《Reincarnator’s Stream》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°In the end, the winner will always be Lee Su-hyeok.¡± ¡®Our Hyeok¡¯, ¡®Light Su-hyeok¡¯, ¡®Great Su-hyeok¡¯, ¡®King Su-hyeok¡¯, etc¡­ Su-hyeok had many embarrassing nicknames, all meant to praise his brilliant achievements and contributions. Earth, Murim, Rerra, Elfrado, Tucan¡­ people from all sorts of worlds gathered at the tower. Among the yers from Earth, who were notably less capable, was one outstanding individual. ¨C Lee Su-hyeok¡­ is he a god?! Is he a god?! Is he a god¡­? ¨C Mom, I want to be Lee Su-hyeok when I grow up. Mom, I want to be Lee Su-hyeok when I grow up. Mom, I want to be Lee Su-hyeok when I grow up¡­ ¨C He tore thepetition apart! ¨C What an unimaginable being!! ¨C (Sound of someone taking off their underwear and screaming). ¨C Earth is something else. ¨C Calm down with that nonsense. It¡¯s just Lee Su-hyeok who¡¯s awesome. ¨C Still, his followers are no joke. The members of Blue Eyes are on an entirely different level. Su-hyeok had never lost in the interworldpetition. He was the strongest yer and the undefeated legend of Blue Eyes. Unfortunately, that legend was fading along with the rest of Blue Eyes. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to die¡­¡± Su-hyeok muttered beneath his half-broken mask as he leaned against the wall. How many spears and knives were sticking out of his body? He¡¯d lost so much blood that it was hard for him to stay awake. ¡®These bastards¡­¡¯ He looked around and saw corpses lying on the ground. Most were the corpses of his enemies, but some were the lifeless bodies of the Blue Eyes Guild¡¯s members. They were the people who¡¯d climbed the tower with him and some of the few he could call ¡®friends¡¯. ¡®You guys should have escaped when I told you to. Why did you have to be so stubborn?¡¯ Su-hyeok called out their names inwardly, one by one. ¡®MinJae¡­¡¯ He saw a corpse that¡¯d probably been hit by magic with a hole in his chest the size of a human head. ¡®Suhun¡­?¡¯ Another man had died with his eyes wide open in a kneeling position with both of his arms cut off. Finally¡­ ¡®JiYeong¡­¡¯ His gaze rested on the body of the man who¡¯d stepped in front of him, took a flying sword for him, and died. Blood seeped out of the wound carved into his back. ¡°Did I ever tell you guys to die like this? You fools.¡± Three were dead, and four others were just barely clinging to life. Of the four, two didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d survive unless given immediate treatment. ¡®Can I save them¡­??¡¯ he asked himself as he red from behind his mask at the culprits of the incident. The Murim Alliance was, as the name suggested, arge alliance of Murim yers. Famous guilds such as the Namgung n, the Sacheon n, and Huashan were all part of it. Most yers within the Murim Alliance kept their affiliations or identities unknown, though. Above all, the ones he hated the most among them were¡­ ¡®Blue Zone and Kim Ilsu.¡¯ The Blue Zone Guild was a long-time ally of the Blue Eyes Guild and had participated in the hydra raid with them. Instead of helping, though, they¡¯d ambushed Su-hyeok after the hydra poisoned him. ¡®They were nning this from the beginning. No one will suspect anything if they say there was an ident during the hydra raid.¡¯ Su-hyeok nced back at the wall he had his back to. The solid ck scales of the 8th-floor dungeon¡¯s ¡®Poison Dragon Hydra¡¯ made a good resting ce. He was still surprised he¡¯d been able to break through its scales. It was amon belief that the monster was impossible to raid, and he¡¯d only defeated it through great effort and the assistance of the Blue Eyes Guild. If he managed to live and leave the dungeon, everyone would say, ¡°As expected of Lee Su-hyeok, the ¡®Master of Lightning¡¯.¡± [¡®Status: Poisoned¡¯.] [Natural healing is impossible.] It didn¡¯t seem likely that he¡¯d make it out alive. [Fatigue: 95] [Fatigue level is excessively high.] Many problems arose from high Fatigue, including reduced resistance to poison. Rather than rest, he needed immediate treatment. Given the circumstances, though, neither rest nor treatment seemed likely. He looked down at the sword in his hand. More than half of it had melted in the hydra¡¯s poison, and the other half was as worn as a battered saw. He sighed and focused his re on the people surrounding him again. He saw expressions of shock, surprise, relief, and many others. ¡°Why¡­?¡± he asked, focusing on one man in particr among all of the others around him. ¡°Why did you do this, you bastard?¡± he continued in a rage-filled voice. ¡°Answer me, damn it!