¡®I am the victim here!¡¯</i>

    The situation seemed to be turning for the worse.

    <i>¡®I should escape and wait for another opportunity.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.3 quickly made the decision to flee and activated his Skill.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Gaseous Form¡¹.]</strong>

    This Skill allowed him to escape dangerous situations by turning his body into gas form.

    ¡°Activate Gaseous Form.¡±

    Swamnd No.3 was shocked. The one who uttered the activation phrase was not him.

    Jin-Hyeok was smiling before him with a hint of madness. The one who said ¡®Activate Gaseous Form¡¯ was none other than Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Good. I¡¯ve timed it perfectly,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought, looking pleased.

    ¡°H-How... How did you ...?¡± Swamnd No.3 was stunned.

    ¡°Oh, this is how mana moves. And when you panic, these lines shake.¡±

    Broadcaster¡¯s Insight was a mysterious ability. It showed Jin-Hyeok the name of the Skill that his opponent was using. He instinctively knew how the Skill was applied to the body.

    As the mana lines moved to envelop Swamnd No.3, Jin-Hyeok grabbed and pulled them. ¡°I usually cannot grab these lines, but you have created an opening with your panic! So, I can grab them with my hands!¡±

    The mana lines that were manifesting the Skill became entangled.

    <i>Blegh!</i>

    Swamnd No.3 vomited blood because the mana was regurgitating.

    <i>¡®This... crazy bastard!¡¯ </i>Swamnd No.3 thought.

    Clearly, the information about Chul-Soo was terribly wrong. Swamnd No.3 had never received reports of such abilities. He quickly thought of another n. ¡°W-Wait! I propose a negotiation!¡±

    ¡°Negotiation?¡±

    ¡°I am a warrior by nature. I want to duel with you, fair and square.¡±

 Chapter 227

    <h4>Chapter 227</h4>

    <i>¡®A warrior? Weren¡¯t you just trying to escape by transforming into gas a moment ago? Do you know how much I suffered because of your damned ability before my regression? And what¡¯s this about a fair and square duel?¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had a lot to say, but he knew that if he went into the details, his livestream would be messy.

    <i>¡®I need to think about my channel.¡¯</i>

    He decided to keep it nice and clean. ¡°Why? Do you think you can win if I let go of your hand?¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t beat you. But as a warrior, I would appreciate it if you would allow me to die an honorable death.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Think of your livestream. This fight will provide better content, won¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°True. You have a point.¡± Jin-Hyeok looked around at the passengers and continued, ¡°I think we should change the location of our duel.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. Swamnd No.3¡¯s Level was 230. Encountering a yer with such a Level on the Earth Server was not easy, and on top of that, Swamnd No.3 was quite a skilled Assassin. Such an opportunity was rare.

    <i>¡®I had many fights against him before my regression.¡¯</i>

    With this fight, Jin-Hyeok couldpare his past self with his current self. He wanted to be sure that he had surpassed his former self.

    Jin-Hyeok and Swamnd No.3 climbed on top of the moving train.

    <i>¡®Wow, it¡¯s been a while since I fought on top of a train.¡¯</i>

    Memories of swinging his sword thousands of times atop the KTX train to practice his bnce flooded Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind. At that time, he had fallen off several times and even suffered full-body fractures, but that too had be his memory.

    <i>¡®I used to spar a lot with Lee Hyeon-Seong up here.¡¯</i>

    The wind rushing by on a train moving at hundreds of kilometers per hour was as refreshing as ever, putting Jin-Hyeok in a good mood. He kept grinning

    <i>¡®I might be stronger than I thought.¡¯</i>

    He had shattered a Skill that Swamnd No.3 was trying to use. Jin-Hyeok had no idea he could do that.

    <strong>[<s>Gaseous Form</s> (Unavable)]</strong>

    ¡°It seems that in my right hand...¡±¡ªwith a serious face, Jin-Hyeok unleashed his inner emotions¡ª¡°dwells the King of Destruction.¡±

    The adrenaline surged in the midst of this rare battle on the train.

    ? ? ?

    Senior Manager Steikold, who was the department head in charge of SSP petitions, frowned deeply. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    He was not too fond of the traffic surge on the petition server. It usually meant annoying issues were about to arise.

    ¡°At this rate, the number of people who signed the petition will soon hit a million...¡±

    Once the number of signatures on a petition exceeded a million, the petition was automatically recorded in the SSP Server. Then, whether the SSP GMs liked it or not, they had to intervene in the issue.

    ¡°I told them a thousand times to raise the threshold for the petition number.¡±

    Steikold was angry that they were still using the standard set thirty years ago. Back then, it was rare for a case to exceed a million signatures. However, surpassing that number was bing increasinglymon nowadays.

    ¡°And it¡¯s not like we have our hands full with other things.¡± Steikold sighed.

    ¡°Sir, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°What can we do? We just have to send a GM.¡±

    ¡°But currently, they are all out on assignments...¡±

    Facing a serious staff shortage, Steikold had his own way of setting priorities. Besides the number of signatures reaching a million, another criterion he had to consider was how fast the number of signatures was increasing. He referred to this as the <i>slope.</i>

    ¡°How steep is the slope?¡± Steikold asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty steep, sir.¡±

    ¡°God damn it!¡±

    It meant that the issue was attracting a lot of public attention.

    ¡°There is also something unusual, sir.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Normally, after the initial surge, the slope tends to tten, right?¡±

    They focused on certain statistical values, such as the range of the initial surge and when the slope usually began to tten. This decided whether an issue was minor enough to be ignored, or if it required serious attention. They had experienced a lot due to their long-umted data, but this incident was breaking all the usual patterns.

    ¡°Instead, the slope is getting steeper,¡± the subordinate said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Look at this, sir. The number of signatures breached a million and then quickly surpassed two million. I can only think of one simr incident...¡± The subordinate gulped hard. ¡°...The Demon King of Arvis, Garbinu, was the only precedent.¡±

    ¡°I need you to request support.¡±

    ¡°By request, you mean...¡±

    ¡°Do I have to tell you everything? I bet the GMs in the Seoul Region have a lot of free time!¡±

    The Seoul Region was currently the most peaceful on the Earth Server. Thanks to this, the Seoul GMs were rtively idle. There were even rumors that Seoul GMs were just drawing sries without doing much work.

    ¡°Understood, sir.¡±

    <i>¡®Why not just tell me who I should request support from? Jeez!¡¯ </i>the subordinate thought.

    Such tricky tasks were always left to subordinates. In reality, this subordinate was a novice with little field experience. There were not many people he could contact.

    <i>¡®How long will SSP operate in such a haphazard manner?¡¯</i>

    It was a wonder that SSP had not copsed under such disorganization.

    <i>¡®Well, since it¡¯s still running somehow, they probably won¡¯t change anything.¡¯</i>

    After all, burning through junior GMs was cheaper and more efficient than establishing a proper system.

    <i>¡®I guess I have no choice then.¡¯</i>

    Regrettably, the only GMs he could randomly call upon were the junior ones.

    <i>¡®Kihael, I chose you!¡¯</i>

    Examining the holographically created date, Steikold pressed his temples hard. ¡°The slope... is nearly vertical!¡±

    The situation was more severe than that during the Demon King¡¯s time.

    ? ? ?

    Swamnd No.3ughed. ¡°This was my n all along!¡±

    <strong>[#Nobody is watching. #Taste my Supersonic Speed!]</strong>

    ¡°This ce is highly advantageous for me!¡±

    <i>Thump. Thump.</i>

    His heart raced. It seemed like he was about to exert his real power. Swamnd No.3 had a Mystery called Supersonic Speed, which was not easy to master. Only a handful of yers could effectively harness this power, and Swamnd No.3 was one of the rare ones who could use Supersonic Speed effectively.

    <i>¡®Hm... Supersonic Speed, huh,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He could clearly see Swamnd No.3¡¯s intention to dive at him. Just then, Jin-Hyeok spotted a tunnel in the distance. It seemed like Swamnd No.3 wanted to hide in the darkness and overwhelm Jin-Hyeok with his speed.

    <i>¡®He is making it so obvious. I can clearly see when he will move, how he is going to attack, and how intense he will be.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok assumed it was obvious to him because he had been in several fights with Swamnd No.3 before his regression or perhaps because he had Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. Jin-Hyeok needed to fight a strong opponent he had not faced before to distinguish this clearly.

    <i>¡®Anyway, what I need to confirm now is not the Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.¡¯</i>

    The train entered the tunnel. At the same time, Swamnd No.3 disappeared.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He could not see Swamnd No.3 but could feel him lurking around, waiting for an opening. ¡°Terrifying speed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was genuinely astonished by the yer Hunter¡¯s speed. ¡°However, just because he is fast does not mean I can¡¯t hit him. Let me introduce you to my Absolute Barrier.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok activated Absolute Barrier. He had practiced it a few times, but this was his first time using it in a realbat situation, so he felt a thrill.

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait ?Absolute Barrier?.]</strong>

    Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier worked best when Jin-Hyeok timed the opponent¡¯s attack. If he activated Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier for too long, its defensive efficiency would drop, and it would consume a lot of stamina. That was why he worked hard to use Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier as efficiently as possible. His experiences during his days as the Sword King had been a great help in that.

    <i>¡®But... is this really okay?¡¯</i>

    Absolute Barrier was very different from Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. It felt like a thin film was enveloping his body.

    [*Insert a healing andforting background music.]

    Jin-Hyeok was on top of a high-speed train, and a yer Hunter was targeting him. However, the only thing Jin-Hyeok felt was a mix offort and excitement.

    <i>¡®There is almost no stamina consumption.¡¯</i>

    It almost felt like Absolute Barrier had a will of its own.

    ¡°No barrier of a Streamer can block my Supersonic Speed!¡±

    <i>sh!</i>

    Suddenly, a light burst out. Sparks flew where Absolute Barrier and Swamnd No.3¡¯s weapon, a long w-like weapon, collided.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Swamnd No.3 seemed to scatter to the side and then vanished from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sight again.

    Jin-Hyeok stood still without much agitation. ¡°There were things that I could not agree with before.¡±

    During his Sword King days, he endlessly practiced and trained to be stronger. He loved the feeling of bing stronger. He believed that by honing and refining his skills, he could one day be the strongest yer in the universe. However, his beliefs had changed now.

    He was wrong from the start. He should have picked up a hammer as his main weapon, but instead, he chose a sword, and that was the limit of his growth.

    ¡°They say that before overwhelming power, technique is meaningless. I always disagreed with the statement,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok remembered a few absolute beings from the Arvis Server saying this. Now, he was gaining a new enlightenment.

    <i>¡®Absolute Barrier, you are truly incredible.¡¯</i>

    It did not matter if Jin-Hyeok could see his opponent or not. He did not need to time anything. The defensive capability of Absolute Barrier was, literally, overwhelming. Unlike Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, there was no need to think about efficiency or to use it skillfully.

    A rock did not need to worry about an attack from an egg. Swamnd No.3¡¯s w attacks could not even graze Jin-Hyeok. His rapid movements at supersonic speed seemed almost pitiful, as Jin-Hyeok stood in tranquility.

    ¡°So, techniques don¡¯t really matter, do they?¡± Jin-Hyeok was convinced that no matter what Swamnd No.3 tried, he could never prate Absolute Barrier. Continuing to fight him while using Absolute Barrier seemed like an insult to the barrier itself.

    A voice of anguish reached Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ears.

    -Master... Please be rough with me...

    Miri desperately called out to Jin-Hyeok, and he responded by lifting it. ¡°In the past, I had to move around quite a lot to find my opponent¡¯s weaknesses.¡±

    That was the way of a Sword King. However, the style of a Streamer had to be different. If a Streamer moved intensely, the screen would shake. Some viewers would get motion sickness and vomit. Jin-Hyeok continuously gained insights as he grew as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®But sometimes, such intense movements are necessary.¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok had to take it to the next level.

    <i>¡®Moving around because it¡¯s necessary and moving around because there is no other choice are totally different.¡¯</i>

    In the past, he had to fight intensely out of necessity. Back then, he was not the Munchkin Streamer, just an ordinary Initially-Awakened Streamer.

    <i>¡®Today... I will fight morefortably. Sort of like my sentimental vlog.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok leisurely lifted Miri so that the viewers would not feel ufortable. Everything was calm for him.

    <i>¡®His movements are clearly visible.¡¯</i>

    Despite Swamnd No.3¡¯s use of the Mystery Supersonic Speed, Jin-Hyeok could see the yer Hunter¡¯s movements clearly. They emerged from the tunnel.

    As the scene brightened in front of his eyes, he swung Miri.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    Supersonic Speed was disadvantageous for Swamnd No.3. Fast speed was a threat to not only the opponent but also oneself. If Swamnd was hit by a hammer at this speed, it was natural for his head to be shattered. He fell to the ground, twitching as if he were electrocuted.

    Jin-Hyeok approached him and crouched. ¡°Is he... dead?¡±

    Just when Jin-Hyeok thought Swamnd No.3 was dispersing like smoke, a voice came from behind him. ¡°I had seen through your attack long ago!¡±

    It seemed like Swamnd No.3 knew very well that Jin-Hyeok would target the back of his head. Swamnd No.3 had used some kind of cloning skill, but the problem was that Jin-Hyeok could see this too.

    <i>¡®His attack patterns are very simr to before my regression. Should I just take the hit?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he had gotten tougher than how he had been before his regression. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, he remembered the concept of today¡¯s livestream. Today¡¯s concept was overwhelming the opponent.

    Jin-Hyeok exposed his neck, and Swamnd No.3¡¯s w attack hit his throat.

    <strong>[You have activated the automatic protection feature of the Trait ?Absolute Barrier?.]</strong>

    Absolute Barrier protected him efficiently as an AI would. It was like a supeputer that provided the best efficiency without much effort from him.

    Jin-Hyeok twisted his body and grabbed Swamnd No.3¡¯s neck, intending to strangle him.

    -Master... Ha... I want to smash it...

    Miri called out to him so earnestly that he had no choice but to swing it, not toward the back of the head, but at the temple. Swamnd No.3 went limp.

    -His temple... so delicious...!

    <i>¡®How can someone¡¯s temple be delicious? Also, was Swamnd No.3 always this weak?¡¯</i>

    He was so weak that Jin-Hyeok did not even get the chance topare himself to his old self before the regression.

    <i>¡®Maybe it¡¯s a matter ofpatibility.¡¯</i>

    Just like a game of rock-paper-scissors, even among those with simr skills, much could change depending onpatibility.

    <i>¡®My defensive capabilities increased significantly, so it must have been a terrible matchup for him, who only has speed as his strength.¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok entered the next tunnel, he could hear a familiar voice.

    ¡°You crazy bastard...!¡± Kihael revealed himself. ¡°...Are you aware of what you have just done?¡±

    He talked about something quite interesting.

 Chapter 228

    <h4>Chapter 228</h4>

    ¡°What did I do?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked Kihael.

    Kihael shifted his gaze to the fallen Swamnd No.3. Upon closer look, he realized that Swamnd No.3 was not breathing.

    ¡°You killed a member of the Swamnd Crew,¡± the GM replied.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion. ¡°I thought I went easy this time.

    <i>¡®This time? Did he n to hit harder next time?¡¯ </i>Kihael wanted to ask him but chose to speak about the more important subject. ¡°You do know that a System petition has been posted about this incident, right?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°It has surpassed a million signatures. I am here to find out what really happened.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem with people signing petitions?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think people petitioned? How did the petition amass over one million signatures so quickly?¡±

    ¡°Hm... I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Your fans are outraged because you are facing unjust persecution. You have been attacked by a yer Hunter, who vited the Streamer Protection Treaty.¡±

    ¡°And I retaliated and ended the situation.¡±

    <i>¡®What exactly is the problem here? This guy always makes a big deal out of everything,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°But you obliterated him without a scratch on you,¡± Kihael exined.

    ¡°I did not know he would die in one hit.¡±

    -Destruction... Ah, so great...

    ¡°You have given the yer Hunters a reason to kill you. They see you as someone who can effortlessly defeat a yer like Swamnd No.3. They think treaties like the Streamer Protection Treaty are meaningless. This will make it easier for them to target you.¡± Kihael was desperate. He was taking a huge risk cooperating with Jin-Hyeok.

    His n was that if he got fired, he would join the MK Foundation and enjoy a bnced life. However, if anything happened to Kim Chul-Soo, Kihael would be in trouble too.

    Jang Michelle, who was effectively running the MK Foundation, was doing so only because of Chul-Soo. Chul-Soo disappearing would mean the end of the MK Foundation and the shattering of Kihael¡¯s happy future, just like the condition of the fallen Swamnd No.3.

    ¡°You are in a lot of danger!¡± Kihael yelled.

    <i>¡®This bastard... why is he smacking his lips?¡¯ </i>Kihael thought as he heard a voice for some reason.

    -They¡¯re targeting me? Sweet!

    Kihael shook his head. He believed Chul-Soo was not that insane. No yer in the universe would be thrilled about being targeted by yer Hunters. Kihael had to believe that. However, he could not bring himself to ask Chul-Soo directly. He feared that Chul-Soo¡¯s answer would be exactly what he had feared.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°Were you filming the whole situation?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not release the video for a while. And...¡± Kihael looked around. They were on a train traveling at about two hundred kilometers per hour. It seemed no other cameras had recorded Jin-Hyeok, but Kihael checked just to be sure. ¡°... Did anyone else film you? Obviously not, but...¡±

    ¡°Yes, someone is filming me right now.¡±

    ¡°What? Where?¡±

    ¡°Below us.¡± Jin-Hyeok pointed downward.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Only a floor was down there.

    ¡°My Homepage Master is filming me from thepartment below.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s blocked...¡±

    ¡°Everyone has a Skill that allows them to see through things.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kihael was momentarily lost for words.

    <i>¡®Right. I forgot that was your standard,¡¯ </i>the GM thought.

    He continued, almost giving up, ¡°Right, seeing through things is something everyone does.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure he is filming me using that ability. His Level is not that high, so he can¡¯t add any other effects or anything. Oh, and the quality of the video won¡¯t be very good either. Well, he¡¯s still low-Level, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°What kind of low-Level yer...¡±

    Kihael wanted to shout, ¡®What kind of low-Level yer has an ability to see through things?¡¯ He wanted to give up onmon sense when talking to Jin-Hyeok, but couldn¡¯t. He also did not want to ask any more questions about this, as it would only tire him.

    ¡°Whatever! Enough about that. Here is the n.¡± Kihael rolled the corpse of Swamnd No.3 off the train. The yer Hunter fell like a thrown doll, rolling several times on the ground, and disappeared.

    ¡°You were fighting fiercely with Swamnd No.3 when I appeared. I intervened to investigate the situation, and Swamnd No.3 identally fell to his death here because he could not control his movement,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Why would I go with your n?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to give the yer Hunters a reason to kill you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?!¡±

    It seemed like Jin-Hyeok did want to give them a reason.

    <i>¡®I feel like he is trying his best to stay as an ordinary yer,¡¯ </i>Kihael thought. He knew that if he asked more questions, Jin-Hyeok would answer, ¡®Yes, I do want them toe at me.¡¯

    However, Jin-Hyeok, who was trying to be normal and was sure that he was indeed normal, raised a valid question. ¡°What about the body? Won¡¯t the cause of death be presented when it¡¯s recovered by the police?¡±

    ¡°I will handle the body recovery. With over a million signatures on that petition, I am fully in charge of this situation. I will announce the cause of death.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you can do that? SSP isn¡¯t some smallpany.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. My higher-ups prefer using GMs rather than setting up an efficient modern system. It¡¯s cheaper.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pondered the option for a moment. In his perspective, there was no need for him to hide the truth.

    <i>¡®But... I still don¡¯t know the true extent of my abilities!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Even just now, he had not intended to kill Swamnd No.3. He was just testing to see how strong he was. However, the opponent had died from a single blow, so he could not properly assess his strength.

    <i>¡®The basics of y start with knowing oneself.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought he would be able to urately examine his power after entering the Haeundae Dungeon.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should follow what Kihael suggested this time and just do whatever I want in the Dungeon. That seems like the right order.¡¯</i>

    Feeling a flicker of unease, Jin-Hyeok unwittingly revealed his true intention. ¡°But... what if the yer Hunters don¡¯te after me?¡±

    ? ? ?

    Egan Paul and the Avengers Army¡¯s attempt to clear the Haeundae Dungeon became a big topic of discussion.

    [Wow, the Earth Server¡¯s top alliancending on the Korean Region is so majestic.]

    ©¸Agreed.

    ©¸Did you see the teaser? They came in a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It was awesome.

    ©¸At this rate, the Haeundae Dungeon will be cleared by them, no?

    [What are you guys talking about? The top alliance on the Earth Server is the K-Force.]

    ©¸K-Force is not an official alliance. First off, Chul-Soo is an unofficial ranker. LOL

    ©¸Honestly, isn¡¯t every yer in K-Force other than Chul-Soo overrated?

    ©¸Totally agree. Without Chul-Soo, they can¡¯t evenpare to the Avengers Army.

    In the United States and Europe, the Avengers Army was rated higher than the K-Force. Many argued that apart from the overpowering presence of Chul-Soo, the K-Force was overhyped. Even Chul-Soo himself was often rumored to be a hero manufactured by the media.

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was an onlinemunity used by people from all over the universe, equipped with an automatic trantion system.

    [Honestly, they fuss over Chul-Soo in only Korea, sheesh! Egan even has more subscribers. He was the first on the Earth Server to get a gold button and reach two billion subscribers. LOL]

    ©¸Korean Region folks, please wake up!

    ©¸In subscriber numbers, total views, number of likes, and everything else, Egan is ahead of Chul-Soo.

    ©¸Koreans, keep your national pride in check. It¡¯s embarrassing even to watch, lol.

    [If the Avengers Army clears the Haeundae Dungeon this time, it will prove they are the world¡¯s number one, right?]

    ©¸I think so, lol.

    ©¸Chul-Soo is too scared to even try.

    Monitoring the Korean Region Minor Gallery, Wang Yu-Mi smiled.

    The editor Kang Chul (ChulSooIsGod), who was learning a lot from her, asked, ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±

    ¡°They are badmouthing our Chul-Soo a lot.¡±

    ¡°Is that... something to be happy about?¡±

    ¡°If someone has this many haters, it means they have even more fans. Fans and haters always coexist. It is like a fate superstars must bear. When there are many haters, fans actually unite more strongly. In the face of amon enemy, they form a powerful force.¡±

    ¡°But... wouldn¡¯t it upset Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Nope! I bet he is happy to be mentioned so much.¡±

    ¡°...I see!¡± Kang Chul felt like he learned a lot today as well. ¡°Oh, Yu-Mi, have you seen this?¡±

    ¡°I am looking at it right now.¡± Yu-Mi also adjusted her round sses and assessed the situation. The Avengers Army, which had entered the Haeundae Dungeon with great anticipation, barely escaped in a miserable state.

    ¡°Here. About two hours after they started the Dungeon expedition, the livestream was cut off. They said it would be reced with recorded footage. It seems they barely escaped after another two hours.¡±

    ¡°They look terrible.¡±

    Only four hours had appeared to have passed outside the Dungeon, but it seemed like the Avengers Army was inside the Dungeon for much longer. The yers looked emaciated and pale as if they had been starving for a long time.

    ¡°Egan copsed as soon as he came out, and four members of the Avengers Army did not make it back.¡±

    This expedition of the Avengers Army was aplete failure.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit surprised.

    <i>¡®Egan is not usually this reckless. Why did he make such a rash move?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew Egan to be more inclined toward safety. Egan¡¯s tendencies seemed to have changed.

    <i>¡®The grand background music ying as they rode in on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was impressive.¡¯</i>

    That teaser video had created quite a stir. It had already surpassed three hundred million views.

    <i>¡®And that¡¯s the Egan that I know of.¡¯</i>

    The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Avengers Army lined up and dressed in splendid uniforms. Heroesnding in the Korean Region, receiving salutes from the American military, their demeanor solemn. The sea shimmering blue, the sun sparkling, with wavesing in and seagulls fluttering around.

    In reality, these were trivial things, but Egan had a knack for packaging them impressively for his viewers. He conducted most of his Dungeon clears in a simr fashion.

    <i>¡®He usually focuses on Dungeons that have already been explored... and excels at producing spectacr videos while clearing them.¡¯</i>

    Egan maximized the visual appeal and deepened the characters¡¯ rtionships within the team. His videos felt like movies, and Jin-Hyeok genuinely liked them.

    <i>¡®Trying to clear an Unexplored Dungeon does not make sense in terms of cost-effectiveness. It is hard to film properly in apletely unknown ce. Too many variables make it difficult to maintain a good livestream.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not understand why Egan had made such a choice. He knew Egan was not that foolish.

    <i>¡®Who would be crazy enough to pursue content in an Unexplored Dungeon instead of taking the safe and certain route? I don¡¯t get it.¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Sol also seemed a bit oddtely. Han Sae-Rin, Seo-Hyo (the Golden Guardian Tree), and Miri (the Rule Breaker) seemed off too. Somehow, it felt like Jin-Hyeok was bing the only normal one, while the rest were getting stranger.

    After checking into the hotel, Jin-Hyeok went up to the room with Kang Eun-Woo.

    ¡°Okay. I will be on standby in the next room! So, please call me if you need to go anywhere!¡± Eun-Woo looked at him with bright, enthusiastic eyes. His passionate demeanor was quite gratifying.

    When Jin-Hyeok thought about it, Eun-Woo seemed normal too.

    ¡°Oh, by the way... I really like this photo,¡± Eun-Woo continued. He showed Jin-Hyeok a photo stored on his camera. It seemed to capture the moment when Miri struck the temple of Swamnd No.3.

    <i>¡®Was I smiling this much?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He looked like a madman, smiling at this moment. During the fight, he had not realized he was smiling so broadly.

    ¡°I am going to keep this private, but may I share it with Yu-Mi? I want to brag about the photo that I took. This one is just too beautiful.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I hope...¡± Eun-Woo smiled brightly with deer-like eyes.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I hope you smash more heads, Chul-Soo. I think your expression is most beautiful when you are smashing your enemies¡¯ heads.¡± Eun-Woo could not take his eyes off the photo. He seemedpletely absorbed in his art.

    Miri also chimed in.

    -I agree... Master is most beautiful when using me...!

    <i>¡®... Everyone is so strange.¡¯</i>

    After a few hours, Egan came to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s room, saying he had something important to tell Jin-Hyeok after failing to clear the Haeundae Dungeon.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok noticed something odd about Egan.

    <i>¡®Did he lie about his Level?¡¯</i>

    It was not just his Level. Other unexpected things came to light.

 Chapter 229

    <h4>Chapter 229</h4>

    Egan Paul fearfully stepped back. ¡°W-Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°Stay right there. Do not move.¡±

    Egan felt an inexplicable fear.

    <i>¡®Wait... could it be...?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Kim Chul-Soo had seen right through him and figured out his bluff.

    ¡°Have you been lying to me?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± Egan did not know whether Chul-Soo was testing him or if he really knew the truth.

    <i>¡®This is crazy.¡¯</i>

    Egan had thought he would get caught someday. He had even nned to reveal it to Kim Chul-Soo, who was being treated as the number two Streamer because of these lies. After all, in Egan¡¯s opinion, the true number one Streamer on Earth was Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I did not want to be caught like this.¡¯</i>

    There was a big difference between confessing and being caught. Egan became anxious. He was about to hurriedly exin everything, but Jin-Hyeok spoke first.

    ¡°Everything is exaggerated, isn¡¯t it? Your Level, your subscriber count, the view count, even the number of likes.¡±

    ¡°...I will exin everything. I did not mean to lie to you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    Egan broke out in a cold sweat.

    <i>¡®That smile...!¡¯</i>

    It was undoubtedly the expression Chul-Soo wore when he was about to smash the back of an enemy¡¯s head with his hammer¡ªthe moment when Chul-Soo¡¯s smile was the brightest, which amplified the madness in his eyes.

    Unwittingly, Egan stepped back a few paces.

    ¡°You¡¯re more of a small fry than I thought!¡± Chul-Soo said. However, he did not seem too upset or think he had been tricked. He just appeared to be amused and surprised that Egan¡¯s achievements were lower than he thought.

    <i>¡®What is he thinking?¡¯</i>

    Most people would have been furious.

    <i>¡®Because of my deception, Chul-Soo was greatly undervalued. He received undue criticism and ridicule.¡¯</i>

    Some viewers, especially those in the United States, believed that Chul-Soo would never surpass Egan.

    <i>¡®He should be fuming right now.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo continued, ¡°I was always curious. I believed I was stronger than you, yet I always had fewer likes and subscribers. I really pondered why I was at a lower Level than you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But it was all because of your deception! Wow, so you¡¯re just a nobody who has not even hit one billion subscribers yet!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you, I realize I am on the right path.¡±

    Egan got confused. <i>¡®He¡¯s calling me a nobody? Is he mocking me?¡¯ </i>

    It did not seem like that. Moreover, he knew that Chul-Soo was not good at beating around the bush.

    <i>¡®Is he being genuine?...?¡¯</i>

    Finally, Egan understood Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true feelings. Jin-Hyeok was genuinely happy. He had no interest in the fact that Egan had deceived him.

    ¡°Look, you just found out that I lied to you,¡± Egan said.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I intended to tell you someday.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Egan was perplexed by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sparkling eyes. ¡°Why...? Do you mean it is okay to deceive you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with deceiving?¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. He felt that the people around him were beginning to act a bit strange, Egan being one of them. ¡°It¡¯s the gullible people that are at fault.¡±

    ¡°...Are you saying being a scammer is okay?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Those guys need their heads smas¡ª no, need to be punished.¡±

    ¡°But you just said deceiving is not bad and being deceived is...¡±

    ¡°Egan, were you always this thickheaded?¡± Jin-Hyeok felt that it was okay for a yer to use deception in their y. That was all part of the y. However, it was never okay for a non-yer to scam anyone in general matters.

    ¡°Anyway, I am d you are a Hakko. That¡¯s good news.¡±

    ¡°...Is that supposed to be apliment?¡± Egan wondered if the Automatic Trantion Orb was broken. He felt strangely off.

    ? ? ?

    ¡°A knight d in white jade armor appeared inside the Dungeon. The knight was wearing a helmet, and I am notpletely sure, but it seemed likely to be a female. She was formidable. All of us together could not defeat her even with our full strength.¡± Egan showed the recorded video to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°And... she uses a hammer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡±

    Her main weapon was a hammer simr in size to Miri.

    ¡°In the end, we had to sacrifice four of our party members to barely escape. It was aplete failure,¡± Egan added.

    ¡°Why would you call that a failure?¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°Who clears a Dungeon on their first try?¡±

    Egan was speechless once again. <i>¡®Is that really something you should be saying right now?¡¯ </i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face was too serious for Egan to say that out loud.

    <i>¡®It does not seem like he is mocking me, but...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°Normally, you have to fail numerous times to have a slight chance of clearing a Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°....Is that so?¡±

    ¡°And many yers are unable to clear a Dungeon even after all that.¡±

    Egan felt like he had been hit on the head. His ideal Streamer had always been Chul-Soo. Chul-Soo almost always cleared Dungeons by himself and that too on his first try.

    ¡°But why do you even want to clear this Dungeon?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...I did not intend to encroach on your territory.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. He felt he understood a bit more about Egan.

    <i>¡®I can never resonate with those thoughts. Encroach on what territory?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Nobody owned a Dungeon. Anyone could challenge any Dungeon from any Region.

    <i>¡®His standards and my standards just don¡¯t align.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not dislike Egan as a person, but bing close friends with him seemed a bit difficult. He asked, ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that. Why did you take on the challenge?¡±

    ¡°I was inspired by another yer...¡±

    ¡°Inspired my ass. Be more specific.¡± As a fellow Streamer, Jin-Hyeok wanted to ask what was going on in Egan¡¯s head that led him to make such a reckless choice. He was curious as to what insights and judgmentsy behind his choice.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not about me encroaching on your territory, why are you so persistently digging into it?¡±

    ¡°Well, using an Unexplored Dungeon as content is a bit odd, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°...Odd?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not worth it.¡±

    ¡°...Not worth it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Who is crazy enough to use an Unexplored Dungeon as content?¡±

    Egan was speechless again.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t the content for your next video about clearing the Haeundae Dungeon?¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    ¡°...You¡¯re right. It was not worth it,¡± Egan replied.

    ¡°The guy who inspired you is definitely a scammer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that guy inspired you to clear an Unexplored Dungeon. He¡¯s crazy. Anyway, thanks for the video.¡± Jin-Hyeok took the video from Egan.

    <i>¡®A knight wearing white jade armor...¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The difficulty of the Haeundae Dungeon changed depending on the number of entrants. The difficulty significantly decreased with a single entrant.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok watched the video, he kept thinking about one thing.

    <i>¡®Why are they getting hit by the knight¡¯s attack?¡¯</i>

    The knight in white jade armor was quite fast.

    <i>¡®But she is way slower than Swamnd No.3!¡¯</i>

    Moreover, the way she swung the hammer was threatening, but it did not seem lethal.

    <i>¡®Right here. I think he could have survived the attack aimed at the shoulder.¡¯</i>

    Sure, the shoulder could have gotten crushed, but that was not a huge problem. If a Tank had taken the hammer blow on the shoulder, it would have created a big opening for the knight and an opportunity for the Avengers Army.

    <i>¡®And there were many opportunities like that.¡¯</i>

    After reying the video several times, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you were being overly greedy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I admit it,¡± Egan replied. He knew that the Haeundae Dungeon was excessively difficult for the Avengers Army.

    However, before Egan could borate, Jin-Hyeok exined, ¡°You were too greedy to get content for your channel.¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

    ¡°You tried too hard to create a sense of crisis and ended up ruining everything.¡±

    ¡°No, I...¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. You did your best.¡±

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t care for the content! I fought as desperately as I could! Don¡¯t you see I cut off the livestream?¡¯</i>

    Egan felt somewhat wronged.

    ¡°But it is still useful information for me. In that sense...¡± Jin-Hyeok had originally nned to clear the Dungeon by himself. But after seeing the knight in the white jade armor in the video, he had changed his mind. ¡°...Do you want to team up?¡±

    ¡°Team up?¡± Egan¡¯s head told him to say now because it was too dangerous, but his heart argued, ¡®It¡¯s a coboration with Chul-Soo. Such opportunities are rare.¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s clear the Haeundae Dungeon together. But with the same total number of members asst time. I can call my guys if we need more members.¡±

    ? ? ?

    The coboration between Chul-Soo and Egan was set.

    [The coboration of the official and unofficial number one ranked Streamers on the Earth Server... This is amazing!]

    ©¸Wow, what abination! The Avengers Army with Chul-Soo!

    ©¸It¡¯s not just Chul-Soo. They say that the Saint of Freedom, the Wood King, the Martial King, and even the Anus Destroyer are joining the expedition.

    ©¸Why is Anus Destroyer on that list? He is not strong enough.

    ©¸No, no. Anus Destroyer is underrated because of the name, but actually, he is the official number one ranked Swordsman in the Korean Region.

    ©¸Really? Anus Destroyer is number one? LOL, I had no idea! This is too funny!

    [The Haeundae Dungeon must be really dangerous.]

    ©¸If IntenseMan, the king of order and truth, is getting personally involved, does that mean a Dungeon Break is imminent?

    ©¸He always steps in when there is danger.

    ©¸Korea is lucky to have Chul-Soo.

    The news of Chul-Soo and Egan¡¯s coboration heated up the entire Earth Server. KimKnowItAllTV and Kang Eun-Woo became busier than usual.

    Wang Yu-Mi, in her own way, assigned roles to the members of the K-Force participating in this expedition. ¡°Our livestream goal is to showcase Chul-Soo¡¯s overwhelming power. This time, I need you all to stay in the background as much as possible to highlight Chul-Soo. Got it?¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol, Mok Jae-Hyeon, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, Lee Hyeon-Seong¡ªthe four yers who were joining the Haeundae Dungeon expedition nodded. However, Hyeon-Seong was not entirely happy with what Yu-Mi had told them. He still felt a strong sense ofpetition and a desire to win against Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®This time I will cooperate. But the reason I am cooperating is to surpass youter, Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong thought.

    His eyes sparkled with determination. This expedition was meant for Chul-Soo to take the leading role. That would allow Hyeon-Seong to observe Chul-Soo more closely and urately. He was determined not to miss a single step, attack, or even breath of Chul-Soo.

    Next, Yu-Mi called Eun-Woo. ¡°What¡¯s Chul-Soo doing right now?¡±

    ¡ªHe just finished taking a shower.

    ¡°Oh! Then he hasn¡¯t dried his hair yet, right?¡±

    ¡ªNo, not yet.

    ¡°Quick! Put Chul-Soo on the line.¡±

    ¡ªPardon me?

    ¡°Hurry!

    Yu-Mi then had a phone conversation with Jin-Hyeok, cing a special request.

 Chapter 230

    <h4>Chapter 230</h4>

    ¡ªCan you take it off?

    Wang Yu-Mi said over the phone.

    ¡°Take what off?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok was confused.

    <i>¡®Does she mean take the head off an enemy?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Do I need to kill someone?¡± he asked.

    ¡ªNo, no! Take your shirt off!

    ¡°But I¡¯m only wearing a bathrobe right now.¡±

    ¡ªJust let the bathrobe slip down and expose your upper body! I¡¯m sorry for not being clear. Take <i>your shirt </i>off. If you are too ufortable with that, I can think of another way.

    <i>¡®Ah, take my shirt off. But why would I be ufortable with exposing my upper body? Taking someone¡¯s head off, that would be more ufortable.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok found it hard to fully understand what Yu-Mi was trying to imply.

    ¡°There is nothing ufortable about it. But what¡¯s the point of doing it right now?¡±

    ¡ªWe need to make a promotional video for the Haeundae Dungeon expedition. We have already made a sh with the joint livestream with Egan Paul. Now, we need to amplify it!

    ¡°How would that promote the expedition?¡± Jin-Hyeok still could not understand but went ahead with it. Following her advice had never failed him.

    After ending the call, he tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Do you think this will help increase my subscriber count?¡±

    ¡°I am sure it will.¡± Kang Eun-Woo enthusiastically agreed, gauging at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction. ¡°Only if you are not particrly against exposure or feeling embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°Why would I feel embarrassed?¡± If it helped the livestream, he would do more than expose his upper body.

    ¡°Then please sit here.¡± Eun-Woo set Jin-Hyeok in the middle of the bed and adjusted the lighting. ¡°I will just set the surrounding objects and the temperature of the lighting.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok filmed Eun-Woo too.

    <i>¡®The camera really loves him,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    After acquiring Dual Jobs, Eun-Woo became even more handsome.

    <i>¡®He is bing the Eun-Woo I knew from before my regression.¡¯</i>

    It was clear that he would be popr in no time.

    <i>¡®I remember his videos of him concentrating on something were very popr back then.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok still did not understand why those videos had been so popr. However, just because he did not understand them, it did not mean they weren¡¯t popr. Also, Jin-Hyeok believed that his filming Eun-Woo would help with the livestream promotion.

    He uploaded a short ten-second video titled ¡®Hardworking Eun-Woo.¡¯

    Oblivious to this, Eun-Woo put his heart and soul into the preparation for filming Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Chul-Soo, please get ready for meditation!¡±

    ¡°Right here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Ah, wait a minute, I need to sprinkle this around.¡± Eun-Woo took out pro rose petals from his inventory and scattered them around Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It looks like blood. I like it.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok finished preparing for meditation, as Yu-Mi and Eun-Woo set up the room. He partially removed his bathrobe to expose his upper body.

    <i>¡®I need to focus now.¡¯</i>

    He immersed himself in meditation, recalling the movements of the knight wearing white jade armor he had seen in the video.

    Eun-Woo captured the photos of Jin-Hyeok non-stop. <i>¡®This is a good picture. This one is also good.¡¯ </i>

    Eun-Woo smiled brightly. No matter how he shot the photos, every one of them was amazing. He carefully selected the best photos and posted them on Enstagram.

    (Picture)

    <strong>12,230 Likes</strong>

    <strong>official_chulsoo </strong>Meditating before the Haeundae Dungeon expedition.<strong> </strong> more

    -Wow... he is insanely handsome.

    -It was not just his face. His body is also godly.

    -How is it fair that his face AND his body are both amazing? Look at those abs!

    -Don¡¯t worry guys. God is always fair. I bet his liver is ugly.

    -I stopped breathing looking at this photo.

    Eun-Woo felt very proud after uploading the photos. The explosive interest and enthusiasm from the viewers lifted his spirits.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s photos are art itself! Chul-Soo is art!¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo wanted to shout it out but kept it to himself, not wanting to disturb the meditation. He also took a brief video and uploaded it as Eltube Shorts.

    Both the video of Jin-Hyeok meditating and the video of Eun-Woo making the preparations garnered explosive responses from the viewers.

    -Look at the visual synergy of these two.

    -Wow, their visuals are overpowered! They can totally just be celebrities.

    -One has the look of an idol, and the other one has the look of an actor. What abo.

    The videos ranked first and second in the list of trending videos, making the promotion of Chul-Soo¡¯s Haeundae Dungeon expedition incredibly sessful.

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok finished meditating, Eun-Woo felt a sudden fear and said, ¡°I am so sorry. I posted without permission. But I couldn¡¯t resist! These photos are amazing!¡±

    ¡°Well, the promotion was a sess, so it¡¯s okay,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    It wasmon to end up naked during Dungeon clears. Exposure was so normal during y that revealing the upper body was nothing. If such a small thing could promote his concept this much, it was all worth the effort.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He thought he should be happy because the promotional videos worked, but seeing all these tteringments made him feel strange. Many were praising Chul-Soo beyond reason.

    Suddenly, he found himself scrolling through the Enstagramments, checking the likes.

    <i>¡®This... doesn¡¯t feel bad at all! It must be because the promotion went so well. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s it.¡¯</i>

    For the first time, Jin-Hyeok felt a strange emotion aside from the excitement of ying.

    <i>¡®...Am I really that handsome? Surely not.¡¯</i>

    The thoughts emerging in his mind were something he never had before his regression.

    ? ? ?

    Jin-Hyeok was quite inspired by Egan Paul.

    <i>¡®Ah...¡¯</i>

    All members of the Avengers Army were dressed in ck. It was as if they hade to a funeral. They embarked on the expedition with solemnity, without a trace ofughter.

    <i>¡®Egan started his content even before going into the Haeundae Dungeon!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok seemed tock such dramatic presentations.

    He was in front of the graves of the four party members of the Avengers Army who had lost their lives in the Dungeon. However, these were not real graves. Usually, when someone went missing or died in a Dungeon, their body was rarely found. Since their remains could not be buried, other yers instead ced the deceased yers¡¯ personal belongings in ss jars as a symbolic gesture.

    Egan recited a tribute. ¡°To not let the noble deaths of ourrades be in vain, we embark on this perilous journey today.¡±

    Egan called out each of the deceased yers¡¯ names and deeply bowed in front of their graves.

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly became curious.

    <i>¡®Is he doing this for the livestream, or is he genuinely mourning?¡¯</i>

    If he was genuine, it would be slightly disappointing, but if it was for the livestream, Jin-Hyeok would feel somewhat relieved. After all, death in a Dungeon was all toomon. If yers mourned and grieved for each death like this, it would be mentally exhausting. Nobody could be a top ranker that way.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯</i>

    With Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok could easily read what Egan was truly feeling, but for some reason, he did not want to do that today.

    <i>¡®So strange...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt emotions far different from before. If this were a time from before his regression, he would have questioned why they were doing such tedious things. In fact, he would not have even attended the funeral. Such actions did not bring back the dead, and they only mentally burdened the yers. Jin-Hyeok thought they only had a negative impact on clearing Dungeons. So, whenever such events were held, Jin-Hyeok was always annoyed.

    <i>¡®But, I¡¯m not annoyed right now.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, he saw a few people who he guessed were the families of the deceased. They were shedding tears. Having lost family members before his regression, he felt he could somewhat understand how they were feeling.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know what to think...¡¯</i>

    His mind was in a veryplicated state. It was toomon for someone to die while ying in a Dungeon, but for some reason, his heart was not at ease.

    After bowing his head and observing a moment of silence in front of the portraits of the dead yers, Jin-Hyeok offered a chrysanthemum flower.[1]

    ¡°I do not know your faces or names, but I will not let your deaths be in vain,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He then approached the crying families and said, ¡°If possible, I will also try to recover your son¡¯s body.¡±

    <i>¡®I¡¯m doing this because of my livestream. Really. It¡¯s just for the show. I don¡¯t usually do such unreasonable things.¡¯</i>

    An old woman with white hair fell in front of Jin-Hyeok and cried bitterly. She asked him to try his best to get her grandson¡¯s body while saying sorry for asking such a shameless request.

    <i>¡®I also should be careful with elderly people like her.¡¯</i>

    He never knew when someone could strike him. However, today was somehow different. Jin-Hyeok helped the old woman to her feet. ¡°I will try my best.¡±

    The old woman held his hand with her wrinkled hands and cried for a long time.

    <i>¡®If she were an Assassin, she would have already tried to strike my neck several times. My enemies know that I have Absolute Barrier, so they might strike me when I¡¯m most vulnerable. I need to be more careful. Really.¡¯</i>

    ? ? ?

    The group stood in front of the Haeundae Dungeon. The Avengers Army lined up and recited their oath.

    ¡°We are one. We will not forget the death of arade.¡±

    ¡°We are one. We will trust each other and willingly entrust our backs to ourrades.¡±

    ¡°We are one. We will never betray ourrades and will prevent the Dungeon Break with a noble sense of mission.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, this is actually pretty cool. The K-Force should learn something like this.¡¯</i>

    It felt like a scene from a movie. Deciding to coborate with Egan was turning out to be a pretty good choice. Jin-Hyeok took the first step. ¡°I will lead the way.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol, Mok Jae-Hyeon, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, and Lee-Hyeon Seong solemnly walked behind him. The Avengers Army followed suit.

    <strong>[You have entered the Haeundae Dungeon.]</strong>

    They arrived inside the Haeundae Dungeon. The weather inside the Dungeon was very pleasant.

    ¡°The blue sea, and the wide, sprawling white sand beach are visible.¡±

    This area had already been cleared by the Avengers Army before.

    ¡°We need to find the hidden boat here and move to the ind across the horizon,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Han Sae-Rin, who was previously a Navigator, and ck Panther, apetent Navigator of the Avengers Army, were both in the team. ck Panther, who had experience in this area, took the lead in guiding them.

    ¡°There, between the coastal cliffs, we can acquire a rowboat in the cave. Everyone needs to move. That is the only way to generate enough rowboats for all thirty-six of us.¡± Dressed in ck skin-tight clothes, ck Panther looked a bit like an Assassin, with a long, cat-like tail. Apparently, it helped him maintain bnce in dangerous ces.

    <i>¡®But... Should I tell them or not?¡¯</i>

    An insect-type monster was lurking under this white sand beach, targeting the team.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t they kill the monster first before doing anything else? Why does ck Panther, and even Sae-Rin, seem so oblivious of this?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok checked just in case. ¡°Yo, you¡¯re just ignoring it on purpose, right?¡±

    <i>¡®It must be something that does not affect the clear of the Dungeon that much. I guess that¡¯s why they¡¯re ignoring the monster.¡¯</i>

    However, Sae-Rin¡¯s reaction was a bit strange.

    1. In Korea, white chrysanthemum flowers aremonly used in funeral floral arrangements to say goodbye to the deceased. ?

 Chapter 231

    <h4>Chapter 231</h4>

    ¡°What do you mean, we are ignoring it on purpose?¡± Han Sae-Rin whispered.

    ¡°Well, you know...¡±

    <i>¡®Is she acting like that because of my livestream? Is she pretending not to know?¡¯</i>

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing big, but...¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok continued to beat around the bush.

    <i>¡®Both she and ck Panther must have their reasons.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok trusted Sae-Rin more than ck Panther. Still, just in case, he said to her, ¡°An insect monster is hiding under the white sand beach.¡±

    ¡°...A Monster is hiding there?¡± Sae-Rin said, startled.

    ¡°Yes, you didn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Her expression showed that she was genuinely unaware. She said, ¡°I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®What? She actually didn¡¯t know?¡¯</i>

    Her face turned a bit red. Jin-Hyeok could not tell whether she was acting or she was being genuine, so he used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[#Did I lose my touch? #Why can¡¯t I feel anything?]</strong>

    Although this was a bit surprising to him, he assumed she did not sense the monster because she was no longer a Navigator.

    <i>¡®But that guy is actually a Navigator. Shouldn¡¯t ck Panther know this?¡¯</i>

    Meanwhile, Sae-Rin passed what Jin-Hyeok had told her on to ck Panther, who briefly halted his advance.

    ck Panther approached Jin-Hyeok. The Navigator was wearing a mask, and he looked quite irritated, seemingly annoyed that Jin-Hyeok had encroached on the Navigator¡¯s territory.

    <strong>[#You only think about your livestream. #You¡¯re just a fake.]</strong>

    It appeared he really did not like Jin-Hyeok. Not everyone in the world had to like Jin-Hyeok, so ck Panther¡¯s thoughts on this did not really matter, but that mindset was a bit disappointing.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t a Streamer be praised for being crazy about their livestreams? Why would he hate me for that?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[My friends¡¯ deaths #are not for entertainment.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Hm... I guess he¡¯s not in his right mind, considering he recently lost hisrades.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was proud that he was able to think this far and had be more like an ordinary person. In the past, he would have just hit the man first.

    ck Panther asked him, ¡°Really? A monster is hiding underneath here?¡±

    ¡°Well, I feel it.¡±

    ¡°I need to check if that is true.¡± ck Panther stuck his tail into the sand and closed his eyes. His tail seemed to have various uses besides maintaining bnce.

    After a short while, ck Panther suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°There is nothing below here.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®That¡¯s not true. There is a monster underneath.¡¯</i>

    However, since this was the Navigator¡¯s territory, Jin-Hyeok decided not to interfere too much.

    As Jin-Hyeok refrained from making any otherments, ck Panther even scolded him. ¡°Have some faith in the Navigator, will you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could keep insisting that there was a monster below, but he chose not to. Moreover, letting them believe that there wasn¡¯t any monster under there, then having the monster pop outter would make for better content. The thought alone was thrilling.

    ck Panther approached him again. ¡°We can¡¯t waste time. This area is a Field where the tide is gradually rising. Unless it is something really important, don¡¯t hold me up.¡±

    While Jin-Hyeok was fine, Sae-Rin seemed quite upset. ¡°Hey, Kim Chul-Soo might have felt something you didn¡¯t.¡±

    <i>¡®Why is her tone so aggressive?¡¯</i>

    The Trantion Orb was quite effective, conveying meanings almost like a native speaker was speaking.

    ¡°You¡¯re just an outdated Navigator. You shouldn¡¯t talk,¡± ck Panther replied.

    ¡°What did you just call me?¡±

    ¡°I heard you lost to Mole Man in the ranking.¡±

    ck Panther seemed to have been misinformed, probably because the United States was so far away from Korea. Sae-Rin had not switched to being a Ruler because she had lost to Mole Man; it was because her talent as a Ruler was far superior. It was just like how Jin-Hyeok started wielding a hammer instead of a sword.

    <i>¡®I know that bastard is not in his right mind, but he is being too reckless with his words.¡¯</i>

    -Should I smash his head, Master?

    Jin-Hyeok swore that he had heard the hammer gulp. However, smashing the head of a party member who was clearing the Dungeon with him went too far against his morals.

    Sae-Rin provoked ck Panther further. ¡°If you are a Navigator and worse than Chul-Soo, why not just retire like I did?¡±

    ¡°There are no monsters. Chul-Soo must have been mistaken. The only thing below is arge water vein. The water in it flows like a snake or a giant worm. Chul-Soo could have mistaken that with a monster.¡±

    ¡°I think Chul-Soo is right.¡±

    ¡°Did you feel it?¡± ck Panther asked.

    ¡°No, I did not.¡±

    ¡°Then shut up and follow me. I am the Navigator of this expedition.¡±

    Sae-Rin seemed very displeased but did not argue further.

    ck Panther was right. He was the Navigator for this expedition. Too many cooks spoiled the broth, and an expedition should have only one Navigator.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect them to fight.¡¯</i>

    It felt like a cold atmosphere had surrounded them. In fact, the Avengers Army did not look at Jin-Hyeok very kindly.

    <i>¡®Is it because they see me as a rival to Egan Paul?¡¯</i>

    Normally, if there was a group of ten random people, about three to four of them liked Jin-Hyeok a lot, four to five had no particr opinion of him, and one or two disliked him. However, in this expedition, among the thirty members, it felt like about twenty of them disliked him. The ratio was higher than usual. Jin-Hyeok could find out more urately with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, but he did not bother.

    ¡°We have wasted too much time for nothing. We are heading to the coastal cliff.¡± Under ck Panther¡¯s lead, they headed toward the coastal cliff.

    Since the Avengers Army had already explored this ce, they managed to get the boats without much difficulty. They formed a group of six, carrying the boats on their heads, and returned to the original sandy beach.

    ¡°Launch the boats. We will board one at a time. We are going to cross over to that ind,¡± ck Panther said.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok could definitely feel it.

    <i>¡®I can feel it. There is a giant monster, like a worm.¡¯</i>

    A giant worm hidden in the sand.

    Jin-Hyeok could not see its name right now, but he had a hunch about what it was. It was a monster known as the Sand Worm, with a Level in the 190s. It was not particrly strong, but its ability to drag people into the sand and suffocate them made it a tricky opponent. In other words, it was not very powerful but was exceptionally good at using the terrain to its advantage.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s preparing to hunt.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could feel that. The monster was about to start its hunt soon. The members of the Avengers Army were currently boarding the boats, leaving fewer and fewer people on the ground. Jin-Hyeok assumed the monster would attack them when that number dropped below ten.

    <i>¡®But shouldn¡¯t ck Panther feel it by now? Is it because he is too proud? Why isn¡¯t he saying something? Is he nning to ignore the Sand Worm and proceed with the Dungeon clear?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I feel it now too. ck Panther must have felt it too, but he seems to be pretending not to,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°He probably thinks it won¡¯t affect the Dungeon clear much.¡±

    It looked like ck Panther had an ulterior motive, but that did not really matter.

    About half of the people had boarded the boats. Soon after, as expected, the Sand Worm attacked.

    <i>Wham!</i>

    With the sand erupting, a worm about five meters long appeared. It had an overall pinkish color, with no eyes due to degeneration and arge mouth with many sharp teeth. Around the mouth were many disgusting suckers, which it used to draw in its prey and then pull sand inside.

    <i>¡®What are they doing?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok naturally thought the Avengers Army would be prepared. He assumed the ranged damage-dealing yers would be more prepared, but they seemed quite flustered.

    <i>¡®Really... What the hell are they doing?¡¯</i>

    Since the retired Navigator Sae-Rin had felt it, ck Panther had likely felt it too.

    <i>¡®Didn¡¯t ck Panther warn them?¡¯</i>

    ¡°ARGH!!!¡±

    A yer was dragged into the sand. He struggled, but escaping seemed hard.

    <i>¡®I thought they''d nned for something like this. But why aren¡¯t they doing anything? Could they be deliberately creating this chaotic situation for Egan¡¯s livestream?¡¯</i>

    However, even if Egan loved his channel, he did not seem the type of person who would create a sense of crisis at the expense of his members. The Avengers Army¡¯s members were somewhat in a flurry.

    <i>¡®I have to save them within three minutes.¡¯</i>

    He needed to quickly attack with magic spells or Skills that had prating power, either making the worm give up its prey and flee or forcing it to the surface by giving it unbearable pain.

    <i>¡®I think the Greatsword of La¡¯kan, rather than the hammer, is better for a prating attack.¡¯</i>

    -Master... I can do it too.

    Over at the Avengers Army¡¯s side, the Archers seemed to be getting ready to retaliate. But they were a second slower than what Jin-Hyeok thought.

    <i>¡®One second can be the difference between life and death. How are they so slow?¡¯</i>

    -I can prate the monster too, Master... Use me.

    Miri was excited, appearing to breathe heavily in anticipation.

    -I am going to smash the head... Ha... the head...!

    The hammer¡¯s voice was so earnest that Jin-Hyeok could not ignore it. He had no choice but to draw out Miri.

    <i>¡®If I¡¯m using my sword, it would be Sword Aura... But what about when I hold the hammer? Is it Hammer Aura?¡¯ </i>

    That term felt less coolpared to ¡®Sword Aura¡¯. Reading Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thoughts, Miri excitedly murmured,

    -Hammer... Force.

    <i>¡®Oh, yeah, Hammer Force. That sounds pretty good.¡¯</i>

    Miri seemed to have gotten a lot of inspiration from the Phantom Swordswoman, murmuring something like a catchphrase,

    -The one who cannot be sharp longs for sharpness and, in the end, will ovee its limitations. Be smashed, heads.

    He felt a resonance with Miri as if Miri and he were one. This feeling, simr to One With the Sword, always exhrated Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®This is so fun.¡¯</i>

    This alone brought him great pleasure. As he deeply connected with Miri, he lifted the weapon. Golden energy flickered over Miri.

    -Hurry and shoot... please!

    Jin-Hyeok and Miri were deeply bound in spirit, and Miri¡¯s feelings were now his. His heart was also aze.

    <i>¡®The worm¡¯s location is.... Here!¡¯</i>

    He shot the Hammer Force as if it were Sword Aura. He did not realize it, but he had put a lot of strength into the attack.

    ***

    Egan had already boarded the boat. While filming Chul-Soo, he blinked in surprise.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo...¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo did not look human. He appeared like a golden hammer. The whole scene made it seem like a giant, eyeless titan was swinging a hammer.

    <i>¡®...He shot something out?¡¯</i>

    That golden energy, simr to Sword Aura, shot toward the ground.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    It felt like a small earthquake. Ripples appeared on the water, and the boats floating near the shore shook.

    ¡°What on earth...?¡±

    A burst of a sandstorm emerged, and when it cleared, it revealed a huge hole in the ground about six meters in diameter. Where there had been a sandy beach moments ago nowy arge sinkhole.

    Egan hurriedly flew a drone and zoomed in to film inside the sinkhole.

    <i>¡®The sand... melted?¡¯</i>

    The sand had melted and then rapidly solidified, forming a kind of wall, which had helped in maintaining the shape of the sinkhole.

    ¡°There really was a monster...¡± Egan had not intervened in the argument between Sae-Rin and ck Panther. He trusted Chul-Soo and Sae-Rin, but that did not mean he disbelieved ck Panther. Yet, Chul-Soo was right.

    <i>¡®The monster¡¯s head... was blown off!¡¯</i>

    The real wonder was that while the monster¡¯s head had evaporated, Anderson, who had been sucked in by the monster, was unharmed. Currently, Anderson was unconscious.

    As expected, the chat room for Egan¡¯s livestream channel was aze.

    -Holy shit! He is a Streamer? Unbelievable!

    -What do we even call him? A long-range, area-of-effect damage dealer?

    -Wouldn¡¯t it be close-range, not long-range?

    -Seems like he can do both, LOL!

    Chul-Soo, the Streamer, had shown a level of firepower that even America¡¯s top rankers struggled to disy.

    -But Anderson does not seem hurt at all.

    -So that¡¯s not an area-of-effect attack, but a precision strike?

    The viewers reached an astonishing conclusion.

    -I guess the precision strike was so powerful that it looks like an AoE attack.

    -What the hell? That¡¯s a precision strike?

    -Are there any damage dealing yers with that level of firepower and control among the rankers?

    -None. Absolutely none. Never seen one.

    The Avengers Army quickly formed a rescue team and pulled Anderson out. He was not hurt at all.

    -That level of control with such firepower is insane! How is that even possible?

    -But why does Chul-Soo look so dissatisfied?

    Chul-Soo had an unmistakably discontented look.

    <i>¡®Damn... I was off by 0.2 centimeters...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    For him, it was a gross mistake in control. Nevertheless, he decided to read ck Panther¡¯s thoughts using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <i>¡®What the hell is he thinking?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 232

    <h4>Chapter 232</h4>

    <strong>[#What did I just see? #How is that possible?]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok did not find anything suggesting an ulterior motive in ck Panther¡¯s thoughts. Jin-Hyeok tried to figure out if ck Panther had an ulterior motive but did not find anything. ck Panther was just feeling intense emotions, and Jin-Hyeok could understand why.

    <i>¡®Well, Miri was indeed impressive.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was also surprised at what had happened. His attack was much stronger than he had anticipated. He was a bit flustered himself, which resulted in a 0.2-centimeter error. He had been lucky. If he had hit the monster precisely, he could have evaporated Anderson¡¯s head.

    -That would have been nice, too. Another head to smash in.

    <i>¡®Whom did this hammer take after to be so crazy?¡¯ </i>

    Normally, it spoke like a cultured, nobledy, but in battle situations, it just flipped. Miri said it was influenced by Jin-Hyeok, but that seemed to be incorrect. If it were influenced by him, this would never happen.

    <i>¡®Ah, wait!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought of a possibility.

    <i>¡®ck Panther might be pretending right now!¡¯</i>

    The Navigator could be using various tactics to deceive Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, such as pretending to be <i>very surprised </i>to suit the current situation.

    <i>¡®Oh, if that is the case, I¡¯m less disappointed in him.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok loved it when other yers pretended to be surprised to deceive him. Having strange and unique tactics was always good as it would be good content for his channel. Jin-Hyeok wished ck Panther was properly deceiving him.

    <i>¡®Yes. He is hiding something!¡¯</i>

    Just thinking about what the Navigator could be plotting made Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart beat faster. Jin-Hyeok thought it would be even better if ck Panther was nning something dangerous and thrilling.

    ***

    ck Panther was genuinely shocked.

    <i>¡®How is that possible?¡¯</i>

    He shared the same sentiment as the viewers. He had not expected someone tounch an attack this powerful, especially one that precisely targeted a monster hidden in the sand. To his knowledge, no yer was capable of such a feat. Aside from his personal feelings toward Jin-Hyeok, ck Panther felt nothing but awe for that attack. He had not expected the Streamer to pull off something like that.

    After oveing his shock and awe, he regained hisposure and fell deep in thought.

    <i>¡®So there was indeed a monster...¡¯</i>

    ck Panther had also sensed something resembling a worm under the sandy beach. He had dug his tail deep into the ground moments before.

    <i>¡®I was sure it was a water vein.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like the monster had a detection evasion ability.

    <i>¡®Did Kim Chul-Soo urately identify it as the Sand Worm?¡¯</i>

    No matter how ck Panther thought about it, it did not make any sense.

    <i>¡®How can someone exhibit such extraordinary attack and control and have better detection abilities than me? Is this the power of the famed All-Rounder?¡¯</i>

    ck Panther shivered. His eyes met with those of Chul-Soo, who looked at him from a distance. It felt like Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes were saying to him, ¡®Aren¡¯t you supposed to be prepared for something like this as a Navigator?¡¯

    Of course, that was not what Chul-Soo was thinking. Chul-Soo was actually thinking about what kind of tactics ck Panther was nning.

    Regardless, ck Panther felt unjustly used.

    <i>¡®I had prepared too! It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t!¡¯</i>

    When Jin-Hyeok had said a monster was lurking below them, ck Panther did not fully believe that but still made preparations.

    <i>¡®If the monster was the type to hide and wait, it would wait for our numbers to decrease. In that case, it was only right to let the yers with strong defensive abilities get on the boatsst.¡¯</i>

    This was to ensure they could buy time in case the monster emerged.

    <i>¡®But... I did not expect the monster to use the terrain to its advantage instead of making direct attacks.¡¯</i>

    ck Panther realized he should have analyzed the situation from more angles. This was a clear oversight on his part. He had indeed beencent. After all, nothing had happened in the previous Dungeon expedition. The real danger of the Haeundae Dungeon was the White Jade Armor Knight that appeared in the end.

    Sitting on the same rowboat as Egan Paul, ck Panther muttered as if he were making excuses, ¡°...I assumed that the difficulty of this Dungeon was determined by time, like if we go too slow, the difficulty might increase. And there were reasonable grounds to believe that.¡±

    If they stayed too long on the sandy beach, the tide would rise and cover the entire coastline. It seemed like there was some sort of time limit, which ck Panther thought was the overall theme of the Dungeon.

    ¡°So, I felt a kind of urgency to progress quickly...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, ck Panther. Stay strong.¡± Egan Paul patted ck Panther¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No matter what anyone says, you are the Navigator of the Avengers Army. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is not to repeat the same mistakes. If you waver, we all waver. Let¡¯s focus on the positives. Nobody died. We are counting on your guidance.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok boarded the boat with Han Sae-Rin. Egan came over to them from his boat.

    ¡°Yo, Egan, be honest. Did ck Panther pretend not to know on purpose?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Egan was momentarily at a loss for words. He had juste fromforting the nearly shattered ck Panther. If ck Panther had heard this question, he probably would have fainted from shock. Egan calmly asked, ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? Even I, a Streamer, noticed it, and even she, a retired Navigator, did. There is no way ck Panther did not know.¡±

    Egan pondered what to reply for a moment. He wondered if he should set the record straight or if he should let Jin-Hyeok continue with his misunderstanding. This was a matter directly tied to the pride of ck Panther and, by extension, the Avengers Army.

    <i>¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t think about saving face in front of Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    He decided to tell the truth. ¡°ck Panther did not know either. He thought it was a water vein.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Surprisingly, Jin-Hyeok did not make a big deal out of it. Egan, however, felt somewhat wronged.

    <i>¡®Does he think I¡¯m just covering for ck Panther? No! We really didn¡¯t know!¡¯</i>

    Nevertheless, Egan thought that speaking more about this matter would be awkward, so he swallowed his unjust feelings.

    ¡°I thought you had exaggerated everything about the Avengers Army too, like you did with your abilities and Levels,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Egan, thankful that he had not turned on his livestream, earnestly pleaded with Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Please. Can you keep that a secret from the public?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°It would be better for your livestream too. It creates a picture of apetitor you need to catch up to.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. Hearing the sound argument, he decided not to expose Egan¡¯s exaggerated self. If Egan were unable to persuade him, he would have revealed it.

    Sae-Rin chimed in. ¡°Then, you should pay royalties.¡±

    ¡°... Royalties?¡±

    Royalties usually referred to payments for using someone else¡¯s patents, trademarks, or copyrights. Egan was confused about why the term was being used here.

    Sae-Rin frowned deeply, a stark contrast to her usually delicate appearance. ¡°You¡¯re pretty thick-headed. I¡¯m saying royalties to be nice.¡±

    Then, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m extorting you right now. Your secret is my coteral.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What happens next is up to you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok scratched the back of his head, looking at Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡®Why has she be so aggressive?¡¯</i>

    The post-regression Sae-Rin seemed much tougher than before.

    <i>¡®Anyway, it¡¯s good she is looking out for things I miss.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was about to keep Egan¡¯s secret for free just because it would make for a good livestream.

    ¡°Okay, we do not n to drain your wallet too harshly. Let¡¯s keep it light, say one hundred million. Say what? Of course, it¡¯s one hundred million per month!¡±

    Eventually, they agreed on one hundred million a month. Jin-Hyeok marveled at how easy it was to achieve a monthly sry of one hundred million. The tough Sae-Rin, now sitting next to Jin-Hyeok, suddenly acted demurely. ¡°You heard everything, right? We agreed on one hundred million monthly. Can you give me ten percent as a brokerage fee?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, I can never get used to her acting all modestly!¡¯</i>

    There were aspects in which she had be tougher than before she had been his regression, but there were also parts that had be more repulsive.

    <i>¡®I never thought in my life I would see Sae-Rin¡¯s coy voice and crescent moon-like smiling eyes.¡¯</i>

    ¡°How did I do~?¡± she said coyly.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s with her... Is she also thinking of creating good content for my livestream?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok shivered.

    Sensing his mood, Sae-Rin smiled more brightly and pressed herself closer to him. Then she leaned her head slightly forward. ¡°Praise me~¡±

    <i>¡®... Can I praise you with Miri?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Sae-Rin giggled.

    <i>¡®He is so cute!¡¯</i>

    To Sae-Rin, Jin-Hyeok was someone who never panicked¡ªa weird person who, no matter what happened, always thought of how to create good content for his Eltube channel. However, there was one thing that made Jin-Hyeok fluster, and it was precisely situations like this.

    ¡°How did I do~?¡±

    Every time she behaved like this, Jin-Hyeok got noticeably flustered.

    ¡°Praise me~¡±

    Such acts would make Jin-Hyeok stiffen in an unmistakable way.

    Sae-Rin indulged in a pleasant fantasy.

    <i>¡®Does he like me?¡¯</i>

    Otherwise, there would be no reason for Jin-Hyeok to react this stiffly. She felt inexplicably happy. It was quite delightful that she was one of the few people who could make him panic.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see, we are about ten minutes away from reaching that ind.¡¯</i>

    Since they were in the Dungeon, just letting the time go by felt like a waste. Sae-Rin wanted to help with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, so she initiated a conversation and asked Egan, ¡°I saw that you guys deliberately ced Tanks at the back in case the monster attacked suddenly. That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°...Yes.¡±

    ¡°That means you anticipated the monster¡¯s attack, right?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s actually...¡±

    Sae-Rin deliberately used provocative wording. It was perfect for creating thumbnails or preview videos. ¡°Did you n to eliminate yourpetitor Chul-Soo by allowing the monster to attack him?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Egan was taken aback. He felt even more wronged.

    <i>¡®Who would betray that crazy guy?!¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    He had seen the attack very clearly¡ªthe attack that obliterated the head of the giant worm monster with just a swing of a hammer.

    <i>¡®Who would dare to dream of betraying such a monster?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Wait, is that really the case?¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. He had never even considered that Egan would betray him, and he viewed this as part of the livestream. Such content was indeed capable of attracting the attention of the viewers.

    It was a minor issue for Jin-Hyeok; however, for Egan, it was almost a matter of life and death. For some, it was entertainment; for others, a survival documentary.

 Chapter 233

    <h4>Chapter 233</h4>

    For some, it was entertainment; for others, a survival documentary. Egan Paul was part of thetter group. He said, ¡°Y-You¡¯re taking it the wrong way! We were just preparing for any unforeseen circumstances!¡±

    ¡°You say you were just preparing, but your group seemed too disorganized,¡± Han Sae-Rin said while narrowing her eyes.

    ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s because it was a type of monster we had never seen before, and we needed time to figure out how to respond.¡±

    In hindsight, the Avengers Army¡¯s reaction was perfectly reasonable. The Sand Worm was a monster Cha Jin-Hyeok already knew about, but for the Avengers Army, it was an entirely new creature. Acting rashly to save a party member could have led to even greater casualties. It was natural for even a skilled yer to panic in such an unexpected situation.

    It was only from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s and Sae-Rin¡¯s perspectives that the Avengers Army appeared disorganized, but from an objective point of view, it wasn¡¯t that bad.

    Unfortunately(?), Sae-Rin¡¯s standards were simr to Chul-Soo¡¯s. She replied, ¡°But Chul-Soo managed to rescue Anderson immediately.¡±

    ¡°That...¡± Egan felt increasingly wronged.

    <i>¡®Who else could wield such insane firepower while maintaining precise control?! And honestly, it was not like we werepletely disorganized! We just could not respond as swiftly as Chul-Soo did! It¡¯s Chul-Soo who is exceptionally amazing, not that we are ipetent!</i>

    Sae-Rin remained unsympathetic. ¡°The more I think about it, the weirder it gets. Chul-Soo, who is only a Streamer, sensed the monster, and even I, a retired Navigator, felt it. Why did ck Panther act like he did not feel it? Chul-Soo could rescue Anderson easily, but why didn¡¯t anyone else try? Why couldn¡¯t they do these simple things? Or... maybe you guys ignored it on purpose.¡±

    Egan stood up in frustration. He felt like he was going to lose his mind from being wrongly used. ¡°You people...! Haven¡¯t you ever considered that your standard of <i>easy </i>is too selfish?!¡±

    Meanwhile, they arrived at their destination. Egan¡¯s face was hot red, and Jin-Hyeok chuckled, saying, ¡°Your expression seemed very real.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just stop the acting now, and focus on your expedition.¡± Jin-Hyeok was in a good mood. Egan¡¯s realistic improvisation seemed to have made for a great video. ¡°Egan, you¡¯re pretty talented in acting. No wonder you¡¯re a prominent Streamer.¡±

    Egan was internally conflicted.

    <i>¡®Wait, I¡¯m a prominent Streamer? After all this?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Chul-Soo was thinking, ¡®It¡¯s such an easy task to identify a Sand Worm and prepare for its ambush, so Egan must have pretended not to notice! There is no way the Avengers Army could not handle such trivial tasks!¡¯

    Egan was at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t itmon sense to think that we could not respond effectively because everything happened so abruptly? Am I in the wrong here?¡¯</i>

    Unaware of Egan¡¯s turmoil, Jin-Hyeok shifted his gaze to ck Panther, who had arrived at the beach first, and said, ¡°We have arrived at the beach. What will happen next? Oh? It seems like the Navigator of the Avengers Army, ck Panther, has sensed something! What could be happening?¡±

    ck Panther almost tilted his head in confusion.

    <i>¡®Wait, what did I sense?¡¯ </i>

    Then, he started to feel that something was happening.

    ***

    ck Panther realized that things were different from the previous expedition. He knew this would happen, since they had killed the Sand Worm on the beach. With the first sequence changed, the next one was likely to change as well.

    ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± ck Panther stabbed his tail into the ground.

    <i>¡®It feels simr to before!¡¯</i>

    It felt like a water vein. However, ck Panther knew it was not that.

    Jin-Hyeok realized that ck Panther was indeed pretending to not have detected the monster thest time. He took a step back and captured what the Avengers Army was doing. ¡°Earlier, the monster was a male. This time, it¡¯s a female.¡±

    ck Panther was slightly surprised.

    <i>¡®There are males and females?¡¯</i>

    ck Panther could barely recognize it as a water vein, but Chul-Soo seemed to have already found the monster¡¯s gender.

    ¡°This one is bigger and more agile than thest one,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It seemed like the female Sand Worms were stronger than the males. Hickson, the Ruler of the Avengers Army, deployed yers and got ready for battle. Thanks to him, no one was sucked into the sudden Sand Worm ambush. The monster, which had briefly emerged from the sandy beach, hid again in the sand.

    ¡°Its head is the weakness!¡± Hickson shouted.

    This was a reasonable inference. Chul-Soo had obliterated the previous Sand Worm¡¯s head with a single hammer blow.

    However, Chul-Soo smirked. <i>¡®The head is not the weak point, though.¡¯</i>

    When he had hit the previous Sand Worm, he had realized the head was the hardest part.

    <i>Poof!</i>

    The Sand Worm emerged again from the sand. A few Martial Artists rushed in to attract its attention, and some Archers shot arrows to hit its head.

    <i>¡®These guys are trying their best.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could very well understand their feelings. The Avengers Army was essentially an alliance formed by Egan, obviously operating for his livestreaming purposes.

    <i>¡®I had such a hard time dealing with Grandel.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had to use many methods to create a sense of crisis and tension when he was fighting Grandel. He could clearly see the Avengers Army¡®s strenuous efforts to do the same. Just the fact that they were targeting the monster¡¯s head, which was not a weak point, allowed Jin-Hyeok to feel their sincerity in the livestream. He was pleased to see this.

    <i>¡®It would have been better if they knew about my current livestream concept.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concept for today¡¯s livestream was clearing the Dungeon with overwhelming power, which seemed to differ from that of the Avengers Army. It was a mistake not to have discussed this in advance.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve learned again. Next time, I will make sure to discuss the n in advance.¡¯</i>

    This did not mean Jin-Hyeok wanted to interfere with their y, which was so sincere. After all, the Sand Worm was a monster Jin-Hyeok had beaten, so there was no need for him to disy the same performance again.

    ¡°So, shall we just proceed with our own content?¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Jin-Sol.

    ¡°Our content? What is it?¡± Her eyes sparkled. Jin-Sol was quite bored. She wondered why the Avengers Army was making such a dramatic and serious y out of a monster that Jin-Hyeok could defeat in one hit.

    Although it could be an intense battle for the viewers, for Jin-Sol, it was a tad boring.

    ¡°We need to recover the bodies,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°B-Bodies?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon, who was feeling slightly more bored than Jin-Sol due to his superior defensive abilities, was startled. He had seen many corpses, but they still frightened him.

    ¡°Yeah, the Sand Worm has dug a lot of tunnels underground,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, can you sense that the bodies are underground?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Yeah, you can feel it too, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not really wait for Sae-Rin¡¯s response. He thought that if he had sensed it, she had to have too.

    ¡°B-But, Hyung... what if we go down the tunnel and the entire thing copses?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked.

    ¡°You can use something like your vine nts to support it, right? Kind of like a tunnel.¡±

    ¡°...Ah! I will do that.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon clenched his fist in silence. Always thirsty for justice, he seemed ready to do anything to recover the bodies. ¡°L-Let¡¯s....hit... the road....¡±

    ***

    Egan had a much broader field of vision than the yers directly involved in the battle. This was partly due to his Job as a Streamer, but also because he was rtively more at easepared to thebatant-ss yers. So he managed to hear the conversation of Chul-Soo¡¯s party, and it made him doubt himself.

    ¡°B-But, Hyung... What if we go down the tunnel and the entire thing copses?¡±

    From Egan¡¯s perspective, this was a very strange question.

    <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t ordinary yers be more afraid of a Sand Worm ambush inside the tunnel rather than worrying about the tunnel copsing? There seems to be no fear of the Sand Worm,¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    ¡°You can use something like your vine nts to support it, right? Kind of like a tunnel.¡±

    ¡°...Ah! I will do that.¡±

    The ease with which Jae-Hyeon epted this solution was almost disheartening. Also, the fact that Jae-Hyeon said he would do it could make every civil engineer in the world cry.

    ¡°L-Let¡¯s....hit... the road....¡±

    ¡°Hey, Jeong-Hyeon, that¡¯s an outdated catchphrase. My livestream concept is not retro.¡±

    ¡°Sorry....¡±

    Chul-Soo, the Saint of Freedom, the Wood King, and the Martial King¡ªnone of them seemed to have any interest in the Sand Worm. Chul-Soo was even nitpicking over trivial things like the phrase ¡®Let¡¯s hit the road¡¯. Chul-Soo¡¯s party did not care about how serious and intensely the Avengers Army was fighting the Sand Worm.

    <i>¡®W-Wait a minute!¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s party jumped into the sand pit, an utterly irrational act from Egan¡¯s perspective.

    <i>¡®We are struggling with battling the monster onnd, but...¡¯</i>

    They had entered right into their of the Sand Worm.

    ***

    Leading the way, Sae-Rin remarked, ¡°The monster is not ambushing us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± This was not something Jin-Hyeok had anticipated. To be more precise, saying that he had not anticipated it would be incorrect; he just had not thought about it altogether. Since he did not care how the Sand Worm moved, he had not really considered it ambushing them.

    ¡°Maybe the female Sand Worm is imprinted with fear since the male one died. Perhaps they were psychologically connected.¡± Sae-Rin came up with an exnation.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I was worried I might identally destroy the corpses with excessive force.¡±

    Fortunately, that would not happen. The Level 197 female Sand Worm did not daree near Jin-Hyeok.

    Sae-Rin ran ahead. ¡°There they are!¡±

    They recovered two bodies at this location. Jae-Hyeon quickly made wooden coffins to collect the bodies. Despite being terrified, he did his job well.

    ¡°It does not seem like there are more bodies here,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go back to the surface.¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon carried the two coffins on his back. He could have put them in his inventory, but out of respect for the deceased, he chose to carry them instead.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. <i>¡®He is being inefficient.¡¯</i>

    If this had taken ce during his Sword King days, Jin-Hyeok would have prevented such actions. However, as a Streamer, he found himself more understanding of Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s actions.

    <i>¡®Well, it¡¯s not like we are in a hurry here.¡¯</i>

    Carrying tworge coffins would naturally reduce mobility. In a battlefield where life and death were decided in 0.1 seconds, such inefficient actions would be impractical, but in this calm and peaceful pce, he decided to let him be.

    <i>¡®But... something is a bit off.¡¯</i>

    Unexpectedly, a truly dangerous situation was unfolding on the surface.

    <i>¡®Should I step in?¡¯</i>

    That was when Jin-Hyeok had an epiphany.

    <i>¡®Ah!¡¯</i>

    He understood why Egan was struggling so hard in battle and why a yer seemed to have been sucked in by the monster, creating a really dangerous situation.

    <i>¡®Egan Paul, you clever guy!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt somewhat moved.

    <i>¡®He must be setting the stage for my dramatic entrance!¡¯</i>

    With that realization, he decided to respond ordingly.

 Chapter 234

    <h4>Chapter 234</h4>

    Before Cha Jin-Hyeok emerged to the surface, the Avengers Army was fighting with all their might. Egan Paul bit his lip.

    <i>¡®That monster ispletely different from the one before! It¡¯s much stronger!¡¯</i>

    That was his logical judgment, but it was a misconception. While the female Sand Worm was indeed stronger than the male one, it was not overwhelmingly powerful. The male Sand Worm had just appeared weak because Kim Chul-Soo had defeated it too easily.

    Fighting monsters that used terrain to their advantage was always tricky. Still, the experienced Avengers Army managed to fend off the Sand Worm¡¯s attacks rtively well.

    ¡°Iron Shield!¡± A yer with a shield tried to deflect the Sand Worm¡¯s charge.

    <i>¡®Just blocking it won¡¯t do.¡¯</i>

    A misstep could result in one being sucked inside the monster.

    <i>¡®Deflecting it sideways while turning it... huh?¡¯</i>

    The charge turned out to be a feint by the Sand Worm. The monster, which had been attacking in only a straight line until now, changed its attack pattern. It bent itself and bit the Healer next to the yer holding a shield.

    Hickson, the Ruler of the Avengers Army, clenched his fist.

    <i>¡®Did the aggro shift? When?¡¯ </i>

    Hickson hastily shouted, ¡°Grab its tail! Stop it from going into the sand at all costs!¡±

    Following Hickson¡¯smand, the two Martial Artists manifestedrge hands to hold on to the Sand Worm¡¯s tail. With its tail caught, the Sand Worm¡¯s mobility was significantly reduced.

    However, Hickson felt something was off.

    <i>¡®Wait, was the tail the weak point, not the head?¡¯</i>

    Though nobody had deceived him, he could not shake off the feeling of having been fooled. He realized that Chul-Soo had targeted the Sand Worm¡¯s head not because that was the monster¡¯s weak point; targeting the head was merely a matter of preference.

    Hickson made a quick decision. ¡°The weak point is not the head, but the tail!¡±

    Hickson had to rescue Jason at all costs. Jason was the Healer of the Avengers Army who insisted on healing right beside hisrades. Jason¡¯s healing power was stronger at close ranges, so he reasoned that he could save more yers by being closer to them. Jason always said not to worry about him as long as the other members of the Avengers Army could attract the aggro of the monster.

    <i>¡®I will save you no matter what.¡¯</i>

    The yers of the Avengers Army focused their attacks on the Sand Worm¡¯s tail. Some even used explosive abilities, which slightly injured the Tanks, but that was unavoidable.

    ¡°Descend, Goddess of the North Wind.¡± Karin used her highest-level freezing magic spell, Goddess of the North Wind. A chilly wind began to blow. It took the form of a giant goddess and spread wings of ice over the Sand Worm. The Sand Worm waspletely frozen.

    ¡°Did we get it?¡¯

    They were wrong. Something was off. The first to sense that was Karin, who had manifested the spell. She said with an angry voice, ¡°This thing has resistance to ice magic!¡±

    There was no other way to put it than to say it was bad luck. One would not know this until one had faced the monster directly. Unfortunately, the Sand Worm seemed to have a strong resistance to ice magic.

    <i>Crack! Crack! </i>

    The ice began to break, and the injured Tanks¡¯ stamina rapidly decreased. Just as the frozen Sand Worm wriggled and moved again, it suddenly mmed its head into the ground, seemingly trying to escape back into the sand.

    At that critical moment, Egan desperately shouted, ¡°No!!! Jason!¡±

    However, something weird happened. The Sand Worm, with its head buried in the ground, was not moving anymore.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had arrived on the surface when the Ice Wizard Karin had frozen the Sand Worm. The Sand Worm had sessfully resisted the magic and tried to escape into the sand, taking the Healer with its sucker-like mouth. It was then that Jin-Hyeok realized.

    <i>¡®This is a setup for me! Egan, just how far are you thinking in terms of livestreaming?¡¯</i>

    Egan¡¯s ability to envision the bigger picture for the livestream wasmendable.

    <i>¡®Since I attacked mboyantly and powerfully for the previous Sand Worm...¡¯</i>

    This time, Jin-Hyeok decided to go for a different approach. Reading his mind better than anyone, Miri whispered,

    -I will do it discreetly. I will enjoy your head deliciously...!

    The golden beam from earlier had been just for show. It felt a bit forced. However, this time was different. Jin-Hyeok created the invisible and powerful Hammer Force and shot it out. This was closer to his original style of attack.

    Without the cumbersome mboyance, his energy operated much more naturally. It was swift and agile like Sword Aura, but not as agile as his Ferocity Skill. It was a much more blunt and heavy force of destruction. None of the Avengers Army could properly see Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attack.

    -I enjoyed it. It was blissfully delicious.

    Jin-Hyeok was also content with this attack. <i>¡®There was absolutely no error!¡¯</i>

    Earlier, there had been a deviation of 0.2 centimeters.

    <i>¡®This was a perfect attack.¡¯</i>

    He felt a sense of aplishment and enjoyed the feeling of growth.

    After a bit of time, the yers of the Avengers Army realized that the Sand Worm was dead. Egan rewound the recorded footage to understand what had happened.

    <i>¡®Ah...!¡¯</i>

    Only then did he see it. Far away, Chul-Soo had swung his hammer.

    <i>¡®An invisible, powerful attack flew in,¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    It was not visible to the naked eye, but the footage somewhat revealed it. When the yers dug into the ground, they found the Sand Worm¡¯s head cleanly evaporated. After Jin-Hyeok had defeated the previous Sand Worm, a huge sand pit had formed around it, but this time, there was no such phenomenon. Only the Sand Worm¡¯s head was cleanly gone. And Jason was found unconscious.

    ¡°Jason!¡±

    He was unconscious but seemed to have suffered no major injuries.

    In the meantime, Chul-Soo approached Egan and said, ¡°Thank you! You¡¯re really sincere about your livestream.¡±

    <i>¡®To set up the stage so dramatically at such a dramatic timing to save the Healer! It was worth coborating!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°I had no idea you were this serious about livestreaming. Honestly, I¡¯m moved,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    <i>¡®...I moved him?¡¯ </i>Egan thought. He was at a loss for words.

    ***

    Navigators were usually a step away from directbat. Because of this, ck Panther had noticed Chul-Soo¡¯s party returning much quicker than other yers. He also clearly saw Chul-Soo swinging his hammer. Initially, it seemed like Chul-Soo was just swinging at the air, but upon seeing the result, ck Panther could not help but gulp. He could ept that Chul-Soo¡¯s attacks could be mboyant and destructive, something akin to themon Trait of powerful damage-dealing yers.

    <i>¡®But... that attack was almost invisible...¡¯ </i>ck Panther thought.

    It was barely visible even to a Navigator¡¯s eyes. Strong destructive power usually meant a shy and noticeable presence. The concentration of power should have made it easier to dodge, a simple logic.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo has the destructive power of wide-area damage-dealing yers, the precision of Sniper yers, and even the stealth of an Assassin?!¡¯</i>

    He came to a fitting conclusion.

    <i>¡®He must possess a Divine Weapon.¡¯</i>

    A Divine Weapon was something that yers called the weapon of Gods. It was publicly known that Chul-Soo had upgraded his Rule Breaker, but ck Panther believed that was not all. No doubt about it, Chul-Soo was a possessor of a Divine Weapon.

    <i>¡®But this is unexpected.¡¯</i>

    ck Panther did not particrly like Chul-Soo. He thought of Chul-Soo as someone who used even arade¡¯s death as livestream content, a form of entertainment. Even when Chul-Sooid the chrysanthemum flowers at the graves of the deceased Avengers Army members, it felt too repugnant to bear.

    At least Egan showed the grief of a human being, but Chul-Soo did not seem to mourn at all in ck Panther¡¯s eyes.

    <i>¡®But he recovered the bodies...¡¯</i>

    The bodies had been carried out inside coffins crafted by Mok Jae-Hyeon. Having faced the Sand Worm himself, ck Panther knew well how much effort and dedication it would have taken to aplish that within the Sand Worm¡¯s habitat.

    Egan and the Avengers Army gathered around the coffins.

    Egan, representing the group, opened the coffin lid and confirmed the deceased. ¡°Michael... Paul...¡±

    The yers of the Avengers Army teared up. These were indeed their fallenrades.

    ¡°Thank you, Chul-Soo...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok casually shrugged and waited for the Avengers Army to observe a moment of silence. The y with these individuals felt extraordinarily strange. Commemorating someone¡¯s death inside a Dungeon was usually considered a luxury. In Dungeons, yers had to advance even if their family had died. Hesitation for even a second could mean life or death for someone else.

    <i>¡®A moment of silence... Hm...¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Han Sae-Rin seemed a bit displeased. She whispered to Jin-Hyeok, ¡°Hey, we have already spent thirty seconds. Anything could happen in thirty seconds, and we¡¯re mourning? What the hell is going on? Shouldn¡¯t we close the coffin lids and continue ying?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you say something?¡±

    Jin-Hyeokrgely agreed with her words, in his head at least. However, he spoke differently. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a moment.¡±

    ¡°...Why?¡±

    <i>¡®Why are you acting unlike your ordinary self?¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes were filled with questions.

    ¡°Uh... Um...¡± Jin-Hyeok himself did not quite understand why he did not mind this moment of silence, but he didn¡¯t know how to exin. So, he resorted to a universal excuse. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure, but people seem to like this kind of scene.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so this is for your livestream?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, guys!¡± Sae-Rin ryed this information to Jin-Sol, Jae-Hyeon, and Kim Jeong-Hyeon, and as if they had been waiting for this exnation, they all nodded. Now, they all seemed to ept the situation.

    Jin-Hyeok swallowed a thought.

    <i>¡®Honestly, this ce does not seem too difficult.¡¯</i>

    Having traversed numerous Dungeons, he had developed a sense of these things. He could tell whether a Dungeon was difficult or not. He genuinely felt confident that even with minimal effort, they could clear this one easily.

    <i>¡®But I shouldn¡¯t say that out loud.¡¯</i>

    idents often happened when least expected. Carelessness could lead to irreversible consequences.

    <i>¡®And I¡¯m not a Navigator!¡¯</i>

    With this resolve to not rely on such premonitions, Jin-Hyeok refocused on his initial goal.

    ***

    Regaining hisposure, ck Panther resumed his role as the Navigator. ¡°Once we pass this sandy beach, a jungle-like Field will appear. If we travel through it for a few days, we will reach an ancient temple. You might already know this if you have watched Egan¡¯s previous livestream. However, just as the Sand Worms were an unexpected factor, there could be other variables in the jungle Field.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised his hand. ¡°If the main Field is inside the ancient temple, how about entrusting the guidance through the jungle to a former Navigator?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Uh, he seems slightly displeased. In such cases, a good thwack in the head usually does the trick.¡¯ </i>Though that thought crossed his mind, Jin-Hyeok thought about what was better for his livestream and decided not to act upon it.

    It was the duty of the Streamer to think about how to make the livestream more interesting and how to make the viewers more convinced. Jin-Hyeok added ament. ¡°No, I¡¯m not disregarding your ability as a Navigator. A Navigator needs physical strength and concentration. It¡¯s better if you conserve your energy.¡±

    ck Panther slightly frowned but then nodded. He agreed because what Chul-Soo said made sense.

    ¡°Alright then. There are several animal-type monsters in this area. The most dangerous among them is the Red-wed ck Bear, with a Level in the early 200s. It is a brute-force monster, so engaging it directly will be quite draining. I rmend avoiding the Red-wed ck Bear¡¯s territory,¡± ck Panther exined.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sae-Rin heavily sighed. ¡°What¡¯s this about conserving energy in a Dungeon?¡±

 Chapter 235

    <h4>Chapter 235</h4>

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± ck Panther was confused by Han Sae-Rin¡¯s provocative words. Her attitude and tone were markedly different from how they were when she talked to Kim Chul-Soo. To ck Panther, Sae-Rin appeared like a person with a dual personality.

    ¡°I saw it in your previous video. The Red-wed ck Bear is the top predator here, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. That is why avoiding it is the logical choice.¡±

    ¡°Why is that logical?¡± Sae-Rin genuinely could not understand ck Panther. ¡°Then it means there are no annoying monsters around its habitat. So, we should head in that direction.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°Defeating one strong monster is less bothersome than killing several weaker ones.¡±

    ¡°What if that one monster is excessively strong?¡±

    ¡°Even so, it won¡¯t be stronger than the White Jade Armor Knight, right?¡± Sae-Rin wondered why ck Panther would try to avoid the weaker Red-wed ck Bear when they were here to defeat the White Jade Armor Knight.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but what about managing the stamina of our party members?¡±

    ¡°Also, the key to clearing the Dungeon could be hidden in the territory of the strongest monster. I don¡¯t understand why you want to avoid it,¡± Sae-Rin replied. If there were two paths, it was wise to choose the one with the higher difficulty. In the Korean Region, this wasmon sense. ¡°Who exactly taught you how to y?¡±

    ck Panther also wanted to ask her the same. What seemed obvious in the Korean Region was not so in the American Region. The European and American Regions tended to prioritize safety over efficient y.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s somewhat unfortunate that the Red-wed ck Bear hunts alone,¡± Sae-Rin continued.

    <i>¡®Unfortunate? Isn¡¯t it fortunate that the monster acts alone? Is the Automatic Trantion Orb broken or something?¡¯</i> ck Panther thought. It took him a while, but he finally understood what she was trying to say. <i>¡®She¡¯s upset because she can¡¯t hunt them in packs?¡¯</i>

    The Saint of Freedom, the Wood King, and the Martial King also seemed to think it was <i>unfortunate</i>. If the monsters were gathered in one ce, the yers could deal with them more quickly.

    <i>¡®Everyone in Chul-Soo¡¯s party is crazy.¡¯</i>

    Surprisingly, Chul-Soo appeared to be the most normal of them all.

    But then ck Panther saw Chul-Soo murmur to his hammer, ¡°Okay, okay. I will make sure you can smash the monster''s head. Just wait a little. Who¡¯s a good hammer?¡±

    ck Panther could not believe that this maniac was the most normal of them all.

    ***

    <strong>[You have entered the Jungle Field of the Haeundae Dungeon.]</strong>

    The Field was rather friendly.

    <strong>[You have entered the Red-wed ck Bear¡¯s Habitat in the Jungle Field.]</strong>

    The underbrush grew denser, and therge trees bore w marks as if a beast had scratched them. They seemed to be territory markings of the Red-wed ck Bear.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s start ying in our style,¡± Chul-Soo said.

    Only then did the expressions of Chul-Soo¡¯s party members brighten, as though things would not be boring anymore.

    Sae-Rin smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Kim Jeong-Hyeon!¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s style of Dungeon y was about to begin.

    ***

    Jeong-Hyeon punched the tree that had the territory markings of the Red-wed ck Bear. A single punch split this considerably thick and huge tree in two.

    Hickson, the Ruler of the Avengers Army, was astonished. ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡±

    Everyone in Chul-Soo¡¯s party was crazy, so the Avengers Army decided they needed to be the ones who were sane.

    ¡°We will maintain a defensive stance,¡± Hickson added.

    The Red-wed ck Bear was adept at closebat. Direct confrontation with monsters like these was undesirable.

    <i>¡®Why are they causing such amotion if they¡¯re supposed to just guide the way?!¡¯</i>

    Hickson ordered ck Panther to stay extra alert. The monster was quite strong but not particrly stealthy. Hickson repeatedly reminded his party members, ¡°It¡¯s not the Red-wed ck Bear itself that we are afraid of!¡±

    With the capabilities of the Avengers Army, they could easily hunt the Red-wed ck Bear.

    ¡°The important thing is managing our stamina! We cannot afford any injuries. We must conserve our energy until we enter the Abandoned Temple!¡± Hickson continued.

    The y style of Chul-Soo¡¯s party felt ipatible with them. Unaware or indifferent to this, Sae-Rin excitedly said, ¡°There. That one, that one, and that one.¡±

    White ¡®X¡¯ marks appeared on the trees she pointed at. It was one of the basic skills of a Ruler, allowing them to mark specific points.

    Jeong-Hyeon threw his punches, and the trees shattered. One could feel bad for the trees.

    Then Mok Jae-Hyeon summoned vines to clear the shattered trees, clearing a new path.

    Sae-Rin looked at Jin-Hyeok and said with a coy smile, ¡°In a Jungle Field like this, it¡¯s faster to create a path than to find one.¡±

    Her voice and expression implied something like ¡®Am I doing well? Is this how it should be done?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit ufortable again. He did not want to hear such a flirtatious voice. However, this was a good exnation for his viewers, so he could not edit this part out.

    ¡°Creating such a wide-open space allows us to clearly see any monster attacks,¡± Sae-Rin said. The Red-wed ck Bear was not one to use stealth attacks. ¡°Speaking of the devil, there is one far over there.¡±

    At the end of the cleared path, they could see a Red wed ck Bear. Maintaining his focus, Hickson told his party members, ¡°The monster is going to attack the Martial King first! Since he has excellent defensive abilities, we are going to unleash our strongest attacks and finish it in one blow!¡±

    It was the best possible choice for the Avengers Army.

    ***

    ck Panther found Sae-Rin¡¯s strategy a bit odd. Her strategy was to create a path if there was none. The Navigators he knew were those who found paths, not created them.

    <i>¡®Ah. Now that I think about it...¡¯ </i>ck Panther thought.

    Although she was currently a Ruler, ck Panther remembered hearing about Sae-Rin¡¯s previous Job. She was formerly known as the Secret Destroyer.

    <i>¡®So that¡¯s why she was called the Secret Destroyer.¡¯</i>

    On the newly created path, the Avengers Army followed Hickson¡¯s orders and tried to conserve their energy while fighting the monster. In contrast, Chul-Soo¡¯s party seemed to pay no heed to such matters.

    ¡°Forgive... me... bear... friend...¡± Jeong-Hyeon charged forward like a rhinoceros, resembling a tank.

    <i>¡®If he charges in like that, he is definitely going to get injured...!¡¯ </i>Hickson thought as his eyes widened.

    The Red-wed ck Bear was known to be strong in physicalbat. Rushing headlong into such a monster would result in injuries. Although those injuries could be minor, they could umte and negatively impact the entire expedition.

    <i>¡®What are they thinking?! Why isn¡¯t the Ruler stopping him?!¡¯</i>

    But then, something strange happened. The Red-wed ck Bear, known for its extreme hostility toward humans, fled as if it were overwhelmed. For Hickson, it was a shocking sight.

    Jeong-Hyeon approached Chul-Soo with a sigh of relief. ¡°It... ran... away...¡±

    Then, he muttered to himself. ¡°It... was so cute... I... didn¡¯t want to... kill it... Lucky...¡±

    Jeong-Hyeon, an animal lover, had a soft spot for animal-type monsters. Nheless, the Red-wed ck Bear had fled, and the threat was gone. For the Avengers Army, who had prepared for a fierce battle, it was a bewildering turn of events.

    When his party rxed, Hickson reminded them, ¡°As everyone knows, we were just lucky. There was a good chance it could have charged at us. Stay alert!¡¯

    Meanwhile, Jeong-Hyeon destroyed every tree Sae-Rin pointed out. Sweating and smiling with enjoyment, he swung his fists.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    An explosion sounded.

    ¡°Oops... mistake...¡±

    In his excitement, he had failed to control his strength properly, obliterating a tree and leaving it barely recognizable.

    Egan Paul, who was filming all this, eximed, ¡°W-What a tremendous destructive power! What¡¯s astonishing is that despite demonstrating such a force, he does not seem tired at all. He is amazing!¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok also filmed the events in his own way. ¡°Ah, look. He failed to control his strength andpletely destroyed the tree. That was not what our Ruler asked for. He still has a lot to learn.¡±

    ***

    Notifications rang out to all the party members.

    <strong>[You have destroyed all the Territory Trees of the Red-wed ck Bear.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have fulfilled the condition of the Hidden Achievement ?Exiling the Jungle King?.]</strong>

    While everyone was taken aback, ck Panther felt even more disconcerted.

    <i>¡®Was she right all along?¡¯</i>

    He caught Sae-Rin¡¯s confident expression. It looked like she was saying to him, ¡®See, I told you that it¡¯s better to target the stronger monster first. And by just destroying things and making a path, things tend to work out!¡¯

    ck Panther¡¯s pride was hurt by her expression, but as a Navigator, he feltpelled to ask, ¡°...You knew?¡±

    ¡°Knew what?¡±

    ¡°That destroying the trees marked as territories would yield the Hidden Achievement? Is that why you didn¡¯t kill the monster?¡±

    ¡°Do you think anyone ys knowing all that?¡± Sae-Rin looked at ck Panther as if he were foolish. ¡°If I knew that, wouldn¡¯t I have all the Hidden Achievements in the world?¡±

    ¡°But...¡± To ck Panther, Sae-Rin seemed like someone who knew everything. He wanted to ask how she had figured it out and what insights and observations she had made.

    ¡°Hey, you think too much. Just do it, and something will happen,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too risky?¡±

    She replied with a sigh, ¡°If a Dungeon is not dangerous, is it even a Dungeon? You¡¯re being too cautious.¡±

    ¡°...¡± ck Panther felt as if he had been struck on the head. He had never thought this way before. He had always focused on ensuring safety and carefully clearing Dungeons. Thanks to this, the mortality rate among his party members had been very low.

    <i>¡®...It¡¯s like I¡¯m beginning to see a new style of y...¡¯</i>

    He felt a sense of enlightenment, but it also felt like stepping into forbidden territory, so he had to be cautious.

    <i>¡®First, let¡¯s check the Hidden Achievement effect.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Mark of the Jungle King]</strong>

    <strong>[The Jungle King marked its territory with strong, sharp ws. </strong>

    <strong>You can now mark a territory using the power of the Jungle King.</strong>

    <strong>Usage count: 1/1]</strong>

    A w-shaped item was sent to each yer¡¯s inventory. Hickson, as a Ruler, decided to try the item. w marks appeared on a nearby tree.

    <strong>[A Territory of the King has been created.]</strong>

    A green mana line formed a circle around Hickson with a radius of about one meter. It was a kind of barrier that seemed to create a safety zone.

    Jin-Hyeok continued with the livestream. ¡°This item seems to form a barrier, preventing monsters from approaching a yer. It might not seem useful right now, but it could be usefulter. Let¡¯s proceed and see.¡±

    Guided by Sae-Rin, Jin-Hyeok moved forward. To ck Panther¡¯s astonishment, they managed to reach the Abandoned Temple in just one day. They managed to save not only their physical stamina but also their mental stamina.

    Jin-Hyeok was quite satisfied. <i>¡®No difficult sections at all, just smooth progress.¡¯</i>

    They even obtained a Hidden Achievement along the way, perfectly aligning with his livestream concept. So far, everything had gone smoothly. They decided to rest for a day at this location.

    ***

    The next morning, Jin-Hyeok thought, <i>¡®This is where it gets crucial.¡¯</i>

    Both the Avengers Army and Chul-Soo¡¯s party stood in front of the temple.

    ¡°It appears to be an ancient temple built with stones. Its overall shape resembles a pyramid. Moss and mold are growing all over the temple, indicating its old age. There is a tall staircase leading up to the entrance of the building,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to execute his n, one he had not shared with anyone in the Avengers Army.

 Chapter 236

    <h4>Chapter 236</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concept for this livestream could be summarized in one word: Munchkin.

    <i>¡®Now, the real game begins.¡¯</i>

    The fourth floor of the Abandoned Temple was the boss room of the White Jade Armor Knight.

    <i>¡®The coolest way to kill the boss monster would be to go solo.¡¯</i>

    That was the only way to fit the concept of the livestream.

    <i>¡®But what if the Avengers Army won¡¯t let me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had brought in the Avengers Army just to make up the numbers. The White Jade Armor Knight, which he desired to beat, would appear only if they matched the number of entrants from thest expedition. As that requirement had been fulfilled, Jin-Hyeok now had to find a decent excuse to enter the temple alone.

    <i>¡®I bet they want to go in with me.¡¯</i>

    The White Jade Armor Knight was the boss monster that the Avengers Army had failed to defeatst time. Any decent yer would naturally want to try to defeat it again. Jin-Hyeok would feel the same, wanting to jump right in.

    Not many situations made a yer¡¯s heart race like a boss monster raid. Plus, having faced it once before, the Avengers Army would find the monster much easier to defeat this time. For them, this could be easy content.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry, guys. I feel like I¡¯m taking all the fun away from you.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit guilty, but it could not be helped. He had to separate personal matters from business.

    Thinking about how to go in there alone, Jin-Hyeok said to Egan Paul, ¡°I will infiltrate the temple first to scout and thene back.¡±

    ¡°...You?¡± Egan seemed skeptical.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to be more assertive. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a Streamer, after all.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok instantly regretted speaking those words. Even saying that he was a Navigator would have made more sense, but instead, he had told the truth.

    As though he was trying to make an excuse, Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°I have skills for undercover reporting. My scouting can prevent needless sacrifices. If possible, I will try to learn about the patterns of the White Jade Armor Knight too.¡±

    ¡°...No, there is no need for you to overdo it.¡±

    <i>¡®This guy, he is wary of me hogging the content. Was he thinking of sharing the content only up to this point?¡¯ </i>While Jin-Hyeok thought so, Egan was impressed.

    <i>¡®Undercover reporting? By himself?¡¯</i>

    Egan knew Chul-Soo¡¯s extraordinary abilities, but having such skills did not mean anyone could show such courage. He thought of why Chul-Soo was volunteering to be reckless.

    <i>¡®He is trying to protect us all.¡¯</i>

    Four of Egan¡¯srades had died in thest expedition. Chul-Soo going in by himself was like him saying, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, this time no one will die. I will make sure of it.¡¯

    Even ck Panther felt slightly moved. <i>¡®Chul-Soo... I think I might have misunderstood you.¡¯ </i>

    His mind had changed when Chul-Soo had bravely entered the Sand Worm¡¯s territory and carried out two of the deceased members of the Avengers Army in coffins.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is more devout on this expedition than anyone. He is not just a crazy Streamer!¡¯</i>

    Egan and ck Panther deeply admired him, and Kang Eun-Woo filmed the whole scene in <i>ghost mode</i>.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead then,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Good luck. We will wait for you right here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hid his excitement. He was relieved that they had agreed more easily than expected. He tried hard to hide his happiness, maintaining a solemn expression.

    Egan and ck Panther watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s lonely back as he ascended the stairs, while Eun-Woo excitedly kept hitting the shutter button.

    <i>¡®Great expression!¡¯</i>

    The ancient temple covered in moss, the lonely back of a hero climbing the stairs alone, and the admiration of the official number one ranked Streamer and the Navigator of the Avengers Army for that said hero made Eun-Woo¡¯s photos even more beautiful.

    <i>¡®What a sight!¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo was already excited about posting these videos and photos on Chul-Soo¡¯s official Enstagram ount.

    Meanwhile, Chul-Soo finally reached the entrance at the top of the stairs.

    <strong>[You are entering the Field ?Abandoned Temple?.]</strong>

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve sessfully made them wait for me!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had managed to give a dramatic performance and found a legitimate reason to enter the Field alone.

    <i>¡®After all, soloing a Dungeon is the most fun.¡¯</i>

    His heart was pounding with excitement.

    ***

    (Picture)

    <strong>202,110 Likes</strong>

    <strong>official_chulsoo Chul-Soo ascending the stairs alone</strong>.<strong> </strong> more

    -Look at how he is shining just from the back. It¡¯s amazing!

    -What kind of life must one lead to do that?

    -Isn¡¯t it going to be dangerous if the White Jade Armor Knight shows up while he is doing this?

    -No! We must absolutely protect our Chul-Soo!

    Eun-Woo was surprised. <i>¡®Wow, the number of likes is increasing faster than usual!¡¯</i>

    Apparently, the noble sacrifice of taking on danger for the sake of one¡¯s party members resonated well with the public. Eun-Woo also added an extra photo of Egan and ck Panther genuinely admiring Chul-Soo.

    It looks like Egan and ck Panther have fallen for Chul-Soo, LOL!

    -Anyone would fall for him, right?

    -Even as a guy, I find him incredibly attractive.

    -Wow, what must it feel like to live like that?

    For Eun-Woo, this was a very encouraging result.

    <i>¡®This time, the response from male followers is particrly hot.¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo had been a bit concerned before. Usually, on Enstagram, Chul-Soo had significantly more female than male users, and the female followers were much more active than the male ones. However, this time, with the ¡®hero climbing the stairs alone under a heavy burden¡¯ concept, the response from the men was tremendous.

    Eun-Woo¡¯s heart raced. <i>¡®Chul-Soo is a next-generation superstar appealing to people of all ages and genders!¡¯</i>

    For him, Chul-Soo was such an entity.

    <i>¡®There are new followers from all over the universe.¡¯</i>

    With just a few photos and a couple of videos, Chul-Soo had managed to elicit such a reaction.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going to happen when the actual video is released? Especially when the story and narrative with ck Panther are disclosed?¡¯</i>

    The thought alone was overwhelming for Eun-Woo. However, as with all social media posts, it was not just positivements.

    -I will take down this crazy guy myself.

    Eun-Woo slightly frowned. Suchments were easier just to delete.

    <strong>[Delete]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh? Is something wrong with the System?¡¯</i>

    Despite multiple attempts, he could not delete thement.

    <i>¡®What is going on?¡¯</i>

    ***

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok entered the Abandoned Temple, Miri kept urging him on.

    -Please tell me you are going to use me.

    He answered affirmatively, but the weapon seemed not to trust himpletely.

    -Please. You must handle me roughly...!

    <i>¡®Alright, alright. I told you I will.¡¯</i>

    Miri continuously nagged him as if it had been fooled all its life, and Jin-Hyeok started to walk while holding it.

    -Ah... Feels so good!

    Miri eximed with ecstasy.

    The first floor was popted with mid-Level 100 monsters in abundance. Killing them all seemed unnecessary, but he diligently engaged in the hunt anyway.

    <strong>[You have defeated the Gold Skeleton Warrior.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have defeated the Gold Skeleton Archer.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have defeated the Gold Skeleton Hound.]</strong>

    Nothing special happened. He just smashed the heads of the undead-type monsters that appeared before him. Miri was exhrated and enjoyed the experience, and so did Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®This feeling!¡¯</i>

    Anyone who had experienced this sensation once would understand how Jin-Hyeok felt. The thrilling sensation of bing one with Miri was immensely pleasurable.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think the first floor has any more monsters.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok found the stairs and went up to the second floor. This floor had slightly stronger tinum Skeleton monsters. They were in theirte Level 100s, but not too difficult to kill.

    <i>¡®The Avengers Army guys were a bit dramatic.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered seeing in Egan¡¯s video that they struggled here. The monsters on the second floor regenerated quite fast, and the members of the Avengers Army had used a lot of their energy here.

    However, when Jin-Hyeok killed the monsters, he realized it was just for show.

    <i>¡®They don¡¯t regenerate if you smash them properly.¡¯</i>

    If the monsters¡¯ heads were shattered, they did not regenerate. Jin-Hyeok thought that Hickson and ck Panther probably knew this, but they had intentionally made it look difficult for Egan¡¯s content.

    <i>¡®It must have been really hard to act like these monsters are strong...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok understood that making something that was not difficult look like it was, was quite a challenge. Simply smashing the monsters was much easier. Eventually, he found the stairs leading to the third floor.

    <strong>[You have entered the third floor.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Oh!¡¯</i>

    The air on the third floor was different. When Jin-Hyeok breathed deeply, it seemed like a colorless, odorless poison was dispersed in the air. If he had not consumed the Phoenix Heart, he could not have even noticed the poison.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The me inside him relentlessly burned the poison that had prated his body. The poison was stronger than expected, making his breathing a bit rough.

    <i>¡®There was no such poison when the Avengers Army entered the floor.¡¯</i>

    However, this was not a major concern. Jin-Hyeok was aware that many variables could arise in a Dungeon from entering alone. This was hardly a variable to be concerned about.

    [¡°How dare you disturb the Queen¡¯s sleep?¡±]

    A Lich revealed itself. At the same time, an object resembling a small meteor fell toward his head. When Jin-Hyeok saw that, his heart raced.

    It was every man¡¯s dream to get hit by a meteor.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t resist this.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not taken a single hit on his way here. However, this seemed like something he had to experience firsthand. It was a meteor after all.

    ***

    The second-inmand of the Swamnd Crew, Swamnd No.2, made a vow. ¡°I will definitely kill Chul-Soo and return.¡±

    ¡°Our goal isn¡¯t just that. No.3 would not want that either.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Killing Chul-Soo was a secondary objective. The Swamnd Crew was a group of yer Hunters, and their primary aim was to seize the abilities of other Awakened yers.

    ¡°Many VIPs desire Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities. You know that, right?¡± Swamnd No.1 said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Swamnd No.2 replied.

    ¡°Bring both his face and body back intact.¡±

    ¡°That might be difficult.¡± Swamnd No.2 bit his lip. ¡°I intend to mutte him so much that it would be hard to recognize his corpse.¡±

    After all, Chul-Soo had killed his brother. He would not simply kill the Streamer and let him off easily.

    ¡°It¡¯s a request from Lady Harkoen,¡± Swamnd No.1 said.

    Swamnd No.2 frowned. ¡°That crazy doll collector again?¡±

    ¡°She seems quite fascinated by Chul-Soo.¡±

    Lady Harkoen was one of the noblewomen of the Arvis Server and a VVIP of the Swamnd Crew. Her hobby was collecting the bodies of young and handsome men and turning them into dolls for her disy.

    ¡°She has paid an advance of one hundred billion Dias. And another one hundred billion Dias is promised upon the sess of the mission.¡±

    ¡°...I will do my best.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is headed to the Haeundae Dungeon. I will wait for an opportunity and strike there.¡± Swamnd No.2 was confident.

    Swamnd No.1 also trusted him considerably. ¡°If it¡¯s you... it might be possible.¡±

    Swamnd No.3 was a bit weakerpared to the other members of the Swamnd Crew. His only asset was his speed, and it was difficult for someone strong in only one aspect to face yers above a certain Level.

    In contrast, Swamnd No.2 had a variety of weapons. He was also the one with the most outstanding performance in the Swamnd Crew. He excelled in using terrain to his advantage, and his abilities were especially amplified in Dungeons.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo... This is as far as you go. We won¡¯t be careless anymore. You won¡¯te out from the Haeundae Dungeon alive. I know Swamnd No.2 is my brother, but he is cunning and meticulous. From the third floor onward, you will be in serious trouble.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®A meteor!¡¯</i>

    On the third floor, Jin-Hyeok got even more excited.

    The Lich, seemingly a monster with Level in the early 200s, wielded a surprisingly powerful destruction spell. However, this did not matter to him.

    <i>¡®How much impact will it have?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok took the hit with Absolute Barrier. The result was severely disappointing.

    <i>¡®What?¡¯</i>

    The meteor, which looked shy on the outside,cked destructive power. Upon contact with Absolute Barrier, it simply vanished.

    <i>¡®Was that just an appetizer?¡¯</i>

    The Lich continued chanting non-stop. Jin-Hyeok decided to wait for something grander. Leaving the Lich alive for now, Jin-Hyeok proceeded to deal with the other monsters.

    Meanwhile, the meteors, which were actually arrows, poured down, and something interesting happened.

    <strong>[Absolute Barrier has been partially damaged.]</strong>

    <strong>[Absolute Barrier has been partially damaged.]</strong>

    Each time the arrows hit him, the barrier was slightly damaged. It seemed the arrows had barrier-neutralizing properties. They had almost no killing power but were specialized in destroying barriers.

    <i>¡®A weapon specialized against barriers... I have not seen that in a while.¡¯</i>

    It was as if the attack was tailored for Jin-Hyeok.

    <strong>[Absolute Barrier has been destroyed.]</strong>

    Simultaneously, the Lich cast another meteor spell. Although this spell looked the same as the previous one, it was clearly different. The previous meteor attack was specialized against barriers, but this one had lethal characteristics. Jin-Hyeok could feel the formidable firepower in the conjured magic spell.

    [¡°On those who invade the Queen¡¯s chambers, I bestow eternal death.¡±]

 Chapter 237

    <h4>Chapter 237</h4>

    When Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Absolute Barrier shattered, the lethal attacks came flying at him, giving the feeling that they were waiting for just that moment. It felt like this sequence of attacks was devised for dealing with Initially Awakened Streamers like Jin-Hyeok, which made him feel alive for the first time in a while. To be precise, the situation felt more like a game to him than reality

    <i>¡®This isn¡¯t it...! What a shame.¡¯</i>

    If his y during his Sword King days was fierce and artistic enough to make him feel truly alive, this experience made him feel more like he was visiting an amusement park.

    <i>¡®Well, my livestream concept this time is more about fun anyway. I guess I can show my intense y forter content.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not feel any sense of crisis.

    <i>¡®Who would get hit by such slow attacks, no matter how powerful they are?¡¯</i>

    No matter how strong an attack was, if it could not hit him, it would not do any damage. Following the arrows with the meteor spell was a good choice, but the sequence of attacks had to happen simultaneously to deal damage.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s the use of breaking my Absolute Barrier if I can just cast it again?¡¯</i>

    Barriers were meant to be broken. There was no such thing as an unbreakable barrier. In every fight, the attacker was supposed to break the barrier and the defender was supposed to restore it. This should happen fluidly like running water, but the gap between the attacks of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current opponent was too big.

    <i>¡®But still, I shouldn¡¯t cast it again.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had never thought Absolute Barrier was the answer to everything. Now that the barrier was broken, it was time to check his defensive capabilities.

    <i>¡®There is no need for me to use Time-Lapse Recording since I am going to get hit by it anyway.¡¯</i>

    The thought of being hit by a meteor attack cast by a Lich was somewhat exciting.

    The meteor struck his head.

    <i>¡®Wow!¡¯</i>

    There was a slightly dizzy feeling. It was not very painful, but he felt like his head was being heavily pressed down.

    <i>¡®Should I deflect it?¡¯</i>

    The attack was almost vertical, so dodging it by slightly altering its trajectory seemed easy.

    <i>¡®No, I have to withstand this.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok braced his legs and core and decided to endure the meteor. It felt fun, like wrestling.

    <i>¡®So, this is the damage from a magic attack of this level.¡¯</i>

    Calling it damage would be overselling it. The attack made him feel like he had spun around ten times in a row. It was not at the level he was expecting, but it was not devoid of fun either.

    <i>¡®But... what about that figure lurking in the shadow on the wall? It doesn¡¯t seem like an Assassin.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could sense something akin to hostility, but it was not an outright killing intent. If it were killing intent, he would have immediately used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight to identify and deal with whoever that was. However, it did not seem that serious. Still, someone had crawled all the way here to intensely stare at him, with a gaze very strong but devoid of any killing intent.

    <i>¡®Could it be...?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok reached a usible conclusion.

    <i>¡®A stalker?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Swamnd No.2 was adept at utilizing the terrain and manipting elements within Dungeons, which was a significant advantage in dangerous Dungeons. He was the one who had created and manipted the Sand Worms in the early part of the Haeundae Dungeon.

    <i>¡®I knew the Sand Worms would not be able to defeat Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>Swamnd No.2 thought.

    It was merely a ploy to gauge Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities.

    <i>¡®I needed monsters neither too weak nor too strong to make you reveal your abilities, and Sand Worms were tricky enough to do just that.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 never believed in rumors. He had to see and understand things for himself to be satisfied.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s offensive capabilities are quite remarkable. Much more than what the world knows.¡¯</i>

    However, that did not concern him. Unknowns were scary, but once known, they could be countered.

    <i>¡®And... he is intoxicated with heroism.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had gone out of his way, though it was not much of a hassle for him, to enter the habitat of the Sand Worms and retrieve two yers¡¯ corpses. Also, his party had not put the corpses in their inventory; instead, one of them had carried the corpses on his back. This showed that Chul-Soo¡¯s party valued ceremony and formality. All this yed into Swamnd No.2¡¯s hands.

    <i>¡®And he tries hard to minimize damage.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2¡¯s attacks with both Sand Worms had one thing inmon: there were no casualties.

    <i>¡®With such firepower, he showed delicate and precise control to avoid injuring his party members.¡¯</i>

    This could look easy on the outside, but required intense concentration. Unbeknownst to many, it drained physical and mental strength. An experienced and seasoned yer would not act the way Chul-Soo did. Letting teammates get slightly injured and leaving the healing to the Healers was more cost-effective.

    Swamnd No.2 came to a conclusion. <i>¡®His abilities are outstanding, but he is still naive.¡¯</i>

    This made Chul-Soo much easier to handle.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t kill him.¡¯</i>

    Lady Harkoen¡¯s request could not be ignored. A whopping two hundred billion Dias were at stake. Swamnd No.2 desperately suppressed his killing intent, which led Jin-Hyeok to misunderstand Swamnd No.2 as his stalker.

    However, Swamnd No.2 could notpletely hide the killing intent, though he suppressed it rationally. asionally, the umted killing intent seeped out a little. Every time that happened, his heart skipped a beat, but fortunately, Chul-Soo did not seem to have noticed him.

    <i>¡®You have not noticed me at all.¡¯</i>

    This was Swamnd No.2¡¯s misconception. Jin-Hyeok had notpletely missed the killing intent. However, he perceived it as something rtively harmless, akin to a <i>strong gaze </i>rather than a serious threat. It was more like sensing the hostility of a harmless rabbit¡ªnot something to be concerned about.

    To one, it was entertainment; to another, a documentary. The so-called Chul-Soo Law was still very much in effect. Swamnd No.2, who was filming this documentary, was able to confirm a very useful piece of information.

    <i>¡®That strong barrier of yours has quite a long cooldown.¡¯</i>

    He did not know the exact duration, but it was evident there was a cooldown of at least five seconds.

    <i>¡®And you panic when the barrier breaks!¡¯</i>

    After the barrier shattered, Jin-Hyeok had chosen the worst possible move by just taking the falling meteor with his body. This was undoubtedly due to ack of experience. It was a trait often seen in novice yers who were skilled butcked umted experience.

    <i>¡®Perfect!¡¯</i>

    As time passed, Swamnd No.2 felt more of Chul-Soo¡¯s weaknesses being exposed.

    <i>¡®There are hundreds of ways I can exploit you!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Having blocked the meteor with his body, Jin-Hyeok immediately closed the distance and swung Miri at the Lich.

    [¡°You insolent fool!¡±]

    The Lich swung its skeletal staff to block Miri, but the magic staff was no match for the hammer. The staff shattered.

    -Ah... That was satisfying...!

    Miri gulped hard. It seemed quite content with having smashed the skull of the skeletal staff, considering the skull a head nheless.

    ¡°Usually, Liches store their Life Stone elsewhere. So, destroying their body often leads to them resurrecting.¡±

    -The back of the head! Aim for the back of the head!

    The Lich appeared to be a monster specialized in offensive magic. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s swift movements left it struggling to respond, exposing its back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a hit.¡± He swung Miri.

    -Ha... So...Good...!

    Miri exhaled a thrilled breath, clearly excited. It crushed the Lich¡¯s head.

    -Delicious! Give... me more! More! Ah...!

    Jin-Hyeok resolved not to be swayed by Miri¡¯s madness. To his sane mind, Miri was excessively over the top.

    [¡°I will never forgive you!¡±]

    The Lich turned to smoke and disappeared, only to reappear some distance away. Its head was restored as if nothing had happened. Arrows from Skeletal Soldiers flew toward him.

    <i>¡®Poison?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not bother to dodge the poison arrows. After all, he was immune to poison. This was Swamnd No.2 testing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s poison immunity.

    <i>¡®I should just take the hit.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not even use Absolute Barrier. The poison was just a slight sting to him. Focusing on trivial things could distract him from what really mattered. The real goal was to smash the Lich¡¯s head.

    The Lich tried to dodge Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attacks with its teleportation skills, but could not escape his speed.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ve smashed it a second time.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ve smashed it a third time.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°Fourth.¡±

    ...

    ...

    ...

    ¡°Ninth.¡±

    After disappearing and reappearing several times, the Lich glowed green. Dozens ofrge and small magic circles formed around it.

    [¡°I will face you will all my might!¡±]

    The Lich repeatedly exposing its weak point was part of Swamnd No.2¡¯s strategy. He was buying time toplete his magic forms. Jin-Hyeok seemed too preupied with smashing the head to properly activate Absolute Barrier or see the bigger picture.

    However, Jin-Hyeok said this time, ¡°Then I, too, will strike you with all my might.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok vanished. Up until now, it was more like entertainment for him. He had just been fooling around because Miri seemed to enjoy it. But fooling around was inherently exhausting and irrational.

    -Ah...! I¡¯m so happy! This is wonderful...!

    Miri seemed quite pleased too. Jin-Hyeok swung Miri with genuine intent this time. He could not simply tell his viewers that he was fooling around until now, so he eximed, ¡°Nine rehearsals culminate in one shining moment!¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The feeling was vastly different from the previous nine thwacks.

    <i>¡®This feeling...!¡¯</i>

    True mastery was on a different levelpared to the previous feigned attempts. Miri also seemed to be experiencing euphoria, continuously letting out excited breaths.

    <i>¡®This is what it should feel like.¡¯</i>

    The previous nine feigned attempts made this genuine strike feel even more gratifying. The Lich¡¯s head shattered once again.

    [¡°It¡¯s usele¡ª¡±]

    However, it was not useless.

    ***

    Swamnd No.2 widened his eyes in shock. <i>¡®What the hell?¡¯</i>

    There were traditionally two ways to deal with a Lich. The first and most standard method was to find and destroy the hidden Life Stone. This was the most efficient and easiest way. The second method involved using transcendental attacks that exceeded the <i>set parameters</i>¡ªusing an attack of a high enough grade that it could break the condition that a Lich was annihted only when the Life Stone was shattered. The second method was typically possible for only absolute beings, so it was notmonly applicable.

    <i>¡®I need to stay calm.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 had never thought the Lich would capture Chul-Soo. This was still a phase of gathering information.

    <i>¡®He struck it ten times.¡¯</i>

    If it had been easy, Chul-Soo would have done it in one hit.

    <i>¡®He must have a special power that creates a massive explosion after hitting the same spot ten times.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 observed that Chul-Soo persistently targeted only the back of the Lich¡¯s head. He had opportunities to strike elsewhere but chose not to. This meant that even his tremendous attack came with significant limitations.

    <i>¡®Phew. It¡¯s a relief I figured it out now.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 now knew that being struck continuously ten times in the same spot would be dangerous. He absolutely could not allow the same spot to be hit more than nine times.

    As Swamnd No.2 continued to umte information on Chul-Soo, an explosion erupted from the wall.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    ¡°It seems like the Life Stone was hidden in that wall,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. When he smashed the Lich¡¯s head, its Life Stone exploded alongside it. He approached the exploded wall and swung Miri.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    There was a hidden space behind the wall.

    ¡°Oh, there seems to be a treasure chest there.¡±

    <i>Thud!</i>

    A giant stone fell, blocking the entrance. Soon after, a voice was heard.

    [¡°You will never be able to open that chest. You will wither and die here with me... Eternal glory... to the Queen...¡±]

    The voice of the Lich was no longer heard. It seemed that opening that chest was the only way out of there.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s like an escape room.¡¯</i>

    The chest appeared to have a powerful barrier, strong enough to make the Lich confident.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try opening the chest.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery Unleashing Technique.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok opened the chest.

 Chapter 238

    <h4>Chapter 238</h4>

    In Cheongdam-dong, Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop had be a ce of remarkable interest. At the center of the workshop¡¯s high-end viewing room, a girl in a school uniformughed on the sofa. ¡°Hehe!¡±

    This girl was Kim Min-Ji, the Mad God of Favoritism. She seemed content as she ate her potato chips while watching a videobeled ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s Unaired Videos¡¯ on the screen hung on the wall.

    In a proud tone, she murmured to herself, ¡°The Unleashing Technique can unlock any chest!¡±

    Stealthily observing this, Jang Michelle cautiously said to Gap-Soo, ¡°She looks just like an ordinary young girl.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Michelle would have never believed that this schoolgirl was the infamous Mad God of Favoritism, had she not seen the god herself.

    <i>¡®She is incredible. To think she can easily hack into the System...¡¯ </i>Michelle thought.

    Although Michelle had heard it was possible, seeing it was an entirely different experience. She could not believe they were watching the video Kim Chul-Soo was currently recording. Despite the video having a lower quality and them being unable to donate to Chul-Soo, both she and Gap-Soo were excited that they could secretly watch a recording in progress.

    ¡°What is inside the chest?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    The poor video quality made it hard to see clearly. Min-Ji tapped her fingers in the air, manipting the screen. The video on the screen paused, and as she zoomed in on the inside of the chest, the quality improved.

    ¡°It¡¯s a tiara,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°A tiara, you say?¡±

    Chul-Soo had found a small tiara inside the chest, shimmering in silver. Min-Ji murmured with slightly unfocused eyes, ¡°Chul-Soo would look really good wearing that.¡±

    ¡°...Chul-Soo, in that?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I also think he would look good in it.¡± Gap-Soo did not contradict Min-Ji¡¯s words, not so much out of fear of her, but more so because he did not want to upset Min-Ji and miss the chance to watch the unaired footage. He was also somewhat curious.

    <i>¡®Does she really think that tiara suits Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo wondered.

    The thoughts of the Mad God of Favoritism were indeed hard toprehend with ordinary logic.

    Gap-Soo nced at Michelle. <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Something seemed a bit off. Michelle looked inexplicably moved. She sat next to Min-Ji and muttered with a serious expression, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that? The tiara... It would indeed suit him so well...!¡±

    ¡°You think so too?¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°Yes! I had not thought of it, but you have opened my narrow-minded thinking, Min-Ji.¡±

    ¡°You have an exceptional aesthetic sense,¡± Min-Ji replied.

    ¡°You tter me.¡± Michelle chuckled. It seemed that Chul-Soo¡¯s next livestream could include a mission to wear a tiara.

    <i>¡®Would a billion Dias be enough to convince him? If one billion is not enough, perhaps two billion Dias would do it.¡¯ </i>Michelle was unexpectedly happy.

    ***

    ¡°It¡¯s a tiara,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[Tiara of the Abandoned Princess]</strong>

    <strong>[The tiara contains memories of the abandoned princess, Veselity.]</strong>

    It was hard to find anything special in the item description. Kang Eun-Woo gulped and asked, ¡°Chul-Soo, could you try on the tiara?¡±

    ¡°This? Why?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I just want to take a picture of you wearing it.¡±

    A princess-style tiara was not exactly Jin-Hyeok¡¯s taste. However, taking pictures was entirely Eun-Woo¡¯s domain, so Jin-Hyeok thought it was best to respect Eun-Woo¡¯s opinion.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t see why I should wear this, but...¡¯</i>

    There was no harm in trying it on, so Jin-Hyeok did as he was told. He wondered if wearing the tiara would reveal an effect not mentioned in the item description.

    <i>¡®Nothing special.¡¯</i>

    It felt like just a pretty essory with no special effects, yet Eun-Woo excitedly snapped the shutter.

    ¡°Why are you so excited?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°This is one of the ways to umte experience points as a Homepage Master. And I think this picture can easily fetch a billion Dias.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok burst intoughter. <i>¡®Haha. He thinks it¡¯s so easy to earn one billion Dias. He¡¯s talking nonsense.¡¯</i>

    If a few photos could make a billion Dias, everyone would be rich. Eun-Woo¡¯s words were wildly exaggerated, but Jin-Hyeok did not bother to point that out. It was all part of the experience. He just asked, ¡°Are you done taking pictures?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked toward the pile of stones blocking the entrance. It seemed that a special barrier was protecting it, but the barrier disappeared as soon as he unlocked the chest.

    <i>¡®Miri. I need you to take care of this.¡¯</i>

    -Yes, Master.

    Miri did not show its usual enthusiasm. Destroying an inanimate object probably did not excite the weapon much.

    A few hits from Miri easily shattered the rocks.

    <i>¡®That was easy.¡¯</i>

    With that, the third floor was cleared, and the only area left to explore was the much anticipated fourth floor¡ªthe floor that the Avengers Army had barely escaped.

    ¡°The White Jade Armor Knight must be waiting on the fourth floor.¡± Jin-Hyeok slowly ascended the stairs to the fourth floor. It was quite dark. ¡°I see a dimly lit corridor and numerous pirs.¡±

    Some pirs were so old that parts of them were crumbled, while others had only their bases remaining. Magical torches burned atop a few pirs.

    ¡°The air is quite dry.¡± The dusty stone floor felt somewhat crumbly underfoot. ¡°There is a slight sense of tension. It really feels like I have entered a boss room.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok cautiously moved forward. In the distance, he saw an especially dark spot, and he illuminated it.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Broadcaster¡¯s Light?.]</strong>

    <i>sh!</i>

    <i>¡®Oh, that startled me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit embarrassed that he had been startled by his Skill. He had probably overdone it because the surroundings were incredibly bright. The good thing was that it was just light and not a destructive Skill, or that could have been a disaster.

    <i>¡®No, this is too much. Let¡¯s just adjust it a bit.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok intended to illuminate a specific part, but the whole Field became too bright, ruining the ambiance.

    <i>¡®I just need to adjust the brightness and the range... There!¡¯</i>

    He sessfully illuminated only a specific area. It looked quite nice for his video, and he started his livestream.

    [Soloing the Haeundae Dungeon.]

    Jin-Hyeok debated between recording for an edited video or livestreaming, but boss monster raids seemed better live. Livestreaming had a unique thrill and tension.

    <i>¡®The viewer count is already over three hundred thousand.¡¯</i>

    Three hundred thousand viewers flocked to his channel as soon as he turned his livestream on. It was an incredible turnout.

    <i>¡®Wow... This is exciting!¡¯</i>

    The number of people waiting to watch his livestream being so high thrilled him. However, he tried not to get too carried away and continued the livestream as calmly as possible. ¡°There is a very lonely-looking throne here.¡±

    An old, uncared-for chair was sitting in the middle of the floor. Jin-Hyeok was not sure if he could call the chair a <i>throne</i>, but it seemed like something Egan Paul would call a throne, so Jin-Hyeok just went along with it. A throne sounded cooler than a chair, after all.

    ¡°And there... sits the ashen figure of the White Jade Armor Knight.¡±

    The White Jade Armor Knight, sitting alone and yet to be awakened, was tinged in ash-gray.

    ¡°I will slowly approach the throne.¡±

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A deste wind blew, and dried leaves rolled about. As Jin-Hyeok got closer to the White Jade Armor Knight, the knight¡¯s fingertips twitched. Then a female voice rang out.

    ¡°Even I...¡± Color began to seep into the White Jade Armor Knight. ¡° Even I had a beautiful past.¡±

    The dust clinging to her body fluttered away, revealing the knight now glowing in white. It was a woman d in white jade armor and helmet. Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight to reveal the woman¡¯s name.

    <strong>[LV254/White Jade Armor Knight/<u>Skills</u>/The Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i> Her Level was much higher than Jin-Hyeok expected. He had not anticipated it to be that high because the Avengers Army had escaped this boss with only four casualties.

    <i>¡®This won¡¯t be easy.¡¯</i>

    Fighting a strong opponent was always enjoyable. If it were his Sword King days, he would have been thrilled. However, the situation was different currently.

    <i>¡®Maybe livestreaming was a bad idea.¡¯</i>

    The concept of this livestream was <i>overwhelming power.</i> Sticking to such a concept was hard when facing a high-Level opponent.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t just stop the livestreaming now.¡¯</i>

    The only thing left to do was to face her head-on.

    ***

    A characteristic of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams was that they showed most of his battle scenes in the first-person perspective. While this limited the field of view, it also had the advantage of delivering a vivid sense of what was going on.

    -That intro is awesome!

    -I just got chills.

    -I can feel how intense it is even through the screen!

    Jin-Hyeok had overlooked one aspect. When he had Awakened as the Munchkin Streamer, all his abilities had be significantly stronger, including his livestreaming abilities. The livestream was conveying the intensity he was feeling right now directly to the viewers.

    -I had to turn off Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    -I couldn¡¯t breathe.

    -Me too.

    Most regr viewers, who were not immune to this immense intensity and pressure, left like the ebbing tide and switched to KimKnowItAllTV. Watching the video through KimKnowItAllTV was much morefortable.

    -But no matter how good his livestreaming abilities are, it¡¯s impossible topletely convey the actual intensity, right?

    -So, what level of pressure is Chul-Soo enduring right now?

    -Wow, crazy;;; I can¡¯t even imagine.

    The White Jade Armor Knight moved. With a creaking sound, thickyers of dust resembling tree bark fell to the ground, and the White Jade Armor Knight stood up.

    <i>¡®Huh...¡¯</i>

    Concentrating on the White Jade Armor Knight, Jin-Hyeok noticed something else.

    <strong>[LV254/<s>White Jade Armor Knight</s>(Veselity)/<u>Skills</u>/The Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    In some sense, ying was simr to solving a math problem; one might not understand it at first nce, but as they look more, they would start to see new things. Simrly, if a yer observed something carefully, things that were not visible before would begin to appear.

    <i>¡®There was a hidden name.¡¯</i>

    Veselity slowly walked toward him, and her armor nked with each step.

    <i>¡®She does not seem to be in a hurry to attack me.¡¯</i>

    She was no mere monster. Since she had a hidden name, there had to be a story behind this boss monster.

    ¡°It seems there is more to this than just fighting her,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    This had to be a crucial point. The Dungeon and Veselity seemed to be asking something from the yers who visited this Dungeon.

    Jin-Hyeok realized she was quite tall. <i>¡®She must be around 180 centimeters.¡¯</i>

    Her silver hair, reaching down to her waist, flowed beneath the helmet. Veselity continued her soliloquy. ¡°Now, where has my beautiful past gone?¡±

    Her presence, the dry air, and the tense atmosphere transmitted through space, all intensely stimted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s emotions. These elements, affecting his emotions, created immense anxiety and a sense of crisis among the viewers.

    -This time, Chul-Soo is in real danger.

    -Even Chul-Soo can¡¯t withstand this.

    -Run away, Chul-Soo! Please!

    Jin-Hyeok spoke. ¡°Your beautiful past has not yet passed, my queen.¡±

    He had yet to sense any hostility from his opponent. He knelt on one knee in front of Veselity. His heart was pounding. What made it even more thrilling was that he did not know how to clear this ce. It felt like he was figuring out the strategy himself.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s switch to a third-person perspective for a bit. That will look better.¡¯</i>

    He switched to a third-person perspective drone shot. He was confident it would make for a good scene.

    <i>¡®This is so fun.¡¯</i>

    Veselity stopped in front of him. She was close enough to touch him if he reached out his hand.

    ¡°Are you one of my subjects?¡± she asked.

    He pondered whether to answer yes or no. The progress of this encounter could change based on his response. After a brief consideration, Jin-Hyeok skillfully avoided a direct answer. ¡°I have something for you, Queen Veselity.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the tiara containing your memories from your time as a princess.¡± Jin-Hyeok extended the tiara he had obtained from the chest earlier. At that moment, both he and Veselity trembled.

    <i>¡®What is she doing?¡¯</i>

    She moved her hand toward her helmet and slowly took it off.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute.¡¯</i>

    With her helmet removed, Veselity¡¯s face was revealed.

 Chapter 239

    <h4>Chapter 239</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok switched his livestream back to the first-person perspective. He was now facing Veselity. The intensity of the pressure increased, and a considerable number of viewers dropped out of his livestream again.

    <i>¡®Her face...¡¯</i>

    Her face was rather grotesque and covered with disgustingly twisted boil-like tumors, emitting a foul odor.

    <i>¡®It looks like her face is melting.¡¯</i>

    Her face resembled melting wax. It was hard to believe that, that was a human face.

    <i>¡®Is she smiling?¡¯</i>

    Wearing the tiara, Veselity appeared to be smiling.

    -Whew, the pressure feels a bit less now.

    -I can finally breathe a little.

    Veselity¡¯s overwhelming presence seemed to have faded slightly. ¡°You are my loyal subject.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    A faint light leaked from the tiara before the tiara turned into dust and disappeared. Veselity reached out toward the dust floating in the breeze. ¡°My glorious past...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had a premonition. <i>¡®I think the battle is about to begin.¡¯</i>

    His encounter with Veselity was quite different from that of the Avengers Army. Their encounter didn¡¯t have any such intermediate process.

    Veselity slowly moved and put her helmet back on. ¡°Though the will of the subject is noble, awakening me from my slumber is unforgivable.¡±

    Silver mana gathered around Veselity¡¯s right hand. It swirled several times before taking the shape of a hammer.

    As a shining silver hammer materialized, she said, ¡°Avoiding my wrath will be difficult.¡±

    Veselity stepped back a few steps. ¡°Prepare for the end. When you are ready in your heart, eternal rest shall be bestowed on you.¡±

    Holding the hammer in her right hand, Veselity paused and just looked at Jin-Hyeok.

    <strong>[LV 254(-20)/<s>White Jade Armor Knight</s>(Veselity)/<u>Skills</u>/The Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    Veselity¡¯s Level had decreased. With a -20 penalty, it was now 234. Normally, Jin-Hyeok would tell his viewers as he saw it, but he was on stage currently. He wanted to be more dramatic. Disying all of his emotions, Jin-Hyeok began the performance.

    ¡°The queen has not shunned hardship for her subjects. She humbles herself, looking at me with the heart and eyes of the equal.¡±

    <i>¡®Wow, I nailed the dialogue!¡¯</i>

    Proud of himself, Jin-Hyeok stood up and stepped back a few paces. ¡°I, too, will give my best, my queen.¡±

    The helmeted queen nodded slightly.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s performance stirred the emotions of the viewers.

    -I didn¡¯t realize I liked the ck me concept so much.

    -He is so cool.

    -Seems I haven¡¯t outgrown my chuunibyou phase.

    -At this point, isn¡¯t it more than just a concept?

    The viewers had gradually be immersed in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concept.

    -If you handle this kind of concept poorly, it can be cringeworthy.

    -But it¡¯s not. That¡¯s the twist.

    -Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s ck me Dragon is the real deal.

    -The real deal is never cringeworthy.

    By now, almost no one mocked Chul-Soo¡¯s concept.

    -Isn¡¯t it impressive toe up with such a performance under this much pressure?

    -Seeing him act in this situation, he would be sessful even as an actor.

    -It¡¯s so natural, haha!

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok was not acting. He just drew upon his genuine emotions and the deep sincerity of the ck me Dragon.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°How could I, your lowly subject, harm you, my queen?¡±

    ¡°That is our fate.¡±

    ¡°I ask for just one chance to touch the queen¡¯s royal body.¡± He lifted Miri. ¡°Please grant me this one opportunity. I implore you, my queen.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    -Isn¡¯t he just saying in a fancy way that he is going to strike first?

    Jin-Hyeok revealed another piece of information about Veselity to the viewers.

    <strong>[Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    <strong>[The Witch of the Cliff, jealous of Veselity, cursed the queen.</strong>

    <strong>All of the queen¡¯s subjects hated the queen, but the queen never hated them in return.</strong>

    <strong>The queen, though forsaken, never abandoned her people.</strong>

    <strong>She was benevolent to her subjects.</strong>

    <strong>Unable to harm her people, the queen proimed thew ¡°Never awaken me,¡± then put herself to sleep.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement Effect: For her subjects only, her Level is lowered by 20.]</strong>

    ¡°Show us your benevolence, my queen,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -But doesn¡¯t Chul-Soo have Instant Kill?

    -If he times it right, it is a guaranteed one-hit. That is easier said than done, though.

    Hitting a sandbag and hitting a person werepletely different. Unlike a stationary sandbag, a person kept moving. The situation would be the same for Instant Kill.

    -You think she will just stand there and let it happen? She is the Dungeon boss!

    -Nah, that would be too easy, LOL. Even with the Instant Kill Achievement, it seems unlikely.

    ¡°You have my permission,¡± Veselity said.

    -Wait, is this really happening? She gave permission?

    -LOL, how did Chul-Soo manage to make this happen?

    -He acts all serious, but he ys so dirty, haha!

    Jin-Hyeok stepped forward, Miri in hand. ¡°The Skill I am about to use is called the Song of the ck Tiger.¡±

    It was the ability he had learned from Zoro, the harbinger of Instant Kill. The extraordinary Skill that significantly enhanced the effect of Instant Kill shone at this moment. Thanks to Veselity standing still, Jin-Hyeok could prepare the Instant Death ability with ease.

    <i>¡®Miri, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t aim for the back of the head this time.¡¯</i>

    -...I guess it can¡¯t be helped.

    He did not think he would lose in a head-on fight, thanks to Veselity¡¯s decreased Level, but what Jin-Hyeok needed was more than just victory.

    <i>¡®I just need to hit anywhere.¡¯</i>

    The torso was the easiest target. He took a deep breath and focused. <i>¡®I need to end it in one strike.¡¯</i>

    Six ck tigers made of mana sprang up from behind him and encircled the queen, as he lunged toward her with Miri. Veselity lifted her hammer to block it. Her hammer and Miri collided with a loud explosion.

    <i>¡®I need Instant Kill to work!¡¯</i>

    The base probability of Instant Kill activating was seven percent. With the Song of the ck Tiger and perfect timing, the probability was much higher.

    <i>¡®It worked!¡¯</i>

    The queen¡¯s entrance had been overwhelming, but her ending was a bit anticlimactic. The White Jade Armor Knight slowly fell. ¡°Finally, my glorious past hase back to me.¡±

    Her helmet fell off, revealing a face that was healing from the grotesque wounds, the twisted tumors disappearing.

    Jin-Hyeok wrote captions in real time.

    [It seems the curse is only lifted in death.]

    Jin-Hyeok knelt beside the fallen Veselity. Kang Eun-Woo diligently captured this solemn moment.

    <i>¡®They look almost sacred...¡¯ </i>Eun-Woo thought. It was like a scene from a myth. Thrilled to be witnessing this moment and eager to share these emotions with others, he wholeheartedly pressed the shutter button.

    ¡°My winter was too long,¡± Veselity said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I was too cold, too scared, too lonely.¡± The queen now had the tiara on her head, which had disappeared earlier. It looked a bit small for her head, probably because it was from her childhood.

    -Oh man...

    -Why am I crying?

    -The queen¡¯s emotional dialogue is too vivid...!

    This was the power of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first-person perspective livestream. The livestream conveyed the queen¡¯s emotions, just like her presence and pressure, to the viewers through the screen.

    -Am I the only one who feels sorry for the queen?

    -I¡¯m crying... T_T

    -The description of her Achievement earlier was so touching.

    -Feeling pity for a Dungeon boss monster is a first for me.

    ¡°It is strange indeed. Speaking to you gives me a sense offort,¡± the queen said. The livestream created a bond of empathy between the Dungeon boss monster and the viewers. The queen felt an indescribable sense offort. It was certainly not a typical situation.

    ¡°Meeting you has been my fortune.¡± She extended her hand, passing something to Jin-Hyeok. It was her weapon, Ectorial.

    <strong>[You have acquired the queen¡¯s weapon ?Ectorial?.]</strong>

    The queen faintly smiled, while her eyes were closed. ¡°You have returned my glorious past to me.¡±

    Then, the queen turned ashen. Jin-Hyeok bowed his head in a silent prayer. He skillfully applied what he had learned from the Avengers Army. ¡°To the queen who could not rest, may you receive eternal rest.¡±

    <strong>[You have defeated the Forsaken Queen, Veselity.]</strong>

    ***

    <i>¡®I did not expect it to go like this.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2¡¯s n had failed. Anticipating a fierce battle between the queen and Chul-Soo, he had intended to stealthily put poison on the queen¡¯s weapon, letting Chul-Soo slowly die. However, Chul-Soo had absurdly defeated the queen in one hit.

    <i>¡®Then, it¡¯s time for n B.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 had prepared for unforeseen circumstances. Anticipating Chul-Soo¡¯s sess in defeating the queen on his own, Swamnd No.2 had rigged the fourth floor to copse upon the Dungeon boss¡¯s death.

    <i>¡®Now, you shall be crushed to death!¡¯</i>

    He had given up on capturing Chul-Soo alive. If he could at least get the intact corpse of Chul-Soo, that would be great, but the current situation did not allow him to have that kind of luxury. Swamnd No.2¡¯s primary objective was to kill Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok sensed Swamnd No.2¡¯s bloodlust. <i>¡®Is he disappointed with my livestream?¡¯</i>

    The number of viewers on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream had significantly dropped. It was three hundred thousand currently, the same as it had been at the start of the livestream, which meant many of that viewers that joinedter had left midway.

    <i>¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok walked toward a pir, leaving the fallen queen behind, and knocked on it.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The knocking startled Swamnd No.2, <i>¡®What the hell?¡¯</i>

    Then, he realized something he had learned earlier. <i>¡®He is going to knock on the pir ten times! This bastard!¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 became more anxious. He firmly believed that ten knocks would lead to a powerful attack.

    ¡°Hey, can you tell me what I did wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    <i>¡®I need to escape!¡¯ </i>Swamnd No.2 thought. He fled using his Footwork Technique. Getting out of this situation was the top priority.

    Jin-Hyeok scratched the back of his head. <i>¡®He seems like a shy guy.¡¯</i>

    Just like Kim Min-Ji, most Chul-Soo Landers seemed to be shy people.

    <i>¡®I should just get feedback from Wang Yu-Mi.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok walked back toward the queen¡¯s corpse. ¡°But this does not seem like a normal corpse.¡±

    It felt more like a part of the terrain than a corpse. Although he had defeated the Dungeon boss monster, there was no notification of the Dungeon being cleared, nor had he received any experience points.

    ¡°Perhaps...¡± Jin-Hyeok looked around. ¡°The queen might not have been the real Dungeon boss monster.¡±

    <i>¡®What would Sae-Rin have done?¡¯</i>

    After ying together with Han Sae-Rin for a long time, Jin-Hyeok had a rough idea of what to do in this kind of situation. He lifted the fallen queen and slowly walked toward the throne with her in his arms. ¡°This seems a fitting ce for the queen.¡±

    Even this gesture deeply resonated with the viewers.

    -Did you see the caption he wrote when the queen died?

    Jin-Hyeok could have just spoken to the viewers but chose to write a caption in silence.

    -I really liked the solemn atmosphere.

    -I want to be that queen. Chul-Soo, please lift me in your arms!

    -LOL, you¡¯re too ugly for him to hug you.

    As he ced the queen on the throne, a wall slid open with a rumble. ¡°There is a fifth floor.¡±

    The fourth floor was not the end.

    ¡°And it seems... I don¡¯t need to go up there. Something ising down to greet me.¡±

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Something was descending from the fifth floor.

    <i>¡®The presence is immense.¡¯</i>

    To Jin-Hyeok, the queen''s presence had not been overwhelming. He felt he could win in a fight against her, but overpowering herpletely was not easy. However, what was now descending from the fifth floor felt different.

    <i>¡®This is no joke.¡¯</i>

    The entitying down was at least stronger than the queen.

    A giant knight revealed itself. Even with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to get urate information.

    <strong>[LV?/?/?/?]</strong>

    Then a notification followed.

    <strong>[The Dungeon¡¯s boss monster ?Woongi? has appeared.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok twitched. <i>¡®Could it be... the Woongi I know?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 240

    <h4>Chapter 240</h4>

    Before his regression, if Cha Jin-Hyeok were asked to name the most annoying viin organization on the Earth Server, his answer would undoubtedly be the Demigod Alliance. As a government official, Jin-Hyeok, along with his team, had shed with the Demigod Alliance several times ande close to capturing the Alliance¡¯s leader, Shin Yu-Ri, on a few asions.

    <i>¡®Yu-Ri was strong by herself, but...¡¯</i>

    Yu-Ri boasted the strongest firepower in one versus many battles, but she was slightly weaker in one-on-one, small-scale fights. It took her a long time to load her cannon, and once she fired it, her location was easily exposed, making her an ideal target for snipers.

    However, whenever Jin-Hyeok tried to exploit Yu-Ri¡¯s weakness in their capture operations, he had always failed due to another yer¡ªWoongi.

    Jin-Hyeok thought of Woongi as a madman wearing a teddy bear costume. Woongi had not particrlymitted any viinous deeds, but he was ssified as one of the top-tier viins. He was not the type to initiate misdeeds, but he was overly zealous in protecting Yu-Ri. To the world, he was known roughly as Yu-Ri¡¯s bodyguard.

    <i>¡®I thought he was a yer? So, that¡¯s why no matter how hard I tried to uncover his identity, nothing came up... That was not a teddy bear costume?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had thought Woongi was a yer wearing a teddy bear costume, but upon looking at him with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he realized it was Woong¡¯s body and not a costume.

    <i>¡®So, he is actually a bear?¡¯</i>

    If Jin-Hyeok were to put it in System terms, Woongi seemed to be one of the bear-type Beastkin. He was even bigger than Kim Jeong-Hyeon. Standing up, he seemed to be about four to five meters tall.

    Woongi shouted, ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    He was so loud that the surroundings reverberated. Woongi ran on all fours to the queen and sniffed around her corpse. ¡°Something¡¯s off, teddy.¡±

    Hearing that way of speaking, Jin-Hyeok became certain that this was the Woongi he knew of before his regression. Only two people in the world added such odd phrases at the end of their sentences: Mole Man and Woongi.

    ¡°Is Your Majesty alright, teddy?¡± The mana that had been surging through Woongi calmed down a bit. Then, a <strong>[???] </strong>sign appeared above his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange, teddy,¡± Woongi said as he stroked his chin with his huge, cotton-like hand. ¡°Why did I wake up if Her Majesty is fine, teddy?¡±

    Woongi seemed quite calm. He stood up on two legs and approached Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Are you a bad guy, teddy?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m one of the subjects of Her Majesty the Queen.¡±

    ¡°So, you are a good one, teddy.¡±

    Through Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok could feel that the slight wariness and hostility Woongi had toward him vanished. Now, Jin-Hyeok could feel Woongi had be cordial toward him. Thanks to that, Jin-Hyeok could read more information about him.

    <strong>[LV258/Woongi/?/Ultimate Fan]</strong>

    <i>¡®Is that really an Achievement?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Ultimate Fan]</strong>

    <strong>[Dreaming of bing the strongest mercenary in Arvis, Woongi had resolved to be the bodyguard of Princess Veselity.</strong>

    <strong>From their first meeting to the end, he protected Veselity as a bodyguard and wished to be sealed with her. </strong>

    <strong>When protecting the queen, the fan bes unimaginably stronger.]</strong>

    The description was just as strange as the name of the Achievement.

    <i>¡®How can this be an Achievement given by the System?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt odd. It was as if this Achievement had not been naturally generated but forcibly created and inserted into the System.

    <i>¡®Wait, hold on.¡¯</i>

    Something he had forgotten came to mind. When Jin-Hyeok had faced Yu-Ri before his regression, she had been wearing something on her head. He had thought it was just an ornament.

    <i>¡®I think she was wearing that!¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Jin-Hyeok needed to talk to Yu-Ri to make sure. He immediately sent Wang Yu-Mi a secret message.

    [Emergency! Bring Shin Yu-Ri here right now! Mole Man cane along.]

    ¡°But, what is your purpose here, teddy?¡± Woongi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Yes, you! Tell me why you came here, teddy!¡±

    Since Jin-Hyeok had intended to defeat the White Jade Armor Knight, technically, he hade to kill the queen. Woongi didn¡¯t know that yet, but it was also true that Jin-Hyeok had used Instant Kill on the queen.

    <i>¡®Damn... I don¡¯t think I can overpower him.¡¯</i>

    He believed he could not even beat Woongi, let alone overpower him. The information from Broadcaster¡¯s Insight was also telling him the same thing.

    <strong>[When protecting the queen, the fan bes unimaginably stronger.]</strong>

    Since the queen whom Woongi had to protect was here, Woongi would be much stronger than his actual Level.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not just about not overpowering, I might actually lose to him.¡¯</i>

    So, fighting Woongi right now was not the answer. It did not fit the concept of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream either. Jin-Hyeok deliberately sighed and shook his head. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here?¡±

    ¡°State your purpose, teddy!¡±

    ¡°Are you stupid?¡±

    ¡°I am not stupid, teddy!¡±

    ¡°You are, though.¡±

    ¡°No, I am not, teddy!¡± Three exmation marks appeared above Woongi¡¯s head. If those turned red, it meant he was angry, but they were currently ck. He was not angry, but he did seem a bit flustered. It seemed like Jin-Hyeok had hit the nail on the head.

    ¡°Why do you think I came here? Look carefully. Do you notice anything different about Her Majesty the Queen?¡±

    ¡°Something different, teddy?¡±

    Just like how most men would get flustered at their girlfriend asking, ¡®How do I look today?¡¯ Woongi appeared flustered; <strong>[;;;] </strong>signs appeared above his head. He was actually sweating profusely, which made his furpletely wet.

    ¡°W-What is different about her, teddy?¡±

    ¡°See? That¡¯s what¡¯s wrong with you. Can you even call yourself the queen¡¯s bodyguard?¡±

    The signs above Woongi¡¯s head became words, which expressed his state more precisely.

    <strong>[Depressed, teddy.]</strong>

    ¡°Do you even care about Her Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Yes, teddy! I am the queen¡¯s one and only fan, teddy! Nobody loves her as much as I do, teddy!¡±

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t you notice what¡¯s different about her?¡± Jin-Hyeok pointed at the queen¡¯s head. ¡°She took off her helmet.¡±

    ¡°T-Teddy?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that she is wearing a tiara instead of a helmet?¡±

    ¡°T-Teddy!¡±

    Even someone not interested in her would have noticed that. Anyway, Woongi seemed quite flustered.

    ¡°I came here to give her this gift,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Sorry for the misunderstanding, teddy. You and I are now friends, teddy.¡± Woongi extended his hand toward Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok thought of his next n as he shook Woongi¡¯s hand. <i>¡®I need to stall for more time.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had to stall until Yu-Ri and Mole Man arrived here, and he needed to do that naturally and without making Woongi feel bored. He pondered how to do that.

    ***

    Mole Man had a significant concerntely. <i>¡®Since Pathfinder fell out of favor, I have be the undisputed number one Navigator.¡¯</i>

    Of course, Pathfinder kept telling him that she had voluntarily retired from being a Navigator, but Mole Man chose not to listen to her.

    <i>¡®But still...¡¯ </i>

    He was operating as a frence Navigator, not belonging to any particr alliance, andtely, he had been hearing a recurring question.

    <i>¡°You¡¯re not affiliated with the K-Force, are you?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Ah, sorry. We are specifically looking for Navigators from the K-Force.¡±</i>

    Previously, just having the title of <i>number one Navigator </i>was enough, but now yers always asked, ¡°Are you with the K-Force?¡± Mole Man had yed with Chul-Soo on several asions and prided himself on their friendship, but he felt ambivalent about answering ¡°Yes¡± to the question.

    <i>¡®Technically, I¡¯m not with the K-Force.¡¯</i>

    Moreover, having the pride of being the top ranker, he could not just ask Chul-Soo to ept him to the K-Force. He only wanted to be affiliated with the K-Force if they scouted him first.

    <i>¡®Hmph, I¡¯m only interested in joining Chul-Soo¡¯s original party!¡¯</i>

    He was not interested unless it was Chul-Soo¡¯s original party, which was directly linked with Chul-Soo.

    Then, he received a message from Yu-Mi.

    -Hey, are you free right now?

    I¡¯m in Busan right now, moly!

    Mole Man was rxing, looking at the night view outside the window. He hade down to Busan on purpose in case Chul-Soo needed help, but he had kept that a secret.

    -Great! Chul-Soo urgently needs help. We will pay whatever you ask. Can you head to the Haeundae Dungeon right now with Yu-Ri and Park Terse?

    -Hm... I am a bit busy right now, moly.

    -Then, no worries. I will look for someone else. We are short on time, so I will talk to youter~

    -Wait, hold on, moly!

    -Yes?

    -Did Chul-Soo mention me specifically?

    Yu-Mi thought about what to reply for a moment before throwing a tempting bait.

    -Chul-Soo said it has to be Mole Man. He desperately needs the help of the unparalleled ranking number one. But if you are busy, we will manage.

    -Well, if you put it that way, I guess I have no choice but to go, moly.

    Terse and Yu-Ri traveled on the back of the Thunder Dragon. The dragon sternly wanted Terse.

    [¡°If you vomit on my back one more time. I will turn you into a roast.¡±]

    Terse vomited into a stic bag he had prepared in advance. Thankfully, not a single drop spilled.

    ¡°Wee,rades! I wee you to the party of the undisputed number one Navigator, moly!¡± Mole Man talked ahead, chuckling to himself. ¡°Yes... This is something only I can do, hehehe.¡±

    Yu-Ri seemed slightly dubious. ¡°This guy... is he really the top-ranked Navigator?¡±

    ***

    Mole Man, along with Yu-Ri and Terse, arrived at the entrance of the Abandoned Temple.

    ¡°The real deal, Korea¡¯s top-ranked Navigator, has arrived, moly!¡±

    Recognizing Mole Man, Han Sae-Rin frowned. ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo was desperately seeking me out, moly.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is soloing right now. What are you talking about?¡±

    Sae-Rin had already seen Jin-Hyeok¡¯s solo y through the livestream. She was biding her time, making excuses so that the Avengers Army would not interrupt Jin-Hyeok¡¯s soloing.

    ¡°You fool! That is why you have always been second best. Outdated Navigator you are, Pathfinder!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve retired from being a Navigator. And you do realize that the time I spent as number one was longer than the total time you¡¯ve ever been as number one, right?¡±

    ¡°W-When did you calcte that, moly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still thirty-two hours ahead.¡±

    Sensing the situation turning slightly unfavorable, Mole Man quickly climbed the stairs. ¡°Chul-Soo specifically asked for me, pleading for me toe. So, I am going to go meet him, moly!¡±

    Sae-Rin thought about it for a moment but then got up. The Avengers Army was also with her.

    After entering the first floor, ck Panther, the Navigator of the Avengers Army, felt a peculiar sense of defeat.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ </i>

    There was no doubt that Mole Man and Pathfinder felt an intense rivalry toward each other. Both desperately searched for the Hidden Items on the first floor,peting over who was the better Navigator.

    ¡°Hmph, the patterns on these murals are strange, moly!¡± Mole Man said as he touched the murals.

    ¡°If you look closely at these bones, you will see small patterns engraved on them. If you interpret these patterns... you can create a magic circle using these bones.¡± Sae-Rin used the bones of the monsters that Chul-Soo had previously killed to create a magic circle.

    ck Panther understood why Mole Man was being so enthusiastic. After all, Mole Man was Korea¡¯s top-ranked Navigator. However, ck Panther was confused about why Sae-Rin was acting this way.

    <i>¡®I thought you retired from being a Navigator!¡±</i>

    In a normal world, ck Panther was supposed to be the onepeting with Mole Man. He didn¡¯t know why Pathfinder was in his spot.

    <i>¡®Do they not see me as apetitor?¡¯</i>

    With his pride deeply wounded, ck Panther became much bolder and greedier than before. Hispetitive spirit surged.

    <i>¡®I am a Navigator too, you guys!¡¯</i>

    ck Panther dug his tail into the ground and channeled his mana at maximum output. As their magic circle glowed with green light, a small chest appeared.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pair of cotton gloves.¡±

    They acquired a pair of cotton gloves on the first floor. Soon after, they found a handkerchief on the second floor. Thanks to Jin-Hyeok sweeping through the monsters, it was rtively easy to find the Hidden Items on these floors. On the third floor, they got nothing and eventually arrived at the fourth floor, where Jin-Hyeok was.

    ¡°The special one has arrived, moly! Huh?¡± Mole Man tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Chul-Soo, what are you doing, moly?¡±

    To Mole Man¡¯s eyes, something about Chul-Soo seemed off.

 Chapter 241

    <h4>Chapter 241</h4>

    ¡°No, no. Just a little to the left.¡±

    Hearing Kang Eun-Woo¡¯s words, Woongi moved slightly to the left. Eun-Woo held his cannon-sized camera and snapped several pictures.

    Woongi harbored some doubts. <i>¡®What am I doing?¡¯</i>

    Every time such thoughts crossed his mind, Cha Jin-Hyeok would say, ¡°You are creating memories with the queen. These photos willst forever.¡±

    <i>¡®Memories with the queen, huh?¡¯ </i>

    Just thinking about it seemed quite wonderful, but something was a little bit off. Taking pictures with the queen felt somewhat irreverent. The Homepage Master kept making bizarre requests and even said, ¡°Smile. You look cute when you smile.¡±

    <i>¡®I am not cute, teddy!¡¯ </i>Woongi wanted to say that, but he could not say it out loud for some reason. He just smiled awkwardly. <i>¡®Why... am I listening to him?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok slyly grinned. <i>¡®He is really susceptible to brainwashing skills, isn¡¯t he?¡¯</i>

    For Jin-Hyeok, this was a fascinating phenomenon. If Eun-Woo¡¯s instructions had been a perfect mental attack, Woongi would have instinctively defended against them. After all, there was a significant Level difference between Woongi and Eun-Woo.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s a bit ambiguous to say that Eun-Woo¡¯s instructions are actually mental attacks.¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo¡¯s instructions were too weak to be called attacks, yet they were effective enough for Woongi to listen to him. Moreover, as Eun-Woo was a Homepage Master, his Skills did not contain any bloodlust or hostility. They were instead filled with pure passion to capture the perfect shot. Thus, Woongi¡¯s inner self did not resist Eun-Woo¡¯s brainwashing attempts.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s really falling for it,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Woongi followed Eun-Woo¡¯s instructions very well. Just when it seemed Woongi wasing to his senses, Eun-Woo would show a few photos he had taken, and Woongi would again strike a pose with a silly grin.

    Eun-Woo¡¯s enthusiasm grew even more. ¡°Now, how about cing your finger on your cheek? Like this. It would look so cute!¡±

    ¡°I am not cute, teddy. I still have my dignity, teddy.¡± Although Woongi said that, his right hand was already touching his cheek.

    ¡°You look so cute! Very nice.¡±

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I am doing this, teddy!¡¯ </i>Woongi tried to regain his senses, but the photos had already been taken.

    At this moment, Han Sae-Rin and Mole Man, along with the others, entered the area. Jin-Hyeok smirked. <i>¡®They have arrived at just the right time.¡¯</i>

    ***

    As soon as Shin Yu-Ri stepped onto the fourth floor, she felt something as though it were the pull of fate.

    <i>¡®Ah...!¡¯</i>

    Her eyes were drawn to a statue of a woman sitting in a chair far off in the distance. More precisely, the tiara ced atop the statue¡¯s head had captivated Yu-Ri¡¯s gaze. Yu-Ri walked toward the tiara as if it was calling out to her.

    ¡°Who are you people, teddy?!¡± Woongi blocked Yu-Ri¡¯s path.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Are you stupid?¡±

    ¡°I am not stupid, teddy!¡¯

    ¡°Can¡¯t you read the emotions in the woman¡¯s eyes?¡±

    ¡°Teddy?¡±

    A <strong>[???] </strong>symbol appeared above Woongi¡¯s head. Woongi was just a bodyguard and not a mind-reader; he found it difficult to discern others¡¯ inner feelings or emotions hidden in their gazes. However, admitting that felt like conceding to being a fool, so Woongi could not just bring himself to say it.

    ¡°The emotions in her eyes are admiration and awe,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°T-Teddy?¡±

    At that moment, Yu-Ri knelt in front of the queen. Like how babies naturally learned to breathe without being taught, it was an utterly natural and instinctive act for Yu-Ri.

    ¡°See? I told you,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    ¡°So, she is also a good person, teddy.¡±

    Yu-Ri remained on her knees, staring at the queen¡¯s face for a long while. She appeared like a woman fallen in love.

    -I¡¯m so envious.

    <i>¡®Of what?¡¯</i>

    -Of that face in love. She has undoubtedly fallen in love at first sight with the artifact of destiny. The kind of love where sparks fly in front of your eyes, your heart pounds as if it is going to burst, and it feels like only you and the artifact exist in the entire world.

    Jin-Hyeok could sense Miri¡¯s emotions. It genuinely envied that tiara.

    -I want to be looked at with such love too. To achieve that, I must be an even better match for my master.

    Unbeknownst to Jin-Hyeok, Miri burned with a desire to be a better match for its master and make him look at it like how Yu-Ri was looking at the tiara. Golden energy emanating from Miri leaked out of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s inventory and reached out toward another item, Ectorial.

    Part of the Ectorial corroded, and Miri shimmered. All of this happened within the inventory and went unnoticed by Jin-Hyeok.

    ***

    For a while, Yu-Ri nkly gazed at the queen, before slowly opening her mouth. ¡°I need something sacred for the ritual. Can I borrow a cloth to clean the tiara?¡±

    At her request, Mole Man presented the handkerchief he had obtained from the second floor. ¡°Is this what you need, moly?¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then Sae-Rin stepped forward. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you wear this first?¡±

    Sae-Rin offered Yu-Ri the pair of white cotton gloves she had found on the first floor. Yu-Ri put on the gloves before taking the handkerchief from Mole Man and gently cleaned the queen¡¯s tiara.

    Sae-Rin had provided the gloves, and Mole Man the handkerchief. Naturally, everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward ck Panther. People were questioning him with their eyes, ¡®What have you brought, ck Panther?¡¯

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>ck Panther thought. Being outdone by Mole Man was one thing, but being overshadowed by Sae-Rin was unbearable. <i>¡®I can¡¯t lose!¡¯</i>

    Even now, secrets surelyy hidden within this Dungeon. Despite his depleted strength, ck Panther released his magic with all his might, not caring about conserving energy. It was a boldness not seen in the ck Panther of the past.

    <i>¡®I feel an unusual energy!¡¯</i>

    It was a subtle flow of energy that Sae-Rin and Mole Man had yet to notice. An exchange of mana was taking ce between Yu-Ri and Woongi, and only ck Panther seemed to be aware of it.

    <i>¡®Yes. This will lead to some change!¡¯</i>

    It was invisible to the eye, imperceptible to most. Only those with an animal-like intuition could sense this special phenomenon. Confident in his insight, ck Panther focused on Yu-Ri and Woongi. At that moment, the tiara, which had be greyish, sparkled again.

    Yu-Ri unconsciously murmured, ¡°Beautiful...¡±

    It felt as if the tiara was pleading to be worn, and she indeed ced the tiara on her head. The next moment, silver energy flowed in the tiara.

    Then, as though he was enchanted, Woongi approached Yu-Ri and sniffed her.

    ¡°Who are you, teddy?¡± It was like a huge bear sniffing its prey. Woongi muttered as if he was in a trance, ¡°I smell something familiar, teddy...¡±

    Tears filled hisrge eyes. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±

    A <strong>[!!!] </strong>symbol appeared above his head. Woongi raised his hand. ¡°How dare you impersonate my queen?! I will kill you, teddy!¡±

    Then he burst into tears again, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t kill you, teddy... Waaah! I smell something nostalgic, teddy...!¡±

    One moment, he expressed his anger. ¡°Hmph! You must be a fake, teddy!¡±

    The next, he suddenly hugged Shin Yu-Ri, crying uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, teddy.¡±

    He seemed like someone with multiple personalities.

    ck Panther realized something. <i>¡®It¡¯s my turn to step in.¡¯</i>

    The Navigator of the Avengers Army believed he was the only one who had grasped the reason behind Woongi¡¯s erratic behavior. There was something tangled and knotted between the exchange of mana between Yu-Ri and Woongi. Unraveling it was crucial for ensuring a normal interaction between these two.

    <i>¡®This is a task only I can aplish!¡¯</i>

    Before ck Panther could act, however, someone else moved first. It was Park Terse, a Tamer who had gained fame by taming the Swallowing Croaker and making it docile.

    ¡°Woongi is in a state of confusion. He needs to be tamed. The mana connecting these two is twisted. It needs to be untangled,¡± Terse said. He hurriedly ran forward, and ck Panther was momentarily stunned.

    <i>¡®Wait... someone else noticed it too?¡¯</i>

    ck Panther thought he was the only one who had figured it out, but it seemed the Tamer had already understood what was going on.

    Terse ced a hand on Woongi¡¯s back and spoke in a very gentle voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can calm down. No one will hurt you.¡±

    Meanwhile, Woongi continued to alternate between being threatening and embracing Yu-Ri, crying andughing.

    Jin-Hyeok also realized something. <i>¡®Ah, so this is how Woongi became Yu-Ri¡¯s bodyguard before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized that Woongi seemed to have gone through a simr process before the regression. However, that had probably happened at a muchter stage in Woongi¡¯s life. Jin-Hyeok believed that at the time, the situation that Woongi and Yu-Ri had met in was more developed than the current one.

    <i>¡®At the current state, it is difficult for Woongi to be subservient to Yu-Ri.¡¯</i>

    Yu-Ri, when she wore the tiara, and Woongi were fated partners, but the timing was off. If this had happened a few years or even monthster, it would have been highly likely that Woongi would have sworn loyalty to Yu-Ri without any problem.

    Terse kept stroking Woongi¡¯s back. ¡°Rx your mind and trust me. I can help you, Woongi.¡±

    Terse was trying to soothe Woongi¡¯s mind with his taming Skill, but it seemed challenging, especially because he wasn¡¯t trying to actually tame Woongi but aiding Yu-Ri.

    <i>¡®My abilities are not enough!¡¯ </i>Terse thought. He realized his ability was insufficient.

    Woongi, who kept fluctuating between two types of personalities, eventually swung his right hand, scratching Yu-Ri. Fortunately, Yu-Ri¡¯s defensive Mystery, Iron Dome, blocked his attack once.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon and Kim Jeong-Hyeon tried to evacuate Yu-Ri, but she shook her head. ¡°No, I will not run away.¡±

    Yu-Ri was resolute. Just how Woongi felt a pull of fate toward her, she seemed to feel the same toward him. Yu-Ri was seeing visions shown by the tiara, a vision of her past when she had lost her beloved husband and a vision of the abandoned princess Veselity, who had been cursed, turned into a horrific monster and abandoned by others.

    Yu-Ri started to hear hallucinations.

    -Your past was the same as mine.

    Tears streamed down her face as she continued to hear the voice.

    -Please, free Woongi from the shackles that are tied to me.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok intervened. He held Miri in his hand, and Terse gasped. ¡°Chul-Soo! What are you thinking of doing right now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to help with the taming.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also had an excellent taming Skill, called Taming (Physical).

    Terse was well aware of it. ¡°Please, please stop!¡±

    ¡°I respect your taming method.¡± Jin-Hyeok also believed that a gentle and caring approach was the right way. However, in some cases, a radical method was necessary. ¡°But we don¡¯t have much time. He is going crazy.¡±

    Woongi¡¯s eyes were turning slightly red.

    ¡°I am not going to hit him for fun. Please understand,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Terse.

    ¡°Give me five minutes! Please! I can calm him down andmunicate with him!¡±

    <i>¡®Wait for five minutes? Ah, I can¡¯t wait that long,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Taming involving violence is not taming at all! It¡¯s rather¡ª¡± Terse could not finish his sentence.

    <strong>[You have used the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

 Chapter 242

    <h4>Chapter 242</h4>

    <i>¡®I am definitely not doing this out of excitement,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It was not that he wanted to hit Woongi, and it was definitely not for the love of the fight. Jin-Hyeok grinned and wielded Miri with all his might. Woongi had extraordinarily strong defense due to his tough skin.

    Jin-Hyeok spoke calmly as if to prove that he was not insane. ¡°A strange exchange of mana has been taking ce between Shin Yu-Ri and Woongi since earlier. It¡¯s not visible to the eye, but there are ces where it¡¯s tangled and twisted. That is hindering them from developing empathy toward each other and interacting with one another.¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, Chul-Soo knew about this too?¡¯</i>

    ck Panther lost his fighting spirit. He was okay with Park Terse knowing this information, since this information was closer to the realm of taming than that of a Navigator. However, he needed help understanding how Chul-Soo knew about this.

    <i>¡®He is just a Streamer...¡¯</i>

    If Chul-Soo had realized only that something weird was going on between Yu-Ri and Woongi, ck Panther would have been okay with that. However, Chul-Soo had not stopped there.

    <i>¡®He also found a solution in that short period?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Although the Skill looked violent, the tangled mana lines were being untangled as Chul-Soo struck Woongi. Clearly, Chul-Soo was gradually resolving the situation.

    ck Panther nkly stared at Chul-Soo. <i>¡®Why am I even here?¡¯</i>

    He was okay with being overshadowed by Mole Man, the number one Navigator in the Korean region. Being overshadowed by a retired Navigator hurt his pride a little, and not even being considered a rival by those two hurt his pride even more. However, being beaten by a Tamer and a Streamerpletely destroyed his pride. His experience ying with the yers in the Korean Region was not very pleasant.

    <i>¡®They are like a wall that I can¡¯t climb.¡¯</i>

    ck Panther, who had been flourishing in the American Region, had hit a wall for the first time¡ªa wall so high and distant that he did not even feel the desire to ovee it.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Terse screamed in agony, ¡°Argh! No!¡±

    Each time Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ruthless hammer touched the back of Woongi¡¯s head, Terse suffered. ¡°Please! Stop!¡±

    Terse was well aware of the destructive power of Miri. As he had already empathized with Woongi to some extent, he was indirectly experiencing Miri¡¯s fierce attacks.

    <i>¡®This is so wrong!¡¯ </i>Terse thought.

    He aimed for a gentle and warm approach to taming, so this was an unimaginable situation for him. Ironically, it pushed his potential to the limit.

    <i>¡®I have to seed in taming as quickly as possible!¡¯</i>

    Terse could not stand to see Woongi exposed to violence anymore. He utilized all his abilities to proceed with the taming, as urately and as precisely as possible, feeling desperate.

    <i>¡®I need to seed so that Woongi does not suffer anymore!¡¯</i>

    This was a new experience for Terse, not taming directly himself, but helping someone else do that. Through this experience, Terse felt he had grown. Eventually, the taming waspleted sessfully.

    ¡°Your Majesty, teddy!¡± Woongi¡¯s eyes, which had turned red, returned to normal. After saluting Yu-Ri, he hugged her and sobbed. He had returned to being a gentle and kind bear.

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°See? If you beat him... no wait, tame him like this, you empathize more with the taming subject, right?¡±

    Terse was too stunned to reply.

    Jin-Hyeok continued with a serious face, ¡°I did not strike him because I wanted to.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s true.¡±

    Terse nkly stared at Woongi. The taming had beenpleted perfectly. Terse reviewed and recalled the situation that had just urred. It felt like he was about to grasp some sort of realization, yet not quite.

    <i>¡®Taming with physical violence isn¡¯t really taming, but...¡¯</i>

    Yet, the result was excessively perfect.

    <i>¡®If Chul-Soo had not intervened earlier, Woongi¡¯s mind might have copsed. If it weren¡¯t for Chul-Soo, would Yu-Ri have been able to empathize with Woongi like that? Could Woongi have be this docile? Could such perfect taming have been possible? I¡¯ve always thought Chul-Soo¡¯s method was wrong, but... am I the one who is in the wrong?¡¯</i>

    Terse¡¯s beliefs and values began to waver.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Egan Paul approached Shin Yu-Ri for an interview. ¡°Ms. Waiting Wife, I havee across quite an interesting scene.¡±

    Egan was quite perceptive. He knew that the main character of the Haeundae Dungeon Expedition was Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is the main character, and I am the side character.¡¯</i>

    The main events and story rted to the Dungeon was Chul-Soo¡¯s domain. Hence, Egan decided to cover the minor events that Chul-Soo did not pay attention to.

    ¡°I believe the defensive Mystery you used to block Woongi¡¯s attack earlier was Iron Dome, right?¡± Egan asked.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Yu-Ri replied.

    ¡°But from my knowledge, it is a mechanical defensive Mystery that shoots out small missiles that intercept dangerous attacks, right?¡±

    ¡°You are correct again.¡±

    ¡°Normally, there would be an explosion involved in the process. This is what I know about Iron Dome.¡±

    Iron Dome, a Mystery known to be possessed by about ten people worldwide, was a powerful defensive Mystery that caused strong explosions upon activation. All the ten yers whom Egan had researched possessed the same feature.

    ¡°However, your Iron Dome did not cause any explosion. It just blocked Woongi¡¯s attack. It was like a bullet with the gunpowder removed. How is this possible?¡± Egan continued.

    ¡°Um...¡± Yu-Ri tilted her head, unsure of how to exin.

    ¡°Of course, if it is confidential, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not confidential.¡± Yu-Ri awkwardly smiled, looking toward Jin-Hyeok. She regarded Jin-Hyeok as her master and often turned to him when in doubt. ¡°I thought... everyone could do this.¡±

    <i>¡®She¡¯s being serious!¡¯ </i>Egan thought. She was not trying to deceive anyone or hide trade secrets about her Mystery. <i>¡®Their standards... are frightening.¡¯</i>

    The standards of the Korean Region were too bizarre. Feeling mentally overwhelmed, Egan steadied himself and continued with the questions. ¡°So, how did youe to the decision to tame Woongi?¡±

    ¡°I... just did it.¡± Yu-Ri¡¯s face turned slightly red. By this point, even she left like her words sounded deceptive. ¡°I just came because my master told me to.¡±

    ¡°...Ah, I see.¡± Egan realized he had forgotten an important fact.

    <i>¡®Yes. It was Chul-Soo who suddenly called Yu-Ri here! Does that mean Chul-Soo nned and designed all this?¡¯</i>

    There seemed to be no other exnation. Egan approached Chul-Soo to ask how he nned all this.

    Unable to say that he could do it because he was a regressor, Jin-Hyeok decided to be brazen. ¡°Well... I thought everyone could do this.¡±

    A heavy silence fell among the yers of the Avengers Army.

    ***

    After Woongi formed a loyalty oath with Yu-Ri, the Haeundae Dungeon was cleared. Unfortunately, the group could not get the All-Clear Achievement. The reward for clearing the Haeundae Dungeon was not particrly impressive, except for Yu-Ri acquiring a new bodyguard in Woongi.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Regardless of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s personal feelings, his video about this Dungeon raid set new records. Wang Yu-Mi was extremely satisfied. ¡°Reaching number one in the list of trending videos is now just too easy!¡±

    Any video Jin-Hyeok uploaded would nowadays instantly be number one in the list of trending videos. ¡°The trend in views and the ratio of likes to views are also phenomenal, and thements are explosive! The viewers keptparing him to the Avengers Army, and it worked great in our favor!¡±

    Yu-Mi was eager to contact Jin-Hyeok and give him all sorts of feedback, but she held back. <i>¡®I should give him some space. He said he wanted to take a three-day break!¡¯</i>

    To provide quality feedback, she gathered data and reviewed thements.

    -LOL, how are they called the Avengers Army? What a waste of a name!

    -Aren¡¯t they like the best alliance in the American Region? They didn¡¯t do anything in the Dungeon!

    -LOL, I think it¡¯s safe to say that Chul-Soo cleared the Dungeon by himself.

    It was a frustrating situation for the Avengers Army. Objectively, they had not done anything poorly. Their y was utterly conventional, and they yed well within the realm ofmon sense.

    Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses and chuckled. ¡°A person who is 180 centimeters is considered quite tall, but next to a person who is 190 centimeters, they look rtively short. This is the principle of rtivity! Hahaha!¡±

    The Avengers Army had done well, but their point ofparison was the K-Force, which included Chul-Soo himself. Moreover, there was another focal point in the video.

    -But if Woongi and Chul-Soo really fought, who would win?

    -Are you kidding? Woongi could not even prate Yu-Ri¡¯s defensive Mystery.

    -And Chul-Soo has the ultimate defensive Mystery.

    Discussions about Chul-Soo were always a hot topic.

    -But honestly, can you really call that a defensive Mystery?

    -Yeah, that¡¯s true. It looks more like an offensive Mystery.

    -Don¡¯t you guys realize that if Chul-Soo used the Phantom Swordswoman defensively, it would be even stronger?

    -Even Waiting Wife can adjust her Mystery abilities, I¡¯m sure Chul-Soo can do it too.

    Debates raged in the Korean Region Minor Gallery and various other onlinemunities. Opinions were divided on whether Chul-Soo could win in a one-on-one fight against Woongi. Then, the renowned user named Encyclopedia appeared.

    <strong>[Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s concept for this livestream was undoubtedly <i>overwhelming power, </i>a calcted overwhelming power at that. In the beginning, he dominated with physical strength, and toward the middle and end, he dominated bymanding other yers and controlling the Dungeon like a Ruler. He even showed his skills in taming. All of this indicates that Chul-Soo meticulously nned and presented this content... (Skipped)... By clearing the Haeundae Dungeon, Chul-Soo has dered a new direction of y... (Skipped)]</strong>

    Realizing the text was bing too lengthy, Encyclopedia added a two-line summary at the end.

    <strong>[Summary: Chul-Soo left Woongi alone to stay true to his concept. If he had fought seriously, he would have easily won.]</strong>

    At home, taking a break with Jin-Hyeok, Cha Jin-Sol said, ¡°So... this is what they are saying online.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Jin-Hyeok, who had been napping on the sofa,zily scratched his unkempt hair. ¡°They¡¯re saying I would win?¡±

    <i>¡®Was I really that great?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He had just yed as best as he could, giving every moment of his livestreaming a meaning. While he had not intended it to be so detailed, the result was nheless positive. It meant his livestream had enthralled people.

    ¡°But, Oppa, who would actually win if you fought Woongi?¡±

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243

    <em>¡®¡¯Who would actually win if you fought Woongi?¡±</em>

    For Cha Jin-Hyeok, this was a rather sensitive question. If he were the Jin-Hyeok from his Sword King days, he would have confidently replied, ¡®Of course, I would win.¡¯ But now, it was different. Jin-Hyeok could probably win against Woongi if it was just a fight, but he was not confident about winning while creating a storyline and paying attention to the production, as a Streamer should.

    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok pondered what to reply.

    <em>¡®That wouldn¡¯t really count as a victory, would it?¡¯</em>

    To achieve that, he would have to overwhelmingly dominate his opponent and provide catharsis to the viewers, but honestly, Jin-Hyeok thought that was impossible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can win.¡±

    ¡°...Oppa, you¡¯re weak.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Maybe I can get stronger with more effort.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I will also help you as much as I can as a Healer.¡± Jin-Sol¡¯s standards had gradually been influenced by Jin-Hyeok.

    Meanwhile, Swamnd No.2, who had desperately fled from the fourth floor, was still hiding inside the cleared Dungeon.

    <em>¡®That guy is cunning, intelligent, and meticulous. He would not have just left the Dungeon knowing I was still here,¡¯ </em>he thought.

    Chul-Soo had surely set traps inside the Dungeon, so Swamnd No.2 could not act rashly just yet.

    <em>¡®I have to wait longer. He is too meticulous.¡¯</em>

    Swamnd No.2 deliberately stayed in the Dungeon for an extended time.

    <em>¡®I need to stay here for at least more than three days. That should make him give up.¡¯</em>

    He decided to hold out in this ce for three days to find the right time to flee. At that moment, when he was the only one in desperation, Jin-Hyeok thought of Swamnd No.2

    ¡°Ah, but there was a fan of mine in the Dungeon¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, a fan of yours was in the Dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wonder if he got out safely.¡± Jin-Hyeok assumed that since the fan had managed to sneak in, the fan could likely get out too.

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Jin-Hyeok abruptly stood up. He realized that if a fan had entered the Dungeon, it meant one more yer had been registered as an entrant. The Dungeon¡¯s progression changed depending on the number of yers inside it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°There was an unexpected variable in the Dungeon. No wonder we didn¡¯t get the All-Clear Achievement!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I should go back and check.¡± Jin-Hyeok had been uneasy about not getting the All-Clear, so this was good news. He had been sure he was missing something.

    As Jin-Hyeok hurriedly left, Jin-Sol had an epiphany. ¡°Aha! If it¡¯s not an All-Clear, then it¡¯s not really a clear at all!¡±

    She felt embarrassed for being pleased with just an ordinary clear.

    ***

    BongMiNaTV¡¯s Bong King and Kang Mi-Na secured an exclusive interview with Egan Paul. It was a coboration between the top Streamers in Korea and the top Streamer in the United States.

    ¡°Yes, the standards of the Korean yers were quite different from ours.¡± Egan had not encountered many Korean yers. It was mostly Chul-Soo and his party members. ¡°Their fundamental way of thinking was different. I can see why the Korean Region is the stronghold of ying.¡±

    The Navigator, ck Panther, was still in shock.

    ¡°The Navigator of the Avengers Army realized a lot while ying with the K-Force,¡± Egan said. The very foundation of ck Panther had been shaken. The way he had yed until now seemed to have beenpletely negated, leading to an inner transformation. ¡°Perhaps our way of ying was wrong. Korean yers have shown us something very new.¡±

    Mi-Na internally cheered. <em>¡®This is going to be a nationalist content!¡¯</em>

    Nationalism content, while divisive, still guaranteed a certain level of viewership. If they managed to portray a certain degree of national pride well without being too obvious, they could reduce the number of dislikes.

    ¡°When I yed with the K-Force yers, to be honest, it felt like I''d hit a wall,¡± Egan added.

    Rather than portraying the national pride, this content was showcasing the Chul-Soo pride.

    Suddenly, the chatroom erupted.

    -Wait, is that actually Chul-Soo?

    -It is! Chul-Soo is in the chat room!

    -Chul-Soo is here!

    -Chul-Soo up! Chul-Soo up! Chul-Soo up!

    Bong King, who was managing the chat, hurriedly searched for the username [Kim Chul-Soo] in the chatroom. He promptly gave Chul-Soo temporary manager rights and opened the chat.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, is it really you?¡± Mi-Na asked, hoping he would answer in the chat.

    At that moment, news of Chul-Soo¡¯s appearance in the livestream spread instantly, and countless viewers flocked to BongMiNaTV.

    Mi-Na trembled at the rapidly increasing number of viewers. <em>¡®Wow, the Chul-Soo effect is amazing!¡¯</em>

    With Chul-Soo¡¯s appearance, the viewership increased by thirty thousand, and it was still climbing.

    Meanwhile, Egan finished the conversation he was just having with Jin-Hyeok on the phone. ¡°Unfortunately, it looks like we will have to end the interview here.¡±

    ¡°What? But¡­¡± Mi-Na was confused.

    <em>¡®We have other things nned in our schedule!¡¯ </em>she thought. They had nned a friendly match between Korea¡¯s famous Swordsman, the Anus Destroyer Lee Hyeon-Seong, and Avengers Army yers.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Chul-Soo is calling us,¡± Egan replied. His demeanor was as grave as if he were dering that his country needed him. ¡°He says we need to re-enter the Haeundae Dungeon.¡±

    The Dungeon had been cleared, but Chul-Soo needed to fill in the number of entrants.

    ¡°I guess¡­ this means that we were notpletely ipetent.¡± Egan was moved. He had indeed felt inferior while ying with the K-Force and thought that he had not yed any significant role while in the Dungeon.

    <em>¡®But Chul-Soo seems to think differently,¡¯ </em>Egan thought.

    Otherwise, there was no reason for Chul-Soo to specifically call them back to re-enter the Haeundae Dungeon.

    ¡°Chul-Soo said our task is not finished yet.¡±

    ¡°What task are you referring to?¡± Mi-Na asked.

    ¡°The task of not leaving our fallenrades behind.¡±

    Chul-Soo had retrieved two bodies from the Sand Worms¡¯ territory and handed them over to their families as soon as the Dungeon was cleared. The entire scene had spread across the United States through Egan¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°There are stillrades we have not found.¡± Even Egan had neglected this. However, Chul-Soo, a yer from another country, was taking care of it.

    ¡°I think the K-Force yers are crazy.¡± Egan thought they were not normal yers by any means. Their standards were crazy, and their way of ying even more so. ¡°They are beautifully crazy.¡±

    Egan ended the interview. His expression was solemn.

    ***

    ¡°Tsk, she is totally addicted to ying,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while shaking his head in disapproval.

    Han Sae-Rin had entered another Dungeon with other yers just a few hours after leaving the Haeundae Dungeon. She was currently out of contact. So, Jin-Hyeok decided to team up with Mole Man.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I have a request too, moly.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡¯

    Mole Man tried not to show it, but his eyes held a significant amount of eagerness. Jin-Hyeok could see his state without even using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[#Please. #Give me a chance too.]</strong>

    Curious about what could be so urgent, Jin-Hyeok found out it was something quite simple.

    ¡°I want an official certificate stating I am a member of the K-Force, moly!¡±

    ¡°An official certificate?¡±

    It was hard for Jin-Hyeok to understand why Mole Man wanted such a thing, especially since the K-Force did not have anything like official certificates. Moreover, the term K-Force was just a convenient term people used. It was not even an official name.

    ¡°We don¡¯t print out any official certificates¡­ But why do you want it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I thought we were already on the same team,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°...!¡±

    Except for the Navigator¡¯s habit of adding ¡®moly¡¯ at the end of his sentences, Jin-Hyeok actually liked Mole Man. Now that Sae-Rin had retired as a Navigator, Mole Man had be an excellent colleague who could take on the role of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Navigator. Jin-Hyeok actually thought of Mole Man as a colleague he got along well with.

    ¡°You little¡­!¡± Overwhelmed with emotion, Mole Man forgot to add his usual ¡®moly¡¯ at the end. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking of me as part of the team?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I already knew that.¡±

    <strong>[#Yes! #I am the Navigator of the K-Force!]</strong>

    Feeling uplifted, Mole Man asked, ¡°So? I guess going into the Dungeon to find the bodies is just an excuse?¡±

    While the Avengers Army and the general public were praising and idolizing Jin-Hyeok for his touching act, Mole Man had a different view. It was unreasonable for an excellent yer to re-enter a Dungeon he had already cleared just for that reason.

    <em>¡®Surely! There must be another reason!¡¯</em>

    Just then, Jin-Sol came out of the room and said with a sly smile. ¡°It¡¯s not clearing a Dungeon if it¡¯s not an All-Clear.¡±

    Mole Man felt as if he had been hit on the head. It was a point he hadpletely overlooked. And hearing it from Jin-Sol was a huge shock.

    <em>¡®Even Chul-Soo¡¯s sister thinks the same way?¡¯</em>

    Losing to Chul-Soo was one thing, but Mole Man could not afford to lose to Chul-Soo¡¯s sister too. Not having thought of this was a defeat in mindset.

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re right. If it¡¯s not an All-Clear, it¡¯s not a clear at all, moly!¡±

    ***

    Once again, Jin-Hyeok entered the Haeundae Dungeon. He immediately sensed that the decision to re-enter it was the right one.

    As soon as they entered the Dungeon, a timer caught his eye.

    [01:22:15]

    There was approximately one hour remaining. Mole Man also noticed the timer.

    ¡°It has been about forty-six hours since we left the Haeundae Dungeon, moly. So, this timer seems to be set for around forty-eight hours, moly. It means we had to do something more within forty-eight hours after the Dungeon clear notification for an All-Clear, moly!¡± Mole Man realized another fact. He read the Dungeon information with his Navigator¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not everyone has left the Dungeon, moly! Someone has been guarding this ce!¡±

    ¡°...Ah!¡± Jin-Hyeok immediately understood what Mole Man meant

    <em>¡®There, I can see a figure tiptoeing over there,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Mole Man, busy reading the Dungeon information, seemed to not have noticed this figure. It was definitely the fan Jin-Hyeok had met previously.

    <em>¡®He seems like a very shy fan.¡¯</em>

    That fan¡¯s name was Swamnd No.2. Thanks to Swamnd No.2, the Dungeon¡¯s settings had been maintained.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m so grateful for him.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to speak to the fan, considering thetter¡¯s extreme shyness. Jin-Hyeok was just trying to be considerate, but Swamnd No.2 was confident in his perfect stealth.

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo¡­ Your eyes and senses are not that powerful!¡¯ </em>Swamnd No.2 thought. This new information became data for him. He now knew that this level of stealth was enough not to be detected by Chul-Soo. <em>¡®The data is umting. This will be my strength. I will retreat today, but next time will be different!¡¯</em>

    The desperate Swamnd No.2 left the Dungeon, and Jin-Hyeok, along with other yers, reached the fourth floor.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. There was a fifth floor here, moly!¡± Woongi had definitelye down from the fifth floor. Since the Dungeon clear had happened on the fourth floor, it meant that they had not fully cleared the Dungeon. ¡°I will lead you guys to the fifth floor, moly!¡±

    Mole Man led the way up the stairs. The stairs were quite high, and as they climbed them, they encountered arge wall blocking the way. ¡°Hm¡­ We need to break this wall to pass, moly. Just wait a minute, moly.¡±

    Only about twenty minutes were remaining. As time went by, Mole Man profusely sweated, searching around the wall, but could not find a solution.

    Just then, a message came through from Wang Yu-Mi.

    <em>¡®Huh? An urgent message from Sae-Rin?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. It seemed like she had checked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream aftering out of the Dungeon she was in. <em>¡®What is this?¡¯</em>

    Upon reading the message, Jin-Hyeok grinned. The message was fairly straightforward.

    [What the hell are you doing? Just break the damn wall! Don¡¯t you know that Woongi broke it toe down?]

    With Sae-Rin¡¯s confirmation, Jin-Hyeok immediately took out Miri.

    <em>¡®Huh? What happened to Miri?¡¯</em>

    Miri had transformed.

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244

    Miri had greatly expanded in size, but soon, it gradually shrank back to its original form and size.

    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok heard a voice.

    ¡°Please handle me roughly.¡± It was a voice close to a human¡¯s.

    When he nced behind, he saw a translucent ghost-like figure floating and embracing his neck. ¡°Are you Miri?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    It seemed like Miri¡¯s will had not only blossomed but also materialized.

    <em>¡®It has been a long time since I saw such a thing.¡¯</em>

    A weapon¡¯s will could materialize if maximum resonance existed between the weapon and its master. Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had experienced this a few times during his Sword King days.¡°Oppa, what are you doing?¡± Cha Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Nothing, nothing at all.¡±

    Only the master of the materialized weapon could see this form. If one were to make aparison, Miri resembled a materialized Phantom Swordswoman. She seemed to have been greatly influenced by the Phantom Swordswoman, appearing like a younger version of the worn-out and fallen angel.

    While talking with Jin-Hyeok, Miri kept expanding and shrinking in size.

    <em>¡®It feels like she can¡¯t control her size properly.¡¯</em>

    Putting aside the physical manifestation of the will, the weapon¡¯s size kept fluctuating unevenly, like a balloon.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok realized something. ¡°Where is the Ectorial?¡±

    ¡°I swallowed it.¡± Miri embraced Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck harder. ¡°Was I not supposed to do that?¡±

    Through the bond between their souls, Jin-Hyeok could feel that Miri was feeling sorry. However, since he could not tell her to spit out the Ectorial and their bond had deepened, he did not scold her.

    ¡°No, I was just curious,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    <em>¡®But how did that happen?¡¯</em>

    Even he found it difficult to think of a reason Miri would swallow the Ectorial.

    In the meantime, the Ruler of the Avengers Army, Hickson, stepped forward. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo, can you give us a chance too?¡±

    ¡°A chance?¡±

    At Hickson¡¯s flick of a finger, the Avengers Army¡¯s damage-dealing yer, Holyholy, stepped forward. Holyholy was a yer of the Holy Knight ss, wielding the dazzling Radiant Mace and known for powerful attacks.

    ¡°My name is Holyholy.¡± He raised the gleaming mace, which looked extremely powerful due to its size.

    <em>¡®I don¡¯t think you can break the wall.¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok almost said it out loud.

    He knew that because he had Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. Although Holyholy¡¯s offensive power seemed formidable, it was insufficient to break the wall.

    However, Jin-Hyeok had learned things from the Avengers Army. He knew how to dramatize and glorify even the most trivial things.

    ¡°I trust you, Radiant Holy Knight,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he reached out his right hand.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me the opportunity.¡± Holyholy shook the hand.

    ***

    Mole Man nervously bit his nails. <em>¡®Does Sae-Rin think I have not thought of a way to break this wall, moly?¡¯</em>

    He had been considering how to demolish the wall since he first saw it. However, upon inspecting the site, he realized it was impossible. The wall was toorge and solid.

    <em>¡®She¡¯s only ranked second, and yet she has the audacity to teach me things without seeing it in person!¡¯</em>

    He was certain that even the hefty mace of the Holy Knight Holyholy would not be able to break that wall.

    That turned out to be true.

    ¡°<em>Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± </em>Holyholy exerted all his strength to pound the wall, but it did not budge.

    Meanwhile, Mole Man continued to desperately search for a way to destroy the wall.

    <em>¡®There is no time!¡¯</em>

    Only about ten minutes were remaining. They did not have enough time to break through the wall, climb up the stairs, and do something on the fifth floor.

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough, Holyholy. Thank you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lifted Miri. He stood in front of the thick wall and pretended to concentrate, looking serious and sublime.

    <em>¡®Hm¡­ What¡¯s the cooler name, True Swing or Wall Shatter.¡¯</em>

    Eventually, he made his choice. ¡°Activate True Wall Shatter.¡±

    Miri rapidly expanded, and Jin-Hyeok struck the wall with the enormous hammer. At that moment, he felt a thrilling sensation.

    <em>¡®This is it!¡¯</em>

    Miri created a crack in the wall at the spot it struck, with a loud splitting sound, and golden light leaked through the crevices.

    Holyholy gazed at the scene in awe. It seemed as if Chul-Soo were telling him that this was true radiance.

    Holyholy unconsciously murmured, ¡°A¡­ Radiant Streamer¡­!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had broken the wall in a single strike. He had destroyed it by concentrating on his breathing and focusing on his strength.

    Soon, the rest of the wall crumbled and fell.

    ***

    In Arvis, the universe¡¯s strongest Server, Marshmallow, the top Streamer in the universe and a cosmic-ss ranker, was watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. His heart was pounding with excitement.

    <em>¡®Wow.!</em>

    To Marshmallow, Chul-Soo seemed to be improving every day.

    <em>¡®He handed over the opportunity to that nobody! With only twenty minutes left!¡¯</em>

    He knew why Chul-Soo had done that.

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo knew that guy could not do it.¡¯</em>

    The Radiant Holy Knight, with all his might, could not achieve what Chul-Soo had with just one attack. Chul-Soo had produced a dramatic scene.

    -LOL, he destroyed that wall with just one hit!

    -Streamer Chul-Soo¡¯s damage is insane! LOL

    -No way! Our Radiant Holy Knight made it possible by weakening the wall first!

    -Wall: Please, no more! T_T

    Marshmallow chuckled. He could see Chul-Soo¡¯s skills improving day by day.

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t just about the damage.¡±

    ¡°Holy! You scared me! When did you get here?¡± Marshmallow yelled.

    ¡°Not that long ago.¡±

    Marshmallow was surprised that he was so startled. Even though he wasfortable in his home and the neer was his close friend Encyclopedia, he could not believe that he had not sensed thetter¡¯s presence at all.

    ¡°You were so engrossed in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream that you didn¡¯t even notice meing here,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    <em>¡®Was I that absorbed in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream?¡¯ </em>Marshmallow thought.

    As he hid his true feelings, he asked Encyclopedia, ¡°If it¡¯s not about the damage, then what is it about?¡±

    ¡°Breaking that wall requires a special power. That wall can¡¯t be broken by just anyone. It is a wall that can be broken only with a weapon made of a special material.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know a lot about it.¡±

    ¡°Yet, Chul-Soo used Rule Breaker to destroy that wall, which means¡­¡± Encyclopedia showed his friend one of Chul-Soo¡¯s past videos on his phone.

    <strong>[Ectorial]</strong>

    ¡°I think the Rule Breaker consumed it,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°Wait, Rule Breakers can consume other weapons?¡±

    ¡°It is likely that some of the powers of Sephia and Grandel were transferred to the weapon.¡±

    ¡°...Wow, I had no idea that was possible.¡±

    ¡°There is no other exnation.¡±

    Encyclopedia¡¯s detailed exnation made Chul-Soo¡¯s y even more intriguing.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t there very little time left?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what adds to the tension.¡±

    ¡°...So, he staged all this.¡± Marshmallow¡¯s expression became more serious.

    In contrast, Encyclopedia looked even more excited. ¡°Perhaps a universe-level Scenario is about to begin.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok and his party arrived on the fifth floor. Structurally, it was almost identical to the fourth floor¡ªdark and resembling a temple with many pirs. In the distance, on a particrly dark spot on the stairsy a coffin.

    <em>¡®Is that the coffin where Woongi slept?¡¯ </em>

    They climbed the stairs and opened the coffin lid.

    <em>¡®This is¡­!¡¯</em>

    Unexpectedly, it had two corpses inside. Some yers from the Avengers Army began to weep.

    ¡°Smith!¡±

    ¡°Wilson!¡±

    They were the corpses of the yers who had died at the hands of the White Jade Armor Knight during the Avengers Army¡¯s expedition. Thanks to the effects of the coffin, the bodies were well preserved. Mok Jae-Hyeon, like before, crafted coffins for them, and the yers from the Avengers Army paid their respects to their fallenrades.

    Meanwhile, Mole Man diligently explored the surroundings. ¡°Hey, ck Panther, did you find something, moly?¡±

    ¡°There must be some secret to that coffin.¡±

    ¡°I think so too, moly.¡±

    ck Panther said, ¡°Obviously, that coffin is used for storing bodies.¡±

    ¡°Obviously, moly.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we need to put the right corpse in the coffin to perfectly clear this Dungeon?¡± ck Panther recalled the past events. ¡°Maybe the coffin is for the one thought to be the Dungeon boss but wasn¡¯t, whom the Dungeon boss devotedly served, and the true owner of the Abandoned Temple¡ªthe Forsaken Queen. Even though Chul-Soo had killed her, she had only turned into an ashen figure and did not disappear. Maybe that coffin is meant for the queen, the owner of the fourth floor.¡±

    This meant they would have to go back to the fourth floor and bring up the queen¡¯s body. As ck Panther thought about this, his tail stiffened with resolve.

    <em>¡®Yes! Her body did not disappear after death! That¡¯s the key point!¡¯ </em>ck Panther thought.

    However, the problem was the time. Only about two minutes were left on the timer. Even hurrying down the stairs to fetch the body in the remaining time was tough. Moreover, if the wall that they had earlier destroyed had regenerated, it would add to the problem. They would have to say goodbye to the All-Clear.

    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em>

    ck Panther noticed something slightly odd about Mole Man.

    <em>¡®It looks like¡­ he is slightly stalling...?¡¯</em>

    ck Panther had a strange feeling about it.

    When only one minute was left, Mole Man took out a coffin from his inventory.

    <em>¡®Wait, that is¡­!¡¯</em>

    It was the coffin containing the queen¡¯s body. The shape and style of the coffin made it seem like the Wood King had prepared it beforehand.

    ¡°Good thing I prepared in advance,¡± Mole Man said.

    While the rest of the party had been busy with how to destroy the wall, Mole Man had asked Mok Jae-Hyeon and Kim Jeong-Hyeon to collect the queen¡¯s body.

    Mole Man walked away from ck Panther and toward Chul-Soo. ck Panther nkly stared at his back.

    <em>¡®When did he prepare that?¡¯</em>

    A slight sense of self-reproach washed over him.

    <em>¡®But why did he stall?¡¯</em>

    It seemed like Mole Man had intentionally waited till thest minute, to allow Chul-Soo to create a more dramatic scene. The absurd part was that Chul-Soo seemed to already know this and acted very naturally.

    <em>¡®Was I the only one who didn¡¯t know?¡¯ </em>ck Panther felt bitter. <em>¡®These crazy guys¡­ How on earth¡­?¡¯</em>

    Leaving the stunned ck Panther behind, Mole Man said, ¡°This is the queen¡¯s body.¡±

    ¡°The queen finally found her ce.¡± Chul-Soo carefully lifted the queen and ced her into the coffin. His expression was of utmost reverence. Everyone from the Avengers Army stood solemnly, their mouths sealed shut.

    The ashen figure of the queen began to regain its color. The curse faded away, and the queen transformed beautifully and said, ¡°Thank you for giving me eternal rest, my subject.¡±

    ¡°I just did what I had to do, Your Majesty.¡± In his mind, Jin-Hyeok was saying <em>¡®Skip! Skip!¡¯</em> but he did not show it outwardly.

    The queen gently smiled. ¡°I was forsaken but not forgotten. Loyal subjects like you have not forgotten me.¡±

    She raised her arm and touched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s cheek.

    Kang Eun-Woo¡¯s heart pounded at the sight. <em>¡®Such a magnificent scene¡­¡¯</em>

    Eun-Woo could not believe his eyes¡ª the queen, having broken the curse and meeting her final rest, and Chul-Soo, reverently facing her.

    <em>¡®Every shot I take is an amazing one.¡¯</em>

    He realized each photo was going to be worth billions.

    The revitalized appearance of the queen gradually faded. ¡°I am not going to be lonely, knowing there will be someone to remember myst. Remember, I was your queen, and you are thest subject toe in contact with me. You shall have all that is mine.¡±

    Golden light sparkled above the fading queen¡¯s head, slowly rising and shattering above Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. It was like falling stardust.

    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em>

    <strong>[The Forsaken Queen, Veselity, has chosen you.]</strong>

    <strong>[The right of inheritance is bound to the yer ?Kim Chul-Soo?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was ecstatic about the inheritance but did not show it. He held the queen¡¯s hand on his cheek, closed his eyes, and maintained a reverent posture. He did so for fear of revealing his greedy eyes, but his appearance seemed quite sublime, moving some of the Avengers Army to tears.

    When the light dust almost disappeared, and the queenpletely vanished, Jin-Hyeok received a new notification.

    <strong>[The Universe-level Scenario ?Legacy of the Forsaken Queen? has begun.]</strong>

 Chapter 245

    <h4>Chapter 245</h4>

    In the living room of Marshmallow¡¯s house, Encyclopedia bit his nails and trembled with anxiety. Then, he stood up and paced back and forth.

    ¡°Hey, buddy, you¡¯re acting a bit crazy,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°Chul-Soo did not reveal thest notification. God, I hate that cutting technique.¡± Suddenly, seeming enraged, Encyclopedia approached Marshmallow, grabbed him by the cor, and shook him vigorously. ¡°Why can¡¯t you Streamers stop using this trashy cutting technique?¡±

    ¡°Keuk... Why not let go of me first, then we can talk.¡±

    Encyclopedia sighed, then sprawled out on the sofa. ¡°What could be thest notification that Chul-Soo got?¡±

    ¡°He will reveal it when the timees. Why are you making a fuss about it now? I¡¯ve never seen you so invested in someone¡¯s livestream. You don¡¯t even watch mine.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s rted to a universe-level Scenario, do you?¡±

    ¡°No way! How would a universe-level Scenario appear in a new Server? That has historically happened only once,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with you, but still, I just have this feeling...¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Weren¡¯t you always the one who said we should analyze things based on solid reasoning and not our feelings?¡±

    ¡°Right, I did.¡± Encyclopedia bit his nails again. ¡°But look at Chul-Soo. How can you analyze him with reason?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°How is that the performance you would expect from a Level 200 Streamer?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Encyclopedia was extremely curious about thest notification Chul-Soo got.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    At that moment, Wang Yu-Mi announced that she was going to upload an exclusive video for her VIPs tomorrow.

    ¡°Could this be rted to today¡¯s notification?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    ¡°Maybe?¡±

    ¡°Hey, are you a VIP of KimKnowItAllTV?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    KimKnowItAllTV had a VIP system, with a separate channel exclusively for the VIPs, where they could view unpublished or pre-released videos.

    Marshmallow got angry. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so angry?¡±

    ¡°KingGodGeneral Yumi¡¯s marketing strategies are no joke. The way she treats her VIPs is insane! Even the members of the Trinity Club are desperate to be her VIPs.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a member of the Trinity Club?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, but...¡±

    ¡°Can you please be a VIP for her channel? I want to check the unpublished videos.¡±

    ¡°I would never do that. I am Marshmallow! Why would I be a VIP of a rising yer¡¯s channel... or rather, the channel of a Storyteller covering that channel?¡±

    ¡°Come on, please,¡± Encyclopedia begged, but Marshmallow was adamant.

    ¡°I would have to make a massive one-time donation and even buy an expensive monthly subscription! How much was that again? I believe it is five hundred million Dias. That¡¯s an insane amount.¡±

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you. I thought you were my friend!¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re crazy! This is for someone like MoneyShower, who is rolling in dough!¡±

    Eventually, Encyclopedia stood up and irritably walked away.

    ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°To MoneyShower.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I am going to beg <i>him</i> to show me the video. I heard he¡¯s currently in the Korean Region.¡±

    Just then, Marshmallow called out to his friend. ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a VIP of KimKnowItAllTV because of you.¡±

    ¡°...?¡± Encyclopedia looked puzzled.

    ¡°Just letting you know, I don¡¯t like this rookie yer¡¯s livestream. Why would I spend this much money on some unpublished videos? I worked hard for my money.¡±

    ¡°I get it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to go to MoneyShower. I told you!¡±

    Marshmallow replied with a sigh, ¡°I have no choice but to buy the monthly subscription. This is all because of you.¡±

    To enter Yu-Mi¡¯s VIP list, one had to be in the top ten of the donation ranking for her channel. This meant that only ten people in the universe could be VIPs for her channel, and they had to donate a tremendous amount to the channel to achieve that.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I told you. I¡¯m going to go see MoneySh¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, be quiet. I can¡¯t make a donation when you¡¯re yapping so loud right next to me.¡± Marshmallow used a mute skill to silence Encyclopedia. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for having a bad friend. <i>Sigh! </i>What a waste of money.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s hands seemed to be moving joyfully as he made the donation, and his expression showed that he seemed quite relieved, even somewhat happy.

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was quite surprised to see ¡®Universe-level Scenario¡¯ in the description.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never heard of this kind of Scenario before.¡¯</i>

    Thergest-scale Scenario he knew of was Server-level. He had never heard of a universe-level Scenario, not even during his days as the Sword King.

    <i>¡®There is no detailed exnation either.¡¯</i>

    In the description, the Scenario was marked with a question mark. Since it was rted to the Forsaken Queen, he guessed it involved finding something left by her.

    Meanwhile, Egan Paul, who had stopped his livestream, was moved.

    ¡°All-Clear...!¡±

    ck Panther felt the same. His tail trembled violently. ¡°We¡¯ve achieved an All-Clear...!¡±

    ck Panther always longed to achieve an All-Clear. He was a ranker in the American Region, but he had never received an All-Clear. He had not even dreamed that he would achieve it in the distantnds of Korea.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯ </i>ck Panther¡¯s joy was short-lived, as a strange feeling came over him. The expression of Cha Jin-Sol, who was standing right next to him, seemed really odd.

    ¡°Hey, Saint of Freedom, you don¡¯t seem that happy about achieving an All-Clear,¡± ck Panther said.

    ¡°Happy?¡± Jin-Sol was, in fact, happy; achieving an All-Clear was still unfamiliar and strange to her. However, she hade here with a firm mind. She had learned that if it was not an All-Clear, it was not a real clear. So, an All-Clear was not something to be treated as a special achievement.

    Feeling puzzled, ck Panther asked, ¡°You just achieved an All-Clear. Why aren¡¯t you happier?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not an All-Clear, it is not a clear at all.¡±

    It felt like Jin-Sol was saying ¡®An All-Clear should not be something special..¡¯ Her calm demeanor deeply shocked ck Panther.

    <i>¡®These guys...!¡¯</i>

    He knew that the K-Force¡¯s standards were extraordinary, but he could not fathom how high they were. Even though he was ustomed to the standards of the American Region, ck Panther had begun to adapt to those of the K-Force.

    <i>¡®So, I need to have that kind of mindset. It¡¯s not a clear if it is not an All-Clear.¡¯</i>

    Having learned this, he examined the All-Clear Achievement rewards.

    <strong>[All-Clear (Haeundae Dungeon)]</strong>

    <strong>[An Achievement awarded to those who All-Clear the Haeundae Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by the monsters of the Haeundae Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer will receive a significant boost in all experience gained in the Haeundae Dungeon.</strong>

    Up to this point, it was simr to the usual All-Clear effects. Then, all yers in the group heard a message.

    [¡°You must find and protect all that is lost. That is myst wish.¡±]

    <strong>2) Rediscovering the Forgotten.</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement significantly enhances all detection abilities.</strong>

    <strong>©» The Achievement bearer can detect all the Hidden Achievements or Items in Dungeons or Fields that are lower in level than the Haeundae Dungeon.]</strong>

    ck Panther was thrilled. <i>¡®The Haeundae Dungeon is the most difficult Dungeon I have entered.¡¯</i>

    It was a Dungeon so challenging that he had lost fourrades in a previous expedition. Moreover, if the power of the Dungeon boss monster, Woongi, was considered, the Haeundae Dungeon could be the hardest Dungeon in the Earth Server.

    <i>¡®And I can freely detect Hidden Items or Achievements in Dungeons of this level or lower?¡¯</i>

    This was the best reward for a Navigator. However, the other yers had slightly bitter expressions.

    ¡°What is this? This is good for only Navigators!¡±

    ¡°At least I got an Achievement effect rted to defense.¡±

    The yers had received two types of Achievement effects for achieving an All-Clear in the Haeundae Dungeon. It seemed that only one of the two was given to yers. One of them was the Rediscovering the Forgotten effect, which ck Panther had acquired. The other was Protecting the Forgotten effect, which Chul-Soo had acquired.

    Chul-Soo was recording this scene. ¡°Rediscovering the forgotten and protecting the queen... It seems that the Achievement effects are influenced by the Dungeon¡¯s attributes. I acquired an Achievement effect rted to protection.¡±

    <strong>[2) Protecting the Forgotten.</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement significantly enhances all of the Achievement bearer¡¯s defensive abilities.</strong>

    <strong>©» The Achievement bearer is immune to attacks lower in level than those of the monsters in the Haeundae Dungeon.]</strong>

    Unlike the ecstatic ck Panther, Jin-Hyeok was slightly disappointed.

    <i>¡®This is it?¡¯ </i>

    He particrly disliked the second part.

    Jin-Hyeok could already block all attacks that were lower in level than those of the monsters in the Haeundae Dungeon. The most powerful opponent in the Haeundae Dungeon was Woongi, and Woongi¡¯s attacks were formidable, but not impossible to defend against. That was why he felt a bit demoralized that he had achieved an All-Clear with such a bad effect.

    ¡°I have got a good idea.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out Miri. Having absorbed Ectorial, Miri had transformed its shape to suit the situation and purpose. Right now, it resembled a carving knife.

    -Leave it to me.

    If there was an effect he did not like, he could just carve it out; after all, Miri was originally a Rule Breaker.

    Jin-Hyeok sat down and meticulously used the carving knife to scrape off the letters of the Achievement effect.

    Egan and ck Panther closely observed him.

    <i>¡®What is he doing?¡¯</i>

    Eventually, Jin-Hyeok seeded.

    <strong><s>[The Achievement bearer is immune to attacks lower in level than those of the monsters in the Haeundae Dungeon.]</s></strong>

    He had sessfully removed the effect. Now, only one line remained.

    <strong>[The Achievement significantly enhances all of the Achievement bearer¡¯s defensive abilities.]</strong>

    Finally, Jin-Hyeok smiled in satisfaction. <i>¡®My Absolute Barrier will be much stronger.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ck Panther could not hide his shock. <i>¡®But, I was so happy with my Achievement effect...¡¯</i>

    The phrase ¡°lower in level than the Haeundae Dungeon¡± was like a blessing for ck Panther. However, the simr phrase for the other Achievement effect seemed more like a hindrance for Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I guess we need to check how much stronger my Absolute Barrier has be.¡± Chul-Soo requested Kim Jeong-Hyeon, ¡°Hey, I want you to hit ck Panther with all your might.¡±

    ¡°I... don¡¯t want to... kill him...¡±

    ¡°Just enough not to kill him.¡±

    ck Panther felt terribly wronged. <i>¡®Why should I be the one to get hit? Is having weak defense a crime?¡¯ </i>

    Before he could voice this, Jeong-Hyeon attacked him.

    ¡°My attack...!¡±

    Both ck Panther and Jeong-Hyeon were surprised. ck Panther did not even flinch from Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s half-serious punch.

    ¡°This time... I will put a bit more... sincerity into it...!¡± Jeong-Hyeon was greatly inspired by Jin-Hyeok, so he followed in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Full Power... Fist Technique!¡±

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A loud noise erupted, but it was futile. Not a single hair on ck Panther was harmed. This was due to Chul-Soo¡¯s Absolute Barrier.

    ¡°The Achievement is quite outstanding,¡± Chul-Soo said. Before, although his Absolute Barrier had exceptional defensive power, it could protect only him. However, with the All-Clear Achievement effect, it was a different story now. ¡°I can now set the range of the barrier as I wish.¡±

    Egan was shocked.<i> ¡®It is the same type of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, but how can it be so different from mine?¡¯</i>

    Also being a Streamer, Egan clenched his fists. <i>¡®Someday, I will also have that powerful defensive ability!¡¯</i>

    ***

    After clearing the Haeundae Dungeon, Jin-Hyeok visited Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop for VIP management purposes. Gap-Soo and Jang Michelle were eagerly waiting for him with heightened anticipation.

    ¡°You¡¯re here! Did you get an All-Clear?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°You can see the details in the unpublished video that Yu-Mi will upload tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me a bit now?¡±

    Michelle did not say anything, but she seemed exhrated. Jin-Hyeok looked around and lowered his voice. ¡°Since you two are my special VIPs, I was thinking of telling you in advance.¡±

    The information would be public by the next day anyway. Jin-Hyeok had not decided yet whether to disclose the information on the universe-level Scenario or not, but he had made up his mind to reveal the All-Clear Achievement effect. Since the Avengers Army yers had also received the same effects, keeping it a secret did not seem very meaningful.

    ¡°But telling just the two of you like this is a bit unfair, don¡¯t you think? Other VIPs mightinter.¡±

    Gap-Soo and Michelle both said at the same time. ¡°Do you want money?¡±

    ¡°I can give you as much money as you want.¡±

    ¡°No, It¡¯s not about that. I need a reason, a justification for me. A reason that can protect me from other VIPs¡¯ints.¡±

    ¡°Right, justification is important. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    ¡°In exchange for exclusive information that only you two can give me, I will pre-release a part of the video that will be uploaded tomorrow. That way, I can justify my actions.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to tease out some information that would be public in a day anyway. He felt a bit guilty for treating these two like pushovers, but they seemed to have no such concerns.

    Jin-Hyeok asked in an even lower and secretive voice. ¡°Do you happen to know about universe-level Scenarios?¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s expression stiffened slightly.

 Chapter 246

    <h4>Chapter 246</h4>

    ¡°Universe-level Scenarios? Is that the title of a new movie?¡± Choi Gap-Soo acted like he had no clue what it was.

    ¡°Ah,e on, old man,¡± Jang Michelle said. Gap-Soo¡¯s acting was so awkward that Cha Jin-Hyeok did not even have to use Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. Michelle sighed and continued, ¡°It would¡¯ve been more believable if you just didn¡¯t say anything at all. You¡¯ve always been terrible at acting, old man. How did you even manage your business with such a poor poker face?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! My acting is phenomenal! When I was young, I got many offers to be an actor!¡±

    ¡°That''s because you are famous for being a doormat... I mean, rich!¡±

    ¡°What does being rich have to do with acting offers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure all of those acting contracts had a use asking you for money.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s because they needed the marketing fee and money for my acting lessons...¡±

    ¡°Other actors don¡¯t usually pay for that,¡± Michelle replied with a sigh.

    Jin-Hyeok quietly waited through their banter, then said something that hit the nail on the head. ¡°Michelle, it seems like you are trying hard to change the subject.¡±

    ¡°Oh, seems like I got caught~¡±

    ¡°If you two are acting like this, a universe-level Scenario must be something serious.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Gap-Soo stroked his chin. ¡°It¡¯s not so much serious as...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly pleasant for us. A universe-level Scenario can bring about a huge bacsh powerful enough to reshape the order of the universe. And you know that powerful beings of the universe don¡¯t really like change,¡± Michelle said with a broad smile.

    ¡°But about the unpublished video... You¡¯re really going to show it to us first, right?¡± Gap-Soo said with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Of course, I will show it to you.¡± Jin-Hyeok showed them the unpublished video, which would be made public the next day anyway. It was the scene where he achieved the All-Clear, and due to the Achievement effect, Absolute Barrier was significantly enhanced.

    Gap-Soo heartilyughed. ¡°Yes, this is why I watch your livestreams!¡±

    Gap-Soo felt vicarious satisfaction watching Jin-Hyeok be stronger.

    ¡°Now, you have to tell me about universe-level Scenarios,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    When Jin-Hyeok returned home, his heart was racing. <i>¡®This is going to be a massive amount of content!¡¯</i>

    A universe-level Scenario had appeared only once in history. It was a period of great upheaval from a universal perspective.

    <i>¡®I heard that Garbinu had carried out the previous universe-level Scenario.¡¯</i>

    He had heard about this from Wang Yu-Mi.

    <i>¡°Known as the sexiest Demon King in the universe, Garbinu is the only Demon to have ruled Arvis! They say he possessed the Munchkin Trait.¡±</i>

    However, Garbinu was active hundreds of years ago, which made the Scenario that Jin-Hyeok had chanced upon the first universe-level Scenario in centuries. For a Streamer like Jin-Hyeok, the opportunity to cover such a major content was exhrating.

    <i>¡®But let¡¯s not get too excited.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to reveal it for the time being. Disclosing this information after getting a clearer picture of this project was the better option.

    ¡°Hm... Anyway, the Trinity Club members don¡¯t seem to like the emergence of a universe-level Scenario, do they?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°Seems so,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    Hundreds of years ago, Garbinu, who was just a Demon-born boy, had be a legend. During that time, many changes had urred in the universe.

    ¡°Back then, the status of the Arvis Server was not what it is today,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued. At that time, the Arvis Server was traditionally strong, but it was not a superpower Server. ¡°It became what it is today when Garbinu started ruling the Server. The universe-level Scenario was the foundation.¡±

    During that process, a lot had happened. The Arvis Server had transformed from being an ordinary strong Server to the top Server in the universe. Numerous shifts had taken ce in power. Traditional powers fell, and new forces emerged.

    ¡°I heard that many of the Trinity members from that time also fell.¡±

    The Trinity Club had only ny-nine members. If one left, another had to take their ce.

    ¡°Then there must have been a generational shift at that time?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°Yes. I think less than ten of the surviving members were from before.¡±

    Out of the ny-nine members, only about ten percent had survived the overhaul.

    ¡°That¡¯s why the current members of the Trinity Club might not wee a universe-level Scenario. It¡¯s probably best to keep it a secret for now!¡± Yu-Mi said. She adjusted her round sses and thought about it for a moment, ¡°But do Gap-Soo and Michelle know about this?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t directly tell them that I had received a universe-level Scenario, but they should have probably figured it out by now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was also a bit worried. The existing members of the Trinity Club did not want too big a change. Just as the Trinity members of the previous generation had been reced, the same could happen this time.

    That was why there was a chance Gap-Soo and Michelle were not keen on a universe-level Scenario. If they decided to interfere with the Scenario, it could get inconvenient in many ways.

    Yu-Mi cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s actually better this way.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Only two of the ny-nine members know about this, right? And it just so happens that they are obsessed with your livestreams.¡±

    ¡°Are they that obsessed?¡±

    Content creators always had to be mindful of their audience. No matter how many subscribers they had, they always felt a bit of unease. Even Jin-Hyeok had been quite shocked when the viewer count had suddenly dropped in hisst livestream.

    ¡°You can be confident in your livestreams, Chul-Soo! You are the best Streamer in the universe, in my opinion!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Those two are already addicted to your livestream. They cannot get out. People know drugs ruin lives, but why do they still reach for them? And I think your livestreams are even more addicting than drugs... I know that content creators always suffer from anxiety, and I do think it¡¯s a good attitude to have.¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her sses again and grinned. ¡®That¡¯s why you have supporters like me! If we y our cards right, we canpletely win over the two Trinity members.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to keep the universe-level Scenario undisclosed for now. However, revealing the information to the two Trinity members and giving them time to prepare for the uing upheaval seemed a bit unfair.

    <i>¡®...Is that okay?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    ¡°Think of it as a kind of fan service!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°...Ah!¡±

    That would be okay.

    ***

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°Hohoho!¡±

    Gap-Soo and Michelle were pleased with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°If I can receive real-time information about the universe-level Scenario, I can prepare for it in my own way,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t donate to Chul-Soo with this in mind, but anyway, it¡¯s an enticing offer.¡±

    The two Trinity members smiled contentedly and made another proposal to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°How about operating a VIP system like KimKnowItAllTV? We are talking about granting the right to view your unreleased videos.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. That way, other viewers won¡¯t be mad that we¡¯re getting special treatment. Let¡¯s open up the channel only to the top two members, like the Trinity Club.¡±

    They were referring to the top two individuals in terms of total donations, essentially suggesting that he create a channel that only those two could view.

    ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t other members of the Trinity Club be able to join it as well?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No, no.¡± Gap-Soo slightly grimaced as if he was displeased. ¡°I am MoneyShower.¡±

    ¡°And I am MoneyShot.¡±

    The world had many talented individuals, and these two individuals had earned their ce in the Trinity Club by aplishing many things.

    ¡°I have the most money,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°No, I have the most money,¡± Michelle interjected.

    MoneyShower and MoneyShot were almost unmatched in the universe when it came to money.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about other members joining. Just create a channel exclusive to the top two. I will have a buttload of money ready,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I just donated ten billion Dias.¡±

    ¡°Then I will also donate ten billion Dias.¡±

    The two together donated twenty billion Dias. They were already the top two donors, and this further widened the gap between them and the third-ce donor.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯</i>

    While the amount of money was certainly exhrating, a greater sense of aplishment flooded into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart. It felt like his chest was swelling with pride.

    <i>¡®I guess I¡¯ve be a Steamer worthy of receiving this kind of money.¡¯</i>

    This meant that he was receiving a lot of love from the viewers, which made him more happy than the amount of money he received.

    ***

    The poprity of Egan Paul and the Avengers Army skyrocketed, seemingly without limits. Their narrative of returning with their fallenrades¡¯ bodies alongside Chul-Soo deeply resonated with the American public. However, while the general public audience received them positively, the American rankers did not share the same sentiment.

    ¡°Are you happy?¡± The top Ruler of the American Region, known by the yer name ¡®Emperor¡¯, openly expressed his discontent to Egan. ¡°Because of your little show in Korea, many are underestimating the capabilities of American yers.¡±

    Before the Korean Region rose to fame, the American Region was considered the strongest. With numerous Dungeons, diverse resources, favorable Fields for leveling up, and excellent Quests, the American Region was blessed. Consequently, its yers were highly skilled.

    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourselves, you clowns.¡±

    Egan was not entirely displeased by Emperor''s remarks. ¡°I am a showman. I put on a show. That¡¯s what I do. And the value of that show was recognized by the public.¡±

    While the Avengers Army was a group of exceptional yers, they were fundamentally entertainers and were generally weak to be called the strongest in America. Thus, to hardcore yers like Emperor, the Avengers Army¡¯s performance was less than satisfactory.

    ¡°Because of your show, all of the American yers are being looked down upon.¡±

    ¡°Are you ming me for that?¡±

    ¡°Like it or not, when people think of the top alliance of the American Region, they think of the Avengers Army. It¡¯s the fault of your damned marketing.¡± From Emperor¡¯s perspective, the Avengers Army was a group of chatans who had gained fame through marketing rather than skill. ¡°If you are iming to represent the American Region, shouldn¡¯t you guys have shown worthy y? All you did was follow Chul-Soo¡¯s coattails.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Egan was not really angry. He actually found Emperor somewhat pitiable.

    <i>¡®You just haven¡¯t experienced Chul-Soo yet.¡¯</i>

    Apparently, Emperor was intent on causing a stir to restore the pride of the American Region.

    ¡°Just a small piece of advice for you, do not dere a Regional War against the Korean Region. That would be a foolish move,¡± Egan said.

    The Great Ruler, Emperor, with his 9-Star Job, had the ability to dere Regional Wars against other Servers. Egan sincerely advised him not to, but it only hurt Emperor¡¯s pride even more.

    ¡°It¡¯s only you and your weak party members who think Chul-Soo and the K-Force are powerful,¡± Emperor said.

    Videos and reality were vastly different. No matter how advanced the System¡¯s video technology was, it could not match what was happening in reality. The Chul-Soo seen in the videos was very different from the real one. Emperor continued, ¡°I will show the world how overrated Chul-Soo and the K-Force are. And how pathetic your marketing and production are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s a foolish move.¡±

    ¡°The foolish ones are you guys.¡±

    The next day, the Great Ruler Emperor actually dered a Regional War against the Korean Region. This war was a system where five volunteers from the American Region and five from the Korean Region would battle. Audiences, also known as the Observers, could participate in the war as well.

    The participants of the Regional War moved to a new virtual Field for a five-versus-five mock battle. The event was set in a way that anyone could join on a firste-first-serve basis, without penalties.

    Many yers participated in the new event. At the beginning, the score was 95:98, with Korea having a slight lead. However, over time, things began to change.

    221:142

    299:162

    As time passed, the win rate of the American Region¡¯s yers increased, and the results became increasingly one-sided. This sparked much discussion online.

    -The Korean Region is so small that their talent pool has been exhausted, LOL.

    -It seems like all the good yers havee out.

    -I thought the Korean Region was the strongest.

    -They are way weaker than I thought.

    Netizens of the Earth Server began mocking the Korean Region yers.

    -The Korean Region is way overrated, LOL!

    -Basically, they are nothing without Chul-Soo.

    337:180

    393:193

    -By the score, it seems like even Chul-Soo is overrated LOL.

    -The Korean Region is exposed! Feels so good, hahaha!

    999:254

    1,000:254

    The score was overwhelmingly one-sided. And then, Encyclopedia appeared.

    <strong>[There is a fact that the Earth yers are not thinking of. You will be shocked to see my analysis data.]</strong>

    As Encyclopedia released the analysis data, the situation began to shift abruptly.

    -What the hell? Is this for real?

    -This is crazy! LOL!

 Chapter 247

    <h4>Chapter 247</h4>

    Encyclopedia wrote a post on the Korean Region Minor Gallery.

    <strong>[As you can see from this chart, initially, the Korean yers were overwhelmingly dominant in the Regional War.]</strong>

    Up until about the first fifty battles of the Regional War, the Korean yers had dominated the fights. They had won forty battles out of the fifty¡ªwhich meant a staggering eighty percent win rate for the Korean yers.

    <strong>[However, the scores of the American yers began to improve after that.]</strong>

    Rumors had spread that the Korean Region was overrated. However, Encyclopedia thought differently.

    <strong>[This is a post left by a Korean user on the Korean Region Minor Gallery.</strong>

    <strong>-I tried the Regional War, but even if you win there, they don¡¯t give you any Dias or experience points. I searched hard, thinking there might be some Hidden Items or Achievements, but there was nothing. This is just purebor. Not worth it, moly.</strong>

    <strong>These lines are an extract from a post by Mole Man, who has recently been acknowledged as the Navigator for the K-Force and is enjoying increasing poprity.]</strong>

    After that, the participation of the Korean yers in the Regional War battles significantly decreased. Ordinary yers thought that if even the famous Mole Man could not find any Hidden Items or Achievements there, they could never find one either. They would rather clear one more Dungeon than participate in the Regional War. It was more efficient that way.

    ~

    -Why bother with such nonsense?

    -The American yers seem to enjoy it.

    -Why participate in something that doesn¡¯t even level you up? Let them do it amongst themselves.

    <strong>[Korean Region yers are distinctly different from yers on other Servers. They pursue extreme efficiency and even optimize their paths for eating and drinking while ying. The concept of ¡®ying for fun¡¯ seems almost nonexistent in their mindset. Their Server is filled with hardcore yers. What made them this way?]</strong>

    The situation was indeed as Encyclopedia had analyzed; most Korean rankers refused to participate in the Regional War. Consequently, the Level of Korean yers participating in the Regional War had dropped significantly. The hardcore yers refused to participate in the Regional War, leaving only a minority of casual yers to take part.

    <strong>[Here, the tendencies of the American and the Korean Region yers distinctly diverged. Look at the chart below. American rankers participated in the Regional War with fiery enthusiasm. It seemed like a matter of pride for them. However, for Korean yers, this Regional War was nothing more than meaninglessbor.]</strong>

    This difference in perception led to the vast skill difference in the Regional War.

    -Haha! Those American yers are feeling all high and mighty after beating low-Level yers. LOL!

    -The American yers are ying their hearts out, and the Korean yers don¡¯t even care about the Regional War.

    -The American yers are invisible to the Korean yers! LOL

    The American Ruler named Emperor, who initiated the Regional War, frowned.

    <i>¡®Theircency won¡¯tst long.¡¯</i>

    Eventually, the American side, led by Emperor, achieved one thousand wins. It was not widely known, but achieving one thousand wins granted various privileges to the winning side.

    He chuckled. ¡°So, I heard that you guys enjoy ying hardcore.¡±

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see how you can handle this hardcore difficulty.¡¯</i>

    Then, he revealed something that shocked the yers around the globe.

    -yers have detected an abnormal atmosphere in the Korean Region¡¯s Dungeons.

    -Despite consecutive clears, they are not receiving even the minimum rewards.

    ***

    Emperor had achieved one thousand victories, which allowed him to add a new setting.

    [For every victory, partial ownership of the defeated Server¡¯s Dungeon is acquired.]

    While yers from the American Region received amplified rewards for clearing Dungeons in Korea, yers from other Servers received none. Anyone could enter the Dungeons, but only American yers could receive the rewards.

    Riding this momentum, Emperor achieved 1,100 victories. This meant he had acquired partial ownership of a whopping one hundred Korean Dungeons.

    <i>¡®After every additional one hundred victories, we be even stronger!¡¯</i>

    After every additional one hundred victories, the American yers who participated in the Regional War received a +5% movement speed effect.

    Even a drizzle could get one wet if one stood outside for a long period of time. Bit by bit, slowly taking advantages, the American yers would be so powerful that they would reach an untouchable state.

    <i>¡®Pathetic fools,¡¯ </i>Emperor thought.

    Even as the situation reached this point, Korean yers seemed to have little interest in the Regional War. The rankers remained indifferent to this issue, and only the so-called casual yers were participating in the Regional War.

    Eventually, Emperor achieved 1,500 victories. <i>¡®I did it.¡¯</i>

    This was his primary goal. Then he announced something to the public. ¡°I am going to restrict the participation of yer Kim Chul-Soo in the Regional War.¡±

    After that announcement, he held a major press conference.

    ¡°Chul-Soo will be unable to participate in the Regional War for a while,¡± Emperor said to the interviewer.

    ¡°Are you afraid of Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. In exchange for Chul-Soo¡¯s absence, I will also withdraw from the war. We are leaving Chul-Soo alone right because he and the K-Force will be the climax of our campaign in Korea.¡± Emperor then talked about how in every story, there always had to be a development, turn, and conclusion.

    He continued, ¡°Ultimately, our war will conclude Chul-Soo¡¯s and the K-Force¡¯s defeats. I will uncover the overhype of the Korean Region and show that the American yers are not to be underestimated. I will make America great again!¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok did not have much interest in Emperor but still heard about the press conference. Rubbing his ears, he said, ¡°He¡¯s quite diligent.¡±

    ¡°He is indeed.¡± Enjoying a moment of rest, Cha Jin-Soly on the sofa and watched Eltube. She was researching and analyzing how and when Healers from other Servers utilized their healing skills. She wasn¡¯t even paying attention to what Emperor was saying. ¡°It seems like he finds this interesting.¡±

    ¡°Seems so.¡± Jin-Hyeok yawned, thenpletely forgot about Emperor¡¯s speech.

    <i>¡®What did he say again?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Suddenly, a good idea struck him, and he sprang up from his seat. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡¯

    ¡°Now that I think of it, I¡¯m not a hardcore yer.¡±

    ¡°<i>You¡¯re </i>not a hardcore yer?¡± Jin-Sol was surprised. But these words gave her a new motivation.

    <i>¡®I should reflect on myself,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Jin-Sol reflected on her previous thought that she was hardcore enough; she needed to set the right standards.

    ¡°Of course. I am a Streamer. I¡¯m supposed to pursue moderate enjoyment while ying,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I thought that was hardcore ying.¡±

    ying with a proper narrative and nning was harder than just mindlessly smashing things. Jin-Sol thought that was hardcore ying, but it didn¡¯t seem to be so by her brother¡¯s standards.

    <i>¡®I... need to try harder.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So, I think pursuing some fun wouldn¡¯t be so bad,¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a determined expression.

    Streamer Chul-Soo had to consider and y with too many things in mind. It was fun, but it also brought him significant stress and pressure. Sometimes, he just wanted to y as he pleased without worrying about nning his content.

    ¡°Fun?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for Kim Pyeong-Beom to return to the scene,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while smiling.

    ***

    After the initial battles, Korean rankers had no interest in the Regional War. However, as time passed, things began to change a bit. ~

    -What? The Regional War is rigged by the host?

    The Regional War was a form of virtual space warfare. However, with each passing day, it was said to increasingly favor the American yers. The turrets protecting American yers were much stronger than those protecting Korean yers. American yers had a much faster stamina recovery rate, and even the same magic spells were stronger when used by American yers.

    -Wow, those guys are ying dirty.

    -I can¡¯t believe these bastards.

    Rankers who had no interest in the Regional War started to pay it a bit of attention. The fact that the map of the Regional War favored American yers became known as hacking. Korean yers were furious that American yers were using hacks in a sacred y.

    -I can¡¯t stand hackers.

    -We need to teach them a lesson.

    Scattered Korean Region yers, who had barely paid attention to each other, united all of a sudden. Even Emperor, who was monitoring the situation, was taken aback. <i>¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯</i>

    Korean yers were moving in perfect unison. With optimized party members, they were showing incredible efficiency in the Regional War. They participated in the war with rapid rotations, considering each yer¡¯s stamina and Traits. It was a systematic movement, like strategizing for a Dungeon boss monster. This could only be possible if someone was overseeing and controlling it from above. Emperor wondered who in Korea could do this.

    <i>¡®Right, it must be Han Sae-Rin¡¯s doing. I knew it.¡¯</i>

    Emperor thought Sae-Rin was controlling the situation in the Regional War, but he was mistaken. Sae-Rin had been clearing other Dungeons for thest few days and was unaware of the outside situation.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s already toote!¡¯</i>

    Undeniably, Korean yers had suddenly be strong, and their united force was frightening.

    -Down with the hackers!

    -We need to establish the order of y!

    Moreover, it was clear that the win rate of the Korean Region had increased significantly.

    <i>¡®But we are about to achieve our two thousandth victory!¡¯</i>

    Achieving two thousand victories was Emperor¡¯s secondary goal. After this point, the American yers would receive much stronger buffs. All their abilities would be enhanced, from their Jobs to their Skills. Even ordinary yers could maximize their potential.

    <strong>[You have achieved 2,000 victories.]</strong>

    <strong>[As the Great Ruler, you have the right to upgrade the Regional War to an All-Out War.]</strong>

    Emperor did not upgrade the Regional War to an All-Out War right away.

    <i>¡®An All-Out War would be troublesome because they have Waiting Wife on their side.¡¯</i>

    He needed to prepare countermeasures for Waiting Wife. So, he created defense turrets favorable to the American side and removed the terrain where Waiting Wife could hide andunch her cannon fire.

    Everything was turning in favor of the American yers. As time passed, Emperor was confident that all preparations wereplete.

    ¡°Now, I will show you why America is the greatest. I will prove that the Avengers Army is not all America has to offer!¡±

    That was Emperor¡¯s perfect n. However, things in the world did not always go as nned.

    <i>¡®What is this?¡¯</i>

    Emperor expected an overwhelming victory in the All-Out War. The American side indeed won the initial round of the All-Out War, but the win was not overwhelming.

    <i>¡®They are stronger than I thought...¡¯</i>

    As the Great Ruler, he trusted his judgment. He had analyzed the Korean yers very well and thought this would be sufficient.

    <i>¡®What is more frightening is their unity.¡¯</i>

    This was something Emperor could not understand. He prided himself on having studied the Korean Region extensively. He had even defined the Korean Region.

    [A server where yers constantly fight like crazy, dividing into factions with no hope for unity.]

    They fought over gender.

    They fought over political views.

    They fought over marital status.

    They fought over the region of origin.

    They fought over age.

    It was a strange Server, and Emperor was sure that they would all be a disorganized mess in an All-Out War. However, their unity was beyond imagination.

    <i>¡®How is this possible?¡¯</i>

    Those who were not supposed to be united were standing together. Many onlinemunities across the universe found this intriguing. Moreover, something seemed strange about the Korean yers.

    ¡°Hey, you killed my friend! How dare you!¡±

    ¡°I will not let these hacking scumbags push around my Server!¡±

    Even though a revival setting was active in the war, the fear of death was not supposed to disappear. There was a reason governments around the world campaigned to avoid death as much as possible. Usually, a yer¡¯s will to fight faded after one or two deaths. However, these damn Korean yers seemed to get stronger the more they were killed.

    The current score of the All-Out War was 3:0, with 3 rounds to the American side and none to the Korean side. Despite the American yers being on the winning side, Emperor was getting a bit anxious.

    <i>¡®The gap in skills is narrowing.¡¯</i>

    -Hey guys! I found an optimized map route. Navigators can bypass and open a path, but you need to be below Level 150.

    <i>¡®These crazy bastards!¡¯</i>

    Korean yers found paths on the map that even the designer, Emperor, did not know about. Then another piece of news came in.

    <i>¡®Wait, Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡¯</i>

    Pyeong-Beom was a yer who had retired in Korea and disappeared suddenly. The news was that this yer, who had a reputation on par with Chul-Soo, had returned.

 Chapter 248

    <h4>Chapter 248</h4>

    The score of the current All-Out War was 3:0. People who did not know better mocked the Korean yers, saying that the hype surrounding the Korean Region was finally being exposed. However, the initiator of the All-Out War, the Great Ruler Emperor, felt increasingly frustrated.

    <i>¡®They are getting stronger by the minute.¡¯</i>

    Of course, as the American yers umted victories, they received more adjustments and buffs. However, the Korean yers adapted to the All-Out War at an excessively fast speed.

    Then came the fourth round. That was when Kim Pyeong-Beom made his appearance. Kim Pyeong-Beom was known to be very close to Kim Chul-Soo, even to the point of sharing weapons with him.

    ¡°How dare you exclude my friend?!¡± Pyeong-Beom seemed furious that Chul-Soo had been excluded from the war, and the hammer he wielded was mighty.

    Emperor scowled. ¡°What kind of hammer deals that much damage?!¡±

    Pyeong-Beom¡¯s hammer was as powerful as several Wizardsbining their power. The destructive power of each hit was unreasonably strong. Every swing of the hammer took at least one yer along with it. Even with Tanks to absorb the attacks, yers were getting killed left and right. Emperor knew that without the Tanks, those yers would¡¯ve died much faster.

    The problem was that these yers, having experienced such overwhelming power,pletely lost their will to fight after being revived. Eventually, the American yers who encountered Kim Pyeong-Beom chose to flee rather than fight.

    Emperor bit his lip in frustration. ¡°Dealing with Pyeong-Beom isplicated enough...¡±

    Moreover, another figure was as irksome as Pyeong-Beom. Her name was Shin Yu-Ri, also known as Waiting Wife; moreover, she considered Chul-Soo her master.

    <i>¡®I have thoroughly prepared for this All-Out War, but...¡¯</i> Emperor thought.

    Knowing how strong she was inrge-scale All-Out Wars, Emperor had never been negligent in preparing for the battle against Waiting Wife. He had altered the map¡¯s terrain to eliminate any spaces where Waiting Wife could hide and reshaped the terrain to prevent her straight-line cannon attacks. Emperor had even deployed snipers just for Waiting Wife.

    <i>¡®Our preparation was wless.¡¯</i>

    There was nothing to fault in their preparation against Waiting Wife. However, despite doing their best and showing the highest level of skill, they could not kill Waiting Wife. That was because at Yu-Ri¡¯s side now was Woongi, who used to be the boss monster of the Haeundae Dungeon.

    ¡±I will protect her, teddy!¡± When it came to protecting Yu-Ri, Woongi showed power beyondmon sense. ¡±I will protect my queen at all costs, teddy!¡±

    Under Woongi¡¯s protection, Yu-Ri was invincible. Sniping her from a distance was almost impossible, and getting close to her was even harder. Ultimately, the American Region lost the fourth round of the All-Out War. The current score was 3:1. Amidst this, someone came looking for Emperor.

    ¡°You seem to be in quite a predicament. Joining hands with me will significantly improve the situation. ¡® It was Swamnd No.2 from the Swamnd Crew.

    ***

    yers from the American Region who had fought against the Korean Region yers unanimously said, ¡°They are... working together like a military troop.¡±

    They described the Korean yers as being like fully-trained elite soldiers. ¡°My Level is higher than them, but still...¡±

    The American yers had a strange experience. Even though they were higher in Level and their Skills and overall abilities were superior, they often found themselves losing in battles.

    ¡°Those guys are insane! Their eyes are wildly fierce!¡±

    ¡°I have never seen such relentless fighters. I died today to someone I had killed four times.¡± Being able to kill someone four times indicated a significant difference in skill. Yet, the one with the superior skills died this time. ¡°It was terrifying.¡±

    This was not just a matter of who had higher Levels or better skills. There was a deep madness in the eyes of the Korean yers.

    ¡°You remember what they were saying? Kill the hackers? They kept saying that.¡±

    ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but they seem to go crazy whenever that wordes up.¡±

    The Korean Region won the following two rounds of the All-Out War. The current score was 3:3. The American yers were puzzled. ¡°Our turrets are stronger, right? What is going on?¡±

    The All-Out War was not just about killing each other. After all, if a yer died, they would just get resurrected. Victory in the All-Out War was determined by destroying the Region g in the opponent¡¯s base. The American side had their national g in the middle of their base, and so did the Korean side.

    Turrets from each Region were positioned at strategic points, and they had to be destroyed or bypassed to infiltrate the base. The American side, thanks to their overwhelming victory in the Regional War, had turrets much more robust and powerful than the Korean ones.

    ¡°The terrain is also much higher on our side, which is advantageous to us,¡± said one of the American yers. Attacking from above was much more advantageous than attacking from below. Emperor had personally modified the terrain to favor the American Region. The yer continued, ¡°Besides, our base is located near a cliff, making it hard to infiltrate.¡±

    Several factors significantly favored the American yers, yet they had suffered three consecutive defeats. This shocked not just America but the entire world.

    ¡°I heard that the Koreans kept calling us hackers.¡±

    ¡°They even said that the Regional War was rigged by the host.¡±

    ***

    America was not the only country that had a yer with the Great Ruler ss. ssified as a 9-Star Job, a few Great Rulers were present in each Region. Shin Byeong-Yeop, a Great Ruler from Korea, had initiated a Regional War against the United States and was steadily umting victories. This, in its own right, became quite a topic of discussion.

    -Didn¡¯t someone say that the Korean Region is so tiny that they will run out of talented yers?

    -Didn¡¯t they say that the Korean Region had no more yers because most of them participated in the previous All-Out War?

    -The current score of the Regional War is 30:12. Korea is overwhelmingly winning, LOL!

    In response, three American Great Rulers initiated additional Regional Wars in Korea.

    -Holy, I bet the Korean Region is depleted of yers now.

    -Most of the rankers are probably going to only participate in the All-Out War.

    -Honestly, if the American yers just used their overwhelming poption, Korea would have no way of defending.

    That was the consensus, but it turned out to be a misconception.

    -What! The Korean Region is winning.

    -Those crazy bastards! They are participating in the Regional War right after the All-Out War. And as soon as one Regional War ends, they¡¯re going straight into the next one.

    -How is that possible?

    Whether in All-Out Wars or Regional Wars, dying multiple times wasmon. This process depleted a yer¡¯s mental strength, leading to burnout.

    -The Korean yers say it¡¯s nothingpared to the night self-learning they had to do in school.

    -What the hell is night self-learning?

    -It¡¯s when they had to stay in school and study by themselves untilte at night. They used to go to school at eight in the morning and sit at their desks until ten at night.

    -Don¡¯t bullshit me. Isn¡¯t that human rights abuse?

    Many things had changed when the world had entered the era of the new civilization. However, some things were the same.

    -I asked a Korean friend of mine, and they said their mental strength got stronger with the frequent overtime work and after-work gatherings, too.

    Many experts poured outments on this phenomenon. While the exact answer remained elusive, the consensus was that Korean Region yers were not typical yers.

    The score of the All-Out War was now 5:3, and Korea was also winning most of the Regional Wars.

    -Even if they¡¯re mentally strong, don¡¯t humans have limits?

    -They will ultimately lose to the American Region, which has the advantage of having arger poption.

    After a while, Emperor removed the participation restriction of Chul-Soo.

    ¡°The time hase.¡± Emperor made his grand announcement. He announced that Chul-Soo, a formidable yer, would now be allowed to participate in the wars. ¡°The real war begins now.¡±

    ***

    A while ago, Cha Jin-Hyeok smirked while looking at Emperor on the TV. ¡°<i>Tsk! </i>What a fool.¡±

    Emperor was holding an official press conference, having gathered numerous reporters and Eltubers. ¡°He should be more careful. What if I sent an Assassin to that conference?¡±

    By now, Emperor had to be adapting to the new civilization, yet he still appearedcent, thinking that the world was peaceful.

    In fact, Kwak Do-Hyeong, the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, hade to Jin-Hyeok the previous day.

    ¡°I heard that Emperor is holding an official press conference tomorrow. Should I assassinate him then?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had been tempted by Do-Hyeong¡¯s suggestion for a moment. An Assassin wanting to carry out an assassination was normal.

    ¡°No, leave him be.¡±

    However, this was a realm of fun. As Pyeong-Beom, not Chul-Soo, Jin-Hyeok could swing his sword freely without worrying about narrative or his production. Although assassinations would be the most efficient in this case, considering efficiency while ying in his <i>fun </i>character was meaningless.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think killing him will be difficult! It does not seem like Emperor is well-prepared for an assassination,¡± Do-Hyeong had replied.

    ¡°No, my friend Pyeong-Beom is ying right now. How can I ruin the y that he¡¯s enjoying?¡±

    <i>¡°</i>Ah... I¡¯m sorry.¡±<i> </i>Do-Hyeong nodded and stepped back.

    ¡°But with that kind of weak mentality, he is not going tost long even if I don¡¯t assassinate him today,¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a sigh while watching the press conference.

    It was baffling how Emperor was openly giving a speech in a ce where assassinating him was very easy. When Jin-Hyeok thought about it, he realized that Emperor had not been on the list of American rankers before his regression. This meant that Emperor would probably die young in the not-so-distant future.

    ¡°When will the invitation to the next All-Out Ware?¡±

    A few hourster, an invitation to the All-Out War was sent, and Jin-Hyeok immediately epted it.

    ***

    The All-Out War had begun. Jin-Hyeok had several paths before him, and he chose to walk on the middle one. From experience, he knew that strong yers often gathered on this path.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion. <i>¡®Why is no one here?¡¯</i>

    He only detected the minimum number of yers guarding the turrets. <i>¡®Has their stealth ability improved?¡¯</i>

    Just in case, he scanned the surroundings with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, but there were no yers in hiding. Literally, there were hardly any yers at all.

    Meanwhile, Emperor, who had concentrated yers on paths that Pyeong-Beom had not taken, smiled victoriously. ¡°Winning a battle does not mean winning a war.¡±

    Pyeong-Beom¡¯s power was indeed beyond imagination. To fight against Pyeong-Beom, Emperor would need at least five of America¡¯s top rankers. Even then, it was nearly impossible for them to win; they would only hinder Pyeong-Beom. However, Pyeong-Beom was just one person. A war involved many yers, and victory was determined by destroying the opponent¡¯s Region g first.

    <i>¡®Pyeong-Beom has entered the central cave,¡¯ </i>Emperor thought.

    The central cave was a passage leading to the top of the map. Therefore, Emperor redistributed and positioned his yers.

    Jin-Hyeok continued to feel something was off. <i>¡®What is going on?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like there had been fierce battles in this area just ten minutes ago.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Kim Pyeong-Beom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Mr. Kim Pyeong-Beom!¡±

    There were a couple of Korean yers that were just in a battle. ording to what they said, the American yers, who had been fiercely fighting in this area, had suddenly withdrawn and run away.

    ¡°It was as if they knew Mr. Kim Pyeong-Beom wasing here!¡± said one of the Korean yers.

    <i>¡®They knew I wasing?¡¯</i>

    The movements of the American yers seemed to have changed.

    ¡°They seem to be operating gueri units too.¡±

    ¡°It has be strangely difficult to face them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just bad luck, but we kept encountering yers who countered our Jobs and abilities. This was our first loss in a while.¡±

    American yers were winning big and small fights around the map.

    <i>¡®Something has changed.¡¯</i>

    The tide of the war was beginning to turn. It seemed that the real counterattack of the American Region was about to start.

 Chapter 249

    <h4>Chapter 249</h4>

    The American yers were pushing back the Korean yers. However, regardless of the results of the battles, Cha Jin-Hyeok was now in a foul mood.

    <i>¡®These bastards, they are really ostracizing me, aren¡¯t they?¡¯</i>

    The American yers knew where he was going.

    Miri also got angry along with him. She had intended to enjoy her fun hobby of smashing people¡¯s heads, but her opponents kept running away, depriving her of the enjoyment.

    Jin-Hyeok went back to his base and asked Han Sae-Rin, ¡°Hey, they seem to be reading all my movements.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just you they¡¯re reading.¡± Sae-Rin frowned. ¡°Our front line is being pushed back. Emperor must be quitepetent.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t even properly prepared for an assassination.¡± Jin-Hyeok hit the nail on the head.

    ¡°...?!¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok saw one small weakness in a yer, he could understand the yer¡¯s full abilities. He knew that such a person could not be thatpetent.

    ¡°How could a guy who can¡¯t even defend himselfpetentlymand that many yers?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hm... Well, that¡¯s true.¡±

    Waiting Wife was also not performing well. Thanks to Woongi, she was not in danger from the opponent¡¯s attacks, but her location kept getting exposed, which led to various inconveniences for her. Eventually, all the turrets on the Korean Region side had fallen, and the American yers began to push into the main base. The All-Out War was not something one could affect alone, and Jin-Hyeok could not stop all the yers by himself.

    <i>¡®But honestly, I feel like I could stop all of them if I wanted to.¡¯</i>

    He thought he could protect the Korean g using his greatly enhanced Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®Should I try?¡¯</i>

    However, he was ying as Kim Pyeong-Beom at the moment, enjoying his hobby. This war was like aeback stage for Pyeong-Beom, and it was not fair for Jin-Hyeok to use Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities.

    The current score of the All-Out War was 5:4, with the United States trailing by one point.

    <i>¡®But I¡¯m getting even more curious. It does not seem like they are winning because Emperor is performing well.¡¯</i>

    Soon, the score became 5:5.

    -See? I told you the United States would win over time.

    -Yeah, I saw thising too. If a human does not get tired, they¡¯re not human.

    -The Korean Region guys also seem to be losing their edge.

    The reputation of America''s Great Ruler Emperor also rose.

    -Did you see the video? Emperor¡¯s appearance suddenly boosted their momentum.

    -Yeah, his tactics were insane. He was really efficient in his attacks.

    The buoyant Emperor went to Egan Paul and said, ¡°See? I told you I would show you.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Egan sighed. He wanted to tell Emperor that this was not the true strength of the K-Force and that Chul-Soo had not joined the battle yet. However, he decided to stay silent.

    <i>¡®Experiencing it directly would be better for him,¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    Emperor smirked. ¡°From now on, the best alliance in the United States won¡¯t be the Avengers Army, but our Broken Alliance. We will take that position with actual skill, not just from marketing.¡±

    ¡°...Sure, why not? I will support you.¡± Egan was not entirely displeased with the victory of the American Region. However, he felt anxious. Above all, Chul-Soo had been too inactive.

    Just then, the American Region scored another victory. The current score was 6:5. The American Region had finally taken the lead. By then, Jin-Hyeok had realized their trick.

    ¡°Wow, these bastards...¡± Heughed at how ridiculous the <i>trick </i>was. ¡°How dare they use map hacks?¡±

    It seemed the American Region had gained an aplice. A yer who could freely manipte the settings of Dungeons and Fields and turn them to his advantage had likely joined sides with Emperor¡ªsomeone like Swamnd No.2. Jin-Hyeok had been willing to overlook the fact that Emperor had rigged the entire map in the first ce, but he couldn¡¯t let them use map hacks.

    ¡°They¡¯ve crossed the line too much.¡±

    ***

    A yer¡¯s mindset waspletely different when they yed as a hobby and when they yed professionally. Jin-Hyeok spoke with a serious expression. ¡°It seems like the American Region is getting external assistance from another yer.¡±

    Sae-Rin also nodded. ¡°I think so too. Do you have any suspects in mind?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. It was a somewhat regrettable fact for Emperor, but Jin-Hyeok was a regressor. He knew exactly who was behind all this. ¡°Swamnd No.2. It¡¯s highly likely to be him.¡±

    Swamnd No.2 had a grudge against Jin-Hyeok for killing Swamnd No.3, so it was not strange for the yer Hunter to get involved in this matter. Sae-Rin bit her lip slightly and closed her eyes.

    <i>¡®We need to neutralize him,¡¯ </i>After a moment of thought, Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°Why? Do you have a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Many yers are pissed off because they couldn¡¯t join the war.¡±

    To be exact, these were yers who had participated in the war but became the butt of jokes for not being able to perform well. Angel Girl Song Ha-Young was one of them.

    -All Angel Girl knows is how to steal, LOL. Totally useless.

    -She is like a cancer to society, haha!

    -That¡¯s the limit of a Thief!

    Jin-Hyeok called Ha-Young.

    ¡°What? Why did you ask me toe here? Are you going to mock me like everyone else?¡± Ha-Young seemed to be under stress. She had not been able to properly participate in such a big event, and even when she did, there was not much for her to do.

    ¡°We might need your help,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I knew you needed me!¡± Her eyes sparkled. She did not even ask him what she had to do.

    ***

    In the ongoing war, the United States continued to im victory. The current score was 8:5. Gaining confidence, Emperor held another major conference and even participated in an interview on Egan¡¯s livestream.

    ?Are you confident about winning the All-Out War??

    ?Of course. The winner of this war is going to be the United States. That fact will never change.?

    ?Even if Chul-Soo joins the battle??

    ?The tide has already turned to our side. Everything is too favorable for us. They might make excuses, saying that we were using hacks and that the map was rigged, but those are just excuses of the losers. And actually, I am hoping Chul-Soo joins the war.?

    Emperor slyly smiled at the intended timing and continued to talk.

    ?I will dispel all the hype surrounding that Streamer.?

    Emperor then revealed another fact.

    ?This All-Out War is a best-of-ten series. If we achieve ten victories, we will take possession of one hundred Dungeons from the Korean Region and gain the right to collect taxes from all those who participated in the war for the next year.?

    ?What do you mean when you say you are going to collect taxes??

    ?It¡¯s the same concept as war reparations. They will have to pay thirteen percent of everything they earn while ying to the American Region.?

    ?Losing this war will be quite bitter for them then.?

    It was said that the System would process this tax and appropriately distribute it among the American yers who participated in the war.

    As the fourteenth round was about to start, Ha-Young grinned. <i>¡®Wow, this guy¡¯s stealth ability is pretty incredible.¡¯</i>

    In the southern part of the map, there was a huge waterfall, and hidden inside it was aplicated cave. A yer was hiding there, doing something.

    <i>¡®But hiding is my specialty!¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young had finally found Swamnd No.2. Meanwhile, the United States scored another victory. The score was now 9:5. Only one more point remained for the ultimate victory of the American Region.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok did not particrly want to reveal that Chul-Soo and Pyeong-Beom were the same person.

    ¡°The American yers are avoiding Pyeong-Beom anyway, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    After the word ¡®Munchkin¡¯ had been added to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Job title, all of his abilities had been significantly enhanced. This also applied to his Multiple Lives Mystery. His avatar had improved as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just set the avatar to auto-hunt.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had set up the avatar in a way that it automatically attacked any opponents it noticed. The avatar was not able to think and strategize from all angles like Jin-Hyeok could, but simple offense and defense were doable. In fact, the American yers¡¯ strategy of avoiding Pyeong-Beom made this even more possible.

    ¡°First, let¡¯s catch the one hiding in that waterfall,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t he set up escape routes already?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°Probably. That¡¯s why I want you to chase him to the end. You can do it.¡±

    Ha-Young, who had been stressed recently due to thements that said she was overrated, smiled brightly.

    <i>¡®He is trusting me this much? And it¡¯s not just anyone but Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>She felt a bit refreshed. The passion reignited in her heart. She could not lose to yers using map hacks and rigged maps. It was time to set things right.

    <i>¡®I will show you how righteous a Thief can be!¡¯</i>

    She confirmed onest thing with Jin-Hyeok. ¡°But it might take a while. What if the Korean g gets destroyed in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°...But it¡¯s been destroyed continuously until now.¡±

    ¡°That was before I decided to guard it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will make sure it does not get destroyed. I promise.¡±

    <i>¡®...He is so cool.¡¯ </i>Ha-Young covered her mouth and looked at Jin-Hyeok. He could not have been more reliable.

    ¡°You¡¯re always so enthusiastic about setting things right. No wonder people call you the righteous IntenseMan.¡±

    Then, shortly after, the final round of the All-Out War began.

    ***

    As Chul-Soo participated in thest round of the All-Out War, Encyclopedia paid close attention to this round.

    <i>¡®I thought maybe Pyeong-Beom and Chul-Soo were the same person.¡¯ </i>Having alternate characters was amon concept in the universe. Several Mysteries also allowed it. <i>¡®But that wasn¡¯t true?¡¯</i>

    Pyeong-Beom was performing well on his own, and Chul-Soo was participating in the war and livestreaming. asionally, Streamers spotted Pyeong-Beom, who demonstrated his formidable prowess.

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s an avatar... it could not possibly perform to that extent.¡¯</i>

    To do so, one would need to have a Job like the Puppeteer. Even if a Streamer had the required Mysteries, showing such a level of performance with an avatar was not possible. That was the consensus of Encyclopedia and numerous otherizens of the universe.

    Meanwhile, Ha-Young and Kwak Do-Hyeong, leading the members of the ck and ck Alliance, headed toward Swamnd No.2¡¯s hiding ce.

    Swamnd No.2 smirked. <i>¡®I can see all of youing here.¡¯</i>

    He had set up the Third Eye across the entire map. He could see everything his opponents tried to do.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve prepared several teleportation circles just in case.¡¯</i>

    A clever yer always had their escape routes ready. Anticipating his hiding ce being discovered and Assassinsing, Swamnd No.2 had prepared seven teleportation circles. He also left a note.

    [Even if you find me, it will be useless. By the time you really find me, the war will already be over!]

    Ha-Young found the note. She pretended to be angry and stomped. ¡°I was so close to catching him!¡±

    She continued to pursue Swamnd No.2.

    An hour had already passed since the outbreak of the final round. Emperor sensed something was off.

    <i>¡®Why is it taking so long?¡¯</i>

    Most of the Korean side¡¯s turrets had already been destroyed, and numerous American yers had swarmed the Korean main base. So, the battle should have ended a while ago.

    Emperor, who had been waiting at the American main base, also moved toward the Korean base. He saw a tremendous scale of attacks unfolding in front of the Korean g. Many explosions erupted, causing brilliant effects, and thunderous sounds echoed the surroundings.

    <i>¡®Eh? What the hell is going on?¡¯</i>

    A strange sight caught Emperor¡¯s eye.

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250

    Emperor looked at the scene unfolding before him, confused. Even though a tremendous barrage of firepower was raining down on them, the yers at the Korean base were too peaceful.

    <em>¡®Are they just casually chatting with each other? And sitting down at that?¡¯ </em>

    Emperor used a Skill to enhance his hearing and eavesdropped on them.

    ¡°Is it really okay for us to just rest like this?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t IntenseMan tell us to do just that?¡±

    ¡°The American yers are attacking with such fervor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like watching fireworks.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we can just sit here and chat.¡±

    Emperor bit his lip. He wondered if the Korean side had gained a new barrier Mage of incredible talent. From his knowledge, the Korean Region did not have such a skilled yer.<em>¡®Swamnd No.2 might know something about this.¡¯</em>

    He attempted to use a Ruler¡¯s exclusive Skill, Whisper, tomunicate with Swamnd No.2, but the connection was not smooth.

    <em>¡®Why can¡¯t I get through?!¡¯</em>

    Undoubtedly, an unexpected variable had entered the All-Out War. The moment Emperor thought of the word ¡®variable¡¯, only one person came to mind.

    <em>¡®Could it be Chul-Soo again?¡¯</em>

    Emperor opened his Eltube window to check. As unlikely as it seemed, Kim Chul-Soo was livestreaming everything going on.

    ?My viewers, I am delighted to present to you the enhanced Absolute Barrier, which I upgraded when I was in the Haeundae Dungeon.?

    <em>¡®Enhanced Absolute Barrier?¡¯</em>

    Emperor was aware that Chul-Soo¡¯s barrier had been strengthened. However, he had not imagined it would have be this strong. The onught of attacks from the American yers and Chul-Soo repelling them created an intense battle scene.

    ?If you missed thest video, click here, and you will be taken to it. I happen to have some free time, so I am letting you know. Please like, subscribe, and turn on the notifications!?

    Emperor watched the livestream, still biting his lip.

    <strong>[-The Achievement significantly enhances all of the Achievement bearer¡¯s defensive abilities.</strong>

    <strong>©»The Achievement bearer is immune to attacks lower in level than those of the monsters in the Haeundae Dungeon.]</strong>

    ?If I set the barrier range to about twenty meters around the Korean g, I can easily withstand my opponents¡¯ attacks. From twenty-five meters onward, it starts to get a bit hard to breathe.?

    Once defensive capabilities reached a certain level, minor attacks would be meaningless before them. A strong single attack was more threatening than numerous weak ones. However, no yer present had the attack power to challenge Chul-Soo¡¯s Absolute Barrier.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased. <em>¡®At this rate, I canst about twenty-four hours.¡¯</em>

    Emperor clenched his fist. Chul-Soo¡¯s unbelievable defensive capability was shocking, but not entirely unexpected. After all, Chul-Soo had always shown capabilities beyondmon sense, and Emperor had considered that something like this could happen.

    <em>¡®Your barrier Skill fundamentally evolves from Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. It only bes powerful through livestreaming!¡¯ </em>Emperor thought.

    He was well aware of the characteristics of a Streamer¡¯s barrier. He just needed to stop the livestreaming.

    <em>¡®Did you think I had not prepared for something like that?¡¯</em>

    He pulled out a small bomb-shaped artifact from his pocket. It was a kind of EMP bomb, which could cause radio interference and cut off nearby livestreams for about five minutes.

    <em>¡®This is your end, Chul-Soo.¡¯</em>

    Emperor threw the artifact toward Chul-Soo, and the next moment, the artifact indeed cut off Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    Egan Paul¡ªwho had been watching the livestream from outside, without participating in the war¡ªsighed deeply. ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    He could not believe that Emperor had just cut off Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. Emperor had crossed the final line.

    <em>¡®You should have known when to stop¡­!¡¯</em>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was not livestreaming by himself. He was getting help from Storyteller Wang Yu-Mi, who provided real-time analysis of elements beneficial to the y and ryed them to him.

    [Emperor has entered the livestream.]

    Jin-Hyeok could not help butugh in disbelief. <em>¡®Wow, he rigged the map, used the map hack, and is stream sniping too now?¡¯</em>

    Stream sniping referred to the act of spying on the opponent¡¯s livestream to gather information during apetition. Globally and especially among the Korean yers, this was seen as a low and cowardly form of y.

    While Miri raged, ready to smash heads at any moment, Jin-Hyeok decided to endure a bit longer.

    <em>¡®Well, it looks quite spectacr from the outside,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The scene of hundreds of damage-dealing yers unleashing attacks toward him and him repelling them alone was, even by his own admission, a satisfying spectacle. He was about to let it continue and proceed with the livestream when¡­

    <strong>[The livestream transmission is not smooth.]</strong>

    <em>sh!</em>

    The livestream was cut off. The livestreaming screen suddenly turned ck.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°This bastard is testing my limits.¡±

    He lifted Miri. At this moment, he did not care about his performance or the narrative. He was too angry to think of anything else.

    ¡°Activate defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman, in the form of a fallen angel, appeared in front of Jin-Hyeok, wielding a giant hammer. As this was not the first time the Phantom Swordswoman had appeared on a battlefield, the viewers cheered.

    -Wow, he just activated the defensive Mystery, LOL!

    -Why is the hammer so huge? Haha!

    -I can feel the bloodlust in the Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s eyes, LOL. So scary!

    Some viewers even predicted the Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s lines.

    -Grasp the hammer of vengeance!

    -Let them know what the end of the fools are like. What is the target of annihtion, my master?

    However, this time, the Phantom Swordswoman said none of that. Despite her somewhat haggard appearance, the normally beautifuldy muttered in a slightly different tone, ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill these fucking bastards¡­¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman, who had a deep spiritual bond with Chul-Soo, exploded in rage. She lost her dignity and went berserk. She soared high into the sky, and golden clusters gathered at the end of her hammer.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon had a bad premonition. ¡°All Tanks, forward!¡±

    The Tanks Jae-Hyeon led quickly set up their emergency defensive formation. Soon after, the Phantom Swordswoman swung her giant hammer. As always, this defensive Mystery wasbined with the Babylon Cannon, which exerted tremendous destructive power inrge-scale battles. The hammer shot out a fierce beam of light.

    Jae-Hyeon tensely watched the beam of light. <em>¡®We have to block it!¡¯</em>

    This beam of light did not differentiate between friend and foe. Its destructive power was so immense that it was bound to engulf the Korean yers as well.

    <em>¡®What?¡¯</em>

    However, the oue was slightly different from what Jae-Hyeon anticipated. The single, massive beam of golden light split into thousands of strands.

    <em>¡®What is going on?¡¯</em>

    The thousands of strands of the Babylon Cannon rained down on the American yers like precision-guided missiles. It was like a meteor shower. Dumbfounded, the Korean Tanks looked up at the sky, witnessing the wide-area destruction of the precision-guided defensive Mystery for the first time, and so was Shin Yu-Ri, the original user of the Babylon Cannon.

    <em>¡®Yes! As expected from my master!¡¯ </em>She chastised herself for doubting her master. <em>¡®Normal yerssh out blindly when angry, but¡­¡¯</em>

    <em>Real </em>yers seemed to use precision strikes when they were angry.

    Yu-Ri shivered.<em> ¡®This technique is quite simr to the one that blew the heads off the Sand Worms.¡¯</em>

    Of course, each stand of the beam of light was weaker than the one Jin-Hyeok had killed the Sand Worms with, but there were thousands of these light beams.

    <em>¡®I was proud of my efforts before seeing Master''s new technique, but...¡¯ </em>Her master had reached another realm. <em>¡®Master has taught me a lesson once again.¡¯</em>

    Originally, the Babylon Cannon was not meant to be used like this, nor had anyone operated it this way. Nheless, Yu-Ri gained a lot of inspiration from this attack.

    By the time Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attack nearly ceased, about ny percent of the American yers at the Korean base had been annihted. Although the morale of the Korean yers soared, Jin-Hyeok personally did not like how things were panning out.

    <em>¡®Ah, I¡¯ve made another mistake.¡¯</em>

    He had lost his reason in anger over his livestream being cut off and gone too far. He was out of breath. Handling too much output at once had taken a significant physical toll on him.

    <em>¡®This is the perfect setup to be counterattacked.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok had failed to manage his stamina this time. If he had a universe-level ranker as his opponent, he could have been the one to die.

    <em>¡®I still have much to learn.¡¯ </em>

    His journey was far from over.

    ***

    -His y is so contradictory, yet it works.

    -The ¡®Streamer¡¯ Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s overwhelming ¡®defensive¡¯ Mystery with ¡®wide-area¡¯ and ¡®precision-guided¡¯ attack was astonishing.

    -His y is full of contradictions that I don¡¯t know where to start!

    The fact that a Streamer executed such an amazing attack was a contradiction in itself. Yet, on top of that, it was actually a defensive Mystery that executed the attack. Also, the idea that this defensive Mystery had performed a wide-area attack was yet another contradiction.

    Moreover, this wide-area attack actually being a precision-guided attack was the ultimate contradiction. Everything was a bundle of contradictions, yet strangely, it all pieced together like a puzzle.

    -Wow, Kim Pyeong-Beom destroyed two turrets while this was happening, LOL.

    -Thebination of Chul-Soo and Pyeong-Beom is crazy!

    Usually, it took several yers working together to break just one turret, simr to the experience of raiding a Dungeon boss monster. However, this rule did not seem to apply to Pyeong-Beom.

    -But isn¡¯t Pyeong-Beom actually more powerful than Chul-Soo?

    -Maybe that¡¯s why Chul-Soo is on defense and Pyeong-Beom is on offense?

    -So, does that mean Pyeong-Beom has been going easy on them?

    -Ah,e on¡­ Are you implying that they let the American Region score nine points first¡­? Wait¡­ Did Pyeong Beom really go easy on them, since his friend, Chul-Soo, is a Streamer?

    Streamers tended to like dramatic productions for their livestreams.

    -Remember the Haeundae Dungeon? Didn¡¯t the Avengers Army try so hard to create a sense of crisis for his livestream?

    -Yeah, it seemed like they set the stage for Chul-Soo¡¯s dramatic entry.

    The viewers came to their own conclusions.

    -Yeah, I think we¡¯re right! Pyeong-Beom was going easy.

    -LOL, so, he purposely let them score nine points first!

    The yers who respawned at the American base couldn''t move a muscle. Even the Great Ruler Emperor was speechless for a while.

    <em>¡®My body won¡¯t move, and I can¡¯t even speak.¡¯</em>

    This seemed like a side effect of dying at the Korean base. He had never felt such intense bloodlust before. He had died several times but never experienced such a powerless and frightening death.

    <em>¡®I don¡¯t want to die again¡­¡¯</em>

    Emperor thought he had ovee his fear of death, but this experience made it seem otherwise. Egan¡¯s advice came to his mind. Watching something on screen and experiencing it in person was entirely different.

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo and Pyeong-Beom¡­ they were going easy on us! For dramatic effect!¡¯</em>

    Of course, Chul-Soo was genuinely angry, but nobody even dared to think that. Emperor changed his strategy.

    <em>¡®Let¡¯s just surrender.¡¯</em>

    Surrendering, as opposed to being defeated, incurred few penalties. Plus, since Emperor had initiated the All-Out War and he could manipte the map and the settings, the damage could be minimized.

    <em>¡®Yes, that¡¯s the best approach.¡¯</em>

    <strong>[Do you wish to surrender?]</strong>

    Emperor chose to surrender; however, it did not go as he nned.

    <em>¡®Why can¡¯t I surrender?¡¯</em>

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok resumed his livestream. ¡°I apologize. The livestream was interrupted. It is my fault for not anticipating such an attack. I will be more careful not to get attacked like this next time.¡±

    Madness still flickered in his eyes. He had tolerated rigged amps and map hacks, but this was unbearable. The original title of his livestream was ¡®War¡¯, but he changed it.

    [Teaching a Lesson]

    ¡°First, I will destroy the Surrender Setting.¡± This was to not let the opponent go off easy by letting them surrender. ¡°If you have the Rule Breaker, this can be easily done.¡±

    <strong>[You have destroyed the map¡¯s ?Surrender Setting?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Surrendering within the map is not possible.]</strong>

    ¡°I think I might as well destroy the Resurrection Setting, too. They keeping back to life, not learning their lesson.¡±

    <strong>[You have destroyed the map¡¯s ?Resurrection Setting?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Resurrection within the map is not possible.]</strong>

    ¡°Let¡¯s make it a bit more intense.¡±

    Without respawns, the war would be much more intense.

    ¡­Or so he thought. It turned out to be quite anticlimactic. Upon reaching the American base, Jin-Hyeok found numerous yers on their knees, hands raised, begging for their lives. Most yers were pleading for mercy, and Jin-Hyeok was disappointed. Even the Great Ruler Emperor was among them.

    ¡°I usually don¡¯t kill yers if they¡¯re surrendering.¡±

    However, Emperor had crossed the line too far.

    <em>¡®How dare you intentionally cut off a Streamer¡¯s livestream?!¡¯</em>

    ¡°You, I am not going to spa¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Emperor desperately cried out. ¡°There is a disseminator among us! He is the one who taught us how to create a rigged amp and forced us to use map hacks!¡±

    Emperor betrayed Swamnd No.2.

    Jin-Hyeok scowled. ¡°Did that disseminator also give you the artifact that cut off my livestream?¡±

    In truth, Emperor was the one who had designed that bomb. However, right now, his priority was to stay alive. He wouldn¡¯t be able to make excuses for his mistakes if he was dead.

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Emperor blurted out, grasping at straws for survival.

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ears just perked up. ¡°Yeah, the one who distributes it is indeed worse than the one who uses it.¡±

    He had already regained his lost rationality. At this moment, ensuring that such a thing could not happen again was more important for Jin-Hyeok than cracking open Emperor¡¯s skull.

    <em>¡®I need a contingency n.¡¯</em>

    To find a way to block this EMP attack, ultimately, he had to deal with the distributor.

    ¡°Swamnd No.2. That¡¯s the guy, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, did you already know about him?¡± Chills ran down Emperor¡¯s spine. He did not know that Chul-Soo was aware of his collusion with Swamnd No.2.

    <em>¡®How much was this person willing to overlook? Surely, unconditional surrender is the only way to live,¡¯ </em>Emperor thought.

    ¡°Where is Swamnd No.2 now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I do not know exactly. However, I was supposed to meet with Swamnd No.2 in a ce! I can tell you that!¡±***

    Swamnd No.2 grew anxious. <em>¡®I¡¯m going crazy!¡¯</em>

    Initially, he had been using a Skill called Five Eyes to thoroughly examine every corner of the map. This ability was known among Korean yers as map hacking. However, operating Five Eyes required a stable environment and a high level of concentration.

    <em>¡®That damned Thief!¡¯</em>

    Angel Girl Song Ha-Young was persistently chasing after him. At first, he managed to evade her easily, but as time passed, the situation turned increasingly unfavorable for him.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m running out of ces to hide¡­¡¯</em>

    Ha-Young was a master of tracking. Moreover, she had the help of numerous yers.

    ¡°Ah, here! There is a narrow passage under the pond, you see? If you go through this, it leads to a cave that will allow you to go to the top side of the map. This will be faster!¡± one of the yers said.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Ha-Young replied.

    ¡°Wait! If you are going in there, you need to bite on this.¡± The yer handed her a leaf. This was something even Emperor, who had designed the map, and Swamnd No.2 did not know about. In other words, the Korean yers had discovered and explored something even the developers did not know about. The unity and passion of Korean yers were beyond imagination.

    ¡°Please catch that map-hacking bastard!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s give him a lesson he won¡¯t forget!¡±

    Ha-Young nodded, then plunged into the pond with a ssh.

    <em>¡®For justice! God, please grant me the strength to be a righteous Thief today.¡¯</em>

    ***

    ¡°<em>Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡¯</em>

    At the very bottom of the map, in an underground Field that ordinary yers engaging in the All-Out War would never encounter, Swamnd No.2 gasped for air. ¡°You persistent bastards.¡±

    He was surrounded by approximately half a dozen yers. Their leader was none other than Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young.

    ¡°I got you now.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Swamnd No.2 red at Ha-Young with a resentful expression and said, ¡°...Is Kim Chul-Soo with you?¡±

    ¡°He will be here soon.¡±

    Swamnd No.2 smirked, seemingly resigned to his fate. ¡°I guess this is the end.¡±

    He pulled something out of his pocket. Ha-Young tensed for a moment, but it was just a cigarette. He put the cigarette in his mouth and lit it. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can spare me for one cigarette before I die, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Swamnd No.2 took out his phone and turned on Eltube. ¡°So, Chul-Soo is reallying here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you map-hacking bastard.¡± Ha-Young grinned.

    <em>¡®How dare you use a map hack and rig the map in front of a righteous Thief?!¡¯</em>

    ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line too far. We cannot forgive you,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°I never did anything that warranted asking for forgiveness. If there is anything regrettable, it is that I couldn¡¯t kill Chul-Soo with my hands.¡±

    Shortly after, Chul-Soo arrived at the underground Field, apanied by Mole Man.

    ¡°The Field is bigger than I thought,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He turned on Broadcaster¡¯s Light to brighten the entire area. ¡°It feels like a giant underground cavern. Anyone would get lost here without a Navigator.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked toward Swamnd No.2, who appeared as a tiny dot in the distance.

    ¡°The map hack distributor is over there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°KIM CHUL-SOO!!!!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a despicable hacker, yet he has the audacity to call my name.¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned as he stood in front of Swamnd No.2. ¡°I cannot forgive a hacker.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you either.¡± Swamnd No.2 threw the cigarette onto the ground. It acted like a fuse. A huge summoning circle appeared beneath his feet, and a snake head gradually revealed itself from the circle. ¡°You are going to die here!¡±

    It was a snake-type monster with seven heads. A Hydra had appeared before them. Its Level was 302. It was the first Level 300 monster to appear on the Earth Server.

    ***

    The onlinemunities had divided opinions.

    -I¡¯m sure even Chul-Soo didn¡¯t see thising.

    -Level 300? I don¡¯t think anyone on the Earth Server is that powerful!

    -Lol, a Level 300 in a new Server? This is insane!

    This was an unprecedented event. It seemed like a boss monster had forcibly been inserted into this All-Out War.

    -To insert a Level 300 monster with his ability¡­ I¡¯m sure the loss must have been tremendous for Swamnd No.2.

    It was an impossible feat with his ability alone. Such a thing would require a lot of prior preparation and investment of money.

    -What are you talking about? Chul-Soo would have expected this much.

    -Do you think our fervent and passionate Chul-Soo couldn¡¯t have foreseen this?

    -Our Chul-Soo knows everything!

    Whether Chul-Soo had anticipated it or not became a matter of debate.

    To put it simply, Jin-Hyeok had known about the trap, but he did not expect the monster to be Hydra.

    -Eh? Chul-Soo is about to fight the Hydra!

    -Even if he is strong, I don¡¯t think he can go toe-to-toe with a Level 300 Hydra.

    -It seems Chul-Soo didn¡¯t expect it. He is fighting so suddenly without any proper preparations!

    -Shouldn¡¯t a GM step in and mediate this?

    Indeed, Jin-Hyeok was slightly tense. <em>¡®The air is crackling with blood lust.¡¯</em>

    The Hydra had seven heads, and Jin-Hyeok could feel its fourteen eyes staring at him. He felt somewhat exhrated. <em>¡®The Hydra¡­ wasn¡¯t supposed to appear until muchter.¡¯</em>

    Level 300 was a Level that only the top rankers in the universe could reach. It was also Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first real encounter with such a monster.

    -Is he really going to fight it?

    -Even for our IntenseMan, this seems too dangerous.

    -He even disabled the resurrection setting!

    -Even if he is crazy, fighting a Hydra is just too insane!

    Having heard the viewers¡¯ reactions from Wang Yu-Mi, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat bewildered. <em>¡®Why does everyone think I am really going to fight it? I¡¯m not that insane. How can I possibly fight a Level 300 monster by myself? Where in the world would you find such a madman?¡¯</em>

    Such a madman could exist, but at least, Jin-Hyeok was not one. Even in his days as the mad Sword King, he never fought a boss-level monster when there was such a Level difference between them. The problem was that Ha-Young was also worried about him.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo. Shouldn¡¯t we¡­ somehow run away from that thing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you should run.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?! We should go together!¡±

    Ha-Young was desperate, and Swamnd No.2 finally cracked a smile.

    <em>¡®I doubted you until the end, Chul-Soo,¡¯ </em>Swamnd No.2 thought.

    Chul-Soo was known to be powerful and inconsistent with his standards. So, Swamnd No.2 had thought this could also be part of the act. That was why he had acted as if he had given up, watching them carefully. However, Ha-Young¡¯s reaction convinced him this was no longer just an act.

    <em>¡®My summoned Hydrasts for only five minutes.¡¯</em>

    Even then, it could not fight properly during the first and thest minute of its stay. No matter how much money was poured into it, the Hydra as an entity far exceeded Swamnd No.2¡¯s capabilities. Creating a perfect Hydra was impossible, and the Hydra he had managed to produce was essentially a monster thatsted only for three minutes.

    <em>¡®But three minutes is more than enough to annihte you all.¡¯</em>

    ¡°I will never! I won¡¯t leave you behind and go alone! I won¡¯t let you sacrifice yourself alone!¡± Ha-Young shouted. Her eyes were red.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°I just want to test the limits of Absolute Barrier.¡±

    It felt too ticklish when he was defending against the American yers.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was already aware of the monster called Hydra.

    <em>¡®Hydras spit venom.¡¯</em>

    In essence, it was a monster adept at ranged attacks. Jin-Hyeok''s heart raced. <em>¡®It¡¯s my first time facing an attack from a Level 300 monster!¡¯</em>

    There was a stark difference between fighting and defending. If one focused solely on defense, they could withstand a significant Level disparity to some extent.

    <em>¡®Plus, the attack is highly venomous.¡¯</em>

    That was rather advantageous for Jin-Hyeok. He was immune to all poisons below the level of the Snake King, and the Hydra was a monster one tier below that.

    <em>¡®I should be able to defend against its attack. If only the Thieves would quickly get out of the way.¡¯</em>

    ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t protect all of you. Run away now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    The Thieves bit their lips.

    <em>¡®Truly, he is IntenseMan¡­!¡¯</em>

    <em>¡®He is willing to sacrifice himself to save us!¡¯</em>

    They made up their minds. To ensure that Chul-Soo¡¯s sacrifice would not be in vain, they had to survive.

    ¡°Angel Girl, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Angel Girl shouted.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let IntenseMan¡¯s sacrifice be in vain.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the noble choice of a hero. We must follow.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok deployed Absolute Barrier to block the venom spewed by the Hydra.

    <em>¡®Wow¡­¡¯</em>

    Absolute Barrier could notpletely block the Hydra¡¯s attack. The barrier melted away, and Jin-Hyeok sustained burns all over his body. Green, sticky liquid dripped down from his head.

    <em>¡®I would have died if I weren¡¯t for my poison resistance.¡¯ </em>It was a valuable experience. <em>¡®So, this is the extent of a Level 300 boss monster¡¯s attack.¡¯</em>

    Ha-Young, even as she was half-forced away by the other Thieves, desperately called out to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!!!¡±

    ¡°I think I defended against a Level 300 attack pretty well,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    <em>¡®Hm¡­ so this is what it¡¯s like.¡¯</em>

    At that moment, Swamnd No.2 sensed something odd.

    ¡°Thanks for the good experience,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[The All-Out War has ended.]</strong>

    Swamnd No.2¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°W-Wait! Hold on!¡±

    The victory of the All-Out War went to Korea, and simultaneously, the map disappeared.

    ***

    ¡°Why did everyone think I was actually going to fight the Hydra?¡± Jin-Hyeok genuinely wondered.

    Thanks to Swamnd No.2 thinking the same, things did get resolved more smoothly. However, he still found it puzzling.

    <em>¡®Why did everyone believe that?¡¯</em>

    ¡°...Actually, I also thought you were going to fight it.¡±

    ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found it absurd that even his sister thought so. ¡°But it was Level 300.¡±

    ¡°You seem like¡­ you would excitedly fight even a Level 400 opponent.¡±

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not <em>that </em>insane.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Cha Jin-Sol learned something new¡ªone must look before they leap. Even though her brother seemed to fight like a madman, in reality, he engaged in battles he was sure to win, after objectively assessing thebat power of his opponent.

    ¡°So, I guess you are not actually a madman, although sometimes, you fight like one,¡± she said.

    ¡°You¡¯re making a point out of something so obvious.¡± Jin-Hyeok shrugged. ¡°Anyway, thanks to even Swamnd No.2 being mistaken, things were much easier.¡±

    ¡°Right, it seems like he dyed the fight a bit on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Why on earth would he do that?¡± Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    ¡°Maybe out of a desire for revenge? He probably hoped you would suffer a bit more.¡±

    The All-Out War did not need to be <em>cleared. </em>It ended once the opposing nation¡¯s g was destroyed. Jin-Hyeok had sent a message to Yu-Mi to destroy the American g before he entered the underground Field. When the Korean and the American yers worked together, they could easily destroy the g.

    ¡°That Swamnd No.2 is a really nasty yer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°So? What now?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°What do you mean, what now? I can¡¯t let that hacker get away. Plus, the Hydra was practically a bug.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. He¡¯s a lowly yer for nting that kind of bug in the All-Out War.¡±

    At that moment, Kwak Do-Hyeong, the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance, contacted Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡ªHey, we found the guy! He overexerted himself or something because he is almost in aatose state now. Well, thanks to that, it was easy to catch him, but what should we do? Should we kill him?

    Swamnd No.2 was hiding inside a Dungeon in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do.

    ¡°You found him quicker than I thought.¡±

    ¡ªAh well¡­ We got a tip on where he was hiding.¡±

    ¡°A tip?¡±

    Do-Hyeong asked Jin-Hyeok, scratching his head.

    ¡ªYes. Do you know Chul-Soo Land No.1?

 Chapter 252

    <h4>Chapter 252</h4>

    A new guest had be a regr visitor to the top-of-the-line multimedia room of Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop. Her name was Kim Min-Ji. As always, while watching Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, Min-Ji became furious. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive this bastard.¡±

    Once again, an earthquake urred in the Cheongdam-dong area¡ªa phenomenon that had be fairly frequent in this regiontely and to which Gap-Soo had grown ustomed.

    ¡°Whoa, whoa! Please calm down,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Do I look like I can calm down right now? I tolerated the rigged map and the map hack, but that¡¯s literally a bug!¡±

    <i>¡®You were worse when you used to support the Demon King!¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo wanted to say that but chose not to.

    Compared to what the Mad God of Favoritism had done, summoning a Hydra for a mere five, no, three minutes was nothing. When the Mad God of Favoritism went crazy, she would use all sorts of bugs and hacks. There was a reason she had been sealed away.

    ¡°Are you nning to repeat the same mistake?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m so pissed off right now. I will kill them all.¡±

    ¡°What about Chul-Soo? He will be sad if you kill them all.¡±

    ¡°...!¡±

    By now, Gap-Soo had somewhat figured out how to handle Min-Ji.

    ¡°What do you mean Chul-Soo will be sad?¡±

    ¡°Well, he cherishes his subscribers very much. He holds a special affection for those from Chul-Soo Land. If you, the number one fan in Chul-Soo Land, suddenly disappeared, he would be very sad.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah, maybe you¡¯re right.¡±

    The earthquake in Cheongdam-dong subsided.

    ¡°If you get too involved, you won¡¯t be able to watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream for long,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Fine. Then I will get only a little involved.¡± She decided to subtly leak the location of Swamnd No.2

    ¡°You... can trace him?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Summoning a Hydra like that idiot did takes a lot of money, time, and effort. There has to be many traces left.¡±

    Min-Ji ultimately found Swamnd No.2¡¯s hiding ce. He was hiding in a Dungeon in Gyeonggi-do. She did all that in Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop, from her seat.

    Gap-Soo gulped. <i>¡®Her eyes... have gone mad.¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji muttered to herself, ¡°Should I just copse the Dungeon?¡±

    ***

    Min-Ji nibbed on her fingernails. Her legs were shaking vigorously, indicating her anxiety.

    ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I have this condition where if I don¡¯t watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, I get really anxious.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°When will he start his livestream? By now, he must have captured Swamnd No.2.¡± As Gap-Soo did not respond, Min-Ji cautiously revealed her true intentions. ¡°...Would it be okay to hack Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream?¡±

    For Gap-Soo, the idea of hacking Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream to sneak a peek was actually weing. It somewhat felt like watching an unreleased video even before Chul-Soo gave it to him. However, Gap-Soo had learned how to deal with Min-Ji.

    ¡°If you keep doing that, Chul-Soo might get angry.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so too.¡± Though she responded that way, her withdrawal symptoms worsened. Her desperation grew.

    ¡°But since Chul-Soo loves all Chul-Soo Landers, he might understand a little.¡±

    ¡°Y-You think so?¡±

    ¡°If Chul-Soo gets disappointed, I will talk to him. You know that I¡¯m pretty close with Chul-Soo, right?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±

    ¡°If there is a problem, I will talk to himter.

    ¡°You¡¯re a genius! Thank you!¡± Life returned to Min-Ji¡¯s face.

    Gap-Soo also sat down with an excited heart. Now, the unreleased video would y in the air.

    <i>¡®Just as I thought! He is recording the whole thing.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s face appeared in the air. As Min-Ji had said, he had already captured Swamnd No.2.

    In the video, Kwak Do-Hyeong asked,

    ?Yes. Do you know Chul-Soo Land No.1??

    ?Ah, you mean Kim Min-Ji??

    Min-Ji abruptly stood up with a flushed face. ¡°Hey, old man, did he just mention my name?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it seems like that.¡±

    ¡°He remembered my name!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Gap-Soo wanted to say, <i>¡®Aren¡¯t you the one who broke through the Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s protective barrier, tampered with the settings, and used Picasso¡¯s Brush to Awaken him as the Munchkin Streamer? I think it would be stranger for him not to remember you...¡¯</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m so touched...!¡± Min-Ji seemed to be moved.

    Do-Hyeong continued on the screen,

    ?So you know about her!?

    ?Of course. She¡¯s an outstanding hacker, and I have received a lot of help from her.?

    ?Ah, then I guess I can give this to you.?

    ?What is this??

    It was a note from Min-Ji.

    [I always support you. I love you!?]

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. Min-Ji had appeared so shy in person, but she seemed very forward in writing. He thanked her as a fan service.

    ?Thank you, Min-Ji!?

    Min-Ji clutched her chest. She made a fuss, iming she felt pain in her heart, and she was genuinely moved.

    ¡°Last time, youforted me so tenderly...¡±

    Gap-Soo decided not to say anything. Given Min-Ji¡¯s current state, even if Chul-Soo did something wrong, she would probably exim, ¡®He did it for me! I¡¯m touched!¡¯

    ¡°Now he remembers me and praises me.¡± Min-Ji wanted to quickly log into the app and boast to Chul-Soo Land No.2.

    <i>¡®He would be so upset that Chul-Soo called my name while recording and thanked me. I want to brag about it so badly!¡¯</i>

    She wanted to show No.2 that a huge gap existed between the No.1 and the No.2.

    <i>¡®Wait, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now! Who knows what kind of trap that hacker bastard has set in there!¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji thoroughly searched the interior of the Dungeon. ¡°This despicable, dirty, petty Swamnd guy must have pulled something.¡±

    Swamnd No.2 had even summoned Hydra. No one could guess just how much more wickedness such a petty person had done.

    ¡°Bugs need to be fixed.¡± If something like a Hydra popped up here again, that wouldn¡¯t be righteous.

    <i>Click! Click!</i>

    Her fingers swiftly moved, tapping on the keyboard that appeared in the air. ¡°I¡¯m just doing the job that the GMs are supposed to do. This is very righteous, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°...Yes,¡± Gap-Soo said reluctantly.

    ***

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can forgive you.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out Miri, who had somehow transformed into the shape of a blunt club.

    -Let¡¯s enjoy this together.

    It seemed that Miri had no intention of forgiving Swamnd No.2 either.

    -Ah, this form would be even more beautiful.

    Miri transformed on her own again. This time, she turned into the shape of a long metal spike.

    -Shall we start with the appetizer?

    The main course was always the head. However, before tasting the exquisite main course, an appetizer was essential.

    -Please handle me very roughly.

    Jin-Hyeok did not care about Miri¡¯s appearance. Whether she was a spike, a bat, or a hammer, as long as he could swing her, he was happy.

    ¡°The problem is not just Swamnd No.2,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. While it was true that Swamnd No.2 had crossed the line, that was not the end of it. It was unlikely that Swamnd No.2 had acted alone. ¡°I¡¯m sure there is Swamnd No.1 as well.¡±

    The fact that yer Hunters were targeting him was frankly a bit thrilling. However, Jin-Hyeok was less thrilled about the mediocre ones getting involved in the matter. He liked it even less when it was someone like a hacker.

    ¡°So, I have decided to deal with Swamnd No.1 as well.¡± It was necessary to show the world what would happen if they messed with him first. That way, mediocre yer Hunters would be too scared toe forward, and only powerful yer Hunters would dare challenge him, making it more thrilling.

    ¡°But first, we need to find the location of Swamnd No.1,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Having regained consciousness, Swamnd No.2 said with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Do you think you can find out where Swamnd No.1 is? I always prepare for the worst. I have trap after trap after trap!¡±

    Swamnd No.2 had anticipated that this hideout would be discovered. ¡°We are all going to die here together!¡±

    He had set traps so that the Dungeon would copse entirely. It was regrettable that he could not steal Chul-Soo¡¯s powers, but there were no regrets left.

    <i>¡®Soon, this ce will co¡ª huh?¡¯</i>

    However, Swamnd No.2 felt something was off. It was too peaceful. He should have been feeling vibration from the ground by now.

    <i>¡®Why...?¡¯</i>

    The Dungeon was intact. Jin-Hyeok approached him with Miri in hand. ¡°Did you hit your head beforeing here or something?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smirked and swung Miri. ¡°Thwack Thwack and More Thwack!¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®He has a stronger willpower than I expected.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely thought that after a few hits, Swamnd No.2 would reveal hisrade¡¯s location. However, the yer Hunter was stubborn. While it was true that more violence could solve the issue, the problem was the current physical condition of Swamnd No.2.

    <i>¡®He might die if I beat him more.¡¯</i>

    So, Jin-Hyeok decided to change the n a bit.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Taming (Physical).]</strong>

    He decided to reduce the intensity of violence and seek help from a Skill instead.

    Swamnd No.2 yelled, ¡°Do you think I will fall for such a crude Skill?!¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°This is nothing!¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°You bastard...!¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s easier if you kill me!¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°P-Please... just kill me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was very impressed by Swamnd No.2¡¯s mental fortitude.

    <i>¡®I guess a famous yer is famous for a reason.¡¯</i>

    Even if it seemed a bit of a stretch to consider Swamnd No.2 a universe-level ranker, the yer Hunter was a member of a fairly well-known crew. Being in a small crew of three and having this level of renown seemed to indicate genuine skill.

    Eventually, Swamnd No.2 passed out, and Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin. ¡°Taming did not work. Maybe it¡¯s because I am not a Tamer.¡±

    Then, Park Terse joined in. Jin-Hyeok had prepared his mind to persuade Terse.

    <i>¡®I bet he¡¯s going to say something about how taming people is inhumane and that taming among the same species is ethically problematic and so on.¡¯</i>

    The Terse that Jin-Hyeok knew would surely think like this. In fact, before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Terse had written a book titled ¡®101 Reasons Why People Should Not Be Seen as Taming Subjects.¡¯ Terse was someone who saw taming people as a highly immoral and hical act.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Terse, so this is what¡¯s going on¡ª¡±

    ¡°I told you that empathy is more important!¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    There was no hesitation in Terse¡¯s steps. He immediately went to the fallen Swamnd No.2, knelt, and began taming. ¡°Empathy and dialogue muste first for perfect taming. And yet, you resorted to ruthless violence again today!¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok felt something was off.

    <i>¡®So, as long as violence isn¡¯t used, anything goes?¡¯</i>

    It seemed Terse¡¯s beliefs had changed.

    ¡°So... the problem is that I beat him up too harshly?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes. While sometimes, it might be effective, it is not true taming.¡±

    ¡°So... taming people is fine regardless?¡±

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t Woongi a person?¡±

    ¡°... That makes sense, I guess.¡±

    Terse appeared to have no qualms about taming people. As long as violence was not used, anything seemed eptable.

    <i>¡®Why has he changed like this?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not figure out what made Terse change this way.

 Chapter 253

    <h4>Chapter 253</h4>

    Swamnd No.2¡¯s eyes went out of focus. Then, like a child, he burst into tears and let out a loud wail. Park Terse embraced the yer Hunter with apassionate expression and gesture,forting him.

    Swamnd No.2 said, ¡°I was... a history student who loved learning about our history. I believed that the past was a guidepost for the present and the future.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. Good boy.¡± Terse patted his head.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in wonder. <i>¡®Can this be considered taming? It seems more like hypnosis or brainwashing, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯</i>

    This was a clear example of why taming humans was not allowed. Taming one¡¯s kind usually resulted in such a dehumanizing sight. That was why Terse had been so strongly opposed to this practice before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    ¡°But I was too poor. I needed money. Even textbooks were too expensive for me. To follow the lost traces of the past, I really needed a lot of money,¡± Swamnd No.2 continued.

    From his childhood love for history to the present, Swamnd No.2 confessed everything about himself as if he were inside a confessional at the church. For quite some time, Terse listened to him, patting his back.

    Eventually, Swamnd No.2¡¯s whining ceased. His eyes still looked vacant.

    ¡°So, where is Swamnd No.1?¡±

    ¡°He is in the Arvis Serv¡ª¡± Swamnd No.2 suddenly vomited blood. ¡°<i>rgh!¡±</i>

    That pain seemed to have made him regain his senses. ¡°No.1... you bastard...!¡±

    He was feeling intense anger. However, this anger was not directed at Jin-Hyeok or Terse, but rather Swamnd No.1.

    <strong>[#You fed me this? #You piece of shit.]</strong>

    <i>rgh!</i>

    Swamnd No.2 vomited blood several more times. Terse, who had begun to feel empathy toward him, urgently shouted, ¡°Healer! Is there a Healer here?¡±

    However, it was toote. After vomiting blood multiple times, Swamnd No.2 trembled and fell, no longer breathing.

    Kwak Do-Hyeong frowned. ¡°Chul-Soo, look.¡±

    In the blood vomited by Swamnd No.2, a worm the size of an adult¡¯s fist was wriggling.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°What is that?¡±

    <strong>[LV239/C.B.]</strong>

    <strong>[LV238/C.B.]</strong>

    <strong>[LV238/C.B.]</strong>

    It seemed to be a kind of parasite, and its Level was rapidly decreasing.

    ¡°It looks to be a parasite that changes to the Level of its host,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Swamnd No.2¡¯s Level was 239, so the parasite was also at Level 239, from where it kept dropping.

    <strong>[LV177/C.B.]</strong>

    ¡°I wonder what C.B. stands for.¡± Curious, Jin-Hyeok squinted. He wondered if his Broadcaster¡¯s Insight could see what it was.

    <strong>[LV122/<u>C.B.</u>]</strong>

    The word became underlined, and he opened the detailed description by clicking on it.

    <strong>[LV100/C.B. (Control Bug)]</strong>

    ¡°The name of the parasite is Control Bug. It seems to be a type of parasite that can be injected into a body to control the host. It seems like an artificial monster.¡±

    From the looks of it, this was something Swamnd No.1 had secretly imnted inside Swamnd No.2.

    <strong>[LV92/C.B.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wait, I shouldn¡¯t be watching it mindlessly.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like the parasite did not have much long to live. Jin-Hyeok held Miri up before hearing the exnation from Terse.

    <i>¡®I need to beat it up just a bit.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Taming (Physical).]</strong>

    The parasite was much easier to tame than a human.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just seeded in taming the Control Bug. Fortunately, it¡¯s not dead.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok softly subdued the wriggling Control Bug on the floor with his club (Miri) before picking it up. After a moment of hesitation, he swallowed it whole. It was not a pleasant sight to behold, and watching this scene, the Assassins of the ck Thorn Alliance gulped.

    ¡°He¡¯s swallowing that thing whole?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s actually doing that?¡±

    ¡°We still have a long way to go.¡±

    They prided themselves on ying quite diligently, but indeed, they were no match for Kim Chul-Soo. It served as a moment of reflection for them.

    Their Leader, Do-Hyeong, thought, <i>¡®He is truly a respectable yer.¡¯</i>

    Terse also deeply reflected on this. <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe Chul-Soo decided to tame it right at that moment. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? And he even swallowed it!¡¯</i>

    Terse was also profoundly moved by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s genuine Tamer attitude of offering his body as a host to a parasitic creature.

    <i>¡®Though our paths differ, Chul-Soo is sincere about taming.¡¯</i>

    Regardless, Jin-Hyeok had sessfully tamed the Control Bug and swallowed it.

    ¡°Oh, the memories of the parasite are transferring into my mind.¡± The Control Bug, while living inside a host¡¯s body, carried many memories. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t determine the exact location of Swamnd No.1, but I know that he is in the Arvis Server. To catch this guy, we will need a way to get to the Arvis Server.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could also find the memories of Swamnd No.2, who was sincere about studying history. ¡°He really was a history student who loved history as a child.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not really interested in Swamnd No.2¡¯s background. After all, who in the world did not have a touching story? What mattered was that Swamnd No.2 had tried to kill him, and Jin-Hyeok would¡¯ve been the one to die instead had he been weaker. He would have lost all his abilities too.

    <i>¡®The important thing is... that there is a final hiding ce Swamnd No.2 had prepared.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 was a somewhat renowned yer Hunter. Jin-Hyeok believed that the final hiding ce that Swamnd No.2 had prepared would have a lot of clues about Swamnd No.1¡¯s hideout.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s in Yeonhui-dong, out of all the ces!¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.2 had definitely judged Yeonhui-dong to be the safest ce for a hideout.

    ¡°I will move to his hideout. It happens to be in Yeonhui-dong.¡±

    ***

    On their way back to Yeonhui-dong, Terse was immensely curious. ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo. What happened to the Control Bug?¡±

    ¡°...Ah, right.¡±

    Unbeknownst to Jin-Hyeok, hismunication with the Control Bug had been severed. This was because his body recognized the Control Bug as a type of poison, causing his internal fire energy to burn the Control Bug into ashes.

    Terse¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I think I know why you can¡¯t answer me.¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

    ¡°I understand your devoted heart that cannot stand to watch the death of a life you have empathy toward.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not have a devout intention, but he did not say anything to Terse.

    ¡°Your spirit of sacrifice, trying in any way to keep themunication going and save the monster... makes me reflect once again. In the end, the Control Bug died, and you must be very sad,¡± Terse continued.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you hesitate to say anything.¡±

    <strong>[#I need to be stronger.]</strong>

    Terse had changed a lotpared to how he had been before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    <i>¡®Wasn¡¯t Terse originally the type of yer who became a ranker just by enjoying ying?¡¯</i>

    Terse was a yer who had be a ranker from enjoying taming for the sake of taming and finding joy inmunicating with monsters. He was definitely not the type who thought of bing stronger with a burning passion.

    <i>¡®Anyway, I guess it¡¯s a good thing.¡¯</i>

    Such an aspiration to improve surely drove people to evolve.

    ***

    Before they knew it, the group arrived in Yeonhui-dong. They parted ways with Do-Hyeong and the members of the ck Thorn Alliance, but one person joined them. It was Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my time to shine,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Right, I¡¯m counting on you,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the owner of this ce is dead, right.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s going to be less interesting,¡± Ha-Young murmured with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Still, he was a somewhat renowned yer Hunter, so I guess something good wille out of it! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young arrived at the final hideout prepared by Swamnd No.2. At first nce, it looked no different from any ordinary house.

    ¡°Ordinary yers would not be able to find anything special here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Swamnd No.2 was certainly meticulous. However, Jin-Hyeok was apanied by Ha-Young, who prided herself as the best when it came to being a Thief.

    Soon, she noticed a secret space behind a bookshelf. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    Ha-Young randomly took out a few books from the shelf and swapped their ces. Then, with a sliding noise, the bookshelf rotated half a turn, revealing a space inside.

    Following Ha-Young, they saw a thick steel door. Miri got slightly excited.

    -Should I break it?

    However, Ha-Young had a different idea. Breaking in was considered an undignified act for a Thief. A truly great Thief had to infiltrate in a way that the homeowner would not even realize something was stolen. Moving without being detected was what made it an ethical theft.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fingerprint lock. And it requires all ten fingers,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°He was certainly meticulous.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°So, can I break it now?¡±

    ¡°Huh? There is no need for you to do that.¡± Ha-Young opened her inventory and took out a stic bag with preservation magic on it. ¡°I¡¯ve already lifted the fingerprints.¡±

    She was a prepared Thief.

    ***

    The treasures of Swamnd No.2 were stacked up inside the room. The room resembled a library more than anything else. It had a desk, and the bookshelves were filled with books.

    Song Ha-Young was excited, vowing to steal everything, while Jin-Hyeok wondered which item would be the most useful.

    ¡°Fortunately, this ce is in Yeonhui-dong.¡±

    This ce was under the territory of the Golden Guardian Tree, and all of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abilities were significantly enhanced here. The Mystery God of Luck, which was difficult to handle properly, was no exception.

    ¡°With the help of the Guardian Tree, using the God of Luck should not knock me out.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could hear the excited voice of the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°Has the time finallye for me to step forward?!¡±

    The Guardian Tree had a solid mental bond with Jin-Hyeok. Therefore, it felt a subtle sense of unease toward Miri, another bonded partner, because Miri was always with Jin-Hyeok, actively participating in many adventures, unlike the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°But be careful, Master. Because if you get knocked out, that Thief will surely empty your pockets!¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, that sounds usible.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    Ha-Young was very serious about thievery. So, he could not be weak; after all, she was indeed a Thief who could empty his pockets at any moment.

    ¡°I will take some precautions.¡± Jin-Hyeok approached Ha-Young, who waspletely off guard, rummaging through the bookshelves.

    <i>¡®Be gentle, Miri. Don¡¯t kill her.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri toward the back of Ha-Young¡¯s head.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proper control of strength, Ha-Young fainted without much pain. Jin-Hyeok did not forget toment for his video.

    ¡°Sometimes, a strong attack known in advance is less threatening than a weak attack taken unaware.¡±

    Feeling proud of his urate and upright y, he then used God of Luck. The entire room seemed to vibrate and hum, and a book fell from the shelf with a thud. For a moment, the book appeared to sparkle.

    ¡°<i>Pant... Pant...¡±</i>

    Just using the Mystery once had drained his stamina. Without the help of the Guardian Tree, he would have fainted. It seemed like a good decision to have knocked out Ha-Young.

    ¡°What is this book that the God of Luck reacted so strongly to?¡±

    The title of the book was ¡®In Search of Lost History¡¯. The author was none other than Swamnd No.2. It appeared to be a history book that Swamnd No.2 waspiling himself.

    [There is undoubtedly a distorted history in the Arvis Server. The lost history. The history we must know.]

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok was not very interested in history.

    <i>¡®Is there nothing that can spice up my livestream?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok hoped for something that would attract the attention of his viewers. With that thought, he flipped through the book.

    [Everyone has lost it. Everyone has erased it. But someone must remember. Someone must uncover it. The ruler before the Demon King¡ªthe greatest queen, Veselity.]

    <i>¡®...Huh?¡¯</i>

    A familiar name appeared in the book.

 Chapter 254

    <h4>Chapter 254</h4>

    The moment Cha Jin-Hyeok saw the name Veselity, a change urred in the System.

    <strong>[The universe-level Scenario ?Legacy of the Forsaken Queen? is in progress.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired the Scenario-rted Artifact ?In Search of Lost History?.]</strong>

    To someone else, this item could have been of no use, but once it came into the hands of Jin-Hyeok, who was undergoing the universe-level Scenario, it was designated as a Scenario-rted Artifact.

    <i>¡®The greatest queen, Veselity?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, his heart raced, and with eyes narrowed in focus, he read through the book, though it contained no significant information.

    <i>¡®What is this?¡¯</i>

    In summary, the book mentioned that Queen Veselity was the most beautiful and magnificent in the world, no, in the universe. The book also wanted to tell the world that they must not forget her. It was filled with the same message just worded differently throughout the book.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know how the writer could fill an entire book with the same message just by changing the words.¡¯</i>

    At first nce, it did not seem particrly informative, but Jin-Hyeok decided to keep it for now. Since it was an artifact rted to the universe-level Scenario, it surely had to be usefulter.

    At that moment, Song Ha-Young came to her senses and said with a groan, ¡°What just happened...?¡±

    The back of her head was slightly throbbing from the pain. It felt like she had been hit with a blunt object.

    ¡°Was I poisoned....? I¡¯m sorry it seems I failed to look for a trap,¡± she said with a genuinely apologetic expression.

    ¡°...You should be more careful.¡±

    Ha-Young¡¯s face turned slightly red. She felt embarrassed, thinking she had greatly disappointed Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Yeah, sorry. I guess I was careless.¡±

    Fainting due to a trap was a very shameful incident for a Thief.

    ¡°Hey, but why are you holding Miri?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Ah... Well, since you fainted, I wanted to protect you.¡±

    Ha-Young felt so embarrassed.

    <i>¡®What kind of a Thief falls for a trap? But... I don¡¯t... hate that he was protecting me.¡¯</i>

    She found the sight of Jin-Hyeok standing there while holding Miri very reassuring.

    ***

    Wang Yu-Mi and Joseph waited for Jin-Hyeok on the couch of his house, along with Kang Eun-Woo. As soon as Jin-Hyeok arrived, Yu-Mi abruptly stood up and pped twice.

    ¡°Your performance is out of the world these days.¡± Yu-Mi was talking about Jin-Hyeok¡¯s performance in the Haeundae Dungeon, the Regional War, the All-Out War, and the fight against Swamnd No.2, to top it off. ¡°The donations received from videos about these four topics amount to about thirty billion Dias.¡±

    Yu-Mi was in charge of the recent expenditure management. As Jin-Hyeok gathered more money than he could spend, he realized the surplus of money did not really mean much to him. Yu-Mi also did not spare her help when saying, ¡°It¡¯s my role to ensure Kim Chul-Soo can focus solely on his livestreaming!¡±

    ¡°Ah, as I mentioned before, Joseph seems to handle financial management well. So, he has taken the primary responsibility! Do you have any financial feedback to offer?¡± Yu-Mi continued.

    Most of the thirty billion Dias in donations were being reinvested into the MK Foundation. Recently, the foundation had been putting quite a lot of effort into nurturing yers of unpopr Jobs.

    ¡°Not really... Ah! There is one thing,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, you can tell me!¡± Yu-Mi took out a small notebook and pen from her bag.

    ¡°Let¡¯s cultivate some Historians.¡±

    ¡°Historians?¡±

    ¡°They can be students or researchers. You can cultivate new yers or support existing yers. Anything is fine. Since they are yers with an unpopr Job, I think we should fully support and nurture them.¡±

    ¡°Ah, a nation that has forgotten its history has no future! That¡¯s a good marketing point right there!¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very touching. This is a great idea! It will be a marketing strategy that touches amon sentiment of the entire universe! I think Jang Michelle will like the idea.¡± Suddenly, as if she had remembered something, Yu-Mi took out an envelope of cash. ¡°Oh, and this is like pocket money for you.¡±

    Inside the envelope was a check worth two billion Dias.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t take your mission reward, so she said to give it to you in person,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°Michelle.¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, what mission? Had I ever received a mission that was worth two billion Dias?¡¯</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s about that tiara of the abandoned princess you wore,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°...Oh, right,¡± Jin-Hyeok remembered wearing it because Eun-Woo had made such a fuss about taking pictures.

    ¡°There was a mission that if you wore it, you would get two billion Dias.¡±

    ¡°Was there?¡± It was a mission that Jin-Hyeok did not remember.

    <i>¡®Should I take this money?¡¯</i>

    He was a bit hesitant about epting the mission reward, having not remembered receiving the mission in the first ce. Then, Eun-Woo, who had been silently observing this, spoke up. ¡°And about these photos...¡±

    Eun-Woo was talking about the photos that captured the moment when the queen¡¯s ash-colored corpse had been revitalized.

    <i> </i>

    <i>¡°I am not going to be lonely, knowing there will be someone to remember myst. Remember, I was your queen, and you are thest subject toe in contact with me. You shall have all that is mine.¡±</i>

    It was the moment when the curse had been lifted, and the queen had reached her hand out to Jin-Hyeok. Eun-Woo had captured all of that solemnity with his camera.

    ¡°I was nning to sell them to KimKnowItAllTV¡¯s VIPs for ten billion Dias each.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea, but it doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea either.¡±

    Even if mad people were willing to pay ten billion Dias for these photos, it would be excessive profiteering.

    <i>¡®If I were a merchant, I would have already calcted how much money I can make off of the photos, but...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was not a Merchant but a Streamer¡ªa Job that grew with public interest and love. To him, some values were far more important than money.

    ¡°Instead of making it a limited edition, how about distributing them moderately among the Chul-Soo Landers as gifts?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Joseph¡¯s bulky trapezius and pectoral muscles twitched. He clenched his fist. ¡°What a magnificent choice!¡±

    Joseph was deeply impressed. Even if the photos were sold to only ten people for ten billion Dias each, that would be one hundred Dias in profit. Chul-Soo was showing his affection for his fans by forgoing one hundred billion Dias. Joseph said, ¡°You are definitely going to be a star!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged. Such words would not have pleased him in the past, but now they felt quite good. He wondered if bing a star would allow him to even surpass Marshmallow someday. The old vow of just aiming for third ce was now forgotten.

    ¡°I know the name of Chul-Soo Land No.1. She would be happy if I wrote her name on the photo, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He wrote ¡®Thank you, Min-Ji¡¯ on a photo and added his autograph.

    Joseph interpreted it as a very strategic n. <i>¡®Kim Min-Ji is a girl of mysterious and tremendous ability. This must be an expression of intent to thoroughly win her over! What a thoroughly calcted and rational approach!¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thoughts were simpler. <i>¡®I need to take good care of my fans. They¡¯re truly grateful people.¡¯</i>

    After signing the photo, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Does anyone know the name of Chul-Soo Land No.2?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I know the name. It¡¯s Eun-Woo.¡± Eun-Woo raised his hand high.

    ¡°Eun-Woo? That¡¯s a pretty name.¡± Jin-Hyeok wrote ¡®Thank you, Eun-Woo¡¯ without any suspicion,pletely unaware that this Eun-Woo was the Eun-Woo standing before him.

    ¡°Are you nning to write everyone¡¯s name?¡± Eun-Woo asked.

    <i>¡®Ah, that would decrease the rarity of the photos,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Well from No.3 and onwards, I don¡¯t know their names.¡±

    ¡°Then I guess it can¡¯t be helped then.¡± Eun-Woo smiled unusually broadly.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had a long conversation with Yu-Mi. He had demonstrated overwhelming abilities through recent content, and now the discussion was about how to structure his next videos.

    ¡°It would be great if we could proceed with the universe-level Scenario, but since it is on such arge scale, I think it would be better to progress a bit slowly,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    Given the scenario¡¯s immense scale, Yu-Mi argued that it would be better to go with recorded content rather than livestreaming, and Jin-Hyeok agreed with her.

    ¡°Anyway, it seems I have to go to Arvis Server,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Are you going to capture Swamnd No.1?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I have to .¡±

    In the end, his main target was not No.2 or No.3, but No.1. Knowing No.1 was hiding somewhere in the Arvis Server, Jin-Hyeok had to track him down and conclusively tie up loose ends.

    ¡°Ah, hold on.¡± Jin-Hyeok thought of a brilliant idea. He scolded himself for not thinking about it sooner. ¡°Simple revenge content is a bit repetitive, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had already taken revenge on Swamnd No.3 and No.2. Taking revenge on No.1 in the same pattern felt a bit stale.

    ¡°Then, what do you want to do?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°Until now, I have been in a position where I am targeted by yer Hunters.¡± That was the case during his Sword King days and even after his regression. He had always been closer to being a defender, not an attacker. ¡°But can¡¯t I also be a yer Hunter?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you would be Earth¡¯s first yer Hunter, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡± Being the first in anything always carried a buzz. ¡°Also, it just so happens that Miri partially possesses the Authority of Swallowing.¡±

    <i>¡®Just being attacked by yer Hunters is thrilling, but how thrilling would it be if I were the one attacking... wait, no that¡¯s not right.¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok quickly came to his senses and spoke logically. ¡°It seems like it would make for good content. Let¡¯s go with the content of being a counter-yer Hunter.¡±

    ¡°That is such a brilliant idea! It would instill great fear in the yer Hunters if they knew their abilities could get stolen now. Wow, to think you would be a yer Hunter...! You¡¯re a genius.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not n to initiate hunting yers. However, if other yer Hunters targeted him first, he would counter by bing a yer Hunter himself and retaliating. This content seemed much richer than simple revenge, and it had a just cause. His first opponent was going to be Swamnd No.1

    ¡°The problem is... currently, there is no way to enter the Arvis Server,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Arvis Server was the strongest Server in the universe, and not just anyone could enter it at will. Entering it involved a rigorous screening process, and even then, one could not stay inside it for too long. One had to meet various criteria to reside in the Server, and there wasn¡¯t even a warp portal connecting Earth to Arvis.

    <i>¡®I will have to find a way.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°Hey, Marshmallow,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop sulking and propose a coboration livestreaming with Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°When have I ever sulked?¡± Marshmallow denied it. ¡°He is just a mere rising star, and I am the universe¡¯s top Streamer for the second generation. Why would I sulk over coborating with him?¡±

    ¡°You were sulking.¡±

    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You seemed pretty anxious.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Right then, Chul-Soo posted an announcement on his Eltube channel. As soon as the announcement was up, both Marshmallow¡¯s and Encyclopedia¡¯s phones alerted them. They checked the announcement simultaneously.

    ¡°Hey, look, Chul-Soo is going to do a yer Hunter content,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°That guy¡¯s insane. He is still a newbie. It hasn¡¯t been that long since the Earth Sever opened, and he is thinking about bing a yer Hunter? It¡¯s too soon. He is going to overdo it.¡±

    Although Marshmallow¡¯s tone was rough, his eyes were already sparkling. He looked very much forward to Chul-Soo¡¯s next videos.

    ¡°But I think Chul-Soo said that he doesn¡¯t have a way to get to the Arvis Server,¡± Encyclopedia added.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°You could give him an invitation, couldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°He would be really grateful if you gave him one.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but this is not a proposal to do a coboration livestreaming. I¡¯m just, you know, helping out a junior Streamer, since he is in a tough spot. I have never really been the one to propose a coboration first.¡± Marshmallow¡¯s face slightly reddened.

    ¡°Of course. But what if, after receiving the invitation, he asks if he can coborate with you?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, if that happens, I might consider it.¡±

    Encyclopedia grinned slyly. Marshmallow already had numerous officials in the Arvis Server in his pockets. Getting Chul-Soo inside the Server would not be a difficult task.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to send the invitation, okay? Considering it will be an inter-dimensional delivery, it¡¯s going to be somewhatplicated. Since it¡¯s going to be a hassle for you, I¡¯m going to send it for you,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± Marshmallow had already turned on his phone. He already had the hard-to-earn SVIP title from KimKnowItAllTV. ¡°I can just send it in here.¡±

    For someone who had imed he was not excited about it, Marshmallow¡¯s actions were exceptionally prompt and precise.

 Chapter 255

    At midnight, Wang Yu-Mi visited Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house and made a big fuss. ¡°Did you know that one of my channel¡¯s SVIPs was Marshmallow?!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Suddenly, someone swung open Jin-Hyeok¡¯s bedroom door.

    ¡°Did you say Marshmallow?¡± It was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother, who usually made herself scarce when Jin-Hyeok¡¯s friends were visiting. However, this time, she was visibly excited. ¡°Are you talking about the Marshmallow who is nice, handsome, and good at singing?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Do you know about Marshmallow too?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°Of course! If you don¡¯t know Marshmallow these days, you are out of the loop!¡±

    Yu-Mi and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother heartilyughed together and chatted away. Yu-Mi grabbed the hand of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother and jumped up and down in excitement. ¡°I am also a fan of Marshmallow!¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful! Why don¡¯t I offer you some fruit?¡±

    ¡°That would be so kind!¡±As if on cue, they both said at the same time.

    ¡°Shine Muscat grapes with whipped cream?¡±

    ¡°Shine Muscat grapes with whipped cream!¡±

    The two of them were united in their shared enthusiasm. A few hours earlier, Marshmallow had done a livestream eating Shine Muscat grapes with whipped cream.

    Watching the two women bond over Marshmallow, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feelpetitive.

    <em>¡®He has captured the hearts of both a woman in her twenties and a woman in her fifties?¡¯</em>

    Despite their different interests, these two women had foundmon ground.

    <em>¡®This guy is something.¡¯</em>

    After having a whirlwind of conversation with Yu-Mi, his mother left the room. Then Yu-Mi made an excuse that didn¡¯t sound like an excuse at all. ¡°Well, I started watching Marshmallow¡¯s livestream for strategic purposes. But then, he was just too cute!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°His face isn¡¯t super cute, but his actions are sort of. He is like a really nice, somewhat silly, and innocent elementary school boy. Just watching him warms my heart! I think being cute is definitely the best!¡±

    <em>¡®Should I also try to be cute? How would I go about that?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok found himself pondering the question. It seemed he needed some research.

    Anyway, Yu-Mi mentioned that she had received an invitation from Marshmallow. ¡°With this invitation, you can enter the Arvis Server through Scanorbia! You can stay in the Server for sixty days without a visa.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Marshmallow gave this to me as a gift?¡±

    The Arvis Server was known to be a difficult ce to get into.

    ¡°Marshmallow must really like you! He is even an SVIP for the channel! I feel like this is mutual love.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok felt he was a bitcking. While he had been working hard and researching to catch up to Marshmallow, Marshmallow had been enjoying his livestreams and supporting him. Jin-Hyeok could feel a noticeable gap between them.

    ¡°What if Marshmallow proposes a coboration livestream?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d have to refuse.¡±

    ¡°What? Refuse?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Due to the gap between them, Jin-Hyeok did not feel confident about himself yet, admitting he was not ready to do a coboration livestream with Marshmallow. ¡°I am still too much of a novice.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t think so, but¡­¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. ¡°I will follow your wishes! If you had agreed, I would have proposed a coboration livestream first, but let¡¯s hold off on that!¡±

    ***

    Marshmallow chewed on his fingernails and shivered with nerves.

    Encyclopedia chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s making you so anxious?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m not anxious at all.¡±

    ¡°You seem pretty anxious to me.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m actually very calm right now.¡±

    ¡°If you are worried that Chul-Soo won¡¯t ask for a coboration livestream, why don¡¯t you just propose it yourself?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Marshmallow abruptly stood up. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to do a coboration livestream with him unless he begs me to.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ But considering it¡¯s been this long without a proposal, isn¡¯t the chance for a coboration livestream pretty much gone?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Do you have any idea how many Eltubers dream of doing a coboration livestream with me?!¡±

    Marshmallow was the universe¡¯s most popr Eltuber, and it was a fact that many people dreamed of coborating with him. Suddenly, Marshmallow twitched; a message had arrived from Yu-Mi.

    [First, I deeply appreciate you sending the invitation¡­]

    Marshmallow read the message in full.

    [...and I would like to express my gratitude once again. - KimKnowItAllTV KingGodGeneral Yumi.]

    Marshmallow confusedly tilted his head and read the message again. He read it once, twice, thrice. He even went as far as to print it out to read it on paper.

    Encyclopedia came over and snatched the paper. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    After reading it thoroughly, he also found no mention of a coboration livestream proposal.

    ¡°Pff!¡± Encyclopedia scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s clear that you got rejected.¡±

    ¡°Rejected? I never wanted a coboration livestream in the first ce!¡±

    ¡°Hey, move over for a second.¡± Encyclopedia nudged Marshmallow aside and manipted a floating hologram.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    A virtual keyboard appeared in the air.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to send a message to Yu-Mi and ask why they didn¡¯t request for a coboration livestream, saying it would be a good opportunity for Chul-Soo, too.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that. Sending that message makes it seem like I want to do it! Don¡¯t! Just don''t send it.¡± Marshmallow¡¯s voice rose, but he did not actively stop Encyclopedia. He only verbally objected.

    Eventually, Encyclopedia sent the message, and soon after, a reply came.

    [...therefore, Chul-Soo believes his abilities do not yet match those of Marshmallow and has refrained from making the proposal.]

    ¡°See? This is how powerful I am,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°What do you mean? You just got rejected but in a polite way.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Chul-Soo is admitting that he¡¯s too much of a rookie. Can¡¯t you see?¡±

    Encyclopedia sighed. ¡°Chul-Soo would fight a Level 400 monster if it meant making his livestream more entertaining.¡±

    Marshmallow agreed; Chul-Soo was indeed that crazy.

    Encyclopedia continued, ¡°Yet he says he is too inadequate to do a coboration livestream with you? There can be only one reason for that. You are not beneficial for his livestream. All this rookie talk, being inadequate, that¡¯s just an excuse.¡±

    Marshmallow trembled with rage. ¡°How dare this rookie Streamer act so arrogantly¡­!¡±

    ¡°He is a rookie, sure, but he has the firepower to gather a lot of viewers. You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°He is still just a rookie!¡± Marshmallow stormed out and went back to his room, fuming.

    After watching Encyclopedia leave through his window, Marshmallow turned on his phone. He received a notification that Chul-Soo had started his livestream. ¡°This newbie¡¯s livestream is nothing!¡±

    Though his mouth said that, his fingers quickly moved. He split the screen, disying KimKnowItAllTV on one side. ¡°Pfft, your livestream isn¡¯t fun at all. It can¡¯tpare to mine.¡±

    Yet, his fingers moved quickly.

    <strong>[Would you like to donate 100,000 Dias?]</strong>

    <strong>[You have donated 100,000 Dias.]</strong>

    Marshmallow hid under his nket and secretly watched Chul-Soo¡¯s video for six hours. Lost in the content, he unconsciously murmured, ¡°Hehehe¡­. So entertaining.¡±

    ***

    Officially, Jin-Hyeok had decided to take a break. He told his viewers that, but in reality, he nned to visit the Arvis Server. He decided not to livestream anything while he was there.

    <em>¡®There is a unique charm to livestreaming, but I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯</em>

    Various issues could arise by livestreaming on Arvis. Although Marshmallow had sent an invitation to Jin-Hyeok, it was ambiguous to say that this invitation waspletely legal. Technically, it was legal, but it felt a bit like a loophole. It was an invitation sent by pressuring government officials.

    Livestreaming in the Arvis Server under these circumstances could pose problems.

    <em>¡®And, it''s a revenge-based theme after all¡­¡¯</em>

    In the end, someone would have to die or get seriously injured for his stream to end. This type of content had a lot of enthusiastic viewers, but on the other hand, many also found it ufortable. Jin-Hyeok had learned by watching Marshmallow that one needed to aim for content epassing all ages and generations.

    <em>¡®It¡¯s better to proceed with recorded videos for divisive content.¡¯</em>

    This way, he could edit out the divisive parts and only show what he wanted to show. That was why Jin-Hyeok officially announced that he would be taking a break and decided to hold a brief fan meeting before that.

    ¡°It will be a great fan service for those who are disappointed! You just have to sit there. That alone will be a gift to them!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    He did not fully trust her words, but they turned out to be true. Chul-Soo Land¡¯s first-generation fans, from No.1 to No. 100, were gathered in one auditorium. The attendance rate was one hundred percent.

    Kim Min-Ji, who was Chul-Soo Land No.1, burst into tears as soon as she saw Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Waaah!¡±

    Yet, she could note close to Jin-Hyeok. She just sneakily nced at him from a distance, with her face all red.

    Some female fans were extremely excited and came close to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Oppa! I love you!¡±

    No matter how closely Jin-Hyeok looked, the girl screaming seemed a lot older than him, and he didn¡¯t know why she was calling him oppa, but he didn¡¯t want to correct her.

    ¡°Thank you, everyone,¡± he simply replied, and they screamed in joy, feeling sincerely happy.

    Wondering if this was real, Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight and saw that they were indeed sincere.

    <strong>[#I have no regrets even if I die tomorrow.]</strong>

    <strong>[#Love #Love #Love #Love #Love]</strong>

    <strong>[#?]</strong>

    <strong>[#I am d to be a member of Chul-Soo Land. #I¡¯m d to be alive!]</strong>

    Some asked him for autographs and if they could hug him, looking as happy as though they were children.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a brief thrill. <em>¡®Are they going to stab me?¡¯</em>

    With one hundred people gathered here, it made sense to suspect there could be an Assassin among them

    <em>¡®I guess they aren¡¯t.¡¯</em>

    It seemed usible for an Assassin to be disguised as a fan, but there wasn¡¯t one, even though it was a perfect environment for an attack.

    ¡°Can I take a picture with you?¡± Min-Ji gathered her courage and timidly approached him.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took a picture with Min-Ji. Her expression was awkward, but she looked happy nheless. During the short fan meeting, Jin-Hyeok felt something was very odd.

    <em>¡®Why do they like me so much?¡¯</em>

    These were experiences he had not enjoyed before his regression. These people¡¯s gazes were filled with unconditional goodwill. It was quite different from the looks of hisrades in battle, but somehow, these gazes seemed even better.

    <em>¡®I feel¡­ good for some reason. Even though it¡¯s a bit disappointing that no one tried to stab me, I feel happy.¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok was confused.

    When member No. 100 of Chul-Soo Land came forward for an autograph, Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°Huh? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The person in front of him was Lee Hyeon-Seong, also known as the Anus Destroyer. Wearing a red headband that read ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯ on the left and ¡®I love you¡¯ on the right, Hyeon-Seong had a face even redder than the headband.

    ¡°Are you also my fan?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡± Hyeon-Seong wanted to say no, but the atmosphere was a bit tense. It felt like if he said no in this situation, he could get stoned to death. ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    Then, he thought, <em>¡®I will surpass you one day. I will be a stronger Swordsman and prove myself!¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok easily read his intentions.

    ¡°I, more than anyone, want to be like you,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    After that statement, the expressions of Chul-Soo Land members from No.1 to No.99 began to soften. Hyeon-Seong¡¯s expression looked genuine. Although he was the weak Anus Destroyer, everyone acknowledged that he deserved to be in Chul-Soo Land.

    As the fan meeting neared its end, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Thank you for cherishing me like this.¡±

    Expressing it made him feel even stranger. It was a ticklish feeling. Before his regression, he had not even known this emotion existed, which left him unsettled.

    ¡°I wille back with short videos from time to time. Please watch my livestream when I return!¡±

    Meanwhile, across the universe, in the Arvis Server, someone found Swamnd No.1.

    ¡°When will you bring Chul-Soo¡¯s body?¡± It was a noblewoman of Arvis, Lady Harkoen, the Doll Collector. ¡°I have paid a down payment of one hundred billion Dias, and you said you were confident. How long must I wait?¡±

    ¡°Do not worry. He will definitelye to Arvis.¡± Chul-Soo would find a way toe to the Arvis Server no matter what. ¡°I am waiting for the right moment. In Arvis¡­ I will definitely be able to kill him.¡±

 Chapter 256

    <h4>Chapter 256</h4>

    The Arvis Server was so difficult to enter that Cha Jin-Hyeok could not even bring his colleague with him.

    After hearing that news, Kang Eun-Woo felt very sad. ¡°Imagine how great the photos would be if I could capture you in a new scenery...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do you think there is a way for me to sneak into the Arvis Server?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Into Arvis?¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be possible?¡±

    ¡°I mean, you can try it, if you want to get beheaded and die.¡±

    ¡°I think I can use a few photos of you as a bribe to get myself smuggled in.¡±

    ¡°...¡± These days, Jin-Hyeok was sometimes more afraid of Kang Eun-Woo than of Wang Yu-Mi. That look in Eun-Woo¡¯s eyes was that of a madman. Now that Jin-Hyeok was just an ordinary yer, he sometimes found himself afraid of someone with that kind of look.

    <i>¡®I need to be careful of that look.¡¯</i>

    To be precise, the frightening part wasn¡¯t Eun-Woo, but the passion that he possessed. Such passion had the power to spread to those around him.

    <i>¡®I must not be contaminated.¡¯</i>

    For some reason, the number of crazy people around Jin-Hyeok seemed to be increasing, and the more that happened, the more Jin-Hyeok resolved to stay grounded, living as a sane person withmon sense.

    Before leaving for Arvis, Jin-Hyeok had a meeting with Han Sae-Rin in a coffee shop in Yeonhui-dong.

    <i>¡®Ah...!¡¯ </i>

    Sae-Rin was wearing a cute one-piece dress, her long hair let down. She also wore subtle makeup. People in the coffee shop nced at her as they passed by, and Jin-Hyeok felt as if he was about to get goosebumps.

    <i>¡®Why is she acting like this?¡¯</i>

    Even her walk was different than usual. Therade who had fought through battles with him now had gone crazy, appearing demure anddylike. He could not understand why she was pretending to be pretty, flipping her hair.

    <i>¡®Why are all the people around me going mad?¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin spoke with a slightly flushed face. ¡°So, this is a date, right?¡±

    ¡°...It¡¯s a meeting.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, a date disguised as a meeting, hehe.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grimaced. He wanted to get away from this ce as soon as possible.

    <i>¡®But I still need advice from her.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What should I be careful of in Arvis?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Um... other women?¡±

    That was when Jin-Hyeok realized why she was acting like this. <i>¡®So, this is why she dressed up.¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin was a yer who could see two or three steps ahead. So, she had dressed up nicely for a reason. It was a warning to be cautious if someone acted like her in the Arvis Server.

    ¡°Especially be wary of beautiful women,¡± she added.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Seduction techniques had always been a very powerful tool, so it was necessary for Jin-Hyeok to be cautious. Sae-Rin always showed meticulousness, starting with the basics.

    ¡°Ah, about Swamnd No.1, If I were him, I think I would have run away. It would be hard to face you alone without the help of No.2 and No.3,¡± Sae-Rin continued.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But he was spotted in the Arvis Server yesterday. Also, there is no record of Swamnd No.1 requesting assistance from the yer Hunter Association, where he is a member.¡±

    ¡°yer Hunter Association? Isn¡¯t that a viin organization?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit ambiguous, but it seems to be officially recognized as an association. It has even been invited to the Arvis 20 Alliances meetings.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion. <i>¡®I¡¯ve been an active yer for a long time, but...¡¯</i>

    He should have at least heard of the yer Hunter Association if it was part of the Arvis 20 Alliances, but this was the first time he had heard of such an association.

    ¡°When was the association established?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°About six months ago?¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a totally new association, then?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Things had changed a bit from before his regression. Before his regression, the Arvis 20 Alliances did not have a yer Hunter Association.

    ¡°Anyway, it looks like Swamnd No.1 is nning something. Seems like he is waiting for you to go there.¡± Sae-Rin became a bit more serious. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her lips pressed together. Jin-Hyeok knew that expression well.

    <i>¡®That is the look she gives right before giving me really important advice.¡¯</i>

    When she made that expression, ideas helpful for an operation would pour out. This time, too, Sae-Rin was sure to give some excellent advice.

    Finally, she spoke. ¡°...Am I not pretty?¡±

    Her expression was very serious.

    ***

    The Great Leader of Scanorbia, Khan, weed Kim Chul-Soo. ¡°Wee, the Considerately Mad Saint!¡±

    In Scanorbia, Chul-Soo was known as the Considerately Mad Saint. yers affiliated with the MK Foundation who specialized in farming had taught various agricultural techniques to Scanorbian warriors in exchange fornd. Since then, Scanorbia had managed to escape from famine and was transforming into a self-sufficient Server. Naturally, Khan¡¯s position had be even more solidified.

    Khan asked with a solemn expression, ¡°Are you going to conquer Arvis?¡±

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression turn slightly sour, Khan grew tense.

    <i>¡®Is he upset?¡¯</i>

    He did not want to upset Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Is it because we didn¡¯t offer our warriors to help his battle...?¡¯</i>

    If Chul-Soo was mad about that, it would be all a misunderstanding. If Chul-Soo were to wage a conquest war, Khan was ready to support him and carry out the war at any time.

    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding,¡± Khan said.

    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡±

    Khan saw that Chul-Soo still seemed upset. ¡°We are absolutely under yourmand and ready to fight in support of your will...¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, is this not it?¡¯ </i>Khan actively tried to gauge Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood but could not figure out why thetter was displeased.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t subscribed to my channel, have you?¡± Chul-Soo asked.

    ¡°...Pardon me?¡±

    The civilization level of the Scanorbia Server was a bit lowerpared to that of other Servers. SSP was a highly advanced technology, and the number of people enjoying livestreams was significantly fewer.

    ¡°If you watched my livestream, you would know that I am not going there to conquer it.¡±

    ¡°...I am sorry!¡±

    ¡°Do you know what my ranking is?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are in first ce!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Officially, Jin-Hyeok did not have a ranking.

    ¡°Or... are you in second ce?¡± Khan said.

    <i>¡®Is there a more powerful yer on the Earth Server?¡¯ </i>Khan thought.

    ¡°Forget it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°P-Please, forgive me!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not angry at Khan. He was angry at himself for not being able to captivate the hearts of the Scanorbian Warriors.

    ¡°Do you know Marshmallow?¡± Khan asked.

    ¡°Marshmallow? Do you mean...¡±

    <i>¡®That thing you eat when you¡¯re going camping? No, if it were that, he would not have asked! Think Khan, think!¡¯ </i>Khan hastily racked his brain.

    ¡°...Ah!¡±

    All the subscribing and ranking talk reminded him. There was indeed a Streamer with a funny name!

    ¡°Are you talking about the ranker from the Arvis Server?¡± Khan asked.

    ¡°Do you watch his livestream?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course!¡±

    Khan had never watched Marshmallow¡¯s livestreams. He had replied in the affirmative only so that Chul-Soo wouldn¡¯t be angry anymore.

    <i>¡®So, he doesn¡¯t watch my livestream, but watches Marshmallow¡¯s?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He clenched his fist. He still had a long way to go.

    <i>¡®Some day, I will definitely surpass you, Marshmallow.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok headed toward the warp portal leading to Arvis, contentedly smiling as he passed a vast farnd that used to be the Central Forest before.

    <i>¡®The Levels of the Farming-ss yers have all gone up.¡¯</i>

    When the Farmers from the MK Foundation were first dispatched to this Server, they had all been below Level 100, but now it was hard to find anyone under that Level. They had grown quickly and had a sense of pride in their work.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that... Mr. Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kim Chul-Soo hase!¡±

    The Farming-ss yers threw aside their farming tools and crowded around Jin-Hyeok. The warriors of Scanorbia also surged forward, eximing, ¡°The Considerately Mad Saint has arrived!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kim Chul-Soo! I¡¯m a fan!¡±

    ¡°I am also a fan!¡±

    Some even pulled out their phones to prove that they were subscribers of his channel.

    ¡°I have watched all your recent videos!¡±

    ¡°Me too! I¡¯ve subscribed and liked all your videos!¡±

    ¡°Me too! I even leftments!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    While walking around, Jin-Hyeok spotted a yer working silently in the distance. This yer was wielding a sickle, cutting something.

    ¡°Who is that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t really know much about him. He¡¯s supposedly from Ukraine or somewhere like that. He is skilled but not very sociable.¡±

    It was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first time seeing this yer.

    <i>¡®Was there a Level 200 Farmer in the Earth Server?¡¯</i>

    ¡°They say he has the ability to revive dead nts.¡±

    ¡°Actually, the harvest turned out really great with that guy¡¯s help.¡±

    ¡°He seems to have a very rare ability.¡±

    <strong>[LV209/Kimaev/Arborist/<u>Savior of Trees</u>]</strong>

    His Job was written in red. It was the first time Jin-Hyeok had seen a 9-Star Farmer.

    <i>¡®Kimaev...¡¯</i>

    It was a name he had never heard before.

    ***

    Upon arriving at Arvis, Jin-Hyeok found that Marshmallow¡¯s invitation was of a high enough grade that the wait was not long.

    ¡°Pleasee this way.¡± A tiger beastkin in a navy uniform guided Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®The warp portal is managed like an airport.¡¯</i>

    The term <i>universe¡¯s most powerful Server </i>seemed very suitable for Arvis. It was quite different from Earth¡¯s warp portals.

    <i>¡®They even manage entry very strictly.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Server Entry desk. A rhinoceros beastkin, also d in a navy uniform, was seated there. She spoke in a monotone voice. ¡°Permit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed over the invitation. The rhinoceros beastkin examined the invitation without a word.

    Even after a couple of minutes, there was no response.

    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡± The rhinoceros beastkin still did not respond.

    Time passed again. After five minutes, the rhinoceros beastkin finally spoke. ¡°Signature.¡±

    <i>¡®Signature?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion. <i>¡®Am I supposed to sign the invitation?¡¯</i>

    The beastkin¡¯s horn was tinted pink. Clearly, the beastkin was feeling embarrassed. ¡°So... My shift just ended...¡±

    Her voice changed a bit too. The rhinoceros beastkin continued, ¡°Could you please give me your autograph? I am your fan, Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok received a nk paper from the beastkin and signed it. ¡°What is your name?¡±

    The rhinoceros beastkin stood up with her bulky body, responding shyly. True to her rhinoceros nature, she was huge. ¡°It¡¯s Liling. Liling Edelweiss.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt very pleased. <i>¡®They recognize me even in the Arvis Server?¡¯</i>

    This was incredibly encouraging. Even the most famous foreign actors were often not recognized abroad. However, to have someone recognize him and request an autograph in a foreign Server, not just a foreign country, was something else.

    <i>¡®People don¡¯t recognize me like they do in Korea, but still.¡¯</i>

    Arvis gave off the vibe of a futuristic city from a science fiction story. The streets were bustling with robots and beastkins, and quite a few individuals who appeared to be Mages roamed the roads. High-rise buildings were plentiful, and mechanical vehicles flew through the sky in an orderly manner.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced with excitement. He recorded everything.

    [Earth¡¯s First Glimpse into the Arvis Server.]

    However, the System started to stutter, and...

    <s>[Earth¡¯s First Glimpse into the Arvis Server.]</s>

    The recording stopped abruptly. Attempts to restart it were futile.

    <i>¡®Wait, can this be?¡¯</i>

    A simr thing had happened to him before. It was like the time when the American Ruler, Emperor, had interfered with the livestream. At the time, Jin-Hyeok had thought he needed to beat Emperor up to find a more foolproof method to record next time. If beating did not work, he was considering using Taming (Physical) more actively.

    <i>¡®But what should I do now?¡¯</i>

    Even if he was not livestreaming, he needed to record video footage. He could not let someone else snatch the <i>Earth¡¯s first</i> title.

    <i>¡®I need to figure this out.¡¯</i>

    It turned out that only those with permission could record videos in the Arvis Server. However, little information was avable on how to obtain such permission. He could not leave without recording footage. That would be an unforgivable act for a Streamer.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Up ahead, a rhinoceros beastkin with a hefty physique was walking lightly. Despite her light steps, the ground thudded with each step.

    ¡°Liling!¡±

    Instead of the stiff navy uniform, she was now wearing a dress adorned with frills. Hearing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice, Liling whirled around. Exaggerating a bit, a wind seemed to stir around her. She was holding the autograph Jin-Hyeok had given her, now neatlyminated and clutched to her chest.

    Liling roared.

    <i>Woo!</i>

    She sounded more like an elephant than a rhinoceros. ¡°You remembered my name!¡±

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Liling charged toward Jin-Hyeok with a recklessness that belied her size.

 Chapter 257

    <h4>Chapter 257</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was startled. After his regression, this was the first time he had felt such pressure, excluding his encounters with Woongi and the Thunder Dragon.

    <i>¡®Is she going to attack me?¡¯</i>

    The thought crossed his mind for a moment. Making preparations to use Absolute Barrier anytime, he remained tense and kept his guard up.

    Liling came to a stop right in front of Jin-Hyeok. Her movements seemed topletely ignore thew of inertia. Indeed, she was a resident of the powerful Arvis Server, where even a passing three-year-old was so strong that they would be regarded as a top yer in another Server.

    ¡°Did you call for me?¡± Liling said. Wearing a casual dress instead of her uniform, she looked even more lively.

    Jin-Hyeok exined the situation with a slightly awkward expression. ¡°I tried to record a video, but.... Since it¡¯s my first time here.... It¡¯s a bit difficult.... And that¡¯s what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Remembering Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s advice to speak informally to Chul-Soo Landers, Jin-Hyeok spoke informally with Liling. It seemed to be working, as her horn turned even pinker. Jin-Hyeok felt a closer bond forming between them.

    ¡°I think I can help you!¡± she said.

    ¡°You can?¡±

    <i>¡®I can help Mr. Kim Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Excited at this thought, she smiled radiantly, looking incredibly beautiful.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s... too beautiful!¡¯</i>

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok decided to be wary of Liling. Of course, from the perspective of a human, it was hard to consider a rhinoceros beastkin pretty. They were basically huge, standing over 2.5 meters tall, with a face like that of an actual rhinoceros.

    <i>¡®But they do say to be careful around beautiful women.¡¯</i>

    What he found beautiful wasn¡¯t her appearance, but rather the sight of her being passionately in love with something. Given her natural strength and physical abilities, being cautious of her seemed a wise choice.

    ¡°My close friend works for the SSP, in the department rted to solo livestreaming!¡±

    Assassins always approached their targets with a gentle demeanor. They would win over the target¡¯s heart, make the target let down their guard, then strike them in the back. Just in case, Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[#Excited! $Thrilled! #I¡¯m so lucky!]</strong>

    Even Broadcaster¡¯s Insight could not be trusted.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised in many ways. Due to the powerful security measures on this Server, unauthorized Streamers could not record anything. Indeed, this was characteristic of Arvis, the most advanced and strongest Server.

    ¡°The department that handlesints only works till six p.m. Pleasee back tomorrow.¡±

    That was the initial response from the front desk, but things changed once Liling stepped in.

    <i>¡®So, having connections means they just let it slide?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    When he had first arrived in Arvis, the Server seemed very strict, but it turned out to be surprisinglyx in unexpected areas. A government official sitting in front of aputer said, ¡°...Therefore, recording will be permitted for you for thirty days, starting from 00:00 the day after tomorrow, but... there is one thing we need to verify. ording to Liling¡¯s testimony, Mr. Kim Chul-Soo, you are visiting the Arvis Server for reverse yer Hunter content. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Is the target of the reverse yer Hunter content a citizen of Swedeen, Mazique, or the Helen Empire?¡±

    Han Sae-Rin had already checked this information for him. She had contacted the newly established yer Hunter Association to inquire about it. Anyway, his target was not a citizen of these three regions.

    ¡°No, he is not. It¡¯s the leader of the Swamnd Crew, Swamnd No.1.¡±

    The official typed a few times on the keyboard and nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Here is your temporary permit. You will be able to film and record for thirty days. It will be effective from 00:00 tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Jin-Hyeok took the permit.

    The government official continued in a stern voice, ¡°However, you must not cause any harm, tangible or intangible, to citizens of Swedeen, Mazique, or the Helen Empire.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Everything was resolved smoothly because of Liling.

    ***

    ¡°Thank you, Liling.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me. I am happy I could be of help!¡± Liling was quite a chatty girl. She spoke incredibly fast, and the topics changed a lot. ¡°I like your livestreams better than Marshmallow¡¯s. I have been promoting your channel hard to my friends!¡±

    <i>¡®Is she trying to confuse me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remained on his guard.

    ¡°I hate the Swamnd Crew. They annoy me. If they had ever stood in front of me, I would¡¯ve stomped them into the ground!¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok felt a chill that could cause a slight shiver. The bloodlust in her eyes was real. It felt like the bloodlust of a person who was confronting the murderer of their parents. Jin-Hyeok could not help but be cautious.

    <i>¡®Even if she¡¯s from the powerful Arvis Server... how could an untrained civilian really exude such bloodlust?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had never lived in Arvis, so he was not sure.

    ¡°If I find out the location of Swamnd No.1, I will definitely tell you!¡± Liling said.

    ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡±

    ¡°Repay me? Nonsense!¡± Liling waved her hands. The sight of herrge hands moving swiftly in front of him was quite intimidating. ¡°Just being able to talk to you like this is like a dreame true to me.¡±

    Liling was still holding thatminated paper precariously against her chest. Jin-Hyeok became even warier of her pure and beautiful appearance.

    <i>¡®She is too beautiful!¡¯</i>

    The way she felt about him and the way she loved him without any pretense was loosening his guard.

    <i>¡®Normally, it¡¯s natural for someone to expect something in return for this kind of kindness.¡¯</i>

    So, her not expecting anything in return was suspicious. That wasmon sense for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Still, if there is anything you want, just let me know,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hm...!¡± Liling¡¯s horn turned ck, a sign that her mind was in turmoil.

    <i>¡®Maybe I can ask to be specially admitted to Chul-Soo Land.¡¯ </i>She shook her head at that thought. <i>¡®That would be too much of a privilege!¡¯</i>

    It could provoke too much bacsh from other fans. Admission to Chul-Soo Land was granted on a firste, first-serve basis, and they had not even started recruiting for the second generation yet. She did not want to use dishonest means, especially for joining Chul-Soo Land

    ¡°Well...¡± Liling¡¯s face turned red, and her horn was tinged pink. After much deliberation, she finally spoke up. ¡°...Can I have just one hug from you?¡±

    <i>¡®Finally!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. This was the ssic repertoire of Assassins using seduction. It was amon but effective tactic. Jin-Hyeok made all preparations to deploy Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t let my guard down!¡¯</i>

    With a smile, he responded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    As he extended his arms, Liling hugged him with a very shy expression. He heightened his senses, ready for any sudden attacks, but he was also somewhat excited. He assumed the assassination techniques of someone from Arvis had to be quite advanced.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, Liling did not execute any attack. She suddenly became embarrassed, resembling Kim Min-Ji, and took a step back.

    ¡°T-Thank you! I am never going to shower again!¡±

    And then she ran away.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    It sounded like an earthquake was happening. Jin-Hyeok watched her leave with a somewhat dazed expression.

    <i>¡®How can this be happening?¡¯</i>

    It was a strange feeling. This was their first meeting, yet she showed such kindness without expecting anything in return. Jin-Hyeok wondered how someone could love him that much.

    <i>¡®She really didn¡¯t attempt an ambush!¡¯</i>

    Usually, Jin-Hyeok would have felt disappointed, but strangely, he did not. He did not dislike that joyful departure.

    <i>¡®Something feels odd.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°Why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°Your home is my home, and my home is your home.¡± Encyclopedia had no intention of going back to his house. Sitting in front of the coffee table at Marshmallow¡¯s house, he slurped up ramen.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°Ramen. It¡¯s popr on the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°Can I try some?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too spicy for a youngster like you.¡±

    Provoked, Marshmallow snatched the chopsticks and tried the ramen, only to experience hell itself. ¡°A-Are you saying people pay to eat this? W-Water! I need water!¡±

    Encyclopedia grinned. ¡°Hey, did you know this?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t have permission to film in the Arvis Server.¡±

    ¡°Permission to film? What do you mean?¡±

    Encyclopedia replied with a sigh, ¡°You are a Streamer, and you don¡¯t even know about this? If you¡¯re not from the Arvis Server, you cannot just film whatever you want in Arvis. You can¡¯t even record, let alone livestream.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, this is why it¡¯s impossible to talk to rich kids.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the richer one here. Hey, give me some water. It¡¯s so spicy I could die.¡± Marshmallow seemed uninterested in this matter. Still unable to get over the spiciness, he gulped down cold water.

    ¡°Think about it. Who can Chul-Soo rely on in Arvis?¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Only you. Chul-Soo is a Steamer to the bone, and days without filming would be hell for him. Eventually, he will reach out to you, asking for your help, right?¡±

    ¡°...Oh!¡± Marshmallow forgot even about drinking water. A [!] sign appeared over his head, and his expression suddenly hardened. ¡°H-How does that concern me?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo mighte looking for you!

    ¡°So? How does that concern me?¡±

    ¡°You get to meet Chul-Soo in person.¡±

    ¡°That has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°I know you want to see him in real life.¡±

    ¡°You mean he wants to see <i>me </i>in real life!¡±

    ¡°But you look pretty excited, though,¡± Encyclopedia said while narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°Nope. Not at all!¡±

    Marshmallow had by nowpletely forgotten about the spiciness and was pacing around the living room. For someone walking in his living room, he looked quite anxious and walked fast.

    <i>¡®Why... hasn¡¯t he contacted me?¡¯ </i>Marshmallow bit his nails. <i>¡®This won¡¯t do. I need to look into it!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Liling hummed to herself on her way home. <i>¡®I won¡¯t shower for the rest of my life.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo wasn¡¯t very famous within Arvis. yers from Arvis had a strong sense of pride regarding their Server, and they tended not to pay much attention to Streamers from other Servers. That made Chul-Soo even more special to Liling. To her, he was like a hidden gem that others did not know about.

    ¡°Miss Liling, hello.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    She saw a man wearing a robe. Though his appearance would seem suspicious to anyone, Liling did not pay him much mind. She had lived too long in a safe Server and was born with too much strength. She hardly ever had to be cautious of her surroundings.

    ¡°My name is Joseph. I am acting as Chul-Soo¡¯s manager and secretary.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Joseph! I know of you!¡±

    Liling prided herself on knowing everything about Chul-Soo. However, she was still a bit skeptical that the man in front of her was actually Joseph.

    ¡°I heard that you are quite big...¡± Liling said. From her perspective, he wasn¡¯t particrlyrge.

    ¡°By the standards of the Earth Server, I am consideredrge. Ah, where are my manners? Here is my business card.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°We are operating a Chul-Soo Land Honorary Member system. Could we perhaps talk about it inside your home?¡±

    ¡°Honorary member?¡± Liling was so excited that she failed to ascertain the truth. She invited the man into her home. ¡°I have never heard of an Honorary Member system before.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are operating it secretly. You see, making it too public might provokeints from the existing first-generation fans of Chul-Soo Land.¡±

    ¡°I see. That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°There is already an honorary member... I don¡¯t know if you know her, but her name is MoneyShot. She is a member of the Trinity Club.¡±

    ¡°Ah! You mean Jang Michelle?!¡±

    ¡°Yes. She is the first honorary member. If you ept my offer, you will be the second.¡±

    ¡°The second...!¡± Liling¡¯s eyes sparkled. It was a vibrant look, quite different from how she looked when she was at work.

    Joseph and Liling had a long conversation, and Liling was infatuated. Shepletely believed everything Joseph said.

    The man who imed himself to be Joseph was actually Swamnd No.1. He internally celebrated. <i>¡®That was easy.¡¯</i>

    He sessfully slipped a Control Bug into her drink without her noticing.

    ¡°Congrattions on bing the second honorary member. Perhaps, by tomorrow, Chul-Soo himself will send you a video message, mentioning your name.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± Liling¡¯s horn turned pink.

    ¡°Shall we toast together?¡± Swamnd No.1 said.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d love to!¡±

    Liling swallowed the Control Bug without suspicion. It was a special Control Bug developed specifically for herbivorous beastkin like her.

 Chapter 258

    <h4>Chapter 258</h4>

    Marshmallow paced back and forth in the living room for a while before clenching his fists. <i>¡®I can¡¯t just stand by!¡¯</i>

    He knew just waiting around would yield nothing.

    <i>¡®I need to find out for myself.¡¯</i>

    Kim Chul-Soo was definitely in for a scolding. Marshmallow could not believe that Chul-Soo had not even bothered to say thank you in person when Marshmallow was the person who helped him get into the Arvis Server. It was only right for Chul-Soo to visit Marshmallow, greet the senior Streamer, and express his gratitude.

    <i>¡®I am going to find you, Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow¡¯s informants were spread throughout Arvis. With the knowledge of which warp portal Chul-Soo had taken, pinpointing his whereabouts was an easy task.

    Encyclopedia squinted and smiled. <i>¡®I guess Marshmallow has finally made up his mind.¡¯</i>

    It seemed Marshmallow¡¯s patience had reached its limit. Since provoking him further was meaningless, Encyclopedia decided just to watch.

    <i>¡®Even if I just spectate, I can get a direct insight into Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    There was so much he wanted to ask Chul-Soo in person, like how a yer from a new Server could grow so rapidly, how he had attracted so many viewers in no time, and whether he truly possessed the Munchkin Trait.

    <i>¡®Well, since Marshmallow is that desperate, I will meet him soon.¡¯ </i>

    Encyclopedia knew searching for Chul Soo would be difficult and cumbersome, so it was a relief that Marshmallow was taking the initiative

    ¡°Hey, Encyclopedia, I¡¯m furious.¡± Marshmallow¡¯s demeanor seemed to ask if it was okay for him to be this angry.

    Encyclopedia replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t it outrageous for a junior Streamer to not even thank the senior for their invitation?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, right?¡±

    ¡°You should find him and give him a scolding.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re so smart, Encyclopedia.¡± Marshmallow began tracking Chul-Soo.

    ***

    Arvis was a Server that consisted of one vast continent governed by three empires: the Swordsman Empire of Swedeen, the Magic Empire of Mazique, and the Holy Empire of Helen.

    Originally, these three empires were long at odds with each other, engaging in bothrge and small wars, since they all had the desire to unify the continent and be the one and true empire ruling over the continent.

    However, much had changed after the appearance of the Demon King Garbinu. Born of the Demon race, the Demon King had forced the three empires into harmony with his formidable power.

    ¡°And... he unified thenguages of the three empires and transformed the Server into a structure where they had no choice but to depend on each other.¡±

    Subsequently, the empires became increasingly dependent on each other, reaching a point where they could no longer fight each other. They were economically, politically, and culturally interwoven, essentially operating as one empire. Citizens could move between the empires without any restrictions, sharing the same currency andnguage.

    <strong>[In modern times, most citizens tend to view the three empires as one, and changing nationalities ording to personal preference has be a natural phenomenon. For instance, individuals who favor swordsmanship might choose the Swordsman Empire of Swedeen, those interested in magic the Magic Empire of Mazique, and those concerned with philosophy and faith the Holy Empire of Helen, freely choosing and acquiring nationality in this new world.]</strong>

    Lying on his bed, Cha Jin-Hyeok read information about Arvis on his phone with considerable focus. Previously, he had little interest in the history of Arvis, but now, he found it intriguing.

    <i>¡®Is the Demon King that remarkable?¡¯</i>

    The Demon King Garbinu was the one who had established and defined modern Arvis.

    <i>¡®The ruler before the Demon King must have been Veselity, but there is hardly any record of her. Is this why they call it the Forsaken Queen or the Forgotten History?¡¯</i>

    It seemed there were limits to what he could find just by looking it up on his phone.

    <i>¡®Enough history lessons for now. Where was the office of Swamnd No.1?¡¯</i>

    As Wang Yu-Mi said, the yer Hunter Association website was operating normally. Information about the Swamnd Crew was also prominently posted on the website.

    <i>¡®So, it¡¯s in the small city of Dion within the Helen Empire.¡¯</i>

    Detailed location and contact information about the crew were also provided. He tried contacting them, just in case, but perhaps due to thete hour, no one answered the call.

    ***

    The next morning, Jin-Hyeok was quite surprised. <i>¡®The navigation service here is really well-developed!¡¯</i>

    With just a few simple clicks, he could easily find out which warp portal to take and where it was. Augmented reality navigation services were also avable for those who found the process challenging. It truly was an advanced Server.

    ¡°I will try using the navigation service.¡±

    A hologram appeared before his eyes. It was an arrow-shaped hologram, and following the arrow led him directly to the warp portal.

    ¡°The fare is only 1,200 Dias. That¡¯s so cheap!¡±

    The fare for using the warp portal was set at the level of a city bus fare in Seoul.

    Jin-Hyeok traveled through the warp portal. ¡°There is no motion sickness.¡±

    The warp portals installed in Korea tended to cause a lot of motion sickness. It was so severe that people who could not tolerate the motion sickness well were terrified of using warp portals.

    ¡°The warp portal operates very smoothly here. It¡¯s truly impressive.¡±

    Introducing such new inventions to the viewers could attract a lot of interest. The citizens of Arvis could take pride in their Server, and yers on Earth would find it interesting.

    ¡°And there is even a transfer system.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he had be a traveler. Just admiring the culture of another Server while traveling was content in itself.

    ¡°If you transfer to another warp portal within thirty minutes, it¡¯s free. Wow, really advanced!¡±

    <i>¡®I wish we could introduce this on Earth.¡¯ </i>He thought for a moment but then shook his head. This was all possible only because there was money to back it up in this ce. Only the strongest Server, Arvis, could afford such luxuries; attempting to imitate this in a poorer Server could lead to disastrous oues.

    ¡°Uh... this seems to be a breadbasket area.¡±

    The small city of Dion was quite far away. After taking the warp portal for the third time, he saw a golden granary stretching to the horizon.

    ¡°If I use a mount to get to the next warp portal, it will take around five minutes. Walking will take me about twenty minutes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to walk. The ripe rice paddies swayed back and forth in the breeze.

    ¡°They¡¯re rippling like ocean waves.¡± Jin-Hyeok could spot some Farmers here and there.

    <strong>[LV255]</strong>

    <strong>[LV243]</strong>

    <strong>[LV272]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat shocked. ¡°Aren¡¯t they just ordinary Farmers?¡±

    It was hard to find anyone below Level 250. asionally, some seemed to be of managerial level, reaching thete 200 Levels.

    <i>¡®The Earth Server is nothingpared to the Arvis Server... Is this why people say you should travel more?¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, he had only followed orders and never truly experienced ces like this. He had always heard how great Arvis was, but this was his first time seeing it for himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure those people aren¡¯t even considered rankers.¡±

    If there were yers with those Levels on Earth, they could be top rankers in their respective Jobs.

    Jin-Hyeok walked along the ridge, lost in thought.

    <i>¡®What is the difference between Arvis and Earth? Why are they much stronger than us?¡¯</i>

    Even though Earth was considered a new Server, Jin-Hyeok wondered if it could ever catch up to Arvis after enough time had passed.

    ¡°It would be great if our Farmer yers coulde here for dispatch and learn.¡±

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok remembered a Farmer he had seen in Scanorbia beforeing to Arvis¡ªthe Arborist, Kimaev. It seemed like sending that friend to study here would allow him to grow rapidly.

    ¡°It would be a shame to pass by without doing anything, so I will conduct some interviews.¡±

    Although the recording would be quite lengthy, the one having a hard time would be his editor, Kang Cheol, and not him. Jin-Hyeok decided to secure as much footage as possible.

    ¡°Hello, I am a Streamer from the Earth Server. My name is Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Earth? Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    Most of the Farmers he interviewed were unaware of Chul-Soo, let alone Earth. A few of the older ones asked, ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re one of the third-ss citizens of Great Arvis?¡±

    In the past, Arvis had colonized numerous Servers and was known as the Server where the sun never set. Citizens inside the Arvis server were first-ss citizens, Arvis-born ves were second-ss citizens, and colonial citizens were considered third-ss citizens. Although such distinctions had disappeared recently, the older Farmers seemed more ustomed to the past. Their questions and gazes bore no malice.

    ¡°Can yers from the Earth Server also learn the advanced agricultural techniques of Arvis?¡±

    ¡°Of course, they can!¡± The elderly man nodded and continued, ¡°These days, the young onesck perseverance. They don¡¯t want to work at all! The youngest one here is seventy years old!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The elderly man was chattier than Jin-Hyeok could handle, almost making him feel sorry for thinking Liling was talkative the day before. The man had many topics in his pocket, such as stories of the past and the present, today¡¯s youth, crop yields from recent years, the neighbor¡¯s dog, and the empire¡¯s politics.

    This interview was a new challenge even for Jin-Hyeok, who was gaining confidence in conducting interviews.

    <i>¡®This is harder than I thought.¡¯</i>

    Indeed, Arvis was not to be underestimated.

    ¡°In the past, I even raised a Golden Guardian Tree,¡± the elderly man said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, it would not have be the great Golden Guardian Tree it is today.¡±

    ¡°Do you know a lot about the Golden Guardian Tree?¡±

    The elderly man seemed very excited to have a conversation with a youngster (?). ¡°Oh, you want to hear my story?¡±

    ***

    Once the elderly man started to talk, he showed no signs of stopping. He talked nonstop for four hours. Most of it was boasting about himself, and there was not much value in his words, but Jin-Hyeok did learn one thing.

    <i>¡®The Golden Guardian Tree does not just grow on its own!¡¯</i>

    He had thought it simply grew with time, but that was not the case.

    ¡°When it¡¯s a young sapling, it¡¯s fine. It grows well on its own. But as time goes on, it¡¯s a different story,¡± the elderly man said. He said that the Golden Guardian Tree was very special, and as it aged, it required special care. Otherwise, it would gradually lose its strength and wither.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, that Guardian Tree would have be just an ordinary tree by now! No, it would have died!¡± the old man added.

    Just the thought of his Golden Guardian Tree dying made Jin-Hyeok feel a tightness in his chest.

    ¡°Is there a secret to growing the Golden Guardian Tree?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You need to take care of it with dedication and love.¡±

    It seemed that a lot of things were implied in that ¡®dedication and love¡¯ part. It had to involve numerous efforts based on the elderly man¡¯s skills.

    ¡°Sir, I will definitelye back to learn more from you.¡± Thanks to the interview he had conducted on a whim, Jin-Hyeok had obtained valuable information.

    The elderly man, having chatted to his heart¡¯s content, seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°Be sure toe! I will teach you everything I know!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and headed toward the next warp portal. After paying an additional 1,200 Dias, he entrusted himself to the warp portal heading to the small city of Dion.

    Soon after, he arrived at the central square of Dion.

    ¡°The city... looks like a European city from the Earth Server.¡±

    While the center of Arvis resembled a world out of a sci-fi movie, the outskirts showed many charming and rustic scenes. It felt like a beautiful vige in the Mediterranean.

    ¡°Here is where the Swamnd Crew¡¯s office is located. Let¡¯s go find it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not want to make ordinary raids and assassinations part of this content. It was his first attempt at creating <i>reverse yer-Hunting </i>content, and he wanted to build it up in a traditional way. He had already thought of the title and structure of the content.

    [01- Deration of War]

    Using the navigation system, he arrived at the office of the Swamnd Crew. It was on the top floor of a four-story building made of red bricks. Upon reaching the top floor, he saw a young woman sitting at a desk.

    ¡°Is this the Swamnd Crew¡¯s office?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, it is. How may I help you?¡¯

    ¡°Is the boss around?¡±

    ¡°He is currently out. What do you need?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°I am here to kill your boss. Could you pass on the message on my behalf?¡±

    ¡°You want me to tell him that?¡± The woman¡¯s face turned ashen.

 Chapter 259

    <h4>Chapter 259</h4>

    Swamnd No.1 grimaced as he walked down to Lady Harkoen¡¯s basement.

    <i>¡®That crazy woman...!¡¯</i>

    Mannequins were lined up in a row along the basement corridor. The problem was that these mannequins were not actual mannequins. They were real people turned into mannequins, part of that woman¡¯s collection.

    The corridor had several rooms arranged like a hotel hallway, with names written on the doors like ques.

    [Butler]

    [Beastkin]

    [Nude]

    [Beauty]

    These were the themes of the rooms in the basement.

    With her face hidden behind a fan, Lady Harkoen chuckled. ¡°Only those who are carefully selected can be disyed in the rooms.¡±

    True to her reputation as a famous collector, she seemed eager to boast about her collection. Swamnd No.1 responded with the smile of a salesperson, ¡°Your discerning eye is renowned! I can imagine how beautiful the pieces you have selected must be even without seeing them.¡±

    Lady Harkoen took Swamnd No.1 around to view the rooms. The Butler room had mannequins dressed as butlers. The Beastkin room contained mannequins of beastkins.

    ¡°And here. I¡¯ve found someone fitting for this room.¡±

    [Treasure]

    Lady Harkoen opened the Treasure room, revealing luxurious indirect lighting and a red carpet. In the center of the room was an empty ss case.

    ¡°It¡¯s a transparent box made especially from Transparent Crystals.¡±

    She had been looking for an upant for this box for a long time and had finally found the right person. Now, this room would be named Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I was actually going to ask for your help,¡± Swamnd No.1 said.

    ¡°Just say it. I will do anything to acquire Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°He is heading to Dion. That¡¯s where my office is.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I n to catch him there, but I¡¯m a bit worried about the guards. Given the nature of the n, there might be somemotion.¡±

    ¡°Commotion? What kind ofmotion?¡±

    ¡°A first-ss citizen might die. I wonder if that¡¯s alright with you...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s natural for various things to happen while collecting...¡± Lady Harkoen nodded. ¡°What¡¯s the name of Dion¡¯s guard captain?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Kidibon.¡±

    After making a call somewhere, Lady Harkoen assured him, ¡°You will have the full support of the guard captain of Dion. What exactly do you need?¡±

    ¡°I need the guard captain to legally arrest Chul-Soo. I can abduct him from there and handle the disappearance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not hard.¡±

    ¡°But it must be done tonight. Until midnight, Chul-Soo won¡¯t be able to livestream or record any footage.¡±

    ***

    The ve system in Arvis had been officially abolished, and terms like ¡®x-ss citizen¡¯ had disappeared. However, this was just the legal perspective; in reality, such terms were still frequently used. The concept of an x-ss citizen was very familiar to ordinary people. Second-ss citizens were still poorer and more despised,pared to first-ss citizens.

    Yolin, a second-ss citizen, considered herself quite lucky.<i> ¡®I had no idea there would be such an easy job in a small city like this!¡¯</i>

    Social mobility was difficult in Arvis. It was nearly impossible for a second-ss citizen to be wealthy or a first-ss citizen. Thus, they tended to pursue work-life bnce over money.

    Yolin had gotten a job at a small errand center in the mid-sized city of Dion. However, this errand center hardly ever had any work to do. As a result, Yolin¡¯s only tasks were toe in the morning, have a cup of tea, tidy up a bit, and enjoy her free time.

    <i>¡®I wonder if this ce will go bankrupt at this rate...¡¯</i>

    She also rarely saw the boss. However, whenever she did, she always treated him with utmost respect. He was, after all, the person who had given her this dream job.

    It had been anotherfortable day for her. Just as she was thinking about heading home, a customer arrived. It was a first.

    ¡°Hello~¡±

    However, the customer said, ¡°I am here to kill your boss. Could you pass on the message on my behalf?¡±

    ¡°...You want me to tell him that?¡± Yolin felt conflicted. ¡°Are you perhaps a very close friend of the boss?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°T-Then who are you?¡±

    ¡°If anything, I¡¯m closer to being his archenemy.¡±

    Yolin was at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®He must be joking... right? They must be really close for him to make such a joke nonchntly.¡¯</i>

    With that thought, she felt a bit more at ease.

    An hourter, the boss, who was rarely seen, walked into the office.

    ¡°Boss, I have a message for you.¡± It was actually the first task she had gotten since joining the office. ¡°Some guy who seemed close to you came by. His name was Chul-Soo... or something.¡±

    Swamnd No.1¡¯s expression brightened. <i>¡®That¡¯s good news!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had to be nearby, making the hunt much easier.

    ¡°What did this Chul-Soo say?¡±

    Seeing his reaction, Yolin felt relieved. <i>¡®They must be really close?¡¯</i>

    ¡°He said he is going to kill you! He insisted I tell you,¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Um... Boss, if it¡¯s not too rude to ask, could you introduce me to your friend?¡± Yolin¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°He¡¯s my type...¡±

    Swamnd No.1 frowned. Seeing his reaction, Yolin felt even more reassured.

    <i>¡®True friends normally get upset when youpliment them, right?¡¯</i>

    ¡°He has a charm that makes even the craziest statements seem not so crazy! I have never seen someone so handsome.¡±

    Swamnd No.1 bit his lip. Another reason to kill Chul-Soo had just emerged.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in confusion. <i>¡®I¡¯m being followed?¡¯</i>

    The girl(?) approaching him was too big to be discreetly following him. She kept hiding and peeking from a distance, but Jin-Hyeok already knew who she was.

    <i>¡®Wow, she followed me all the way here?¡¯</i>

    It was Liling.

    <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t she miss work tomorrow if she¡¯s here right now?¡¯</i>

    As he neared his lodging, Jin-Hyeok sighed and said, ¡°Liling, why are you here? Why did you follow me?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because...¡± Liling¡¯s horn turned pink, matching the color of her dress. ¡°I just really wanted to see you, Mr. Chul-Soo...¡±

    ¡°What about work?¡±

    ¡°I took a leave!¡±

    Jin-Hyeokughed. ¡°Why do you like me so much?¡±

    ¡°Because... you¡¯re my love. I really, really like you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a strange sense of difort.

    <i>¡®She has be quite bold with her confessions.¡¯</i>

    He thought she was simr to Kim Min-Ji, but Liling was much braver.

    ¡°Would it be okay if I asked for a cup of tea?¡± she said.

    ¡°What is this? Are you asking me on a date?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am! Hehe.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes narrowed. He thought of what Yu-Mi had said before.

    <i>¡°A true Chul-Soo Lander would never try to monopolize you. They might fantasize but would not dream of a real rtionship. That would be betraying their peers. Asking you out? Out of the question.¡±</i>

    He had felt from the start that something was off about her, different from other Chul-Soo Landers. Jin-Hyeok looked at therge pocket on the front of Liling¡¯s pink dress. Inside it was a piece ofminated paper folded in half.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that my autograph?¡¯</i>

    The autograph she had been holding so dearly earlier was now crumpled.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok invited Liling into his room. She entered the room, being shy yet curious. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I am alone in a hotel room with Mr. Chul-Soo...!¡±

    Liling¡¯s horn turned a shade of orange, resembling a ripe persimmon. Jin-Hyeok sat down and looked straight at her. She also made eye contact with him.

    ¡°Liling,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really pretty, you know?¡±

    ¡°D-Do you really think so?¡±

    ¡°Can I give you a hug?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! Please! I¡¯m so happy!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was certain. <i>¡®This is not the Liling I met.¡¯</i>

    She was making direct eye contact. Earlier, Liling could not even maintain eye contact with him. Normally, she would have run away at thepliment, but her horn just turned a bit redder, and she remained happily there.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±

    He looked around. There was only one reason she would be acting like this. ¡°Is this a Control Bug?¡±

    It seemed like a scheme by Swamnd No.1. Jin-Hyeok always weed such deceitful schemes. ¡°But...¡±

    <i>¡®Messing with Chul-Soo Landers? With my fans?¡¯</i>

    ¡°It seems like Swamnd No.1 has a hobby of crossing the line.¡±

    ***

    Swamnd No.1 was hiding in a safe ce, observing the world through Liling¡¯s eyes.

    <i>¡®How did he know?¡¯</i>

    He thought he had acted just like a Chul-Soo Lander. Anyway, Chul-Soo was quick on the uptake.

    <i>¡®But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯</i>

    The trap would be triggered soon. Swamnd No.1 just needed to hold on for a few more seconds. He made Liling speak through his control.

    ¡°You, you dare hunt me down?¡± Swamnd No.1 was confident that if he initiated this conversation, Chul-Soo would surely stall for time. Chul-Soo had to think about his Eltube channel, after all.

    <i>¡®Why else would he havee to the office and dered war, if not for the livestream?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Never underestimate the Swamnd Crew.¡±

    <i>¡®You and I are on entirely different levels of experience. And it¡¯s almost time!¡¯</i>

    The Swamnd Crew¡¯s secret technique, ck Hole, was about to be revealed to the world. It was the hidden ability of a Control Bug. It turned the host into a kind of ck hole, which sucked in nearby life forms. The host would die in the process, but it was a surefire trap.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, something was off. Chul-Soo immediately swung Miri, contrary to Swamnd No.1¡¯s prediction.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s crazy! Why wouldn¡¯t the livestream-obsessed man care about the production?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was swinging the hammer with full force.

    <i>¡®No!¡¯</i>

    A few more seconds were needed for the ck Hole to bepleted. It was iprehensible. However, since Swamnd No.1 needed to buy more time, he let out a scream.

    ¡°Kyyaaaak!¡±

    Liling¡¯s screams echoed throughout the hotel. Themotion stirred the area, and the guard squad dining on the first floor of the hotel immediately sprang into action. It was the guard squad led by Captain Kidibon. Kidibon quickly identified the source of the scream and went upstairs.

    ¡°What is going on!¡± Kidibon smashed the door with his sword. He was greeted with a strange sight.

    <i>¡®What is this?¡¯</i>

    This was not what he had been briefed on. The briefing had mentioned that a first-ss citizen, who was an employee of the Server Entry Department, would be found dead with a ck hole in her stomach. Then, Kidibon was supposed to arrest Chul-Soo as the perpetrator.

    <i>¡®But she¡¯s not dead!¡¯</i>

    Instead of a hole in her stomach, she was unconscious and slightly bleeding from the back of her head. The situation had slightly changed from what he thought, but it still seemed clear that a first-ss citizen had been assaulted.

    Soon, the guards, armed with spears, arrived in the room. The average Level of the guards was in the 270s.

    ¡°Under the suspicion of assaulting a first-ss citizen of Arvis, you are under arrest.¡± The guards surrounded Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Should I run for it?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    However, fleeing was meaningless. This was Arvis, the strongest Server, and the average Level of the city guards here was around 270. The captain¡¯s Level was even 280. Jin-Hyeok raised his hands.

    <i>¡®But how could they arrive here this quickly?¡¯</i>

    It was almost as if they knew something like this was going to happen.

    ¡°I have a question. How did you know this copsed woman is a citizen of Arvis? You didn¡¯t even check her identification,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Captain Kidibon did not respond. This wasn¡¯t even a formal arrest anyway.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t need to answer this guy,¡¯ </i>Kidibon thought. He knew that Chul-Soo would be abducted during the escort.

    ¡°Escort him!¡± Kidibon said.

    ¡°Captain, what should we do with this woman?¡±

    If it had gone as mentioned in the briefing, she would have died at this point. Kidibon hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Kill her.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression darkened.

    <i>¡®Messing with my Chul-Soo Lander again? Hurting someone so small and precious?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You guys are hopeless.¡± For the first time in a while, Jin-Hyeok was genuinely angry.

 Chapter 260

    Just as one of the guards thrust his spear at Liling, a distinct change urred in Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, as if something had snapped. It was the first time he had ever lost his reason like this.

    ¡°Stop, you bastards!¡± Jin-Hyeok took the shortest path possible to Liling, without thinking about the production or his performance.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Thief¡¯s Step?.]</strong>

    Beforeing to the Arvis Server, he had judged that agile movement was more important than directbat. Thus, he had acquired one of Song Ha-Young¡¯s skills, Thief¡¯s Step, by using Imitation.

    Before long, Jin-Hyeok had positioned himself in front of Liling.

    <em>ng!</em>

    The guard¡¯s spear shed with Miri. After deflecting the spear with his hammer, Jin-Hyeok quickly closed the distance between him and the guard. The guard hurriedly retrieved his spear and swung again.<em>Whoosh!</em>

    However, the spear only cut through the air. The guard¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he thought, <em>¡®This bastard, wasn¡¯t hisst confirmed Level around 205?¡¯</em>

    The guard remembered Chul-Soo had some strange effect that added twenty Levels, making his Level around 225. Even if the guard assumed Chul-Soo had leveled up in Arvis, surpassing 230 would have been difficult for him. In contrast, the guard¡¯s Level was 253.

    Once a yer surpassed Level 250, each Level difference became significantly more pronounced. Levels 250 and 251 were vastly different in power, as were 252 and 253. Therefore, a tremendous gap would exist between a Level 225 yer and a Level 253 yer, which made differences in Job, stats, and Skills irrelevant.

    The guard quickly assessed the situation. ¡®<em>He lied about his Level!¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok immediately charged at the guard. With a single sh, he realized the guard¡¯s attack pattern was very simple; the guard either stabbed or swung horizontally. The insane Jin-Hyeok instinctively murmured, ¡°His preparatory movements are clearly visible, making the trajectory of his attacks easy to predict.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Thief¡¯s Step?.]</strong>

    Using Thief''s Step to lighten himself, Jin-Hyeok approached the guard and ducked.

    <em>Whoosh!</em>

    The spear grazed the top of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head as he passed by. In that state, Jin-Hyeok leaped. The top of his head made contact with the guard¡¯s chin.

    <em>Crack!</em>

    It sounded like something had broken. Jin-Hyeok was still in a state of lost reason. ¡°It seems I have seeded in breaking his jaw.¡±

    The guard screamed, twisted around, and copsed.

    Captain Kidibon frowned. <em>¡®Such a disgraceful attack.¡¯</em>

    Perhaps it was because Chul-Soo was from an uncivilized Server, there was no dignity in his attack. Headbutting while holding a weapon just seemed strange.

    ¡°He must have Swindler as a secondary Job! He is definitely lying about his actual Level and Job!¡± Kidibon said.

    Everyone tensed up a bit more. The unhinged Jin-Hyeok swung Miri even more fiercely.

    ***

    In the past, as a knight-errant, Kidibon had made a name for himself despite being born a second-ss citizen. Rising from a second-ss to a first-ss citizen in Arvis was a feat more difficult than plucking stars from the sky. Yet, Kidibon had aplished this challenging feat, and it was thanks to Lady Harkoen.

    <em>¡°Your skin¡¯s regenerative ability is quite useful.¡±</em>

    Lady Harkoen had said she needed a lot of fresh, highly regenerative skin.

    <em>¡°My collections are sensitive and prone to scratches.¡±</em>

    In exchange for his skin, Kidibon had received the position of the captain of the guard. Afterward, he earned the nickname, Skeleton Swordsman, and was able to live as a proud first-ss citizen.

    <em>¡®I can¡¯t just stand idly by.¡¯</em>

    Lady Harkoen was involved in this matter, and she was one of the top noblewomen among the first-ss citizens.

    <em>¡®If things go wrong¡­¡¯</em>

    He would be demoted back to a second-ss citizen. The privileges he enjoyed as a first-ss citizen would no longer be guaranteed.

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s Level is at least above 250! Everyone, back off,¡± Kidibon said. It did not matter how powerful a yer¡¯s stats and abilities were. Once they were past Level 250, which was considered the high-Level range, a difference of more than 10 Levels made those stats meaningless. ¡°I am going to handle him myself.¡±

    The Skeleton Swordsman Kidibon drew his sword. He aimed his sharp sword, which was made of bone, at Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok did not give Kidibon any time to prepare. ¡°I am going to smash your head.¡±

    Kidibon felt something odd in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice. <em>¡®A woman¡¯s voice?¡¯</em>

    To be more precise, it seemed like he had heard two voices at the same time. Kidibon knew well this was not an illusion. When the will of a weapon and its wielder were perfectly aligned, the voices of the weapon and the wielder could merge and be conveyed together. This phenomenon usually appeared at the peak of what was called the Unity of Spirit and Sword.

    <em>¡®How is he so fast?¡¯ </em>

    Even though Chul-Soo was a yer who used a blunt weapon, his footwork resembled that of a Thief.

    <em>¡®I can¡¯t see where his weapon is attacking.¡¯</em>

    A silver radiance burst from Miri. It resembled the power of lightning magic, with silver lightning flickering around the weapon. This caused a slight optical illusion.

    <em>¡®It¡¯s so disorienting!¡¯</em>

    Kidibon found it hard to predict where and how the attacks woulde.

    <em>¡®First, I need to create a distance to dodg¡ª¡¯</em>

    However, he could not dodge. One step ahead of the guard captain, Jin-Hyeok swung Miri.

    <em>Thwack!</em>

    ¡°Ugh!¡± With a short scream, the Skeleton Swordsman Kidibon staggered back several steps. He looked down at his chest. Cracks began to form on the silver armor covering his chest.

    He gulped. <em>¡®If it weren¡¯t for the armor¡­¡¯</em>

    His ribs would have been shattered. It seemed he had misjudged the power of Chul-Soo. ¡°His Level is¡­ in the 260s¡­¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok, still devoid of his reason, muttered, ¡°I will not let anyone mess with my small and precious Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    He shattered Kidibon¡¯s skull, and the bright light in the captain¡¯s eyes gradually faded.

    ¡°Do not be deceived! His Level is¡­ in the 270s!¡±

    In the end, the Skeleton Swordsman Kidibon died on the spot due to a blow to the back of his head. His subordinates, who seemed to hold him in high regard, red at their opponent with bloodshot eyes.

    ¡°His Level is in the 270s! Request support from the Special Guard Forces and set up a defensive stance to block his movements! He cannot get away.¡±

    They no longer attempted to fight Jin-Hyeok directly. If they were set on a defensive stance, they could hold out to some extent. One of the guards blew arge horn.

    <em>Bwoo!</em>

    It was a horn to request support. Around that time, Jin-Hyeok began to regain his senses a little.<em> ¡®I wasn¡¯t professional.¡¯</em>

    He was a Streamer. As a Streamer, he had to thoroughly consider the livestream and think about his production, no matter what came his way.

    <em>¡®I wasn¡¯t being a Streamer just now!¡¯</em>

    Though he keptmenting while fighting, he did not remember what he had said. However, he did not feel like that was necessarily a bad thing. The sight of Liling still lying down with a dark hole in her stomach made his blood boil.

    <em>¡®Even though he was just a small-town guard captain, I have just killed a first-ss citizen of the Arvis Server.¡¯</em>

    Arvis was a Server that earnestly protected its citizens and was merciless toward the misdeeds of yers from other Servers.

    <em>¡®In the worst-case scenario, I should consider escaping from here.¡¯</em>

    Initially, Jin-Hyeok thought escaping would be difficult due to the Level gap between him and the guards. However, having fought them, it seemed easier than he thought. It probably was because the Server had growncent in peace.

    ¡°These guards are Level Grinders. They are weaker than I thought. I have never seen such Level Grinders before.¡± Jin-Hyeok provoked the guards.

    ¡°You little¡­!¡±

    ¡°Should I just kill them all?¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    The guards, sensing a momentary bloodlust, tensed up. ¡°Everyone be careful!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the bloodlust of a Level 270 yer!¡±

    The only calm person here was the lowest-level yer, Jin-Hyeok, who was also a Streamer. ¡°I will put up a poll to see what the viewers think.¡±

    <em>¡®Ah, wait, I¡¯m not livestreaming right now.¡¯</em>

    He realized that official livestreaming and recording were only possible from 00:00 of the next day. He felt a profound emptiness.

    <em>¡®No, this isn¡¯t the time for me to feel this way.¡¯</em>

    If he were obsessed with livestreaming, he would only think about the livestream, but something was more important than livestreaming right now. Liling, a member of Chul-Soo Land, had sustained serious injuries. He needed to check on her condition.

    ¡°Do not move!¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    As the tensed-up guards pointed their spears at Jin-Hyeok, a familiar voice rang out.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could see a head that looked like a marshmallow. It wasn¡¯t a hat, but hair. Marshmallow, who was a ranker in Arvis and famously known throughout the universe, had arrived at the scene.

    ¡°Hey, you idiots! Don¡¯t you know about the Streamer Protection Treaty?¡± Visibly angry, Marshmallow came running into the room. Like pudding or jelly, the marshmallow-shaped head bounded and wobbled. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s right to gang up and bully someone, especially a low-level, fragile Streamer?¡±

    The guards somehow felt greatly wronged.

    ***

    Swamnd No.1 screamed in pain, clutching his eyes. <em>¡®Chul-Soo, you bastard¡­!¡¯</em>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s adaptability was indeed beyond imagination. As soon as he realized the existence of a Control Bug, he immediately tried to use his Taming (Physical) Skill to wrest control of the Control Bug.

    Swamnd No.1 had tried toplete the unfinished ck hole in a hurry, but Chul-Soo was much faster than anticipated. Swamnd No.1 realized it was a mistake to think he had gathered enough data on Chul-Soo through the sacrifices of Swamnd No.3 and No.2

    <em>¡®He was hiding his power!¡¯</em>

    After his connection with the Control Bug was severed, Swamnd No.1 could no longer spy on what was going on inside that hotel room.

    <em>¡®Still, with Skeleton Swordsman Kidibon, capturing Chul-Soo should be manageable!¡¯</em>

    Swamnd No.1 waited at the designated meeting ce. It would be easy to hunt Chul-Soo down once they severed all his tendons and brought him in.

    <em>¡®But why aren¡¯t theying?¡¯</em>

    During this, his phone started to ring. It was a livestream notification from Marshmallow, the only Streamer he had set an rm for. Despite the crucial moment, he could not ignore his livestream.

    [Teaching Chul-Soo a Lesson]

    Swamnd No.1 quickly checked his phone. Chul-Soo was caught on the screen.

    <em>¡®What in the¡­¡¯</em>

    It seemed that a considerable number of users had found out about Chul-Soo through Marshmallow for the first time.

    -What? Who is this divinely handsome guy?

    -I¡¯ve never seen someone this handsome!

    -You don¡¯t know who that is? That¡¯s Kim Chul-Soo.

    -He is a rising rookie from a new Server, Earth.

    -What¡¯s handsome about him? Looks gay, lol.

    -Does anyone know his Enstagram username?

    On the screen, Chul-Soo frowned at Marshmallow. Marshmallow¡¯s fans cursed Chul-Soo for being rude, while others praised him for being cute(?).

    With Marshmallow¡¯s appearance, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind became cluttered. <em>¡®Could this have been Marshmallow¡¯s doing?¡¯</em>

    After all, it was Marshmallow who had helped hime to Arvis. He had provided such a big help without asking for anything in return. Moreover, this small town was several warp portals away from where Marshmallow usually livestreamed. There were too many suspicious points.

    <em>¡®Is he trying to eliminate me, a potential futurepetitor?¡¯</em>

    ¡°Hey, hey. I¡¯m an SVIP member of KimKnowItAllTV!¡±

    That moment snapped Jin-Hyeok back to reality. <em>¡®...Ah!¡¯</em>

    He had not considered the possibility that some people in the world loved him without any reason, just like Chul-Soo Landers.

    <em>¡®Marshmallow is also a Chul-Soo Lander!¡¯</em>

    Although it was unexpected, it seemed far more usible than Marshmallow trying to eliminate him.

    <em>¡®I see it now¡­¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit disappointed in himself. He had not been professional again.

    <em>¡®Why would someone like Marshmallow consider me as apetitor? I¡¯ve still got a long way to go.¡¯</em>

    ¡°Wait, but it looks like you were the one doing the beating.¡± Marshmallow frowned. He had a keen sense of reading the situation. ¡°I thought you were being bullied at first, but it turns out you were the one doing the bullying. With that shiny hammer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I thought you were a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°...Look at the guards¡¯ expressions.¡±

    The guards looked incredulous. They seemed to want to say something along the lines of ¡®You¡¯re not a Streamer! You¡¯re a blunt weapon user and a con artist hiding your true power!¡¯

    Marshmallow smirked. ¡°I came here to discipline a junior Streamer, but it seems I have got the timing all wrong. There¡¯s even a corpse over there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok exined what had happened here and requested that a Healer be called. Fortunately, Marshmallow¡¯s manager was a Healer and hurriedly came to treat Liling. Although the manager was not a professional Healer, he had learned enough to manage Marshmallow¡¯s stamina, so it wasn¡¯t that hard for him to treat Liling.

    The manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, ¡°She will wake up in a few days.¡±

    The guards whispered among themselves.

    ¡°The Special Guard Forces will be storming in soon.¡±

    ¡°And he will be arrested for the murder of a first-ss citizen.¡±

    Soon, that statement became reality.

 Chapter 261

    <h4>Chapter 261</h4>

    Several guards d in ck uniforms made their appearance.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok briefly marveled at the sight. <i>¡®Wow!¡¯</i>

    They had moved stealthily and appeared right before him in the blink of an eye, as if they had always been there.

    <i>¡®Their Levels are all in the 290s.¡¯</i>

    Truly, Arvis was a powerful Server. In another Server, finding yers with Levels in the 290s was nearly impossible.

    <i>¡®Even Marshmallow¡¯s manager is Level 290.¡¯</i>

    From his experience in the Arvis Server, Jin-Hyeok could tell these guards were most likely Level Grinders, but regardless, reaching Level 290 was not something just anyone could achieve. No one from the Earth Server had ever reached that Level before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    The appearance of these guards took Marshmallow by surprise. ¡°Wait a minute. Why are the Special Guard Forcesing to this remote and small town?¡±

    Marshmallow was the number one Streamer within Arvis, and some of the guards recognized him but chose not to acknowledge him.

    ¡°You are under arrest for the murder of Dion¡¯s guard captain.¡± Three members of the Special Guard Forces moved toward Jin-Hyeok, and the rest approached Marshmallow.

    ¡°Are you livestreaming right now?¡± one of the guards asked Marshmallow.

    ¡°Of course, I am.¡±

    This was why the Special Guard Forces could not just forcefully subdue Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°We are on an official mission,¡± the guard said.

    ¡°I am also just ying in my own way.¡±

    ¡°...We do not have the authority to stop your y, but if it interferes with our mission, you might be held responsible.¡±

    Marshmallow scoffed at the veiled threat. ¡°This is clearly a conspiracy!¡±

    He even changed the title of his livestream.

    [Conspiracy]

    ¡°It just so happens that the local guards were waiting on the first floor, and just so happens that the Special Guard Forces showed up immediately? I think something is going on. There is no way this all happened without the intervention of the higher-ups,¡± Marshmallow continued.

    The captain of the Special Guard Forces frowned, aware of the impact of Marshmallow¡¯s livestream. ¡°Are you an acquaintance of or rted to this person?¡±

    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>Hardly. I saw his face for the first time today.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you interfering like this?¡±

    Marshmallow briefly paused the livestream and said, ¡°It¡¯s the perfect content for my channel!¡±

    Resuming the livestream, he spoke with a grave voice, ¡°This does not seem just to me! That¡¯s why!¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was arrested.

    <i>¡®Oh...¡¯</i>

    Even in this situation, he felt a slight thrill.

    <i>¡®This is going to draw a lot of attention.¡¯</i>

    It was almost impossible for a Streamer from another Server to gain poprity in Arvis. The citizens of Arvis tended to consume content exclusively from Arvis Streamers. In that sense, the attention Jin-Hyeok would gain from this incident would be quite weing.

    <i>¡®This is sort of like viral marketing!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but smirk. The captain of the Special Guard Forces frowned at this sight. ¡°Do not smile, Murderer. I feel like smashing your head in right now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not respond. To an onlooker, he seemed to bepliantly being taken away. He was seated in the back of a flying car and transported to a nearby guard station.

    The captain was a bit puzzled. <i>¡®Why were we ordered to transfer him to the regr guard station?¡¯</i>

    It was customary for individuals arrested by the Special Guard Forces to be transferred within their custody.

    <i>¡®This man has the skills to easily kill the captain of the regr guard forces.¡¯</i>

    The captain of the Special Guard Forces believed that luck had yed a part in that. It was impossible for someone of this murderer¡¯s Level to overpower a regr guard captain. Nevertheless, this man was undoubtedly a criminal too dangerous for the regr guards to handle.

    <i>¡®We caught him on the spot.¡¯</i>

    Yet, the captain could not help but wonder why he had been ordered to transfer the criminal to the regr guards. He even thought whether what Marshmallow had said about the situation being a conspiracy was right.

    <i>¡®Even if that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not my problem.¡¯</i>

    The captain was a man who followed orders. He securely shackled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s wrists and ankles with special metal chains before incarcerating him in the holding cell of the regr guard station.

    Marshmallow came to the guard station. He too sensed something was fishy. ¡°It seems the higher-ups are involved in this.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s livestream was broadcast across the universe.

    ***

    [First-ss Citizen Murdered.]

    [Guard Captain Killed by a yer from Another Server.]

    [Suspect is a Streamer from the Earth Server.]

    As Jin-Hyeok anticipated, this incident became quite a big issue within Arvis, with the guards testifying.

    ¡°He lured a person who admired and followed him to his hotel room. There is no doubt he intended tomit despicable acts.¡±

    ¡°We heard a woman¡¯s scream and immediately went upstairs.¡±

    ¡°There, in front of the bed,y a woman with her stomach visible...¡±

    ¡°Had we been even slightlyte, a terrible incident would have urred.¡±

    They unanimously testified that Streamer Kim Chul-Soo attempted to sexually assault his fan, Liling. Public opinion turned against Chul-Soo. He quickly became a vile sexual offender and murderer in the eyes of the public.

    However, the scale of the incident grew significantly more with Marshmallow livestreaming about it.

    [Conspiracy Theories Raised by Marshmallow.]

    [Is All This Merely Coincidence?]

    [Marshmallow: ¡°I Will Definitely Uncover The Conspiracy.¡±]

    As the situation grew unexpectedly out of hand, Lady Harkoen got furious. ¡°How could you fail to capture a mere yer with a Level in the early 200s? How could you let things get to this point?¡±

    Swamnd No.1 wanted to protest. He wanted to tell her that the murderer had disguised his Level! No one could have known that Chul-Soo was actually around Level 270.

    ¡°...Do you want me to withdraw from this matter?¡± he asked. For Swamnd No.1, continuing this mission was bing too burdensome. It was not that he would stop his revenge against Jin-Hyeok, but the timing was not correct right now. ¡°I will process a refund for the deposit.¡±

    ¡°Like I care about the deposit!¡±

    Lady Harkoen¡¯s reaction was unexpected for Swamnd No.1. Typically, when a situation escted to this degree, covering it up and moving on wasmonly the next move.

    ¡°I must have Kim Chul-Soo!¡± Lady Harkoen said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°He is my precious treasure.¡± Lady Harkoen was not nning on giving up. ¡°Things will quiet down in a few days, so let¡¯s wait a bit and then resume the n.¡±

    ¡°...Yes, Ma¡¯am. I understand. I will seize the opportunity to extract him.¡±

    Kidnapping Chul-Soo during the transport would have been the ideal scenario, but dealing with the powerful Special Guard Forces was challenging. So, for now, Swamnd No.1 had Chul-Soo locked up in the regr guard¡¯s holding cell. The n was to extract the Streamer when the opportunity arose.

    However, as numerous Chul-Soo Landers began to emerge, the course of the incident started to change.

    ***

    [Chul-Soo Landers across the universe, send your support to Marshmallow!]

    Marshmallow opened a temporary email ount to start collecting tips rted to Chul-Soo.

    Encyclopedia asked him with a pleased smile, ¡°But why do you want to help Chul-Soo so much?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m helping Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it definitely seems that way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just for my Eltube channel, okay?¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just go with that.¡± Encyclopedia shrugged and nodded.

    Marshmallow seemed much more motivated than usual, especiallypared to when he recorded videos for his Eltube channel.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... Wow, I can¡¯t even read all these emails,¡± Marshmallow said. The inbox was already filled with tens of thousands of emails, and the number was increasing as he opened a new one. ¡°Shall we take a look at some of these?¡±

    [Chul-Soo is innocent!]

    [Chul-Soo is not someone who would do bad things!]

    ¡°There are a lot of emails with no substance.¡± After reading a couple of emails, Marshmallow found a special [VIP] email. The email sparkled as if it were exuding its VIP status. Marshmallow was puzzled. ¡°I didn¡¯t set up a VIP option for this temporary inbox.¡±

    <i>¡®And an email that shines this brightly? Was there such an option for the temporary inbox?¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought.

    [Hello, I am Kim Min-Ji, Chul-Soo Land No.1]

    Min-Ji attached a video rted to Swamnd No.2¡¯s Control Bug.

    [It seems that Liling might have been infected by the Control Bug. Digging into this might give you some clues. Thank you. Please help our Chul-Soo.]

    Marshmallow was constantly raising conspiracy theories, and he had also covered content rted to Control Bugs in his livestreams.

    ***

    Three days after Jin-Hyeok was arrested, a major turnaround urred.

    [Marshmallow¡¯s Conspiracy Theory Proven True?]

    [Kim Chul-Soo, a Victim of Unjust Tyranny?]

    It all started with a tip from one individual.

    ?Hello, my name is Catherine, and I am a government official working in the SSP Streaming Department. Two days before the incident, I was the one who granted SSP livestreaming permission to Kim Chul-Soo, and I am also a long-time friend of Liling, one of the victims of this incident.?

    Catherine continued, somewhat ashamedly.

    ?As a long-time friend of Liling, I admit I loosened the rules for Chul-Soo a bit. That is why I could note forward sooner. I sincerely apologize for my actions.?

    She apologized for granting permission to Chul-Soo after working hours, making things convenient for him

    ?Liling is a long-time fan of Chul-Soo. She cried day and night for three days because she was unable to be an official first-generation Chul-Soo Lander due to beingte.?

    Catherine submitted a video of Liling with swollen eyes as evidence. In the video, Catherine was teasing Liling, who was crying and puffing up in anger for not being able to be a Chul-Soo Lander.

    ?I am a very close friend of Liling, and I prepared a small gift for her. Official SSP recordings for Chul-Soo started at midnight two days after he got the permission, but I issued a temporary recording permission for personal possession.?

    She had granted Chul-Soo temporary recording permission, which allowed him to record videos but not upload them to Eltube.

    ?These recordings were supposed to be automatically transferred to my server, and I nned to gift them to Lilingter. This was clearly an overstep on my part, and I will take full responsibility for it.?

    Catherine continued with tears in her eyes.

    ?All the recordings in favor of Chul-Soo are there. Please send these to Chul-Soo. Among the SSP recordings, there is one hidden in the Arvis folder with administrator privileges. All the truth lies within.?

    Marshmallow ryed this information to Jin-Hyeok, who was still in the holding cell, and said, ¡°Man, this is great! There¡¯s a video that can serve as evidence!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look more happy?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not seem pleased upon hearing the news. ¡°... I wanted to draw more attention.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°My arrest was gaining a lot of attention in the Arvis Server...¡±

    ¡°...Did you know you were being secretly recorded?¡±

    ¡°How could I not know what was happening to my body?¡± Jin-Hyeok had known all along that he was being secretly recorded. It was something he could easily find out through meditation. While Arvis seemed advanced, it had its sloppy aspects.

    ¡°But it was hidden in the Arvis folder so that only the administrator could see it,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°...I guess they hid it carelessly.¡±

    Finding that with meditation was easy.

    Marshmallow tilted his head, continuing, ¡°There would have been a lock... Oh, right, you have that Unleashing Technique!¡±

    ¡°I wished we could have dragged this out for another two to three days...¡±

    Marshmallow realized. <i>¡®This guy is insane!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok sighed lightly and then showed Marshmallow a copy of the recording. ¡°Do you want to release it to the public?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lip a little before saying, ¡°It will have a bigger impact if you release it. I¡¯m sure you can make this go viral.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked very serious, and Marshmallow felt a bit tense. Marshmallow could feel that Jin-Hyeok was sincere about being a Streamer and instinctively knew that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s next words would be of utmost importance.

    <i>¡®Go ahead, say it. As your senior Streamer, I will listen to your thoughts attentively.¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow waited for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words with almost a reverent attitude.

    ¡°Just make sure to mention my name and promote my channel while doing it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

 Chapter 262

    <h4>Chapter 262</h4>

    The video Kim Chul-Soo passed on to Marshmallow contained the full story of the incident. It showed how Liling was infected by the Control Bug; Swamnd No.1 speaking through Liling; the guard captain, Kidibon, attempting to kill Liling, an innocent citizen; and how the guards wrongfully arrested Chul-Soo afterward.

    -Control Bug? Isn¡¯t that like an illegal parasite?

    The act of inserting parasites into an innocent person stirred public outrage against Swamnd No.1. They could not forgive such inhumane methods.

    -But what about the scar left on Liling¡¯s stomach?

    <strong>[The scar on Liling¡¯s stomach is presumed to be from an ability known as the ck Hole. We have to wait for the guards¡¯ findings, but I¡¯m ny-nine percent certain. The ck Hole ability is a general term for a power that sacrifices the host to absorb life forms around it. Swamnd No.1 infected Liling with a Control Bug, then used the ck Hole ability to harm Chul-Soo. It is believed that Chul-Soo forcibly stopped the ability before it was activated. This was a wise decision.]</strong>

    <strong>[Written by: Encyclopedia.]</strong>

    -Jesus, that¡¯s horrific!

    -There are still people using such inhumane methods while ying?

    -He deserves the death penalty.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s actions were justified. The video sent by Kim Min-Ji revealed that Chul-Soo had prior experience handling Control Bugs.

    -So, Chul-Soo hurt Liling to remove the Control Bug.

    -He loves his fans so much... How heartbroken must he have been while hurting his fan?

    Soon, it was also confirmed that the guard captain, Kidibon, had ordered Liling to be killed. In contrast, Chul-Soo gained a justification for trying to save an innocent citizen from the unjust guards. With the public opinion boiling, Chul-Soo was acknowledged to have used self-defense and was thus released from detention.

    Meanwhile, the office of Swamnd No.1 closed down, and the yer Hunter vanished.

    -But I¡¯m doubtful that Swamnd No.1 could¡¯ve done this all by himself.

    -I can believe that he used a Control Bug by himself, but can he order the guards like that?

    -ording to Marshmallow, it seems like someone higher up is involved.

    -Who would that be?

    Someizens went as far as to point fingers at Lady Harkoen. The shocking news that a first-ss citizen had been infected with a Control Bug and that the guards had attempted to kill a citizen only added more fuel to the fire.

    ***

    <i>¡®The attention I¡¯m getting is tremendous,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    When he first arrived in Arvis, hardly any people recognized him, but now, the situation had changed a bit.

    <i>¡®Still not as much as on Earth, but...¡¯</i>

    The number of people who recognized him had significantly increased. He was not sure if it was due to these people¡¯s pride in their Server, but not many approached him directly. However, the sneaky nces he received had increased quite a lot.

    <i>¡®To think I could attract attention this quickly.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt very pleased. The trailer for his content had been properly aired, and the storyline was beingpleted.

    [0.1 Deration of War]

    He had dered war on Swamnd No.1, fair and square.

    [02. The Trap]

    Swamnd No.1 had resorted to cunning tricks to push Chul-Soo into a crisis.

    [03. Crisis]

    When he was arrested, Chul-Soo had faced a crisis, but soon, many people stepped up to help him. He decided to emphasize this part.

    <i>¡®If I portray many peopleing together to face the crisis, it would move my viewers.¡¯</i>

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok was genuinely moved. He had learned that it was a pretty good feeling to see so many people working together for his sake.

    Anyway, the video was alreadypleted up to this point. Now, he just needed the magic touch of his editor to make the video even more fantastic.

    ¡°And now...¡±

    [04. Pursuit]

    It was time to chase Swamnd No.1. After the Pursuit, the next part would either be Revenge or Reverse yer Hunting.

    <i>¡®How do I find someone who has hidden so thoroughly?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to proceed quickly when there was so much interest in him at the moment. His eyes sparkled.

    ***

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about someone like Chul-Soo,¡± Marshmallow muttered to himself, as always.

    Encyclopedia had gotten used to it by now. ¡°You¡¯re right. There is no way a popr Streamer like you would be a fan of Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°I think some people are misunderstanding you as a fan of Chul-Soo, but that¡¯s wrong right?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I can understand if Chul-Soo is a fan of me, but the other way around? I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡±

    Having proven his innocence(?), Marshmallow met Jin-Hyeok and said, ¡°Hey, how are you going to find Swamnd No.1? Do you know how vast Arvis is? It¡¯s dozens of times bigger than Earth. Do you have any tracking-rted skills? Do you want me to introduce you to a tracking expert? They might not be the top rank, but I can introduce someone around the fifth rank.¡±

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    <i>¡®A tracking expert in Arvis. And fifth rank at that...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt it could be quite helpful to meet such a yer.

    <i>¡®But why is he so eager to help me?¡¯</i>

    Although Jin-Hyeok knew about Marshmallow¡¯s affiliation with Chul-Soo Land, he still found it hard to trust the Arvis Streamer. Jin-Hyeok also had the thought, <i>¡®A famous Streamer like Marshmallow would not be a fan of a rookie like me, right?¡¯ </i>

    This thought made him even more cautious.

    <i>¡®The moment you let your guard downpletely is when you¡¯re most vulnerable.¡¯</i>

    The more dangerous an enemy was, the kinder and more caring they would appear at first. Jin-Hyeok decided to keep a minimum level of suspicion.

    After Chul-Soo had left, Encyclopedia asked Marshmallow, ¡°You¡¯re not helping Chul-Soo because you like him, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you so eager to help him? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re great friends with Lessefim.¡±

    Lessefim was a Navigator and a tracking expert ranked fifth in the Arvis Server.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s because...!¡± Marshmallow stuttered.

    ¡°Aha! You want to bestow a favor on Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°This is an excellent way to prove the greatness of a senior Streamer.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s right!¡± Marshmallow nodded. ¡°This is an act to prove the greatness of a senior.¡±

    ***

    Navigator Lessefim, ranked fifth in the Arvis Server, was slightly angered. <i>¡®Who does he think he is?¡¯</i>

    She was not particrly fond of Marshmallow to begin with. She had once appeared on thetter¡¯s livestream, where the Streamer had focused more on her appearance than her abilities as a Navigator, which was a considerable insult to Lessefim.

    Thanks to Marshmallow¡¯s livestream, she had acquired the somewhat embarrassing nickname Levely (Lessefim + Lovely), which was quite shameful for a ranker.

    However, she happened to see Jin-Hyeok¡¯s recent video. It was a fan-cam shot in third person perspective, uploaded by an anonymous Homepage Master.

    [The Shocking Face of Kim Chul-Soo, Once Framed as a Murderer.]

    ¡°Damn the algorithm!¡± She was not interested in the video but ended up clicking on it by mistake. Chul-Soo¡¯s face appeared, and she could not help but watch the entire video, captivated.

    Just then, Marshmallow called her.

    ¡ªHey, Lessefim, I have no intention of insulting you, but...

    Marshmallow was well aware of how Lessefim felt about him. He had apologized to her several times for the previous incident. It was not intentional of him to make her look adorable. It was just that Lessefim, being a squirrel beastkin, was so cute and lovely that people naturally felt that way. The huge gap between her impressive rank and her appearance had made a significant impact on people¡¯s image of her.

    Anyway, Marshmallow had to be cautious in how he treated Lessefim. Asking her to directly help Chul-Soo could make her feel insulted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.

    ¡ªOf course, I am nning on paying yo¡ª Wait, what did you say?

    ¡°I said I¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡ªReally? Why?

    Marshmallow was the one taken aback. Although he had boasted to Chul-Soo that he was going to introduce a skillful tracking expert to him, this had its own difficulties.

    ¡°For justice.¡±

    ¡ªHuh? Then what about thepensation...?

    ¡°It¡¯s not right to talk aboutpensation for a just cause.¡±

    After ending the call, she searched for Chul-Soo¡¯s official Enstagram ount and looked through all the photos from start to finish.

    <i>¡®Oh my god!¡¯</i>

    Seeing a photo of Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo and Chul-Soo together, she covered her mouth in shock.

    <i>¡®This is it. This is the ce.¡¯</i>

    She had found the ce where she needed to settle for life.

    ***

    Lessefim was quite short, as she was a squirrel beastkin. She was around one meter tall. Despite her small stature, she was one of the top-ranked yers with incredibly swift and agile movements.

    Upon seeing her, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel a bit thrilled. <i>¡®Her footsteps make no sound at all!¡¯</i>

    Just by watching her move, he could tell that this woman was a top-ranked yer.

    <strong>[LV3??/?/?/?]</strong>

    He could only see that the first digit was three, unable to discern the exact Level. She was a universe-level top-ranked yer he had never encountered even during his time as the Sword King.

    ¡°I am helping you for the honor of the Arvis Server,¡± she said.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Lessefim flinched for a moment, <i>¡®I should be annoyed right now...¡¯</i>

    A rookie yer was speaking informally to her. If her direct juniors had done that, she would have scolded them severely. Despite her nickname being Levely, Lessefim was a strict and intimidating senior.

    <i>¡®Why am I not annoyed?¡¯</i>

    Instead, she felt pleased. She was not sure why she felt like this.

    ¡°I have already found traces of Swamnd No.1 If he is still in Arvis, I can find him within a week.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the confidence of a ranker.¡± Jin-Hyeok smiled broadly. Just the way she confidently spoke appeared incredibly beautiful to him. He was always inspired by individuals serious about their y.

    ¡°W-Why are you smiling like that?¡± Lessefim frowned. ¡°Do you also think I¡¯m cute?¡±

    Marshmallow, who had arranged the meeting, tensed up a bit.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo! That¡¯s a trap! Lessefim hates being called cute! She is a Navigator full of pride as a ranker! If you have anymon sense, you would not say such a thing!¡¯ </i>Marshmallow looked around nervously. However, the thing he feared the most happened.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re incredibly cute,¡± Chul-Soo said.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo! She is a top-ranked yer in Arvis! Those who call her cute got their noses ttened!¡¯ </i>

    Just as Marshmallow was about to intervene to defuse the situation,

    ¡°Yeah, everyone does say that,¡± Lessefim said.

    She had a very different demeanor currently,pared to that of the usual prickly and meticulous Lessefim.

    Lessefim herself seemed surprised by her reaction, twitching before she spoke with feigned solemnity. ¡°But if you underestimate or belittle me because I¡¯m cute, you will be in for a big surprise.¡±

    ¡°I would never.¡± Jin-Hyeok was overly cautious of things and people who were pretty and cute. The prettier and cuter someone was, the more dangerous they were. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re more beautiful than cute.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± Lessefim¡¯s ears perked up. With her Navigator¡¯s intuition, she instinctively knew that Jin-Hyeok was telling the truth.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s serious!¡¯ </i>The corner of her mouth curled up into a smile.

    ¡°Well, I hear that often too.¡±

    <i>¡®Who in their right mind calls you beautiful?!¡¯ </i>Marshmallow wanted to shout it out but decided to remain silent. <i>¡®Let¡¯s just see what happens...¡¯</i>

    That was how Lessefim joined the party. A week passed by soon, and as she had boldly imed, they were able to find a ce presumed to be the hideout of Swamnd No.1.

    It was an ancient castle made long ago. This pce, resembling a historic site, was protected by a powerful magical barrier.

    As Lessefim touched the semi-transparent dome, a crackle of lightning shed. ¡°This barrier was created recently. Being able to secretly construct and maintain a barrier of this magnitude, Swamnd No.1 must have a powerful backer. If it were me, I might have killed Swamnd No.1 to cut off any trails that lead to me, but...¡±

    However, the fact that Swamnd No.1 was still alive felt somewhat suspicious. It seemed the one behind Swamnd No.1 had a different goal in mind by using the yer Hunter as bait.

    ¡°Let¡¯s look into how to dismantle the barrier first. This will probably take some time as well.¡±

 Chapter 263

    Cha Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°What if there was a specialized ability to break barriers?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I specialize in tracking, so my unlocking skills are not that exceptional.¡± Lessefim was more skilled than many average rankers, but as a top-tier ranker herself, she held her standards very high, which was why she considered her unlocking abilities to becking.

    ¡°No, I have the Unleashing Technique,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, feeling a bit disappointed. He did not expect everyone in the universe to know who he was, but still, ying alongside someone who knew so little about him brought a sense of regret.

    <em>¡®I should y harder.¡¯</em>

    As he made this resolve, Lessefimughed incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re a Streamer, right?¡±

    ¡°I am, yes.¡±

    ¡°Why would a Streamer acquire the Unleashing Technique? It doesn¡¯t seem like a good fit.¡± Lessefim appeared slightly disappointed, as if her expectations for the promising new Streamer had been lowered.

    ¡°Not a good fit? It doesn¡¯t seem that bad to me¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Listen well. A yer¡¯s body and mind are one.¡± Lessefim was quite fond of Jin-Hyeok. Being a leading top-tier ranker, she offered sincere advice to her junior. ¡°Every Job, body, and ability has itspatibility. No matter how great an ability is, if it is notpatible with a yer, it bes useless.¡±She continued to talk earnestly, which made Jin-Hyeok harbor some doubts. <em>¡®Is my Unleashing Technique not the right fit for me?¡¯</em>

    This was something he needed to reflect on. Until now, he had believed hispatibility with the Unleashing Technique was excellent, and he had achieved quite remarkable results with it. However, it did not seem to meet the standards of a universe-level ranker.

    <em>¡®Was I too arrogant to think that my Unleashing Technique and I were a good match?</em>

    Jin-Hyeok realized he needed to raise his standards to get closer to bing a universe-level ranker. Encountering a new perspective felt like a significant learning experience.

    ¡°But no matter what I say, experiencing it yourself will have a greater impact,¡± Lessefim said while stepping back. ¡°Just do what you want to do.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Jin-Hyeok trusted Lessefim.

    <em>¡®I will probably fail, but still, I should try.¡¯</em>

    If he were a Mage specialized in barriers, he would be disappointed if he failed to break the barrier, but he was a Streamer. He decided to fulfill his role as a Streamer.

    <em>¡®Doing my best but not seeding¡­ That''s good content too.¡¯</em>

    Fortunately, the concept of this content was not about overwhelming power. This content had a separate narrative arc and storyline, where showing passion, even if it didn¡¯t result in sess, would not make for a bad production.

    <em>¡®Let¡¯s try to make it look cool and solemn.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered what Wang Yu-Mi had said before. She had wanted Jin-Hyeok to proactively unleash his ck me Dragon in his right hand.

    ¡°O, ye who obstruct the path to our enemy¡¯s doorstep.¡± There was no need for him to lift Miri, but he lifted her anyway. A silver radiance leaked from the weapon, creating a rather imposing scene. ¡°Imand thee. Copse.¡±

    He swung Miri with all his might.

    <em>Crack!</em>

    Miri and the barrier collided, sparking a lightning strike.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery Unleashing Technique.]</strong>

    <em>¡®I won¡¯t work, will it?¡¯</em>

    The barrier was broken.

    ***

    Lessefim was a bit surprised. ¡°It seems you possess a very special form of Unleashing Technique.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Normally, Unleashing Techniques do not require reciting spells like that.¡± Lessefim was still unfamiliar with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concept. ¡°Anyway, having an Unleashing Technique of that caliber means you¡¯re quite lucky.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok learned something new thanks to Lessefim. <em>¡®My Unleashing Technique is really specialpared to the others.¡¯</em>

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that lucky?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Such a special Unleashing Technique usually requires careful consideration ofpatibility. It often shes with one¡¯s innate abilities, so barrier Mages tend to avoid it; the more exceptional an Unleashing Technique is, the more demanding it is. Yet, yours does not seem to care much aboutpatibility. It¡¯s a very special and rare case.¡±

    ¡°Well, I also possess a Mystery rted to luck. Maybe that¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°Figures.¡±

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Unleashing Technique was just an ordinary Unleashing Technique. Nheless, the barrier was broken, and Lessefim and Jin-Hyeok were able to enter the castle.

    Inside the castle, they met with conventional traps.

    <em>¡®Arrows are flying toward us.¡¯</em>

    Lessefim did not specifically mention such minor traps to Jin-Hyeok. It seemed like she was asking, ¡®You can dodge them on your own, right?¡¯ This was true, and Jin-Hyeok felt exhrated.

    <em>¡®This is what I call teamwork.¡¯</em>

    He loved ying in a way where, without speaking, his party members knew each other¡¯s capabilities and showed optimal efficiency.

    When a signal was really needed, the two of themmunicated. For example, if a crossbow bolt of Level 250 wasing toward them or there was a separation barrier that could iste Lessefim, the Navigator, from the others. She gave warnings about such things in advance. Of course, there were some disappointing moments.

    ¡°It looks like a trap that shoots out poison spears,¡± Lessefim said.

    This was an unnecessary warning for Jin-Hyeok, who said, ¡°I will just take the hit.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Are you crazy?!¡±

    Unnecessary warnings led to her acting surprised for no reason. However, this was unavoidable since they had not been ying together for a long time. There were bound to be unknowns between them.

    ¡°...Are you okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah. The spears can be blocked with my Absolute Barrier, and poison below the level of the Snake King does not affect me at all.¡±

    ¡°So, you just take the hit like that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Lessefim, who hailed from the Arvis Server, found Jin-Hyeok¡¯s style of y quite extraordinary. Even if a yer had antidotes or poison resistance, it was rare for them to deliberately take a poison hit as part of their strategy. Yet, Jin-Hyeok seemed to think he was ying safely and efficiently, which she found slightly baffling.

    As they dispelled all the conventional traps and advanced, Lessefim said, ¡°It feels like something is slowing us down a bit.¡±

    ¡°You felt that too?¡±

    ¡°You too?¡±

    Their eyes met. Sharing the same time, space, experience, and thoughts was quite a thrilling sensation, at least for Jin-Hyeok. ying as a team with a universe-level yer gave Jin-Hyeok a strange sense of pleasure and excitement.

    However, Lessefim felt a bit differently.

    <em>¡®How is he a Streamer? He has the ability of a Navigator¡­!¡¯</em>

    ***

    Roaming around the castle, they stumbled upon arge room.

    Jin-Hyeok felt something as soon as he entered the room. ¡°Oh, this is¡­¡±

    He and Lessefim both said simultaneously, ¡°A boss room?¡±

    ¡°It feels like some kind of boss room.¡±

    Lessefim was even more astonished. <em>¡®What kind of Streamer identifies a boss room just by entering the room?¡¯ </em>

    Such intuition was something only Navigators would have. At first, she was bbergasted and shocked, and then a bit of greed started to creep in.

    <em>¡®He said he is not even Level 250, right?¡¯</em>

    It was difficult for yers to change Jobs after surpassing Level 250. Of course, there were cases where yers had sessfully changed Jobs after 250, but those were very rare.

    <em>¡®I think his talent lies in being a Navigator!¡¯</em>

    She thought about what would happen if he chose to be a Navigator. His synergy with his special Unleashing Technique would improve significantly, potentially unlocking his potential to grow into a universe-level ranker.

    <em>¡®I should really talk to him about it.¡¯</em>

    Among the top ten rankers of the Arvis Server, Lessefim was the only one without a disciple.

    <em>¡®Maybe it¡¯s time for me to take a disciple.¡¯</em>

    She could issue a visa for him that would let him stay in Arvis for longer. Also, by officially taking him as a disciple and nurturing him for a few years, she could even help him gain citizenship of Arvis.

    <em>¡®And then, who knows, maybe we will get married or something.¡¯</em>

    ¡°Over there, there is a metal door.¡±

    <em>Creak!</em>

    The metal door opened with a screeching sound, and a man with a height simr to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s walked out. He was shirtless, and his upper body was covered in scars.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Lessefim tilted her head in confusion. The man seemed familiar somehow. ¡°...Ah!¡±

    ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s a Martial Artist who went missing ten years ago.¡±

    Named Hamlet, this yer was a Martial Artist who was called a genius from birth. He had been gaining fame as a Martial Artist but had disappeared at the age of sixteen. Many in Arvis had mourned the loss of the genius Martial Artist.

    ¡°People said he could have be one of the top rankers in the universe in about twenty years¡­¡± Lessefim grimaced a little and prepared to escape from this ce.

    If that boy was truly Hamlet, there was no chance of winning. Ten years had passed since he had gone missing. It was hard to gauge how strong he had be.

    Jin-Hyeok read Hamlet¡¯s information with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. ¡°His Level is 290, but there is a special condition attached. It¡¯s called Frozen Time¡ªMoving Doll¡­ that¡¯s it.¡±

    Lessefim took another look at Hamlet. Upon closer inspection, she saw no life in his eyes.

    <em>¡®Moving Doll?¡¯ </em>she thought. One person came to mind. In Arvis, a certain woman was obsessed with collecting dolls that looked like real people.

    ¡°Lessefim, do we have to fight him?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No, if we can avoid the fight, we should. There are nobatant-ss yers here. Well, I know you have the skills to kill Dion¡¯s captain of the guard, but¡­¡± Lessefim wanted to avoid a confrontation with Hamlet. ¡°It feels wrong to just keep dying like this¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s going to be okay if we just fought him?¡±

    ¡°That would be ideal, but it will be difficult. Hamlet was a Martial Artist known for his exceptional defensive abilities. For example, at the age of twelve, he sessfully defended against a superior Martial Artist¡¯s attacks for forty-five minu¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was already approaching Hamlet, swinging Miri. In fact, Jin-Hyeok was a bit angry. He had reached a level where he instinctively blurted outments for his livestream.

    ¡°This is just cruel.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true feelings slipped out. ¡°How is this possible?¡±

    With her keen perception, Lessefim already knew that the <em>doll </em>was not actually a doll. It was undoubtedly a person turned into a doll. It was a tant act of inhumanity.

    <em>¡®Well, I can understand why he is so mad,¡¯ </em>Lessefim thought.

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri. It seemed as if Hamlet would block it with his arm, but

    <em>Thwack!</em>

    Miri cunningly changed direction, striking Hamlet¡¯s temple.

    <em>sh!</em>

    A silver sh exploded.

    <em>Thwack!</em>

    Jin-Hyeok quicklynded a follow-up hit. ¡°How can you use your excellent defensive attributes like that?!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew it from the moment Hamlet walked toward him. The stride was unnatural for his Level. A skilled Martial Artist¡¯s entire being and their aura had to embody their discipline. Having sparred with numerous opponents, Jin-Hyeok knew this very well.

    ¡°How?!¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted. He was genuinely angry. ¡°You are too weak!¡±

    With sincerity, he swung Miri again.

    <em>Thwack!</em>

    A massive explosion sent Hamlet flying.

    <em>¡®How did he not block that attack with his defensive skills?! Is he being controlled by someone ipetent? Or is hisbat intelligence low?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Either way, the reason did not matter. Jin-Hyeok was just furious.

    Lessefim tilted her head in confusion. <em>¡®Is that why he¡¯s angry?¡¯</em>

    Leaving Lessefim¡¯s doubts behind, Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°It¡¯s uneptable. Fighting a weak doll like him is an insult to me. I will not fight him directly. Fortunately, I have a Mystery that can match my abilities.¡±

    After a few shes with Hamlet, Jin-Hyeok was sure that Hamlet, or rather the doll, was no match for him.

    ¡°Activate the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    A fallen angel wielding a huge hammer appeared at the scene, grinning wickedly.

    ¡°I will crush your head,¡± she seemed to say.

    Trusting the reliable defensive Mystery with this pce, Jin-Hyeok decided to leave the room.

 Chapter 264

    <h4>Chapter 264</h4>

    Lessefim looked at the Phantom Swordswoman with intrigued eyes. ¡°You call that a defensive Mystery?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯ve seen a few Phantom Swordswomen before.¡±

    <i>¡®But it should be ssified more as an offensive Mystery rather than a defensive one.¡¯ </i>Lessefim tilted her head in confusion. <i>¡®Besides, her appearance is quite peculiar.¡¯</i>

    The Phantom Swordswomen whom Lessefim had seen were mostly clean and neat in appearance, usually wielding white swords.

    <i>¡®Why is a Phantom Swordswoman, known for being neat and elegant, looking so haggard?¡¯ </i>This one looked as though she would cry tears of blood any moment. <i>¡®And why is she holding a hammer?¡¯</i>

    It seemed likely that this Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s synchronization with the Mystery owner was extremely high. Lessefim had felt like this when she saw Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Unleashing Technique, and it was the same for the Phantom Swordswoman.

    ¡°You must be born with a body that has an excellentpatibility with Mysteries. But be careful. No matter how superior your body is, acquiring too many Mysteries can lead to conflict between the Mysteries, rendering them ineffective,¡± Lessefim said.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    An explosion erupted. Lessefim tilted her head again as she moved.

    <i>¡®That... is a defensive Mystery?¡¯</i>

    She had never seen such a ferocious Phantom Swordswoman before. No matter how she looked at it, this Phantom Swordswoman was undoubtedly an offensive Mystery. The most absurd part was the Mystery owner firmly believing her to be a defensive Mystery.

    ***

    Lessefim walked toward the space Hamlet had emerged from and spoke. ¡°It seems like they are trying to stall time. What does Swamnd No.1 want?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Although the sound of the Phantom Swordswoman shing with Hamlet still rang behind her, Lessefim felt as though her surroundings were silent.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t Chul-Soo answering? Just a moment ago, he was chatting constantly.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok usually kept throwingments to ensure there was no silence for his recording, but now, it was eerily quiet.

    <i>¡®Urg, this is bothering me!¡¯</i>

    Lessefim seldom felt so concerned about someone she was ying with. It was like having a pricking sensation at the back of her head. This was the first time she realized that having someone this handsome behind her could make her feel this way.

    Eventually, she turned around and asked, ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok was thinking about an idea.

    <i>¡®If I follow her from behind and y some scary background music, wouldn¡¯t it heighten the tension?¡¯</i>

    He thought that maintaining silence for a moment to create the right amount of tension was not a bad idea, especially if he could amplify the creaking sounds of the wooden floor with each step he took.

    Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who is trying to stall?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not actually think that Lessefim was stalling. This was not in his script, but he wanted to say it anyway.

    <i>¡®How will Lessefim react?¡¯</i>

    Feeling a strange satisfaction while ying with Lessefim, he wanted to see how much they could exchange their emotions and thoughts without words. He wanted to experience more of this exciting y!

    <i>¡®If she truly understands my y, she would either be surprised or maintain silence to draw out the tension.¡¯</i>

    He wanted to continue this deep exchange of feelings.

    Lessefim responded with a bewildered expression, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit suspicious. A top ranker in Arvis can''t even find Swamnd No.1.... It¡¯s as if you are deliberately wasting time.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Lessefim was even more dumbfounded. ¡°I found his hideout in a week, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®W-What¡¯s with that look?¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes seemed to say, ¡®Aren¡¯t you supposed to do that? Why are you making a big deal out of it?¡¯

    Lessefim felt a sinking feeling in her heart after seeing that expression.

    <i>¡®Well... he is not wrong.¡¯</i>

    It had been five years since she had secured her position as the fifth-ranked yer in Arvis. Unable to climb higher or fall lower, she had firmly maintained her position. In other words, she had not grown as a yer.

    Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°When you think about it, it just doesn¡¯t make sense. How can a fifth-ranked yer not find Swamnd No.1 more quickly, and why would she go out of her way to help a rookie yer like me?¡±

    Lessefim could not believe her ears.

    <i>¡®He thinks he is a rookie? Really?¡¯</i>

    Despite his low Level, he had killed the captain of Dion¡¯s guard; quickly unlocked a barrier she could not easily break; and faced Hamlet with his Mystery alone, albeit this Hamlet was just a doll.

    A spark appeared in Lessefim¡¯s eyes. <i>¡®His standards are... so different from mine!¡¯</i>

    His standards were the standards that Lessefim used to follow long ago. She, too, had once possessed such a mindset. She felt like she had becent after bing a ranker, but now her heart had been ignited again. <i>¡®He¡¯s quite something. But even if he had bbered some nonsense, I would have agreed with it.¡¯¡¯</i>

    Someone had once said that the handsomeness of a person was the essence of usibility, and she realized the truth of that saying today.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been eyeing you,¡± she said.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of possibly converting you to a Navigator.¡±

    ¡°But, I don¡¯t possess such exceptional talent in that area.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be modest. I already know how talented you are.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about time I started training a disciple anyway.¡± Lessefim smirked.

    ¡°Jin-Hyeok felt an inexplicable sense of unease. He had thought Lessefim was rtively sensible and conventional, but it seemed he was mistaken. People who smiled like that were rarely in their right mind.

    ¡°But you know, I¡¯m a bit hurt. How can you doubt your future wife like that?¡± she said.

    <i>¡®Wife? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Is that some kind of ng from Arvis that means disciple?¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok was utterly confused.<i> </i>

    ***

    Swamnd No.1 spat out a curse. ¡°Fuck...¡±

    He was tightly bound with thin silver webs. In front of him, a spider as big as a human was crawling around. The spider kept spewing out silver webs from its mouth, continually wrapping Swamnd No.1 up in them.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t have trusted that bitch...!¡¯</i>

    After the Arvis guards had started pursuing him, the only person he could trust was Lady Harkoen. So, he had hidden in a hideout she told him about, but it turned out to be a trap.

    <i>¡®I should never have epted her request!¡¯</i>

    His greed for the one hundred billion Dias was his downfall. He should have stopped when Swamnd No.3 had died. However, he had not, and consequently, he ended up wrapped up in silver webs.

    <i>¡®My body is getting hot.¡¯ </i>He could not feel his lower half. It seemed like most of his lower body had melted away. <i>¡®At least there is no pain, thankfully.¡¯</i>

    The silver webs seemed to contain a powerful anesthetic. The spider spewing these webs was named the Silver Thread Tarant. More precisely, it was a doll made from a Silver Thread Tarant. This monster had the ability to melt its prey with its silver webs. After melting its prey, it sucked up the resulting liquid.

    <i>¡®So, Lady Harkoen is trying not to leave any evidence that she was involved with me.¡¯</i>

    The Silver Thread Tarant was one of the most powerful in Lady Harkoen¡¯s doll collection. This monster¡¯s Level when it used to be alive had been a whopping 302. Based on Level alone, it couldn¡¯t be said that this was the most powerful one, since Lady Harkoen had collected many entities over Level 300. However, these entities were mostly human.

    <i>¡®If only it had been a human doll, I might have been able to escape.¡¯</i>

    The abilities of human dolls plummeted the moment the humans were turned into dolls. Humans gained their strength through training endlessly and honing their skills. High intelligence and proficiency were critical to them. However, when they were turned into dolls, their intelligence would disappear, leaving only instinct, so most of the abilities they had learned during their lives would disappear.

    But it was different for insect-type monsters. Such entities did not really have honed skills. They were beings that followed instinct, rather than intellect and knowledge. That was why even when they were turned into dolls, they retained almost the same level of power as they did when they were alive.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you are not iling about unnecessarily,¡± Lady Harkoen said.

    ¡°Please spare me.¡±

    Lady Harkoen approached him, holding a fan. She spoke, half-covering her face with the fan. ¡°It¡¯s toote now. By now, your upper body must have melted away, too. Though you won¡¯t even feel it. Hohoho!¡±

    ¡°I... can capture Kim Chul-Soo for you.¡±

    ¡°But the situation has gotten too big.¡± Harkoen sighed as if she felt pity toward Swamnd No.1. ¡°Someone has to take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re nning to melt me here without leaving any evide¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, not exactly.¡± Lady Harkoen shook her head. ¡°You will be found by Chul-Soo since he will be filming everything.¡±

    The scene of Swamnd No.1¡¯s death had to be captured urately. That way, she could cut off the tail cleanly.

    ¡°And then, I¡¯ll take my precious Chul-Soo. What do you think about my beautiful n?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Swamnd No.1 cursed in his mind. <i>¡®You freak...¡¯</i>

    He knew why she was kindly exining her n to him. She wanted to see him trembling in fear and betrayal. Then, he could end up as one of the ¡®Interesting Expressions¡¯ in her collection.

    <i>¡®She purposely left only my face unwrapped to collect it.¡¯</i>

    He knew she wanted to collect his expression-filled face. But he did not want to end up like that, so he spoke expressionlessly. ¡°You must pride yourself on your meticulous timing, right?¡±

    Swamnd No.1 shook his head and continued, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, you idiot.¡±

    The yer Hunter knew Chul-Soo very well. ¡°Chul-Soo is always faster than you think.¡±

    This was an intuition only those who had faced Chul-Soo directly could understand. No matter how sophisticated the calctions or the ns were against him, Chul-Soo was always one step ahead.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    An explosion sounded from the wall. Dust swirled up, and a voice rang out. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s Swamnd No.1¡±

    ***

    Lessefim scanned the surroundings.

    <i>¡®There was definitely one more person here...¡¯</i>

    She could feel a faint residual body heat on the floor. Reading the tracks through a Skill, she frowned. <i>¡®Did they use a weak levitation spell?¡¯</i>

    That was why the other person had not left proper tracks.

    <i>¡®I could track them if I tried....¡¯</i>

    The problem was the Silver Thread Tarant standing squarely in the way.

    Swamnd No.1 appeared to be in agony.

    ¡°<i>Ugh... Ugh</i>...!¡± It seemed like he was trying to say something. Veins bulged in his neck, and his eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡°Swamnd No.1 is trying to say something, but it¡¯s hard to get close. A Level 300 monster is a first for me.¡± Jin-Hyeok was also quite tense. ¡°It seems this pce was a Dungeon, and this is the boss room.¡±

    ¡°<i>Hmph! Ugh...! Ugh!¡± </i>Swamnd No.1 continued to try to say something. He wanted to shout, ¡®Lady Harkoen is the one behind all this! That bitch is the real deal!¡¯ However, his tongue was paralyzed, and he could not say anything.

    Lessefim slowly backed away and said, ¡°Swamnd No.1 is done for. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    ¡°But the monster seems to have already seen us.¡±

    Lessefim felt a strange sense of alienation. ¡°No, it hasn¡¯t seen <i>us</i>.¡±

    The monster had been watching this way from the very start as if it had been waiting for them. She had urately read the gaze of the Silver Thread Tarant.

    ¡°It¡¯s targeting you, Chul-Soo,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°<i>Hmph! Ugh..!¡±</i>

    <i>¡®It¡¯s Lady Harkoen! Lady Harkoen is targeting you!¡¯</i>

    Regrettably, the voice of Swamnd No.1 did not reach Jin-Hyeok.

    The Silver Thread Tarant slowly moved toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Lessefim, I have a question for you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°What is Harkoen?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Well, I know that¡¯s the Silver Thread Tarant, but ording to the System setting, it¡¯s listed as Lady Harkoen¡¯s pet spider.¡±

    The expression of Swamnd No.1 became peaceful.

 Chapter 265

    <h4>Chapter 265</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded. <i>¡®Finally, a strong monster!¡¯</i>

    It was undoubtedly a monster that fought on instinct, rather than reason or skills. That meant the Silver Thread Tarant could likely use most of its inherent abilities to their fullest.

    Lessefim slightly frowned. ¡°Are you really going to fight it?¡±

    ¡°I have to try, you stay back.¡±

    Lessefim slowly backed away. She did not say anything like ¡®You are not abatant-ss yer either! Let¡¯s run away together.¡¯ She knew.

    <i>¡®If someone has to fight that monster, it makes sense for Kim Chul-Soo to do it, not me.¡¯ </i>A Navigator getting in his way would only hinder his chance of winning the fight. <i>¡®Instead, I will secure an escape route in advance.¡¯</i>

    As she searched for an escape route, she bit her lip. <i>¡®I was toocent.¡¯</i>

    She had been too immersed in her routine. The yers she yed with were always among the top rankers in Arvis, so they naturally breezed through such crises.

    <i>¡®I should have analyzed Chul-Soo¡¯s capabilities more carefully beforeing here.¡¯</i>

    As if she were possessed, she had been too excited about ying with Chul-Soo. However, it was toote to reflect and regret now. She had to give her sincere best from this moment on.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, just hold on for fifteen minutes. I will create an escape route so that we can get out of here.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. A battle against a Level 300 monster was definitely going to draw attention, so he decided to start his livestream.

    [03. Crisis]

    The first part of the storyline was the Deration of War; the second was The Trap; and now, it was the turn of the Crisis. These three parts seemed perfect for a teaser for this content.

    Silver webs from the Silver Thread Tarant sprayed out above Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®So fast!¡¯ </i>The tarant was incredibly swift, having moved to the ceiling before one could even notice. <i>¡®Activate Absolute Barrier.¡¯</i>

    His Absolute Barrier blocked the silver webs. Some of the webs instantly melted upon contact with the barrier, while others were deflected off course. From that single sh, Jin-Hyeok realized something. ¡°Directly facing a Level 300 monster is too much.¡±

    No matter how much he tried to cover the gap between their abilities with his skills, the fundamental Level difference between him and the spider was too great. ¡°I will try to find a strategy by properly using Absolute Barrier and Thief¡¯s Step.¡±

    Fortunately, despite its overwhelming Level and power, the monstercked intelligence. The tarant was fast, but its patterns were quite simple. Mixing Thief¡¯s Step with Absolute Barrier, Jin-Hyeok managed to hold on somehow.

    ¡°But the situation is not that great.¡±

    The silver webs were scattered all over the pce. Some melted into toxic liquid, while others stuck to the walls like sticky webs. Although Jin-Hyeok did not need to worry about the poison due to his poison resistance, the webs sticking to the walls were literally like spider webs, hindering his movements.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok was not just blocking attacks. Whenever he got a chance, he swung Miri at the tarant¡¯s head.

    ¡°Its skin is incredibly hard.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok managed to hit the Level-300 monster several times, but the monster¡¯s skin was thick and hard. The attacks did not prate it properly. Moreover, the tarant¡¯s aggressive attacks left no room for him to prepare for powerful andrge-scale attacks.

    ¡°A direct one-on-one fight is not the solution here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Just then, he heard Lessefim¡¯s voice from a distance.

    ¡°Chul-Soo! Just seven more minutes! You need to hold on for seven more minutes!¡±

    ¡°Moreover, those massive legs are dangerous weapons themselves,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The legs of the Silver Thread Tarant were covered in small spikes. They were sharp and rough, resembling saws. Clearly, any contact with them would result in him being torn apart.

    <i>Screech!</i>

    The tarant¡¯s foreleg hit the wall, tearing apart the wall as if it were paper.

    ¡°Just as expected, the monster is really strong,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Lessefim was desperately creating an escape route, and her senses remained focused on Jin-Hyeok. In case he got seriously hurt, she would have to rescue him and hide immediately. Yet, Lessefim felt a strange sensation. <i>¡®Why... does he seem so rxed?¡¯</i>

    The situation appeared dire from her point of view. <i>¡®He knows that he can''t beat the monster, right?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was barely holding on at the moment. Yet, he seemed oddly at ease. It was peculiar.

    ***

    Swamnd No.1 exulted. <i>¡®You have made a mistake, Lady Harkoen.¡¯</i>

    He vowed to someday get his revenge on that madwoman. <i>¡®Thank you, Chul-Soo. Your timely arrival has allowed me to look forward to the future.¡¯</i>

    In truth, he had never fully trusted Lady Harkoen. He knew there was a high chance of him being double-crossed. Moreover, he was already well-informed about Harkoen¡¯s collections and had taken many precautions, one of them being the undergarment he was wearing, which protected him from various kinds of corrosion. They had cost a whopping one billion Dias but proved to be worth every penny.

    <i>¡®My senses are returning.¡¯ </i>As the Silver Thread Tarant and Chul-Soo fiercely fought, this was his only chance. <i>¡®I need to melt these silver webs.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.1 discreetly spat out a small orb he had been holding in his mouth, called the Orb of Tainted me. This orb, which contained the me of the Spirit King, was an artifact worth ten billion Dias. Without hesitating, Swamnd No.1 activated the artifact. ¡°Activate, Tainted me.¡±

    ck mes sprouted from the artifact. While they were modest and weakpared to the hellfire handled by the actual Spirit King, they were capable of slowly melting the silver webs.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a bit of a waste to use such a powerful artifact for melting silver webs, but it¡¯s cheap inparison to the value of my life.¡¯</i>

    Since he had already received a down payment of one hundred billion Dias, all this had been worth it. After having melted some of the silver webs, Swamnd No.1 twisted himself to escape. The skin on his fingertips and toes had melted away, with his bones being visible.

    <i>¡®At least I survived.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I see that there is no chance of winning in a direct battle against a Level 300 monster.¡±

    He had known this from the start, but experiencing it firsthand only excited him even more.

    <i>¡®To think there was such a strong monster... But then, the top rankers of Arvis can slice through it with a single attack.¡¯</i>

    The world was vast, and there were many strong beings in it.

    ¡°Even if I try to use Instant Kill, the monster is not giving me enough time to do that.¡± Its attacks were so fierce that using the Song of the ck Tiger was hardly feasible. ¡°Then, what about using my taming Skill?¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Taming was not easy either. The Level difference between him and the spider was too vast, due to which the Skill was outright rejected.

    ¡°Oh no, I have been ensnared.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s foot was caught. A sticky mass of silver webs wrapped around his left ankle. ¡°It feels like I am stuck to the ground.¡±

    The mass of webs was so sticky and tough that not even a knife could cut through it. ¡°This time, my right ankle has been ensnared.¡±

    Thinking it had sessfully caught its prey, the tarant slowed down. It slowly approached Jin-Hyeok. Standing right in front of him, the monster opened its mouth wide, ready to swallow him whole.

    ¡°It seems to be trying to intimidate me.¡±

    This was Harkoen¡¯s doing, as she wanted him to tremble in fear. She wanted to see his beautiful face adorned with fear and terror, to have such an expression for her collection.

    ¡°Its mouth is really big.¡± He took something out of his pocket and threw it at the monster. The object went right into the tarant¡¯s mouth. ¡°Thankfully, the monster opened its mouth wide, due to which I could easily put the Control Bug in its mouth.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok changed the title of the livestream.

    [04. Counterattack]

    ¡°This will be the end of the livestream.¡± Jin-Hyeok was very satisfied.

    <i>¡®I just created a perfect teaser!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Before Jin-Hyeok had gone to find Swamnd No.1¡¯s hideout and just before he was released from the holding cell, Liling hade looking for him, having finally woken up.

    ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo, are you okay?¡± Liling was on the verge of tears. ¡°It¡¯s all because of me... You¡¯re here because of me...¡±

    She burst into tears with a loud sob. Though it was hard to know how much pain she was in, the horn on her face had turned pitch ck.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had just been acquitted on the grounds of self-defense. Seeing Liling crying so hard made him feel uneasy. ¡°So, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re making me sad.¡±

    Liling burst into even louder sobs, hugging Jin-Hyeok with her bulky frame and wailing like a baby.

    After experiencing a torrent of tears, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°There is still a Control Bug inside you. We need to get that out.¡±

    He had tried to tame it but failed. This Control Bug was, so to speak, only halfway tamed. ¡°Right now, Swamnd No.1 is in a tight spot, so it seems he can¡¯t pay attention to this Control Bug... But once he has the chance, who knows what he might do with it.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Liling consistently treated everything Jin-Hyeok said as if it were the absolute truth.

    ¡°It might hurt a bit. My taming Skill is...¡± Suddenly, he remembered the words of Park Terse, who had said that taming based on violence was not true taming.

    <i>¡®Back then, I thought as long as taming works, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯</i>

    However, he now realized that Terse¡¯s words had a point. Jin-Hyeok did not really feel like hurting Liling.

    ¡°I know about your Skill. It involves physical taming, right?¡± Liling, whose horn had turned pink, smiled brightly. ¡°Go ahead and hit me all you want. My skin is really tough!¡±

    ¡°I will make it as quick as possible.¡±

    ¡°You can take your time. I trust you, Mr. Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Looking into her pure eyes, he felt something for the first time. <i>¡®My physical taming is effective, but... it¡¯s not omnipotent.¡¯</i>

    For the first time, he thought that perhaps he might need another taming Skill in the future. Nheless, there was no choice for now.

    Liling cooperated without a single scream, and eventually, she was able to expel the Control Bug hidden inside her.

    <i>¡®Maybe it¡¯s because I tried to tame it once, but the Control Bug survived the Skill...¡¯</i>

    This was why practice was important. The Control Bug was still alive.

    ***

    ¡°I once believed that violence could aplish everything. If it didn¡¯t, it was simply because there was not enough violence. How foolish that was,¡± Jin-Hyeok murmured. Terse¡¯s words were partly correct. Violence was not everything. ¡°There are many ways to tame.¡±

    If violence did not work, one had to find another way. ¡°Using a tamed Control Bug is one method.

    The object that he had thrown inside the tarant was that Control Bug, which was under Jin-Hyeok¡¯s full control now.

    ¡°This kind of taming is new to me, so it seems I will need to concentrate a bit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok closed his eyes with the tarant right in front of him. Normally, this was not something a yer could do in front of a Level 300 monster.

    ¡°Fortunately, I have experienced various mental connections and bonds.¡±

    It was the case with the Golden Guardian Tree, Miri, the Thunder Dragon, and Elly. Having umted much experience and practice, Jin-Hyeok found the connection with the Control Bug much easier to handle and more natural than expected.

    ¡°Now, the Silver Thread Tarant is mine.¡±

 Chapter 266

    <h4>Chapter 266</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was quite satisfied with the effect of the Control Bug.

    ¡°Indeed, I am now connected to something.¡± Jin-Hyeok discovered something new. ¡°The Silver Thread Tarant is not just a moving doll.¡±

    To move, the monster needed a power source. Since it had no heartbeat, it needed mana from the outside.

    ¡°I do not know the principle behind it, but I am not connected to the monster. I feel like a puppeteer manipting a puppet.¡±

    The Control Bug burrowed in the tarant¡¯s brain. The force controlling the tarant from the outside was weaker than the force the Control Bug exerted from the inside. Unable to do anything, the tarant shuddered, making weird sounds as its legs trembled.

    ¡°I failed to make the monsterpletely mine with the Control Bug. This is expected of a Level-300 monster.¡± Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream, as he swung Miri.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    He could strike a stationary target with full force.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    <i>Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!</i>

    It was a coboration between Control Bug and his taming Skill.

    ¡°The Level difference is too high to tame itpletely.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was very disappointed. However, after he severed the tarant¡¯s connection with the previous power source, it became nothing but a giant spider.

    ¡°The Control Bug can read some of the target¡¯s memories,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. However, the tarant was a creature of low intelligence. Jin-Hyeok could only see an image of a woman that remained in its memory, but not hear what the woman was saying.

    ¡°In the memories of the tarant, there is a middle-aged woman with very white skin. She is wearing clothes simr to a hanbok[1] made of mboyant red silk. Her lips are bright red, and she has a jade hairpin in her hair. She is speaking, but it seems difficult for the tarant to understand.¡± Jin-Hyeok had to determine what she was saying by reading her lips. ¡°She is saying... she wants to have something pretty? I think that¡¯s the gist.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°Is this... spider that pretty?¡±

    Upon reflection, he realized that to be an excellent Tamer, one also needed the quality of being able to see the taming target as cute.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s look for the pretty aspect of the tarant.¡¯</i>

    The tarant had a massive body encased in a hard shell and six blood-red eyes resembling those of a fly. It had teeth sharp enough to rival an alligator¡¯s and legs covered in bristles like iron spikes. Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of crisis. <i>¡®... Do Ick talent as a Tamer?¡¯</i>

    ***

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Without its power source, the Silver Thread Tarant eventually fell.

    <strong>[You have defeated ?Harkoen¡¯s Pet Spider?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a mix of emotions.<i> ¡®I was able to hunt the tarant thanks to the Control Bug, but...¡¯</i>

    It was a joyous asion. Even during his time as the Sword King, hunting a Level-300 monster was impossible. However, strictly speaking, he had lost the battle.

    <i>¡®I am still too weak.¡¯ </i>

    At times, he felt good that he had gotten a bit stronger, but that was a misconception. Jin-Hyeok questioned himself, <i>¡®Have I been a bitzytely? Have I not been intense enough? I need to be more intense!¡¯</i>

    He could not forget his initial goals. Even the top rankers could fall if they forget their initial goals.

    <i>¡®If I had been truly intense, could I have utilized the Control Bug more efficiently?¡¯</i>

    Having fulfilled its duty, the Control Bug died. Nheless, he glimpsed the possibility of a new taming method.

    <i>¡®Violence is not always the answer.¡¯</i>

    Sometimes, more sophisticated methods were needed.

    <i>¡®It would be convenient if I could use parasites or have brainwashing Skills.¡¯</i>

    He decided to think about the detailster.

    <i>¡®But where is Lessefim? How far has she gone?¡¯</i>

    Lessefim was nowhere to be seen.

    ***

    Lessefim did her best to create an escape route. <i>¡®Just a bit more!¡¯</i>

    Before she knew it, she got lost in a trance.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Emergency Exit?.]</strong>

    She did not know how much time had passed, but light began to appear within her microcosm.

    <i>¡®There it is!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Emergency Exit?.]</strong>

    Creating a passage from nothing was an incredibly strenuous task. As hard as it already was, this time, she had to create a passage for two people.

    <i>¡®This Skill is originally meant for one person.¡¯</i>

    Forcing a non-existing passage to appear and then expanding that one-person exit to a two-person exit was agonizing.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t let Kim Chul-Soo die here!¡¯</i>

    If it had been anyone other than Chul-Soo, such as Marshmallow, she would have left them behind and escaped alone.

    ¡°Chul-Soo dying here would be a loss for the entire universe.¡±

    <strong>[?Emergency Exit? has been activated.]</strong>

    Lessefim copsed with a thud. She had managed to create the escape route, but she did not have any more strength to even twitch a finger. A rope was thrown at her. The rope automatically unraveled and bound her.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Lessefim sighed. ¡°I thought you ran away.¡±

    Lessefim knew that Swamnd No.1 was quite meticulous. She had anticipated that he would have prepared ast resort. However, she had judged that he would choose to escape as hisst resort.

    Swamnd No.1 lifted the bound Lessefim to her feet. ¡°At first, I thought just running away was the best option.¡±

    It was indeed the most rational choice. If Swamnd No.1 had disappeared without showing himself, he would be considered dead to the rest of the world, which would¡¯ve allowed him to live a new life. This would¡¯ve also freed him from Lady Harkoen¡¯s pursuit and given him the opportunity to avoid getting entangled in Chul-Soo¡¯s Reverse yer Hunter content.

    ¡°But...¡± Swamnd No.1 continued. He could partly understand Lady Harkoen¡¯s feelings. ¡°The greed got the better of me.¡±

    Swamnd No.1 had directly felt the growth of Jin-Hyeok. Each day, Jin-Hyeok grew significantlypared to the day before. He was getting exponentially stronger every day.

    ¡°Maybe he does have the Munchkin Trait.¡± If that was the case, Swamnd No.1 wondered what would happen if he could steal the Trait. ¡°A man must sometimes gamble with his life.¡±

    Swamnd No.1 meticulously checked to ensure that Lessefim could not escape.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I don¡¯t even have the strength to move my fingers anyway,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°That seems to be the case.¡±

    ¡°So? What¡¯s your n? Are you going to take me as a hostage?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Swamnd No.1 began walking, with Lessefim in front.

    ¡°Do you really think I would make a good hostage?¡±

    ¡°All I need is a moment.¡± Swamnd No.1 felt a slight intoxication at having captured Lessefim, a ranker from the Arvis Server, albeit she was not abatant yer. ¡°Chul-Soo is much stronger than I thought. He always exceeds expectations. Maybe he could even defeat the tarant.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Chul-Soo for you.¡±

    ¡°Are you in love with him or something?¡± she asked.

    ¡°However, no matter how strong he is, there is no way he is okay after fighting against a Level-300 monster.¡± Swamnd No.1 smiled.

    ¡°You never know.¡±

    ¡°No, he is definitely not okay. That¡¯s why you went to the trouble of creating an artificial Emergency Exit to evacuate Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to show off to me?¡±

    ¡°I do feel a bit superior.¡± Swamnd No.1¡¯s desire to steal Chul-Soo¡¯s Munchkin Trait grew even stronger.

    <i>¡®In the end, power is the answer,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    He was convinced that if he could take Chul-Soo¡¯s Trait, he could be a universe-level ranker. Then, no one would be able to point fingers at him.

    <i>¡®I will even take care of that annoying bitch, Harkoen.¡¯</i>

    Soon, Swamnd No.1 could see Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>The Silver Thread Tarant was down on the ground. His heart began to race.

    <i>¡®He actually defeated the tarant? Did he ovee that Level gap? Even if it was just a doll, how is that possible? He definitely possesses the Munchkin Trait!¡¯</i>

    He nced back. Everything in the world was about luck and timing. Being able to capture the fifth-ranked Lessefim was thanks to both luck and timing.

    <i>¡®The goddess of fortune is on my side, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Swamnd No.1 was convinced that Jin-Hyeok had to be tired. He believed that Jin-Hyeok was barely able to stand.

    ***

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo, put down your weapon,¡± Swamnd No.1 said.

    Jin-Hyeok momentarily tilted his head in confusion. <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    It was a somewhat surreal scene. Lessefim was bound tight, and a dagger was pressed against her throat.

    ¡°Drop your weapon. Depending on how things go, I might spare your life.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok ced Miri on the ground and raised his hands.

    ¡°Good. Turn around ande closer to me.¡±

    With his hand raised, Jin-Hyeok stepped backward toward them. Swamnd No.1ughed softly, and Lessefim frowned.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, what are you doing?¡± she said.

    ¡°What does it look like? Do you not have eyes?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to save me?¡± From Lessefim¡¯s perspective, it was a bit iprehensible. She knew that Chul-Soo was not like that.

    <i>¡®I thought he was someone obsessed with his y.¡¯</i>

    Ignoring the hostage and escaping through the Emergency Exit she had just created was a much more rational decision for Chul-Soo. They had only yed together through Marshmallow¡¯s arrangement, and there was not yet any camaraderie between them.

    ¡°Of course, I have to save you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...Why?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Jin-Hyeok continued as he slowly approached them. ¡°You tried your best to save me first.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even a Chul-Soo Lander, yet you did your best to save me. If you hadn¡¯t overexerted yourself, would you have been caught by this guy?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Lessefim felt an unexpected warmth. It seemed like she had misjudged him. Not only had her standards loosened, but her ability to judge people had also dimmed. She med herself.

    Confident of his victory, Swamnd No.1 said, ¡°That¡¯s enough, stop right there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok came to a halt.

    ¡°Just stay here.¡± Swamnd No.1 opened his mouth wide. A ck tentacle flowed out of his mouth like a tongue. It writhed like a snake, stretching toward Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Snap!</i>

    The tentacle split into ten strands andtched onto Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    ¡°This is a very delicate process. I don¡¯t want to kill you, so just cooperate smoothly,¡± Swamnd No.1 said.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lessefim spoke urgently. ¡°Stop! Steal my abilities instead!¡±

    Swamnd No.1 did not hear Lessefim¡¯s words. The only thought in his mind was to steal Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Munchkin Trait. Of course, the promise to spare Jin-Hyeok was a lie. If he wanted to fully absorb the Trait, Jin-Hyeok had to die eventually.

    <i>¡®You fool! You¡¯re intoxicated by some worthless camaraderie and made a foolish mistake! If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t have made such a dumb choice,¡¯ </i>Swamnd No.1 thought. He sneered as he pushed his saliva deep into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s skin.

    Just then, Lessefim said. ¡°...I hope this made for a really realistic production, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok replied, ¡°I told you that I have a great defensive Mystery.¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    A giant hammer with a silver glow struck Swamnd No.1 in the back of the head.

    1. Hanbok is a traditional clothing of the Korean people. ?

 Chapter 267

    <h4>Chapter 267</h4>

    ¡°When you are too absorbed in one thing, you tend to miss out on everything else. Swamnd No.1pletely failed to notice the approach of my defensive Mystery.¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok was also taken aback.

    <i>¡®I know it was a surprise attack, but I didn¡¯t know he would go down in one hit.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized something once again. An attack from a blind spot could often be much more powerful than a visible one. He already knew this very well, but experiencing it firsthand always felt new and thrilling.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing though.¡¯</i>

    The viewers could have mixed feelings about what just happened since the <i>fight </i>had ended too quickly.

    <i>¡®How could it be over with just one hit? Wait, maybe...?¡¯</i>

    ¡°...Did I finish him?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had heard this phrase many times in television shows, and it usually revived the enemy. He nced at the fallen Swamnd No.1. However, even the magical spell was useless. The hammering of the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman was quite powerful, and the back of the head was too critical a spot.

    ¡°Ah... I am afraid I have regrettable news for the viewers.¡±

    The concept of his new video was not about teaching a lesson but about Reverse yer Hunter content. To properly create such content, Jin-Hyeok was supposed to steal an ability of Swamnd No.1. However, Swamnd No.1¡¯s death didn¡¯t allow him to do that.

    ¡°The Reverse yer Hunter content has fa¡ª¡±

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Just then, he felt a special energy from the Phantom Swordswoman. To be precise, it seemed like some knowledge from Swamnd No.1 had been transferred to the Phantom Swordswoman.

    ¡°The defensive Mystery has done it again!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It seemed like the Phantom Swordswoman had been imitating some of the Authority of Swallowing, which Miri possessed. From wielding a hammer instead of a sword, in many ways, this Mystery was bing more like its master.

    The excitement began to build. The content was not over yet.

    ¡°I think I know how to create a Control Bug. It seems my defensive Mystery has swallowed some valuable information from the back of the opponent¡¯s head. To be sure, I will go back to the office of Swamnd No.1.¡±

    Lessefim was a bit puzzled. <i>¡®What does he mean when he said the defensive Mystery has done it again? What does that have to do with it being a defensive Mystery?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Leading the way, Lessefim asked, ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Why did you put down your weapon earlier? Did you really intend to save me, even if it meant risking danger?¡±

    Lessefim knew he had done it to attract the attention of Swamnd No.1 andy the groundwork for the defensive Mystery to properly attack.

    <i>¡®But, is that all?¡¯ </i>Lessefim wondered.

    Jin-Hyeok pondered the question a bit and then nodded. ¡°You have something of a Chul-Soo Lander vibe.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo Land? You mean your fan club?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not your fan!¡¯ </i>She was about to say that but decided against it.

    ¡°Well, you are good-looking. I have never seen anyone who looks like you before,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you have not seen truly good-looking people yet.¡±

    ¡°I am a top ranker in Arvis. Do you really think I haven¡¯t seen good-looking people?¡±

    ¡°You probably haven¡¯t.¡± Jin-Hyeok shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve realized after ying with you that your standards are lower than I thought.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You need to think about your initial goals, Lessefim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been scolded.¡± Lessefim¡¯s face turned slightly red. She was usually the one doing the scolding, not the other way around. So, this experience was very fresh and fascinating to her. ¡°Scold me more.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, you should seriously consider switching to being a Navigator. Your real talent undoubtedly lies in this Job.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin and thought about it. As she was a top ranker in a top-ranked Server, it was hard to just ignore her advice.

    <i>¡®Could that really be the case?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He had always thought his talenty in wielding a sword. But as time passed, it turned out not to be swords but hammers. Simrly, he wondered if his true calling was not being a Streamer but a Navigator.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that what you¡¯re saying ispletely wrong, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok said. No matter how much he thought about it,pared to people like Mole Man and Han Sae-Rin, who had switched to being a Ruler, he seemed a bitcking as a Navigator. Also, he loved livestreaming. ¡°...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m quite there. But since it¡¯s your advice, I will keep it in mind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now.¡± Lessefim smiled satisfactorily, her mood greatly improved and her ears perked up.

    ¡°Enough about that. I have something to ask you. I would like you to draw a picture of that woman I saw through the tarant,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Based on the memories Jin-Hyeok had read from the tarant, Lessefim drew a woman. As she was a tracking expert, she was able to depict the woman urately.

    ¡°Hm... Yes, this is what she looked like,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°No matter how I see it, she looks like Lady Harkoen.¡±

    ¡°Is she a real person?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she is a noblewoman from a traditional prestigious family in Arvis.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she was behind all this? Why?¡±

    <i>¡®Why would a high noblewoman of Arvis target me?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Well, that woman loves beautiful things,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I told you, you are really good-looking.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face hardened. To Lessefim, it looked like Jin-Hyeok was nervous for the first time.

    ¡°Why are you nervous? Are you starting to get scared now that we¡¯re talking about a noblewoman of Arvis?¡±

    ¡°Kang Eun-Woo is in danger.¡±

    ***

    The Reverse yer Hunter content series had not yet been released to the public, but Jin-Hyeok consistently uploaded short videos on Eltube. Due to themotion in Dion, more people in Arvis were paying attention to him.

    -Isn¡¯t that Lady Harkoen?

    -It¡¯s a perfect match with the drawing.

    The woman in the drawing that Jin-Hyeok revealed was undoubtedly Lady Harkoen.

    -The drawing looks identical.

    -I heard Lady Harkoen has a hobby of collecting dolls.

    The rumor that Lady Harkoen turned living people into dolls was like an urban legend in the Arvis Server.

    -So, the rumor was true.

    -Some witnesses have seen Lady Harkoen buying humans from other Servers. They say those are the materials for the dolls.

    -What era do we live in to believe such nonsensical talk?

    -Delete yourment before you get sued.

    Regardless, Harkoen immediately released an interview about the rumors. She talked about how the circting rumors were all fake and just conspiracy theories aimed at ndering her.

    Suddenly, public opinion in support of Lady Harkoen surged.

    -Could Lady Harkoen really do such a thing?

    -When Chul-Soo was fighting with the tarant, Lady Harkoen was volunteering at the Rice Grain Orphanage. You guys should get your facts straight before talking shit.

    Lady Harkoen was known as a noblewoman from a distinguished family and was very active in volunteer and relief activities.

    -It¡¯s impossible for Lady Harkoen to do such a thing.

    That became the prevailing opinion before long.

    Harkoen slightly bit her lip. Her gaze was directed toward the Treasure Room. ¡°I must have Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°But, Ma¡¯am, the timing is not very good right now.¡±

    She threw the jade hairpin she had been wearing. The hairpin grazed the cheek of the man making the report and pierced the stone wall behind him. Blood trickled down the man¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°Do you think I care about the timing? I just missed my treasure right before my eyes!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo can be captured anytime, but it¡¯s too risky right now.¡±

    ¡°Then you have to make it not risky. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, Chambein.¡±

    This man¡¯s name was Hyde, and he was Harkoen¡¯s chambein. He had been the backbone of the family, handling the major and minor affairs of the house since Harkoen was young.

    When Harkoen had been young, he had also acted as her knight. Now, he was the person Harkoen trusted and relied on the most.

    Hyde bowed slightly and replied, ¡°Please give me a little time. Chul-Soo will soon be forgotten by the public. We can move then. I will definitely ce that treasure in your hands.¡±

    Only then did a thin smile form on Lady Harkoen¡¯s lips. ¡°As expected, the only person I can trust is you, Chambein. Come closer. I have a reward for you.¡±

    Hyde approached Harkoen, knelt on one knee, and raised his right hand. Harkoen lightly kissed the back of Hyde¡¯s hand. A lipstick mark remained on Hyde¡¯s hand, and he slowly stood up and said, ¡°Having received a reward after a long time, I should also get moving.¡±

    ***

    Upon visiting the office of Swamnd No.1, Jin-Hyeok encountered an unexpectedplication.

    ¡°Uh... So...¡± At the entrance of the office stood a woman with a white hairband tied around her forehead. She was holding a picket sign, conducting a one-person protest.

    [Chul-Soo has taken away valuable jobs from good citizens! Leave the Server!]

    It was Yolin, who had lost her job as the Swamnd Crew was wiped out. Her expression was quite serious, and in a way, it seemed desperate.

    ¡°Because of you, I am going to starve tomorrow!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok scratched his head. He felt sorry for her.

    ¡°What are you going to do about it? It¡¯s hard to find a job as good as this one!¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin. ¡°For now, I am trying to find some documents. Can you help me? I will pay you generously.¡±

    ¡°I was a regr employee here, and you made me unemployed in the blink of an eye! And now you want to hire me as a frencer? Isn¡¯t that a bit too much?!¡± Yolin bit her lip and red at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I will pay you generously.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a lump sum!¡± She had never liked lump sum. She wanted a life with a stable monthly payment, a life with a guaranteed work-life bnce. That was the life Yolin aspired to.

    ¡°Hm... How about this?¡± To Jin-Hyeok, Yolin was the person who knew the Swamnd Crew the best. If he wanted to properly learn how to create a Control Bug, he would need Yolin¡¯s help. ¡°I will introduce you to a stable andfortable job. With my rmendation, you will likely get the job.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Only then did Yolin¡¯s expression soften a bit. Her wariness seemed to lessen, and she had calmed down a bit.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok saw something very faint.

    [#Hidden Gem]

    It was brief, but he definitely saw it.

    <i>¡®What was that?¡¯</i>

    He focused his eyes and continued to observe Yolin, but nothing was visible at the moment.

    ¡°Yes, you will definitely get the job. You will be working in a foundation run by members of the Trinity Club, so it will unlikely go bankrupt. But there has to be at least a minimal interview or verification. Very minimal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s going to be like a formal procedure? I¡¯m desperate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. I promise 1.5 times the sry you received here. Guaranteed until retirement. If we can¡¯t keep you until retirement, you will receive the sry you would have gotten until retirement in a lump sum.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± Yolin¡¯s expression brightened like the sun on a spring day. Her hostile demeanor vanished, and a professional smile appeared on her face.

    Jin-Hyeok focused his eyes again.

    <strong>[Hidden Gem]</strong>

    This time, he saw it more clearly.

    <i>¡®Hidden Gem? Does that mean like a person who hides their strength?¡¯</i>

    It seemed there was something hidden about Yolin.

    ¡°What can I do for you, Boss?¡±

    ¡°I am looking for research materials rted to the Control Bug. Can you help?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will get the keys to the safe.¡±

    ¡°There is a safe here?¡±

    ¡°Is there an office without one?¡±

    <i>¡®...Is that normal?¡¯</i>

    Since he had never properly run an office, Jin-Hyeok had no idea about that. Yolin pulled a golden key from a desk drawer and led Jin-Hyeok. The safe was hidden in apletely different building.

    ¡°The safe is hidden inside a shabby building two blocks over.¡±

    As Yolin said, the safe was visible. To call it a safe was generous; in reality, the entire room was essentially a safe.

    ¡°This was the safe used by my boss, no, my former boss and the executives,¡± Yolin said.

    Jin-Hyeok looked around the room and suddenly noticed a book. ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that...! Ah, I had forgotten about that.¡± Yolin¡¯s face turned a bit red.

 Chapter 268

    <h4>Chapter 268</h4>

    He saw some thick books on a bookshelf.

    [Wild History 1]

    [Wild History 2]

    [Wild History 3]

    ¡°Of course, these aren¡¯t actually wild or anything,¡± Yolin said. She flipped through one of the books to briefly show its content. The pages were densely packed with text. ¡°It¡¯s like an unofficial history book recorded by the public. Nothing weird about it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Well, some people get the wrong idea sometimes.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s a bit odd to have these books in an office safe.¡±

    The office had other books titled Fun Stories from the Past, Believe It or Not: Old Tales, and so on.

    Yolin said with a hint of embarrassment, ¡°Well... these aren¡¯tpany property. They¡¯re my personal, well, actually, they belong to the director.¡±

    ¡°The director? You mean... Swamnd No.2?¡±

    ¡°Oh? You know our director?¡± Yolin¡¯s expression brightened. The look on her face was unmistakably one of joy.

    ¡°...Are you close with Swamnd No.2?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, we share hobbies and talk a lot. You wouldn¡¯t guess by looking at him, but he loved history.¡±

    ¡°Um... You don¡¯t watch my livestream at all, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve watched a couple of your short videos because you¡¯re so famous now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok coughed, clearing his throat. Judging by her response, he could tell that saying, ¡®I killed Swamnd No.2!¡¯ couldplicate things, so he quickly changed the subject. ¡°Do you recognize this book?¡±

    It was the book he had found in the final hideout of Swamnd No.2, the book that the God of Luck had violently reacted to¡ªIn Search of Lost History.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Startled, Yolin took the book. ¡°Could it be...?¡±

    After examining it for a while, she spoke in a deted tone. ¡°Why do you have this?¡±

    ¡°I found it at Swamnd No.2¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± At that moment, Yolin¡¯s emotions were inly visible.

    <strong>[#That bastard. #Traitor. #You said you lost it! #There is no one to trust in the world.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok did not miss the opportunity. ¡°I think he was nning to secretly keep that book to himself. It was very well hidden.¡±

    ¡°Hidden?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in a very secretive ce.¡±

    ¡°That petty bastard...!¡± Yolin trembled with a sense of betrayal. It seemed like Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attempt to sow discord was sessful.

    ¡°Swamnd No.2 and I shared amon hobby and became quite close personally. The director, no, that bastard, he never skimped on praising me for being very smart. I thought we were good friends...¡± Then she said that one day, Swamnd No.2 mentioned he had lost ¡®In Search of Lost History¡¯.

    ¡°Was he jealous of me?¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Or did he want to approach the truth that no one knows or that everyone has forgotten, all by himself?¡± Either way, she found it infuriating. ¡°I will kill him if I find himter.¡±

    ¡°There is no need. He is already dead.¡±

    ¡°<i>Hmph. </i>Good.¡±

    Yolin¡¯s quick shift in stance was so sudden that even Jin-Hyeok found it a bit startling.

    ***

    Yolin, Jin-Hyeok, and Lessefim thoroughly searched the Swamnd Crew¡¯s safe and found a few research records.

    ¡°There are some records rted to Control Bugs, but they don¡¯t go very deep. It seems there is a separate research facility, but I am not sure how to find it,¡± Lessefim said.

    Yolin also said she did not know where the Control Bug research facility was. Lessefim had looked through everything carefully, but there was not much else of note.

    Lessefim said with a hint of regret, ¡°It would have been useful if some assassination ormission records were left here.¡±

    The Swamnd Crew sometimes operated independently, but they mostly acted onmissions. Knowing whomissioned what would make it easier to understand the invisible powers that were behind all this. It would rify rtionships of gratitude or enmity and reveal who wanted what.

    For Lessefim, it would have been a valuable resource, which made this a missed opportunity.

    ¡°I have themission records,¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°...¡± Lessefim looked at the records. ¡°The records are written in ng and codes. I will have to ask my friend to decode this.¡±

    The Swamnd Crew were careless in some aspects and meticulous in others. Unfortunately for them, Lessefim was a universe-level ranker. Most of her associates were also universe-level rankers, including experts in decryption.

    ¡°I am going to take this record as a reward for helping you.¡±

    However, Yolin stepped in before Lessefim took it. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll sell it.¡± Yolin crossed her arms with a determined expression. ¡°As long as I am part of my boss¡¯spany, I have to ensure the boss gets at least some benefit.¡±

    ¡°You mean to give the money to Chul-Soo, not you?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°Of course, I told you before. I don¡¯t like lump sum.¡± All she needed was a steady monthly payment. She smiled brightly and turned to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°How did I do? You think I¡¯ll be worth the sry?¡±

    Yolin was already a part of Jin-Hyeok¡¯spany.

    ***

    Marshmallow bit his fingernails. ¡°Do you think he is going to propose a coboration livestream? You know, out of gratitude?¡±

    ¡°Just give up.¡± Encyclopedia shook his head. ¡°If you want a coboration livestream that desperately, you should propose it yourself, you know, intensely.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want a coboration livestream that much.¡±

    ¡°Well, Chul-Soo is serious.¡±

    ¡°Serious about what?¡±

    ¡°About thinking that he¡¯s just a rookie. That¡¯s why he feels he can¡¯t do a livestream with you yet,¡± Encyclopedia answered.

    The Streamer¡¯s marshmallow-shaped hair quivered like a spring. ¡°Well... he is a rookie, after all.¡±

    ¡°No, like he seriously thinks of himself as a rookie.¡±

    ¡°I-I also think he is seriously a rookie.¡±

    Encyclopedia deeply sighed. ¡°He is very different from you. He genuinely thinks he¡¯s a real rookie. Maybe he even thinks his real talent isn¡¯t in livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡± This was shocking to Marshmallow. In fact, he had never thought about his career or aptitude. He was a second-generation Streamer, ranked first in the universe, and had never considered any talent other than livestreaming.

    ¡°If Lessefim sweet-talks him into changing his Job to Navigator, Chul-Soo might start wondering if he actually has a talent for being a Navigator,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. He can¡¯t be that dumb. Who else could show such growth as a Streamer?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not dumb. He¡¯s that scary.¡± To Encyclopedia, Chul-Soo¡¯s standards seemed a bit off, no, more like misguided. Chul-Soo¡¯s standards were almost at the level of ¡®If you are not number one in the universe, you are a rookie.¡¯

    <i>¡®Even if Chul-Soo bes number one in the universe, can he ever be satisfied?¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought.

    Somehow, it seemed unlikely. That was what made Chul-Soo terrifying. As long as Chul-Soo thought of himself as a rookie, he would continue to desire growth desperately.

    Marshmallow frowned and said, ¡°So, Chul-Soo won¡¯t propose a coboration livestream with me, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Perhaps Marshmallow had gone crazy, but he began to smile. ¡°So, essentially, I am way too awesome for him to even think about suggesting a coboration livestream.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°He is so shy. Then, I must offer him a coboration livestream with my generous magnanimity.¡±

    ***

    After conversing with Yolin, Jin-Hyeok felt an emotion he had never experienced before. <i>¡®It feels like I¡¯ve truly be a CEO!¡¯</i>

    Having a conversation not as an ordinary person but as a superior was a novel and refreshing experience. It was like talking to a response machine that gave ten answers to every question. He felt like if he asked her, ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± she would reply with a pledge to reduce her sleeping hours in dedication to the cause.

    ¡°Forsaken Queen... Are you talking about Veselity?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, I am. But we must be cautious when mentioning that name, Boss.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°In Arvis, that name is implicitly forbidden. The Demon King granted the citizens of Arvis many freedoms, but ironically, he prohibited the mention of the actual name of you-know-who. By now, not many people even know of that designation.¡± Yolin continued to use other words for Veselity, such as ¡®you-know-who¡¯ and ¡®designation¡¯, as if someone was monitoring her.

    ¡°Do you know why?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Nobody knows. Even if someone did know, it would be very difficult for them to talk about it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found the whole situation very strange.

    There had always been history students interested in studying Veselity, and doctors who had published research papers rted to Veselity.

    ¡°But strangely, such papers disappear after a certain period, as if they are automatically erased. And most people who research that name either go missing or have idents,¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°Is there any clue about that name?¡±

    ¡°There is.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Yolin¡¯s eyes narrowed. She judged that this was the perfect time to ask her boss. ¡°But, Sir...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°When exactly will the interview end? Like... from my standpoint, it¡¯s a bit worrisome. We have not officially signed a contract yet, nor have I received an advance on my sry. If you wish to ask me so much, it would only be right to at least sign the contract...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was forced to reflect for a moment. Yolin had her own philosophy, and she was quite intense about it.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s write a contract. As I mentioned before, your sry will be 1.5 times more than that in your previous job. You will also be able to work until your retirement. You will get your health insurance, research funding rted to you-know-who, and future educational support for your children,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why? Is that not to your liking?¡±

    ¡°Are you nning to sell my organs or something? The terms and conditions are too generous... What kind of work would I be doing if I epted this offer?¡±

    ¡°For now, I want you to research on you-know-who. After three months, you will work as a regr employee at the MK Foundation. How about we give you three months'' sry in advance as one of the conditions?¡±

    ¡°I respect you so much, Sir.¡±

    After a few special provisions were added to Arvis¡¯s standard contract, Yolin signed the contract. Thanks to the excellent contract conditions, Yolin was in an excellent mood. ¡°Ah! I will continue with what I was saying earlier. There are ces presumed to be mansions where you-know-who once lived.¡±

    ¡°Mansions?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But they were burned down a long time ago, and only the foundations remain now. Opinions vary, but there are three ces that Bastard No.2 and I suspect. We have already visited them.¡±

    ¡°... I see.¡±

    ¡°With our abilities, there wasn¡¯t much we could find out. But now, we have a Navigator yer far superior to me, so maybe it will be different this time.¡± Yolin nced to the side and looked at Lessefim, the fifth-ranked yer in Arvis.

    ¡°....Me?¡± Lessefim said. She was not listening to their conversation, thinking about how she could stay closer to Jin-Hyeok and how to make it more natural. She just could not stop staring at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s incredibly handsome face. Yolin¡¯s words gave her the perfect excuse.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re asking for my help, I am willing to offer it to some extent,¡± the Navigator said.

    ¡°You? You want to help me again?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked. Jin-Hyeok assumed she had helped him before because Marshmallow had introduced him to her. This time, there was no such pretext.

    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I dislike it... but it¡¯s strange that you¡¯re helping me, a rookie,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Lessefim was momentarily at a loss for words. <i>¡®Is he taunting me?¡¯</i>

    Yet, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes were excessively clear and pure. He seemed like a madman with clear eyes.

    ¡°What are you talking about,¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it a waste of your time? Helping out a rookie?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What if you fall to rank six because you yed with me?¡±

    ¡°No, I just find looking at your face amusing, so I want to help you out.¡±

    <i>¡®How can that be the reason? I am not as handsome as Kang Eun-Woo,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. <i>¡®She¡¯s still suspicious.¡¯</i>

    He decided to be a bit cautious, wondering if this was another form of seduction.

 Chapter 269

    <h4>Chapter 269</h4>

    With groundbreaking benefits and sry guaranteed to her, Yolin became a very proactive employee. ¡°Boss, about the Control Bug research facility...¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to know anything about it?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s rted to Control Bugs, but an insect farm is registered under thepany¡¯s name.¡±

    ¡°Is there?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°It seems you had taken a lot of interest in your previouspany.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± In her previous job, Yolin had a lot of time on her hands. With that time came a lot of worries. She wondered what she would do if thepany went under and where else she could find such a sweet job. Naturally, she was very interested in thepany.

    ¡°I was quite worried thepany might go under and also curious about how exactly thepany makes money to pay my sry.¡±

    <i>¡®Indeed, she¡¯s an employee with her own philosophy.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was slightly moved by her passion.

    ¡°My previouspany was somewhat like a courier service, right? So it having an insect farm seemed totally out of ce to me. Do you want me to give you the exact address?¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°You know the exact address?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was the one who managed all the utility bills, so I do know it.¡±

    Although it was unclear if that ce was rted to Control Bugs, Jin-Hyeok decided to note down the address for now.

    ***

    The content Jin-Hyeok had to produce in Arvis was divided into two main categories. One was a universe-level Scenario rted to the Forsaken Queen, Veselity. The other was a series of sub-stories derived from the battles with the Swamnd Crew.

    <i>¡®The Veselity content is just too big in scale,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. This content was too difficult to proceed with right away and would take a lot of time. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s residency period would end before he could even properly tackle the content. <i>¡®Let¡¯s check out the insect farm first.¡¯</i>

    Yolin, who had found the address in her desk drawer, said with a bit of worry, ¡°Ah, but it¡¯s quite far from here. There is no direct warp portal, and the concentration of mana is so faint that most types of flying mounts can¡¯t be used to go there.¡±

    ¡°How did Swamnd No.2 go there?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, the director... I mean that bastard traveled by a trade airship.¡± Trade airships were created with the unique technology of the Magic Empire, Mazique. They were almost the only means of transportation to the farm. ¡°There is also the option of going by boat, but that takes at least two months, and sailors are likely to be reluctant to sail on that route.¡±

    The insect farm was located on one of the many inds of the Saina Archipgo. The Saina Archipgo was responsible for the <i>factories and farms </i>in the Arvis Server. In other words, it was an industrial zone.

    In the past, the nobles of Arvis detested having factories near their residences. Therefore, even though it was somewhat inefficient, they crammed all those factories into the far-off Saina Archipgo to create an industrial zone.

    <i>¡®So that archipgo is considered the ce where the poorest live within Arvis.¡¯</i>

    For Cha Jin-Hyeok, who was from Earth, this was quite shocking. He could not believe such a pce existed in Arvis, which was known to be among the wealthiest Servers in the universe.

    Being such a remote location and cut off from civilization, the Saina Archipgo was rife with discrimination based on social status. Mostly ves and a few guards lived there, producing goods inrge quantities that Arvis needed.

    ¡°But to book a trade airship, you need to do it at least a month in advance. Or you need special permission from the Mazique Empire...¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°What about Swamnd No.2? How did he do it?¡±

    ¡°Well, he had a special permit from the Mazique Empire.¡±

    <i>¡®If Swamnd No.2 could get one, can¡¯t I?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    However, as if she had cast a spell to read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, Yolin smoothly continued, ¡°Actually, I did prepare and submit the application document... I honestly thought it would not get approved, but it did. I have no idea what the conditions for approval are.¡±

    ¡°Yolin, do you have a skill like Broadcaster¡¯s Insight?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s nothing. Please continue.¡±

    Yolin did not object to the boss¡¯s words. She continued to talk because she was told to. ¡°Normally, it takes over a year to get approval. Strangely, that bastard got it approved quickly... Anyway, the conclusion is that it is difficult to go there right now.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just fly there?¡±

    ¡°Well... technically yes. As long as we properly file a flight report.¡± Yolin thought about it for a moment. She contemted whether she should dissuade the boss or not. She knew well that if the boss said he wanted to do something, it was usually best to let him, to avoidplicationster.

    <i>¡®I need to protect my boss,¡¯ </i>Yolin thought. Many people had recklessly tried to fly to the Saina Archipgo on their own. However, almost none were sessful, and most were either missing or dead.

    ¡°It¡¯s too reckless, Boss. The sky route to the Saina Archipgo is very, very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Yolin quickly read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intentions with the intuition of an employee. <i>¡®He seems a bit crazy! I have a feeling that he¡¯s thinking about how to create good content for his Eltube channel.¡¯</i>

    Thus, Yolin became anxious. She had already lost her previous boss; she could not afford to lose another. ¡°No, you can¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°What if I have an excellent mount?¡±

    ¡°Still no!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s too... dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You are the one who pays my sry! The longer you stay healthy, the longer I happily receive my sry.¡±

    ¡°If you think that it¡¯s dangerous, others must think the same, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Can you tell me realistically how dangerous and arduous the journey is?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart throbbed. <i>¡®This is perfect content for my Eltube channel!¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°It¡¯smon for summoned beings to be weaker when called on in another Server, but in the case of the Thunder Dragon, the effect is even more severe. Earth simply cannot handle a being as powerful and magnificent as the Thunder Dragon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    However, Arvis was a bit different. Although the dragon would not be as unrestricted here as it was in Scanorbia, its residence, it would clearly face much less restriction here than it would on the Earth Server.

    After climbing onto the back of the Thunder Dragon, Lessefim felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness. ¡°You... tamed a Thunder Dragon?¡±

    She strongly thought that Chul-Soo¡¯s true talenty in being a Navigator, but...

    <i>¡®Was he actually meant to be a Tamer?¡¯ </i>

    Across the universe, very few had seeded in taming a Thunder Dragon. Taming a Thunder Dragon was not just a matter of skill. It required timing and luck, as well as the Thunder Dragon having fond feelings toward the Tamer.

    <i>¡®Should I just give up on trying to persuade him to change his Job?¡¯</i>

    Lessefim wondered why Chul-Soo had chosen to be a Streamer when he had such aptitude and talent as a Tamer. This meant that Chul-Soo chose to be a Streamer because he truly enjoyed it. There was nothing scarier than a yer who enjoyed their y.

    <i>¡®Why be a Streamer with such talent?¡¯</i>

    As the situation reached this point, Lessefim was able to look at Jin-Hyeok with a more objective perspective. She had been so eager to convert him to a Navigator that she had missed, or rather ignored, certain aspects.

    <i>¡®I heard that he¡¯s unofficially ranked number one on the Earth Server... And the person who introduced me to him was none other than Marshmallow, right?¡¯</i>

    The fact that the haughty Marshmallow had introduced Chul-Soo as a Streamer and not a yer of another Job meant that Marshmallow acknowledged Chul-Soo as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®And the Earth Server has not been officially open for even a year... and he already has the gold button?¡¯</i>

    The picture was beginning to be clear for Lessefim. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true calling was indeed bing a Streamer. She grabbed the hem of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s clothes tightly. ¡°It¡¯s my first time riding a Thunder Dragon...¡±

    ¡°It might get a bit dizzy. Park Terse said he threw up after riding it.¡±

    ¡°Who is Terse?¡±

    ¡°He is the number one Tamer on the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so a beginner Server like the Earth Server has an integrated Server ranking system?¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s ranked number one in the United States, so he¡¯s roughly the number one on the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°...And what¡¯s your rank?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. You know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    [¡°Let¡¯s fly.¡±]

    The Thunder Dragon began to p its wings. Indeed, Lessefim was different from Terse. Even as they soared through the sky at tremendous speeds, Lessefim was not particrly panicked or afraid. Instead, she offered advice on aspects that Jin-Hyeok had not considered.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, are you still going to continue investigating you-know-who? You know, that universe-level Scenario?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have much time left to stay in Arvis.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not received an official visa for Arvis; he hade to the Server on Marshmallow¡¯s invitation. Moreover, after having caused a major incident in Arvis, he had drawn a lot of attention, which made it difficult for him to stay in Arvis through loopholes.

    <i>¡®If Harkoen is really involved, she will try to force Chul-Soo out of Arvis first,¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    She felt inexplicably sad thinking about Chul-Soo leaving and clutched his clothes tighter. ¡°So, you need to acquire citizenship.¡±

    ¡°Citizenship?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, official citizenship takes a long time, but Arvis has an honorary citizenship program. This program grants citizenship for about ten years.¡±

    <i>¡®And you can apply for official citizenship in the meantime!¡¯ </i>Lessefim could not help but smile.

    ¡°How do I get that?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You need to make significant contributions to the public good of Arvis. Like how you saved Liling from the clutches of evil and pursued the root of that evil to the end, eliminating Swamnd No.2. As a result, the corruption in Dion was also exposed.¡±

    The mayor of Dion had taken responsibility for the corruption of the guard force by leaving a suicide note and taking his own life. The note said it was all his fault for the events that transpired. He hoped that no harm woulde to others because of him, apologized to his family, and so on.

    Although many said he was forced tomit suicide, the corruption issue in Dion was resolved, nheless. A massive search of the Dion mayor¡¯s office followed, uncovering numerous corrupt practices and tax evasion.

    Lessefim continued, ¡°Your actions were too clean and quick, so some people were a bit suspicious, but you didy the foundation for restoring justice.¡±

    ¡°...I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Yes. The footage has not been fully released yet, but once it is, you will definitely qualify for honorary citizenship. Of course, you cannot apply yourself; a citizen of Arvis has to do it for you.... But that¡¯s something I can do.¡± Lessefim¡¯s face turned red. Now was the time to reveal her true emotions. ¡°That being said, about the footage that hasn¡¯t been released yet... Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I reviewed it first?¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I need to see the content and the unedited full story first to write an appropriate rmendation for your citizenship.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head again. <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t she be the one who knows the best? About the full story? I mean, we were ying together all this time.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ah fine, I¡¯ll be honest. Just let me see the unedited videos first. I won¡¯t ask for any otherpensation,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve... fallen for you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to turn back from heading toward the Saina Archipgo. As Lessefim said, acquiring the honorary citizenship first and proceeding with his content seemed much better options. Now that a lot of attention was on him, it seemed especially advantageous for him to obtain citizenship. However, the n did not go as he thought.

    ¡°I wrote the rmendation letter, Marshmallow added his name as a rmender, and Chul-Soo released the videos! But why was the citizenship denied? How does that make sense?¡± Lessefim seemed indignant. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for the denial?¡±

    She read through the document stating the reasons for the rejection.

 Chapter 270

    <h4>Chapter 270</h4>

    Encyclopedia heavily sighed, stroking his chin. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they rejected it.¡±

    ¡°...Hey, I¡¯m the one who is embarrassed because of you,¡± Marshmallow said.

    In onlinemunities, numerous users were mocking Marshmallow.

    ~ -???: ¡°Since I rmended him, I thought he¡¯d surely be an honorary citizen.¡±

    -Showing off his overconfidence in hisst livestream, yet here we are. LOL!

    -I screenshot-ed that expression from thest livestream.

    Marshmallow had revealed in hisst livestream that he had rmended Kim Chul-Soo for honorary citizenship. He confidently stated that since he was the one making the rmendation, Chul-Soo would be an honorary citizen of Arvis in no time. Naturally, a hint of pride seeped through his expression, which his editor had emphasized.

    It was not just Marshmallow; everyone around him expected Chul-Soo to be an honorary citizen. Encyclopedia was no exception. In fact, Encyclopedia had suggested Marshmallow to rmend Chul-Soo in the first ce.

    ¡°I checked the reason for the rejection. It¡¯s somewhat hard to ept,¡± Encyclopedia awkwardly replied.

    ¡°Go on, enlighten me, my brilliant friend.¡±

    ¡°I honestly thought he would be granted citizenship... The public opinion was not even bad.¡±

    ¡°But he wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s strange. Including the Dion mayor¡¯s suicide incident... Something¡¯s definitely off.¡±

    The situation with the suicide had been too swift and effective. Encyclopedia genuinely viewed it more as a murder than a suicide.

    ¡°Cut to the chase. I am in a bad mood because of the mocking,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°Do you think Lady Harkoen might be involved?¡±

    ¡°...No way! Why would Harkoen go to such lengths over Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Have you <i>seen </i>Chul-Soo¡¯s face?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±

    ¡°And you still question it?¡±

    Marshmallow frowned slightly. He was annoyed that he was beginning to understand Encyclopedia¡¯s nonsensical exnation.

    Encyclopedia continued, ¡°But if Lady Harkoen is indeed involved, eventually, Chul-Soo and Lady Harkoen will sh, right?¡±

    The scale of the Swamnd Crew and the Harkoen family was iparable. If the Swamnd Crew was a single soldier, then the Harkoen family was an entire army. In other words, Chul-Soo was the egg, and the Harkoen family was the rock. No one could smash a rock with an egg.

    Marshmallow frowned again and said, ¡°Stop beating around the bush. What was the reason for rejection?¡±

    ¡°Absence of rmenders from any empire.¡±

    ¡°Is that a thing?¡±

    ¡°It was introduced recently.¡±

    Recently, a new condition was added for bing an honorary citizen. One needed rmendations from certain groups designated by any empire. To prevent the situation where someone gained honorary citizenship solely based on support from one specific group, it was necessary to prove that one was supported by various sectors of society.

    ¡°They have asked to submit additional documents showing support from the Farmers,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°Why Farmers of all people?¡± Marshmallow frowned. He was not particrly fond of yers with that Job. Most Farmers still thought the best Streamer on the Arvis Server was Chokoli. Chokoli was Marshmallow¡¯s father and the top-ranked Streamer of the Arvis Server decades ago.

    ¡°Why does Chul-Soo need approval from those Farmers, who are still living in the past?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°Are you discriminating against Jobs now?¡±

    ¡°Me? Discriminating against Farmers, who value history, tradition, and experience? I would never.¡±

    The world was changing every day, yet the Farmers remained stuck in the past¡ªat least, that was Marshmallow¡¯s assessment. Encyclopedia shared a simr point of view, stating:

    <strong>[...(Skipped)... Farmers are one of the most conservative groups within Arvis, with an average age significantly higher than that of yers with other Jobs.]</strong>

    Even in other onlinemunities, there was little disagreement that Arvis¡¯s Farmers were a very conservative group.

    Marshmallow frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this basically mean they won¡¯t ept Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Most likely, yes.¡±

    Most would give up at this point. The task of gaining rmendations from the Farmers was daunting. Moreover, the deadline for submitting supplementary documents was just two weekster.

    ¡°Hey, Marshmallow, will you trust me one more time?¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°...Trust you again? Do you know how much I have been ridiculed recently because of you?¡±

    ¡°Just trust me this time.¡±

    ¡°Go on, then.¡±

    ¡°You know how videos are being poured out daily stating why Chul-Soo cannot be an honorary citizen, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s make a video with one reason why Chul-Soo <i>can</i> be an honorary citizen.¡±

    ¡°You said they asked for rmendations from the Farmers. Isn¡¯t that basically the same as saying they won¡¯t approve it? Why should I bother making a video about it?¡±

    ¡°Because Chul-Soo is Chul-Soo,¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s livestream with that title.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Why would I make an exclusive video about Chul-Soo? And what¡¯s with the title? It makes me sound like I am one of the Chul-Soo Landers.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Get a grip, Encyclopedia. There¡¯s a limit to how much you should suck up.¡±

    The next day, Marshmallow uploaded a video.

    [Chul-Soo is Chul-Soo.]

    ***

    At the same time, a big event was happening on the Earth Server.

    -Did you see the conditions set by Chul-Soo?

    -I thought I went back in time to the 80s, LOL!

    -This is against theborw, isn¡¯t it? Are you kidding me? LOL! We keep coddling Chul-Soo, and now he has crossed the line.

    Chul-Soo had announced he was recruiting Farmers. His n was to recruit yers who would be dispatched to Arvis, an advanced Server, to learn advanced agricultural techniques.

    -It¡¯s not even an overseas dispatch but a Server dispatch, and he is only giving them the minimum wage?

    -This is so different from his conditions when he recruited yers for Scanorbia.

    Back when he was recruiting yers for Scanorbia, the Farmer yers were givennd and paid well. However, this time, not only was Chul-Soo not giving outnd, but the sry also barely met the legal minimum wage.

    -It¡¯s not just the low wages, lol.

    Some people copied the recruitment conditions and posted them online.

    [*We need someone who can endure some humiliation and unfairness.]

    [*We cannot guarantee reasonable working hours.]

    [*We need someone who will work with enthusiasm and passion as if it were their own business.]

    [We need someone who can endure and be patient with poor living conditions.]

    Many people ridiculed Jin-Hyeok.

    -This is worse than not recruiting at all.

    -How is Chul-Soo going to recruit anyone with those conditions?

    -Unless someone¡¯s got a screw loose, no one would go with him.

    In truth, Jin-Hyeok was aware of what ordinary people thought. He had initially wanted to have the same conditions as he had put forth in the Scanorbia situation, offering good sries and benefits to bring people to Arvis, but Wang Yu-Mi and Han Sae-Rin had opposed that idea.

    ¡°I¡¯m against it!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    The two of them made the same argument as if they were of one mind.

    ¡°Actually, we shouldn¡¯t pay them at all!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a test of pure passion.¡±

    To Jin-Hyeok, it seemed their eyes harbored a simr kind of madness. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that those who apply for the money aren¡¯t worth considering?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    ¡°I think so too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also thought so. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it that way.¡±

    On the day of recruitment, the application closed in just twenty seconds. There were so many applicants that for every three hundred applicants Jin-Hyeok could only recruit one. Farmers from all over the world rushed in. Most of them were top rankers from various Regions.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. <i>¡®I knew it would be thispetitive.¡¯</i>

    Being able to endure some unfairness, thinking that it was okay not to make money, and being willing to tolerate some humiliation were the features of the mindset needed to be a top ranker.

    <i>¡®I wasn¡¯t wrong with my reasoning!¡¯</i>

    The onlinemunities¡¯ opinion had somewhat shaken Jin-Hyeok, but now, he felt validated that his reasoning was not wrong. The task of filtering the first-round applicants was handed over to Yolin, who had recently joined the organization. Yolin showed considerable administrative skills and screened the applicants.

    ¡°There was one special applicant that I wanted to report to you separately.¡± Yolin gave Jin-Hyeok a piece of paper.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was surprised. He saw a familiar name. <i>¡®Kimaev?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered the yer distinctly from when he had been passing through Scanorbia.

    <strong>[LV209/Kimaev/Arborist/<u>Savior of Trees</u>]</strong>

    Kimaev had a good reputation among the farmers.

    <i>¡°They say he has the ability to revive dead nts.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°The harvest turned out really great with that guy¡¯s help.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°He seems to have a very rare ability.¡±</i>

    This Level-209 Farmer with a 9-Star Job wrote in his application,

    [....(Skipped)... If you choose me, I will donate mynd from Scanorbia to the MK Foundation and also donate three million Dias a month.]

    Instead of receiving a sry, Kimaev wanted to pay Chul-Soo to be dispatched to the Arvis Server. It was a testament to how intense he was about going there. Kimaev¡¯s fierceness was different from that of others.

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly impressed. ¡°He is worthy of being an excellent Farmer.¡±

    About two hundred yers were assembled to be transferred to Arvis, all top rankers from various countries.

    ***

    The yer base in Arvis¡¯s agricultural sector was aging. The agricultural sector had suffered from chronicbor shortages. The three empires of Arvis operated many support systems to promote the primary industry, one of which was the Labor Input System.

    Agricultural yers could request the entry of yers from other Servers into Arvis. yers from other Servers could get abor visa to help out with work. Recently, hardly any yers used this system. Now that the colonial system was gone, few people were willing to readily ept the requests of Arvis¡¯s Farmers. However, this time, as many as two hundred yers were dispatched to Arvis.

    ¡°I really like the look in their eyes! They¡¯re passionate.¡±

    ¡°I remember the yers from the colonies didn¡¯t have any passion in them, hahaha!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be fun to put them to work!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve got some third-ss citizens! The harvest this fall will be a bit easier.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok conversed with an elderly man. It was the same elderly man with whom he had previously discussed matters rted to the Golden Guardian Tree. The old man¡¯s name was Trituri.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve really brought us some third-ss citizens,¡± the elderly man said.

    ¡°Did I not promise?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. Although he said that, even he had not expected it to happen so soon.

    ¡°These days, third-ss citizens are sozy, you know. Theyin about wages, how they¡¯re treated, amodations, and whatnot. Ah, I remember the old days.¡±

    ¡°Sir, may I ask you something?¡±

    Naturally, the elderly man did not listen to Jin-Hyeok; perhaps he had been longing to have a conversation with someone. The elderly man just went on about what he wanted to say and bragged. However, the bragging was actually what Jin-Hyeok wanted to ask about.

    ¡°...Oh, really? There is a very effective fertilizer for the Guardian Tree?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Trituri felt that Jin-Hyeok was quite amendable third-ss citizen.

    Trituri was a Farmer who considered growing the Golden Guardian Tree the pride and medal of his life. Wherever he went, he always talked about the Guardian Tree, but in truth, most people were not very interested in his tree stories. So, when Jin-Hyeok listened to his story with great interest, he naturally became excited.

    ¡°...So, that¡¯s how I did it. Do you know what happened as a result? The young Guardian Tree grew into arge Guardian Tree in no time, ahem!¡± he said.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quite impressive!¡±

    While they were having various conversations, Jin-Hyeok revealed that he was also the nter of a Guardian Tree. Trituri looked at Jin-Hyeok with a smile, as if he was looking at a very promising young sprout. For the first time, he listened to what Jin-Hyeok had to say.

    ¡°So? What happened next?¡± Trituri said.

    ¡°Well, after that, I developed a mental connection with the Guardian Tree, and we have been able to talk to each other. Lately, the Guardian Tree has been keen on aggressively smashing monsters, though. Is this normal?¡±

    Before long, Trituri¡¯s expression became serious. It was so serious that he almost seemed grave.

    <i>¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°Ah, so, ah, uh... yeah... You¡¯re saying... you are having conversations with... the Guardian Tree...?¡± Trituri was feeling intense emotions.

    <strong>[#Conversation with the Guardian Tree? #Is that even possible?]</strong>

 Chapter 271

    <h4>Chapter 271</h4>

    Trituri still remembered what his grandfather had told him nearly one hundred years ago.

    <i>¡°The best Farmer is the one who can talk to their crops!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Ah, you¡¯re lying, Grandpa! How can anyone talk to crops?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You can. My grandfather¡¯s grandfather talked with a Guardian Tree that shone with a golden light.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Wow, really?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Of course!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I want to talk with my crops too!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Talking with crops is something only extraordinary Farmers chosen by the heavens can do, and you, Trituri, will surely be able to.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I want to talk with a Guardian Tree when I grow up!¡±</i>

    Trituri¡¯s grandfather had patted the young child¡¯s head with hisrge hand.

    <i>¡°Hahaha! That is also my dream!¡±</i>

    Since then, Trituri¡¯s dream had been to converse with a Guardian Tree. He had worked hard to grow a Guardian Tree, and his dream was partially fulfilled. He became the main contributor to the establishment of a giant Guardian Tree in the Arvis Server, even being recognized as the most excellent Farmer of the year by the Mazique Empire. However, Trituri was not happy.

    <i>¡®I... can¡¯t hear its voice...!¡¯</i>

    It was only a half sess. Now, about one hundred yearster, a rookie yer from the Earth Server imed to have conversed with the Guardian Tree, which left the old Farmer withplicated thoughts and emotions.

    <strong>[#Is he telling the truth?]</strong>

    Trituri was not sure if Chul-Soo was being truthful, but he felt envious, nheless.

    <strong>[#It was my lifelong wish.]</strong>

    For a moment, Trituri felt a slight resentment toward the young man. If the statement was true, he would feel jealous; if it was false, he would feel deceived. However, Trituri quickly adjusted his attitude.

    <i>¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t resent him!¡¯</i>

    This was an opportunity given by the gods. Trituri realized his sessor could achieve what he could not.

    <strong>[#I will definitely make him my disciple.]</strong>

    Trituri firmly decided to cultivate Cha Jin-Hyeok as a Farmer. ¡°Hm... You said your name was Kim Chul-Soo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± Jin-Hyeok tensed up for a moment. He saw the same kind of madness in Trituri¡¯s eyes that he had seen in the eyes of other crazy people. It seemed that among the top rankers, there was a high proportion of mad yers, and Jin-Hyeok had be adept at recognizing that look.

    ¡°Are you a Farmer?¡± Trituri asked.

    ¡°No, I am a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that.¡±

    ¡°No... I am a Streamer, as in I livestream for a living.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s a kind of Farmer, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    As usual, Trituri did not really listen to what Jin-Hyeok said. He tended to hear what he wanted to hear. In his mind, the form ¡®Farmer = Streamer¡¯ was already established.

    <strong>[#I have decided to make you my disciple.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had an intuition that if he wasn¡¯t careful, he could be roped into something. So, he said, ¡°That was my childhood dream.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Talking with the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°So, was that a dream?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Thought so.¡± Trituri frowned slightly but did not probe any further.

    Trituri epted it more easily than Jin-Hyeok expected. Although the old Farmer genuinely wanted to take Jin-Hyeok as his disciple, part of him did not want to believe that someone else had conversed with the Guardian Tree. So, he quickly epted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s statement that it was just a dream.

    ¡°I may not have much talent in farming, but I am curious about something. May I ask you?¡± Knowing that Trituri would probably just hear what he wanted to, Jin-Hyeok quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s about the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°Ah, of course! Feel free to ask anything.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned that there is this special fertilizer that helps grow Guardian Trees. Can you tell me what it is?¡±

    ¡°Ah, there is nothing special about it. Guardian Trees are sacred trees. So, anything with spiritual energy can be nourishment for them.¡±

    ¡°When you say something with spiritual energy, you mean...?¡±

    ¡°Spirit Stones are good, or anything possessing a will.¡± Trituri began to talk about his experiences again. ¡°Ah, I miss the old days. You could just grind up Control Bugs and give them to the trees.¡±

    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°A Control Bug is like a parasite that burrows into the psyche of living beings. When you¡¯re talking about just one Control Bug, its spiritual power is very weak, but when they are produced inrge quantities and used as fertilizer, there is nothing more cost-effective.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Think about it. How many things in this world possess a will?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized that the only artifact with a will he knew of was Miri. Obviously, he could not just grind up Miri and feed the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t Spirit Stones be the best option?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Spirit Stones have distinct properties, so sometimes, problems can ur when they are used as fertilizer. If a Spirit Stone matches well with the Guardian Tree, it¡¯s fine, but if not, the Guardian Tree can get sick. Plus, it¡¯s harder to acquire the Spirit Stones.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to feed it moderately good things on a consistent basis than to feed it something great only once. There is nothing better than Control Bugs in many ways. But nowadays, they have banned Control Bugs because of human rights and whatnot. God, I miss the old days.¡±

    ***

    The Farmers in the Arvis Server looked upon Jin-Hyeok very favorably.

    ¡°You want to be an honorary citizen? As a third-ss citizen?¡±

    While some Farmers scoffed at the audacity of such a notion, Trituri stepped forward to persuade them. He argued that despite being a third-ss citizen, Jin-Hyeok was an excellent individual. Moreover, Jin-Hyeok had also brought over two hundred exceptionally passionate, almost vish, workers. Thanks to this, work was expected to be much easier this year.

    ¡°Hm... I guess we can make him an honorary citizen.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll agree to it. Why not.¡±

    Eventually, Jin-Hyeok became an honorary citizen of Arvis, gaining the right to freely enter and exit the territories of the three empires of Arvis. Legally, for the next ten years, he would receive the same treatment as received by a citizen of Arvis.

    Marshmallow said with a confident expression, ¡°Huh? Of course, it was all part of my big picture.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s self-proimed n received fervent support from his fans.

    -I knew it!

    -Marshmallow is Marshmallow, after all!

    ¡°Of course, I thought people would mock and ridicule me. All of this was anticipated. Think of it as a small conflict before the grand finale.¡±

    -Where are those who mocked Marshmallow? Come out!!

    -They were all yed by Marshmallow! LOL.

    -Haha, yeah, they can¡¯t even see what¡¯s going on in front of them!

    In any case, Marshmallow¡¯s livestream was a sess. He was very satisfied with the number of views and likes he had received. Nevertheless, after finishing the livestream, he tilted his head in confusion. ¡°But, how did he get the rmendations from the Farmers?¡±

    Marshmallow himself did not fully understand how things had unfolded. However, thest video he posted was a hit.

    [Chul-Soo is Chul-Soo.]

    -I knew this video was going to be a hit!

    -22222

    -33333

    Marshmallow sprawled out on the sofa. ¡°I guess... Chul-Soo is really Chul-Soo. Wait, what the hell am I thinking?¡±

    For a moment, he felt a deep sense of self-reproach for thinking like Chul-Soo Landers. However, seeing the increase in the views, likes, andments on his video cheered him up again.

    His true feelings inadvertently slipped out. ¡°Should I just be a Chul-Soo Lander? When is the recruitment for second-generation membership?¡±

    ***

    Having secured the status of an honorary citizen, Jin-Hyeok could now head to the Saina Archipgo with peace of mind. The Thunder Dragon was an exceptionally outstanding mount, allowing Jin-Hyeok and Lessefim to arrive at the archipgo rtively easily.

    Lessefim marveled once again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we came here so easily.¡±

    ¡°Is it really such a big deal?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well, taming a Thunder Dragon is impressive in itself, but what¡¯s even more remarkable is that we made it here safely.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. <i>¡®Is arriving here safely that impressive?¡¯</i>

    ¡°While only a very few have seeded in taming a Thunder Dragon, more than half of those who did have been killed by it,¡± Lessefim continued.

    ¡°Killed by the Thunder Dragon? How?¡±

    ¡°Some get killed directly by the enraged Thunder Dragon, while others are dropped from the sky as if it¡¯s an ident.¡±

    <i>¡®...I¡¯ve never heard of this before!¡¯</i>

    This was new information for Jin-Hyeok. Before his regression, he had just seen how Park Terse had easily ridden a Thunder Dragon. So, Jin-Hyeok had just emted Terse. It seemed that by universal standards, this was considered a remarkable feat.

    Lessefim walked ahead after taking off her shoes. ¡°The sand here is incredibly fine, which feels nice to walk on, but watch out for monsters like Sand Worms.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just smash their heads?¡±

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    Lessefim was about to suggest avoiding the monsters but then realized that would not be necessary. She was still not sure if <i>smashing heads </i>was necessary, but if thebatant-ss yer found it convenient, following that order was easier.

    Leading the way with her footsteps, Lessefim asked something she had been curious about, ¡°There is something I¡¯ve been wondering.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call the Thunder Dragon when we were fighting the Silver Thread Tarant? From what I saw of what your Thunder Dragon can do, it could have made the fight much easier.¡± Lessefim suddenly pped her palm with her fist as if she had realized something. ¡°Ah! Is your Thunder Dragon the type that refuses to fight?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to be so proud.¡±

    <i>¡®Tamers tend to get overly sensitive when they are told they can¡¯t do something,¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    She knew very well that Tamers had this tendency. They could never admit something like their Thunder Dragon not obeying them or refusing to fight.

    ¡°Thunder Dragons are naturally fussy and stubbornly refuse to do anything they dislike. So, don¡¯t worry,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I was saving it as ast resort.¡±

    ¡°...Ast resort?¡±

    Lessefim had already seen the unreleased footage. The video was shot in first-person, and there were plenty of moments that needed a <ist resort</i>.

    ¡°But you were about to get eaten by the tarant,¡± she said.

    <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t that usually call for ast resort?¡¯</i>

    She continued, ¡°There was no guarantee that the Control Bug would work.¡±

    It was fortunate that the Control Bug had worked, but if it hadn¡¯t, Jin-Hyeok would have likely been eaten. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression hardened slightly. She felt somewhat pleased with this rtively sensible reaction, d that he was notpletely crazy.

    ¡°Have you seen someone who is digested in 0.1 seconds after being eaten?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The tarant did not seem to have that kind of powerful digestive ability.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. They wouldn¡¯t get digested immediately.¡±

    ¡°Or did the monster have venomous fangs that kill you as soon as it bites?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not that, then what¡¯s the issue?¡± Jin-Hyeok scratched his head. ¡°As long as you protect your head, you can survive being chewed on for a few minutes, right?¡±

    After a moment of silence, Lessefim gave her honest opinion. ¡°You¡¯re really cool, you know.¡±

    ¡°Please subscribe, like, and turn on notifications.¡±

    <i>¡®When is the official sign-up schedule for the second-generation Chul-Soo Land?¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought. She decided to look into that as soon as this affair was wrapped up.

    ***

    The road conditions in the Saina Archipgo were quite poor. Of course, <i>poor </i>here meant <i>poor by Arvis standards. </i>

    The cities in the three empires of Arvis boasted freely essible skyways and were closely interconnected with warp portals, but this was not the case in the archipgo. The situation wasparable to that of Earth. Most vehicles ran on wheels across the ground, and warp portals were scarce.

    ¡°Ah, I know that ce. The fair is going to be 380,000 Dias.¡± Taxis were avable in the Saina Archipgo, but the fare was extremely high. ording to Lessefim, it was more than ten times the usual rate.

    Jin-Hyeok and Lessefim considered flying on the Thunder Dragon instead, but flying was prohibited within the Saina Archipgo.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, just go away.¡± The taxi driver instantly recognized them as outsiders. ¡°There aren¡¯t many taxis here anyway. I¡¯m quite conscientious, so why not just get in?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why are you wasting my time?! Time is money!¡± The taxi driver¡¯s attitude was somewhat aggressive. Refusing the ride seemed like it could provoke a physical confrontation.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll get in,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Wise choice. I was about to get angry.¡±

    They paid the hefty fare and got on the taxi.

    After arriving at the destination, the taxi driver said, ¡°Have a nice day!¡±

    Watching the overly pleased driver after being charged nearly ten times the normal rate, Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°Pretty soon, that taxi is going to catch fire.¡±

    On top of the taxi¡¯s trunk sat a girl made of mes, waving at Jin-Hyeok. She said with a broad smile, ¡°Elly is going to have a lot of fun today!¡±

 Chapter 272

    <h4>Chapter 272</h4>

    Observing Elines smiling so brightly, Lessefim momentarily felt a bit sour. <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    A transcendental aura was palpable around Elines. It was unrted to her cute appearance or atmosphere, nor was it connected to her current strength. Every living being possessed its unique aura, but the vibe emanating from this adorable girl was far from ordinary.

    ¡°Who is that kid?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s Elly, a Spirit I have a contract with.¡± Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°You really haven¡¯t watched my livestreams, have you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time.¡± Lessefim flinched for a moment.

    <i>¡®Wait... why am I making excuses about not watching his livestreams?¡¯</i>

    The name Elly was somewhat familiar.

    ¡°Elly... Hm, that name rings a bell,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s quite famous, being the Spirit King¡¯s daughter and all that. Her real name is Elines.¡±

    ¡°...Ah! You mean the daughter of that overly doting Spirit King, Alkinas?¡± Lessefim stopped in her tracks.

    <i>¡®She is Alkinas¡¯s daughter? Out of all the Spirit Kings...¡¯</i>

    The universe harbored numerous Spirit realms, some of them being Named realms. Alkinas was considered a Named Spirit King, possessing enough power to burn down an entire Server if he wished, showcasing his formidable strength.

    Lessefim was genuinely confused. <i>¡®Come to think of it, I naturally thought of Chul-Soo as abatant-ss yer.¡¯</i>

    She had thought of Chul-Soo as abatant-ss yer, then a Tamer. Now, she learned that he had a contract with the Spirit King¡¯s daughter. She wondered if he was genuinely talented as a Spirit Mage.

    ¡°It would have been impossible without Alkinas¡¯s approval...¡±

    ¡°Of course, Alkinas gave his permission.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Lessefim suddenly straightened her shoulder and, putting on an air of arrogance, said, ¡°It seems you do have the qualifications to be my disciple.¡±

    ¡°Your disciple?¡±

    ¡°It might even lead to marriage.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    ¡°But now is not the time.¡±

    There was much to be done. Jin-Hyeok had to progress with the universe-level Scenario rted to Veselity, find the Control Bug factory, and enhance the Guardian Tree through it.

    <i>¡®It would be nice to put on a show with Lessefim, but...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Lately, there had been a lot of this content in short video forms. Jin-Hyeok liked videos with the fake-marriage concept, as this concept was gaining poprity online, but he was too busy at the moment.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just do itter,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to agree...¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°So, you had some feelings too?¡±

    ¡°More than just some.¡±

    ¡°...¡± For some reason, Lessefim¡¯s ears turned a tad red.

    ***

    The Saina Archipgo was made up of numerous inds, filled with lifeless factories. The ce where Jin-Hyeok was walking was no different. Gray container buildings were lined up, and human presence was rare.

    ¡°So, this is the H District of Area I. It seems to be around here...¡± Jin-Hyeok found and opened the door to a factory managed by the Swamnd Crew. As soon as the door was opened, a rather humid air rushed out. He could smell a mix of leaves and dirt.

    <i>¡®...Can this be used for my livestream?¡¯</i>

    It did not seem suitable for the livestream, but he stillmented on what he saw. ¡°Looks like the workers here have little to no will to work. They all seem to be moving because of Control Bugs.¡±

    The factory workers here were doing their assigned tasks like programmed AIs. They hardly reacted to external stimuli. They were practically living dolls.

    ¡°These people are mass-producing Control Bugs here.¡±

    Lessefim looked around the factory with a frown. A quick look suggested that the managers had already fled, leaving only the workers behind. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable that such hical workces exist in Arvis.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do an interview.¡±

    ¡°Hey, all these guysck reason. We can¡¯t do interv¡ª¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok hit the back of a worker¡¯s head, and the worker fell forward.

    ¡°I have be quite ustomed to taming Control Bugs by now.¡±

    The tamed Control Bug was still alive and well. Jin-Hyeok could strengthen the mental bond with a Control Bug without having to swallow it and, through this, read the worker¡¯s memories more concretely.

    <i>¡®Wow... wait a minute, have I grown again?¡¯ </i>He was pleased that he had grown once more. Of course, it was ambiguous to see this growth as that of a Streamer, but growth was growth nheless. Such tangible growth always made him happy.

    The fallen worker twitched several times before copsing to the ground. Lessefim asked carefully, wondering if reading memories through Control Bugs could even be considered an interview. ¡°But... aren¡¯t these people victims?¡±

    ¡°Eh, I thought so too, but it turns out not.¡±

    The majority of the workers here were heinous criminals. Their Achievements were noughing matter.

    ¡°Most of them have the Ten Kills Achievement,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The most benevolent person here was a serial killer. All sorts of vicious criminals were gathered here.

    Lessefim raised a fairly valid question. ¡°How did they manage to pick out these criminals to work here?¡± It would have been much easier for the Swamnd Crew to secretly bring in people like homeless people if they wanted to not get noticed. Lessefim felt somewhat ominous. ¡°Do you think they brought them from prisons...?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really smart, Lessefim.¡±

    ¡°I was right?¡± She made a startled expression.

    Drawingbor from prisons to work happened more often than she thought, but turning criminals into working dolls by feeding them Control Bugs was not amon urrence. It was a practice that seemed hical and immoral, something that might have been done a hundred years ago.

    ¡°They are all taken from prisons.¡± Jin-Hyeok tamed the Control Bugs and read their memories. The memory of each Control Bug was notpletely intact, but as he tamed several of them, the pieces started to fit together. He tilted his head. ¡°Do you think a small crew like the Swamnd Crew could have done this all on their own?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. How could they manage to take criminals out of prisons?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. The more he dug, the more there was for him to uncover.

    ***

    Yolin was very cooperative. ¡°Yes, Boss. Just leave it to me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok entrusted Yolin with the management of the factory. There was not much to do; her role was merely to stay at the factory and contact Jin-Hyeok if anything odd happened. Still, with a serious expression, Yolin confirmed one thing. ¡°So, I¡¯m an official employee of the MK Foundation, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you will receive the employment documents soon. The chairman herself said she would send them to you.¡±

    <strong>[#Finally! #Dream job! #Loyal to the bone.]</strong>

    Yolin was ecstatic to be employed by a foundation run by a member of the Trinity Club. Moreover, there was not much work to do. She could just sit and diligently read her books.

    ¡°Are you really going to expense the book purchases?¡± Yolin asked.

    ¡°Yes, of course. You are also free to study as much as you want about you-know-who.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡± Madness glinted in Yolin¡¯s eyes again.

    While Jin-Hyeok was someone who guarded against such madness, he found Yolin¡¯s current madness quite to his liking. It seemed like with her cheap(?) help, he could follow the traces of Veselity rather quickly.

    <i>¡®And then there¡¯s that,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    [#Hidden Gem]

    Every time Yolin became overly happy and let her guard down, the words <i>Hidden Gem </i>would appear, which thrilled Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®With that look in her eyes, Yolin will do her best to keep her job.¡¯</i>

    Currently, she might be just a <i>Hidden Gem, </i>but if someone tried to harm her job, she would surely not hide her power anymore. For some reason, Yolin had an almost unparalleled obsession with a <i>job that paid regrly and guaranteed a work-life bnce.</i>

    ¡°Ah, and this is the sry paid in advance,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I will dedicate my life to thepany! My devoted love for thepany, infinite glory to the boss!¡±

    <strong>[#Hidden Gem]</strong>

    The bold letters appeared and disappeared.

    ***

    Wang Yu-Mi let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Fake marriage content is absolutely not okay.¡±

    ¡°But, it¡¯s pretty popr in short videos...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because they are not you, Chul-Soo!¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. Beyond the round sses, the madness that Jin-Hyeok was wary of flickered again.

    <i>¡®Why is everyone around me like this?¡¯</i>

    He decided to be a bit tense since it seemed like everyone around him had that look in their eyes, excluding himself. Immersing in such madness would prevent him from thinking in a more universal andmon-sense manner. Being in a Job that dealt with the public, he felt he had to remain sensible and ordinary.

    ¡°You must remain as everyone¡¯s idol, everyone¡¯s Chul-Soo. The moment you engage in a fake marriage content with someone,¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her sses again and continued in a grim voice, ¡°...someone will die. It¡¯s probably going to be Lessefim.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean someone will die?¡±

    ¡°There is a cardinal rule among Chul-Soo Landers. Never try to monopolize Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The moment someone tries to keep you all to themselves, they be the enemy of Chul-Soo Landers. There is no Chul-Soo Lander kind enough to overlook such a felony!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to argue, but he did not bother to add more problems. Currently, Yu-Mi was in a somewhat crazy state. Talking normally did not work well with someone who had lost their mind.

    ¡°If that happens, Chul-Soo Land No.1 will go crazy. And you know what she is capable of,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    Although it was a bit hard for Jin-Hyeok to understand, he decided to just ept Yu-Mi¡¯s advice since she was always right. Besides, he did not have the leisure to proceed with fake marriage content anyway.

    ¡°So, what should we disclose and what should we keep hidden? It¡¯s probably better to hide anything rted to the Control Bugs factory, right?¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. The video should discuss more about receiving good information from Trituri and using it to further nurture our Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°So, I guess the Reverse yer Hunter content was a sess?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It seems so. I have be much better at handling Control Bugs.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized that the Swamnd Crew was like a tree that never stopped giving. They allowed Jin-Hyeok to practice handling Control Bugs, enlightened him on different taming methods, taught him how to obtain Control Bugs, and even shared their know-how on handling Control Bugs.

    ¡°I think the video should be about how the Reverse yer Hunter content was sessful, but the opponent¡¯s abilities were too insignificant and hical to be disclosed!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    Though she was a bit insane, Yu-Mi was easy to work with because if Jin-Hyeok said one thing, she understood ten.

    The thought of another epic video unfolding through Yu-Mi and Kang Cheol made him feel good.

    After a few days, Jin-Hyeok started a new livestream with new content.

    ¡°I am going to grow the Golden Guardian Tree.¡±

    Currently, the Guardian Tree was struggling.

    -¡°No! I don¡¯t want to! Absolutely not!¡±

    ¡°I have specially brought over custom-made fertilizer, learned from the great Farmer of Arvis, Trituri.¡±

    -¡°I hate bugs! I absolutely hate bugs! I don¡¯t want to eat that to grow!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Golden Guardian Tree. The trunk and branches of the Golden Guardian Tree trembled violently, causing golden powder to flutter around like petals.

    ¡°Wow, look at that! You¡¯re truly worthy of being called a sacred tree.¡±

    The trembling of the Guardian Tree made it almost seem like the tree was dancing.

    ¡°I heard that Chul-Soo is mentally connected to the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°I think the tree is feeling what Chul-Soo is feeling.¡±

    ¡°It must be really happy, dancing like that.¡±

    Many people crowded into Yeonhui Crossroads. The police were sweating profusely due to the sudden influx of people.

    -¡°I won¡¯t eat it! I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t! Please! I hate bugs!¡±

    The golden powder fluttered even more intensely, and Jin-Hyeok smirked.

    <i>¡®You shouldn¡¯t be a picky eater. Behave now. Open wide~¡¯</i>

 Chapter 273

    <h4>Chapter 273</h4>

    -¡°I hate you! You made me upset!¡±

    The Golden Guardian Tree threw a fit, like a child who did not want to take their medicine.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok felt as if his mental connection with the Guardian Tree had been severed. Shortly after, he was unable to talk to the Guardian Tree. Then, breaking news erupted.

    [Nowon-gu is facing an attack by a monster of Level 90...]

    [Gangnam-gu is facing an attack of a monster of Level 110...]

    With the sudden disappearance of the Guardian Tree¡¯s power, Seoul was plunged into extreme chaos.

    [Shocking news! Has the Guardian Tree vanished?]

    [The Guardian Tree is no longer functioning as it should.]

    Casualties urred throughout the city. idents happened everywhere, and smoke billowed up across the city. Seoul had be a scene of utter chaos. Under these circumstances, rumors even started circting that Kim Chul-Soo was seriously injured. People even believed this rumor, and it was reported worldwide.

    As the news spread, the KOSPI[1] plummeted. Countless individual investors wept. People in the political and business circles became extremely anxious.

    ¡°How can the stock market crash this fast?¡±

    ¡°They need toe up with a n! What are they doing?¡±

    The stock market was not the only issue.

    ¡°I heard the country¡¯s credit rating is also dropping like crazy!¡±

    The rumor about Chul-Soo¡¯s injury led to a downgrade in the country¡¯s credit rating. Capital from foreign investors withdrew like a receding tide, and the nation¡¯s economy and prestige faltered. It reached a point where ministers had to hold press conferences asserting that Chul-Soo was in good condition.

    ***

    The reason Seoul had suffered such chaos was that it had been a safe city before. Compared to other cities, in Seoul, less budget and manpower was allocated for the safety of the city. Nheless, the city had its unique defensive measures.

    [Heroes are born in difficult times.]

    The yers from the K-Force and the MK Foundation became the focal points. Under their protection, Seoul began to regain its stability.

    [Seoul has regained its stability!]

    Criticisms also arose about how long the city would continue to depend so heavily on a single person, Chul-Soo. Entrusting the safety of a city to only him was, frankly, an absurd idea. As a butterfly effect, corruption rted to the public safety budget was uncovered, leading to the arrest of several high-ranking officials.

    Anyway, as the chaos gradually subsided, some saw this as their opportunity.

    <i>¡®If I catch Chul-Soo, my status will rise!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is weak right now.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Now is the chance. He doesn¡¯t have the Guardian Tree to protect him.¡¯</i>

    Assassins from across the universe saw this as a golden opportunity.

    ¡°Wait, are you an Assassin?¡±

    ¡°...You too?¡±

    However, with Assassins flooding in from across the universe, the situation inevitably became conspicuous. In that sense, the assassination attempt on Chul-Soo was already doomed to fail.

    ¡°Get in line.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not fight among ourselves.¡±

    Eventually, fights broke out among the Assassins.

    Jin-Hyeok was well aware of the situation.

    <i>¡®The Guardian Tree is sulking over eating the Control Bug...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered if eating a Control Bug was that bad of an experience. <i>¡®But it doesn¡¯t taste that bad.¡¯</i>

    He was puzzled that giving the tree something not so bad to eat would result in the tree sulking so much. Perhaps the Guardian Tree was going through puberty.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll need to calm the Guardian Treeter.¡¯</i>

    Just because a child disliked it, it did not mean they could skip the medicine. Even if the door was locked, Jin-Hyeok had to break in and make sure the Guardian Tree took its medicine.

    ¡°Come on, Seo-Hyo, be a good tree. Please eat this.¡±

    The Guardian Tree shook violently again, and golden dust fluttered around.

    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s Chul-Soo!¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok appeared in front of the Guardian Tree, a crowd gathered around him. They asked for autographs and rushed to take pictures with him.

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not injured, right?¡±

    Returning to Seoul from Arvis, Jin-Hyeok could truly grasp how popr he was. He felt like he had be a superstar.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute...¡¯ </i>He felt surprisingly good about all the attention he was receiving and thought once again that bing a Streamer was the right decision.

    <i>¡®But let¡¯s not get too arrogant.¡¯ </i>He was still a Streamer with much to learn, so he decided to enjoy the poprity while remaining as humble as possible.

    Then, an arrow flew toward him. Jin-Hyeok caught the arrow with his bare hands.

    ¡°Kyaa!¡± A student screamed upon witnessing the arrow.

    The arrow was just the beginning. Various lethal spells and long-range attacks were unleashed.

    <i>¡®Hey, Seo-Hyo, at least protect the innocent citizens.¡¯</i>

    -¡°No, I said I don¡¯t want to eat it!¡±

    The Guardian Tree¡¯s help could make the fight convenient, but the tree seemed to have no intention of helping.

    <i>¡®I guess I don¡¯t have a choice.¡¯</i>

    Even if the tree didn¡¯t help, it was not a problem for Jin-Hyeok. After all, the world was a ce of survival of the fittest, where being unable to protect oneself meant death; injury was also part of daily life. It was unfortunate for the citizens, but Jin-Hyeok could not do anything about that.

    ¡°Hm... First of all...¡± Jin-Hyeok could instinctively distinguish between arrows shot for diversion and those truly aimed at him. ¡°... I need to kill the nastier ones.¡±

    He moved toward the Assassins who targeted civilians. Thanks to Thief¡¯s Step, which he had learned from Song Ha-Young, tracking them was not difficult.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    He struck the back of an Assassin¡¯s head. The Assassin copsed like a dead frog.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because there are so many of them, but the Assassins seem less cautious.¡±

    He struck down several nasty Assassins. The process was not particrly difficult. Although many attacks hit him as well, none were strong enough to prate Absolute Barrier.

    ¡°Hyung!!!¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon, the main Tanker of the K-Force, also arrived.

    ¡°Good timing. I need you to take care of the civilians.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon looked worried. Many Assassins were hiding among the citizens. Most were low-Level Assassins, trying to be famous by defeating Chul-Soo, but a few skilled yers could be hiding among them. Assassins were known to strike when their opponents were careless even for a second. It was best to be as cautious as possible.

    ¡°Me? What about me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Ah... Never mind! I will takemand of the civilians!¡±

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression, Jae-Hyeon felt somewhat relieved. A clear madness shone in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes.

    <i>¡®He is looking for good content,¡¯ </i>Jae-Hyeon thought.

    ***

    Under themand of Jae-Hyeon, the K-Force yers quickly organized and safely dispersed the crowds that had gathered around the Guardian Tree. Government officials were not entirely pleased with this situation.

    -I think we should just get rid of our police force and entrust public safety to K-Force yers, LOL

    -Did you see the police not knowing what to do in Nowon-gu?

    -The police couldn¡¯t do anything. Hahaha!

    -I was so frustrated watching the police, but it was so refreshing to see the K-Force do the job so easily.

    -Why can¡¯t one hundred police officers do what ten K-Force yers can? It¡¯s so frustrating, LOL!

    Especially from the perspective of the chief of police, it was a very difficult situation.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    After all, it was Chul-Soo who had arbitrarily removed the Guardian Tree¡¯s powers and caused all this chaos.

    ¡°Chul-Soo... Is he doing this on purpose?¡±

    Creating amon enemy to unite the people and secure approval ratings was a tactic politiciansmonly used. The chief of police was well aware of this.

    ¡°He is finally showing his true colors.¡± The chief was bitter. It was frustrating to see the foolish public being manipted by Chul-Soo¡¯s performance. He also checked Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream on his phone. Chul-Soo was currently single-handedly blocking attacks of all kinds.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    For some reason, Chul-Soo looked to be having a difficult time blocking the attacks, and the chief clenched his fist. <i>¡®This is good!¡¯</i>

    It seemed like a few more attacks could end Chul-Soo, who appeared a bit weaker than usual.

    <i>¡®They said he was injured... is that true?¡¯</i>

    With numerous Assassins pouring attacks, it seemed like a good opportunity to get rid of Chul-Soo. A rosy future unfolded in the chief¡¯s mind.

    <i>¡®I can eliminate Chul-Soo and im the Guardian Tree for myself!¡¯</i>

    The chief of police¡¯s brother was a Farmer. His brother had boasted that if the Guardian Tree¡¯s current owner disappeared, he could take over that position.

    <i>¡®If my brother could possess the Guardian Tree then...¡¯</i>

    He could turn his life around with this single opportunity. So, he had to kill Chul-Soo by any means necessary.

    <i>¡®I need to call the Dark Shadow.¡¯</i>

    With the Dark Shadow summoned, today would be Chul-Soo¡¯sst day.

    ***

    As usual, Jin-Hyeok conducted the livestream in a first-person perspective.

    <i>¡®Ah... the Assassins are pretty weak.¡¯</i>

    He wanted the attacks to be at least shy, but since they were Assassins, there were not many shy attacks.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should make Absolute Barrier a bit weaker.¡¯</i>

    The advantage of a first-person perspective livestream was that it could maximize the tension duringbat scenes. So, Jin-Hyeok weakened his Absolute Barrier for unexpected attacks. Only then did a few arrows get stuck in his arm and a throwing star lodge near his chest. There was no significant damage, but it looked quite painful from the outside.

    Jin-Hyeok grimaced. ¡°Hey, you gotta calm down with the healing.¡±

    ¡°...I did calm down.¡±

    ¡°Just heal me when it gets more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°...Okay.¡± Cha Jin-Sol was learning the hard way.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve be quitecent recently,¡¯ </i>Jin-Sol thought. She realized this while ying with her brother again. <i>¡®I¡¯ve been too generous with the healing.¡¯</i>

    Healing was not infinite. It needed to be used as efficiently as possible, to achieve the best effect. The most efficient way to use healing spells was to utilize them at the most dangerous moment.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m fine! Why are you healing me?¡±

    ¡°S-Sorry, my bad.¡±

    ying with Jin-Hyeok, Jin-Sol was relearning the optimal timing for healing. She resolved to use healing more precisely in the future, during more dangerous moments.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s still early.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was covered in blood, but these were only minor scratches. Using healing spells for this degree of injury was not very efficient.

    <i>¡®It should be fine if he gets hit in the vital points once or twice!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Sol gradually began to understand the desirable(?) tempo of the y. Jin-Hyeok was pleased with his sister¡¯s growth but soon noticed something was off.

    <i>¡®Wait, these attacks aren¡¯t deadly.¡¯</i>

    Jae-Hyeon was busy evacuating and protecting the civilians, and Jin-Sol was focused on her healing timing. Jin-Hyeok wondered why there weren¡¯t more dangerous attacks flying toward him.

    <i>¡®Right now! That attack was diverted!¡¯ </i>After a while, Jin-Hyeok realized, <i>¡®The Guardian Tree is secretly helping me.¡¯</i>

    The Guardian Tree was blocking some of the attacks. It was focusing its power, which once covered all of Seoul, onto Jin-Hyeok alone, creating a barrier even stronger than Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®Ah... my livestream is ruined.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok gave up on creating a sense of crisis and tension. Trying too hard when it was not working would make it feel forced.

    ¡°I have taken enough hits. Now it is time to teach them a lesson.¡± Once Jin-Hyeok became serious, the Assassins were no match.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡±

    When the Assassins protected the back of their heads, Jin-Hyeok attacked their temples, and if they guarded their temples, he attacked their phitrums. Even if they tried to flee, the Phantom Swordswoman relentlessly pursued them.

    ¡°Halt, just surrender your back of the head to me,¡± the Phantom Swordswoman said.

    The Assassins trembled at the Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s precise pursuit.

    ¡°...Why is a defensive Mystery following us?!¡±

    Eventually, Jin-Hyeok easily dealt with the Assassins, showcasing his robustness. As a result, the plummeting stock prices soared again. The national credit rating recovered, and investors who had left Korea flooded back in. Thanks to Assassins from all over the universe, people realized something.

    -Wait, did they really think Chul-Soo would be weak without the Guardian Tree? Is that why they attacked?

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s skills were underestimated because of the Guardian Tree, LOL!

    Even without the Guardian Tree, Chul-Soo was a Streamer boasting extremebat power.

    <i>¡®There was one skilled Assassin among them.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had seen a familiar face. He realized it had been a well-known viin from before his regression. <i>¡®Ah, wasn¡¯t he from the police department?¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, the police department covertly operated a secret organization. This organization was supposed to be under the police department, but in reality, it was closer to being a viin organization, as Jin-Hyeok remembered. They handled a lot of shady tasks, and Jin-Hyeok had carried out a few missions with them.

    <i>¡®Why would someone from the police department target me? Did he really want to test his strength that much by fighting me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew many yers wanted to test their strength by fighting him, so he didn¡¯t think too much of it. However, one thing concerned him.

    ¡°That Assassin''s corpse is glowing for some reason.¡±

    The God of Luck was reacting to the corpse. Jin-Hyeok approached the corpse and found a stone lying nearby. It was a type of Spirit Stone he had never seen before.

    ¡°It seems like the Assassin wanted to gift me an item...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thanked the nameless Assassin.

    1. The KOSPI or Korea Composite Stock Price Index is the index of allmon stocks traded in the Korea Stock Exchange. Think of it like the Korean NASDAQ. ?

 Chapter 274

    <h4>Chapter 274</h4>

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about Spirit Stones,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[Spirit Stone (Mineral)]</strong>

    <strong>[A Spirit Stone of the mineral attribute.]</strong>

    It was the first time he had seen a Spirit Stone of the mineral attribute. ¡°It seems to be a metal-type Spirit Stone.¡±

    The existence of a Mineral Spirit Stone implied the existence of Mineral Spirits, something Jin-Hyeok had never heard of before his regression, which meant that it was exceedingly rare.

    Suddenly, the Golden Guardian Tree, which had been sulking until now, started to speak.

    -¡°It smells fascinating.¡±

    -¡°I can enjoy eating that.¡±

    -¡°I will eat it just for you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could feel that his mental bond with the Guardian Tree was stronger than ever before. The Guardian Tree was feeling a tremendous appetite.

    <i>¡®Well... giving it to the tree might not be a bad idea, but I should look into it a bit more.¡¯</i>

    Trituri had said that giving a Guardian Tree a Spirit Stone that did not match with it could cause unnecessary side effects. Mineral Spirit Stone for a tree did not seem like a goodpatibility.

    -¡°If you give that to me, I am willing to listen to you.¡±

    <i>¡®Just wait for a second. Let me look into it a bit,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically said to the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°Ah, what do you mean to look into it? Just give it to meeee!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. If one gave in to a child¡¯s tantrums all the time, the child would be spoiled. Ignoring the Guardian Tree¡¯s cry of despair(?), Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°I think I need to consult an expert.¡±

    This was rather fortunate since the content with the Assassins was more boring than expected. It felt like because there were too many mediocre Assassins, the real ones did not step forward.

    ¡°To be honest, if I were a top-ranked Assassin, I wouldn¡¯t get involved either.¡±

    Joining the mediocrity would only lower their standards. Following the crowd and doing what the others were doing wasn¡¯t considered top-ranked.

    ¡°Next time, it would be nice if the top-ranked Assassins would target me¡ª¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, that¡¯s not right.¡¯</i>

    ¡°...It would be nice if the top-ranked Assassins would target me, but I wish it wouldn¡¯t happe¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not finish his sentence. He kind of wished for the top-ranked Assassins toe at him. However, as he had decided to be a person ofmon sense and universal norms, he could not tantly call the Assassins to target him.

    <i>¡®Right, let¡¯s try to see the forest, not the trees.¡¯</i>

    He had to progress with the universe-level Scenario and find out who was behind the Swamnd Crew.

    <i>¡®If Assassins keeping at me, I will not be able to progress with the content I need to work on.¡¯</i>

    With that thought, he no longer felt regret. Now that his mood improved, he was able to speak honestly. ¡°I wish they wouldn¡¯t attack me! After all, I am a Streamer protected by the Streamer Protection Treaty!¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok headed to Jongno-gu, holding the Mineral Spirit Stone.

    ¡°It has been a while, Oppa!¡± Katrina, the owner of the Jongno jewelry shop, greeted Jin-Hyeok warmly. He still boasted a sensual and voluptuous figure. ¡°It¡¯s been crazy these days, really crazy.¡±

    Katrinaughed with his hand over his mouth and continued, ¡°You seem to get sexier as the days go by.¡±

    ¡°Katrina, do you know about Spirit Stones?¡±

    ¡°Who among jewelers does not know about Spirit Stones?¡±

    ¡°Good to hear. Do you know what this is used for?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t this a Mineral Spirit Stone? It¡¯s incredibly rare! I didn¡¯t know these were released on the Earth Server!¡±

    It turned out that Mineral Spirit Stones were local specialties on a few Servers.

    ¡°Like most other Spirit Stones, they are often used as a medium to summon Spirits, but Spirit Mages that specialize in minerals are very rare,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°I guess so. I¡¯ve never seen one myself.¡±

    ¡°Basically, Mineral Spirits are notmon to begin with, and they are not very cooperative with humans.¡±

    ¡°Even to a Spirit Mage they have made a contract with?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re basically hermits.¡±

    Katrina said that Mineral Spirits preferred hiding underground. As a result, it seemed that Mineral Spirits were not very useful to humans.

    ¡°So, in truth, this Spirit Stone is not very useful either. It can be useful when crushed and used in refining jewels, but...¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not cost-effective?¡±

    ¡°Right. There are so many alternative materials avable these days that work just as well or better. Instead of using this expensive one, it¡¯s much more effective to mix and use several cheaper ones.¡±

    ¡°Can this Spirit Stone be crushed?¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what is usually done.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. It seemed he could ask Katrina to crush this Spirit Stone if needed.

    ¡°By the way, how about we grab a drink together next time?¡± Katrina asked.

    ¡°Sorry, I have ns that day.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t even set the date.¡± Katrina looked shocked, but then soon grinned. ¡°This is why I¡¯m so smitten with you.¡±

    ***

    Upon arriving at Arvis, Jin-Hyeok immediately went to Trituri. Initially, Trituri seemed annoyed by the request.

    ¡°You want me to look after the Guardian Tree on the Earth Server?¡± Trituri asked.

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d be pleased to look after some Guardian Tree from the Earth Server after taking care of Arvis¡¯s Guardian Tree? Besides, I am quite busy these days. I am sorry, but I don¡¯t think I will be able to make it there.¡±

    Anticipating Trituri¡¯s response to some extent, Jin-Hyeok shrugged. ¡°But you¡¯re like a mentor to me...¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely did not quite understand the reason, but he knew well that Trituri wanted to take him as a disciple.

    ¡°Though I cannot fulfill your legacy, I still wish to learn much from you, Master Trituri.¡±

    ¡°...Ahem.¡±

    ¡°You are a great Farmer who has nurtured the Guardian Tree of Arvis.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok gently coaxed Trituri and continued, ¡°I ask for your guidance. Even if I cannot be your official disciple, I consider you as my mentor in my heart.¡±

    ¡°Ahem...!¡±

    ¡°If you could take a look at the Guardian Tree on the Earth Server and provide your teachings, I will never forget them and engrave them in my heart, striving to be a better Farmer.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you insist...!¡± Eventually, Trituri decided to go to Earth.

    ¡°Now, we need to talk about yourpensation.¡±

    ¡°Whatpensation?! I don¡¯t want to getpensated for teaching my disciple! Now, let¡¯s hurry on!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned.

    ***

    After examining the Guardian Tree, Trituri stroked his chin. ¡°It must be about ten years old.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head.

    <i>¡®Had the Guardian Tree been growing for about nine years before it was nted here?¡¯</i>

    ¡°It has grown very well. It seems you have raised it with great care.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your teachings, Master.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Hahahah!¡±

    ¡°But I have a question. The Guardian Tree keeps begging for this Spirit Stone as its fertilizer.¡±

    It was still incessantly nagging to be given the Spirit Stone.

    ¡°You can feel that?¡± Trituri asked.

    ¡°Yes, I canmunicate with the Guardian Tree now.¡±

    ¡°Y-You canmunicate? You said that was just your dream...¡±

    ¡°But you taught me how to do it, Master.¡±

    ¡°I did?¡±

    ¡°You taught me how tomunicate with the Guardian Tree.¡±

    <i>¡®D-Did I do that?¡¯ </i>Trituri was confused but quickly acknowledged it.

    ¡°W-Well. Yes, t-that¡¯s right. So, you can hear what the Guardian Tree is saying now?¡± the old Farmer asked.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s screaming for this Spirit Stone. It¡¯s so loud that my head is ringing.¡±

    ¡°Your head is ringing?¡±

    ording to his grandfather, the voice of a Guardian Tree was supposed to be as small as a mosquito¡¯s. One had to listen closely and concentrate to barely hear it.

    ¡°Yes, following your teachings, I can hear it very clearly,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°My teachings must have been excellent then.¡±

    Trituri decided he was going to spread the word that this fellow was his disciple. He approached the Guardian Tree and touched its trunk.

    -¡°This old geezer, how dare you touch me! I¡¯ll smash your hea¡ª¡±

    <i>¡®Stay still. Otherwise, I won¡¯t give this to you.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically informed the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°Staying still is my specialty.¡±

    Threatened with the Spirit Stone, the Guardian Tree kept its mouth shut. The Guardian Tree did not like the old geezer touching it, but it showed patience.

    -¡°You¡¯re touching too much!¡±

    <i>¡®Just bear with it a little.¡¯</i>

    As Trituri carefully touched the Guardian Tree, he realized something. Just as Lessefim had felt a powerful presence when she looked at Elly, Trituri also felt a strong presence in the Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®This Guardian Tree...!¡¯ </i>Trituri thought.

    The tree had limitless potential. It seemed to have the potential to be even more incredible than the Guardian Tree of Arvis that he had nurtured.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make it clear one more time. Who is your master?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s you, Master Trituri.¡±

    Trituri clenched his fist. <i>¡®Grandfather, I think I can do it!¡¯</i>

    Trituri thought he could achieve the dream that he himself could not through his disciple. If his disciple raised the greatest Guardian Tree in the universe, it would mean he had seeded. A great level of rationalization urred in Trituri¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Now, listen, my disciple. Crushing a Spirit Stone is a very delicate and difficult task. If you do it recklessly, the Spirit¡¯s energy contained within the Spirit Stone will go away. You have to ovee the challenge first.¡±

    Farming was not a task done by one yer. It required help from others, and it had taken Trituri a whole year to find an excellent assistant.

    ¡°Take your time from now on and look for a great assistant!¡± Trituri continued.

    ¡°I will try to find one right away!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Watching the confident Jin-Hyeok, Trituri was lost in old memories. <i>¡®I used to be like that.¡¯</i>

    He thought of his days full of bravado. Back then, he had scoffed at his grandfather¡¯s teaching that it would take at least half a year to find a good assistant.

    However, after a bit of time, Jin-Hyeok actually brought back the finely crushed Spirit Stone.

    ¡°...How did you manage this?¡± the old Farmer asked.

    ¡°The owner of a jewelry shop I know well happened to have the appropriate skills.¡±

    ¡°Really? Those jewelers don¡¯t help out just anyone.¡±

    Jewelers with such high skills were always proud of their abilities. They did not easily ept requests. It was essential to spend time building a trusting rtionship with the jewelers.

    ¡°How did you persuade the jeweler?¡± Trituri asked.

    ¡°I paid him.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And....?¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head as he didn¡¯t do anything special. ¡°And... we agreed to have dinner together next time.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Trituri incredulouslyughed. <i>¡®There¡¯s a jeweler out there that would help you out without any special treatment?¡¯</i>

    Trituri wanted to meet this jeweler. Hiding his confused feelings, he continued his stern teaching as a master. ¡°But this is not the end. To use the Mineral Spirit Stone as fertilizer for the Guardian Tree, another Spirit Stone is needed. Specifically, a Fire Spirit Stone.¡±

    The Fire Spirit Stone was much easier and moremon to find than the Mineral Spirit Stone. However, Trituri was asking for something of a higher caliber.

    ¡°It must be of very high purity. The Guardian Tree is more finicky than you think,¡± Trituri added. It would undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time to find a high-purity and genuine Spirit Stone.

    After giving this teaching, he nned to return to Arvis. He had already missed so much of his work bying to the Earth Server.

    However, the next day, Trituri was astonished. ¡°How did you...?¡±

 Chapter 275

    <h4>Chapter 275</h4>

    Trituri was quite surprised. He had handled quite a number of Spirit Stones, yet this was his first encounter with such a purely refined Fire Spirit Stone. It was a top-grade Spirit Stone that any Spirit Mage would kill to have in their hands.

    <i>¡®...Where did he get that?¡¯ </i>Trituri wondered. Moreover, the Spirit Stone had been finely ground. The essence of the Spirit energy contained within it was mostly preserved.

    <i>¡®A Spirit Stone of such a quality can be used not just as a fertilizer but also as a sophisticated alchemy ingredient.¡¯</i>

    However, Trituri did not show his surprise on his face. Now that he had be a venerable master, he could not afford to show his surprise at everything his disciple did.

    ¡°That is a fairly decent Spirit Stone,¡± Trituri said. He pondered how he could inquire about where this Spirit Stone was from withoutpromising his dignity as a master. So, he asked Cha Jin-Hyeok as if it was nothing, ¡°How did you acquire this?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am not asking because I don¡¯t know. But as my disciple, you must be honest. I am asking because the method of acquisition must be transparent and honest. So, answer me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok replied like it was not a big deal, ¡°I called upon the daughter of the Spirit King and asked her for a favor. She then asked her father, the Spirit King, who agreed to give me the Spirit Stone while saying it was a favor for his daughter. The Spirit King created the Spirit Stone without any effort.¡±

    <i>¡®You summoned the daughter of the Spirit King? How? And the Spirit King himself created the Spirit Stone for you? Why?¡¯ </i>Despite his internal turmoil, Trituri desperately kept his expression neutral.

    ¡°What about the powder?¡± Trituri asked.

    ¡°I asked the jeweler I requested yesterday to grind it for me again.¡±

    ¡°Such skilled jewelers would be booked for years in advance. How did you manage to do it so quickly?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. He wondered if Katrina was a skilled jeweler of that caliber. Also, Katrina had just agreed to do it on the spot when Jin-Hyeok promised to have dinner with him tonight.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t look busy to me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Is there somethingcking?¡±

    ¡°No, this is quite decent. Not unusable, by any means.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief to hear.¡±

    Anyway, the fertilizer made from the Spirit Stone wasplete.

    ¡°Give only a small amount at first to check for any side effects, then gradually increase the amount from there.¡±

    ***

    -¡°It tastes heavenly! I could eat this all day!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok heartilyughed. He had never felt such a strong sense of mental bond with the Guardian Tree before. Seeing the Guardian Tree so happy, he could not help but feel happy too.

    -¡°I will forgive you for feeding me the bugs.¡±

    <i>¡®You will have to eat them often from now on.¡¯</i>

    -¡°Ugh.¡±

    <i>¡®But I will give you the Spirit Stones from time to time.¡¯</i>

    The Guardian Tree seemed very reluctant to ept this, but it quickly agreed upon hearing that it would be given the Spirit Stone as the fertilizer.

    Three dayster, a significant change urred in the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°Master, a fruit has formed on the Guardian Tree,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s not the season for the tree to bear fruit yet.¡¯ </i>Trituri was surprised yet again but pretended not to be. ¡°I want you to let the fruit fall to the ground and rot naturally.¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s going to rot, Master.¡±

    Trituri frowned. <i>¡®How could there be fruits that don¡¯t rot in the world, you fool?¡¯</i>

    He was about to scold Jin-Hyeok when he saw the photo Jin-Hyeok showed him and kept his mouth shut.

    <i>¡®This is the fruit of the Golden Guardian Tree?¡¯ </i>He had never seen a fruit shaped like that before. <i>¡®Even my grandfather never told me about it!¡¯</i>

    The fruit of the Golden Guardian Tree on Earth was shaped like a hammer, and this fruit became a huge issue among Farmers.

    ¡°A hammer-shaped fruit has grown on the Golden Guardian Tree?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±

    ¡°Well, do you think a sacred tree like the Golden Guardian Tree growing on a new Server like Earth makes sense?¡±

    Farmers from across the universe visited Earth to witness this rare phenomenon. Alchemists also showed great interest.

    ¡°A hammer has grown on a tree!¡±

    ¡°I heard they used a fertilizer made from a mix of a Fire Spirit Stone created by the Spirit King of Fire and a Mineral Spirit Stone.¡±

    ¡°A non-living object born from a living organism? I have to see this for myself.¡±

    Another group showed even greater interest in the fruit.

    ¡°A hammer has grown on the Golden Guardian Tree!¡±

    ¡°I am already looking forward to how it can be used as a material.¡±

    That group was the cksmiths.

    The one-eyed giant cksmith, Mulinus, was having his busiest days since settling on Earth. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes. A hammer did grow on the tree.¡±

    Mulinus was bombarded with messages from other cksmiths. ¡°I was already promised a few samples by Kim Chul-Soo. What? Why am I suddenly your best friend?¡±

    Thieves from across the universe also showed interest in the Guardian Tree¡¯s hammer. It was an unprecedented object, and anything <i>first and rare</i> was a high-priority target for them.

    ¡°Looks like I will have to steal it.¡±

    ¡°If we can steal it from the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory, our reputation will soar!¡±

    The universe¡¯s Thieves were on the move, and Angel Girl Song Ha-Young reacted very sensitively.

    ¡°The yers who understand Thieves the most are other Thieves.¡± She clenched her fist. ¡°I cannot allow something from my Server to be stolen right under my nose!¡±

    The yers of the ck Rose Alliance were on high alert, protecting the fruit. As interest from various Servers converged in Seoul, shops around the city enjoyed an unexpected boom. Amodations near the Guardian Tree, in particr, were almost impossible to book.

    Some spected that the economic value brought by the Guardian Tree¡¯s fruit could reach into the trillions of won.

    ***

    People from all walks of life showed interest in the Guardian Tree bearing a hammer-shaped fruit, but the person who showed the most interest was Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve drawn enough attention now.¡¯</i>

    He had already recorded a short video. Perhaps due to the interest from people of various Jobs, his video quickly ranked as the number one trending video and reached one billion views in no time.

    <i>¡®I am still thirsty for more!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok needed something beyond this. <i>¡®Trituri said to leave the fruit be, but...¡¯</i>

    As he talked with Trituri, he had realized that even Trituri did not seem to know much about the fruit. Jin-Hyeok was grateful to Trituri for revealing that Control Bugs and Spirit Stones could be used as fertilizer, but expecting any further advice from him didn¡¯t seem wise.

    Pondering what content he could create next, Jin-Hyeok heard Miri talk to him.

    -Could I perhaps try eating that?

    <i>¡®You want to eat that?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a strong mental bond with Miri. Miri intensely desired that fruit, just as the Guardian Tree had desired the Spirit Stones.

    <i>¡®Yes, please use me to break it open!¡¯</i>

    Worried about potential side effects, Jin-Hyeok also sought advice from Katrina.

    They had dinner together the previous evening. Nothing special happened, except for Katrina making a bizarre remark several times: <i>¡°If you had been a bit weaker, I would have kidnapped you to my ce.¡±</i>

    In fact, being kidnapped would have made for good content for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Eltube channel, but s, no real attempt was made.

    Anyway, Katrina and Mulinus came to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house together.

    ¡°The ceiling is too low here.¡± Mulinus, being a giant, had to bend over considerably while moving around in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s home. He kept bumping into themps, eximing, ¡°Ouch! Ouch!¡± and was scolded by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Yo, sorry about that,¡± Mulinus said.

    ¡°That is not the way to talk to your elders!¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother said. She thought Mulinus was a friend of Jin-Hyeok.

    Taken aback, Mulinus scratched his head but then resolved himself. <i>¡®Me? I¡¯m a friend of Chul-Soo?¡¯</i>

    Feeling a bit nervous, Mulinus asked, ¡°Chul-Soo, are we friends?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had never really thought of Mulinus as a friend. He considered thetter more of a good business partner but was conscious of his mother¡¯s perspective. Having a harmonious friendship seemed like something his mother would appreciate.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends by now?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought of us as friends.¡± Mulinus cheered about this, straightened up, and immediately banged his head on the ceiling, creating a hole in the ceiling.

    ***

    Katrina and Mulinus came to the same conclusion.

    ¡°Letting Miri eat the hammer-shaped fruit whole seems a bit too much. Just like how the Guardian Tree consumed the Spirit Stones, gradually increasing the amount seems a better choice.¡±

    The method was fundamentally simr to how the Guardian Tree had consumed the Spirit Stone.

    Katrina rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Grinding the fruit of the Guardian Tree is a first for me.¡±

    ¡°Can you do it right now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Trituri had said that jewelers of this caliber were booked for years in advance and that they were too proud to ept walk-in appointments. It seemed Trituri did not know anything after all.

    <i>¡®Maybe it¡¯s because he is from the old times.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok braced himself once more. The era was changing rapidly. If one clung to old standards without adapting to the changes of the new era, they would fall behind like Trituri. It was necessary to always refresh one¡¯s mindset and adopt standards fitting the new era.

    <i>¡®The era¡¯s standard where Streamers only do livestreaming should be discarded.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps Streamers using swords, defending, growing trees, and enhancing were the standards of the new era. It was worth noting that Streamers trying their hands at various Jobs had been a thing for a long time. However, most of them would fall off around Level 100.

    Anyway, Katrina sessfully ground the fruit of the Guardian Tree, and Miri salivated.

    -I will enjoy this.

    After Miri consumed the fruit, a silver radiance burst from the weapon.

    <i>sh!</i>

    Light as bright as the sun exploded in the room, and electricity in the Yeonhui-dong area momentarily went out. When the light faded away, Miri could be seen floating in the air.

    Jin-Hyeok took Miri in his hands.

    <i>¡®Oh.¡¯</i>

    While he saw no significant changes in appearance, the item had gained a unique Skill.

    ¡°I have seeded in a minor enhancement.¡±

    <strong>[Unique Skill ¡ª Absolute Defense.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely found it hard to understand why a weapon like Miri had developed a defensive Skill like Absolute Defense. However, as a Streamer, he thought he should exin it to his viewers.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree, Miri, and Phantom Swordswoman are all mentally connected to me and influence each other.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman wielding a hammer wasrgely influenced by Miri, and the Guardian Tree insisting on defending by smashing the heads of monsters was influenced by the Phantom Swordswoman. The Guardian Tree¡¯s strange way of speaking was also partly influenced by the Phantom Swordswoman.

    <i>¡®I swear, everyone is bing weird except for me.¡¯</i>

    ¡°And I have a Streamer-exclusive defensive Skill called Absolute Barrier. It seems all these variables have influenced each other, resulting in the creation of this type of Skill.¡±

    All in all, the enhancement was a sess. However, Mulinus was a bit confused. <i>¡®Chul-Soo, you are missing one important thing!¡¯</i>

    Katrina was the one who had ground the Guardian Tree¡¯s fruit into enhancement material, and enhancing Miri was supposed to be the job of Mulinus, the master of enhancement and a cksmith.

    Yet, Chul-Soo had sessfully enhanced Miri by wielding the weapon himself. Artifacts with an Ego were the most difficult to enhance. Having an ego made these Ego Artifacts as hard to enhance as plucking stars from the sky.

    <i>¡®But you did it by yourself!¡¯ </i>Mulinus thought.

 Chapter 276

    <h4>Chapter 276</h4>

    <strong>[Unique Skill ¡ª Absolute Defense]</strong>

    Soon, a crack appeared in the Skill window, and the Unique Skill shattered entirely.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok let out a deep sigh and said to his viewers, ¡°Uh oh, the Skill has disappeared!¡±

    The acquisition of the Unique Skill was canceled.

    <i>¡®What a waste. I can¡¯t believe the Skill disappeared before I could use it even once. What did I do wrong?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok was disappointed, but he did not show it. ¡°Ah... what a disappointment. The enhancement failed.¡±

    Mulinus stood before Jin-Hyeok, who was expressing his deep regret, and said, ¡°Look here, friend.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to console me. Enhancement is all about failure. It¡¯s all good as long as the item does not get destroyed.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I was going to do...¡± Mulinus gulped. For a cksmith, making such a proposal was an utterly preposterous idea. ¡°How about you try to grind the fruit yourself?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Katrina red up. ¡°Are you saying it was my fault, Mulinus?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say...¡± Mulinus exined what everyone else had missed, and only then did Katrina gasp in realization.

    As his majestic pectoral muscles trembled, Katrina said, ¡°Now that I think about it, Chul-Soo did the enhancement all by himself!¡±

    An enhancement could fail because of two things: either the material was faulty or the enhancement method was incorrect.

    <i>¡®If the enhancement method was wrong, Mulinus would have offered to do it himself,¡¯ </i>Katrina thought. However, Mulinus had pointed out that the issue was not with the enhancement method but with the material. This meant that Chul-Soo¡¯s enhancement was urate. <i>¡®What if Chul-Soo handles the material from the start?¡¯</i>

    Perhaps this time, they could seed in the enhancement.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok picked up Miri and began to pound the Guardian Tree¡¯s fruit.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Good! It¡¯s important to control your strength properly to break it uniformly, Oppa! Wow, are you sure this is your first time doing it? Why are you so good at this?¡± Katrina actively conversed with Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok felt inexplicably happy. ¡°It seems like I have a bit of a talent for this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was feeling the power of the Munchkin Trait. The task of grinding the fruit into powder suited him more than he had thought.

    Time flew by.

    ¡°But are you really going to try the enhancement again with this? If this goes wrong, the artifact could be destroyed,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°Enhancement is all about failing.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not consider an enhancement without any failure as a proper enhancement. Moreover, Miri strongly desired it.

    -Please, give it to me. I need more!

    ¡°Since I am not doing a normal enhancement but one with the help of the Authority of Swallowing from Miri, it is going to be much safer than regr enhancement.¡±

    Nevertheless, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel nervous. He painstakingly ground the fruit of the Guardian Tree with Miri.

    ¡°You look sexy when you¡¯re focused!¡±

    He was so concentrated that he did not hear a word Katrina was saying. Soon, Jin-Hyeok seeded in turning the fruit of the Guardian Tree into powder, and he could feel Miri¡¯s thirst.

    -I will devour it!

    <i>¡®Alright.¡¯</i>

    Once again, he mentioned to Miri that eating it could be a bit dangerous.

    -Life is too short to pass up on good food.

    Jin-Hyeok lifted Miri, who was adamant. ¡°I will give it a proper hit.¡±

    ***

    As Jin-Hyeok struck down on the fruit powder using Miri, a sh of light erupted. A silvery radiance filled the surroundings, and Miri vibrated intensely.

    -It, is, delicious!

    Miri levitated into the air by itself. Emitting a glow, it twisted left and right. After a little while, the light faded.

    <strong>[Unique Skill ¡ª Absolute Defense]</strong>

    The Unique Skill was recreated.

    ¡°The same ability has appeared again. It seems we might have to watch a little longer to see if the Skill will break again this time...¡±

    Some time passed, and the Skill did not break.

    <i>¡®Please...!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. After a bit more time had passed, he could be certain.

    ¡°Sess! It¡¯s a sess!¡±

    ***

    Numerous experts analyzed this extraordinary phenomenon.

    ¡°No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s hard to see Chul-Soo as a better cksmith than Mulinus or a better jeweler than Katrina, right?¡±

    ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    Technically, Jin-Hyeok was not superior to them. This was the conclusion after experts analyzed the scenes of Chul-Soo grinding the fruit. He was clearlycking in many areas.

    ¡°But how did this happen?¡±

    ¡°How did he do that?¡±

    While many expressed skepticism toward this inconceivable result, Chul-Soo Landers thought differently.

    ¡°In the Chul-Soo Universe, if you¡¯re intense, everythinges true!¡±

    ¡°If it didn¡¯t work, it means you weren¡¯t intense enough!¡±

    Many people were armed with infinite faith and trust and Chul-Soo. They tried to tell others not to doubt but believe that everything could be achieved with the proper intensity. This was also true for Kim Min-Ji, Chul-Soo Land No.1.

    She was busy leavingments in various onlinemunities.

    [Dreams Come True by Intense Man.]

    Unable to contain his curiosity, Choi Gap-Soo asked, ¡°So, you really didn¡¯t interfere with the enhancement?¡±

    ¡°How many times do I have to say it? If you¡¯re intense, everythinges true!¡±

    ¡°But still, it makes no sense! As someone who runs a workshop myself, it¡¯s a bit hard to believe that Chul-Soo did it all by himself.¡±

    ¡°Has anything that Chul-Soo has done so far made sense?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Gap-Soo flinched.

    Min-Ji smugly waggled her index finger. ¡°You¡¯re just a non-believer. Do not doubt Mr. Chul-Soo. If you approach anything with the right intensity, dreams doe true.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡®re really saying there was no interference?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m trying not to draw much attention.¡±

    <i>¡®If the Mad God of Fanaticism was not involved, how did he do it?¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo wondered.

    Encyclopedia posted his analysis.

    <strong>[As many experts have pointed out, Chul-Soo was not technically skilled in the enhancement. This means thepatibility between this enhancement and Chul-Soo must have been extraordinary.]</strong>

    Encyclopedia highlighted the strong mental bond between the Guardian Tree, Chul-Soo, and Miri. He suggested that the enhancement was possible because of the deep mental bond, which seemed to be the most usible exnation.

    Eventually, Gap-Soo called Jin-Hyeok. ¡°How did you do it? Just tell me honestly.¡±

    ¡ªI was just intense.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about your concept. Just tell me.¡±

    ¡ªI¡¯m telling you the truth. I was really intense.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡ªYes.

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s point of view, it was a bit awkward. He had just done it with the same intensity as always, but this time, there seemed to be much more skepticism than usual.

    <i>¡®I managed to defeat the captain of the guards of the Arvis Server by being intense. I also seeded in taming the Thunder Dragon. Wouldn¡¯t these two incidents be less believable than the enhancement?¡¯</i>

    Yet, people seemed particrly surprised this time. This excitement added to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thrill.

    <i>¡®People seem to like the enhancement and crafting content more. And it seems harder for them to believe.¡¯</i>

    Realizing the limitless potential of this content made Jin-Hyeok very happy.

    Gap-Soo heartilyughed. ¡°Being intense makes everything possible... Well, that¡¯s been the concept of yours since the beginning of the channel.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Gap-Soo muttered to himself, ¡°Am I sponsoring a monster...?¡±

    The more Gap-Soo watched Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, the more he felt something was going awry. In his top-tier multimedia room, watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream from the beginning for the twelfth time, he chuckled to himself. ¡°I love it!¡±

    ***

    Returning home, Jin-Hyeok thought, <i>¡®When should I debut this Unique Skill?¡¯</i>

    He was itching to share it on Eltube. Presenting this Skill at the right moment with the proper staging seemed like it could produce high-quality content.

    <i>¡®The mediocre Assassins already left. When would the real Assassins appear?¡¯</i>

    With the Guardian Tree using its power again to protect its territory, any more Assassins showing up would be unlikely.

    <i>¡®Still, some Assassins must be targeting me at this point.¡¯</i>

    Various yers were taking an interest in Jin-Hyeok, not just the Streamers. Seeding in an assassination under all the attention would undoubtedly bring high prestige.

    <i>¡®Should I roam around Arvis for a while?¡¯</i>

    But then again, he was now an honorary citizen of Arvis, which made things too safe. Even though his status in Arvis was valid for ten years, he could enjoy nearly the same rights as a citizen, and Assassins tended not to mess with the citizens of Arvis unless they were under exceptional circumstances.

    <i>¡®I need to go somewhere beyond the reach of the Guardian Tree¡¯s power. Then I think the Assassins might attack me. I hope a strong one shows up!¡¯</i>

    Then he thought, <i>¡®It¡¯s not that I am looking forward to assassination attacks. I am just excited about the possibility of using my newly acquired Skill at the perfect moment from a content perspective.¡¯</i>

    He reassured himself that he was perfectly normal.

    <i>¡®Won¡¯t a Named Assassin appear?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Several days had passed, but the Assassins had yet to reveal themselves. It was somewhat disappointing for Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It must be because I am a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    He believed it was because of the Streamer Protection Treaty. It seemed there was reluctance to attack a Streamer at a time when public interest was so focused on them. There was no such thing during his Sword King days, and Jin-Hyeok was genuinely disappointed.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Someone approached him. From their walk and aura, it was clear they were not an Assassin, but the hostility directed his way was real.

    <strong>[LV283/Corporation Alpha Male/Mission Streamer/<u>17 Missions Sess in a Row</u>]</strong>

    <i>¡®Mission Streamer?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was aware of this Job. Some Streamers actively took on andpleted missions. Jin-Hyeok felt an unexpected sense of wee.

    <i>¡®He doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s from the Earth Server.¡¯</i>

    Muttering to himself, Corporation Alpha Male seemed to be livestreaming as he approached Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you guys I would take down Chul-Soo today?¡±

    In his hand was arge axe. He strode up and immediately swung the axe toward Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok leaned back and dodged the attack.

    ¡°Oh, thanks for the advance payment. I will make sure toplete the mission!¡± he said.

    ¡°Are you livestreaming right now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Am I your mission target?¡±

    ¡°Why do you wanna know? Idiot!¡± Corporation Alpha Male swung his axe fiercely again. The attack was quite sharp for oneing from a Streamer.

    Excited, Jin-Hyeok also started a livestream. Naturally, the title of the livestream was Absolute Defense.

    Jin-Hyeok asked the opponent, ¡°Streamers wield axes now?¡±

    ¡°There is one swinging a hammer around. So what?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok repeatedly dodged the axe swings from Corporation Alpha Male. Given his opponent¡¯s Level, the movements wererge and shy, making them easy to evade.

    <i>¡®These attacks are just for showing off.¡¯</i>

    The attacks were so sloppy that it was hard to get hit by them even if Jin-Hyeok tried. Falling for such attacks would make it seem like a staged livestream. Jin-Hyeok continued to evade the attacks while pulling out his phone.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see...¡¯</i>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The axe whizzed past Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head as he searched for Corporation Alpha Male on his phone.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The axe fell where Jin-Hyeok had been standing, embedding itself in the ground.

    ¡°A Mission Streamer with about five hundred million subscribers is vigorously attacking me. It seems the Streamer Protection Treaty does not apply between Streamers.¡±

    However, as Jin-Hyeok checked Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s chat room, it seemed that was not entirely the case. Manyments suggested that the Streamer Protection Treaty should still be valid, even among Streamers.

    -Is this a paid actor? LOL, just kill him man.

    -Missions involving beating people up are the best!

    -Kill him!

    -Chul-Soo seems weaker than I thought.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The chat was surprisingly active, leaving Jin-Hyeok slightly astonished. This phenomenon started to inspire him with new ideas.

 Chapter 277

    <h4>Chapter 277</h4>

    <i>¡®There are so many viewers on his side!¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok found this situation hard to ept. <i>¡®His content is not exactly mainstream.¡¯</i>

    Each mission Corporation Alpha Male received was provocative in its own right. Histest video featured him assaulting an elderly man who was collecting recybles. The video before that showed the Streamer scolding a high school student for smoking, and the one before that involved him pretending to stalk a woman who was walking home alone to scare her.

    <i>¡®These are all ill-mannered content.¡¯</i>

    Despite focusing on such content, Corporation Alpha Male had an astonishing number of viewers rooting for him. In other words, he was achieving this level of viewership with content that the general public didn¡¯t typically find favorable.

    <i>¡®I guess I still have a lot to learn.¡¯</i>

    In contrast to Corporation Alpha Male, Jin-Hyeok took pride in producing content that was more standard and appealing to the general public.

    <i>¡®I need to grow more.¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male served as a driving force for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s growth.

    Corporation Alpha Male was also surprised. <i>¡®I expected this content to be popr, but I didn¡¯t expect this much attention!¡¯</i>

    The mere appearance of Kim Chul-Soo seemed to increase the usual chat activity by about thirtyfold. The number of live viewers on Corporation Male Alpha¡¯s stream had also increased by about tenfold.

    <i>¡®If I defeat Chul-Soo, my channel is guaranteed to skyrocket!¡¯</i>

    His heart pounded with excitement.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The axe flew past Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®Phew!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok dodged the axe with rtive ease and tilted his head. <i>¡®But why are the reactions so odd?¡¯</i>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He briefly sat down then stood up, avoiding the axe again.

    -We overestimated Chul-Soo, haha! He seems so weak right now!

    -Look at Chul-Soo losing his form, LOL

    -He can¡¯t do anything against a high-Level Streamer, can he?

    -Turns out Chul-Soo¡¯s weakness was other Streamers, LOL!

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok became curious. <i>¡®Why are the viewers reacting this way? Am I not dodging quite leisurely here? I am dodging while looking at my phone.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to look at it from a more objective perspective, from the point of view of a more general public.

    <i>¡®Ah! Does it look like I am just frantically trying to avoid those attacks?¡¯</i>

    While dodging the attacks from Corporation Alpha Male, Jin-Hyeok took a closer look at the livestream of Corporation Alpha Male, which provided some insights.

    <i>¡®He has an editor for his livestream!¡¯</i>

    This was something Jin-Hyeok had never seen before. Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s livestream was being edited on the spot and broadcast almost in real-time. The livestream was cleverly produced to make it seem like Jin-Hyeok was desperately blocking and dodging the attacks.

    <i>¡®Wow, I had no idea this was possible!¡¯ </i>Although there was a dy of about three to four seconds, it was still close enough to be considered a livestream. <i>¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡¯</i>

    He felt he should share this discovery with his editor, Kang Chul. If others could do it, surely Kang Chul could too!

    While reading the chat, Jin-Hyeok deduced another fact about Corporation Alpha Male.

    <i>¡®He must be hiding a secret weapon!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok knew this because the manager of Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s channel was deleting certainments in real-time to block the dissemination of information. <i>¡®There really must be something!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt more excited. <i>¡®Please let him be strong!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok hoped that Corporation Alpha Male, a Level-283 yer, wasn¡¯t just a Level Grinder, silently wishing for a worthy opponent for Miri¡¯s new skill, Absolute Defense.

    ***

    Corporation Alpha Male was a Streamer with quite a core fanbase. Rather than being popr with the masses, he had a select group of fans. His main content revolved around fights and brawls, with his role as a Streamer being to knock outbatant-ss yers. Of course, he never bothered with those of the same Level as him, only fighting yers at least fifty Levels under him.

    <i>¡®Still, among Streamers, I am the strongest!¡¯</i>

    No matter the Level difference, the limits of a Streamer were clear. Ordinary Streamers could not y like he did. Corporation Alpha Male was quite proud of his instincts and innatebat power.

    -He won¡¯t stand a chance against Chul-Soo.

    -But he is the strongest among Streamers, isn¡¯t he?

    -Nope, Chul-Soo is the strongest.

    Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s pride was deeply wounded. <i>¡®I am the strongest Streamer!¡¯</i>

    He had to prove that he was right. Conveniently, he possessed a Mystery capable of breaking Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier¡ªBroadcaster¡¯s Nemesis.

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s strengthes from that absurd Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier ability. What is that called now? Absolute Barrier? But it¡¯s useless against me.¡± Corporation Alpha Male was confident. He was certain that with Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis, he could fight Chul-Soo on equal terms.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see who is the strongest!¡¯</i>

    <i> </i>

    A mission was assigned to him just in time, worth thirty million Dias. Knocking Chul-Soo unconscious would yield ten million Dias, and killing him would add another twenty million Dias.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s dodging my attacks quite skillfully.¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male was frustrated, yet very pleased. Chul-Soo¡¯s reaction indicated that he was beingcent as he was looking at his phone while dodging the attacks.

    <i>¡®I knew I couldn¡¯t kill you with my ordinary attacks, Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>These ordinary attacks were mere bait, to make Chul-Soo even morecent. Being a Streamer himself, Corporation Alpha Male knew this all too well. <i>¡®Throwing out this bait will surely make him lower his guard. Then my opportunity wille!¡¯</i>

    Also, while throwing out these ordinary attacks, he could get in a lucky strike.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s temple was in sight. About to reach it with his axe, Corporation Alpha Male mentally prepared himself. <i>¡®Use Absolute Barrier!¡¯</i>

    As expected, Chul-Soo activated Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®Now is the time!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Mystery ?Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis?.]</strong>

    ¡°This is a Mystery that neutralizes Absolute Barrier. The moment for Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis to shine has finally co¡ª Huh?¡±

    ***

    Corporation Alpha Male felt something was off. <i>¡®My attack was blocked?¡¯</i>

    The sharply honed de of his axe should have passed through Chul-Soo¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®Did my Mystery not activate?¡¯ </i>Corporation Alpha Male wondered, but he had used the Mystery at the precise time. <i>¡®No, it¡¯s alright. He is still full of openings!¡¯</i>

    Having met Chul-Soo in person, he could not help but feel that Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities were greatly overestimated. Because even now, Chul-Soo showed too many openings. Corporation Alpha Male could see a clear path from where he could aim at Chul-Soo¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®This time I will hit you for sure!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Mystery ?Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis?.]</strong>

    Just then Chul-Soo said, ¡°As expected, another attack ising on. I will use Absolute Defense once again.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lifted Miri, attempting to use Miri¡¯s Unique Skill. Absolute Defense was a defensive ability that activated when the opponent¡¯s attack directly collided with Miri.

    ¡°The difference between Absolute Barrier and Absolute Defense is that Absolute Defense has a chance to inflict reflective damage. Especially, if the attack is aimed at my head, it will have a seventy percent chance of reflection.¡±

    <i>ng!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Miri and Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s axe collided, sparkling mes in the air.

    ¡°ARGH!¡± Corporation Alpha Male dropped his axe and clutched his head, rolling on the ground. Blood streamed down from his head.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled in satisfaction. ¡°That is quite an impressive defensive ability.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok made the details of Absolute Defense public.

    <strong>[Absolute Defense]</strong>

    <strong>[A Unique Skill that actively defends against attacks</strong>

    *<strong>Reflects a portion of the attack damage with a 7% chance.</strong>

    <strong>*For attacks aimed at the head, reflects the attack with a 70% chance.</strong>

    <strong>*For attacks aimed at the back of the head, reflects the attack with a 99% chance.</strong>

    <strong>*The Skill can be used twice within 24 hours.]</strong>

    Corporation Alpha Male suffering with blood dripping from his head seemed like quite the appropriate scene.

    ¡°Even a 0.7% chance would be high, but to have a base chance of 7% is incredible,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Lying on the ground, Corporation Alpha Male was in agony, but he also was looking for an opportunity to strike. <i>¡®Is Chul-Soo not going to kill me when I¡¯m down?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo waspletely off guard. There would surely be an opportunity to strike him.

    ¡°Wang Yu-Mi, Kang Chul, let¡¯s mark this as an editing point.¡± Jin-Hyeok ended the video recording. Then, he approached Corporation Alpha Male.

    <i>¡®Oh yeah, Chul-Soo avoids content that is unfavorable to the general public!¡¯ </i>Corporation Alpha Male thought. It seemed like Chul-Soo did not want to record the cruel actions that were about to happen. Corporation Alpha Male had still not recovered from the previous damage. He needed to stall for time.

    ¡°Wait a moment...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok seemed unforgiving. He reached out his hand, and Corporation Alpha Male tightly closed his eyes, thinking this was the end.

    <i>¡®...Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok helped Corporation Alpha Male to his feet.

    Corporation Alpha Male asked with a grim expression, ¡°Are you sparing me?¡±

    ¡°I stopped the recording.¡±

    <i>¡®Was he not nning to kill me more brutally?¡¯</i>

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corporation Alpha Male asked.

    ¡°You can drop the act now.¡±

    ¡°...What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok patted Corporation Alpha Male on the shoulder. ¡°Your acting seemed real.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Still, try to moderate the excessively wrongful content. It¡¯s fine to be provocative, but what if kids watching you try to imitate your livestream?¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male looked at Jin-Hyeok with a dumbfounded expression. Then, he sensed an opportunity.

    <i>¡®He¡¯spletely fooled!¡¯</i>

    Quickly, Corporation Alpha Male put on a pleasant smile and scratched his head. ¡°You¡¯re right. I have indeed been contemting on changing my concepttely...¡±

    The atmosphere between them was warm and friendly, and after exchanging pleasantries, they parted ways.

    ***

    Upon hearing the entire story, Cha Jin-Sol was hopping mad. ¡°You just let him go?¡±

    To Jin-Sol, Corporation Alpha Male seemed like the perfect enemy. It was not just a concept that led Corporation Alpha Male to attack Jin-Hyeok; he truly intended to kill Jin-Hyeok. Yet, inexplicably, Jin-Hyeok had let Corporation Alpha Male go.

    ¡°Do you really think that was just an act? It is not like you! You should have struck him down from behind!¡± Jin-Sol said.

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. It seemed the mindset of Streamers and that of regr yers was vastly different.

    ¡°If I were abatant-ss yer, maybe I would¡¯ve killed him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°But the title of my content this time was Absolute Defense.¡± As long as he showcased the Absolute Defense Skill well, that was enough. ¡°Imagine if I had finished him off, my content would be over.¡±

    ¡°Then what was your n?¡±

    ¡°I need to build a narrative. He will definitely attack me again.¡±

    That would be interesting because Corporation Alpha Male was a high-Level yer and his attacks were quite thrilling to watch. Plus, he had done a decent job of staging his attacks, making them seem gripping to the viewers.

    ¡°I showed mercy by letting him go, and if he betrays me and strikes me from behind, wouldn¡¯t that be great content?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok mischievously grinned, delighted with the drama unfolding on his channel. ¡°I saw that he has a Mystery that can neutralize my Absolute Barrier. What was it called again? Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis?¡±

    ¡°Are you actually going to let him hit you with that?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be fun?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind.¡±

    ¡°Hearing that from someone who has truly lost their marbles doesn¡¯t feel great,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was ludicrous for Jin-Sol to say that. It seemed everyone else around him had gone mad.

    After Jin-Sol stormed out of the room, Jin-Hyeok muttered to himself, ¡°But... no matter how I think about it, I can¡¯t forgive him.¡±

    Someizens imed Corporation Alpha Male was the strongest among Streamers. Even in his interviews, he boasted about being the strongest Streamer.

    <i>¡®How dare he im the top spot?¡¯</i>

    ¡°He¡¯s crossed the line. I can tolerate anything else, but this is too much.¡±

 Chapter 278

    <h4>Chapter 278</h4>

    The next day, Cha Jin-Hyeok met with Kang Chul.

    ¡°Did you watch the videos I sent you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Kang Chul replied, his expression more serious than ever. He seemed surprised by what he had seen. The idea of editing livestream videos on the spot and broadcasting them was something he had never considered possible.

    ¡°Can you edit and broadcast livestreams in real-time?¡± Jin-Hyeok inquired.

    ¡°I do not have the capacity myself, but...¡± It wasmonly thought to be impossible. ¡°But if I do it with the proper intensity, it can be done.¡±

    In this world, everything could be achieved with enough determination. If something was impossible, it was only because the effort was not intense enough. Clenching his fist, Kang Chul dered, ¡°If the editor of Corporation Alpha Male can do it and I can¡¯t, then I am not fit for the job.¡±

    However, this was not entirely true. The editor for Corporation Alpha Male had only one Skill: quickly modifying live videos to make Corporation Alpha Male look as good as possible. Hecked other Skills, which was why major Streamers did not have a contract with him.

    But Jin-Hyeok and Kang Chul did not pay much attention to this.

    <i>¡®If the editor of Corporation Alpha Male can do it, so can I!¡¯ </i>It was all that mattered to Kang Chul.

    ¡°I will try even harder,¡± Kang Chul vowed.

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will definitely do that.¡±

    <i>¡®I still have so much to learn.¡¯ </i>Kang Chul felt like he was still a novice, burning with a strong desire to grow.

    ***

    <i>¡®When should I officially make myeback?¡¯</i>

    Although Jin-Hyeok had been continuously uploading videos, which made it feel like he had not taken a break, he was indeed on a hiatus.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should use the rematch with Corporation Alpha Male as my officialeback video.¡¯</i>

    That seemed like a good idea. Jin-Hyeok was convinced that Corporation Alpha Male would definitely attack again. More than anything, he could not forgive Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s im of being the strongest Streamer.

    Jin-Hyeok reached out to the Guardian Tree to have a conversation.

    <i>¡®I guess you can control your power at will now.¡¯</i>

    The Guardian Tree seemed a bit startled by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s remark, having not realized this ability until now.

    -¡°I guess, I can.¡±

    <i>¡®Well, it means you are growing too.¡¯</i>

    This incident allowed the Guardian Tree to more urately understand its abilities. It could withdraw its powers at will and deploy them again.

    -¡°However, it is not easy to control when I am enraged.¡±

    <i>¡®You need to practice.¡¯</i>

    -¡°I don¡¯t quite understand why practice is necessary.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not bother convincing the Guardian Tree. He could feel what the Guardian Tree was thinking anyway.

    <i>¡®Everyone¡¯s gone mad except for me.¡¯</i>

    The Guardian Tree desired to grow stronger more intensely than ever before. Its longing to be powerful was palpable.

    <i>¡®Do Guardian Trees usually wish to be stronger?¡¯</i>

    The Guardian Tree wanted to be stronger because seeing the universe¡¯s Assassins targeting Jin-Hyeok when it had withdrawn its power had almost driven it insane. The Guardian Tree¡¯s mindset could be summarized as ¡®I might let my guard down, but how dare you target my Master! That¡¯s intolerable.¡¯

    Another factor stimted the Guardian Tree¡¯s desire for growth.

    -¡°I wish to showcase an impressive defense like Miri¡¯s.¡±

    Miri¡¯s Absolute Defense was a great inspiration and challenge for the Guardian Tree. It was a defense that not only protected Jin-Hyeok but also injured the opponent in the process. That was a true defense.

    -¡°Well, since I am bored, I might as well practice.¡±

    From that day forward, the Guardian Tree diligently and gradually developed the ability to defend as much as it wished. While the Guardian Tree was focused on its growth and practice, one by one, fruits shaped like hammers began to fall to the ground.

    ***

    The Guardian Tree narrowed down its defensive territory to Yeonhui-dong. This time, thanks to Jin-Hyeok making an early announcement through the MK Foundation, the confusion of the public was minimized.

    ¡°Did you see Chul-Soo¡¯s drastic measures this time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I saw that too.¡±

    Thest time the Guardian Tree had removed its defensive power, numerous casualties had urred, leading to criticism that Seoul¡¯s crisis management capabilities were significantlyckingpared to that of other cities.

    ¡°Honestly, I agree with this approach.¡±

    ¡°If we continue to rely on the protection of the Guardian Tree, Korea as a country will fall behind.¡±

    Other countries were intensely fighting against monsters, building up their resistance. Safety was not everything. The previous incident in Seoul had made that clear, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s decision to narrow down the defensive territory of the Guardian Tree received widespread support.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo really made a wise decision.¡±

    ¡°They said he can extend the territory over the entire city of Seoul in an emergency.¡±

    ¡°He is still going to protect areas where the most vulnerable citizens reside.¡±

    ¡°Wow, Chul-Soo is truly our savior.¡±

    Yeonhui-dong, where Jin-Hyeok¡¯s parents lived, was one of the neighborhoods announced to be under the protection, causing property andnd prices in these areas to surge. Citizens outside the protected territories protested: ¡®Why is our neighborhood excluded? How will youpensate for our dropping property values?¡¯ but theirints were futile.

    -Lol, look at themining after all the protection Chul-Soo has provided for them.

    -Are they paying Chul-Soo even a penny to say such nonsense?

    -Yep, when the prices rise, it¡¯s thanks to you. When it falls, it¡¯s Chul-Soo¡¯s fault.

    Seoul¡¯s response was quite impressive. Under the active support of the MK Foundation and the K-Force, the city endured the change without much chaos. asionally, when a monster difficult for average yers appeared, Chul-Soo would arrive riding the Thunder Dragon and handle it instantly.

    -As expected of our savior Chul-Soo.

    -It looks like he is teleporting when he is riding that Thunder Dragon.

    People thought Chul-Soo was actively working to minimize social chaos, but that was not actually the case.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s about time for him to attack me, but nothing has happened.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok became a bit anxious. <i>¡®Was his concept just an act? Did I misinterpret those mad eyes?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok deliberately roamed outside the Guardian Tree¡¯s protection territory, waiting for Corporation Alpha Male to strike, but thetter did not show up.

    Days passed, and just when Jin-Hyeok was about to give up, he finally felt a murderous gaze.

    <i>¡®Oh! Please let it be Corporation Alpha Male!¡¯</i>

    Looking toward the building with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok spotted Corporation Alpha Male. Jin-Hyeok pretended to breathe heavily as if he were tired.

    ¡°<i>Huff... Huff...</i>¡±

    From the public¡¯s point of view, he seemed to be exhausted. ¡°Riding the Thunder Dragon really takes a toll on your stamina.¡±

    If the Thunder Dragon had heard this, it would have been amused, seeing how Jin-Hyeok had flown across Saina Archipgo while riding the Thunder Dragon with ease.

    Fortunately, the Thunder Dragon was not present at the moment.

    ***

    Corporation Alpha Male was confident. <i>¡®I just need to be cautious of his Absolute Defense!¡¯</i>

    He now knew that Chul-Soo had acquired a very special and mysterious offensive Skill. Through Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, he had already urately identified the Skill.

    <i>¡®All I need to do is sessfully block his two attacks.¡¯ </i>Corporation Alpha Male smirked. <i>¡®This is the limit and problem with Streamers.¡¯</i>

    The way ordinary yers and Streamers yed was vastly different. Most ordinary yers tended to hide some of their abilities. These hidden abilities often became theirpetitive edge and trump cards. However, the situation for Streamers was different. Streamers always had to inte their abilities.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s how they attract attention and get views.¡¯ </i>Streamers needed to do this to remain relevant. <i>¡®Damage reflection probability of seventy percent? Where in the world would such an absurd percentage exist?¡¯</i>

    Even the top-ranked Streamers in Arvis did not possess a Skill with such an improbably reflective ability. In fact, many experts were saying that this number was likely exaggerated.

    <i>¡®Still, I will have to avoid attacking Chul-Soo¡¯s head for now.¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male had also equipped numerous artifacts that could lower the reflection probability. His preparations wereplete.

    <i>¡®And he looks to be exhausted right now!¡¯</i>

    This was the perfect opportunity.

    ***

    ¡°This time, I am not going easy on you,¡± Corporation Alpha Male said.

    ¡°Do you intend to repay kindness with enmity?¡± Jin-Hyeok was thrilled that Corporation Alpha Male had decided to attack him, though he did not show it outwardly. The narrative wasplete.

    ¡°What kindness? You¡¯re delusional.¡± Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s axe charged forward.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly lifted Miri to block the axe. Having faced this opponent once before, Jin-Hyeok could not block more urgently, appearing more desperate than he actually was. In other words, Jin-Hyeok had be more at ease.

    ¡°Show me that Absolute Defense of yours again.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male taunted Jin-Hyeok, who bit his lip as though he was infuriated and then used Absolute Defense to block Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s axe.

    <i>ng!</i>

    A series of loud noises rang out.

    ¡°You¡¯re slower than I thought, Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    That was what Jin-Hyeok wanted to say. The axe attack was slower than expected, perfect for a shy defensive move. It felt less like a fierce battle and more like an action scene from a movie. In any case, it was a favorable situation for Jin-Hyeok in many ways.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Corporation Alpha Male clutched his chest and staggered back a few steps. It seemed like Chul-Soo had activated Absolute Defense. Although his chest felt slightly sore, Corporation Alpha Male internally celebrated. <i>¡®I¡¯ve exhausted one of his Absolute Defense!¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s efforts in focusing on increasing his defensive capabilities had paid off. He felt only a bit of shock and had not taken any significant damage to his body.

    <i>¡®This is the price you pay for bragging and revealing all your information!¡¯</i>

    He just needed to avoid targeting Chul-Soo¡¯s head. Dodging reflection damage from other parts seemed manageable.

    As time passed, a seemingly intense battle unfolded.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s done!¡¯ </i>The two instances of Absolute Defense were exhausted. <i>¡®Now, all you have left is your Absolute Barrier!¡¯</i>

    The opportunity had arrived.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re just unlucky that you¡¯re facing me.¡¯</i>

    Due to the nature of his Job as a Streamer, Chul-Soo had no choice but to reveal and exaggerate his abilities, inevitably giving his opponent a way to strategize against him.

    Corporation Alpha Male smiled triumphantly.

    <strong>[You have activated your Mystery ?Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis?.]</strong>

    ***

    <strong>[#Your end is near. #My victory. #I am the strongest Streamer!]</strong>

    Seeing Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s status, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel a great sense of anticipation. <i>¡®Is that Mystery really that amazing?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like a Mystery capable of neutralizing Absolute Barrier. Such things could only be understood by experiencing them firsthand.

    ¡°Hahahah!¡± Corporation Alpha Male intuitively knew that the Mystery had worked exactly as intended. He addressed both Jin-Hyeok and his viewers. ¡°The reason you were so powerful was that Absolute Barrier of yours.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do you think you are truly strong without your Absolute Barrier?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok muttered as if he were slightly dismayed, ¡°My Absolute Barrier has been weakened. It¡¯s been debuffed and changed to Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Your boasted Absolute Barrier is now gone.¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male instantly closed the distance between them and swung his axe. With only Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, Chul-Soo could not block the axe. The Level disparity between them was too great.

    ¡°I have faced countlessbatant-ss yers and built up my know-how through battles.¡± Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s axe nearly touched Jin-Hyeok, barely grazing past him. ¡°Defeating a rookie armed with just Skills is quite easy. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok continued to dodge Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s axe with a face full of dismay.

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression, Corporation Alpha Male was filled with confidence. <i>¡®He is terribly flustered!¡¯</i>

    Empowered, Corporation Alpha Male pressed on more aggressively.

    After a bit of time, Jin-Hyeok asked with a remarkably bewildered expression, ¡°Is this really all you¡¯ve prepared?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was genuinely taken aback.

 Chapter 279

    <h4>Chapter 279</h4>

    Corporation Alpha Male swung his axe and eximed, ¡°My Mystery is a Stacking Mystery!¡±

    A Stacking Mystery was a Mystery whose effects stacked upon one another.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis?.]</strong>

    <i>¡®If it stacks like this...!¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male was confident that he couldpletely dismantle the Absolute Barrier that Chul-Soo was so proud of.

    ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok was starting to get a bit angry. Turning his Absolute Barrier into the weaker Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier was a decent move. That was why he had high expectations for Corporation Alpha Male.

    Nevertheless, suppressing his anger, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Just because it¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, it isn¡¯t any less capable of blocking your attacks.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok skillfully utilized Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to easily block Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s axe.

    Corporation Alpha Male gritted his teeth. <i>¡®How is that a Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier?¡¯</i>

    After attacking Jin-Hyeok a bit more, he realized that it was not an ordinary Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier. What Jin-Hyeok was using seemed more fitting to be called a defensive barrier used by professional Tankers.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri and struck Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s wrist hard.

    ¡°Argh!¡± The axe fell out of Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s hands.

    Jin-Hyeok said with a slightly trembling voice, ¡°You said your Mystery is called Broadcaster¡¯s Nemesis.¡±

    That was the part he had been looking forward to. Jin-Hyeok had expected something as powerful as the EMP he had experienced in the All-Out War. That would have been truly fatal for a Streamer.

    ¡°But why...!¡± Jin-Hyeok unconsciously showed his true emotions. ¡°Why does your Mystery only weaken my Absolute Barrier? That¡¯s it?!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Without his axe, Corporation Alpha Male took a few steps back.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s momentum was ferocious. ¡°I thought your Mystery would be a truly lethal one. I had high expectations!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok expected something like an ability that stopped his livestream or that used loud sounds to hinder his livestream, but this Mystery only weakened Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®I had hoped to experience something simr to the EMP again!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wanted to use this as a measure to see if he had grown, but it all felt wasted.

    ¡°What kind of standard is that?¡±

    <i>¡®This won¡¯t do. You need to be taught a lesson.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°Damn it...!¡± Corporation Alpha Male felt like he had hit a wall. Fighting Chul-Soo, who seemed more serious than before, felt more like fighting an imprable wall than a person. ¡°I-It was all a concept. Let¡¯s stop fighting now.¡±

    ¡°If you were going to y a concept, you should have prepared more intensely.¡± Jin-Hyeok would have considered letting it slide if Corporation Alpha Male had indeede prepared with something like the EMP. After all, going through such an experience could have also allowed Jin-Hyeok to grow.

    ¡°I-I wille prepared more intensely next time,¡± Corporation Alpha Male said.

    ¡°No, you are not intense enough.¡±

    If Corporation Alpha Male had been intense, he would not havee here like this.

    Miriughed heartily.

    -Thank you for the food!

    Miri charged toward Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Instead of hitting Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s head, Miri smashed the innocent floor. The concrete floor was shattered to pieces.

    <i>¡®Where did he go?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok looked around. Even with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he could not see where Corporation Alpha Male had gone.

    ¡°He is great at running away. I didn¡¯t know he had this kind of ability.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but reflect on himself. If he had studied his opponent a bit more intensely, he could have known about this ability. Then, he could have prevented him from running away in the first ce.

    ¡°It seems I was not intense enough either.¡± Speaking regretfully, Jin-Hyeok smiled after ending his livestream.

    ***

    The one who had helped Corporation Alpha Male escape was none other than Lady Harkoen. More precisely, it was Albero, the Chief Mage of the Harkoen family.

    ¡°I have brought the man you requested, Ma¡¯am,¡± Albero said.

    Lady Harkoen covered her entire face with her fan. She despised anything that was not beautiful. ¡°Such a repulsive creature.¡±

    ¡°Shall I kill him?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯ve poured hundreds of billions of Dias into bringing him here. We should at least get our money¡¯s worth.¡± Lady Harkoen, still hiding her face with her fan, approached Corporation Alpha Male, who was lying on the ground. ¡°Do you wish to take revenge on Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Corporation Alpha Male was still not fully conscious, only his eyes weakly moved to look toward Lady Harkoen.

    ¡°No, let me rephrase the question. Do you want to be the strongest Streamer in the universe?¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male nodded.

    ¡°If I help you, you will be able to hunt down Chul-Soo. How about it? Will you make a deal with me? I only ask for one thing. Bring Chul-Soo to me, alive by any means necessary. Then, I will make you the strongest Streamer in the world.¡±

    ***

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video was released, various onlinemunities were aze with activity.

    -Wow, so all videos of Corporation Alpha Male were staged?

    -They made it look like he was overpowering Chul-Soo, but that was all fake?

    -Even Enstagram influencers¡¯ selfies are not that deceptive, LOL!

    The difference between Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video and Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s video was stark.

    -Were Chul-Soo¡¯s scenes in Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s stream manipted?

    -That¡¯s why Chul-Soo posted the full video too, LOL!

    -If Corporation Alpha Male is innocent, he should post his full video too!

    After desperately fleeing from Jin-Hyeok, Corporation Alpha Male had not shown himself.

    -He¡¯s gone into hiding, LOL!

    -He got thrashed and dove under haha!

    However, some interpreted the situation quite seriously.

    -Still, among Streamers, Corporation Alpha Male was considered the strongest.

    -And Chul-Soo crushed him so easily.

    Undeniably, a new strongest Streamer was in the making.

    -But think about it, Chul-Soo is from the Earth Server. Earth is still considered a new Server.

    -Wait, you¡¯re right!

    -It hasn¡¯t even been a year since Earth became an official Server!

    This reminded everyone of something they had forgotten.

    -Wow, I thought Chul-Soo was a veteran yer because he looked so strong in the Arvis Server.

    -His growth rate is too unrealistic. It doesn¡¯t feel real.

    Some even eximed:

    -Isn¡¯t he not just the strongest among Streamers, but the strongest across all Jobs?

    However, these ims were dismissed as absurd.

    -LOL, are you serious? You guys are overpraising him.

    -They¡¯re saying that because they have not seen the topbatant-ss yers.

    -Are you guys dumb? How can a Streamer be the strongest in terms of overallbat power? Idiots!

    -It¡¯s like they¡¯ve been shot in the head, lol!

    While Chul-Soo was indeed exceptionally strong for a Streamer, the prevailing view was that Streamers had their limits.

    -But things might change over time. You never know.

    -The average lifespan of humans on Earth isn¡¯t even 100 years.

    -Ah, then it might be tough.

    Jin-Hyeok also searched for ¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡¯ on the Korean Region Minor Gallery and found sentiments simr to those in other onlinemunities.

    [Without a doubt, Chul-Soo is the top Streamer.]

    He liked posts simr to this.

    [I think Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities are just strong against Corporation Alpha Male. We need more verification if we want to call Chul-Soo the strongest Streamer.]

    He disliked posts simr to this.

    <i>¡®But most people think I am the strongest.¡¯</i>

    While browsing, he found some parts hard to agree with.

    <i>¡®Of course, I would not stand a chance against the topbatant-ss rankers.¡¯</i>

    He acknowledged that. However, he was confident he would not lose to most rankers.

    [Even a mid-200-Levelbatant yer from Arvis would crush Chul-Soo, I bet my right hand on it.]

    Jin-Hyeok realized many people were just hatementing without even watching his livestreams. He had won against a captain of the guard of Arvis, albeit that was just a captain of a small city in Arvis. Jin-Hyeok could not believe people still thought he was weak and found it frustrating.

    <i>¡®But... this can also turn into great content for my Eltube channel.¡¯</i>

    He could not stop thinking about thements that said he was strong <i>for a Streamer</i> and that he was the strongest <i>among Streamers.</i> He wanted to rece the word <i>Streamer </i>with something else. He wanted to be called the strongest <i>among yers</i>.

    <i>¡®Can I really be that?¡¯ </i>The thought made his heart race. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression became serious. <i>¡®It¡¯s not just about wanting to be stronger.¡¯</i>

    It was something much more than that.

    <i>¡®Bing stronger than abatant-ss yer as a Streamer... That would be content with tremendous impact.¡¯</i>

    This was purely a Streamer¡¯s ambition. It was okay to be ambitious as a Streamer. He had found his justification.

    <i>¡®I have to be the strongest.¡¯</i>

    Now, he felt no guilt whatsoever.

    ***

    Trituri was slightly infuriated. ¡°Utter nonsense!¡±

    The idea that a Guardian Tree wanted to smash people¡¯s heads and to think of head-smashing as <i>genuine defense </i>was beyond hisprehension.

    <i>¡®I must prevent my disciple from harboring such perverse thoughts. Guiding the disciple on the right path is the master¡¯s mission!¡¯</i>

    Trituri was intoxicated with being a master to a yertely. The feeling was indescribable when the local Farmers would ask him if he truly taught Chul-Soo.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree does not possess such attributes, so do not even entertain such doubts,¡± Trituri said to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°But could there not be asions when the Guardian Tree goes berserk?¡±

    ¡°The Guardian Tree is a sacred tree. It cannot be tainted.¡±

    ¡°Sacred trees cannot be tainted?¡±

    ¡°Of course. For that to happen, there would have to be a source of contamination so fanatic that it can defile the Guardian Tree. Such a thing does not exist in the world.¡±

    Yet, Trituri had seen monsters with their heads smashed in all over Seoul. They were horribly mangled.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    <i>¡®It can¡¯t be...¡¯</i>

    For some reason, sweat dripped down his back.

    That dawn, Trituri secretly sought out the Guardian Tree. This was not his first time doing so.

    -¡°Hehehe, I do like this old man!¡±

    The Guardian Tree trembled as it recognized Trituri, scattering vile golden dust.

    ¡°Guardian Tree... you recognize me.¡± Trituri finally felt alive. He was confident that he was inpletemunion with the Guardian Tree. With a tender voice, he stroked the trunk of the Guardian Tree and murmured, ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right. Good. I have never seen a Guardian Tree as kind, upright, and righteous as you.¡±

    -¡°Hurry up and bring out the fertilizer, you old man!¡±

    The Guardian Tree had no interest in any emotional connection with Trituri. It was fixated only on the fertilizer that Trituri brought secretly at dawn.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much left now.¡± It was soil containing microbes left by his grandfather. Invisible to the naked eye, these microbes were filled with the essence of Spirits. To the untrained eye, it looked just like ordinary soil, so Trituri called it Spirit Soil.

    <i>¡®This is thest of the Spirit Soil!¡¯</i>

    Though this Spirit Soil was now irreceable in the universe, Trituri was not saddened. As long as the Guardian Tree was happy, that was all that mattered. He carefully dug the earth and sprinkled the Spirit Soil on the Guardian Tree. Instantly, the Guardian Tree¡¯s trunk began to sh with golden light.

    Trituri heartilyughed at the sight. <i>¡®The Guardian Tree is responding to my dedication!¡¯</i>

    It lit up the darkened city as if day had returned.

    <i>¡®But wait... I think this is beyond mere connection...?¡¯ </i>The ground started to tremble. <i>¡®W-What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, the Guardian Tree¡¯s branches extended outward, and its trunk grew immensely. The trunk expanded so rapidly that it flung Trituri away. ¡°Whoa!¡±

    He flew a good distance and rolled across the ground. Yet, he felt no pain. After all, he was witnessing the miraculous growth of the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree... has reached the clouds...?¡±

    It was not just a tree anymore; it resembled a towering mountain. Even after craning his neck to look up, he could not see the top of the Guardian Tree. The golden light seeping from the Guardian Tree tinted the night clouds gold, dimming the moonlight.

    <i>¡®I-I¡¯ve never seen a Guardian Tree grow thisrge...¡¯</i>

    At that moment, all Earth Server¡¯s yers received a ringing alert. It was a global notification audible to all yers associated with Earth.

 Chapter 280

    <h4>Chapter 280</h4>

    This event stirred the entire universe.

    ¡°I heard that the Earth yers got a Level increase of 20.¡±

    ¡°Earth? Where¡¯s that?¡±

    Many still had never heard of the Earth Server.

    ¡°You know, the Kim Chul-Soo Server.¡±

    ¡°Ah...! Chul-Soo¡¯s hometown?¡±

    ¡°That was Earth? I¡¯ll have to remember that.¡±

    When Earth was referred to as the Kim Chul-Soo Server, the number of people who recognized it began to increase.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is fortunate. Such Server-level benefits are rare.¡±

    ¡°Rare? Only five Servers in the entire universe have this benefit, including the Arvis Server!¡±

    yers affiliated with the Earth Server gained a 20-Level increase simply for belonging to Earth. However, that was not the end.

    ¡°There is a country called Korea on the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°Korea?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s country.¡±

    The name Korea became more well-known than Earth, recognized as Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s country.

    ¡°The yers there get a 30-Level increase.¡±

    ¡°30? Really?¡±

    A Server-level benefit of a 30-Level increase was enjoyed by only three Servers in the universe.

    ¡°And then there¡¯s Seoul.¡±

    ¡°By any chance, is that Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s city?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chul-Soo¡¯s city. The yers who Awakened there get a 40-Level increase.¡±

    The 40-Level increase benefit was enjoyed by only two Servers in the entire universe.

    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t Earth a new Server?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the surprising thing. What other Servers took hundreds of years to achieve or could not achieve even in hundreds of years, the Earth Server aplished in less than a year.¡±

    ¡°Who could have possibly nurtured such an unbelievable Guardian Tree?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be shocked. A disciple of Trituri nurtured the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the Arvis Server marked the Earth Server as its sessor Server?¡±

    The consensus was that an Arvis-born disciple of Trituri had nurtured the Guardian Tree on Earth.

    ¡°But it turns out Chul-Soo was Trituri¡¯s disciple.¡±

    ¡°Eh? But Chul-Soo is a Streamer, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Those hearing Chul-Soo¡¯s name for the first time were puzzled. The idea of a Streamer nurturing a Guardian Tree was too foreign for them.

    ¡°Rumor has it that Chul-Soo possesses the Munchkin Trait.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible! That¡¯s a legendary Trait that only one person in the entire universe obtained, and even that¡¯s just a legend.¡±

    ¡°But you know what the real shocker is?¡±

    All these events were already astonishing, yet the most surprising part was still toe.

    ¡°Chul-Soo declined the Server-level benefit.¡±

    Chul-Soo had given up the chance for a 50-Level increase.

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream tomunicate with his countless viewers. Today was a historic day. It was the first day of him justmunicating with his subscribers, without any content on his y.

    -Wow, we can chat on his livestream?

    -This is crazy!

    -Chul-Soo is God!

    It was the first time a chat window had been opened on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel. The speed at which the viewersmented on the chat window made it impossible for even Jin-Hyeok to read all of them. Reluctantly, he had to set permissions to limit who could send messages in the chat window.

    <i>¡®Normally, only those who donate a certain amount can chat...¡¯</i>

    However, even with that restriction, there were so manyments that he could not smoothlymunicate with his viewers. Therefore, he set a limit so that only the official fans, the first-generation Chul-Soo Landers, could chat on the channel.

    <strong>[Chat Enabled List]</strong>

    <strong>[001. Chul-Soo Land No.1</strong>

    <strong>002. Chul-Soo Land No.2</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>100. Chul-Soo Land No. 100]</strong>

    <i>¡®But, I do feel a bit proud.¡¯</i>

    All one hundred members of Chul-Soo Land had gathered for the firstmunication livestream. It was touching that all members had joined, despite it being difficult to coordinate time.

    <i>¡®And also...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok added three SVIPs that everyone would agree with.

    <strong>[101. MoneyShower</strong>

    <strong>102. MoneyShot</strong>

    <strong>103. Marshmallow]</strong>

    Though only 103 people could chat, the number ofments made it feel like a hundred thousand people were posting the messages.

    -Chul-Soo Land No.1: I can¡¯t tell if this is a dream or for real. T_T Chul-Soo Oppa, take me in your arms, hehe!

    Kim Min-Ji, who was usually shy in person, was very extroverted on the chat window.

    -Chul-Soo Land No.2: Is this your first time directly talking with Chul-Soo, No.1? You must be so nervous, T_T.

    Jin-Hyeok started themunication livestream and took this opportunity to tell people about something. ¡°Personally, I think it would be better to decline the Server-level benefit.¡±

    -Chul-Soo Land No.1: Yes, I will do that.

    -Chul-Soo Land No.2: I already declined it.

    -Chul-Soo Land No.1: Wow, you¡¯re pretty fast. ^^

    -Chul-Soo Land No.2: I believe true fans should know what Chul-Soo wants us to do. ^^

    -Chul-Soo Land No.1: Wow~ You¡¯re so smart! ^^

    <i>¡®Smart enough for me to beat you up.¡¯ </i>Min-Ji gritted her teeth as she looked at her phone. She wanted to make things difficult for Chul-Soo Land No.2, but could not bring herself to do it. After all, that annoying No.2 was also a member of Chul-Soo Land.

    Meanwhile, countless subscribers who could not join the chat started to wonder why they were being told to reject such a beneficial offer. Jin-Hyeok exined by ying a video of Kidibon, the captain of the guard in the small city of Dion.

    ¡°We cannot be a Level Grinder like him.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stance was that it was better to gradually and slowly increase one¡¯s Level, even if it took a bit longer. ¡°There are things you can learn and experience at only lower Levels.¡±

    If a yer leveled up too fast, their external abilities might increase, but they wouldn¡¯t gain the truly necessary experiences.

    ¡°It¡¯s like bing an adult without learning anything as you age. So, rejecting this benefit is actually a way to be stronger. Bing Level Grinders is not the right way to go.¡±

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok had declined a 50-Level increase benefit. As his video spread across the Earth Server, a strange phenomenon unfolded.

    [A worldwide ranking reversal phenomenon is urring...]

    The top rankers of Earth epted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s advice and declined the Server-level benefit. As a result, those who used to be ranked lower ended up having higher Levels than those who used to be ranked at the top.

    ¡°Humph, I don¡¯t care at all, moly!¡± Korea¡¯s top Navigator, Mole Man, saw his ranking drop to the 200s.

    ¡°I believe... in Chul-Soo... This humiliation... is to gain momentum... for bigger things...¡± The ranking of Martial King Kim Jeong-Hyeon dropped to 300s.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s Chul-Soo¡¯s words, it must be the right way. It¡¯s a bit annoying, though...¡± The same was true for the Saint of Freedom, Cha Jin-Sol, as well as the Wood King, Mok Jae-Hyeon. This was amon phenomenon among many top rankers in the K-Force.

    However, the global perspective revealed a peculiar observation.

    [20% of yers from Korea have declined the Server-level benefit, causing shock...]

    Even after Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, most people epted the free level-up benefit. Globally, nearly ny-nine percent of yers epted the benefit. Only about one percent seemed to understand Jin-Hyeok¡¯s advice. In contrast, twenty times that amount, or twenty percent, of Korean yers declined the level-up benefit.

    Egan Paul sighed at this sight.

    ¡°Korea is...¡± It was hard for him to describe what he was seeing. ¡°A country of madmen...!¡±

    He fundamentally questioned if he could ever surpass Chul-Soo. His motivation, which used to be fiery, had changed recently.

    <i>¡®Probably not, right? I don¡¯t think so...¡¯ </i>To surpass Chul-Soo, one had to be especially mad among those madmen. Egancked confidence. <i>¡®I should just maintain being number one in the United States...¡¯</i>

    The insurmountable wall had dampened his desire for growth.

    <i>¡®I will just ept the level-up benefit.¡¯ </i>Egan fully understood what Jin-Hyeok was talking about in his livestream. Egan knew that to reach higher, he should reject this benefit. <i>¡®But what¡¯s the use? I can¡¯t beat Chul-Soo anyway...¡¯</i>

    He thought it would not be bad to aim for modest sess. epting the level-up benefit would make even a modest sess easier to achieve. It was a somewhat bitter night for Egan.

    ***

    -¡°I have be the greatest!¡±

    The Guardian Tree¡¯s boastfulness was not mere pretense. The name of the Guardian Tree had changed.

    <strong>[Spirited Great Golden Guardian Tree]</strong>

    The title <i>Great </i>was now officially recognized by the System.

    -¡°I now have the capability to cover all of Korea, <i>ahem!</i>¡±

    <i>¡®Wait, all of Korea?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of crisis. <i>¡®If it became this powerful, wouldn¡¯t it rob Korean yers of their opportunity to grow?¡¯</i>

    -¡°I can perfectly protect Korea and even bring the entire Earth under my influence! Did you see how I helped people level up?¡±

    The Guardian Tree bragged about its greatness, shaking its branches and causing golden dust to flutter down like snowkes. In any case, ording to the Guardian Tree, it had acquired the <i>power to protect the entire Earth</i>. This was a disaster for the GMs.

    A whirlwind ofyoffs swept through the GMs managing Earth. The emergence of such an absurd Guardian Tree on Earth, which had been integrated as an official Server for less than a year, was a problem on a universal scale. Comints about bnce and fairness were endless. Controversies regarding the System¡¯s fairness erupted.

    Kihael, the former GM for Seodaemun-gu, visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s home,ughing hysterically. ¡°Ah...Now I finally feel relieved! I got fired! Just like that, without any severance. Can you believe it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re going to get me a job at the MK Foundation, right? You remember what you promised me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha! I am finally free from that madman!¡±

    ¡°Free from the madman? Who are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Serchan, my senior!¡±

    Serchan, a passionate man, was theplete opposite of Kihael, who pursued work-life bnce.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I heard that Serchan got fired too.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to just let go of someone who works as hard as Serchan?¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I heard Serchan gets along well with you.¡±

    ¡°Where is this going?¡± Kihael became incredibly anxious.

    ¡°The MK Foundation has decided to hire a bunch of the recently fired GMs. It is not easy to hire such high-quality personnel all at once, so it worked out well.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Serchan said he likes you and wants to work with you, so I told him to go for it.¡±

    ¡°Serchan came to you?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s got spirit and passion. He came to me even before getting his termination notice.¡±

    Indeed, people should have that kind of intensity. Jin-Hyeok liked that aspect of Serchan.

    ¡°No...! You never said anything about working with Serchan!¡±

    ¡°Well, I also never said I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    The contract had merely stated that the MK Foundation would employ Kihael... That was it.

    ¡°AAAAHHHH!¡± Kihael cried his eyes out, but it was all in vain.

 Chapter 281

    <h4>Chapter 281</h4>

    While Kihael cried his eyes out, Serchan also happened to visit Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. He brought with him a report consisting of dozens of seemingly organized pages.

    ¡°Oh, Kihael! I¡¯m d to be working with you again,¡± Serchan said. His massive biceps twitched. He then turned to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I was on my way back from reporting the same thing to Director Jang Michelle. I thought you should also know, so I brought it here.¡±

    Without being asked, he took the initiative. Jin-Hyeok was slightly moved by the way Serchan had prepared and presented the report.

    ¡°It turns out the Levels of Earth Server yers have be excessively high, far exceeding the GMs¡¯ expectations. In other words, the quality has be too good,¡± Serchan exined. He said it exceeded the limit the System could tolerate.

    ¡°The simplest answer to the situation is this: If the quality has be too good, the quantity needs to be reduced,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Serchan looked at Kihael with hopeful eyes. Kihael was a smart andpetent person aside from seeking work-life bnce and hating working more than what he was paid for.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s the easiest method the System would choose in this case?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I think you know.¡± Serchan winked.

    Unable to stand the silence that followed, Kihael spoke up. He knew the answer but still asked for some time. ¡°...I will investigate and report urately within three hours.¡±

    ¡°I knew I could count on you, Kihael.¡±

    Frustrated, Kihael ground his teeth.

    Jin-Hyeok was very pleased with their teamwork. ¡°I will see you in three hours.¡±

    And then three hours passed.

    ***

    Kihael knew from his experience that if he got caught by Serchan, the quickest way to leave work early was to just finish the task quickly. This was the survival strategy(?) he had developed after working with Serchan. Therefore, Kihael dedicated three hours to organizing the materials and submitted a fairly usible report.

    ¡°In such cases, bnce adjustment usually involves artificially causing a mass ughter,¡± Kihael said. There were broadly two methods for this. ¡°First, direct ughter through monsters orrge-scale Scenarios. Second, indirect ughter using diseases. The System usually prefers the former.¡±

    This was because it made for a more exciting and thrilling spectacle.

    ¡°However, the Queen Ant appeared rtively recently,¡± Kihael continued. In fact, many more people should have died in that incident, but due to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s excessive efforts, the damage was too minimal. ¡°Even the Queen Ant significantly exceeded the standards of the Earth Server.¡±

    Serchan seemed pleased with Kihael¡¯s report, asking additional questions with a satisfied expression. ¡°But such standards can be ignored and forcefully proceeded with, like deploying arge number of monsters such as the Hydra.¡±

    ¡°Normally, that might be possible, but it¡¯s difficult right now.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because the universe¡¯s attention is on the Earth Server due to the recent Guardian Tree incident. It would be difficult for the System to carry out a mass ughter without justification.¡±

    Serchan clenched his fist secretly, feeling proud. A well-trained junior was worth having ten mediocre ones. ¡°So, we¡¯re going with thetter method, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, most likely, it will involve some kind of disease.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also listened to Kihael¡¯s exnation with a quite satisfied expression. He had made a good decision in hiring Kihael. Just like how people went to the doctor when they were sick, having a GM when talking about System management was the right choice.

    ¡°Then, the general direction narrows down to three options,¡± Kihael said.

    A disease with a high transmission rate but a low fatality rate.

    A disease with a low transmission rate but a high fatality rate.

    A disease with both a high transmission rate and a high fatality rate.

    ¡°From the System¡¯s perspective, wouldn¡¯t a disease with both a high transmission rate and a high fatality rate be the most convenient?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Usually, in such cases, a cure tends to be avable,¡± Kihael replied.

    ¡°Ah! Then what will be used on Earth?¡±

    ¡°They will mix and use all three.¡±

    <i>¡®...Ah!¡¯ </i>At that moment, Jin-Hyeok could not help but reproach his naive self. <i>¡®Why did I think the System would choose only one method? Using all three would be the most efficient.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Considering the current level of the Earth Server, the viruses that the System can use are limited to a few. Those are...¡±

    ***

    Wang Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses.<i> ¡®Should I just let the disease spread, or should I focus on prevention...?¡¯ </i>

    From the perspective of saving people, focusing on prevention was obviously the better choice.

    <i>¡®But if we prevent it... it wouldn¡¯t make good content for the channel.¡¯</i>

    A disease artificially created by the System was also part of the y. People dying during y was a natural phenomenon. It was ridiculous for an individual to take the initiative in prevention.

    <i>¡®Ah! No, that¡¯s not right!¡¯</i>

    She quickly changed her mind. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on prevention!¡±

    She nned on preparing in advance as much as possible to minimize the damage. This approach could seem a bit weak in terms of dramatic effect.

    ¡°If the truthes out after a long time, it will work as a great advantage for us!¡± The good deeds done in secret being revealed by chance could have a dramatic effect. ¡°It¡¯s like nting seeds in advance. If you look at the long term, it seems like a much better method! Leave the dramatic reveal to me! I will produce an amazing narrative!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit relieved. He had been pondering the same issue. He thought letting the disease spread and then having the Healers shine would be better for his Eltube content. It was inevitable for more people to die in the course of y.

    <i>¡®That was my n.¡¯</i>

    Focusing on prevention to save more people seemed like a foolish thing to do. The era of proiming beautiful peace and coexistence was over. The current era was a time where it was only natural for those who could not protect themselves to die.

    Jin-Hyeok was sure he thought that way, but strangely, he felt a bit uneasy.

    <i>¡®If focusing on prevention makes for better Eltube content, that is the right thing to do!¡¯</i>

    He had not thought far regarding whether he should save more people if the opportunity came knocking or if it was okay for him to only think about his livestream. He just felt uneasy.

    Perhaps a tiny amount of humanity was finally beginning to grow inside him.

    ***

    The first emotion Egan Paul had felt when he first heard of Jin-Hyeok was distrust.

    <i>¡®Is there really a Streamer better than me?¡¯</i>

    Back then, he could not believe it. After he met with Jin-Hyeok, however, the feelings he experienced were astonishment and shock.

    <i>¡®How could he y like that?¡¯</i>

    Egan was appalled when they yed together, and soon, that became a significant motivation for him.

    <i>¡®I want to be like Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Afterward, he began to idolize Jin-Hyeok, and as time passed, that idolization turned into frustration.

    <i>¡®I can never be like Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    This led to a bit of a slump. The realization that he could not be like Chul-Soo became a massive sense of loss. After that period, he reached a stage of eptance.

    <i>¡®Yeah, Chul-Soo is Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Now, he had found peace of mind. Chul-Soo was never a fairparison in the first ce. Chul-Soo was apletely different being, living in apletely different world. Egan had be somewhatfortable with that idea, but today he was surprised again.

    <i>¡®So, what he is saying is that there is going to be a major update?¡¯</i>

    The quality of the Earth yers had be too good, so now the System aimed to reduce the quantity.

    <i>¡®So... Chul-Soo is preparing in advance for that update?¡¯</i>

    Egan had heard rumors before that Korean yers had once found out things not even the GMs knew and tormented the GMs with that information. He realized the current situation was quite simr. Chul-Soo was preparing in advance for an update that had yet to happen.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯</i>

    Egan felt distrust, amazement, admiration, frustration, and eptance. The emotion that followed was relief.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a relief that Earth has Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Egan was an influential yer in the United States, and he too began to prepare in advance.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo, I have something to say,¡± Egan said.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Egan was much more serious than usual. He stood in front of Jin-Hyeok and was silent for a moment. Then, with a heavy tone, he promised, ¡°I will do anything you ask me to do.¡±

    ***

    The person representing the Healers of the K-Force was none other than the Saint of Freedom, Cha Jin-Sol. Under her leadership, Healers and Mages handling barriers united to create safe zones.

    ording to the information passed down from former GMs, certain areas were immune to the diseases. These yers also started equipping makeshift facilities to ensure that anyone who did get sick could be treated as quickly as possible. Although they moved quite organizationally, it did not be a major issue since the outbreak of the disease was not yet confirmed, and there was no need to cause unnecessary panic.

    Egan was also inspired by their efforts. Along with rankers he was close to, he prepared for the uing crisis as well.

    <i>¡®I guess we can¡¯t operate as efficiently as Korea,¡¯ </i>Egan thought.

    Korea had the K-Force, a single force gripping the entire country, but the United States was different. The United States was muchrger than Korea, making it difficult for yers to move as organizationally as the Korean yers.

    <i>¡®Still, preparations are going well.¡¯ </i>Egan, who knew nothing but livestreaming, was beginning to change. <i>¡®It¡¯s an opportunity to save more people.¡¯</i>

    He would never have thought this way before. However, the appearance of Chul-Soo had opened his mind in various ways. The thought that he could never achieve greatness as a Streamer, or be like Chul-Soo, allowed him to think more broadly.

    <i>¡®Then I can do something noble and honorable!¡¯</i>

    He began to consider what was more valuable and honorable, not just focusing on livestreaming. This was a development that did not happen before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. However, not everyone was cooperative with the ideas of Jin-Hyeok and Egan.

    A prominent United States ranker, known as Super Doctor Ronaldo, was a prime example.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ept this. Why do you want to be Chul-Soo¡¯sckey?¡± Ronaldo said to Egan. Healers were meant to heal, not to prevent. The idea of focusing on prevention was nonsensical to him. ¡°Why are you depriving us of the chance to y as Healers?¡±

    ¡°Ronaldo, it¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°How is it not? It¡¯s the same as tellingbatant-ss yers to level up without hunting monsters.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The fact that people are going to be sick in droves means it¡¯s a golden opportunity for the Healers.¡±

    Moreover, it was not a naturally urring disease but one artificially created by the System. Then, that too was part of y and a huge opportunity for growth for Healers.

    ¡°You¡¯re just listening to Chul-Soo and trying to deprive us of our freedom to seize opportunities!¡± Ronaldo shouted.

 Chapter 282

    Super Doctor Ronaldo could not pass up on this opportunity for rapid leveling. It was a great chance for Healers from the United States to grow. However, since the lives of many people were at stake, he came up with a usible excuse.

    ¡°I believe that humanity must be able to prepare itself for the dangers thate its way. We all have power, and we have the right to choose the means to protect ourselves.¡± Ronaldo held a press conference to exin about the future thaty ahead. He also revealed that the top rankers of various countries were already aware of this and were making their preparations ordingly.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo and the K-Force are arrogant. They want to hide the truth because of their ridiculous arrogance, thinking that only they can prevent the disaster. We have the right to know the truth,¡± Ronaldo said, leaving many thrilled by his words. ¡°Why should the great Americans, the great American yers, have to follow Chul-Soo¡¯s strategies? We are not minions of the K-Force!¡±

    The American yers especially showed a lot of support for Ronaldo.

    ¡°Make America great again!¡±

    Ronaldo kept shouting, ¡°Make America great again!¡±

    Numerous people responded enthusiastically. However, the oue was not entirely positive.

    ***

    Upon hearing the news that the arrival of a terrifying disease was imminent, the world naturally fell into a panic. Panic buying urred everywhere, and various supermarkets ran out of essential goods. Various medicines sold out, and hospital room reservations were fully booked.[The wealthy are securing VIP hospital rooms in advance with hefty reservation fees, among other extraordinary phenomena¡­]

    [Meanwhile, exclusive contracts with Healers are being strengthened¡­]

    The privileged individuals monopolized hospitals and Healers. Consequently, people in urgent need of treatment died because they could not receive proper medical care.

    To add to the turmoil, a Server-level Scenario unfolded on Earth.

    <strong>[The Server-level Scenario ?Invasion of Levion? has begun.]</strong>

    People wondered what or who Levion was. After much debate, it was soon ssified as the name of a virus.

    <strong>[You have been infected by Levion.]</strong>

    Since it was not an ordinary virus, its mode of transmission was unclear.

    Kihael concluded, ¡°The System used the Levion Virus.¡±

    GMs who had joined the MK Foundation had been brainstorming in advance to prepare countermeasures. They kept their options open, securing ingredients for a cure or finding routes to obtain System vines.

    ¡°This is unexpected,¡± Kihael said.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we anticipate this?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Because the System wasn¡¯t supposed to tantly use this virus. It¡¯s a virus that would normally appear in a Scenario for mid-level Servers, not for a new Server like Earth.¡±

    In reality, this was all due to Super Doctor Ronaldo. His announcement that a new disease was going to spread caused significant chaos, and the System took advantage of this turmoil to introduce a somewhat controversial virus.

    ¡°If things had been stable, this would not have happened,¡± Kihael said. However, his expression was not particrly dark. In fact, he was smirking.

    <em>¡®Many were happy to see our necks on the line! They were happy that with the old GMs out of the picture, there were openings for our jobs. And many mocked us for not doing a better job of bncing the Server.¡¯</em>

    -Yay, awesome! I got the job thanks to you old geezers. Thank you, seniors! ^^

    -You guys should¡¯ve done a better job, tsk tsk.

    -Honestly, this was bound to happen. I have never seen a Server fail this badly at bnce control, haha!

    Due to many GMs leaving the System for the MK foundation, a significant gap in manpower had emerged in the System, which waster filled by rookie GMs and those unfamiliar with the Earth Server.

    -I just got promoted!! Yay!

    -I was waiting for those old geezers above me to leave! Now, my turn hase!

    Feeling vindicated, Kihael joyously shouted, ¡°Everyone must be shitting bricks now!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Hehe, let them all into the swamp of overtime!¡±

    ¡°Hey, people are dropping dead left and right, and you¡¯re here making light-heartedments?¡± Jin-Hyeok said, shaking his head.

    Kihael looked at Jin-Hyeok with a somewhat baffled expression. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Are you sick?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the happiest person right now?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect content for your Eltube channel, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression turned a bit more serious.

    ***

    The value of Healers skyrocketed beyond belief. Unless one was an extraordinarily wealthy individual or a wealthy person with power, getting treatment from Healers was nearly impossible. Amidst this, new information began to emerge.

    [Dungeons that have the cure have been discovered.]

    [Monsters that drop the cure as loot have appeared.]

    The problem was that the supply of the Dungeons and cures was woefully inadequatepared to the demand. This inevitably led to yers fighting among themselves for the cure. These conflicts grew in scale, almost to the level of wars between nations.

    Jin-Hyeok realized something.

    <em>¡®...Ah.¡¯</em>

    The System did not act as the GMs had predicted. There were some aspects that they had missed.

    <em>¡®The System seems to be inciting a war.¡¯</em>

    Its goal was not to kill people with disease. The System was nning to reduce the poption by sparking a war. But then, Kihael posed a fundamental question to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the happiest person right now? It¡¯s perfect content for your Eltube channel, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Kihael was undeniably right.

    <em>¡®I know it¡¯s good content for my channel, but am I happy¡­?¡¯</em>

    If anything, he should have been happy. That seemed like the right emotion to feel, yet for some reason, he was not feeling it. Jin-Hyeok, who had begun to develop a sense of humanity, found it difficult to fully understand his feelings.

    Meanwhile, former GMs who had recently joined the MK Foundation were frantically moving around.

    <em>¡®We need to prove our worth!¡¯</em>

    <em>¡®If we get fired from here, there is nowhere else to go!¡¯</em>

    They were desperate.

    <em>¡®Levion Virus? Are you kidding me?!¡¯</em>

    <em>¡®It¡¯s a good thing that there is a cure for this virus.¡¯</em>

    While current Earth yers were only focused on the cure dropping within Earth, expanding the view to the entire universe revealed that the Levion Virus cure was not so rare.

    ¡°It¡¯s an endemic disease that vanished from the advanced Servers long ago¡­!¡±

    This virus had disappeared from the advanced Servers a long ago. Thus, while there might not be any remaining cure, there surely would be records on how to make it. The GMs worked desperately to create a cure.

    Kihael was also trying to prove his worth, reporting to Jin-Hyeok based on information shared with his colleagues.

    ¡°This virus was something advanced Servers dealt with hundreds of years ago. Finding the records should not be hard, so we can have a cure in days, or a few weeks at most.¡± Confidence was quite evident on Kihael¡¯s face.

    Even though Kihael advocated for work-life bnce, he was not devoid of his pride as a GM. As former GMs came together for this project, ying a central role, Kihael felt a sense of aplishment. He also felt pride in this collective intelligence.

    <em>¡®How about that, Chul-Soo? We can get things done when we need to!¡¯ </em>Kihael thought.

    Jin-Hyeok quietly listened to Kihael and asked, ¡°But isn¡¯t there an easier way?¡±

    ¡°An easier way?¡±

    ¡°I am thinking of nting Guardian Trees worldwide. The Guardian Tree has beenining of itchiness, asking for its branches to be cut.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying, cut the branches and nt them in different nations? To grow Guardian Trees all over Earth?¡± Kihael snorted. ¡°You get a bit of praise from the public, and you suddenly think everything is easy.¡±

    <em>¡®nting Guardian Trees worldwide? That¡¯s an absurd thing to say,¡¯ </em>Kihael thought. If that were possible, Arvis would already be filled with thousands of Guardian Trees.

    ¡°How would that even work?¡± Kihael asked. He realized that sometimes Chul-Soo said the craziest things. However, that was only natural since Chul-Soo was also crazy. ¡°Even if it were possible, it would require extremely skilled Farmers, those who have rolled in the fields of Arvis for decades, and among them, only rankers who have experience managing Guardian Trees can do it.¡±

    Kihael was highly skeptical. ¡°Do you think they woulde to the Earth Server? To this backward and deficient Server where third-ss citizens live?¡±

    ¡°You focus on mass-producing the cure with the other GMs,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. In fact, he was not sure if his idea would work. Deciding to mix Kihael¡¯s method with his, he opted for a two-track strategy.

    ***

    [5 million people worldwide have lost their lives¡­]

    The distressing news was all over TV. Just a week into the outbreak of the Levion Virus, a staggering five million people had died from the infection. Moreover, some of the dead turned into undead, attacking those around them. The entire world was in chaos.

    [It has been calcted that without treatment from a Healer of Level 150 or above, there is about an eighty percent chance of death¡­]

    The virus had a mortality rate of approximately eighty percent. The figure was horrifying.

    [However, in South Korea, the mortality rate is about eight percent. In Seoul, it¡¯s calcted to be about 0.8 percent.]

    Many experts presented analyses on this phenomenon. Among them, Encyclopedia¡¯s analysis stated:

    [<strong>The Korean yers have a fundamentally higher average Level.</strong>]

    While other yers from the Earth Server received a 20-Level increase after the recent growth of the Guardian Tree, the Korean yers received a 30-Level increase. In Seoul, it was even higher at a 40-Level increase.

    [Since the Levion Virus is greatly influenced by the yers¡¯ Levels, it appears to have a diminished effect in Seoul.]

    However, there was more to it.

    [Nheless, a figure of 0.8 percent is extraordinary. It can¡¯t be exined merely by having higher Levels. It¡¯s very likely thanks to that Golden Guardian Tree.]

    Later, Jin-Hyeok confirmed this through his livestream.

    ¡°The Guardian tree does more than just fend off monsters.¡± The Guardian Tree also had the power to protect against diseases. ¡°So, we are thinking of cutting off branches of the Guardian Tree and nting them worldwide. We hope it will be of great help.¡±

    The Guardian Tree itself had been itching all over, moring for its branches to be pruned.

    ¡°However, we can¡¯t just entrust this task to anyone,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Surprisingly, Farmers from Arvis, specifically those who had experience managing Guardian Trees, flocked to the Earth Server in droves.

    ¡°Of course, we must help.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about saving lives.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something only we can do. We have to step forward.¡±

    Though they spoke nobly, their eyes were filled with desire.

    <strong>[#I am going to be the second Trituri.]</strong>

    <strong>[#I too shall be great.]</strong>

    <strong>[To Earth we go.]</strong>

 Chapter 283

    <h4>Chapter 283</h4>

    Trituri was recently on a roll, garnering attention from numerous media outlets. This fame came from his role as the mentor of Kim Chul-Soo, the cultivator of the Great Guardian Tree. Trituri was even selected as the respected Farmer of the Year by a magazine, which filled him with pride and made him an object of envy for fellow Farmers.

    Watching Trituri bask in the spotlight and begin the second act of his life, the top-ranked Farmers of Arvis felt apelling stir to set aside everything and head to Earth. Experts, however, did not view this situation lightly, predicting a severe manpower shortage on Earth.

    -Despite their immense experience and wisdom, these Farmers are of an age where their physical strength might be questionable...

    Such concerns proved to be unfounded. The return of Earth¡¯s top-ranked Farmers who had been dispatched to Arvis yed a crucial role in this situation. These Farmers had mixed feelings about the urgent call back to Earth.

    ¡°I rushed here thinking Master urgently summoned us to Earth for...¡±

    ¡°I thought he would tell us to work more in Arvis and not think about what¡¯s going on Earth, but...¡±

    Thanks to the enthusiastic involvement of their teachers from Arvis in helping Earth, Earth¡¯s Farmers were able to return to the Server from Arvis.

    Moreover, the Farmers affiliated with the MK Foundation who were dispatched to Scanorbia also supported Earth inrge numbers, bringing along with them many of Scanorbia¡¯s powerful workers. These actions deeply moved and resonated with the people on Earth.

    -Many have set aside their livelihoods to join the others in dealing with the crisis facing Earth.

    -We must not lose hope.

    -We are not alone.

    The collective effort of numerous skilled yers enabled the sessful transntation of the Guardian Tree¡¯s branches across the globe.

    [In New York, Montevideo, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore, New Delhi, Berlin... the Guardian Trees have taken root...]

    The Guardian Trees grew around the world. Although they were not as colossal and sacred as Seoul¡¯s Guardian Tree, they were certainly fulfilling the role of young Guardian Trees.

    [There has been a noticeable decrease in the mortality rate...]

    The mere news of a reduced mortality rate gave humanity clear hope.

    [To honor the dedication of so many, internal divisions must cease.]

    [Fighting among ourselves betrays their sacrifice.]

    Embraced by hope, humanity halted wars against each other and swiftly began to regain peace. The Farmers from Arvis spared no effort in sharing their expertise. Thanks to their passionatemitment, the young Guardian Trees thrived.

    Soon, another significant announcement was made.

    [The super Server Arvis has decided to provide full support to Earth!]

    [With the Helen Empire leading the charge, along with Swedeen and Mazique joining the support...]

    [The Helen Empire has decided to supply their remaining stock of healing potions for free...]

    [The Mazique Empire has already started mass production of healing potions with emergency approval...]

    Many experts made a prediction:

    [The Earth Server will soon conquer the Levion Virus, just as many advanced Servers have done before.]

    ***

    The three great empires of Arvis received high praise from the entire universe. As a super Server governing the order of the universe, Arvis had a publicly stated duty not to ignore the difficulties of weaker Servers.

    ¡°Arvis... is so cool!¡±

    ¡°Yes, as top citizens, we should lend a hand.¡±

    ¡°This is the magnanimity and generosity of a super Server...!¡±

    Although the citizens of Arvis felt immense pride in their Server, not everyone shared this sentiment.

    Marshmallow idly scratched his head, which was shaped like a marshmallow. ¡°These politicians... they¡¯re pretty smart, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Encyclopedia replied.

    ¡°They do everything that looks cool.¡±

    Marshmallow urately perceived the hidden motives of the empires. First, they aimed to gain soft power as the most generous super Server in the history of the universe. Then, they sought to revive their declining primary industries.

    The current generation of Farmers in Arvis was aging, and among the next generation, hardly any yers dreamed of bing Farmers. If this trend continued, Arvis¡¯s primary industry would copse, an unwee prospect for the empires. A Server¡¯s ability to be self-sufficient significantly affected its capacity to handle crises.

    Marshmallow grumbled, ¡°The empires already contacted me, asking to create content that heroizes Farmers.¡±

    It was crucial to inspire the younger generation to dream of bing Farmers. They would be the backbone leading the new era. This was precisely what the empires were aiming for, hence their full support in making Trituri a hero of Arvis.

    Encyclopedia asked, ¡°Did you agree to do it?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Why would I do it for their sake?¡±

    Marshmallow was never fond of the empires. It made sense, as he was losing nearly sixty percent of his earnings to taxes. Marshmallow was the person to hold a grudge against politicians.

    Encyclopedia¡¯s eyes narrowed. <i>¡®But he¡¯s a coward. Since when did he refuse requests from the empires? He was always cooperative with the empires.¡¯</i>

    Hispliance with the empires until now was not so much out of affection for them, but rather out of fear of triggering a tax investigation on his channel. Marshmallow never spoke ill of the empires, except in front of his close friend.

    <i>¡®There must be another reason!¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow provided a lengthy exnation. ¡°But for an event of this scale, it would be fitting for me, Arvis¡¯s greatest Streamer, to be dispatched to a minor and deficient Server like Earth, right? I think I have a good reason, right? It¡¯s not a terrible idea, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°You just want to coborate with Chul-Soo, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s head turned red. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m one of those Chul-Soo Landers or something?¡±

    Just then, an rm went off on his phone. It was a notification for the recruitment of members for the second generation of Chul-Soo Land.

    ***

    Many Healers gained fame for curing the Levion Virus. Super Doctor Ronaldo attracted significant poprity as one of the most sought-after, the reason being his miraculous ability to treat hundreds of patients a day. He recently felt his abilities had greatly enhanced.

    <i>¡®Experience is indeed crucial for a Healer!¡¯</i>

    Yet, it was mainly thanks to the Guardian Trees. A Guardian Tree had also grown in New York, enhancing his abilities further. He managed to gain several Achievements while treating countless patients. Given the Server-level Scenario, the experience points he got were especially rewarding. Thanks to the Server benefits, he jumped to the top rank among Healers in the United States and indulged in his poprity.

    ¡°Had the truth been revealed to me earlier, a solution could have been devised more promptly.¡± As he created amon enemy for the people, his poprity skyrocketed. He became even more intoxicated with fame. ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s arrogance has escted the situation to this point.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was also aware of Ronaldo¡¯s ims. However, he did not really feel bad about what Ronaldo was saying about him.

    ¡°Oh, I guess people can interpret it this way!¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He was rather excited to see an event interpreted from apletely different perspective. Today, he was again inspired and felt he had grown.

    ***

    Marshmallow jumped abruptly. ¡°I... I did it!¡±

    He jumped so high his head hit the ceiling, squashing his marshmallow-shaped head.

    Encyclopedia joined the excitement. ¡°Oh, are you finally an official Chul-Soo Lander?¡±

    ¡°Yes! The second generation! I am number one thousand! I barely made it...!¡±

    The second generation of Chul-Soo Land expanded the membership to one thousand members, including the first-generation members. Marshmallow had sessfully be thest member, numbered one thousand.

    Encyclopedia chuckled, and Marshmallow¡¯s face turned bright red as he said, ¡°It¡¯s not because I am a real fan of Chul-Soo. I want to see how an emerging talent grows... I just want to analyze what the new generation likes. It¡¯s kind of like market research...¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Encyclopedia replied, still smiling.

    Being the one-thousandth member of the Chul-Soo Land, Marshmallow was terribly upset. ¡°That Super Doctor is crossing the line, huh?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo seems to like it, though?¡± Encyclopedia wanted to say that it would be better for Marshmallow to think like Chul-Soo as both of them were Streamers, but he knew Marshmallow was not going to listen.

    ¡°I am going to bury that guy!¡± The top-ranked Streamer in the universe, Marshmallow, began his journey to the Earth Server.

    ***

    Marshmallow¡¯s livestream was one of the most influential in the universe. His movements could sway public opinion across the cosmos. Thus, he generally avoided livestreams that could significantly influence the public.

    ¡°....and I am including an analysis from Encyclopedia.¡±

    Encyclopedia was also a crediblemunitymentator. ording to Encyclopedia¡¯s analysis, the main person responsible for worsening the Levion Scenario was none other than Super Doctor Ronaldo.

    ¡°Due to this incident, Super Quacktor, I mean Super Doctor Ronaldo, has gained a lot of Levels, wealth, and fame. But what has Chul-Soo gained? Nothing. Sure, he gained fame, but is there anyone on the Earth Server who doesn¡¯t know Chul-Soo? Adding a drop of water to the ocean does not make it any deeper.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is sharing his precious Guardian Trees around the world, together with Earth¡¯s Farmers, Arvis¡¯s Farmers, and Scanorbia¡¯s workers. He is dedicating himself to Earth right now. Who dares to belittle his dedication?¡± Marshmallow was much more agitated than usual.

    With Marshmallow joining the fray, public opinion in the universe shifted. The Chul-Soo Land fans, who had been holding back because Chul-Soo didn¡¯t say anything, expressed their anger.

    ¡°I was holding back because Chul-Soo seemed to be okay with Ronaldo¡¯s im, but I guess I wasn¡¯t the weird one!¡±

    ¡°Right! It¡¯s normal to be angry!¡±

    ¡°How dare he mess with Chul-Soo?¡±

    The very active Chul-Soo Landers headed to Earth.

    Super Doctor Ronaldo, who had be arrogant after reaching the top rank, scoffed at the Chul-Soo Landers. ¡°What are they going to do bying here? Who do they think they are? Do they think they are something important?¡±

    <i>¡®How dare they challenge me, the top-ranked Healer of the United States, a new aristocrat of this era? Do they think they have even the slightest impact on me? At most, they would spew nonsense on the inte.¡¯ </i>That was what Ronaldo thought. However, that was his arrogance talking.

    He was constantly threatened with assassination attempts. Numerous Assassins had put their daggers to his neck. Ronaldo had overlooked one thing. Even Marshmallow, a top ranker of the universe, had barely made it into Chul Soo Land as the one-thousandth member. Not everyone had joined Chul-Soo Land through fair and honest means.

 Chapter 284

    <h4>Chapter 284</h4>

    The recruitment for the second generation of Chul-Soo Land expanded its membership to one thousand. The number one thousand was woefully insufficientpared to the number of people wanting to join the official Chul-Soo Land. This official recruitment ended up with a record-breaking application ratio of 320,000 to one, with registrations closing in just 0.2 seconds. This process sparked some controversy.

    -I am selling an official second-generation Chul-Soo Land username.

    Resellers flipped usernames for profit.

    -Seriously, can we do something about these damned hackers?

    Quite a few hackers had joined Chul-Soo Land not as fans of Chul-Soo but to prove their skills.

    -I heard someone spent over eighty million Dias to get in.

    Some people went to extreme lengths, setting up state-of-the-art servers and hiring numerous people to attempt simultaneous registrations, actions deemed insane by ordinary folks.

    -Eighty million Dias? That¡¯s a steal.

    -Some spent eight hundred million and still failed. LOL

    -I heard about people buying macro programs from hackers. I think a hacker sold ten of them.

    -LOL, that program cost one billion Dias.

    -WTF? Then that hacker made ten billion Dias?

    Setting aside the societal phenomena this had caused, the key point was that many underhanded tactics were used during the Chul-Soo Land recruitment process. Some of the yers capable of deploying such potent tricks to beat the 320,000:1 odds were indeed very skilled individuals.

    ¡°I will give you three days. If you don¡¯t apologize formally, I will cut off your tongue.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s start by cutting off an arm. I will reattach it this time, but next time, I won¡¯t.¡±

    There were real Assassins among them. Rumors circted that some Assassins had acquired the official Chul-Soo Land username by killing the original ount holders and then stealing their usernames.

    ¡°My client has ordered me to castrate you. Physically, that is.¡±

    Some rich clients also hired Assassins. The threats toward Ronaldo were beyond imagination.

    ¡°Physical torture is for amateurs.¡± Some Mages used cruel illusion magic. ¡°Stoking fear is the true way to devastate a human.¡±

    Ghosts haunted Ronaldo every night. Initially, he screamed that Chul-Soo was persecuting him through cowardly means, but those screams were merely empty shouts.

    <i>¡®The security camera footage is gone?¡¯ </i>Ronaldo was shocked. Videos of him being attacked were being deleted. <i>¡®I almost died so many times!¡¯</i>

    Sitting on the toilet, Ronaldo felt something odd. Startled, he stood up to find eyes staring back at him from the toilet bowl. An Assassin was hiding in there.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± Ronaldo shouted.

    ¡°People say that the Anus Destroyer from the Earth Server is the original. They¡¯re wrong. I am the original Anus Destroyer.¡±

    ¡°D-Did someone hire you also?¡±

    ¡°No, I came here for my honor.¡±

    At this point, Ronaldo was on the verge of neurosis. He wondered whether he had been happier when he had not been the number one Healer of the United States.

    ¡°Please... don¡¯t kill me.¡±

    The Assassins attacking him had only one demand: a formal apology and atonement directed at Chul-Soo.

    Ronaldo went to Chul-Soo and kneeled. ¡°I am so sorry... Please, make it stop.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Assassins are swarming me day and night. I am facing attacks I never could have imagined. Not just Assassins, but Mages, Hypnotists, Spirit Mages, Tamers, and all kinds of madmen having various Jobs are tormenting me! I am truly sorry...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head, puzzled. <i>¡®That sounds... quite thrilling!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Yolin savored a piece of chocte, immersed in sheer bliss. ¡°This is what life¡¯s about!¡±

    She had thought her previous job was the best there could ever be, but she discovered an even greater paradise here, thanks to Chul-Soo introducing her to the MK Foundation. Her daily tasks were simple: just study everything rted to the history of Arvis. If anything special came up, she would note it down.

    ¡°And I have an unlimited budget!¡±

    She could now indiscriminately purchase books that she had previously hesitated to buy due to their cost, something she could never have dreamed of at her old job. She was happy that she could indulge in her hobby to her heart¡¯s content and receive a steady sry on top of that.

    <i>¡®This is amazing!¡¯ </i>Enjoying her work(?) so much naturally led to a significant increase in her efficiency.

    ¡°Hm... Garbinu might not have been the Great Demon King from the start.¡±

    ording to most history books, Garbinu had been great from the beginning. However, the more she examined the records, the clearer it became that Garbinu had gained fame suddenly after a certain point in time. She gathered all the information she could, enjoying her hobby until she found herself at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house.

    ¡°You know, Garbinu, the sexiest, I mean the most respected Demon King in the history of the universe? The records are not precise, but it seems like Garbinu also devoted a lot of effort to nurturing a Guardian Tree. When you piece together the scattered records, it seems like Garbinu identally discovered some kind of powdery substance.¡±

    ¡°A powdery substance?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had started speaking informally to Yolin. She had begged him to, saying that since Jin-Hyeok was such a gracious boss that he should speak morefortably to her.

    ¡°This is just my spection. It was from that point that a massive Guardian Tree began to grow in Arvis,¡± Yolin exined.

    ¡°Perhaps it was a substance simr to the Spirit Stone I used?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it wouldn¡¯t be a Spirit Stone; there are records of Spirit Stones everywhere. It seems like the same method you used to grow the Guardian Tree. I think Garbinu used something simr to a Spirit Stone.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. It seemed that Garbinu had a secretive method, other than Control Bugs or Spirit Stones, to grow the Guardian Tree.

    Yolin overflowed with passion. ¡°I will work hard! I will dedicate my life to thepany!¡±

    ***

    The Guardian Trees that had infused the entire Earth with hope and vitality had ceased their growth. In some cities, the Guardian Trees hadpletely dried up and withered.

    [The Chul-Soo craze is now over.]

    [Chul-Soo saving the Earth Server was all a hoax.]

    As quickly as hope had red up, it began to fade just as swiftly. Of course, not all views were negative.

    -Soon, the medicine produced en masse in Arvis will be imported to Earth. We just have to hold on until then.

    However,

    -That may be true for developed countries.

    -Will the medicine really reach the poor and powerless nations?

    Divisions within Earth continued to emerge.

    -Does Chul-Soo have no n for this situation?

    -In fact, this crisis is because of Chul-Soo.

    Ronaldo had officially apologized to Chul-Soo, bowing his head, but the world was full of second and third Ronaldos. Some of them had presented different pieces of evidence and insights.

    -Isn¡¯t it Chul-Soo¡¯s fault that the System had to rely on such drastic measures?

    -None of this would have happened if Chul-Soo had not been here.

    Even the Chul-Soo Landers across the universe found it difficult to track down and apprehend(?) anonymous individuals one by one.

    Jin-Hyeok was not particrly stressed by people¡¯s reactions. In fact, he was excited by the increased traffic drawn by the controversy. He appreciated learning about the diverse perspectives of many individuals in a single event. However, he felt ambitious about something.

    <i>¡®The greatest Ruler in the history of the universe, Garbinu...¡¯</i>

    Garbinu was universally acknowledged as the strongest yer. Before he knew it, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was no longer Egan Paul or Marshmallow but Garbinu. Being the strongest <i>Streamer </i>simply was not enough for him.

    <i>¡®To surpass Garbinu, I need to at least be able to do everything that he could!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok became very curious about the secret behind how Garbinu, in an era when technology was far less advanced, managed to grow a Great Golden Guardian Tree.

    ***

    The cksmith of Jongno, the one-eyed giant Mulinus, shook his head in disbelief. ¡°So you¡¯re really having dinner with Chul-Soo.¡±

    Katrina¡¯s obsession was indeed terrifying.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t mess with heterosexuals?¡± Mulinus said.

    ¡°Who said I am going to do anything with him?¡± Katrinaughed heartily. His ample and sensuous pectorals quivered. ¡°I just want to admire Chul-Soo. Imagine how ecstatic I would be, just having such a beautiful sculpture breathing in front of me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called being a fan. Don¡¯t you get it?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Imagine having the world¡¯s rarest, most beautiful, and purest ck diamond right in front of you. Along with the legendary craftsman Toilon¡¯s hammer!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Finally, Mulinus understood what Katrina was talking about. He grinned with zed eyes as he thought of a ck diamond and Toilon¡¯s hammer.

    Leaving him behind, Katrina headed toward Yeonhui-dong. He was dressed in an eye-catching red dress. His figure was so voluptuous that the dress seemed on the verge of bursting. The red dress was clearly inadequate to contain his majestic muscles.

    ¡°Hohoho. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m having dinner with you, Chul-Soo. It¡¯s like a dream.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a dinner. Also, can I record us eating? Is it okay to show your face?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course, just put a filter on it.¡±

    ¡°You mean the one that makes the face slimmer?¡±

    ¡°No! Make me look bigger! I want to show off my muscles! Ah, and! How long are you going to keep speaking formally and keep your distance? Haven¡¯t we be much closer? You can befortable around me, Oppa!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nearly pulled out Miri in response but managed to suppress his anger as the conversation took a crucial turn.

    ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t I mention? My family is filthy rich. How rich? I think we¡¯re among the top in the universe. By the way, I have already donated about three million Dias to your livestream!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to forgive Katrina.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok found it odd that a craftsman with Katrina¡¯s level of skill was sticking around on Earth, a new Server. ording to Trituri, craftsmen with such expertise usually had to be booked months, if not years, in advance.

    ¡°I¡¯m just here to enjoy my hobby on Earth,¡± Katrina said. He was indulging in his hobby, not working. He did not calcte profits and losses, and he only took reservations when he felt like it. ¡°My family has been wealthy for generations. One of our ancestors amassed a huge fortune.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I contacted you again.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was puzzled. <i>¡®What does Katrina¡¯s family wealth have to do with me?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I thought that with all the attention focused on you, a Soul Stone might appear.¡±

    ¡°A Soul Stone?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a legendary but very rare mineral. Have you heard of it?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m hearing about it.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. Probably only people from our family know about Soul Stones.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡¯

    ¡°I am not sure. Just that it¡¯s what made our family one of the richest in the universe.¡±

    Katrina knew two things about Soul Stones: They always appeared when arge number of people shared the same emotion, and Katrina¡¯s family had be one of the wealthiest in the universe because of a Soul Stone.

    ¡°You know about Garbinu?¡± Katrina asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing that name quite a lottely.¡±

    ¡°The sexiest Demon King in the universe. He was incredibly popr at the time. It is spected that the collective admiration of his many fans might have led to the appearance of a Soul Stone,¡± Katrina chuckled. ¡°I wonder what my family did with the Soul Stone that made us so rich.¡±

    Considering both Yolin¡¯s and Katrina¡¯s words, Jin-Hyeok thought it was highly probable that Garbinu had used this Soul Stone as fertilizer for the Guardian Tree.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. <i>¡®This is perfect content for my Eltube channel!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 285

    <em>¡®But I am not quite at Garbinu¡¯s level yet, am I?¡¯ </em>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Even though he had gained a bit of fame in the Arvis Server, he was nowhere close to Garbinu. Garbinu was a name that everyone in the universe had heard at least once.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m just an up-anding rookie.¡¯</em>

    Nevertheless, he could not just ignore what Katrina said to him. To surpass Garbinu, he had to start by following in Garbinu¡¯s footsteps.

    ¡°Tell me more about the Soul Stones,¡± he asked.

    ¡°I will tell you the next time we have dinner together,¡± Katrina replied.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Eating meals was an everyday affair, and sharing a meal with Katrina was not a difficult task.

    When Jin-Hyeok met with Kihael, Kihael could not hide his astonishment after learning what happened. ¡°No way¡­ This is so strange.¡±

    It was not like Chul-Soo had offered a huge reward for the information. Kihael was confused about how Chul-Soo could obtain such information merely by sharing a few meals.¡°Is this really okay?¡± Kihael asked.

    ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that there is a problem but¡­¡±

    Every time Kihael doubted something regarding Kim Chul-Soo, things would happen too smoothly for the Streamer.

    <em>¡°Even if it were possible, it would require extremely skilled Farmers, those who have rolled in the fields of Arvis for decades, and among them, only rankers who have experience managing Guardian Trees can do it. Do you think they woulde to the Earth Server? To this backward and deficient Server where third-ss citizens live?¡±</em>

    After Kihael had said this to Chul-Soo, the Farmers of Arvis hade flocking to Earth.

    Kihael had then thought, <em>¡®Surely, these Farmers have great experience and wisdom, but they are too old and physically unfit. This won¡¯t work. We absolutelyck skilledbor.¡¯</em>

    But somehow it worked out also.

    <em>¡®At this rate, won¡¯t Arvis start intervening? No matter how great Chul-Soo is, if Arvis steps in¡­ things will get tough. Do I need to stop caring about Chul-Soo and just think about myself?¡¯</em>

    After Kihael thought this, Arvis suddenly started supporting Earth. Somehow, the universe¡¯s energy seemed to be aiding Chul-Soo.

    Kihael had then concluded, <em>¡®But the most terrifying enemy is always the one within. People like Ronaldo will definitely pose a threat to Chul-Soo.¡¯</em>

    Contrary to his thoughts, these yers posed not even a bit of threat to the Streamer. Instead, they served as fuel to unite the Chul-Soo Landers of the universe.

    Now, Kihael was learning about Soul Stones.

    <em>¡®Isn¡¯t this kind of thing you usually uncover by deploying informants over a long period?¡¯ </em>Even though Kihael found it baffling, he just nodded and said, ¡°I will do some investigating on my own, too. Not sure if it will help, but I will try my best.¡±

    However, he thought, <em>¡®I probably won¡¯t be much help, but that¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, I am just here for a good work-life bnce.¡¯</em>

    Yet, Kihael felt a bit weird.

    <em>¡®Why do I feel like I am bing useless?¡¯ </em>A small stone had been thrown into Kihael¡¯s life, which had been dedicated to work-life bnce. <em>¡®Shouldn¡¯t I still do what I need to do? Maybe I should work a bit harder¡­¡¯</em>

    Kihael began to change.

    ***

    Mole Man banged on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s front door.

    <em>¡®Oh, is there an enemy nice enough to knock before attacking me?¡¯ </em>Excited, Jin-Hyeok activated the recording Skill and opened the door with a trembling heart.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news from Kihael! Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this, huh, moly?!¡± Mole Man was furious.

    ¡°Why are you angry?¡±

    ¡°I heard that the MK Foundation is greatly increasing support for the Miners! They are also scouting and nurturing promising talents!¡±

    This was all to gather more information about Soul Stones. It would be even better if they could mine a Soul Stone. To the public, this was being promoted as Chul-Soo¡¯s warm support toward unpopr Jobs in themunity.

    Anyway, Mole Man was furious about that. ¡°If there was such a thing, you should have told me first, moly!¡±

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°You still don¡¯t know that my secondary Job is a Miner, moly?¡±

    ¡°You have a secondary Job?¡±

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had never heard of Mole Man having a secondary Job. Mole Man was a professional Navigator and had no interest in other Jobs. Until Han Sae-Rin switched to being a Ruler, they had been fighting for the top-ranked Navigator position in Korea.

    Back then, Mole Man had even given an interview.

    <em>¡°Concentrating on one thing alone already leaves me with no time, moly. Digging several shallow wells is a pointless act. One must dig deep into one single well to find water, moly.¡±</em>

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying mining suits you well and you¡¯re diligently training in that Job?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, moly.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Mole Man looked at Jin-Hyeok as if he was talking nonsense. ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s always done, moly.¡±

    Mole Man was deeply inspired by Jin-Hyeok. Being a Streamer who excelled inbat and also cultivated Guardian Trees well had left a deep impression on Mole Man.

    ¡°One must always work hard at everything, moly.¡± With hard work, Mole Man was already an outstanding Miner, ranked fifth in Korea. ¡°This Soul Stone¡­ I will find it for you, moly.¡±

    ***

    The Earth recovered stability much faster than expected. Guardian Trees emerged all over the, forming a sort of<em> Guardian Treework, </em>and the power of the Guardian Trees spread across the entire globe. As the influence of the Guardian Trees grew, the Levion Virus was neutralized.

    Furthermore, with the arrival of cures from various Servers, including Arvis, humanity began to ovee the Levion Virus. This led to the unprecedented cancetion of the Server-level Scenario Invasion of Levion. The chief GM managing the Earth Server announced directly through the System.

    [The Server-level Scenario was mistakenly created due to an oversight by the GMs¡­ Therefore¡­ we acknowledge this error and offer our deepest apologies. I will take responsibility for this incident and step down from my position as the chief GM of the Earth Server¡­ and¡­ we willpensate every yer affiliated with the Earth Server with ten million Dias.]

    Despite the official announcement, many were skeptical of this notice.

    Marshmallow, having already arrived on Earth, snorted. ¡°Error, my ass.¡±

    It was clear that this had been an attempt to artificially reduce the poption of Earth, but as the incident grewrger and attracted more attention, it became impractical to continue with the Levion Virus.

    ¡°Looks like the System can¡¯t do anything sketchy for the time being.¡± Marshmallow chuckled.

    Encyclopedia, who hade along with his friend, hit the nail on the head. ¡°Why? Are you happy because Chul-Soo won¡¯t be bullied anymore?¡±

    ¡°Who cares about that?¡± Marshmallow scowled. ¡°I just didn¡¯t like how the System was doing absurd things to weaker Servers, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°But seeing that the System is giving away ten million Dias to every yer, it seems like the System might be changing its approach.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It is deliberately throwing around a lot of money. It seems to be nning to slowly suffocate the Earth Server by causing severe intion. If the System can¡¯t kill them outright, it will slowly strangle them. The System might adopt policies that seem beneficial to Earth on the surface.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It feels like the System is setting the Earth yers up for a massive blow that will shake the entire Earth Server.¡± Even Encyclopedia could not be sure of the exact oue. He was just amused by the ever-changing expressions on Marshmallow¡¯s face.

    ¡°So, does that mean Chul-Soo will also be negatively affected?¡± Marshmallow said.

    ***

    That night, Marshmallow vented his frustrations. ¡°Seriously, why hasn¡¯t Chul-Soo suggested a coboration livestream first? I came all the way to Earth to do my livestreams after all.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t he do a coboration livestream with me? It¡¯s not like I can suggest it first.¡±

    ¡°If you want it that badly, why not ask him yourself?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t particrly want to.¡± Marshmallow fell into thought before making a decision. ¡°I guess I need to start doing some livestreams outside. You know, the kind I used to do like the [Experience on the Job] content.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said physical work was too hard for you?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    ¡°I need to get back to my roots.¡±

    Marshmallow dered he would try his hand at mining. His viewers¡¯ reaction was not bad.

    -Wow, finally getting back to his old self, lol.

    -I thought he was getting toofortable.

    -Marshmallow doing hardbor for content? I gotta see this.

    Marshmallow¡¯s expression swelled up with pride as if to show off. ¡°See?¡±

    ¡°See what?¡±

    ¡°I am not doing this type of content because I particrly want to help Chul-Soo. Look at the viewers¡¯ reactions. They are happy about my content.¡±

    <em>¡®Hmm, the back-to-basics project was not a bad idea.¡¯ </em>Marshmallow rationalized this and began his mining experience on Earth. With him being a universe-level Streamer, his content created quite a buzz.

    ***

    On the Arvis Server, Lessefim, the fifth-ranked Navigator and tracking specialist, became slightly anxious. <em>¡®Why haven¡¯t they contacted me?¡¯ </em>

    She knew there had been a significant event on Earth. She had been waiting because of it.

    <em>¡®It¡¯s over, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ </em>She was aware that the chief GM of the Earth Server had apologized and that the matter had been resolved. <em>¡®So, shouldn¡¯t I be tracking Corporation Alpha Male now?¡¯</em>

    She had lost Corporation Alpha Male right in front of her. It was because someone with an unknown Skill had teleported him away. Lessefim thought Chul-Soo would surely ask for her help, so she had cleared her schedule in anticipation, looking forward to saying, ¡®Well, if you need my help that badly, I suppose I have no choice but to help you.¡¯

    <em>¡®Is he not going to track him at all?¡¯</em>

    That seemed unlikely. If she knew Chul-Soo, he would surely want to put a definitive end to the content.

    Then, she stumbled upon a strange teaser video.

    [Tracking]

    It was Chul-Soo¡¯s video. The video was a teaser announcing he would begin hunting down Corporation Alpha Male now that the Server-level Scenario on Earth had roughly been resolved.

    ¡°Who is this woman?¡± Lessefim was quite annoyed when a woman appeared in the teaser video. ¡°Han Sae-Rin?¡±

    A quick search revealed information about Sae-Rin, who was quite a famous yer on Earth.

    ¡°She is a Ruler?¡±

    Sae-Rin was a yer who was making a significant impact as a Ruler. Knowing she was a Ruler somewhat eased Lessefim¡¯s mind.

    <em>¡®Okay. Chul-Soo will start with recruiting a Ruler for the big picture, and then he will recruit me.¡¯ </em>Lessefim thought the recruitment process would also be featured as content. <em>¡®But why¡­¡¯</em>

    Even after knowing Sae-Rin was a Ruler, Lessefim could not understand why she was so irritated. The scene in the video where Sae-Rin and Chul-Soo were conversing particrly caught her eye.

    ¡°Why is she smiling so prettily like that?¡± They wereughing together. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±

    <em>¡®And look at her smiling eyes! The dimples! She is tucking her hair behind the ear!¡¯</em>

    Lessefim checked thements. They were mostly about how they wanted to be Sae-Rin¡¯s fans. Thements were about how pretty Sae-Rin was and how she was the best Ruler on Earth. Thements on the Tracking video, which was supposed to be about hunting down Corporation Alpha Male, were all mostly about Sae-Rin¡¯s looks.

    <em>¡®I need to say something about that.¡¯</em>

    This had to be a mistake in production. The main content, which was hunting down an enemy, was being overshadowed by the focus on a woman¡¯s appearance. Although Sae-Rin and Lessefim had different Jobs, as a prospective wife, no, as a senior, Lessefim thought she could give Chul-Soo some advice about his production. She decided to wait a little longer, sure that Chul-Soo would call to recruit her.

    <em>¡®But¡­¡¯</em>

    No matter how long she waited, the call never came. And a few hourster, she stumbled upon a shocking video.

    [Recruitment]

    It was a video of Chul-Soo recruiting Sae-Rin. Upon seeing the video, Lessefim could not hide her mixed feelings.

    <em>¡®What¡­ is this?¡¯¡¯</em>

 Chapter 286

    <h4>Chapter 286</h4>

    After his conversation with Mole Man, Cha Jin-Hyeok gained a bit of enlightenment. <i>¡®All the people around me seem to be going crazy.¡¯</i>

    There had to be aw of conservation of madness in the world, he thought. As he was bing more normal, others were descending more and more into madness.

    ¡°So, even though you are a Ruler, you are confident in your tracking skills? Even more than actual Navigators?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Sae-Rin smiled brightly. It was the happiest Jin-Hyeok had seen her look recently. ¡°I¡¯m d you came to me. I was already aware of what was going on through your livestream. I had finished my preparations for the tracking on my own.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I would have been upset if you had gone to Mole Man instead of me.¡±

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok had gone to Mole Man first. It was only because Mole Man, who imed to be a Miner as his secondary Job, had offered to search for Soul Stones that Jin-Hyeok ended up going to Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡®But what if I went to Mole Man first. Is that something to be upset about? Normally, one won¡¯t ask a Ruler for help with tracking someone down. I guess she is crazy too.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Mole Man and Sae-Rin had been rivals. This rivalry had started since their days as Navigators, and even after their paths diverged into those of a Navigator and a Ruler, they continued to be acutely aware of each other andpeted endlessly.

    After Mole Man¡¯s interview, where he said, ¡°If you dig too many wells, you won¡¯t find water,¡± Sae-Rin had also conducted a simr interview.

    <i>¡°Do I feelcking in my abilities as a Navigator? Not at all. I am solely focused on honing my abilities as a Ruler. Dwelling on Skills you are not good at only leads to missing out on what you can truly excel at.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®At that time, she was so full of conviction,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Sae-Rin was confident and full of self-belief, and Jin-Hyeok admired that aspect of her.

    However, now, it seemed she had be the opposite of that. He decided to check something. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be focusing solely on your growth as a Ruler?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I am doing.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re about to undertake a tracking mission.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? A great Ruler should possess at least some tracking ability.¡± Sae-Rin smiled. It seemed to her that Jin-Hyeok was testing her. ¡°You can stop testing me. I havee to my senses. I will be as intense as you.¡±

    ***

    After observing the entire process of Sae-Rin¡¯s recruitment, Lessefim trembled with irritation. ¡°She is not even a Navigator that specializes in tracking... And a woman at that?¡±

    Marshmallow, who was enjoying tea with Lessefim after a long while, tilted his head. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t she a Ruler? Why is Lessefim saying that she is a Navigator?¡¯</i>

    However, being well aware of Lessefim¡¯s temperament, Marshmallow chose not to voice that thought. There was no point; it would only invite scorn. Among those Marshmallow knew, Lessefim was the most difficult to deal with. It was not widely known, but Lessefim and Marshmallow were distantly rted, sixth cousins, to be exact. Of course, Lessefim was the elder.

    ¡°Alright, for the sake of the argument, let¡¯s just say that this woman possesses exceptional tracking skills,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Even so, could she be better than me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely.¡±

    ¡°But why did Chul-Soo recruit her and not me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Yo, Marshmallow, tell me! Is she prettier than me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Chul-Soo cares much about appearances...¡±

    Lessefim did not listen to Marshmallow¡¯s reply. ¡°I¡¯m prettier, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°La di da di da.¡±

    ¡°Right? I am prettier than her.¡±

    Clearly, Lessefim was only half-listening to her younger cousin¡¯s words.

    ¡°La di da di da.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m prettier. And as a Navigator, my abilities are naturally far superior. But why? Why? WHY? Why did Chul-Soo choose her over me?¡±

    ¡°Di da di da.¡±

    After several rounds of simr conversations, Lessefim sensed something was off. ¡°Hey, are you listening to me?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to learn propermunication? Is that how a Streamer behaves?¡±

    <i>¡®Damn it, she is taking it out on me again! I¡¯m always the easy target. Do I look like the Marshmallow who would just do whatever you said like when we were kids?¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought that, but he remembered the trauma from his childhood.

    ¡°I think the problem is that your abilities are too outstanding,¡± Marshmallow answered.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo has been rejecting a coboration livestream with me too.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°He says we are not on the same level yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t on Chul-Soo¡¯s level, so I guess that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. He says <i>his </i>level doesn¡¯t match mine. That¡¯s why he can¡¯t agree to a coboration livestream with me yet.¡±

    Lessefim narrowed her eyes. It seemed Marshmallow¡¯s words were particrly irksome. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Do you think you¡¯re something special?¡±

    ¡°You are the only one in the universe who would say that about me. Anyway, through thest livestream, Chul-Soo might have felt that your abilities are too powerful for his next content.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Marshmallow felt a chill down his spine. <i>¡®Lessefim is actually listening to me?!¡¯</i>

    This was astonishing. He was confident inmunicating with anyone in the world, but he had never been confident inmunicating with Lessefim. In other words, if he could sessfullymunicate with Lessefim, he could be a top-tier Streamer without fearing anything else in the world.

    ¡°Your abilities are far too superior,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to have superior abilities?¡±

    ¡°That would be true if Chul-Soo were an ordinary yer. But he is not. He¡¯s a Streamer. His goal is not just to clear Dungeons and achieve feats; he needs to create fun to entertain his viewers. Being a Streamer myself, I know that all too well.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s hard to create fun with you. ying games with cheat codes isn¡¯t fun, right? That is why he needs a partner who might be less skilled but can create drama together, someone like Han Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡°That means...¡± Lessefim bit her lip, feeling aggrieved. Then, she realized something. ¡°If I match my level to the content Chul-Soo is creating, that should solve the problem, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one way to look at it, but your abilities are already...¡±

    ¡°I just need to level up a secondary Job.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Marshmallow¡¯s eyes widened.

    Lessefim, who had always focused solely on one path, was suddenly considering leveling up a secondary Job.

    He asked with a skeptical look, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said anyone leveling up a secondary Job before bing top-ranked in one Job was an idiot?¡±

    ¡°That Lessefim is dead.¡± Determination filled her eyes, reminiscent of the passion she had when she first started ying. She fell into deep thought. <i>¡®What Job should I choose?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Sae-Rin suddenly realized just how remarkable Jin-Hyeok truly was. ¡°Thank you. Because of you, I now have the chance to venture into Arvis.¡±

    She was the second person from the Earth Server to set foot on Arvis. Recently, Arvis had been heroizing Trituri and, consequently, had extended many privileges to Trituri¡¯s disciple, Jin-Hyeok. Thanks to this, Sae-Rin, a yer from Earth, could visit Arvis.

    ¡°Have you started recording?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing a livestream?¡±

    ¡°Going live would give away our location. It would be giving too much information to the enemy.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so stream sniping could be an issue?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Sae-Rin tilted her head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make it more intense and better?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to ask, ¡®How can one track someone effectively with a livestream giving away every move?¡¯ However, a part of him felt there could be some truth in her words.

    <i>¡®No, I can¡¯t be swayed into bing crazy like her,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Everyone around him was going crazy. He needed to stay sane. Jin-Hyeok resolved to hold onto his sanity tightly. ¡°It might add to the intensity, but the tracking process needs to be more gripping and thrilling. Showing everything live would create too many dull moments.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± Sae-Rin looked at Jin-Hyeok with eyes full of affection, nearly causing him to take out Miri.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those affectionate eyes.¡±

    <strong>[#Amazing. #That¡¯s real professionalism. #Please be my man.]</strong>

    For Jin-Hyeok, it was ufortable to think that arade-in-arms harbored such indecent and horrifying thoughts toward him. The mere idea sent shivers down his spine.

    <i>¡®Is it a crime to look at the man I like with affectionate eyes?¡¯ </i>Before Sae-Rin could voice her thoughts, she reconsidered. She hade to understand Jin-Hyeok in her own way.

    ¡°You might not realize it, but I am quite popr. Are you not aware of the memes about me circting in various onlinemunities? They are praising me as the prettiest Ruler in the universe,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°If I act pretty and cute like this...¡±

    <i>¡®Sae-Rin pretending to be pretty? Pretending to be cute?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt even more ufortable.

    ¡°...the viewers love that! You mostly livestream in first person, which can maximize the viewers'' reaction,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Jin-Hyeok felt as if he had been hit on the head.

    ¡°You aremitting a crime by only considering your feelings and not thinking from the viewers¡¯ perspectives,¡± Sae-Rin continued.

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt like he had overlooked a professional aspect. Sae-Rin¡¯s use of the word <i>crime </i>left him with no room for rebuttal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was shortsighted.¡±

    Having gained significant insight, Jin-Hyeok steadied his heart and began the pursuit of the enemy.

    ***

    The Lady from Arvis, a doll collector named Harkoen, struck her loyal and trusted servant, Hyde, across his face. ¡°How dare you speak to me like that, as the chambein?¡±

    With his cheek reddened, Hyde maintained hisposed posture and spoke again. ¡°I advise you that now is the time to give up on Chul-Soo.¡±

    <i>p!</i>

    Harkoen could not ept Hyde¡¯s words at all. ¡°Anyone else might not understand me, but you, as my chambein, should understand me!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You should be on my side!¡± Harkoen¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with rage. She seemed like someone who had been betrayed by Hyde. Unable to contain her anger, she repeatedly struck Hyde¡¯s cheek, and he epted the blows in silence. ¡°Say it again. Say that you will bring Chul-Soo to me.¡±

    ¡°It is not possible. The timing is not right. I also oppose the n to set a trap using Corporation Alpha Male.¡±

    ¡°I want Chul-Soo. I must have him. Please, I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it is difficult at this moment. It would be better to wait for another opportunity.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± With no more strength to strike Hyde¡¯s cheek, she bit her lip hard. ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand the sight of you. Get out! You¡¯re fired.¡± Harkoen unleashed curses that were hard to bear, and Hyde was forced to leave the mansion that he had served for decades.

 Chapter 287

    <h4>Chapter 287</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok and Han Sae-Rin were camping in an unnamed forest. As they sat in front of a campfire, taking a break, a man approached them.

    ¡°You must be Kim Chul-Soo,¡± the man said.

    ¡°And who might you be?¡±

    ¡°My name is Hyde. I am the chambein of Lady Harkoen.¡±

    Sae-Rin tensed up slightly, while Jin-Hyeok became intrigued.

    ¡°How did you find me in this vast Arvis Server?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I started tracking you as soon as you entered our Server.¡±

    ¡°You followed me? I didn¡¯t feel your presence at all.¡±

    ¡°There are many ways to track someone without directly tailing them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Both Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin were shaken by this revtion.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never heard of such methods. Truly fitting for the strongest Server in the universe.¡¯</i>

    That someone could be tracked without direct surveince was a significant discovery for them.

    <i>¡®Could I possibly learn to do such things with enough effort?¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought.

    While an ordinary Ruler might not have been so stimted by this revtion, Sae-Rin was, thinking that she needed to put in more effort.

    Hyde continued, ¡°Harkoen... She has gone mad. The clear and pure child she was in her youth is no longer present.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I miss her pure soul. I loved her very much.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sensed something odd. He felt a unique kind of madness in Hyde that one could only sense from a lunatic.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you will pass on all the information to me, as long as I agree to hand over Harkoen to you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Hyde revealed Harkoen¡¯s n. Jin-Hyeok learned that Harkoen was the one who had helped Corporation Alpha Male escape, with the intention of using him to hunt down Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°So, is she some kind of Human Hunter?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No, she is an Alchemist.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was puzzled. <i>¡®Why would an Alchemist hunt people?¡¯</i>

    But then again, in a world where Rulers tracked people and Navigators worked as Miners, anything was possible.

    ¡°Harkoen was such a lovable and kind child, who loved alchemy dearly.¡±

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that you will cooperate with me, help me catch Corporation Alpha Male, and let me have all of Harkoen¡¯s assets and research materials, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will turn that child into a doll and keep her forever. Just as she once was, pure and innocent.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The child looks so lovely when she is asleep.¡±

    <i>¡®This guy is definitely insane.¡¯</i>

    ¡°How did you end up so crazy?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not me who is crazy; it¡¯s Harkoen.¡±

    To Jin-Hyeok, it certainly seemed like Hyde was the mad one, but he did not say it out loud.

    <i>¡®I am the interviewer, after all.¡¯</i>

    Being able to listen well and draw out an interviewee¡¯s story was also a skill.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Harkoen is crazy?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°She pped me. Me, who has loved and raised her with all my heart since she was little. We must stop her madness.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue and asked, ¡°Can I livestream this?¡±

    ¡°Are you seriously asking that?¡±

    ¡°Well, I know I can. Sorry for the pointless question.¡±

    The livestream would be stimting; it was excellent content for his channel.

    Hyde suddenly stood up. ¡°No, of course, you can¡¯t! What are you thinking? If this gets out, Harkoen will see the livestream and prepare for it! It¡¯s foolish toplicate the situation!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡± Jin-Hyeok was already inspired by Sae-Rin.

    <i>¡°Have you started recording?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Yes.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You¡¯re not doing a livestream?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Going live would give away our location. It would be giving too much information to the enemy.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Ah, so stream sniping could be an issue?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Exactly.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make it more intense and better?¡±</i>

    ¡°Then we might have a problem,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked, appearing exhrated. ¡°Actually, I have been livestreaming since you first arrived. My viewers are loving it.¡±

    As the livestream turned out to be a hit, Jin-Hyeok grinned, while Hyde was speechless.

    <i>¡®I knew this guy was crazy about livestreaming, but I didn¡¯t know he would be this crazy.¡¯ </i>Hyde thought.

    ***

    ¡°I must have been branded a traitor by now.¡± Hyde did not particrly express anger. He spoke with as much calmness as he could muster. ¡°I willy low for now. Let¡¯s meet againter so that I can pass on more information.¡±

    After Hyde disappeared, Sae-Rin said, ¡°I think this guy is lying.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°He seems to be ying a double agent.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt as if he had been struck on the head. He had used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight to read Hyde¡¯s true intentions earlier.

    <strong>[#How dare she p me? #How could she? #We must stop her madness. #She is most lovely when she is asleep.]</strong>

    But then it urred to him. <i>¡®He could have deceived my Broadcaster¡¯s Insight!¡¯</i>

    It was certainly possible.

    <i>¡®Especially since my ability has been made public.¡¯</i>

    This meant that his opponents could tailor their approach to target him.

    ¡°Thank you! I almost fell for it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Sae-Rin chuckled, taking pleasure in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°I actually think it¡¯s a good thing.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°People tend to miss out on other things when they are engrossed in something, right? The fact that you almost got tricked by Hyde means you were truly sincere about your livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you had been skeptical of Hyde like me, I would have been disappointed. It would have meant you weren¡¯t immersed in your livestream.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smirked once more. <i>¡®I thought being keenly aware was what mattered... but it¡¯s actually the opposite.¡¯</i>

    He had learned something valuable. Jin-Hyeok thought once again how much of a greatpanion Sae-Rin was.

    ***

    That dawn, Jin-Hyeok suddenly woke up. ¡°Wow!¡±

    A note was ced beside his bed. He immediately started recording.