¡± A lion was still a lion, even if it was exhausted and wounded. His roar caused the yers around him to flinch. Tap, tap¡ª A person stepped out from among them and replied, ¡°We made a lot of preparations for this.¡± The man, Kim Ilsu, had a kind demeanor, and he was Blue Zone¡¯s guild leader and a former ally of the Blue Eyes Guild. ¡°I believed this would be the only way for us to defeat you. The others also weren¡¯t easy. In fact, they were tougher than I thought they¡¯d be.¡± Ilsu smirked. Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t bear to see such an expression on the man¡¯s face. ¡°I asked you why¡­¡± Anger surged through his body. Was it due to the blood of his fallenrades soaking through his shoes, or did his anger stem from the groans of his surviving friends? In the end, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°It¡¯s been 10 years, Su-hyeok.¡± Kim Ilsu didn¡¯t answer the question. Instead, he continued to speak as if he¡¯d been waiting for the moment. ¡°I¡¯ve been preparing for this day for 10 years, so please be understanding.¡± ¡°Kim Ilsu¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t be too disappointed. Even after death, you¡¯ll be remembered as a hero.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Su-hyeok exhaled the breath he¡¯d been holding. There was no reason to hold back anymore. ¡®Even at the end, he won¡¯t tell me why.¡¯ No matter how much he thought about it, the betrayal was strange. Blue Eyes and Blue Zone had been allies for a long time, after all. On top of that, Kim Ilsu had founded Blue Zone and was a former member of Blue Eyes, which was why the names were so simr. Naturally, Su-hyeok had trusted him. How could he have predicted that the man would betray such an alliance? What would he gain from the betrayal? He had many questions, but there were two things Su-hyeok was certain of¡­ [¡®Status: Poisoned¡¯ has increased to level 2.] For one, he was poisoned. For two, it would be difficult to survive in the state he was in. ¡®I won¡¯t be able to hold out for long anyway¡­¡¯ Despite his grim thoughts, Su-hyeok remained calm on the outside. They didn¡¯t know his level of Fatigue and could only guess. The hydra had poisoned him, and there were dozens of holes in his body, but he wasn¡¯t going to let his spirits fall, even though death wasn¡¯t far off. ¡®Still, I¡¯m not going to just roll over and die.¡¯ ¡°You know the saying, right?¡± he asked the enemies before him. ¡°I¡¯ve never said it myself, but they say¡­¡± Su-hyeok stared into Kim Ilsu¡¯s eyes. ¡°In the end, the winner will always be Lee Su-hyeok.¡± Though it was for a brief moment, Kim Ilsu¡¯s eyes trembled, and he took a slight step backward. That was enough. Taking advantage of the moment, Su-hyeok opened his inventory and pulled out arge, colorful fan-shaped item. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kim Ilsu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the fan, but it was toote for him to do anything. ¡¾Banana Palm Fan (Banana Palm Fan)¡¿ # Rank: Legendary # Level Requirement: 80 # An item containing the power of a strong wind that can blow a designated target over 10km away. # Uses Remaining¡­ * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡®There¡¯s no way he still has uses left, right?¡¯ Kim Ilsu inwardly asked himself. ¡°There are still some uses, you bastard!¡± Su-hyeok spat while clenching the fan in one of his hands and gritting his teeth. ¡®I wanted to get out of this alive with my allies if possible, but¡­¡¯ # Uses Remaining: 4 Excluding himself, exactly four members of Blue Eyes were still alive. ¡°Banana Palm Fan, blow them away!¡± he shouted, causing a storm to blow his four guild members far away in different directions. It was a gamble on his part. There was no guarantee his critically woundedrades would be saved, but it was the best option he had. ¡°G-go after them!¡± The head of the Nambung n shouted in surprise. The Murim Alliance¡¯s yers turned to follow the four departing Blue Eyes yers, but they were stopped when they heard an ominous voice. ¡°You guys have to deal with me first. You all know who¡¯lle out on top, right?¡± Of course, Su-hyeok was spouting nonsense. Dozens of spears and knives were sticking out of him, and the hydra¡¯s poison continued to eat away at his body. On top of that, Kim Ilsu, Blue Zone, and the others were all top-tier yers. Even though their opponent was Lee Su-hyeok, there was no way he¡¯d survive. For some reason, though, his fierce shout didn¡¯t seem like a bluff. BZZT¡ª! [The ¡®Master of Lightning¡¯ is manifesting.] [Your Fatigue is high.] [The duration of ¡®Master of Lightning¡¯ is limited.] [Your Fatigue has increased to 96.] Such things didn¡¯t matter to Su-hyeok as he burned his remaining strength. sh¡ª! A single bolt of lightning fell from the sky. For some mysterious reason, it shone with ck light and fell above Su-hyeok¡¯s head. The size of the bolt was insignificant. Usually, the entire visible area around him was covered in electricity when he used the skill, but the area of the skill didn¡¯t change its essence. ¡°Master of Lightning?!