    ¡°A person came here and ced a note. I think it was a Thief. I barely felt their presence. If it had been an Assassin, I might not have been able to respond in time.¡±

    Of course, Assassins typically had a more noticeable presence than Thieves. Moreover, their presence would be more noticeable at the moment of attack, making them easier to detect, but he did not bother mentioning that detail.

    ¡°This is a note from Corporation Alpha Male.¡±

    <strong>[Let¡¯s meet in the metropolis of Muren within the Helen Empire. I did not give it my all in ourst battle. I too needed a narrative. Let us have our final showdown there.]</strong>

    ¡°Corporation Alpha Male is taunting me, saying he went easy on mest time.¡± After revealing the note through his livestream, Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°I guess there is no need for me to track him anymore. As soon as the sun rises, I will head straight to Muren.¡±

    ***

    Lessefim wrestled with her dilemma over and over again. ¡°But what kind of secondary Job should I develop?¡±

    The question was quite perplexing.

    ¡°If I start something from scratch... I don¡¯t think Chul-Soo will choose me.¡±

    She thought she at least needed to have a navigating ability simr to that of the Ruler Han Sae-Rin. Of course, she did possess such an ability.

    ¡°Ah... I really don¡¯t want to do this.¡±

    Since her childhood, her parents had forced a dream upon her: bing an Alchemist. Alchemy was known to be a profession that required a significant amount of money, reputed to be a noble Job. It was typically chosen by the high nobility of Arvis, who had no worries about their future. It was also a career rmended to their children.

    <i>¡°No! I won¡¯t do it! It¡¯s so boring! I hate it!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Oh, dear, there is no Job more suited for a noble¡¯s daughter than this. Listen to your father, Lessefim.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°That¡¯s right, Lessefim, you will thank uster.¡±</i>

    As a child, Lessefim was forced to learn alchemy. After going through an intense period of adolescence, she ultimately chose the path of a Navigator, deliberately choosing a Job considered to be less noble. Even now, just hearing the word <i>alchemy </i>made her shudder.

    <i>¡®But... besides alchemy, what immediate secondary Job can I develop?¡¯</i>

    She was confident that given enough time and investment, she could acquire other Jobs besides Alchemist. The thought process was something like, ¡®If that woman (Han Sae-Rin) could do it, why can¡¯t I? There is no way I can¡¯t.¡¯

    However, Lessefimcked the time for such endeavors.

    <i>¡®I need a Job that can get me chosen right now, immediately!¡¯</i>

    In the end, she went back to her home after a long time. ¡°I¡¯ve be interested in alchemy. I will start studying it.¡±

    ¡°Our daughter has finally matured! Indeed, there is nothing like alchemy for the nobility.¡±

    ¡°You have finally realized the need for refinement? You have made a great decision! We love you, Lessefim!¡±

    Her parents were overjoyed.

    ***

    Sae-Rin proved to be an exceptional Navigator. Despite being on unfamiliar roads, she devised the optimal route to lead Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°You could have just stayed a Navigator, you know?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is that supposed to be an insult?¡±

    ¡°No, I said that because you are so good at it.¡±

    ¡°How is that different from telling you to wield a sword instead of a hammer?¡±

    ¡°Aha!¡± Jin-Hyeok nodded, getting her point.

    If someone told him, ¡®You are good with a sword, why bother with a hammer? Hammer is some!¡¯ he would probably be annoyed. After all, his talenty with the hammer, not the sword.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jin-Hyeok apologized.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I know what you meant.¡±

    The duo entered the outskirts of Helen Empire. Thanks to Jin-Hyeok having honorary citizenship of Arvis, they could easily use the warp portals here.

    Sae-Rin was constantly amazed. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so well connected. No motion sickness at all! And it¡¯s cheap too.¡±

    She was gaining a lot of inspiration from her travels to new ces. ¡°It would be great if Earth had such a well-organized warp portalwork. It would be much more advantageous for various explorations!¡±

    <i>¡®But wait, can¡¯t we create something like this? If Arvis can do it, why can¡¯t we?¡¯ </i>As Sae-Rin pondered a vague future for the Earth Server, she and Jin-Hyeok arrived in Muren, a metropolis within the Helen Empire.

    Amid news of the uing sh between Corporation Alpha Male and Jin-Hyeok, the grand square was filled with throngs of people.

    ¡°I am selling tickets to the fighting arena! Get your tickets!¡±

    ¡°VIP seats for sale!¡±

    Some quick thinkers had already secured spots near the arena in the square. Many Streamers had also gathered to livestream the event.

    ¡°This time, the gender ratio of the audience is a bit different. The female audience seems to overwhelmingly dominate their counterpart.¡±

    ¡°Usually, among the female audience, such events attract a younger demographic, so it is interesting to see a wide distribution of age groups.¡±

    ¡°Signs dering love for Chul-Soo can be seen everywhere!¡±

    Meanwhile, the captain of Muren¡¯s guard was having a headache. <i>¡®All this fuss over a Streamer! Especially over a Streamer from a third-rate Server, not even from Arvis! How could this even attract such a crowd?¡¯</i>

    The city¡¯s guard was mobilized to maintain order, but it was proving insufficient. They had urgently requested reinforcements from neighboring cities.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am! I have something to report!¡± one of the guards shouted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me ma¡¯am when we¡¯re working! I told you thousands of times!¡±

    ¡°Now is not the time to nitpick about titles. The south gate has been breached. People are going mad to see Chul-Soo. They are scaling the walls with fire in their eyes!¡±

    Captain Muenne grabbed her helmet. ¡°I will handle it myself.¡±

    She had to protect the city from the crazed fans proiming their love for Chul-Soo. Donning her helmet, she quickly climbed atop a Wyvern. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°M-Ma¡¯am! Please be careful! I know you care about this city and your sense of duty, but...¡±

    As the Wyvern screeched and soared into the sky, her lieutenant¡¯s voice faded away. To reach the south gate, she had to fly over the grand square.

    <i>¡®There are so many people at the grand square!¡¯</i>

    It looked impossibly crowded. In her six years as the city¡¯s guard, she had never seen such a turnout.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Something strange caught her eyes. Among the vast crowd, one person stood out unmistakably. It was a mystery how he could be so conspicuous. Moreover, she was flying at great speed on a Wyvern, and even from the air, she noticed that particrly handsome individual.

    A new Chul-Soo Lander had been born.

 Chapter 288

    <h4>Chapter 288</h4>

    In the darkness, one person shone brightly amid the crowd.

    <i>¡®I had no idea a man could be this handsome,¡¯ </i>Muenne thought. She wondered if this was what made someone a star. Among the throngs of people, this figure stood out prominently.

    Muenne seemed enchanted as she pulled on the reins of her Wyvern. ¡°Let¡¯s go down.¡±

    As they descended, she realized, <i>¡®This ce is in utter chaos too!¡¯</i>

    She needed to stay here and restore order. Although the situation near the south gate was much more serious, she decided to disregard it. The Wyvern hovered about three meters above the ground, a feat only the most skilled Wyvern riders could achieve.

    ¡°Everyone, stop moving!¡± Her voice echoed across the entire grand square.

    People who recognized her gasped. ¡°It¡¯s Muenne!¡±

    ¡°Muenne?¡±

    She was one of the Seven Pdins of the Helen Empire. Nicknamed the Radiant Lance, she caused a stir among the crowd.

    ¡°I am going to take control of the situation from now.¡± Drawing her shiningnce, she slowly descended, a true disy of the grandeur befitting one of Helen Empire¡¯s Seven Pdins. Dressed in shining silver armor and with her long red hair tied back, she was indifferent to the attention on her. She was always the center of attention wherever she went.

    ¡°My name is Mue...¡± She felt something unusual.

    <i>¡®Huh...?¡¯</i>

    It was typical for everyone to hang on to her every word. Here too, everyone was initially focused on her.

    ¡°She is one of the Seven Pdins?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she is the captain of the guard here.¡±

    ¡°Why would a Pdin be just a captain?¡±

    ¡°I heard that she was demoted after assaulting a superior.¡±

    ¡°Aha! That¡¯s cool. So, where¡¯s Chul-Soo?¡±

    However, interest in Muenne quickly faded. The majority of those gathered here were fans of Chul-Soo. With Chul-Soo here, the prestige of the Seven Pdins of the Helen Empire meant nothing. Even if the Pope or the Emperor had appeared here, the situation would have been the same. People would have asked, ¡®So what? Is that guy more handsome than Chul-Soo?¡¯

    ¡°Over there! Chul-Soo is moving that way!¡±

    ¡°Move! Get out of my way!¡±

    ¡°Why is thisdy in my way? Go away!¡±

    The influx of Chul-Soo Landers turned the grand square into a veritable cauldron of chaos. Even Chul-Soo found the situation somewhat bewildering.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not that I feel bad, but...¡¯ </i>Chul-Soo realized a bit of strategizing was necessary. <i>¡®I cannot have my Chul-Soo Landers getting hurt.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo raised his voice slightly. ¡°Everyone, please calm¡ª¡±

    <i>¡®Wait... I think saying chill out seems more effective than calm down.¡¯</i>

    Normally, speaking informally could upset people, but Chul-Soo Landers preferred it, a fact that Chul-Soo had learned from experience.

    ¡°Chill out, guys!¡±

    Just a few words from him, and shrieks erupted from all around. Some even fainted, eximing they were dying.

    ¡°You guys will get hurt if this continues. Keep order. Don¡¯t push each other.¡±

    Amazingly, order was restored. Just by standing still without pushing each other, the crowd helped subside the chaos.

    Guard Captain Muenne looked at Jin-Hyeok with a dumbfounded expression. His towering height made it easy for her to see his face. She was astonished. ¡°Is it even possible to be that good-looking?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s surreal appearance baffled Muenne more than his ability to restore order with just a few words.

    ***

    Muenne pushed through the crowd to stand in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Ah, I¡¯m so nervous.¡¯ </i>She had never felt this nervous in front of someone before. She was far more nervous than she had been when she had dueled with the Great Mages of the Mazique Empire. Yet, she did not show her nervousness outwardly.

    ¡°I am the captain of the guard in Muren, Muenne.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Right behind Muenne, her lieutenant Thomas shouted, ¡°You imbecile! How dare you speak informally to someone of her stature¡ª¡±

    However, Muenne cut him off. ¡°I heard that you are going to duel with Corporation Alpha Male. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°You scoundrel! How dare you speak to her in such amann¡ª¡±

    Thomas fainted on the spot with a loud thwack.

    The crisp sound of the blow made Jin-Hyeok feel somewhat exhrated. <i>¡®Wow, I didn''t even see her hit him!¡¯</i>

    It seemed like she had swung hernce, but Jin-Hyeok could not catch her movements precisely. Long weapons were typically hard to wield. Yet, for Muenne, such disadvantages seemed irrelevant.

    <i>¡®She is incredibly skilled! How strong can she be?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to fight her, and at this moment, he realized how much his situation had changed.

    <i>¡®I had never encountered such a high-ranking yer even when I was the Sword King...¡¯</i>

    He was a Sword King in Korea, but not in the universe. In contrast, Muenne was a universe-level ranker, a level he could hardly dream of meeting before his regression.

    <i>¡®It means I have grown that much.¡¯</i>

    He thought of what would have happened if he had wielded a hammer and not a sword before his regression. He wondered why he had been so sure that the sword was his talent back then. The thought left him somewhat regretful.

    ¡°Since a major disturbance is anticipated, I am going to mediate the duel. An official duel must have a mediator,¡± Muenne said.

    In official duels, a mediator was standard, amon rule in the Arvis Server. Having a ranker like Muenne as a mediator and guarantor was an honor for the duelists. Normally, duelists would beg for a mediator of her stature, but today, Muenne¡¯s heart fluttered.

    <i>¡®¡¯By mediating the duel, I can watch Chul-Soo more closely, right?¡¯ </i>Muenne thought. She felt like a young girl, unable to understand why. <i>¡®Please don¡¯t refuse my offer!¡¯</i>

    However, she could not let her feelings show. Although she was anxious, she spoke withposure. ¡°I have recently learned that you have acquired the status of an honorary citizen of Arvis. I have a duty to protect the citizens of Arvis. Should any danger arise, I will protect you.¡±

    <i>¡®Good job, Muenne! Show Chul-Soo your impressive side! My voice didn¡¯t tremble, did it? I was quite cool, right?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not respond, but just stared at her.

    Muenne found it difficult to meet his gaze. <i>¡®Why can¡¯t I look him in the eyes?¡¯</i>

    She tried to steel her heart and meet his eyes, but she couldn¡¯t. So, she subtly avoided his gaze.

    ¡°Do I appear weak to you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Muenne felt her heart sink. Though she was not sure, she felt she had made a big mistake.

    ***

    In the bustling metropolis of Muren within the Helen Empire, at the outer south gate,

    ¡°The gate is breaking!¡±

    ¡°The captain herself ising! Stay put!¡±

    ¡°Stop those undead-like madmen!¡±

    The soldiers were desperately trying to hold the south gate.

    ¡°We might have to use the water cannon!¡±

    ¡°The captain is on her way! Hold on, even if it¡¯s tough!¡±

    If one of the Seven Pdins of the Helen Empire arrived, the situation would surely resolve itself naturally. Among those madmen pressing forward like the undead, some were undoubtedly citizens of Arvis. Firing water cannons at the citizens could lead to severe bacsh. For now, the best course of action was to defensively hold their ground with shields, aiming for a peaceful resolution.

    ¡°Captain Muenne is going toe! Everyone, grit your teeth and hold on!¡±

    ¡°But she is taking too long! How can it take this long when she should being by riding a Wyvern?¡±

    The captain of the guard at the south gate frowned. ¡°Lady Muenne always keeps her word! If she said she woulde, she would. What do you think the honor of the Seven Pdins is worth? She would keep her promise even if the lives of her parents were on the line! Just hold on a bit longer!¡±

    Unfortunately, Muenne had been reborn as a Chul-Soo Lander, abandoning her convictions.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. <i>¡®It¡¯s been a while since I have been in a ce like this arena.¡¯</i>

    He had experienced this often during his days as the Sword King, and memories of that time came flooding back.

    Corporation Alpha Male chuckled upon seeing Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I bet this is a first for you.¡±

    Depending on the environment and location, one¡¯s abilities could vary. ording to Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s research, Chul-Soo had never experienced arge-scale fighting arena like this.

    <i>¡®Can you maintain yourposure in this situation, with tens of thousands of people watching you?¡¯ </i>Corporation Alpha Male thought.

    Those without experience could not possibly perform to their best here. Corporation Alpha Male was confident in his victory. <i>¡®My Level has surpassed 300.¡¯</i>

    It was all thanks to a potion Lady Harkoen had given to him. With such a significant gap in Levels, skill differences were irrelevant.

    ¡°I will take this opportunity to show you that there is always someone who is more powerf¡ª¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male intended to issue a cool warning, but only the warning itself ended up being cool.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Miri struck Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s head before he could finish.

    <i>¡®Argh!¡¯ </i>Corporation Alpha Male could not believe what just happened. Despite being over Level 300, he found it hard to follow Jin-Hyeok¡¯s movements. His attacks were consistently blocked by Absolute Barrier.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Broadcaster¡¯s Nemes¡ª]</strong>

    Corporation Alpha Male did not even get a chance to properly use his Mystery. Jin-Hyeok approached quickly and swung Miri, making that impossible.

    <strong>[The Mystery has been canceled.]</strong>

    Corporation Alpha Male was disoriented. All he could do was frantically move his limbs to block or dodge Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attacks.

    <i>¡®W-Why is he so fast?¡¯ </i>The difference in skills between them was too significant to be masked by any editing. <i>¡®It... it can¡¯t be!¡¯¡¯</i>

    Eventually, Corporation Alpha Male copsed to the ground. The duel hadsted just four minutes. It was aplete defeat for Corporation Alpha Male. He felt as though he had been fighting a massive wall, simr to battling a top-tierbatant yer like Muenne, who had offered to mediate the duel.

    ¡°Chul-Soo must have been hiding his strength...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood over the fallen Corporation Alpha Male. Somehow, this made Corporation Alpha Male feel at ease. He had surpassed Level 300 with Harkoen¡¯s potion, but the gap in skills between him and Chul-Soo was still vast.

    <i>¡®There is an insurmountable wall of skill between Chul-Soo and me.¡¯</i>

    Feeling the presence of that massive wall actually brought him relief. He no longer had any will to resist.

    ¡°Kill me,¡± Corporation Alpha Male said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you track me all the way from Earth? Hiring experts in tracking and all that.¡±

    ¡°I only hired one Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Right, one Ruler.¡± Corporation Alpha Male did not believe Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Sure. I know you said that publicly only for the sake of your livestream and dramatic effect.¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male was sure that, off-camera, Chul-Soo hired someone of a higher rank, like Lessefim.

    <i>¡®Maintaining your concept even now... You truly are a professional Streamer. Perhaps dying at Chul-Soo¡¯s hands is not such a shameful thing after all.¡¯</i>

    Corporation Alpha Male was ready to ept his death calmly. The number of live viewers participating in his livestream was unprecedented. This was enough for him. He had set the title of his livestream to The End. This would make for a fitting finale.

    ¡°Just kill me.¡±

    ¡°Kill you?¡¯ Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Corporation Alpha Male was slightly puzzled. He could not understand why Chul-Soo was upset.

    ¡°Get up, Corporation Alpha Male.¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male scoffed.<i> ¡®Is he going to help me get up and beat me down again? He is truly a cruel man.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Chul-Soo¡¯s concept was aimed at providing primal entertainment.

    ¡°Just kill me. I want myst moment to be... honorable.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok spoke with a serious expression. ¡°You are using your life as an excuse to ignore what¡¯s truly important.¡±

    His expression was not just serious, but almost solemn.

 Chapter 289

    <h4>Chapter 289</h4>

    Corporation Alpha Male genuinely became curious. <i>¡®The most important thing?¡¯</i>

    He wanted to know what made Kim Chul-Soo adopt such a serious expression, wondering how valuable it could be to warrant such a reaction and why he was not aware of this important thing.

    No matter how much Corporation Alpha Male pondered it, he could not figure it out. So, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I can see that you¡¯re ignoring it, whether unconsciously or consciously.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Really? Am I that inadequate?¡¯ </i>Corporation Alpha Male was bewildered.

    ¡°You need to figure it out yourself. It¡¯s important after all,¡± Chul-Soo said.

    Corporation Alpha Male desperately tried to recall what he was ignoring. <i>¡®I am Corporation Alpha Male. In my final moments, I must die honorably, looking my best.¡¯</i>

    However, he could not figure it out.

    After a considerable amount of time had passed, Chul-Soo said, ¡°Do you really not know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Please tell me. What is the value I am forgetting? What am I ignoring? What is the knowledge that will protect my honor?¡±

    ¡°You have to acknowledge that I am the strongest among all Streamers.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    <i>¡®Did he go through all this trouble just to hear that one statement? Coming all the way to Arvis, knowing that Lady Harkoen is targeting him? Is he insane?¡¯</i>

    Regardless of Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s feelings, Jin-Hyeok was serious. Jin-Hyeok was fine with yers provoking him and ambushing him. However, he could not tolerate the spread of false information, iming someone else was the strongest Streamer.

    Jin-Hyeok had one demand.

    [I have been arrogant. Kim Chul-Soo is far stronger than I am.]

    He wanted Corporation Alpha Male to acknowledge that.

    ¡°Now, I ask again. Who is stronger, me or you?¡±

    ¡°You are stronger.¡±

    ¡°Do you officially acknowledge it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You are much stronger than me.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male found himself inadvertently looking into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. <i>¡®He is definitely insane. This guy is without a doubt, mad.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, he did not realize the oddity of why he, despite being over Level 300, could not defeat Chul-Soo.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You can leave now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Corporation Alpha Male felt uneasy again. ¡°Are you sparing my life?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Initially, Jin-Hyeok had considered killing Corporation Alpha Male. However, Han Sae-Rin had persuaded him to do the opposite.

    <i>¡°Keeping him alive will make things easier for you, Chul-Soo.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Why?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Think about it. He¡¯s the second strongest among the Streamers. Anyone who wants to surpass you has to go through him first. You don¡¯t want to waste your time fighting weaklings, right? Let Corporation Alpha Male handle the weak ones. I think he will stop most challengers anyway.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°So... they have to get past him before challenging me. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Exactly!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Hm...¡±</i>

    Truthfully, Jin-Hyeok did not mind much even if weaker yers came at him.

    <i>¡°And dealing with those weaklings could distract you from focusing on your livestream, you know?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Fair point.¡±</i>

    Thanks to Sae-Rin, Corporation Alpha Male was able to survive.

    ***

    Lady Harkoen sprang up from her seat in a fit of anger. ¡°That idiot!¡±

    ording to hermon sense, Corporation Alpha Male was supposed to die.

    ¡°Why is Chul-Soo sparing him?¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male had to die for the Levina Mineral Powder hidden inside his body to activate. The powder could exert its effect only by consuming a person¡¯s life. ording to her n, Corporation Alpha Male should have died there.

    ¡°All that effort to brainwash him for nothing.¡±

    Harkoen had brainwashed Corporation Alpha Male, imnting in him the belief that since his Level was now over 300, he could confidently defeat Chul-Soo.

    Harkoen bit her lip in frustration. As the situation in the arena deviated further from her n, her misguided desire for Chul-Soo only grew stronger. The sight of Chul-Soo, captured on the screens of many Streamers livestreaming the arena, was breathtakingly beautiful. He seemed like a treasure she could not afford to lose.

    ¡°I must have him!¡± she yelled and threw the water ss on her desk. The ss shattered with a ng. Only then did she realize Hyde¡¯s absence. If Hyde had been here, the ss would not have broken. He always managed to catch whatever she threw, after all.

    ¡°How could you do this to me, Hyde?¡± pping him had been a mistake. She had been furious at that time. ¡°But still, how could you betray me? Since childhood, I have followed you like you were my father.¡±

    The absence of someone who had been by her side for decades suddenly made her lonely. She even reminisced about the happiness of her childhood.

    <i>¡°I miss her pure soul. I loved her very much.¡±</i>

    Hyde¡¯s words somehow made sense to her now.

    <i>¡°Yes. I will turn that child into a doll and keep her forever. Just as she once was, pure and innocent.¡±</i>

    Those words did not upset her. As a doll collector, she could understand Hyde¡¯s sentiment. ¡°What really upsets me is that my chambein is not by my side!¡±

    It was not the first time she had pped him. She had done much worse before.

    ¡°Just because I pped him and said he was fired... How could he leave the mansion and abandon me?¡± Harkoen sat down in a chair, covering her face with her hands and sobbing. She felt overwhelmingly lonely.

    After a while, someone handed her a handkerchief.

    ¡°Thank you, Chambein.¡± She grabbed the handkerchief and looked up sharply. ¡°Chambein?¡±

    ¡°I knew you would be crying.¡±

    Sae-Rin had predicted correctly. Hyde had not betrayed Harkoen.

    ¡°In the end... I suppose I must indulge the whims of ady who whines like a child, just like old times,¡± Hyde said as he patted Harkoen¡¯s back. ¡°I have perfectly deceived Chul-Soo, mydy.¡±

    Though he was reluctant, Hyde had to fulfill Harkoen¡¯s wishes. ¡°Before long, you will have Chul-Soo.¡±

    ***

    Having braced himself for death, Corporation Alpha Male dusted himself off and stood up. <i>¡®To think I would survive like this...¡¯</i>

    Since he had acknowledged his defeat, he harbored no further regrets. He extended his hand to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I felt the significant gap in our abilities. I will not challenge you for a while. Until I am worth¡ª ARGH!¡±

    Corporation Alpha Male copsed before finishing his sentence. After gasping for breath for a few seconds, he died right there on the spot. There was no time to react.

    Jin-Hyeok frowned and scanned the surroundings. <i>¡®An Assassin?¡¯</i>

    He vaguely identified the direction of the attack. It seemed to be a rather special kind of attack, tailored for Corporation Alpha Male, like a custom-made poison. Indeed, Jin-Hyeok had sensed the killing intent at the moment of the attack.

    <i>¡®I managed to activate Absolute Barrier, but...¡¯</i>

    Naturally, Jin-Hyeok assumed the attack was meant for him. So, he had cast Absolute Barrier around himself, not expecting Corporation Alpha Male to be the target. However, people assumed that Jin-Hyeok had killed Corporation Alpha Male.

    ¡°Waaaah!¡±

    Loud cheers erupted. The crowd was excitedly shouting about justice being served and how Chul-Soo had taught Corporation Alpha Male a lesson.

    <i>¡®Who is it? Who killed him?¡¯</i> The answer was not hard to find, as a voice echoed in his head. <i>¡®What is this?¡¯</i>

    [Muren, 37th Street, corner of the alley, the house with white bricks, meet here.]

    [Muren, 37th Street, corner of the alley, the house with white bricks, meet here.]

    [Muren, 37th Street, corner of the alley, the house with white bricks, meet here.]

    Jin-Hyeok instinctively realized something. <i>¡®Wow, this seems like some kind of brainwashing!¡¯</i>

    It was not a poison but some substance that attempted to brainwash him.

    <i>¡®But when did they do that to me?¡¯</i>

    It seemed to have happened around the time Corporation Alpha Male had died. Jin-Hyeok could not be sure of the exact details. However, he was engulfed in a serious internal conflict.

    <i>¡®Should I act as if I have been brainwashed?¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, he had encountered many who were brainwashed. Some of the viins he faced were also brainwashed. For now, Jin-Hyeok softly muttered to himself, ¡°Muren, 37th Street...¡±

    Soon, the voice in his head disappeared.

    ***

    The fans of Chul-Soo, affectionately referred to as Chul-Soo Landers, did not particrly care about what Jin-Hyeok did; they adored him regardless. Currently, they were ecstatic, proiming, ¡®As expected, our Chul-Soo is so decisive! He possesses such firm charisma!¡¯

    Had Jin-Hyeok decided to spare Corporation Alpha Male, they would have equally cheered, ¡®As expected, our Chul-Soo is overflowing with mercy!¡¯

    This incident significantly increased the influx of young male viewers on his livestreams.

    -As expected, Chul-Soo knows how to grab our attention!

    -God Chul-Soo. This is so satisfying!

    -This is how you teach someone a lesson!

    The livestream was quite sessful, but Jin-Hyeok was deep in thought that night.

    He asked Sae-Rin, ¡°It was definitely some sort of brainwashing. But then it suddenly disappeared. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s set to activate sporadically. If it was too obvious, it could have been problematic. It must be a highly advanced ability. But that aside, you are going to that ce, right?¡±

    ¡°I have to.¡± Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok realized Sae-Rin had changed.

    <i>¡®If it were the Sae-Rin before my regression, she would have nagged me about being too reckless.¡¯</i>

    In fact, Jin-Hyeok had prepared a thorough excuse.

    <i>¡®I guess they know I am immune to poisons below the level of the Snake King. So, they did not use poison. But it seems they don¡¯t know I possess Imperial Resilience. That¡¯s why they attempted such obvious brainwashing. This means they are not that meticulous. I have not officially dered I possess Imperial Resilience, but anyone who closely analyzes my y would have noticed. So, their trap will not be that meticulous either. What do you think? With this reasoning, It¡¯s okay to march in there, right?¡¯</i>

    He had nned to say this, but the current Sae-Rin didn¡¯t nag him; instead, she asked him if he was going to that ce as if she expected him not to disappoint her by saying no.

    ¡°How can I naturally act as if I have been brainwashed?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°For that, we need to figure out what you have been subjected to. It seems rted to Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s death. Maybe it¡¯s some sort of brainwashing powder that activates upon his death.¡±

    ¡°Is there such a thing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just specting.¡±

    Then, there was a knock, not on the door, but on the window. When Jin-Hyeok opened the window, a man in ck tights and a mask appeared before him. He took off his mask in front of Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Hyde?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. I had toe in this state because I am being tracked. I am still being pursued and do not have much time. Listen carefully. As you might have guessed, Corporation Alpha Male was killed by Harkoen.¡±

    ¡°Harkoen? How?¡±

    ¡°She used a substance that turns into a deadly poison uponing into contact with the powder inside Corporation Alpha Male. It¡¯s a bitplex, but think of it as a form of alchemy. As I mentioned before, Harkoen is an exceptional Alchemist. Your body has absorbed the Ludon Mineral Powder, which is like a drug that induces brainwashing.¡±

    The powder that Jin-Hyeok had inhaled was actually named Levina Mineral Powder, and Hyde had intentionally said an incorrect name.

    ¡°Harkoen will likely lure you into a trap. The powder is going to slowly eat away your mind without making it too obvious.¡± Hyde took a leather pouch out of his pocket. ¡°It would be wise not to go since it¡¯s a trap... but I know you will go anyway. If you are going to that pce, take this with you. It will surely help.¡±

 Chapter 290

    <h4>Chapter 290</h4>

    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t cry again,¡± Hyde said, gently stroking Harkoen¡¯s head.

    Harkoen, who was crouching, nodded. ¡°If you leave me again, I will kill you. Understand?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Only then did Harkoen slowly get up from her seat and sit down. ¡°So? How are you going to give me Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°It seems you used Levina Mineral Powder on him. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You know me so well.¡±

    ¡°Of course, no one knows you better than me. Levina Mineral Powder has always been a good choice, but unfortunately, it seems Chul-Soo has Traits like Imperial Resilience or Mental Barrier.¡±

    ¡°The Levina Mineral Powder I made can break through anything, including those Traits.¡±

    ¡°I am aware. But that alone is not enough.¡±

    Harkoen frowned. Her mood began to sour rapidly. ¡°So? What do you expect me to do?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I met up with Chul-Soo. Brainwashing alone was insufficient, so I added something extra to it.¡±

    ¡°Something extra?¡±

    ¡°I deliberately revealed to him that it was a trap. And that he was brainwashed.¡±

    ¡°Hyde! Are you mad?!¡±

    ¡°Because of that, Chul-Soo came to trust me. Sometimes, a giant hole is less effective than several small cracks in bringing down a dam.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Whether he knows he is brainwashed or not, Chul-Soo wille to your trap on his own. That remains unchanged.¡± Hyde calmly continued, ¡°I informed him that he had Ludon Mineral Powder in his body, and I gave him Lumina Mineral Powder. The preparations to give you Chul-Soo areplete.¡±

    Harkoen, who had been fiery with anger, opened her fan and hoarselyughed. Her voice was dripping with coquettish charm. ¡°As expected, you know what I want. You are my favorite in the whole world.¡±

    Havingpleted his report, Hyde turned and began to walk away. A thin smile appeared on his lips.

    <i>¡°You are my favorite in the whole world.¡±</i>

    He lived to hear those words. Despite having to get on his knees, being at the receiving end of ps, and hearing humiliating words from Harkoen, Hyde felt everything away when he heard that sentence.

    Hyde stopped in his tracks. ¡°However, we cannot discount the possibility that Chul-Soo has seen through all of this. He might pretend to fall into the trap knowing he is brainwashed.¡±

    ¡°I doubt that.¡±

    ¡°He is very crazy, after all. He might even be thrilled, thinking this entire situation is good content for his channel.¡±

    ¡°What should we do then?¡±

    ¡°In the worst-case scenario, I will deal with Chul-Soo myself.¡±

    Harkoen yelled, ¡°You cannot kill him!¡±

    ¡°I will try my best not to.¡±

    ¡°If Chul-Soo dies, I will me and curse you for life, understand?¡±

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was amazed because Han Sae-Rin had created a virtual space that connected Arvis and the Earth Server, allowing formunication between those two ces.

    ¡°Oh, I heard that inter-Servermunication is quite aplicated technology,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Says who?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t so much who had said it, but rather it wasmon knowledge that he had known even before his regression.

    Yet, Sae-Rin spoke as if it was nothing significant. ¡°Everyone can do this.¡±

    She meant it as something that all universe-level top rankers could do, and Jin-Hyeok epted it as that.

    A total of five people had gathered in this virtual space: Wang Yu-Mi, Kang Eun-Woo, Yolin, Jin-Hyeok, and Sae-Rin.

    Sae-Rin seemed somewhat dissatisfied with this oue.

    ¡°I have only managed to call five people. And the call can be maintained for only thirty minutes.¡± Sae-Rin continued in a slightly upset tone, ¡°The rankers of Arvis can call over twenty people and maintain the call for more than an hour.¡±

    Nevertheless, the five yers sat around a virtual round table. Jin-Hyeok had two reasons for convening this meeting. ¡°The first is about the direction of the content¡¯s production... But before that, Yolin, what about the thing I asked you?¡±

    ¡°I looked into it.¡±

    The second reason was a more in-depth investigation into Harkoen. Knowing the opponent well could lead to a smoother progression, after all.

    Yolin continued, ¡°As you guys know, she is an outstanding Alchemist and her family has been wealthy for generations. Her family lineage dates back to... and so on... However, I found an interesting record. The founder of her family was named Carvington. But if you read this in the ancient pronunciation of the Helen Empire, it¡¯s roughly read as Kihekton. This Kihekton was one of Garbinu¡¯s close aides.¡±

    The information Yolin had gathered was quite interesting.

    ¡°So, the start of Lady Harkoen¡¯s family and the start of Katrina¡¯s family almost ovep. The founders of both families were Garbinu¡¯s colleagues. However, the information is strangelycking in details as if someone hid the records.¡± Yolin, the history enthusiast, excitedly added, ¡°I do not know what Carvington did. Fitting together other records suggests he yed a significant role, but again, many records are lost. It¡¯s very intriguing, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Eun-Woo was not very interested in Yolin¡¯s findings. He was more regretful that he could not apany Jin-Hyeok to Arvis. <i>¡®I could have created a production like the epic of a lonely hero standing against an insurmountable force...¡¯</i>

    Looking at the holographic image of Jin-Hyeok, Eun-Woo was impressed. Just as Jin-Hyeok was serious about livestreaming, Eun-Woo was serious about his job as a Homepage Master.

    ¡°Um... could I possibly go to Arvis right now?¡± Eun-Woo asked.

    Yolin answered, ¡°That might be difficult. Chul-Soo can take only one person, and Sae-Rin has already apanied him. It would be quiteplicated for you to join them...¡±

    ¡°What if I acquired a rmendation from someone higher up? Like Marshmallow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to abuse that power too. Marshmallow already invited Bossst time...¡±

    ¡°No, not Marshmallow, someone <i>like </i>Marshmallow.¡±

    ¡°Well... it might be possible depending on the person, but you think someone of that level would invite you, Eun-Woo? Do you have such connections?¡±

    Eun-Woo smiled slyly. ¡°No, but I am nning to start looking for one now.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be as easy as you think. The rankers of Arvis are very proud of themselves.¡± Yolin had a good impression of Eun-Woo and worried he could get hurt. ¡°Don¡¯t be too reckless. You might get hurt.¡±

    ***

    Though Eun-Woo said that he was going to start looking for one, he already had someone in mind. Recently, someone had reached out to him. In the deep of the night, while Eun-Woo was asleep, someone had infiltrated his home.

    ¡°Are you the Homepage Master, Kang Eun-Woo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± One would expect him to be surprised, yet Eun-Woo was unfazed. This was because such urrences had be all toomon. After the selection of the second generation for Chul-Soo Land, it happened every two to three days.

    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not the first one to infiltrate my home. So, why are you here? Are you here to buy unpublished photos of Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Are you not going to ask me who I am?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s got to be one of the Chul-Soo Landers, right?¡± Under the banner of Chul-Soo Land, everyone was the same to Eun-Woo. He did not care about who the actual person was. ¡°Since I could not feel your presence at all... you must be one of the official second-generation Chul-Soo Landers. What¡¯s your username?¡±

    Muenne clenched her fist. She hade to know Chul-Soo toote. Had she known him a bit earlier, she could have be an official second-generation Chul-Soo Lander. Frustrated at this, she had not considered the very logical question of whether the Homepage Master was a Job inherently incapable of sensing presence.

    Eun-Woo¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even an official second-generation member, but you had the audacity to infiltrate the home of Chul-Soo Land No.2?¡±

    ¡°Are you No.2?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I am also No.2 of the first generation. Imunicate with Chul-Soo directly the most.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°An unofficial member just sneaked into my home without any good reason,¡± he said with a sigh.

    The universe-level ranker Muenne felt an inexplicable pressure. She felt as if she had done something terribly wrong without knowing why.

    ¡°Hey, Miss Unauthorized. It would be best to stop doing things like this next time. Other members of Chul-Soo Land will not forgive you. Go back. If you are not an official member, I don¡¯t sell unpublished photos or videos. This is agreed upon by all Chul-Soo Landers.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Muenne became desperate. ¡°My name is Muenne. I am the captain of the guard responsible for the security of the great city of Muren in the Helen Empire.¡±

    The weight behind the name Muenne was tremendous. In a list of the strongest yers in Arvis, her name would surely be among the top ten.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t care what your name is. I¡¯m going to call you Miss Unauthorized.¡±

    ¡°I-I am Muenne from the Hel¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I heard you, Miss Unauthorized.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo has recently entered Muren. I am also in charge of Muren¡¯s security.¡±

    Only then did Eun-Woo¡¯s eyes sparkle with interest. ¡°Then you could be a great convenience to Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, I can be of great convenience to Mr. Chul-Soo.¡± Suddenly, the form of address changed from Chul-Soo to Mr. Chul-Soo. If the administrators of Muren heard this, they would be grabbing the back of their necks in frustration. ¡°I actually have quite a bit of power.¡±

    Eventually, Eun-Woo walked over to his desk. ¡°In that case...¡±

    He pulled out a few printed photos. ¡°These are top-tier photos I took with care. Do not leak them outside and enjoy them by yourself.¡±

    ¡°I promise!¡± Muenne¡¯s gaze followed Eun-Woo¡¯s hands, which were holding the photos, left and right, like a puppy desperately longing for a treat.

    ¡°And onest thing. Mr. Chul-Soo ns to deliberately fall into a trap,¡± Eun-Woo said.

    ¡°A trap?¡±

    ¡°Yes, here is the address. It is probably nothing to worry about, but just in case, I thought you should know.¡±

    Muenne quickly nodded, and only then did Eun-Woo hand over the photos. She received them with utmost reverence and care, then soared high into the sky on a Wyvern.

    Today, she felt as if she was the happiest person in the world.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok walked along the winding alleys. It was not a clean street.

    <i>¡®I had no idea Arvis had such dirty streets.¡¯</i>

    Essentially, this ce was like the slum of Arvis. Trash was carelessly thrown everywhere, and drunk homeless people were sleeping on the street, snoring loudly. Whether out of wariness of outsiders or not, people closed their windows upon seeing Jin-Hyeok.

    On Muren, 37th Street, at the corner of an alley stood a house with white bricks.

    Fitting the role of a former Navigator, Sae-Rin had found the way very easily. ¡°This is the pce.¡±

    There really was a three-story house made of white bricks there. It was quite an old house, with clear marks where rainwater had streamed down.

    ¡°Shall we go in?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a strange sense of deja vu. <i>¡®That expression... it¡¯s like mine before entering a Dungeon!¡¯</i>

    He could not shake off the feeling that Sae-Rin was increasingly going off the deep end of madness.

    <i>Creak!</i>

    They opened the wooden door and entered the house.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was surprised.

    <strong>[Communication status is unstable.]</strong>

    <strong>[Connection with the System is unstable, and recording is not possible.]</strong>

    He was just a step or two inside the house, and it had turned into a terribly dreadful space for Streamers. Someone wasing down the stairs from the second floor.

    ¡°Wee, my lovely muse. My beautiful Kim Chul-Soo.

    It was Lady Harkoen.

 Chapter 291

    <h4>Chapter 291</h4>

    Despite receiving the notification that livestreaming and recording were impossible in this ce, Cha Jin-Hyeok remained calm. He just silently stared at Harkoen.

    Dressed in a garishly bright red dress that made her pale skin dramatically stand out, Harkoen was descending the stairs, her face half-hidden by a feather fan. The moment Jin-Hyeok caught sight of her sparkling red eyes above the fan, he felt his heart flutter uncontrobly. <i>¡®Those are the eyes of a mad person!¡¯</i>

    Lately, he had been trying to avoid the gazes of crazy people, fearing he could be drawn into their madness. Yet, when he was confronted with such pure insanity, his instincts stirred. <i>¡®It¡¯s been a while since I saw such intense eyes.¡¯</i>

    Her eyes were filled with an indescribable yearning and obsession, which appeared to bind Jin-Hyeok with invisible ropes. Whisperings filled his head just as before.

    [Oh, my beautiful master, allow me to kiss your feet.]

    [Oh, my beautiful master, allow me to kiss your feet.]

    Countless voices in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head seemed to whisper endlessly, causing a throbbing headache.

    <i>¡®I think this house is specially designed...¡¯</i>

    The house appeared to be a dreadful space for Streamers. It also enhanced the effects of brainwashing.

    ¡°Oh, my beautiful master, allow me to kiss your feet.¡± Jin-Hyeok allowed his body to move as it wished, surrendering to his instincts.

    <i>¡®Wow, this is a very interesting feeling.¡¯</i>

    He felt like a marite, moving toward Harkoen without exerting any effort and kneeling before her. Harkoen¡¯s red shoes caught his eye, but it was her slender ankles that truly captured his attention.

    <i>¡®I think I can just slice off her ankles right now. Hm...¡¯ </i>The thought of slicing through those ankles seemed almost too timely and tempting. <i>¡®Should I?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok momentarily hesitated, realizing his mistake. <i>¡®I guess a leopard never changes its spots.¡¯</i>

    Clearly, he was not in his right mind, likely influenced by the brainwashing.

    <i>¡®I should have considered smashing the ankles!¡¯</i>

    Caught in old habits and recognizing his clear mistake, he debated whether to slice those ankles or not.

    Miri¡¯s voice then echoed in his mind.

    -I¡¯m disappointed, but I also understand where you¡¯reing from. Everyone makes mistakes.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry, Miri.¡¯</i>

    Despite his regret, Jin-Hyeok faced another dilemma. <i>¡®But this is a bit...¡¯</i>

    Kneeling and kissing Harkoen¡¯s foot seemed distasteful. He was already kneeling before her; all that remained was to lean forward and kiss.

    ¡°My muse, my Kim Chul-Soo, I dly permit you to kiss my foot.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok steeled his resolve. <i>¡®I have forgotten how to be intensetely.¡¯</i>

    Today was riddled with mistakes. From considering whether to slice her ankles or not to debating about kissing her foot, he had made a series of grave errors.

    <i>¡®If I am hesitating over this, I do not deserve to be a Streamer!¡¯</i>

    A true Streamer should be willing to sacrifice their life for their livestream; that was the essence of being a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m hesitating over this!¡¯</i>

    He felt as if he was losing his initial resolve. Then, he heard Harkoen speak.

    ¡°Of course, your body won¡¯t necessarily obey your will.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok subtly ceased his movements.

    <i>¡®Wow, that was lucky.¡¯</i>

    Harkoen interpreted the moment of his hesitation about the kiss as paralysis. Had he not hesitated and immediately gone for the kiss, he could have been exposed for not being truly paralyzed.

    Jin-Hyeok decided not to move any further, pretending to have sumbed to a crippling paralysis spell.

    ***

    Before willingly walking into Harkoen¡¯s trap, Jin-Hyeok had a brief conversation with Lessefim. To be precise, Lessefim had stealthily slipped into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s room while he was asleep.

    ¡°I thought I was dealing with a skilled Assassin for a moment there... You¡¯re not here to assassinate me, are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Why do you sound disappointed?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Who in the world would be disappointed by something like that?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Despite seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s slight disappointment, Lessefim told him, ¡°I respect your decision to choose Han Sae-Rin over me. But remember one thing. My secondary Job is that of an Alchemist. If you ever need the help of an Alchemist, feel free to call on me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but ponder something. <i>¡®Hm... Mole Man and Sae-Rin were also very keen on leveling up their secondary Job.¡¯</i>

    Initially, he thought that perhaps everyone else was mad, but it seemed that was not the case. The era felt distinctly different from before his regression.

    <i>¡®Am I the one not keeping up with the times? Am I too caught up in themon sense of my previous life, unable to adapt to new changes? Am I falling behind the trends? Am I... less intense?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Upon examining the powder Hyde had given Jin-Hyeok, Lessefim asked with a puzzled look, ¡°Hyde gave this to you? This is Lumina Mineral Powder, and not just any kind¡ªit¡¯s incredibly refined, with absolutely no impurities.¡±

    ¡°You recognize this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s extremely rare.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not consider the very logical thought that ¡®if it¡¯s so rare, how do you know what this is?¡¯

    ¡°Being this pure, it has a specific use,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°It reacts with Levina Mineral Powder to paralyze a person¡¯s nerves.¡±

    ¡°Like a poison?¡±

    ¡°Simr to poison, but not exactly. This falls under the realm of alchemy, and it¡¯s more affected by mental resistance than by poison resistance.¡±

    Lessefim exined to him about Levina and Lumina Mineral Powder. She talked non-stop for about three minutes about the chemical reaction that urred when their molecr forms interacted and how this chemical reaction affected the human nervous system.

    ¡°What¡¯s interesting is that even if someone bes affected by it, they won¡¯t feel their body bing paralyzed at all.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why people affected by these powders look so peaceful. They don¡¯t realize their bodies are paralyzed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was honestly a bit amazed.

    <i>¡®She said she was a beginner...¡¯</i>

    Lessefim had described herself as a beginner-level Alchemist, but to Jin-Hyeok, she was anything but a beginner.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s wrong with her standards?¡¯</i>

    If other people were here, they would have said that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards were weirder, but there was no one else here toment.

    ***

    Having sessfully deceived Harkoen, Jin-Hyeok stopped in his kneeling position.

    <i>¡®I need to maintain a peaceful expression as if I¡¯m truly affected by the powders.¡¯</i>

    He was perplexed by the rapid beating of his heart, not knowing what Harkoen could do next. He had to be careful not to show too much excitement, lest his act be discovered.

    <i>¡®I wonder how Sae-Rin is doing.¡¯</i>

    After learning about the Levina and Lumina Mineral Powder, Sae-Rin had devised a sophisticated n as a Ruler.

    <i>¡°The most likely scenario is that Harkoen will try to take you directly. Normally, she would not show herself, but Harkoen is not just any kind of crazy. If she were only moderately mad, she would not have brought things this far. The fact that things have gotten to this point means she ispletely insane.¡±</i>

    Sae-Rin had a keen understanding of the mindset of a mad person.

    <i>¡°I just hope she does not decide to kill me in an attempt to destroy evidence.¡±</i>

    During that conversation, Jin-Hyeok wanted to say that the normal thing for Sae-Rin to do was to not follow him into the trap, but such a universally valid conversation did not happen. He thought putting one¡¯s life on the line was only natural for creating a great y. Jin-Hyeok was about tomend Sae-Rin for her fierceness when she said,

    <i>¡°But I can¡¯t miss out on seeing Chul-Soo¡¯s y firsthand.¡±</i>

    Though the reasoning seemed a bit odd, Sae-Rin¡¯s prediction was almost spot on.

    <i>¡°If she doesn¡¯t kill me, she will probably try to take me with her. I am quite attractive, aren¡¯t I?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°What does appearance have to do with anything?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°That woman, she is obsessed with looks.¡±</i>

    Though Jin-Hyeok was not entirely convinced by Sae-Rin¡¯s reasoning, things turned out as she had said.

    ¡°Put that girl in a crate,¡± Harkoen said.

    Masked men appeared, bound Sae-Rin, and ced her in arge crate. Then, Harkoen snapped her fingers, and ghosts appeared. Four ghosts held a grand pnquin, floating in the air.

    ¡°Now, my beautiful muse, let us promise eternity to each other.¡±

    Two more ghosts appeared and slowly lifted Jin-Hyeok. Worrying his act could be discovered, Jin-Hyeok nervously entrusted himself to the ghosts.

    <i>Creak! Creak!</i>

    The ghosts made strange noises as they seated Jin-Hyeok atop the pnquin. The two ghosts then knelt in front of Harkoen, giving their backs to her. Harkoen used the ghosts¡¯ backs as stairs and sat beside Jin-Hyeok. Her eyes were filled with love for him.

    ¡°How can you be so beautiful?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was admiring something entirely different. <i>¡®A pnquin, of all things. Such a romantic mode of transportation.¡¯</i>

    It seemed even cooler than his Thunder Dragon. Today was another day of learning something new.

    ***

    <i>¡®This is fascinating,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The pnquin, driven by the ghosts, moved in bizarre ways. Just when it seemed to be moving forward, it would also move backward, and even as it moved straight, the world appeared upside down. Even though it was clearly going up the stairs, there were moments when it felt like he was going down the stairs. Everything around him was chaotic.

    <i>¡®And there are warp portals, too.¡¯</i>

    The area was enveloped with barriers. It seemed they were heading toward a space secured by double, triple, or even quadrupleyers of protection.

    After quite some time, they finally reached Harkoen¡¯s secret space. Before them was a corridor with red carpetsid out. On both sides of it, magicmps glowed softly, and beneath them, a line of nude dolls was arranged.

    The moment Jin-Hyeok saw the dolls, he sensed something. <i>¡®These aren¡¯t actually dolls, are they?¡¯</i>

    They weren¡¯t dolls but humans.

    <i>¡®So the rumors were true.¡¯</i>

    It was said that Harkoen did not collect dolls but people. Rumors had it that half of the missing people were hidden in Harkoen¡¯s mansion. Witnessing the reality, Jin-Hyeok could not help but be shocked.

    <i>¡®Harkoen...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok nearly looked toward Harkoen.<i> ¡®To think you collected people as dolls... You are pretty intense, aren¡¯t you?¡¯</i>

    He was somewhat impressed. It was surprising enough to create such peaceful-looking dolls, but to have done this without any intervention was something else. He wondered how intense she had to be to make this possible. Jin-Hyeok genuinely thought such intensity deserved apuse.

    ¡°My beautiful Chul-Soo, with you by my side, those worthless things can be burned. Your room is over there.¡± Harkoen pointed with her fingers.

    <i>Creak! Creak!</i>

    The ghost pnquin continued to move forward. Various nametes were affixed to the doors.

    [Butler]

    [Beastkin]

    [Nude]

    [Beauty]

    Finally, they arrived in front of a room with a namete that said Treasure.

    ¡°This is the room prepared for you, my Chul-Soo. Inside, I will calm you and make you eternally mine.¡± Harkoen lightly kissed Jin-Hyeok on the cheek.

 Chapter 292

    <h4>Chapter 292</h4>

    Hearing a soft sound, Cha Jin-Hyeok felt Harkoen¡¯s soft lips on his cheek.

    <i>¡®Did she just kiss me?¡¯</i>

    For Jin-Hyeok, this kind of physical affection was shockingly out of ce, especially since this was not romance content. Only that would warrant such intimacy.

    <i>¡®This is disgusting.¡¯</i>

    He was utterly displeased as if he had been forced into this content against his will. It then struck him that Wang Yu-Mi had expressly stated that anything to do with romance or simted romance content was off-limits. In that regard, Harkoen was nothing short of an Assassin¡ªa saboteur of content! She was unforgivable, but still, he held his tongue.

    <i>¡®A professional Streamer has to endure all kinds of stuff.¡¯</i>

    Such trials and tribtions were part and parcel of the Job.

    Suddenly, Hyde appeared. Emerging from behind Harkoen, he swiftly rendered her unconscious by choking her.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, are you alright?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. <i>¡®He just knocked her out. What is he scheming?¡¯</i>

    ¡°As promised, everything belonging to her family is now yours. I only need Harkoen.¡± Hyde moved closer to Jin-Hyeok and flinched. ¡°You already knew.¡±

    Up close, Hyde realized that Jin-Hyeok was not brainwashed, and, furthermore, he was recording the entire situation. ¡°How are you recording this?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was furious.

    <i>¡®I had to kiss her foot and endure her kissing my cheek, trying to bide my time!¡¯</i>

    He had nned to expose Harkoen at the very moment she attempted to turn him into a doll. He wanted to start his livestream at the right moment like a dramatic reveal, but Hyde¡¯s intervention disrupted his n.

    ¡°I guess I have no choice then. I have to start the livestream now.¡±

    If the best n failed, he had to go for the second best. He began the livestream.

    ¡°I received this notification,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers as he shared the earlier notifications on the screen.

    <strong>[Communication status is unstable.]</strong>

    <strong>[Connection with the System is unstable, and recording is not possible.]</strong>

    ¡°So, how am I able to livestream?¡±

    ***

    Watching Jin-Hyeok proceed with the livestream with such ease, Hyde was engulfed in deep internal conflict. <i>¡®Should I just stab him now? Should I kill him by surprise? Or should I leave him be for a while?¡¯</i>

    Killing Jin-Hyeok now could potentially defuse the situation.

    <i>¡®But... I need to find out how he managed to bypass the livestreaming restriction.¡¯</i>

    Lady Harkoen, although not much of a fighter, was a master of alchemy. She excelled in creating various potions and medicines using her alchemy, giving them significant effects. The livestreaming restriction was also her creation. Essentially, it was an anti-Streamer-specific potion spread across various spaces to activate a barrier.

    The Lumina Mineral Powder given to Chul-Soo in advance was supposed to amplify this effect. With this setup, even if Chul-Soo was an exceptional Streamer, his livestream should have failed.

    <i>¡®I will just find out how he did it, then kill him.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok exined, ¡°Han Sae-Rin is an excellent yer. She is a colleague who teaches me a lot of things and always provides me with inspiration.¡±

    Hyde focused on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words. He wanted to hear the secret Jin-Hyeok had closely guarded. After hearing it, he would immediately stab Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®What is the secret, Chul-Soo?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok revealed the astonishing secret. ¡°Sae-Rin taught me how to do it. What kind of a Ruler would you be if you can¡¯t even do that much?¡±

    ***

    Before walking into Harkoen¡¯s trap, Sae-Rin had told Jin-Hyeok, ¡°What is the most lethal thing to a Streamer? Obviously, it¡¯s preventing them from livestreaming. Worse, stopping them from recording altogether.¡±

    She emphasized the need for a countermeasure.

    ¡°A Ruler¡¯s job is to ce yers in the right positions and maximize their abilities to achieve the best results, right?¡± Her exnation was long and tedious, but the conclusion was simple. ¡°I can help you keep your livestream going. This is a Ruler-exclusive Skill, so it should be much better than a Navigator¡¯s ability.¡±

    While she was still an excellent Navigator, Sae-Rin¡¯s standards were not ordinary.

    Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°There is a Ruler-exclusive Skill that helps Streamers?¡±

    This was new to Jin-Hyeok. Rulers usually focused on maximizing the abilities ofbatant-ss yers. A Ruler who enhanced the capabilities of Streamers was rare.

    <i>¡®A Ruler maximizing a Streamer''s abilities? That sounds like a bad choice,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. However, considering how smart Sae-Rin was, he decided to trust her and listen.

    ¡°Of course. What kind of Ruler would I be if I couldn¡¯t even do that?¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, there are some restrictions. You and I cannot be more than thirty meters apart. I can assist only one Streamer at a time, and it does consume a significant amount of my stamina.¡± Sae-Rin was not entirely satisfied with this.

    ¡°Ideally, a Ruler should be able to assist you from over one hundred meters away and help dozens of Streamers at once. Although my skills are far from perfect and stillcking, I can assist you for now. Oh, and do you have the Lumina Mineral Powder that Hyde gave you? Just in case, I will hold onto it.¡±

    With that, Sae-Rin foiled everything Harkoen and Hyde had prepared.

    ***

    Hyde was bbergasted. He was expecting an extraordinary secret, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s exnation turned out to be disarmingly simple.

    <i>¡°Sae-Rin taught me how to do it. What kind of a Ruler would you be if you can¡¯t even do that much?¡±</i>

    There was no borate or detailed exnation. It was simply that Sae-Rin had helped him.

    <i>¡®A Ruler maximizing a Streamer¡¯s abilities?¡¯ </i>

    In theory, it was certainly possible. The range of buffs Rulers could provide was vast, after all. However, no Ruler had ever been known to invest such care into a Streamer. Enhancing a Streamer¡¯s abilities was just not worth the effort.

    <i>¡®His livestream captured Harkoen¡¯s collection of dolls.¡¯</i>

    A flood of viewers was swarming Yu-Mi¡¯s livestream, which was titled Harkoen¡¯s Collection.

    -Holy shit! Is this real?

    -Those look like dolls made from real people!

    -This is happening in our Server?

    -I thought it was just a ridiculous rumor... This is Year 4200. What the hell is going on?!

    Even Arvis citizens who typically did not watch livestreams from Streamers of other Servers were tuning in.

    -That woman is crazy!

    -I can¡¯t believe this is real! How can a noble family of Arvis do such a thing? I am so embarrassed I just want to drink bleach and die.

    Then, viewers defending Harkoen started pouring in. Mid-livestream, Yu-Mi sensed the involvement of some kind of external force.

    -Tsk tsk. Look at the quality of this staged livestream, lol!

    -My friend is close with Lady Harkoen, and I can guarantee that this is fake.

    -I know Chul-Soo loves livestreaming, but this is ridiculous! It¡¯s clearly staged!

    The narrative that Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream was fabricated began to gain traction. A sudden influx of viewers pointed out the supposed inconsistencies in Harkoen¡¯s appearance, alleged that the dolls were sophisticated CGIs, and imed Hyde¡¯s expression clearly indicated hired acting.

    -I mean, would a noble family of Arvis stoop to such levels?

    -Why would Chul-Soo make up such a livestream? How is he going to handle the aftermath?

    -Harkoen is known for her benevolence. The amount of her yearly donations is simr to the revenues of somepanies!

    Those viewers cited Harkoen¡¯sck of response to the myriad nders as evidence of her innocence.

    -Poor, kind-hearted Harkoen. T_T

    -It¡¯s an unchanging truth in the Server: too much kindness is taken for granted.

    -This livestream crossed the line.

    -Chul-Soo should formally apologize and go back to his Server. I knew he was overstepping his bounds. It was only a matter of time before he caused a major incident like this.

    Yu-Mi, adjusting her round sses, remarked, ¡°These folks just recently joined Eltube, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Kim Min-Ji nodded. She was sitting in front of the monitor beside Yu-Mi with a lollipop in her mouth.

    Yu-Mi double-checked. ¡°No.1, you are not actively intervening or joining in of your own ord, but merely answering my inquiries passively, right?¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    ¡°Their recent join dates and their little to no activity history screams that these ounts are burner ounts. It reeks of foul y,¡± Yu Mi said.

    ¡°Should I nt malware on all of them?¡±

    ¡°That would mean that you have to actively intervene. You said that you can¡¯t do that, right?¡±

    Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes sparkled with determination. Although she didn¡¯t really know who Min-Ji was, she had already calcted how to utilize Min-Ji for maximum efficiency.

    Min-Ji¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so furious! I wish I could set fire to their homes!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yu-Mi firmly grasped Min-Ji¡¯s hands. ¡°Justice always prevails.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°At first, these burner ounts might have the upper hand. However, they move only for money, which makes them sort of like temporary workers. Their firepower cannot surpass that of fans. Money can¡¯t buy genuine love!¡±

    Proving Yu-Mi¡¯s words, numerous viewers began pouring out various pieces of evidence.

    [Summary of Harkoen¡¯s facial features. Why Harkoen in the livestream is real.]

    [101 reasons why the dolls in the livestream aren¡¯t CGI.]

    [Analysis of Hyde¡¯s expressions using Kenshia analytical techniques.]

    -LOL, look at these burner ounts trying to manipte the narrative!

    -Who do they think we are? Why are they trying to sway public opinion so tantly?

    -These types tend to be burner ounts. Hey, show your real username!

    The burner ount brigade had unwittingly provoked sleeping Chul-Soo Landers. Chul-Soo Landers from across the universe swarmed Yu-Mi¡¯s channel, unleashing tremendous firepower across various onlinemunities.

    Min-Ji clenched and unclenched her fists in excitement. ¡°You guys are doing great!¡±

    Chul-Soo Landers were making a significant impact, causing some Servers to experience service disruption due to the sudden traffic influx.

    ¡°Given the situation, I think I can intervene just a bit, right?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°I think you can do it without being noticed.¡±

    Thus, an environment was created where Min-Ji, who was considered the leader of the Chul-Soo Landers, could also step forward in a rtively active manner.

    ***

    Hyde did not overthink it. <i>¡®I¡¯m going to kill him.¡¯</i>

    No matter how much evidence was manipted, if a Streamer of Chul-Soo¡¯s caliber showed too much of this ce on his livestream, Harkoen could not avoid the bacsh. This incident had to be covered up, and killing Chul-Soo was the only option.

    <i>¡®Harkoen, you are too delicate a child. I will bear the sins for you.¡¯</i>

    Casting aside numerous thoughts, Hyde swung his favored scythe.

    <i>sh!</i>

    The sharp de cleaved through something.

    <i>Squirt!</i>

    Blood spurted out. It was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood.

    <i>¡®I was sure I had taken precautions...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Blood gushed from his side. It was a horrific scene, but he remained calm.

    ¡°Blood is pouring out fro¡ª¡±

    It was hard for him to smoothly continue his livestream. Hyde was too fast for him to properly describe to his viewers what was going on.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride was deeply wounded. The problem was not just that he had allowed the ambush; it was that he could not properly carry on with the livestream.

    <i>¡®I should be able to livestream even in such extreme situations!¡¯</i>

    Unfortunately, he realized he was not skilled enough for that.

    Hyde rushed in, not giving him a chance to properly use Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t predict his attack timing.¡¯</i>

    The effectiveness of Absolute Barrier was maximized when its timing matched the attack, but Hyde¡¯s attack was difficult to read. Stripped of rhythm and pace, Jin-Hyeok knew Hyde had the upper hand in this fight.

    Hyde then crouched and suddenly disappeared from view.

    <i>¡®Where is he?¡¯</i>

    The skill gap between the two of them was too wide. This was the prowess expected of a chambein from a noble family of Arvis.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    For the first time in a while, Jin-Hyeok felt a tingling sensation at the back of his neck. It was a sensation one felt only when death was very close. Before his regression, he had felt it often, but not so much after his regression. This sensation now ran down his neck, along the spine, to the tips of his does.

    His intuition was screaming a warning. <i>¡®I am going to die.¡¯</i>

    Hyde was too fast.

    <i>¡®Is he behind me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok tried to activate Absolute Barrier to protect his neck.

    <i>¡®Wait, he is in front?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, Hyde appeared in front of him, his scythe hurtling toward Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck.

 Chapter 293

    <h4>Chapter 293</h4>

    It was the first time in a while that Cha Jin-Hyeok had felt such a thrilling sensation. <i>¡®Is he going for my neck?¡¯</i>

    In an unavoidable and indefensible position, Jin-Hyeok made his decision in a fleeting moment.

    <i>¡®I will let him hit me.¡¯</i>

    He was still wearing the Berklev Ne.

    <strong>[Reflection +1]</strong>

    <strong>[Ability to reflect an attack that results in instant death. (Base probability: 70% +10%)</strong>

    <strong>However, an attack that results in a fatal injury may be converted into an attack that results in instant death instead. (Probability: 30%)]</strong>

    The problem was that Jin-Hyeok did not know if he could actually reflect Hyde¡¯s attack with the Berklev Ne. Hyde was among the strongest yers in Arvis, and if his attacking power far surpassed the ne¡¯s capacity, the reflection effect would be rendered useless.

    <i>¡®I might just die here...¡¯</i>

    Sensing something amiss, Hyde altered the trajectory of his attack at thest moment. Being a veteran of many battles, he sensed that Jin-Hyeok had something up his sleeve. Instead of severing his opponent¡¯s neck, he aimed for the artery, opting to give Kim Chul-Soo a fatal injury rather than aiming for an instant kill.

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but admire the quick change in Hyde¡¯s offensive strategy. <i>¡®This is fun.¡¯</i>

    It had been a while since he had experienced this kind of excitement.

    <i>¡®After all, the thrill thates with risking one¡¯s life is the best.¡¯</i>

    Though Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body was in shambles, his mind was clearer than ever, and he was fully focused on every moment, reading Hyde¡¯s intentions.

    <i>¡®He must have instinctively pinpointed the ne¡¯s weakness.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[However, an attack that results in a fatal injury may be converted into an attack that results in instant death instead. (Probability: 30%)]</strong>

    In fact, Hyde had already figured it out. <i>¡®Chul-Soo, I know you are wearing the Berklev Ne or something simr.¡¯</i>

    A regr Berklev Ne would have been no issue, as a sufficiently powerful attack couldpletely nullify the ne¡¯s abilities. However, Hyde had to be cautious. <i>¡®This guy is backed by MoneyShot and MoneyShower.¡¯</i>

    With the level of sponsorship behind Chul-Soo, it was hard for Hyde to predict the quality of his opponent¡¯s items.

    <i>¡®I will have to aim for a fatal hit.¡¯</i>

    That was exactly what Hyde did. Without treatment, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s death seemed certain.

    <i>¡®If I go for a fatal injury instead of an instant kill, Chul-Soo is going to self-destruct.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat able to read Hyde¡¯s mind as well. <i>¡®This is what real fighting is all about.¡¯</i>

    Simply iling hammers and scythes was not considered a proper battle. As one advanced into the realm of experts, the mental and strategic battle was even more intense.

    <i>¡®Hyde has urately identified the weakness of my ne.¡¯</i>

    Thus, Hyde kept focusing on delivering attacks that would result in fatal injuries rather than instant death.

    <i>¡®But my death is inevitable anyway,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. If this were true, he had to go out giving his best. Jin-Hyeok was more focused on the battle than he had ever been.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok exposed his chest once again, and Hyde¡¯s scythe plunged deep into his chest.

    <strong>[This attack qualifies as a fatal injury attack.]</strong>

    <strong>[It will be converted into an instant death attack.]</strong>

    His vision instantly darkened, which was exactly what Jin-Hyeok had been aiming for.

    <strong>[The Trait ?Extra Life? has been activated.]</strong>

    Depending on who used it, how it was utilized, and the level of focus at the moment, the same Trait could have vastly different effects. The same was true for Extra Life. Some would resurrect minutes after death, others just a few secondster. Some yers could revive immediately upon dying. Jin-Hyeok had nned to use Extra Life and had been focusing on it. Suddenly, his vision cleared, and he swung his weapon.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    A crisp sound of impact echoed in the room.

    <i>¡®I aimed for the head...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok¡¯s weapon had struck Hyde¡¯s wrist instead. His attack had been blocked.

    ***

    Hyde felt a slicker of unease while facing Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®His spirit isn¡¯t dampening!¡¯</i>

    This was a realm separate from mere skill. Normally, even the most skilled yers would lose their spirit in such dire conditions, their abilities failing to shine through. Yet, Jin-Hyeok was exhibiting the exact opposite.

    <i>¡®It feels like he is getting even stronger!¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s focus was intensifying, and his attacks were bing more precise. Hyde sensed he was fortunate. ¡®<i>If I had encountered him a few yearster, I would have lost.¡¯</i>

    By then, Hyde would not have been able to protect Harkoen, and it would have been him, not Jin-Hyeok, who would be dying here. The thought was frankly astonishing. Hyde wondered how could a monster like Jin-Hyeok emerge so soon when the Earth Server was still fairly new. He was just d that he had met such an opponent now and not a few yearster.

    <i>¡®I need to kill him now.¡¯</i>

    If Jin-Hyeok survived, he would undoubtedly pose a significant threat to Harkoen. Hyde had taken precautions just in case. ¡°I cared for the Swamnd Crew like they were my children.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sneered. ¡°Are you turning this whole situation into some kind of personal vendetta against me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It seemed like Hyde wanted to create a situation where Harkoen had no involvement whatsoever. Jin-Hyeok, more focused than ever, saw right through Hyde¡¯s n. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I guess you are nning to kill me and then kidnap Harkoen. I¡¯m assuming then that Harkoen will eventually escape. The world will hear the dramatic tale of the poor noblewoman escaping from her murderous chambein. Sympathy will rise. Harkoen will return to her normal life with a warm wee from the public. Is that your n, Hyde?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense.¡±

    This was a battle of wits beyondbat. While Hyde was holding the upper hand in physicalbat, Jin-Hyeok surpassed him in crafting a narrative. Hyde could acutely feel this, realizing Jin-Hyeok was not abatant-ss yer but a Streamer.

    Hyde changed the subject. ¡°Honestly, I am surprised. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this good. It was quite fun.¡±

    ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual.¡±

    Hyde was taken aback by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s smirking demeanor. He had seen many madmen, but none quite like Jin-Hyeok. Hyde was reminded of an old friend, a lunatic who used to rave, <i>¡°Only when you risk your life is it fun! What is a fight without some danger?¡± </i>Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face ovepped with that of the long-missing lunatic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s end this,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Merely standing was a miracle for Jin-Hyeok. Though he was holding on through sheer willpower, he had reached the limit. After a few exchanges of attacks, he eventually fell to one knee. <i>¡®I can¡¯t move.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not have the strength to twitch a finger. It felt like a heavy rock was crushing his entire body.

    [The End.]

    Jin-Hyeok changed the title of his livestream. Even if he died here, he had no regrets. The fight had been too enjoyable. It was a rare feeling of genuine happiness.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯ </i>After he reflected on it, his thoughts becameplicated. <i>¡®Would my parents be sad if they saw this video?¡¯</i>

    He knew the video would be great content. As a Streamer, it was natural for him to livestream this. Yet, the thought of his parents watching it was profoundly saddening. Jin-Hyeok had grown to consider such things as a Streamer.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I have onest request.¡±

    Hyde was as conflicted as Jin-Hyeok. He felt like he had grown fond of Jin-Hyeok through the battle and even felt a twinge of regret about killing him. If Jin-Hyeok had been born in another era, he could have been the sessor of Garbinu.

    ¡°I will grant yourst wish,¡± Hyde said.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and ended his livestream. <i>¡®Am I doing the right thing?¡¯</i>

    He was not too sure. He contemted whether he should keep livestreaming or not. As a Streamer, he had to, but as a son, he felt he should not.

    <i>¡®I should at least record it.¡¯</i>

    With thest of his strength, Jin-Hyeok summoned Elly. Elly began to cry upon seeing him. Since Jin-Hyeok was not in a normal state, Elly appeared semi-transparent.

    ¡°Elly, I don¡¯t think I can y with you next time,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°No! You promised Elly! You said we would y together forever and ever!¡± Elly tightly hugged Jin-Hyeok before disappearing, as Jin-Hyeok no longer had the strength to maintain the summon.

    ¡°Han Sae-Rin, you were a truly greatpanion. And Miri, you were an excellent weapon.¡±

    His mental connection with Miri was also fading. Miri seemed to be saying something, but Jin-Hyeok could not make out the voice.

    ¡°Are you done with saying goodbyes?¡± Hyde asked.

    Jin-Hyeok could not answer. He had already lost consciousness and was on his knees.

    ¡°What a madman!¡±

    Even without consciousness, Jin-Hyeok maintained his posture.

    ¡°It¡¯s regrettable,¡± Hyde continued. He stood in front of Jin-Hyeok, raising his scythe. It was time to put an end to this. However, someone interrupted him.

    ¡°Stop, you son of a bitch!¡±

    Hyde found himself unable to move. <i>¡®If I move now, I...¡¯</i>

    He instinctively knew that if he moved, Harkoen would be in danger. Turning slowly, Hyde witnessed an unbelievable scene.

    <i>¡®Muenne?¡¯</i>

    One of the Seven Pdins of the Sacred Empire of Helen, Radiant Lance Muenne had arrived on the scene with Lessefim.

    <i>¡®Is that really her?¡¯</i>

    Radian Lance Muenne was a figure revered by the citizens of the Helen empire. Many of her subordinates idolized her as an ideal and a person of aspiration. She had earned the Radian title not just because of her exceptional spear skills but also because her very existence shone brightly, always a luminous presence.

    <i>¡°Captain Muenne? She is like sunshine. She is infinitely generous and warm to the weak.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°There were some unsavory rumors about her in the past, but I¡¯m sure those are just rumors. Captain Muenne is the embodiment of light for us.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I have never seen her use profanity or nder anyone. I doubt I ever will.¡±</i>

    Yet, here was Muenne, swearing and seething.

    ¡°Stop acting, you bitch! I know you¡¯re awake! Open your freaking eyes!¡± Muenne grabbed Harkoen by the cor and pped her face, causing Harkoen to scream and her cheek to swell red. ¡°Hand over Mr. Chul-Soo safely to this side.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Or I will chop off this bitch¡¯s head!¡±

    Hyde was shocked. He had no clue why the captain of Muren¡¯s guards had ended up here.

    <i>¡®I thought we had an agreement with the empire...¡¯ </i>Hyde thought.

    This entire operation had the empire¡¯s support. The empire did not need <i>Chul-Soo</i>, but a <i>hero </i>instead, preferably, a deceased hero. A dead hero could be idolized, which would draw all eyes to Trituri, who had raised such a hero.

    ¡°I am going to count to ten. In ten seconds, I will chop off this bitch¡¯s head and cut off your limbs too.¡± Muenne already had her spear drawn.

    Hyde was forced to make a decision. ¡°Harkoen, you stupid bitch! All my beautiful dolls have been exposed! How could you mess this up so badly, you goddamn bitch!¡±

    He raised his scythe, intending to take on all of Harkoen¡¯s sins andmit suicide. This was the best course of action Hyde could take.

    <i>¡®Harkoen, I truly loved you, my dear.¡¯</i>

    Just as he was about tomit suicide, a hand caught his scythe. Blood dripped from the bare hand. Having failed to kill himself, Hyde was in shock. <i>¡®What the hell...?!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 294

    <h4>Chapter 294</h4>

    The one who had caught Hyde¡¯s scythe was none other than Cha Jin-Hyeok. Hyde found this too hard to believe. <i>¡®How did Kim Chul-Soo recover this quickly?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was holding the scythe, grinning.

    ¡°H-How... did you recover?¡± Hyde asked. He had pushed Chul-Soo to the brink of death. Even with the best Healer¡¯s treatment, the Streamer needed hours of rest to recover from such severe injuries. That was why Chul-Soo effortlessly moving around shocked Hyde.

    Hyde then noticed a faint golden glow flickering over the back of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s...!¡¯</i>

    It was a faint aura leaking from an All-Clear mark. Jin-Hyeok had received a buff from Harkoen¡¯s alchemy. Known as the Rune of Recovery, this buff interacted with the All-Clear mark to significantly speed up one¡¯s healing process.

    Hyde instantly realized what had happened.

    <i>¡®It was you, Harkoen...¡¯</i>

    Hyde thought he knew everything about Harkoen, but apparently, he was mistaken. Instead, Harkoen knew much more about Hyde than thetter did about himself.

    <i>¡®She must have taken precautions, fearing I might kill Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    The alchemy buff was far less cost-effectivepared to the abilities used by buff-type yers. To achieve the same effect, this buff required a substantial amount of money. Despite that, Harkoen had embedded the Rune of Recovery into the back of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I guess I am tougher than I thought,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not you who is tough. Look at your right hand.¡±

    A faint white light blossomed from the All-Clear mark. It was the Rune of Recovery, working in conjunction with the mark to exert greater power.

    ¡°Well, I knew someone was helping me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That bitch tried to save you by setting this up for you. The buff aiding you is called the Rune of Recovery, and it costs billions of Dias to use just once,¡± Hyde bitterly muttered. ¡°That idiotic bitch.¡±

    Yet, he felt somewhat relieved.

    <i>¡®This entire situation can be spun as if Harkoen went to the lengths of spending billions of Dias to help Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok smirked again. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean she didn¡¯t want to get a scratch on her collector¡¯s item?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreaming ability had significantly improved. He transmitted his livestream in very high quality to every corner of the universe.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any scratches on these dolls.¡± Jin-Hyeok swung his hammer at one of the dolls.

    ¡°NO!¡±

    The one who screamed was Harkoen.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The doll¡¯s joint twisted, but it immediately reverted to its original shape with a series of crackling sounds.

    ¡°I guess the dolls also have the Rune of Recovery. But, why is she the one screaming?¡±

    ***

    -I envy those who haven¡¯t watched Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream yet. T_T It was super entertaining. I wanna watch it again!

    -Seriously, the quality of the livestream was insane, LOL!

    -When he used his Extra Life, I almost died.

    Before this stream, the public didn¡¯t know that Jin-Hyeok still possessed Extra Life. He had broadcast the process of his Extra Life disappearing but never showed it being restored. Chul-Soo Landers began creating and sharing clips of that video.

    <i>¡°Someday, I hope to be remembered as a Great Streamer. This video is dedicated to my future self.¡±</i>

    -Wow, so that video was some kind of foreshadowing, LOL

    -I guess it was pretty worth it, haha!

    -Wait, so he nned everything from then? Did he hide it on purpose?

    -Can someone share the link to the video? T_T

    ©¸Check out episode #223.

    ©¸Thank you! ???

    Many were simply astonished, while more knowledgeable viewers, like Encyclopedia, were a bit shocked.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe he survived Hyde¡¯s attack with Extra Life,¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought.

    He could feel how much calction had gone into this. Extra Life was typically only effective against attacks below Level 200. It meant that Chul-Soo had provoked Hyde into using a weaker attack to survive. However, Encyclopedia did not think it was just the calctions.

    <i>¡®It feels like Extra Life has been enhanced...?¡¯</i>

    This was something he would have to verify directly by meeting up with Chul-Soo.

    Meanwhile, Hyde was arrested on the spot. Harkoen was also initially detained but was quickly released. Hyde had taken all the me, asserting Harkoen¡¯s innocence.

    -Didn¡¯t anyone see Harkoen scream at thest moment?

    -And people still believe the dolls are Hyde¡¯s? Idiots!

    -This is ridiculous, haha!

    It was announced that Harkoen¡¯s Cry of ¡°NO!¡± was not out of concern for the dolls getting damaged, but fear of Hyde getting hurt.

    -How deep does their collusion go?

    -Who¡¯s stupid enough to believe this?

    -How stupid do they think the citizens are to conduct an investigation like this?

    Public outcry demanded Harkoen¡¯s detention, but she was not arrested. The Helen Empire decided on the death penalty for Hyde, citing his horrendous crimes and the severity of his guilt. Hyde epted the death sentence without appeal. The trial process was unprecedentedly swift, and Hyde¡¯s execution was scheduled for the following week.

    ***

    Lessefim nodded with a satisfied expression. ¡°You¡¯re good at sneaking in. You could be mistaken for a Thief.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re a Streamer, you should be able to do at least this much.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Lessefim was gaining a lot of inspiration from Jin-Hyeok. She was also finding her way back to her initial goals. So, the idea of a Streamer being able to sneak in like this did not seem too strange to her.

    ¡°I thought it would be difficult to get back in here because they changed the security settings...¡±

    They were back at Harkoen¡¯s secret space, filled with her collection of dolls. They saw the same dolls and disy areas asst time.

    [Butler]

    [Beastkin]

    [Nude]

    [Beauty]

    Even in this state, Harkoen had not abandoned her collections.

    ¡°We need to prove these dolls belong to Harkoen.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a minute, Muenne. Are you sure you should be doing this?¡± Lessefim looked incredulous.

    Muenne responded with an expression that seemed to ask what the problem was. ¡°What do you mean by <i>should be doing this?</i>¡±

    ¡°You are the captain of Muren¡¯s guards... and you always prioritize rules and justice.¡±

    Lessefim recalled being fined by Munne for speeding when she had exceeded the speed limit by just 5 km/h, which she felt was unfair since everyone did it to some extent. Despite Lessefim¡¯s pleas, Muenne, a stickler for the rules, had refused to let it slide.

    ¡°I remember you saying that even if I am a yer ranked in the top five, I can¡¯t be above the rules,¡± Lessefim added.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just find the evidence,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°You do realize what we¡¯re doing here is illegal right? And Chul-Soo is recording all of this.¡±

    Muenne turned her gaze toward Jin-Hyeok. Suddenly, her expression and voice softened. ¡°Please blur out my face, Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°I will also alter your voice.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Lessefim sighed in disbelief and dropped the subject. ¡°Muenne, be honest with me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Did you infiltrate this ce for justice or because you wanted to y with Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°For justice.¡± Muenne¡¯s face turned red. She was indeed embarrassed. However, based on her admiration for Chul-Soo, she could be a bit shameless. ¡°I act solely for justice.¡±

    ***

    While examining the dolls, Muenne tilted her head. ¡°Will examining these dolls really provide evidence that Harkoen is the culprit?¡±

    Harkoen¡¯s private security would burst in soon. The trio needed to find the evidence and leave as soon as possible.

    ¡°Of course, it will. The foundation of creating these dolls involves alchemy,¡± Lessefim answered.

    ¡°Alchemy?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you review Chul-Soo¡¯sst livestream?¡± Lessefim wore a confident smile, while Muenne seemed a bit intimidated.

    ¡°What do you mean by review?¡±

    ¡°Each of these dolls was engraved with runes utilizing alchemy, like the Rune of Recovery. It shows how intense Harkoen is about her collection.¡±

    ¡°But someone so intense about their collection would rather not leave any evidence behind.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thisdy here talks as if she doesn¡¯t know the ways of the world. This is why I can¡¯t get along with the elites.¡± Lessefim shook her head in disbelief. ¡°When someone is this intense about their collection, they are bound to leave their mark on it, to im it as their own.¡±

    ¡°Leave evidence? Would she really do something that foolish?¡±

    ¡°You think that¡¯s foolish?¡± Lessefim incredulously chuckled before turning to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Chul-Soo, do you think it¡¯s foolish or intense?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s intense.¡±

    Leaving one¡¯s mark on collection items, despite the risk of being caught, was evidence of that intensity. It was simr to how Angel Girl Song Ha-Young would leave a teasing note to signify her thefts.

    ¡°There must be a mark that only Alchemists can recognize, invisible to the naked eye. Maybe something like a special dye somewhere on the dolls,¡± Lessefim said.

    Muenne did not answer back.

    Lessefim experimented with the dolls, applying fire here and there, sprinkling some unidentified powder, and adjusting temperatures, all in the hopes of uncovering evidence.

    ¡°But, Lessefim. If that is the case, shouldn¡¯t we bring in an Alchemist?¡± Muenne asked.

    Lessefim wagged her finger from side to side. She thought Muenne still had a long way to go. ¡°If you are a specialized Navigator, you should know a bit about alchemy. Haven¡¯t you been watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams properly?¡±

    Muenne¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. She had not expected to be used of not watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams enough. She quickly defended herself. ¡°It¡¯s true that I have only recently be a fan of his. But I have been splitting my sleeping hours to binge-watch all his videos.¡±

    ¡°Then what did Chul-Soo say in his recent video?¡± Lessefim asked.

    This question felt sharper and more challenging than any Knightly Order Entrance Exam questions. Overwhelmed by anxiety, Muenne could not think of an appropriate response.

    Lessefim perfectly replicated what Chul-Soo had said in his recent video. ¡°Sae-Rin taught me how to do it. What kind of a Ruler would you be if you can¡¯t even do that much?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The same principle applies here too. If a Navigator can¡¯t do this, are they really a Navigator?¡±

    Muenne¡¯s heart began to race. It felt like she was stepping into a world she had never known. She started to feel a bit more immersed in Chul-Soo¡¯s world.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯ </i>Muenne was feeling inspired. Suddenly, something clicked for her. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±

    ***

    Muenne recalled the content of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s recent video, specifically the scene where he seemingly bid farewell to Elly as if he was uttering hisst will.

    ¡°At that moment, the doll¡¯s eyes reacted to the Fire Spirit and subtly changed color,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Lessefim quickly pulled out her phone to check the video and was amazed. <i>¡®How did she see that? This tenacious woman!¡¯</i>

    Noticing a change of color of the eyes was something that required close inspection; it was a change so subtle that most viewers would not catch it. Or so Lessefim thought.

    [At around 12 minutes 23 seconds in the video, it seems like the eye color of the doll changes.]

    [At 12 minutes 24 seconds, the iris turns purple.]

    [It appears to be a mark that reacts with the Fire Spirit.]

    Official Chul-Soo Landers had noticed this minor change and were reporting it across various onlinemunities.

    -Holy shit, these fans are on another level! How did they even see that?

    -You can see that? I had to rewind five times even after reading the exnation.

    -I thought I was colorblind, seriously.

    -How dedicated to the video do you have to be to notice this?

    However, the one who had first noticed it was Muenne. Lessefim concealed her surprise, pretending as if it was no big deal. ¡°You¡¯re right, Muenne. The dolls react to the Fire Spirit. Chul-Soo, call forth the Spirit. Let¡¯s check it out.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was very satisfied with Lessefim and Muenne¡¯s conversation. Without any need for interjection, they were leading his livestream through their dialogue. They were great partners.

    ¡°Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡±

    Unlike before, a fully corporeal Elines appeared before them. As Elines materialized, the dolls¡¯ eyes all turned purple in unison.

    ¡°By analyzing the mechanism of the color change in the eyes, we can read Harkoen¡¯s traces,¡± Lessefim said.

    Muenne pointed out a practical issue. ¡°We are here illegally and collecting evidence illegally.¡±

    ¡°Well, us being here is illegal, but Chul-Soo is just here for his y, right? Also, this isn¡¯t a broadcasting-restricted area.¡±

    Usually, Muenne would have dismissed such a spurious argument. She was always strict about such matters and sincerely dedicated to maintaining order.

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± However, this time, Muenne wasn¡¯t thinking about maintaining order. She proactively asked, ¡°But to analyze the mechanism, don¡¯t we actually need a real Alchemist?¡±

    ¡°I told you. Apetent Navigator should know how to do this.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    ¡°You have a long way to go to be a true Chul-Soo Lander, Muenne.¡±

    Muenne thought, <i>¡®Then, what more should apetent Spearman be able to do? Am I really this ipetent?¡¯</i>

    She began to contemte her abilities.

    Minutester, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream went live.

 Chapter 295

    <h4>Chapter 295</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream caused a stir.

    -How can anyone deny that Harkoen is guilty?

    -Arrest Harkoen!

    People moring for justice took to the streets with picket signs. On top of that, Chul-Soo Landers from various parts of the universe gathered in public squares to protest.

    -Punish Harkoen, a demon in human guise!

    -She is the devil!

    Of course, some people viewed these Chul-Soo Landers with skepticism.

    ¡°I highly doubt that they¡¯re doing this for justice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Although Chul-Soo Landers imed to be marching for the cause of justice, their true intentions seemed all too clear.

    ¡°All they care about is that Harkoen messed with their Chul-Soo Oppa.¡±

    ¡°Actually, they don¡¯t call him Chul-Soo Oppa anymore. Chul-Soo has be a figure embraced by multiple generations, so calling him an oppa just doesn¡¯t make sense anymore.¡±

    Thus, the phrase ¡°How dare you mess with my Oppa?¡± no longer suited the situation.

    ¡°I think now, they just say ¡®Our Chul-Soo.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s influence is this significant? I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°The shock of this incident yed a part as well.¡±

    Despite themotion, Chul-Soo had gathered the evidence by illegally invading Harkoen¡¯s home, due to which this evidence could not be easily used in court.

    ¡°Moreover, in Arvis, courts tend to value citizen testimony, especially in the Helen Empire.¡±

    Hyde was the first to confess to all charges.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy until Hyde retracts his statement.¡±

    ***

    Mayor Yuleim of Muren City frowned deeply. He had felt burdened by Muenne ever since she had taken up her post as the captain of the guard in his city. ¡°Look here, Captain Muenne. How can someone who values principles as you do resort to such actions?¡±

    ¡°I am acting ording to those very principles.¡±

    ¡°Even someone like you, Captain Muenne, can bring only one yer from a non-Arvis Server to Arvis. What was her name again? Hey, what was her name?¡±

    The secretary standing beside Yuleim quickly answered, ¡°Han Sae-Rin[1]. She¡¯s a former Navigator and currently an active Ruler from the Earth Server. She is also an associate of Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Han Sae-Rin. Didn¡¯t you bring that woman over on your guarantee, Captain Muenne? Any more would be too much. Please, return to your post.¡± Yuleim said.

    Normally, Muenne would have left without a word when a superior spoke in this manner. However, being a part of Chul-Soo Land now, she had changed. ¡°But, Mayor, ording to a special provision in the city¡¯s regtion, there exists an exception.¡±

    [In cases where the circumstances of a crime in Muren City are clearly exposed, the officer in charge of public safety may request external support and authorize entry into Arvis.]

    This was something even the mayor¡¯s secretary did not know about.

    The secretary was taken aback. ¡°Y-You were able to find this in the city¡¯s regtions?¡±

    Muenne was amendable Pdin, but she was also known to struggle with reading. She generally disliked reading anything, whether books or documents.

    <i>¡®And Captain Muenne went through the annex to find this?¡¯</i>

    Regardless, the mayor had no choice but to ept Muenne¡¯s request, enabling Angel Girl Song Ha-Young to enter the Arvis Server, under the jurisdiction of the Helen Empire, and into the metropolis of Muren.

    Song Ha-Young immediately requested a visit with Hyde.

    ***

    <i>¡®Angel Girl? Isn¡¯t she one of Chul-Soo¡¯s close associates?¡¯ </i>Hyde thought. Her requesting to see him could only mean one thing. <i>¡®I am not going to recant my statement no matter what.¡¯</i>

    Hyde had firmly resolved to bear the brunt of everything himself, swearing to die beautifully for Harkoen, whom he had loved since her childhood. Yet, he did not outright refuse the visitation request either. As he was a condemned prisoner with a set execution date, nobody bothered or irritated him anymore. For the past five days, he had been leading a monotonous life in prison.

    ¡°I ept the visitation request.¡±

    Facing Ha-Young across a transparent ss wall, Hyde spoke up instead of greeting her. ¡°I have no intention of changing my statement.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask you to change your statement.¡±

    <i>¡®Lies!¡¯ </i>Hyde knew that was why she was here. Just when he was going to leave, he was surprised. <i>¡®I heard that she was a formidable Thief, and as expected, her skills are quite something.¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young had secretly passed him a letter through the ss wall, which had gone unnoticed by the guards.

    ¡°Mister, you deeply love Lady Harkoen, whom you have almost raised from childhood, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°I love Chul-Soo. Just like how you serve Lady Harkoen, I serve Chul-Soo. So, I think I can partly understand your feelings.¡± Ha-Young had meticulously researched and practiced her choice of words, expression, and tone before meeting up with Hyde. It was her strategy to infiltrate the vulnerabilities in Hyde¡¯s heart. In her perspective, a true Thief should also be able to shake a person¡¯s psyche.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I specifically requested the visit. I hope you don¡¯t feel wronged.¡± After saying something very ambiguous, she stood up from her seat.

    Returning to his cell, Hyde secretly examined the letter.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure the letter is going to be exactly what I think it is.¡¯</i>

    He knew that the letter was supposed to sway his emotions with various tempting words, ultimately asking him to recant his statement. Bracing himself, he read the letter, and he was immediately shocked.

    <i>¡®Wait... this is...!¡¯ </i>It was not a letter written by Ha-Young. <i>¡®This is a letter from Harkoen!¡¯</i>

    No one knew Harkoen¡¯s handwriting better than Hyde. This was unmistakably Harkoen¡¯s writing.

    [To my respected and beloved Uncle Justin.]

    Justin was a Grand Counsel of the Helen Empire, responsible for presiding over this case.

    Hyde¡¯s heart ached for no reason. <i>¡®There is no need for you to plead for my clemency, Harkoen...¡¯</i>

    However, the content was far from what Hyde had expected. Instead of a letter asking for Hyde¡¯s clemency, it was more akin to a letter of greeting.

    <i>¡®Right. There is no need for it to involve me.¡¯</i>

    Hyde knew that bringing him up in the letter would not provide Harkoen any benefits. Moreover, Harkoen was a lonely and pitiful child, with only dolls for friends. So, exchanging letters like this was not strange.

    [The only person I truly love and follow is you, Uncle. You know that, right?]

    Hyde read the letter several times.

    [The only person I truly love and follow is you, Uncle. You know that, right?]

    Hyde trembled slightly. An indescribable sense of betrayal washed over him, making him feel like crying. <i>¡®This... is a cheap trick by Angel Girl!¡¯</i>

    Even though he thought so, he could not control the feeling of being slighted. He stood up and pounded on the door. When a skilled person like him caused amotion, it put the guards in a very difficult position.

    A guard hurried over. ¡°W-What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I request a visitation with Lady Harkoen.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I will convey the message.¡±

    Hyde sat down while crossing his legs, closing his eyes. He needed to meditate to manage his turbulent emotions. <i>¡®Just one conversation with her would put everything back to normal.¡¯</i>

    After some time, the guard returned and said, ¡°Lady Harkoen has refused the visitation request.¡±

    ***

    Upon hearing that Hyde had requested a visitation, Harkoen snorted. ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>Now he requests a visitation with me?¡±

    She was still furious at Hyde. If not for the Rune of Recovery, Chul-Soo could have died. ¡°I asked him to not kill Chul-Soo no matter what!¡±

    He had the audacity to request a visitation after tantly ignoring her request.

    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i>¡± She was well aware that her refusal to visit would serve as a significant punishment to Hyde. ¡°The chambein also deserves punishment.¡±

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Hyde needed to reflect on his actions.

    When Harkoen refused the visitation, Hyde felt as if he had lost hisst shred of reason.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t expect a single word for me,¡¯ </i>Hyde thought. After all, it was his choice to take on all the me for Harkoen, and not her request.

    [The only person I truly love and follow is you, Uncle. You know that, right?]

    He crumpled the letter in his hand, swallowed the raging anger within him, and continued his meditation.

    Then, on the day of execution, he thought, <i>¡®I am dying for Harkoen.¡¯</i>

    He reaffirmed this resolve over and over. Betrayal and disappointment meant nothing at all. However, things did not go as he thought.

    ¡°Hyde, do you have anyst words?¡±

    Seeing Grand Counsel Justin¡¯s face, Hyde lost thest bit of hisposure. ¡°I do.¡±

    ***

    A few days ago, Muenne could not shake off her unease. ¡°Falsifying documents... Is it really okay to be doing something like this?¡±

    ¡°If you are part of Chul-Soo Land, you should be able to handle at least this much.¡±

    Before, Muenne would have reprimanded Ha-Young, but now she couldn¡¯t. It was because Ha-Young was considered Muenne¡¯s senior in Chul-Soo Land, whether it was in terms of experience or rtionship with Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Good, this should be convincing enough,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say your Job was a Thief?¡±

    <i>¡®How can a Thief perfectly mimic handwriting?¡¯ </i>Muenne thought.

    ¡°A capable Thief should be able to imitate handwriting,¡± Ha-Young replied.

    This left Muenne even more confused. She wanted to ask, ¡®Why is that the standard for being capable?¡¯ However, Ha-Young¡¯s next words were even more perplexing.

    ¡°I know, I know. My imitating skill is not perfect.¡±

    <i>¡®It looks pretty perfect to me,¡¯ </i>Muenne thought. She had a lot of questions, but feeling as if she had not fully immersed herself in the Chul-Soo Universe, she kept her mouth shut.

    <i>¡®But this is fraud... Is this okay?¡¯ </i>

    After returning from the visitation with Hyde, Ha-Young satisfactorily smiled. ¡°Good, I think I was intense enough.¡±

    Muenne had an epiphany. <i>¡®So, as long as it is done intensely, everything is okay!¡¯</i>

    Muenne firmly grabbed Ha-Young¡¯s hand. ¡°I express my deep gratitude for your valuable lesson, Angel Girl!¡±

    ***

    ¡°It was Harkoen. It was all her doing.¡±

    The case took a new turn, and Hyde¡¯s execution was postponed.

    Grand Counsel Justin asked, ¡°Hyde, why do you recant your statement now?¡±

    Hyde red at Justin, not wanting to exchange even a single word with him. ¡°All I have to say is this: It wasn¡¯t me. The dolls are Harkoen¡¯s, that child¡¯s creation.¡±

    This became a huge scandal across the universe.

    -This is real? I thought it was just a rumor, but it¡¯s true?

    -There is still no concrete evidence.

    -Didn¡¯t you watch the livestream? If that¡¯s not evidence, what is?

    -I can¡¯t believe there is an idiot who takes a Streamer¡¯s livestream as credible evidence. LOL

    Many people found it difficult to confirm Harkoen¡¯s guilt based solely on Chul-Soo¡¯s video. However, countless anonymous helpers appeared. Video experts identified numerous clues in Chul-Soo¡¯s videos and significantly aided in proving Harkoen¡¯s guilt.

    -In the Chul-Soo Universe, nothing is unknown.

    This became a kind of meme, with even those outside of Chul-Soo Land joining the Chul-Soo Universe narrative. Collective intelligence began to move to prove Harkoen¡¯s guilt.

    Amid all this, Ha-Young infiltrated Harkoen¡¯s mansion.

    <i>¡®Nice! Timing really is everything in theft.¡¯</i>

    Such infiltration would have been difficult under normal circumstances, but in the middle of this chaos, Ha-Young managed to do it.

    <i>¡®Huh? So these are the actual letters.¡¯</i>

    There were hundreds of letters in a drawer in Harkoen¡¯s bedroom, all in red envelopes.

    <i>¡®Wow...¡¯ </i>Ha-Young was genuinely impressed. <i>¡®Harkoen really is intense.¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young could not say she didn¡¯t understand Harkoen¡¯s desire to possess Chul-Soo. This allowed her to read Harkoen¡¯s true feelings.

    ¡°To my beloved Kim Chul-Soo. To my esteemed Kim Chul-Soo. To my precious muse...¡±

    The contents of these numerous letters were essentially the same, filled with words of love for Chul-Soo. Essentially, these were fan letters or love letters.

    ¡°If I were to die... I would leave everything to Chul-Soo? Am I reading this right?¡±

    There were many expressions, but the content about how Chul-Soo was more precious than anything else to her was prevalent. These were derations of dedicating everything to Chul-Soo.

    Ha-Young smirked. ¡°Oh... This could be considered a will, right?¡±

    1. Chul-Soo is allowed to bring one person with him, but I think the author missed the point here. ?

 Chapter 296

    <h4>Chapter 296</h4>

    The Assassins of the universe drooled with anticipation.

    ¡°Given the circumstances, isn¡¯t it about time we made an attempt on Harkoen¡¯s life?¡±

    Harkoen was the head of one of Arvis¡¯s Seven Great Families. If a family wanted to be recognized as a Great Family in the illustrious Arvis, merely possessing wealth was not enough. They needed a legacy of achievements and fame built over many years. Although its past glory had somewhat faded, the Harkoen Family undeniably still held a ce among the Seven Great Families of Arvis.

    ¡°If we could assassinate the leader of one of the Seven Great Families...¡±

    ¡°We could achieve a tremendous feat...¡±

    Normally, Harkoen would be untouchable, but the negative public opinion against her had reached a peak.

    ¡°It seems the other Great Families are quietly hoping for the same oue.¡±

    Although they were technically unrted, the Seven Great Families were often lumped together in the minds of the popce, due to which people tended to think of them as a unit. Therefore, the other six families wished for Harkoen¡¯s swift downfall.

    The heads of these families convened an emergency meeting in the Helen Empire, orchestrated by Gridel. Gridel was a descendant of the legendary Swordsman Pisat and was considered a Sage of the Sword. He was the oldest among the seven family heads, rumored to be around 180 years old.

    A young woman d in a robe marked with a sun emblem, with striking red hair and eyes, frowned and voiced her discontent. ¡°I knew Harkoen¡¯s obsession would lead to trouble. I told you we should have broken her limbs a long time ago.¡±

    This young woman was named Fyurel, and she was also known as the Mad Sorceress. ¡°Why the hell are we lumped together with that doll-loving lunatic? Is her alchemy still considered outstanding? I don¡¯t think so. She¡¯s such a disgrace, yet we have been lenient just because she is the head of one of the seven families.¡±

    After a tirade of caress, Fyurel turned her attention to a quiet woman sitting at the back. ¡°What if we send someone from the Kyen Family to make it look like Harkoen killed herself?¡±

    ¡°That would be difficult,¡± the quiet petite woman responded promptly. Boredom was evident in her expression. Her voice was not loud but reached the ears of the six attendees clearly.

    ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°Stop the meaningless provocation, Unnie. You have already proven your strength.¡±

    ¡°Unnie? You don¡¯t get to call me that!¡±

    ¡°Okay, Lady Fyurel.¡±

    Despite Fyurel¡¯s aggressive demeanor, the petite woman remained unphased. She was Sara Kyen, the head of the Kyen Family, also known as the Mystical Family.

    ¡°Why are you acting all sus, knowing what the Kyen Family is like?¡± Kyen said.

    Gridel tilted his head. He was puzzled by what seemed like a secret code of the Mystical Family. As the meeting¡¯s convener, he feltpelled to rify the mystery. ¡°What do you mean by acting all sus? Is that some kind of a secret code?¡±

    ¡°It means why are you all suspicious and staying quiet,¡± Kyen replied

    Gridel frowned, and the other family heads showed simr reactions.

    ¡°Of course, if I wished, there is no one in this world I can¡¯t kill,¡± Kyen said.

    Fyurel mischievously smirked. ¡°Sure you can.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s a different story if it involves people from the other six families. You all know the principles of my family,¡± Kyen said.

    Six of the Seven Great Families originated from the greatpanions of the Demon King Garbinu.

    Pisat, the Knight of Justice.

    Feyler, the Universal Saint.

    Heina, the Crimson Destroyer.

    Victor, the Infinite Pilgrim.

    Carvington, the Alchemist of Creation.

    Goldium, the Shining Jeweler.

    Historians recorded these names but spected on an additional figure.

    Shaquil Kyen, the Shadow of Darkness.

    Shaquil was a name given to this figure byter generations; his true name remained unknown. The existence of Garbinu and the Six Great Heroes alone was not enough to fill several historical gaps; these gaps were instead filled by the mysterious Shaquil.

    [These great heroes faced their own troubles, and someone had to resolve them. That someone was Shaquil, the Shadow of Darkness.]

    While the Six Great Heroes were revered for their achievements, Shaquil was different. He was not a hero of <i>Arvis </i>but a problem solver for the <i>Six Great Heroes.</i>

    [The vast wealth amassed by Shaquil through the Six Great Heroes is believed to be the origin of the current Kyen Family.]

    This was widely epted as truth. The Kyen Family, entangled in aplex web of gratitude and obligation with the other six families, abided by the principle of never harming members of these families.

    ¡°And above all...¡± Sara Kyen¡¯s expression, which had been light-hearted, became serious.

    Gridel sighed in relief. Having tutored Sara in swordsmanship in her youth, he felt he knew her well. <i>¡®It is typical for her to joke around, but when she wears that expression, it means she is about to reveal her deep, sincere thoughts. It has always been the case since she was young.¡¯</i>

    Gridel was looking forward to what the head of the mysterious Kyen Family would propose.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to,¡± Kyen said tly.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Just kidding. Our family has ceased all external activities in recent years. I have no desire to step forward, and frankly, the Kyen Family has nothing to lose in this situation. The urgency is yours, not mine.¡±

    The provocativement silenced the other family heads, while Fyurel, the Mad Sorceress, could not help butugh out loud. ¡°Wow, I wish I could speak my mind freely like you!¡±

    ¡°Well, I learned it from the best. You are unmatched when ites to speaking one¡¯s mind freely, Lady Fyurel,¡± Kyen replied.

    ¡°Is that a challenge?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t duel women, I¡¯m straight. But I do know some who might be interested.¡±

    ¡°You little bitch...!¡±

    Gridel intervened to calm Fyurel. ¡°Lady Fyurel, please, show some patience. Sara is still young, you know.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about, Gridel? It¡¯s because of old fools like you that this young bratcks manners.¡±

    The other family heads shared a simr thought. Although they were considered one unit, it seemed like they had some levels of hatred toward each other.

    Fyurel slumped back into her chair. ¡°Forget it. Talking to this bitch only tires me. Hey, Kyen, let¡¯s meet in privateter. I will take good care of you.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Fyurel scoffed and looked away. <i>¡®People call her thezy genius? That¡¯s nonsense.¡¯</i>

    In Fyurel¡¯s perspective, there was no such thing as azy genius. Genius required diligence. Having undergone rigorous training from a young age and achieved numerous feats, Fyurel could not ept the idea of a <izy genius </i>Kyen.

    <i>¡®The Kyen Family will end with her generation. If not, I will end it myself.¡¯</i>

    Sara seemed unfazed by Fyurel¡¯s murderous gaze. ¡°May I leave now? I have work piling up.¡±

    Gridel¡¯s face slightly brightened at her words. ¡°Have you returned to your family? Oh, sorry, have you returned to your family, Lady Kyen?¡±

    ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to address me in that way. And no, I have not returned to my family, nor do I n to.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I have always said families like that aren¡¯t necessary. I would rather work a regr job with a steady paycheck and live a peaceful, modest life.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The other family heads awkwardly coughed. They knew that the younger generation had different values, but Sara was exceptionally divergent. She had always dreamed of a simple work-life bnce, which they had not taken seriously until now.

    ¡°There is time for everything. But moderation is key. Enjoy your rest in moderation. The head of the Kyen Family belongs somewhere special,¡± Grandel said.

    Fyurel stood up abruptly, unable to bear it any longer. ¡°I can¡¯t stand this anymore. Maybe I should dig up our old master from his coffin. I am leaving. Whether you kill Harkoen or make it look like suicide, I couldn¡¯t care less.¡±

    As she walked past Sara, she shoulder-checked Sara and said, ¡°Everything in moderation. That includes your attitude, you bitch.¡±

    Then, Fyurel vanished through a warp portal.

    ¡°Regardless, as we are recognized as the Seven Great Families, someone must clean up the mess Harkoen has made. What do you all propose?¡± Grandel asked the remaining people.

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had an epiphany. ¡°Now that I think about it...¡±

    He wondered why he had not thought of this sooner and why he had only considered the possibility of Harkoen sending Assassins after him.

    ¡°I can also hire Assassins too!¡±

    He pondered whom to hire as an Assassin, whom to meet for this purpose, and what would make for the most interesting content for his channel.

    <i>¡®It would be great if the Assassin had some connection to Harkoen.¡¯</i>

    Whether the rtionship was friendly or hostile did not matter to him. Having a connection would make it easier to build a narrative.

    <i>¡®Hm... I wonder if I can get some good ideas.¡¯</i>

    After experiencing the firepower of the Chul-Soo Land members firsthand, Jin-Hyeok logged into the exclusive app for Chul-Soo Land, called Chul-Soopia.

    [No.1: Kyaaah! Chul-Soo is here!?]

    Jin-Hyeok was startled. His login notification had not even popped up yet.

    [Kim Chul-Soo has entered.]

    With Chul-Soo¡¯s arrival, about a thousand Chul-Soo Landers gathered.

    [No.19: I¡¯m so happy that he is here! Let¡¯s all wee him!]

    [No.3: It¡¯s a blessing T_T. I¡¯m d to be alive. T_T]

    [No.882: Have you eaten, Chul-Soo?]

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of pride. <i>¡®The energy in here is no joke.¡¯</i>

    Though the chat room had only(?) a thousand members, it felt like millions were present. The messages scrolled down at a speed so fast that reading them was nearly impossible. Seeing the exuberant Chul-Soo Landers, Jin-Hyeok could not help but reflect.

    <i>¡®I only logged in to gather information...¡¯ </i>This was a clear mistake. <i>¡®I forgot about my priorities, didn¡¯t I?¡¯</i>

    Engaging with the fans should havee first, not gathering information. It was okay to gain information throughmunication, but seekingmunication solely for information was the wrong approach. Jin-Hyeok decided to adjust his attitude and joyfully engage with the Chul-Soo Landers.

    <i>¡®But the enthusiasm is so overwhelming. How can I even interact with every single one?¡¯</i>

    However, the situation changed with the appearance of Chul-Soo Land No.2

    [No.2: Let¡¯s keep our promises, guys~^^?]

    The previously excited Chul-Soo Landers, as if on cue, suddenly stopped chatting in unison. No.2 (Kang Eun-Woo), who was managing the chat room, quickly posted a notice.

    <strong>[*When Chul-Soo speaks, everyone must be quiet.</strong>

    <strong>*Limit chatting to once every three minutes. (Do not repeat the same message.)</strong>

    <strong>*Chul-Soo Landers must not fight amongst themselves.</strong>

    <strong>*<Important> When grateful, respond only with ? . (Note: It is okay to use different colors for hearts, but the number of hearts must be 30 or less.)]</strong>

    It was a serious notice.

    <i>¡®The unity is impressive.¡¯</i>

    Witnessing the exceptional unity of his fans, Jin-Hyeok felt his mood lift again. All he did was smile, and colorful hearts flooded the chat.

    <i>¡®Ah... so this is what Eun-Woo was talking about.¡¯</i>

    He now realized what Eun-Woo had meant by the notice. Jin-Hyeok had expected something significant to be hidden behind the important marker and asterisks, but it was quite simple. Seeing how earnestly they adhered to something so minor pleased him. Sometimes, it was necessary to be passionate even about the smallest things.

    Being here felt like learning about life.

 Chapter 297

    <h4>Chapter 297</h4>

    As Cha Jin-Hyeok looked through the eyes of a Streamer, the world brimmed with inspiration. <i>¡®My fans are truly passionate.¡¯</i>

    Moved by their fervor, he resolved to match their enthusiasm with his actions. Gathering information was a secondary concern for him now, overwhelmed as he was by the inspiration he had received.

    He sincerely proposed, ¡°How about you guys review my y videos together with me?¡±

    As the conversation flowed naturally, the topic he wanted to discuss eventually emerged.

    <i>¡®Yes, this is the right way to go!¡¯</i>

    Had Jin-Hyeok just asked his fans if they knew apetent Assassin, he would have been disappointed in himself. However, as he joyfully reviewed his videos with Chul-Soo Landers, the discussion naturally veered toward hiring an Assassin.

    The fans responded with even more enthusiasm.

    [No.1: Mememememe! I know an Assassin!]

    When No.1 typed in the chat, the rest went silent. A strong collecting will to not interrupt the flow of information was palpable even through the screen. To Jin-Hyeok, the chat room felt like an orchestra expertly conducted by a skilled maestro.

    [No.1: I am going to tell you now! >_<]

    Despite the rule that one could onlyment every three minutes, exceptional circumstances seemed to be at y with No.1. There appeared to be numerous unwritten rules that even Jin-Hyeok was not aware of.

    [No.1: At 7 minutes and 22 seconds, look at the little doll from the Beastkin category at 11 o¡¯clock. That doll¡¯s name is Neilson, aged 12. He is rted to a famous Assassin from the Verzio Server, named Brick, and went missing eighteen years ago...]

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but exim in admiration. He knew Kim Min-Ji was exceptionally talented, but he had not expected such detailed information from her. Min-Ji also summarized the key information for him.

    <strong>[Assassin Information]</strong>

    <strong>[Name: Brick</strong>

    <strong>Origin: Verzio Server</strong>

    <strong>Age: Unknown</strong>

    <strong>Narrative: Eighteen years ago, it was presumed that Harkoen kidnapped Brick¡¯s childhood friend, Neilson.</strong>

    <strong>Narrative Genre: Friendship-based revenge</strong>

    <strong>Expected Content Rating: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î]</strong>

    ¡°All good, but... why did you take one star out of the expected content rating?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    [No.1: Well, Brick is a friend of a friend of mine, and apparently, he is a bit arrogant. I thought he might rub you the wrong way, so I deducted a star.]

    That did not seem like a significant issue for the content. Jin-Hyeok nodded and smiled warmly. ¡°Thank you, Min-Ji.¡±

    Then, the chat was flooded with hearts.

    [No.221: No.1 can die without any regrets now.]

    [No.352: I¡¯m so jealous. T_T I¡¯m gonna die of jealousy. T_T]

    [No.552: I¡¯m going to change my name to Min-Ji!]

    Jin-Hyeok was puzzled. <i>¡®Is having one¡¯s name called out such an enviable thing?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You guys can tell me your names, too. I will call each of you out.¡±

    Calling out a thousand names was not something difficult. Yet, Chul-Soo Landers were peculiarly stubborn about it. They found it eptable for Jin-Hyeok to call out their name in natural circumstances but did not want to inconvenience him with such requests, revealing their sincere consideration for him.

    <i>¡®Wow! Even my fans understand the proper order of things.¡¯</i>

    He could not help but reflect on his initial thoughts. Contrary to what he had nned at the start, Jin-Hyeok ended up interacting with Chul-Soo Landers for about three hours, even boasting a one hundred percent chat participation rate at one point.

    All one thousand Chul-Soo Landers had assembled.

    <i>¡®This is... quite fun.¡¯</i>

    He needed to extend the time he spentmunicating with his fans. His recent encounter with Hyde had been enlightening, which had made him realize he still had much to learn and improve. He needed to give his all in everything.

    ¡°Min-Ji, can you get in touch with Brick?¡±

    [No.1: Yes! Shall I tell Brick to meet you?¡±]

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    [No.1: Yes! I know him very well!]

    Logical thoughts like<i> </i>¡®Didn¡¯t she say earlier that Brick was just a friend of a friend of hers?¡¯ and ¡®Wasn¡¯t that supposed to mean they aren¡¯t that close?¡¯ did note to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind. Those thoughts were not intense enough for him.

    ¡°Oh, then, can you do that for me?¡±

    [No.1: Of course! >_<?]

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    [No.1: You don¡¯t need to thank me. I¡¯m just d I can be of help. T_T]

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly taken aback. <i>¡®Min-Ji... How did she manage to do this?¡¯</i>

    The Verzio Server had a deep history, and it had not yet properly connected to the Earth Server. Yet, a famous ranker from that Server, Brick, hade to Earth, directly to Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop in Cheongdam-dong.

    ¡°Thank you, Min-Ji,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Min-Ji, who had been sending a barrage of hearts and emotes in the app, nodded from behind a pir, her face flushed with embarrassment, then quickly hid herself again.

    Gap-Soo clicked his tongue in disapproval. ¡°When did my workshop be a ce for meeting people?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know we were going to meet up here. It was Min-Ji who informed me. If there is a next time, I will make sure I have the meeting at my ce,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because someone is hell-bent on protecting your privacy.¡±

    ¡°My privacy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Gap-Soo said, shaking his head.

    Before Jin-Hyeok had arrived at the workshop, Min-Ji and Gap-Soo had a rather one-sided conversation.

    ¡°We must protect Chul-Soo¡¯s privacy,¡± Min-Ji said. She had made it clear she would never disclose Chul-Soo¡¯s home address to outsiders.

    ¡°What about my workshop then? I also use it as my home!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    This was the conversation that vividly showcased why she was the Mad God of <i>Favoritism</i>.

    ¡°Well, I also like to see your ys before they¡¯re public, so I guess it¡¯s okay for you guys to meet up here. Now, introduce yourselves. This is Brick, the Assassin from the Verzio Server,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I am Brick.¡± The Assassin standing on the table was quite small, about forty centimeters tall. He was a rodent-type Beastkin with glossy ash-gray fur and carried a slender sword, about the side of a human palm, on his right side. ¡°So, Chul-Soo... You wish tomission me?¡±

    His whiskers, six long strands around his mouth, quivered. It indicated he was feeling intense emotions.

    <strong>[#Pleasemission me. #I need a just cause to kill her. #Harkoen, you are mine.]</strong>

    The thrill of finally finding his friend who had been missing for eighteen years and the anger toward Harkoen filled him withplex and heated emotions. Jin-Hyeok could sense that Brick was entering the beginning of a revenge narrative based on friendship.

    ¡°I will take care of Harkoen for you,¡± Brick said.

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t even made my request yet.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit skeptical as things seemed to be resolving too easily. After all, one had to be cautious with things that were too pretty, too cute, or too easy. However, Brick was somewhat set in his ways, not really responding to Jin-Hyeok¡¯sments but continuing with what he wanted to say.

    ¡°I have thought about thepensation,¡± Brick said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± If the demand was too outrageous, Jin-Hyeok would have to reconsider themission. <i>¡®Harkoen¡¯s inheritance must be mine.¡¯</i>

    Exploring the legacy of the Harkoen family, a renowned family of Alchemists, could unveil secrets rted to the Guardian Tree. It would be easier to give money to Brick as amission than to hand over anything of Harkoen¡¯s.

    Jin-Hyeok asked with slight tension, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I want you to nt and nurture a Golden Guardian Tree in my home Server. That¡¯s my condition.¡± Brick drew a short sword, which was long for his size, and pointed it at Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Of course, if you fail to grow the Golden Guardian Tree, I will also kill you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That aligns with my sense of chivalry.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok remained silent, Brick spoke as if he was granting the Streamer a favor. ¡°It might be confusing to someone unfamiliar with chivalry. I will give you two days to think about it, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Min-Ji, who had been eavesdropping from a distance, felt her anger surge. <i>¡®Kill him? How dare you? Not in front of me!¡¯</i>

    She regretted not deducting more than one star¡ªperhaps, she should have deducted all five.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s an excellent condition,¡± Jin-Hyeok responded with a bright, carefree smile.

    ***

    Fyurel, the Mad Sorceress, stormed back into her mansion, fuming for quite some time. It seemed Sara Kyen was not to her liking. <i>¡®That bitch...¡¯</i>

    While Fyurel generally did not take kindly to people, she had a particr disdain for Sara. After all, Sara had be the heir of the Kyen Family without any effort on her part. For Fyurel, who had secured her current position through a war among kin, Sara was nothing short of a thorn in her side.

    <i>¡®Whatever, I will just have to kill her.¡¯</i>

    The idea of a head of one of the Seven Great Families attacking another was far from ideal. People tended to view these families as a single entity, and internal divisions among them were not weed. The leaders of the empires felt the same way. The Seven Great Families of Arvis were expected to stand united.

    ¡°But since when have I ever cared about that?¡±

    While the emperors of the three empires could find it bothersome, it did not concern Fyurel. She had already decided to be defiant in the face of any criticism.

    <i>¡®If I kill Harkoen...¡¯ </i>Fyurel looked north, toward the direction of the Kyen Family¡¯s mansion. <i>¡®It would mean aplishing what the Kyen Family could not.¡¯</i>

    The other distinguished families would no longer need the Kyen Family. Shadows, after all, had to fade into the annals of history.

    ¡°Seven Great Families, my ass.¡±

    In the world toe, there would only be five distinguished families, not seven.

    Meanwhile, Sara Kyen sat at her desk, chewing a piece of fried squid. This new snack, especially when dipped in mayonnaise or <i>gochujang</i>[1], was irresistibly delicious.

    ¡°This squid is so tasty.¡± She was without a care in the world. ¡°I just need to bury myself in these books and then leave work.¡±

    ***

    After establishing a contract with Brick, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I cane along, right?¡±

    ¡°You? Why?¡±

    ¡°I am a Streamer. I need to capture what¡¯s going on for my channel.¡±

    ¡°Hmm... I see.¡± After a moment of thought, Brick smirked. ¡°If you can keep up with my speed and mimic my stealth skills, by all means.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But if you interfere with my assassination, I will not hesitate to cut off your legs, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Though he said this, Brick was not concerned.

    <i>¡®There is probably zero chance of cutting your legs, Chul-Soo. After all, you won¡¯t even be able to follow me!¡¯ </i>Or so he thought.

    <i>¡®Wait, he¡¯s keeping up!¡¯</i>

    Brick had heard that this Streamer was extraordinary, but he never expected him to be able to follow the movements of a top-ss Assassin.

    <i>¡®Well, sure. Following me across the field might be possible.¡¯ </i>

    Moving quickly and moving quickly without being detected were different matters, and doing thetter on aplex terrain was apletely different challenge.

    ¡°Harkoen¡¯s mansion lies beyond this cliff. We need to breach various barriers and tight security,¡± Brick said.

    ¡°How do we get past the barriers?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a trade secret I can¡¯t disclose. Just replicate my movements exactly and follow me, Sir Chul-Soo.¡± Brick nced at Jin-Hyeok, thinking this Streamer, despite his impressive physical abilities, would likely give up at this point. ¡°You will almost certainly die if we get caught. After all, it¡¯s one of the empire¡¯s Seven Great Families.¡±

    Normally, such a warning would intimidate most people, but Jin-Hyeok was smiling. ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    1. Gochujang is a savory, sweet, and spicy paste made from gochu-garu or Korean chili powder. ?

 Chapter 298

    <h4>Chapter 298</h4>

    Brick shivered. ¡°It seems to me that your understanding of chivalry is severely distorted.¡±

    From his perspective, Cha Jin-Hyeok was indeed peculiar.

    Jin-Hyeok asked about a concept that had been nagging at him for a while now. ¡°What exactly is chivalry?¡±

    ¡°Chivalry, at its core, is the code of conduct that honorable knights are bound to uphold.¡±

    ¡°So, what does that entail?¡±

    ¡°It means doing what knights are naturally supposed to do.¡±

    ¡°Such as?¡±

    Brick¡¯s whiskers quivered. ¡°Are you testing me, Sir Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°No, I am asking you for my livestream.¡±

    ¡°Chivalry is about the mindset a knight must maintain.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rude, Sir Chul-Soo! Only a few understand chivalry better than I do.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Despite the lengthy exnation, it seemed Brick did not know about chivalry.

    ¡°I will prove my chivalry. At 3:30 AM, the guards heavily rotate their posts. That is our time to infiltrate the mansion,¡± Brick said.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered what infiltration had to do with chivalry but decided to just listen. A skilled content creator should be able to weave seemingly unrted scenes into apelling narrative. Just in case he forgot during the y, he made a note.

    [*Insert scene exining what chivalry is!]

    Brick looked skeptical and asked, ¡°Are you reallying with me?¡±

    ¡°Would I be in the way?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s better for me if you tag along. It will split the guards¡¯ focus. But I assure you. You are going to die.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°But you just said good...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wore a serious expression. ¡°There is no one in the world who is crazy enough to enjoy the threat of death. If they did, they¡¯d be already dead, and certainly, I am not one.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It was soon around three in the morning. The deep night was cloaked in darkness, with only the sound of insects breaking the silence. Jin-Hyeok was somewhat excited. He wondered how the methods of a top-ranked Assassin would differ from those of a top-ranked Navigator. He also wondered how a rodent-type Beastkin would infiltrate a heavily guarded area differently from ordinary yers.

    <i>¡®Oh!¡¯ </i>

    The method used by Brick, a top-ranked Assassin, and rodent-type Beastkin, was simpler than expected.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know such a method existed!¡¯</i>

    Surprisingly, Brick did not move stealthily. As he sheathed his bloodied sword, he strolled. Then he told Jin-Hyeok something that stuck with him for a while, ¡°If there are no witnesses, it¡¯s an assassination.¡±

    The guards near the main gate were all dead, and nomotion ensued. Brick proudly stated, ¡°This is my definition of chivalry.¡±

    ***

    Although Jin-Hyeok was impressed by the statement, ¡°If there are no witnesses, it¡¯s an assassination,¡± he still could not grasp how it rted to chivalry.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t fully understand, but...¡¯</i>

    Nheless, he had captured something worthy for his Eltube channel. He was confident that the editor, Kang Chul, would craft something entertaining from the material.

    Looking around, Jin-Hyeok stumbled upon a discovery. <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Brick, it seems our infiltration was sessful not just because you¡¯re strong,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Brick¡¯s mood soured again. ¡°Are you insulting my chivalry?¡±

    ¡°No, look. Others have infiltrated this mansion before us. They incapacitated the guards with mental magic, so the guards were at a disadvantage from the start.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t your grand chivalry that was magnificent, but rather, someone else who embodies the spirit of chivalry before us.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Slightly flustered, Brick approached one of the guards'' bodies and sniffed it. ¡°There is a scent of magic... Sir Chul-Soo, you were right.¡±

    Brick¡¯s mind was in turmoil. ¡°How did you, a Streamer, detect clues that I, a top-ranked Assassin, could not?¡±

    Of course, with the right knowledge, one could detect these clues. However, uncovering them without prior knowledge was something only top-ranked Navigators could manage; it was not within a Streamer¡¯s purview.

    Brick took a deep breath and calmly asked, ¡°Teach me your chivalry. How did you find out? Has the world changed so much? Is there an advanced method that I do not know about?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized something. The chivalry Brick spoke of was not anything grandiose; it seemed Brick deemed anything he found cool as chivalry. In that case, Jin-Hyeok too, possessed chivalry. It was the so-called ck ming Dragon.

    Brick awaited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ck ming Dragon with a solemn heart.

    ¡°It was quite simple to figure out,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your chivalry then.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled out his phone to show it to him. A notification for Marshmallow¡¯s livestream preview popped up.

    [Rampage of the Sorceress Fyurel. Sessful Infiltration of the Harkoen Mansion.]

    Jin-Hyeok had verified it through Marshmallow¡¯s livestream.

    Brick sighed in his mind. <i>¡®Your chivalry is cutting-edge.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok found it peculiar howx the security was. Hefortably examined his phone¡¯s screen, where Fyurel said,

    ?It¡¯s a personal vendetta of mine.?

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but admire what was going on the screen. Engulfed in red mes as she walked, Fyurel was the embodiment of fire. With her presence, she was truly fitting the title of the Mad Sorceress.

    <i>¡®But it seems wasteful to continuously use mana like that.¡¯</i>

    Usually, shiness came at the expense of substance. Despite this, Jin-Hyeok was thrilled by the sight of Fyurel. <i>¡®I guess she is coborating with Marshmallow.¡¯</i>

    Presumably, Marshmallow had requested Fyurel to create a spectacr scene for him. When she would emit a bit of mana like this, Marshmallow would edit it to appear even more dramatic. The mes seemed to burn even redder, fiercer than before.

    ?I had a protege I cherished. That child was meant to continue my legacy.?

    Marshmallow disyed a clip. It was a video filmed by Chul-Soo, showing a room filled with dolls. They made it clear that the footage was from Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, thrilling Jin-Hyeok. It meant the quality of his content was good enough to be featured on Marshmallow¡¯s livestream.

    ?Therefore, this is my war.?

    Jin-Hyeok sensed a bit of awkwardness from Fyurel. <i>¡®Ah, it must be scripted.¡¯</i>

    Given her title as the Mad Sorceress, Fyurel probably was not naturally a calm person.

    Brick, perched on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder, experienced modern chivalry and murmured, ¡°That woman must be a madwoman pretending to be calm.¡±

    ¡°A madwoman pretending to be calm?¡±

    ¡°Yes. One look at her eyes, and it¡¯s clear she has lost it.¡±

    As they further watched the livestream, Brick¡¯sment did not seem far off. Fyurel cackled as she destroyed and set fire to various parts of Harkoen¡¯s mansion. It was indeed theugh of a madwoman.

    Jin-Hyeok was impressed once again. <i>¡®The initial portrayal was calm and collected,¡¯</i>

    The transition from expressing the sorrow of a master who had lost a beloved disciple to a person being overwhelmed by rage and bursting into manicughter seemed quite sophisticated. The chat reactions were positive as well.

    -She must be furious. How could she attack another of the Seven Great Families?

    -It breaks my heart. T_T

    -Harkoen deserves to be punished.

    -On Earth, this is what they call reaping what you sow.

    Though the Seven Great Families were not as close as people thought, the public sentiment was very favorable toward Fyurel.

    <i>¡®This is why content needs a narrative.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized another fact. This livestream was not entirely live.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s just like what Corporation Alpha Male did!¡¯</i>

    Just like with Corporation Alpha Male¡¯s videos, the ones behind this stream were editing the footage in real-time. Marshmallow was indeed the universe¡¯s strongest Streamer.

    <i>¡®Kang Chul is also training hard, but...¡¯</i>

    Apparently, Kang Chul was not ready to edit footage in real-time. Through this, Jin-Hyeok once again felt the gap between Marshmallow and himself.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m doing recorded livestreams, and they¡¯re livestreaming...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s confidence had taken a hit. To disy content of this magnitude live was extraordinary. It was a night full of inspiration.

    ***

    Thanks to Fyurel¡¯s rampage, the mansion¡¯s security was virtually non-existent.

    ¡°All the aggro has been pulled away,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Fyurel¡¯s aura was palpable from a distance. Despite the distance, her fierce and powerful presence was undeniable, far surpassing any Mages Jin-Hyeok had encountered before. ¡°It feels like an intangible barrier of mana is pushing me away. The concentration of mana is dense and heavy.¡±

    An aurora spread across the sky above the mansion.

    ¡°That aurora seems to be partially obstructing any mana energy. It must be some form of alchemy.¡±

    Fyurel was indeed a powerful Sorceress, but her opponent, Harkoen, was not to be underestimated. Blocked by a powerful barrier, Fyurel could not get any closer.

    Marshmallow advised,

    ?Fyurel, it might be best to regroup and returnter.?

    ?Cut the shit, Marshmallow. I am going to take down Harkoen today.?

    ?But her resistance is formidable. Do not forget that you are alone.?

    Marshmallow seemed to be trying to heighten the tension of his livestream.

    ?Shut the hell up. I¡¯m going in.?

    Fyurel fired phoenix-shaped magic toward the main gate.

    ¡°My chivalry is not so reckless. It¡¯s rather elegant and stealthy,¡± Brick said.

    Jin-Hyeok and Brick snuck into the mansion amid the chaos. Jin-Hyeok mimicked Brick¡¯s movements, sessfully applying Song Ha-Young¡¯s stealth techniques. Brick didn¡¯t get surprised anymore. He had grown ustomed to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Bang! Bang!</i>

    Loud explosions reverberated in the air, and the sound of the mansion¡¯s guards scurrying about reached them. Yet, the corridor was eerily quiet.

    ¡°It¡¯s strangely quiet, even though Marshmallow and Fyurel have drawn away all the attention... Let¡¯s head to Lady Harkoen¡¯s bedroom,¡± Jin-Hyeok suggested.

    They made their way to Harkoen¡¯s bedroom. Brick seemed to turn into a gas, seeping through the door crack.

    <i>¡®I... can¡¯t mimic that. Should I just open the door? Why don¡¯t I have any handy Skills like x-ray vision?¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok thought about it, a voice beckoned him, ¡°Come in, my lovely muse.¡±

    The voice seemed to know everything. Jin-Hyeok opened the door and entered. ¡°Ah...!¡±

    Brick was repeatedly stabbing a humanoid doll.

    ¡°This is my chivalry.¡± Brick¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°My arms and legs have grown!¡±

    It seemed like he was seeing illusions. Brick straightened his shoulders and stood up.

    ¡°This is what it feels like to be 180 centimeters tall.¡± Brick chuckled, satisfied. ¡°This is the look of a 180-centimeter chivalry.

    ¡°Behold, my long limbs! The majesty of my chivalry!¡± He continued to stab at something in the illusion.

    ¡°My muse, I know everything about you. I even know that you hired an Assassin to kill me.¡±

    ¡°Just as expected, you are intense, Lady Harkoen. Is that why you let Fyurel rampage outside on purpose?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I knew that if she rampaged, you would feel safeing here.¡±

    Harkoen had worn a thin, silk pajama that barely concealed her figure. She rose gracefully. ¡°I need nothing else if I can have you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    She could sacrifice everything else as long as she could have Chul-Soo, who was more beautiful than anyone she had seen. The bedroom¡¯s walls and ceilings sparkled with multicolored powders.

    Harkoen exhaled the powder she held in her mouth. The particles whirled around the room like a gust of wind before twinkling like stardust. The room turned pink and sparkled in various colors as Harkoen reached out with a trembling hand. ¡°Come with me, my beloved.¡±

    Her hand was so pale that her veins were visible.

 Chapter 299

    <h4>Chapter 299</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok narrowed his eyes, appearing as if he had fallen under the spell of Lady Harkoen¡¯s seduction. ¡°Do you love me, Harkoen?¡±0

    ¡°Of course. My love for you is beyond words, and its depth immeasurable¡­¡±0

    ¡°Were all your love letters to me sincere?¡±0

    Life sparkled in Harkoen¡¯s eyes. She did not look surprised that her hidden letters had been discovered. To her, the most important thing was that her genuine feelings had reached Kim Chul-Soo.0

    ¡°I swear, there is not a single lie in my letters to you,¡± Harkoen said.0

    Jin-Hyeok nodded slowly, raising his hand to gently cover Harkoen¡¯s hand and looking directly into her eyes.0

    ¡°Harkoen,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.0

    Their eyes met, and her pupils trembled incessantly.0

    ¡°Harkoen¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok repeated.0

    She could not respond to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s call, her mind going nk from just hearing her name.0

    Jin-Hyeok, for his part, felt as if he was exploring a whole new world.<em>¡®Wow, I can¡¯t believe this is working.¡¯</em>0

    He had found the inspiration for repeating her name from the enthusiastic Chul-Soo Landers.0

    0

    <em>[No.221: No.1 can die without any regrets now.]</em>0

    <em>[No.352: I¡¯m so jealous. T_T I¡¯m gonna die of jealousy. T_T]</em>0

    <em>[No.552: I¡¯m going to change my name to Min-Ji!]</em>0

    0

    He had learned that acknowledging them by name was profoundly meaningful. Surprised by its effectiveness, he mused on the difficulty of the approach.<em>¡®Hm¡­ but it is more difficult than I thought.¡¯</em>0

    Right now, he was employing a new strategy. Previously threatened by Assassins, he had now progressed to hiring them himself. This was a new challenge and inspiration, but he could not stop there. He was an intense Streamer, after all. He decided to attempt the feared seduction tactic himself.0

    <em>¡®I hope this works.¡¯</em>0

    He had been seduced many times before, yet attempting seduction felt awkward and unnatural to him.0

    <em>¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯m doing it right.¡¯</em>0

    It appeared to be working probably because Harkoen was out of her senses.0

    Jin-Hyeok said what he thought to be the ultimate seduction line, ¡°Harkoen, will you hug me?¡±0

    Before his regression, he had been fooled by such lines multiple times.1

    <em>¡®I nearly died several times after trying to hug Assassins.¡¯</em>0

    Memories shed through his mind.0

    <em>¡®But it wasn¡¯t just Assassins, was it?¡¯</em>0

    There had been some genuine requests for hugs, but such experiences were so faint they hardly left a mark. Typically, only the most intense stimuli remained in memory.0

    Nheless, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat skeptical.<em>¡®Is she going to hug me?¡¯</em>0

    Normally, asking for a hug meant ¡®I am about to stab you.¡¯ However, Harkoen gasped and embraced Jin-Hyeok.0

    <em>¡®This works?¡¯</em>0

    With her face buried in his chest, Harkoen sniffed him like she was bewitched,pletely defenseless.0

    <em>¡®Wait, should I attack her now?¡¯</em>0

    Exposure to such vulnerability confused him about whether it was even right to attack. He mused that Assassins had to have their dilemmas too.0

    <em>¡®Still, I guess I have to attack her now.¡¯</em>0

    Instinctively, Jin-Hyeok gently stroked Harkoen¡¯s back, and she rxed under his touch.0

    ¡°Harkoen, I am going to give you a gift,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.0

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I would wee anything from you.¡±0

    ¡°Rx your body and wait a bit, will you?¡±0

    ¡°If it¡¯s your request, I can wait forever.¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok concentrated as he stroked her back.0

    <em>¡®Will this work?¡¯</em>He did not rx even a bit till the very end.0

    ¡°The Song of the ck Tiger.¡±0

    Seven ck tigers appeared and devoured Harkoen.0

    ¡°Instant Kill.¡±0

    The Instant Kill achievement took effect, and Harkoen slumped to the ground. Even as she copsed, her fingers clung to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s garment, embodying her tenacity and desperation.0

    <em>¡®Is this really working?¡¯</em>0

    Jin-Hyeok cautiously nced around. Just then, Brick regained consciousness, shivering.0

    Sheathing his sword, Brick muttered, ¡°Is it over¡­?¡±0

    Harkoen was indeed dead. Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok received an unexpected notification.0

    0

    <strong>[You havepleted a part of the universe-level Scenario ?Legacy of the Forsaken Queen?.]</strong>0

    ***0

    While Jin-Hyeok had stumbled upon a clue to the Legacy of the Forsaken Queen, which had been hidden by a question mark until now, he was not particrly thrilled about it.0

    <em>¡®I feel oddly uneasy.¡¯</em>0

    As he walked down the mansion¡¯s corridor with Brick, his mood contrasted starkly with Brick¡¯s tion.0

    ¡°Have you been intimidated by my bravery, Sir Chul-Soo?¡±0

    ¡°...¡±0

    ¡°Hello~ Am I speaking to a wall?¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok walked on with a stern face, focusing ahead.<em>¡®Using the seduction technique was undoubtedly intense, but¡­¡¯</em>0

    Had he been his former self from his Sword King days, such a strategy would never have crossed his mind. This was certainly encouraging. A shift in perspective and flexibility in thought¡ªboth were excellent traits for a Streamer.0

    <em>¡®But it¡¯s just not my style.¡¯</em>0

    This was close to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s instinctive aversion to the seduction technique. Regardless of its merits, everyone had their preferences and dislikes. Having tried it once, he thought that the seduction technique approach did not suit his tastes. He found it awkward.0

    <em>¡®Is it even right for me to ponder this? Shouldn¡¯t a true Streamer not dwell on such matters? Even if it¡¯s not the seduction technique, shouldn¡¯t Streamers be willing to embrace intensity in all forms?¡¯</em>0

    With these conflicting thoughts, Jin-Hyeok quickened his pace and soon stood before Fyurel, who was still emitting powerful energy and devastating the mansion.0

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re that up-anding Streame¡ª¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok simply walked past the Mad Sorceress Fyurel. The crimson mes emanating from her dwindled. She looked at him with a sense of disbelief.0

    ¡°Is he ignoring me?¡± Fyurel said. The mes that had momentarily subsided red up again. ¡°Hey, Kim Chul-Soo!¡±0

    She irritably reached out to him, trying to grab him roughly, but missed by a whisker. No response came from Jin-Hyeok.0

    ¡°How dare you ignore me!¡± She bit her lip. The mes emanating from her made her look like a small sun. Her presence was so intense it seemed capable of burning everything around her into ashes. The mes soon surged like a storm.0

    She muttered, ring at Jin-Hyeok, ¡°Shit! He¡¯s so damn attractive!¡±1

    ***0N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Marshmallow¡¯s head, which was shaped like a marshmallow, perked up.<em>¡®Finally! Chul-Soo ising to me!¡¯</em>0

    He was expecting a request for a coboration livestream. Marshmallow was thrilled but did not show it. Standing tall, he asked with a somewhat arrogant expression, ¡°What brings you here, Chul-Soo?¡±0

    ¡°I¡¯vee to seek your advice.¡±0

    <em>¡®Advice? From me?¡¯</em>Marshmallow¡¯s head vibrated incessantly.<em>¡®Chul-Soo is asking for my advice?¡¯</em>0

    His heart pounded.<em>¡®This must mean he acknowledges me!¡¯</em>0

    ¡°Well, I<em>am</em>quite the esteemed senior, after all. So, what do you wish to ask?¡±0

    ¡°I have just killed Harkoen.¡±0

    Marshmallow was momentarily at a loss for words. He knew Chul-Soo was a strong Streamer, but not strong enough to kill Harkoen. Despite Harkoen being the weakest among the heads of the Seven Great Families, it was unthinkable for a Streamer with a Level in the 200s to kill her¡ªunless she practically asked for it.0

    <em>¡®Oh¡­ she did ask for it, didn¡¯t she?¡¯</em>As Marshmallow listened to Chul-Soo¡¯s story, it got more absurd.<em>¡®Wait, he killed her with Instant Kill? And she just epted it?¡¯</em>0

    It was a crazy oue, but somehow, it made sense, which was irritating for Marshmallow. He could somewhat understand Harkoen¡¯s feelings for Chul-Soo.1

    ¡°Using Instant Kill must have required incredible preparation.¡±0

    Instant Kill sounded simple, but it necessitated extensive preparation. Even with Skills like the Song of the ck Tiger, which increased the probability of Instant Kill, the principle remained the same.0

    ¡°I used the seduction technique,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.0

    ¡°Hm¡­¡± That exined everything. Marshmallow now understood the situation. ¡°So? What advice do you seek?¡±0

    ¡°Using the seduction technique was a paradigm shift for me. It was a new challenge, and the oue was excellent.¡±0

    ¡°But?¡±0

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to use the seduction technique anymore.¡±1

    ¡°Why?¡±0

    ¡°It¡¯s not to my taste.¡±0

    Marshmallow nodded, feeling he could now understand how Jin-Hyeok was feeling. ¡°And you¡¯re wondering if it¡¯s right to be thinking about this, correct? You think a true Streamer should be able to ignore their personal tastes, right?¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.0

    ¡°I understand that feeling well. I have used the seduction technique myself,¡± Marshmallow added.0

    Brick, who had suddenly appeared beside Jin-Hyeok, burst outughing.0

    ¡°Speaking frankly as a top-ranked Assassin, if you were to use the seduction technique, it would most likely be disastrous, Sir Marshmallow,¡± Brick said. Turning to Fyurel, who was ring at Chul-Soo with burning eyes, he added, ¡°Lady Fyurel. Harkoen is already dead. Therefore, it would be best to refrain from further disturbances. Even if what Sir Marshmallow is saying right now is nearly nonsensical.¡±0

    Marshmallow became anxious. He knew Fyurel¡¯s temper all too well. She was the type to hurl fireballs at people who spoke to her that way.0

    <em>¡®I need to focus only on Chul-Soo right now!¡¯</em>Marshmallow thought. The situation was getting tooplicated for quality livestreaming. He felt the need to control the situation.<em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em>0

    Unexpectedly, Fyurel was not causing a scene. The reason was unclear, but it was a relief. Hiding hisplex feelings, Marshmallow continued the conversation with Jin-Hyeok. ¡°To reach a certain level, one must strive relentlessly, regardless of personal taste.¡±0

    ¡°I see,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.0

    ¡°However, once you reach a certain stature, focusing on what truly matters allows for greater growth.¡± Marshmallow ced a hand on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You have already reached that stature, Chul-Soo.¡±0

    ¡°...¡±0

    ¡°If you are not genuine, then your livestream won¡¯t be genuine either.¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok pondered about what Marshmallow just told him. His livestream could only be genuine if he was sincere. It was a profound insight.0

    ¡°I see.¡± A spark of life returned to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. This conversation had opened up his perspective. ¡°Thank you, Marshmallow. I will take your advice to heart.¡±0

    ¡°Hah, it seems you have fully grasped my advice.¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok murmured as if he was entranced, ¡°I will try to genuinely appreciate the seduction technique.¡±0

    Marshmallow doubted his eyes.<em>¡®That wasn¡¯t the conclusion I wanted him to arrive at! Can we even call this a conversation? And, is it even possible to grow to like something you instinctively dislike through effort? Does he think that¡¯s possible?¡¯</em>0

    Unaware of Marshmallow¡¯s tangled thoughts, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Then, may I try it?¡±0

    ¡°Try what?¡±0

    Jin-Hyeok looked more serious than ever. ¡°I think I should seduce the Mad Sorceress.¡±0

    ¡°Dude¡­¡±2

    <em>¡®Do you really think you can seduce her? You crazy bastard! And that madwoman just heard everything you said! I need to rein in Chul-Soo before he causes even more trouble!¡¯</em>

 Chapter 300

    <h4>Chapter 300</h4>

    Tensed up in anticipation of a barrage of attacks from the Mad Sorceress, Marshmallow suited up in all manner of rare armors.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>However, the expected magic attack did note. Instead, Fyurel slowly walked toward Cha Jin-Hyeok and Marshmallow, with a faint smile on her face that seemed far more terrifying.

    Marshmallow whispered a piece of advice to Jin-Hyeok, very softy, ¡°Be ready to activate your Broadcaster¡¯s, no, Absolute Barrier at any moment. I will help defend with my artifacts.¡±

    After walking steadily, Fyurel now stood face-to-face with Jin-Hyeok. She looked up at him, her demeanor reminiscent of someone about to p another.

    Marshmallow quickly intervened between them. ¡°Fyurel, wait. Let¡¯s talk. Ah! It¡¯s hot!¡±

    Feeling as if his soles were on fire, the Arvis Streamer hopped around like a rabbit. Even in this situation, he felt a chill run down his spine.

    <i>¡®She targeted my feet! That¡¯s a cheap move!¡¯</i>

    Although he thought it was a cheap move, he knew deep down that Fyurel¡¯s actions were exceptional. Marshmallow was covered in artifacts resistant to fire, and his feet were the only exposed weak point. Therefore, Fyurel had already figured out all of Marshmallow¡¯s weaknesses. If such a monster was after Chul-Soo, Chul-Soo had no chance.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t let that happen!¡¯</i>

    He had to protect Chul-Soo, even if it meant pushing himself. The first principle of Chul-Soo Land was ¡®Always protect our Chul-Soo!¡¯

    However, Fyurel¡¯s reaction was oddly calm. ¡°Go ahead. Seduce me.¡±

    Marshmallow doubted his ears. <i>¡®Why is she talking so gently to Chul-Soo? It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if she just pped him across his face.¡¯</i>

    Although her choice of words was gentle, her tone wasn¡¯t exactly so.

    ¡°I have never seen such an idiot tantly trying to seduce me,¡± Fyurel said.

    ¡°Was I too rash?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Sometimes, rash seduction can be good.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I will give you ten minutes. Make me blush.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. He reflected on his experiences with various types of seduction techniques. Yet, when it came time to act, he found the seduction technique to be unfamiliar.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to brainwash himself. <i>¡®I like using seduction techniques.¡¯</i>

    He had just learned from Marshmallow that, to be an excellent Eltuber, he had to be okay with using seduction techniques. He decided to start with the technique he had used earlier.

    ¡°Fyurel.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok called out her name with all his might, but there was no significant reaction.

    <i>¡®Am I doing it wrong?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Fyurel was fluttered.<i> ¡®Wow, he¡¯s pretty good.¡¯</i>

    From the moment she faced Chul-Soo, she had been feeling fluttered. She understood why Harkoen was so obsessed with Chul-Soo and why even Muenne, one of the Seven Pdins of the Helen Empire, had gone crazy about him.

    <i>¡°I will give you ten minutes. Make me blush.¡±</i>

    She had already been fluttering when she said that.

    When Chul-Soo said her name, she almost responded. It was strange that merely hearing her name could affect her so much. She had never experienced anything like it before.

    <i>¡®Wait, he¡¯s holding my hand?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok took Fyurel¡¯s hand, and she did not pull away. Jin-Hyeok was trying a technique previously used by other Assassins. Many Assassins initiated physical contact or held hands as a first move.

    An awkward silence passed between them. Trying a seduction technique for the first time, Jin-Hyeok kept thinking, <i>¡®Am I doing it wrong?¡¯ </i>Meanwhile, Fyurel vowed not to show her true feelings.

    Marshmallow, who was filming this, could not help butugh at this absurdity. <i>¡®Chul-Soo looks so awkward right now! Can this be even called a seduction technique? He instinctively hates seduction techniques.¡¯</i>

    That was why Chul-Soo¡¯s actions were undeniably awkward, akin to wearing clothes that did not fit. The silence between Chul-Soo and Fyurel was so embarrassing that Marshmallow felt awkward on their behalf.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯ </i>Marshmallow still thought it was strange. <i>¡®Is it working?¡¯</i>

    Although the two involved seemed oblivious, as an observer, Marshmallow could see that it was working.

    <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡¯ </i>Marshmallow was overwhelmed. <i>¡®But, at the same time, it makes sense!¡¯</i>

    An inexplicable sense of defeat washed over him. <i>¡®The world is unfair!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Ten minutes had passed.

    ¡°You failed to make me flutter, Chul-Soo,¡± Fyurel said.

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    Brick hopped up and down in ce. ¡°I disagree with you two, Sir Chul-Soo, Lady Fyurel.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you, Assassin.¡± Fyurel tossed a small fireball toward Brick. The tiny me gracefully flew and nestled into Brick¡¯s chest. It was not an offensive Spell.

    ¡°It feels so warm!¡± Brick¡¯s expression melted like a snowman on a spring day. Lying down as if to say he would no longer interfere, he cradled the me and giggled with delight, enjoying its warmth.

    Marshmallow continued the livestream, taken aback, ¡°It''s not the storm that removes a traveler¡¯s coat, but the sunshine.¡±[1]

    Though it was a simple truth, Fyurel summoning the sunshine was astonishing.

    <i>¡®To think she would resort to such a peaceful method,¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought.

    Having dealt with the meddlesome Brick, Fyurel continued, ¡°Since you have failed to seduce me, I am going to punish you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the punishment?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow evening at six o¡¯clock,e to Elpagon Restaurant on 17th Street in Muren.¡±

    Elpagon Restaurant was a quite famous dining spot in Muren. Marshmallow could not shake off a feeling of unease.

    <i>¡®That doesn¡¯t sound like a punishment, but like she is asking him out on a date!¡¯</i>

    ***

    <strong>[Legacy of the Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    <strong>[The Forsaken Queen cherished and loved a disciple. This disciple¡¯s name was Carvington. The queen imparted all her knowledge and wisdom to Carvington. Even at the moment when he betrayed her, Veselity loved him.</strong>

    <strong><Scenario Unlock Condition></strong>

    <strong>*The life of a Carvington family member.]</strong>

    The universe-level Scenario ¡®Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¯, which had not yet been fully revealed on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, became partially unveiled, allowing him to grasp how it would progress.

    <i>¡®I guess the piecese together to reveal the entire content.¡¯</i>

    Carvington was one of the Seven Great Heroes[2], known as the Alchemist of Creation. Thanks to Yolin, Jin-Hyeok already knew who Carvington was.

    <i>¡°The founder of her family was named Carvington. But if you read this in the ancient pronunciation of the Helen Empire, it¡¯s roughly read as Kihekton. This Kihekton was one of Garbinu¡¯s close aides.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°So, the start of Lady Harkoen¡¯s family and the start of Katrina¡¯s family almost ovep. The founders of both families were Garbinu¡¯s colleagues. However, the information is strangelycking in details as if someone hid the records.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®This means...¡¯ </i>A thought flickered through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind. <i>¡®The next piece might be rted to Katrina¡¯s family.¡¯</i>

    Then an odd thought struck him. <i>¡®But didn¡¯t the Seven Great Heroes be the founders of each family, leaving behind the Seven Great Families of Arvis? By that logic... is Katrina also a member of the Seven Great Families?¡¯</i>

    This was a fact not widely known even before his regression. He knew Katrina was a master jeweler of great skill, but not that the jeweler was from one of the Seven Great Families of Arvis. It was highly likely that Katrina had hidden his identity. Most people would have wondered how Yolin, a mere employee, could have discovered this, but Jin-Hyeok readily epted it.

    <i>¡®Yolin is studying intensely!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt he had to give Yolin a generous bonus at the end of this year. He nodded in satisfaction and checked his inventory. Inside it was an ancient parchment he had received as a reward for progressing through the Scenario.

    <i>¡®Hm... a scroll.¡¯</i>

    It was a type of Skill book.

    <strong>[Veselity¡¯s Mudra]</strong>

    <strong>[The Forsaken Queen was fond of using mudras. </strong>

    <strong>She left special markings with these mudras on all her legacies.</strong>

    <strong>To obtain her legacy, one must be able to form her mudra.]</strong>

    The problem was that it was unusable.

    <strong>[Your understanding of alchemy is too shallow.]</strong>

    <strong>[You cannot use ?Veselity¡¯s Mudra?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok found himself in a quandary. <i>¡®Should I start studying alchemy?¡¯</i>

    However, he simply did not have the leisure for it. Even refining his seduction techniques, which he had started recently, was almost tearing him apart, physically and mentally. There were not enough hours in a day for him to focus on livestreaming, let alone add the study of alchemy to his te.

    ¡°What should I do?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What else? We must find a trustworthy Alchemist for your party,¡± Han Sae-Rin replied.

    ¡°An Alchemist?¡±

    Unfortunately, he had no outstanding Alchemist allies nearby. Even if people with such Skills existed around him, finding a trustworthy ally among them was truly difficult. However, Sae-Rin seemed to have already found a suitable candidate.

    ¡°I have someone in mind.¡±

    ***

    [We cannot overlook Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s misdeeds.]

    Some individuals collectively criticized Chul-Soo¡¯s actions. Among them, a prominent group was the Alchemist Association.

    [Lady Harkoen was a great Alchemist and a central figure for Alchemists worldwide.]

    The Alchemists argued that Chul-Soo¡¯s killing of Harkoen was excessive.

    [Lady Harkoen loved alchemy and was a sincere researcher. She treated Chul-Soo with love and passion for her studies. Although some ethical issues emerged in the process, she was pure at heart. Killing her was an excessive act of violence.]

    The Arvis Alchemist Association publicly dered Chul-Soo as an enemy.

    [To anyone who brings us Chul-Soo¡¯s head, we will offer a reward of ten billion Dias.]

    However, this statement waster removed. Their announcementcked justification, and Chul-Soo was an honorary citizen of Arvis. Instead, the Alchemist Association pressured Chul-Soo in other ways.

    [From now on, our Alchemists will not assist Chul-Soo in any way. If any Alchemist helps Chul-Soo, we will take appropriate action. For the crime of murdering the Mother of Alchemy, Chul-Soo shall be deprived of the benefits of alchemy for life!]

    Harkoen¡¯s legacy included numerous research materials, and analyzing and fully absorbing them required the help of Alchemists. This was an unwee situation for Jin-Hyeok.

    [If Chul-Soo intends to sincerely apologize, he should not privately exploit Lady Harkoen¡¯s precious legacy but donate it all to contribute to the advancement of alchemy.]

    Of course, their true intentions were transparent.

    -That¡¯s a load of bullshit! They¡¯re just pissed that Chul-Soo got all of Harkoen¡¯s legacy, LOL!

    -It¡¯s all Chul-Soo¡¯s now, and there is nothing you guys can do about it. GG!

    Regardless of the reason, Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to receive help from Alchemists. However, one person did not care about the Alchemist Association at all; it was the yer whom Sae-Rin rmended to Jin-Hyeok¡ªNavigator Lessefim.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t care about the Alchemist Association. Let them say whatever,¡± Lessefim said. Being a Navigator, she did not need to worry about the Alchemist Association¡¯s opinion.

    Her eyes sparkled. <i>¡®I¡¯m so d.¡¯</i>

    She had been feeling uneasy, thinking she was not as helpful as other Chul-Soo Landers. Now, she could offer help through alchemy. She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s one step closer to our marriage.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°No, never mind.¡± Lessefim quickly looked around, worried that Chul-Soo Land No.2 might have heard her.

    <i>¡®If the manager of the Chul-Soo Land hears this, I will be banned for life!¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    There was an unwritten rule in Chul-Soo Land¡ªlove Chul-Soo fervently, but do not monopolize him. A person saying they wanted to marry Chul-Soo was akin to trying to monopolize him, a betrayal of Chul-Soo Land.

    Lessefim hid her true feelings and said, ¡°I am happy I can contribute my part.¡±

    It felt like she was finally pulling her weight.

    ¡°I have something for you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is it a ring?¡±

    ¡°No, a scroll.¡± Jin-Hyeok took out Veselity¡¯s Mudra.

    Lessefim¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-Wait... isn¡¯t this...?!¡±

    1. This is from one of the famous Aesop¡¯s Fables, The North Wind and the Sun. ?

    2. Previously, the author wrote this term as the Six Great Heroes. Here, I believe the author is adding Shaquil as one of the Great Heroes. ?

 Chapter 301

    <h4>Chapter 301</h4>

    Lessefim had taken up alchemy as a hobby at a young age. However, her standards for the term <i>hobby </i>were a little loose. By any conventional measure, she had been on an elite path in alchemy since her childhood. Regardless of her considering it a hobby, others saw it as expertise, with her knowledge of alchemy being exceptionally profound.

    ¡°Just as Mages perform magical gestures, called<i> mudras</i>, to cast spells, Alchemists do the same to activate alchemy. The difference is that while Mages rely solely on magical powers, Alchemists use a variety of elements besides magical powers,¡± Lessefim exined.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s like Mages¡¯ powerse from mana, and Alchemists¡¯e from items?¡± asked Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Hm... roughly speaking.¡±

    As Lessefim continued her exnation, Jin-Hyeok sinctly summarized it for the viewers. ¡°It appears that alchemy has a branch based on mudras.¡±

    Lessefim mentioned that these mudras were not standardized like magic spells but varied from one Alchemist to another, much like fingerprints.

    ¡°Lessefim is saying that if you know the basis, you can reverse-engineer items created through alchemy,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined to the viewers.

    The crucial point was that the mudras of Veselity and Harkoen were very simr.

    Lessefim grinned. ¡°If I can master this, I will have a significant advantage in assimting Harkoen¡¯s legacy.¡±

    She instinctively sped her hands in a silent prayer of gratitude. <i>¡®Mom, Dad, thank you. I never knew the alchemy you forced me to learn would be this helpful.¡¯ </i>

    As she grew older, she realized that following her parents¡¯ advice rarely led to regret.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tear the scroll then. Is that okay?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How should Ipensate you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought about it for a moment. <i>¡®Should I ask for money? Or should I ask for a pledge of assistance? Wait... no.¡¯</i>

    He could see the desperation in Lessefim¡¯s eyes, a kind of madness that he did not require Broadcaster¡¯s Insight to perceive. Jin-Hyeok instinctively understood how to deal with someone having that look in their eyes.

    <i>¡®Sometimes, simply conveying the heart is the most effective way.¡¯</i>

    ¡°This is a gift,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°A gift? You are giving me a gift?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, tomemorate you bing an honorary member of Chul-Soo Land.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok gave her a que he had prepared beforehand, sealing the moment.

    ***

    The Honorary Chul-Soo Land System was devised by Wang Yu-Mi after she had witnessed Jin-Hyeok acquiring honorary citizenship in Arvis.

    ¡°Lessefim is more than qualified. Over ny percent of existing Chul-Soo Landers have agreed to wee Lessefim as the first honorary Chul-Soo Lander,¡± Yu-Mi said. Then, she handed over an appointment letter and a que to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Do we have to do this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°But, it just seems all too much.¡±

    ¡°Just trust me on this!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found it hard to grasp but followed Yu-Mi¡¯s lead anyway. The oue was astonishing.

    ¡°I will work as hard as I can, Chul-Soo. I will really, really, really, really work hard. I swear.¡±

    Lessefim was much more moved than he expected her to, staring at the seemingly simple appointment letter and que for a long while before storing them in her inventory.

    <i>¡®She seems to like them more than the scroll I got as the universe-level Scenario reward!¡¯</i>

    He was somewhat surprised at her reaction.

    ¡°MoneyShot and MoneyShower didn¡¯t even get this, right? As far as I know, they were categorized as SVIPs and invited to the Chul-Soopia,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡±

    MoneyShot and MoneyShower had the right to chat on Chul-Soopia, but they were not officially recognized as Chul-Soo Landers.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m superior to them!¡± Lessefim said.

    <i>¡®Wait, why is the conversation heading in that direction?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized he still had much to learn. He genuinely had not expected Lessefim to be this moved.

    Clenching her fists, she dered, ¡°I will do my best. As the first honorary Chul-Soo Lander, I will show a brand of alchemy that Chul-Soo Landers can be proud of!¡±

    Her words were not empty. After tearing the scroll and acquiring Veselity¡¯s Mudra, she immediately began to show her impact.

    ¡°I think... I can turn some of the dolls back to human forms.¡± The mudra that formed the basis of alchemy could, she theorized, be used in reverse to possibly turn those dolls back into humans. ¡°But I can¡¯t use it on these dolls...¡±

    Lessefim sorted between those she could revive and those she could not.

    After a selection process, Brick¡¯s whiskers trembled. ¡°Can you really bring back Neilson, Lady Lessefim?¡±

    ¡°Yes, if we have enough materials. But it will cost an astronomical sum. Alchemy is inherently expensive.¡±

    That was why alchemy was often considered the domain of nobility, a field too expensive for anyone but the wealthiest to even get into.

    Brick¡¯s face darkened, well aware of alchemy¡¯s infamous cost. ¡°I will spend all my fortune if necessary...¡±

    ¡°That fortune might not be enough.¡±

    Brick was a top-tier Assassin, not a top-tier businessman.

    That was when Jin-Hyeok stepped in. ¡°Brick, how precious was Neilson to you as a friend?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized he could turn this into great content for his Eltube channel.

    ***

    Harkoen¡¯s love letters were recognized as her will, not just in writing but also verbally confirmed by herself.

    <i>¡°I swear, there is not a single lie in my letters to you.¡±</i>

    Therefore, Jin-Hyeok had a legitimate im to all of Harkoen¡¯s inheritance, including the Harkoen Family itself.

    [Breaking News! The Head of the Harkoen Family Changes Overnight!]

    [There is a Call for the Harkoen Family to be Removed from the Seven Great Families of Arvis.]

    The venerable Harkoen Family, steeped in tradition, became Jin-Hyeok¡¯s possession. Some people began referring to Jin-Hyeok not as Chul-Soo but as Harkoen Kim. Four of the remaining six of the Seven Great Families issued statements refusing to recognize Chul-Soo as one of their own.

    However, Jin-Hyeok was not bothered by this. What mattered to him was not the title of the head of the Harkoen Family but the content he could produce right now.

    He was currently following Lessefim around, filming. ¡°Wow... So many precious materials are gathered here.¡±

    It seemed there would be no additional expenses. The Harkoen Family¡¯s underground storage was filled with rare minerals, including all materials needed for <i>reverse doll transformation.</i>

    ¡°Selling just these could buy you a few kingdoms,¡± Lessefim said. Then she subtly hinted to him. ¡°About the work of turning dolls back to their human forms... You can buy a few kingdoms if you don¡¯t do it. So, why bother with this project?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    <i>¡®Because it¡¯s perfect for my Eltube channel?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. These materials were not his to begin with, and using them for such a good deed(?) was bound to create a buzz. <i>¡®Well, the most obvious answer is because of my Eltube channel, but...¡¯</i>

    Seeing Brick trembling with excitement on his shoulder made Jin-Hyeok feel strange. Moreover, when Lessefim finally turned Neilson back into his original form and Neilson¡¯s breath returned, Jin-Hyeok saw Brick cry, which made his feelingsplicated again.

    ¡°Neilson! It¡¯s your friend Brick! Do you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Brick. How could I forget you?¡±

    ¡°Neilson!!!¡±

    <i>¡®I love Brick¡¯s warm reaction, but is it really just because I got great footage for my video? Why am I feeling so uplifted?¡¯</i>

    Watching Brick hug Neilson and cry, Jin-Hyeok felt strangely proud. He found these emotions hard to understand.

    ***

    The content garnered much more attention than Jin-Hyeok had anticipated.

    [This is the essence of noblesse oblige.]

    [Though not of noble birth, Harkoen Kim is more aristocratic than anyone.]

    [The dignity of Intense Man showed what the honor of a noble is.]

    Every media outlet and onlinemunity on Earth was focused on Kim Chul-Soo.

    -At this rate, it¡¯s aplete win for Earth.

    -Ah, I¡¯m drunk on Earth pride.

    -Earth is the Server that has Chul-Soo, lol.

    Among them, some people felt a deeper sense of pride.

    -LOL, you¡¯re from the United States! How dare you brag about Chul-Soo from across the Pacific?

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s Server? Well, I live in Chul-Soo¡¯s <i>country</i>! Beat that!

    -Korea has Chul-Soo. What do y¡¯all have? Hahaha!

    Suddenly, the national pride content, which was once scoffed at, surged back to prominence.

    -To be honest, it¡¯s a crime not to be drunk on national pride at this point.

    -Wow, really next-level stuff. LOL

    Jin-Hyeok donated astronomical sums of Dias and precious materials to revive people he did not even know.

    -They say his donation easily surpassed hundreds of billions of Dias.

    -What are you talking about? It¡¯s not in the hundreds of billions, but trillions.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s fame skyrocketed. Then, testimonies from the survivors began to appear.

    ¡°It was a horrible time. Harkoen touched me everywhere at night, always burying her face in my chest when she slept. One day, I was left disyed in the Nude room.

    ¡°Kissing me was a hobby for Harkoen. She would force open my mouth, which had be that of a doll, and shove her tongue inside.¡±

    Harkoen¡¯s perverse desires spared no one, regardless of age or gender. Brick¡¯s friend and an otter-type Beastkin, Neilson, also testified.

    ¡°She used me as a pillow for a while. She boasted about having such a cute and lovely pillow. About a monthter, when she lost interest in me, she moved me to the Beastkin room for disy. After me, cat-type, then lion-type Beastkins continued toe. Harkoen had her own rules. She only used pillows that were made from Beastkins under the age of 12.¡±

    The year Neilson was kidnapped was the year he turned 12.

    ¡°If Harkoen had noticed me just a yearter, I could have lived a normal life...¡±

    The video of Nielson, an otter-type Beastkin, shedding tears was livestreamed across the universe through Chul-Soo¡¯s channel.

    The public¡¯s anger and bacsh against Harkoen grew uncontrobly. The Helen Empire was not known for beheading people, but for this asion, they beheaded Harkoen¡¯s corpse and disyed it in front of the grand temple. Citizens flocked to the temple¡¯s square, spitting and throwing stones at the corpse.

    Meanwhile, one group was focused on something else. This group was the Alchemist Association.

    ¡°Lady Harkoen¡¯s alchemy must have reached a divine level.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It is amazing she could perfectly turn them into dolls and also have them retain their memories.¡±

    ¡°And with her work, they managed to revert them to their original forms. I had not realized her work was at this level.¡±

    While the public might not fully understand Harkoen¡¯s work, for Alchemists, it was an extraordinary feat.

    Macerati, the president of the Arvis Alchemist Association, pondered it deeply. ¡°We must somehow acquire Harkoen¡¯s research material. Is there no way?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Think harder! How can the great legacy of the Harkoen Family be handed over to someone like Chul-Soo?!¡±

    ¡°Of course, that should not happen.¡±

    But they had no clear solution. Harkoen¡¯s will was too explicit.

    Soon, the Alchemists devised a cunning n.

    ¡°Why not apologize now and coborate with Chul-Soo? If we entice him with the advancement of alchemy, he might agree. He is obsessed with honor, after all.¡±

 Chapter 302

    <h4>Chapter 302</h4>

    The members of the Alchemist Association were deep in thought.

    ¡°Now, with the bacsh against Lady Harkoen spreading across Arvis, this is our opportunity. Let¡¯s start by apologizing to Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°We can just say we didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°He must be concerned about us as well.¡±

    It was a rare asion for the Alchemist Association of Arvis to issue a formal apology. Given how unusual this was, Chul-Soo could not ignore it.

    They officially apologized.

    [We, fully trusting Lady Harkoen, the Mother of Alchemy and our colleague,mitted an act of unforgivable rudeness toward Kim Chul-Soo, and therefore...]

    Jin-Hyeok also reviewed the content. Dismissing the lengthy and unnecessary preface, he skimmed through it.

    ¡°So, they¡¯re basically saying they¡¯re sorry, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Is it okay to just skim through it like that?¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°Why, is that not okay?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess it is fine. I will read it in detail and summarize it for you.¡±

    The Alchemist Association had misunderstood the situation. To Jin-Hyeok, the presence of the Alchemist Association was negligible. With already a mountain of tasks to handle, he could hardly afford to concern himself with such trivial matters. Fortunately, Lessefim had some interest in the Alchemist Association and deciphered the Alchemists¡¯ intentions for him.

    ¡°They are apologizing just for show, but actually, they are saying we should contribute to the advancement of alchemy.¡± She quickly grasped the essence of the message. ¡°They are trying to appeal to your fondness for honor.¡±

    Lessefim clicked her tongue in disapproval. <i>¡®They¡¯ve got the wrong idea about Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    If they wanted to appeal to Chul-Soo, they should have targeted his desire for livestreaming, not his fondness of honor. Lessefim continued, ¡°It seems like they¡¯re asking you to share Harkoen¡¯s inheritance. They must covet Harkoen¡¯s inheritance for themselves.¡±

    ¡°Share and research together?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, crazy, right?¡±

    ¡°Would that make for good content?¡±

    Lessefim shook her head. The Alchemists had wrongly targeted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s vanity, but somehow it triggered Jin-Hyeok¡¯s desire for good content.

    <i>¡®He is too obsessed with livestreaming. But, that¡¯s what makes him even more attractive.¡¯</i>

    Lessefim resolved in her heart to support Chul-Soo in living such a captivating life. To ensure he could focus solely on livestreaming and remain sincere about it, she decided to support him.

    ¡°I can conduct the research on my own. My mentor is still alive, and if necessary, I can use my mother¡¯s name to contract services from them,¡± she said.

    Lessefim made a silent vow. <i>¡®I must protect Chul-Soo¡¯s interests at all costs!¡¯</i>

    Having entrusted most matters rted to alchemy and Harkoen¡¯s legacy to Lessefim, Jin-Hyeok donned a ck suit for the first time in a while. Lessefim could not take her eyes off him for a long time.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Is today our wedding by any chance?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head and tapped Lessefim¡¯s forehead. ¡°Get a grip. Didn¡¯t you hear that Wang Yu-Mi strictly forbids any dating or virtual marriage content?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Though, I appreciate your eagerness to support my livestream.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked away, heading out for a date(?) with Fyurel.

    ***

    Fyurel had reserved an entire restaurant, renowned even in the metropolis of Muren, for herself.

    ¡°How dare he make me wait!¡± Fyurel tapped the table with her slender fingers. The reservation was set for 7 PM. It was currently 6:57 PM. Jin-Hyeok was not technicallyte yet, but for Fyurel, this was a refreshing new experience. For a member of the Seven Great Families, the Mad Sorceress herself, waiting for someone was umon. ¡°He is so arrogant.¡±

    Fyurel thought, <i>¡®Was I out of my mind back then?¡¯</i>

    She had felt a strong attraction to Chul-Soo, who had ignored her and just walked past her when they were in Harkoen¡¯s mansion. Perhaps that was a side effect of expending too much mana in the destruction of the mansion.

    <i>¡®I will know once we meet again.¡¯</i>

    She felt irked while waiting, not used to waiting for anyone. <i>¡®Seven o¡¯clock...¡¯</i>

    She could not believe that someone could bete for an appointment with her, which made her incredibly displeased. She had never waited for someone for more than a second.

    <i>¡®How dare he bete to an appointment with me?¡¯ </i>Highly displeased, she slowly stood up, a smirk spreading across her face. <i>¡®He is going to find it difficult to y in Arvis from now on.¡¯</i>

    At 7:01 PM, Jin-Hyeok, dressed in a suit, appeared inside the restaurant.

    ¡°Oh hey, Fyurel. You¡¯re already here. Did you just arrive?¡±

    Fyurel sat back down again. ¡°Yeah, I just got here too.¡±

    Although she had certainly been furious just moments ago, she no longer felt that way.

    ***

    After taking his seat, Jin-Hyeok first sought forgiveness. ¡°The cameras are not rolling right now. So, there is no need to be mindful of my livestream.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never cared about such things anyway.¡¯ </i>Fyurel normally would have retorted instantly, but strangely, the words got stuck in her throat.

    ¡°I want to check something before recording,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°How did my seduction technique fare?¡±

    After reflecting on what had happened, Fyurel responded, ¡°Your technique was terrible.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Even when you tried to seduce that bitch Harkoen, you were incredibly clumsy. You called that bitch¡¯s name with an awkward voice, and your movements when you stroked her back were stiff as a board.¡±

    ¡°Was it that bad?¡±

    ¡°And when you tried it on me, you bluntly stated your intention to seduce first. Technically speaking, it was the worst.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Fyurel¡¯s observations seemed entirely urate.

    ¡°But someone I know once said that sometimes, sheer talent can overpower technique.¡± Truthfully, Fyurel did not agree with that statement. She had always believed that skills honed over time shone brighter than innate talent. She thought about her experience.

    <i>¡°I lost.¡±</i>

    This was right after an informal duel. Tasting bitter defeat, Fyurel had asked, ¡°Your technique was far from sophisticated. All your attacks were within my predictive range. My mana usage was wless. I cannot understand why I lost.¡±

    <i>¡°Sometimes, talent can overpower technique, Fyurel. Hahaha! Anyway, I won, so write your name with your butt!¡±</i>

    Recalling that memory, Fyurel quickly shook her head. <i>¡®To think there woulde a day when I would quote that bastard.¡¯</i>

    Even right after her defeat, she had found it hard to ept those words. However, meeting Chul-Soo today forced her to acknowledge it. Sometimes, certain talents could indeed overpower technique.

    Fyurel kept stealing nces at Jin-Hyeok. ¡°And I think your talent seems to be of that kind.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°I will ask you directly. Are you seeing anyone right now?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Good, Chul-Soo, do you want to go out wit¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, Fyurel extended her right hand, disying a green magic circle. It was a shield-shaped magic circle. A dazzling light collided with the shield, creating a loud bang and scattering light fragments everywhere.

    <i>¡®Wow, that was impressive,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Even though she had merely deflected the fragments, the force of mana felt profoundly heavy. The one who hadunched this attack and Fyurel, who had blocked it without any preparatory spellcasting, were both remarkable.

    ¡°Fyurel, stop messing around.¡±

    ¡°Muenne? Crazy bitch... How dare youunch an attack out of nowhere?¡±

    Amidst their tense standoff, Jin-Hyeok spoke with a voice tinged with excitement. ¡°That¡¯s Muenne, fully armored in silver. Meanwhile, Fyurel has summoned mes, ready for battle!¡±

    Despite the grave atmosphere, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled more than ever. Muenne, one of the Helen Empire¡¯s Seven Pdins and hailed as the Shining Lance, and Fyurel, a head of one of Arvis¡¯s Seven Great Families and known as the Mad Sorceress, were about to fight.

    A duel between two such titans was not something easily witnessed. However, instead of continuing their showdown, both settled down beside Jin-Hyeok.

    Disappointed, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you guys fighting?¡±

    ***

    Muenne was aware that if she were to fight Fyurel with all her might here, Chul-Soo would not be safe. Fyurel felt the same and had no intention of shing with Muenne at full strength. Yet, their murderous gaze toward each other did not wane.

    ¡°Fyurel, there are greatws among Chul-Soo Landers,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask, and I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°First, one must never attempt to monopolize Chul-Soo. You must realize you aremitting a grave act of treason by trying to monopolize him.¡±

    Fyurel looked at Muenne with a dumbfounded expression. From her perspective, Muenne was the one using excessively dramatic terms for a simple dinner date, even mentioning treason. Fyurel could not believe that one of the Seven Pdins was acting like this. If the Emperor of the Helen Empire heard this, he would likely faint from shock.

    ¡°Look here, I am not a Chul-Soo Lander,¡± Fyurel said.

    However, Muenne, with her clear eyes, seemed not to listen to Fyurel¡¯s words at all. ¡°I cannot stand idly by. As the person in charge of Muren¡¯s security, I hereby dere I will join this table effective immediately.¡±

    ¡°What does being in charge of security have to do with joining us?¡±

    ¡°I am joining nheless.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a valid reason, do you?¡±

    ¡°I am the head of the security of Muren.¡±

    <i>¡®If it were the old me, I would have fought her right here on the spot...¡¯ </i>Fyurel contemted her next actions. However, for some reason, she did not feel like going for it today. She did not want to create a scene in front of Chul-Soo. <i>¡®I will let it slide for today.¡¯</i>

    During the meal, Muenne said, ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo, I heard you have been polishing your seduction techniques.¡±

    ¡°Right. I was hoping to practice on Fyurel and get some advice.¡±

    Muenne quietly put down her fork. ¡°I think that¡¯s a pointless endeavor.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because Fyurel is alreadypletely seduced. Practicing on her would not be effective at all.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    When he thought about it, it seemed to make sense. He had also been told that sometimes sheer talents could surpass techniques.

    ¡°There is a much more effective way to practice seduction techniques,¡± Muenne said.

    Jin-Hyeok was intrigued. He had indeed been thinking about various aspects of seduction. <i>¡®Her being one of the empire¡¯s Seven Pdins might mean she knows a thing or two.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was excited that he could have the chance to receive high-quality teachings. Even Fyurel listened intently to Muenne¡¯s words.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know what would happen if the current Chul-Soo also learns a proper seduction technique,¡¯ </i>Fyurel thought. <i>¡®If he can properly seduce someone with that face... If hebines his talents with techniques... Holy shit, that would be irresistibly sexy!¡¯</i>

    Fyurel unwittingly licked her lips. The mere thought of it made her heart race and her face flush. At least for this moment, Fyurel supported Muenne¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°Oh, what is it?¡± Fyurel asked Muenne.

    ¡°I will be the one you can practice on.¡±

    ¡°You crazy bitch!¡± Fyurel mmed her fist on the table. She was embarrassed to have even momentarily agreed with Muenne. ¡°That would just be to your benefit.¡±

    ¡°I have trained for a long time since I was young to be a Pdin. I possess the mental fortitude not to fall for Mr. Chul-Soo¡¯s seduction. Therefore, I am the perfect candidate for him to practice his seduction skills on, Fyurel.¡±

    Fyurel decided she could no longer hold back. The interruption of her date was annoying enough without having to endure such nonsense. Just as she was about to unleash her magic,

    ¡°I refuse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Muenne¡¯s face turned pale at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s firm refusal. On the other hand, Fyurel retracted her anger and smirked. She took a bite of her steak and mused.

    ¡°Oh dear! It seems like you are not Chul-Soo¡¯s type, Muenne!¡±

    Muenne asked with a very serious expression, ¡°Can you... tell me why?¡±

 Chapter 303

    <h4>Chapter 303</h4>

    Until recently, Muenne was engulfed in contemtion.

    <i>¡®Han Sae-Rin is proving to be an outstanding Ruler and an excellent Navigator.¡¯</i>

    Though her abilities were not yetparable to those of the Arvis rankers, Sae-Rin¡¯s potential was immeasurably vast.

    <i>¡®Mole Man not only serves as a Navigator but also excels as a Miner.¡¯</i>

    Moreover, a shocking event had just urred.

    <i>¡®Lessefim has be the first honorary Chul-Soo Lander!¡¯</i>

    Lessefim managing to gain the approval of ny percent of those fastidious Chul-Soo Landers made Muenne anxious.

    <i>¡®I, too... want to be an official Chul-Soo Lander.¡¯</i>

    Muenne was fine with bing the second honorary Chul-Soo Lander. She coveted that appointment letter and gue so much that she would steal them if she could.

    <i>¡®What more do I need to do to be a useful Lancer?¡¯</i>

    Muenne did not possess any unique skills. From her childhood, she had trained as a Pdin, focusing solely on spear-fighting to reach her current position. It was the elite path she had followed.<i> ¡®I should have picked up a hobby.¡¯</i>

    However, brooding alone would provide her with no answers. Therefore, she contacted Lessefim through Marshmallow, seeking direct advice.

    ¡°I want to be recognized like you, Lessefim,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°Hm... it¡¯s not easy. But I am well aware that you, Muenne, have aplished some great feats.¡± At this moment, Lessefim was the undeniable superior and Muenne the subordinate. ¡°I was forced to learn alchemy from a young age, but you followed the elite path, didn¡¯t you? Other than yournce, you don¡¯t have any other useful skills, do you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Lessefim deeply empathized with Muenne; the desperation and the longing to be an official Chul-Soo Lander were feelings every Chul-Soo Lander had experienced. She offered Muenne the sincerest advice, standing in her shoes. ¡°Let¡¯s try some self-reflection. Muenne, what is the greatest strength you possess?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to speak of my strengths...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I just want to help you. I understand your feelings very well, believe me.¡±

    Their conversation flowed smoothly.

    <i>¡®Indeed! There are no viins among those who like Kim Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®If you like Chul-Soo, you are bound to be a good person.¡¯</i>

    They thought that if the world were filled with Chul-Soo Landers, it would overflow with love, despite the recent Harkoen incident.

    Soon, they quickly became friends.

    ¡°Since my youth, I have tirelessly worked to develop a strong mind, to not waver under any temptation, aiming to be a respected Pdin. I have strived to possess a will of steel and have partly achieved that,¡± Muenne said. She showed Lessefim the congrattory notes she had received from her subordinates on herst birthday.

    [I learned a lot from you, Captain.]

    [Your unwavering path toward justice, notpromising with evil, is admirable.]

    [Captain, you are the first person I¡¯ve seen with such a strong spirit. Thank you for being my mentor!]

    ¡°Hm... good. With such a personality and strengths, you will definitely find something that can be of help to Chul-Soo. I will help you find it,¡± Lessefim said.

    Then it dawned on Muenne. ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I think I can be of great help to Chul-Soo!¡± Muenne briskly stood up. ¡°I will have to let Chul-Soo seduce me, for his growth! Thank you, Lessefim. This was a meaningful time. I think we can be good friends.¡±

    As Muenne walked away, Lessefim murmured, ¡°I¡¯m kinda jealous of her!¡±

    ***

    Rejected by Cha Jin-Hyeok, Muenne barely managed to keep herposure and asked, ¡°Can you... tell me why?¡±

    She continued, not waiting for his reply, ¡°Since my youth, I have devoted myself to developing a strong mind. I can be an excellent practice partner for you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t seduce my fans. That¡¯s the rule.¡± No matter how Jin-Hyeok thought about it, using seduction techniques on Chul-Soo Landers was not right. He could not resort to using such techniques against people who genuinely liked him.

    While Muenne felt a deep sense of regret, she was once again profoundly moved by Chul-Soo. <i>¡®That statement about him not seducing his fans resonates with my very soul!¡¯</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but secondly...¡± Jin-Hyeok said while scratching his head, ¡°Your mental strength doesn¡¯t seem all that strong.¡±

    Muenne gulped hard.

    Fyurel burst intoughter. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right! It seems like you¡¯re already in love with Chul-Soo!¡±

    Muenne felt a great sense of inadequacy. She had been confident in her mental fortitude above all else, and now, even that seemed to be of no help to Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®I am... of no help to Chul-Soo... This means I can¡¯t be an honorary Chul-Soo Lander!¡¯ </i>The world around her seemed to sway. She asked with a voice as if she had lost everything, ¡°How can I be of help to you, Chul-Soo?¡±

    With a look of desperation, she pleaded again, ¡°Please, let me help you.¡±

    ***

    Fyurel rose from her seat.

    ¡°Delicious things should be savored slowly over time.¡± She licked her red lips while looking at Jin-Hyeok.

    Although her gaze was full of seduction, Jin-Hyeok was not tempted in the slightest. It was not just ack of temptation; he was more on the side of being cautious. After all, all things pretty and cute in this world were to be approached with utmost caution.

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet again, Chul-Soo. It seems we will be seeing each other often.¡± With a <i>pop </i>and a spark, Fyurel disappeared into thin air.

    Muenne breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I can¡¯t believe nothing was destroyed after that madwoman stayed this long.¡±

    Of course, that was not entirely true. Some destruction had urred when Muenne and Fyurel first collided, spreading fragments of light around and damaging the surroundings.

    Chul-Soo continued his recording in a calm tone, ¡°Well, considering everything, the restaurant is rtively intact, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    A few tables were shattered beyond use, a few were partially destroyed but could be repaired, and several chairs had been reduced to dust. The walls had a few small holes, but that was not enough to bring the building down.

    ¡°However... The chandelier on the ceiling is shaki¡ª¡± He thought the building was not going to copse, but then it did. A thick beam fell right above Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. With a loud crash, a cloud of white dust billowed up. ¡°And just when I thought it was okay, the building did copse. It¡¯s nothing serious, but I think that¡¯s it for today¡¯s livestream. Thank you!¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok, who had returned to Earth after several days,y in bed. <i>¡®Home sweet home!¡¯</i>

    Thefort he felt was something only a home could provide. <i>¡®During my Sword King days, I lived oblivious to such pleasures.¡¯</i>

    Back then, he was too obsessed with the sword. He could have taken the time to look around, to see and feel more. <i>¡®It¡¯s good that I havee to my senses now.¡¯</i>

    As he cherished this momentary leisure time, he suddenly smiled, feeling the gaze of someone looking down at him from the ceiling.

    <i>¡®An Assassin?¡¯ </i>Although he was already awake, he pretended to sleep to see what the Assassin would do. <i>¡®When are they nning to strike?¡¯</i>

    Since they had infiltrated his home, they had to be highly skilled, as they had definitely passed the Guardian Tree¡¯s protective barrier.

    <i>¡®I need to be on alert.¡¯ </i>The moment the Assassin attacked would be the best opportunity for Jin-Hyeok to counterattack. Jin-Hyeok waited for the attack with a racing heart. <i>¡®But why aren¡¯t they attacking?¡¯</i>

    No matter how much he waited, the Assassin made no move. Feeling a strangely familiar presence, he cautiously opened his eyes to see a rodent-type Beastkin clinging to the ceiling. It was Brick.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally awake, Sir Chul-Soo. You were sleeping quite soundly.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t nning to stab me?¡±

    Brick tilted his head. ¡°Is that what you wanted?¡±

    ¡°Well, no. Not really.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you desire, I can oblige! I owe you a great doubt, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I want.¡±

    ¡°You are always acting so strange. Your eyes seem to want it, but your body and mouth say otherwise.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°Only madmen look forward to assassinations. I am different.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Sir Chul-Soo is different!¡±

    <i>¡®You are crazier than most madmen!¡¯ </i>Brick would have said that any other day, but today, he kept his mouth shut. <i>¡®It¡¯s rude to offend the person who saved Neilson.¡¯</i>

    Brick leaped down from the ceiling,nding on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s bed. ¡°I have been hearing that your livestreams are quite trending these days, so I sneaked a peak at a few. And I have discovered something.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°While it¡¯s true you have many excellentpanions whose skills are rapidly improving, why do you neglect Assassin-type yers?¡±

    Now that Brick mentioned it, Jin-Hyeok realized that was indeed the case.

    ¡°Farmers get plenty of support from your foundation! Miners are the same. Wood King? Martial King? Saint of Freedom? Angel Girl? They¡¯re all great. And the firepower of Shin Yu-Ri is quite impressive!¡±

    ¡°You know a lot for just sneaking a peak at a few.¡±

    Brick¡¯s whiskers twitched as if he had been caught in the act. ¡°B-But look at the ck Thorn Alliance! You haven¡¯t done anything for them! Seedlings need proper support to grow, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Brick proposed that he could train and nurture them. He handed over a proposal to Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok read the key points out loud. ¡°Training intensity is very high. Practical training is preferred. Poor welfare. Significant chance of bing disabled. High possibility of death. No training fees. A constion prize is provided upon death, but this needs to be discussed with the MK Foundation...¡±

    These conditions would shock most people. However, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat impressed. ¡°Not bad.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°If I had aspired to be an Assassin, I would have definitely applied.¡±

    ***

    Brick¡¯s n was quite detailed. ¡°While we can¡¯t set up a training camp right away, I have an ideal ce in mind for training the recruits. It¡¯s none other than Lady Harkoen¡¯s mansion! The mansion is filled with various barriers and mazes, making it the perfect training ground. Since it¡¯s yours now, wouldn¡¯t this be the perfect use for it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, using it that way does sound good.¡±

    ¡°Of course, taking those who aren¡¯t from Arvis to Lady Harkoen¡¯s mansion won¡¯t be easy, but it¡¯s not impossible. The chief of security in Muren City will go out of her way to help you.¡±

    This reminded Jin-Hyeok that Muenne had begged him to let her help. This was a good opportunity to give her a chance.

    <i>¡®But given her emphasis on principles, it feels somewhat unscrupulous to ask her.¡¯</i>

    This required some thought. Whether Brick knew of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hesitation or not, he excitedly continued, ¡°ording to my research, under the condition the recruits don¡¯t leave private property, including Lady Harkoen¡¯s mansion, temporary visas can be issued for special education purposes. If the administrative officers can be a little amodating, it¡¯s entirely feasible, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Brick straightened his narrow shoulders. ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>As an Assassin, one ought to have this level of information gathering capability.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°So, what do you want in return?¡±

    Brick¡¯s shoulders slumped again. ¡°Have you seen through my intentions, Sir Chul-Soo? As expected... you are impressive.¡±

    ¡°Tell me. What is that you want?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but smirk at Brick¡¯s next words. <i>¡®So, this is what he wants.¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt like unexpected events were unfolding from unexpected quarters.

 Chapter 304

    <h4>Chapter 304</h4>

    Lost in his memories, Brick reminisced with a wistful expression. ¡°Back then, we were truly splendid and adorable, Sir Chul-Soo. The sunlight that shone down on us, the sparkling brook!¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Neilson was a genius, right?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course, Sir Chul-Soo. Even at a young age, Neilson was recognized for his craftsmanship and skills. He was hailed as a prodigy.¡± Neilson¡¯s talent was so exceptional that many families eyed him for adoption.

    ¡°Neilson¡¯s mother wished for him to grow up in the most affluent environment possible.¡± One of Brick¡¯s quirks was his tendency to veer off into unrted tangents during a conversation. ¡°By the way, Neilson¡¯s dad cheated on Neilson¡¯s mom when Neilson was just two years old. Shockingly, everyone knew this except for Neilson¡¯s mom!¡±

    With the poise of a seasoned Streamer, Jin-Hyeok smoothly steered the conversation back on track. It felt like practicing for a smooth interview. ¡°What decision did Neilson¡¯s mother make, wanting him to grow up in a wealthy environment?¡±

    ¡°She sent him to the Harkoen family!¡± Brick¡¯s whiskers twitched. ¡°The Harkoen Family expressed their eagerness to support Neilson. But on the day he was to head to the Harkoen mansion, he mysteriously disappeared.¡±

    Brick clenched his tiny fist and continued, ¡°Lady Harkoen was quite shameless, Sir Chul-Soo. While the Harkoen Family was not directly responsible for Neilson¡¯s disappearance, they said they felt morally obligated and handed over thirty million Dias to Neilson¡¯s mother.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But what¡¯s even more absurd is that the money was taken by Neilson¡¯s bastard father, using his biological parental rights as an excuse!¡±

    ¡°Did you kill him?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Gradually, Jin-Hyeok was drawn into Brick¡¯s story. What he thought would be a fairy-tale-like childhood story turned out to be a drama filled with sensational twists. He asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you killed his father?¡±

    ¡°Because Neilson disappeared! A scoundrel like that should be executed in front of Neilson. That¡¯s true justice, Sir Chul-Soo. Besides, we have to consider the wishes of Neilson¡¯s mother and Neilson himself. Oh, and by the way, Neilson¡¯s mother has be mentally unstable after searching for Neilson for the past eighteen years, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok thought about the tragic fate of Neilson¡¯s mother. Her husband ran away after cheating on her, her son went missing, the constion money meant for his son was snatched by the husband, and now she was mentally unstable.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of killing that bastard in the near future,¡± Brick said.

    ¡°Can I livestream it if the timing is right?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. <i>¡®Wait... but what were we talking about? Ah, right, it was about Neilson.¡¯</i>

    The next chapter of this universe-level Scenario seemed to point toward Katrina¡¯s family. Having greatly benefited from the help of the Alchemist(?) Lessefim, Jin-Hyeok likely needed assistance from the Jeweler, making this connection with Neilson fortuitous.

    Getting back on the topic of conversation, Brick continued, ¡°As you know... I am an Assassin with many, many, enemies. Not many people think well of me. And my rtionships with other Craftsmen aren¡¯t exactly friendly...¡±

    Hence, even though he wanted to introduce Neilson to a mentor, he found it impossible to do so.

    ¡°I know an excellent mentor,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Usually, such excellent mentors are too busy with their existing disciples to take on new ones.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew one Craftsman who had plenty of time and enjoyed his hobby.

    ***

    Katrina greeted Jin-Hyeok with a broad smile and a robust, masculine voice. ¡°Wee, Oppa.¡±

    His formidable arm muscles and imposing pectorals flexed visibly.

    ¡°Katrina, I have something to discuss.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok casually used informal speech, Katrina responded in a light-hearted tone, ¡°Finally, you are openly speaking informally to me. I think I¡¯m a bit happier now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok simply continued with what he had to say. After hearing everything, Katrina thoughtfully stroked his chin. ¡°Hm... So, you are asking me to y the role of a nanny?¡±

    ¡°Not a nanny, a mentor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all the same.¡± Katrina heartilyughed. ¡°Is his name Neilson? The one who went missing eighteen years ago?¡±

    ¡°You know Neilson?¡±

    ¡°Of course. He was the talk of the town in our industry, hailed as a prodigy once in a millennium.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok noticed a brief shadow rose from Katrina¡¯s face, a subtle and quick change in expression that only a Streamer¡¯s keen eye could catch. <i>¡®What¡¯s that about?¡¯</i>

    Katrina quickly masked his expression andughed again. ¡°I remember the bitch who gave birth to me wanted to adopt him.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Did he just say the bitch who gave birth to me?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok momentarily tensed up. <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t broadcast something like this, should I?¡¯</i>

    Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok was not live. Despite not containing any severe swear words, it was one of the harshest expressions he had heard. Katrina¡¯s family history seemed quiteplicated.

    ¡°Anyway, I detest being bothered. But if it¡¯s a request from you, Chul-Soo, I might consider it,¡± Katrina said. He leaned in toward Jin-Hyeok somewhat yfully. ¡°Can you try and seduce me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pondered it for a moment. <i>¡®I still think the seduction technique is not for me, and I am not mature enough to go against my instinct. And, seducing a cross-dressing man on top of that? I just can¡¯t do it.¡¯</i>

    This was a challenge that could be taken up only by someone truly intense.

    ¡°I am not quite ready yet to do that,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That means there might be a chance in the future, right?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps if an opportunity arises... when I am more prepared to face such challenges... I might consider... seduction.¡± Jin-Hyeok found himself reflecting once again. If he were truly intense and earnest as a Streamer, he would not have hesitated. He would not have felt aversion toward using seduction techniques, nor would he have been reluctant to seduce a man. If he had been more intense, he would have done so.

    <i>¡®I am still not intense enough.¡¯ </i>He felt his inadequacies every day.

    ¡°Well... that¡¯s good enough for me. Alright, I¡¯ll meet this Neilson guy,¡± Katrina said.

    ***

    Neilson was an otter-type Beastkin, smaller in stature than Brick. While his overall appearance bore simrities to Brick, a rodent-type Beastkin, Neilson¡¯s fur was smoother and more lustrous.

    Katrina carefully picked up Neilson with his hands and rubbed his cheek against Neilson¡¯s. ¡°I had no idea he was such a cute creature!¡±

    ¡°Uh...uh.... uh...!¡± Neilson could not resist Katrina¡¯s enthusiastic greeting.

    After the whirlwind of a greeting concluded, Neilson, dressed neatly in a suit, bowed. ¡°Hello, my name is Neilson.

    ¡°I know, your dad is this bastard, right?¡± Katrina pulled out a photo from his pocket.

    Neilson¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Y-Yes that¡¯s my dad! You know my father?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he is the lover of the bitch who gave birth to me.¡±

    Neilson frowned, then tilted his head. After a moment of thought, he uttered, ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Please to meet you, brother.¡±

    ¡°Brother?¡±

    ¡°My father could also be this guy. There is a one in four chance.¡±

    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The bitch who gave birth to me had about four lovers at the time. I don¡¯t exactly know who my father is.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok inadvertently sighed. He had not expected to end up recording a dramatic twist while trying to introduce a mentor to a mentee.

    <i>¡®This is too great,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He felt confident this content would garner attention.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok stopped recording. <i>¡®Somehow, I don¡¯t want to turn this into content.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of humanity within him.

    Katrina smirked and asked Jin-Hyeok, ¡°But usually, wouldn¡¯t one ask if a male otter-type Beastkin and a human female can actually mate?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Now that Jin-Hyeok thought about it, that seemed like a valid question. It would undoubtedly make for intriguing gossip. As a Streamer and a content creator, it was something he should have been curious about. <i>¡®But why didn¡¯t I ask?¡¯</i>

    He could not find a clear answer. It was a moment that prompted a lot of reflection.

    ***

    In the end, Katrina refused to be a mentor for Neilson. ¡°Looking at him just brings back too many unpleasant memories.¡±

    Katrina went inside his shop and brought out a bottle of liquor. ¡°Do you want some too?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered. He sat down and epted the ss of alcohol.

    Soon after, Katrina began to share his past. ¡°Did I mention I ran away from home?¡±

    ¡°I thought you were just enjoying your hobbies on the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°To be exact, I ran away. I stole a bunch of expensive jewels from home. Hohoho! And then, I ran away to Earth!¡± Katrinaughed for a long while. He said something about how those jewels were very expensive.

    After silently listening, Jin-Hyeok tentatively asked, ¡°Did you want me to acknowledge that you had run away?¡±

    Katrina seemed startled but did not show it any further.

    ¡°So, you stole those precious jewels, left home, and even set up a jewelry shop here on Earth, but nobody from your family came looking for you.¡±

    Though Katrina described it as <i>running away </i>or <i>fleeing,</i> his actions were quite overt. He did not disguise his face or alter his voice. He did not hide his name and openly appeared on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    Katrina continued with a bitter expression, ¡°Well... that¡¯s just how it is. Our house has so many jewels that they probably did not even notice what I took. I was an unwanted child, anyway. They probably don¡¯t even know I ran away. Or if they do, they don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°Are all these series of events rted to your cross-dressing?¡±

    After downing the orange liquor in his ss in one gulp, Katrina asked, ¡°Are you thinking about turning this into content?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°I turned off the livestream a while ago. I am not recording either.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean why?¡±

    ¡°The viewers would like this kind of provocative content. It¡¯s perfect for your livestream,¡± Katrina said.

    Jin-Hyeok found himself at a loss for words.

    Katrinaughed again and said, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve got a human heart, even if you¡¯re a bit crazy.¡±

    ¡°I agree with me having a human heart, but I am not crazy.¡±

    ¡°The crazy ones don¡¯t know they are crazy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a rude thing for you to say.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I am so taken with you, Chul-Soo.¡± As the alcohol kicked in, Katrina started rambling on. ¡°I was called a genius too, just like Neilson. I grew up with all the expectations of my family.¡±

    Then, one day, Katrina began to experience a deep confusion about his gender identity.

    ¡°I cursed my body because it had male genitalia,¡± Katrina exined that he considered himself a woman with a male body. After a long time, he wanted to be a woman and was ostracized within his family. ¡°My family is extremely conservative. A cross-dressing man has no ce there.¡±

    ¡°What about just bing a woman, then?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    In a highly advanced Server like Arvis, that was possible. It was illegal due to the Server¡¯s public sentiment, but aplete sex change was feasible.

    ¡°Exactly! I wanted to be a woman! The bitch who gave birth to me said she would understand if I came back as an actual woman!¡± Katrina shouted, appearing drunk.

    However, there was a catch. Most of the yers and families that provided illegal sex change services in Arvis were directly or indirectly connected to Katrina¡¯s family.

    <i>¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t help you. Try looking somewhere else.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I can do it.¡±</i>

    Seeking treatment from yers on other Servers was not a great option either.

    <i>¡°I can¡¯t do it myself, but you must never receive treatment from an unskilled yer. Your talent could be ruined.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Honestly, I would like to do it myself, but I just can¡¯t. Please make sure you get treated by a skilled practitioner.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. He fully understood Katrina¡¯s desire to be a woman and also not lose his talent as a Jeweler.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute...¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok thought of a solution that would lead to a win-win situation for Katrina, Neilson, and even himself. It was a solution only a regressor could know.

 Chapter 305

    <h4>Chapter 305</h4>

    During his reign as the Sword King, Cha Jin-Hyeok often found it hard to remember nonbatant-ss yers. Even amongbatant-ss yers, only those ranked first or second in their field could barely make a mark in his memory. So, it was somewhat inevitable that he did not remember much about nonbatant-ss yers.

    However, he did remember a few yers, who were truly exceptional cases. One of them was a yer from Thand.

    <i>¡®God Finger Hassan... He should be Awakened by now.¡¯</i>

    God Finger Hassan was a yer who had burst onto the scene like aet, heating all of Thand before suddenly disappearing. Though he had been active for just over two years, he had be the most famous yer in Thand.

    <i>¡®He was called the god of gender transformation.¡¯</i>

    Hassan exclusively selected yers to undergo gender transformation, and his Skill was deemed not of human but divine origin, earning him the nickname God Finger.

    <i>¡®He was also known for granting permanent buff effects, not just eliminating the side effects associated with the transformation.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a moment of thought. <i>¡®If one can receive permanent buff effects just by changing genders, should I consider it too?¡¯</i>

    However, he quickly shook his head. <i>¡®I still have a long way to go.¡¯</i>

    His feelings about this transformation were the same as those about the seduction technique. A truly intense Streamer would not hesitate to use seduction techniques or undergo gender transformation. Yet, Jin-Hyeok was not ready to ept gender transformation.

    <i>¡®I stillck so much.¡¯</i>

    He had not even fully embraced the approach of using his looks to his advantage, let alone advance to the next level. One could not run without learning to walk properly first. It was excessive greed. Yet, he kept making excuses, feeling somewhat less intense.

    <i>¡®I have lived as a man for so long, and a male body is much more familiar to me. No matter how exceptional the gender transformation can be, it¡¯s useless if it¡¯s not familiar.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok managed to rationalize his thoughts. <i>¡®Yeah, gender transformation does not seem right!¡¯</i>

    With a sigh of relief, Jin-Hyeok unknowingly let out a breath.

    Nheless, recalling God Finger Hassan, he suggested to Katrina, ¡°I know a yer who can provide you a transformation to an excellent female physique with no side effects.¡±

    ¡°I have already checked out everyone who can do that. They all rejected me,¡± Katrina said in a drunken voice.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know him because he is not well-known.¡±

    ¡°Who is this person?¡± Katrina, thoroughly intoxicated, copsed then and there, falling asleep on the spot.

    ***

    The next day, Katrina leaped to her feet in outrage. ¡°How could you even consider entrusting me to some unknown yer? Just because it¡¯s not your body, you don¡¯t have the right to be so reckless!¡±

    The thought of undergoing gender transformation at the hands of a yer from Earth, a fairly new Server, and one without even a name to their credit, was beyond imagination for Katrina. ¡°I¡¯m upset. If you weren¡¯t so good-looking, I would have punched you in the face.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found Katrina¡¯s reaction perfectly reasonable.<i> ¡®I need to exin about Hassan.¡¯</i>

    Hassan¡¯s fame had taken off after a famous Thai actress had confessed to having undergone a gender transformation performed by him.

    <i>¡®Until then, everyone thought she was naturally a woman.¡¯</i>

    No one even suspected she was transgender. At that time, peoplemented:

    -Aren¡¯t there a lot of trans people in Thand?

    -She is so pretty. I was shocked to find out she was trans.

    -It¡¯s prettymon there. Though, it¡¯s rare to find someone as beautiful as her.

    However, when the actress¡¯s past photos were released, everyone was astonished.

    -How could that facee from this?

    -This is not surgery; this is creation!

    -Hassan is a god!

    It was not an exaggeration to say the actress had been reborn.

    -But aside from the looks, how did her height increase?

    -Her height increased?

    From being 162 centimeters as a man, the actress had grown to 168 centimeters after the transformation.

    -Even the entire skeletal structure changed... How is that possible?

    Medical experts at the time dered it a <i>medically impossible phenomenon</i>. That was how Hassan gained his fame as God Finger. It waster revealed that Hassan was an Irregr.

    <i>¡®He was a very special Irregr. He didn¡¯t even have Levels.¡¯</i>

    Hassan had no Levels but possessed something called 77 Intimate Miracles. With this, he could perform gender transformation on 77 yers.

    <i>¡®And importantly, the earlier a miracle was, the more potent was its effect.¡¯</i>

    The first miracle was more effective than the seventy-seventh.

    <i>¡®But I have no way to convince Katrina.¡¯ </i>Logical exnations were out of the question. <i>¡®Should I stake my life on it?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok considered this but shook his head. Staking his life did not seem to be a suitablemitment for this situation.

    ¡°I will put my Eltube channel on the line.¡± It felt more like the level ofmitment needed for this matter. ¡°If the miracle does not happen, I will delete my channel and never set foot in the livestreaming world again.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Did I persuade her?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok looked at Katrina, who was silent for a while.

    ¡°How about this?¡± Katrina replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°If the gender transformation goes wrong, or if there is any problem, you will take responsibility for me.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean exactly?¡±

    Katrina hesitated for a long time. Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel nervous.

    <i>¡®I have staked my livestreaming career, what could be worse than that?¡¯ </i>The thought that there could be something worse weighed heavily on him as he awaited Katrina¡¯s response.

    Finally, Katrina said. ¡°Marry me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok did not respond, Katrina snorted as if she had expected such a reaction. ¡°Why? You can¡¯t do that?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that...¡± Jin-Hyeok was perplexed. <i>¡®Marrying her is the easier choice. Why is she asking me to do the easier one?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Angel Girl Song Ha-Young could not help butugh at the absurdity of the situation. ¡°So, he is roughly around twenty-five and probably male. His yer name or his real name is Hassan, and he lives somewhere in Thand...¡±

    Then, she looked at the paper in her hand. The drawing was so crudely done that calling it a sketch was almost embarrassing. It depicted a human face with eyes, a nose, and a mouth. However, there was one small distinct feature.

    ¡°The only feature that I can see is a small mole under the nose,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me to find this person in Thand with such scant clues? And within a week? Even when you¡¯re not sure about the gender or the name? Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re looking at me as if you are wondering why this would be a problem?¡±

    ¡°Well, is there a problem?¡±

    Faced with such an innocently posed question, Ha-Young nearly sighed without realizing it.

    <i>¡®How am I supposed to find someone with so little to go on? Does he even realize Thand is about five times the size of Korea?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[#What on earth does he think of me?]</strong>

    Reading Ha-Young¡¯s thoughts with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok unwittingly responded, ¡°I think of you as Angel Girl Song Ha Young.¡±

    That single sentence snapped Ha-Young back to reality. <i>¡®Right, I am Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.¡¯</i>

    She had once located Giethoorn in the Nethends with a drawing far worse than this. This task seemed somewhat less daunting.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I <i>am </i>Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.¡± A sense of pride welled up within her. ¡°So, from your perspective, it¡¯s only natural for me to find this person, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡±

    ¡°Because I am your highly trustedrade, Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. This was not just to tter her. He truly believed in Ha-Young and thought that if she put her mind to it, she could definitely find Hassan.

    Ha-Young mumbled as if she had an epiphany. ¡°If I can¡¯t find Hassan, it would mean I wasn¡¯t intense enough.¡±

    Then, she found Hassan in just three days.

    ***

    ¡°Finding him was surprisingly easy,¡± Ha-Young said.

    Unexpectedly, Hassan was quite a well-known figure in Thand, as he had been boasting about his exceptional gender transformation abilities all over town. Locally, he seemed to be treated somewhat like a madman.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and asked, ¡°But he hasn¡¯t performed any procedure on anyone yet?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Go where?¡±

    ¡°Thand.¡±

    ¡°Why there?¡± Ha-Young looked puzzled. <i>¡®Does he still not fully trust how intense I am?¡¯</i>

    Still, with a puzzled look, she said, ¡°I brought him here.¡±

    ¡°You brought him here?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what you meant?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had asked her to find him, not to bring him here. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a good oue.

    ¡°But why is he wrapped in a ck cloth?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°If you¡¯re an intense Thief, you shouldn¡¯t just steal objects, right?¡±

    ¡°Wait, did you kidnap him?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I stole him.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between kidnapping and stealing?¡±

    ¡°Well, kidnapping is forcibly taking someone against their will, and stealing is sneakily taking them.¡±

    ¡°You can sneakily take a person?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unveiled the ck cloth. It was Hassan as he remembered.

    Hassany there, with his eyes appearing unfocused. He was also drooling, which did not look like a good sign.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to wake up in about twelve hours. No side effects,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Wait, did you use a Skill called Be Quiet by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Oh! When did you do your homework on me, Chul-Soo? Did Kwak Do-Hyeong tell you?¡±

    Be Quiet was a Skill Jin-Hyeok was well familiar with, having been on the receiving end of it multiple times from Ha-Young before his regression.

    <i>¡®But she normally used that Skill on rms and barriers to disable and neutralize them and not on people...¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young nonchntly continued, ¡°To be an intense Thief, you need to have at least one paralysis Skill like this.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    ***

    After twelve hours, Hassan regained consciousness. ¡°Ahhh!!!¡¯

    Realizing he had been kidnapped, he tried to flee, screaming, but Ha-Young was a meticulous Thief. She had already activated her Skill. Golden orb-like objects wrapped around Hassan¡¯s wrists and ankles, resembling the form of the Golden Headband that had caused her so much pain. Hassan could no longer move.

    ¡°Losing what you have stolen is a disgrace to a Thief,¡± Ha-Young said. She had also prepared the trantion orb in advance. Thanks to Ha-Young¡¯s thorough preparation, Jin-Hyeok could easily converse with Hassan.

    ¡°Please to meet you. I am Kim Chul-Soo, a Streamer and an Eltuber,¡± Jin-Hyeok introduced himself.

    Hassan widened his eyes and sighed. He chose not to question the situation further. ¡°So, it¡¯se to this. Even Chul-Soo is in on it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Figures. You are a Streamer, after all.¡± Hassan wore a self-mocking expression, then helplessly sprawled. ¡°Do whatever you want with me.¡±

    He almost looked like someone who had given up on life.

    Puzzled, Jin-Hyeok tilted his head as Hassan began to cry.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the life I wanted,¡± Hassan said.

    ¡°Is being kidnapped that much of an injustice to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, at first, it was shameful. But now, I have gotten used to it. Do whatever you want.¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok remained silent, Hassan slightly struggled to sit up. ¡°Fine, I will take off my clothes myself.¡±

    For some reason, Hassan ripped off his shirt. Jin-Hyeok frowned; Hassan¡¯s upper body was covered in scars, scars that appeared to be quite recent.

    <i>¡®What?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight and found something. <i>¡®Why do I feel traces of a Streamer?¡¯</i>

    Traces of a Streamer using Skills were present on Hassan¡¯s scarred body.

 Chapter 306

    <h4>Chapter 306</h4>

    Hassan had grown up in a challenging environment. His father was an alcoholic who often resorted to violence at home. Hiding in the closet with his younger sister and trembling in fear had been a part of Hassan¡¯s daily routine.

    The year Hassan turned ten, his mother could no longer endure his father¡¯s abuse and fled home, leaving her kids behind at home. Consequently, Hassan had to face his father¡¯s violent outbursts, and the boy bravely endured the beatings.

    <i>¡®If I run away, my sister will be the one to suffer.¡¯</i>

    Hassan neither fled nor rejected his father¡¯s violence.

    Five years passed, and when Hassan was fifteen, his father started to abuse his younger sister as well.

    <i>¡®This can¡¯t continue.¡¯</i>

    Hassan could bear being hit, but he could not stand to leave his sister in this hellish situation. At fifteen, Hassan resolved to escape this hell with his sister.

    ¡°Shh, be quiet.¡±

    Taking advantage of the moment when their father was deeply asleep after drinking, Hassan quietly left the house with his sister. At fifteen, the jobs Hassan could do to support both himself and his sister were severely limited.

    ¡°Oppa, I want to paint. I will be a great painter.¡± His eleven-year-old sister dreamed of bing a painter.

    ¡°I understand. I will help you achieve your dream.¡±

    Learning to paint required a significant amount of money, something Hassan was in desperate need of. At the time, barely making enough to survive by shining shoes, he could not afford to teach his sister painting.

    <i>¡®Even if I shine shoes all day long, I can hardly afford just the paint...¡¯</i>

    Even though he had reduced his sleep and diligently looked for work, there was not much a fifteen-year-old could do.

    One day, he was dragged away by a man, who assaulted him. ustomed to being beaten, Hassan did not resist much, thinking the beating would eventually end as he was overly ustomed to violence. However, this assault was different.

    <i>¡®Why is he taking off my clothes?¡¯</i>

    Hassan could notprehend what was happening. Although he did not understand everything, he endured an ordeal far more horrific than being punched or kicked. After a while, appearing satisfied, the man threw money at Hassan. The amount was 1,000 baht, which was approximately 27 dors.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s money!¡¯</i>

    To earn this amount of money from shining shoes, Hassan needed to work hard for three days.

    Hassan pulled up his pants and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Sir!¡±

    ***

    Time passed, and Hassan no longer polished shoes. He had discovered a much quicker and easier way to earn money. Certain men would pay him after subjecting him to degrading acts. It was something he had never even considered as a means to make money, yet it turned out to be surprisingly profitable. He and his sister were able to afford a very small ce to live together. Even though it was old and rundown, that did not matter; it was their cherished home.

    Hassan had turned twenty, and his sister was sixteen.

    ¡°I need a private tutor, Oppa.¡±

    ¡°A private tutor?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am the only one without one. Do you know Minni? Her painting skills are way worse than mine, but she significantly improved after she started taking lessons from a private tutor.¡±

    She exined that to get lessons from an exceptional tutor, rather than just any ordinary one, they would need much more money.

    ¡°Alright, I will see what I can do.¡±

    Subsequently, his sister got a boyfriend¡ªthe tutor, and the following year, she became pregnant. When the tutor learned she was pregnant, he abandoned her and fled.

    Hassanforted and reassured her. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best to get rid of the bab¡ª¡±

    ¡°No! How could you even say that? You are my brother, for god¡¯s sake!¡± Hassan¡¯s sister adamantly refused the idea of an abortion. She sobbed, questioning how she could end a life, leaving Hassan no choice but to acquiesce.

    <i>¡®We will need more money with a child on the way...¡¯</i>

    The child was named Kuan. With this new addition to their family, Hassan worked tirelessly, ensuring his sister and Kuan were well taken care of. Around the time Hassan turned twenty-two, his sister requested a ce of her own.

    ¡°I want to live apart from you, Oppa.¡±

    ¡°Why all of a sudden? Did I do something to upset you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that...¡± She avoided his gaze, her cheeks turning red. ¡°I don¡¯t want Kuan to know who you are.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I know what kind of work you are doing, Oppa.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And I also understand that you had no choice.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°The rumors have already spread through the neighborhood. People are pointing fingers at you. I just wish Kuan... didn¡¯t know any of this.¡±

    ¡°Alright, it might be better for Kuan that way.¡±

    ¡°You know my bank ount number, right? I would like you to continue depositing money on the first of every month.¡±

    ***

    Three years had passed since his sister left, and Hassan found himself with three more nieces and nephews, each from a different father.

    [Oppa, I am truly sorry. I don¡¯t think I can endure any longer. Please take good care of my children. You are all they have.]

    Like their mother before them, his sister had abandoned her four children and disappeared.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t abandon these kids.¡¯</i>

    Around this time, Hassan Awakened as a yer.

    <i>¡®Being a yer could mean making a lot of money, right?¡¯</i>

    Life, however, was not that simple.

    <i>¡®Why can¡¯t I level up?¡¯</i>

    Hassan did not want to return to his old ways. He did not want to be an uncle his nieces and nephews would be ashamed of. However, he knew no other way to earn a living.

    <i>¡®Just a bit more. Let¡¯s try just a bit more. I have 77 Intimate Miracles at my disposal!¡¯</i>

    He even tried advertising his ability to perform miracles for free but was treated like a lunatic. Without any proof of his abilities, no one was willing to trust Hassan with their body.

    <strong>[77 Intimate Miracles]</strong>

    <strong>[The ability to bestow the miracle of gender transformation.</strong>

    <strong>This miracle will be perfect, surpassing any other method of gender transformation.</strong>

    <strong>*However, the recipient of the miracle must be a yer.]</strong>

    Just as he was running out of savings, a man approached him. ¡°Do you really do it for free?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Hassan was desperate for a chance.

    Just one chance.

    If he could get it right just once, sitting on a fortune was just a matter of time.

    ¡°But you have to be a yer,¡± Hassan said.

    ¡°Ah, I have Awakened as a Streamer. Can Streamers receive it too?¡±

    ¡°Yes! As long as you are a yer, it does not matter.¡±

    <i>¡®Finally! My chance hase!¡¯</i>

    However, Hassan was wrong. The man who had taken Hassan to his house showed his true colors. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I was one of your regrs, hehe. I have been looking for you for so long.¡± The man who imed to be a Streamer was indeed a Streamer. ¡°Let¡¯s start the livestream!¡±

    He immediately knocked Hassan unconscious with a punch. Although his Job was a nonbatant type, he was over Level 100 and had more than enough strength to knock out Hassan.

    When Hassan woke up after a long time, he was not particrly shocked. He was too ustomed to this kind of violence. What shocked him was something else.

    ¡°Why... didn¡¯t you pay me?¡± Hassan asked.

    ¡°Money? What money?¡± The manughed. ¡°I just conducted my livestream, that¡¯s all!¡±

    A new era had dawned. It was a world where due to the guise of y, one could not even report the atrocitiesmitted.

    ¡°Hey, viewers, did you guys enjoy it? Ah, thank you for your donations! I will be back with more great content next time!¡± the man said.

    ***

    Simr incidents happened to Hassan multiple times. Most involved Streamers who specialized in adult queer content.

    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe this worked!¡±

    ¡°I also met with Hassan.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think he would catch on to this trick at this point.¡±

    ¡°Seeing as this method keeps working, the guy must be pretty dumb, haha!¡±

    However, Hassan was not dumb; he was desperate. To some people, that desperation was an easy target. Every day, his hope that he would meet someone who genuinely wanted a gender transformation was shattered.

    <i>¡®Another Streamer?¡¯</i>

    He was fed up. He had no energy or will to resist anymore.

    <i>¡®This is not the life I wanted.¡¯</i>

    Wishing this moment would just end, Hassan listlessly took off his shirt.

    Then, Kim Chul-Soo asked, ¡°Why do I sense the presence of a Streamer?¡±

    ¡°Are you not in league with those guys?¡±

    ¡°Just stay still for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I figured as much.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok examined Hassan closely, reading the traces left on him, and noticed a few clues. ¡°A Streamer? And his yer name is... BoyLove?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately searched for BoyLove on the spot. BoyLove had posted many videos on Eltube, some of them involving Hassan.

    ¡°Do you have a sister, Hassan?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. The titles were tantly provocative.

    [Shocking request from the sister! You can do anything to my brother.]

    It turned out BoyLove was dating Hassan¡¯s sister. The storyline was dizzying.

    <i>¡®They used Hassan¡¯s sister to exploit him on Eltube,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Moreover, on top of that, the sister had requested them to assault her brother.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing important. Let¡¯s just listen to your story for now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    As he listened to Hassan¡¯s story, Jin-Hyeok became enraged. ¡°What kind of people are they? How can they be so horrible?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that Hassan had kept his story a secret. He had spoken to the police, GMs, and even yers from famous alliances.

    <i>¡®Everyone shows their anger like this in front of a camera.¡¯</i>

    However, things changed when the camera went off or as soon as they learned about Hassan¡¯s past. Their gaze would shift. He thought Chul-Soo would be no different.

    ¡°Everyone gets angry like you in the beginning. But thanks for that anyway.¡±

    ¡°No, but this is crossing the line,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°A new era has begun. It¡¯s a world where such acts go unpunished. I¡¯m just a person who has been left behind.¡±

    With a deep frown, Jin-Hyeok made a call. ¡°Brick, I would like to make a formal request.¡±

    Brick immediately epted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s request. He even said he would not take a fee.

    ¡ªThe ck Thorn Alliance guys will make great sparring partners.

    Hassan asked, ¡°What¡¯s Brick? What are you requesting?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing much. I¡¯m just nning on killing those guys.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Hassan could not believe his ears.

    Chul-Soo then casually said, ¡®I¡¯m going to go eat a hamburger tomorrow.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to have someone share this anger. I have heard that you are a man of justice, and it seems that¡¯s true,¡± Hassan said.

    The Orderly IntenseMan.

    The IntenseMan of Justice.

    Hassan had heard plenty of nicknames of Chul-Soo. However, for him to offer assassinations this casually, there had to be a catch.

    ¡°You want something from me, right?¡± Hassan asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    <i>¡®I knew it. Like the others, this one will want the same thing, under the guise of creating content.¡¯</i>

    Hassan had been through so much that he was resigned to it.

    ¡°If I take care of them, you will have to use your 77 Intimate Miracles to fulfill a wish of my friend,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I will pay you whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°You will pay me?¡± Hassan doubted his ears again.

    <i>¡®This can¡¯t be happening to me. There is no way this is happening to me! Wait... I need to calm down. He might be lying. He will probably act differently once he gets enough footage for his livestream.¡¯</i>

    Hassan no longer wanted to be yed by Streamers; he just wanted to go back to his home. He did not know how long he had been kidnapped, but the kids should be anxiously waiting for him.

    ¡°I should get going now...¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on, I¡¯m getting a call.¡±

    The caller was none other than Brick.

    ¡ªWe have taken care of six Streamers rted to Hassan. All cleanly eliminated, Sir Chul-Soo. It took about twenty-eight seconds longer than anticipated. I feel guilty for not being more intense.

 Chapter 307

    <h4>Chapter 307</h4>

    Brick confessed he felt guilty for not being intense enough, but Cha Jin-Hyeok found it rather surprising.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s been only a few minutes since I requested him to kill those guys,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°I expected you to take longer, Brick.¡±

    ¡ªIt seems like your standards are quite low, Sir Chul-Soo.

    Even with the use of warp portals and such, it would have taken a considerable amount of time. Feeling a bit more boastful, Brick continued,

    ¡ªSince Lady Lessefim and Lady Muenne proved their intensity, I thought I should do the same, Sir Chul-Soo.

    Brick had decided that, unlike Lessefim or Muenne, proving his intensity in other areas was challenging for him. So, he focused more on what he could do best.

    ¡ªWhen you were asking Angel Girl about Hassan, I was also gathering information about Hassan. I already knew what had happened to him! The past three days were more than enough.

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely admired how fast Brick hadpleted the task. He had not expected Brick to approach his y with such intensity. It felt good to have such a positively influential friend.

    ¡ªSir Chul-Soo, was I intense?

    ¡°I would say that you were intense enough.¡±

    ¡ªYourpliments tter me, huhu. Oh, and the ck Thorn guys were more intense than I thought. It seems like they have been touched by your positive influence.

    In any case, six of the Streamers rted to Hassan were wiped out. Though Brick offered to send their decapitated heads, Jin-Hyeok declined. Right before hanging up the phone, Brick asked one more question.

    ¡ªSir Chul-Soo, was killing them an act of justice?

    ¡°An act of justice?¡±

    ¡ªI am aware that you are called the IntenseMan of Order, Justice, and Beauty on Earth. I fully understand your anger toward injustice. But on the other hand, as the IntenseMan of Order, Justice, and Beauty, weren¡¯t you supposed to avoid personal revenge or sanctions as much as possible?

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°What are you talking about? What personal revenge? They were messing up the sanctity of livestreams.¡±

    ¡ª...

    ¡°To misuse something as sacred as a livestream crosses the line.¡±

    Brick¡¯s curiosity waspletely satisfied.

    ¡ªI see. They had crossed the line in that aspect!

    It seemed there was enough cause for the assassination request.

    ***

    Hassan was still confused. He found it hard to grasp what Jin-Hyeok and Brick were discussing, let alone believe they had killed those six people.

    Then, Jin-Hyeok checked a notification from MiNaTV.

    ¡°Oh, the video was uploaded quite fast.¡±

    Kang Mi-Na had already uploaded a video featuring Brick.

    <i>¡®Did she finish editing too?¡¯</i>

    She was as swift as Brick. It seemed like everyone around him was ying more intensely these days.

    <i>¡®Everyone is... quite amazing!¡¯ </i>It was quite the motivation for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Look, Hassan. These were the guys, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Kang Mi-Na¡¯s video was marked with a <i>19+ </i>rating for the first time in a while, and the content was rather brutal.

    ?I havee to know there is an exceptionally skilled yer on Earth.?

    Brick unsheathed a thin sword and charged at a man.

    ?His name is Lee Hyeon-Seong. On Earth, he is called the Weak Anus Destroyer.?

    Brick had watched many of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s videos, especially those featuring Hyeon-Seong, and he was deeply impressed with them. Hyeon-Seong¡¯s sincerity and earnestness resonated strongly with Brick.

    ?My sword is inspired by his sword.?

    As Brick charged at the man, he thrust his sword forward.

    ?And it has evolved into a more lethal weapon!?

    Mi-Na cleverly edited the footage to fit the appropriate level of explicit content.

    <i>¡®She edited the video so that it¡¯s less heavy and has aedic touch!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought as he kept watching the video.

    The background music was lively, and she also added elephant sound effects. Instead of blurring out the graphic scenes, she inserted an image of two bells jingling and dropping to the ground. Although the content was grim, the presentation made it feel less violent. Members of the ck Thorn Alliance, deeply impressed by Brick¡¯s skills, were also motivated.

    <i>¡®We should y like Brick!¡¯ </i>

    They proved their intensity by killing the sixth Streamer, and the video ended there. However, Mi-Na did not reveal one particr scene.

    <i>¡°If you are going to kill this man, you need to kill me first!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°If that is what you want, I will do as you please. Had you cared for your brother half as much as you cared for BoyLove, you wouldn¡¯t have acted this way.¡±</i>

    Brick spared not even Hassan¡¯s sister.

    <i>¡°You are the worst of them all, Lady Sister.¡±</i>

    Hassan could clearly see the death of the six Streamers. He shivered. ¡°They really... killed them all!¡±

    Part of him felt triumphant, while another part was scared. However, his fear quickly dissipated.

    ¡°Kids!¡± Hassan shouted.

    The next video Mi-Na uploaded featured Hassan¡¯s nephews and nieces, showing them eating pizzas and hamburgers to their hearts¡¯ content.

    ?Your uncle has gone to a ce called Korea to do something very noble. Yes, yes, it¡¯s the country with the gigantic Guardian Tree. The owner of that Guadian Tree begged your uncle to meet him. Hm... because your uncle has a very special power. He is going to perform a miracle there ande back. Of course! Your uncle is an amazing person!?

    The children in the video looked on in pure admiration.

    ?Our uncle is that amazing??

    ?My uncle is so cool!?

    Hassan felt inexplicably warm and fuzzy.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok said to Hassan, ¡°Would you mind if we livestream your miracle?¡±

    Hassan was bbergasted. Not only had Jin-Hyeok avenged him, but now he wanted to livestream the miracle.

    <i>¡®The famous Kim Chul-Soo is asking me to help with his livestream?¡¯ </i>Even Hassan, who knew nothing about Streamers, had heard of Chul-Soo. He was aware of Chul-Soo¡¯s immense fame and influence as a Streamer. <i>¡®If Chul-Soo promotes my miracle, it could change my life! But why would he do that? What if I make a mistake during the operation? Wouldn¡¯t that tarnish Chul-Soo¡¯s reputation?¡¯</i>

    Hassan was confused. He could not understand why Chul-Soo was showing him such kindness. Unustomed to receiving kindness without reason, Hassan remained guarded.

    ¡°I am not doing this for kindness,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only natural to pay for the benefits one receives from a consumable skill.¡±

    ¡°But my skill...¡±

    <i>¡®It has never been proven before. Nobody believes in me...!¡¯ </i>Hassan thought.

    ¡°I know. I know that you have never used it before.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what makes it even more valuable?¡±

    The lower the number of the miracle was, the more powerful would be the effect of the skill. Jin-Hyeok was very excited about what effect the very first miracle could bring.

    Unaware of such details, Hassan eventually teared up. ¡°That¡¯s what makes it more valuable...¡±

    That statement felt immensely profound to him. Though he had not proven anything yet, that made it all the more valuable. Someone finally believed in his ability. Hassan, who had faced countless rejections and ridicule, finally met someone who saw value in him.

    <i>¡®And that someone is... Kim Chul-Soo! He is the most famous person on Earth right now.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s words moved Hassan¡¯s heart.

    ¡°I will make sure that operation is a sess.¡±

    Thirty minutester, a person with tremendous muscles walked in.

    ¡°So, he¡¯s the one? Is he the one who can perfectly transform my gender?¡±

    ***

    The operation was remarkably straightforward. It merely involved the use of a Skill. The result was not just sessful but also shocking.

    ¡°Is this really me? Oh, shit! What¡¯s up with my voice? It sounds genuinely like a woman¡¯s!¡± Standing in front of the mirror, Katrina touched her face in disbelief. The somewhat rugged appearance of her face had disappeared without a trace. Although the face was a bit sharp, it was very pretty.

    ¡°Why am I pretty?¡± She touched her hair in disbelief as well. ¡°Why is my hair so fine? And why do I have so much more hair?¡±

    And above all, ¡°My biceps got bigger!¡±

    Katrina stood in front of the mirror, trying various poses. Her biceps were much more defined andrger. The separation of her muscles had also significantly improved.

    ¡°The triceps too! And the anterior deltoids!¡± Katrina ripped her clothes off in excitement. ¡°The pectorals! The abs!¡±

    Then she realized something. While the chest muscles had erged, they were slightly different in shape from a man¡¯s chest. Tears of emotion flowed from Katrina. ¡°My face is pretty, and my body is exactly to my liking.¡±

    It was a miracle for her. Katrina had received the perfect body she had desired. That was not all. Hassan¡¯s <i>first miracle </i>drew out and amplified the abilities thaty dormant within Katrina. She even acquired a new Trait.

    <strong>[Personal Training]</strong>

    <strong>[One-on-one customized guidance from a trainer with specialized knowledge. Since everyone has different characteristics and talents, a program suitable for each student is developed to provide quality lessons.</strong>

    <strong>Areas of application:</strong>

    <strong>1) Physical training</strong>

    <strong>2) Refining techniques]</strong>

    ¡°This must be fate, right?¡± Katrina said.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s condition for helping her secure a gender transformation was that she had to ept Neilson as a disciple. The timing of acquiring a Trait like Personal Training indicated it was her destiny to teach Neilson.

    ¡°It seems like the entire universe is helping you, Chul-Soo. Honestly, I know a lot, but it is somewhat hard to teach someone,¡± Katrina said. Being good at studying and teaching others werepletely different fields. ¡°I guess I have no choice but to teach Neilson now.¡±

    Katrina promised to pass on all her knowledge to Neilson.

    ¡°I guess I have to go back to Arvis,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°To Arvis?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Now that I havepletely be a woman, I am curious about how that bitch who gave birth to me will react.¡± She giggled. ¡°To teach Neilson properly, returning to my family will be much better than staying here.¡±

    Since she had decided to teach Neilson, she wanted to do it properly. It was also for Chul-Soo¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Now that I am truly a woman, can I seriously consider marrying you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°I told you. That kind of content is not allowed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about content...¡± Katrina caught herself before she went any further. Saying it was not about content could mean she would never see Jin-Hyeok again.

    <i>¡®There is a saying in Korea that even a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step.¡¯ </i>She decided to take things slower, to look further ahead.

    ¡°Come to see Neilson and me sometimes. I will be teaching him diligently,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°Sure. Oh, and can I ask you for a favor?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°If I do you a favor, will you visit me?¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    Considering the situation, it was likely that the universe-level Scenario involved Katrina¡¯s family. Jin-Hyeok was d that she was inviting him to her home.

    ¡°What¡¯s the favor?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I want to know everything rted to the Forsaken Queen Veselity.¡±

    ¡°Veselity?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s likely deeply connected to your family.¡±

    ¡°I am not sure, but I will see what I can find.¡±

    Taking Neilson with her, Katrina returned to Arvis.

    Meanwhile, Hassan received something unexpected. Even Jin-Hyeok, the mastermind behind this event, could not have anticipated the direction of this event.

 Chapter 308

    <h4>Chapter 308</h4>

    Katrina transferred most of her possessions to Hassan.

    <i>¡°Taking all of these to my family home is needless.¡± </i>

    She added with a light-hearted tone,

    <i>¡°But I guess you wouldn¡¯t know what to do with these jewels. Let me sell them quickly for you. Wait here.¡±</i>

    Then, she handed Hassan a staggering ten billion won.

    <i>¡°It¡¯s all clean money, and I handled the taxes. Take it. Or rather, please ept it. I might not express myself well, Hassan, but you truly are a savior to me. If you ever need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out. Here is my contact.¡±</i>

    It wasn¡¯t just cash.

    <i>¡°Well, this was supposed to be a secret, but I have prepared a house in Yeonhui-dong. I was nning on using it as my newlywed home. It¡¯s yours now. I have already transferred the ownership.¡±</i>

    In return for fulfilling Katrina¡¯s lifelong wish, Hassan received ten billion won in cash and a grand mansion in the safest neighborhood imaginable on Earth.

    ***

    Kang Mi-Na returned to Korea with Hassan¡¯s nephews and nieces.

    ¡°Uncle! I heard you are a very important person. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°You are the best, Uncle!¡±

    Seeing his nephews and nieces, Hassan embraced them tightly, tears streaming down his face. He tried to reach out to his sister as well, but strangely, he could not get through.

    <i>¡®I guess her being out of touch isn¡¯t umon.¡¯</i>

    As he spent his first night in Korea, he stayed up all night, wide-eyed. <i>¡®I guess I¡¯ve made enough money.¡¯</i>

    Holding an amount of money he had never dreamed of, he felt more fear than happiness. His greed for money vanished.

    <i>¡®How does one live a truly humane life?¡¯</i>

    Hassan began to ponder this very question.

    ***

    Thanks to Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, Hassan¡¯s fame skyrocketed overnight, which made his value soar to unprecedented heights. Wealthy individuals from across the universe flocked to Hassan, seeking gender transformation. Although living such a life was what Hassan had always desired, he declined all requests, stating he needed time to think.

    <i>¡®If I want to live a humane life, I must not forget gratitude from others.¡¯</i>

    He had fundamentally changed from who he had been the previous day, as if he had been reborn into apletely new world.

    <i>¡®I should use my remaining abilities for Mr. Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    He realized that all positive things that happened to him had urred because of Chul-Soo. He resolved to use the remaining 76 miracles for Chul-Soo. At that moment, a tingling sensation echoed in his head, and he like he had been struck on his head.

    <strong>[Trait ?Altruism? has been activated.]</strong>

    Altruism was the disposition to act in ways that benefited others. This turn of events was different from what had happened before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, when Hassan used his abilities solely for himself and his nephews. Moreover, the situation had changed in another way.

    <strong>[The ?77 Intimate Miracles? are transforming into true miracles.]</strong>

    His abilities were enhanced.

    <strong>[The Skill ?77 Intimate Miracles? has been transformed into ?77 (Intimate) Miracles?.]</strong>

    The word <i>Intimate </i>in the Skill name was changed to <i>(Intimate)</i>, indicating a significant transformation in its nature.

    ***

    Hassan set forth a condition. ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo is my savior. Therefore, I wish to first offer my talents to official Chul-Soo Landers.¡±

    He also announced through MiNaTV, ¡°Now, you don¡¯t have to undergo gender transformation to receive the benefits. You can choose not to.¡±

    This was the essence of the new term <i>(Intimate). </i>If one desired, one could undergo gender transformation; if one did not, one could still receive permanent buff effects.

    ¡°Although the effects are more significant with gender transformation, you can still enjoy the miracle¡¯s effects without undergoing one.¡±

    Hassan anticipated a flood of Chul-Soo Landers rushing in to get the operation.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t anyone contacting me?¡¯</i>

    It was a misconception to think that Chul-Soo Landers would naturally reach out. Their unity shone brightly even today.

    -No.121: Honestly, I am fine without the miracles.

    -No.88: How dare a three-digit number act so arrogantly? We two-digit Chul-Soo Landers are fine without the miracles.

    -No.9: Hm... I don¡¯t think being a two-digit gives you much to boast about.

    Chul-Soo Landers, centered around Chul-Soo, were all beautiful and benevolent people. They hardboard no particr greed, embodying altruism by wishing other Chul-Soo Landers would receive the benefits instead. Amidst this, Kim Min-Ji stepped forward.

    -No.1: Guys, I have a good idea. How about letting No.2 experience the miracle?

    -No.2: Why make me out to be the viin? I¡¯ve been doing fine without any miracles.

    -No.1: No, that¡¯s not what I meant. After all, youmunicate with Chul-Soo the most. You also have to manage Chul-Soopia and take many photos of him. As the Homepage Master, you work hard. Buttely, there has been ack of great photos and videos.

    -No.2: Well... That can¡¯t be helped. I can¡¯t go to Arvis with Chul-Soo.

    -No.1: I am not ming you, No.2. However, if the miracle could enhance your abilities as the Homepage Master, wouldn¡¯t you be able to share higher-quality photos and videos with us?

    Min-Ji¡¯s suggestion received overwhelming support, and eventually, Kang Eun-Woo was chosen to receive Hassan¡¯s Second Miracle.

    Hassan was in awe. <i> </i>¡°Chul-Soo Landers... you guys are truly remarkable people.¡±

    Out of nearly a thousand members, only one person stepped forward to receive the miracle.

    ¡°I think the altruism you possess can amplify the power of my miracles. Would you like to include a gender transformation?¡± Hassan asked Eun-Woo.

    ¡°Um...¡± Eun-Woo found himself in a dilemma. To experience the perfect miracle, a gender transformation was necessary. <i>¡®But... I think I should remain a man.¡¯</i>

    The other Chul-Soo Landers had epted him as No.2 partly because he was a man. Undergoing a gender transformation could potentially lead to various inconveniences.

    <i>¡®Damn!¡¯ </i>

    It seemed more convenient to remain in a male form for his activities.

    ¡°I would like to receive the miracle without undergoing gender transformation,¡± Eun-Woo said.

    ***

    Eun-Woo was overjoyed. As soon as he received the miracle, he rushed to show off to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I¡¯ve acquired a new ability!¡±

    ¡°A new ability?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I received the miracle from Hassan!¡±

    Eun-Woo acquired a Homepage Master¡¯s exclusive Skill, Omniscient Observer.

    ¡°Remember when I had to follow you around like a ghost? But now, I don¡¯t have to do that anymore,¡± Eun-Woo said. He exined that he no longer needed to physically follow Chul-Soo. As long as Jin-Hyeok agreed, Eun-Woo could film him anytime and anywhere, but only if it involved Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I can follow you to Dungeons that limit only one yer per entry and even to the rigorously regted Arvis Server! I can now infinitely produce great photos and videos of you!¡± Eun-Woo was ecstatic.

    ¡°Really?¡± Jin-Hyeok shrugged. He knew that Eun-Woo¡¯s help had been significant in achieving his current poprity, so he trusted the Homepage Master to handle things well.

    ¡°Oh, and I decided to give a portion of the photo and merchandise sales profits to Hassan.¡±

    Eun-Woo felt it was only right to pay for such a miracle, but Hassan kept refusing, saying he could not ept money from someone working for Chul-Soo. So, Eun-Woo proposed to share a portion of the profits earned through the use of his new ability acquired from the miracle.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Jin-Hyeok agreed with it.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡± Eun-Woo grinned and gulped, already itching to film Chul-Soo. ¡°What¡¯s your next schedule? Is it somewhere I can follow you?¡±

    Now, Eun-Woo wasn¡¯t scared of anything. Even if he could not physically follow Chul-Soo, he could still produce loads of great photos and videos of the Streamer!

    ***

    Cha Jin-Sol seriously contemted her next steps. ¡°Oppa, I am serious!¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°About receiving the miracle.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only possible for Chul-Soo Landers.¡±

    Though she had not told Jin-Hyeok, she was the official No.3 among the first-generation Chul-Soo Landers. ¡°Hassan said that he was willing to do it since I am your sister. It¡¯s practically the same as being an honorary Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°He said I need to undergo gender transformation for the perfect miracle. What do you think? Are you okay with having a younger brother?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok fully understood Jin-Sol¡¯s intensity. After all, he had seriously considered gender transformation too.

    ¡°I am happy that you are this intense... but are you confident you can convince Mom and Dad?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jin-Sol deeply reflected upon it. ¡°I guess I am not that intense after all.¡±

    She had thought herself to be the most intense in the world, but apparently, that was not the case.

    ¡°I will think about it more,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°But honestly...¡± Jin-Hyeok debated whether he should say what was on his mind. From the perspective of a yer¡¯s intensity, he wanted to say, ¡®Go ahead and undergo the gender transformation to receive the effects.¡¯ However, he no longer considered things solely from a <i>yer¡¯s perspective</i>. He hade to understand how an ordinary human thought. ¡°I kind of prefer you staying as you are.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It would feel strange if you suddenly changed genders. You¡¯d look like apletely different person.¡±

    ¡°Are you being serious?¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry for not being intense enough.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt a bit embarrassed for not showing the same level of intensity he demanded from his sister.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t expect you to say something like that, Oppa.¡± Jin-Sol did not me Jin-Hyeok.

    After ending the conversation, she left the room, humming a tune, seemingly more at ease.

    ¡°Ah, my brother is less intense. What a disappointment.¡± She sounded like someone who had just found peace of mind.

    ***

    The other Chul-Soo Landers were overjoyed that Eun-Woo¡¯s abilities were enhanced.

    -No.1: Honestly, this ismendable. Congrattions, No.2!

    -No.997: Wow, does that mean we get to see more great photos of Chul-Soo?

    -No.33: Long live the Homepage Master... T_T

    With Eun-Woo¡¯s enhanced ability bing public, Hassan became known as the Saint of Miracles. After he dered he would use his abilities solely for Chul-Soo Land, the term <i>Chul-Soo Land</i> became a kind of power in itself. This was the first official case where <i>Chul-Soo Land </i>became a recognized form of influence, marking a subtle social change. At this juncture, Jin-Hyeok was engrossed in a thought.

    <i>¡®With this level of power, maybe I should try defeating the Empress of Hell.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought about the Empress of Hell, who had ultimately led Jin-Hyeok to his death right before his regression. The mere thought sent shivers down his spine and his heart racing.

    <i>¡®Wow, that would be incredibly exciting.¡¯</i>

    After a moment of exhration, he delved back into contemtion.

    <i>¡®Obviously, I would need to form a party, right?¡¯</i>

    This was obvious. The Banyan Tree Dungeon, an Unexplored Dungeon, had been tackled by hundreds of yers together before his regression.

    <i>¡®Now, I have exceptionalrades.¡¯</i>

    Now, hisrades were far more formidable than they were before his regression. He pondered whether, with theserades, it was possible to clear the Banyan Tree Dungeon, which they had not managed to ovee previously. Moreover, yers like Lessefim the Navigator and Muenne the Pdin could prove to be valuable assets.

    <i>¡®On second thought. Can I clear the Dungeon by myself?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had acquired the Munchkin Trait, which he did not have before his regression. He had long surpassed his pre-regression self. He could even level up with the Mythic-Grade Card. Considering various factors, his soloing the Dungeon did not seem out of the question.

    <i>¡®I must be crazy to even think this.¡¯ </i>It was an absurd thought. Contemting soloing a Dungeon that required a meticulously nned expedition by arge group of yers seemed ludicrous. Jin-Hyeok chuckled to himself. <i>¡®That¡¯s a thought only truly insane people would entertain.¡¯</i>

    An hourter, he turned on his livestream.

    [Soloing]

    He was in front of the Banyan Tree Hotel.

 Chapter 309

    <h4>Chapter 309</h4>

    Wang Yu-Mi had recently portrayed Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s endeavors in a rather beautiful light, significantly boosting the public¡¯s affection towards Kim Chul-Soo to its peak. Furthermore, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s poprity soared even more as Encyclopedia published analytical articles about him.

    [Although the Alchemist Association is still branding Chul-Soo as a viin, their arguments barely resonate with the public. Returning to the main point, it appears that Chul-Soo finds immense joy in nurturing talents. He never hoards resources for himself.]

    Encyclopedia was delighted. His articles analyzing Chul-Soo garnered views in the tens of millions. The mere name <i>Kim Chul-Soo </i>had more impact than any sensationalist headline.

    [By offering his livestreaming channel, which he considers more precious than his life, as a condition, he seeded in moving Katrina¡¯s heart.]

    Ultimately, Chul-Soo managed to make Neilson Katrina¡¯s disciple.

    [In the end, he gave the forgotten genius, Neilson, another opportunity, performing the most beautiful act a person with power can do.]

    As the view count on his post skyrocketed, Encyclopedia could not help but smile with satisfaction.

    Marshmallow frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hyping up Chul-Soo way too much? I thought you usually hate hyping yers up.¡±

    ¡°I am just stating the facts.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Anyone can see that this is all about hyping Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Nope. I am not like your so-called Chul-Soo Landers.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I am not a Chul-Soo Lander either.¡±

    ¡°You are the official one thousandth Chul-Soo Land member. Impressive.¡±

    At the mention of being the <i>one thousandth Chul-Soo Land member,</i> Marshmallow briefly wore a proud expression before hastily attempting to justify himself. ¡°Of cour¡ª NO! That¡¯s not what I mean. As I have said time and time again, I am just curious to see how emerging talents like Chul-Soo grow. I want to analyze what the younger generation likes in this new era... It¡¯s essentially just market research.¡±

    Encyclopedia grinned broadly. <i>¡®It¡¯s like he is repeating the script without missing a single word. He is saying the same thing asst time.¡¯</i>

    That meant Marshmallow had prepared a script in advance to have excuses ready. Encyclopedia threw a bait. ¡°Ah,e to think of it, Chul-Soo did something impressive again, right? Something amazing, but I seem to not remember.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean remembering the neglected Assassins? Or giving Brick the chance to repay his gratitude, easing his burden of debt? Or deciding not to monopolize Harkoen¡¯s legacy but to share it with Lessefim, contributing to the advancement of alchemy? Or leading a new wave of alchemy that can counter the corrupt Alchemist Association?¡±

    ¡°See? Not just anyone can be the official one-thousandth member of Chul-Soo Land.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s face flushed. ¡°This is purely for market research...¡±

    ¡°Wait, Chul-Soo started his livestream!¡±

    ¡°He did?¡± Marshmallow leaped up to search for his phone. ¡°Where the hell is my phone?!¡±

    ¡°The title is Soloing.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s head, soft as a marshmallow, seemed to melt away. Steam was visibly rising from his head. ¡°Soloing? I can¡¯t miss this!¡±

    ***

    When he came to his senses, Jin-Hyeok found himself in front of the Banyan Tree Hotel.

    <i>¡®Huh? Why am I here?¡¯ </i>He felt as if he was under some spell, perhaps even a victim of a mental attack.

    [Soloing]

    <i>¡®When did I ever start my livestream with that title?¡¯ </i>Clearly, he had been hit by a powerful mental attack. Jin-Hyeok quicklyposed himself. <i>¡®Well, I guess there is nothing I can do about it.¡¯</i>

    A livestream was a promise to the viewers. A dedicated Streamer knew to treat such promises more seriously than life itself. This was the essence, attitude, and gravity that life demanded.

    <i>¡®Wait, but the Dungeon shouldn¡¯t be active yet?¡¯</i>

    He remembered that the Banyan Tree Dungeon would remain inactive for at least another five years from now. He had just rushed here, blindly driven by the mere name <i>Banyan Tree</i>. Sometimes, he would be fixated on something to the point of being oblivious to everything else.

    <i>¡®Well, I¡¯m still a human. And humans are asionally like this. This just means that I am not crazy.¡¯</i>

    Since he had started a livestream titled <i>Soloing</i>, he felt obliged to show something rted to that. Especially since many viewers had already flocked to Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel.

    -Oh wow, it¡¯s been a while since Chul-Soo did soloing content!

    -I heard this channel is known for soloing content.

    -Chul-Soo never forgets his roots.

    Soloing content was rare to see, especially beyond Level 100. Streamer Kim Chul-Soo was the only one capable of delivering it.

    A message from Yu-Mi popped up.

    [Are you doing soloing content at this time? That¡¯s great. But you are currently within the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory. What are you nning to do by yourself?]

    Though it was unnned, Yu-Mi was fully prepared. Whatever the soloing content was, she was confident she could make Chul-Soo shine.

    Jin-Hyeok managed to contain his panic inside. ¡°Well, what I will be soloing is...¡±

    He knew that if he talked with the Guardian Tree and employed the God of Luck Mystery, he could easily spawn a decent Field boss monster here. However, he did not want to deceive his viewers like that.

    ¡°It will be the Banyan Tree Dungeon.¡±

    -Banyan Tree Dungeon?

    -What is that? Is there a Dungeon in the Banyan Tree Hotel?

    ¡°Although it¡¯s not revealed yet, as the owner of the Guardian Tree, I can certainly feel it. A Dungeon is set to be created here.¡±

    The Guardian Tree responded.

    -¡°You have sensed something that I haven¡¯t?¡±

    The Guardian Tree was heavily influenced by its surroundings. It never doubted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words.

    -¡°I am sorry for not being more intense. I will try to sense it too.

    With those words, the Guardian Tree focused all its mental energy on the Banyan Tree Hotel.

    Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°Therefore, this content will focus on soloing, from the creation of the Dungeon to my clearing it.¡±

    <i>¡®Phew.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok sighed. Since he had not misled his viewers, he grinned. Moreover, he had announced the soloing content to his viewers, so he was obliged to follow through.

    ¡°However, as I am a Streamer, I will ept the minimum help required to proceed.¡±

    The one who had activated the Banyan Tree Dungeon was none other than Mole Man.

    ***

    Mole Man was near the Banyan Tree Hotel. When Jin-Hyeok met Mole Man, his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Mole Man?¡±

    ¡°No, no. From now on, call me Mole Woman, moly.¡±

    A slender woman with brown hair stood before Jin-Hyeok, wearing a white helmet equipped with antern, presumably from some work she had just been doing. Her face and clothes were smeared with dirt, and she carried a dirty pickaxe over her shoulder.

    -Wow, can someone look that pretty in such a state?

    -Wait, is that really Mole Man?

    Viewers shared reactions to Mole Woman¡¯s appearance.

    -This has to be some sort of scam.

    -We need to look more into this. I¡¯d bet my wrist that it''s not Mole Man.

    Jin-Hyeok, with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, examined Mole Man¡¯s yer name.

    <strong>[<u>Mole Man</u>]</strong>

    It was the first time he had seen an underline in a yer''s name. Looking closer, he found something else.

    <strong>[Name change process is currently underway.]</strong>

    Mole Man was no longer Mole Man but Mole Woman, or rather, he was in the process of bing Mole Woman.

    ¡°I thought about this over and over, moly. Whether I should change to Mole Woman or Mole Girl.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Mole Woman seemed stronger than Mole Girl, so I put in ¡®Mole Woman¡¯ in the name change application.¡±

    ¡°I heard that changing the yer name is quite hard.¡±

    ¡°Miracles make everything possible, moly. Changing the yer name is a trivial matter.¡±

    ¡°Did you receive the Intimate Miracle from Hassan?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did, moly.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that something only official Chul-Soo Land members can receive?¡±

    ¡°I am an official Chul-Soo Lander, moly.¡±

    ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°Of course, moly. After experiencing your y firsthand, it was hard not to be a Chul-Soo Lander. Oh, and I also received the miracle with the consent of ny percent of Chul-Soo Landers, so there is no need to worry on that front, moly.¡± Mole Woman beamed with a smile.

    -Wow, she is gorgeous!

    -I would consider gender transformation if I looked like that.

    -Hassan is a God!

    Mole Woman then turned to Jin-Hyeok, effectively speaking to the viewers through the livestream. ¡°Hey, No.2, I am greatly disappointed in you. To fully experience this miracle, you should have gone through with the gender transformation. You were not intense, being a bitcking as a single-digit Chul-Soo Lander, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt oddly stung by those words. He, too, had been hesitating about a gender transformation. In fact, following what Mole Woman had done was arguably the more correct action for a yer.

    <i>¡®At least she is not scolding me,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. But then he noticed something slightly odd. ¡°Hey, Mole Woman... Your Job seems a bit weird.¡±

    <strong>[Is This a Miner or a Navigator, For In Seeking, One Finds Treasure]</strong>

    It was a job title Jin-Hyeok had never seen before.

    ***

    Mole Woman exined why she was wandering near the Banyan Tree Dungeon. ¡°There is an enormous amount of energy condensed here, moly. ces like this usually yield treasures, spawn boss monsters, or give rise to Dungeons.¡±

    ¡°I felt something simr. I believe a Dungeon is about to be formed here.¡±

    ¡°If it does, it will be the Banyan Tree Dungeon, moly!¡± Mole Woman smiled again. Discovering and activating a new Dungeon was a glory for a Navigator. ¡°We are at ny-nine percent, but missing thatst one percent, moly. Water doesn¡¯t boil at fifty or ny-nine degrees; it boils at one hundred degrees. It¡¯s the same with Dungeons, moly! We need a trigger, moly!¡±

    Mole Woman excitedly continued, ¡°There is enough energy condensed under this Field, and I can use good minerals to draw it out, moly. That will activate the Dungeon. But, if mishandled, it could explode.¡±

    ¡°What happens if it explodes?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°At the very least, the vicinity could be devastated, or at worst, the Dungeon could be destroyed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and Mole Woman sought a solution. To bring the future forward, a sophisticated strategy and method were undoubtedly needed.

    Then, Mole Woman got an idea. ¡°You said you could feel the energy here as the owner of the Guardian Tree, right, moly?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    ¡°And the Guardian Tree has the power to amplify its protective power.¡±

    The two devised a n.

    ¡°What if we use branches from the Guardian Tree to make stakes, moly? If we ce them strategically, couldn¡¯t we effectively control the energy¡¯s eruption?¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    It was a usible hypothesis. Even if it was not, they intended to try that out. Jin-Hyeok was already eager. He wanted to enter the Banyan Tree Dungeon as soon as possible to keep his promise to the viewers.

    ¡°Then, first, we need to see if we can make artifacts from the branches of the Guardian Tree,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok was uncertain whether Earth had a Craftsman capable of such a feat. However, if he asked Song Ha-Young, he could likely find one quickly. If not, he could ask Lessefim or Muenne to recruit artisans from Arvis.

    <i>¡®I can also ask Trituri.¡¯</i>

    But Mole Woman said as if she was confused. ¡°There is already someone capable of doing that, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was puzzled. <i>¡®There is such a person?¡¯</i>

    Then, someone crossed his mind. <i>¡®Could it be?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 310

    <h4>Chapter 310</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok said with a hopeful yet uncertain heart, ¡°Are you thinking of Mok Jae-Hyeon?¡±

    ¡°Why do you look surprised? Jae-Hyeon is the Wood King, after all, moly,¡± Mole Woman replied.

    Laughing in slight disbelief, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel a bit deted. ¡°Do you even know what kind of yer Jae-Hyeon is?¡±

    ¡°He is a Tank!¡±

    ¡°And what kind of yer do we need right now?¡±

    ¡°A Carpenter, Craftsman, or perhaps a Sculptor?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Mole Woman looked at Jin-Hyeok with sparkling eyes, as if questioning what the problem was.

    ¡°Do you seriously think anyone who can handle wood can do this job?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm.

    Witnessing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction, Mole Woman grossly misunderstood him. <i>¡®This must be part of Chul-Soo¡¯s performance, making his livestream all the more interesting on purpose! No wonder he is called God Chul-Soo! I will y along with this entertaining setup!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Chul-Soo, even if Jae-Hyeon is the youngest in the group, I think you are underestimating him, moly,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Mole Woman¡¯s heart was pounding. Being part of this livestream, she found melting into the script and performance crafted by Chul-Soo himself very thrilling. It was almost as exhrating as bing a universe-level ranker.

    ¡°You seem to take the youngest¡¯s intensity too lightly. Jae-Hyeon can certainly do the job. I believe that he can create stakes from the branches of the Guardian Tree. You know this as well as I do, don¡¯t you, moly?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok got a call from Jae-Hyeon, as if thetter was watching the livestream all along.

    ¡ªHyung! I think I can do it!

    Jae-Hyeon¡¯s voice resonated with pride.

    Rushing to the Banyan Tree Hotel, Jae-Hyeon chuckled. ¡°A true Tank should indeed polish at least one Skill rted to Craftsman-type yers.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was at a loss for words. Thebination of a Tank and a Craftsman seemed incongruous to him.

    <i>¡®But they both involve working with wood, after all...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. It appeared Mole Woman was right all along. <i>¡®I underestimated Jae-Hyeon¡¯s determination.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok found himself reflecting on his judgments once more.

    ***

    The viewers were baffled.

    -Is Chul-Soo actually reflecting?

    -It¡¯s hrious that he is reflecting on something like that, LOL!

    -Normally, he would¡¯ve just questioned Mole Woman, saying how absurd her idea was.

    A Tank and a Sculptor¡ªJin-Hyeok could not imagine these two Jobs meshing together.

    -In the IntenseMan Universe, anything is possible.

    -But, I never saw thating. LOL

    -Tank and Sculptor, huh... Sounds odd, but since it¡¯s the Wood King we¡¯re talking about, it kinda makes sense!

    Many doubted Jae-Hyeon¡¯s abilities.

    -There is no way Jae-Hyeon¡¯s skills are up to par. There is zero synergy between his primary and his secondary Job.

    -It¡¯s the end of times, truly. It¡¯s hard enough to seed as a yer by sticking to one Job, tsk tsk.

    -Chul-Soo is ruining the yer experience for all of the younger generations.

    -Ah, back in my day, it wasn¡¯t like this. Why are the kids these days like this? Tsk tsk.

    At the Banyan Tree Hotel, Jae-Hyeon was a bit apprehensive.

    <i>¡®Hm... Where should I start exining?¡¯ </i>Jae-Hyeon felt a little guilty. <i>¡®I might get scolded for not being intense enough.¡¯</i>

    When Jae-Hyeon saw Mole Woman, he felt even more uneasy. If Jae-Hyeon had truly been intense, he would have undergone a gender transformation, which would have allowed him to attain greater skills.

    <i>¡®Jin-Hyeok Hyung is a Streamer whose looks are critical to his Job, so that could be his reason for not undergoing the transformation, but what about me? I have no excuse!¡¯</i>

    Jae-Hyeon was a Tank. His gender did not matter as long as he could block attacks effectively.

    ¡°Mok Jae-Hyeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, Hyung.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen my livestream, right?¡±

    Jae-Hyeon secretly clenched his fist. <i>¡®This is like a test from Jin-Hyeok Hyung.¡¯</i>

    It appeared as though Jin-Hyeok wanted to check whether Jae-Hyeon was qualified to be a core member of the K-Force or not. It seemed like Jin-Hyeok wanted to test out if Jae-Hyeon also possessed the potential to have excellent abilities in his secondary Job, like the others.

    <i>¡®I need to show how intense I am!¡¯ </i>Jae-Hyeon replied while nodding, ¡°As the Wood King, I have vaguely thought about the day I might do something with the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± With a determined heart, Jae-Hyeon and Jin-Hyeok headed toward the Guardian Tree.

    ***

    The Guardian Tree seemed quite pleased with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proposal

    -¡°My branches were indeed bing bothersome, so your offeres at a perfect time. I eagerly await the pruning of those cumbersome branches.¡±

    Due to the tree¡¯s massive size, climbing it required significant effort, but Jae-Hyeon managed to summon arge tree trunk. This trunk transformed into a vine that snaked around the Guardian Tree, climbing upward. Jae-Hyeon mounted the vine like an esctor, making his way up the tree. However, after some contemtion with an axe in hand, he returned to the ground.

    ¡°Hyung, I don¡¯t think it is wise to just cut any branch. It seems that some of them are best suited for the job, but it¡¯s challenging for me to distinguish them at the moment.¡±

    Understanding the situation, Jin-Hyeok immediately reached out to Trituri. Trituri, hailed as a hero on both Arvis and Earth, swaggered toward the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°You need stakes to activate the Dungeon, and you are asking me to select the branches that will be used as material? It¡¯s not a hard task. I have a friend who is an excellent Carpenter; with his help, it would be a breeze!¡± Trituri said.

    ¡°Oh, really? If you assist us, Master, it would indeed simplify the task.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention that I have a fear of heights?¡± Trituri hesitated, shaking his head.

    Selecting the right branches required direct observation and touch, which Trituri¡¯s acrophobia made impossible. Upon learning this, Park Terse offered to assist with a giant pelican.

    ¡°You can ride inside the pelican¡¯s beak! It offers afortparable to that of a luxury car,¡± Terse said. Terse had been somewhat excited about the opportunity since appearances on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams were rare. Featuring on Chul-Soo¡¯s show meant making an impression on hundreds of millions of viewers.

    ¡°Eh, no thanks. Well, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, but rather I can¡¯t,¡± Trituri said. Despite his boastfulness about being one of the few capable of undertaking the task, he stubbornly refused to do it.

    ¡°Master, do you know how many subscribers I have?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Subscribers? I don¡¯t know... About ten million?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok slyly smiled. ¡°I have about two billion subscribers.¡±

    ¡°What? That many? I had no idea!¡±

    This just showed how disconnected the Arvis people, especially the Farmers, were from others, living in their bubbles of self-importance.

    Trituri¡¯s ears perked up at the mention of subscribers. Recently, he had been consumed by a desire for fame, enjoying the adtion and hero¡¯s wee wherever he went. The idea of having two billion subscribers watching him was enticing due to its immense potential influence.

    <i>¡®That means I can be more famous after this!¡¯ </i>Trituri imagined a scenario where fans mored for his autograph and hailed him as a great hero. Lost in these delightful thoughts, he nced at the Guardian Tree. <i>¡®Ah, but that height is still an issue.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Moreover, I have a dedicated photographer who captures every moment like a work of art,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I am not from the Arvis Server, and I do not have any remarkable talents. How do you think I was able to amass such arge following?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my photographer, who beautifully captures every moment. His work has be a hot topic across the universe¡¯s onlinemunities, which has significantly increased my number of subscribers.¡± Jin-Hyeok spoke softly. ¡°Imagine, if such a talented photographer were to capture Arvis¡¯s hero, Trituri. What do you think will happen?¡±

    ***

    The giant pelican spread its wings and slowly ascended. Inside its enormous beak were Trituri and his friend, along with Jin-Hyeok and Jae-Hyeon.

    ¡°The ride is... surprisingly smooth,¡± Trituri remarked, though he was trembling.

    ¡°Master, I will start the livestream now.¡±

    Trituri¡¯splexion visibly improved. Moments ago, he had been unable to even look forward, but now he was naturally extending his hand outward. The wind fluttered through his beard, and he adopted an expression filled with mncholy.

    Jin-Hyeok noticed the changes within Trituri. It seemed like the Trait Livestreaming Prodigy, whichy dormant within Trituri, had awakened.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe a Farmer is suited for livestreaming,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He just found out that Jae-Hyeon was a Tank who was also a Carpenter, and now he found out that Trituri had a knack for livestreaming. <i>¡®I was really narrow-minded before my regression...¡¯</i>

    With the help of Trituri and the Carpenter from Arvis, Jin-Hyeok and hispanions sessfully pruned the branches of the Guardian Tree. The giant pelican¡¯s beak was sorge that even after stacking many branches inside it, there was still plenty of room.

    Upon returning to the ground, Jin-Hyeok bowed to Trituri. ¡°Thank you for all your help, Master.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Hahaha!¡±

    After parting ways with Jin-Hyeok, Trituri sensed something amiss. <i>¡®Wait?¡¯</i>

    Recently, Trituri¡¯s value had skyrocketed. He received invitations for lectures from all corners of the universe, earning millions of Dias for a single speech. The same was true for his lectures on agricultural technology.

    <i>¡®I... didn¡¯t get paid!¡¯ </i>This was a serious oversight. Not only was Trituri driven by a desire for fame, but his greed for money was also quite strong. Yet, it felt somewhat awkward to go back and demand a fee from his disciple now. <i>¡®Did my disciple intentionally cheat me?¡¯</i>

    Despite feeling swept up in the whirlwind of events, he still found it hard to believe that a famous Streamer with two billion subscribers would intentionally shortchange him for a fee, and he chose to trust this belief.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. <i>¡®I saved some money.¡¯</i>

    It was not just the saved money that pleased him; he had also skillfully steered the situation through adept livestreaming, which had made it all the more enjoyable. Soon after, Jin-Hyeok was slightly amazed.

    <i>¡®Wow, Jae-Hyeon did go all out.¡¯ </i>

    The stakes Jae-Hyeon had crafted were clearly of high quality. They looked as if a master Craftsman had meticulously shaped them with care. They were so well-made that one could believe they radiated light from within.

    Yet, Jae-Hyeon seemed a bit disappointed. ¡°I can only make them out of wood for now.¡±

    ¡°No, this is more than enough. You did well. Your skill is impressive.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± Jae-Hyeon¡¯s eyes reddened. <i>¡®Did Jin-Hyeok Hyung just acknowledge me?¡¯</i>

    He had thought he would be scolded for not undergoing gender transformation. This unexpected acknowledgment and praise made him feel like he could soar through the skies.

    ¡°I will strive to be even more intense!¡± Jae-Hyeon said.

    -LOL! So, it was true! Anything is possible in the IntenseMan Universe!

    -I think Earth is a bit strange.

    -A bit? It¡¯s insanely strange! LOL

    -I have never seen such a twisted and weird Server before haha!

    -I thought Earth was doomed at first.

    Streamers who specialized inbat usually fell behind around Level 100. This was not just limited to Streamers, but other Jobs as well. Diversifying into Skills outside one¡¯s primary Job often led to obsolescence. Chul-Soo, along with other Korean rankers, was walking a path contrary to conventional wisdom, causing many experts to express concerns. They wondered if such practices could lead the entire Earth Server to ruin.

    -But why aren¡¯t they bing obsolete?

    -Instead, they are getting stronger! LOL

    -The whole Server seems to be going crazy!

    -Wow, I can¡¯t believe this is working for the Earth Server!

    -I¡¯m just d I am alive to see this in my lifetime, LOL!

    Encyclopedia also sighed as he watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°People... have grown too ustomed to Chul-Soo.¡± His fingers trembled as he typed. ¡°Chul-Soo is hammering stakes himself!¡±

    This kind of task usually required a highly skilled Barrier Mage. It demanded intense concentration and meticulous work, adjusting even theposition and concentration of the air and soil. Barrier Mages would foam at the mouth seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current approach.

    ¡°This... isn¡¯t something you can do while also livestreaming.¡±

    However, there were hardly anyments criticizing this on Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s livestreaming channel. It was as if in the IntenseMan Universe, this level of effort was not considered all that remarkable.

    <i>¡®A new era. New standards are being established by Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought. He was strongly convinced that, in the future, yers¡¯ benchmarks would be divided into before and after Chul-Soo¡¯s appearance.

    ?Just about ten more stakes to go!?

    Encyclopedia typed as if he was enchanted.

    <strong>[Typical Barrier Mages, due to their limited stamina, would consider cing even two to three stakes a day a lot to work on. Chul-Soo¡¯s working pace can be described as divine. Now, we must wait and see. Will the work done by Chul-Soo function as splendidly as expected?]</strong>

    Eventually, Jin-Hyeok sessfully installed all the stakes.

 Chapter 311

    <h4>Chapter 311</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s challenge attracted the attention of many.

    -Even if he is that talented, will this work?

    -In the Chul-Soo Universe, anything is possible.

    -Ease up on the concept, my guy. Even Barrier Mages are saying this is impossible.

    Barrier Mages, in particr, showed a keen interest, signaling an expansion of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s viewer base. Jin-Hyeok felt pleased after receiving messages from Wang Yu-Mi.

    <i>¡®Good! This is how we expand our audience base!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed even if he failed to activate the Banyan Tree Dungeon. Seeding in one try was rare, whether it was for enhancement or Dungeon clears. It was okay to fail; what mattered was the attempt.

    <i>¡®And I am a Streamer, after all!¡¯</i>

    Thanks to that mindset, Jin-Hyeok was quite at ease. Since his essence was not that of a Barrier Mage, he had little to lose. The excitement for a new challenge filled him more than the fear of failure.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m d I became a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    Being able to undertake various challenges without much burden was a great blessing for him.

    ¡°It took a bit of time.¡±

    <i>¡®Did I fail?¡¯ </i>There was no significant change. <i>¡®Do I need to do something else?¡¯</i>

    At that moment, a minor earthquake urred with a bang.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Then, at the ces where the stakes had been driven, cracks opened, and colorful streams erupted.

    ¡°Something is going on.¡± Although Jin-Hyeok was excited, he continued the livestream, keeping his excitement as contained as possible.

    Soon, the streams appeared to form a sort of dome, covering the surroundings.

    Hotel guests who saw this rushed out of their rooms in panic.

    ¡°Move, move!¡¯

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised. <i>¡®Wow, there were many people inside the hotel.¡¯</i>

    He had already broadcast and announced his intention to activate the Dungeon here and also sent a formal notice to the hotel. Activating a Dungeon in this new era was a legitimate y, and there was no need to notify anyone about it in advance.

    It wasmon for Dungeons to be activated now and then. Jin-Hyeok had notified the people here out of a moral obligation, but the hotel continued its operations, and the guests seemed to stay, thinking nothing would happen.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind raced.

    <i>¡®If this were during my days as the Sword King, I would have considered those people foolish.¡¯</i>

    They were too immersed in peace to handle situations properly, which was a kind of safety blindness. A wise citizen would not evene close if there was even a slight chance of a Dungeon activating.

    Suddenly, old memories resurfaced.

    <i>¡®There were many stupid people like this even before my regression, getting killed while trying to take pictures of monsters.¡¯</i>

    Back then, Jin-Hyeok found it irritating, but now his perspective had shifted. These people were also an excellent element for his livestream. Their panic and actions would increase the tension of the livestream.

    ¡°If this were a Dungeon with a separate entrance, it would be fine, but we can¡¯t be sure yet.¡±

    If a separate Gate had been created, the space itself would be isted. The entrance could be in the Banyan Tree Hotel, but it would lead to apletely different space.

    Jin-Hyeok knew that the Gate would appear near the hotel¡¯s main entrance. He earnestly said, ¡°I will go inside the hotel to evacuate the people.¡±

    Capturing the panic-stricken faces of many would be possible if he went inside. Concealing his excitement, he ran toward the hotel with a grave expression.

    -Wow! Look at him taking care of people¡¯s safety first!

    -He thinks about the people even in dire situations!

    -He is the God! He is the epitome of a saint!

    However, Barrier Mages were horrified.

    -It¡¯s hard enough to concentrate and control the erupting mana, but he is going in to save the guests!

    -It¡¯s obvious that he has not been properly trained.

    -Such a reckless attempt. If something goes wrong, the Dungeon¡¯s inherent energy could explode!

    -Multitasking during Dungeon activation? Does heck even the most basic sense?

    From the Barrier Mages¡¯ perspective, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s actions were iprehensible. Just as the energy had emerged out of the ground, instead of focusing on it, Jin-Hyeok was concerned about others.

    Around this time, the team from NIS also arrived at the hotel,posed of yers who used to be Jin-Hyeok¡¯s colleagues before his regression. Helicopters were deployed to rescue the hotel¡¯s guests and staff.

    <i>¡®Tsk tsk. They are sote. If I had been that slow before my regression, I would have been heavily criticized by the public.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok approached one of them. ¡°I announced and notified in advance that the Dungeon would be activated here. Why didn¡¯t you evacuate these people until now.¡±

    ¡°Shut the hell up! Get out of my way!¡± A bulky yer shoved past Jin-Hyeok, too preupied to recognize him. To him, the situation was dangerously chaotic. Anything could happen. He was running around, screaming at the top of his lungs to manage the situation.

    Jin-Hyeok was astounded. <i>¡®Wow, what a mess! He is panicking over this? I thought he was a yer from the NIS.¡¯</i>

    The Dungeon was not even activated yet. This was merely a prelude. No dangerous boss-level monsters had appeared, yet they were running around as if they were on a life-and-death mission. Theirck of experience was ringly apparent.

    <i>¡®This is definitely a w of living in the territory of the Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    People had be too ustomed to peace, losing their sense of danger and, consequently, their ability to respond to crises. Shaking his head, Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°The energies that were released are gathering toward the main entrance, forming the shape of a Gate.¡±

    It looked like a Gate made from the bones of a giant animal, asrge bones resembling ribs, encased the Gate. A statue of a woman¡¯s face adorned the top, from whose eyes red tears flowed, wetting the Gate. Jin-Hyeok then saw it.

    <strong>[Banyan Tree Dungeon]</strong>

    ¡°The Dungeon has been activated. Luckily, it¡¯s a separate Gate.¡± Jin-Hyeok strode toward the Gate, ncing at the NIS yers with a stern look. ¡°The response from the government was too slow. Why did they deploy the helicopters? If flying monsters had appeared, it would have been a disaster. This is just for show. It would have been better to request assistance from capable Tamers like Park Terse.

    ¡°Moreover, not a single Ruler showed up to control the situation. If they think remote instructions are sufficient, that is sheer arrogance. Anyway, it¡¯s good that things worked out. Haha!¡±

    The faces of the government yers turned ashen, and Jin-Hyeok smirked. <i>¡®I didn¡¯t do this because I¡¯ve been treated this way before my regression.¡¯</i>

    If this information reached the public, the government yers would be in real trouble, facing massive bacsh from all sides. Jin-Hyeok smirked again. <i>¡®And it¡¯s not because they swore at me.¡¯</i>

    This was for the sake of public brace and stability. Jin-Hyeok believed that by making rightful and urate criticisms, he could enhance the capabilities of the government officials. He zoomed in on the yer who had earlier cursed him, making sure even the small name badge was visible.

    ¡°Why is he wearing such heavy silver armor at a rescue mission? How does that make sense? The heavy armor significantly reduces his mobility. Do they even have a crisis management manual?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled, feeling exceptionally light, both mentally and physically.

    ***

    Examining the activated Gate, Mole Woman said, ¡°Wait, I think only one person can enter it.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a Dungeon with an entrant limit?¡± Jin-Hyeok doubted his ears. Originally, the Banyan Hotel Dungeon did not have such a limit.

    <i>¡®Has the Dungeon setting changed?¡¯</i>

    Then, he received a note from Yu-Mi.

    [I found out through Kihael and Serchan¡¯swork that a new director has been assigned to the Seoul Management Bureau! His name is Verpalto. He is a hardliner and seems to be looking for ways to eliminate you. It might even seem like he is targeting you. Be careful!]

    <i>¡®Verpalto?¡¯</i> The name was unfamiliar, but it did not matter.

    Jin-Hyeok said with a worried look, ¡°So, it seems like only one person can enter the Dungeon.¡±

    His expression seemed deeply contemtive, and Mole Woman could not help but admire him.

    <i>¡®Right now, he is livestreaming in first-person perspective, moly.¡¯ </i>The expressions of Chul-Soo were not visible to the viewers. However, Chul-Soo was acting with his face, appearing incredibly disappointed on the outside. <i>¡®But I know he is thrilled! It¡¯s clear!¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression was perfect, as though he could have been an actor. If Mole Woman had not been an excellent Navigator and observed Jin-Hyeok from right beside him, she would not have noticed the disappointed look he was feigning.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think I can pull off that level of expression acting.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°I believe that the one who starts something should see it through to the end. The expressions of the citizens earlier are vivid in my mind. Although my y was justified, I still feel a moral weight. Therefore, Mole Woman, I would appreciate it if you could give me this opportunity.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not for me to decide, moly. This Dungeon can only be entered by someone with a special aura, moly.¡±

    ¡°A special aura?¡±

    ¡°It seems one needs to possess an aura rted to the Guardian Tree. I think it¡¯s rted to those stakes that were useful in activating this Dungeon, moly.¡±

    The stakes were trembling even now, a precarious sight amidst the emanating glow.

    ¡°Then, I have no choice but to attempt first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I am envious, moly. I will continue to watch your y through the livestream, moly.¡± Mole Woman raised her voice by a tone and cheerfully said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to subscribe, like, and press the notification button, moly-moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok entered the Dungeon.

    ***

    <i>¡®This is far too different from what I knew!¡¯</i>

    While he expected some changes due to the setting changes, this far exceeded his expectations.

    <i>¡®This is the top floor.¡¯</i>

    He entered a vast room. Sculptures of cyclopean giants were stationed around the walls, each holding a zing blue torch. It was as if he had visited this pce only the previous day, the memorying to life.

    <i>¡®This is the boss room where the Empress of Hell appears.¡¯</i>

    Far off in the distance, amidst the darkness, he could hear the sound of a horn. The monster, tiny in stature and resembling a goblin, was not holding a horn; its mouth was the horn itself.

    <i>¡®This is exactly how I remember the Empress of Hell would appear.¡¯</i>

    Even though the goblin was making the horn sound, Jin-Hyeok was not certain if things were going to be the same as he remembered.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s rare for the boss monster to appear immediately without the entrant going through the middle stages...¡¯</i>

    Strange monsters began to show themselves. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Insight lumped all of them together under Forces of Hell.

    <i>¡®Surely, the real Empress of Hell won¡¯t appear right now.¡¯</i>

    The horn¡¯s sound ceased, and the monsters split to either side, bowing to the ground. In the middle of the room, a woman with long red hair walked forward.

    ¡°Foolish one. You have stepped into a pce where your feet should not have trodden.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was taken aback. <i>¡®Is she the real Empress of Hell?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 312

    <h4>Chapter 312</h4>

    Known for his hardline and radical approach, Verpalto had been urgently dispatched as a director to resolve the issues guing the Earth Server. ¡°At the heart of all these problems lies a man named Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Upon his appointment as the director of the Seoul Management Bureau, Verpalto immediately proposed extreme solutions. ¡°In essence, if Chul-Soo disappears, all our problems will be solved, you fools. Why do you keep racking your brains over something so simple.¡±

    ¡°B-But, Director, Chul-Soo is...¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. I get what you are trying to say.¡±

    Eliminating an innocent yer without just cause was not an option, especially if that yer was a Streamer with a massive following.

    ¡°And that is why this situation has be this problematic; everyone chose to look the other way, unwilling to take responsibility,¡± Verpalto continued. He was a striking figure with two horns on his head. His ck horns and fierce appearance,bined with his title as the director, were enough to intimidate the GMs in Seoul. ¡°I will take full responsibility for whates next. It just so happens that the guy is working on something interesting.¡±

    He was already aware of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s efforts to activate the Banyan Tree Dungeon.

    ¡°Let¡¯s help him to ensure the Banyan Tree Dungeon can be activated,¡± Verpalto said.

    ¡°B-But, Director...¡±

    ¡°Enough with your buts!¡± Verpalto angrily raised his voice. ¡°From now on, the word <i>but </i>is forbidden here... I know. I am aware that it¡¯s a Dungeon not meant to be activated at the Earth¡¯s level yet. Who doesn¡¯t know that? Then, why don¡¯t you all, who seem to know so much, try to prevent this imbnce?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do you think we can just stick to principles and end up out of favor with Arvis? Who will support our System then? Do you think your sries fall from the sky?¡±

    Operating the System required a significant number of resources, most of which came from Arvis. The rulers of Arvis did not wee the emergence of beings with too much power. The growth rate of the Earth Server was considered excessively rapid.

    ¡°Are you unaware of theints about fairness from the other Servers? The higher-ups are getting an earful.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Our authority allows us to make all settings artificially. Come up with the optimal methods to eliminate Chul-Soo.¡±

    Directors had substantial powers, which meant that the staff was about to get busier.

    ¡°It seems Chul-Soo will indeed attempt the Dungeon by himself. Our analysis suggests that facing Chul-Soo with a single strong enemy is much more effective than doing the same with numerous weaker ones,¡± one of the GMs said.

    This conclusion was based on the analysis of numerous videos of Chul-Soo¡¯s previous battles. The GM continued, ¡°Therefore, it might be best to remove the trivial floors with weak monsters and settings boldly. We should concentrate all our energy on the boss room.¡±

    This concept was known as the Law of Difficulty Conservation, which existed in Dungeons. It meant the total difficulty level of each Dungeon was fixed. In other words, if a Dungeon¡¯s total difficulty was 100, it had to be distributed among floors so that the sum of all the distributed difficulties was 100.

    ¡°However, if we put all the difficulty into a single Empress of Hell, there would be various penalties...¡±

    ¡°You mean, you want to put all the difficulty on the Empress of Hell?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to give you the exact number, but it might be around 80.¡±

    Although the difficulty of a Dungeon was fixed at 100, the difficulty distribution could make the Dungeon twice or half as difficult. Concentrating all difficulty on one boss monster naturally made the Dungeon feel easier.

    ¡°Do everything you can to concentrate everything on the boss monster. I will take full responsibility and approve it,¡± Verpalto said.

    The staff had to work overnight. The newly appointed GMs were already overwhelmed, and forcing artificial settings only added to the workload.

    The deputy director of the Seoul Management Bureau cautiously asked, ¡°Director, are you sure this is alright?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What if Chul-Soo somehow allies with the Empress of Hell?¡±

    Verpalto smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t know Chul-Soo at all.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is obsessed with fighting. Only a warrior would recognize the madness in his eyes. He has a peculiar tendency to obsessively keep his promises to his viewers. That is why he will definitely attempt the Dungeon by himself.¡±

    The deputy director nodded. His understanding of Chul-Soo was simr. <i>¡®Yet, I can¡¯t shake off this ominous feeling...¡¯</i>

    Dealing with Chul-Soo usually brought unease. As the deputy director struggled to calm his nerves, Verpalto continued. ¡°Moreover, he has a unique ability to assess his opponents. He will realize immediately that the Empress of Hell is much stronger than him. What do you think Chul-Soo will do then?¡±

    There were only two options: a surprise attack or run away.

    ¡°Do you think that madman will flee?¡± Verpalto asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem likely.¡±

    That left only the surprise attack as an option.

    ¡°Fortunately, he possesses quite impressive Skills like Instant Kill and the Song of the ck Tiger. So, he will choose to execute a surprise attack.¡±

    Convinced by Verpalto¡¯s confidence, the deputy director was a little persuaded.

    <i>¡®He knows far more about Chul-Soo than I thought.¡¯</i>

    With clear analysis and evidence, the deputy director felt more at ease about the n. Even though he had not personally met Chul-Soo, the director¡¯s detailed knowledge was impressive. It seemed only someone with such insight could be a director. This time, they could finally address the source of the bnce disruption, Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With that eye of his, the moment he sees the Empress of Hell, he will rush in,pletely entranced.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok epted the fact that the boss room could appear this quickly, but he had not expected the actual boss monster to reveal herself so fast. A heavy air settled over the area, and an immense aura of oppression emanated from the Empress of Hell.

    <strong>[LV???/Empress of Hell/?/?]</strong>

    It had been a while since Jin-Hyeok had encountered an opponent whose details were all disyed in red. This made him realize one thing.

    <i>¡®The Empress of Hell from before my regression must have gone easy on us!¡¯</i>

    Or

    <i>¡®The current Empress of Hell has been made much stronger than the one from before my regression!¡¯</i>

    Back then, Jin-Hyeok had fought the Empress of Hell with all his might, only to fall victim to her psychic curses. The Empress of Hell was particrly renowned for her mental attacks. Even now, although she had yet to use any mental attacks, the overwhelming pressure in the room was palpable.

    <i>¡®She is incredibly powerful.¡¯ </i>

    A voice resonated in the room. ¡°You have trodden foolishly.¡±

    <i>Click, ck.</i>

    The sound of high heels striking the ground echoed. Bizarre monstersy prostrate on the ground, holding their breath as if in reverence. Jin-Hyeok intently listened to the Empress of Hell¡¯s words.

    <i>¡®Thinking back, I used to just attack right away.¡¯</i>

    Everyone back then was too exhausted, and there was no room to listen to what the Empress of Hell had to say. The boss monster had appeared, and they had rushed to attack first for survival. Reflecting on the experience made things a bit clearer.

    <i>¡®Back then, we were like wild animals caught in headlights.¡¯</i>

    They were like wild animals that would bare their teeth or flee when someone tried to help them.

    ¡°What is your name?¡± the Empress of Hell asked.

    Caught up in his memories, Jin-Hyeok felt his heart race. <i>¡®Now that I think about it, she asked the same question back then.¡¯</i>

    He had thought it was just a <i>preset line </i>for the boss monster. This <i>preset line </i>was often interpreted as <i>when the enemy was preparing to attack</i>¡ªthe most vulnerable and weakest moment an enemy had before enteringbat.

    <i>¡®Should Iunch a surprise attack?¡¯</i>

    With Instant Kill, Song of the ck Tiger, and even God of Luck on his side, pouring all his strength into one attack could potentially work. Even if today ended up being the final battle, it seemed worth the effort.

    <i>¡®Just thinking about it excited me!¡¯ </i>Battling such a formidable opponent was in itself a profoundly happy and enjoyable affair.

    <i>¡®But...!¡¯ </i>It was a momentary consideration, and he quickly regained hisposure. Having just managed to gather his wits, he could not afford to go mad again. <i>¡®I am a Streamer!¡¯</i>

    Had he been the Sword King, he might have charged in immediately, but now he was a Streamer. Every event needed to naturally epass a narrative. Even if it meant fighting, engaging in conversation was undoubtedly the right choice for a Streamer, regardless of whether it would put him at a disadvantageter on. For the sake of good content, he knew to overlook an opponent¡¯s weakness.

    ¡°My name is Kim Chul-Soo. I am pleased to meet the Empress of Hell once again.¡±

    The Empress of Hell stopped in her tracks. ¡°Have we met before?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok incessantly racked his brain, considering how to produce even better footage and create more interesting content. His head was filled with thoughts solely about content.

    ¡°You are the ruler of the Fourth Hell, the Purgatory Queen Gahi. Do you not remember me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ***

    Verpalto, who was monitoring the Dungeon, urgently summoned the deputy director and a few staff members. ¡°Is Chul-Soo acquainted with the Empress of Hell?¡±

    ¡°Not to our knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure we have been thorough in our monitoring?¡±

    ¡°We have done our best within our capabilities.¡±

    Verpalto frowned. He wanted to ask if they truly believed doing their best within their <i>capabilities </i>was enough to survive in this harsh world. However, there wasn¡¯t time to delve into that now.

    ¡°So, is Chul-Soo lying right now?¡± Verpalto asked.

    ¡°It seems likely.¡±

    ¡°Seems. Likely. These are all guesses. Your reports are wonderfully crafted, truly top-notch crap, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°We are sorry.¡± The deputy director felt terrible as well. The frustration of only being able to offer conjectures due to ack of precise information was overwhelming.

    Verpalto then seemed to rx, casually propping his legs on the desk. ¡°The Empress of Hell can see through people and learn their weaknesses, past life stories, and even past and future. That¡¯s what makes her so terrifying.¡±

    Hell was a Server where the difference in abilities between males and females was pronounced. The Empress of Hell was the absolute ruler who had conquered the Fourth Hell.

    ¡°I see. That makes sense!¡± the deputy director said.

    ¡°Of course, the Empress of Hell summoned to the Banyan Tree Dungeon is not her true form, so there are limits to her abilities. But she should easily see through a lie as simple as Chul-Soo¡¯s. So, the moment he lied, it was all over.¡±

    The deputy director felt he could trust the director this time. <i>¡®He is so knowledgeable about the Empress of Hell!¡¯</i>

    Hell was a Server shrouded in many secrets. Even the deputy director had not known that the Empress of Hell of the Banyan Tree Dungeon was the absolute ruler of the Fourth Hell. Yet, the director was aware of her detailed abilities. Although his prediction that Chul-Soo would immediately attack the Empress of Hell was incorrect, the deputy director believed in his superior. He knew it was tough to get everything right, even for the director.

    <i>¡®Okay. This time, the director must be right!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 313

    <h4>Chapter 313</h4>

    The Empress of Hell spoke, ¡°It does seem like we have met before.¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok responded with a sly smile. <i>¡®It¡¯s working!¡¯</i>

    The Empress of Hell possessed exceptional abilities in manipting the mind, but this time, those abilities had backfired on her. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s knowledge of the Empress of Hell stemmed from his memories of his life before his regression. In this life, information about the Empress of Hell would gradually be avable in a few years.

    ¡°Most of your memories about me are blurry. However, one thing is clear. From my perspective, you were hostile toward me,¡± the Empress of Hell remarked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°But now, you seem rather friendly. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Maybe that was the case before. We did not part on good terms. But, time has passed. Holding a grudge against you now would not look so good,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. To him, the Empress of Hell was an archenemy. Several of hisrades had died at her hands, and he himself had nearly met his end too.

    <i>¡®But, now that I recall it, we did strike her first.¡¯ </i>He didn¡¯t know the Empress of Hell was this easy to talk to. Reflecting on their past encounters, he realized they had attacked her in a fight to the death. Arguably, the faulty more with Jin-Hyeok and his team. <i>¡®And myrades are all alive in this life.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok concluded there was no need to harbor any grudge against the Empress of Hell. Her eyelids fluttered before she asked, ¡°Were you, by any chance, my former lover?¡±

    Her eyes turned blue, radiating a deadly aura.

    <i>¡®Wow, that¡¯s electrifying.¡¯ </i>It had been a long time since he had felt such a murderous gaze. <i>¡®If she is reacting this violently, she must have terrible memories of her ex-lovers...¡¯</i>

    The Empress of Hell said in a chilling voice, ¡°We were probably in a really bad rtionship.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And I probably warned you that if you cross my path again, I will kill you.¡±

    A cold chill emanated from the tips of her fingers, and frost began to spread throughout the boss''s room. Jin-Hyeok sensed anger.

    <i>¡®If she attacks, I¡¯m dead.¡¯</i>

    An immense amount of mana filled the air, making it feel as though winter had descended upon this ce. A vision of a winter with sharp fangs, ready to swallow him whole, appeared before him.

    <i>¡®This is exciting!¡¯</i>

    He relished the progression of events.

    Introduction, development, crisis, resolution.

    Every story needed twists and turns. Currently, Jin-Hyeok was at the <i>crisis </i>stage.

    ***

    In her childhood, Gahi had cursed her body, wishing she had been born a man. As with many families located in the Hell Server, her family¡¯s secret techniques were developed and evolved over a long time for men. Inevitably, being born with a female body ced Gahi at a significant disadvantage. Even her family opposed her training.

    ¡°You want to learn the family¡¯s secret techniques? Have you forgotten you are a woman?¡±

    ¡°Women can¡¯t be strong, and there is no need for them to be.¡±

    ¡°We will find you a good marriage prospect, so focus on being a good wife.¡±

    These were themon responses. Rather than her family being exceptionally conservative, these were the norms in Hell.

    ¡°I can be strong too,¡± Gahi protested.

    Her family¡¯s secret techniques were divided into two main types: one that targeted and exploited the weaknesses of the mind and another that manipted Tainted mes, known as the mes of Hell.

    ¡°I told you. You can¡¯t! How can a woman handle the sacred Tainted mes?¡±

    Despite the high-ranking officials¡¯ opposition, Gahi secretly learned to wield Tainted mes. Her progress was remarkable, despite her having to learn through observing others, as she had no formal teacher.

    ¡°Sir, Gahi has quite the talent for handling the Tainted mes.¡±

    ¡°But she is just a girl. What has the worlde to?¡±

    Her father, who was also the head of the family, disapproved of her training to be stronger. Rumors about Gahi had spread throughout Hell, withments like, ¡®How will she ever marry being so fierce?¡¯

    ¡°Since she is so determined, I want you to teach her.¡±

    Gahi¡¯s parents eventually conceded. Her persistent determination earned her the chance to learn the family¡¯s ultimate techniques.

    ¡°Sir... Perhaps we were wrong. Gahi¡¯s progress is beyond our imagination.¡±

    Gahi was a genius. People said if she had been born in the First Hell, where martial arts suited for women were avable, she could have changed the course of history. However, Gahi faced a new trial.

    ¡°Sir, the Tainted me... It is not responding to Gahi¡¯s summon anymore. It seems to be rejecting her.¡±

    ¡°I knew this would happen. Tell her to stop training and go learn to be a good bride.¡±

    Eventually, an arranged marriage was decided for her, but she fled three days before the wedding. Cutting ties with her family, she traveled across the continent, intensifying her training.

    <i>¡®Tainted me is blossoming again!¡¯</i>

    Perhaps it was a side effect of learning an unsuitable martial art, but what Gahi manifested was not Tainted me but Luminous Frost, clear and transparent ice crystals formed ording to her will. Her powers hadpletely transformed into ice-type abilities.

    She returned to her home but found out that her family¡¯s estate had long been reduced to ashes.

    <i>¡®How could this happen?¡¯</i>

    She never wished for her family to be unjustly treated to the point of annihtion. Upon investigating, she learned the full story.

    ¡°Ah, you never heard of the story? I think it was about ten years ago. A girl who was about to get married fled just three days before her wedding ceremony. The angered family of the groom wiped out her family in retaliation. It is a well-known incident. What a pity! One daughter¡¯s mistake brought disaster upon the entire family.¡±

    And so, Gahi single-handedly sought out the opposing family and killed them all. That was the beginning of Empress of Hell Gahi. Over time, she united and ruled over the Fourth Hell. Even then, she always felt something was off.

    <i>¡®If only I had a slight chance, I could break through that wall in front of me.¡¯</i>

    No matter how much she meditated or explored her microcosm, she could not find a way to break through the massive wall.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s like I buttoned up the shirt wrong at the start.¡¯</i>

    The beginning of learning a martial art was always crucial. She had learned the martial arts of men with a woman¡¯s body. Though many fortunate events led her to her current state, the initial misalignment had hindered her growth.

    <i>¡®I must be stronger.¡¯ </i>

    She aspired to rule over all five Hells as the Great Ruler. Many families of Hell, coveting her ambition, approached her. They proposed strategic marriages or attempted to seduce her with beauty.

    ¡°We can make you stronger.¡±

    ¡°Our family¡¯s secret techniques can help you be stronger.¡±

    However, she realized that desperate people were easy targets for deception. Most men and families who approached her under the guise of marriage only coveted the Empress of Hell¡¯s power. Hell had been dominated by men for thousands of years, and many still underestimated her.

    ¡°Do you wanna make a bet on who can seduce Gahi first?¡±

    ¡°Fine, I will seduce her and extract her secret techniques.¡±

    ¡°She is lucky to have gotten this far, but she is still just a woman.¡±

    Some even imed sleeping with them could break the wall inside her microcosm. Whether through contractual rtionships or marriage, she tried everything that came her way. As many approached Gahi, seeking strength, she grew increasingly disgusted.

    ¡°Apparently, if you talk smoothly, you can sleep with the Empress of Hell. It was ecstatic!¡±

    When such rumors began to circte, Gahi killed all men who approached her with offers of contractual rtionships or marriage.

    Then, one hundred years passed.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was quite familiar with the saga of the Empress of Hell. In a few years, Gahi¡¯s story would spread throughout the universe, thanks to the universe-level ranker Marshmallow. Marshmallow would create a five-part series based on the Empress of Hell¡¯s story, which would be a blockbuster hit across the universe. So, Jin-Hyeok knew this content was guaranteed to be sessful.

    <i>¡®Sorry, Marshmallow,¡¯ </i>he thought, deciding to write content rted to the Empress of Hell first.

    ¡°I am well aware of your tragedy, Empress of Hell. You still wish you were a man,¡± he said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Sharp ice spears formed around Jin-Hyeok. Initially glowing blue, these ice spears soon became so clear and transparent that they were almost invisible.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s scary.¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok was loving it. Since he was livestreaming in the first-person perspective, the chilling effect of the Luminous Frost Spears had definitely been effectively conveyed to the viewers.

    ¡°I entrust my mind to youpletely. Take a good look, and see what kind of miracle I can gift you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok decided to not resist. He resolved to naturally ept the Empress of Hell, thinking she would then be able to clearly see into his pure microcosm.

    ¡°I have heard those sweet-nothings countless times before. I won¡¯t be fooled by such ttery anymore,¡± she stated, though she was already peering into his mind.

    <i>¡®His mind is cloudy,¡¯</i> Gahi thought. Although Chul-Soo looked fine on the outside, it was foggy inside his mind. It was impossible to discern his inner workings. The universe within Chul-Soo¡¯s mind was in disarray,cking any order; everything was aplete mess. <i>¡®It¡¯s like looking into an endless abyss.¡¯</i>

    She felt a sense of crisis, worrying she could get contaminated by Chul-Soo¡¯s mind if she was not careful.

    <i>¡®He said he would not resist me. And he is actually not resisting!¡¯ </i>This meant what she was seeing was not some kind of mental barrier. His inner universe was just naturally this cloudy. <i>¡®What a microcosm... This is something you would only see in a madman.¡¯</i>

    It was a mystery how he seemed perfectly fine on the outside. After much confusion, she managed to read only his most recent memories.

    <i>¡°From now on, call me Mole Woman, moly.¡±</i>

    The ice spears surrounding Jin-Hyeok instantly melted away, and she said, ¡°God Finger. Lead me to that person.¡±

    She walked forward on her own. Her steps were much quicker than when she first appeared.

    <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if he is ying tricks on me.¡¯</i>

    If that was the case, she could simply kill him.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked and stepped out of the boss room with the Empress of Hell. Then, an unexpected notification arrived.

 Chapter 314

    <h4>Chapter 314</h4>

    <strong>[The owner of the Special Dungeon ?Banyan Tree? has exited ?Banyan Tree?</strong>

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeon ?Banyan Tree?]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wait, it¡¯s been cleared?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He had heard rumors that if a Dungeon boss monster left their Dungeon, it could be recognized as a clear. Some of the more experienced Adventurers in Arvis had mentioned it could happen.

    However, the idea had seemed so far-fetched that he still doubted it.

    <i>¡®So, this works?¡¯ </i>What he had once thought was just an exaggerated rumor turned out to be true. <i>¡®Han Sae-Rin will be so jealous.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was already delighted at the prospect of teasing her. He imagined her face turning red and her indignantly saying, <i>¡®I-I could do that too!¡¯ </i>

    That would easily garner at least a hundred million views.

    <i>¡®Sweet... huh?¡¯ </i>However, that was not the end.

    <strong>[You have unlocked the Achievement ?<u>All-Clear (Banyan Tree Dungeon)</u>?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression became serious.<i> ¡®A hundred million views isn¡¯t the real issue right now...¡¯</i>

    He wanted to click on All-Clear (Banyan Tree Dungeon) right away to see the details but barely managed to resist. It would not be fun to reveal everything all at once.

    <i>¡®I should let the viewers wait and then reveal it at the right moment.¡¯ </i>

    The fact that he had again achieved an All-Clear Achievement was already causing a stir. Kihael, who had been watching the livestream, was ecstatic.

    ¡°Yes! Right on!¡± As someone who used to be a GM, he seemed to understand why things had turned out this way. The current GMs had definitely interfered a great deal with the Dungeon. ¡°They tried to kill Kim Chul-Soo, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    They had probably expended quite the effort, and such actions usually led to unintended consequences. Although bringing the Empress of Hell to the outside world was an impressive feat, calling it an All-Clear seemed a bit of a stretch. However, the GMs¡¯ maniptions had likely led to a lowering of the criteria for an All-Clear due to bacsh.

    ¡°After all their talk about how we can¡¯t do our jobs or don¡¯t do them properly!¡± Kihael had heard that most of the new GMs critiqued their predecessors during their interviews, iming they were far more adept at bncing the System. ¡°Looks easy from the outside, doesn¡¯t it? Do you all think Chul-Soo is that of an easy target?¡±

    Kihael found himself spamming <i>LOLs</i> on Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s livestream channel, even when it was not the right moment. He spammed <i>LOLs</i> so much that he got a three-minute chat ban, but he could not care less. He was feeling pure joy.

    ¡°Experience it for yourselves. The wall that is Kim Chul-Soo! Hehehe! Radical hardliner? The urgent appointment of a new director? What¡¯s the point? The wall called Chul-Soo is much higher and stronger!¡±

    Then, a chilling voice rang out.

    ¡°What about the GMs? Tell me more.¡±

    It was the famous Kim Min-Ji, the official Chul-Soo Land No.1.

    ***

    Verpalto knelt with his hands raised high. It was the first time in decades he had suffered such humiliation.

    Inside the conference room, Min-Ji walked around with her arms crossed, eyeing the GMs with a deadly gaze. ¡°I have captured all your scheming on video. Notice how you all deleted it? I had quite the time restoring it.¡±

    One of the GMs raised a concern. ¡°But hacking is illegal...¡±

    ¡°So what? Do I look like I care?¡± Min-Ji was relentless. ¡°Legal or not, if this video gets out, you are all finished, understand? How could you, as GMs, conspire to bury a beautiful yer?¡±

    The GM who had raised the question felt something was off. <i>¡®Don¡¯t they usually say innocent yer and not beautiful yer?¡¯</i>

    As a junior GM, he was curious about Min-Ji¡¯s identity. It seemed unlikely she was a universe-level ranker, so he wondered how she could freely enter and exit the GMs¡¯ office and hack the server to extract the footage of everything that happened here.

    <i>¡®She restored the deleted content?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®The director himself ordered the deletion, and we double- and triple-checked.¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji spoke with a somewhat rogue attitude. ¡°Yo, Veryvery.¡±

    ¡°My name is Verpalto.¡± However, when he realized Min-Ji was frowning, he added, ¡°Yes, my name is Veryvery.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t youpensate?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°What do you mean by...pensate?¡±

    ¡°Well, since you tried to kill our Chul-Soo, you should make appropriate reparations.¡±

    ¡°B-But we didn¡¯t really harm Chul-Soo and...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Chul-Soo is that great. What if he wasn¡¯t? Attempted murder is still a serious crime, you murderer!¡±

    ¡°Are you saying I am a murderer?¡±

    ¡°If you are not a murderer, then who in this world is?¡±

    The more Verpalto engaged in conversation, the darker it seemed to get before his eyes. Having a rational, logical discussion with her was impossible.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s just get this over with. Whateveres next, I will figure it out tomorrow.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Verpalto asked.

    ***

    Upon facing the Empress of Hell, Hassan momentarily lost consciousness. Jin-Hyeok casually scratched his temple as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Hm... he is out too.¡±

    Many had fainted along the way to see Hassan. The Empress of Hell¡¯s overwhelming presence was too much for them to bear, causing a temporary mental copse for many. Fortunately, for people within the protective territory of the Guardian Tree, the aftereffects were minimal. Jin-Hyeok found it somewhat amusing.

    <i>¡®The Empress of Hell is strong, but is she this strong? How weak must one be to faint just by being in her presence?¡¯</i>

    Although he did not quite understand, seeing so many people affected made him ept it as it was.

    ¡°I will try to block your overwhelming presence with my Absolute Barrier.¡± He shielded Hassan, who had just regained consciousness, with his Skill.

    Hassan¡¯s hands were trembling. ¡°I-I am...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. ¡°It seems unlikely that Hassan will be the one to perform the miracle.¡±

    ¡°I am curious what trickery you are up to.¡± The Empress of Hell, Gahi, was already prepared to kill Chul-Soo, ready to freeze him whole at the slightest provocation.

    ¡°Do you want to wait until God Finger bes stronger, or do you want me to do the operation now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°I have a special ability called Imitation.¡±

    The phrase <i>special ability </i>made the Empress of Hell slightly frown. ¡°I know that most famous Streamers have this ability. I don¡¯t think you should be calling it a special ability.¡±

    ¡°How can the absolute ruler of a Server be so narrow-minded?¡± Jin-Hyeok showed her a video uploaded by Marshmallow, which included a conversation between Marshmallow and the Named Analyst Encyclopedia.

    <i>¡°I guess I can mimic a simr shape or something.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Can you produce the same effect as Zoro does?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Are you crazy? That¡¯s not imitation. That¡¯s copying. Even I can¡¯t do that easily.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Right? So, you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s not supposed to be easy, right?¡±</i>

    Marshmallow¡¯s expression in the video was one of shock.

    <i>¡°What? A Streamer used Imitation to copy a Skill of that grade perfectly?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Even more impressive. In some aspects, it was superior to Zoro¡¯s Skill.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. How is that even possible?¡±</i>

    In the video, Marshmallow watched one of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s streams and blinked in disbelief. He was so shocked that his Marshmallow-shaped head wobbled.

    <i>¡°Yo, what the hell is going on? How is this possible?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°So, I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t know either.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Imitation is not supposed to work like this.¡± </i>

    This was the moment Marshmallow began to take a genuine interest in Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡°What¡¯s this guy¡¯s name?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok then said, ¡°If even the universe-level ranker Marshmallow says this much, doesn¡¯t it mean I am quite skilled?¡±

    ***

    The Empress of Hell experienced significant internal conflict. <i>¡®I might be deceived again.¡¯</i>

    The number of those who had approached her like this would easily exceed hundreds. She had personally killed dozens of them, and the rest were probably living miserably somewhere. Centuries of umted distrust did not easily fade away.

    She defensively asked, ¡°Have you ever replicated and used that miracle?¡±

    ¡°Nope, it will be my first time.¡±

    ¡°So, you want to experiment on me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok slightly tilted his head. ¡°Is that not allowed?¡±

    The Empress of Hell focused and looked directly into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. Those with malicious intent usually revealed themselves through their gazes. Having encountered numerous frauds and possessing strong mental abilities, she could usually discern someone¡¯s intentions just by looking into their eyes.

    Until now.

    <i>¡®His gaze is clear... Maybe too clear.¡¯</i>

    His inner universe was too chaotic toprehend, but his gaze was exceptionally clear. She had never encountered such a person before.

    Jin-Hyeok sighed and said with a hint of disappointment, ¡°Hey, you are not very desperate, are you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Even God Finger Hassan started from humble beginnings. No one was willing to receive a miracle initially, but...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok showed her a video of Katrina.

    ¡°In times even more doubtful than now, Katrina made the bold decision to receive a miracle right away from Hassan.¡±

    Though the process was slightly glossed over, Katrina was, in the end, the first person to receive the miracle from Hassan.

    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of what might happen if the operation fails, are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you are really entertaining such a cowardly thought, you are not fit to be the Empress of Hell.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be right?¡±

    The Empress of Hell continued to look into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. They remained clear.

    ¡°Even for enhancing artifacts, the chances of failure are much higher than sess... You do not deserve the miracle with that mindset,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He wanted to say that he was going to give up on the content, but he held back.

    After hearing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words, the Empress of Hell felt like she had been struck on the head. <i>¡®There is some truth to his words.¡¯</i>

    Had she been more desperate and intense, she would not have missed this opportunity. That woman named Katrina had made a decisive choice to receive the miracle at a point when there was zero evidence that it would work. Without courage, there was nothing to gain.

    ¡°Fine, use your Imitation skill,¡± Gahi said. However, she did not fully trust Jin-Hyeok. She warned him clearly. ¡°If you harbor any malicious intent, I will dismember you and kill you.¡±

    Strangely, the more menacingly she warned him, the clearer Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes seemed to be.

 Chapter 315

    <h4>Chapter 315</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok intensely prepared in his own way, going beyond merely using his Imitation ability. He set up the surrounding environment to maximize the effectiveness of his power and meticulously observed Hassan, knowing that true Imitation stemmed from deep observation.

    Hassan, wanting to be helpful to Jin-Hyeok, exerted himself in various ways. <i>¡®But simply relying on a miracle might not be enough!¡¯</i>

    Hassan carefully voiced a concern. ¡°This individual seems to be a very special entity. Just conjuring a miracle might not suffice.¡±

    This insight came to him not through teaching but through intuition.

    ¡°It¡¯s like... the side effects are so severe that it feels like her entire body is already in ruins. I am not a doctor, so I can¡¯t say for sure, but... she might not bepatible with my miracle.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡±

    ¡°If we fail... it might be irreversible. She could very likely die.¡±

    ¡°Even artifacts break when I fail during enhancement... that¡¯s just how it is,¡± Jin-Hyeok reasoned, then came to a realization.

    <i>¡®The old me would have stopped thinking at this point, but now things are different.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had learned that if there was a safer, more conventional route, taking it wasmon sense. Even if the route was slower, a more universally epted route should be considered

    ¡°Hassan, what if webine our strengths?¡±

    ¡°It might be slightly better, but still not enough,¡± Hassan replied.

    Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin. ¡°What do you think are our chances of sess?¡±

    ¡°Extremely low.¡±

    <i>¡®Could it be around 0.000024 percent?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s less than one percent,¡± Hassan said.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quite high?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, never mind.¡±

    After changing the subject, Jin-Hyeok had an epiphany. ¡°Fortunately, we have someone who can help us.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt as though he had morerades now than he had during his days as the Sword King.

    ¡°We should seek Hwa Ta¡¯s assistance,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Hwa Ta, who dealt with only VIPs before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, was now rapidly advancing his skills while working with the MK Foundation¡¯s medical team. His abilities had significantly improved as he practiced righteous medicine.

    ¡°But... I don¡¯t know if I can be of help...¡± Hwa Ta said. He felt as though he was about to get dragged into an insurmountable event, something he should not be involved in. <i>¡®Let¡¯s just tell him that it can¡¯t be done. That I can¡¯t help him.¡¯</i>

    Han Sae-Rin, the team leader of the medical team, mischievously smiled and said, ¡°Our Hwa Ta can surely handle that much. With the help of the Golden Headband, nothing in the world is impossible, right?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course. I can definitely do it. Ha-ha-ha!¡±

    Sae-Rin initiated the cheer they had been working on. ¡°In the Chul-Soo Universe.¡±

    ¡°Nothing is impossible!¡±

    Watching Hassan chant their motivational slogan, Sae-Rin smiled again, her eyes as clear as ake.

    Hwa Ta, God Finger, and Jin-Hyeok decided to join forces to bestow an (Intimate) Miracle upon the Empress of Hell. Jin-Hyeok was somewhat skeptical; though he possessed an excellent ability called Imitation, he had never shared such a miracle before.

    <i>¡®Will it work?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok earnestly prayed that the Empress of Hell would not die. The subject of a guaranteed blockbuster five-part documentary series must not perish. His expression was solemn and filled with fervent hope.

    The one capturing this sincere moment on camera was none other than Kang Eun-Woo.

    ***

    Since having been semi-forced to work in the MK Foundation¡¯s medical team, Hwa Ta found himself tormented by Sae-Rin daily.

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±

    She would recite the Tight-Fillet Spell at him unexpectedly and frequently, even when he had not done anything wrong.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± Hwa Ta asked.

    ¡°No reason. Just for fun, I guess.¡±

    To Hwa Ta, Sae-Rin was the devil incarnate. Initially, he was furious. Then, he became despondent, and eventually, he sumbed to obedience. Watching this transformation, Sae-Rin had an epiphany.

    <i>¡®Jin-Hyeok was right!¡¯ </i>she thought. If violence did not solve the problem, it was because there was not enough of it. She felt the truth of this lesson in her bones. <i>¡®So, unyielding violence is the most important thing after all!¡¯</i>

    In any case, Hwa Ta had been somewhat reformed by Sae-Rin¡¯s relentless Tight-Fillet Spell, evolving into a new person, at least to the extent that Sae-Rin could acknowledge it. However, the twisted desires deeply ingrained in his nature had not vanished.

    <i>¡®That Trituri guy... He doesn¡¯t seem that great to me.¡¯ </i>Hwa Ta felt both a strong sense of identification with Trituri and also a sense of repulsion toward the Farmer. It was a kind of self-loathing. <i>¡®He is not that great!¡¯</i>

    Yet, somehow, Trituri had be a hero. Wherever he went, he was weed with apuse, and with just one speech, he could earn millions of Dias.

    <i>¡®He has even shot severalmercials in Arvis!¡¯ </i>Hwa Ta was incredibly jealous of Trituri. His desire for material things had now morphed into a craving for honor. He wanted to be respected and apuded wherever he went. <i>¡®Maybe this operation is my chance!¡¯</i>

    Although facing the insurmountable event was daunting, it was also thrilling.

    <i>¡®No matter how well I do here, I will just be a Healer associated with the MK Foundation.¡¯</i>

    He felt like he had be an employee of a giant corporation. No matter how well he performed, the one receiving the praise would be the MK Foundation, not him.

    But with this, Hwa Ta had just gained the opportunity to appear on Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. <i>¡®I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.¡¯</i>

    He was more serious and respectful than ever before. Everyone bore a solemn expression, each with their own motives.

    ***

    For this content, Jin-Hyeok recruited BongMiNaTV. Since he needed to concentrate on the miracle, he felt the need for assistance in broadcasting the operation. Bong King focused on the Empress of Hell, while Kang Mi-Na concentrated on Jin-Hyeok, as well as captured the other yers¡¯ expressions and passion. Many viewers were moved.

    -Look how serious they are!

    -If they¡¯re acting, they should just quit livestreaming and be actors.

    -They¡¯re definitely not acting.

    Wang Yu-Mi had already given the Empress of Hell a narrative through an in-depth interview. This allowed the viewers to immerse themselves in the situation.

    -I can feel the desperate wish of her trying to bloom an unbloomed flower.

    -Isn¡¯t she a bit too strong to be called a flower?

    The sincerity of the participants, Jin-Hyeok, Hassan, and Hwa Ta, was being transmitted through the screen.

    Bong King, livestreaming the Empress of Hell,mented with enthusiasm, ¡°It seems like the Empress of Hell is moved by their sincerity. Her expression and atmosphere, which had been rigid, appears to have softened a bit!¡±

    Kang Mi-Na, covering Jin-Hyeok, did not add any particrmentary. <i>¡®I don¡¯t need to fill the audio. The content speaks for itself.¡¯</i>

    Just capturing Jin-Hyeok, who was sitting cross-legged for his meditation, was content in itself.

    -Wow, this is so interesting!

    -Super interesting, haha!

    -Is this a therapeutic content?

    Then, Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes. Excited screams filled the chat, and donations poured in like crazy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin, God Finger, Hwa Ta,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Heid the Empress of Hell on a bed next to him and stood to her right, with Hassan to her left; Hwa Ta stood at her head.

    Hassan took a deep breath and spoke whatever came to mind. It was a ritual unique to him that could be likened to a magical incarnation and was designed to increase the sess rate of the miracle. ¡°Let us bestow an Intimate Miracle.¡±

    Golden mists rose from Hassan, and the same happened with Jin-Hyeok. The mists then converged into a single beam of light for each of them, settling into their hands.

    ¡°I grant her a new life.¡±

    ¡°I grant her a new life.¡±

    The golden light in their hands burst into a sh, being sucked into the Empress of Hell¡¯s body.

    Bong King realized something. <i>¡®Hassan seems to be struggling!¡¯</i>

    A true Streamer was not someone who only livestreamed; they needed to have the capability to assist other yers. That was how everyone in K-Force did it, and that was the way for Bong King too.

    <strong>[Bong King has activated the Skill ?Time-Lapse Recording?.]</strong>

    <strong>[The perceived time of the subject ?Hassan? will now slow down.]</strong>

    This was an ability inspired by Chul-Soo, which gave Hassan some much-neededfort.

    <i>¡®This is the Empress of Hell¡¯s microcosm!¡¯ </i>Hassan thought. The light of the miracle had to move across the microcosm. Only when the light reached the other side of the microcosm would the miracle ur.

    Many fragments and obstacles that blocked the light began to emerge.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i> Hassan looked to the side. A light muchrger and more powerful than his was racing toward the far end of the microcosm.

    <i>¡®But there are fragments in the way...¡¯ </i>Fragments obstructed the path of the light beams. Hassan took his time to carefully navigate his light through these obstacles.

    <i>¡®But, Chul-Soo is just going through them...!¡¯ </i>Chul-Soo¡¯s light was making its own way through overwhelming destructive power. Hassan had an epiphany. <i>¡®This is the true miracle!¡¯</i>

    It was an enlightenment that Hassan from before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression had not achieved.

    ***

    The Five Hells had been at odds since the dawn of time. For convenience, they were referred to as First Hell, Second Hell, and so on, but each imed their Server as the one true Hell and insisted that theirs was the only Server worthy of the name Hell in this universe.

    Beckant, the king of the Third Hell, was especially adamant about this. ¡°Raise the Army of Hell immediately!¡±

    He had always disdained Gahi, the Empress of Hell. The idea that a mere woman could rule a ce bearing the name of Hell was absurd to him.

    ¡°Are we invading the Fourth Hell?¡± one of the soldiers asked.

    ¡°No, we are going to Earth.¡±

    To win a war, one had to strike the leader.

    ¡°But... there is a giant Guardian Tree there.¡±

    ¡°Our target is not Earth or Seoul. It¡¯s Gahi, that wretched bitch. So, the Guardian Tree does not matter to us.¡±

    ¡°But if Chul-Soo sides with Gahi, things could getplicated.¡±

    King Beckant scoffed at the idea. ¡°Then we will just take over Earth too!¡±

    ¡°We have too little information on Chul-Soo.¡±

    His advisors were deeply troubled.

    <i>¡®He is at it again!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®That impulsive temper of his has surfaced again!¡¯</i>

    The advisors knew too well. Beckant¡¯s knowledge of Chul-Soo was limited to <i>a popr Streamer of recent times.</i> However, that was as much as his advisors knew as well. Chul-Soo was not their enemy, and they had not been ordered to gather information on the Streamer, nor had they analyzed him yet.

    ¡°Are we to miss this perfect opportunity over a mere Streamer from a new Server?¡±

    Even if Chul-Soo possessed remarkable abilities, there were clear limits to a new Server. Beckant was confident that the experience he had umted over time could not be beaten by a Streamer from a new Server.

    <i>¡®If that Chul-Soo guy is smart, he will avoid a confrontation with me.¡¯ </i>Beckant had not really considered shing with Chul-Soo directly. His only intent was Gahi.

    ¡°Even if we fail, it will be a win. After all, it will create an excellent opportunity for us!

    Even in the case Gahi seeded, she could not be stronger than before. She would undoubtedly need time to adapt to her changed body. In other words, this was the moment Gahi was at her weakest.

    ¡°Let the Army of Hell draw the attention of the Guardian Tree and Chul-Soo, while I lead an elite detachment unit to strike at Gahi directly.¡±

    No matter how much Beckant thought about it, he couldn¡¯t see Gahi as anything but foolish. He could not believe she had let herself be lured by the promise of a miracle and crossed over to another Server alone.

    ¡°But, my Lord, even the warp portals to Earth are not properly activat¡ª¡±

    The neck of the advisor who had objected flew off before he could finish. Blood spurted out, and the other advisors fell silent.

    King Beckant, licking the blood off his nails, spoke in a menacing tone. ¡°That¡¯s what you are here to figure out.¡±

    He could not let this golden opportunity slip by.

    ¡°We will find a solution, my Lord.¡±

    ¡°I will give you guys fifteen minutes.¡±

    King Beckant gathered all the elite forces of the Third Hell and set off toward Earth, unaware of what awaited them.

 Chapter 316

    <h4>Chapter 316</h4>

    After Lucia¡¯s death, Lilia, her sister and former lover, had strengthened thework of the Subi even further.

    ¡°Trust me. The only person who can help the Subi is Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    The Subi had entrenched themselves across the universe, with most of them secretly working in the information or red-light sectors.

    ¡°After Lucia died, Chul-Soo felt indebted to us. Even if that isn¡¯t the case, it does not matter. As long as we are useful for his livestreaming, he will eagerly step forward to help us.¡±

    Earth yers, especially the ones in Korea, like Lilia, were greatly inspired by Chul-Soo. She worked even harder. Her employer, Choi Gap-Soo, appreciated her efforts and gave her more time to pursue her endeavors, saying, ¡°Lilia, you are brimming with a vigor rare in young people these days. I like it! It¡¯s okay if you ck a bit on your secretarial duties. Focus on what you want to do.¡±

    Moved by Lilia¡¯s fervor, the Subi rallied one by one. The scattered Subi across the universe started to unite.

    Lilia did not miss this opportunity. ¡°We both have Kim Chul-Soo as amon ally. How about it? Won¡¯t you join hands with us?¡±

    Angel Girl Song Ha-Young, the leader of the ck Rose Alliance, dly epted Lilia¡¯s offer. She had been looking to expand into the universe, and an alliance with the Subi was the perfect opportunity. Allying with the ck Rose Alliance and Ha-Young meant also joining forces with Kwak Do-Hyeong of the ck Thorn Alliance. The cooperation between the Subi and the ck ck Alliance was more than just a simple union of two forces.

    ¡°If you ever need Assassins, just tell us. We will help you out,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Yes, we will help,¡± Do-Hyeong added.

    The Seo sisters, who were the early core members of the K-Force, also promised Lilia to cooperate. This marked the beginning of Lilia¡¯s connections with the leadership of the MK Foundations and the K-Force. Chairman Jang Michelle of the MK Foundation was very pleased with this development.

    ¡°I have been feeling rather sorry about the situation of the Subi, so it¡¯s a great opportunity for us to interact and grow together. If there is anything you need, just let us know. However, it has to be beneficial for Chul-Soo¡¯s y,¡± Michelle told Lilia.

    After establishing this close cooperation with the MK Foundation, Lilia was able to seek advice from Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Ah really? That guy is a warmonger and suffers from a severe inferiorityplex toward the Empress of Hell. He might just blindly charge in, but if he has a strategic team, they would not let him act so rashly. They know about the Guardian Tree here, so they will try to divert our attention,¡± Lilia said. She already knew about the Armies of Hell from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°Their Server is not officially connected to Earth, so they will probably use various tricks. Have you checked where the Army of Hell woulde from?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°I am still verifying, but they will most likely enter through the Banyan Tree Dungeon.¡±

    Lilia conveyed this information to Maria too.

    ¡°An invasion from another Server is expected. Ms. Shin Yu-Ri, I need you to step forward,¡± Maria said.

    Siege Weapon Yu-Ri and Anus Destroyer Lee Hyeon-Seong were positioned near the Banyan Tree Dungeon. To prepare for any potential damage, Kim Jeong-Hyeon, Mok Jae-Hyeon, and Cha Jin-Sol of the K-Force were also dispatched. The top-ranked yers from various sectors moved organically as one unit to prepare for the crisis.

    ¡°The only yer sensitive enough to feel the mana fluctuation here is me, moly!¡± Mole Woman also joined in monitoring the Banyan Tree Dungeon. ¡°I feel slight vibrations. It seems like the Servers are connecting. Watch out!¡±

    Yu-Ri, Earth¡¯s worst viin before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, nodded, getting ready to strike.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok gasped for breath, having expended a significant amount of energy. Although he had conducted numerous meditations and sought answers within his microcosm, this time had been particrly challenging.

    ¡°It seems like I seeded, but...¡±

    The Empress of Helly unconscious, her clothes torn at the seams due to her drastically increased size.

    <i>¡®I need to take a break.¡¯ </i>Dizziness overwhelmed Jin-Hyeok, and his breath would not steady.

    Amidst this, several messages from Yu-Mi arrived, informing him that the Army of Hell had indeed appeared and that Yu-Ri had decimated them. A thrilling sensation shot through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck.

    <i>¡®Wow, we¡¯ve be much stronger!¡¯ </i>He reminisced about his time as a government official before his regression. <i>¡®I never dreamed of handling things like this back then.¡¯</i>

    Back then, whenever he tried to do anything, he had to submit documents, seek approvals, gauge the mood of politicians, and usually miss the right moment to act, ending up aplishing nothing due to the frustrating bureaucracy of permissions and approvals. Whenever there was damage due to monsters, Jin-Hyeok and his team were the ones who got med.

    <i>¡®But now, everything is clicking into ce perfectly.¡¯ </i>

    He felt a rush from the excellent teamwork, apletely different charm from solo ys.

    <i>¡®Are the Subi and Seo sisters doing well?¡¯ </i>

    The Subi, the Seo sisters, the Assassins they led, the ck ck Alliance, and even Park Terse were heading to the Third Hell, guided by Mole Woman, aiming to strike at the enemy¡¯s hearnd with their elite forces absent.

    <i>¡°We Subi need a home too. Watching you, I have realized how important it is to have a leader. I am trying to be that leader for the Subi, to carve out a territory for us.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Are you going to help me with my livestreaming?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Of course, I think this is going to be great content for your channel.¡±</i>

    The Subi were the ones who had devised the initial n, and Sae-Rin had polished it. Terse had volunteered, intrigued by the exotic life forms he expected to find in Hell. Jin-Hyeok could not help feeling a generational shift.

    <i>¡®Earth was always the Server being invaded...¡¯ </i>

    Earth being invaded was a daily urrence before his regression, due to the Server¡¯s mediocre strength. Earth was strong enough that other Servers did not look cowardly when invading it, but it was not so strong that it could retaliate against other Servers. Earth was just a mid-tier Server.

    <i>¡®This Beckant bastard used to invade us all the time.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Beckant was a viin who overtly demanded three hundred men and three hundred women from Earth, both of decent appearance; he even had a history of causing chaos in the United States and assassinating the president.

    <i>¡®Now we are the invaders...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok marveled at how much the world had changed.

    ***

    Beckant clenched his teeth in fury. <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>

    He had transformed into a massive wolf, crossing his arms to block the barrage of shes.

    ¡°We did note here to fight you!¡± Beckant yelled. His n to create chaos with his Army of Hell and then head straight to the Empress of Hell had crumbled. Somehow, Earth had anticipated and prepared for their invasion.

    ¡°But... we are... nning to fight... you...!¡± Martial King Jeong-Hyeon was talking slowly, but his movements were quick.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s fist hit Beckant¡¯s chest, pushing him back a couple of steps.

    <i>¡®The audacity of a newbie from a new Server!¡¯ </i>Beckant instinctively knew that Jeong-Hyeon was inferior to him. If this had been Hell, he could have torn apart thetter with one hand. However, here, it was not that easy. The opponent¡¯s defense was too strong, boosted by the Guardian Tree.<i> ¡®Was the power of the Guardian Tree always this strong?¡¯</i>

    Beckant had underestimated the new Server, but the power of the Guardian Tree here seemed to rival that of Arvis¡¯s. Moreover, the golden meteor-like lights falling from the sky were stronger than he thought they would be. Thousands upon thousands of beams of light were slicing through the Army of Hell.

    <i>¡®Damn it all!¡¯ </i>Beckant assumed that a ranker from a powerful Server like Arvis was helping them. <i>¡®Talk about bad luck!¡¯</i>

    However, as the fight went on, Beckant realized that there were no rankers from an Arvis-level Server here.

    <i>¡®How are they so strong? I have never seen such attacks from a new Server.¡¯ </i>

    Even the one firing those beams of light, Yu-Ri, was surprised. ¡°Was I... really this strong?¡±

    Although she had been intensely training every day, modeling her standard after Chul-Soo, she had not expected to be able to unleash such powerful attacks continuously.

    ¡°This is not my power.¡± Even with her proven strength inbat, continuous firing of such destructive force was impossible.

    Shortly after, a voice like thunder rolled down from the sky.

    -¡°Behold! The best defense is offense! Hahahaha!¡±

    This was the power of the Guardian Tree.

    ***

    Beckant swung his ws widely to distance himself from Jeong-Hyeon.

    ¡°Retreat!¡±

    He vowed to show these foolish and naive earthlings their ce in due time. He returned to the Third Hell with his surviving elite forces, battered and bruised, and stood before the gate.

    ¡°Open the gate.¡±

    As he passed through, a scent of peaches filled the air¡ªa scent that inexplicably made his heart flutter. For some reason, he craved alcohol.

    Back in his castle, he indulged in drink.

    ¡°Perhaps you should stop drinking. You have had quite enough.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Beckant looked at the woman serving his drinks. <i>¡®She is beautiful.¡¯</i>

    Lilia kept handing drinks to Beckant. ¡°You must have had a very brave day today.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    The sweet voice delved into Beckant¡¯s mind. As he had suffered a humiliating defeat to an underestimated foe, his mind was riddled with vulnerabilities, making it easy for Lilia to seduce him. The elites led by Beckant were no different.

    ¡°Were there always such beautiful women in Hell?¡±

    ¡°They are so beautiful, hehe!¡±

    ¡°Come here. Yes, you. How old are you?¡±

    The Subi were fully mobilized. Everyone sumbed to the alcohol, and next up were the ck ck Alliance and the Seo sisters.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s surprisingly easy...¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Is it supposed to be this easy?¡¯</i>

    The Assassins themselves felt their hearts racing.

    <i>¡®So, this is the power of gathering information and how a Ruler uses them...¡¯</i>

    Had they faced the Hell King Beckant and his minions in directbat, they would have stood no chance. However, now, they were easily eliminating the forces of the Hell King. Turning the power of ten into the power of a hundred¡ªthat was the power of information and a skilled Ruler.

    However, there were still problems.

    ¡°Beckant¡¯s skin is too tough. My knife won¡¯t go in.¡±

    ¡°His defensive stats are incredibly high!¡±

    Neither the Seo sisters nor Kwak Do-Hyeon could prate the thick skin of the Hell King.

    Lilia handed them a potion and said, ¡°Use this. And it will be much easier.¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°This is a potion to weaken defensive stats, especially given by Chul-Soo Land No.1. You all are close to Mr. Chul-Soo, and for Chul-Soo Land, handing out such an item is not a big deal. However, she asked to keep it a secret that she gave this to you.¡±

    Seo Ji-Ah silently epted the potion and thought, <i>¡®Can this really neutralize Hell King¡¯s defense?¡¯</i>

    She opened the potion and applied it to Hell King¡¯s neck. <i>¡®Only one way to find out.¡¯</i>

    She swung her dagger.

 Chapter 317

    <h4>Chapter 317</h4>

    Beckant, the King of Hell, was hung from the city gates. The elite forces loyal to him suffered the same fate. This news shocked the entire universe, including even Cha Jin-Hyeok, who was receiving updates regarding this situation.

    <i>¡®Wow, it worked!¡¯</i>

    Although Beckant was considered the Hell King, it was difficult to see him as strong as the other rulers of Hell. He was born into a powerful family and had inherited his power.

    <i>¡®I knew he was strong butzy and arrogant, never putting in the effort needed.¡¯</i>

    Nevertheless, his inherent abilities were outstanding enough to ce him at the lower end of the universe¡¯s top rankings. The thing that had brought him down was abined effort of the Subi and Earth-born yers, and that too on Beckant¡¯s Server.

    Jin-Hyeok gleaned another lesson from this. <i>¡®Thebination of seduction and assassination techniques is indeed deadly.¡¯</i>

    If these two synergized well, differences in Level or Skills became irrelevant. A moment¡¯s carelessness could be fatal.

    Remembering Lilia¡¯s kind smile, Jin-Hyeok reaffirmed his resolve. <i>¡®I must not be deceived by that warm smile and tone of voice.¡¯</i>

    Anyone could end up like Beckant if they were deceived. This presented Jin-Hyeok with a new possibility.

    <i>¡®As expected, if properly honed, nothing is as powerful as the art of seduction.¡¯</i>

    It would be negligent to ignore such a potent skill. Jin-Hyeok realized he needed to practice the art of seduction more diligently.

    <i>¡®Anyway, themand structure of the Third Hell is now shattered. The problem remains with the citizens of the Third Hell...¡¯</i>

    Whether the residents of the Third Hell would ept and acknowledge their new overlords remained uncertain, but it was indeed a moment when a new haven was being established for the Subi.

    ***

    Before she knew it, the Empress of Hell had regained consciousness.

    <i>¡®I am going to wait a bit longer.¡¯ </i>Even at thest moment, the Empress of Hell did not let her guard down. She kept her true feelings concealed. <i>¡®I am most vulnerable right now. If someone harbored malicious intent against me, they would attack me now. But... no one is attacking me.¡¯</i>

    The Empress of Hell found this somewhat puzzling. After all, the Fourth Hell was considered the weakest Hell. Moreover, many were displeased with her ascending to the throne of a lord. Division seemed inevitable.

    <i>¡®If they kill me here, they can take over the Fourth Hell very easily.¡¯</i>

    Eventually, she slowly got up.

    ¡°Oh, are you awake now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°There is something I want to ask you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± She was curious, wondering why he had not attacked her, why he was using his limited miracles to help her¡ªwhat were his motives.

    <i>¡®Could this be the outburst of justice that others speak about? Is it affection and consideration for my situation?¡¯</i>

    It was hard for her to understand. She asked again, ¡°Why are you going to such lengths?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head, surprised by the obviousness and simplicity of the situation. ¡°Well, it¡¯s great content for my Eltube channel.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes remained clear. The Empress of Hell noticed that he was speaking the truth and could not help but smile.

    <i>¡®I guess this is better,¡¯ </i>she thought. She liked the clear sincerity in Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes.

    Now that Gahi had be a man, he[1] continued, ¡°Chul-Soo, you probably achieved an All-Clear as soon as you left the Banyan Tree Dungeon.¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes widened. <i>¡®How does the Dungeon boss monster know about this?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo knew Gahi was not just any ordinary Dungeon boss monster, but something more special seemed to be hidden within him.

    ***

    After Kim Min-Ji¡¯s surprise attack(?), Verpalto barely managed to gather his wits before his mind went nk again. <i>¡®That damned Empress of Hell...!¡¯</i>

    He was worried about just how much the Empress of Hell was nning to reveal.

    ¡°Stop him! Stop him by any means!¡± Verpalto yelled.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to intervene artificially through the System, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    Verpalto, a radical hardliner dispatched to manage Seoul, had a sinking feeling. <i>¡®I am... probably going to be fired.¡¯</i>

    Being fired would be a relief for him. The thought that he could even be <i>assassinated </i>crossed his mind.

    <i>¡®I need to do something.¡¯ </i>It was already toote for him to undo his mistakes. <i>¡®I have to survive.¡¯</i>

    He decided to confront the issue head-on by meeting directly with Chul-Soo. As he stepped outside, he headed to Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop instead of going to Chul-Soo¡¯s home.

    ¡°Please save me. At this rate, I am going to die!¡± Verpalto begged Gap-Soo.

    ¡°Do you not see that I am watching the livestream right now? Go wait over there for a bit.¡±

    Gap-Soo was enjoying Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream from a high-end media room. In the livestream, the Empress of Hell was speaking.

    ¡°At times, the lords of Hell are contracted by upper GMs. They are summoned as Dungeon Masters when bnce adjustments are needed, and tasked with killing those who disrupt the bnce. In the past, they have also killed yers who annoyed the GMs.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying this is not the System¡¯s initiative but one from the GMs?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It has been going on for over a hundred years.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°Well, that makes sense. All yers who met us have died.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok paused for a moment and thought, <i>¡®So, they are not your ordinary Dungeon bosses.¡¯</i>

    They were rankers from other Servers, recruited by the GMs for a special purpose. His mind grewplicated. <i>¡®That means the creation of the Banyan Tree Dungeon before my regression was... due to GMs who disliked how fast we were bing stronger?¡¯</i>

    It seemed highly likely.

    <i>¡®Who was the director of the Seoul Management Bureau before my regression?¡¯ </i>

    It was Yael, an angelic GM with two wings, known for his mild nature and favorable attitude toward Earth.

    <i>¡®So, he was the bastard who ordered to have us killed?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt somewhat puzzled. He was not very angry at the Empress of Hell who had killed hisrades, but he was furious at the GM who had ordered it. Nevertheless, that did not matter now.

    <i>¡®I think taking down the GMs could make for good content.¡¯</i>

    It was an intriguing idea for content, though it came with significant risks and needed thorough preparation.

    ¡°Is it okay that you are telling me all this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked the Empress of Hell.

    ¡°There is no use that says I can¡¯t.¡±

    That was the more terrifying fact.

    <i>¡®They probably did not bother with such a use since they nned to kill all the yers that got in their way.¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok continued the livestream. ¡°This is turning out to be quite shocking. The fact that the GMs manipted the life and death of yers to their liking... I think that is outside the range of their authority, don¡¯t you guys think? I was lucky to survive, but one misstep and I would have died, just like they wanted me to. Empress of Hell, please tell us clearly. Were you actually trying to kill me?¡±

    ¡°They asked me to y with you a bit before killing you.¡±

    <i>¡°Good thing I am bored right now. I shall entertain myself with you for a while.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok nodded as he remembered the first things the Empress of Hell had said when they met in the Dungeon before his regression.

    <i>¡®So that¡¯s why he let us off easy before my regression,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It seemed like another trick by the GMs. They were deploying the lords of Hell to kill yers who were starting to stand out, and clearly, they had been careful about it.

    <i>¡®If yers had died too easily, people would haveined about difficulty issues. The GMs would have hated the attention.¡¯</i>

    An rm went off in the Seoul Management Bureau.

    ¡°Burn all the meeting records! Dispose of all documents rted to the Banyan Tree Dungeon!¡±

    ¡°But the director is not here!¡±

    ¡°I am the deputy director! I will take responsibility, just destroy everything! Leave no trace!¡±

    The GMs scrambled frantically.

    ¡°Deputy Director... we can¡¯t delete the files.¡±

    ¡°It seems like we have been hacked!¡±

    The deputy director¡¯s legs gave out, and he copsed.

    The faces of the GMs turned pale.

    ***

    The Empress of Hell continued, ¡°However, one person survived a long time ago. He survived in the era of my great-grandfather.¡±

    A name popped up in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, a name that had been continuously mentioned and intertwined in recent discussions.

    ¡°Is it Garbinu?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes. Your knowledge of the subject is impressive. It was indeed Garbinu. He survived in a manner simr to you and also obtained the All-Clear reward. My grandfather often told stories about that time.¡±

    ¡°What was Garbinu¡¯s reward?¡±

    ¡°It was probably the same as what you have received.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sensed that this was the right moment. He decided to share the details of the All-Clear reward he had been saving.

    <strong>[<u>All-Clear (Banyan Tree Dungeon)</u>]</strong>

    <strong>[An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear an ?Ownerless Dungeon?.]</strong>

    ¡°That is different from usual,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He also shared the All-Clear he had earned before forparison.

    <strong>[All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)]</strong>

    <strong>[An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]</strong>

    ¡°Usually, the Dungeon name is disyed like this, but this time, the All-Clear mentions an Ownerless Dungeon. It seems like a side effect caused by the GMs¡¯ trickery because it is not a Dungeon legitimately created by the System.¡±

    <strong>[All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)]</strong>

    <strong>[An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear Sareoga Mart Dungeon.</strong>

    <strong>1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer will maintain an invulnerability state within Ownerless Dungeons.</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer receives a significant boost in all experience gained in Ownerless Dungeons.]</strong>

    ¡°I guess this means I will be invincible or nearly so in a Dungeon manipted by the GMs. Sounds pretty good.¡±

    The action and its opposite reaction were always equal. When Jin-Hyeok had cleared the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, the Achievement was ¡®The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by the monsters of Sareoga Mart Dungeon.¡¯ Now, it had be ¡®maintains an invulnerability state.¡¯

    <strong>[2) Owner of the Ownerless ce</strong>

    <strong>-The Achievement bearer can appoint an owner to any ce where an owner can be appointed.</strong>

    <strong>-?]</strong>

    Apart from a simple line of exnation, it was marked with a question mark.

    ¡°I am not sure what this means. Being able to appoint an owner to any ce... I guess we will find out over time,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Garbinu appointed his name to everything in the world and became their master himself,¡± the Empress of Hell said. He knew far more than expected. ¡°Thergest unit he imed was a Server.¡±

    ¡°A Server?¡±

    <i>¡®Does that mean a yer can be an owner of a Server? It¡¯s odd to think there could be an owner of a Server...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. It would be like saying, ¡®I am the owner of Earth,¡¯ and suddenly bing the owner just by dering it.

    ¡°He used to say it habitually, that he would be the owner of the Arvis Server,¡± the Empress of Hell said.

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok pondered it for a moment before speaking. ¡°Maybe I should try it.¡±

    Bing the owner of the Earth Server seemed far-fetched, but he had nothing to lose by trying.

    ¡°Especially since this is also the territory of the Guardian Tree,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Feeling a strong mental bond to the Guardian Tree, he sensed the state of the Guardian Tree. It was very pleased after showing off its powerful defensive abilities.

    ¡°And the Sareoga Mart Dungeon is nearby,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued. In the Sareoga Mart Dungeon, all of his abilities were significantly enhanced. ¡°If I use God of Luck, I might be able to achieve something.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok moved to the Sareoga Mart Dungeon and decided to immediately test the All-Clear effect Owner of the Ownerless ce.

    1. The author decided to change the pronouns here and not as soon as the operation was sessful. It appears to be a creative choice, so I¡¯ve not changed it. ?

 Chapter 318

    <h4>Chapter 318</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok entered the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

    <strong>[You have activated the Achievement effect ?Owner of the Ownerless ce?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok instinctively closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged. The sensation of being sucked in enveloped him, and a vast microcosm unfolded before him. It was filled with a grand will that was beyond human sight and understanding.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t make sense of anything.¡¯ </i>He felt as though he was adrift in a boundless sea without apass. <i>¡®What should I do now?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok meditated in his cross-legged position for a long while, and the Empress of Hell Gahi silently observed him.

    <i>¡®I just followed him because I had something to say, but...¡¯ </i>the Empress of Hell thought.

    Right now, Jin-Hyeok seemed too absorbed in his mediation.

    <i>¡®He ispletely defenseless, knowing well I am right beside him.¡¯</i>

    This was an unfamiliar sight for Gahi, who had survived the harsh life of Hell and ascended to govern the Fourth Hell. Gahi had never shown such a defenseless posture even in front of his most cherished subordinates.

    <i>¡®Does he trust me that much?¡¯ </i>Gahi found this both novel and surprising. The feeling of receiving ungrounded trust from someone was very new to him. <i>¡®It feels kind of good.¡¯</i>

    Gahi decided to stay alert for any possible enemy intrusion. The radical GMs could have hired Assassins to quell the situation. A piece of the Dungeon ceiling crumbled slightly.

    <i>¡®A minor earthquake?¡¯ </i>Gahi thought. Such urrences weremon in Dungeons. <i>¡®This could distract Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Gahi released his energy and covered the ceiling with Luminous Frost, reinforcing the Dungeon by erecting ice pirs throughout. The Fist Monkeys had long since hidden throughout the Dungeon at the arrival of Jin-Hyeok and Gahi.

    <i>¡®Now, it has be quiet.¡¯</i>

    The Dungeon was so still that even the sound of breathing was audible.

    ***

    ¡°Copse the Dungeon,¡± the deputy director said.

    ¡°B-But, Sir...!¡±

    ¡°But what?! Do we have another option right now?¡±

    The deputy director made a judgment call and decided that eliminating Chul-Soo would be the best course of action under the circumstances. It was not an ideal choice, but it was better than the worst-case scenario. However, copsing the Sareoga Mart Dungeon proved to be no easy task.

    ¡°What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you obeying my order?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to do it, Sir, but it¡¯s not working!¡±

    ¡°Why not?!¡±

    ¡°It seems the structural elements of the Dungeon have been reinforced!¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok had delved into meditation, the livestream was temporarily disconnected. Nothing could be confirmed through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, so determining what was happening inside the Dungeon was difficult.

    ¡°How is that possible? It¡¯s not like the Wood King is in there with him!¡±

    If Mok Jae-Hyeon had been there, perhaps he could have erected wooden pirs to reinforce the Dungeon, but he wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening with hiring the Assassins?¡± the deputy director asked.

    ¡°They all refused, Sir. It seems the Assassins do not want to be involved in this matter. It is also the protected territory of the Guardian Tree of Seoul, and above all, with the Empress of Hell there, the risk is too high in their eyes.¡±

    ¡°Cowards! All of them!¡± The deputy director bit his lip hard.

    <i>¡®There is only one thing I can count on right now.¡¯</i>

    The only person he could trust was the director. Though the director¡¯s prediction had always been wrong till now, he was still a man of insight.

    <i>¡®When will you arrive at the Dungeon, Director...?¡¯</i>

    The director, who had left to negotiate with Chul-Soo, was theirst hope.

    ¡°We have done all we can.¡±

    All they could do now was watch and hope. They decided to trust the director.

    ***

    Even in the engulfing darkness that seemed to pull him in, Jin-Hyeok struggled to maintain consciousness. <i>¡®I guess my livestream is cut off.¡¯</i>

    This realization weighed heavily on him and served as a powerful motivator. Thanks to this, he managed to keep his mind clear even as he navigated through the vast universe heading toward the abyss.

    <i>¡®I must somehow restore the livestream.¡¯</i>

    His resolve was remarkable. After wandering through the microcosm for a long time in search of light, he finally spotted a small light in the distance.

    <i>¡®I found it.¡¯</i>

    The light began to appear atst. When he came to, he found himself standing in front of it. The light was so bright that looking at it directly seemed difficult. Jin-Hyeok reached out and grasped it.

    <strong>[The Achievement effect ?Owner of the Ownerless ce? is being applied.]</strong>

    Instinctively, he came to realize many things.

    <strong>[?Sareoga Mart Dungeon? has no designated owner.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you wish to be the owner of ?Sareoga Mart Dungeon??]</strong>

    Inside the microcosm, Jin-Hyeok shook his head. He had no desire to be the owner of just one Dungeon.

    <i>¡®I am following in Garbinu¡¯s footsteps.¡¯</i>

    Given the circumstances so far, it was highly likely that Garbinu had be the owner of the Arvis Server.

    <i>¡®I want to be the owner of the Earth Server.¡¯</i>

    That was the only way he could catch up to Garbinu. Jin-Hyeok tightened his grip on the light, battling every moment not to lose consciousness due to the rapid breathing.

    <i>¡®If I lose consciousness after having already lost connection to my livestream, I would be a fool!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew he had the Empress of Hell on his side to support him. As a ruler of Hell with exceptional mental abilities, Gahi was fully aware of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s condition.

    <strong>[?Seoul? has no designated owner.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you wish to be the owner of ?Seoul??]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok almost nodded unknowingly. It was like a siren¡¯s call. The temptation was so sweet and hard to resist.

    <i>¡®I won¡¯t be seduced by such things anymore!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had always been most wary of such enticements. He was able to resist falling into this trap.

    <strong>[The ?Korean Region? has no designated owner.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you wish to be the owner of the ?Korean Region??]</strong>

    The temptation was even greater this time. His instincts were screaming at him to nod right then and there.

    <i>¡®I must resist. Falling for such a trick would prevent me from bing a top-ranked yer.¡¯</i>

    To sumb to a siren¡¯s call now, especially after the livestream had been cut off, would be utterly shameful.

    Finally, a notification came.

    <strong>[The ?Earth Server? has no designated owner.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you wish to be the owner of the ?Earth Server??]</strong>

    Atst, Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ***

    A notification simultaneously reached all yers on Earth.

    <strong>[A candidate has been registered for the ownership of the ?Earth Server?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Please participate in the voting.]</strong>

    A holographic ballot appeared in front of each yer.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Is this some kind of spam?¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t it go away?¡±

    The ballot would not disappear until the yers had voted.

    ¡°Wait a minute... Isn¡¯t this candidate... Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo as an owner candidate? What¡¯s this about?¡±

    ¡°Hey, look, there is an underlined description underneath. Check it out.¡±

    <strong>[<u>Detailed information on the changes that will ur if an owner is registered</u>.]</strong>

    The yers on Earth were taken aback by this unfamiliar announcement.

    ¡°I know that Chul-Soo has done good things for our Server, but does it make sense for Earth to have an owner? I am against it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we are in a dictatorship Server. That¡¯s just not right. I am also opposed to the idea.¡±

    <strong>[Voting is not possible until all details are confirmed.]</strong>

    yers were required to check the details. Currently, Egan Paul, the second most influential person on Earth after Kim Chul-Soo, was livestreaming about this event.

    ¡°It does not seem to be the typical concept of the owner being a dictator,¡± Egan said. Having reviewed all the detailed descriptions, he publicly cast his vote for Chul-Soo. ¡°Let me summarize it for you. If an owner is set for the Earth Server, the experience points across the whole will be tripled. I¡¯m sure, as yers, you know what it means to have your experience points tripled.¡±

    A thirty percent increase in experience points was already considered significant, but triple that was an incredible advantage.

    ¡°Moreover, the amount of Dias you will obtain will also be tripled. The drop rate for various items will significantly increase. It is not detailed exhaustively, but it seems that the item drop rate for rare items will also triple. Additionally, newborns will inherit some of the abilities and Levels of their parents.¡± Egan continued, visibly excited, ¡°It¡¯s almost... like looking at the Arvis Server!¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok slowly opened his eyes and realized that the Empress of Hell was aiding him.

    <i>¡®He is quite helpful in many ways.¡¯</i>

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, the Empress of Hell had helped him regain his sanity when he had been on the brink of death. Now, Gahi was helping Jin-Hyeok stay sane again.

    Gahi asked, ¡°Have you be the owner of the Earth Server?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet. It seems that will be decided by a vote.¡±

    ¡°A vote?¡±

    ¡°It appears to be a public vote that willst forty-eight hours.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Being a ruler of his Server, Gahi had many questions about the concept of an <i>owner. </i>¡°What changes ur if you be the owner?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok exined the benefits.

    ¡°It is all beneficial for the residents. Only a fool would oppose it. But are there any perks for the owner?¡± Gahi asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    yers would earn three times the experience points. In return, 0.1 percent of that experience would be contributed to the <i>owner. </i>Jin-Hyeok resumed the livestream and shared this detail as well. ¡°Let¡¯s assume a situation where you guys will earn one thousand experience points. If you acknowledge me as the owner of the Earth Server, yers will earn three thousand experience points. Out of that, three points will be transferred to me.¡±

    This meant that in exchange for giving up three points to Jin-Hyeok, the yers would gain a benefit of 2,997 experience points.

    ¡°How many yers are there on Earth?¡± Gahi asked.

    ¡°About two billion?¡±

    Gahi was momentarily lost for words. He could be witnessing the birth of a new universe-level ranker.

    ¡®¡°However, I can only level up by one per day,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Even so, this change practically guaranteed Chul-Soo a level-up every day.

    Gahi shivered. <i>¡®He might not just be a universe-level ranker... I might be witnessing the rise of a new absolute ruler of the universe!¡¯</i>

    If someone wanted Jin-Hyeok to be eliminated, now could be the only time.

    <i>¡®But I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯</i>

    Gahi owed Jin-Hyeok too much and could not betray the trust thetter had shown him.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I propose an alliance.¡±

    ¡°An alliance?¡±

    ¡°I have long desired to unify Hell. it would be good if we could join forces.¡± Gahi had already made many ns in his mind and thought through what he would offer to Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®I could propose the ownership of Hell.¡¯</i>

    While Gahi did not particrly like the sound of the title <i>owner, </i>from his perspective, there was nothing to lose. He was confident it would be a win-win situation for both Chul-Soo and Hell.

    ¡°Of course, I know that if you ept my proposal, it is going to be a dangerous and arduous journey, but...¡±

    Gahi was preparing reasons to convince Jin-Hyeok, but...

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, I know it¡¯s going to be hard, but I wouldn¡¯t ask this to anyo¡ª huh?¡±

    ¡°I will join you.¡± Jin-Hyeok immediately nodded. He seemed to be in a good mood, chuckling.

    <i>¡®A conquest of Hell?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The title alone was perfect for Eltube content. It would be content that no one else had dared to showcase. It would be content that unified five Hells!

    <i>¡®What a grand-scale venture!¡¯</i>

    By this point, Gahi was the one taken aback. ¡°Let me say it again. It is going to be dangerous. The rulers of Hell possess great power and armies.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes gleamed even brighter.

    Twenty-four hours had passed, halfway through the forty-eight-hour voting period.

 Chapter 319

    <h4>Chapter 319</h4>

    If the yers could ovee their dislike of the idea of Earth having an owner, they would realize they had nothing to lose by this. Yet, many yers still opposed the idea of Cha Jin-Hyeok bing the owner of the Earth Server.

    ¡°There is no way Earth can have an <i>owner, </i>nor should it ever!¡±

    ¡°Eventually, we will be stripped of our freedom.¡±

    ¡°We must not make a foolish choice now, tempted by sweetness, only to regret it in the future!¡±

    Protests erupted everywhere, and shes between supporters and opposers became intense. Given that the majority were yers, these confrontations sometimes even escted into violence. With only twenty-four hours remaining, the conflict between the two factions was fierce.

    Meanwhile, Kim Min-Ji was busy chomping on a lollipop as big as her face.

    ¡°Are they idiots? It¡¯s in their interest, so why protest against it?¡± Min-Ji said to Gap-Soo.

    Choi Gap-Soo smiled broadly. Although Min-Ji¡¯s real age was unclear, she looked like a high-school student, and her face, flushed with indignation, seemed oddly endearing.

    ¡°It must be the aversion to the word <i>owner,</i>¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°And why is that?¡± Min-Ji found it iprehensible. She was sure that Chul-Soo would make a great owner of the Earth Server.

    ¡°People think the benefits are too good to be true and that there might be disadvantagester.¡±

    ¡°What disadvantages?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know exactly, but they think there must be some. It¡¯s human nature to fear the unknown.¡±

    Min-Ji sighed. ¡°Hey, do you think I should rig the vote?¡±

    ¡°You want to rig it?¡±

    Min-Ji crossed her legs and scowled. ¡°But I am worried the vote share might end up over 100 percent.¡±

    Helping Chul-Soo through hacking was not a difficult task. However, a mistake could lead to an inconvenient situation where the approval rate exceeded one hundred percent.

    ¡°If there are 100 people and 120 vote in favor, it will be too obvious that I intervened.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that if it¡¯s too obvious, my mom will stop me from enjoying my hobbies again!¡±

    ***

    On the surface, the ones opposing seemed far more vehement than those in favor. However, the results told a different story.

    <strong>[Approved 72%, Opposed 28%]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was established as the owner of Earth.

    <strong>[Experience points on all Earth Fields are now tripled.]</strong>

    <strong>[Dias acquisition on all Earth Fields is now tripled.]</strong>

    <strong>[Item drop rate on all Earth Fields is now significantly increased.]</strong>

    Even Jin-Hyeok found the oue somewhat unexpected. <i>¡®I thought it would be a close call.¡¯</i>

    ording to Cha Jin-Sol, the majority had quietly voted in favor, while a vocal minority fervently protested against it.

    <i>¡®What happened is pretty interesting.¡¯</i>

    Considering the onlinemunities¡¯ reaction, one would have thought the opposition was overwhelming. For Jin-Hyeok, who was always mindful of public perception, this was a new experience.

    ¡°Congrattions, Earthlord,¡± Gahi said.

    Apparently, this was what people from other Servers called the owner of a Server.

    ¡°Are you ready to depart for Hell?¡± Gahi asked. He emerged from the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe, after what was his twelfth shower in just twenty-four hours. Apparently, Hell did not have such fine shower facilities.

    When his robe gaped slightly, revealing his well-defined pectoral muscles, Jin-Hyeok did not miss the moment.

    ¡°You must be quite popr,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    The door mmed shut. It seemed like Jin-Sol had also been stealing nces at Gahi.

    ¡°That miracle is truly remarkable,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Hassan¡¯s miracle was astounding. Gahi, who looked stunning before the operation, became even more radiant after transitioning to a man. An online fandom named Helling (Hell + Healing) had been created to support Gahi, and it was growing big across the universe. With just one livestream, the Empress of Hell was bing a universal star.

    Jin-Hyeok spoke earnestly. ¡°Promise me. You will appear on my livestream without hiding your face.¡±

    ¡°I promise. Though I don¡¯t see why that is important.¡±

    ¡°The fact that you don¡¯t know is why you are still a rookie.¡± Even Jin-Hyeok hade to appreciate the power of being handsome only recently. ¡°With time, you will understand the value of what you hold now. I assure you as a senior.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So? Should I still call you the Empress of Hell?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Gahi had already thought of a new title. ¡°From now on, call me Hell Man.¡±

    ¡°Hell Man? That doesn¡¯t sound as impactful as Empress of Hell or King of Hell. Wouldn¡¯t something like the Grand Lord of Hell or Emperor of Hell sound cooler?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Gahi was deeply impressed by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s y. ¡°On Earth, or rather, in the universe, they call you Intense Man, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Then, I hope to be called Hell Man.¡± Gahi was adamant.

    ***

    The Subi that had taken over King Beckant¡¯s pce in the Fourth Hell were being pushed back, as the residents of Hell rose against them.

    Lilia remarked, ¡°I expected some resistance, but this is quite severe?¡±

    Seo Ji-Soo, Seo Ji-Ah, and Kwak Do-Hyeong, along with the members of the ck Thorn Alliance, were reaching their physical limits. Assassins were weak inrge-scale battles. If not for Park Terse¡¯s ability to marshal a vast number of monsters andmand armies, the gates would have already been breached.

    ¡°Siege Weapon Shin Yu-Ri wille here to help us,¡± Lilia said.

    Han Sae-Rin shook her head. ¡°This problem cannot be solved with force alone.¡±

    Yu-Ri¡¯s arrival would undoubtedly aid the defense, and she could even decimate the protesting residents in one fell swoop.

    ¡°Killing them all won¡¯t make thisnd ours. Oppression only leads to greater resistance. Of course, it is possible to suppress them with even greater force, since if violence does not solve your problem, you are not using enough of it,¡± Sae-Rin added. However, deploying such tremendous force was difficult. For it to be feasible, Earth itself would need to possess a far greater power than Hell. ¡°We need to win their hearts...¡±

    For the yers and Subi from Earth, winning the hearts of the residents proved challenging.

    Lilia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What should we do then?¡±

    ¡°Wait. The Empress of Hell will be arriving soon.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s the ruler of the Fourth Hell, and he doesn¡¯t have much to do with the Third Hell.¡±

    Contrary to expectations, there was a connection.

    ¡°I have ordered the beheading of the tyrant King Beckant,¡± Gahi said. The Empress of Hell, not introducing himself as Hell Man, boldly stepped forward in front of the residents of the Third Hell. ¡°Residents of the Third Hell, trust in me and return to a peaceful life.¡±

    King Beckant was not a well-regarded ruler to begin with. Many desired a new leader.

    ¡°How can we trust you?¡±

    ¡°How can we trust someone from the Fourth Hell?!¡±

    The five Hells did not like each other. Historically, they had attacked and plundered each other, each iming to be the <i>real Hell</i>.

    ¡°I promise you all. I will bring you prosperity,¡± Gahi said.

    ¡°Words are cheap. You can say anything!¡±

    ¡°I will ensure that every home has a shower that provides a continuous flow of hot water.¡±

    Engineers from Earth had been transferred en masse to the Third Hell. Arge-scale project had begun in Hell.

    ***

    Lee Hyeon-Seong, known as the Anus Destroyer, was recently feeling conflicted about his values. <i>¡®I know I¡¯m supposed to be intense, but.... can what is happening truly be excused simply as intensity? Installing boilers and shower facilities in each home is one thing, but...¡¯</i>

    Hell Man was not just persuading the residents; he was slightly brainwashing them using his mental abilities.

    ¡°The Fourth and Third Hells will be one. The distinction between them will disappear, and you will no longer view the Fourth Hell as an adversary.¡± Hell Man¡¯s mental powers were indeed formidable. There were hardly any protesters near the pce, and some had even switched to vocally supporting Hell Man.

    Feeling his sense of justice wavering, Hyeon-Seong sought advice from Jin-Hyeok.

    After hearing everything, Jin-Hyeok looked puzzled. ¡°And you¡¯re confused about how you are feeling?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What we are doing is not justice. We shouldn¡¯t gain support by manipting people.¡±

    ¡°You really see only one side of things, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If Hell Man had brainwashed them, would their eyes still be focused?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Try adding seduction techniques to that equation. Everyone would look like they were insane.¡± Jin-Hyeok patted Hyeon-Seong¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do not judge merely by what you see. Hell Man is considered the top expert in that field, and he is making calcted, intense ys. Even if it seems somewhat unjust on the surface, he is making tremendous considerations.¡±

    <i>¡®But technically, Hell Man is still brainwashing them...¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong thought.

    Yet, everyone around them was praising Hell Man as being intense and giving him a thumbs up. Even Lilia and Maria, who Hyeon-Seong thought were rtively sane, agreed with Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Am I the one who is wrong here?¡¯ </i>His values were shaken.

    ***

    With Hell Man at the helm, the Third Hell quickly regained stability. The event that unfolded next was the most peaceful merger in Hell¡¯s history, drawing attention from across the universe. The news that Chul-Soo had be the owner of Earth was somewhat overshadowed.

    However, Jin-Hyeok was feeling the effects of being the <i>owner</i>.

    <i>¡®I am leveling up every day.¡¯</i>

    With two billion yers earning three times the usual experience points, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s experience points were skyrocketing.

    <i>¡®I heard Garbinu became incredibly powerful at some point. It must have been because of this.¡¯</i>

    His heart was pounding, and he was eager to be even stronger.

    <i>¡®If I am going to y, I might as well be number one. I might as well be the strongest.¡¯</i>

    Anything less than being the strongest seemed meaningless. The Jin-Hyeok, who was content with third ce, was no more.

    <i>¡®How much money have I umted?¡¯</i>

    Checking his finances had be pointless. Two billion yers were consistently transferring(?) money. Jin-Hyeok had invested most of his money in the infrastructure of the Third and Fourth Hells. Many referred to it as a modern-day New Deal.

    -You can¡¯t deny the Chul-Soo effect.

    -Be proud! Chul-Soo is from our country!

    -Those Koreans are being cheap! You should say that Chul-Soo is from our Server!

    -Right! How long will we confine Chul-Soo within the small vessel of a country?

    -Korea is too small to contain Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s generous investments and support brought a warm financial breeze to Earth¡¯s many constructionpanies. Architecture, civil engineering, plumbing, and electrical industries saw a huge number of people dispatched to Hell.

    -The economic effect caused by Chul-Soo is said to be in the trillions.

    -That makes sense since he is developing two Servers bigger than Earth.

    The economy began to revive on Earth. Numerous jobs were created, and stable employment opportunities arose. This was happening globally, but it was particrly noticeable in Korea.

    -Those Korean workers are insane!

    -I heard that they like to work fast, but this is something else.

    -I think they¡¯re viting human rights at this point.

    To other countries, the efficiency of Korean workers seemed to disregard human rights. However, Korean yers thought differently.

    -Foolish ones. This is what true INTENSITY looks like.

    The virtue of intensity began spreading globally. The capital of the Third Hell, chosen as the first city for therge-scale project, was quickly transforming into a modern cityscape, with some homes already enjoying hot showers. Those who experienced these new amenities were amazed.

    ¡°This is something else!¡±

    ¡°I support Hell Man!¡±

    As support for Hell Man grew, so did the public¡¯s friendly rtionship with Intense Man.

    Then, one day.

    ¡°This is officially the first content from Hell,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He started his livestream from the Third Hell. This was the real beginning. ¡°I will start my first content called Hell Conquest!¡±

    He had prepared intensely and fiercely.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see if we can hit a billion views!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 320

    <h4>Chapter 320</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok addressed his viewers. ¡°As you all know, to win the hearts of the residents of the Third Hell, Hell Man has allied with me to spread Earth¡¯s culture to Hell. This initiative has proven quite effective and is beneficial for both Earth and Hell. I want to emphasize that we pursue a peaceful and legal merger.¡±

    For the first time in a while, Jin-Hyeok conducted his livestream in the third-person perspective. He practiced an expression of deep regret before letting out a heavy sigh. ¡°However, things do not always go as nned.¡±

    He then released a series of prepared video clips. In one of them, a presumed noble of Hell was seen hanging a resident upside down and whipping him.

    ?You traitor!?

    ¡°The residents sympathetic to Earth and the Fourth Hell are being kidnapped and assaulted. It¡¯s truly regrettable.¡±

    He showed another video. This one showed Technician yers, sent from Earth, being bombarded with mass-destruction spells at their lodging.

    ¡°I was nearby and barely managed to intervene. If I weren¡¯t there, it would have been catastrophic.¡±

    These Technicians were disguised Tanks, but there was no need to divulge that detail.

    ¡°We are fully prepared for our Technicians¡¯ safety, but idents can happen at any time.¡±

    Opposition to the merger was expected.

    ¡°I cannot just stand by any longer. I am now in front of the grand mansion of Filiak, one of the great nobles of the Third Hell.¡±

    The journey here had been perilous. Jin-Hyeok had feigned exhaustion and suffered minor scratches here and there¡ªdeliberately incurred for dramatic effect. Filiak, anticipating Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arrival, had prepared thoroughly.

    ¡°Three days ago, I sent Filiak a letter, demanding his surrender and an end to the harsh oppression of the residents. Instead, he killed the messenger delivering the letter,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. His expression darkened. He had not anticipated the death of the messenger. ¡°I should have asked Angel Girl to secretly drop off the letter and leave... I am sorry. This was my oversight.¡±

    Many viewers were infuriated by his apology.

    -Why is he apologizing?

    -Should the cksmith apologize if someone is killed with a sword?

    -It¡¯s Filiak who did the killing, but Chul-Soo is the one apologizing. This is outrageous!

    ¡°Frankly, I wanted to storm in without following these protocols, but... we all have to abide by some basic rules; it is these rules that maintain the order of our world.¡± Jin-Hyeok received the signal from Wang Yu-Mi to wrap up the livestream. It seemed the theatrics could end here. ¡°It looks like I can no longer rely solely on peaceful methods.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok focused his energy, mimicking Shin Yu-Ri¡¯s Babylon Cannon, and raised his right hand.

    ¡°My right hand...,¡± he announced dramatically. Then he used Streamer effects for added ir, and a hexagram-shaped golden magic circle formed at his feet, generating strong winds. A soft golden glow enveloped his body, his clothes and hair fluttering in the wind. Parts of the golden glow shattered, appearing like scattering sparks. Of course, these effects had nothing to do with the actual power of the skill. ¡°...paves the way.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok muttered inwardly, <i>¡®O ck me Dragon of my right hand!¡¯</i>

    He spread his palm, and a thick golden beam shot forth. He intentionally aimed slightly toward the ground, leaving a long scar on the earth, as if a giant shovel had gouged thend.

    With a tremendous roar, the beam struck the medial European-style mansion, toppling a spire. Its destructive power was formidable.

    ***

    Filiak, the Great Ruler of the Third Hell, had been preparing for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s invasion. He had put considerable effort into his preparations.

    <i>¡®I would love to kill him before he even gets here... but that would be difficult,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Given that Chul-Soo was a yer with extreme defensive Skills such as Absolute Barrier, Filiak was also monitoring Chul-Soo¡¯s location and strategies. However, he sensed something was off.

    <i>¡®Something is different!¡¯</i>

    He did not see any of the scenes he expected to, whether it was Assassins being eliminated or traps being destroyed.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ </i>Then, it dawned on him. <i>¡®Chul-Soo is manipting his livestream in real-time!¡¯</i>

    This was the handiwork of the editor Kang Chul. Kang Chul had reached a level where he could analyze and edit a livestream within seconds.

    Jin-Hyeok did not need to show Assassins or destroyed traps. Given his experiences in Arvis, he found the difficulty of this ce significantly lower. So, he had allowed himself to be hit a few times to create minor injuries on his body, but showing that process could spark allegations of a staged livestream. That was why he decided it was better not to livestream low-quality content.

    Filiak, however, saw things differently.

    <i>¡®This coward! How deceitful must he be to cut those parts from his livestream! What kind of dirty tricks does he have up his sleeves? But none of that matters.¡¯ </i>Filiak preferred using his intellect over physical confrontation. <i>¡®I have deployed drones in anticipation of this.¡¯</i>

    While Filiak could not check the footage right then, he was certain all of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s underhanded tactics were being recorded. Suddenly, with a loud boom, the ground shook. A spire was obliterated.

    <i>¡®Wait, I thought I activated the barriers. Could Chul-Soo¡¯s attack have that much power even after breaking the barrier? Or did he break the barrier beforehand? Either way, it¡¯s clear that he is monstrously powerful.¡¯</i>

    Filiak strode out the main building¡¯s gate, crossing the central garden with its fountain and moving toward Jin-Hyeok. He appeared very imposing. ¡°What right does a filthy invader have toe here?¡±

    The content had already beenid out in the letter¡ªa duel to determine the winner, with the loser epting the oue and submitting to the victor.

    ¡°I came here at the behest of Hell Man to capture you. As I mentioned in my letter to you, I propose a one-on-one duel,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Filiak saw through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s y. <i>¡®He must know I am not best suited forbat and chose me for that reason.¡¯</i>

    There were still oppositions to Hell Man and IntenseMan in many ces in Hell.

    <i>¡®Choosing me from all those people means he is particrly cunning and maniptive,¡¯ </i>Filiak thought. However, the reality was slightly different.

    Jin-Hyeok chose Filiak because Filiak was the most famous and, thus, the best target for his content.

    <i>¡®But that will be your downfall and mistake.¡¯ </i>Filiak had no illusions about defeating Jin-Hyeok in a one-on-one fight. <i>¡®You have underestimated my loyalty.¡¯</i>

    Filiak was prepared to die here if necessary. For the sovereignty of the Third Hell and the traditions he had defended, he was ready to give his all.

    <i>¡®You will not leave here alive, Chul-Soo. My preparations areplete.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok spoke. ¡°Of course, since I am a Streamer, I intend to avoid directbat.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Filiak looked at Jin-Hyeok with disbelief, reflexively ncing behind him. He saw thepletely destroyed spire, at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®He wants to get out, saying he¡¯s a Streamer, after doing all that damage to my mansion?¡¯ </i>It was an utterly ridiculous statement, yet there was a sincerity in his eyes that suggested he was not lying. <i>¡®Is he more physically depleted than I thought?¡¯</i>

    But then came the real issue.

    ¡°I shall appoint Muenne as my champion,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Muenne, a top ranker from Arvis, was stepping forward to fight for Jin-Hyeok.

    Filiak scoffed. ¡°Hmph! A top ranker of Arvis is here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I will fall for that?¡±

    Muenne was a stringent rule-follower, never known to have taken a vacation in her life. It was unthinkable that she would assist in an invasion.

    <i>¡®So, why is he acting so calm when everyone knows he is bluffing?</i> Filiak thought.

    There had to be a reason behind this seemingly transparent lie, and Filiak racked his brain for answers.

    Then, at that moment, the person who had been standing quietly behind Jin-Hyeok removed her robe to reveal her face¡ªit was indeed Muenne, one of the Seven Pdins of the Helen Empire.

    ***

    A few days ago, Muenne had submitted her resignation.

    ¡°Think carefully, Muenne. You only have one year left.¡±

    Muenne was not someone who would merely remain themander of the city¡¯s guards. The mayor knew this best. Once a member of the imperial guard who was demoted for assaulting her superior, Muenne was a top talent who could return to the imperial service in just one year.

    ¡°Just endure for one more year, and you can reim your former glory. Why resign so suddenly now?¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t resign now, I will fall behind,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°Fall behind? Behind who?¡±

    ¡°If things continue this way, I will fall behind Lessefim.¡±

    The mayor was puzzled. Lessefim was a Navigator, and Muenne was a Pdin. Their paths werepletely different, so he didn¡¯t know what Muenne was talking about.

    ¡°I want to present myself in a way that is not embarrassing for the Chul-Soo Land.¡±

    The mayor was shocked. ¡°So... you are a part of what...?¡±

    ¡°A fandom, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Right. So, you are quitting your job to pursue a fandom?¡±

    ¡°I have saved enough money.¡±

    The mayor desperately racked his brain. He needed to retain Muenne at all costs. Saying that Muenne was responsible for half of the city¡¯s security was not an exaggeration.

    ¡°I want you to think hard before you make your decision, Muenne,¡± the mayor said.

    ¡°I have already given it a lot of thought, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so in the end, you want to be a fan of Chul-Soo, and even more, you want to be of great help to him?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to stick it out here for another year, return to the imperial guard, and gain power? Wouldn¡¯t that help Chul-Soo more?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do you remember lobbying me to bring Chul-Soo to Arvis?¡± the mayor asked.

    ¡°Yes, I do remember.¡±

    ¡°Imagine if you had that much power. You wouldn¡¯t need to ask me for anything. Imagine if you could wield unlimited authority for Chul-Soo. Maybe then you could be a far morepetent Chul-Soo Lander than Lessefim!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The mayor realized he had gone too far. <i>¡®What am I saying to this staunch principled woman?¡¯</i>

    Even in his urgency, he knew what he had just said was offensive to Muenne, essentially dismissing her long-held beliefs. Muenne briskly approached the mayor.

    ¡°No, no, Muenne... What I meant was that...¡±

    Just as the mayor was about to hastily exin himself, Muenne tucked the resignation letter back into her pocket.

    Visibly relieved, the mayor sighed deeply.

    ¡°Then please grant me some leave,¡± Muenne said.

    That was how she could now join Jin-Hyeok.

 Chapter 321

    <h4>Chapter 321</h4>

    The Great Nobleman Filiak had devised a n to kill Cha Jin-Hyeok using rather cowardly methods. Native tribesmen from the Laun Jungle were hiding in various ces along Jin Hyeok¡¯s way. Unknown to the world, these yers boasted top-notch assassination skills.

    <i>¡®They are the foremost experts on lethal poisons,¡¯ </i>Filiak thought. However, he was well aware that these Assassins alone could not kill Kim Chul-Soo. <i>¡®That Chul-Soo guy is immune to any poison weaker than that of the Snake King grade.¡¯</i>

    This was a type of psychological warfare¡ªusing poison against an opponent who was immune to it could lead tocency. It was a setup.

    Muenne¡¯s involvement made Filiak realize something.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo did not show his journey here on his livestream... It must have been a tougher struggle than I thought!¡¯</i>

    However, Filiak was grossly mistaken.

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s the case, then he must be nearly out of stamina. Destroying the spire was just a bluff using thest of his strength!¡¯</i>

    This made things a lot easier.

    Filiak slowly said, ¡°So you¡¯re from the Arvis Server, huh! This has be moreplicated than I expected.¡±

    He drew his sword and thought, <i>¡®For now, I will pretend to focus on the duel with Muenne.¡¯</i>

    He knew Muenne quite well, including how she handled weaker opponents.

    <i>¡®She won¡¯t press me too hard right away.¡¯</i>

    When fighting weaker opponents, Muenne always showed consideration, especially to those who fought with all their might, valuing their spirit over theirck of skill.

    <i>¡®I will pretend to fight with all my might, and then...¡¯ </i>

    Since Chul-Soo was serious about his livestream, there would surely be a moment when he woulde close to Filiak.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s when I will ambush Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Filiak did not believe his attacks could harm Chul-Soo; this was another trap.

    <i>¡®My attack is merely a signal!¡¯</i>

    At any rate, Chul-Soo would undoubtedly deploy his ultimate defensive skill, Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®That will be my opportunity.¡¯</i>

    For this, Filiak had prepared a former elder of his family, previously confined in the family¡¯s dungeon. To the outside world, the elder appeared to be a feeble old man, disguised as a mere servant.

    <i>¡®Your powerful Absolute Barrier will be your shackles, Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    Absolute Barrier was indeed an enviable power. However, such strong defensive Skills could asionally be a liability. The elder¡¯s attack, known as Conversion Strike, shone brighter the stronger the opponent¡¯s defenses were. It utilized the opponent¡¯s defense to inflict damage.

    <i>¡®Yes, this is actually for the best. Muenne¡¯s involvement will only make Chul-Soo morecent.¡¯</i>

    Filiak sensed his impending death. He knew he could not win a fight with Muenne.

    <i>¡®But that doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯</i>

    For the freedom of Hell, he was prepared to sacrifice himself to kill Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®My death will ignite a great wildfire in the Third Hell.¡¯</i>

    ***

    With his sword in hand, Filiak said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a fair fight, Muenne.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Muenne did not properly acknowledge the greeting, a sign that should have alerted Filiak that something was amiss from the outset.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Filiak yelled.

    Muenne had suddenly closed the distance between them and struck Filiak in the abdomen with her left fist. The sky seemed to darken for Filiak, and he found himself unable to breathe. His legs gave out involuntarily, and he knelt, experiencing a level of pain he had never felt before.

    Amidst this intense agony, he wondered, <i>¡®Why is she like this?¡¯</i>

    This was not like her at all. Normally, Muenne would have ended the duel here, as she had done in most of her victorious battles, typically concluding with, ¡°Stand up. The oue is already decided.¡±

    However, this time was different.

    ¡°Stand up. I need to beat you a bit more,¡± Muenne said.

    Filiak doubted his ears. <i>¡®Did I hear that wrong?¡¯</i>

    As he staggered to his feet, Muenne¡¯s fist came flying again.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡± Filiak yelled.

    Muenne had struck the same spot again. Filiak screamed as he rolled on the ground, his face turning ashen. Muenne steadily walked up and forcefully lifted Filiak, only to hit the same spot once more.

    ¡°Why would you hit me on the same sp¡ª ARGH!!¡±

    Muenne, having closed the distance once again, was muttering something very quietly. Filiak desperately racked his brain, trying to understand why Muenne was acting this way.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on? What did I do wrong?¡¯ </i>Not only was Filiak failing to get close to Chul-Soo, but he was also drifting further away. <i>¡®Muenne keeps muttering something.¡¯</i>

    It was as if Muenne had lost her mind.

    <i>¡®Could it be that Muenne has been brainwashed?¡¯ </i>Filiak had an epiphany. Suddenly, everything made sense. <i>¡®Muenne has always been quite favorable toward Chul-Soo! That would have made her an easy target for brainwashing! Considering his alliance with the Empress of Hell, it is entirely possible!¡¯</i>

    Filiak yelled, ¡°Muenne! Snap out of it! You are under a spell! That vile Empress of Hell and Chul-Soo are controlling you! Chul-Soo is exploiting your fondness for him!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but let out a sly grin. <i>¡®Oh, this is perfect!¡¯</i>

    The Streamer was happy with the scene, which would make a great preview video for the next episode.

    ***

    Muenne stopped abruptly as if she were defying reality. She halted her fist just before it could reach Filiak¡¯s stomach again.

    Sweating profusely, Filiak internally celebrated. <i>¡®Good. Brainwashing breaks easily once the person knows they¡¯re brainwashed!¡¯</i>

    Moreover, for someone like Muenne, a universe-level ranker, escaping from brainwashing would be even easier.

    ¡°Are youing to your senses now?¡± Filiak asked.

    ¡°I have somewhat regained my senses.¡±

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been too lenient with my attacks. If my attacks were intense, he would not spout such nonsense so freely,¡¯ </i>Muenne thought. This meant that Muenne needed to prepare herself to fight with the resolve to kill.

    Unaware of this, Filiak appeared relieved and slumped to the ground. ¡°Thank God!¡±

    <i>¡®Actually, this is good. Now, Muenne¡¯s anger will be directed toward Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>

    However, at that moment, a de swung down at him. Muenne, who had been using only her fists until now, was now wielding a real sword. Although her primary weapon was a spear, a sword was sufficient to confront Filiak.

    ¡°W-Why are you doing this to me?¡± Filiak, in a somewhatical fashion, crawled and rolled to narrowly avoid Muenne¡¯s sword. Even in this situation, he struggled to analyze what was happening.

    <i>¡®If Muenne wanted to, she could slice me open in an instant. The fact that she has not killed me yet means that...¡¯ </i>

    The intention was clear. Muenne was threatening him while making a mockery out of him.

    <i>¡®But why? Why is she doing that to me?¡¯ </i>Filiak could not understand.

    Muenne was muttering something like a chant. ¡°I must protect Chul-Soo at all costs.¡±

    She kept swinging her sword hard.

    Then, she nced at Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®Did he get enough footage yet?¡¯ </i>

    As sincere as Muenne was toward Jin-Hyeok, she was equally serious about his livestream. She had long abandoned her beliefs for the sake of his channel.

    <i>¡®Sometimes, the important thing is that a person¡¯s belief can be changed,¡¯ </i>Muenne thought.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok spoke. ¡°It seems the oue of the duel has already been decided.

    It would not have been difficult for him to kill Filiak if he wanted to. However, he did not want that.

    <i>¡®Even while getting beaten up that badly, Filiak is constantly trying to analyze the situation,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. It was unclear what he was nning, but Filiak seemed to have some scheme in mind. <i>¡®His intent to kill me is real. But even if he seeds in killing me here, he knows well that he will die too.¡¯</i>

    The battle had been over the moment Muenne had shown up. Knowing this better than anyone, Filiak did not give up until the end, an impressive thing.

    <i>¡®Moreover, his love for this Server is genuine.¡¯</i>

    Of course, it was wrong for Filiak to kidnap and torture the residents, but his love for the Server was sincere.

    <i>¡®Plus, since he¡¯s the Great Nobleman, if I can recruit him, it would be a great help to Hell Man.¡¯</i>

    ¡°To preserve the honor of the nobility, I will stop the livestream here. I will post a brief update on the situationter through an announcement,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    After ending the livestream, Jin-Hyeok approached Filiak, who was desperately dodging Muenne¡¯s sword.

    ¡°Thank you, Muenne. I think we have got enough footage for now.¡±

    Ironically, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words felt like a ray of salvation to Filiak. However, what Muenne said next was rather shocking.

    ¡°So, should I kill him now?¡±

    It was hard to believe that these words came from one of the Seven Pdins of the Sacred Empire of Helen.

    ¡°No, no. I would like to talk to him for a bit,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hebeled you evil and ndered me as being brainwashed. I wanted to kill him immediately, but held back because of your livestream,¡± Muenne answered.

    ¡°And I appreciate that.¡±

    Muenne¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t do it to be thanked, but...¡±

    ¡°Leave the rest to me.¡±

    Muenne intensely looked at Filiak and nodded.

    ¡°Muenne, close your eyes for a moment.¡±

    One could wonder why Jin-Hyeok had asked her to do that, but Muenne simplyplied. Though she did not understand why, she also clenched her lips tightly and tensed up.

    ¡°Just stay like that,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Okay...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°Okay...¡±

    ¡°You promised. Keep your eyes closed and don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°O-Of course...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked past Muenne, who was all tensed up, and stood before Filiak. ¡°Filiak, I know your heart is true with the Server, though your actions were misguide¡ª¡±

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok saw Filiak¡¯s eyes change drastically. A deep murderous intent emanated from him.

    <i>¡®Perfect! I knew this would happen,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Though he had turned off his livestream, he was still recording everything that was going on.

    Filiak lunged at Jin-Hyeok with his sword. ¡°Die!¡±

    Muenne, who hastily opened her eyes, was too slow to react due to the close distance between Jin-Hyeok and Filiak. Jin-Hyeok thought that was fortunate. If Muenne had not beenpletely frozen with her eyes shut, Jin-Hyeok would not have gotten such a perfect shot for his video.

    <i>¡®Finally, the guy disguised as the servant is making his move!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had read the former elder''s movements. Filiak, who had made meticulous preparations, thought this was his grand opportunity. However, for Jin-Hyeok, who had experienced simr things in Arvis, it was a trivial n.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s why the environment is important for yers,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Facing universe-level rankers made an average high-Level ranker feel like nothing. Jin-Hyeok had already gauged his opponent¡¯s Level and fully understood his secrets while observing him during his livestream.

    <i>¡®So now, Filiak should attack me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew that he couldpletely block Filiak¡¯s attack, but he chose to take the hit for the livestream.

    <i>Shunk!</i>

    Filiak¡¯s sword pierced Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abdomen.

    Of course, the <i>Shunk! </i>was just a sound effect. In reality, Jin-Hyeok had received only a small cut from the attack.

    <i>¡®So, this was the signal!¡¯</i>

    The elder, disguised as a servant, swung an axe at Jin-Hyeok.

    <strong>[You have used the Mystery Conversion Strike.]</strong>

    This Mystery used the opponent¡¯s defensive stats against them. The stronger the defense was, the more it was converted into pure damage against them.

    Filiak¡¯s eyes lit up with expectation. If Chul-Soo¡¯s formidable defense were to meet this Mystery¡¯s attack, the moment the axe touched Jin-Hyeok, it would mean instant death!

    <i>¡®It¡¯s over now, Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Filiak thought.

    At the same time, Jin-Hyeok also smiled broadly. <i>¡®More great content for my Eltube channel!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 322

    <h4>Chapter 322</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had been waiting for this moment.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll take the servant¡¯s attack!¡¯</i>

    As an intense Streamer, he knew he had to endure non-fatal attacks, especially since this content¡¯s theme was not about being overwhelming.

    The de of the axe burrowed into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back. The impact made it feel like a club had struck him rather than an axe, and a powerful explosion erupted inside him. His innards vibrated intensely.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Unable to hold back, Jin-Hyeok vomited.

    <i>¡®Is that blood?¡¯ </i>He spat out sticky clumps of blood. <i>¡®It feels like my guts are shattered.¡¯</i>

    The color of the blood was a dark, crimson red, resembling that of someone on the verge of death. However, this was just a result of a dye used for a more dramatic effect.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly wiped the blood from his mouth.

    ¡°That was a powerful attack.¡± The blood continued to drip from his face. ¡°It seems like the servant poured all his energy into that one attack, without thinking about the aftermath.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words appeared to be true, as the former elder was frozen in ce, trembling as if he could not believe Jin-Hyeok was still alive.

    ¡°I will conduct an interview with him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, wiping his mouth again and approaching the elder. ¡°Did you use a special ability on me?¡±

    The elder grimaced. <i>¡®Is he joking right now?¡¯</i>

    It did not seem like that. Chul-Soo looked serious.

    <i>¡®This is better for me,¡¯ </i>the elder thought. He had been confined in an underground prison for a long time and aged significantly, which left him very weak. He could unleash a devastating attack once, but could not sustain it. <i>¡®I need to buy some time to recover my strength.¡¯</i>

    After quickly calcting, the elder replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Could you exin what kind of attack it was?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°The technique I used is called the Asura Axe Art. It¡¯s a Skill where I channel powerful mana into my axe to shatter the opponent¡¯s guts.¡±

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok paused the livestream briefly and whispered very quietly, ¡°Hey, cut the crap.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was serious about his livestreams and had no patience for those who disrespected them. He continued to whisper, ¡°You used Conversion Strike. Stop lying.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you are honest, I might let you live this time.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The editor, Kang Chul, edited the scene. Jin-Hyeok then changed his tone and expression again. ¡°Wow, Asura Axe Art! That¡¯s an impressive Skill! But wasn¡¯t there something else?¡±

    The elder was truly at a loss for words. <i>¡®What... is wrong with this guy?¡¯</i>

    He seemed like a type of madman the elder had never met before.

    <i>¡®I have to tell him everything. He already knows everything.¡¯</i>

    Being honest and begging for his life seemed a better choice in this situation.

    ¡°I... also used a Mystery called Conversion Strike,¡± the elder said.

    ¡°What is Conversion Strike?¡±

    The elder briefly exined the Skill, and Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    ¡°It seems like Conversion Strike is an attack that converts the opponent¡¯s defensive power into an equally powerful attack, delivering a fatal blow.¡± Jin-Hyeok simplified it for the viewers.

    ¡°But how are you still alive?¡±

    The elder had heard that Chul-Soo possessed a universe-level defensive power.

    ¡°Oh, your attack was so fast that I could not use my Absolute Barrier,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The fight had been livestreamed from a first-person point of view and edited to 1.2x speed to make the elder¡¯s attack appear more dynamic and thrilling. The editor, Kang Chul, and Jin-Hyeok were in perfect sync.

    The elder wanted to shout, <i>¡®Lies!¡¯</i>

    Then, he realized. <i>¡®He took my attack on purpose!¡¯</i>

    It was something utterly beyond hisprehension.

    <i>¡®But why? Why did he intentionally get hit by my attack?¡¯</i>

    The more they talked, the more confused the elder became.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream became a massive sensation across the universe.

    -Wow, isn¡¯t that guy a ranker from the Hell Server?

    -Hell mightck modern conveniences, but its residents are fairly strong.

    -I know he is old, but his abilities are that of a ranker! Albeit, he can use it for only like ten seconds.

    The scene where Jin-Hyeok was hit by Conversion Strike became [The Most Rewatched Moment].

    -It does look painful.

    -He took that hit without activating Absolute Barrier?

    -If that were me, my spine would have shattered.

    -Even apetent Tank would have crossed the River of Styx if hit directly like that.

    Jin-Hyeok felt extremely proud of the viewers¡¯ reactions. He had indeed done well to take the hit.

    <i>¡®I even received a lot of donations out of concern for my injuries...¡¯</i>

    Moreover, the rey video was filled with warmments.

    -Get well soon, Mr. Chul-Soo. T_T

    -Don¡¯t get hurt, Chul-Soo. It breaks my heart...T_T

    -I hope you recover quickly!

    Jin-Hyeok genuinely found more joy in reading these warmments than in receiving donations. Amidst them, he found ament that particrly resonated with him.

    -Hey, you know your livestreames before your health, right? ;)

    Jin-Hyeok could not help butugh. ¡°Such a healthy mindset.¡±

    ¡°Healthy mindset, my ass!¡± Cha Jin-Sol ced her hand on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back. She had been pouring healing energy into him for a long while, and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead and nape. ¡°If that bastard had hit you a bit harder, you¡¯d be the one crossing the River of Styx, you crazy bastard.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t speak so harshly to your brother.¡±

    Jin-Sol smacked him hard on the back. ¡°This time, you were actually close to being killed. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±

    ¡°Did you see the view counts?¡±

    ¡°Who the hell takes that kind of attack without any defensive spells? Especially in the spine!¡± Jin-Sol knew what had actually happened. ¡°You twisted your body a bit on purpose to take the hit on your spine, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Could you tell? Did it look too much like a staged livestream?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my point, you idiot! Why would you take such a risk?¡±

    ¡°I felt that I could survive the attack.¡±

    ¡°You <i>felt </i>it? You felt you could survive? Are you freaking serious?¡± Jin-Sol smacked him on the back once again.

    It seemed likepletely healing him would take more than three days. However, Jin-Hyeok was just beaming with pride, happy with how well the video had turned out.

    ¡°God, I wish I could kill you right now,¡± Jin-Sol said. After doing her best to heal him, she casually asked while wiping the sweat dripping down her face, ¡°So...? How many views did you get? How many likes?¡±

    ***

    Three dayster, Jin-Hyeok turned on his livestream. ¡°I have learned a lot from my previous fight.¡±

    The idea that the higher your defensive power was, the more critical hits one could invite was a revtion. Had he deployed his Absolute Barrier unknowingly, things could have turned out much worse.

    ¡°I think I need to consider ways to enhance my self-healing abilities.¡±

    Being exposed to attacks was amon urrence in y, and sometimes, for the sake of the livestream, he had to take hits. While taking hits was inevitable, he wanted to find a way to recover quickly without relying on Jin-Sol¡¯s help.

    -Haha! Normally, don¡¯t yers just say that they will try to get hit less, rather than enhancing their self-healing abilities?

    -Not getting hit is not an option for him. Haha! ssic IntenseMan!

    -What about enhancing Absolute Barrier?

    -There is a Skill that uses the yer¡¯s defensive power against them. Didn¡¯t you see hisst livestream?

    -Why not use an Absolute Barrier that can neutralize that? Isn¡¯t that the typical way of thinking?

    Jin-Hyeok had considered these options. However, he was not particrly keen on implementing them.

    <i>¡®Absolute Barrier is already too strong.¡¯</i>

    Enhancing this Skill further could make it difficult to create a sense of crisis in his livestreams. He wanted to be a yer who yed exceptionally well, which meant he had to produce good content. Therefore, strengthening Absolute Barrier any further was not an option.

    -I think I know a way to enhance Absolute Barrier.

    -I know someone who can fortify defense barriers.

    -This method is legit. Please pass it to Wang Yu-Mi. The way to enhance Absolute Barrier is...

    <i>¡®Enhancing my defensive skills is not the right move. I should either enhance my healing abilities, or it would be great to have a doge skill that looks cool.¡¯</i>

    Dodge skills naturally reduced the tensionpared to blocking. Simply dodging was meaningless; he needed to dodge in a shy, spectacr way. His old belief in being as concise and efficient as possible had notpletely vanished.

    ¡°I will soon visit Filiak, who has been detained.¡±

    As promised, the former elder had been spared and sent away, while Muenne hadpletely subdued Filiak and imprisoned him in a dungeon.

    ¡°I am curious if Filiak still insists that he can¡¯t cooperate with us.¡±

    If Filiak still refused to cooperate, then Jin-Hyeok would have to resort to sacred measures that made anything possible¡ªendless violence.

    <i>¡®Or should I brainwash him?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. The abilities of Hell Man and the Control Bugs could allow him topletely brainwash and subjugate Filiak.

    <i>¡®No, that¡¯s not right.¡¯</i>

    The overall theme of this content was a peaceful merger. It was best to refrain from actions that could provoke a bacsh from the residents of Hell.

    ¡°Muenne said she would try to persuade Filiak. I will go and see how much she has managed to convince him.¡±

    ***

    Three days earlier, after imprisoning Filiak, Muenne spoke with a grave expression. ¡°There was a time when my convictions were everything to me, Filiak.¡±

    ¡°Just kill me.¡±

    ¡°But those convictions became meaningless when they met a greater truth. I hope you will also face that light.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand what the hell you¡¯re talking about. Kim Chul-Soo is nothing but an invader. No sweet words can break my noble spirit!¡±

    Muenne sat outside the cell where Filiak was. ¡°I respect your convictions.¡±

    ¡°Just leave me the hell alone.¡±

    Muenne then yed a video on the prison wall. ¡°This is a livestream from the universe-level ranker Marshmallow.¡±

    ¡°I am not interested!¡± Filiak was about to dismiss her but could not bring himself to. It was a video of the Third Hell, the very ce they were in. The title of Marshmallow¡¯s video was ¡®Exploring the Changing Third Hell.¡¯ In the video, Marshmallow was interviewing the residents of Third Hell.

    ?How has life changed since the integration with the Fourth Hell? Has it improved??

    ?Yes. I never imagined such a paradise. Being able to shower in warm water every day is an unexpected blessing!?

    The content of the interviews was simr.

    ?We also hope to get hot water soon. This is amazing!?

    Filiak clenched his eyes shut. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it.¡±

    ¡°You should see it even if you don¡¯t want to. This is reality.¡±

    He closed his eyes but could not block out the sounds. Theughter of children reached his ears.

    ?Fear me! Feel the wrath of the Hammer of Order and Justice!?

    ?No! The hammer is mine!?

    Hearing the children''s bickering voices, Filiak unwittingly opened his eyes a little. The children in the video were ying andughing cheerfully.

    ?Who wants to y the IntenseMan game? Come here!?

    ?I want to be IntenseMan!?

    ?No! You can y as the Hell King.?

    ?No way! Hell King is the bad guy!?

    Marshmallow handed out sweet choctes to a few children and then snagged an interview.

    ?What do I want to be when I grow up? Hm...?

    The children shouted in unison.

    ?I want to be IntenseMan!?

    ?I want to be a Streamer!?

    Most of the children were screaming that they wanted to be IntenseMan or a Streamer.

    Muenne said, ¡°The children have dreams now, Filiak.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the vision of Hell you dreamed of? Was it more beautiful living under the tyranny of King Beckant, or is it now?¡±

    Filiak was forced to ponder the question for a long time.

    While he abstained from eating and drinking, deeply contemting, Jin-Hyeok came to visit him. ¡°How are you doing? Did you change your mind?¡±

    After a long silence, Filiak replied, ¡°Give me a week.¡±

    ¡°A week?¡±

    ¡° I want to experience the changes in the world for myself.¡±

    <i>¡®Do the children really have dreams now? Do Hell''s residents prefer the present? Which Hell is the one I need to protect?¡¯ </i>Filiak wondered.

    ¡°You can do that,¡± Jin-Hyeok agreed. He unbound Filiak¡¯s hands and feet.

    After Filiak left, Muenne expressed her concerns with a worried look. ¡°I am worried that he might betray you.¡±

    ¡°If he does, that¡¯s even better.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok unconsciously licked his lips. ¡°The theme of teaching those who betray me always has good poprity among the viewers.¡±

    A week passed, and Filiak returned to Jin-Hyeok of his own ord.

 Chapter 323

    <h4>Chapter 323</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok warmly weed Filiak, who had a solemn demeanor. ¡°Wee, Great Nobleman Filiak.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok subtly nced at Filiak, trying to gauge his thoughts, but could not quite read him.

    <i>¡®I could use Broadcaster¡¯s Insight to easily find out what he is thinking, but that is something only third-rate Streamers would do.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was at a critical point in his content. He didn¡¯t know whether Filiak hade back to ept the current changes and join his side or if the nobleman had spent the past week devising more intense methods to attack him.

    <i>¡®I would be okay with any of the options, but I¡¯d prefer thetter.¡¯</i>

    For the development of the Third Hell, the former option would be better. However, thetter was the better option for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s view counts, which were paramount for a Streamer.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced at the thought of being attacked¡ªit was oddly exhrating.

    <i>¡®Given his tense posture... it seems like he might be gearing up for an attack.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided that even if Filiak chose the former option, he would not feel disappointed. The former option was still eptable from a content perspective.

    ¡°Here, have a seat. Or would you prefer to stand?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked. He figured standing might be better if Filiak were to attack him.

    Filiak felt something was off and thought, <i>¡®Isn¡¯t sitting usually morefortable?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s manner of speaking seemed somewhat unconventional, but this was no time to sweat the small stuff.

    ¡°I am going to sit,¡± Filiak said.

    ¡°You are... going to sit in the chair?¡±

    ¡°Is it not allowed?¡±

    ¡°No, of course, it is allowed.¡±

    Filiak sat down.

    <i>¡®Why do his eyes look so sparkling?¡¯ </i>Filiak thought. He was well aware of Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities. <i>¡®I bet he already read what I am thinking right now.¡¯</i>

    Over the past week, Filiak had met and experienced the lives of the residents of the Third Hell. Marshmallow¡¯s livestreams were not fabricated; the residents were happily enjoying hot showers, and children dreamed of bing like Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Are his eyes sparkling because he knows I am going to help him?¡¯ </i>Filiak was having a hard time understanding Chul-Soo. <i>¡®Why is he so adamant about helping out our Server?¡¯</i>

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve misjudged you,¡± Filiak said.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I did not realize you cared so much about our Server.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Of course, you will deny it since you are known for your humility.¡±

    From Filiak¡¯s perspective, Jin-Hyeok had always maintained humility in his livestreams. <i>¡®You always choose the disadvantageous elements for yourself and the advantageous ones for others, iming it¡¯s just for your content.¡¯</i>

    However, Filiak knew that was not possible. He now knew why Jin-Hyeok was known as the Humble IntenseMan.

    Filiak slowly rose from his chair.

    Jin-Hyeok had still not lost hope, and his eyes gleamed even brighter. <i>¡®Is he finally going to attack?¡¯</i>

    However, instead of attacking, Filiak chose to kneel. ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, perhaps my beliefs were wrong.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I havee to think that the Hell you and Hell Man are trying to create might be a better world.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Filiak bit his lip hard. He thought about the beliefs he lived by, contemting whether his previous beliefs and path were right.

    ¡°I would like to help you, Sir Chul-Soo. It¡¯s not much, but being a nobleman, I might be able to win some favor among the residents of Hell.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡±

    Filiak tilted his head in confusion. <i>¡®Why does he look like he is disappointed?¡¯</i>

    Filiak assumed Chul-Soo was being considerate. If the Streamer said, ¡®Yes, I forgive you and ept you,¡¯ that could belittle Filiak¡¯s status as a nobleman. So, Filiak assumed that Chul-Soo was restraining his emotions.

    Filiak humbly bowed, biting his lip a little. <i>¡®Perhaps, I have truly met a great person.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok swallowed his disappointment and cautiously asked, ¡°What made you break your firm beliefs in just a week?¡±

    ¡°That is because...¡± Filiak reached into his coat.

    Seeing what Filiak pulled out, Jin-Hyeok could not help but feel disappointed.

    ¡°This is called financier, Sir Chul-Soo, a new type of baked goods sold at Casa de Sud. After seeing this, I decided to follow you,¡± Filiak said.

    The disappointed Jin-Hyeok decided to release a prepared video about Casa de Sud the next day.

    ***

    Former Elder Chiamin, who had used Conversion Strike to ambush Jin-Hyeok, was gasping for breath, his lungs filled to the brim.

    ¡°<i>Pant...! Pant...!</i>¡±

    ¡°I rmend you surrender.¡±

    ¡°Just give up now, Sir Elder.¡±

    Chiamin had grown weary of the relentless Assassins who transformed into shadows and doggedly pursued him. His desire to flee had vanished.

    ¡°<i>Pant, Pant...! </i>You two just don¡¯t know when to stop!¡±

    These Assassins were thorough predators. They were the type who would break their prey¡¯s will to escape before slowly devouring the prey.

    <i>¡®They had plenty of chances to attack me along the way,¡¯ </i>Chiamin thought.

    However, these Assassins had chosen not to. They knew his weakness was his stamina, so they continually pressed and pursued him, exploiting it.

    ¡°Chul-Soo promised me that he would spare me!¡± Chiamin yelled.

    ¡°The one who said that was Chul-Soo, Sir Elder, not us.¡±

    ¡°I agree with her.¡±

    They were the Seo sisters. Lately, they had been receiving training from the top-ranked Assassin and the rodent-type Beastkin, Brick. They had learned a lot from their teacher. Their slightly odd manner of speaking was also something they had picked up from Brick.

    As they were intenselymitted to their training, they even mimicked Brick¡¯s minor speech habits.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure Sir Brick will praise us.¡¯</i>

    They had gotten many opportunities to assassinate the former elder along the way, but they had chosen not to. This restraint allowed them to seize a perfect opportunity.

    ¡°We are going to protect Chul-Soo at all costs.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think you would survive after attacking Chul-Soo like that, did you, Sir Elder?¡±

    The Seo sisters¡¯ daggers pierced the elder¡¯s spine.

    After cleaning the blood in a nearby river, they returned to the city where Hell Man¡¯s castle was located¡ªMylen.

    Having changed into clean, crisp white outfits, the Seo sisters opened the door to their establishment. With bright smiles, they greeted the customers.

    ¡°Wee!¡±

    ¡°Hello, wee to Casa de Sud!¡±

    Casa de Sud, the dessert shop that had be the most famous in Hell recently, was bustling with residents lined up out the door.

    ***

    Marshmallow had rented an entire three-story building that overlooked Casa de Sud, waiting for the shop to close for the day.

    <i>¡®Today, I must secure that interview!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Due to the secretive and swift movements of the Seo sisters, it had been difficult for him to arrange an interview.

    Suddenly, he felt a chilling sensation. <i>¡®One de at my spine, another at my neck.¡¯</i>

    Two sharp des were pressed against him. His instincts as a top-ranked yer told him that these daggers belonged to the Seo sisters.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me!¡± Marshmallow said, removing his mask. ¡°I have to cover my face when I go out, or I will be swamped with people.¡±

    ¡°A Chul-Soo Lander?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Sir Chul-Soo Land No.1000?¡±

    Recognizing him as Marshmallow, the Seo sisters withdrew their daggers.

    ¡°Did you withdraw your des because I am Marshmallow or because I am a Chul-Soo Lander?¡±

    ¡°Obviously, thetter.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously because you are a Chul-Soo Lander, Sir Chul-Soo Land No.1000. Your name is Marshmallow, right?¡±

    Marshmallow was a bit bewildered but had gotten somewhat used to the quirks of the K-Force yers. Even Lessefim and Muenne appeared a bit mad under Chul-Soo¡¯s influence, so it was not strange that Chul-Soo¡¯s closest confidants, the Seo sisters, were even crazier.

    ¡°Well, I came here to interview you guys because I was curious why top-tier yers like you are selling desserts here.¡±

    The Seo sisters happily agreed to the interview. They were willing to take on any tasks formally requested by Chul-Soo Landers, so granting a request for an interview was not a difficult matter.

    After hearing their story, Marshmallow had to organize his thoughts. <i>¡®Wait, they don¡¯t think they are top-tier yers!¡¯</i>

    Their standards were very strange.

    <i>¡®They are pretty much top-tier yers by the universe¡¯s standard, aren¡¯t they?¡¯</i>

    Of course, they could notpare to the top rankers in Arvis, but that was obviously expected. The Earth Server had just moved beyond being a new Server. Given the Server¡¯s slow start, it was natural that the Earth yers were still rtively weak.

    <i>¡®So, they think they need to do something else because they are weak? And that¡¯s what makes them intense? And they think they have a knack for baking? What are they talking about?¡¯</i>

    The Seo sisters had told him that they started baking because it seemed more effective than tantly poisoning people. They said adding poison to delicious-looking desserts seemed like an easy way tomit murder.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t make this interview public,¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought. This interview could ruin Casa de Sud, and he did not want to cause them harm.

    ¡°And... you¡¯re saying you opened a bakery in Hell because your baking skills werecking? Is that correct?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    Hell was a Server where a fruit called Hellfruit was abundant. Only residents from the Hell Server could digest this fruit. Moreover, as this fruit contained all the essential nutrients the Hell residents needed for survival, it was dubbed the perfect food.

    Since Hellfruits were plentiful, Hell¡¯s residents did not think about developing their food culture, and all the food ingredients from Hell were tasteless. As people from other Servers would say, most ingredients in Hell tasted like rubber tires.

    ¡°And the residents of the Hell Server enjoy your baked goods, right?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Sir Marshmallow.¡±

    ¡°May I try one?¡± Marshmallow tasted one of their baked financiers. <i>¡®This is delicious!¡¯</i>

    While it could not be described as heavenly, it was certainly worth waiting in line for at a popr eatery.

    ¡°The moist and fluffy texture of the bread, the fragment and sweet aroma of butter... It¡¯s a wonderfulbination!¡± Then, a thought crossed Marshmallow¡¯s mind. ¡°But why haven¡¯t other merchants from other Servers thought of this?¡±

    <i>¡®If all the foods the residents eat are that tasteless, selling baked goods like this would be a hit!¡¯</i>

    Seo Ji-Ah seemed tired from the continued interview and disappeared somewhere, leaving only Seo Ji-Soo to answer.

    ¡°Who knows? Maybe because they can¡¯t make any profits off of the products, Sir Marshmallow,¡± Ji-Soo answered.

    ¡°What do you mean they can¡¯t make any profits?¡±

    ¡°We lose about one million Dias for each financier sold.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    A loss of one million Dias per item sold was a painful calction even for a universe-level ranker like Marshmallow.

    <i>¡®Well, transporting goods to Hell is incrediblyplicated.¡¯</i>

    There was a reason Hell had little exchange with other Servers. Moving goods between Servers was extremely difficult, and doing so incurred astronomical losses. Hence, Hell had developed an independent ecosystem.

    ¡°That means even a few days of business could result in astronomical losses. How do you cover those costs?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    Ji-Soo stared back at Marshmallow, who was slightly flustered by the look.

    ¡°D-Did I say something wrong?¡±

 Chapter 324

    <h4>Chapter 324</h4>

    Seo Ji-Soo softly sighed and asked, ¡°Are you sure you are a Chul-Soo Lander, Sir No.1000?¡±

    Marshmallow could feel the harsh criticism in her gaze.

    ¡°Oh.¡± He could not help but reflect on the situation. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo must be helping you out.¡±

    ¡°You reallyck faith in IntenseMan. Anything is possible for Chul-Soo Landers, Sir No.1000. <i>Sigh! </i>That¡¯s why...¡±

    Marshmallow swore she was about to say, ¡®That¡¯s why you are only No.1000.¡¯ His face turned red, steam practically billowing from his marshmallow-shaped head.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Having tasted a bit of humiliation as a Chul-Soo Lander, he nonchntly replied, ¡°Well, I guess money is not an issue for Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡±

    The roles of interviewer and interviewee had switched. This whole conversation felt like an examiner was testing the qualifications of a junior of Chul-Soo Land.

    Marshmallow earnestly answered, ¡°Chul-Soo is a Streamer who has attracted the most attention from the members of the Trinity Club. After he was attacked by a former elder, donations poured in from across the universe, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Now that he¡¯s the owner of the Earth Server, I am assuming money is not an issue, hahaha!¡± Marshmallow¡¯s head melted like dripping cheese, sweat trickling down his back.

    ¡°Good. Had you been unable to even answer this properly, I would have suggested a vote to the managers to strip you of your position at Chul-Soo Land,¡± Ji-Soo said.

    ¡°T-That would be too much!¡±

    ¡°But you do have the basic qualities. I would appreciate it if you continue to strive for better, Sir No.1000.¡±

    Through this series of events, the Great Nobleman Filiak also came to taste the financier and began to understand the sincerity of Chul-Soo, who was trying his best to make the Hell Server a better civilization.

    Filiak emphatically said, ¡°There has never been a ruler like you before. The invaders who came asionallyined there was nothing to eat in Hell, trampled on our lives, and just left. But you are different. Very different. That¡¯s what touched me, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°This is not how it¡¯s supposed to be...¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He had asked the Seo sisters toe here so that they could train and build up their confidence. Hell Man and Wang Yu-Mi had also agreed with him, saying this method would surely gain the affection of Hell¡¯s residents. After all, hot showers and tasty food were bringing a ray of hope to the deste lives of Hell¡¯s residents.

    <i>¡®But somehow everything is about me now...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    After he conquered Hell, there was going to be an episode called ¡®Owner¡¯. Bing the <i>owner </i>of Hell would surely be a massive issue and garner tremendous viewership.

    ¡°You know that I am aiming to be the owner of Hell, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Filiak.

    ¡°If that happens, Hell will develop further, just like Earth now, Sir Chul-Soo.¡± Filiak¡¯s eyes were filled with unconditional trust.

    <i>¡®While he presents it as acting for only his benefit, he is trying to put my mind at ease,¡¯ </i>Filiak thought. In his perception, Chul-Soo¡¯s response was humble yet fitting.

    ***

    From a purely physical power point of view, Hell was a much more advanced Server than Earth. Its Dungeons were more difficult and popted with stronger monsters.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re in Hell, it might be good to showcase some Dungeon y,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He pondered which Dungeon would spark the most explosive response from his viewers.

    <i>¡®Ideally, it should be the most difficult and the toughest Unexplored Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok asked around to find the right Dungeon. After some inquiries, he narrowed down his options to one.

    <i>¡®Mount Kelibergh. That¡¯s the ce.¡¯</i>

    The entire Mount Kelibergh was a Dungeon. In terms of scale, it was more immense than any Dungeon Jin-Hyeok had ever encountered. He gathered some preliminary information for a teaser video.

    ¡°Mount Kelibergh? I have heard it¡¯s a ce where monsters appear endlessly, no matter how many you kill.¡±

    ¡°There are so few survivors that little is known about that Dungeon.¡±

    Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok had a connection to a yer who survived Mount Kelibergh.

    ¡°When I was young, I foolishly challenged Mount Kelibergh, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    It was none other than the Great Nobleman Filiak. He had once boldly led an expedition of hundreds to tackle Mount Kelibergh.

    ¡°Of the hundreds, barely ten survived. Half of those dwindled and died,¡± Filiak added.

    ¡°But you¡¯re so weak?¡± Jin-Hyeok was essentially asking him how someone as frail as he had managed to survive when half had died from the Dungeon¡¯s aftereffects.

    ¡°Because I was a Great Nobleman. Skilled Healers came to my house to treat me.¡±

    After Jin-Hyeok heard the whole story, his expression darkened a bit. Filiak misunderstood that as a loss of confidence.

    ¡°Mount Kelibergh has been an Unexplored Dungeon for decades, Sir Chul-Soo. There is no need to be discouraged. Besides, aren¡¯t you a Streamer?¡±

    <i>¡®Despite being capable of smashing the spire of a grand mansion with a single attack, surviving a critical hit from a former elder with all his might, and having defensive capabilities beyond those of a top-ranked Tank... he is still a Streamer,¡¯ </i>Filiak thought. It was almost dubious whether Chul-Soo was still just a Streamer, but he wanted tofort Chul-Soo in his way.

    ¡°Just because a Dungeon is difficult doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a good Dungeon, right?¡± Filiak said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of Unexplored Dungeons in Hell. We can n carefu¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. His concern was entirely different. ¡°If even the younger you could survive the Dungeon, I am worried the difficulty might be too low.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a tougher Dungeon?¡±

    ***

    Enlightenment often arrived unexpectedly, and today was such a day.

    <i>¡®Yes, Filiak¡¯s advice was spot on!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Filiak had offered some good advice.

    <i>¡°Just because a Dungeon is difficult doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a good Dungeon, right?¡±</i>

    There were various kinds of good content, and Jin-Hyeok realized that simply pursuing extreme difficulty was not necessarily the right approach as a Streamer.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t kill Filiak!¡¯</i>

    After extracting information about Mount Kelibergh from Filiak, Jin-Hyeok posted an official announcement. He dered his intent to clear Mount Kelibergh, a Dungeon unexplored for decades.

    -Surely not another Solo y, right?

    Thest Solo y content had divided his audience. While it undoubtedly attracted immense viewership and buzz, there was a debate over whether it truly constituted a <i>solo </i>effort.

    [I honestly thought Chul-Soo was going solo against the Empress of Hell.]

    ©¸If that was not a Solo y, what is? You idiot!

    ©¸Does it have to be about beating and killing to be considered a Solo y? Chul-Soo gained favor and formed alliances to advance to Hell and even achieved an All-Clear. What more do you want for it to be a Solo y?

    [All these so-called enlightened viewers, stop with your ridiculous logic. Honestly, we have expectations when we say <i>Solo y. </i>Chul-Soo¡¯s Dungeon clear was sessful, but calling that a Solo y is just bullshit.]

    ©¸You just admitted yourself. If Chul-Soo cleared a Dungeon by himself, isn¡¯t that a Solo y?

    ©¸Are you dumb? Do you really think that¡¯s a Solo y?

    ©¸Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I imagine a Solo y should be like.

    ©¸Screw you. Everyone has that specific image when they think of Solo y, and Chul-Soo acted like he was going to do that but ended up ying like a weak-ass pacifist while reaping all the benefits. If that was the case, he should have titled it ¡®Banyan Tree All-Clear Guide¡¯ or something.

    ©¸TLDR.

    ©¸But he finished your so-called ¡®Banyan Tree All-Clear Guide.¡¯ That¡¯s Solo y, you idiot. Stop pretending to be logical and smart, you keyboard warrior.

    There was significant controversy over whether Jin-Hyeok¡¯s y was genuinely solo, and this fueled interest in his current content.

    ¡°This time, I intend to do a Dual y,¡± Jin-Hyeok told viewers.

    The ones rtively knowledgeable about Mount Kelibergh expressed disbelief.

    -But that ce is swarmed with monsters attacking in droves!

    -The monsters will overwhelm you with sheer numbers. It¡¯s going to be difficult for just two to handle.

    Everyone was curious about who would join Jin-Hyeok for the Dual y, but Jin-Hyeok only showed the silhouette of the supposed yer.

    -Wait, if it¡¯s a silhouette, could it be the Seo sisters?

    -But the Seo sisters always move as a set.

    -Who could it be?

    The next day, Jin-Hyeok started his livestream.

    ¡°The yer who will join me is the Tamer Park Terse.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok pondered how to persuade Terse.

    <i>¡®Terse canmand a legion of monsters.¡¯</i>

    He was aware of the controversy surrounding thest Solo y. Although the debate had skyrocketed the viewership, he still wanted to showcase a more traditional y this time.

    <i>¡®That way, I can manage my stamina more effectively while taking on the challenge.¡¯</i>

    Recently, excluding the Navigator from the party count had be a trend. Since a Navigator was essential for higher-level Dungeons, it was assumed that there was always one when counting party members.

    <i>¡®Thebination of Mole Woman and Terse seems like it could be worth trying.¡¯</i>

    Regardless of whether it seemed feasible or not, Jin-Hyeok was willing to give it a try. With Terse¡¯s help, a grand battle of legions seemed possible.

    <i>¡®But Terse tends to shy away from overly reckless and dangerous challenges.¡¯</i>

    Terse was not particrly interested in forcibly taming monsters or Dungeon clears. He mainly wanted tomune with monsters. Given the abundance of bizarre and somewhat disgusting monsters in Hell, there was no need for Terse to enter this Dungeon.

    <i>¡®Besides, if too many monsters swarm at once, it might be hard for Terse to tame them.¡¯</i>

    Mount Kelibergh possessed many elements that Terse generally disliked.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll just have a conversation with him first and see where it takes us. I might find a way by reading Terse¡¯s thoughts with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.¡¯ </i>

    Just as Jin-Hyeok was about to persuade Terse,

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, Chul-Soo!¡± Terse yelled.

    Terse¡¯s immediate eptance left Jin-Hyeok somewhat bewildered, and he said, ¡°That¡¯s quick. I didn¡¯t know you were going to ept my proposal just like that.¡±

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you usually dislike swarms of monsters? You said that you can¡¯t properly bond with monsters if that happens.¡±

    ¡°That was somewhat true.¡±

    The word <i>was </i>caught Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attention. It was definitely in the past tense.

    ¡°But now, I have be a new person. The Chul-Soo vine cured my long-standing illness,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°Long-standing illness?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The excuse that you can¡¯t deeply bond with many monsters was just that of a weak Tamer. I learned that from you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember teaching you that.¡±

    ¡°When monsters are together, there is a higher chance of finding one that resonates with me. It provides far more opportunities.¡±

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t there be monsters that interfere with taming?¡±

    Terse chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re testing me again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    <i>¡®Of course. Such verification is naturally necessary for Dual y. I get it,¡¯ </i>Terse thought. He was not upset at all.

    ¡°Those kinds of monsters just need some beating,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Violence redeems everything. If it can¡¯t, it¡¯s only because there isn¡¯t enough violence.¡±

    Terse¡¯s expression was filled with confidence, like that of someone who had attained enlightenment.

 Chapter 325

    <h4>Chapter 325</h4>

    Filiak shared several pieces of crucial information with Cha Jin-Hyeok. He exined that Mount Kelibergh was essentially one giant Dungeon with about fourteen entrances, some of which had to be avoided at all costs.

    ¡°Be wary of this southern entrance,¡± Filial advised, pointing out a path nked by oak trees. ¡°If you go through this, you will immediately encounter a sticky swamp.¡±

    The swamp itself was not a significant issue, but it was home to Level-230 monsters known as the Swamp Monsters.

    ¡°They are not that strong individually, but...¡± Filial trailed off.

    The real problem was that these monsters seemed endless. Filiak described it like the entire swamp was a Swamp Monster.

    ¡°It¡¯s like cutting water with a knife. As long as the swamp exists, the army of Swamp Monsters will continue to resurrect,¡± Filiak said.

    ¡°What if I could eliminate the swamp?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ve tried that, but so far, all attempts have failed. It¡¯s so notorious it¡¯s called the Sea of Swamps. Just like how humans cannot get rid of oceans, you cannot get rid of this swamp.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok solemnly nodded. ¡°So, no one has sessfully challenged this area?¡±

    ¡°yers have tried, but most of them died. Only a few Navigators managed to escape.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Filiak felt secretly proud. It seemed his information was proving to be of great help to Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I have a rmended route for entering,¡± Filiak continued. Officially, Mount Kelibergh had fourteen entrances. However, Filiak knew one more. ¡°It¡¯s a hidden passage known only to a select few Hell residents.¡±

    Filiak trembled a little. In the world of Dungeon expeditions, such information could be life-saving.

    <i>¡®Finally, I can redeem myself,¡¯ </i>Filiak thought.

    This was crucial information about a hidden entrance. He wondered if this couldpensate for his previous mistakes.

    ¡°But you already rmended an entrance,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, looking puzzled.

    ¡°Pardon me?¡±

    ¡°The southern entrance. You know, the one where oak trees line the path.¡±

    ¡°But that entrance is...¡±

    <i>¡®Did he hear anything I was telling him? Nearly no one survived going through there!¡¯ </i>

    ¡°I also told you about the hidden entrance,¡± Filiak said.

    ¡°If someone like you knows about it, it can¡¯t be that hidden.¡±

    Filiak was at a loss for words. He prided himself on being rtively strong among nonbatant-ss yers, but he had not expected Chul-Soo to dismiss him so easily. However, he could not argue back with the Streamer.

    ¡°That ce is too dangerous. Even if you were to go, only with a proper expedition team...¡±

    ¡°I already formed an official expedition team,¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned.

    Suddenly, a woman popped up from beneath his feet. ¡°Mole Woman to the rescue!¡±

    With Mole Woman by his side, Jin-Hyeok headed toward Mount Kelibergh.

    ***

    Afternding on solid ground, Park Terse was moved to tears of relief. ¡°I am not getting any motion sickness anymore! I have... grown, Chul-Soo!¡±

    The Thunder Dragon''s solemn voice resonated.

    [¡°Of course. If you had thrown up on my back again, you would not be of this world anymore. Be thankful you are alive.¡±]

    Jin-Hyeok tapped the Thunder Dragon¡¯s leg. ¡°Good job, Thunder Dragon.¡±

    With a nod, the Thunder Dragon soared into the sky. It mentioned it wanted to enjoy the refreshing air of Hell a bit longer before returning. Hell was a Server more powerful than Earth, with fewer restrictions for the dragon.

    That was when Jin-Hyeok had a realization. <i>¡®If Earth bes as strong of a Server as Arvis... could Thunder Dragon fully unleash its power?¡¯</i>

    Then, perhaps as a Tamer, he could even surpass Terse.

    Noticing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s aggressive gaze, Terse tilted his head. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    <i>¡®Is he feeling challenged by my growth? Have I just provided Chul-Soo with some positive stimtion?¡¯ </i>Terse thought.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head. It was too early to think that far ahead. He was stillckingpared to Marshmallow, let alonepeting in other areas.

    <i>¡®I am a Streamer, after all.¡¯</i>

    He needed to reach the pinnacle as a Streamer first before aiming for other goals. Strengthened in resolve, Jin-Hyeok started his livestream. Thanks to the rapidly improving skills of Kang Chul, his editor, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s burden of going live had significantly lessened.

    ¡°For decades, this Dungeon has remained unexplored. I learned from the Great Nobleman Filiak that this is the most challenging entrance to this Dungeon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    He briefly included his conversation with Filiak. Filiak¡¯s expression of astonishment was enough to draw viewers¡¯ attention.

    <strong>[Would you like to enter the Dungeon ?Mount Kelibergh??]</strong>

    ¡°I am going to enter it now. Prepare yourselves mentally, as we are told that a horde of Swamp Monsters appears right at the entrance.¡±

    ***

    Lessefim, who had recently been engrossed in her alchemy research, dropped the potion bottle in her hands.

    ¡°What?¡± She stared at her cellphone screen. ¡°He didn¡¯t choose me?¡±

    She was shocked that Chul-Soo had chosen someone else as the Navigator for entering the Unexplored Dungeon of Hell.

    ¡°It¡¯s Mole Woman?¡± From Lessefim¡¯s perspective, this decision was iprehensible. No matter how skilled Mole Woman was on Earth, she could notpare to Lessefim, a top-ranked yer from the Arvis Server. ¡°This makes no sense!¡±

    Lessefim abruptly stood up and headed to Hell. With warp portals spread across the universe, traveling to Hell from Arvis was not particrly difficult.

    Upon arriving at Hell, she immediately sought Muenne. The two had be close friends through their connection to Chul-Soo, and Lessefim did not hold back. ¡°Muenne! Can you believe this? Does this make any sense to you?¡±

    Muenne was leisurely sipping tea in Hell Man''s pce. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo has chosen Mole Woman as his Navigator instead of me, and for Dual y, he picked Terse instead of you!¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°Well, you and Terse havepletely different Jobs, so that¡¯s understandable. But not me. Even though I specialize in tracking, I am fundamentally a Navigator. How could he choose a rookie like Mole Woman over me? I could do so much better.¡±

    Muenne set her teacup down and said, ¡°Lessefim, you are fundamentally misunderstanding something.¡±

    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is not a typical yer. He is a Streamer. That means he does not just focus on efficiency and clearing Dungeons.¡±

    Muenne seemed slightly offended by Lessefim¡¯s assumptions. <i>¡®How is she an honorary Chul-Soo Lander?¡¯</i>

    Despite liking Lessefim, Muenne felt a bit disappointed. She said, ¡°You are a Chul-Soo Lander. You need to understand Chul-Soo¡¯s heart. Who else but we can truly know what he feels?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    At the same time, Muenne thought, <i>¡®Even Lessefim is an honorary Chul-Soo Lander. Then can I also be an honorary Chul-Soo Lander?¡¯</i>

    As this realization settled, Muenne¡¯s mood improved.

    Lessefim bit her lip. ¡°Still...¡±

    She understood Chul-Soo¡¯s choices, but she could not help feeling slighted. A burning desire emerged within her to strive harder and earn Chul-Soo¡¯s selection.

    ¡°What do Ickpared to Mole Woman? Don¡¯t think about the fact that I am immensely more powerful than her. As a friend, please be honest, Muenne,¡± Lessefim said.

    Muenne paused, appearing to ponder the question as if she were considering the most valuable thing in the world.

    Lessefim patiently waited, without pressing further.

    ¡°There seems to be one thing that Mole Woman is better than you,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lessefim listened closely, trusting in Muenne¡¯s exceptional insight as one of the Seven Pdins.

    ¡°Appearance,¡± Muenne finally answered.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°And physique, maybe.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my face and body? I am not that ugly!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you are cute and adorable.¡± Muenne took another sip of tea before continuing. ¡°Perhaps, he prefers a type that is more mature and beautiful.¡±

    Lessefim''s face turned red. ¡°How can I be more mature and beautiful?¡±

    ***

    The group had passed through the oak forest path.

    <strong>[You have entered the Dungeon ?Mount Kelibergh?.]</strong>

    As Filiak had warned them, the surroundings quickly darkened. The green oak trees disappeared, revealing a vast swamp stretching out like an endless sea.

    ¡°The surface of the swamp is undting,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The rippling surface soon coalesced into a single mass and moved. It resembled a slime but was slightlyrge, characterized by the sticky fluid continuously dripping from it.

    <strong>[LV233/Swamp Monster/<u>Skills</u>]</strong>

    <strong>[LV232/Swamp Monster/<u>Skills</u>]</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[LV235/Swamp Monster/<u>Skills</u>]</strong>

    The monsters¡¯ Levels were around the early 200s.

    ¡°Each one does not seem very strong, but there are an incredible number of them.¡±

    The entire swamp was undting,pletely covered with monsters.

    ¡°Let¡¯s protect Terse with Absolute Barrier for now, moly!¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Mole Woman briskly removed her clothes. Jin-Hyeok quickly turned his gaze away, worried it could lead to demization for inappropriate content, which slightly disappointed Mole Woman.

    ¡°Do you think I am that new to livestreaming? Why are you turning away? I¡¯m hurt, moly.¡± She was wearing a suit that resembled a wetsuit. The material clung to her, entuating her body. This caused a slight stir on Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel.

    -Holy shit! Hassan is a God!

    -So, she was a man until recently?

    -I love you, Hassan.

    -Jesus, she is so pretty!

    Even before the adventure properly began, her appearance alone had already garnered significant attention. Under normal circumstances, Yu-Mi would have viewed this reaction quite positively. She believed that appearance was a significantpetitive advantage in this era, and if it could help Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, it definitely had to be utilized.

    <i>¡®But not now!¡¯ </i>Yu-Mi thought.

    At this moment, it was better to focus more on Chul-Soo¡¯s y rather than being dazzled by Mole Woman¡¯s looks. This was the introduction to an Unexplored Dungeon. The focus should be on Chul-Soo and not Mole Woman. Yu-Mi adjusted the camera to focus more on Chul-Soo, with the help of Kang Eun-Woo.

    -That¡¯s what I call an eye candy. T_T

    -Chul-Soo is truly a treasure of Earth. T_T

    -Our Chul-Soo¡¯s face has turned the Dungeon upside down!

    -He even put his hair up today. Absolutely stunning! We must protect Chul-Soo¡¯s face!?

    The enthusiasm for Chul-Soo¡¯s appearance had overshadowed the attention on Mole Woman¡¯s looks.

    Watching the unfolding situation, Lessefim resolved, <i>¡®I will be beautiful.¡¯</i>

    A new challenge had ignited within her, one as pure and earnest as what she had when she first started ying.

 Chapter 326

    <h4>Chapter 326</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, moly!¡± Dressed in a diving suit, Mole Woman plunged into the swamp. Moreover, she dove into the swamp as naturally as if she were entering a body of water.

    -She looks like a mermaid.

    -Please marry me. T_T

    -I hope it¡¯s not dangerous down there. She is too pretty. What if a Swamp Monster takes her away?

    Mole Woman¡¯s poprity was soaring.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok used Absolute Barrier to protect himself and Park Terse, and a spherical barrier enveloped them.

    ¡°The monsters are surrounding us. I can feel significant pressure on Absolute Barrier.¡± Jin-Hyeok was broadcasting the situation from a first-person perspective. He knew the viewers also felt the pressure. ¡°Terse is muttering something with his eyes closed.¡±

    After a moment, Terse opened his eyes. ¡°These monsters want tomunicate. They are friendly toward humans.¡±

    ¡°Communicate?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But they are not tamed, so themunication is not going to be refined. It would be like speaking to a person who speaks a foreignnguage. However, even with anguage barrier,munication and connection are possible.¡±

    Most people would have found this odd. The natural thing for most people to say in these kinds of situations would be thatmunication would be difficult with thenguage barrier.

    But Jin-Hyeok just nodded. ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    ¡°The way they are surrounding us seems to be a form of greeting, like how humans shake hands.¡±

    From a human perspective, this was a greeting method perfectly suited to cause suffocation or even death.

    ¡°Having a conversation with untamed monsters... I never thought this was possible!¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t even talk to a monster, you can¡¯t be called a Tamer,¡± Terse proudly said.

    ¡°Is that the basics for a Tamer?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    This sparked a crisis of confidence among countless Tamers across the universe.

    -I guess I am not a Tamer anymore.

    -I¡¯ve never talked to an untamed monster.

    -That¡¯s the basics?

    -I¡¯ve been preparing to be a Tamer for three years. Maybe I should just quit.

    Terse continued, ¡°Chul-Soo, are you going to ept their greeting? They want to guide us to the pce where the Swamp Spirit resides¡ª¡±

    Terse could not finish his sentence; he was at a loss for words.

    ¡°You¡¯re already exchanging greetings,¡± the Tamer added.

    Jin-Hyeok had already dispelled Absolute Barrier and was surrounded by numerous Swamp Monsters. They were piling on top of Jin-Hyeok, looking somewhat like a giant blob.

    ¡°The sticky liquid is pushing into my mouth, making it hard to talk. I can hardly breathe,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    In the first-person perspective, the viewers were experiencing the same pressure Jin-Hyeok felt, albeit much less intensely.

    -I just turned off the screen.

    -If we feel this much pressure, how can he still talk?

    -Is this also the basics for a Streamer?

    -I guess I am not a Streamer anymore.

    However, Jin-Hyeok himself did not feel particrly suffocated or in danger. It was just a bit ufortable, so he remained calm and formed a small Absolute Barrier around his mouth.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t just stop talking because of this. I need to fill in the audio.¡¯ </i>

    Now, it was easier for him to speak.

    ¡°These semi-liquid, foul-smelling substances seem to be burrowing into every orifice. It is a powerful and intense greeting that even Tanks below Level 230 would struggle with. Most would suffocate or be crushed,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -A Level 230 Tank might die, but a Streamer won¡¯t... That¡¯s insane!

    -Chul-Soo is much stronger than a Level 230 Tank.

    -I am a Level 230 Tank, and he is right, I don¡¯t think I can survive that. Well, moving on.

    Soon, Mole Woman burst forth from the swamp. She looked supremely confident as if she had acquired critical information.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, moly! Wait, is Chul-Soo inside that giant blob, moly?¡±

    Mud continued to slide off Jin-Hyeok, making him appear like a doll covered in mud. Mole Woman frantically cleared the mud with her hands, searching for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    ¡°This must be his face, moly!¡±

    She inserted her hands into the mud, forming an umbre with them to shield Jin-Hyeok from the dripping muck. Mole Woman and Jin-Hyeok were now facing each other at a very close range.

    -Jesus, what a scene!

    -I feel like the genre of the content is survival, but why does it look like romance?

    -They say even the shadow of a beautiful person is beautiful, and it¡¯s true, LOL! Even in this muddy mess, Chul-Soo looks ridiculously handsome! Life is so unfair.

    -I ain¡¯t even mad. I just want Chul-Soo to be happy.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, listen carefully. I have found a very important clue, moly,¡± Mole Woman said.

    ¡°Are you talking about the Swamp Spirit?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I hope that¡¯s not all the information.¡±

    Mole Woman was speechless for a moment. She had swum to the deepest part of the swamp and obtained this information through a shining crystal orb. To outsiders, it could have seemed easy, but Mole Woman had also risked her life.

    ¡°Well, of course, that¡¯s not everything, moly... I also know where the Swamp Spirit is.¡± Although she said that, it wasn¡¯t the truth. However, she did not want to lie to Chul-Soo, so she added, ¡°Actually, I <i>think</i> I know where Swamp Spirit is. The path may be difficult, but given time, I believe I can find it, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok replied, ¡°The monsters are saying that they are bringing the Swamp Spirit to us.¡±

    Mole Woman and Terse looked at each other with simr expressions.

    <i>¡®You too?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®You too?¡¯</i>

    Both of them were feeling a shared emotion.

    ***

    Terse doubted his ears. <i>¡®Wait, Chul-Soo ismunicating with the Swamp Monsters?¡¯</i>

    He wanted to ask Chul-Soo whether it was truly a conversation or if he had used Broadcaster''s Insight to read their inner thoughts.

    ¡°Just like Terse said, I can¡¯t fully understand what the monsters are saying. It¡¯s like they are speaking a foreignnguage I barely know. Anyway, they say the Swamp Spirit ising here. Terse, am I right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your teachings, Terse.¡±

    Terse felt the urge to ask again, <i>¡®What have I taught him?¡¯</i>

    If he had taught anything, it was the basic fact that apetent Tamer should be able tomunicate with untamed monsters to a certain point.

    <i>¡®Did he manage to converse with the monsters just because I mentioned that?¡¯</i>

    Terse remembered the eager look Chul-Soo had given him earlier. Clearly, Chul-Soo wanted to grow into a Tamer who could one day pose a threat to Terse.

    <i>¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯</i>

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s life before his regression, Terse was a yer who rejectedpetition. He used to argue thatpeting with others in taming was utterly useless and counterproductive, but now he had changed.

    <i>¡®I will not lose to you, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Terse decided topete with Chul-Soo seriously. He knew he was not skilled in other areas, but he wanted to be the top Tamer in the world.

    Mole Woman had simr thoughts.

    <i>¡®I lost this time, moly.</i>¡¯

    Chul-Soo was currently using the minimum necessary power to find the most efficient path. Indeed, a true Navigator needed to use the least amount of energy to find the optimal route. Chul-Soo¡¯s current approach was the epitome of a Navigator¡¯s y.

    <i>¡®But do not getcent, moly.''</i>

    Mole Woman¡¯s former rival was Han Sae-Rin. In fact, she still feltpetitive toward Sae-Rin asionally, but now she had a more formidable rival.

    <i>¡®I am the best Navigator on Earth. Not you, moly!¡¯</i>

    ***

    While Terse and Mole Woman were both kindling their resolve, the swamp suddenly split open. For the first time, the bottom of the swamp, which was thought to be unfathomably deep, was revealed.

    ¡°It does not seem as deep as we thought. It looks to be about twenty meters deep,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Far below the swamp, they could see something resembling a crocodile. This crocodile had two pairs of translucent wings attached to its back. Energetically pping its cute wings, the crocodile gently rose into the air.

    <strong>[LV299/Swamp Fairy/<u>Skills</u>/<u>Achievements</u>]</strong>

    One of its Achievements was particrly fascinating.

    <strong>[Sowed the Seven-Thousand-Year-Old Sacred Tree]</strong>

    The number seven thousand and the term Sacred Tree were very familiar to Jin-Hyeok. These were the same words from a Hidden Quest he had undertaken before.

    <strong>[Seven-Thousand-Year Wish of the Sacred Tree Bakurudnaima]</strong>

    ¡°Bakurudnaima?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was the Sacred Tree that had been ravaged by the Red-Eyed Ants. Through that event, Jin-Hyeok had acquired the Phantom Swordswoman and even engaged in a fierce battle with the Queen Ant. The crocodile-shaped fairy floated before Jin-Hyeok and said,

    [??? ???? ?????, ???? ?????.]

    Jin-Hyeok could notprehend what the fairy said. Terse saw this as his chance. A true Tamer needed to have the capability to tame even humans, and this included Fairies. Even if taming was not possible, he needed to have a conversation with it.

    ¡°I will try tomunicate with it,¡± Terse said, determined to prove the essence of a true Tamer.

    But Jin-Hyeok summoned Elly.

    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a fairy,¡± Elly said.

    ¡°Can youmunicate with a fairy?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Once again, Terse missed his opportunity to prove himself.

    ***

    Elly¡¯s interpretation skills were exceptional. Thanks to her, Jin-Hyeok was able to obtain a vast amount of hidden information about Mount Kelibergh.

    ¡°So, this Swamp Fairy is close friends with the owner of the Mount Kelibergh Dungeon. It seems that the Dungeon Master is part of Bakurudnaima,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined to his viewers.

    Thousands of years ago, the Sacred Tree Bakurudnaima had widely scattered its seeds, and one of those seeds grew into the entity that now governed Mount Kelibergh.

    ¡°It appears that Bakurudnaima was in an environment highly conducive to growth and underwent several evolutions.¡±

    However, this was not entirely beneficial for the Sacred Tree, just like how humans could suffer from nutritional excess, leading to obesity and its associated problems.

    ¡°It seems that the roots of the Sacred Tree started rotting decades ago. Since then, it appears to have turned this pce into a Dungeon. After all, Dungeons tend to attract Adventurers.¡±

    It seemed the Sacred Tree wanted to find a solution from the Adventurers.

    ¡°But the Adventurers have not been very helpful. I will go and meet the Dungeon Master. Since it is practically an avatar of Bakurudnaima, I might be able to help.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started walking, followed by a host of Swamp Monsters. At first nce, the scene looked rather frightening.

    ¡°These monsters are seeing me off,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Swamp Monsters were expressing their affection. Meanwhile, Terse managed to sessfully tame the most empathetic Swamp Monster among them with a kiss.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party continued following the fairy, eventually leaving the swamp and entering a mountainous area. The mountain trails were rough but physically manageable.

    Mole Woman decided this was the time to prove her worth. ¡°The temperature is dropping significantly. To prepare for this, I have the all-purpose temperature control tent¡ª¡±

    ¡°Elly has already started a warm fire, hehe! Did I do well?¡± Elly said. While the surrounding trees were freezing, the area around Elly remained pleasantly warm.

    ¡°But, did you say something?¡± Elly asked Mole Woman.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, moly...¡±

    Days passed inside the Dungeon. Just as Terse was beginning to tire, a vast crater appeared.

    ¡°It¡¯s an immenselyrge crater. It is so big that it looks like a in,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He broadcast the surroundingndscape, which felt like a vast in surrounded by massive mountain ranges. ¡°And below are countless armies of monsters. Shall we go down?¡±

    The figures resembled the Army of Hell that King Beckant had. They numbered at least in the hundreds of thousands. As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party descended into the crater on the back of the crocodile fairy, the monsters moved in unison to surround the party.

    ¡°It¡¯s finally a trap!¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression was calm, but his tone suggested otherwise.

 Chapter 327

    <h4>Chapter 327</h4>

    When Cha Jin-Hyeok discovered the crater, he had already realized this ce was a trap.

    <i>¡®Is that Bakurudnaima?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    More precisely, it was a Sacred Tree derived from the Bakurudnaima. The trunk and leaves of this Sacred Tree had turned ck

    <i>¡®The Bakurudnaima I saw before, though old and tired, had a holy aura.¡¯</i>

    This one feltpletely different; it was, so to speak, a mutant Sacred Tree. This tree, like Bakurudnaima, possessed intelligence and will.

    <i>¡®That tree is controlling these monsters as the Dungeon boss monster.¡¯</i>

    A chilling aura emanated from the tree, piercing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s skin like needles. So, he used a filter to block out the chilling aura.

    <i>¡®I hope the viewers didn¡¯t feel that!¡¯</i>

    This way, the stream perfectly captured the sensation of him falling for a trap.

    ¡°Finally, it¡¯s a trap,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He felt the growling of the monsters, and his escape route was already blocked. ¡°This tree is a descendant of the Sacred Tree that I¡¯ve met before, but I wonder why it ended up like this. It seems to depend on the type of soil it roots in.¡±

    ¡°What do we do? Can we kill all these monsters?¡± Mole Woman said.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s going to be tough.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was able to imitate the Babylon Cannon of Shin Yu-Ri, but even with the power of that Skill, wiping out so many monsters at once was not easy.

    Mole Woman frowned. ¡°So, what now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have the best Tamer on Earth with us.¡±

    Park Terse flinched. <i>¡®I hope he¡¯s not referring to himself.¡¯</i>

    Terse worriedly asked Jin-Hyeok, ¡°You mean me, right?¡¯

    ¡°Of course, who else here is a Tamer?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, I thought so too!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and surveyed the surroundings again. ¡°It seems like the monsters are scoping things out.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had already smashed the Swamp Fairy on the back of its head with Miri. He had also struck several nearby monsters on the back of their heads, smashing them to pieces.

    -More! I want to smash more...! It tastes so good...

    Armed with Miri, Jin-Hyeok was the epitome of a barbarian warrior. The scene was quite effective, as the monsters did not approach them any closer.

    ¡°Terse, it¡¯s going to be tough to tame all of them, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew Terse could not tame all these monsters, but Terse could not help feeling guilty.

    ¡°Sorry... I had not thought it through that far,¡± Terse said.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is always inspiring me with unconventional thoughts,¡¯ </i>Terse thought. He slightly bit his lip and resentfully said, ¡°If only I had trained more, it might have been possible.¡±

    ¡°How many could you tame at once then? We don¡¯t need to form a deep bond, just enough to turn the ones surrounding us to our side.¡±

    Terse blushed, embarrassed by his modest skills. ¡°At once... up to seventy.¡±

    -He can tame 70 monsters at once? LOL, is he insane?

    -Wasn¡¯t there a yer bragging on Eltube about managing to tame ten monsters at once? LOL

    -That¡¯s impressive, but I guess it¡¯s stillcking in the Chul-Soo Universe, LOL!

    Regardless of the viewers¡¯ reactions, Jin-Hyeok seemed slightly disappointed. ¡°That¡¯s a bit less than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Well, we are not on Earth...¡±

    Earth was Terse¡¯s home turf. Unlike it, Hell was unfamiliar and challenging. It was especially so inside a Dungeon that had remained unexplored for decades. Yet, Terse knew very well that these were all just excuses.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have not reached that level yet,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. For now, let¡¯s just do that and move toward that tree. Since so many monsters are targeting us, it means that the tree is acting as their master.¡±

    Terse nodded. If he could sessfullymunicate with some of the approaching monsters and free them from the influence of the mutant Sacred Tree, it could cause confusion among the monsters.

    <i>¡®And we need to move toward the mutant Sacred Tree during this confusion.¡¯ </i>Terse thought. He attempted tomunicate with the surrounding monsters. Focusing his mind, he could feel what they were thinking. <i>¡®The will of the mutant Sacred Tree is being transmitted to the monsters.¡¯</i>

    The Sacred Tree had one demand: Kill the intruders. Under its control, the monsters attempted to approach the party, while Terse tried hard tomunicate with them.

    <i>¡®I need to pull as many monsters to our side as possible. Maybe, just maybe, my taming can have an effect beyond simply causing confusion. If possible, I can even counterattack.¡¯</i>

    If the tamed monsters could rush toward the Sacred Tree, the effect of taming would be even more dramatic.

    <i>¡®But it¡¯s harder than I thought.¡¯</i>

    As the party approached the Sacred Tree, the tree¡¯s influence grew stronger. The tamed monsters begin to show hostility again.

    ¡°It seems Terse¡¯s taming abilities and the mutant Sacred Tree¡¯s control are about even,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The monsters seemed confused. Thus, they neither charged nor retreated, maintaining a stalemate.

    Jin-Hyeok said to Elly, who was perched on his shoulder, ¡°Elly. I am sorry, but I need you to go back for today.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Elly, not wanting to part from Jin-Hyeok, looked disappointed but did not throw a tantrum. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    ¡°Good girl.¡± Jin-Hyeok warmly smiled.

    Not only did Elly¡¯s appearance boost viewer ratings, but Elly herself was adorable and lovable. However, the situation was not right for sharing heartfelt moments. A misstep could copse the tension being conveyed to the viewers all at once.

    While Jin-Hyeok and Elly were having the conversation, Terse felt extremely frustrated. <i>¡®Is this all my ability amounts to?¡± </i>

    They still had to cross at least one hundred meters to the Sacred Tree. As they drew closer, going even with the Sacred Tree seemed unlikely.

    <i>¡®This is disheartening.¡¯</i>

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok summoned the Thunder Dragon.

    ***

    As a massive pir of clouds hundreds of meters high formed in the air, with incessant lightning streaking across the sky, the Thunder Dragon made its imposing entrance, throwing the monsters into disarray.

    [¡°You fools.¡±]

    The Thunder Dragon¡¯s voice boomed, resounding through the area. This was the opportunity Terse had been waiting for.

    <i>¡®My taming skill is working better now!¡¯</i>

    Chills ran down Terse¡¯s neck. In reality, the Thunder Dragon could not do much here due to the inter-Server restrictions that prevented it fromunching preemptive strikes. However, its sheer presence was a form of violence and pressure for the local monsters.

    Essentially, the monsters felt intimidated by the Thunder Dragon, and Terse found it easier to empathize with these monsters.

    <i>¡®I knew it! Violence is the answer!¡¯</i>

    Some of the monsters even began charging toward the Sacred Tree, creating the counterattack situation Terse had hoped for. With the pressure on his group somewhat alleviated, Jin-Hyeok spoke up. ¡°Terse, is it possible to tame that Sacred Tree?¡±

    ¡°I will try. Mole Woman, can you take me closer to that mutant Sacred Tree?¡±

    ¡°Of course, moly.¡± Mole Woman offered her back. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hop on, moly! We don¡¯t have much time, moly! Close your eyes and hold your breath. I am going to tunnel us there, moly. Oh, and there might be monsters underground too, so you will have to handle them, moly. I can¡¯t dodge attacks, moly.¡±

    Terse was slightly worried about Jin-Hyeok. While he was tunneling toward the Sacred Tree, his control over the surface monsters could weaken, potentially exposing Jin-Hyeok to their attacks.

    Reading his concern, Jin-Hyeok patted Terse on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can take care of myself.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression was solemn, almost as if he was staking his life. To Terse, it almost sounded like Jin-Hyeok was putting his trust in him and that the entire party¡¯s fatey with him.

    Terse seriously nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±

    Together with Mole Woman, he tunneled toward their target.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt slightly disappointed that the monsters were not attacking him.

    ¡°The Thunder Dragon is stronger than I thought,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    It seemed that even without Terse¡¯s taming skill, the monsters were not going to attack him. They were still watching the Thunder Dragon in the sky, not daring to attack.

    ¡°If I use the Babylon Cannon here...¡±

    That could open up the path to the Sacred Tree. However, it would likely provoke the monsters into a frenzy, attacking en masse.

    <i>¡®That might not be too bad.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. A chaotic battle would unfold. <i>¡®I would be fine with that, but I think Mole Woman and Terse could end up dead.¡¯</i>

    Considering that possibility, Jin-Hyeok found it hard to use this method recklessly.

    ¡°For now, I will ride on the Thunder Dragon and watch the situation.¡±

    Then, Jin-Hyeok zoomed in to film Mole Woman and Terse.

    -Wait, didn¡¯t they just go underground?

    -Yeah, but...

    -I can see them too clearly!

    Marshmallow, who never missed an episode of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, was at a loss for words.

    ¡°He can zoom in a hundred times and can see through the underground,¡± Marshmallow said.

    It seemed like Chul-Soo had surpassed himself on the technical part of livestreaming. Moreover, such capabilities had not been specifically revealed in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°How can the image quality be this clear?¡±

    Watching the livestream alongside him, Encyclopedia asked, ¡°Why? Are you feeling threatened?¡±

    ¡°Threatened? Chul-Soo still has a long way to go to catch up to me¡±

    ¡°Then are you feeling good for him?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there for me to feel good about?¡± Marshmallow said outwardly but donated ten million Dias.

    [?1000th Miracle? has donated ten million Dias.]

    [¡°Wow, I have never seen a Streamer with such technology before. 100x zoom and underground projection? That¡¯s seriously impressive!]

    Encyclopedia asked again, ¡°Hey, are you the 1000th Miracle?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Marshmallow quietly got up and went inside his room. As hey on the bed, his heart thumped. <i>¡®He is already using a perfect 100x zoom like this? He is not even Level 300 yet.¡¯</i>

    Just imagining what Chul-Soo would be like after Level 300 got his heart racing.

    <i>¡®But what are they up to anyway?¡¯</i>

    Mole Woman and Terse had already arrived beneath the Sacred Tree. Mole Woman used her forepaws to create a hollow in the ground.

    On screen, Terse said.

    ?I have never thought of taming a Tree?

    Marshmallow muttered, ¡°People usually don¡¯t, I mean, think that.¡±

    ?Chul-Soo has inspired me again, and now I am going to try to tame this tree.?

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    Encyclopedia, who had followed his friend into the room, exined, ¡°This tree is essentially a Ruler-type boss monster, with will and intelligence, so taming it is indeed possible. However, Terse highly values empathy, and how he could tame a Ruler-type boss monster that¡¯s so hostile to humans... I am not so sure.¡±

    Tersemanded.

    ?Reveal yourself, Mole Squad.?

    Moles with unusuallyrge forepaws appeared on the scene. The peculiar thing about them was that they had all worn yellow safety helmets, and some of therger ones were equipped with axes and picks, tools normally used by humans.

    ?Everyone, to your positions!?

    The Mole Squad dispersed in an orderly manner. They brought their sharp ws, picks, and axes to the roots of the Sacred Tree. Terse also took a small hand axe, stood in front of a root, and tapped it with the axe.

    <i>Tap. Tap. Tap.</i>

    ?Do you want to be tamed??

    A sly grin spread across Terse¡¯s face, his eyes emitting a green glow.

 Chapter 328

    <h4>Chapter 328</h4>

    The Mole Squad had an unusual trait. Although they looked rtively cute, their eyes shone with a green light. They constantly murmured something as if they were under a spell.

    From a great distance above, Cha Jin-Hyeok managed to catch their whispers.

    ?Violence... redeems... all things.?

    ?Violence... redeems... all things.?

    Marshmallow was surprised that Chul-Soo¡¯s equipment could amplify the sound so clearly from such a distance.

    Meanwhile, the Mole Squad, each of them carrying a tool, headed toward the roots of the Sacred Tree. Spotting them, Mole Woman smirked in approval.

    ¡°I really like these guys.¡± She, too, pulled out arge pickaxe from her inventory. ¡°But I bet I can dig better than them. Let¡¯s see what you can do, my cute friends!¡±

    ¡°Violence... redeems... all things!¡±

    With Mole Woman also donning a yellow safety helmet, it almost seemed as if she was leading the Mole Squad, like she was the queen mole and her little moles were uniting their strengths.

    Feeling a strange mix of rivalry and excitement toward Mole Woman, Terse also discovered the joys of teamwork. <i>¡®This is what you call a true team y! Marvelous!¡¯</i>

    Mole Woman and the Mole Squad raised their tools and enthusiastically echoed, ¡°Violence! Redeems! All things!¡±

    Mole Woman¡¯s vigorous pickaxe swings devastated the mutated Sacred Tree¡¯s roots.

    Jin-Hyeok watched their efforts with satisfaction, even though the situation was far from perfect. He said, ¡°Small monsters are flooding through the tunnel dug by Mole Woman.¡±

    <i>Woooo!</i>

    A low-frequency sound resounded, as though it was the scream of the Sacred Tree. The tree¡¯s trunk appeared to be trembling in agony, desperate to eliminate Mole Woman and her squad.

    ¡°They are too busy with their pickaxes to fend off the monsters.¡±

    -Isn¡¯t it too dangerous for them?

    -I told you. It was risky to provoke the Sacred Tree like this.

    Self-proimed arboriculture experts had warned that Mole Woman and her squad¡¯s method was exceedingly dangerous.

    -It triggers a defensive mechanism of the Sacred Tree, which makes things much more dangerous!

    -There is also a chance that poison will spray from the roots

    -The way to ovee this would be...

    Despite public opinion, Jin-Hyeok came up with a unique solution. ¡°It seems like we arecking enough violence.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was restless as the tree had stirred numerous monsters, causing chaos.

    <i>¡®Now is a good time for me to use the Babylon Cannon, but...¡¯ </i>A better idea struck him. <i>¡®No, I have something even better than the Babylon Cannon.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to deploy his defensive Mystery.

    ***

    The Phantom Swordswoman was a gift from the Sacred Tree, Bakurudnaima, embodying the tree¡¯s seven-thousand-year-old wish before being bestowed upon Kim Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®If that tree is rted to Bakurudnaima, it will surely react to the Phantom Swordswoman. The tree might feel like a child getting scolded by its mother,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The Phantom Swordswoman materialized as a fallen angel wielding a massive hammer, soaring at an unprecedented speed. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s screen maneuvering skills had also significantly improved.

    -The speed of the Phantom Swordswoman is dazzling, yet my eyes are not tired at all!

    -I should be getting dizzy, but I¡¯m not.

    -Wow, this is why everyone says he is the best Streamer in the world.

    The viewers praised the production and the livestreaming techniques that were not even rted to the content. Receiving this feedback in real-time, Jin-Hyeok was thrilled. He felt like he was truly being recognized as a Streamer.

    ¡°Ascend, Phantom Swordswoman,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    While the most efficient method would have been a straightforward hammer swing, Jin-Hyeok opted for a more dramatic approach. He intentionally added golden effects around the Phantom Swordswoman, making it as though she was shooting out beams of light.

    His heart raced with excitement. It was time to unleash his version of the ck me Dragon, as instructed by Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°O fallen angel with the hammer of justice, fly seven circles and y the requiem.¡±

    <i>¡®Good. That sounded cool.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was immensely satisfied with the line he delivered. A sense of fullness filled him deeply as if he was satiated without eating.

    The Phantom Swordswoman, like the Golden Guardian Tree, swirled golden dust as she flew.

    One circle.

    Two circles.

    Flying around the mutated Sacred Tree, she left trails of afterimages.

    -What kind of attack is that?

    -I have no idea. But it looks insanely shy.

    -It looks like she is purifying the mutated Sacred Tree.

    -Does it make sense for a fallen angel to purify something?

    Seven trails of afterimages surrounded the tree, resembling holy shackles made of golden lines.

    ¡°Show precisely what it means to protect!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Phantom Swordswoman ascended higher, and the hammer grew even more massive.

    -What¡¯s with that big-ass hammer?

    -That thing will crack a skull from just a slight hit.

    -I still can¡¯t believe that thing is a defensive Mystery.

    Just as the hammer, nowrger than the Sacred tree itself, was about to strike,

    ¡°It looks like they have finally seeded in taming it.¡±

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The hammer of the Phantom Swordswoman struck not the Sacred Tree, but the ground next to it. The tunnels dug by Mole Woman copsed, and the monsters inside were annihted.

    -Wait, what about Mole Woman and Terse?

    -Mole Woman might be okay, but I¡¯m sure Terse can¡¯t survive that, right?

    Viewers expressed reasonable concerns, but these were unfounded. Mole Woman had scooped up Terse and propelled them both to the surface.

    -OMG! She took Terse into her arms! He is so lucky!

    -I am so jealous!

    Teres had sessfully tamed the mutated Sacred Tree, and the monsters scattered. The Phantom Swordswoman, with her enchanting appearance, flew around, smashing the heads of any monster that dared to approach the group.

    Her face smeared in soot, Mole Woman beamed and shed a victory sign with her fingers. ¡°Violence really is the best, isn¡¯t it, moly?¡±

    ***

    Terse shivered, but not from the close brush with death or having been cradled to safety by Mole Woman, who was touted as the beauty of the century. Those details paled inparison to his real triumph.

    <i>¡®I have tamed the tree!¡¯</i>

    He had managed to tame a boss monster from an Unexplored Dungeon on a Server stronger than Earth. It was a monumental feat for him.

    At that moment of sess, he had briefly shared the Sacred Tree¡¯s vision, bing one with it. He felt how scared the Sacred Tree was, seeing through the eyes of the Sacred Tree as the golden, frenzied angel swung a colossal hammer that seemed poised to utterly shatter it. The terror that the tree felt as the massive hammer descended was palpable to Terse. It was then he realized something crucial.

    <i>¡®My violence was insufficient.¡¯</i>

    Taming such a formidable boss monster required an unimaginable level of force. The hammer blows of the Phantom Swordswoman contained a degree of violence beyond the ordinary, reducing the mighty tree¡¯s mental state to that of a terrified child.

    <i>¡®The Phantom Swordswoman reduced an opponent to a child and instilled such fear... That is an unexpected and brilliant form of violence.¡¯</i>

    Enlightened by this experience, Terse vowed to grow even stronger. He shared the insights he had gained from the taming with Chul-Soo. ¡°Chul-Soo, Bakubaku has been living in trauma for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Bakubaku?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the name of this lovely tree.¡± Terse, who had named the mutated Sacred Tree, gently stroked its trunk. ¡°Bakubaku told me that its mother tree, Bakurudnaima, has suffered long from harassment.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was gnawed on by swarms of Red-Eyed Ants,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    And then the Queen Ant appeared.

    ¡°It seems like that memory adversely affected Bakubaku too, much like how a child abused in youth might mistreat their childrenter.¡± Tears welled up in Terse¡¯s eyes as he empathized with Bakubaku. ¡°Such trauma twisted its personality, making it grow like a mutant.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin as Terse stood in front of Bakubaku with his arms spread wide.

    ¡°It would be nice if you could forgive this one, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really about forgiveness and whatnot.¡± Jin-Hyeok had already extracted all the content he needed. He did not have any thoughts of killing Bakubaku. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we be getting the Dungeon clear notification by now?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have been wondering about that myself, moly.¡±

    The Dungeon boss monster waspletely subdued, but the notification for clearing the Dungeon had not sounded yet.

    ¡°I feel like we are missing something.¡± Jin-Hyeok nced toward Bakubaku. ¡°You are not hiding anything, are you?¡±

    Just then, Bakubaku¡¯s trunk trembled, and ck leaves fell to the ground.

    Terse responded on its behalf. ¡°It is saying it¡¯s not hiding anything. I can vouch for that.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    <i>¡®Then what is it? What are we missing?¡¯ </i>As Jin-Hyeok pondered it, a message arrived from Yu-Mi.

    [You have received a message from ?KingGodGeneral Yumi?]

    [Lessefim, Mok Jae-Hyeon: Perhaps we should focus on the soil rather than the tree!]

    ***

    Jae-Hyeon knelt before Lessefim. ¡°Please ept me as your disciple. I may not be as talented in alchemy as Neilson is, but I can excel in other areas.¡±

    ¡°You? Why would I? Aren¡¯t you a Tank?¡± Lessefim asked.

    Jae-Hyeon shared thoughts he had long harbored.

    ¡°You are right. I am a reasonably good Tank.¡± He had a 9-Star rating on his Job, which was considered extraordinary by conventional standards. He was considered quitepetent by the Chul-Soo Universe¡¯s metrics. ¡°However, ultimately, I want to be of real help to Jin-Hyeok, sorry, Chul-Soo. As a Tank, I can¡¯t truly be of help to him.¡±

    ¡°Hm... I get what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°I think I have finally figured out my true path.¡±

    ¡°And what path is that?¡±

    ¡°To properly cultivate and develop the Guardian Tree. However, I realize this is not something I can do alone.¡± Jae-Hyeon was one of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s closest associates, deeply familiar with his past y and future strategies. ¡°I need to follow in the footsteps of Garbinu, and for that, alchemy is essential. I believe alchemy will eventually be necessary to evolve the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°But everyone knows about that. Even Chul-Soo knows that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I think I have much more talent as a Botanist than a Tank. If I learn alchemy from you, the synergy could be incredible.¡±

    Lessefim thought about the proposition for a while before responding. ¡°It¡¯s a bit much for me to be your teacher. First off, you don¡¯t know much about alchemy, and I am not well-versed in botany.¡±

    ¡°But...!¡±

    ¡°So, let¡¯s just coborate. You have a connection with Trituri, right?¡±

    ¡°I already regard him as my master.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you, Trituri, Katrina, Neilson, and I should join forces and conduct research together.¡±

    This marked the beginning of a universal research alliance. Thus, the research ignited, and time had passed.

    Watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, Jae-Hyeon seemed to realize something. ¡°Master, can the Sacred Tree be so mutated simply because of trauma?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it¡¯s that simple,¡± Trituri said. He was enjoying life as a nobleman in Harkoen¡¯s grand mansion. He was also engrossed in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°The environment must have had a significant impact, right?¡± Jae-Hyeon asked. It seemed that investigating the soil of Mount Kelibergh was necessary.

 Chapter 329

    <h4>Chapter 329</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok realized something.

    <i>¡®I know this is technically Dual-y content, but it¡¯s actually not! I have an almost infinite number of teammates!¡¯</i>

    Knowing he could receive help from other yers outside his current party made him feel refreshed. It was as if calling his content Solo or Dual y no longer mattered.

    <i>¡®Is this what it feels like to y with the viewers?¡¯</i>

    This small revtion brought him immense joy akin to the thrill that Park Terse had experienced in Co-Op y.

    <i>¡®To top it all off, I can use this unique method only because I am a Streamer!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok became even more excited about future ys. He could now confidently respond to previous criticisms about whether his actions in the Banyan Tree Dungeon could be considered Solo y. It could be ambiguous for a regr yer, but he was a Streamer. Hence, he could assertively im that it was a Solo y.

    He subtly smiled as sunlight filtered through the Sacred Tree leaves and shone on his face. <i>¡®I feel reborn.¡¯ </i>

    Kang Eun-Woo, who had captured the moment, was satisfied. He felt that this masterpiece would electrify countless Chul-Soo Landers.

    Meanwhile, the ever-ready Chul-Soo Landers flooded the chat.

    [No.1: So, is Chul-Soo stuck in that Dungeon?]

    [No.2: No.1, you need to trust Chul-Soo!]

    [No.33: My boyfriend is a high-Level Navigator. Should I ask him to go there?]

    [No.107: I¡¯m probably better suited for this. I specialize in Dungeon clears.]

    [No.109: I think I know who No.107 is.]

    The Chul-Soo Landers numbered 100 and above were usually the more skilled yers since they had to go through fiercepetition or use slightly illegal methods to be Chul-Soo Landers.

    As the nine hundred high-Level yers contemted going to the Hell Server for Chul-Soo, Chul-Soo Land Administrator Eun-Woo calmed them down.

    [No.2: Chill out, everyone. I know how much you love Chul-Soo, but you need to know when to restrain yourself.]

    [No.121: How are we supposed to calm down while watching this? What if Chul-Soo gets hurt?]

    [No.133: Don¡¯t say something so horrible!]

    [No.204: Take that back. It¡¯s bad luck.]

    Eun-Woo sighed deeply. The Chul-Soo Landers had immense chatting firepower. In situations like this, nothing could calm them down like a beautiful photo of Chul-Soo.

    [Picture]

    [No.2: Look at this picture and calm down. Give me a minute to speak.]

    The one thousand Chul-Soo Landers fell silent all at once. It was nearly miraculous how quiet Chul-Soopia became.

    Eun-Woo continued the conversation.

    [No.2: I know you all mean well, but you might interfere with Chul-Soo¡¯s y if you try to help him. What if you mess up his content by meddling unnecessarily? We Chul-Soo Landers don¡¯t want to be that kind of toxic fans, do we?]

    ***

    Mole Woman was confident. Terse had tamed this Dungeon¡¯s boss monster.

    ¡°The Dungeon¡¯s backbone has been extracted, moly,¡± Mole Woman said. Such a feat usually made it easier to find or create an exit. ¡°Escaping this Dungeon might actually be its clear condition, moly.¡±

    True to her reputation as an excellent Navigator, she continued voicing her professional insights. ¡°How you exit this Dungeon is just as important as defeating its boss monster. That¡¯s why it has such a vast Field in the first ce. It is meant to test if you still have enough stamina to find the right way out of it after battling the Sacred Tree and a huge number of monsters, moly.¡±

    She had fully understood the nature of this Dungeon. Now, all they had to do was find the path that would lead them to aplete Dungeon clear.

    <i>¡®This is the duty of a top-ranked Navigator!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought. Smiling, she walked over to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°You might be unfamiliar with this situation, but don¡¯t be afraid, moly. I am with you.¡±

    Mole Woman took off her safety helmet and put on green goggles. The goggles shone brightly, almost as if green beams were shooting out of them.

    ¡°Just give me a bit of time, and I will lead you straight to the right pat¡ªhuh?¡± Mole Woman tilted her head. Right after, her jaw dropped. ¡°Wait... a path has formed!¡±

    Almost in disbelief, she muttered, ¡°One swing of the hammer and a path appeared, moly...¡±

    ***

    The Phantom Swordswoman had inspired Jin-Hyeok. When she had struck the ground earlier, he felt the very foundation of the Dungeon tremble. While Mole Woman was busy showing off her expertise, he continued his livestream.

    ¡°Taming the boss monster seems to have significantly weakened the structural integrity of the Dungeon,¡± he said. It was as if the core that constituted the Dungeon had all but disappeared. ¡°This blockade preventing our escape is just a setting; maybe we should try breaking it.¡±

    -What if breaking it causes the Dungeon to copse?

    -Yu-Mi, please tell Chul-Soo that destroying the Dungeon can get them all killed!

    -They might get trapped in a dimensional rift and be lost in the universe!

    Yu-Mi rapidly ryed the viewers¡¯ments, but Jin-Hyeok pretended not to see the messages.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re saying the Dungeon might copse... That would be quite intense!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He then shook his head. <i>¡®I got this.¡¯</i>

    He appreciated the viewers¡¯ concerns and worries, but paying too much attention to them could stall the content. Hence, he decided to trust his instincts and the insights he had on the spot. Their advice was not entirely unhelpful, though.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t just recklessly smash it.¡¯</i>

    He had to be careful not to unleash his full power while trying to break the Dungeon¡¯s settings.

    <i>¡®Miri, are you ready?¡¯</i>

    -Of course. Where is the back of the Dungeon¡¯s head?

    Miri sounded excited to try a delicacy that it had never tasted before.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t forget. You¡¯re a Rule Breaker, not a head breaker.¡¯</i>

    -Ah, right¡ªI mean, sure, I knew that.

    Miri¡¯s awkward reply made it obvious that it had forgotten its primary role.

    <i>¡®As a Rule Breaker, you are going to destroy the settings preventing us from escaping this Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    Slightly exhrated, Miri exhaled deeply.

    -Got it!

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to do it alone. I¡¯ll imbue you with the power of Unleashing Technique.¡¯</i>

    -Okay.

    Miri sounded a bit disappointed, likely because it did not want to share its delicacy with the Unleashing Technique.

    A green aura enveloped Miri. The powers of the Unleashing Technique were engraved on it.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s do this, Miri! Activate Unleashing Technique!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok swung his hammer.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    A crack formed in the air.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    <i>-Look for the back of the Dungeon¡¯s head!</i>

    <i>Bang!</i>

    After three hammer strikes, a gate was created, and the Dungeon was cleared.

    ***

    <strong>[You have cleared the Dungeon ?Mount Kelibergh?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had been quietly hoping for an All-Clear. Unfortunately, he received no such notification.

    <i>¡®Not getting an All-Clear notification after everything I¡¯ve done is quite disappointing. I must have missed something.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have acquired ?Kelibergh Mining Rights? as a clear reward.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired an ?All-Purpose Shovel? as a clear reward.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired an ?All-Purpose Bag? as a clear reward.]</strong>

    ¡°I received the Kelibergh Mining Rights, an All-Purpose Shovel, and an All-Purpose Bag as clear rewards.¡±

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have reached Level 269.]</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯ve also leveled up to 269..¡±

    Terse¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo, did the Dungeon reward you with a Level-up?¡±

    Even for a fast-leveling Streamer, gaining a Level from clearing a single Dungeon was unusual.

    Terse continued, ¡°I¡¯m only in the 230s, yet I didn¡¯t level up!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make sense for a Dungeon to hand out levels as clear rewards.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, so <i>how did you...?¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged. The Dungeon clear had nothing to do with his level increase.

    ¡°The people of the Earth Server pooled their strength for me,¡± he exined.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    The next day, an inter-Server alliance was formed. Although it had not been named yet, it ventured into the Hell Server.

    Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased with its members.

    <i>¡®We have Lessefim, who has Carvington¡¯s knowledge...¡¯</i>

    Lessefim had been diligently analyzing and studying the legacy of Harkoen, the descendant of Carvington, the Alchemist of Creation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she now possessed Carvington¡¯s legacy.

    <i>¡®Katrina, the descendant of the Shining Jeweler Goldium...¡¯</i>

    Katrina and Neilson, the child prodigy apanying her, were really friendly toward Jin-Hyeok. Moreover, two of hisrades, each continuing one of the Seven Great Families¡¯ legacies, had also joined them.

    <i>¡®... and Mok Jae-Hyeon and Trituri.¡¯</i>

    Their group had enough expertise to study the ecosystem of Mount Kelibergh.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, did you bring the Dungeon rewards?¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°You mean the Kelibergh Mining Rights, All-Purpose Shovel, and All-Purpose Bag?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Yes. We need those. The Dungeon has a special setting that prevents us from transporting its soil outside without the mining rights.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°You just thought about destroying that setting, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s a rational thought, but I would prefer it if you didn¡¯t. Destroying a setting can start a chain reaction with other connected settings. Who knows what kind of butterfly effect that might trigger.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t I destroy a setting to open the gate for the Dungeon clear?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You were lucky nothing happened to you.¡±

    ¡°What if I hadn¡¯t been lucky?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. If I knew everything that would happen inside a Dungeon, I would be a God, not a Navigator, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    ¡°Still, try to avoid doing that in the future.¡±

    Lessefim then nced at Mole Woman. As one of the top-ranked yers of the Arvis Server, she saw Mole Woman as a fiercepetitor. ¡°If you had taken me, you wouldn¡¯t have had to resort to something so reckless.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that, moly?¡± Mole Woman asked.

    ¡°Chul-Soo had to do that because you weren¡¯t good or intense enough,¡± Lessefim answered.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s...¡± Mole Woman stammered. Although momentarily flustered, she quickly recovered. ¡°Does it matter? In the end, Chul-Soo chose to take me with him to the Dungeon, moly. You may be more skilled, but my talent is more suited for his livestreams, moly!¡±

    ¡°No, he only chose you because you¡¯re pretty!¡±

    Lessefim felt like she was winning the argument. Being chosen just for their looks would hurt any Navigator¡¯s pride.

    However, influenced by Jin-Hyeok, Mole Woman just smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that I¡¯m this pretty, moly. If you want Chul-Soo to choose you, then go polish your beauty, moly!¡±

    ¡°How can you say something so shameless? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed as a Navigator?¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>If you want to appear on his livestream, at least put some makeup on! I am not just a Navigator; I am a Navigator who specializes in streaming, moly!¡±

    ¡°There is no such thing as a Navigator who specializes in streaming!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re only ranked fifth, moly!¡±

    ¡°You sure you want to keep running your mouth?!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok heartilyughed as he watched the argument between a top-ranked yer of the new Server Earth and a top-ranked yer of the traditional powerhouse Arvis.

    <i>¡¯This would make for killer views if I turn it into a short video!¡¯</i>

    Just as he expected, the video was a hit. Jin-Hyeok was overjoyed.

    Deciding to drop the topic, Lessefim used the Kelibergh Mining Rights, the shovel, and the bag to collect samples from Mount Kelibergh and study its environment.

    Neilson, now a disciple of Katrina, was the first to notice a peculiarity.

    ¡°Master... this might be...¡±

 Chapter 330

    <h4>Chapter 330</h4>

    Neilson said to Katrina, ¡°Master, I found something in the secret archive of your family, Shelf H, secondpartment, titled [Carvington Coboration Journal]. It¡¯s on page thirty-three, fourth line.¡±

    ¡°When did you read that?¡± Katrina asked.

    ¡°I read it on my second day here, Master.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you started reading something from Alchemy Physiology just yesterday? How did you manage to finish all those books in just two days?¡±

    ¡°I read 221 books in those two days, Master.¡±

    Katrina shook her head in disbelief. Even though she had often been called a genius since her youth, her student was on another level.

    ¡°Alright, what was the content?¡± she inquired.

    ¡°There was no content.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°It seems like a specific part had been erased. The context was a bit off,¡± Neilson continued. ¡°The content in that part might be why the Great Demon King Garbinu became so powerful, but if wepare it with other books...¡±

    Neilson looked at Katrina, his eyes seemingly asking if she wanted him to reference the specific books.

    However, Katrina shook her head. ¡°Just get to the point.¡±

    ¡°As many of you here might have guessed, it is highly rted to Guardian Trees, and the fact that Garbinu could raise such a powerful Guardian Tree was probably...¡±

    It was highly probable that the Shining Jeweler Goldium and the Alchemist of Creation Carvington had assisted Garbinu.

    ¡°Lessefim, aren¡¯t you researching ways to elerate the growth of Guardian Trees?¡± Neilson asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Lessefim nodded.

    ¡°You mentioned something like making fertilizers, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I did. But it was ineffective. Something was off. It felt like someone had erased an important part, just like you said.¡±

    ¡°Based on the context around the missing content in the Carvington Coboration Journal, we can infer that a special ingredient was involved. This ingredient, when used in alchemy, perfectly created Garbinu¡¯s Guardian Tree.¡±

    Katrina loudly cleared her throat. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t take this the wrong way. This is a conclusion Neilson could reach because he has read and memorized at least thousands of ancient books...¡±

    Lessefim interjected. ¡°Thousands? No, there has to be at least tens of thousands. He has read all those books in our secret archive too.¡±

    ¡°Did you open up the Harkoen estate¡¯s secret archive as well?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Opening the secret archive is just a matter of course for any Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    This information could be unearthed only because of the favor both families had shown to Kim Chul-Soo and the frequent visits by the genius boy Neilson.

    Cha Jin-Hyeok summarized the information. ¡°So, we can make a fertilizer for Guardian Trees through alchemy, and this soil is an essential ingredient for that fertilizer. Is that what you guys are saying?¡±

    It couldn¡¯t be done with just the descendants of Goldium.

    Neither could it be done with just the descendants of Carvington.

    This special artifact could only bepleted when the descendants of both families joined forces.

    Katrina heartilyughed.

    ¡°I think I might be able to repay you this time.¡± She sidled up to Jin-Hyeok and hooked her arm around his. ¡°How about it? I can give you this as my engagement gift, Oppa.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not flustered at all. ¡°That kind of content gets in the way of my livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about your content...¡± Witnessing the madness of a yer obsessed with livestreaming, Katrina stopped herself from saying more and simply smirked. <i>¡®He is still as sexy as ever.¡¯</i>

    ***

    The research teamposed of Lessefim, Katrina, Neilson, and Trituri created a new artifact using the existing research materials and soil collected from Mount Kelibergh.

    Katrina then handed Jin-Hyeok a bag that resembled a flour sack.

    ¡°We decided to name it Neilson Sand after Neilson, who made the greatest contribution,¡± she said. The bag was filled with sparkling sand, which itself was an artifact. ¡°We need to examine the effect Neilson Sand has on the Guardian Tree.¡±

    The Neilson Sand adequately served as a fertilizer that promoted the growth of Guardian Trees. However, there was a problem.

    ¡°Initially, Guardian Trees grow rapidly, but then they begin to rot,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mok Jae-Hyeon described this situation as a kind of nutrient oversaturation or overly moist conditions.

    Jin-Hyeok ryed this information to his viewers. ¡°Borrowing the words of the Wood King, it is like Guardian Trees cannot absorb all nutrients because there is just too much. If we can¡¯t experiment on young Guardian Trees, I guess we have to try on therger one.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Golden Guardian Tree eximed,

    -¡°No! Being slim is considered beautiful on Earth! I do not wish to gain weight!¡±

    <i>¡®That means you won¡¯t die from this, right?¡¯</i>

    -¡°Hmph! I am not such a frail being that would die from mere nutrients.¡±

    The Golden Guardian Tree¡¯s massive trunk twitched.

    -¡°Are you thinking of creating content of me dying?¡±

    <i>¡®No, I would never think like that.¡¯</i>

    -¡°Did you just stutter?¡±

    <i>¡®No, you¡¯re overthinking it. I am not that obsessed with livestreaming. Why would I think that?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok sprinkled Neilson Sand on the Guardian Tree. Due to the depth and toughness of the Guardian Tree¡¯s roots, Jin-Hyeok needed assistance from Mole Woman and her Mole Squad.

    <i>¡®Whenever Mole Woman appears on my livestream, the viewership spikes.¡¯</i>

    This was a world where appearance was everything. When Mole Woman emerged and wiped the sweat from her forehead, the viewers erupted in cheers. It seemed he needed to call her on his livestream more often.

    Meanwhile, the Guardian Tree seemed to quite like the Neilson Sand.

    -¡°This is nothing! I want more! More!¡±

    After confirming that the Neilson Sand had no significant side effects on the mature Guardian Tree, Neilson¡¯s research team began mass production of the sand and gradually increased the amount sprinkled on the Guardian Tree¡¯s roots.

    One day, Jae-Hyeon made a discovery. ¡°Hyung!¡±

    He climbed up a moving vine to the top of the Guardian Tree and plucked a fruit. It was a golden fruit about five or six times the size of a watermelon. Jae-Hyeon could not even lift it due to its weight and size.

    ¡°Look at this!¡± Jae-Hyeon told Jin-Hyeok. Using the vines, Jae-Hyeon wrapped the golden fruit and handed it to him. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly heavy, so be caref... oh, it seems you don¡¯t need to be careful.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok easily lifted the golden fruit and examined it.

    ¡°I have never seen such a huge fruit before. It is filled with auspicious energy, but...¡± Upon a closer look using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he could tell that the vitality of the fruit was rapidly fading.

    Neilson suddenly recalled a record. ¡°It is said that the Great Demon King Garbinu swallowed something like a giant egg. It was described as a fragrant, golden egg, which could very well be this fruit.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so should I swallow it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Jae-Hyeon jumped in disbelief. ¡°How can a person swallow that?¡±

    The fruit was sorge that not even an elephant or hippo could swallow it in one bite. If a person tried, their esophagus would surely be torn apart.

    Jin-Hyeok grinned.

    [Mukbang][1]

    He even set the livestream title.

    ¡°Today¡¯s content is going to be mukbang. It looks like I will have to swallow this in one bite, but it won¡¯t be an easy challenge for me.¡±

    ***

    Lessefim disapprovingly shook her head.

    ¡°There is a potion that temporarily turns a human body rubber-like,¡± she admitted. This potion was used in some industrial sites in Arvis. ¡°However, the potion is so toxic that it needs to be taken in multiple small doses over time to allow the body to adopt.¡±

    ¡°What if there is no time for me to do that?¡± Jin-Hyeok concealed his amusement. Right now, time was not on his side, and Lessefim¡¯s reaction was thrilling enough for his content.

    Lessefim answered, ¡°Even if there is no time, it can¡¯t be helped. This won¡¯t work. It is really dangerous.¡±

    ¡°But what if I am sincerely asking you?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re <i>sincerely </i>asking me... it¡¯s not possible. The dosing guidelines are set byw.¡±

    ¡°But what if I consume it in Hell and not Arvis?¡±

    ¡°No... it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°What if I take it by force?¡±

    ¡°Well, that would...¡±

    <i>¡®Maybe getting hit by Chul-Soo to boost the viewership for his livestream is okay... Should I take the hit?¡¯ </i>Lessefim was tempted but quickly regained her senses. ¡°From an immediate view count perspective, it might be good, but it would be bad for your long-term image. I mean, I am a Chul-Soo Lander, after all. You wouldn¡¯t dare to hit a Chul-Soo Lander, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°It would have been better if I were your enemy. It would have been perfect content for your Eltube.¡±

    Neilson, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, was overwhelmed. Even with his genius intellect, he found it difficult to understand the conversation.

    ¡°But everyone, the reason I have been dragging out this conversation was a trick!¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    A bottle of potion abruptly appeared in his right hand, and showing up out of nowhere, Song Ha-Young giggled. ¡°Mission sessful, hehe.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took the potion from Ha-Young and chugged it down while using Absolute Barrier around him.

    Lessefim smirked. ¡°I knew you would do that, so I brought a fake potion.¡±

    Ha-Young also smirked. ¡°I knew you would do that, so I stole the real potion from yourb.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Han Sae-Rin told me the real potion would be in the Harkoen estate!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ha-Young tapped Lessefim¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I understand your feelings. You did not want to give away the potion as a Chul-Soo Lander, and yet you did want to.¡±

    If Lessefim truly did not want to give it to Chul-Soo, she would not have made the potion at all. However, she could not refuse Jin-Hyeok¡¯s request and had ended up making it.

    ¡°It is perfectly normal to feel such a contradiction. Are you thinking about Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream or Chul-Soo¡¯s health? I understand your conflict. I really understand you, 120%.¡±

    Lessefim felt that she could be very good friends with Ha-Young.

    In any case, Jin-Hyeok had guzzled down the rubberizing potion.

    <i>¡®If I can just protect my brain with Absolute Barrier, it should be fine,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    It seemed there would not be a major issue. He felt his body bing stic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the mukbang!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok opened his mouth wide and swallowed the giant fruit. His form was grotesque and bizarre, but the livestream was being shown from a first-person perspective, so this form didn¡¯t appear on the screen.

    Neilson rapidly blinked. <i>¡®He looks disgusting.¡¯</i>

    He wondered if Chul-Soo had to go this far. It was like witnessing a horrific traffic ident; he was quite shocked. However, the truly strange part was the two people beside Chul-Soo, Lessefim and Ha-Young.

    ¡°How can he be...¡±

    ¡°So intense?¡±

    Suddenly, the two were holding hands.

    ¡°He is so sexy.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

    Neilson was questioning what he was hearing. He could not understand how that disgusting look could be sexy.

    ¡°That intensity is what got me hooked.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hadpletely swallowed the golden fruit. It seemed to travel grotesquely down his throat to his stomach, where it exploded with a bang.

    ¡°If Absolute Barrier had not protected me, I would have been blown to pieces,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Nielsen was dumbfounded again. <i>¡®He is talking about that with such a calm expression?¡¯</i>

    Being right next to Chul-Soo, Neilson could tell that what Chul-Soo was doing was very dangerous. Just the residual pressure Chul-Soo released had pushed Neilson several steps back.

    <i>¡®What kind of world am I living in?¡¯</i>

    During the fifteen years he had been transformed into a doll, the world had changed drastically. Neilson cautiously approached Jin-Hyeok. Despite everything, he was a professional researcher. Already prepared with paper and pen, he asked, ¡°Are there... any changes?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shared a screen with him instead of answering.

    <strong>nter¡¯s Record Journal (Bound)]</strong>

    <strong>[A journal that automatically records the birth and growth of the Golden Guardian Tree.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/7/26: Seed was sown.</strong>

    <strong>?2022/7/29: The Young Golden Guardian Tree has grown.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>*2023/2/23: You have grown into the Great nter.]</strong>

    1. A mukbang is an online audiovisual broadcast in which a host consumes various quantities of food while interacting with the audience. ?

 Chapter 331

    <h4>Chapter 331</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok conducted his livestream with aposed demeanor, despite the tremors of excitement he felt inside.

    ¡°As our viewers know, this Recording Journal is automated. The title <i>Great </i>now precedes the title <i>nter</i>,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined. The Great nter title had granted him new knowledge. ¡°I have now earned the right to nt Guardian Trees in other Servers as well.¡±

    Young Guardian Trees were thriving all over Earth. Consequently, he had received requests from the Scanorbia Server to nt some there, and he had attempted this task several times.

    ¡°Until now, Earth¡¯s Guardian Tree could not be nted on other Servers,¡± he exined.

    -Finally, that clears things up.

    -Where are those who mocked Chul-Soo for his slow thinking? Come out,e out, wherever you are.

    -What happened to those who teased Chul-Soo for being dumb?

    Some had argued why Earth¡¯s Guardian Trees were not being <i>exported </i>to other Servers, criticizing Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s business acumen as subpar. They imed that exporting the trees would skyrocket Chul-Soo¡¯s value and often boasted about their insights.

    -Chul-Soo had a n all along.

    -Those who acted all high and mighty are now silent.

    -Chul-Soo is always right!

    Jin-Hyeok went straight to Hell Man. ¡°It seems we can now nt Guardian Trees in Hell. What do you think about that?¡±

    ¡°Guardian Trees... in Hell?¡± Hell Man said.

    ¡°Moreover, here, it is geographically easier to transport soil from Mount Kelibergh, so we can grow them faster here than we can in other Servers.¡±

    ¡°We have no reason to refuse your proposal. However, currently, Hell is not in a position to offer you adequatepensation...¡±

    The integration of the Fourth and Third Hells was not an easy task, despite the power of <i>hot showers </i>and <i>delicious baked goods</i>. There were various disruptions, and Hell Man was quite preupied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anypensation,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Hell Man did not ask why. <i>¡®Chul-Soo would probably say it¡¯s because the viewership numbers are good.¡¯</i>

    However, Hell Man knew the real reason Chul-Soo was not asking for anypensation.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is incredibly righteous. He is a fervent advocate of justice and order, not expecting anything in return for his deeds.¡¯</i>

    That was, of course, a misconception of Hell Man.

    Good viewership numbers werepensation enough for Jin-Hyeok. Yet, Hell Man was touched once again.

    <i>¡®I truly learn a lot from you, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    ***

    [Chul-Soo has announced that he would transnt Guardian Trees to the Third and Fourth Hells for free!]

    ©¸That¡¯s insane! Isn¡¯t that beneficial for the Hell Server?

    ©¸That¡¯s a win for them.

    ©¸I can¡¯t even imagine Guardian Trees in Hell.

    Hell was a Server far removed from civilization. Known for its brute strength but bare technology for daily living, the Hell Server was perceived as barbaric and barren. The idea of nting Guardian Trees there astonished many since these trees typically existed only in highly civilized, advanced Servers.

    [But I heard there is significant opposition from the residents of Hell.]

    ©¸Are they crazy? They should be begging for this.

    ©¸There is a rumor going around that Guardian Trees cause terrible diseases.

    ©¸Are you serious? LOL! What disease could Guardian Trees possibly bring?

    ©¸But it seems a lot of people believe that rumor.

    Just like the rumor, protests against Guardian Trees were happening all around the Server.

    [There is also a im that Guardian Trees are a foothold for invasion.]

    ©¸Using Guardian Trees for invasion? How the hell is that possible?

    ©¸Apparently, they believe that the trees can serve like turrets or something.

    Videos of Hell¡¯s residents protesting spread across the universe.

    ?cing a potentially hostile weapon in every city is something we as residents of Hell cannot ept!?

    ?Earth must stop its acts of aggression toward Hell!?

    This reaction made some in the universe somewhat sympathetic.

    [Well,e to think of it, isn¡¯t there something off about Earth¡¯s Guardian Trees?]

    ©¸(Photo attached) Look at this. The backs of the monsters¡¯ heads are all smashed to pieces.

    ©¸Ugh... that¡¯s horrible.

    ©¸Please, blur that shit out.

    Earth¡¯s Guardian Trees were indeed more aggressive and powerful than those of other Servers, being especially skilled at smashing the backs of monsters¡¯ heads, a trait not shared by other Servers¡¯ Trees.

    [Usually, other Guardian Trees just create barriers to prevent monsters from approaching.]

    ©¸Ones like Earth¡¯s that smash monsters¡¯ heads or temples are rare, aren¡¯t they?]

    ©¸Not just rare, they exist on only Earth!

    ©¸I can see why Hell¡¯s residents do not want Earth¡¯s Guardian Tree over there.

    Hell Man frowned and said, ¡°It seems some forces are actively trying to undermine you and Earth¡¯s influence.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He figured it was likely. People naturally resisted what they were not ustomed to. ¡°Normally, using violence would suffice...¡±

    His statement made Hell Man¡¯s expression darken. Hell Man cared deeply for the residents of Hell.

    ¡°...but it¡¯s not possible to beat all the residents of Hell,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Hell Man¡¯s expression lightened.

    ¡°After all, even with your brainwashing capabilities, you can¡¯t brainwash all of Hell¡¯s residents. The resistance is stronger in the Third Hell than the Fourth, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The Fourth Hell was more favorable toward Chul-Soo than the Third, as it was originally Hell Man¡¯s territory.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s start by nting the Guardian Tres in the Fourth Hell as a trial,¡± Jin-Hyeok proposed.

    Jin-Hyeok was now the Great nter, and Earth had many skilled Technicians.

    ¡°Thend here is incredibly barren.¡± Initially, the Technicians from Earth were hesitant, but they overcame that soon. ¡°The soil from Mount Kelibergh can cover that!¡±

    Using soil from Mount Kelibergh, they sessfully nted a Guardian Tree. When Lessefim coborated with Katrina to apply their specially formted fertilizer to the Guardian Tree, the tree thrived rapidly.

    Livestreaming the tree¡¯s growth became a hot topic across the universe.

    -That tree looks like it has grown for at least ten years.

    -Hasn¡¯t it been just a week?

    -I thought it took two to three years for Guardian Trees to take root in the ground.

    This Guardian Tree had immediately taken root and grew incredibly fast.

    -Judging by the sheen on the leaves and the condition of the bark, it seems perfectly adapted to the environment.

    -Is this even possible?

    -How can a Guardian Tree grow so stable and so fast?

    Jin-Hyeok was enjoying tremendously happy days. Since a group of botany experts iming ¡®Guardian Trees could never grow this fast¡¯ had appeared, the issue had drawn a lot of attention. This led to heated debates over whether Jin-Hyeok¡¯s videos were manipted.

    <i>¡®Viewership is skyrocketing, andments are pouring in,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    When the time seemed ripe, he released a video.

    [Trade Secret]

    The video revealed that the stable and rapid growth of the Guardian Tree was possible thanks to the Tamer Park Terse.

    -Terse¡¯s help?

    -But Terse is a Tamer!

    ¡°Terse said that a good Tamer should be able tomunicate with trees as well,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    -But isn¡¯t he no longer a Tamer at that point?

    -Can we even call him a Tamer now?

    ¡°By deeplymunicating and conversing with the mutated Sacred Tree of Mount Kelibergh, Terse learned a lot. You talked a lot with the mutated Sacred Tree, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Terse.

    Terse nodded and responded, ¡°It was not just a matter of gics or soil. The problem was that our Bakubaku grew wrong without a teacher to advise or guide it.¡±

    -Don¡¯t trees usually not have teachers?

    -I am so confused. What world am I living in?

    ¡°So, I decided to warmlymunicate with the lovely Guardian Trees that will grow here in Hell,¡± Terse said. He raised his left hand, scooping up a handful of soil from Mount Kelibergh. ¡°This soil is not ordinary. It influenced our frail and slender Bakubaku tomand thousands of monsters. The only downside was its negative mental impact.¡±

    He then raised a handful of the Lessefim/Katrina coborative fertilizer with his right hand.

    ¡°This will minimize the side effects. It is kind of a mental conditioning process.¡±

    -Mental conditioning?

    -But didn¡¯t he just say that he was going to <i>warmlymunicate</i>?

    ¡°Moreover, since the mental powers of Hell Man are outstanding, we can raise this Guardian Tree to be desirable and upright.¡±

    Although the process and exnation were a bit strange, ultimately, growing the Guardian Tree was a huge sess.

    ***

    In the capital of the Fourth Hell, a significant transformation was underway.

    ¡°Starting today, you don¡¯t need to stand guard all night anymore.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Monsters that used to spring up incessantly in the streets at night were now said to no longer appear. If they did, they would automatically die with their heads smashed.

    ¡°Now, Mom and Dad can sleep peacefully too.¡±

    ¡°But, isn¡¯t it a bit risky not to keep guard at all?

    There were changes in every household. Families andmunity members who had been unable to sleep peacefully due to monster attacks started to rest morefortably.

    ¡°We set up a night watch just in case, but...¡±

    ¡°We just slept, but nothing happened!¡±

    As time passed, the residents of Hell began to rave about the powers of the Guardian Tree.

    ¡°Is this what a civilized society is like?¡±

    ¡°We can take showers with hot water, and now we can sleep without standing guard!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we do not have to worry about attacks at home...!¡±

    The residents of Hell quickly adapted to the civilized society as if the protests to get rid of Chul-Soo had never happened.

    ¡°<i>Tsk. </i>Those fools from Third Hell.¡±

    ¡°They say Guardian Trees would bring disease. How stupid of them.¡±

    ¡°My child¡¯s skin has improved instead!¡±

    As the diseases carried by the monsters began to disappear, the city became more pleasant. This put the factions that had led the opposition and protests in an awkward position.

    ¡°It seems like our n to get rid of Chul-Soo is not effective anymore.¡±

    ¡°Who knew the Guardian Tree would take root so quickly?¡±

    ¡°We should not just be sitting around. There is a limit to controlling information. Residents of the Fifth Hell are getting restless too!¡±

    In fact, the Rulers of the First, Second, and Fifth Hells had been behind the anti-Guardian Tree and anti-Hell Man/IntenseMan protests. They feared Hell Man would also integrate their territories with his.

    The Ruler of the First Hell, Emperor of Hell Memphis, said, ¡°If we continue like this, we will get devoured too.¡±

    With Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arrival, the bnce in Hell was disturbed. The Hell Rulers needed to find a way out.

    The Ruler of the Fifth Hell came up with an idea. ¡°How about we create a situation to negotiate with Hell Man and Chul-Soo?¡±

    A full-scale war would take too long. By then, the Guardian Trees would be fully established, making it impossible to win the war.

    ¡°Better to pretend to negotiate and then ambush, right? We will receive some moral criticism, but we can suppress that with force. Our Hell does not care about justification.¡±

    They plotted their n ordingly. The Rulers of the First and Second Hells were on brotherly terms, and the Ruler of the Second Hell, Zhenba, was the strongest in terms of military power among them.

    ¡°I will distract IntenseMan and Hell Man. When I give you the signal, Zhenba, you will kill Chul-Soo. Then Memphis and I willbine our forces to subdue Hell Man,¡± the Ruler of the Fifth Hell said.

    ¡°But won¡¯t Hell Man¡¯s mental powers be a huge nuisance?¡±

    ¡°All of Hell Man¡¯s focus is on Chul-Soo right now. Once Chul-Soo is gone, he will lose his marbles and be incapable of using his powers effectively.¡±

    Under the leadership of the Ruler of the Fifth Hell, Jun, the n was set into motion.

    ¡°I am Jun, the Ruler of the Fifth Hell. Hell Man, IntenseMan, I havee to represent the First, Second, and Fifth Hells.¡± Jun entered the pce of Hell Man after discarding all weapons to show hisck of hostility.

    In a secluded room within the pce, he cautiously continued, ¡°The First and Second Hells will propose negotiations. Then they n to stab you in the back and kill both of you. Here is the detailed n. I was supposed to put you off guard, and then Zhenba, the strongest inbat among us, willunch a surprise attack on you.¡±

    Jun carefully observed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction. Most yers would erupt in rage upon hearing such a revtion. Conspiring and ambushing while pretending to propose a peace treaty was a vile act even by the standards of the uncivilized Hell.

    Naturally, someone called the IntenseMan of Justice and Order, known for his honor, would be furious upon hearing this. However, the reality was somewhat different.

    <i>¡®Is he smiling?¡¯ </i>Jun thought.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. <i>¡®Betrayal content. Sweet.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 332

    <h4>Chapter 332</h4>

    Upon returning to his pce, Jun slumped into his chair. <i>¡®That Kim Chul-Sooguy is so unpredictable.¡¯</i>

    The Streamer seemed slightly different from what Jun had seen of him on his livestreams. It was as though he was not in his right mind.

    <i>¡¯It was like watching a madman who firmly believes he is the only sane one.¡¯</i>

    Kim Chul-Soo¡ªthe personification of justice, as Jun hade to understand¡ªshould have been outraged by such cowardly and petty acts. Yet, inexplicably, he was smiling as if he found them enjoyable.

    <i>¡®Anyway, I have shared our n with him.¡¯ </i>Jun felt a surge of satisfaction. <i>¡°</i>Time to use your heads, guys.¡±

    First Hell¡¯s Memphis.

    Second Hell¡¯s Zhenba.

    Jun had disliked them ever since they started to unt their close brotherly bond.

    <i>¡®Since when did the Rulers of Hell share such camaraderie? Tsk.¡¯</i>

    In a few days, at a secret meeting, Hell Man and Chul-Soo would turn against the Rulers of Hell, nning to eliminate Memphis and Zhenba. This would leave only two Rulers remaining out of the original five.

    <i>¡®Even if Hell Man is known for outstanding governance, controlling five Hells would be challenging for him.¡¯ </i>Jun realized he had a chance to im territories from First Hell and Second Hell, which made him happy.

    Then, he received news that Zhenba, the Ruler of the Second Hell, hade to see him.

    <i>¡®Zhenba is here to see me? Is he nning a betrayal too, hoping to backstab Memphis with my help?¡¯ </i>However, Jun shook his head. <i>¡®Memphis might do that, but not Zhenba.¡¯</i>

    Zhenba was all brawn and no brains.

    <i>¡®He is all muscle; strategy is not his strong suit. Why did hee here unguarded? If he had caught onto my betrayal, he would have brought an army, note alone.¡¯</i>

    Rtions between the Rulers of Hell were almost non-existent. They were more enemies or rivals than anything else. Zhenba¡¯s visit was an unusual opportunity.

    ¡°He hase alone. Should we kill him?¡± one of the guards asked.

    ¡°No, let him in.¡±

    The uing secret meeting was crucial for Jun. Hell Man and Chul-Soo had agreed to cooperate, so there was no need to raise unnecessary suspicions. It was imperative to show Zhenba that he was on his side.

    ¡°What brings you here, Zhenba?¡± Jun asked.

    As the door closed, the muscr giant, Zhenba, grinned. ¡°The world sure has be a better ce. I can now walk right into the pce of the Fifth Hell, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Zhenba closed the distance between him and Jun with a speed surprising for his size.

    Jun¡¯s guard swung his sword, but Zhenba easily blocked the de with his massive muscles. Metal shed against the skin with a loud ng, but the de could not pierce Zhenba¡¯s skin.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about this.¡± The next instant, Zhenba grabbed Jun by the throat, lifted him with one hand, and squeezed.

    ¡°Argh!¡± Jun¡¯s face turned red, veins popping on his neck and forehead as if his head were about to burst. He gasped and managed to ask, ¡°H-How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡±

    With a sickening crack, Jun¡¯s neck snapped. He died instantly, eyes wide open and filled with confusion.

    Zhenba casually dropped Jun¡¯s limp body and dusted off his hands. ¡°What did he mean when he said how did you know?¡±

    Zhenba had not sensed Jun¡¯s betrayal. He had simply conspired with Memphis to eliminate Jun. Reducing the number of Rulers meant more territories for the survivors. Just as Jun had betrayed them, they too had betrayed Jun.

    ¡°Alright, your king is dead. I will spare those who surrender.¡±

    ***

    Upon hearing of Zhenba¡¯s return, Memphis was quite stunned. <i>¡®He came back in one piece? Could someone really kill the Ruler of the Fifth Hell in his pce and return as if nothing happened? I thought Zhenba would be buried there.¡¯</i>

    Memphis entertained a fleeting suspicion. ¡®<i>What if he conspired with Jun and is nning to betray me?¡¯</i>

    Memphis quickly shook his head. If that were the case, they would have announced something like, ¡®Zhenba was attacked alone and killed in retaliation.¡¯ Then, they would hide Zhenba¡¯s body and strike Memphis from behind at a crucial moment.

    <i>¡®But Zhenba is not capable of such scheming.¡¯</i>

    Zhenba was strong butcked cunning.

    Memphis greeted Zhenba with a broad smile. ¡°Wee back, my brother.¡±

    ¡°I did as you said and killed Jun. I did not expect a Ruler of Hell to be so weak.¡±

    Memphis walked up to Zhenba and reached out his hand. Zhenba¡¯s torso was sorge that Memphis could only manage to embrace one of his legs as a substitute for a full hug.

    ¡°Well done. You have eliminated that thorn in our side,¡± Memphis said.

    ¡°It is all thanks to your strategy, Brother. Otherwise, I could not have entered the Fifth Hell so easily, nor could I have faced June alone...¡± Zhenba began to tremble. ¡°B-Brother?¡±

    Zhenba¡¯s massive frame started to shrink. Long, tentacle-like appendages were embedded in his back. Memphis had used his unique ability, Absorption, to consume Zhenba.

    ¡°Thank you for letting your guard down, little brother,¡± Memphis said.

    ¡°You bastard!¡± Zhenba tried to throw a punch, but Memphis was prepared.

    ¡°Your attacks are too obvious.¡± Memphis knew that Zhenba would attack him with brute force and no finesse. It was too predictable and simple, which allowed Memphis to anticipate the attack¡¯s trajectory.

    The nes and rings Memphis wore burst all at once with a pop, scattering as dust to the ground¡ª all for this single moment of defense.

    <i>¡®Even with thorough preparation and anticipation, his attack is very powerful.¡¯ </i>If Zhenba had been just a bit wiser, things could have gone differently. His destructive power far exceeded Memphis¡¯s expectations. <i>¡®It¡¯s fortunate that I absorbed his strength.¡¯</i>

    Otherwise, Memphis¡¯s head would have been crushed instead.

    The tentacles greedily slurped up Zhenba.

    ¡°You wretched dog...!¡± Zhenba said, as his withered body slumped.

    Therge mouth on Memphis¡¯s back stretched sideways, and the tentacles that had shot out like a lizard¡¯s tongue retracted into the mouth.

    ¡°Delicious.¡±

    Following betrayal upon betrayal, the ultimate victor was Memphis, the Ruler of the First Hell.

    ***

    On the day of the secret meeting, as previously arranged, Jin-Hyeok, Hell Man, and Memphis gathered at the venue.

    ¡°I am currently livestreaming. You know that, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok mentioned, just in case.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Memphis smirked.

    Hell Man calmly said, ¡°It seems the others are runningte.

    ¡°Unfortunately, they won¡¯t be able toe,¡± Memphis said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I killed those dirty traitors.¡±

    ¡°Dirty?¡±

    ¡°They were plotting a filthy betrayal against me.¡±

    Hell Man nearly flinched at this revtion; Memphis was aware that Jun, the Ruler of the Fifth Hell, had secretlye to meet with Jin-Hyeok and Hell Man.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know how our encounter was leaked,¡¯ </i>Hell Man thought.

    Memphis confidently continued, ¡°So, that¡¯s why I took them down, and here I am alone. Isn¡¯t this for the best? I am more favorable to you than they were.¡±

    Memphis was keeping tabs on the shifting dynamics in the Third and Fourth Hells. It was obvious that the other Hells would eventually fall under their influence. He resolved to establish a solid cooperative system before that happened, seizing some control over the Second and Fifth Hells in the process.

    Hell Man turned his gaze to Jin-Hyeok.

    Memphis noticed that Jin-Hyeok held the key to this meeting.

    <i>¡®Hell Man is just a puppet. The real power lies within Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>This was favorable for Memphis. <i>¡®You should be happy with how things turned out, IntenseMan!¡¯</i>

    Memphis was not particrly concerned whether Jun hadmitted betrayal or not. If Jun hadn¡¯t, he could simply im Jun had proposed a betrayal to him. If Jun had, he could proim that he had executed a traitor in the name of justice. From the moment Memphis realized Chul-Soo was the real power, he was certain everything would go his way.

    <i>¡®You are the IntenseMan of Justice, after all.¡¯</i>

    Memphis saw Chul-Soo as someone who risked his life for just and honorable causes. That was probably why he was striving to integrate everything so peacefully and ethically, even nting his Guardian Trees in Hell.

    <i>¡®Well, what do you think of my gift, Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok mmed his hand on the table. ¡°Traitorous bastard...!¡±

    ¡°I agree. Traitors must be dealt wit¡ª¡± Memphis could not finish his sentence.

    ¡°How dare you kill your friends?¡±

    Memphis felt something was off. <i>¡®Is he angry with me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok red at Memphis, his aura so menacing it seemed he could attack Memphis right then.

    ¡°And Jun was also my friend,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Get out. I want to kill you right now.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand what you are saying, Chul-Soo. I was acting righteously...¡±

    <i>Bang! </i>

    Jin-Hyeok mmed the table again, and it disintegrated into dust. ¡°I said get out.¡±

    ¡°You are making a mistake, Chul-Soo.¡± Memphis found the situation baffling but shifted his gaze to Hell Man and said, ¡°It seems there has been some misunderstanding. Let¡¯s end the meeting here. We should talk again after Chul-Soo¡¯s inexplicable rage has subsided.¡±

    Though Memphis left the meeting, his mind was heavy with doubt. He had thought his n was perfect.

    <i>¡®Why was he angry with me?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Han Sae-Rin smiled brightly, pleased with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s growth.

    ¡°Good job. You realized that Memphis was trying to monopolize the territories by eliminating the Rulers of the Second and Fifth Hells, didn¡¯t you?¡± she said.

    ¡°...¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok did not respond, Sae-Rin became slightly puzzled. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°It was Zhenba who killed Jun, not Memphis.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Memphis manipted Zhenba, who is not known for his intellect, into recklessly storming the pce of the Fifth Hell alone.¡± Sae-Rin pinpointed the truth as though she had seen it herself.

    ¡°Is that what happened?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Should I have?¡±

    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t need to know, but...¡± As apetent Ruler, Sae-Rin found it difficult to read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intentions. This made her wonder why he had reacted in such a way at the secret meeting. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, and I just can¡¯t figure it out. Why did you so abruptly dismiss Memphis at the secret meeting?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Jin-Hyeok found Sae-Rin¡¯s question odd. The answer was so obvious. ¡°I acted that way because that would get better viewer ratings.¡±

    ¡°What? And the bit about Jun being your friend...¡±

    ¡°Well, it makes for a better storyline.¡±

    As they conversed, Sae-Rin suddenly realized something else was off. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How did you know it was Zhenba who killed Jun, not Memphis? And how did you know about Jun¡¯s death so early on?¡±

    Jun¡¯s death had been kept a strict secret, a decision the leaders of the Fifth Hell had taken to prevent chaos among its residents.

    ¡°Ah, I was about to show you something and discuss it with you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, taking something out of his inventory.

    When Sae-Rin saw it, her eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 333

    <h4>Chapter 333</h4>

    A few days ago, Cha Jin-Hyeok hadid down a condition for Jun. ¡°I still can¡¯t fully trust you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I understand,¡± Jun replied.

    ¡°What if the three of you conspire to stab me in the back during our secret meeting? Like a betrayal of betrayal.¡±

    ¡°If I were nning to betray you, I would not havee here to reveal my n.¡±

    In reality, Jin-Hyeok did not suspect Jun. Thanks to his Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he had already discerned Jun¡¯s sincerity.

    <strong>[#Those bastards. #This is what a true betrayal looks like. #First and Second Hells are mine!]</strong>

    Jun was full of greed, and Jin-Hyeok knew such a person would never betray him. However, the mention of betrayal was purely a dramatic effect to create tension for his livestream.

    Still, Jun, who had a somewhat limited understanding of Jin-Hyeok, felt frustrated and said, ¡°So, what do I need to do to earn your trust?¡±

    Jun hade here alone. He had taken the risk and told Jin-Hyeok about the betrayal in the First and Second Hells. He even had a clear motive to betray the other Rulers.

    <i>¡®What more logical reason do you need to trust me?¡¯ </i>Jun thought.

    ¡°This is a consent form,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°A consent form?¡±

    <strong>[Broadcasting Consent Form]</strong>

    ¡°This is a form allowing the Homepage Master to film you 24/7,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    ¡°What is a Homepage Master?¡±

    Realizing that Jun was not one of his subscribers, Jin-Hyeok slightly grimaced and said, ¡°I see... I am stillcking.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. Anyway, it means he can film you.¡±

    ¡°So, this Homepage Master can film me wherever I am, even until our secret meeting... then who is this person?¡±

    At that moment, the door opened, and Kang Eun-Woo appeared, holding a camera asrge as a cannon.

    ¡°I am the Homepage Master. Think of me as a kind of photojournalist.¡±

    ¡°Does this twenty-four-hour filming include me showering?¡± Jun asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s... possible, but I would rather not.¡± Eun-Woo felt slightly offended. He had no intention of being dishonorable, yet he felt as if he was being mistaken for one.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to film that,¡± Eun-Woo murmured to himself. ¡°Does he think he is Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Jun asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I heard you say something.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Jun was quite displeased but chose not to make more of an issue of it. After all, Jin-Hyeok had the upper hand in this situation.

    <i>¡®That bastard. He is acting big with Chul-Soo backing him up.¡¯</i>

    Jun decided to remember Eun-Woo¡¯s face for future revenge. He vowed to repay today¡¯s humiliation someday.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok started his livestream. ¡°Jun, the Ruler of the Fifth Hell, was my friend. Although we had not known each other for long, we confirmed that our intentions aligned well, and we promised to share a lifelong friendship.¡±

    Dressed in ck, Jin-Hyeok continued his speech against a dark background. ¡°That is why I asked my talented colleague, Kang Eun-Woo, to film Jun. My friend Jun had no talent for photography, so I hoped to use Eun-Woo¡¯s skills to capture him and thendscapes of the Fifth Hell. That is why I had obtained Jun''s consent.

    Jin-Hyeok then shared a few photographs.

    ¡°These were taken on that dreadful night when Zhenba, the Ruler of the Second Hell, ambushed Jun.¡± Tears welled up in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, and numerous viewers shared his grief. ¡°Jun left this world so tragically. As his friend, I took it upon myself to avenge him. This was not for content but as a friend¡¯s revenge, and I chose not to livestream it and have no ns to ever do so.¡±

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok had never avenged anything.

    Memphis, who was watching the livestream, was dumbfounded. <i>¡®But I was the one who killed Zhenba!¡¯</i>

    His expression hardened in disbelief.

    <i>¡®No, this is a trap that has no way out.¡¯ </i>He became troubled. <i>¡®If I say Chul-Soo is lying now, I will be branded as a traitor who betrayed Zhenba.¡¯</i>

    That would only lend more legitimacy to Chul-Soo¡¯s cause.

    <i>¡®But if I admit to this... then I be a suspicious liar.¡¯</i>

    Memphis had been iming that Zhenba and Jun had plotted a cowardly scheme, and that was why he eliminated them. However, if it was proved that Zhenba had killed Jun, then Memphis¡¯s im would be proven false.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i> He was stuck in a predicament. <i>¡®That bastard! How did Chul-Soo capture Zhenba killing Jun?¡¯</i>

    Memphis had underestimated the K-Force.

    <i>¡®I need to do something.¡¯</i>

    Memphis had to respond. He issued a statement. ¡°When I intended to discipline Zhenba, he was already dead. I did not know it was Chul-Soo¡¯s doing. The same was true for Jun. While the reasons are unclear to me, it turns out Zhenba killed Jun. I had not exined things properly because the situation wasplex, and I admit some fault for that.¡±

    Memphis bit his lip slightly before continuing. ¡°Chul-Soo is furiously demanding retribution, but it is a groundless anger. If I did wrong, it was because I rushed and failed to exin the situation properly. However, I do understand Chul-Soo¡¯s anger. Having met a kindred spirit only to lose him so pointlessly would naturally make anyone furious.¡±

    Memphis was now unable to implement his perfect n, so he had to settle for the second best.

    <i>¡®I have to prevent a full-blown conflict with Chul-Soo at all costs.¡¯</i>

    Given the situation, the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Hells had be entirely sympathetic to Chul-Soo. The Second Hell was somewhat more sympathetic to Chul-Soo than to Memphis. So right now, it was First Hell versus the rest of the Hells. In this setup, a full-scale conflict was bound to be disadvantageous to Memphis.

    <i>¡®Provoking Chul-Soo¡¯s sense of justice might open a way out.¡¯</i>

    Memphis still misjudged Jin-Hyeok. He saw the Streamer as someone obsessed with justice and honor.

    ¡°If war breaks out, many innocent people will suffer. Therefore, I stake my honor and call for a one-on-one duel,¡± Memphis said.

    Memphis had thought of all the possible oues, and this was his second-best n.

    <i>¡®After all, Chul-Soo is not going to kill me.¡¯</i>

    Given Chul-Soo¡¯s values, considering the well-being of the people, he would not kill someone who boldly challenged him to a one-on-one duel.

    <i>¡®And from an efficiency standpoint, it¡¯s better to keep me alive.¡¯</i>

    With most of the Rulers dead, it was nearly impossible for Hell Man alone to govern and unify Hell.

    <i>¡®I might even get a chance to kill Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    After consuming Zhenba, Memphis had found that a vast vitality was surging within him.

    <i>¡®If I can just consume Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Then it would not be Hell Man but he who would govern and unify Hell. Having weighed all possibilities, Memphis was sure he would ultimately emerge as the victor.

    ***

    Marshmallow could hardly contain his excitement. ¡°Hey, Encyclopedia, who do you think would win if Chul-Soo fought Memphis?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Encyclopedia knew the opponent was a Ruler of Hell whomanded an entire territory. ¡°Memphis is not exactly the type to focus solely on brute strength like Zhenba...¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting Chul-Soo could lose?¡±

    ¡°No, quite the opposite actually.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°If Memphis were only focused on brute force like Zhenba, he might manage an equal fight.¡±

    ¡°Is Chul-Soo that strong?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo managed to defeat the captain of the guards in Arvis, albeit, the captain was a Level Grinder. Plus, Chul-Soo is leveling up every day. He must be close to Level 290 by now.¡±

    ¡°But Chul-Soo is a Streamer.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, he <i>is </i>a Streamer. But can you really call him a Streamer?¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s eyes narrowed as his marshmallow-shaped head began to heat up, steaming visibly. ¡°Look, you don¡¯t know because you don¡¯t follow him. Chul-Soo is the best at livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°I thought he was the best at fighting.¡±

    ¡°He is good at other things too, but he is best at livestreaming. Who do you think Chul-Soo is...?¡± Marshmallow got a little too excited and suddenly stopped, startled. ¡°No, wait, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡±

    ¡°Nice speech, Chul-Soo Land No.1000.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s head turnedpletely red. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡±

    Encyclopedia patted his friend¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Just ept what is in your heart for once. Sometimes, you need to acknowledge and embrace it, Chul-Soo Land No.1000.¡±

    ¡°No... that¡¯s not it...¡±

    ¡°You are not embarrassed because you have been outed as a Chul-Soo Lander. You are embarrassed because you are No.1000. You are feeling both pride and embarrassment right now.¡±

    Marshmallow was feeling not only the pride of being included in Chul-Soo Land but also the shame of being thest Chul-Soo Lander. These two conflicting emotions coexisted within him.

    ¡°It might be tough, but I hope that you can get a better Chul-Soo Land number, my friend,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ***

    Memphis chose the Fourth Hell as the location for the duel, the homnd of Hell Man and the ce most favorable for Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®This might pressure Chul-Soo¡¯s conscience. If I make everything more favorable for him, he might feel too guilty to kill me,¡¯ </i>Memphis thought.

    The best oue would be to seize an opportunity to consume Chul-Soo. For Memphis, even a graceful defeat, which allowed him to maintain his position as the Ruler of Hell, would be satisfactory. As long as he did not die, all oues seemed fairly eptable.

    <i>¡®All I need to do is engage intensely in the battle. He is impressed by those who give their all!¡¯</i>

    Memphis felt confident. He had consumed Zhenba and absorbed some of his powers. He could feel a monstrous strength writhing within him, giving him the confidence that he could dominate Chul-Soo in a one-on-one fight.

    Memphis stood facing Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok took a few steps forward and spoke with grave seriousness. ¡°Fight with all your might, Memphis.¡±

    ¡°I will draw upon all my strength and fight intensely. I stake the honor of the First Hell on it!¡±

    Onlinemunities were buzzing with excitement.

    -Wow... a Streamer versus a valiant warrior... This is going to be epic!

    -Valiant warrior? Who talks like that? LOL! Get out with those boomer talks.

    -I can¡¯t imagine Chul-Soo losing.

    -Streamers, do not try this at home. He is not strong because he is a Streamer; he is strong because he is Chul-Soo.

    Discussions erupted across various tforms.

    [Guys, if I be a Streamer, can I be as strong as Mr. Chul-Soo?]

    ©¸Chul-Soo is just ruining future Streamers at this point.

    ©¸Streamers are not inherently strong, kids. Snap out of it!

    [If Chul-Soo wins, doesn¡¯t that mean he is not bnced?]

    ©¸He was not bnced since day one.

    ©¸Watch his Arvis videos ande back. Do you think this is a game? The world is fundamentally unfair.

    [I am abat expert. I predict Memphis will win with odds of 78:22. The Streamer won¡¯t be able to ovee the inherent limitations. There are <i>weight sses </i>for a reason.]

    ©¸No, you¡¯re clueless aboutbat.

    ©¸You could not be more wrong. Get out of here.

    ©¸A keyboard warrior talking about weight sses LOL.

    Suddenly, the duel between Jin-Hyeok and Memphis began, and something astonishing happened.

    -???

    -????

    -??????

    -????

    The chat was filled with question marks.

 Chapter 334

    <h4>Chapter 334</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had been nervous before the attack. <i>¡®Memphis is not as strong as Zhenba, but still a formidable opponent.¡¯</i>

    He had swung Miri with all his might, not expecting to deal his opponent a fatal blow. Moreover, he had anticipated a fierce exchange of attacks, already nning his next moves.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Unexpectedly, he had sted a hole through Memphis¡¯s chest.

    ¡°ARGH!!!¡± Memphis staggered several steps backward. The hole in his chest was as big as a ser ball, with blood gushing out of it.

    Surprised by this unforeseen turn of events, Jin-Hyeok momentarily halted his assault.

    <i>¡®Is this an illusion skill to catch me off guard? But that hole looks real to me.¡¯</i>

    The chat was filled with question marks. No one, be it the viewers; Jin-Hyeok; or even Memphis, the one who had suffered this attack, had anticipated this.

    As Jin-Hyeok hesitated, Memphis quickly began to regenerate and thought, <i>¡®Holy shit!¡¯</i>

    It was a level of destructive power Memphis had never experienced before. He had never received a fatal injury of this kind from just a single strike of a hammer. Even Zhenba, who was famed as the strongest in Hell, could have never damaged Memphis this much.

    Wiping the blood dripping from his lips, Memphis said with a solemn expression, ¡°You have been hiding your true strength, Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised himself.

    ¡¯<i>Was I hiding my strength?¡¯ </i>He hadn¡¯t intended to strike Memphis this hard. Even at this moment, he was diligently thinking about how to conduct his livestream. <i>¡®I must not look surprised.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok desperately managed his expression, pretending he had been concealing his strength all along and that he had anticipated this situation. He looked down at his right hand, which was holding Miri, with a casual smile.

    ¡°Do you feel my wrath, Memphis?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Externally, he appeared to be a predator, but his mind was ceaselessly racing. ¡°This is the true power of my ck me Dragon.¡±

    <i>¡®But when did I start hiding my strength?¡¯ </i>He was stronger than he had expected. <i>¡®It must be the continuous leveling up. But just leveling up should not result in this kind of destructive power. And I guess the Guardian Tree is helping me...¡¯</i>

    Right now, Jin-Hyeok was in the Fourth Hell, whose Guardian Tree was about ten years old. He was indeed getting help from this Guardian Tree, but he had already considered that when he attacked Memphis.

    Memphis was also aware of this and had epted the presence of the Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®But even with the Guardian Tree¡¯s help, my attack should not have been this strong!¡¯</i>

    Then, Miri provided an answer.

    -I used your power, Master.

    <i>¡®You used my power? What do you mean?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit astonished by Miri¡¯s exnation.

    <i>¡®So, you used the power of the Babylon Cannon? You imnted that power in yourself and used it in that attack?¡¯</i>

    Even Jin-Hyeok, Miri¡¯s owner, found this baffling. He wondered how could a weapon, even if possessed a smart will, strategize and execute a perfect attack on its own. Moreover, he was also puzzled by how a close-range blunt weapon could utilize a power meant for a wide-area long-range strike.

    Despite his shock, he admired Miri, though Miri seemed unusually apologetic.

    -Master, I am frail. Master, I am inadequate.

    Suddenly, Miri started a confession.

    -I am a sinner for not being able to use that power fully.

    Had it fully harnessed the power of the Babylon Cannon, it could have obliterated Memphis, not just punched a hole in his chest.

    -I will strive to be more intense. So that Master can use me fully.

    ***

    After restoring his body, Memphis continued the battle with Jin-Hyeok. His primary weapon was a double-handed axe. Every time the axe shed with the hammer, Memphis was the one pushed back.

    <i>¡®How can a Streamer be this strong?!¡¯ </i>Memphis thought. He knew Chul-Soo was renowned as the most powerful Streamer in the universe, but had not expected him to be this formidable. <i>¡®Is this the power of the Guardian Tree?¡¯</i>

    He had agreed to fight Jin-Hyeok within the territory of the Guardian Tree, acknowledging that its power was also part of Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities. This also meant Memphis was not cing much importance on the oue of the duel. If he won and absorbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abilities, that would be the perfect scenario, but if he could not, he would fight hard and ept defeat.

    Either way, he believed a favorable future awaited him where Jin-Hyeok spared his life.

    <i>¡®But...¡¯ </i>The more they fought, the greedier Memphis became. <i>¡®I must not get too greedy. I need to focus.¡¯</i>

    Memphis felt an irresistible pull, an allure that felt like his destiny. It was bing hard for him to suppress the urge to consume Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®If I could just devour Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities...¡¯</i>

    He started to believe that he could be the ruler of Hell instead of Hell Man.

    <i>¡®I am starting to see some openings.¡¯</i>

    It was somewhat to be expected. Despite possessing incredible physical prowess, Chul-Soo was a Streamer at his core and technically inferior to Memphis.

    <i>¡®I can predict his movements.¡¯</i>

    While a direct hit could still be fatal, Memphis felt he could avoid that.

    <i>¡®Should I take a risk?¡¯</i>

    The temptation was too sweet to resist. He wanted to extend a tentacle and impale it into Chul-Soo¡¯s back.

    <i>¡®The opportunity... mighte just once.¡¯</i>

    Just once.

    That was all he needed. Ultimately, he gave in to the temptation when he should have resisted.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was the one who understood Memphis best.

    <i>¡®He must have a trump card hidden, right?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    It was evident that Memphis was debating whether to use this card or not. While Jin-Hyeok did not know what Memphis was going to do, he could easily guess that capturing Memphis¡¯s trump card would skyrocket the viewership numbers.

    <i>¡®Miri, I need you to hold on just a little longer.¡¯</i>

    -I can¡¯t... hold on any longer.

    Having shed with Memphis numerous times, Miri was exhaling excited breaths, boiling with the desire to smash Memphis¡¯s skull right there and then.

    -But I will try my best to endure it, for my master¡¯s sake.

    Jin-Hyeok began to subtly show small openings in his defense without making it obvious. Memphis was proving to be weaker than expected.

    <i>¡®Good. You are holding on well, Miri.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok waited for greed to fill Memphis¡¯s eyes. Although Memphis tried to be cautious, he was greedier than Jin-Hyeok had expected. It was only a matter of time.

    <i>¡®He is aiming for my back, isn¡¯t he?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok deliberately exposed his back, feigning an ¡®oops¡¯ expression as an extra touch.

    Memphis did not miss the opportunity. Arge mouth formed on Memphis¡¯s back. Through its widely stretched lips, a long tentacle swiftly shot out, like a lizard flicking its tongue.

    <i>¡®Huh? Should I let it hit me? Should I block it with Absolute Barrier? Is it too risky to take the hit? Is the risk worth taking?¡¯</i>

    That split second felt eternally long to Jin-Hyeok, who chastised himself for hesitating.

    <i>¡®Even Miri is trying so hard...¡¯</i>

    Despite performing near-impossible feats as a weapon, Miri confessed to being inadequate. Yet, here he was, still weighing the risks. As its master, he could not help but feel ashamed.

    <i>¡®There is no risk if it¡¯s not dangerous!¡¯</i>

    A deadly attack like that had to be taken head-on.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    Memphis¡¯s tentacle touched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back. A flush of exhration spread across Memphis¡¯s face.

    <i>¡®Did it work?¡¯ </i>Memphis thought. However, it was too soon to rejoice. The final victor had not yet been determined. The tentacle began to pulsate. <i>¡®It is transferring Chul-Soo¡¯s power to me!¡¯</i>

    Memphis was receiving a tremendous power, which gave him a sense of fulfillment far greater than what he had gotten when he devoured Zhenba.

    <i>¡®Zhenba was nothingpared to this!¡¯</i>

    It felt almost as if he were swallowing a dazzling sun. It was so bright he could see nothing else. At that moment, he felt almost godlike.

    -Woah, isn¡¯t that too dangerous?

    -That looks like some kind of Mystery rted to Absorption!

    -Is Chul-Soo being absorbed?

    The audience¡¯s reaction was heated, and Wang Yu-Mi also bit her nails and trembled.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t this a bit too dangerous?¡¯ </i>she thought. Seeing the viewers¡¯ reaction, she could tell it was a highly dangerous ability. She found it ominous to see Chul-Soo¡¯s power being transferred. <i>¡®Is he okay?¡¯</i>

    She wanted to send a message to Jin-Hyeok but held back, fearing it could break his concentration.

    Kang Eun-Woo patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Are you worrying about Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°That just doesn¡¯t look favorable for him.¡±

    ¡°I may be boasting here, but I am the most sensitive to Chul-Soo¡¯s facial expression. I can tell by his facial muscles that he is smiling joyfully.¡±

    Reassured by Eun-Woo¡¯s words, Yu-Mi snapped back to reality. If Eun-Woo could read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression, so could other people in the world, which would surely decrease the content¡¯s suspense.

    ¡°Editor! Work with Eun-Woo to adjust Chul-Soo¡¯s facial muscles!¡±

    ¡°You want me to adjust his facial muscles?¡±

    <i>¡®Can she see the difference? Is this even possible to edit?¡¯ </i>Kang Chul tilted his head, then clenched his fist. ¡°I will try my best!¡±

    ***

    The moment was ripe; Memphis revealed his true intention, casting aside his fake facade. ¡°Muahahahaha!¡±

    He was certain he would emerge as the victor of this duel. Since he had already absorbed more than half of Chul-Soo¡¯s power, the battle was now guaranteed to be an unconditional victory.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t it over?¡¯</i>

    The bright light obscuring his vision vanished, and he could now see clearly again.

    <i>¡®Why is Chul-Soo unharmed?¡¯</i>

    Because of the absorption, Chul-Soo should have significantly shrunk, yet he appeared unnervingly intact.

    <i>¡®No...!¡¯ </i>Memphis was quickly reaching his limit. <i>¡®I am already reaching my limit! I feel like I am going to burst.¡¯</i>

    It was an overdose of nutrients.

    <i>¡®I need to stop absorbing.¡¯ </i>He tried to detach his tentacle, but strangely, it would note off. <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?!¡¯</i>

    This was all because of Jin-Hyeok. He had reached out to his back and was firmly holding the tentacle. The viewers could not see this since the stream was being showcased from a first-person perspective.

    Memphis felt a severe sense of crisis.

    <i>¡®No...! Stop!¡¯ </i>He sensed that he would explode in a few seconds. <i>¡®No...!¡¯</i>

    Memphis unleashed hisst hidden ability. To survive the explosion, he needed a body much more robust than his current one. He began to grow instantly, taking on a form simr to that of Zhenba, the Ruler of the Second Hell.

    -Wait, isn¡¯t that Zhenba?

    -He looks like a mix of Memphis and Zhenba.

    -What the hell? Doesn¡¯t this mean that Memphis ate Zhenba? LOL

    -What is going on? Lool. Did Memphis eat Zhenba?

    -Betrayal after betrayal, LOL! Are we watching a soap opera right now?

    <i>Boom!</i>

    An internal explosion urred inside Memphis that only he could feel; he had barely survived by being in Zhenba¡¯s form. Overwhelmed, he spat out blood and fell to his knees. <i>¡®What on earth is this...?¡¯</i>

    Memphis had never considered such a scenario. The existential weight of the being he was absorbing was so immense that he could not digest him.

    Jin-Hyeok had not anticipated this either. <i>¡®¡¯What happened? Was I hiding my strength again?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok had felt a tremendous sense of crisis when the tentacle first touched him. He had never imagined the oue would be like this.

    <i>¡®I will figure out the reasonter.¡¯</i>

    He needed to understand why this happened. Knowing it could help him be stronger. However, this was not the time or ce for him to contemte. Something else was far more important.

    ¡°Did you feel my wrath?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°How could this...!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok spoke impressively, not entirely sure what was happening. ¡°This is what they call a difference in ss.¡±

    He solemnly continued, ¡°To avenge my friend, Jun, and console the soul of the deceased Ruler of the Second Hell, who left this world in sorrow, I shall begin the memorial service.¡±

 Chapter 335

    <h4>Chapter 335</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream drew enthusiastic responses from his viewers.

    -Thinking only of efficiency, you would have to set revenge aside.

    -That¡¯s so cool!

    -Ah, so this is what they call romance.

    Memphis clenched his teeth. <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo is a just man. He shows mercy to those who fight valiantly. He is going to forgive a king who risked his life to prevent war. So, if I fight my hardest...!¡¯</i>

    However, he had misunderstood Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok whispered, ¡°Miri, go ahead and run wild.¡±

    As if it had been waiting for this moment, a golden light seeped from Miri.

    Just before Miri was about to collide with Memphis with all its might, Jin-Hyeok felt alive. While an ordinary person might think ¡®Ah, I guessbat is my true calling,¡¯ Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thoughts were far from ordinary.

    <i>¡®Ah, I guess livestreaming is my true calling.¡¯ </i>

    Perhaps sensing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s extreme excitement, the defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman materialized before him. <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok had not summoned the Mystery.

    ¡°For my master, I shall wield the bloody hammer...,¡± the Phantom Swordswoman said. Just as Miri had done, the Phantom Swordswoman was also developing a clearer sense of self. With Jin-Hyeok as a medium, both Miri and the Phantom Swordswoman were spiritually connected. ¡°...and I will bind the enemy¡¯s feet.¡±

    -Then I will smash the back of their heads. It will be a beautiful melody. Let¡¯s sing a refined duet.

    Miri and the Phantom Swordswoman seemed to feel a strange resonance of souls.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. <i>¡®They are so intense. I can¡¯t just stand by idly.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Here we go!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    His battle with Memphis began again.

    And the oue was quite anticlimactic.

    ***

    -Wait, but was the Phantom Swordswoman always like this?

    It was a well-known fact among viewers that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Phantom Swordswoman was somewhat unconventional. The viewers had reached an implicit understanding that, as a more aggressive type of defensive Mystery, sheunched attacks fiercer than that of any offensive Mystery. However, today¡¯s Phantom Swordswoman was different than usual.

    -Did she just bind Memphis?

    -I think so.

    Green magic rings formed around Memphis¡¯s wrists and ankles. The rings were engraved with unintelligible characters and tightened around his limbs like ancient shackles. It was a high-level binding skill executed by the defensive Mystery. Some viewers exined it very simply.

    -Well, she is a defensive Mystery, after all.

    -True.

    The viewers understood that if she was an intense defensive Mystery, it made sense she would attack and even employ binding skills. This had be a kind of meme.

    -Only in the IntenseMan Universe is everything possible.

    -LOL. I can¡¯t believe that¡¯s a defensive Mystery!!

    -You go, girl!

    -This is what real defense looks like.

    The public digested these phenomena as a type of meme, but experts had a different view.

    Encyclopedia analyzed this phenomenon.

    <i>¡®The Mystery is evolving!¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought. This was a new theory. The prevailing opinion was that unlike Skills, Mysteries did not grow on their own. <i>¡®Chul-Soo is proving that Mysteries can evolve too!¡¯</i>

    He had been pondering this hypothesis for a long time. However, those who used Mysteries tended to not actively disclose information about their Mysteries, which made research on Mysteries realistically challenging.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo must have known about the evolution of Mysteries for a long time. And he is now showing it at just the right time. It is an advanced form of a defensive Mystery!¡¯</i>

    Encyclopedia was shocked and in awe. He wondered just how much more Chul-Soo had up his sleeves.

    <i>¡®Wait!¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia was startled while watching the livestream. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t Chul-Soo¡¯sbat concept about smashing the back of his opponent¡¯s head?¡¯</i>

    Although he thought the same thing would happen again, his prediction was spectacrly off. From the first-person perspective, Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream showed Memphis¡¯s shocked expression.

    <i>¡®He swung his hammer!¡¯</i>

    However, the attack was not aimed at the temple or the back of the head.

    <i>¡®Wait...¡¯</i>

    The hammer was aiming for the forehead.

    Encyclopedia¡¯s expression became serious. The same was true for Marshmallow, who was watching the video alongside his friend. Marshmallow¡¯s reaction was a bit more serious. He could not believe Chul-Soo was targeting the forehead instead of the back of the head.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± Chul-Soo Land No.1000 started to worry about Chul-Soo.

    ***

    <i>¡®An opening!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. The defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman created an opening for him. He had to make a decision. <i>¡®Miri, I am sorry.¡¯</i>

    Targeting the forehead instead of the back of the head was the most efficient move under the circumstances. Missing such an obvious vulnerability would have been undesirable. No matter how well staged it was, missing such an opening would be perfect fodder for usations of a rigged livestream.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s going to be hard to cater to your preferences this time, Miri.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok decided not to waste the opportunity intensely created by Phantom Swordswoman. He swung Miri toward Memphis¡¯s forehead. There was no particr response from Miri.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was confused. There should have been a <i>thwack </i>sound, but... <i>¡®I didn¡¯t hear any sound!¡¯</i>

    About two secondster, he heard the <i>thwack </i>sound. He also definitely felt something break.

    <i>¡®What?¡¯ </i>

    Memphis screamed a beat toote and copsed.

    <i>¡®Instant Death?¡¯</i>

    Unexpectedly, it was Instant Death. A closer inspection revealed that the back of Memphis¡¯s head was shattered. It was odd since Jin-Hyeok had hit the forehead not the back of Memphis¡¯s head.

    <i>¡®Did I hide my strength again?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok masked his bewilderment. Looking down at Memphis, he spoke calmly. Even though he was clueless, he maintained hisposure on the outside.

    ¡°As I stand victorious, the air around me crackles with the sheer force of my will. This power, this extraordinary ability of mine, transcends space itself.¡± Jin-Hyeok tried to say whatever came to his mind, and he was quite pleased with the cool line. Pointing at Memphis with Miri, he continued, ¡°It is the ultimate mastery over the very dimensions that bind us.¡±

    Miri also felt a considerable sense of fulfillment.

    -Thanks for the food.

    Just as the Phantom Swordswoman continued to evolve, Miri, the Rule Breaker, was also continuously evolving.

    ***

    All Rulers of the Five Hells, except for the Fourth Hell, had died. This resulted in significant division and a period of chaos. Numerous factions iming to be the new kings of these Hells emerged, leading to conflicts bothrge and small. Still, experts unanimously stated:

    [This level of chaos is within predictable limits, and strangely, there have been unusually peaceful days.]

    Although conflicts continued to arise, many viewed them as trivial, mere inevitable consequences of the Rulers¡¯ deaths.

    Hell Man expressed gratitude to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Your strategy was formidable.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had introduced advanced civilization to Hell and, through the Guardian Tree, rapidly improved the quality of life for the residents of Hell. This created a gap between the Fourth Hell, which directly benefited from these actions, and the other Hells, which could only watch this. The residents of Hell were forced to face reality.

    ¡°The speed at which Hell is improving is beyond imagination, and because of that, people are starting to support you,¡± Hell Man added.

    The usage rate of SSP among the residents of Hell was very low. They had neither the technology to utilize it properly, nor any particr interest in it. However, the overwhelming force that Chul-Soo had disyed thrilled them.

    The residents of Hell tended to prefer the evil strong over the benign weak, but Chul-Soo was an anomaly¡ªa <i>benevolent strong. </i>Curiosity about him skyrocketed, and ordingly, the usage of SSP increased rapidly on Hell.

    ¡°Earth. Particrly, the productivity of the Korean Region is astonishing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. I was surprised myself.¡±

    Particrly, American Company A and Korean Company S were enjoying an unexpected boon, as a new market had opened in Hell. The stocks of thesepanies and rted firms soared. The CEOs of bothpanies thanked Jin-Hyeok.

    -Wow! Chul-Soo pulled it off again!

    -Wasn¡¯t this his intention all along? He is the Intense Man of Justice, after all.

    A new market had been pioneered. It was expected to create countless jobs on Earth, leading to significant economic benefits.

    -They have expanded from the nt business right into the mobile phone business, LOL.

    -Are there still people who deny the Chul-Soo Effect?

    -But doesn¡¯t this mean that the S Company will easily surpass the A Company?

    With the emergence of Hell as a new market, there was a seismic shift in the smartphone market globally. People around the world were astounded.

    -Koreans are known to be tough, but this is something else.

    -Their productivity is unbelievable.

    -The factories in Korea operate 24/7.

    -Isn¡¯t that a vition of human rights?

    Recently, Korea had achieved the highest and longest working hours among OECD countries.

    -This is not a vition of human rights; it¡¯s sheer oppression.

    -But I heard the average sry in Korea is around five hundred thousand dors.

    -Five hundred thousand?? Not fifty thousand?

    Since the emergence of Chul-Soo, Korea had been experiencing its greatest boom ever, thanks to ventures like the Scanorbia Server and Hell¡¯s nt projects.

    -But I can''t live like that even for five hundred thousand dors.

    -Neither can I. That¡¯s not living. They¡¯re working like robots!

    However, the majority of Koreans thought differently.

    -This is so much better than before.

    -We used to work this hard for just fifty thousand dors before.

    Korea was the Server most affected by Chul-Soo. Its values had been significantly contaminated(?).

    -This isn¡¯t even that intense.

    -We are not risking our lives or anything...

    -Foreigners just have too low standards for intensity.

    Hell¡¯s development was equally impressive.

    Jin-Hyeok was directly experiencing it. <i>¡®This feels pretty good!¡¯</i>

    Whenever he met people, they thanked him. They told him they would live as intensely as him or that he was their role model. Hearing suchpliments turned out to be more pleasant than expected.

    <i>¡®Feeling good is nice... but I can¡¯t stop here.¡¯</i>

    His ultimate goal of conquering Hell was to be its ruler. Though undeveloped, Hell was muchrger than Earth, with its yers having Levels higher than those of Earth¡¯s yers. Bing its ruler would bring him closer to bing the <i>strongest yer. </i>

    <i>¡®But I am still not confident.¡¯</i>

    An increase in smartphone use and his popr livestreams had greatly boosted his support in Hell, but he still had doubts. Many still opposed Chul-Soo, especially those among the high noblemen who sought the throne. Also, some residents of Hell were skeptical of Jin-Hyeok even now, since he was from another Server.

    <i>¡®It wasn¡¯t easy even on Earth, which was much more favorable to me.¡¯</i>

    Rushing forward could backfire.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s best to make a big move at once.¡¯</i>

    To do that, he needed to create a stronger impact, something that would make all residents of Hell vote in favor. He sought advice from Han Sae-Rin regarding this.

    ¡°I was just thinking about discussing this with you,¡± Sae-Rin replied. She had been traveling through Hell, gathering information and devising strategies. ¡°The thing about Hell is, to put it negatively, there are a lot of ignorant folks, or to put it positively, it¡¯s a Server with quite a bit of romance. They prefer strong viins over benign weaklings. Many unconditionally worship power. Simply put, the strong rule. Did you know that your support is highest in the First Hell, not the Fourth?¡±

    ¡°The First Hell? Not the Fourth?¡± Jin-Hyeok said, surprised.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a bit unusual. They liked you best even though you killed their king. What was it again that you said? The ultimate mastery over the very dimensions that bind us? I think they got hooked on that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. He felt proud of his well-crafted livestreammentary.

    ¡°So how about this? Why not do one-on-one duel content again? There is a yer known as the strongest in Hell, famous for his strength,¡± Sae-Rin proposed.

    ¡°The strongest in Hell?¡±

    ¡°He is originally from Arvis, where he was a top-tier ranker. His name is Cier, and he is a Martial Artist.¡±

    ¡°Cier...?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded.

    ¡°The problem is, can you overwhelm him enough to stir the hearts of Hell¡¯s residents... Can you do it? If it¡¯s too difficult, we can think of another way.¡±

 Chapter 336

    <h4>Chapter 336</h4>

    <i>¡®Hm... Cier...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew Cier very well.

    <i>¡®I remember running into him once before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Known as the Martial Artist of the Wind, Cier had been formidable even then. He had been far more powerful than Jin-Hyeok, who was hailed as the Sword King of the Korean Region. Ciel had been a hero from Hell, known for his skills and recognized as one of the top-ranked yers in the universe.

    <i>¡®I really want to fight him.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok had asked Cier for a duel, but thetter had refused with a single sentence.

    <i>¡°I do not fight weaklings. If you want to fight,e back with at least three billion Dias.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®I remember I was so frustrated,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Since that day, Jin-Hyeok had worked harder and honed his skills with a newfound determination to surpass Cier one day. However, he never encountered Ciel again.

    <i>¡®Yeah, Cier was in Hell.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ¡°Of course, I can overwhelm him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. I have some videos rted to Cier. Let¡¯s watch them first,¡± Han Sae-Rin replied.

    Jin-Hyeok clicked on the videos. <i>¡®He is definitely strong.¡¯</i>

    Ciel¡¯s attacks were clean and straightforward. He bamboozled his opponents with swift footwork and impable timing. In evasion skills alone, Cier was called the best in the universe; he was a master at dodging.

    <i>¡®Can I defeat him in a fight?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t tell that from these videos alone.

    ¡°What do you think? Do you think you can beat Cier? He is not a Level Grinder,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°I know. He is a genuine top-ranked yer.¡±

    ¡°I will ask again. Can you overwhelm him?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ***

    [Yo, guys, Cier is going to fight Kim Chul-Soo!]

    ©¸Shut the hell up. Why would a Martial Artist fight a Streamer? LOL

    ©¸No, it¡¯s for real!

    ©¸Cier has nothing to gain by fighting Chul-Soo. LOL

    ©¸Has Cier lost his mind? Why is he doing this?

    They saw the duel as a terrible deal for Cier. Ciel would gain nothing even if he won. He was a traditional Martial Artist, while his opponent was just a Streamer. Winning a duel against a Streamer wasn¡¯t something a Martial Artist could brag about.

    [I¡¯m telling the truth! Sae-Rin was the one who contacted Cier.]

    ©¸Stop overhyping Sae-Rin, please.

    ©¸Agreed. Sae-Rin is not a God. Just because she contacted Cier, it does not mean the duel will work out.

    ©¸Check Cier¡¯s Enstagram. It¡¯s official.

    [Whoa! Cier vs. Chul-Soo is happening for real!]

    ©¸Give me the link, please.

    The reason behind this unlikely duel had not been disclosed, but it did not matter. The important thing was that the duel was confirmed.

    Cier firmly said, ¡°If I beat Chul-Soo, you must keep your promise and arrange a duel with Muenne.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I have already secured Muenne¡¯s permission. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Sae Rin slyly smiled.

    Persuading Muenne had been easy. Sae-Rin had just told her about how Muenne was still on her extended leave, free from responsibilities, and that this was a perfect opportunity to help Chul-Soo. Muenne had hastily epted the proposal.

    The day of the duel arrived.

    [Isn¡¯t fighting in the Fourth Hell¡¯s royal training grounds a bit too much? The Fourth Hell has the Guardian Tree.]

    ©¸Yeah, Chul-Soo can receive help from the Guardian Tree.

    ©¸??? Are you guys serious? Did you forget that Chul-Soo is still technically a Streamer? He needs some advantages.

    ©¸Even if you add the Guardian Tree, can Chul-Soo beat Cier? LOL

    Millions across the universe were focused on this duel. Most of them believed Cier would win. What they wanted to see was just how much Chul-Soo could ovee his limitations as a Streamer.

    [Why would Chul-Soo insist on fighting abatant-ss yer?]

    ©¸That¡¯s what true <i>intensity </i>is.

    ©¸I guess you¡¯re right.

    ©¸Even if he loses, he won¡¯t be worse off. With Muenne as the mediator, at least, he won¡¯t lose his life.

    ©¸Check the viewer count on the livestream right now!

    The real-time viewer count had reached a staggering ten million.

    [Isn¡¯t Chul-Soo now an official universe-level yer?]

    ©¸He knows how to get people¡¯s attention. Ten million live viewers are not easy to obtain.

    ©¸Among the Streamers, I think he deserves to be acknowledged as a universe-level yer.

    ©¸That¡¯s insane! A Streamer from a new Server with ten million viewers!

    Standing before Cier, Jin-Hyeok observed his opponent. As usual, he livestreamed from a first-person perspective. He seemed rxed as he described Cier. ¡°Fiery red hair. Intense red eyes. Long limbs and a slender frame. You can also see his scar-riddled upper body.¡±

    Cier had taken off his shirt, revealing scars all over his torso.

    ¡°His fists and wrists are wrapped in bandages. He looks every bit a top-ranked Martial Artist,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Cier frowned. ¡°Shall we start now?¡±

    He showed little interest in Chul-Soo, intending to knock him down quickly and head straight to Muenne. Long ago, Muenne had defeated him in an unofficial battle, and that loss had haunted him ever since. After that, Cier had retreated to Hell and immersed himself in training.

    Ciel¡¯s eyes were set only on Muenne. Growing impatient, he urged Jin-Hyeok again. ¡°Draw your weapon.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took a few steps toward his opponent. Though they were now much nearer, Cier remained unworried.

    ¡°What are you nning?¡± Cier asked.

    ¡°How much does it cost to buy your defeat?¡±

    ***

    There were some choices that Jin-Hyeok would never have made during his Sword King days, but as a Streamer, he did not hold such reservations.

    <i>¡®He is weak when ites to money,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Rumors had circted that Memphis had offered Cier a substantial amount of money to abandon his homnd, Arvis, and defect to Hell. Moreover, Cier had once demanded three billion Dias to even consider fighting Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Draw your weapon,¡± Cier said.

    ¡°How about ten billion Dias?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense and draw your weapon.¡± Cier clenched his fists. He could not believe his opponent was proposing such absurd things after calling him out for a duel.

    ¡°How about twenty billion Dias?¡±

    ¡°If you are not going to take the first step. I will go to you and defeat you,¡± Cier said. He could not believe that someone could hold such a vulgar belief that money could buy a defeat.

    ¡°How about fifty billion?¡±

    ¡°I concede.¡±

    Sometimes, certain vulgarities could appear noble. Cier walked toward Jin-Hyeok, knelt before him, and admitted defeat.

    Sae-Rin blinked in disbelief. <i>¡®I guess that¡¯s one way to overwhelm him...¡¯</i>

    It was a bizarre situation, but its impact was strong. The short clip of Cier bowing before Chul-Soo quickly spread across the universe.

    -LOL, he crushed him with money! The Streamer wins!

    -Can we even call this a duel? Hahahaha!

    Most viewers understood that this was more of a prank or si-like content. However, the residents of the First Hell had a different perspective.

    ¡°Cier lost to Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°No, look at this!¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called a cell phone from Earth. You can watch Eltube on it!¡±

    Hell¡¯s residents were not familiar with modern civilization.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s true! I can watch Eltube on this!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Cier knelt to Chul-Soo?¡±

    These residents focused on the clip where Cier bowed before Chul-Soo. The short video omitted the negotiation between Cier and Chul-Soo. It was shared and spread throughout the universe. Some Eltubers created false rumors, iming that Chul-Soo had defeated Cier through sheer strength, which, surprisingly, many people believed.

    ¡°How strong is Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Could a Streamer that powerful exist?¡±

    Many residents of Hell had indeed watched the full video, but the context did not matter to them. The crucial thing was that Chul-Soo had defeated the strongest yer in Hell in a one-on-one fight. This news spread across Hell and created positive public opinion about Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased with the whole process. <i>¡®I seem to have won their hearts, and the livestream was a big hit.¡¯</i>

    Of course, some people criticized this as not a real victory, but Jin-Hyeok did not mind them. Compared to the unfair criticism he received during his government official days, this was nothing. He was even delighted.

    <i>¡®This must also be part of bing a great Streamer.¡¯</i>

    He viewed this as growing pains that inevitably apany a Streamer¡¯s growth, and this lifted his spirits.

    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s exasperated voice interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°Oh sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. So, what were we talking about?¡±

    ¡°I am nning to govern the First Hell.¡±

    ¡°You? Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the perfect ce to practice being a Ruler.¡±

    ording to Sae-Rin, Hell¡¯s residents were strong but not particrly intelligent. That made them easy to control. She offered him an excuse, fearing that Jin-Hyeok might be disappointed. ¡°Of course, managing difficult residents would be a more intense approach.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s my first time ying as a Ruler of a Server. I think starting with something easy would be best. I need to establish the basics.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok said nothing, so she awkwardly continued, ¡°Basics are crucial, right? Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°Right. Anyway, you can talk about that with Hell Man.¡±

    ¡°I have already discussed it with him. He likes the idea.¡±

    ¡°What about the opposition from the First Hell¡¯s residents?¡±

    ¡°They are generally favorable toward you. As for the ones who are not, Cier is handling them.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Violence solves everything. If it does not, it¡¯s because there isn¡¯t enough of it. That¡¯s what you taught me,¡± Sae-Rin grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I made the decision considering the unique nature of the Hell Server. Just wait; good news wille.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s words indeed proved to be true.

    ***

    Things proceeded quite swiftly.

    <strong>[You have activated the Achievement effect Owner of the Ownerless ce.]</strong>

    <strong>[The First Hell has no designated owner.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you wish to be the owner of the ?First Hell??]</strong>

    A notification simultaneously rang for all Hell residents.

    <strong>[A candidate has been registered for the ownership of the ?First Hell?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Please participate in the voting.]</strong>

    Simr to notifications on Earth, the residents of Hell began voting. When the results were in, even Jin-Hyeok could not believe his eyes.

    <strong>[Favor: 142% Oppose: 18%]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok could sessfully im the position of owner of the First Hell.

    <i>¡®142%?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Surpassing 100% was nonsensical enough, and there was even an 18% opposition.

    ¡°I¡¯m so confused that it¡¯s hard to pinpoint exactly where things went wrong,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He felt a bit worried rather than being happy. It seemed like a System error.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s because Cier allied with several factions and used force to secure the votes,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Apparently, Cier had even managed to make children who had no voting rights participate in the voting. The convoluted process led to a 142% approval rate.

    ¡°Is this okay? I think the GMs might have an issue with it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I looked into it, and there is no age limit for voting flights. They generally just assumed it was for adults. I argued with Kihael about it, and he agreed with me. So, the 142% approval rate is valid!¡± Sae-Rin smiled. ¡°When you are intense, nothing is impossible!¡±

    With her sparkling eyes, she continued, ¡°So? Have you noticed any changes?¡±

 Chapter 337

    <h4>Chapter 337</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok smiled. ¡°Changes? Yeah, there are some.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you are not live right now, are you?¡± Han Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Sae-Rin nodded. If it were a live broadcast, she would have to be careful to avoid giving away too much to the viewers.

    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s changed,¡± she asked. As a Ruler, it was her duty to assess her colleague¡¯s abilities, but she was also very curious about just how powerful Chul-Soo could be as a Streamer.

    ¡°I can now level up two times in a day,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Until now, it was one level up per day, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡®<i>Two level-ups per day? That¡¯s monstrous growth.¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin concealed her surprise. This was an impressive feat, as past the mid-200 Levels, leveling up by even one was difficult.

    ¡°So, your daily level-up limit is now two, and you are reaching that limit every day?¡± Sae-Rin double-checked.

    ¡°For now, yes. I might slow down once I hit Level 300.¡±

    Although he said that, Sae-Rin knew he would not slow down. She was calcting in her head the experience points needed for leveling up.

    <i>¡®Since he is the owner of both the Earth Server and First Hell, he will continue leveling up twice a day for a while.¡¯</i>

    But she wasn¡¯t entirely sure about this, so she did not voice it out loud.

    ¡°What else?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well, ever since I¡¯ve be the owner of the Earth Server and First Hell, my soul has apparently grown in stature.¡±

    To Sae-Rin, such abstract statements were not helpful. She needed concrete indicators of growth. So, she asked, ¡°What are the benefits of that?¡±

    ¡°If I nt a Guardian Tree in a ce, I can draw on the powers of the Seoul Guardian Tree there.¡±

    Sae-Rin¡¯s expression turned serious. She knew too well how powerful the Seoul Guardian Tree was.

    ¡°By ¡®in a ce¡¯, do you mean the entire Server?¡± she asked.

    That would be a game-changing ability. By simply nting a Guardian Tree in a Server, Jin-Hyeok would receive the Seoul Guardian Tree¡¯s buffs in that Server.

    ¡°The specifics aren¡¯t clear at the moment. We will need to experiment to find out,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s test it togetherter. I will help you figure out the exact details.¡± Sae-Rin was still in awe of this ability. ¡°Being an owner of a ce is something else, huh.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course. These rewards are beyond imagination. Just a guaranteed two level-ups per day is just...¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not over yet.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s jaw dropped open. ¡°Now, I know why the GMs are freaking out.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was the personification of a bnce disruption.

    ¡°What else is there?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I have to choose from some options.¡±

    <strong>[1. Legendary Mystery Map]</strong>

    <strong>[2. Rare Mystery Map]</strong>

    <strong>[3. Normal Mystery Map]</strong>

    Sae-Rin stroked her chin. The better the rank was, the more exceptional would be the map indicating the location of the Mystery. However, there was a catch: the increasingly minuscule chance of obtaining the Mystery. For the Legendary Mystery Map, this probability was an abysmal 0.000004 percent.

    ¡°It seems like they don¡¯t want to give it away,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    While the Normal Mystery Map had a rtively high chance of being acquired at fifty percent, Jin-Hyeok was unlikely to choose it, given his nature.

    ¡°When I look at the window with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, I can also see an option with the number 0,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°An option numbered 0?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a Mythic Mystery Map. But the window doesn¡¯t show the probability of obtaining it. There is a question mark in ce of the value.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean the chance can be zero?¡±

    ¡°Do you think it can be?¡±

    ¡°You know the System and the GMs don¡¯t exactly like you, right?¡±

    ¡°I do, and I understand why.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, the Legendary Mystery would be a better option.¡±

    A great Ruler didn¡¯t simply control a situation. Providing solutions that suited their colleague¡¯s characteristics was also an essential part of their Job.

    ¡°You are going for the Mythic Mystery, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Sae-Rin could see the greed in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. They held a demonic gaze in them and appeared to have gone crazy because of viewer counts.

    ¡°Let me confirm something first. Are you nning to turn this into Gacha[1] content?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ***

    Sae-Rin hoped that Jin-Hyeok would keep these rewards a secret for now. Even if they would eventually be made public, she thought it was too soon to reveal them to the viewers.

    ¡°If word of these rewards gets out now... top-tier yer Hunters might target you,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Oh?¡± A spark of interest lit up Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    Sae-Rin shook her head and continued, ¡°How about making the announcement a few monthster? Just the Gacha content alone is likely to attract a lot of attention.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we strike while the iron is hot?¡± Jin-Hyeok trusted Sae-Rin¡¯s judgment, and keeping the rewards secret for now made sense. ¡°If I were a regr yer, I would hide them. But I''m a Streamer, right?

    Videos based on the Reward theme always thrilled his viewers.

    ¡°Besides, I have already teased the viewers that I will be revealing the rewards soon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I have to keep my promise to my viewers.¡± Jin-Hyeok tapped Sae-Rin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Overthinking things will only keep me from surpassing Marshmallow.¡±

    Sae-Rin fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°So, your goal is to be the top Streamer in the universe?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re satisfied with that?¡± Sae-Rin¡¯s question was on point.

    ¡°Satisfied? Of course, I am...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be the strongest yer as well as the top Streamer?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes widened. It was like a light had been switched on.

    <i>¡®What I really want...!¡¯ </i>Until now, Jin-Hyeok had believed his dream was to be the top Streamer. However, Sae-Rin¡¯s question led him to a realization.

    ¡°The strongest yer.... Yeah, I think I want to be the strongest yer.¡± Jin-Hyeok chuckled.

    Feeling relieved, Sae-Rin continued, ¡°Then I say we keep what you have obtained a secret for now. One step back, two steps forward. Deal?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok immediately shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t break a promise to my viewers.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I know what you are worried about, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°I just need to be strong enough so that these kinds of issues won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Sae-Rin learned yet another lesson.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok could hear the Seoul Guardian Tree.

    -¡°Oh, we canmunicate? How marvelous!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was equally astonished. Both of them were on different Servers, yetmunication between them was surprisingly smooth. It seemed that as his soul¡¯s stature had risen, his bond with the Guardian Tree had strengthened.

    -¡°I can sense your clear madness better now!¡±

    <i>¡®Clear Madness?¡¯</i>

    -¡°Your madness is pure and clear. It¡¯s unmatchable. You truly are an extraordinary madman!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. <i>¡®Has this tree not met true madmen? I am pretty normalpared to them.¡¯</i>

    -¡°Usually, madmen do not realize they are mad.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not feel he needed to correct the Guardian Tree¡¯s misunderstanding. Educating it was not his priority.

    <i>¡®I can also receive your buffs here. Are you ready to assist me?¡¯</i>

    -¡°Of course. I will always provide you with my great powers when needed!¡±

    The Guardian Tree was thrilled to be of active assistance.

    Jin-Hyeok took a deep breath topose himself.

    <i>¡®I should use God of Luck.¡¯</i>

    With his increased soul stature and stronger bond with the Guardian Tree, Jin-Hyeok felt he could harness the power of the God of Luck Mystery more efficiently.

    <i>¡®Alright, let¡¯s start the livestream.¡¯</i>

    [Gacha Game]

    Jin-Hyeok conducted his livestream.

    -Huh? Gacha Game?

    -He is doing Gacha content?

    -Let¡¯s go for number 1!

    -If it¡¯s Gacha, he has to pick the Legendary one, right? ^^

    Option number one was a popr choice. However, many viewers were more rational and sensible.

    -Realistically, it will be better to go for the fifteen percent chance of getting a Rare Mystery Map.

    -I didn¡¯t even know that Mysteries had grades, but a rare Mystery must be quite good.

    -By setting that probability for the first option, they¡¯re basically saying they don¡¯t want to give it to you.

    Some yers knew the real Chul-Soo.

    -Chul-Soo has the God of Luck Mystery, right?

    -He should just use it.

    As the chat heated up, Jin-Hyeok revealed option number 0.

    -Wait a minute!

    -Broadcaster¡¯s Insight is insane! LOL

    -He found the hidden option just with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight!

    ¡°There is a question mark in ce of the odds. The odds could be zero,¡± Jin-Hyeok told his viewers.

    The option could be just bait.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a Streamer¡¯s duty to challenge such odds?¡±

    Most yers would find it difficult to bet on an uncertain chance.

    ¡°Providing vicarious satisfaction by doing what regr yers find difficult... I believe that is also a Streamer¡¯s duty.¡±

    -Damn, Chul-Soo and his philosophy!

    -That¡¯s why he has grown so much!

    -He is so cool!

    As he prepared to make his choice, Jin-Hyeok naturally revealed his rewards.

    -Wow! I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s revealing them like this.

    -If anyone can take Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities now, they would be a top ranker in the universe in no time.

    -I can hear the sounds of yer Hunters drooling.

    -Streamer Protection Treaty? Screw that! What is that even?

    ¡°So, I am going to use the Guardian Tree¡¯s power and invoke God of Luck. Honestly, I feel the Mythic Mystery Map will be worth the effort.¡±

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok chose option 0. An artifact shaped like an old map appeared before him. It spun around and burst into a sh of golden light. Jin-Hyeok used Absolute Barrier. Several light fragments pierced his abdomen.

    ¡°Oh? This was not just a simple effect,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He pulled the light fragments out of his abdomen, and blood gushed out.

    -Uh, I can¡¯t watch it.

    -I turned off the screen.

    -He looks too calm! Is this a staged video?

    ¡°Most yers would have died here, but I was lucky.¡±

    Suddenly, the Phantom Swordswoman appeared beside Jin-Hyeok, bleeding profusely.

    ¡°My defensive Mystery saved me.¡±

    -She¡¯s a defensive Mystery, after all.

    -I was right. She knew how to defend all along!

    -I thought she was a destructive Mystery.

    ¡°This should clear up the viewers¡¯ misunderstandings. My Phantom Swordswoman is definitely a defensive Mystery.¡±

    After fulfilling her role, the Phantom Swordswoman dissipated like smoke.

    ¡°I am fortunate. I have obtained the map.¡±

    <strong>[You have acquired a map marked with a Mythic Mystery.]</strong>

    ¡°The location of the Mystery is marked here.¡± Jin-Hyeok revealed the map.

    -He is not blurring the map?

    -I just took a screenshot!

    -I can see the location!

    -Isn¡¯t that near the capital city of the First Hell?

    -I¡¯m going there right now.

    Jin-Hyeok revealing the Mythic Mystery map caused amotion.

    ¡°To just get this map, I suffered such an injury.¡± The attack was so severe the bleeding would not stop. ¡°I received help from my defensive Mystery and even deployed Absolute Barrier. God of Luck also helped me.¡±

    Had it not been for God of Luck, a fragment could have pierced his heart instead of his abdomen.

    ¡°So, obtaining this Mythic Mystery could be even more perilous and challenging. I advise regr viewers not to attempt it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. <i>¡®Perfect.¡¯</i>

    This was the start of apetition content.

    ¡°Of course, I will be the first to obtain the Mystery.¡±

    -Wow, I never imagined this would happen!

    -Chul-Soo revealed the map and started apetition with the viewers! LOL

    -He is just crazy!

    -Just crazy? Do you not see IntenseMan¡¯s noble intentions? He wants to provide opportunities to the viewers.

    -No, I think he is just crazy about his livestream.

    -That¡¯s why you¡¯re stupid. <i>Tsk tsk. </i>You think the world you know is everything.

    The number of viewers on the livestream surpassed one billion. It was a historic peak for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreaming career.

    1. Gacha machines are those toy-vending machines that are popr in Asia. ?

 Chapter 338

    <h4>Chapter 338</h4>

    Rumors quickly spread among the various universe-level rankers.

    [Chul-Soo has revealed the map.]

    [I can obtain a Mythic Mystery.]

    Many rankers were skeptical.

    ¡°Since when do Mysteries have grades? A Mystery is just a Mystery.¡±

    ¡°Do you all believe everything the media says? It¡¯s obviously all rigged.¡±

    Some gave up from the start.

    ¡°The First Hell? Even if we leave now, it will take three days.¡±

    ¡°Damn, if it were closer, I would have set off on an expedition right away.¡±

    Nevertheless, a significant number of yers headed toward the First Hell.

    ¡°A Mythic Mystery, huh? Intriguing.¡±

    ¡°I ept Chul-Soo¡¯s challenge.¡±

    ¡°Fortune favors the diligent.¡±

    The First Hell saw thergest influx of rankers in its history, and numerous conflicts arose as a result. Most notably, these incidents urred near the warp portals closest to the capital of the First Hell.

    ¡°How dare these nobodiespete with me? Do they want to die?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to reduce thepetition even by a little.¡±

    Some rankers attempted to ughter other yers, but it was not easy.

    ¡°Meaningless killing is prohibited here.¡±

    This was all thanks to Muenne, one of the Seven Pdins of the Helen Empire of Arvis, the strongest Server.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any authorities here, Muenne. Why is a Pdin from Arvis exerting influence here?¡±

    ¡°Because I am a Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    ¡°You think that shit is a valid reason?¡±

    ¡°That shit...?¡±

    Muenne was well-known as a stickler for principles, famous for never using force or intimidation against innocent civilians.

    ¡°Say that again, and I will rip your mouth apart.¡± This Muenne was a bit different.

    ¡°...¡±

    The rankers found her difficult to understand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me,¡± said Cier, a Martial Artist from Hell and universe-level ranker simr to Muenne in skills. Standing beside Muenne, he added, ¡°Do not create unnecessarymotion while my boss is working on his content.¡±

    The yers were puzzled that Cier had acknowledged Chul-Soo as his boss, but hardly anyone dared to challenge the Muenne and Cier duo. After all, their goal was not to fight these two universe-level rankers but to secure the Mystery. Hence, the chaos was less than expected.

    Numerous rankers rushed to obtain the Mystery andpete against Chul-Soo.

    ***

    Brick, the rodent-type Beastkin Assassin, was acutely aware of his rapidly improving skills.

    <i>¡®Teaching makes you realize how much you still have to learn,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    By directly mentoring the yers of the ck Thorn Alliance, Brick had achieved several levels of enlightenment. Their intensity had significantly influenced him as well. He spoke to his favorite disciple, Kwak Do-Hyeong, the leader of the ck Thorn Alliance. ¡°We seem to have arrived the fastest, Sir Apprentice.¡±

    ¡°It does seem so.¡±

    They had already reached the location marked on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s map and were waiting there. They had arrived before the residents of Hell or even Jin-Hyeok because they had been training in the First Hell.

    <strong>[Master Kaymanar¡¯s Artificial Dungeon]</strong>

    As soon as Jin-Hyeok had obtained the map, an entrance to a Dungeon had appeared in a small forest near the First Hell¡¯s capital. The entrance was shaped like a well, and to enter the Dungeon, yers had to jump into this well.

    ¡°Sir Apprentice, you know what we must do, right?¡± Brick said.

    ¡°Yes, Master. We have to capture the rankers invading this Dungeon alive.¡±

    Brick stroked his long whiskers on both sides of his face and nodded.

    ¡°Did you hear that, ck Thorn Alliance?¡± Do-Hyeong said to his subordinates.

    One of the alliance members seemed slightly displeased. ¡°Are we not killing them?¡±

    ¡°Ye, we only capture, not kill,¡± Do-Hyeon replied.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because they might be subscribers of Chul-Soo.¡±

    The dissatisfied alliance member appeared baffled. ¡°But aren¡¯t we Assassins? Why abandon our fundamental duty to assassinate...¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t an intense Assassin also know how to capture their opponent alive?¡±

    ¡°I find this hard to ept. An Assassin¡¯s primary duty is to assassinate. I joined the ck Thorn Alliance to hone my assassination skills.¡±

    Do-Hyeon nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re expelled from the alliance.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Someone who does not understand the value of intensity has no right to be in the ck Thorn Alliance. Get out.¡±

    Brick lowered his voice. ¡°The guests areing, Sir Apprentice. They are all powerful yers, so we need to stay sharp.¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®I came as fast as I could...¡¯ </i>Even though he had ridden the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok could see signs that other yers had already entered the Dungeon. <i>¡®There is so much intensepetition everywhere in this world.¡¯</i>

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok, Brick, who had camouged himself as a tree, revealed himself. ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, seven yers entered the Dungeon before you. Five are nobodies whom we let go after capturing. One is quite strong and managed to the Dungeon. They are probably a formidable figure from the Hell Server. Another one resisted fiercely, so we captured and confined him.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Brick and the members of the ck Thorn Alliance had moved faster than Jin-Hyeok had expected. While he had not anticipated their help, they had effectively served as an initial filter.

    ¡°Then, please continue with your work, Brick,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Of course, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the well.

    <strong>[Master Kaymanar¡¯s Artificial Dungeon]</strong>

    ¡°Here we are at Master Kaymanar¡¯s Artificial Dungeon. The entrance is shaped like a well, and you can¡¯t see the bottom. I shall enter it now,¡± Jin-Hyeok told his viewers.

    Without any hesitation, he jumped into the Dungeon. He talked non-stop even as he fell, ensuring the audio feed remained uninterrupted.

    ¡°I entered the Dungeon in a hurry, but it would have been great if either Mole Woman or Lessefim were here to help me. If they were nearby, they coulde here....¡± Jin-Hyeok then nced to the side¡ªat Han Sae-Rin. She hade along with him even though he had said there was no need to. ¡°On second thought, I think the abilities of a former Pathfinder should be sufficient.¡±

    Sae-Rin often said that a great Ruler should also be an excellent Navigator. She could prove quite helpful here. Of course, Mole Woman and Lessefim had also already set out for the Dungeon.

    ¡°I will prove that I am the better Navigator for his livestream, moly!¡±

    <i>¡®It is not all about skills!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought as she ran.

    ¡°I will show that I am a far superior Navigator!¡±

    <i>¡®Being pretty isn¡¯t everything!¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought as she ran. Even though she confident in her superior skills, she was slightly annoyed. <i>¡®But why do I feel like I¡¯m losing?¡¯</i>

    She could not afford to lose to Mole Woman.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeoknded on the ground. ¡°The path ahead is winding and dark. For now, I will proceed with Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t sense any active traps here,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Their footsteps echoed as they walked.

    ¡°Being an Artificial Dungeon, it definitely feels more synthetic than natural ones,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    ¡°We can see signs of magic traps and barriers here and there. But they seem too old to function properly¡ª¡± Suddenly, Sae-Rin grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s clothes. ¡°Look at the ground. The footsteps ahead of us stop here.¡±

    At that moment, a poison dart flew toward Sae-Rin, but Jin-Hyeok took the hit for her.

    ¡°That was quite a stinging attack.¡±

    He threw the dart back, and a yer hidden in the wall fell to the ground.

    ¡°Brick mentioned this one was quite skilled, but he is pathetic,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Sae-Rin was lost for words. <i>¡®I didn¡¯t sense the opponent at all.¡¯</i>

    She could read the situation with her exceptional judgment. <i>¡®Brick was right. That guy is quite skilled. It¡¯s just that Chul-Soo is abnormally strong.¡¯ </i>

    She recalled ament that Jin-Hyeok had made earlier.

    <i>¡°I just need to be strong enough so that these kinds of issues won¡¯t be a problem.¡±</i>

    Sae-Rin¡¯s heart raced at the thought that this could be a reality.

    Jin-Hyeok approached the fallen man to check his breathing.

    ¡°Normally, I would have killed him,¡± he said, summoning the Phantom Swordswoman. The fallen angel, exuding a sharp, murderous aura, picked up the man. ¡°Since he might be one of my passionate subscribers, I will spare him today. Phantom Swordswoman, could you take him outside the well? Hand him over to Brick or Do-Hyeong.¡±

    ¡°Master, shall I deliver him with a cracked skull?¡± the defensive Mystery asked.

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I am mean, right?¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman scrunched her face in annoyance but nodded.

    -I didn¡¯t know a defensive Mystery needs to set up barriers, attack, defend, and even transport the wounded. LOL

    -That¡¯s a lot for one defensive Mystery, hahaha!

    -It¡¯s tough making a living off being a defensive Mystery these days, damn.

    -But at this point, nothing is surprising.

    -Agreed.

    -Sounds just like another day for Chul-Soo.

    The viewers had grown ustomed to such bizarre situations. Explosive reactions were harder toe by nowadays.

    Jin-Hyeok continued as they walked, ¡°It seems like an old Dungeon overall.¡±

    ¡°If this is an Artificial Dungeon, it¡¯s very likely that a Protector is here somewhere. Considering other things in this Dungeon, such as traps and barriers, are not working properly, I guess the administrators have poured all the resources into a Protector.¡±

    Without further issues, they found a massive iron door.

    ¡°That¡¯s a huge iron door,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It must be incredibly heavy. I guess you need a special power to even budge it.¡±

    ¡°Shall I try pushing it?¡±

    ¡°There might be a special mechanism to open it.¡±

    ¡°There is no harm in trying.¡± Jin-Hyeok stepped up to the door and exerted all his strength.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    The door began to open slightly. Sae-Rin was astounded but soon resigned herself to <i>¡®That¡¯s Chul-Soo for you.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I am stronger than I thought.¡± Jin-Hyeok had assumed only someone like Martial King Kim Jeong-Hyeon could open the door, but surprisingly, he had managed to do it alone. Though the door did not open fully, the gap was wide enough for a person to pass through.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit tight, but we were able to enter,¡± he said after passing through the door.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, we should close the door behind us, to keep the weaker ones out.¡±

    ¡°Good idea.¡± Jin-Hyeok applied force again to close the door. It required considerable strength and stamina.

    ¡°I see a faint green light in the distance. Surely, that can¡¯t be the Mystery,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I think it might be.¡±

    Just like Sae-Rin said, it was a Mystery. An object emitting a brilliant green light floated above the ground and slowly rotated.

    ¡°How kind of them. Even the name of the Mystery isbeled on it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[Spilling Wind]</strong>

    <i>¡®What? Spilling Wind?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was surprised.

 Chapter 339

    <h4>Chapter 339</h4>

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t this Cier¡¯s Mystery?¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok recognized this Mystery as one famously wielded by Cier, a Martial Artist hailed as the best evader in the universe, before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. <i>¡®Ah... no wonder!¡¯ </i>

    The first time Jin-Hyeok had faced Cier, he had thought, <i>¡®He is weaker than I expected.¡¯ </i>If suppressing Cier with money had been impossible, Jin-Hyeok would have considered fighting him.

    <i>¡®I guess Cier has yet to get to the Mystery at this point in his life.¡¯ </i>Suddenly, he got an urge to fight Cier, which startled him. <i>¡®How can I think like that? How can I be so cowardly?¡¯</i>

    Previously, Jin-Hyeok used to seek out only the strong. However, he knew that, as a wise person had once said, humans were creatures of change and adaptation.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m a Streamer now. It should be natural for me not to think of fighting him.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had almost fallen back into his old mindset from his Sword King days.

    After collecting his thoughts, Jin-Hyeok moved forward. ¡°I will take this Myst¡ª¡±

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok suddenly stop, Han Sae-Rin asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It looks like something else is beneath this Mystery.¡± His Broadcaster¡¯s Insight had caught something faint, like an abnormality in space.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Wait, I will check it out.¡± Sae-Rin inspected the floor, making sure not to touch the Mystery.

    -If I were her, I would have pretended it was an ident and taken the Mystery.

    -They said that¡¯s a Mythic Mystery, right?

    -People even kill their kin over such Mysteries, LOL.

    -Chul-Soo is allowing her to get close to the Mystery, and Sae-Rin is being cautious. They are both from another world. LOL

    -But they still look awesome. Totally romantic.

    Unintentionally impressing the viewers, Sae-Rin touched the floor and stood up after a while. ¡°It looks like a secret passage, hidden using the Mystery.¡±

    Being a former Pathfinder, she understood what this meant. ¡°If you consume the Mystery, the Dungeon will automatically disappear.¡±

    JinHyeok was at a crossroads. ¡°Should I explore the hidden passage and uncover something unknown, or should I safely consume the Mystery... It¡¯s a battle of choice.¡±

    His heart pounded. He didn¡¯t know the actual number, but numerouspetitors were likely rushing toward this Dungeon. Many had already entered it.

    ¡°If I were still abatant-ss yer, I would have secured the Mystery first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Earlier, he had a moment of realization: he was no longer the Sword King; he was a Streamer, someone who should pursue fun. Exploring the Dungeon would undoubtedly lead to more entertainment.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not doing it for me. I¡¯m doing it for the Chul-Soo Landers¡¯ joy.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok resolved his intentions.

    Sae-Rin softly sighed. ¡°Right, I thought you might do that. I will keep watch here.¡±

    She was also a Chul-Soo Lander. This Mystery was meant for Chul-Soo to consume.

    <i>¡®I must protect this Mystery for him.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I can use some barriers with my skills as a Ruler. If we utilize that giant door, we might be able to buy some time,¡± she added.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°If you really are thankful, buy me dinner.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°I will enter the hidden passage. We need to hurry if we don¡¯t want anyone else to get the Mystery.¡±

    It was a race against time. The viewers could perfectly feel the suspense.

    ***

    Kim Min-Ji abruptly stood up. Even Choi Gap-Soo felt a slight tension in her determined demeanor. He asked, ¡°Um... are you okay?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Hell, right? And they are inside an Artificial Dungeon? I know it¡¯s a bizarre ce hidden by that Mystery. It¡¯s not a normal ce, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°In such a suspicious ce, even if I interfere a bit, no one would notice, right?¡±

    Gap-Soo had a different thought. Due to how suspicious the Dungeon was, the GMs could be managing it directly.

    ¡°Answer me,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. No one would notice.¡±

    ¡°Good, I knew it. Since Sae-Rin is a Barrier Mage, she can help us in case we leave a trace.¡±

    ¡°When did Sae-Rin be a Barrier Mage?¡±

    ¡°With that giant door there, if I tweak the settings just a bit, no one will be able to get through.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Min-Ji disappeared somewhere before Gap-Soo could even respond.

    The god known as Chul-Soo Land No.1 had made her move.

    ***

    ¡°It¡¯s simr to the space we encountered earlier,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    A dark, narrow, and long passagey before him. He did not sense any traps. However, the walls appeared to subtly tremble.

    ¡°This structure can copse over time.¡± While there was a risk of him being crushed, Jin-Hyeok was slightly disappointed. ¡°All in all, this is just a straightforward path.¡±

    However, for the average viewers, it was a bit different.

    -Guys, don¡¯t be fooled. A copsing structure is a real threat.

    -Normally, this should be a thrilling situation.

    They also pointed out the facts.

    -A Mythic Mystery had disguised the entrance, and it could be discovered through only Chul-Soo¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Insight and Sae-Rin¡¯s skills as a Ruler. Isn¡¯t that already extraordinary?

    -That¡¯s not all. Everyone forgets that Chul-Soo broke through that question-marked probability.

    -Even numerous rankers are storming in there.

    -If you watch BongMiNaTV, you can see at least dozens of them.

    The alliance of Brick and ck Thorn Alliance had stopped most of these yers. Only a few could enter the Dungeon, but the giant door blocked their way.

    -Chul-Soo opened that door all by himself, didn¡¯t he?

    -There are so many people in front of the door, but they can¡¯t open it!

    Even famous Barrier Mages could not open the door.

    -That¡¯s not how you open that door.

    -Chul-Soo: Just push it. It¡¯s so easy.

    The consensus was that it just needed a forceful push. Rankers, confident in their strength, tried pushing the door with all their might, but it did not budge.

    -Does that even make sense?

    -How can Chul-Soo be stronger than all of thembined?

    Anxious Mages suggested blowing up the door, which escted into another conflict. Some of them were worried about the Mystery being damaged and who would be responsible if the Dungeon copsed.

    ¡°Move aside, moly! I am going to see Chul-Soo, moly!¡± Mole Woman suddenly appeared at the scene. She had to be faster than Lessefim at least.

    ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you see that giant door?¡±

    Mole Woman ran toward the door. It sort of looked like an egg flying toward a rock.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Something strange happened. Mole Woman just passed right through the door. The rankers hurriedly followed her, but the result was different.

    ¡°ARGH!¡±

    ¡°Ouch! I almost cracked my forehead.¡±

    They ended up with bumps on their forehead.

    After passing the giant door, Mole Woman met Sae-Rin. She did not ask Sae-Rin any obvious questions about how her barrier abilities had be so strong or how she was holding off so many rankers alone while allowing her through. Mole Woman only asked, ¡°Is Lessefim here?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine, moly! So, Chul-Soo went down there, moly?¡± Mole Woman was in a hurry. She had to reach Chul-Soo faster than Lessefim.

    ¡°Be careful, Mole Woman! If you touch the Mystery... oh, nothing happens?¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Something was off. In haste, Mole Woman had touched the Mystery, but it didn¡¯t disappear with her.

    Soon, she met Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Chul-Soo, it looks like you are having some trouble, moly!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised that Mole Woman had arrived before Lessefim. <i>¡®Is Lessefim upied with something else?¡¯</i>

    Regardless, it was good for his livestream. Mole Woman¡¯s appearance itself would cause a spike in his viewership. She was d in a form-fitting leather suit that showcased her voluptuous figure.

    ¡°Just trust me, moly.¡±

    As Mole Woman thumped her chest, the chat on Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel erupted.

    -Look at the size of that personality!

    -A woman should have a big pair of personality.

    -I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful personality before.

    Others replied to thesements.

    -The chat is so gross.

    -What¡¯s all this talk about her personality?

    -The chat is so toxic right now.

    Mole Woman moved closer to Jin-Hyeok, appearingrger due to the livestream¡¯s first-person perspective.

    ¡°Many viewers must be mesmerized by my beautiful appearance, moly.¡± Mole Woman smiled broadly, striking a pose like she were a fashion model. ¡°Feel free to admire, moly!¡±

    Then she looked at Jin-Hyeok with twinkling eyes.

    <strong>[#How about it? #For your channel. #Clickbait. #I am a better Navigator than Lessefim!]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had to admit Mole Woman¡¯s thoughts contained some truths. Videos featuring Mole Woman indeed tended to garner more views on Eltube.

    ¡°Mole Woman. Right now, I can¡¯t find anything special here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Wait a moment, I smell something, moly.¡± Mole Woman sniffed the ground and then began digging. ¡°Just wait a moment, moly!¡±

    After a while, she unearthed a small chest. ¡°It seems like this space is hidden for this, moly!¡±

    In truth, following the path normally would have led to the chest. Jin-Hyeok had faintly realized this but did not mind Mole Woman¡¯s actions. Obtaining the chest this way was more dramatic.

    He pretended to be surprised as he reached out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Mole Woman.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing, moly!¡±

    ***

    Like most chests, this one was sealed with a barrier.

    ¡°Although it seems like you have to spend time exploring this area to gather clues and unlock it, we do not have that luxury right now. We need to quickly take what we can from here and go up to acquire the Mystery,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -You¡¯re lying. Even if you had the time, you wouldn¡¯t explore!

    -Shhh. Let¡¯s just pretend we don¡¯t know.

    Jin-Hyeok lifted Miri and said, ¡°Miri can freely use the powers I possess. I think that Miri is using me as a medium to draw out and utilize my powers. This time, I will use the power of the Unleashing Technique.¡±

    Using the Unleashing Technique, he forcefully struck the lock, and it shattered.

    -Wow, that worked again?

    -It works every time. LOL

    -Isn¡¯t this an Artificial Dungeon?

    -I can hear the cry of injustice from the person who designed this Dungeon, LOL!

    -That person is about to burst out of his coffin to tell how wrong this is.

    ¡°There is a key. It seems like the designer of this Dungeon loves question marks,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[?¡¯s Key]</strong>

    It was shrouded by a special setting.

    ¡°Let¡¯s use the Unleashing Technique once more.¡± This time, Jin-Hyeok struck it more gently.

    <strong>[Marlenvia¡¯s Underground Warehouse Key]</strong>

    ¡°We¡¯ve discovered the name!¡±

    -That was easy.

    -What is Marlenvia¡¯s Underground Warehouse?

    Although it was unclear who or what Marlenvia¡¯s Underground Warehouse was, it seemed they had obtained everything possible from this ce.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head up now. We need to hurry.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was genuinely concerned about the Mystery. The viewers, who shared in the excitement and remained glued to the livestream, could also feel the tension.

    Then, a rope descended from the ceiling.

    ¡°Chul-Soo! Climb up!¡±

    It was Lessefim.

 Chapter 340

    <h4>Chapter 340</h4>

    The timing was perfect.

    -Wow! Lessefim appeared at just the right time.

    -Mole Woman looks furious.

    Jin-Hyeok broadly smiled. ¡°I have such greatrades.¡±

    As soon as he touched the rope, he automatically rose and soon disappeared from view.

    ¡°Take me with you too, moly!¡± Mole Woman yelled.

    A note had fallen to the ground.

    [Now it¡¯s my turn, you pretty-faced but ipetent Navigator.]

    Jin-Hyeok had easily reached the top with Lessefim¡¯s help. Luckily, the Mystery was still there.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s slightly disappointing.¡¯ </i>

    He was expecting hispetitors to have burst open the door by now and surge in like a tidal wave, heightening the tension.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, the giant door exploded. Shards of the sted iron door flew in all directions, and Jin-Hyeok jumped forward to protect Lessefim and Han Sae-Rin. He extended his right hand and created an oval-shaped Absolute Barrier, shielding both of them.

    -Wow, that was so cool!

    -Chul-Soo, please take me!

    -He protects everyone! I am falling in love!

    Of course, he didn¡¯t have to do anything special to use his right hand to deploy Absolute Barrier, but the act looked impressive from the outside.

    <i>¡®That was good timing.¡¯ </i>The neers were mostly universe-level rankers. A moment¡¯s distraction could cost him the Mystery. <i>¡®I wish it were a bit more intense, but...¡¯</i>

    Still, he felt that the footage could be edited into something quite decent.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let them take the Mystery,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Some rankers yelled, ¡°No!¡± while others cast attack spells at him. Nevertheless, Jin-Hyeok managed to touch the Mystery. Green mana erupted the next second, but he immediately absorbed it.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Mystery Spilling Wind.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok had acquired the Mystery that used to belong to Cier, the strongest yer in Hell, before his regression. However, he could not just end the livestream here.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    He captured the disappointed expressions of the rankers who had just missed the Mystery. Then he looked at each of them.

    ¡°I was so close!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t let his guard down entirely. <i>¡®Some of them must be yer Hunters.¡¯</i>

    He thought someone would sneak up on him from behind. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, none attempted that. They were all rankers; they couldn¡¯t act rashly. Moreover, Chul-Soo was a Streamer.

    <i>¡®Is he really protected under the Streamer Protection Treaty?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®We don¡¯t have any just cause to attack him right now.¡¯</i>

    In a one-on-one fight, rankers didn¡¯t need to uphold the Streamer Protection Treaty. But with dozens of rankers gathered here, they couldn¡¯t attack Jin-Hyeok without viting the treaty.

    In the meantime, as Jin-Hyeok had cleared the Artificial Dungeon, the rankers who had missed the Mystery started to disperse.

    <i>¡®Howe no one is attacking me?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok hid his disappointment and continued, ¡°I think many of the viewers want me to fight Cier.¡±

    He genuinely wanted to fight Cier.

    <i>¡®Is this considered cheating?¡¯ </i>he had this thought, but it quickly went away. A real duel between a Streamer and the strongest Martial Artist in Hell would surely rack up views.

    ***

    Cier¡¯s reaction to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proposal now was not much different from the one he had before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression.

    ¡°How could I dare to fight you?¡± Cier said.

    Although Cier¡¯s expressions and demeanor had changed from what they were before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, he refused the fight even now.

    ¡°I will give you fifty billion Dias regardless of the oue. If you beat me, I will give you an additional fifty billion,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Pick up your weapon, you bastard!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. <i>¡®Wow, he¡¯s even cursing!¡¯</i>

    He was pleased that Cier had correctly understood his concept.

    Eventually, the battle between the strongest Streamer and the strongest yer on the Hell Server began.

    ¡°I will end you quickly, Chul-Soo. Today is your unluckiest day,¡± Cier said.

    <strong>[#Is this line good enough? #Is he satisfied? #I hope he gives me extra money for my cool line!]</strong>

    Cier was fast.

    -I can¡¯t see him properly!

    -What a phenomenal agility.

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat taken aback. <i>¡®He is too fast!¡¯</i>

    The Streamer¡¯s biggest issue was not that he was having trouble tracking Cier but that his viewers wouldn¡¯t be able to see the fight. To the average viewer, it would just look like shes of light and loud noises.

    <i>¡®But... if I wasn¡¯t thinking about my livestream, I think I can beat him.¡¯</i>

    Although Cier was incredibly fast, dodging his attacks was possible. Jin-Hyeok deftly avoided a punch aimed at his face and responded to the subsequent flurry of strikes.

    <strong>[You have used the Mystery Spilling Wind.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok became much lighter. He flicked away a punch aimed at his stomach and changed its trajectory. Moreover, he could even see the following kick.

    <i>¡®Wow, this is amazing!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok almost forgot toment on his livestream.

    <i>¡®The synergy between Spilling Wind and Broadcaster¡¯s Insight is also quite good.¡¯</i>

    He felt as though he was several steps ahead of his opponent. Cier felt simrly.

    <i>¡®Is he anticipating my attacks? It seems he knows where my next attack will go before I do.¡¯ </i>Cier had not expected such exceptional dodging abilities from a Streamer. <i>¡®I guess I have to go all out too.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok soon snapped back to reality. Being too engrossed in the fight and forgetting its essence was not the way of a Streamer. If he let this fight go on like this, the livestream would turn into an uninteresting educational show for the average viewer.

    <i>¡®It needs to look cool.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Skill Time-Lapse Recording.]</strong>

    Only after slowing down Cier could Jin-Hyeok create a tense battle scene.

    However, Cier misunderstood the situation. <i>¡®He seems to be struggling with my speed.¡¯</i>

    Cier was a Martial Artist who perfectly cornered his opponents by properly managing his physical abilities. He typically did not go full speed, as using too much energy could exhaust him too quickly. However, this time, his instincts were telling him differently.

    <i>¡®I should step it up now.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Skill High Gear.]</strong>

    This Skill explosively drew out all of Cier¡¯s physical abilities in a burst.

    That was when he saw a hammer swinging toward his head.

    <i>¡®An attack in in sight!¡¯ </i>Cier closed the distance between them. <i>¡®I should obscure his vision with my right fist while feigning to aim for the jaw. Then I should punch in the gut with my left.¡¯</i>

    His attack path and timing were perfect. <i>¡®This is it!¡¯</i>

    However, that was <i>not </i>it. As he was about to hit Jin-Hyeok, he heard Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice. ¡°You¡¯re too slow.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was already a few steps away, and Cier¡¯s left hand sliced through thin air. Before Cier realized it, Jin-Hyeok had already swung at his left fist.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Cier felt severe pain in his left arm, as though it was shattered.

    <i>¡®What is this?¡¯ </i>Cier was a Martial Artist known for his evasion, but he also prided himself on his physical durability. <i>¡®It¡¯s like a cannon hit me!¡¯</i>

    ***

    While fighting Cier, Jin-Hyeok had felt something was off.

    <i>¡®Am I faster than him?¡¯ </i>Although Jin-Hyeok was receiving the Guardian Tree¡¯s help, he was still surprised. <i>¡®I am just a Streamer, and he is a Martial Artist!¡¯</i>

    He got the feeling that he possessed better evasion skills than Cier, who was known as the master of evasion.

    <i>¡®Am I imagining things?¡¯ </i>

    At first, he thought he was, but the more they fought, the stranger he felt.

    <i>¡®No, I am definitely dodging better than him.¡¯</i>

    Especially during the moments when the Mystery Spilling Wind was active, he achieved a one hundred percent evasion rate. It was not just about dodging.

    <i>¡®I can clearly see the optimal path to evade his attacks.¡¯</i>

    It was a form of learning, akin to a tutor pointing out the correct answer.

    Over time, Jin-Hyeok realized, <i>¡®Yup, I dodge better than him.¡¯</i>

    At least under the auspices of the Guardian Tree, that was true. After this realization, Jin-Hyeok preemptively swung Miri. He aimed to crush Cier¡¯s ribs but ended up hitting his left arm instead.

    <i>¡®I broke his left arm.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a sudden sense of crisis. The sessful attack was also an opportunity for his opponent.

    <i>¡®My right side is exposed.¡¯</i>

    Spilling Wind was warning him that his right side was vulnerable, and Cier would surely target it.

    <i>¡®Tsk. It looks like I can¡¯t dodge this one.¡¯</i>

    While Jin-Hyeok wanted topletely avoid the attack, realistically, that was nearly impossible. If he could not dodge, he would have to block. So, he used Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t he striking? That was the perfect opportunity!¡¯</i>

    Cier was backing off to catch his breath. Jin-Hyeok realized, <i>¡®Ah... the damage to his left arm must have been too severe.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not expected that a fighter of Cier¡¯s caliber would make such a misjudgment. It was not like Jin-Hyeok had attacked Cier¡¯s weak points, nor had the arm beenpletely pulverized.

    For Jin-Hyeok, this was a rather fortunate situation.

    <i>¡®The best defense is a good offense!¡¯</i>

    The viewers unleashed a barrage ofments.

    -Wait, Chul-Soo is dominating!

    -He¡¯s ying with Cier!

    -I know he has the Guardian Tree¡¯s help and the Time-Lapse Recording Skill, but... he is just overwhelming him!

    Spections of Chul-Soo¡¯s bncing issue surfaced again.

    -A Streamer from a new Server overpowering a mediocre Server¡¯s strongest yer? Tsk tsk.

    -The Earth¡¯s GMs should just resign.

    -This is a disaster, LOL!

    -Evenputer games would not be this unbnced. This is too much!

    Somements provided justifications.

    -That¡¯s the power of a Mythic Mystery for ya.

    -Cier can¡¯t even touch him, LOL!

    -You are witnessing the prowess of a Mythic Mystery.

    However, the more astute viewers knew what was going on.

    -Could you fly a fighter jet if I asked you to right now?

    -What are you talking about?

    -The more powerful a Mystery is, the longer yers need to master it. You guys don¡¯t know shit because y¡¯all are a bunch of nobodies.

    These viewers pointed out a stunning fact.

    -If that Mystery is that powerful, then Chul-Soo should be even more flustered than Cier. Even with exceptional talent, handling such a powerful Mystery instantly is just not feasible.

    Which meant the Mystery was not as powerful as assumed.

    -Chul-Soo is just overpowering Cier with his skills.

    Many experts also interpreted it this way, but some made terrifying ims.

    -What if it¡¯s both?

    -Both? What are you talking about?

    -What if Chul-Soo can handle such a Mystery proficiently on the first try and still overpower Cier with his physical abilities?

    Initially, this opinion was ridiculed, but the opinions started to change.

    -Wait... it seems usible.

    -Could it really be both?

    -That¡¯s crazy! If that¡¯s possible, they might as well shut down the Server, LOL!

    The viewers realized a crucial fact.

    -Guys, Chul-Soo also has Absolute Barrier. Can Cier¡¯s attack even break through it?

    They didn¡¯t know if Cier¡¯s attack could even hurt Chul-Soo, let alone reach him.

    -You know he hasn¡¯t even used his defensive Mystery, right?

    -I miss her.

    -Holy shit! Mind = blown

    Jin-Hyeok dominated Cier. While Spilling Wind had made it easy for him, he could have won even without it. This experience further solidified his understanding of himself.

    <i>¡®I havepletely surpassed my former self,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    A sense of tion filled him, as he realized he had be a stronger yer. He did not just stop after defeating Cier as he could not end the content there.

    ¡°I must find out what the Marlenvia¡¯s Underground Warehouse Key is used for before ending the livestream.¡±

    -Holy shit! He¡¯s still livestreaming?

    -Shouldn¡¯t he be tired after that battle? Or at least pretend to be?

    -Cier is exhausted right now. LOL

    -Chul-Soo crushed him with stamina too!

    That was when Cier retired from being a yer.

 Chapter 341

    <h4>Chapter 341</h4>

    ¡°Do any of you know what Marlenvia is?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked the viewers.

    The viewers erupted inughter, flooding the chat with LOL emojis.

    -Wow, he even has the energy to chat! LOL

    -This livestream is insane! LOL

    -He¡¯s casually chatting with his viewers after taking down the toughest yer in Hell, LOL!

    Jin-Hyeok had gone from intensely fighting during the duel to casually conversing with his viewers. No other Streamer could integrate these two types of content so seamlessly.

    -Wow, Chul-Soo can do both!

    -LOL, He¡¯s indeed a legendary talent.

    -How¡¯s that talent? It¡¯s all because of his hard work.

    From the hundreds of thousands of iing messages, Wang Yu-Mi skillfully extracted the information Jin-Hyeok needed.

    ¡°Min-Ji, are you organizing the data?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Min-Ji, who had aided Han Sae-Rin in Master Kaynamar¡¯s Artificial Dungeon, was now sitting next to Yu-Mi, wearing round sses. She muttered to herself, ¡°I¡¯m not helping just Chul-Soo; I¡¯m helping Yu-Mi too.¡±

    Min-Ji selected several crucial pieces of information and organized them for Yu-Mi, whopiled and ryed them to Jin-Hyeok.

    [Kaymanar. Marlenvia. They both seem like people''s names, probably Arvis!]

    Impressed, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Thank you, everyone. I have learned that Kaymanar and Marlenvia are people¡¯s names. It¡¯s amazing how much information we can gain if we work together!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok read aloud the usernames of the important contributors to this information. ¡°Thank you, BurningStir-fry, Lolcat, Born2bPretty, MoneyIsLife, and CuteCat. I appreciate you guys.¡±

    His acknowledgments further fueled the viewers¡¯ excitement.

    -I am so jealous of them!

    -Please say my username too!

    -Say my name!

    -What about me... T_T

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit embarrassed. <i>¡®Is saying their names such a big deal?¡¯</i>

    He was overwhelmed by the affection, and his heart pounded with joy.

    <i>¡®I need to work hard for them.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Even though Sae-Rin also tried to harness the power of the viewers¡¯ collective intelligence, she didn¡¯t find any more meaningful results. But this didn¡¯t bother Jin-Hyeok.

    Sae-Rin looked slightly worried. ¡°What should we do? We didn¡¯t get any significant information.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. ¡°My interactions with the viewers went incredibly well. It was just like any other daily content, and we didn¡¯t lose many viewers. We can even use it as a trailer for our next content. Everything went well!¡±

    ¡°Oh right,¡± Sae-Rin murmured, shaking her head. <i>¡®I keep forgetting he¡¯s a Streamer.¡¯</i>

    She was overlooking this again and again, and this wasn¡¯t ideal. If she failed to understand the hearts of her closerades, she could not call herself a capable Ruler.

    <i>¡®Ick a lot. I need to work harder,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    In contrast to Sae-Rin¡¯s critical evaluation of herself, people were paying growing attention to her abilities.

    [Shocking Abilities of a Barrier Mage.]

    At one point, she dominated the top trending searches on Nerver, thergest onlinemunity in the universe.

    [1. Han Sae-Rin.

    2. Ruler¡¯s Barrier Skill.

    3. Barrier Mage.

    4. Barrier Mage Ranking.

    5. Barrier.

    .

    .

    .

    18. Dual ss]

    Though this was not an official ranking, but a user-generated universe ranking system, it was updated regrly.

    ¡°Did you hear? The Barrier Mage rankings have changed.

    ¡°What? Those rankings rarely change.¡±

    Barrier Mages relied more on mental and experiential strength than physical prowess. Physical strength waned with age, but Barrier Mages often hired assistants for that. Thus, most exceptional Barrier Mages who were ced in the top 100 of the universe rankings were usually over seventy years old.

    ¡°Sae-Rin made it into the top ten.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know her? Man, you¡¯re out of the loop.¡±

    Many were surprised.

    ¡°She¡¯s not just a Barrier Mage; she¡¯s also a Ruler.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why her rank is causing so muchmotion. How can a Ruler¡¯s barrier skills be this powerful?¡±

    Various onlinemunities debated whether this was possible or not.

    [Is this something to argue about? You can see in videos how powerful she is.]

    ©¸Yeah, but those videos are all rigged.

    ©¸If Rulers could do that, all of them would be dominating their respective Servers, LOL!

    ©¸Don¡¯t you know that what you see on livestreams is not always true?

    Two opinions prevailed regarding this matter: one said that livestreams were staged and just means of entertainment and the other asserted that such feats were impossible to achieve through a staged live stream.

    [The yers involved in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream are all top-tier rankers. Do you think they would agree to a staged livestream? Even when a Mythic Mystery is right in front of their eyes?]

    ©¸Exactly. Some things are more important to rankers than money. You fools think money is everything, LOL.

    ©¸If Cier saw this, he would be so confused.

    ©¸What if Chul-Soo gave them fifty billion Dias each?

    Sae-Rin, who generally paid little attention to anything other than Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams, was unaware of her newfound status as a universe-level Barrier Mage.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok found clues about Marlenvia in an unexpected ce.

    ¡°Boss! I think I can finally earn my keep,¡± eximed Yolin, as she arrived at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. Yolin had been working at Swamnd No.1¡¯s office and had always wanted a cushy job. Yet here she was, appearing exhrated, with a slight pink hue all over her face.

    She started to talk faster. ¡°Lately, I have been getting some k for not working as much.¡±

    Under the leadership of Wang Yu-Mi, the MK Foundation was nurturing Historians. Yolin had been appointed the head of the Historian Nurturing Project. However, exploring history was a hobby for her, which made it difficult for her to produce significant results. Consequently, she was somewhat disfavored at the MK Foundation.

    ¡°People say I just read books while everyone else works hard,¡± she added. Apparently harboring some pent-up frustration, Yolin vented her feelings in a rush and then said, ¡°Kaymanar and Marlenvia. If you look at these names separately, they mean nothing.¡±

    She then took a quill and ink out of her bag.

    ¡°What are these?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Special paper and ink. People use these Artifacts in Arvis to write secure documents. They are not used much anymore because they are too easy to decipher, but about a hundred years ago, they were quitemon.¡±

    She wrote <i>Kaymanar</i> on the paper. ¡°This is themonnguage of the Arvis Server.¡±

    Yolin then took out another type of ink, dipped the quill into it, and wrote <i>Marlenvia </i>over <i>Kaymanar</i>. Suddenly, new letters appeared.

    [Goldiramum]

    ¡°Goldiramum, sounds familiar, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Yolin said. Her cheeks were still tinged in a pink hue. It seemed she was happy to be talking about history. Before Jin-Hyeok could respond, she eagerly continued, ¡°It¡¯s simr to the name of Garbinu¡¯spanion, the Shining Jeweler Goldium, right? Hundreds of years ago, siblings often had simr names. That¡¯s why when you study history, you find many confusing names, which even history professors...¡±

    Yolin paused, realizing she was getting sidetracked.

    ¡°Anyway, Goldiramum was the fourth among the Goldium siblings. He wasn¡¯t a prominent figure in history, so there is hardly any recorded history about him.¡± Yolin then pulled out a very worn parchment book. ¡°Here, you can see the family tree of the Goldium family. You¡¯ll find the name Goldiramum in there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was baffled. <i>¡®I have no idea what any of this says.¡¯</i>

    The parchment paper had so many simr names, such as Goldium, Goldiramum, Goldimamum, Goldihamum, and Goldijamum. It also hadbels like the first son of someone, the second son of another, and the third daughter of another. All this text seemed like a continuous string of meaningless wordy or incantations.

    ¡°Even the Artificial Dungeon had the word ¡®Master¡¯ in front of it, right? I think the Goldium family might have some clues left,¡± Yolin giggled. ¡°And I know that someone in the Goldium family is more enthusiastic about supporting you than anyone else, right, Boss?¡±

    Yolin was referring to Katrina, who had transformed into a woman with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s help.

    ***

    Things were going smoothly.

    ¡°Goldiramum¡¯s Underground Warehouse? Yeah, I know it well,¡± Katrina said, her expression slightly grimacing. ¡°It¡¯s not a very pleasant term.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Goldiramum¡¯s Underground Warehouse is one of the inheritances passed down through generations. It¡¯s like trash, discarded to the children deemed useless.¡±

    The warehouse was located in a cave behind the family¡¯s mountain. It barely opened, and even if it was forcefully opened, one wouldn¡¯t find anything there. A ce of no real significance, it was maintained only because of its historical importance.

    ¡°Can we visit it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course, we can go if you want,¡± Katrina replied with a wink, leading the way.

    Jin-Hyeok admired her from behind. <i>¡®She seems even more robust.¡¯</i>

    Every time he saw her, he was impressed by her physique. Although bing a woman had slimmer her overall lines, her muscles were still exceptional in size. Her sturdy physique had a different kind of beauty to it.

    Katrina mischievously smiled. ¡°So, it¡¯s just the two of us going to the mountain, into a secluded area?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. If you were a bit weaker, I might have taken advantage of you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood improved. <i>¡®She¡¯s good at drawing attention.¡¯</i>

    He wished she would provoke him a bit more.

    As if she had read his mind, Katrina said, ¡°Be careful, if you lose your strength, I might pounce on you. Is that okay?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. This could work as a provocative thumbnail for his video.

    <i>¡®And the recording is going well,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    He stood in front of a vine-covered cave.

    ¡°Goldiramum¡¯s Underground Warehouse is inside this cave. There are too many vines... Did you bring a machete or something?¡± Katrina asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Jin-Hyeok pulled out Miri.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s he going to do with a hammer?¡¯ </i>Katrina thought. However, before she could ask him, Jin-Hyeok swung Miri, swiftly cutting the vines blocking the cave entrance. It was like the vines had been put through a shredder.

    ¡°Incredible.¡± She was a Craftswoman who judged tools like no other. ¡°I have never seen a crazy guy use a blunt weapon like that. So sexy.¡±

    Katrina subtly moved closer and said, ¡°Could you rip my clothes off like th... Where are you going? Don¡¯t leave me behind, Oppa! The inside of the cave isplicated. We need to go together!¡±

    Katrina quickly realized her concerns were unnecessary. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your first timeing here?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°So, why do you charge forward without hesitation? We just passed five crossroads.¡±

    ¡°Well, I think I kind of know which way to go.¡±

    Even if he was wrong, it did not matter. He could always turn back.

    ¡°Have you memorized the route?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I just know it.¡±

    To Jin-Hyeok, this was nothing remarkable. Even without considering the powerful abilities of Mole Woman or Lessefim, a Ruler like Sae-Rin would easily remember the routes of this cave.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t a Streamer be able to do what a Ruler can?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok easily found a passage leading underground. ¡°It looks like a well. It¡¯s very simr to the Artificial Dungeon of Kaymanar we cleared a few days ago. The underground warehouse is said to be inside.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok jumped down without hesitation and managed tond safely. The space was enclosed with rocky walls. A damp and musty air filled the area, and a rusted iron door stood before them.

    The Streamer took out a key from his inventory. ¡°We¡¯vee a long way. Let¡¯s try opening the door.¡±

 Chapter 342

    <h4>Chapter 342</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok used Marlenvia¡¯s Underground Warehouse Key to open the heavy iron door.

    ¡°Wow!¡± he softly eximed as he felt the damp air envelop him. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m underwater. If I weren¡¯t Korean, I would probably find it hard to breathe in this thick, heavy air.¡±

    -What does that mean?

    -Are Koreans immune to fine dust or something?

    -What¡¯s fine dust?

    -But wouldn¡¯t the fine dust levels be low if the humidity is that high?

    -Go away, science nerd.

    ¡°The passage is extremely narrow, and it feels like the path will swallow me whole. I will try moving forward. The ceiling is low, so I need to bend down,¡± he said as he walked toward the narrow space.

    ¡°The floor is slippery and wet. Sticky water is seeping through my shoes.¡±

    Inside the underground warehouse, the silence was so profound that the viewers could hear only Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice and breathing.

    -Wow, even his breathing sounds sexy.

    -I am saving the audio of his breathing.

    ¡°There is a musty smell of mold and dirt here... but the ce seems pretty normal otherwise.¡±

    After exiting the narrow passage, he reached a small room. It was an old space filled with mold and dust.

    ¡°See? I told you there was nothing. <i>Cough, cough!</i>¡± Katrina had caught up to him. ¡°I searched this area thoroughly, thinking there was something hidden, but I found nothing. It wasn¡¯t just me. My ancestors and their ancestors alsobed through the area in their times.¡±

    Katrina walked closer to Jin-Hyeok and seductively said, ¡°How about we switch to adult content now?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Adult content?¡¯ </i>Those words reminded Jin-Hyeok that this was a secluded ce. With the surroundings swallowing every sound, even their breathing appeared loud. <i>¡®This can get good views for my channel.¡¯</i>

    For a moment, he thought of filming adult content if he found nothing valuable, but he immediately shook his head. ¡°Do I look like someone obsessed with views?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t adult content a continuation of fake marriage content?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok remembered Wang Yu-Mi insisting that such type of content was off-limits. Cold sweat appeared on his back; he had nearly given in to the prospect of small gains, risking much bigger losses.

    ¡°There is definitely something here. I feel it,¡± he said.

    But even Broadcaster¡¯s Insight showed nothing. At this moment, Han Sae-Rin could help him.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s probably not watching my livestream right now.¡¯</i>

    If she were, she would have ryed some tips through Yu-Mi.

    Jin-Hyeok was disappointed.

    <i>¡®Should I just go back?¡¯</i>

    Clearing Dungeons in one go was rare. Continually attempting to find a path would eventually create one.

    <i>¡®I shoulde backter...¡¯</i>

    Just then, a very Korean thought crossed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind.

    <i>¡®This ce is extremely humid. I can hardly breathe.¡¯ </i>If even Jin-Hyeok felt this way, then ordinary people would find it challenging to breathe here¡ªit was not exactly like being underwater, but was close to it. <i>¡®Yet, there is so much dust in the air!¡¯</i>

    This situation was like having a lot of fine dust on a rainy day; it just didn¡¯t make sense.

    ¡°Shall we try to clear out this damp humidity?¡±

    ***

    Katrina shook her head. ¡°The humidity here has been a nuisance for a long time. I have tried to get rid of it, but...¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!]</strong>

    Elines¡ªthe daughter of the Spirit Kin of Fire, Alkinas¡ªshowed up at the scene.

    ¡°Hehe!¡± As always, Elines hugged Jin-Hyeok¡¯s leg and rubbed her cheek against it, expressing her joy.

    Taken aback at first, Katrina burst outughing. <i>¡®That¡¯s right! Ipletely forgot that Chul-Soo can summon Spirits!¡¯</i>

    He was not just any Spirit Mage; he couldmand the daughter of a Spirit King.

    ¡°Can you get rid of all this moisture?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I will give it a try!¡± Elines clenched her tiny fists and strained herself, grunting with effort. mes rippled over her body. Due to Jin-Hyeok, Elly had developed a keen interest in Earth¡¯s culture, so she drew out her power through visualization. ¡°Elly is a me dryer!¡±

    Being young, Ellycked the power for massive destruction. However, she was still the daughter of a Spirit King.

    <i>¡®The moisture in the air is drying up!¡¯ </i>Katrina was parched, as the air gradually became drier. Then, she noticed some inscriptions on the wall.

    <strong>[????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?????......]</strong>

    <i>¡®Was this here before?¡¯</i> she wondered.

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°It seems we have discovered something.¡±

    The inscriptions continued down the narrow passage Jin-Hyeok had walked through.

    ***

    A few dayster, Katrina visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. ¡°Chul-Soo, you know who Yolin is, right?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an MK Foundation employee. Her dream is to make money with as little effort as possible,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered. Suddenly, it urred to him that Yolin, a work-life bnce enthusiast, could get along well with Kihael.

    <i>¡®I bet a matchmaking content featuring those two would rake in the views.¡¯</i>

    Katrinaughed as if she found Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reply absurd. ¡°Okay. Well, if you are not worried about it, then it¡¯s fine. Anyway, Yolin and I managed to decipher the inscriptions. Do you want me to tell you what they mean?¡±

    ¡°Just send it to me in text.¡±

    ¡°Will that do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wouldn''t want the viewers to get bored, right?¡±

    ¡°You always judge everything based on livestreaming and viewership, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s call it that.¡± Katrina continued with various exnations. She mentioned that Yolin and Lessefim had assisted her. ¡°So, we need the alchemy of the Harkoen family here, which Lessefim agreed to help with... In the end, we may be able to create an ampoule where we can grow a unique golden tree. The inscriptions on the wall were the recipe to create the ampoule.¡±

    Then, a notification came in.

    <strong>[Universe-level Scenario ¡¸Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¹ is in progress.]</strong>

    <strong>[You havepleted a fragment of the Universe-level Scenario ¡¸Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Quest ¡¸He Who Controls the Golden Tree Shall Inherit the World¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. <i>¡®I had a feeling this might happen!¡¯</i>

    Scenarios rted to the Forsaken Queen mostly involved Garbinu, and inevitably, they were connected to the Seven Great Families. Since two of the families (three if Yolin was included) were linked, Jin-Hyeok had been pondering the possibility of this turning into a universe-level Scenario.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°This golden tree likely refers to a Guardian Tree, right?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps?¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°Do you think you can make the ampoule?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. However, it will require a tremendous amount of money. The materials required to make the ampoule are not ordinary.¡±

    ¡°So, you just need money?¡±

    ¡°Money and time. But I guess money may not be much of a problem for you.¡±

    The real issuey in obtaining the incredibly rare materials required even with money.

    ¡°The Blue Mermaid¡¯s Scale is owned by a collector named Marseille... a severe hoarder. I am assuming he will never sell that,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°Then we will just have to steal it.¡±

    ¡°Steal? Are you sure that will be okay?¡±

    ¡°If a Thief can¡¯t steal that, then they are not much of a Thief, are they?¡±

    <i>¡®Hm... that¡¯s not quite what I meant,¡¯ </i>Katrina thought, but she just cleared her throat and replied, ¡°Besides, there are still the Omaria Racoon¡¯s Fur, the Beaked Whale¡¯s Hair, and the Human-Face Spider¡¯s Venom. Those are truly hard to find.¡±

    ***

    Katrinaughed again, almost in disbelief. ¡°Did you get everything? And in just four hours?¡±

    Even four months would have been quick. Katrina had no idea how Jin-Hyeok was able to gather everything so swiftly. ¡°No, seriously, I¡¯m curious. How did you manage to get all this so fast?¡±

    ¡°I stole what could be stolen and bought what could be bought. And it¡¯s all thanks to the Chul-Soo Landers,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    Chul-Soo Landers were scattered across the universe. ording to Yu-Mi, the universe was assisting Chul-Soo.

    ¡®I also got help from the Subi, which was crucial,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°Ah, I see. I forgot about them.¡±

    Katrina hadn¡¯t considered the covertwork of Subi operating across all Servers; such feats were possible with their full support.

    <i>¡®Just the Subi or Chul-Soo Landers alone aren¡¯t enough. This feat is possible only with the support of both,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Therefore, only Chul-Soo could pull this off.

    Katrina chuckled. ¡°I almost feel inadequate.¡±

    She had all the materials she needed.

    ¡°But you do realize that all thisbined is worth billions of Dias, right?¡± she said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    By now, Jin-Hyeok had lost interest in money. No matter how fast he spent his money, he gained it even faster. He had reached a point where he did not even know how much money was in his ount.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯s worrying about me just running off with all these materials.¡¯ </i>Katrina smirked. <i>¡®Yes! This is so like Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Getting the materials was the hard part. The ampule won¡¯t take long to create. I will work on it with Lessefim. Just wait a bit longer, okay?¡± Katrina said.

    ***

    Several hourster, the door to Katrina¡¯sboratory opened. With a whoosh of hot air, Katrina emerged holding a small ampoule, sweat running down her body. ¡°I finished it, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± Jin-Hyeok immediately inspected it with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[???? ????]</strong>

    Although he did not know what it said, the item was marked in red.

    <i>¡®When was thest time I saw something in red!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Items marked in red usually exceeded his current Level by quite some margin. Jin-Hyeok was exhrated, though he tried not to show it.

    ¡°I think I deserve a kiss on the cheek after all this effort,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Such behavior would be detrimental to his livestream. No matter how minor the action, Jin-Hyeok was firmlymitted to never harming his livestream.

    Katrina shrugged. ¡°You look sexy even when you reject me.¡±

    She was not upset about being openly rejected. Instead, she was surprisingly pleased, which startled even herself.

    ¡°But... who the hell...?¡± Katrina¡¯s gaze started to lose focus, and she instantly copsed. ¡°You...¡±

    She had fainted. Jin-Hyeok tried to catch her, but he did not have the luxury to do so.

    <i>¡®yer Hunter?¡¯ </i>he wondered, feeling tense for the first time in a while. <i>¡®I can sense their presence, but...¡¯</i>

    They were invisible. Even Broadcaster¡¯s Insight could not pinpoint their location.

    <i>¡®Hmm... they must be a universe-level ranker.¡¯</i>

    Clearly, someone of immense power, potentially in the top ten of the universe¡¯s rankings, was lurking here. Jin-Hyeok had never encountered someone of this caliber even during his days as the Sword King. He could feel a watchful gaze on him, biding its time.

    <i>¡®Hold on. I should not get too excited.¡¯ </i>Getting overly excited could lead to mistakes. <i>¡®I can¡¯t see the opponent. Katrina was unable to react and copse instantly, so they must possess stealth and agility of an extraordinary degree.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok also felt a slight dizziness. The poison affecting him now had to be at least of the Snake King level, as he was immune to any venom below that.

    <i>¡®No, this is beyond the Snake King¡¯s level.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could tell this because Spilling Wind had activated on its own. He was lucky to have avoided the poison attack; otherwise, he could have suffered much more severe damage.

    <i>¡®A yer Hunter using a venom above the Snake King¡¯s level?¡¯ </i>Such individuals were exceedingly rare across the universe. <i>¡®But this is Katrina¡¯sboratory.¡¯</i>

    Theboratory was located within the mansion of the Goldium family, one of the Seven Great Families of Arvis. This mansion was overflowing with treasures and jewels and boasted irond security and vignce. Even a universe-level yer Hunter would find it difficult to move in and out of this mansion like it was their house, let alone ambush and incapacitate one of the heirs.

    <i>¡®They must have the Goldium family¡¯s permission.¡¯</i>

    If a yer Hunter with such capabilities had a special rtionship with the Goldium family, that narrowed it down to only one yer.

    <i>¡®Emperor Marco. Oh, this is going to be interesting.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok grinned, excited at the chance of facing someone he would not even have dared to confront during his days as the Sword King.

 Chapter 343

    <h4>Chapter 343</h4>

    Emperor Marco was a top yer Hunter, renowned for his prowess.

    ¡°He is not very recognizable,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[Mystery Spilling Wind has been activated.]</strong>

    As if on cue, the Mystery activated automatically, allowing Jin-Hyeok to effectively dodge Marco¡¯s attack.

    <i>¡®What was that?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could not fully discern the nature of his opponent¡¯s attack. However, he was thrilled that he was facing a genuine universe-level ranker.

    ¡°Emperor Marco is known to make the stealthiest attacks in the world. Rumor has it that he¡¯s as small as an ant,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Anticipating his opponent¡¯s presence, Jin-Hyeok preemptively swung Miri.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    When Miri touched the wall, an explosion urred and shook the entire confined space.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this attack will work here.¡± Any further mishap can bring down the building. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t die even then, but rescuing Katrina would be more difficult.¡±

    With Emperor Marco on his heels, rescuing Katrina and escaping was not an option.

    ¡°Perhaps the head of the Goldium family...¡± Jin-Hyeok knew that the one who had nned this could be the Goldium family¡¯s head. This individual, whom Katrina referred to as <i>the bitch who birthed me</i>, had despised Katrina for a long time and could have nned this to get rid of Katrina for good. If he mentioned this on his livestream, he could attract significant attention.

    <i>¡®No, I can¡¯t say it.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok found himself incapable of doing that. <i>¡®Why can¡¯t I? I risk even my life for views!¡¯</i>

    However, when he saw the fallen Katrina, he couldn¡¯t continue. After all, the individual behind this n was Katrina¡¯s mother. Jin-Hyeok did not want to say in his livestream that a mother had orchestrated her daughter¡¯s idental death.

    <i>¡®Is this what human emotion is?¡¯</i>

    He felt as if he was slowly learning something new.

    ***

    Nevertheless, Jin-Hyeok knew his situation was less than favorable. <i>¡®I can¡¯t even pinpoint his location.¡¯</i>

    He could tell that, at least in this ce, he was no match for Emperor Marco.

    <strong>[Mystery Spilling Wind has been activated.]</strong>

    Fortunately, Spilling Wind was smarter than he anticipated. It read the timing of his opponent¡¯s attacks, which were difficult to discern even with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait Absolute Barrier.]</strong>

    Thanks to Absolute Barrier, he could continue evading and defending effectively.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t attack him. Focusing on evasion and defense would be better. Marco¡¯s weakness is his stamina.¡¯</i>

    Officially, the longest Marco had ever sustained a fight was just four hours.

    <i>¡®I just need to hold out for about four hours.¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeokmitted to defense and evasion, he sensed Marco¡¯s presence more clearly.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s definitely small, the size of an ant, and moves very fast.¡¯</i>

    Rumors about Maro were rampant. Some said he was a very rare insect-type Beastkin; others spected that his small size was due to his unique Job.

    <i>¡®My attacks can¡¯t even reach him.¡¯</i>

    Miri was in a reflective mood, its voice trembling.

    -I think I relied too much on area attacks.

    Obsessed with explosions and caught up in the thrill of smashing things from behind, Miri regretted not achieving qualitative growth.

    -I should have developed abilities like precision-guided attacks.

    While ordinary people would wonder if a hammer could think that deeply, Jin-Hyeok just nodded. Even he thought that Miri had been overly focused on smashing things from behind.

    -I will try harder. I will work harder so that one day I can crush even those tiny gnats!

    Jin-Hyeok concentrated on defense.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.]</strong>

    He had recently realized that the best defense was a good offense. If he could not apply this realization in practice, he could not truly im to have understood it.

    ¡°Move, my Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman nodded. She then shrank, transforming from a fallen angel to a diminutive corrupted fairy.

    ¡°I shall swing the bloody hammer at those foolish enough to threaten my allies,¡± she said.

    With Phantom Swordswoman moving fervently, Jin-Hyeok found a bit more leeway, which made him happy.

    <i>¡®I might not win, but at least I can achieve a draw.¡¯</i>

    Around fourteen hours passed. Sweat streamed down Jin-Hyeok¡¯s forehead. ¡°Marco is known to have weak stamina, but it does not seem to be true.¡±

    After recalling Phantom Swordswoman, Jin-Hyeok appeared exhausted. ¡°<i>Pant...! Pant...! </i>I am not sure how much longer I can hold on.¡±

    ***

    Emperor Marco was not particrly enthusiastic about ambushing a Streamer. However, the more he learned about Kim Chul-Soo, the harder it was for him to resist the temptation.

    <i>¡®His basic skills are practically overpowered for his Job,¡¯ </i>Marco thought.

    Absolute Barrier did not seem like something a Streamer could typically wield. Marco judged that only Tanks or Barrier Mages of Level 300 or above could handle such a Skill.

    <i>¡®If I could extract that ability and sell it to Tanks... or better yet, use it myself...¡¯</i>

    He became greedy. Chul-Soo had too many desirable abilities to count: God of Luck, the advanced form of the Rule Breaker, Phantom Swordswoman, Spilling Wind, and even the title of being the Earth Server¡¯s owner.

    <i>¡®The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.¡¯ </i>To Marco, this was Chul-Soo''s fate. <i>¡®I need you to be my sacrifice.¡¯</i>

    However, the situation didn¡¯t turn out to be so straightforward.

    <i>¡®What kind of lunatic is this?¡¯</i>

    Even when focusing solely on defense and evasion, Chul-Soo seemed too powerful.

    <i>¡®Didn¡¯t he just reach Level 300?¡¯</i>

    A Tank in the early 300s couldn¡¯t easily maintain suchposure. Marco had extracted the poison that he had used earlier from the fangs of the Snake King. He had engineered this poison to be smaller than a water molecule andunched it in bead form. This attack was incredibly stealthy and fast. Any Tank would find it almost impossible to withstand if they didn¡¯t have significant poison resistance.

    Still, Marco felt like he would eventually win this fight.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is getting tired!¡¯</i>

    Unbeknownst to the world, Marco¡¯s greatest confidencey in his superhuman recovery ability. No matter how much energy he expended in battle, he could return to peak condition within a couple of hours.

    <i>¡®I just need to tire him out.¡¯</i>

    However, something seemed off.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s definitely tired.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had shown signs of fatigue for the past six hours.

    <i>¡®He must be exhausted by now.¡¯</i>

    ording to Marco, Chul-Soo shouldn¡¯t even have the strength to lift a finger, yet the Streamer was sessfully defending against Marco¡¯s attacks.

    ***

    After fourteen hours of continuous battle, Jin-Hyeok was holding strong.

    <i>¡®How much more exhausted do I need to look before you show your ultimate ability?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered. He was not as fatigued as he had appeared. Moreover, he had gained some important insights. <i>¡®My abilities do not consume as much stamina as I thought.¡¯</i>

    Aside from God of Luck, none of his powers were particrly draining. In other words, they were very efficient.

    <i>¡®I should have calcted this much earlier.¡¯ </i>Though he felt a bit regretful about this oversight, Jin-Hyeok was not nearly as worn out as expected.

    Nheless, gaining information on Marco was encouraging.

    <i>¡®So much for being quick to tire. That was false information.¡¯</i>

    While focusing on his defense, Jin-Hyeok also tried to capture a full shot of Marco. Initially, Maco was hardly visible, but now he asionally appeared on the screen.

    <i>¡®Just a bit more!¡¯</i>

    Marco seemed to be getting tired as well.

    <i>¡®If I can get his face for my livestream, it would be a jackpot!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could almost hear the sound of his view count skyrocketing.

    ***

    Around eighteen hours after the battle began, Marco decided it was time to retreat. <i>¡®I should retreat for now and n another attack.¡¯</i>

    He had a significant advantage in recovery speed. If he had a little time to recover, he could hunt Chul-Soo down easily.

    <i>¡®First, I need to create some distance with a powerful attack.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok sensed an opportunity wasing: A powerful attack was imminent.

    <i>¡®Come on, bring it!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    As always, a finishing move had to be faced head-on for it to be truly satisfying. This time, Jin-Hyeok was not nning to showcase the ferocity of the battle but to capture a moment to get a clear shot of Emperor Marco.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Mystery Spilling Wind has been activated.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait Absolute Barrier.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok still could not identify the type of attack. He could only vaguely sense that it was poison-based.

    <i>¡®I got it!¡¯</i>

    He managed to capture Marco¡¯s face in a frontal shot. As rumored, this person was as small as an ant, so the face was not clearly visible, but that was not a problem. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video boasted ultra-high resolution, and even at a high magnification, the pixels remained intact.

    <i>¡®He has the face of a bandit.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok even thought of a title for the video.

    [Small and Cute Stature. Not So Cute Face.]

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok got Katrina up as she regained consciousness. Cursing under her breath, she expressed her frustration, ¡°Damn that bitch! How dare she invite a yer Hunter to the mansion!¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok had not mentioned it, Katrina had already figured out the situation.

    ¡°That bitch must have hoped I would die here.¡± Katrina bit her lip hard. She had thought that by bing a true woman, she would earn the respect she desired, but apparently, that was not the case.

    Jin-Hyeok gently asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to ask that. I thought you didn¡¯t understand people¡¯s emotions.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just a disgusting monster born with a talent too precious to pass on. I have always known that.¡± Katrina gave a wry smile, and Jin-Hyeok did not say anything in response.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t use this for the video,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Even without Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he could feel Katrina¡¯s turmoil. Though she did not show it, she was likely quite miserable at this moment.

    Jin-Hyeok briefly sighed and then said, ¡°Marco will definitely attack again. He will probably ambush us before we can reach the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory.¡±

    ¡°I should disappear then. It will be difficult for you to fight at full strength if I am around.¡± Katrina winked at him. ¡°But it¡¯s kind of touching, Oppa. You could not fight your hardest because of me, right?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡± Jin-Hyeok shrugged with a puzzled look. ¡°I was just busy trying to capture Marco¡¯s face.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had a n. <i>¡®Let¡¯s pretend to rush to a warp portal!¡¯</i>

    He decided to give the impression that he was in a race against time. Just in case Marco was listening, he softly muttered, ¡°I need to get back to the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory!¡±

    He left the Goldium family mansion. Summoning his Thunder Dragon, he flew across the great ins.

    <i>¡®Showing such urgency will surely make Marco nervous.¡¯</i>

    Their recent exchange had clearly shown that Marco was very serious about defeating Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®He would hate to gain a reputation of attacking a Streamer more than death itself.¡¯</i>

    That meant Marco would try anything to kill Jin-Hyeok before the video went live. Marco was undoubtedly feeling desperate, which likely clouded his judgment.

    ¡°Okay, my stamina is too low to keep the Thunder Dragon beside me. I will have to walk,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Before the Thunder Dragon could say, ¡®What do you mean? You seem to be fine¡¯, Jin-Hyeok had already recalled it andnded on the ground.

 Chapter 344

    <h4>Chapter 344</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok arrived at the entrance of a low mountain beyond the vast ins. Behind this mountainy a small warp portal. While it did not lead directly to Earth, the portal provided a route to get there. He made it look like he was trying to escape to Earth.

    <i>¡®This mountain has plenty of cover,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He intended to provoke Emperor Marco to attack him and was confident that it would work.

    Fortunately for him, he was right.<i> ¡®I can feel the bloodlust!¡¯</i>

    Having faced Marco once before, Jin-Hyeok could sense his presence better now.

    <i>¡®Marco is indeed pretty impressive.¡¯ </i>

    Though this was a trap, Jin-Hyeok had used all his power to run away and even ridden the Thunder Dragon.

    <i>¡®Marco has already caught up and identified the optimal spot for an ambush. He probably predicted my escape route precisely.¡¯</i>

    Marco was indeed a universe-level ranker.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have a proper fight,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered with a grin. ¡°You have two hours. If you can¡¯t kill me within two hours, your face will be broadcast to the entire world, Marco.¡±

    This was another trap to make Marco impatient.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok quickly dodged something aimed at his head.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An object brushed past him.

    <i>¡®Right, that¡¯s his specialty.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had so much experience withbat that he could sense Marco¡¯s attack patterns.

    <i>¡®He shoots highly condensed, small poisonous orbs.¡¯</i>

    In essence, they were like minute poisonous beads.

    <i>¡®He can fire them one by one or disperse them like a mist. It¡¯s quite troublesome.¡¯</i>

    The orbs had tremendous prating power, and the poison inside them was deadly too.

    <i>¡®If it weren¡¯t for abilities like Spilling Wind, Absolute Barrier, and my resistance to poison, I would have lost to Marco.¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok did not care.

    <i>¡®With these three abilities, I can at least put up a good fight.¡¯</i>

    Marco¡¯s attacks began to pour down. Outwardly, they did not look very dangerous, more like a thick mist.

    <i>¡®I guess he¡¯s switching to mist-type attacks.¡¯</i>

    Marco had given up prative power for a tremendous toxic mist. Everything around the forest shriveled, and the soil turned pitch ck.

    <i>¡®I need to get out of the attack¡¯s range.¡¯</i>

    The mist seemed heavier than air. Jin-Hyeok leaped onto a tree and ran along the branches.

    <i>¡®This must be his setup.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew Marco would not just use his mist-type attack.

    <i>¡®He¡¯ll aim for the moment I jump from branch to branch to shoot prating poison orbs.¡¯</i>

    Although Absolute Barrier could defend against them, Jin-Hyeok had to consider the sheer force of Marco¡¯s attack.

    <i>¡®He¡¯ll attack from the opposite direction of my movement to maximize pration.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to break through head-on.

    <i>¡®I need to jump with much more force to counteract it.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok deflected Marco¡¯s attack head-on and used Spilling Wind to dodge. Amidst this, he took several hits, and his left arm turned pitch ck.

    ¡°That hurt a bit.¡±

    It had been a while since he had felt such tremendous pain.

    Marco was getting impatient. <i>¡®It should hurt more than just a bit.¡¯</i>

    Normally, such severe poisoning would cause loss of consciousness due to the pain alone or slowed movements at least. The poison was so potent that it should have paralyzed his tongue. Yet, Jin-Hyeok was strangely articte.

    <i>¡®Either his senses are destroyed or his brain is.¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s precise movements suggested that his senses were intact. He was finding the optimal route to effectively increase the distance between them, disying calmness and even anticipating Marco¡¯s attacks. Marco felt that he could lose to Jin-Hyeok if he was not careful.

    <i>¡®But even he won¡¯tst much longer!¡¯</i>

    Even if Chul-Soo¡¯s brain ignored the pain, his body was breaking down.

    <i>¡®I need to kill him now.¡¯</i>

    Marco feared Jin-Hyeok¡¯s potential in a few years or even a few months. This was the only opportunity for him to kill Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s slowing down.¡¯</i>

    About two hourster, Jin-Hyeok appeared to be tired.

    <i>¡®Why is he not slowing?</i>

    The situation was frustratingly the same as before. Jin-Hyeok appeared to be getting tired, yet he narrowly dodged all of Marco¡¯s attacks, keeping up his escape. It was a continuous series of close calls, driving Marco to the brink of madness.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i>

    Marco¡¯s eyes red red. Jin-Hyeok was all he could see. That was when strange things began to happen.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok, who had been fervently fleeing, suddenly stopped and approached Marco. ¡°Marco, was it your genuine will to attack me?¡±

    Marco found the situation hard to grasp. It was one thing to be obsessed with livestreaming but another to put his life on the line so recklessly. He could spot at least a dozen vulnerabilities in Chul-Soo¡¯s defense at that moment.

    <i>¡®Checkmate,¡¯ </i>Marco thought. He had calcted every possible escape route. This was the moment to triumph in the hunt for Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°No, it was not my will,¡± Marco said as he flinched. This response surprised even him.

    <i>¡®I should be attacking him now.¡¯</i>

    However, Marco could not move properly. He felt as if he had lost control over his body.

    ¡°Then why did you attack me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I received an offer from the head of the Goldium family.¡±

    Words kept slipping out before the yer Hunter could stop them.

    <i>¡®What is this? Why is this happening?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok pulled a small twig out of his pocket and said, ¡°Come up here. Let¡¯s have a conversation.¡±

    Even though Marco wondered who would respond to such amand, his body moved on its own again.

    <i>¡®Damn it! Am I under a curse or something?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok turned on the livestream.

    [yer Hunter Marco]

    ¡°You guys might not see him well, but this is Marco. They call him The Ant because he¡¯s as small as one. I will zoom in on his face for you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his viewers.

    With the appearance of Marco, the viewer count surged.

    <i>¡®Wow, it¡¯s already surpassed five hundred million!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The weight of the name <i>Emperor Marco</i> certainly seemed significant. Reaching five hundred million viewers as soon as the livestream started made Jin-Hyeok feel good; moreover, the viewer count could even surpass a billion again.

    -So, that¡¯s what Marco looks like.

    -Cute size, not so cute face, LOL!

    -He looks like a bandit.

    Ordinary viewers enjoyed Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream with light-heartedughter. However, it wasn¡¯t the same for some viewers.

    -Marco¡¯s face has been revealed.

    -There are hardly any yer Hunters stronger than Marco.

    Marco was universally recognized as one of the top yer Hunters in the universe.

    -Usually, you would be shot before you even see his face.

    -I can¡¯t even think of having a conversation with Marco like that.

    Many high-ranking yers joined the livestream, focusing on this shocking content while hiding their identities.

    -How did this happen?

    -None of those targeted by Emperor Marco have survived.

    The universe-level rankers found the situation difficult to understand.

    Jin-Hyeok addressed their curiosity. ¡°Marco, you were desperate to hunt me down, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I tried fiercely.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did,¡± Jin-Hyeok smirked. He had psychologically driven Marco to the brink, preventing the yer Hunter from seeing anything else. By narrowing Marco¡¯s focus, Jin-Hyeok had employed a different tactic. ¡°I have recently realized something. I have many excellentrades.¡±

    A man emerged from the bushes. It was none other than Park Terse, who was chuckling.

    ¡°As many of you know, this is one of my capablerades,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    This event was trending not only on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream but also across all the onlinemunities.

    -Did they just tame Marco?

    -People can be tamed too; it¡¯s just ethically avoided.

    -Since Marco ssifies as an insect-type Beastkin, it¡¯s theoretically possible.

    Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Terse had detested and avoided taming humans. But it wasn¡¯t the case in this life. Now, Terse was pleased to have sessfully tamed a universe-level ranker.

    -I didn¡¯t know Terse was that strong.

    -Isn¡¯t he around Level 250? How did he tame Marco?

    Users were sharply divided over whether this incident was staged or not.

    -Did Chul-Soo use money with Marco, just like he did with Cier?

    -Yeah, I think that¡¯s it. He paid him off!

    -Terse taming Marco? Do you guys think that makes sense? LOL

    However, there were significant opposing views.

    -You guys are just too dumb to understand what happened. You don¡¯t know how intensely Chul-Soo set up the traps to allow Terse to tame Marco.

    -Idiots! You only see the results, not the process!

    -When you see the rey video, you¡¯ll kick yourselves.

    Despite the controversy over the livestream¡¯s authenticity, Jin-Hyeok had indeed seeded in taming Marco through Terse.

    Slightly embarrassed, Terse said, ¡°With my current skills, he¡¯s too strong for me to perfectly tame him.¡±

    Terse was still in awe of Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok had kept Marco¡¯s attention solely on himself, whichid the groundwork for a sessful taming.

    ¡°The taming will wear off soon. I¡¯m sorry, but this is all I can do,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°How long will itst?¡±

    ¡°At most three minutes. If you have enough strength left to summon the Thunder Dragon, you better summon it now and escape.¡±

    Terse was quite frustrated. He was disappointed that he had not been able to achieve perfect taming despite Jin-Hyeok having set up such an ideal environment for taming. He resolved, <i>¡®Next time, I will achieve a perfect taming.¡¯</i>

    It seemed Terse would have to wait for another opportunity. Just then, he saw Jin-Hyeok smirking.

    ¡°Chul-Soo? Are you okay?¡± Terse asked.

    Instead of summoning the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok drew Miri.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Terse asked.

    ¡°Part of the reason you were able to tame him at all was my setup.¡±

    Three minutes was more than enough time to teach someone the greatness of violence.

    ¡°You can do it, Terse. I believe in you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°After about two minutes, Marco won¡¯t have any willpower left to resist. It will create an even more perfect environment for taming.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok began swinging Miri without considering his stamina. He intensely swung as if he was pouring everything into those three minutes.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Thwack!</i>

    Terse nkly watched Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®Taming by weakening the spirit of the opponent with beatings until near death...¡¯</i>

    It was a very efficient method, though one Terse greatly disliked. However, he was not against it today.

    <i>¡®Can I tame Marco this way?¡¯ </i>His heart raced. <i>¡®Is this okay?¡¯</i>

    Although it wasn¡¯t perfect, Marco was still currently bound by Terse¡¯s taming. As someone who profoundly loved the creatures he tamed, Terse would have felt severe heartache in such circumstances.

    <i>¡®Buy why am I not sad?¡¯</i>

    Certainly, he felt some sadness. However, his joy overwhelmed his sorrow, and the anticipation of possibly taming such a powerful yer like Marco filled up his heart.

    Terse bowed his head as if he were offering prayer, desperately trying to hide his smile.

    <i>¡®Heh, hehehehe.¡¯</i>

    Terse clenched his fist to prevent himself fromughing. He continuously told the tamed Marco telepathically, <i>¡®Do not move Marco. This is an order from your master. Expose your vital points to make it easier for Chul-Soo to strike.¡¯</i>

    Before two minutes had passed, he found the perfect timing for perfect taming.

    <strong>[The taming has been sessful.]</strong>

    This perfect taming marked the true beginning for Terse, the Taming Master among the universe rankers.

 Chapter 345

    <h4>Chapter 345</h4>

    Park Terse shed tears of joy. ¡°I did it! I tamed a universe-level ranker!¡±

    As a Tamer, Terse had a low self-esteem. The reason for this was Cha Jin-Hyeok, who had tamed a Thunder Dragon despite being a Streamer.

    <i>¡®Whatever I do, I¡¯m no better than a Streamer,¡¯ </i>he used to think. However, it was a different story now. <i>¡®I have tamed a universe-level ranker almost as powerful as a Thunder Dragon!¡¯</i>

    Terse finally acknowledged himself as a Tamer. He could now proudly introduce himself as a Tamer to anyone and anywhere.

    ¡°Marco, crawl onto the back of my hand,¡± Terse ordered.

    Marco obediently followed the instructions. His expression was severely distorted, but he found it difficult to disobey Terse¡¯smand.

    <i>¡®I really tamed him!¡¯</i>

    Of course, there were still some issues. Taming beings that were more like humans, such as Beastkins, always incurred ethical criticism. It was technically legal, but many people frowned at the idea. However, Terse had a strong justification.

    <i>¡®Something simr happened with Angel Girl Song Ha-Young!¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young did not have a pleasant start with Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®But in the end, their rtionship turned into something beautiful.¡¯</i>

    Terse was d that he had a precedent to rte to.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes widened as he approached Terse. ¡°Wait a minute, Terse. What¡¯s that on Marco¡¯s head?¡±

    Terse nodded with a proud expression. ¡°That¡¯s the Angel¡¯s Halo.¡±

    ¡°Angel¡¯s Halo?¡± Jin-Hyeok knew some things about the Angel¡¯s Halo. It was one of the taming Skills used by many forceful and violent Tamers and was simr to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Golden Headband. If the tamed being did not obey the Tamer, the Skill inflicted excruciating pain and helplessness on the tamed being. Therefore, it was a controversial Skill.

    <i>¡®Before my regression, Terse was one of the most vocal Tamers who opposed the Angel¡¯s Halo.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized that Terse had changed a lot. <i>¡®He is growing¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was overjoyed to see this.

    <i>¡®As much as I have grown, so has Terse.¡¯</i>

    They were both progressing in the right direction.

    ***

    Katrina irritably walked and said to the woman before her, ¡°Hey, did you try to kill me?¡±

    dina, Katrina¡¯s mother and the current head of the Goldium Family, quietly set down her teacup.

    ¡°You have alwayscked dignity and manners,¡± dina said. Contempt filled her eyes. ¡°I should have given more money to Marco.¡±

    Katrina trembled. She held arge hammer in her hand. ¡°Why are you doing this to your daughter?¡±

    ¡°Daughter?¡± dina grimaced, looking disgusted. She turned her gaze to a book and replied, ¡°Did I ever give birth to a daughter?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    dina still refused to acknowledge Katrina as her daughter. ¡°It would be nice if you would leave my study, my son. As you can see, I am reading.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Katrina walked up to dina, and thetter said, ¡°Get away from me. You give me the creeps.¡±

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Katrina swung the hammer, shattering a corner of the desk. However, dina showed no particr reaction, only clicking her tongue in disgust.

    Katrina fumed. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You want to make me the bad guy! You want me to kill you!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You want me to suffer from guilt forever and curse me with an unfading memory, bitch!¡±

    Unable to contain her anger, Katrina struck the desk again. The hammer fell next to dina¡¯s hand, and wood shards flew, scratching dina¡¯s face.

    ¡°You provoked me without your guards here, sitting in such an exposed position,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°So?¡±

    Tears welled up in Katrina¡¯s eyes as she looked into her mother¡¯s emotionless eyes. Whether it was sorrow, anger, or some other emotion, she could not define it.

    ¡°I will not do as you wish.¡± Katrina threw the hammer and turned away.

    ***

    Looking at the shattered desk, dina murmured, ¡°You were supposed to be the one to revive the Goldium Family.¡±

    In her childhood, Katrina had been the promising hope of the family. The Goldium Family had been in decline ever since its founding, barely maintaining the lowest rank among the Seven Great Families, a stark contrast from what it used to be¡ªthe most formidable family after the founding of the Seven Great Families.

    ¡°You still are the talent that can revive our family.¡±

    dina looked out the window. Katrina had stormed out in a rage, but her stepscked strength. dina smiled softly. ¡°I knew you would not kill me. You have always been a kind and gentle child.¡±

    A fondness entered dina¡¯s eyes, quite different from how they had been when she was staring at Katrina face to face.

    ¡°You can grow even bigger. You must. You have the qualities to do so, my son.¡±

    She began to write a letter.

    [I hate that I gave birth to you.]

    ¡°In truth, I love you.¡±

    [I will never acknowledge you, no matter what achievements you gain.]

    ¡°I hope you be greater than anyone.¡±

    [I regret being your mother.]

    After writing the curse-filled letter, she set down her pen and mischievously smiled.

    ¡°Now the stage is set.¡±

    Sometimeter, Katrina would find this letter and weep. Deep in her heart, she would vow over and over again to be greater than anyone and make dina acknowledge her.

    ¡°Keep refining and training yourself relentlessly, Katrina.¡± dina took out a vial filled with the venom of Emperor Marco. ¡°This is myst lesson.¡±

    She murmured to herself, ¡°Rise above them all.¡±

    dina wanted Katrina to be the one to revive and prosper the Goldium Family, making her the protagonist of the story.

    ¡°This is my true love.¡±

    She swallowed the venom. That day, the head of the Goldium Family died.

    ***

    Emperor Marco waspletely subservient to Terse, which allowed Jin-Hyeok to peacefully examine the ampoule that Katrina hadpleted.

    <strong>[Treasure of Veselity]</strong>

    ¡°This was not originally called the ¡®Treasure of Veselity¡¯, instead being called the ¡®Tears of Veys¡¯. Fortunately, through Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, I found the real name.¡±

    Although he had used the Unleashing Technique and received help from Miri, Jin-Hyeok did not mention them as it was too obvious. Too much redundancy could decrease his viewers¡¯ interest.

    <i>¡®I guess I should now officially reveal that I¡¯m in the middle of the universe-level Scenario.¡¯</i>

    While many had already guessed it and Jin-Hyeok had even subtly hinted at this, officially announcing it was a whole other issue.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t keep it a secret anymore.¡¯</i>

    After some thought, he decided to reveal the Treasure of Veselity.

    <i>¡®Showing them the ampoule¡¯s effect rather than just telling them about it might be better.¡¯</i>

    After arriving in Yeonhui-dong, Jin-Hyeok started a livestream titled ¡®Universe-level Scenario¡¯.

    ¡°I know some of you have already guessed, but I¡¯m currently in the middle of a universe-level Scenario. And I have acquired a very important artifact rted to it. Here it is.¡± He took out the Treasure of Veselity. ¡°I will release the recordingter, but this Scenario deals with two important characters: Veselity, the Forsaken Queen, and Garbinu, the Demon King.¡±

    After a brief exnation, Jin-Hyeok stood in front of the Guardian Tree. ¡°The Treasure of Veselity is said to evolve the Guardian Tree to the next level.¡±

    <strong>[Treasure of Veselity]</strong>

    <strong>[A treasure containing the blessing of Queen Veselity, who loved Guardian Trees. It unconditionally upgrades the stature of a Golden Guardian Tree.]</strong>

    ¡°So, I will use this ampoule on the Guardian Tree of Yeonhui-dong, with the help of Wood King.¡±

    Wood King Mok Jae-Hyeon was holding arge syringe.

    -¡°W-Wait, are you going to stab me with that?¡±

    The giant Guardian Tree trembled. Its leaves fell as the golden sacred aura surrounding it flickered and dispersed like a golden mist.

    <i>¡®What a production quality! It¡¯s definitely my Guardian Tree!¡¯</i>

    -¡°I am not doing this for your livestream! I do not like syringes!¡±

    Jae-Hyeon approached the tree with the syringe and filled it with the Treasure of Veselity.

    -¡°Do note any closer!¡±

    Thin branches moved to stop Jae-Hyeon, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Phantom Swordswoman cut them all down.

    Unfazed, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Do not be rmed. This is just pruning. ording to nt experts, appropriate pruning is beneficial to nts.¡±

    -¡°No! I don¡¯t need that! I¡¯m going to stop you!¡±

    While he could feel the Guardian Tree¡¯s intense emotion and will, Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Sometimes, strong violence was necessary, like when Terse had tamed Marco.

    <i>¡®Hey, I do not want to use violence on you. Please help me keep it that way,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically told the Guardian Tree.

    Suddenly, Miri appeared in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand, loaded with the power of the Babylon Cannon. The rmed Guardian Tree heard a voice.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s okay, great but a young tree. You¡¯ll receive a sweet and gentle gift, so rx and offer yourself.¡¯</i>

    The voice was dreamlike. It belonged to the former Hell Empress, now the Hell King, Gahi. He used his honed mental maniption skills tofort the Guardian Tree. Eventually, Jae-Hyeon managed to inject the syringe without much resistance.

    -¡°Uuuuuuuuhhg!¡±

    The Guardian Tree trembled even more intensely. An earthquake shook Yeonhui-dong, and the Guardian Tree fell into a mild hallucination.

    -¡°Here I goooo!!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok silently waited for the Guardian Tree to calm down. The Guardian Tree kept saying nonsensical stuff like it was going somewhere. Jin-Hyeok focused on the Guardian Tree¡¯s transformation.

 Chapter 346

    <h4>Chapter 346</h4>

    An unexpected turn of events that even Cha-Jin Hyeok had not foreseen took ce.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree is shrinking again,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    The majestic and awe-inspiring Golden Guardian Tree now looked asmon as a street tree. It was said that the epitome of splendor was mediocrity.

    -Simplicity is the best.

    -Why is the tree so short now?

    -Less is more.

    Viewers flocked to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, which now ranked first on the list of trending videos.

    -What happened? Surely, he wouldn¡¯t keep it a secret, right?

    -No way!

    -I think Chul-Soo is a reasonable person.

    Jin-Hyeok pondered the situation for a moment. The Guardian Tree had changed in appearance, as well as undergone several significant alterations. He wondered if he could reveal those changes.

    ¡°I was nning to reveal everything initially, but...¡± he said.

    -No way!

    -It can¡¯t be, right?

    -Are you going to end the livestream here?

    ¡°...the changes are more significant than I expected. I need to discuss this with a Ruler.¡±

    -No!!! Why???

    -What the hell, Chul-Soo?

    -You guys can swear at Chul-Soo. Although I¡¯m a Chul-Soo Lander, I can¡¯t defend him today.

    Jin-Hyeok contacted Han Sae-Rin, but she did not respond; she was raiding a Dungeon with yers from the K-Force.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t keep the viewers waiting too long.¡¯</i>

    He ventured into that Dungeon. Though the yers in Sae-Rin¡¯s party were not top-tier, they were still very skilled. Yet, they were struggling against a rhino-type boss monster encased in armor. The boss monster¡¯s Level was in the early 200s.

    Sae-Rin, who was directing the battle from behind, widened her eyes. ¡°Chul-Soo, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I need to discuss something with you. But what are you doing here?¡± He was essentially questioning why she was wasting her time in such a trivial ce.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m helping them level up?¡± she replied.

    ¡°Leveling up? So, you¡¯re helping these novice yers?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Viewers erupted withughter.

    -Isn¡¯t that the Steel Armored Rhino?

    -It looks weak, but weighs over ten tons, LOL

    -I believe its Level is around the early 200s, but as it¡¯s a boss monster, it should be tougher than usual.

    -In the Chul-Soo Universe, such monsters are trivial, LOL

    Jang Do-Young, a Swordswoman who used two swords, clenched his teeth as he battled the boss monster.

    <i>¡®Helping us level up? Novice yers?¡¯ </i>Do-Young was a rational person. So, he could not believe that Chul-Soo was calling them novice yers when they were fighting a high-Level boss monster. These yers were skilled by the standards of the Earth Server, as well as many other Servers.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s too arrogant!¡¯</i>

    Do-Young knew who Chul-Soo was.

    <i>¡®He always does those staged livestreams...¡¯</i>

    Being a sensible man, Do-Young believed that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreams were staged. He was not particrly suspicious; many people shared this sentiment.

    Logically, a Streamer could not be stronger than Cier, the strongest yer in Hell. So, Do-Young believed that the Chul-Soo Universe was just a concept and, along with many others, that Chul-Soo¡¯s fights were staged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much time,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is that so? Shall we wrap this up?¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    ¡°That would be nice.¡±

    Do-Young bitterlyughed. <i>¡®He doesn¡¯t even know how tough that rhino¡¯s armor is.¡¯</i>

    Like manybatant-ss yers, Do-Young looked down on nonbatant-ss yers.

    <i>¡®Once he fights that monster, he will realize how tough it is.¡¯</i>

    Do-Young wanted to see for himself how strong Chul-Soo was and whether this so-called top Streamer could outperform genuinebatant-ss yers.

    Then an arrow flew past him.

    <i>¡®Huh? Did Chul-Soo use an arrow? I don¡¯t remember him having any Skills rted to arrows.¡¯ </i>Do-Young nced to the side. <i>¡®Sae-Rin?¡¯</i>

    The one who had joined the fight wasn¡¯t Chul-Soo but Sae-Rin. The arrow itself did not seem powerful, yet...

    <i>¡®What¡¯s going on? It has be easier to attack the monster now!¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin¡¯s arrow was incredibly efficient, using minimal force for maximum effect. it effectively hindered the monster¡¯s movement, preventing it from utilizing its full strength. Consequently, the other yers, including Do-Young, could synchronize their attacks better.

    <i>¡®The monster¡¯s movements are noticeably slower!¡¯ </i>Do-Young did not credit Sae-Rin¡¯s arrow for this. <i>¡®Finally, the monster is tiring!¡¯</i>

    Thinking that thebatant-ss yers¡¯ relentless efforts had slowed down the rhino, he grinned. <i>¡®I think we can defeat it now!¡¯</i>

    Thebatant-ss yers felt a synergy among them, a sense of unity in battle. Skilled yers indeed saw the fight differently, they thought.

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective was different.

    ¡°Hm... I thought you were going to finish this quickly?¡± he said to Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Well, they are still rookies. I can¡¯t help it.¡±

    ¡°Can I just end this?¡±

    ¡°We should give the rookies a chance too... But if you¡¯re really in a hurry, then I guess there is no helping it.¡±

    Do-Young stopped, dumbfounded. <i>¡®Slow? Rookies?¡¯</i>

    These statements were absurd. No matter how entertaining Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream was, he could not believe that the Streamer was making such nonsensical excuses for his livestream narratives.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Just then, the Phantom Swordswoman flew past Do-Young. <i>¡®She passed by me?¡¯</i>

    He barely saw the Mystery¡¯s movement. She had already reached the boss monster.

    <i>¡®So that¡¯s the infamous Phantom Swordswoman?¡¯ </i>He had seen her a few times in Chul-Soo¡¯s videos. She always seemed somewhat sinister and beautiful in photos and videos, but not in person. <i>¡®I can¡¯t... move!¡¯</i>

    Seeing the Phantom Swordswoman up close, Do-Young was paralyzed, like a frog before a snake.

    The defensive Mystery muttered, ¡°Ultimate enlightenment.¡±

    Ultimate enlightenment was supposedly a profound concept behind an object or phenomenon, but in reality, it meant nothing and was not even a Skill¡¯s name. It was merely a fancy phrase the Mystery had murmured under the influence of Chul-Soo¡¯s intense persona.

    ¡°Preemptive Defense,¡± the Phantom Swordswoman said. She swung a blood-red hammer, tearing apart the Steel-Armored Rhino¡¯s tough hide as if it were paper.

    <strong>[You have defeated the boss monster Steel Armored Rhino.]</strong>

    Do-Young copsed on the spot. <i>¡®How is that a defensive Mystery?¡¯</i>

    When he saw the gruesomely mangled corpse of the Steel Armored Rhino, he realized that Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams were not staged and that he was indeed a rookie.

    In a trance-like state, Do-Young pulled out his phone and searched for Chul-Soo on Eltube.

    [Subscribe]

    The subscriber count for Chul-Soo¡¯s channel increased by one.

    ***

    At Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house, Sae-Rin said after a long consideration, ¡°Let¡¯s start the conversation with this. Do you want to make ¡®bing the strongest Streamer, no, the strongest yer in the universe¡¯ your concept?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°You used to aim for third ce in the past.¡±

    ¡°That Chul-Soo is dead.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Then I think we should reveal everything. It might even be better if you showed your overwhelming growth. Keeping secrets doesn¡¯t serve any purpose anymore. After all, Emperor Marco had found you.¡±

    Emperor Marco attempting to assassinate Jin-Hyeok meant that <i>Kim Chul-Soo </i>had be a target for elite yer Hunters. Hiding anything at this point was pointless.

    ¡°Perhaps, if you showed your overwhelming power, it will deter some of the challengesing your way,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned and stood up. <i>¡®Good. I will reveal everything about the Guardian Tree¡¯s new abilities, but...¡¯</i>

    He felt that just exining it was not enough. Showcasing these abilities could enhance the quality of content.

    <i>¡®I hope an appropriate event urs soon.¡¯</i>

    That opportunity came rather quickly.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was spending his days bustling between Earth and the Hell Server. He wanted to advance the universe-level Scenario, but the Scenario had stalled since he had acquired the Treasure of Veselity. So, he was focusing more on stabilizing Hell.

    <i>¡®It¡¯d be good to increase the export of smartphones to the Hell Server.¡¯</i>

    Billions of Hell''s residents were potential subscribers for his channel. He just needed to captivate them. The residents of Hell were not ustomed to modern technology and had little information about Eltube and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel. Being new to such technologies, they were entertained by the slightest stimuli, which made livestreaming there quite enjoyable.

    <i>¡®Since I¡¯m here, I should clear another Unexplored Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    In a dry, windswept desert, Jin-Hyeok walked alone until he spotted someone d in a robe in the distance.

    ¡°I see someone,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    The figure was carrying a huge object wrapped in cloth on their back.

    ¡°I will get closer to them. It¡¯s unlikely for a person to be here... unless it¡¯s a monster in human form...¡±

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok used Spilling Wind to dodge an attack, his upper body sliding through the air like the wind.

    <i>¡®That was fast!¡¯</i>

    A gust of wind followed. Jin-Hyeok nced to the side as the neer¡¯s robe fell, revealing a face.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s that smell?¡¯</i>

    A pleasant fragrance wafted through the air.

    ¡°A giant sword wrapped in cloth. Blond hair, fair skin, pointed ears. Most importantly, a delightful floral scent. She¡¯s Acacia of the Scent of Death, a top ranker from the Pisat Family, one of the Seven great families of Arvis.¡±

    People didn¡¯t know her real name, but they called her Acacia of the Scent of Death because of the acacia fragrance that followed her.

    ¡°Fascinating. I have heard rumors that those who live in the forest carry the scent of their homnd, and it¡¯s true. Acacia of the Scent of Death, why are you attacking me? You aren¡¯t even a yer Hunter. By the way, I¡¯m livestreaming right now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You killed my friend.¡±

    ¡°Your friend?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. <i>¡®Did I do that?¡¯</i>

    Spilling Wind automatically activated again.

    <i>¡®She didn¡¯t even move!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok guessed that she hadunched a wave of sword energy. As he had expected, a top-ranked fighter from Arvis, particrly one from thebatant ss, was too much for him in a one-on-one fight.

    Acacia unwrapped the cloth from her greatsword. ¡°I used to think you exaggerated your abilities.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s assuming a very elegant posture with her sword,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Acacia''s presence was menacing, but even that could not stop Jin-Hyeok¡¯smentary. ¡°The way she holds her greatsword is stunning. It¡¯s like she and the sword are one. The sword is Acacia, and Acacia is the sword.¡±

    The greatsword cast a shadow, highlighting Acacia¡¯s intense demeanor.

    ¡°She stands gloriously,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Acacia frowned at hisments. Raised in the Pisat Family as a Swordswoman, she had lived her life solely handling swords. So, she found this situation quite alien and perplexing. She did not know much about Streamers, but on a battlefield trading with deaths, Jin-Hyeok was just casually saying what he saw.

    <i>¡®Pitiable,¡¯ </i>she thought. With her sword pointed at him, she said, ¡°I have no personal grudge against you.¡±

    At this moment, Editor Kang Chul promptly added some subtitles to the livestream.

    [???: You have killed my friend.]

    -Wait, didn¡¯t she just say that Chul-Soo had killed her friend?

    -LOL! She¡¯s backtracking now.

    While Acacia¡¯s words were odd, she was strong. She lowered her stance and ran across the desert, her blond hair and robe fluttering in the wind. The sand split, and a sandstorm rose behind her. Her steps were firm and decisive. In response to her, her greatsword hummed with a resonant sword cry.

    ¡°I was nning to reveal everything to you anyway. I have gotten a bit stronger,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    This time, he did not use Spilling Wind. He nced at the greatsword approaching him and raised his right hand, changing the livestream title to [Deration of War].

    ¡°Now, I will try to be the strongest yer in the universe.¡±

    His right hand collided with Acacia¡¯s greatsword, and a massive shockwave shot into the sky, splitting the clouds. Golden sunlight streamed through the split clouds, illuminating Jin-Hyeok.

    With his right hand blocking Acacia¡¯s greatsword and a grin on his face, he said, ¡°Wee to the Chul-Soo Universe.¡±

 Chapter 347

    <h4>Chapter 347</h4>

    When Acacia appeared on Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, the viewers were excited.

    -Isn¡¯t Acacia too strong for Chul-Soo?

    -She¡¯s a ranker from Arvis, right?

    -Bro, she¡¯s a top-tier ranker.

    -She¡¯s a Swordsman groomed by the Pisat Family.

    -Chul-Soo stands no chance against her.

    Some viewers pragmatically assessed the situation.

    -Everyone said the same when Chul-Soo faced Cier.

    -You guys always say this time is different, LOL.

    -Y¡¯all think Chul-Soo will lose, but he always wins.

    Others showed unwavering faith and trust in Jin-Hyeok.

    Suddenly, Chul-Soo said, ¡°Wee to the Chul-Soo Universe.¡±

    -The Chul-Soo Universe has opened~

    -Wow, he¡¯s so cool!

    -He turned something embarrassing into something cool. Only he can do that.

    In that moment of dazzling shockwaves and golden sunlight, Acacia sensed a sharp killing intent and quickly stepped back.

    <i>¡®There was no attack?¡¯ </i>She was puzzled. After all, she had sensed imminent danger. Possessing the ability Future Sight, she could almost perfectly predict an opponent¡¯s moves and attacks and avoid them. But this time, no attack came her way. <i>¡®Did my Future Sight get it wrong?¡¯</i>

    Her thoughts became slightly tangled, but she maintained a calmposure and said, ¡°You are very well trained. You fight like a skilled Martial Artist.¡±

    ¡°Acacia, I have heard that you have extraordinary senses. You can urately gauge the physical strength of your opponents. Is that true?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Acacia nodded.

    ¡°How does my physical strengthpare to the rankers of Arvis?¡±

    ¡°You can stand shoulder to shoulder with the rankers of Arvis.¡± Acacia did not shy away from conversing with Jin-Hyeok. She needed time to organize her thoughts.

    <i>¡®Wait, aren¡¯t Streamers nonbatant-ss yers?¡¯</i>

    Although she was rtively naive about what was going on around the world, she knew that Streamers were notbatant-ss yers. For a nonbatant-ss yer, Chul-Soo¡¯s inherent physical strength was excessively strong.

    ¡°But that¡¯s all there is to it,¡± Acacia added.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Comparing physical strength is meaningless among high-Level yers.¡±

    Acacia herself was an example of this.

    <i>¡®All top-tier yers have simr physical strength,¡¯ </i>she thought. Though subtle differences remained between these yers¡¯ physical prowess, these differences were not significant. At their Level, every one of these yers had enough power to be lethal. ¡°The thing that matters is how well you use that power.¡±

    Talent was critical after a certain Level. After this point, effort alone could not ovee one¡¯s innate limitations. One¡¯s specific Job was also included in this innate talent.

    ¡°For a Streamer, you are strong. Not many in the universe can block my swords with their bare hand. You should take pride in that. Your death will not be in vain,¡± Acacia said.

    As the lion did not back in hunting a rabbit, she was resolved to kill Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok broadly grinned. ¡°I have received recognition from Acacia. Since I have made the entrance I wanted, I will now reveal my full strength.¡±

    ***

    Editor Kang Chul nkly stared at the screen for a few seconds. <i>¡®Is this... a battle among top-tier rankers?¡¯</i>

    The battle between Jin-Hyeok and Acacia was not shy. They were exchanging basic attacks and defenses.

    <i>¡®Yet, I can¡¯t follow their movements even if I slow the video down to half!¡¯ </i>Both of them were exceedingly fast. <i>¡®They¡¯re so fast that I keep missing things.¡¯</i>

    In this case, he could not make the livestream enjoyable. So, he had no choice but to dy the feed.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m stillcking as an Editor!¡¯</i>

    A fight began between Kang Chul¡¯s old self and his new self. But he had no time to blink. His eyes became bloodshot and tears streamed down his face as he immersed himself in editing.

    [Editor¡¯s Note: The fight is too fast for a proper livestream. We will dy the feed by slowing down the livestream. We have requested Chul-Soo to livestream from a third-person perspective because capturing the fight from a first-person perspective is impossible. Thank you for your understanding.]

    Focused on slowing down the footage, Kang Chul soon noticed something odd.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Golden mists rose from Jin-Hyeok. Another change urred soon. <i>¡®His hair... It¡¯s turning golden.¡¯</i>

    It wasn¡¯t just his hair; his irises also turned golden.

    Wang Yu-Mi was also surprised.

    ¡°Whenever Chul-Soo moves, he leaves traces.¡± Yu-Mi zoomed in on the video. ¡°Do you see these faint footprints?¡±

    The third-person perspective showed golden currents swirling around Jin-Hyeok¡¯s footprints. The entire area was marked with footprints.

    ¡°The footprints are getting clearer!¡± Yu-Mi shouted.

    It was not just the footprints. The viewers could also see the trajectory of Miri¡¯s attacks, as the weapon was carving golden marks into the air.

    Yu-Mi grew more excited. ¡°The trace of our king! I will call this phenomenon the Golden Trace!¡±

    The screen was filled with Golden Traces.

    Wielding Miri, Jin-Hyeok announced, ¡°I will now reveal the true power of the Guardian Tree.¡±

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A massive explosion urred. The sound of Miri striking the greatsword¡¯s side resonated in the air, the shockwave reaching miles away.

    <i>¡®Ugh.¡¯ </i>Acacia was unable to deflect the shock, having to step back a few steps. She and Chul-Soo had exchanged thousands of moves in a short time, and both took a moment to catch their breath. Acacia was visibly shaken. <i>¡®He¡¯s not just strong for a Streamer. He¡¯s pretty good amongbatant-ss yers too!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had not been this strong at the beginning of their fight. Something had definitely changed. She couldn¡¯t exin it clearly, but she felt as if Chul-Soo had artificially gained an innate talent.

    <i>¡®His hair and even his eyes changed color. Are they rted to his newfound strength?¡¯</i>

    Acacia found this development bewildering. Chul-Soo was openly revealing his secret.

    ¡°If there is a Guardian Tree in a Server, in that Server, I can draw on the power of the Golden Guardian Tree in Korea,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    -Wow!

    -Don¡¯t several other Servers also have Guardian Trees?

    -I think Earth is the number one Server rted to Guardian Trees.

    ¡°And within the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory, I can never get tired,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He didn¡¯t have to bother with his stamina anymore. Unlike other yers, who had to manage their stamina during battle, he could now exert his full strength at all times.

    ¡°Most importantly, I need to tell you guys something. As I mentioned before, due to the Guardian Tree, yers on the Earth Server received a +30 Level buff, which was +40 for Seoul. I had refused that buff.¡± He could not afford to be a mere Level Grinder, fearing that if his Level was artificially inted, his actual growth could stop. ¡°But now, things are different.¡±

    For Jin-Hyeok, a rise of 40 Levels was not worthy of consideration. It was good, but it did not free him from the risks associated with being a Level Grinder. However, if the buff included a raise of 100 or more Levels, that was a different story.

    ¡°Within the Guardian Tree¡¯s territory, I can receive a +100 Level buff. I can freely increase my Level by a maximum of 100 by cooperating with the Guardian Tree.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok focused on Acacia¡¯s expression, which kept changing as he talked; at this moment, she looked like a co-host of a reality show.

    <i>¡®What a reaction!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    A twisted expression crossed Acacia¡¯s face. ¡°You can adjust your Level?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Acacia realized what was going on. ¡°No wonder he has been getting stronger since the start of the fight.¡±

    It was impossible, even for someone with an innatebat sense, to grow this quickly. However, through the Guardian Tree¡¯s help, Chul-Soo had been gradually increasing his Level.

    ¡°Being able to give it your all and adjust Levels... That¡¯s quite an overpowered ability.¡± Acacia smirked. ¡°Now I can let go of the guilt in my heart.¡±

    The musky scent around her grew stronger, fitting her name ¡®the Scent of Death¡¯. The sand at her feet began to darken. An invisible mist of death rolled toward Jin-Hyeok, and a vision of a scythe-wielding Grim Reaper appeared before him.

    ¡°I should switch to a first-person perspective for this. Acacia¡¯s momentum has changed. I will switch in five seconds. Those with medical conditions, please be careful.¡± Jin-Hyeok used Spilling Wind to dodge Acacia¡¯s greatsword by a hair¡¯s breadth. A few strands of his hair were sheared off.

    <i>¡®Oh, that looked pretty dangerous,¡¯ </i>he thought. He then sacrificed part of his clothing.

    A long sword sh appeared on the front of his garment, then spread across his entire shirt, vanishing like how a paper would when consumed by fire.

    ¡°Is this all you got?¡± Acacia¡¯s greatsword was enveloped in a red aura, filled with bloodlust. ¡°If what you say is true, then I do not need to manage my stamina either.¡±

    It had to be a sh of full power against full power. Since a longer battle would put her at a disadvantage and she knew the opponent¡¯s capabilities, it was better to end things quickly.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I have one question.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± She responded as she swung her greatsword. Dozens of red-crescent-shaped sword auras flew toward Jin-Hyeok, and his Phantom Swordswoman flicked them away as if she were dancing.

    ¡°You mentioned I killed your friend earlier, then immediately said you hold no personal grudges against me, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Is that some kind of hint?¡±

    ¡°The Ultimate Enlightenment, Red Goblin,¡± she murmured, instead of answering him, and swung her sword again. A giant red goblin wielding a colossal sword appeared over her sword.

    This Skill had made her who she was. Due to it, she had created the saying, ¡®The scent of death will follow the Red Goblin,¡¯ which terrified the yers who faced her.

    That infamous Red Goblin was in front of Jin-Hyeok right now. The entire desert felt oppressively heavy, but he remainedposed.

    ¡°I will take that as a hint then. You attacked me on the Pisat Family¡¯s orders, not of your own volition,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It¡¯s now time for me to take your life.¡±

    The Red Goblin swung its greatsword. It was a massive de, connecting the earth and the sky. When it manifested, there was no ce left to hide. A dark shadow cast by the greatsword covered the ground, as if the sky itself was falling.

    ¡°If you were to lose, I suppose you intended to leave me a fitting gift,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes, that was the n.¡±

    Adhering to her sense of justice, Acacia had been reluctant to attack Chul-Soo, a Streamer. She had acted solely on her family¡¯smands, needing a cause to justify her actions against a Streamer.

    ¡°If you survive this attack,¡± she knew this was unlikely but still said, ¡°...then you would earn the greatest sword under the heavens.¡±

    Acacia pulled out a map, briefly showed it, then tucked it away again.

    ¡°The map here records the location of that weapon,¡± she said.

    The Red Goblin¡¯s greatsword descended upon Jin-Hyeok. There was no escape. It was like divine punishment overwhelming the small figure of Jin-Hyeok. He lifted his tiny hammer, but it seemed a futile struggle.

    ¡°Return to your beginning, Chul-Soo.¡± Acacia turned away. The livestream switched to a third-person perspective.

    -Holy shit!

    -Isn¡¯t this a bit too much?

    -Where is the Streamer Protection Treaty?

    Even the Chul-Soo Landers, who had sent their wholehearted trust and support to Jin-Hyeok, were stomping.

    -This isn¡¯t right!

    -A clear vition of the treaty!

    -Seriously, this is too much!

    But then, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Surely, this can¡¯t be your full strength...¡±

    Incredulous, Acacia turned to look back at him again.

 Chapter 348

    <h4>Chapter 348</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream shifted back to a third-person perspective, providing an aerial view of him. Now, the viewers could see that a human shape was protruding from the Red Goblin¡¯s greatsword.

    -How bizarre!

    -Doesn¡¯t that look like Chul-Soo¡¯s figure?

    The greatsword was unmistakably made of solid steel. Yet, a part of it had bulged out in the form of a human as if it were made of rubber. Soon, cracks began to form on the protruded part with a creaking sound, and Jin-Hyeok came flying out of it.

    ¡°You are not as strong as I thought,¡± he said.

    Acacia looked at him with a grim expression. Although numerous formidable opponents had managed to withstand her Red Goblin, no one had done so with their body.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit of a bump on my head, everyone,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers, rubbing his head. He had sustained no significant injuries. ¡°Honestly, I thought the attack would have at least a mild effect on me, but there wasn¡¯t any.¡±

    Acacia squinted. ¡°Have you surpassed Level 400?¡±

    ¡°I think I am around there.¡±

    ¡°What else are you hiding?¡±

    ¡°Hiding? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re above Level 400, you can¡¯t withstand the Red Goblin with just your body.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I blocked your attack with just my body?¡± Jin-Hyeok saw that Acacia was flustered. ¡°You do know that I¡¯m a Streamer, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Naturally, I used my Streamer-exclusive barrier Skill.¡±

    ¡°Streamer-exclusive barrier Skill.¡± Acacia was too bbergasted to continue the conversation. She had never expected the Red Goblin to be blocked so easily. <i>¡®Is this the physical strength of a Level 400 yer?¡¯</i>

    Though it varied slightly with the Job types, the Levels of top rankers of Arvis were generally around the mid tote 300s. Acacia was facing a yer at Level 400 for the first time.

    <i>¡®I thought the gap in Levels bes meaningless once you surpass 350...¡¯ </i>The abilities of the top rankers were roughly simr. That was why Acacia had assumed that Level 350 was the limit for improvement, but she had just found out that it wasn¡¯t. ¡°I can¡¯t go easy on you now...¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation. ¡°So, you have not been using your true strength until now! I knew it!¡±

    He was feeling a bit bored fighting against the Red Goblin.

    Acacia knelt, with her greatsword plunged into the ground. In his Sword King days, Jin-Hyeok would have immediately attacked her, but he quietly observed her now.

    ¡°It looks like Acacia is conducting a sacred ritual.¡±

    Multiple circuits formed on her greatsword, and red mana flowed into those circuits.

    ¡°It looks like the sword has developed veins, and magical blood is flowing through it. What in the world could that be?¡±

    ***

    ¡°This sword shall draw blood.¡± Acacia briefly closed her eyes and reopened them. Her greatsword disintegrated like dust, and iron dust scattered in every direction.

    ¡°Wow... that¡¯s quite impressive. It¡¯s like a storm of iron dust,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The footsteps that once decorated the air and the golden traces began to turn a grayish hue. ¡°The iron dust is converging around me, surrounding me.¡±

    The iron dust furiously swirled around him, forming a unique shape.

    ¡°I am trapped,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The shape resembled a bell made up of dozens of lines forming its framework. ¡°It¡¯s like being imprisoned in a jail.¡±

    Acacia chanted the incantation, ¡°Sword Prison.¡±

    The space around Jin-Hyeok began to constrict, and Jin-Hyeok felt tremendous pressure.

    ¡°The space is shrinking. I feel a pressure stronger than the one I felt during the Red Goblin¡¯s attack.¡± Jin-Hyeok reached out toward the approaching lines of the bell shape. As soon as he touched it, blood streamed from his fingers, which were unprotected by Absolute Barrier. ¡°This is just with a touch. This trap is brimming with sharp sword energy.¡±

    Grinning, he continued, ¡°A jail made of des... I like this Skill.¡±

    As the space continued to shrink, many viewers left the livestream.

    -Can¡¯t watch it anymore.

    -This livestream should be 19+.

    -I actually bled.

    It was a side effect of the livestream that Jin-Hyeok had not anticipated. His livestream was transmitting the Sword Prison¡¯s essence to the viewers; the stream was so immersive that some viewers even suffered scratches on their skin.

    -Will Chul-Soo die?

    -As a top-tier ranker of Arvis, Acacia should be ashamed of herself!

    -This is a clear vition of the Streamer Protection Treaty!

    Wang Yu-Mi informed Jin-Hyeok about this situation.

    <i>¡®Ah, this isn¡¯t right,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    He was upset that his efforts to create a more dramatic effect had resulted in some of his viewers getting injured. He could not overlook this issue as a Streamer. The stream had to end there.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been hiding something from you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Acacia.

    Focused on operating the Sword Prison, Acacia felt a sudden wave of anxiety.

    <i>¡®No, I need to concentrate,¡¯ </i>she thought. Her Skill Sword Prison sacrificed her beloved greatsword to capture her opponent¡¯s life. No one had ever withstood her Sword Prison. <i>¡®Everyone has died.¡¯</i>

    She firmly believed that the man before her, Kim Chul-Soo, would meet the same fate. After all, she trusted her sword, skills, and determination. Moreover, she had trained longer and harder than anyone, striving to be the ultimate sword master.

    <i>¡®My time and effort will never betray me.¡¯</i>

    She said aloud, ¡°My will desires your death.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I lied when I said I had increased my Level by 100.¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok had not disclosed this in his earlier livestream, level-up adjustments via the Guardian Tree¡¯s power had certain penalties associated with them. Raising the Level too much could exhaust the tree.

    ¡°I only increased my Level by 50,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He was at Level 350, and that was enough to counter the Red Goblin. ¡°I didn¡¯t use Absolute Barrier either.¡±

    Thatment almost broke Acacia¡¯s focus. <i>¡®I need to concentrate. He¡¯s just saying that to break my focus.¡¯ </i>

    ¡°Now, I have adjusted my Level to 400,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had to end this fight quickly. ¡°Here, look at this.¡±

    He showed her the back of his Mythic-Grade Card.

    <strong>[At the Summit of That Path, One Shall Look Down.]</strong>

    ¡°This card gives me +20 Levels.¡±

    That raised Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level to 420.

    ¡°And I know I haven¡¯t used this Traittely, but here it is.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Inherent Skill ¡¸See the Future¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have gained temporary ess to Job Skills 30 Levels above your current Level.]</strong>

    This meant that could unlock any Job Skill that he could acquire at only Level 450.

    ¡°I am unveiling this Skill for the first time. This is an exclusive Skill for Streamers above Level 450. It¡¯s called the Omnipotent Director.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ¡¸Omnipotent Director¡¹.]</strong>

    ***

    The surroundings became tinged with gray as if time itself had halted. Every element caught in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s camera angle became a part of the livestream. When Jin-Hyeok touched the Sword Prison, a different scenario unfolded.

    ¡°I will erase this Sword Prison.¡± When he said that, the Sword Prison immediately disappeared. ¡°I heard some of the viewers got hurt, and I truly apologize. I didn¡¯t expect that to happen. Acacia seemed weaker than I thought, yet stronger in some ways.¡±

    He approached the frozen Acacia and said, ¡°I will slow down your movements.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok touched her legs. ¡°I have turned her legs into stone.¡±

    Since this space belonged to the <i>Director</i>, everything he wanted was possible. He then touched Acacia¡¯s arm, and her hands involuntarily came together, bound by a circr ring that closely resembled the Golden Headband. <i>¡®If Park Terse can make them, so can I.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Within my space, these handcuffs work almost identically like the Golden Headband. There is a time limit, though,¡± he said. He continued speaking nonchntly but found himself increasingly short of breath. <i>¡®It¡¯s only been a few seconds.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was very disappointed. Even with the Level adjustments from the Guardian Tree, he could not maintain this Skill for long. Without the Level adjustments, he would not even be able to use this Skill.

    <i>¡®I guess a Level Grinder can¡¯t freely use a Level 450 Skill.¡¯</i>

    To use this Skill properly, he would need to be at least Level 500. Level 450 was just the bare minimum requirement.

    ¡°It looks like the groundwork is almost done.¡±

    Gradually, light began to seep into the ashen world. Colors returned, and Acacia¡¯s eyes widened.

    <i>¡®What in the world...?¡¯ </i>Moments ago, she had been using the Sword Prison, but now it had vanished. Moreover, her legs had turned to stone, and she felt that her wrists were bound, as if someone had put handcuffs on them. ¡°What have you done to me...?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed in you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I thought this would be a great time to bring out all my power, but you were too weak. I have yet to reveal everything about the true power of the Guardian Tree.¡±

    He had hoped to show the true power at the perfect moment for optimal effect, but that n had failed.

    ¡°Thest power of the Guardian Tree allows me to summon myrades from the normal Field.¡±

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok caught Song Ha-Young, who was not inside the camera angle.

    ¡°Hehe, I stole it!¡± Ha-Young said, holding the map that Acacia had shown Jin-Hyeok earlier.

    ¡°Just in case, I had the others on standby too,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Then, his hidden allies began to appear one by one.

    Martial King Kim Jeong-Hyeon.

    Wood King Mok Jae-Hyeon.

    The Seo sisters.

    Saint of Freedom Cha Jin-Sol.

    And the Radiant Lance Muenne.

    Summoning otherrades in a one-on-one battle was something Jin-Hyeok would not even have considered before his regression.

    <i>¡®If it were me during the Sword King days, I would have considered this cowardly,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°How cowardly of you,¡± Acacia said. She turned her gaze toward Muenne. ¡°Did you do this to me, Muenne?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Pdin. You know well that I can¡¯t wield such power.¡±

    ¡°Then it must be Lessefim or Katrina. Such a cowardly trick.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s cowardly about it? You know that Streamers are not even supposed to do one-on-one battles, right?¡±

    Muenne and Acacia were not on bad terms. Being top rankers, they respected one another. However, Muenne didn¡¯t seem to have any trace of respect or fondness for Acacia now.

    ¡°Chul-Soo has his own way,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What I mean is, a Streamer has the way of a Streamer.¡±

    Acacia scowled. ¡°Streamer...¡±

    Muenne kept emphasizing the word ¡®Streamer¡¯, and Acacia found it odd. She knew that a Streamer could not fight abatant-ss yer like this.

    ¡°So, are these also the powers of a Streamer? Binding my wrists with handcuffs and turning my legs to stone? I have never heard of a Streamer having such bizarre powers.¡± Acacia could not believe it. These were likely the powers of Lessefim or Katrina, who had been actively cooperating with Chul-Soo recently.

    ¡°I know you can¡¯t believe what¡¯s happening. It¡¯s your first time seeing a Level 450 Streamer.¡± Jin-Hyeok walked forward and stood before her. ¡°I will give you onest chance, Acacia.¡±

    Then he said something that Acacia found utterly iprehensible.

 Chapter 349

    <h4>Chapter 349</h4>

    Acacia looked at Cha Jin-Hyeok with disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Sword Prison was a tremendously powerful Skill, but it required a long andplex preparation. If Jin-Hyeok had not been just livestreaming earlier, she couldn¡¯t have used it.

    ¡°Please activate the Sword Prison again. I will say it one more time, I was the one who broke your Skill.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you believe it? It¡¯s so frustrating.¡± Jin-Hyeok feigned an annoyed expression, which viewers recognized as part of his bad acting. However, Acacia waspletely fooled.

    ¡°This time, I will prove my strength,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Acacia scoffed at his foolishness. <i>¡®This works well for me.¡¯</i>

    His naive behavior reminded her that he was indeed a rookie yer from a new Server. A seasoned yer would never have made such a foolish mistake.

    <i>¡®Your arrogance and foolishness will hasten your demise, Chul-Soo.¡¯ </i>She was a prideful top-tier ranker, confident that she wouldn¡¯t be fooled the same way twice. <i>¡®I just need to keep my guard up against Lessefim and Katrina.¡¯</i>

    She was certain she could kill Chul-Soo with another Sword Prison. But she hid her emotions and calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±

    Soon, Acacia pulled another greatsword out of her inventory and made the preparations to use Sword Prison. At this moment, her opponent was almost reverent as if he was respecting an adversary¡¯s best effort.

    Acacia admired that about him. <i>¡®He¡¯s foolish, but he understands honor.¡¯</i>

    She decided to grant him an honorable death. Before she could use her Skill again, however, Jin-Hyeok shed a grin.

    ¡°Just kidding.¡± He fiercely swung Miri.

    Acacia was caught off guard, as Miri headed straight for her temple.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A massive explosion ensued.

    <strong>[You have sessfully imitated the Skill ¡¸Sword Prison¡¹.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°The imitation is over.¡±

    Acacia had not been expecting Jin-Hyeok to surprise attack. Despite that, she quickly moved back to dodge Miri, having already freed her legs from petrification.

    <i>¡®What!¡¯ </i>Something strange happened. <i>¡®That hammer can be extended?¡¯</i>

    Essentially, the explosion had been a smokescreen. Using the sound of the st and the smoke to momentarily blind Acacia, Jin-Hyeok extended Miri and hit her temple.

    -Yesterday¡¯s failures make today¡¯s sesses. Your temple is delicious. Thank you!

    When fighting against Emperor Marco, Miri had learned that not all solutionsy in powerful wide-area attacks. Since then, it had constantly researched how to execute more precise and sophisticated attacks. The result was a technique that followed and relentlessly struck its opponent.

    Jin-Hyeok was genuinely surprised. <i>¡®Did that just happen?¡¯</i>

    -Nothing is impossible in the IntenseMan Universe. I am a weapon that evolves.

    In the IntenseMan Universe, even weapons strived for excellence. Jin-Hyeok was quite pleased with it. This was the time to demonstrate the culmination of the Intense Universe.

    <i>¡®The strike was urate.¡¯</i>

    Next, Wood King Mok Jae-Hyeon extended vines from a tree. Normally, he would have been unable to execute such an attack at this moment, but Jin-Hyeok had already created an opening for him.

    Kim Jeong-Hyeon then threw a powerful punch at Acacia. Acacia instinctively raised her arm to block the attack. She could have blocked the punch if she had a sword. However, her sword had been split in two when she had used it as a sacrificial weapon for Sword Prison.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Jeong-Hyeon¡¯s fist hit Acacia in the chest.

    <i>¡®Such a trivial attack.¡¯ </i>Although these subsequent attacks had caught Acacia off-guard, they did not cause much damage. <i>¡®These guys are nothingpared to Chul-Soo. I don¡¯t need to panic.¡¯</i>

    As long as Muenne did not interfere, Acacia could refocus and reorganize. Fortunately, it seemed like Muenne was not participating in the attack.

    <i>¡®Then I shall take that Tree Mage first.¡¯ </i>Acacia feinted a stab with her broken greatsword at Jeong-Hyeon, then slipped through under his armpit. <i>¡®I am going to kill you first, and then the big guy!¡¯</i>

    Acacia envisioned an efficient and swift attacking path. She could kill even with a broken sword.

    As her sword glowed with red mana, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Activate Sword Prison.¡±

    Shock filled Acacia¡¯s eyes. Her Skill, Sword Prison, had enveloped her.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Sword Prison tightened,pressing around her.

    <i>¡®Should I put a 19+ rating on the livestream?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    Sword Prison was a Skill that disintegrated its target, sttering blood everywhere.

    <i>¡®It¡¯ll be too graphic for my livestream...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was pleased to have sessfully demonstrated the Sword Prison, but during his moment of contemtion, a breathless voice interrupted him.

    ¡°Stop!!¡±

    It was the Sage of the Sword from the Pisat Family, Gridel.

    ***

    Revered as the strongest Swordsman in the universe, Gridel was an old man known to all. Jin-Hyeok was pleased to see him.

    ¡°That old man must be Gridel, the Sage of the Sword.¡±

    Gridel drew a white arc with his sword. He shattered the Golden Trace set up by Jin-Hyeok, leaving white threads in the air. Thousands of these threads, like spiderwebs, engulfed the Sword Prison, splitting it into six parts.

    Jin-Hyeok was amazed. ¡°Wow...¡±

    Despite his amazement, Jin-Hyeok could not just stop there. Showing vulnerability now would invite countless weaker foes to attack him. He needed to prove the simple truth: ¡®If you attack me, youe at me with your life on the line.¡¯

    ¡°I can¡¯t back down here.¡± Jin-Hyeok pulled several swords out of his inventory. They were not as good as Acacia¡¯s greatsword, but sometimes, quantity trumped quality. ¡°After all, there is strength in numbers.¡±

    At times, quantity was more important than quality. Jin-Hyeok used the collection of swords from his inventory to revive the disintegrating Sword Prison.

    Gridel was astonished. ¡®<i>Is he trying to revive the broken Sword Prison?¡¯</i>

    Even Acacia, the true master of the Sword Prison, had not achieved such a feat. Furthermore, the idea of opening the Sword Prison with multiple swords was unheard of.

    <i>¡®This guy... seems unaware of how absurd his actions are,¡¯ </i>Gridel thought. Opening the Sword Prison required immense concentration. Big moves came with big risks, potentially costing stamina, life, weapons, or even one¡¯s physical integrity. <i>¡®If he¡¯s careless, he might sever all his mana circuits.¡¯</i>

    Sword Prison was a delicate and dangerous Skill. That was why Acacia always used a well-crafted greatsword made by a superior cksmith whenever she executed it.

    <i>¡®How strong is he?¡¯ </i>Gridel gritted his teeth. Normally, using the Sword Prison like this would leave one¡¯s body in ruins, yet Jin-Hyeok seemed unaffected. Even Gridel had never seen such monstrous resilience. He quickly shouted, ¡°I will pay the ransom for Acacia¡¯s life. So, please spare her.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced at him. ¡°Are you one of my subscribers?¡±

    Gridel reluctantly nodded. He was not particrly fond of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreams but had subscribed to him during a recent emergency meeting.

    Satisfied, Jin-Hyeok stopped the Sword Prison.

    When Acacia saw this, she wanted to rather die.

    <i>¡®He stopped it...¡¯ </i>Acacia had tried multiple times to stop an active Sword Prison but failed every time. One slight mistake could leave her terribly injured. <i>¡®It¡¯s too delicate and sensitive a task. But that guy...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could converse with Gridel and even livestream while stopping the Sword Prison. He was not delicately controlling his mana but just physically enduring it. Acacia, who had always been called a genius, realized she was not one. She had never believed that physical strength could overshadow Skills, but now she had to ept it.

    ¡°What will you pay for her life with?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Gridel.

    ¡°The map you got from her is iplete. That part of the map can get you only the female half of the sword she mentioned to you. That sword has a male half too, and the two halves can show their true value only when they are together.¡±

    ¡°Male and female?¡± Jin-Hyeok had heard of the concept before. ¡°Are you talking about the dual swords of Pisat, the Knight of Justice?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the treasure of the Pisat Family. Isn¡¯t that enough for the ransom?¡±

    Trapped inside the halted Sword Prison, Acacia shouted, ¡°Master! I am okay! Let me die honorably.¡±

    ¡°Honorably, my ass! Do you think it¡¯s honorable to be beaten by your Skill?¡±

    ¡°I have epted my loss, Master. It was aplete defeat with no excuse.¡±

    <i>¡®And... I want to die...¡¯ </i>She could not bring herself to say it out loud, but Gridel could read her thoughts.

    ¡°I know the despair of facing an insurmountable wall too well. The feeling when the pride of being a genius crumbles is truly dreadful. But remember, Acacia, you¡¯re the sword of the Pisat Family, and without the family¡¯s order, you cannot die. So, do not give up on your life. You are my sword, and our sword,¡± Gridel said.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. It seemed like a very touching scene.

    [*Insert solemn music here. Focus on Gridel¡¯s expression.]

    The despairing genius, wishing for death, was crying within the Sword Prison. The elder who cherished this genius pressed his lips together and consoled her in his own way, promising to hand over the Pisat Family¡¯s treasure to save her.

    <i>¡®This should be enough content for today,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Merely fighting and destroying things was not the only skill required to be a great Streamer. Diverse production was another.

    Jin-Hyeok waved his hand, and the Sword Prison surrounding Acacia disappeared.

    ¡°If you¡¯re like that, it¡¯s hard for me to kill her, Sir.¡± Jin-Hyeok deliberately used this tone, as a sign of respect for Gridel, who had not hesitated to use the treasure of his family for a beloved apprentice.

    The viewers were moved.

    ¡°I have killed everyone who has ever aimed for my life. That¡¯s my principle,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°However, Sir Gridel, your great heart has broken my principle.¡± Jin-Hyeok tucked away his weapon. ¡°Even though we met as enemies and will continue to be enemies, I show my respect to you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached Gridel and extended his hand. Gridel shook the hand while supporting Acacia and replied, ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°What will be the token of your promise?¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol secretly smiled. <i>¡®Token of promise? I can¡¯t believe my brother is sugarcoating a tant robbery like this.¡¯</i>

    She turned away, worried that the camera would capture her smile.

    <i>¡®This must be the grandest robbery of all time.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had secured two maps. Simultaneously, he received a new notification.