¡± ¡°He still has enough strength to use that?!¡± ¡°This crazy bastard¡­¡± Su-hyeok took a step forward as the enemies retreated. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t going anywhere.¡± Back in his battle stance, he gripped the spear stuck in his abdomen and pulled it out through his torn muscles and guts. Along with the intense pain and bleeding, he saw his Fatigue rise to 97 in a new message window. ¡°This weapon should be enough.¡± ck¡ª Thud¡ª Su-hyeok removed his mask, revealing his fiery eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see things through until the end.¡± Using the spear that had pierced him, he started his final fight. WHOOM¡ª! * * * His submerged consciousness gradually resurfaced. It felt as if his soul were floating around, and Su-hyeok recalled his final fight before he¡¯d died. ¡®Was it about half¡­?¡¯ He¡¯d believed it was toote to survive anyway, so he¡¯d used all of his remaining Magic Power and Stamina in his final show of defiance. He¡¯d managed to kill half of his opponents, and he¡¯d even melted half of Kim Ilsu¡¯s face. The man probably wouldn¡¯t die, but he¡¯d live with the scars for the rest of his life. ¡®Should I be happy?¡¯ Considering the state of his body, he believed he¡¯d done well. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel regretful. He at least wished he¡¯d been able to take that bastard, Kim Ilsu, with him. If he hadn¡¯t hit 100 Fatigue and fainted at thest moment, he would¡¯ve had his wish, too. ¡®Anyway, this is amazing. I never imagined I¡¯d be able to continue thinking after death.¡¯ Naturally, it was his first time experiencing death, so the sensation was new to him. He couldn¡¯t see anything in theplete darkness. He hadn¡¯t even experienced such darkness since he received optimized vision after bing a yer. His other senses were simrly affected. He couldn¡¯t hear or feel anything. It was like all five of his senses, which he¡¯d always kept on high alert, were gone. Only one sense remained¡­ His sense of self and thoughts floated somewhere. ¡®Will I be stuck like this forever? Isn¡¯t this, in a way, torture?¡¯ Su-hyeok frowned as a strange stench filled his nose. It was like his nose was being buried in an old pile of garbage. ¡°I feel like vomiting¡­ Huh?¡± Words unconsciously slipped out of his mouth. Along with that, he also realized he was frowning. That meant he had a body, but why couldn¡¯t he see anything? He hurriedly tried to get up as sensation slowly returned to his hands and feet. At that moment, the lid covering his head fell to the ground, and Su-hyeok was able to take a look at where he was. nk¡ª Thud¡ª He was in a heap of trash. After climbing out of it, he muttered, ¡°Am I in hell¡­?¡± ____ Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Su-hyeok, who¡¯d woken up in a garbage can, checked his status. He was in a new environment and had just returned from the dead, so immediately checking his status was natural. He needed to know his power and Fatigue level, after all. Using the system to check his condition was more effective than anything else. [Status Window] [Name: Lee Su-hyeok] [Affiliation: Earth] [Level: 1] [Strength: 11] [Agility: 12] [Stamina: 11] [Concentration: 14] [Magic Power: 1] [Fatigue: 61] ¡°¡­¡± He was speechless. Rather than the Fatigue of 61, his pitifully low level and stats caught his attention. All the skills he¡¯d acquired after a lifetime of effort were gone. ¡®Am I alive?¡¯ Su-hyeok looked around and saw he was in a heap of trash in a dumpster located in some random alley. Why had he woken up there? ¡°Where am I¡­?¡± As soon as that question arose, he frowned as he felt an intense pain in his head, like someone had struck him with great force. A momentter, the memories of whoever had owned the body before him rushed into his mind. ¡°What a waste of a name.¡± ¡°People from Earth are all like this. They¡¯re weak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The real Lee Su-hyeok was an irregr.¡± ¡°Why did such an idiot crawl all the way here?¡± ¡°We should be grateful about themying the floor.