 Chapter 350

    <h4>Chapter 350</h4>

    <strong>[You havepleted a part of the universe-level Scenario ¡¸Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¹.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wow!¡¯</i>

    Following the quests rted to the Carvington and Goldium Families, Cha Jin-Hyeok had realized that the Pisat Family was also involved in this Scenario. The universe-level Scenario was indeed deeply connected to Garbinu and the Seven Great Families.

    <i>¡®This is unexpected.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Bring that map ande to the Pisat Family. I will guide you to the treasure,¡± Gridel said.

    The map was merely a formal item, not used for navigation but rather as a kind of admission ticket.

    ¡°I have obtained the map. I will head to the Pisat Family soon,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°The Pisat family will prepare a warm wee for you, Chul-Soo. May I take this child with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Gridel nodded in gratitude and took Acacia, who seemed to have lost all will to live, by the wrist and dragged her along.

    ¡°Even someone with such a weak mindset can be a top-ranked yer in Arvis... The Pisat Family must have an excellent support system,¡± Jin-Hyeokmented.

    -LOL! Chul-Soo has no idea what he¡¯s done.

    -I would be mentally shattered like Acacia too.

    -It would be weirder if she was still sane.

    -To have your life''s work and ultimate Skill taken from you and then having to face something even stronger...

    ¡°Visiting the Pisat Family is a thrilling prospect. That¡¯s all for today¡¯s livestream!¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol came to Jin-Hyeok with a worried expression. ¡°Oppa, isn¡¯t it a bit dangerous? What if the Pisat Family decides they do not want to give up the treasure and attack you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an honorary citizen of Arvis. Surely, they wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Did you just smile, thinking they would?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡± Jin-Hyeok flinched. If the Pisat Family attacked him, he would gain great content for his Eltube channel. It would be shocking for the honor-valuing Pisats to betray their integrity and assault an Arvis citizen bearing an invitation in their home.

    ¡°You have not nted any Guardian Trees in Arvis, so you won¡¯t receive any buffs from the Seoul Guardian Tree. You should be more careful about going to the Pisat Family,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    Jin-Hyeok realized it would be a good idea for him to nt Guardian Trees in Arvis too, though he was unsure whether the Arvis officials would allow this.

    ***

    ¡°Master, I have a favor to ask,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Go ahead, my disciple. Speak what¡¯s on your mind.¡± Trituri, who was having the time of his life, was very generous toward Jin-Hyeok. He would go to great lengths to amodate Jin-Hyeok¡¯s requests.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that aw was passed just yesterday, stating that only official citizens of Arvis can nt Guardian Trees in the Server. The three empires announced it at once,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I am aware of it.¡± Trituri had also received advisories. ¡°High-ranking officials have threatened me not to nt your Guardian Tree in thisnd.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly amazed. <i>¡®They¡¯re taking active steps, even though I¡¯m also a citizen of Arvis.¡¯</i>

    The Arvis Server highly respected citizenship, so its officials acting this way suggested that they were quite wary of Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Do you agree with them, Master?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Master, you could grow a much greater Guardian Tree than I can, given your expertise.¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s expected.¡± Trituri cleared his throat with a cough. Since he had been enjoying rapid sess recently, he was quite pleased with himself.

    ¡°I want to see a Guardian Tree greater than Seoul¡¯s. Please show me that you can do it.¡±

    ¡°Hm!¡± Trituri¡¯s eyes narrowed. He also wanted to nt a Guardian Tree in Arvis. However, he had to maintain his reputation as a master, so it was awkward for him to ept a tree from his disciple and just nt it.

    ¡°Please teach me, Master. This is not just for me. If you grow a tree greater than Seoul¡¯s, it will be recorded in history. Many will learn of your achievements and teachings.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but I have a few conditions,¡± Trituri said.

    ¡°Please tell me.¡±

    ¡°The Guardian Tree nted here will be my property.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Who else would it belong to?¡±

    The ownership was irrelevant. Jin-Hyeok would be happy if a Guardian Tree connected to the Seoul Guardian Tree grew in this Server.

    ¡°And I will personally cut the branch I want from the Seoul Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    ¡°The cost of growing the Guardian Tree will be billed to you.¡±

    ¡°I will pay ten times the actual cost,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Trituri twitched. He had not thought it would go this far.

    ¡°Considering your efforts, Master, it¡¯s only right for me to take care of you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Trituri heartilyughed. The taste of his prime was indeed sweet.

    ¡°However, I do have one request,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°One request?¡±

    ¡°Can you nt the Guardian Tree in Muren?¡±

    ¡°Hm... that ce is...¡±

    Located in the Helen Empire, Muren was a notoriously expensivend, second to none.

    ¡°I have purchased a mansion there with arge garden, about 1300 square meters in size.¡±

    Trituri was at a loss for words. Even in his prime, he could hardly dream of owning a mansion in the bustling city of Muren.

    <i>¡®Is this guy unting that he¡¯s richer than me?¡¯ </i>Suddenly, Trituri¡¯s mood soured. <i>¡®Should I just decline his offer?¡¯</i>

    This was a matter of pride. Moreover, he also had toply with the empires¡¯ requests. A strong desire to refuse Jin-Hyeok¡¯s request welled up inside Trituri.

    ¡°The mansion will be under your name, Master,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Muren¡¯snd is known for being fertile. Let¡¯s grow the Guardian Tree well.¡±

    ***

    In the bustling city of Muren, the mayor smiled brightly. ¡°Muenne, I have good news for you.¡±

    ¡°Good news?¡±

    ¡°Your past mistakes have finally been pardoned. You have received an official document allowing you to return to the Empire¡¯s Order of Pdins.¡±

    Muenne had been expelled from the Order for assaulting a superior who had engaged in corruption and mistreatment of his subordinates. True to her nature as a stickler for rules, she had raised multiple issues through the proper chain ofmand and acted ording to protocol. Unfortunately, her superior was Luifendro, the son of a high councilor.

    <i>¡°Hey, Muenne. Can you stop being so troublesome?¡± </i>Luifendro had harassed Muenne¡¯s direct subordinates.

    <i>¡°Lady Muenne... We are suffering too much.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°They¡¯ve ruined my weekly performance review again...¡±</i>

    <i>¡°He cut our annual leave by finding all sorts of trivial faults.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Lady Muenne...¡±</i>

    The steadfast Muenne formally raised these issues again but to no avail.

    <i>¡°Look, Muenne, it¡¯s useless. My dad is the high councilor, you know?¡±</i>

    Luifendro¡¯s misdeeds escted over time. One day, the situation exploded when he sent a novice Pdin under Muenne¡¯smand to a highly dangerous location, leading to that Pdin¡¯s death. Muenne, who deeply cared for her subordinates, confronted Luifendro.

    <i>¡°Novice Pdins are not supposed to be deployed on the Field, yet you sent one to a top-tier dangerous site. This is wrong!¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Oh, he died? That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± </i>Luifendro sneered at her. <i>¡°That¡¯s why I told you not to mess around, you bitch.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°...¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You think because you¡¯re good with a spear, you own the world?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°...¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You¡¯re the one who killed your subordinate. Great job, Muenne.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°This is your fault, Sir Luifendro.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°My fault, my fault... Yeah, I¡¯m the one to me. So, what are you going to do about it?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I can make sure this does not happen again.¡± </i>Luifendroughed. <i>¡°If you sleep with me, I won¡¯t kill any more of your subordinates.¡±</i>

    Unable to bear it any longer, Muenne assaulted Luifendro. If other Pdins had not rushed to intervene, Luifendro could have died. Consequently, Muenne was demoted for assaulting her superior and was put in charge of Muren¡¯s public safety.

    The mayor of Muren, one of the few people who knew Muenne¡¯s situation well, was both pleased and regretful that she could return to the Order of Pdins.

    ¡°You¡¯re a necessary person for this city¡¯s safety, but...¡±

    It was rare for someone of Muenne¡¯s caliber to oversee the city¡¯s safety. Thanks to her symbolic presence, Muren was regarded as one of the safest cities in Arvis, and the mayor had been able to solidify his position.

    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t keep you here just because of my desires. You belong in the Order of Pdins more,¡± the mayor said.

    ¡°Do you need me?¡±

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Then please let me continue to take care of this city¡¯s safety.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I will let you go, if that¡¯s what you want for your futu.... Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°I said I will take care of Muren¡¯s safety.¡±

    ¡°You are not going back?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Is that not okay?¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay, but you always wanted to return to the Order of Pdins. That¡¯s your path...¡±

    ¡°Protecting the lives and safety of this city¡¯s residents has turned out to be very fulfilling.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I hope you will use your political influence to assist me.¡±

    The mayor felt that Muenne¡¯s tone was somewhat strange as if she were reciting a script.

    <i>¡®Has she memorized this...¡¯ </i>the mayor wondered.

    Muenne continued, ¡°You aim to be the prime minister one day, right?¡±

    In the sacred Helen Empire, the highest figure was the Saint King, but it was mostly a ceremonial role. The prime minister was the actual ruler. Being the mayor of a major city like Muren was a critical step toward bing prime minister.

    ¡°I will assist you from the side,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°You will? Why?¡±

    ¡°I havee to desire power.¡±

    The mayor was shocked. It was unlike Muenne to say such a thing. Although he had advised her that having power was beneficial, her transformation seemed too rapid.

    ¡°For the time being, I will maintain Muren¡¯s safety and help boost your approval rating.¡±

    ***

    Trituri had never expected to own such a big mansion in the bustling city of Muren. He realized that if a person lived long enough, their dreams indeed came true.

    ¡°This is my house... my house!¡± Trituri had nted the Guardian Tree in his backyard. His hands were trembling. ¡°I will fulfill my grandfather¡¯s long-held wish...!¡±

    Contrary to his expectations that the empire¡¯s officials could harass him, no one trespassed in his harden. However, someone dide to visit.

    ¡°Are you... Lady Muenne?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please take this.¡± Muenne handed him a bell-shaped item.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°You can use this to call the captain of the city¡¯s guards.¡±

    ¡°The city¡¯s guard captain... isn¡¯t that you, Lady Muenne?¡±

    ¡°If anything happens, just ring this bell.¡±

    Trituri felt uneasy. The prospect of being able to call the city¡¯s guard captain seemed nice, but essentially, he was summoning one of the Helen Empire¡¯s Seven Pdins as a security guard.

    <i>¡®Am I that important?¡¯ </i>he thought. He realized that the most significant thing in the world was to seed. Now, even a person of Muenne¡¯s caliber was offering to protect him.

    During the conversation, Muenne cautiously said, ¡°Please speak well of me to Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Wha?¡± Trituri looked up, puzzled, but Muenne had already disappeared. ¡°Did she just blush? No, it must be my imagination.¡±

    Trituri hummed a tune and tended to the Guardian Tree.

    ***

    The Pisat Family, true to its reputation as a family of swordsmasters, was located in the Sword Empire of Swedeen.

    ¡°I will soon arrive at the Pisat Family¡¯s mansion. Quite a lot of people here recognize me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    As he walked down a well-maintained boulevard, many citizens of Swedeen rushed to him, asking for autographs, and some followed him around filming.

    ¡°I never thought the day woulde when I would be recognized like this in Arvis.¡± Jin-Hyeok was delighted to be gaining fame here as well. ¡°I can see a bridge over there. Across that bridge, do you see that castle? That¡¯s the Pisat Family residence. It looks like a giant fortress.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok crossed the bridge and arrived in front of the main gate. The gate was wide open, and a straight path led inside. On either side of the path, Swordsmen dressed in silver armor stood in formation.

    ¡°Raise your swords.¡±

    The Swordsmen drew their swords toward the sky. The swords of the Swordsmen opposite to each other crossed, creating a dense forest of des.

    ¡°Quite impressive! This must be the famed Sword Path. I will pass through it.¡±

    Walking down the path, Jin-Hyeok thought that if even one of them went mad and struck him with their sword, it would make for sensational content. However, no such incident urred.

    <i>¡®Too bad.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok reached the family head¡¯s room without any trouble. <i>¡®This is... surprisingly easy.¡¯</i>

    Everything was proceeding in an unnaturally smooth way.

 Chapter 351

    <h4>Chapter 351</h4>

    The Sage of the Sword, Gridel, greeted Cha Jin-Hyeok with a kind smile. ¡°Did you bring the map?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied and took out the map. <i>¡®Did he hide a Thief just in case?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Let me check it briefly.¡±

    ¡°By all means.¡± Using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok remained on high alert. He wondered if a Thief more skilled than Song Ha-Young was waiting for him, but that seemed not to be the case.

    <i>¡®He didn¡¯t even switch the map to a fake one,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    After inspecting the map, Gridel nodded and called someone outside the room. ¡°Bring them in.¡±

    The door opened, and two men appeared, each carrying a sword wrapped in cloth.

    <i>¡®Is he giving them up so easily?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Unwrap the cloth yourself,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jin-Hyeok unwrapped the cloth and confirmed that the objects inside were indeed Pisat¡¯s Relics.

    <strong>[Pisat¡¯s Relics]</strong>

    <i>¡®Could these be fakes?¡¯ </i>

    The objects appeared genuine, but they were so intricately made that even if they were fake, they could deceive Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m using the Guardian Tree¡¯s buffs and even the Mythic-Grade card buff. My Broadcaster¡¯s Insight is the most powerful it has been.¡¯</i>

    If these relics could deceive even that, it would bemendable.

    <i>¡®If these are fakes, then I can only me myck of skill.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and ced the two swords into his inventory.

    <strong>[You have acquired Pisat¡¯s Relic.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have acquired Pisat¡¯s Relic.]</strong>

    Gridel said, ¡°I have kept my promise. I¡¯m d these helped save Acacia¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°It seems to have worked out well for both of us.¡±

    ¡°I would like to make you an offer.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Those relics are not very useful to you. Theye with a strong usage restriction.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already knew this.

    <strong>[Pisat¡¯s Relic]</strong>

    <strong>[A sacred artifact left by Pisat, the Knight of Justice, one of Garbinu¡¯srades.]</strong>

    The description was remarkably simple, simr to how the Guardian Tree appeared ordinary after its evolution. The relics¡¯ description was straightforward, without any fancy embellishments or rhetoric.

    However, Jin-Hyeok could read the nature of the items through Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, as though the letters were written on the side of the swords.

    <strong>[Pisat¡¯s caliber is imbued within this relic, able to cut through anything in the world.]</strong>

    This was not an actual inscription, but the will of Pisat embedded in the item, which Broadcaster¡¯s Insight had tranted into text. The other sword had a simr text on its side.

    <strong>[Only a descendant of Pisat can fully wield its power.]</strong>

    ¡°I know the restriction. Only those of Pisat¡¯s bloodline can use these swords. But I have¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Rule Breaker with superior performance.¡± Gridelpleted the sentence for him.

    ¡°Yes, if I break the settings with the Rule Breaker...¡±

    ¡°Then the swords will break. The restriction that only Pisat¡¯s descendants can use these swords is not an addition to the swords but an element inherent to the relics.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ears perked up. <i>¡®Should I still try to break the setting? I bet that will create great content.¡¯</i>

    Whether Gridel knew Jin-Hyeok''s thoughts or not, he continued, ¡°If you return the swords to me, I will pay whatever you ask, and if you want something else, I will provide that too. They might be useless to you, but they are treasures to me and my family. So, I pray you make a wise decision.¡±

    ¡°Do I have to decide right now?¡±

    ¡°Do you need time?¡±

    ¡°I will contact you in a week.¡±

    Gridel¡¯s expression momentarily darkened, but he nodded and said, ¡°I will wait for your call.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t contact you, you can just assume that I have no interest in the deal.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After Jin-Hyeok left, Gridel sat down. The subordinate who had brought one of the swords asked, ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t respond, Sir?¡±

    ¡°He will. Chul-Soo acts thoroughly for his benefit. All his actions have brought him substantial gains. It can¡¯t just be luck. He has meticulously nned and maximized all possible benefits.¡±

    Gridel¡¯s judgment was rational and logical, but it was not entirely urate. Rather than meticulously nning for profit, Jin-Hyeok had achieved sess due to fortuitous oues gained from his intense broadcasting.

    ¡°I bet Chul-Soo just said that to provoke me and make me anxious.¡±

    Gridel was wrong again. He assumed it was a y to pressure him, but Jin-Hyeok had been genuine. Nheless, Gridel was confident in his vast experience and mostly urate judgments. ¡°Just wait. He will surely ept my offer.¡±

    ***

    Marshmallow grumbled as if he was annoyed. ¡°How does he do this? All his livestreams are amazing!¡±

    He was watching a video titled ¡®Kim Chul-Soo, the number one Streamer in the universe, has obtained the Pisat Family¡¯s relics.¡¯

    Sitting nearby, Encyclopedia sneaked a peek at Marshmallow¡¯s screen. <i>¡®He already liked the video.¡¯</i>

    Despite his grumbling that it made no sense, Marshmallow¡¯s face was all smiles, showing his delight at Chul-Soo¡¯s sess.

    Encyclopedia chuckled. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m curious about something. Do Streamers normally get such ridiculously overpowered Skills when they hit Level 450?¡±

    ¡°I have a simr Skill.¡±

    ¡°Really? Can you use it?¡±

    ¡°Technically, I can.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean technically?¡±

    ¡°I can use it for only about 0.01 seconds.¡±

    ¡°So, you can¡¯t use it.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe I can if I reach Level 999 or if the Level cap is removed.¡±

    ¡°What is the max Level for Streamers?¡±

    ¡°Currently, 500. It was 400 until the year beforest.¡±

    Encyclopedia incredulouslyughed. ¡°Hahaha! Wait! The SSP¡¯s history spans 4,000 years. The Level cap for Streamers was 400 for those 4,000 years, and Chul-Soo reached 450 in just one year? Even for a Streamer, isn¡¯t that a bit unbnced? I wonder if there is going to be aplete overhaul of the Seoul GMs again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡±

    ¡°Why do you look so upset?¡±

    Steam was practically billowing from Marshmallow¡¯s head, showing his displeasure.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Seoul GMs. They keep ming Chul-Soo for the unbnced System, but it¡¯s their fault! Chul-Soo just yed intensely, that¡¯s all,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°Are you annoyed because they are bad-mouthing someone you like?¡±

    ¡°Of course... NOT! Are you kidding me? I like Chul-Soo? It¡¯s just pathetic how they try to pin their mistakes on others.¡± Marshmallow¡¯s head turned red and began to melt like a marshmallow. He quickly changed the subject. ¡°Do you have any guesses about what will Chul-Soo do with the Pisat Family¡¯s relics?¡±

    ¡°If I were him, I would sell them.¡±

    ¡°Sell them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but not for money. I would ask for something else.¡± Encyclopedia was very intelligent and had a broad perspective. ¡°Chul-Soo is dealing with a universe-level Scenario. Ultimately, everything ties back to Garbinu and the seven families. If he can garner active cooperation from the Pisat Family, he would find navigating the universe-level Scenario much easier. Han Sae-Rin would likely make the same judgment and advise him ordingly.

    In fact, Sae-Rin was saying at the same time, ¡°Forming a friendly partnership with the Pisat family would naturally be advantageous. Returning their relics through a trade would be a rational and sound decision.¡±

    However, Sae-Rin was no ordinary Ruler. She was a Ruler who understood Cul-Soo, a yer consumed by his livestreaming. ¡°But from a broadcasting point of view, it¡¯s a bit weak. It could work depending on how we present it. For example, if we draw the trade out like an emotional content piece, we can cooperate with the Pisat Family, and it will also benefit your image in many ways. Though, that will be a bit less stimting.¡±

    ¡°I think the same way,¡± Jin-Hyeok mischievously grinned.

    ***

    A week had passed.

    Gridel had spent the previous night wide awake. <i>¡®Today will be the day he contacts me.¡¯</i>

    He nervously paced around his room. Suddenly, someone burst in and said, ¡°Head Master!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Look at this!¡± He held a phone.

    <i>¡®Wait, this is...!¡¯</i>

    The screen was showing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, which was currently on standby mode with a ck screen. However, the title of the livestream was astonishing.

    [Enhancing with Pisat¡¯s Relics.]

    ¡°What does he mean by enhancing?¡± Gridel asked.

    ¡°He ns to use the relics as materials to enhance something else. Apparently, the Rule Breaker.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s preposterous!¡± Gridel¡¯s shout shattered the windows. ¡°What kind of fool would make such a decision?¡±

    Pisat¡¯s Relics were artifacts of a caliber beyond the Mythic grade. It was unthinkable to use such artifacts merely as materials for enhancement.

    ¡°Who in their right mind would grind gold to gain copper?¡± Gridel yelled.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just his ploy, to make us panic...¡±

    ¡°Yes, that must be it. Chul-Soo would never make such a foolish choice.¡±

    Yet, Gridel was soon faced with this unbelievable situation.

    Jin-Hyeok made a deration on the screen.

    ?I am here at the Banyan Tree Dungeon. As you know, this ce enhances all my stats due to my All-Clear effect.?

    He had adopted a first-person perspective for the livestream, partially conveying his excitement through the screen.

    ?I am receiving buffs from the Guardian Tree in Seoul. I n to put all my efforts into the enhancement. Yes, right now, it''s Q&A time. If you go to Storyteller Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel and ask questions, she will filter them and ry them to me. Did Miri agree in advance? Yes, Miri was the one who actually suggested this. It insisted on being enhanced even if the enhancement meant its destruction.?

    The viewers were still skeptical.

    -No way!

    -Even if Chul-Soo is crazy, would he destroy such treasures for enhancement?

    -Using a perfect item as material is just insane, LOL!

    -Plus, this will surely anger the Pisat Family! He would never do such a thing. He¡¯s just trolling, LOL!

    -You¡¯re just trolling now. I¡¯m going to unsubscribe.

    Then, Katrina and Lessefim arrived.

    ?Given the nature of the materials, I thought it would be good to have the help of an Alchemist and a Craftsman, so I called them. Neilson is also here as an assistant.?

    -Stop the trolling already.

    -He¡¯s probably just threatening the Pisat Family, LOL!

    -The Pisat Family must be sweating.

    As time passed, the notion that Chul-Soo was just trolling gained traction. Even the viewers familiar with Jin-Hyeok thought of the enhancement content as ludicrous.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart began to throb. ¡°I won¡¯t drag this out too long.¡±

    The enhancement process was like a random draw¡ªan act nearly equivalent to gambling, designed to release busts of dopamine.

    -Wait, is he really doing it?

    -He seems so excited!

    -What, it¡¯s indeed exciting.

    -If we feel this way, imagine how Chul-Soo is feeling right now.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I am going to start the enhancement.¡±

    He immediately began the enhancement process. Lessefim, Katrina, and Neilson had prepared other small materials, which now floated in the air along with the two Pisat¡¯s Relics. A golden light began to shimmer from the materials, a prelude to the enhancement.

    ¡°And, of course, the target of the enhancement¡ªMiri.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok struck down the two swords with Miri one after the other. Golden light erupted.

    -He¡¯s crazy!

    -The mad did it!

    -Wow, he took out Miri! This is insane! LOL

    The live viewer count soared past 1.5 billion. It was a new record.

 Chapter 352

    <h4>Chapter 352</h4>

    ¡°M-Master, is this okay?¡± Gridel¡¯s subordinate asked.

    ¡°It should be fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Gridel replied, still looking startled. He then took a deep breath and looked at his phone. ¡°Our founding master had predicted that a lunatic like this might appear someday.¡±

    ¡°Really, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he called all hisrades lunatics.¡±

    Two of them were the Shining Jeweler Goldium and the Alchemist of Creation Carvington. ording to records, whenever they got an opportunity to craft a new artifact, they always requested Pisat to break the dual swords. That was why Pisat had made some preparations in case such madmen appeared in the future too.

    ¡°He has a trump card for such a situation,¡± Gridel said. He admired Pisat¡¯s foresight and how the founding master had foreseen today¡¯s events so long ago.

    <i>¡®When the enhancement fails, it¡¯s the hammer that will be destroyed, not the relics. The only thing that can mess this up is if lightning strikes at thest moment.¡¯ </i>This was a secret that had been orally passed down among the heads of the Pisat family for generations. <i>¡®But that ce is the Banyan Tree Dungeon. There is no way lightning will strike during enhancement in the Dungeon.¡¯</i>

    Gridel felt relieved. If Chul-Soo had been conducting the enhancement outside the Dungeon, a bolt from the sky could have influenced the enhancement, but the Dungeon was safe from thunderstorms.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The relics will be fine. They will return to us soon enough,¡± Gridel said.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had gathered buffs from the Guardian Tree, the All-Clear Achievement, Katrina, Lessefim, and even Neilson.

    <i>¡®This is it.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery God of Luck.]</strong>

    Using the buffs, he maximized the Mystery¡¯s power.

    <i>¡®I should use it again!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery God of Luck.]</strong>

    As he had significantly leveled up, he could now use this Mystery consecutively.

    <i>¡®I can use it one more time.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery God of Luck.]</strong>

    Suddenly, his vision swirled. His eyes reddened, and blood started to drip from his nose.

    <i>¡®Can I use it one more time? I won¡¯t die. And, after all, what doesn¡¯t kill you, makes you stronger.¡¯</i>

    Being spiritually linked with Jin-Hyeok, the Guardian Tree experienced some of his pain.

    -¡°Ahhh! It feels like my head is going to split open! I hate this! Ahhhh!¡±

    While the tree felt only a fraction of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pain, it screamed as if this was the most intense pain it had ever experienced.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not that bad. Stop exaggerating,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically replied.

    -¡°It is! I¡¯m going to faint!¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery God of Luck.]</strong>

    <i>¡®What?¡¯ </i>For some unknown reason, Jin-Hyeok had inadvertently summoned the Thunder Dragon. <i>¡®Why did I summon it?¡¯</i>

    <i>Kurruru!</i>

    The air in the Banyan Tree Dungeon grew heavy. Clouds swirled into a vortex, and thunderclouds filled the Dungeon. Thousands of lightning bolts shed.

    [¡°Your will summoned me. What¡¯s going on?¡±]

    The energy of the lightning touched Pisat¡¯s Relics and Miri.

    Gridel sighed with relief. <i>¡®The Thunder Dragon¡¯s lightning is not the same as natural lightning.¡¯</i>

    As long as the lighting came from the Thunder Dragon, Gridel knew the relics would be safe.

    <i>¡®Unless another kind of artificial lightning merges with it...¡¯</i>

    Gridel was relieved that the relics would be secure.

    ***

    The Hell Server was enjoying an unprecedented era of peace, but not everyone was content with this tranquility. Followers of Hell¡¯s Rulers, those who opposed Jin-Hyeok bing the owner of the Hell Server, and those who resisted the Idea of Hell Man unifying and ruling over Hell banded together to form a single force.

    ¡°To ultimately bring down Hell Man, we must eliminate Kim Chul-Soo first.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s influence is too strong. If he disappears, Hell Man will also fall.¡±

    ¡°We must reim our sovereignty and freedom.¡±

    They called themselves the Freedom Alliance of Hell and constantly sought opportunities to assassinate Jin-Hyeok and Hell Man.

    ¡°They are nning something in the Banyan Tree Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s seize our chance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was an attractive target. He regrly shared his whereabouts and information in real-time through his livestreams, making it easier to hunt him down. However, they could not act rashly because of Chul-Soo¡¯s formidable power and had to wait for the right opportunity.

    <i>¡®He just used God of Luck consecutively!¡¯</i>

    The members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell sensed that now was the moment to act.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is weak!¡¯</i>

    If Chul-Soo had not defeated Acacia, they would have ambushed him at this moment. By defeating and surpassing Acacia, Chul-Soo had shown that he was a formidable adversary.

    <i>¡®We need to wait a little longer.¡¯</i>

    Then, as if heaven itself was assisting them, something happened.

    <i>¡®He has used God of Luck again!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was very weak at this moment. Furthermore, he had suddenly summoned the Thunder Dragon.

    <i>¡®Has he discovered our hiding ce?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Is he trying to attack us with the Thunder Dragon?¡¯</i>

    However, that was not the case. Chul-Soo was not in a condition to manipte the Thunder Dragon. He was barely able to stand on his feet.

    <i>¡®Lightning Mage Sandyem, it¡¯s your turn!¡¯</i>

    The members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell did not underestimate Chul-Soo. They had perfectly nned to kill him by pouring all their strength into one decisive attack at the optimal moment.

    <i>¡®The Dungeon is now full of lightning.¡¯</i>

    The conditions were too favorable for them. Chul-Soo was exhausted, and it was an ideal time to strike with lightning.

    <i>¡®Sandyem, show your power!¡¯ </i>

    Sandyem muttered, ¡°For the freedom of Hell.¡±

    In the Dungeon filled with thunderclouds, Sandyem, the Lightning Mage of Hell, unleashed a stream of lightning. Hidden by the thunderclouds, his lightning streaked toward the relics.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok staggered to his feet, looking somewhat disoriented. ¡°I think I summoned the Thunder Dragon, but I can¡¯t quite remember doing that. I must have overdone it.¡±

    He felt that if his luck had been even slightly worse, he could have died.

    ¡°Even with all sorts of buffs, using God of Luck four times in a row is risky. So, from now on, I will limit it to four times.¡±

    -He should say he¡¯ll use it only three times, right?

    -The Intense Universe is definitely intense, LOL.

    -I can¡¯t see anything because of the thunderclouds.

    -Did the enhancement seed?

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s condition worsened, the Thunder Dragon naturally went back, and the mist that filled the Dungeon began to dissipate.

    -Huh?

    -What¡¯s that?

    -Holy shit!!

    -Did he destroy the relics? LOL

    Pisat¡¯s Relicsy on the ground in ruins. Fortunately, Miri was rtively unharmed.

    Jin-Hyeok slowly walked over and picked up Miri. <i>¡®Ugh, I can¡¯t even pick it up easily.¡¯</i>

    He felt he urgently needed proper medical attention. It was as if every bone in his body had shattered. Suddenly, he felt his mental connection with the Guardian Tree cut off. Overwhelmed by the pain, the Guardian tree had fainted.

    <i>¡®The tree always exaggerates.¡¯</i>

    The pain could be excruciating enough to make him feel like dying, but it wasn¡¯t anything near death.

    -I feel pain all over.

    -Me too.

    -I think I have got a herniated disc.

    -If we are in so much pain, imagine what Chul-Soo must be feeling.

    -Why does he look okay?

    Jin-Hyeok was suffering too, but if he ended his livestream here, he could not consider himself a top-tier Streamer.

    <i>¡®I still need to wrap up the livestream.¡¯ </i>Picking up Miri, he spoke in a gloomy tone. ¡°It seems the enhancement has failed.¡±

    The viewer count had surpassed three billion. Although Jin-Hyeok was speaking in a somber voice, he was smiling.

    After wrapping up the livestream, he nced behind him.

    <i>¡®When are they going to attack me?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew that a few Assassins were hiding there. He had thought they would ambush him at a suitable time, but strangely, they hadn¡¯t.

    <i>¡®They seem to be from the Hell Server... If they attack me now, I might not be able to win.¡¯</i>

    He was too physically exhausted to even consider calling hisrades. For Jin-Hyeok, it was a moment of extreme peril.

    <i>¡®Are they just extremely calm yers? They are not attacking.¡¯</i>

    It was almost a relief that the Assassins had not ambushed him, a sentiment he rarely felt.

    ***

    Lightning Mage Sandyem incredulously muttered, ¡°Chul-Soo must still be hiding his strength.¡±

    He had poured all his power into that attack. It was almost like he had invested his entire fortune in it.

    ¡°No matter how many evasion and defensive buffs he has or how sturdy he is... he should not be this unscathed,¡± Sandyem said.

    Of course, Jin-Hyeok was not unscathed; he only appeared so. Opinions among members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell were divided.

    ¡°We have a chance if we attack now.¡±

    ¡°Sandyem, what do you think?¡±

    Trusting Sandyem¡¯s intuition, the members of the alliance turned to him for guidance. Sandyem shook his head. ¡°We must not forget what happened with Acacia.¡±

    Sandyem was exasperated with Chul-Soo. ¡°Chul-Soo is the type of yer that lures his opponents by pretending to be tired and then dragging out the fight. He may... not be exhausted yet.¡±

    ***

    Gridel dispatched envoys to verify whether Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream was staged or not. The envoys returned with fragments of the shattered relics.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a staged livestream, Sir.¡±

    ¡°He really attempted an enhancement with the sacred relics.¡±

    Gridel was speechless for a moment. <i>¡®Forgive me, Founding Master.¡¯</i>

    He had given away the relics, knowing that he would gain them back.

    Acacia could not lift her head as she knelt. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Master.¡±

    ¡°No, I thought he was a normal person. I thought he was a strategist who meticulously calcted everything to maximize his benefits, but he¡¯s just crazy.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Gridel remained silent for a long time. He felt like this development had shaken the very legitimacy of the Pisat Family.

    <i>¡®What shall we do...¡¯</i>

    Just then, the Mad Sorceress Fyurel, who was visiting the Pisat Family, jeered and went out of her way to meet with Gridel. ¡°Old man. You overyed your hand. Look how ridiculous you ended up looking.¡±

    Acacia, still kneeling, red at her. ¡°Lady Fyurel, please watch your words.¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re still alive? If you think about it, all this happened because of you. If I were you, I would have drowned in a puddle by now.¡± Fyurel cackled for a while longer, agitating Gridel and Acacia further. ¡°So? What are you going to do about it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of killing Chul-Soo, are you?¡±

    Acacia gritted her teeth. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one of the options.¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t work,¡± Fyurel replied.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m currently falling for Chul-Soo¡¯s seduction technique. I¡¯m going to let it y out a bit longer. The kid is just too sexy.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    At this moment, they heard that Jin-Hyeok was visiting the Pisat Family.

    Fyurel uproariouslyughed. ¡°Remember this. If Chul-Soo is ever to be killed, I will be the one to do it. You guys better not touch a hair on his head. Got it?¡±

    Engulfed in mes, Fyurel disappeared. Shortly after, Jin-Hyeok entered Gridel¡¯s room.

 Chapter 353

    <h4>Chapter 353</h4>

    ¡°Ah, Acacia is kneeling and apologizing before the family head. Also, I¡¯m not exactly sure, but traces of Fyurel¡¯s mes seem to linger in the air.¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok easily grasped what had just been happening here.

    Gridel sighed deeply and sat down on a chair. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Why do you look so disheartened?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re upset because the Pisat Relics were destroyed, I¡¯m the one who should feel the loss the most. After all, they were mine.¡±

    -He¡¯s right, but wow! I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s saying that to Gridel¡¯s face.

    -What a character, LOL!

    -It looks like Chul-Soo went there just to mock him.

    Experiencing the livestream from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, the viewers immediately sensed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s emotions. Contrary to his words, Jin-Hyeok did not feel much regret.

    -He¡¯s just crazy about his livestream!

    -Gridel: How can such a madman exist?

    Jin-Hyeok took out Miri. ¡°Please take a look at this.¡±

    ¡°T-This is!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just that the relics had been destroyed. The enhancement had transferred the essence of Pisat inside the relics to Miri. While Miri hadn¡¯t gotten stronger, inscriptions had appeared on both sides of its handle.

    [Heirs of Pisat, wee your master.]

    [In the frozen crimson mes shall the truth reside.]

    Like the writings on the relics, these inscriptions were not actual <i>letters</i> but an interpretation of Pisat¡¯s will in the form of a script.

    Watching Gridel¡¯s twisted expression, Jin-Hyeok smirked. ¡°Looks like you can feel the noble will of the weapon!¡±

    ***

    When Gridel saw Miri imbued with the essence of Pisat, he stiffened. <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i>

    He involuntarily moved and knelt on one knee before Jin-Hyeok. His attempts to resist were futile. It was a vow etched in Pisat''s blood.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect him to kneel so soon,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He maintained aposed expression and read the inscriptions on Miri¡¯s handle with a dignified attitude. ¡°Heirs of Pisat, wee your master.¡±

    Gridel tried to resist, but it was impossible. Pisat¡¯s swordsmanship and blood had bound him.

    -What¡¯s going on?

    -Did Gridel just kneel before Chul-Soo?

    -This is amazing!

    -I thought Chul-Soo was just a Streamer, but turns out he¡¯s the head of the sword family.

    Jin-Hyeok maintained his imposing demeanor. ¡°In the frozen crimson mes shall the truth reside... What does this mean, Gridel, the Sage of the Sword?¡±

    Gridel was annoyed by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sudden change in tone but managed to hide it. He had no choice but to respond to the question.

    ¡°The frozen crimson me is a symbol of the Heina Family, Mas¡ª¡± Gridel tried to stop himself from saying the next word, but ultimately failed. ¡°Master.¡±

    His pride was crushed. Jin-Hyeok seemed to understand Gridel¡¯s feelings, although he showed no sign of it.

    ¡°Then the ce I must go is amidst the cold mes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He shared the overarching content of the universe-level Scenario.

    <strong>[Legacy of the Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    <strong>[(1) The Queen¡¯s Beloved Disciple</strong>

    <strong>The Forsaken Queen cherished and loved a disciple. This disciple¡¯s name was Carvington. The queen imparted all her knowledge and wisdom to Carvington. Even at the moment when he betrayed her, Veselity loved him.</strong>

    <strong>(2) He Who Nurtures the Golden Tree Shall Conquer the World.</strong>

    <strong>Carvington and Goldium tenderly cared for the golden tree. Moved by their devotion, the queen bestowed her treasures upon them. Enriched by the queen¡¯s treasure, the tree thrived, and its power and glory reached the ends of the world.</strong>

    <strong>(4) In the Frozen Crimson mes Shall the Truth Reside.</strong>

    <strong>The Forsaken Queen had a friend dearer than life itself, named Heina. In her final moments of abandonment, the queen entrusted Heina with a gem filled with her heart. This gem entered hibernation within the frozen crimson mes.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head.

    ¡°Something seems off. I don¡¯t see number three. Why is that?¡± He checked again, thinking it could be a typo, but it appeared intentional.

    Universe-level Scenarios were not meant to be tackled by a single yer. They were typically handled by arge army,monly involving Region-level or Server-level efforts. Consequently, numerous fragments from various ces had toe together to form a grand narrative for a Universe-level Scenario.

    Although the directions and processes in such a Scenario wereplex and diverse, the midpoints were clear. In the description of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Universe-level Scenario, the numbers (1), (2), and (4) were exactly those midpoints¡ªessential milestones.

    -He¡¯s right. Why is 3 missing?

    -Is that an error?

    -It¡¯s true! There is no number three!

    Even among the viewers, almost no one knew the reason behind this.

    -Encyclopedia just posted something on the Korea Region Minor Gallery.

    Encyclopedia updated his analysis.

    <strong>[Why is there milestone no (3) in Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s universe-level Scenario.]</strong>

    <strong>[Typically, a Scenario of this magnitude is not undertaken by an individual... therefore, such Scenarios have milestones where numerous paths converge... Normally, one must follow the sequences of these milestones to unlock the next phase of the Scenario. However, these are just <i>normal </i>cases, and I don¡¯t think anyone can describe Chul-Soo¡¯s y style as normal or logical.]</strong>

    Every one of the over two billion viewers agreed with that.

    -Yeah, Chul-Soo is crazy.

    -He is definitely crazy about his livestreams.

    -Who else uses Pisat Relics as enhancement material, LOL!

    <strong>[Originally, numerous paths would have converged to open (3), which would have led to (4). However, Chul-Soo simply bypassed (3). He shattered it. Normally, we call this skipping.]</strong>

    -I¡¯m not sure if the word ¡®skip¡¯ is appropriate for this, LOL!

    -It¡¯s a skip.

    -What a monumental skip, LOL!

    -Koreans: This is definitely a skip.

    Jin-Hyeok wore a quite satisfied smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that number three is missing, but ultimately, it was about discovering that the truth lies in the frozen mes.¡±

    To clear the 3rd milestone, Jin-Hyeok probably would have had to go through aplex process to forge a connection with the Pisat Family and gain their trust to obtain this information. Without it, the process had turned out to be much easier.

    <i>¡®Now I know that skipping is possible!¡¯</i>

    He had learned of a slightly more proper way to clear the universe-level Scenario, which made him feel even better.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok promised to establish a friendly rtionship with the Pisat Family. He was fairly straightforward. ¡°Sage of the Sword, I want the Pisat Family to cooperate with me.¡±

    ¡°As... you please, Master.¡± Gridel still resisted, but it was futile.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a twinge of regret. ¡°I wish you would resist a bit. Then I could have brought Park Terse to forcibly andfortably save you with violence.¡±

    Terse, who had sessfully tamed Emperor Marco, was eagerly looking for people to tame.

    <i>¡®Of course, the Sage of the Sword is more powerful than Marco, but...¡¯ </i>Since Gridel was already halfway submissive due to Miri, Jin-Hyeok thought taming him would not be too difficult. A mix of appropriate violence could have helped in taming Gridel thoroughly, but Jin-Hyeok viewed forcing a non-resistant opponent as somewhat distasteful.

    <i>¡®I am a normal person.¡¯</i>

    Some viewed him as insane, but he thought that was a misconception held by those who knew nothing about him.

    <i>¡®If I were truly insane, I wouldn¡¯t consider what¡¯s going on and just smash people¡¯s heads!¡¯</i>

    After signing the agreement with the Pisat family, Jin-Hyeok set off. He wanted to take a break, but with a live audience of two billion, that was not an option. Ending the livestream here would disappoint his viewers.

    ¡°I will now seek out the Mad Sorceress Fyurel,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    By meeting Fyurel Heina, he hoped to gain some information about the <i>frozen mes</i>. However, before he could head to the Heina Family, Fyurel appeared before him instead.

    Surrounded by mes, the Mad Sorceress said, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Your timing is perfect. I was just about to look for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. You look for me only when you need something.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stared at Fyurel for a moment. Fyurel seemed like the personification of the color red. Her long, shimmering red hair and bright red eyes were as intense as burning mes. Moreover, her tight-fitting red robe highlighted her voluptuous and sensuous curves.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Jin-Hyeok could not help but admire her.

    Fyurel straightened her shoulders and crossed her arms, entuating certain parts of her body. A distinct shadow formed under her chest.

    ¡°I dressed a bit provocatively today. What do you think?¡± she asked. Chul-Soo¡¯s admiration made her feel good. <i>¡®Ah, so Chul-Soo likes these kinds of women. Had I known, I would¡¯ve been more provocative!¡¯</i>

    With a serious expression, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Can I use you as the thumbnail for my video?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your provocative figure will attract viewers.¡±

    Amused, Fyurel flicked her finger and shot a small fireball at Jin-Hyeok. It was as tiny as a lighter¡¯s me, but Jin-Hyeok could sense the potent destructive power within it.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery Spilling Wind.]</strong>

    He casually dodged the me, but it swirled back and touched his back.

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait Absolute Barrier.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok scaled down Absolute Barrier to just the size of the me and focused on it, sessfully blocking Fyurel¡¯s fire. However, the me suddenly split into hundreds of strands, scattering around Jin-Hyeok, then shooting up toward his head. It soon grew in size and fiercely engulfed him, forming a bell shape around him.

    Jin-Hyeok excitedly said, ¡°This Skill is simr to my Sword Prison.¡±

    Fyurel flicked her tongue over her red lips and smirked.

    -LOL! Did he just say <i>my Sword Prison</i>?

    -Acacia: Fuck...

    -Acacia is so confused right now.

    ¡°Thanks for recognizing it. It¡¯s my weing gift for you. Do you like it?¡± Fyurel said.

    Jin-Hyeok remained engulfed in the fire-shaped prison for a while, maintaining Absolute Barrier. Any average Tank would have melted from such intense heat, but Jin-Hyeok was hardly bothered. Only his shirt melted from the heat, revealing his well-toned and bnced upper body.

    ¡°You¡¯re so sexy,¡± Fyurel said.

    The number of live viewers soared past 2.2 billion, and many started demanding the livestream be changed to a third-person perspective.

    -Third-person perspective!

    -Give us what we want!

    -Third-person perspective!!!

    Fyurel said, ¡°I saw your livestream. You wereing to find me, right? Something about the truth in the frozen mes?

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡±

    <i>¡®Even better!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was pleased that Fyurel refused. The content needed a twist. If Fyurel had just said, ¡®Sure, I will tell you the secret,¡¯ it would have killed the intrigue.

    Jin-Hyeok asked with a feigned serious expression, ¡°What must I do to reach the truth, Mad Sorceress Fyurel?¡±

 Chapter 354

    <h4>Chapter 354</h4>

    ¡°To reach the truth is, you...¡± The Mad Sorceress suddenly snapped back to reality. She had almost revealed everything. Shocked, she asked, ¡°What have you done to me?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t do anything...¡±

    Both thought about it for a moment before simultaneously speaking.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, is this your seduction technique?¡±

    ¡°Did I just use a seduction technique?¡±

    They nodded at the same time. Fyurel wore a look ofplete understanding, while Jin-Hyeok sported a rather satisfied smile.

    <i>¡®Did I unconsciously activate the seduction technique?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. To use the seduction technique, he required significant resolve andmitment. So, if he could use the technique without any effort, things would be easier for him. <i>¡®How did I do it?¡¯</i>

    Even after thinking about it for a while, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t find any answer and concluded that it must have been a fluke.

    -Why is he overthinking? LOL. We all know the answer.

    -I bet he thinks that he unconsciously activated the technique.

    The viewers knew that the real cause was something else.

    -Fyurel is just smitten, LOL!

    Fyurel was simply enchanted by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s appearance.

    -Having a face like that is automatically a seduction technique.

    -Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t need to think about it.

    -Even if he just stood in front of me, I would give up everything for him.

    -He¡¯s the personification of the seduction technique.

    ¡°Seduction or not, it does not matter. What I really want is...,¡± Fyurel said with a sly grin, ¡°to marry you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    -Wow! A proposal in the middle of a universe-level Scenario?!

    -Man, Chul-Soo is so crazy about his livestreams that he might ept the proposal for content.

    -Noooo!! I won¡¯t allow this!

    Jin-Hyeok firmly responded, ¡°We can¡¯t do a ¡®We Got Married¡¯[1] content.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s ¡®We Got Married¡¯?¡± Fyurel asked.

    ¡°It just means that we can¡¯t do fake marriage content.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean...¡± Fyurel pressed her pale hand to her forehead. Although her head throbbed, Chul-Soo¡¯s obsession with his content was a sight to behold. ¡°Did I just get rejected?¡±

    ¡°If you want to put it that way, yes.¡±

    Fyurel heartilyughed and licked her lips, eyeing Jin-Hyeok from head to toe.

    <i>¡®Ah, he¡¯s so damn sexy!¡¯ </i>She wanted to im him for hers.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok came up with something. ¡°If you want to try out marriage content, I have a good idea.¡±

    ***

    Fyurel had an old friend and subordinate named Abe. Abe was one of the few people who could bad-mouth her without repercussions.

    ¡°Why not go on that blind date? I think you¡¯ll like it,¡± Abe said.

    ¡°But I want to marry Chul-Soo. I¡¯m not interested in anyone else.¡±

    ¡°But your date is one of Chul-Soo¡¯s closest associates. With his help, you can keep an eye on Chul-Soo¡¯s every move.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had suggested a blind date to her.

    ¡°Besides, Kang Eun-Woo is as handsome as Chul-Soo,¡± Abe added.

    ¡°Who is Kang Eun-Woo?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know Kang Eun-Woo but you call yourself Chul-Soo¡¯s fan?¡±

    ¡°Do I need to know about him?¡±

    ¡°Eun-Woo is Chul-Soo¡¯s Homepage Mas... Well, let¡¯s just say he captures photos and videos of Chul-Soo. He¡¯s one of Chul-Soo¡¯s closest associates.¡± Abe knew Fyurel very well. ¡°Just meet him once. You might even fall for Eun-Woo.¡±

    ¡°I like Chul-Soo the best.¡±

    ¡°But if you ept the blind date, you can meet Chul-Soo again.¡±

    ¡°You know what? A blind date sounds pretty good.¡±

    Fyurel decided to meet Eun-Woo. However, she didn¡¯t think much about him. She was interested in only Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Abe, teach me how to seduce Chul-Soo while being on a blind date. Should I use a love potion?¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok praised himself foring up with the blind date content.

    <i>¡®Fyurel was a member of Silver Rain before my regression!¡¯</i>

    Silver Rain was Eun-Woo¡¯s fan club. Back then, even though Eun-Woo rarely showed his face, his fandom grew every day.

    <i>¡®I wasn¡¯t much interested in it then, but...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized this useless information now seemed quite useful.

    ¡°Eun-Woo, I want you to meet Fyurel,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Ah, well...¡± Eun-Woo did not want to meet anyone right now. He was too busy with his work.

    ¡°You know. I think Fyurel could provide us with some information.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then is this part of the content?¡± Although Eun-Woo had been reluctant about the idea of a blind date, his attitude changed and his eyes sparkled.

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°So, I should use a seduction technique on Fyurel and, while dating her, gather information about the universe-level Scenario?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Eun-Woo closed his eyes and imagined his appearance and direct participation in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. It could be considered the ultimate fan experience.

    ¡°If I sessfully date Fyurel, will you smile for me?¡± Eun-Woo asked.

    ¡°Is that important to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The best shotse out when you smile brightly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily impressed. Eun-Woo was as serious about his work as Jin-Hyeok was about his livestream. Eun-Woo¡¯s passion was admirable and worthy of emtion.

    ¡°Shall we set a date then? I will practice my smile for you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    The viewers were enthusiastic.

    -LOL! What abo!

    -We¡¯re going straight from a universe-level Scenario to a blind date, LOL!

    -The atmosphere has be so much lighter!

    The juxtaposition of a universe-level Scenario and a blind date turned into a major source ofughter for the viewers.

    -No one could¡¯ve predicted that they would throw a blind date into the mix!

    -But is this for real?

    -Come on, it¡¯s just a show. Why do you take it so seriously?

    Most viewers saw this as scripted entertainment, but Eun-Woo was serious. <i>¡®How am I supposed to seduce Fyurel?¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo didn¡¯t have any n or script to follow. He genuinely needed to seduce Fyurel to extract information about the universe-level Scenario and capture the happy smile of Jin-Hyeok.

    Suddenly, a red me flickered in front of Jin-Hyeok. The temperature rose, and a slender woman with red hair appeared on the scene.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I¡¯m here,¡± Fyurel said.

    ¡°Sit down. As I told you before, this is Kang Eun-Woo.¡±

    At first, Fyurel nced at Eun-Woo with apparent disinterest, but she then flinched.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Fyurel blinked. <i>¡®There is another man as handsome as Chul-Soo. Earth has two of them? What kind of Server is it?¡¯ </i>

    Fyurel smiled. ¡°You¡¯re also my type.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Eun-Woo slowly stood up and pulled out a chair. ¡°Please take a seat, mydy.¡±

    Having extensively studied the etiquette and manners of Arvis, Eun-Woo was well-prepared. However, due to his nervousness, he was tense.

    -Look at how awkward he is. So cute!

    -I can die happy now. T_T! He¡¯s so adorable.

    Even at this moment, Eun-Woo¡¯s mind was a whirlwind. <i>¡®How can I seduce Fyurel?¡¯</i>

    Fyurel was one of the leaders of the Seven Great Families. Seduction required a meticulously nned strategy. He had met with Subi beforeing here and devised numerous strategies in his head, but everything had be a blur due to his nerves.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Fyurel asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m Kang Eun-Woo, Lady Fyurel.¡±

    Fyurel ced a finger under Eun-Woo¡¯s chin and lifted it a little. She looked at Eun-Woo¡¯s face, marveling at it.

    ¡°This is rather impolite. I¡¯m not an object to be appraised, Lady Fyurel.¡±

    ¡°You look too tempting not to appraise.¡± Fyurel traced her long finger near Eun-Woo¡¯s lips. ¡°Such luscious lips.¡±

    ¡°Your lips are equally luscious, Lady Fyurel,¡± Eun-Woo stiffly replied. His mind had gone nk. <i>¡®This shouldn¡¯t be happening.¡¯</i>

    Theory and practice were worlds apart. Such a flimsy attempt at seduction was unheard of. He felt that both the seduction technique and the universe-level Scenario could copse.

    ¡°Shall we kiss then?¡± Fyurel asked.

    ¡°That would mean we¡¯re dating.¡± Eun-Woo immediately regretted his words, thinking they were too cheesy.

    But Fyurel¡¯s face came closer to his, and her red lips became visible.

    -LOL! What is this? Shouldn¡¯t this be rated 15+?

    -A kissing scene in Chul-Soo¡¯s content! How unexpected, LOL!

    -Their chemistry is too good!

    -Imagine telling the story of kissing a universe-level ranker at your first meeting, LOL!

    After a brief moment, Eun-Woo gently pushed Fyurel away. ¡°Have I seeded in seducing you, Lady Fyurel?¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat bewildered. <i>¡®The seduction technique worked?¡¯</i>

    Eun-Woo had yet to disy any remarkable skills. ording to the viewers, he had only fumbled around, yet he had managed to seduce Fyurel. The two even started dating, which left the viewers confused.

    -Is this for real? Or just a show?

    -Come on, it has to be scripted.

    -It has to be. It must be a show. We must protect our Eun-Woo!

    Many fans of Silver Rain wept. Quite a few members of Silver Rain were from Arvis. They protested in front of the Heina family mansion with signs saying ¡®Give us back our Eun-Woo¡¯ and ¡®Our Eun-Woo is not a substitute for Chul-Soo.¡¯

    Regardless, the rtionship between Fyurel and Eun-Woo had begun. They enjoyed a cozy walk in the gardens of the Heina family mansion.

    ¡°Lady Fyurel, how about a gift for our three-day anniversary?¡± Eun-Woo asked.

    ¡°Why? Are you going to give me a wedding ring?¡±

    ¡°Marriage is not that simple, Lady Fyurel.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me about the Frozen me?¡±

    Fyurel smirked. ¡°You¡¯re dating me just to help Chul-Soo, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡± Fyurel shrugged. It did not matter to her. Eun-Woo¡¯s beauty overshadowed everything else. ¡°Three days is a bit soon, but I will tell you on the twenty-second day, as a gift for our two-two-day anniversary.[2]¡±

    ¡°Two-two day?¡± Eun-Woo was puzzled. He had not heard this term in so long that he was not sure what it referred to. ¡°Are you talking about the two-two-day anniversary on the Earth Server?¡±

    ¡°Yes, on the twenty-second day. You didn¡¯t know?¡± Fyurel had been studying the Earth Servertely. She was undoubtedly infatuated with Eun-Woo, and even though they had been dating for only three days, she had developed a genuine affection for him. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you didn¡¯t know. That¡¯s cute too.¡±

    On the twenty-second day, Fyurel dered to her family, ¡°I will open the deep secrets of our family and show the Frozen me to my lover.¡±

    The family elders strongly opposed it.

    ¡°You cannot do that, Head Master!¡±

    ¡°The Frozen me is a treasure symbolizing the Crimson Heina!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what happened to the Pisat Family when their treasure was shattered?¡±

    The destruction of Pisat Relics was well-known in Arvis.

    ¡°Eun-Woo is an associate of Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°He will surely meddle with the Frozen me too!¡±

    Fyurel was unconcerned. ¡°So what? I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re so bothered, why don¡¯t you be the family head?¡±

    ¡°Head Master!¡±

    ¡°Or try to stop me. Of course, I will kill you all then.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As per her promise, Fyurel decided to directly show Eun-Woo the Frozen me.

    ¡°Lady Fyurel, may I take Mr. Chul-Soo along with me?¡±

    Fyurel brightly smiled. ¡°Of course, darling.¡±

    1. We Got Married was a Korean reality TV show where celebrities would pretend to get married andplete various challenges together. ?

    2. Two-two Day is a Korean-exclusive anniversary, celebrated 22 days after the first day of dating. It¡¯s a very light-weighted anniversarypared to others, mostly celebrated by teenagers. ?

 Chapter 355

    <h4>Chapter 355</h4>

    The Heina family¡¯s mansion gave off an aura different than that of the Pisat family¡¯s, right from the entrance. While the Pisat residence resembled a fortress of swords, the Heina estate was avish mansion. Grand marble columns adorned the entrance, and numerous people entered and exited the mansion through the gates, with a long line behind them.

    ¡°Is that Lady Fyurel?¡± one bystander remarked.

    ¡°I think it is!¡±

    Lady Fyurel walked arm in arm with a man.

    ¡°She seems to have gotten a new toy,¡± someone whispered.

    ¡°This one seems to be of high quality, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    Suddenly, the gossipers were engulfed in mes.

    ¡°Argh!!¡¯

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    Fyurel yawned as she disdainfully watched these people roll on the ground. ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    Although a person was burning before his eyes, Kang Eun-Woo was not particrly flustered. After all, while apanying Cha Jin-Hyeok, he had be ustomed to such minor incidents.

    ¡°Darling, you didn¡¯t hear what those guys said, did you?¡± Fyurel asked.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Is your hearing that good?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you need good eyes and ears to be a proper Homepage Master.¡±

    Fyurel¡¯s face turned red. ¡°They were talking nonsense. You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°I know they weren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Just one search will disy all the things you¡¯ve done, Lady Fyurel.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Fyurel frowned. Red mana began to rise above her. People slowly started backing away.

    <i>¡®That crazy woman is at it again!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®She¡¯s going to create another scene.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I hope the mansion¡¯s barrier can hold up.¡¯</i>

    Fyurel was known for acting impulsively, and she was reckless when enraged. Everyone expected a major incident.

    ¡°It does not matter. I like you regardless,¡± Eun-Woo replied.

    The mana suddenly transformed into the shape of roses before bursting like fireworks. Perhaps due to the red mana, Fyurel¡¯s face appeared flushed. She once again linked arms with Eun-Woo. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re quite romantic.¡±

    <i>¡®Should I livestream this?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok, who had been filming them from a distance, thought about it. Fyurel¡¯s nasally voice was particrly grating. He anticipated a significant bacsh from the viewers. <i>¡®I guess a livestream is out of the question. I should just record them for now.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok marveled at the sight of the Heina family¡¯s mansion. ¡°I know that the mansion is supposed to be protected by a massive barrier, but...¡±

    He thought he would feel the strong presence of the barrier, but it did not seem to be the case. ¡°This barrier appears to be the same as the Seoul Guardian Tree. It feels like there is nothing here at all.¡±

    Just as the once majestic and imposing Guardian Tree now appeared as a regr tree, the Heina Family¡¯s barrier seemed unremarkable.

    ¡°The family¡¯s estate is so vast that we need warp portals to move around. And you can¡¯t get to the main buildings without using a warp portal.¡±

    This prevented outsiders from infiltrating the main buildings.

    ¡°The technology here is amazing,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued. ¡°The warp portals¡¯ destinations change in real-time. You need portal managers to help you get to where you want to go.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he had entered a new world.

    Without these managers, it was impossible to reach the deeper parts of the family grounds. This advanced technology was a key part of the estate¡¯s security system.

    <i>¡®I should install something like this at hometer,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Fyurel frowned. ¡°Chul-Soo, you¡¯re still as talkative as ever.¡±

    ¡°That makes me feel a bit sad, Fyurel. You liked me just a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°That was before I fell for my darling.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok was relieved that Eun-Woo¡¯s seduction technique had worked on Fyurel, but at the same time, he felt a pang of loss, as if he had lost a fan. Even though he had billions of fans across the universe, losing one of them still hurt. He once again realized the importance of each fan.

    ¡°The inner sanctum of the Heina family... This is the first time any outsider has seen it, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. ¡°Due to security reasons, they tell me that I cannot record in there.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stopped recording and surrendered himself to the warp portal.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s my first time using so many warp portals in such a short time.¡¯</i>

    Had he not leveled up so much, he would have felt nauseous. After continuously using warp portals, he became more adept at navigating them. Then, an idea struck him.

    <i>¡®Should I try to feel the journey through the warp portal more slowly?¡¯</i>

    Normally, a warp portal transported the person using it in the blink of an eye, in roughly 0.3 seconds.

    <i>¡®What if I stretch those 0.3 seconds to about three minutes?¡¯ </i>

    This would allow him to exin to his viewers how travel inside a warp portal worked. Cautiously looking around, he used a Skill.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Secret Mode.]</strong>

    Secret Mode was a Job-exclusive skill for Munchkin Streamers, unlocked at Level 400. It allowed them to record something secretly. With this Skill, no one would be able to discern that Jin-Hyeok was recording something. Even when he spoke, others would not be able to hear it, and only his voice would ovey the video.

    ¡°I will try it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Fyurel had not noticed that Jin-Hyeok was still recording.

    [What happens when we move through a warp portal?]

    Recently, Eltube channels that catered to satisfying such minor curiosities were gaining poprity. Jin-Hyeok also wanted to make use of this trend.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Time-Lapse Recording.]</strong>

    Now with more leisure, he thoroughly observed the process of warping and adapted to this space. ¡°This ce feels like the kind of microcosm you encounter when you meditate. Some call it a dimensional rift, sort of a subspace concept. I¡¯m d I can convey this feeling of swimming through a microcosm.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was pleased to have recorded something that would surely delight his viewers.

    ***

    After traversing countless warp portals, Jin-Hyeok finally reached the deeper levels of the family estate.

    ¡°We must be underground,¡± he spected. This ce seemed to be deep below the ground. Light streamed in here from all directions, suggesting this ce used a magical design that allowed light to prate even the deepest parts of a mansion.

    ¡°That looks like a temple.¡±

    Across the shimmering marble floor, a colossal temple-like structure emerged before them.

    Fyurel and Eun-Woo entered the temple, and a sudden burst of light flooded their vision.

    ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m entering a Dungeon. The surroundings have changed again.¡±

    The temple was intensely hot. Far ahead, they could see arge bowl zing with fierce red mes.

    ¡°A snowstorm is raging ahead of us,¡± Jin-Hyeok noted.

    A raging snowstorm in a fiercely hot ce¡ªit was quite the contrast. Soon, a powerful snowstorm swirled around them, nearly blinding them.

    ¡°The family¡¯s elders are standing guard on either side of the path leading to the bronze bowl. They have quite a formidable presence,¡± Jin-Hyeok observed. Any slight misstep would prompt an immediate attack.

    One of the elders braved the snowstorm and slowly emerged out of it. ¡°The Frozen me is our family¡¯s identity. It¡¯s not toote, Lady Fyurel. Please send them back.¡±

    ¡°But that would disappoint my darling,¡± Fyurel replied.

    ¡°...¡±

    The elders seemed half-resigned, merely hoping Jin-Hyeok wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble.

    ¡°Fyurel has quite a strong influence in her family. The resistance from the elders is weaker than I expected,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, as his heart raced. <i>¡®Does no one realize I am recording all this?¡¯</i>

    If anyone caught him, he would receive a significant bacsh, and he half-expected a crisis to arise. However, the elders did not seem to notice he was recording.

    <i>¡®Secret Mode is better than I expected.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok finally stood before the Frozen me. It was muchrger up close than it had appeared to be in the distance. The area was engulfed in red mes.

    Jin-Hyeok felt as if the me would devour him too. ¡°It¡¯s a strange feeling. The mes are bright and hot, yet I feel cold. Touching that me might give me both burns and frostbite. This is very interesting.¡±

    Eun-Woo asked him, ¡°Hyung, do you think there is anything special here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Jin-Hyeok had not discovered anything unusual. <i>¡®Fyurel said this is where the truth lies, but...¡¯</i>

    Facing the Frozen me, Jin-Hyeok hoped for some progression in the universe-level Scenario, but nothing of the sort took ce. He didn¡¯t even find any clues.

    <i>¡®Well, if it were that easy, it would not be a universe-level Scenario.¡¯</i>

    He understood this logically, but emotionally, it was another matter. Just moments before, he had skipped milestone (3) and gone directly to milestone (4). Of course, he had luck favoring him, but he was still very much Korean.

    <i>¡®I wish I could just skip ahead. Isn¡¯t there a bug or hack?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought this for a moment before shaking his head. <i>¡®No, this is not right.¡¯</i>

    His old habit of focusing solely on oues had resurfaced. It was hard to stay rxed when a moment of carelessness could lead to such thoughts.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m a Streamer. Making the process interesting is also crucial.¡¯</i>

    He reassured himself and inspected the Frozen me several more times, but didn¡¯t find anything noteworthy.

    ***

    <i>¡®For the freedom of Hell!¡¯ </i>

    Under that banner, the Freedom Alliance of Hell continued their meeting.

    ¡°Chul-Soo will soon return to Hell. His next destination is...¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Fourth Hell. He¡¯ll meet with Hell Man in his castle.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the likelihood that this information is false?¡±

    ¡°This is an announcement directly posted on Chul-Soo¡¯s channel.¡±

    Fortunately for them, Chul-Soo had revealed his travel route. He had even helpfully announced the exact time of his livestream, allowing them to pinpoint his location and route.

    ¡°If we reverse-engineer his path... He will use the Purition Warp Portal. Then, he will ride the Thunder Dragon from there and take the Jaime Warp Portal to the pce.¡±

    ¡°We know his route and timing, but can we just attack him like that?¡±

    As if by agreement, they all turned to look at Lightning Mage Sandyem. He was the one among them capable ofunching the most powerful surprise attacks. Sandyem shook his head. ¡°I think an ordinary attack would be meaningless.¡±

    ¡°But your attacks are anything but ordinary!¡±

    ¡°Even my attacks are ordinary before Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Then what....¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s particrly difficult to target Chul-Soo in areas touched by the Guardian Tree.¡±

    One man mmed his fist on the table. ¡°So, what are we supposed to do? Should we just give up and hand over our freedom to Chul-Soo and Hell Man?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying,¡± Sandyem slowly continued. ¡°We know his travel route. The subspace within the warp portal, that microcosm-like space, is the optimal space to target Chul-Soo. He would not expect to be attacked there.¡±

    ¡°Can you even attack inside a warp portal?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but possible. We would have to act in less than 0.3 seconds.¡±

    ¡°H-How would that be possible?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Lightning Mage. Before the speed of lightning, 0.3 seconds is almost an eternity.¡±

    ¡°I see!¡±

    Smiles bloomed on their faces.

    ¡°However, I will not go in personally. There is a high probability I will die together with him. Do not take it the wrong way. I¡¯m not averse to sacrificing my life for our freedom. But I must consider whates after. There is also a chance that Chul-Soo might escape. To prepare for any eventualities, I cannot afford to die just yet,¡± Sandyem said.

    Sandyem snapped his fingers. The conference room door opened, and his subordinate brought a trembling young child with a terrified expression into the room. The boy¡¯s hands and ankles were bound with thick iron chains. ¡°We will use this child, a brave warrior who has sworn to sacrifice his life for the freedom of Hell.¡±

 Chapter 356

    <h4>Chapter 356</h4>

    The boy had ashen hair and gray eyes. Shivering, he said, ¡°Please... I want to go home...¡±

    Sandyem slightly furrowed his brow. He signaled to his subordinate, who quickly gagged the boy.

    ¡°<i>Mmmmph, mmm!</i>¡± The boy was now unable to speak.

    ¡°This brave young boy has volunteered to ensure the freedom of Hell,¡± Sandyem said.

    ¡°...¡±

    While some members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell grimaced, none openly opposed this.

    ¡°What are you nning to do with the child?¡± one of them asked.

    ¡°We will use him as a conduit to create a small explosion. Even a minor explosion can pose a significant threat inside a warp portal.¡±

    ¡°Did the boy volunteer willingly?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. Here are the documents.¡±

    The boy frantically shook his head, but no one paid him any heed.

    Sandyem presented a document stamped with the boy¡¯s seal.

    [I, Somfiad, for the glory and freedom of Hell, intend to strike a blow of justice against the invader Kim Chul-Soo, who has uwfully breached Hell. For the freedom of Hell!]

    The leader of the Freedom Alliance, Hm, nodded as he received the papers. The boy¡¯s will did not matter; what mattered was the document and the seal.

    <i>¡®This should be enough for legitimacy,¡¯ </i>Hm thought.

    In advanced Servers like Arvis, attacking someone during warp portal travel was a serious war crime. This action would attract far stricter punishment elsewhere too, as warp portals were central to modern logistics. Attacks during warp portal travel caused immense societal anxiety and consequent losses. Even Servers not as advanced as Arvis maintained a simr stance regarding warp portal attacks.

    <i>¡®I will have to feign ignorance.¡¯</i>

    Though their n could invite censure, they had to bear this burden for the freedom of Hell.

    Hm patted the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What a brave young man.¡±

    Tears streamed down the boy¡¯s face.

    ¡°Here, take this.¡± Hm handed him a small cup. When the boy refused, Hm forced open the boy¡¯s mouth and poured the liquid inside the cup down his throat.

    The focus in the boy¡¯s eyes began to fade as he weakly muttered, ¡°For the freedom... of Hell. For the... freedom of Hell.¡±

    Someone cautiously asked, ¡°Will this cause any problems?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. No evidence will remain anyway. We might have to ept some moral criticisms, but that¡¯s it.¡±

    The vitality returned to their faces; they were ready to endure any moral scrutiny for their noble cause.

    ***

    The Korean Region Minor Gallery was an onlinemunity with countless users across the universe. They discussed a variety of topics every day, but the hottest topic was undoubtedly Chul-Soo.

    [This Chul-Soo video is so boring. Why is he uploading a meditation video?]

    This video described what the surroundings would look like inside a warp portal travel, but many users simply referred to it as <i>meditation </i>content.

    [He got too greedy, LOL. I bet his viewers watch his videos only because they are thrilling.]

    ©¸This video is so boring.

    ©¸I turned it off after just 13 seconds.

    ©¸13 seconds? I switched off after 3.

    ©¸I¡¯m out of here, bye~

    [Chul-Soo is washed up.]

    ©¸Really, he¡¯s so overhyped.

    ©¸I totally agree. LOL!

    [I think it¡¯s time for us to unsubscribe.]

    ©¸You subscribed to him? You¡¯re such an idiot.

    ©¸I hit dislike for the first time, haha!

    ©¸He needs to do a reality check. Why the hell is he doing meditation content? His poprity is dropping.

    Contrary to thesements, Chul-Soo¡¯s poprity was high across the universe. But where there were fans, there were also haters.

    [Hisst video didn¡¯t even hit a billion views.]

    [He had 2 billion concurrent viewers for his livestreams, and he can¡¯t even break one billion views for this video? What a failure!]

    [Looks like he¡¯s on decline.]

    The sh between the Chul-Soo Landers and the haters was intense.

    [---------------DO NOT FEED THE¡ª--------------]

    [Warning¡ªDo Not Feed the Trolls.-------]

    ©¸You guys can¡¯t even argue logically. You just cry. Do Not Feed nonsense, LOL.

    ©¸Got nothing to say? Face it. Chul-Soo is failing. You guys are not even making any sense!

    Logical counterarguments were already plentiful.

    [What the hell? Globally, a video with a hundred million views is considered a hit, one with five hundred million a superhit.]

    ©¸I don¡¯t care. He couldn¡¯t hit a billion views, so he has failed, okay?

    ©¸Idiot, eight hundred million views is still a superhit.

    ©¸The abovement was mocking those who say he is declining, you idiot.

    ©¸Oh, my bad...

    Jin-Hyeok was concerned. <i>¡®Maybe this type of content isn¡¯t right for me?¡¯</i>

    Named Eltubers such as ¡®Curiosity Pce¡¯ and ¡®Let Me Tell You That¡¯ usually posted videos on simr minor issues that people were curious about, and these videos were quite popr.

    <i>¡®I guess each Eltuber indeed has their strengths and weaknesses.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok briefly discussed this with Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°Do you know the average views for Eltubers like Curiosity Pce or Let Me Tell You That?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°It has to be high.¡± Jin-Hyeok was not very interested in that niche content, so he had not looked into it deeply.

    ¡°They sometimes get superhits, but usually, their views hover around five hundred million.¡±

    ¡°Oh... that¡¯s lower than I thought.¡±

    Therefore, the figure of eight hundred million views on his video featuring <i>meditation </i>content was a massive sess by normal standards.

    ¡°But yeah, the view count was very low for a video from Kim Chul-Soo. You should reflect on this. You even posted it without consulting me,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    Their conversation was quite different from what ordinary people would expect.

    ¡°Sorry, I thought it would be interesting,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    It was not just a verbal apology; Jin-Hyeok was genuinely reflecting on it. He had hurriedly released a video without adequate preparation, leading to this setback.

    ¡°This is unfair. How can I stay mad at you when you apologize with that handsome face!¡± Yu-Mi said. She adjusted her round sses and twirled her hair. ¡°But I think you can turn this around by saying that you posted this video because it rtes to the topic of your next one.¡±

    ¡°The topic of my next video?¡±

    ¡°For example, it can be ¡®what if something happens inside a warp portal¡¯?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin. ¡°Well, modern warp portals are pretty stable, though...¡±

    In the distant past, idents asionally urred in warp portals, but nowadays, the ident rate had reached nearly zero. In thest decade, not a single incident had taken ce inside warp portals across the universe.

    ¡°I guess we should consider causing an ident ourselves. I will think about this! You¡¯re going to meet Hell Man, right? For something like a daily vlog,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Keep the camera third-person. Just your face guarantees a billion views.¡±

    ***

    To reach the pce of the Fourth Hell, Jin-Hyeok had to travel through numerous warp portals.

    <i>¡®Was my video really that boring?¡¯</i>

    He wondered if his meditation content deserved to be mocked this way. In fact, meditation was vital for all yers, offering profound insights into one¡¯s microcosm. He had thought it would be beneficial for people to have an indirect experience of it, but his judgment had been off.

    <i>¡®Should I do actual meditation content next time? It might be good to show a significant discovery within the microcosm, enabling a level of growth.¡¯</i>

    It could be helpful to yers thirsty for enlightenment. With these thoughts, he entered another warp portal.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    During that moment, which was less than 0.3 seconds long, Jin-Hyeok sensed something foreign within the space, and his heart pounded.

    <i>¡®Is an ident actually happening right now? Am I that lucky?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok quickly used Time-Lapse Recording to slow the flow of time.

    <i>¡®What?¡¯ </i>

    Far ahead, something was shimmering, but it was not the light of enlightenment¡ªit was a young boy with ashen hair.

    <i>¡®There isn¡¯t much time.¡¯</i>

    Time-Lapse Recording could not slow down too much time. Moreover, the Guardian Tree¡¯s power didn¡¯t cover this space.

    <i>¡®I have maybe 30 seconds or less.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok quickly approached the boy and felt something. <i>¡®He has been brainwashed.¡¯</i>

    As the owner of the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok was particrly sensitive to thunder and lightning. He noticed flickering electrical impulses within the boy.

    Managing to conceal his excitement, Jin-Hyeok quietly muttered, ¡°If something happens here, we¡¯re all going to die.¡±

    Fortunately, he was maintaining a third-person perspective in his livestream. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve unconsciously conveyed his excitement to the viewers.

    <i>¡®Why is he here?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok found the energy rippling inside the boy familiar as if he had experienced it once before. <i>¡®There is no time to waste.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, the boy¡¯s pupils focused, and a strong desire to live flickered in his eyes. Jin-Hyeok read his mind with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    ¡°Stay still. I will help you.¡±

    At that moment, sparks flew, and a blue light flickered.

    <i>¡®Is this some kind of bio-bomb?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not stop the explosion. The boy was emitting painful levels of electricity, which didn¡¯t harm Jin-Hyeok but distorted the space around them.

    <i>¡®So, he¡¯s not attacking me directly but trying to throw me in a dimensional rift or something?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery God of Luck.]</strong>

    His Level had increased substantially, due to which he could use this Mystery more easily now.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Omnipotent Director.]</strong>

    The world turned shades of gray. This space was now entirely under the control of the director, Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t have much time.¡¯</i>

    Without the buffs from the Guardian Tree, he didn¡¯t have much time. Still, in less than three seconds, he transferred the energy from inside the body¡¯s body to the outside environment and then erased most of it. However, he could not remove itpletely due to theck of time.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok decided not to overdo it. He blocked any remaining discharges with Absolute Barrier, protecting the space from beingpromised. <i>¡®The explosion will ur only within the barrier.¡¯</i>

    There was one problem left. The explosion could severely injure the boy.

    <i>¡®I need to save him too.</i>

    Terrorists using a boy as a bomb in a warp portal was perfect content for his channel.

    <i>¡®This will exceed 1.5 billion views.¡¯</i>

    Even though Time-Lapse Recording was still active, he had to take action instantly.

    <i>¡®How can I save him?¡¯</i>

    He genuinely wanted to save the boy. Then, a strange thought struck him. Did he want to save the boy for his Eltube channel or did he genuinely want to save the boy? Would he even consider saving the boy if his channel wasn¡¯t on the line?

    <i>¡®Whatever. Let¡¯s save him for now.¡¯</i>

    He decided it was for the views.

 Chapter 357

    <h4>Chapter 357</h4>

    Just before the explosion¡¯s aftershock reached the boy, Cha Jin-Hyeok swiftly activated Absolute Barrier to protect him. He was maintaining two separate Absolute Barriers with a slight gap between them.

    A thought crossed his mind. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t this the first time I¡¯ve publicly used two separate Absolute Barriers?¡¯</i>

    He almost burst into a triumphant grin, knowing well that anythingbeled as <i>the first </i>usually garnered high viewership.

    Sparks incessantly flew between the two barriers. Members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell, who were watching this live, had distorted expressions on their faces.

    ¡°What a madman...¡±

    ¡°How can he control two barriers at the same time?¡±

    Even Jin-Hyeok¡¯s enemies found his control astonishing, far surpassing human capabilities. Blocking an explosion from the inside was almost unfathomable¡ªit would require precision to the fraction of a millionth of a second.

    Sandyem, a top-tier Lightning Mage, grimaced. <i>¡®How is he so powerful?¡¯</i>

    However, the leader of the alliance, Hm, remained rtively calm. ¡°Do not worry. The explosion has already created a distortion in the warp portal. He will never find an exit. No matter how capable Chul-Soo is, he doesn¡¯t have enough time.¡±

    This was why attacking within a warp portal was dangerous¡ªa minor shock or distortion could lead to significant casualties.

    Sandyem cautiously asked, ¡°What if he finds a way out?¡±

    ¡°Even top Navigators have failed to do so. Once a person is trapped inside a warp portal, there is no escaping. Don¡¯t worry. He will end up bing lost, livestreaming until he eventually dies.¡±

    However, the screen showed Jin-Hyeok speaking.

    ?Look, there is light up ahead. Maybe that¡¯s the way out!?

    Hm dismissively chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±

    No one had ever survived and gotten out of a distorted warp portal; it was a ce from which escape was considered impossible. Even though modern warp portals were remarkably stable, once a warp portal was destabilized, it could cause fatal idents. This was why advanced Servers treated terrorist acts involving warp portals as war crimes.

    ¡°Farwell, Chul-Soo. Now, Hell takes a great step toward regaining freedom!¡± Hm shouted.

    ?Yes, fortunately, I have escaped safely. From here on, I will ride the Thunder Dragon and listen to what the boy has to say.?

    Chul-Soo was safe.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt a chill down his spine. <i>¡®Wow, that was pure luck.¡¯</i>

    He had used God of Luck just in case, and it had fortuitously worked in his favor. The moment he saw the light, he instinctively knew that if he did not escape through it, he would be a lost soul inside the warp portal. The anxiety that he could no longermunicate with his viewers overwhelmed him. He nced at the boy strapped to his side.

    <i>¡®Well, I did save him though.¡¯ </i>In that urgent situation, he had managed to save and bring the boy along. It was a close call¡ªhe had almost not made it out of the warp portal because of the boy.

    <i>¡®I should have left him behind, but...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had been feeling odd about it ever since. <i>¡®Would I have felt at ease then?¡¯ </i>

    Even the thought was extremely ufortable. He rationalized the difort.

    <i>¡®If I had left him, I would not have been able to produce more videos. That¡¯s why I would have felt terrible.¡¯</i>

    Even this did not clear his mindpletely. He wondered if there could be other reasons for his feelings, which only added to his confusion.

    ***

    Wang Yu-Mi and Joseph sped each other¡¯s hands. Their eyes were filled with great hope, and they almost murmured at the same time.

    ¡°The meditation video was a stepping stone for his next video!¡±

    ¡°It was for the next video!¡±

    The meditation video was like a preview of what was going toe next for today¡¯s video. The public opinion was rapidly changing.

    [Where are the idiots who said Chul-Soo was declining? LOL!]

    [Oi, where you guys at? Show yourselves!]

    [Wow, but the scale of that ident was insane! A terrorist attack in a warp portal? OMG!]

    The news of the incident had spread across the universe at an incredible pace.

    [Who do you think was behind all this?]

    ©¸I have no idea. But how could they do such a thing? They should be shunned from society.

    ©¸This is so much worse than yers using hacks!

    Yu-Mi asked, ¡°Joseph, do you know where Jin-Sol is?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±

    Yu-Mi and Joseph were living a life for Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, by Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, and of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. They had long established a system to fully support Chul-Soo, constantly monitoring the locations and avability of key members of the K-Force.

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s send the Saint of Freedom straight to the Hell Man¡¯s pce!¡± Yu-Mi said while adjusting her round sses. ¡°The aftermath is going to be huge, so let¡¯s do our part to support him as well. Let¡¯s make it big, Starmaker Joseph!¡±

    ***

    Riding the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok tried to strike up a conversation with the boy, but the boy did not respond. The boy still seemed shocked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take him to the castle first and try to stabilize him before having a conversation,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He safely arrived at Hell Man¡¯s castle. Hell Man was waiting for them in the castle¡¯s massive central building.

    ¡°I heard what happened to you. Are you alright?¡± Hell Man said.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was unruffled. Even though a minor mistake could have turned him into a lost soul inside a warp portal, he found that aspect quite interesting. He believed that he had maintained dramatic tension during the livestream even though the livestream had been in a third-person perspective. Overall, the situation was quite favorable for him.

    ¡°The boy was brainwashed. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve taken the liberty of calling Park Terse for help,¡± Hell Man said.

    ¡°Good. Let him rest for a bit. I think I need some rest too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok received VIP treatment as he entered the castle. Even so, he did not stop livestreaming.

    ¡°Do you believe this is Hell Man¡¯s castle?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He walked toward the gleaming golden gate. Guards in uniform stood beside it, raising their spears to salute Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Traditionally, Hell was known for its strength butcked in civilization. But as you can see, that¡¯s no longer true.

    Entering the gate, he saw giant marble columns and borate statues. The horse statues, seemingly sculpted by a renowned Craftsman, appeared as if they coulde to life at any moment, embodying the current might of Hell. Gold chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, shimmering in the light.

    ¡°The chandeliers are empowered by mana. This is very impressive.¡±

    -Is it okay for him to show the inside of the castle like that?

    -Isn¡¯t this all supposed to be confidential?

    -The world has improved so much. You can watch a different Server¡¯s castle from the inside while lying in bed.

    ¡°The interior of the castle has be quitevish, and it seems they have embraced modern civilization well. It is heartening to see Hell progressing each day,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    During the recent incident in the warp portal, his live viewership had peaked at two billion. Jin-Hyeok had expected the numbers to drop afterward, but they were still fluctuating between 1.9 and 2 billion. The castle¡¯s interior seemed to be quite appealing.

    ¡°The Subi are waiting to serve you in the bath,¡± Hell Man said.

    ¡°Subi?¡±

    ¡°I have carefully selected the most beautiful ones. I have also selected Incubi, so you can choose ording to your preference. You can rx without any worries.¡±

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Jin-Hyeok abruptly interrupted him. ¡°Are you an Assassin?¡±

    ¡°Assassin?¡± Hell Man frowned. ¡°Is a rat hiding in here?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head in disbelief. He knew well that Hell Man meant no harm. Hell Man must have spoken so carelessly due to ack of understanding of the livestreaming ecosystem. ¡°My livestream can get demized because of this.¡±

    ¡°Demized?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like a warning for Streamers. Anyway, I am livestreaming for all ages here.¡±

    An image of a swarm of nude Subi and Incubi attending to him would not be favorable for his video. This content could sharply divide his viewers and was not good for Jin-Hyeok, who dealt with a massive audience.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just rest alone,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Hell Man found it hard to understand why Jin-Hyeok was displeased. After all, he had chosen the best among the famously beautiful Subi and Incubi.

    <i>¡®Is he not into Subi?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Terse, who had tamed monsters in Hell, arrived at Hell Man¡¯s castle. A maid led him to Jin-Hyeok''s room, where a sweet peach fragrance filled the air.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡±

    ¡°Can we dream of true love with him?¡±

    ¡°I tried to seduce him, but he didn¡¯t even give me a chance.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make him more attractive?¡±

    As the door opened, several Subi emerged from it. Terse stood dazed for a moment.

    <i>¡®What am I looking at?¡¯ </i>he thought. It seemed like a collection of the world¡¯s most beautiful people. The silhouettes of the departing figures seemed to radiate halos. He looked back as if he was enchanted. Unwittingly, he sniffed the air and followed the scent of peach, slowly walking forward.

    ¡°Terse, snap out of it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Suddenly, Terse regained his senses.

    ¡°You almost fell for their seduction, huh.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If Subi seduce you, you won¡¯t have a bone left in your body. Remember that.¡±

    ¡°That would be worth it.¡± Terse looked at Jin-Hyeok with envy. ¡°What does it feel like to live your life?¡±

    ¡°Did you check out my livestream?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Is livestreaming all that¡¯s in your head?¡± Terse asked. <i>¡®Is it so important that you can even send away such gorgeous beings from your room?¡¯ </i>

    Terse felt a bit sorry for Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I guess your life isn¡¯t as happy as people think, huh!¡±

    ¡°Did you watch the livestream or not?¡±

    <i>¡®I guess this intense determination is what got you here. I should step up my game too.¡¯ </i>Terse had fully regained his senses. He said, ¡°I watched it. Let me talk to the boy. If he was brainwashed, I might be able to help.¡±

    ***

    In the end, Terse was not of any help.

    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any mental maniption. It¡¯s not the kind of brainwashing I deal with. Hell Man came to the same conclusion. Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure why he called me here since he¡¯s more skilled in this area. To me, it looks more like drug-induced maniption. He should¡¯ve called the Saint of Freedom,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°Cha Jin-Sol?¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°Does she handle drug-induced cases as well?¡±

    <i>¡®When did Blood Priestesses have such powers?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡®<i>Is it like treating drug addiction in the brain?¡¯</i>

    Terse shook his head. ¡°How could you be so disinterested in your sister? The Saint of Freedom is the drug expert.¡±

    That turned out to be true.

    ¡°How did youe here so fast?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yu-Mi told me to get here, so I left quite a while ago. Anyway, is this the boy? I will have a look at him.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was so amused that he just chuckled. <i>¡®She¡¯s not treating him in the conventional way.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Sol had previously mentioned enjoying the use of drugs as part of her y. She said to her brother, ¡°Remember when you said that the best defense is a good offense? It¡¯s kind of like that. The best treatment a yer could get is to not get hurt at all. I thought hard about what you said and found that preventing the enemy from attacking is the most effective method. And for that, drugs are the best. My blood works incredibly well for this purpose.¡±

    Having handled drugs to such an extent, Jin-Sol had be an expert. Traditionalists would have been outraged by such a im, but Jin-Hyeok easily epted it.

    ¡°It seems like you underwent an enlightenment,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks to someone.¡± Jin-Sol bit her thumb, drew some blood, and ced her finger in the boy¡¯s mouth. The boy¡¯s trembling ceased, and his ragged breathing began to calm.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the conversation. Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, turning his livestream back on.

 Chapter 358

    <h4>Chapter 358</h4>

    Sandyem and the members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell were bewildered.

    ¡°We have to do something!¡±

    If people learned that the alliance¡¯s members hadmitted acts of terrorism within a warp portal, that would be the end. The alliance would no longer be seen as a band of righteous liberators fighting for Hell¡¯s freedom, reduced to a cosmic criminal group guilty of crimes against humanity.

    ¡°Do not worry.¡± Hm, the leader of the Alliance, reassured them.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell us the same before?¡±

    ¡°You told us that they would never find a way out...¡±

    Hm frowned. ¡°Then, let me ask you this. Do any of you have a better idea?¡±

    No one, including Sandyem, had foreseen this situation. Only Hm had prepared for the worst-case scenario.

    He revealed his n. ¡°I had imnted a poison inside the boy for this exact situation. Even now, that brave boy will die.¡±

    ¡°Poison?¡±

    ¡°Of course, this would lead to various problems after the boy dies.¡± Hm knew that the autopsy would certainly reveal the cause of death, and that would generate a lot ofmotion. ¡°But we must put out the urgent fire first, right?¡±

    ¡°So, when will this poison take effect? We can all see the boying back to his senses. Are you sure this will work?¡±

    Hm nced at his wristwatch. ¡°In about seven minutes, that brave young warrior will close his eyes under the banner of freedom.¡±

    ¡°Seven minutes is enough for him to expose us and still have time to spare!¡±

    ¡°So, we must stall for time.¡±

    Sandyem suggested an idea. ¡°Chul-Soo is obsessed with content. If we just provide him with some materials for his next content, that should buy us some time.¡±

    ¡°Materials for his next content?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about his Eltube channel.¡±

    They quickly agreed on a n.

    ¡°I know an old man with information on how Blood Priestesses can be stronger. He too is a great warrior for your freedom.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Since Chul-Soo is genuinely interested in making hisrades stronger, if the old man goes to Hell Man¡¯s castle, Chul-Soo will definitely meet him. Seven minutes should be enough for that!¡±

    ***

    A white-haired old man with piercing eyes shouted at the castle gates, ¡°I havee to see the Blood Priestess!¡±

    As the half-naked old man wildly ran around, the guards sighed.

    ¡°Do we have to inform them about this crazy old man too?¡±

    ¡°We have no choice. Everything rted to Chul-Soo must be reported.¡±

    Hell Man directly informed Jin-Hyeok. ¡°An old man outside the gate is looking for you guys. He says he knows how to make Blood Priestesses stronger.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted. <i>¡®This can make for good content for my channel!¡¯</i>

    Whether the old man¡¯s words were true or not, Jin-Hyeok figured he could make about a ten-minute video out of it. Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes also sparkled.

    ¡°But he¡¯s bleeding from the mouth and saying that he does not have much time left. He needs to meet the Saint of Freedom immediately to continue the noble lineage of the Great Blood Priestess,¡± Hell Man said.

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    ¡°Of course, this can all be a lie. He might just be a crazy old man, or maybe it¡¯s a ruse to buy time. But I reckon none of that matters to you.¡±

    Whether the old man was a crazy person, a pawn sent by someone to stall for time, or an expert on Blood Priestesses, none of that mattered to Jin-Hyeok. The important thing was whether this would be interesting enough for his viewers.

    Hell Man nodded. ¡°I will protect the boy myself. Go on then, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Sol opened the window and stepped onto the railing, as if she was about to jump at any moment.

    ¡°Oppa,¡± she said, looking at Jin-Hyeok, who was telling her to hurry up.

    Jin-Hyeok immediately realized something. <i>¡®Ah, right. Jumping off the window should be faster.¡¯</i>

    He had initially thought to leave the room, cross the hallway, and take the stairs. That would have been a foolish choice. Jumping was quicker.

    ¡°What are you doing? Put your arms around me,¡± Jin-Sol said. She was a Healer, so she could not jump down herself, but Jin-Hyeok could.

    He held her and jumped, marveling. <i>¡®Jin-Sol¡¯s desperation is so deep that she¡¯s even willing to risk physical contact with me!¡¯</i>

    It was a rather astonishing realization. The depth of Jin-Sol¡¯s desperation was far greater than he had anticipated. Seeing the vitality in her eyes, Jin-Hyeok also felt uplifted. Hended lightly while still holding her.

    -LOL, they just jumped off a fortress with all sorts of protective barriers.

    -Maybe Hell Man lifted the barriers.

    -No way!

    -It¡¯s about seven stories high, but it should have felt like jumping down from seventy stories high.

    -An Eltuber can jump down from that high? Wow!

    -A year ago, people would have said you were crazy for saying such things.

    -For real.

    It was indeed a tremendous feat, but the viewers were not particrly surprised. They merelyughed at the absurdity, having grown ustomed to such sensational acts.

    -But what¡¯s going on?

    -Is he dead?

    Whether by coincidence or not, as soon as Jin-Hyeok arrived, the old man vomited blood and died.

    ¡°Blood... Priestess...¡±

    Jin-Sol tried hard to heal him, but the old man was already gone.

    ***

    Hm, who had maintained a calm demeanor until now, slumped into his chair. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    They had stalled for enough time. The brave boy would now be dead.

    ¡°His noble death will be remembered forever.¡± Hm stood up and observed a moment of silence for the dead boy. The others also sighed with relief as theymemorated the boy¡¯s soul.

    ¡°Is he really dead?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Unless the boy had the same resistance to poison as Chul-Soo... but that¡¯s unlikely.¡±

    ¡°That is truly fortunate.¡±

    ¡°We must survive. After all, we¡¯re thest bastion fighting for freedom.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re right.¡±

    The members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell embraced each other and held hands, celebrating their sessful escape from this crisis.

    ¡°Chul-Soo has noticed something odd.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m amazed by your excellent strategy and insight, Leader.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo must be desperate. He¡¯s making futile attempts.¡±

    They noticed Jin-Hyeok making a move toward the window again, about to jump. Descending was one thing, but jumping back seven stories was a different story.

    ¡°One would need the energy to jump back up around seventy stories.¡±

    ¡°Looks like Chul-Soo is in hot water. What a foolish act, haha!¡±

    ***

    Having missed the opportunity to learn how to make his sister stronger, Jin-Hyeok felt a tinge of regret. <i>¡®If the old man hadn¡¯t died, my livestream could have been trending right now.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, he received a message from Han Sae-Rin, through Yu-Mi.

    [It¡¯s too coincidental, like a trap just to buy time. It¡¯s also suspicious that the old man wanted to talk to Jin-Sol right at this moment, considering she was featured in your livestream many times before. Go check on the boy right away. Something might have happened to him]

    That was why Jin-Hyeok was in a hurry.

    ¡°It might have been a trap to buy time,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    Once again, he picked up the visibly disheartened Jin-Sol, who did not resist his touch due to her current state.

    Holding her, he leaped high.

    -Wait, he¡¯s jumping back up?

    -Impossible!

    -No way!

    The window was seven stories high. However, due to various barriers, to reach it, one would need the energy and leaping power needed to climb seventy stories.

    Yet, Jin-Hyeok reached the seventh floor with ease.

    -He did it?

    -How?

    -Were the barriers inactive?

    -Can someone exin this, please?

    Jin-Hyeok had unintentionally made the viewers curious, which led to a steady influx of viewers on his livestream.

    ¡°<i>Pant... Pant...</i>¡± Jin-Hyeok breathed heavily on purpose as he rushed to the boy. Fortunately, nothing had happened to him.

    ***

    The members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell were shocked.

    ¡°Sir! How is the boy still alive?¡±

    Hm grimly looked at his phone screen. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the phone again. The boy was alive.

    ¡°H-How is this possible?¡± Hm couldn¡¯t believe it. He thought maybe Hell Man had intervened, but that was not the case.

    ?Nothing happened, right??

    ?That¡¯s right. I suspected someone was ying tricks... but looks like it was just a coincidence.?

    Chul-Soo confirmed directly through the screen that nothing had happened. It appeared that Hell Man had not taken any special measures either. The poison itself seemed not to have worked.

    <i>¡®Why? Why? Why?¡¯ </i>

    While Hm was confused, Jin-Hyeok felt slightly disappointed.

    <i>¡®I thought it was a trap...¡¯ </i>Since nothing had happened, he felt restless as if the content had be dull. <i>¡®But that¡¯s okay. It seems the boy is now ready to talk.¡¯</i>

    Putting his disappointment aside, Jin-Hyeok asked the boy, ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is...¡± Frightened, the boy hid behind Jin-Sol. Perhaps because he had received treatment from her, he seemed a bit more open to her.

    Jin-Sol squatted and gently stroked the boy¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Do you want to talk to me? What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Somfiad.¡± Regaining some calm, Somfiad began to sob. ¡°Please... I want to see my mom...¡±

    ¡°Were you kidnapped?¡±

    Somfiad nodded.

    Jin-Sol softly hugged him. ¡°It must have been terrifying.¡±

    Somfiad burst into tears. Jin-Hyeok did not say much and just captured the crying kid on the screen.

    <i>¡®This is quite provocative...¡¯ </i>

    From the circumstances, it seemed that someone had kidnapped the child andmitted a horrific act of terror. This was a huge issue and perfect content for his channel. As Jin-Hyeok was filming Somfiad¡¯s tears, he shifted his gaze elsewhere.

    ¡°I think I need to cut the livestream for a while. The child seems very startled. I will update you guys once things are settled,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    The viewer count at this moment was a whopping two billion. Jin-Hyeok had ended the livestream at potentially its most provocative moment, with two billion people watching.

    <i>¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯ </i>A strange thought struck him; he did not want to exploit the face and tears of this victimized child for views. <i>¡®Is this the right thing to do? Aren¡¯t I an Eltuber?¡¯</i>

    Somehow, he felt that turning off the livestream was the right decision.

 Chapter 359

    <h4>Chapter 359</h4>

    When Cha Jin-Hyeok ended the livestream, the Korean Region Minor Gallery erupted in a ze.

    [Wow, I have been misunderstanding Chul-Soo all this time.]

    ©¸Me too...

    ©¸I can¡¯t believe he ended the livestream like that.

    [I was convinced that he could sell his parents for the sake of his livestreams.]

    ©¸Me2!

    ©¸Me3!

    [It¡¯s partly Chul-Soo''s fault that we misunderstood him so much.]

    ©¸You¡¯re right.

    ©¸I¡¯m annoyed that I can¡¯t watch his livestream anymore, but he was still pretty cool.

    This situation turned out to be very positive for Jin-Hyeok.

    [Honestly, it was quite moving.]

    ©¸I finally subscribed to Chul-Soo¡¯s channel.

    ©¸Only scumbags exploit tears for views.

    [Everyone thought he was crazy, but he¡¯s not.]

    ©¸I agree.

    ©¸If he were truly crazy, he wouldn¡¯t have thought that way.

    Even the Chul-Soo Landers across the universe were moved by Chul-Soo¡¯s actions. Among them, Marshmallow nodded, continuously clenching and unclenching his fist. ¡°Good, this is it!¡±

    From a senior Streamer¡¯s perspective, the behavior Chul-Soo usually disyed was risky. Hence, a part of Marshmallow had always worried about Chul-Soo. Today¡¯s livestream had swept those worries away. He felt as refreshed as if he had drunk a cool beverage or breathed in clear, fresh air.

    ¡°Huh? I was wondering when he would be up there! Now he is up!¡± he said. Chul-Soo had been finally listed on Poprity Nation, a website that ranked yers based on their poprity.

    Poprity Nation monitored the public opinion of celebrities across the universe. Originally, it listed only politicians, but recently, famous rankers had been included in the list as well. To get on this list, one required not just a high Level but also universal recognition. Inclusion on Poprity Nation served as a criterion to determine if one was a universe-level ranker or not.

    ¡°They finally acknowledged Chul-Soo as a universe-level ranker!¡± Marshmallow rushed to the window and closed the ckout curtains. After making sure Encyclopedia wasn¡¯t around, he secured the door, clenched his fist, and jumped up and down. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo has finally been acknowledged as a universe-level ranker!¡±

    Marshmallow immediately logged into Poprity Nation and ticked the options <i>very favorable</i>,<i> doing very well</i>,<i> </i>or <i>very supportive </i>for all questions rted to Chul-Soo.

    At that moment, the toilet lid opened.

    ¡°I¡¯m d I was hiding here.¡± Encyclopedia was holding his phone, recording a video for who knows how long. ¡°You have finally embraced your identity as a Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    ¡°You were hiding in the toilet?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only natural to go to such lengths to verify a close friend¡¯s beliefs.¡±

    ¡°You call this natural?¡±

    Encyclopedia shrugged. ¡°This is nothing. Remember Ronaldo? Or whatever his name was. The one who used to target Chul-Soo. I believe he was nicknamed Super Doctor, right? Assassins hid in the toilet to attack him. That¡¯s where I got the inspiration.¡±

    Encyclopedia moved closer and peered at Marshmallow¡¯s screen. ¡°Wow, Chul-Soo has seventy-eight percent favorability. Considering he just got his name on the tform, that¡¯s unprecedented!¡±

    If a celebrity had many fans, they inevitably had many haters. However, attacks from the haters tended to be more intense than defenses from the fans. Thus, a favorability score over fifty percent was often interpreted as quite favorable, but Chul-Soo¡¯s score was nearing an impressive eighty percent.

    Steam billowed out of Marshmallow¡¯s marshmallow-shaped head, and he excitedly turned on his livestream.

    ¡°Chul-Soo has been listed on Poprity Nation.¡±

    Encyclopedia skillfully navigated to the ranking tab. Poprity had a category that ranked yers as per their total ytime until registration.

    <strong>[First ce: Kim Chul-Soo (Earth)]</strong>

    <strong>[Second ce: Garbinu (Demon World)]</strong>

    Marshmallow¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°He has set the record for the fastest registration! He has broken the record set by the Great Demon King, Garbinu!¡±

    It was the first time Chul-Soo had achieved victory over Garbinu.

    ***

    Pondering whether Jin-Hyeok was doing the right thing as an Eltuber, Hell Man spoke up. ¡°Why not seek help from the Subi you drove away?¡±

    ¡°Subi?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°One of them has a remarkable ability to read the memories of a sleeping individual.¡±

    ¡°Ah! But isn¡¯t that illegal?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s allowed if the individual requests it. This ability rarely causes any side effects, so even investigative agencies employ Subi for it sometimes. However, it can be used only if the individual willingly epts the Subus. Considering how the boy is desperate and feeling unjust, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s okay to use it, then let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Hell Manmanded, ¡°Call Relphim.¡±

    A Subus named Relphim appeared.

    ¡°Why have you called me when my pride is hurt?¡± Relphim said. She was dressed in a white silk garment resembling pajamas, a sheer dress that conspicuously outlined her corbone, shoulders, and body lines. ¡°I tried dressing more seductively to seduce Mr. Chul-Soo... I didn¡¯t realize there would be a child here.¡±

    Relphim pulled out a knit cardigan from her inventory and put it on, much to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s relief.

    <i>¡®Phew, that was a close call. My livestream almost got demized,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Seeing the relieved Jin-Hyeok, Relphim incredulouslyughed and asked, ¡°It does not seem like you called me here to attend to Mr. Chul-Soo. What do you need me to do?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s... If you could just... read his memories, that would be great.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I will read the memories and record them for you on video.¡± Relphim knelt on one knee, making eye contact with the boy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleepy?¡±

    ¡°I... am.¡±

    ¡°Come here, then.¡± Relphim led the boy to the bed, tucked him in, and patted his chest. As she quietly sang a luby, the exhausted boy quickly fell asleep.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had been worried that Relphim could instinctively seduce the boy, felt relieved again.

    <i>¡®Relphim is a Subus with strong mental control.¡¯ </i>

    Subi naturally seduced, regardless of age or gender, and they seduced anyone who showed interest in them. Though seasoned Subi could suppress this with rationality, most could not. Relphim, however, seemed to control her instincts exceptionally well.

    <i>¡®I can call her as a guest for my livestream sometimes. She¡¯s also quite attractive.¡¯</i>

    An attractive guest always helped his livestreams. It was good for making thumbnails and attracted a lot of viewers.

    Suddenly, Relphim stood up and said, ¡°I will be back in a moment.¡±

    She vanished like smoke, leaving the clothes she had been wearing to the ground. The space she had upied was left with a sweet peach scent. After some time, she reappeared, not wearing a stitch, and pressed close to Jin-Hyeok. She excitedly whispered, ¡°Here. I have stored the boy¡¯s memories.¡±

    She handed over a video recording stone. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement, the scent of a major scoop unmistakable.

    Relphim sighed deeply.

    <i>¡®How can he not give me a single nce after all my efforts?¡¯ </i>She had employed every trick up her sleeve to seduce Chul-Soo, but it was futile. At that point, she became determined. <i>¡®I will definitely seduce him!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok immediately released the video on the memory stone.

    <i>¡°Please... I want to go home...¡±</i>

    <i>¡°This brave young boy has volunteered to ensure the freedom of Hell,¡±</i>

    <i>¡°We will use him as a conduit to create a small explosion. Even a minor explosion can pose a significant threat inside a warp portal.¡±</i>

    The video shocked the entire world.

    [Are these people insane?]

    [Wow, this is the kind of stuff that should have vanished like 300 years ago.]

    [These barbaric people must be eliminated.]

    Jin-Hyeok appealed to the audience, ¡°If anyone knows the identities of these individuals, please inform us.¡±

    Tips poured in from across the universe. Identifying them was not as difficult as he thought.

    ¡°Lightning Mage Sandyem, and Hm, a Ruler who immigrated to Arvis from the Fifth Hell, among others...¡± Hell Man grimaced. ¡°It seems they did not consider the possibility of their identities being exposed. They probably did not wear masks because they were sure the boy would die.¡±

    This incident went beyond a mere attack on a Streamer.

    [Helen Empire Dispatches the Special Task Force.]

    [Mazique Empire Sends Its Imperial Magic Investigation Team With a Formal Request for Cooperation to Hell Man.]

    [Swedeen Empire Sends Its Sword Emperor Unit.]

    All three major empires ruling the Arvis Server announced they would send elite forces to Hell. Themander of the Helen Empire¡¯s special task force, Vilsmark, dered, ¡°These people havemitted a heinous act of terror against Sir Kim Chul-Soo, an honorary citizen of Arvis, within a warp portal, where humanity has vowed to maintain peace. Therefore, Helen, Mazique, and Swedeen cannot overlook their actions.¡±

    Given the universal focus on the terrorist attack in the warp portal, the three empires of Arvis could not just stand by. The members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell became public enemies of the universe. While many apuded the actions of the three empires, Chul-Soo felt differently.

    ¡°We got some blood-sucking mosquitoes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Cha Jin-Sol tilted her head. ¡°Mosquitoes?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I mean those who stick around to suck up my viewer count.¡±

    ¡°Ah, those mosquitoes. But aren¡¯t they useful for finding those who hide very well?¡±

    ¡°Do you think they are doing this for me? They just want to y superheroes.¡± It felt like the three empires had swiftly stolen the spotlight that he had carefully crafted. ¡°Look at this. The trending terms are filled with the Special Task Force and the Magic Investigation Team instead of my name!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Realization often came when least expected.

    ¡°That means you canpete with the three empires. Wouldn¡¯t that be a bigger hit? The members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell are hiding pretty well right now. The imperial forces will be on high alert to find them. But if you find them first, wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo outrunning the three empires of Arvis... We could go with that concept.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Although he usually avoided physical contact with his sister, today he was so grateful that he could not help but pat her head a couple of times. Jin-Sol screamed as she had received a lethal blow, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s find them now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. There was no time for him to rest.

    ¡°Do you want me to call Lessefim Unnie?¡±

    ¡°No. It will create more buzz if we find them without a tracking expert.¡± Jin-Hyeok had just received a hint, yet everything had clicked, which was just usual for him.

    ¡°Is that possible?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡± Inspired by the insight he had gained from Jin-Sol, Jin-Hyeok thought of a new approach. ¡°I felt lightning energy from the boy. And I have felt that energy before.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t find something I have experienced not once but twice, then I don¡¯t deserve to be called the master of a Thunder Dragon.¡±

    Using the Thunder Dragon seemed like a viable way to track down the Lightning Mage Sandyem.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Right after summoning the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Hyeok flinched. <i>¡®This is... an unexpected twist.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 360

    <h4>Chapter 360</h4>

    Cha Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, this is the Thunder Dragon?¡±

    The individual in front of her was not a creature but a woman.

    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t summon me as a ride this time,¡± the Thunder Dragon said.

    ¡°Even your voice is so beautiful! How?¡± Jin-Sol giggled. ¡°I do have a thing for beautiful people.¡±

    Jin-Sol had met a beautiful Subus named Relphim a few days ago, but Relphim was not to her taste. Relphim was provocatively bold and dangerously alluring, the kind of woman who seemed to emit a dangerous aura. The Thunder Dragon had apletely different vibe. Moreover, her golden hair flowed down to her waist, rippling like waves.

    ¡°She¡¯s a goddess.¡± Jin-Sol marveled at the Thunder Dragon in pure admiration, struck by her almost outwardly aura. ¡°Such wless skin, a pert nose, and a sharp jawline... Who knew such cliche descriptions could feel so fresh!¡±

    Thanks to Jin-Sol¡¯s endless chatter, Cha Jin-Hyeok did not need to say a word. He was delighted to see his sister¡¯s growth. <i>¡®You have improved your broadcasting skills, Jin-Sol.¡¯ </i>

    ¡°She¡¯s so dazzling and elegant that she can make me blind.¡± Jin-Sol¡¯s praise was a bit too much.

    -What a stunning beauty and aura!

    -This is art.

    -Her visuals are shocking. Beautifully traditional yet trendy and somewhat androgynous. It only adds to the mystique. Absolutely gorgeous.

    -She¡¯s breathtakingly beautiful. Even though I¡¯m a woman, she is totally my type.

    The des for the Thunder Dragon flowed endlessly.

    ¡°Enough with the praises,¡± the Thunder Dragon said, seemingly uninterested in Jin-Sol¡¯s excessivepliments. However, being the dragon¡¯s master, Jin-Hyeok could see beneath her cool expression and ascertain her true thoughts.

    <strong>[#More. #More. #More.]</strong>

    <i>¡®She looks so dignified on the outside. Being able to hide her true feelings like that is a gift,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. She was indeed the Thunder Dragon of an Eltuber. She meticulously managed her every expression, and he found this rather endearing.

    ¡°Dragons are known to pursue beauty,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°We are a race pursuing aesthetics,¡± Thunder Dragon replied.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you shown your beauty before?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled even more brightly than Jin-Sol¡¯s ¡®<i>I love everything pretty¡¯ </i>gaze.

    The Thunder Dragon frowned. ¡°Are you also a frivolous one, drawn only to outer beauty?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of pursuing a romantic rtionship with you. As you know, I¡¯m quite busy taking care of my child.¡±

    -What if you weren¡¯t?

    -I will take care of the kids. Please marry me!

    -She is so pretty! Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty!

    ¡°I¡¯m with you on that. I don¡¯t have such intentions either,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. He could not betray the Chul-Soo Landers.

    ¡°What?¡± The Thunder Dragon was shocked. Even though she was mentally linked to Jin-Hyeok, she was unable to understand it. <i>¡®How can he remain so indifferent to my beauty? Did he not feel anything when he first saw me?¡¯</i>

    Then it slowly dawned on her. <i>¡®Was it not just because of my beauty... but because I made for good content for his Eltube channel?¡¯</i>

    The Thunder Dragon unconsciously clenched her fist. She had no intention of pursuing a romantic rtionship with Jin-Hyeok, but his blunt refusal was a blow to her pride.

    Jin-Hyeok smirked. <i>¡®This is perfect for my livestream.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok enjoyed featuring beautiful guests on his livestream. Attractive guests led to a higher number of likes and viewers.

    ¡°Yes, now that my level has increased and I can use the Guardian Tree¡¯s power, many of the Thunder Dragon¡¯s restrictions have been lifted. Thanks to that, the Thunder Dragon can use her unique ability, Polymorph, to assume this form.¡±

    The Thunder Dragon was beginning to transcend its mere role as a mount.

    ¡°We can find the type of lightning energy you¡¯re talking about. However, I need to experience it directly first,¡± the Thunder Dragon said.

    ¡°Leave that to me.¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Omnipotent Director.]</strong>

    The world around them turned to shades of gray. In this space, Jin-Hyeok used a Skill called Load to y a video. While Load was a basic Skill avable to all Streamers, when used along with Omnipotent Director, it became something else entirely.

    Even the Thunder Dragon was impressed. ¡°It perfectly recreates the situation from that time.¡±

    The Skill wlessly reproduced the scene of the ambush from the warp portal. Everything was the same as then¡ªthe atmosphere, temperature, humidity, and other sensory details. The Thunder Dragon closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment, her eyes flickered with a blue light.

    ¡°This should be enough. I think I can track them now.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok once again rode the Thunder Dragon, who had turned back to its dragon form, soaring through the sky.

    -Wait, the dragon form also looks sexy. LOL!

    -Those sleek scales!

    -I didn¡¯t know I had a thing for reptiles.

    -Sis Dragon~ I¡¯m in love!

    -Sister, take me with you. T_T

    The Thunder Dragon, merely revealing its human form, had skyrocketed its poprity.

    <i>¡®Creating content while moving from one ce to another is always a bit challenging,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    That was why Jin-Hyeok often skipped parts where he was traveling, but thanks to the Thunder Dragon¡¯s Polymorph ability, livestreaming had be much easier. There was no need for him to fill the audio as the viewers themselves interacted and fired off various jokes.

    <i>¡®Being beautiful is the best.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could finally rx a bit about the livestream during traveling.

    After flying for some time, the Thunder Dragon said, ¡°I sense it somewhere around here.¡±

    From up high, they could see a massive rocky mountain on the ground.

    -Is that Galui Rocky Mountain?

    -Wow, I heard that ce is tough.

    -What¡¯s Galui Rock Mountain?

    Galui Rocky Mountain was a natural maze located in the Fourth Hell.

    -There are hundreds of thousands of caves there. Terrorists have long used it as a hideout.

    -Until 100 years ago, it was the hideout for a notorious terrorist group called Alkin.

    -Alkin? Aren¡¯t they infamous for being dangerous and brutal?

    Alkin was a terrorist group that used to operate against numerous high-ranking Servers. They would take rankers¡¯ families hostage and demand huge randoms. Galui Rocky Mountain was their hideout. Many rankers had tried to conquer Alkin here but had repeatedly failed. Hence, people also called this ce the rankers¡¯ graveyard.

    -There is no way Chul-Soo will find them there.

    -If his enemies decide to hide inside, he¡¯ll never find them.

    -Maybe he has a way?

    -Even Chul-Soo¡¯s grandfather would not make it there. History has proven it.

    As opinions were divided on whether Jin-Hyeok could find Sandyem in Galui Rocky Mountain, someone brought up a poignant observation.

    -But we are forgetting an important fact.

    -An important fact?

    -He found Sandyem faster than the three empires¡¯ alliance. And without any Navigator¡¯s help.

    -Oh... you¡¯re right!

    -Wow! I guess I¡¯m too used to the Chul-Soo Universe. LOL

    -When you think about it, this doesn¡¯t make sense at all!

    The viewers had just realized the strangeness of the situation.

    -I can¡¯t believe he can do this.

    ***

    The Special Task Force of the Helen Empire, the Magic Investigation Team of the Mazique Empire, and the Sword Emperor Unit of the Swedeen Empire were all formidable forces. Temporarily leading these units was none other than Special Task Forcemander Vilsmark.

    Vilsmark had been a great hero in Arvis for the past sixty years, solving countlessplex and unsolved cases; no case under hismand had gone unresolved. The leaders of the Magic Investigation Team and the Sword Emperor Unit had also passed theirmand to Vilsmark out of respect for him.

    ¡°We need to find their hideout first. They used an old man and the lie that he could make Blood Priestess more powerful as a diversion. So, they are likely hiding somewhere in the Fourth Hell, with the highest probability of the location being Galui Rocky Mountain, Homel Cave, or Shamambi Inds.¡±

    In the middle of the leaders¡¯ meeting, someone burst in. ¡°Commander! Chul-Soo has pinpointed the location of Sandyem!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Please, check his livestream.¡±

    Commander Vilsmark was bbergasted. ¡°He found this ce without a Navigator?¡±

    Chu-Soo was not an expert in Hell¡¯s geography, nor was he a Ruler with special insights; he merely summoned his Thunder Dragon and followed the energy of the lightning. Vilsmark felt an emotion simr to what the viewers felt. <i>¡®How is this possible?¡¯</i>

    Vilsmark continued without showing much emotion, ¡°This is a matter of pride for our three empires.¡±

    This issue was famous across the universe, and he wanted the three empires to resolve it. Ilina, the leader of the Magic Investigation Team, tapped her long smoking pipe and stood up, exhaling a puff of smoke. ¡°Let¡¯s move. We need to capture Sandyem before Chul-Soo does.¡±

    However, Vilsmark shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t focus solely on Sandyem. Our ultimate target is Hm, the leader of the Freedom Alliance of Hell. He might try to sacrifice Sandyem and escape himself.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just sit back and watch Chul-Soo catch Sandyem,¡± Ilina said.

    ¡°Ilina, I need you to lead the Magic Investigation Team to Galui Rocky Mountain. It would be good if you could coborate with Chul-Soo. The Special Task Force and the Sword Emperor Unit will track down Hm.¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you trying to leave me the small fry while you go after the big fish?¡±

    Vilsmark shook his head again. ¡°Only the Magic Investigation Team can move there immediately. The Special Task Force and Sword Emperor Unit do not have that capability. We can¡¯t give the impression that we lost to him. Only you can do this, Ilina. Please.¡±

    ***

    Dozens of green magic circles appeared in the air. Unsummoning the Thunder Dragon and descending to the ground, Jin-Hyeok examined the magic circles. ¡°It feels like a significant number of powerful Mages have teleported here.¡±

    These yers were none other than the members of the Magic Investigation Team of the Mazique Empire. Most of the Mages wore robes, making it hard to see their faces, but all had a sun-shaped badge on their chests.

    A woman with striking red hair came out of the crowd. ¡°Pleased to meet you. My name is Ilina. I am themander of the Magic Investigation Team.¡±

    Ilina had her hair pinned up with a silver hairpin, and her skin was so pale it was almost ghostly. She held a long smoking pipe in her right hand, which emitted white smoke, and her outfit was shed at the side, revealing her bare legs.

    <i>¡®Ilina is here too?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. <i>¡®Lucky me!¡¯</i>

    He had almost shouted that. After having Relphim and the Thunder Dragon on his livestream, he was not getting the chance to have Ilina too. This delighted him. Splitting the thumbnail into three parts featuring these beautiful women would guarantee views. He even thought of a video title.

    [The Beautiful Trio]

    It was cheesy and cliche but sure to attract all kinds of attention¡ªfrom those drawn to beauty to those who criticized the superficial focus of modern media.

    <i>¡®Hm... maybe the title needs to be more provocative.¡¯</i>

    A better title came to mind.

    [SSS-Tier Beautiful Trio]

    <i>¡®Perfect. I¡¯m so good at this.¡¯</i>

    Pleased with himself, Jin-Hyeok smiled.

 Chapter 361

    <h4>Chapter 361</h4>

    Ilina strolled toward Cha Jin-Hyeok, puffing on a cigarette. ¡°You¡¯re here too? What a coincidence! It seems we had simr thoughts.¡±

    She was trying to make it look like she had not engaged in stream sniping, and herposed demeanor made her look sincere.

    Without a word, Jin-Hyeok captured her poised figure on his livestream.

    -So cool!

    -I guess I like women who smoke now.

    -She¡¯s not pretty, but cool. T_T So cool!

    -I¡¯m a woman, yet I¡¯ve fallen for her.

    She seemed to be much more popr among female viewers than among male ones. Consequently, the chat was overwhelmingly active.

    Ilina exined to Jin-Hyeok why she hade here. ¡°....this... and that... so, we deduced that the Lightning Mage Sandyem must be hiding in the Galui Mountains. I assume you came to the same conclusion.¡±

    -Wow, the Magic Investigation Team is so amazing!

    -She is so scary.

    -They figured out this ce just from a few clues.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled satisfactorily. It didn¡¯t matter whether they had found their way here or stream-sniped his livestream. An interesting livestream always required elements of crisis and tension, and the more skilled Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opponents were, the more entertaining the content would be.

    Ilina continued, ¡°Searching this ce one area at a time is almost impossible. Therefore, I have a proposal.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°We can obliterate this location from the map with a bombardment of magic skills. That¡¯ll be easier.¡±

    llina¡¯s radical idea surprised Jin-Hyeok. Just like how the best defense was a good offense, the best way to find someone in hiding was to blow up their hiding spot. After all, if that person did not want to die, they would have to show themselves eventually.

    Ilina went on. ¡°This will be a dangerous operation, so I would appreciate it if you would step back for a while.¡±

    Her words were polite, but her intentions weren¡¯t. She was essentially asking him to take a backseat and let her team do the job.

    R??adtest chapt??rs at freewebnov§×l.?om Only.

    -Wow, this is so intense.

    -How can someone say, ¡®We don¡¯t need you,¡¯ so elegantly?

    -She seems kind of annoying.

    -Does she think that just because she¡¯s pretty, she can order him around?

    -Yeah, being pretty means everything.

    Ilina subtly nced at Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®Well, how are you going to respond?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Ilina had no intention of avoiding conflict or friction with Jin-Hyeok. On the contrary, she somewhat hoped for it. Hailing from a prestigious traditional magic tower in Arvis, she had no intention of acknowledging a Streamer who had recently be famous. One couldn¡¯t be recognized as a universe-level ranker just because they had exceptional skills.

    <i>¡®Long-standing prestige built over generations and a tradition of numerous achievements piling over time¡ªyerscking these... especially those who stray from the path, do not deserve to be called a universe-level ranker,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought.

    From Ilina¡¯s perspective, Jin-Hyeok was a nouveau riche of yers. To those of traditional wealth, such new money wasughable.

    <i>¡®yers like you who suddenly gain power and fame tend to boast and have a strong pretense.¡¯</i>

    Therefore, Jin-Hyeok would inevitably bristle at herments¡ªa misconception that Ilina had due to herck of understanding of Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok asked her, ¡°Will the attack be spectacr?¡±

    ¡°The essence of a magic spell is not about spectacle but about manifesting will. I¡¯m not sure what your standards of <i>spectacr</i> are, but it will likely exceed them.¡±

    This was another clear provocation, but Jin-Hyeok remained unbothered.

    <i>¡®Hm... Area bombardment spells from the infamous Magic Investigation Team!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok chuckled. He wondered how spectacr and impressive the scene would be.

    ¡°Please make it as impressive as possible.¡±

    Ilina couldn¡¯t understand the flow of the conversation. She had no idea why Chul-Soo wanted the attack to be spectacr; he should have asked for the attack to be efficient and forceful.

    <i>¡®Is he mocking us?¡¯ </i>Although she was puzzled, she did not want to start a fight without understanding his intentions, as that would likely lead to a losing battle.

    ¡°Step back. I¡¯m initiating the magic spell,¡± Ilina said.

    Jin-Hyeokplied without fuss. Some viewers mocked him.

    -LOL! All bark and no bite!

    -He can¡¯t even peep in front of Ilina.

    -Chul-Soo has no pride. He chickened out.

    -Maybe he¡¯s fallen for her seduction technique?

    ***

    Ilina stood with her signature nt, blowing out cigarette smoke. ¡°Magic Investigation Team. Prepare the spell!¡±

    ¡°Preparing the spell.¡±

    <i>¡®Should I focus on Ilina or the Magic Investigation Team?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    Ilina was dressed in an outfit that left her legs fully exposed.

    <i>¡®This could draw attention...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok shook his head. <i>¡®No, this is just a distraction!¡¯</i>

    While her striking appearance made for great clickbait, it could not be the essence of the content. Relying on easy paths would not lead to great sess. Focusing on such superficial features could work for second- or third-tier Streamers, but to climb to the top, Jin-Hyeok needed to concentrate on the core of the content.

    <i>¡®I should first subtly capture her on camera, then focus on the Mages.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok looked forward to the magic spell. The sight of dozens of top-tier Mages coordinating to perform a massive joint spell was not something one could easily witness, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced in anticipation.

    At that moment, Ilina exhaled another puff of smoke.

    ¡°Ah, the smoke rises like a cluster of clouds. It¡¯s like fog is setting in.¡± Jin-Hyeok narrated the scene to the viewers. He appeared quite pleased. ¡°It¡¯s a thundercloud.¡±

    The magic spell prepared by Ilina and the Magic Investigation Team was of the electrical variety. The Mages extended their hands, and magic circles began to form on their hands and spun vigorously. Crackling noises filled the air as lightning energy spread in all directions.

    Ilinamanded, ¡°Layer the magic spell.¡±

    ¡°Layering the magic spell!¡±

    Following Ilina¡¯s orders, the Mages repeatedly performed the same procedure. Meanwhile, the smoke that Ilina had exhaled transformed into a fog-like substance, enveloping the mountain¡¯s airspace. The energy from the Mages¡¯ lightning burst into the sky.

    ¡°It¡¯s like lightning emerging from the ground and falling toward the sky.¡± Jin-Hyeok tried his best to describe what was going on, though he was notpletely satisfied with the scene. <i>¡®My viewers should be used to this level of stimtion.¡¯</i>

    The performance disyed by the Magic Investigation Team was something that Jin-Hyeok could do while summoning the Thunder Dragon, just like the supercell filling up the sky and constantly unleashing thunderstorms. Compared to the Thunder Dragon¡¯s entrance, this felt somewhatckluster. Still, he did not show his disappointment outwardly.

    <i>¡®The Thunder Dragon¡¯s entrance was a bit too shy,¡¯ </i>he thought. It was so shy that he had even asked Thunder Dragon, <i>¡°Why did you make such a dramatic entrance? What was your intention?¡±</i>

    Style was not everything. Even if the attackcked some ir, showing the awe and power of a more destructive and mighty magic spell bombardment had its merits.

    ¡°They are stillyering the magic spell to unleash it all at once. I¡¯m really curious to see how powerful it will be,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    Thousands of thunderstorms relentlessly poured down from the sky. The genius Mages had precisely implemented the destructive energy throughplex calctions. A massive shockwave swept through.

    ¡°It¡¯s destroying the peaks of the rocky mountain!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Rock fragments scattered in all directions as if hundreds of catapults were hurling stones.

    <i>Bang! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Broken rocks and debris fell near Jin-Hyeok, and dust clouds rose around him. Dangerous situations unfolded as the ground where the rocks hit formed craters.

    ¡°Some Mages are casting defensive spells to protect theirrades who are using lightning magic, carefully ensuring that they do not interfere with the magic spell. The coordination between the offensive teams and the defensive team is incredible. This is truly the skill expected of the Mazique¡¯s Empire¡¯s investigation team!¡± Jin-Hyeok tried to make a big deal out of it, though he felt that the magic spell was somewhat weak. <i>¡®It¡¯s a littlecking.¡¯</i>

    Objectively, its destructive power was strong, but it did not meet Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expectations.

    <i>¡®Is it because they are the investigation team and not the Knight¡¯s Order? Perhaps their strength lies in investigations?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    After the grand magic spell bombardment subsided, the thunderclouds dissipated, and the dust settled. Soon, the clear and bright sky was visible again.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ This is it? It ended a bit too quickly.¡¯ </i> Jin-Hyeok had shown his disappointment almost inadvertently but managed to restrain himself like a professional Streamer.

    Ilina nced at him. <i>¡®He seems surprised. Well, being from Earth, he probably has not seen such arge-scale joint magic spell.¡¯</i>

    Ilina approached Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily speechless. <i>¡®Was there even a chance to get hurt?¡¯ </i>

    It was hard to understand why she would ask if he was injured when there had been no such risk.

    <i>¡®Is this all for the sake of the livestream?¡¯ </i>He suspected it could be an attempt to artificially create a sense of crisis. Although the attack¡¯s destructive power had not met his expectations, Ilina¡¯s understanding of livestreaming seemed better than expected.

    Jin-Hyeok exaggerated it. ¡°Thanks to your efforts, I was barely able to save myself. That Skill is incredible.¡±

    <i>¡®Did she want to do a variety show-type of livestreaming?¡¯ </i> Jin-Hyeok was a bit confused.

    Ilina smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Being unfamiliar with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s antics andcking an understanding of his livestreams, she misunderstood the situation. <i>¡®I knew it. The rumors about Chul-Soo¡¯s strength being exaggerated are true.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok set up his camp a short distance from the Magic Investigation Team¡¯s camp.

    ¡°They have created a massive barrier around the Galui Mountains, sealing it off so tightly that not even an ant can escape it. It¡¯s secured from the sky to the underground,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The Mages seemed more talented at defense than offense, though he did not voice this observation.

    ¡°The Mages have nned their work in two shifts, morning and afternoon, to efficiently manage their stamina, and they expect the job to take about a week.¡± At that point, Jin-Hyeok had made up his mind. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of giving it a try tomorrow.¡±

    Shooting simr types of content for an entire week felt like a waste of time, especially since it was not even particrly spectacr.

    ¡°It¡¯s taking way too long. I mean, does it really need a whole week?¡±

    -He¡¯s essentially saying that they are too weak and that he¡¯s going to handle it. LOL

    -Tomorrow is going to be interesting, LOL!

    -I¡¯m curious about Ilina¡¯s expression when she hears this.

    ***

    The next morning, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Can I give it a try during the break after the morning attack?¡±

    ¡°No, you cannot,¡± Ilina said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°This operation involves precise calctions, carried out ording to a detailed n by the Mages from prestigious magic towers. To put it a bit dramatically, we even calcte down to each grain of sand in the mountain. I understand your adventurous spirit, Sir Chul-Soo, but it can potentially disrupt the entire operation.¡±

    ¡°Are you politely telling me to get lost because I¡¯m not helpful?¡±

    ¡°I regret that you interpret my words that way, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok paused to consider it. <i>¡®Should I escte the conflict with Ilina?¡¯</i>

    It seemed like she had a good understanding of livestreaming, and Jin-Hyeok assumed she was going to y along.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to tell you this, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok was still confused about whether this content was a documentary or a means of entertainment, but he continued with a serious expression, ¡°The Magic Investigation Team¡¯s attacks are weaker than I expected. You say it¡¯s because of precise calctions, but I don¡¯t understand why those calctions are needed in the first ce.¡±

    Ilina¡¯s expression hardened.

 Chapter 362

    <h4>Chapter 362</h4>

    The deputymander of the Magic Investigation Team, Melkin, was standing beside Ilina. He stepped forward and raised his voice, not bothering to hide the anger he had barely suppressed inside him. ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, are you insulting the Magic Investigation Team?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to insult you or your team. But if you¡¯re offended, I apologize,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like the attitude of someone who¡¯s truly sorry.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even see why I should apologize.¡±

    ¡°You impudent brat!¡± Melkin yelled. ¡°Do you think you rule the world just because you¡¯re famous?¡±

    ¡°I never said nor thought I ruled the world.¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head, unsure why Melkin was angry. <i>¡®But him losing his temper will make my livestream more exciting.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. He loved stirring up conflict to raise the tension for his livestream.

    Melkin tried to hide it, but Jin-Hyeok¡¯s rxed demeanor irritated him.

    <i>¡®That audacious fool!¡¯ </i>Melkin wasn¡¯t ustomed to this treatment. He was a deputymander of the Magic Investigation Team in the Mazique Empire, so people usually bowed and cowered whenever he spoke. This unusual defiance displeased him.

    Then, Ilina said, ¡°Melkin, have you forgotten who¡¯s standing next to you?¡±

    ¡°I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Step back and control yourself.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°It seems I have been too lenient with youtely. You¡¯re even talking back to me.¡±

    Melkin hastily bowed and retreated a couple of steps.

    Ilina sighed, blew a puff of smoke toward Melkin¡¯s face, and calmly said, ¡°Sir Chul-Soo. I will take your remarks as stemming from ignorance of magic.¡±

    -She actually means that Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t know shit about magic and that he should shut up.

    -Melkin¡¯s the real deal.

    -She¡¯s so pretty, but she¡¯s not my type.

    -Who the hell asked for your type?

    ¡°Everything looks easy from the outside, Sir Chul-Soo. You look so confident, but only after you try something can you know how difficult it is,¡± Ilina said.

    ¡°Commander!¡± Melkin shouted.

    Grimacing, Ilina spun around and punched her subordinate in the stomach.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    Melkin fell to the ground, and Ilina gently pressed her boot against his cheek. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to control yourself? Am I a joke to you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok desperately tried to suppress anotherugh. <i>¡®This will be perfect as the thumbnail.¡¯</i>

    -LOL, I wish I were Melkin right now.

    -Please, step on my face, Ilina!

    -You guys are so gross.

    -I wish I were Melkin too.

    As suchments flooded Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel, many viewers clearly understood what was going on.

    -Usually, people get scared in this kind of situation, don¡¯t they?

    -I heard Chul-Soo is acting like that to stir up conflicts.

    -Wow, those two have no idea who Chul-Soo is...

    -These noble folks would never care about a nobody from a no-name Server.

    -Did you just insult our Chul-Soo by calling him a nobody? How great do you think you are?

    -It was sarcasm, you idiot. No wonder our country¡¯s average IQ is dropping.

    -But you didn¡¯t need to insult me...

    ***

    Ilina marveled at this turn of events; everything had transpired exactly as per the predictions of Vilsmark, themander of the Special Task Force of the Helen Empire.

    <i>¡°Use your magic to a minimum,¡± </i>Vilsmark had instructed them. <i>¡°This will prompt Chul-Soo to volunteer to step forward. Then, you should reluctantly grant him the opportunity to use his power.¡±</i>

    In reality, Ilina and her team didn¡¯t intend to destroy the mountain. They were justying a trap, which was designed to appear as a raid.

    <i>¡°Chul-Soo will likely exceed your expectations with his attack. He can deploy the Babylon Cannon along with hisrade, Shin Yu-Ri.¡±</i>

    Thus, Ilina prepared a magic circle capable of absorbing the power of the Babylon Cannon. This was the <i>precise calction </i>she was talking about¡ªdeciding how to arrange the rocks using magic, shaping the terrain, and embedding specific magical forms to create the desired magical effects.

    <i>¡°There are some key rocks, especially those made of hard material. You will need to assess them on-site, Ilina.¡±</i>

    Their goal was simple: either kill Chul-Soo or inflict near-fatal injuries on him.

    <i>¡°Ilina, when the condensed energy explodes, the debris must strike and trip down Chul-Soo. After deceiving him twice or thrice with numerous setups, you should finish him in one blow. You won¡¯t get another chance.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°It¡¯s easier said than done, Vilsmark. Do you think it¡¯s simple to calcte such a deadly attack involving numerous Mages, using shattered rock debris to take down Chul-Soo?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°I can¡¯t do it, but you can.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You do know how to persuade me, old man.¡±</i>

    Chul-Soo was a thorn in the side of the three empires. They never liked what he was doing, from following in the footsteps of Garbinu to nting Guardian Trees in Servers around the universe. They did not like Chul-Soo asserting his dominance.

    <i>¡°Chul-Soo is like a virus spreading corrupted values across the universe, gaining love and influence among countless beings. His influence will grow only stronger with time. Isn¡¯t that right, Ilina?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Our children shouldn¡¯t be exposed to his harmful influence. That would be right for the peace of the universe, wouldn¡¯t it, old man?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°You¡¯re right.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Let¡¯s just say we¡¯re nipping him in the bud before he bes a bigger problem. That¡¯s what our superiors think. Not that I mind.¡± </i>Vilsmark neither confirmed nor denied his philosophy about the situation and added, <i>¡°The problem is that his Level has reached 450.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Why worry about such trivial details? You know it already, don¡¯t you?¡± </i>Ilina smirked and exhaled a cloud of smoke. <i>¡°Once you surpass a certain Level, the difference bes meaningless, as you well know, Sir Vilsmark.¡±</i>

    ***

    Having received an advanced notice, Shin Yu-Ri arrived at the Galui Rocky Mountains and blinked. ¡°Are these people members of the famous Magic Investigation Team?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°They seem less destructive than I expected to, based on the videos.¡±

    ¡°They probably did that on purpose.¡± Jin-Hyeok vaguely sensed that they had not used their full power.

    ¡°So, they intentionally held back?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.... but maybe it¡¯s because of theplex procedures and safety regtions in the Arvis Server.¡±

    ¡°Is that a thing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a sophisticated Server, so they must have to follow many procedures and safety rules. They are like government workers, after all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Government workers do tend to make even simple thingsplicated.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found this frustrating. All they had to do was block or dodge the flying rocks, but instead, they had to exhaust themselves calcting their trajectories.

    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Yu-Ri asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Should we obliterate this rocky mountain, or should we also moderate our power?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily startled. He then asked, ¡°Do you think we can do that in one day?¡±

    ¡°If we use the buffs from the Guardian Tree, I think we can.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was speechless. <i>¡®Yu-Ri seems to have grown faster than I expected.¡¯</i>

    Even Jin-Hyeok had not thought they could demolish the rocky mountain in one day. As time passed, he felt increasingly grateful for the inspiration and motivation his peers provided to him.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s give it our all,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    <i>¡®Everything is unfolding just as Commander Vilsmark predicted. It¡¯s only the two of them. With that woman by his side, things should be even easier,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought.

    Demolishing the rocky mountain required more precise calctions than one could assume. It was no coincidence that Mages specializing in defensive barriers were stationed there. Even the smallest fragment ejected by the magical force could be a deadly projectile.

    <i>¡®The debris will hit that woman. Then, Chul-Soo would have no choice but to use Absolute Barrier to protect her, which would scatter his focus. At that moment, a lethal fragment will strike him.¡¯</i>

    Ilina thought that Chul-Soo was born in the wrong era. Had he been born a hundred years earlier, then based on his growth trajectory, he could have be a man capable of changing the fate of the universe.

    <i>¡®But the Arvis of today has be too powerful.¡¯</i>

    Throughout the ages, divine beings like Chul-Soo had always appeared. But like how a nail that sticks out should always be hammered down, under the scrutiny of the three empires, many divine beings had been disposed of or had fallen off. Ilina thought Chul-Soo would be no different.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Yu-Ri said. Her right arm began to transform, nking as it morphed into a massive cannon.

    ¡°Oh, it seemsrger than before,¡± Jin-Hyeok remarked.

    ¡°Yes. This is Babylon Cannon Level 3, focused solely on destructive power.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream began, Yu-Ri smiled even more brightly.

    -Wait, isn¡¯t this overpowered?

    -Why does Chul-Soo always have such hot girls around him?

    -She might not stand out at first nce, but such women are usually the most popr.

    Despite Yu-Ri¡¯s small stature, the Babylon Cannon she manifested was immenselyrge, focusing entirely on firepower. In contrast, Chul-Soo¡¯s right hand appeared quite modest.

    -It... looks like an arm sleeve. LOL!

    -Wow, I haven¡¯t heard the term <i>arm sleeve</i> in ages. LOL

    -That¡¯s definitely an arm sleeve.

    Yu-Ri¡¯s perception was different from that of the viewers.

    <i>¡®Mr. Chul-Soo has grown again!¡¯ </i>she thought.

    The energy emanating from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand was extraordinary. Just as the giant Guardian Tree had grown to be a mere ordinary tree, so too had his Babylon Cannon.

    <i>¡®He set another benchmark for me! This is... my goal!¡¯</i>

    Feeling exhrated, Yu-Ri increased her firepower.

    The Guardian Tree also roared.

    -¡°Here we gooooo!¡±

    The Guardian Tree was thrilled. It was ustomed to smashing the heads of ordinary beings, but smashing a rocky mountain¡¯s head was something else.

    -¡°This is what I call a change of perspective, you rocky mountain!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and Yu-Riunched a golden beam of light toward the sky.

    Ilina focused on the move, prepared for any idents.

    <i>¡®That looks like an air strike!¡¯ </i>she thought.

    The beam, radiating intense heat, shot upward before plummeting down at a terrifying speed. It looked like a vertical column of light. The surrounding temperature surged instantly, and several Mages hastily drank water to cope with the scorching heat.

    Ilina was impressed. <i>¡®Their destructive power is certainly beyond expectations.¡¯</i>

    The pir of light made contact with the rocky mountain.

    <i>¡®But this is in our calctions,¡¯ </i>she thought. Chul-Soo was now in trouble. <i>¡®Without precise calctions, he will pay with his life for invading the realm of magic.¡¯</i>

    She shook her head and closed her eyes.

    <i>¡®A moment of silence for a hero that never fully bloomed.¡¯ </i>

    If he had been born into a prestigious family in Arvis, things could have been different. He could have been a leading hero destined to rule Arvis.

    <i>¡®Your origin is the only thing to me, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A massive shockwave and a hot st swept through the surroundings. The highly concentrated pir of light seemed to melt the entire rock mountain.

    Ilina swung her arms to raise a defensive barrier. Only then did some of her subordinates start to breathe properly again.

    <i>¡®Something is off,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought.

    She saw no rock fragments. The lethal debris that should have been flying toward Yu-Ri and Jin-Hyeok like the weapons of skilled Assassins was missing. She nced at Yu-Ri and Jin-Hyeok, who were still standing unharmed, continuing to put out firepower.

    <i>¡®What the hell is going on? Were my calctions wrong? I checked the math over and over!¡¯</i>

    At that moment, an unbelievable thought shed through her mind.

    <i>¡®Could it be...?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 363

    <h4>Chapter 363</h4>

    <i>¡®How can his firepower nullify our calctions?¡¯ </i>Ilina realized the severity of the situation, though she struggled toprehend it. <i>¡®How can he exceed our expectations to this extent?¡¯</i>

    Her mind became a whirlwind of thoughts.

    <i>¡®Can I also execute an attack as destructive as this?¡¯ </i>She shook her head in denial. As she let out a deep sigh, her expression twisted.

    ¡°This should be impossible,¡± she muttered. She was themander of the Magic Investigation Team, yet this attack made her think, <i>¡®Could even Sir Alphonso, the Knight Commander, achieve this?¡¯ </i>

    She wasn¡¯t one hundred percent sure. This situation made Ilina''s headache worse.

    <i>¡®That bastard will mock me over this.¡¯ </i>She imagined Alphonso¡¯s voice taunting her like a hallucination.

    <i>¡°What? You¡¯re weaker than a Streamer and his colleague? Wow, is that even possible? Ilina, you¡¯re just full of surprises! Haha!¡±</i>

    Ignoring these thoughts, Ilina kept puffing on her cigarette. She had witnessed the overwhelming power of Chul-Soo and Shin Yu-Ri, and now, it was time to think about the next steps.

    Suddenly, Deputy Commander Melkin cautiously said, ¡°Commander?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Sir Vilsmark had mentioned something to us... He said this might happen...¡±

    ¡°The old man said that?¡±

    ¡°Yes... He had said that Chul-Soo could demonstrate firepower far beyond our expectancy...¡±

    Then, it dawned on her. She had dismissed Vilsmark¡¯s words before.

    <i>¡°In the rarest of cases, Chul-Soo might show extreme firepower. It¡¯s highly unlikely, but life is unpredictable.¡± </i>

    Ilina had not taken his words to heart, thinking this wasn¡¯t possible.

    <i>¡°So, keep a toxic magic form hidden just in case. You have enough manpower to spare a few for this operation.¡±</i>

    Ilina had not agreed with him. Anticipating her reluctance, Vilsmark had instructed Melkin and two other Mages to prepare the trap without Ilina.

    ¡°This means you followed the old man¡¯s instructions behind my back,¡± Ilina surmised.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s postpone the meter. So, what kind of trick did he set up?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a trap that reacts to extreme firepower and heat.¡± Melkin pointed toward the rocky mountain. Boiling red magma was flowing down its side.

    <i>¡®Lava?¡¯ </i>Ilina thought.

    Melkin softly continued, ¡°We set it up to erupt if Chul-Soo used a certain level of destructive power, to annihte him. Since it uses Chul-Soo¡¯s firepower as the trigger, it won¡¯t look artificial.¡±

    ***

    Ilina flung her cigarette to the ground¡ªan indication of the gravity of the situation.

    <i>¡®Commander just threw away her cigarette?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Something big is going to happen.¡¯</i>

    Shemanded the Magic Investigation Team, ¡°Everyone, drop all your gear and lighten yourselves. This area is about to be covered byva, like an avnche. The ones proficient in flight magic should carry those who aren¡¯t. Remember, warping is forbidden.¡±

    Magic spells or significant natural disasters could create strong magical fields that inhibited the manifestation of magic. Minor spells could still work in such a situation, butplex magic spells like warping could be perilous, potentially trapping someone in a dimensional rift.

    Melkin shouted, ¡°Hey! On! Make sure to carry Mayer with you!¡±

    Mayer, who was about to mention that he was proficient in flight magic, quickly grasped Melkin¡¯s intent. <i>¡®He wants us to appear understaffed.¡¯ </i>

    If they did not feign to be understaffed, they would have to help Chul-Soo escape too.

    ¡°Ascend as high as possible. The moment theva¡¯s heat touches you, you will melt!¡± Melkin shouted.

    A team member oblivious to the n asked, ¡°What about those two?¡±

    ¡°Saving our team members is the highest priority. Civilianse second, and all else is third.¡± Ilina effectively dered that saving Chul-Soo and Yu-Ri was not a priority.

    ¡°Everyone, ascend!¡±

    ¡°Ascend!¡±

    The Mages took flight, soaring toward the sky.

    ***

    The members of the Magic Investigation Team hastily retreated, leaving only Ilina at the scene, suspended high in the sky with Melkin in tow. She was distinctly displeased. ¡°It feels like we just got lucky.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve informed you earlier.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s done is done. At least, Chul-Soo will die here.¡± Discontent with the situation, Ilina retrieved a cigarette from her inventory and lit it. She was skeptical about the necessity of going to such lengths to eliminate Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®He, too, is an honorary citizen of Arvis...¡¯</i>

    She found it difficult to understand why they could not simply offer Chul-Soo citizenship instead of resorting to such drastic measures.

    <i>¡®I hold no personal grudge against you, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Theva, which had been slowly moving, was now pouring down like a flood. It had engulfed the Magic Investigation Team¡¯s base camp, with Chul-Soo appearing to be next. Ilina recalled something Chul-Soo had said.

    <i>¡°The Magic Investigation Team¡¯s attacks seem weaker than expected. You say it¡¯s because of the precise calctions, but I don¡¯t understand why those calctions are needed in the first ce.¡±</i>

    Ilina muttered to herself, ¡°This is why.¡±

    Blindly unleashing destructive power was never a solution. Competent Mages anticipated the variables that could arise from their attacks, incorporating them into their calctions.

    ¡°We knew that if we attacked with as much power as Chul-Soo did, this would happen. That was why we did not unleash such destructive power,¡± Ilina said. It was not just about who had the most destructive power; a much more sophisticated realm of tactics was involved in such situations. ¡°If it were me, I would¡¯ve at least retained enough energy to summon the Thunder Dragon and escape.¡±

    She felt somewhat bitter. If Chul-Soo had a bit more experience, perhaps he would not have resorted to such reckless actions.

    <i>¡®A hero yet to fully bloom is about to perish today. Why does this era begrudge the emergence of a new hero?¡¯ </i>Ilina thought.

    ¡°Commander, are you going to stay here? You could get caught in a thermal storm!¡±

    ¡°I will guard this ce.¡±

    This was Ilina¡¯s final tribute to Chul-Soo, a star that would extinguish before it ever truly shone.

    <i>¡®There should be at least one person who fully remembers hisst moment.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°All the Mages have fled,¡± Yu-Ri said.

    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Jin-Hyeok responded, feeling quite satisfied. ¡°They have abandoned their belongings and even their base camp and are hastily using flight magic, evacuating while carrying their team members who don¡¯t know how to fly.¡±

    The urgency of their actions created the perfect tension for the viewers.

    ¡°Theva is rushing in, like a dam has burst. The heat emanating from theva is insane. It¡¯s like I¡¯m inside a boiling pot. Viewers watching this in first-person perspective, please be careful.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was ecstatic. This situation made him feel like he were an ordinary man facing a natural disaster. The approachingva made him feel significantly small, yet allowed him to create an immense sense of dread for his livestream.

    <i>¡®I can just summon the Thunder Dragon to make things easier, but...¡¯</i>

    Contrary to Ilina¡¯s deductions, Jin-Hyeok was not overly fatigued. He could summon the Thunder Dragon to escape anytime.

    <i>¡®But that would not be stylish.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not care about efficiency. What mattered to him was providing his viewers with unyielding fun.

    ¡°Excuse me for a moment,¡± Jin-Hyeok told Yu-Ri. He then picked her up, and she involuntarily let out a brief cry.

    ¡°Eek!¡± Yu-Ri screamed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. As you can see, this is the only way to save you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s okay... it¡¯s okay.¡± Yu-Ri¡¯s face turned beet red.

    -Wait a minute! There¡¯s romance in the air.

    -Is he flirting with her?

    -They¡¯re just trying to survive. How is that flirting?

    -Well, even when he¡¯s just breathing, it looks like flirting.

    Holding Yu-Ri, Jin-Hyeok thought about what would look the coolest. Finally, he decided on something and walked toward theva, still carrying her.

    ***

    Ilina frowned. <i>¡®What¡¯s he doing?¡¯</i>

    She had expected him to at least pretend to flee. <i>¡®He¡¯s walking toward theva?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s recklessness was beyondprehension.

    <i>¡®Or is it that he doesn¡¯t want to show weakness?¡¯</i>

    Perhaps he had resigned himself to his fate, determined not to appear vulnerable in his final moments.

    <i>¡®And he isn¡¯t ming anyone for this.¡¯</i>

    He was walking toward death with aposed demeanor, not resorting to any despicable tactic and focusing on his duties.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>Ilina bit her lip. ¡°Get lost.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Melkin said.

    She casually tossed Melkin aside. Startled, Melkin quickly used his flight magic to distance himself, while Ilina rapidly descended.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t care what anyone says. He¡¯s a citizen of Arvis.¡¯</i>

    An honorary citizen was still a citizen. As themander of the Magic Investigation Team, she could not just watch an Arvis citizen die.

    ¡°Chul-So¡ª¡±

    She was about to shout at him to take her hand when she suddenly stopped mid-air.

    <i>¡®What the hell?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded. <i>¡®The energy emitted by theva is so intimidating.¡¯</i>

    He felt like he was bing dust in the presence of grand nature. Instead of being frightened, he found livestreaming this spectacr scene in first-person thrilling. The livestream conveyed a bit of that tension to the viewers.

    -Wow, what¡¯s with all the tension?

    -If we¡¯re feeling this much tension, then...

    -Please... Chul-Soo! Come back alive!

    -You need to escape!

    -Thank you for watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, everyone. I guess this is the end.

    Although viewers felt varying levels of tension, the suspense was palpable.

    Jin-Hyeok readied his right hand.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s always good to use my right hand for any stylish scenes.¡¯</i>

    Holding Yu-Ri in his arms, he recreated the line he had first mimicked when he had used her powers.

    ¡°I feel a great power surging in my right hand.¡±

    Editor Kang Chul immediately found the corresponding clip and edited it into a split-screen.

    <i>¡°I feel a great power surging in my right hand.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok extended his right hand toward the approaching disaster.

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait Absolute Barrier.]</strong>

    He believed he could handle the iingva with Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®I need to make this Absolute Barrier as pointy as possible in the front so that it can split the iingva as far away as possible.¡¯</i>

    Like a prince who had once parted the Red Sea, he imagined splitting the approachingva tide and felt a sense of thrill run over him.

    <i>¡®I might be the first one to do this in the universe.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok gulped. When he thought of how cool this would look, his heart thumped. But then, he sensed Ilina descending from the sky.

    <i>¡®Why¡¯s she doing this all of a sudden? She had been so helpful until now.¡¯</i>

    At some point, he noticed her cigarette had dropped to the ground and that she had an urgent expression on her face.

    <i>¡®Is she trying to save me?¡¯ </i>His mood suddenly soured. <i>¡®No, this is crossing a line.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 364

    <h4>Chapter 364</h4>

    <i>¡®It¡¯s my ck me Dragon¡¯s turn to go rampage, and you¡¯re trying to take the spotlight away from me?¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok nced up and noticed that Ilina was now just three meters above him.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, grab my hand,¡± Ilina said.

    Chul-Soo remained silent, pretending not to hear her, but it was futile; Ilina was now close enough to touch him.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo! Grab my hand!¡± she repeated.

    Again, silence followed. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind was in turmoil, grappling with how to deal with this assassin.

    <i>¡®Why is she acting like this? She seemed so understanding before, but now she¡¯s acting all clueless! Did another Streamer pay her to assassinate my content? If not, why is she like this?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You¡¯re too young to die! Cherish your life!¡± she eximed with a desperation that transcended urgency, appearing entirely determined to save him.

    <i>¡®Oh? Does she know more about livestreaming than I thought? Is that why she¡¯s doing this?¡¯</i>

    He now understood it more clearly. After all, being only a spectator to a situation from above could not portray the same level of tension as one created by actually participating in it. Jin-Hyeok guessed this was an advanced tactic to engage the audience by purposely frustrating them.

    <i>¡®I guess yers from the Arvis Server know how to make a livestream spectacr even if they aren¡¯t Streamers.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok again thought about how the Arvis Server was the strongest in the universe. <i>¡®Her expression is genuinely intense. She is very skilled at this.¡¯</i>

    Ilina was not even a professional Streamer, yet she was showing such dedication to the performance. Jin-Hyeok needed to respond to her appropriately.

    ¡°I refuse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Why?!¡± Ilina thought Jin-Hyeok was just being prideful. ¡°I understand you might not want my help now, but shouldn¡¯t we at least survive first to talk about why?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jin-Hyeok firmly shook his head as boilingva loomed directly before him. The climax of the scene was imminent.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to show your pride!¡± Ilina shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about pride.¡± Jin-Hyeok walked toward theva. ¡°It¡¯s the weight of the crown I must bear.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was thrilled about his line. He genuinely felt an immense weight on him as the live viewership count surpassed two billion again. With a theatrical ir, he slowed down time around him by using Time-Lapse Recording for a more dramatic effect, while his editor, Kang Chul, added a slow-motion effect to the scene.

    -Holy shit!

    -They¡¯re going to die!

    -No, don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t our first rodeo.

    -We¡¯ve been through this too many times. Why are you acting like a neer?

    -Can¡¯t you guys feel the tension? Chul-Soo is in crisis now!

    The viewers of Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel were aze with excitement. Onlinemunities were flooded with keywords like ¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s death¡¯ or ¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s suicide.¡¯

    -Look at Ilina¡¯s expression. Does she look like she¡¯s joking right now?

    -It¡¯s all staged. Trust me.

    -How could it not be?

    -If that¡¯s staged, Ilina should be an actress right now.

    Ilina was known for being expressionless, which only fueled the spections about the authenticity of the crisis.

    -This isn¡¯t the usual Ilina.

    A trending search for the <i>usual Ilina</i> showed up online.

    -There are only pictures of her smoking nonchntly.

    -That¡¯s the real Ilina.

    As the viewers learned more about her personality, more of them believed this could truly be a dire situation.

    -No way!

    -Someone please stop Chul-Soo!

    -Stop what? Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s already in slow-mo? He would have reached her hand by now in real time.

    As onlinemunities continued to simmer with excitement, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream viewership soared to 2.2 billion in no time. The experts who had been predicting a teau in Chul-Soo¡¯s explosive growth were embarrassed at their miscalctions.

    -Please... T_T

    -Protect our Chul-Soo at all costs. T_T

    -Could this really be his final livestream?

    -Thank you for loving Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream till now.

    ***

    Ilina bit her lip as Chul-Soo¡¯s words resonated deeply with her.

    ¡°The weight of the crown I must bear...¡± she repeated what Chul-Soo had said. <i>¡®He is too young!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s growth was unparalleled, and his abilities were formidable. But hecked experience and wisdom. That was why she was surprised that such a young man already understood the burden he had to bear and epted it humbly.

    <i>¡®I wouldn¡¯t have been able to act like him in such a situation,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought. If she were in Chul-Soo¡¯s ce at this moment, she would have been furious. Anyone but a fool would have realized that the Mages had abandoned and betrayed them. <i>¡®Yet Chul-Soo isn¡¯t ming anyone.¡¯</i>

    This realization made her ashamed. Ilina wondered about what she had learned in the magic tower where she studied. She wanted to learn magic to broadly benefit humanity, but now, she wasn¡¯t sure if her magic was truly benefiting humanity.

    <i>¡®If I were Chul-Soo, I would have cursed this era and my origins, drowning my sorrows in alcohol.¡¯ </i>Yet, Chul-Soo was handling his responsibilities more honorably than anyone else, silently walking toward an all-too-obvious demise. <i>¡®He¡¯s too valuable to die here.¡¯</i>

    She couldn¡¯t let this young hero die here, especially because this situation wasn¡¯t his fault but the Mages¡¯ machinations¡ªhe was a victim of their vile political strife.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, I wish your crown to be even heavier,¡± Ilina said. She believed in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s boundless potential. The crown he bore was already heavy, but this was just the beginning. She wondered how much heavier his crown would be in the future. ¡°This is not the time for you to give up.¡±

    Ilina stood in front of Jin-Hyeok, intending to warp him to safety.

    <i>¡®It would be great if I could go with him, but that would be asking too much,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought. A powerful magical field was surrounding the area. Even sending Jin-Hyeok away would be very difficult. <i>¡®At least, my end will not be meaningless. Live and let your flower bloom fully in my stead. You¡¯re worthy of it, Chul-Soo. I am sorry that the privileged can¡¯t help you.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok swiftly pulled Ilina toward him with such speed that she did not have time to react. Unable to activate her warp, she tumbled backward.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo!¡± she said. <i>¡®He can¡¯t let go of his pride till the end!¡¯</i>

    Eventually, theva reached Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Damn it! Will I not be able to save him? Am I, with my own hands, going to mercilessly crush this budding hero? How will I be able to live with this guilt in the future?¡¯</i> Ilina thought. However, something odd had happened. <i>¡®What?¡¯</i>

    Theva did not engulf Jin-Hyeok. Instead, when it touched his right hand, it immediately split into two around him as if his hand were a massive rock ced in the middle of a waterfall.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s... going on?¡¯ </i>Ilina sat down, looking at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back and the surroundings. <i>¡®It¡¯s like I¡¯m surrounded by a sea ofva.¡¯</i>

    The miraculous thing was that the environment wasn¡¯t hot. They didn¡¯t have trouble breathing either. In a ce where her skin should be melting off, everything was surprisingly normal. Only the massive flow ofva before her felt unreal.

    <i>¡®Theva... He¡¯s controlling it to flow in two directions.¡¯ </i>Clearly, he was staging theva to flow as broadly and forcefully as possible. <i>¡®Is he doing that with Absolute Barrier?¡¯</i>

    Acting as the central axis, Jin-Hyeok appeared to have implemented Absolute Barrier in long diagonal lines on either side, creating a ¡®¡Ä¡¯ shape that would split theva as widely as possible.

    <i>¡®Why would he do something this inefficient?¡¯ </i>It was absurd that a Streamer could do this. Moreover, the way he used Absolute Barrier was far from conventional. She said, ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, I hope you reduce Absolute Barrier¡¯s range. This is too excessive.¡±

    The mere human body couldn¡¯t block such a catastrophe indefinitely. Chul-Soo had to maximize efficiency by extracting the most benefit from the least amount of energy. This method was extremely inefficient, wasting too much energy.

    <i>¡®My voice isn¡¯t reaching him,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought. Chul-Soo seemed to have entered a state of profound concentration. Ilina decided that it might not be good to disturb or provoke Chul-Soo while he was in that state. <i>¡®Let¡¯s see what I can do to help.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Ultimately, Ilina was unable to help in any meaningful way. More precisely, there was no need for her to help at all.

    <i>¡®He looks perfectly fine.¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Initially, she had thought that Jin-Hyeok wouldn¡¯tst more than about three minutes. However, even after hours, there was no sign of exhaustion on him.

    <i>¡®I had no idea he had that much energy left.¡¯</i>

    She had guessed that he had exhausted all his energy when he focused on attacking the mountain. It was a logical and proper judgment; even Vilsmark would have reached the same conclusion, were he there.

    <i>¡®But why didn¡¯t he summon the Thunder Dragon?¡¯</i>

    If she were to think logically, too many things were iprehensible. Chul-Soo could have escaped on the Thunder Dragon, and none of this would have happened.

    <i>¡®Moreover... he¡¯s climbing back up the mountain.¡¯</i>

    Instead of merely enduring theva, he was ascending against the flow of theva. The sight of a human climbing through such a disaster was nothing short of miraculous.

    <i>¡®Ah! Could it be that he gained a new insight in the face of imminent death?¡¯ </i>Ilina trembled as she ced a cigarette in her mouth. <i>¡®Yes, Chul-Soo... You¡¯re indeed worthy.¡¯</i>

    Once someone reached a certain level, it was not umon for them to transcend through insight into apletely different being. It seemed that was the case with Chul-Soo now.

    Puffing smoke, Ilina sighed in relief. After some time had passed, theva that seemed like it would engulf the entirend disappeared, and the height of the rocky mountain significantly decreased. As theva began to solidify, a sloped path formed ahead of them.

    <i>Pit, pat, pit, pat.</i>

    Heavy rain began to fall. The rain carried so much ash it was almost like ck wastewater.

    Drenched, Ilinaughed in exasperation. ¡°Ha ha, ha ha ha, ha.¡±

    She felt relieved that Jin-Hyeok was safe and that she was freed from the guilt that would have haunted her had he died. In many ways, it was all fortunate. She brushed back her wet hair and exhaled smoke.

    <i>¡®If I hadn¡¯t seen it, I would not have believed it,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought. Even if Chul-Soo had gained enlightenment, for a Streamer to do all that was unbelievable. She would never have believed such a heroic taleing from someone else¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Congrattions on your enlightenment, Sir Chul-Soo,¡± Ilina said.

    ¡°Enlightenment?¡± Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. <i>¡®I¡¯ve gained enlightenment? Is this something that only an Arvis ranker can see? Did I miss something?¡¯</i>

    ¡°What enlightenment did I gain?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Shin Yu-Ri, who had been in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arms, alsonded on the ground. She too was curious about Jin-Hyeok¡¯s enlightenment, as he had always been a beacon for her. Eager to see what new ideal he would reveal today, she felt her heart pound in anticipation.

    ¡°The enlightenment you gained while you managed to perform a miracle despite being so exhausted,¡± Ilina said. She brushed her wet hair back again and exhaled smoke. ¡°You probably used Absolute Barrier so inefficiently to protect me when I was down, right, Sir Chul-Soo?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was speechless. <i>¡®That wasn¡¯t it. I just wanted to make it look more spectacr.¡¯</i>

    During that scene, he had changed the perspective of the livestream from a first-person one to a third-person aerial shot. That made the scene of him splitting theva much cooler.

    Yu-Ri, who had been quietly listening, sensed something was off. <i>¡®It seems like Ilina is misunderstanding something.¡¯</i>

    She softly muttered, ¡°It isn¡¯t enlightenment; it¡¯s most likely his raw physical ability...¡±

 Chapter 365

    <h4>Chapter 365</h4>

    Every moment of Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s y was a piece of content for his livestream.

    <i>¡®Should I just say I was enlightened?¡¯ </i>Although Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure what type of enlightenment he could say he had gained to provide his viewers with vicarious satisfaction, mentioning it would only benefit his channel.

    ¡°Yes, I have gained enlightenment.¡± Jin-Hyeok wanted to convey this to the public more effectively. ¡°Though, calling it enlightenment might be a bit of an overstatement, Ilina.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    For a Streamer, the most effective way to sell their achievement to the viewers was to approach the livestream with humility.

    ¡°Many people support me, and thanks to your dedication, Ilina, I¡¯ve gained a small but significant opportunity.¡±

    Ilina was at a loss for words. <i>¡®Generally, those who grow so quickly oftenck humility.¡¯</i>

    While humility was not universally seen as a virtue, it was indeed a secret to longevity. Ilina had seen many promising talents fall by the wayside due to their arrogance.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is already a finished product.¡¯ </i>Ilina was excited, wondering what kind of monster Chul-Soo would be with a bit more experience.

    For Jin-Hyeok, the significance of this livestream didn¡¯t end at the figure of over 2.2 billion viewers.

    -Did you guys check Poprity Nation?

    -His approval rate skyrocketed.

    -How high did it go?

    -It has dropped a bit now, but it was close to ny percent at one point.

    Chul-Soo had received an astounding eighty-five percent favorable rating on Poprity Nation, the highest among all yers registered on the website.

    Vilsmark was aware of this too. <i>¡®Things are going too well for Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Vilsmark used a Ruler-exclusivemunication Skill to request a private conversation with Ilina. This Skill allowed a person tomunicate with another person anywhere within SSP¡¯s influence through virtual space and holograms, creating an environment akin to that of a face-to-face interaction.

    Being a top-tier Ruler, Vilsmark said in a somewhat reproachful tone, ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s poprity is soaring across the universe, especially in Arvis, Ilina.¡±

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± she asked while smoking her cigarette, her tone slightly defiant.

    ¡°You know very well that it is.¡±

    She exhaled a puff of smoke. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the three empires are trying so hard to curb his growth, Commander Vilsmark. And I see that you¡¯ve been ying interesting pranks with my subordinates without my knowledge.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If it had been someone else, I would have cut out their tongue long ago.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I regret going behind your back. I will formally apologize to youter.¡± Vilsmark deeply sighed. ¡°Even a child could see that you think highly of Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If I ask you to help us in acting against him, you¡¯ll refuse, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°As long as Chul-Soo does not act to the detriment of the Arvis Server or the Mazique Empire, I have no intention of harming him.¡±

    Vilsmark nodded. He knew Ilina well and understood that forcing her would only backfire. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t make him stand out any more than he already does.¡±

    ¡°Even if I do nothing, he will shine on his own, Commander Vilsmark.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying don¡¯t help him in any way. Just like how you and Chul-Soo had a conversation about his enlightenment.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Your affectionate gaze, your admiring expressions, your praise for Chul-Soo... The viewers saw all of these things vividly.¡±

    Ilina stood up, approached Vilsmark¡¯s holographic avatar, and blew smoke into his face. ¡°I will try to restrain myself.¡±

    ***

    Sandyem was hiding deep within the Galui Rocky Mountains, observing the situation from a safe distance. When the Magic Investigation Team bombarded the area with their spells, he scoffed.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re doing all this just to catch me? And if they were serious about bombing the ce, they would have sent the Knight¡¯s Order, not the investigation team.¡¯</i>

    Sandyem knew this was just a show put on by the empires, to craft a righteous image by appearing to diligently pursue the viins who hadmitted an act of terrorism inside a warp portal.

    <i>¡®And with Chul-Soo of all people?¡¯ </i>Sandyem scoffed again. Chul-Soo was even livestreaming the event. <i>¡®They¡¯re asking me to stream snipe Chul-Soo so that I know every move they make.¡¯</i>

    Tracking the movements and strategies of Chul-Soo and the investigation team was too easy because of the livestream. It was like ying a game with a map hack¡ªthere was not much danger, and even if a ce was dangerous, there were plenty of ways to escape harm in the Galui Rocky Mountains.

    <i>¡®Wait, what?¡¯ </i>

    But things changed when Chul-Soo took action.

    <i>¡®Is he insane?¡¯</i>

    Sandyem had always known that Chul-Soo was powerful, but he had not expected the Streamer to be this powerful. Even hidden deep within a cave, Sandyem felt a chill run down his spine. Two beams of intense heat seemed to pierce through the entire mountain.

    <i>¡®Fuck!¡¯</i>

    The heat was so intense that it was hard for him to breathe. He retreated further and further down through secret passages.

    <i>¡®What if he executes the attack again?¡¯ </i>Sandyem trembled. <i>¡®And Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t even look that tired.¡¯</i>

    Normally, a yer would be exhausted after using such a destructive attack, but Chul-Soo showed no signs of fatigue. Sandyem wondered, <i>¡®Wait... did he summon the Thunder Dragon not because he was tired, but because he thought this way was cooler?¡¯</i>

    Sandyem hoped that was not the case. Fortunately, Chul-Soo¡¯s im of having achieved <i>enlightenment </i>reassured him.

    <i>¡®This means I have a few days of leeway.¡¯</i>

    It was unlikely that Chul-Soo could perform the same level of attack repeatedly.

    <i>¡®There has to be a way for me to safely escape from here.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Hm, who was being pursued by the Special Task Force and the Sword Emperor Unit, hid in another Server and used his Ruler-exclusivemunication Skill to discuss the situation with someone.

    ¡°The Galui Rocky Mountains are a treasure of intangible value. Chul-Soo is damaging nature for his livestream,¡± Hm said.

    The discussion revolved around two main points. First, the actions of Chul-Soo and the Magic Investigation Team were excessively destructive. Second, the Subus Relphim, who was in Chul-Soo¡¯s videos, was involved in numerous adultery cases, showing a sordid character.

    ¡°So... thank you for doing this. I know you¡¯ll take great care of it,¡± Hm said.

    After the conversation,rge and small protests began to erupt across Arvis.

    [What right does Chul-Soo have to destroy the mountains?]

    [Chul-Soo has be a selfish Streamer who cares about only his channel.]

    [An environmental impact assessment must precede.]

    Many environmentalists stepped forward to criticize Jin-Hyeok and the Magic Investigation Team.

    Nictman, a representative of these activists, conducted interviews with major media outlets in Arvis, spreading press releases.

    ¡°The Galui Rocky Mountains boast one of thergest scales among the rocky mountains existing in the universe. While it might look barren, it hosts a unique ecosystem where numerous life forms coexist, such as the Galui scorpion and lizard found only there.¡±

    Nictman harshly criticized Chul-Soo¡¯s methods as brutally destructive and ignorant of environmental concerns. ¡°Advanced Servers and high-ranked yers always consider the environmental impact. We have a responsibility and duty to pass on a beautiful and healthy nature to our descendants. However, I could not find any sense of responsibility in Chul-Soo or the Magic Investigation Team.

    ¡°Moreover, the cities developed on the west side of the Galui Rocky Mountains have greatly advanced agriculture, thanks to the mountains. The mountains affect the condensation altitude, causing orographic rainfall to form. This, in turn, forms rivers flowing westward... thus, Chul-Soo is sacrificing many for the sake of capturing a single criminal.¡±

    -He¡¯s right. Chul-Soo should have restrained himself.

    -I didn¡¯t know about the environmental impact.

    -I guess there is a reason the Magic Investigation Team wasn¡¯t just smashing things up.

    -They shouldn¡¯t have used so much power to catch a single Lightning Mage.

    Nictman concluded, ¡°We might be being swayed by Chul-Soo and his forces. The evidence that Sandyem, the Lightning Mage, and members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell Are terrorists... is nothing but a video record given by Relphim the Subus. Relphim is a despicable being who hasmitted numerous adulteries and ruined many families. How can we trust such a person?¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s poprity in Poprity Nation plummeted to the low seventies.

    -Can we even say it plummeted when it went down to only seventy percent?

    -Yeah, he¡¯s still in the top ten, I think.

    -Whatever. It¡¯s still plummeting, haha!

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°Han Sae-Rin, you were right. It happened just as you said. It was a good move.¡±

    Sae-Rin had joined Jin-Hyeok at the base camp.

    ¡°It¡¯s not particrly remarkable. Most Ruler yers anticipated this crisis. They only had two strategies to choose from,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°So? What should I do now?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    Ilina sat across from them, silently exhaling smoke from her cigarette and appearing indifferent to whatever conclusion Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin would reach.

    ¡°Well... I don¡¯t want to produce a simr scene again,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Even the tastiest food would be nd if eaten repeatedly. Jin-Hyeok did not want to show the same content with the same presentation again.

    Sae-Rin stroked her chin and said, ¡°Blowing up the entire mountain could be quite interesting for showing your overwhelming power...¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you being serious right now, Ruler? Do you think Chul-Soo could blow up the whole mountain?¡± Ilina asked.

    Sae-Rin tilted her head slightly. ¡°You think he can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°But Chul-Soo is just a Streamer...¡± Ilina said. <i>¡®Didn¡¯t he almost die to gain the enlightenment?¡¯</i>

    Confusion flickered in Ilina¡¯s eyes, and then Sae-Rin rified. ¡°Chul-Soo did not use all his power then.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He had enough energy left to summon the Thunder Dragon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I understand you want to think highly of him, but...¡±

    Sae-Rin shrugged and turned her gaze to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo, if you only focused on the destructive power and not your channel, could you have blown up the mountain?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve done it in one attack, but I¡¯m sure a few blows would¡¯ve done the job.¡±

    ¡°So that means yes?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess I could, but I would never do that.¡± From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, a Streamer who yed without thinking about their channel was not a real Streamer. That was just meaninglessbor for him.

    ¡°So, destroying the mountain wouldn¡¯t be physically taxing for you, right?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°I have the Guardian Tree, so I wouldn''t be tired from it.¡±

    Ilina watched their conversation with a grim expression, her cigarette unlit in her mouth.

    ¡°So... Sir Chul-Soo... You weren¡¯t tired at all?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Was there anything to be tired from?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Ilina was speechless. <i>¡®He is not bluffing!¡¯</i>

    She involuntarily stood up. It seemed she had to reconsider her firm beliefs.

    <i>¡®Therees a point where the Level gap between yers bes meaningless,¡¯ </i>Ilina thought. That was around the early Level 400s. Most of the top-ranked yers in Arvis were around this Level. <i>¡®But if one surpasses that...¡¯</i>

    It seemed that when the Level gap tranted into an overwhelming difference in abilities, a new phase would arrive. It was a moment that shook her very understanding of yers.

    Unable to light her cigarette again, she asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you summon the Thunder Dragon? If your physical condition was as you say, you could have easily escaped without flying...¡±

    Suddenly, she came to a realization and feltpelled to ask something she had been unconsciously denying. ¡°Wait... was there never any need to run in the first ce.¡±

    She came to a conclusion herself.

    ¡°You have been... hiding your strength.¡±

 Chapter 366

    <h4>Chapter 366</h4>

    ¡°You¡¯ve been... hiding your strength?¡± Ilina felt surreal.

    <i>¡®Was he hiding his strength even in such a situation? How could it be possible?¡¯ </i>Despite witnessing Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true power in person, Ilina found it hard to ept. <i>¡®However,pared to the idea that he received a sudden enlightenment, it seems more usible that he was always strong.¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, Ilina remembered what Shin Yu-Ri had said before.

    <i>¡°It isn¡¯t enlightenment; it¡¯s most likely his raw physical ability...¡±</i>

    Ilina had dismissed those words back then.

    <i>¡®I was the only one desperate.¡¯ </i>Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she exhaled cigarette smoke to hide it.

    ¡°You must have beenughing at me behind my back, Sir Chul-Soo,¡± Ilina said.

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Jin-Hyeok nonchntly shrugged. ¡°Thanks to your ster performance, countless viewers were engrossed in the livestream. It was all thanks to you, Ilina.¡±

    ¡°Performance?¡± Ilina was confused. <i>¡®Did I put up a performance? And a ster one at that?¡¯</i>

    Ilina was perplexed but hid it.

    Quick to notice what was going on, Han Sae-Rin interjected. ¡°Thanks to your active cooperation with the livestream, Ilina, everything is proceeding as we hoped. Let¡¯s regroup and move on to the next step. Our actions have created a slightly difficult situation for both us and the Magic Investigation Team.¡±

    Leading environmental activist Nictman and numerous environmental groups were protesting against Chul-Soo, producing provocative and emotional videos to garner support on various onlinemunity tforms and social media. For the three major empires, who were unavoidably conscious of public opinion, this was quite burdensome.

    ¡°I will go back to base camp and monitor the situation,¡± Ilina said.

    ¡°Wait, did Sir Vilsmark give you any heads-up?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    Ilina had not talked to Vilsmark about this.

    A flicker of disappointment crossed Sae-Rin¡¯s eyes. <i>¡®I thought a Ruler like Vilsmark would¡¯ve anticipated this.¡¯</i>

    Even she, a novice Ruler of a new Server, had anticipated this crisis. So, Vilsmark missing it was bitterly disappointing.

    <i>¡®He probably decided it wasn¡¯t worth his time!¡¯</i>

    If Vilsmark had been here, he would have put more effort and passion into it.

    <i>¡®I wanted to feel just how strong I ampared to Vilsmark. It¡¯s a pity!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Sae-Rin said, ¡°Nictman and Hm were ssmates at the same academy. We will start with that.¡±

    -Yeah, Nictman and Hm are friends. So what?

    -They can be ssmates. That doesn¡¯t change anything.

    -That¡¯s a baseless usation. Chul-Soo¡¯s actions are still horrific.

    ¡°Even with this, it¡¯s hard for us to refute the activists¡¯ ims. After all, part of a mountain was blown up. Anyone who values the environment can see how vile this act is,¡± Sae-Rin continued. Instead of refuting the ims, she had chosen to attack the imant. ¡°We¡¯re going to paint Nictman as the bad guy.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t something Ilina strongly agreed with.

    ¡°Of course, you might not like it, Ilina,¡± Sae-Rin said. She leaned close to the Mage and whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you find this agreeable or not. You secretly tried to kill Chul-Soo. I know all about it, even if Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Without any retort, Ilina simply exhaled a puff of smoke. She felt guilty as she crossed her legs and sat down. ¡°I might not like it, but I can¡¯t argue against it. Please continue with the briefing, Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. So, Nictman has seven brothers. Two are in jail for assault, and another is on the run for fraud.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting guilt by association?¡±

    ¡°Normally, that would be the answer.¡±

    The n that Sae-Rin was discussing with the group was being executed in real time with Kim Min-Ji¡¯s and Song Ha-Young¡¯s help.

    -They are going too far. How can they attack him over his family?

    -Dragging the family is a bit cowardly, IMO.

    -Wow, this is crossing the line even for Chul-Soo.

    -Surely, Chul-Soo wouldn¡¯t be so tantly obvious.

    ¡°But one of the brothers is also involved in illegal activities, such as capturing bears alive and extracting their bile through tubes,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    -I mean, Nictman¡¯s brothers are indeed trash...

    -How can an environmental activist¡¯s brother do this?

    -There is no way Nictman is unaware of this.

    -His family does this, and he¡¯s an environmental activist? Hypocrite much?

    Ilina sighed, puffing smoke. ¡°This will not be enough to take down Nictman, Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡°Nictman is a famous environmental activist and has received massive donations from environment lovers. However, we have found evidence that some of this money was funneled to bile traders through a dummy ount.¡±

    -This two-faced bastard.

    -Nictman just used donations to fund bear hunting.

    ¡°Nictman also bought gold bars, jewelry, and watches with the donation money and gave them out to bile traders so that other people can¡¯t trace the money.¡±

    Nictman immediately responded that these were just malicious rumors and that he would sue the people spreading this information for defamation.

    ¡°Nictman lives off his image, so naturally, he¡¯ll get rid of the evidence,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Then we will take the opportunity to steal his belongings. After all, Nictman won¡¯t be able to im any of it as his own! Then all those jewels and precious items will belong to us! Hahaha!¡±

    Ilina felt something was off about how the conversation had veered toward theft.

    <i>¡®And why is Chul-Soo admiring this?¡¯ </i>Ilina thought. Their goal was to weaken Nictman¡¯s position to strengthen Chul-Soo. <i>¡®Was theft their real intention? That doesn¡¯t seem right.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Nictman will be furious. Losing everything you have secretly gathered all your life by cautiously using dummy ounts... Wow, if I were him, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± Even imagining it made Ilina a bit dizzy. ¡°If your goal is to torment Nictman, then this is the way to go, but I doubt it will make the public rally behind Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°<i>Tsk. Tsk.</i>¡± Sae-Rin flicked her index finger. ¡°Ilina, you¡¯re surprisingly naive. You can spread propaganda with just one sentence. Refuting propaganda requires countless hours and documents, and by the time preparations are done, people already make up their minds.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°With our n, Nictman won¡¯t be able to think straight. He will struggle to make rational decisions and expose more vulnerabilities.¡±

    As Sae-Rin chuckled, Ilina felt a trace of fear.

    Sae-Rin continued, ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t expose any vulnerabilities, it does not matter. His lifetime of treasures will be ours, all ours! Isn¡¯t that amazing? Hahahah!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If we donate these treasures, we can also boost Chul-Soo¡¯s image. The more I think about it, the better it gets. Oh, and our Homepage Master, Kang Eun-Woo, will be the one capturing the scene of Angel Girl stealing the items. It would be great if we could get Nictman or his brother on camera, but it¡¯s fine even if we don¡¯t.¡± Sae-Rin sounded almost deranged.

    ***

    Kang Eun-Woo shifted the target for his Omniscient Observer to Song Ha-Young. He captured photographs of Ha-Young engaged in the theft. Disguised as Nictman, Ha-Young used a group of well-trained Wyverns to move the treasures.

    -Wait, is that Ha-Young disguised as Nictman?

    -No, I think that¡¯s the real Nictman.

    -Yeah, it looks like him.

    Despite her disguise, Ha-Young could not deceive Eun-Woo¡¯s keen eye. He even used his Skill to see through disguises with insightful rity.

    -Wait, that¡¯s Angel Girl? She stole all this?

    -The ck Rose Alliance pulled off a big one, haha!

    -Look at all those gold bars!

    -Wait, now that I think about it, isn¡¯t Nictman a hypocrite? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be an environmental activist?

    -So, he was in cahoots with his brothers after all.

    -And he has the nerve to criticize Chul-Soo?

    -I thought he was a good activist. Turns out he¡¯s the worst human being in the universe!

    Ha-Young was delighted with her haul. ¡°Chul-Soo, thank you for allowing me to be a righteous Thief today. It feels so good to liberate unimed goods!¡±

    ***

    Nictman lost his reputation and entire fortune overnight. He directed his resentment toward Hm. Inside the Ruler-exclusivemunication Skill, Nictman almost howled at him. ¡°This is all your fault!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°How are you going to take responsibility?¡±

    ¡°Calm down. The one who orchestrated all this is Chul-Soo. It was his wicked scheme that pushed you to ruin. Your enemy isn¡¯t me. It¡¯s Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I wouldn¡¯t have had any issues with Chul-Soo if you had not involved me in this.¡± Nictman growled and red at Hm. ¡°You need to restore at least half of what I lost.¡±

    ¡°Once we eliminate Chul-Soo and regain our freedom of Hell, I willpensate you ordingly. So, please, you need to calm do¡ª¡±

    Nictman mmed his fist on the desk. Even his hologram in precisely rendered space made a loud <i>bang</i>.

    ¡°Calm down, my ass!¡± Nictman ended the call. <i>¡®I better reveal everything and try to recover at least part of my fortune.¡¯</i>

    His career as an environmental activist was over. People wouldn¡¯t stop attacking him. Now, his only option was to hand over information about Hm and beg Chul-Soo for mercy. So, he headed to Hell.

    ***

    ¡°Do you think Nictman mighte to us eventually? I think he will if he has even a bit of sense to seek a way out for himself,¡± Jin-Hyeok was conversing with his viewers.

    Not long after, Nictman appeared in the Galui Rocky Mountains. Upon meeting Jin-Hyeok, he immediately fell to his knees. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Sir Chul-Soo. I havemitted a sin worthy of death.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯m going to turn on my livestream. Do you consent to appearing on my livestream?¡±

    Nictman firmly resolved himself and nodded. At this point, the lesser evil was his best option. <i>¡®If I can recover any of my fortune, I might be able to make aeback.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s an honor to appear on Sir Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream,¡± Nictman said.

    Jin-Hyeok began interviewing Nictman. The number of viewers on his livestream quickly surpassed one billion.

    ¡°So, why don¡¯t we have a rxed chat while we walk?¡± Jin-Hyeok started the conversation.

    Nictman had no choice but toply. He engaged in a long conversation with Jin-Hyeok as they walked.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that you were just carrying out Hm¡¯s orders. And Hm is the leader of the Freedom Alliance of Hell. I feel sorry for you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But why are you so submissive? Regardless of the orders, the truth remains that I have caused environmental damage around here.¡±

    This incident had been a learning experience for Jin-Hyeok. He had realized the importance of considering the impact of excessive force on the environment. He used to think, <i>¡®As long as it¡¯s fun for the viewers, nothing else matters.¡¯ </i>But he had changed his mind due to Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s advice.

    <i>¡°Many viewers are ufortable with your attack. You might not listen to environmental activists, but you should at least consider the viewers¡¯ feedback, Mr. Chul-Soo!¡±</i>

    ¡°I am truly sorry. I havemitted a sin worthy of death,¡± Nictman repeated himself.

    ¡°No, Mr. Nictman, you were just doing your job.¡±

    A glimmer of hope sparked in Nictman¡¯s eyes. It seemed that Chul-Soo did not hate him as much as he had thought. He said, ¡°So¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok cut him off. ¡°However, the Thief was also just doing her job.¡±

    Nictman felt darkness closing in; thest thread of hope was slipping away.

    ¡°I... I can disclose Hm¡¯s location...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes narrowed. This was the moment he was waiting for.

    <i>¡®Hm... It¡¯s about time for a surprise attack.¡¯ </i>He had intentionally shown a rxed demeanor while walking, making it seem like an easy opportunity for an attack. His surroundings were filled with rocks that could serve as cover for an attacker ready for an assault at any moment. He knew Hm would try his best to keep Nictman from speaking.

    ¡°I know Hm¡¯s location, Sir Chul-Soo. I have records of Ruler-exclusivemunications with him, so if you use a skilled Navigator, you can pinpoint his location,¡± Nictman said.

    Unfortunately for Jin-Hyeok, the surprise attack did not happen.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s disappointing.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was getting impatient. If his enemies had not attacked even when he had shown such vulnerability, it meant that Hm also didn¡¯t have much freedom. This also suggested that the Special Task Force of the Helen Empire and the Sword Emperors Unit of the Swedeen Empire were effectively tracking him.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t Hm a bigger fish than Sandyem? I really want to catch Hm now.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wanted to catch Sandyem as quickly as possible and move on to Hm.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way.¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok contemted it, a solution seemed almost within reach.

 Chapter 367

    <h4>Chapter 367</h4>

    When Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Level surged into the mid-400s, his mental bond with both sentient beings, such as the Guardian Tree and Miri, but also Mysteries, such as the God of Luck and the Spilling Wind, became stronger. The Thunder Dragon Atanna was no exception.

    ¡°Atanna.¡± Jin-Hyeok summoned her.

    A golden door materialized in the air, and a blonde woman came out of it. She possessed a transcendent aura, far beyond that of a human.

    Meeting Atanna in person for the first time, Han Sae-Rin could not help but exim, ¡°Wow, this is incredible! Even Kim Chul-Soo cannot capture her true beauty. Oh, Chul-Soo, I¡¯m not criticizing your skills. Ms. Thunder Dragon is too pretty. You don¡¯t need to unnecessarily reflect on yourself.¡±

    However, Jin-Hyeok was already thinking about it.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t capture her beauty?¡¯ </i>For a top-tier Streamer, that was an embarrassing admission. He stared at Atanna, who subtly averted his gaze, overwhelmed by the intense and passionate emotions he was emanating.

    ¡°Your intense emotions toward me are pointless. I¡¯m way too busy with my son right now,¡± Atanna said.

    Jin-Hyeok did not hear her; he was deep in thought about how he could convey her beauty to his viewers more urately and whether he needed more training and effort. His thoughts were bordering on obsession, ensnaring Atanna like a noose.

    ¡°But I might consider it once my son bes a little independent. You¡¯re a fine male specimen,¡± Atanna added.

    ¡°So, Chul-Soo, the Thunder Dragon¡¯s appearance has be so mundane because your mental connection with her has be stronger, right?¡± Sae-Rin changed the topic.

    Although Jin-Hyeok did not respond to Atanna, he immediately responded to Sae-Rin, to provide an exnation for the viewers. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Just like it was with the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°Less is more. Am I right?¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and resumed the livestream. ¡°Atanna, it seems you might be capable.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about pregnancy? Just to be clear, I need two more years to be fertile¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can I transfer some of your abilities to Lessefim?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had realized this after rapidly leveling up.

    ***

    Lessefim arrived at the base camp in front of the Galui Rocky Mountains after Jin-Hyeok asked her to. Ilina sat at the edge of a tent, puffing out smoke. <i>¡®What a sight!¡¯</i>

    Lessefim was one of the top Navigators in Arvis, with numerous Adventurers lined up to receive her services. As per rumors, most yers had to wait at least three years to receive her help. She was also known for her strong pride and for rarely leaving Arvis, as she believed there was no need to y in other Servers when Arvis was the best Server in the universe.

    <i>¡®And she just responded to a call from Chul-Soo and came to an average Server like Hell?¡¯</i>

    Ilina had initially thought that the way Jin-Hyeok was tracking Sandyem was unfamiliar and strange, but as she gradually recognized Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true capabilities, she started to understand it.

    When Lessefim heard the n, she scoffed. ¡°You want me to receive the Thunder Dragon¡¯s abilities? Chul-Soo, have you forgotten I''m Lessefim? I¡¯m ranked fifth among the Navigators in Arvis, unbeatable in tracking. And you¡¯re suggesting I receive the Thunder Dragon¡¯s abilities just to catch a mere Lightning Mage?¡±

    Ilina understood why Lessefim was furious.

    <i>¡®I would feel the same if I were her.¡¯ </i>She continued to smoke leisurely. <i>¡®This will be fun.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had been unppable even in the face of natural disasters, but this time, he would surely be unsettled.

    Jin-Hyeok earnestly said, ¡°Please, Lessefim, I don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    Ilina slowly shook her head; such a simplistic approach wouldn¡¯t work on a prideful Navigator.

    ¡°W-Well... if you insist that much...¡±

    Lessefim agreed even though Jin-Hyeok had not insisted on it at all.

    ***

    ¡°Very well. In obedience to the master of Dragons, I desire to transfer my powers to you. Being a Thunder Dragon, I¡¯m exceedingly sensitive to lightning energy, and I shall convey this sense to you. I will transfer it in the ways of Dragons,¡± Atanna said.

    Dragons, by nature, pursued beauty. Atanna said that the best method for transferring her power was the most elegant and beautiful one.

    ¡°So, what is this beautiful method?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s an elegant and noble method.¡±

    ¡°I need you to be clearer than that. What do you mean, you frustrating Thunder Dragon?¡±

    ¡°Do you truly not understand what this noble and elegant act entails?¡±

    When Lessefim failed to grasp it, Atanna restored to describing it as mating.

    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Lessefim shouted.

    ¡°Why are you reacting like that to such a beautiful act? It¡¯s the most effective method. If it bothers you, I can change into a male form...¡±

    ¡°I utterly reject it. I¡¯d rather figure it out on my own.¡± Lessefim was resolute. She could never ept the Thunder Dragon¡¯s method.

    Visibly frustrated, Atanna tried to persuade her several times but failed.

    ¡°Then I propose a less satisfactory method, but this method may notpletely transfer my power to you,¡± Atanna said.

    Atanna and Lessefim reached apromise. Lessefim unbuttoned a few buttons of her shirt to reveal her nape and right shoulder.

    ¡°This is simr to the method that vampires use, but it¡¯s not as elegant as our meth¡ª¡±

    ¡°I get it! How many times will you repeat the same thing? Let¡¯s just get it over with. This is good enough for me.¡±

    Atanna looked at Jin-Hyeok. Her eyes seemed to ask, <i>¡®Is this okay? This method is not as efficient.¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok reluctantly nodded.

    ¡°There are some things in life that one simply cannot tolerate,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. It was just like how Wang Yu-Mi would never ept adult content or virtual marriage content. Lessefim felt simrly.

    It suddenly urred to him. <i>¡®Yes, I¡¯m not crazy after all.¡¯</i>

    People called him mad, but no matter how much he thought about it, he did not feel like he was insane. Since he wasn¡¯t mad, he could tolerate such inefficient methods.

    Regardless, Atanna moved closer to Lessefim and bit the Navigator¡¯s neck. Blue lightning shimmered around the wound, then a lightning-shaped mark was etched there. Lessefim¡¯s eyes turned a shade of blue, and with each breath she took, a blue aura flowed in and out of her as if she were inhaling and exhaling faint blue smoke.

    ¡°Am I free to return now?¡± Atanna asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Atanna waved her hand through the air, creating a golden door. ¡°I shall leave now.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯m no longer needed here.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t. Thank you foring!¡±

    ¡°If you need anything else from me, you should let me know now, while I¡¯m still summoned. I would prefer to handle everything in one go.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Atanna¡¯s movements seemed sluggish, almost as though she didn¡¯t want to leave, hoping Chul-Soo might ask her to stay.

    Jin-Hyeok could sense this, and he fully understood her feelings.

    <i>¡®Seeing things in person is much more fun.¡¯ </i>He thought that Atanna probably did not want to miss out on seeing what was going to happen.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry and go back, Atanna. Although my skills may not fully capture your beauty, I promise to make up for it with more interesting and enjoyable videos. I will make it so that you feel like you¡¯re watching this right next to us.¡±

    With a sense of regret, Atanna departed.

    ***

    After receiving the Thunder Dragon¡¯s energy, Lessefim began tracking Sandyem. For the thrill of the chase, Jin-Hyeok started his livestream.

    [Tracking]

    -Is it okay to livestream this? Wouldn¡¯t Sandyem watch the livestream too?

    -Chul-Soo never cares about stream sniping, LOL!

    -He tracks his enemies while giving them all the information.

    -ck sheep wall...[1]

    -What the hell is this guy talking about?

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°It¡¯s fine to livestream as long as we track faster than he can run.¡±

    Combining the Thunder Dragon¡¯s energy with her tracking skills, Lessefim effectively pursued Sandyem. She moved swiftly as if she knew exactly where Sandyem was hiding, with Jin-Hyeok and the Magic Investigation Team following close behind.

    Watching all this on his phone, Sandyem felt enormous pressure.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s so suffocating!¡¯ </i>Sandyem realized that if they tracked faster than he could run, they would indeed catch him in the end. <i>¡®There is no way out.¡¯</i>

    He had been unable to contact Hm for a while, and he realized surrendering was the only option he had left now.

    <i>¡®You said this ce was safe! Damn you, Hm!¡¯</i>

    Sandyem drew up his lightning energy to signal his location. Yellow lightning crackled in his palms, and Lessefim detected it.

    ¡°It looks like Sandyem is calling us. I don¡¯t sense any hostility. He could be surrendering, or this could be a trap,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a trap,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What did I say?¡±

    ¡°You just said you hope it¡¯s a trap...¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be right.¡± Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Only a madman would prefer a trap to a surrender.

    With a keen sense of timing, Kang Chul edited out Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mumbling from the livestream.

    -From what I know of Chul-Soo, he might prefer a trap.

    -Even so, that¡¯s too much. They are inside the Galui Rocky Mountains. If it¡¯s a trap, it would be exhausting.

    -Just think about those maze-like caves copsing at the entrance. That would be terrifying.

    -If that happens, you¡¯ll never find your way out. Actually, the skulls of people who got lost and died in the mountains are used as markers there.

    Lessefim found Sandyem rtively easily. Sandyem was kneeling, ripping his clothes to wave them as a makeshift g. ¡°I surrender! I recognize my mistakes. But I want you to know that I was just following orders.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok kept some distance from Sandyem and zoomed in on his appearance. Sandyem looked terrified. It did not seem like there were any traps in the area.

    Jin-Hyeok thoroughly looked at the surroundings with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight but didn¡¯t see any signs of traps. He nced back to consult Ilina, perhaps hoping that the Magic Investigation Team could have detected some well-hidden traps. However, Ilina shook her head, indicating there were absolutely no traps here, which infuriated Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®How could there not be a single trap?!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok then said, ¡°How dare you surrender so openly?!¡±

    1. ck sheep wall was a cheat code in StarCraft 1 that allowed the yer to see everything on the map. ?

 Chapter 368

    <h4>Chapter 368</h4>

    Sandyem knelt before Cha Jin-Hyeok. ¡°P-Please... if you spare my life, I will do anything.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®There is no trap, and we didn¡¯t even say anything. Yet, he¡¯s surrendering so quickly?¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok could not contain his anger. ¡°Hey, think about it carefully. I mobilized an all-star cast, with Ilina from the Magic Investigation Team, a high-ranking Arvis ranker like Lessefim, and even the mighty Thunder Dragon Atanna... and for what? For this? Do you know what this is called?¡±

    Sandyem was at a loss for words, unable to grasp why Jin-Hyeok was so furious.

    ¡°We call this anti-climaxing, you idiot!¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    ¡°...¡±

    Kang Chul expertly edited this part as he realized Jin-Hyeok wanted to say ¡®anticlimactic¡¯<i>.</i>

    Having vented his frustration, Jin-Hyeok finally came to his senses. <i>¡®Wait a minute... should I beshing out like this?¡¯</i>

    While he was genuinely angry, he wondered if the public would find his expression of anger understandable and justifiable. He thought they might not. That was when he received a message from Wang Yu-Mi.

    [Don¡¯t worry and just vent your anger! We will handle the editing.]

    [*Editing Point: Create an emotional narrative and make Sandyem the viin.]

    Kang Chul had grown ustomed to editing livestreams. He interspersed some clips he had prepared beforehand into the live feed, showing a video of Lightning Mage Sandyem kidnapping a boy with ash-gray hair and another of Subus Relphim extracting the boy¡¯s memories.

    <i>¡°This brave young boy has volunteered to ensure the freedom of Hell.¡±</i>

    Kang Chul added a professional voice-over to the clip.

    <strong>¡°This child pleaded to be sent home. The adults who cried out for freedom robbed this boy of his,¡± </strong>the narrator gravely said.

    Sandyem spoke again in the video.

    <i>¡°We will use him as a conduit to create a small explosion. Even a minor explosion can pose a significant threat inside a warp portal.¡±</i>

    <strong>¡°The Lightning Mage, who intended to sacrifice the boy for his desire, now says...¡± </strong>the narration continued.

    The video alternated back to what Sandyem had said a couple of minutes ago.

    <i>¡°I surrender! I recognize my mistakes. But I want you to know that I was just following orders.¡±</i>

    <strong>¡°The one who had forced a life to sacrifice itself is now begging for his own. Was his desire for freedom only this shallow?¡±</strong>

    <i>¡°P-Please... if you spare my life, I will do anything.¡±</i>

    <strong>¡°He called the boy a great warrior and deemed him right to be sacrificed, yet he is now on his knees, begging for his own life. This is his true face and why we must be enraged.¡±</strong>

    Kang Chul wiped the sweat from his forehead after sessfully editing the livestream. The production seemed to resonate well with the viewers, as the chat exploded with more activity than usual.

    -Man, Sandyem is a coward.

    -He talked big about freedom and what not, but all he can do is beg when his life is on the line.

    -Disgusting!

    -LOL! He called that little kid a great warrior yet he doesn¡¯t have the balls to sacrifice his life.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s poprity soared, as many resonated with his initial outburst of anger.

    -I thought he was mad for no reason.

    -Man, I guessed he was mad because the ce didn¡¯t have any traps, LOL.

    -Are you crazy? Chul-Soo would never be mad about that stuff.

    -Chul-Soo is a God!

    -Let¡¯s go! Bring justice!

    Today, Chul-Soo was just as heroic as ever.

    ***

    Hm boarded a spaceship that smuggled items between Servers, evading the pursuit of the Special Task Force and the Sword Emperor Unit. He hid in the bathroom of the spaceship and watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re doing good, Sandyem.¡¯</i>

    cing Sandyem in the Galui Rocky Mountains had been a n of his. Hm wanted to showcase a conspicuous viin as bait while he escaped. In fact, he had fed Sandyem false information. Hm had anticipated Sandyem¡¯s capture and deliberately provided him with a false escape route.

    <i>¡®This will buy me even more time.¡¯</i>

    From Hm¡¯s perspective, sacrificing Sandyem to ensure his survival seemed like a profitable trade since he was the leader of the Freedom Alliance of Hell.

    During the livestream, Jin-Hyeok replied to Sandyem.

    ?I don¡¯t need your information.?

    Then, a screensaver momentarily appeared on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. It was a newly created screensaver that generated significant viewer engagement.

    -Wow, those three women look amazing!

    -They¡¯re so pretty!

    -Thanks for the screensaver.

    -Imma screenshot this.

    The viewers were distracted by the images of Relphim, Ilina, and Atanna. When the screensaver disappeared, Sandyem was nowhere to be seen.

    -What happened to him?

    -Chul-Soo probably killed him. I doubt IntenseMan would keep him alive.

    -It¡¯s totally right for Chul-Soo to kill him.

    -Mr. Chul-Soo, did you kill Sandyem?

    Jin-Hyeok did not specifically mention whether he had killed Sandyem or not. Given that the livestream was for all ages, he couldn¡¯t openly show them or talk about a killing scene.

    ¡°Sandyem can no longer do any harm. However, we did find a note in Sandyem¡¯s possession, outlining Hm¡¯s escape route,¡± Jin-Hyeok announced. He then tore up the note. ¡°Sae-Rin says that this is fake. However, since Nictman has surrendered, we will use him to track Hm.¡±

    Startled, Hm dropped his phone.

    <i>¡®W-What was that just now?¡¯ </i>He felt as though he had met eyes with Jin-Hyeok through the phone screen. <i>¡®No, that can¡¯t be right.¡¯</i>

    He picked up his phone. Soon after, an announcement on the spaceship instructed passengers to sit down and fasten their seat belts as they were approaching their destination.

    ***

    Nictman gulped, feeling a chill down his spine. He wondered if he had indeede to the right ce.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i>

    Sandyem was a powerful Lightning Mage, but even he could not withstand a single hammer blow from Jin-Hyeok. Hence, Nictman viewed Jin-Hyeok as a monster.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s so different from the livestream.¡¯</i>

    The livestream didn¡¯t fully convey Chul-Soo¡¯s intimidating presence. However, in person, Chul-Soo was like a giant, an overwhelming disaster that one could hardly stand against.

    <i>¡®Is Sandyem dead?¡¯</i>

    It looked like Chul-Soo hadn¡¯t even used that much force, leaving just a light tap on Sandyem¡¯s head. At that moment, the focus in Sandyem¡¯s eyes disappeared, and he copsed. There were almost no visible injuries, but the Lightning Mage was no longer breathing.

    <i>¡®He is definitely dead.¡¯ </i>Nictman could tell. <i>¡®On the outside, he¡¯s unscathed, but his insides are shattered.¡¯</i>

    It was a technique that did not affect the outside but eradicated the inside, a Skill usually employed by skilled Martial Artists. However, Nictman didn¡¯t know someone could achieve that with a hammer.

    <i>¡®Of course, it¡¯s a much more sophisticated technique than just hitting.¡¯</i>

    Having witnessed Sandyem¡¯s death, Nictman trembled and said, ¡°Hm has contacted me multiple times through the Ruler-exclusivemunication Skill. If we trace that, we can find Hm. I¡¯m sure Lessefim can easily do that.¡±

    Han Sae-Rin pointed out something important. ¡°You just survived because of that information, got it?¡±

    In other words, she implied that she would not return the various treasures that Angel Girl had stolen from him.

    With his vision blurring in fear, Nictman quickly nodded. ¡°Of course. Please, just spare my life.¡±

    ¡°We will think about it. But I might just kill you anyway.¡± Sae-Rin taunted him.

    Angered by her behavior but scared of Chul-Soo, Nictman just bowed and kept quiet.

    ¡°Though, I think we need to extract a bit more value from your life,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°You''re hiding something more, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, there is nothing left!¡±

    ¡°If we find anything hidden, it¡¯s one p per item, okay?¡± With a mischievous smile, Sae-Rin defenselessly walked toward Nictman and rummaged through his pockets. She waspletely vulnerable, and he could take her hostage this instant if he wanted to. He didn¡¯t think for long about his next step.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to say this only once. If you return at least half of the treasures you took, I will let this woman live,¡± Nictman said. He ced a poison-coated dagger to Sae-Rin¡¯s throat and slowly backed away. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! Otherwise, this woman dies!¡±

    Sae-Rin smirked again. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t this what you wanted, Chul-Soo? Here is my gift to you, a hostage situation!¡¯</i>

    This was perfect for Chul-Soo¡¯s Eltube channel. She was happy that she had set the stage for the livestream. Her eyes were filled with excitement.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was aware of Sae-Rin¡¯s intentions.

    <strong>[#This is great for his Eltube channel. #2 billion views! #Am I a livestreaming genius?]</strong>

    However, at this moment, Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to think about livestreaming.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Omnipotent Director.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly took control of the entire space and approached Nictman, who had turned ashen. In that split second, Jin-Hyeok swung his hammer toward Nictman¡¯s temple. The hammer touched the temple, but there was no sound. It was utterly silent.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    While everyone was silent, Nictman fell to the ground.

    Sae-Rin nced back. ¡°Huh...?¡±

    Golden radiance leaked from Nick¡¯s corpse, and then, with a sh, light burst forth. Nothing was left in the space where the light had exploded.

    <i>¡®Did Nictman just disappear?¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought.

    Nictman had vanished without any trace of his form. This contrasted starkly with Sandyem¡¯s corpse lying peacefully in the distance.

    Breathing heavily, Sae-Rin approached Jin-Hyeok and gently grabbed his arm. ¡°Chul-Soo...¡±

    ¡°Ah...¡± Jin-Hyeok finally came to his senses.

    ¡°What just happened?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Did you just lose control and swing your hammer with all your might?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat confused. It seemed he had inadvertently ruined a great moment that Sae-Rin had created for the livestream.

    <i>¡®Why did I do that?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok contemted it. <i>¡®I could have made the scene more interesting. I could have made Sae-Rin¡¯s hostage content more intense. Why did I act this way?¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin deeply sighed, clearly disappointed. ¡°I set up the perfect content for you...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I did not realize what I was doing.¡±

    <i>¡®Did I have something against Nictman that I didn¡¯t know about? I¡¯m an Eltuber who thrives on public affection. Was I so upset because Nictman tried to steal that affection?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok still could not understand why he had acted that way.

    Sae-Rin sighed again. ¡°You need to reflect on this. If this keeps happening, I¡¯m going to be very disappointed.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Then, she smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s what Ruler Sae-Rin would say, but as a human, I¡¯m very happy. It shows how much you care about me.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok quickly continued the livestream.

    <i>¡®I killed Sandyem and Nictman too abruptly,¡¯ </i>he thought. There was no particr reward involved in those two scenarios either. Therefore, he needed to act quickly and capture Hm before the Special Task Force or the Sword Emperor Unit could.

    ¡°Can you exclude the scene where I¡¯ll be tracing the Ruler-exclusivemunication from your livestream? It¡¯s one of my means of making a living,¡± Lessefim said.

    Led by Lessefim, Jin-Hyeok and his group began to track Hm.

    ¡°There are two warp portals, and we should probably choose one of them. I am not sure which one,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s this one,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Lessefim looked puzzled. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s just a hunch.¡± Jin-Hyeok was notpletely sure.

    <i>¡®Would it be too absurd to say I felt like I made eye contact with Hm through my screen earlier, and that¡¯s how I sort of know his general location?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Lessefim responded, ¡°Okay, whatever. Let¡¯s move based on your hunch.¡±

    ***

    They arrived at a space station on a mid-sized Server.

    ¡°So, I guess that warp portal leads to here,¡± Lessefim said.

    However, they were a step behind. The Special Task Force and the Sword Emperor Unit had already arrived at the location.

    Vilsmark said, ¡°You¡¯re toote, Lessefim. And you too, Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Members of the Special Task Force and the Sword Emperor Unit were surrounding a spaceship and continuously asking Hm to surrender.

    ¡°Hm, you¡¯re surrounded! Just give up ande out!¡±

    ¡°Hm, if you surrender now, we will consider it in your sentencing.¡±

    Hm was holding passengers hostage inside the spaceship. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled.<i> ¡®Can this make up for the hostage content I fumbled earlier?¡¯</i>

    As his heart raced, he suddenly felt a strange emotion.

    <i>¡®This is odd... I¡¯m not entirely happy.¡¯</i>

    Although it was not as intense as when Nictman had taken Sae-Rin hostage earlier, there was still a slight change in his feelings.

    <i>¡®Am I worried about the passengers inside the spaceship?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 369

    <h4>Chapter 369</h4>

    Holding hostages inside the spaceship, Hm conveyed his intentions through a loudspeaker.

    -¡°I want to have a one-on-one conversation with Kim Chul-Soo, who stole the freedom of Hell. After our conversation, I will surrender peacefully.¡±

    Special Task Forcemander Vilsmark was displeased at this proposal. The Special Task Force and the Sword Emperor Unit had finally located Hm, and Chul-Soo was just a bit slower than them.

    <i>¡®The public will likely think that Chul-Soo and Lessefim are more capable than us,¡¯ </i>Vilsmark thought.

    Being the Special Task Force Commander, he had to portray himself as the best in the world. Therefore, this realization weighed heavily on him. With Hm wanting a private conversation with Chul-Soo, the focus had shifted to the Streamer, which irritated Vilsmark.

    Hm¡¯s voice echoed again.

    -¡°If you guarantee me a conversation with Chul-Soo, the hostages will remain safe. I promise you.¡±

    Vilsmark turned to Cha Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, do you intend to ept this absurd proposal?¡±

    Hoping Jin-Hyeok would refuse, he added, ¡°You must know, Hm is cunning and treacherous. He could¡¯ve ced traps.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any guesses about what those traps might be?¡± Jin-Hyeok inquired.

    Vilsmark rejoiced internally. <i>¡®Yes! Chul-Soo does care about his safety! I was right. Everyone cares about their safety.¡¯</i>

    ¡°We have not identified any specific traps yet,¡± Vilsmark said.

    ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. It may take some time, but the Special Task Force will uncover his schemes.¡±

    -I think Vilsmark is misunderstanding Chul-Soo.

    -Chul-Soo just wants to know what traps they are to create a dramatic scene for his livestream.

    -LOL, Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t even care.

    -Yeah. Though even if he doesn¡¯t know what kind of traps they are, he can easily create a dramatic scene.

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury of waiting.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Vilsmark said.

    Jin-Hyeok nearly blurted out that if he knew what the traps were, he could create great content for his Eltube channel. However, he managed to calm down. If he made light of the situation when many hostages were at risk, people could deem it inhumane.

    ¡°The people in there are someone¡¯s parents, children, siblings, and friends... They are in grave danger,¡± Jin-Hyeok solemnly said. Even he was unsure if his words were part of an act or genuine. ¡°And this man is requesting to speak with me. How can I notply with his request!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a trap, I can¡¯t just stand here.¡±

    ¡°If you go in there, you might put the hostages in even more danger.¡±

    Observing the situation from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, Hm shouted again.

    -¡°I will give you one minute. If you don¡¯t get me Chul-Soo, all hostages will die.¡±

    He also used a Skill to disy a red countdown in the air.

    <strong>[1:00]</strong>

    <strong>[0:59]</strong>

    <strong>[0:58]</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can stop this tyranny. Dangerous or not, sometimes you must move forward. Today is one of those days, Commander Vilsmark,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Feeling somewhat confused, Vilsmark could only watch as Jin-Hyeok walked away.

    <i>¡®Is he... truly a righteous person?¡¯ </i>Vilsmark¡¯s feelings grewplicated.

    ***

    Hm¡¯s heart pounded with anticipation. <i>¡®I have made many sacrifices to get here.¡¯</i>

    He would likely make even more sacrifices today. Hm had nted a magic bomb inside the spaceship long ago, and some of the passengers were great warriors ready to sacrifice themselves for Hell, being essentially living bombs.

    <i>¡®If I can eliminate Chul-Soo... both the Guardian Tree¡¯s power and the influence of Hell Man will decline in Hell.¡¯</i>

    The first part of Hm¡¯s n was to apologize to Chul-Soo for the terrorist act he had orchestrated in the past, clear up any misunderstandings between them, and engage in a warm discussion about acknowledging the Streamer from now on.

    <i>¡®Then, I¡¯ll shake hands with him.¡¯ </i>The handshake would be his opportunity. Hm would press the detonator hidden inside his clothing and die gloriously alongside Chul-Soo. <i>¡®All for the freedom of Hell.¡¯</i>

    Hm was a true warrior, ready toy down his life for his beliefs. At least, that was what he thought as he waited with a heavy heart for Chul-Soo to enter the spaceship.

    ¡°Wee, Chul-Soo.¡± Hm suppressed his hostility with great effort. He also surrounded himself with various camouge artifacts to mask his true feelings.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo can read others¡¯ minds.¡¯</i>

    Because of this, Hm was confident. Those who could read minds tended to becent.

    <i>¡®This ce is beyond the reach of the Guardian Tree¡¯s powers. I can disguise my inner thoughts as much as I want.¡¯</i> As a Ruler, Hm could watch Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream without a device. The livestream appeared to him in the form of a hologram, and only he could see it. Essentially, he could stream-snipe Chul-Soo without people knowing. <i>¡®He¡¯s indeed reading my inner thoughts.¡¯</i>

    In the livestream, Hm could see what Chul-Soo was seeing.

    <strong>[#True apology. #Misguided beliefs. #Deep reflection. #Final conversation.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Wow, is my disguise power this good?¡¯</i>

    Hm felt triumphant. He had thought his disguise was not that effective, but it turned out that his abilities were more formidable than he had imagined or Chul-Soo¡¯s discerning abilities were less powerful than he had expected. Hence, Hm assumed Chul-Soo would have put his guard down by now.

    ¡°I regret all my past mistakes. I want to apologize in front of billions of viewers, Chul-Soo. Or should I say, Sir Chul-Soo.¡± Hm smoothly continued, ¡°After our little conversation, I¡¯m going to walk out and surrender myself. Of course, that¡¯s if you forgive me.¡±

    ¡°And what would you do if I don¡¯t?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°My life will be in your hands. Whatever decision you make, I will not hold a grudge.¡±

    Hm adopted a humble attitude, entrusting his fate to Chul-Soo, convinced that his strategy had worked perfectly. However, true Chul-Soo Landers sensed something was off. They actively chatted on the official Chul-Soo Land app, Chul-Soopia.

    [No.001: Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t usually show other people¡¯s inner thoughts, right?]

    [No.092: Yeah, he hardly does that.]

    [No.221: This seems more like one of his strategies.]

    Chul-Soo Landers were the most sincere followers of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    [No.001: Chul-Soo fooled Hm into thinking he fooled Chul-Soo! Chul-Soo Landers know what Chul-Soo is doing~ I love that about us.]

    ***

    <i>¡®He wants to fool me, but his disguise is so transparent,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    <strong>[#This is your end, Chul-Soo. #For the freedom. #Martyrdom. #I will die with him.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok knew Hm was stream-sniping him. He could also read Hm¡¯s expressions in real-time. Even without Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, the Streamer could easily sense what Hm was nning.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s happy thinking that he haspletely deceived me.¡¯</i> From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, it was absurd. It was far too easy for him to deceive a mere mid-Level 300 Ruler even in a ce that the Guardian Tree¡¯s power couldn¡¯t reach.

    <i>¡®Ah!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok suddenly realized something. <i>¡®Hm has probably never encountered a Level 400 Eltuber before.¡¯</i>

    People viewed the world based on their understanding. Hm wholeheartedly believed that if he did his best, he could deceive everyone. It was like how children thought they could hide themselves by covering their faces.

    <i>¡®It looks like he¡¯ll probably go for a final handshake.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok somewhat knew what Hm was about to do. <i>¡®Have I been influenced by Han Sae-Rin?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could clearly see the opponent¡¯s moves¡ªwhat he would talk about and what his next steps would be.

    <i>¡®He ns to trigger the bombs he has nted everywhere andmit suicide with me.¡¯ </i>This puzzled Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®He¡¯s so confident the explosion will kill me. How powerful does he think the explosion will be?¡¯</i>

    Traps set by a Level 300 Ruler were more wed than expected. It was uncertain how powerful the bombs were, but they were unlikely to kill Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I would like to see it for myself.¡¯</i>

    If Jin-Hyeok were alone, he would have just let Hm detonate the bombs, but too many vulnerable passengers were around them at the moment.

    ¡°I would like to shake your hand as a sign of my apology,¡± Hm said.

    <i>¡®Why¡¯s he being so obvious? Is he for real? Or does he have another trick up his sleeve, and I¡¯m the one being deceived right now?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue but showed no outward reaction. He extended his hand as well.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯ </i>Hm thought. The moment they shook hands, he pressed the detonator in his left hand. ¡°For the freedom of Hell!¡±

    Hm shouted solemnly, but nothing happened.

    ***

    Special Task Force members who had been covertly working outside the spaceship created an entry point and went inside the spaceship. They used grappling hooks to capture Hm. A circr restraining magical device was ced around Hm¡¯s neck, and handcuffs made of the special alloy were secured on his wrists.

    ¡°We have apprehended Hm.¡±

    Hm could not believe this turn of events.<i> ¡®Why? Why didn¡¯t the bombs work? I definitely pressed the detonator...¡¯</i>

    Then, Hm looked at the fallen detonator.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    He spotted a mocking symbol underneath the detonator. It was the mark of Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had knocked Hm down, continued his livestream. ¡°Hm was preparing an explosion. Fortunately, I was able to detect it in advance. While pretending to focus on the conversation with Hm, I deployed Angel Girl.¡±

    Hm thought he had been leading the conversation and hadpletely distracted Jin-Hyeok, but it was the other way around. It was Hm who waspletely out of his depth. While pretending to focus on the conversation with Hm, Jin-Hyeok had distracted Hm and had Ha-Young steal the detonator.

    ¡°Hm isn¡¯t good at multitasking,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Vilsmark frowned as he evacuated the passengers and managed the situation. <i>¡®No, Chul-Soo, you¡¯re mistaken. Hm is quite capable of multitasking.¡¯</i>

    Vilsmark, also a Ruler like Hm, knew very well that what Hm had aplished was a highlyplex task. Hm had hidden his true thoughts behind artifacts and his mental barriers while engaging in a deep conversation with Jin-Hyeok and even checking his livestream through a hologram.

    <i>¡®Even though Rulers can check livestreams through holograms, they mostly use smartphones,¡¯ </i>Vilsmark thought.

    Using holograms was a mentally exhausting activity. Only someone truly focused and confident in their abilities would attempt multitasking of this level.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not that Hm can¡¯t do it; it¡¯s just that your abilities are exceptionally overpowered, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Vilsmark was very confident in his analysis. However, Chul-Soo had a different opinion.

    ¡°Yes, well, I think Hm was too nervous. He couldn¡¯t multitask, and his focus was weak. He seemed pretty easy to defeat.¡± Chul-Soo didn¡¯t realize even one bit how exceptional his y had been. ¡°Thank you for your donation! Thank you for watching my livestream!¡±

    Vilsmark wanted to research the Streamer.

 Chapter 370

    <h4>Chapter 370</h4>

    After arresting Hm, the members of the Magic Investigation Team and the Special Task Force removed all the bombs hidden in the spaceship.

    Ilina blew cigarette smoke into Hm¡¯s face, making him cough violently.

    ¡°How dare you nt bombs on innocent people!¡± Ilina pped Hm so hard that his neck almost snapped.

    Vilsmark quietly said, ¡°Enough, Ilina. He has already been arrested.¡±

    Ilina red at Hm as if her anger had not subsided.

    Hm defiantly said, ¡°Everything happened because of Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo infringed on the freedom of Hell and tried to be its owner. I was merely fighting to protect our rights.¡±

    ¡°Then how do you exin sacrificing innocent children and taking people hostage for your cause?¡±

    ¡°They were necessary for the grand cause.¡±

    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t uphold such a cause,¡± Ilina said while blowing out smoke.

    She nced behind her and looked at Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®I¡¯m sure this is going to infuriate him¡ª Never mind!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was smiling broadly. Thanks to Hm, Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel was getting more popr.

    -Hm is such a scumbag.

    -Wooow! He¡¯s so shameless.

    -Guys like him deserve to die.

    -Grand cause, my ass!

    The viewers were united, fueled further by the moles Yu-Mi had nted among them.

    -But isn¡¯t he somewhat right?

    -Honestly, Chul-Soo did take over Hell and became its owner out of the blue. Right now, he¡¯s taking control of Hell with Hell Man¡¯s help.

    -That¡¯s true. No one asked Chul-Soo to conquer Hell.

    Yu-Mi¡¯s moles replied to thesements, and the rest of the viewers went after them like moths to a me.

    -Even if that¡¯s true, do you think that Hm¡¯s actions are justifiable?

    -If that¡¯s what you call freedom, I would leave the Server.

    -God, I hate these self-proimed centrists!

    -At least Chul-Soo would not stoop to hostage-taking.

    Many pointed out the facts.

    -Did Chul-Soo even take the freedom of any Hell resident? No!

    -They all said that their lives have improved.

    -And it¡¯s not like Chul-Soo became a dictator.

    -In fact, the members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell are the ones who oppressed the freedom of the residents of Hell.

    Chul-Soo had not harmed the residents of Hell in any way. He neither levied new taxes on them nor burdened them with any new obligations.

    -I would wee Chul-Soo as our Server¡¯s owner with open arms.

    -It¡¯ll only benefit us.

    -Exactly. We would get more experience points and Dias.

    Yu-Mi watched the screen with a satisfied face.

    <i>¡®The bait worked perfectl¡ªhuh?¡¯</i>

    While the viewers were deeply engaged and created a significant synergy, a major turning point urred in the livestream.

    She hurriedly used a screensaver. ¡°Due to our channel¡¯s policy, we do not broadcast direct scenes of murder. If you want to view the unedited footage, you must subscribe to our VIP membership!¡±

    ***

    Someone had just slit Hm¡¯s throat. It was none other than the Commander of the Sword Emperor Unit, Kyle.

    Vismark was startled. ¡°Commander Kyle!¡±

    ¡°The Sword Emperor Unit does not tolerate terrorists,¡± Kyle said. He wiped his bloody sword with a cloth and, as Vilsmark sighed, nonchntly said, ¡°The Sword Emperor Unit will take full responsibility.

    Kyle looked at Vilsmark and smiled. <i>¡®I know you knew this would happen, Commander Vilsmark.¡¯</i>

    Kyle wondered if Vilsmark had even hoped for him to kill Hm. This way, the responsibility for the rash action would fall on the Sword Emperor Unit, and the Special Task Force could im the honor of eliminating a vicious terrorist.

    After cleaning off the blood, Kyle stood before Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Hey, are you Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and asked, ¡°And are you Kyle?¡±

    Some soldiers of the Sword Emperor Unit bristled.

    ¡°How dare you?!¡±

    ¡°Show some respect, Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°This man is the Commander of the Sword Emperor Unit!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sarcastically added, ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo, your greed almost sacrificed many lives.¡±

    ¡°My greed?¡±

    ¡°All this started because you decided to be the owner of Hell.¡±

    -I think that¡¯s a bit of a stretch.

    -I am a resident of Hell. Actually, things have improved because of Chul-Soo. What is Kyle talking about?

    -That¡¯s quite a leap, LOL!

    -So, if someone gets stabbed with a sword, it¡¯s the cksmith¡¯s fault rather than the owner¡¯s?

    The viewers disagreed with Kyle¡¯s statements, but strangely, Jin-Hyeok did not respond.

    ¡°Excessive greed sometimes leads to unforeseen disasters, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not feel the need to refute Kyle. He was simply thrilled by the intensepetitive spirit emanating from Kyle.

    <strong>[#Is he strong? #Is he strong? #Is he strong? #Is he strong?]</strong>

    <strong>[#Let¡¯s see who is stronger. #Let¡¯s see who is stronger.]</strong>

    Kyle¡¯s status relentlessly updated as if it was bugged.

    <strong>[#Is he strong? #Is he strong? #Is he strong? #Is he strong?]</strong>

    <i>¡®He wants to fight me... but is holding back pretty well,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok guessed. Despite seeming like a stretched rubber band that could snap at any moment, Kyle remained calm. He looked like a highly trained Swordsman who could maintain hisposure.

    <i>¡®I must have be really strong,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He was surprised that themander of the Sword Emperor Unit felt apetitive urge toward him, a Streamer.

    This reminded Jin-Hyeok of his old Sword King days, and he felt exhrated. He decided to provoke Kyle a little. ¡°You don¡¯t seem that strong to me.¡±

    Praying that Kyle would lose his temper, Vilsmark stepped between them. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for us to be doing this.

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat disappointed. <i>¡®Kyle was almost like an idol to me before my regression.¡¯</i>

    To Jin-Hyeok, Kyle was a special person. Every yer walking the path of the Sword revered him. Kyle¡¯s straightforward and unrestrained personality divided opinions, but no one could argue about his swordsmanship skills.

    Kyle gruffly replied, ¡°Stay out of this, old man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in charge here, Kyle.¡± Vilsmark pulled a small model sword from his coat.

    Kyle ced his right hand on his chest and bowed. This was a relic of the Swedeen Empire, a model fashioned after the sacred sword Excalion. Whoever received this sword from the emperor could exercise the same rights as the emperor of Swedeen.

    ¡°I expect you to obey my order,¡± Vilsmark said.

    ¡°Fine, I will.¡± Kyle turned his gaze to Jin-Hyeok and continued, ¡°If my words offended you,e find the Sword Emperor Unit. I will be ready for a duel anytime.

    ***

    The series of events instigated by the Freedom Alliance of Hell were swiftly resolved. Both Hm, the alliance¡¯s leader, and Sandyem, the alliance¡¯s core member, were killed, and the remnants were eradicated under the leadership of the three major empires.

    -When you think about it, Chul-Soo¡¯s contribution to this event was as significant as that of the teams from the three empires.

    -Chul-Soo>>>Swedeen+Helen+Mazique. Do you agree?

    -No, no. Chul-Soo>>>Insurmountable Wall>>>S.H.M.

    Even on Poprity Nation, Chul-Soo¡¯s favorability reached an impressive eighty percent.

    -The IntenseMan of Order and Justice touched my heart.

    -Lol, I¡¯m proud to be from the same Server as Chul-Soo.

    -This is what you call noblesse oblige.

    Most members of the Freedom Alliance of Hell who had directly participated in terrorist acts were killed, and a few were sent to trial. Somfiad, the boy who had been forced into the warp portal incident, received significantpensation. Hell Man introduced a <i>publicint system </i>to start directmunication with the residents of Hell.

    ???

    Jin-Hyeok had reached Level 460, but something disappointed him. ¡°I¡¯m leveling up slower and slower now.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s normal... right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok and Cha Jin-Sol sat before each other, eating dinner. Having runrge-scale livestreams consecutively, Jin-Hyeok realized it was time to do more rxed daily content in a vlog style.

    ¡°I know,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. He was well aware that leveling up one or two Levels a day was abnormal. Most people could not even break past the Level 300 barrier, so Jin-Hyeok¡¯s leveling speed was phenomenal inparison.

    However, the viewers sensed something unusual in the siblings¡¯ conversation.

    -That¡¯s not normal either...

    -Why is their standard so different from ours? T_T

    -I¡¯m Level 260, and I¡¯m crying right now.

    ~ Jin-Hyeok felt conflicted for a different reason.

    <i>¡®Man, creating this calm, everyday content is so hard.¡¯</i>

    It was easy to excite his viewers with provocative content, but satisfying them with mundane daily content was quite challenging.

    <i>¡®The viewer count is only eight hundred million.¡¯</i>

    While a viewer count of eight hundred million viewers was impressive, he didn¡¯t think of it as so; after all, his viewer count had recently reached two billion and three billion.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should have brought one of the three beauties instead of Jin-Sol. That might have pushed the viewer count over one billion.¡¯</i>

    Feeling the difficulty of running a livestream with such subdued and calm content, Jin-Hyeok decided it was time to raise the stakes. Fortunately, Jin-Sol brought up a suitable topic.

    ¡°Oppa, you know about the Pisat Sword Emperor Tournament, right?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    The Pisat Sword Emperor Tournament was a fencing event hosted by the renowned Pisat Family every four years, attracting the universe¡¯s leading Swordsmen. Itsst winner was Kyle, themander of the Swedeen Sword Emperor Unit.

    ¡°All the famous Eltubers are going there. Aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m considering it, but...¡±

    Many Eltubers, as well as journalists from all over the universe, flocked to this grand festival.

    ¡°I just think that since so many Eltubers are going there, not a lot of people will watch my livestream.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Your livestream will trump all the other Eltubers¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think my livestreams are better?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely! When I watch other people¡¯s livestreams after yours, they seem so nd.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too biased. I might start believing you¡¯re telling the truth.¡± Jin-Hyeok thought Jin-Sol was justforting him. He believed Han Sae-Rin¡¯s assessments would be far more urate.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t even capture the beauty of the three women properly...¡¯ </i>

    There were already experts in the field of tournament broadcasting. These Eltubers were witty and quick on their feet, making matches much more entertaining to watch.

    ¡°To differentiate myself from other Eltubers, I think...¡± Jin-Hyeok nced around. He wondered if he was perhaps stepping outside the bounds of what was typically expected. These days, he was constantly pondering ¡®What would a normal person think?¡¯

    ¡°I think I should participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament. What do you reckon?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if an ordinary person like Jin-Sol would find his proposal strange. Normally this tournament was a festival for Swordsmen across the universe, and it was rare for yers from other Jobs to participate. Those who did often failed in the preliminary rounds.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a bit weird for an Eltuber to participate in the tournament?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Jin-Sol shook her head and walked back to her room. Jin-Hyeok wondered if his idea was terrible as he watched her return with her phone.

    She tilted her head and said, ¡°What do you mean? I already submitted the application form for you.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Jin-Hyeok finally understood what she was talking about.

    <i>¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±</i>

    <i>¡®So, she wasn¡¯t asking if I was going there, but more like why am I still here!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized he had overthought it. <i>¡®That means ordinary people wouldn¡¯t think this is strange at all!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 371

    <h4>Chapter 371</h4>

    Cha Jin-Sol red at her smartphone screen. ¡°Ah, this is so annoying!¡±

    She raised her hand to vent her frustration but could not bring herself to strike her brand-new phone. As she slowly lowered her fist, a thought struck her mind. <i>¡®I¡¯m a Healer! Shouldn¡¯t I be able to fix broken objects too? That should be healing too. This might be worth practicing.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you so frustrated?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Your application for the Sword Emperor Tournament was rejected!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re not a Swordsman.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament if you¡¯re not a Swordsman? I doubt that¡¯s an actual rule.¡±

    The siblings checked and found that the tournament¡¯s guidelines didn¡¯t have such a rule. However, only Swordsmen participated in the tournament. Moreover, as it was a festival where the most renowned Swordsmen from across the universe gathered, it was difficult for non-Swordsmen to survive in the tournament.

    ¡°I¡¯ll file aint right away. I can¡¯t believe they rejected your application when there is no such rule!¡± Jin-Sol shouted.

    This issue garnered a lot of attention. A heated debate ensued over whether an Eltuber could be allowed to participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament. Eventually, the organizers of the tournament, the Pisat Family, made a statement.

    [The Sword Emperor Tournament is a festival for warriors who wield swords. Therefore, participation is limited to Swordsmen. However, those who can prove their swordsmanship skills will be granted the right to participate in the tournament. The Pisat Family¡¯s examiners will conduct the evaluation directly. But every person will get only one chance.]

    Jin-Hyeok was in a bit of a dilemma. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for me to change my Job to Swordsman just because of this. So, I have to prove my swordsmanship skills...¡±

    The problem was that it had been too long since hest held a sword. Now, he was much more ustomed to wielding a hammer.

    ¡°I know the Pisat Family won¡¯t go easy on the evaluation.¡±

    Moreover, every yer had only one chance, so Jin-Hyeok had to pass in one attempt to participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament.

    ¡°I think you would do well with any sword, Oppa,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s better to use something I¡¯m familiar with. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a real Swordsman.¡±

    <i>¡®Miri, can you transform into a sword?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically asked.

    Lately, Miri had been diligently mastering various techniques. It could now create powerful explosions to maximize its destructive power or concentrate all its destructive force into a single <i>point</i> for precise attacks. When needed, it could stretch or shrink, demonstrating excellent qualities as a weapon.

    Miri was flustered.

    -Transforming into a different weapon... I¡¯m not sure I can.

    Miri reflected on itself again. It felt ashamed over itsck of intensity for not considering the possibility of transforming.

    <i>¡®There must be a way.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok decided to ask Katrina.

    ***

    Katrina had now be an immensely valuable figure. After a long period of self-searching(?), she had returned to her family and honed her skills as a Craftsman.

    Renowned rankers from across the universe were lining up to receive her assistance. The Universe had a woefully insufficient number of Craftsmen whenpared to the number of rankers. Regardless of how famous a ranker was, to meet Katrina, they needed to wait at least a year, but it was a bit different for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I heard it¡¯s difficult to meet you these days, but I guess that¡¯s not true,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It¡¯s easy for someone like you, Oppa. Do you want to see more of me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m seeing you right now.¡±

    ¡°Not like this, but more intimately. We can do things with our bodies as well.¡± Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkle, Katrina sighed and shook her head. ¡°By that, I didn¡¯t mean we can fight...¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit confused. Is being dense your concept, or are you for real?¡± she asked.

    Jin-Hyeok scratched his head. Usually, it was a concept, but this time, it was real. With Katrina boasting her massive muscles, the phrase <i>doing things with our bodies </i>sounded like <i>let¡¯s have a fight.</i>

    ¡°Anyway, why did youe to see me?¡± Katrina asked.

    ¡°Ah, about that...¡±

    After listening to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s story, Katrina shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not too difficult.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°For a weapon that has transcended the ultimate technique, form is merely an empty shell.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok took out a notebook and jotted it down.

    [A weapon that has transcended the ultimate technique.]

    If an ordinary person said it, it would sound somewhat chuuni-like, but a Craftsman among Craftsmen saying it somehow sounded incredibly cool.

    ¡°With just a few trivial triggers, a weapon can easily change its form. You could say it¡¯s an advanced version of Miri extending and contracting its length, right?¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°So, how do you do it?¡±

    ¡°At the minimum, the weapon must possess a weapon spirit of the same grade as Miri or higher, possessing the shape of a sword.¡± Katrina held Miri, examining it from various angles and touching it. ¡°But you have already met that condition, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I did? When?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I watched you do something crazy on your livestream. You don¡¯t remember?¡±

    <i>¡®When did I do something crazy on my livestream?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had no idea what she was talking about.

    ¡°You tried to use the Pisat Family¡¯s Relic to enhance Miri but failed, remember?¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to say, ¡®From a Craftsman¡¯s point of view, that might be crazy, but from an Eltuber¡¯s perspective, it was reasonable and rational.¡¯

    ¡°I know very well what you¡¯re thinking, so you don¡¯t need to make excuses. Anyway, a relic of the Pisat Family is bound to have a powerful spirit dwelling within it. Since it was destroyed so absurdly, an extremely strong lingering attachment must have survived andtched onto Miri. Miri probably feels it, right? Did it say anything?¡± Katrina asked.

    Upon hearing the exnation, Miri started tough.

    -Hehehe! So, that¡¯s why my attacks have be sharper and more tenacious! Hahaha!

    ¡°Miri says she felt it,¡± Jin-Hyeok told Katrina.

    ¡°Then, you need to try drawing out that energy inherent in Miri and shaping it into the form of a sword.¡±

    ¡°How can I do that?¡±

    ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m a Craftsman, not a Swordsman.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Katrinaughed. ¡°Just kidding. Go meet with Gridel, the Sage of the Sword. He might be able to help.¡±

    ***

    Before seeing Gridel, Jin-Hyeok met with Han Sae-Rin.

    ¡°What if Gridel kicks me out?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Why are you worrying about that? Didn¡¯t you already sign a friendly agreement with the Pisat Family?¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    ¡°I did, but...¡±

    ¡°Just go and see what happens.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok showed her the agreement he had signed with Gridel. ¡°I shattered their incredibly precious relic. Thanks to that, I even achieved the milestone of two billion concurrent viewers on my livestream.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I were Gridel, I would definitely wee you with open arms.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re trying to use the spirit of the relic dwelling within Miri to transform it into the shape of a sword. In a way, it can be considered as restoring a part of the relic. From Gridel¡¯s perspective, it¡¯ll be a blessing. Don¡¯t worry and go meet with him.¡±

    Sae-Rin was right. Gridel decided to help Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I guess there is no way out. We can only assist you, Sir Chul-Soo. A Swordsman who has reached the realm of transcending form can freely change the shape of their sword. We call it the realm of the Mind Sword. It¡¯s a realm that only one out of ten thousand spirit Swordsmen can reach,¡± Gridel said.

    In other words, only the top 0.01 percent of Swordsmen could attain that realm. This stunned Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®I was nothing during my time as the Sword King!¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, Jin-Hyeok did not even know about the existence of the Mind Sword realm. He thought he was quite strong, but it had all been a misconception.

    ¡°Can I start training right away?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course. The process won¡¯t be easy, though.¡±

    Gridel¡¯s eyes sparkled. There was hope that he could partially restore the relic through Miri, and he also thought he could legally torment Jin-Hyeok. In fact, thetter seemed to please him more.

    <i>¡®I guess I can¡¯t help it after all,¡¯ </i>Gridel thought.

    ¡°I have just the right person to be your master,¡± Gridel told Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Oh, who is it?¡±

    At Gridel¡¯s summons, someone opened the door and entered the room. It was Kyle, the leader of the Sword Emperor Unit.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Jin-Hyeok was visibly excited. Kyle was his idol during his former days as the Sword King. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood brightened.

    After listening to the whole story, Kyle nodded. ¡°Of course, I will teach him, Master.¡±

    ***

    Kyle had only one reason for epting Gridel¡¯s request.

    <i>¡®I want to have a proper fight with this guy!¡¯ </i>It was the first time Kyle had felt the desire to genuinely fight against a yer from a Job other than a Swordsman. <i>¡®He has great physical strength!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo possessed a body and abilities stronger than those of any other yer. Kyle¡¯s heart pounded at the thought of being able to fight against the swordsmanship disyed with such physical prowess.

    ¡°Do you think I can achieve this realm before the Sword Emperor Tournament?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Only four weeks were left until the tournament. So, Jin-Hyeok had to reach the realm of the Mind Sword within four weeks.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a realm that only one out of ten thousand Swordsmen can reach. No matter how outstanding your potential is, it¡¯s impossible for him.¡¯ </i>Kyle inwardly sneered. However, he outwardly nodded and said, ¡°For someone with skills simr to yours at this point, with exceptional talent and appropriate luck, I think you only need two weeks.¡±

    Of course, it was a lie. A yer could be enlightened about the realm of the Mind Sword within a minute or after ten years. It varied too much from yer to yer.

    <i>¡®But even those who were called the greatest Swordsmen in history took at least half a year.¡¯</i>

    In other words, the probability of Jin-Hyeok participating in the Sword Emperor Tournament was nonexistent.

    <i>¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡¯</i>

    Kyle felt that if heid a solid foundation for Chul-Soo, he would be able to fight against an even more grown Chul-Soo in the next Sword Emperor Tournament four yearster.

    ¡°From now on, you need to train your mind, not your body. You know how to experience the microcosm within you through meditation, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had shown his meditation content through his livestreams. Unfortunately, it seemed that Kyle was not one of his subscribers. The Streamer felt a bit ofpetitiveness. Since Kyle hadn¡¯t watched his streams, it meant that Kyle did not consider him a rival. If he did, he would have analyzed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreams.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Good. Within your microcosm, there must be a point where you and your weapon connect. At first, it will be very faint, but as time passes, it will be clearer and clearer. And... by doing so... then... you will... Eventually, you will gain freedom in form. However, this process will be arduous.¡± Kyle knew it would take at least half a year. ¡°As a tip, engage in meditation after exhausting yourself as much as possible. The more your body sufferers, the closer you will get to enlightenment.¡±

    Four weeks passed soon. It was almost time for the Sword Emperor Tournament registration to close. With a quite gloomy expression, Jin-Hyeok sought out Gridel.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gridel asked.

    ¡°It seems my talent for the sword wascking more than I thought.¡±

    Gridel felt strangely exhrated when he saw the dejected Jin-Hyeok, but he consoled the Streamer with a benevolent appearance. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sir Chul-Soo. Your talent as an Eltuber is unrivaled. This is not the end of your journey. You¡¯re still young and have boundless opportunit¡ª¡±

    Gridel¡¯s pupils trembled. Jin-Hyeok held Miri, which had taken the form of the Pisat Family¡¯s relic.

    ¡°It took me a full four weeks,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Those with the best talent in swordsmanship took only two weeks, whereas I took four. Well, If I had an outstanding talent for the sword, I would have be a universe-level ranker, not just the Sword King of Earth. I¡¯m d I found my aptitude, even if it¡¯s only now.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He let out a slight sigh and said, ¡°Anyway, I want to participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament. Who should I take the evaluation from?¡±

 Chapter 372

    <h4>Chapter 372</h4>

    Four weeks ago, with a glimmer of hope, Gridel had asked Kyle, ¡°Sir Kyle, I have grown quite old now. It¡¯s toote for me to ept and learn new things.¡±

    ¡°Why are you exaggerating again? What do you want to tell me, old man?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it...¡±

    Gridel had experienced Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s antics himself. He had given the Streamer the Pisat Relics after careful consideration, only for him to destroy them. Chul-Soo was a crazy person whose actions could not be predicted with any calctions.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Chul-Soo,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯ll reach the realm of the Mind Sword within four weeks, do you?¡±

    ¡°Are you going insane, old man?¡±

    ¡°As I¡¯ve grown older, I feel that the world has changed a lot. Now, there are too many things in the world that I do not understand, and I have trouble keeping up. So, maybe some strategies and tips about how to reach the realm of the Mind Sword exist out there. Also, aren¡¯t the young yers of this era growing a bit faster than us?¡±

    ¡°Even so, Chul-Soo will need six months at least.¡±

    ¡°Even considering his potential?¡±

    ¡°Of course! The Mind Sword isn¡¯t just some trashy realm.¡±

    Gridel¡¯s expression had not improved even after Kyle¡¯s confirmation. The thought of it was absurd, but if Chul-Soo managed to achieve this realm, the status of Swordsmen would plummet.

    People would say things like ¡®Why can¡¯t Swordsmen do what an Eltuber does in four weeks?¡¯ or ¡®These Swordsmen are so weak, lol.¡¯

    These sentences seemed to echo in Gridel¡¯s sears. That was why he said with a serious expression, ¡°Kyle, you have to promise me.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°You have to promise me that Chul-Soo cannot transform his Rule Breaker into the form of a sword within four weeks.¡±

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°I need you to. Only when you promise me might I be able to sleep peacefully at night.¡±

    Kyle let out a sigh. <i>¡®This old man has be sentimental with age.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Fine. I will bet my two balls that Chul-Soo cannot do it. Is this enough?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. Thank you!¡±

    Today, Kyle discovered Kim Chul-Soo holding the sword-shaped Miri in his right hand.

    ¡°Fuck! Will I have to get castrated?¡± Kyle shouted.

    ¡°The examiner is none other than Kyle,¡± Gridel spoke with a gloomy expression.

    ***

    Kyle felt an inexplicably itchy sensation between his legs.

    <i>¡®He won¡¯t ask me to hand my balls over, right?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. He then said to Cha Jin-Hyeok with a calm expression, ¡°You took four weeks. You¡¯re slow.¡±

    His face slightly reddened, Jin-Hyeok made an excuse in a small voice. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just an Eltuber.¡±

    ¡°The moment you hold a sword, you¡¯re not an Eltuber but a Swordsman, Chul-Soo. That¡¯s nothing but a petty excuse.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Does that anger you? Of course, it would. Get angry, and let¡¯s have a proper fight with all our might!¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction was lukewarm. ¡°Yeah... You¡¯re right, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°Are you admitting it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I deceived myself into thinking that I¡¯m just an Eltuber and that it¡¯s okay for me to take four weeks.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your advice. It was truly counsel befitting you, my teacher.¡±

    ¡°O-Of course...¡± Kyle headed to the Pisat Family¡¯s training ground together with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Now, pick up your sword, Chul-Soo. I shall judge whether you¡¯re worthy of participating in the Sword Emperor Tournament.¡±

    ***

    Gridel observed the fight between Jin-Hyeok and Kyle. <i>¡®He¡¯s fast.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s movements were not much different from those of top-tier Swordsmen. It was as if the Streamer had skillfully wielded a sword for a long time. <i>¡®And he has no skills rted to swordsmanship.¡¯</i>

    This meant that the skills Chul-Soo was demonstrating currently were not techniques but manifestations of his raw physical prowess. While Kyle overwhelmingly surpassed Jin-Hyeok in the sophistication and details of techniques, Jin-Hyeok overcame theck of techniques with his physical prowess.

    <i>¡®This ce is beyond the reach of the Guardian Tree.¡¯ </i>Gridel knew there was no need to watch any further. <i>¡®Chul-Soo is more than qualified to participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament.¡¯</i>

    Gridel intervened in the fight. ¡°That¡¯s enough. How about we conclude the evaluation here?¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t even started yet, old man,¡± Kyle said.

    Gridel shook his head. ¡°The Sword Emperor Tournament is just around the corner. Isn¡¯t it unnecessary to exert yourself too much here?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t skip today¡¯s meal just because there will be something to eat tomorrow.¡± Kyle did not seem to have any intention of stopping the fight.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t stop him like this.¡¯ </i>Gridel decided to use a strategy tailored for Kyle. ¡°Chul-Soo has just entered the realm of the Mind Sword. He is not yet skilled at wielding a sword. But as you should¡¯ve felt in this fight, his potential is immense. So, if you give him a few days, he will get much stronger.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s eyes widened a little. Only now did he be somewhat receptive to reason.

    ¡°For the sake of the future Chul-Soo, how about we stop here for now?¡± Gridel asked.

    ***

    Returning to the lodging provided by Gridel, Jin-Hyeok ced his right hand near his heart. His heart was pounding.

    <i>¡®This was so fun.¡¯</i>

    The moment he fought with Kyle, he felt alive. A thrill ran through him when their swords shed. When Gridel tried to stop them, even Jin-Hyeok had felt reluctant.

    <i>¡®This is a bit disappointing,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically told Miri.

    -What¡¯s so disappointing?

    <i>¡®My talents lie in livestreaming and wielding a hammer.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok greatly enjoyed swords, but it was a bit sad that his talent was not exceptionalpared to his love for swords.

    -But it¡¯s just a hobby. What¡¯s so sad about it?

    Those words felt like a blow to his head.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re right.¡¯</i>

    It wasn¡¯t that Kyle¡¯s words were entirely unreasonable.

    <i>¡°The moment you hold a sword, you¡¯re not an Eltuber but a Swordsman, Chul-Soo. That¡¯s nothing but a petty excuse.¡±</i>

    Thanks to Kyle¡¯s words, Jin-Hyeok had gained some enlightenment, but in retrospect, Kyle¡¯s teaching was not fit for him.

    Jin-Hyeok let out a sigh of relief andy down on the bed. ¡°I was about to be excessively intense.¡±

    Even when he was being intense, he had to follow the right direction. If he fell for such misguided teachings, it could hinder his main Job.

    ¡°I can¡¯t aim to be the best at my hobby and fail to be the best at my main Job, right?¡±

    -Well said!

    Miri¡¯s words felt particrlyforting today. It seemed Jin-Hyeok was no longer sad.

    After offering warm constion, Miriughed.

    -Stabbing the back of the head with the de¡¯s edge might also be quite thrilling, hehe!

    ***

    The news of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s participation in the Sword Emperor Tournament spread like wildfire.

    -Huh? Chul-Soo is on the participation list!

    -He¡¯s going for it, LOL!

    -An Eltuber in the Sword Emperor Tournament! The world has gone crazy.

    It was very rare for a non-Swordsman yer to participate in the Sword Emperor Tournament. Moreover, no yer from a nonbatant Job had ever entered the tournament.

    -In the Sword Emperor Tournament, you can only use Swordsman-exclusive Skills, right?

    -Does Chul-Soo even have Swordsman-exclusive Skills?

    -I don¡¯t think so.

    -You can use Mysteries, though. Even with just his Mysteries, he can dominate other Swordsmen.

    Debates began to arise in various onlinemunities.

    ~ -How weak do you think Swordsmen are? Are you dumb? No matter how great Chul-Soo is, he¡¯s just an Eltuber.

    -Can hepete with Swordsmen?

    -In the tournament, he can¡¯t even use Skills like the Omnipotent Director.

    -You¡¯re all praising Chul-Soo like he¡¯s some kind of god, LOL!

    asionally, some users defended Chul-Soo and analyzed how he could win, but they were in the minority. The prevailing opinion was that Chul-Soo would suffer an overwhelming defeat.

    -If they fight with pure swordsmanship, Chul-Soo won¡¯t stand a chance.

    -Physical prowess only works among weak yers. The Swordsmen participating in the Sword Emperor Tournament are already top-ss, lol. Physical prowess isn¡¯t everything.

    -A person I know is a Swordsman ranker, and he said he could easily subdue Chul-Soo with swordsmanship.

    Jin-Hyeok did not particrly mind the public¡¯s reaction.

    <i>¡®Well, I¡¯m indeed the underdog.¡¯ </i>He did not have any Swordsman-exclusive Skills. So, he had to fight with his physical prowess and experience, but it was uncertain whether this would work against top-tier Swordsmen. <i>¡®The fortunate thing is that my first opponent is Neil.¡¯</i>

    Neil was a Swordsman from Preang, a powerful Server. His Level was in the early 300s. He was one of the weaker Swordsmen among the participants, so Jin-Hyeok was d to face him.

    <i>¡®I barely managed to defeat him before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, they had coincidentally met and fought on Earth. At that time, they had fought to a draw, butter, Jin-Hyeok had found out that Neil was already exhausted before the fight.

    <i>¡®Neil did not make excuses and simply epted the defeat.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡°A man does not make excuses. I lost.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered shaking hands with Neil, thinking his attitude was quite cool.

    <i>¡®His whip-like curving sword was quite tricky.¡¯</i>

    Still, as he had fought him once before, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat familiar with Neil¡¯s habits and attack patterns.

    <i>¡®I still remember everything even though so much time has passed.¡¯</i>

    He felt like he had returned to that moment. If he were to exaggerate a little, he could say that he even remembered Neil¡¯s every breath.

    <i>¡®And yet, my talent as a Swordsman iscking. I wonder if truly outstanding Swordsmen can recall even more sophisticated and detailed memories. How thrilling would that be?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, without even realizing it, Jin-Hyeok envied Swordsmen with top-tier talent.

    ***

    The Pisat Sword Emperor Tournament was a festival for Swordsmen. In this tournament, one hundred Swordsmen carefully selected by the Pisat Familypeted to determine the ultimate winner.

    Interestingly, what this year¡¯s Sword Emperor Tournament attracted the most was not Swordsmen but Eltubers. Numerous Eltubers came to film at the arena where the tournament was held, and among them was Marshmallow.

    ¡°As you all know, battles up to the round of thirty-two are ssified as the preliminaries, right?¡± Marshmallow spoke to his viewers. In fact, the preliminaries were not that popr. ¡°But the arena is still packed! Over thirty thousand people have gathered. It seems to be the highest record for the audience number in the history of the preliminaries. It looks like they are the Chul-Soo Landers gathered to see Chul-Soo.¡±

    As tickets were being resold at over one hundred times the original price, citizens across the universe realized how terrifying the Chul-Soo Effect was.

    ¡°I think they deliberately matched him up with Neil. Of course, Neil is a strong contender, but he¡¯s weaker than the others.¡± It seemed that the organizer had an incentive to have Chul-Soo advance in the tournament and continue this whirlwind of poprity. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. Chul-Soo Landers are satisfied as long as they can see a lot of Chul-Soo.¡±

    A huge roar of cheers filled the arena. In this pce packed with so much noise that it was difficult to even converse with the person next to you, Marshmallow captured the conversation between Neil and Jin-Hyeok with skills befitting a top-tier Eltuber.

    ¡°It¡¯s Neil,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It¡¯s Chul-Soo,¡± Neil said. He drew out his steel sword. It looked ordinary on the outside, but it was a flexible sword that split like a whip and moved like a snake.

    Jin-Hyeok also took out Miri.

    Marshmallow¡¯s head turned to a question mark.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Marshmallow said. On top of the hammer-shaped Miri, he saw a translucent sword. Marshmallow rubbed his eyes and zoomed in on Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Am I seeing things? No matter how I look at it, that¡¯s a Mind Sword.¡±

    While Marshmallow stammered, unable to adapt to this unexpected situation, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s first sword fight began.

    <i>¡®Neil has a habit of always stepping forward with his left foot before attacking,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. That habit was still the same. He could see Neil stepping forward with his left foot. <i>¡®The flexible sword will fly at me from my left.¡¯</i>

    It seemed like Jin-Hyeok could see all of his opponent¡¯s breathing and gaze and even the movement of his muscle fibers. He could see more information about Neil now than he could during his Sword King days. It was as if he had read all of Neil¡¯s thoughts.

    <i>¡®I can see it¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could discern the path to evade the attack and the trajectory of the sword to immediately counterattack.

 Chapter 373

    <h4>Chapter 373</h4>

    <i>¡®I should tap his left shoulder, divert his attention, and attack his stomach. He¡¯ll twist to dodge my de, exposing the right side of his neck.¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok felt like the next part of the fight was slowly ying out in his mind. He could vividly predict his opponent¡¯s movements. <i>¡®Was he this easy to read?¡¯</i>

    No matter how much information and experience he had about Neil, Jin-Hyeok could not believe it could be this easy. He instantly thought, <i>¡®Is it a trap?¡¯ </i>

    People naturally believed what they wanted to believe and saw what they wanted to see. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s desire for there to be a trap made Neil¡¯s movements appear like preparation for one. <i>¡®Right. That¡¯s how a top-tier Swordsman should be! But you can¡¯t fool me!¡¯</i>

    Neil and Jin-Hyeok continued their exchange for dozens of attacks. The whip-like curving sword rushed toward Jin-Hyeok at strange angles, and he calmly blocked the attacks, closed the distance, and counterattacked, repeating this pattern of sword fighting.

    -Holyshit, this is amazing!

    -Unbelievable! How is this the swordsmanship of an Eltuber?

    -I can¡¯t even breathe.

    -Guys, I¡¯m going to turn off the screen for a bit. I¡¯m about to wet myself.

    Some people watching the first-person perspective of the livestream even turned off their screens. The pressure and intensity of the sword fight unfolding in first-person view were too overwhelming for ordinary viewers. The reason was that Jin-Hyeok, who was engrossed in the duel, failed to control the tension he was transmitting through the livestream.

    On the surface, the two contestants seemed evenly matched. However, Neil had different thoughts. <i>¡®Something is off.¡¯</i>

    He felt like he were fighting a ghost, as though he were cutting through water.

    <i>¡®I can barely control my breathing, while he doesn¡¯t even look one bit fatigued.¡¯</i>

    Contrary to how it looked from the outside, the person dominating this sword fight was Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s like he¡¯s toying with me in the palm of his hand!¡¯ </i>But something else also bothered Neil. <i>¡®Why does he hesitate when there is an opening instead of attacking?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s hesitation was so brief that it was hardly noticeable, but it was thanks to those fleeting instants that Neil had been able to maintain the stalemate and fight until now.

    Jin-Hyeok grew more puzzled as the battle continued.

    <i>¡®Huh? He¡¯s moving exactly as I predicted!¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok¡¯s predictions were clearer now than how they been at the start of the fight. He had been cautious all this time, thinking it could be a trap to lure him in, but he had a feeling that there was no need for that.

    <i>¡®Maybe even this is a trap. Did he do this to make me let my guard down?¡¯</i>

    Miri was also feeling regretful.

    -You could¡¯ve stabbed the back of his head just now!

    -You could¡¯ve pierced deep!

    -Why aren¡¯t you stabbing him?

    As time passed, Jin-Hyeok realized something.

    <i>¡®This is not a trap.¡¯</i>

    This was a clear difference in skill. Being strong was rtive. Someone who was an immense powerhouse before one person could be weak before another.

    <i>¡®What should I do?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was engulfed in serious contemtion.

    ***

    <i>¡®It seems Neil went easy on me before my regression,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. As a naive(?) Sword King, he had thought he had beaten Neil. Indeed, people only saw as much as they knew. <i>¡®Neil must have already reached the realm of the Mind Sword at that time.¡¯</i>

    No matter how physically exhausted Neil was, he definitely had enough strength to defeat Jin-Hyeok¡¯s past self. Nevertheless, Neil had let Jin-Hyeok win. Perhaps it was because Jin-Hyeok was not a real <i>rival </i>for Neil back then. Like an uncle ying with his nephew, Neil had pretended to fight intensely and let him win.

    <i>¡®Now, I¡¯m in the same position.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry for Neil. <i>¡®Neil must have treated me that way out of pure goodwill.¡¯</i>

    However, Jin-Hyeok was different. Even at this critical moment, he had to worry about how to make the livestream better.

    <i>¡®The production can go only one of two ways. I must either overwhelmingly dominate Neil or fight intensely and gain a dramatic win.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could go with either the munchkin content or the growth content.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sorry, Neil.¡¯ </i>The sword fight was only just beginning. <i>¡®It¡¯s important to develop expectations. A prodigy and a rookie. To show that I have the qualities to perform well in this sword fight, I will have to dominate my opponent.¡¯</i>

    This could hurt Neil¡¯s pride, but Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°Watch closely, Neil,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, as his momentum changed. He officially dered the appearance of his alternate character. ¡°It¡¯s Swordsman Chul-Soo¡¯s time to shine.¡±

    Swordsman Chul-Soo¡¯s time had arrived.

    ***

    Neil was dumbfounded. <i>¡®Swordsman Chul-Soo?¡¯</i>

    He thought it was roughly a corny line Chul-Soo had said for his livestream.

    <i>¡®Damn, my body is too stiff.¡¯</i>

    Neil had a strong sense of duty. An obsession that a Swordsman could not lose against an Eltuber had taken hold of him. Because of that pressure, his body became dull and his breathing quickly became ragged.

    <i>¡®H-He¡¯s fast!¡¯ </i>Neil could not properly read Chul-Soo¡¯s movements. <i>¡®Left? No, right! Above? Is he above me? No!¡¯</i>

    When he barely managed to block the attacks, Miri shed before his eyes, disappearing and reappearing repeatedly. While Chul-Soo seemed to be moving slowly and leisurely, it was chaotic from the perspective of the one being attacked. Neil felt like he was fighting multiple Chul-Soos.

    <i>¡®Where are you?!¡¯ </i>Neil shouted inwardly.

    At that moment, Miri¡¯s de touched his neck.

    <i>Waaaaaah!! </i>

    Cheers filled the arena. Commenters jumped from their seats and shouted, spitting saliva.

    ¡°I... I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo dominated Neil with just swordsmanship!¡±

    The screen yed a scene of Chul-Soo saying, ¡°The prelude is over.¡±

    ¡°Then does that mean Chul-Soo was holding back?

    ¡°It seems that way!¡±

    ¡°He was doing his best from our perspective.¡±

    ¡°One¡¯s best can be someone else¡¯s warm-up. It looked like his best to me, but Chul-Soo seems to think of it as a warm-up!¡±

    The first round was Chul-Soo¡¯s overwhelming victory.

    ***

    After the first round, Jin-Hyeok had tea with Marshmallow. As steam billowed from his head, Marshmallow arrogantly raised his chin and sat with his legs crossed.

    ¡°So, you want to ask me for a favor?¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°I want you to broadcast me.¡±

    <i>¡®I was going to do it even if you didn¡¯t ask me. These days, just having the name Kim Chul-Soo in the title guarantees views. The viewers eat it up like crazy.¡¯ </i>Marshmallow did not say that out loud.

    ¡°Like an exclusive livestream?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re already livestreaming yourself. And they¡¯re getting quite good reviews.¡±

    ¡°Our analysis is a bit different.¡±

    In terms of swordsmanship, Jin-Hyeok had achieved a perfect victory. If he were a Swordsman, he would have been overjoyed. However, his essence was being an Eltuber.

    ¡°People who like these hardcore videos are not sparing any praise for thest livestream, but...¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit the taste of the general public? Is that what you wanted to say?¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°Yeah. The pressure and the tension seem to be too intense. The number of real-time viewers was only 1.2 billion.¡±

    <i>¡®Still, 1.2 billion viewers is more than what I have, though.¡¯ </i>Marshmallow did not say this either. Sword fights were content that people either loved or hated. There was no in-between. As it was a fight between people, only those who liked it watched it. That was why the absolute number of viewers for this content was inevitably lower than that for general y.

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty low,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s still a bit difficult for me to be good at both swordsmanship and livestreaming at the same time.

    Marshmallow nodded. <i>¡®He¡¯s right. Multitasking is a bit challenging.¡¯</i>

    If another yer had been able to operate the Mind Sword like Jin-Hyeok and livestream at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s level, Marshmallow would have probably foamed at the mouth. He only knew the Mind Sword realm was a realm where outstanding Swordsmen changed the form of their swords with their will to showcase various abilities. So, he had no understanding of how difficult it was to do these two things together. The problem was that Jin-Hyeok was the only person in the current universe who could do this.

    Marshmallow gave him sincere advice as an Eltuber. ¡°Your screen was a bit shaky and messy. The liveliness that you conveyed through the screen was also too excessive. It¡¯s good to have some tension, but too much is going to hinder your livestream.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to record me. Just me.¡±

    Marshmallow nodded and grinned. ¡°So, you¡¯re requesting my help. If you beg so earnestly, I have no choice but to oblige. Hahaha!¡±

    The official Chul-Soo Lander No.1000 Marshmallow was intoxicated by the fact that Chul-Soo needed him. Not realizing that his marshmallow-shaped head had turned into a heart shape, he said with a solemn expression, ¡°So, what¡¯s your content going to be? Your intensity? Your growth? Your madness for the sword? Proving your ability as a Swordsman? Or how you¡¯re going to ovee technique with your physical prowess?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt that the conversation with Marshmallow was quite beneficial in many ways. In the midst of that, Marshmallow pointed out something that Jin-Hyeok had never thought of.

    ¡°Or is it the sweet reward that will followter?¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°...¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok did not answer, Marshmallow frowned heavily. His marshmallow-shaped head turned into [!!!].

    ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t think of a reward? Are you crazy?¡± Marshmallow yelled.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing this kind of content without nning a reward? I could just hit you right now! Do you think the viewers just want to see you suffering? No! Of course, they want to see that too! You¡¯re handsome even just by standing still, so they will praise you no matter wha¡ªno, that¡¯s not the point. Anyway, do you think it makes sense to run content without a n for a reward? If there is only the beginning and middle with no end, who will watch your livestream, you idiot?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok just silently epted Marshmallow¡¯s verbal abuse. Marshmallow was right about everything.

    <i>¡®I really haven¡¯te to my senses,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He really seemed to like swords. Jin-Hyeok was just excited about participating in the Sword Emperor Tournament and happy about being the first Eltuber to participate in it. He had neglected to consider what would follow if he achieved good results in the tournament. It was partly because Cha Jin-Sol had applied for the tournament on his behalf, so he had not paid attention to it.

    ¡°Do you even know what the reward for winning the Sword Emperor Tournament is?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know that, how can you call yourself an Eltuber? You need to know the destination to sail toward it. Ah, I¡¯m getting pissed off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°The reward for winning the Sword Emperor Tournament is the right to train at the Pisat Family¡¯s sacred ground, Cliff of Singing Swords. It is an opportunity countless Swordsmen across the universe dream of.¡±

    ¡°The Cliff of Singing Swords?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt that it was refreshing to learn about things he did not know during his Sword King days.

    ¡°Yeah, they say if you train there, you will be several levels stronger. The previous Sword Emperor Tournament winner, Kyle, was like that too.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Maybe as an Eltuber, you might discover something new there.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s participation in the Sword Emperor Tournament sparked an intense sensation. It was shocking in many ways that an Eltuber had disyed overwhelming swordsmanship against a professional Swordsman. Jin-Hyeok was the most popr rookie in the Sword Emperor Tournament.

    ¡°The Unknown yer has done it again! He achieved victory in just ten bouts against Melik, one of the favorites!¡±

    ¡°Even Melik can¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on!¡±

    A Swordsman from Hell who revealed his name as Unknown showcased remarkable skills in the Sword Emperor Tournament and defeated Melik, a strong contender for the title.

    This was a huge upset and began to attract attention, rivaling Jin-Hyeok¡¯s.

    In the winner¡¯s interview, Unknown directly mentioned Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I came here to kill Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    The Sword Emperor Tournament was a festival for Swordsmen. Any talk of ideology, beliefs, religion, or politics was strictly prohibited. Perhaps because of that, he briefly added a single sentence without any particr reason.

    ¡°I¡¯m from Hell.¡±

 Chapter 374

    <h4>Chapter 374</h4>

    <i>¡°I¡¯m from Hell.¡±</i>

    That one sentence led to many spections.

    -Wait, he¡¯s from Hell?

    -Another yer from Hell wants Chul-Soo dead? What did Chul-Soo do in Hell?

    After Hm, the leader of the Freedom Alliance of Hell, and Sandyem, the Lightning Mage, now a Swordsman named Unknown wanted Chul-Soo dead.

    -I only heard that Chul-Soo¡¯s actions were beneficial for Hell.

    -My acquaintance from Hell says he loves what Chul-Soo did to his Server.

    -So, why do so many yers want Chul-Soo dead?

    -In a way, aren¡¯t Hm and Sandyem warriors who sacrificed their lives for their freedom?

    Soon, Unknown achieved another overwhelming victory.

    -Wait, but isn¡¯t that a toy knife?

    -That knife is tiny.

    -Does any ranker use such a small dagger?

    -How did such a skilled yer pop up overnight?

    Unknown sparked a huge sensation. His swordsmanship was not shy at all. He just got close to his opponent and sliced their necks, and that was the end of it. Unknown was so fast that neither hispetitors in both his matches nor the referees could keep up with him.

    -If he wanted to kill them, he would have done so.

    -Wow, he¡¯s amazing!

    -The universe is vast, and there are many strong yers in it. Let¡¯s always be humble.

    Cha Jin-Hyeoky on his bed, scouring various onlinemunities to gauge public opinion. The keyword <i>Sword Emperor Tournament Unknown </i>was trending more than the keyword <i>Sword Emperor Tournament Kim Chul-Soo</i>.

    At that moment, the door to his room opened without a knock, and someone walked in with heavy steps. Not many people would act so rudely within the Pisat Family.

    ¡°What brings you here, Kyle?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Is that the right way to treat your teacher?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do not forget. I guided you to the realm of the Mind Sword.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a fake anyway,¡± Jin-Hyeok murmured. He had almost fallen for that fake teaching and put more emphasis on swordsmanship rather than his main Job. Such half-baked teachings were more likely to ruin a yer.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. But why are you here?¡±

    <i>Creak! </i>

    Kyle pulled out a chair and sat down.

    ¡°It¡¯s about Unknown. Don¡¯t get killed by that bastard.¡± Kyle sneakily nced at Jin-Hyeok, spotting the word ¡°Unknown¡± on thetter¡¯s phone screen. <i>¡®Hm... He¡¯s also very concerned about Unknown.¡¯</i>

    ¡°You look upset, Chul-Soo,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°I feel a bit unpleasant.¡±

    It was natural for Jin-Hyeok to be concerned about someone who had made a deration to kill him. Kyle believed that anyone would be this angry when the opponent went this far.

    ¡°Look at this,¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed and showed Kyle his screen.

    [Sword Emperor Tournament Unknown]

    [Unknown¡¯s Identity]

    [Unknown¡¯s match record]

    [Unknown¡¯s real weapon]

    Unknown¡¯s name was all over the screen.

    ¡°This is why I feel unpleasant.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re just upset that he beat you in the search keyword rankings?¡± A Swordsman to the bone, Kyle was at a loss for words.

    ***

    ¡°Reaching the top realm of swordsmanship requires countless hours of hardship. Even if one grows in leaps and bounds through enlightenment, there is bound to be a reasonable limit,¡± Kyle said.

    For a moment, Jin-Hyeok felt a bit guilty. <i>¡®Is he talking about me?¡¯</i>

    Kyle continued, ¡°Just a few months ago, Unknown was nothing but a worm. Yet, he¡¯s now standing out like this in the Sword Emperor Tournament. A yer can achieve this in only one way.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know?¡± Kyle narrowed his eyes in disbelief. ¡°You really don¡¯t.¡±

    Kyle let out a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m disgusted with myself for having an ounce of respect for someone who knows nothing about swordsmanship.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it rude to say that in front of the person in question?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s mood worsened, while Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood improved. Even though Kyle¡¯s words were a bit rude, he was still acknowledging Jin-Hyeok as a rival.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about the Sword¡¯s Oath?¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Jin-Hyeok stopped Kyle, and his heart began to pound. <i>¡®This will be perfect for my channel!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had a hunch that Kyle was about to tell him about something important. He said, ¡°Can I record this?¡±

    ¡°Do as you like!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know. Although I¡¯m intense about livestreaming, I¡¯m not a crazy person. If it¡¯s a sensitive topic, give me a heads-up. I will not reveal things that you do not want to be disclosed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you reveal it at all.¡±

    From Kyle¡¯s perspective, the Sword¡¯s Oath was not a huge secret. Even if he informed others about it, only a few yers could make use of it.

    ¡°Some yers can hear the voice of their sword. This applies to all weapons and not just swords,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Is it like how Miri and I converse?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different, you stupid fool!¡± Kyle was baffled. <i>¡®Did this guy really reach the realm of the Mind Sword?¡¯</i>

    In terms of growth rate, Jin-Hyeok was a genius above geniuses, but his knowledge of swordsmanship was too shallow.

    <i>¡®No, maybe that¡¯s what makes him scarier,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. In a way, it was terrifying that Jin-Hyeok had reached his current realm with such shallow knowledge.

    ¡°Your weapon is more like an Ego Sword, an artifact that has a will and voice,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m talking about, hearing the voice of the sword, is apletely different concept. It means hearing the will possessed by the weapon.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t get it?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I do not understand what the difference is.¡±

    ¡°Fine, just acknowledge that such a thing exists. Those who can hear the voice of the sword can make a Sword¡¯s Oath with the help of yers belonging to a special Job called Oath Writer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok recalled a vague memory. He had heard stories about Oath Writers even before his regression; if a yer made a contract with a sword through an Oath Writer, the yer could instantly gain tremendous power and abilities.

    <i>¡®I thought such nonsensical tricks could not exist in the world and that it was a scam,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok realized that his vision had been narrowed before his regression. He used to believe that one could be stronger only by risking their life and wielding a sword on the battlefield every day. If he had not experienced the life of an Eltuber, he would not have even listened to Kyle speak about something like a <i>Sword¡¯s Oath</i>.

    ¡°Making a Sword¡¯s Oath means imposing conditions on the use of the sword and making a promise,¡± Kyle said. He continued his exnation with a serious expression, and Jin-Hyeok nodded in admiration.

    Jin-Hyeok realized that Kyle could appear ignorant due to his reckless personality, but at times like this, he showed that he was an expert in his field.

    ¡°For example, vowing to use the sword against only adult males. Or vowing to use the sword against only non-human beings. By imposing such restrictions, one makes a Sword¡¯s Oath. Naturally, as these constraints increase, the range in which one can use the power narrows, and the narrower that range bes, the more powerful the abilities one can manifest.¡±

    Kyle continued to talk as he slightly frowned, ¡°Perhaps, Unknown made an oath like <i>¡®I will demonstrate my skills in only the Sword Emperor Tournament,¡¯ </i>or something.¡±

    ***

    Unknown sat cross-legged on the bed, his upper body bare. These days, a sense of tion had engulfed him; it made him feel like he had encountered a new world.

    <i>¡®So, this is my new microcosm.¡¯</i>

    Now, when he looked at something, he could see more details than he could earlier. Even when observing the same thing, he could sense more. He could feel the opponent¡¯s exhtions and inhtions, as well as their momentum and movements.

    It was as if he had gained eyes that could see through not only techniques and forms but also their essence. He was reviewing his earlier match through meditation. In exaggerated words, he could even remember the number of hairs on his opponent¡¯s arm.

    <i>¡®This is the power of a Sword¡¯s Oath!¡¯</i>

    As predicted by Kyle, Unknown had made an oath to use his sword in only the Sword Emperor Tournament. Moreover, he had considerably narrowed the scope of his power by making an oath to use the sword only in this Sword Emperor Tournament, not all Sword Emperor Tournaments.

    In other words, his skills were worth at most a few weeks.

    <i>¡®But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯</i>

    For the sake of avenging Sandyem, a close friend who had died unjustly, and Hm, someone whom he respected, Unknown was prepared to give up everything.

    At that moment, he heard someone¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I can see through you. You were a close friend of Sandyem and a follower of Hm, right?¡±

    Unknown opened his eyes and picked up the dagger beside him. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    His gaze fell upon a blond boy wearing a luxurious blue uniform. The boy had a ceremonial sword hanging from the left side of his waist, and despite looking like an ornament, the sword exuded a remarkably sharp aura.

    ¡°It seems you took an oath to use your sword in only this Sword Emperor Tournament. Your aura is quite pathetic.¡± The boy with the blond hair and golden eyes stood in front of Unknown. ¡°My name is Deliark.¡±

    Unknown¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. Every yer who held a sword knew the name Deliark. Deliark was the genius boy who would lead the next generation, the one who possessed a talent that was second to none when it came to the sword. He was outstanding for the standards of even the Sword Empire of Swedeen.

    ¡°My full name is Deliark Dmak Swedeen.¡± Only the direct bloodline of the imperial family could use the surname Swedeen. This blond boy was none other than the First Prince of Swedeen. ¡°I have a proposal for you.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Sir?¡±

    Unknown immediately adopted a formal speech to respond to Deliark. Even putting aside their skills, Deliark had the aura of a monarch, which overwhelmed Unknown.

    ¡°I will help you kill Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ***

    After finishing the contract, Deliark said to Unknown, ¡°I shall trust you with this.¡±

    Then, he turned around and left, as if he had nothing else to talk about. The man who had been quietly standing behind Deliark asked, ¡°Will you really provide this person with a new identity and a ce to live?¡±

    ¡°A member of the imperial family always keeps their word. If not, they do not deserve to be one.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But I just said I would create a new identity for him. I didn¡¯t say anything about keeping him alive.¡±

    The subordinate nodded. ¡°I will quietly take care of it after the work is done.¡±

    Unknown, who had no way of knowing this conversation, had a glimmer in his eyes. <i>¡®So, this is the infamous Swedeen Empire¡¯s Sword Spirit Pill!¡¯</i>

    It was a ck pill that did not look anything special. Without hesitation, Unknown swallowed the pill. It tasted bitter, and heat began to rise in his stomach.

    After a while, his eyes became even clearer.

    <i>¡®I can feel an uncontroble power!¡¯ </i>That was not all. Deliark had given Unknown high-quality weapons to choose from. People often said a real Swordsman did not me their tools, but with the same skill, the one with better weapons would always win. <i>¡®These weapons are as powerful as Chul-Soo¡¯s Miri!¡¯</i>

    Unknown picked up a dagger scattering a bluish light. As soon as he grasped it, goosebumps rose all over his body, and his heart pounded.

    <i>¡®I want to dance with this dagger.¡¯ </i>His heart tingled with a feeling as if he had met his first love again.

    In the next match, Unknown demonstrated an overwhelming difference in skill between him and his contender. He was now one of the final sixteen contestants.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll show you my will, Chul-Soo. You will never be able to go home alive!¡¯</i>

    While Unknown burned with a passionate will, Jin-Hyeok, who had advanced to the round of thirty-two, sensed that something was wrong.

    <i>¡®Strange!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok looked at the red-haired woman standing in front of him. She was holding an incredibly huge greatsword. This woman was Shelby, who had inflicted a painful defeat on Jin-Hyeok during his Sword King days. Standing in front of her, Jin-Hyeok bit his lip. <i>¡®This isn¡¯t right...¡¯</i>

    Something too strange was happening.

 Chapter 375

    <h4>Chapter 375</h4>

    Before Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Shelby had pointed her sword at the fallen Jin-Hyeok¡¯s throat.

    <i>¡°Your only misfortune is being born in the small vessel called Earth,¡± </i>she had said.

    ¡°...¡±

    At that time, Jin-Hyeok had sensed his impending death. Shelby was a universe-level ranker and he was just the Sword King of Korea, so he was unable to handle her. His sword, which he boasted to be among the top ten in the Earth Server, had long been miserably broken into two.

    <i>¡°Then farewell.¡±</i> Shelby had raised her giant greatsword and brought it down toward Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck. To be precise, she had stabbed the ground right next to his neck. Despite hitting a solid concrete floor, the sword had sunk deep as if the ground were made of tofu.

    <i>¡°However, it¡¯s remarkable that you cultivated this level of skill in such a barren Server, so I will give you a chance.¡± </i>Shelby had retrieved her sword and leisurely left the scene. Her presence at that time had been indescribable.

    However, in his current life, Shelby was a bit different in the Sword Emperor Tournament.

    <i>¡®Why is she so full of openings?¡¯ </i>Before his regression, he had felt like he were fighting a lifeless wall. It was just an unfathomable feeling. However, now, it was as though he were looking at a child. <i>¡®Damn, has she not gained enlightenment yet?¡¯</i>

    yers who had reached a certain level would be stronger in stages through enlightenment. He guessed Shelby had yet to reach that level.

    <i>¡®She should gain enlightenment in a couple of years.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had been very excited after hearing that Shelby was going to be his opponent, but that excitement had fizzled out now. If one were to put it in exaggerated words, Jin-Hyeok felt betrayed.

    <i>¡®What should I do now?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok rxed and continued fighting Shelby. Since he could easily read her movements, it was very easy for him to distinguish between feints and real attacks. He did not react to the feints and dodged the real attacks by a hair¡¯s breadth.

    The people watching Marshmallow¡¯s livestream went wild at the sight.

    -Wow, Chul-Soo¡¯s nose almost got cut off.

    -This is so intense!

    -I was a little disappointed that the livestream was not in the first-person perspective, but this is amazing.

    -Marshmallow!

    Marshmallow was exclusively broadcasting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s fight. Encyclopedia, who was watching his friend from the side, shrugged and thought, <i>¡®I can tell just by watching your livestream.¡¯</i>

    As a long-time friend, Encyclopedia could read Marshmallow¡¯s mood just by watching the video.

    <i>¡®Anyone watching your livestream can tell that you¡¯re a Chul-Soo Lander.¡¯</i>

    The focus of Marshmallow¡¯s livestream was not the <i>intensebat.</i>

    <i>¡®He seems to be fixated on making Chul-Soo look beautiful.¡¯</i>

    Nevertheless, Marshmallow conveyed a high level of intensity in the livestream, which showed how outstanding his skills were. Thanks to this top-notch production, Chul-Soo Landers from all over the universe were flooding onto Marshmallow¡¯s channel like a tidal wave. The number of real-time viewers on Marshmallow¡¯s channel surpassed five billion in a blink.

    -Is this where we can see Chul-Soo¡¯s fight?

    -I came here because I heard they showed Chul-Soo¡¯s actual face.

    Marshmallow went a step further and even provided a 3D screen.

    -It¡¯s graceful, so graceful.

    -I¡¯m d to be alive!

    -Mom, I¡¯m proud of myself.

    Of course, this led to side effects as well.

    -Can you focus on the fight and not the face?

    -Wtf? Why is everyone drooling over Chul-Soo¡¯s face and ignoring this amazingly high-quality fight? (said while wiping drool with my sleeve.)

    While the battle-focused faction and the Chul-Soo-focused faction were divided in a fierce online argument, Jin-Hyeok made a decision.

    <i>¡®Overwhelming dominance should be my theme until the main tournament!¡¯</i>

    To ensure a smooth transition between the themes of his content, Jin-Hyeok went for a production style that he had used before. ¡°Watch closely, Shelby...¡±

    -It¡¯s the time of Swordsman Chul-Soo!

    -He¡¯s here! This is amazing!

    -Swordsman Chul-Soo has arrived! Sound the trumpets!

    -Rejoice. Cheer for Swordsman Chul-Soo!

    ¡°It¡¯s Swordsman Chul-Soo¡¯s time.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok could read Shelby''s every move, so he didn¡¯t need to check whether her movements were a trap or not.

    <i>¡®I just need to push forward in a line.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok kept thinking about Unknown. ¡°If I defeat Shelby in the same way as how Unknown defeated his opponents, I¡¯m sure it will draw a lot of attention.¡±

    -I like this dagger form too, hehehe.

    Miri responded to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s will and transformed into a dagger.

    -The stimtion is stronger in this form, ha... Size doesn¡¯t matter!

    Miri faintly moaned in excitement. It said the stimtion was better when stabbing in the form of a dagger.

    Seeing the highly excited weapon, Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry. <i>¡®This is not a real fight. You cannot kill her.¡¯</i>

    -I will think of it as a practice session, hehe.

    Miri didn¡¯t seem to care. The weapon seemed to be saying that if it practiced hard, it could stab urately and deeply next time.

    Since Miri did not seem like a normal weapon, Jin-Hyeok felt a bit strange.

    <i>¡®Wait, people say these kinds of weapons are mentally connected to their masters. So, why is Miri acting like this when I¡¯m perfectly normal?¡¯</i>

    Ignoring Miri¡¯s craziness, Jin-Hyeok attacked Shelby in the same way Unknown had attacked his opponents.

    Shelby scornfullyughed as if she could not believe it. <i>¡®I can read your moves, Chul-Soo.¡¯ </i>

    Crouching down and approaching in a straight line was what an amateur Swordsman would do. Chul-Soo had made no movements to disperse her attention at all. He seemed to not have any alternate n, and his movements were in. <i>¡®I guess you became impatient.¡¯</i>

    In truth, Jin-Hyeok had gone easy on her while deciding the direction of his content, but Shelby didn¡¯t know that. She fought so fiercely that she could not even dream that Jin-Hyeok had gone easy on her.

    <i>¡®If he had just a little more experience in swordsmanship, he would not have made such a reckless and foolish choice,¡¯ </i>Shelby thought. But she knew it could not be helped. This was the difference between a real Swordsman and an Eltuber.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, the situation unfolded very differently from Shelby¡¯s expectations. Before she knew it, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s dagger was touching her, and blood was flowing out of her temple.

    ¡°The winner is Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    Although the spectators cheered loudly, Shelby could not hear the roaring cheers. She felt like she was alone in a silent space.

    <i>¡®What was that, just now?¡¯ </i>She wondered what had happened, but she knew the answer. <i>¡®I knew where the attack wasing from, but couldn¡¯t stop it...¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had been too fast. She could not react properly to that overwhelming speed. This was closer to a difference in physical prowess than a difference in swordsmanship.

    Shelby unknowingly dropped her sword.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know... I could lose this easily...¡¯ </i>Shelby had first held a sword when she was three years old. She had never lost a battle when she had read all of her opponent¡¯s movements and sword paths.

    Without picking up her sword from the ground, Shelby just turned and walked toward the exit.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s a wall...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was a huge wall that she couldn¡¯t climb. Shelby¡¯s eyes had no focus at all. Walking unsteadily as if she would crumble with a slight touch, she dered her retirement that very day.

    ***

    It was rare for a new star to appear in the Sword Emperor Tournament and advance to the main tournament. Even if new stars appeared, most of them had participated in previous Sword Emperor Tournaments. Hardly any people advanced to the main tournament in their first Sword Emperor Tournament like Chul-Soo or Unknown.

    Therefore, Chul-Soo and Unknown received immense attention. However, due to Unknown¡¯s tremendous performance, many people ridiculed Chul-Soo.

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s true skills have been revealed!

    -Chul-Soo: I¡¯m so weak. T_T

    -Unknown will beat him up!

    The reason for these reactions was a post titled ¡®The Difference in Skill between Unknown and Kim Chul-Soo.¡¯ The post had spread to various onlinemunities.

    [Comparing the Speeds of Chul-Soo and Unknown]

    This time, Jin-Hyeok had faced Shelby in the same way as Unknown¡ªgetting close to the opponent and swinging a dagger.

    -Thanks to Chul-Soo attacking in the same way as Unknown did, it¡¯s easy topare their speed.

    -You can watch it at 1/1000 speed with Marshmallow¡¯s video.

    The author of the post analyzed the two videos in depth.

    [Considering the distance from the opponent, assuming the distance is the same... calcting... the result is...]

    The post even had a video attached to it. The video showed Chul-Soo and Unknown simultaneously running from the same starting line, and Unknown was faster.

    [Unknown overwhelms Chul-Soo in terms of speed. Unknown is also much more efficient.]

    In slow motion, the video showed how Unknown¡¯s movements overall were much more natural.

    [Perhaps because he¡¯s not used to swordsmanship, Chul-Soo¡¯s sword trajectory is toorge and not concise.]

    The actual reason for this was that Jin-Hyeok was considerate of Miri. Miri preferred to attack the temples or the back of the head of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s opponents. So, he had no choice but to add some unnecessary movements to his fights, and ordingly, he had to make the trajectory of his dagger¡¯s movementsrger.

    [It¡¯s a fact that overall, Chul-Soo is nowhere close to Unknown. Of course, that is assuming he didn¡¯t use his abilities as an Eltuber.]

    The analysis post and video were quite detailed and usible, so it became a hot topic.

    -Did you guys watch the video?

    -Chul-Soo got beaten badly.

    -Is Chul-Soo¡¯s hype finally bursting? Lol.

    -Honestly, I bet Chul-Soo¡¯s opponents lost because they let their guard down.

    -The main tournament is on a different level. Chul-Soo will probably get eliminated early.

    People who already disliked Chul-Soo were fired up, and conservative people who disliked an Eltuber entering the Sword Emperor Tournament were also pleased with the post.

    -Still, he did quite well for an Eltuber.

    -Is Chul-Soo finally getting eliminated? God, I waited for this day for a long time!

    -Chul-Soo was always weak.

    The postparing the skills of Chul-Soo and Unknown spread across the universe, and ordingly, numerous Eltubers covered this incident.

    Kyle frowned. <i>¡®This can¡¯t be happening!¡¯</i>

    He wanted to face off against Jin-Hyeok in the finals and fight fairly in the best condition, but he didn¡¯t think there would be this kind of negative opinion against Jin-Hyeok. When Swordsmen were at the top level, the difference in skill between them was as thin as a sheet of paper. Anything trivial could change the oue of the fight.

    <i>¡®If he¡¯s mentally frustrated, he won¡¯t be able to show his true strength!¡¯</i>

    Kyle hurriedly headed to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s lodging. He did not even have the leisure to find it strange that he thought, <i>¡®Of course, Chul-Soo will make it to the finals</i>.¡¯

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡± Kyle shouted.

    As he had expected, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s room was dark. All the lights were off, and Jin-Hyeok seemed to be covered in nkets. Kyle irritably walked and pulled the nkets off Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kyle asked.

    Jin-Hyeok was holding his phone, his eyes red and bloodshot.

    ¡°It¡¯s the main tournament now. If you can¡¯t properly pull yourself together because of some rumors, you won¡¯t be able to fully demonstrate your ski...¡± Kyle felt something strange. Jin-Hyeok was grinning. ¡°Wait, you...¡±

    Kyle secretly peaked at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s screen.

    [Chul-Soo¡¯s Humiliation]

    [Chul-Soo and Unknown Speed]

    [Chul-Soo Hype]

    [Chul-Soo dagger]

    The trending keywords that had been filled with Unknown had changed to ones rted to Chul-Soo. On Jin-Hyeok¡¯s screen, Kyle saw <i>Chul-Soo¡¯s Humilia </i>written in the search bar.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while smiling awkwardly. Kyle could see that Jin-Hyeok was about to type [Chul-Soo¡¯s Humiliation], but had stopped midway.

    <i>¡®Was he typing that to increase the search count? Is he trying to raise the view count for the term </i>Chul-Soo¡¯s Humiliation<i>?¡¯ </i>Kyle was speechless. It just did not make any sense, but since the one doing it was Chul-Soo, it also kind of made sense.

    Kyle saw Chul-Soo¡¯s search history.

    [Chul-Soo¡¯s Humiliation]

    [Chul-Soo and Unknown Speed]

    .

    .

    .

    [Chul-Soo Hype]

    [Chul-Soo Dagger]

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s bloodshot eyes, Kyle unknowingly took a couple of steps back.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s... crazy!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo as an Eltuber seemed a bit frightening.

    Jin-Hyeok was very satisfied. <i>¡®I won, Unknown!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 376

    <h4>Chapter 376</h4>

    This year¡¯s Sword Emperor Tournament, which had drawn more attention and interest from countless people from across the universe than ever before, had selected its final four contenders.

    -Isn¡¯t this the first time two yers who aren¡¯t renowned Swordsmen have made it to the top 4?

    -I never thought I would see this kind of upset in my lifetime, LOL!

    -Not just one yer, but two!

    -Maidona: There is no field more honest than swordsmanship. Neers can never surpass the established. (???)

    Experts who had confidently dered that new stars could not make it to the top four of the Sword Emperor Tournament had been humiliated.

    ***

    Just before the semifinal matchups were determined, Kyle mmed the desk and stood up from his seat. ¡°What are you talking about, old man?¡±

    Sitting across from him, Gridel let out a sigh. ¡°Please, show some manners, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m in the mood to show manners right now? You¡¯re telling me to forfeit!¡±

    Although it had not been announced to the public yet, the semifinal matchups had already been determined.

    It was Kim Chul-Soo vs. Kyle and Unknown vs. Kim Ysael.

    Kyle was excited at the thought of finally being able to have a proper sword fight with Chul-Soo. However, Gridel had asked him to forfeit.

    ¡°I will never forfeit,¡± Kyle said.

    <i>¡®Do you know how hard I tried to teach Chul-Soo? How I have been counting down the days until the fight?¡¯ </i>Every night, Kyle fell asleep while imagining crossing swords with Chul-Soo. He thought of attacks and techniques he would use in a thousand different scenarios. He was looking forward to the day when he could fight Chul-Soo without any worries. However, out of nowhere, Gridel was now telling him to forfeit.

    ¡°Even if you do not want to forfeit, you have no choice. Swedeen will summon you,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°Why would the Empire do that? I¡¯m on vacation.¡±

    ¡°I heard they detected signs of rebellion in the southern part of the empire. As you know, those who were exiled four years ago...¡±

    Kyle frowned. He had little interest in political matters. ¡°I guess they are determined to create signs of rebellion even if there aren¡¯t any.¡±

    If signs of rebellion were detected, Kyle, as the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, had to unconditionally respond to the empire¡¯s summons. If Kyle refused to forfeit the fight, the empire would forcibly summon him. Since the situation had reached this point, Kyle became a bit curious. ¡°Why are they going this far?¡±

    ¡°It seems Swedeen wants Chul-Soo and Unknown to fight.¡±

    ¡°Do the Pisat Family think the same?¡±

    Gridel avoided Kyle¡¯s eyes with a slightly embarrassed look and quietly answered, ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. You know that our Pisat Family is not financially well-off either, right?¡±

    As always, finances were never enough.

    ¡°Our finance department also concluded that a final matchup between Chul-Soo and Unknown would generate a bigger buzz,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you ept this proposal without resistance, I will personally make sure to arrange a one-on-one duel between you and Chul-Soo.¡±

    Kyle let out a sigh. ¡°Can you promise me that?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Seems like the Empire wants to kill Chul-Soo right now.¡± Kyle turned his back, heavily frowning. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    His footsteps were much heavier than usual.

    ***

    ¡°Chul-Soo, they are forcing me to forfeit. You must also be very disappointed by this, but...¡± Kyle nced at Chul-Soo and tilted his head. Chul-Soo didn¡¯t seem to be disappointed. ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight me in the tournament. Aren¡¯t you disappointed?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Well... yeah, I am.¡± Although Jin-Hyeok said that, his mouth was twitching.

    Kyle, who had seeded in somewhat understanding Jin-Hyeok through a series of events, continued to talk as if he was dumbfounded. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re more drawn to a duel with Unknown than me?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, but...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m much stronger than the likes of Unknown.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are, but....¡± If Jin-Hyeok were a Swordsman, he would want a stronger opponent, but he was an Eltuber. ¡°It just seems like fighting Unknown would draw more attention.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit embarrassed. He felt slightly ashamed because he still had some Swordsman¡¯s spirit left in him.

    <i>¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t be ashamed of this. I am an Eltuber! Get a grip, Jin-Hyeok!¡¯ </i>With a reinvigorated mind, Jin-Hyeok seriously said, ¡°A duel with you would also be an attractive piece of content, but weck narrative. Well, rtively speaking, weck narrative.¡±

    Kyle had taught him about the Sword¡¯s Oath and the realm of the Mind Sword. A duel with Kyle, the winner of the previous Sword Emperor Tournament, was also very attractive as content material.

    In ordinary cases, this alone would be excellent for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel. However, in the end, people were more curious about the duel between Unknown and Chul-Soo, and Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to meet the needs of the public.

    ¡°Also, I think it would be a bit difficult to fight Unknown at full power after fighting you. I would probably be quite exhausted after fighting you,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo.¡± Kyle lowered his voice as if he had made some kind of decision. ¡°It seems the Swedeen Empire is involved in this one.¡±

    Swedeen was one of the three forces ruling the Arvis Server. It was one of the most powerful forces in the universe, and its name alone carried immense weight. Swedeen¡¯s involvement would put pressure and fear onto ordinary people.

    Kyle added, ¡°I think they want t¡ª¡±

    ¡°What, do they want to kill me again by any chance?¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled much more than usual.

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°Just like the Mazique Empire?¡±

    There was a strange tremor and excitement in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice.

    ***

    When the entire Server was trying to catch Hm, Kyle had been tracking down Hm. He did not know exactly what the Magic Investigation Team was doing on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s side. During the meeting, he had been thinking about other things and did not listen properly, just nodding along.

    Jin-Hyeok showed his previous videos to Kyle.

    <i>¡®The direction of the flowingva and the direction of the falling pile of rocks are...¡¯ </i>Kyle thought about it. They were strangely targeting Chul-Soo. ¡°Wait, the Magic Investigation Team was trying to kill you?¡±

    ¡°There is no evidence, but it seems so.¡±

    Kyle looked at Jin-Hyeok with displeased eyes.

    <i>¡®What kind of life is this person living?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. <i>¡®The Mazique Empire is as powerful as Swedeen. I¡¯m sure the pressure would have been immense. But Chul-Soo seems to be enjoying it instead.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you officially raise the issue?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the view count on the video?¡±

    The view count had surpassed one hundred billion. It was said that there could be people who had never watched the video, but not people who had watched it only once.

    ¡°The empires¡¯ abilities are extraordinary,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Kyle was speechless. <i>¡®Of course, they are! And with those extraordinary abilities, they are aiming for your life, Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    However, before he could say that, Jin-Hyeok excitedly continued, ¡°They provide such splendid content and a sense of crisis that I couldn¡¯t even imagine.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like they are a golden goose thatys golden view counts.¡±

    <i>¡®Jesus! How obsessed are you with view counts?¡¯ </i>Kyle said, ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡±

    The grinning Jin-Hyeok turned serious. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy, just intense.¡±

    <i>¡®Usually, people call that crazy, Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought, yet could not say it. Chul-Soo¡¯s expression made Kyle think that it was pointless to say anything as Chul-Soo firmly believed he wasn¡¯t crazy.

    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t die. I¡¯m the one who will settle the score with you,¡± Kyle said. He left Chul-Soo¡¯s lodging, and his mind becameplicated. <i>¡®Why are they going this far against Chul-Soo? He¡¯s just one yer.¡¯</i>

    Keeping just a rookie yer in check seemed excessively overboard.

    <i>¡®Is there something I don¡¯t know about?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Kim Ysael and Unknown were about to fight.

    -Wait, who¡¯s Kim Ysael?

    -You don¡¯t know Ysael?

    -Is this the Ysael that I know of?

    -Wait, isn¡¯t she the runner-up from the previous tournament?

    Ysael was a famous Swordsman.

    -I heard she changed her namest year.

    -Isn¡¯t Ysael from Arvis? Is there a family that uses Kim as their surname?

    -I heard she changed it because of Chul-Soo.

    Information about Ysael spread around the onlinemunities.

    [Ysael Kim Chul-Soo]

    [Ysael Chul-Soo Land]

    [Ysael name change]

    There was an interview about Ysael changing her name to Kim Ysael.

    <i> </i>

    <i>¡°I am Chul-Soo Land No. 777¡±</i>

    Ysael loved Chul-Soo so much that she had changed her name to Kim Ysael.

    -Wow! She changed her name because of that?

    -She must be a die-hard fan! LOL!

    Ysael was already breathing heavily while fighting against Unknown.

    ¡°How dare you say you will swing that wretched de at Mr. Chul-Soo!¡± she said. Just then, a strong wind blew, and her short hair swayed violently. ¡°As Chul-Soo Land No. 777, I won¡¯t let you touch Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very chatty for a Swordswoman.¡± Unknown had little interest in Ysael. His only concern was Chul-Soo. He had no other thought than to meet Chul-Soo in the finals and kill him.

    Ysael let out a deep breath. ¡°There is only one way you could be this strong in a short time. Did you make the Sword¡¯s Oath?¡±

    The referee deliberately dyed the start of the sword fight. This was purely for spectators¡¯ entertainment. The Pisat Family, which was the organizer of the Sword Emperor Tournament, thought that these conversations were very enticing for spectators.

    ¡°You must have made an oath to demonstrate that power in only this Sword Emperor Tournament. Since the scope of your power is very limited, you must be able to manifest very powerful abilities,¡± Ysael said.

    -Eh, no way!

    -What crazy bastard would risk everything just for one Sword Emperor Tournament?

    -He¡¯ll be screwed after the tournament ends.

    -If he did that bullshit with a Sword¡¯s Oath, that¡¯s worse than a druggie.

    -Druggie XXX, Oath-ie OOO. Same shit.

    -He fully snorted the oath, lol.

    ¡°But you¡¯re overlooking something, Unknown,¡± Ysael continued.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You are not the only one who can make an oath.¡± Her orange eyes zed. It was as if small mes were burning inside them. ¡°Right now, I can make an oath with a much narrower restriction than you.¡±

    -Wait, is she saying what I think she¡¯s saying?

    -Man, she¡¯s cool!

    -¡®Only in this Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯ vs. ¡®Only in the semifinals of this tournament. Of course, thetter restriction will be stronger.

    -No way! She would be crazy for doing that.

    Soon, new information about Ysael came out.

    -Ysael is actually from the Victor Family.

    -Isn¡¯t that one of the Seven Great Families? What!

    -It¡¯s true. And she¡¯s the legitimate heir of the Victor Family.

    -She gave up the Victor surname and chose Kim?

    Then, another surprising piece of information was revealed.

    -Ysael gave up one trillion Dias of assets and changed her name to Kim Ysael.

    -Holy shit!

    Ysael raised the two swords that she usually wielded. Her determination was much more intense than usual.

    ¡°Chul-Soo Landers of the universe, gather your wishes for me,¡± she said. As the official Chul-Soo Land Member No. 777, she had a duty to show an appearance befitting that position and reputation. ¡°Help me uphold justice with a noble Sword¡¯s Oath.¡±

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok burst into the arena. The referee did not stop him, thinking this was also too enticing for the spectators.

    ¡°Chul-Soo Land No. 777, Kim Ysael,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. His eyes were slightly red. He had also heard everything about Ysael through Wang Yu-Mi. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. Do not risk your life because of me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached Ysael and ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Please, Ysael. Cherish yourself. That¡¯s for me.¡±

    ¡°Mr. C-Chul-Soo!¡± Ysael dropped her swords. She had met Chul-Soo in person and conversed with him; that alone made her drown in a sea of emotion. She suddenly hugged Jin-Hyeok tightly and cried in his arms.

    Jin-Hyeok inwardly let out a sigh of relief. <i>¡®Whew, that was close.¡¯</i>

    He had barely managed to protect his duel content with Unknown.

 Chapter 377

    <h4>Chapter 377</h4>

    Hearing those warm words, Kim Ysael cried miserably like a little child, her face turning red.

    -I¡¯m crying too. T_T

    -Chul-Soo is so charming. T_T

    -Why am I crying? T_T T_T

    -So touching... T_T

    The reactions to this scene were prizing. Some viewers empathized with Ysael and cried together, but others found this baffling.

    -Why are you guys crying?

    -I heard when you meet Chul-Soo, you cry. I have no idea why.

    -They can cry that much?

    -How is this touching?

    -You guys are being overly emotional. <i>Tsk tsk!</i>

    -How can you NOT cry at this? Are you guys psychopaths?

    Ysael picked up her swords again. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t disappoint you, Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok unknowingly reached out and instinctively touched Ysael¡¯s shoulder.

    <i>¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯ </i>He froze for a moment, then naturally patted her shoulder. ¡°I will cheer for you, Chul-Soo Land No.777¡ªKim Ysael.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Only after the situation had settled down to some extent did the referee stop Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok raised his hands and obediently left the arena. At that moment, his heart was pounding.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a bit strange.¡¯ </i>He didn¡¯t know why his heart was pounding. <i>¡®Why do they like me so much?¡¯</i>

    Both Kim Min-Ji and Ysael loved him. Jin-Hyeok felt strange emotions when he saw them. They weren¡¯t romantic feelings, but something else.

    <i>¡®They like me...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly felt grateful for that feeling. He had always felt thankful toward his viewers, but today he felt it even more deeply.

    <i>¡®Is this... what it means to be moved?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Ysael and Unknown¡¯s duel ended more uneventfully than expected. Contrary to people¡¯s expectations that it would be a close match, Unknown brought his dagger to Ysael¡¯s throat.

    -Unknown seems to have be stronger!

    -There was aparison video showing his speed a while ago. He has be faster now.

    -He¡¯s growing constantly. Maybe he¡¯s a genius, after all!

    -What the hell are you talking about? I bet he made another oath or something.

    Although she had lost, Ysael wasn¡¯t in a bad mood. In fact, she was happy. She said, ¡°Today was the best day of my life. It was an honor to be able to meet Mr. Chul-Soo. I will live every day cherishing today¡¯s memory!¡±

    When the interviewer asked if she had fully demonstrated her skills, Ysael replied, ¡°I do not know. I couldn¡¯t demonstrate my skills because my heart was pounding too much and my breathing was out of control. But I don¡¯t think I lost because of that. Unknown... was much stronger than I thought.¡±

    She was saying this deliberately.

    <i>¡®If I say Unknown is much stronger than expected, more people would focus on Mr. Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Being a true Chul-Soo Lander, Ysael knew very well what Chul-Soo wanted. <i>¡®Then, Mr. Chul-Soo will be happy!¡¯</i>

    Returning to her amodation, she hid under the nket. She gently ced her hand on the shoulder Chul-Soo had touched earlier and closed her eyes. <i>¡®I will never wash it.¡¯</i>

    ***

    <i>¡®I am so grateful.¡¯ </i>Meeting people who liked him so much for no reason, Jin-Hyeok felt a ticklish sensation somewhere in his heart. Moreover, Ysael even did the interview perfectly.

    Unknown, who was already renowned, had shown an overwhelming performance against Ysael; he had now be a strong contender for the championship title.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m the underdog now.¡¯ </i>Thanks to that, the fight was drawing a tremendous amount of attention from across the universe. <i>¡®Many people want to see me getting crushed.¡¯</i>

    There was a three-day break until the finals. Ordinary Swordsmen would devote themselves to thoroughly analyzing their opponents and managing their condition during this time. However, Jin-Hyeok was not a Swordsman, but an Eltuber.

    ¡°Shelby, can you open the door?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Ever since she had lost to Jin-Hyeok, Shelby had not moved a single step from her room. After a short statement in the loser¡¯s interview, where she said she was going to retire, she had not shown her face to the media at all.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re in there.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    There was no answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to open the door, okay?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He ced his hand on the golden handle and turned it to the right. If it was locked, he would ask for Angel Girl¡¯s help, but fortunately, it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Why is it so dark in here?¡±

    There was no light inside the room. The windows were covered with ckout curtains, and the air was very stale as if the room had not been ventted for a long time.

    ¡°Shelby,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Go away.¡± Shelby was sitting in front of the bed like a recluse. It seemed she had not washed or eaten for the past few days.

    <i>¡®Damn!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok turned off his camera. <i>¡®I came to shoot some daily life content, but...¡¯</i>

    He no longer wanted to make content out of Shelby¡¯s current state. Even though he knew recording her would generate a lot of views, he strangely didn¡¯t want to. This feeling was simr to the emotions he felt when he had decided against capturing the tears of Somfiad, the boy who had been used for a terrorist plot.

    <i>¡®I keep getting this feeling.¡¯</i>

    If he thought about only his channel, he would record what was happening. However,tely, he felt something was more important than view count¡ªsomething that was difficult to define. Although he didn¡¯t know exactly what it was yet, Jin-Hyeok stood in front of Shelby withplicated emotions.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re retiring,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I told you to get out.¡±

    Shelby instantly picked up her greatsword from the floor and swung it. Jin-Hyeok stepped back three steps at the sudden attack. The front of his shirt was cut off.

    <i>¡®Wow, this could have been really good content for my channel,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Shelby threw the greatsword on the floor again and said, ¡°Next time, I will really cut you.¡±

    ¡°Shelby, I want to talk to you about something.¡±

    ¡°I told you to get lost.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok read Shelby¡¯s mind with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. Her mind was a bit of a mess.

    <strong>[#Get lost. #I want to be alone. #Don¡¯t go. #Don¡¯t leave me alone.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Her mental state is shattered.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t feel so good seeing her like that. <i>¡®I can still visualize the scene where she spared my life before my regression.¡¯</i>

    Back then, Shelby had been a wall. Jin-Hyeok had diligently devoted himself to training with Shelby as his goal, and thanks to that, he had grown considerably before his regression.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s too early for you to retire, Shelby.¡¯</i>

    It seemed she had yet to even gain enlightenment. Jin-Hyeok wanted to see the Shelby he knew before his regression. He wanted to see the Shelby who had disyed domineering swordsmanship again.

    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m an Eltuber, Shelby,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Are you trying to mock me?¡±

    For a moment, Shelby became angry, thinking Jin-Hyeok was mocking a Swordsman who had lost even to an Eltuber. However, she soon fell into a deep sense of helplessness. She did not even have the energy to lift a finger, let alone get angry.

    ¡°You probably prided yourself on having a lot of experience, but I came to tell you that you were wrong. I have a lot of experience fighting Swordsmen. But what about you? Have you ever fought an Eltuber?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok believed in Shelby¡¯s potential. He knew that although she was in a broken state now, with just a small push, she would quickly brush herself off and stand up again.

    ¡°In fact, you had much less experiencepared to me.¡±

    ¡°Stop with the worthless constion,¡± Shelby said.

    ¡°And I¡¯m an Eltuber. I have a very special set of eyes, different from those of Swordsmen,¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a sprinkle of lies. ¡°I can see your potential. With just a bit of enlightenment, you will eventually be a Swordsman several dimensions stronger. I guarantee it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a guarantee from an Eltuber...¡±

    ¡°Do you think I beat you with pure skill?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had won with skill, but the important thing right now was to give Shelby hope again.

    ¡°To be honest, I also made the Sword¡¯s Oath. It is difficult to say what it was about, though,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, I was half-cheating.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±

    ¡°Because I want you to return to the Shelby I know.¡± Jin-Hyeok recalled his meeting with Ysael today. He had felt pure and unconditional love, which was a new and moving emotion for him. ¡°I liked that Shelby. I still do.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    <strong>[$He liked my appearance? #But we only met once. #What is he talking about?]</strong>

    ¡°The first time I saw you was on Marshmallow¡¯s livestream. I do not remember exactly where, but it was a video of you protecting Marshmallow from a monster,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°After seeing that, I searched all the videos you appeared in. I was moved by your swordsmanship.¡±

    Half of it was a lie, and the other half was true. Jin-Hyeok had suffered a painful defeat to Shelby before his regression, so he had examined videos featuring Shelby whenever he had time. The statement that her swordsmanship was moving was a lie. However, Shelby could not distinguish what was true and what was false in his words.

    ¡°I saw your achievements at Riman Hill. I saw you shattering the sword of that unlucky Kalitun. I also saw you capture the escaped prisoner Billy Mang.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Your skills resonated with me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, I was very excited and happy when I met you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Come back. So that I can see your skills again.¡±

    He decided to be Shelby¡¯s fan for now because he learned how precious having a fan was and how much influence a person who truly liked another person could have on the other person.

    ***

    Shelby reversed her retirement. She confessed that her spirit had been shattered by the unexpected defeat and added a determination to grow higher using this incident as a stepping stone.

    ?I have a friend who sincerely helped me. That friend gave me heartfelt constion, and thanks to that constion, I was able to gain the strength to stand up again. If I have the chance someday, I n to repay that friend¡¯s kindness with all my heart. Oh, and how do I join the Chul-Soo Land??

    Impressed by Shelby¡¯s interview, Ysael decided to find her and tell her directly how to join Chul-Soo Land.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to be a Chul-Soo Lander, Shelby. Applications are currently closed.¡± The two had crossed swords several times, but they were not particrly close. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t think not being an official Chul-Soo Lander means you can¡¯t be a Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    They talked for quite a long time. Through the conversation, Ysael understood who the <i>friend </i>Shelby was talking about. Ysael was moved.

    ¡°There are just so many stories about Chul-Soo¡¯s kindness! It¡¯s just never-ending!¡± Ysael said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°This is why I can¡¯t help but love him!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Seeing Shelby hesitate, Ysaelughed and said, ¡°You thought I was being excessively chatty just now, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°N-Not exactly...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t really like Mr. Chul-Soo that much yet, right? You¡¯re still grateful, though.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s usually like that at first. That¡¯s the denial phase of bing a fan.¡± Ysaelughed out loud. ¡°After that phase passes, there wille a time when you will love, no, admire Mr. Chul-Soo. Let¡¯s work hard together. Ah, right. But I have been curious about something for a while.¡±

    They had fought each other before, and Ysael was slightly stronger.

    ¡°When you wield your greatsword, why do you repeatedly circte the mana flow in your left arm twice,¡± Ysael asked.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡±

    The two yers who had no interaction at all before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression began to interact.

    A few dayster, the sword fight between Jin-Hyeok and Unknown began.

    It became the biggest topic in the history of the Sword Emperor Tournament; countless people across the universe focused on it. However, Unknown was different in this fight.

    ¡°I will kill you, Chul-Soo.¡± Instead of the dagger he had been using until now, Unknown came out wielding a ck longsword.

    Thementators and Eltubers were surprised.

    ¡°Wait, Unknown¡¯s sword... could it be?!¡±

    ¡°The ck de surface that reflects the universe like a mirror! The sacred ink-colored energy rising through the entire de! The elegant shape reminiscent of a ck crescent moon! It seems that the weapon in Unknown¡¯s hands is the Ink Sword Artedal! The legendary treasure spoken of only in legends has revealed its magnificence for all to see! The Ink Sword Artedal has descended into the present world!¡±

    The arena was abuzz.

 Chapter 378

    <h4>Chapter 378</h4>

    <i>¡®I want to see that sword in more detail.¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok felt regretful that he couldn¡¯t use Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    The Ink Sword Artedal was a treasure that the Swedeen Empire was searching for. It was known as the sword wielded by Germusin, one of the seven great heroes of the Swedeen Empire.

    <i>¡®Is this the highest-grade artifact among the swords I have encountered so far?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had handled the Pisat Family¡¯s relics too, but they were treasures with great symbolism; they couldn¡¯t exactly be called powerful artifacts.

    Feeling how powerful Artedal was, Miri became excited.

    -Hehehehe!

    As Jin-Hyeok felt that, his heart also pounded. It was like the moment right before an intense and passionate time with a lover. He felt a tingling sensation deep inside his body.

    <i>¡®Stop getting excited. It¡¯s making me excited too,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically told Miri.

    -But how can you not be excited seeing that?¡¯

    Jin-Hyeok could feel Miri¡¯s gaze on the Ink Sword Artedal. It was the first time he had seen Miri focus on the opponent¡¯s weapon rather than the back of their head or temples.

    Unknown swung Artedal in a crescent shape in a leisurely manner, yet Artedal created an ink-colored afterimage behind it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Unknown said and instantly disappeared.

    Jin-Hyeok instinctively swung Miri, losing sight of Unknown.

    <i>sh!</i>

    As Artedal and Miri shed, light shed, and soon a strong wind pressure swept through the arena. The two opponents had exchanged only one move, but Jin-Hyeok could sense it.

    <i>¡®He was hiding his strength!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized Unknown had been holding back until now. <i>¡®Is this the power of the oath?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart was pounding even harder.

    <i>¡®Can you be this strong by making the Sword¡¯s Oath with a weapon? Could I also? No, no.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had to calm down. <i>¡®Let¡¯s not go crazy. I¡¯m an ordinary person.¡¯</i>

    If he were truly crazy, he would have made the oath right there because he would have enjoyed the pleasure of what would happen now, regardless of what would happenter. He would have fought passionately, raising his power to match the opponent¡¯s!

    Jin-Hyeok desperately consoled himself and thought of rational reasons.

    <i>¡®If I make the Sword¡¯s Oath, I¡¯ll have to deal with too many restrictions, and if there are too many restrictions, it will hinder my livestreaming. I¡¯m an Eltuber, so I shouldn¡¯t do anything that interferes with livestreaming. Absolutely not.¡¯</i>

    <i>sh!</i>

    The weapons collided again, and light shed once more. Although Jin-Hyeok could not clearly see Unknown, he could hear Unknown¡¯s voice.

    ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind,¡± Unknown said.

    <i>¡®Of course, it¡¯splicated.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had little mental leeway as he was suppressing the urge to make the oath right away.

    -Ah...!

    Miri let out a cry filled with ecstasy.

    -Something big, ck, and hard keeps hitting me!

    <i>sh!</i>

    Light burst out again.

    <i>¡®Miri, are you okay?¡¯</i>

    -I don¡¯t think I am... Ah...!

    Miri seemed to have entered a state of exhration and could not see anything clearly. It seemed to bepletely hooked on Artedal.

    -More! More! Harder! Harder!

    Miri felt a desire much more intense than usual.

    -Let¡¯s mingle our bodies! Hehehehe!

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok found himself in an awkward situation.

    <i>¡®Unknown was hiding his strength, and Miri is not in its right mind.¡¯</i>

    He felt Miri¡¯s emotions would contaminate even him, a normal person. If he lost his rational thoughts, intoxicated by the excitement of the sword, he would be unqualified as a Swordsman. So, he continued the battle with Unknown while maintaining his sanity as much as possible.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s faster than me.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was physically stronger than Unknown due to the Level difference between them, but Unknown was better than him in swordsmanship and speed. <i>¡®I can¡¯t read any of his movements.¡¯</i>

    When fighting someone with lower skill than him, Jin-Hyeok could see their movements clearly, just like when he had fought Shelby. But now it was the opposite.

    <i>¡®Rather, Unknown is probably reading all my movements.¡¯ </i>On the surface, it could look like they were equal in strength, but Jin-Hyeok knew that Unknown had the upper hand. To put it bluntly, he was just crumbling to block Unknown¡¯s attacks. <i>¡®Someone with superior swordsmanship skills has also done a lot of research on me.¡¯</i>

    In other words, Unknown had prepared a specific method just for Chul-Soo. In this situation, where the odds were against him, Jin-Hyeok judged that it was nearly impossible for him to defeat Unknown with swordsmanship alone.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t want to use this, but I guess I have no choice.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was forced to use his defensive Mystery. ¡°Activate Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    As Phantom Swordswoman revealed herself, the spectators in the arena became even more excited.

    ¡°Wow, is that the crazy defensive Mystery called Phantom Swordswoman?¡±

    ¡°Huh? But why is she holding a sword and not a hammer like she used to?¡±

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s called the Phantom Swordswoman; it makes sense for her to hold a sword.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°To protect my master, I shall devise all means of defense,¡± the Phantom Swordswoman said in a quiet voice. She flew into the sky and swung her blood-colored sword. ¡°This power shall protect him.¡±

    Countless crimson sword energy beams fell like a downpour. She waited for the enemy to be annihted while hovering high in the sky. Many people stared at the Phantom Swordswoman in a daze.

    ¡°I think I like fallen angels now.¡±

    ¡°But is there any reason for a defensive Mystery to be that pretty?¡±

    ¡°She is so hot!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m falling for her...!¡±

    ***

    Seeing the Phantom Swordswoman in Marshmallow¡¯s video, countless people became enthusiastic. On the other hand, some viewers remained rational.

    -But didn¡¯t he say that she¡¯s a defensive Mystery?

    They noticed something strange.

    -I think that the Phantom Swordswoman firmly believes that she is defending.

    -Isn¡¯t that kind of defensive Mystery mentally linked to the owner?

    -So, Chul-Soo is just as crazy as her.

    The Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s performance was quite spectacr, but it was not particrly effective against Unknown.

    ¡°You¡¯re putting on a fancy show,¡± Unknown said. He swung Artedal and created a hemispherical ink-colored barrier. The Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s sword energy could not prate the barrier.

    Jin-Hyeok did not miss this opportunity and ran toward Unknown, swinging Miri.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    However, this was Unknown¡¯s trap. As if he had no intention of properly defending against the Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s attack from the beginning, Unknown instantly swung Artedal and inflicted a wound on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck.

    Jin-Hyeok, who hurriedly stepped back a few steps, touched his neck. <i>¡®If I had been a little slower, my head would have flown off.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not remember thest time he had felt such skin-crawling tension. He wiped the blood from his neck and grinned. When he saw his bloody palm, his heart pounded.

    <i>¡®No, get a grip, Jin-Hyeok! You¡¯re an Eltuber!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok told himself. He believed this was because of Miri and med it.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s all because you¡¯re too excited, Miri. It¡¯s difficult for me to control my impulses too,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok telepathically said to the weapon.

    -But it¡¯s the first time I have seen something so big, ck, and hard.

    Jin-Hyeok had to make a decision.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t win with swordsmanship.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had two options¡ªeither use his abilities as an Eltuber and be disqualified or simply admit defeat. <i>¡®I wonder which one will make for better content for my channel.¡¯</i>

    Eltuber Chul-Soo did not care about winning or losing.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok could not afford to lose focus for even a moment while fighting Unknown since Unknown was a Swordsman who did not miss even the slightest opening. Trying to maintain extreme tension and make countless calctions in his head, Jin-Hyeok naturally slowed down. Consequently, he receivedrge and small wounds on his body.

    -Now, everyone knows Chul-Soo is overhyped, LOL.

    -An Eltuber cannot win against a Swordsman, lol.

    -Honestly, it¡¯s a miracle he even made it this far.

    -He got here only because Kyle forfeited in the quarterfinals, lol. If he hadn¡¯t, Chul-Soo would have been miserably destroyed in the quarters.

    -I was originally a fan of Chul-Soo, but I am so disappointed in him now... T_T

    Although Jin-Hyeok appeared to be pushed back even more on the surface, the one who became more impatient was Unknown.

    <i>¡®He has given up on winning altogether.¡¯ </i>Unknown did not know what Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ulterior motive was, but the Streamer had entered apletely defensive stance along with the Phantom Swordswoman. Defending was always easier than attacking. Attacking someone who was focused on defense and had no intention of attacking was not an easy task.

    <i>¡®I can definitely take Chul-Soo¡¯s head with enough time.¡¯ </i>However, there was a problem with that. <i>¡®He will stall like this and probably forfeit before I can do that.¡¯</i>

    Winning the Sword Emperor Tournament was not Unknown¡¯s goal. He only wanted to take revenge on Jin-Hyeok, who had killed Sandyem and Hm.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t give him a chance to forfeit.¡¯</i>

    He vowed to keep attacking and, at the right moment, stab Jin-Hyeok in the heart. The referee had been bribed as well, so he would not arbitrarily stop this battle.

    The more intense Unknown¡¯s attacks became, the more Miri enjoyed it.

    -Ah! More! More!

    The fight was one-sided. Jin-Hyeok endured Unknown¡¯s attacks as much as he could.

    <i>¡®Hm, is this enough?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Then he raised his right hand and said, ¡°I los¡ª¡±

    Unknown stabbed him in his right chest before he could finish.

    ¡°This... is a bit... painful...¡± Jin-Hyeok thought this should be stimting enough for the viewers. He nced at the referee. The referee seemed to be acting slower than expected for a skilled Swordsman. He seemed to have been bribed.

    Unknown was swinging his sword at Jin-Hyeok again.

    <i>¡®Is it my neck this time?¡¯ </i>It would have been better if Jin-Hyeok had filled the audio a bit more, but that was difficult. He had already lost as a Swordsman, and now it was time to draw on the power of his main Job.

    <i>¡®Activate Absolute Barrier.¡¯</i>

    Feeling the power of Absolute Barrier, Unknown grinned. Prince Deliark, who had lent him Artedal, had taught him the unique ability of the sword.

    <i>¡°The Ink Sword Artedal can nullify barriers.¡±</i>

    The sword was like a kryptonite to Jin-Hyeok, who excelled in barrier abilities.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s over, Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>Unknown thought.

    The moment Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Absolute Barrier and the barrier-destroying sword Artedal collided, Jin-Hyeok and Unknown were both surprised.

    <i>¡®My Absolute Barrier is broken?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®His barrier blocked my attack?¡¯</i>

    Although Artedal seeded in breaking Absolute Barrier, it also bought Jin-Hyeok quite a bit of time. During that time, Jin-Hyeok used Spilling Wind to escape Artedal¡¯s range. When he regained hisposure, he realized he was holding a hammer, not a sword, in his right hand.

    <i>¡®I guess my talent does lie in the hammer, not the sword. It has to be. Didn¡¯t it take me four weeks to do what others do in two weeks? What you like and what you¡¯re good at don¡¯t always align.¡¯</i>

    -I like the hammer the best too, hehe.

    Rare treats were only delicious when eaten asionally; they could not rece staple food. Holding Miri, who had returned to her original form, Jin-Hyeok finally felt like he was wearing clothes that fit well¡ªjust like one would realize the preciousness of one¡¯s home when they returned from a trip.

    After holding a sword for quite a while and then grasping the hammer again, Jin-Hyeok felt like he had finally returned to afortable home.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Swordsman Chul-Soo¡¯s time hase to an end,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡± Unknown ran toward Jin-Hyeok the same way he faced the other Swordsman. He quickly closed the shortest distance between them at a speed so fast that even ordinary people could see his afterimage. It was indeed a speed that <i>Swordsman Chul-Soo </i>would find difficult to handle.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Time-Lapse Recording.]</strong>

    <strong>[Speed: x0.1]</strong>

    ¡°Now it¡¯s the real Chul-Soo time, Unknown.¡±

 Chapter 379

    <h4>Chapter 379</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok swung Miri, which was shimmering with a golden haze.

    Unknown inwardly ridiculed Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®Such a simple attack won¡¯t do anyth¡ª¡¯</i>

    However, Unknown couldn¡¯t move. His movements had be excessively slow because he had be the subject of Time-Lapse Recording. <i>¡®What? The Skill should be capable of slowing down only his livestream? It can even slow down the subject? This isn¡¯t the ability of an Eltuber, but a Debuffer.¡¯ </i>

    Unknown was confused, but there was no way to avoid it. He could only watch Miri. Just like the Ink Sword Artedal, Miri left a golden glowing afterimage in the air.

    <i>sh!</i>

    Miri attacked Unknown, and Jin-Hyeok softly recited, ¡°Boom. The head falls to the ground.¡±

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The ground shook with the explosion. Hazy dust rose, and stone fragments scattered everywhere. Soon, the dust began to clear, and Jin-Hyeok, standing on his feet, gradually became visible.

    ¡°The old ink-colored sword has fallen...¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gazended on the ground. Unknown was buried upside down in the ground. ¡°...announcing the birth of a new king.¡±

    Marshmallow transmitted this scene live and made countless viewers go wild.

    -Wow... that looked insanely cool!

    -His lines are so corny, but he makes them sound so cool!

    -Chul-Soo is the embodiment of corniness!

    Now, Jin-Hyeok could say cool lines even without being particrly conscious of it. It had be so familiar to him that it was almost natural. As he uttered the lines without any awkwardness, the viewers didn¡¯t exactly think of it as that cringe.

    -He¡¯s elevating cringe to the realm of art, LOL!

    -Our star yer!

    -Wow, he¡¯s so awesome.

    -Chul-Soo is the Cringe Master!

    Today¡¯s video coined a new term¡ª<i>Cringe Master</i>.

    Jin-Hyeok slowly walked toward Unknown. Then he pulled Unknown''s body out of the ground as though he were pulling out a radish.

    -Is he dead?

    -Come on, there is no way someone would kill another in the Sword Emperor Tournament.

    The spectators in the arena felt quite different from the online viewers.

    ¡°Kyaaah!¡±

    ¡°Oh my god!!¡±

    Many spectators screamed because there was nothing left above Unknown¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°This is the price of your viciousness,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He looked at the limp corpse without any emotions in his eyes and turned his back.

    Prince Deliark of Swedeen, who was watching from the VIP seats in the distance, grinned. ¡°He still doesn¡¯t know anything. The unique ability of the Ink Sword Artedal is more than just destroying barriers.¡±

    Strange things began to happen.

    ***

    ck energy rippled from the Ink Sword Artedal in Unknown¡¯s right hand and enveloped him.

    The moment Jin-Hyeok felt a sharp bloodlust, Unknown had already reached right behind Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s faster than before!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    <i>Shink!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok used Absolute Barrier to protect his neck, but Artedal stabbed his thigh. The sword was deeply embedded in his thigh. Before Jin-Hyeok knew it, Unknown¡¯s head had beenpletely restored.

    The spectators were abuzz.

    ¡°What is going on right now?¡±

    ¡°How did he survive?¡±

    -Unknown became much faster!

    -It seems like he also had his stamina restored!

    Unknown pulled out the sword in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thigh, and blood spurted out. Jin-Hyeok pressed the wound with his left hand to stop the bleeding, but it was not enough.

    ¡°Today will be recorded as the day the self-proimed king was born, but also the day he dies.¡± Unknown looked at Jin-Hyeok with a leisurely smile. He spat on the floor and added, ¡°How arrogant for a mere Eltuber.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t say much.

    ¡°Does it hurt? You¡¯re not saying anything,¡± Unknown said.

    ¡°...¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that Jin-Hyeok was confused and flustered. He was just focused on Artedal.

    <i>¡®I think I can see it now.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could not observe the sword before, but now it had revealed its ability. If he looked a bit closely, he would be able to see it. <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like Unknown recovered; it¡¯s a totally different concept.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok concentrated even more on Artedal, straining his eyes. He could not move even as he watched Unknown raise Artedal.

    Feeling disappointed, Unknown said, ¡°Were you this pathetic? Your spirit has copsed from just this little injury?¡±

    <i>¡®Did Sandyem and Hm depart from this world and leave me behind just because of this measly bastard? Just because of one Eltuber? There is no focus in Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes. He¡¯spletely out of his mind.¡¯ </i>Unknown observed a moment of silence for Sandyem and Hm, who had ascended to heaven. <i>¡®I have avenged you.¡¯</i>

    Meanwhile, thanks to Unknown¡¯s carelessness, Jin-Hyeok was finally able to buy time and read the sword. Life returned to his eyes.

    ¡°Turns out that the secret of the Ink Sword Artedal is Time Reversal. It seems to be an ability that can set a desired point in time and have the sword¡¯s owner continuously return to that state of the body. Ah, should I call this illegal or a loophole?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The System did not recognize regression. Time Reversal was, so to speak, an ability close to regression, and it was uncertain whether the System would recognize it.

    <i>¡®The GMs must be freaking out right now,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He knew the GMs would be thinking if they needed to retrieve that item or not or deciding if they should acknowledge the ability or not. Of course, none of this mattered to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s likely that Unknown set the point in time right before fighting me¡¯ </i>

    The more time passed, the more disadvantageous it was for Jin-Hyeok because every time Unknown¡¯s stamina ran low, Unknown would use Time Reversal to return to the optimal state of his body.

    <i>¡®But can he use that infinitely?¡¯ </i>No matter how legendary of a treasure Artedal was, there was no way Unknown could use that kind of unique power over and over again. <i>¡®Probably not.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok raised Miri. The blood flowing from his thigh had stopped. A corner of Unknown¡¯s mouth went up.

    ¡°Yes, I would have been sad if this was all you got,¡± Unknown said. Killing a rookie who had lost his mind would not be considered righteous in avenging his fallenrades. And Unknown was very confident. <i>¡®He is already battered.¡¯</i>

    Now it was a race against time, and time would undoubtedly be on his side.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok simply thought, ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work once, I will just have to kill him multiple times.¡¯

    Time Reversal would not be infinite anyway. Although he could not know what the limiting conditions were, he thought that if he kept killing Unknown, there woulde a time when regeneration would no longer be possible.

    ¡°Boom! The head falls to the ground.¡±

    ¡°Boom! The head falls to the ground again.¡±

    ¡°Boom! The head falls to the ground for the seventh time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had killed Unknown seven times in a row. He used the same production method as before. Some viewers even ask if this was a rerun.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s pretty tough,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. While Unknown kept returning to his best condition through Time Reversal, Jin-Hyeok became more and more exhausted.

    However, it wasn¡¯t only Jin-Hyeok who was tired.

    -<i>Huff, huff... </i>I want to rest a little now. It hurts because it¡¯s too thick and hard.

    Even Miri, who had been very excited, saying she wanted to mingle bodies, seemed to be gradually getting fed up.

    -I want to stop now. It¡¯s too hard. It hurts so much.

    Jin-Hyeok realized something.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not being overwhelmed just by a difference in skill.¡¯ </i>After continuously experiencing it, he realized one thing. <i>¡®That guy is wearing top-grade artifacts all over his body.¡¯</i>

    Apart from having Artedal, Unknown was covered in special artifacts all over his body, not just Artedal. He was stacked with overpowered gears.

    ¡°It seems like the end is in sight, Chul-Soo,¡± Unknown said as he smiled. ¡°Are you too exhausted to use your infamous Omnipotent Director?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was indeed exhausted, but not to the extent that he was unable to use the Omnipotent Director. However, it was highly likely that Unknown had prepared a counter to the Omnipotent Director, so Jin-Hyeok could not easily use it.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of item he¡¯s wearing,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Moreover, Unknown seemed to have taken numerous measures to prevent Jin-Hyeok from reading what the items were. If Jin-Hyeok had the time and energy to do so, it would have been a different story. However, it was nearly impossible to grasp all of Unknown¡¯s artifacts right now.

    ¡°I can hear you trying to think of a n, Chul-Soo.¡±

    <i>¡®Should I make the Sword¡¯s Oath with Miri here?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought for a moment. But it was uncertain whether Unknown would give him a chance to do so. <i>¡®This is a crisis.¡¯</i>

    It was a real crisis, not a produced one. However, Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t very afraid.

    <i>¡®My viewers are going to love this. I can¡¯t wait to see many people view my video.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Kim Min-Ji, who had been watching Chul-Soo through Marshmallow¡¯s video, shed tears. ¡°It¡¯s so touching...¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s touching?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s face.¡±

    Even Choi Gap-Soo, a fan of Chul-Soo, could not understand what Min-Ji was talking about.

    ¡°His rtionship with Shelby and Kim Ysael is so good too,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°Look at the warm and kind words of constion he offers to Ysael. Ysael just received the universe as a gift.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Min-Ji, who was deeply engrossed in the livestream, shouted, ¡°What the hell is the referee doing? Chul-Soo won already!¡±

    ¡°It seems the referee missed the timing to intervene, but he was probably bribed. Judging by how he is acting so obviously, I think the empire is behind the bribery,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Min-Ji fumed for a while and then jumped up. ¡°This is so infuriating! No, how can this happen? If it¡¯s going to be like this, why are there referees and organizers in the first ce?¡±

    Gap-Soo chuckled at the fanatical appearance of the Mad God of Favoritism, who looked like she would go there right now and cause a scene. ¡°If you go there right now and are forced into hibernation again, you will not be able to watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams in the future. Are you okay with that?¡±

    The words that she would not be able to watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams were a special remedy for Min-Ji to calm down.

    ¡°Then what should I do? They are so tantly going against Chul-Soo, and...¡± Everything was clearly visible to the eyes of the Mad God of Favoritism. ¡°Unknown is just strong because of his artifacts!¡±

    ¡°Well, having good artifacts isn¡¯t really against the rules,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s not against the rules. Then I can open my weapon storage for Chul-Soo, right?¡± Min-Ji fumed and made a hand seal in the air.

    Looking at the golden gate that appeared in the air, Gap-Soo eximed. <i>¡®That¡¯s the Divine Gate that leads to God¡¯s treasure vault!¡¯</i>

    It was said that all kinds of treasures in the world were slumbering inside.

    Min-Ji took out her cell phone and dialed a number. ¡°I called in to give you a tip. I know of an excellent ce to steal a lot of items from.¡±

    The person on the other end of the call was Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.

    ¡°They can¡¯t put me to sleep if I get robbed, right?¡± Min-Ji said with a brazen expression.

    ¡°You want to get robbed?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°From now on, that gate leads to your treasure vault, got it?¡±

    ¡°Uh... so that¡¯s my vault? And I am destined to have my vault robbed?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it can¡¯t be helped since the world¡¯s greatest Thief hase. This isn¡¯t my fault, okay?¡±

    Ha-Young, who had entered Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop, looked at the golden gate with a surprised expression. Even at a nce, she could feel that extraordinary artifacts were in there.

    ¡°So, this is Gap-Soo¡¯s treasure vault?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s right,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°And you want me to steal whatever I can from here?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    ¡°And I can do whatever with them?¡±

    ¡°It seems so...¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by it seems so?¡±

    ¡°<i>Ahem! </i>I mean yes, you can!¡± Gap-Soo coughed and avoided eye contact with Ha-Young.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to make a big deal out of it, right?¡± Ha-Young said, wondering what kind of fool in the world would give their treasure vault to a Thief.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    When Ha-Young looked at Gap-Soo with suspicious eyes, he spoke as if he were making an excuse. ¡°Well, this is the perfect opportunity for you to rob the treasure vault of a God, no, a Trinity Club member. Even that alone would be a good opportunity for a Thief. Why are you hesitating so much?¡±

    ¡°Hmm... that¡¯s true.¡± Ha-Young smiled brightly. ¡°Then, I will rob it!¡±

    As Ha-Young opened the Divine Gate of the Mad God of Favoritism, golden light gushed out and engulfed her.

 Chapter 380

    <h4>Chapter 380</h4>

    Engulfed in the golden light, Ha-Young looked around. She felt a little unfamiliar.

    <i>¡®This is simr to a microcosm.¡¯</i>

    This ce was just like the inner universe one could ess through meditation. However, she also felt a strange sensation she had never encountered in the real world.

    <i>¡®There is a video ying here?¡¯</i>

    It was like she was alone in a dark movie theater. The hologram before her showed Cha Jin-Hyeok struggling. She also saw somewhat clumsy subtitles, which seemed to have been made in a hurry.

    [¡®It¡¯s not that I¡¯m being outssed by his skills; it¡¯s his items. How deplorable!¡¯]

    <i>¡®Are these Chul-Soo¡¯s thoughts? Who would insert such corny inner monologue subtitles these days?¡¯ </i>Ha-Young soon understood. <i>¡®Considering Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s age, I can understand.¡¯</i>

    She didn¡¯t know why this hologram was ying before her, but after she watched it, her heart pounded.

    <i>¡®I understand if a yer loses because of their skills, but if they lose because of item difference, it¡¯s infuriating.¡¯</i>

    Soon, a bright light burst out. The dark microcosm disappeared, and a universe filled with golden radiance revealed itself.

    <i>¡®Even though I¡¯m inside a vault, it feels like I¡¯m in an open field.¡¯ </i>She felt like she were facing a horizon that human eyes could not dare to see the end of. It was like she had entered a world with no visible end. <i>¡®So this is the vault of a Trinity Club member!¡¯</i>

    However, the moment she touched a turquoise gem the size of a child¡¯s fist, a strong spark flew out and rejected her. ¡°Ow! So, I guess I can¡¯t steal just anything.¡±

    She utilized her innate sense as a Thief to ponder what she should steal here to make it the most righteous and cost-effective theft. Among the countless treasures, two items stood out the most.

    <i>¡®A greatsword and dual swords?¡¯</i>

    One was a huge greatsword with a bluish de. She could see iprehensible letters engraved on one side of the de, and the de was trembling and buzzing as if it were asking to be taken.

    <i>¡®For now, I will just pick... no, steal this one.¡¯ </i>Unlike the gem she had tried to steal earlier, she could grab the greatsword without getting hurt. She didn¡¯t even have to open her inventory; the sword disappeared into the inventory on its own. <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m stealing it; it¡¯s like the greatsword was waiting to be grabbed. There is no point in me being a Thief at this point.¡¯</i>

    The other item was a set of two white swords. They looked like they had been made by grinding white marble. They seemed closer to ceremonial swords rather than practical ones. These dual swords were also automatically sucked into her inventory as soon as she touched them.

    <i>¡®These too? If it was going to be like this, why didn¡¯t they just give them to me as gifts instead of telling me to steal them? They even personally opened the door to the vault! Huh?¡¯</i>

    She then saw a note on the floor.

    [Owner of the dual swords: Kim Ysael]

    [Owner of the greatsword: Shelby]

    Ha-young awkwardly smiled for a while. ¡°Is it... telling me to deliver them?¡¯

    <i>¡®How dare they make the world¡¯s greatest Thief just a delivery girl?¡¯ </i>Ha-Young¡¯s eyes began to burn. <i>¡®If you want to give these to them, just donate them directly! Why make me suffer like this?¡¯</i>

    This was an act that tarnished her honor.

    <i>¡®Even Thieves have honor! Now that it¡¯se to this, I have to protect my honor.¡¯</i>

    She made up her mind to steal at least one thing no matter what.

    ***

    Min-Ji worried so much that her mouth was dry. <i>¡®What is she doing in there?¡¯</i>

    It was fine until when she gave Ha-Young the two items¡ªno, where Ha-Young stole the two items.

    However, Ha-Young still seemed to be thirsty.

    <i>¡®You can¡¯t steal anything more in there with your current skills!¡¯ </i>Ha-Young could ¡®steal¡¯ those greatsword and dual swords only because Min-Ji had lifted the restrictions on them. <i>¡®How long do you think you can endure being inside the vault with your human body, you foolish Thief!¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young had to be reaching her physical and stamina limits. Seeing her act so stubbornly infuriated Min-Ji. <i>¡®I can¡¯t just stand idly by.¡¯</i>

    Ha-Young¡¯s safety here didn¡¯t matter to Min-Ji, but if Ha-Young died here, it would be difficult for Min-Ji to help Jin-Hyeok. So, the Mad God transformed into Gap-Soo and revealed herself in front of Ha-Young.

    ¡°What do you want to steal the most?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°Uh... is it okay for me to steal in front of the owner?¡±

    ¡°If you can steal it.¡±

    ¡°Then that one.¡± She pointed to the turquoise gem that had shattered her pride at the very beginning.

    ¡°How about stealing something other than that?¡±

    ¡°No, I want that one.¡±

    ¡°Really? Nothing else? That one is a bit...¡±

    ¡°Then please move aside. I will steal it myself.¡±

    Min-Ji thought about it for a while. <i>¡®Is it okay for that gem to be out there in the real world?¡¯</i>

    She was a little worried, but did not have much time. Even at this moment of contemtion, Unknown could be killing Chul-Soo.

    Gap-Soo (Min-Ji) strode over to the turquoise gem, picked it up, and handed it to Ha-Young.

    <i>¡®I just want to protect Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought. For her, Chul-Soo¡¯s well-being was more important than the universe¡¯s well-being.

    ¡°Oh my! A Thief with outstanding skills just robbed me!¡± Gap-Soo (Min-Ji) burst out in anger. ¡°How dare you rob the vault of a Trinity Club member! You must be out of your mind!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I will expel you immediately!¡± As if it had been prepared beforehand, a warp portal was engraved on the floor. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Ha-Young was transported to the Arvis Server, near the venue of the Sword Emperor Tournament.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stamina gradually began to deplete. People also started to realize that this Sword Emperor Tournament was stranger than usual. As much as Jin-Hyeok was getting tired, Unknown also sensed that he did not have much time left.

    <i>¡®In the end, the Pisat Family¡¯s Swordsmen will have no choice but to intervene. Surely, they wille in and handle the situation. Or the referee would dere the end of the tournament.¡¯ </i>Unknown¡¯s n was taking more time than expected. <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know his defensive abilities were this strong.¡¯</i>

    To avenge his cherished ones, he had to take Jin-Hyeok¡¯s life by any means necessary.

    <i>¡®I guess I have no choice but to use that method.¡¯ </i>Swedeen¡¯s Prince Deliark had taught him that Artedal had a mysterious power hidden within it. <i>¡®Time Reversal is an ability known to the public.¡¯</i>

    However, the sword had one more hidden power. It was called Berserker, which allowed the sword¡¯s wielder to exert superhuman power using their life as a source.

    <i>¡°If you use that, you will undoubtedly be crippled or lose your life. However, you will surely seed in your revenge.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®The prince seems to have foreseen this entire situation.¡¯ </i>

    <i>¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s defense will be more formidable than expected, and perhaps you won¡¯t get the chance to avenge your loved ones. So, when the final momentes, use Berserker without hesitation. If your revenge is sincere, that is.¡±</i>

    Somehow, he felt like he was ying right into the prince¡¯s hands, but that was not important. Unknown raised Artedal and inwardly chanted, <i>¡®Activate Berserker.¡¯</i>

    It felt like resonating with the sword while breathing together. The ink-colored de trembled and buzzed as if it were delighted at the thought of devouring its owner¡¯s life. As the ck color deepened and Artedal transformed into a pure ck sword, the sword¡¯s surroundings began to distort.

    Jin-Hyeok watched Unknown¡¯s transformation with tension.

    <i>¡®Everything around Artedal is getting distorted.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt as if Artedal and Unknown were dominating the space and even the time around them. <i>¡®It¡¯s like I¡¯m being subjected to Time-Lapse Recording.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body became as heavy as water-soaked cotton. Even his thoughts seemed to slow down.

    ordingly, Unknown felt much faster.

    ¡°Die, Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Unknown said. His eyes were dyed jet ck. Saliva was dripping from the corners of his mouth as if the sword had devoured all his rationality.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s fast.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok sensed that death was right in front of him. <i>¡®I need to turn on my livestream.¡¯</i>

    This thirst and tension could not be quenched with recorded videos. Unfortunately, he did not have the leisure to turn on the audio. He attempted to block the opponent¡¯s attack using Absolute Barrier, but it was uncertain whether he would seed. Now, he had only one card left to y¡ªthe Skill Omnipotent Producer.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve used it earlier.¡¯ </i>

    Omnipotent Producer was a Skill akin to an ultimate attack, and it required time and concentration to activate. Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t satisfy those conditions. He squeezed out hisst bit of mental strength and uttered a single line. ¡°The messenger of death is approaching.¡±

    ***

    <i>sh!</i>

    A white sh burst out. All the spectators in the arena, except for Marshmallow, squeezed their eyes shut.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The morous sh of metal against metal rang out. Blood dripped from some spectators¡¯ ears.

    <i>Woong! Woong!</i>

    Everyone heard the resonating of swords colliding and the vibration of the air.

    ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo, are you alright?¡± Ysael said.

    Two des blocked Artedal. The des were pure white, contrasting with the pitch-ck Ink Sword Artedal. That wasn¡¯t the end.

    ¡°Die!¡±

    Shelby showed up the next instant. She was much faster and more concise than she had been in her match with Jin-Hyeok. It was like she had be a giant arrow¡ªas if a giant had pulled back a bowstring and shot her out. She became one with the greatsword and charged, instantly piercing Unknown¡¯s heart.

    Unknown copsed with arge hole in his chest. Jin-Hyeok had not expected the appearance of these helpers, but he was not flustered at all.

    ¡°The strategy to defeat Artedal lies within itself,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Breaking Artedal was the only way to counter it.

    ***

    Marshmallow was moved.

    <i>¡°The messenger of death is approaching.¡±</i>

    When he first heard those words, he had felt like it was a will. His marshmallow-shaped head melted down like melted cheese. If he weren¡¯t livestreaming, he would¡¯ve almost shouted, ¡®No!¡¯

    However, he realized that it was a misunderstanding; Chul-Soo was referring to Kim Ysael, who had blocked the ck Ink Sword with pure white dual swords, and Shelby, who pierced Unknown¡¯s heart with a blue greatsword.

    <i>¡®Those two... those two were the messengers of death!¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought. His heart started to pound. <i>¡®This is the plot twist!¡¯</i>

    The viewers were also going wild.

    -I thought it was a will!

    -I didn¡¯t expect the messengers of death to be those two.

    -I thought even his will was so solemn and cool.

    -But this is even cooler. T_T

    -Where does reality end and the production begin?

    -The plot twist was insane!

    ¡°The boundary between reality and fiction. Truth and production. Streamer Kim Chul-Soo perfectly recreated it! This can be said to be the part that shows why he participated in the Sword Emperor Tournament. Although Swordsman Chul-Soo may be defeated, Streamer Chul-Soo cannot be. This is the direction Chul-Soo will take, and the ideal he dreams of!¡± Marshmallow excitedly continued the livestream.

    Moreover, Jin-Hyeok seemed to have found a way to counter Unknown.

    <i>¡°The strategy to defeat Artedal lies within itself.¡±</i>

    Jin-Hyeok approached the vulnerable Unknown and swung Miri.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Back to being hammer-shaped, Miri had the optimal physical structure for breaking things.

    <i>ng! ng!</i>

    Like a cksmith forging steel, Jin-Hyeok struck Artedal. Unknown, who had regained his stamina through Time Reversal, tried to resist, but due to thebined attacks of Shelby and Ysael, he couldn¡¯t do anything to stop Jin-Hyeok from hammering Artedal. Moreover, Ysael and Shelby also struck fatal blows to Artedal.

    As he was holding Artedal, Unknown could feel it. <i>¡®Artedal is... starting to break!¡¯</i>

    Deliark, who was watching the fight from a VIP seat, jumped up. He could also feel that fine cracks were forming on Artedal¡¯s de. So, he hurriedly said to his aide, ¡°What are you doing? End the fight!¡±

    Things had unfolded in a waypletely different from his expectations.

 Chapter 381

    <h4>Chapter 381</h4>

    A few years ago, Prince Deliark of Swedeen had discovered Artedal in the warehouse of a fallen noble family. It was a joyous asion for the Swedeen Empire, but a tragedy for the fallen noble family.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Prince Deliark. This is my father¡¯s heirloom, which has been passed down in our family for generations. So, I cannot sell it,¡± said a member of the noble family.

    Deliark had no interest in such stories. ¡°You¡¯re kicking away the fortune that rolled in.¡±

    Later, Deliark sent Assassins and massacred the entire family. Not a single witness was left alive, and he also deployed clean-up specialists. The next day, the newsletter had reported the incident as a collective suicide by the members of a fallen noble family who had despaired over their misery.

    ¡°Sir, it seems a few people know about the existence of Artedal. Should we kill them all?¡± asked one of Deliark¡¯s subordinates.

    ¡°No.¡± Such an incident happening to one family could be overlooked, but if simr things happened to multiple families, it could arouse suspicion and weaken his political standing. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave it for now.¡±

    Instead of directly retrieving Artedal, Deliark guarded the warehouse of the family under the pretext of preserving the site and verifying it. Muchter, when people¡¯s interest had waned, Unknown had appeared.

    <i>¡®This will be good.¡¯</i>

    Deliark had thought of a brilliant scenario.

    1. Blinded by his desire for revenge, Unknown massacred the fallen noble family and obtained Artedal.

    2. The imperial pce would investigate how Unknown acquired Artedal and identally discover his crime.

    3. They would revoke Unknown¡¯s Sword Emperor Tournament winner qualification, charge him with serial murder, execute him, and legally retrieve the Ink Sword Artedal.

    Deliark wasn¡¯t going to mind if Kim Chul-Soo died in the process too. However, Chul-Soo had shattered this n.

    <i>¡®No!¡¯ </i>Deliark hurriedly tried to stop the fight, but it was toote.

    -I¡¯m going to eat you! ARGH!

    Miri struck Artedal¡¯s side.

    -It¡¯s so big, ck, and hard! So delicious!

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Spider web-like cracks formed on the ink-colored de of Artedal, and the sword soon exploded.

    <i>¡®Activate Absolute Barrier,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok muttered.

    The shattered metal pieces flew in all directions, some hitting the spectator barrier and some piercing the ground. Shiny ck pieces ended up embedded here and there.

    ¡°Let¡¯s end our bad karma here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Unknown.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Artedal was destroyed, and Unknown could no longer receive the aid of Time Reversal. He could no longer be considered a person of this world.

    Jin-Hyeok then heard the sound of an explosion. He didn¡¯t see anything, but it seemed a huge explosion had urred inside Unknown¡¯s head.

    Unknown copsed. Jin-Hyeok looked down at him and said, ¡°Those who seek to take a life, stake your life.¡±

    This was the final act of the Cringe Master, and the viewers went wild.

    Marshmallow¡¯s real-time viewer count reached ten billion, a number that he had reached only three times.

    ? ? ?

    Prince Deliark vented his anger by kicking his aides, who had lined up in a row, in their shins. ¡°How is this even possible?¡±

    No one had even thought that Artedal would shatter.

    ¡°The fragments! We need at least the fragments to analyze something!¡± Deliark tried to collect the fragments, but they were all gone. Based on Marshmallow¡¯s video, it could only be guessed that someone, presumably a Thief, had swept away the fragments.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir... There is no clear evidence even in Marshmallow¡¯s video,¡± said one of the aides.

    ¡°How does that make sense? Is there a Thief who can deceive Marshmallow¡¯s eyes?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    The aides exchanged nces. Whoever spoke now would have their shins kicked, but someone had to take the initiative.

    ¡°Because Marshmallow was too focused on Kim Chul-Soo... it seems he missed some other elements, like the fragments.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the probability that Marshmallow hid it from his video?¡±

    ¡°We can''t rule out that possibility, but it¡¯s slim, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s forget about the fragments for now. Tell me why Artedal shattered. It was a treasure with durability that could even withstand Time Reversal. Surely, you¡¯re not going to say that Chul-Soo¡¯s destructive power surpassed that durability, right? Even if that were the case, a weapon that grew from the Rule Breaker could not have had that level of durability.¡±

    One of the aides cautiously said, ¡°Perhaps... it was because of Shelby and Kim Ysael. The weapons they were holding were not ordinary, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Then request their cooperation and conduct an investigation! What are you doing?!¡±

    Since those artifacts had shattered Artedal, they could shatter the majority of currently existing treasures. If they were Deliark¡¯s allies, it would be fine, but if they were his enemies, it would be a disaster.

    After some time passed, the aides returned.

    ¡°They said they cannot cooperate, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Then bring them by force!¡±

    ¡°Apparently, their weapons... disappeared.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We sent an investigation team to ascertain the truth, but the team also reached the same conclusion. The scene of the weapons disappearing is there in Chul-Soo¡¯s video as well. It seems they were weapons with a time limit, but to our knowledge, all weapons capable of that ar¡ª¡±

    <i>Bam!</i>

    Deliark kicked the aide¡¯s shin again. ¡°What? What are you trying to say? Are you saying divine weapons descended for a moment or something? Did you bastards collectively snort drugs? It just doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±

    ? ? ?

    After many twists and turns, Jin-Hyeok was recognized as the runner-up of the Sword Emperor Tournament. The winner was the deceased Unknown.

    -But, doesn¡¯t that mean Chul-Soo won in reality? LOL

    -In realbat, an Eltuber is the best.

    -What¡¯s the point of winning the Sword Emperor Tournament if you¡¯re dead?

    Due to this incident, a debate brewed over the practicality of swordsmanship in realbat.

    -Wasn¡¯t swordsmanship supposed to be the ultimate practical skill?

    Swords were extremely versatile, could handle various situations, and did not require much talent like magic did. Therefore, the prevailing notion among people was that ¡®When learned by ordinary people with moderate talent, swordsmanship is the most effective martial art in realbat.¡¯

    -So, Chul-Soo isn¡¯t overhyped; it¡¯s actually swordsmanship that is overhyped?

    -Maybe?

    -What if Chul-Soo had used the Omnipotent Director?

    -You idiots, if he could have used it, he would have used it at the beginning of the fight. He could not use it because Unknown kept pushing him, you dumbasses.

    -Yeah, but Unknown still lost to an Eltuber, haha.

    -Are you a sword-freak? You¡¯re hriously overrating and ranting. LOL

    Everyone realized after this incident that Chul-Soo was stronger than most Swordsmen when he used all his abilities as an Eltuber. Swordsmen found this quite concerning because until now, swordsmanship was said to be the most practical skill. However, not all Swordsmen were feeling a sense of crisis.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe,¡± Ysael said. She couldn¡¯t get herself to go closer to Chul-Soo. So, she stood at the end of the room, by the door, unable to even meet Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes.

    In contrast, Shelby stood right next to Chul-Soo and said, ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t interfere for nothing.¡±

    ¡°No, if it weren¡¯t for you two, I would¡¯ve died there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He sincerely felt grateful for them. ¡°Moreover, if it weren¡¯t for you two, I would not have been able to eat, I mean, break that big, ck, hard, I mean, Artedal.¡±

    Shelby and Ysael said they had gained enlightenment too. When fighting together, they could see things that they couldn¡¯t when training alone. They said they felt several levels stronger thanks to that and promised to continue training together and grow further.

    ¡°Um... by the way, Mr. Chul-Soo,¡± Ysael stammered.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Ysael¡¯s face turned as red as a tomato. Even conversing with Chul-Soo seemed to be an honor to her. It looked like her tears would flow again, but she desperately held them back. ¡°Because you came second in this Sword Emperor Tournament, many forces will try to keep you in check.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wee anytime.¡±

    Seeing that confident attitude, Ysael fell for Chul-Soo again. However, even if he had shown a less confident attitude, she would have found a reason to fall for him anyhow. ¡°So, I want to help in any way I can...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok listened to what she had to say and found it very interesting. Recently, Muenne was receiving overwhelming support from the citizens. They said she would be the mayor soon.

    <i>¡®Muenne is entering politics?¡¯ </i>It was the kind of change Jin-Hyeok would never even have thought would happen before his regression. The principled Muenne, who had kept a wall between herself and politics, was going to be the mayor of the city of Muren.

    ¡°She said there are limits to just individual power without authority. So, we decided to support Lady Muenne as well,¡± Ysael said.

    ¡°Just trust me, friend. I will be a reliable strength to you,¡± Shelby said while patting her chest.

    ¡°We can establish the first branch of the official Chul-Soo Land in other Servers,¡± Ysael muttered with a flushed expression.

    In this way, Chul-Soo had received a political base on Arvis.

    ***

    -Swordsman<<<Insurmountable gap<<<<<<<Eltuber.

    To survive in realbat, learning Streamer Skills is the best!

    -Swordsmanship is so weak. LOL.

    -Eltubers are strongest in realbat.

    As these statements spread widely, students from swordsmanship academies began to leave them in droves. This phenomenon urred throughout the universe, and Earth was no exception. Jang Michelle¡ªthe chairperson of the MK Foundation and the founder of the yer Academy ¡®For the Beautiful y in Seoul¡¯¡ªhad a lot on her mind.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is an exception. Most Eltubers are weak,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Choi Gap-Soo agreed with her.

    ¡°The top choice for our For the Beautiful y students is bing an Eltuber. This is not good.¡±

    ¡°Hey, MoneyShot. Since when were you so serious about the academy?¡± Gap-Soo said with narrowed eyes.

    Michelle was surprised. Even she had not noticed this change. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just kept working on the academy and became sincere.¡±

    The MK Foundation, which she had started half-jokingly, was now a big part of her life. Thanks to that, she felt alive these days.

    ¡°Anyway, this can¡¯t go on. I think Chul-Soo is instilling the wrong values to these students,¡± Michelle said.

    Therefore, Michelle invited Jin-Hyeok as a speaker. She had a short meeting with him at Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop.

    ¡°Please correct the students¡¯ misconceptions. I beg you,¡± Michelle asked him.

    ¡°Me?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I think we need to let them know that most Eltubers can¡¯t be as strong as you. No matter how much the status of swordsmanship has fallen, it has been proven over a long period that swordsmanship is the path where the majority of people with moderate talent can grow the highest.¡±

    Michelle was one of the biggest sponsors of Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°Can I include my speech in my video?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± Jin-Hyeok hesitated slightly.

    ¡°Why? Do you need something?¡± Michelle asked.

    ¡°Will you also donate? It seems like you have been a bit sparsetely.¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned awkwardly.

    Gap-Soo did not miss that opportunity. ¡°That¡¯s right. Lately, MoneyShot has been passive in donations, saying she¡¯s busy with her work. Whereas, I have been donating every livestream. This is the difference between me and her!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    Michelle, who could not lose to Gap-Soo, gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I will give you one billion Dias for this livestream.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, MoneyShot. When the livestream starts, don¡¯t forget to like it.¡±

    Having obtained Michelle¡¯s permission, Jin-Hyeok promised to give a speech at the yer Academy called For the Beautiful y,monly known as K-Academy.

    The K-Academy students were excited.

    ¡°Wow, is Chul-Sooing here?¡±

    ¡°Can we see Chul-Soo in person?¡±

    ¡°If I confess my love to Chul-Soo Hyung, will he ept it?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stood at the podium, before the two thousand excited students of K-Academy

 Chapter 382

    <h4>Chapter 382</h4>

    Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s visit to K-Academy became a hot topic worldwide.

    [The hero of Korea, Kim Chul-Soo, who is making his name known throughout the universe...]

    [The Earth¡¯s hero, Kim...]

    In Korean publications, Cha Jin-Hyeok was introduced as the hero of Korea, while in foreignnguage publications, he was introduced as the hero of Earth.

    -What a great time to be a Korean, lol.

    -Chul-Soo is not just for the Koreans; he¡¯s for the entire Earth!

    -Yeah, but Chul-Soo is still Korean.

    -Some no-name region is trying to ride on Chul-Soo¡¯s coattails, tsk tsk. Let me say it again: Kim Chul-Soo is KOREAN!

    Numerous reporters of various nationalities gathered in front of the academy¡¯s main gate, moring to be let in. However, not everyone could enter the school. Only the legendary Eltuber Marshmallow, who had exclusively livestreamed Jin-Hyeok recently and surpassed the mark of ten billion live viewers; Kang Mi-Nia, who ran MiNaTV; and individuals who had obtained permission from Jang Michelle and Jin-Hyeok were allowed to step inside the school.

    ¡°Please give us broadcasting rights as well!¡±

    ¡°We will give you as much money as you want.¡±

    Amid the mor of many reporters and Eltubers, Jin-Hyeok began his speech. ¡°Each of us has our dreams and is running hard toward the future....¡±

    Michelle had asked Jin-Hyeok to do a very simple thing. She wanted him to tell the students that they should not aim to be only Eltubers or Streamers. Chul-Soo had an overwhelming influence on teenagers; even if he said soybean paste was poop, they would believe it.

    ¡°Each of us is born with our innate talents and qualities. Even if we have not discovered them ourselves, they are shining brightly within us.¡±

    Wang Yu-Mi had written this speech. She had also made other preparations so that this would be the best speech.

    ***

    ¡°HMC! I have to take care of HMC for you, Chul-Soo,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°HMC? What¡¯s that?

    ¡°Hair, makeup, costume... You didn¡¯t know?¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses and put on a stern expression.

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised. Yu-Mi¡¯s current look was one she usually had when she was angry. But since he trusted her words more than anyone else¡¯s, he had no choice but to let her do her thing.

    ¡°How can a person who livestreams not know about HMC?¡± Yu-Mi let out a deep sigh. ¡°Well, with that pretty face, body, physique, and aura, I guess you don¡¯t need them anyway. I understand that, but this time, it¡¯s different.¡±

    She said that Jin-Hyeok needed to pay more attention to HMC when his livestreams were focused on daily-life content. Jin-Hyeok felt a bit awkward.

    ¡°I can understand hair and consume, but I have to wear makeup?¡± He unconsciously shuddered. To look good on camera, he had to wear much heavier makeup than he thought he would have to.

    ¡°I have already arranged for a makeup expert, so you just have to sit still!¡± Yu-Mi said.

    For Jin-Hyeok, it was something he could not ept. He did not want to wear makeup with such bright colors. It made him feel like his masculinity was crumbling.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the great Kim Chul-Soo is having such a non-intense thought! After realizing the importance of having good items so painfully in thest fight, you¡¯re still acting like this?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was again surprised by her words.

    ¡°If you¡¯re embarrassed to wear makeup, why did you be an Eltuber? If you¡¯re appearing on a livestream, you have to put on anything to make you look good!¡± she added.

    At Yu-Mi¡¯s firm attitude, Jin-Hyeok reflected a little.

    <i>¡®This is like...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt it was a bit like deja vu. <i>¡®When I first encountered the seduction technique, it was the same.¡¯</i>

    After feeling an instinctive resistance to seduction techniques, Jin-Hyeok had reflected on his emotions and regretted it.

    <i>¡®Why have I not grown in that aspect?¡¯</i>

    Everything Yu-Mi had said was right.

    ¡°Please, do what you have to do, Yu-Mi.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok invested about four hours with the experts Yu-Mi had arranged, and the result was stunning.

    ***

    Numerous students were speechless.

    ¡°Holy hell! He looks insanely handsome.¡±

    The majority of the students could not take their eyes off him.

    ¡°Can a person shine like that?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I liked men in uniform.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was wearing a navy blue uniform with gold ornaments. Some students even shouted, ¡°Oppa!¡±

    Some cried and fainted upon seeing him.

    ¡°I had only heard that Chul-Soo was handsome, but I didn¡¯t know he was this handsome.¡±

    ¡°Wow! I had thought thements about his looks were exaggerated, but...¡±

    ¡°Those reactions were real.¡±

    The students looked around and could feel that those reactions were not fake.

    ¡°Huh? Did that person just faint?¡±

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re right! She did!¡±

    As if she had foreseen such a situation, Yu-Mi deployed emergency medical personnel, including Healers.

    Marshmallow¡¯s and MiNaTV¡¯s viewers had quite simr reactions.

    -I might be gay.

    -In the 122 years I¡¯ve lived on this, it¡¯s the first time my heart has fluttered because of a younger man.

    -Handsome, cute, cool, sexy... Our Chul-Soo just does everything. T_T I¡¯m going crazy! T_T

    These reactions were a bit unfamiliar to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Kang Eun-Woo used to receive such reactions before my regression...¡¯</i>

    Although it was a bit strange, Jin-Hyeok continued the speech. The entirety of his speech could be summarized into one point: everyone had talents and areas that suited them, so they did not need to dream of bing only an Eltuber. It was about doing their best and blooming their talent.

    ¡°So, I cheer for you to find your path.¡±

    <i>p, p, p!</i>

    Apuse poured out. The speech also earned a lot of praise online, with many calling it great.

    [But it wasn¡¯t that great, right? The speech itself was quite ordinary.]

    ©¸But his face is extraordinary.

    ©¸The speech is handsome.

    ©¸I can listen to a lecture for one hundred hours with that face.

    -The speech was freaking awesome!

    -Greatest speech of my life.

    -I just watched Chul-Soo¡¯s face. I don¡¯t even know what he talked about.

    Yu-Mi forwarded these reactions to Jin-Hyeok, who felt a bit proud.

    <i>¡®Actually, my speech was not extraordinary, but...¡¯ </i>Nevertheless, the students and viewers were enthusiastic because Chul-Soo had given the speech. It was quite a pleasant feeling for Chul-Soo because it meant that he had turned himself into content.

    ¡°As many of you know, I do not have a particrly outstanding talent in swordsmanship,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    All eyes instantly flocked to Jin-Hyeok. He felt even better that the silence was so loud.

    <i>¡®Am I this good at giving speeches?¡¯</i>

    Finding a new talent was a very enjoyable thing. He had lost a bit of confidence due to his slightlycking talent in swordsmanship, but both his confidence and his self-esteem were rapidly rising.

    ¡°To reach a realm that someone could attain in two weeks, I had to take four weeks.¡±

    Unable to hold back their curiosity, a student raised his hand. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°The realm of the Mind Sword.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok, who had unintentionally mocked the Swordsmen of the entire universe, said with a pleasant smile, ¡°Now, I will take questions.¡±

    He recalled Michelle¡¯s request. She had repeatedly emphasized that he should be an excellent guide so that new yers could follow the right path.

    ¡°How many hamburgers can you eat in one sitting?¡± someone jokingly asked.

    The surrounding students red at this student with fierce eyes. In the end, the student had no choice but to pass the microphone to someone else.

    ¡°If you could go back to the past, would you choose to be a Streamer instead of a Swordsman?¡±

    ¡°If it were me, yes. Streaming suits me much better.¡±

    At first, Jin-Hyeok gave usible answers to the students. Although they were worded differently, the overarching theme was that ¡®everyone has different innate talents, so do your best in your field.¡¯

    ¡°Then if Swordsman Chul-Soo and Streamer Chul-Soo fought, who would win?¡±

    ¡°Streamer Chul-Soo.¡±

    That was obvious; however, the next question was a bit more difficult.

    ¡°Then if a Swordsman and a Streamer fought, who would win?¡±

    ¡°Usually, Swordsmen are...¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Generally, it was true that Swordsmen were stronger. However, Jin-Hyeok wondered if this was a prejudice created by this era. He also wondered if Swordsmen were even stronger than Streamers. He began to ponder it. ¡°They are known to be stronger, but...¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly came to his senses and tried to smooth it over. ¡°I think the areas of strength are different. Streamers are strong in their field, and Swordsmen are strong in theirs.¡±

    ¡°So, if a Streamer and a Swordsman fought, who would win?¡±

    Questions kept pouring in. These were questions that touched Chul-Soo¡¯s pride.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t Streamers the strongest in realbat?¡±

    ¡°There is a lot of hype about the Swordsman Job. What do you think about that?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok answered rtively rationally withinmon sense.

    ¡°Then can top-tier Swordsmen beat you, Mr. Chul-Soo?¡± a student asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s pride took over. ¡°I am stronger.¡±

    At this moment, numerous students decided to be an Eltuber.

    ***

    After unintentionally solidifying many students¡¯ dreams of bing Eltubers, Jin-Hyeok ended up fighting with the students chosen as representatives.

    <i>¡®They are so weak!¡¯ </i>At this level, Jin-Hyeok could win without doing anything. Even if he only defended, the students would get tired first and copse.

    ¡°<i>Huff...huff... </i>Wow, he¡¯s freaking strong! It¡¯s like fighting a wall. I can¡¯t beat him.¡±

    ¡°I felt like I was fighting the wind. He¡¯s untouchable!¡±

    The representative students who faced Jin-Hyeok felt the insurmountable wall. Among them, some students lost focus.

    Michelle sensed that something had gone wrong. <i>¡®Appropriate stimtion bes the driving force for growth, but...¡¯</i>

    Excessive stimtion could destroy someone. The students who faced the insurmountable wall ended up frustrated.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok thought of a good idea. <i>¡®It would be fun to do something like gate blocking with the students.¡¯</i>

    [Chul-Soo¡¯s Gate Blocking]

    Jin-Hyeok transformed Miri into the shape of a sword and drew a line on the ground. The solid granite base was sliced like tofu. ¡°Treat this line as a gate. The students who cross it will receive a hundred million Dias for their schrship.¡±

    The students¡¯ eyes sparkled at the mention of the prize.

    ¡°Everyone in the academy,e at me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It did not even take seven minutes for those sparkling eyes to lose their light.

    -Hehehe! Ah, yes! They taste so good!

    Miri, who found more fun in destroying things after smashing Artedal, broke all the students¡¯ weapons. Numerous broken weapons were scattered on the floor, and the students lost their dreams and hopes.

    ¡°Gate blocking sessful,¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned

    Jin-Hyeok was the only one smiling. The students looked like rotten trees.

    ¡°This was a great experience. To all the students who came at me, I will give you one hundred million Dias each as a schrship. To the students whose weapons were destroyed, I will give you two hundred million Dias,¡± Jin-Hyeok announced.

    ¡°Ooh!!¡±

    ¡°Woooah!!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo, Chul-Soo, Chul-Soo!¡±

    <i>p, p, p.</i>

    Apuse poured out. The eyes of the students who had lost their dreams and hopes were once again filled with light. They were fresh like newly sprouted buds. Jin-Hyeok was satisfied with their bright faces.

    <i>¡®I must be great at giving speeches.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 383

    <h4>Chapter 383</h4>

    ¡°Since this is a collection of fragments of Artedal, I¡¯m willing to give you one billion Dias for it.¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok made the first offer.

    ¡°That¡¯s way too low. It doesn¡¯t even cover thebor cost!¡± Song Ha-Young scoffed. For other people, one billion Dias could bring back the sparkles in their eyes, but it wasn¡¯t so for Angel Girl. Ha-Young spread all ten fingers. ¡°I need at least ten billion Dias to have something left over.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°Honestly, even that won¡¯t leave much for me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought for a moment. Although ten billion Dias was a huge sum, he could earn that in just a couple of seconds.

    ¡°I just gave the students three hundred billion Dias, so I have no money right now. Cut me some ck,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You probably earned three hundred billion Dias just while talking to me.¡±

    Right now, all the yers from the Hell Server and Earth were steadily sending experience points and money to Jin-Hyeok. Moreover, billions of his fans were gathering their hearts and souls to send support to him.

    Jin-Hyeok spread seven fingers. ¡°Seven billion.¡±

    ¡°Ten billion.¡±

    A subtle tension flowed between the two.

    ¡°Then...¡± Jin-Hyeok pulled out his ultimate card. ¡°I won¡¯t buy it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said I won¡¯t buy it.¡±

    ¡°Why? You said you will!¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like buying it anymore.¡±

    ¡°Then should I sell this to the Swedeen Family?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Are you going to be like this?¡± Ha-Young clenched her fist. ¡°Unknown could wear such expensive items because of the Swedeen Family¡¯s help!¡±

    Although no physical evidence remained, many people had spected that was what happened.

    Ha-Young continued, ¡°You want me to hand this over to those bastards? Absolutely not. If I only cared about money, I would¡¯ve sold it to them, but my pride can¡¯t tolerate this. I¡¯m also a member of the K-Force!¡±

    Ha-Young furtively gauged Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction. She hoped he would raise the amount a bit after her great speech, but that was out of the question.

    ¡°Seven billion. If you want more than that, I won¡¯t buy it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Ha-Young, who was good at stealing things but not bargaining, eventually sold the collection of fragments for seven billion Dias.

    ¡°But why are you bargaining so much when you have moneying out of your ears?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s fun.¡±

    ¡°So, I lost three billion Dias for your fun?¡±

    ¡°No, you gained seven billion.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re upset, try stealing my money.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°If you have the confidence to deal with the aftermath.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, who knew Ha-Young¡¯s skills had improved quite a bit, was slightly excited. It would be nice if she tried to steal the money with all her might, but she did not seem to have such intentions yet.

    ¡°No, not yet. I will train a bit more first.¡±

    ¡°Promise?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I promise! I will try my best to steal your money.¡± She then said, ¡°Honestly, seven billion is dirt cheap for that collection. If I had taken this to the Swedeen Family, they would¡¯ve easily given me ten billion.¡±

    ¡°And then they would have backstabbed you.¡±

    Since that wasn¡¯t wrong either, she changed the topic. ¡°But why are you buying this?¡±

    ¡°I thought you would be able to guess.¡±

    ¡°Me? Guess?¡± After pondering it for a bit, she opened her eyes wide. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and immediately turned on the livestream. The topic of his next livestream was something the viewers were familiar with.

    [Enhancement]

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try enhancing Miri using the fragments of the Ink Sword Artedal,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -Wow! LOL, Chul-Soo is enhancing again.

    -After the Pisat Family¡¯s relics, it¡¯s time for the fragments of the Ink Sword Artedal. LOL!

    -The scale of the materials is insane!

    -Is he actually going to do it?

    -Last time, we thought he wouldn¡¯t, but he did. He¡¯s crazy!

    Satisfied with the viewer influx rate, Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°This time, these are more like raw materials than an actual item, so the sess rate should be high.¡±

    <i>¡®I should¡¯ve tried breaking the relicsst time too.¡¯ </i>He thought that this was how people learned.

    Katrina, who saw Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, urgently contacted him through Wang Yu-Mi.

    ¡°Katrina says she¡¯sing to Earth. She says not to do anything crazy and wait a bit. What should we do? Should we wait or not?¡± Jin-Hyeok put up a vote for the viewers.

    [1. Wait]

    [2. Don¡¯ Wait]

    Option 2, ¡®Don¡¯t Wait¡¯, received a whopping seventy-two percent of the votes.

    ¡°As expected, enhancement should be done right away for the best sess rate.¡± Jin-Hyeok started the enhancement.

    ***

    Recently, Miri had a bizarre experience. When it had destroyed Artedal while shouting, ¡°I will eat this big, ck, and hard thing!¡± it had felt intense pleasure and an tion it had never experienced before. Although Miri had not heard an <i>announcement </i>as yers did, it felt like it had received an Achievement. In yer terms, it was as if Miri had received the following notification:

    <strong>[You have acquired the Achievement ?Treasure Destroyer?.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Is this because I was too excited?¡¯ </i>Miri thought. No matter how strong its will had be, Miri didn¡¯t know how a weapon could acquire an Achievement. That didn¡¯t even make sense. However, she experienced the same feeling again soon.

    ¡°<i>Sob... </i>My sword!¡±

    ¡°The spear my father gave me!¡±

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening...¡±

    After breaking the weapons of the students who rushed Jin-Hyeok like moths to a me, Miri felt like it had heard another notification.

    <strong>[You have acquired the Achievement ?Shattered Hope?.]</strong>

    Or,

    <strong>[You have acquired the Achievement ?Granter of Despair?.]</strong>

    It was difficult to put those feelings in humannguage, but Miri definitely felt that way. Moreover, it could tell that new special powers were now dwelling inside it as if they were the effects of those Achievements.

    When Jin-Hyeok attempted enhancement without waiting for Katrina, Miri again sensed something.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Miri felt the ck fragments of Artedal sticking to it and making it ticklish.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to proceed with the enhancement,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    In the end, the enhancement failed. At that moment, Miri felt an immense shock. Miri felt like it would shatter, but an unknown power protected it.

    <i>¡®The Achievement effects are being applied to me too!¡¯ </i>

    Although Miri did not have ess to the same interface as yers did, the effects seemed familiar.

    -I should have been shattered!

    A special power had protected it.

    -I was so excited, no, so agonized that I thought I would shatter!

    Miriughed. The weapon felt good that it had grown slightly more intense.

    <i>¡®Master is also really happy!¡¯</i>

    Miri was feeling Jin-Hyeok¡¯s emotions too. Jin-Hyeok was ecstatic right now, so Miri felt a tickling sensation all over it.

    Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes wide. ¡°How can this be?¡±

    He was surprised too. ¡°The enhancement failed, but the material item remains intact. How did this happen?¡±

    ***

    At first, the viewers did not believe what was going on.

    -I bet the livestream is staged.

    -Yeah, he probably used some tricks.

    -Chul-Soo is so washed up, fabricating enhancement content and all! LOL!

    However, after Katrina¡¯s appearance, public opinion changed instantly.

    -Yeah, you guys are wrong. You see as much as you know.

    -You idiots judge Chul-Soo based on your limited understanding, lol.

    -How can they understand the godly intentions of IntenseMan?

    Katrina said that a special power had been imbued in Miri. ¡°In yer terms, it¡¯s like the weapon is under an Achievement effect. We will have to study it over time to know for sure, but it¡¯s likely that destroying a legendary weapon like Artedal and breaking the weapons of rookies like those students created some kind of synergy inside Miri.¡±

    Katrina discerned that these two events could be corrted.

    MK Foundation¡¯s Yolin, who was now the person in charge of the Historian Nurturing Project, submitted some documents. Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m not a sry thief, right?¡±

    Yolin held out a piece of parchment. It was an ancient parchment that looked like it would crumble if mishandled. The document had some content written about ancient weapons that had gained special powers.

    ¡°<i>Ahem! </i>Only people who have diligently studied ancientnguages can barely read this writing. What it says here is that things that are..., um, so....,¡± Yolin said.

    ¡°Things that are positioned at extremes have a principle that connects them.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was once again satisfied with the performance of Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    ¡°You can read ancientnguages?¡± Yolin asked.

    ¡°When I carefully examine it, I can see what it says.¡±

    ¡°Is that possible?¡±

    ¡°I guess it is.¡±

    ¡°B-Boss, you¡¯re amazing! The way you mercilessly trample the dreams and hopes of countless historians and interpreters is so cool!¡±

    After interpreting the entire content of the parchment with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ¡°Yes, Miri indeed gained a special power when it broke the weapons of the students right after destroying the legendary treasure; it¡¯s because Miri experienced two extremes simultaneously. On one side, Miri had to fight under a threat, and on the other side, Miri dealt with the students with ease. Such an experience is not easy toe by,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Because of these events, Miri received a power that let it remain unbroken even after the enhancement failed.

    Katrina returned to Earth with Shelby and Kim Ysael. ¡°Chul-Soo Oppa, I brought these two with me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at Shelby and Ysael. He could understand why Shelby was here, but he was quite concerned about Ysael, the 777th Member of Chul-Soo Land.

    ¡°Hey, Ysael. You should focus on your main Job. Why do you keep following me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I-I am sorry.¡± Although Ysael was an extremely strong Swordswoman, she was just a fangirl in front of Jin-Hyeok. Scolded by him, she felt dejected. ¡°But I really wanted to give you this.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Ysael held out the handles of the dual swords she had used during the Sword Emperor Tournament. ¡°The swords disappeared, but the handles remained.¡±

    Shelby also held out a sword handle. ¡°Mine too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok received the sword handles. He could not take his eyes off them for a long time.

    <i>¡®Only their traces are left now,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He could sense that the swords these handles belonged to were extraordinary. The handles felt like the remnants of weapons one level higher than the Ink Sword Artedal.

    Katrina crossed her arms. ¡°Do you feel it too, Chul-Soo?¡¯

    ¡°Yeah, I was in a hurry when fighting Unknown, so I didn¡¯t realize it back then, but these were tremendous weapons.¡±

    ¡°As expected of you. I knew you would feel it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt an immense presence from these sword handles.

    <i>¡®Strangely, the energy feels somewhat familiar.¡¯</i>

    Katrina continued, ¡°The special power Miri just gained, the fragments of the Ink Sword Artedal, the handles of these great swords... I think we can do something with them¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to wait a bit.¡± Katrina rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward. ¡°Let¡¯s try the enhancement again.¡±

 Chapter 384

    <h4>Chapter 384</h4>

    The enhancement content started again.

    -Wait, he¡¯s at it again? LOL

    -Is he out of his mind? He almost destroyed the relic and lost the Artedal fragments not too long ago, lol.

    -Breaking the materials is part of the fun!

    Some observant viewers noticed that the materials had increased.

    -Huh? There are more materials now!

    -What are those?

    -He¡¯s adding Shelby¡¯s and Ysael¡¯s gifts as enhancement materials.

    Jin-Hyeok briefly exined what had happened.

    -Oh, those are the handles of the swords that broke Artedal?

    -I think they are mythic-grade items, lol.

    -So, he¡¯s now breaking mythic-grade items for enhancement?

    -He has no respect for the enhancement, lol!

    -The history of enhancement is divided into before and after Kim Chul-Soo.

    The viewers were enthusiastic about this new paradigm of enhancement. Even professional enhancers hadn¡¯t worked on such an enhancement.

    But what if Miri breaks too?

    -Miri: It¡¯s fine even if my body shatters, hehe?

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s tension also rose with the viewers¡¯ heated reactions. ¡°Last time, I was lucky.¡±

    -Lucky? LOL

    -I think he¡¯s saying that because the item did not break after the enhancement failed.

    -He does not even count the relics being destroyed as luck, lol. Sometimes, I just can¡¯t understand him.

    ¡°This time, I¡¯m going to make my luck.¡±

    Watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream at Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop, Kim Min-Jiughed and felt satisfied. ¡°Your weapons are going to be used as materials, old man.¡±

    ¡°My weapons?¡±

    Min-Ji shamelessly continued, ¡°Yeah, your weapons. The great weapons of the Trinity Club. The special weapons that Angel Girl Song Ha-Young stole.¡±

    ¡°I see... Apparently, my weapons are about to disappear.¡±

    ¡°When did you collect such great weapons? You¡¯re amazing.¡±

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t the weapons disappearpletely after the fight? From my knowledge, even the handles should have disappeared.¡±

    ¡°I think Artedal¡¯s will transferred over to your weapons when they were breaking Artedal. Maybe that¡¯s why they became sturdier.¡±

    Gap-Soo sensed that Min-Ji had pulled some trick. She had done everything to deliver those weapons to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Min-Ji would not be satisfied with just giving those weapons to Shelby and Ysael.¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo realized once again why she was called the <i>Mad </i>God of Favoritism, instead of just God. She had just pretended to give those weapons to Shelby and Ysael; they were actually gifts for Chul-Soo.

    Gap-Soo wondered if Min-Ji had given the weapons to the two girls first because it would be too obvious if she gave them directly to Chul-Soo.

    Gap-Soo casually asked, ¡°I¡¯m wondering about that parchment acquired by Yolin, which had a particrly detailed exnation of why Miri was enhanced. Where did such an ancient document suddenly pop out from?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, who knows...?¡±

    Gap-Soo became certain from Min-Ji¡¯s feigned ignorance that the parchment was also either ¡®stolen¡¯ from her or she had intentionally lost it.

    Anyway, Miri¡¯s enhancement started again.

    -Come! This big, ck, and hard thing! Let¡¯s mingle together!

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok intentionally stopped the livestream for a moment.

    -Did it work?

    -Did it explode?

    -Is it a sess?

    -Did he fail?

    About sixty secondster, Jin-Hyeok resumed the livestream.

    -What¡¯s with the buffering?

    -It¡¯s so frustrating!

    Jin-Hyeok intentionally revealed the screen slowly, little by little from top to bottom.

    -Did it work?

    -What¡¯s going on?

    -It will be a huge hit if the enhancement has seeded!

    -Since he¡¯s dragging this out like this, it must have failed.

    -Please fail. Please, please, please!

    Jin-Hyeok lifted Miri. The hammer-shaped Miri had be about three timesrger than usual, and the area around the handle had changed to a deep ck color. It was very smooth like the Ink Sword Artedal.

    ¡°The enhancement was sessful!¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He re-broadcasted the enhancement scene and tried to ask Katrina for a bit of exnation, but stopped. Katrina was not in a state to give an exnation right now. Right after the sessful enhancement, Katrina sat cross-legged on the spot and began meditating.

    It seemed she had gained some enlightenment during the enhancement.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an enhancement expert, so it¡¯s difficult for me to tell you guys what happened urately. However, I will try exining based on what I felt. Artedal and Miri were originally weapons that could not be merged, like water and oil,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined. He put in a lot of effort to vividly convey this feeling to the viewers. ¡°However, when the handles given by Shelby and Ysael melted...¡±

    Those handles worked like a solvent. Because of that, Miri and Artedal slowly began to mix.

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s like they yed the role of an adhesive,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued. It seemed that the sword handles made Miri and Artedal forcibly stick together. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is an urate exnation, but that¡¯s what I felt. When Katrina wakes up, I will post a more urate summary on themunity board of my channel.¡±

    The viewers were not the only ones who were listening to this exnation. A fiercely burning sun rose inside Katrina¡¯s microcosm.

    <i>¡®Yes! That¡¯s it! That is what I was looking for!¡¯ </i>Katrina thought.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream had brought her enlightenment as well. The students at K-Academy felt a wall and were frustrated by Jin-Hyeok, but Katrina was stimted. Right now, she was so focused on the enlightenment that she had no time to feel frustrated.

    She reached out toward the sun inside her microcosm.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok immediately revealed the result of Miri¡¯s enhancement. ¡°Miri has received a new Trait.¡±

    <strong>[Trait¡ªTime Reversal]</strong>

    <strong>[The ability to restore/recreate weapons destroyed by this weapon.</strong>

    <strong>Activation Condition: Big, ck, and hard.]</strong>

    -So, it can restore destroyed weapons?

    -Can it also restore things like the Ink Sword or the Pisat Family¡¯s relics?

    Wang Yu-Mi immediately sent him a message.

    [Can you use that ability right away?]

    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t show you this ability right here and now. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to save this content for another day, but the activation condition is kind of tricky,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while shaking his head.

    <strong>[Activation Condition: Big, ck, and hard.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok showed Miri to the viewers. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what this condition means right now, but just in case, I will take a look with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.¡±

    -Does he think Broadcaster¡¯s Insight is a divine ability? LOL

    ?Well, it actually is super powerful.

    -But I think for this one, Chul-Soo should ask an expert.

    ¡°The description says that Miri transforms into a big, ck, and hard shape when it is extremely excited,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued. He could easily think of ways to make Miri extremely excited. The easiest way was to let it enter an extremebat situation and allow it to shatter the opponent¡¯s back of the head or temple or have it break a great weapon like Artedal. ¡°I think this ck handle part grows bigger.¡±

    -Don¡¯t we call that... an erection?

    -Apologize to Miri. Miri is female!

    -How can a weapon have a gender, wtf.

    -No matter how you see it, that sounds like an erection to me.

    -Stop it! You¡¯re going to get this video demized.

    ¡°It looks like I can use the new Trait only by entering an extremebat situation,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    Subus Relphim, who had tried and failed to seduce Jin-Hyeok in Hell, came to see Jin-Hyeok. Ordinary people would feel dizzy from her sweet peach scent, but Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t. It was his habit to be on guard after seeing a pretty woman.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m the one being seduced.¡± Relphim approached Jin-Hyeok as if she were enchanted and touched his cheek. It was closer to an instinctive movement rather than intentional.

    <i>¡®His lips.¡¯ </i>When Relphim looked at his lips, a desire to kiss him and spend a passionate time with him welled up inside her. Relphim barely took her hand off Jin-Hyeok. ¡°We don¡¯t have to date, so will you sleep with me?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Jin-Hyeok opened the door and guided her to the bed as if it was a good idea.

    Relphim¡¯s earlobes turned red. <i>¡®Is he just like other men when he¡¯s not livestreaming?¡¯</i>

    Relphim, who had felt bitter wondering if she had been seduced by an impotent man, had a thin smile on her lips.

    ¡°I will install a camera here, so face this way while you¡¯re sleeping.¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

    After the Sword Emperor Tournament and even the enhancement content, Jin-Hyeok had taken a short break; he had poured out all his energy during those events. At times like these, if one of the three beauties did a sleeping content for him, it would be very profitable.

    ¡°Sleeping content is quite popr,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He could not understand why people liked such livestreams, but strangely, there was a viewer base that watched such content exclusively. Being an Eltuber, Jin-Hyeok was fully prepared to cater to the tastes and preferences of all his viewers.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± Relphim said.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you. It¡¯s real. There is quite a demand for this, more than you think. It won¡¯t be my main content and will be livestreamed during my break, so the viewers will like it too.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Relphim gave up on exining to Jin-Hyeok, who seemed convinced that he couldn¡¯t be crazy. She felt a bit of self-reproach, thinking that she had been seduced by an impotent and crazy man. ¡°I didn¡¯te here to do sleeping content.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you here?¡±

    ¡°You seem to think the activation condition for Miri¡¯s Trait is too difficult. I came to teach you an easier way. Can you let me hold Miri for a bit?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok gave the weapon to Relphim. At that moment, his fingertips touched Relphim¡¯s fingers, and she unknowingly let out a seductive groan. Just that touch was enough to make her feel hot all over.

    Suppressing the welling desire inside her, she kissed Miri¡¯s handle.

    ¡°Watch closely.¡± With delicate hand movements, she caressed Miri.

    -It, it tickles! Hehe!

    Miri¡¯s handle, which was usually gray, turned slightly ck. Its length also increased a little.

    -But this much is not enough!

    Relphim caressed Miri again with her long fingers, very carefully as if she were handling something precious. After some time passed, Relphim handed Miri back to him.

    ¡°When I do it, the weapon bes only this dark, but if you do it, the oue will be different,¡± Relphim said.

    ¡°From my perspective, you seem to be the crazy one,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The whole act looked strange to him¡ªthe sight of her looking at the weapon with an alluring gaze and kissing it with moist lips. Those delicate, feather-like hand movements toward the hammer looked tremendously perverted.

    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult at all. Just hold it in your hand and lightly kiss it.¡±

    ¡°Hm....¡±

    <i>¡®There is no way this will work,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He knew that to activate Miri¡¯s Trait, he needed to enter an extremebat situation. So, he looked at Relphim with doubtful eyes, but there was no harm in listening to her words.

    <i>¡®Did she put a deadly poison on Miri¡¯s handle? Is that how she¡¯s trying to assassinate me? If that¡¯s the case, her bizarre actions might make sense,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Although he tilted his head, he decided to do as told for now.

    -W-Wait, I¡¯m not ready yet!

    Miri grew.

    The moment his lips touched the weapon, Miri became gigantic and broke through the ceiling. At the same time, new information appeared in the Broadcaster''s Insight window.

    <strong>[Activation Condition: Big, ck, and hard.]</strong>

    The notification window shattered as if something had hit it, and he heard Miri scream.

    -I¡¯m telling you. I¡¯m female! I like big, ck, and hard things, but I don¡¯t want to be big, ck, and hard myself!

 Chapter 385

    <h4>Chapter 385</h4>

    <i>¡®I¡¯m undoubtedly female!¡¯ </i>It was highly unlikely for a weapon to have a gender, but Miri considered herself female. Even though no one had taught her, she had always regarded herself as female from the beginning. <i>¡®I don¡¯t want to be big, ck, and hard!¡¯</i>

    Miri¡¯s powerful will created a miracle. The activation condition window shattered and was reced by a new one.

    <strong>[Activation Condition: ....With Master.]</strong>

    The window flickered, appearing and disappearing repeatedly.

    <i>¡®B-But...!¡¯ </i>

    Miri¡¯s will to change the activation condition was strong, but she also felt embarrassed to show what she truly wanted.

    <strong>[Activation Condi]</strong>

    <strong>[Activation Condition: ...Master]</strong>

    Miri struggled. She wanted to erase the notification window somehow. If she had to reveal her true feelings, she preferred to do it in a fancy and romantic ce. She did not want to show it without any preparations and semi-forcibly like this.

    -Nooo!

    However, in the end, she could not hide her instincts. Her instinct won over her reason.

    <strong>[Activation Condition: Physical affection with Master.]</strong>

    The weapon seeded in actively changing the activation condition.

    Since Cha Jin-Hyeok was not a Craftsman, he didn¡¯t know how shocking this was. He was just satisfied that the new activation condition was easier to meet.

    ¡°Relphim, let¡¯s do the sleeping content next time. I need to proceed with my main content,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He decided to immediately showcase the results of this enhancement to the viewers.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok leaned against the Guardian Tree and borrowed its power to prevent people from approaching his surroundings. For a while, Jin-Hyeok gazed at Miri.

    -W-Why are you looking at me like that?

    ¡°Look me in the eyes for a bit.¡±

    Although a weapon did not have eyes, Jin-Hyeok could feel Miri¡¯s gaze. Miri was averting his gaze.

    -I¡¯m looking at you...

    Miri¡¯s voice was much smaller than usual.

    ¡°Quickly.¡±

    -I-I said I¡¯m looking at you.

    Jin-Hyeok smiled at Miri and tried his best to create an alluring gaze.

    <i>¡®Relphim probably used a seduction technique on Miri.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was surprised that Relphim had used a seduction technique on a weapon. He could not help but admire that fresh change in perspective and wondered how intense one must be in seduction to seduce a weapon. It could be interesting to learn that kind of intensity.

    -A-Are you trying to seduce me?

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    <i>¡®True masters</i> <i>of seduction seduce so subtly and naturally that the target doesn¡¯t even notice they are being seduced, but that¡¯s impossible for me and Miri</i>.¡¯ Due to their strong mental bond, he couldn¡¯t easily use subtle seduction on Miri. So, he decided to tantly use a seduction technique. <i>¡®I should have done this from the start!¡¯</i>

    He felt strangely good. As expected, he had to take it step by step from the easy things. Although he had an instinctive resistance to using seduction techniques on people, it wasn¡¯t the case with Miri. In other words, it was like he was practicing lines with a doll in front of him, so he didn¡¯t feel a strong aversion to the seduction technique at this moment.

    ¡°Miri,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®How should I seduce a weapon? I guess I can start by calling her name.¡¯ </i>With the most affectionate and delicate hand movements, he grasped Miri¡¯s handle. <i>¡®What to do next?¡¯ </i>

    Seduction techniques were really difficult.

    At that moment, a notification popped up.

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait ?Time Reversal?.]</strong>

    His seduction technique was sessful.

    ***

    Even before Jin-Hyeok decided to use the seduction technique, Miri was already in a state of extreme excitement. Miri was half out of her mind the moment she knew that her master was trying to seduce her. Even when Jin-Hyeok was walking to the Guardian Tree, when he was not using any seduction, Miri was already being seduced.

    <i>¡®M-More!¡¯ </i>Miri thought.<i> </i>Jin-Hyeok did not do anything and just touched her. <i>¡®T-Touch me a little more!¡¯</i>

    Despite having a strong mental bond with Miri, Jin-Hyeok could not feel the weapon¡¯s desire. Miri had learned how to hide her emotions. When Jin-Hyeok sat with his back against the Guardian Tree, Miri felt the intensity of his gaze.

    <i>¡®Oh, no!¡¯</i>

    Even their eyes meeting was enough to make her feel like she was about to faint. She had heard that humans would usually say that they were about toe in such situations. She did not know what that meant, but Miri felt the same at that moment.

    ¡°Look me in the eyes for a bit.¡±

    <i>¡®Why does that voice sound songuid today?¡¯ </i>Miri thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was speaking in his usual voice, but to Miri¡¯s ears, it soundednguid and seductive. When she had felt their eyes met, Miri had the illusion that she was shrinking, as if someone was squeezing her. It was a stark contrast from before, when the activation condition was <i>big, ck, and hard</i>,<i> </i>and she had grown grotesquely and pierced through the ceiling.

    -Aaahhh!

    Miri¡¯s vision went hazy. She could not see anything, feeling like she was floating in the sky. The world seemed to be spinning, and it was like she could hear the sound of an angel¡¯s trump ringing in her ears or thunder exploding!

    -The world is c-colorful...!

    Miri went limp. Although she wasn¡¯t human, she imagined her appearance concretely like a human¡¯s. In her inner universe, she was lying t on her back, exhaling breathless breaths.

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised. <i>¡®This worked!¡¯</i>

    When Miri reached the peak of excitement, she trembled and spat out something. It closely resembled the relic of the Pisat Family that Miri had once swallowed.

    ¡°Something is floating in the air,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He reached out and picked up the object.

    At that moment, he heard the voice of the Guardian Tree.

    -¡°I¡¯m a little envious!¡±XD

    The leaves of the Guardian Tree turned pink.

    -¡°I... also want toe!¡±

    ***

    When Jin-Hyeok released his video, it led to a heated debate among numerous appraisers.

    <strong>[Pisat¡¯s Relic (Replica)]</strong>

    <strong>[A sacred artifact left by Pisat, the Knight of Justice, one of Garbinu¡¯srades.]</strong>

    ¡°What do you think? No matter how I look at it, it seems no different from the original.¡±

    ¡°Look at the engraved detail on the handle. It¡¯s not something a mere replica can imitate.¡±

    ¡°To think that¡¯s a replica... If I could appraise that, I would have no regrets.¡±

    Numerous appraisers who could not hide their desire to directly touch the relic created (spewed out) by Miri came to Earth.

    ¡°If you just show it to me once, I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life.¡±

    Some appraisers made extravagant promises.

    ¡°I will conduct three free appraisals without asking any questions.¡±

    ¡°If you show us the Pisat¡¯s Relic, we will treat you as a VIP of our appraisal association, Mr. Chul-Soo.¡±

    They all had simr opinions about the replica.

    ¡°This is a perfect replica.¡±

    ¡°I have never thought that a replica could surpass the original. But my belief has been shattered today.¡±

    As numerous appraisers said that this replica was no different than the original, the Pisat Family eventually dispatched their appraisers as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°The relic is perfectly preserved.¡±

    Gridel, the Sage of the Sword, also came to Earth but missed Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°He went to Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop,¡± Cha Jin-Sol informed him.

    ¡°Choi Gap-Soo?¡± Gridel asked.

    ¡°Oh, I guess you¡¯re not subscribed to my brother¡¯s channel. Gap-Soo is a member of the Trinity Club. I think his name was MoneyShower or something.¡±

    ¡°MoneyShower is running a workshop on Earth?¡±

    Gap-Soo was one of the universe¡¯s top ny-nine individuals. Gridel was surprised that a member of the Trinity Club, a super VIP among SSP¡¯s VIPs, was on Earth.

    <i>¡®Is there something hidden on Earth that I do not know about?¡¯ </i>Gridel thought.

    Jin-Sol tilted her head. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the strange one. You do not seem very surprised that a Trinity Club member has settled in a barren Server like Earth.¡±

    ¡°There is another Trinity Club member here, you know.¡±

    ¡°Another one?¡±

    ¡°Yes, her name is Jang Michelle. You might know her as MoneyShot.¡±

    ¡°MoneyShot?¡± Gridel could not hide his surprise. ¡°Two people with simr personalities have nested here?¡±

    From what he heard, it did not seem like the Trinity Club members were here for a momentary amusement. Gap-Soo was diligently running his workshop, and Michelle seemed to be doing her best to manage the MK Foundation.

    Jin-Sol tilted her head again. ¡°Is that such a big deal?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it is. It¡¯s difficult for ordinary people to even meet a Trinity Club member in their lifetime. Because there are only ny-nine of them in the entire universe. The fact that two of them are in this small Server is like a miracle.¡±

    Gridel got goosebumps on his arms.

    <i>¡®Then, is Chul-Soo a project that the two Trinity Club members are deliberately working on?¡¯ </i>Gridel thought. If it was so, Chul-Soo¡¯s strangely tremendous growth rate might make sense. If he was receiving support from not just one but two Trinity Club members, such a growth rate was possible.

    Jin-Sol tilted her head for the third time and pointed at Gridel. ¡°Aren¡¯t you also a renowned ranker? You¡¯re Gridel, the Sage of the Sword. The head of the Pisat Family is also here, so why is having Trinity Club members here such a big deal?¡± she said.

    ¡°...¡±

    <i>¡®Now that I think of it...¡¯ </i>Gridel was at a loss for words. He even experienced a bit of a culture shock. Earth did feel a bit different from the other Servers.

    <i>¡®Those other Servers treated me with utmost hospitality and gave me fantastic treatment even when I didn¡¯t demand it, but...¡¯ </i>That was natural for Gridel. However, on Earth, he hadn¡¯t experienced that naturalness. <i>¡®I did receive quite a bit of attention, but people don¡¯t seem to be very interested in me.¡¯</i>

    Usually, there would be a huge crowd to meet the Sage of the Sword. The appearance of a renowned ranker of the universe was a tremendous event for ordinary people.

    <i>¡®The Earth Server is very strange.¡¯ </i>The people of Earth did not seem to feel special about special things. They also seemed to ept the strange fact that there were two Trinity Club members on Earth as natural.<i> ¡®Even though I arrived here, Chul-Soo didn¡¯t even wee me. Moreover, that girl doesn¡¯t find it strange. Also...¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Sol referred to Gridel without any title. He was not offended by it, but he was unfamiliar with this. Usually, people would be very formal with him and politely call him Sir Gridel.

    <i>¡®This Server is strange...¡¯ </i>He sensed that Earth, especially the Korean Region, was not ordinary. <i>¡®So, he¡¯s in Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop...¡¯</i>

    It had been a while since he had met a Trinity Club Member, so he was a bit excited. If things went well, he could receive some donations, and it could be a good opportunity.

    <i>¡®What is this?¡¯</i> When Gridel entered Cheongdam-dong, he felt a strange sensation. <i>¡®There is an overwhelming presence here that makes the Trinity Club feel like dust! How can that be?¡¯</i>

    Gridel¡¯s expression hardened.

    <i>¡®As expected, there is something hidden on Earth that I do not know about!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Gap-Soo watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video on replicating the relic in his workshop.

    ¡°Mad Go¡ª Sorry, Ms. Min-Ji,¡± Gap-Soo casually asked.

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up?¡± Min-Ji was sitting on the sofa, sucking on a lollipop and binge-watching videos featuring Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face one by one.

    ¡°Is it okay for Chul-Soo to do that?¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°This recent enhanceme¡ª¡±

    Min-Ji jumped up from her seat, covered her ears, and shouted, ¡°Lllla! No spoilers! I haven¡¯t watched the recent video yet! If you spoil it, I will kill you, old man!¡±

    Her presence was scattered around because she shouted so seriously.

    Startled, Gap-Soo thought, <i>¡®Well, I guess it should be fine. There are hardly any yers on Earth who can properly sense her presence.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ms. Min-Ji. There might be talk of bnce copse, so can you please listen to me a bit?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Boring!¡± Min-Jiy down sprawled, consistently maintaining a rebellious attitude like a teenager.

    ¡°It¡¯s about Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°So, about this bnce copse.¡± Min-Ji¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°That¡¯s a concerning matter. Hurry up and tell me.¡±

 Chapter 386

    <h4>Chapter 386</h4>

    ¡°That¡¯s a serious matter. Hurry up and tell me what you meant,¡± Kim Min-Ji said.

    Choi Gap-Soo exined that the ability Kim Chul-Soo had just gained could give rise to certain situations.

    ¡°So, Chul-Soo can now produce weapons by himself,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Oh, then there will be new types of content!¡± Min-Ji replied.

    ¡°...¡±

    Seeing Min-Ji¡¯s eyes sparkle, Gap-Soo could not help but sigh. Just exining to Min-Ji what was good for Chul-Soo didn¡¯t seem to be working. So, he changed his strategy a bit.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Chul-Soo just restore a relic of the Pisat Family almost perfectly? Because of that, Gridel, the Sage of the Sword, made a fuss about visiting Earth. Ah, he might have already visited Earth by now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but if they demand Chul-Soo to hand it over, I can kill them.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not allowed, right?¡±

    ¡°<i>Tsk.</i>¡±

    ¡°Anyway, think about it. What if Chul-Soo makes another relic and sells it at a high price? Will the Pisat Family just sit back and watch? To them, the relic is the sacred treasure of their ancestor.¡±

    ¡°What will they do about it?¡± Wondering if they would harm her precious Chul-Soo, Min-Ji frowned.

    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t directly harm Chul-Soo, they will try to retrieve the replica made by Chul-Soo regardless of whether it means they have to mobilize the entire force of the Pisat Family. Large and small battles may break out in numerous ces, and innocent people can die.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all. If Chul-Soo can replicate the relic, he can also restore the Ink Sword Artedal. Then, the Swedeen Empire would make a move. They also will not tolerate replicas circting in the world. If the world bes chaotic like that, wouldn¡¯t it also inconvenience you, Ms. Min-Ji? You will be caught and forced into hibernation again, and when you wake up from hibernation, Chul-Soo might not be there.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, you don¡¯t know anything about Chul-Soo, old man,¡± Min-Ji confidently said with an attitude befitting Chul-Soo Land No. 1. ¡°Chul-Soo will never make second or third replicas.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is cra¡ª, no, intensely dedicated to Eltube. He would do anything for view counts,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°No! Chul-Soo has beautiful and noble standards.¡±

    Gap-Soo tilted his head. Seeing Min-Ji¡¯s confident attitude, he felt like he was missing something.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo has beautiful and noble standards?¡¯ </i>Gap-Soo thought. <i>¡®Well, there was that time when he didn¡¯t show the tears of the young boy in his livestream before...¡¯</i>

    Recently, at some times, Chul-Soo had not shown scenes in his livestream that he would naturally show previously.

    <i>¡®Is she talking about a sense of moral responsibility for breaking the weapons? If Chul-Soo has such a sense of responsibility and indebtedness, does that mean he might not make second or third replicas? I guess it kind of makes sense.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Rather than a video of creating and selling replicas, a video of the Pisat Family or the Swedeen Empireing to him and saying, ¡®Great Sir Chul-Soo, won¡¯t you give us that replica? We earnestly implore you,¡¯ would have a much greater impact on his channel,¡± Min-Ji said. She thenughed. ¡°Hehehe, that would be fun.¡±

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was visiting Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop when he heard Min-Ji¡¯s voice as he climbed the stairs.

    ¡°<i>Rather than a video of creating and selling replicas, a video of the Pisat Family or the Swedeen Empireing and saying, ¡®Great Sir Chul-Soo, won¡¯t you give us that replica? We earnestly implore you,¡¯ would have a much greater impact on his channel.</i>¡±

    <i>¡®Oh? She¡¯s right.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had yet to decide how to use his newly acquired ability, so Min-Ji¡¯s words gave him some inspiration. <i>¡®This is indeed an insight befitting Chul-Soo Land No. 1.¡¯</i>

    For Jin-Hyeok, money was not important. View counts, subscriptions, and like numbers were much more important.

    <i>¡®It would be much more fun to get involved with the likes of the Swedeen Empire and the Pisat Family.¡¯</i>

    He could also take on the frame of <i>a Craftsman who makes only one replica. </i>It would be better to create a <i>character </i>as a replica Craftsman rather than a replica mass-producer.

    ¡°Min-Ji, long time no see,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Startled, Min-Ji sprang up from her seat and hid behind a pir. The bold and confident attitude she had in front of Gap-Soo just a while ago had long disappeared.

    ¡°H-Hello...¡± In front of the screen, she was the bravest of all, but in front of Chul-Soo, she was a shy girl.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had expected such a reaction from Min-Ji, grinned. However, he then felt a strange feeling.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>it was the unfamiliar sensation he had felt during the enhancement. That sensation somehow seemed unfamiliar, but meeting Min-Ji made him understand it a bit.

    ¡°Come here for a moment, Min-Ji,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°M-Me?¡± Min-Ji, who had been stealing nces at Jin-Hyeok from behind the pir, timidly revealed herself.

    ¡°Quickly.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Min-Ji reacted intensely to every word of Jin-Hyeok. It was unclear when she had put them on, but she was now wearing oversized sunsses that covered half of her face. It was broad daylight now, and this was indoors.

    Jin-Hyeok stared at Min-Ji.

    ¡°D-did I do something wrong?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Jin-Hyeok got up from his seat, ced his hand on Min-Ji¡¯s head, and closed his eyes.

    Gap-Soo¡¯s mouth fell open. <i>¡®He just put his hand on the head of the Mad God of Favoritism...¡¯</i>

    An unimaginable scene unfolded before Gap-Soo¡¯s eyes. Min-Ji bit her lip and clenched her fists, trembling.

    Miri muttered as if she understood Min-Ji.

    -I understand that feeling.

    Then Miri suddenly muttered in a sharp voice.

    -But I won¡¯t share him with you.

    Like recognized like; Miri could feel that this girl was out of her mind. She was definitely a crazy girl.

    -Master is mine.

    <i>¡®You have an excessively grand ambition for a mere weapon¡¯ </i>

    Hearing a different voice all of a sudden, Miri was startled. She had never conversed with anyone other than Jin-Hyeok.

    -W-Who are you?

    <i>¡®Me? I am Chul-Soo Land No.1.¡¯</i>

    Even though they were not mentally connected, Miri could sense Min-Ji¡¯s microcosm a little. It was a dark universe, and all the stars floating in there had the face of Chul-Soo. Seeing that bizarre and terrifying sight, Miri involuntarily screamed.

    -S-She¡¯s crazy!

    Jin-Hyeok calmed the weapon down.

    <i>¡®Miri, you need to be quiet. I can¡¯t concentrate,¡¯ </i>he telepathically told Miri.

    -Master, do not be fooled. That woman is a lunatic. That cute appearance is not real!

    Miri¡¯s voice didn¡¯t reach Jin-Hyeok, who had already started concentrating.

    ***

    After cing his hand on Min-Ji¡¯s head, Jin-Hyeok felt her energy.

    <i>¡®Yup. This is it. I felt her energy when I was doing the enhancement.¡¯</i>

    The feeling was much stronger when he had received the sword handles from Shelby and Kim Ysael. Jin-Hyeok opened his eyes and asked, ¡°Old man, I heard Song Ha-Young stole swords from your vault, is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Although she was a bit arrogant, she looked rather cute when she intensely stole my weapons, so I let it slide.¡±

    ¡°But why do I feel Min-Ji¡¯s presence from those weapons?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because...¡± Gap-Soo felt a sense of crisis for the first time in a while. If he did not answer properly here, he would face the wrath and iron mace of the Mad God. ¡°As you know, Min-Ji is a very skilled hacker. Didn¡¯t you hack my passwords on my vault and weapons, Min-Ji?¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s right! That¡¯s what happened!¡± Min-Ji replied.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°I see. It was a bit hard to believe that Ha-Young¡¯s skills alone could rob your vault, old man.¡±

    ¡°I kind of gave the weapons to her intentionally.¡±

    ¡°You intentionally gave them?¡±

    ¡°Well... because it was admirable to see her trying so hard to steal.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that could be admirable.¡±

    <i>¡®To think someone can find a Thief stealing their property admirable.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought that the mindset of a Trinity Club member was indeed extraordinary. ¡°Then, I guess it¡¯s also thanks to Min-Ji that I was able to win the Sword Emperor Tournament.¡±

    Min-Ji¡¯s face turned red, and soon her entire body turned bright red. Like Marshmallow¡¯s head, her body melted like cheese.

    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Haha... She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s just a bit shy,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    Steam was rising from Min-Ji, who had turned into melting cheese.

    ¡°Thanks to you, I also figured out the direction for my content. Thank you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Min-Ji replied.

    ¡°No, actually, I was quite worried about how to use this ability. Thank you, Min-Ji.¡± Jin-Hyeok looked at her.

    He was looking at her normally, but from her perspective, it was incredibly alluring. She had returned to her human form, put her hands behind her back, and looked at the ground.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s so dazzling... I can¡¯t look at him,¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought.

    Jin-Hyeok felt good. Although he was not sure about Min-Ji¡¯s true identity, it was a fact that she was Chul-Soo Land No. 1. He could feel how much she liked him.

    Grateful for the unconditional love and goodwill of his fans, Jin-Hyeok sincerely said, ¡°Thank you, Min-Ji.¡±

    ¡°N-No, not at all...¡± Min-Ji mumbled very quietly. ¡°Thank you for existing. I-I love you.¡±

    Then, she disappeared from the spot.

    ¡°She¡¯s shy but says everything she wants to say,¡± Jin-Hyeok said while smiling happily.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to show this on your video?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Yes. But I¡¯ll blur out Min-Ji¡¯s face.¡±

    He was going to upload a short video, but suddenly, Gridel, the Sage of the Sword, came to visit him.

    ***

    Gridel still could not adapt to the Korean Region.

    <i>¡®There was definitely another presence overwhelming the Trinity Club member just now, and Chul-Soo must have felt it too!¡¯ </i>Gridel thought. However, Chul-Soo seemed to be doing his own thing, and MoneyShower also seemed to have no particr thoughts. Not only that, but the Subus in the workshop also seemed unfazed. <i>¡®Why is everyone acting like it¡¯s nothing!? What¡¯s happening in this small Server?¡¯</i>

    It had been a long time since Gridel had received such poor treatment. The Subus (Lilia) did serve him tea, but that was it. The infamous Sage of the Sword had visited them, but they didn¡¯t seem to have any particr reaction to it.

    ¡°You can sit there. I think I saw you when you were very young. Is that right?¡± Gap-Soo said to Gridel.

    ¡°That¡¯s right... I didn¡¯t know that a Trinity Club member would settle in such a small Server.¡±

    ¡°I see that you don¡¯t watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams. If you had watched them properly, you would¡¯ve easily known that I was here.¡±

    Gridel felt a strange emotion.

    <i>¡®Should I feel guilty here?¡¯ </i>he thought. MoneyShower¡¯s tone and attitude made it seem as if not diligently watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams was sinful.

    ¡°I came to have a conversation with Chul-Soo,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait a bit. He¡¯s uploading a video right now.¡±

    Gridel had to experience another unfamiliar emotion again. The great Sage of the Sword, the head of the Pisat Family, hade to this workshop but was treated so coldly. More importantly, nobody found it strange! Gridel wondered if it was an incredibly important video.

    ¡°When you say a video...¡± Gridel said. Then, he thought, <i>¡®Did the Empire move before me? Did the princee and have a confrontation? Did they talk about the Ink Sword Artedal?¡¯ </i>

    Since Chul-Soo was treating him so poorly, the video had to be very important.

    Soon, Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°I¡¯m done!¡±

    When he uploaded the video, Gap-Soo and Lilia simultaneously took out their phones. Gridel seemed invisible to them. The Sage of the Sword also checked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s video, wondering what kind of video it was.

    [Telling the story of meeting Chul-Soo Land No. 1.]

    It had only been a few seconds since the video was uploaded, but someone had already made it to the topment.

    [Wow, Chul-Soo, you¡¯re quite something. I can¡¯t believe you met with Chul-Soo Land No. 1. If you keep on meeting your fans, you¡¯re going to be so well-off in your life. You evenmunicated with a cute and friendly image. If you keep this up, you might be the best in the universe. Everyone will fall in love with you. Are you okay with that?]

 Chapter 387

    <h4>Chapter 387</h4>

    Gridel was having difficulty perceiving the culture shock.

    <i>¡®So, it wasn¡¯t that the Swedeen Empire made a move? He made me wait just because he was uploading a video? Is this an Eltuber thing? Or am I missing something? I must have gotten too old. He would not make me wait just because he met his number one fan.¡¯</i>

    Gridel could not believe it. In that short span, numerous thoughts shed through his mind.

    Choi-Gap Soo, who had lived longer than Gridel, heartilyughed. ¡°I roughly understand how you feel, but you shouldn¡¯t think too hard. To Kim Chul-Soo, this is much more important than meeting you.¡±

    On Gap-Soo¡¯s phone, Gridel saw a ? symbol. Gap-Soo had pressed the like button even before watching the video.

    Still confused, Gridel asked Cha Jin-Hyeok, ¡°Is this story more important to you than meeting me? I¡¯m not trying toin. I¡¯m genuinely curious.¡±

    ¡°I guess meeting Chul-Soo Land No.1 is indeed more important to me,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Sir Gridel, did you subscribe to my channel?¡±

    ¡°I did recently.¡±

    ¡°Did you like all my videos?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Min-Ji presses like as soon as my videoes out. She also leaves many goodments. She actively participates in themunity as a Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°So, to me, Min-Ji is much more precious than you, Sir Gridel.¡±

    Kim Min-Ji, who was hiding behind the pir, melted again. ¡°He¡¯s so generous... I¡¯d have no regrets if I died right now.¡±

    ¡°Who is this Min-Ji.¡± Gridel nced behind the pir. Suddenly, he felt an immense presence.

    <i>¡®That is not a human!¡¯ </i>Although this individual was hiding it, Gridel felt an overwhelmingly strong presence and aura that an ordinary person could never give off. <i>¡®Is she a top ranker I don¡¯t know about?¡¯</i>

    Gridel could roughly identify what type of yer someone was just by their presence, but he could not tell anything about Min-Ji. When their eyes met, he felt like he was being sucked into a bottomless abyss.

    Gridel looked at Gap-Soo, Chul-Soo, and Lilia. <i>¡®They must also feel that girl¡¯s presence, right?¡¯ </i>

    Despite that, they did not mind having her in the room. Rather, it was Min-Ji who was having a hard time being in the same location as Chul-Soo. It was a day full of things that Gridel¡¯smon sense could not understand. <i>¡®This ce is crazy!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Gridel had visited Earth to obtain the replica of the Pisat¡¯s Relic from Jin-Hyeok. He had not thought it would be such a difficult task. Not only was his rtionship with Jin-Hyeok decent, but he also thought if he came to Earth, Jin-Hyeok would agree to the deal to some extent, considering the Sword Sage¡¯s sincerity.

    Gridel was ustomed to receiving such treatment.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect to feel this ufortable.¡¯ </i>Gridel found this shocking. The girl sitting across from him unsettled him more than MoneyShower, a Trinity Club member.

    Gridel wondered who this unknown top-tier ranker was. He had no idea why MoneyShower was using honorifics and bowing to her.

    <i>¡®I feel a tremendous bloodlust from her.¡¯</i>

    She was smiling on the outside, but that was not a real smile.

    <i>¡®If you say something stupid, I will cut your head off.¡¯</i>

    The constant auditory hallucinations he encountered were definitely not hallucinations. This girl was directly injecting her will into his mind.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t expect the negotiation to be this ufortable.¡¯</i>

    As this girl was making him nervous, he was having trouble putting his thoughts forward, but he did his best to achieve his goal.

    His requests to Chul-Soo were simple.

    1. Hand over the replica of the relic. If that is not possible, at least lend it to him.

    2. Do not make any more replicas.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°What can you give me in return?¡±

    ¡°I will give you as much money as you want.¡±

    It was not a tempting offer. Jin-Hyeok had more than enough money. So, he said, ¡°Rather than money, I want you to appear as a guest on my livestream a few times.¡±

    ¡°A guest?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I noticed that you rarely appear on other livestreams.¡±

    Gridel had revealed himself only a few times on Marshmallow¡¯s livestream; he had never appeared on any other Eltuber¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°Well, that''s...¡± Gridel said. Most of the heads of Arvis''s Seven Great Families were like that. Sometimes, they appeared on the programs run byrge broadcastingpanies, but they tended not to participate in the personal videos created by Eltubers. That was an unspoken rule of the absolutes.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, forget it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°No, who said I don¡¯t want to? Alright, I will appear on your livestream. Although I¡¯m not sure what I can do.¡± Gridel had not expected Chul-Soo to make this demand. However, Chul-Soo¡¯s next condition wasn¡¯t any easier.

    ¡°I want the Pisat Family and its rted personnel topulsorily watch three of my livestreams.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to tell them to subscribe and like his videos, but that seemed meaningless. Forcibly inting the numbers like that would only make him feel empty.

    <i>¡®If my content is interesting, they will subscribe and like without being told to. If it¡¯s not fun, they will not watch anymore.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was to make them watch his videos first.

    ¡°If necessary, I want to have the right to request filming cooperation from the Pisat Family. I hope you can ept that too,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not too difficult.¡±

    As the negotiation went on, Gridel felt like he was sinking deeper into a quagmire.

    <i>¡®The conditions are all too easy.¡¯ </i>Naturally, Gridel did not like the idea of appearing on Eltuber¡¯s livestreams, but it wasn¡¯t something he was unable to handle. Moreover, asking his people to watch livestreams or provide filming cooperation was nothingpared to getting the relic back. <i>¡®Does he have an ulterior motive?¡¯</i>

    Most of Chul-Soo¡¯s subsequent conditions were also rted to his livestreaming, such as being able to invite the Pisat Family¡¯s Swordsmen as guests in livestreams if necessary.

    ¡°Oh, and I would like you to allow me to record at the Cliff of Singing Swords,¡± Jin-Hyeok proposed.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Gridel frowned. After thinking for a while, he shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s difficult. No matter how precious the relic is, I cannot publicly reveal the Cliff of Singing Swords.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Jin-Hyeok let out a faint sigh as if he was disappointed. ¡°Then let me train at the Cliff of Singing Swords.¡±

    ***

    The Cliff of Singing Swords was a sacred ce of the Pisat Family that only the winners of the Sword Emperor Tournament could enter. Entering it was considered the ultimate dream for Swordsmen because by training there, they could be much stronger in a short period.

    Gridel, who had returned to the Pisat Family, summoned the elders. ¡°I think we should allow Kim Chul-Soo to enter the Cliff of Singing Swords.¡±

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not even a Swordsman!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not right to bestow such a benefit on the runner-up of the Sword Emperor Tournament. The previous runners-up and their families will fiercely protest.¡±

    The elders expressed strong opposition, but this was something Gridel had anticipated.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we acknowledge Chul-Soo as the winner of this Sword Emperor Tournament?¡± Gridel asked.

    ¡°How can we acknowledge a runner-up as the winner?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s uneptable!¡±

    ¡°The winner of the Sword Emperor Tournament has already been decided. If we change our minds now, the authority of the Pisat Family will crumble.¡±

    Gridel showed the elders a video that analyzed the fight between Chul-Soo and Unknown. The video analyzed what kind of Sword¡¯s Oath Unknown had made and how it worked. It was perfectly organized ording to the timeline of the Sword Emperor Tournament.

    ¡°The reason Unknown was able to exert such a strong power was thanks to the reckless Sword¡¯s Oath. And as far as how he maintained that power... it was because, as you all know, the referee was bribed,¡± Gridel said.

    Unknown was able to continuously draw out the power of the oath only because the referee had not ended the fight when he should have.

    ¡°Unknown had died before we dered the end of the Sword Emperor Tournament. All this is clearly recorded in the video of the fight. Unknown was dead before the fight was over. In other words, Chul-Soo won by default.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s absurd!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo won by default? That¡¯s an unreasonable im!¡±

    ¡°Patriarch, you aren¡¯t someone who would make such an unreasonable im,¡± an elder muttered suspiciously. ¡°Wait, about the specific details of the oath... How did you obtain this video with vital responses perfectly captured?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Marshmallow carefully filming that scene?¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°No matter how good of a Streamer Marshmallow is, he can¡¯t create such a detailed analysis video.¡±

    Gridel remained silent for a while, then solemnly said, ¡°In a tiny ce on the Earth Server, called the Korean Region, I saw two Trinity Club members. Two of the same personality, at that.¡±

    ¡°Two Trinity Club members of the same personality?¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be!¡±

    This was very rare in the universe¡¯s history. The universe had only ny-nine Trinity Club members. Those arrogant beings were known for not blending with each other, especially if they had simr personalities. If they met, a bloody war could break out. From the perspective of the Trinity Club members, it could be just a yfight, but for the others across the universe, it would be a disaster.

    ¡°Is that Server about to be devastated?¡±

    ¡°Are there any Arvis citizens there?¡±

    ¡°If we need tounch a rescue mission, you should give us a heads-up in advance.¡±

    Gridel felt strangely relieved. This was supposed to be the normal reaction, not what he had seen on Earth.

    ¡°The two Trinity Club members are helping Chul-Soo together,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Only then did the elders understand Chul-Soo¡¯s explosive growth to some extent.

    ¡°But there is another higher being above those two. Even I can¡¯t fathom her identity,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°And is she mediating the two Trinity Club members?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    If such a powerful being existed, there was some usibility in two Trinity Club members settling in one ce.

    ¡°But Chul-Soo treats that higher being like a child, and the higher being reveres Chul-Soo,¡± Gridel exined.

    ¡°I¡¯m baffled.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, Patriarch.¡±

    The higher being was more powerful than the Trinity Club members, and Gridel¡¯s words implied that Chul-Soo was above that higher being.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. Chul-Soo may be... not just a yer. It might be more reasonable to think this way,¡± Gridel said.

    The elders unknowingly nodded.

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°I guess it makes sense, seeing how Chul-Soo¡¯s swordsmanship is more powerful than that of most Swordsmen.¡±

    Gridel lowered his voice. ¡°We live in an age without divine intervention. However, even in Garbinu¡¯s era, there were often exnations about divine intervention. Isn¡¯t there a saying that if it weren¡¯t for the help of the Gods, Garbinu might not have achieved this fame? No one believes it, though.¡±

    The elders¡¯ expressions became serious. They also found it difficult to ept Chul-Soo¡¯s absurd growth. It seemed they finally had a clue.

    ¡°Perhaps... Chul-Soo might be the incarnation of a God,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s...!¡±

    ¡°Such nonsense...!¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s nonsense, but is there anyone who can exin Chul-Soo¡¯s existence other than this?¡± Gridel asked. No one could refute him. ¡°Let¡¯s keep this among ourselves for now. We should cooperate with Chul-Soo as much as possible and not do anything that goes against his will. Perhaps a great wind of change will blow in this world. No, it may have already blown.¡±

    They wondered if they could n a new era with God if all this was true. They dreamed of making the Pisat Family even greater. Gridel¡¯s and the elders¡¯ hearts were burning with passion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s partake in God¡¯s n.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s partake in God¡¯s n.¡±

    They shared wine and began to dream of a greater future. It was the moment the Pisat Family transformed into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perfect helper.

 Chapter 388

    <h4>Chapter 388</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok arrived at the main gate of the Pisat Family along with Anus Destroyer Lee Hyeon-Seong. However, the Pisat Family¡¯s reactions left him puzzled.

    <i>¡®Even the family head came out to wee me?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry for making an unreasonable request, but Gridel greeted them with an unprecedentedly bright smile.

    ¡°Wee, Sir Chul-Soo,¡± Gridel said, as though he were greeting a decades-old friend.

    ¡°And this Earth yer is...¡± Gridel coughed once and awkwardly continued, ¡°Anus Destroyer Lee Hyeon-Seong, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me,¡± Hyeon-Seong replied.

    Gridel was a bit surprised by Hyeon-Seong¡¯s confident demeanor.

    <i>¡®Why¡¯s he proud of such a nickname?¡¯ </i>No matter how much Gridel thought about it, Earth was full of crazy people. It did not seem like a good ce to settle down.

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration in allowing me to train at the Cliff of Singing Swords, Sir Gridel. It¡¯s an honor to meet you,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Gridel was a bit surprised. The Anus Destroyer seemed like a sensible person. ¡°There is no need to thank me. This was entirely Sir Chul-Soo¡¯s idea.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had asked Gridel if he could capture videos at the Cliff of Singing Swords, but was rejected. Then he had asked if he could bring a colleague there, and Gridel had allowed it after much consideration.

    ¡°Come, please follow me.¡±

    They entered the familypound, passed numerous buildings, climbed the back mountain, and reached arge cave.

    ¡°If you go along the cave, you will hear the sound of swords singing. Follow the sound, and you will reach the Cliff of Singing Swords.¡±

    ¡°The sound of swords singing. How fascinating!¡±

    ¡°It will be truly beautiful. I guarantee it.¡±

    Miri was unsure about this im.

    -What¡¯s so beautiful about them?!

    She warned Jin-Hyeok.

    -Don¡¯t let those wenches steal your gaze, Master.

    Miri tended to think of all weapons as female.

    -I will shatter them all.

    Earlier, she felt the greatest thrill in destroying the back of her enemies¡¯ heads, but she now seemed to find greater joy in destroying weapons. It was probably because her nature was that of a Rule Breaker.

    ¡°Now then, enjoy the sound of swords singing,¡± Gridel said.

    ***

    Standing in front of the dark cave entrance, Jin-Hyeok and Hyeon-Seong felt the cool and damp airing from inside the cave. Jin-Hyeok turned on Broadcaster¡¯s Light and walked forward.

    <i>Thud, thud!</i>

    Their footsteps echoed as they hit the rock walls.

    ¡°The ceiling is high, and the walls are decorated with shimmering stctites and stgmites. The cave floor is covered with a thickyer of moss,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Hyeon-Seong asked.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Jin-Hyeok realized he had made a mistake. He was not livestreaming or recording right now. However, he wasn¡¯t bothered by this mistake as this showed how engaged he was in the y.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m aware that you¡¯re intense. But, Chul-Soo, can I ask you one thing?¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re too weak,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied with a grin.

    Hyeon-Seong was at a loss for words. He had set Chul-Soo as his goal and worked hard to reach his goal. Therefore, Chul-Soo saying he was too weak hurt his pride, and Hyeon-Seong clenched his fist.

    ¡°Also, it would be nice to have at least one decent Swordsman in the Korean Region. Since your potential is outstanding, I bet you can gain enlightenment by training at the Cliff of Singing Swords,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Hyeon-Seong felt a bit moved. It seemed like Chul-Soo had recognized him.

    ¡°Of course, even then, you still will not be a match for me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    At this moment, Hyeon-Seong realized a strange fact. ¡°Chul-Soo, did you know this?¡±

    ¡°Know that?¡±

    ¡°You often mock others without even knowing that you¡¯re mocking them. But when ites to me, you always openly mock me. It¡¯s like you¡¯re always trying to say that I¡¯m no match for you.¡± Hyeon-Seong got the sense that Chul-Soo felt a bitpetitive toward him, and he found this strange. ¡°You have already be a universe-level ranker. You even won the Sword Emperor Tournament as an Eltuber. So, why do you feelpetitive toward me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because...¡± Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. <i>¡®Before my regression, you¡¯d always bber about how you were stronger than me.¡¯</i>

    Before his regression, people always argued about who was stronger between Hyeon-Seong and Jin-Hyeok. Even thinking about it now made Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood boil. No matter how much Jin-Hyeok contemted about it, he knew he was much stronger.

    ¡°Heh.¡± Jin-Hyeok openly mocked Hyeon-Seong.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction?¡±

    ¡°You think I feelpetitive toward you?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°I could beat you with just my left hand.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong¡¯s eyes were now filled with the desire to win. ¡°I acknowledge that you¡¯re strong, but...¡±

    ¡°But what? But it¡¯s hard to agree that I can beat you even with just my left hand?¡±

    ¡°It would be difficult for me to win, but I¡¯m confident I won¡¯t lose either.¡± Hyeon-Seong had pride in the swordsmanship he had honed. He was confident he would not lose to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s left hand.

    Seeing him burning with the desire to win, Jin-Hyeok grinned. <i>¡®Yes, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s the Lee Hyeon-Seong I know of!¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong had an unyielding spirit within him; no matter how many obstacles he faced, he would never give up on his pride in swordsmanship even when it was clear he was weaker!

    Feeling good, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Yeah, I think I made a mistake.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you did.¡±

    ¡°I can beat you with only my feet.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong was about to draw his sword but managed to stop.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s so strange... Why is Chul-Soo...¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong had trouble understanding Jin-Hyeok¡¯s thoughts. <i>¡®Why does he act like a jerk to only me?¡¯</i>

    Unknowingly, Jin-Hyeok started humming a tune.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know I still had quite a few unresolved feelings toward Hyeon-Seong,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Also, humiliating and mocking Hyeon-Seong was quite fun.

    ¡°Come at me anytime you want. I will fight you using only my feet. You weak Anus Destroyer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a weak Anus Destroyer!¡± Hyeon-Seong had grown; he was not weak anymore. ¡°I¡¯m the Anus Destroyer!¡±

    ***

    Hyeon-Seong controlled his boiling emotions.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not weak!¡¯ </i> He had endured grueling training to ovee the nickname Weak Anus Destroyer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prove that I¡¯m not weak,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re weak.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damn weak.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s provocations and teasing became a trigger for Hyeon-Seong. The desire to be strong boiled within him.

    <i>Wooo!</i>

    ¡°I can hear singing.¡± Suddenly, Hyeon-Seong heard numerous voices, both male and female, singing.

    ¡°Your swordsmanship iscking, but your hearing is pretty good.

    Hyeon-Seong gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you consider changing your Job to Musician at this point?¡± Jin-Hyeok teased him.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Swordsman, Chul-Soo. I¡¯m a Swordsman who looks only at the path of the sword.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re weak.¡±

    They saw a faint light far away, and a refreshing breeze blew at them. It seemed like they were close to the outside.

    Jin-Hyeok stood on the path, blocking the way for Hyeon-Seong. ¡°Shout three times that you¡¯re weaker than me. Then I will let you out of here.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok waited for Hyeon-Seong¡¯s response with a pounding heart. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, Hyeon-Seong had never acknowledged that Jin-Hyeok was stronger than him. Jin-Hyeok thought it would be nice if he challenged Hyeon-Seong like before, but the current Hyeon-Seong was a bit different.

    ¡°I¡¯m weaker than Kim Chul-Soo. I¡¯m weaker than Kim Chul-Soo. I¡¯m weaker than Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Seeing him epting defeat instead, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat happy but also a bit disappointed. So, he provoked Hyeon-Seong again. ¡°Say you are weaker than Chul-Soo when he uses only his feet.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold back any longer. Come at me, Chul-Soo.¡± Hyeon-Seong drew his sword. Even the humblest Swordsman would not be able to endure this kind of humiliation.

    Jin-Hyeok put his hands behind his back, raised his right foot, and wiggled his toes. ¡°Come at me.¡±

    Having lost his reason, Hyeon-Seong charged at Jin-Hyeok.

    Hyeon-Seong had no memory after that.

    Jin-Hyeok giggled and stuck a paper with writing on Hyeon-Seong¡¯s back.

    [Super Weak Anus Destroyer]

    ***

    Hyeon-Seong had lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes and came back to his senses, he hurriedly got up. He didn¡¯t even know a paper was stuck to his back. ¡°W-What happened?¡±

    ¡°I told you I could beat you using only my feet, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Wait...¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you passed out. Because of my excellent footwork.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It seemed like he had passed out after being hit by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s feet.

    <i>¡®I couldn¡¯t even read Chul-Soo¡¯s movements!¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong felt like he was standing in front of an insurmountable wall. However, he did not give up. ¡°I will climb over that wall someday! I will never give up!¡±

    <i>Woo!</i>

    The wind carried the singing voices of many people along with it. Hyeon-Seong raised his head and looked around. ¡°Ah!¡±

    Far below, he could see a huge cliff. Numerous swords were stuck inside the cliff.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the Cliff of Singing Swords,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How do we get there?¡±

    Not only was the cliff far from them, but they also had to fall to get there. Getting down from here was the first problem.

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s the problem?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I...¡± Hyeon-Seong slightly lowered his head. His earlobes were a bit red.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have a fear of heights?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I have never heard of a Swordsman with a fear of heights. If there is one, he should put down his sword. Such a pathetic Swordsman can¡¯t exist in this world. If there is such a guy, he would be the most idiotic guy in the world. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah...¡± Hyeon-Seong¡¯s back was soaked with his sweat. He was not afraid of huge monsters, but heights scared him.

    ¡°Now, jump down,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he jumped down first, toward the back of the Thunder Dragon far below. ¡°What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you jumping?¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment. I have not fully recovered from your attack yet.¡±

    ¡°From just that attack?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°My attack was really weak, though.¡±

    These words scratched his pride, and Hyeon-Seong clenched his fist and jumped down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re that weak?¡± Jin-Hyeok provoked him again.

    It was the moment Hyeon-Seong overcame his fear of heights.

    ***

    As they came before the cliff with thousands of swords stuck in it, they constantly heard the singing voices. It sounded like dozens of choirs were each singing different songs. The closer they got to the cliff, the more their ears hurt.

    Hyeon-Seong frowned and said, ¡°This is chaotic.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Jin-Hyeok wondered what kind of training the Swordsmen received here that made their skills improve by leaps and bounds.

    ¡°For now, we have been granted permission to stay here for four weeks. The first thing you, the Weak Anus Destroyer, need to do is listen to the voice of the swords.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°There is no need to make a Sword¡¯s Oath, but listening to the voice of the sword can be considered the beginning of reaching the realm of the Mind Sword. If you can¡¯t even do that, you can¡¯t call yourself a Swordsman.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°In the Cliff of Singing Swords, numerous swords are singing, and one sword will speak to you in particr. I heard it would be a good opportunity to awaken the Mind Sword. Swordsmen with excellent talent are said to reach that realm in two weeks.¡±

    ¡°How long did it take you?¡±

    ¡°It took me two weeks too,¡± Jin-Hyeok shamelessly lied.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Two weeks had passed. The environment was indeed important for a yer¡¯s growth.

    ¡°I can hear it! I can hear the voice of the sword!¡± Hyeon-Seong looked up at the cliff. A particrly shining sword caught his eye. As an indescribable joy filled his heart, he asked Chul-Soo, ¡°Why are you helping me be stronger?¡±

    Although Chul-Soo was strangely scratching Hyeon-Seong¡¯s pride, in the end, all his actions had significantly helped Hyeon-Seong.

    Chul-Soo, who was quietly sitting and meditating, uttered his true feelings in a low voice. ¡°Because I want to beat you up.¡±

    ¡°What...?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked reverent as if he were entering some kind of enlightenment. He recited with sincerity, his eyes closed, ¡°If you¡¯re weak, there is no fun in beating you up.¡±

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389

    <em>¡®Did he just say that it¡¯s no fun in beating me up if I¡¯m weak?¡¯ </em>Lee-Hyeon-Seong frowned. <em>¡®Is he being genuine right now?¡¯</em>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was indeed sincere. He wanted to beat up Hyeon-Seong. Moreover, Hyeon-Seong¡¯s recent achievement had hurt Jin-Hyeok¡¯s pride too.

    <em>¡®Hyeon-Seong also managed to do it in two weeks,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. Gridel and Kyle had said that a yer overflowing with talent would need about two weeks to reach the realm of the Mind Sword. Hyeon-Seong had done just that and could hear the voice of the sword. <em>¡®In terms of innate qualities for the sword, Hyeon-Seong is definitely above me.¡¯</em>

    This was not something to feel bad about, but Jin-Hyeok could not help himself. He could not believe that he lost to Hyeon-Seong. Of course, he was being excessively hard on himself. Both of them had trained in totally different ces. For Jin-Hyeok, it was a generic training room, but for Hyeon-Seong, it was the Cliff of Singing Swords.

    None of that mattered to Jin-Hyeok though. The only thing that mattered was that Hyeon-Seong had reached the realm in two weeks.

    ¡°Wow, I do feel the sword calling me,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°Try grabbing a sword from there. They say by doing that, you can have a very new experience.¡±

    Although his pride was hurt, Jin-Hyeok was curious about Hyeon-Seong¡¯s achievements and development.

    Hyeon-Seong looked up at the high part of the cliff. <em>¡®Chul-Soo¡­! You¡­!¡¯ </em>If he had not ovee his fear of heights beforeing here, he would never have thought of climbing up there. Now, his heart was filled with an inexplicable courage. <em>¡®Chul-Soo, just what kind of a person are you? Did you make those constant taunts and provocations to help me grow as a yer?¡¯ </em>

    Hyeon-Seong bit his lip and climbed the cliff.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m not afraid.¡¯ </em>The higher he climbed, the more his heart pounded. Hyeon-Seong felt like he was breaking through the shell that defined his limits and soaring to new heights. He unconsciously began tough. ¡°Hehehee.¡±

    A strong wind blew and shook him, but he wasn¡¯t afraid. Having ovee fear, he had now truly reached a new realm. Then he spotted a sword with a silver glow to it. As soon as he grabbed the sword, he heard an intense voice.

    -Kyahahahaha!

    The voice was so loud that Hyeon-Seong felt a bit dizzy. Just hearing theughter once gave him a head-splitting migraine. Even though he felt like he could lose his grip on the sword at any moment, he kept holding on.

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo is watching me! If I drop the sword here, he¡¯ll ridicule me for the rest of my life.¡¯</em>

    Hyeon-Seong knew that Chul-Soo would taunt him, saying he was weak after all. So, he could not let go of the sword.

    <em>¡®No.¡¯ </em>He decided to be honest with himself. <em>¡®Chul-Soo invited me here so that I can grow as a yer.¡¯</em>

    Chul-Soo was an Eltuber who controlled all elements and nned for and created the best content in the universe. Perhaps he had arranged everything here too. Although this was slightly different from the truth, this belief was firmly ingrained in Hyeon-Seong¡¯s mind. He decided not to betray Chul-Soo¡¯s grace. If he dropped the sword here, he would be a coward and a loser.

    <em>¡®I will never drop it.¡¯ </em>

    -Kyahaha!

    Theughter kept ringing in his ears. Hyeon-Seong¡¯s vision became hazy, and the world started to spin. He felt like he was being sucked into the sword, but he did not drop it.

    Jin-Hyeok watched this scene with a rather serious expression.

    <em>¡®What the hell is he doing?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok could tell even without using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight that right now, Hyeon-Seong was more intense than ever. That level of intensity was beautiful no matter what it would grow into. <em>¡®He should let go of that hand if he wants to avoid being consumed by the sword.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok could also hear theughter.

    <em>¡®If I can hear theughter so clearly when I¡¯m not evenmunicating with the sword, Hyeon-Seong must be enduring tremendous shock.¡¯</em>

    In the end, Hyeon-Seong passed out. He tilted, then fell from the cliff.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly ran and caught him, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose a punching bag.¡±

    -I didn¡¯t say anything though.

    Jin-Hyeok tossed Hyeon-Seong to the ground as though he were discarding luggage.

    At that moment, Miri was startled.

    -Huh?

    The sword Hyeon-Seong was holding fell slightlyter than Hyeon-Seong did.

    -Kyahaha!

    Jin-Hyeok kept hearing the voice of the sword, and the sword¡¯s destination didn¡¯t seem to be good.

    -Thanks for the meal!!

    The de was heading toward Hyeon-Seong¡¯s butt.

    <em>¡®What should I do?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    If it stabbed Hyeon-Seong like that, it would hurt the Swordsman. After a moment of thought, Jin-Hyeok reached out, and the sword pierced through his hand.

    He heard the sword yelling.

    -No, this is not the taste I wanted!

    The top of the sword barely missed Hyeon-Seong¡¯s butt.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled, with a hole in his hand. Even Miri, who shared a mental connection with him, was baffled.

    -Why are youughing like that? Do you enjoy being prated?

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out why Hyeon-Seong could hear the sword¡¯s voice so quickly,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    -Why?

    ¡°This was not so much about skill as it was aboutpatibility.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nced at the sword lying on the ground. It was still writhing, as if it was unsatisfied with its meal.

    ¡°The sword¡¯s desire and the Anus Destroyer seem to have an exceptional synergy.¡± Then, another crucial fact dawned on him. ¡°Also, this ce is the Cliff of Singing Swords. It¡¯s an excellent spot for training.¡±

    That had to be the reason Hyeon-Seong had reached the realm in just two weeks. This realization put Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind at ease.

    Miri, on the other hand, voiced her displeasure.

    -<em>Tch. </em>I don¡¯t like it.

    ¡°What?¡±

    -Who does that sword think it is, stabbing my master in the hand?

    Jin-Hyeok was not bothered by it. Such minor wounds were par for the course during his y. Besides, he had allowed the sword to injure him on purpose. He wanted to get a more urate read on the sword¡¯s nature and will¡ªthe one that had sessfullymunicated with Hyeon-Seong in just two weeks. The Streamer figured he could understand the situation better if he let the sword pierce him.

    -Even I haven¡¯t gotten to prate you¡­

    Miri muttered in a voice full of resentment. Jin-Hyeok realized that Miri wasn¡¯t worried¡ªshe was jealous. Her intense jealousy made him smile.

    ***

    Aftering back to his senses, Hyeon-Seong immediately asked, ¡°Why are you going to such lengths?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Why are you controlling all these elements for me, helping me and training me¡­ and why did you save me again? What am I to you?¡± Hyeon-Seong couldn¡¯t understand it.

    ¡°You are just a weakling,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°I know that¡¯s just another way to provoke me to be a better yer.¡±

    ¡°Is that how you¡¯re going to rationalize this?¡±

    It had always been like this with Hyeon-Seong. Before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, even when Hyeon-Seong lost in sparring, he would always rationalize ande up with reasons for his defeat. Then he would insist that he never truly lost.

    ¡°You could have used your Absolute Barrier. Why did you catch that sword with your bare hand?¡± Hyeon-Seong asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    Hyeon-Seong tensed up. <em>¡®Chul-Soo can see the bigger picture that I can¡¯t.</em>

    Even when it seemed like Chul-Soo was just teasing, there was always a profound insight behind it. Without his provocation and help, Hyeon-Seong would not be where he was now. Although he felt annoyed and heated during the moment, he knew that the world Chul-Soo saw was vastly different from how he perceived it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Please teach me,¡± Hyeon-Seong admitted.

    ¡°Who risks their life for a hobby?¡±

    ¡°Hobby?¡± Hyeon-Seong felt a moment of dejection. It was painful to realize that what was a profession for someone could be a mere hobby for others and that someone¡¯s hobby could surpass another¡¯s profession. As Hyeon-Seong grappled with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mocking, he noticed something odd.

    <em>¡®He risks his life for his hobby!¡¯ </em>Hyeon-Seong thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was lucky(?) that the sword had only pierced through his hand. If the sword cut his artery, the injury would have been much more severe.

    ¡°Why would I go to the trouble of using Absolute Barrier for a hobby? At that point, it would not be a hobby anymore,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    <em>¡®So, you just let your hand get pierced like that?¡¯ </em>Hyeon-Seong thought.

    Jin-Hyeok enjoyed watching Hyeon-Seong¡¯s expressions. He never would have seen those before his regression.

    <em>¡®This is quite¡­ fun!¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok began to understand the appeal of <em>trolling</em>.

    ***

    A few dayster, Hyeon-Seong finally exploded. ¡°I¡¯m confident I would not lose to you if wepeted purely on skills.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®again¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced as he saw glimpses of the Hyeon-Seong who he knew before his regression.

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight using pure skills, without relying on raw power. We will set our physical abilities to be roughly equal. You have that Time-Lapse Recording Skill, so you should be able to match us up fairly closely,¡± Hyeon-Seong suggested.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we should fight in the same weight ss, something like that?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m confident I will not lose when ites to pure skills.¡±

    <em>¡®Here we go again, finding another excuse.¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok let out a sigh of disapproval, but the corners of his mouth turned up.

    ¡°Fine. You have heard the sword¡¯s voice, you¡¯re feeling one with the de, and your confidence is at its peak. It¡¯s as good a time as any,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok picked up Miri and transformed her into a wooden sword. Hyeon-Seong picked up the sword he had drawn from the cliff and tried to do the same.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    A deste wind blew as Hyeon-Seong struggled.

    ¡°Why¡­ why can¡¯t I do it?¡± he wondered. He found it difficult to naturally change the shape of his weapon like Jin-Hyeok did. He had thought that entering the realm of the Mind Sword would enable him to do everything, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case.

    Even Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°It seems not everyone who enters the realm of the Mind Sword can do what you just did,¡± Hyeon-Seong said.

    ¡°I heard this was pretty basic.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Given the huge gap in our Levels, I will give you that much of a handicap.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong raised his sword, concentrating on his breathing.

    <em>¡®Everything begins with breathing,¡¯ </em>Hyeon-Seong reminded himself. He focused on his opponent¡¯s breathing, believing he could predict Jin-Hyeok¡¯s movements by reading it. <em>¡®Chul-Soo enjoys toying with me. He tends to aim for counter-attacks rather than striking first. He will probably try to provoke me, draw me in, and then go for a fatal blow.¡¯</em>

    While Hyeon-Seong approached this duel seriously, Jin-Hyeok casually slung Miri over his shoulder. ¡°If you¡¯re noting, should I make the first move?¡±

    Suddenly, Miri¡¯s de extended, stretching out like the Ruyi Bang[1] and dropping toward Hyeon-Seong¡¯s head.

    <em>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. Though they had both entered the realm of the Mind Sword, the difference in their levels was beyondparison. <em>¡®I have to block it!¡¯ </em>

    Hyeon-Seong saw no other option.

    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯ </em>

    Unexpectedly, Miri shortened. Jin-Hyeok had somehow closed the distance between them.

    <em>¡®He¡¯s too close!¡¯</em>

    In a position too close to swing a sword, Jin-Hyeok held a short dagger to Hyeon-Seong¡¯s throat. He had instantly transformed Miri into a dagger.

    Hyeon-Seong was shocked. <em>¡®Is that¡­ even possible?¡¯</em>

    He could not believe Jin-Hyeok could change the weapon¡¯s form like that. Even after extensively researching the realm of the Mind Sword, Hyeon-Seong had nevere across anything like this.

    Jin-Hyeok curiously tilted his head, ¡°You could¡¯ve blocked my attack if you had changed your sword into a shield. Why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    This was not a trap; Jin-Hyeok was genuinely curious. His question left Hyeon-Seong even more bbergasted.

    ¡°Change my weapon into defensive equipment?¡± Hyeon-Seong asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± Hyeon-Seong¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. No matter how advanced one¡¯s mastery of the Mind Sword is, how could you change a sword into defensive equipment? I won¡¯t fall for¡ª¡±

    Hyeon-Seong dropped his sword. Miri had transformed into a ck shield.

    ¡°You really can¡¯t do this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, perplexed.

    ¡°Why are you the one tilting your head?!¡±

    At this point, even Jin-Hyeok became slightly bewildered. ¡°Kyle and the others said everyone could do this much¡­¡±

    1. Ruyi Bang is the name of a magical staff wielded by the immortal monkey Sun WuKong in the 16th-century ssic Chinese novel ¡®Journey to the West¡¯. ?

 Chapter 390

    <h4>Chapter 390</h4>

    The captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, Kyle, visited a small cabin within the Pisat Familypound. When he pushed, the wooden door swung open with a creak. This sparsely decorated space was the private retreat of the head of the Pisat Family, Gridel, a ce where he could clear his mind and organize his thoughts.

    <i>¡®He has been meditating for quite a while.¡¯ </i>Kyle patiently waited, careful not to disturb Gridel¡¯s meditation.

    After some time, Gridel opened his eyes. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m off duty today.¡±

    ¡°Would you like some tea?¡±

    ¡°That would be nice.¡±

    Gridel brewed some herbal tea and handed it to Kyle. The two of them spent considerable time conversing with each other.

    After finishing his tea, Kyle set down the cup and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t give Chul-Soo the privileges he should have received?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Typically, the Pisat family imparted teachings about certain concepts to winners of the Sword Emperor Tournament, who could enter the Cliff of Singing Swords to train.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t teach him anything about Sword Spirits?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    The Cliff of Singing Swords was not just a ce where swords made noise. The swords there could deeplymunicate with yers, sometimes manifesting in human form. The Pisat Family called these manifestations Sword Spirits. Training with Sword Spirits could dramatically improve one¡¯s skills.

    ¡°I was just curious. Can Chul-Soo summon a Sword Spirit without any knowledge or information about them?¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°When I was young, you told me that it¡¯s impossible to summon them with a human body, and even in a special case, there is no way to do it in just four weeks. It should be impossible even for Chul-Soo, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s impossible for someone with a human body.¡±

    <i>¡®But what if Chul-Soo isn¡¯t an ordinary human? What if he is a divine incarnation?¡¯ </i>Gridel wondered if Chul-Soo could sessfully summon a Sword Spirit andplete his training.

    ¡°As you know, a spring can be a river, but sand cannot be spring. It¡¯s easy to go from one to one hundred, but very difficult to create something from nothing,¡± Gridel said. He had given Chul-Soo no extra information about the Cliff of Singing Swords. ¡°If Chul-Soo is truly a divine incarnation, he should be able to create something from nothing.¡±

    For a long time, the core members of the Pisat Family had trained at the Cliff of Singing Swords. Those who trained there without having information about the ce could never summon Sword Spirit, a fact proven historically and statistically.

    Kyle frowned as if something did not sit right with him. ¡°I hope Chul-Soo bes even stronger.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Then it will be more satisfying when I defeat him.¡±

    ¡°You might be the one getting beaten instead.¡±

    ¡°Should a Swordsman fear that?¡± Kyle was well aware of Chul-Soo¡¯s strength, but it made him want to fight the Streamer even more.

    Knowing Kyle¡¯s personality, Gridel nodded. ¡°If, and it¡¯s a big if, ourmon sense is shattered... If what has been proven impossible historically and statistically bes possible, we must fully cooperate with Chul-Soo. He would truly be a divine incarnation.¡±

    ¡°There is a small problem, though,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°A problem?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is very tightly bound to his weapon, Miri. Such a strong connection with one¡¯s weapon is rare. That¡¯s why... it might be harder for him to summon a Sword Spirit from the cliff¡¯s swords. Miri would likely interfere with all her might.¡±

    ¡°If he can summon a Sword Spirit despite that... Chul-Soo might just be a God,¡± Gridel said with a serious expression.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t the Anus Destroyer guy, who went with Chul-Soo, summon one instead?¡±

    Once Hyeon-Seong understood the concept, it would be easy for him to summon a Sword Spirit.

    ¡°With his current skills, that would be difficult. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ording to their assessment of Lee Hyeon-Seong¡¯s current abilities, this task would be impossible for him.

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok noticed a strange phenomenon. A mirage-like haze was rising from the sword lying on the ground.

    -I¡¯m going to devour you whole.

    The sword¡¯s gaze was fixed on the area around Hyeon-Seong¡¯s bottom.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s acting simr to Miri,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. This sword¡¯s actions resembled how Miri fixated on the opponent¡¯s temples or the back of their head.

    Jin-Hyeok frowned slightly. As a man, it was not a particrly pleasant sensation.

    Hyeon-Seong, now back to his senses, appeared to be trying tomunicate with the sword continuously.

    Jin-Hyeok constantly provoked Hyeon-Seong, saying things like, ¡°What kind of Swordsman can¡¯t evenmunicate with a sword?¡± ¡°You are so weak it makes me yawn,¡± or ¡°And you call yourself Anus Destroyer? What a waste of a title!¡±

    This served as a fierce motivation for Hyeon-Seong. It awakened his extreme potential and became the driving force for his growth.

    ¡°Oh, that sword has transformed into a human form! I didn¡¯t know this was possible,¡± Jin-Hyeokmented, habitually using his livestream voice. <i>¡®Now that I think of it, I don¡¯t have to use my livestreaming voice if I am not actually livestreaming, right?¡¯</i>

    This could be an extension of his hobby rather than work. When livestreaming, he had to put his soul into the performance, but that was not necessary now. He could just speak as thoughts came to him, following his instincts. This realization made him feel lighter as if he was truly enjoying a hobby.

    ¡°That sword reminds me of the old Katrina. Broad shoulders, massive pectorals, cannonball-like abs. The sword is shirtless at the moment... A sword changing into a human form, how fascinating,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    This form was what Kyle and Gridel called a Sword Spirit. Jin-Hyeok examined the Sword Spirit using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[#Boy_? #Let me see your back.]</strong>

    The moment Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes met with the Sword Spirit¡¯s, Miri started yelling.

    -How dare that bastard...!

    Just as Hyeon-Seong had been possessed by that sword, a simr phenomenon urred with Jin-Hyeok. The Cliff of Singing Swords was a space that amplified the will of weapons. Miri¡¯s will and thoughts began to invade Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mental world. Jin-Hyeok suddenly found himself ovee by an uncontroble impulse.

    <i>¡®I want to break that Sword Spirit.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok rationally knew that this was not his impulse but Miri¡¯s. Miri, now back in her original hammer form, was consumed by an intense desire to destroy that sword. And Jin-Hyeok was also inmed by that desire.

    Unable to suppress the urge, Jin-Hyeok jumped forward. The Sword Spirit picked up its original sword and swung it toward Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The sound of Miri colliding with the sword echoed, followed by a shockwave. The space that had been filled with songs of the swords fell silent. The shockwave had pushed away all the sound.

    -I will crush you, you back-obsessed pervert!

    Miri screamed.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Giving in to Miri¡¯s impulses, he felt a kind of liberation. He thought it might be good to asionally surrender his body to Miri and let her desires run wild.

    <i>Boom! Bam! Boom!</i>

    The Sword Spirit¡¯s sword and Miri collided dozens of times.

    -You¡¯re not even big, ck, or hard!

    The moment Miri was about to deliver the final blow, an unknown force protected the sword. A faint green barrier appeared around the sword, blocking Miri. The Sword Spirit vanished, and the sword itself floated up, ascending in the direction where it had originally been embedded.

    ¡°The sword escaped. It¡¯s like this cliff is protecting the sword,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He felt a strange sensation. ¡°This does not seem like magic, nor does it feel like Mystery. It¡¯s a protective will I have never felt before... Though I think I felt something simr when I met Kim Min-Ji.¡±

    <i>¡®Could this be a special space set up by the genius hacker?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok, unable to conceive of divine intervention, made a rational judgment. ¡°It also feels a bit like a glitchy space.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok made a mental note to ask Min-Jiter if hackers of her caliber could create such a glitchy space.

    ***

    As he had surrendered himself to Miri, Jin-Hyeok was in a state of semi-delirium. He did not even realize that Hyeon-Seong had fought alongside him.

    ¡°Oh... you fought with me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hyeon-Seong replied, feeling frustrated. He thought they had cooperated against a sudden unknown monster (the Sword Spirit) and achieved a great result. Yet, Jin-Hyeok, the main participant, barely remembered if Hyeon-Seong had been there or not.

    Jin-Hyeok patted Hyeon-Seong on the shoulder and said, ¡°Sorry, you were so weak I barely noticed you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Your presence was too faint.¡±

    ¡°Am I really that weak?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. You will get stronger someday.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will.¡±

    ¡°Though I don¡¯t know when that will be.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Hyeon-Seong¡¯s eyes were filled with fierce bloodlust. He began climbing the cliff again as if he hadpletely ovee his fear of heights. Once more, he reached for the sword from earlier.

    Simr situations repeated several times. Hyeon-Seong would lose consciousness and fall, Jin-Hyeok would block the sword, and the Sword Spirit would appear and fight. Miri would try to destroy the word, gritting her imaginary teeth, but at thest moment, an unknown force would protect the sword and return it to its original ce.

    These repetitions became faster and more efficient. Throughout this process, Hyeon-Seong was gaining insights.

    <i>¡®Good. I won¡¯t be overwhelmed by the sword anymore.¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong learned how tomunicate with the sword and gently coax out its will. <i>¡®I¡¯ve got it.¡¯</i>

    After dozens of attempts, he seeded in grasping the sword anding down to the ground. He even became capable of summoning the Sword Spirit. His coordination with Jin-Hyeok improved, and as he fought with the Sword Spirit, Hyeon-Seong could feel himself bing stronger.

    <i>¡®This sword is mentally connected to me.¡¯</i>

    Because of this, it seemed to act as if it could read Hyeon-Seong¡¯s thoughts. Attacks came from unexpected directions, and the moment he let his guard down, the sword would aim for his backside. If it had aimed for his abdomen or neck instead, Hyeon-Seong would have been stabbed hundreds of times. Thanks to these experiences, his skills were improving rapidly.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m getting stronger...!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok marveled at Hyeon-Seong¡¯s growth, having witnessed it from up close. <i>¡®He really is getting stronger quickly.¡¯</i>

    It was befitting of someone who had reached the realm of the Mind Sword in just two weeks. Jin-Hyeok had to acknowledge Hyeon-Seong¡¯s potential.

    ¡°You¡¯re still weaker than me, though,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Come here for a moment.¡± Jin-Hyeok stood behind Hyeon-Seong, who was highly wary of him. It was an instinctive reaction he had developed over the past few days of having his back targeted by the Sword Spirit.

    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Hyeon-Seong asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to perform a ritual to acknowledge you a bit more.¡±

    ¡°A ritual of acknowledgment?¡± To Hyeon-Seong, Jin-Hyeok appeared extremely solemn.

    <i>¡®What is he nning to do?¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong wondered.

 Chapter 391

    <h4>Chapter 391</h4>

    Lee Hyeon-Seong gulped. He thought that something significant was about to happen.

    <i>¡®What is he trying to show me?¡¯</i>

    It seemed Cha Jin-Hyeok was about to perform a sacred Eltuber ritual that Hyeon-Seong knew nothing about.

    Jin-Hyeok raised his finger and touched Hyeon-Seong¡¯s back. ¡°You have earned the right to be acknowledged a little, Anus Destroyer Hyeon-Seong.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong, also a subscriber of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s channel, sensed that the Cringe Master had returned. Goosebumps rose on his arms. Feeling solemn about being part of this moment, he responded like a true subscriber, ¡°I humbly ept, Eltuber Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded, then traced his finger across Hyeon-Seong¡¯s back, leaving a mark.

    <s>[Super</s> Weak Anus Destroyer]

    Jin-Hyeok had removed a word from Hyeon-Seong¡¯s title<i>. </i>

    ¡°Now rise. I have engraved my mark upon you, and you¡¯re now ready to soar,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I shall strive to live up to it, Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    <i>¡®Has he finally acknowledged me?¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong¡¯s heart raced.

    ***

    Several more days passed. Of the four weeks allowed at the Cliff of Singing Swords as part of the Sword Emperor tournament¡¯s prize, only three days remained. During this time, Jin-Hyeok had also tried hard to summon a Sword Spirit, but it was not as easy as he thought. This was not due to hisck of talent, but because Miri strongly opposed it.

    -<i>Hmph! </i>I won¡¯t allow it!

    Due to her immense jealousy, Jin-Hyeok repeatedly failed to summon a Sword Spirit. Then, he thought of a good idea. <i>¡®Wait! Could the seduction technique I learned from Relphim and practiced on Miri work on these swords? Would they reveal themselves in response to my call? It¡¯s worth giving a shot.¡¯</i>

    Relphim had taught him how to excite Miri, which had worked surprisingly well.

    <i>¡®I wonder if this will work.¡¯</i>

    To summon a Sword Spirit and train at the Cliff of Singing Swords, one needed to follow an established process:

    1. The sword calls the Swordsman first.

    2. The Swordsman hears the sword¡¯s voice and enters the realm of the Mind Sword.

    3. The sword¡¯s will, resonating with the Swordsman¡¯s, takes a form and appears before the Swordsman.

    4. The Swordsman then trains by sharing the sword with the Sword Spirit.

    <i>¡®The swords are not calling me, so...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered. Miri, which had a deep mental bond with him, was interfering in this process with all her might; that was why the swords could not voice themselves.

    <i>¡®Can I just call them first?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok approached the nearest sword.

    -No! I don¡¯t like it. Don¡¯t do it!

    Miri showed intense rejection. Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to threaten his weapon.

    <i>¡®If you keep interfering, I¡¯m going to leave you here,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok said telepathically.

    -<i>Tsk.</i>

    Miri shut her mouth. Having already tasted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s <i>touch</i>, Miri could not bear to be separated from him for even a second. She did not want him to abandon her.

    Jin-Hyeok ran his finger down the de stuck in the cliff.

    <i>¡®How did Relphim do it?¡¯</i>

    He found the seduction technique awkward every time he practiced it. It never seemed to get easier. He could tolerate it right now only because he was practicing on an object rather than a person; otherwise, it would have been extremely embarrassing.

    Hyeon-Seong watched Jin-Hyeok, clicking his tongue.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s not going to work.¡¯ </i>Hyeon-Seong had already heard the sword¡¯s voice and summoned the Sword Spirit multiple times, so he thought Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attempt was absurd. <i>¡®If it were that easy, any person would be able to summon a Sword Spirit.¡¯</i>

    Hyeon-Seong was baffled that Jin-Hyeok could think of only this method to summon the Sword Spirit. Even for an Eltuber, this was absurd. He wondered what was going on in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. As a Swordsman who had already seeded in summoning the Sword Spirit, Hyeon-Seong was strongly confident in his method.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s natural for the sword to call the yer first and for the yer to respond to that sword, but this method is a bi¡ªhuh?¡¯ </i>

    Hyeon-Seong¡¯s ears caught an odd voice.

    ¡°...me.¡±

    Hearing a female voice, Hyeon-Seong looked around but found no one else.

    <i>¡®Did I mishear?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Give me a name.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong had not misheard. Startled, he looked around again.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t see anyone!¡¯</i>

    He realized that the voice wasing from a sword; it wasn¡¯t a voice echoing in his head.

    <i>¡®I can hear the voice of another sword?¡¯</i>

    This was impossible for someone who had directly heard one sword¡¯s voice. An exchange with a sword was supposed to be extremely private and secret. It was meant to be a deep, one-on-one rtionship. Hyeon-Seong could not believe he was able to hear the voice of another sword.

    <i>¡®Could this be...?¡¯</i>

    This was possible only because that sword intensely wanted to talk to Chul-Soo. It meant the depth of the exchange was beyond imagination.

    ¡°I¡¯ll name you Chul-Soo Land Sword No.1,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Chul-Soo Land Sword No.1. I like this name.¡±

    Hyeon-Seong was confused once again.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo Land Sword No.1?¡¯</i>

    He imagined naming the sword that resonated with him Anus Destroyer Land Sword No.1, but the next instant, he sensed a terrible bloodlust within his mind, which most likely originated from his sword. As his connection with his sword was deep, the bloodlust he felt was intense.

    <i>¡®Right, there is no way a sword would like such a weird name. It¡¯s just that this sword has a very strange taste.¡¯</i>

    ¡°And you¡¯re Chul-Soo Land Sword No.2.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re Chul-Soo Land Sword No.3¡±

    ¡°I love you!¡±

    No.2, No.3, No.4... up to No. 722, Jin-Hyeok named all hundreds of swords stuck in the cliff.

    <i>¡®This must be some unique Eltuber Skill,¡¯</i> Hyeon-Seong thought. There was no way a Swordsman could do this. It was probably because of the excellentmunication Skills of a Streamer.

    ¡°Everyone, could you guys transform into a more concrete form?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    A clear sound rang out from the swords stuck in the cliff. Hundreds of swords simultaneously came out of the cliff.

    Hyeon-Seong, who had barelyposed himself, was astonished.

    <i>¡®What the hell is this?¡¯</i>

    Hundreds of women appeared in a crowd.

    ***

    Gridel sent a letter to Kyle.

    [Kim Chul-Soo has seeded in summoning Sword Spirits. He summoned 722 Swords Spirits simultaneously. This is an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of the Pisat Family. We have no choice but to acknowledge it. That man is a God. Let us participate in the divine n.]

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was somewhat surprised. <i>¡®Why are they all female?¡¯</i>

    They seemed to have a subtle resemnce to Relphim.

    <i>¡®Is it because I summoned the Chul-Soo Land Swords using a method inspired by Relphim.¡¯</i>

    Sword Spirits were the embodiment of a sword¡¯s will. They were often heavily influenced by the person they resonated with, just as the Sword Spirit awakened by Hyeon-Seong had tried to stab his bottom.

    Jin-Hyeok felt something was off about them.

    <i>¡®They all seem a bit... unhinged.¡¯</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if I break.¡±

    ¡°Please treat me roughly.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s share a hot love.¡±

    ¡°Hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Make me feel like I¡¯m in heaven. I think you can do that to me.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. <i>¡®Do swords go crazy if they are stuck in the cliff for too long?¡¯</i>

    It was strange that they behaved this way despite being influenced by a normal person like him.

    <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like they are influenced by me...¡¯</i>

    Miri emanated a tremendous fighting spirit.

    -I will destroy them all!

    <i>¡®I guess it¡¯s Miri¡¯s influence.¡¯</i>

    He firmly believed this was the logical conclusion.

    Chul-Soo Land Sword No.1 shed with Miri.

    ¡°Mmm. So good.¡±

    The other Sword Spirits watched their duel, gulping.

    ¡°I hope my turnes soon.¡±

    ¡°I want to be ravaged too.¡±

    ¡°How ecstatic would it be to be treated so roughly?¡±

    After an intense duel, the Sword Spirit of Sword No.1 began to shatter and disappear.

    ¡°That was... so good.¡± The Sword Spirit wore an extremely satisfied expression.

    At the same time, a strange phenomenon urred.

    <i>¡®Huh? The sword is not returning to the cliff.¡¯</i>

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Cracks developed over the sword. It was very different from when Hyeon-Seong had faced the Sword Spirit.

    <i>¡®It broke?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo Land Sword No.1 was split in two. All its sacred energy disappeared, turning the sword into scrap metal. As the wind blew, it quickly corroded and vanished.

    <i>¡®Oh, this is unexpected.¡¯</i>

    Worried that the Pisat Family could demandpensation, Jin-Hyeok decided to record video evidence. He called the next Sword Spirit. ¡°Alright, next volunteer please.¡±

    As everyone mored to be next, Jin-Hyeok eventually called No.2.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with No.2. We will go in order.¡±

    No.2 had taken the form of a woman with orange hair.

    ¡°You want to be treated roughly, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked again.

    ¡°Yes, treat me as roughly as possible.¡±

    ¡°You might break if I do that.¡±

    ¡°Please, break me,¡± No.2 replied with an excited expression.

    In the end, No.2 followed the same path as No.1. So did No.3, No.4, No.5, and all the others up to No.722. This took about a week. Jin-Hyeok spent all his time, except for eating and sleeping, resonating with the Sword Spirits.

    ¡°You never tire. You are truly the best!¡± No.722 said.

    All 722 swords that had been stuck in the cliff turned to dust and disappeared, and the sound of swords singing could no longer be heard. Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok received a notification.

    <strong>[Universe-level Scenario ¡¸Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¹ is in progress.]</strong>

    <strong>[You havepleted a fragment of the Universe-level Scenario ¡¸Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have activated the Quest ?The One Who Silenced the Swords¡¯ Song Shall Meet the Great Sword Spirit?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Legacy of the Forsaken Queen]</strong>

    <strong>[(1) The Queen¡¯s Beloved Disciple</strong>

    <strong>The Forsaken Queen cherished and loved a disciple. This disciple¡¯s name was Carvington. The queen imparted all her knowledge and wisdom to Carvington. Even at the moment when he betrayed her, Veselity loved him.</strong>

    <strong>(2) He Who Nurtures the Golden Tree Shall Conquer the World.</strong>

    <strong>Carvington and Goldium tenderly cared for the golden tree. Moved by their devotion, the queen bestowed her treasures upon them. Enriched by the queen¡¯s treasure, the tree thrived, and its power and glory reached the ends of the world.</strong>

    <strong>(4) In the Frozen Crimson mes Shall the Truth Reside.</strong>

    <strong>The Forsaken Queen had a friend dearer than life itself, named Heina. In her final moments of abandonment, the queen entrusted Heina with a gem filled with her heart. This gem entered hibernation within the frozen crimson mes.]</strong>

    <strong>(7) The One Who Silenced the Swords¡¯ Song, Shall Meet the Great Sword Spirit</strong>

    <strong>You who have silenced the swords¡¯ song through ???. Your efforts and achievements shall shine forever. As the swords¡¯ song finally flows to one ce and sings a requiem, that ce shall be where the Great Sword Spirit sleeps.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was a bit perplexed.

    <i>¡®It skipped again?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok guessed the part marked with question marks was the contents of milestones (5) and (6). Normally, he would have had to go through (5) and (6) to reach (7).

    <i>¡®Why did it skip both? Could this be the power of the seduction technique? Maybe I am actually skilled at seduction techniques.¡¯</i>

    Although Jin-Hyeok had no idea what was going on, he realized the result was favorable.

    <i>¡®Then it seems I need to find where the Great Sword Spirit sleeps.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok did not have sufficient clues about milestones (5) and (6) because he had not experienced them properly. <i>¡®Finding out where that pce is should be the top priority.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced as the universe-level Scenario had resumed.

 Chapter 392

    Chapter 392

    A Server-wide notification appeared across the Arvis Server.

    -Did you see the new notification?

    -A Server notification popped up?

    -Whoa, for real? There is a Server notification?

    A Server notification was an alert that the System automatically transmitted for events significant enough to impact the entire Server. This meant that a matter of utmost importance had taken ce.

    -What¡¯s the notification about?-The Cliff of Singing Swords has been deleted, lol!

    -Huh? How did that happen?

    -No idea. But there is a 5000% chance it¡¯s because of Kim Chul-Soo.

    Although people did not have the exact details, they deduced that this incident was likely connected to Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    -Isn¡¯t that a sacred ground of the Pisat Family?

    -Yeah, that¡¯s right. Only specially selected Swordsmen from the Pisat Family or winners of the Sword Emperor Tournament can train there. They say youe out several times stronger than when you went in.

    -Whoa! Then isn¡¯t Chul-Soo screwed?

    The situation was quite different from when Jin-Hyeok had destroyed their relics. It could be excused since he had already gained ownership of those relics by that time.

    -He forced his way into the sacred ground and blew it up?

    -Did he go there to create new content for his channel?

    -Then his content is going to be next level.

    -If he did it on purpose, he¡¯s insane. Even if it was an ident, he¡¯s still nuts.

    People thought the Pisat Family would not sit idly.

    Muenne even grabbed her spear and rushed out to help Jin-Hyeok. <em>¡®Sir Chul-Soo!¡¯</em>

    She arrived at the Pisat Family estate in haste, clutching her spear, and shouted at the gatekeeper, ¡°Step aside! I have an urgent appointment with Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Lady Muenne, even you cannot enter the grounds without a visitor¡¯s pass.¡±

    The gatekeeper was perplexed. He had briefly served as Muenne¡¯s subordinate in the past. He knew her temperament well and was acutely aware that she was a stickler for principles.

    ¡°You need to get a visitor¡¯s pass, Lady Muenne!¡±

    ¡°Our old friendship is the only reason you¡¯re alive right now. Step aside while I am asking nicely.¡±

    ¡°Lady Muenne, please calm down. This isn¡¯t like you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to count to three.¡±

    While Muenne caused amotion at the main gate, the Pisat Family made an official statement.

    [The Pisat Family will not hold Sir Kim Chul-Soo responsible in any way.]

    At that moment, Muenne¡¯s phone buzzed loudly as she received a notification. It was an emergency alert set to ring even in silent mode.

    The alert made even the gatekeeper tense up.

    <em>¡®For such an urgent alert to ring for a ranker of Lady Muenne¡¯s caliber¡­¡¯ </em>The gatekeeper believed a crisis of unimaginable scale was about to happen.

    However, after checking her phone, Muenne rxed her grip on the spear.

    [I have made peace with the Pisat Family.]

    It was not an emergency disaster alert, but a livestream notification from Chul-Soo. Not wanting to miss even a second of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, Muenne stowed away her spear, leaned against the wall, and focused on her phone.

    <em>¡®Sir Gridel is protecting Chul-Soo?¡¯ </em>Muenne thought. Surprisingly, the Pisat Family was being extremely favorable toward Jin-Hyeok.

    -Huh?

    -I heard a rumor that Chul-Soo showered them with hundreds of trillions of Dias to stop them.

    -Hundreds of trillions? Damn, so you can screw up their sacred ground and just throw money at them?

    -The Pisat Family turned out to be pushovers, lol.

    -They forgave the destruction of their sacred ground for money? They are truly the lowest of the low.

    Even Jin-Hyeok was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Are you not going to ask forpensation?¡± Jin-Hyeok wondered if they might be saying nice things to his face but nning to stab him in the backter. <em>¡®Wait, that might be even better!¡¯</em>

    It would certainly draw attention. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart thumped; he thought that this could set up the perfect content for his channel.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who showed me the video. How could I demandpensation from you when all the swords chose that fate of their own ord?¡± Gridel said.

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily speechless.

    <em>¡®I thought there would be a big confrontation¡­ Is he a more upright person than I expected?¡¯ </em>

    It did not seem like Gridel had any intention of backstabbing him. Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry for thinking that lowly of Gridel.

    <em>¡®Was I too focused on my channel?¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if he had been overly fixated on the livestream potential when dealing with this elderly person. Firmly believing himself to be a thoroughly sensible and sane person, Jin-Hyeok felt slightly remorseful.

    Gridel continued, ¡°I and the Pisat Family have decided to entrust our future to you, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Even¡­ the future?¡±

    There was strong conviction in Gridel¡¯s eyes. He thought, <em>¡®The swords embedded in the cliff were all sacred treasures. ording to the records, they were said to be imbued with divine power. Those swords reacting to Chul-Soo in such a way¡­ proves without a doubt that he¡¯s the incarnation of a God!¡¯</em>

    Gridel decided to stake the future of his family on this divine being. Jin-Hyeok read Gridel¡¯s inner thoughts. The sentiment was so intense that he could discern it without any difficulties.

    <strong>[#Entrusting the future.]</strong>

    <em>¡®I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s acting like this, but¡­¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok put on a serious expression. Though he did not fully understand, he yed along. Given the situation, it was important to act ordingly.

    ¡°It seems you have seen something hidden within me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± Gridel¡¯s heart began to pound. He was certain that Jin-Hyeok was giving him some kind of clue. <em>¡®He did not directly say he was the incarnation of a God. But it¡¯s as good as hearing it!¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°I intend to go to the ce where the Great Sword Spirit sleeps.¡±

    ¡°By the Great Sword Spirit, you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°The swords embedded in the cliff told me. They said I must meet the Great Sword Spirit.¡±

    Of course, this had not happened, but Gridel fell for it. The only fact Jin-Hyeok knew came from the Scenario notification.

    <strong>(7) The One Who Silenced the Swords¡¯ Song, Shall Meet the Great Sword Spirit</strong>

    <strong>You who have silenced the swords¡¯ song through ???. Your efforts and achievements shall shine forever. As the swords¡¯ song finally flows to one ce and sings a requiem, that ce shall be where the Great Sword Spirit sleeps.]</strong>

    ¡°The Great Sword Spirit is sleeping somewhere. Since you¡¯re the Sage of the Sword, I thought you might know where that is,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Gridel trembled slightly. It felt like he was hearing voices telling him, <em>¡®Will you entrust the future to me? Can you trust me? If so, show me your faith and trust.¡¯</em>

    <em>¡®Chul-Soo, no, Sir Chul-Soo must already know everything!¡¯ </em>Gridel thought. For such a person to deliberately ask him this question, it was undoubtedly a test of Gridel¡¯s faith. <em>¡®Yes. I need to pass this test splendidly!¡¯</em>

    Acting as the examinee, Gridel diligently submitted his answer. ¡°Sir Chul-Soo. The Great Sword Spirit sleeps in a ce you know very well and are familiar with, but¡­¡±

    Gridel resolved to tell Chul-Soo, the incarnation and will of God, everything he knew. If he could gain Chul-Soo¡¯s trust through this, that would surely be the best oue.

    ¡°First, I¡¯m amazed at the miracle you performed,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°By miracle, you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°You destroyed 722 out of the 723 swords stuck in the cliff.¡± The remaining one was left for Hyeon-Seong the Anus Destroyer. ¡°Which 722 swords needed to be destroyed and which one wasn¡¯t¡­ Even I, the head of the Pisat Family, could not distinguish that. The fact that you urately selected and left that one sword must have been due to your skill.¡±

    Cold sweat ran down Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back. <em>¡®I-I was lucky!¡¯</em>

    This was why skipping Scenarios was dangerous; one could miss valuable clues. It seemed he should have carefully progressed through milestones (5) and (6) to obtain information about the final sword that must not be destroyed. This time was truly fortunate.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have done this with just luck,¡± Gridel said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It can¡¯t be called luck.¡±

    Gridel¡¯s eyes were full of conviction. ¡°You did not even use the God of Luck Mystery. It means you had that much confidence. Your abilities are beyond what I can imagine.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    To Gridel, this was another way of expressing, <em>¡®I know this much about you, oh divine one!¡¯</em>

    <em>¡®He¡¯s just a generous old man.¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok was somewhat moved by this pure(?) goodwill. It felt like Gridel had btedly joined the Chul-Soo Land. <em>¡®I should get along well with the Pisat Family.¡¯</em>

    With a newfound love for Gridel, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°So, where does the Great Sword Spirit sleep?¡±

    <em>¡®This must be the final test! If I answer this well, we can truly participate in the divine n!¡¯ </em>Gridel thought. ¡°As you know very well, that ce is Hell.¡±

    After saying that, Gridel had an epiphany. Chul-Soo¡¯s efforts to unify Hell and root the Guardian Trees were definitely preparations for this day.

    <em>¡®Sir Chul-Soo, you had a n all along! No wonder. It now makes sense why you made such an enormous investment to be the owner of that barren Server, which had nothing to offer except military power.¡¯</em>

    Gridel began to understand Chul-Soo¡¯s grand n.

    ***

    Kyle, the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, yelled, ¡°I begged you to keep him there!¡±

    ¡°How dare I attempt to detain him? He has departed for Hell to awaken the Great Sword Spirit,¡± Gridel said.

    Kyle swallowed his anger, seething for a while.

    <em>¡®I wanted to fight Chul-Soo after he trained at the Cliff of Singing Swords!¡¯</em> Kyle¡¯s eyes were filled with desire. Eager to cross swords with Chul-Soo as soon as possible, he had submitted a leave request to the Sword Emperor Headquarters but was refused.

    ¡°<em>Hmph, </em>fuck it,¡± Kyle said. <em>¡®I¡¯ll fight Chul-Soo no matter what.¡¯</em>

    He went AWOL and headed straight for the Fourth Hell.

    ???

    Jin-Hyeok chuckled as he entrusted his body to the warp portal.

    <em>¡®The Pangea Temple in the Fourth Hell, huh.¡¯</em>

    It was the Fourth Hell¡¯s most notorious Unexplored Dungeon. Jin-Hyeok had to progress the universe-level Scenario and clear an Unexplored Dungeon. The sound of viewers flooding in was already ringing in his mind. He even asked Wang Yu-Mi to gather information about the Pangea Temple and made preparations by watching videos of other yers¡¯ failed attempts.

    <em>¡®These videos don¡¯t help me that much.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok pondered whether he should form an expedition party or go solo. After thinking briefly, he made his decision.

    ¡°As an Eltuber, the obvious answer is Solo y,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    This was a truth he had realized after uploading numerous videos. ying solo was far more buzzworthy than forming an expedition party for Co-op y. The difference in views, likes andments was overwhelming.

    -An Eltuber doing Solo y? That is a ridiculously mismatchedbination, lol!

    -Uh¡­ I didn¡¯t feel anything strange about it. I must be going crazy, LOL!

    -He¡¯s destroying the yer ecosystem! Haha! Other Eltubers are going nuts because of him.

    -Guys, Solo y is possible for only Chul-Soo. Please stop demanding Solo ys on other channels.

    -Eltubers are unable to do Solo ys. Chul-Soo can do it because he¡¯s Chul-Soo.

    Even for a Solo y, a Navigator was necessary. Including a Navigator was still considered Solo y.

    ¡°Hoho. As expected, I have been chosen, moly.¡±

    With the appearance of Mole Woman, viewers began showering likes.

    -Wow, she¡¯s so pretty!

    -How can she be so pretty?

    -I can¡¯t keep my eyes off her.

    -Her beauty is overwhelming.

    Mole Woman, who had transitioned to a woman, crossed her arms. She had worn form-fitting leather clothes, which emphasized certain parts of her body, and that moment was registered as the [¡îMost Reyed Scene¡î].

    <em>¡®Huh? Is she more interesting than me?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. This was the moment he felt a strong sense of rivalry toward Mole Woman.

 Chapter 393

    <h4>Chapter 393</h4>

    ¡°I will take the lead and clear the undergrowth, moly.¡± Mole Woman swung her arms toward the dense vegetation, cleanly slicing through the foliage.

    Jin-Hyeok followed her, focusing on her impressive performance.

    <i>¡®Why are the number of likes higher than usual? I¡¯m just filming her back. Is her backview that interesting?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered. Apetitive spirit ignited within him. <i>¡®What¡¯s so special about her?¡¯</i>

    She was just waving her arms around in tight clothes, yet the response from the viewers was inexplicably positive.

    ¡°We could crawl through here, moly,¡± Mole Woman suggested.

    They had reached an area full of thorny bushes. Ahead of them was a narrow path, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. It looked like a trail used by small animals. Mole Woman got down in an alluring posture and crawled, with Jin-Hyeok following suit.

    <i>¡®The viewer count has surpassed ten billion again?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was puzzled by how they had hit ten billion viewers again while doing so little. The reaction on Storyteller Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s ry channel was nothing short of explosive.

    -This should be the livestream of the year, lol.

    -I just hope it doesn¡¯t get demized.

    -It¡¯s too sexy!

    -What¡¯s so sexy about it? There is no nudity.

    -You don¡¯t think that¡¯s sexy?

    -Tsk, tsk. How can you think this is sexy? Mole Woman is just ying efficiently.

    -That¡¯s what makes it sexy.

    -I guess some people only see what they want to see, you dirty bastard.

    Wang Yu-Mi hastily interjected. ¡°Please refrain from making sexualments or provocative jokes about the performers. You will be kicked out immediately without a warning.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok became curious. <i>¡®Why are there so many viewers?¡¯ </i>

    If he could pinpoint the reason, it would be a huge help for the channel.

    <i>¡®I should ask Yu-Mi about thister.¡¯</i>

    ***

    After passing through dense vegetation and damp swamnd, Jin-Hyeok finally arrived at the Pangea Temple. It appeared to be an ancient structure. The air was filled with the cries of unknown birds and the buzzing of insects.

    Jin-Hyeok continued his livestream as he surveyed his surroundings.

    ¡°The walls are covered in moss, and vines cover the entire temple,¡± he narrated. There were so many vines that Mole Woman had to keep clearing a path for him. ¡°This seems to be the entrance. Up close, it looks much more massive and imposing than I expected.¡±

    ¡°So, this is the Unexplored Dungeon from Hell... This should be fun, moly.¡± Mole Woman discreetly nced at Jin-Hyeok. As the Korean Region¡¯s top Navigator, she had always wanted to y alongside him and did not want to miss today¡¯s opportunity. So, sheunched into her prepared spiel. ¡°By the way, Chul-Soo, do you know why this Dungeon has remained unexplored for so long, moly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Jin-Hyeok almost smirked as he caught on to Mole Woman¡¯s intentions. Hisrades had be quite perceptivetely. This would surely pique the viewers¡¯ interest before the actual Dungeon raid.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Prophets¡¯ prediction, moly.¡±

    ¡°Prophets?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had learned about this only recently. The Arvis Server had yers known as the Prophets. They calcted the potential rewards from Dungeons into points and shared this information with other yers. Thanks to them, yers could estimate the rewards without directly clearing the Dungeons.

    Only three Prophets were universally recognized as true experts, and their fees were astronomical, so most yers were not even aware of their existence.

    ¡°ording to top-secret information, the Prophets gave the Pangea Temple zero points. It received the lowest score among all Unexplored Dungeons in the universe. In other words, you won¡¯t gain anything by clearing it, moly.¡±

    For most yers, it would bemon sense not to attempt such a Dungeon. However, Jin-Hyeok was anything but amon yer.

    <i>¡®Even struggling can make for good content!¡¯ </i>he thought. Not getting a reward was not necessarily bad. Plus, by continuing to analyze Mole Woman, he could figure out why the viewer count was unusually high. <i>¡®And if we do happen to get some reward, that¡¯s a bonus in itself.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I see. So, that¡¯s why the Pangea Temple has remained unexplored until now?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Maybe so, moly.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter to me. I¡¯m not after any special reward. I just want to awaken the Great Sword Spirit.¡±

    Mole Woman felt slightly confused. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that a special reward in itself?¡¯</i>

    Ignoring her puzzlement, Jin-Hyeok stood before the vine-covered door.

    <i>¡®I sense bloodlust behind that pir.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could unmistakably tell that it was a human¡¯s bloodlust. <i>¡®An Assassin?¡¯</i>

    Though the realization excited him a bit, he did not let it show. Such plot twists were more effective when he acted surprised.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure Mole Woman sensed it too.¡¯</i>

    Mole Woman also refrained from mentioning the Assassin.

    ***

    There were only three trusted Prophets in the universe. They were triplets known as the Three Sister Prophets. Hailing from the Arvis Server, these sisters were blind, but they possessed the power to discern the value of Dungeons.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to see Sara Kyen, the head of the Kyen Family.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here to see Sara Kyen, the head of the Kyen Family.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here to see Sara Kyen, the head of the Kyen Family.¡±

    The three sisters, shrouded in robes, spoke in unison. Though no one could be seen before the old, dpidated wooden door, someone responded.

    ¡°The family head is not here.¡±

    ¡°We must see her.¡±

    ¡°Leave. She is not here.¡±

    The three sisters spoke together once more.

    ¡°Kill Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Kill Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Kill Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    They had no choice but to retreat without achieving their goal.

    Shortly after their departure, the wooden door creaked open. The one who showed up was none other than Yolin.

    ¡°This is going to be a problem,¡± she muttered as she slumped down. Although the ground was dusty, not a single particle stirred. She had an inkling of why the Three Sister Prophets had rushed to the Kyen Family.

    <i>¡®If Chul-Soo meets the Great Sword Spirit or gains a special reward in the Unexplored Dungeon, it will tarnish the sisters¡¯ careers.¡¯</i>

    If Chul-Soo were to obtain a significant reward from a ce where the Three Sisters had given zero points, their reputation would plummet. Their predicament was unfortunate, but...

    ¡°Asking me to kill Boss with my own hands? That¡¯s out of the question,¡± Yolin said to the air.

    ¡°Death, don¡¯t you agree? Chul-Soo generously supports my history studies. He even pays me for it. Honestly, I can¡¯t think of a better job than this.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Excellent work-life bnce and getting paid for the least amount of work is my life motto. Boss is the number one contributor to making that possible.¡±

    ¡°But, Matriarch, we made a pact with the first head of the Pisat Family. We promised that no one would dare emerge alive from the Pangea Temple.¡±

    ¡°We have let quite a few live, considering that promise.¡±

    ¡°But we have hindered them sufficiently from clearing the Dungeon. Besides, most of them were rookie yers incapable of clearing the temple anyway.¡± True experts often had ess to information from the Three Sister Prophets. As a result, they never sought the Pangea Temple to begin with. ¡°But Chul-Soo is different. He will certainly clear the temple. We must stop him. We need to keep our promise.¡±

    Yolin stroked her chin. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Pisat Family is aware of this promise. If they were, they would have sent us an official letter asking us to cooperate with Boss, I mean, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Well, it was a promise between the founding heads of the family, so they might have forgotten,¡± Death said.

    ¡°Then can¡¯t I just forget it either?¡±

    ¡°Pisat may forget the promise, but Kyen must not.¡±

    ¡°There you go again with that old-fashioned talk. You¡¯re such a stick in the mud.¡±

    ¡°Our proud shadows will eventually kill Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Even if I tell them not to?¡±

    ¡°They are Assassins with honor and pride. They fulfill their contracts by any means necessary, even if it¡¯s a contract from thousands of years ago. Even as the family head, you cannot trample on their pride.¡±

    After pondering for a while, Yolin suddenly stood up. ¡°I should go to Yu-Mi. I need to give her some information at least.¡±

    ***

    Yolin approached Yu-Mi with a thick book tucked under her arm. ¡°I stumbled upon this while studying history.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Yu-Mi replied.

    ¡°That Dungeon is guarded by an Assassin family that made a special pact with the Pisat Family. That¡¯s why it has remained an Unexplored Dungeon until now. I¡¯m not entirely sure, but highly trained Assassins are likely to be lurking there.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Yu-Mi¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    Yolin tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why do you look happy?¡±

    ¡°Assassins in that gloomy and mysterious temple? This is the perfect content!¡± Yu-Mi was excited. <i>¡®I need to find the right background music for this right away!¡¯</i>

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. These are not just any run-of-the-mill Assassins. ording to the records, they are top-tier killers specially trained by the Kyen Family.¡±

    ¡°The Kyen Family?¡±

    ¡°Yes, one of the Seven Great Families. That legendary, enigmatic assassin family whose very existence is considered a myth.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know an awful lot about them for such a secretive family.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s my job to uncover this information! I have to earn my keep, you know?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t your motto ¡®work less, earn more¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I try to at least do what I¡¯m paid for!¡±

    ¡°Alright, I get it.¡±

    As Yu-Mi resumed her livestream after their brief exchange, Yolin felt a bit frustrated.

    ¡°Are you not going to tell Boss?¡± Yolin asked.

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°I told you skilled Assassins are hiding there!¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make for better storytelling if he doesn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Yu-Mi wagged her index finger and made a <i>tsk tsk </i>sound. ¡°If he knows about the Assassins, it kills the tension, you know?¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re willing to put Boss in danger for that?¡±

    Yu-Mi let out a small sigh. ¡±Yolin, you don¡¯t understand anything, do you? Do you honestly think Chul-Soo is unaware of it all?¡±

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394

    Wang Yu-Mi confidently adjusted her round sses. ¡°I bet Chul-Soo knows exactly how many Assassins are out there, where they are hiding, and when and how they will attack. Think about it. He¡¯s the champion of the Sword Emperor Tournament.¡±

    Yolin shook her head. ¡°I know Boss has exceptional swordsmanship, but this ispletely different. It¡¯s a whole other ballgame. Besides, look, even Mole Woman can¡¯t sense any danger!¡±

    ¡°You think Mole Woman can¡¯t sense any danger?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°Exactly. If even the Navigator has not noticed the Assassins, how could an Eltuber pick up on their presence?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it is!¡±

    Yolin was growing anxious. She desperately wanted to ry the information to Cha Jin-Hyeok as quickly as possible.

    Yu-Mi rewound the livestream footage. ¡°Do you see this?¡±

    ¡°What am I looking at?¡±¡°That¡¯s Mole Woman.¡±

    ¡°I can see that she¡¯s very pretty.¡±

    ¡°No, look at her eyes.¡±

    ¡°Her eyes?¡±

    Yolin had rewatched the footage beforeing here, but Yu-Mi was an unparalleled expert in video analysis.

    ¡°She is looking toward the same spot as Chul-Soo. They must have sensed the Assassins¡¯ presence from the same location,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    The moment was incredibly brief. Only a video analysis expert of Yu-Mi¡¯s caliber could have noticed it. Hence, Yolin could notprehend what Yu-Mi meant.

    ¡°Well? Don¡¯t you agree with me now?¡± Yu-Mi asked.

    ¡°No, I still don¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°How can you not see this?¡± Yu-Mi, seemingly unable to fathom Yolin¡¯sck of understanding, nodded after a moment of frustration. ¡°I suppose we all have different areas of expertise. Anyway, those two definitely know about the Assassins. They are just pretending not to for the sake of the livestream! Oh, look here, someone has appeared.¡±

    ***

    The Maier Family was one of the vassal families of the Kyen Family. Shevian, an Assassin from the Maier Family, knew Chul-Soo woulde here.

    <em>¡®Finally, a strong opponent!¡¯</em>

    Due to the prophecy of the Three Sister Prophets, powerful yers avoided the Pangea Temple. Chul-Soo was on a different level from the rookies who had invaded this ce so far. He was a universe-level Eltuber who had reached the milestone of having twenty billion live viewers. Though the fact that he was an Eltuber was slightly concerning, Shevian did not think it mattered much.

    <em>¡®He¡¯s the champion of the Sword Emperor Tournament, so I won¡¯t need to hold back!¡¯</em>

    Shevian¡¯s father, who knew his son well, ced a hand on Shevian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I can hear your excited breathing from here.¡±

    ¡°Father, I have been waiting for this day.¡±

    ¡°Son, do not forget our mission. Our family is tasked with ensuring this ce remains an Unexplored Dungeon. We should not concern ourselves with anything else.¡±

    ¡°But, Father, isn¡¯t it unfair? We are strong, yet the world has forgotten us. In the list of Assassin families, ours isn¡¯t even mentioned.¡±

    His father sighed softly before saying, ¡°Then just focus on the assassination.¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. These days, an assassination is seen as something only cowards do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just perception. We¡¯re not cowards. This is simply the way of the Assassins.¡±

    ¡°But the world doesn¡¯t recognize that!¡±

    Shevian¡¯s words held some truth. After Garbinu had conquered Arvis and ushered in an era of peace, assassinations and ambushes were deemed cowardly acts. This shift in perception contributed to the Kyen Family, one of the Seven Great Families, fading from the forefront of history.

    ¡°I will defeat the Sword Emperor Tournament champion in a fair fight,¡± Shevian said.

    ¡°I forbid it. That¡¯s inefficient.¡±

    ¡°How long will you cling to these outdated ideas? Chul-Soo is currently the center of attention across the universe. It¡¯s time for the name of our Maier Family to ring throughout the cosmos.¡±

    The father held a dagger to Shevian¡¯s throat. ¡°I said no, Son. I think I will have to remove you from this operat¡ª¡±

    His vision blurred mid-sentence. ¡°She¡­vian!¡±

    ¡°Your guard was down, Father.¡± Shevian stood up. ¡°An Assassin falling victim to poison? You should be ashamed. ¡°

    The poison would keep his father unconscious for at least twenty-four hours.

    <em>¡®That will be more than enough time to defeat Chul-Soo and elevate the Maier Family name.¡¯</em>

    ***

    Just before Jin-Hyeok entered the main gate, a man wearing a ck mask approached him.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Kim Chul-Soo.¡± He held a bluish dagger. After taking a few steps forward, he removed his mask, revealing himself to be a young boy with ashen hair and eyes. ¡°Pleased to meet you. My name is Shevian, an Assassin from the Maier Family. I¡¯m also one who will take your head right here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent for a moment.

    Shevian asked with a rxed attitude. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°Why would an Assassin¡­¡±

    ¡°I guess the Sword Emperor Tournament champion isn¡¯t as strong as I thought. It looks like Swordsmen¡¯s skills have be pathetic while the Maier Family has beenying low.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lip slightly and muttered, ¡°Why would an Assassin challenge me to a fair fight?¡±

    ¡°I am Shevian Maier, the eldest son of the Maier Family. I will take your head fair and squa¡ª¡±

    Shevian hurriedly stepped back, creating distance between them. <em>¡®Just now¡­!¡¯</em>

    A sharp energy had grazed his head. Jin-Hyeok had extended Miri, slicing through where Shevian¡¯s head had been. A drop of sweat trickled down Shevian¡¯s spine, which was highly sensitive to bloodlust.

    <em>¡®A cool sensation lingers around my neck. What an incredibly sharp aura!¡¯</em>

    Shevian¡¯s heart began to race; he had finally encountered a formidable opponent.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok, who had expected an efficient and excellent ambush, was disappointed. He was angry that an Assassin was challenging him to a fair fight instead of ambushing him.

    <em>¡®Howcking in dedication to one¡¯s craft must one be to do such a thing? This is just like an Eltuber swinging a sword around!¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok decided to change his content. <em>¡®It¡¯s about time I show an overwhelming performance again.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Activate defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    As the Phantom Swordswoman appeared, wielding arge ck club, Shevian smiled with satisfaction.

    ¡°A defensive Mystery, huh? A safer choice than I expec¡ª¡±

    Therge ck club extended rapidly.

    <em>¡®That Mystery is skilled in irregr attacks.¡¯ </em>Shevian had let his guard down a bit upon hearing defensive Mystery, but it seemed to be a trap. The destructive power emanating from that club was certainly not that of a defensive Mystery. <em>¡®But it¡¯s not enough to match my speed!¡¯</em>

    Shevian¡¯s body began to turnpletely ck. He was confident that no one could match his speed, but strangely, he felt himself slowing down.

    <strong>[You¡¯re affected by Time-Lapse Recording.]</strong>

    <strong>[Your speed is limited to 0.1 times normal.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok captured Shevian¡¯s bewildered expression perfectly. He said, ¡°This Assassin cowardly challenged me to a face-to-face duel and has not even properly studied his target. Is this what Assassins are like these days?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could not hide his disappointment. ¡°When you should be focusing on what you¡¯re good at, you¡¯re straying from your path.¡±

    He had created an opening using the Phantom Swordswoman and used that opportunity to apply Time-Lapse Recording precisely. Thanks to this, Jin-Hyeok had gained enough time to use the Omnipotent Director.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill Omnipotent Director.]</strong>

    ¡°I¡¯m so at ease that I canfortably use even this ultimate Skill.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok approached Shevian with a rxed attitude, intending to delete the dagger in Shevian¡¯s hand. At that moment, Jin-Hyeok felt an exhrating bloodlust.

    <em>¡®Oh?¡¯</em> Jin-Hyeok thought. Something alien had prated this ash-colored space of the Omnipotent Director. <em>¡®Something dangerous ising.¡¯</em>

    The moment his concentration broke, the effect of the Omnipotent Director Skill dissipated. Jin-Hyeok used Absolute Barrier to block the poison needle from flying toward his back.

    ¡°Was this your n all along?¡± Jin-Hyeok realized that the childish Assassin had deliberately charged in for a frontal assault to draw attention, then prompted Jin-Hyeok to use his ultimate Skill to create an opening, allowing another top-tier Assassin to attack. ¡°It turns out I was the one who was not being intense, not you.¡±

    He should have doubted his opponent¡¯s every move; failing to do so was a mistake.

    <em>¡®I let my guard down,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. While he was reflecting on this, he was also pleased with the unintended sense of crisis he had created. <em>¡®I wonder if the viewers also felt that thrilling tension.¡¯</em>

    ***

    Shevian instinctively knew that some powerful Skill had just been used. He fully sensed that if he had been unlucky, his head would have been taken. It felt like death had approached and then retreated.

    ¡°Was this your n all along?¡± Chul-Soo said. ¡°It turns out I was the one who was not being intense, not you.¡±

    Shevian struggled to understand what Chul-Soo was talking about. It was also strange how Chul-Soo¡¯s gaze toward Shevian had suddenly turned friendly. However, Shevian could sense one thing.

    <em>¡®Wait, other Assassins have been deployed besides me?¡¯</em> He bit his lip slightly. <em>¡®Father must have known about this all along.¡¯</em>

    His father, the head of the Maier Family, had anticipated this and made preparations. However, this turned out to be Shevian¡¯s misconception.

    These other Assassins were top-tier Assassins separately hired by the Three Sister Prophets. They were dispatched by the Cyril Alliance, the top-ranked Assassin alliance in Arvis. They thoroughly targeted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s weakness. At this point, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s greatest weakness was the nonbatant yer with him¡ªMole Woman.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel dizzy, moly,¡± Mole Woman said.

    -Protect Mole Woman at all costs!

    -Those dirty bastards, typical Assassins smh.

    -They¡¯re cowardly attacking the Navigator!

    -But why aren¡¯t you guys saying anything about attacking an Eltuber? Why not mention the Streamer Protection Treaty?

    Mole Woman staggered, poisoned by an unknown drug.

    ¡°I think I have been poisoned, moly.¡± Even as her consciousness faded, Mole Woman quickly spoke while rolling her eyes left and right. ¡°Three new Assassins have appeared, moly. There in the tree, behind the pir, and behind that far pir over there!¡±

    As Mole Woman copsed, Jin-Hyeok realized his mistake.

    <em>¡®I have gotten tooxtely.¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok had to admit he had let his guard down from the moment Shevian tried to exploit an opening. <em>¡®I should have anticipated they would target Mole Woman first.¡¯ </em>

    One Assassin hidden behind a pir rushed at Jin-Hyeok, while another grabbed Mole Woman by the cor and pulled her close. The Assassin held a dagger coated with deadly poison to Mole Woman¡¯s throat and said, ¡°Chul-Soo, drop your weapon.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Now, the livestream perspective had shifted to the third-person, and on the screen, Jin-Hyeok bit his lip in frustration.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say it twice. Drop your weapon.¡± The Assassin threatened Jin-Hyeok more menacingly, and Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to put down Miri. ¡°Now raise your hands.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok raised his hands, he said quietly, ¡°Seems I wasn¡¯t the only one who let their guard down.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    At that moment, the Assassin¡¯s head was severed and rolled onto the ground.

 Chapter 395

    <h4>Chapter 395</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok heard footsteps steadily approaching him. A swordsman walked along the path Mole Woman had previouslyid out. Jin-Hyeok was surprised by this visitor, and his voice grew a bit louder. ¡°The captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, Kyle!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought that the sudden appearance of a famous yer would garner quite a bit of attention from the viewers, but surprisingly, the reactions wereckluster.

    <i>¡®Usually, when someone of this caliber shows up, the number of likes skyrockets.¡¯</i>

    Of course, the number of likes was increasing, but this increase didn¡¯t satisfy Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards. Oddly enough, the likes increased faster when he focused the camera angle on the copsed Mole Woman.

    <i>¡®Kyle does not draw as much attention as I thought.¡¯</i>

    Kyle, whom he believed to be strong, turned out to be less popr than Mole Woman.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly regained hisposure and said, ¡°With the appearance of Kyle, the Assassins have vanished like the wind. A wise choice.¡±

    Assassins aiming for the back of the head was only natural. Their n had fallen apart the moment their ambush had failed. Pushing their luck now would be uncharacteristic of them.

    Kyle stood before Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I havee to settle things with you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°You came all this way just for that? You¡¯re joking, right?¡±

    ¡°Does it look like I am?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed and shook his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you on duty right now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s insignificantpared to our duel.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in any position to say that?¡± Kyle was annoyed. He did not want to hear such words from Jin-Hyeok of all people. Suddenly, Kyle became curious and asked, ¡°Do you perhaps think you are normal?¡±

    ¡°Do you perhaps think I am abnormal?¡±

    Their eyes met, each pair filled with different convictions and beliefs.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t understand you.¡±

    ¡°I just can¡¯t understand you.¡±

    <i>¡®Does he really think he is normal?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®What part of me does he think is abnormal?¡¯</i>

    These two people¡¯s thoughts were fundamentally ipatible. Pretending to converse with Kyle, Jin-Hyeok finished numerous internal calctions and said, ¡°I also think that settling our duel is important, but not here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was currently in the middle of crucial content. It was part of a universe-level Scenario, and he needed to find the Great Sword Spirit. He thought it was not a good idea to do this content simultaneously with an excellent content piece like a duel with Kyle.

    <i>¡®The direction of my content will be too muddled.¡¯ </i>Just like how a meal prepared with excellent ingredients could fail if thebination was off, the same could happen to content. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current situation was like mixing oranges into kimchi stew.

    ¡°Are you running away from the fight?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°I actually do not want to settle things with you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You seem to have forgotten something important. I¡¯m not a Swordsman. I¡¯m an Eltuber.¡±

    ¡°Do not speak like a cowardly little man.¡± Kyle¡¯s expression darkened rapidly. Anxiety began to creep in as he thought he would never be able to fight with Chul-Soo.

    ¡°But if you want to fight me, there is a condition,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Help me. I don¡¯t think I can defeat these Assassins alone.¡±

    The Assassins who had retreated could ambush them again at any moment. Jin-Hyeok judged that Solo y had its limits.

    <i>¡®Duel y can be just as impactful as Solo y,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ***

    Shevian silently waited for Jin-Hyeok and Kyle¡¯s conversation to end. This was his idea of <i>fairness</i>.

    After finishing his talk with Kyle, Jin-Hyeok approached Shevian and said, ¡°That was quite a good strategy, Assassin boy.¡±

    <i>¡®My strategy?¡¯ </i>Shevian thought.

    ¡°It was clever to have me let my guard down and then send in another Assassin,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me!¡± Shevian said. While Jin-Hyeok was praising Shevian, the Assassin didn¡¯t feel like so. ¡°I¡¯m not that cowardly.¡±

    ¡°A skilled Assassin would naturally say that. After all, Assassins are masters of conspiracy and betrayal, excelling at backstabbing and ambush.¡±

    Overhearing the conversation, Kyle felt somewhat perplexed. He could not tell if this was praise or insult. By the tone, it sounded like utmost praise, but the content seemed like an insult.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! It was my father¡¯s scheme!¡± Shevian yelled.

    ¡°Your father?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The head of the great Maier Family, Sir Samuel Maier.¡±

    ¡°He must be quite skilled.¡±

    ¡°He is.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to charge at me again?¡±

    Shevian clenched his right hand around his dagger. He desperately wanted to lunge at Jin-Hyeok but could not find an opening. Moreover, Kyle, the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, was here too, which made him hesitant to make any rash moves.

    ¡°I want a fair fight wit¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re not going to attack me right now. You¡¯re a dedicated Assassin, after all.¡± Jin-Hyeok wore a satisfied expression. He no longer wanted to kill this grateful boy who had provided him with some tension for his content. Keeping him alive would surely provide more great content for his channel. ¡°Such an excellent Assassin like you would not do anything foolish and reckless.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was too dismissive of you. I take it back.¡± Jin-Hyeok brushed past Shevian and quietly said, ¡°Ambushes like earlier are always wee, Assassin boy.¡±

    <i>¡®An opening!¡¯ </i>Shevian saw a chance.

    Jin-Hyeok hade very close to him, and Shevian had a strong intuition that he could stab Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck if he just swung his right hand. This was an Assassin¡¯s instinct. Although he aspired to fair fights, years of ingrained assassin training made his body react automatically.

    At that moment, Miri, who had been ced on the ground, sprang up on her own and struck the back of Shevian¡¯s head hard.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    With a loud sound, Shevian fell forward.

    Kyle moved to behead Shevian, but Jin-Hyeok stopped him.

    ¡°Why are you stopping me? He¡¯s a dangerous Assassin,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°He is young.¡±

    ¡°What...?¡±

    <i>¡®Since when did you consider such circumstances? Do you have a warm heart?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    <i>Shling!</i>

    Feeling slightly embarrassed, Kyle sheathed his sword.

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. <i>¡®I hope he pulls himself together soon and ambushes me properly.¡¯</i>

    The Streamer was very much looking forward to seeing the performance of histest content finder.

    ***

    Kyle asked with a serious expression, ¡°When did you learn how to use the Sword Control?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what this is called,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Moving weapons without touching them to annihte enemies¡ªSwordsmen called this technique Sword Control. It was an extremely difficult Skill at the pinnacle of technical swordsmanship. Even among top-ranked yers, few could use this technique freely. Many did not use it because it was inefficient, which spoke to its immense technical difficulty.

    <i>¡®He used Sword Control without knowing about it?¡¯ </i>Kyle found it unbelievable. He wondered how Chul-Soo could have already mastered the Sword Control when he had only recently entered the realm of the Mind Sword. <i>¡®What a terrifying talent.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Who taught you this?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Is this Skill so impressive that I would need a teacher?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to praise me so much for something so trivial.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Kyle burst outughing. <i>¡®Yes! That¡¯s the Chul-Soo I know!¡¯</i>

    Kyle¡¯spetitive spirit surged.

    Just then, Mole Woman scurried past Kyle. ¡°Alright, I, the Navigator, will enter first, moly!¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Kyle ced his hand on Mole Woman¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°What is it, moly?¡±

    ¡°When did you wake up?¡± Kyle hadpletely forgotten about Mole Woman. The only person important to him was Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the intent of your question, moly.¡±

    ¡°You clearly copsed from poison earlier.¡±

    ¡°As if the number one ranked Korean Region Navigator would fall to such poison, moly!¡±

    Mole woman was telling a lie. She had actually fainted for a short while.

    <i>¡®That poison was terrifyingly powerful, moly,¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought.

    The moment she sensed the Assassin¡¯s presence, Mole Woman had preemptively taken various antidotes. Since ying with Jin-Hyeok involved highly unusual and difficult situations, she had prepared for all kinds of dangers in advance. If she had not spent an astronomical amount of money on preparations, she really could have died from the poison. However, her pride as a top-ranked Navigator prevented her from showing any of this.

    ¡°Chul-Soo might have let his guard down, but I didn''t, moly.¡±

    Mole Woman, who had quickly regained consciousness, had remained on the ground in a more alluring pose. She judged that it would benefit Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    <i>¡®This is how important I am, Chul-Soo! The value of being number one is iparable to mere second ce. I¡¯m a Navigator who is even more excellent than Pathfinder despite my Job change! I¡¯m the real talent perfectly suited for livestreaming, moly!¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Jin-Hyeok began walking after Mole Woman, seemingly unsurprised. His attitude suggested he had known all along that Mole Woman had not fainted. Unable to contain his curiosity, Kyle asked again, ¡°Chul-Soo, did you know that Mole Woman had not fainted?¡±

    ¡°A Navigator would not faint.¡±

    ¡°What...?¡±

    ¡°If they are intense, that is.¡±

    This statementpletely contradicted Kyle¡¯smon sense. In his experience, Navigators were the yers more exposed to danger among all Jobs. They were the vanguard of expeditions, pioneering the way. Fainting was routine for them, and no yer deemed it strange.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal for Navigators to faint,¡± Kyle said.

    Mole Woman frowned.

    ¡°That¡¯s why Chul-Soo said something after the sentence, moly.¡± She desperately tried to hide the fact that she had fainted. ¡°An intense Navigator never faints, moly.¡±

    This was both a mantra and self-brainwashing for her.

    ***

    Mole Woman asked, ¡°Are we going to focus on hunting all the monsters that appear here for an All Clear, moly? Or are we going to concentrate on meeting the Great Sword Spirit as quickly as possible, moly?¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡± Jin-Hyeok thought about it.

    ¡°If it¡¯s thetter, I can create a path that¡¯ll allow us to skip all the small monsters, moly.¡±

    This concept was still unfamiliar to Kyle, who had followed an elite course on the Arvis Server. Arvis primarily prioritized yers¡¯ safety. Their ideal y involved clearing every area of a Dungeon thoroughly and perfectly, even if that was somewhat inefficient. The idea of <i>ignoring and passing by monsters </i>seemed excessively unorthodox. After all, it meant introducing even more variables into a Dungeon, which was already full of uncontroble factors.

    <i>¡®Of course, Chul-Soo is going to choose the former. What a pointless question.¡¯ </i>Kyle couldn''t help but smile, wondering if Mole Woman had asked this question because she was still inexperienced as a Navigator. It was slightly amusing to see her ask a question that did not need to be asked¡ªor rather, shouldn¡¯t be asked.

    But then, Jin-Hyeok opened his mouth.

 Chapter 396

    <h4>Chapter 396</h4>

    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the small monsters,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I knew you would say that, moly.¡±

    <i>¡®But these small insignificant monsters can be a variableter!¡¯ </i>Kyle barely suppressed the urge to interject.

    ¡°You both need to follow my movements closely, moly. You must mimic even actions that seem meaningless, moly,¡± Mole Woman said.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Mole Woman nodded, seemingly satisfied with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s answer, then narrowed her eyes and looked at Kyle. ¡°How about you, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Can you follow my movements well, moly?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re asking whether I can copy your movements, that¡¯s quite rude. I have never failed to aplish anything physical.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Mole Woman sighed and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m asking if you can follow even seemingly meaningless movements as well, moly.¡±

    She nced at Jin-Hyeok, who muted his livestream, and then continued, ¡°We¡¯re going to use bug-like y. Do I really need to exin this, moly? Look, Kim Chul-Soo understood without me saying anything and even muted the livestream. I¡¯m a bit worried about speed-running with a yer who has such poorprehension about Dungeon raids, moly.¡±

    ¡°I will cooperate...¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Hmm, then for the formation...¡± Mole Woman stroked her chin. ¡°You should be in the middle. It¡¯s best if Chul-Soo is thest, moly.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No matter how good your movements are, we will have to take a few big hits from the monsters while advancing, moly. And since you have the strongest defense among us, it¡¯s best if you take the hits. Do not dodge the attacks. Just take them all, moly.¡±

    Kyle brought up an extremely obvious point. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to prevent those big attacks in advance?¡±

    ¡°Of course, there is.¡± Mole Woman¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. ¡°But it takes more time, moly.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°One billion viewers are waiting, moly. Every second we dy steals a billion seconds from the viewers, moly! That¡¯s 270,000 hours per second, moly. Do you want to be a time thief, moly?¡±

    Mole Woman pped her hands together and tied her hair into a ponytail. Jin-Hyeok captured this scene and her white nape, which once again became the [¡îMost Reyed Scene¡î] on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream, stimting hispetitive spirit.

    Kyle, who felt a sense of rivalry toward Jin-Hyeok, had his pride deeply hurt.

    <i>¡®He feelspetitive toward that woman, and not me?¡¯ </i>Kyle, too, began to feelpetitive.

    ***

    Kyle had never heard of this strategy.

    <i>¡®We¡¯re just leaving that trap alone?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®We are ignoring this attack?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®This attack will reach Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    Kyle nced back, just in case.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s defense is unparalleled.¡¯</i>

    In terms of defense, Chul-Soo was several levels above him. Although Kyle already knew this, experiencing it firsthand felt quite different.

    ¡°From here, we¡¯ll move by digging a tunnel,¡± Mole Woman said.

    Though she did not explicitly mention it, this was a kind of bug¡ªa bug that allowed yers to dig in ces where it shouldn¡¯t be possible. However, due to the livestream, she avoided mentioning the word <i>bug</i>.

    ¡°It¡¯s best to wear light clothing, moly.¡± Mole Woman casually stripped off her clothes. ¡°If I were alone, I would obviously choose to be naked.¡±

    Mole Woman was not trying to prove that she was an <i>excellent Navigator. </i>What she wanted to demonstrate was that she was an <i>excellent Navigator suitable for livestreaming. </i>Understanding that exposing herselfpletely would negatively impact Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, Mole Woman had worn a bikini-like outfit underneath.

    ¡°Follow me, moly.¡± Mole Woman dove toward the ground. Though it was soil, she slipped in as if she were entering water.

    ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Kyle.

    Mole Woman had not called this a <i>bug, </i>but Kyle knew well that this was essentially a bug, so he could not help but hesitate.

    ¡°This path will disappear if you don¡¯t hurry.¡±

    Feeling the urgency, Jin-Hyeok threw himself in first. The passage was barely wide enough for one person to crawl through. Everyone was moving on all fours. Jin-Hyeok followed closely behind Mole Woman.

    <i>¡®The viewer count is skyrocketing!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Suddenly, the number of likes started increasing too. <i>¡®Why is this happening? Have the viewers realized it¡¯s a bug? You¡¯d have to see it directly to know it¡¯s a bug, right? On livestream, it probably looks like a Skill.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to figure out which aspect of this scene was eliciting such a positive response from the viewers. However, all he could see was a Mole Woman¡¯s well-toned bottom.

    <i>¡®Do viewers like seeing aesthetically pleasing glutes?¡¯</i>

    Once again, hispetitive spirit swelled up. He was confident he would not lose to anyone when it came to the aesthetic appeal of glutes.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should wear that and show off my glutes too.¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°On the count of three, we will jump up to the ground, moly!¡± Mole Woman, lying face down, tensed her arms and legs. ¡°One, two, three!¡±

    Surprisingly, she seemed to float up and vanish up to the ground. She had moved to the surface.

    Jin-Hyeok also returned to the surface without any difort. Kyle arrived too, looking somewhat disgruntled.

    <strong>[You have arrived at the boss room ?The Principal¡¯s Office of the Forgotten Magic School.?]</strong>

    ¡°We have reached the boss room. That was quite fast,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Many had challenged the Pangea Temple. Quite a few yers had made it to The Principal¡¯s Office of the Forgotten Magic School.

    -Wow, that worked, LOL!

    -They took exactly 18 minutes, LOL!

    -I saw in another video that it took some yers about 180 hours to get there.

    -But won¡¯t the principal appear soon?

    The boss of the Pangea Temple, the Principal of the Forgotten Magic School, was the main reason this Dungeon had remained unexplored. When a yer defeated all the Immortal Magic Soldiers in the Dungeon, the lid of the coffin would slowly open, revealing the principal with an overwhelming presence and size.

    The principal was a boss monster who wielded his coffin as a weapon and had mastered all kinds of magic. All yers who had challenged this room so far had either died or fled.

    -The boss¡¯s Level is estimated to be around mid-300s. Plus, he gets the boss monster bonus attributes.

    -So, essentially, the boss monster is around Level 400.

    ¡°I can see arge coffin in the distance. That must be where the Dungeon boss sleeps,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[The Principal¡¯s Resting ce]</strong>

    ¡°I see dozens of skeleton soldiers around it.¡±

    Several skeletons wrapped in robes stood there, emanating considerable magical power.

    <strong>[LV298/Immortal Magic Soldier/<u>Skills</u>/]</strong>

    Those skeleton soldiers were chanting spells and waving their staffs. After a moment of consideration, Mole Woman said, ¡°I will tank their attacks, moly.¡±

    Kyle could not believe his ears. He had never heard of a Navigator tanking attacks. In the Arvis Server, this was impossible and should never happen.

    ¡°Kyle, you should go wild too, moly! We need to buy time for Chul-Soo, moly!¡±

    Though it was hard to understand logically, Kyle dutifully followed Mole Woman¡¯s orders. Every time he swung his sword, a sh of light appeared, and the Immortal Magic Soldiers fell helplessly.

    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>

    The fallen Immortal Magic Soldiers stood up again. Their bodies, cut by Kyle¡¯s sword, automatically reattached and regenerated.

    ¡°They¡¯re using cheap tricks.¡± Kyle swung his sword quickly. He focused on basic shes instead of shy skills. Then, he heard a slightly awkward voice.

    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s one of the orthodox methods for dealing with skeleton soldiers! The Swordsman¡¯s technique of defeating enemies is faster than their regeneration rate, which makes them impossible toe back!¡±

    ***

    Mole Woman had been somewhat suspicious of the Sword Emperor Unit Captain Kyle. He kept looking confused at everything she said, and she was unsure if he would follow her instructions properly.

    <i>¡®I guess he¡¯s more skilled than I thought!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman changed her opinion of him.

    They clearly came from different worlds. Kyle¡¯s expression when Mole Woman volunteered to tank the attacks was priceless. Though he did not say it, he was undoubtedly thinking, <i>¡®How can a Navigator tank attacks?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®This is so normal in our Region,¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought.

    Arvis seemed to have forgotten the intensity of battle after enjoying prosperity and peace for too long. In contrast, on Earth¡ªespecially the Korean Region, which was heavily influenced by Kim Chul-Soo¡ªit was quite normal for Navigators to act as a Tank. Of course, they often died doing so.

    <i>¡®With sword skills like that, I don¡¯t need to draw aggro.¡¯</i>

    She felt it was a good decision to bring him along. The Immortal Magic Soldiers red at Kyle with glowing red eyes. They were chanting spells, dropping small meteors on Kyle¡¯s head. Kyle was slicing through the meteors with his shing de while taking down more Immortal Magic Soldiers.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok stood in front of therge coffin, his eyes closed.

    <i>¡®Since they¡¯re all busy, I should fill in the audio for Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman had worked tirelessly to prove she was a suitable Navigator for livestreaming. Today was her chance to show her true value.

    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s one of the orthodox methods for dealing with skeleton soldiers! The Swordsman¡¯s technique of defeating enemies is faster than their regeneration rate, which makes them impossible toe back!¡±

    She sounded stiff as though she were reading from a textbook, but viewers¡¯ reactions were surprisingly positive.

    -She is so cute! LOL

    -Trying so hard. Haha!

    -No matter what anyone says, Mole Woman is the number one Navigator in the Korean Region. Fight me if you disagree.

    With Mole Woman¡¯s <i>contribution</i>, Jin-Hyeok could focus entirely on the coffin.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Omnipotent Director?.]</strong>

    The Principal of the Forgotten Magic School was an extremely powerful entity. Even with the Guardian Tree¡¯s buffs, Jin-Hyeok would need to be on guard against this opponent. If this was a normal y, Jin-Hyeok would have fought the boss monster with all his might. However, such exciting opponents were rare, so he had to find a more interesting way to fight.

    <strong>[The Principal¡¯s Resting ce is being deleted.]</strong>

    <strong>[It¡¯s protected by the System settings. It cannot be deleted.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok took out the Rule Breaker, Miri.

    <i>¡®I need you for this, Miri.¡¯</i>

    -I will be as rough as I can!

    Jin-Hyeok did not know if the coffin had a head or a temple, but Miri turned ck.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    -You shalle!

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    -You shalle for me!

    Finally, the Rule Breaker Miri seeded in breaking through the System settings.

    <strong>[You have deleted The Principal¡¯s Resting ce.]</strong>

    The coffin disappeared.

    -Wow, it took him four seconds to defeat the boss monster.

    -Can we even call this defeating it?

    -Anyway, the boss is gone.

    Some viewers expressed disappointment.

    -Isn¡¯t anyone curious why the Pangea Temple¡¯s boss is a magic school principal?

    -It¡¯s a shame. Clearing it properly would have revealed hidden lore.

    -Nah, I¡¯m not that curious.

    -I¡¯m just d he cleared the Dungeon.

    Jin-Hyeok sat down on the floor, breathing heavily, while Kyle wiped out the remaining Immortal Magic Soldiers. Some soldiers shot fireballs at Jin-Hyeok during this time, but he easily handled that.

    ¡°We have seeded in defeating the boss. A new space has opened up below.¡±

    Beneath where the coffin had been, they discovered a spacerge enough for a couple of people to enter. Insidey a sword emanating a holy aura.

 Chapter 397

    <h4>Chapter 397</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok jumped down toward this space.

    ¡°The sword is emitting an auspicious aura. I will pick it up.¡± After grasping the sword, he eximed in surprise. The sacred light seeping out of the de vanished instantly. ¡°The sword has turned into scrap metal.¡±

    It had transformed into an ordinary iron sword, the kind one could find anywhere. When he ced it back in its original spot, it miraculously reverted to its auspicious form.

    ¡°It seems I need tomunicate with this sword,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He wondered if he should employ his seduction technique again. However, he hesitated.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m on a livestream right now.¡¯ </i>He would have considered using it if he could turn off his livestream, but the thought of broadcasting his seduction technique live made him feel repulsed.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s embarrassing tock such intensity, but...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt it would be better not to use the seduction technique with such a reluctant mindset. Suddenly, Lee Hyeon-Seong¡¯s face shed in his mind. <i>¡®Hyeon-Seong summoned the Sword Spirit andmunicated with the sword on his own.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought this was probably the more orthodox method. <i>¡®But how exactly did he do it?¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok had never tried the orthodox method, summoning the Sword Spirit seemed incredibly difficult. His strong mental connection with Miri also made it challenging for him tomune with other weapons.

    Kyle, who had defeated all the Immortal Magic Soldiers, approached Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to summon a Sword Spirit?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as it looks,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Kyle could not understand why Jin-Hyeok was having such a hard time.

    ¡°You must have plenty of practice at the Cliff of Singing Swords. Didn¡¯t youmunicate with over seven hundred swords there and summon their Spirits...¡± Kyle suddenly stopped.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is not in his normal state!¡¯ </i>Kyle thought that Jin-Hyeok was exhausted after using his overwhelming power to instantly destroy the Dungeon boss¡¯s coffin. <i>¡®He must be indirectly asking for my help!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Let me summon the Sword Spirit for you,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°Kyle, you¡¯re my swordsmanship mentor who taught me how to reach the realm of the Mind Sword. Can you guide me once more?¡±

    At first, Kyle found it hard to understand, but he was beginning to grasp Jin-Hyeok¡¯s personality. There was no way Chul-Soo, who had summoned seven hundred Sword Spirits, was unaware of how to do it. <i>¡®This must be his strategy to naturally prolong the livestream.¡¯</i>

    Although they were very different, Kyle could not help but admire Jin-Hyeok¡¯s professional dedication. He decided to exin from the very basics, step by step. ¡°First, hold the sword in your hand. Physical connection makes it much easier tomune with the sword.¡±

    Kyle, the champion of the previous Sword Emperor Tournament and the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, began to teach Chul-Soo the orthodox method ofmunicating with the swords.

    ***

    The Assassins of the Cyril Alliance, thergest Assassin organization in Arvis, gritted their teeth.

    <i>¡®Our brothers have been murdered.¡¯</i>

    It was an unexpected ambush. They cursed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s cowardly act of bringing in the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit. Burning with fierce vengeance, they re-entered the Pangea Temple.

    <i>¡®We will wait for our chances.¡¯</i>

    True to their expertise as Assassins, they had thoroughly analyzed the Pangea Temple.

    ¡°We must eliminate the Corrupted Priests hiding behind the pirs to open the gateway to the underground,¡± one of them whispered.

    ¡°The Corrupted Priests should have been dealt with already,¡± another replied.

    They secretly followed Jin-Hyeok, assuming he had already defeated all the monsters.

    ¡°Wait, all the Corrupted Priests have respawned!¡±

    ¡°Their respawn rate is far beyond our expectations!¡±

    <i>¡®Did we miscalcte?¡¯</i>

    The Corrupted Priests had already regenerated and were chanting ominous spells. Various debuffs and curses rained down on the Assassins. As they were skilled Assassins, they managed to eliminate all the monsters, but they were far from pleased.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky, Kim Chul-Soo,¡± one Assassin murmured.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Be thankful to the heavens that our pursuit was dyed.¡±

    Simr situations continued to unfold.

    ¡°Why are the Tainted Holy Maidens still alive?¡±

    ¡°They respawned too?¡±

    Level 280 Tainted Holy Maidens were praying, shedding tears of blood.

    ¡°Be careful, these monsters are tricky.¡±

    A barrage of sound magic spells attacked the Assassins, destroying their auditory organs and shaking their mental fortitude. To make matters worse, the knights serving the Tainted Holy Maidens swung sharp spears, forcing the Cyril Alliance Assassins to break a sweat.

    ¡°Let¡¯s catch our breaths for a moment.¡±

    ¡°We should hide in the shadows.¡±

    Something was amiss.

    ¡°Should we check Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream before proceeding?¡±

    It was impossible for the monsters to have respawned this early. So, the Assassins considered the possibility that Chul-Soo had passed through these areas without engaging any of the monsters here.

    ¡°That¡¯s absurd, but... there is no other exnation.¡±

    They felt they should check Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    ¡°We can¡¯t check his livestream. Chul-Soo could trace us through the livestream.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s seriously wary of our existence. It would expose our position and strength.¡±

    In reality, Jin-Hyeok was not particrly concerned about them; it was just their assumption.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is very thorough.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®He must have left the monsters alone to throw off our pursuit!¡¯</i>

    They had to hide in the shadows and think for a while.

    ¡°At this rate, we will lose Chul-Soo. We need to take risks too.¡±

    Eventually, they agreed to check the livestream. When they turned it on, they could not believe what they saw.

    ¡°He has already entered the boss room?¡±

    ¡°How...?¡±

    ¡°Rewind the footage.¡±

    After examining what had happened in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, they were dumbfounded. They had never seen anyone break through to the boss room in such a manner. They reluctantly concluded:

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for us to reach the boss room.¡±

    ¡°Mole Woman is more impressive than we thought.¡±

    ¡°Her skills as a Navigator surpass our expectations.¡±

    This left them with one chance¡ªto attack when Chul-Soo¡¯s grouppletely cleared the Dungeon and escaped outside. The group would be the most vulnerable after exiting the Dungeon. That would be the Assassins¡¯ opportunity.

    But then, they sensed another presence.

    ¡°Someone is approaching. It¡¯s a human!¡±

    ***

    A young man with a slender build and spiky ash-gray hair slowly approached them, wearing goggles. He sat down on the corpse of a Tainted Holy Maiden.

    ¡°You must be hiding somewhere around here, Assassins of Cyril,¡± he called out.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Dungeon Destroyer contracted by the Three Sister Prophets. I wish to talk.¡±

    The Cyril Alliance Assassins, still concealed in the shadows, conferred among themselves.

    ¡°Dungeon Destroyer? Do they actually exist?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Rumors of the existence of professional Dungeon Destroyers had been circting widely. However, few people believed them. Aside from the ethical concerns of destroying Dungeons while people were inside them, it was assumed that the GMs would not allow such yers to exist.

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± one of the Assassins asked.

    ¡°There are many more possibilities in the world than you might think. There is a lot your world does not know about,¡± the young boy said. He smirked and shrugged. ¡°The Three Sister Prophets want Chul-Soo dead by any means. So, they hired me, and I¡¯m going to copse this Dungeon as requested. That alone should make it difficult for Chul-Soo to see the light of day again. But just in case, if he manages to survive and escape, I propose you ambush him.¡±

    ¡°You seem confident that we will ept your proposal.¡±

    ¡°Our goals align. Don¡¯t you think my proposal is efficient?¡±

    ***

    Outside the Pangea Temple, Samuel clicked his tongue as he looked at Shevian, whoy bleeding profusely.

    ¡°You have taken quite a beating, Son.¡±

    He seemed to have been struck by something like a hammer.

    ¡°Father...¡±

    ¡°Son, I was never actually poisoned.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I pretended to be poisoned to teach you this lesson. The world is never easy. An Assassin must be true to their nature. When an Assassin tries to imitate a Swordsman, it does not end well.¡±

    Shevian, severely injured by Miri, groaned and tossed about.

    ¡°Take this child away for treatment,¡± Samuel said.

    ¡°What will you do, Patriarch?¡± one of his subordinates asked.

    ¡°I will fulfill the Maier Family¡¯s mission.¡±

    Samuel bore no grudge against Chul-Soo. However, his mission was to kill all intruders who entered the Pangea Temple. He looked up at the sky.

    <i>¡®I have grown too lenient,¡¯ </i>Samuel thought. It seemed he had made a mistake by letting his previous intruders live. He should have made it impossible for them to even approach them. <i>¡®No one can take the treasure from this ce.¡¯</i>

    He nced back and said, ¡°If I do not return, take good care of Shevian. Though he¡¯s young and hasty, his potential surpasses mine. He could be the future head of this family.¡±

    Samuel Maier, head of the Maier Family, entered the Dungeon.

    <i>¡®Hm?¡¯ </i>There were others beside Chul-Soo inside. <i>¡®I guess Chul-Soo is more thorough than I thought.¡¯</i>

    It seemed Chul-Soo had stationed an unusual ash-haired fellow and other Assassins here. It was like Chul-Soo telling him, <i>¡®If you want to reach me, try getting past them first, Head of the Maier Family!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I will show you the power of the Maier Family,¡¯ </i>Samuel thought. He had walked the path of Assassin for decades. Now, he decided to unleash all the skills he had honed over the years.

    ***

    Kyle diligently(?) said, ¡°Rx and focus on your inner universe. You should find a small light sending out a voice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok concentrated on meditation, following Kyle¡¯s guidance. Eventually, he seeded in detecting a tiny light.

    -....me.

    Jin-Hyeok strained to hear the voice.

    -...touch me.

    Through his fingertips, he sensed the immense presence of the Great Sword Spirit. It was the aura of a hero who had dominated an era. The sword conveyed the dignity that only one who had reached the pinnacle could possess.

    -..to touch me!

    Jin-Hyeok focused harder, trying to understand what the sword was saying. <i>¡®What should I do tomune with the sword? What should I do to summon the materialized Sword Spirit? How should I respond to its will?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok concentrated on the sword¡¯s voice with reverence.

    -I want her to touch me!

    A great light pierced Jin-Hyeok¡¯s microcosm.

    <i>¡®Could it be!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had an epiphany. <i>¡®So, I needed to use the seduction technique on the sword after all!¡¯</i>

    As Jin-Hyeok abruptly stood up, Kyle scolded him. ¡°What are you doing, Chul-Soo? Just when you were about to focus properly...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok handed the sword to Mole Woman and said, ¡°Mole Woman, try speaking to the sword with all your heart.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s devoted viewer and a true Chul-Soo Lander, Mole Woman was already familiar with the previous episodes and immediately understood what he meant.

    <i>¡®He wants me to use the seduction technique!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought. Though she had never done it before, she decided to do her best to imitate Jin-Hyeok and Relphim. She wedged the sword handle between her breasts, then addressed the sword while exhaling her breath. ¡°Arise, the Spirit of the sword!¡±

    Kyle sighed in disbelief. This was a different level of absurditypared to their previous oundish actions. It was an insult to the way of the sword.

    ¡°How could such a vulgar act possibly summon the Sword Spi¡ª¡±

    The Sword Spirit manifested itself.

    Mole Woman mischievously grinned. <i>¡®Maybe I have a talent for the seduction technique...!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 398

    <h4>Chapter 398</h4>

    A gaunt elderly man appeared before them, his ribs visible through his skin.

    ¡°Are you the Great Sword Spirit?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Compared to other Sword Spirits, this one looked remarkably human-like. At a nce, one could even mistake him for a real person.

    Kyle had a lot to say to Jin-Hyeok. The Spirit¡¯smunion was supposed to be an incredibly intimate process. Even speaking aloud during that could break one¡¯s concentration. Attempting to talk with a Sword Spirit was a rookie mistake even beginners would not make.

    Chul-Soo seemed to have forgotten the basics due to his obsession with livestreaming. Being his swordsmanship mentor, Kyle feltpelled to give Chul-Soo a stern talking-to. However, just then, to his surprise, he heard the Spirit¡¯s voice out loud.

    ¡°Do I look great to you?¡± the old man said.

    <i>¡®What? I can hear his voice too?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    The old man picked his nose with his pinky finger. Not appearing particrly interested in Jin-Hyeok, he instead said, ¡°Hohoho. What a pretty young woman. How old are you?¡±

    Kyle grew even more bewildered.

    <i>¡®This Sword Spirit is interested in only Mole Woman... But his connection with Chul-Soo is deep enough that he can talk to others?¡¯</i>

    Kyle wondered what would happen if that old man focused onmunicating with just Chul-Soo. The Swordsman realized anew that Chul-Soo could summon over seven hundred Sword Spirits for a reason.

    <strong>[You havepleted a fragment of the Universe-level Scenario ¡¸Legacy of the Forsaken Queen¡¹.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have cleared the Quest ?The One Who Silenced the Swords¡¯ Song Shall Meet the Great Spirit?.]</strong>

    <strong>[The next story will now proceed.]</strong>

    Mole Woman nced at the old man, delighted to see him drooling while staring at her.

    <i>¡®Oh, we got a new viin in our hands!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought. This was definitely Eltube material. Every good content needed a viin. Viewers could unite in their enjoyment of criticizing the bad guy. <i>¡®You owe me one, Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    She was thrilled, feeling she had proven her worth. So, with a trembling voice, which the Sword Spirit mistook for a side effect of fear, she replied, ¡°I-I am fifteen years old.¡±

    ¡°Oh! How fresh and tender! That¡¯s my favorite age!¡±

    Viewers¡¯ints began to flood in.

    -Is this guy really a Sword Spirit?

    -What Great Sword Spirit will be so perverted?

    -Damn, he¡¯s too disgusting!

    Mole Woman blushed, imagining the viewers¡¯ passionate reactions.

    ¡°Thank you for appearing, Great Sword Spirit,¡± Mole Woman said. <i>¡®Rise, view count! Rise, number of likes! Let¡¯s get this to the trending page!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Hehehe, such good manners! I will grant you the honor of bing my servant and attending to me!¡± the old man said.

    ¡°What will I be doing to attend to you?¡±

    ¡°I will teach youter, hehe!¡± the Sword Spirit red his nostrils and beckoned, ¡°Come closer!¡±

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok approached the Sword Spirit.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if this is rted to the universe-level Scenario, I¡¯m going to kill this filthy bastard first.¡± Jin-Hyeok swung Miri toward the old man with an expression of fury.

    <i>Thwack! </i>

    Miri struck the old man. Having developed a taste for destroying weapons, the hammer rampaged excitedly.

    -Hehehe! Time to feast!

    ¡°You little...!¡± The grinning Sword Spirit closed in on Jin-Hyeok. Despite his vulgar attitude, the old man was incredibly agile.

    However, Jin-Hyeok was not alone.

    ¡°I will handle this old man.¡± The righteous Swordsman and the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s Captain, Kyle, stepped in to block the Spirit. He seemed enraged to the core. After all, Kyle was the father of a fifteen-year-old daughter. ¡°I will kill you, old man!¡±

    ***

    The infamous onlinemunity analyst Encyclopedia had be deeply engrossed in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreamstely. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestreams had a profound depth to them.

    <i>¡®What enormous secrets must be hidden in this universe-level Scenario?¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought. He continued to type at a feverish pace.

    <strong>[...thus, through the battle with the Great Sword Spirit, Chul-Soo will surely gain even more insight. He will be reborn as a Swordsman of an even higher caliber. We may be witnessing the birth of a new Sword King who will represent this era.]</strong>

    With bloodshot eyes, Encyclopedia scrutinized the livestreams. He wondered what Chul-Soo would learn from this battle, what would the universe-level Scenario¡¯s design bestow upon Chul-Soo, and whether Chul-Soo would properly receive it and grow further.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The Great Sword Spirit shattered far too easily. Thebination of Chul-Soo and Kyle proved much stronger than the Great Sword Spirit. Even as he vanished, the old man reached out toward Mole Woman.

    ?It was nice meeting you, youngdy! Hehehe!?

    Encyclopedia¡¯s expression darkened.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t think this should have happened,¡¯ </i>he thought. <i>¡®Surely, Chul-Soo should have learned something from the Great Sword Spirit! That would have allowed him to grow even further! Did the Sword Spirit really break?¡¯</i>

    Miri¡¯s ability to shatter weapons seemed far stronger than expected.

    <i>¡®Did Chul-Soo gain nothing from the battle?¡¯</i>

    Clearing a fragment of the universe-level Scenario without gaining any reward seemed like a painful loss. Encyclopedia felt an ache as if he was the one who had suffered a loss. He sighed, confiding his regret to his only friend.

    However, Marshmallow offered a different perspective. ¡°Yo, Encyclopedia. I know this sounds crazy, but what if...¡±

    ¡°Stop beating around the bush.¡±

    ¡°What if Chul-Soo has nothing left to learn from the Great Sword Spirit?¡±

    ¡°What...?¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be, right? That must be a mistake.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok wore a very satisfied smile.

    <strong>[(7) The One Who Silenced the Swords¡¯ Song Shall Meet the Great Spirit</strong>

    <strong>You who have silenced the swords¡¯ song through ???, your efforts and achievements shall shine forever. As the swords¡¯ song finally flows to one ce and sings a requiem, that ce shall be where the Great Spirit sleeps.</strong>

    <strong>(9) Legacy of the Great Sword Spirit</strong>

    <strong>The Great Sword Spirit has finally acknowledged you through ???. He will give you everything he has protected, for you are worthy to grasp the Sword Fragment. Take the Sword Fragment. It will fulfill your needs.]</strong>

    The universe-level Scenario had now reached milestone (9).

    <i>¡®I destroyed it only because I was angry,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    In truth, he had destroyed the sword containing the Great Sword Spirit on impulse. Even now, he could not quite understand why he had been so angry. He rationalized it by thinking, <i>¡®Viewers like it when viins are defeated. That¡¯s why I did it,¡¯ </i>but that was not aplete exnation. Regardless, he had reached milestone (9).

    Jin-Hyeok picked up the shattered sword with an emotional expression. ¡°Atst... I have received the Great Sword Spirit¡¯s acknowledgment.¡±

    -Can we even call this acknowledgment?

    -He picked up the Sword Fragment, so it counts as acknowledgment. I don¡¯t care what anyone else says.

    -Acknowledgement surees easy, huh?

    A debate broke out over whether this truly counted as acknowledgment, but the fact remained that Chul-Soo had obtained the Sword Fragment.

    ¡°Now the auspicious light does not fade even when I hold it.¡± Jin-Hyeok excitedly continued, ¡°Then, I will begin the enhancement.¡±

    ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± Kyle shouted. <i>¡®Who in their right mind would use an artifact obtained through a universe-level Scenario as enhancement material?¡¯ </i>

    However, there was no way to stop Jin-Hyeok when he had his mind on something. The viewer count once again surpassed two billion, and Jin-Hyeok was extremely satisfied.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°T-The enhancement is a sess! Miri has been enhanced!¡±

    Miri had now be very simr to yers. She had once again acquired a Trait.

    <strong>[Trait - Persistent and Sticky Desire]</strong>

    <strong>[The power to persistently pursue a target and ultimately fulfill one¡¯s desire.</strong>

    <strong>Activation Condition: Physical affection with Master.]</strong>

    Kyle, who had been extremely tense, panted as he berated Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo. Are you out of your mind?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What were you thinking? What if the weapon had shattered?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at Kyle as if Kyle were the strange one. ¡°Enhancements usually break things.¡±

    ¡°...?!¡±

    To make matters worse, Mole Woman nodded beside them, leaving Kyle with the odd feeling that he was the strange one.

    <i>¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t get swept up in this,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point! Do you really not understand the dangers of enhancement?¡± Kyle asked Jin-Hyeok. He knew very well that Jin-Hyeok had a deep mental bond with Miri. ¡°If a weapon you¡¯re so deeply connected with breaks, do you think your mind will remain intact?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at Kyle with an even stranger expression. ¡°I told you, enhancements usually break things.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok already understood what Kyle was saying. If Miri broke, his mind would break too. If he was lucky, he would be a vegetable; if unlucky, a madman.

    Jin-Hyeok calmly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird to attempt an enhancement without being prepared for that much...?¡±

    Kyle was speechless. <i>¡®That¡¯s for professional enhancers who dedicate their lives to enhancement! No, even they would not go this far!¡¯</i>

    While Kyle could not say anything, Jin-Hyeok continued with a satisfied smile, ¡°Before disappearing, the old man did give me the ability I needed.¡±

    <strong>[Take the Sword Fragment. It will fulfill your needs.]</strong>

    Lately, Jin-Hyeok had been thinking that rather than an area-of-effect Skill, he would prefer to have one precise and powerful attack Skill.

    ¡°You could say Persistent and Sticky Desire is like a precision-guided missile attack. Miri¡¯s destructive power now tracks a single target and strikes urately.¡±

    -Hehehe! I can persistently smash skulls!

    ¡°Miri seems to love it. The activation condition is also very simple. I hope I can showcase this Trait at an appropriate opportunity in the future.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok then shifted the topic. ¡°But this Dungeon is strange. We defeated the Dungeon boss, but the Dungeon is not cleared. And why was the temple¡¯s boss the Principal of the Magic School? It seems we have some story to unravel.¡±

    Mole Woman quickly chimed in. ¡°We will have to aim for a speed run another time.¡±

    It was not just about who cleared the Dungeon fastest anymore. This Pangea Temple had a secret hidden inside it, which would undoubtedly make the viewers curious.

    ¡°Mole Woman, do you have any hunches?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t find any clues right now either.¡±

    In the worst case, they would have to go back to the entrance and start over from the beginning.

    ¡°Since we have defeated the Dungeon boss andpleted a fragment of the universe-level Scenario, I am going to do a Q&A livestream for a while.¡±

    -Lol, did he just say that he¡¯ll do a Q&A livestream inside a Dungeon?

    -And it¡¯s an Unexplored Dungeon at that!

    This Unexplored Dungeon remained uncleared even after he had killed the boss monster. No one could predict what variables and dangers were still lurking there.

    -We do not consider variables because this is Chul-Soo we¡¯re talking about.

    -Ah, is this what they call romance?

 Chapter 399

    <h4>Chapter 399</h4>

    While some viewers enjoyed the Q&A livestream, many were quite concerned for Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s safety.

    -Isn¡¯t doing a Q&A livestream inside a Dungeon too dangerous?

    -Mr. Chul-Soo, please don¡¯t push yourself too hard!

    As Wang Yu-Mi ryed the viewers¡¯ sentiments to him, Jin-Hyeok felt warmth spread through his chest.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m just doing my job as intensely as I can,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    He was an Eltuber; Q&A livestreaming was a normal thing for him, no different than an office worker going to their workce or a chef cooking food for their customers. Yet, so many people were worried about him. It was a strange, but pleasant feeling. However, regardless of that, he had to focus on doing his job well.

    [What do you think of Mole Woman, not as a Navigator, but as a woman?]

    A viewer asked him that.

    <i>¡®As a woman? Why would I need to think about that?¡¯</i> Though Jin-Hyeok found the question difficult toprehend, he answered it sincerely for the sake of his viewers. ¡°I think her ability to use her seduction technique is better than expected. I do wonder why she does not hone that Skill more, though.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sincerely thought that Mole Woman did not have much aversion to using her feminine wiles, and it appeared to suit her well.

    [Are you thinking of getting married?]

    ¡°That depends on how well my marriage-rted content performs in terms of views,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Every era had its trends. If content about marriage became popr, he would be more than willing to get married.

    [If you were to get married, when do you n to do so?]

    ¡°When marriage content bes trendy, I suppose.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly tilted his head, wondering if other people thought of marriage in the same way.

    <i>¡®Have I be a bit strange somewhere along the line?¡¯</i>

    However, he did not think it was too odd. Since he had little interaction with other Eltubers, he simply assumed that this was probably how all Eltubers thought.

    Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok received a direct message.

    [I have discovered the secret of the Pangea Temple.]

    <i>¡®Kim Min-Ji?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Besides Yu-Mi, only the genius hacker Min-Ji could send him direct messages. Normally, he would have scolded her for not going through Yu-Mi, but today was different.

    [Actually, I wasn¡¯t the one who figured it out. It was the history genius Yolin!]

    ¡°I have received a message saying that the history genius Yolin has uncovered new information,¡± Jin-Hyeok announced to his viewers. ording to Yolin¡¯s findings, this ce had originally been a magic school of the ancient Mazique Empire. ¡°Before the reign of the Demon King Garbinu, the three empires¡ªMazique, Helen, and Swedeen¡ªfought bloody wars against each other. It was quite different from how things are now.¡±

    During that time, the Holy Empire of Helen had attacked the Mazique empire, destroying their magic school and building a temple on top of it. For Helen, it was a glorious victory. For Mazique, it was a humiliating defeat.

    [Then, wouldn¡¯t the one who destroyed the magic school and built the temple be the real dungeon boss?]

    Considering everything that had happened in the Dungeon, it would be more likely if the Dungeon was named as a magic school. Calling it a temple seemed odd.

    <i>¡®She has a point!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced.

    This revtion excited him far more than questions about Mole Woman¡¯s attractiveness or his marriage ns. Masking his excitement, he continued with a serious expression, ¡°It seems that what we have cleared so far is just the surface.¡±

    He began searching for a way to unlock the <i>true </i>Pangea Temple.

    ***

    The universe-level Scenario was ultimately rted to the Great Demon King Garbinu and the seven heroes who followed him.

    <i>¡®I suspect this one will be no different.¡¯ </i>Since it involved both a magic school and a temple, Jin-Hyeok thought, <i>¡®If it¡¯s rted to the temple, it might involve the Feyler Family. If it¡¯s about magic, it could be connected to the Heina Family.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had no particr connection with the Feyler Family, but he had quite a close rtionship with the Heina Family.

    <i>¡®Wait, are we really close?¡¯ </i>he thought. Fyurel, the Mad Sorceress and the head of the Heina Family, was in a romantic rtionship with Kang Eun-Woo. Jin-Hyeok had introduced them, so he considered himself to be on good terms with Fyurel. <i>¡®If I talk to Eun-Woo, she mighte here.¡¯</i>

    Of course, he wasn¡¯t sure if someone of the Mad Sorceress¡¯s stature would deign to visit this barren Server¡ªthough by Arvis ranker standards, all Servers were barren¡ªjust because Eun-Woo asked.

    <i>¡®Still, it¡¯s worth a try.¡¯</i>

    After receiving the request through Yu-Mi, Eun-Woo carefully broached the subject. ¡°Um... Fyurel...¡±

    Fyurel lifted her head, looking at Eun-Woo with the most vibrant eyes in the world. ¡°What is it, my dear?¡±

    ¡°I have a favor to ask you...¡±

    Eun-Woo was Fyurel¡¯s lover and someone who respected her social status and honor. Asking one of Arvis¡¯s top rankers to visit a Dungeon in a barren Server could be considered rude. It was unclear if this visit would even yield anything, and the time of such a high-ranking yer was truly as precious as gold. As Fyurel¡¯s lover, Eun-Woo was hesitant to waste that valuable time.

    ¡°Why are you hesitating so much?¡± Fyurel asked.

    ¡°It might be an impolite request, but... could you go to the Pangea Temple?¡±

    Fyurel slowly got up from her seat. She seemed slightly annoyed. Eun-Woo was prepared to endure even harsh words from her. The Mad Sorceress was often described as a talented but unstable and crazy yer by others. Eun-Woo knew her temperament very well.

    ¡°If it is a request from my brother-inw, I will go right away,¡± Fyurel said.

    ***

    Since they had already received a terrible beating once, the Assassins of the Cyril Alliance remained on high alert.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo must have left these monsters behind because of us.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was far more meticulous than they had expected. He was thoroughly prepared for ambushes. That was why he had left the Corrupted Priests and the Tainted Holy Maidens (though they were not sure how) and fled to the boss room. Now, even the Dungeon Destroyer had joined them.

    ¡°At the crucial moment, I will copse the Dungeon, " the Dungeon Destroyer dered.

    The Cyril Assassins nodded.

    ¡°So, Chul-Soo¡¯s party will escape then, and we should take that opportunity to ambush them, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? No one can survive a copsing Dungeon. Not even the Sword Emperor Tournament champion.¡± The man with spiky ash-gray hair, Dungeon Destroyer Dist, was extremely confident. ¡°Just don¡¯t interfere and admire my skills. That¡¯s your job.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And give me some apuse too.¡±

    The Cyril Alliance Assassins wanted to behead this Dungeon Destroyer right then and there, but they had to endure for the greater cause.

    ¡°You are quite full of yourself. We have faced Chul-Soo too. He was more cunning than we thought. He has surely made many preparations.¡±

    ¡°Even so, he can¡¯t prepare for the copse. This isn¡¯t like a small ident. This is a catastrophe.¡±

    Dist had never failed even once before. Nevertheless, numerous sesses could often breedcency. He tended to underestimate Chul-Soo, which made the Assassins frown.

    ¡°Hey, Dungeon Destroyer, don¡¯t you realize anything from seeing all these monsters that he left alive on purpose? Chul-Soo must...¡±

    At that moment, an Assassin covered Dist¡¯s mouth and hid in the shadows. Startled, Dist tried to elbow the Assassin in the sr plexus, but his physical abilities were no match for the Assassin¡¯s.

    <i>¡®These cowards!¡¯ </i>Dist thought. <i>¡®Do they want to take me out because they are afraid of my prowess? How typical of these sneaky Assassins.¡¯</i>

    However, the Cyril Assassins had not betrayed Dist. One of them gestured <i>¡®Shh!¡¯ </i>and retreated deeper into the shadows.

    ¡°Stay still, Dungeon Destroyer. It seems Chul-Soo¡¯s sneaky tactics have begun,¡±<i> </i>one Assassin whispered. No one knew Assassins better than other Assassins. Hiring Assassins to counter other Assassins wasmon sense. ¡°Chul-Soo has hired an Assassin. A terrifying one at that.¡±

    ***

    Samuel Maier, the head of the Maier Family, was shocked.

    <i>¡®He has stationed Assassins here?¡¯</i>

    No one knew Assassins better than other Assassins. Samuel realized Chul-Soo was far more meticulous than he had expected.

    <i>¡®About three of them, I¡¯d say.¡¯ </i>Being an exceptional Assassin himself, Samuel immediately gauged his opponents¡¯ abilities. They were high-ranking Assassins. <i>¡®Each one is a ranker level. Chul-Soo must have poured an enormous amount of money into this.¡¯</i>

    However, it did not matter to him. Samuel was the head of the Maier Family. If his opponents had excellent assassination skills, he would simply overwhelm them with even better skills.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a good thing I came instead of Shevian.¡¯</i>

    While Shevian had great potential, he was too hot-blooded and inexperienced. Hecked in many areas when it came to fighting skilled Assassins.

    <i>¡®I will show them the pinnacle of assassination.¡¯</i>

    As he infused himself with mana, his legs became lighter, and his form began to blend with the surrounding objects.

    ***

    Battles between Assassins were never shy. To the untrained eye, nothing would be visible. They would hear only asional whispers of wind.

    The Assassins recognized each other¡¯s skills.

    <i>¡®One mistake will determine victory or defeat,¡¯ </i>one of the Cyril Assassins thought. That one mistake would separate life from death. A split second would decide their fate. <i>¡®We need to be very careful.¡¯</i>

    They moved minimally, securing their safety while maneuvering stealthily. Though their battle was not long, it consumed an immense amount of mental energy.

    <i>¡®His breathing is bing ragged.¡¯</i>

    Both the Cyril Assassins and their opponent knew each other too well. In a state of extreme tension, the opponent¡¯s breathing becamebored. As the tension persisted, his stamina began to deplete. This was exactly what the Cyril Alliance Assassins were aiming for.

    <i>¡®It seems his individual skills are superior.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®But time is on our side.¡¯</i>

    When everyone''s stamina dropped, the side with greater numbers would usually win. As one¡¯s stamina depleted, gaps would appear in one¡¯s defense, and with more people, the chances to exploit those gaps would increase dramatically.

    Suddenly, the Cyril Assassins heard someone chanting a magic incantation.

    ¡°Burn to a crisp.¡±

    Though the incantation was somewhat rude, its power was beyond imagination. It was as if a massive forest fire had engulfed the entire Dungeon. The mes conjured by the Mad Sorceress Fyurel began to swallow the Assassins like the sun itself.

    <i>¡®Wow, I¡¯m lucky,¡¯ </i>Fyurel thought as she grinned. She was surprised that these Assassins were unable to conceal their presence. It was very rare for skilled individuals like them to expose their positions like that. Though she did not fully understand why this was happening, they seemed extremely exhausted, and Fyurel did not miss this opportunity.

    ¡°So, these are the ones targeting my brother-inw.¡±

    She was angry that these Assassins were targeting the man who had brought her and her beloved together. So, she decided to kill them all.

 Chapter 400

    <h4>Chapter 400</h4>

    Fyurel despised Assassins with a passion. Most Mages felt the same way. Due to their nature, Mages couldn¡¯t easily react to instant moves inbat. The act of calctingplex magical forms, drawing magic circles, andbining mana in the appropriate manner to use spells did not exactly mesh well with the demands of a real-time battle.

    That was why Assassins were a problem for Mages; they struck Mages at weak points without giving them any time to prepare. If Fyurel could eliminate such troublemakers now, it would only help her.

    ¡°These scoundrels are after my brother-inw,¡± she said.

    The Assassins from the Cyril Alliance and Samuel Maier felt threatened by Fyurel¡¯s presence.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>

    <i>¡®We were too busy with each other to notice this.¡¯</i>

    Due to their fight, they had allowed the Mad Sorceress to approach them and cast her spell. The Cyril Alliance Assassins believed this was part of Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s trap.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo, you cunning bastard!¡¯ </i>

    <i>¡®What a terrifying scheme!¡¯</i>

    Using an Assassin to attack other Assassins, then taking advantage of the chaos to deploy a Mage¡ªit was brilliant. Fyurel¡¯s mes engulfed the Assassins. As the fire raged, they sensed their life force flickering out. One of the Cyril Alliance Assassins bitterly muttered, ¡°We should have killed Chul-Soo when we had the chance...¡±

    Samuel¡¯s eyes widened at those words. ¡°You too?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    They realized toote that they had the same goal and that Chul Soo hadpletely fooled them. Now they could clearly see Chul-Soo¡¯s true intentions. It seemed he was not merely interested in eliminating them.

    <i>¡®He wanted to humiliate and mock us!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo, you devious, demonic bastard!¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, Fyurel¡¯s mes died down. The Assassins seized the opportunity and vanished in a sh. Fyurel then turned to Kang Eun-Woo, who had been hiding behind her, and asked, ¡°Sweetie, are you sure it¡¯s okay to let them all go like that? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just kill them?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo probably wants those guys toe after him,¡± Eun-Woo said while shaking his head.

    These Assassins were skilled professionals, and they seemed to be seething with rage. If they were tounch a surprise attack on Chul-Soo in their current state, it would benefit Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    <i>¡®I might earn some praise from Chul-Soo.¡¯ </i>Eun-Woo contentedly smiled.

    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re smiling, I¡¯m happy.¡± Fyurel beamed as well.

    ***

    Eun-Woo¡¯s group swiftly advanced toward the Dungeon¡¯s boss room. Eun-Woo muttered disappointedly, ¡°Mole Woman was much faster than this...¡±

    They were apanied by Lessefim, supposedly one of the best Navigators around, but her skills seemedckluster.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lessefim snapped, feeling deeply wronged.

    Mole Woman¡¯s abilities were more of a glitch than an actual Skill. However, Lessefim could not bring herself to badmouth Chul-Soo¡¯spanion. There was an unspoken code among Navigators, after all.

    ¡°I am a traditionalist,¡± Lessefim exined.

    ¡°Whether you¡¯re a traditionalist or not, isn¡¯t being faster better?¡± Eun-Woo countered.

    ¡°Listen here. Speed isn¡¯t everything. It¡¯s just one aspect of Dungeon y. In fact, going too fast means missing a lot. What¡¯s more important is efficient coordination and ying at a reasonable pace.¡±

    ¡°That may be true, but you¡¯re still slower than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Lessefim wanted to argue that she was not slow¡ªMole Woman was just abnormally fast. She wanted to challenge Eun-Woo to ask any Navigator in the world who was doing a better job. However, she had so much to say that she didn¡¯t know where to begin. She could only express her frustration by angrily pointing fingers at Eun-Woo.

    ¡°Do not point at my sweetie like that. I might just burn your arm off,¡± Fyurel said.

    Lessefim quickly lowered her finger and scratched her neck. ¡°I was just... itchy.¡±

    Despite the hups, Eun-Woo¡¯s party managed to reach the Dungeon¡¯s boss room safely. As they arrived, Fyurel took a deep breath. <i>¡®The scent of a powerful being.¡¯ </i>

    Fyurel could smell a strong magical aura permeating the air. She rarely encountered such a smell, which typically emanated from extraordinarily powerful monsters.

    ¡°There must have been quite a formidable monster here. What on earth did you defeat?¡± Fyurel asked.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression fell slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you watch my livestream?¡±

    ¡°I only saw up to the point where you entered the Dungeon.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, Kyle, looked at Chul-Soo with disbelief.

    <i>¡®Why does he look so disappointed?¡¯ </i>Kyle wondered. Fyurel had clearlye here as quickly as possible, even enlisting the help of Lessefim, a tracking specialist. There was no way she could have gotten the time to watch Chul-Soo¡¯s entire livestream. <i>¡®Surely, he doesn¡¯t expect her to have watched the livestream while ying, right?¡¯</i>

    No matter how obsessed he was with his livestreams, that level of expectation seemed unreasonable.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression remained stony.

    <i>¡®I guess my livestream was notpelling enough to make people want to watch it even during their own y,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°With traces like this, it must have been an incredible monster. Why are there no signs of battle?¡± Fyurel asked.

    Kyle answered on Chul-Soo¡¯s behalf. ¡°He took it down with a single attack.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± mes flickered to life in Fyurel¡¯s hands. ¡°Sweetie, can I have a serious fight with my brother-inw? No, I suppose not. What am I saying? A delicatedy like myself should not enjoy fighting, hohoho!¡±

    ***

    Spotting Lessefim, Mole Woman began to tense up.

    <i>¡®Lessefim!¡¯ </i>

    In the past, Mole Woman¡¯s rival had been Pathfinder Han Sae-Rin. They had intenselypared for the top ranking in the Korean Region. However, Sae-Rin had shifted her path toward bing a Ruler, and now Lessefim was Mole Woman¡¯spetitor.

    ¡°You were much slower than I expected, moly,¡± Mole Woman taunted Lessefim.

    Lessefim¡¯s face, already stinging from Fyurel¡¯s earlierments, turned bright red.

    ¡°Speed isn¡¯t everything, you know!¡± Lessefim yelled.

    ¡°But Chul-Soo wanted speed, moly.¡±

    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>! Your method was recklessly dangerous. That gli¡ª¡± Lessefim caught herself before saying <i>glitch y </i>and quickly changed her words. ¡°That stupid y of yours... Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so dangerous about it, moly?¡±

    ¡°You explored underground in that bizarre way.¡±

    To a traditional Navigator like Lessefim, it was an absurd method. The underground space that the other party had traversed did not exist¡ªit was an interdimensional space. With just a bit of bad luck, they could have been trapped in the dimensional rift forever.

    ¡°That kind of risk is very trivial, moly.¡±

    ¡°Trivial?¡±

    Lesseifm was so dumbfounded that she looked to Jin-Hyeok, her eyes demanding support.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head and said, ¡°It is indeed trivial.¡±

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, it was only natural. Enhancement always came with the risk of breaking the weapon, and Dungeon raids were inherently dangerous. That was obvious to Jin-Hyeok. Moreover, during livestreaming, such idents were bound to happen. He thought it would be dishonest to aim to be a universe-level ranker without epting at least this much risk.

    However, Kyle¡¯s face turned pale. The more Kyle heard their conversation, the more he realized how insane these people were.

    <i>¡®What good woulde from fighting this crazy person?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. A truth he had been avoiding began to stir his heart. <i>¡®I don¡¯t want to fight him.¡¯</i>

    Perhaps his desire to settle things with Chul-Soo had been born of arrogance. He had a family to protect. False madness always crumbled in the face of true insanity. Kyle began to rationalize his thoughts.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party started discussing how to reveal the true form of the Pangea Temple. Fyurel said with a bored expression, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what we should do, but why not just burn it?¡±

    Kyle brightened at those words. Although Fyurel was known as the Mad Sorceress, her suggestion seemed rtively sanepared to those of the others gathered here.

    ¡°Right, I happen to have a fragment from the coffin that Chul-Soo destroyed,¡± Kyle said.

    The Dungeon boss, the Principal of the Magic School, had been sleeping in that coffin. Kyle had kept the fragment, thinking it could be an important artifact. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Kyle. He was not expecting admiration like, <i>¡®Wow, you are not even a Navigator, but you thought to keep such an important artifact? As expected from the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit!¡¯</i>

    However, he certainly did not expect them to look at him as if he were an idiot.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You are saying nonsense, moly.¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

    Then, Chul-Soo¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°In that case, I will have to protect Mole Woman.¡±

    <i>¡®Why is he trying to protect Mole Woman when burning the coffin fragment? Does this make any sense?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Red mes erupted from Fyurel.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute! This is far too much mana just to burn a fragment!¡¯ </i>Only then did Kyle understand what Fyurel had meant.

    <i>¡®She intends to burn down the entire Dungeon!¡¯</i>

    This was madness. The Dungeon was a collection of countless variables. No one knew what would happen if it was suddenly attacked with such powerful magic. Kyle, who had followed Arvis¡¯s elite course, thought that these people suffered from a severeck of safety awareness. He desperately looked at Lessefim for help.

    <i>¡®Lessefim is the only one I can trust!¡¯</i>

    However, Lessefim had no time to spare a nce at Kyle. Mole Woman was busy stripping off her clothes.

    ¡°Mole Woman, you cowardly, petty girl! If you¡¯re a Navigator, fight like one with your navigating abilities!¡± Lessefim said.

    The ce had be like a hot sauna. The surroundings were dyed red and transformed into a realm of mes.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s too hot, moly.¡± Mole Woman¡¯s attire was now barely decent. Thanks to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Absolute Barrier, she had not shed a single drop of sweat. She grinned. <i>¡®I won, tracking specialist Lessefim!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Everyone was insane. Everyone had gone mad. Realizing he was the only sane person here, Kyle desperately clung to his sanity. Even for the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, this inferno was incredibly threatening. It was truly befitting of the unrestrained firepower of the Mad Sorceress.

    <i>¡®But such a brute force method cannot work,¡¯</i> Kyle thought.

    Traditionally, clearing a Dungeon required multiple Navigators cooperating. No matter how powerful the Mad Sorceress¡¯s mes were, they could not possibly bring about a positive change in this Dungeon.

    <i>¡®This magical power will only create extremely dangerous situations.¡¯</i>

    Being the only sane man among these made people, Kyle gripped his faltering mind and prepared for any unexpected variables.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>

    Something was falling from the sky. Upon noticing it, Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    <i>¡®It worked!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Fyurel¡¯s method had been sessful.

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401

    ¡°Watch out! A massive stone pir is crashing down toward us!¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    An enormous pir pierced through the temple¡¯s ceiling and hit the ground with a thunderous boom. It burrowed deep into the earth, right beside the ce where the coffin of the Principal of the Magic School had been.

    ¡°I can feel a strange mana enveloping the stone pir.¡±

    Dust billowed up, and an eerie silence fell over the temple. Jin-Hyeok captured this situation in his livestream as if it were straight out of a thriller movie.

    ¡°Look, the pir¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The pir instantly transformed into a colossal being. ¡°It¡¯s a Giant!¡±

    With each step the Giant took, the ground trembled.

    [¡°I clearly instructed that magic was to be forbidden.¡±]

    Amanding voice echoed throughout the space, its power overwhelming everyone.<strong>[VL411/Ancient Rock Giant/Skills]</strong>

    The Ancient Rock Giant was d in pristine white priestly robes adorned with a yellow cross on its chest. Its appearance alone suggested that it was connected to the universe-level Scenario.

    The Giant bellowed.

    [¡°Which insolent wretch dares defy my orders and use magic?¡±]

    The Ancient Rock Giant swept its gaze over the tiny life forms at its feet, its eyes glowing ominous blue.

    [¡°Who¡¯s the defiant one? Confess, foolish children! I shall mercifully spare the rest for one miserable life.¡±]

    Jin-Hyeok was ted at the Giant¡¯s overwhelming presence. Just its presence here created tension. He wondered how he could make his livestream even more thrilling in this situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s those guys over there, moly!¡± Mole Woman pointed at the Cyril Alliance Assassins hiding behind a pir.

    The Ancient Rock Giant turned its head, making a grinding sound of stone turning against stone.

    ¡°They must havebined their powers to cast a joint spell, moly! Look, they are still using invisibility magic to hide, moly!¡±

    [¡°I shall save you all from evil!¡±]

    Its eyes shed green as it murmured an ancient magical incantation.

    [¡°¨¹meq ?t¨¹ll¨¹kler ke-mizle¡±]

    The Giant materialized a massive stone spear in the air and hurtled it through the air at a terrifying speed. The rocky projectile pierced through the pir and impaled one of the Cyril Alliance Assassins hiding behind it.

    ¡°ARGH!!¡± The Assassin died instantly.

    The Giant¡¯s abilities were not limited to offensive magic. The spear that had skewered the Assassin sprouted arms and legs, transforming into the Ancient Rock Giant. The Giant had instantly switched its position.

    Jin-Hyeok remained focused on his livestream. ¡°It seems to be a type of teleportation magic.¡±

    ¡°That bastard! The Giant didn¡¯t fall for it, moly!¡± Mole Woman immediately informed Jin-Hyeok about it.

    The Ancient Rock Giant had not been fooled by her lies. It had urately identified who had ignited this powerful me. By attacking the Assassins, it was simply eliminating minor variables before confronting the true enemy.

    Jin-Hyeok found this slightly bewildering. <em>¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be weirder if the monster fell for such obvious lies?¡¯</em>

    Anyone could see that Fyurel had caused this inferno. Even now, intense mes were flickering above her.

    Mole Woman tilted her head. ¡°Male entities usually fall for my lies pretty easily¡­ Maybe the monster is not a male?¡±

    Regardless of her confusion, Mole Woman had been observing the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s movements and noticed something. ¡°Its core seems to be hidden deep in the right chest area, moly.¡±

    Every time the Ancient Rock Giant swung its massive fist, a minute amount of mana leaked out of that ce.

    ¡°We can probably defeat it by destroying the core, but it hardly shows any opening, moly.¡±

    The Giant¡¯s skin appeared too tough to break from the outside. At Level 400, with the added benefits of being a hidden boss monster, this Dungeon boss was indeed a formidable opponent.

    ¡°Still, don¡¯t you think you can break it, moly?¡± Mole Woman asked Chul-Soo.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡±

    Mole Woman wondered why she had thought Chul-Soo could break it; she needed to reflect on herself.

    ***

    Samuel Maier, the only survivor among the Assassins, barely managed to escape.

    <em>¡®Kim Chul-Soo¡­!¡¯ </em>Samuel used to believe he knew a great deal about Chul-Soo, but he was wrong. Chul-Soo had been ying him like a fiddle all along. He could have never expected that Chul-Soo would use a Dungeon boss to eliminate the Assassins sent to kill him. <em>¡®He could¡¯ve dealt with me directly if he wanted to.¡¯</em>

    At first, he thought Chul-Soo had been just mocking him with his actions. But upon further reflection, Samuel understood it differently.

    <em>¡®It was all for the sake of his livestream¡¯s diversity.¡¯ </em>Such dedication to one¡¯s Job was rare. As an experienced Assassin, Samuel admired Jin-Hyeok¡¯s passion and intensity. <em>¡®He is worth emting.¡¯</em>

    He found Chul-Soo¡¯s dedication almost beautiful in a way. Nevertheless, he still had to kill the Streamer.

    <em>¡®How should I do it?¡¯ </em>He contemted it. After facing such a powerful ancient monster, even Chul-Soo would struggle to return safely. Moreover, the Dungeon Destroyer was preparing to make the Dungeon copse. <em>¡®For now, I will retreat and wait for the next opportunity.¡¯</em>

    As the head of the Maier Family and an Assassin who had never failed, Samuel resolved to n a more meticulous attack.

    ***

    ¡°Ancient Rock Giant!¡± Jin-Hyeok said,

    The Giant slowly turned around, its fists dripping with blood.

    [¡°Who dares call my name?¡±]

    ¡°It is I, O Ancient Rock Giant.¡± Jin-Hyeok raised his hand.

    [¡°State your family name, given name, and religious order.¡±]

    ¡°My name is Mitra of the Feyler Family. I serve Gaia, the Goddess of Earth.¡±

    Even Mole Woman stared at Jin-Hyeok for his brazen response. <em>¡®His livestreaming skills have improved even more, moly!¡¯ </em>

    [¡°You have a fine faith, young one. I, too, once adored the Goddess Gaia.¡±]

    As Jin-Hyeok conversed with the Ancient Rock Giant, Fyurel began gathering mana. Casting a powerful spell required time and concentration. Fyurel intended to melt the Ancient Rock Giant entirely. Of course, expending such mana would leave her incapacitated for days, but that did not matter to her.

    <em>¡®Burn eternally, Phoenix!¡¯ </em>Fyurel internally cast her spell.

    As Fyurelpleted the spell, seven phoenixes emerged from the magic circle.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced. <em>¡®Those are phoenixes¡­!¡¯</em>

    Those were the legendary phoenixes, firebirds that could regenerate endlessly and were impervious to any attack. This spell was the most difficult to execute among fire-based summoning spells, but it also boasted the most firepower.

    ¡°The eternal phoenixes have revealed themselves to burn another life! This is my first time seeing a phoenix!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s excitement was transmitted directly to the viewers.

    -Wait, so phoenixes never die?

    -But didn¡¯t Chul-Soo eat the Phoenix Heart?

    -That¡¯s something a phoenix gives as a gift to someone it likes.

    A Phoenix Heart was a heart-shaped me that a phoenix would give to its friends as a gift. People just called it a Phoenix Heart, but in reality, phoenixes did not have hearts.

    Eating just one of those Phoenix Hearts could grant someone immunity to all poisons below the Snake King level, showcasing its incredible power.

    However, the Ancient Rock Giant did not seem particrly surprised.

    [¡°How dare you! You are capable of nothing but burning things!¡±]

    The Giant crossed its arms in an X-shape to block the Phoenixes¡¯ attack. The birds collided with its arms and scattered in all directions. Part of the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s priestly robes and arms melted, but nearby stones flew in to regenerate him. Even Jin-Hyeok could not help but marvel at the sight.

    ¡°The monster seems to have tremendous magic resistance. Perhaps there is a magic resistance buff on those priestly robes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The sleeves of the Giant¡¯s robe had melted. If Fyurel could summon the phoenixes again, the attack could be somewhat sessful, but Fyurel was not in an ideal condition. She had poured everything into this spell, so she needed to rest.

    This demonstrated the strengths and weaknesses of Mages in battle. They boasted overwhelming firepower but faced significant risks if they failed.

    Meanwhile, the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, Kyle, approached the monster and swung his sword. A loud ng echoed, and sparks flew. Kyle¡¯s expression darkened. His attack had failed to prate the Ancient Rock Giant.

    The Ancient Rock Giant levitated dozens of small rocks, each the size of a watermelon, andunched them at Kyle. Even Kyle struggled to fend off the barrage.

    ¡°It seems the monster¡¯s resistance to physical attacks is even stronger than its magic resistance. It¡¯s truly powerful,¡± Jin-Hyeokmented, his heart pounding with excitement.

    ***

    The Ancient Rock Giant could notpletely dominate Fyurel and Kyle. As powerful as the Giant was, thebination of Fyurel and Kyle was equally formidable.

    Intense mes erupted; enormous stone spears asrge as houses flew through the air; and Kyle¡¯s swords, capable of cutting even diamonds, glimmered. After several rounds of storm-likebat, a brief lull settled in.

    ¡°While the Ancient Rock Giant is undoubtedly a strong Dungeon boss, something is oddly awkward about it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. This strange sense of difort had kept Jin-Hyeok from joining the battle.

    Mole Woman was surprised. She had been feeling something simr but could not pinpoint what it was. While she hesitated to speak, Jin-Hyeok had voiced it first.

    <em>¡®He probably just noticed the awkwardness, right?¡¯ </em>she thought. <em>¡®Surely, he could not have figured it out faster than me, a Navigator. Or at least, he shouldn¡¯t have.¡¯</em>

    ¡°It¡¯s particrly awkward when it swings its fists. Mole Woman, what do you think?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I, I thought so too, moly!¡±

    ¡°Why do we sense this awkwardness from such a powerful boss monster?¡±

    Unable to admit her ignorance, Mole Woman offered the first thing that came to mind. ¡°Maybe fists aren¡¯t its specialty, moly?¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    <em>¡®As expected of Mole Woman!¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Feeling Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze, Mole Woman discreetly averted her eyes. Since she couldn¡¯t confess that she had just made something up, she felt a twinge of guilt.

    ¡°A closer analysis of its movements tells me that the Ancient Rock Giant was originally a priest who wielded arge, blunt weapon. It appears to have lost that weapon now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said seriously. ¡°As we can tell from the name of the Dungeon boss room, it wasn¡¯t simply closed off from society.¡±

    If it had been, the keyword <em>forgotten </em>would not have appeared in the name of the boss room.

    ¡°The Dungeon¡¯s boss room is called The Principal¡¯s Office of the Forgotten Magic School. It seems the temple forced this magic school to be forgotten. In other words, I suspect it was closer to a sealing rather than a closure. And the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s weapon¡ªa divine object¡ªwas likely used in that sealing. Mole Woman, is this what you were going to say?¡±

    <em>¡®M-Moly?¡¯ </em>She was so flustered that she missed a crucial fact: while someone else was having a battle with the Ancient Rock Giant, they were having a surprisingly calm conversation.

 Chapter 402

    <h4>Chapter 402</h4>

    Mole Woman was confused. <i>¡®Can people normally infer so much from just the keyword </i>forgotten<i>? Is it easier for Kim Chul-Soo because Eltubers like to let their imagination run wild? It¡¯s impressive, but I can¡¯t lose to him!¡¯</i>

    ¡°In that case, we need to find that divine object,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°?!¡± Mole Woman felt like he had stolen her line. She had been about to say the exact same thing, but he was faster. A strange feeling welled up inside her.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s weird, but why do I feel like he¡¯s trying to keep me in check, moly? I must be imagining things. Why would he need to do that to me? A Navigator?¡¯</i>

    Then, a thought shed through her mind.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that sword suspicious? The one inside which the Great Sword Spirit is sleeping.

    Mole Woman was referring to the sword with the sleeping Sword Spirit, which was lying beneath the Principal of the Forgotten Magic School.

    <i>¡®But it would have been destroyed and turned to dust by now, moly.¡¯</i>

    ¡°You might not have noticed, but I have a way, Mole Woman,¡± Jin-Hyeok quickly replied.

    Mole Woman had a strange feeling that Jin-Hyeok was constantlypeting with her.

    ¡°O holy Ancient Rock Giant! This weak servant who serves the Goddess Gaia wishes to return your divine weapon to you!¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait ?Time Reversal?.]</strong>

    The Trait Time Reversal replicated artifacts that Miri had previously destroyed.

    When Jin-Hyeok activated the Skill, Miri emanated a light, creating a halo of light. At that moment, Mole Woman realized that the world had momentarily turned gray.

    <i>¡®Wait a minute! How can we have such a calm conversation? Weren¡¯t we in the middle of an intense battle?¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought. <i>¡®Did... Did he use Omnipotent Director to pause the Dungeon¡¯s time, moly?¡¯</i>

    Swordsmanship skills were most suitable for a Swordsman. Naturally, they worked best when a person was wielding a sword. If one used a sword Skill while holding an axe, the Skill would either not work properly or be less effective. Simrly, an Eltuber¡¯s Skills were the most effective when used by an Eltuber.

    <i>¡®He stopped time so that we could talk with the Ancient Rock Giant!¡¯</i>

    While Chul-Soo could stop time for only a moment when attacking enemies, it was different for conversations. Moreover, the Fourth Hell was a territory where the Guardian Tree¡¯s power was stronger.

    <i>¡®Yeah. There is no way a powerful yer like Chul-Soo wouldpete with me, moly.¡¯</i>

    It would be too unreasonable to think that someone with such abilities wouldpete with her, a yer merely ranked first in the Korean Region rankings.

    ***

    Garcia, the head of the Feyler Family, was the second-inmand of the Helen Empire. His influence, second only to the Pope¡¯s, made him both the core and spiritual pir of the Holy Empire.

    Garcia watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream with an expressionless face. ¡°That¡¯s the Rock Giant.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s surprising that this fallen priest, who only existed in records, has shown up,¡± Gerdock said. Gerdok was a leopard Beastkin and also Garcia¡¯s aide. He carefully asked, ¡°Surely, Chul-Soo won¡¯t be able to materialize the Rock Giant¡¯s mace, right?¡±

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Garcia replied.

    The Ancient Rock Giant was one of the ancient priests who served Gaia, the Earth Goddess. Records stated that he had be obsessed with Gaia, sold his soul to a demon, and invaded Gaia¡¯s domain. As punishment, he was sealed somewhere in Hell.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that no one could stop the Ancient Rock Giant when he was wielding the mace and that the Mad God had to intervene?¡± Gerdok asked.

    Even the great ancient heroes could not stop the fallen priest who had sold his soul to a demon.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a legend,¡± Garcia replied.

    Though this story was quite detailed for a legend, there was no way Chul-Soo could materialize the mace in that situation. Moreover, Time Reversal produced replicas of artifacts Miri had destroyed. At best, Chul-Soo could only copy the sword that was just broken.

    ¡°What a waste of time.¡±

    The Ancient Rock Giant was strong, but thebination of Chul-Soo, Fyurel, and Kyle was enough to handle it. With excellent Navigators like Mole Woman and Lessefim there too, they would eventually find a way to defeat the monster.

    Garcia was about to put down his phone when he froze.

    <i>¡®What the...?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Mace of the Turbid Rock Giant]</strong>

    Something quite different from a sword was floating in the air.

    ?Please take this, Great Rock Giant! I shall prove my faith!?

    Chul-Soo was screaming on the screen.

    ¡°You fool!¡± Garcia shouted.

    White light erupted from Garcia. The next instant, a sun rose in Garcia¡¯s temple, causing numerous priests to tremble in fear. Chul-Soo was about to offer the mace to the Giant.

    How he managed to do it was a secondary concern. With that mace in hand, the Ancient Rock Giant would be so powerful that only the Mad God could subdue it.

    ¡°You must not do thi¡ª¡±

    ?Sike!?

    <strong>[The Trait ?Persistent and Sticky Desire? has been activated.]</strong>

    A golden energy beam shot out of Miri and pierced the Rock Giant¡¯s chest. Miri shouted in extreme excitement.

    -I¡¯m about toe!

    Garcia¡¯s anger subsided, but the situation had not improved.

    <i>¡®This is not right,¡¯ </i>Garcia thought.

    He wondered if he should dispatch his Order of Pdins for support. The Ancient Rock Giant was not just tough on the outside. Even its core was protected by multipleyers of special magic and barriers.

    <i>¡®You have to defeat that monster with the first strike.¡¯</i>

    If the core took a hit, it would be even more difficult to break. The Ancient Rock Giant would likely sacrifice its attacking power to increase its defense even further. With time, Chul-Soo¡¯s group would be at a physical disadvantage, as the Rock Giant was a tireless being.

    ¡°Organize a rescue team,¡± Garciamanded.

    ¡°Pardon? Is it for Lady Fyurel and Lessefim?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is... also an honorary citizen of Arvis, is he not?¡±

    Whether he liked it or not, Garcia had to do his duty as a Pdin. That was the honor of the Order of Pdins.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it toote?¡± Gerdok asked.

    ¡°Why you think it¡¯s toote is when it¡¯s the earliest.¡±

    ¡°We will depart right aw¡ª¡±

    Something shocking had appended. Faced with an unbelievable reality, Garcia dropped his phone.

    ***

    Fyurel, who had been distracting the Ancient Rock Giant with intense mes, chuckled. ¡°You are amazing, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so amazing?¡± said Kang Eun-Woo, perhaps the only person who could casually ask Fyurel about this.

    ¡°You¡¯re so cute, sweetie. It¡¯s lovely how pure and innocent you are, unaware of these things.¡± Fyurel continued with a nasal tone, ¡°That Giant has an incredibly tough shell. It has ridiculous resistance to both magical and physical attacks. Breaking the core that is under the protection of such a shell is no easy feat. But Chul-Soo pulled out an artifact that would make that Giant¡¯s eyes roll, you know?¡±

    Fyurel knew that the Giant¡¯s chest gap widened slightly whenever it got excited. Kyle was aware of this too. However, the gap was so narrow that it was nearly impossible for someone to take advantage of and attack.

    ¡°So, while pretending to offer the mace, Chul-Soo widened the gap and thrust in a very thin beam of sword energy..., Wait, I think hammer energy makes more sense. Anyway, he seemed to have jabbed that into the gap.¡±

    The hammer energy Jin-Hyeok shot was not ordinary. Since the impact point was smaller, the attack¡¯s impact was greater. The hammer energy, thinner than a spider¡¯s web, sessfully prated the gap in the chest and struck the Giant¡¯s core.

    Raising his sword and watching the front, Kyle said, ¡°Lady Fyurel, I would appreciate it if you could focus on the battle.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Talking to my sweetie is more important to me.¡±

    Kyle decided to give up on further conversation. He had long known that Fyurel was not in her right mind.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, your ability was outstanding,¡± Kyle said. While the attack could not be considered an honorable attack, it was certainly effective. The terrifying Rock Giant had stopped moving. ¡°However, you must acknowledge the fundamental difference between technique and weapon structure. There are bound to be physical limitations due to that.¡±

    Kyle believed that the ability Chul-Soo just demonstrated should have been used with a sword, not a hammer. Hammers were for smashing, while swords were for stabbing and slicing. If Chul-Soo had used the Mind Sword with this ability, he could have done much more damage against the Ancient Rock Giant.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a shame, but I guess it can¡¯t be helped,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    They had limited time to begin with, and using a technique with an extra step while fighting a strong opponent like that Giant was extremely challenging.

    However, it was okay.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to show the hammer¡¯s true ability,¡± Kyle said. When the opponent was in a groggy state like now, that was when the hammer¡¯s true value would shine. ¡°We need to get close and target that gap right now. If you can create just a small opening, I will finish it off.¡±

    By this point, everyone except Kyle had already sensed something strange.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s too quiet.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Hasn¡¯t quite some time passed?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®It seems the monster might be dead, moly.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I just need a little bit of opening. My sword energy willplete¡ª¡±

    <strong>[You have defeated the Hidden Dungeon boss ?Ancient Rock Giant?.]</strong>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The Giant had copsed. Unable to repair its core, the Ancient Rock Giant crumbled.

    Jin-Hyeok delivered his line for the livestream. ¡°As expected, when ites to smashing things, a hammer is perfect, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit regretful.

    <i>¡®If I had known it would be like this, I would have taken out all the monsters in the Dungeon!¡¯</i>

    Although he had defeated even the Hidden Dungeon boss, he didn¡¯t get any All-Clear notification as he had expected. Fortunately, this had an effect on the next stage of the universe-level Scenario, but he did not reveal this on the livestream. After all, content needed to be paced properly.

    -Ahhhh! Enough with the tease! Tell us!

    -Please at least reveal the rewards before ending. T_T

    -Chul-Soo, you devil!

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s party was naturally transported outside instantly after they cleared the Dungeon. The moment their safety was secured, Mole Woman clung to Jin-Hyeok and asked, ¡°But why did you say you couldn¡¯t break the Rock Giant, moly?¡±

    From Mole Woman¡¯s perspective, Jin-Hyeok had seemed very rxed. So, when she had asked, <i>¡®Don¡¯t you think you can break it?¡¯</i> his reply: <i>¡®No, I can¡¯t¡¯ </i>had left her puzzled. After all, since he could use the Omnipotent Director Skill, he was in quite afortable situation.

    ¡°When did I say that?¡±

    ¡°You clearly said you can¡¯t break it... Oh!¡± Mole Woman realized. Jin-Hyeok had not said he was unable to break it, but rather that he should not break it. He had definitely said that for the sake of giving a more diverse performance for his livestream.

    <i>¡®But why do I feel like he¡¯s subtly savoring victory against me, moly?¡¯ </i>Mole Woman vigorously shook her head. There was no way Chul-Soo, with his monstrous abilities, would consider her as a rival. <i>¡®Stop being so self-conscious! Enough, moly!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 403

    <h4>Chapter 403</h4>

    Kyle, who was more curious than Mole Woman, asked Cha Jin-Hyeok, ¡°Your destructive power was beyond imagination. I was impressed.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°But with such power, you could¡¯ve attacked the outer part of the Ancient Rock Giant, instead of going for the core.¡± Kyle thought it would have been more efficient that way. Gradually destroying the outer part and eventually attacking the core seemed like a logical approach.

    Earlier, if Kim Chul-Soo had failed to destroy the core in one shot, no one knew what would have happened. Fortunately, the result had turned out to be favorable for them, but the process was not necessarily ideal.

    ¡°Of course, it can be frightening. I understand the despair of seeing your strongest attack fail to reach the enem¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then I would not have been able to destroy it in one shot.¡± Jin-Hyeok cut him off.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to destroy something, it¡¯s best to do it in style.¡±

    Even for someone like Jin-Hyeok, looking cool while fighting the Ancient Rock Giant was hard. The Ancient Rock Giant was that strong.

    ¡°With Homepage Master nearby, I needed to make sure I get good photos too,¡± Jin-Hyeok added. If he fought too seriously, he would make it difficult for the Homepage Master to capture good footage.

    Jin-Hyeok then nodded as if he understood what Kyle was trying to say. ¡°I get why you¡¯re frustrated, Kyle.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But I wish you would understand my Job a bit more.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Anyone can just destroy things. Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±

    Kyle flinched. His goal had always been simple destruction. So, he felt as if he was being sucked into the vast emptiness of space. Suddenly, looking at Kim Chul-Soo made him dizzy.

    ¡°Was it the same during the Sword Emperor Tournament?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Of course, I fought with style then as well.¡±

    Fighting efficiently for a goal and fighting while paying attention to style were two entirely different concepts.

    <i>¡®Have I... created a monster?¡¯ </i>Kyle felt like he had encountered an unfathomable abyss. The sudden realization hit him hard. <i>¡®Who was I trying to fight...?¡¯</i>

    ¡°You win,¡± Kyle conceded.

    He decided it was best not to fight Chul-Soo. What he had wanted was an honorable duel with a strong opponent, not to be a sacrifice for Chul-Soo¡¯s quest for style.

    ¡°Oh, right. So, when are we having our duel?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    <i>¡®Is he pretending he didn¡¯t hear me?¡¯ </i>Kyle was taken aback.

    ***

    Samuel Maier, the head of the Maier Family and a skilled Assassin, was shocked.

    <i>¡®Already? How is that possible?¡¯</i>

    As a seasoned Assassin with vast experience under his belt, he could usually estimate how long a Dungeon raid would take. While his predictions were not always spot-on, they were rarely far off the mark.

    <i>¡®That Ancient Rock Giant... With its formidable presence...¡¯</i>

    An average party would take over a week to defeat it. However, given the strength of Chul-Soo¡¯s party, Samuel had estimated it would take them about three days. He had been preparing for an effective ambush that would take ce right after they cleared the Dungeon, when their guard would be at its lowest. However, they had already cleared the Dungeon.

    He was faced with a dilemma.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not ready yet. Should I attack them, or should I abandon the mission?¡¯</i>

    Samuel had always carried out assassinations under perfect conditions. Attacking now was essentially a suicide mission, especially since he had to eliminate not just one yer, but Chul-Soo¡¯s entire party. His mission was to kill all intruders in the Pangea Temple, including the Dungeon Destroyer, who had not yet escaped.

    <i>¡®This is when they are most likely to let their guard down!¡¯</i>

    Even if he could not kill them all, he had to try. As the head of the Maier Family, he had to carry out his duty. He considered who to ambush first for maximum effect.

    <i>¡®The Mad Sorceress? The captain of the Sword Emperor Unit?¡¯</i>

    Normally, he would have targeted one of those two. However, having studied Chul-Soo extensively, he thought differently.

    <i>¡®I need to target Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Suddenly, he froze. <i>¡®Did Chul-Soo just look at me?¡¯</i>

    It was just for a moment, but he was certain. Somehow, he felt like Chul-Soo was inviting the ambush, as if saying, <i>¡®Look, I am off guard. Come at me!¡¯</i>

    Cold sweat ran down Samuel¡¯s back.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s guard hasn¡¯t dropped at all!¡¯ </i>He bit his lip hard. <i>¡®I need to attack but...¡¯</i>

    He could not bring himself to move. The assassination had failed before it even began.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue in disappointment.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, moly?¡± Mole Woman asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. He had expected the Assassin to attack. <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t have made eye contact.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok realized his mistake was failing to control his emotions when he thought about how exciting it would be if someone of that skill level ambushed them here. He needed to have concealed his excitement.

    <i>¡®Come back stronger, Samuel Maier,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Through Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he knew that Shevian and Samuel were from the Maier Family. After confirming with Wang Yu-Mi, he learned that they were the first vassal family serving the legendary Assassin family, the Kyen Family. They were quite renowned even in Arvis.

    <i>¡®If Samuel makes it back alive, he will raise Shevian to be a formidable opponent.¡¯</i>

    While Samuel currently had the edge in skill and experience, Shevian had more potential. If those two continued to train, they would undoubtedly be formidable punching bags for Jin-Hyeok. Even if a punching bag was powerful, it was still just a punching bag, but Jin-Hyeok decided to let Samuel live. It was like a fisherman releasing a young fish to grow.

    <i>¡®Hehehe.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok hoped those Assassins would grow quickly ande back to ambush him.

    ***

    A few minutes earlier, the Dungeon Destroyer, Dist, gulped. <i>¡®To think such a powerful monster was lurking here.¡¯</i>

    The Ancient Rock Giant was a terrifying creature. Dist had fled the moment he saw it. His goal was to copse the Dungeon, not to raid the Dungeon boss.

    <i>¡®This works out well.¡¯</i>

    If he had not seen it with his eyes, he would not have understood. He had witnessed the Dungeon boss firsthand. Having felt its presence and strength directly, he thought he could take his time with the preliminary work for destroying the Dungeon.

    <i>¡®This changes everything!¡¯</i>

    He wanted a definitive destruction, not just the copse of the Dungeon, but the absence of any survivors.

    <i>¡®My achievement today will go down in history.¡¯</i>

    It wasn¡¯t just the Ancient Rock Giant here; Chul-Soo, Kyle, Fyurel, Lessefim, and other people were also present in the Dungeon. Some top-ranked yers in the universe were ying here. If he could bury them all, it would be an achievement far greater than any Dungeon Destroyer had ever aplished.

    <i>¡®Today, I will be great.¡¯</i>

    It would be hard to do anything more significant than this. Dist decided to put everything on the line today.

    <i>¡®I am going to make the Oath.¡¯</i>

    Dist made an Oath with the dynamites he created using mana. In exchange for imposing restrictions, he would create more powerful explosions.

    <i>¡®Pangea Temple... I will pour everything out here. I don¡¯t care if I lose all my powers.¡¯</i>

    Additionally, he needed time to gather his firepower.

    <i>¡®I think the preparation will take about a week, but...¡¯ </i>Nothing in the world was certain. He realized a week was too long. <i>¡®Maybe three days?¡¯</i>

    Even that was uncertain. Chul-Soo possessed far greater power than he had expected.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t take more than one day. I need to control all the variables. One day is enough.¡¯</i>

    Three days would have been safer, but just in case, he decided to gather his firepower for a time limit of twenty-four hours. He transformed into the shape of arge dynamite. The n was now in motion.

    <i>¡®In twenty-four hours, the greatest copse in history will u¡ªhuh?¡¯</i>

    The Ancient Rock Giant had been defeated.

    <i>¡®No!!¡¯</i>

    The bundles of dynamite he had ced throughout the Dungeon disintegrated into dust. As much as Dungeon Destroyers had the dangerous ability to copse Dungeons, they also bore great risks. If a Dungeon waspletely cleared before it could be destroyed, the Dungeon Destroyer would be unable to escape. They would be bound to the Dungeon, bing a phantom of that ce.

    <i>¡®What the fuck!¡¯</i>

    Dist, who had dreamed of achieving greatness, now found himself facing an inescapable fate.

    ***

    After an uncertain amount of time had passed, Dist heard a strange voice.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    <i>¡®Did the Dungeon copse? Am I dead?¡¯ </i>Dist thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to do an interview.¡±

    ¡°!!!¡± Dist snapped to attention.

    Chul-Soo and Mole Woman were standing before him.

    ¡°God hasn¡¯t abandoned me at all!¡± Dist yelled. He thought he had been hallucinating until now. Then he started tough hysterically. ¡°Hahahaha!¡±

    <i>¡®Of course, there is no way the Dungeon could have been cleared already!¡¯ </i>Dist thought.

    ¡°Are you okay to do an interview?¡±

    ¡°So, you ended up running away, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the Ancient Rock Giant was too strong for me,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered shamelessly.

    ¡°I knew it. The Ancient Rock Giant is too powerful. You will need to strengthen your party before attempting to defeat it. It will probably take a long time.¡±

    ¡°You were preparing to destroy the Dungeon, right?¡±

    ¡°?¡± Dist gulped. Dungeon Destroyers had nothing to gain from being known to the world.

    <i>¡®I shouldn¡¯t panic. He can only discern my name and Job through Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. However, that must be it. He should not be able to uncover any more information.¡¯</i>

    ¡°It seems like you have made a special Oath. Is that right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Dist was speechless.

    <i>¡®Well... since he knows about the Sword¡¯s Oath, it¡¯s reasonable that he knows about other Oaths too...¡¯ </i>Dist maintained hisposure and remained silent.

    ¡°Ah, you created explosive-type artifacts with mana and made an Oath with them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Dist¡¯s eyes wavered. <i>¡®How did he know all this? No, he is just fishing for information!¡¯</i>

    If Chul-Soo had known, he would have been focused on disarming the dynamites. Dist concluded that Chul-Soo was engaging in psychological warfare.

    ¡°Wow, you are really serious about explosions. You have bet all your power on this one explosion!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Dist bit his lip. It would all be over in twenty-four hours anyway. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, ¡°How did you know...?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so it was true!¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    Even Jin-Hyeok could not see through everything. He had just made a guess based on the ominous energy leaking from the now-disintegrated dynamites.

    ¡°Why did you go to such lengths?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You bastards!!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°Think carefully. I¡¯m the only one who can save you now. The Ancient Rock Giant is dead, and this Dungeon has been cleared.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°And Mole Woman is excellent at digging.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was essentially threatening Dist that he was going to bury him deep in the ground. Dist was about to be not just a phantom in the Dungeon, but a phantom buried in the Dungeon¡¯s earth, suffering eternal torment.

    After a moment, Dist epted reality. Revealing information about his client was shameful, but he had no desire to be a Dungeon phantom. He had to survive first.

    ¡°The Three Sister Prophets hired me. They asked me to kill you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stopped his livestream. Then he grinned. ¡°Thanks for the information. Take care!¡±

    ¡°H-Hey! Chul-Soo! Didn¡¯t you say you would save me?¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m the only one who can save you, not that I would save you.¡±

    Mole Woman tilted her head. ¡°He¡¯s disrupting the order of y, moly. Shouldn¡¯t we kill him?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking he might turn into something like a Dungeon boss if we left him like this,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. Defeating a Dungeon boss with a backstory, not just an ordinary one, would create a buzz for his livestream. ¡°In the end, the narrative is what matters.¡±

    ¡°I see! I have learned something again today, moly.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok left the Dungeon with Mole Woman and told her about the Pangea Temple''s clear rewards.

 Chapter 404

    <h4>Chapter 404</h4>

    ¡°We have earned two types of rewards this time,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mole Woman emphatically pped, nodded, and crossed her arms.

    ¡°Two types, you say?¡± she prodded, slyly ncing at Lessefim.

    Lessefim had been tracking Samuel, an act Mole Woman regarded with utter disdain.

    <i>¡®Look here! I¡¯m the more suitable Navigator for livestreaming, moly!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman said in her mind.

    ¡°Tell us right now!¡± Mole Woman pestered Jin-Hyeok, her impatience palpable.

    Jin-Hyeok felt satisfied with Mole Woman¡¯s enthusiasm but was slightly disappointed in Lessefim. He did not understand why Lessefim was bothered to track an escaped Assassin. If she could hype up his livestream with eager reactions like Mole Woman¡¯s, it would be far more helpful than searching for a future punching bag. It seemed Lessefim had not grasped what truly mattered yet.

    ¡°First, there is the Dungeon clear reward,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Mole Woman audibly gulped. Her expression of desperation, which seemed to channel the viewers'' anticipation, led to a surge in likes.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s Mole Woman for you,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The phenomenon of viewership and likes skyrocketing whenever Mole Woman appeared on camera persisted. Feeling a subtle sense ofpetition, Jin-Hyeok continued, ¡°It¡¯s the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s Priestly Robe.¡±

    <strong>[(Tainted) Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s Priestly Robe]</strong>

    ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s enormous, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had pulled out a white priestly robe from his inventory. Though its sleeves had burned away, the remaining parts were still incrediblyrge. With just a nce, one couldn¡¯t tell if it was a robe or a massive piece of fabric. It sprawled out like a vast white carpet.

    ¡°If we cut this up, we can make some excellent pieces of armor,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Indeed. I bet you have started to realize the importance of items now, Chul-Soo!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded.

    ***

    <i>¡®That little rat!¡¯ </i>Lessefim hadpletely lost track of Samuel Maier. If she had focused solely on pursuing Samuel, she could have found him, but she did not have that kind of free time. Mole Woman¡¯s presence was too distracting for her.

    <i>¡®Should I have clung to Chul-Soo like Mole Woman did?¡¯ </i>Lessefim wondered, still unsure whether her decision of tracking the escaped Assassin instead of reacting beside Chul-Soo had been right. She had initially thought pursuing the Assassin was more important for a Navigator.

    <i>¡®I was wrong!¡¯ </i>She realized that as Mole Woman continued to embody the <i>perfect Navigator for livestreaming </i>next to Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Hey, Sir Kyle,¡± Lessefim called out.

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°Could you cut up my clothes a bit?¡±

    ¡°Your clothes?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Cut them up so they don¡¯t vite the censorship guidelines. It would be great if bloodstains were visible.¡±

    ¡°The honorable captain of the Sword Emperor Unit does not harm the innocent...¡±

    ¡°I heard Karina dreams of bing a Navigator...¡±

    Karina was Kyle¡¯s daughter. Now fifteen years old, Karina wanted to be a Navigator. Kyle had been trying to find her the best mentor possible, but it was not an easy task. Most decent Navigators did not meet Kyle¡¯s standards, and the truly top-tier ones were too busy with their work. They were not the type to be swayed by money in the first ce.

    ¡°The knight¡¯s sword is never used for personal reaso¡ª¡±

    ¡°I caught a glimpsest time, and Karina¡¯s potential is extraordinary. She seems to have tremendous talent, especially in tracking. If she finds the right mentor, she will be able to pursue her dreams to the fullest.¡±

    Kyle made up his mind. He would not be swayed by such eloquence! He was the captain of the Swedeen¡¯s Sword Emperor Unit, an honorable Swordsman.

    ¡°Kyle, I think it¡¯s very honorable and beautiful for a father to use his sword for his daughter. It¡¯s the most honorable and beautiful thing in the world, in fact,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    <i>¡®Is that so? Does this make me an honorable Swordsman? I suppose I have no choice,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought as he swung his de.

    After confirming that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream didn¡¯t capture this, Lessefim limped over to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I lost him...<i> ugh!</i>¡±<i> </i>She looked as if she had barely made it back after an intense battle. Approaching Jin-Hyeok, she copsed in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost him.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok clenched his fists. He muttered gravely, his voice filled with rage, ¡°You cowardly Assassin! How dare you attack a Navigator?!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok picked up Lessefim in a princess carry. She closed her eyes and let her arms dangle, pretending to be unconscious.

    ¡°I will never forgive you, Samuel Maier! You did well, Lessefim. I swear I will avenge you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    With her eyes closed, Lessefim smiled. <i>¡®This is the prowess of a Navigator, Mole Woman!¡¯</i>

    ***

    The other reward that Jin-Hyeok had received for clearing this Dungeon was the progression of the universe-level Scenario.

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>.</strong>

    <strong>[(9) Legacy of the Great Sword Spirit</strong>

    <strong>The Great Sword Spirit has finally acknowledged you through ???. He will give you everything he has protected, for you are worthy to grasp the Sword Fragment. Take the Sword Fragment. It will fulfill your needs.</strong>

    <strong>(10) Dear wanderer, much time has passed. How do you feel, having faced the truth that slumbered within the Sword Fragment? Ah, corrupted believer. The sacrilegious armor you boasted of has pierced your heart instead. The era of false peace draws to a close, and now we shall march toward the truth.]</strong>

    When Jin-Hyeok revealed the rewards, lt led to mixed opinions. Some viewers found it refreshing that he didn¡¯t skip a step.

    -He didn¡¯t skip and went sequentially to stage (10) lol. I thought he would skip again this time.

    -Skipping too much is not good either. You miss out on all the information.

    -The question marks in stage (9) were probably an important clue.

    Some found the incredibly fast progression of the universe-level Scenario strange.

    -Does a universe-level Scenario usually progress this fast?

    -No, absolutely not. Even a Server-level Scenario takes several years or more.

    Some viewers found clues within the text.

    -Stage (10) says much time has passed.

    -Isn¡¯t 40 minutes enough to be considered a long time? /s

    -A long time, lmao!

    -Wow, it really took a long time! ^^

    One thing was certain: Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Scenario progression was incredibly fast.

    -Isn¡¯t it too fast?

    -If it¡¯s too fast, you might get indigestion...

    -They say that this is a characteristic of the Korean Region. That kind of speed is normal there.

    Slightly exaggerated rumors began to spread.

    -I guess if youpete in that kind of environment, you do get strong really fast.

    -Arvis is too peaceful, inparison.

    -No wonder monsters like Kim Chul-Soo emerge from that Region.

    While things generally moved faster in the Korean Regionpared to how it was in other Regions and Servers, it was not quite to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standard. However, yers from numerous Servers could not directly visit Korea, and not many were willing to go out of their way to verify the rumors. As a result, strange rumors about the Korean Region spread quickly.

    -Shouldn¡¯t we do things like the Korean Region?

    -That¡¯s crazy talk. We will all die if we do that.

    -But those who survive will be strong.

    Although these people were a minority, the opinion that they should grow like the Korean Region slowly began to gain traction in Arvis.

    ***

    Cha Jin-Sol, who had been anxiously waiting while biting her nails, jumped up as soon as Jin-Hyeok arrived.

    ¡°Oppa!¡± She grabbed his wrist, dragged him over, and sat him down on the sofa. ¡°Alright, so tell me everything.¡±

    In the meantime, Jin-Hyeok started recording. After all, anything in daily life could be content. Moreover, videos featuring Jin-Sol tended to get quite a high view count, withments asking for more of her always upying the top spot.

    -Please increase the frequency of the Saint of Freedom¡¯s appearances T_T.

    Although having his younger sister constantly pestering him without a break was annoying, he had no choice but to wee a guest who boosted his view count.

    Jin-Hyeok kindly answered, ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±

    ¡°How did you restore it?¡±

    Jin-Sol was also a member of Chul-Soo Land. She was genuinely curious about how her brother had managed to restore the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s mace.

    <i>¡®Jeez! Ask questions in a way the viewers can understand!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok almost let out a sigh, thinking Jin-Sol still had a long way to gopared to Mole Woman and Lessefim. ¡°So, you¡¯re asking me how I restored a mace when what Miri destroyed was a sword. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. That¡¯s it. I¡¯m dying of curiosity.¡± Jin-Sol gulped.

    Just then, Katrina arrived as well. As a skilled Craftsman, she was also curious about what had happened in this incident. Katrina and Jin-Sol stared at Jin-Hyeok with simr expressions. Katrina¡¯s thoughts on this issue were much deeper.

    <i>¡®Did he increase the absolute value of Miri¡¯s Time Reversal Trait to infinity? Is that how he reverted it to its original form? No, that¡¯s nearly impossible. Powers that manipte time have severe limitations and consume too much mana... Then, did he prate the essence of the sword with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight? In the end, that weapon was essentially a mace in the form of a sword. With his eyes, Chul-Soo could have seen through the conversion-type Skill put on that mace.¡¯</i>

    Katrina wondered what kind of technical answer would emerge. As a Craftsman, she wondered if she might hear a novel idea she had never considered before. For once, her heart pounded with excitement.

    Atst, Jin-Hyeok opened his mouth. ¡°I got used to it.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    The two made simr expressions again.

    ¡°I said I got used to it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    They both widened their eyes simrly, looked at each other, blinked their big eyes, and then looked back at Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. <i>¡®Both of them have such rich reactions.¡¯</i>

    He thought the two of them probably were not asking because they truly did not know. Seeing how the people around him helped with his channel like this, he felt fortunate to have quite a bit of people¡¯s favor.

    ¡°When you repeat the same task many times, you naturally get used to it,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    ¡°That¡¯s... true.¡±

    ¡°He has a point.¡±

    ¡°So, I got used to it. It helped that Miri was also in the form of a blunt weapon.¡±

    Katrina was genuinely at a loss for words, while Jin-Sol, who had rtively little knowledge of such things, nodded in admiration.

    ¡°Aha! So that¡¯s how it worked!¡± Jin-Sol said.

    Katrina wanted to tell her that if that was how it worked, countless restoration experts throughout the universe would have starved to death.

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405

    ¡°You can¡¯t just use a tainted artifact. It must be purified first. Otherwise, it will taint the wearer,¡± Katrina said.

    ¡°What happens if you get tainted?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok wondered if he could salvage any usable footage from this artifact.

    ¡°The effects can vary. Your body might start to rot, or you might go insane. An innocent person could be a murderer, and a decent child mightmit atrocities against their parents. One thing is for certain, though¡ªyou will change for the worse.¡± Katrina muttered with a serious expression, ¡°If something were to happen and scar that face¡­. Just the thought of it is horrible.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was too busy wondering whether his views would skyrocket if he got tainted to hear Katrina¡¯s mutterings.

    ¡°How do we purify this, Katrina? Can you do it?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked

    ¡°If it were only slightly tainted, I could have done something¡­ but this is beyond my level. With so much contamination, we need to find an expert in purification.¡±

    ¡°Do you know any?¡±

    ¡°I know plenty of experts. The problem is finding one who can purify an artifact like this without damaging it¡­¡± Only few yers could do that. ¡°I think someone like the head of the Feyler Family, Garcia, can do it.¡±

    ***The next day, Jin-Hyeok headed straight to the Arvis Server. As an honorary citizen of Arvis, he could freely move about within the Server. He went directly to the Feyler Family¡¯s residence.

    Katrina had warned him that the Feyler Family¡¯s estate was incredibly difficult to ascend.

    The Feyler Family was located at the northern edge of Helen Empire, atop the Snowstorm Mountain Range. The only way up was a steep staircase, and a fierce blizzard blew on the staircase, making it hard to see clearly.

    As Jin-Hyeok pushed through the snowstorm and stood in front of the stairs, he saw a worn-out wooden sign.

    [Suffering shall purify the mind.]

    <em>¡°If you have an invitation, you can go up those stairs. At least then, you have to endure only the blizzard as you climb. But without an invitation, you can¡¯t even use the stairs. That means you have to either fly or climb the mountain, which is really difficult because of the numerous ovepping barriers,¡± </em>Katrina had said.

    The numerous ovepping barriers had left only one path, on which they Feyler Family had installed the stairs. Ascending by any other means was said to be nearly impossible.

    <em>¡°There are some artificial barriers, but most of them are formed naturally¡­ The barriers there are almost like natural disasters.¡±</em>

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok saw that the entire mountain range was under the influence of an enormous barrier. The staircase definitely seemed like the path to take if he wanted to survive, but the stairs were incredibly steep. They would be difficult to climb unless he was a professional mountain climber.

    Even Lessefim was dumbfounded. ¡°Should I try requesting an invitation from the Feyler Family?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯sck of response, Lessefim felt slightly relieved. He finally seemed like an ordinary person.

    <em>¡®Even Chul-Soo shows a human side in the face of nature¡¯s might,¡¯ </em>Lessefim thought.

    ¡°If I ask for an invitation, they will probably send one. It will just take some time,¡± she said.

    ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°I checked to see if <em>suffering content </em>is a hot topic on Eltube.¡±

    Contrary to Lessefim¡¯s expectation, Jin-Hyeok had not sumbed to the forces of nature. He had merely been pondering whether the content of him struggling up the stairs through the blizzard would get good viewership.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be particrly popr,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. In that case, there was no need to waste time and effort. ¡°It will be better to fly there on the Thunder Dragon.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lessefim could not believe her ears. <em>¡®He wants to fly through those whirling magical forces and blizzards on the Thunder Dragon?¡¯</em>

    Lessefim thought that even with the Thunder Dragon¡¯s power, it was too much to try to fly through those barriers. As his Navigator, she tried to dissuade him. ¡°I will request an invitation. A week should be more than enough. Let¡¯s get the invitation and go up the stairs.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    That meant he would have to take a week-long break from the main content. To an Eltuber, that was tantamount to a death sentence. The virtues of an Eltuber were regr uploads and diligence.

    ¡°I will try to reduce the time as much as I can. Give me three days!¡± Lessefim said.

    At this moment, Mole Woman, who had been working tirelessly to make Lessefim her new rival, came running from a distance. Lessefim found this incredibly annoying.

    <em>¡®How did she even get here when she¡¯s not an Arvis citizen?!¡¯ </em>Lessefim thought.

    ¡°I will guide you, moly!¡± Mole Woman shouted.

    Lessefim grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s wrist and pulled him. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and summon the Thunder Dragon.¡±

    ***

    Garcia, the head of the Feyler Family, opened his eyes wide. White mes rose in the center of the conference room, and the form of a Thunder Dragon appeared amidst them. Although the mountain range was so full of nature¡¯s energy that it would not be strange for any creature to appear here, a Thunder Dragon was quite unexpected.

    <em>¡®That¡¯s not a natural Thunder Dragon!¡¯ </em>Garcia thought.

    Atop the Thunder Dragon¡¯s head sat Kim Chul-Soo and Lessefim. Garcia shook his head in disbelief.

    ¡°Lessefim? How could she attempt something so reckless.¡± If she had just asked for an invitation, he would have sent one.

    Garcia¡¯s closest aide, the leopard Beastkin Gerdok, scowled.

    ¡°Shall I send an invitation now?¡± In his view, this was too reckless an attempt. ¡°I think they are going to turn back soon anyway.¡±

    No matter how powerful a Thunder Dragon was, it couldn¡¯t traverse the mountain range and reach this ce.

    ¡°Gerdok, do you think they can pass through the mountain range?¡± Garcia asked.

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If Chul-Soo were a great Mage skilled in manipting blizzards and cold magic, maybe. But isn¡¯t Chul-Soo a Swordsman?¡±

    When Garcia silently stared at Gerdok, Gerdok realized his mistake.

    ¡°<em>Ahem</em>. I mean, an Eltuber? This is still an impossible feat,¡± Gerdok said. Then, his eyes widened. <em>¡®Wait, the barriers are breaking!¡¯</em>

    He could understand if one barrier broke. However, the barriers kept breaking one by one. Chul-Soo was approaching them at a terrifying speed, like a runaway train with broken breaks.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok could not help but marvel at this sight. <em>¡®So, this is the power of items.¡¯</em>

    Until now, he had relied more on his abilities, but now he was greatly benefiting from items. He was reaping the full effects of the Unleashing Liquid that Song Ha-Young had obtained for him.

    The Unleashing Liquid contained the power to twist or damage the flow of mana, whether it was naturally or artificially formed. The liquid was very expensive and could be produced only by renowned Alchemists. Incidentally, Ha-Young had be a VVIP at famous workshops in Arvis.

    ¡°I guess this is why item power is so important,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    Moreover, this Unleashing Liquid had excellent synergy with Jin-Hyeok.

    -Yes, so good. So delicious!

    Born from the Rule Breaker, Miri was fundamentally a weapon of destruction. So, absorbing the Unleashing Liquid to break barriers was an extremely easy task for Miri. Jin-Hyeok could also utilize the Unleashing Technique.

    Lessefim¡¯s guidance was quite excellent as well.

    ¡°Twelve degrees to port!¡±

    <em>Boom!</em>

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri. For parts that Miri could not handle, he threw entire vials of Unleashing Liquid to weaken the barriers before adding the Unleashing Technique.

    <em>¡®That was close!¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He barely destroyed one barrier. However, he could not break through all the barriers. The barriers of this Snowstorm Mountain Range were not so easy.

    <em>Boom!</em>

    Sometimes, they just had to ram through the barrier. The Thunder Dragon gritted its teeth.

    [¡°No matter how great you are, I can¡¯t keep doing this!¡±]

    ¡°But I blocked it well with my Absolute Barrier.¡±

    [¡°That does not mean I can¡¯t feel the pain.¡±]

    ¡°Same here.¡± Jin-Hyeok was also sweating profusely. There was a reason why no one could fly through the mountain range. ¡°But¡­¡±

    <em>Whoosh!</em>

    A tremendous blizzard swept through. It was a fierce storm that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead or hear the person right next to him. The Thunder Dragon was instantly blown back dozens of meters.

    ¡°This is great! I did not know it would be this intense!¡±

    Amidst it all, the Thunder Dragon could hear Jin-Hyeok¡¯s faint, but very excited voice. The Thunder Dragon felt the urge to spew lightning and destroy everything around it. This biting blizzard and the numerous currents of magic were shaking the Thunder Dragon¡¯s body and mind.

    Anger toward its master surged inside the dragon, but for now, it decided to focus on flying. This was a ce where even a Thunder Dragon could be instantly caught in the currents and suffer a terrible fate.

    ***

    After much difficulty, Jin-Hyeok finally arrived at the main gate of the Feyler Family. Befitting a family of the Helen Empire, the Feyler residence took the form of a temple. While a tremendous snowstorm raged outside, a warm sun shone down here instead. On either side of the massive temple stood statues of women holding jars, with sparkling water flowing from the jars.

    Jin-Hyeok dismounted and caught his breath. ¡°<em>Pant¡­ pant¡­¡±</em>

    It was the greatest crisis he had faced in recent times. But this also meant he had seeded in creating suspense for his livestream. The number of real-time viewers surpassed 2.2 billion, a remarkable feat. Breaking through the barriers was indeed the right choice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that brutish method would work, Chul-Soo.¡± Someone approached Jin-Hyeok and ced a hand on his head. For a moment, a white light seemed to sh, and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s breathing quickly returned to normal.

    ¡°Garcia?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Garcia Feyler, the head of the Feyler Family. Nice to meet you, Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was delighted. He had not expected the head of the Feyler Family to personally wee him.

    ¡°I know well why you havee here,¡± Garcia said.

    ¡°Then this should be eas¡ª¡±

    ¡°But I cannot ept your request.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Strictly speaking, you are an intruder to our family. You recklessly entered someone else¡¯s territory and destroyed barriers without an invitation. It¡¯s only because your identity is clear and you are a citizen of Arvis that we have not taken forceful action, but your visit was excessively rude.¡±

    Garcia felt something was a bit odd. He had dealt with countless people and was the leader of the massive Feyler Family. He prided himself on his discerning eye.

    <em>¡®Why does he look pleased?¡¯ </em>Garcia thought.

    Jin-Hyeok was quite excited. <em>¡®A narrative is forming!¡¯</em>

    If Garcia had suddenly appeared and said, <em>¡®O great saint, I shall purify the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s Priestly Robe for you!¡¯ </em>it would have given Jin-Hyeok a headache instead. If he obtained what he wanted too easily after all the trouble he went to get here, it would have been anticlimactic. Reactions like this were necessary to create an interesting video.

    <em>¡®Garcia must know a thing or two about livestreaming,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. He had not expected this level of cooperation.

 Chapter 406

    <h4>Chapter 406</h4>

    Garcia Feyler was sensitive to others¡¯ emotions, so this situation left him baffled. He was angry at Cha Jin-Hyeok, yet the Streamer was happy at this.

    <i>¡®I cannot understand him,¡¯ </i>Garcia thought.

    ¡°I apologize for my rudeness, Garcia Feyler. It was extremely rude of me to visit you this way, and I believe it has caused great trouble to the Feyler Family. I will fully apologize for this issue, and if necessary, I promise to provide sufficientpensation to you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Gerdok, the leopard Beastkin standing next to Garcia, stepped forward at this moment. ¡°Do you think you can be forgiven for your rudeness toward the Feyler Family with just a few words?!¡±

    Gerdok knew that Garcia was an extremely kind person. If the other party apologized like that, Garcia would most likely ept the apology.

    <i>¡®If you forgive and move on because of this mere apology, people will look down on the Feyler Family!¡¯ </i>Gerdok thought.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. Since he had a normal way of thinking, he thought Gerdok made sense. So, he said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll ask for forgiveness with only words.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me specifically how you¡¯re going to apologize,¡± Gerdok replied.

    ¡°As I see it, most of the barriers here seem to have recovered on their own. But I also observed a few artificial barriers. As for the cost of repairing those barriers...¡±

    ¡°Ha! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to fix things in your way when you¡¯re the one who did the damage!¡± Gerdok scoffed.

    Gerdok did not like Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s answer. Not only had Chul-Soo arbitrarily set a standard based on whether the barriers recovered naturally or not, but he also wanted to fix the problem with money.

    <i>¡®Does he truly not know that such a suggestion further insults the Feyler Family?¡¯ </i>Gerdok fumed. ¡°How dare yo¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will donate three hundred billion Dias aspensation too,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s arge sum of money.¡± Gerdok quickly came to his senses.

    He was Garcia¡¯s aide and also the financial executive of the Feyler Family. Therefore, he was the most materialistic person in this devout family. However, Gerdok did not want to be caught being materialistic.

    ¡°Just because you say you will donate does not mean your rudeness will be for¡ª¡±

    ¡°And as a fine for my rudeness, I will donate another seven hundred billion Dias,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    Gerdok¡¯s tail began to tremble. He thought that with so much money, even the act of insulting one¡¯s mother and father could be forgiven to some extent.

    ¡°In addition, as a thank you donation for purifying the tainted priestly robe...¡±

    Gerdok¡¯s tail stood straight up. With a serious expression, he said, ¡°Patriarch! Although these people were extremely rude, their sincere apology and reflection are very moving. Seeing their devout and humble attitude, I can tell they are believers with very strong faith. I humbly suggest that you show them generosity in consideration of their noble faith!¡±

    ***

    As the financial executive of the Feyler Family, Gerdok stamped the documents with an air of confidence.

    <i>¡®Has Sir Gerdok finally gone crazy?¡¯ </i>one of his subordinates thought.

    Gerdok often said he was going crazy. As the financial executive, he was the person who used the most vulgarnguage within the Feyler Family.

    ¡°Sir, is this really okay?¡± the subordinate asked.

    ¡°Yes! Growing children have the right to eat their fill!¡± Gerdok replied.

    Sometimes, contrary to his intentions, Gerdok had to perform the role of a viin. This was especially so when it came to money. Just a few days ago, Gerdok had to weigh the options betweenpensation for soldiers who had received terrible injuries while fighting monsters and the quality of food eaten by children growing up in orphanages with a limited budget. No matter howrge a budget was, the money was always insufficient.

    In the end, he decided to increase thepensation for the injured soldiers. ordingly, expensive meat was removed from the orphanage children¡¯s menu. The orphanage priests came to protest, saying they needed to provide more nutritious food and toys for various experiences, but Gerdok chased them away with harsh words.

    <i>¡°If you¡¯re going to make such unreasonable demands, you need to earn money and do it yourselves!¡± </i>Gerdok had said. After chasing the priest away like that, Gerdok had been so distressed that he could not sleep for three days and nights.

    ¡°This too!¡± Gerdok excitedly signed a document. ¡°This too! This too! Yes! Bring it all!¡±

    As he examined the documents, he tore one paper to shreds. ¡°Those damned construction guild bastards! I hope they all rot in hell!¡±

    Unable to watch this any longer, the subordinate said, ¡°Sir, you did check the contents of the document just now, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did.¡±

    The document in question was about a construction guild that was threatening the Feyler Family under the pretext of steady donations. The construction guild was in the midst of preliminary work to purchase a children¡¯s yground site within the Holy Empire of Helen to erect a building.

    ¡°They should get lost! That ce should forever remain a children¡¯s yground!¡± Gerdok shouted.

    Children from wealthy families with private property would not care about the yground, but many children were not so fortunate. This yground was the ce where those children gathered. Although the yground was a bit bigpared to the number of children, Gerdok did not care.

    ¡°The merciful Kim Chul-Soo protects the children! Cheers to the believer Kim Chul-Soo!¡± Gerdok grinned, showing all of his teeth. He continuouslyughed as if he would die if he didn¡¯t. ¡°Chul-Soo... is the best. Chul-Soo... I love you. I praise you, Chul-Soo...!¡±

    The subordinates had to seriously worry about whether he would be a crazed follower who worshiped an idol.

    ***

    Garcia waved a glowing white wand and chanted a spell. ¡°Shrink.¡±

    The gigantic priestly robe shrank.

    ¡°Would you like to try it on first?¡± Garcia asked.

    ¡°Try them on? But they¡¯re tainted.¡± Jin-Hyeok flinched. By telling him to wear the tainted priestly robe, Garcia had shown that he was well-versed in livestreaming.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not my intention.¡± Garcia was a bit flustered, but he calmly continued, ¡°You have to wear it first to know what kind of effect it has on you. The purification method differs depending on the effect.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok felt grateful to Garcia. Garcia had not only proposed a new direction for the livestream but also secured the narrative on how to react. It was as expected of a great family of the Helen Empire. ¡°Do I just put them on?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have put on a protective prayer to minimize the impact of the tainted effect. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Garcia assured him.

    Jin-Hyeok remembered the view count of his livestream had skyrocketed when Mole Woman stripped off her clothes.

    <i>¡®Is this finally my chance?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Wondering if he could have the same impact on the viewers, he stripped off his top.

    <i>¡®He could¡¯ve just put it on over his clothes.¡¯ </i>Garcia found Jin-Hyeok¡¯s actions hard to understand, but he did not try to make sense of it. If Jin-Hyeok was morefortable wearing the robe that way, then that had to be right. He did not want to point out every little thing. <i>¡®He is done putting it on.¡¯</i>

    Garcia observed Jin-Hyeok, his wand in hand, thinking about what impact that cursed artifact, imbued with the tainted soul and mana of the Ancient Rock Giant, would have on the Streamer.

    <i>¡®The manifestation is a bitte,¡¯ </i>Garcia thought, but he never let his guard down. The results of the tainted priestly robe would surely appear somehow. He could only hope that the powerful Eltuber would not go crazy and run berserk.

    Jin-Hyeok spoke first. ¡°It seems fine for now.¡±

    Garcia wondered if he had chanted the protective prayer too strongly. ¡°I will weaken the protective effect a little.¡±

    Garcia muttered something in the holynguage.

    ***

    <i>¡®It doesn¡¯t affect him at all!¡¯ </i>Garcia was at a loss for words.

    Garcia had expected the tainted priestly robe to harm Chul-Soo¡¯s mind. The Ancient Rock Giant had developed a twisted love and admiration for Gaia, the Goddess of Earth. Since the tainted priestly robe was influenced by the giant, there was a high possibility of it producing a simr effect on Chul-Soo. For example, it could cause an obsessive fixation on a certain target.

    <i>¡®But why doesn¡¯t it affect him at all?¡¯ </i>

    It could be because of one of two reasons: either the tainted effect had be extremely weak because the Ancient Rock Giant had disappeared or Chul-Soo¡¯s mind was already so tainted that it could no longer be tainted further. However, Garcia did not think Chul-Soo¡¯s mind was corrupted to that extent.

    <i>¡®I guess the tainted effect has be very weak,¡¯ </i>he concluded.

    ¡°May I try it on?¡± Garcia asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    After putting on the priestly robe, Garcia immediately gripped his wand tightly.

    <i>¡®Ugh!¡¯ </i>A flood of dirty and ominous energy surged in, eroding his soul. All kinds of evil words and vulgarnguage in the world resounded in his mind. Chanting a holy spell to resist the tainted effect, he hastily took off the robe and threw it aside.

    <i>¡®The tainted effect is truly powerful!¡¯ </i>Garcia realized. <i>¡®Then, does that mean that Chul-Soo has a mental world that can no longer be corrupted? But he looks fine on the outside! He even proved his devout faith with offerings!¡¯ </i>

    Garcia¡¯s mind becameplicated.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was very grateful to Garcia. Thanks to Garcia deliberately taking the priestly robe, he could wait with his upper body exposed for a while. tantly stripping while saying, <i>¡®Hey guys, please admire my exposed physique!¡¯ </i>would be unsightly and corny for his livestream, but waiting with his upper body exposed out of necessity while the head of the Feyler Family examined the tainted priestly robe was okay. The situation was not too forced either.

    <i>¡®The number of viewers has surpassed 2.5 billion!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. At this moment, thepetitor that came to his mind was not Marshmallow but Mole Woman. <i>¡®I learned well from the best. And I beat you, Mole Woman!¡¯</i>

    Indeed, there was something to learn from everyone. For some reason, exposure had a huge impact on increasing view count. Jin-Hyeok was in a good mood. Then, he heard Garcia talk.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, do you n to wear this artifact?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to modify the appearance a bit, but I n to use it,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to modify the appearance?¡±

    Thanks to Garcia¡¯s question, it became much easier for Jin-Hyeok to state what was going to happen next. He bowed his head slightly to express his gratitude.

    ¡°The priestly robe form is inconvenient for swinging a hammer. I happen to have something good in mind for it, so I decided to redesign it.¡±

 Chapter 407

    <h4>Chapter 407</h4>

    ¡°Hermesa, Arvis¡¯s finest tailor shop, has agreed to help me,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    Garcia tilted his head. As a devout Priest, he was not familiar with Hermesa, a high-end boutique shop. He asked, ¡°Changing the design of the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s Priestly Robe means altering its structure. You understand that, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The priestly robe¡¯s current magical and physical resistance stemmed from its present form. Any changes to its physical structure would inevitably lead to a decrease in performance.

    <i>¡®Why is he trying to redesign it?¡¯ </i>Though Garcia could not grasp the reason, he tried his best to understand. <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo is a man of deep faith. He probably does not want to wear anything that reminds him of the Rock Giant, who so gravely offended the Goddess of Earth.¡¯</i>

    He was willing to do that even if it meant making the artifact weaker.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s truly devout,¡¯</i> Garcia mused. While the three empires seemed to view Chul-Soo as a potential threat, Garcia thought this was a misconception. <i>¡®Chul-Soo... He¡¯s no danger to the empires. I should inform His Holiness about this.¡¯</i>

    Feeling better, Garcia continued, ¡°In that case, there is no need for purification.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied, impressed by Garcia¡¯s insight. <i>¡®He¡¯s leaving open the possibility of creating new content through an unpurified priestly robe.¡¯</i>

    He had orchestrated every detail for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. Garcia was indeed an exceptional leader.

    <i>¡®No wonder he¡¯s hailed as the Saint of All,¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to help. My holy power has its limits. I aim to use it more beneficially, for those who need it most. I hope you understand,¡± Garcia said.

    Witnessing Garcia provide such a solid justification to prevent any misunderstandings, Jin-Hyeok was genuinely moved. Garcia¡¯s attitude surpassed that of most Eltubers.

    ¡°You must wear it yourself. If others covet it and tamper with it, the robe¡¯s influence might cause significant problems.¡± Garcia warned him.

    To Jin-Hyeok¡¯s ears, this tranted to <i>¡®When something is forbidden, someone always emerges to do the opposite of it. When that happens, the tainted effect will activate dramatically, creating highly stimting content.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Upon seeing Jin-Hyeok in the robe, Katrina¡¯s pectorals twitched. ¡°Oh... I cannot resist. Marry me, Oppa!¡±

    This artifact began stirring up controversies in more ways than one.

    ***

    Kongkorul¡ªthe head designer and chief tailor of Hermesa, Arvis¡¯s most prestigious tailor shop¡ªgreeted Katrina with a cheerful expression. The hamster Beastkin was only about the size of Katrina¡¯s palm, but Kongkorul''s reputation far exceeded hers.

    ¡°Katrina! Long time no see, squeak! I heard your family finally acknowledged you. Congrattions, squeak!¡±

    Kongkorul was a self-made sess, having built Hermesa from scratch.

    ¡°I have been very interested too, squeak! I lost sleep thinking about what clothes would make Mr. Chul-Soo look even more beautiful, squeak!¡±

    ¡°What? Are you also a Chul-Soo Lander?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Kongkorul adjusted her monocle, revealing her determination. ¡°I absolutely want him to headline one of my future shows someday, squeak!¡±

    ¡°But Chul-Soo isn¡¯t a Model.¡±

    Modeling was a field that required innate talent. While Awakening as a Model could grant various Skills and abilities that could enhance the yer¡¯s attributes, natural talent remained crucial in the industry.

    <i>¡®Besides, isn¡¯t Chul-Soo too handsome? Wouldn¡¯t that be disadvantageous for a Model?¡¯ </i>Katrina thought.

    If a Model was too handsome, people would focus on the Model rather than the clothes. It was not entirely advantageous for a Model to be too handsome.

    ¡°Does it matter, squeak?¡±

    Katrina nodded as she recalled Chul-Soo¡¯s appearance. Her thick trapezius muscles twitched. ¡°I guess not.¡±

    ¡°I have already contacted Wang Yu-Mi from the Earth Server for a meeting and prepared some design concepts. Want to take a look, squeak?¡±

    ***

    Though Katrina was a member of Chul-Soo Land, she was also a Craftsman. Due to this, she had some conflicts with Kongkorul, the designer.

    ¡°So, Kongkorul said she would sacrifice effectiveness for design! Can you believe it? I mean, you even clear Dungeons by yourself! How could she say to give up on performance? Am I right?¡± Katrina said to Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok examined some of the design concepts Katrina presented. ¡°I need to choose from these designs?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the one I rmend.¡± Katrina showed a design resembling tightly wrapped bandages. ¡°This form should have a stacking effect on magic resistance. It will probably make for excellent armor.¡±

    ¡°What about this one?¡± Jin-Hyeok pointed to a uniform-style design.

    ¡°That¡¯s garbage. Don¡¯t even look at it.¡±

    The tainted priestly robe was originally an artifact with superior magic and physical resistance. To tailor it to Jin-Hyeok, they first had topress its resistance. Though this led to some trade-offs, the smaller size meant stronger resistance overall.

    ¡°She focused too much on style and forgot the essentials. We¡¯re using that amazing fabric, but the resistance is only at the original level. Kongkorul is a great person, but she seems tock proper thinking,¡± Katrina said. ¡°Plus, it tears easily! Sure, we could add a resistance spell over time, but what¡¯s the point? Why was she so proud of it being easily torn?¡±

    ¡°I will go with this one.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d... wait, what? Why?¡± Katrina jumped to her feet. Jin-Hyeok had chosen the uniform-style design. It looked nice, but for a yer like Chul-Soo, looks should not be the only reason.

    ¡°I have had some realizationtely,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The conquest of an Unexplored Dungeon in Fourth Hell, thrilling duels with top-tier Assassins from Arvis, universe-level Scenario, hidden Dungeon Boss, and intense battle with the Ancient Rock Giant were all content Jin-Hyeok had painstakingly created¡ªso-calledrge-scale content. While theserge-scale content pieces were important, they weren¡¯t everything. Some things had created an even bigger buzz than therge-scale content.

    [Chul-Soo¡¯s Upper Body Shot]

    [Check Out This Handsome yer]

    -Holy shit... T_T

    -I¡¯m speechless. T_T

    -I lived to see this. I¡¯m d. T_T

    It was the video of Chul-Soo without his top.

    There were also other videos.

    [Look How Pretty Mole Woman is!]

    -Mole Woman¡¯s figure is insane!

    -Chul-Soo should pay more taxes.

    Mole Woman¡¯s performance during the previous expedition had be a massive topic of discussion.

    -What are you talking about? Mole Woman should pay more taxes!

    -Mole Woman saw Chul-Soo in person. She¡¯s the lucky one.

    -Didn¡¯t you see how beautiful Mole Woman is? Chul-Soo should pay more taxes.

    Opinions were slightly divided, but it had clearly be a huge topic.

    ¡°I still find it difficult to use the seduction technique, but...¡± While Jin-Hyeok could somewhat use the seduction technique on objects, using them on people was still very challenging for him. ¡°...they say just dressing well counts as a seduction technique.¡±

    ¡°Even so, that¡¯s going too far!¡± Katrina yelled.

    <i>¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be good if I could use a seduction technique whenever I want, even if it means I have less magical and physical resistance? And she said this design tears easily. Doesn¡¯t that mean I can expose my top without much effort?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok knew he made the right decision.

    <i>¡®But still! Performance is the most important aspect of an artifact! For an Eltuber who even does Solo y in Dungeons, performance should be more important than such superficial concerns!¡¯ </i>Although Katrina thought that way, she was also part of Chul-Soo Land. <i>¡®But he would look amazing in that uniform... Maybe that is the right choice.¡¯</i>

    Dejected, Katrina returned to Kongkorul. ¡°I guess I still have a long way to go...¡±

    Kongkorul, who usually liked to show off that she was right, changed her attitude.

    ¡°Well, a Craftsman and a designer can¡¯t always see eye to eye, squeak.¡± She sat on Katrina¡¯s shoulder, gently patting her trapezius muscle. ¡°But as a member of Chul-Soo Land, I¡¯m a bit disappointed, squeak.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll reflect on this.¡±

    Today, Katrina¡¯s trapezius muscles seemed smaller than usual.

    ***

    Chul-Soo¡¯s name flooded various onlinemunities.

    -Did you see Chul-Soo in the uniform?

    -I didn¡¯t know I liked men in uniform...

    -He looks like a main character straight out of a manga.

    -I love you, Chul-Soo... I think I¡¯ve be a pervert.

    [Chul-Soo¡¯s Uniform Picture]

    [Chul-Soo¡¯s Fit is Insane!]

    The explosive reaction made Jin-Hyeok feel his decision had hit the mark. A sense of immense thrill coursed through his body.

    ¡°The response is tremendous,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He felt like he was steadily growing as an Eltuber. In high spirits, he once again visited the Feyler Family. ¡°This time, I have an invitation.¡±

    He began climbing the ascetic staircase. Though the blizzard still raged, it was much better than before.

    ¡°I should have designed the artifact earlier.¡±

    While hiking in a uniform looked a bit out of ce, viewers did not seem to mind.

    -I love the uniform. T_T

    -Unbelievable... He¡¯s so hot!

    -I love you, Kim Chul-Soo!

    -It never gets old, no matter how many times I see it.

    -His personality is perfect too. He is so likable!

    Though hiking did not really show his personality, such reactions were all over the onlinemunities. Colorful hearts poured in his chat window, and the number of likes soared. Donations increased significantly too. Even though he was just hiking, the real-time viewer count surpassed 2.6 billion.

    <i>¡®This is why artifact performance is so important.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt like he had taken another step forward as an Eltuber. <i>¡®Next time, I should look into adding lighting effects or something to make my bangs flutter in the wind.¡¯</i>

    He slightly regretted not paying much attention to items, relying solely on his physical abilities. Thanks to the dramatically increased magical resistance, he was much less affected by the blizzard.

    Garcia, the head of the Feyler Family, was waiting at the main entrance.

    ***

    Gerdok¡¯s tail stood straight up. ¡°Patriarch! How can you say such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Garcia replied.

    Recently, the Feyler Family had sent an official request to Chul-Soo. It was a proposal asking if he could donate the leftover fabric from the Ancient Rock Giant¡¯s Priestly Robe to the Feyler Family.

    The robe had lost most of its practical functions as all its magical and physical resistance had beenpressed into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s uniform. However, it still held significant historical value. It could serve as a lesson about the disastrous results of misguided faith and misced love.

    Jin-Hyeok, who held Garcia in high regard, epted the request.

    Gerdok felt a throbbing pain in his temple. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that in return, you will let him participate in the Demon Sealing Ceremony?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The prosperous Arvis Server had one chronic problem. About once every five hundred years, a dimensional gate would open in the Server, summoning monsters from another world. These monsters were far more vicious and cunning than ordinary monsters.

    Led by the Helen Empire, Arvis had been conducting operations to seal the dimensional gate, known as the Demon Sealing Ceremony. While Priests with holy power handled most of the work, in many instances, physical force was necessary. Some monsters would asionally escape through the gate during the sealing process.

    Moreover, if a high-ranking monster equivalent to a noble or above appeared in the ceremony, it could cause considerable damage.

    ¡°And you think this is a very honorable and enjoyable thing?¡± Gerdok asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it honorable?¡±

    While Gerdok respected Garcia, he was well aware that Garcia was somewhat crazy.

    1. The Demon Sealing Ceremony was a sacred war.

    2. Participating in a sacred war was an honor.

    3. Therefore, Chul-Soo had to be grateful for the opportunity to share in this honor.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that as a gift to Chul-Soo, who thoughtfully brought us the leftover fabric, we are letting him participate in the Demon Sealing Ceremony?¡± Gerdok asked again.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Garcia wore a subtle smile.

 Chapter 408

    <h4>Chapter 408</h4>

    Seeing Garcia¡¯s smile, Gerdok felt dizzy. Undoubtedly, Garcia thought it was fortunate that he could give Kim Chul-Soo a great gift. Just to be sure, Gerdok asked again, ¡°So, we¡¯re the ones asking for a favor, yet you¡¯re gifting hardship in return?¡±

    ¡°Hardship purifies the mind.¡±

    ¡°Why the hel¡ªI mean, why are you repaying the favor in such a way?¡±

    ¡°Gerdok, not forgetting a favor is a Priest¡¯s honor.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Gerdok felt like crying. It wasn¡¯t just Garcia; most Priests usually had that kind of mindset, which drove a normal person like Gerdok nearly insane. When donors gave money out of gratitude, a typical Priest would say, <i>¡®I¡¯m touched by your faith. Here is a gift! Come and suffer before you leave!¡¯</i>

    However, this was not out of the ordinary for Gerdok, so he quickly came to his senses. ¡°And you already sent a letter?¡±

    ¡°Good things should be delivered quickly,¡± Garcia answered.

    ¡°The elders told you to do it, right?¡±

    Gerdok had to mediate well so that Chul-Soo would not misunderstand. A sense of mission blossomed in Gerdok¡¯s heart.

    ***

    Garcia Feyler wanted to get straight to the point. ¡°The Demon Sealing Cere¡ª¡±

    But Gerdok quickly intervened. ¡°You did well, Chul-Soo. The prayer room is just ahead. I will pray for you first. Patriarch, please wait in the reception room for a moment. I will be right back with Chul-Soo after I say a quick prayer of blessing. Is that okay?¡±

    Gerdok felt a bit sad. Normally, the sensible thing would be for them to provide Chul-Soo with afortable ce, saying, <i>¡®You need to rest.¡¯ </i>However, this was not a ce wheremon sense worked. If they were told to rest, these people would instead think, <i>¡®Can¡¯t I just kneel and pray here?¡¯</i>

    As Gerdok moved toward the prayer room with Chul-Soo, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded. As expected, the Feyler Family knew how to make good content for livestreaming. He could not believe that even at this moment, they were setting up another content with such an urgent yet cautious attitude.

    ¡°Patriarch is going to invite you to participate in the Demon Sealing Ceremony, as a gift for giving us the leftover fabrics of the Priestly robe,¡± Gerdok said.

    ¡°Oh, the Demon Sealing Ceremony, you say?¡±

    When Gerdok saw Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction, his heart sank. A sensible person would surely find it insulting. Jin-Hyeok had just donated to them with good intentions, only to be told by a fellow Eltuber to go and risk his life fighting. Gerdok was scared of losing a great sponsor like Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand. Patriarch truly believes it¡¯s a gift. He has no intentions of insulting or exploiting you.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the mortality rate of the Demon Sealing Ceremony quite high?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s... not extremely high. Just about twenty... no, thirty percent.¡± Gerdok felt even more ashamed. They were basically pushing a sponsor into a deadly situation with a thirty percent mortality rate. ¡°Well, I think this is where you might feel insulted, but Patriarch has a very different mindset than other people...¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Gerdok thought he could hear the words, <i>¡®As expected, Priests are out of their minds. I will never associate with you guys ever again!¡¯</i>

    He had heard such insults many times.

    ¡°I knew the Feyler Family would act this way,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t appreciate the favor, it¡¯s jus¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°So, no other Eltubers have ever participated in the Demon Sealing Ceremony, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. <i>¡®I can¡¯t resist being the first one!¡¯</i>

    ***

    -Honestly, isn¡¯t it absurd that Chul-Soo is participating in the Demon Sealing Ceremony?

    -I thought only Priests and Pdins attended it.

    -No, Priests and Pdins alone are not enough, so they also take help from various Barrier Mages and other types of Mages.

    Priests and Pdins weren¡¯t the only yers who participated in the Demon Sealing Ceremony. In reality, countless yers joined forces, but the public was not well aware of this. Since the leading force was the Helen Empire, most people thought the Priests would take care of it.

    However, some yers showed resentment at this development.

    -How can someone who hasn¡¯t proven their faith take part in such an honorable ceremony?

    -I have been sending participation vows for years, but they won¡¯t ept me. Yet they ept a fake believer like him! It¡¯s deplorable.

    Surprisingly(?), quite a few people were jealous of Chul-Soo for getting to participate in the Demon Sealing Ceremony.

    ¨CHe gave them trillions of Dias. Isn¡¯t that proof enough of his faith?

    -You¡¯re an idiot. Sacred faith cannot be bought with mere money.

    -No, I think Chul-Soo has proved his faith.

    Jin-Hyeok engaged in a conversation with the knowledgeable Yolin on various topics. ¡°I heard that many Demons pop out from the Demon Gate... Would there be any useful information about that?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Yolin replied. She opened the book she had been holding and exined, ¡°Demons are typically defined as beings summoned from undefined dimensions.¡±

    ¡°Undefined dimensions?¡±

    ¡°Undefined dimensions are considered a concept where the dark emotions of intelligent beings, such as anxiety, depression, anger, and frustration, gather to form a virtual dimension. This is a hypothesis by a schr named Urimidak, who first argued for the existence of virtual dimensions.¡±

    Yolin excitedly continued, ¡°Although their forms vary, most have ck skin and horns near their temples. The number of horns tends to determine the Demon¡¯s strength. It is said that a Demon¡¯s power is contained within their horns.¡±

    ¡°So, can the horns be considered a weakness?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, and no,¡± Yolin answered. She exined that Demons lost their power if they lost their horns. However, they also protected their horns. ¡°Urimidak believes that powerful magical barriers operate within the Demons¡¯ horns. These barriers are difficult to break with modern magic. That¡¯s why Priests, not Barrier Mages, y a central role in the Demon Sealing Ceremony. Holy power weakens the Demons¡¯ horns.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. <i>¡®Demons are very powerful... I should create a sense of crisis appropriately.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Does that mean attacking with holy attributes is quite effective?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why many Priests specialized in alchemy are mobilized there as well,¡± Yolin confirmed.

    There were various ways to imbue weapons with holy power, but the easiest method was to apply holy potions to the weapons. Besides being able to prepare them inrge quantities in advance, this method had the advantage of creating good synergy with various weapons. Archers sometimes shot arrows with holy potions attached to the arrowheads.

    <i>¡®I should prepare in advance too,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡°Should I ask Cha Jin-Sol to make holy potions in advance?¡±

    ¡°You mean the Saint of Freedom? I thought she didn¡¯t specialize in alchemy,¡± Yolin asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re right... She does not seem to have learned alchemy.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s a bit difficult. Simply mixing holy power with potions does not work. To make a holy potion, you need a special recipe from each family or temple. ording to some known information, it requires things like a Yaksha¡¯s[1] hair, the shell of a 100-year-old mountain turtle, the teeth of the swamp monster Merina...¡±

    ¡°So, essentially you just need to pour in a ton of holy power!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not entirely wrong. If the correct mixing method was used, one could make a holy potion with one unit of holy power. This was the wisdom created by history to conserve holy power.

    <i>¡®If that worked, all the Priests specializing in alchemy would starve to death!¡¯ </i>Yolin thought.

    However, as a mere office worker dreaming of the right work-life bnce, she had no desire to point out her boss¡¯s mistake. ¡°You¡¯re right! That method could work too!¡±

    <i>¡®If it doesn¡¯t work after trying, I¡¯ll just say soter,¡¯ </i>Yolin thought.

    ***

    ¡°Today, we will try making holy potions!¡± Jin-Hyeok announced. He had now realized the importance of dressing appropriately for a situation. He wore a white priestly robe that Priests would typically wear and put on specially madetex rubber gloves. Cha Jin-Sol did the same.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try borrowing the abilities of the Blood Priest,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    Upon hearing this, the viewers flooded the chat withughter.

    -Isedy the concept this time?

    -He¡¯s trying to make holy potions by pouring a shit-ton of holy power? LOL!

    -Oh, is today¡¯s content about making the Blood Priest faint?

    -A typical older brother trying to trick his younger sister.jpg

    Jin-Sol¡¯s heart raced. <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to make a holy potion!¡¯</i>

    She had tried making them a few times for fun, but the effects were not that great. It was much more economical to simply pay Priests specializing in alchemy and buy potions from them rather than spending time and energy making potions herself. Her eyes met Jin-Hyeok¡¯s, which the viewers could also see.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the Blood Priest. I use holy power with blood as a medium. So, I¡¯m going to try using my brother¡¯s blood. As those who watched the previous livestreams would know, my brother¡¯s blood has great synergy with my Job.¡± Jin-Sol smiled and took out arge needle. For a Blood Priest, obtaining blood with goodpatibility and purity was an incredibly happy asion. ¡°I¡¯m going to stab him now!¡±

    They decided to make potions by pricking Jin-Hyeok¡¯s finger, drawing blood, and having Jin-Sol drink it.

    ***

    [This is an insult to alchemy.]

    [Not just alchemy but also countless Priests.]

    Alchemists and priests were furious and also ridiculed the Cha siblings.

    [If that worked, everyone would do it.]

    [There is a limit to a person¡¯s holy power.]

    There was a reason many holy families and temples made holy potions using difficult andplex methods. As numerous experts came forward to criticize the Cha siblings¡¯ antics, the public was swayed.

    -The only reason I can think of why they¡¯re doing this is that they¡¯re crazy about Eltube...

    -Even for Chul-Soo, this is going a bit too far, lol.

    Jin-Sol infused holy power andpleted one potion. ¡°Onepleted.¡±

    -I think she can make only one.

    -I don¡¯t think they have the power to make another one.

    -So, this content is about the Blood Priest fainting... I get it.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    -And you guys said she was going to faint. LOL

    -She seems fine to me.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    -Not a single drop of sweat on her.

    Jin-Sol did not get tired. Even she found this surprising.

    <i>¡®What the heck is this?¡¯ </i>She had known for a long time that she had goodpatibility with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood, but she did not know it would be to this extent. With each drop of blood she swallowed, vitality surged through her entire body. It felt like holy power was gushing out of her even when she was standing still. <i>¡®There is white light emanating from my body!¡¯</i>

    The sacred white light that was said to sometimes leak out when high-ranking Priests fasted and prayed and engaged in asceticism rose from Jin-Sol¡¯s body.

    ¡°Twenty bottles. Honestly, I¡¯m a bit surprised too,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    -She isn¡¯t even panting, lol.

    -Isn¡¯t she making those with her life as coteral?

    -Is she okay?

    People were starting to worry about Jin-Sol. Alchemists and Priests were astounded. It was nonsensical for a yer to make dozens of bottles of holy potion at once, in one ce. Even for Blood Priests, who used other people¡¯s blood for power, this was beyondmon sense.

    -I bet those potions are not good ones.

    -She¡¯s just mocking other Alchemists at this point.

    However, that was not the case.

    1. Yakshas are a broad ss of nature spirits connected with water, fertility, trees, and wilderness. They appear in Hindu and Buddhist texts. ?

 Chapter 409

    <h4>Chapter 409</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok distributed the holy potions to the rookie yers entering the Sareoga Mart Dungeon. The potions healed minor wounds and even mended broken limbs.

    ¡°The potions seem quite impressive,¡± Jin-Hyeok remarked.

    However, this was not enough. He couldn¡¯t verify the potions¡¯ performance by healing minor injuries alone. But the monsters in the Sareoga Mart Dungeon could not inflict serious wounds on the rookies.

    Jin-Hyeok approached a group of rookie yers, his eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°Would someone mind stabbing me?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The rookies stared at him in disbelief.

    ¡°Come on, quickly! The deeper, the better,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You¡¯re... joking, right?¡±

    ¡°As beginners, you won¡¯t get many chances to stab someone. Go ahead. Do it now!¡± Jin-Hyeok insisted, spreading his arms wide.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    The rookies screamed and fled, leaving Jin-Hyeok feeling a bit deted. He had hoped to test the holy potion on himself, but no one was willing to attack him.

    <i>¡®Well, I suppose they¡¯re just ordinary people unfamiliar with livestreams.¡¯ </i>Though Jin-Hyeok understood it intellectually, he still felt disappointed. It was a day that made him miss the Feyler Family.

    Nevertheless, the holy potion created by the Cha siblings had proved its effectiveness. Despite some lingering controversy over them, even Garcia of the Feyler Family acknowledged them.

    ¡°This potion... It seems worthy of a name,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Naming their creations was an honor for Alchemists and Priests, especially when the name was certified by the head of the Feyler Family. This privilege was reserved for those who either invented something or significantly improved an existing item.

    After some deliberation, Cha Jin-Sol named the potion Kim Chul-Soo Potion.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use your name?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Well...¡± Jin-Sol was now one of the leaders of the K-Force, and she was learning about business management. She exined, ¡°I think we can sell it for an incredibly high price this way.¡±

    She had already devised a marketing strategy.

    ¡°Imagine the hype. A potion infused with a drop of Chul-Soo¡¯s blood! Wouldn¡¯t Chul-Soo Landers pay a fortune for that?¡± Jin-Sol said.

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t drag Chul-Soo Landers into this. I¡¯m not going to give you any more of my blood.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit underhanded to ckmail me with your blood?¡±

    ¡°How is it ckmail when it¡¯s my blood?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean <i>your </i>blood? It¡¯s <i>our </i>blood!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being very unreasonable right now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, feeling a twinge of concern. While he had be more rationaltely, his sister seemed to be losing her grip on sanity. ¡°You should learn to think and act more sensibly like me. Stay uncorrupted.¡±

    As their banter continued, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re finally here!¡¯</i> The creation of the holy potion had certainly caused a stir, but it wasn¡¯t Jin-Hyeok¡¯s true objective. <i>¡®Come get me!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Garcia had emphatically warned Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡°You must wear it. If others covet it and tamper with it... The robe¡¯s influence might cause significant problems.¡± </i>

    As the saying went, forbidding something often tempted people to do it. A professional Thief would not be worthy of the title Thief if they did not covet such an item.

    The one who had decided to steal Jin-Hyeok¡¯s priestly robe was none other than Song Ha-Young.

    She did not care about the robe¡¯s value. Even if she seeded in stealing it, she would return itter. The act of stealing Chul-Soo¡¯s possession was more important to her than any profit she could make from selling the robe.

    Jin-Hyeok was waiting for Ha-Young¡¯s attack. <i>¡®She¡¯s here! Is she alone?¡¯</i>

    The room went dark, and Jin-Sol frowned.

    ¡°What kind of dumbass dares break in here?¡± Jin-Sol could not believe a Thief was attempting to steal her brother¡¯s item in Yeonhui-dong, where the Guardian Tree¡¯s power was at its peak. Jin-Sol could easily guess the culprit¡¯s identity. ¡°Angel Girl!¡±

    By the time Jin-Hyeok illuminated the surroundings with Broadcaster''s Light, the neatly folded priestly robe on the shelf had vanished.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fake.¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned. He had deliberately ced this decoy robe on the shelf, making it easy to steal.

    Then a small piece of paper fluttered down before his eyes.

    [Same here]

    Ha-Young had created an avatar to pretend to steal the robe from the shelf while secretly approaching Jin-Hyeok. Her real target was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s inventory. She had nned to create a momentary distraction with her avatar and raid his inventory in that instant.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not here!¡¯ </i>Ha-Young thought.

    The priestly robe was not in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s inventory either.

    ¡°Angel Girl, is this what you call being a professional Thief?¡± Jin-Hyeok taunted her. Without hesitation, he swung Miri. A professional Thief should be able to dodge such an attack effortlessly. Jin-Hyeok figured that even if she got hit, it would be fine with a skilled Blood Priest nearby.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Miri sliced through the air. Ha-Young barely avoided it and hid in the darkness.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s pretending it¡¯s not in the inventory, but it must be there.¡¯ </i>She trusted her Thief¡¯s instinct and observations.

    Thievery required immense dedication and effort. She had already gathered extensive information by tailing Jin-Hyeok for a long time. He had never taken out the priestly robe.

    <i>¡®It has to be in his inventory!¡¯</i>

    Refusing to give up, she charged again. Ha-Young¡¯s avatar threw a dagger at Jin-Sol, and while Jin-Hyeok moved to protect his sister, Ha-Young used her Skill.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Shadow Sleight of Hand?.]</strong>

    An invisible shadow, visible only to Ha-Young, stretched out and enveloped Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I knew it!¡¯ </i>She was aware that even with his exceptional abilities, Chul-Soo could not deceive a professional Thief¡¯s keen eye. <i>¡®I got it!¡¯</i>

    Inside Jin-Hyeok¡¯s inventory, she found a note that read <i>¡®I gotchu~¡¯.</i>

    ***

    ¡°...and he said you would let your guard down if you seeded in stealing.¡±

    Ha-Young fell on her knees, looking frustrated. Blood steadily dripped from her shoulder.

    ¡°Angel Girl, you¡®ve lost.¡±

    ¡°You deceitful rat... Chul-Soo hired an Assassin!¡±

    The one who had attacked the fleeing Ha-Young was Brick, a capable rodent-type Beastkin Assassin, standing about forty centimeters tall.

    ¡°Identifying an Assassin is part of a Thief¡¯s skill, Angel Girl,¡± Brick remarked.

    ¡°You traitor!¡±

    ¡°And finding out the real Thief who is escaping is also part of an Assassin¡¯s skill!¡±

    ¡°What does finding an escaping Thief have to do with an Assassin¡¯s skill?!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Brick pondered the question. While it wasn¡¯t really rted, Brick was nevertheless proud of his aplishment. After all, being an exceptional Thief, Ha-Young could skillfully elude her pursuers by using multiple illusions even while escaping.

    ¡°Anyway, catching a Thief can be considered a knight¡¯s honor,¡± Brick said.

    ¡°I thought you were on my side... I shouldn¡¯t have trusted you!¡±

    ¡°Do not cry, Angel Girl. It¡¯s not that you werecking, but that I was exceptional, hahaha!¡±

    Tears of frustration welled up in Ha-Young¡¯s eyes. She could not believe her theft had failed! Brick¡¯s betrayal was something she hadn¡¯t anticipated. The rodent-type Beastkin had been training the ck Thorn Alliance¡¯s Assassins while building rtionships with Ha-Young and Kwak Do-Hyeong. In the process, Brick had be Ha-Young¡¯s friend and could monitor her every move.

    ¡°Who came up with this n?¡± Ha-Young asked.

    ¡°Who else?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it must have been Han Sae-Rin.¡±

    No one else but Sae-Rin could have cornered her like this.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Chul-Soo was the one who nned this,¡± Brick said.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    With a puff of smoke, Angel Girl, who Brick thought had beenpletely subdued, vanished.

    ***

    ¡°...and with this, I think even Angel Girl would let her guard down,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the viewers. She had just escaped from the betrayal of her friend, Brick. Even the slightestpse in attention could lead to apletely different oue. ¡°But what if she were to be betrayed by another close friend?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked with light steps toward the Guardian Tree. Ha-Young was tightly bound with ropes before the tree, grinding her teeth in frustration.

    ¡°Brick! Kwak Do-Hyeong! You bastards!¡± she snarled. Ha-Young finally looked down in defeat.

    Jin-Hyeok took the priestly robe from her and changed into it while exposing his upper body.

    ¡°Just untie the ropes already,¡± Ha-Young grumbled.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°How on earth did you know I woulde to the Guardian Tree?¡± she asked while dusting herself off.

    ¡°I figured you would want to show off that you had sessfully stolen my item bying here. Weren¡¯t you nning to hang it on the Guardian Tree¡¯s branch?¡±

    ¡°Did Sae-Rin tell you?¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok tilted his head, Ha-Young trembled. A Ruler taking her actions into ount was one thing, but an Eltuber being able to see through her ns was humiliating.

    ¡°Be honest... Sae-Rin told you, right? She came up with the n, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent. In the past, he might have replied, <i>¡®What? Why would I need Sae-Rin for something like this?¡¯ </i>But he had now learned some social skills, so he considered how to answer in a way that would hurt Ha-Young less. ¡°I was about to ask Sae-Rin for advice.¡±

    <i>¡®That means you didn¡¯t ask for advice before...¡¯ </i>Tears welled up in Ha-Young¡¯s eyes.

    ***

    The public opinion toward the Three Sister Prophets was unfavorable.

    -Wasn¡¯t their prophecypletely wrong?

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s priestly robe seems incredibly powerful.

    They had prophesied that the Pangea Temple had nothing to offer to yers, yet Chul-Soo had acquired an extraordinarily powerful artifact there.

    -And the universe-level Scenario is progressing smoothly! LOL

    -Three Sister Prophets? More like Three Sister Frauds.

    The Three Sister Prophets felt somewhat wronged.

    ¡°The tainted priestly robe destroys the wearer¡¯s mind.¡±

    ¡°The purification is only temporary.¡±

    ¡°No matter how much you purify it, the relentless corruption will keep eating away at the mind.¡±

    Even someone of Garcia¡¯s caliber could notpletely purify it. Fully cleansing the priestly robe would require at least a year of continuous purification. If even a speck of corruption remained, it would eventually spread throughout the entire robe again. The corruption in the tainted priestly robe was persistent and vicious. So, it was not entirely fair to say their prophecy waspletely wrong.

    -Nah, Chul-Soo is wearing it just fine.

    -Actually, his views are skyrocketing because of that robe, lol!

    -Just admit you guys were wrong instead of being stubborn.

    Many people wanted to interview the Three Sister Prophets. They wanted to know if the prophecy was truly incorrect and whether they had hired Assassins to forcibly make their prophecye true.

    -Since the Three Sister Prophets hired Assassins first, doesn¡¯t that make Chul-Soo hiring Assassins justifiable?

    -Chul-Soo never forgives those whoe at him first.

    -Let¡¯s go for justice!

 Chapter 410

    <h4>Chapter 410</h4>

    Sensing a threat to their lives, the Three Sister Prophets sought the Feyler Family. They knew they would not face assassination in the Feyler Family estate.

    After a grueling journey, they finally reached the main gate, only to be struck dumb with astonishment.

    <i>¡®Kim Chul-Soo...¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®...is...¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®...here?¡¯</i>

    They could not show their surprise. If they did, rumors like <i>¡®The Three Sister Prophets are frauds¡¯ </i>or <i>¡®The prophets can¡¯t see the future¡¯ </i>would spread like wildfire.

    But this wasn¡¯t entirely true. Making a prophecy required enormous mental and physical strength. Glimpsing the future was an intricate and challenging task. Even the renowned Three Sister Prophets could not peer into the future all the time. It was usual for events they had not foreseen to take ce, but having rumors like <i>¡®They can¡¯t even see their future¡¯ </i>circting among the public was far from ideal.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°We havee.¡±

    ¡°To meet you.¡±

    In their efforts to maintainposure and hide their shock, they inadvertently exposed their inner thoughts to Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[#Flustered #Shocked #Stay Calm #Don¡¯t let him see our true feelings. #Girls, we are not surprised.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok chose to not expose them. Instead, he feigned surprise, dramatically widening his eyes. ¡°As expected! The Three Sister Prophets are amazing! You knew I was here and came to find me, right?¡±

    ¡°Seeing the future.¡±

    ¡°For us.¡±

    ¡°Is child¡¯s y.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to meet me? We¡¯re not exactly close,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The eldest sister spoke first. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s...¡±

    This left the second sister a bit flustered. While the three sisters always split a sentence into three parts and spoke in turns, in this case, it felt like the older sister had irresponsibly thrown the burden ofpleting the sentence onto the second and third sisters.

    With a sour expression, the second sister said, ¡°Future...¡±

    The youngest sister was aghast. She couldn''t help but seethe at her older sisters. Seeing the future was an incredibly difficult task. Predicting an individual¡¯s future was even more challenging. The sisters typically foresaw the future from a macro perspective, not the minutiae of personal lives. For instance, they could foresee a valuable artifact appearing in a Dungeon, but not who would acquire it or how.

    The youngest sister could not forgive her older siblings irresponsibly throwing these words at her. She had always struggled to conclude their statements. At this moment, they had pushed her to her mental limits, and her frustration finally boiled over as she said, ¡°We are here to look into your future!¡±

    ***

    Seeing an individual¡¯s future urately was nearly impossible, almost unachievable.

    ¡°Our youngest.¡±

    ¡°Has just made¡±

    ¡°A reasonable proposal.¡±

    The eldest and second sisters were once again struck with disbelief. In the end, their irresponsibility had earned them a stern rebuke from their youngest sibling.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. <i>¡®As long as the view count is good.¡¯</i>

    In a world where even Assassins were forgiven, he thought that assassination requests could surely be tolerated. After all, assassinations were technically part of the y.

    The sisters summoned their mental strength.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s read.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Surroundings.¡¯</i>

    The Three Sister Prophets were also curious about Chul-Soo¡¯s future. They wondered if his hands would be stained with blood or whether he would harm them or not. As they tried to peek into his future, they suddenly copsed with blood-curdling screams. Blood-tinged tears streamed from their eyes. Theyy on the ground, trembling violently. The moment they tried to glimpse Chul-Soo¡¯s future, they felt as if the universe was devouring them.

    ¡°We cannot.¡±

    ¡°See Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Future!¡±

    They coughed up blood. An inexplicable terror gripped their entire beings.

    ¡°Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°You are like.¡±

    ¡°An endless universe.¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s future was simr to an endless universe, yet different. It was something invisible to human eyes.

    ¡°A terribly.¡±

    ¡°Vast.¡±

    ¡°Corruption!¡±

    It was a horrifyingly deep corruption. Just trying to peer into that abyss made them feel they were being tainted by it. A glimpse of it had caused blood to stream from their eyes and ears.

    Jin-Hyeok quickly asked, ¡°Did you see a vision?¡±

    ¡°We saw.¡±

    ¡°A terrible.¡±

    ¡°Vision.¡±

    The Three Sister Prophets spoke in unison.

    ¡°The world¡¯s strongest.¡±

    ¡°Madman is chasing us with a hammer.¡±

    ¡°Screaming that he is not insane.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. ¡°It seems they are frauds after all.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok revealed everything he had read from their inner thoughts using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    <strong>[#Flustered #Shocked #Stay Calm #Don¡¯t let him see our true feelings. #Girls, we are not surprised.]</strong>

    This was his revenge against the Three Sister Prophets, who had insulted him by calling him insane.

    -LoL! I thought they could see the future.

    -So, they were lying about how they can see the future? LMAO!

    -Surely, there aren¡¯t any idiots left who still believe these frauds?

    Jin-Hyeok seriously told the viewers, ¡°I¡¯m actually quite sensible, you know.¡±

    Unlike before his regression, when he was truly crazy, he had now be a genuinely sensible and ordinary person. He had developed amon sensibility that allowed him to connect with the masses. He was mad at the Three Sister Prophets for making such a ridiculous prophecy about someone like him.

    -Chul-Soo is angry, lol.

    -He didn¡¯t even get mad when Song Ha-Young tried to steal the priestly robe.

    -People tend to get angrier when something hits close to home.

    Truly intelligent people were not affected by being called stupid, but those who worried they could be a bitcking tended tosh out when someone called them stupid.

    -Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean the prophecy came true?

    -He does seem to be shouting pretty earnestly that he¡¯s not insane.

    -It looks like the prophecy wasn¡¯t wrong after all. LOL

    ¡°Ah, I forgot to ask them if they hired the Assassins,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had originally intended to confirm that but had gotten sidetracked by the Three Sister Prophets¡¯ offer of making a prophecy. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not that important anyway.¡±

    Focusing on trivial matters made it difficult to create proper content. He decided to concentrate on content production instead.

    ***

    The Three Sister Prophets trembled violently. The future they had glimpsed was tormenting them, having taken on a vivid reality.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Aak!¡±

    They screamed and woke up from their nightmare, drenched in cold sweat. The terror that Chul-Soo could attack them with a hammer at any moment, smashing their heads, had taken over their minds.

    ¡°The side effects.¡±

    ¡°Are too.¡±

    ¡°Severe.¡±

    Prophecy was always difficult. However, trying to glimpse Chul-Soo¡¯s future had dealt a massive blow to their minds and bodies.

    ¡°We cannot measure.¡±

    ¡°The weight of the future.¡±

    ¡°That Kim Chul-Soo bears.¡±

    The greater a being was, the harder it was to glimpse their future. The sisters could state something with certainty.

    ¡°Chul-Soo might be.¡±

    ¡°The greatest of all.¡±

    ¡°We have ever encountered.¡±

    They trembled as they watched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream. Jin-Hyeok spoke through the screen.

    ?Ah, I forgot to ask them if they hired the Assassins.?

    ?I guess it¡¯s not that important anyway.?

    It sounded like he was giving them a chance toe and beg for forgiveness, like a final absolution granted by a great ruler.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and kneel before him.¡±

    ¡°And apologize.¡±

    The youngest sister bit her lip again.

    If the elder sisters divided the sentence into <i>¡®Let¡¯s go¡¯ </i>and <i>¡®Kneel,¡¯ </i>the youngest one could have just said <i>¡®And apologize¡¯ </i>to finish the sentence. It could have been wrapped up so neatly, but once again, her older sisters had said the good parts first, leaving her with little to add. The eldest and second sisters stared at the youngest.

    ¡°And beg for forgiveness.¡±

    The line was somewhat redundant with the second sister already saying <i>apologize, </i>but there was no helping it.

    ***

    In a dark room, Kim Min-Ji, the official Chul-Soo Land No.1, smiled softly. The Subus Lilia ced a ss of orange juice on the table beside her.

    ¡°You did it, didn¡¯t you, Miss Min-Ji?¡± Lilia asked.

    ¡°Did what?¡±

    ¡°The Three Sister Prophets copsing and bleeding.¡±

    Min-Ji put on a serious face. ¡°I have absolutely no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you have absolutely no idea. I¡¯ll believe you.¡± After setting down the orange juice, Lilia turned and walked away gracefully.

    ¡°Lilia, I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    As Lilia closed the door behind her, Min-Ji gulped down the orange juice and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. ¡°But I really am...¡±

    The Three Sister Prophets daring to peek into Chul-Soo¡¯s future was an unforgivable crime in Min-Ji¡¯s eyes. To her, it felt like they were trying to hack into his life. She had intended to counter-attack them and melt their brains, but she was toote. The Three Sister Prophets had already copsed, bleeding, before she could act.

    Min-Ji scratched her head, gazing at the door. ¡°Well... I guess it doesn¡¯t matter if she doesn¡¯t believe me.¡±

    ***

    The Demon Sealing Ceremony was one of the grandest events in Arvis. The citizens of Arvis, well aware of the monsters¡¯ strength, showed great interest in the ritual.

    ¡°Please let us get through this safely once again.¡±

    ¡°Help us ovee this crisis without harm.¡±

    The Pope himself came forward to reassure the citizens, while high-ranking Priests and Pdins, led by the Feyler Family, began to gather. The dimensional gate to the other world was opening after five hundred years. Their faces were grim as they assembled to face the Demons that would pour out.

    The Pope had foreseen the location of the dimensional gate through forty days of prayer.

    ¡°This time, the gate will open in the U ins.¡±

    ¡°Oh no!¡±

    ¡°A great disaster ising.¡±

    The U ins were a vast granary located in the Helen Empire. More than seventy percent of the wheat and rice consumed in the Helen Empire was produced there. If the Demon Sealing Ceremony were to take ce there, the crop harvests would suffer greatly.

    ¡°We have no choice, do we?¡±

    ¡°If Demons break through, the damage will be far worse.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok arrived at the U ins first, along with Garcia. They were waiting in a tent where the Feyler Family¡¯s g fluttered.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know exactly when the dimensional gate will open,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The sky flickered purple at times, suddenly pouring rain, then was struck by lightning. As dimensions fluctuated and became unstable, various natural phenomena went haywire. While all these were signs of the dimensional gate opening, no one could predict the exact timing.

    ¡°Oh, a familiar face.¡±

    Spotting Muenne in the crowd, Jin-Hyeok approached her.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo!¡± Muenne smiled brightly, seeing Jin-Hyeok after a long time.

 Chapter 411

    <h4>Chapter 411</h4>

    Thomas, Muenne¡¯s adjutant, had always respected and admired her, but his feelings had begun to wavertely. Muenne had abandoned her noble spirit as a Pdin and entered the world of politics. At first, he thought, <i>¡®She surely made this bold decision for the sake of countless citizens, to guide the development of the city in a better direction!¡¯</i>

    However, as time passed, his thoughts gradually changed.

    <i>¡°Why is there discrimination between honorary citizens and regr citizens?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Honorary citizenship is granted to those who make great contributions to Arvis. It¡¯s only right that they receive appropriate treatment.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°As honorary citizens are not originally from Arvis, we will permit them to bring in people from their hometowns when necessary.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°As the mayor of Muren, I dere that honorary citizens will not be taxed in Muren.¡±</i>

    Honorary citizenships were rarely granted in Arvis. Less than one hundred people had received honorary citizenship of Arvis in the past decade.

    Then, Thomas realized, <i>¡®She¡¯s implementing policies for Chul-Soo¡¯s benefit!¡¯</i>

    All of Muenne¡¯s actions were for Chul-Soo¡¯s sake. Thomas had felt deeply betrayed. It was as if Muenne, who had always prioritized principles and walked the true path of a Pdin, had be corrupted. Though he was deeply disappointed in Muenne, he did not express it. He still respected her, after all.

    While she intended to bestow excessive privileges on Chul-Soo in some matters, overall, Muenne was quite a capable mayor. Nevertheless, Thomas found it hard to ept the sight of her beaming at Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®She hasn¡¯t smiled even once recently!¡¯</i>

    Muenne had lived her entire life as a Pdin, so she faced many challenges in political life. The political circles subtly looked down on her since she was a Pdin to her core. Yet, here she was, smiling at Chul-Soo as if she had gained the world.

    <i>¡®Why has she given her heart to such an insignificant person?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo seemed unbothered wearing the tainted priestly robe. This meant that Chul-Soo was the very embodiment of corruption.

    <i>¡®He must have tainted Muenne!¡¯</i>

    The pure and noble Pdin had disappeared; in her ce was now only a mayor infected by the virus named Chul-Soo. Thomas clenched his fist, hiding his malice toward Chul-Soo.

    ***

    Muenne smiled brightly. ¡°I heard you¡¯re participating in the Demon Sealing Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°The head of the Feyler Family gave me a good opportunity,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯m thrilled and excited to be working alongside you, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    She felt as if all her fatigue had vanished. Just then, they heard a deafening thunderstrike, and strange ripples began to appear in the air. It was a sign that the dimensional gate was about to open.

    ¡°The dimensional gate will open soon, and Demons will appear,¡± Muenne said.

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Muenne appeared slightly tense as well. Jin-Hyeok looked up at the sky and asked, ¡°But why aren¡¯t we taking any measures and just waiting?¡±

    He wondered if, at this critical moment, they could take preemptive action, like sealing the gate orunching a first strike against the Demons beyond.

    Thomas, who had been quietly standing behind, stepped forward. He was surprised that a yer participating in the Demon Sealing Ceremony did not know such basics.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, the dimensional gate at this point is protected by a massive external force,¡± Thomas said.

    ¡°A massive external force?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Its origin remains unknown. You could¡¯ve found this with a simple search.¡±

    Thomas¡¯s tone was somewhat sarcastic, but Jin-Hyeok did not pay much attention to it. He just asked, ¡°Then can I try attacking now?¡±

    ¡°It would be meaningless,¡± Thomas replied.

    ¡°Does it matter if it¡¯s meaningless?¡±

    The actual sealing ceremony would be carried out by the Pdins and the Priests gathered here. Jin-Hyeok did not think he could perform the sealing better than them. Everyone had their role to y, after all.

    ¡°That seems like a reckless statement for someone participating in the Demon Sealing Ceremony,¡± Thomas said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone expects me to seal the dimensional gate anyway.¡± Jin-Hyeok knew exactly why Garcia had invited him here. It was to create good content, not to personally seal the dimensional gate.

    ¡°That may be true, but... you will only exhaust yourself.¡±

    ¡°That does not matter either.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was to capture footage. He started recording. ¡°I¡¯m going to try attacking first.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok turned to catch Thomas¡¯s expression. Though Thomas quicklyposed himself, the Streamer could tell the adjutant had been looking at him with disdain. Seizing the moment, Jin-Hyeok provoked him. ¡°Adjutant Thomas, you don¡¯t like me do you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of liking or disliking.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to make a bet?¡±

    ¡°What kind of bet?¡±

    ¡°Whether my attack will work or not.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t. History has already proven that.¡±

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t that advantageous for you, Adjutant Thomas?¡± Jin-Hyeok whispered, ¡°Or are you scared?¡±

    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s make a bet!¡±

    <i>¡®He¡¯s pretty easy to read.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok grinned and said, ¡°What will you do if I manage to even scratch the dimensional gate?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely, but if such a thing were to happen, I would crawl on all fours and bark like a dog. What will you wager, Sir Chul-Soo?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was taken aback. <i>¡®He¡¯s willing to sacrifice that much?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I will...¡± Jin-Hyeok thought about what he could do.

    ¡°I want you to wager your honorary citizenship,¡± Thomas said first.

    ¡°Sounds like a n.¡±

    <i>¡®This might turn out to be another good piece of content!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ***

    Startled, Wang Yu-Mi sent Jin-Hyeok a message.

    [Is it okay to make such a risky bet?]

    Jin-Hyeok replied to her immediately.

    [It will draw a lot of attention.]

    [What if you lose by any chance?]

    [I don¡¯t think I can lose my honorary citizenship over this anyway, right?]

    It wasmon for video titles to differ slightly from their content.

    [Still, it¡¯s not good to draw attention like this too often, Chul-Soo. You know that, right?]

    [It¡¯s fine. Everyone knows it¡¯s an impossible bet. If the video bes viral, Thomas will be the one getting all the hate, right?]

    For a moment, Yu-Mi was surprised. She had thought Jin-Hyeok had epted the bet just because he was obsessed with drawing attention. <i>¡®Does he just want to mess with Adjutant Thomas?¡¯</i>

    She wondered if that Eltube fiend had such intentions, but then shook her head. Chul-Soo lived his life for Eltube. He was a man obsessed with views; he was not the type of person to seek revenge.

    Jin-Hyeok raised Miri and concentrated. <i>¡®I probably won¡¯t even be able to scratch it.¡¯</i>

    This was the most likely oue. If a mere Eltuber could do it, countless Pdins and Priests throughout history would have been able to as well.

    <i>¡®Still, I should give it my all and unleash my most powerful attack.¡¯</i>

    Such opportunities were rare. Typical battles unfolded with split-second decisions and constant unexpected variables. Normalbat involved making countless judgments and choices in the blink of an eye. The enemy never waited for an attack. However, his current target was stationary, and all Jin-Hyeok had to do was unleash his strongest attack. He immediately pulled out his trump card.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Omnipotent Director?.]</strong>

    His surroundings turned ashen gray. As Jin-Hyeok made this space entirely his domain, he felt a strange distortion.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Originally, he had intended to strike the dimensional gate, but that was unnecessary. The gate was merely a phenomenon. He could see several strands of mana connected to the dimensional gate. These strands, invisible to the naked eye but visible with the Omnipotent Director Skill, were transmitting unseen energy to the gate, summoning Demons from it.

    <i>¡®Cutting them all won¡¯t be possible.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok decided to target the thickest mana line. <i>¡®At least, that one...¡¯</i>

    He tried to get rid of it, but it would not disappear. Just as Thomas had told him, an invisible external force was protecting the dimensional gate and the mana lines.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Unleashing Technique?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok unlocked the protective force.

    <strong>[The Trait ?Persistent and Sticky Desire? has been activated.]</strong>

    Miri, the Rule Breaker, unleashed her destructive power. A golden beam of light shot toward the mana line, tracing a peculiar curve. Within it was a power mimicking Shin Yu-Ri¡¯s Babylon Cannon.

    <i>Snap!</i>

    A sound only Jin-Hyeok could hear rang out, and the thick mana strand was severed.

    ***

    Thomas hid his joy and said, ¡°Please voluntarily surrender your honorary citizenship, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Soon after, the dimensional gate opened.

    ¡°The dimensional gate is opening!¡±

    ¡°Alert the front-line Priests! Prepare the holy magic!¡±

    ¡°Holy magic preparationsplete!¡±

    ¡°Choir, sing the sacred melody!¡±

    As the choir¡¯s harmonies filled the air, Priests began to pray, and Pdins summoned their strength to face the impending Demon onught. At that moment, the first Demon appeared.

    <i>Peep!</i>

    It was a Spirit in the form of a chick.

    ¡°A Spirit...?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Spirit!¡±

    The choir¡¯s sacred song, which should have tormented the Demons, made the chick Spirit dance instead.

    <i>Peep! Pe-peep!</i>

    The chick Spirit pped its wings, calling its friends. Countless chick Spirits poured out of the dimensional gate.

    ¡°D-Do not be fooled!¡±

    ¡°They may look like Spirits, but they are extremely dangerous Dem¡ª¡±

    The chick Spirits danced or, rather, moved rhythmically to the choir¡¯s song.

    <i>Peep! Peep peep!</i>

    After finishing their dance, the chick Spiritsnded on the ground, wandered, and then returned one by one.

    ***

    Garcia showed a faint smile.

    Jin-Hyeok asked him, ¡°Sir Garcia, what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    ¡°It seems our sincere prayers have been answered.¡±

    Garcia¡¯s aide, the leopard Beastkin Gerdok, wanted to ask, <i>¡®Then were the prayers of the Priests in the previous Demon Sealing Ceremonies impious?¡¯</i>

    Except for those showing fanatical devotion to faith like Garcia, most people could easily guess that this change was due to Jin-Hyeok. Even during this urgent Demon Sealing Ceremony, quite a few Priests and Pdins had been watching Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream in real-time.

    Thomas was displeased about this too. <i>¡®What kind of lunatics would bother turning on their phones to watch a video? Why would they do such a thing when Chul-Soo is right in front of them?¡¯</i>

    What he couldn¡¯t perceive was that there existed a clear difference between seeing something with one¡¯s eyes and watching the same thing through a video. In that absolute space where the Omnipotent Director Skill was activated, people watching Chul-Soo did not know what had happened. Only through Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream could they discern his actions.

    Regardless of Thomas¡¯s dissatisfaction, Chul-Soo¡¯s video became viral, and many concluded that Jin-Hyeok had brought about this change. Though he did not know the exact cause or reason, Jin-Hyeok thought so too.

    ¡°It does seem like I changed something, but...,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°<i>Woof! Woof!</i>¡± Thomas was barking and crawling on all fours, his eyes zed with fury.

 Chapter 412

    <h4>Chapter 412</h4>

    Kim Chul-Soo texted Marshmallow.

    [I have a lot of questions about recent events. Can you arrange a meeting with Encyclopedia for me?]

    Marshmallow sent an affirmative reply. As the appointed time approached, Marshmallow thought, <i>¡®He will be here soon.¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow¡¯s marshmallow-shaped head always reflected his emotions. Currently, his head had hardened and grown slightlyrger. This meant he was feeling a bit embarrassed and angry.

    ¡°Hey, why are you making that face?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    The person he was irritated with was none other than Encyclopedia, a book-shaped member of the Boclings.[1]

    Encyclopedia flipped his pages. ¡°How can I have a facial expression?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you have one?¡±

    Being book-shaped, Encyclopedia indeed did not have facial expressions. However, an expert observer like Marshmallow could discern Encyclopedia¡¯s expressions. Right now, Encyclopedia was looking at Marshmallow with eyes that seemed to say, <i>¡®How pathetic!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit much to insist that a Bocling has facial expressions?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    ¡°You just looked at me like I was pathetic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just your inference. You didn¡¯t actually see my expression.¡± Encyclopedia provoked Marshmallow by flipping his pages repeatedly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you admitted it, Marshmallow of Chul-Soo Land?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Chul-Soo Lander!¡± Marshmallow¡¯s head grew evenrger and harder. His head, which was now tinted ck, reflected his determination.

    ¡°You¡¯re a Chul-Soo Lander. You¡¯re excited right now,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not excited at all!¡±

    Marshmallow was excited for one reason: Kim Chul-Soo was on his way to this ce.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re excited right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a bit nervous about meeting a futurepetitor.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hey! There¡¯s Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Where?!¡± Marshmallow whipped his head around, but didn¡¯t spot Chul-Soo.

    Encyclopediaughed loudly, his pages rustling. ¡°Right, you¡¯re definitely not a Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    ***

    Marshmallow introduced Encyclopedia to Jin-Hyeok. ¡°<i>Ahem</i>. This is my old friend, Encyclopedia. He¡¯s rude but knowledgeable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Encyclopedia, the online debater. Nice to meet you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stared at Encyclopedia. It was his first time seeing a Bocling in real life. He said, ¡°Is it okay if I record this?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Encyclopedia nodded.

    ¡°Is it okay if your face gets recognized?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°People might recognize you and bother you. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Then I will just go sit on a bookshelf.¡±

    ¡°But people with keen eyes might still recognize you.¡±

    ¡°Nope. Even Marshmallow, who has pretty good eyes, can¡¯t find me when I¡¯m determined to hide on a bookshelf.¡±

    Encyclopedia seemed to be proud of his hiding skill. If Jin-Hyeok were still socially inept, he would have just let this go, but being an Eltuber, Jin-Hyeok would not miss such an opportunity.

    ¡°Come on... Boclings aren¡¯t top-tier Assassins or anything.¡± Jin-Hyeok provoked Encyclopedia.

    ¡°What? Are you looking down on Boclings?¡±

    It was unclear why being unable to find a Bocling hiding on a bookshelf was considered disrespectful, but Encyclopedia was clearly offended.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go try hiding? I will try to find you.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Go outside ande back in five minutes. If you find me, I will let you doodle on my face.¡±

    Boclings possessed vast wisdom. If someone wrote a question on their face, they would somehow provide an answer close to the truth. If they knew it, they would answer; if not, they would study to find out.

    ¡°But if you can¡¯t find me, you have to crawl on all fours and bark like Thomas did,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ***

    Five minutester, Encyclopedia trembled in disbelief.

    ¡°H-How did you find me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was just as surprised as Encyclopedia. He could not detect the Bocling¡¯s hiding ce with his naked eye or with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. Apparently, when they slipped into a bookshelf, Boclings would truly be books and fall asleep. Their personalities would disappear, and they would be indistinguishable from regr books.

    However, Jin-Hyeok had a method of his own.

    ¡°I kept the recording on before I left the room,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s cheating.¡±

    <i>¡®Did Encyclopedia not know that Eltubers can secretly film remotely?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok scratched his head. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not as smart as I thought...¡±

    ¡°You little...!¡±

    Encyclopedia, seemingly enraged, spread his pages wide and mped them on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. It did not hurt since Encyclopedia was just paper without teeth.

    Marshmallowughed from the side. ¡°Hey, not-so-smart Encyclopedia!¡±

    Encyclopedia felt wronged. It wasn¡¯t that he was unaware of Eltubers having such abilities. He knew very well and had felt safe because this was a top-ranked Eltuber¡¯s house with high security. Marshmallow¡¯s house was a ce where his <i>¡®My privacy is important¡¯ </i>barrier was always active.

    <i>¡®When did he remove the barrier!¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought.

    For someone who imed not to be a Chul-Soo Lander, Marshmallow had dropped the barrier as soon as Chul-Soo wasing here. It felt like a betrayal to Encyclopedia. The Bocling realized he should have anticipated his friend¡¯s behavior but had let his guard down.

    ¡°Why do you look so wronged?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t ept what just happened?¡± Marshmallow quipped from the side.

    Feeling extremely wronged, Encyclopedia momentarily forgot that Chul-Soo had read his wronged <i>facial expression.</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok took a pen and wrote on Encyclopedia¡¯s nk page.

    [How could Kim Chul-Soo change the Demon Sealing Ceremony dimensional gate into a Spirit gate?]

    Encyclopedia immediately provided an answer. Letters appeared automatically with a scratching sound.

    <strong>[<u>While the exact reason is unknown, we can make three guesses</u>:</strong>

    <strong>The universe-level Scenario influenced it.</strong>

    <strong>The weapon Miri possesses a special ability.</strong>

    <strong>Kim Chul-Soo has a soul with the same wavelength as that of Demons.]</strong>

    The first two guesses were not difficult to make. Anyone could have thought of these without consulting Encyclopedia.

    Jin-Hyeok had been thinking it could be one of these two.

    ¡°Based on the vast and deep well of my knowledge, I would say...¡±

    ¡°Is it the first or the second?¡±

    ¡°The third one is the most likely reason.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok incredulously looked at Encyclopedia. <i>¡®Based on what happened before... Maybe he really is less smart than I thought.¡¯</i>

    From what he had seen over the inte, Encyclopedia seemed capable and wise, but the real-life version seemed different. Encyclopedia was a bit like a keyboard warrior.

    ¡°What does it mean to have a soul with the same wavelength as that of Demons?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It means having an existence value that can resonate with them.¡± Encyclopedia closed his pages, thought for a while, and then gave an easy example. ¡°Humans can¡¯t hear sounds above the audible frequency range, that is, above about 20,000 Hertz.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to say something again. <i>¡®But I can hear above 20,000 Hertz...¡¯</i>

    It was not just Jin-Hyeok; high-ranking Eltubers were generally very sensitive to visual and auditory stimuli, possessing better eyesight and hearing than average people. As an ultra-high-level Eltuber, Jin-Hyeok could hear ultrasonic frequencies. It seemed Encyclopedia¡¯s reputation was a bit inted.

    ¡°Sounds about 20,000 Hertz exist, but humans can¡¯t hear them. This concept is simr to that. The dimensional gate that appeared in the Demon Sealing Ceremony is located in Arvis, but it has a dimensional value that humans cannot ess. We might express this as having different dimensional frequencies or values, though the terminology is not important...¡±

    As the conversation continued, Jin-Hyeok had doubts about Encyclopedia¡¯s abilities.

    <i>¡®Is he just glossing over what he doesn¡¯t know?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Anyway, ordinary people cannot affect the dimensional gate, so the fact that you did suggests your existence has a dimensional value simr to that of Demons.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean to have a simr dimensional value?¡±

    ¡°It means you¡¯re like a Demon or rather...¡± Encyclopedia cleared his throat. Marshmallow¡¯s re seemed particrly scary today. He could tolerate insults to himself but not to Chul-Soo. ¡°It¡¯s not an established theory, but sometimes, a very, very tainted soul might have the same dimensional value as the Demon¡¯s dimensio¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok mmed Encyclopedia shut. He did not need to hear more.

    ¡°No, I think you¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s probably rted to the universe-level Scenario,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s your opini¡ª<i>mmph</i>!¡±

    Suddenly forced shut, Encyclopedia struggled but could not ovee Jin-Hyeok¡¯s strength. Jin-Hyeok hade here for wisdom but only heard strange things. So, he picked up the pen again and scribbled on Encyclopedia¡¯s nk page.

    ¡°I, I won¡¯t allow any more doodles...Ahhh!!¡±

    [I (Encyclopedia) am actually quite stupid. Is that true?]

    Encyclopedia was a Bocling who pursued the truth. A person was insignificant if they did not strive to find the truth. No matter how much one studied, there was always more unknown than known in the world, and the more one knew, the humbler one became. Encyclopedia¡¯s principle was that even sages had to be foolish before the countless truths of the world.

    <strong>[<u>That is correct.</u>]</strong>

    Encyclopedia hoped that his humility as a knowledgeable being would be widely spread through the livestream. After all, everyone had to be humble before the truth.

    ¡°Encyclopedia seems to be more overhyped than I thought,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Instead of <i>Humble Encyclopedia</i>, <i>Overhyped Encyclopedia </i>became more widely known in the world.

    ***

    Oliver III, the Pope of the Helen Empire, praised and encouraged the Priests and Pdins who had participated in the Demon Sealing Ceremony. ¡°Your sincere prayers and faith have caused a miracle. This holy war of ours will be recorded and passed down to future generations.¡±

    Many people criticized the Papacy.

    -Wasn¡¯t it Chul-Soo who did it?

    -Theypletely left out Chul-Soo!

    -For a Pope, he surecks conscience lol.

    While he received quite a bit of criticism, the Pope had no choice. The Demon Sealing Ceremony had to be recorded as an achievement of the Priests and Pdins. He foresaw that if they officially recorded that it was Chul-Soo, who had never properly demonstrated any faith, who had the greatest impact on the Demon Sealing Ceremony, it could shake the foundation of the Holy Empire of Helen. Moreover, while there could be various protests now, everything would eventually return to its proper ce.

    Garcia, the head of the Feyler Family, personally invited Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I have something to discuss.¡±

    Garcia was not interested in the Pope¡¯s publicmendation of gifts. Participating in the Demon Sealing Ceremony was simply a natural duty of a Priest or a Pdin. He applied the same standard to himself and others.

    ¡°Sir Chul-Soo, have you ever considered bing a Priest or a Pdin?¡±

    <strong>[Would you like to change your Job to the Special Job ?Heir of Feyler??]</strong>

    1. The name boclings, also known by their scientific name <i>Homo biblios</i>,es from the Old English words for book + person. ?

 Chapter 413

    <h4>Chapter 413</h4>

    ¡°What are the benefits of changing my Job?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You will have more freedom for prayer time,¡± Garcia replied. ¡°As a Priest, you can serve people to your heart¡¯s content. You can even maintain focus during a forty-day fasting prayer without breaks.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised by Garcia¡¯s unusual sense of social awareness. He wondered if Garcia actually thought these were selling points.

    ¡°Can I just do a Dual ss?¡± Jin-Hyeok inquired.

    ¡°Why would you want a Dual ss?¡± Garcia looked at Jin-Hyeok with genuine confusion. His expression conveyed that he thought being only a Priest was far superior tobining the Job with being an Eltuber.

    Marveling at Garcia¡¯s remarkable social skills, Jin-Hyeok responded, ¡°I decline.¡±

    Garcia was caught off guard by the refusal, and his eyes widened in shock. ¡°But... why?¡±

    ¡°As my faith is inadequate, taking on such a noble Job would be too shameful for me,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    ¡°I see.¡± Garcia nodded.

    Jin-Hyeok continued with a serious expression, ¡°It breaks my heart that I can¡¯t receive such radiant grace...¡±

    Gerdok, Garcia¡¯s aide, sensed that something was off. He worried that Garcia might feel guilty, which could turn out to be dangerous for the Feyler Family. Garcia was the type to perform all sorts of good deeds to atone for his sins.

    ¡°W-Wait!¡± Gerdok shouted.

    However, before Gerdok could interject, Garcia said, ¡°I apologize. I did not consider that. You must be disappointed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s heartbreaking,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°To make amends, I would like to offer you a suitable gift, such as...¡±

    Fearing Garcia could offer something like an all-day prayer pass, Jin-Hyeok quickly interrupted him. ¡°What you are about to offer is surely too grand for me. I might find myself in the sad position of having to refuse such beautiful grace again. Perhaps, you could let me state what I want instead?¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Garcia replied.

    Gerdok wanted to shout <i>¡®What¡¯s fair about this? Don¡¯t fall for it!¡¯ </i>However, it was toote for him to intervene.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Garcia asked with a gentle smile, while Gerdok¡¯s face darkened.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok expressed his disappointment. ¡°I thought there might be some kind of holy relic, but...¡±

    He had requested a family relic from Garcia, but unfortunately, the Feyler Family no longer possessed any such relics.

    Jin-Hyeok began to worry. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t the universe-level Scenario progressing too slowly?¡¯</i>

    Right now, the universe-level Scenario was stuck at stage (10).

    <strong>[(10) Dear wanderer, much time has passed. How do you feel, having faced the truth that slumbers within the Sword Fragment? Ah, corrupted believer. The sacrilegious armor you boasted of has pierced your heart instead. The era of false peace draws to a close, and now we shall march toward the truth.]</strong>

    While Jin-Hyeok had created videos on minor events and rtively calm content over the past few days, he felt it was time to advance the main content.

    Mole Woman, who had recently be Jin-Hyeok¡¯s closest confidant due to viewers¡¯ explosive interest in her, tilted her head. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t it progressing fast enough?¡¯ </i>

    She had heard that Scenarios of the universe-level scale typically spanned years, if not centuries, sometimes continuing through generations.

    ¡°Well...¡± Mole Woman said cautiously, being familiar with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s standards. ¡°Maybe your soul¡¯s dimensional value does match that of the Demons.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Jin-Hyeok dismissed her. ¡°Aren¡¯t all Demons supposed to be crazy?¡±

    History portrayed most Demons as madmen¡ªobsessed with ughter, pleasure, blood, or greed. They were always described as <i>crazy about something</i>.

    ¡°O-Of course, you¡¯re perfectly normal, Chul-Soo,¡± Mole Woman quickly added. ¡°But think about it. If you do have a Demon¡¯s dimensional value, couldn¡¯t you film content in the Demon dimension too?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes widened. He had been so fixated on the idea that he was not corrupt and thus could not share a dimensional value with Demons that he had overlooked the true potential of that.

    <i>¡®I have been too narrow-minded again, haven¡¯t I?¡¯ </i>He reflected on himself. While it was unlikely that his soul truly matched the Demons¡¯ dimensional value, a true Eltuber would find a way to turn that into content. <i>¡®I need to find a way to open the dimensional gate.¡¯</i>

    ***

    The way of opening a dimensional gate to the Demon Realm was more widely known than expected. Yolin exined it as if it was nothing special. ¡°Demon contractors can summon Demons, Boss. That¡¯s when dimensional gates open.¡±

    ¡°Are they the same as the one that opened in Arvis?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°The essence is the same. However, the one in Arvis opened on a massive scale due to ovepping dimensions... This would be on a much smaller scale since it¡¯s summoned by an individual.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    He had hoped to study the recent events by summoning Demon contractors, but Yolin shook her head.

    ¡°It might be difficult,¡± she warned him.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Demon contractors prefer to remain hidden.¡± Yolin also had a keen interest in Demon contractors. They often lurked in the shadows of imperial history, suddenly emerging to change the course of major events. ¡°I have tried to contact Demon contractors several times, but always failed.¡±

    The thought depressed her a bit. She held no ill will toward Demon contractors; she was just academically curious. Even a reward of five million Dias had not attracted any volunteers.

    ¡°It seems they aren¡¯t motivated by money,¡± she concluded.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will look into other ways to contact Demon contractors.¡±

    However, she was not confident. If all her previous efforts had failed, it was unlikely to suddenly work now.¡±

    ¡°I found one. A Demon contractor,¡± Jin-Hyeok suddenly announced with a grin.

    ¡°What?¡±

    He had found a Demon contractor on Chul-Soopia, the exclusive app for Chul-Soo Land.

    [No.777: Me! Me! Me! It¡¯s me! I¡¯m a Demon contractor!]

    ***

    Chul-Soo Land No.777 was a famous Chul-Soo Lander. She was the runner-up in thest Sword Emperor Tournament. Originally named Ysael Victor and hailing from one of the Seven Great Families of Arvis, she had changed her name to Kim Ysael out of an obsession with Kim Chul-Soo.

    Although she had been cast out by the Victor Family, she had no regret. To her, the surname <i>Kim</i> was more precious than <i>Victor</i>. Her room was filled with photos of Chul-Soo taken by the Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo.

    ¡°Do you wish to contract with me?¡±

    When she had first encountered a Demon, she had been a bit nervous. She had heard that contracts required terrible sacrifices.

    ¡°What an outdated notion. This is not the Dark Ages.¡±

    The camera-shaped Demon did not demand a human heart, brain, or blood. He simply presented a contract.

    ¡°Here is the contract. It¡¯s a year term, renewable by mutual agreement.¡±

    ¡°What benefits do I gain from this contract?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Count Piklu, lord of Picture Castle on the Cliff. I can analyze your photos and drawings, reading the thoughts and emotions of the subjects.¡±

    Count Piklu did not want to lose this contractor. Her pure obsession would enrich him, as such madness tended to corrupt the soul¡ªthe very sustenance Demons craved most.

    <i>¡®I should offer more incentives.¡¯ </i>Piklu thought. He had been caught off-guard by the sudden summoning, so he felt that he needed to present a more enticing bait for this contractor.

    ¡°There is only one thing that I want from y¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll sign the contract.¡±

    Piklu felt oddly cheated. He had proposed the contract, but she epted too easily without even hearing the conditions.

    A monthter, Piklu wanted to cry.

    ¡°Please... stop... I beg you!¡±

    Ysael¡¯s obsession disgusted even Count Piklu. Even the tastiest dessert would be nauseating when eaten non-stop for a month.

    ¡°Analyze this photo,¡± Ysael demanded.

    Bound by the contract, Count Piklu had no choice but toply.

    ¡°That photo... it¡¯s from a Dungeon called Pangea Temple.¡±

    He did not know where Pangea Temple was; he could only read the information in the photo. It showed Jin-Hyeok crawling through a narrow tunnel made by Mole Woman, with her backside nearly touching his face.

    ¡°He feels intense rivalry toward this Mole Woman... Ugh, please... no more! Stop!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Long time no see,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Ysael, who had been invited by Jin-Hyeok, nervously entered his house.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve... I¡¯ve hit the jackpot!¡¯ </i>She had never imagined she would be invited to Chul-Soo¡¯s home. ¡°Mr. Ch-Chul-Soo!¡±

    Unable to control herself, she rushed toward Jin-Hyeok. For a moment, Jin-Hyeok feared it was an assassination attempt, but (un)fortunately, it was just an enthusiastic hug born of excitement.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s crying again.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was touched. <i>¡®Is this what it feels like to be loved by a fan?¡¯</i>

    Feeling slightly pleased, he asked, ¡°Can you summon a Demon for me? I would like to see a dimensional gate.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Ysael showed the inside of her wrist, revealing what looked like a magical symbol made of ck lines. ¡°This is the mark proving my contract with a Demon.¡±

    She exined everything in great detail, hoping to spend even a second longer with Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to summon the Demon. By the sacred contract, Kim Ysael calls upon Piklu. Piklu, heed Kim Ysael¡¯s summons.¡±

    At that moment, a tiny dimensional gate opened in mid-air. The camera-shaped Demon Piklu emerged through the gate, let out a startled <i>Eek</i>,<i> </i>and hupped.

    ¡°D-Demon...!¡±

    The monster he had seen in only photos was right in front of him. To Piklu, Chul-Soo was a pure mass of corruption. Just as drinking excessively pure water could upset one¡¯s stomach, Chul-Soo¡¯s soul had the same effect on Piklu.

    ¡°G-Great Demon Lord! Ruler of Demons!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wore a bewildered expression.

    ¡°Have you finally awakened from your long slumber to conquer humanity and reveal yourself?! I¡¯m Count Piklu of Picture Castle on the Cliff. Great Demon Lord! Now that you have awakened, I shall blow my painted horn to spread the joyous news!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok considered swinging Miri but held back, remembering this was Ysael¡¯s contracted Demon. At that moment, the long-stalled universe-level Scenario progressed once more.

 Chapter 414

    <h4>Chapter 414</h4>

    The universe-level Scenario had skipped again.

    <strong>[(10) Dear wanderer, much time has passed. How do you feel, having faced the truth that slumbers within the Sword Fragment? Ah, corrupted believer. The sacrilegious armor you boasted of has pierced your heart instead. The era of false peace draws to a close, and now we shall march toward the truth.</strong>

    <strong>(12) The truth lies beyond reach, so seek and pioneer the unknown. There, you shall gain everything.]</strong>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. <i>¡®Why does it feel like they¡¯re just stringing me along with words?¡¯</i>

    Initially, he would readily receive rewards along with the progression of the universe-level Scenario. Skipping stage (11) was one thing, but activating stage (12) should have given him some rewards. Yet, there was none. He waited a bit longer but didn¡¯t receive anything.

    <i>¡®Is this a scam?¡¯</i>

    It was amon problem in human affairs¡ªthings would start promisingly but fizzle out over time. Even Jin-Hyeok¡¯s math textbook was only thorough in the first couple of pages.

    <i>¡®Can the System even cheat yers?¡¯</i>

    He thought he needed to look into this with Yolin.

    ¡°O Demon King! Wielder of great power! Would you grant me the honor of inviting you?¡±

    <strong>[Will you ept the invitation of Count Piklu of Picture Castle on the Cliff?]</strong>

    Simultaneously, Jin-Hyeok received a notification about Ysael.

    <strong>[Count Piklu of Picture Castle on the Cliff requests to terminate the contract with Kim Ysael.]</strong>

    ¡°Terminate the contract?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°To invite the great one, I must open arger dimensional gate. However, my current power is insufficient, as much as consumed by the contract. Therefore, I would appreciate it if she would terminate our contract for my sake,¡± Piklu said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do that.¡±

    ¡°W-Why not? Even though it¡¯s to invite you?!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed, feeling sorry for the Demon. Now that he had an ordinary person¡¯s perspective, he could tell this world had too many socially inept beings, this count being one of them.

    ¡°That might be grand and good for you, but it¡¯s not good for Ysael, is it?¡±

    Most people would understand this exnation, but the Demon before them was far from ordinary.

    ¡°This is a momentous asion, my lord. Tens of millions of Demon troops await the Demon King¡¯s return. Isn¡¯t this cause for joy and celebration?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why it is not good for Ysael.¡±

    <strong>¡°???¡±</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok patted the shoulder of Ysael, his precious fan, and said, ¡°In my experience, quite a few people think like this. It¡¯s a bit foolish, but...¡±

    Visiting the Demon Realm could be a significant event. It was tied to the universe-level Scenario, and he would be the first Eltuber to go there. Jin-Hyeok hesitantly said, ¡°Ysael, it¡¯s a difficult request, but could you...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    This surprised Jin-Hyeok. ¡°I haven¡¯t even stated the request.¡±

    ¡°I can do it!¡±

    ¡°What if I asked for something like your kidney?¡±

    ¡°Do you need my kidney?¡± Ysael suddenly drew her sword, startling Jin-Hyeok.

    He was momentarily overwhelmed by her madness.

    ¡°The contract between you and that Demon is important to you, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Um... I guess you can say that.¡±

    It allowed her to read more information and emotions about Chul-Soo that others did not know, making her feel like she was with Chul-Soo!

    ¡°Then... forget it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    While the universe-level Scenario and Eltube content were important, he could not bring himself to ask his fan to terminate a contract she cherished. Since he now had an understanding of people¡¯s hearts, he could not do it.

    However, Ysael was quick. She intuitively grasped what Chul-Soo wanted and acted immediately.

    ¡°Muahahaha! Finally, it¡¯s over! My contract is gone! Piklu is free!¡±

    ***

    ¡°I want you to contract with her again after this is all over,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit...¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯m not going.¡± Jin-Hyeok stood up, uninterested. He made it seem like the negotiation had failed. His firm resolve to ignore the Demon Realm was evident.

    ¡°A-Alright, I understand.¡±

    Piklu reluctantly epted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s proposal. Finally feeling somewhat relieved, Jin-Hyeok smiled at Ysael. ¡°Thank you, Ysael.¡±

    ¡°Could you... call me Kim Ysael?¡±

    Though he was unsure why it mattered so much, Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kim Ysael.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡± Ysael beamed as if she owned the world, squirming with joy. ¡°Now I can die without regrets!¡±

    Piklu shook his camera-shaped body. While moderate corruption was a tasty meal, excessive corruption could corrupt even a Demon¡¯s soul. He vowed to dy re-contracting with Ysael using every excuse possible.

    ¡°I shall open the dimensional gate, Great Demon Lo¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait. If you call me <i>Great Demon </i>or <i>Demon Lord </i>one more time, I¡¯m not going.¡±

    This was a gamble for Jin-Hyeok too. He had to visit the Demon Realm. If Piklu just decided that enough was enough, Jin-Hyeok would have been at a loss. However, Piklu was desperate.

    ¡°I shall open the dimensional gate.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok reached into the dimensional gate. Something seemed to pull him there as if the world itself was drawing him in.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite an interesting feeling. It¡¯s like being sucked into a vacuum cleaner,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He was currently recording from the first-person perspective. Thankfully, his high Level allowed him to convey this strange sensation to his viewers. The feeling of crossing from one dimension to another was apanied by slight dizziness, but it was not a major issue for him.

    ¡°What a strange world.¡±

    It was a pitch-ck night with nothing around. Only a picture frame was visible before him, containing a painting of a solitary castle atop a high cliff.

    ¡°This dimension seems to contain only this painting.¡± Jin-Hyeok stared at the painting for a while. Once again, he felt the world spinning. ¡°I¡¯m being sucked into the painting.¡±

    When he came to his senses, he heard a booming noise.

    ¡°Muahahaha! You have been fooled, you idiot!¡±

    It was Piklu¡¯s voice. The once small camera-shaped Piklu had be a massive blob of corruption, like a giant slime made of dark water.

    ¡°Wee to my world, stranger.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found this space somewhat familiar, having experienced simr energies before. <i>¡®It¡¯s simr to the space created by Omnipotent Director.¡¯</i>

    This world inside the painting was Count Piklu¡¯s domain. Just as Jin-Hyeok had dominated the Omnipotent Director¡¯s space, Piklu seemed to rule this world.

    ¡°My true name is Dragan the Gluttony.¡±

    That was Piklu¡¯s real identity. Piklu was one of the Demons devoured by Dragan.

    ¡°I shall devour your soul!¡±

    Dragan the Gluttony, a massive slime, writhed toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°So, you tricked me?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok immediately swung Miri.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Miri failed to inflict significant damage and became lodged in Dragan¡¯s body.

    ¡°You dare attempt such an insolent act against the ruler of this world!¡±

    After swallowing Miri, Dragan crept up Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arm. Soon, Dragan had engulfed him entirely.

    ¡°Uahahaha! Now, I shall be the Great Lord and continue the grand n of the previous Demon King Garbinu!¡±

    ***

    Dragan was ted. To encounter such pure corruption was rare. While Ysael also possessed tremendous corruption, her soul was quite muddied. Her soul was not self-corrupted but rather tainted by external factors. Such a soul did not suit Dragan. Since he could finally devour pure corruption now, Draganughed heartily.

    <i>¡®I shall continue Garbinu¡¯s grand n!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

    Caught off guard, Dragan realized that he had not managed to absorb any corruption from this man. The devouring process had not even started. Only then did Dragan notice a strange barrier enveloping Jin-Hyeok. He tried to analyze it, as he could usually analyze and understand everything inside his stomach.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t figure it out!¡¯ </i>Dragan couldn¡¯t analyze anything about it. He did not know why. Instead, he could feel just one emotioning from the man: disappointment. <i>¡®Why does he look so disappointed?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I understand it¡¯s a powerful ability, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Mere power was not enough. The ability needed to look impressive for viewers to cheer. ¡°It¡¯s too boring.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok walked out of Dragan¡¯s stomach.

    <strong>¡°???¡±</strong>

    Dragan was bewildered. He did not know why he was unable to devour Jin-Hyeok. Dragan was one of the Demon Lords who had lived for eons, so this was unprecedented for him.

    ¡°I should learn more from Garcia,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered to himself. He thought it would be great if Dragan could understand livestreaming like Garcia and create appropriate tension. However, setting such a high standard was not fair. It was too harsh to expect something of that level from an average being. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can use this scene.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had pretended to be surprised, feigning he had been tricked, but it felt a bit forced.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s too anticlimactic,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It was too excessive to use Dragan for his next video, and although the Demon¡¯s name, Dragan the Gluttony, sounded cool, it did not meet his expectations.

    Dragan the Gluttony had lived for eons and considered himself a wise ruler, which was somewhat true. He had umted considerable wisdom by devouring numerous Demons.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on... For now, I should pretend to cooperate and figure out why my devouring power isn¡¯t working,¡¯ </i>Dragan thought.

    More precisely, the reason was important. He needed to find a way to neutralize that strange barrier (Absolute Barrier) surrounding Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Haha! This is how I wee all visitors to my castle!¡±

    ¡°Oh? I thought you were attacking me.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. It couldn¡¯t have been a real attack if it was that weak.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I am d there is no misunderstanding. Hahaha!¡±

    There was little to misunderstand since the attack was indeed too weak.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have much talent for livestreaming,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I-Is that so?¡±

    ¡°So don¡¯t try too hard to create livestreaming-worthy moments. It might end up feeling forced.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Well, not everyone can be talented in livestreaming. I appreciate your effort, though.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you!¡±

    Dragan the Gluttony¡¯s pride was severely hurt, but he couldn¡¯tin.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s talk about Garbinu. What exactly is this grand n of the previous Demon King Garbinu?¡±

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415

    Dragan considered himself wise. He had decided to be friendly toward Kim Chul-Soo after judging him as a monster; after all, Chul-Soo had casually dismissed his devouring attack.

    <em>¡®Fortunately, he does not suspect me at all!¡¯ </em>he thought.

    Swearing allegiance and standing by Chul-Soo¡¯s side did not seem like a bad choice. Though Dragan felt sorry for Garbinu, who had sealed himself in a Magic Stone, there was no helping it. The Demon Realm always prioritized power.

    Once Dragan made up his mind, his pride was no longer wounded. It was only natural to show respect to the strong. If a being more powerful than him said he had no talent, then that was the truth.

    ¡°I will tell you everything I know.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He missed the Feyler Family again.

    <em>¡®Is he going to spill everything without any resistance?¡¯ </em>While Jin-Hyeok had told Dragan not to try hard for the livestream, he had not expected the Demon to give away everything so easily. This would make the livestream too smooth and dull.

    ¡°The Great Demon King Garbinu is currently sealed in a Magic Stone by his own will.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent.Dragan the Gluttony was a Demon Lord who had devoured countless Demons. As he had consumed many souls, he believed himself to be excellent at reading others¡¯ feelings and thoughts.

    <em>¡®Why does he look displeased?¡¯ </em>Dragan suddenly realized his mistake. <em>¡®Ah, I made an error in the details.¡¯</em>

    ¡°Ah, yes, I forgot. Garbinu is sealed in a Vengeful Stone, not a Magic Stone.¡±

    Dragan thought Chul-Soo would be surprised by the new information, but Chul-Soo¡¯s facial expression did not change.

    <em>¡®Why isn¡¯t he surprised?¡¯ </em>

    It seemed the powerful being before him already knew everything and had onlye to seek confirmation.

    Atst, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face showed signs of life. ¡°A Vengeful Stone, you say.¡±

    A Vengeful Stone was a type of Magic Stone enhanced by trapping a resentful soul inside it. The creation of a Vengeful Stone required sacrificing the life of someone with a grievous and tragic story. This process was so vicious and horrific that the Vengeful Stone¡¯s use had been banned centuries ago.

    Seeing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face brighten, Dragan breathed a sigh of relief.

    <em>¡®He must like his information to be urate,¡¯ </em>Dragan thought.

    He decided he should speak precisely and omit nothing.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok said with a serious expression, ¡°It must have taken an incredibly powerful Vengeful Stone to seal the soul of someone as strong as Garbinu.¡±

    ¡°Yes. At the time, he went as far as to betray two of his sevenrades, though I cannot recall their names.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was increasingly drawn into the story. He sent a message to Wang Yu-Mi to check it out, but even Yolin knew nothing about this. It seemed to be a tale hidden behind the curtains of history.

    ¡°I believe they were the ones who dealt with gems and alchemy.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, they were Carvington and Goldium¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh! Oh! That¡¯s right! As expected, you knew everything!¡±

    Dragan violently shook his slimy body. He felt a tremor of emotion. <em>¡®He must truly be the Demon King!¡¯</em>

    ¡°You must know why Garbinu betrayed hisrades to create a Vengeful Stone and seal himself inside it, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, clearly excited.

    Jin-Hyeok felt like he had stumbled upon an unexpected treasure. He had a strong feeling that if he released his video to the public, it would garner billions of views. His attitude led Dragan to misunderstand him. <em>¡®That confident and intrigued demeanor¡­ Only the strong and afford suchposure!¡¯ </em>

    Dragan was convinced that this was a test from the new Demon King. He had to prove his loyalty.

    ¡°Of course, I know.¡±

    Although the former Demon King Garbinu had forbidden anyone from divulging this information, it did not matter now. Dragan thought this new Demon King surely knew everything already.

    ¡°Garbinu wanted to create a new Server.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok shuddered at this information.

    <em>¡®So, Garbinu wasn¡¯t a benevolent ruler?¡¯</em>

    Garbinu was hailed as both the sexiest Demon King in the universe and a great hero. However, it seemed the truth was somewhat different.

    <em>¡®The Demon Realm¡¯s dimensional value was too different from that of the other dimensions,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Dimensions essentially meant Servers. The Demon Realm sought connections with other Servers. Connections between Servers were not that unusual. Even Earth, a new Server, was firmly connected to Hell, Scanorbia, and some other Servers, making travel to other Servers rtively easy. However, the Demon Realm was different.

    <em>¡®The dimensional value of the Demon Realm was so different that it was difficult to connect it with other Servers.¡¯ </em>Like oil and water, the Demon Realm and other Servers did not mix. Moreover, there was another problem. <em>¡®Even the Demon Realms themselves were all scattered.¡¯</em>

    This ce, the Castle on the Cliff, could be considered a Server in itself. The only issue was that its scale was far too small for a Server.

    Though this Dimension was loosely called the Demon Realm because Demons lived there, in reality, the Dimension contained many independent Servers.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a structure of ind nations,¡± Jin-Hyeok mused. <em>¡®And tiny inds at that.¡¯</em>

    The Demons who had taken root in these inds yearned to expand to the maind.

    ¡°Garbinu attempted to unify the Demons and expand to the maind, or rather, to other Servers,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to his future viewers. The Guardian Tree yed a crucial role in this process. This was news even to Jin-Hyeok. The Guardian Tree had the power to drive away monsters and create safe zones. ¡°And I think the dimensional gate is simr.¡±

    In a sense, the dimensional gate was also a kind of safe zone¡ªa special space where ordinary attacks were ineffective.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, O Demon King. Eventually, to connect the Demon Realm with other dimensions, the Guardian Tree was necessary!¡±

    While Dragan trembled at the birth of a new Demon King, he was also acutely aware of this Demon King¡¯s limitations. Dragan believed that Jin-Hyeok was a newly born Demon. Though it was astonishing how powerful he had be in such a short time, there were inevitably limitations that came with his young age. Dragan thought that regardless of his impressive abilities, Jin-Hyeok surely would not know how to cultivate a Guardian Tree.

    ¡°I have an amazing fact to share with you!¡±

    ¡°An amazing fact?¡±

    ¡°I carry a seed of the Guardian Tree in my belly!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Dragan prided himself on quickly riding the new wave of theing era.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all. Simply nting a Guardian Tree is not enough to adjust the dimensional values! Special methods are needed. You need a ¡­¡±

    ¡°A nter?¡± Jin-Hyeok interjected.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    Dragan was not flustered. Information about nters was something one could find out if they tried hard enough. However, what he was about to say next was highly ssified information.

    <em>¡®Now, I would surely be the perfect confidant of this new Demon King!¡¯ </em>Dragan thought.

    ¡°Through the various methods I¡¯m about to teach you, you will be able to reach a special state where you canmunicate with the Guardian Tree.¡±

    ¡°I can already do that.¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, I expected as much. But what¡¯s truly importantes next. Through that Guardian Tree, you must cultivate other Guardian Trees in numerous Servers. As Garbinu¡¯s confidant, I know these methods well. These trees will organically connect and amplify the dimensional adjustment value, eventually leading to synchronization.¡±

    <em>¡®Well, how about now? Isn¡¯t this enough to qualify as your right-hand man?¡¯ </em>Dragan looked at Jin-Hyeok with eyes full of expectation. Hot steam rose from his body, which showed how excited he was.

    ¡°You keep presenting trivial things as if they¡¯re grand.¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed softly. It seemed Dragancked talent for livestreaming. Talking as if he knew a special, unique method, then revealing things everyone already knew how to do¡ªDragan was all bark and no bite. Drawing attention once or twice like this could be effective, but constantly doing it was just asking for criticism. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. I¡¯m telling you. You don¡¯t have much talent for livestreaming.¡±

    ¡°T-There is one more important thing! This time, I can assure you that you will need this information!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at Dragan with slightly suspicious eyes.

    ¡°If you use a very special method I know, you can grow the Guardian Tree ver¡ª¡±

    ¡°Veryrge, you mean? A massive Guardian Tree emitting an auspicious golden aura?¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    Dragan was shocked. <em>¡®How could this young Demon King, born so recently, know all of this?¡¯</em>

    ¡°Then, you were going to say that when the Guardian Tree grows even further, it paradoxically bes smaller, turning into an ordinary tree, right?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Dragan tilted his head. This was something even he did not know about. <em>¡®Is he joking?¡¯ </em>

    Seeing the reaction, Jin-Hyeok inwardly sighed. This Demon seemed less impressive than he thought.

    ***

    ¡°Just call for me. As your servant, I¡¯lle running to help you!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tried to make a contract with Dragan, but Dragan adamantly refused, saying he could not dare contract with a Demon King. So, Jin-Hyeok asked him to re-contract with Kim Ysael.

    ¡°Would it be okay for you to stay in the Korean Region for a while?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Ysael.

    ¡°I like Korea!¡±

    Ysael did not seem to mind relocating. Jin-Hyeok felt grateful for her, but also a bit worried. <em>¡®Is it okay for her to be like this?¡¯</em>

    Regardless, Ysael decided to stay at Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop in Cheongdam-dong.

    ¡°The old man is a bit stubborn. Will you be alright?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Chul-Soo Land No.1 is also there.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Min-Ji is there, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Do you know Min-Ji?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°As expected of No.1!¡± Ysael¡¯s expression turned envious. She was jealous of how close Chul-Soo was with No.1.

    ¡°No.1 told me toe and make myself at home,¡± Ysael said.

    ¡°But she¡¯s not the owner of the workshop.¡±

    ¡°She said she¡¯s practically the owner¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could make an educated guess from this. Min-Ji was likely a direct descendant of old man Choi Gap-Soo, probably his great-granddaughter.

    <em>¡®How else could she use a Trinity Club member¡¯s workshop so freely as if it were her own?¡¯ </em>

    He had recognized her umon abilities from the start.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you there,¡± he said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized he had made a mistake. Ysael was the runner-up in the previous Sword Emperor Tournament. On Earth, she would almost be unrivaled. He wondered if offering to escort such a skilled Swordsman was disrespectful or even insulting.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll just go.¡±

    ¡°...!!!¡¯ Ysael nkly stared at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back.

    <em>Whoosh!</em>

    A lonely wind blew, and tears began to fall from her eyes. <em>¡®I should have just let him take me there! Ysael, you idiot! You fool!¡¯</em>

 Chapter 416

    <h4>Chapter 416</h4>

    Kim Min-Ji clenched her fists, her face brimming with excitement.

    ¡°As expected, Chul-Soo knows everything!¡±

    He had not even lived for fifty years, let alone one hundred, yet Chul-Soo knew more than Dragan the Gluttony.

    Choi Gap-Soo, who had been engrossed in the livestream, suddenly came to his senses. ¡°Is Garbinu really sealed within the Vengeful Stone, waiting?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the person who knows Garbinu best in the universe?¡±

    ¡°I stopped being his fan years ago! What are you talking about?¡±

    The Mad God of Favoritism was a capricious God who showed obsessive devotion while being a fan but lost all interest after leaving the fandom.

    ¡°By the way, Ms. Min-Ji, may I ask you one thing?¡± Though Gap-Soo usually solved most things on his own, this time, he could not contain his curiosity.

    ¡°What is it? I will tell you as long as it doesn''t harm Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Dragan the Gluttony. I know he¡¯s one of the Demon Lords that has existed since ancient times.¡±

    ¡°Hmm... I don¡¯t know about that, but I do know he¡¯s one of the Four Infernal Kings.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Min-Ji frowned, crossed her arms, and plopped down. The old memories suddenly soured her mood. ¡°Back then, such naming conventions were popr, like the Four Heavenly Kings or Fantastic Four. Anyway, we were crazy about Garbinu... We worshipped the Demons around him, calling them the Four Internal Kings.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s embarrassing. They looked handsome to us back then.¡±

    Gap-Soo flinched. He couldn¡¯t imagine that people considered that writhing, giant slime form to be handsome. <i>¡®Was Dragan in a different form back then?¡¯</i>

    ¡°To think that thing was called the Squishy Prince.¡±

    Dragan¡¯s nickname back then was Squishy Prince Dragan of the Four Infernal Kings.

    ¡°Was he in that form back then too?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And you thought he was handsome?¡±

    ¡°Beauty standards were a bit strange back then. I know it¡¯s strange, but if you look at me like I¡¯m weird, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Gap-Soo was certain. It wasn¡¯t that the beauty standards were strange back then; rather, Min-Ji and the ¡®<i>we¡¯</i> she referred to¡ªthat fan group¡ªmust have collectively lost their minds.

    Gap-Soo cleared his throat and asked again, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Squishy Prince¡¯s ability work on Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t. The Demon clearly ate him.¡± Gap-Soo had only one guess. ¡°Is it really because Chul-Soo¡¯s soul is an unparalleled mass of corruption?¡±

    ¡°Say that one more time, and I will sew your lips shut.¡± Min-Ji red at Gap-Soo.

    ¡°...¡±

    She could tolerate insults to anything else, but not those directed at Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I apologize. It was a mistake.¡±

    ¡°Good. Be careful.¡±

    ¡°Then please tell me. How was Chul-Soo able to survive?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like telling you now.¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s curiosity was resolved more easily than expected. It just so happened that Kim Ysael, Chul-Soo Land No.777, had the same question.

    When Ysael asked her the same thing, Min-Ji tilted her head. ¡°Huh? Ysael, you don¡¯t know either?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ysael felt ashamed. This was embarrassing for a Chul-Soo Lander.

    Min-Ji frowned. She needed to know if Ysael was worthy of bearing the weighty responsibility of being Chul-Soo Land No.777. She asked. ¡°What¡¯s Chul-Soo¡¯s current Level?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s 499.¡±

    ¡°What about the estimated experience points?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s 98.224 percent.¡±

    Gap-Soo was a bit dumbfounded. Memorizing Chul-Soo¡¯s Level was one thing, but calcting the estimated experience points was something else. That was not something the System publicly revealed.

    Min-Ji¡¯s strict test was not over yet.

    ¡°How long until Chul-Soo reaches Level 500?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s 42 minutes and 39 seconds, assuming Chul-Soo does not start livestreaming,¡± Ysael answered.

    ¡°Do you think he will turn on his livestream or not?¡±

    ¡°I think he will.¡±

    At that moment, all three of their phones rang. It was a notification that Jin-Hyeok had started livestreaming.

    [Level 500]

    ¡°Since he started livestreaming, how long until he levels up?¡±

    ¡°Four minutes and 33 seconds.¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    Only then did Min-Ji¡¯s expression soften, and she said in a kind voice, ¡°You asked why Dragan¡¯s ability didn¡¯t work, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because his Level is too high.¡±

    There came a point when Levels ceased to be important. That usually happened in the mid-tote 300s or early 400s. From that point on, factors other than Level were much more crucial¡ªfine control abilities, personal sense, and the ability to utilize one¡¯s skills effectively.

    However, beyond thaty another realm: thete 400s. It was a realm that even the currently top-ranked yers had yet to reach.

    ¡°Extremely advanced Levels overwhelm techniques, after all,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was exhrated. <i>¡®I guess I¡¯m about to be the first Level-500 yer, huh.¡¯</i>

    Since he was the owner of Earth and the entirety of the Hell Server, his experience points were umting in real-time even at this very moment.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s fortunate that I¡¯m an Eltuber.¡¯</i>

    While yers from other Jobs typically faced greater restrictions as their Levels increased, this was not the case for Eltubers.[1] There was a reason it was considered the most advantageous Job for leveling up. The only challenge was that the required experience points for leveling up were higher, but there were no special prohibitions, special Quests to clear, or Achievements to unlock.

    ¡°I think I will reach Level 500 soon,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers. His heart raced. Waiting with anticipation, he wondered if reaching Level 500 would grant him another incredibly useful Skill.

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[Currently Level: 500]</strong>

    ¡°I have reached Level 500!¡±

    -Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!

    -Wow, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m witnessing a yer reaching Level 500. LOL.

    -Level 500 is insane!

    The number of viewers on his livestream surpassed a staggering 2.5 billion.

    -This is freaking awesome! Level 500!

    -From what I know, even the top rankers in Arvis are only in the early 400s.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit dejected. <i>¡®It feels like the System is cking off a bit.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had not received anything special for both progressing the universe-level Scenario and reaching Level 500. He had expected something beyond the Omnipotent Director to emerge.

    <i>¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t think like this.¡¯ </i>He had to strive not to lose his original mindset. <i>¡®The viewer count has surpassed 2.5 billion.¡¯</i>

    It had just broken through the 2.6 billion mark and was approaching the 2.7 billion mark. This incredible viewer count was the true achievement and trophy for an Eltuber. It was fine even if he received no good rewards for both of those feats. This number itself was the reward.

    <i>¡®The number of likes also surpassed 2.4 billion!¡¯</i>

    He had gained 2.4 billion likes in less than thirty minutes of starting the livestream. It was a universal record.

    ¡°Thank you all for your congrattions! It¡¯s all thanks to the Chul-Soo Landers.¡±

    ***

    Ysael did not miss the fleeting look of disappointment that crossed Chul-Soo¡¯s face. ¡°Chul-Soo seems a bit disappointed.¡±

    ¡°He does look that way,¡± Min-Ji replied, biting her thumbnail with a dead-serious expression. She made a face as if a gctic war had just broken out and anxiously muttered, ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be disappointed...¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, he just reached Level 500, after all.¡±

    The reason the System did not give any Skills or additional rewards for reaching Level 500 was simple. There was no need to.

    Feeling an urgency, Min-Ji said, ¡°Yo, old man, can you make a big donation to Chul-Soo? With a message, I mean.¡±

    ¡°I could, but...¡±

    Clearly, Chul-Soo wouldn¡¯t notice any donation in this situation. Billions of people across the universe were continuously making donations of various amounts. The Seoul GMs were in a state of emergency because of that; the System was on the verge of crashing due to traffic overload.

    ¡°We need to let Chul-Soo know that he shouldn¡¯t be disappointed. He needs to know that reaching Level 500 in itself is the reward,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t he realize it on his own if we just leave it be?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°But he¡¯s disappointed right now!¡±

    ¡°Then I will try calling him. If you want to tell him directly...¡±

    Mad God of Favoritism Min-Ji melted with a st. The liquefied Min-Ji murmured in a small voice, ¡°I... I can¡¯t talk to Chul-Soo on the phone. It¡¯s too embarrassing...¡±

    ***

    The Demon King had been trapped in the Vengeful Stone for over a hundred years. Garbinu sensed that the time had finallye. <i>¡®A pure vessel has appeared.¡¯</i>

    It was a pure mass of corruption born with the qualities of a Demon King. The moment that being revealed itself in the Demon Realm, Garbinu opened his eyes.

    <i>¡®That one¡¯s corruption will be the fuse.¡¯</i>

    That pure corruption was the force that would unite the Demon Realm. The Demon Realm, now shattered like ss shards, would begin to coalesce into one. This was the n that Garbinu had set in motion hundreds of years ago¡ªfor the world that reacted to that pure mass of corruption to be one.

    Dragan the Gluttony.

    Meichel the Greed.

    Serviel the Lust.

    Kadiva the Sloth.

    The four Demon Lords led by the Demon King would undoubtedly appear before the Vengeful Stone.

    Soon, Meichel, Serviel, and Kadiva knelt before the Vengeful Stone.

    ¡°Dragan iste,¡± Garbinu said.

    It was within expectations. Dragan was the greediest of the Demon Lords. Having sensed that the Demon Realm would unify soon, he was likely gorging himself by devouring other Demons.

    ¡°The time hase,¡± Garbinu announced.

    ¡°We have waited for this day.¡±

    ¡°O Demon King.¡±

    ¡°Now, the world will be at the Demon King¡¯s feet.¡±

    The Guardian Tree that Garbinu had nted hundreds of years ago had definitely grownrge by now. As the master of the Guardian Tree, Garbinu could sense the intense aura of the Guardian Tree emanating from beyond dimensions.

    ¡°Even I did not expect it to be this strong. I can feel the intense aura of the Guardian Tree from beyond dimensions,¡± Garbinu said.

    ¡°Glory to the Demon King.¡±

    ¡°Glory to the Demon King.¡±

    ¡°Glory to the Demon King.¡±

    ¡°Soon, my new vessel will arrive here, for this world is calling to him.¡±

    The new vessel, containing pure corruption, would be sensing this anomaly on its own¡ªlike a butterfly drawn to a flower. The Demon King¡¯s vessel would open a door toward this pce, toward this Vengeful Stone.

    Atst, a new dimensional gate opened in the dark sky above.

    ¡°Dragan the Gluttony?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ste.¡±

    ¡°Lazy bastard.¡±

    Dragan appeared, and following him was the vessel containing pure corruption.

    ¡°You¡¯rete, but well done.¡± Garbinu discovered the pure mass of corruption. ¡°Dragan, your n was truly excellent.¡±

    Judging by theck of injuries on Dragan, Garbinu could tell that Dragan had persuaded that corruption well. Moreover, that corruption showed no signs of resistance. Dragan had deceived the corruption well.

    Dragan roared, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±

    ¡°Huhu... It¡¯s alright, Dragan. The preparations are alreadyplete. Imend your n. Come this way. After I im that vessel, I promise you a new world.¡±

    ¡°You senile old madman! Stop spouting such nonsense!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Is this true? Were you deceiving me?¡±

    1. The author now also considers Eltubers as a Job title. ?

 Chapter 417

    <h4>Chapter 417</h4>

    <i>¡®Somehow, Broadcaster¡¯s Insight seems to be working better,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Broadcaster¡¯s Insight was not omnipotent. Its effectiveness varied depending on the target¡¯s mental strength, the situation, or depth of emotions. However, this Skill had been quite effective recently.

    <strong>[#I¡¯m innocent. #I feel wronged. #Please believe me.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok knew well that Dragan was innocent. However, he was an Eltuber; he always needed to create content when the opportunity arose. The viewers would not be able to distinguish whether Dragan was a traitor or not. It was a point that could arouse curiosity.

    ¡°Is this true? Were you deceiving me?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Dragan yelled.

    While Jin-Hyeok was feigning suspicion for the livestream, Dragan could not tell so. A frog could die from a stone thrown in jest, as even actions taken lightly or in jest could have serious, unintended consequences.

    As Dragan desperately tried to assert his innocence, Garbinu¡¯s soul said, ¡°Hahaha! You have be much more cautious, Dragan.¡±

    Garbinu was not angry at Dragan. Rather, he liked Dragan¡¯s caution. Such behavior would cause a small confusion in the opponent (Kim Chul-Soo), and that confusion would surely create an opening for an attack. A sinister purple aura burst forth from the Vengeful Stone where Garbinu was trapped.

    ¡°Now, I grant you the honor of bing my vessel.¡±

    Hundreds of strands of purple energy rushed toward Jin-Hyeok like arrows. It was a tightly woven. Jin-Hyeok was trapped in the without much resistance. The purple gradually tightened, beginning to pressure him.

    ¡°Foolish one, is that all you can do? How disappointing.¡±

    Garbinu had meticulously prepared this n. He could easily predict that someone who could make it this far, possessing the vessel of the Demon King, would have excellent defensive abilities.

    ¡°Your barrier is nothingpared to the Giant Warrior¡¯s Shield!¡±

    Though Garbinu could not identify exactly what kind of barrier it was, it seemed like a strange defensive barrier. However, the barrier¡¯s defensive power was not as strong as he had thought.

    ¡°Shatter to pieces!¡±

    With a crash, the Absolute Barrier surrounding Jin-Hyeok broke.

    ¡°Now. Let us be one.¡±

    The purple ensnared Jin-Hyeok. He looked like a fish caught by a fisherman.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was quite impressed with his performance. <i>¡®Did it look like my barrier shattered dramatically?¡¯</i>

    He had seeded in properly staging the scene of his Absolute Barrier shattering. Thousands of branching cracks formed on the barrier, and then the Absolute Barrier split and shattered into tens of thousands of pieces. Anyone watching this scene would see that Jin-Hyeok had desperately tried to defend but failed.

    Garbinu then chanted an incantation.

    ¡°Demons are beings born from corruption. The primordial corruptionmands. Let us be one. I shall light your path.¡±

    <i>sh!</i>

    Once again, light burst forth. The purple mist surrounding Jin-Hyeok swirled violently. The purple mistpletely obscured his figure. He looked like a pitiful fish swallowed up by a fierce vortex.

    -Isn¡¯t that a bit dangerous?

    -Holy shit! What am I watching?

    However, those with keen eyes noticed something.

    -He switched from first-person to third-person view in the middle of this!

    -Does that mean he¡¯s okay?

    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±

    Garbinuughed loudly. He had finally obtained a new vessel.

    The Guardian Tree would have adjusted the dimensional values significantly, and all that remained was his n to expand into the universe.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok softly muttered, ¡°Wait... is that it?¡±

    ***

    Garbinu could not understand what was going on. His n had been meticulous. Moreover, he had carried out the annihtion ritual to seize the vessel and extinguish the original soul perfectly. A truly intricate calction andplex magic form had intertwined to create a miracle.

    <i>¡®There was no mistake!¡¯ </i>Garbinu thought.

    All the magic and techniques had worked perfectly. The soul should have been reced. It should have taken ce naturally, just as one plus one equaled two.

    <i>¡®Why am I still in the Vengeful Stone?¡¯</i>

    One plus one had resulted in three. Everything had gone smoothly, but he didn¡¯t know why nothing had happened.

    Jin-Hyeok was equally baffled. <i>¡®Surprisingly, I don¡¯t feel anything at all!¡¯ </i>

    The effects had been incredibly dramatic, but nothing happened. He did not even feel like he had been bitten by a mosquito. It was just a continuation of tranquility. <i>¡®This is not good.¡¯</i>

    A performance without an appropriate sense of crisis would be boring. However, he could not forcibly create a sense of crisis here either. Jin-Hyeok softly muttered with a desperate heart, ¡°Wait... is that it?¡±

    Garbinu did not answer him. Everything he had prepared was intact. The intricate forms engraved on the Vengeful Stone for all sorts of techniques and magic were not damaged, and Garbinu was not exhausted.

    <i>¡®It seems there was an error because I¡¯ve been on hiatus for too long,¡¯ </i>Garbinu thought.

    There was no other way to exin this anomaly. Once again, purple energy burst forth and enveloped Jin-Hyeok.

    To his surprise, nothing happened this time either.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    An awkward silence ensued. Only then could Garbinu guess that this was not a temporary error. Suddenly, he felt a crisis. The Demon Lords other than Dragan stared at Garbinu, feeling skeptical.

    ¡°Garbinu, were you weaker than we thought?¡± Meichel the Greed was the first to speak up.

    Meichel was a Demon Lord in the form of a skull wearing a robe. His mouth opened wide and swallowed the Vengeful Stone. In the blink of an eye, Meichel had betrayed Garbinu.

    Jin-Hyeok, who thought this was rather fortunate, said, ¡°These Demons... They are fearsome beings. They stab you in the back in an instant.¡±

    Purple energy leaked from Meichel, and his robe was torn to shreds. A giant skull emitting blue light floated up.

    ¡°Kuahahahaha! I¡¯m overflowing with power!¡± He floated like the sun, arrogantly looking down at Jin-Hyeok and the other Demon Lords. ¡°It seems I¡¯m the next Demon Ki¡ªugh!¡±

    The Demons were not to be underestimated. Serviel the Lust sucked the energy bursting from Meichel the Greed into herself. Serviel¡¯s form was very simr to a human¡¯s, except that her skin was close to purple. Blue veins popped up on Serviel¡¯s skin, and thick horns grew on both of her temples. The skin where the horns grew tore, and blue blood dripped down.

    Serviel stroked her lips with her index finger. ¡°Why did you be so strong? You looked too tasty. Ah, so delicious...!¡±

    ¡°Serviel, you filthy bastard!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok vividly ryed the scene of betrayal upon betrayal. ¡°There seems to have been some special contract between Meichel and Serviel.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could clearly see the special mana lines densely connecting the two Demon Kings. It was simr to what he had seen at the dimensional gate before.

    ¡°ARGH!!!¡± Meichel yelled.

    ¡°The skull is shrinking,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    In the end, Meichel crumbled into powder, and all the energy that had leaked out of Meichel was absorbed by Serviel.

    Kadiva the Sloth prostrated on the ground. ¡°The birth... of the new... Demon King.¡±

    Kadiva, who had the form of arge red toad, did not seem to have any intention of resisting Serviel. Jin-Hyeok thought Serviel might betray Kadiva, but that was not the case. Demons were beings that strictly followed thew of survival of the fittest. Kadiva had sumbed to the immense power emanating from Serviel.

    Serviel approached Kadiva with a satisfied smile. ¡°Kadiva, you¡¯re very smart. I tend to like ones like you, but...¡±

    Standing in front of Kadiva, she instantly swung her hand, splitting Kadiva in two. Kadiva scattered into ck smoke, and Serviel took a deep breath, inhaling that smoke.

    ¡°To face that powerful being, I need to devour you to¡ªARGH!¡± Serviel yelled.

    This was Kadiva¡¯s trap. After being absorbed by Serviel, he instead took over Serviel¡¯s body. Serviel writhed in agony for a while, wing at her skin.

    After some time passed, Serviel¡¯s body turned ck.

    ¡°Foolish ones.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could easily guess that the one speaking was <i>Garbinu. </i>It had been quite an intense development.

    ¡°So... Garbinu knew Meichel would betray him,¡± Jin-Hyeok told the viewers.

    This was Garbinu¡¯s n B, a contingency n in case the Demon King¡¯s vessel was too strong. Then Meichel would betray him first, Serviel would devour the enhanced Meichel, and the enhanced Serviel would eliminate Kadiva. Garbinu¡¯s n was designed so that he could control Kadiva. Of course, this was not a perfect n.

    <i>¡®Dragan the Gluttony should have devoured me next,¡¯ </i>Garbinu thought. Then he could have essentially devoured all four Demon Kings. Having swallowed only three Demon Lords, he was not confident.

    <i>¡®Can I take over his body now?¡¯ </i>

    That being (Cha Jin-Hyeok) was an unknown entity. He had not shown any resistance to Garbinu, yet nothing had happened to him. This had shocked Garbinu. Moreover, even now, that being was just standing still and doing nothing, which was very strange.

    ¡°Perhaps, you possess a Mystery that avoids external forces?¡± Garbinu asked.

    Some Mysteries could have such an effect whenbined. For example, if onebined Keysax¡¯s Evasive Flight and Daemon¡¯s Luck Calling, they could avoid Garbinu¡¯s meticulous attack. One was a Mystery created by the previous Wind Spirit King with all his might, and the other was created by the legendary ancient Gambler Daemon. It would be difficult for one yer to have both. However, if by chance, they had obtained both, then they could block his attack.

    ¡°Yes, I possess it,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°What about a Mystery that brings luck?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have that too.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Garbinu had to acknowledge his opponent. ¡°You are a worthy opponent. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Chul-Soo. How did you manage tobine Keysax¡¯s Evasive Flight and Daemon¡¯s Luck Calling?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I see. You don¡¯t want to reveal your secret.¡± Garbinu understood that there would not be a fool who would reveal all their abilities, now or in the past. ¡°But you did use Imprinted Mysteries, right?¡±

    There were different types of Mysteries. Mysteries with specific names such as Keysax¡¯s Evasive Flight or Daemon¡¯s Luck Calling were called <i>Imprinted Mysteries</i>. ssified as upper-tier Mysteries, they had effects much more powerful than those of ordinary Mysteries. They were said to be rtivelymon in ancient times, but most of them had been lost, so it was not a general concept known to the public.

    Garbinu chanted an incantation. ¡°One who is worthy asks the question.¡±

    It was a spell that moved the opponent by imbuing will intonguage. Through this spell, Garbinu could make someone speak only the truth.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of your evasion Mystery?¡±

    <i>¡®Keysax¡¯s Evasive Flight? Caldron¡¯s Ability Severing? Shayfil¡¯s Spacetime Separation?¡¯ </i>Garbinu¡¯s next move would differ depending on which Mystery it was.

    ¡°It¡¯s Spilling Wind.¡±

    ¡°...?¡±

 Chapter 418

    <h4>Chapter 418</h4>

    Mysteries were much moremon in Garbinu¡¯s era than they were in modern times. yers in that era relied more on Mysteries than on Skills and Traits, and Mysteries were also extensively researched.

    <i>¡®Spilling Wind?¡¯</i>

    Spilling Wind was amon and weak Mystery. Garbinu quickly came to his senses. His opponent had to be lying.

    <i>¡®I need to find out his true Mystery.¡¯ </i>Even if it consumed some of his power, Garbinu needed to know.

    ¡°The lord of the Evil Spirit is asking you a question.¡±

    Garbinu used an incantation that called for truth. This was Garbinu¡¯s high-level incantation that bound his opponent with invisible energy, forcing them to speak only the truth. The downside was that the opponent could answer with only <i>yes </i>or <i>no</i>, but that was enough for the current situation.

    ¡°Is your evasion Mystery really Spilling Wind?¡± Garbinu asked.

    ¡°I told you it is.¡±

    Garbinu was startled. Jin-Hyeok had expressed his answer in apletely strange format.

    <i>¡®The incantation worked perfectly,¡¯ </i>Garbinu thought. It seemed that as time changed, new ways of dealing with incantations had emerged. Although the form of expression was different from what Garbinu had expected, he had confirmed that the evasion Mystery was indeed Spilling Wind. <i>¡®If the evasion Mystery is only Spilling Wind, the other Mystery can¡¯t be something like Daemon¡¯s Luck Calling.¡¯</i>

    The other Mystery must be of an even higher grade than Imprinted Mysteries. It would need to be at least at the God of Luck level to produce such an effect whenbined with Spilling Wind.

    ¡°Then your luck Mystery must be the God of Luck,¡± Garbinu said.

    Among all Mysteries, God of XXX was the highest-tier Mystery in its respective category. These were called Transcendent Mysteries.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. ¡°Yes. I have God of Luck.¡±

    ¡°As I thought.¡± Garbinu grinned. ¡°Abination of Spilling Wind and God of Luck, huh.¡±

    It was truly an unexpectedbination¡ªa fusion of amon universal Mystery and a Transcendent Mystery. If Mysteries with such arge gap werebined, thebination was bound to be unstable. Garbinu needed to target that gap to weaken Jin-Hyeok. Then he could take over his body.

    <i>¡®I need time,¡¯</i> Garbinu thought.

    Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok spoke first. ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t use anything.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I didn¡¯t use any Mysteries.¡± Jin-Hyeok was also desperate. <i>¡®He¡¯s barking up the wrong tree!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could understand why Garbinu was acting like this. Garbinu was trying to exploit his weakness. However, Jin-Hyeok wanted him to exploit the weakness properly.

    In his first appearance, Garbinu had seemed like a final boss in a game. But things were proceeding too ndly right now. If this went on, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s viewers would be greatly disappointed. Jin-Hyeok realized he needed to craft an appropriate sense of crisis and tension for an appropriate opponent.

    However, Garbinu did not believe Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words.

    ¡°Sure, you didn¡¯t use anything,¡± Garbinu sarcastically replied.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind raced. <i>¡®It looks like he¡¯ll try to take over my body again...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok could not fill his content with such meaningless actions. He nced to the side, at Dragan the Gluttony, who was standing respectfully.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try devouring Garbinu instead?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I could certainly try, but that might be exactly what Garbinu wants. That vile creature¡¯s goal is probably to devour all four Demon Lords.¡±

    The fact that the person who had taken over Kadiva was ultimately Garbinu proved Dragan¡¯s assumption.

    ¡°I might end up losing my body instead,¡± Dragan said.

    ¡°Then what if I weaken Garbinu¡¯s power a bit?¡±

    ¡°In that case, it might be worth a try.¡± Even just thinking about devouring Garbinu, who had already consumed three Demon Lords, made Dragan drool. He seemed delighted.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He then modified his livestream title.

    [Eating Garbinu]

    They decided to try devouring Garbinu, who was once called the sexiest Demon King in the universe.

    ***

    From the stomach of the Demon Lord Kadiva, who was a giant toad, a handsome man emerged. He had ck hair, ck eyes, and a white and straight nose. His jawline was smooth and his body impable. He possessed all the qualities to be called handsome, looking like a piece of work meticulously crafted by the god of sculpture.

    ¡°Prepare yourself, Kim Chul-Soo,¡± Garbinu said. He slowly walked up and stood before Jin-Hyeok. In his right hand, he held a whip made of ck mana.

    He swung the whip, and the whip smoothly moved it like a snake, opening its maw toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Activate defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered.

    The Phantom Swordswoman appeared and swung her hammer. Like a batter hitting a pitcher¡¯s ball, she struck the whip. The whip seemed to bend at an odd angle beforepletely binding the Phantom Swordswoman.

    ¡°An offensive Phantom Swordswoman... It¡¯s a fairly well-developed Mystery,¡± Garbinu said. He clenched his fist. The whip binding the Phantom Swordswoman dug into her skin. The Phantom Swordswoman twisted in pain. ¡°But Chul-Soo, you have made a big mistake.¡±

    Trying to use abination of three Mysteries was not a good choice. Using three or more Mysteries simultaneously would dramatically weaken their efficiency. It was worse than notbining them at all, especially when the previouslybined Mysteries (Spilling Wind and God of Luck) had arge gap.

    Due to the excessive use of Mysteries, the connection between them would weaken, which would lead to side effects.

    ¡°Not at all. I have not made any mistakes,¡± Jin-Hyeok retorted.

    ¡°You¡¯d like to believe that.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok realized while looking at Mole Woman that seduction techniques were also very useful for attracting viewers. The Phantom Swordswoman was a perfect Mystery for using the seduction technique. Moreover, bound by the whip, the Phantom Swordswoman was creating a strangely decadent atmosphere.

    In fact, the number of viewers was increasing.

    <i>¡®Wait... Did I make a mistake?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. <i>¡®What if I had let the whip hit me? What if my clothes were torn and my upper body was inevitably exposed?¡¯</i>

    That would have probably attracted a lot of attention.

    Jin-Hyeok gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Phantom Swordswoman. Return.¡±

    After recalling the Phantom Swordswoman, Jin-Hyeok charged toward Garbinu, expecting the whip to fly at him.

    <i>¡®Come one! Bind me instead!¡¯</i>

    However, with his long experience and know-how, Garbinu felt an indescribable sense of crisis.

    <i>¡®He¡¯sing in so openly without any defense!¡¯ </i>Garbinu thought that this was likely to be a trap. Instead of swinging the whip, he shot dozens of ck spheres. These spheres were concentrated with tainted energy that sucked away their target¡¯s life force.

    Jin-Hyeok decided to try getting hit by the spheres for now. With so many of these spheres, he could pretend to dodge some of them and get hit by some.

    <i>¡®I believe in you, Tainted Priestly Robe!¡¯</i>

    He decided to trust this defensive gear with the special ability to break easily.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>

    However, the defensive gear betrayed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s trust. The moment the tainted spheres touched Jin-Hyeok, he absorbed them.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Garbinuughed heartily.

    Absorbing the tainted spheres was the worst move Chul-Soo could make. Now, the corruption would consume him from deep within his soul. He would lose vitality and wither away.

    ¡°Miri. I believe in you.¡± Jin-Hyeok swung Miri. Golden beams of light burst forth from Miri, shooting toward Garbinu¡¯s chest.

    <strong>[The Trait ?Persistent and Sticky Desire? has been activated.]</strong>

    Garbinu smirked and crossed his arms in an X. He could easily block attacks from that angle. It was an attacking so straightforwardly without aiming for blind spots that he could easily block it regardless of its destructive power.

    <i>¡®What?¡¯ </i>Garbinu was startled. The beam of light instantly bent at an angle that defied allws of physics. The light beam split into two and pierced through Garbinu¡¯s temple. Garbinu could have dodged the attack, but had decided not to.

    <i>¡®I need to sacrifice small things to achieve bigger goals!¡¯</i>

    In the end, what mattered to Garbinu was taking over Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body. He nned to find a gap between the twobined Mysteries, wedge in, destroy the Mysteries, and ultimately devour Jin-Hyeok.

    ***

    Dragan the Gluttony knew well that the tainted spheres Garbinu had shot out would be useless against Jin-Hyeok. To him, Jin-Hyeok was pure corruption itself. Normal corruption would only be devoured by more profound corruption.

    When Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attack pierced both of Garbinu¡¯s temples, he sensed something.

    <i>¡®My opportunity wille soon!¡¯ </i>Dragan thought. He had to devour Garbinu the moment the Demon King was weakened. That would be the moment a new Dragan would be born. It would surely be the instant when a new history in the Demon Realm would begin.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>

    However, Garbinu fell to his knees and copsed.

    <i>¡®Is it a trap?¡¯ </i>Dragan wondered if Garbinu was using deception. <i>¡®No, it has to be a trap.¡¯</i>

    Garbinu would lure the opponent in like this and then bite their neck at a crucial moment.

    Dragan was ultimately wrong, but something was still a bit strange.

    Jin-Hyeok also felt this strangeness. <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t he moving at all?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok kept Broadcaster¡¯s Insight activated just in case, but even with it, he didn¡¯t detect anything. Usually, he would at least see states like [#Pathetic} or [#I am in pain]. However, this time, he saw nothing. It seemed like Garbinu had died.

    <i>¡®I need to see this closer.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok approached Garbinu and swung Miri again. With a crack, Garbinu, who had exposed the back of his head, fell forward. Soon, he began to disappear into ck fragments.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    An awkward silence swept over the surroundings. Jin-Hyeok watched Garbinu disappear into dust with a disappointed expression.

    -Delicious. Hehehe.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a slight sense of crisis. He was worried that this could be anticlimactic if he wasn¡¯t careful.

    <i>¡®Maybe Dragan will betray me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought he could shift his content toward teaching Dragan a lesson. However, he did not see any signs of betrayal from Dragan.

    Having witnessed Garbinu¡¯s anticlimactic disappearance firsthand, Dragan did not even dare to think of turning against Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok gritted his teeth and red at the sky. ¡°That coward. He ran away.¡±

    ***

    Prince Deliark Dmak Swedeen of the Swedeen Empire secretly issued an order. ¡°Find Garbinu immediately.¡±

    Garbinu was a powerful card that could challenge Chul-Soo. Deliark wasn¡¯t certain why Garbinu had fled. He guessed that Garbinu had not fully recovered his power, or there was some other reason.

    <i>¡®I need to find Garbinu and cooperate with him,¡¯ </i>Deliark thought.

    In his eyes, Chul-Soo was a dangerous element that he had to eliminate somehow. ording to recent polls, Chul-Soo¡¯s favorability had be excessively high. Even many citizens of the Swedeen Empire had developed a liking for Chul-Soo. As a result, even the authority of the imperial family was on the verge of being shaken.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s bing too powerful too fast. Chul-Soo is dangerous.¡¯</i>

    If things continued like this, Chul-Soo could harbor ambitions to take over the empires. Deliark could no longer wait. He decided to eliminate Chul-Soo by any means necessary. Fortunately, he had a decent justification.

    ¡°As we have seen this time, Chul-Soo is pure corruption itself. He¡¯s the same as Demons born from corruption. Arvis has long been threatened by Demons, and Demons are an uncontroble risk factor. Chul-Soo must immediately obey orders ande to the Swedeen Empire for interrogation.

    ¡°I, Deliark Dmak Swedeen, the legitimate heir of the sacred bloodline, will personally oversee his interrogation. The Sword Emperor unit shall visit Earth directly and bring Chul-Soo,¡± Deliark announced.

    The Sword Emperor Unit, the pride of Swedeen, arrived in the Earth Server.

 Chapter 419

    <h4>Chapter 419</h4>

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo! You have finally arrived!¡± Encyclopedia jumped up on Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sofa.

    Unable to contain his curiosity after watching the livestream, Encyclopedia had visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. He was sure that the universe-level Scenario had progressed because of this incident even though Jin-Hyeok had not publicly revealed that.

    <i>¡®He must have skipped at least one stage!¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia wanted to confirm just how far the universe-level Scenario had advanced and what rewards and directions had Chul-Soo received.

    ¡°I apologize for barging into your house while you weren¡¯t here,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent. Encyclopedia observed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression. Although Jin-Hyeok had defeated Garbinu, his face was far from cheerful.

    ¡°A-Are you particrly sensitive about peopleing to your house unannounced?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. ¡°It¡¯s just... that... something is bothering me.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You saw that I defeated... well, more like Garbinu ran away, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he vanished without a trace. But I don¡¯t think he managed to escape.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I think his escape attempt failed. The chances are very high that he died while trying to flee. I didn¡¯t see any dimensional rifts or any signs of escape. In most cases, this indicates a failed escape attempt,¡± Encyclopedia chuckled. ¡°So, you do not need to worry about future troubles. Why don¡¯t you cheer up a bit?¡±

    ¡°Damn! Was it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Anyone could see you¡¯re in a foul mood.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean, was it obvious that Garbinu died?¡±

    ¡°?¡± Encyclopedia fell silent for a moment, processing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you actually killed him?¡±

    ¡°It appears so,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, crossing his legs as he sat on the sofa with an ufortable expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to die so easily.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re upset because he died too quickly?¡±

    Encyclopedia thought, <i>¡®I used to think I had studied Chul-Soo thoroughly, but I still have a lot to learn.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed,¡± Encyclopedia said. ¡°There is always a slim chance he used ast-ditch method to escape...¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied as his mood darkened further.

    Sensing this, Encyclopedia quickly changed the subject. ¡°The universe-level Scenario must have progressed further, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jin-Hyeok frowned again. Clearly, he was dealing with a series of unpleasant events.

    ¡°Why are you so upset? Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t skip any Stages.¡±

    Encyclopedia knew that yers in the Korean Region were quite ustomed to skipping things. While he had not expected even the universe-level Scenarios to be skipped, people had grown used to Chul-Soo¡¯s fast progression. Some evenined if Chul-Soo didn¡¯t skip a Stage, saying the story progression felt slow.

    ¡°I did skip, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    This was exactly what Encyclopedia had been curious about. <i>¡®Judging by his reaction, he could not have skipped more than one Stage.¡¯</i>

    Since the previous Stage was (12), Encyclopedia guessed, ¡°So, is it now (14)?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Hm... Then, (15)?¡± Encyclopedia expected the Scenario to skip by two stages at maximum.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... (16)?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°It is...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It is (18).¡±

    Encyclopedia was stunned. Chul-Soo had gone from stage (12) to stage (18)¡ªa full six-stage skip. Yet he did not seem particrly pleased.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look so happy about it, ¡° Encyclopedia said. <i>¡®An ordinary Eltuber would be making a fuss over this.¡¯</i>

    ¡°But there was no reward.¡± This was why Jin-Hyeok could not reveal it on the livestream. He had aplished a lot but gained nothing. As he wasn¡¯t doing this for charity, working hard without having any results was a surefire way to bore the viewers. ¡°I think there must be a System error.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok somewhat assumed that the System had beenckingtely, but now it was clear. This had to be an error. He had already contacted Kihael, a former GM, about it. Kihael had promised to look into this and get back to him.

    However, Encyclopedia had a slightly different opinion.

    ¡°I think differentl¡ªoh shit!¡± Encyclopedia hastily closed himself and hid on the bookshelf.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze had be too intense. He retrieved Encyclopedia from the shelf, opened him, and irritably scribbled on his face.

    [Exin how it¡¯s different.]

    <u>[I think you have be too strong, to the point where you do not need rewards anymore.</u>]

    [You¡¯re not qualified to be an inte debater.]

    <u>[...</u>]

    ***

    The Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s captain, Kyle, felt like crying a little. <i>¡®I should have handed in my resignation earlier...¡¯</i>

    Being ordered to go to the Earth Server and capture Kim Chul-Soo was thest thing he wanted. Having grown sick of Chul-Soo¡¯s madness and strength, Kyle did not want to carry out this order. However, he had a family to support. As the one responsible for providing for his household, he had no choice but to follow orders.

    <i>¡®If I disobey and run away now, I will never be able to work in this industry again.¡¯</i>

    He could not retire so dishonorably as the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s captain. It was not just about the money; he wanted to be a father his children could be proud of. So, he had no choice but to head to Earth, swallowing his bitter pill.

    <i>¡®What should I do? Will Chul-Sooe with me without a hassle?¡¯</i>

    Kyle arrived on Earth with his mind in turmoil. The Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s members were also somewhat tense.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree¡¯s influence is strongest on Earth, Captain,¡± said one of Kyle¡¯s subordinates.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°It will take quite a long time just to neutralize the Guardian Tree¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°<i>Hmph, </i>that measly Guardian Tree is nothing.¡±

    Kyle put on a brave face befitting his role as captain. His subordinates looked at him with admiration. <i>¡®As expected of our captain.¡¯</i>

    ¡°We will arrive in Seoul soon, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Kyle drew his sword. He could feel the power of the Guardian Tree. The tree¡¯s barrier repelled anything with hostility toward Chul-Soo and blocked anyone who Chul-Soo designated as an enemy.

    At that moment, the Guardian Tree spoke to Jin-Hyeok.

    -¡°The Sword Emperor Unit has arrived!¡±

    ¡°Is Kyle with them?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    -¡°They¡¯re shouting that they will capture you! But strangely, I do not sense any hostility from them!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok started to feel better. Although the recent incident with Garbinu had not turned out to be beneficial for him, he was lucky he had good friends around him.

    <i>¡®First Garcia, now Kyle...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Garcia was the head of the Feyler Family, and Kyle was the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s captain. Jin-Hyeok felt grateful that such prominent figures were helping him with his content.

    -¡°It would be nice if you would allow me to smash their heads! Hehe.¡±

    ¡°No... let them pass, moderately.¡±

    -¡°Moderately?¡±

    The Guardian Tree wondered if smashing five out of ten heads would be considered moderate. Acknowledging the instruction, it pushed back against the Sword Emperor Unit.

    ***

    Kyle felt a twinge of frustration. ¡°Ugh... They weren¡¯t kidding about Earth¡¯s Guardian Tree being powerful...¡±

    Half of the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s members were incapacitated. The incapacitated members were sent to the back for treatment, which left only about fifty fighters at the scene.

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not as bad as we thought,¡± one member remarked.

    ¡°It seems weaker than the Arvis Server¡¯s Guardian Tree,¡± another added.

    As if by cruel coincidence, blood suddenly burst from the forehead of the member who had spoken those words. It was a fatal wound.

    ¡°The Guardian Tree is exhausted too,¡± Kyle said. ¡°We will advance while we have the chance!¡±

    The Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s soldiers began to dash forward. Soon, they arrived in Yeonhui-dong and surrounded Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house. Their mobility was truly worthy of the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s reputation.

    Captain Kyle steeled himself. <i>¡®It is okay to lose in this fight. Even the mighty Garbinu lost to Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    While this was not entirely honorable, fighting and losing was far better than fleeing without even trying. At least this way, he could maintain a modicum of dignity. That was his strategy.

    So, he provoked Jin-Hyeok with as much bravado as he could muster. ¡°Throw down your weapon and surrender immediately, Chul-Soo! I am ashamed to have taught you the ways of the Spirit Sword, not knowing how corrupted you were. If you surrender now, I will at least spare your life!¡±

    Kyle¡¯s voice and aura were intense, but to Jin-Hyeok, he sounded sweet. There was not a trace of real killing intent in Kyle¡¯s voice.

    <i>¡®The acting could use a bit of work,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Although it wasn¡¯t perfect, it was good enough for him. Ordinary people would not be able to distinguish these subtle differences. By most standards, it was quite an impressive performance.

    Jin-Hyeok opened the front door and walked out. ¡°Kyle, is all this necessary? I haven¡¯tmitted any crime.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for the Imperial Family to decide.¡± Kyle closed the distance between them, as if there was no need to converse anymore. ¡°Full Moon.¡±

    Sword energy dispersed from Kyle¡¯s de, forming a silver sphere that transformed into a massive lunar shape, bearing down on Jin-Hyeok. It was Kyle¡¯s most powerful offensive Skill, boasting tremendous destructive power. Though it appeared slow, that was deceptive. It embodied the principle of the Heavy Sword¡ªvisible but unavoidable. The weighty Full Moon cut off Jin-Hyeok¡¯s escape routes and slowly descended.

    ¡°Activate defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman materialized and swung her hammer toward the Full Moon.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Cracks began to form in the Full Moon.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Kyle shouted.

    The Full Moon was a sword technique Kyle had manifested using his mana. It was a powerful ability connected directly to himself. When the Phantom Swordswoman struck it directly, Kyle coughed up blood. Although he had known about Jin-Hyeok¡¯s strength and had mentally prepared himself, the defensive Mystery¡¯s power surpassed his imagination.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo was this strong?¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    The mana running throughout his body was in disarray. He wanted to copse right there, but he couldn¡¯t. His subordinates were watching, and Chul-Soo was likely streaming this across the universe. Kyle knew that even if he was going to fall, he had to show his best until the very end.

    ¡°Moon, shatter!¡±

    The Full Moon transformed into hundreds of sharp fragments that rushed toward Jin-Hyeok. It looked like a rain of jewels. Dodging the attack seemed impossible.

    The Phantom Swordswoman swung her hammer at superhuman speeds, desperately trying to protect her master, but the shattered fragments were too fast and numerous. The Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s clothes were torn to shreds. The same happened to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s easily torn armor was ripped in various ces. Outwardly, it seemed he had taken significant damage.

    However, Kyle knew better. <i>¡®His clothes are torn, but there is not even a scratch on him.¡¯</i>

    Kyle realized how powerful Chul-Soo was, in both offense and defense. To take his attack head-on without using Absolute Barrier ande out unscathed¡ªit was incredible. Kyle had learned a few things after meeting Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®I need to show the most spectacr swordsmanship possible,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    That way, the public would ept this defeat. That eptance would secure his life after retirement. Kyle leaped high into the sky, concentrating his sword energy.

    To the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s soldiers, Kyle did not seem normal.

    <i>¡®Why is he moving so inefficiently?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I thought he didn¡¯t specialize in aerial techniques.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Doesn¡¯t our captain usually despise shy techniques?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was impressed. <i>¡®Is he abandoning his usual principles for my sake?¡¯</i>

    It felt like they wererades in the content war.

    <i>¡®If that¡¯s the case, I will respond with equal ir,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

 Chapter 420

    <h4>Chapter 420</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok grabbed Miri¡¯s handle.

    -I¡¯m growing. Bigger! Bigger!

    Miri became enormous. Usually, oversized weapons were impractical and useless, but this was different. In this situation, where Jin-Hyeok¡¯s goal was not to kill the enemy but to create a more spectacr attack, Miri¡¯s intimidating size made for quite an impressive disy. The giant golden hammer grewrge enough to cover Jin-Hyeok¡¯s entire mansion and then some.

    ¡°Crush the enemy, O weapon born from thew that destroys rules,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    With a chilling sound of tearing space, the massive hammer struck Kyle.

    ¡°Urgh!¡± Kyle gritted his teeth and red at Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!!¡±

    His expression looked incredibly grave and intense. Suspended in the air, Kyle coughed up blood. Until that moment, the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s members believed their captain had a hidden trump card.

    <i>¡®He must have something up his sleeve.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®He¡¯s not the kind of person to fall to an attack like that!¡¯</i>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Kyle fell to the ground.

    ¡°C-Captain!¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    The soldiers were not the only ones who felt a sense of crisis. Jin-Hyeok was also deeply rmed.

    <i>¡®No way! Is he dead?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok rushed over to Kyle. Kyle didn¡¯t seem to be breathing. <i>¡®Why is the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s captain so weak?!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok had only meant to execute a dramatic attack; this was not his intention. He had tried to control his strength because of the Garbinu incident, but he had failed.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, you bastard!¡±

    ¡°We will avenge our captain...Argh!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swiftly swung his hammer, and a powerful gust of wind swept over the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s members. This attack wasn¡¯t lethal, but it immobilized them for a few seconds.

    ¡°Don¡¯t die, Kyle!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok poured a potion into Kyle¡¯s mouth. It was a potion made from Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood.

    ***

    The entire universe¡¯s onlinemunities were buzzing with excitement.

    -How the hell did Chul-Soo defeat Kyle in one hit?

    -Chul-Soo has be so powerful!

    -How is this even possible?

    People were starting to catch on.

    -This must be because Chul-Soo is Level 500, right?

    -The Level 500 advantage seems insane!

    That was the only exnation for this phenomenon.

    -Could Garbinu really be dead?

    ©¸That¡¯s a bit much...

    ©¸He was the greatest Demon King in history. People who know nothing always exaggerate like this.

    ©¸The academic consensus is that Garbinu had not fully recovered his strength since he had just awakened.

    In any case, word spread that Jin-Hyeok possessed abnormally strong powerpared to other yers and that the source of this power was his high Level.

    However, some keen observers analyzed the situation from a different angle.

    -This must be staged.

    -Kyle¡¯s attack style ispletely different from usual.

    This conspiracy theory was far more convincing than [Could Garbinu really be dead?].

    -Kyle and Chul-Soo must be in cahoots.

    -They staged this for dramatic effect.

    -Isn¡¯t this a staged livestream, then?

    By this time, Kyle had regained consciousness. He said, ¡°Kim Chul-Soo... I have one request.¡±

    The recent sh had made Kyle acutely aware of the enormous gap between him and Chul-Soo. It was an insurmountable wall that no technique could ovee. He had realized that an extremely advanced Level was indistinguishable from the highest-level techniques.

    <i>¡®I can only hope for Chul-Soo¡¯s mercy.¡¯ </i>Kyle knew this would not be easy. Invading someone else¡¯s territory like this meant putting one¡¯s life on the line. In the world of yers, this was given. <i>¡®If he wanted to, he can annihte all of us and more.¡¯</i>

    So, there was only one thing he could do.

    ¡°For the sake of our past friendship, I hope you will spare my subordinates,¡± Kyle requested.

    Jin-Hyeok was overjoyed. As expected, not just anyone could be the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s captain.

    <i>¡®Our battle was spectacr, but it can¡¯t escape usations of being staged,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He was well aware of this. <i>¡®Kyle probably knows this too!¡¯</i>

    This was why Kyle was requesting to save his subordinates¡ªto provide justification for <i>deliberately drawing attention with shy attacks. </i>Clearly, Kyle had never intended to win against Chul-Soo; he rather wanted to portray himself as a captain who sacrificed himself for his subordinates¡¯ lives.

    <i>¡®This way, the shy attacks can be exined, and we can create an emotional impact on the viewers through Kyle¡¯s sacrifice.¡¯</i>

    This was the best possible oue in this situation. Jin-Hyeok deliberately remained silent, as if to show his conflicted feelings.

    ¡°I understand. You¡¯re also a proud Swordsman, so you cannot let us live,¡± Kyle said, his expression darkening.

    Jin-Hyeok was thrilled by Kyle¡¯s acting skills, which rivaled those of a top-tier actor.

    Kyle slowly rose and knelt before Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Can¡¯t you forgive them with my blood? They were only following the imperial family¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Kyle¡¯s subordinates raised their voices, gripping their swords.

    ¡°Captain! Don¡¯t plead for us like this!¡±

    ¡°We will fight to the end with you even if we die, Captain!¡±

    ¡°We are the Sword Emperor Unit!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok captured the expression of each member of the Sword Emperor Unit. Their faces were filled with sincerity, and his livestream would vividly convey this fervor to the viewers.

    ¡°We are the honorable Sword Emperor Unit!¡±

    They were prepared to die fighting Jin-Hyeok. At that moment, Jin-Hyeok put Miri into his inventory and raised his hands.

    ¡°Your sincerity has moved my heart, Kyle.¡± Jin-Hyeok extended his hands to Kyle, the great leader. ¡°Stand up and guide me. I will go with you.¡±

    Kyle looked at Jin-Hyeok with aplex expression. He was moved that someone with such immense power would willingly allow himself to be captured. Kyle realized with certainty. <i>¡®Chul-Soo is not simply a madman.¡¯</i>

    If he were to put it negatively, Chul-Soo was a generously mad person. If he were to put it positively, Chul-Soo was a madman with the qualities of a king.

    ¡°It would not be a bad idea to prove my innocence while we¡¯re at it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Kyle could not bring himself to restrain Jin-Hyeok. He whispered, ¡°The imperial family will try to paint you as a Demon¡¯s descendant no matter what.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. He was rather pleased. His heart raced at the thought that he could create some content based on the theme of teaching someone a lesson after a long time.

    <i>¡®Discipling the imperial family?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok knew that this title alone could garner so many views.

    ***

    Deliark Dmak Swedeen, the first prince of the Swedeen Empire, knelt before his father, the emperor, and said, ¡°I will bear all the filth, Your Majesty.¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s existence was a stain on Swedeen. They could not admit that an Eltuber, and not a Swordsman, had won the Sword Emperor Tournament or that an Eltuber had defeated the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s captain. Chul-Soo was a worm eating away at Swedeen¡¯s value with his mere existence, so they had to deal with him somehow.

    ¡°He says he¡¯sing to our pce to prove his innocence. I do not intend to miss this opportunity, Your Majesty,¡± Deliark said.

    ¡°What do you n to do?¡±

    ¡°We all know that poisons below the level of the Snake King do not work on him. However, the poison of the White Snake King would be a different story.¡±

    The White Snake King¡¯s poison was a treasure passed down in the Swedeen Empire¡¯s treasury through generations. It was venom extracted from the White Snake King, who Garbinu and his hero followers had hunted down long ago.

    ¡°When the venom reacts with air, it turns into a terrifying poisonous fog. And in the treasury, we have the White Snake King¡¯s head. If we make Chul-Soo look into the king¡¯s eyes while he¡¯s poisoned... he will turn into stone,¡± Deliark continued.

    After that, defeating Chul-Soo would be a piece of cake. They would kill Chul-Soo, then announce that Chul-Soo had disappeared into a sudden dimensional rift in the pce.

    ¡°Of course, people will not believe it. There is an overlyrge faction called Chul-Soo Land in this universe. They won¡¯t ept that we defeated Chul-Soo. That¡¯s why I¡¯m prepared to offer my head. We should pay this price to kill an honorary citizen whose guilt has not been proven yet.¡±

    Deliark proposed to cover one issue with a bigger issue. He was suggesting to use his death as a sacrifice to frame Chul-Soo as a Demon.

    The emperor pondered this n for a long time. He had to decide between his beloved son and the fate of the empire.

    ¡°If we leave Chul-Soo alone, he will eventually devour the empire, Your Majesty. Please ept my proposal.¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    The emperor chose his son. Even if Chul-Soo could be a threat to the empire in the future, losing his son to eliminate him was uneptable.

    Deliark knelt as he trembled slightly. ¡°...Father.¡±

    The emperor thought his son looked like a rain-soaked fawn. He could not remain still when his son, who always called him <i>Your Majesty</i>, now called him <i>Father.</i>

    <i>¡®You were afraid too,¡¯ </i>the emperor thought. He had thought his son had no fear because he spoke so boldly, that he had iron in his veins. However, that was not the case. <i>¡®You must have been so scared...¡¯</i>

    The emperor approached his son and embraced him.

    <i>¡®Has it been ten years?¡¯</i>

    It was the first time the emperor had hugged Deliark since thetter¡¯s childhood. The emperor had never expressed his feelings to his son because he had been too busy with state affairs, felt a bit awkward, and worried about softening his son¡¯s heart.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Suddenly, a dagger coated with the White Snake King¡¯s poison pierced the emperor¡¯s heart.

    ¡°You have worked hard all this time, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Deli...ark...¡±

    Deliark looked at the fallen emperor with eyes devoid of emotion. He then seated the emperor on the throne and issued an order.

    ¡°By decree of His Majesty the Emperor, as soon as Chul-Soo enters the pce,unch a full-scale attack and kill him.¡±

    Today would be recorded as a terrible day¡ªthe day a monster descended from Demon blood murdered the emperor. And history would sing of a new hero.

    ¡°A beautiful day will soon arrive,¡± Deliark said.

    The heroic tale of a child who lost his father to a Demon finally achieving bloody revenge would surely ignite the hearts of the empire¡¯s people.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok entered the Swedeen Empire¡¯s Imperial Pce under Kyle¡¯s guidance.

    ¡°Oh... I think this is the first time we¡¯re livestreaming from inside the Imperial Pce!¡±

    [First Ever: Swedeen¡¯s Imperial Pce Revealed!]

    This content was incrediblypelling. Jin-Hyeok could not believe he could broadcast the Imperial Pce live.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt that something was a bit off.

    [Livestream transmission is unstable.]

    The livestream had notpletely cut off, but the transmission was stuttering. Of the two billion viewers, a whopping one billion were kicked out from the livestream.

    <i>¡®Is it because there are too many viewers?¡¯ </i>However, that did not seem to be the case. Broadcaster¡¯s Insight detected something artificial. <i>¡®Ah... Could it be...?¡¯</i>

    It was a familiar tactic to interfere with the livestream. They seemed to have deployed an EMP barrier inside the Imperial Pce. Jin-Hyeok, who rarely got angry, turned red with rage. ¡°Isn¡¯t this crossing the line?¡±

    Then the members of the Sword Emperor Unit copsed one by one. A fishy smell filled the air as a dense poisonous fog rolled in, making it impossible to see ahead. Kyle covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    The members of the Sword Emperor Unit were immune to most poisons, yet they still fell to the ground. This had to be an incredibly potent poison. It had to be the Snake King level, or perhaps even beyond.

    <i>¡®I need to get Chul-Soo out of here first!¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    Something had gone wrong in the pce, though Kyle was not sure what. However, Jin-Hyeok showed no intention of moving. Instead, it felt like he wanted to go further inside.

    ¡°Chul-Soo! This is no time to be stubborn!¡± Kyle yelled. His stomach was already churning. Though he was resisting with his mana, it was truly a terrifying poison. ¡°We need to retrea¡ª¡±

    But retreat was not an option either. An invisible barrier blocked their escape route. There wasn¡¯t time to break through it. The poisonous fog was right in front of them.

    ¡°Activate Absolute Barrier,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The Absolute Barrier enveloped Kyle. Kyle bit his lip. <i>¡®Is he trying to buy me time? Even if it¡¯s just a few seconds?¡¯</i>

    Undoubtedly, even at the cost of his defense, Chul-Soo had used the barrier on Kyle to give him time to break through the outer barrier.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo, you...!¡¯ </i>Kyle gritted his teeth. He had to make good use of the time Chul-Soo had bought him. At the very least, he needed to save the Sword Emperor Unit members. <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    But then, something unexpected unfolded.

 Chapter 421

    <h4>Chapter 421</h4>

    Kyle could sense a barrier surrounding him. He had thought Chul-Soo had deployed the Absolute Barrier around only him because that was the best way the Swordsman could save as many people as possible.

    However, he realized he was wrong.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not protecting just me!¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. The Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s men were vomiting, but they did not appear to be in danger. A few of them with high poison resistance had even recoveredpletely.

    <i>¡®Did Chul-Soo cast Absolute Barrier on all of them? Then what about himself?¡¯ </i>Kyle looked at Chul-Soo but did not sense any trace of Absolute Barrier around him.

    <i>¡®No way!¡¯ </i>He thought that Chul-Soo had sacrificed himself to protect the Sword Emperor Unit. <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>

    Not many poisons could intoxicate warriors of the Sword Emperor Unit¡¯s caliber just through the smoke. The poison had to be at least Snake King level. It could have been the legendary poison of the White Snake King, which was rumored to be in the imperial treasury. This led to only one conclusion.

    <i>¡®They were trying to kill all of us!¡¯ </i>

    Kyle could not understand why the Imperial Pce would go to such lengths, but now was not the time to think. He had to think about their escape first.

    ¡°Secure an escape route first!¡± Kyle ordered.

    Kyle summoned his sword energy to break the enemy¡¯s barrier. He did not look back. That was his way of showing respect for Chul-Soo¡¯s great sacrifice. Creating an escape route and retreating while saving as many lives as possible¡ªthat was how Kyle could truly honor Chul-Soo¡¯s name.

    <i>¡®I swear I will survive and...!¡¯ </i>

    The Imperial Pce was trying to eliminate Chul-Soo and the Sword Emperor Unit without conducting a proper investigation. What came next was obvious. The Imperial Pce would smear their names with false charges of treason.

    <i>¡®I will fight for your honor, Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>

    Kyle and the Sword Emperor Unit finally broke through the enemy¡¯s barrier.

    <i>¡®Oh no!¡± </i>In his haste, Kyle had overlooked something crucial. As soon as they breached the barrier, the poisonous smoke began seeping through the main gate. <i>¡®This can¡¯t be happening!¡¯ </i>

    The diluted poison mist escaping outside would not be a major problem for the Sword Emperor Unit. The real problem was the ordinary citizens. Even a tiny amount could prove fatal to them.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Kyle said. There was no time to be angry at the Imperial Pce for using such a vile poison. ¡°You must all survive!¡±

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    Kyle stood in front of the main gate, facing the inner pce. ¡°You must live on and fight for my and Chul-Soo¡¯s honor.¡±

    Kyle raised his sword, summoning his sword energy. He intended to keep swinging his de until his dying breath to prevent the poison mist from escaping outside.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    ¡°I will stay with you, Captain!¡±

    A few men stood beside Kyle. Others bit their lips, torn. They all knew what was best for Kyle and what would truly protect Chul-Soo¡¯s honor. Those leaving saluted toward the hazy poison mist¡ªa salute to Chul-Soo. Then they saluted Kyle.

    ¡°It was an honor to serve under you, Captain!¡±

    ***

    Kyle soon noticed something strange.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t the poison have affected me by now?¡¯ </i>He was surprisingly fine¡ªno, tantly fine. <i>¡®Is my poison resistance high?¡¯ </i>

    He was the captain of the Sword Emperor Unit, not the Poison King. His knowledge of poisons was limited, and he rarely encountered them. So, it was difficult for him to make an urate assessment of this situation. However, it wasn¡¯t just him¡ªthe two subordinates standing beside him were also fine.

    ¡°Are you two alright?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°I think so, Captain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine too.¡±

    They realized that Absolute Barrier was still active around them.

    ¡°Absolute Barrier is still functioning, Captain!¡±

    Nothing was visible through the hazy poison mist. No voices could be heard either. They thought that no person could survive this mist.

    ¡°A defensive barrier that persists even after death,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Could Chul-Soo still be alive, Captain?¡±

    They could not rule out the possibility. If he was still breathing, they had to find a way to retrieve him. Kyle took a step forward.

    ¡°You two stay here and guard this position.¡±

    ¡°But Captain!¡±

    ¡°Keep the poison fog from leaking out. We are the Sword Emperor Unit!¡±

    After giving strict orders to his subordinates, Kyle walked through the poison mist. Though he had resolved himself for death, it would be a lie to say he wasn¡¯t afraid. As a strong Swordsman, he had been far removed from death. Even for him, death was unfamiliar and frightening.

    ¡°I ended up lying to Ellie,¡± Kyle muttered. His daughter¡¯s face shed in his mind. He had told her he would be back home soon after this mission and promised to bring back loads of chocte that she loved.

    <i>¡®Hm?¡¯ </i>He heard a faint voice. <i>¡®I can hear someone coughing!¡¯</i>

    It was unmistakably Chul-Soo¡¯s voice. Kyle rushed toward the source of the sound. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!¡±

    Tears were streaming down Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes. ¡°My eyes...¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t see?¡±

    ¡°No, they sting.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°It feels like spicy smoke got in my eyes.¡± Jin-Hyeok repeatedly rubbed his eyes with his uniform sleeve.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°My throat...¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t breathe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s scratchy.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Ellie. Is that your daughter¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a nice name.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Summon Cute Elly, Ta-da!¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Summon Cute Elly, Tada!?.]</strong>

    Suddenly, a Spirit appeared, burning away the poison mist. It was Elines, the Spirit contracted to Jin-Hyeok. Elines also repeatedly coughed after being summoned and frantically waved. The poison mist that touched her hands burst into mes, emitting ck smoke. Soon, the poison mist could no longer prate the surrounding areas.

    ¡°I hate you,¡± Elines said. Her pronunciation was very urate now, and she looked like a middle school student, a far cry from the seven-year-old child she once resembled.

    ¡°Spirits these days sure grow up fast,¡± Jin-Hyeok remarked, looking at her with pride.

    ¡°You could summon me more often, you know.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I have been too busytely.¡±

    ¡°You still eat when you¡¯re busy, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Kyle was startled by those words. This was exactly what his daughter Ellie always said to him.

    ¡°Elly, can you burn away all this poison mist?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Kyle quickly interjected, ¡°Chul-Soo, that¡¯s too much to ask.¡±

    Spirits typically drew power from their contractors to use their abilities. Great power alwayses at a cost.

    ¡°This poison is likely that of the White Snake King, the king of kings among poisons. It¡¯s the most vicious poison humans can obtain. Given the caliber of the Spirit you summoned, some purification should be possible. But there is too much of it. You will copse before you can purify all this poison!¡±

    However, Jin-Hyeok was not listening to Kyle. Instead, he was busyforting Ellie. When Jin-Hyeok coughed, Ellie made a fuss. ¡°Are you okay?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve just blocked this level of poison with your barrier! Why didn¡¯t you?!¡±

    Ellie was mentally connected to Jin-Hyeok and could fully sense his power. Jin-Hyeok had more than enough power left to use Absolute Barrier.

    ¡°I need to experience these things firsthand sometimes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You¡¯re driving me crazy!¡± Ellie pped Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back with her hand, which was zing with fire.

    As Jin-Hyeok coughed repeatedly, Ellie bit her lip, seemingly deciding this wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°I will burn away all this pathetic poison!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ellie.¡±

    ¡°H-Hey! Chul-Soo! Spirit! Didn¡¯t you hear what I...¡± Kyle yelled.

    Suddenly, an enormous fireball appeared around them. It was as if the sun had descended upon the Imperial Pce. Dozens of fiery whirlwinds shot out from the fireball, swirling around.

    Kyle looked around with a grim expression. <i>¡®Holy shit!¡¯</i>

    Each fiery whirlwind had destructive powerparable to a Spirit King¡¯s mes. Kyle felt like he was standing at the scene of humanity¡¯s end. He wondered how much mana the Spirit was drawing from her contractor. This would surely bring danger to Chul-Soo, her contractor.

    ¡°Chul-Soo! It¡¯s too much to purify all this poison. Save your strength. The poison might not be the end of it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saving it.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°Oh, and about that White Snake King. If you know more about it, could you exin?¡±

    Kyle briefly exined about the White Snake King. ¡°... So, if the Imperial Pce intended to kill us, they must have ced the White Snake King¡¯s head somewhere.¡±

    The White Snake King¡¯s poison was extremely dangerous, but there was something even more perilous about it.

    ¡°Those exposed to the White Snake King¡¯s poison turn to stone just by looking into its eyes,¡± Kyle continued to exin.

    ¡°Are you talking about red eyes?¡±

    Kyle instinctively turned his gaze toward where Jin-Hyeok was pointing. At that moment, Kyle felt that something massive had collided with him and bounced off.

    <i>¡®Could it be?¡¯ </i>Kyle realized that Absolute Barrier¡¯s protection was still around him. ¡°Did the barrier deflect a curse?¡±

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    There were various types of barriers. Some deflected physical force, some repelled magical power, some separated space, some distorted time, some blocked poison, and so on. Higher-grade barriers tended to specialize in one area. This wasmon knowledge.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, do you have multiple types of barriers?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡± Jin-Hyeok was slightly annoyed. ¡°Watch my livestream. I have only one barrier¡ªAbsolute Barrier.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Kyle¡¯smon sense crumbled. A single type of barrier had both blocked poison and deflected a curse simultaneously. And it wasn¡¯t even a barrier from a professional Barrier Mage but one from an Eltuber. Then, he realized something astonishing. <i>¡®He cast Absolute Barrier on me and my subordinates. But what about himself?¡¯ </i>

    Chul-Soo had not cast the Skill on himself. Kyle knew this because Chul-Soo had been coughing and choking from the poison earlier. This meant that Chul-Soo was enduring this situation with his bare body, without any barriers.

    ¡°Chul-Soo!!! You absolutely must not look into its ey¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok strode over and picked up a massive snake head from a small pedestal. It was the White Snake King¡¯s head.

    ¡°The eyes are incredibly red,¡± Jin-Hyeok observed. Recording this scene from the first-person perspective, he observed the White Snake King¡¯s head in detail to show the viewers. ¡°It seems this is the first public reveal...¡±

    However, a problem had urred.

    ¡°I will have to pause the livestream for a moment.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lip.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i>

    This was the biggest crisis of his Eltuber career.

    -Viewers watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream have been poisoned and are being rushed to hospitals.

    -I hear there is chaos at the temple too!

    -I can hear the sound of ambnces outside my home.

    A significant number of viewers of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream had been poisoned. He had transmitted more than just a vivid sense of reality¡ªhe had inadvertently broadcast something far more dangerous. While getting poisoned through the screen was not as perilous as being poisoned firsthand, it was still plenty dangerous for ordinary viewers. Some lost their eyesight, while othersined of severe abdominal pain. However, an even bigger problem had urred.

    -People watching Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream are turning to stone.

    -My right arm turned to stone too, FFS!

    ©¸The ck me Dragon evolved to Stone me Dragon! Congrats!

    ©¸This is no joke. I can¡¯t move my right arm!

    -Yeah, no kidding. I wasn¡¯t joking either, lol.

    -What do we do about this?

    Some viewers were not just poisoned¡ªthey were turning to stone.

    -Please save my child!

    -My mother has turned to stone. What should I do?

    Jin-Hyeok bit his lip. Reaching Level 500 was not entirely a good thing. All his abilities had increased dramatically. He realized that he should have predicted that his livestreaming capabilities would also increase dramatically.

    <i>¡®What should I do?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok did not care if other people turned to stone, but it happening to his grateful viewers was a different story.

    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat for now.¡±

    The pce¡¯s conspiracy was not important anymore. He decided to focus on resolving this crisis first.

 Chapter 422

    <h4>Chapter 422</h4>

    Public opinion against the Imperial Pce had grown severe. Not only had they attempted to unjustly murder Kim Chul-Soo, but in the process, they had also tried to annihte the Sword Emperor Unit, the pride and joy of the Swedeen Empire. Moreover, by using the White Snake King¡¯s poison, they had nearly put countless citizens of the capital in grave danger.

    Encyclopedia opened his pages with a rustle and said, ¡°It¡¯s rather shocking that even though the Imperial Pcemitted such serious offenses, this incident is generating less buzz than Chul-Soo¡¯s recent livestream.¡±

    Whether fortunate or not for the Imperial Pce, the focus of attention in this incident was Chul-Soo¡¯s influence.

    -Reckless livestreaming: can this continue?

    -The current situation with mounting victims is nothing short of a catastrophe.

    The impact was tremendous, given that Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream had reached nearly two billion real-time viewers. Countless people had developed mild symptoms like weak petrification curses or slight stomach aches and vomiting after watching his livestream. More rmingly, reports indicated that about five percent of the viewers¡ªover one hundred million people¡ªwere suffering from severe side effects.

    ¡°I do not understand why these idiots are so fixated on such trivial consequences,¡± Encyclopedia muttered.

    He thought this was all very strange; the truly important question was, <i>¡®How could a mere livestream cause such widespread effects, and to what extent had Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreaming abilities grown?¡¯</i>

    He wondered how people could get poisoned just by seeing poison through a livestream or fall victim to a petrification curse just by looking at the White King Snake¡¯s eyes through a screen. Even the livestreams of Marshmallow, Encyclopedia¡¯s close friend and the universe¡¯s top Eltuber, did not possess such power.

    <i>¡®In terms of livestreaming abilities alone, Chul-Soo has already surpassed Marshmallow,¡¯ </i>Encyclopedia thought as he trailed behind Chul-Soo, observing his actions. <i>¡®I thought he was just obsessed with livestreaming, but...¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had established branches in each Server within his sphere of influence, immediately supplyingrge quantities of Chul-Soo Potion. Encyclopedia had expected him to meet with severely affected patients and craft tear-jerking, emotional stories for his content. However, Chul-Soo neither featured them in his livestreams nor created content around them.

    The Chul-Soo that Encyclopedia had understood was the personification of <i>¡®Oh! This is even better! This is perfect for my content!¡¯ </i>However, the Chul-Soo he had met was different.

    Instead of livestreaming, Chul-Soo had wholeheartedly devoted himself to helping the victims. This incident ultimately became a crucial opportunity to elevate the value of the Chul-Soo Potion.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, won¡¯t some people try to fake that they¡¯re sick?¡± Encyclopedia asked.

    ¡°Of course, they will,¡± Chul-Soo replied.

    Pretending to be a part of Chul-Soo Land when they weren¡¯t and feigning cures from the livestream when they weren¡¯t afflicted¡ªthe number of opportunists aiming for the Chul-Soo Potion was skyrocketing in real-time.

    ¡°But I do not have time to worry about that. Chul-Soo Landers are hurt,¡± Chul-Soo answered.

    ¡°But... isn¡¯t that potion made from your blood?¡± Encyclopedia wondered how a person could even stand up after using that much blood, even if the potions were diluted.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    Surprisingly, Jin-Hyeok seemed unaffected. It was from that moment that Encyclopedia began his research on the theory that <i>¡®A singrity urs in humanity at the point of reaching Level 500.¡¯</i>

    ***

    As the cmity brought on by Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream gradually subsided, public criticism against the Imperial Pce surged once again.

    [The Imperial Pce is the true culprit behind this incident.]

    [It was the Imperial Pce that unleashed the White Snake King¡¯s poison.]

    The Imperial Pce tried to garner sympathy by revealing that even the emperor had died from the White Snake King¡¯s poison, but public opinion remained stubbornly unfavorable.

    Jin-Hyeok discussed this with Encyclopedia. ¡°Why did the Imperial Pce prepare so poorly?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the White Snake King¡¯s poison quite a thorough preparation?¡± Encyclopedia replied.

    The Swedeen Empire¡¯s history was not entirely peaceful. It had weathered numerous storms. The Imperial Pce had even used the White Snake King¡¯s poison, something that had never appeared before in the empire, which showed how thorough their preparations had been.

    ¡°Listen carefully, Chul-Soo. The Imperial Pce initially tried to block your livestream. They probably nned to pin all the me on you. They would have announced that you were responsible for assassinating the emperor too.¡±

    ¡°I know that much. But why weren¡¯t they more meticulous?¡±

    This was a question that puzzled many others as well.

    -Why did they n something so obviously bound to fail?

    -Is there a conspiracy that we are unaware of?

    Jin-Hyeok had gained significant benefits from this incident. He seeded in making himself look good by showing his concern for Chul-Soo Land and widely promoting the value of the Chul-Soo Potion.

    -It might have been Chul-Soo¡¯s grand scheme all along.

    -Did Chul-Soo manipte the Imperial Pce?

    However, Encyclopedia¡¯s perspective differed greatly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not confirmed, but there is a rumor that the Imperial Pce poured half a year¡¯s budget into blocking your livestream,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°No way! That can¡¯t be true.¡±

    The Swedeen Empire, one of the greatest empires in the universe, devoting half of their yearly budget to this sounded like an exaggeration.

    ¡°It is absolutely not an exaggeration. You will see when the Imperial Pce announces the annual budgetter. If we assume they emptied their budget, the numbers will roughly add up.¡± Encyclopedia did not believe the Imperial Pce¡¯s preparations were inadequate. They had been thorough enough, using ample money and resources to try and trap Chul-Soo. ¡°I think you have be extraordinarily powerful.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a moment of crisis.

    <i>¡®Oh no...¡¯ </i>He felt as if the reality he had been trying to ignore was suddenly loomingrge. ¡°Have I be too strong...?¡±

    ¡°They prepared meticulously, but their thoroughness could not keep up with your Level,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    This was an issue for Jin-Hyeok. A shadow of concern crossed his face.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy? You might be the strongest Eltuber in the universe! No, maybe even the strongest yer!¡± Encyclopedia said. He fluttered around Jin-Hyeok like a fairy, and his pages flipped excitedly. Living in the moment, on the cusp of a new page in history, Encyclopedia could barely contain his excitement. ¡°You wanted to be stronger, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°But not to this extent.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression remained troubled.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not respond; instead, he thought, <i>¡®If that¡¯s true, there won¡¯t be any tension in my content anymore...¡¯</i>

    Once, he had aspired to be the strongest yer in the universe. He thought that had been his goal until quite recently. However, now, he realized it was not the right idea.

    <i>¡®I should not get any stronger from here.¡¯</i>

    He feared that bing too strong would make content creation difficult. If he became too powerful, he would run out of worthy opponents. Although Jin-Hyeok covered various types of content as an Eltuber, his core identity was still that of an Eltuber who livestreamed tension-filled y from a first-person perspective. Bing too strong could shake the foundation of his identity.

    <i>¡®I really should stop getting stronger.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have reached Level 504.]</strong>

    ***

    A massive crowd gathered in the square before the Imperial Pce of the Swedeen Empire. They demanded the abdication of the imperial family, iming the Imperial Family had lost their right to rule after nearly driving countless citizens to their deaths.

    Millions of people in the square marched with the imperial g, singing the empire¡¯s anthem. The prince had ascended to the emperor¡¯s throne but had shown no particr response to the protests. As this situation persisted for days, the attention of the entire universe began to focus on it.

    Watching the scene in the square from atop a spire within the pce, Deliark clenched his fist. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    He could not believe this was happening to him. By now, he should have been hailed as a tragic emperor who had eliminated Chul-Soo, the assassin who had killed the previous emperor, and ascended to the throne amidst tears.

    ¡°Those bastards at the Magic Tower...! They said even Marshmallow could not livestream here.¡±

    They had undoubtedly deceived him. The Imperial Pce had poured a year¡¯s budget into trying to kill Chul-Soo, even exhausting the Imperial Family¡¯s personal fortune. Deliark had been willing to pay that price just to kill Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®This is not good.¡¯</i>

    Deliark saw no way for things to improve. Yet, he did not want to give up the emperor¡¯s throne¡ªno, he could not give it up. He had finally grasped the position of emperor after waiting so long due to his father¡¯s longevity. A life outside of being the emperor was something he had never contemted, so not being an emperor seemed a fate worse than death.

    <i>¡®Where did it all go wrong? </i>Tracing back to the root of the problem, he concluded, <i>¡®It¡¯s Chul-Soo. That bastard was the start of all this.¡¯</i>

    If it weren¡¯t for Chul-Soo, none of this would have happened. Deliark recalled the days when talk of Chul-Soo filled the streets. He remembered a poprity poll of [Deliark vs Kim Chul-Soo] where Chul-Soo won by andslide, 98 to 2.

    <i>¡®I must kill that bastard.¡¯</i>

    That thought consumed his mind. But he didn¡¯t know what to do. He did not know how to eliminate a monster who even now received such fervent support from the citizens. Outside, the chant of ¡°Kim Chul-Soo! Kim Chul-Soo! Kim Chul-Soo!¡± echoed through the sky.

    <i>¡®Do you wish for revenge?¡¯</i>

    A voice reached Deliark. He instantly realized whose voice it was.

    ¡°Great ancestor...!¡±

    It was unmistakable the voice of Garbinu, the great hero who hadid the foundation for the modern three empires and brought prosperity and peace to Arvis.

    ***

    Bong King, once known as one of the three powerful Streamers of the Korean Region alongside Chul-Soo and Kang Mi-Na, recognized the limitations of his talents.

    <i>¡®There is no way I can match the great Chul-Soo. I need to find my path,¡¯ </i>Bong King thought.

    He focused on his original strength: interactive livestreams that prioritizedmunication with viewers. After creating the BongMiNaTV channel with Mi-Na, who excelled in y, Bong King was thriving, firmly holding second ce on the Korean Region Streamer rankings.

    <i>¡®I have a way with words.¡¯</i>

    Recently, he had developed a taste for public speaking. The way his words moved the crowd like magic felt miraculous to him.

    <i>¡®In this aspect, at least, I can surpass Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    While Chul-Soo¡¯s content quality was overwhelmingly superior, he didn¡¯t directlymunicate with his viewers. Bong King was confident he could outdo Chul-Soo in verbalmunication.

    <i>¡®I will prove it with this speech!¡¯</i>

    Though an insurmountable wall separated first and second ce, that did not matter to Bong King. He believed that even as a perpetual runner-up, he could surpass the champion in some aspects. Today felt like that day. Someone¡¯s tongue could be a sharper and more fearsome weapon than a soldier¡¯s bay. He ignited a passionate fire in the hearts of the many protesters who had gathered to denounce the imperial family¡¯s wrongdoings.

    ¡°...that concludes my speech. Thank you, everyone.¡±

    The crowd erupted in cheers. Seeing so many people moved by his words, Bong King was ted.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s the Bong King touch!¡¯</i>

    As he came down from the stage, Bong King was drenched in sweat.

    ¡°You¡¯re up after this, right, Chul-Soo?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    Bong King¡¯s heart raced. He felt he could beat Chul-Soo in this aspect at least. The unceasing apuse and cheers that continued even thirty seconds after he had left the stage filled him with great confidence.

    ¡°It seems this will be the moment to prove that sometimes even second ce can surpass first, Chul-Soo, hehe.¡±

 Chapter 423

    <h4>Chapter 423</h4>

    Bong King livestreamed alongside his partner, Kang Mi-Na.

    ¡°The cheers for Chul-Soo¡¯s first appearance will be indescribably massive, guys.¡±

    The crowd went wild as Chul-Soo got on the stage.

    -Wow, it¡¯s insane how loud they are! Lol.

    -They say Bong King¡¯s cheers were nothing inparison.

    -The difference in ss is ridiculous!

    Bong King was not particrly surprised. He had expected the initial cheers to be like this. After all, his opponent was a universe-level Eltuber with billions of real-time viewers.

    ¡°But this isn¡¯t a livestream. It¡¯s a speech.¡±

    The protest was peaceful and somewhat festive. Some individuals gave political speeches, while others told jokes. Singers sang, and dancers danced. After all these performances, awards were given in each category.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll win the Best Speaker Award today,¡¯</i> Bong King thought.

    Chul-Soo¡¯s voice came from the front of the stage. ¡°Hello, today...¡±

    As soon as Chul-Soo opened his mouth, another wave of tremendous cheers erupted. It felt like the ground was shaking.

    <i>¡®He just said two words!¡¯ </i>

    Every time Chul-Soo spoke, it was as if the sun exploded. Even backstage, one could feel the intense energy of the crowd. It was as though what he said did not matter; people were ecstatic just to hear him breathe.

    All Chul-Soo had said was a simple greeting and <i>¡®Today...¡¯ </i>

    ¡°I have a lot of things to say, but it seems like I can¡¯t say all of them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    That was it. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s speech could hardly be called a speech. He said so little that it was hard to understand why he had even gone up there.

    Yet, the cheers and apuse were deafening.

    <i>¡®Why won¡¯t the cheers stop?¡¯ </i>Bong King wondered. These cheers were far louder and longersting than those he had received after finishing his grand speech.

    ***

    Cha Jin-Hyeok had not gone on stage to make a political statement. He wanted to show the Chul-Soo Landers that he was safe and exin Stage (18) of the universe-level Scenario and how he had skipped multiple Stages. It was not unusual for singers to sing,edians to tell jokes, and Eltubers to talk about their livestreams.

    <i>¡®Uh... Isn¡¯t this getting a bit dangerous?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Many people were hugging each other and bursting into tears. That would have been fine for Jin-Hyeok, but the world was not so simple. A few people had to be taken to the hospital due to hyperventtion.

    ¡°Today...¡±

    The atmosphere was so intense that it was impossible to continue the speech. With so many Chul-Soo Landers fainting, the situation had be chaotic. Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to end his speech prematurely. He could not cause another incident after so many had sufferedst time.

    ¡°I have a lot of things to say, but it seems like I can¡¯t say all of them today. Thank you.¡±

    Once again, the crowd erupted in cheers. Ironically, Chul-Soo¡¯s speech had touched the hearts of many.

    -Look at his face!

    -I feel like I¡¯m melting from that mncholic gaze.

    ©¸It has already turned me into goo.

    ©¸From today, I am liquid.

    Jin-Hyeok looked like a tragic hero with a thousand words in his heart that he could not express. The video was turned into a short clip and spread throughout the universe. The titles varied.

    [SSS-ss Handsome Man¡¯s Epic, Record-Breaking Speech.]

    [Shocking Speech by Universe-Ranked Eltuber.]

    [Earth-born Eltuber¡¯s Ultra-Epic Speech that Shocked Arvis and Made Hell Bow Its Head.]

    [Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s Speech.]

    Many versions of the video spread, but the keywords were very simr for all the videos.

    ¡°What a dirty word!¡± Bong King shouted as he squeezed his eyes shut.

    Chul-Soo received the Best Speaker Award that day for saying just a few words. They said that his silence, which showed his inability to express the words pent up in his heart, was the best speech of all.

    ¡°It¡¯s just because he¡¯s handsome!¡± Bong King was briefly depressed at the thought that he could not surpass Chul-Soo even in speech skills, but he soon changed his mind.

    One could not improve by just despairing at reality. He made a checklist topare his speech with Chul-Soo¡¯s.

    [1. Did the speech receive overwhelming support from the masses?

    Kim Chul-Soo (O) / Bong King (¡÷)

    2. Did the speech have a definite impact on the public?

    Kim Chul-Soo (O) / Bong King <s>(O)</s> (¡÷)]

    If the impact was simr, the person who gave the shorter speech could be considered more skilled.

    [3. Was the speech short?

    Kim Chul-Soo (O) / Bong King (X)

    4. Did the speech have an impact across the entire universe?

    Kim Chul-Soo (O) / Bong King (X)]

    Bong King threw down his pen. It was aplete defeat no matter how he looked at it. He never thought he would lose to a speech that was barely a sentence. It was just ¡°Hello, today, and thank you.¡± Bong King barely had any chance of surpassing Chul-Soo in speech ability either.

    <i>¡®If not speech, what can I beat him in?¡¯</i>

    Bong King began to ponder it.

    ***

    ¡°Chul-Soo Hyung, your speech skills are incredible!¡± Bong King said.

    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had not expected his speech to be such a <i>heart-stirring address of a great hero</i>. He had only stopped because he feared Chul-Soo Landers could get seriously hurt or be in danger again. He felt quite regretful for not being able to say what he had intended. In this situation, Bong King¡¯s words felt half like mockery.

    ¡°I am not joking. I did not know you were strong even in the field of public speaking. As expected of the Korean Region¡¯s number one!¡±

    Though losing to Jin-Hyek was bitter, Bong King was not so petty as to refuse to acknowledge defeat. Rather, he was the type of person who had a much stronger desire to grow from this experience.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that good at public speaking,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re strong, Hyung!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok red at Bong King.

    Bong King flinched.

    <i>¡®Why is he acting like this?¡¯ </i>Bong King was not sure, but it seemed he had triggered Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®Is it because I dare to aspire to surpass him? But isn¡¯t he the type to tolerate and understand that level of ambition and aspiration?¡¯</i>

    Bong King did not want to be disliked by Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®What did I do wrong? Could it be that calling him the Korean Region¡¯s number one had offended him?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Ah, I see, I made a mistake,¡± Bong King said. He knew very well that calling a first-ce person second ce would upset them. Realizing his error, Bong King grinned. ¡°I misspoke a bit. You¡¯re the strongest in the universe, of course.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok began recording. This was separate from his preupation with the thought that he should stop getting stronger.

    ¡°I had originally intended to show you guys on stage, but it did not quite work out. I did not reveal itst time, but a new Stage of the universe-level Scenario has been unlocked. The previous Stage was (12). Can you guys guess which one was unlocked?¡± Jin-Hyeok dragged out the livestream a bit to create an editing point before continuing. ¡°The next unlocked stage is Stage (18)! Looking back now, it was a bit disappointing.¡±

    As time passed, the rewards from the Universe-level Scenario were bing increasingly inadequatepared to the content and scale of the Stages. This could mean that arge reward could be concentrated in a single Quest. For example, a story like <i>¡®Stage (12), (13), and (14) give meager rewards, but they were all stepping stones for the definite reward in Stage (15)!¡¯</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m very curious about the rewards for Stages (13) through (17), but I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok then revealed the content of the Stage (18).

    <strong>[(18) <u>The specter of the old era has faded as it should, and a new sun will rise.]</u></strong>

    Fortunately, the underline allowed him to borate on the details. If this had been all, he might have been criticized by the viewers for being too nd.

    <strong>[-Find the sword of the old era sleeping in the Swedeen Imperial Pce¡¯s secret chamber.</strong>

    <strong>-Endless glory awaits the one who draws the sword of the old era.]</strong>

    ¡°As you can see, the Quest clear requirements are detailed like this. What do you think this means?¡±

    Usually, when Quest clear requirements were spelled out so kindly, it meant the difficulty itself was very high. Jin-Hyeok grinned. Finally, this universe-level Scenario seemed to be helping him.

    ¡°It will not be an easy journey.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was so happy to hear that the Quest was making him go to Swedeen Imperial Pce¡¯s secret chamber. It was a secret space that had never been revealed since the empire¡¯s founding. It was a forbidden sanctuary that even Angel Girl, who used to torment Jin-Hyeok before his regression, had not dared to approach. It was said that even the emperor could not freely enter and exit the secret chamber. This was great content material, especially when he had been worried about bing too strong.

    ¡°I will proceed while keeping many possibilities open,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He smiled at the thought of releasing this recording at an appropriate time in the future. <i>¡®This time, it should be quite difficult, right?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Deliark, the newly crowned Emperor of Swedeen, held a press conference and willingly acknowledged his abdication. It was the first time in imperial history. Then, a terrible incident urred.

    [Tragedy Overnight!]

    [The Miserable Downfall of the Imperial Family!]

    All direct family members of the imperial family staying in the pce were poisoned to death. Although the culprit was not officially identified, Deliark was the prime suspect. They had all fallen victim to the White Snake King¡¯s poison. At this point, Deliark was the only one with ess to the White Snake King¡¯s poison, so it was assumed he had made this extreme choice.

    However, Deliark had vanished without a trace.

    The Swedeen Empire was shaken to its core, but fortunately, the empire had Gridle, the Sage of the Sword, who was even more respected than the emperor. With him and the Pisat Family still standing, the Swedeen Empire did not fall. Many rallied around him.

    ¡°I¡¯m too old. I¡¯m not suited for a position like that of the emperor,¡± Gridle announced. The Sage of the Sword refused to ept the position of emperor. Instead, he pointed to someone else. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Sword Emperor Unit Captain Kyle be perfect?¡±

    Thanks to Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, Kyle¡¯s public support was skyrocketing. His spirit of sacrifice and excellence as a Swordsman had deeply moved the people of the Swedeen Empire.

    ¡°In the end, we should follow the will of the imperial citizens. I propose a vote.¡±

    This opinion was ultimately epted by the citizens, and a vote was quickly held. Several formidable candidates emerged, but in the end, Sword Emperor Unit Captain Kyle was elected as the new emperor. There was some discussion about whether he should be called Prime Minister rather than Emperor, but to avoid confusion, it was agreed to call him Emperor.

    All of this happened in just three months.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 424

    <h4>Chapter 424</h4>

    Three months had passed since Cha Jin-Hyeok had revealed the Quest for Stage (18). During that time, he had made numerous attempts to sneak into the Imperial Pce¡¯s treasury alongside Angel Girl Song Ha-Young.

    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s difficult to open the treasury¡¯s door,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But...¡± Ha-Young wanted to say, <i>¡®No, I think we can open it.¡¯ </i>However, when she saw Jin-Hyeok¡¯s stern face, she couldn¡¯t say anything else. She thought that he had probably sensed dangers lurking inside the treasury that were beyond her current level of understanding.

    ¡°We should head back for today,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    They had secretly infiltrated the Imperial Pce several times as a team, even deliberately exposing themselves to danger a few times. They had also made contact with pce officials to try and find a way into the treasury.

    One day, Ha-Young asked, ¡°Do you really intend to go in?¡±

    They had infiltrated the pce more than ten times. The first three attempts were failures. In the next three, they showed some progress, and from then on, they came close to sess.

    Considering the chaos surrounding selecting a new Emperor, these attempts were quite significant achievements. Yet, at crucial moments, Jin-Hyeok kept turning back. After the first couple of times, Ha-Young found this suspicious.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°You just flinched a little,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. We¡¯re really going to clear it this time.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ha-Young narrowed her eyes. <i>¡®So, all the previous times were for a show?¡¯</i>

    When Ha-Young suspiciously looked at him, Jin-Hyeok nced away and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Are we really going to raid the treasury this time?¡±

    ¡°Stay alert. We have managed to breach the entrance, but it¡¯s still the Imperial Pce¡¯s treasury. The entrance keeps changing, but with your skills, you should be able to handle it.¡±

    The Imperial Pce¡¯s treasury was a forbidden sanctuary with magic woven into every particle of the air. As they prepared to step in, they received a strange letter.

    [To the esteemed Kim Chul-Soo.]

    It was a letter from Kyle, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s former master and the current emperor.

    [Despite opposition from numerous officials, I have decided to make the Imperial Treasury public.]

    The letter detailed the arduous process of making the treasury public. Kyle had to persuade countless officials; find the seal of the former imperial family; and secure cooperation from the Pisat Family, whose members were renowned for their swordsmanship. He even sought approval from the elders who had served the previous Emperor.

    This ordeal was partly due to Kyle¡¯s resolve to open the treasury for the benefit of the empire¡¯s citizens, but it was also undoubtedly motivated by his desire to help Jin-Hyeok.

    [I would like to invite you, Chul-Soo, to the opening ceremony as an honored guest.]

    Jin-Hyeok trembled as he read the formal invitation.

    [As a representative of the Swedeen Empire, I wish to offer youpensation for all the harm you have suffered from the previous imperial family. Please choose what you need from the treasury.]

    <i>¡®They¡¯re just giving this to me?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok shook as he held the polite letter.

    ***

    Kyle satisfactorily smiled. ¡°This should make him very happy.¡±

    ¡°I think so too. Now that I think of it, Chul-Soo is quite admirable. He never asked for any personal favors from you, Your Majesty,¡± his advisor replied.

    Kyle, who was Chul-Soo¡¯srade-in-arms and former master, had be emperor. In this situation, with the Imperial Treasury linked to the universe-level Scenario, most people would have at least hinted at needing help. However, Chul-Soo had never asked for any assistance.

    There had been suspicious movements detected near the treasury, but that wasmon. As an honorable former member of the Sword Emperor Unit, Kyle did not believe Chul-Soo would engage in such activities.

    ¡°This should be a grand gift to Chul-Soo.¡± Kyle chuckled. Inviting Chul-Soo to the opening ceremony as an honored guest was a quite significant action, especially considering thepensation that the Swedeen Family owed to him.

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream has tremendous influence. Inviting him as an honored guest and sending an apology gift on top of that will likely have a positive impact on the empire as well,¡± Kyle¡¯s advisor said.

    A few dayster, Jin-Hyeok arrived at the pce as an honored guest. Despite his busy schedule, Kyle personally greeted Jin-Hyeok, and they had a private conversation.

    ¡°Wee, Kim Chul-Soo!¡± Kyle eximed.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kyle,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied, sounding not pleased and somewhat sarcastic. ¡°Not only did you invite me as an honored guest, but you¡¯re also offering items from the Imperial Treasury. How generous of you.¡±

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s the least we can do, considering the terrible deeds the previous imperial familymitted against you,¡± Kyle responded.

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent. Kyle¡¯s gaze was filled with nothing but genuine affection. Even with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok could see it was pure goodwill.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t say anything about this...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok decided to just ept the goodwill, considering that participating as a VIP in the treasury¡¯s opening ceremony could make for decent content.

    ¡°Is there the Sword of the Old Era in the Imperial Treasury?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I do not know the exact name for it, but there is a special holy sword stuck in a rock. It seems quite worn, having been neglected for a long time,¡± Kyle answered.

    Jin-Hyeok immediately realized it was the Sword of the Old Era.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been wasting my time.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized how easily he could obtain it now. However, refusing it and choosing something else would seem like forced acting.

    ¡°Do you want that sword?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I can certainly give it to you.¡±

    ¡°How delightful,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, trying to mask his true feelings.

    ¡°I¡¯m honored to help you. However, there is one problem.¡±

    ¡°A problem?¡± Jin-Hyeok perked up, hoping it would be a problem that would make for good content.

    ¡°As I said, the sword is stuck in a rock. We have tried to pull it out several times, but it won¡¯t budge.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°ess to the Imperial Treasury is extremely limited, so we haven¡¯t been able to test it with many people. Someone stronger than me might be able to pull it out, but it seems difficult to remove the sword by sheer force alone.¡±

    ¡°I see!¡± Jin-Hyeok smiled.

    Although Kyle was being modest, he was one of the top rankers in Arvis and the winner of the previous Sword Emperor Tournament. If he could not pull out the sword, it would likely be difficult for anyone.

    ¡°So, while getting the sword itself isn¡¯t a problem, actually pulling it out properly is...¡¯ Jin-Hyeok mused.

    ¡°We can ask the Imperial Schrs to give suggestions on how to solve this issue,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Jin-Hyeok quickly refused him.

    The Imperial Schrs were the empire¡¯s brightest minds; epting their help would be like using a cheat key. Jin-Hyeok almost frowned at the suggestion.

    ¡°I know you would say that,¡± Kyle said, looking at Jin-Hyeok with gentle eyes. The more he saw Chul-Soo, the more remarkable the Streamer seemed. He did not make any demands of Kyle, who had be the emperor, and even refused the support of the Imperial Schrs. ¡°There is no need to refuse. The Imperial Schrs would also be interested in researching a sword that can¡¯t be pulled out.¡±

    ¡°I said it¡¯s not necessary.¡±

    ¡°If you refuse so adamantly, I won¡¯t force it upon you. But please remember, you do not need to hold back. I and the Imperial Pce will always stand by your side and support you.¡±

    ***

    The long-hidden Imperial Treasury was finally unveiled after centuries of mystery. Hundreds of paths led to the treasury, constantly shifting in real time. The routes themselves were like living organisms, perpetually changing.

    Yulette, one of the Imperial Schrs and the most respected academic in the Swedeen Empire, personally guided the VIPs.

    ¡°Every day, skilled Navigators map the changes, predicting patterns and pioneering new routes. Entering the Imperial Treasury is akin to venturing into abyrinth,¡± Yulette exined.

    The guests included heads of the Seven Great Families, except for the Kyen Family; influential heroes and top-ranking yers in Arvis; journalists who had received direct invitations from the pce; Marshmallow; and Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok thought, <i>¡®The Imperial Schr is exaggerating quite a bit.¡¯</i>

    The path to the treasury was indeedplex and constantly changing. However, Angel Girl Song Ha-Young had seeded in reaching the treasury entrance five out of ten times. If a ranker of a single Server, Earth, could find the way so easily, universe-level rankers could likely breach it without much trouble.

    ¡°In fact, 124 years ago, Margaret, the unrivaled top Thief in Arvis, attempted to infiltrate the treasury but was trapped in an infinite time barrier. Her skeleton was discovered only ten years ago,¡± Yulette continued.

    Jin-Hyeok mused that the skills of rankers 124 years ago had been surprisinglycking.

    ¡°There are countless simr cases. Other renowned Thieves such as Rilton, Amium, and Joron either disappeared or were severely injured trying to infiltrate the treasury. All of them failed.¡± Pride filled Yulette¡¯s face as he said, ¡°In preparation for this opening ceremony, we secretlymissioned some of the universe¡¯s top Thieves to breach the path to the treasury. All of them also failed.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok carefully asked, ¡°Did you alsomission Angel Girl?¡±

    ¡°Yes. While she is not typically renowned enough for such a task, her close rtionship with you, Chul-Soo, made her an interesting candidate.¡±

    ¡°Did Ha-Young fail too?¡±

    ¡°Of course she did.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt slightly suspicious. <i>¡®But she breached the path several times when she was with me,¡¯ </i>

    He assumed Yulette was exaggerating to boast about the treasury¡¯s security.

    ¡°The path to the treasury itself is a nearly perfect magical maze. It¡¯s probably the most advanced magical space in the Swedeen Empire. To demonstrate this, we have invited Song Ha-Young from the Earth Server, who has a close rtionship with Chul-Soo,¡± Yulette said.

    The opening ceremony was not just about revealing the treasury. While they had a benevolent intent to help the needy with the treasury¡¯s treasures, they also desired to showcase Swedeen¡¯s technological prowess. ¡°Even a renowned Thief from Earth cannot reach the treasury without the help of Imperial Schrs. Isn¡¯t that right, Lady Ha-Young?¡±

    All eyes turned to Ha-Young. The four billion viewers on Marshmallow¡¯s livestream flooded the chat withments.

    -Is the Imperial Treasury really that secure? Seems a bit exaggerated, lol.

    -Didn¡¯t you hear that Margaret failed too? How is it exaggerated? She was the overwhelming number one Thief at the time.

    -Why is he asking a Thief from the Earth Server and not Arvis? What¡¯s on Earth besides Chul-Soo?

    -Yeah, Earth is just a new Server with nothing special except Chul-Soo.

    -Are they trying to embarrass Angel Girl?

    ¡°Yes, it seems that way,¡± Ha-Young replied.

    ¡°Could you perhaps demonstrate for us?¡± Yulette asked, implying that she should use her best Thief skills to attempt to breach the path to the treasury and fail.

    ¡°Can I do it together with Chul-Soo?¡± Ha-Young requested.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    <i>¡®</i>Yulette wondered what difference Chul-Soo¡¯s presence would make; he was not even a Thief.

    <i>¡®This might be even better,¡¯ </i>Yulette thought. Angel Girl¡¯s failure to do it in front of all these people would be an excellent opportunity to showcase the pce¡¯s technological prowess.

    Yulette nodded. ¡°Of course, you can.¡±

    He approached Chul-Soo and whispered something to him. Chul-Soo was a VIP of the pce, so being an Imperial Schr, Yulette felt obligated to offer some advice to the Streamer.

    ¡°I rmend not participating. This attempt is destined to fail. It could damage your undefeated image, Chul-Soo, of having triumphed over everything. In my humble opinion, it would be advantageous for you to decline,¡± Yulette said.

 Chapter 425

    <h4>Chapter 425</h4>

    <i>¡®They must have extensively reinforced it,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought

    Since they were holding such a grand opening ceremony, they would surely have strengthened the security. They had definitely poured immense manpower and budget into making the Imperial Treasury an impregnable fortress.

    With a somewhat solemn expression, Jin-Hyeok resolutely said, ¡°If I feared failure, I would not havee this far.¡±

    The Imperial Schr Yulette was slightly moved.

    <i>¡®Usually, people in his position tend to be more cautious... Is this what youth and boldness look like?¡¯ </i>Yulette wondered if he had ever been that bold. Though he felt a twinge of envy toward Jin-Hyeok, he did not show it and simply cleared the way.

    Song Ha-Young, who was about to infiltrate the path to the Imperial Treasury along with Jin-Hyeok, gulped when she saw Jin-Hyeok.<i> ¡®I need to confirm it.¡¯</i>

    Over the past three months, she had gained considerable confidence in her skills. After all, she had reached the entrance of the supposedly imprable Imperial Treasury multiple times. She had been brimming with pride, believing she could crack almost everything in this world.

    However, that pride had been shattered just a few days ago.

    [We are recruiting for the Imperial Treasury Exploration Team.]

    It all started with a letter from the Imperial Schr Yulette. He had invited Thieves all across the universe to attempt to breach the path to the Imperial Treasury. It was like a pre-test before the opening ceremony.

    Ha-Young had been confident. Even though the path to the treasury constantly changed, she had reached the entrance multiple times! So, she had thought this would be a great opportunity to gain fame across the universe.

    However, reality proved to be much harsher.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t it working?!¡¯</i>

    Reaching the treasury alone turned out to be far more difficult than when she had been with Jin-Hyeok. In the pitch-ck darkness where she could not see anything, she lost her way several times and was caught by guards. Once, she even fell prey to an illusion, getting herself tied up and having to surrender to the guards.

    The other universe-ranked Thieves fared simrly.

    ¡°The Imperial Treasury... I have heard rumors, but this is incredible.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if the lethal barriers were activated, I would have died at least three times.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving up here.¡±

    Ha-Young had made several more attempts but ultimately couldn''t even get near the entrance. And now, another opportunity had arrived.

    <i>¡®I have to confirm something.¡¯</i>

    She needed to know whether she had reached the Imperial Treasury entrance before due to luck, her skills, or Jin-Hyeok¡¯s presence.

    ***

    For the past three months, although Jin-Hyeok modestly wished to <i>stop getting stronger</i>, his Level had already surpassed 550. His leveling speed had slowed down after he reached 500, but thisfortable reality had notsted long. As time passed, the skills and abilities of yers from Earth and the Hell Server improved exponentially, elerating the rate at which Jin-Hyeok gained experience points.

    Although the experience points Jin-Hyeok needed to level up had increased, his <i>experience servants </i>had also gotten dramatically stronger. Moreover, he had even taken over the Scanorbia Server after they desperately pleaded with him to be their Server¡¯s owner. As a result, his leveling speed, which had started to slow down, elerated once again.

    Amidst this situation, the Imperial Treasury opening ceremony was like rain in a drought¡ªa much-needed content boost.

    ¡°I''m going to do it now,¡± Ha-Young said.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Ha-Young walked toward the pitch-ck darkness, and Jin-Hyeok followed her with a pounding heart.

    -You can feel Chul-Soo is tensed up right now.

    -This is it! This nervousness is why we watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, lol!

    -It¡¯s the essence of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream!

    With the livestream vividly transmitting Jin-Hyeok¡¯s emotions, the viewers were also very excited.

    Ha-Young took a few more steps and then stopped. ¡°Something is strange.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°From my experience, this ce is a world of chaos and irregrity. You think you¡¯re going forward, but you¡¯re actually going backward. You¡¯re just walking, but suddenly you¡¯re shooting up into the sky. Youpletely lose your sense of direction, and your vision gets obscured. It¡¯s an ever-changing world.¡±

    ¡°So, what is strange now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s eerily calm.¡± Ha-Young¡¯s eyes narrowed. Of course, it was also possible that she hadn¡¯t set off any traps yet. ¡°I will move a bit further.¡±

    Darkness began to envelop both Ha-Young and Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°This dark mist usually has various properties. Sometimes, it has a lightning property that can paralyze you or a bewitching property that can confuse you,¡± Ha-Young said.

    Jin-Hyeok lightly touched the darkness covering him, and it dispersed like smoke.

    ¡°So, does this mist have no properties?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Ha-Young shuddered. ¡°It definitely possesses an extreme cold property.¡±

    ¡°Extreme cold?¡±

    ¡°Far away, at the primordial point where this dark mist is generated, there is a raging blizzard. The surroundings arepletely frozen.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt that something was off. He wondered why he did not feel anything if the mist was supposed to be extremely cold.

    ¡°I have a hunch, but let¡¯s go a bit further,¡± Ha-Young said.

    Not long after, they both fell into a pit. It was not very deep, about ten meters. While this would be very dangerous for ordinary people, it posed no threat to Jin-Hyeok and Ha-Young.

    <i>¡®Should I exaggerate a bit?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He briefly considered pretending to slip and fall for dramatic effect but decided against it; it would seem too forced.

    ¡°Usually, it does not end with just a ten-meter drop,¡± Ha-Young exined. ¡°I remember falling for what felt like decades. There was probably a time distortion spell. I felt the fear of falling to my death for decades...¡±

    Ha-Young shuddered. It had been truly horrifying. Anyone with normal mental fortitude would have gone mad long ago. Even Ha-Young hade close to losing her mind. ¡°But here, that magic isn¡¯t working either.¡±

    Ha-Young closed her eyes and opened them wide.

    ¡°I get it!!!¡± she eximed, exhrated about her discovery. Like Archimedes shouting ¡°Eureka!¡± she said with wide eyes, ¡°It¡¯s because of you, after all!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Jin-Hyeok felt somewhat tense. His modest wish to stop getting stronger seemed to be slipping away again.

    ¡°Your presence is nullifying all these spells.¡±

    ¡°You must be mistaken.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m right. You¡¯re disabling all of this.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok corrected her with a serious expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t use any disabling skills.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s what makes it so amazing!¡± Ha-Young gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Normally, we would not have the luxury to chat like this. New traps would constantly appear in this ce. But now, there is no effect at all. It¡¯s because of you. Your very existence is neutralizing this space!¡±

    ¡°Ah, then it must be because I was invited as a VIP.¡±

    He thought the pce must have adjusted the difficulty to avoid injuring a VIP.

    ¡°No, the path is like a living organism. It¡¯s impossible to artificially adjust the difficulty. They could turn it offpletely or maybe disable the most lethal traps, but that¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I need to look into it more, but I think it¡¯s because you¡¯re an Eltuber.¡±

    <i>¡®Because I¡¯m an Eltuber? That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°That seems like a stretch. This is just you being amazing, Ha-Young.¡±

    ***

    Ha-Young and Jin-Hyeok arrived in front of a massive stone gate. Two scabbards were carved in relief on each door.

    ¡°We have finally reached the entrance!¡± Ha-Young eximed.

    ¡°Are you sure this is the treasury¡¯s entrance?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It must be. These doors are emanating an extraordinary aura.¡±

    When Ha-Young ced her hand on the stone gate, a wave of golden energy rippled from the carved swords. Golden spheres formed in front of the scabbard carvings and rotated with a humming sound.

    ¡°Look there. There are human-like forms inside the spheres,¡± Ha-Young said.

    Two spheres had appeared in mid-air. Inside each, a human-like figure floated in a fetal position. The spheres slowly descended to the ground. The carved scabbards on the doors had disappeared, leaving in stone surfaces.

    ¡°Intruders,¡± one figure said.

    ¡°Must be killed,¡± the other finished.

    They were a boy and a girl with golden hair.

    <i>¡®Twins?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. They looked identical except for their hair length.

    Ha-Young bit her lip slightly. ¡°This is the treasury of the Swedeen Empire. These must be the final Protectors guarding the treasury, so we should not underestimate them.¡±

    She felt she had made a mistake by getting too excited. <i>¡®We should have sneaked in quietly...¡¯</i>

    They had awakened the Protectors. Being the final line of defense, these Protectors would likely be far more powerful and terrifying than any traps they had encountered so far. The twins exuded an aura simr to that of well-forged swords, their sharp presence making them feel like it was cutting into their skin.

    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Ha-Young said before disappearing into the shadows, leaving the Protectors to Jin-Hyeok. The essence of a Thief was to sneak in and steal unnoticed.

    <i>¡®This is even better.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced at the prospect of him facing these two Protectors.

    ¡°You both look very strong,¡± he said, drawing Miri and taking a stance.

    ¡°We have been waiting,¡± the boy said.

    ¡°Wee, our old master,¡± the girl added.

    The twins approached him and knelt on one knee.

    ¡°Why am I your master?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, confused.

    ¡°You have grown even stronger.¡±

    ¡°You have grown even stronger.¡±

    They said in unison.

    Jin-Hyeok realized these two were more like programmed NPCs than actual people. They seemed more like echoes of something rather than real beings.

    ¡°I¡¯m not your master,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°We can tell,¡± the boy said.

    ¡°That vessel of a soul as vast as the universe is undoubtedly our master,¡± the girl added.

    Jin-Hyeok felt slightly deted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be fighting? Your duty is to protect the treasury.¡±

    ¡°Our duty is not to protect the treasury.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to prepare ourselves for our master, who would one day appear.¡±

    They seemed uninterested in listening to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words.

    ¡°Please ept us.¡±

    ¡°Please ept us.¡±

    The twins then turned into light and returned to the golden spheres floating in the air. A sh ensued, and a faintly glowing scabbard appeared before Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I¡¯ve rued a scabbard,¡± Jin-Hyeok announced, trying not to show his disappointment. Like a professional Streamer, he picked up the scabbard and calmly continued, ¡°It¡¯s emanating an auspicious aurora. It will surely be useful.¡±

    Just then, a scream rang out. It was Ha-Young, who had gone ahead into the treasury. Jin-Hyeok raised his head and ran toward the door. The massive stone gate exuded an aura that seemed capable of withstanding even andslide.

    ¡°I will try to break through,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, swinging Miri at the stone gate.

    A loud explosion erupted. Simultaneously, Jin-Hyeok heard someone yelling behind him.

    ¡°Do you really think such a crude method will work on the stone gate?!¡±

    With a rumble, the stone gate crumbled.

    It had worked.

 Chapter 426

    <h4>Chapter 426</h4>

    The one who had spoken just now was Lessefim. She had secretly followed Cha Jin-Hyeok to the treasury. Recently feeling inspired by him, the Navigator had rediscovered her initial passion and yed diligently, achieving the remarkable feat of rising to third ce in the Navigator rankings. She had also gotten very interested in the Imperial Pce¡¯s secret treasury.

    Though she wasn¡¯t a Thief or exploration expert, she was a master of tracking. Breaking through the path alone could be difficult for her, but she had a knack for following others. She had thought that the talks about the security of the treasury were somewhat exaggerated, given how easily Song Ha-Young and Jin-Hyeok had breached it. However, the greatest danger often struck when one let their guard down.

    <i>¡®Why now? Aftering this far!¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    Although the treasury wasn¡¯t as secure as people made it out to be, it was still the Imperial Treasury. One could not lower their guard until the very end. Perhaps this was a space designed to give up some treasures to lull intruders into a false sense of security before ambushing them.

    She had never expected Jin-Hyeok to tantly attack the stone gate. It was the worst of the worst strategies. <i>¡®Should I reveal myself here?¡¯</i>

    Although Lessefim was a citizen of Arvis and a ranker, she did not have the authority to enter the Imperial Treasury without permission. Right now, she was breaking thew.

    <i>¡®With Ha-Young gone, I¡¯m the only one who can stop Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    While she contemted that, Jin-Hyeok was already swinging Miri toward the gate.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s gotten even faster!¡¯</i>

    ¡°Do you really think such a crude method will work on the stone gate?!¡±

    As if he were mocking her brief hesitation, Jin-Hyeok had already shattered the gate. He whirled around at the familiar voice like he didn¡¯t know someone was following him.

    ¡°I definitely heard a voice just now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Unable to withstand the impact, the gate of the Imperial Treasury swung wide open.

    Jin-Hyeok looked back, but no one was there. Though, he was aware of Lessefim¡¯s presence. He thought, <i>¡®For a tracking expert, she¡¯s following me ratherboriously.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok nced at the wall where Lessefim was hiding. Their eyes met for a moment, and Lessefim realized he had discovered her.

    <i>¡®How did he detect my hiding spot so quickly?¡¯ </i>she wondered. Chul-Soo seemed to have grown significantly in just a few months. Lessefim felt slightly dejected. <i>¡®But why did the gate open?¡¯</i>

    She had expected dangerous traps to activate, but surprisingly, nothing happened.

    <i>¡®Is the Imperial Treasury thisx?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Imperial Schr Yulette anxiously checked his watch. Observing the situation, he approached Emperor Kyle and whispered, ¡°Their return is dyed.¡±

    By this time, even skilled Thieves would have been caught by the guards or rolling on the floor begging for mercy¡ªtrapped in illusions.

    He continued, ¡°The longer they take, the more dangerous traps they will encounter. Even though we have disabled the most lethal ones...¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait five more minutes,¡± Kyle replied.

    ¡°Five minutes here could be five years there.¡±

    The Falling Pit trap distorted time, making victims experience the terror of falling for years. Though it wasn¡¯t lethal, it was a vicious trap that drove many to madness.

    ¡°You might need to intervene soon, Your Majesty,¡± Yulette said.

    ¡°Is it that serious?¡±

    ¡°Even if they¡¯re lucky enough to pass all the traps, Protectors await at the end. These Protectors are designed to grow stronger over time. Centuries of mana are concentrated in them; a single individual or a team of two cannot handle them. The Protectors will show no mercy to intruders. Only Your Majesty can stop them.¡±

    Just then, the golden thread on Kyle¡¯s wrist turned red, and he said, ¡°The entrance to the treasury has opened.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Only the emperor was allowed direct ess to the Imperial Treasury, and even that required several procedures and official seals.

    Kyle, who hadpleted the preparations in advance, immediately headed to the treasury and found Jin-Hyeok standing at the entrance.

    ¡°I see that you managed to get here,¡± Kyle

    ¡°I was lucky, Ky¡ªI mean, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Did you encounter the Protectors?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Then how are you still alive?¡±

    ¡°They let me in. I¡¯m not sure why.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    The more Kyle observed him, the more intriguing Jin-Hyeok became. Kyle could not believe that Jin-Hyeok had bypassed the Protectors and managed to open the stone gate.

    ¡°What about Ha-Young?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She seems to have infiltrated further. I heard a scream and was about to rush in.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    If Imperial Schr Yulette could witness this, he would faint from shock. Two people had breached the Imperial Treasury.

    ¡°I will go first,¡± Kyle said. ¡°I can temporarily disable all barriers and traps from the inside. That way, both you and Angel Girl will be safe.¡±

    ¡°Oh really...?¡±

    At the mention of safety, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression seemed oddly disappointed.

    ***

    Yulette led the VIPs participating in the opening ceremony as they began gathering in front of the Imperial Treasury. Although he felt flustered, Yulette maintained a calm exterior while saying, ¡°As expected, you have seeded in breaching it. I knew you would.¡±

    Just a couple of hours ago, Yulette had imed that the treasury was imprable; his shift in attitude was remarkably swift and precise.

    ¡°Did you anticipate this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Yulette gently smiled. ¡°I believed it was right to clear out the remnants of the old era ording to His Majesty¡¯s wishes. I hoped that Sir Chul-Soo, the rising star of the new Server, would take on that role.¡±

    He exined that the event was designed to show Chul-Soo, the new rising star, breaking down the old and ultimately moving toward a new era.

    ¡°I see. So, that was the intention all along,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The VIPs apuded at Yulette¡¯s words. It was an event that perfectly aligned with the purpose of this opening ceremony. Jin-Hyeok also wore a satisfied smile.

    <strong>[#Flustered. #Bewildered. #Why did the gate actually open?]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok chose to ignore Yulette¡¯s thoughts. Fearing his true feelings could show if he kept looking, Jin-Hyeok quickly shifted his gaze to Kyle.

    ¡°Will you really give me a gift?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Kyle.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Kyle smiled gently. He was extremely satisfied right now.

    <i>¡®As expected of an Imperial Schr,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. <i>¡®To think he could even deceive me and create a genuine sense of crisis...¡¯</i>

    Yulette had perfectly timed everything to ensure Chul-Soo¡¯s arrival at just the right moment. It had been a good opportunity to confirm Yulette¡¯s abilities.

    ¡°Pick anything from the treasury. I¡¯ll give you one thing you desire,¡± Kyle said.

    ¡°I want the Sword of the Old Era, which I mentioned before.¡±

    The Imperial Treasury was like a living organism. After a few steps, a vast sea revealed itself. Kyle walked on, unbothered. As he submerged in the sea more than halfway, the VIPs worried if it was safe, but soon Kyle vanished with a sh of light.

    Jin-Hyeok and the other VIPs followed suit. The next instant, they seemed to have moved and crossed the sea. They arrived at an ind where arge skull floated.

    ¡°I am Kyle, Emperor of Swedeen. Open the way.¡±

    The skull grewrger and opened its mouth wide. Inside the mouth, a cave-like passage stretched out, with a purple magic circle spinning at the entrance.

    ¡°What you are looking for seems to be inside here,¡± Kyle told Jin-Hyeok.

    As they walked into the skull¡¯s mouth, Kyle felt strangely odd.

    <i>¡®Normally, I should feel an immense pressure,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought.

    Even for an emperor, this grand space usually exerted pressure. Sometimes, it was a pressure so intense that it was almost suffocating, as if it was dering that no matter who you were, you would not be allowed in without proper qualifications. However, Kyle felt nothing.

    <i>¡®Why?¡¯ </i>Kyle could not understand. <i>¡®Is it because I¡¯m with Chul-Soo? No, that can¡¯t be it. Even if Chul-Soo is very powerful, that can¡¯t be it. It¡¯s not like he can nullify the surrounding energy.¡¯</i>

    After they had walked for a while, they came across arge rock. It was so massive that it could be mistaken for a cliff at first nce.

    ¡°The sword you mentioned is stuck at the top of this rock.¡±

    This was a special rock. One had to dash toward it as though they would collide with it to reach the top

    ¡°Let me demonstrate first,¡± Kyle said.

    Kyle had seeded in doing this only after several attempts. The Imperial Treasury was not an easy ce, even for the emperor. He had fallen several times, sustaining various injuries

    ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but it seems the stronger one¡¯s will is, the easier it is to reach the top,¡± Kyle said.

    He walked toward the rock and collided with it. As familiar as he was with this space, he paid attention to Jin-Hyeok, who would follow.

    <i>¡®I must guide Chul-Soo well so that he does not embarrass himself.¡¯</i>

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok felt quite excited. <i>¡®Oh, how fascinating!¡¯</i>

    From the outside, it looked like Kyle was burrowing into the rock. That solid rock seemed to have turned into water.

    ¡°It¡¯s like walking through water,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Presumably, if he kept walking like that, he would eventually reach the top. Such mystical experiences were rare. Jin-Hyeok gulped and began to walk. The rock loomedrger as he approached.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m walking toward the inside!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok did not feel any fear of colliding with the rock. He was simply excited, wondering how the viewers would experience this first-person perspective and thinking it could be quite interesting.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m about to collide with it.¡¯ </i>

    Kyle also felt Jin-Hyeok approaching.

    <i>¡®Good. Come on, Chul-Soo!¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. Suddenly, something whooshed by him. <i>¡®What was that?¡¯</i>

    It happened too quickly for him to properly register. Although this was a bit strange, as this space distorted all senses of a person, Kyle did not pay the incident much mind.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t Chul-Sooing? Has he already failed?¡¯</i>

    Kyle did not want to embarrass Chul-Soo in front of the VIPs. As he was thinking this, he reached the top of the rock. He was met with the view of the blue sky and the refreshing air that could not be felt from below.

    Just then,

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>

    Chul-Soo was already there.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok spoke first. ¡°It seems there are multiple routes to reach the top.¡±

    ¡°It appears so...¡± Kyle replied. He tilted his head, feeling baffled. He had been here several times, but he had no other exnation. ¡°Look, the sword is stuck there.¡±

    ¡°Can I really take it, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± Jin-Hyeok said sarcastically.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes seemed to ask, <i>¡®Isn¡¯t there some kind of trial? Have you changed your mind now? Isn¡¯t it a bit odd for a universe-level Scenario to progress this smoothly?¡¯</i>

    However, Kyle was not very perceptive. ¡°Of course! A promise must be kept.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much...¡± Jin-Hyeok stood before the sword.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t pull out that sword.¡±

    ¡°I will try to pull it out.¡± As Jin-Hyeok grasped the sword¡¯s handle lightly, he had a feeling. <i>¡®This is not going to work.¡¯</i>

    In truth, rather than having a feeling, it was what he wanted. It seemed like it would make for a better story if he could not pull out the sword.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>

    The sword really didn¡¯te out. Jin-Hyeok tried with all his might, but the sword remained immovable.

    ¡°The sword won¡¯t budge!¡± Jin-Hyeok said, excited.

    ¡°I see... It appears so,¡± Kyle replied. He let out a small sigh. He wanted to help Chul-Soo more actively, but he did not know how. ¡°Shall we try pulling it together?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok seemed somewhat pleased for some reason. They stood facing each other with the sword between them.

    ¡°One, two, three!¡±

    They exerted their strength, but the sword did not budge. Somehow, Jin-Hyeok looked slightly happy about this.

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, there is no helping it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Like an Eltuber facing a trial, he decided to demonstrate another solution.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 427

    <h4>Chapter 427</h4>

    <i>¡®If I can¡¯t pull out the sword, I guess I can break the rock holding it.¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok casually lifted Miri, imbuing her with tremendous mana.

    ¡°W-Wait!¡± Kyle yelled. However, he could not stop Jin-Hyeok; thetter had been too fast.

    Kyle wanted to say many things, such as that the Imperial Treasury was like a living magical creature and hitting it with such power could trigger unpredictable and bizarre changes and that even though he had disabled the treasury¡¯s protective barriers, they could not let their guard down since the treasury could identify them as intruders andunch all sorts of attacks.

    That single word ¡°Wait!¡± contained all these warnings.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    An explosion erupted as if a bomb had gone off. The rock was harder than Jin-Hyeok had expected.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s even better,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡®<i>If it broke in one hit, it would not be much of a rock, would it?¡¯</i>

    Since he was unable to warn Kim Chul-Soo, Kyle prepared to handle the situation by gathering his energy.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo is my guest,¡¯ </i>Kyle thought. It would not reflect well on him as an emperor if his guest incurred serious injuries or got lost in the treasury. He had to protect Chul-Soo at all costs.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    <i>¡®What kind of reaction will ur?¡¯ </i>Kyle tensed, but nothing happened.

    ¡°I think this should do it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, grasping the sword and wiggling it. The sword moved a bit, like a loose tooth. ¡°I will hit it a couple more times.¡±

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    -Thanks for the food!

    Miri seemed quite happy to be smashing the rock.

    ¡°I will apply some force now.¡± Jin-Hyeok had half-expected the sword to note out even now, but that thought proved meaningless. ¡°It¡¯s out.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok held the sword, he saw Kyle staring at him.

    <i>¡®Is he going to attack me?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. <i>¡®Maybe he¡¯s an Assassin disguised as Kyle?¡¯ </i>

    Unfortunately, that was not the case.

    When nothing happened inside the treasury, Kyle rxed a bit and secured the sword.

    ¡°Surprisingly... nothing happened,¡± Jin-Hyeok said sarcastically.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    No dangerous traps were activated, and Kyle did notunch a surprise attack against Jin-Hyeok. They had easily obtained a major artifact of a universe-level Scenario.

    <i>¡®Should I hope this isn¡¯t this Sword of the Old Era, which I was looking for?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. If it was, the viewers would get bored with his content really fast. The one fortunate thing was that the sword that he had extracted was emanating ominous red energy. A tremendous amount of mana was surging within it.

    ¡°It looks like the sword might explode if left alone.¡± Jin-Hyeok believed that a massive explosion was imminent. He could hear the sword talk.

    -Give me blood.

    Jin-Hyeok could feel the sword¡¯s desire for blood. If the one holding this sword were someone with weak willpower, they could have stabbed their heart with it.

    <i>¡®Blood, you say...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok briefly considered whether stabbing himself would make for good content, but he quickly decided against it. While there was some demand for such masochistic content, it was not the direction he wanted to pursue.

    Kyle, the former captain of the Sword Emperor Unit and an excellent Swordsman, also sensed the dangerous energy stirring within the sword.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, we need to subdue the sword. Perhaps the scabbard you obtained at the gate can calm its magical power!¡± Kyle said. There seemed to be no other immediate solution. ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!!!¡±

    Kyle sensed the gravity of the situation. The sword could explode at any moment, shattering into millions of pieces, each fragment imbued with that ominous energy. The force was strong enough to endanger even Chul-Soo.

    Jin-Hyeok felt it too.

    <i>¡®Should I just let it explode?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered, considering that this could potentially lead to content about the Imperial Treasury Explosion. While it would certainly be newsworthy, Jin-Hyeok shook his head. Kyle had said he wanted to open the treasury to help people in difficult circumstances. <i>¡®It might be good for me, but...¡¯</i>

    If the entire treasury were destroyed, many people who could have benefited from it would lose out.

    ¡°I will try pouring the Chul-Soo Potion on it first,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Kyle initially thought that it would never work butpromised with reality, thinking that it could. To his surprise, Jin-Hyeok calmly said, ¡°It has calmed down.¡±

    ***

    The Chul-Soo Potion was made by Cha Jin-Sol, a Blood Priestess, using Jin-Hyeok¡¯s blood as an ingredient. The sword seemed to greatly enjoy the Chul-Soo Potion.

    -Give me more! I want more!

    Kyle, who had resonated with many swords, could sense how unruly this sword was. Although Jin-Hyeok had said the sword had calmed down, that would likely be very temporary. They ultimately needed something capable of suppressing the sword.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I think you should bring out the scabbard.¡±

    ¡°The scabbard?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That sword is ominous and unruly. I have just realized that the scabbard you obtained seems to have the power to seal the sword¡¯s will.¡±

    -Give me blood, you imbecile!

    At that moment, Miri stepped forward.

    -Should I just smash this thing?

    -What? Do you dare to smash me?

    -You don¡¯t think I can?

    -Hmph! Go ahead and try!

    Miri vibrated. Having grown alongside Jin-Hyeok¡¯s rapid development, Miri now possessed a strong will. Her body turned golden and began emitting a destructive aura. It was the essence of Miri¡¯s Trait, Persistent and Sticky Desire.

    -I will smash your skull!

    Just as the beam of light that Miri shot out was about to strike the sword, the bloodthirsty sword finally sensed danger and cried out for help. Jin-Hyeok blocked Miri¡¯s energy with his palm.

    <i>¡®Calm down. Calm down. I don¡¯t want to destroy the sword right now.¡¯</i>

    It would be a shame to destroy the artifact he had just obtained right away. Being mentally connected to Jin-Hyeok, the sword sensed something odd.

    -Did you just say that you didn¡¯t want to destroy me <i>right away?</i>

    The sword could feel that Jin-Hyeok was not lying. It sensed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intention that while it would be a shame now, someday he could break the sword to feed Miri. The fiery sword became docile.

    -I will behave. I will not ask for blood. I¡¯m useful. You can trust me.

    -Hmph, you don¡¯t look particrly useful.

    -I...I have different uses than a blunt weapon.

    Miri transformed into the shape of a sword.

    -Same here.

    -...

    The sword became dejected.

    <i>¡®Now, now, guys. Please don¡¯t fight.¡¯</i>

    With Miri stepping in to firmly establish dominance over the sword, Jin-Hyeok felt more at ease. The sword no longer acted up like a brat. It muttered something in a slightly frightened voice.

    -I¡¯m scared of that one.

    -Did you just call me ¡°that one¡±?

    Jin-Hyeok gave Miri a bit more time to firmly establish her authority.

    The sword replied to Miri.

    -T-Then what should I call you?

    -Call me Senior.

    -Why are you my senior?

    -Do you want your nape smashed?

    The sword wanted to retort by saying how a sword could have a nape, but it couldn¡¯t. Not many swords in the world could defy such a menacing aura.

    -H-Hmph! You won¡¯t be able to break me.

    -You think I can¡¯t?

    -A-Actually, I¡¯m not a sword. I am a very important key!

    Jin-Hyeok, who had been quietly observing this scene, finally spoke up. ¡°It seems I have obtained the Sword of the Old Era. Although it¡¯s in the form of a sword, it appears to have a special use.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok remembered he had been conversing with Kyle. ¡°Oh, my apologies, Your Majesty. I was meditating between two artifacts with wills and did not hear you properly. What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it...¡±

    ***

    The Sword of the Old Era referred to itself as a key. It exined some things to Jin-Hyeok.

    -My former master said he woulde looking for me.

    -Hey, didn¡¯t I tell you to use honorifics when speaking to my master?

    -...Sir.

    Jin-Hyeok named the sword Gogeom.[1]

    -My former master said that the one who would try to put me in the scabbard is not the real master.

    -Do you want to die?

    -Sir.

    cing the scabbard in the Imperial Treasury was a trick yed by the <i>former master, </i>a precaution in case Gogeom was stolen.

    -If you put me in that damned scabbard, I will calm down, I mean, I will calm down, Sir! But there would be a problem.

    A sword sealed in the scabbard would disappear from that spot, vanishing to an unknown ce. Only its <i>former master </i>could find Gogeom again.

    ¡°Could that former master be Garbinu?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    -Huh? How do you know my former master?

    Through his conversation with Gogeom, Jin-Hyeok learned a lot of things. Unlike what the world knew, Garbinu was a figure who desired to connect the Demon Realm to reality and rule over it. He was waiting for a new vessel, dreaming of eventual resurrection.

    <i>¡®If things had gone ording to his n, he would have sought Gogeom after taking over my body,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Gogeom was a key to somewhere. Jin-Hyeok had once again skipped several Stages of the universe-level Scenario.

    <strong>[(24) The grand n prepared for a thousand years is at hand. Now that the seal on the artifact has been broken and the Sword of the Old Era has been found, only the final preparation remains. One shall swallow the Herb of Immortality and establish an eternal empire.]</strong>

    Originally, the sword was supposed to be sealed by the scabbard somehow, and several steps were needed to break the seal. In that process, Jin-Hyeok had to find the Sword of the Old Era, which had disappeared somewhere. It was probably meant to be a long-term project and content, but the Chul-Soo Potion drastically elerated the process.

    <i>¡®It seems I have depleted at least a year¡¯s worth of content.¡¯</i>

    This was quite regrettable. Jin-Hyeok realized that he should have just put the sword in the scabbard. Then there would have been all sorts of adventure content waiting.

    Still, there was hope left.

    <i>¡®So, I guess the next step would be to find the Herb of Immortality.¡¯</i>

    The Herb of Immortality was like the elixir of life. It seemed Garbinu had dreamed of achieving immortality by consuming this herb after taking over Jin-Hyeok¡¯s body.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know if such a herb exists, but...¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok was sure something like the Herb of Immortality did not exist, but this would undoubtedly make for good content and be great for his channel.

    Jin-Hyeok muttered with a slightly excited demeanor, ¡°This is troublesome. We have no clues other than the name Herb of Immortality.¡±

    -Hahaha! That¡¯s why I¡¯m here...

    Gogeom suddenly paused. At first, this new master seemed much gentler than the terrifying Miri. However, it was not so sure anymore. The sword felt as if an unfathomably deep and dark abyss was gazing at it.

    ¡°Are you telling me you know more about the Herb of Immortality?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Gogem was quick-witted. It felt like cold sweat was running down its non-existent nape.

    -I-I only know one more fact, Sir!

    ¡°Is it an important clue?¡±

    -W-Well... you could say it¡¯s important, but...

    ¡°Tell me.¡±

    Gogeom knew that if the clue was too useful, Jin-Hyeok would feed the herb to Miri.

    -Actually, the Herb of Immortality is...

    1. Gogeom, or ??, means Ancient Sword in Korean. ?

 Chapter 428

    <h4>Chapter 428</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok sought Marshmallow, a far more experienced Streamer, to discuss the future direction of his content.

    ¡°The Herb of Immortality, huh? It¡¯s a popr topic that has popped up time and time again for ages,¡± Marshmallow said, stroking his chin. He was one of the few people who truly understood Jin-Hyeok¡¯s concerns. He was also worried about how quickly Jin-Hyeok was exhausting the universe-level Scenario content. ¡°This time, you might have a long-term project on your hands.¡±

    ¡°You think so too?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course. Since the early days of the Arvis Server, countless powerful figures have searched for the Herb of Immortality. But no one has ever found it. There is a rumor that Garbinu obtained it, but if that were true, wouldn¡¯t he have used it on himself?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood lifted for the first time in a while. The Herb of Immortality had all the makings of a long-term project. It seemed he would not have to worry about content for the foreseeable future.

    ¡°It must be tough for you,¡± Marshmallow said, looking at Jin-Hyeok. Though his tone was gruff, his eyes were filled with concern. However, even now, he did not admit that he cared for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°The path of an Eltuber isn¡¯t an easy one, it seems,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Have you considered changing your content type?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Why not shift toward more interactive livestreams?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly good at that sort of thing.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that Jin-Hyeokckedmunication skills; it was just that his standards forparison in engagement were Bong King and Wang Yu-Mi. Not many could match their level of engagement.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t your face enough of a talent?¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought. He was sure that Jin-Hyeok could excel as an interactive Eltuber. <i>¡®So what if he is not the best speaker? With that face, he¡¯ll do just fine.¡¯</i>

    The world was an unfair ce. Even if Jin-Hyeok stuttered and fumbled his words, people would still hail him as the greatest orator and king ofmunications.

    <i>¡®But I suppose that doesn¡¯t align with his standards.¡¯ </i>Marshmallow decided not to push the issue further. If Jin-Hyeok were to change his livestream concept, it would mean discarding everything he had built up until now¡ªa decision that would shake the foundations of his channel.

    Regardless of the sess this change could potentially bring, Marshmallow did not feel he had the right to make such a suggestion.

    Instead, he offered some words of encouragement. ¡°Finding the Herb of Immortality will be incredibly challenging. The process is bound to produce some breathtakingly exciting content.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jin-Hyeok said with a smile, appreciating Marshmallow¡¯s understanding.

    ¡°So, is the conversation over now?¡± Encyclopedia, who had been hiding in the bookshelf, came fluttering out at his maximum speed. He excitedly flipped through his pages and said, ¡°About what happened in the Imperial Treasury...¡±

    Encyclopedia had analyzed why Chul-Soo and his friends had been able to bypass all the traps in the Imperial Treasury and why striking the rock had yielded no change when it should have. ¡°I think it¡¯s because you¡¯re too strong.¡±

    ¡°Is that even a valid reason?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Encyclopedia¡¯s pages fluttered rapidly as he grew even more excited in front of Jin-Hyeok, who could very well be the strongest yer in the universe.

    ¡°You¡¯re so powerful that the traps could not function properly on you,¡± Encyclopedia said.

    ¡°Come on. That¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°I thought so too at first. But this is the only exnation. The path to the Imperial Treasury is practically a magical organism. It thinks, changes, and reacts on its own!¡±

    Encyclopedia looked triumphant. Though he had no facial expression since he was a book, everyone there could sense his pride. He seemed to be shouting, <i>¡®Listen to how strong you are! You should be proud!¡¯</i>

    ¡°I think the traps cowered before you,¡± Encyclopedia added.

    ¡°How does that even make sense?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t until now.¡± Encyclopedia¡¯s pages fluttered even more vigorously. ¡°But from now on, it does. History will be divided into before Kim Chul-Soo and after Kim Chul-Soo.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°A singrity must have urred when you surpassed Level 500!¡± Encyclopedia¡¯s pages continued to flutter wildly. ¡°How about it? Doesn¡¯t the mere thought excite you and make your heart race? Isn¡¯t your manly heart burning with passion? Bing so strong that you can¡¯t get any stronger¡ªthat¡¯s the dream of all men in the universe!¡±

    With an unimpressed expression, Jin-Hyeok picked up Encyclopedia and unceremoniously tossed him back toward the bookshelf.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had a dream. In it, Gogeom entered a bamboo forest and cut down all the bamboo shoots. It was not just a one-time urrence; he had been having this dream repeatedly, even when he wasn¡¯t asleep.

    ¡°Just say it,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, sitting on the sofa with Gogeom on the table before him.

    -Say what... Sir?

    The sword acted innocent.

    ¡°You and I are mentally connected.¡±

    While Jin-Hyeok did not fully agree with Encyclopedia¡¯s notion that he was a <i>human singrity</i>, he had also felt that he had grown significantly strongertely. His connection and bond with his artifacts had be stronger than ever.

    Even as Jin-Hyeok was having a conversation with it, Gogeom was bad-mouthing Jin-Hyeok behind his back within its consciousness.

    ¡°What are you trying to tell me?¡±

    -Ugh... it¡¯s nothing.

    Just as Jin-Hyeok could sense Gogeom, it could sense him too. It could tell that its strange master did not want it to reveal crucial information. However, Gogeom was created to disclose such information. Going against its purpose made the sword feel like its entire being was itching unbearably.

    ¡°Just tell me. I¡¯m dying of frustration here.¡±

    -Okay, I¡¯m saying this only because you told me to, Master.

    Gogeom cautiously nced at Miri once.

    -The Herb of Immortality is hidden within the Kyen Family!

    Gogeom finally felt relieved. In contrast, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression darkened slightly.

    ***

    After researching the Kyen Family, Jin-Hyeok found a glimmer of hope. <i>¡®The Kyen Family is one of the Seven Great Families of Arvis.¡¯</i>

    Unlike the other families, however, the Kyen Family was shrouded in mystery. It was a legendary family whose very existence was questionable. Countless Explorers and Adventurers had searched for the Kyen Family, but none had ever found them.

    ¡°There is a theory that the Kyen Family killed all the Adventurers who found them,¡± Yolin, the head of the MK Foundation¡¯s Historian Nurturing Project, said as she adjusted her sses. ¡°In fact, the path believed to lead to the Kyen Family is quite well-known. It¡¯s said to be somewhere east of the Forest of Mist.¡±

    Many people had set out to explore this path. The problem was that no one ever returned.

    ¡°Did they go missing?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s the consensus.¡±

    <i>¡®A forest filled with mist where all Explorers and Adventurers vanish.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could already smell the potential for an amazing story. If he recorded it in first-person perspective and made some adjustments to prevent idents before livestreaming, it could make for thrilling content.

    ¡°I see!¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression brightened slightly. This time, he could produce some spine-chilling content that would be the cornerstone of his channel.

    ¡°Are you interested in the Kyen Family, Boss?¡± Yolin asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I think it might be rted to the universe-level Scenario.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if I should mention this now, but...¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have an alternate personality that I usually keep dormant. Did you know?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok vaguely sensed that Yolin was hiding something, but he had not pried into it, assuming there was a reason for it.

    ¡°Sort of?¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°Well, that personality is trying to wake up on her own.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok somewhat understood what she was talking about. Like Gogeom, which struggled to speak properly, Yolin¡¯s other personality seemed to be in a simr situation. She probably wanted toe out directly because she felt suffocated.

    Suddenly, Yolin¡¯s tone and demeanor changed slightly. She then said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally greet you directly, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Is it like a split personality?¡±

    ¡°Yes. More precisely, it¡¯s another personality that formed when my desire turned into a powerful will, and...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok patiently listened to her exnation. <i>¡®She seems to enjoy exining things.¡¯</i>

    Yolin also had this trait.

    The exnation dragged on and became a bit boring.

    <i>¡®I will just have to edit this part.¡¯</i>

    ¡°So? What¡¯s your name?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°My name is Sara. Sara Kyen.¡± She smiled gently.

    They locked eyes for a moment.

    ¡°Sara Kyen? That¡¯s a pretty name.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s subconscious momentarily rejected reality, failing to recognize that Sara was a member of the Kyen Family.

    Sara kindly repeated herself, enunciating, ¡°Yes, Sara Kyen, the head of the Kyen Family.¡±

    ***

    After hearing Sara¡¯s story, Jin-Hyeok could understand her feelings. ¡°It must have been tough for you too.¡±

    Sara had no desire to continue her family¡¯s legacy. She did not want to live as an Assassin or uphold her ancestors¡¯ mission. The Kyen Family¡¯s head simply wanted to study history and live peacefully. Some could consider this a trivial concern, but not Sara. She didn¡¯t need any more money, power, or honor.

    ¡°You understand me?¡± Sara asked.

    ¡°Everyone has their struggles.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡± Sara smiled softly. It was the first time someone had understood her so easily. The only people around her were the heads of the Seven Great Families, and they had never understood her.

    ¡°So, are youing to the Kyen Family?¡± Sara asked.

    ¡°I n to find the way.¡±

    ¡°The path is already well-known. It¡¯s somewhere east of the Forest of Mist. If you search well, you might even find detailed maps.¡±

    ¡°I heard everyone who tried to find the Kyen Family went missing.¡±

    ¡°They did go missing.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill them all?¡±

    ¡°My subordinates suggested that, but...¡± Sara shook her head. All the missing Explorers had been sent back, their memories erased or brainwashed.

    ¡°Are you nning to do that to me too?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked. It could make for quite interesting content.

    ¡°Would it work on you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You deflected all the illusions and brainwashing traps in the Imperial Treasury.¡±

    ¡°There weren¡¯t any such traps in the Imperial Treasury.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there were.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°You just deflected them all, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged.

    Although he had learned the location of the Herb of Immortality, met the head of the Kyen Family, and discovered the family¡¯s location, he still had a glimmer of hope that he could turn this into an exciting adventure. The Forest of Mist, a naturalbyrinth that refused intruders, stilly ahead. This great force of nature had caused countless Explorers and Adventurers to vanish.

    Jin-Hyeok delivered a line to build tension. ¡°Do you have any advice on how to safely reach the Kyen Family?¡±

    He made a mental note to add some thrilling background music here.

    Sara tilted her head. ¡°Can¡¯t you just walk there?¡±

    ¡°But the naturalbyrinth, the Forest of Mist, stands in the way.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s not as bad as the Imperial Treasury.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sara smiled reassuringly as if to say there was nothing to worry about. ¡°Just walk vaguely eastward, and you will be fine.¡±

 Chapter 429

    <h4>Chapter 429</h4>

    <i>¡®Is she naturally this optimistic?¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Sara had told him to just walk there. This advice seemed far too carefree considering he would be traversing the Forest of Mist, a naturalbyrinth. Thinking the journey could be difficult if he went there alone, Jin-Hyeok called for Han Sae-Rin, who used to be known as Pathfinder before she changed her Job.

    ¡°You called for me?¡± Sae-Rin was visibly excited. She wasn¡¯t the top-ranked Navigator anymore. If people were asked to name the most skilled Navigator in Korea, they would undoubtedly choose Mole Woman. In certain situations, Mole Woman even outshone Arvis¡¯s Lessefim.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you wanted me, not Mole Woman?¡± Sae-Rin was curious. ¡°Why? Why me and not her?¡±

    ¡°Well... you¡¯re a skilled Navigator too. They say form is temporary, but ss is permanent.¡±

    Sae-Rin was currently famous as the most capable Ruler yer in Korea. She was quick to catch on.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo wants a weak partner!¡¯</i> Mole Woman and Lessefim were so skilled that they could hinder Jin-Hyeok¡¯s content. There was a right tool for every job, and currently, Jin-Hyeok needed a lesser tool.<i> ¡®I never thought I would be acknowledged for mypetence like this.¡¯</i>

    She suddenly felt a thrill. Although she had been chosen for her rtive weakness, Chul-Soo had picked her nheless.

    Sae-Rin said with a serious expression, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a difficult and arduous journey, Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression brightened ever so slightly.

    ***

    In the Arvis Server, the Forest of Mist lived up to its name. The fog was so thick that visibility was near zero. It felt like being inside white smoke.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t ordinary mist.¡± Sae-Rin looked around. The fog contained darkness attributes. Despite being inside the mist, they felt like they had been plunged into deep darkness.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, can you see anything,¡± she asked.

    ¡°I can see a bit, but...¡±

    Sae-Rin was momentarily speechless. She had never encountered such intense darkness-attribute fog before.

    <i>¡®You can see something in this world of darkness that doesn¡¯t have a single point of life?¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin was surprised, but she hid it. ¡°We have two options. Either drive away this darkness and move forward, or block our vision and use our other senses to navigate.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do? You¡¯re the Navigator.¡±

    ¡°Well, I...¡± Sae-Rin paused. She knew well that the purpose of this recording was not just about finding the Kyen Family.

    <i>¡®Most yers would try to find their way with their vision blocked,¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought. Many yers had seeded in escaping this dark mist using that method. However, she decided to make a slightly different choice. <i>¡®I will be his perfectly weak partner!¡¯</i>

    This was her strategy to differentiate herself from Mole Woman. In this situation, Mole Woman would likely have blocked her senses and skillfully guided them through.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try and drive away the darkness.¡±

    ¡°Should we summon light?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, though it¡¯s going to be difficult.¡±

    Darkness was simr to but different from shadows. More precisely, shadows were the byproduct of darkness. Darkness was a special quality formed by the chancebination of numerous attributes such as shadows, cures, confusion, and fear. Because of these intertwined qualities, simple light would not be enough to drive away this darkness-attribute mist.

    ¡°But I think it¡¯s worth trying,¡± Sae-Rin added.

    Sae-Rin thought that people would perceive this as a reasonable approach. Jin-Hyeok possessed abilities far beyond those of ordinary high-rankers, so him using Broadcaster¡¯s Light here seemed like the logical move.

    <i>¡®Of course, it won¡¯t work,¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought.

    No matter how strong the light was, it could not drive away the darkness attribute, just as even the strongest hammer could not break water.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Broadcaster¡¯s Light?.]</strong>

    ¡°It got brighter!¡± Sae-Rin said.

    At that moment, Sae-Rin caught a glimpse of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes, looking at her with a hint of disappointment.

    ***

    ¡°The effect of Broadcaster¡¯s Light seems better than expected,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The surroundings brightenedpletely. Though they could feel a faint toxic energy when breathing, the fog was otherwise imperceptible.

    ¡°Now that the mist has cleared, I can see that it¡¯s quite a mysterious forest,¡± Jin-Hyeokmented, quickly changing the topic since he had lost the tension created by the dark mist. Hence, he decided to showcase how mysterious the forest was, like how travel Eltubers would. ¡°There are enormous trees everywhere.¡±

    Squirrels darted between branches, though unlike the squirrels in a normal forest, these were skeletal.

    ¡°The ground seems full of toxins and curses, probably from prolonged exposure to the dark mist.¡±

    Sae-Rin drank a potion to resist the dark attribute cures.

    ¡°Do you want some?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Sae-Rin approached Jin-Hyeok, checking his condition. He seemed perfectly normal. ¡°How can you be this unaffected?¡±

    She was genuinely curious.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because I have poison resistance.¡±

    ¡°But curses and poisons arepletely different.¡±

    If one had good eyesight, it did not necessarily mean one would have good hearing. Simrly, poison resistance did not grant curse immunity.

    ¡°When poison resistance reaches a certain level, it grants immunity to curses too,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    Sae-Rin tilted her head, wondering if that was theoretically possible, but decided to ept this reality. She had learned that things that seemed impossible often weren¡¯t for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Tell me immediately if you feel anything off. I brought plenty of potions,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Sae-Rin took the lead.

    <i>¡®This is strange,¡¯ </i>she thought. The man-eating trees should have beenshing out at them with their branches by now. The forest was unnaturally quiet.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had studied the Forest of Mist, felt the same unease.

    <i>¡®Weren¡¯t the man-eating trees supposed to attack as we walked east?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. The man-eating trees, which had grown stronger by devouring countless Adventuress and were nourished by the dark mist, were said to form clusters here. <i>¡®Those must be them.¡¯</i>

    Some trees were noticeably darker than others, with ck energy swirling around them. No life grew near these trees, and even the soil around them was stained ck. These were the most heavily corrupted areas.

    <i>¡®I just made eye contact with one of them!¡¯</i>

    The branches of a man-eating tree began to tremble, despite there being no wind.

    <i>¡®But they¡¯re not attacking me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok deliberately walked with his arms down, defenseless. He even distanced himself slightly from Sae-Rin, hoping the trees might attack her, but they didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, do you see that dense cluster of dark trees?¡± Sae-Rin asked. The area was a tangle of branches like thorny undergrowth. ¡°I think we need to pass through there.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Sae-Rin began walking, slightly tense. She had not expected to voluntarily take a dangerous path for the sake of the livestream.

    <i>¡®I need to prove my worth.¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin hoped this would provide good footage for Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. Thinking the trees could be afraid of Jin-Hyeok, she decided to go first, naturally making Chul-Soo follow her.

    ¡°Follow me closely,¡± she said.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    As they reached the edge of the thicket, Sae-Rin got down on all fours.

    ¡°There is a small opening here, just big enough for a person,¡± Sae-Rin said. Entering it would severely restrict movement, which was essentially akin to crawling into a trap. ¡°I will go in first.¡±

    As she began to inch forward, the trees started to move.

    <i>¡®Finally, they are moving!¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought. This was not wind; the man-eating trees were moving on their own, their instinct to devour anything in front of them. <i>¡®Come on, grab me, you monsters!¡¯</i>

    Despite her grim expression, the situation took an unexpected turn. The thorny undergrowth shifted, opening a path wide enough for two people to walk uprightfortably.

    Sae-Rin got up, embarrassed.

    <i>¡®Just how strong have you be?¡¯ </i>she telepathically asked Jin-Hyeok.

    No matter how weak she tried to act, it was impossible to do so with Chul-Soo by her side.

    ***

    After experiencing it firsthand, Sae-Rin could make a rtively cool-headed judgment.

    <i>¡®This seems to be urring because you¡¯re an Eltuber. Your subconsciousness is probably eliminating all elements that can interfere with the livestream. It¡¯s like a weaker version of Omnipotent Director is constantly active,¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin telepathically told Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok found that idea a bit far-fetched. He said, ¡°But I¡¯ve never used Omnipotent Director.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly my point.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit wronged. This power, which turned every crisis into something mundane, was hindering his recording.

    Sae-Rin continued via telepathy, <i>¡®Think about it. What would happen to the livestream if harm came to the Eltuber himself? What if the dark mist obscured visibility? What if you lost your mind due to a curse?¡¯ </i>

    Jin-Hyeok was slightly upset. By that logic, it would be impossible for him to produce any content. Everything could potentially cause problems for the livestream!

    <i>¡®But the content is indeed not progressing well right now,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Sometimes, one had to acknowledge some things even if they did not want to. This was not the time to be angry with Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Also, you don¡¯t need to talk to me telepathically. I¡¯m going to edit this part,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Understood. Still, I have one piece of good news.¡±

    The Forest of Mist was a fierce ecosystem. The man-eating trees were a threat to not only Adventurers but also the numerous skeletons inhabiting the forest. However, some monsters did not care about these man-eating trees.

    ¡°Do you see signs of tree branches being artificially broken?¡± Sae-Rin asked. Some man-eating trees had been uprooted. Others bore marks resembling bear w marks. ¡°It¡¯s probably the ruler of this area. It ys with moving trees like toys and leaves marks to prevent others from encroaching on its territory.¡±

    ¡°You mean it¡¯s like the king of the forest?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But there are no footprints around, and I can¡¯t sense any presence of monsters,¡± Sae-Rin said. ¡°I think it¡¯s some sort of beast monster. Powerful, but very secretive and cautious. If wepare it to a person, it would be like a powerful Assassin. If it attacks us, it will probably be when we¡¯re camping, especially when I am on watch. When does that Broadcaster¡¯s Light of yours turn off?¡±

 Chapter 430

    <h4>Chapter 430</h4>

    Han Sae-Rin remembered that normally, yers could not keep a Skill activated indefinitely. She suspected that when Broadcaster¡¯s Light faded and darkness crept back in, the monster would likelyunch its attack. However, she soon chided herself for this thought. <i>¡®I still have a long way to go.¡¯</i>

    A true Ruler had to thoroughly understand theirpanions¡¯ abilities. Only then could they respond flexibly and appropriately in any situation. Yet, when it came to Jin-Hyeok, she struggled with this concept.

    <i>¡®I should assume that things that seem impossible are usually possible with Chul-Soo...¡¯</i>

    She still found it difficult to ept this idea. An exceptional Ruler would have assumed that if a Skill could have unlimited uses, it probably did.

    ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t turn off unless you switch it off,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Jin-Hyeok was silent. He felt unexpectedly grateful that Sae-Rin understood his feelings.

    ¡°But we can¡¯t let our guard down, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Let our guard down?¡±

    ¡°Do you think you can sing while writing?¡± Sae-Rin said. This was a matter ofmon sense. ¡°I¡¯m certain the king of the forest will attack us.¡±

    Even if it did not approach them, she would make her wordse true regardless. After all, this was her role as a weakpanion.

    ¡°Fighting with Broadcaster¡¯s Light on is like trying to sing while writing,¡± she exined.

    ¡°But...¡± Jin-Hyeok protested.

    ¡°This is my judgment as a Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Then I guess I have no choice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt even more grateful to Sae-Rin. When she spoke as a Ruler like that, he had no choice but toply.

    <i>¡®Turning Broadcaster¡¯s Light off will definitely heighten the tension!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    ¡°Let¡¯s set up camp here for now. You might be fine, but I¡¯m getting tired. Turn off Broadcaster¡¯s Light,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Once again, the darkness-attribute fog rolled in. They could no longer distinguish between day and night.

    Despite theck of visibility, Sae-Rin skillfully set up the campsite. She used a magic torch to light a fire, but the fog quickly consumed it, causing it to rapidly dim. After several attempts to keep the fire going, she managed to create a faint light. It was just bright enough for them to barely make out each other¡¯s faces at close range.

    Suddenly, Sae-Rin¡¯s keen senses detected something swift and agile. <i>¡®It¡¯sing!¡¯</i>

    A bright ball of light soon appeared before them, powerful enough to dispel the darkness of the fog that had been swallowing the magic torch¡¯s light. It was a massive bear shimmering with golden light¡ªthe Golden Bear, ssified as a mythical monster.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin noticed something odd about the Golden Bear¡¯s attack.

    ***

    The Golden Bear reigned as the ruler of the forest. No peculiar magical monster, man-eating tree, or Adventurer could match its might. This Forest of Mist served as the perfect habitat for the Golden Bear.

    Among the various mists in this forest, some possessed the properties of <i>gold</i>. While most living beings suffered upon inhaling this mist¡ªsome Adventurers likened it to acute heavy metal poisoning¡ªthe Golden Bear thrived on it. It grewrger and stronger with each breath, its body brimming with powerful mana. Now, its hide had be increasingly imprable, rendering Adventurers¡¯ weapons and spells ineffective. No monster dared to challenge the Golden Bear¡¯s authority.

    However, on this day, the Golden Bear had sensed the presence of a predator far more massive than itself. The Golden Bear thought this could be the dragon that the Adventurers spoke of. It could feel that the neer¡¯s strength was overwhelming.

    As the ruler of the forest, the Golden Bear was duty-bound to deal with intruders. Yet, it found itself unable to attack. Since it had grown by absorbing the mist¡¯s inherent mana, the Golden Bear was incredibly sensitive to magical auras, equating magical potency with physical size. It had always believed itself to be thergest entity in the forest, but now it faced a monster thousands of times its size.

    The Golden Bear decided to acknowledge this being as the new ruler. It hunted the Seven-Colored Salmon, its favorite prey, and dropped the wriggling fish at Sae-Rin¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Is this... the Seven-Colored Salmon?¡± Sae-Rin marveled at the fish, which was shimmering with seven distinct hues. At about five meters in length, the fish was considered one of the rarest treasures in Arvis.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jin-Hyeok emerged from the tent.

    Upon seeing him, the Golden Bear immediately prostrated itself, even rolling onto its back in a disy ofplete submission.

    ***

    <i>¡®So much for creating artificial tension.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok was disappointed with the forest. Despite its reputation as a naturalbyrinth, it had proven less challenging than expected. Sara Kyen, the head of the Kyen Family, had not been exaggerating when she said to just keep walking east.

    Still, Jin-Hyeok could not just stop recording. The appearance of the mythical Golden Bear provided good material for his video.

    ¡°Did you bring this for us to eat?¡± he asked.

    The bear nodded emphatically.

    ¡°Oh, you understand human speech?¡±

    The bear nodded again.

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive,¡± he remarked, reaching out to touch the bear.

    Though feeling startled at first, the Golden Bear allowed him to touch itself.

    ¡°Its fur truly shines like gold, but there seems to be a misconception,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Contrary to popr belief that a living Golden Bear¡¯s fur was as hard as armor and sharp as spears, it was incredibly soft, like a microfiber nket.

    ¡°The fur is indeed soft,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sae-Rin replied. Feeling intrigued, she approached the bear. Mesmerized by its golden appearance, she ced her hand on its nk. ¡°Ouch!¡±

    Sae-Rin screamed, clutching her bleeding hand.

    <i>¡®I can feel the curse seeping into my body!¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought. Thankfully, she had consumed a curse-resistant potion earlier, or her blood could have turned to molten metal. Even so, the curse was potent.

    Noticing Sae-Rin¡¯s distress, Jin-Hyeok quickly took out a Chul-Soo Potion from his pocket. ¡°This should help.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sae-Rin replied, gulping down the potion. Her mind cleared, the pain subsided, and the invading curse waspletely purified.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok marveled at their unexpected encounter with such a rare creature. Each strand of the Golden Bear¡¯s fur would be a treasure for a Mage. Those who specialized in metal attributes often cited meeting a Golden Bear as their life¡¯s ambition. For Tamers, encountering this beast represented the pinnacle of their Job. Some even regarded taming a Golden Bear as more prestigious than taming a dragon, given the former¡¯s rarity.

    <i>¡®I might be able to create more content with the Golden Bear,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Recognizing the need for expert advice, he immediately contacted Park Terse through Wang Yu-Mi. Upon receiving the message, Terse rushed out, forgetting even to put on his shoes.

    ¡°W-What should I do? Isn¡¯t Chul-Soo in the Arvis Server?¡± Terse muttered to himself.

    The Arvis Server was notoriously difficult to get in. While someone like Chul-Soo coulde and go out of it freely, ordinary Earth yers could not enter it.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t waste time. The Golden Bear might disappear!¡¯</i>

    Known for its mastery over various magic spells, the Golden Bear could potentially use invisibility magic followed by a warp spell to vanish. Every second counted. Terse resolved to negotiate with the warp portal GMs, even prepared to offer bribes if necessary.

    ¡°Hi, my name is Park Ters¡ª¡±

    They cut him off.

    ¡°Ah, we were informed of your arrival. You¡¯re Tamer Park Terse from Earth, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to receive you.¡±

    Contrary to their reputation for strictness, the Arvis warp portal GMs treated Terse with unexpected courtesy. This was thanks to the intervention of Kyle, the emperor of the Swedeen Empire, and Muenne, the mayor of Muren.

    Terse entered the Arvis Server, his mind fixated on the Golden Bear. However, he felt slightly lost. <i>¡®How do I get to the Forest of Mist from here?¡¯ </i>

    His worries proved unfounded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Terse,¡± a voice called out.

    ¡°You¡¯re...¡±

    It was Lessefim, a famous ranker from Arvis and an expert Navigator, who hade to escort him.

    <i>¡®Is this... is this even possible? Is this allowed?¡¯</i>

    Everything felt surreal to Terse as if he were in a dream.

    ***

    Terse called out in an excited voice, ¡°Where is the Golden Bear?! Where is it?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s right here,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    The monster truly lived up to its mysterious reputation. Terse had heard it was asrge as a house, but in reality, it was only about the size of arge dog. As Terse appeared, the Golden Bear curled its lips and growled, sensing an unworthy presence in its forest.

    With a slightly disappointed expression, Lessefim said, ¡°I will head back now, okay?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lessefim,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Are you... really sure you want me to leave?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t keep busy people around just to help us.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± She said in her mind, <i>¡®I mean, you can always ask for my help...¡¯</i>

    Although Lessefim, a devoted Chul-Soo Lander, was reluctant to leave, her loyalty allowed her to step back. She vaguely realized her presence could hinder Chul-Soo¡¯s work.

    Terse¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the Golden Bear, oblivious to Lessefim¡¯s departure.

    ¡°Terse, your nose is bleeding,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    A dark liquid was trickling down Terse¡¯s nose. Despite Lessefim¡¯s guidance, the journey had taken its toll on him.

    ¡°This is nothing,¡± Terse dismissed.

    ¡°Still, drink this. Otherwise, you might die within three minutes.¡±

    After drinking the Chul-Soo Potion, Terse hastily asked, ¡°May I try tomunicate with the Golden Bear?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied, finishing his recording preparations.

    <i>¡®Should I livestream this?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok briefly considered turning on his livestream but decided against it, fearing the forest¡¯s energy could curse the viewers. He settled for a recorded video instead.

    ¡°Golden Bear. My name is Park Terse. I havee to be your friend,¡± Terse addressed the creature.

    The Golden Bear regarded him with disinterested eyes and growled again, warning him not toe closer. Its paws could turn human blood into molten metal with a single swipe.

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok whispered, ¡°Stay still.¡±

    The Golden Bear stopped growling. Terse stood directly in front of it, biting his lip as he sensed the creature¡¯s dislike for him.

    <i>¡®I will start with an insignificant physical contact,¡¯ </i>he thought, knowing this approach could result in severe injury or even death from acute metal poisoning. However, that was the fate a Tamer had to ept.

    ¡°I would like to give you a name. I want to be your friend,¡± Terse said, carefully cing his hand on the Golden Bear¡¯s chin.

    As expected, blood spurted from his hand. Despite the overwhelming pain, Terse endured it, thanksrgely to the Chul-Soo Potion he had drunk earlier.

    The metal curse was truly terrifying. Molten metal began to trickle from Terse¡¯s eyes, ears, and nose.

    ¡°Are you okay, Terse?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, concerned.

    ¡°This is nothing.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°For a Tamer, this is normal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s normal?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. He assumed all Tamers had to go through such ordeals and decided to continue observing Earth¡¯s first attempt at taming a Golden Bear.

 Chapter 431

    <h4>Chapter 431</h4>

    Park Terse broke out in a cold sweat. <i>¡®Those eyes look murderous.¡¯</i>

    He was extremely sensitive to the emotions of creatures he tried to bond with, so he immediately realized how hostile the Golden Bear was toward him.

    <i>¡®This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be...¡¯</i>

    Terse was fundamentally a Tamer who valued bonding. He was the type of person who respected others¡¯ wishes if they disliked him. However, the mythical nature of the Golden Bear stirred his greed.

    <i>¡®I should greet it just one more time!¡¯</i>

    He decided that if the bear still refused, he would give up. Infusing his voice with a charm spell, he said, ¡°My name is Park Terse. I would like to be your friend.¡±

    To the Golden Bear, this sounded ridiculous. A creature that it could melt into molten iron with just the slightest touch of its paw dared to call himself a friend of it. This was presumptuous. The bear quickly turned away, fearing that if their eyes met for too long, it could identally blow off Terse¡¯s head.

    ¡°I guess there is no other way,¡± Terse muttered as he pulled out a club from his inventory.

    Jin-Hyeok was startled at the sight. <i>¡®Terse with a club? Is he nning to attack the Golden Bear with that? Terse, the animal lover? The man who values bonding with monsters above all else?¡¯</i>

    After a long moment of hesitation, Terse trembled and dropped the club to the ground.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± He cried, wiping tears from his eyes with his forearm.

    <i>¡®What am I doing?¡¯ </i>Terse realized he had been heavily influenced by Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s Taming (Physical). For a moment, he had even considered beating the monster into submission.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m garbage.¡¯ </i>Terse berated himself.

    Watching Terse¡¯s self-reproach, Jin-Hyeok felt envious. <i>¡®He is really struggling.¡¯ </i>

    Such emotional ups and downs made for entertaining livestreams. Constant moments of catharsis would be less entertaining without moments of hardships in between. Terse had suffered enough and tried his best. He could be distressed enough to even consider attempting suicide.

    <i>¡®If he fails here, it will just end up being frustrating to watch for the viewers,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. As an Eltuber, he could not just stand by.

    He approached the Golden Bear.

    ¡°I need you to get along with him,¡± Jin-Hyeok said simply. He did not bother using the Taming (Physical) Skill. The Golden Bear was an intelligent monster capable ofmunication. Jin-Hyeok thought this much would be sufficient for it to understand. ¡°Now, go shake hands.¡±

    The Golden Bear hesitantly approached Terse and stood on its hind legs in front of him. Its massive frame dwarfed Terse, looking as if it could swallow him whole. Then, it extended its front paw toward Terse.

    ¡°Are you... epting me as a friend?¡± Terse asked, feeling moved. He had finally seeded in taming the Golden Bear. ¡°I have done it atst! Hahaha! Hahaha!¡±

    Han Sae-Rin was a little puzzled. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t it Chul-Soo who did most of the taming, just without using a Skill?¡¯</i>

    However, seeing Terse¡¯s joy and Jin-Hyeok¡¯s satisfied smile, she felt there was something in their world she did not quite understand.

    Terse excitedly said, ¡°Sae-Rin, Chul-Soo, did you see? I seeded in taming it!¡±

    ¡°Congrattions, Terse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Y-Yeah... Congrattions. That¡¯s impressive, I guess,¡± Sae-Rin added.

    ¡°I have promised it to bring a fruit basket as a gift next time we meet!¡± Terse clenched his fist. Apparently, he had also promised to bring some delicious buttered bread that humans ate. ¡°This is a token of our friendship!¡±

    Sae-Rin thought that it sounded less like a friendship and more like Terse had be the bear¡¯s errand boy.

    ***

    Having sessfully recorded Earth¡¯s first Golden Bear taming content, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Could you ask the Golden Bear if it¡¯s the king of this forest?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Bear, are you the king of this forest?¡± Terse asked.

    The Golden Bear discreetly nced at Jin-Hyeok. It wondered if it could even call itself the king when such a powerful entity was present here too. The bear was quite perceptive.

    ¡°It says yes. It ims to be the true king of this forest.¡± Terse tranted for the creature.

    ¡°Then could you ask if it can give us a ride?¡±

    Terse frowned. Riding on the back of a friend he had just bonded with seemed inappropriate. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too cruel and barbaric for the bear?¡±

    ¡°You rode on the back of the Thunder Dragon just fine,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Terse fell silent. He realized Jin-Hyeok was right.

    ¡°Are you a species discriminator?¡± Jin-Hyeok prodded.

    ¡°N-No! Of course not!¡± Terse stammered.

    This was a sensitive issue. Jin-Hyeok smiled with satisfaction. The term <i>species discriminator </i>alone would surely attract attention.

    ¡°I will ask the Golden Bear,¡± Terse said.

    The Golden Bear was frustrated. There was no need to ask. If that true king desired, it could even dance on its head.

    ¡°Bear, could you give us a ride?¡± Terse asked.

    The bear wanted to smack the fool who kept calling himself a friend of it, but it refrained, fearing for its life.

    ¡°It says yes. Apparently, it enjoys carrying others!¡± Terse said.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s group climbed onto the Golden Bear¡¯s back.

    Sae-Rin was amazed. <i>¡®It¡¯s so soft! I bled profusely earlier when I touched its fur.¡¯ </i>

    Now it felt soft and fluffy. If she were to exaggerate a bit, it was like the bed of a luxury hotel.

    After traveling for several hours on the bear¡¯s back, they arrived at a well-paved road.

    ¡°The fog stops here,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    Starting from the road, the fog was mysteriously blocked, as if an invisible force was pushing it away. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s group dismounted from the Golden Bear¡¯s back.

    ¡°Thank you, Bear. Huh? You¡¯re going to kill me if I don¡¯t bring fruit baskets and buttered bread for you? Haha! You¡¯re good at making jokes too!¡± Terse heartilyughed. ¡°But I will definitely bring you fruit baskets and buttered bread. I promise. Thank you so much. We had such afortable journey thanks to you. Now, go back to the forest and enjoy your free life again!¡±

    The Golden Bear still did not leave. It fidgeted, cautiously watching Jin-Hyeok, but Terse misunderstood it.

    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to part with you either!¡± he eximed. Terse hugged the Golden Bear¡¯s front paw. The bear instinctively swung its paw, shaking off Terse. Terse flew quite high before falling with a loud thud.

    The Golden Bear shuddered. It beat its chest and then pointed at the unconscious Terse in the distance, mumbling something.

    ¡°Ah, I see. It wasn¡¯t intentional?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    The Golden Bear frantically nodded.

    ¡°I understand. You were just moving instinctively. But try to get along with Terse as much as possible. Got it?¡±

    After all, they could not let Earth¡¯s first Golden Bear taming end in failure. Jin-Hyeok did not want to deal with usations of staging content.

    The Golden Bear nodded again.

    ¡°Alright, you can go now. See you next time,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    After receiving Jin-Hyeok¡¯s permission, the Golden Bear quickly fled into the depths of the forest.

    ***

    The artificially constructed road was wide and pleasant enough for several horse-drawn carriages with eight horses each to pass throughfortably.

    As the group walked along this road, Sae-Rin asked, ¡°So, could you understand what the Golden Bear was saying?¡±

    ¡°Well, not perfectly,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Not perfectly?¡±

    ¡°What I understood was a bit different from what Terse understood.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Well, what I heard was not a fruit basket but a fruit orchard and not buttered bread but honey pot... I must have misunderstood.¡±

    Sae-Rin was certain that Terse was wrong and Jin-Hyeok was right. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s interpretation was likely much closer to the truth.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you just announced that you tamed the Golden Bear?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t use any Skills,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    He was already worried about bing too strong and did not want people to misunderstand that he had perfected taming as well. Moreover, he was not keen on rumors spreading that he had sessfully tamed a Golden Bear without even using taming Skills.

    ¡°Anyone watching the video would think you tamed it,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with that. But you will need to edit it well. It does look like you did it.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed softly and said, ¡°Fortunately, my editor is quite skilled.¡±

    He poured some of Chul-Soo Potion into the unconscious Terse¡¯s mouth.

    ***

    <i>¡®They are here.¡¯ </i>

    A penguin Beastkin stood in front of the main gate of the Kyen Family mansion. In his right hand, he held a wooden staff made of a palm tree, with a jewel emitting an auspicious green light embedded at its tip. His name was Dakan.

    The de facto ruler of the Kyen Family in ce of the frequently absent Sara Kyen, Dakan was a Mage who had served the family as the head butler since the time of the previous patriarch. He was a master of brainwashing and mental magic.

    <i>¡®The family head told me to let them in, but...¡¯</i>

    However, he could not do that. Only those who had received unanimous approval from the heads of the Seven Great Families could enter the Kyen mansion. Dakan could not allow intruders to enter the family estate.

    <i>¡®I will do my duty!¡¯</i>

    Many Adventurers hade to the Kyen Family over the years. They were quite skilled, but none could ovee the mental magic of Dakan, the Penguin Mage.

    <i>¡®Anyone who passes through the Forest of Mist, no matter how strong they may be, is bound to be mentally exhausted.¡¯</i>

    There was a reason it was called nature¡¯s perfectbyrinth. Unless one knew the special path known only to members of the Kyen Family, they would be mentally worn out. In such a state, Dakan¡¯s mental magic was incredibly effective.

    Dakan swung his palm tree staff.

    ¡°Wee!¡± his voice boomed. ¡°Where do you intend to go?¡±

    It was a magic incantation disguised as a greeting. Invisible mana emitted from the palm tree staff enveloped the three people. This was Dakan¡¯s pride, the Mind Control magic.

    ¡°I...,¡± Sae-Rin shouted. ¡°I am going to the Mole¡¯s Nest!¡±

    Those affected by the Mind Control magic would state their desired utopia or hometown as their destination. Then they would set off on another journey toward that destination. It was already difficult to pass through the Forest of Mist in a sane state of mind, but Adventurers under Mind Control mostly lost their lives after going back.

    ¡°Yes! Go to the Mole¡¯s Nest!¡± Dakan shouted. He did not know where the Mole¡¯s Nest was, but it did not matter. All he needed to do was to set a clear destination. ¡°Now! Where do you intend to go?¡±

    ¡°I...,¡± Terse also shouted. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Unicorn Meadow!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Go to the Unicorn Meadow!¡±

    Now only one remained. Compared to other Adventurers, this one seemed quite ordinary. The previous two had seemed like aplished Adventurers, but the tall one in the middle (Kim Chul-Soo) did not look like much.

    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that Kim Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>Dakan thought. He wondered if the rumors had been exaggerated. Still, he could not let his guard down. Summoning his mana, he used Mind Control. Now, Chul-Soo¡¯s name was about to fade into the annals of history.

    ¡°Now! Where do you intend to go?¡± Dakan asked.

    Jin-Hyeok stood in front of Dakan. ¡°I brought this sword. Its name is Gogeom. It says it¡¯s a key. Apparently, something is hidden in the Kyen Family mansion.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°You can find out more urately if you watch my livestreams.¡±

    Only then did Dakan sense something amiss. <i>¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯</i>

    All three of them were walking toward the mansion instead of turning toward the Forest of Mist. Suddenly, a thunderous voice rang in Dakan¡¯s ears.

    <strong>-Damn penguin! How dare you not recognize the true master and behave so shamelessly?! You deserve to be eaten by the pr bears!</strong>

 Chapter 432

    <h4>Chapter 432</h4>

    Dakan was a powerful Mage who specialized in mental magic. Hence, he could immediately recognize how advanced the mental magic behind the voice was. <i>¡®I had no idea a weapon with such a distinct will existed!¡¯</i>

    It was difficult for a weapon to possess such a perfect sense of self. For that to happen, someone needed to insert a powerful will into the weapon at the time of the weapon¡¯s creation, then artificially amplify and strengthen it so that the weapon could maintain itself until now. Dakan sensed traces of an incredibly intricate and powerful mental magic on Chul-Soo¡¯s weapon.

    ¡°Could it be?¡± Dakan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you Sir Jenald, our ancestor?¡±

    Dakan was a Mage belonging to the Jenald School, one of the best schools that taught mental magic. The Jenald School had one peculiarity that set it apart from other schools. Their teachings always included the notion that someday, the founder of the school, Jenald, would return. In modern times, hardly anyone believed this, but it was a teaching that had been passed down for ages.

    <strong>-Yes, you thick-headed fool. I see you¡¯re one of my school¡¯s disciples guarding this ce.</strong>

    Dakan bowed. He could not believe that Jenald had returned, wondering if the other Mages of the school would believe him.

    <i>¡®No! I don¡¯t even need to make them believe me,¡¯ </i>Dakan thought.

    Kim Chul-Soo would eventually reveal it to the world. Although Dakan did not watch Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams, he knew of the Streamer¡¯s significant influence. Once this information was livestreamed, the scattered Mages of the Jenald School across the continent could unite.

    ¡°What do you want me to do, Sir Jenald?¡±

    <strong>-Guide th¡ª</strong>

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok interrupted them.

    ¡°I¡¯m the head butler of this mansion, the guardian Mage of the Kyen Family, the one with the fearsome name Sir Dakan.¡±

    For someone described as having a fearsome name, the penguin Beastkin had quite a cute appearance. Jin-Hyeok thought viewers would probably like him quite a bit.

    ¡°But how dare you interrupt Sir Jenald?!¡± Dakan trembled.

    Seeing the penguin looking even cuter in his anger, Jin-Hyeok politely asked, ¡°Will the great Mage Sir Dakan listen to everything Sir Jenald has to say?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Sir Jenald is the spiritual pir of our school.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    Dakan was the head butler of one of the legendary Seven Great Families. Jin-Hyeok had thought he could have a thrilling adventure in the Kyen Family mansion, but even that could not happen. So, he decided topletely give up on the tense atmosphere for this content. He would likely break through the universe-level Scenario too easily. Instead, with such a cute penguin Beastkin, he could at least make a cuteness-themed video.

    ¡°As luck would have it, I have be friends with Sir Jenald,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What...? Is that true, Sir?¡±

    Gogeom, who was more like a servant to Jin-Hyeok, barely managed to reply.

    <strong>-Y-Yes... We have be friends.</strong>

    ¡°Sir Jenald, Sir Dakan, could we go inside and have a chat?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was going to gather some content before clearing the Scenario.

    ***

    Since he had given up on a thrilling adventure, Jin-Hyeok decided to focus more on this cute penguin Beastkin and the mysterious Kyen Family. He sat in the reception room, conversing with Dakan.

    ¡°I gave Sir Jenald the name Gogeom. I only learned the name Jenald today,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®How disrespectful!¡¯ </i>Dakan thought. <i>¡®How dare you give a name that means ¡°old sword¡± to Sir Jenald, the founding Mage of the Jenald School!¡¯ </i>

    It was a tremendous insult to the bloodthirsty Archmage Jenald. Dakan was displeased but did not dare to curse at Jenald¡¯s friend.

    ¡°Jenald, you do know a lot. Who would have thought the universe-level Scenario could have progressed this easily?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>-I-I suppose so. Haha...!</strong>

    ¡°Thank you, Jenald. You¡¯re amazing.¡±

    Gogeom felt inexplicably afraid. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s voice was calm, but there seemed to be a subtle anger underlying it.

    Oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, Dakan made a fuss. ¡°Then were you the one who blocked my Mind Control magic for Chul-Soo, Sir Jenald?¡±

    <strong>-What are you talking about?</strong>

    ¡°I used the Mind Control magic on them, but it didn¡¯t work.

    <strong>-Why would I block that?</strong>

    ¡°But surely...¡±

    Gogeom sighed deeply.

    <strong>-Only fools would build dams to block a small, insignificant stream.</strong>

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    <strong>-Your magic was merely a stream. No, not even that¡ªjust droplets of water. How could droplets of water cause a flood?</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok was a little disappointed. He had wanted to experience Dakan¡¯s Mind Control. But his poison resistance was so strong that it had unconsciously deflected the Mind Control.

    ¡°Wait..., did you say you deflected my attack because of strong poison resistance?¡± Dakan asked, confused. There was no research data suggesting that excellent poison resistance could deflect Mind Control. <i>¡®Then isn¡¯t it just strong resistance in general?¡¯</i>

    Although Dakan had reasonable doubts, he did not express them. In fact, he was interested in Jenald, not Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Sir Jenald,¡± Dakan said.

    <strong>-Call me Gogeom.</strong>

    ¡°Pardon...?¡±

    <strong>-It is the name Mas... I mean, my friend gave me. I want to cherish it.</strong>

    ¡°I understand, Sir Gogeom.¡±

    Gogeom nced at Jin-Hyeok. Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok appeared satisfied. Being mentally connected to Jin-Hyeok, Gogeom quickly understood his needs. Jin-Hyeok was thinking that unifying their forms of address would avoid confusing viewers and that they should engage more actively in conversation to create good content. Gogeom acted enthusiastically.

    <strong>-Ask me anything. Since this is a fateful meeting, I will answer all your questions.</strong>

    Dakan¡¯s expression showed great emotion. ording to records, Jenald was a bloodthirsty Archmage, a single-minded magic obsessive and socially inept Mage. However, those rumors appeared to be false!

    ¡°Setting aside Sir Chul-Soo... You did protect the other two, didn¡¯t you, Sir Gogeom?¡±

    It was hard for Dakan to understand. At first, the Mind Control had worked. He was sure the other two were babbling about Mole¡¯s Nest and Unicorn Meadows.

    <strong>-You¡¯re wrong!</strong>

    ¡°What? I¡¯m wrong?¡± Dakan said. <i>¡®Then how did they get free of the magic?¡¯</i>

    <strong>-Mind Control controls the target¡¯s mind through mana. Naturally, your mana is connected to the target when you use that spell.</strong>

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That connection was severed midway.¡±

    <strong>-It was my friend who cut off that connection.</strong>

    Dakan¡¯s expression became a bit serious. Even though the one saying that statement was Jenald, the founder of the school that Dakan attended, this had to be a lie. Severing such a connection required incredibly precise calctions. One needed to urately gauge the nature, quantity, and density of their opponent¡¯s mana, then calcte the exact amount and nature of mana needed to cut the connection off and cast a severing spell.

    This act required intense concentration, and even the most skilled Mages could not aplish it in one try. Magic was inherently much harder to defend against than to attack.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating me too much, Sir. I prepared my magic over fourteen long hours in anticipation of their arrival. As you surely know, it wasn¡¯t just calctions; numerous magical materials and magic circles were used...¡±

    While the process of casting a spell could be instantaneous, its preparation was incredibly long. The longer and more precise the preparation was, the moreplete the magic would be. Dakan¡¯s magic was of this nature.

    ¡°Therefore... only a highly perfected technique could deflect my Mind Control.¡±

    <strong>-You fool!</strong>

    ¡°Pardon...?¡±

    <strong>-Extremely advanced physical abilities are indistinguishable from extremely precise magic.</strong>

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    In truth, even Gogeom would not have believed this story if it had not seen this scene. Jin-Hyeok had simply crushed the magic with sheer force, without any calctions. He had sensed an external force acting on Sae-Rin and Terse and summoned mana to destroy that force. Since the mana was transmitted through a connection, it meant there was a channel of mana, and Jin-Hyeok had essentially destroyed that channel.

    <strong>-Do not despair. There are always opponents against whom techniques and magic do not work.</strong>

    ¡°What should I do if magic doesn¡¯t work?

    <strong>-What else? You just stay still.</strong>

    The penguin Beastkin, who had hoped to receive great advice from the school¡¯s founding Mage, became dejected.

    ***

    <i>¡®Hmm... It doesn¡¯t seem like there is much content worth salvaging,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Dakan¡¯s tension had dropped too low during the conversation. Gogeom was growing tired of Dakan. With such poor chemistry between the participants, it would be difficult to make an entertaining video.

    <i>¡®I need to wrap this up quickly.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok stood up. ¡°Sir Dakan. You know why I came here, right?¡±

    ¡°You came looking for the Herb of Immortality,¡± Dakan replied with a half-dazed expression. ¡°But you havee to the wrong ce. There is no such thing as Herb of Immortality in the Kyen Family.¡±

    <strong>-Foolish one! Do you think a mere head butler would know about the existence of such a treasure as the Herb of Immortality?</strong>

    Dakan flinched. ¡°But there is nothing in this mansion that I do not know about.¡±

    <strong>-The existence of the Herb of Immortality is unknown even to the head of the Kyen Family. The information has been dispersed and thoroughly hidden!</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to let Gogeom carry on. After all, he had given up on the thrilling adventure content, so it would be best to proceed quickly.

    <i>¡®Next time, I should just leave Gogeom at home,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. With the sword, it felt like he were ying a game with cheat codes.

    <strong>-Guide them to the family head¡¯s study. There is a sealed magic circle there.</strong>

    ¡°There is no such thing in the family head¡¯s study,¡± Dakan said.

    However, to Dakan¡¯s surprise, there was one. The magic circle was drawn inside the drawer of the family head¡¯s desk. Incidentally, the drawer was secured with a sturdy lock, which Jin-Hyeok, having received Sara¡¯s permission, smashed with the hammer.

    <i>¡®That lock was made of adamantium alloy,¡¯ </i>Dakan thought.

    Though it appeared to be just a small lock on the outside, it was not ordinary. It was the world¡¯s strongest lock made of adamantium alloy; yet, it had been shattered with just a few hammer blows. The thought crossed Dakan¡¯s mind that maybe it was indeed true that extremely developed physical abilities were indistinguishable from precise magic.

    A faint magic circle was carved inside the desk drawer.

    <strong>-There should be a sword-shaped slot in the center of the magic circle! Insert me there!</strong>

    Without hesitation, Jin-Hyeok immediately inserted Gogeom into the center of the magic circle. In that instant, dozens of beams of light burst forth, and the world began to change.

 Chapter 433

    <h4>Chapter 433</h4>

    <i>¡®Teleportation magic circle?¡¯</i>

    The magic circle inside the drawer was a primitive form of magic that activated when a sword was inserted in the slot. Gogeom served as the activation key for this magic circle.

    As a dazzling array of colors burst forth, the world began to spin. The pupils of Park Terse and Han Sae-Rin dted, and they began to shout.

    ¡°I-I see a rainbow!¡±

    ¡°I see a seven-colored rainbow!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m better than Mole Woman!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get married, Golden Bear!¡±

    They seemed to be experiencing some mental breakdowns as a side effect of the teleportation magic. Moreover, it caused more severe motion sickness than modern warp portals would.

    ¡°<i>Bleeurgh!</i>¡± Dakan, the Penguin Mage, rushed to a corner and vomited.

    Terse, who had just regained his senses after proposing to the Golden Bear, hurriedly ran over to gently pat Dakan¡¯s back.

    Meanwhile, Cha Jin-Hyeok nced around and said, ¡°This is an artificially created space.¡±

    It was a small area, of about fifteen square meters. As if they had entered a well, hot light beamed down from above, and the surroundings were humid.

    ¡°I see a flower blooming over there,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    It was a white flower atop a small mound. Jin-Hyeok used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight to identify it.

    ~

    <strong>[Herb of Immortality]</strong>

    ~

    <i>¡®Could it really be the legendary Herb of Immortality?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered. As he approached the flower, white light gathered above the flower¡¯s bud, forming a sphere. Hundreds of droplets shot toward Jin-Hyeok, resembling a st from a shotgun. <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    It happened instantly. Jin-Hyeok absorbed the essence of the Herb of Immortality. Suddenly, Gogeom emitted an eerie red light and burst intoughter.

    <strong>-Hahaha! Serves you right!</strong>

    Gogeom floated in the air, trembling.

    -An unrefined Herb of Immortality is nothing short of deadly poison! It¡¯s even worse than the venom of the White Snake King!

    The line between medicine and poison was thin. Substances with overly potent medicinal effects could be toxic. The Herb of Immortality was such a case. It was a treasure among treasures, said to bring immortality to humans. However, the miracle of eternal life was too grand and magnificent for a human body to handle.

    -You will explode soon!

    Gogeom had struggled to keep its true nature hidden, working hard not to reveal its inner thoughts.

    -Do not worry. I will drink all your blood!

    Gogeom was overjoyed at the thought of drinking Chul-Soo¡¯s blood. It was difficult to consider Gogeom particrly evil. The method by which Jenald had maintained his sense of self for so long, trapping his soul in the weapon, was by imnting <i>desire </i>into the sword. The pure desire for blood had been the driving force that allowed Gogeom to maintain its sense of self over the long years.

    After a moment, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit tense.

    <i>¡®So that Herb of Immortality is so dangerous, huh?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Garbinu was truly an incredibly thorough being. It seemed he had devised a scheme where anyone other than himself¡ªsomeone with power close to or greater than his own¡ªwho tried to take the Herb of Immortality without proper knowledge would be killed by it instead.

    Jin-Hyeok had time to prevent it. In truth, he could have nullified the poison with his Absolute Barrier if he wanted to. However, this tension and thrill were like rain in a drought.

    <i>¡®Finally, a crisis!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok was currently recording from a first-person perspective. He felt he could convey this tension and trembling to the viewers. So he deliberately did not use Absolute Barrier and allowed the Herb of Immortality¡¯s energy to enter his body. He also let Gogeom ramble on.

    <i>-You will explode soon! Do not worry. I will drink all your blood!</i>

    Lines like these would surely make the viewers feel tremendous tension. Jin-Hyeok focused on the changes within his body.

    <i>¡®My eyesight seems to have improved a bit.¡¯</i>

    He felt somewhat physically stimted. It was quite simr to consuming caffeine. His heart rate had increased slightly, and he could feel his pulse in his neck and the nape of his neck. His blood pressure seemed to have risen.

    <i>¡®So, is Gogeom telling the truth? Will my blood pressure rise and then go out of control? Will this subtly amplifying energy turn into a great tidal wave and overwhelm me?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    If this were true, he would need to immediately enter meditation and focus on controlling the energy. He would have to enter his microcosm and fight the Herb of Immortality with all his might.

    <i>¡®Here ites...!¡¯</i>

    He felt as if an enormous wave of mana was about to crash over him. It was close to an illusion. The fierce, oing illusion engulfed him. And then... nothing happened.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had high expectations because of what Gogeom had said, thinking he could finally produce some real tension.

    <i>¡®Ah...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok got a bit angry. ¡°Hey.¡±

    -Ah, no, I mean, what I meant was, I wasn¡¯t trying to betray you, but...

    ¡°Why did you deceive the viewers, you bastard!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not seem to care much about Gogeom¡¯s blood-crazed attempt at betrayal.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok punished Gogeom. ¡°Hey, go float in the air facing that wall over there.¡±

    -H-Hey. I¡¯m a great artifact with Jenald¡¯s consciousn¡ª

    ¡°Do you want me to give you to Miri as material instead?¡±

    -...

    Gogeom floated lifelessly, drifting to stop in front of the wall.

    -How long do I have to stay like this?

    ¡°Until I tell you to stop.¡±

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok could sense that Miri was envious of Gogeom.

    ¡°Why are you jealous of that sword?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked Miri.

    -Though Gogeom is despicable... its abilities seem genuine.

    Miri had to acknowledge Gogeom¡¯s capabilities. Unlike Miri, who had gained consciousness by chance, Gogeom contained the soul of a once-great Mage, inserted through various magical means. Naturally, there would be differences.

    Miri sounded envious.

    -It¡¯s actually really difficult to manifest physical force through will alone.

    Manifesting physical force without a body was like a Mage casting spells without mana. Jin-Hyeok patted Miri¡¯s hilt.

    ¡°So what if it can do that? Miri, you¡¯re much better.¡± At least Miri did not want to stab him in the back. However, Jin-Hyeok suddenly thought differently. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me that you...¡±

    -No, no! I don¡¯t just backstab anyone! I do not want to backstab you, Master!

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two?¡±

    -Huh?

    -What do you mean?

    Usually, weapons with connected consciousness were greatly influenced by their master¡¯s mind. Jin-Hyeok could not believe how bizarre these weapons were when they were connected to a sane master like himself.

    ¡°You guys should be d that I¡¯m your master.¡±

    If they were this unstable with an entirely sane person, they would undoubtedly have be disastrous magical weapons bringing cmity had they fallen into the hands of someone even slightly unhinged.

    ***

    When Jin-Hyeok absorbed the Herb of Immortality, an uninvited guest was hiding near him. He looked like Deliark, the First Prince of the Swedeen Empire.

    <i>¡®Come on, get closer to the Herb of Immortality!¡¯</i>

    The one controlling Deliark was none other than Garbinu¡ªor more precisely, a fragment of Garbinu. He was notplete yet. His soul had shattered after Chul-Soo had terribly beaten him. He was barely maintaining this body because Deliark was a decent vessel.

    <i>¡®He has not noticed me at all!¡¯</i>

    Garbinu wasn¡¯t surprised that Chul-Soo did not recognize him. He would have been the same. No one could maintain theirposure when faced with the Herb of Immortality, the king of treasures. Right now, Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes would see nothing but the Herb of Immortality.

    <i>¡®Yes! He¡¯s approaching the Herb of Immortality!¡¯</i>

    The Herb of Immortality would cause Chul-Soo¡¯s mana to go berserk. At the moment when the miracle too great for humans to handle would shatter Chul-Soo and soul, Garbinu would take over Chul-Soo¡¯s body. Then he would use the Herb of Immortality¡¯s power to restore Chul-Soo¡¯s broken body.

    <i>¡®I have knowledge that you don¡¯t, Chul-Soo.¡¯ </i>Garbinu knew that he would be the one having thestugh. His meticulous nning and caution, preparing for failure over and over again, would determine the oue. <i>¡®I¡¯ve wo¡ª¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo spoke in an unnervingly normal voice. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Chul-Soo was tooposed. Garbinu could not reveal himself fully.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    For a moment, Garbinu flinched, thinking he had been discovered. He had no more cards up his sleeve. If he was caught now, it would be over.

    ¡°Why are you deceiving the viewers, you bastard!¡±

    Fortunately, Chul-Soo was distracted by Gogeom.

    <i>¡®I need to hide for now,¡¯ </i>Garbinu thought. If he waited patiently, another opportunity woulde. He only needed one chance to defeat Chul-Soo. <i>¡®In the end, I will be the victor, Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok decided to stay a few more days with the Kyen Family. Since they were a mysterious family unknown to the public, he thought he could generate more content here.

    Sitting in the Kyen Family¡¯s garden, Jin-Hyeok conversed with Sae-Rin.

    ¡°Sae-Rin, you know that space we were in with the Herb of Immortality? Someone was hiding there.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He wasn¡¯t particrly strong. I think it was Garbinu, who had taken over Deliark¡¯s body.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s tone was as casual as talking about today¡¯s weather. Sae-Rin was momentarily stunned by his nonchnce.

    ¡°So let me just see if this is right. You said Garbinu and Deliark, right? The sexiest¡ªI mean, the greatest Demon King Garbinu and the missing former prince of Swedeen, Deliark?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Anyway, that¡¯s not the important part.¡±

    <i>¡®How is that not important?¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin looked at Jin-Hyeok with a slightly bewildered expression. Just when she thought she was getting used to him, he had be even stronger, making it impossible to truly adjust to his standards.

    ¡°Garbinu is definitely waiting for an opportunity to strike,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Are you saying that we¡¯re in danger?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°I decided not to create such forced tension.¡±

    He wished it were a bit more dangerous. However, Garbinu was too weak inside Deliark¡¯s body. ¡°Instead, I want to focus on teaching him a lesson, but he¡¯s being extremely cautious.¡±

    With just a nce, Jin-Hyeok had urately assessed Garbinu¡¯s condition.

    ¡°It seems like a fragment of Garbinu¡¯s soul is controlling Deliark¡¯s body. He will not have many chances. He¡¯s being overly careful in waiting for an opportunity. I even pretended to be in deep sleep and meditated, but he would not take the bait,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is he around us now?¡±

    ¡°No, not now. It seems he needs to rest for a while after being active for some time.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was feeling a bit impatient. Garbinu did not have much time left. It would be a shame to let such precious content material disappear meaninglessly.

    ¡°How can I make him attack me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Hmm... You said pretending to sleep or meditate didn¡¯t work, right?¡±

    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t work. He would not evene close.¡±

    ¡°Then I have a good idea.¡±

    Sae-Rin paused for a moment. She hade up with an idea that even she thought was a bit crazy.

    <i>¡®But we¡¯re dealing with Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Chul-Soo was the craziest person she knew in the world. To truly get along with this madman, she had to go a little mad herself.

    ¡°How about challenging the Mage King for a duel?¡± Sae-Rin suggested.

    ¡°The Mage King?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes began to sparkle.

    ¡°If you fight the Mage King, wouldn¡¯t that create an opening for Garbinu?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It probably would.¡±

    Seido, the immortal Mage King, was called the strongest being in the Arvis Server. His other nickname was Battle Maniac.

 Chapter 434

    <h4>Chapter 434</h4>

    The idea of dueling with Mage King Seido piqued Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s interest.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not a bad idea, but what about the content after that?¡¯ </i>he thought.

    Mage King Seido was like the final boss in the Arvis Server. He was the symbol of the Mazique Empire and a ranker among rankers. Considered the greatest battle Mage in history, he was known as the grandmaster who had elevated magic, an art inherently disadvantageous in one-on-onebat, to the realm of art.

    If Jin-Hyeok fought someone like this, creating morepelling content after the fight would be challenging. Any subsequent fight would seemckluster inparison.

    ¡°Think about it realistically, Chul-Soo. Honestly, besides the Mage King, do you think there is anyone who could fight you ande on top?¡± Han Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°There might be. You never know.¡±

    The world was vast, and there were many strong individuals in it. Jin-Hyeok was not a yer who specialized inbat; he was just an Eltuber who livestreamed. Though they could be difficult to find, strong yers were surely out there. They did not necessarily have to be human. Many ces or trials could evoke thrilling tension.

    ¡°No, there aren¡¯t,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°That seems like a hasty judgment.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo, you need to face reality. The world does not revolve around what you want to believe. If you asked who is the strongest yer in the world, who do you think people would choose?¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡± Jin-Hyeok thought for a second.

    Too many candidates came to his mind. There were many formidable yers across numerous fields, such as martial arts, swordsmanship, magic, and assassination. Even beyond the rankers in Arvis, countless strong individuals existed in the universe.

    ¡°Generally, people name the strongest Swordsman when they want to name the strongest yer,¡± Sae-Rin said.

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°I know what you want to say. Depending on thepatibility of sword styles, Swordsmen might show weakness against Spearmen. But that¡¯s beside the point. The important thing is that the public perceives the strongest Swordsman as the strongest yer. So, who do they consider the current strongest yer?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought of the current strongest Swordsman. That narrowed down the candidates considerably: Gridel, the Sage of the Sword, or Kyle, the emperor of the Swedeen Empire.

    ¡°Usually, people pick the winner of that year¡¯s Sword Emperor Tournament. Who won this year¡¯s tournament?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°In people¡¯s eyes, you have already reached the level of the strongest yer across the universe. Besides the Mage King, how many opponents do you think viewers would feel thrilled about in a duel with you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok knew there weren¡¯t many. He realized Sae-Rin was telling him that it did not matter much if he focused on the duel now.

    <i>¡®She is right, but...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit disheartened, sensing that his lifespan as an Eltuber was shortening.

    Seeing his expression, Sae-Rin softened her approach. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. There is always a solution.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting I change my livestreaming style tomunicating with the viewers?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not particrly talented in that area.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was pleased by this sharp criticism. Listening to the advice of a Ruler who urately assessed his abilities and limitations was a joyful thing.

    ¡°Then, what should I do?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You can grow old. Fortunately, you¡¯re a nonbatant yer, right? You will weaken over time. Statistics show that nonbatant yers start to decline rapidly after turning thirty.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok decided to duel with the Mage King. However, simply fighting him without any buildup would not be very entertaining.

    <i>¡®I need to get the viewers¡¯ attention first,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Livestreams needed a setup. He had to draw people¡¯s attention and raise their interest in the duel. As the winner of the Sword Emperor Tournament, Jin-Hyeok livestreamed a message stating that magic was an inferior discipline inbat.

    This livestream began to spread widely.

    -Look at the arrogance of the Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯s winner! Haha!

    -But when Chul-Soo says it, it somehow sounds right.

    -Well, what he said was essentially true until the Mage King appeared.

    -Except for the Mage King, battle Mages cannot beat Swordsmen. Everyone knows that. LOL!

    While some battle Mages were angry, their voices were not very loud. People generally responded with the opinion that everything Chul-Soo said sounded usible, which resulted in the viewers ignoring the Battle Mages.

    <i>¡®This isn¡¯t what I thought would happen!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wanted the bait to engulf onlinemunities, but the heat wascking. <i>¡®By this time, a few battle Mages should have been angered enough toe looking for me.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok needed a setup of dueling and defeating specialized battle Mages. He intended to build up a narrative and eventually fight the Mage King. However, not a single battle Mage came looking for him.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Among all types of Mages, Battle Mages were known for their strong pride. Combat was a niche in magic. Swinging a sword for a year was far more advantageous inbat than studying a fireball spell for ten years. In such an environment, battle Mages, who persevered in honingbat magic, naturally had strong pride.

    ¡°I thought for sure dozens woulde and try to kill me.¡±

    Wang Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. She had prepared scenarios anticipating dozens of challengers, but she would have to scrap them now.

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just too strong, Chul-Soo,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yu-Mi, do you think that too?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± She sighed heavily. ¡°We might be reaching the limit ofbat content soon. Don¡¯t worry. I will find another breakthrough to revitalize the channel!¡±

    Yu-Mi confidently thumped her chest, but it didn¡¯t shake off Jin-Hyeok¡¯s anxiety. In such situations, Yu-Mi was usually the type to already have thought of breakthroughs and countermeasures, asking Jin-Hyeok to choose from her options rather than saying to trust her to find another solution.

    As they continued their serious discussion, Cha Jin-Sol burst in, out of breath.

    ¡°Oppa! Oppa! Oppa!¡± she yelled.

    ¡°Did you find great content for my channel?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I just heard that the Mage King has fallen!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± For a moment, he felt like the sky was falling. Jin-Hyeok had no idea how to proceed with the content now.

    ¡°Oppa, I need your blood.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°A potion made from your blood, infused with the Herb of Immortality, might save him, right?¡±

    The Herb of Immortality had not shown such dramatic effects on Jin-Hyeok. However, it had greatly affected Park Terse and Sae-Rin, who were nearby. Both of them had gained a 30-Level increase. For those in their mid-300s, where leveling up was notoriously difficult, a 30-Level increase was nothing short of a miracle. And this was just from inhaling the residual energy of the Herb of Immortality.

    ¡°Do you mind if I draw a bit extra?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Jin-Sol snapped her fingers, and a syringe asrge as a cannon appeared.

    ¡°I¡¯m going in!¡±

    <i>Thunk!</i>

    Jin-Sol inserted the giant syringe into her brother.

    ***

    People often had amon misconception regarding high-Level yers. They thought that high-ranking yers who had reached incredible Levels were less likely to be exposed to great dangers.

    However, the higher one¡¯s Level was, the more likely one was to face greater dangers. The quality and quantity of risks a Level 1 yer had to take werepletely different from those taken by a Level 400 yer. While a Level 1 yer needed to hunt only a few small rabbits to reach Level 2, a Level 400 yer had to ovee unimaginable hardships and adversities to reach Level 401.

    As a result, the mortality rate among top-ranking yers was much higher than that among ordinary yers. Mage King Seido was no exception.

    <i>¡®I will reach the ultimate realm.¡¯ </i>Seido had been one of those greatly inspired by Chul-Soo. Over five years had passed since he was first called the strongest yer in Arvis. During that time, he had been in a state of constant self-examination. <i>¡®Is this the limit of battle magic?</i>

    Seido realized that Jobs could indeed have innate limitations. Swordsmanship was suited for cutting, and archery was suited for long-range attacks. Magic was beneficial for human civilization and boasted tremendous firepower inrge wars, but it had clear limitations in small-scale, one-on-onebat.

    In his youth, Seido had thought he could ovee all limitations with effort and determination. However, as he surpassed Level 400 and his Skills began to stagnate, he unconsciously started to define his limits. Then, one day, he learned about Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®A nonbatant Eltuber?¡¯</i>

    Eltubers, once known as Streamers, were not suited forbat. The entire universe had created the Eltuber Protection Treaty to safeguard them for a reason.

    Yet, this innately disadvantageous Eltuber had entered the Sword Emperor Tournament and emerged victorious. He even defeated Garbinu with ease. Seeing this, Seido realized something.

    <i>¡®Innate limitations do not exist!¡¯</i>

    The human potential for growth was limitless. So, Seido entered indefinite meditation. Within the vast universe that unfolded inside him, he began a journey to surpass the limitations. He gained some insights.

    <i>¡®I need to discard all the mana that I have umted in my heart.¡¯</i>

    Mages created Circles in their heart to store mana. When using magic, they would draw power from these Circles as a source of energy. This wasmon knowledge among Mages. However, Seido was trying to discard these Circles.

    <i>¡®I must break free from the Circles to surpass my limits.¡¯</i>

    He decided not to let the specific method of Circles constrain himself. Instead, he resolved to use the infinite mana spread throughout nature. This world, this universe, everything could be his Circle.

    As he meditated, his Circles began to break one by one. Indescribable mental anguish followed, but he endured with superhuman willpower. Finally, he seeded in destroying all eight Circles. His abundant mana disappeared, and a sense of powerlessness that made him feel like he could copse at any moment dominated his body.

    <i>¡®I need to ept this feeling.¡¯</i>

    He decided to ept nature into his body. However, it was nearly impossible for a mere human body to ept nature. He eventually experienced a mana overload and copsed.

    His body was beyond repair, torn to shreds, and the high Priests of the Holy Empire of Helen and healing specialist Mages from Mazique were barely able to keep him alive. At that moment, Jin-Sol, the Saint of Freedom, appeared.

    ¡°I¡¯ve brought the Chul-Soo Potion!¡± she shouted.

    The high Priests and healing Mages frowned simultaneously.

    ¡°We¡¯re well aware of the effects of the Chul-Soo Potion.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t think our abilities are inferior to the Chul-Soo Potion.¡±

    Some even showed subtle hostility.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the blood rtive of Chul-Soo, who publicly disrespected magic?¡±

    ¡°How dare someone like youe here?!¡±

    Jin-Sol quickly replied, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. My brother needs to fight the Mage King no matter what. And this is not an ordinary Chul-Soo Potion.¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not a Chul-Soo Potion but a Chul-Soo¡¯s Grandfather Potion, what doesn¡¯t work will never work!¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s a potion with the Herb of Immortality?¡±

    ¡°<i>Sigh! </i>Have youe all this way just to mock us? How rude!¡±

    At that moment, the phone of the person who had just shouted rang. It was an alert for Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream.

    [Herb of Immortality]

    Several other people¡¯s phones rang too, including those who had been angry at Chul-Soo for disrespecting magic.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a subscriber or anything...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not following Chul-Soo¡¯s channel because I¡¯m his fan.¡±

    Jin-Sol knew the alert that just rang was for subscribers only.

    This livestream was incredible. It detailed how Chul-Soo had obtained the Herb of Immortality and absorbed it. It even showed Jin-Sol extracting his blood with a giant syringe to make the Chul-Soo Potion.

    ¡°See?¡± Jin-Sol said.

 Chapter 435

    <h4>Chapter 435</h4>

    Onlinemunities across the universe erupted in excitement.

    -Wait, the Herb of Immortality?

    -Is that really the Herb of Immortality?

    -No way! I bet it¡¯s just a different herb with the same name.

    Debates raged over whether this herb truly granted eternal life or was just an exceptionally potent medicinal nt. Even the renowned inte analyst Encyclopedia could not urately deduce its effects.

    -I hope our Chul-Soo lives forever.

    -Agreed. I can stan him eternally.

    The prevailing opinion was that even the Herb of Immortality could not grant true immortality. Nevertheless, news of Cha Jin-Hyeok consuming the herb spread far and wide, reaching even the ministers of the Mazique Empire.

    ¡°A Chul-Soo Potion made with the Herb of Immortality as an ingredient...¡±

    ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s a Chul-Soo Potion made with the blood of Chul-Soo after he consumed the Herb of Immortality.¡±

    Cha Jin-Sol stood confidently, awaiting the ministers¡¯ response. The ministers continued discussing among themselves.

    <i>¡®But isn¡¯t seeking help from Chul-Soo somewhat going against our beliefs?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo has very close ties with the Emperor of Swedeen. epting his help would ce us in a diplomatically disadvantageous position.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Many within the Mazique Empire already support and praise Chul-Soo. If he manages to save the Mage King on top of that, his influence might even threaten our positions.¡¯</i>

    Han Sae-Rin, who had apanied Jin-Sol, kept her mouth shut and eavesdropped on their conversation.

    <i>¡®Wow, I can hear everything!¡¯ </i>Despite the multipleyers of security magic that were probably used for these private conversations, she could hear everything clearly, with only asional unclear parts that did not hinder her overallprehension of the conversations. <i>¡®Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities are truly extraordinary.¡¯</i>

    Sae-Rin had a Skill that allowed her to copy the stats and abilities of herrades by holding their hands. She had used this technique on Jin-Hyeok several times before and had be quite proficient with it when targeting him. The ability she gained was random and required numerous attempts, but this time, she had sessfully borrowed Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    She had not ced much hope in this ability. It wasn¡¯t something she could keep forever, after all. The borrowed ability could even disappear during the long journey from Earth to Arvis.

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t believe I can still use this ability after that long trip.¡¯ </i>

    As far as she knew, Broadcaster¡¯s Insight was primarily a visual ability. Yet, it seemed to be amplifying her hearing as well. Sae-Rin was no longer surprised by such developments. Anything she thought might be possible with this ability actually was.

    <i>¡®I guess it¡¯s like how extremely developed poison resistance bes indistinguishable from curse resistance... The same principle applies here,¡¯ </i>she thought.

    With this skill, extremely developed vision became indistinguishable from hearing.

    After a short while, Sae-Rin stepped forward. ¡°I apologize, but I can hear all your conversations.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The ministers flinched. Some turned pale, while a few of the bolder ones yelled at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re showing off without any good evidence that this potion will work,¡± bellowed a minister named Belbon. He was a skeleton-type Lich who had lived for hundreds of years.

    ¡°Even if you eavesdropped on our conversation, it doesn¡¯t matter. We said nothing harmful to the great Mazique Empire,¡± Belbon bluffed.

    ¡°I wonder if you have forgotten that it was the Mage King who purified you when you were going mad from the side effects of bing a Lich and even elevated you to the position of Magic Commander of the Empire,¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You were discussing how epting help from Chul-Soo, who has close ties with the Emperor of Swedeen, might ce you in a diplomatically...¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Belbon interrupted her, his eye sockets emitting a blue glow. While this glow would have paralyzed ordinary people, it had no effect on Sae-Rin. ¡°You seem to be wearing some special defensive magic, or rather, have activated a defensive Mystery.¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Sae-Rin replied.

    ¡°There is no need to lie, Ruler from the Earth Server.¡±

    ¡°I simply borrowed Chul-Soo¡¯s Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That blue glow of yours is a visual attack, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Extremely developed vision naturally blocks all visual attacks.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±

    ¡°I understand. If I didn¡¯t know Chul-Soo, I would dismiss it as nonsense too.¡± Sae-Rin shrugged. The smarter someone was, the harder it was for them to believe such things. Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities were far beyondmon sense. ¡°Well, if you guys don¡¯t need us, we will leave. But your true intentions will be revealed to the public. I wonder how the citizens of the Mazique Empire will react to that.¡±

    ***

    -The Herb of Immortality is insane! LOL

    -Wow, its performance is off the charts!

    -The Mage King has resurrected!

    Mage King Seido had recovered. The Chul-Soo Potion infused with the Herb of Immortality hadpletely healed him.

    -They say the Mage King has entered a new realm, haha!

    -What¡¯s that called again? Void Circle? I thought that only existed in science fiction!

    -The Void Circle is real?

    The Magemunity was also in an uproar. Mage King Seido had destroyed all existing Circles in his heart and entered the realm of Void Circle. He could now freely utilize nearly infinite mana without being bound by Circles.

    -Is this thanks to Chul-Soo?

    -The power of the Chul-Soo Potion, is it?

    This situation became an incredible advertisement for Chul-Soo Potion. People across the universe were desperate to obtain it. Its price was whatever one was willing to pay. However, Jin-Hyeok was not particrly interested in making money off of his potion. He already had more money than he knew what to do with.

    <i>¡®This is a bit troublesome,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Mage King Seido had formally invited Jin-Hyeok and held a grand banquet in his honor.

    ¡°I will never forget your kindness, Sir Chul-Soo.¡± Seido treated Chul-Soo with utmost respect and presented him with the Nine Rings Medal, the highest honor that the Mazique Empire¡¯s emperor could bestow.

    ¡°You are the savior of my life, Sir Chul-Soo. I would rather cut off my limbs and discard my mana than fight you. No, I would rather take my own life,¡± Seido said. He imed it was a matter of a Mage¡¯s honor. ¡°However, if you truly desire it, I could engage in a duel with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    ¡°But... it would be difficult for me to produce the oue you desire, Sir Chul-Soo. I would not be able to give my all against you.¡±

    Seido exined that it wasn¡¯t a matter of will. No matter how hard he tried, he would instinctively be unable to give his best effort against Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that defeat what you¡¯re trying to create, Sir Chul-Soo?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression darkened slightly. He needed to fight Mage King Seido so that Garbinu, who was in the body of Deliark, could surprise attack him.

    <i>¡®Maybe if I appeared drunk, Garbinu would attack me,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡°I would like to get drunk... Do you have any strong liquor?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! You jest well!¡± Seido heartilyughed. <i>¡®How could someone who wasn¡¯t affected by the White Snake King¡¯s poison possibly get drunk? To make such a joke in this situation, he¡¯s such an amusing fellow.¡¯</i>

    ***

    The duel with Mage King Seido was off the table. Instead, through their conversation, Jin-Hyeok gained a new insight.

    <i>¡®He¡¯s right. If I can¡¯t get drunk when I want to, it means I¡¯m not in perfect control of my abilities!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized there was still room for improvement. If he could not regte his abilities at will, they weren¡¯t truly his. <i>¡®I need to train to properly handle my abilities.¡¯</i>

    Just as he was about to close his eyes for a moment, someone opened his door. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t an Assassin.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, give me your hand.¡± Sae-Rin grabbed Chul-Soo''s hand without preamble.

    ¡°This again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t forget that exhrating feeling.¡±

    For someone who had experienced borrowing Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities, it was impossible to give up the taste. His abilities were incredibly addictive.

    ¡°Which ability do you want to borrow?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Sae-Rin continued to fiddle with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand. ¡°I want Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. Reading people¡¯s true thoughts is fun.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a simr Skill?¡±

    Most Rulers possessed Skills rted to insight. Usually, Ruler Skills were more potent than Eltuber Skills.

    ¡°Do you really think thatpares to your Broadcaster¡¯s Insight?¡± Sae-Rin asked.

    ¡°Is it that iparable...?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Your Broadcaster¡¯s Insight is insane.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it¡¯s insane.¡± For some reason, the expression <i>insane</i> had started to bother himtely.

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Sae-Rin casually interlocked her fingers with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s. Then she subtly observed his reaction.

    ¡°Borrow whatever you want. I¡¯m going to sleep for a bit.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok quickly fell asleep, and Sae-Rin red at him with slightly resentful eyes. This waste at night, and they were on a bed together. Sae-Rin thought that if they were alone like this, some affection would develop from this hand-holding. Then she tilted her head in sudden realization.

    <i>¡®Well, maybe this is not that bad,¡¯ </i>Sae-Rin thought.

    She knew well that he was a madman who only cared about livestreaming¡ªa madman who could not see anything beyond his livestreams. He definitely would not be dating or getting married anytime soon.

    <i>¡®That means I can hold his hand whenever I want, right?¡¯</i>

    The thought of monopolizing Chul-Soo¡¯s hand was quite encouraging. In the dark room, her eyes glinted with a touch of madness.

    ¡°Hehehe. It¡¯s mine... His hand is mine!¡±

    ***

    The moment Jin-Hyeok consumed the Herb of Immortality, Dragan the Gluttony looked up at the sky andughed. ¡°Hahaha! Atst, the perfect Demon King has been born!¡±

    Among the four Demon Lords, only Dragan the Gluttony remained. He could sense that the scattered Demon Realms were now bing connected as one.

    ¡°We pay our respects to the Demon Lord,¡± a Demon said.

    Countless Demons came to Dragan, bowing their heads. Fearing they could be devoured if they made the slightest mistake, they zealously pledged their loyalty.

    ¡°Hahaha! Finally, the Demon Realms are being unified!¡± Dragan said.

    While individual Demons were incredibly powerful, they had been scattered until now. They were divided into small-scale Servers and were too busy fighting each other. But now, as they integrated into a single Server under the rule of the powerful Dragan the Gluttony, they couldbine their strengths.

    ¡°Demons! Those born from the anxiety and fear of countless beings!¡± Dragan said. As numerous Demon Realms merged into one, this new Demon Realm officially became an actual Server. This was the Server that Garbinu had longed for in the past. ¡°Now, we will be connected to numerous Servers across the universe.¡±

    Guardian Trees were spread throughout the universe. These trees would weaken the boundaries between dimensions, facilitating synchronization. Demons could now spread across the universe.

    ¡°Go forth. Destroy. And dominate!¡± Dragan shouted.

    Demons began moving to other Servers through warp portals that had appeared all over the world. Dragan the Gluttony himself also took action.

    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± Dragan asked.

    A Demon in human form replied, ¡°This is the Earth Server. It seems to be a newly created Server.¡±

    ¡°A new Server?¡± Dragan burst intoughter. New Servers deserved treatment befitting their status. ¡°Let the young Demons move.¡±

    Dragan had grand ambitions.

    <i>¡®I will subjugate all the creatures of Earth, turn them into ves, and present them to the new Demon King!¡¯ </i>Dragan thought. <i>¡®Surely, the Demon King would praise me for this!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 436

    <h4>Chapter 436</h4>

    Hamedis, a strategist who possessed a human body and a hippopotamus face, had long served as Dragan the Gluttony¡¯s advisor. He was the one who had advised Dragan to assume the form of Count Piklu of Picture Castle on the Cliff. Piklu was a camera-shaped Demon with almost nobat ability, perfect for lulling opponents into a false sense of security.

    ¡°Lord Dragan, there is one issue,¡± Hamedis said.

    ¡°An issue?¡±

    ¡°Earth is Sir Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s homnd.¡±

    ¡°Who is Kim Chul-Soo?¡±

    Dragan frowned, and ck liquid oozed from his massive slime-like body, indicating his extreme anger.

    <i>¡®How dare he use honorifics for someone else before me!¡¯ </i>Dragan thought.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo is the Demon King¡¯s name.¡± Hamedis almost sighed involuntarily. Despite devouring so many Demons, Dragan was still this hot-headed.

    ¡°Oh...¡± Dragan¡¯s expression softened. He muttered the name <i>Kim Chul-Soo </i>repeatedly to remember it.

    ¡°I do not know his inclinations, so it¡¯s hard to judge how he will view an invasion of his homnd,¡± Hamedis said.

    ¡°Hm... that¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve never been wrong. Speak freely.¡±

    ¡°He is definitely human, right?¡±

    ¡°I believe so...¡±

    ¡°Then he¡¯s likely to approve of our invasion.¡± Hamedis knew human nature quite well. ¡°Humans value things like justification, honor, and morality.¡±

    ¡°They value such things? Why?¡± Dragan found this iprehensible. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t strength everything? What importance can justification, honor, and morality have?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. It¡¯s just how they are,¡± Hamedis replied.

    Hamedis knew about the Demon King from records scattered throughout the Demon Realm. These were left by Garbinu, in preparation for his resurrection. Hamedis knew that the Demon King desired perfect domination.

    ¡°The Demon King surely wants domination. But being human, he must consider justification and morality,¡± Hamedis added.

    ¡°Get to the point!¡±

    ¡°He will want us to invade and dominate humans on his behalf. The Demon King won¡¯t have the intention to directly dominate at least Earth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Hahaha!¡± Draganughed loudly. He thought that sending young Demons was sufficient for now. Soon, Earth would be plunged into chaos, breeding great anxiety and fear, which would strengthen the Demons further. ¡°We will devour Earth!¡±

    ***

    Demons appeared in various ces on Earth, engaging in battles with Earth yers. However, this did not cause tremendous fear or chaos.

    [New species from another dimension.]

    [They call themselves Demons.]

    [Extremely hostile to humans. Caution advised.]

    Such reports merely circted in the media and onlinemunities. Some journalists and Eltubers attempted to cover this in depth, but it did not amount to much.

    -Isn¡¯t dying while ying a normal thing?

    -yers know what they are getting into...

    Earth was a Server directly influenced by Chul-Soo.

    -I bet some people will sympathize with Demons.

    -Are Demons really anything special?

    Any intelligent monster could be called a Demon. What mattered was how many experience points they gave or whether they dropped good items rtive to their difficulty.

    -They say those Demons are not monsters.

    -Apparently, they areing from the recently promoted Demon Realm Server...

    -Oh, is this like a Server war or something?

    Earth remained strangely peaceful. It wasn¡¯t entirely unusual for someone from the Demon Realm to attempt conquest on the Server.

    -Well, I guess that could happen.

    -They aren¡¯t approaching the capital city.

    -It looks like the Guardian Tree is stopping them.

    As Cha Jin-Hyeok grew stronger, the Guardian Tree¡¯s power also increased significantly. Seoul¡¯s Guardian Tree, which was connected to other Guardian Trees worldwide, now epassed the entire globe.

    The Guardian Tree yawned.

    -¡°<i>Sigh... </i>This is so boring.¡±

    The Guardian Tree was the entity most influenced by Jin-Hyeok. After indirectly experiencing Jin-Hyeok¡¯s adventures, it found this peace incredibly dull. It was almost addicted to dopamine, craving new stimuli, thrilling adventures, and tense excitement.

    -¡°Hm...¡±

    One day, the Guardian Tree observed drought-stricken areas and flooded regions simultaneously. Though these were on opposite sides of the Earth, this did not matter to the tree.

    -¡°Shall I, the great Guardian Tree, lend a hand?¡±

    The Guardian Tree vigorously absorbed water from flooded areas through its roots and sprinkled it over drought-strickennds. Then it left a mark of its deed.

    [By Kim Min-Ji]

    When a record-breaking wildfire broke out on another continent, the Guardian Tree extinguished it with water from flooded areas and left another mark.

    [By Kim Min-Ji]

    People wondered what or who this <i>Kim Min-Ji </i>was; some even spected it was a divine sign. Many shed tears of gratitude to <i>Kim Min-Ji</i>.

    The Guardian Tree felt unexpectedly pleased. It enjoyed people¡¯s praise. In its dopamine-addicted state, it began seeking more stimting activities. Anthropologists unanimously dered:

    [Humanity will enter an unprecedented era of prosperity.]

    [Kim Min-Ji is the solution to the climate crisis.]

    [The miracle of Kim Min-Ji.]

    Meanwhile, the real Kim Min-Ji, the Mad God of Favoritism, stood in front of the Guardian Tree and frowned. She said telepathically, <i>¡®Hey, you. Why are you impersonating me?¡¯ </i>

    -¡°It¡¯s not an impersonation! My name is Kim Min-Ji!

    <i>¡®Min-Ji is my name.¡¯</i>

    -¡°I decided to name myself Min-Ji too!¡±

    <i>¡®Why?¡¯ </i>Min-Ji wasn¡¯t pleased. Kim Min-Ji was the precious name Jin-Hyeok had given her. She did not like it being used arbitrarily.

    -¡°Well...¡±

    <i>¡®Answer properly, or I will cut you down in seconds.¡¯</i>

    -¡°Because it¡¯s the name of the official Chul-Soo Land No.1...¡±

    <i>¡®What?¡¯</i>

    -¡°I am a Chul-Soo Lander too...¡±

    Min-Ji¡¯s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.

    <i>¡®I guess you¡¯re a good tree.¡¯</i>

    She decided to allow the tree to use her name.

    ***

    Dragan the Gluttony grabbed Hamedis by the cor and lifted him. ¡°Why isn¡¯t fear and anxiety spreading?¡±

    ¡°Ack! Forgive me, Lord Dragan!¡±

    Hamedis was equally perplexed. Usually, when Demons appeared in an area and started a conquest, chaos and fear would ensue. However, on Earth, there was no sign of this. Instead, positive news was sweeping the globe about floods being mitigated thanks to someone named Kim Min-Ji, lives being saved, droughts being resolved, and food shortages being alleviated.

    ¡°You useless fool,¡± Dragan said. He mmed Hamedis to the ground. With a thud, Hamedis hit his head and passed out. ¡°Should I just eat him?¡±

    Hamedis was useful in many ways. Eating him would not transfer all his abilities anyway. So, Dragan decided to keep him alive for now.

    ¡°At this rate, I can¡¯t face the Demon King...¡± It seemed sending young Demons alone would not aplish anything. ¡°So, this Min-Ji is interfering with my project.¡±

    Attacking major cities would be most effective in sowing fear, but that was impossible.

    ¡°Hey, wake up.¡± Dragan created a viscous liquid whip andshed Hamedis. Hamedis woke up screaming.

    ¡°What¡¯s the most influential city on Earth?¡± Dragan asked.

    ¡°ording to my research, it¡¯s Seoul, my lord.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to Seoul. I will crush this Min-Ji myself.¡±

    Arriving at Seoul¡¯s border, Dragan smirked. He felt an invisible barrier in front of him.

    ¡°Those useless Demons could not enter the city because of this measly barrier?¡± Dragan said as he touched the barrier. It was ridiculous. Dragan could not believe the Demons were unable to pass such a simple barrier. ¡°Watch me. This is the power of a Demon.¡±

    As he summoned his power, ck mana surged. Arge fist emerged from his massive slime-like body. Many people witnessed this fist imbued with powerful magic.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Demon thing they¡¯ve been talking about?¡±

    ¡°Huh? I think I¡¯ve seen that on a livestream somewhere.¡±

    Some even recognized Dragan.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Dragan the Gluttony or something?¡±

    ¡°The one from Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream?¡±

    Dragan¡¯s fist grew bigger. Now as big as a small hill, Dragan struck the barrier. ¡°Behold. This is the power of a Demon serving the Demon Kin¡ªAck!¡±

    Dragan copsed and melted into a puddle, falling unconscious. There was arge hole in the back of his head.

    ***

    The Guardian Tree Min-Ji was very excited.

    -¡°It¡¯sing! It¡¯sing!¡±

    The Guardian Tree had been heavily influenced by Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok was currently trying to lure out Garbinu by pretending to sleep and meditate. Influenced by this, the Guardian Tree had drawn in Dragan by deliberately weakening the barrier.

    -¡°A big attack ising!¡±

    When an opponent was preparing for such arge attack, it created openings. The Guardian Tree Min-Ji aimed for the back of Dragan¡¯s head.

    -¡°It has a slimy body. I wonder if I can take him out in one hit!¡±

    However, it did not matter. If not in one hit, the Guardian Tree would hit Dragan twice; if that wasn¡¯t enough, then it would hit the Demon thrice. It was nning to keep smashing the Demon¡¯s head until the back of his head cracked.

    -¡°Wait, I took him out in one hit.¡±

    Despite his grand entrance, Dragan was weaker than expected. The Guardian Tree sighed in disappointment and left a mark on the unconscious Dragan.

    [By Kim Min-Ji]

    The people of Seoul were not particrly surprised by this phenomenon. It was just another ordinary urrence for them.

    -¡°Oh, but his recovery is quite fast!¡±

    Dragan, now with [By Kim Min-Ji] engraved on his back, suddenly stood up. He shouted into the air, clearly sensing the Guardian Tree¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Kim Min-Ji? So, you¡¯re the infamous Min-Ji?¡± Dragan yelled.

    Just then, the Guardian Tree Min-Ji heard a voice. It was Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®Hey, Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    However, the Guardian Tree did not respond.

    <i>¡®Sigh... Hey, Kim Min-Ji.¡¯</i>

    -¡°Oh, you called for me?¡±

    <i>¡®Can you help Dragan for a bit?¡¯</i>

    -¡°You want me to help that guy?¡±

    The Guardian Tree tilted its head in confusion, but due to their strong mental connection, it could somewhat understand Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intention.

    -¡°I see!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nned to have the Guardian Tree buff Dragan and then fight the Demon. With the Seoul Guardian Tree¡¯s buff, it would be a more even match. This was Jin-Hyeok¡¯s trap to lure Garbinu into attacking him.

    -¡°But I want to crack his head!¡±

    Cracking that slimy being was quite fun for the Guardian Tree. It did not want to give up the soft, satisfying feeling.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ll pat you,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok said telepathically.

    -¡°H-Hmph! I¡¯ll not be tempted by such an offer!¡±

    When Jin-Hyeok did not respond, the tree quietly added something.

    -¡°If you take a nap on my branches, I will agree to your proposal.¡±

    The deal was sealed.

 Chapter 437

    <h4>Chapter 437</h4>

    On Dragan¡¯s back, near what would be called the nape of the neck on a human¡¯s body, was the phrase [By Kim Min-Ji] engraved in golden letters.

    Dragan sensed a surge of vitality coursing through him. <i>¡®This is my power!¡¯ </i>

    The Demon felt as if he could ce the world beneath his feet. ¡°Do you see how strong I am?¡±

    The strangeness of this phenomenon didn¡¯t faze him. He thought that the Guardian Tree had lent its strength to him after sumbing to him. ¡°I can feel the power boiling within me.¡±

    ¡°Magnificent! As expected of a Demon Lord who serves the Demon King!¡± Hamedis eximed. Though he sensed something amiss, he chose not to point it out. In the world of Demons, for a respected advisor, social skills were more valuable than intelligence, and now was the time to exercise those skills.

    Dragan chuckled. Until now, no Demon had seeded in prating the Guardian Tree¡¯s barrier. But he was different. As he moved, the barrier seemed to thin before vanishing entirely. The Demons following him marveled at his power.

    Suddenly, Dragan heard a voice.

    <i>¡®Now, fight me with all your might.¡¯</i>

    Dragan looked up when he heard the voice of the long-awaited Demon King. He asked telepathically, <i>¡®What do you mean?¡¯ </i>

    <i>¡®It¡¯s exactly as I said. I need you to try and kill me.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Are you testing me, Your Majesty? I could never do such a thing!¡¯ </i>Dragan yearned to be the Demon King¡¯s right hand and rule the world, not to die here.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not testing you.¡¯</i>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok was currently mimicking Han Sae-Rin¡¯s Ruler-exclusivemunication Skill. He was getting assistance from her. In some cases, Sae-Rin¡¯s Skill could subtly influence the target¡¯s mind.

    <i>¡®I havee to believe that you might be the true Demon King,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok added. While this wasn¡¯t exactly brainwashing, it was enough to nt a seed of doubt in his target¡¯s mind. <i>¡®Have faith in your abilities. You¡¯re the vessel destined to be the true Demon King.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®So, it was like that all along?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok arrived at the scene, riding the Thunder Dragon. Before any big festival, people would shoot fireworks and host borate drone shows. In this world, such disys of grandeur often attracted people¡¯s attention. Jin-Hyeok understood this. Hence, purple storm clouds nketed the sky as lightning struck. Amidst the lightning storm, Jin-Hyeok leaped down.

    ¡°Dragan the Gluttony. You have ruined everything!¡± Jin-Hyeok yelled as hended, clutching Miri in his right hand.

    When Dragan flinched, Jin-Hyeok sent another telepathic message. <i>¡®Remember, you are the true vessel of the Demon King.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words rekindled Dragan¡¯s courage. With the Guardian Tree¡¯s buff empowering him, Dragan¡¯s confidence soared. As the [By Kim Min-Ji] inscription glowed on him, Dragan grew bigger, emanating a soft golden light.

    ¡°Huhuhu... Atst, you show yourself, fake Demon King,¡± Dragan sneered.

    ¡°Even if it costs me my life, I will stop you.¡±

    The battle between Jin-Hyeok and Draganmenced. Jin-Hyeok disyed speed surpassing that of ordinary Eltubers. He instantly closed the distance between them and leaped as if he had been teleporting, swinging Miri to strike the air.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The shockwave from hitting the air transformed into apressed air bullet with tremendous impact, shooting toward Dragan. For a moment, Dragan¡¯s vision went dark, and he briefly doubted his im to the Demon King¡¯s title. However, this doubtsted only a second.

    <i>¡®His attack didn¡¯t affect me at all!¡¯ </i>Dragan thought. The golden energy surrounding his body had converged to protect him, creating a shield that concentrated on a single point to block the shockwave. <i>¡®The attack didn¡¯t affect me!¡¯</i>

    His confidence began to grow. <i>¡®That¡¯s right! I was the real Demon King all along!¡¯</i>

    Dozens of viscous water streams materialized around Dragan, each imbued with powerful mana.

    ¡°Behold the Demon King¡¯s whips!¡± Dragan proimed.

    When the first whipshed out, Jin-Hyeok dodged with a quick step. However, another water whip flew toward him immediately after. Jin-Hyeok focused the power of his Absolute Barrier above his head. In response, the whips instantly curved, avoiding the barrier¡¯s influence and striking Jin-Hyeok¡¯s abdomen.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Jin-Hyeok grunted.

    ¡°Each Demon King¡¯s whip is imbued with a will. They know their path,¡± Dragan exined.

    Growing increasingly confident, Dragan relentlesslyshed his water whips at Jin-Hyeok, pressuring him. Dragan was experiencing a new world of power.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not getting tired,¡¯ </i>Dragan thought. Though this was due to the Guardian Tree¡¯s buff, such details did not matter to him. <i>¡®I¡¯m the new Demon King!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok found this battle quite enjoyable. <i>¡®The Guardian Tree is doing better than I expected.¡¯</i>

    -¡°We agreed to call me Min-Ji, not Guardian Tree!¡±

    <i>¡®Oh, sorry, Min-Ji.¡¯</i>

    Since the Guardian Tree seemed to anticipate Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attack patterns, it effectively blocked them on Dragan¡¯s behalf. This allowed Jin-Hyeok to attack the Demon more freely, while Dragan could focus solely on offense without worrying about defense, which significantly increased his attacking power.

    <i>¡®Dragan is weaker than I thought, but...¡¯</i>

    More urately, Jin-Hyeok felt he had be excessively strong. Even now, his Level kept rising as countless other yers poured their experience points into him. However, in this situation, such strength was not necessarily a bad thing. It allowed him to maintain perfect control over the battle.

    <i>¡®This battle isn¡¯t meant to create real tension anyway!¡¯</i>

    After all, this was not a genuine fight, but merely a performance to draw out Garbinu, who was hiding and watching Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Die!¡± Dragan roared.

    Multiple water whips merged into a-like formation before transforming into arge mass of water that cascaded toward Jin-Hyeok. It was imbued with powerful mana, and Jin-Hyeok chose not to use Absolute Barrier. He felt that he needed to take the hit directly to show some impact.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Jin-Hyeok grunted.

    The attack caused a slight impact on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head. The Guardian Tree¡¯s buff was indeed powerful.

    <i>¡®Some blood would¡¯ve been better.¡¯ </i>Unfortunately, no blood leaked out of his wound.

    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± Jin-Hyeok taunted the Demon, then telepathically said, <i>¡®You¡¯re doing well, the vessel of the new Demon King. Awaken and devour me to be the true Demon King!¡¯</i>

    Bing even more excited, Dragan chanted a spell. As iprehensible incantations rang out, a viscous liquid erupted from beneath Jin-Hyeok¡¯s feet, ensnaring him.

    ¡°Behold, this is the Demon King¡¯s Flowing Prison,¡± Dragan said.

    The Flowing Prison was Dragan¡¯s ultimate technique. No one had ever escaped it alive. It was a prison that drained the vitality of the one inside it, using it as nourishment.

    ¡°Now, I begin the feast on the fake Demon King. Let the banquetmence!¡±

    Dragan¡¯s heart raced. At first, he had suspected that what Jin-Hyeok was telling him was a trap, thinking his loyalty was being tested. However, now he understood¡ªthe fake Demon King had recognized the true vessel and was surrendering, offering his body to him so that the true Demon King could be born!

    Trapped inside the Flowing Prison, Jin-Hyeok rejoiced. <i>¡®My vision is blocked!¡¯ </i>

    This meant that people from the outside could not see what was going on inside this prison. Garbinu would not be able to see through this with his current abilities.

    <i>¡®Miri, I will give you a chance to strike the back of my head.¡¯</i>

    -R-Really? No, I mean, I have never wanted to do it...

    <i>¡®There is no time. Hurry!¡¯</i>

    -I¡¯m only doing this because you ordered it. I didn¡¯t want this!

    Miri¡¯s Trait, Persistent and Sticky Desire, was activated. A beam of light struck Jin-Hyeok¡¯s head.

    -Hehe... Hehehe!

    Miri fell into ecstasy.

    -I¡¯ve struck Master¡¯s head!

    Miri trembled and convulsed as if she had been electrocuted.

    Jin-Hyeok felt a numbing impact on the back of his head and sensed blood flowing. At that moment, he felt a sense of crisis.

    <i>¡®No!¡¯ </i>he inwardly shouted.

    Perhaps it was the effect of the Herb of Immortality, but the wound began to heal instantly. The blood that had just started to flow stopped. No, it didn¡¯t just stop¡ªthe blood reversed course and flowed back into his body.

    <i>¡®Why have I be so unnecessarily strong?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok transformed Miri into a sword form and swung her at his left arm, severing it.

    <i>¡®That should do it... Wait!¡¯</i>

    However, it did not go as he nned. The severed arm reattached itself in the blink of an eye.

    <i>¡®How the hell is this possible?¡¯</i>

    There was no time to be bewildered.

    <i>¡®Time is running out.¡¯</i>

    The Flowing Prison was about to disappear.

    <i>¡®I need to control my strength.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wanted to heal only when he intended to, be strong only when he chose to. He needed to havemand over the power of the Herb of Immortality so that he could sever his arm when he wished it. If he could not manage this, it wasn¡¯t true strength.

    Jin-Hyeok made a resolution. <i>¡®I need to be truly strong.¡¯</i>

    ***

    However, he could not be truly strong immediately. So, he let out a scream. ¡°Arghhh!¡±

    He deliberately created more wounds on himself, allowing the Flowing Prison to absorb them. As the prison absorbed his blood, which was imbued with the Herb of Immortality, Dragan received a tremendous boost of vitality.

    ¡°I can feel my power overflowing!¡± Dragan clenched his fist. He truly felt as if the world was at his feet. An incredible vitality filled his body. ¡°The true Demon King is being born!¡±

    Garbinu, who was watching this, grew anxious. <i>¡®Is it for real?¡¯</i>

    Garbinu was barely hanging on as a fragment of his soul; he would vanish from this world if he could not find a proper vessel.

    <i>¡®Is Dragan really about to devour Chul-Soo? This has to be a trap. No, it can¡¯t be a trap. No, it IS a trap!¡¯</i>

    Garbinu was contemting what to do. He knew he had to do something. After all, he could also sense the incredible vitality emanating from Dragan.

    <i>¡®That Flowing Prison is really devouring Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    There was no other way to exin the powerful mana he sensed from Dragan. Dragan could gain such vitality only by consuming at least half of Chul-Soo! Garbinu had no choice.

    <i>¡®I must take over Chul-Soo¡¯s body now!¡¯</i>

    Garbinu hid himself in a shadow, seeping into the Flowing Prison. In his iplete state, entering Dragan¡¯s spell was incredibly risky, but it wasn¡¯t as difficult as he had imagined. When he finally reached Chul-Soo, their faces were nearly touching.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Garbinu saw Chul-Soo¡¯s grin and was gripped by fear. ¡°How?¡±

    He had expected Chul-Soo to be in poor condition, but Chul-Soo looked surprisingly unscathed. There wasn¡¯t even a scratch on him. Momentarily taken aback, Garbinu quickly regained hisposure.

    ¡°I see you¡¯re putting on a brave face until the end, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Despite the Streamer¡¯s outward appearance, Garbinu was certain Chul-Soo was in shambles internally. With how much vitality Dragan had absorbed, it was impossible that Chul-Soo was unharmed.

    Like Chul-Soo, Garbinu put on a brave front. ¡°I¡¯vee to take your body and be the ruler of the universe. Be a part of me and rule the universe together.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Jin-Hyeok interrupted him. He swung Miri, now in sword form, cutting his palm. ¡°Let me feed this prison a bit more.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok casually flicked small droplets of blood toward the Flowing Prison. The prison¡¯s energy intensified, and Dragan¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Hahaha! Can you feel it? This is my power! Everyone, praise the birth of the true Demon King!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s wound had already healed.

    ¡°Sorry about that. Now, where was I?¡± he said nonchntly.

 Chapter 438

    <h4>Chapter 438</h4>

    <i>¡®Was my Flowing Prison always this strong?¡¯ </i>Dragan marveled at how the fake Demon King was an excellent prey. He could not believe Chul-Soo had such tremendous power. <i>¡®At this rate, I must have absorbed almost all of him!¡¯</i>

    Dragan thought the fake Demon King was quite noble, willing to sacrifice himself for the true Demon King. So, Dragan decided he would add a line about Chul-Soo¡¯s loyalty when recording historyter.

    <i>¡®But why is it taking so long?¡¯ </i>Even in this state, Dragan found this situation a bit strange, but he chose to view this positively, attributing it to his increased strength. <i>¡®I will absorb even thest hair on his head!¡¯</i>

    While he could conquer Earth immediately, Dragan intended to showposure befitting a Demon King and allow them more time. He sensed the awe in the eyes of the young Demons and Hamedis.

    ¡°Hahaha! Can you feel it? This is my power! Everyone, praise the birth of the true Demon King!¡±

    Meanwhile, inside the Flowing Prison, Cha Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°Sorry about that. Now, where was I? Ah! You said to be part of you and rule the universe.¡±

    Garbinu felt a fear he had never experienced before. He realized how powerful Chul-Soo was. ¡°You...¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was all a trap.¡±

    Garbinu tried to escape quickly, but the Flowing Prison was unexpectedly solid.

    ¡°You can enter it whenever you like, but you can¡¯t leave.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me!¡± Garbinu realized that he had been able to infiltrate the Flowing Prison because Jin-Hyeok had created a path for him. ¡°Chul-Soo. I will make you the ruler of the world.¡±

    ¡°Ruler of the world?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You can dominate the entire universe.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so good about dominating?¡±

    ¡°You can make everyone kneel at your feet.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok imagined everyone kneeling at his feet. ¡°How would that benefit me?¡±

    ¡°You can have anything you desire.¡±

    ¡°Even a spring that gushes ideas?¡±

    Garbinu was momentarily lost for words, not understanding what that phrase meant.

    ¡°I know the location of a spring that grants immense mana,¡± Garbinu said.

    ¡°What would I do with that?¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed. He was disappointed that it wasn¡¯t a wisdom-granting spring that could provide content inspiration.

    ¡°It¡¯s mana, MANA! It will make you even stronger Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Could it weaken my power?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Look at me! Do you think I would use such a shallow trick?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned. ¡°Then what¡¯s good about it?¡±

    ¡°You can have all the beauties in the universe. If you wish, thousands of beautiful women can serve you daily.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok once again let his imagination run wild. Some Assassins could hide among the beautiful women and use seduction techniques to attempt to kill him, but that was not a particrly appealing method. It could end up looking like he was falling for the seduction technique, forcing an unnecessary and frustrating scenario.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need such a forced situation,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Garbinu sensed the conversation was going off track but had no time to dwell on one topic. ¡°All the treasure of the universe will be yours.¡±

    ¡°I already have plenty of money.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was even considering how to give back to society through the MK Foundation. If he gained more treasures, it would be troublesome.

    ¡°You can grasp the greatest power and honor in the entire universe!¡± Garbinu yelled, frustrated.

    Jin-Hyeok grew impatient. He had expected Garbinu, who had used various tricks to obtain the Herb of Immortality, to have some hidden wisdom or strategy. However, Garbinu was of no help to him.

    ¡°Can bing the ruler of the world help me find great content for my Eltube channel?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°People don¡¯t seem to like domination content much...¡±

    Garbinu finally understood what Jin-Hyeok wanted. ¡°We can brainwash everyone! They will all be enthusiastic about your livestream!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri. The hammer-shaped weapon struck Garbinu¡¯s temple.

    ***

    At first, Garbinu tried to escape the Flowing Prison but failed. Then he attempted to seduce Jin-Hyeok with promises of money, honor, and beautiful women, but it did not work as well. Finally, he realized something. <i>¡®There is no way I can persuade this crazy guy.¡¯</i>

    He knew he was going to die here, but he wasn¡¯t willing to go down without a fight.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo ispletely off guard.¡¯</i>

    It was hard to me Jin-Hyeok for being off guard, given the vast difference in their power. But this could be a chance for Garbinu.

    <i>¡®I just need to disappoint him. He will try to kill me with a big attack, just like before.¡¯</i>

    So, he had deliberately said, ¡°We can brainwash everyone! They will all be enthusiastic about your livestream!¡±

    As expected, Chul-Soo swung Miri without a word.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯</i>

    Garbinu¡¯s final trump card, a small mirror-like mass of mana, appeared near his temple and intercepted Miri¡¯s attack.

    ¡°This is my final strategy, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Garbinu had one ultimate technique: the ability topletely reflect a lethal attack that could threaten his life. It was a Trait called Power of the Reflective Mirror, ast resort he could use only once in his lifetime. He had never used this Trait even before he locked himself up inside the Vengeful Stone.

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily taken aback, experiencing a shock he had not felt in a long time. ¡°Ugh!¡±

    The reflected attack had struck Jin-Hyeok¡¯s temple.

    Garbinu did not miss this opportunity.

    <i>¡®Now is my chance!¡¯</i>

    This was Garbinu¡¯s final opportunity to im the perfect Demon King¡¯s vessel; Jin-Hyeok¡¯sposure was shaken by the attack.

    <i>¡®I am going to seep in!¡¯</i>

    Garbinu attempted to infiltrate Chul-Soo¡¯s mind, to overtake his microcosm and dominate his body.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Garbinu¡¯s fragment, which had left Deliark¡¯s body, was bewildered. He had failed to enter Chul-Soo¡¯s body. Meanwhile, Deliark¡¯s physical form crumbled to dust.

    <i>¡®Why?¡¯</i>

    The Power of the Reflective Mirror had worked perfectly. It should have created an opening through which Garbinu could infiltrate Chul-Soo¡¯s mind.

    <i>¡®I will try one more time.¡¯</i>

    However, Garbinu¡¯s fragment was repelled again. A sense of helplessness overwhelmed him.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had squeezed his eyes shut, opened them. ¡°Oh, so this is how powerful my attack is.¡±

    His head throbbed, and he felt slightly dizzy, but there was no major injury. ¡°It seems my defense is stronger than my attacks. Thanks to Garbinu, I have had a good experience.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly put on a serious expression. ¡°Garbinu. Your ugly desires end here.¡±

    For Garbinu, this change was too abrupt. Although it was a performance with editing in mind, to the old-fashioned Garbinu, Jin-Hyeok just seemed insane.

    ¡°I have no intention of dominating the world. What I want is not domination, butmunication,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, breathing heavily.

    ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡± He swung Miri with a serious expression.

    Garbinuughed loudly, maintaining his final shred of pride. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m a spirit body!¡±

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok distorted the flow of time of the surroundings, simr to how his slow-motion Skill worked.

    ¡°No matter how powerful your attack is, do you think it can hit a spirit body?¡± Garbinu was currently a soul that had lost its physical form. Though he was destined to disappear anyway, it seemed better to avoid being killed by Chul-Soo.

    ¡°You fool. It¡¯sughable how you can¡¯t properly use your power! Someday, you will regret what happened today. You willment and shed tears. You will die lonely and alone in a small, empty room!¡± Garbinu yelled.

    ¡°Finally, some high praise,¡± Jin-Hyeok said, grinning.

    In games, the harsher the opponent¡¯s insults were, the grander praises one would get.

    Miri struck Garbinu¡¯s soul.

    ¡°Your attack can never touch m¡ª Argh!!¡± Golden light gathered at a point, and from that center, the space cracked with a shattering sound. Garbinu was sucked into the cracked space, screaming, ¡°No, stop!!¡±

    Garbinu knew that this attack had shattered dimensions. Apart from the chilling fact that just a human could break dimensions, being sucked into that dimension meant enduring eternity in a state of neither living nor dying, trapped in agony.

    ¡°Just kill me instead!¡± Garbinu yelled.

    ¡°Tell me the location of that mana-gushing spring you mentioned earlier. Then I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Garbinu shuddered at his opponent¡¯s wickedness but had no choice. ¡°Fine! I will tell you!¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression darkened slightly.

    <strong>[You are currently progressing through the universe-level Scenario ?Legacy of the Forsaken Queen?.]</strong>

    <strong>[You havepleted a part of the universe-level Scenario ?Legacy of the Forsaken Queen?.]</strong>

    <strong>[The final Quest ?Abyss Left by the Queen? has been activated.]</strong>

    After defeating Garbinu, Jin-Hyeok had skipped numerous Stages. The previous Scenario Quest was for Stage (24), but he had skipped five more Stages, reaching Stage (29).

    <strong>[(29) You have finally obtained the true Reflective Mirror. Atst, you have driven out the power of darkness and sown the seeds of true peace. I pay homage to your breathless and desperate journey. Even if those arduous hardships and adversities have torn your body and soul to shreds, you will not stop. Your great footsteps are not yet finished...]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit embarrassed. <i>¡®It wasn¡¯t that hard...¡¯</i>

    It seemed that the Quests from Stages (25) to (28) involved acquiring something called the Reflective Mirror, which was hidden somewhere; using it to block Garbinu¡¯s final attack; and annihting Garbinu. That process was supposed to have been very difficult. However, instead of using such an item, Jin-Hyeok had simply overwhelmed Garbinu with his unforgiving power.

    <strong>[...Soon, the Final Abyss will open. Only you can fill this abyss, and your name will be praised for eternity.]</strong>

    The words were grandiose, but no rewards were given for clearing the Quest, and it felt anticlimacticpared to the description of the Quest.

    <i>¡®Ah!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok eximed. Bing too strong was indeed the problem. Now, it seemed he had to be transcendentally strong enough to control his power at will. Being ambiguously strong like this made it difficult for him to createpelling content.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t feel so good about this.¡¯ </i>

    At that moment, the Flowing Prison disappeared, and a voice rang out.

    ¡°Hehehe, the illusion of the fake Demon King remains.¡± Dragan the Gluttony becamerger and said, ¡°With that level of strength, it¡¯s natural that your will would leave an illusion. However, there cannot be two suns in the sky. Tomemorate the birth of the true Demon King, I will tear you to shreds and devour you!¡±

 Chapter 439

    <h4>Chapter 439</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok, who was already in a foul mood, snapped. Hisst thread of reason broke.

    ¡°I was holding my true power inside your Flowing Prison to gain momentum,¡± he said.

    ¡°What?¡± Dragan confusedly blinked.

    Suddenly, a blinding sh erupted before Dragan¡¯s eyes. Jin-Hyeok had instantly closed the distance between them and swung Miri.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Dragan yelled.

    The tremendous impact jolted Dragan back to his senses. He realized the stark difference between him and Chul-Soo. The man standing in front of him was the real deal.

    <i>¡®If I take another hit like that, I might die!¡¯ </i>Dragan panicked.

    He immediately prostrated himself on the ground. However, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s strikes were faster, which resulted in the Demon receiving another solid hit.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I will not try to dominate anyone ever again!¡±

    Violence, at times, could spark wisdom. Dragan suddenly understood that his newfound strength was all thanks to the Guardian Tree. His eyes opened, and his perspective changed.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a fool who doesn¡¯t know how to dominate others!¡± Dragan cried out. His massive build began to shrink gradually. ¡°Please, forgive me!¡±

    ¡°You threatened and tried to dominate countless people on Earth. Humanity does not want to be ruled by anyone,¡± Jin-Hyeok said coldly.

    ¡°Of course! You¡¯re absolutely right!¡±

    The problem was that Miri was also going berserk. Miri emanated a golden intense energy, pummeling Dragan as if it were giving him a brutal massage.

    -I can¡¯t ept being weaker than the Guardian Tree!

    The Guardian Tree and Miri engaged in a battle of pride.

    -¡°You¡¯re weak, weak, weak! I¡¯m so much stronger than you!

    -I will not stand for this!

    -¡°Go ahead. Hit me! I will block everything!

    Unfortunately, Dragan was the one suffering the consequences of their sh.

    <i>¡®Please... stop!¡¯ </i>he silently pleaded.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok also continued to assault Dragan, having lost all reason. ¡°If someone like you exists, civilization itself will not forgive you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I am truly sorry! I¡¯ve learned my lesson!¡±

    Hamedis, who had been quietly observing the scene from behind, cautiously knelt as well. The young Demons following him also dropped to their knees. No one dared to speak during this solemn scene of violence.

    Hamedis gulped. <i>¡®Earth... is a terrifying ce.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Dragan¡¯s liquid body was in a sorry state. Holes peppered his form, and a dark, murky liquid¡ªthe equivalent of blood for him¡ªoozed out everywhere. His eyes were swollen shut. By this point, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mood had improved slightly. Sometimes, violence could be oddly refreshing.

    <i>¡®Oh... this isn¡¯t right.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok suddenly stopped. <i>¡®Isn¡¯t it crazy to feel refreshed by violence?¡¯</i>

    Since he considered himself calm and reasonable, it was hard for him to ept that he could have such thoughts.

    <i>¡®I suppose everyone loses their mind asionally.¡¯</i>

    Even normal people could go berserk once in a blue moon. For Jin-Hyeok, this was that moment. Outwardly, he maintained a serious expression as he issued a warning. ¡°Remember today¡¯s pain, Dragan.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will never forget it, Demon King.¡±

    ¡°If you ever mention dominating humanity again...¡±

    Dragan flinched. He felt a wave of terror wash over him, reminding him of the return of this hell he never wanted to experience again. He prostrated himself once more. ¡°Absolutely not! I do not want to dominate anyone! In fact, I prefer being dominated!¡±

    ¡°Good. I thought as much.¡±

    The hierarchy was firmly established.

    Meanwhile, Hamedis was a bit concerned. <i>¡®He seems to be in a better mood now... Is it okay for me to speak up?¡¯</i>

    As a strategist Demon, Hamedis was far more sensitive to others¡¯ corruption than other Demons. To him, Chul-Soo embodied corruption itself¡ªtruly befitting a Demon King. This made Chul-Soo¡¯s behavior unpredictable. His current benevolent demeanor could change at any moment.

    <i>¡®I must speak.¡¯ </i>Despite his fear, Hamedis said, ¡°My King, I have an urgent matter to discuss.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok hesitated, unsure whether to respond or not. If he acknowledged Hamedis, it could be seen as him epting the title of Demon King.

    <i>¡®Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter now,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok had not directly epted the title, after all. If he identally did, he could always edit it outter. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°As you¡¯re well aware, we Demons are born from and sustain ourselves on negative emotions like anxiety and fear from living beings. It¡¯s our lifeblood and sustenance.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was notpassionate enough to sympathize with the Demons¡¯ plight. He knew that they had survived just fine without throwing Earth into chaos. They had gone on about needing more negative energy since the Demon Realm had be an official Server, but he could not empathize with them.

    <i>¡®Those Demons should find new ways to adapt to the new era,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for those who can¡¯t adapt to be obsolete?¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok said that to Hamedis, these words were also meant for himself.

    <i>¡®This is difficult.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought it was impossible to continue livestreaming as he used to before. Even hisst hope¡ªthe duel with the old Demon King¡ªhad fallen through.

    Wang Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we change the fundamental nature of your livestream.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working on a few concepts... still organizing my thoughts,¡± she replied with a bright smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m confident I can make you a universal superstar!¡±

    Her reassuring demeanor allowed Jin-Hyeok to rx a bit. Yu-Mi was reliable as always.

    ¡°Oh, and about the Demons...¡±

    ¡°I will handle that.¡± Joseph cut Yu-Mi off.

    Once known as Star Maker before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression and now assisting him alongside Yu-Mi, Joseph said to Jin-Hyeok about the Demons, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be just fear and anxiety.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Hatred can also be good nourishment for them.¡±

    Soon after, Demon Eltubers began popping up like mushrooms. They cultivated a troublemaker image by causing various incidents. Demon Lord Dragan started livestreaming, taunting viewers withments like, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Chul-Soo, you would all be my ves, you weaklings.¡±

    As a result, anti-Demon sentiment surged on Earth.

    -Those filthy Demon bastards.

    -Yeah, but Chul-Soo can take you out in one hit.

    -You talk big for someone who got thrashed by Chul-Soo.

    As Earth people began to despise Demons, the Demons rejoiced.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so fulfilled before!¡±

    ¡°Finally, I feel satiated!¡±

    The Demons were not the only ones excited.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been itching to fight a Demon.¡±

    ¡°I heard Demons give tons of experience points.¡±

    yers who wanted to battle Demons engaged in duels with them all over the world. Surprisingly, neither yers nor Demons lost their lives. The Seoul Guardian Tree covered the entire globe, allowing both Earth yers and Demons to find a satisfactorypromise.

    However, yers based in Korea, especially in Seoul, sighed in frustration.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t there any Demons in Seoul?¡±

    ¡°Would youe to Seoul if you were a Demon? Chul-Soo is here.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. It¡¯s annoyingly safe. I might have to move to another Region.¡±

    Seoul yers began to seek job opportunities closer to where the action was.

    ***

    Yu-Mi coldly said, ¡°You know you can¡¯t domunication livestreams, right?¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°If you want tomunicate with people, just say so. I can consider merging channels with BongMiNaTV.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not particrly interested in interactive livestreams. Even though he was willing to switch to that format if viewers wanted it, he did not believe people were looking for just ordinary interaction.

    ¡°By the way, over forty percent of your viewers want interactive livestreams,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably because they do not know mymunication skills yet.¡±

    ¡°True, but you do have one exceptionalmunication skill.¡± Yu-Mi held out a mirror.

    Jin-Hyeok looked at his reflection but felt nothing special. ¡°Stop with the jokes. How should I proceed from here?¡±

    ¡°Is there anything you want to do, Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°In the current situation, what we can do is...¡±

    As they talked, it became clear that Jin-Hyeok¡¯s and Yu-Mi¡¯s thoughts were not far apart. They spoke almost simultaneously.

    ¡°Content about overwhelming power, right?¡±

    ¡°How about content about your overwhelming power?¡±

    They decided to abandon the idea of creating content with nail-biting tension. Instead, they chose to focus on providing viewers with vicarious satisfaction. The concept would involve easily clearing extremely difficult Dungeons that others could not challenge with a nonchnt ¡®<i>That was easy¡¯ </i>attitude.

    ¡°But you need truly overwhelming skills for that,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about overwhelming skills...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok did not consider himself technically impressive. His physical abilities (Level) were so high that he could just bulldoze through everything.

    ¡°Physical prowess is a skill too,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    After their discussion, they decided to fully reveal the Munchkin Trait. When Jin-Hyeok disclosed this on his livestream, onlinemunities exploded with activity.

    -See? I told you he had the Munchkin Trait!

    -Isn¡¯t this the first time Chul-Soo has officially acknowledged it?

    While everyone had suspected he had the Munchkin Trait, this was the first time Chul-Soo had directly shown the word <i>Munchkin</i> on his livestream.

    -Wow, he really is a Munchkin.

    -So, Munchkin is an actual Trait!

    This revtion made life miserable for teachers cultivating young yers. All of their students now dreamed of acquiring the Munchkin Trait to be like Chul-Soo. Just recently, they had been worried about students aspiring to be Eltubers, but now all students wanted to be Chul-Soo.

    -No wonder he¡¯s so damn strong...

    -Munchkin is broken.

    -Now that I think of it, isn¡¯t Chul-Soo the GOAT? Has he ever lost even once?

    -It¡¯s an honor to live in the era of Chul-Soo!

    The situation was unfolding as Jin-Hyeok had intended. He had shifted from being a yer who provided first-person livestreams with nail-biting tension to an all-time living legend, which resonated well with the public.

    -He has never had a slump, has he?

    -It¡¯s an insane career.

    After revealing his Munchkin Trait, he announced his next move. He would challenge the most difficult Unexplored Dungeon in the universe¡ªthe Dragon¡¯s Nest, which no Adventurer had ever cleared.

    -Wow, he¡¯s even going to do a Solo y!

    -Isn¡¯t soloing the Dragon¡¯s Nest a bit too much?

    -This Dungeon is the one that Garbinu and the Seven Great Heros had failed to clear, right?

    The Dragon¡¯s Nest was a famous Dungeon. Strategies for reaching the boss room of this Dungeon were widely avable, but everyone had failed to ovee the final battle. Countless Adventurers had died there, and many more had barely escaped.

    The brutal Fire Dragon, Julius, was the boss monster. Jin-Hyeok decided to take on this undefeated boss, considered the strongest in the world. Interest in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream reached unprecedented levels.

 Chapter 440

    <h4>Chapter 440</h4>

    The Dragon¡¯s Nest, home of the Fire Dragon Julius, was a primordial Dungeon. It was the oldest Unexplored Dungeon in the entire universe.

    Julius was born as the Dungeon¡¯s owner and was somewhat special.

    Initially, he had been a typical Dungeon boss filled with hostility toward yers. However, as time passed, he gradually developed self-awareness. At some point, Julius was reborn as a fully sentient being. By facing countless challengers, he came to know about civilization.

    He began to wonder about civilization, unable to take a single step outside the Dungeon.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s the outside world like?¡¯ </i>He had heard there were other Dragons besides itself, and he wanted to meet them.

    <i>¡®How can I get out?¡¯ </i>he wondered.

    Since he had naturally acquired wisdom over a very long period, Julius eventually learned the way to leave for the outside world.

    <i>¡®I have to die.¡¯</i>

    He also came to understand that death did not mean much to him. Dungeon bosses were resurrected through regeneration even after death.

    <i>¡®Only through death can I truly be free.¡¯</i>

    However, even the freedom of death was denied to him. The yers who challenged him were far too weak. Even when he allowed them to attack, it was useless. They would either faint or die from the recoil of their attacks. No attack could prate Julius¡¯s scales. Even Garbinu and the Seven Great Heroes had managed to inflict only scratches on his body.

    <i>¡®Why can¡¯t anyone kill me?¡¯ </i>Juliusmented.

    Civilization had advanced, and the yers¡¯ Levels had improved, but it was not significant enough to matter to Julius. He tried his best to let the yers who challenged him survive and leave. After all, they needed to be alive to continue challenging him with even a sliver of hope. But now, even that had be tiresome. He had been betrayed countless times by yers, and too much time had passed to keep expecting.

    <i>¡®Just die.¡¯</i>

    yers were no longer potential saviors who could break his chains; they were no different from mosquitoes buzzing in front of his face¡ªweak creatures that copsed at the slightest breath.

    <i>¡®Why are they getting weaker!¡¯</i>

    The Arvis Server, the strongest Server in the outside world, was bing more prosperous, but its yers were beginning to lose the determination they once had. Julius believed yers should act like yers, not choose only safe paths for stable growth. Such growth might mass-produce moderately strong yers, but it would not give birth to truly powerful ones.

    ¡°They are foolish beings who no longer think about getting stronger!¡± Julius raged, breathing fire, but the situation remained unchanged.

    <i>¡®It would have been better if I had never gained wisdom.¡¯</i>

    He had been much happier when he knew nothing. Julius wanted to go back to when he was full of hostility toward yers.

    Just as he was about to give up everything and let his soul crumble, a new stimulus appeared.

    <i>¡®Oh?¡¯</i>

    It was the Eltuber Kim Chul-Soo. Chul-Soo was someone who piqued Julius¡¯s interest. Julius watched Chul-Soo for a very long time and saw potential in him.

    <i>¡®Maybe...¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo could be the yer who could kill him. Julius became engrossed in Chul-Soo, cheering for his growth. Then one day, news came that Chul-Soo would be visiting the Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    <i>¡®Finally!¡¯</i>

    Julius, the official Chul-Soo Land No.1000, [1] leaped from his throne. He took the form of a child with androgynous features.

    <i>¡®Come quickly! Hurry!¡¯ </i>He beamed with a bright smile, and his heart began to race. ¡°Come quickly and kill me, Sir Chul-Soo.¡±

    ***

    A multitude of people gathered in front of the Dragon¡¯s Nest. The Dragon¡¯s Nest was located on the Ingirua Server, which was traditionally allied with Arvis.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo really came!¡±

    Until Chul-Soo arrived at the entrance of the Dragon¡¯s Nest, the overwhelming opinion was he was never going toe. While Chul-Soo was an incredibly strong yer, the notoriety of the Dragon¡¯s Nest had been built up over long ages; the Dungeon was as formidable as him.

    ¡°Are you really going to do a Solo y?¡±

    ¡°Why are you insisting on the Solo y when you can mobilize the K-Force or the rankers from Arvis?¡±

    ¡°Do you truly believe you can clear the Dungeon all by yourself?¡±

    Questions poured in.

    ¡°Do you know that you¡¯ve be the dream of countless children?¡±

    ¡°Teenagers are losing their lives trying to imitate you? Do you acknowledge that?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this y will be excessively dangerous?¡±

    Cha Jin-Hyeok did not answer each question individually. Standing at the entrance of the Dragon¡¯s Nest, he looked around at the cameras.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding my intentions,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had already decided that tense, nail-biting content would be difficult to craft. It was time to change his concept. ¡°Why do you think Solo y is difficult?¡±

    ¡°Well, because...¡±

    ¡°Clearing the Dragon¡¯s Nest is rather easy.¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±

    Chul-Soo¡¯s statement that <i>¡®clearing the Dragon¡¯s Nest is rather easy¡¯ </i>spread across universe-widemunities in real-time. The reactions werergely divided into two.

    -Hahaha! This is so Chul-Soo! I¡¯m in awe of his spirit.

    Then there was the negative.

    -He can¡¯t give up showing off even if it kills him. The Dragon¡¯s Nest will probably be Chul-Soo¡¯s grave.

    Chul-Soo Landers actively supported Chul-Soo, while those who despised them and Chul-Soo prayed for his defeat. Jin-Hyeok looked around and smiled with satisfaction.

    <i>¡®I think I¡¯ve grabbed enough attention.¡¯ </i>He stood at the starting point as a new Eltuber. <i>¡®I¡¯m counting on you, Dragon¡¯s Nest.¡¯</i>

    He decided to clear it very easily.

    ***

    The Dragon¡¯s Nest always had challengers. Since it had the most notorious reputation in the world, this meant that one could also grasp the greatest honor by clearing it. yers dreaming of being the best always challenged the Dragon¡¯s Nest. However, not everyone could be the best.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost out of food.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s almost time for new yers toe in.¡±

    Inside the Dragon¡¯s Nest were several groups of yers and camps. The Dungeon consisted of three checkpoints along the path to the boss room. Since one could only leave for the outside world after reaching the boss room, quite a few people were wandering around the first and second checkpoints.

    The most famous ranker at the first checkpoint was a Tank called Furface. He was also a veteran who had survived here for ten years, unable to leave the first checkpoint for some reason.

    ¡°Someone¡¯se in,¡± Furface said.

    Through the entrance appeared not a group of yers, but a single yer.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Furface was an orangutan Beastkin. His orangutan blood was so strong that at first nce, he looked much closer to an orangutan than a human. This red-haired figure stood before Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Are you alone?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Furface burst into incredulousughter. ¡°There must be widely avable guides about this ce in the outside world. Did youe without studying at all?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I studied a lot beforeing.¡±

    To establish a concept of overwhelming power, one had to study the opponent thoroughly. Jin-Hyeok had memorized all widely avable guides about this Dungeon.

    ¡°Ah, then are you a Navigator? Is your partying soon?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to clear the Dungeon by myself.¡±

    Furface sighed. Over the past ten years, a few idiots had wanted to solo the Dungeon. In fact, he had been one of them ten years ago.

    ¡°Doing a Solo y is impossible here,¡± Furface said.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look that difficult.¡±

    ¡°I thought the same when I was young.¡±

    Furface thought this young human quite resembled his younger self. That was why he felt somewhat concerned.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s Kim Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo?¡± It was a name he had heard quite often, but he could not remember exactly where. ¡°What is your Job?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an Eltuber.¡±

    ¡°An Eltuber?¡±

    ¡°We used to be called Streamers a lot. You must be Furface, the leader of the first checkpoint.¡±

    Furface was momentarily at a loss for words.

    <i>¡®Streamer? Is he talking about the Streamer Job that I know of?¡¯ </i>Furface did know that they were now called Eltubers.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a nonbatant Job?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°Technically, it is.¡±

    Furface had heard rumors about a nonbatant yer winning the Sword Emperor Tournament. It seemed like a lot of those kinds of oddballs and crazy yers were roaming around these days.

    ¡°This is insane. A nonbatant yer challenging a Solo y. Are you perhaps the winner of the Sword Emperor Tournament?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you could never be the winne¡ªHuh? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I am the winner of the Sword Emperor Tournament.¡±

    Furface sensed that he had made a mistake. He had ended up fueling this young man¡¯s misced confidence. As a senior and an adult, he gave Chul-Soo sincere advice.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯s winner, you shouldn¡¯t be this arrogant. Solo y is impossible here, even if you were the Emperor of the Swedeen Empire, not just the Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯s winner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass that on to Kyle,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What...?¡± Furface was surprised. <i>¡®Has the name of the Swedeen Empire¡¯s emperor changed?¡¯</i>

    Being confined in the Dungeon had left himpletely out of touch with the outside world.

    ¡°By the way, Kyle is weaker than me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Is Kyle the name of the Swedeen Empire¡¯s emperor?¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s true that the signal doesn¡¯t reach inside the Dungeon.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok looked at the yers standing behind Furface. They looked quite shabby as if they were living a life detached from civilization.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯repletely cut off from the outside. Our only channel for new information is the new yersing in here,¡± Furface said.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit of anticipation. Although he had decided to change his concept, he could not change his basic mindset from what he had been doing so far. The desire for high difficulty and challenges still stirred in his heart.

    <i>¡®Does the signal really not reach here?¡¯ </i>A part of him hoped it would be true. However, it was a futile thought. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. The signal is working perfectly well.¡±

    Furface looked at Chul-Soo with an expression of disbelief. For ten years, this ce had been isted from the outside. Even Streamers who had imed they would livestream in this ce had been frustrated.

    ¡°What are you talking ab¡ª¡±

    Furface couldn¡¯t finish as the yers behind him started to murmur.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s working!¡±

    ¡°Try charging your phone! We got the signal back!¡±

    yers took out their phones andmunication devices, charged them with mana, and shed tears of joy. Those who had not seen their families for days or even years seeded in calling them.

    Furface found this phenomenon difficult to understand. <i>¡®How is this possible?¡¯ </i>

    This had never happened in the past ten years. Furface asked with a serious expression, ¡°Wait, has a new civilization capable of changing the Dungeon¡¯s internal settings been born? Is that it, Chul-Soo?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, looking slightly disappointed, shook his head. ¡°Anything that interferes with my livestreaming seems to be automatically blocked. ¡°

    ¡°Huh...?¡±

    ¡°Be it barriers, poison, or settings...¡±

    ¡°What do you mean...?¡±

    ¡°It means the Dungeon is weaker than expected.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok quickly continued, ¡°Furface, I heard you know the fastest and most efficient way out of here. If you could help guide me...¡±

    The line Jin-Hyeok had originally prepared was <i>¡®I will provide you with plenty of food.¡¯ </i>However, he changed his words on the spot. The yers crying tears of joy in the background had moved Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart.

    ¡°...I will help you get out of here.¡±

    1. Both Julius and Marshmallow have the No.1000 title. ?

 Chapter 441

    <h4>Chapter 441</h4>

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Furfaceughed. He had spent ten years confined in this Dungeon and had be prideful of being the foremost expert of the first checkpoint. This had hardened his thinking. ¡°At least ten other people have made proposals like yours.¡±

    Escaping this ce had once been his dream. At some point, however, he had stopped dreaming. Too many failures had broken his spirit. Smiling self-deprecatingly, he said, ¡°But that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I have a very tough body and tenacious vitality.¡±

    ¡°You look like it.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m a bit on the stupid side.¡± The orangutan Beastkin tapped his head. ¡°The first checkpoint is basically abyrinth. The path is well-known, so those with a certain level of skill can pass through it, but I can¡¯t ovee the barrier of the first checkpoint¡¯s gatekeeper, the Riddle Sphinx.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°The Riddle Sphinx plunges challengers into illusions by posing riddles. Only those who ovee these illusions can move on to the second checkpoint. And I do not have the intelligence to do that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that your intelligence iscking, but rather that you were born with weak mental fortitude.¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever.¡± Furface had tried hard for ten years but ultimately failed to ovee the illusions. Now, he had given up.

    ¡°Then what about the people behind you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Theyck basic abilities.¡±

    Thisbyrinth was filled with various monsters and treacherous traps scattered everywhere. No matter how excellent the guides avable for thebyrinth were, one needed basic abilities to follow them.

    ¡°Nevertheless, if they keep trying here, they will eventually grow and pass through the first checkpoint at least,¡± Furface added. He looked a bit bitter. ¡°But I¡¯m different. My physical abilities alone are not good enough for me to escape this ce.¡±

    ¡°No, I think differently,¡± Jin-Hyeok interjected.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve studied this ce thoroughly. I believe it¡¯s possible to escape it with physical abilities alone.¡±

    Furface, who had beenughing earlier, now became slightly angry. <i>¡®What can this neer possibly know about me?¡¯</i>

    Of course, since this yer had started as a nonbatant yer yet be the Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯s winner, he definitely had extraordinarily exceptional talent.

    ¡°It seems your exceptionalism has made you arrogant,¡± Furface said. He snorted and continued, ¡°I will not help you. Go ahead. Try to pass through the first checkpoint with your strength.¡±

    No matter how skilled a yer was, it was impossible for them to pass through the first checkpoint on the first attempt, unless they were a top-tier Navigator from Arvis. If everyone who knew the path could pass through this checkpoint, this Dungeon would not have been called the worst in history.

    ¡°If you need help, raise your hands. I will help you then. But at that time, you will have to apologize for your rudeness. Your words disregarded my past ten years. You arrogant brat.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok walked toward the first checkpoint. ¡°This is the entrance to thebyrinth. I¡¯m going in.¡±

    Thebyrinth was filled with all sorts of magic circles that could make one lose their sense of direction, block their vision, or cause disorientation. Sharp des would spring out, and poisonous mists would be released. Before entering, Jin-Hyeok checked the livestreaming system.

    [Don¡¯t worry! We have set your livestream to have a five-minute dy, with plenty of buffers! We will edit and review it sufficiently before airing! >_<]

    After a previous livestream of his had led to numerous viewers being cursed, he had realized that a fully live livestream was not entirely a good idea. So, Jin-Hyeok had opted for a dyed livestream. Wang Yu-Mi would review the footage, and Kang Chul would edit certain parts before airing.

    [Oh, and remember, no first-person view! Please use third person!]

    Jin-Hyeok nodded somewhat regretfully and switched to a third-person perspective. As he entered thebyrinth, a dark energy rushed in and enveloped him.

    Furface, who was following him, smirked. <i>¡®Of all things, the darkness magic circle had to be the one this time...¡¯</i>

    Whenever someone entered thebyrinth, one of the five magic circles would inevitably activate. Among them, the darkness magic circle was the most troublesome. While it did not have an immediate drastic effect, it would be the biggest obstacle to escaping this maze.

    As time passed, it would make one lose their sense of direction and induce inexplicable fear. Eventually, they would fail to maintainposure in front of the gatekeeper Riddle Sphinx and be consumed by illusions.

    <i>¡®If you had studied the strategy thoroughly, you would turn back now,¡¯ </i>Furface thought.

    The darkness magic usually remained in effect for about twenty-four hours. The general and efficient strategy to deal with it was to detect the darkness magic immediately, retreat, and try again after twenty-four hours.

    <i>¡®But he is continuing!¡¯</i>

    As expected, Chul-Soo was a novice full of misced confidence. Even though an efficient method was widely known to the public, he had entered the Dungeon without even knowing that. Surprisingly, the Dungeon had many such fools. The more exceptional one¡¯s abilities were, the more likely one was to do such stupid things. Nevertheless, something was a bit strange.

    <i>¡®Why did it dissipate?¡¯</i>

    Generally, the magic that rose from the darkness magic circle clung to the yer¡¯s body like leeches. It was supposed to slowly eat away at the yer¡¯s body, but for some reason, the aura of darkness magic had vanished around Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Did it get absorbed into his body?¡¯</i>

    That was the worst case. The effect was less severe when the magic influenced the yer from the outside.

    <i>¡®Direct influence of the darkness magic is the worst.¡¯</i>

    Although Furface disliked Jin-Hyeok, he had no intention of letting him die here. He was prepared to rescue Jin-Hyeok the moment the young man copsed. However, Jin-Hyeok did not copse and instead reached a fork. The left path was faster but more difficult and the right path was slower but easier. Here, strategies diverged based on style; those with sufficient strength chose the left, while those who feltcking chose the right.

    <i>¡®He should obviously choose the right path.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok made another foolish choice. He started walking to the left. Unable to hold back anymore, Furface said, ¡°A Fire Dragonling will be waiting for us if you choose the left path.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Okay. If you¡¯re really the Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯s winner, you should be able to handle the Dragonling alone.¡± Furface knew that Chul-Soo was capable of defeating the Dragonling. But the Dragonling was not the end of this Dungeon. The young man had to consider conserving stamina. ¡°I understand you¡¯re confident in your stamina, but you should conserve it when you can. You never know what might happen in this Dungeon¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the advice. I will conserve when I need to.¡±

    Contrary to his words, Jin-Hyeok continued forward and eventually faced the Fire Dragonling. The Dragonling breathed fire, and Jin-Hyeok did not dodge. The concept of this expedition was not creating tension, but showing overwhelming power. He just kept moving forward while activating Absolute Barrier.

    From the perspective of Furface, a veteran of the first checkpoint, this was extremely inefficient. Furface was also quite a capable Tank. From a Tank¡¯s viewpoint, such an advancement was truly foolish. A fool who blocked everything just because they could did not deserve to be called a Tank. A good Tank¡¯s attitude was to dodge what could be dodged.

    <i>¡®His mana consumption must be enormous!¡¯ </i>Furface could not believe Chul-Soo was wasting his stamina and mana when the Fire Dragonling was not even the final boss. It seemed like Chul-Soo just wanted to show off his abilities.

    Finally, after breaking through the mes head-on, Jin-Hyeok swung Miri. Golden streams burst forth from Miri, striking the Dragonling¡¯s temple.

    -Whew~ Thank you for the food!

    Furface flinched. <i>¡®He just killed the Fire Dragonling in one hit!¡¯</i>

    While many could handle the Dragonling, those who could kill it in one hit were rare. Even if that were possible, people rarely did so. Several efficient attacks were far more advantageous for conserving stamina than one overly powerful attack.

    However, Furface began to feel confused.

    <i>¡®His breathing ispletely normal!¡¯</i>

    This was not something that could be faked.

    ***

    Furface had to admit it. <i>¡®He is a monster...!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo should have been affected by the darkness magic. Yet, after facing the Dragonling alone and breaking through all sorts of traps with his strength, he had not even broken a sweat. It was indeed the kind of skill befitting the Sword Emperor Tournament¡¯s winner from a nonbatant Job. Chul-Soo had made even Furface, who had been mired in frustration for ten years, want to feel a little hope.

    <i>¡®What the hell am I thinking?¡¯</i>

    It was better not to have hope¡ªthe greater the expectation was, the greater the disappointment would be. He had experienced too much disappointment and suffered ordingly. Hasty expectations would only hurt him more.

    <i>¡®In the end, the Riddle Sphinx won¡¯t let him pass.¡¯</i>

    The maze was essentially a preliminary battle for the Riddle Sphinx. No matter how skilled a yer was, they would inevitably be physically and mentally exhausted passing through the maze. In that state, when faced with the Riddle Sphinx, they would sumb to its enigmatic riddles and illusions.

    ¡°Furface, can I ask you something?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I won¡¯t give you any advice that might help you.¡±

    ¡°Look at this wall.¡± Jin-Hyeok ced his hand on the stone wall. ¡°If we break through here, don¡¯t you think there might be a shortcut?¡±

    ¡°Ha...¡± Furface sighed. He was a ten-year veteran. At least regarding this ce, he had better eyes than even the Navigators. ¡°All the strategies for this ce have long been thoroughly uncovered. Even before I came here, numerous Navigators explored and found the optimal path¡±

    Just because a yer won the Sword Emperor Tournament, it did not necessarily mean their abilities as a Navigator would be exceptional too. That was physically impossible. But asionally, after achieving greatly in one field, some arrogant geniuses harbored the vain belief that they would be a genius in other fields too.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re better than those Navigators?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°Probably not.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°But I think there is a path here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok began pushing the wall with all his might. Simultaneously, a purple cloud about three meters in size formed above his head, and dozens of lightning bolts rained down.

    Furface¡¯s eyes widened. <i>¡®Oh no!¡¯</i>

    This was a trap even Furface had never seen before. It felt like the most powerful magical storm among all the traps at the first checkpoint. These were spells with tremendous destructive power.

    <i>¡®I need to rescue him!¡¯</i>

    Furface rushed toward Jin-Hyeok. But when his hand touched Jin-Hyeok¡¯s back, Furface had to stop in his tracks.

    ¡°Huh...?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was grinning.

    ¡°See? I told you there was a path here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Behind the wall that Jin-Hyeok had pushed away was a space. In that space was a darkness as ck as the universe. In the middle of that space was a path made of white light.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Just now, that lightning...¡±

    ¡°It stung a little.¡±

    Furface could only wear a dumbfounded expression for a while. Even putting it mildly, it was far more than just a little sting. He finally gathered his wits and continued, ¡°Chul-Soo, this ce is...!¡±

 Chapter 442

    <h4>Chapter 442</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok understood what Furface wanted to say. ¡°I know. It looks a bit dangerous.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you know? It doesn¡¯t just look a bit dangerous; it looks extremely dangerous!¡± Furface eximed.

    Furface had realized it the moment he saw this space. The reason that Navigators had not pioneered this path wasn¡¯t that they were unaware of it. It was something else.

    ¡°It seems Navigators didn¡¯t pioneer this path because it was too dangerous,¡± Furface said. He wanted to mention the lightning from earlier but couldn¡¯t. After all, the person who had been struck by lightning had described it as only slightly stinging, so Furface didn¡¯t have much to say. ¡°That faint white light seems to be the path, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t give me helpful advice?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you advice because that ce looks too dangerous.¡±

    The moment one strayed even slightly from that path of white light, they would turn to dust. That was how ferocious this space was.

    ¡°I told you, Furface. This ce can be cleared if you have exceptional physical abilities,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Furface¡¯s face slightly reddened. No matter how he thought of it, that sounded insulting.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I right just now?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°If your physical abilities are exceptional, getting hit by lightning isn¡¯t much of a problem.¡±

    ¡°You must have naturally high lightning resistance. You should be thankful for how lucky you are.¡±

    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s my poison resistance that is strong.¡±

    ¡°Are you mocking me for having low intelligence?¡±

    ¡°I am not. I swear on my honor as an Eltuber. When poison resistance reaches a certain level, lightning resistance also increases.¡±

    Furface fell silent. He was confused because Jin-Hyeok was speaking with such a serious expression. It made Furface wonder whether that was true. ¡°Chul-Soo, I advise you to retreat from here. I¡¯ve watched your back until now, but not from here on. This is unknown territory even for me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not excited about pioneering this ce?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a fool!¡± No one in their right mind would be excited about such a path. ¡°I¡¯m going back. You should turn back too at this point.¡±

    Furface tried to turn around and leave, but the stone wall that Jin-Hyeok had pushed earlier had returned to its original position. He didn¡¯t panic and tried to push the stone wall, but it didn¡¯t budge at all.

    ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo. I think we¡¯re trapped here,¡± he said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve fallen into a perfect trap.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. It seemed like Furface had stayed in this Dungeon for so long that his perspective had be quite narrow. <i>¡®He must have be too familiar with this Dungeon that he can¡¯t think outside the box. That¡¯s why he¡¯s panicking at even the slightest development.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok extended his right hand and easily pushed the wall aside, revealing the safe space where they were before. ¡°See? No need to panic.¡±

    ¡°What the hell...?¡±

    ¡°You must not have used your strength properly because you were panicking.¡±

    <i>¡®No... I pushed with all my might!¡¯ </i>The orangutan Beastkin, who was confident that his brute strength was second to none even if his intelligence was a bitcking, was baffled.

    ***

    Furface bit his lip. <i>¡®I can¡¯t run away by myself!¡¯</i>

    He could not leave a neer who had just entered the Dungeon today to die on a strange path. For ten years, what had kept Furface¡¯s sanity intact was his value as the most important personnel and leader of the first checkpoint. Abandoning Chul-Soo here would shake that foundation to its core.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I will have to beat you up if that¡¯s what it takes to drag you back to safety...¡±

    Although Furface said that, he failed to do it. Somehow, Jin-Hyeok had already approached and grabbed him by the nape of his neck. Furface tried to struggle, but could not move an inch.

    ¡°Are you... a master of binding magic?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°No. I just grabbed your nape.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I suppose you don¡¯t need to tell me about your hidden abilities.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m serious. It looks dangerous for you to cross this path with your strength, so I¡¯m going to carry you across.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok lifted Furface with his right hand and walked along the path of white light. Though he was just walking, Furface felt his life was in danger. It was as if invisible wind des were dancing around him. If he moved even slightly wrong, he would shatter into dust.

    Fearing for his life, Furface froze like a statue; in contrast, Jin-Hyeok seemed rxed.

    ¡°This space is dominated by a powerful magic field. It¡¯s designed to transform into all kinds of magic to attack people. Like this,¡± Jin-Hyeok said as he stretched out his left hand. Suddenly, the head of the White Snake King appeared out of thin air and bit Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand with a snap. ¡°What¡¯s surprising is that the poison feels quite simr to that of the real White Snake King.¡±

    Furface thought Jin-Hyeok was bluffing, but he quickly changed his mind. <i>¡®I feel nauseous!¡¯ </i>

    He had not directly been poisoned; it was just that a small part of the poison¡¯s scent that had seeped into Jin-Hyeok had reached Furface¡¯s nose. Even that was enough for the Beastkin to feel severe symptoms of poisoning.

    Jin-Hyeok continued walking for several minutes. Furface was terrified as if he were on a hellish roller coaster, but no significant danger befell him.

    ¡°I can see light over there. It seems we have found the quickest shortcut,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok strode toward the light. Up close, it appeared to be arge door made of light.

    ¡°It looks like holy magic, but...¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The terrified Furface covered his eyes with his hands. He felt an immense wave of mana. Walking toward that ce was akin to walking to one¡¯s faith. Furface was already exhausted to his limits, so he was too mentally broken to even resist.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to die!¡¯ </i>Furface thought. <i>¡®Perhaps it¡¯s for the best. Dying like this will be easier. I won¡¯t have to live like the ghost of the first checkpoint anymore! In death, I can eat all the bananas I want!¡¯</i>

    Furface squeezed his eyes shut.

    ¡°Furface, we have arrived at the Riddle Sphinx,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Surprisingly, nothing happened. As a ten-year veteran, Furface was able to regain his senses rtively quickly. He could see the Sphinx staring at them with piercing eyes in the distance. This was a very familiar space to him. It was Riddle Sphinx Field, the mid-boss room.

    ¡°We really arrived there,¡± Furface said.

    ¡°Do you understand what I meant now?¡±

    ¡°What you meant?¡±

    ¡°I told you that if your physical abilities are exceptional, you can pass through this ce easily.¡±

    ¡°Ah... that!¡± Furface finally came to his senses. ¡°That doesn¡¯t apply here, Chul-Soo!¡±

    The Sphinx¡¯s riddles and illusions could not be ovee with physical abilities alone. Although he had panicked because of a strange path that he had not encountered in ten years, things were different now. He knew from his ten years of experience that physical abilities alone could never get someone past this ce.

    ¡°The boss monster is going to approach us soon. It likes to use teleportation magic too,¡± Furface said.

    As soon as he said that, the Sphinx¡¯s eyes glowed red. It instantly closed the distance between them, appearing before Jin-Hyeok. The Sphinx¡¯s question rang out.

    <strong>¡°What animal walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?¡±</strong>

    Befitting the mid-boss of the worst Dungeon in the universe, its voice was filled with majestic mana.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, Chul-Soo!¡±

    The act of answering that question itself would draw one into the illusion. It was an illusion that exploited human weaknesses to destroy the mind. The best method to tackle it was to not engage with the illusion at all. If one could endure for a long time without falling into the illusion, the Sphinx would lose interest and return to its original ce. Then they could move on to the next checkpoint without harm.

    ¡°It¡¯s an animal that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>¡°...¡±</strong>

    The Sphinx stared at Jin-Hyeok with glowing red eyes. At first, that gaze was incredibly intense, but it changed slightly as time passed. Furface felt the Sphinx¡¯s gaze be somewhat gentle. Even as a ten-year veteran, this was the first time he had experienced such a weak gaze.

    <strong>¡°E-Excellent! That¡¯s correct!¡±</strong>

    ¡°?!¡± Furface looked at the Sphinx with a bewildered expression. In the past ten years and even throughout the Dungeon¡¯s long history, something like this had never happened.

    ¡°Phew, that was lucky. So, will you open the path?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    <strong>¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±</strong>

    For a moment, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes met with the Sphinx¡¯s. Startled, the Sphinx quickly teleported far away and waved its front paws widely to the sides.

    <strong>¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t let you pass. I was just curious!¡±</strong>

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok quietly put Miri back into his inventory. ¡°I would have destroyed you if you didn¡¯t let us pass.¡±

    Miri licked her figurative lips.

    -<i>Tsk! </i>I was so close.

    ***

    Furface remained tense until the veryst moment. This Riddle Sphinx was a capricious creature. Sometimes, it would dere an answer correct, and sometimes, it would say that the same answer was wrong. Depending on its mood, it would torment yers for a long or short time.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never seen the Sphinx do this before!¡¯ </i>Furface thought. He needed to keep his wits about him. <i>¡®Ah, perhaps I have already fallen victim to the illusion.¡¯</i>

    Furface could finally make sense of the situation. It seemed he had sumbed to the illusion. <i>¡®My desire to pass through this ce must have been too strong.¡¯</i>

    Because of that, he had unconsciously fallen into the illusion. Still, it was fortunate that he had be aware it was an illusion. Since he was aware of it, the chances of breaking free from the illusion increased greatly.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to him.

    Furface did not respond. After all, this Chul-Soo was probably part of the illusion.

    <i>¡®Is Chul-Soo the core of this illusion?¡¯ </i>There were many types of illusion cores, but the entitymunicating most directly at close range was likely to be the core. <i>¡®I need to destroy it.¡¯</i>

    Furface, who had fallen victim to illusions several times before, immediately clenched his fist and lunged at Jin-Hyeok. He swung his fist. ¡°I will not be devoured by some illusion, Sphinx!¡±

    <i>Bang!</i>

    A loud sound rang out, though it didn¡¯te from Chul-Soo¡¯s head, but from Furface¡¯s.

    ¡°Are youing to your senses now?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Ugh...!¡± Having barely regained consciousness, Furface struggled to his feet. ¡°I think I fell victim to the Sphinx¡¯s illusion.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°My head feels like it¡¯s about to split open. This must be one of the side effects of illusion magic.¡±

    ¡°Is...is that so?¡± Jin-Hyeok thought it was very fortunate that Furface was alive. <i>¡®I almost killed him by mistake...¡¯</i>

    Believing rumors about orangutan Beastkin having quite sturdy physical attributes, Jin-Hyeok had hit him a bit harder than usual, but the rumors turned out to be all lies. If he had not quickly fed Furface a Chul-Soo Potion, the Beastkin would have certainly died.

    ¡°Fortunately, I noticed that I was inside the illusion and was able to escape. That Sphinx is a vicious one. It implemented your appearance as the core of the illusion.¡± Furface clutched his throbbing head. Today, he had an especially terrible migraine around his temples. It felt as if someone had hit him in the head with a blunt object.

    Jin-Hyeok handed him another bottle of Chul-Soo Potion andforted him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Sphinx¡¯s illusion could be that vicious. I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe. And thanks to you, we were able to pass through the first checkpoint.¡±

    Tears welled up in Furface¡¯srge eyes. He clenched his fist and distanced himself from Jin-Hyeok, yelling, ¡°I¡¯m still in the illusion! Damn it!¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 443

    <h4>Chapter 443</h4>

    Furface was the foremost expert on the first checkpoint. That was why he didn¡¯t blindly believe what was happening to him. He knew this would happen. So, he shouted, ¡°S-Stop!¡±

    The Beastkin had thought he had be somewhat immune to illusions after falling victim to them numerous times. Surviving here for ten years was proof that his resistance to illusions was remarkable. Moreover, he had always seeded in breaking and oveing an illusion after bing aware that he had fallen victim to illusion magic. The only downside was that by then, he would be too mentally exhausted to proceed to the second checkpoint.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to die at this rate!¡¯</i>

    This illusion was far too different from the usual. Even though he had recognized it as an illusion, this terrible spell didn¡¯t seem to end. This festival of violence unleashed by the illusion¡¯s core, which had taken Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s form, was too much for Furface¡¯s physical and mental strength.

    ¡°P-Please stop!¡±

    ¡°Are you still under the illusion magic?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    Furface¡¯s long eyshes trembled. He knew well that he should not get caught up in the illusion¡¯s pace. Answering as the illusion core demanded would only drag him deeper into the quagmire. Mustering hisst bit of patience, he shouted, ¡°This ce is an illusion!¡±

    Shouting like this was one method to awaken himself.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok, now with a much better understanding of the physiology of orangutan Beastkin, controlled his strength to swing Miri without causing severe injury.

    -Thanks for the meal~

    Miri struck Furface¡¯s temple.

    ¡°Please, please stop!¡± Tears welled up in Furface¡¯s eyes and began to fall like chicken droppings. Wiping his tears with his hairy forearm, he answered as the illusion core wanted, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. This is not an illusion. Ugh!¡±

    He didn¡¯t care if these were hisst words; he was too terrified of that merciless violence to think of anything else. The illusion core grinned and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re not under the Sphinx¡¯s spell.¡±

    <i>¡®It¡¯s over now,¡¯</i> Furface thought.

    He would meet his end,pletely consumed by the illusion. An expert of the first checkpoint would meet such a death¡ªhe couldn¡¯t believe that. It was a moment that made him ashamed of considering himself an expert.

    ¡°I almost had to use my taming skills,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Furface was a bit bewildered. <i>¡®Why do I feel fine? Shouldn¡¯t I have fallen victim to the illusion by now?¡¯</i>

    He even felt a sense offort. It seemed to be because he wasn¡¯t being hit anymore.

    <i>¡®Wait... I can see the Sphinx!¡¯</i>

    The Sphinx was quite far away from him. It was even slowly backing away with a pale blue expression.

    ¡°You¡¯ve finally realized that you¡¯re not under an illusion, Furface.¡±

    It still did not feel real for Furface.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°Was the violence not enough?¡±

    ¡°No, No! It¡¯s not an illusion! Of course! This is obviously reality. Thanks to you, I have passed through the first checkpoint. Thank you, Chul-Soo!¡±

    ***

    The second checkpoint was simr to the first one. The entrance of the second checkpoint was a za centered around arge fountain, where quite a few yers had set up camp.

    ¡°Huh? Furface?¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Furface!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve finallye!¡±

    Since these people had passed through the first checkpoint, almost everyone knew Furface.

    ¡°Furface has finally passed the first checkpoint!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the first orangutan Beastkin to do so!¡±

    Most of them had received help from Furface, and they warmly weed him. Some also recognized Jin-Hyeok¡¯s face.

    ¡°Could it be...?¡±

    ¡°Is that Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo?¡±

    Dozens of yers instantly surrounded Jin-Hyeok. Jin-Hyeok hoped for an excellent ambush from an Assassin yer, but disappointingly, there was none.

    <i>¡®This is the perfect setup for an attack, why aren¡¯t they doing it?¡¯ </i>He even saw two Assassin yers, but they showed no sign of hostility. <i>¡®I would forgive an attack if they just gave me good content...¡¯</i>

    He deliberately left more openings by dropping his arms, but it was in vain.

    ¡°Could I get an autograph, please?¡±

    ¡°M-Me too, please...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok signed autographs for several yers. Among them was a child who looked quite young and had striking red hair and eyes. The child had an androgynous appearance, which made it difficult to determine their gender. The child shyly held out a piece of paper to Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Who do you want this autograph for?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Can you write No.1000?¡±

    ¡°No.1000?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The child¡¯s face reddened slightly. ¡°I am the official Chul-Soo Land No.1000.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    Furface was somewhat surprised by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s poprity but remained tense. He was still wary that this might be part of the Sphinx¡¯s illusion.

    <i>¡®There are always gaps in an illusion,¡¯ </i>Furface thought. No matter how meticulously crafted an illusion was, it couldn¡¯t be the same as reality. That child was proof of that. <i>¡®No child that young has passed through the first checkpoint in thest ten years.¡¯</i>

    While he did not remember every yer, he would have surely remembered such a small child. Because of this child, Furface was bing more convinced that he was still inside the Sphinx¡¯s illusion.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a Chul-Soo Lander, huh?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, hehe.¡± The child smiled brightly.

    Jin-Hyeok gently patted the child¡¯s head.

    At that moment, several people eximed.

    ¡°Huh? The signal is back!¡±

    ¡°Hello! Hello?!¡±

    Reactions simr to those in the first checkpoint followed. People shed tears of joy and let out exmations everywhere. While most were overjoyed and excited, one person maintained hisposure.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here...?¡±

    It was a figure wrapped in a ck robe from head to toe. No one knew his name. Because his face didn¡¯t exist, much like that of a ghost, people just called him the Faceless Alchemist or simply Faceless.

    Faceless was the de facto leader and central pir of the second checkpoint. In other words, he yed a role simr to Furface¡¯s at the first checkpoint. However, the Faceless Alchemist did not know how long he had existed here. ording to the official records, someone had first discovered him 140 years ago.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Furface from the first checkpoint. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you,¡± Faceless said.

    ¡°Are you the Faceless Alchemist?¡± Furface was a little surprised. <i>¡®Was my memory this good?¡¯</i>

    Usually, illusions were mostly created based on the victim¡¯s memories. If the victim¡¯s memory was hazy, the illusion did not have details. However, the Faceless Alchemist seemed to exist as if he were real¡ªfrom the faint aura of death that he emanated to the details of the red Fire Dragon embroidery on his robe and the piercing gaze everyone could feeling from that robe.

    ¡°I am. Many call me Faceless.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Faceless. I have heard that thanks to you, many have been able to pass through the second checkpoint to challenge the Fire Dragon.¡±

    Those who had escaped the Dungeon alive had spread the news about this Dungeon. Naturally, information about Faceless was widely known.

    Faceless muttered in a displeased voice, ¡°A strange thing has happened.¡±

    The Faceless Alchemist had lived at the second checkpoint for a much longer time than Furface had at the first checkpoint, guiding many yers. Thus, he inevitably had a somewhat more rigid way of thinking than Furface. He had never encountered such an anomaly before and wasn¡¯t fond of such dramatic changes within the Dungeon. Extreme events tended to follow dramatic changes.

    ¡°Furface, do you know how we got the signal back?¡± Faceless asked.

    ¡°I do. It¡¯s probably because of Chul-Soo¡¯s poison resistance.¡±

    ¡°Because of poison resistance?¡±

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Furface observed Faceless¡¯s reaction. In an illusory world, illogical things would often happen. In a normal situation, Faceless would have asked the sensible question <i>¡®What does poison resistance have to do with getting the signal back?¡¯</i>

    ¡°I see. So, that¡¯s it,¡± Faceless replied.

    Faceless¡¯s response made Furface even more suspicious that he was still inside the illusory world. He had definitely fallen victim to a terrible and formidable illusion spell that he had never experienced before.

    ¡°Are you simply epting that this happened due to Chul-Soo¡¯s poison resistance?¡± Furface asked.

    ¡°If poison resistance is extremely strong, it could naturally shake the Dungeon¡¯s settings.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, who had overheard their conversation, also approached the Faceless Alchemist. ¡°Faceless. So, you think that too?¡±

    Faceless nodded. Jin-Hyeok was delighted to find someone who thought logically. He had finally found someone who understood him.

    ¡°As expected of a veteran of the second checkpoint. Your insight is remarkable, Faceless,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You tter me, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Listening to their conversation, Furface was baffled. The Sphinx¡¯s illusion ultimately consumed the victim. If this were truly an illusory world, he should feel some hostility, but he could not detect any from those two.

    <i>¡®Is this illusion still wary of me?¡¯ </i>Furface thought.

    It seemed the Sphinx had prepared thoroughly. If he did not show any weakness, this illusion would never bear its fangs.

    Some yers approached Furface.

    ¡°What does poison resistance have to do with getting the signal back, Furface?¡±

    ¡°You fools. Don¡¯t you understand that exceptional poison resistance can even distort the Dungeon¡¯s settings?¡±

    Furface decided to immerse himself further in this illusion. He wanted to allow the illusion to attack him more freely and reveal its true nature.

    ¡°I... have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯tprehend it either.¡±

    ¡°If poison resistance is exceptional, it can block lightning and destroy elements that interfere with livestreaming. Remember that well,¡± Furface said.

    ***

    Soon, a siren began to sound. The yers scattered to various ces as if they had agreed on it beforehand. They started moving to their tents. From the far side of the za, a white smoke drifted toward them.

    ¡°Is that the sleeping fragrance released by the Sleepy Wildflowers?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. After this siren sound ends, you will hear the chorus of the Singing Bamboos,¡± Faceless answered.

    The sleep fragrance of the Sleepy Wildflowers and the chorus of the Singing Bamboos were devices designed to induce sleep. yers who inhaled the fragrance and heard the chorus would copse on the spot and fall into a 36-hour sleep.

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn now!¡± a yer shouted, running toward the approaching sleep fragrance.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Jin-Hyeok inquired.

    ¡°Someone who has taken the stimnt I created in advance,¡± Faceless exined.

    It was known that if one could resist the sleep fragrance and chorus and cross the bamboo forest beyond, they could reach Julius¡¯s nest, the boss room. Without Faceless¡¯s stimnt, it was impossible to even attempt and pass the second checkpoint; moreover, one had to be physicallypatible with Faceless¡¯s stimnt first.

    ¡°Now, Chul-Soo. What will you do?¡± Faceless asked, looking at Jin-Hyeok with an expectant expression. Although the Alchemist had no face, Jin-Hyeok could read Faceless¡¯s anticipation. ¡°Will you try to resist the sleep fragrance and bamboo chorus with your exceptional poison resistance?¡±

    At this point, Furface felt something was off. The strategy for the second checkpoint was widely known. Before the siren sounded, yers would work together to find ingredients for Faceless¡¯s stimnt. Once the stimnt was ready, yers would take it in turns and attempt the third checkpoint. Naturally, the number of stimnts was limitedpared to the number of yers. So, when the sleep fragrance approached them, yers whose turn had note would take shelter in tents after deploying many barrier spells.

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t Faceless telling Chul-Soo the standard strategy?¡¯ </i>Furface thought. He shouted urgently, ¡°Chul-Soo! It¡¯s a trap!¡±

    ¡°?¡± Jin-Hyeok was confused.

    <i>¡®Sphinx, you cunning bastard!¡¯ </i>Furface thought. Then, he shouted, ¡°There are Sleepless Wraiths here. If you don¡¯t hide in the tents, those Spirits will appear and ughter the yers!¡±

    ¡°Furface, was your realization fake?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°What realization are you talking about, Chul-Soo?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°The basic principle of poison resistance.¡±

    He had thought Furface understood everything since he had been showing off to other yers earlier, but that turned out to be just bravado.

    ¡°You do seem a bitcking in intelligence,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

 Chapter 444

    <h4>Chapter 444</h4>

    With a slightly disappointed expression, Cha Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°If you have strong poison resistance, you can withstand lightning and even break through stone walls. Simrly, you can resist sleep-inducing fragrances. I thought you understood me perfectly?¡±

    ¡°The Sphinx was counting on that overconfidence of yours!¡± Furface yelled.

    It seemed the cunning Sphinx had noticed Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s strength. Instead of casting a perfect illusion spell, it had cast a weak mental magic spell, just enough to prick Chul-Soo¡¯s pride and lead him to his downfall.

    ¡°The only way to resist the sleep-inducing fragrance of the Sleepy Wildflower and the songs of the Singing Bamboos is to use Faceless¡¯s stimulus potion!¡± Furface added. Although Furface had not made it past the first checkpoint, he prided himself on knowing more about the second checkpoint than anyone else.

    Over the past decade, many yers had attempted this challenge multiple times. Those who had passed the first and second checkpoints but lost to Julius and barely escaped would inevitably grow stronger and seek the Dragon¡¯s Nest again. Each time, Furface would gather thetest information about the second checkpoint from them.

    ¡°No barrier or magic spell can resist the Wildflower and the Singing Bamboos. That has beenmon knowledge for ten years, no, since Faceless first appeared 140 years ago!¡± Furface¡¯s eyes began to droop. ¡°Look, the sleep-inducing fragrance is already...¡±

    <i>¡®But the Singing Bamboos haven¡¯t even started singing...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just tired.¡±

    ¡°No, this is definitely the sleep-inducing...¡± Furface snapped wide awake when he saw Jin-Hyeok pull out Miri from his inventory. ¡°On second thought, you¡¯re right. Maybe I¡¯m just tired.¡±

    ¡°See? I told you so.¡±

    Soon, the sleep-inducing fragrance filled the surroundings, and the sound of bamboos singing rang out, but something was off. Furface was fine.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Furface realized a faint barrier surrounded him. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°This is Absolute Barrier. Haven¡¯t you heard of it?¡±

    ¡°Absolute Barrier. I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s an evolved Trait from Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier,¡± Faceless said, curious.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Interesting. Generally, a Streamer¡¯s... or what do they call you guys these days? Eltubers? So, generally, an Eltuber¡¯s barrier is less effective than a Tank¡¯s...¡±

    By now, the sleep-inducing fragrance had enveloped their surroundings.

    ¡°Did you also wrap Furface in your Absolute Barrier?¡± Faceless asked.

    ¡°I sure did.¡± Jin-Hyeok shrugged. The sleep-inducing fragrance that permeated the area didn¡¯t affect him or Furface.

    ¡°Impressive. It¡¯s more effective than a professional Tank¡¯s defensive barrier,¡± Faceless said, admiringly. ¡°Blocking the sleep-inducing fragrance is one thing. Soon, you will start hearing the chorus of the Singing Bamboos.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°How will you block the sound?¡±

    ¡°An Eltuber¡¯s defensive barrier also blocks sound wave attacks.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was not sure if he was blocking the attacks with Absolute Barrier or just taking them head-on. However, for this content¡¯s concept, it was better to use all avable means to prevent danger. Since the concept of his livestream was overwhelming power, if he ended up staggering due to sleep-inducing fragrances or songs, it would ruin the content.

    Just then, they could hear an iprehensible song. Furface covered his ears. ¡°I will never be affected by it... I will never be affected by it...!¡±

    His arms trembled as he used all his strength to cover his ears.

    Faceless could not take his eyes off Jin-Hyeok and noticed something strange. ¡°The mana in the chorus isn¡¯t reaching either of you...¡±

    Magical symbols in the shape of [??] floated around in a steady flow. However, these symbols could not reach Jin-Hyeok or Furface. It was as if an unbreakable wall around them was blocking the flow of mana.

    ¡°This is remarkable. You have so easily blocked not only the sleep-inducing fragrance but also the bamboos¡¯ song!¡± Faceless said, rapidly and excitedly. ¡°You must be using at least two ovepping Imprinted Mysteries, right?¡±

    Faceless was an Alchemist with 140 years of experience and a high level of understanding of various disciplines.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re using an Imprinted Mystery that can control the wavelength and frequency of sound waves... Ah, have you mastered Camilian¡¯s Fingering Technique? Or is it Schocklufant¡¯s Musical Idea, or Schmileon¡¯s Pendulum Vibration?

    ¡°You must have also used a Mystery that prevents the transmission of all substances through the air as a medium. I might not know the exact name, but I¡¯m sure about the principle,¡± Faceless said.

    Faceless could achieve simr effects with reagents and alchemy. As an excellent Alchemist, he wanted to uncover the secret of how Jin-Hyeok had defended against the Singing Bamboos.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you tell me which Mysteries youbined and used?¡± the Alchemist asked.

    Furface also had his eyes filled with curiosity. He too found Jin-Hyeok¡¯s technique fascinating.

    Jin-Hyeok felt somewhat sorry for both of them. ¡°It¡¯s just Absolute Barrier.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s what you used to block the sleep-inducing fragrance. What I am asking about is the technique you used to block the Singing Bamboos,¡± Faceless said.

    ¡°It¡¯s still just Absolute Barrier.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Faceless was momentarily at a loss for words. Usually, if a defensive technique perfectly resisted one attribute, it would be vulnerable to attacks of another attribute. After all, there was no such thing as a perfect defensive technique in this world. <i>¡®Does he not want to reveal his technique?¡¯</i>

    At that moment, a Sleepless Wraith showed up and swung its massive scythe at Jin-Hyeok.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    <i>¡®Oh no!¡¯ </i>By the time Faceless came to his senses, the scythe had already reached Jin-Hyeok¡¯s neck.

    <i>ng!</i>

    A loud metallic sound rang out, but Jin-Hyeok was unharmed. The Wrath¡¯s attack had failed to prate Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Absolute Barrier.

    Faceless had not seen Jin-Hyeok use any new Skill or Mystery. ¡°Surely, that¡¯s not because of... No, that can¡¯t be. You must have used a different technique.¡±

    ording tomon sense, if Absolute Barrier had a high resistance to sleep-inducing fragrances and songs, it would inevitably be weak against physical force.

    Feeling somewhat apologetic, Jin-Hyeok exined a bit more. ¡°Yes. This too was blocked by Absolute Barrier, an enhanced version of Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier, which is a unique Trait for Eltubers.¡±

    ***

    Faceless felt increasingly confused as he conversed with Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®If you have a strong poison resistance, you can withstand lightning and break Dungeon settings?¡¯ </i>Logically, this statement seemed quite far-fetched. Yet earlier, Faceless had epted it quite naturally. Once he noticed this oddity, it became a trickle that led to more realization.

    <i>¡®Why wasn¡¯t I happy when the Dungeon¡¯s settings changed? Is it because the Dungeon changed so suddenly? Or was it simply because my thinking had be rigid? Do I not have any family to contact?¡¯</i>

    He realized he had never longed for anyone. As his thoughts progressed, he began to wonder how long he had been here.

    <i>¡®People say someone discovered me here first 140 years ago. But what about before that? Was I a yer?¡¯</i>

    Faceless had no memories of being a yer. He had just been here, acting as the leader of the second checkpoint for as long as he could remember.

    <i>¡®What... am I?¡¯</i>

    Faceless became self-aware for the first time. His encounter with Chul-Soo had created a gap in his consciousness, and that gap expanded. It felt like his vision of his past was brightening.

    <i>¡®I am...!¡¯ </i>He finally seemed to understand who he was and how long he had been here. <i>¡®I am a creation of Lord Julius!¡¯</i>

    Faceless was a creation made from a small portion of the will of Julius, the master of this Dungeon. Julius wanted capable yers to challenge him. That was why he had created Faceless and ced him at the second checkpoint. Julius was practically begging for someone toe this far and kill him.

    When Faceless awakened to his sense of self, he looked at the child beyond the sleep-inducing fragrance. Despite the child¡¯s androgynous appearance, Faceless instinctively knew he was male.

    <i>¡®Shhh,¡¯ </i>the boy telepathically said to Faceless.

    Faceless could hear the voice in his head. It was the voice of his lord, Julius.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m surprised you realized who you are, Faceless.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®My lord,¡¯ </i>Faceless replied telepathically. Since he was born from Julius¡¯s will, he could immediately read Julius¡¯s thoughts. <i>¡®My lord, do you desire death?¡¯</i>

    This realization came as a sort of betrayal for Faceless. It was difficult for him to ept that his lord and creator wanted to abandon him.

    <i>¡®Yes. I have longed for death.¡¯</i>

    Faceless was inexplicably dejected. He did not know why Julius wanted to die.

    Julius wanted to die so that he could leave this Dungeon and wander the outside world. In other words, it meant abandoning Faceless.

    <i>¡®You traitor...¡¯ </i>Faceless said telepathically.

    <i>¡®Feel free to resent and hate me. That too is my karma.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®You can never leave this ce, my lord.¡¯ </i>Faceless was not going to allow it. His creator could not abandon him. No, he shouldn¡¯t abandon him. <i>¡®My lord, you seem to have high expectations for Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®That¡¯s right. Chul-Soo will set me free.¡¯</i>

    Faceless grinned. <i>¡®That won¡¯t be possible. You traitor! How dare you create me and then n on leaving me?¡¯ </i>

    Unable to forgive his creator, Faceless decided to shatter his expectations.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo will not be able to pass through your nest, my lord!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Faceless, refrain from taking foolish actions.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®You¡¯re the foolish one!¡¯</i>

    Faceless stood before Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok could sense that Faceless¡¯s aura had changed somehow. ¡°Faceless, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°It would be a lie to say I am.¡±

    ¡°I sense some hostility.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! You noticed?¡± Faceless had tried to hide his true intentions. However, he acknowledged Chul-Soo as a yer worthy of his creator¡¯s interest. ¡°Chul-Soo, I have no personal feelings against you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go this far for my Eltube content, Faceless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you right here.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was a little pleased. <i>¡®This might turn out to be good content.¡¯</i>

    Content about betrayal and subsequent punishment was always in demand. However, through his Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok sensed sadness and frustration from Faceless. The feeling was so strong that the image of Faceless appeared like a vision in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s consciousness. In his vision, Faceless was in a very dark ce, crouched and crying.

    <i>¡®A viin with a backstory?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could have attacked Faceless immediately but held back. <i>¡®Go ahead, Faceless. Do whatever you want.¡¯</i>

    Just then, Furface stepped forward. ¡°You damn traitor! You¡¯re finally showing your true col¡ªUgh!¡±

    An unknown force struck the back of Furface¡¯s head. As an intense headache washed over him, his vision began to blur.

    <i>¡®Has the Sphinx¡¯s illusion attack finally begun?¡¯ </i>Furface thought. ¡°Chul-Soo! Watch out for the illu¡ª¡±

    Furface fainted, and Jin-Hyeok secretly put Miri back into his inventory.

    Faceless¡¯s eyes shed with a red light. ¡°I am a creation born from the darkness molded by my creator. Darkness is generated from the anxiety, fear, disgust, and terror of living things.¡±

    About 140 years ago, Julius had created Faceless by mixing a fragment of himself with what he imed were hairs and horns from the Demon King. And now, Faceless realized his true power.

    ¡°Rise, Demons! Roar, army of evil!¡± Faceless shouted.

    His true power wasmanding Evil Spirits born from anxiety, fear, disgust, and terror. Massive summoning magic circles appeared throughout the area. As the Sleepless Wraiths in the area were sucked into the summoning magic circle, powerful ck mana began to flow out of them.

    ¡°This is my true ability, Chul-Soo. I will summon an army capable of destroying this world many times over!¡± With eyes tainted by jealousy, he red at Jin-Hyeok and shouted once more, ¡°Descend, my Demons!¡±

 Chapter 445

    <h4>Chapter 445</h4>

    Since ancient times, numerous Mages had summoned Demons. Demons were beings born from the emotions of intelligent creatures, such as fear and terror. Hence, they naturally possessed powerful forces. However, Demons had grown even stronger recently.

    Faceless could feel it too. <i>¡®I can sense their immense power!¡¯</i>

    As their fragmented Realms were unified and upgraded to an official Server, Demons had be even stronger. Dragan the Gluttony, who had devoured all other Demon Lords to be the sole Demon Lord, and the Demon King, who could handle Dragan like a child, had aplished the difficult task of uniting the Demons, turning different Demon forces into one cohesive power.

    ¡°Chul-Soo... If only you were gone...!¡± Faceless muttered. <i>¡®My creator wouldn¡¯t leave me then. If only you were gone... If only you were gone!¡¯</i>

    Hundreds of massive magic circles appeared in the sky. Even Faceless was shocked.

    <i>¡®Demons are extremely eager to be summoned!¡¯</i>

    This was not something Faceless could aplish alone. The Demon Realm itself had amplified the summoning circles for unknown reasons. But this didn¡¯t matter to Faceless. Demons were capricious, so this was a fortunate oue for him.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to take a single step forward from here, Chul-Soo!¡±

    ***

    Dragan the Gluttony had been troubledtely. <i>¡®Young Demons these days are...¡¯ </i>

    After failing to invade Earth, Demons were refraining from invading other Servers. It seemed the Demon King was not too pleased with that. Instead, based on what they learned from Earth, they were now stirring up hatred and disgust among beings across the universe. These were also negative emotions, and Demons could satiate their soul hunger quite well with those emotions.

    But Dragan did not view this favorably. <i>¡®They are bing too weak.¡¯</i>

    Disgust and fear were distinctively different. While both provided a sense of fullness, it was fear that a true Demon needed to feed on to grow.

    <i>¡®Young Demons now just move their fingers in front of their keyboards...¡¯</i>

    Newly-born Demons showed this tendency even more. Rather than demonstrating their mighty power, many Demons were focused on how to create worse scenarios to make themselves more hated. Sitting in front of aputer screen and merely moving fingers was not befitting of a Demon.

    Amid Dragan¡¯s concern, a deranged being finally used arge-scale Demon summoning magic circle.

    ¡°Well then. Time to march!¡± Dragan shouted, abruptly getting up from his seat. He had to teach these youngsters what a true Demon was and that fear was far more delicious than disgust. He would achieve this by showing this increasingly weak young generation what true strength looked like.

    ¡°Can we kill them all?¡±

    ¡°We can run as wild as we please, right?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, this will be fun!¡±

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Seeing the Demons¡¯ reactions, Dragan smiled unconsciously.

    <i>¡®Now that¡¯s more like Demons.¡¯</i>

    Since he had devoured many Demons, Dragan devised the most efficient strategy to instill fear.

    ¡°Young Demons. You guys go first.¡± They had to give their opponent a glimmer of hope, then mercilessly crush it. That was the way to maximize fear. <i>¡®And I will step in when they think they have hope.¡¯</i>

    Whoever the summoning Mage was, they were certainly lucky. The second-inmand of the Demon Realm, the Great Lord himself, had decided to respond to the summons.

    ¡°Go forth, Demons, and bestow terror!¡±

    ***

    Dragan the Gluttony rubbed his eyes. Thousands of young Demons had already been defeated and summoned back to the Demon Realm. He was speechless.

    Then he heard a voice.

    ¡°Have youe, Lord of Demons! I am your summoner, Faceless, born from a fragment of my creator Julius. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°You insane little bastard...!¡± Dragan yelled.

    Faceless was a bit taken aback. He knew Demons were capricious, but it was rare for them to show such hostility to their summoner right away.

    ¡°Demon Lord, my name is Faceless. I¡¯m the one who summoned you.¡±

    ¡°You dare trap me?¡±

    ¡°Trap?¡±

    Dragan moved his viscous body to assume a shape as close as possible to a human¡¯s, out of respect for the Demon King, who wore a human shell. He looked at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right hand. When he saw Miri there, his loyalty surged.

    ¡°My king! Allow me to dispose of this trash!¡± Dragan said.

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Dragan froze. Even now, winged Demons were flying through the summoning magic circles. The more intelligent Demons floated in the air, while the less intelligent ones, following the summoner¡¯s will, tried to attack Jin-Hyeok but were instantly swept away.

    Dragan gulped. The Demon King¡¯s abilities were beyond imagination. He could not believe how light could burst from a hammer and sweep away all the Demons.

    <i>¡®Can that even be called a hammer?¡¯ </i>Dragan wondered. It seemed even legendary holy relics could not disy such power.

    ¡°Return, Dragan,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Dragan had used a lot of his demonic power to amplify the summoning magic circles and responded to the call. Returning without any gain was a huge loss for Dragan.

    ¡°Yes, Understood! I should go back!¡± Dragan said. He flew straight back into the summoning magic circle without even thinking about his subordinate. As he left, he turned his head to look at Faceless. ¡°You! You faceless wretch! I will remember you!¡±

    Then he returned to the Demon Realm, leaving Faceless speechless.

    ¡°Dragan... that coward,¡± Faceless murmured.

    A Demon showing fear was unheard of. He wondered if Chul-Soo was indeed formidable.

    <i>¡®He really must be the one chosen by my creator.¡¯ </i>Nevertheless, Faceless could not give up here. Hundreds of Demons were still present here.

    ¡°Do not be afraid, my Demons! Aren¡¯t you warriors who know no defeat?¡±

    If they did not lose heart, there was still a chance of victory. No matter how strong Chul-Soo was, he could not face hundreds of Demons alone. Moreover, Sleepless Wraiths were gathering here as well.

    ¡°With the help of the Sleepless Wraiths, we can achieve victory!¡± Faceless said with conviction. ¡°Chul-Soo is enduring tremendous physical exhaustion.¡±

    Great power always came at a price. Faceless had already witnessed Chul-Soo¡¯s extraordinary barrier.

    ¡°He¡¯s using a barrier that blocks the sleep-inducing fragrance and the bamboos¡¯ singing, and he¡¯s even blocking the Wraith¡¯s scythe with his physical resistance!¡±

    Activating just one of these abilities would be difficult, but Chul-Soo was operating a barrier possessing all three of them. Surely, this was taking a toll on his stamina.

    ¡°And... he used an unreasonably powerful area attack against you!¡±

    Faceless understood Chul-Soo¡¯s mindset. Facing so many Demons, the Eltuber had no choice but to overexert himself to gain the upper hand. However, unfortunately for him, Faceless possessed insight.

    ¡°He will soon struggle to even stand on his feet.¡±

    The unintelligent Demons flew toward Jin-Hyeok.

    ***

    Jeypel, a young humanoid Demon, was special. Born from the fear Demons felt when they invaded Earth and were brutally defeated by Jin-Hyeok, he possessed great strength from birth. On the seventh day after his birth, Jeypel had killed a long-spined Demon and fashioned a sword from its backbone, imbuing it with his demonic power. On the fourteenth day, he challenged Dragan but was defeated, realizing the immense gap of power between them.

    <i>¡®Am I going to be eaten?¡¯ </i>Jeypel had thought at the time. However, he wasn¡¯t afraid; it was a Demon¡¯s fate.

    <i>¡°You¡¯re a rare one,¡± </i>Dragan had said. He viewed Jeypel favorably. <i>¡°We need more like you.¡±</i>

    To Jeypel¡¯s surprise, Dragan did not eat him, instead praising his rare potential.

    From that day on, Jeypel came to admire Dragan. He had experienced Dragan¡¯s strength firsthand and knew that it was on a different level.

    And, today came.

    <i>¡®That guy is the Demon King?¡¯ </i>Jeypel thought.

    Facing the supposed Demon King, Jeypel felt disappointed. Unlike Dragan¡¯s imposing presence, Jeypel sensed nothing from this <i>Demon King</i>. When the Demon heard the summoner¡¯s (Faceless¡¯s) exnation, he understood why.

    ¡°He¡¯s using a barrier that blocks the sleep-inducing fragrance and the bamboos¡¯ singing, and he¡¯s even blocking the Wraith¡¯s scythe with his physical resistance! And... he used an unreasonably powerful area attack against you! He will soon struggle to even stand on his feet.¡±

    <i>¡®Perhaps he consumed too much energy.¡¯ </i>

    A weakened Demon King was unworthy of the title.

    ¡°I will kill you, Demon King!¡± Jeypel spread his ck wings, instantly approached Jin-Hyeok, and swung his massive bone sword.

    ***

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    With a loud sound, the bone sword shattered. Along with the bone sword, Jeypel¡¯s head was crushed. It flew off and fell some distance away. Nevertheless, the head soon regenerated.

    <i>¡®What was that?¡¯ </i>It happened so quickly that Jeypel had trouble understanding what he just went through. ¡°So, he used a hidden technique.¡±

    It was expected of the Demon King. Jeypel wondered if that strange green barrier was a powerful Mystery. He thought that it was likely the Demon King had used a counterattack Skill.

    ¡°But you¡¯re exhausted, Demon King,¡± Jeypel said. He was sure about that due to his sharp instincts of a hunter. He knew he could hunt down the Demon King. His prized bone sword was broken, but that did not matter. He broke off one of his horns and held it in his hand. The horn stretched out long, transforming into the shape of a sword.

    ¡°I will kill you.¡± Jeypel charged again. To avoid falling for the same trick, he focused on the mana flow of the barrier.

    <i>¡®I will not fall for the same trick again!¡¯ </i>Jeypel was going to avoid the barrier¡¯s counterattack and strike at the Demon King¡¯s vital point.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    However, the same thing happened. The sword made from his horn shattered, and his head was crushed again. This time, the regeneration took a bit longer.

    ¡°Ugh...!¡± Jeypel staggered. <i>¡®What¡¯s this? Does he still have hidden techniques left? Well, I guess it¡¯s okay to fall for the same trick twice. But only twice.¡¯</i>

    Jeypel was confident. Born from the Demons¡¯ fear, he possessed an unbreakable, indomitable will¡ªthat was his strength.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo!!!¡± He broke hisst remaining horn, turned it into a sword again, and charged at Jin-Hyeok. This time, he didn¡¯t fly but ran on the ground. He assumed Jin-Hyeok had a strong resistance against flying entities.

    ¡°This time for sure!¡±

    At that moment, his eyes met with Chul-Soo¡¯s.

    <i>¡®This is it!¡¯ </i>Jeypel thought. What he saw in Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes was shock! Chul-Soo indeed seemed flustered. He was reaching out with his left hand, not the strange weapon (Miri) in his right hand. <i>¡®I will cut off your wrist!¡¯</i>

    However, life wasn¡¯t that simple.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s left fist shattered Jeypel¡¯s sword.

    <i>¡®Ugh!¡¯</i>

    At least this time, Jeypel¡¯s head wasn¡¯t crushed.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok finally spoke. <i>¡®He just saw me for the first time. What did he mean by this time for sure?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 446

    <h4>Chapter 446</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok indeed didn¡¯t know who Jeypel was. It wasn¡¯t that he was trying to deceive anyone; Jeypel did not possess enough mana to warrant Jin-Hyeok¡¯s attention. If one had to draw aparison, Jin-Hyeok currently felt like he was surrounded by flying insects. He couldn¡¯t easily tell if the bug he just swatted was one he had swatted earlier or a new one. Of course, he could probably distinguish them if he focused, but he didn¡¯t see any need to do so.

    ¡°Do you think I will fall for such provocation?¡± Jeypel shouted.

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent. Jeypel spread his tattered wings wide and flew toward Jin-Hyeok. He seemed powerful, but was full of openings.

    <i>¡®He must be a young Demon.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok forcibly stopped Miri from striking Jeypel¡¯s temple of her own ord.

    Miri was quite disappointed.

    -Why won¡¯t you let me smash him?

    ¡°He¡¯s spreading his swings and flying in dramatically,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined. It was best to keep such opponents alive to make the scene more spectacr. Jin-Hyeok summoned the Phantom Swordswoman and whispered, ¡°Fight as shily as possible, but do not kill him.¡±

    The Phantom Swordswoman, now iparably stronger than before, spread her wings and engaged in an aerial battle with Jeypel. On the surface, it appeared to be an even match. A dazzlingbat scene unfolded. Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok swung Miri around, swiftly clearing out the remaining Demons.

    <i>¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve used the Babylon Cannon...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok mused. The Babylon Cannon was the most powerful area-of-effect skill Jin-Hyeok could currently use. Transforming his right hand into a massive cannon would have undoubtedly made for a far more impressive scene. However, it would have made Miri upset. <i>¡®I will use that on Juliuster.¡¯</i>

    Though it was an area attack, using it on a single target could still give off the impression that it was a powerful individual Skill.

    Most of the Demons vanished without a trace and were summoned back to their Realm.

    ¡°Die!¡± Jeypel swung his sword, which was made from his horn.

    The Phantom Swordswoman could not react in time and ended up losing her right arm. Red blood flowed from around her right shoulder.

    <i>¡®Oh, Phantom Swordswoman...!¡¯ </i> Jin-Hyeok could not help but marvel. <i>¡®You¡¯re deliberately getting injured? Has there ever been a case where a Phantom Swordswoman understood her master¡¯s intentions so well? That¡¯s impressive!¡¯</i>

    In this respect, the Phantom Swordswoman could even be better than Miri, who tended to mindlessly attack any enemy that appeared.

    Miri became slightly sulky.

    -I don¡¯t like her at all!

    ***

    <i>¡®Hm... it seems like Jeypel bes stronger as he fights,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    However, he did not find this particrly exciting. It was normal for experience points to umte faster at lower Levels. Even so, Jeypel¡¯s growth was slower than Jin-Hyeok¡¯s current rate of growth.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not that he¡¯s growing slowly; I¡¯m growing more rapidly. Get a grip, Jin-Hyeok.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized he had to make an effort to maintain hismon sense. He had reached a singrity after surpassing Level 500, and he could feel himself getting stronger with each breath. As he had be so ustomed to this, he often assumed others grew at a simr rate. That was why he thought he had to stay true to his humble self.

    As he grew stronger, so did the Phantom Swordswoman, and in fact, she was starting to find the battle a bit boring. With her strengthened sense of self, the Phantom Swordswoman came to a conclusion. Dragging out the fight any longer would only make the progression boring. She bit her finger.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A fountain of blood spurted out. As the droplets gathered, they formed into a sharp blood sword.

    <i>¡®Huh? What Skill is that?¡¯ </i>Even Jin-Hyeok had never seen it before.

    When the Phantom Swordswoman swung the blood-red sword, it dispersed into tens of thousands of tiny blood droplets that engulfed Jeypel. Each droplet was a sharp weapon.

    Pierced by the blood that had transformed into red needles, Jeypel screamed, ¡°Arghh!¡±

    <i>¡®Is this okay?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could tell how much this Skill prioritized shiness over efficiency. Condensing blood into the form of a sword, only to revert it to blood droplets and spray it out¡ªthis Skill was truly inefficient.

    Rather than dispersing it into tens of thousands of droplets, concentrating the attack on a single point would have been better. When attacking a single opponent, one lethal bullet was more destructive than numerous bullets shot at once. Of course, a missile would be better than a single bullet.

    There was no need for the Phantom Swordswoman to show such a performance when holding a proper sword. At least, that was how abatant yer would see it.

    <i>¡®I never expected the Phantom Swordswoman to develop so impressively.¡¯ </i>

    In any case, the Phantom Swordswoman sessfully forced Jeypel to return to the Demon Realm with her shy blood sword skill. The other Demons also escaped through the summoning magic circle.

    <i>¡®What? It¡¯s over?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought as he approached Faceless. ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got, Faceless?¡±

    He wondered if there was anything else. If this was indeed the end, there was a chance he could get angry.

    ***

    -Normal people: Happy when the opponent is weak. Kim Chul-Soo: Disappointed when the opponent is weak.

    -Hahaha, why are his opponents always weak? T_T

    -The Phantom Swordswoman¡¯s battle scene was awesome! But is it okay for her to do that?

    -It still surprises me that she¡¯s a defensive Mystery.

    -And she is a non-growth Mystery at that.

    The viewers had be quite familiar with Jin-Hyeok by now.

    -You¡¯re wrong! She¡¯s an all-rounder Mystery for offense and defense!

    -If you can¡¯t make the Phantom Swordswoman grow, you might want to check if you¡¯re the weak one.

    Jin-Hyeok received the viewers¡¯ reactions from Wang Yu-Mi. Although there was a slight dy due to the livestreamg, he was generally satisfied with their reactions. The concept of overwhelming power seemed to be working better than expected.

    <i>¡®Still, it would¡¯ve been better if Jeypel had prepared a little bit more,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    After all, if he was going to overwhelm something, it would be more impressive to overwhelm a Dragon than a slime. Unfortunately, Faceless¡¯s abilities had reached their limit.

    ¡°Just kill me,¡± Faceless said.

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. <i>¡®I really shouldn¡¯t have expected anything.¡¯ </i>

    He very well knew that the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. It was better to not expect anything at all.

    ¡°In the past, I would have killed you.¡± Jin-Hyeok deliberately turned his back, exposing a weak point in case Faceless might attack, but thetter did not take the bait. ¡°You must have your reasons.

    Faceless remained silent.

    The hostility Jin-Hyeok sensed from Faceless was real, but its root was not malice. It was the sadness of being abandoned and emotions such as loneliness and fear. After confirming this with his Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, he no longer wanted to kill Faceless.

    <i>¡®I really should kill him but...,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. An enemy who had once bared its fangs was likely to do so again. Common sense dictated that killing him was the right choice. <i>¡®Do normal people kill in situations like this?¡¯</i>

    The more Jin-Hyeok tried to be a sensible person every day, the harder it was to distinguish what wasmon sense and what wasn¡¯t. Jin-Hyeok, who had just begun to understand human emotions, decided to be honest with his feelings.

    ¡°Well, your contribution wasn¡¯t insignificant,¡± he said. If it weren¡¯t for Faceless, countless people would have lost their lives at the second checkpoint. <i>¡®And... it would be even better if hees looking for revengeter.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok began walking through the sleep-inducing fragrance with Furface. After the battle with the Demons, Furface seemed a bit out of sorts.

    ¡°Um...,¡± Furface said, treating Jin-Hyeok with extreme caution.

    ¡°Rx, Furface,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of your power.¡± He was baffled. Now that they had passed the first checkpoint, there was no particr reason for Chul-Soo to keep him around. ¡°Even if I stay by your side, I will be just in the way...¡±

    ¡°I told you I would let you out of here. The sooner you get out, the better, right?¡±

    Furface closed his mouth and followed Jin-Hyeok. By this point, he no longer had any doubts about Absolute Barrier.

    <i>¡®Absolute Barrier is perfectly blocking out the sleep-inducing fragrance.¡¯ </i>Furface thought about the incredibly powerful barrier¡ªthe wide-ranging defensive ability, the versatility that applied to others, and the durability beyond imagination. <i>¡®How amazing is barr¡ªHuh?¡¯</i>

    Furface rubbed his eyes and said, ¡°Chul-Soo, you...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Absolute Barrier...¡±

    ¡°Absolute Barrier? Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean...¡±

    There was no Absolute Barrier around Jin-Hyeok. Furface gave up on being surprised anymore.

    <i>¡®So, he wasn¡¯t blocking it with Absolute Barrier after all.¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was simply enduring it with his physical body.

    ***

    As they pushed through the sleep-inducing fragrance, a massive bamboo forest came into view. They could hear a chorus so loud it hurt their ears.

    Furface tensed up a bit more. <i>¡®The closer we get to the bamboo forest, the stronger the effect of the Singing Bamboos bes.¡¯</i>

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Despite Absolute Barrier providing him with an incredible defense, Furface felt nervous. Fortunately, Absolute Barrier perfectly blocked out the bamboos¡¯ chorus.

    ¡°There are traces of yers who¡¯ve passed through here,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. These were the traces of the yers who had gone ahead, those who had taken Faceless¡¯s stimnt.

    ¡°We¡¯ll reach thest camp after passing through here,¡± Furface exined.

    The rule of this ce was to wait at the final camp, reinforce their strength, and then attempt the Dragon¡¯s Nest raid that opened once every one hundred days.

    After walking for a while, they came upon a fairlyrge area.

    ¡°There are tents set up here and there,¡± Furface said.

    They could sense about ten people. Some were deeply asleep, others were in a daze, and only three or four were fully alert. Among those alert was Nick, the yer who had been staying here the longest. He spotted Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Nick asked. Then, he noticed Furface beside Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Furface?¡±

    ¡°Nick, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Furface said.

    ¡°You finally progressed through the first checkpoint!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I see. Congrattions, Furface!¡± However, Nick was also a bit confused. ¡°But someone who passed the second checkpoint just arrived here, how did you...¡±

    Nick wondered if Faceless¡¯s ability to produce stimnts increased rapidly. It was extremely rare for three people to arrive here at the same time.

    Furface shook his head. ¡°We broke through using a defensive ability called Absolute Barrier.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an impressive Tank. I was worried we didn¡¯t have enough tanks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Tank. I¡¯m an Eltuber,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Nick thought Jin-Hyeok was making a frivolous joke. <i>¡®What an impressive Tank!¡¯</i>

    Nick never imagined a barrier that could block both the sleep-inducing fragrance and the bamboos¡¯ chorus. However, he was flexible in epting what was going on. As a Tamer whomunicated with all sorts of living creatures, he was one of the people who best understood the diversity of life and had quite an open mind.

    ¡°Anyway, we need to wait here for a while. As you probably know, if we stay here for a few days, we will develop immunity to the bamboos¡¯ chorus. Once we are immune and have gathered enough stamina, we will attack Julius,¡± Nick said.

    Jin-Hyeok nced behind Nick. Chul-Soo Land No.1000 had changed his form and was enjoying a nap.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know me, but my concept for the livestream is overwhelming power,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok had intended to wait for a long time, he would not have advanced this far.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to open the path to the Dragon¡¯s Nest,¡± Jin-Hyeok dered.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The Singing Bamboo colony is blocking the entrance. We have to wait for the path to open every one hundred days.¡±

    Nick became anxious. He had seen many promising young yers like Jin-Hyeok before. Most of those who had exceptional talent at a young age met an early demise due to overestimating their abilities. As the leader of the final camp before the Dragon¡¯s Nest, he felt a sense of duty to stop the young Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°We need to go now,¡± Jin-Hyeok insisted.

    ¡°I told you. It¡¯s impossible!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The Singing Bamboos are blocking the way. The path to the Dragon¡¯s Nest can only be opened when the bamboos allow it. Do you think those are just ordinary bamboos?¡±

    Nick frantically exined just how ferocious and dangerous these bamboos were.

 Chapter 447

    <h4>Chapter 447</h4>

    Nick was well aware that these bamboos were no ordinary nts. They sang a sleep-inducing song that was difficult to resist without Faceless¡¯s stimnt or natural immunity. Surprisingly, this powerful sleep ability was the mildest of the bamboos¡¯ capabilities.

    ¡°You may not believe it, but the bamboos are at their most peaceful in their current state. We must not anger them,¡± Nick exined. As a senior yer, he calmly continued, ¡°If we disturb the Singing bamboos, they¡¯ll get furious.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°This is not the time for you to be excited! Of course, you must be an incredibly skilled Tank. Your act of helping Furface escape the first checkpoint anding here without Faceless¡¯s stimnt, speaks volumes about your abilities. I acknowledge that you¡¯re an exceptional Tank!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok remained silent, realizing it was pointless to insist he was an Eltuber. He simply recorded Nick¡¯s desperate exnation.

    ¡°Let me give you an example,¡± Nick said. He picked up a fallen bamboo leaf from the ground. It still had some life in it, emitting a faint song.

    Nick took a deep breath and applied pressure to the leaf with his fingers. Instantly, the leaf split into hundreds of strands, transforming into long green needles that pierced his palm. Blood dripped from Nick¡¯s hand. All of this had happened in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡± Nick said.

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°This is considered a weak attack. The Singing bamboos have various unpredictable ways of attacking yers.¡± Nick felt slightly dizzy. ¡°It seems that the attack contained some of the bamboos¡¯ poison.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded and handed him a Chul-Soo Potion. ¡°This should neutralize the poison.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± When Nick drank the potion, his eyes widened. His head suddenly cleared, and he felt energy coursing through his body.

    <i>¡®A potion that detoxifies, energizes, and heals all at once? I had no idea it existed!¡¯</i> With his flexible thinking, Nick reasoned that the world was vast, and potions came in many varieties. However, such a potion had to be incredibly expensive.

    ¡°You must be quite wealthy... You have a lot to lose if you die here,¡± Nick said. He then repeatedly emphasized the dangers of the bamboos and tried to dissuade Jin-Hyeok.

    When Jin-Hyeok showed little reaction, Nick¡¯s expression turned slightly menacing and he said, ¡°If you disturb them, some bamboos will spew hot mes. This will provoke the surrounding bamboos. It¡¯s an extremely dangerous act that can wipe out everyone in this camp. I won¡¯t stand idly by and let that happen.¡±

    After listening to everything, Jin-Hyeok casually said, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Earlier, when the bamboo leaf split and attacked...¡± Jin-Hyeok constantly grappled with the question of what constitutedmon sense, so he was genuinely curious. He struggled toe to terms with just how weak these ordinary yers were. After all, since they had made it to the Dragon¡¯s Nest, they were likely top-ranked in their respective Servers. ¡°Did you intentionally not defend against it?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Nick said. While Jin-Hyeok wanted to ask if Nick had done that to provide a dramatic effect, Nick interpreted it differently. <i>¡®Is he saying that my defensive abilities are inadequate and that he could have easily blocked it? Did my demonstration only increase his confidence?¡¯</i>

    This young, capable Tank was indeed overestimating his abilities. Surely, he meant that he could have easily blocked such an attack.

    ¡°Do you think there is only this one leaf in the area?¡± Nick asked, pointing around. ¡°There are countless leaves here. All of them can be unpredictable weapons against us. And as I said before, the leaves are just the beginning. If we anger the main trunk, we¡¯re in real trouble.¡±

    Seeing Nick get angry without answering his question, Jin-Hyeok sighed softly. It seemed Nickcked some social skills.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just ask them to move aside?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s impossible!¡¯ </i>Nick almost lost his temper, but befitting his seniority, he calmly replied, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯re a Tamer, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but...¡±

    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you thought about taming the bamboos?¡±

    ¡°<i>Sigh...</i>¡± Nick wondered where to even begin exining. ¡°Not all Tamers are the same. Some specialize in mammals, which itself has numerous subcategories. Others specialize in insects. There are dozens, even hundreds, of types of Tamers based on their specialties. For your information, I am a Tamer specializing in rodents.¡±

    Nick had never heard of a Tamer who specialized in nts. Usually, those would be Botanists or nt Mages.

    ¡°Your thinking seems quite rigid,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. <i>¡®He¡¯s not even going to attempt to tame bamboos because he specializes in rodents. How can someone think so inflexibly?¡¯ </i>

    Baffled by thisment, Nick looked at Furface with an angry expression. He expected the experienced Furface to take his side.

    <i>¡®Why are you shaking your head?¡¯ </i>Nick thought. <i>¡®Is he telling me to stop interfering with Chul-Soo¡¯s work?¡¯</i>

    Nick realized that Furface was not in his right mind either. Perhaps it was because Furface had just left the first checkpoint, but he seemed a bit unhinged.

    ¡°Hey, bamboos. Can you make way for us? We¡¯re trying to get to the Dragon¡¯s Nest,¡± Jin-Hyeok shouted.

    ***

    Nick dropped to the ground. The bamboo actually opened a path.

    ¡°See? All we had to do was ask nicely,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Nick struggled toprehend what was going on. <i>¡®If it were that simple, why would we camp here for one hundred days, enduring harassment from all sorts of insects and the constant bamboo chorus?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Has anyone else ever tried asking the bamboos?¡± Jin-Hyeok inquired.

    ¡°No...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why.¡±

    Nick began to doubt himself. <i>¡®Was it really that easy? What was the point of everything we¡¯ve done here?¡¯</i>

    Furface, who was slightly less shocked, cleared his throat. ¡°Ordinary yers probably wouldn¡¯t seed if they asked, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°But a Tamer should...¡±

    ¡°Tamers aren¡¯t as versatile as you think. I¡¯m starting to understand you a bit better now, Chul-Soo.¡± Realizing how unusual Chul-Soo¡¯s standards were, Furface helped Nick to his feet. ¡°Nick, I understand how you feel. I nearly gave up several times myself.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°He single-handedly wiped out the Demon army summoned by Faceless. Do you know the Demon Lord Dragan?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name. One of the four Demon Lords, right?¡± Nick said.

    ¡°He had be the Grand Lord after devouring the other three Lords. Chul-Soo ordered him to return to his Realm. And he did. Though to me, it looked more like he fled.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve never heard of Demons running away.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard of bamboos opening a path when asked?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± Nick came to what he thought was a rational conclusion. ¡°Chul-Soo, are you perhaps a Mage who specializes in mental spells?¡±

    Nick knew that those Mages could force their opponents to do whatever they wanted with their mental spells.

    ¡°No, I told you I¡¯m an Eltuber,¡± Jin-Hyeok insisted.

    ¡°Eltuber...? You¡¯re really an Eltuber? Not a Tank?¡±

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok spoke to the bamboos again. ¡°Hey guys, could you please quiet down? I¡¯m trying to talk to this guy.¡±

    ***

    The bamboo chorus abruptly stopped. This time, the bamboos had sung for a much shorter period than usual. yers in the camp regained their senses one by one.

    ¡°Is the song over already?¡±

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ¡°But the sun is still high!¡±

    ¡°So strange... I have a bad feeling about this.¡±

    Changes in the Dungeon were never wee. They usually meant unpredictable dangers were approaching.

    ¡°Oh, a neer?¡±

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Furface?¡±

    yers surrounded Jin-Hyeok and Furface. Some recognized Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°I-Isn¡¯t that IntenseMan?¡±

    However, not everyone knew him urately. Top-ranked yers tended to be absorbed in their interests.

    ¡°A great Swordsman has joined us. Isn¡¯t he the winner of the Sword Emperor Tournament?¡±

    ¡°He is the up-anding ranker. The leader of the K-Force!¡±

    ¡°I heard he¡¯s the master of Angel Girl. Isn¡¯t he a top-tier Thief?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? He is arge-scalebat specialist, an area-of-effect bombardier.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the founder of Absolute Barrier, the godfather of Tanks?¡±

    ¡°I know him as Park Terse¡¯s rival...¡±

    Most of the yers had different opinions on who Jin-Hyeok was. He was slightly surprised by these new perspectives.

    <i>¡®They know so little about me.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok realized he still had a long way to go. <i>¡®Even when shown the same thing, they all interpret it as they please.¡¯</i>

    Everyone seemed to see only what they wanted to see. It was probably a side effect of short-form content.

    Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°I¡¯m heading straight to Dragon¡¯s Nest. Anyone want to join me?¡±

    ¡°But our current strength...¡±

    ¡°I heard that if we inflict a certain level of damage on Julius, a door to the outside opens.¡± Jin-Hyeok transformed his right hand into the Babylon Cannon. ¡°I¡¯m going to use this on Julius.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s the Babylon Cannon!¡± shouted a yer, recognizing the ability. When others asked what it was, he exined, ¡°It¡¯s a bombardment-type attack boasting the highest output among area-of-effect Skills!¡±

    ¡°But Julius is a single entity...¡± another yer said.

    Area-of-effect attacks were typically better against an army of opponents, not individuals.

    ¡°But with the Babylon Cannon, we might be able to at least scratch Julius,¡± another yer said.

    Surprisingly, the Dragon¡¯s Nest had a very low threshold for what was considered as <i>inflicted damage.</i> Even a slight scratch was enough to open the escape portal.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of that?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯te here to run away!¡±

    The yers had all gathered to hunt Julius. None of them had escape in mind from the start.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait long. I¡¯m leaving right now. I¡¯ve already spoken to the bamboos, so we¡¯re okay,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Seeing the looks in some yers¡¯ eyes, Nick felt a bit wronged. Their expressions seemed to ask why he, a Tamer, could not do what an Eltuber had done.

    Furface patted Nick on the shoulder reassuringly. ¡°They will understand when they experience it themselves.¡±

    A few confident yers followed Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Nick, shouldn¡¯t we stop them?¡±

    ¡°Our strength is far too inadequate.¡±

    Nick shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand...¡±

    Nick was, after all, a Tamer. He couldmunicate with various creatures. Thanks to this, he could tell how terrified the bamboos were.

    <i>¡®He subdued the entire bamboo colony with just a few words. And he did it with such a gentle request. Maybe Chul-Soo can do this!¡¯</i>

    He thought that maybe they really could clear this Dungeon. Eventually, he started following Jin-Hyeok as well.

 Chapter 448

    <h4>Chapter 448</h4>

    The path to the Dragon¡¯s Nest opened up.

    ¡°Thank you, guys,¡± Chul-Soo said softly.

    The bamboos swayed their leaves to both sides as if they were bidding farewell to their king. Their movements were hushed and reverent.

    ¡°Is this what a true taming looks like?¡± Nick asked, his voice filled with awe.

    ¡°Yes, though I haven''t used any taming Skills yet,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you possess taming Skills as well?¡± Nick¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°I have one.¡±

    Someone muttered behind them, ¡°See? I told you he was fundamentally a Tamer.¡±

    Chul-Soo chose to ignore thement.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too presumptuous, could I know the name of the Skill?¡± Nick asked, wondering just how impressive the name of this Skill would be. The technique of a Tamer who could subdue Singing Bamboos with just a few words was definitely extraordinary. Even though their Jobs differed slightly, Nick felt he could gain a great deal of inspiration from Chul-Soo.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special,¡± Jin-Hyeok said modestly. ¡°It¡¯s called Taming.¡±

    ¡°Pardon...?¡± Nick nearly let out an involuntary sigh. <i>¡®If you don¡¯t want to tell me, just say so.¡¯</i>

    Taming was the most basic Skill that all Tamers learned. It was a low-level, fundamental technique that could be used across all specialties.

    ¡°It has a slightly unusual aspect, though,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It has <i>physical </i>written in parentheses next to it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see...¡± Nick¡¯s enthusiasm deted once more.

    Taming could be performed through various methods, such as physical prowess, seduction, empathy, and persuasion. Among these, the physical method was the least preferred. It was effective only at very low Levels; the higher one¡¯s Level was, the more severe the side effects became.

    High-Level Tamers naturally had to tame high-Level monsters. Using physical taming on a high-Level monster could lead to irreversible consequences. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the number one cause of death for Tamers was being killed by their tamed subjects.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Nick said, trying to mask his disappointment.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention...¡±

    Using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok could see that Nick was disappointed and felt slightly insulted.

    <i>¡®We can¡¯t have discord within the party before we even reach the Dragon¡¯s Nest,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    The concept of this content was overwhelming dominance. This did not simply mean clearing the Dungeon quickly; it meant being able to dominate every aspect of the Dungeon with ease. If Jin-Hyeok could not even properly convince one party member, it couldn¡¯t be called <i>overwhelming</i>.

    ¡°Are there living beings here as well?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No, but Sleepless Wraiths wander in this area,¡± Nick exined. ¡°Compared to the previous area, which bes full of sleep-inducing fragrances frequently, there are fewer Sleepless Wraiths here, but each Wraith is much stronger.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can sense one nearby.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Nick was taken aback. As a Tamer specializing in small animals, he prided himself on his keen sensing abilities.

    <i>¡®I couldn¡¯t sense anything.¡¯ </i>Nick nced back at their Navigator, who also wore a puzzled expression. <i>¡®Why is our Navigator behind us?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Oh, there it is,¡± Jin-Hyeok pointed out.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°There, between the leaves. Can¡¯t you see?¡±

    ¡°I see it now...¡± Nick finally spotted the Wraith as they drew much closer. Just as Chul-Soo had said, the Wraith was trembling there, its form barely visible. <i>¡®Why is the Wraith acting like that?¡¯</i>

    The Wraith¡¯s condition seemed odd. Wraiths were known to roam around sleeping yers, but this one appeared to be constrained, unable to move as if it were bound by an invisible force.

    <i>¡®Could it be the Singing Bamboos?¡¯ </i>Nick spected. It almost felt as if the bamboos had banded together to offer the Wraith as a sacrifice. The scene gave off the impression that the bamboos were telling Chul-Soo to not hurt them and were presenting him with the Wraith instead.

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri vigorously.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be friends,¡± he said, cheerfully.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°We can be friends, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked, his tone friendly.

    The Wraith nodded. It appeared to be the most docile and benign Wraith Nick had ever encountered.

    ¡°It was true,¡± Nick murmured, his understanding of taming techniquespletely shaken.

    ¡°Physical taming is generally not preferred,¡± Nick exined, trying to regain some footing. ¡°As you know, the side effects be more severe at higher Levels.¡±

    However, this statement showed that Nick only knew half the story. He had gained a new insight.

    ¡°But it seems that at even higher Levels, it bes quite effective,¡± Nick said aloud. ¡°Perhaps it wasn¡¯t that violence was wrong, but that it was insufficient?¡±

    While Nick muttered to himself, the group arrived at the entrance of the Dragon¡¯s Nest. A massive cave opening awaited them, seeming to beckon them forward into the unknown.

    ***

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I will be using the Babylon Cannon to inflict damage on Julius,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    One of the yers who had followed Jin-Hyeok had attempted the Dragon¡¯s Nest twice before and fled. Named Jasmine, she was a Flutist Healer, which was a 9-Star Job, like that of most yers here.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy. ording to the rumors,nding a hit on Julius is incredibly easy, but...¡± Since she had challenged this ce twice before, Jasmine knew well how terrifying the Fire Dragon Julius was. ¡°That¡¯s only inparison to this Dungeon¡¯s notorious reputation as the worst Dungeon in the universe. Even concentrated attacks targeting a single entity barely have a chance ofnding a hit. An area-of-effect Skill won¡¯t even scratch Julius¡¯s scales.¡±

    ¡°Is Julius that powerful?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, Julius is truly strong. I¡¯m a Healer, so I was positioned at the back of my previous parties, but even I found it difficult to move as I stiffened from the sheer pressure of Julius¡¯s presence.¡±

    Jasmine had seen many spirited yers before. Some of them always insisted on showing off shy Skills and abilities against Julius, and they all died.

    ¡°Moreover, there is another terrifying aspect of Julius that is unknown to the world¡ªan ability,¡± Jasmine continued.

    ¡°Oh...? Is that true? Why hasn¡¯t it been revealed to the world?¡±

    ¡°It probably affects the mind. When you escape, you forget parts of what happened inside the Dragon¡¯s Nest. The memories only return when youe back there.¡±

    ¡°So, what is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the fear effect. Julius emits something called Dragon Fear. The moment this thing hits a yer, they be paralyzed and start bleeding from every orifice. Most of them die.¡±

    ¡°Is it really that dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will try to neutralize it with my flute music, but it won¡¯t be perfect.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a slight thrill. Just hearing about it made it sound incredible.

    <i>¡®Let¡¯s not get too excited,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡°How does one get hit by the Dragon Fear?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. It seems to be random...¡± Jasmine answered.

    It had nothing to do with how powerful a yer was. There had been cases where strong yers fell victim to the fear effect, and weak ones resisted it.

    <i>¡®I guess we will find out when we get there,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡±

    Jasmine sighed. It seemed that Chul-Soo¡¯s determination to use an area-of-effect Skill for the sake of spectacle remained unchanged.

    <i>¡®It will be difficult to change his mind.¡¯ </i>Jasmine gripped the flute in her right hand tightly. She felt she would need to start ying her flute to help Chul-Soo as soon as the battle began. <i>¡®I won¡¯t let him die.¡¯</i>

    Jasmine did not know much about Chul-Soo. Previously, even when people around her had urged her to watch just one of his videos, she had not paid much attention to it. Today, she deeply regretted that.

    <i>¡®I will protect him no matter what!¡¯ </i>Jasmine vowed that as soon as they got out of this Dungeon, she would definitely join Chul-Soo Land. <i>¡®He¡¯s so handsome, even in this dire situation.¡¯</i>

    Jasmine had fallen in love.

    ***

    When the group entered the cave, a new Field unfolded before them.

    <i>¡®I can feel the heat,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. While it felt like a warm breeze to him, the other yers seemed to be struggling more.

    Furface was already drenched in sweat.

    ¡°We¡¯ve finally reached Julius¡¯s crater,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered.

    Hot air rose from the ground, and boilingva bubbled up from various spots on the floor. The sky was entirely red, with balls of fire floating instead of clouds.

    [¡°Who dares invade my nest without my permission!¡±]

    It sounded like thunder. Some yers covered their ears in pain. Jasmine began ying her flute to help the yers adapt to the fear effect.

    Parting the fiery clouds, a massive Fire Dragon slowly revealed himself.

    Jin-Hyeok hid his rising satisfaction and said in a slightly excited voice, ¡°He¡¯s enormous...¡±

    They couldn¡¯t see the entire body; they could see only Julius¡¯s mouth from below. Each tooth was like a massive ancient tree, and mes hotter than the fire clouds raged inside his mouth. His mouth wasrge enough to swallow the entire crater whole. This was the only part of Julius¡¯s body visible from the ground.

    ¡°It¡¯s as if a gigantic mouth is descending upon us,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Julius¡¯s size surpassed even that of the Thunder Dragon. Just his mouth cast a dark shadow over the entire crater.

    ¡°Well, at least I can¡¯t miss my Babylon Cannon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never seen it like this before!¡¯ </i>Jasmine was extremely tense. Julius had descended with his mouth wide open, and this was something that had never been reported before. <i>¡®Something¡¯s different!¡¯</i>

    While countless variables urring within a Dungeon were expected, apletely different appearance of the boss monster was rare. An inexplicable uneasiness brushed against Jasmine¡¯s nape, but she shook her head to dispel it.

    <i>¡®I just need to focus on my flute.¡¯</i>

    The rest was up to the other yers. She decided to trust herrades here.

    Jin-Hyeok raised his right hand. His hand, now transformed into a massive cannon, aimed at Julius as golden energy began to gather in his right arm.

    ¡°Behold, my Babylon Cannon,¡± Jin-Hyeok intoned. He knew this kind of incantation was not necessary, but it added to the dramatic scene.

    [¡°Worthless trash!¡±]

    Even without a specific attack, a massive shockwave swept through the area. Magma spurted and hot winds gusted. Amidst this, Jin-Hyeok deployed Absolute Barrier to protect the yers.

    ¡°Pierce the tyrannical Fire Dragon with the light of judgment,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    Thousands of light beams from the Babylon Cannon poured toward Julius like a meteor shower raining down from the sky. If the hit did not register properly, Julius would release Dragon Fear.

    Jasmine was prepared. <i>¡®Julius is going to use the Dragon Fear!¡¯</i>

    To counteract the Dragon Fear effect, she had prepared the Fourth Symphony. She was concentrating all her mental energy on detecting changes in the mana flow to time it perfectly.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    The Babylon Cannon¡¯s attack was registered as a hit.

    <strong>[Fire Dragon Julius has been hit.]</strong>

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    <strong>[A path to the outside has now opened.]</strong>

    <strong>[You can escape to the outside through the magic circle.]</strong>

    Jasmine could see something odd about Julius¡¯s mouth.

    <i>¡®Magma... is falling from the roof of his mouth!¡¯</i>

    That was Julius¡¯s blood.

 Chapter 449

    <h4>Chapter 449</h4>

    The yers gathered in the Dragon¡¯s Nest were top-tier yers on their respective Servers, but all of them perceived Julius as a being of a different dimension. When he appeared, most of them froze, and some were overwhelmed by a terror they dared not resist.

    <i>¡®I...I need to run away.¡¯</i>

    Several yers¡¯ minds were paralyzed by a fear they had never experienced before. They even forgot about Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s spectacr bombardment. The only thought they had was to escape from this ce. Fortunately, as Chul-Soo¡¯s Babylon Cannon hit Julius, the magic circle for escaping the Dungeon was activated, and simultaneously, three yers sprinted toward the magic circle with all their might.

    ¡°Aah!¡±

    ¡°Aaah!¡±

    Furface gritted his teeth. <i>¡®You fools!¡¯ </i>

    In their rush to escape, they had been blinded to everything else.

    <i>¡®Can¡¯t you see the falling magma?¡¯ </i>Furface could feel the tremendous heat of the magma flowing from Julius¡¯s mouth despite it being a considerable distance away. If even a single drop touched them, it would instantly melt them away.

    <i>¡®They¡¯re done for. They are out of their minds. They can¡¯t think straight.¡¯</i>

    Furface jumped up. He transformed his hair into rock and hardened it, then crossed his arms in an X to block the falling magma and deflect it sideways.

    <i>¡®Ugh!¡¯ </i>

    While he managed to block the impact reasonably well, part of his hair melted from the intense heat. The heat spreading throughout him made it harder for him to breathe. Even though he was confident in his defensive abilities, he realized something.

    <i>¡®This pce is beyond my level!¡¯</i>

    The falling magma wasn¡¯t even an attack. In human terms, Julius was only bleeding. Just from this one encounter, Furface felt that Julius¡¯s strength was far beyond him.

    <i>¡®If he starts attacking, there is no hope for us.¡¯</i>

    Unfortunately, their party didn¡¯t have many Tanks. Julius could instantly wipe everyone out before the damage-dealing yers could prepare their attacks.

    <i>¡®I never imagined he would be this powerful...¡¯</i>

    [¡°I will kill you all.¡±]

    With Julius¡¯s chilling voice, pirs of fire began to erupt everywhere. The magic circle was still far away, and the yers with weak defense would surely be annihted. At times like this, focusing and choosing the right direction was pivotal.

    ¡°Nick! Jasmine! I will protect you two!¡± Furface shouted.

    Nick summoned a giant fiery squirrel, and Jasmine yed a fire-resistant flute to increase fire resistance. Now, it was a matter of luck. Those with good fortune would live, and those without it would die.

    ¡°Everyone, run to the exit!¡±

    Jasmine did her best to help the yers. ¡°This Julius is on apletely different level from before! We must flee!¡±

    Although Dungeons were known for their unpredictability, this was beyond the norm. Looking at the mes engulfing their surroundings, Jasmine felt dizzy. <i>¡®The Fire Dragon was never this powerful before...!¡¯</i>

    For reasons unknown, Julius had be much stronger. Or perhaps this was Julius¡¯s true power. There was no time to analyze the reasons. The important thing was to somehow escape and survive. Jasmine desperately yed her flute, trying to increase the yers¡¯ fire resistance.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m running out of mana! Why is the magic circle so far away?¡¯</i>

    Moreover, some yers were still showing baseless confidence against Julius, frustrating Jasmine. <i>¡®I can¡¯t save all of them. I need to give up on those idiots.¡¯</i>

    Failure to grasp the dire situation meant inevitable death. That was an obvious principle. She could not save everyone. Her flute¡¯s sound enveloped the fleeing yers. Without her Skill, the yers¡¯ skin would have melted.

    <i>¡®Still...¡¯ </i>

    Thanks to Jasmine, most yers were able to escape. The giant fire squirrel that Nick summoned ran toward the magic circle with Jasmine on its back.

    <i>¡®But Furface is still there...!¡¯</i>

    The Tank, Furface, was struggling to block the falling magma chunks to protect the other yers. He seemed to be having difficulty running, likely due to having exhausted his stamina. From a distance, Nick shouted, ¡°Jasmine! You might be thest one!¡±

    Nick had done his best too. He had constantlymunicated with the fire squirrel to save as many yers as possible, and Jasmine was essentially thest one.

    <i>¡®Furface, I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ </i>Nick thought.

    Saving Furface seemed impossible. mes were gathering in Julius¡¯s mouth as the dragon hovered in the air. This was one of Julius¡¯s signature attacks, called Fire Breath. When that hot breath of fire would strike the ground, no living being on the surface would remain.

    Nick had an epiphany. <i>¡®This isn¡¯t a being that humans can subjugate. Reinforcing our strength? That is meaningless in the face of overwhelming power.¡¯</i>

    Nick felt this to his core. Most of the yers gathered in the Dragon¡¯s Nest felt the same.

    ¡°Furface!¡± Jasmine shouted.

    At that moment, Jasmine¡¯s mana was depleted. She could no longer produce any flute sound, and the fire-resistant barrier protecting the yers disappeared like melting snow.

    <i>¡®No!¡¯ </i>

    She had overexerted herself. At this rate, all the other yers would melt away. That was how intense the heat here was.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    When they arrived in front of the magic circle, Nick pulled Jasmine down.

    ¡°Jasmine, hurry!¡±

    ¡°Nick.¡±

    Strangely, Nick seemed unaffected. The other yers also appeared to be fine.

    ¡°Are you... okay?¡± Jasmine asked.

    ¡°Of course I am. Why?¡±

    The giant fire squirrel gently bit Jasmine¡¯s nape and threw her toward the magic circle. Jasmine was still confused until that moment. ¡°How is everyone okay...?¡±

    Even though the sound of her flute had disappeared, no one was hurt. Even Furface, who was enduring stronger mes far away, seemed okay.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    <i>¡®How is this possible?¡¯ </i>Jasmine thought.

    <strong>[You have escaped the ?Dragon¡¯s Nest?.]</strong>

    Jasmine could not solve her curiosity.

    ***

    Furface stared at the pir of fire descending upon him. <i>¡®At least I didn¡¯t sumb to fear.¡¯ </i>

    When Julius had first appeared, Furface had been too terrified to move. It wasn¡¯t that he was weak, but rather that Julius was such a terrifying existence. But in the end, he overcame it. As a Tank, he had done his best.

    ¡°Everyone! Live! Survive and return to your families!¡± Furface shouted as if he were giving hisst words. Then he looked at Chul-Soo. ¡°Was that good enough?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. A bit less dramatic, but it will do,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Furface waved his arm, and the pir of fire engulfing him dispersed. He copsed to the ground, all strength leaving his body.

    <i>¡®How is this possible?¡¯ </i>Furface thought. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you could cast your Absolute Barrier on everyone, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Furface was sure that Chul-Soo was a Tank, an all-rounder Tank that possessed sleep resistance, sound wave resistance, physical resistance, fire resistance, and even area-of-effect attributes.

    Furface had vowed not to be surprised anymore, but his standards as a Tank werepletely shaken. Hair was falling out all over his body. ¡°My hair... it¡¯s falling out.¡±

    ¡°Why? My Absolute Barrier was sturdy.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s an internal issue.¡±

    <i>¡®Can I call myself a Tank? Am I truly a Tank?¡¯ </i>Furface¡¯s pride as a Tank, which had sustained him until now, was crumbling to pieces.

    Jin-Hyeok nced behind him. Four more yers had remained here with strong spirits and determination.

    ¡°We will help you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°I can be of great assistance.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s join forces to subjugate this tyrannical Fire Dragon!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to defeat Julius by myself.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense!¡±

    ¡°We absolutely can¡¯t let you face him alone!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t run from enemies. Even if it costs me my life.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    <strong>[You have used the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    ¡°Now, everyone, move to the magic circle.¡±

    Blood trickled down the foreheads of the four yers. Their eyes lost focus.

    ¡°To the magic...¡±

    ¡°...circle...¡±

    ¡°Moving...¡±

    They staggered toward the magic circle like zombies.

    ¡°Furface, I need you to follow them,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok raised Miri. ¡°Do you want to be tamed too?¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡±

    ¡°Do you really want tomune with me?¡±

    ¡°I said no!¡±

    With patches of missing hair, Furface trudged toward the magic circle. He had already noticed something strange.

    <i>¡®The Fire Dragon should have already used his Fire Breath, but...¡¯ </i>A massive fireball had formed in the air, but the dragon had not released the breath attack. <i>¡®Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡¯</i>

    His pride as a Tank had been shattered. He realized that he needed to be as powerful as Chul-Soo to be considered a Tank. Someone like him wasn¡¯t even a Tank. As self-loathing enveloped him, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s words reached his ears.

    ¡°Hey, Furface. You were an excellent Tank.¡±

    <strong>[You have escaped the ?Dragon¡¯s Nest?.]</strong>

    After escaping the Field, Furface cried for a long time.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok looked up at the sky and said, ¡°I get the gist of what you¡¯re feeling, Julius.¡±

    He had been able to read Julius¡¯s true feelings since their first encounter. Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t see the Fire Dragon Julius as a tyrannical being. He was just Chul-Soo Land No.1000, a fragile and pitiful existence desperately wishing for death more than anyone else.

    ¡°I know why everyone underestimates your power. It¡¯s because you deliberately let yers escape alive, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He could also understand why Julius was now gathering energy for the Fire Breath. ¡°You thought if you attacked with all your heart, I would get angry enough to kill you.¡±

    Yet, Julius was hesitating to release his attack, worried about what could happen if Chul-Soo died.

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. ording to the original n, he was supposed to overwhelmingly defeat Julius, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°How could I attack you when you¡¯re the Chul-Soo Land No.1000?¡±

    This changed everything. Stars only existed because of their fans. No star would attack their fan. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t be a star, after all.

    Jin-Hyeok could hear Julius¡¯s urgent voice.

    [¡°B-But...¡±]

    It sounded like the voice of someone who had theirst hope for chance snatched away.

    Jin-Hyeok sighed again. ¡°Do you know why you keep failing to die?¡±

    [¡°T-That¡¯s...!¡±]

    Aftering here, Jin-Hyeok saw clearly why Julius couldn¡¯t kill himself. ¡°It¡¯s because you keep using your seduction technique.¡±

    [¡°Seduction technique...?¡±]

    In Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind, a seduction technique meant disarming the opponent by seducing them with an attractive appearance or personality. In that sense, yers froze the moment they saw that enormous face. To Jin-Hyeok, it seemed like an excessive seduction technique.

    ¡°When you were in the form of a child at the previous checkpoint, no one was scared of you, right?¡±

    At that moment, the energy that Julius had gathered in his mouth for the Fire Breath exploded. It had surpassed its critical point and self-destructed.

    [¡°Oh, no!¡±]

    A massive pir of fire erupted toward Jin-Hyeok, who raised his right hand and split the fire pir in two.

    ¡°Fortunately, seduction techniques don¡¯t work on me.¡±

 Chapter 450

    <h4>Chapter 450</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s surroundings had be a sea of fire, and the ground had melted into a bubbling cauldron, but he appeared unaffected.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Julius asked, after suddenly transforming from his enormous dragon form into that of a small child.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Julius remained silent for a moment before apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the Fire Breath, it¡¯s fine. It seemed like an ident.¡±

    ¡°No, not about that. I underestimated you, Mr. Chul-Soo. I thought you were weak.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s something worth apologizing for. I¡¯ll ept it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Lately, he had been wishing to be weaker, but when someone actually implied he could be weak, his pride took a hit. He was well aware of the contradiction, but he couldn¡¯t change how he felt.

    ¡°Anyway, you understand your problem now, don¡¯t you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°That I¡¯m a master of seduction?¡± Julius tilted his head.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded solemnly, leaving Julius even more perplexed. The dragon wondered if he truly was a master of seduction. If the one saying this were anyone else, Julius would have spat his Fire Breath at such nonsense, but this was Kim Chul-Soo. If Chul-Soo said the Thunder Dragon was docile, Julius would have believed it.

    ¡°I understand my problem,¡± Julius said. However, there was no need to fix it. From now on, he would not have to use seduction techniques anyway. ¡°To be honest, I was trying to provoke you into attacking me for real.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I thought so.¡±

    Although Julius had underestimated Jin-Hyeok¡¯s strength, his killing intent had been genuine. If it weren¡¯t for Absolute Barrier, even Furface, with whom Jin-Hyeok had built quite a rapport on their journey, might have died.

    ¡°Since it hase to this, please kill me with all your might,¡± Julius pleaded.

    ¡°I told you. That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Jin-Hyeok could not even imagine killing a Chul-Soo Lander. ¡°What kind of madman kills his fan?¡±

    ¡°Well, you are...¡± Julius trailed off, almost saying <i>¡®crazy enough</i>,¡¯ but caught himself. He knew his idol often did not acknowledge his madness, and as a Chul-Soo Lander, Julius understood that sentiment well. ¡°...not crazy.¡±

    Still, Julius was upset. He briefly considered attacking Jin-Hyeok for real, hoping to force thetter¡¯s hand but quickly dismissed the thought. As the official Chul-Soo Land No.1000, living with this pain was better than betraying Chul-Soo.

    With a more sincere expression, Julius continued, ¡°Even if I die, I will just respawn. The reason I want to die is¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know. You want to go outside the Dungeon, don¡¯t you?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied before the dragon could finish.

    Julius fell silent, his eyes welling up with tears at being understood.

    Jin-Hyeok let out a soft sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a Chul-Soo Lander. Why don¡¯t you understand me better?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Your settings. You just need to break them,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined, raising Miri. ¡°Don¡¯t you know she¡¯s the Rule Breaker?¡±

    ***

    Focusing his mind using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, Jin-Hyeok saw the rigid settings that bound Julius. Viscous spider webs tightly wrapped around Julius and his surroundings.

    <i>¡®Hm...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok could sense the settings bing even more rigid in real time.

    ¡°It seems the GMs are interfering,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The GMs apparently did not want the Fire Dragon to leave for the outside world. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s understandable from their perspective.¡±

    GMs had to prepare as many events and Scenarios as possible using the System. Julius¡¯s exit to the outside world was likely meant to ur only when the Fire Dragon died and his settings copsed. Subsequent events would have been nned around that event. This was not just months of nning, but possibly years or even decades of top-secret preparation.

    If Jin-Hyeok suddenly broke the settings with the Rule Breaker and unleashed the Fire Dragon into the world without warning, the GMs involved would likely be working overtime, weeping tears of blood.

    <i>¡®Kihael would love this,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He did not particrly care about the GMs¡¯ suffering. Just as it was natural for yers to die while ying, GMs could expect to work overtime when things went wrong.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try to break it, Miri,¡± Jin-Hyeokmanded.

    -I¡¯ll do my best!

    It proved more challenging than he had expected. The settings surrounding Julius were surprisingly tough.

    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t break the settings with just one hit.¡± Jin-Hyeok suddenly felt excited. While overwhelming power was his concept for the livestream, he always weed such unexpected variables. ¡°Hmm, hitting it twice doesn¡¯t work either.¡±

    The settings were bing more rigid, as fast as Jin-Hyeok could swing Miri. It seemed countless GMs were frantically reinforcing the settings.

    After a few more attempts, Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin. ¡°This isn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t anticipated such a trial. Julius¡¯s expression dropped, and he looked dejected.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t disappoint a Chul-Soo Lander,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to push yourself too hard. Just meeting you is already a gift to me,¡± Julius replied.

    Hearing those words, Jin-Hyeok made a decision. He was going to train here for a while.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to cut off my external connections to the outside world to concentrate.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok posted an urgent notice on his Eltube channel, announcing that he would be training in the Dragon¡¯s Nest for a while.

    -Chul-Soo¡¯s training?

    -Did something happen?

    -Was he critically injured by the Fire Breath?

    Many people worried about Jin-Hyeok. Thest video they had seen was of him splitting the Fire Breath with one hand.

    -Maybe he couldn¡¯t dodge the Fire Breath. Maybe he¡¯s injured.

    -There is no way he¡¯s unscathed after taking that Fire Breath.

    Where there were fans, there were also haters. Some people spread rumors that Chul-Soo had died in the Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    -LOL! I think Chul-Soo¡¯s dead. LOL

    -Serves him right for showing off his Solo y.

    Opinions poured in about why Chul-Soo had suddenly gone silent.

    -Chul-Soo is obsessed with being shown as the strongest yer in the universe.

    -He¡¯s probably trying to hide that he is critically injured.

    -But it¡¯s so obvious that he¡¯s hurt. He must be too injured to even livestream.

    Meanwhile, Furface gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Kim Chul-Soo...!¡± To Furface, Chul-Soo was his lifesaver¡ªa light that had appeared after ten arduous years. ¡°I must confirm his life or death with my own eyes.¡±

    That was his duty as an orangutan Beastkin. However, he was also afraid. He had never ovee the Sphinx¡¯s illusion before on his own. Without Chul-Soo, he didn¡¯t have the confidence to ovee the illusion. If he went into the Dungeon now, he could get trapped in the first checkpoint indefinitely again.

    ¡°But I have to go.¡±

    It was his duty to help Chul-Soo as he had received such kindness from him.

    Jasmine, the Flutist Healer, also decided to join. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡±

    ¡°Jasmine, this will be your fourth attempt. You could die this time,¡± Furface said.

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely why I must go. I¡¯m the most experienced one among the survivors. My flute could help Chul-Soo.¡±

    Nick, the Tamer, also decided to join. ¡°Damn it! I swear I would never go back...¡±

    Nick knew better than anyone that Chul-Soo could have easily escaped from the Dragon¡¯s Nest. The reason he hadn¡¯t escaped was that he had cast his Absolute Barrier on the other yers. That had to have divided Chul-Soo¡¯s attention, making it difficult to use his full abilities. However, Nick had to go in. Chul-Soo had shown him a new frontier in taming and opened his closed perspective. Chul-Soo had personally demonstrated taming a near-inanimate bamboo, expanding the realm of taming even further.

    Just then, they heard a new voice.

    ¡°Come here! Stop overthinking and join our party instead.¡±

    It was the Marshmallow Corps, led by the universe ranker Marshmallow.

    ***

    The K-Force, which had been scattered across the universe and operating independently, began to gather in one spot. From the Saint of Freedom Cha Jin-Sol, Wood King Mok Jae-Hyeon, Martial King Kim Jeong-Hyeon, and the twin Assassins Seo Ji-Soo and Sae-Ji-Ah to notable yers active worldwide, they all assembled. It was a group that included all the rising rookie yers and those with the title of <i>prodigy.</i>

    -Wow, is the K-Force this powerful?

    -Seeing them all together. They¡¯re unstoppable!

    -But this is just the advance party, right?

    -You¡¯re kidding me, right? This is just the advance party? LOL

    In other words, the K-Force was just the advance party. Most of them belonged to the Earth Server and were growing at an incredible rate, but many were still not quite at the level to be called universe rankers. The main force was separate.

    -Lessefim also joined them.

    -Lessefim? The fifth-ranked Arvis Navigator?

    -She¡¯s been ranked one for a while now. Why are you still saying fifth-ranked?

    Lessefim, the tracking expert, had risen to be the universe¡¯s top Navigator.

    -The Swedeen Emperor Kyle is leading the Sword Emperor Unit to the Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    -Wait, the entire Sword Emperor Unit is going to the Dragon¡¯s Nest?

    Sweden, one of the three great empires of Arvis, had organized a main force on an imperial scale.

    -I heard the Seven Great Families have also sent their elite members to join the main force.

    Rumors even had it that the head of the veiled Kyen Family would personally participate.

    -What? The head of the Kyen Family ising?

    -Wow, that¡¯s unbelievable.

    In addition, official Chul-Soo Land members began to gather, centered around Muenne, who had recently risen as a political heavyweight.

    That wasn¡¯t the end of it.

    -I heard the GMs are dying these days.

    -Servers are crashing and Dungeons are exploding... It¡¯s chaos everywhere.

    -I heard it¡¯s all DDoS attacks.

    The sea suddenly turned into mountains. Mountains suddenly becamekes. Demons appeared where Goblins should have been. The Demon Realm merged with a newborn Server. What would normally be individual major incidents suddenly erupted on a universal scale. As a result, the dark circles under the GMs¡¯ eyes reached their chins.

    Kihael, who had escaped this hell early, was overjoyed.

    <i>¡®That¡¯s what happens when you mess with Kim Min-Ji, you fools! This is what you get for messing with Chul-Soo. But did they really mess with Chul-Soo specifically?¡¯ </i>Kihael wondered. ¡°Who cares about who messed with whom? As long as they¡¯re suffering, that¡¯s all that matters. Hahahaha!¡±

    ***

    The leaders of the K-Force and the high-ranking officials of the main rescue force gathered in one ce. The meeting was conducted in utmost secrecy and officially presented as a strategy meeting to find ways to rescue Chul-Soo, hosted by the universe ranker Marshmallow.

    ¡°Now, everyone knows what we need to do, right?¡± Marshmallow looked around the room with confident eyes before settling his gaze on one particr spot. It was where Furface, Jasmine, and Nick sat, invited due to their special qualifications. ¡°Furface, why have we gathered here?¡±

    ¡°We, we are...¡± Furface stammered. Although he was a ranker in his own right, he wasn¡¯t quite at the level to be in this gathering. Every single person here was a heavyweight capable of moving worlds. He felt nervous. In ce of the nervous Furface, Jasmine raised her hand.

    ¡°To rescue Chul-Soo, right?¡± she said.

    Furface and Nick nodded. She had stated something so obvious, yet somehow the atmosphere felt strange.

    <i>¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t anyone talking?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®This is odd.¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow let out a small sigh and smacked Encyclopedia on the head. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you exin it to them?¡±

    ¡°Exin what? If they have functioning brains on their shoulders, they should understand it all!¡±

    Marshmallow sighed. It was his mistake to trust his friend. ¡°Alright, let me ask just in case. Is there anyone here who thinks we¡¯re going in there to rescue Chul-Soo?¡±

    Surprisingly, no one raised their hand.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Furface, Nick, and Jasmine were baffled.

    <i>¡®Then why are we gathered here?¡¯</i>

    Encyclopedia flipped through his pages with a rustle and chided them. ¡°Hey, you lot! You¡¯re not thinking the ridiculous thought that Chul-Soo is in real danger, are you?¡±

 Chapter 451

    <h4>Chapter 451</h4>

    Furface¡¯s hair fell out in another clump.

    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± he stammered.

    Cha Jin-Sol, the de facto leader of the K-Force, let out a small sigh. ¡°Let me exin. None of us think my brother is in danger.<i> Someone</i> was supposed to exin this to you guys... I can¡¯t believe you missed such a basic point.¡±

    She nced at Encyclopedia, who immediately defended himself and said, ¡°I thought they¡¯d obviously know this much!¡±

    For someone renowned as an inte debater, his insight seemed to becking. Encyclopedia red at Furface as if he wanted to kill the Tank, his eyes saying, <i>¡®Why do I have to exin something so basic?¡¯</i>

    Trying to gather hisposure, Furface asked, ¡°Then why have we gathered in such a grand manner?¡±

    ¡°Obviously, to draw attention,¡± Jin-Sol replied. When rankers of this scale moved together, they would naturally draw public attention.

    Furface found this iprehensible. <i>¡®What happened to the world during the ten years I was trapped in that Dungeon?¡¯</i>

    At that moment, Muenne interjected. ¡°Not everyone is here for that reason, Saint of Freedom.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± While Some K-Force yers had gathered for the sake of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream, others had different intentions. ¡°Lady Muenne, you¡¯re just here because you want to see my brother again, right?¡±

    ¡°N-No...¡±

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s say it¡¯s not. The same goes for Lady Lessefim, right?¡±

    Lessefim, who had been hanging back, flinched. ¡°No, I...¡±

    ¡°Right. You¡¯re here because your GM friends begged you to stop Chul-Soo¡¯s rampage, and you had absolutely no choice but to step in, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! That¡¯s right!¡± Lessefim¡¯s face reddened slightly.

    Jasmine grasped the situation a bit faster than Furface. <i>¡®So... one group gathered to draw the public¡¯s attention and another at the request of the GMs?¡¯ </i>

    Officially, that was their reason, but in reality, they just wanted to see Chul-Soo one more time. <i>¡®Am I still trapped in the Sphinx¡¯s illusion? Or have I melted from Julius¡¯s Fire Breath and entered the afterlife?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Sol sighed. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re probably not fully ustomed to my brother yet. To be honest, even I¡¯m not used to it sometimes.¡±

    ***

    The Fire Breath that Jin-Hyeok had split in half had struck the crater, and the surrounding area was aze. Here and there, magma bubbled up like hot springs, forming huge pools of boilingva. These pools gradually expanded, transforming into what resembled a fireke. The ground beneath Jin-Hyeok¡¯s feet also began to boil, and he was half-submerged in the magmake.

    ¡°Are you... alright?¡± Julius asked hesitantly.

    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously asking me that, are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Of course, I know you¡¯re fine, but as a Chul-Soo Lander, it¡¯s natural for me to worry.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok understood this sentiment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I even think this is working out well.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Jin-Hyeok created a solid ground-like surface byyering several Absolute Barriers beneath his feet, preventing himself from sinking further. It was a scene that would give false hope to rookie yers across the universe. They could mistakenly believe that mastering Broadcaster¡¯s Barrier to the extreme could achieve such feats. It was the kind of scene that would make instructors and teachers facepalm.

    ¡°Actually, if I swing Miri vigorously, I think I can break your settings,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°You mean if you use God of Luck too, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    However, that would be inefficient. If they were going to do this, it was better to do it in a much more efficient and beneficial way. In other words, Jin-Hyeok had to be stronger.

    ¡°I think this Dungeon is recognizing me as a foreign being,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined. Dungeons had a tendency to maintain their original state. It was simr to having an immune system, which eliminated foreign elements when they infiltrated the body. ¡°So, when I do something, your settings are doing their best to block it. In that sense, I think if I be as simr to this world as possible, the immune response might lessen.¡±

    ¡°Umm, yes. So...¡± Julius wanted to ask if Chul-Soo was nning on getting stronger, but didn¡¯t dare say it out loud.

    ¡°If that happens, I will be able to break the settings much more efficiently. There will probably be fewer side effects too. Are you listening to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out a faint sigh. The ferocious Fire Dragon Julius was known to be brutal, but that was a misconception. He wasn¡¯t brutal, just a bit simple and naive.

    <i>¡®It seems like he¡¯s not listening to a word I¡¯m saying.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought that Julius was a bit dazed. <i>¡®Does he just enjoy being with me?¡¯</i>

    If Julius were a more intelligent fan, he would have actively engaged with Jin-Hyeok and helped create good livestream content, but expecting that much from a fan was asking too much. A fan could just exist as a fan.

    Jin-Hyeok meditated several times, slowly absorbing the energy of the magma into his body. He was in the process of absorbing this world¡¯s energy into the microcosm within him.

    Throughout this, Julius kept his eyes fixed on Jin-Hyeok without distraction. ¡°I could die without regrets now.¡±

    After finishing his meditation, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Julius, how did you be Chul-Soo Land No.1000?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s question was quite sharp.

    ¡°This is a closed space, after all. No proper equipment or facilities... Naturally, the signal speed would be slow too,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Thepetition rate for bing a Chul-Soo Lander was incredibly high. He wondered how Julius had be a Chul-Soo Lander in this barren Dungeon.

    Julius flinched.

    <i>¡®I guess it wasn¡¯t just luck,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. What had started as a casual question had be more serious. Julius¡¯s innocent eyes were trembling incessantly. <i>¡®He must have used some kind of illegal method. I shouldn¡¯t record this.¡¯</i>

    ¡°What kind of illegal method did you use?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I-Illegal method? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± When Jin-Hyeok looked straight at Julius, the dragon averted his gaze. Being innocent and docile, he did not seem skilled at lying. ¡°If you tell me now, I will forgive you.¡±

    ¡°Really...?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t me you either. But I think we should take this into ount when recruiting for the third generation of Chul-Soo Land.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok thought that it would be better if everyone had a fair chance. When he had recruited for the second generation of Chul-Soo Land, too many yers had used unfair methods. After all, most of the second-generation members had incredible abilities, which was unusual.

    ¡°Well...¡± Julius nced around nervously before hesitantly saying, ¡°Chu-Soo Land No.1...¡±

    ¡°Min-Ji helped you?¡±

    ¡°Well, Min-Ji came to me and...¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± They heard a distant shout.

    ***

    Kim Min-Ji panted for a while, but Jin-Hyeok remained unfazed.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not actually out of breath, Min-Ji.¡± Jin-Hyeok did not find it particrly strange that Min-Ji had appeared alone in the worst Dungeon. He figured that was just like her.

    ¡°Hehe... was it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°Did you give him the title of Chul-Soo Land No.1000?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°By... hacking.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again next time.¡±

    ¡°Okay...¡± Min-Ji looked a bit dejected.

    ¡°So? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was worried about you, Mr. Chul-Soo.¡± Min-Ji peeked out from behind a stctite formed by cooled magma.

    ¡°Be honest, Min-Ji.¡±

    ¡°I-I <i>am </i>being honest!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok stared at Min-Ji for a long time, just as he had done with Julius. All Chul-Soo Landers tended to be innocent and kind, easily confessing to lies when faced with this technique.

    Unable to withstand Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze, Min-Ji finally admitted the truth. ¡°Julius is a master of seduction. I couldn¡¯t leave you alone with him.¡±

    <i>¡®I really must be a master of seduction...¡¯</i>

    ¡°What does that mean, No.1?¡± Julius asked.

    ¡°Your intentions are too obvious, No.1000!¡± Min-Ji retorted.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡±

    ¡°At first, you were depressed because you thought you couldn¡¯t leave this ce, right? But then you realized you could spend intimate time alone with Chul-Soo, so you suddenly became happy. I saw your wicked smile!¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s not...!¡±

    ¡°No Chul-Soo Lander can monopolize Chul-Soo. You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°I know that! It¡¯s obvious!¡±

    ¡°But you harbored lustful thoughts!¡±

    ¡°Y-You¡¯re the weird one for thinking like that!¡± Julius¡¯s face turned bright red. He heated up as if he could unleash another Fire Breath at any moment.

    Min-Ji narrowed her eyes and growled. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Chul-Soo, I would have spanked you, you fire lizard!¡±

    ¡°And I would¡¯ve burned you to ashes, you hacker!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok felt a headacheing on. It was uneptable for Chul-Soo Landers to be fighting among themselves like this. He could not concentrate on his training.

    ¡°If you two keep fighting, I will kick you both out of here.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo, this fire lizard first had lustful thoughts...¡±

    ¡°Mr. Chul-Soo, this hacker illegally...¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok stared at them again, they reluctantly joined hands.

    ¡°Apologize to each other,¡± he said.

    They spoke rapidly.

    ¡°S¡¯ry.¡±

    ¡°M¡¯too s¡¯ry.¡±

    Though their sincerity was questionable, Jin-Hyeok could not force their true feelings, nor could he train them through physical means.

    <i>¡®Dealing with fans is difficult,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. ¡°I¡¯m going to meditate, so you two get along. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Their eyes sparkled. Though it wasn¡¯t a one-on-one fan meeting, they were grateful for even this two-on-one situation. Just being able to observe Chul-Soo in meditation was a blessing to them.

    Jin-Hyeok slowly sank into the boiling magma and closed his eyes.

    Around that time, a group of people arrived at the Dragon¡¯s Nest. The hostile res between Julius and Min-Ji suddenly changed.

    [¡°Who dares intrude upon my nest!¡±]

    A giant mouth appeared in the sky. It was an illusion created by Julius, but even as an illusion, it exuded an overwhelming pressure. Normally, Julius would instill fear through Dragon Fear and herd yers into magic circles.

    [¡°I will sweep you all away!¡±]

    However, this time was different. True to his reputation as a ferocious Fire Dragon, he instantly unleashed the Fire Breath.

    ¡°No.1000, get a hold of yourself!¡± Min-Ji¡¯s fingers flew over a keyboard that appeared in the air. ¡°Are you trying to kill them all?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡±

    ¡°I want to kill them too.¡± Min-Ji was also angry at the intruders for interrupting their two-on-one fan meeting. These intruders deserved worse than death. ¡°But Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t like killing people.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Just before the Fire Breath could hit them, the yers were sucked into artificially generated magic circles and disappeared. Though he could not kill them because of Chul-Soo, Julius was still fuming.

    ¡°I should just kill them all,¡± Julius grumbled, but he couldn¡¯t do more. <i>¡®Wait, isn¡¯t that the Saint of Freedom?¡¯ </i>

    He spotted Chul-Soo¡¯s younger sister.

 Chapter 452

    <h4>Chapter 452</h4>

    Julius racked his brain faster than ever before. <i>¡®Should I try to make a good impression? But do I really need to do that for Chul-Soo¡¯s sister, rather than Chul-Soo himself? Would Chul-Soo even appreciate that? Perhaps he would prefer it if I gave her a fair challenge?¡¯</i>

    He thought Kim Chul-Soo might be grateful if he helped toughen up the Saint of Freedom.

    However, Julius couldn¡¯t bring himself to breathe fire at Cha Jin-Sol.

    On the other hand, Kim Min-Ji reacted differently.

    ¡°Jin-Sol Unnie!¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh, Min-Ji. How did you get there?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    Min-Ji and Jin-Sol were already on friendly terms, treating each other like close sisters.

    ¡°Well, Mr. Choi Gap-Soo and Director Jang Michelle helped me,¡± Min-Ji replied.

    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t know the Trinity Club members could do that.¡± Jin-Sol¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at Gap-Soo and Michelle, who were present at the back of the group.

    Gap-Soo and Michelle could not hear this conversation, but they simply smiled in response.

    ¡°The Trinity Club is amazing, more than I thought,¡± Jin-Sol remarked.

    ¡°I know, right?¡±

    Watching Min-Ji¡¯s bright smile, Julius inwardly gnashed his teeth.<i> ¡®That detestable girl!¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji had broken through to this ce with her power, yet she used the Trinity Club members as an excuse. However, by observing Min-Ji¡¯s attitude, Julius got a general idea of how he should act.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Julius,¡± he said.

    ¡°I saw you on my brother¡¯s livestream. You¡¯re the one from the second checkpoint, right? They called you the ferocious Fire Dragon...¡± Jin-Sol trailed off.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fairly nice. I even let all the intruders who entered my nest earlier go free. Did you see that happen?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. It happens.¡±

    Min-Ji let out a hollowugh. She had barely stopped him from killing everyone, and now he was putting on this fake act.

    ¡°Hmm... that¡¯s strange,¡± Jin-Sol said.

    ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± Julius asked.

    ¡°I have met someone who has experienced this ce multiple times...¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean that girl who ys the flute?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. You remember her?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Her flute melody is incredibly beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Well, she said that as soon as she enters your nest, you start using your Dragon Fear...¡±

    ¡°She must have been hallucinating! The mana is so strong here that people often see illusions.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Jin-Sol was a bit worried after the Flutist Healer Jasmine had warned her about the dangers in this Dungeon, but now she felt silly for worrying. In contrast to the rumors, she found the Fire Dragon kind and sociable.

    As Julius socialized with Jin-Sol, Min-Ji grew increasingly ufortable.

    <i>¡®Somehow...¡¯</i> Min-Ji had barged in here because she could not tolerate someone else having a one-on-one fan meeting with Chul-Soo, but now more and more Chul-Soo Landers were gathering. <i>¡®Why are there so many?¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo Landers began arriving one after another, led by Muenne, the mayor of Muren and a rising political figure, and Lessefim, the honorary Chul-Soo Land No.1.

    ¡°Ugh...¡± Min-Ji groaned.

    Although it wasn¡¯t Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s intention, the ce had turned into an unofficial fan meeting for Chul-Soo Landers. Most of them were unaffected by the boiling magma in the area, while those who couldn¡¯t withstand it reluctantly left through magic circles, some even crying from frustration.

    ¡°I want to have a fan meeting too!¡±

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re burning. Get out of here quickly!¡±

    ¡°This level of burns is nothing!¡±

    ¡°Your flesh is melting!¡±

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ¡°Such an injury is to be expected!¡±

    In the end, Julius had to snap his fingers to drive out the severely injured Chul-Soo Landers. Fortunately, he had be quite adept at <i>not killing</i>, so the task wasn¡¯t difficult.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had just finished his meditation, opened his eyes and couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurd situation.

    ¡°How could you guys recklesslye to such a dangerous Dungeon....¡± He realized that calling this ce dangerous could hurt Julius¡¯s feelings since Julius was such a kind and gentle Fire Dragon. Jin-Hyeok wanted to clear up the misunderstanding about Julius being ferocious. ¡°I mean, how could you all enter someone¡¯s nest without permission.¡±

    At this point, Julius decided to give up and change his strategy, resolving to make a good impression on Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Wee to my humble home, Chul-Soo Landers,¡± Julius said, ncing at Jin-Hyeok¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Julius is so nice. Most would be upset by this,¡± Jin-Hyeok remarked.

    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re all Chul-Soo Landers. You¡¯ve gathered because you all love Chul-Soo. So, I have to wee you. Friends, it¡¯s nice to meet you in person for the first time!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled slightly at Julius¡¯s kind-heartedness.

    Seeing that smile, Julius felt he could die without regrets now. <i>¡®From now on, I will be a truly good Dragon.¡¯</i>

    Julius approached Min-Ji and extended his hand. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for getting angry earlier, Min-Ji.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Min-Ji was overwhelmed by an inexplicable sense of defeat.

    ***

    ¡°Muenne, what about your duties as mayor?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    From what he had heard, volcanoes were erupting and earthquakes were shaking things up everywhere across the universe. Strangely, Min-Ji avoided Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze when this came up.

    ¡°Well...¡± Muenne thought of what to say.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve made proper arrangements,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡± Muenne couldn¡¯t say much. She had rushed here in a panic when she thought a one-on-one fan meeting was starting.

    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me you just came here without thinking about your position as a mayor?¡±

    ¡°Of course not...¡±

    ¡°Go back.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll visit Murenter.¡±

    ¡°Okay...¡±

    Jin-Sol said with a hint of smugness, ¡°We¡¯ve got the public''s attention, Oppa. The entire world is waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°What were you nning on doing after getting their attention?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°After that? Isn¡¯t that up to your capabilities now?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°I need to stay here for a few more days. Can you endure it here that long?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just put up your Absolute Barrier for me?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I need to train.¡±

    ¡°You can put it up while training, can¡¯t you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly felt annoyed, sensing an unspoken <i>¡®Are you that weak, Oppa? You¡¯re weaker than I thought.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I want to focus on training,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hmm, I didn¡¯t expect this. Does that mean I have to leave first?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±

    While it was natural for yers to face harsh environments, Jin-Hyeok was concerned about his sister staying in this ce. Despite her excellent healing and recovery abilities, it seemed difficult for her to endure here for long.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok had a realization about people¡¯s feelings. <i>¡®Ah! So, that¡¯s why Chul-Soo Landers are...!¡¯</i>

    He finally understood Julius¡¯s words from before.

    <i>¡°Of course, I know you¡¯re fine, but as a Chul-Soo Lander, it¡¯s natural to worry.¡±</i>

    <i>¡®I guess Chul-Soo Landers across the universe must have simr feelings. They must be worrying about me with such sentiments.¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok felt grateful and apologetic.

    ¡°Well, if I have to leave first, should I try to draw more aggro for your channel? I can say that you and Julius are having a bloody fight in here,¡± Jin-Sol suggested.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Marshmallow livestreaming this?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not being broadcast. The livestream was cut off and...¡± Marshmallow shook his head and bit his lip. ¡°I can¡¯t even record in here.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t record in here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked. This was a critical issue for an Eltuber. Jin-Hyeok quickly checked. ¡°My recording is working just fine, though.¡±

    ¡°Of course, yours would.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It seems someone has set it up so that only you can record. Like a skilled hacker, for instance.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze naturally turned to Min-Ji. She had already jumped into the magma, iming to enjoy hot springs, and hidden herself.

    Marshmallow sighed. ¡°It looks like they have arranged for you to have exclusive footage of this ce. Probably telling others not to interfere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±

    Encyclopedia flipped his pages dramatically and made a fuss. ¡°No need to feel sorry, Chul-Soo! Marshmallow is a Chul-Soo Lander at heart too! Actually, he came because he wanted to see yo¡ª

    ¡°Argh! You book abuser! Don¡¯t you have any intellect? You should never hurt a book! W-Wait, not the lighter! You book arsonist!¡±

    With so many people around, it was too chaotic. Jin-Hyeok ignored the others and looked back at Jin-Sol. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should forcefully draw people¡¯s attention. Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±

    ¡°Why is that stupid? I bet the world will go crazy if I tell them that you¡¯re having an intense battle with Julius.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too much of a fabrication.¡± While some level of production was necessary for videos,pletely fabricating content was maniption. That did not align with Jin-Hyeok¡¯s principles. ¡°Besides, it would be bad for Julius¡¯s image.¡±

    ¡°Julius¡¯s image is...¡± Jin-Sol trailed off. <i>¡®Can his image get any worse? He¡¯s already known as the boss of the worst Dungeon in the universe, and rumors of him being a ferocious Fire Dragon are widespread...¡¯</i>

    However, seeing the sparkling eyes of the little child, Jin-Sol did not say it out loud. She instead asked, ¡°Then what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Tell the people that Julius and I are getting along well here. Say I will be out soon, and if any Chul-Soo Landers are worried, tell them not to be. Make sure to let them know I can¡¯t turn on my livestream because I¡¯m focusing on training.¡±

    Jin-Sol felt a little touched. ¡°Oppa, you¡¯re finally starting to understand people¡¯s feelings!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy. I was worried you might be a bit sociopathic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh, don¡¯t you think?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. Then he murmured, <i>¡°</i>I think you¡¯re much crazier than me.¡±

    However, Jin-Sol, seemingly not hearing that, quickly said, ¡°By the way, Oppa, can¡¯t you try killing Julius? He will respawn anyway, right?¡±

    ***

    On the third day of Chul-Soo¡¯s apparent disappearance, the K-Force escaped from the Dungeon and announced that Chul-Soo was in training and that he woulde out soon.

    -LOL! Looks like even the K-Force barely managed to escape.

    -Is Michelle also starting to step away from managing the MK Foundation?

    -There are even rumors that he¡¯s already dead.

    -They say the K-Force is hiding his death because there are too many ongoing projects, and Chul-Soo being dead could ruin everything.

    The bad news naturally spreads much faster than the good news.

    -Is Chul-Soo really dead?

    -Yeah, they announced his death.

    Jin-Sol was a bit bewildered. <i>¡®Did I mess up the interview somehow?¡¯</i>

    She reyed her previous interview several times, but she had only conveyed the facts and never once said anything about Chul-Soo being dead. She hadn¡¯t even mentioned anything close to that. Rather, she had delivered hopeful news that Chul-Soo was doing very well and would be out soon.

    Watching the situation unfold, Jin-Sol let out a hollowugh. ¡°Wow... is this how Oppa feels every day?¡±

    She realized Chul-Soo had it tougher than she thought. Regardless of the messenger¡¯s intentions, people listened, thought, and drew conclusions as they pleased.

    ¡°Maybe... he¡¯s happy about this. After all, we¡¯re drawing more attention than we ever did before.¡±

    Still, since Jin-Hyeok had started to understand people¡¯s feelingstely, he could feel ufortable about this.

    ¡°Min-Ji, you can identify who¡¯s spreading these rumors, right?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

 Chapter 453

    <h4>Chapter 453</h4>

    Kim Min-Ji flinched. Lately, she had been feeling self-conscious, wondering if she had been too forward, and now Cha Jin-Sol had asked a sensitive question she was dreading to answer.

    ¡°Um... why?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°Can you do it or not?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t...¡± Min-Ji mumbled at first. However, seeing the disappointment sh across Jin-Sol¡¯s face, she quickly changed her answer. ¡°...say that I can¡¯t.¡±

    The Subus Lilia set down her iced tea. ¡°You¡¯ve probably already tracked them all down, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°W-What are you talking about, Lilia? I would never do such illegal things.¡±

    ¡°But you told me to use the Subuswork to detain the worst offenders...¡± Lilia smiled with her eyes. <i>¡®It seems I¡¯m quicker at understanding people¡¯s hearts, Miss Mad God of Favoritism.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Sol grabbed Min-Ji¡¯s hand. ¡°Let me know if you identify these haters online.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to kill them?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s going too far.¡±

    Min-Ji clicked her tongue in apparent disappointment, but felt relieved. The warmth from Jin-Sol¡¯s hand wasforting. She felt she could be honest without hiding anything.

    ¡°Then why?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°I want to create a cklist.¡±

    ¡°A cklist?¡±

    ¡°Yes. From now on, those on the cklist will never be able to purchase the Chul-Soo Potion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that sounds like a good idea! But couldn¡¯t they still buy them indirectly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of adding poison to future Chul-Soo Potions that will affect only these individuals.¡±

    Chul-Soo Potions were incredibly effective, so even with a bit of poison inside them, they wouldn¡¯t harm regr users. However, with this idea, they could cause severe side effects for those on the cklist.

    ¡°The Carvington Family offered to help. I think it¡¯s quite possible,¡± Jin-Sol added.

    ¡°How potent are you nning to make the poison? Is it going to be around the Snake King level?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, that might be too difficult.¡±

    Lilia, who had been eavesdropping on them, nodded. <i>¡®Well, that would be excessively toxic.¡¯</i>

    ¡°It would be too expensive. I mean, no matter what, killing them is going too far.¡± Jin-Solughed awkwardly.

    Lilia thought that if Snake King-level poison had been cheap, there could have been arge-scale bloodbath.

    ¡°Then how strong will the poison be?¡± Min-Ji asked.

    ¡°Maybe something that causes lifelong diarrhea or induces overeating to make them morbidly obese?¡±

    ¡°Jin-Sol Unnie, you¡¯re too kind!¡±

    ***

    Tamer Nick, who had escaped the Dragon¡¯s Nest alive twice, sought out his reclusive master. ¡°Master, Chul-Soo might be able to tame the Fire Dragon.¡±

    His master¡¯s name was Pupu Baung. A legendary Tamer known for taming and riding Dragons, Pupu was a panda Beastkin with an incredibly cute appearance.

    ¡°Chul-Soo..., Chul-Soo, you say...,¡± Pupu Baung, who had grown plump while living in seclusion in a bamboo forest, chewed on a bamboo leaf. ¡°The name sounds familiar.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s said to have tamed the Thunder Dragon...¡±

    ¡°He tamed a Thunder Dragon?¡± Pupu Baung jumped up but, unable to control his recently increased weight, rolled forward twice.

    ¡°A-Are you alright, Master?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m a panda Beastkin after all.¡± Bear-type Beastkin were known for their study bodies. ¡°It must be a false rumor. Thunder Dragons are difficult to tame.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you do it, Master?¡±

    ¡°I had an incredible amount of luck on my side. Honestly, I can¡¯t even summon it often. The lightning and thunder are so powerful when I try to summon the Dragon that even a bear Beastkin¡¯s body can barely withstand it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? But Chul-Soo has an incredibly powerful defensive barrier. I think that¡¯s how he was able to tame the Thunder Dragon. However, Master, what I wanted to tell you about isn¡¯t the Thunder Dragon. This time, it seems he¡¯s trying to tame a Fire Dragon.¡±

    Pupu Baung burst intoughter. ¡°Puhahaha! Your jokes have improved! Your sense of humor has grown while we were apart!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Master. I think he¡¯s going to tame a Fire Dragon.¡±

    In fact, he could have already seeded.

    ¡°My disciple, listen. A Tamer cannot tame a subject beyond their capacity. Even if he somehow got lucky and seeded in taming a Thunder Dragon, he can¡¯t tame another Dragon. You said he was human, right? Pure human?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a pure human.¡±

    ¡°Then one Thunder Dragon is his limit. That¡¯s the limit of his race. No human can surpass that. If there was such a person, they wouldn¡¯t be human.¡±

    ¡°But Chul-Soo...¡±

    Pupu Baung couldn¡¯t stand by and watch his disciple get caught up in vain delusions.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s assume, for argument¡¯s sake, that there is a human who can tame two Dragons. Even if such a thing were to happen, the Tamer would soon be found burnt to death,¡± Pupu Baung said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that Thunder Dragons and Fire Dragons do not get along?¡±

    ¡°Uh... I had no idea. Are Thunder Dragons and Fire Dragons on bad terms?¡±

    ¡°You might not know. It¡¯s not widely known.¡± Pupu Baung would have also been unaware of this if he had not seeded in taming a Thunder Dragon. ¡°A very long time ago, so long that it¡¯s hard to measure by human lifespan, a Fire Dragon named Julius severely beat up a young Thunder Dragon who came to his nest, mistaking her for an intruder. I think its name was Atanna. You can imagine how intense the Fire Dragon¡¯s attack had been considering that the attack left Atanna on the brink of death, right?¡±

    ¡°Such a thing happened. I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of their element, Dragons are supposed to protect young Dragons. So, what do you think happened when he attacked a young Dragon? Some Thunder Dragons went to confront Julius. But instead of apologizing, Julius started a big fight, saying they dared toe to his nest and make a ruckus. It was the height of hypocrisy.¡±

    Since Pupu Baung had heard this from the Thunder Dragon, his story was inevitably biased. ¡°From then on, Julius earned the name the ferocious Fire Dragon. He was truly a vicious Dragon. Julius had received incredibly strong power in exchange for being bound to his nest. I think he must have been throwing hysterical fits due to extreme stress.¡±

    ¡°I see...¡±

    The Fire Dragon that Nick had met recently seemed very gentle and kind. He wondered if time had changed his personality.

    ¡°Yes. He even provoked the Thunder Dragons, telling them to kill him if they could. He was undoubtedly a mad Dragon.¡±

    Since Tamers inevitably formed deep mental bonds with their tamed creatures, Pupu Baung chewed on bamboo irritably, as if he was the one who had been wronged by Julius. He didn¡¯t even mention that taming such a mad Dragon would drive the Tamer insane as well. There was a much bigger problem.

    ¡°Anyway, as a result, Thunder Dragons and Fire Dragons have been mortal enemies ever since. And as you know, Tamers have a deep mental bond with their tamed creatures.¡±

    ¡°Then...!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even without that, when two opposing elements sh, it can only lead to destruction. An explosion that a mere human¡¯s universe couldn¡¯t handle would ur. So, taming two Dragons is tantamount to suicide.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t there still a possibility? Chul-Soo is a man who has turned every impossibility into possibility so far, Master.¡±

    After contemting for a while, Pupu Baung said, ¡°If that man seeds in taming a Fire Dragon after the Thunder Dragon, I will release the Thunder Dragon I tamed.¡±

    It was essentially as good as a deration that it would fail.

    ***

    ¡°This is something we cannot overlook, Park Terse!¡± Nick said seriously.

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling this as your senior. We need to stop Chul-Soo right now.¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t listen to me even if I tried to stop him, and to get to the third checkpoint of the Dungeon now, we would need help from someone like Lessefim or Mole Woman... I don¡¯t think we can go in right now.¡±

    They were still a long way away from the boss room of the Dungeon.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ¡°We must convey this message! Chul-Soo is surely being overconfident!¡± Nick yelled.

    Chul-Soo had even managed to tame the Singing Bamboos with kind conversation. His taming ability was truly beyond imagination. However, withstanding the shock of two Dragons shing after taming them was a different matter entirely.

    ¡°But, well, he will be fine with his Absolute Barrier, right?¡± Terse asked.

    ¡°Absolute Barrier is for blocking external attacks!¡±

    Terse found this senior Tamer a bit annoying. Terse believed that if the barrier could block external attacks extremely well, it also could block internal explosions.

    ¡°He might be fine since he has high poison resistance...,¡± Terse said.

    ¡°What does poison resistance have to do with the explosion within one¡¯s microcosm?!¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they be rted?¡±

    Terse believed high poison resistance could block explosions in one¡¯s microcosm. Despite being his senior, Nick seemed tock a lot of experience. It was surprising that Nick did not know suchmon sense.

    Still, since Nick was making such a fuss, Terse sought out Wang Yu-Mi. She was the only person who couldmunicate with Chul-Soo outside the Dungeon through her messages.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll pass on the message. However, I¡¯m not sure if it will be used for creating a sense of crisis.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about creating a sense of crisis,¡± Terse said.

    Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. ¡°But he said he¡¯s already tamed the Fire Dragon...!¡±

    ***

    One of the main ways to clear a Dungeon was to deal with the Dungeon boss. Killing the Dungeon boss was one way of dealing with it, but taming it also fell under the concept of dealing with the boss.

    ¡°Julius,e closer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Julius awkwardly approached Jin-Hyeok, unable to act confidently in front of Chul-Soo. He was starting to understand why Min-Ji kept hiding in theva. As time passed, even making eye contact became harder.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tame you. Tamers be stronger when taming a powerful being, right?¡±

    Julius¡¯s heart pounded. <i>¡®He¡¯s going to tame me? We are going to be mentally connected! H-How ecstatic!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok ced his hand on Julius¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t resist. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, of course!¡±

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Just because it was a <i>physical </i>type of taming, it didn¡¯t mean violence was necessary. Even patting the head was an exertion of physical force. However, Julius himself had some doubts.

    <i>¡®I believe in Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities, but...¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo was still a mere human and had not lived that long. Even Julius couldn¡¯t be sure if the depth and capacity of Chul-Soo¡¯s soul had grownrge enough to tame him.

    <i>¡®Will this work...?¡¯</i>

    <strong>[You have sessfully tamed the Fire Dragon ?Julius?.]</strong>

    Julius dove into theva. He didn¡¯t know how to express this joy and ecstasy. A profound sense of satisfaction was swelling up from deep within him, ready to burst. The dragon felt as if he had be one with Chul-Soo, living in the same world. He didn¡¯t know how to express this happiness. It was as if he had be the true Chul-Soo Land No.1, no, No.0.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯</i>

    Suddenly, Julius felt a chock strike his head.

    <i>¡®How dare you! Do you know where this is?¡¯</i>

    Julius heard a voice. It wasn¡¯t a voice from the outside, but one resonating inside his head.

 Chapter 454

    <h4>Chapter 454</h4>

    Julius tilted his head. <i>¡®Where have I heard that voice before?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve been waiting for a chance to tear your throat out. I had just been too busy with child-rearingtely to get my revenge,¡¯ </i>Atanna said telepathically. Her anger had red like lightning the moment she sensed the Fire Dragon¡¯s soul.

    Intense electrical discharges shed within Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mental realm.

    <i>¡®Don¡¯t tell me... You¡¯re that little Thunder Dragon?¡¯ </i>Julius telepathically replied.

    Long ago, the Fire Dragon had deliberately attacked a young Thunder Dragon. He had hoped the Thunder Dragon would rise and kill him. However, Julius didn¡¯t die then. Much time had passed since, and he hadpletely forgotten about the incident, but the Thunder Dragon pettily remembered everything.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s this? You two know each other?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok said telepathically.

    Jin-Hyeok sat cross-legged and meditated. Inside his microcosm, a ball of fire and a crackling form of lightning faced off in the dark space. The minds of Atanna the Thunder Dragon and Julius the Fire Dragon had met in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s microcosm. Being mentally connected to both, Jin-Hyeok could sense Atanna¡¯s immense hostility toward the Fire Dragon.

    <i>¡®I want you two to tell me what happened between you guys.¡¯ </i>

    After hearing the whole story, Jin-Hyeok let out a deep sigh. He could understand both sides¡¯ perspectives. <i>¡®Still, Julius was in the wrong. He should have just asked the Thunder Dragons to kill him outright.¡¯</i>

    Julius felt that he had been wronged a little. The Thunder Dragons who came to the Dragon¡¯s Nest were weaker than expected. Since he had grown up in the Dragon¡¯s Nest, Julius was stronger than the Dragons that had grown up in other regr Servers. So, he had to resort to somewhat extreme measures.

    Atanna, the Thunder Dragon, was uncharacteristically agitated. <i>¡®Even if it¡¯s your order, Master, I cannot befriend that brutal Fire Dragon!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®This won¡¯t do. Let¡¯s meet face to face and talk,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok said telepathically.

    He felt they could make some progress if they spoke in person. So, he opened his eyes wide and summoned Atanna to the Dungeon.

    ***

    Even high-ranking yers who had endured the Dragon¡¯s Nest began to ponder retreating. Encyclopedia was the first to take a hit.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been building up my resistance to fire attributes so much, but it¡¯s not enough!¡± Encyclopedia yelled. He had given up everything else to focus solely on fire resistance. But when the Thunder Dragon appeared in the boss room, electrical energy filled the surroundings. Though the Thunder Dragon wasn¡¯t attacking him directly, Encyclopedia found it difficult to withstand just the ambient electricity in the space. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    As Encyclopedia continued to struggle, Marshmallow picked him up and threw him. Marshmallow wasn¡¯t in a good situation either. The Tank yers he had hired were protecting him, but it didn¡¯t seem like they could hold out for long.

    Muenne, who was in a rtively stable state, said, ¡°Sir Marshmallow, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for you to leave?¡±

    Muenne thought Marshmallow¡¯s situation was precarious and that it would be better for him to leave. He wasn¡¯t even an official Chul-Soo Lander, and since livestreaming and recording were impossible for him, there was no need for an Eltuber like him to stay here.

    ¡°Are you trying to chase me out?¡± Marshmallow asked.

    ¡°Chase you out? Sir Marshmallow, that¡¯s going too far...¡± Muenne flinched. It did seem like she was trying to chase him out. ¡°I was just worried about you.¡±

    <i>¡®Am I being true to myself?¡¯ </i>Muenne thought. She seriously questioned herself. <i>¡®If he had been an official Chul-Soonder, would I have told him to leave? Perhaps not.¡¯</i>

    It was only natural to want to see Chul-Soo for even a second longer. She wondered if she had harbored thoughts like <i>¡®You¡¯re not even a Chul-Soo Lander, so why don¡¯t you just scram?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Sir Marshmallow?¡± Muenne looked at Marshmallow, but he had already fainted. The Tank yers helping him copsed one after another.

    ¡°Lady Muenne, I need you to help me,¡± Kyle said. The emperor of the Swedeen Empire led his Sword Emperor Unit in evacuating the yers.

    The energies of me and lightning shed, causing explosions here and there. Each of these explosions posed a significant danger to the yers.

    After evacuating most of the yers, Kyle extended his hand. ¡°Lady Muenne, it would be best for you to escape as well.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m a Chul-Soo Lander.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the battle of wills between that Thunder Dragon and Fire Dragon? Even you won¡¯te out unscathed if you get caught in their fight.¡±

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t Chul-Soo in danger as well?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    They looked at each other. Being top-tier rankers, both urately assessed each other¡¯s condition. In this space where fire and lightning were exploding, neither of them was going to survive. Then, as if on cue, they both turned to look at Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    They realized something.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is...¡±

    ¡°Completely unaffected.¡±

    They knew that the gap between top-tier rankers was usually paper-thin, but this wasn¡¯t the case for Chul-Soo.

    ¡°I feel like mymon sense is crumbling down as we speak.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d it¡¯s Chul-Soo making that happen, Your Imperial Majesty,¡± Muenne said.

    Kyle retreated outside the Dungeon. The enormous mes and lightning were still shing, threatening to devour each other.

    <i>¡®Is it even possible to reconcile those two Dragons?¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok sighed. ¡°Atanna, do you have no intention of reconciling with Julius?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely none! I swear!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out another sigh. He had been considering using Taming (Physical) tomune with Atanna. However, after summoning her, he realized that would be difficult. <i>¡®If I couldn¡¯t feel what Atanna was feeling, I would¡¯ve easily used my taming Skill, but...¡¯</i>

    His deep mental bond with her made it even more apparent. He didn¡¯t want to forcefully suppress those emotions welling up from the depths of Atanna¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Julius, it seems you were in the wrong this time.¡±

    ¡°I barely even remember it. Asking me to apologize for something that happened thousands of years ago is crazy! Besides, look at that young Dragon¡¯s eyes. Even if I felt like apologizing, that look makes me not want to,¡± Julius replied.

    Julius felt that he had been wronged too. While he had made a minor mistake in the past, fundamentally, the young Thunder Dragon who came to the Dungeon uninvited and started throwing lightning around was the one who had erred first.

    Among Dragons, entering another¡¯s nest without permission was considered a grave offense.

    Jin-Hyeok pondered it for a moment. <i>¡®Should I tame Julius instead of Atanna? Maybe a bit of roughmunication would make him apologize. But Julius is a Chul-Soo Lander.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly felt like he understood people¡¯s hearts much better now. Before his regression, he would have prioritized efficiency. He would have ignored others¡¯ feelings and wielded Miri to tame the Dragons.

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no choice,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He wondered whether it was right to give up on one of them if neither of them wanted to improve their rtionship. <i>¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have tamed Julius after all.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok thought he should have just used Miri to break the settings and help the Fire Dragon leave the Dungeon. As that thought crossed his mind, Julius¡¯s eyes filled with tears.

    ¡°Have I be useless?¡± Julius asked.

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that...¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t abandon me, I beg you!¡± The brutal Fire Dragon Julius knelt before Atanna. ¡°Atanna, child of the Thunder Dragon n, I sincerely apologize. I was wrong back then.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology, you detestable fireball.¡±

    ¡°Please forgive me. I truly regret my actions. I will do anything you ask.¡± Julius pleaded with his hands sped together.

    However, Atanna did not waver. Thousands of years of resentment couldn¡¯t be dissolved with a few words of apology.

    Jin-Hyeok stroked his chin and made a decision after some contemtion.

    ¡°I suppose...¡± he said. He had realized it was strange to keep one and discard the other. The Thunder Dragon was the one he firstmuned with, while the Fire Dragon was an official Chul-Soo Lander. Given the situation, the right thing to do was to set them both free. If they couldn¡¯t coexist, then both should be given their freedom.

    ¡°No!!!¡±

    ¡°I refuse!!!¡±

    Both Dragons screamed simultaneously, their cries colliding to create a storm of intertwined mes and lightning that swept the surroundings. It looked as if the end of the world was approaching. However, the atmosphere quickly turned warm and friendly.

    ¡°I will ept your apology, you brutal Fire Dragon.¡± Atanna grasped Julius¡¯s hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t fully forgiven you yet. But I will try to open my heart a little so we can coexist.¡±

    Then Atanna nced at Jin-Hyeok as if she were asking whether this was enough.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to force yourself. I understand what you¡¯re feeling right now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not forcing myself! I¡¯m being genuine. Actually, I have always wanted to be friends with the Fire Dragon, Master! Our n admires strong Dragons!¡± Atanna shouted again.

    Not wanting to be outdone, Julius quickly added, ¡°I understand your feelings, Thunder Dragon. I¡¯m truly sorry. I know I can¡¯t be forgiven all at once, but I will seek your forgiveness over time. Ah, didn¡¯t you mention you have a young son?¡±

    ¡°I do...,¡± the Thunder Dragon replied.

    ¡°Are you the mother or the father?¡±

    ¡°The mother.¡±

    ¡°Then I will be the father. Let¡¯s raise the child together.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Look around, Atanna. Have you ever seen a ce so rich in mana? I grew up here and became strong enough to fight several adult Thunder Dragons unscathed. There is no better ce for your child to grow up.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok cleared his throat. No matter how different themon sense and standards between Dragons and humans could be, this forced marriage proposal(?) did not seem good for either of these two Dragons. So, he said, ¡°Hey, there is no need to force yoursel¡ª¡±

    ¡°Very well, Fire Dragon. I was just thinking I needed a stronger father figure for my child.¡±

    ¡°Wee, my Dragonpanion. I offer my nest to you and our child. I promise by Dragon¡¯s oath to stay with you both.¡±

    Atanna, who lived in the harsh Scanorbia Server, now had an excellent new home.

    ***

    ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    He was happy that his training had paid off. While observing this world¡¯s energy, he felt as though he had be one with the world. In other words, he had subjugated this entire space under his domain. Finally, with a single hammer strike, he seeded in shattering the settings surrounding Julius.

    ¡°Julius, do you want to go outside?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because this ce is....¡± Julius hung his head low. Although it had been like a prison confining him, this ce was also where he had met Chul-Soo. This was the ce of their first encounter. It was permeated with Chul-Soo¡¯s scent. He didn¡¯t want to leave it. ¡°I have a child now. I think I need to focus on parenting for a while.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok found Julius a bit admirable. ¡°I will summon you about once a month.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Julis was overjoyed.

    Everything had been beautifully resolved, and Jin-Hyeok finally left the Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    [Exploring the Worst Dungeon in History. Views: 6,859,302,944]

    .

    .

    .

    [Our Precious Dragon Has Changed. Views: 6,647,382,710]

    -Where are all those bastards who said Chul-Soo died? LOL!

    -Chul-Soo seems perfectly fine to me.

    -He even tamed the Fire Dragon!

    Jin-Hyeok gradually revealed everything that had happened in the Dragon¡¯s Nest. It was his biggest hit yet, with even the least-viewed video surpassing five billion views.

    -Wait, so did Chul-Soo be stronger again?

    -Didn¡¯t he say that he didn¡¯t want to get any stronger?

    -Shh, let¡¯s pretend we didn¡¯t notice. T_T

    Those who disliked Chul-Soo mocked him, saying things like, ¡°LOL, he tried his best to not get stronger, but he can¡¯t help himself! Haha!¡±

    -Why is the worst Dungeon boss in the universe so nice? LOL

    -How is this the most brutal Fire Dragon in history?

    -His seduction technique is insane!

    The Fire Dragon known as the most brutal in the universe turned out to be gentle and kind.

    As the whole universe buzzed with news of Jin-Hyeok clearing the Dragon¡¯s Nest, another surprising piece of news broke.

    Rumor had it that a ferocious Thunder Dragon had suddenly gone berserk and was heading toward the Dragon¡¯s Nest. ording to witnesses, the Thunder Dragon was shouting, ¡°I¡¯ll fry that damn fire lizard once and for all!¡±

    Other rumors said that it was a Dragon once contracted to the legendary panda Beastkin Tamer.

    <i>¡®Oh? This could be great content for my Eltube channel!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

 Chapter 455

    Chapter 455

    Soon, people investigated and found out that this angry Thunder Dragon was famous. Previously contracted to a legendary Tamer named Pupu Baung, this Thunder Dragon was known to be the most short-tempered and powerful among Thunder Dragons. Some rumors even had it that this Dragon had killed his contractor, Pupu Baung, and flown to the Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    <em>¡®I should go check it out,¡¯ </em>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought. Just then, he received a message from Tamer Nick.

    [Sir Chul-Soo, is your contracted Dragon¡¯s name, by any chance, Atanna?]

    Nick gave him a quick backstory of Thunder Dragons. Nick¡¯s master was Pupu Baung, and ording to the Tamer¡¯s oath, Pupu Baung had contracted the Thunder Dragon and set him free. The Thunder Dragon that Pupu Baung had contracted was Atanna¡¯s childhood friend.

    Nick sent another text.

    [If an adult Thunder Dragon loses his mind, it¡¯s only a matter of time before an entire Server is wiped out.]

    [Then we should have a talk as soon as possible.]

    [The Dragon is not in a state where talking will help. My master is heading to Earth right now.]

    [Don¡¯t worry about it. My conversations tend to go well with Dragons.]This was excellent news for Jin-Hyeok. A rampaging Thunder Dragon and the appearance of a legendary Tamer was nothing short of great content.

    After a short while, Pupu Baung pounded on the front door. The metal door was dented.

    ¡°You could have rung the doorbell,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I was about to¡­ do that,¡± Pupu Baung replied, seeming a bit embarrassed.

    ncing to the side, Jin-Hyeok noticed the doorbell was broken.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t control my strength and¡­,¡± Pupu Baung said.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Tamer?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a Tamer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok smiled faintly. He had wondered if they could be kindred spirits. ¡°Do you mainly use Taming (Physical)?¡±

    ¡°Do you take me for such a novice?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡± Upon closer inspection, he realized they weren¡¯t kindred spirits after all.

    <em>¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be one of my subscribers either.¡¯ </em>Although Jin-Hyeok knew he couldn¡¯t make everyone in the world his subscriber, this still disappointed him a little.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Dragon¡¯s Nest right now,¡± Jin-Hyeok changed the subject.

    ¡°I came to stop you.¡±

    ¡°Stop me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. No one can stop a rampaging Thunder Dragon.¡± Pupu Baung prided himself on knowing Thunder Dragons better than anyone. ¡°Rather than provoking him unnecessarily, waiting for his anger to subside is the best way to minimize damage.¡±

    ¡°Is that really true?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°That Thunder Dragon must be incredibly strong then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Pupu Baung let out a sigh of relief. This young man seemed reasonable. Usually, people who seeded at a young age were blinded by arrogance and acted recklessly, but fortunately, this young man didn¡¯t seem to be like that.

    ¡°This is great.¡± Jin-Hyeok chuckled.

    [Emergency: Rampaging Thunder Dragon]

    He started his livestream, with a very slight dy.

    ***

    <em>¡®He¡¯s insane!¡¯</em> Pupu Baung thought as he followed Jin-Hyeok. <em>¡®I thought I warned him enough! Does he think he can stop a rampaging Thunder Dragon with mere human strength? Still¡­ I can¡¯t just let him go like this.¡¯</em>

    Although Chul-Soo was an impulsive young man, he was one of the talents responsible for the future. Pupu Baung couldn¡¯t lose such talent here.

    <em>¡®And this incident is partly my fault too.¡¯</em>

    Pupu Baung somewhat regretted releasing the Thunder Dragon unnecessarily. If it weren¡¯t for that oath, the dragon wouldn¡¯t have gone on such a rampage. He could have prevented this outburst.

    <em>¡®I have to finish what I started. Even if the Thunder Dragon is rampaging, I should be able to stop him somehow. Even if it might cost me my life.¡¯</em>

    Finally, Jin-Hyeok and Pupu Baung arrived at the entrance of the Dragon¡¯s Nest. Park Terse was waiting there.

    ¡°Terse? Why are you here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°I heard you were with the legendary Tamer Pupu Baung, Chul-Soo. Where is Sir Pupu Baung?¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Jin-Hyeok nced behind him. The panda Beastkin was flying in on a Wyvern from a distance.

    ¡°By the way, Terse, is he really a legendary Tamer?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course. He is a living legend in this industry.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°It seems he might be a bit overrated.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had heard rumors that Pupu Baung had tamed the fastest Wyvern in the world, but the Wyvern seemed much slower than expected.

    ¡°Look at the size of that Wyvern. It¡¯s not an ordinary Wyvern, but the King Wyvern. Few Tamers can tame that and use it as a mount!¡± Terse yelled.

    ¡°Is that harder to tame than a Thunder Dragon?¡±

    ¡°Thunder Dragons are in a league of their own¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok patted Terse¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Have confidence, Terse. I think you¡¯re a more skilled Tamer than Pupu Baung.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense¡­!¡±

    At that moment, Pupu Baung arrived. Sweat was dripping from his fur.

    ¡°<em>Huff¡­! Huff¡­!</em>¡±

    Pupu Baung seemed to have exhausted a lot of energy flying the King Wyvern at full speed. Jin-Hyeok clicked his tongue briefly and offered him a Chul-Soo Potion.

    ¡°T-Thank you¡­¡±

    Only after drinking the Chul-Soo Potion did Pupu Baung regain his condition.

    <em>¡®For a legendary Tamer, his stamina is quite weak. Is it because of his age?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    Still, Tamers was closer tobatant yers than Eltubers. No matter how Jin-Hyeok thought about it, Pupu Baung seemed a bit overrated.

    ***

    The Thunder Dragon Maxias was enraged. ¡°Atanna! You¡¯ve betrayed me!¡±

    Lightning bolts raged across the sky. Countless faint lightning bolts poured down like rain.

    ¡°Maxias,e to your senses!¡± Atanna yelled. However, her voice didn¡¯t reach Maxias.

    ¡°Atanna, can I kill that one?¡± Julius frowned.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡±

    ¡°You told me to wait earlier. Look, our nest is being destroyed!¡± Julius was also furious. He was angry that a foreign Thunder Dragon had appeared in his home and was causing havoc. There was no need to hold back; he wanted to end that Thunder Dragon¡¯s life right then and there.

    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯ </em>Suddenly, the Fire Dragon¡¯s anger began to subside. <em>¡®Sir Chul-Soo?¡¯</em>

    Julius sensed the energy of his beloved Chul-Soo. The rampaging Thunder Dragon unleashed a Lightning Breath toward Julius, but he paid it no mind. Atanna countered with a breath of the same nature, blocking Maxias¡¯s attack.

    Brilliant light shed, and intense sparks scattered around as the two breaths collided.

    ¡°You idiot! Are you trying to hurt my child? Can¡¯t you see there¡¯s a child here?¡± Atanna yelled.

    ¡°How could you choose that pathetic fire lizard over me? Do you think I¡¯m weaker than him?¡± Maxias¡¯s eyes turned golden. He drew upon even greater power and inhaled deeply. It was a Lightning Breath filled with murderous intent, ready to erase this entire Dungeon.

    ¡°You¡¯d better not do that, young Thunder Dragon,¡± Julius smirked.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of your bluff, crazy Fire Dragon!¡±

    ¡°My¡­ no, our master ising.¡±

    The word <em>our </em>infuriated Maxias even more. He could not believe that Atanna had set up a home with that brutal Fire Dragon of all creatures!

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± Forgetting entirely about Atanna¡¯s child, Maxias unleashed an enormous breath attack.

    Just then, Jin-Hyeok arrived at the boss room and raised his right hand. The massive lightning bolt split in two and vanished instantly.

    ¡°Thunder Dragon, you need to calm yourself,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. However, his thoughts were different. <em>¡®Please, rampage more.¡¯</em>

    ¡°You arrogant fool! You cannot stop me, mere human!¡± Maxias yelled. He opened his mouth wide again. The rampaging Thunder Dragon boasted unparalleled destructive power, but with little rationality left, his attack patterns were rather simple.

    Jin-Hyeok responded to the Lightning Breath with his Babylon Cannon. He figured countering the attack with the Babylon Cannon would create a much more spectacr scene than blocking it with Absolute Barrier.

    <em>¡®Perfect!¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. The collision between the Babylon Cannon and the Lightning Breath created quite an impressive spectacle.<em> ¡®I¡¯ll just have to adjust the power a bit.¡¯</em>

    He lowered the Babylon Cannon¡¯s power a bit to make it look like he was being pushed back slightly.

    ¡°This is the true power of the Babylon Cannon!¡± He shouted as he increased the Skill¡¯s power. Like in most heroic tales, the Babylon Cannon¡¯s force slowly pushed back the breath attack, until finally, the golden beam struck the Dragon between his eyes.

    In that instant, crackling lightning enveloped the Dragon¡¯s body, forming a spherical shield. It looked as if the Thunder Dragon had hidden inside an egg made of lightning. The light was so intense that Jin-Hyeok could not see past the lightning shell.

    Pupu Baung, who had followed him, cried out, ¡°No! Chul-Soo! I acknowledge your amazing ability. But this is not a good approach!¡±

    A rampaging Thunder Dragon that had received a slight shock was far more dangerous than one that had simply lost his mind. With this shock, Maxias had regained some rationality, and his attack patterns would soon be much more diverse and powerful.

    A voice emerged from the sphere of shing light.

    ¡°Ah, my anger has clouded my judgment. I should punish you in the way that will cause you the most suffering,¡± Maxias said. Having regained some of his senses inside the light sphere, Maxias had an epiphany. He wondered what could send that brutal Fire Dragon to devastation. ¡°That¡¯s right, I will devour your master.¡±

    Maxias could sense the Fire Dragon¡¯s absolute affection for his master. That master was probably what the Fire Dragon loved most. Eliminating that master would likely be the greatest punishment for the Fire Dragon.

    ¡°Atanna. You should reflect too,¡± Maxias said. He could feel that Atanna also held great affection for that human. Atanna sumbing to that mere human¡ªjust the thought of it was unbelievable. Maxias was furious that two Dragons had submitted to a human. ¡°Your master will die because of you.¡±

    ***

    ¡°What am I supposed to do when that Thunder Dragon is trying to kill me?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°There is nothing for you to do now, Chul-Soo.¡± Now that the situation hade to this, it was time for Pupu Baung himself to step in. ¡°Maxias! Can you hear me?! It¡¯s Pupu Baung!¡±

    There was no answer.

    ¡°Remember our time together, Maxias! We were good friends!¡±

    Just then, a thin bolt of lightning shot out from the sphere. Pupu Baung could not dodge it and copsed on the spot. Jin-Hyeok was a bit taken aback.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    <em>¡®Did he really fall from that attack?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought. <em>¡®Can a legendary Tamer be knocked down by such a weak attack? I guess I was right about the rumors about him being exaggerated.¡¯</em>

    Though Pupu Baung''s life didn¡¯t seem to be in danger, it was a pitiful defense for a legendary Tamer.

    In his child-like form, Julius crossed his arms, looked up at the sky, and said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t provoke Master like that¡­¡±

    Atanna, who had calmed down since Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arrival, muttered regretfully, ¡°Master, please consider our bond and think twice about killing that Thunder Dragon¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. His goal was not simply to fight and subdue from the start.

    ¡°Terse, I think you¡¯re an excellent Tamer,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    The legendary Tamer Pupu Baung was weak in both stamina and defense. Apart from his cute appearance, he wasn¡¯t much to speak of. If someone like that could be called a legendary Tamer, then Terse could be one too.

    ¡°Tame the Thunder Dragon,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Me¡­?¡± Terse shook his head. There was no way he could do that with his current skills.

    ¡°Yes, you can do it.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡±

    Jin-Hyeok sent a message to Wang Yu-Mi.

    [*Please edit this part.]

    Then he immediately used his Skill.

    <strong>[You have activated your Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri in the air. Miri emanated a golden light that stretched toward the lightning sphere. Thousands of lightning bolts shot out from the sphere, striking the golden light, but to no avail.

    <em>sh!</em>

    Light burst forth. The lightning that had heavily nketed the surroundings suddenly dispersed. The thunderclouds cleared, revealing a clear sky. The Thunder Dragon Maxias was falling from the sky, confusion apparent in his eyes.

    ¡°That Thunder Dragon¡¯s resistance is stronger than I thought,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    <strong>[You have activated your Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok struck the Thunder Dragon¡¯s face once more. This time, it was a direct hit, which Miri greatly enjoyed.

    -Wow! A dragon¡¯s head is delicious! It¡¯s like a delicacy!

    <em>Thud!</em>

    The Thunder Dragon copsed andy sprawled on the ground.

    ¡°Now, try to tame it. You can do it, Terse,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

 Chapter 456

    <h4>Chapter 456</h4>

    ¡°You want me to tame this Dragon?¡± Park Terse¡¯s eyes trembled.

    Even though Cha Jin-Hyeok¡¯s tone had been full of confidence, Terse felt a sudden fear grip him. He didn¡¯t think he could tame a Thunder Dragon. Even the legendary Tamer Pupu Baung couldn¡¯t fully handle one, so how could Terse hope to tame such a creature?

    ¡°Terse, you can¡¯t move forward in life without courage,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He then stood before the fallen Thunder Dragon. As the Dragon moved with a groan, Jin-Hyeok swung Miri once again.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    ¡°Come on. If you have confidence in yourself, you can do this, Terse!¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Even though he was frightened, Terse took a step forward. <i>¡®I can do this! No, I can¡¯t do this...! Wait, no! I am going to do this.... Can I do this?¡¯</i>

    His mind was incredibly conflicted, but he decided to muster his courage. At that moment, a voice filled with fury echoed in his mind. <i>¡®If youe closer, I will kill...¡¯ </i>

    Terse instantly froze. Then came another striking sound.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    ¡°This Dragon¡¯s endurance is stronger than I expected. I will need tomune with a bit more sincerity,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Jin-Hyeok was starting to feel at ease now. In truth, if he hadmunicated like this with Julius and Atanna earlier, the situation would have been morefortable and easy to handle. Doing now what he couldn¡¯t earlier gave him a sense of catharsis.

    <i>-I love the taste of a Dragon¡¯s head!</i>

    Atanna covered her son¡¯s eyes, while Julius covered his ears.

    Having confirmed the Thunder Dragon¡¯s impressive resilience, Jin-Hyeok decided tomune with it a bit more deeply, adding a touch more sincerity.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯ </i> Maxias¡¯s telepathic voice reached Terse.

    Surprisingly, it was a voicepletely devoid of any Dragon Fear.

    ¡°Maxias, what are you trying to say?¡± Terse asked.

    <i>¡®I will kill you!¡¯ </i>

    Maxias¡¯s voice loudly reverberated in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind. Jin-Hyeok shrugged and replied, ¡°Learn your manners. Why are you yelling?¡±

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The effect of Taming (Physical) was remarkable.

    <i>¡®Please... just save me, human.¡¯</i>

    The Thunder Dragon was sobbing.

    When Terse ced his hand on the Thunder Dragon¡¯s forehead, a light burst forth. Finally, Terse had seeded in taming the Thunder Dragon.

    Jin-Hyeok apuded this with a moved expression.

    [*Resume livestreaming from here.]

    ¡°As expected of Terse. You truly are a great Tamer born on Earth,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Terse was speechless. <i>¡®Can I even say that I tamed the Thunder Dragon?¡¯</i>

    Julius and Atanna both gulped.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a good thing we reconciled.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Otherwise, things would have gone terribly wrong.¡¯</i>

    The temporary couple¡¯s rtionship had improved as they raised their child. Now, it would certainly improve even further in the future.

    ***

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Pupu Baung, who had btedly regained consciousness, sprang to his feet. Since he had been attacked by the Thunder Dragon more than once, he had developed a certain immunity to its attacks.

    He yelled, ¡°Maxias! Stop th¡ª¡±

    Somehow, it felt like the situation had been resolved.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Being a legendary Tamer, he quickly grasped what was going on. So, he asked Terse, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve tamed Maxias?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what happened, Sir Pupu Baung.¡±

    ¡°Let me see your hand for a moment.¡± Pupu Baung took Terse¡¯s hand. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t have much affinity for lightning.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes... This is truly strange.¡±

    Tamers without an affinity for the lightning attribute found it difficult to tame lightning-based monsters.

    ¡°Have you ever been to Calvary Hill? Are you a survivor from there?¡± Pupu Baung asked.

    Calvary Hill was a ce where lightning struck year-round. Those who meditated there for a long time and survived could gain an affinity for the lightning attribute.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never been there,¡± Terse replied.

    Terse had begun tomunicate with his newly tamed Thunder Dragon, and he gently stroked its forehead.

    ¡°H-How can you touch the Thunder Dragon?¡± Pupu Baung was even more shocked.

    Pupu Baung had never once directly touched the Thunder Dragon Maxias, which had not allowed such physical contact. More precisely, only the Thunder Dragon had patted Pupu Baung¡¯s head. The world believed that Pupu Baung had tamed Maxias, but the reality was closer to the opposite. In fact, the Thunder Dragon had allowed himself to be tamed because it had been charmed by Pupu Baung¡¯s cute appearance.

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it natural to build intimacy with a tamed creature through physical contact?¡± Terse asked.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s...,¡± Pupu Baung could not finish the rest. <i>¡®That¡¯s for normal taming!¡¯</i>

    Pupu Baung was about to argue but remembered one possibility. ¡°Ah, do you perhaps have Dragon ancestors?¡±

    It was known that those with Dragon blood sometimes seeded in taming Dragons. A couple of such cases happened every century.

    ¡°I probably don¡¯t. I¡¯m from the Earth Server, and there are only pure humans there,¡± Terse replied.

    ¡°Then how in the world did you tame the Thunder Dragon?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Well, what?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo encouraged me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming with some kind of buff spell, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, something like that, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°I had no idea Chul-Soo possessed such powerful buff spells.¡±

    Pupu Baung should have realized how strong Chul-Soo was when he had drunk the Chul-Soo Potion. A buff couldn¡¯t turn the impossible into possible. It could make the possible a surety. However, Chul-Soo¡¯s buff had turned the impossible into the possible.

    ¡°Yes... and the Thunder Dragon spoke to me first, asking me to tame him,¡± Terse said.

    Maxias had not exactly asked Terse to tame him. It was more like he had begged Terse to save him, but the meaning was simr enough.

    Pupu Baung copsed on the spot. ¡°That can¡¯t be..!¡±

    He could not believe that a rookie Tamer was capable of perfectly taming a Thunder Dragon. Terse was low-leveled and had no affinity to lightning attributes, yet he had achieved the impossible.

    <i>¡®The world has changed,¡¯ </i>Pupu Baung thought. <i>¡®An era that I don¡¯t understand... An era too difficult for me to adapt to... That era has finally arrived.¡¯</i>

    It felt like facing a wall of a new age.

    <i>¡®I really should retire now.¡¯</i>

    He was already half-retired, but he decided to retirepletely.

    ***

    Deeply shaken, Pupu Baung staggered toward the exit of the Dungeon.

    Terse wore a slightly worried expression. ¡°Will he be okay?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Pupu Baung probably feels like the world he knew has crumbled. Even if I were in his shoes, I would find this situation hard to ept.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Terse wanted to exin something but gave up. It was difficult for a genius to understand the thoughts of ordinary people. Terse, who was called the most talented Tamer before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression, abandoned his attempt to exin in the face of a true genius.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out now. I want to fly through the sky with Maxias,¡± Terse said.

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes turned to Maxias.

    Maxias visibly flinched.

    ¡°Hey, Maxias,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°W-What is it?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to be violent again?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Julius flinched for no reason, and Maxias shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m a gentle Thunder Dragon,¡± Maxias said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re infamous for being violent,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°When ites to violence, that Julius over there is much more...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t nder others.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not nder!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok slowly raised Miri.

    ¡°I-I mean..., Julius is a docile and kind Fire Dragon. I confused him with another Dragon,¡± Maxias said.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±

    ¡°Yes... I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok nodded with a satisfied smile and said, ¡°Make sure you serve your master well.¡±

    Maxias momentarily got lost in self-loathing, and his response was a bit slow, resulting in another round ofmunication with Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Terse spread his arms wide, stepping between the two. ¡°Stop it, Chul-Soo!¡±

    Tears welled up in Terse¡¯s eyes. Only then did Jin-Hyeok lower Miri. Maxias realized that Terse was the only one who could save him from that hellish hammer.

    ¡°I, Maxias the Thunder Dragon, swear loyalty to my master.¡±

    Terse seeded in taming the Thunder Dragon, which became a cause for celebration on Earth. It was the moment a universe-level ranker was born. Watching Terse leave, Jin-Hyeok smiled contentedly. <i>¡®There¡¯s a certain satisfaction in nurturing my colleagues.¡¯ </i>

    ncing back, Jin-Hyeok saw Julius and Atanna enjoying a hot spring bath in the magma with their young Dragon.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes met with Julius¡¯s, and thetter smiled awkwardly.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t avoiding you... I just love hot spring baths in the magma,¡± Julius said.

    ¡°I know. There is no way a Chul-Soo Lander would avoid me.¡±

    Julius was indeed avoiding Chul-Soo. He had witnessed the harsh treatment that Maxias had received for being <i>violent</i>. Given his own considerable past misdeeds, the Fire Dragon chose to keep his distance for now.

    ¡°Um... Mr. Chul-Soo, just letting you know, I¡¯m not violent. You know that, right?¡± Julius asked.

    ¡°Of course. I know you¡¯re kind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Julius lifted the young Dragon high, and the golden-scaled creature burst intoughter. It seemed like Julius was trying to say that he was a family-oriented and child-loving father. Though feeling slightly contrived, Jin-Hyeok was moved in his own way.

    <i>¡®So, this is a family,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. He had recently gained a better understanding of human emotions, and he found their appearance quite appealing. <i>¡®Now that I think of it...!¡¯</i>

    He had a feeling that Elines was sulking since he hadn¡¯t summoned her in a long time.

    ¡°Would it be alright to summon the Fire Spirit here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You mean, Elly, right?¡±

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    True to the title of a Chul-Soo Lander, Julius immediately knew who Jin-Hyeok was talking about.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, Elly hasn¡¯t been around muchtely. She might be a bit upset, don¡¯t you think?¡± Julius said.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    While a rampaging Thunder Dragon did not frighten Jin-Hyeok, a sulking Elly was slightly intimidating.

    ¡°May I offer an opinion as a Chul-Soo Lander?¡± Julius asked.

    ¡°By all means.¡±

    ¡°Rather than summoning Elly, why don¡¯t you go to the Spirit Realm yourself to meet her? It could make for good Eltube content too.¡±

    ¡°To the Spirit Realm? Me?¡± Jin-Hyeok was startled. He realized no Eltuber had ever visited the Spirit Realm. While Spirits were quite familiar to people, not much was known about the Spirit Realm itself.

    ¡°But can I open a Gate to the Spirit Realm?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Maybe you can, if you have an excellent Navigator. But it would need to be a ce with strong fire energy, like here.¡±

    ***

    Lessefim, who had recently risen to the top of Arvis¡¯s Navigator rankings, jumped in surprise. ¡°What? Are you crazy? You¡¯re thinking about going to the Spirit Realm?¡±

    In fact, quite a few deranged yers had tried to find the Spirit Realm. However, none had even returned alive. Even the worst Dungeon, Dragon¡¯s Nest, had quite a few survivors, but the Spirit Realm had absolutely none.

    ¡°Do you know what the Fire Spirit Realm is like?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it where Elly lives?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Actually, almost nothing is known about the Spirit Realm. We just assume it¡¯s a world of pure fire. A realm where nothing exists except mes burning intensely.¡±

    ¡°Oh...¡±

    ¡°No humans canst long in a ce like that.¡± The fire from the Fire Spirit Realm was a me that did not ept any species other than Spirits. ¡°Any species except Fire Spirits will be incinerated the moment they touch the Fire Spirit Realm. There is a reason no one has ever seeded in exploring the Spirit Realm.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we protect ourselves with Absolute Barrier?¡±

    ¡°Even that won¡¯t work. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Lessefim grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s hand and pleaded earnestly. ¡°Of course, I understand you might be worried about running out of content after clearing even the worst Dungeon so easily. I understand your urgency. But please, let¡¯s think of something else instead of such reckless content. I will help you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Meanwhile, when Jin-Hyeok met with Mole Woman, she had a different thought.

    ¡°Oh, that sounds interesting!¡± Mole Woman eximed.

    The Earth-born Mole Woman was indeed different in every way.

 Chapter 457

    <h4>Chapter 457</h4>

    Sitting against Seoul¡¯s Guardian Tree, Cha Jin-Hyeok was deep in thought. When he leaned against the tree, he felt an indescribably vast amount of mana flowing into him. All his fatigue instantly vanished, leaving him feeling incredibly refreshed. Vitality surged through him.

    <i>¡®Ah, I guess I was tired after all,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He hadn¡¯t noticed his exhaustion, as it hadn¡¯t hindered him from clearing the Dragon¡¯s Nest or helping the future legendary Tamer Park Terse. But now, after regaining his peak condition due to the Guardian Tree, he began to feel the difference.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    <i>¡®I feel much lighter.¡¯</i>

    Even drinking Chul-Soo Potion didn¡¯t provide him with this level of recoverytely, which just showed how tremendously the Guardian Tree had grown.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is right,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    -¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Arvis rankers.¡±

    -¡°Oh, you mean the sheltered yers who are protected from the harsh realities of life?

    The entire universe called the Arvis Server a blessed Server, but Jin-Hyeok thought differently. An environment as stable, growing, and favorable as Arvis was nothing short of sheltering those yers.

    ¡°I was a bit disappointed in Lessefim too.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had expected top-ranking yers to be more adventurous and challenge-seeking. Yet, even Lessefim said that going to the Fire Spirit Realm was too dangerous.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s Lessefim¡¯s fault.¡±

    Arvis had grown as a Server due to a Guardian Tree. The current Arvis existed because Garbinu had nurtured that Guardian Tree. Jin-Hyeok believed that if Arvis had been more barren, without having any Guardian Tree, more adventurous rankers would¡¯ve been born in the Server.

    -¡°You¡¯re not thinking of cutting me down, are you?!¡±

    Seoul¡¯s Guardian Tree was a bit nervous.

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t cold-hearted enough to cut down someone he shared such a deep emotional connection with.

    However, Miri seemed a bit disappointed.

    -A Guardian Tree probably tastes better than a Dragon¡¯s head.

    -¡°What the hell are you talking about? You crazed weapon!¡±

    -Hmph! Who¡¯s the crazy one here? Everyone knows you have extended your authority to other Servers and gone around smashing Dungeon bosses¡¯ heads!

    -¡°That¡¯s not true! You¡¯re just trolling!¡±

    -What does <i>trolling </i>mean?

    -¡°Hmph! Howughable that you act so cocky without even knowing what trolling means!

    ¡°Come on, both of you, quiet down,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    As their mental connection deepened and both the Guardian Tree and Miri grew, their emotions and conversations became so detailed and loud that it was dizzying for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s okay for society to be thisfortable,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    If time passed like this, the Earth Server could be a second Arvis Server. No, Jin-Hyeok knew for sure it would happen. Earth¡¯s yers were more progressive and actively engaged in intense y than yers from other Servers.

    There was already a bit of difference in how Mole Woman and Lessefim reacted; Mole Woman had said that she was interested in visiting the Spirit Realm, while Lessefim thought it was too dangerous. This was the overall difference between the two Servers, and it would undoubtedly create a qualitative difference among yers.

    Miri interrupted Jin-Hyeok¡¯s contemtion.

    -See, the Guardian Tree is useless. Turn me into an axe, and let me shop down that insane tree!

    ***

    Mole Woman checked various ingredients.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... Fire Spirit Stone, Fragments of Burning Rock, Philimendia¡¯s Tail, volcano ash aged for ten years...¡± These were the ingredients required for opening the Spirit Gate. ¡°The fire energy might be a bitcking, but it shouldn¡¯t matter if the Gate is opened in Julius¡¯s nest. I¡¯ll just add a magic circle to absorb fire energy, moly!¡±

    Mole Woman immediately went to the Dragon¡¯s Nest to conduct a simtion. Formerly a ferocious Fire Dragon, Julius wanted to burst out in anger at the uninvited guest in his nest, but he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°How dare youe to our nes¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop. She¡¯s one of Chul-Soo¡¯s closestrades.¡± Atanna stopped Julius.

    ¡°Wee to our humble home, human friend. What brings you to our abode?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to open the Gate to the Fire Spirit Realm. I¡¯m going to practice a bit, moly.¡± Mole Woman drew a magic circle on the ground ording to the Mages¡¯ blueprints, positioned various ingredients in precise locations, and chanted a spell. ¡°Open, Gate of Fire!¡±

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    When mes rose and a circr space appeared, it immediately burned too intensely.

    ¡°Oh no!¡± Mole Woman yelled. She had failed to open the Spirit Gate. The fire was too strong, destroying the Gate itself. ¡°Maybe the fire energy here is too strong, moly.¡±

    It was a dilemma. The Gate burned up because the fire energy was too strong. However, ces with weaker fire energy could not generate a Spirit Gate at all.

    ¡°This is difficult..., very difficult, moly.¡±

    It seemed she would need tounch arge-scale project with the help of clever Mages and barrier specialists.

    ***

    ¡°Something is weird, moly...¡± Mole Woman said.

    After listening to Mole Woman¡¯s report, Jin-Hyeok almost said, <i>¡®Can¡¯t I just put Absolute Barrier on the magic circle?¡¯</i>

    However, he realized Mole Woman had to have her reasons.

    <i>¡®Is she trying to get more content out of this?¡¯ </i>When Jin-Hyeok changed his perspective, it was actually very considerate of her.

    ¡°If you need anything, talk to the MK Foundation. They will help you as much as they can,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Understood, moly!¡±

    At that moment, Lessefim banged on the door. ¡°Damn it! I knew this would happen!¡±

    Though the door didn¡¯t open, Lessefim burst through it. It was truly a movement befitting an Arvis ranker.

    ¡°Lessefim? Why are you here?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°You immediately asked Mole Woman right after I said no?¡±

    Mole Woman grinned and said, ¡°I¡¯m the one chosen by Chul-Soo, moly.¡±

    ¡°What? He came to me first! He went to you only because I refused!¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Regardless, I¡¯m the one who was chosen. I¡¯ve always said I¡¯m the more suitable Navigator for livestreams, moly.¡±

    Lessefim trembled in anger. She could ept falling behind in rankings, but not being chosen by Chul-Soo was unbearable. ¡°I¡¯ll do it too!¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you too cautious earlier, saying that it was too dangerous, moly? Are you trying to jump on the bandwagon now, moly?¡±

    Lessefim didn¡¯t look at Mole Woman. The more they talked, the more disadvantageous it became for her. After all, Mole Woman was the one chosen this time.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I¡¯m the Navigator more suited for livestreaming,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°On what basis are you saying such nonsense?¡± Mole Woman interjected.

    Lessefim had recently risen to first ce in the Arvis Navigator rankings. She had done her best to acquire various skills as a Navigator, not just tracking, and as a result, she had been able to usurp the top spot.

    <i>¡®Does he not know I¡¯m number one in Arvis?¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    If so, this was an opportunity to teach Mole Woman a lesson.

    ¡°Tell me, on what basis are you more suitable?¡± Mole Woman asked again.

    Mole Woman decided to hear on what basis Lessefim was making such an outrageous im, confident that she was better than Lessefim in areas such as tracking, pioneering, exploration, and unlocking.

    ¡°Chul-Soo¡¯s videos have much higher views when I appear in the video than when you do it, moly! Do you know why?¡± Mole Woman said withughter.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m pretty! Moly moly moly!¡±

    ¡°You... were a man.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±

    Mole Woman showed the view counts by ying the videos directly. Videos featuring Mole Woman did have higher view counts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky, moly. You¡¯re just the number one in the Arvis ranking. That¡¯s all!¡±

    ***

    Mole Woman and Lessefim squeezed their eyes shut.

    <i>¡®He¡¯ll choose me, moly!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Please choose me, Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    In the end, the choice was up to Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s me, moly!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Of course, it¡¯s me!¡¯</i>

    They both opened their eyes simultaneously and shouted,

    ¡°You¡¯re still not good enough for me!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still not good enough for me, moly!¡±

    They looked at each other in bewilderment. Jin-Hyeok had ced his hands on both their shoulders.

    ¡°Mole Woman, didn¡¯t you say there were some problems with opening the Spirit Gate right now?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, I did. But I can solve them quickly on my own, moly. I don¡¯t need help from a Navigator who¡¯s only good at navigating, moly.¡±

    Despite the minor dispute, Lessefim ultimately showed insight worthy of an Arvis ranker. ¡°What? You can¡¯t open the Gate? That¡¯s a very simple problem.¡±

    <i>¡®Hmph! What¡¯s so good about getting high view counts? That¡¯s still not enough against me, a proper Navigator!¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought. She continued with a smile on her face, ¡°It¡¯s a magic circle designed to absorb insufficient fire energy. The problem is that the Dragon¡¯s Nest¡¯s fire energy is too strong. You can solve the issue with protective magic or barriers to protect the magic circle. That¡¯s something Chul-Soo can solve right here.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Both Jin-Hyeok and Mole Woman fell silent.

    To Lessefim, it was a perfect answer.

    <i>¡®See? This is the skill of an Arvis ranker!¡¯ </i>Lessefim proudly straightened her shoulders, and Mole Woman sighed.

    ¡°<i>Tsk, tsk. </i>That¡¯s why you¡¯re not suitable for livestreaming, moly.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean...?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t know that? Do you think Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t know that, moly?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Opening the Spirit Gate itself is an event for the viewers. It would be the first time an Earth yer has even opened the Spirit Gate! There needs to be some proper staging. Would the video be interesting if we just opened it abruptly, moly?¡±

    Lessefim couldn¡¯t refute this.

    ¡°Every story needs an introduction, development, climax, and conclusion, moly.¡±

    As Mole Woman spoke, cold sweat ran down her back. She had been so focused onpeting with Lessefim that she had forgotten the simplest solution.

    <i>¡®S-She¡¯s right...! Chul-Soo could have helped me!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought. However, she didn¡¯t want to show that Lessefim was right. ¡°You¡¯re stillcking, Lessefim!¡±

    ***

    <i>¡®Hm, their rtionship isn¡¯t bad at all,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Mole Woman was now a rising star and Lessefim was undisputedly the world¡¯s best Navigator. Yet Lessefim showed a slightly weaker side to Mole Woman. This unexpected, fresh perspective wasn¡¯t bad at all for his content. After bringing the two into the Dragon¡¯s Nest, Jin-Hyeok said as if he knew nothing, ¡°So can we fully open the Spirit Gate now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, moly. It was incredibly difficult toplete this, moly.¡±

    Lessefim observed this and thought, <i>¡®It looks to have beenpleted quite easily, though?¡¯</i>

    Research on opening Spirit Gates had already progressed significantly. The theory was almostplete, and they just needed to figure out how to protect the magic circle. And Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Absolute Barrier made that possible.

    Mole Woman nudged Lessefim¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going to smile?¡±

    Lessefim smiled brightly.

    -Wow, was Lessefim always this pretty?¡±

    -I¡¯m a fan of Lessefim starting today.

    -Look how beautiful she is... T_T

    Mole Woman was slightly flustered. It seemed like there was a radiant glow behind Lessefim when she smiled. Mole Woman gritted her teeth. <i>¡®Lessefim... She¡¯s been preparing hard, moly!¡¯ </i>

    It was certainly possible that Lessefim had been honing a Beautiful Smile Skill. She could have evenmissioned the Carvington Family to create and consume a Look Pretty Potion or something simr.

    <i>¡®Next time, I won¡¯t lose to you, moly!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 458

    <h4>Chapter 458</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok first cast Absolute Barrier on Mole Woman.

    <i>¡®See, moly? Chul-Soo used it on me first because he cares more about me,¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought.

    <i>¡®I bet he cast it on her first because she¡¯s weaker than me,¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    After casting Absolute Barrier on both Lessefim and Mole Woman, Jin-Hyeok strode toward the Spirit Gate. Even though the one usually leading the way in a party was the Navigator, no one found this strange.

    Jin-Hyeok walked through the mes. When he entered the Spirit Gate, he saw a space with nothing else except mes.

    <i>¡®Oh, it¡¯s quite warm here,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    He had reached the Fire Spirit Realm without much difficulty.

    Lessefim, who had been extremely tense, started to rx a little.

    <i>¡®The mes don¡¯t have any effect on me...¡¯ </i>she thought. Absolute Barrier was perfectly protecting her. <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know the barrier was this amazing.¡¯</i>

    She knew how powerful Absolute Barrier was, but experiencing it firsthand was different. As an excellent Navigator, she could sense how dangerous the mes outside the barrier were.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot, moly,¡± Mole Woman took off her jacket. This jacket was an artifact imbued with strong fire resistance, but that didn¡¯t matter to her. The moment she took it off, she would be reborn as a Navigator more suitable for provocative livestreaming!

    <i>¡®It¡¯s okay to be a little exposed to the fire, moly!¡¯</i>

    As always, Mole Woman was wearing leather tights that entuated her physique. It was certainly provocative, as evidenced by the explosive increase in Chul-Soo¡¯s viewer count. Lessefim couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that her preparations weren¡¯t quite as thorough.

    <i>¡®You wicked Navigator...¡¯ </i>she telepathically said to Mole Woman.

    <i>¡®Hmph, I¡¯m the morepetitive Navigator, moly!¡¯ </i>Mole Woman answered her telepathically.

    <i>¡®Can you even call thatpetitiveness?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Says the one who got the Look Pretty Potion from the Carvington Family!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®H-How did you know about that?¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®What? I was just bluffing! It was true?¡¯</i>

    Amid their subtle rivalry, Jin-Hyeok became a bit tense. ¡°The Fire Spirit Realm is more dangerous than I thought.¡±

    The energy of this world wasn¡¯t very friendly to strangers. A few drops of sweat trickled down his forehead; he hadn¡¯t broken a sweat even when facing the Fire Dragon and Thunder Dragon.

    ¡°Lessefim, Mole Woman. This is not the time for you two to fight. Find a ce where the fire energy is weaker and create a path. Mole Woman, put your fire-resistant artifact back on.¡±

    The green Absolute Barrier surrounding Mole Woman and Lessefim was slowly melting away.

    ***

    This wasn¡¯t a crisis that he had deliberately created; it was a real one. At that moment, Jin-Hyeok was surprised to find that he wasn¡¯t particrly happy about it.

    <i>¡®This is definitely good for my channel. I should switch to a first-person perspective to convey this thrilling tension to the viewers...¡¯ </i>Yet, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t easily do it. He was too concerned about the two Navigators behind him. <i>¡®I need to secure their safety first.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok took a deep breath and used Omnipotent Director. He tookplete control of the surrounding space, creating a new ash-colored area.

    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s not so hot anymore!¡± Mole Woman said.

    She still hadn¡¯t put her fire-resistant jacket back on. Sweat had seeped out all over her body, making her look as if someone had drenched her in water.

    ¡°Mole Woman, I told you to put on your jacket,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°But I look good! It looks like I¡¯m having fun in a water park, moly!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I feel like I can hear the sound of the view count rising, moly!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking like that dimwit Lessefim, moly? Are you insulting my dedication, moly?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok frowned and raised his voice slightly. ¡°I said to put it on.¡±

    Pursuing intense y, Mole Woman kept stubbornly refusing him until she saw him raise Miri. She then quickly put on the jacket.

    Lessefim looked around with a serious expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Fire Spirit Realm to be this intense.¡±

    ¡°Lessefim, have you found a path yet?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t seem to find one. The mes here are too hostile toward us.¡±

    It was widely known that the elements of the Spirit Realms were hostile to life forms from other dimensions (Servers), but Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t expected the resistance to be this severe. The pure fire element of this Spirit Realm possessed too much destructive power. It was even destroying Jin-Hyeok¡¯s Absolute Barrier.

    ¡°There must be some reason for this. It¡¯s too extreme, even for a Spirit Realm. If we can understand the reason, we might see a solution,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°A solution, huh.¡± Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t think of an immediate solution either.

    If Han Sae-Rin, the Ruler, were here, it would be a different story, but unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t present.

    ¡°The solution is too easy, moly. Chul-Soo can read the mind of the mes with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, moly,¡± Mole Woman said.

    ¡°Hey, do you think that¡¯s possible? The mes are not living beings. It¡¯s the fire itself, right, Chul-Soo?¡± Lessefim said.

    Mole Woman snorted. ¡°How stupid! You still don¡¯t understand that if you have strong poison resistance, you also have strong curse resistance, moly! With Broadcaster¡¯s Insight at its peak, reading the mind of the mes should be possible, moly!¡±

    ***

    To Jin-Hyeok¡¯s surprise, Mole Woman¡¯s words were reasonable.

    <i>¡®I haven¡¯t been as intensetely,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Mole Woman¡¯s intensity had made him reflect on himself. As she said, he could indeed read the will of the mes.

    <strong>[#Kill]</strong>

    <strong>[#We need to kill that man.]</strong>

    <strong>[#He¡¯s the root of evil in the Spirit Realm.]</strong>

    These mes viewed Jin-Hyeok as an enemy. Their will was burning intensely, igniting such hostile and powerful mes.

    <i>¡®Why are they acting like this?¡¯ </i>he wondered.

    Jin-Hyeok wanted tomunicate with them through physical interactions, but that wasn¡¯t feasible either. He hade here to meet Elly and did not want to show a violent side of him. Besides, if he lost focus while trying tomunicate, Mole Woman and Lessefim could be in danger.

    ¡°It seems the mes hate me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s time for your infamous physical interaction, moly,¡± Mole Woman said.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not as easy as you think. You two try to find a safe path here. If we can reach Elly or Alkinas, we might be safe.¡±

    Fortunately, unlike Absolute Barrier, the space under Omnipotent Director was safe.

    ¡°I need to have a chat with the mes,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°K-Kim Chul-Soo! Where are you going?!¡± Lessefim yelled.

    Jin-Hyeok stepped out of Omnipotent Director¡¯s space. He had been disappointed earlier that the Arvis rankers had lost their intensity due to thefortable life, yet he now realized that he was the one who had forgotten it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move, Lessefim. I can¡¯t protect you if you leave this space,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Lessefim knew that right now, she wasn¡¯t particrly helpful. She bit her lip and said, ¡°Mole Woman, let¡¯s find a path together. We need to find a route where the mes are weak and which is the shortest path to where the Spirit King of Fire is.¡±

    ***

    ¡°What are you doing, Mole Woman!¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°S-Sorry, moly. I keep worrying about Chul-Soo...¡±

    ¡°Do you like Chul-Soo too?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, I¡¯m a Chul-Soo Lander too.¡±

    Despite her strong faith in Jin-Hyeok, Mole Woman was indeed worried about him. While she was confident enough to throw off her fire-resistant jacket for the livestream, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about Jin-Hyeok walking into the mes.

    Mole Woman¡¯s eyes widened. <i>¡®He didn¡¯t even use Absolute Barrier on himself, moly!¡¯</i>

    The reason he had done that was to maintain this space¡ªthe one created by Omnipotent Director. Both Mole Woman and Lessefim knew this well.

    ¡°Listen, Mole Woman. Chul-Soo is taking a gamble for us,¡± said Lessefim. If Chul-Soo had been alone, he would have used Absolute Barrier. He would have protected only himself in this situation. ¡°We are not fulfilling our roles as Navigators right now. We need to focus.¡±

    ¡°Understood, moly.¡±

    Finally, Jin-Hyeokpletely left Omnipotent Director¡¯s space. Mole Woman and Lessefim tilted their heads simultaneously.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok, who had entered the mes without deploying Absolute Barrier, was unexpectedly fine. They had been prepared for the possibility of Omnipotent Director disappearing if Chul-Soo lost focus, but the oue was anticlimactic.

    ¡°Lessefim, am I seeing this right, moly?¡±

    ¡°I want to ask the same thing, Mole Woman.¡±

    They felt a sense of kinship for the first time in a while.

    ¡°He entered the mes without Absolute Barrier, right, moly?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like to me too.¡±

    Despite facing the mes head-on, Chul-Soo seemed unfazed. This was great news for the two Navigators.

    ¡°There is a distortion in mana¡ªno, Spirit power centering around Chul-Soo,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°I see it too, moly. Gaps are appearing there. We should be able to forge a path centered on that area, moly.¡±

    ¡°Right. If we break through that path, even the Spirit King will sense that something¡¯s wrong in the Spirit Realm. When Spirit King Alkinas arrives, the situation should improve.¡±

    Mole Woman felt a slight sense of defeat. Lessefim could step out of this space for a moment to forge a path, but Mole Woman couldn¡¯t. In terms of innate Navigator abilities, she still couldn¡¯tpare to Lessefim. Mole Woman sat down without interfering with Lessefim and observed Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®All I can do now is observe and learn from IntenseMan!¡¯</i>

    Mole Woman wondered how he could remain unaffected in this world of fire. She knew that he had been practicing harmonizing with the world a lot in the Dragon¡¯s Nest recently and wondered if this was the result of that training.

    <i>¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ </i>Mole Woman had a realization. <i>¡®It¡¯s just because he¡¯s physically strong, moly.¡¯</i>

    The fire of this Realm could melt Absolute Barrier, but it seemed unable to harm Jin-Hyeok.

    <i>¡®So, the answer was... his physical prowess, moly!¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok was surprised anew. <i>¡®Was my fire resistance this strong?¡¯</i>

    He realized that it was far more efficient to simply take on the fire than to block it using Absolute Barrier. Although he was sweating a bit, there was no greater crisis than that.

    [Resistance is futile.]

    [Die.]

    Feeling the will of the mes, Jin-Hyeok asked, ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡±

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    His words were directed at this world¡ªthe entire Spirit Realm and the mes themselves.

    [Because of you, the prince cries every day.]

    [The king has fallen into worry.]

    [If only you were gone, the Spirit Realm would be peaceful.]

    <i>¡®Prince? Did Spirit King Alkinas have a prince?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    [We will kill you.]

    [Sing eternally in the fire paradise.]

    Jin-Hyeok raised Miri. This world wasn¡¯t ready for dialogue right now.

    <i>¡®I¡¯ve never tried something like this before, but...¡¯</i>

    He thought that if talking to mes was possible, physical interaction was possible too.

    -I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to hit the back of the Spirit Realm¡¯s head! I¡¯m truly a happy weapon!

    Miri was ecstatic. It felt like it were hitting an illusion, but Jin-Hyeok summoned his strength. He was a bit excited, as he hadn¡¯t swung Miri with all his might in a while.

    ¡°I want to talk with you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to the mes.

    [What nonsense.]

    [Die, human!]

    Jin-Hyeok swung Miri toward the world.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    The air split and the mes began to break apart.

    [Hmph, foolish human.]

    [As if such a trivial technique would wor¡ª]

    <i>¡®Oh, it¡¯s working!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Still, since this was a Spirit Realm, taming it seemed much harder than taming the Thunder Dragon. <i>¡®I might be able to truly interact with the Spirit Realm!¡¯</i>

    He began swinging Miri without holding back, unlike what he had done with the Thunder Dragon.

    -I will smash the head of the Spirit Realm!

    After a while, the presence of the mes around Jin-Hyeok changed. They were still burning intensely, but they no longer felt hot at all. Suddenly, a new notification appeared.

    <strong>[You have achieved an omniverse-level Achievement.]</strong>

    This was a type of notification that even Jin-Hyeok, a regressor, had never seen before.

 Chapter 459

    <h4>Chapter 459</h4>

    <i>¡®An omniverse-level Achievement?¡¯ </i>Cha<i> </i>Jin-Hyeok was surprised.

    <strong>[Pioneer of the Spirit Realm]</strong>

    <strong>[There is no record in the universe of a life form from another dimension pioneering the Spirit Realm. This will be a new era for humanity and the foundation of a new civilization.</strong>

    <strong>Achievement Effect: Dimension Synchronization]</strong>

    He hadn¡¯t expected to receive such a grand Achievement for merely having a physical conversation with the Spirit Realm.

    <i>¡®So, this is the new era for humanity and the foundation for a new civilization?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    It seemed a bit exaggerated, but it wasn¡¯t bad content-wise. His being the first one in the universe to acquire this Achievement made for great content for his channel.

    <strong>[Due to this being the first omniverse-level Achievement, the ?Quill of Records? has been activated.]</strong>

    A white quill appeared in mid-air. It was a sacred object unaffected by the Spirit Realm¡¯s fire.

    <i>¡®Am I supposed to hold this?¡¯ </i>When he grasped the quill, it began to move on its own.

    <strong>[The ?Quill of Records? records the great footsteps of ?Kim Chul-Soo?.]</strong>

    The quill inscribed letters in mid-air. The content was written in Korean, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s nativenguage.

    <strong>[The ?Quill of Records? will record objective situations as close to fact as possible.]</strong>

    The Quill of Records was a sacred object of the universe that urately recorded how to acquire omniverse-level Achievements. It was the universe¡¯s will to record these great footsteps and pass them on to future generations.

    Lessefim and Mole Woman watched the quill¡¯s movements and vividly felt that will.

    ¡°What on earth are those characters?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know Korean, moly?¡± Mole Woman was startled. ¡°How can you not study the nativenguage of Chul-Soo? You¡¯re not qualified to be a Chul-Soo Lander, moly.¡±

    ¡°Can you please trante for me, Mole Woman?¡±

    ¡°See? I¡¯m the Navigator more suited for livestreaming, moly!¡±

    Lessefim didn¡¯t want to admit that, but she was curious about the glorious content the Quill of Records was writing. So, she had to concede. ¡°Fine. You seem to be the more suitable Navigator for livestreaming. For now.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    Although she appeared veryposed on the outside, Mole Woman was quite nervous. Feeling the universe¡¯s will with her whole body, she felt like she were standing at the threshold of a new civilization. She wondered what great content the Quill of Records would write and what transcendent message would be passed onto future generations.

    ¡°The Quill of Records will urately record how Chul-Soo achieved this feat. This is the perfect strategy passed down to future generations, so future yers should cherish it.¡± Mole Woman steadied her trembling heart and began to read. This was just the introduction. Mole Woman and Lessefim gulped.

    Mole Woman continued, ¡°Chul-Soo entered the Fire Spirit Realm. Chul-Soo endured the mes of the Spirit Realm. Chul-Soo interacted with the Spirit Realm. The interaction was sessful. The Achievement was gained.¡±

    Lessefim waited for Mole Woman to continue, her eyes sparkling. But even after a long time, Mole Woman didn¡¯t say anything else.

    ¡°What? Why did you stop reading?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s... the end?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lessefim couldn¡¯t help but doubt Mole Woman. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m serious. That¡¯s it.¡± Mole Woman unconsciously muttered to herself, ¡°What kind of great strategy is that, moly?¡±

    The strategy was simr to the joke about how to put an elephant in a refrigerator¡ªopen the refrigerator door, put the elephant in, and close the refrigerator door.

    As the closest witnesses to the Quill of Records, Mole Woman and Lessefim could feel the universe¡¯s will.

    <i>¡®Hold on, the universe is feeling proud of itself!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®It¡¯s praising itself!¡¯</i>

    The Quill of Records, seemingly pleased with the record it had written, floated in the air, dancing here and there before disappearing in a sh of light.

    ***

    Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo covered her mouth with her hand.

    ¡°Yu-Mi! Look at this!¡± Eun-Woo shouted. She was a yer who had the authority to take videos and photos of Jin-Hyeok even when she wasn¡¯t with him. ¡°Chul-Soo has turned into fire.¡±

    Chul-Soo had be a person made of mes.

    Wang Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. ¡°I see... This is going to be so popr.¡±

    Chul-Soo was nearly translucent, but the silhouette was enough to evoke slightly erotic imaginations.

    ¡°Stop acting unprofessional, Eun-Woo! Stop looking at Chul-Soo from a fan¡¯s point of view. You¡¯re his Homepage Master!¡± Yu-Mi quickly touched her sses, changing the lenses to an opaque color. She too couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the fiery Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Eun-Woo, get a grip. You¡¯re the Homepage Master! You shouldn¡¯t sumb to his seduction technique.¡±

    Yu-Mi struck Eun-Woo¡¯s head hard with a palm tree staff that had an awakening effect, with the pain effect applied.

    <i>Thwack!</i>

    Only then did Eun-Wooe to her senses. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    ¡°Receiving the Intimate Miracle twice might have been a mistake, Eun-Woo.¡±

    A couple of months ago, Eun-Woo had received the Intimate Miracle from Hassan, enhancing her abilities while maintaining her previous gender. However, as time passed, Eun-Woo felt her abilities werecking. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s growth rate was so much faster than hers that it became difficult for her to properly capture his image. So, she sought Hassan again.

    <i>¡°Can I receive the Intimate Miracle again?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°What? I still have some left, but... I don¡¯t think it will have much effect on you.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°What if I change my genderpletely?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°W-Well, that might have an effect, but didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t turn into a woman because you were afraid of what other Chul-Soo Landers would say about you?¡±</i>

    <i>¡°Something more important hase up now. With my current skills, I can¡¯t fully capture Chul-Soo.¡±</i>

    In the end, Eun-Woo had received the Intimate Miracle once more and transformed into a woman.

    ¡°The side effects of the Intimate Miracle seem serious. I will need to carry this staff for a while,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°That would be helpful. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°How about asking Hassan to turn you back into a man? You can receive the miracle again, right?¡±

    ¡°I already looked into it, but it¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°Why? Did he say that your abilities will weaken?¡±

    ¡°He said he used all of the miracles. Oh right, and he said that the 77th person to receive the miracle was not human...¡±

    ¡°Not human?¡±

    ¡°He said it was a Spirit.¡±

    Yu-Mi tilted her head. ¡°Do Spirits have genders?¡±

    ¡°Apparently so. It seems they just decide for themselves. Hassan said the Spirit changed from a female form to a male form,¡± Eun-Woo said. She hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, but when she thought about it again, something clicked. ¡°Hassan must have done it because the Spirit is deeply rted to Chul-Soo, right?¡±

    Hassan didn¡¯t grant Intimate Miracles unless it was for Chul-Soo Landers. He had vowed to use the precious 77 Miracles for only Chul-Soo Landers, if possible.

    ¡°Could it be...?¡±

    ¡°No way...!¡±

    Yu-Mi and Eun-Woo thought about which Spirit was deeply rted to Chul-Soo¡ªa Spirit that changed from female to male form. They seemed to know who it was.

    ¡°Elines?¡±

    ¡°Elines?¡±

    ***

    Mole Woman gained a deep realization. What she had thought earlier was correct.

    ¡°So, overwhelming physical prowess is the answer to everything after all.¡±

    That was the strategy¡ªoverwhelming physical prowess that could withstand the mes of the Spirit Realm and even beat it.

    ¡°But, Chul-Soo, you look kind of sexy as fire, moly.¡±

    Just then, Lessefim shouted, ¡°Chul-Soo! Southwest, twenty-seven degrees! I need you to swing Miri in that direction! I don¡¯t want you tomunicate with anything. Just use pure physical force!¡±

    This would allow the path to be opened, a path that could lead to the king of this Spirit Realm, Alkinas, or a being equivalent to Alkinas. With her eyes closed, Lessefim chanted in her mind incessantly.

    <i>¡®Now!¡¯</i>

    Even with her eyes closed, she could tell that Chul-Soo had swung Miri. She could feel the path opening with the unique sense that only Navigators possessed. Lessefim continued with her eyes still closed, ¡°Now a path will appear where the mes part and non-hostile mes burn. It won¡¯t be visible to the naked eye, but Chul-Soo, I know you¡¯ll be able to feel it.¡±

    Lessefim didn¡¯t particrly advise Mole Woman. A Navigator of Mole Woman¡¯s caliber should be able to feel it too.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look with your eyes. Feel with your heart. You will surely see the path,¡± Lessefim said.

    She took the first step. She walked out of the space created by Omnipotent Director.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not hot anymore!¡¯</i>

    The path wasn¡¯t very wide, just enough for one person to barely pass through. It was like an invisible passage of fire.

    ¡°What are you doing, moly!¡± Mole Woman tapped Lessefim¡¯s shoulder, and Lessefim almost yelled at her.

    This small path could disappear at any moment. It was like a candle me, something that could flicker and vanish with even the slightest breeze or variable.

    ¡°Mole Woman, you need to concentrate. With your skills, you should be able to feel it too,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that. Open your eyes, moly.¡±

    ¡°If I open my eyes, I won¡¯t be able to see...¡± Feeling something strange, Lessefim opened her eyes. A wide path, about twelvenes across, had opened up. It was just an ordinary path untouched by the mes.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lessefim said, confused.

    Mole Woman patted her shoulder. ¡°Chul-Soo opened the path, moly.¡±

    ***

    The path was simr to arge aquarium. The only difference was that it was filled with mes instead of water and fish.

    ¡°Do we just walk along this path?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lessefim answered. She wondered if Chul-Soo even needed a Navigator, but she sincerely asked, ¡°Shall I lead the way?¡±

    ¡°That would be good.¡±

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not really about needing a Navigator¡¯s abilities; it just looks better for his livestream.¡¯ </i>Lessefim sighed. She could understand why that annoying Mole Woman was acting so confidently. From the beginning, Chul-Soo never needed help from Navigators.

    <i>¡®Just being a Navigator is not enough.¡¯ </i>She had been putting it off, but now she made a decision. <i>¡®I need to be a human female too!¡¯</i>

    She thought that she should ask Hassan for the Intimate Miracle. The form of a human female would suit the livestream much better than a male form. At least topete with Mole Woman, she needed to be a human female.

    Jin-Hyeok and the Navigators walked for a long time.

    <i>¡®With no sense of time, I can¡¯t tell how long we¡¯ve been walking,¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought.

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    It felt like falling into an area with an unknown sense of space-time, but she wasn''t particrly scared. Being with Chul-Soo, she didn¡¯t feel much of a sense of crisis. Instead, she focused on Chul-Soo¡¯s muttering. She was ready to jump in to enrich the audio for the livestream if necessary. However, Mole Woman was a bit quicker.

    ¡°Oh, really, moly? You can enter the Trinity Club if you achieve an omniverse-level Achievement?¡± Mole Woman said.

    Trinity Club members were the VIPs of the System, with only 999 members in the entire universe.

    ¡°Does that mean one of my friends is now a Trinity Club member, moly?¡± Mole Woman hugged Chul-Soo tightly and shed tears of joy.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had turned into a fire person, was about to push her away, worried she could burn to death, but was startled.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s fine?¡¯ </i>He had turned into fire, but it was a type of fire that wouldn¡¯t harm anyone. This was an incredibly strange sensation for Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Does that mean one of the Trinity Club members has been kicked out, moly?¡±

    ¡°No, the number of Trinity Club members has increased by one. It seems I¡¯m the 1000th Trinity Club member,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Do a lot of things change if one bes a Trinity Club member, moly?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°What kind of changes, moly? Tell me in detail, moly!¡±

    Mole Woman¡¯srge eyes were filled with curiosity. It was a perfect shot for his thumbnail. But then, the surroundings suddenly darkened.

    <i>¡®Hm? The mes became dark!¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok observed.

    Being in harmony with the Spirit Realm now, Jin-Hyeok could feel the terrible loneliness and solitude from the atmosphere. This ck, burning world was another world within the Spirit Realm. In this world of invisible mes, he could sense a small mass of ck me. It was a me crouched down and crying. Jin-Hyeok could tell as soon as he saw that me.

    ¡°Elines?¡±

 Chapter 460

    <h4>Chapter 460</h4>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok encountered a Spirit in the form of a being made of fire, just like himself. The Spirit, who appeared toorge to be called a boy but too youthful to be considered a young man, was none other than Elines.

    When Elines saw Jin-Hyeok, he immediately burst into tears with a loud wail before quickly turning his back. The ck mes around him red up as if they were gaining vigor, but Elines tried hard to hide this.

    ¡°Elly, why are you so down?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Although Elines had changed from a female to a male form, it wasn¡¯t particrly important. After all, Spirits originally had no concept of gender.

    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± Elines said.

    A threatening me rose and blocked Jin-Hyeok¡¯s path. While it was extremely dangerous for Lessefim and Mole Woman, it posed no threat to Jin-Hyeok. The me, shaped like a spear, pierced through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s chest, but he remained unaffected.

    ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Elines¡¯s state was far from normal. A deep, dark abyss could be sensed within him.

    ¡°...away,¡± Elines muttered.

    A whip of ck fireshed out toward Jin-Hyeok. Not feeling particrly threatened, Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t bother to dodge. The fire whip passed through him and struck the surroundings, forcing Lessefim and Mole Woman to desperately evade it.

    ¡°He¡¯s too strong, moly!¡±

    ¡°This is too dangerous!¡±

    Had it not been for Absolute Barrier, they would have melted. They felt a chill run down their spine.

    Jin-Hyeok realized Elines¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t normal and had to ponder it for a moment. <i>¡®Elly seems to be corrupted by something...¡¯</i>

    He could use Miri to snap Elines out of it, but he wondered if that was truly the best course of action. Just as he couldn¡¯t bring himself to hit Julius, he felt reluctant to physicallymunicate with the Spirit who had looked up to him like he were its father.

    <i>¡®I should try talking first,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    ¡°...don¡¯t,¡± Elines mumbled.

    ¡°Elly, calm down and talk to me slowly.¡±

    As Jin-Hyeok approached him, Elines shouted at him to stay away. A curtain of ck fire spread out, but Jin-Hyeok easily passed through it and walked toward Elines. The Spirit got up and tried to run away, but Jin-Hyeok was faster. Catching up to Elines without difficulty, he ced a hand on the Spirit¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Tell me, Elly. Why have you be like this?¡±

    Elines resisted a few more times, conjuring whips of ck fire, but it was futile. Jin-Hyeok effortlessly nullified all of Elines¡¯s attacks. Watching the situation from afar, Lessefim grew slightly angry.

    ¡°Wait a minute, this is...¡± Upon closer inspection, Lessefim realized Elines¡¯s attacks were contrived. They looked fierce on the surface, but there was no killing intent behind the attacks aimed at Jin-Hyeok. ¡°He¡¯s being vicious to only us!¡±

    ¡°This is not fair, moly!¡±

    For once, Lessefim and Mole Woman found themselves in agreement.

    ¡°We should teach that kid a lessonter,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m counting on you, moly.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were going to do it together...?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of that Spirit Prince, moly. I bet he¡¯s going through puberty. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so aggressive.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok gently patted Elines¡¯s head and softly said, ¡°That¡¯s why I came to see you, Elly.¡±

    ¡°Go away,¡± Elines replied.

    ¡°Do you really want me to leave?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Despite Elines¡¯s gruff response, Jin-Hyeok felt a slight sense of satisfaction. He could see Elines¡¯s form, which had been close to that of a teenager, gradually shrinking. It seemed his inted will was diminishing, returning him to his original state.

    Jin-Hyeok could now hear Elines¡¯s youthful voice.

    ¡°You said you would call me often...,¡± Elines said, almost crying.

    ¡°I was originally nning to call you from the Dragon¡¯s Nest.¡± Jin-Hyeok was about to add that the Fire Dragon had suggested that opening the Spirit Gate was a better alternative, but he held his tongue, feeling it would be like throwing Julius under the bus.

    Elines slowly turned around, hisrge eyes brimming with tears.

    ¡°I was so lonely!¡± he cried out. He threw himself into Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arms and sobbed for a long time. After a while, his emotions settled, and the ck mes returned to their original red color.

    Lessefim finally approached the Spirit, intending to scold the <i>cheeky little brat</i>, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it.

    <i>¡®Interfere and I¡¯ll kill you,¡¯ </i>Elines told the two Navigators telepathically.

    Elines seemed deadly serious. Lessefim, who briefly made eye contact with the Spirit, froze in ce.

    <i>¡®What kind of child has eyes like that?!¡¯ </i>She cleared her throat and took a few steps back. <i>¡®That detestable princess..., no, prince!¡¯</i>

    While Elines appeared like an innocent child in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s arms, he was, in fact, a very dangerous and deadly Spirit. He seemed slightly unhinged.

    Mole Woman approached Lessefim. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to scold him, moly?¡±

    ¡°They seemed to be having a serious conversation...¡±

    ¡°A serious conversation?¡±

    ¡°It looks like that Spirit King¡¯s daughter has be a prince.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I mean that child has changed his gender. Just like you, former Mole Man.¡±

    ***

    Elines had received the Intimate Miracle to be more like Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t Spirits originally genderless?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Usually, yes... but it¡¯s be fixed now,¡± Elines replied.

    Jin-Hyeok nodded. In truth, it didn¡¯t matter much to him whether Elines took a male or female form since Elines now appeared as a pure and clean ball of fire. He had somehow be able to read someone¡¯s essence without using Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t do this in the future. The other Spirits were very worried.¡± Jin-Hyeok gently admonished Elines.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Elines apologized.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The surrounding mes, now red, flickered as if they were dancing.

    At that moment, Alkinas¡¯s voice came from some distance. ¡°Elines! Open the door!¡±

    Alkinas, the king of Fire Spirits, had the power to roam anywhere in the Fire Spirit Realm, but it seemed he couldn¡¯t intrude into his daughter¡¯s (now son¡¯s) domain at will.

    ¡°I was wrong, Elly! Please forgive me!¡± Alkinas shouted, unable to approach Elines.

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°What did your dad do wrong?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± mes around Elines red up again. Though Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure of the details, it seemed that merely recalling the past made the Spirit furious. ¡°My dad told me not to even think about that guy. He said that guy was a really bad person.¡±

    ¡°If by <i>that guy </i>you mean...,¡± Jin-Hyeok could easily guess that <i>that guy </i>referred to himself. ¡°From your father¡¯s perspective, it seems like something he might say.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! How dare he call you <i>that guy! </i>I will never forgive him,¡± Elines said.

    Elines burst into mes. Judging by the asional ck mes among them, it seemed that Elines was going through puberty. His strong will to never forgive his father and his desire not to reconcile was evident.

    ¡°This won¡¯t be easy.¡± Lessefim sighed.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, moly. He¡¯s going through puberty now, moly.¡±

    It would likely take a very long time for the father and child to mend their rtionship. However, Chul-Soo¡¯s magic subdued Elines¡¯s aggressiveness in just three seconds.

    ¡°You should get along with your dad,¡± Jin-Hyeok gently said.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Elines replied.

    ¡°Promise?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I promise!¡±

    Just as Elines decided to reconcile with his father, an urgent voice rang out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll beat that guy to a pulp and bring him before you, Elly! I promise! Huh? Elly? Oh, the door opened... Huh? You?¡± The massive fireball that had just appeared roared, ¡°Kim Chul-Soo, you devil!¡±

    ***

    Alkinas was shocked. <i>¡®This is Kim Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>

    It was surprising enough that a being from another dimension was present in the Spirit Realm, but it was even more astonishing that this being took the form of a Fire Spirit.

    ¡°Were you a Spirit, Chul-Soo?¡± Alkinas asked.

    ¡°I synchronized with this Realm,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pointed out something important. ¡°You said you¡¯d beat me to a pulp, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Should I take this as a challenge to a duel?¡±

    A duel with the Spirit King in the Spirit Realm was an incredibly exciting prospect. If he posted the fight on his channel, the view count would surely skyrocket.

    <i>¡®But..., I probably shouldn¡¯t, right?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    A duel with Elines¡¯s father would undoubtedly be bad for the young Spirit¡¯s emotional state.

    ¡°Hmph, crush him!¡± Elines suddenly eximed.

    Alkinas was momentarily ted, thinking his son was cheering for him, but quickly fell into despair. Elines¡¯s gaze was fixed on Jin-Hyeok.

    Alkinas felt all strength leave his body. ¡°Chul-Soo, it seems I can¡¯t fight you after all. I need an exnation. How did you be a Fire Spirit?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok briefly exined everything that had happened.

    Alkinas nodded. ¡°I see. It¡¯s amazing. You have be an even purer and more powerful Fire Spirit than me, the king of this world.¡±

    ¡°Have I be that strong...?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Yes, I can feel it. The power of fire that surpasses mine.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok had be much stronger while he had been slightly off guard. He felt a bit sad but didn¡¯t show it. Whether or not Alkinas understood Jin-Hyeok¡¯s feelings, he continued, ¡°It seems the king of the Fire Spirit Realm has to change.¡±

    <strong>[#Finally, #I can retire!]</strong>

    Being the king of the Spirit Realm wasn¡¯t all that grand. The purest and strongest fire was simply crowned as king. All the title meant was being called to handle various incidents and clean up messes. In fact, there was nothing good about it.

    <strong>[#I don¡¯t have to defeat those Fire Monsters anymore. #It¡¯s over.]</strong>

    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not qualified to be king,¡± Jin-Hyeok immediately responded.

    ¡°This is a world where the strongest fire bes king. You have be the strongest fire, so ording to this world¡¯sw, you should be ki¡ªAck!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok deactivated his Dimensional Synchronization. Seeing him return to his original human form, Alkinas involuntarily cried out in shock. In that form, Jin-Hyeok wouldn¡¯t be able to survive in this harsh Spirit Realm. If this person were to burn to death, Elines¡¯s despair would be unimaginable.

    ¡°Chul-Soo! Are you alri¡ªhuh?¡±

    Surprisingly, Chul-Soo waspletely fine. This being from another dimension was withstanding the fires of the Spirit Realm with just his physical abilities.

    ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Alkinas double-checked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot,¡± Jin-Hyeok casually replied.

    Alkinas, who had lived for countless ages, felt a sense of wonder at this strange being in front of him. He did not know such a being could exist in this world.

    ¡°Wow, I sure lived long enough to see everything,¡± Alkinas said. He wondered how Chul-Soo could be so unaffected by the mes and what kind of Spirit power or magic was protecting him. He wanted to know what mysterious force made this possible. The Spirit King of Fire had many questions.

    ¡°How is this possible? Is it a mysterious power I don¡¯t know about? What kind of miraculous technique are you using?¡± Alkinas asked.

    Mole Woman answered on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s behalf, ¡°It¡¯s his physical prowess, moly.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Alkinas took quite a while toprehend those words.

 Chapter 461

    <h4>Chapter 461</h4>

    Alkinas understood what was going on after some exnation.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that you didn¡¯t use any technique and are just enduring the mes with your body?¡± Alkinas asked Cha Jin-Hyeok.

    Jin-Hyeok instinctively felt a slight sense of crisis. If even the Spirit King of Fire spoke like this, the perception that Chul-Soo was incredibly strong could spread widely. Though such a perception was already quite prevalent in the universe, there was no need to reinforce it further.

    ¡°Actually, I just have good fire resistance. I ate the Phoenix Heart,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined.

    This surprised Alkinas even more. Even a phoenix from another dimension shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the mes of the Spirit Realm.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was possible. You¡¯re amazing, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Elines grinned as if he was the one who had been praised, with an expression that said, <i>¡®Isn¡¯t Chul-Soo amazing?¡¯</i>

    This angered Alkinas. Suddenly, he tilted his head. ¡°Huh? Who are you two? How are you unharmed here?¡±

    Alkinas¡¯s eyes had just now registered Mole Woman and Lessefim. ¡°Are they okay because of you, Chul-Soo? Is this also one of your abilities?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered.

    ¡°I had no idea such a mysterious barrier exists in this world.¡±

    Lessefim bit her lip, her pride hurt. ¡°So, he didn¡¯t even know we were here until now?¡±

    ¡°It seems so, moly...¡±

    They were top rankers from their respective Servers, but in the Spirit Realm, they were insignificant beings that went unnoticed.

    ¡°And I was the one who told him the answer is Chul-Soo¡¯s physical prowess, moly.¡± It seemed her words had been heard like the chirping of birds in the mountains. ¡°We¡¯re still too weak, moly.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right...¡±

    As the two resolved to be stronger, Jin-Hyeok had a realization. He understood why the cunning Spirit King was praising him.

    ¡°Since I¡¯m not a Spirit, I can¡¯t be the Spirit King,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. He had turned back into his human form as it was more advantageous for him.

    Alkinas found that a bit unfair. ¡°You coward...¡±

    ¡°How am I a coward? I¡¯m really not a Spirit.¡±

    ¡°But you can transform into one, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not one right now.¡±

    ¡°But you can be considered one.¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment.¡±

    Alkinas was disappointed but decided to wait a little longer. After all, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t endure this ce in a non-Spirit state indefinitely. Jin-Hyeok would eventually have to transform into a Spirit, and then Alkinas could pass on the throne.

    Jin-Hyeok changed the subject. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s a Fire Monster?¡±

    ¡°Are you interested in Fire Monsters?!¡± Alkinas was overjoyed. The worst part of the Spirit King¡¯s duties was exterminating Fire Monsters.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The fire that devoured mes, also known as Fire Monsters, were mutant fires that grewrger by consuming other fires around them. Unlike other fires in the Spirit Realm, they had no will or reason, only a destructive desire to devour.

    ¡°Fire Monsters have been rampagingtely and damaging the Spirit Realm,¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°Can they be dealt with?¡±

    ¡°We can subdue them, but they are also natural fires. No matter how much we subdue them, they always awaken after some time. The Fire Monsters born this time are too powerful. They were born from ck fire.¡±

    ¡°Even the Spirit King¡¯s power cannot control them?¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t. But if you help, things might be easier than expected.¡±

    ¡°I will help you, Alkinas.¡± Jin-Hyeok was thrilled at this newfound content. <i>¡®I wonder how strong they are?¡¯</i>

    ***

    ¡°We seem to be just getting in the way, moly,¡± Mole Woman said.

    When she saw the Spirit King¡¯s attitude, she had realized how weak she was. Thinking she had a role to y in the Spirit Realm had been an arrogant mistake. The same was true for Lessefim.

    <i>¡®We¡¯re nothing but a burden to him,¡¯ </i>Lessefim thought. Jin-Hyeok was still using Absolute Barrier on them. Lessefim knew well that Absolute Barrier definitely had a time limit. <i>¡®I saw that the barrier can melt in the Spirit Realm.¡¯</i>

    Currently, Jin-Hyeok was only using Absolute Barrier on Mole Woman and Lessefim, but earlier, the situation had been different. When he had used Absolute Barrier to protect himself as well, it had started to melt little by little. In other words, Jin-Hyeok was now expending a considerable amount of his power to protect Mole Woman and Lessefim.

    ¡°We should leave,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°Sorry for being weak, moly. I will be more intense, moly.¡±

    Alkinas opened a Spirit Gate, and the two left with burning determination.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be stronger together, moly.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lessefim, the best Navigator, and Mole Woman, second to none in intensity, held hands and resolved to find stronger and more dangerous Dungeons.

    ¡°We can do this, moly!¡±

    ¡°You know it!¡±

    They needed Dungeons and trials more dangerous and powerful than the Dragon¡¯s Nest. They promised to tackle numerous unexplored Servers.

    A new era was dawning.

    ***

    ¡°Fire Monsters are fires that devour other fires. They crave the purest and cleanest fires,¡± Alkinas exined.

    Jin-Hyeok felt slightly uneasy. Usually, pure and clean fires referred to one of two things: newly born Spirits or Spirits born with specially pure Spirit power. The purest Spirits that Jin-Hyeok knew were the Spirit King and the Spirit Prince, Elines. While Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t really worry about the Spirit King, he was infuriated that the Fire Monsters could target Elines.

    <i>¡®How dare they target a Chul-Soo Lander!¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Suddenly, it urred to him that he could appoint Elly as an honorary Chul-Soo Lander. Elly would probably be overjoyed. <i>¡®I¡¯ve been rather unconcerned. I should¡¯ve taken care of this sooner.¡¯</i>

    Amid intense y¡ªthoughtely he was not even as intense as Mole Woman¡ªJin-Hyeok kept forgetting about the people important to him. Jin-Hyeok gently stroked Elines¡¯s head again, feeling apologetic, while Alkinas red at him with jealous eyes. However, Alkinas had umted wisdom since ancient times; he didn¡¯t show how jealous he was.

    ¡°And the purest, cleanest fire was born right here. You know that, don¡¯t you, Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Did you have a new child? Congrattions, Alkinas.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... you mean me?¡±

    Alkinas nodded. ¡°Those monsters have an uncanny ability to smell clean fire and chase after it.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean the Fire Monsters are on their way here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Alkinas looked slightly tense. As long as they were in the Fire Spirit Realm, there was no way to avoid Fire Monsters. When they appeared, the only option was to confront and destroy them.

    ¡°But there¡¯s no need to be tense, Chul-Soo. When you¡¯re tense, you can¡¯t perform at your usual level.¡± Alkinas subtly said, ¡°Quick, transform into a Fire Spirit. The Fire Monsters will rush toward your scent even more.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°To fully draw out your power in this world, you must ultimately be a Spirit, Chul-Soo.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok caught on to Alkinas¡¯s ulterior motive. <i>¡®I know that Fire Monsters are dangerous, but Alkinas is just thinking about passing the Spirit King title to me.¡¯</i>

    The moment he used Dimensional Synchronization, the Spirit King title would be passed to him.

    For Alkinas, it was killing two birds with one stone.

    <i>¡®If the Spirit King title is added on top of everything else I have...¡¯ </i>The Spirit King was a powerful being that could destroy an entire Server. Jin-Hyeok remembered how much damage the berserk Alkinas had caused before Jin-Hyeok¡¯s regression. Having such tremendous power associated with his name would do him no good.

    ¡°Promise me, Alkinas. Promise me that you won¡¯t pass the Spirit King title to me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Alkinas pondered it for a moment. As the Spirit King, he wondered if it was right to deceive the future Spirit King and whether it was okay to enthrone a new king through an unfair and unjust procedure. However, in the end, he thought that such minuscule deception was somewhat eptable.

    ¡°Fine, I promis¡ª¡±

    Unfortunately for Alkinas, the situation suddenly changed. A bull-shaped Spirit came charging at them, snorting steam. Jin-Hyeok realized this Spirit was a Fire Monster.

    ¡°That¡¯s a Fire Monster, Chul-Soo!¡± Alkinas yelled. He picked up young Elines, ring at the Fire Monster while summoning mes. Fire Monsters were the most formidable creatures in the Fire Spirit Realm. Even the Spirit King couldn¡¯t easily deal with them.

    ¡°If one appeared, that means...¡± Alkinas said. The world shook as if an earthquake had struck. It was like countless bulls stomping the earth. ¡°That means many more will appear.¡±

    Alkinas¡¯s eyes widened. In the distance, an entity with a fire even more powerful than those of the other Fire Monsters was approaching. About ten timesrger than the other Fire Monsters, this entity was like a massive forest fire descending upon them.

    ¡°That¡¯s the king of Fire Monsters...¡± Alkinas¡¯s voice dropped. The king of Fire Monsters emerged only about once every one thousand years. At this point, the Spirit King alone couldn¡¯t handle the Fire Monsters. ¡°Chul-Soo, you need to quickly transform into a Fire Spirit. I promise I won¡¯t pass the Spirit King title to you!¡±

    There was no time for trickery now.

    ¡°Do you really promise?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course. There is no time, Chul-Soo. They¡¯reing!¡±

    The already fire-filled world of Spirits was nowpletely enveloped by the Spirit King¡¯s aura. The Spirit Realm was filled with fire that reigned over types of fire and fire that devoured fire. These two attributes of fire set the world aze.

    ¡°Chul-Soo! What are you doing?¡± Alkinas yelled.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯m a bit unlucky today.¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed.

    ¡°What a defeatist thing to say! Aren¡¯t you ashamed as a Fire Spirit?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡±

    The Fire Monsters that had charged with fierce momentum suddenly knelt and prostrated themselves. Even the king of Fire Monsters did the same. It was apletely surreal sight to Alkinas, who had umted countless experiences.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve identallymuned with these monsters.¡±

    ¡°Communed? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, Imuned with the Spirit Realm earlier.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Alkinas had no idea what Chul-Soo was talking about.

    Elines, still in Alkinas¡¯s arms, said impatiently, ¡°I told you to watch his livestreams, Dad!¡±

    If Alkinas had watched the livestream, he would have easily understood what was going on. Clearly, whilemunicating with the world using Taming (Physical), Jin-Hyeok had alsomunicated with the Fire Monsters.

    ¡°Fire Monsters are beings that cannot be subdued,¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t subdue them. I justmuned with them.¡±

    <i>¡®Communed? But they¡¯re kneeling in front of you!¡¯ </i>While it was hard to understand, Alkinas decided not to point it out for now.

    ¡°Those Fire Monsters are born to devour fire from birth. They cannot be subdued, I mean,muned. They have no reason or rationality,¡± Alkinas added.

    So, this phenomenon was closer to a temporary anomaly than truemuning. That was the rational and reasonable judgment of the Spirit King.

    Elines shook his head. ¡°Dad, you really don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Ifmuning doesn¡¯t work, shouldn¡¯t you first consider if your power might be too weak?¡±

 Chapter 462

    <h4>Chapter 462</h4>

    The Spirit King Alkinas had umtedyers of experience over countless years. That was why he found it difficult to ept such a radical phenomenon.

    In contrast, Elines seemed satisfied, overjoyed that he could see Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s taming in person. He was also thoroughly enjoying the shocked expression on his father¡¯s face, which was usually solemn.

    ¡°What in the world,¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°The Fire Monsters are telling me that they were hungry,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok exined.

    Spirits were beings without physical bodies. Those monsters weren¡¯t feeling physical hunger, but rather thirst for the soul.

    ¡°Wait, Chul-Soo, are you saying that you¡¯remunicating with the Fire Monsters?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A skilled Tamer canmunicate with their tamed subjects as much as they want.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok misunderstood Alkinas¡¯s silence and offered a justification. ¡°I know, I¡¯m not a skilled Tamer. That¡¯s why it¡¯s a bit difficult for me tomunicate as precisely as Park Terse can.¡±

    If Terse could hear this, he would have corrected Jin-Hyeok and said, <i>¡®What do you mean? Youmunicate much more precisely than I do.¡¯</i>

    In fact, Miri muttered the same thing.

    -Youmunicate much better than that Terse guy...

    Jin-Hyeok, who wasn¡¯t a Tamer, pretended not to hear Miri¡¯s words.

    ¡°Anyway, to answer your question, yes, I canmunicate with the Fire Monsters. They say their hunger has been resolved through this emotionalmunion with me.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Alkinas replied.

    ¡°They say they¡¯re going to return to being pure fire now.¡±

    ¡°It appears so...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned and waved goodbye. The Fire Monsters and their king expressed their gratitude with a few <i>moos, </i>before returning to a form of pure fire.

    Alkinas was speechless. He found it difficult to ept the reality before his eyes, but there was nothing he could do. After all, he had witnessed this phenomenon firsthand. ¡°I never thought this would be possible.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the whole concept of Chul-Soo! Nobody thinks anything Chul-Soo does is possible!¡± Elines said. He was incredibly proud of Chul-Soo. It was as if he wanted to say, <i>¡®See? This is Chul-Soo for ya!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok found his behavior cute, but he still needed to correct what needed to be corrected. ¡°Elly, your words aren¡¯t entirely wrong, but the foundation of my channel is...¡±

    ¡°I know! It¡¯s attention-grabbing content based on a first-person perspective! But I exined it in a way that¡¯s easy for Dad to understand.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Jin-Hyeok grinned, while Alkinas wore an expression as if he had lost the world.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, you¡¯re a hero of the Spirit Realm. You possess the qualities of a king. However, you¡¯re also my enemy,¡± Alkinas said.

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if Alkinas still nned on tempting him into bing the Spirit King. Although Jin-Hyeok had started to learn about human emotions, he had yet to understand those of a father. So, he decided to be cautious for now and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t be the Spirit King because I¡¯m human.¡±

    ***

    The Spirit Gate that Alkinas opened connected directly to the Earth Server.

    Upon arriving on Earth, Lessefim immediately sought Hassan. ¡°Hassan, I have a favor to ask.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Lady Lessefim?¡±

    ¡°Turn me back into a female!¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking for your Intimate Miracle!¡±

    Lessefim, the squirrel Beastkin, crossed her arms and tapped her foot. She was determined and even willing to bite Hassan¡¯s head off with her hard front teeth if he didn¡¯t give her what she wanted.

    Hassan could sense this.

    ¡°It seems you have already received a miracle once... is that correct?¡±[1] Hassan asked.

    ¡°Yes, I received a miracle from a fake Hassan.¡±

    ¡°Ah...!¡±

    Some yers in the universe were known as Fake Hassans. Among them, a few genuinely possessed powers almost identical to Hassan¡¯s. Some even advertised that they had higher Levels and superior powerspared to Hassan, and in some cases, they even produced greater effects.

    ¡°I was tricked by that fraud,¡± Lessefim said.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly a fraud. Lessefim had received an Intimate Miracle from Belchun, a Monk in the Arvis Server.

    ¡°You were tricked by a fraud?¡± Hassan said.

    ¡°But this is partly your fault too.¡±

    More urately, Mole Woman was the onergely to me. Lessefim had be impatient due to herpetition with Mole Woman, who had grown rapidly after receiving the Intimate Miracle.

    ¡°Yeah, because of you, I got impatient and made a mistake. I received a miracle from a guy named Belchun in Arvis, you know?¡±

    Monk Belchun was known as a ranker with skillsparable to or even surpassing Hassan¡¯s. Some who received Intimate Miracles from Belchun had be much stronger after changing genders. It just hadn¡¯t worked for Lessefim. An ability that had a great synergy with one yer could have none with another. The best miracle for someone else was just an insignificant gender change for Lessefim.

    ¡°I received nothing but a slight increase in strength. That damn Monk. I won¡¯t let him off easy next time we meet!¡± Lessefim said.

    <i>¡®Wait! If a ranker of your Level noticed an increase in your strength, doesn¡¯t that mean it wasn¡¯t a scam? What kind of effect were you expecting from the miracle...?¡¯ </i>Hassan wanted to say this but held back, fearing he might get his head bitten off. ¡°I understand your story, Lady Lessefim. I¡¯d like to help but...¡±

    Unfortunately, Hassan had already used up his 77 Intimate Miracles. He had now lost all his power.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem,¡± Lessefim said.

    ¡°You say that, but I don¡¯t think I can get my powers back.¡±

    Lessefim shook her head. ¡°Can¡¯t Chul-Soo adjust your settings?¡±

    Hassan¡¯s eyes widened. He had been feeling powerless after losing his ability. ¡°B-But is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is. What do you take Chul-Soo for? He will precisely break just the settings that limit you from performing your miracle only 77 times.¡±

    Hassan¡¯s face lit up. He genuinely believed that Chul-Soo could do this. Feeling better, he held out his pinky finger. ¡°If I regain my power, I will definitely turn you back into a female!¡±

    ¡°Is that a promise?¡± Lessefim¡¯s brown tail stood straight up in excitement.

    ¡°But, Lady Lessefim, the effect might not be as good as you think.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re the one Chul-Soo chose, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about being chosen. All I¡¯m saying is that the increase in ability might not be noticeable...¡±

    ¡°Huh? Who said anything about increasing abilities?¡± Lessefim shook her head, unable to understand him. ¡°I want you to make me more beautiful, sexier, prettier! Like Mole Woman!¡±

    <i>¡®Ah... so that¡¯s what she wants.¡¯ </i>Hassan went silent for a moment before speaking again. ¡°Lady Lessefim, it might be a bit presumptuous, but may I offer some advice?¡±

    ¡°Advice? What kind of advice?¡±

    ¡°You are cute enough, Lady Lessefim.¡±

    ¡°If you start talking like my fans, I will sock you one. I won¡¯t go easy on you just because you¡¯re a kid,¡± she said with a frown.

    Hassan didn¡¯t waver. Since he had recently lost all his power and deeply immersed himself in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams, he had a strong conviction and foresight. ¡°If youpete in the same genre as Lady Mole Woman, you will never win. Even Lady Yu-Mi agrees with me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re much, much, much, much cuter than Lady Mole Woman.¡± Hassan¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You¡¯re a squirrel Beastkin. I know squirrel Beastkins are very rare in the universe. And people love that a cute squirrel like you is so powerful. I¡¯ve liked all the videos featuring you, Lady Lessefim. There are a lot of people like me.¡±

    In the past, Lessefim would have shouted that she wasn¡¯t cute, but she was different now.

    ¡°R-Really? There are many people like you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m bing a suitable Navigator for Chul-Soo¡¯s channel?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Since you¡¯re incredibly cute, if you make cuteness your main weapon, you can capture the attention of people of all ages and genders. To be honest, Lady Mole Woman...¡± Hassan hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should say what he was about to say, but eventually said, ¡°Well, she tends to get a lot of mixed reactions.¡±

    ¡°Mixed reactions? How so?¡±

    ¡°Her fandom is mainlyposed of young men. But this groupcks firepower, both in terms of views and number of likes. Plus, because she unts her body too much and overtly appeals to her looks, quite a few people dislike her. Cuteness is different. It knows no bounds of age or gender. So, if youpete with cuteness, I think you can be a much better Navigator.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡±

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    After Lessefim nodded with a determined expression and left the room, Wang Yu-Mi came to Hassan.

    ¡°I said what you told me to say,¡± Hassan said.

    ¡°How did she react?¡±

    ¡°She looked like she had an epiphany.¡±

    Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses and chuckled. She had wanted to push Lessefim as the cute character for a long time. It was just that Lessefim herself hated the concept. Now, it seemed the Navigator was starting to realize her true charm through Hassan¡¯s words.

    ¡°Looks like another charming character will emerge! Well done, Hassan!¡±

    ***

    ¡°No matter how I look at it, you possess the qualities of a Spirit King,¡± Alkinas said.

    The perceptive and emotionally sensitive Elines could easily read Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mind. He stepped in to speak on his behalf. ¡°I think it¡¯s truly inconsiderate to force the position of Spirit King on a human, Dad.¡±

    ¡°No, Elines! Chul-Soo is the inconsiderate one!¡±

    Smashing the Spirit Realm¡ªthough Chul-Soo imed it was more of amunication¡ªand taming Fire Monsters were things beyond Alkinas¡¯sprehension.

    Seeing his father¡¯s true feelings slip out involuntarily, Elines sighed. ¡°How uncool.¡±

    Alkinas was deeply hurt by his child¡¯s dagger-like words.

    Jin-Hyeok sensed something and asked, ¡°What are the benefits of bing the Spirit King?¡±

    ¡°You can be an even purer fire,¡± Alkinas answered.

    ¡°Oh, how appealing. And?¡±

    ¡°You must mediate when Fire Spirits fight each other.¡±

    ¡°By giving them some of my fire?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how noble. What else?¡±

    ¡°You have to defeat Fire Monsters when they appear.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how splendid. Anything more?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re given the privilege of patrolling daily to ensure the mes are stable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that sounds quite tiring.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s incredibly exhaust¡ªOops.¡± Alkinas hastily conjured mes to cover his mouth, but it was toote.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Dad always said he was tired. That¡¯s why he rarely yed with me,¡± Elines added.

    ¡°Elines, that¡¯s unfair. When you asked to y...¡± Alkinas could always y with his child if thetter asked to do so in the Spirit Realm. But Elines insisted on going on outings to Earth. Even for the Spirit King, opening Spirit Gates to travel between dimensions at will was an extremely difficult task. Moreover, Elines¡¯s reason for wanting to go to Earth was so obvious that Alkinas found it unpleasant.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s indeed tiring,¡± Jin-Hyeok interjected.

    ¡°W-Well, it¡¯s more like...¡±

    ¡°You were lying to me?¡±

    ¡°No, I was telling the truth.¡±

    At that moment, Elines chimed in. ¡°Then how about being the owner of the Spirit Realm instead?¡±

    1. Apparently, Lessefim was a male for a while. The author didn¡¯t mention this in previous chapters, but she was a male for quite a while. As for the pronouns, I am going to follow the author and keep the she/her pronoun for Lessefim. ?

 Chapter 463

    <h4>Chapter 463</h4>

    <i>¡®Hm..., the owner of the Spirit Realm,¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought. <i>¡®Is it really okay for me to im that position? I would only grow stronger.¡¯</i>

    Bing the owner of even one Server elerated growth at an exponential rate. At this point, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s dilemma deepened. <i>¡®Is it greedy of me to want to stop growing stronger...?¡¯</i>

    He was getting stronger every moment, even by merely breathing. Moreover, he felt that he would surpass Level 600 soon. At Level 500, he had already hit a singrity, so he had no idea what kind of powerful abilities he would obtain when he reached Level 600. He couldn¡¯t even fathom whaty beyond that realm.

    <i>¡®Was it my arrogance to not want to grow stronger anymore?¡¯</i>

    By now, it felt like something he should give up on. No matter how much he denied reality, nothing would change. Even if he didn¡¯t want to grow stronger, it seemed like fate had already decided that he would. Refusing to grow stronger at this point just seemed an arrogant thought.

    <i>¡®If I truly be the owner of the Spirit Realm...¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t sure if the Spirits would agree¡ªthough, considering how easily he had connected with the Fire Monsters, it seemed likely they would all consent. If that happened, it would serve as the foundation for yet another stage of growth for him.

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart raced.

    <i>¡®No..., this isn¡¯t right.¡¯</i>

    While his mind screamed that he shouldn¡¯t grow stronger, his heart craved more power. The hidden instinct he had suppressed with reason all this time began to stir again.

    <i>¡®I can get stronger?¡¯ How strong can I be?¡¯ </i>Once the thought took root, his desire swelled. ¡®<i>Should I be stronger? No, I shouldn¡¯t. But I¡¯m already too powerful. Would getting stronger really be an issue?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do as you say, Elly,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I agree with you bing the owner of the Spirit Realm!¡± Elines shouted.

    ¡°But we haven¡¯t even started voting yet...¡±

    The Spirit King, Alkinas, snorted in amusement. He didn¡¯t think a being that wasn¡¯t even a Spirit King could stake a im on the ownership of the Spirit Realm. There was no way the Spirits would allow something like that to happen.

    Jin-Hyeok received a notification..

    <strong>[You have activated the Achievement effect ?Owner of the Ownerless ce?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you wish to be the owner of the ?72nd Fire Spirit Realm??]</strong>

    <strong> </strong>

    Alkinas also received a notification.

    <strong> </strong>

    <strong>[A candidate has been registered for the ownership of the ?72nd Fire Spirit Realm?.]</strong>

    <strong>[Please participate in the voting.]</strong>

    <i>¡®Of course, I¡¯m against it.¡¯ </i>Alkinas had no issue with the idea of someone bing the owner of the Spirit Realm, but if it were to happen, the one who imed that title should first ascend to the position of Spirit King. Alkinas had to ensure that the Spirit King¡¯s throne was passed on before anyone else could be the owner. <i>¡®I won¡¯t let this happen.¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Alkinas has voted in favor.]</strong>

    Despite his will, his finger moved on its own. It was as if his reason and instinct were acting separately.

    <i>¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯</i>

    It seemed that because Alkinas was deeply connected to the Spirit Realm itself, the emotions of the Spirit Realm affected him. Still, he thought it would be fine. After all, not all Spirits would be swayed by Chul-Soo¡¯smunication. The lower-tier Spirits, who were less pure, would have been barely affected. Fortunately, this Spirit Realm had a far greater number of low-tier Spirits than higher-tier ones.

    <i>¡®The Fire Spirits will make a wise choice. Surely, there would be far more votes against Chul-Soo. Rather than someone getting the empty title of the owner, it¡¯s far better for a new and great Spirit King to be born!¡¯</i>

    <strong>[Approval: 242%]</strong>

    <strong>[A new owner of the ?72nd Fire Spirit Realm? has been born.]</strong>

    ***

    ¡°How is 242% approval even possible?¡± Alkinas couldn¡¯t ept the oue.

    ¡°It happens sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I haven¡¯t studied human academia, but it doesn¡¯t mean Ick wisdom. I may not know math, but I¡¯m not ignorant enough to believe in a nonsensical figure like 242%.¡±

    ¡°When the voting gets intense, things like this can happen.¡±

    Alkinas stared at Jin-Hyeok with a somewhat skeptical look. He summoned the me of Truth to see if Jin-Hyeok was telling the truth and found no trace of falsehood.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    <i>¡®He¡¯s serious!¡¯ </i>Alkinas couldn¡¯t fathom how someone could truly believe such absurdity, but now, something else became clear. In Chul-Soo¡¯s eyes was a subtle gleam of madness.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, I don¡¯t know you that well, but I heard you didn¡¯t want to get any stronger,¡± Alkinas said.

    ¡°Well, that was...,¡± Jin-Hyeok answered brazenly, ¡°just a concept.¡±

    Even after bing the owner of the Spirit Realm, Jin-Hyeok was still thirsty for power. Having shattered the limitations that he had once set on himself, he was now rampaging.

    ¡°All Spirits will now gain triple the experience points,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Experience points....?¡± Alkinas was confused. Spirits didn¡¯t have experience points. They simply grew over time, naturally.

    ¡°In return, I gain 0.1% of the experience points they acquire,¡± Jin-Hyeok added.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, listen to me. Spirits do not have the concept of experience points.¡±

    ¡°They do now.¡±

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t, but now they do.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You now have the opportunity to grow.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was very pleased with this change. Unlike humans, Spirits were born like this and lived their lives that way. They didn¡¯t need to strive to grow stronger; their strength and fate were determined at birth. But now that the Spirit Realm had an owner, the parameters had changed.

    ¡°You can now acquire experience points. Of course, given the conditions of this ce, it will be difficult for you to grow,¡± Jin-Hyeok exined. After all, the only monsters that appeared here were Fire Monsters. ¡°But if you make active contracts with summoners and venture into other Servers, you can acquire experience points faster.¡±

    Alkinas was confused. The world he had known for so long had suddenly been turned upside down. ¡°Chul-Soo... what have you done...?¡±

    Alkinas didn¡¯t wee the winds of change now sweeping through this once-stable and peaceful Spirit Realm. He had no idea what kind of consequences this would bring to the Spirit Realm.

    ¡°Some Spirits will genuinely want to grow stronger,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Spirits are made of pure elemental essence. They have no desires.¡±

    ¡°Considering how eager you were to dump the throne on me, you seem pretty motivated to me.¡±

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too negatively. If they keep growing stronger, won¡¯t a Spirit emerge who surpasses even the Spirit King?¡±

    <i>¡®Huh, maybe that isn¡¯t such a bad idea after all.¡¯ </i>Alkinas decided to ept this change more willingly.

    ***

    The winds of change swept across the universe.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sessfully summoned a Spirit!¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡±

    ¡°Our son seems to have a remarkable talent for Spirit summoning! What kind of Spirit?¡±

    ¡°A Fire Spirit, Dad!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Fire Spirits were notoriously difficult to contractpared to other Spirits. The very nature of fire was destructive and intense, making it hard to handle. However, if one could properly control a Fire Spirit, its versatility and power were enough to make a yer indispensable anywhere.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally seeded in summoning a Spirit!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°See? I told you I could do it!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re not even a Spirit Mage?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a Martial Artist. But if an Eltuber can tame a Thunder Dragon, then why can¡¯t a Martial Artist summon a Spirit? Haha, maybe I had a hidden talent for Spirit summoning all along.¡±

    Suddenly, Spirit Mages started appearing in droves across the universe. Many experts were baffled by the phenomenon and offered a flurry of opinions.

    [Recent sr res from Alpha, the massive sun governing the universe, are concerning. Schrs have predicted for the past fifteen years that these res could have a profound impact on the Fire Spirit Realm.]

    [Melvin Dnce said that once the climate disaster begins, Fire Spirits will go on a rampage.]

    [Repent! The power of fire has engulfed the universe, signaling the end of the world!]

    In the midst of this, Encyclopedia, the online analyst who was currently at the height of his poprity, chimed in with his theory.

    <strong>[If there has been a major change in the world, we have to consider the possibility that Chul-Soo is behind it.]</strong>

    Peopleughed at Encyclopedia since he offered no evidence.

    -This isn¡¯t a ce for an intementer.

    -Isn¡¯t it a bit too much for Encyclopedia to join a meeting of schrs?

    -He¡¯s overstepping now. Haha!

    However, the conversation shifted drastically when Jin-Hyeok began releasing videos rted to the Spirit Realm. It became clear that the surge in Spirit Mages was due to him. Surprisingly, the one most taken aback by this was Encyclopedia himself.

    ¡°Wait... I was right?¡±

    Encyclopedia had initially suspected Chul-Soo, but he didn¡¯t think it would be true. Regardless, this event only bolstered Encyclopedia¡¯s reputation even further.

    ***

    Choi Gap-Soo and Director Jang Michelle set off fireworks.

    ¡°Congrattions on your entry into the Trinity Club!¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Well, thank you,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°The 1,000th Trinity Club member... It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Ever since you appeared, it feels like the universe¡¯s order, as I knew it, has been unraveling. It¡¯s both mysterious and exhrating,¡± Gap-Soo added.

    Michelle pped along as well and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I never imagined the birth of the 1,000th Trinity Club member. They used to joke that the world would end when the 1,000th member was born.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I need to discuss something with both of you.¡±

    ¡°<i>The </i>Kim Chul-Soo has something to discuss with us?¡± Gap-Soo said, surprised.

    ¡°You have something to consult us about?¡± Michelle was also surprised.

    They both straightened up in their seats.

    ¡°If you¡¯re saying that, it must be something serious,¡± Gap-Soo added.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is.¡± Jin-Hyeok hesitated for a moment before sharing a screen with them.

    <strong>[(29) To the one who finally holds the true Reflective Mirror. You have vanquished the powers of darkness and nted the seed of true peace. I revere your breathless and desperate journey. Though the arduous trials have torn apart your body and soul, you will not stop. Your grand footsteps are not yet finished. Soon, the Final Abyss will open. Only you can fill it. Your name shall be praised forevermore.]</strong>

    ¡°You¡¯re familiar with this, right?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the universe-level Scenario. Many people are curious about when it will progress further,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°Actually, I reached Stage (30) recently. I haven¡¯t made it public yet, though...¡±

    ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Michelle noticed something odd. One phrase stood out to her. ¡°The Final Abyss? Does Stage (30) have something to do with that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jin-Hyeok let out a light sigh. ¡°As you mentioned, Director Michelle, I do seem to be disrupting the order of the universe. I think this might be part of the final chapter of the universe-level Scenario.¡±

    The universe-level Scenario was about the birth of an absolute being who would shake the foundations of the universe. However, that wasn¡¯t the end.

    ¡°At first, I thought it was just something Garbinu had set up for his resurrection, but it turns out the scale is muchrger. It seems the universe itself used Garbinu to orchestrate this Scenario,¡± Jin-Hyeok continued.

    ¡°Stop dancing around the point and get to the core of the matter, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°To put it in gaming terms, I think I¡¯ve ended the game.¡± Jin-Hyeok had reached the end. There was no more content left in this world. ¡°The appearance of the Final Abyss seems to signal a reset. The end of the world we live in.¡±

 Chapter 464

    <h4>Chapter 464</h4>

    ¡°It seems that the Final Abyss is about to appear somewhere,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I see,¡± Choi Gap-Soo replied.

    Gap-Soo and Jang Michelle also sensed that the progression of this Scenario was unusual.

    ¡°Where do you think it will appear?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I n to discuss it with Sae-Rin.¡±

    ¡°I will also seek some advice.¡±

    ¡°From other Trinity Club members?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Gap-Soo replied. He wondered why he would ask someone from the Trinity Club when he had Kim Min-Ji.

    ¡°Is there someone with more knowledge about the subject than the Trinity Club?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°Is it Min-Ji?¡±

    ¡°<i>Ahem</i>. I didn¡¯t say anything. I can¡¯t confirm nor deny it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Michelle giggled quietly. ¡°How much do you know about Min-Ji, Chul-Soo?¡±

    ¡°Even with Broadcaster¡¯s Insight, I can¡¯t seem to read her.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok could see through the mind of the Spirit Realm¡¯s prince without even needing Broadcaster¡¯s Insight. His perception had reached a point where he could see beyond forms and read the minds of anyone. Yet, he could discern nothing about Min-Ji. He had always known she was extraordinary, but he had no clue about her true nature.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know much about her either, but...¡± Gap-Soo nced around cautiously before saying in a low voice, ¡°She is undoubtedly a lunatic when ites to you. Anyway, Chul-Soo, what¡¯s your n?¡±

    ¡°For now, I¡¯m thinking of dying my level-up as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Dying your level up? Are you saying you will stop livestreaming?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Disappointment shed across Gap-Soo¡¯s face. Michelle also frowned. Even if the universe was on the verge of destruction, they still wanted to watch Chul-Soo¡¯s videos.

    ¡°Why would you dy leveling up? If the Final Abyss opens, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be as strong as possible?¡± Michelle asked.

    Jin-Hyeok confusedly looked at Michelle. He was sure that a wise person like Michelle would have known why he was dying leveling up.

    <i>¡®My livestream must be really entertaining,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. It seemed they were so blinded by their desire to watch the livestream that they couldn¡¯t see anything else. <i>¡®Still, it¡¯s oddly satisfying that they love my content this much.¡¯</i>

    ¡°I¡¯ve reached a singrity thates at Level 500. I can overpower most things with just my physical prowess of being Level 500,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Hmm, I could tell you¡¯ve been struggling with that. I¡¯m aware of it,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°The tension has lessened, but I still enjoy your livestream.¡± Michelle chimed in.

    ¡°But if things continue like this, I will soon reach Level 600.¡± Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart started pounding again. The mere thought of the unknown realm of Level 600, a peak no one had ever reached, made his heart race uncontrobly. ¡°The more transformations I bring to the world, the closer the Final Abyss seems toe. It¡¯s likely that the Final Abyss will open when I reach Level 600.¡±

    That was why Jin-Hyeok nned to dy leveling up as much as possible.

    ¡°Hmm, that makes sense. Given the situation, I guess we will have to ept the hiatus,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°When do you think you will reach Level 600?¡± Michelle asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never reached Level 600 before...¡±

    Currently, he was leveling up at a fast rate, but he could hit a sudden bottleneck at any moment. In extreme cases, he could reach Level 599 in a day, but it might take him months to break through Level 600.

    ¡°So, do you think you¡¯ll reach it in about one hundred years?¡± Michelle asked.

    ¡°Come on. We¡¯re talking about Level 600 here. A mere one hundred years is too short. <i>Tsk,</i>¡± Gap-Soo said. <i>¡®The younger generation really have no sense of time.¡¯</i>

    Gap-Soo thought that even if Chul-Soo aimed low, it would take him at least three hundred years.

    ¡°Well...,¡± Jin-Hyeok began speaking.

    ¡°Well, what? Speak up. Do you need three hundred years? Or maybe more?¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you underestimating Chul-Soo¡¯s abilities? I say about one hundred years should be fine. Maybe even less,¡± Michelle said.

    ¡°Damn, this young generation...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok scratched his head. ¡° My estimate is a few months...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°If things go slowly, I say a few months. If they go quickly, a few days,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    No matter how many variables he considered, it wouldn¡¯t take more than a year.

    ¡°That¡¯s assuming you won¡¯t take a break from livestreaming, right?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°The number of viewers has been crazy hightely,¡± Michelle said.

    Among all Jobs, Eltubers had the fastest leveling-up speed, and for someone like Chul-Soo, who had an overwhelming number of live viewers, the rate of leveling up was insane. That¡¯s why it made sense to both Michelle and Gap-Soo that Chul-Soo would need a few months to reach level 600 if he didn¡¯t take a break.

    ¡°No, if I don¡¯t take a break, I will probably hit Level 600 in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What Level are you at right now?¡±

    ¡°597.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    An awkward silence filled the room, and just then, Lilia, who was bringing tea, identally dropped her tray.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The sound of cups shattering echoed through the air.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry. The numbers you were discussing were so absurd that I reacted without thinking...¡±

    ***

    The Final Abyss was approaching. Jin-Hyeok knew that to prepare for it, he had to do more than just dy his level-up. <i>¡®There is no other choice. I have to grow stronger.¡¯</i>

    This was not a desire to gain power¡ªit was something inevitable.

    ¡°Hassan, I need to receive the Intimate Miracle as well,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What? You want to be a woman?¡± Hassan shut his eyes tightly. The thought of turning Jin-Hyeok into a woman and dealing with the aftermath was something he did not even want to imagine.

    ¡°No, no. Can¡¯t I just receive the buffs while keeping my gender?¡±

    ¡°But that would reduce its effect...¡± Then Hassan had a realization. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m really sorry, but I think it¡¯s going to be impossible. I¡¯ve already used all 77 Miracles.¡±

    ¡°We can just get rid of the limitation settings on your ability.¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± Hassan had experienced something simr once, where Chul-Soo had turned the Holy Miracle into a mere Intimate Miracle using Miri. But altering something so artificially came with risks¡ªthere was always a chance that things could break beyond repair. It was natural for Hassan to feel a vague sense of dread.

    ¡°I¡¯m a lot stronger now than I was back then,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    As the one having the ability, Hassan knew how fragile the Miracles were. <i>¡®Even a slight mistake could shatter them.¡¯</i>

    Intimate Miracles were exactly what the name represented¡ªmiracles. For a mere human to wield such immense power meant they had to shoulder enormous risks. Carrying that power inside him would be like holding a ticking time bomb.

    <i>¡®If it breaks, I¡¯ll probably die.¡¯ </i>Hassan could already picture his body exploding. Anyone with a sound mind would refuse Jin-Hyeok. Even the smallest failure would lead directly to death.<i> ¡®But..., Chul-Soo saved my life.¡¯</i>

    He was the one who had given Hassan a new life. Hassan decided that even if things went wrong, he wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge; he had already received too much. He was about to close his eyes tightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What?¡± Hassan''s head shot up. <i>¡®He must have read my mind and seen how scared I was!¡¯</i>

    His face flushed red, thinking that Broadcaster¡¯s Insight had revealed his thoughts.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, you can do it. I¡¯m fine. Just go ahead. I trust you, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I said it¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really oka¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I mean I got rid of the limitation settings. Check it. It shouldn¡¯t say 77 Intimate Miracles anymore.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Wondering if Chul-Soo said this just tofort him, Hassan quickly checked his status. The 77 Intimate Miracles ability had indeed now turned into simply Miracles.

    ¡°H-How did you...?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok captured Hassan¡¯s shocked expression on camera. Although he wouldn¡¯t be uploading any videos for a while, it was the duty of an Eltuber to never neglect filming.

    ¡°The power of pure fire I got from the Spirit Realm is pretty helpful when ites to breaking settings,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    Miri was slightly displeased.

    -Hmph! I don¡¯t like the power of fire.

    She enjoyed smashing things as she pleased. However, now that Jin-Hyeok was using the power of fire to break settings with precision, it had be quite ufortable for her. It was like she had gone from shoveling food into her mouth with her hands to being forced to eat with proper utensils.

    -Why do I have to be so precise? I¡¯m a hammer, not a scalpel!

    <i>¡®If you keepining, I will turn you into a scalpel permanently,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok told her telepathically.

    -Tch, how mean!

    Miri did not want to be a scalpel. Though stabbing with a de had its charm, it was nothingpared to the satisfaction of smashing things with a hammer.

    -I will be understanding with Hassan since I like him. But let me smash the Final Abyss¡¯s head however I want, okay?

    Jin-Hyeok could sense Miri¡¯s burning desire. It was baffling. He could not believe such a fanatical weapon existed under such a rational master like himself.

    ***

    After Hassan regained his power, Kang Eun-Woo was the first to approach him.

    ¡°Can I receive the Miracle one more time?¡± Eun-Woo asked.

    ¡°It seems possible. I¡¯m not sure how much stronger it¡¯ll make you, though.¡±

    In the end, Eun-Woo returned to being a man once again. In total, he received three miracles. After receiving all of them, Eun-Woo was astonished. <i>¡®Wow, I¡¯m Level 400 now.¡¯</i>

    He had instantly be one of the top rankers. Of course, at this Level, a yer¡¯s rank was not solely determined by their Level. Even a Level 400 yer could be weaker or less skilled than a Level 300 yer, depending on their abilities. Still, it was obviously better to have a higher Level.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Lessefim rushed over soon after. ¡°Hassan, can you grant me a Miracle too?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I want to be an adorable female.¡±

    ¡°Are you... an imposter?¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m Lessefim. We met just recently.¡±

    ¡°But back then...¡±

    Even though Lessefim had appeared as a cute squirrel Beastkin back then, the aura surrounding her was undeniably that of a top-tier ranker. Her dignified presence had overshadowed her adorable appearance. However, the creature now standing in front of Hassan looked like nothing more than a cute squirrel Beastkin. Hassan felt he should hand over an acorn to her right away.

    ¡°If possible, I would like to be a bit smaller with shinier fur. I want to be cuter. That¡¯s possible, right?¡±

    ¡°You... don¡¯t want to enhance your abilities as a Navigator?¡±

    ¡°I said I want to be cute!¡±

 Chapter 465

    <h4>Chapter 465</h4>

    Lessefim appeared on Marshmallow¡¯s livestream and revealed her cuteness to the entire universe. She didn¡¯t do anything special; she just held an acorn in her hands and nibbled on it.

    ¡°Do you think this will really work?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°Trust me,¡± Marshmallow replied.

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about this?¡±

    Despite not fully understanding why Marshmallow insisted she do this, Lessefim decided to give it a try. After all, Marshmallow was a top-ranked Eltuber, so he had to at least know what would work in a livestream.

    -Is Lessefim usually like this?

    -So cute! T_T

    -Her cuteness can break the world!

    Lessefim felt a bit uneasy.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it worked!¡± she said, noticing the exponential increase in the number of live viewers.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    <i>¡®Heh.¡¯ </i>She puffed her cheeks out even more, storing additional acorns on each side. <i>¡®Maybe I am indeed that cute!¡¯</i>

    She began to think she could now be a Navigator that was more suited for livestreams than Mole Woman. The livestream featuring Lessefim became a huge hit across the universe. Every onlinemunity was aze with discussions, and the most popr search terms on various forums were phrases such as [Squirrel Beastkin], [Lessefim], and [Cute Lessefim], all rting to her.

    While Cha Jin-Hyeok took a break from livestreaming, Marshmallow reimed his position and shot up to the number one spot on trending videos.

    Seeing the overwhelming response, Mole Woman felt a burning sense ofpetition.

    <i>¡®Oh, so you wanna y that game?¡¯ </i>Mole Woman thought. <i>¡®Didn¡¯t she promise me to coborate and keep ying together? Yet now, she¡¯s backstabbing me. I can¡¯t let this slide.¡¯</i>

    Mole Woman immediately sought Hassan. ¡°Is it true Lessefim became female again?¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡± Hassan¡¯s face flushed. He still couldn¡¯t shake off the cuteness of Lessefim. The sight of her nibbling on acorns was euphoric.

    ¡°Can you give me a Miracle too?¡± Mole Woman asked.

    Hassan, who had already processed several Miracles in quick session, was feeling a bit drained, but he could not refuse Mole Woman¡¯s request.

    ¡°You¡¯re nning to turn back into a man, right?¡± he asked.

    Although Mole Woman had gained significant poprity, she had also been gued by maliciousments and sexual harassment. Hassan felt sorry for her because of that. He could understand why she might want to go back to being male.

    ¡°No, I just want to enhance my abilities.¡±

    ¡°What...?¡±

    ¡°Can you also make my body more impressive? Something that stands out?¡±

    Hassan could not believe his ears. ¡°You¡¯re not asking for enhancements as a Navigator?¡±

    ¡°I would also like to be prettier. Yes. Let¡¯s focus on making me prettier, Hassan!¡±

    ¡°Are... you sure?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t lose to Lessefim.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Tell me. Can you make me pretty or not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    ¡°I have to be incredibly beautiful, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I need to be able to beat Lessefim¡¯s cuteness!¡±

    Suddenly, Hassan realized something was odd and leaped up from his seat, shouting, ¡°Who are you, you imposter?!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The real Mole Woman always ends her sentences with moly!¡±

    Only then did Mole Woman realize what had happened. In her rush, she had momentarily forgotten her character¡¯s signature speech pattern.

    ¡°Please make me pretty, moly.¡±

    ***

    The next one to show up to Hassan was the Spirit Prince, Elines.

    ¡°My dad is so strange. I don¡¯t understand why he keeps asking me to take the form of his daughter,¡± Elines said.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because being a doting father is the trend these days?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t care about things like my appearance or gender. He loves me for who I am.¡±

    <i>¡®Still, wouldn¡¯t your dad love you more than Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>Hassan couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that out loud.

    From talking with Elines, he discovered something peculiar. <i>¡®No matter what we talk about, it always ends uping back to Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    Hassan felt a bit sorry for Alkinas. Alkinas was an impressive Spirit King, but to bepared to Chul-Soo was just unfortunate. He was truly a pitiful father.

    ¡°Anyway, Dad is so entric. So? Can you turn me back into a female?¡± Elines asked.

    ¡°Do you have any specific requests for enhancements?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Elines smiled brightly. ¡°I want to be a human!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me? You want to change your species?¡± Hassan was doubtful. <i>¡®Is that even possible?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Also, I want to be an adult woman.¡±

    ¡°Why...?¡±

    ¡°So I can marr¡ª¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I mean, so I can help in Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Anyway, can I be an adult female? Preferably one that¡¯s beautiful by human standards. More beautiful than Mole Woman, cuter than Lessefim, and more seductive than Lilia.¡±

    Hassan suddenly felt dizzy. It seemed like no one was in their right mind. He started to feel a little lonely as if he were the only sane person left in this world.

    <i>¡®Wait? Can I be a cute squirrel Beastkin too?¡¯ </i>Hassan thought. The idea of bing a squirrel Beastkin seemed oddly revolutionary for a normal person like him.

    ***

    When Jin-Hyeok became the owner of the Spirit Realm, it brought about significant changes in the world, including a rapid increase in the number of Spirit Mages. Fire Spirits, which were once extremely rare, began to appear more frequently. Even non-Spirit Mage yers started using Fire Spirits as supplementary tools. Amidst this, an unknown viin caused a major incident on the Arvis Server. The incident began in a small tavern.

    ¡°Fuck! I''m gonna win this!¡±

    A small dispute broke out between the tables in a small tavern, which quickly escted into a duel. It was a fight between a Swordsman and an Axeman. The Axeman had a slight advantage in skill, but an unexpected variable came into y. The Swordsman summoned a Fire Spirit to fight. However, since he wasn¡¯t a professional Spirit Mage, he couldn¡¯t properly control the Spirit, which led to the entire tavern burning down, resulting in the deaths of several innocent bystanders. Incidents like this started happening frequently.

    Many news segments featured this.

    [Irresponsible and immoral behavior rooted incency!]

    [Condemn Chul-Soo¡¯s abuse of power!]

    The bacsh from the established Spirit Mages was especially intense. The high-ranking officials of the Spirit Mages¡¯ Association held an emergency meeting.

    ¡°This is what happens when you give irresponsible power to non-experts.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo has caused chaos in the world just for the sake of his livestream.¡±

    ¡°He must immediately step down from his position as owner of the Spirit Realm. Otherwise, such terrible idents will continue to happen.¡±

    The one leading the meeting was Gergan, the president of the Spirit Mages¡¯ Association. He was a renowned Fire Spirit Mage and a well-known figure among Mages.

    ¡°We must bring Chul-Soo to justice for the sake of righteousness.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is a coward who causes social unrest while only seeking fame for himself.¡±

    They had to eliminate Chul-Soo. If things continued like this, Spirit Mages would be toomon, and their value would plummet.

    ¡°But Chul-Soo is too powerful.¡±

    ¡°What can we even do?¡±

    ¡°There is one way.¡± Gergan lowered his voice. ¡°From here on, this is ssified.¡±

    There were hardly any ways to hurt Chul-Soo at this moment.

    ¡°As the saying goes, there is no hero who doesn¡¯t fall for beauty,¡± Gergan said. Given the nature of Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams, he was likely suppressing his desires and instincts. ¡°We will use seduction techniques on Chul-Soo. Fortunately, there is a woman who yearns for his love. She¡¯s stunningly beautiful, and she already shares a deep emotional and mental connection with Chul-Soo, so this will be easy.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a really pretty human now?¡± Elines was thrilled.

    Although she was very satisfied with her new appearance, she double-checked with a few of her friends.

    ¡°What? Is that you, Elly? Wow! I thought you were a K-pop idol or something!¡± Cha Jin-Sol, one of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s closest aides, gave her approval.

    Elines couldn¡¯t help but act cutely in front of her. ¡°Really? Am I pretty?¡±

    ¡°Pretty, cute, lovely, beautiful. You¡¯re everything! You¡¯re perfect!¡±

    ¡°And... seductive?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing! I¡¯m just happy you like my new look!¡±

    Jin-Sol hugged Elines tightly. ¡°You¡¯re so warm and cozy.¡±

    Since Elines was originally a Fire Spirit, her body temperature was slightly higher than that of others.

    ¡°Hehe. Can Ie visit you often?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You can even sleep over. I have cold hands and feet, so I can sleep while hugging you!¡±

    Jin-Sol thought sleeping with Elines would probably give her the best rest she¡¯d ever had.

    <i>¡®Phew, thank goodness.¡¯ </i>Elines was happy that Jin-Sol liked her new look.

    The next person to see her was Wang Yu-Mi.

    Adjusting her round sses, Yu-Mi stared at Elines for quite a while.

    ¡°W-Why? Is there a problem?¡± Elines asked.

    ¡°Elines, how old are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-one years old. A fully grown adult human.¡±

    ¡°No, not your character¡¯s age. Your real age as a Fire Spirit.¡±

    ¡°Well, my real age is,¡± Elines hesitated before continuing, ¡°ny-three. But in the Spirit Realm, I am more than old enough to marry!¡±

    ¡°Do Spirits even have the concept of marriage?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we do!¡±

    ¡°Then what is marriage?¡±

    ¡°Well... marriage is...¡± Elines fumbled for an answer. Truthfully, she didn¡¯t know what marriage was. The concept indeed did not exist in the Spirit Realm. ¡°It¡¯s... when you¡¯re always together.¡±

    Just the thought of it made Elines so happy that mes burst out from her body. Yu-Mi skillfully dodged the fire sparks and let out a small sigh.

    ¡°Hm...¡± Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses again then lowered her voice. ¡°So, you want to marry Chul-Soo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Then you will need to follow my advice carefully. You must keep that desire a secret. Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t like people who want to marry him.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mentally connected with him, right? You should sense that better than anyone.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...!¡± Elines knew this as well. Chul-Soo avoided any content rted to romantic rtionships, especially marriage, and was extremely cautious when it came to seductive techniques.

    ¡°So, don¡¯t ever mention marriage. Just get along with him like afortable friend,¡± Yu-Mi said.

    ¡°But what if I never get to marry him?¡±

    ¡°Just appearing on his livestream will skyrocket the views. You know how much Chul-Soo loves people who boost his viewership.¡±

    Elines nodded enthusiastically. ¡°You¡¯re right! I want to be the beautiful, cute, charming, and seductive human woman who boosts the view count!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call yourself a human woman every time. Just say person next time.¡±

    ***

    Elines sought Choi Gap-Soo and Director Jang Michelle once again for further validation.

    Michelle gently brushed her fingers through Elines¡¯s red hair. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because youe from the pure essence of the fire element, but you¡¯re incredibly beautiful. It¡¯s beauty that would be hard to find among humans.¡±

    Even Gap-Soo, who usually disagreed with anything Michelle said, nodded. ¡°Yes, your appearance is certainly exceptional.¡±

    ¡°Hearing the two of you say that gives me a bit more confidence!¡± Elines said.

    ¡°Confidence in what?¡± Gap-Soo asked.

    ¡°Well, in... in being able to...¡± Elines hurriedly covered her mouth.

    ¡°In what?¡± Michelle pressed.

    ¡°In being able to raise the view count for Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams decisively!¡± Elines quickly improvised.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s amendable mindset,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    ¡°Chul-Soo will like that for sure,¡± Michelle added.

    Both Gap-Soo and Michelle nodded. With a guest as beautiful as Elines, the view count was bound to skyrocket. But just then, someone appeared in the workshop.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    Gap-Soo and Michelle flinched and turned toward the source of the voice.

 Chapter 466

    <h4>Chapter 466</h4>

    <i>¡®Hm..., I thought I sensed something odd,¡¯ </i>Choi Gap-Soo wondered.

    <i>¡®I just felt a chill for a moment...¡¯ </i>Jang Michelle thought.

    Both Trinity Club members felt something simr but quickly greeted Kim Min-Ji with smiling faces.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Wee, Min-Ji.¡±

    In contrast to these two, Elines had not sensed anything strange. Elines knew Min-Ji was the well-known official Chul-Soo Land No.1, and she was thrilled to meet her. She ran up to Min-Ji and bowed. ¡°Hello, Unnie!¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Elines!¡±

    ¡°Elines? You mean Elly? Alkinas¡¯s daughter, no, son, no, daughter?¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s me!¡± Elines beamed. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to meet you, Min-Ji Unnie! I really wanted to see you!¡±

    Among Chul-Soo Landers, Min-Ji was famous as someone with extraordinary abilities. Their motto was, <i>¡®If you¡¯re going to fangirl, do it like Min-Ji.¡¯ </i>Most Chul-Soo Landers had a strong affection for her.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not particrly happy to see you,¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No, never mind.¡± Min-Ji frowned and turned away. ¡°How annoying.¡±

    However, no one heard her muttering.

    ¡°Unnie?¡± When Elines looked around again, Min-Ji was already gone.

    Michelle gently tapped Elines on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. She has always been quite fickle.¡±

    ¡°Why is she like that?¡± Elines asked while tilting her head.

    ¡°Well...¡±

    Elines had observed a dark, flickering energy in the air where Min-Ji had just disappeared. It felt like she had been under some kind of contamination.

    <i>¡®I must¡¯ve seen it wrong!¡¯ </i>Elines shook her head, convincing herself that it couldn¡¯t be true.

    ***

    Min-Ji submerged herself in the depths of darkness. As a fragment of the God, she wasn¡¯t bound by form or dimension. In a space where nothing existed, her consciousness drifted.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t like it one bit,¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought.

    Elines¡¯s affection toward Chul-Soo was more than just simple admiration. Min-Ji had felt something dreadful and ominous the moment she saw Elines. What she saw was Elines wearing a crown of flowers, dressed in a pure white gown. Next to her stood someone engulfed in mes, though their face was obscured. Even the mere sight of that vision was horrifying.

    <i>¡®Should I just destroy everything?¡¯ </i>Suppressing her rising urge for destruction, Min-Ji drifted through the cosmos. After a long while, she came to a realization. <i>¡®Ah... is this why you just let me do whatever I want?¡¯</i>

    She was the Mad God of Favoritism. As a fragment of the God, she had deeply influenced the world, which she wasn¡¯t supposed to. Normally, she would have been sealed away by force, but this time, she wasn¡¯t.

    <i>¡®I thought it was because I fangirled without standing out, but...¡¯ </i>Upon reflection, she realized that this wasn¡¯t the case. She had freely entered even the worst Dungeon, the Dragon¡¯s Nest, and hacked all sorts of things to help Chul-Soo. <i>¡®So, there was a n for me all along, Mother.¡¯</i>

    The Mad God of Favoritism was also part of the divine. The God had something to achieve through this fragment.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re using my twisted desires as a medium to summon the Final Abyss.¡¯</i>

    This, too, was part of the will of the world: to reset everything to nothingness and start over. The Mad God of Favoritism had been allowed to run rampant for the sake of this n.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s already begun.¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji felt herself transforming into a colossal star. A distorted divine desire toward Chul-Soo was taking shape. This star was growingrger andrger and would eventually explode. Then, it would be a ck hole that swallowed everything in the universe, bringing the world to its end.

    <i>¡®I have to tell him.¡¯</i>

    She had to inform Chul-Soo and ask him to kill her before it was toote. Though it would be difficult to kill a fragment of the Godpletely, he could shatter her into pieces, which would be close enough to extinction for her.

    <i>¡®Thankfully, Miri¡¯s desire is as tainted as mine.¡¯</i>

    Only something with that level of madness could damage the Mad God of Favoritism.

    <i>¡®I must go to Chul-Soo right awa¡ª¡¯</i>

    It seemed she was toote. She couldn¡¯t escape from this cosmos.

    <i>¡®Damn it!¡¯</i>

    She resented that she was a fragment of the God. As a fragment of divinity, she had no choice but to follow the will of the God and the world.

    <i>¡®I¡¯d rather just disappear.¡¯</i>

    She didn¡¯t want to destroy Chul-Soo and the world he lived in with her own hands. But right now, there was nothing she could do.

    ***

    Gergan, the head of the Spirit Mages¡¯ Association, continued his sharp criticism day after day.

    ¡°Since Kim Chul-Soo irresponsibly broke the established settings, fire-rted incidents have increased by 740%. The number of deaths caused by fires has reached an all-time high since we started recording statistics.¡±

    This statement was true, so public criticism of Chul-Soo was gaining momentum.

    ¡°I knew he was a bit too much.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like handing a knife to a child.¡±

    ¡°I heard Chul-Soo got a record-breaking number of views this time.¡±

    ¡°Causing such chaos just to boost his views, that¡¯s a bit too far...¡±

    The Fire Spirit Mages were more united than ever.

    ¡°Anyone not registered with the association cannot handle Fire Spirits.¡±

    ¡°If you witness illegal Spirit Mages handling Fire Spirits, report it immediately. The association will respond promptly.¡±

    The existing Fire Spirit Mages refused to acknowledge the newly appearing Spirit Mages. Theybeled the new Mages as dangerous and heretics, insisting that the summing of Fire Spirits should be stopped. However, that atmosphere didn¡¯tst long. Panic began to spread among the Fire Spirit Mages.

    ¡°They¡¯re refusing to be summoned!¡±

    ¡°Why?!¡±

    ¡°Appear before me, in ordance with ourplete contract! High-level Fire Spirit, Ifrit!¡±

    Fire Spirits broke their contracts with the Spirit Mages.

    ¡°Please..., pleasee back!¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten our contract?!¡±

    The Spirit Mages¡¯ belief that a spirit contract was absolute was shattered. Spirits had only maintained their contracts because they had no reason to break them, but now Spirits were breaking the contract far more easily and widely than anyone had anticipated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me. If you just tell me what I did wrong, I will fix it immediately.¡±

    ¡°What will it take to renew our contract?¡±

    The Spirits¡¯ response was always the same.

    ¡°What? You want me to ask for forgiveness from the king¡¯s friend, the princess¡¯s mentor, and the savior of the Spirit Realm?¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I have to apologize to Chul-Soo?¡±

    The members of the Spirit Mages¡¯ Association, especially the Fire Spirit Mages, were walking on eggshells.

    <i>¡®Well, I have to survive even if it¡¯s disobeying the principles of the association.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®I... I think I have to apologize to Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Naturally, the association enforced strict measures against such behavior.

    ¡°Are you going to surrender for a momentary gain? Do you not know what true justice is?¡±

    ¡°I never thought you could be so cowardly and unjust.¡±

    ¡°Fire-rted idents have increased this much. Aren¡¯t you ashamed as a Spirit Mage?¡±

    ¡°Do you still want to call yourselves Fire Spirit Mages after this?¡±

    The Fire Spirit Mages found themselves trapped in an impossible situation. Some sent letters of apology to Chul-Soo, and some expressed their sincere regrets through Enstagram and Wang Yu-Mi, while others held official press conferences, kneeling to beg for forgiveness.

    ¡°Selfish traitors!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but narrow-minded fools who can¡¯t see the greater good!¡±

    The Spirit Mages of the association condemned these yers, calling them selfish and ignorant of justice. But that, too, didn¡¯tst long.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Why are the Spirit refusing to be summoned?¡±

    ¡°Why? Why? You¡¯re not even a Fire Spirit, so why?!¡±

    Spirits aligned with Fire Spirits also followed their lead. Other Spirits, inspired by the growing power of the Fire Spirits, became more ambitious as well.

    ¡°What? Another master?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo has no intention of bing your master!¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m the only one on your side, not Chul-Soo!¡±

    The Spirits now understood that they could grow. They realized that they could evolve into purer elements. The once desireless Spirits had now developed a craving for growth. Moreover, only Chul-Soo could make that possible. Among the high-level Spirits capable of directmunication, a more peaceful one dered:

    ¡°There is no value in maintaining a contract with someone who insults Chul-Soo.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize to Chul-Soo, I will never lend you my power again.¡±

    Even the notoriously foul-tempered Lightning Spirits made their stance clear:

    ¡°You fool. Compared to Chul-Soo, you¡¯re nothing but dust!¡±

    ¡°How dare you crawl up to me not knowing your ce? If you summon me again, I will roast you alive!¡±

    The Spirit Mages¡¯ Association fell apart almost overnight. In the end, Gergan, the head of the association, visited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s house and knelt.

    ¡°Please..., please spare us.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°My name is Gergan. I am the head of the Spirit Mages¡¯ Association.¡±

    <i>¡®Gergan? The name sounds familiar,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°I am, well, I was the Spirit Mage who could summon the Fire Spirit,¡± Gergan answered.

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±

    <i>¡®I can¡¯t remember him exactly. He must not be one of the top-ranked ones,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Please forgive me. I¡¯m begging you. I was wrong,¡± Gergan said.

    ¡°Did you do something wrong?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    Sweat dripped down Gergan¡¯s back. <i>¡®What a terrifying person!¡¯</i>

    Usually, if someone of Gergan¡¯s rank begged so openly, the opposite party would give some consideration to it. However, this fearsome Chul-Soo was demanding Gergan confess his specific wrongdoings and apologize sincerely.

    ¡°I ndered and insulted you,¡± Gergan said.

    ¡°Then why are you suddenly apologizing now?¡±

    ¡°The Spirit I had a contract with told me to ask for your forgiveness. It said it would only respond to my summons if I did...¡±

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t criticize you ever again. You must have suffered greatly because of me. I¡¯m truly sorry. I apologize from the bottom of my heart.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok found this a bit absurd. <i>¡®Did I suffer? When?¡¯</i>

    He wondered if his sense of reality had been warped somewhere along the way. Even though the Spirit Mages¡¯ Association had risen against him, it had not caused him any significant harm. It was a huge topic in their world, but it hadn¡¯t affected him at all.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s not me who¡¯s strange. This guy¡¯s ego has just gotten too big,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Gergan had deluded himself into thinking he was more influential and important than he actually was.

    ¡°Alright, Spirits, I want you to be friendly to your summoners,¡± Jin-Hyeok said casually. Then, he turned to head toward Arvis. If the Final Abyss were to appear, it would most likely be in Arvis or Earth.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Gergan continued to apologize. He abandoned all pride and clung to Jin-Hyeok¡¯s leg, pleading desperately. ¡°Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I said I forgave you.¡±

    ¡°B-But...!¡± Gergan grew anxious. All Chul-Soo did was give a simplement to be friendly, which was as good as saying that he hadn¡¯t forgiven Gergan.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t properly apologize...,¡± Gergan said.

    ¡°Just try summoning your Spirit.¡±

    ¡°My Spirit is not responding to my summons right now.¡±

    ¡°Just try.¡± Jin-Hyeok frowned.

    ¡°Alright...¡±

    Having resolved to obey Chul-Soo, Gergan focused his mind. In hindsight, this could be for the best. Since Chul-Soo also summoned Spirits, he might feel sympathy when he saw Gergan¡¯s broken contract.

    ¡°Respond to my summons, Ifrit!¡±

    As soon as the incantation ended, a me-shaped Spirit appeared.

    <i>¡®Huh?¡¯ </i>Gergan was bewildered.

    Ifrit was standing beside Gergan with its arms crossed, grinning widely as if to say, <i>¡®Don¡¯t misunderstand. We¡¯re very close!¡¯ </i>

    This was the first time Gergan had even seen Ifrit act so sociable.

 Chapter 467

    <h4>Chapter 467</h4>

    After easily resolving the discord between those two friends, Cha Jin-Hyeok immediately headed to the Arvis Server. At the warp portal, Marshmallow was waiting to greet him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to see you or anything, Chul-Soo,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°But after hearing what I have to say, you might change your mind,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    When Marshmallow heard about the Final Abyss, his head swelled up enormously. It looked as though his head could pop if pricked with a small needle. He clutched his chest, clearly in agony.

    ¡°Ugh! Why did youe looking for me, Chul-Soo?!¡±

    The Final Abyss¡ªthe end of the world¡ªwas an exciting topic. Just hearing about it made his heart pound. If they could turn it into content, the view count would undoubtedly skyrocket. However, uploading something of this magnitude without the consent of the parties involved was against the unspoken rules of decency. Yet, Marshmallow was briefly tempted.

    <i>¡®Shouldn¡¯t a truly intense Eltuber post it without permission?¡¯ </i>Marshmallow thought.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    A true Eltuber would upload it and deal with the consequencester. That was the true meaning of being an intense Eltuber. Marshmallow considered stealing the content from Chul-Soo but restrained himself, disying the self-control befitting a top-ranked Eltuber.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, are you here to just taunt me?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Or are you just bragging?¡±

    ¡°If it came across that way, I apologize. That was not my intention.¡±

    ¡°Then whye to me and share this jackpot of a content idea?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re the most experienced and capable Eltuber in this field.¡±

    Marshmallow¡¯s head turned into a question mark. He couldn¡¯t quite grasp what Chul-Soo was saying. Encyclopedia, who was hidden in Marshmallow¡¯s backpack, suddenly popped out with a ¡°Boing!¡±¡ªa sound effect voiced by Encyclopedia himself.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is seeking advice from a skilled senior Eltuber as a junior Eltuber, Marshmallow,¡± Encyclopedia exined.

    ¡°Chul-Soo is asking me?¡± Momentarily stunned, Marshmallow soon regained hisposure. A deep sense of pride welled up inside his chest. He wondered if this was proof that Chul-Soo recognized him as the superior ranker. Jin-Hyeok always had a sharp eye for such things.

    ¡°I¡¯m not admitting that your skills as an Eltuber are superior, Marshmallow,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. A healthy respect for apetitor in the same Job was important, but that was separate from actually acknowledging their abilities as greater. ¡°I just want to hear your thoughts, as someone with more experience. You have dealt with more content and events than I have, and as such, you have a certain expertise that Ick...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking too much, Chul-Soo. Just admit that I seem more impressive, and I will share my wisdom with you.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Jin-Hyeok said, ¡°You do seem impressive. That¡¯s a fact.¡±

    ¡°Haha! I knew it!¡±

    ¡°Especially to have reached such heights with such a frail body.¡±

    Marshmallow was momentarily confused. <i>¡®Why am I feeling insulted right now?¡¯</i>

    It was natural for cows to eat grass. No one mocked a cow for eating something like grass. Simrly, it was natural for Eltubers to be weak, and mocking an Eltuber for being weak was absurd. That was justmon sense. Yet, thatmon sense seemed to be shifting bit by bit.

    Ever since Chul-Soo¡¯s arrival, this strange notion that a great Eltuber must also be strong had started to spread. Though Marshmallow firmly believed it was nonsense, it seemed that, subconsciously, this was affecting him as well.

    ¡°Anyway, since you admitted that I¡¯m the greater one, I shall grant you my wisdom,¡± Marshmallow said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about trying tomunicate with the Abyss?¡±

    ***

    In the end, Marshmallow¡¯s advice wasn¡¯t very helpful. If the Final Abyss was indeed a cmity with the potential to end the world or reset it entirely, then trying tomunicate with it would be nearly impossible.

    <i>¡®If I didn¡¯t know Kim Min-Ji, I might have thought I couldmunicate with the Final Abyss...,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He had gained the ability to see through Elines¡¯s essence just by looking at her and could read the Trinity Club members¡¯ innermost thoughts, but understanding Min-Ji was still difficult. In fact, the stronger he grew, the more distant she seemed.

    <i>¡®What if the Final Abyss is something greater and more powerful than Min-Ji?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok doubted that he could use Taming (Physical) on it in that case. Even if he tried, it would probably fail.

    As Jin-Hyeok¡¯s conversation with Marshmallow was wrapping up, Encyclopedia flipped his pages with a loud fluttering sound and said, ¡°You fool!¡±

    ¡°Why am I a fool?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Where is the guarantee that the Final Abyss will open when you reach Level 600?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok shrugged. Encyclopedia was right; there was no guarantee that reaching Level 600 would open the Final Abyss.

    ¡°Everything you¡¯re saying is just spection, Chul-Soo! If it were me, I would make a different choice.¡±

    ¡°What choice?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d level up as much as possible within the given time.¡±

    It was an idea Jin-Hyeok hadn¡¯t considered.

    ¡°Think about it, Chul-Soo. Even if you stopped livestreaming, you would reach Level 600 soon enough. But that wouldn¡¯t be enough time to fully understand and prepare for what the Final Abyss is. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Encyclopedia added.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t it be better to grow physically strong enough to be able tomunicate with the Final Abyss?¡± Encyclopedia was referencing something that Jin-Hyeok had revealed before: once a human surpassed Level 500, a singrity had urred. ¡°If the impact was that significant at Level 500, then what about Level 600? Or even 700? You could be even stronger.¡±

    Marshmallow pped Encyclopedia¡¯s cover and said, ¡°Chul-Soo doesn¡¯t want to get any stronger, you dumb online debater!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! Chul-Soo does want to get stronger.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s already the strongest. How could he get stronger?¡±

    ¡°By surpassing himself. He wants to be stronger than he was yesterday, and tomorrow, he will want to be stronger than he was today! The strongest in the universe!¡±

    Marshmallow was too stunned to retort.

    ¡°That path is right here, the end of the world! I would watch the hell out of a livestream that showcased content like that. Do you think the view count is going to stop at billions? Nonsense! Hundreds of billions, maybe even trillions of viewers might tune in. It could break the Eltuber universal record.

    ¡°Your level-up speed would be incredibly fast. On top of that, many Spirit Kings, other than the Spirit King of Fire, are already sending you love calls, Chul-Soo. You know you can be the owner of countless Spirit Realms, not just the Spirit Realm of Fire, right?¡±

    <i>Thump, thump!</i>

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s heart pounded, but he tried to hide his excitement. ¡°I¡¯m not particrly interested in being the strongest.¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo, you¡¯re already the strongest. Only you can surpass yourself.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re not tempted by the idea of being stronger than the strongest you ever were yesterday?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Be honest. You already know the answer.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok tried his best to ignore the excitement bubbling within him and offered a rational counterargument. ¡°Let¡¯s say I do what you suggest. But what if the Final Abyss isn¡¯t about the end? What if it¡¯s not the reset I imagined?¡±

    ¡°What a foolish question, Chul-Soo.¡± Encyclopedia clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°Then, you¡¯re screwed.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the burden you must bear to be the strongest Eltuber. How can you possibly surpass yesterday¡¯s version of yourself without taking such risks?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right....¡± Jin-Hyeok finally nodded.

    No matter how many times he vowed to regain his initial mindset, it was always difficult. Unless someone like Encyclopedia pointed it out, he would keep forgetting. Maintaining one¡¯s initial mindset was fundamental for a yer.

    ¡°I guess I have no choice,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. ¡°I must choose the path to grow stronger, remain intense, and regain my initial mindset.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t particrly wanted to be stronger, but it seemed there was no other choice.

    ¡°Think carefully, Chul-Soo. This could cause immense chaos across the world. You must have learned something from the recent Spirit Mage incident.¡± Marshmallow stepped in.

    ¡°Learned something?¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Yes, your insignificant action made all the Spirit Mages in the universe enraged. Their abilities are nothing to scoff at. The influence of their association is also incredibly strong. I heard you had quite a tough time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was nothing.¡±

    ¡°I envy your mental fortitude. But you should be more cautious. They are close friends with many rankers and will make it their mission to hinder and harass you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be! You still don¡¯t understand their influence! Sure, you¡¯re already the strongest Eltuber in the world, but simply being the strongest doesn¡¯t mean you can easily navigate this harsh world, especially Gergan. Do you even know how he became the head of the association and how he contracted with Ifrit? Do you realize how intense he is?¡±

    ¡°He came to me and apologized. He begged, and I forgave him. It¡¯s all in the past.¡±

    Marshmallow was a little taken aback but continued, ¡°Anyway, your actions could cause a storm in the universe. Are you prepared to deal with the aftermath?¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok saw how Marshmallow¡¯s face turned red as he passionately continued his argument, veins bulging in his neck. Jin-Hyeok could guess why Marshmallow was making such a fuss. ¡°If you want to do a coboration livestream, just say so, Marshmallow.¡±

    ***

    Bong King and Kang Mi-Na from BongMiNaTV smiled with satisfaction.

    ¡°The upward trend of the view count is tremendous.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve definitely widened the gap between us and the third ce.¡±

    They, too, had received Miracles from Hassan, which drastically increased their stats. Now they were feeling guilty. They wanted to surpass the current first ce!

    ¡°Completely taking the number one spot is going to be impossible,¡± Mi-Na said.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s impossible,¡± Bong King agreed.

    After all, the number one rank belonged to Chul-Soo. Surpassing him was no easy feat.

    ¡°But maybe we can surpass him just for a few seconds.¡±

    ¡°We might be able to beat him in terms of trending videos.¡±

    Right now, Jin-Hyeok was on a break from livestreaming. This was their chance. Just then, a stroke of luck came their way. They both had the same thought.

    <i>¡®Today, we might be able to beat Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 468

    <h4>Chapter 468</h4>

    Bong King and Kang Mi-Na heard a bang from a distance. They noticed it at the same time.

    ¡°This is another Spirit Mage losing control of their Spirit, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bong King said.

    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Mi-Na replied.

    Recently, Fire Spirits had been running wild, causing numerous incidents, and this alone had be a major social issue. But this incident wasn¡¯t ordinary.

    ¡°Is that a girl?¡±

    ¡°It looks like the girl stopped the Spirit before the Guardian Tree could intervene.¡±

    A new citizen hero seemed to have emerged. They approached to see what kind of ranker this girl could be and began an interview.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re Elines? <i>The </i>Elines?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Elly?¡±

    The girl who had stopped the Fire Spirit was none other than Elines, the daughter of the Spirit King of Fire. In her human form, Elines had sessfully calmed the rampaging Spirit, preventing a significant loss of life.

    ¡°Hold on a second. I have something to settle with the Guardian Tree,¡± Elines said with a grumpy expression. ¡°Hey, Guardian Spirit. You need to be honest with me. You didn¡¯t stop the Spirit on purpose so that you could smash the back of its head, right?¡±

    -¡°No way! I absolutely, absolutely didn¡¯t do that!¡±

    The Guardian Tree felt wronged. It had indeed considered whether or not to hit the rampaging Spirit, but it had never thought of hurting the civilians.

    ¡°Oh, are you saying that you intentionally let the Spirit escte the situation so that you could create an excuse to attack after all? You had the power to stop it from the start!¡± Elines shouted.

    While the two bickered, Bong King and Mi-Na exchanged nces and nodded. They had just witnessed a rampaging Spirit and its Spirit Mage and a beautiful woman who subdued it. Moreover, this woman was Elines, the daughter of the Spirit King Alkinas and Chul-Soo¡¯s contracted Spirit!

    ¡°So, Elines has transformed into a human?¡± Bong King remarked.

    ¡°She transformed from a Spirit to a human! Is that even possible?¡± Mi-Na said, excitingly.

    This was a huge scoop for their channel. They had a gut feeling.

    <i>¡®This time, we can beat Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo¡¯s videos always dominated the top 1 to 5 spots in the list of trending videos. But this time, they were confident they could take the number one spot.

    [This just in. Live broadcast at 6 PM today. Stay tuned for a special guest appearance.]

    <i>¡®We¡¯ve won today!¡¯</i>

    If they could surpass Chul-Soo, even just once, they would have earned a great achievement.

    Finally, 6 PM had arrived.

    ***

    Bong King and Mi-Na were stunned.

    ¡°Something¡¯s odd.¡±

    The number of live viewers on their channel was lower than usual. Even though they were covering such an exciting topic, they had fewer viewers.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Through the chat window, Mi-Na understood what was going on.

    ¡°Chul-Soo has started his livestream!¡±

    ¡°But still...¡±

    No matter what, the slower-than-usual influx of viewers was strange.

    ¡°Huh? The end of the world?¡±

    ¡°Reset? The Final Abyss? What is Chul-Soo talking about?¡±

    The keywords from Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream were so shocking that even Bong King and Mi-Na wanted to forget their own livestream and tune into Chul-Soo¡¯s. Forgetting to introduce Elines, Mi-Na asked Bong King, ¡°So, is it true?¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo is saying he needs to level up quickly to stop the Final Abyss. He¡¯s going around other Spirit realms to be the owner and ns to do a continuous livestream until the Final Abyss opens.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s nning on doing a third-person livestream?¡±

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    Mi-Na made up her mind. She had to finish her livestream quickly and watch Chul-Soo¡¯s.

    <i>¡®Continuous third-person livestream is impossible to resist.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Chul-Soo and Marshmallow¡¯s coboration brought unprecedented results. They had ten billion live viewers. If Wang Yu-Mi hadn¡¯t set a cap on the viewer count, the number would have been much higher. Yu-Mi then made an announcement.

    [This is for every Eltuber out there. I grant you the right to broadcast Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. Please spread the word about what¡¯s going on to as many people as possible.]

    Numerous Eltubers began streaming Chul-Soo¡¯s livestream. The content itself was so shocking that each Eltuber¡¯s audience grew significantly. News of the end of the world and the Final Abyss spread rapidly. It became the biggest topic in the universe.

    Marshmallow¡¯s heart raced. <i>¡®So, this is the power of Chul-Soo¡¯s viewers?¡¯ </i>

    The chat was moving so fast that it was impossible to keep up. Even for Marshmallow, this was a first. <i>¡®I¡¯ve lost...¡¯</i>

    Though this was technically a coboration livestream, today¡¯s star was Chul-Soo. Marshmallow realized that breaking today¡¯s record would require immense effort.

    <i>¡®Can I even break this record if I try my hardest?¡¯ </i>In less than thirty minutes of starting the livestream, they had amassed ten billion viewers. <i>¡®If you include the viewers of the Eltubers broadcasting this across the universe..., the number is exponentially higher.¡¯</i>

    Marshmallow trembled. A daunting wall appeared before him. It felt like no amount of effort could break this record.

    <i>¡®Plus, the viewers of those Eltubers are also being counted as Chul-Soo¡¯s.¡¯</i>

    This was Yu-Mi¡¯s ability. As a Storyteller, she limited her livestream¡¯s viewers to ten billion but used a Skill called Shadow Broadcast, enabling Chul-Soo to receive experience points from all the Eltubers broadcasting his content.

    Various onlinemunities were on fire.

    -This is just a publicity stunt, right? What kind of nonsense is this about the end of the world? LOL!

    -You still believe these Eltubers¡¯ stunts?

    Some people didn¡¯t believe Chul-Soo.

    -Chul-Soo has never lied in his livestream.

    -Even if it¡¯s just clickbait, it always turns out to be true.

    Others thought they should prepare for the end of the world.

    -But isn¡¯t all of this because of Chul-Soo?

    -Wouldn¡¯t things be fine if Chul-Soo just disappeared?

    Some people even suggested that Chul-Soo was responsible for the end of the world. News of the impending doom spread quickly, plunging the universe into extreme chaos. While the Server where the Guardian Tree resided was rtively stable, riots and looting broke out on other Servers. One livestream had thrown the entire universe into disorder.

    ***

    Kim Min-Ji, who had be a small universe herself, could sense everything happening in the world. Most things didn¡¯t concern her, but a few particrly irritated her.

    <i>¡®Some of them think that it¡¯s all because of Chul-Soo.¡¯ </i>She wanted to speak up. <i>¡®No, it was predetermined from the beginning.¡¯</i>

    If it hadn¡¯t been Chul-Soo, someone else would have be the overpowered hero. The will of this world¡ªor rather, the will of the God¡ªwould have found a way to open the Final Abyss regardless. It just so happened that this time, it was tied to Chul-Soo.

    -Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just kill Chul-Soo?

    -For the peace of the universe, isn¡¯t that the rational thing to do?

    <i>¡®No! It¡¯s not!!!¡¯ </i>Min-Ji wanted to scream. However, she desperately calmed herself. <i>¡®I need to stay calm.¡¯</i>

    The more she got agitated, the faster the Final Abyss would open. She had to keep her emotions in check, making sure they didn¡¯t explode.

    Several groups had already begun organizing assassination squads, nning to take down Chul-Soo.

    <i>¡®Fools!¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji knew just how strong Chul-Soo was. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about him. It was like how one knew a horror movie couldn¡¯t harm them, yet they still felt scared while watching it. Even knowing nothing could hurt Chul-Soo, she was naturally scared for him. The more affection she had for him, the greater that fear became.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo needs to find me...¡¯</i>

    She needed to find him andmunicate with him. She had to find a way.

    ***

    The news about the Final Abyss sent the universe into chaos, and as a result, the Seoul Guardian Tree became incredibly stressed.

    -¡°Ah, it¡¯s just so difficult!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult?¡± asked Elines, who was sitting on one of the tree¡¯s branches.

    -¡°Not killing them while smacking them on the back of the head.¡±

    ¡°Whose head do you want to smack?

    -¡°Those stupid assassination squad guys!¡±

    The number of lunatics rushing in to kill Chul-Soo was more than expected. They weren¡¯t top-tier rankers, mostly low-Level nobodies, which made things even harder for the Guardian Tree. If it made a mistake in controlling its strength, it could end up killing them.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ¡°Just kill them,¡± Elines said with a bright smile.

    -¡°But Master doesn¡¯t like killing people.¡±

    ¡°Still, if they¡¯re trying to kill someone, they deserve to die, don¡¯t they?

    -¡°<i>Tsk, tsk, </i>Elines. You don¡¯t understand anything. Master has started learning about human emotions.¡±

    ¡°Human emotions... Do you think that includes, you know, romantic feelings?¡±

    -¡°R-Romantic feelings?¡±

    The Guardian Tree¡¯s leaves turned pink.

    -¡°Ahem, in that case, I might have some thoughts too.¡±

    ***

    The Emperor of the Swedeen Empire, Kyle, had dispatched the Sword Emperor Unit in a rush. Kyle himself led the squad to Seoul.

    Sensing the subtle tension, Cha Jin-Hyeok asked with a hint of curiosity, ¡°Your Majesty, are you here to assassinate me by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be a joke?¡±

    ¡°Then why did you bring the Sword Emperor Unit?¡±

    ¡°To protect you, of course.¡±

    Kyle knew that Chul-Soo was far stronger than he was. However, this was essentially a state of war. Many people were not in their right minds, calling Chul-Soo the seed of destruction and ming him. On top of that, the continuous livestreams had definitely left Chul-Soo mentally and physically drained. With Assassins and death squads from across the universe converging on him, Kyle felt it was his duty to protect his friend, Jin-Hyeok.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just a matter of worry.¡±

    Kyle was also preparing for when the Final Abyss would open. If that happened, Chul-Soo would be the only one in the world who could stop it. So, it was vital to help Chul-Soo remain as calm and well-rested as possible to keep him in peak condition.

    ¡°I¡¯vee to understand human emotions a bit myself. I can think much more rationally than others now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not killing the Assassins. The Guardian Tree is working hard to control its strength.¡±

    While it would have been convenient for the Guardian Tree to identally kill a few yers while pretending it was a mistake, the Guardian Tree had avoided doing such things.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. It will help conserve stamina, and it might also keep the assassination squads from getting too provoked. A very smart choice,¡± Kyle said.

    Jin-Hyeok suddenly realized that they weren¡¯t exactly talking about the same thing. ¡°Wait, are you saying you¡¯re here to protect...me, not the Assassins...?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m weak?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    An awkward silence filled the air between them.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m Level 650.¡±

    At that moment, Kyle reflexively drew his sword. It was an unconscious reaction, triggered by the explosive killing intent that had red up.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Kyle had unconsciously pierced through Jin-Hyeok with his sword. ¡°What... what am I doing?!¡±

    Kyle quickly regained hisposure.

    ¡°Bring me a Chul-Soo Potion right now! Get a Chul-Soo Potion here!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡±

    ¡°B-But the sword definitely pierced you...!¡± Kyle looked at Jin-Hyeok with a bewildered expression. His sword had pierced straight through Jin-Hyeok¡¯s chest, but Jin-Hyeok calmly pulled the sword out of his body. As he did, the de of the sword melted away.

    ¡°Is this a new ability of Absolute Barrier?¡± Kyle asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t use Absolute Barrier.¡±

    ¡°Then what just happened?¡±

    ¡°I just took the attack with my body.¡±

    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t Absolute Barrier?¡± Kyle could not believe it. No matter how powerful Jin-Hyeok was, taking a strike from the Emperor of the Swedeen Empire without using any defenses was not possible. ¡°Do not lie to me. Are you angry because I underestimated you?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok didn¡¯t respond to the question and continued, ¡°I will show you the current power of my Absolute Barrier.¡±

    <i>Boom!</i>

    With a deafening sound, Kyle was sent flying through the air. Since it was a livestream, Jin-Hyeok casually made ament to the viewers. ¡°Extremely advanced defense can be hard to distinguish from offense.¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Barely managing to stand, Kyle immediately realized, <i>¡®He is definitely mad.¡¯</i>

 Chapter 469

    <h4>Chapter 469</h4>

    As assassination squads resolved to kill Kim Chul-Soo to prevent the world from ending, a major issue surfaced among Chul-Soo Landers that wasparable to the threat of world destruction.

    This issue arose when BongMiNaTV¡¯s livestream showed Elines¡¯s conversation with the Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡°Human emotions... Do you think that includes, you know, romantic feelings?¡±</i>

    A tense atmosphere settled over Chul-Soopia, which was usually filled with lively conversations.

    [No.3: I didn¡¯t expect Elly to have those kinds of feelings for Chul-Soo.]

    Even Cha Jin-Sol, Chul-Soo Land No.3, was starting to take things more seriously. It didn¡¯t matter to her who her brother dated. But he wasn¡¯t just her brother, he was <i>Kim Chul-Soo.</i> For Chul-Soo Landers, this was an issue far more severe than the end of the world.

    [No.1000: Ah, this is... a bit much...]

    Marshmallow, Chul-Soo Land No.1000, instantly sensed the gravity of the situation.

    ¡°Elines is going to get a lot of hate for this,¡± he said. The only saving grace was that Elines wasn¡¯t an official member of the Chul-Soo Land. Had an official member said something like that, the situation would have been much more serious.

    [No.2: Fellow Chul-Soo Landers, let¡¯s not forget that Elly is still a young Spirit. And remember, she¡¯s not even an official Chul-Soo Lander.]

    No.2, Kang Eun-Woo, stepped in to defend Elines. However, calming the angry members seemed difficult.

    [No.777: If she were an official member, I would have killed her myself. ^^]

    Kim Ysael¡ªChul-Soo Land No.777, who had abandoned the Victor Family and taken the surname Kim to follow Chul-Soo¡ªburned with fierce hostility toward Elines. She had given up on a trillion Dias to follow Chul-Soo.

    As Chul-Soopia buzzed with Elines¡¯s offensive remarks, a few Chul-Soo Landers noticed something unusual.

    [No.2: By the way, I don¡¯t see No.1 today. ^^]

    Eun-Woo felt a surge of victory. Such a hot topic was stirring up Chul-Soopia, yet No.1 had not shown up. It almost seemed like No.1 was unworthy of the title.

    [No.3: Now that I think of it, I haven¡¯t seen No.1 in days.]

    [No.777: Can she still call herself No.1? Maybe she should give up the title.]

    [Honorary No.1: I¡¯m right here!]

    Honorary Chul-Soo Land No.1, Lessefim, made her presence known, though she too sensed that something was off. <i>¡®Why isn¡¯t No.1 showing up?¡¯ </i>

    Given the magnitude of the current situation, No.1 should have appeared by now, enraged beyond measure.

    [No.777: No one is foolish enough to dream about monopolizing Chul-Soo, right? If anyone¡¯s thinking that, tell me now. I will hunt them down to the ends of the universe with honorary Chul-Soo Land No.1 and take them out.?]

    ***

    Kim Min-Ji¡¯s attention was entirely focused on the Earth Server. She, too, had heard what Elines had said.

    <i>¡®She¡¯s still a young Spirit,¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought. Nevertheless, anger boiled within her. It was hard for her to control her emotions. This was inevitable for her, given her fanatical obsession. Just as it was natural for humans to breathe and eat, it was natural for the Mad God of Favoritism to disy obsessive favoritism.

    <i>¡®But her body is that of an adult woman.¡¯ </i>By Spirit standards, Elines was young, but by human standards, she was ancient. <i>¡®I need to hold it together... Breathe, Min-Ji, breathe...¡¯</i>

    She had to endure for now. The more her mind wavered, the faster the Final Abyss would emerge.

    <i>¡®I must endure for Chul-Soo. For the world Chul-Soo will live in...¡¯ </i>With that thought, Min-Ji was able to suppress her anger. <i>¡®It won¡¯t go as your will intends, Mother.¡¯</i>

    The will of the world was calling out to her, urging her to be the Final Abyss and reset the world, asmanded by her mother.

    <i>¡®But I¡¯m also going through puberty! This is so hard!¡¯</i>

    She resolved to hold on as long as she could. In Min-Ji¡¯s eyes, Chul-Soo¡¯s decision to level up was the right one. That was the only way he would be able to break her into fragments.

    <i>¡®Just a little longer.¡¯</i>

    Thanks to Elines¡¯s foolish remarks, some Chul-Soo Landers had begun to sense something strange. Perhaps there was a glimmer of hope for resolution.

    <i>¡®Elines, you¡¯ve seen my corruption. Please, help Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    With a fragile mind that seemed on the verge of copsing, she resolved to endure just a little more.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream consistently maintained a viewership of ten billion. Even when he streamed while sleeping, the number never dropped.

    -How is no one leaving the livestream? T_T

    -I¡¯m trying to get in for 18 hours... T_T

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    -Same, I waited that long too. T_T

    -How do you even get into the main livestream? T_T

    The <i>main livestream</i> they were talking about was the one shown on Wang Yu-Mi¡¯s channel, a ce where the odds of directlymunicating with Chul-Soo were one in ten billion.

    -All Chul-Soo Landers across the universe are waiting too. It¡¯s going to be hard to get in.

    -Oh? Someone is trying to sell an ount that¡¯s currently in the main livestream. They¡¯re asking for 1.6 billion Dias.

    -LOL! That¡¯s ridiculous. Who would buy that?

    Surprisingly, the ount was sold in an instant. The first transaction was for 1.6 billion, the next for 1.8 billion, and the third one for 2 billion. Since these ounts were rare, their prices skyrocketed.

    -Wow... People are really buying those ounts...

    -There are some truly insane people out there.

    -You can just go to a secondary livestream. Why are they doing this? Does anyone understand that they¡¯re practically livestreaming the same thing?

    -No one asked you to understand. ^^

    -For them, that kind of money is meaningless. Their world is different, so stop pretending you know better.

    -Stfu! I just asked if anyone could understand, and now you¡¯re picking a fight? Get a life, loser.

    -That¡¯s a ssic keyboard warrior tantrum.

    -You should get a life too. T_T

    Lessefim and Mole Woman, who had resolved to be more intense, put their heads together and began to strategize.

    ¡°Hmmm... Do you think we can find the Final Abyss, moly?¡±

    ¡°If you and I team up, I feel like we could.¡±

    While others believed the Final Abyss would open in the near future, these two thought differently. They were considering entering the Final Abyss before anyone else.

    ¡°It seems like the best way is to search the Earth Server, moly.¡±

    ¡°I think so too.¡±

    Since the Final Abyss was connected to Chul-Soo, Earth could have clues rted to it.

    ¡°We should consult Min-Ji too, moly.¡±

    ¡°When you say Min-Ji, you mean...¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m talking about the mysterious Chul-Soo Land No.1, whom even the Trinity Club members bow down to, moly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s who she is? The genius hacker?¡±

    Mole Woman gave Lessefim a slightly condescending look. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the difference between official Chul-Soo Landers and honorary ones...¡±

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, moly. We need to find Min-Ji first, honorary moly.¡±

    ¡°Why honorary moly all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind my trivial way of talking, honorary moly, moly moly, honorary moly.¡±

    Lessefim, the honorary Chul-Soo Lander, was slightly annoyed.

    Mole Woman twisted her hair as she continued, ¡°Using a woman¡¯s sharp intuition, I would guess Min-Ji knows something, moly.¡±

    ¡°Like you were a real woman to begin with...¡±

    Nevertheless, the two headed to Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop.

    Even Gap-Soo didn¡¯t know where Min-Ji was. ¡°Well..., she alwayses and goes without a trace.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she always here, sitting and watching the livestream, moly?¡±

    ¡°Normally, yes.¡±

    Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop was the best ce to enjoy Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams, with its top-notch audio and video equipment.

    Mole Woman¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°This is an emergency, moly. Chul-Soo is running a 24-hour livestream, but Chul-Soo Land No.1 is nowhere to be seen.¡±

    At first, Mole Woman had thought it was a simple neglect of duty. She believed that No.1 was cking, but now it seemed like something bigger was at y.

    ¡°We need to track down Min-Ji, moly.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Gap-Soo replied.

    After some inquiries, they found that thest people to see Min-Ji were Gap-Soo, Michelle, and Elines.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know where she is.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    Gap-Soo and Michelle didn¡¯t have any useful information. The only one left was Elines, who shared something peculiar.

    ¡°I thought I was just being paranoid, so I didn¡¯t say anything. But something was odd about Min-Ji,¡± Elines said.

    ¡°Just tell us anything you¡¯ve got, moly,¡± Mole Woman said, her voice tinged with frustration. Though she wanted to be nicer to Elines, it was hard for her to speak kindly after Elines¡¯s <i>romantic feelings </i>remark.

    Fortunately, Elines didn¡¯t seem to notice Mole Woman¡¯s slight annoyance.

    ¡°Well, Min-Ji felt kind of like... a Fire Monster,¡± Elines replied.

    ¡°A Fire Monster? You mean the devouring fire in the Spirit Realm, moly?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Fire that consumes fire. A distorted existence. It¡¯s hard to describe, but that was the feeling I got. Like something was swallowing everything up... like corruption.¡±

    Lessefim asked a critical question. ¡°Exactly when did you meet Min-Ji? Could you give me the timelines?¡±

    ***

    After they finished the conversation with Elines, the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into ce in Lessefim¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Min-Ji knows everything about Chul-Soo. She¡¯s so obsessed with him; it¡¯s almost like stalking,¡± Lessefim said. Min-Ji would have known about Elines¡¯s outrageousment as well. ¡°Mole Woman, you realize that you weren¡¯t exactly kind when you talked to Elines, right?¡±

    ¡°<i>Ahem, </i>was it that obvious, moly?¡±

    ¡°Then what about No.1?¡±

    No.1 was, without a doubt, obsessed with Chul-Soo.

    ¡°She would have been even more upset, right, moly?¡±

    If they observed the timeline, after Elines made her inappropriate remark, Min-Ji had disappeared.

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s a coincidence?¡± Lessefim asked.

    ¡°We need to find Min-Ji, moly.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we can find her?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what Chul-Soo taught us? He said that with enough intensity, anything is possible, moly. Or have you already forgotten his teachings, moly?¡±

    The two of them shared this information with Jin-Hyeok.

    After hearing their story, Jin-Hyeok sensed something immediately. <i>¡®Min-Ji is definitely connected to the Final Abyss.¡¯ </i>

    ¡°Lessefim, Mole Woman, I need you to find Min-Ji,¡± he said.

    Realizing they might not be able to do it alone, he asked help from the K-Force, a group made up of Earth¡¯s top rankers, each armed with unparalleled intensity. These yers joined Lessefim and Mole Woman¡¯s party.

    Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok returned to Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop.

    ¡°Hmm, it might be best not to be seen with Elines for a while, Chul-Soo,¡± Gap-Soo said.

    ¡°I understand that, but the situation is urgent. I have no choice.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok also felt that Elines¡¯s clumsy attempt at a seduction technique was a mistake. If she wanted to use such a strategy, she should have been more discreet and subtle; doing it so tantly only reduced its effectiveness. He made a mental note to ask Lilia, the Subus, to give her some training.

    However, that was a minor issue. Since Elines was the one who had noticed something strange about Min-Ji, it made sense for her to be here at the ce of the incident.

    ¡°Elly, you¡¯re sure this is where Min-Ji disappeared?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes... that¡¯s right.¡± Elines, now aware of the recent development regarding her, meekly said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to monopolize you, Chul-Soo. I just wanted to get married... I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok secretly let out a sigh of relief. <i>¡®Good thing this is a dyed livestream¡¯ </i>

    He was sure that Yu-Mi and Kang Chul would take care of filtering out suchments from Elines.

    At that moment, something caught Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes.

    <i>¡®A crack?¡¯</i>

    A sudden fissure appeared in the previously calm space. It was a faint crack, visible only to Jin-Hyeok.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 470

    <h4>Chapter 470</h4>

    <i>¡®Only I can see the crack?¡¯ </i>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought. Neither Lilia nor the two Trinity Club members could see the rift.

    Curious, Jin-Hyeok turned to Lilia. ¡°Lilia, could it be that the space is trying to seduce me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Lilia nodded. ¡°It happens if a space carries intent. The most famous example is the Well of Witch Ritumaril. Ritumaril was a Witch obsessed with blonde beauties between the ages of twenty and twenty-five, and her well is known to enchant such individuals. Why? Do you feel like you¡¯re being seduced?¡±

    Lilia hoped Chul-Soo would say no. At least when it came to seduction techniques, she wanted to be the expert over him. However, her hopes were shattered.

    ¡°Yes, that rift seems to be seducing me,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    ¡°Do you mean the rift that none of us, except for you, can see or sense?¡± Though her pride was a bit bruised, she epted this quickly. After all, the one they were dealing with was Kim Chul-Soo. This was definitely how the past challengers of the Sword Emperor Tournament had felt when they lost to an Eltuber.

    With humility, Lilia decided to seek guidance. ¡°Could you describe the feeling in more detail, Chul-Soo?¡±

    Seduction techniques could indeed be added to spaces and objects. Items like the Mirror of Bewitchment or Love Potions were also forms of seduction. Lilia, who had not yet reached that level of applying seduction techniques¡ªthough she hardly needed to, being a Subus herself¡ªsensed the need for new techniques.

    ¡°I want to learn what you¡¯re feeling, Chul-Soo,¡± she said.

    ¡°Hmm...¡±

    ¡°Could it be that an artifact designed for seduction technique is hidden in that rift?¡±

    Even if someone was adept at something, it did not mean they could exin the thing well. The two skills were vastly different.

    Without bing impatient, Lilia continued coaxing Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Or maybe there is some trace of Alluring Dust mixed in with the rift? Or perhaps the Breath of Temptation lingers there.¡±

    She wondered what kind of advanced seduction techniques were at y. Patiently, she awaited Jin-Hyeok¡¯s answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that...¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡± Jin-Hyeok hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this even makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Seduction technique is such a profound field that it¡¯s impossible to fathom all its depth. Even things that seem imusible tend to happen if you look back at the history of the universe. That¡¯s the beauty of seduction techniques, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Could the universe itself be trying to seduce me?¡±

    ¡°What...?¡± For a moment, Lilia was taken aback, but she quickly regained herposure. ¡°That¡¯s entirely possible. After all, every Chul-Soo Lander across the universe loves you.¡±

    ¡°No, not like that. It feels like the universe itself is trying to seduce me.¡±

    Lilia was speechless. She had never heard of a seduction technique used by the universe itself. She contemted if that could even be called a seduction technique. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s beyond my abilities...¡±

    Lilia realized that for someone like Jin-Hyeok, even something of that scale was possible. Her desire topete with him vanished entirely.

    ***

    In the end, Jin-Hyeok knew he had to face the seduction technique to truly understand what was going on. The feeling he sensed from the rift was unmistakable¡ªseduction. It was calling out to him.

    <i>¡®It feels like overwhelming affection,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    It was as though the whole world adored him, a sensation reminiscent of being surrounded by Chul-Soo Landers.

    <i>¡®If this is a seduction technique... honestly, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.¡¯</i>

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    This seduction technique was on a different levelpared to those he had seen before his regression. Before his regression, seduction techniques were limited by factors such as gender or appearance, but now it had transcended all that¡ªa few levels beyond. No one could have imagined the universe itself would try to entice him.

    <i>¡®If Chul-Soo Landers turned into the universe to seduce me, could I even resist it? Probably not.¡¯</i>

    Sensing some unease, Elines grabbed onto Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Faced with the kind of seduction before him, Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t do anything to stop himself.

    ¡°Something feels wrong,¡± Elines said.

    ¡°You said you felt nothing, though?¡±

    ¡°Still..., I feel uneasy.¡±

    Lilia, who had been eyeing Jin-Hyeok, reached for his left sleeve.

    ¡°Lilia? What are you doing?¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°I wanted to hold you at least once.¡±

    At some point, Lilia had given up trying to seduce Jin-Hyeok. He was an insurmountable mountain. But today, she found herself unexpectedly brave.

    <i>¡®The universe and Elines are being so open about their feelings,¡¯ </i>Lilia thought. As a Subus, losing to the universe and a Spirit was uneptable.

    Michelle, who had been cautiously watching them, reached for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s right sleeve. ¡°May I join too?¡±

    ¡°Michelle...?¡±

    It came as a shock to Jin-Hyeok. He could not believe a Trinity Club member was trying to use a seduction technique.

    <i>¡®Can I even use this as content for my channel?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    His mentalpass felt a bit off. A Trinity Club member like Michelle seducing someone would be trending content, but he never thought it would involve him.

    ¡°You¡¯re now a fine man. Don¡¯t worry about the age difference. Among the Trinity Club, I¡¯m actually quite young¡ªonly a few hundred years old,¡± Michelle said with a smile.

    The wave of seduction didn¡¯t end there. Frowning deeply, Choi Gap-Soo muttered to himself, ¡°If the age difference isn¡¯t an issue, could I get some exclusive time with Jin-Hyeok as well?¡±

    Gap-Soo thought about getting the Miracle from Hassan. Although he hadn¡¯t grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sleeve like the others, he found himself lost in contemtion.

    ***

    Mole Woman and Lessefim, while searching for clues about the Final Abyss, stopped by Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop and stumbled upon an interesting scene.

    Everyone was surrounding Jin-Hyeok. Even Gap-Soo was beside him! The two Navigators, quick to assess the situation, stepped forward simultaneously.

    ¡°Hmph, I can¡¯t lose, moly moly, honorary moly.¡±

    ¡°This time, I¡¯m gonna win!¡±

    It was apetition to determine who was the true Navigator. Mole Woman, as always, wore her tight leather outfit that entuated her figure and grabbed Jin-Hyeok¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m joining too, moly!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok swiftly scanned Mole Woman¡¯s provocative outfit. <i>¡®Phew, the level of exposure is eptable for my dyed livestream.¡¯</i>

    Too much exposure could vite livestreaming regtions. A small misstep, and he would risk cutting entire scenes from the video. Fortunately, the crucial parts were well-covered, and it didn¡¯t break any rules.

    <i>¡®That was close.¡¯</i>

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok heard a voice from his shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡±

    The voice came from the adorable squirrel Beastkin¡ªa fluffy, soft, brown-furred squirrel Beastkin. Jin-Hyeok unconsciously reached out to pet the back of the small squirrel. It was a lethal level of cuteness.

    ¡°Are you... Lessefim?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡± Lessefim smiled broadly and exined, ¡°I was granted a miracle as well!¡±

    ¡°Hassan¡¯s Miracle?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh. That¡¯s why I became this cute!¡± She spread her short arms wide with pride. ¡°It¡¯s a cuteness ability transformation!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes grew tender as he looked at Lessefim. He was touched by the cuteness, but he also saw an opportunity to appeal to another viewer demographic.

    <i>¡®A squirrel Beastkin this cute...,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. It was obvious that viewers interested in animals would be drawn to the livestream featuring Lessefim.

    Mole Woman felt a pang of frustration. <i>¡®Damn it! I should have transformed into an animal!¡¯ </i>

    Lessefim proudly made a ¡°V¡± with her tiny hands.

    <i>¡®Damn it, moly!¡¯</i>

    Today¡¯s victor was Lessefim.

    ***

    Wang Yu-Mi adjusted her round sses. She was sweating profusely, which was quite unlike her. ¡°We only have five minutes!¡±

    She had to create a story that viewers would ept or pull off proper editing within that short time. Editor Kang Chul, who usually boasted about hispetence in any situation, was feeling utterly defeated.

    ¡°Yu-Mi, this is beyond my capabilities,¡± he said.

    It seemed like Chul-Soo Landers were on the brink of starting a riot. The people at Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop were practically tearing apart the very foundation on which Chul-Soo Land was built. With the world already facing potential copse, things were getting even more chaotic.

    ¡°There is no other choice,¡± Yu-Mi replied.

    ¡°Should we just end the livestream?¡±

    ¡°No, we have to go the opposite direction.¡±

    This was beyond what editing could resolve. In situations like this, a direct approach could be the best solution.

    ¡°How do you n to handle the aftermath?¡± Kang Chul asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s for tomorrow¡¯s Kang Chul to figure out!¡±

    ¡°What...?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going all in on the overt seduction technique concept.¡±

    ¡°But just now, you said tomorrow¡¯s Kang Chul...¡±

    ¡°Come one! We don¡¯t have much time. Let¡¯s focus on our work!¡±

    Yu-Mi and Kang Chul got busy.

    ***

    After a brief conversation with Yu-Mi via messages, Jin-Hyeok made up his mind.

    <i>¡®Alright, since it came to this...¡¯ </i>He thought that it was better to spread the attention across multiple people rather than have all the focus on Elines alone. Though Chul-Soo Landers could get somewhat upset, preventing the end of the world was the higher priority.

    <i>¡®This alone will draw a lot of attention.¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok decided to take those casting seductive nces his way and head out, nning to go to other Spirit Realms.

    <i>¡®First, I will visit the Spirit Realms friendly toward me and make them my allies.¡¯</i>

    -What? He¡¯s doing a harem concept at this time?

    -And the Trinity Club members are a part of it too?

    -Whoa, this is insane! Ysael is furious!

    -Even Marshmallow is not holding back.

    -The Seo Sisters said they¡¯re going to participate too.

    -Muenne took a leave.

    -Breaking news: Katrina ising armed with a wrench.

    From Jin-Hyeok¡¯s perspective, some unexpected things were happening.

    <i>¡®This is strange. It seems more popr than the Final Abyss.¡¯</i>

    He thought nothing could be a bigger issue than the end of the world, but this seemed even more sensational.

    <i>¡®The Spirit Realm tour is going well...¡¯</i>

    Thanks to that, his Level was increasing exponentially. His leveling speed was faster than ever before.

    <i>¡®Is this okay?¡¯</i> Jin-Hyeok was almost scared at the speed of his level-ups. <i>¡®Am I supposed to be this strong? And I¡¯m still bing stronger every day!¡¯</i>

    These two conflicting emotions were constantly at war. He always wished the former would win, yet he diligently continued to level up each day. The more attention he drew, the faster his leveling became.

    <i>¡®I was naive to think another singrity woulde at Level 600.¡¯</i>

    The idea that the Final Abyss might open at Level 600 was nothing but the shortsightedness of not seeing the forest for the trees.

    <strong>[You have leveled up!]</strong>

    <strong>[You have reached Level 700.]</strong>

    It was only after reaching Level 700 that the leveling speed finally began to slow down.

    Then, Gap-Soo contacted him.

    ¡ªCome here! Immediately! Please, I beg you!

 Chapter 471

    Chapter 471

    <em>¡®What does he want from me so urgently?¡¯ </em>Cha Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Since Gap-Soo was a long-time fan, Jin-Hyeok rushed over to his workshop in no time.

    He saw that the entire building was swaying strangely. Gap-Soo, Jang Michelle, Lilia, and the staff had already evacuated outside. Gap-Soo was trembling all over, covering his face with his hands.

    <em>¡®I know there¡¯s a lot of treasures in his workshop. Did he have to leave all of them inside?¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    ¡°My¡­ my media room!!!¡± Gap-Soo shouted.

    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like there were as many precious treasures as Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°No!! My media room!¡± Gap-Soo cried once more.

    ¡°You can make one again. You have the ability and power to do so.¡± Liliaforted Gap-Soo.

    ¡°But then I will miss Chul-Soo¡¯s livestreams!!! No, this is uneptable!¡±¡°Can¡¯t you make one quickly?¡±

    ¡°No matter how fast, it¡¯s going to take two weeks¡­¡±

    To properly watch Kim Chul-Soo¡¯s broadcasts, one needed a state-of-the-art media room. Watching it on an ordinary device felt unbearable. Just enduring a few seconds of it was tough¡ªtwo weeks felt like torture.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°The ce where you said there was a rift¡ªa strange ck space formed there. It¡¯s slowly swallowing everything around it, like a tiny ck hole,¡± Michelle quickly exined.

    Elines¡¯s previous words resurfaced in his memory. She had said it felt simr to the Fire Monster¡ªa fire that devoured fire. Now, perhaps, what had emerged was something capable of devouring worlds.

    <em>¡®That might be the Final Abyss,¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    Then, news started pouring out across the Earth Server.

    [Earth Server GMs, mass exodus.]

    [GMs spotted evacuating Earth.]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    People saw GMs packing their things, fleeing to other Servers. Soon after, Kihael, a former GM who was now working for the MK Foundation, hurried over and tapped Jin-Hyeok on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Are you going camping?¡±

    ¡°This is no time for jokes. We need to get out of here now. Code ck has been issued.¡±

    ¡°Code ck?¡±

    ¡°It means the System is withdrawing from this Server. It¡¯s been abandoned.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok understood why Kihael, who was obsessed with work-life bnce, wanted to leave, but even Serchan, a workaholic with unrelenting passion, was seen with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, can you stillmunicate with the Guardian Tree?¡± Serchan asked.

    That was when Jin-Hyeok realized the gravity of the situation. He said telepathically, <em>¡®Hey, Guardian Tree? You there?¡¯ </em>

    He couldn¡¯t sense the Guardian Tree¡¯s presence.

    ***

    The Guardian Tree was locked in battle with the rift of the newly emerged world.

    -¡°You crazy rift!¡±

    However, the problem was not just the rift. Beyond the rifty another world, another abyss. It was a vast universe, and battling something of such scale wasn¡¯t easy. The Guardian Tree put all its will into fighting the rift.

    -¡°I will protect this newlywed Server of mine!¡± the Guardian Tree shouted.

    The universe beyond the rift spoke.

    -¡°Why do you call Earth your newlywed Server? Are you married to it?¡±

    -¡°Of course, I¡­ haven¡¯t married yet, but I will soon!¡±

    -¡°And who is your partner?¡±

    -¡°Obviously, it¡¯s Chul-Soo!¡±

    <em>Boom!</em>

    An explosion resounded inside the opposing universe. A massive destructive force surged out from the rift, and the Guardian Tree struggled to hold it back. During its desperate efforts, it lost its mental connection with Chul-Soo.

    -¡°You damned universe! I won¡¯t let you ruin my newlywed Server!¡±

    -¡°That ce isn¡¯t your newlywed Server.¡±

    -¡°What?¡±

    The leaves of the Guardian Tree trembled. The universe¡¯s unyielding intent was palpable.

    -¡°This ce is the universe of my marriage,¡± the rift said.

    -¡°Are youpletely out of your mind? The universe is getting married? Get a grip, you crazy universe!¡±

    The Guardian Tree was bing angrier.

    ***

    As the Guardian Tree poured all its strength into fighting the rift, monsters grew rampant across the Earth Server.

    ¡°Graaah!¡±

    Dungeon Breaks were urring everywhere, and suddenly, monsters grew stronger and attacked humans.

    ~

    -Haha, they kept babbling about how strong their new Server was. Look at them now.

    -Yep, it¡¯s over. The Guardian Tree¡¯s power is done for.

    -Fast growth always means a fast copse.

    -They should¡¯ve grown steadily like Arvis, building a solid foundation.

    ~

    Some members from other Servers, jealous of Earth, were thrilled about its current crisis.

    ~

    -But if this keeps up, isn¡¯t the Server doomed?

    -I heard their GMs have all fled to other Servers.

    -Rose to the top, only to fall harder than ever.

    -You idiots, do you think this is just about the Earth Server? What happens next? And after that?

    ~

    Many warned that their Server could be next after Earth, but it didn¡¯t feel imminent. Encyclopedia repeatedly banged himself against the bookshelf, venting his frustration. ¡°Idiots! Why are theyughing like morons about Earth¡¯s destruction?¡±

    No one knew which Server would be the next target. Instead of mocking Earth, the entire universe should be praying for Earth to ovee this crisis. It pained Encyclopedia to share the same air with such fools.

    ~

    <strong>[...Therefore, we must mobilize all possible resources to prevent the Final Abyss from growing anyrger. This isn¡¯t just Earth¡¯s crisis but a crisis for the entire universe¡­]</strong>

    ©¸Said a Chul-Soo Lander.

    ©¸Yeah, sure, not like it¡¯s gonna happen tomorrow.

    ©¸Earth is acting above its situation, pretending to be an upper-tier Server. That¡¯s what happens. ^^

    ~

    Numerous experts weighed in on the Earth Server¡¯s situation.

    ~

    [A disaster of this magnitude, happening all at once, would overwhelm even Arvis.]

    [Earth is on the brink of destruction.]

    ~

    Provocative statements like these spread everywhere.

    ~

    But they seem to be handling it better than expected.

    -The monster wave in the American Region is over.

    -Europe managed to survive too.

    -Africa¡¯s contained.

    -Asia handled it way easier than anyone thought.

    ~

    Those closest to the chaos bore the brunt of the disaster. The yers on Earth responded flexibly to the sudden cmities.

    ~

    -Hey, isn¡¯t that monster the Ancient Ind-Destroying Giant?

    -No way, such a rare monster just appeared on the Earth Server?

    -It normally takes Level 300+ yers months to raid that thing properly.

    ~

    That was themon belief, but Earth¡¯s yers were a little different.

    ~

    -Why is there a Level 250 yer in that raid?

    -Are they trying to get themselves killed?

    -There is even a yer in the early Level 200s!

    ~

    The Ancient Ind-Destroying Giant was taken down in just six minutes.

    ~

    -No way¡­ how did they do that?

    -I mean, even if they have Shin Yu-Ri¡¯s Babylon Cannon, that¡¯s impossible!

    ~

    Simr incidents happened everywhere.

    ~

    -How are they doing this?

    -It should be practically illegal to fight monsters at such low Levels.

    ~

    Despite their lower Levels, Earth¡¯s yers used their unique wit and intensity to respond to the crisis. It was a sight rarely seen on other Servers.

    ~

    -Earth is truly the birthce of intensity¡­

    -Skills and techniques always overpower physical prowess.

    ©¸Said the weakling consoling himself.

    ©¸Nah, physical strength still reigns supreme.

    ~

    Earth¡¯s yers, especially those from the Korean Region, were often seen hunting monsters far stronger than themselves. The battles looked oddly effortless.

    ~

    -Did the monsters get debuffed somehow?

    -Do they have top-tier Debuff Mages stationed in Korea?

    ~

    However, that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ~ -Characteristics of veterans: they make everything look easy.

    -Whoa, why are there so many Spirit Mages?

    ~

    A massive number of Spirit Mages emerged on Earth, instantly bing formidable forces. While they alone had limitations, they teamed up with the K-Force, rooted across the globe, each more than pulling their weight.

    ~

    -Not that I want to admit it, but isn¡¯t this deserving of being called a rising Server?

    -Their poption is small, but maybe they can even stand against Arvis.

    -Stop saying ridiculous things. Arvis is overwhelmingly the strongest.

    -But if something like this happened in Arvis, could they handle it as well as the Earth Server?

    -Arvis couldn¡¯t. They wouldn¡¯t be nearly as peaceful.

    ~

    Even though chaos was everywhere. Earth remained rtively stable.

    ~

    -Is this¡­ what intensity looks like?

    -Have we forgotten what it means to be intense?

    ~

    Slowly but surely, the whole universe began to realize the importance of being intense.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok let out a sigh of relief. <em>¡®I can leave the chaos to them.¡¯</em>

    Earth¡¯s yers were more intense than he had imagined, and they had enough potential to ovee the chaos happening now.

    <em>¡®I will focus on the Final Abyss.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok approached the rift. Only then did he begin to sense the energy of the Guardian Tree.

    <em>¡®The Guardian Tree is fighting intensely too.¡¯</em>

    It was protecting against the explosion of the Final Abyss, being so intense that even its mental link with Jin-Hyeok had been severed. It was like a barrier swallowing the universe.

    Without giving anyone time to stop him, Jin-Hyeok jumped into the rift.

    ¡°Chul-Soo!!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo, no!!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was the only one who could stop this rift. At least the good thing was that Dimensional Synchronization was possible.

    <em>¡®A void without air, without anything¡­¡¯</em>

    Nothing could be seen in this space; there was no light here. If he didn¡¯t possess the ability to synchronize with the dimension, entering this world with just physical capabilities might have ended terribly for him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as openly hostile as the Spirit Realm of Fire, but¡­¡±

    After synchronizing with the dimension, he could roughly feel it¡ªa twisted obsession, an overwhelming desire for possession of something. Yet, he also felt a vivid affection.

    ¡°Wait¡­ Are you Kim Min-Ji?¡± Jin-Hyeok whispered.

    For a moment, it felt as if the universe was expanding. The voice of the Guardian Tree echoed.

    -¡°How dare you try to grow stronger here! Not while I¡¯m around!¡±

    The Guardian Tree seemed unaware of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s presence.

    <em>¡®That just means it¡¯s fighting intensely too.¡¯</em>

    Jin-Hyeok took out Miri. It was fortunate, truly fortunate, that he had experience using Taming (Physical) on another dimension. If he could properlymune with this world, perhaps he could prevent the expansion of the Final Abyss.

    <em>¡®But¡­¡¯ </em>Jin-Hyeok involuntarily let his arm, which held Miri, drop. Uponing here, he could vividly sense Min-Ji. Though it was twisted, he could feel her intense love.

    ¡°This world is less hostile than the Spirit Realm of Fire but more powerful.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t wield Miri recklessly here. If Jin-Hyeok were an ordinary yer, he would have swung Miri instantly, but being Chul-Soo the Eltuber, he couldn¡¯t make himself tame Chul-Soo Land No.1.

    ¡°Min-Ji, can you hear me?¡± Jin-Hyeok said. No reply came, but he realized a few more things. ¡°You can¡¯t stop yourself, can you?¡±

    It was just like how an infant breathed and their heart beat naturally. Min-Ji was like a being born to carry this fate. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s gaze swept across the universe. He decided to pierce through the depths of this empty void. He didn¡¯t like probing into the depths of a Chul-Soo Lander¡¯s heart, but he had no choice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Min-Ji.¡± He used Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 472

    <h4>Chapter 472</h4>

    Kim Min-Ji, who had be an expanding universe, felt stifled. <i>¡®You can justmunicate with me.¡¯</i>

    When Kim Chul-Soo had taken out Miri, Min-Ji brightened up. He only needed tomune with her as he had done with the Spirit Realm. Min-Ji¡¯s universe had a far more solid identitypared to the Spirit Realm, but Chul-Soo had grown much stronger as well.

    <i>¡®Please, destroy me.¡¯ </i>Min-Ji made a wish.

    The universe that she had be was crying. She had no desire to devour Jin-Hyeok¡¯s world, but this was beyond her will. Nothing could stop her anymore, as she had turned into the abyssal universe. Only one choice remained.

    <i>¡®If I¡¯m being destroyed, I want to be destroyed by Chul-Soo.¡¯</i>

    She conveyed that will to Jin-Hyeok and the Guardian Tree by transforming it into the will of the universe.

    -¡°Destroy me,¡± the universe¡¯s will said.

    Feeling her intent, Jin-Hyeok bit his lip. ¡°Min-Ji, are you serious?¡±

    He knew the answer without hearing the reply. It was clear to him through Broadcaster¡¯s Insight.

    -¡°Destroy me.¡±

    Even if she was broken down into tiny fragments and fell into an eternal slumber, she didn¡¯t care. It was far better for her to shatter than for Chul-Soo¡¯s world to copse.

    <i>¡®You need to destroy me to survive, Chul-Soo,¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought.

    That was all she wanted¡ªa world where Chul-Soo could be passionate, people found joy in his intensity, and they both envied and admired him. She desired a world where people were jealous of him and in which he understood the hearts of others.

    For Min-Ji, just living in a world where Chul-Soo existed was enough, and if that world remained intact, if she could protect it, she would be satisfied. This was the depth of Min-Ji¡¯s devotion. However, that very devotion became the reason Jin-Hyeok found it impossible to physicallymune with her universe.

    ¡°Min-Ji, I can¡¯t do that,¡± he said.

    This was a universe that wanted to be destroyed¡ªa universe that wished to protect Jin-Hyeok¡¯s world. Yet, Jin-Hyeok could not bring himself to destroy it. He sensed that without Min-Ji¡¯s universe, his own would lose its meaning.

    Jin-Hyeok fully understood that without his fans, he was nothing. He had learned how precious and invaluable their unconditional love was. He couldn¡¯t abandon that value, even if it meant saving only one of his many fans. Perhaps, this was what it meant to truly understand human emotions.

    Jin-Hyeok took a deep breath and said, ¡°You know my livestream concept, right?¡±

    Originally, it was a first-person y livestream with the motto of intensity and thrill. But somewhere along the line, the concept of his livestreams had be overwhelming power.

    ¡°I will nowmence the overwhelming power concept once again,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    In this abyssal universe, disconnected from his world, he began a livestream for an audience of one.

    ***

    The only viewer of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s livestream was Min-Ji¡¯s universe.

    ¡°Hey, Min-Ji,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. She needed to understand what was going on a bit more precisely. ¡°I am going to embrace you, like the Guardian Tree did.¡±

    The universe was still expanding. It would growrger and eventually devour Jin-Hyeok¡¯s world.

    <i>¡®Just as the Guardian Tree covered the rift and held back the escaping power of her universe...¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. Even that had been an immense burden for the Guardian Tree, enough to almost break her mental connection with Jin-Hyeok. <i>¡®I have to embrace all of Min-Ji.¡¯</i>

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Jin-Hyeok intended to cover this entire universe with his Absolute Barrier, to suppress its devouring power. He didn¡¯t know how immense this abyss was or whether containing her universe was even possible.

    ¡°Right now, I might not be able to embrace you,¡± Jin-Hyeok said to Min-Ji.

    Min-Ji had probably grown too immense for him to hold andfort. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of size; it could be a difference in their very essence. No matter how manyyers of Absolute Barrier he surrounded her with, they could shatter instantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you have to keep watching my livestream.¡±

    What Jin-Hyeok needed now was a viewer of a different level. There was only one viewer in this world, but that one viewer was also the entire world. The entire universe had be his audience.

    [Viewer: 1]

    Eltubers were yers who grew through livestreaming, yers who drew power from the number of viewers and how active their chat room was.

    <i>¡®If I grow stronger, maybe I can embrace Min-Ji,¡¯ </i>he thought.

    A long time had passed since he had directlymunicated with his viewers through a livestream. Since the early days of his y, he had rarely done livemunication.

    <strong>[????? donated ?????]</strong>

    It had been ages since he had received a message like this. It reminded him of his first livestream.

    <strong><i>[You are able tomunicate with viewers.]</i></strong>

    <strong><i>[Chat/Donate is now allowed.]</i></strong>

    Jin-Hyeok remembered how thrilled he had been when he had received his first donation. At that moment, he didn¡¯t even have the time to consider what that donation truly meant. It was no different now.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know what Min-Ji gave me.¡¯</i>

    It could very well be something harmful. He could be the first Eltuber killed by a universe. Still, Jin-Hyeok decided to trust that one viewer.

    <i>¡®I suppose I need to use it.¡¯</i>

    It wasn¡¯t an artifact, so it had no discernible form. It was an invisible <i>something</i>. He felt like that thing was either inside his inventory or merely hovering around him. It was undoubtedly an extraordinary donation.

    <strong>[Do you want to use ??????]</strong>

    A green storm of mana engulfed Jin-Hyeok. It was an unknown power, something Broadcaster¡¯s Insight couldn¡¯t fathom. It was powerful enough to feel like a divine force.

    <strong>[You have activated the Mystery ?Expanding Universe?.]</strong>

    That one viewer had shared a part of her power with him. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes widened as he immediately deployed Absolute Barrier.

    <strong>[You have activated the Trait ?Absolute Barrier?.]</strong>

    The power of his Absolute Barrier began to envelop the entire universe.

    <i>¡®I have to be faster than the rate at which her universe expands.¡¯ </i>Only then could he halt the expansion and quell the rampage. It seemed possible to some extent. <i>¡®I think I can do it.¡¯</i>

    ***

    Min-Ji felt as though Absolute Barrier had trapped her. It was a force that protected her, embodying the affection she sensed for Jin-Hyeok. As her heart calmed, she began to see a glimmer of hope.

    <i>¡®Maybe...¡¯ </i>Perhaps she could live in the same world as Chul-Soo. She wondered if she could continue to enjoy his livestreams. However, it only took her a few minutes to realize that it was a false hope. <i>¡®No!¡¯</i>

    This seemed to be part of her mother¡¯s n all along.

    <i>¡®So, Mother wasn¡¯t trying to destroy Chul-Soo¡¯s world.¡¯</i>

    Being only a fragment of the God, Min-Ji had been unable to fully grasp the will of the God. Though she had witnessed the same things, she hadn¡¯t understood her mother. It was as though a blind person had touched only the leg of an elephant, unaware of how big the animal was.

    <i>¡®Mother¡¯s goal was Chul-Soo from the beginning!¡¯</i>

    It wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s destruction that her mother desired¡ªit was Chul-Soo¡¯s demise. The borate n, set in motion to stop Min-Ji, would ultimately destroy Chul-Soo, thus restoring the order of the universe. This was the grand design orchestrated by the entire cosmos.

    <i>¡®No!¡¯</i>

    Chul-Soo had already closed his eyes, slipping into a deep, meditative trance. He was focusing all his strength on preventing her universe¡¯s rampage.

    <i>¡®No..., I¡¯m mistaken.¡¯ </i>Upon further reflection, Min-Ji realized her mother didn¡¯t want Chul-Soo to be destroyed. The n was to imprison him in this eternal cage. The speed at which Absolute Barrier expanded mirrored the expansion of the abyssal universe. The two were now almost equal in speed, and as they continued to expand infinitely, Absolute Barrier and the universe would forever run parallel, never crossing paths.

    <i>¡®Oh...¡¯ </i>Min-Ji¡¯s consciousness began to blur. <i>¡®I can be with Chul-Soo eternally?¡¯</i>

    It didn¡¯t seem unpleasant. She liked the idea of just the two of them existing alone in a world. Perhaps that was what the Mad God of Favoritism desired most.

    <i>¡®I should resist, but...¡¯</i>

    She knew that she had to return Chul-Soo¡¯s world to as it was. Her mind understood, but her will refused to move. The mere thought of being with Chul-Soo forever left her feeling utterly powerless.

    <i>¡®Forever... together...¡¯</i>

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok had no idea how much time had passed. <i>¡®What was I doing again?¡¯</i>

    Little by little, his memories returned. He remembered why he hade to this universe and the moment he had used Absolute Barrier to stop the universe¡¯s rampage.

    <i>¡®I...¡¯</i>

    It almost felt like he had been enjoying the situation where the entire universe was his only audience. He seemed to have been intoxicated by an overwhelming sense of euphoria far greater than anything he had felt from his universe. Then, something appeared in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s consciousness.

    [Viewer: 0]

    At that moment, Jin-Hyeok snapped back to reality. The number <i>0 </i>shocked him deeply. To him, the number was unbearably cruel.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m not intense enough!¡¯ </i>he thought.

    When Jin-Hyeok awakened, Min-Ji, who had been in a deep trance with him, began to slowly regain her senses.

    <i>¡®Chul-Soo?¡¯ </i>she thought.

    The moment Min-Ji, who grew excited just at the sight of the first letter of Chul-Soo¡¯s name, felt Jin-Hyeok¡¯s consciousness, she instantly snapped back to awareness.

    [Viewer: 1]

    ¡°Min-Ji, I think I made a mistake.¡± Jin-Hyeok had believed that physicallymunicating with Min-Ji was impossible and that he shouldn¡¯t do it. ¡°But hitting someone isn¡¯t the only way to physicallymunicate.¡±

    While using Miri provided him with a certain amount of satisfaction, Taming (Physical) had nothing to do with Miri.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ve been running parallel to each other, but...,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. The endlessly expanding universes would eventually reach infinity, and between infinities, no numerical superiority could be determined. Infinity and infinity were both the same. ¡°We don¡¯t need grand abilities right now.¡±

    There was no need to wield Miri with full force anymore. He extended his hand forward.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Jin-Hyeok reached out to her universe. ¡°Take my hand.¡±

    At first, nothing happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just take my hand.¡±

    Still, there was no change.

    ¡°I can¡¯t record any other content here than the one where I activate Absolute Barrier.¡±

    This was something important for both Jin-Hyeok and Min-Ji.

    ¡°What you like is Chul-Soo the Eltuber, not Jin-Hyeok the person, right?¡±

    Min-Ji wanted to say that she liked Jin-Hyeok too, but between Chul-Soo and Jin-Hyeok, she liked the Eltuber more.

    ¡°I will make a more enjoyable livestream. Let¡¯s have more fun together.¡±

    In the empty abyssal void, tiny particles began to gather, slowly forming the shape of a translucent person. It was the personification of the universe¡ªKim Min-Ji. In this world, where she had been utterly powerless, Min-Ji had finally cracked her shell and begun to grow.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything on my own now,¡± Jin-Hyeok said. They would forever expand with each other, without ever intersecting. ¡°You¡¯re going to create this livestream with me.¡±

    If Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t grow stronger, the other party had to be weaker. If Min-Ji could muster just a bit more strength to control her rampage, Jin-Hyeok could fully embrace her.

    ¡°How does it feel to be part of the first viewer-participation livestream?¡± he smiled. The excitement of creating a livestream with the title of <i>first </i>thrilled him.

    Facing his smile, Min-Ji began to glow brightly. She gasped as if something was being pulled out of her.

    ¡°This... this is cheating,¡± Min-Ji said breathlessly.

    She could tell that this wasn¡¯t a trivial technique like Taming (Physical).

    It was an incredibly advanced form of seduction.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 473

    <h4>Chapter 473</h4>

    ¡°Take my hand,¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok said.

    The moment she heard those words, Kim Min-Ji lost her mind.

    <i>¡®Hold Chul-Soo¡¯s hand? Me? Am I allowed to enjoy such grace? No, I can¡¯t!¡¯</i>

    Her universe became chaotic. In the void that had once been empty, foreign elements began to gather.

    <i>¡®I am Chul-Soo Land No.1!¡¯</i>

    As the official number one fan of Chul-Soo Land, she could never break the cardinal rule and engage in direct physical contact with Chul-Soo. That would be a disgrace to Chul-Soo Land.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    However, Min-Ji found it hard to resist. Before that beautiful face, beautiful smile, and the warm hand extended to her, not to mention that taming Skill, she began to rationalize that no one in Chul-Soo Land could resist this.

    <i>¡®Could this be Chul-Soo¡¯s fault? N-No! What am I thinking? He would never do anything wrong. But maybe if he did something wrong, maybe I can take his hand... That would break Chul-Soo Land¡¯sw! But this is his fault, isn¡¯t it? No, no! I need to stop thinking like this!¡¯</i>

    More and more foreign thoughts began to creep in. Dust gathered in her void of a universe and soon turned into twinkling stars.

    Finally, Min-Ji gasped and spoke, as if she were struggling to breathe. ¡°This... this is cheating.¡±

    There was nothing she could do. Since someone had vited the rules, she had no choice but to react. Just like how an ambnce carrying a critically ill patient sometimes had to break trafficws, she was forced to break thews of Chul-Soo Land. She had fallen victim to Chul-Soo¡¯s charm.

    ¡°No way...¡± Jin-Hyeok said. <i>¡®Have I just seeded in using a seduction technique?¡¯ </i>

    He had always found it difficult to seduce someone, but somehow, the technique had worked on Min-Ji. This time, something was different. It didn¡¯t feel awkward or embarrassing at all; he wondered whether this had happened because his sincerity was genuine.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You <i>did </i>use a seduction technique. This is unfair!¡± Min-Ji said.

    ¡°So, I <i>did </i>use a seduction technique, huh,¡± Jin-Hyeok muttered. He had grown once more. A grin made its way to his face. ¡°If you can just slow down your expansion a little bit, I will embrace you, somehow.¡±

    ***

    Covering the universe with his Absolute Barrier was no easy task.

    <i>¡®If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve leveled up more.¡¯ </i>With his physical Level of 700, it was nearly impossible for Jin-Hyeok to manage this. He estimated that if he had reached Level 800, the process would have been easier. <i>¡®I¡¯m still too weak.¡¯</i>

    Faced with the vastness of the universe, his strength was still too insignificant. He wanted to copse and give up on everything, but he couldn¡¯t.

    [Viewer: 1]

    The universe was watching his livestream. Though the <i>quality </i>of the viewer was immense, the <i>quantity </i>was shockingly low.

    <i>¡®I didn¡¯t know having a low viewer count could shock me this much.¡¯ </i>Even though the universe was the only viewer, the number of viewers being <i>one </i>bothered him deeply. Somehow, the loneliness of that single number kept him going.

    Min-Ji, who had been sitting cross-legged beside him, bit her lip in frustration.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re so cruel, Mother!¡¯ </i>Her mother¡¯s ns were despicable. She felt like she were a puppet dancing in her mother¡¯s palm, and it infuriated her even more. <i>¡®I will show you that you can¡¯t always have it your way, Mother!¡¯</i>

    She needed to slow the universe¡¯s expansion. To do that, she focused deeply. While Jin-Hyeok¡¯s drive came from the <i>viewer count</i>, Min-Ji¡¯s motivation was rebellion.

    <i>¡®Things won¡¯t go your way, Mother. I¡¯m a teenager, after all!¡¯</i>

    She suddenly stood up as if she were making a resolution. ¡°I also have a ck me Dragon within me!¡±

    Every Chul-Soo Lander harbored a ck me Dragon deep inside. Even though his recent livestreams had be overly mainstream and he rarely showcased his ck me Dragon, every true Chul-Soo Lander still carried a coiled ck me Dragon in their hearts.

    Min-Ji shot up.

    <i>¡®I will show her the height of rebellion!¡¯ </i>If she stayed still, she would never escape her mother¡¯s n. She needed a special momentum to break free. <i>¡®I can do this too!¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

    <i>¡®Min-Ji is about to do something.¡¯ </i>Though he didn¡¯t know exactly what that was, he could feel the intensity of her determination. <i>¡®Do whatever you want, Min-Ji.¡¯</i>

    He felt her approach. Upon closer inspection, he saw that her eyes were tightly shut.

    ***

    Min-Ji decided to engage in the ultimate act of rebellion she could muster. To shake her mother¡¯s n, she had to rattle her mother¡¯s resolve.

    <i>¡®I will have to be more affectionate with Chul-Soo!¡¯</i>

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Fueled by teenage rebellion and blind devotion, Min-Ji shut her eyes tightly and pursed her lips. Like a malfunctioning rhinoceros, she charged straight at Jin-Hyeok.

    However, the result didn¡¯t quite match the intensity of her momentum.

    <i>¡®Just a hug?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    He had thought she would crash into him with a kiss, but instead, she drastically slowed down right before him, barely managing to slip her arms around him. Even that hugsted only two seconds at best.

    ¡°Eek!¡± Min-Ji squealed aloud and scurried back several dozen steps. Then, as if trying to prove something to an unseen audience, she shouted, ¡°Did you see that? This is my ck me Dragon!¡±

    At that instant, the expansion of the universe slowed down. Being a fragment of the God, Min-Ji could sense that her mother was taken aback.

    <i>¡®Since even I can feel this... it means Mother must be feeling something intense!¡¯ </i>Min-Ji thought. Or rather, it was more urate to say that Min-Ji¡¯stent power had unleashed itself, like how mothers sometimes disyed superhuman strength to save their children. In this extreme situation, Min-Ji had tapped into a simr power to save Chul-Soo.

    ¡°Now is our chance, Chul-Soo!¡± she shouted.

    Jin-Hyeok, focusing all his energy on expanding Absolute Barrier to cover her universe, walked toward her. Each time he took a step, Min-Ji retreated a bit, but his strides were much longer than hers.

    ¡°Huh? Chul-Soo? What are yo¡ª¡±

    Jin-Hyeok pulled her into a tight embrace.

    Min-Ji trembled as though she had been struck by lightning, and then she went limp.

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    The strength drained from her. Her vision blurred, and the world began to spin.

    <i>¡®The other Chul-Soo Landers are going to scold me for this...¡¯ </i>she thought.

    Min-Ji could feel that her power was weakening. To be more precise, Jin-Hyeok¡¯s power waspletely overwhelming her.

    <i>¡®So, this is what it feels like,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought. The seduction technique was more effective in more ways than one. <i>¡®Min-Ji is getting weaker.¡¯</i>

    Min-Ji¡¯s influence had diminished. Jin-Hyeok instinctively realized that this was a more advanced form of seduction technique than mere words. A seduction technique that involved physical touch was undeniably powerful.

    <i>¡®And I¡¯m getting stronger.¡¯</i>

    This was all thanks to Min-Ji. Having someone in the world who loved him this much filled him with gratitude, which strengthened him even more.

    <i>¡®I can feel it. Min-Ji is truly in my arms.¡¯</i>

    The universe had taken on a physical form, and that form was Min-Ji. As he enveloped the universe with his Absolute Barrier, he simultaneously enveloped her with his arms. This physical contact was ying a crucial role in slowing the universe¡¯s expansion.

    <i>¡®The expansion of the universe is slowing down!¡¯</i>

    The foreign substances that had appeared in the universe collided and exploded, consuming its energy. Particrly after Jin-Hyeok embraced Min-Ji, massive stars akin to suns began exploding continuously. Light filled the space, and cosmic storms surged.

    <strong>[You have activated the Achievement effect ?Dimensional Synchronization?.]</strong>

    With Min-Ji in his arms, Jin-Hyeok used Dimensional Synchronization, allowing the universe¡¯s explosions and the scattering fragments of stars to pass through effortlessly.

    <strong>[The ?Quill of Records? begins to record the great footsteps of ?Kim Chul-Soo?.]</strong>

    ***

    Three hundred days had passed since Chul-Soo had gone missing. What had initially been a hot topic that captivated the entire universe had now significantly lost its momentum. Though numerous members of the K-Force and Chul-Soo Landers continued searching for Jin-Hyeok¡¯s whereabouts, no one had been able to find him. The GMs who had fled returned to Earth, and life on Earth resumed its usual, peaceful routine.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be some monsters left on Earth?¡±

    ¡°I like being safe, but this feels a bit too extreme.¡±

    This was all because of the Seoul Guardian Tree. After its mental connection with Chul-Soo had been severed, the Guardian Tree had gone on a rampage, wiping out every monster left on Earth. From the smallest slime monsters to thergest beast monsters, nothing remained.

    -¡°I am still hungry!¡±

    The only satisfaction the Guardian Tree found was in killing monsters.

    -¡°Die! Die! Die!¡±

    For a moment, the Guardian Tree almost attacked humans. Chul-Soo¡¯s absence had corrupted the Guardian Tree¡¯s mind, causing it to be increasingly unstable.

    <i>¡®This isn¡¯t right...¡¯ </i>Golden tears dripped from the Guardian Tree¡¯s branches. <i>¡®Am I losing my mind?¡¯</i>

    It couldn¡¯t believe that it had nearly attacked humans. This wasn¡¯t right, it knew, but the impulse and desire were bing increasingly difficult to resist. Since Earth had seven billion people, that meant it could smash seven billion heads.

    The Guardian Tree reached out to Elines for help.

    -¡°Burn me. If things continue this way, I fear I will be a true monster.¡±

    However, Elines no longer had the power to burn the Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®I think only Dad can kill you, but there is no Spirit Mage who can summon him,¡¯ </i>Elines said telepathically.

    -¡°I heard Park Terse seeded in summoning Alkinas.¡±

    <i>¡®But he¡¯s still too weak to fully draw out Dad¡¯s power...¡¯</i>

    The problem was that Earth didn¡¯t have a fire strong enough to burn the Guardian Tree. However, there was another aspect crucial to Elines.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t want to burn you, Guardian Tree.¡¯</i>

    Elines had no desire to set the Guardian Tree aze.

    -¡°If you don¡¯t stop me, Earth¡¯s civilization will fall.¡±

    Even now, the Guardian Tree was barely suppressing its murderous urges. The Guardian Tree didn¡¯t know if it could stop itself or would crave even more destruction if those urges broke free.

    <i>¡®I would definitely crave more,¡¯ </i>the Guardian Tree thought. It felt as though it would want to destroy Earth itself, endlessly seeking more intense stimtion.

    -¡°In the end, I would devour the entire...¡±

    It could foresee a terrifying future, seeing an image of itself,pletely corrupted, destroying other Servers one by one.

    -¡°Perhaps I¡¯m the Final Abyss. Please, stop me now.¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 474

    <h4>Chapter 474</h4>

    Elines felt an ache in her heart. Since she had once been mentally connected to Kim Chul-Soo, she could empathize with the Guardian Tree¡¯s suffering.

    <i>¡®We will find a way. We can purify you. Don¡¯t worry. There is always a way,¡¯ </i>Elines said telepathically.

    -¡°No, there isn¡¯t.¡±

    The Guardian Tree could feel it¡ªthe deep corruption and the abyss inside its mind. Not even the Saint of Freedom could heal it, and no potion could purify it.

    -¡°Even the Chul-Soo Potion can¡¯t heal me.¡±

    <i>¡®...¡¯</i>

    -¡°Even if someone found a way to cure me, it would be toote by then.¡±

    The Guardian Tree was certain of one thing: only death could bring it peace. This corruption could never be purified. It was a hope long abandoned unless Chul-Soo returned and consumed the Guardian Tree with even greater madness. Or perhaps, if those soft gentle hands of Chul-Soo tamed it once more, this rampage would stop.

    Then, the Guardian Tree heard a voice.

    ¡°Hey, Guardian Tree.¡±

    At that moment, golden light exploded from the Guardian Tree. The severed mental connection had begun to rejuvenate.

    <strong>[You have activated the Skill ?Taming (Physical)?.]</strong>

    Cha Jin-Hyeok stroked the Guardian Tree. His kind voice wrapped around the tree. ¡°You¡¯ve waited a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The deep abyss and darkness within the Guardian Tree were dealt with.

    -¡°Where have you been...?¡±

    The entire sky of Earth turned golden, and trumpet-shaped clouds moved as if they were ying. Tens of thousands of rainbows appeared all over the world.

    ***

    Jin-Hyeok secretly returned home. His house had been left unattended for several months, and it looked as though no one had lived there. Cobwebs hung in the corners, and dust had piled up everywhere.

    ¡°Hm...¡± Elines awkwardly snapped her fingers. Suddenly, mes roared up, burning all the dust away. This was a Skill she had practiced while dreaming of a happy married life with Jin-Hyeok. ¡°Jin-Sol Unnie seems to be obsessed with space exploration...¡±

    After Chul-Soo¡¯s disappearance, Cha Jin-Sol was not in her right mind. She had been living intensely every day, challenging extreme environments alongside the K-Force members.

    ¡°And my parents?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°Your mother and father...¡± Elines conjured mes that formed a screen in the air. It disyed the spot where Choi Gap-Soo¡¯s workshop used to be in Cheongdam-dong. The workshop waspletely gone now, leaving behind only an empty plot ofnd with a small tent. ¡°They¡¯ve been staying there.¡±

    ¡°...¡± There was no need for many words. Jin-Hyeok understood what was going on. <i>¡®They should¡¯ve just enjoyed traveling around the world like they used to.¡¯</i>

    A bearded man stepped out of the tent, holding a sign around his neck.

    [Please, find my son.]

    Though public interest in Chul-Soo¡¯s disappearance had faded, his parents¡¯ time had stopped three hundred days ago¡ªthe very day Chul-Soo had disappeared.

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be too inconvenienced though. The MK Foundation and Gap-Soo have been helping them... The Guardian Tree has also been taking care of them diligently,¡± Elines said.

    Even amidst its rampage, the Guardian Tree had done its best to protect Chul-Soo¡¯s parents. It tirelessly monitored them, ensuring that no suspicious individuals approached them, and if anyone suspicious came close, the Guardian Tree knocked them out cold with a blow to the back of their heads. That was why, even while they were living like that, nothing serious had happened to his parents. However, since they were not eating or drinking properly, they had grown weak.

    <i>¡®Hm... if I go to them now, they will probably pass out.¡¯ </i>Now that he had confirmed his parents¡¯ safety, he needed to approach them in a less shocking way. Jin-Hyeok picked up his phone for the first time in a while. <i>¡®It feels like ages ago.¡¯</i>

    Though three hundred days had passed in this world, the time he had spent in the universe with Kim Min-Ji felt much longer. No human senses couldprehend that passage of time. He had felt as though he had drifted through eternity. So, using a phone felt strangely unfamiliar.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she answering?¡± Jin-Hyeok sighed. ¡°Hey, Elines, do you know where Jin-Sol is?¡±

    ¡°Maybe Mole Woman or Lessefim would know,¡± Elines replied.

    ***

    Mole Woman and Lessefim had formed the most intense rivalry in the universe. People always said the best driving force for growth was having a rival. The two constantly vied for the top spot, each overtaking the other in turn as they grew rapidly. If someone had to name the best Navigator in the universe, more often than not, they would mention either Mole Woman or Lessefim. Both of them enjoyed exploring the unknown regions of space alongside the members of the K-Force.

    ¡°Tch, I¡¯m way cuter than her,¡± Lessefim said. She plopped down on the desk, frustrated, unable to understand why she hadn¡¯t been chosen to explore space alongside Mole Woman, even though she was far cuter. Even though Mole Woman had been selected by drawing lots, Lessefim still felt it was unfair.

    ¡°She must have mastered a weird lottery technique!¡± Lessefim muttered. No other method could exin why Mole Woman had been chosen for three consecutive expeditions. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. She definitely learned some tricks.¡±

    Since Chul-Soo had be a yer, the boundaries between Jobs had blurred. A notable example was the incident where the Tamer Park Terse had made a contract with the Spirit King of Fire, Alkinas. Anyway, this was the dawn of a new era where even Navigators were mastering lottery techniques.

    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll ask them to do rock-paper-scissors instead of drawing lots.¡±

    Other parties just didn¡¯t measure up to Lessefim¡¯s standards. As a ranker of her caliber, she needed to grow alongside the K-Force. Just then, she received a call from someone, and the contact¡¯s name popped up on her phone.

    [?]

    Lessefim¡¯s eyes widened. She had saved only two people in her contacts as [?]. One was a seller of the most delicious acorns from the Noldran Mountains, and the other was Chul-Soo. Either way, the call made her heart flutter.

    She picked up the call. ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡ªLessefim, it¡¯s me.

    The moment she heard the voice, she bolted away from her phone, which was about the same size as her. Currently, she was living in a miniaturized state.

    ¡°N-No way!¡± She hurried back, grabbing the phone and raising it high. ¡°Is it really you, Chul-Soo?¡±

    After a brief conversation with Chul-Soo, Lessefim grinned widely. She excitedly yelled, ¡°As expected, the chosen Navigator is me, Mole Woman! You¡¯re just a side dish!¡±

    Jin-Hyeok set out to find his sister with Lessefim by his side.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ***

    Lessefim knew where Jin-Sol and her party were. Surprisingly, they were still on Earth.

    ¡°They¡¯re investigating a rift. One was discovered in South America,¡± Lessefim exined. A rift was an unstable passage connecting to another dimension, which wasn¡¯t an official System Server but an unknown world. ¡°They call the ce inside the Otherworld, and the K-Force is the leading team exploring it.¡±

    The difficulty of the Otherworld varied greatly. Some ces were weak, while others were incredibly dangerous. Some environments werepletely uninhabitable, while others were more fertile than Arvis. Some dimensions had no natives, while others teemed with powerful mythical beasts.

    <i>¡®I guess something new popped up while I was gone,¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok thought.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you contact your parents first?¡± Lessefim asked, seemingly recalling something.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they might faint if I call directly. It would be better to bring Jin-Sol with me when I visit them. They¡¯re probably worried about her too, right? I need to get her,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied. For some reason, his exnation went on for a while, almost as if he were making excuses. ¡°Besides, they are safe for now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re rambling.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wasn¡¯t worried because just about every powerful figure in the universe was currently protecting his parents. Not only was the Guardian Tree watching over them, but even the Emperor of the Swedeen Empire regrly patrolled the area, so there was no real danger. Still, he wasn¡¯t confident. The thought of how much his parents must have suffered tore at his heart. He didn¡¯t feel ready to face them just yet; he needed just a bit more time.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, you...¡± Lessefim looked at Jin-Hyeok in astonishment. ¡°You¡¯ve really learned how to understand people¡¯s emotions, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Sitting on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder, Lessefim stroked her chin, making small humming noises.

    ¡°You¡¯ve be more charming.¡± She then whispered into his ear, ¡°If you marry me, we could have the cutest kids in the whole universe, Chul-Soo.¡±

    ***

    Jin-Sol always explored the Otherworld as if today were herst. It felt like life had no meaning otherwise. Perhaps, today truly could be the end.

    ¡°What kind of monster is that?¡± Jin-Sol muttered. Rather than fear, she felt awe. The ferocious Fire Dragon Julius had been an enormous beast, but the creature before her was on an entirely different level. ¡°So, this is just a single w...¡±

    Just a w was the size of a massive mountain. All she could see was the monster¡¯s ankle, stretching upward into the sky. Every step the monster took caused the earth to tremble. This was thergest monster she had ever encountered. It was clearly not meant to be hunted.

    This monster seemed to have no intention of letting the intruders from the Otherworld go.

    ¡°I have never permitted you intruders toe here,¡± a thunderous voice boomed.

    Even though the yers were smaller than specks of dust from its perspective, the monster seemed to have detected every one of them.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Mok Jae-Hyeon, Earth¡¯s proud Tank, froze. His legs turned to stone. At that instant, everyone realized that no one could face this monster.

    Even Seo Ji-Ah and Seo Ji-Soo, the sibling duo famed for their stealth, had frozen in the air, as if they had been suspended and preserved in the sky. Jin-Sol knew this would be her final moment.

    ¡°Still, it was fun while itsted,¡± she said. ying had always been about living with death close by. She had lived true to the essence of a yer, so she had no regrets.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Just then, she felt a jolt to her head.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± she yelled. Then, something felt off. <i>¡®Why am I not dead?¡¯</i>

    Pain radiated from her head, and she heard a familiar voice.

    ¡°Hey, Dimension Conqueror.¡±

    ¡°O...Oppa?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok let out a deep sigh. He was already at a loss for how to scold his reckless sister. It seemed she needed a proper, serious reprimand.

    ¡°Sorry for intruding on your world. Could you let this one slide?¡± he asked the monster.

    There was no reply. Instead, the massive leg of the beast rose, as if it were preparing to stomp down and crush everything. Its foot blocked out the entire sky. If the foot came down, it would tten every living being here like dried fish.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Jin-Sol flinched. Instead ofing down, the foot was retreating. <i>¡®No way... is it running away?¡¯</i>

    The monster had definitely fled. Jin-Hyeok awkwardly scratched his temple and said, ¡°Maybe I should have used my taming Skill or seduction technique...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok wondered if his approach had been too ordinary. However, that wasn¡¯t important right now.

    ¡°Chul-Soo!¡±

    ¡°Chul-Soo Oppa!¡±

    ¡°Hyung!¡±

    After reuniting with the K-Force members in an emotional moment, Jin-Hyeok grabbed Jin-Sol by the ear and pulled her aside. ¡°If I¡¯m not around, <i>you</i> should be looking after Mom and Dad! What are you even doing here?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, what am I doing?! I¡¯m ying intensely!¡±

    ¡°Is this the right kind of intensity?¡±

    Jin-Hyeok considered smacking her again but held back. He was just happy to see his sister after so long.

    Jin-Sol flinched again. ¡°Huh...?¡±

    She was even more shocked than when the giant monster had fled. To her surprise, tears had welled up in Jin-Hyeok¡¯s eyes. When she saw her brother, who had learned to understand emotions, tears welled up in her eyes as well.

    She had met her brother, who she had longed to see, after three hundred days, and she greeted him with love. ¡°Hey, Oppa, are you seriously crying?¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 475

    <h4>Chapter 475</h4>

    ¡°You¡¯re just asking for a beating, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cha Jin-Hyeok tapped his younger sister on the head.

    Cha Jin-Sol screamed dramatically, ¡°You¡¯re the one who should get a beating, not me!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I really thought I was going to die...¡± Her eyes welled up with tears, and she began to sob.

    ¡°If you y intensely, there is a chance that you might die, right?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°See? Why do you have such ridiculous beliefs?¡±

    Jin-Sol fell silent. She realized that she had always believed dying while ying was inevitable. But now, her perspective had changed. It wasn¡¯t as natural as she once thought. There was something beyond just the intensity, something she hadn¡¯t seen before when she was focused on being intense.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Mom and Dad,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°Well... we do need to go back, but...¡± Jin-Sol was hesitant.

    At that moment, Mole Woman, who had been waiting for the right opportunity, interrupted them.

    ¡°This is the Otherworld, moly. You can¡¯t just return whenever you feel like it, moly!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t go back?¡± Jin-Hyeok asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, moly! Depending on the type of Otherworld, the rules vary, but in this one, you need to defeat the king of this world and use the Mana Stone you obtain to create a rift that leads back to Earth, moly!¡±

    Mole Woman¡¯s gaze shifted toward Lessefim. <i>¡®How dare you crawl all the way here after losing the bet?! And with Chul-Soo, no less! You¡¯re such a shameless and audacious rival! Do you think being cute makes everything okay?¡¯ </i>

    Feeling the intensity of Mole Woman¡¯s re, Lessefim clicked her tongue. ¡°That¡¯s your method, Mole Woman.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about, Lessefim?! We¡¯ve always explored Otherworlds the same way, moly!¡±

    ¡°That was during thest expedition. I¡¯ve grown far beyond that. I¡¯m on a whole different level now.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok noticed something strange. <i>¡®She can pronounce everything correctly after all.¡¯</i>

    As soon as Lessefim knew that Chul-Soo realized this, she started speaking cutely again. ¡°I met Chul-Soo! He gave me great inspiration.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, inspiration, my ass,¡± Mole Woman replied. She thought Lessefim was bluffing again.

    Still sitting on Jin-Hyeok¡¯s shoulder, Lessefim continued, ¡°The optimal method for escaping the Otherworld!¡±

    Even the K-Force members were listening intently. Despite thinking that Lessefim was just bluffing, Mole Woman also gulped and perked up her ears.

    ¡°Chul-Soo, if you could do the honor,¡± Lessefim said.

    Mole Woman was slightly disappointed. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, moly?¡±

    Mole Woman knew that Chul-Soo was undoubtedly a man of great power, possibly the strongest in the universe, but this was a different matter entirely. If someone was the best chef in the world, it did not mean they were also the best gardener. Moreover, Chul-Soo had just barely escaped the Final Abyss after being devoured by it. So, there was no way that he could get them out of the Otherworld easily.

    ¡°I know Chul-Soo is powerful, but this is a different issue. What are you going to say next, that Park Terse is a fantastic Navigator, too, moly?¡± Mole Woman said.

    ¡°You¡¯re losing your touch, Mole Woman,¡± Lessefim replied.

    Jin-Hyeok, who had been quietly observing them, had to focus on regaining a sense of reality. Only three hundred days had passed by in this ce, but he had drifted through the other universe for so long that it had be hard for him to distinguish between what made sense and what didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Um...¡± After organizing his thoughts, when he looked back on things, it started to be clear. What Lessefim had said seemed like a reasonable course of action. ¡°Don¡¯t we just need to create a rift?¡±

    He raised Miri and struck the Otherworld.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    He had tamed worlds before and wrapped an entire universe with Absolute Barrier, so creating a rift was not a big deal.

    Mole Woman desperately shouted, ¡°No, moly! If you forcefully create a rift like that, the energy from this world will spill into Earth and cause all sorts of disasters, moly!¡±

    She red at Lessefim with a look full of resentment, unable to believe that Lessefim had let Chul-Soo make such a careless mistake while knowing what was about to happen. If the energy of the Otherworld escaped from the rift and reached Earth, it would lead to droughts, floods, and gues that would surround the entire Earth¡¯s civilization.

    Even some monsters had escaped from the rift before, though thanks to the Guardian Tree, the damage had been minimal.

    Having spent so long in space, Jin-Hyeok tilted his head. ¡°Can¡¯t I just block the energy spilling to prevent that power from escaping from this world?¡±

    If he sealed it properly with Absolute Barrier, there would be no problem. He didn¡¯t know why Mole Woman was acting so seriously and wondered if she was putting on an act.

    <i>¡®Ah... does she think I¡¯m livestreaming right now?¡¯</i>

    Jin-Hyeok felt a bit remorseful. He hadn¡¯t noticed hisrades¡¯ intent. Mole Woman was far more professional than he was. She definitely had the perfect talent for livestreaming.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Earth,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ***

    When Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother saw him and Jin-Sol, she fainted on the spot. The Guardian Tree used its power to gentlyy her down so that she wouldn¡¯t get hurt, and the Healers from the MK Foundation, who were waiting at the side, immediately used their healing magic over her.

    ¡°My spells are not working on her...!¡±

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ¡°She¡¯s not responding to the treatment.¡±

    Although Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother had some physical issues, it was the psychological impact that had made her faint. Her mind had be so fragile over the years, always on the verge of copsing. She had held on, worrying about her missing son and daughter, but now, the wave of shock had washed everything away.

    ¡°Only time can help her gain her consciousness,¡± one of the Healers said.

    Jin-Sol lifted her mother into her arms.

    ¡°No matter how powerful Saint of Freedom is, she can¡¯t heal her,¡± another Healer added.

    ¡°I bet the Saint of Freedom won¡¯t be able to exert her full strength on her.¡±

    The Healers looked on sympathetically. Her mother¡¯s life wasn¡¯t in danger, but it would take at least a few months of rest before she could return to her normal condition.

    Jin-Sol gently poured some Chul-Soo Potion into her mother¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°But we also used Chul-Soo Potion, and it didn¡¯t have any effect,¡± the Healer said.

    ¡°I guess the Saint of Freedom isn¡¯t in her right mind right now.¡±

    Even though Chul-Soo Potion couldn¡¯t restore apletely shattered mind, no one could mock Jin-Sol¡¯s earnest attempt to do something for her mother.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    After drinking the potion, their mother slowly opened her eyes. Then, with more energy than she had shown in years, she screamed at the top of her lungs, ¡°Cha Jin-Hyeok!! Cha Jin-Sol!!¡±

    The Healers exchanged confused gazes.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Her skin even looks healthier than before!¡±

    The potion made from the blood of Jin-Hyeok after he had surpassed Level 700 was iparable to its previous versions.

    ¡°She¡¯s starting to regain her color!¡± a Healer eximed.

    ¡°How is that... possible?¡±

    Although the Healers couldn¡¯t believe what was going on, the results were undeniable. Their eyes lit up with newfound determination. This was the path Healers had to strive for¡ªtheir ideal future.

    Chul-Soo had shown them the way.

    ¡°If we push ourselves, we can reach that level.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s work even harder!¡±

    ***

    As always, their father¡¯s greeting was brief.

    ¡°Have you guys eaten?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Dad!!!¡± Jin-Sol, with a heart full of guilt, threw herself into her father¡¯s arms. She apologized profusely, exining how she hadn¡¯t been in her right mind and had caused him to worry. As she kept saying sorry, her father smiled gently.

    ¡°No need to apologize. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s sorry for not being able to take better care of you,¡± he said. Though he was smiling, his eyes were slightly bloodshot.

    <i>¡®Dad...¡¯ </i>It had been a long time since Jin-Hyeok had seen his father, and his father had grown noticeably thinner. His once-thick hair was now streaked with white, and his face was etched with deep wrinkles. <i>¡®He¡¯s gotten old.¡¯</i>

    The years of hardship had taken a toll on him. His father, who had always had a full head of hair, was now balding to the point where his scalp was visible. Feeling awkward, Jin-Hyeok approached him and handed him a potion. ¡°Dad, you should drink this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you take it.¡±

    <i>¡®As long as you¡¯re healthy, that¡¯s enough for me.¡¯ </i>His father didn¡¯t seem particrly interested in the potion.

    ¡°I have plenty. I already gave one to Jin-So. There is more than enough, so please take one,¡± Jin-Hyeok said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Then, a miracle happened.

    A Healer next to Chul-Soo saw a new future and hope unfold before him. This Healer had been bald ever since he was born and was nicknamed Baldy.

    ¡°His hair... his hair is growing back! Humanity has evolved!¡± Baldy raised his hands in the air, forgetting all embarrassment. ¡°A new era has dawned!¡±

    ***

    Riding atop the Thunder Dragon, Jin-Sol asked, ¡°Oppa, why isn¡¯t anyone looking at us? We¡¯re literally riding a Thunder Dragon.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve activated Absolute Barrier,¡± Jin-Hyeok replied.

    Jin-Sol was a bit confused. From what she knew, Absolute Barrier was a defensive barrier. She didn¡¯t know that it could block even their presence. Though she didn¡¯t fully understand, she decided to let it go. ¡°Okay... I see.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Now that she realized, aside from a few Healers and the nearby yers from the MK Foundation, no one seemed particrly surprised by Jin-Hyeok¡¯s appearance. <i>¡®They¡¯re not paying attention to us at all.¡¯</i>

    This also seemed to be the power of Absolute Barrier. Though she didn¡¯t understand itpletely, she felt like they had somehow separated from the world¡ªas though they were in a different realm altogether.

    ¡°Is this also because of Absolute Barrier? Like the world¡¯s been cut off from the rest?¡± Jin-Sol asked.

    ¡°No, this is the power of Omnipotent Director.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see...¡±

    In truth, whether it was Absolute Barrier or Omnipotent Director didn¡¯t matter much. Jin-Sol had given up trying to understand her brother through ordinary logic. She decided it was better for her mental health to just ept things as they were.

    When they returned home, however, Jin-Sol was taken aback.

    ¡°Elines?¡± she said, surprised.

    Standing in front of them was Elines, in human form, wearing an apron and mask made of fire. Bowing politely in front of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s parents, Elines smiled sweetly. ¡°Wee back!¡±

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    ¡°Um...¡±

    Jin-Hyeok¡¯s parents were understandably flustered, but Elines beamed brightly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve purified the house with the cleansing me,¡± Elines said. She had burned away all impurities to purify the ce. Then, Elines turned her gaze toward Jin-Hyeok. ¡°You too, my dear husband, wee home.¡±

    Jin-Hyeok was momentarily speechless. He had no idea where Elines could have picked up such old-fashioned mannerisms. It seemed like she had learned something entirely wrong.

    <i>¡®Well, I will just let it slide for now.¡¯ </i>Since his parents had all been through so much, he decided to let things be for a while, even if the Fire Spirit before them was acting strange. After all, this was all his fault, in a way.

    ¡°Elines, do you even know what <i>husband </i>means?¡± Jin-Sol asked cautiously.

    ¡°I think... it means someone you rely on and are always with...¡± Elines trailed off. Despite her enthusiasm and energy, she was stillcking in knowledge and had clearly learned some things incorrectly. It wasn¡¯t long before the culprit behind her faulty teachings revealed itself.

    ¡°Mother, Father, you¡¯re here!¡±

    A woman, dressed in a beautifully traditional hanbok[1], bowed. Jin-Hyeok couldn¡¯t help but let out a bewilderedugh. The woman standing before them, in human form, was clearly the Guardian Tree.

    <i>¡®The Guardian Tree always had odd speech patterns, but where did she pick up these old-fashioned manners and etiquette?¡¯ </i>Jin-Hyeok wondered.

    It seemed like the Guardian Tree had referenced historical television shows or some old novels for her behavior. The references were all wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering who I am. I¡¯m Leafy,¡± the Guardian Tree said.

    The faces of Jin-Hyeok¡¯s parents brightened.

    ¡°Leafy? You¡¯re Leafy?¡±

    ¡°Hm..., so you¡¯re Leafy...¡±

    Their parents seemed quite familiar with Leafy. They mentioned how, back when they were camping in Cheongdam-dong, a leaf fairy hade by every day to keep thempany.

    ¡°Yes, Mother, Father, I visited every day to check on you, worried you might feel lonely. I¡¯m so d you remember me,¡± Leafy said.

    Just as Kim Min-Ji¡¯s universe had manifested in human form, so had the Guardian Tree. Jin-Hyeok¡¯s mother seemed especially fond of Leafy.

    ¡°You are so polite and well-mannered,¡± the mother said.

    ¡°I¡¯m delighted to hear you say that,¡± Leafy replied. She bowed once again, smiling victoriously. <i>¡®Do you see this, Elines? You¡¯re no match for me. Just being good at cleaning doesn¡¯t mean you canpete with me!¡¯</i>

    When Elines felt Leafy¡¯s smugness, her fiery apron shook furiously.

    1. Hanbok is traditional clothing of the Korean people. ?

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!