¡± Numerous memories surfaced in his mind. Being an orphan, a beggar, joining the Lee Su-hyeok yer Training Institution, being bullied, taking a tutorial trial¡­ Starting from a few key moments, he saw all sorts of things. What surprised him more than anything else, trumping even the situation he found himself in, was¡­ ¡®It¡¯s been 20 years since I died?¡¯ The hydra raid and the betrayal of Blue Eyes had taken ce 20 years prior to him waking up in the dumpster in the body of a random person who shared his name. He looked at the lid of a garbage can on the ground and observed his reflection. In it, he saw the characteristic ck hair of an Asian and a face with gentle features. He was young. ¡®Am I dreaming?¡¯ He remembered dying, but then he woke up in the body of someone who merely shared his name. What was going on? After leaning against the wall for a moment, he noticed a yer kit on the ground. Had it fallen from his pocket before he was thrown into the trash? ¡°The world seems to have changed a lot. The kit I used was shaped like a ball.¡± He reached out his hand and picked the yer kit up. It was shaped like a normal smartphone, could make and receive calls and texts, and could even use the yer server to search the inte. Truly, it might as well have been a smartphone. Ziinng¡ª As soon as he touched it, the kit recognized his fingerprint, and letters appeared on the white screen. [What do you want to search?] He fell into thought. He was curious about many things, but there was no way he¡¯d find information about his circumstances online. His fingers paused for a moment before he searched for the most obvious thing. [Do you want to search ¡®Blue Eyes¡¯?] It was the guild he¡¯d belonged to, and the guild that Kim Ilso and Blue Zone had betrayed. The moment he confirmed the search, the search loaded, and the newest articles appeared. [Blue Zone! Are they not enough to carry the legacy of Blue Eyes?] [Blue Zone advances. Once again, they carry the memory of Blue Eyes and Lee Su-hyeok.] [Guild Leader Kim Ilso vows to win the nextpetition.] [He recalls that day 20 years ago and talks about the heroic sacrifices of the Blue Eyes Guild.] [¡­] Countless articles popped up. Of course, Su-hyeok didn¡¯t go through all of them. He was searching for one thing in particr¡ªhad any of therades he¡¯d sent away survived? ¡®Are they all dead¡­?¡¯ Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find information on them anywhere. No matter how many pages he scrolled through, nothing mentioned Blue Eyes survivors. ¡°Haa.¡± He sighed as he felt a sense of emptiness. His power and hisrades¡­ He¡¯d lost everything. In the end, all he had was a life in a weak body that¡¯d been beaten by his peers and thrown into the trash. Anger welled up from that sense of emptiness, and Su-hyeok raised his head. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± he asked the air, speaking to a person who couldn¡¯t possibly hear him. Crack¡ª He gritted his teeth. Still, he wanted to know why Kim Ilsu had gone against their alliance and betrayed him. ¡°Are you practicing again?¡± He never had a bad rtionship with the man. In fact, they¡¯d been on good terms. It was hard to have a bad rtionship with arade you were climbing the tower and risking your life with. Su-hyeok had even thought of the man as a friend. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to leave Blue Eyes,¡± Ilsu had said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I have a reason, but please, don¡¯t ask why. Also, Su-hyeok, please do your best to exin it to the others. Su-hyeok had tried to hold him back and get a reason from the man, but Ilsu had already made up his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my friend. Even after leaving, I n to be your shadow.¡± A few years passed, and Ilsu created ¡®Blue Zone¡¯ and reappeared before Su-hyeok. His guild was the ¡®shadow¡¯ he¡¯d talked about. ¡°What happened?¡± he mumbled. Squeeze¡ª Thud. Thu-thud¡ª He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh and drew blood. Without even noticing the dripping blood, Su-hyeok continued to look over the articles on the yer kit. Whenever he searched for ¡®Blue Eyes¡¯, the screen was filled with Kim Ilsu¡¯s photos and rted articles. It seemed that Blue Zone had actually taken his guild¡¯s name. ¡°Well¡­¡± Su-hyeok lowered his hand and lifted his head. ¡°I guess his reason doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The man had killed his friends. What could matter more than them? If he were truly curious, he could go up and ask Ilsu directly. Thud¡ª Of course, he¡¯d be sure to stab the man in the stomach first, just as he¡¯d been stabbed on that day. ¡®Ilsu, wait for me.¡¯ Su-hyeok made up his mind. ¡®I¡¯m going to see you again.¡± His anger couldn¡¯t be a dream. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * After organizing his thoughts, Su-hyeok started walking. He¡¯d wondered if it was all a dream at first, but his doubts were gone. He was headed to the dormitory of the yer training institution, where the original owner of the body had been staying. The tutorial, which would determine a yer¡¯s qualifications, was set to take ce in two days. At least he still had some time left until then. ¡°They¡¯re still on the 9th floor¡­?¡± Su-hyeok slowly recalled the memories of who¡¯d previously owned the body as he walked. ¡®They¡¯re much too slow. Did the difficulty increase after the 8th floor?¡¯ 20 years had passed, so he¡¯d originally thought they would¡¯ve at least made it to the 10th floor. He never imagined they¡¯d be stuck on the 9th floor for 20 years. It was true that higher floors were harder, but it was still far slower than he expected. ¡°Those pathetic bastards. If things were going to be like this, then why did they even bother to betray me?¡± he mumbled to himself. As he was walking, he caught sight of a shabby street stall as he passed by. ¡°¡­?¡± One of the disyed items caught his attention. ¡®My mask?¡¯ He¡¯d worn a mask in his active yer days. There wasn¡¯t a special reason for it other than that he¡¯d started in his early days and hiding his face was convenient. It was a ck mask with golden stripes, Su-hyeok¡¯s trademark. Seeing it being sold in a store on the lowest floor was surprising. ¡°50 points¡­¡± ¡°Are you going to buy it?¡± the middle-aged man running the store asked through a yawn. ¡°¡­¡± Su-hyeok paused for a moment and checked his points. ¡®1010 points¡­?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a generous amount, but it was practically all he had. Usually, an unemployed yer with no immediate ie should have saved the points. [You¡¯ve paid 50 points.] It wasn¡¯t his money anyway, and it could be earned again. ¡®Is this what¡¯s trending these days?¡¯ After purchasing the mask, he took a look around. The middle-aged man who¡¯d sold him the mask asked, ¡°Are you a fan of Lee Su-hyeok?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Not knowing how to respond, Su-hyeok pondered for a moment. If he imed to be the man himself, he would probably be considered out of his mind. Saying he was a fan of himself was embarrassing, though. ¡°Something like that,¡± he eventually said after some thought. ¡°Something like that? Then why did you buy the mask when you aren¡¯t even a fan? Are you one of those people trying to imitate Lee Su-hyeok?¡± The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and gave him a suspicious look. ¡°Imitating Lee Su-hyeok? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? I guess you aren¡¯t one of those guys. Then you must be a fan.¡± The middle-aged man, who answered his own question, nodded his head and pointed. ¡°Go over there. Although it¡¯s small, there¡¯s a memorial hall.¡± ¡°A memorial hall¡­?¡± ¡°Based on your reaction, it seems that you haven¡¯t been there yet. Today is his memorial day, so there will probably be quite a few people paying their respects.¡± Su-hyeok was headed to his lodging because he had nowhere else to go when the man pointed a different location out to him instead. He stood still for a moment before heading toward the memorial hall with the mask in his hand. ¡®I have nothing else to do anyway.¡¯ Going to a memorial dedicated to himself felt a bit awkward¡ªit was like going to eat at a funeral service after the funeral. Still, he was curious. What kind of images of himself were held there? On his walk, Su-hyeok bought some flowers. It was a death memorial, so at least that much was appropriate, after all. A few alleyster, he saw the ce the middle-aged man had mentioned. His first thought when he saw the ce was rather simple¡­ ¡®It¡¯s bigger than I thought it¡¯d be.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be small? Even at a nce, it looked to be the size of a small temple. A giant copy of his mask swung over the front entrance. ¡°Wee,¡± the guide at the entrance said in disinterest after ncing at the mask in Su-hyeok¡¯s hand. Su-hyeok nodded and entered. It seemed that the ce truly had been a temple. The ceiling was high, and instead of gods, the windows depicted Su-hyeok¡¯s masked face. On the other side of the room, some unknown technology was being used to disy videos of Su-hyeok¡¯s fights. Naturally, that¡¯s where most people were gathered. ¡°Woah¡­¡± one of the people muttered. ¡°He was truly amazing¡­¡± ¡°This is from back when he fought the Anux yers during thepetition 25 years ago, right?¡± ¡°I think so. He was truly amazing.¡± The video showed Su-hyeok riding a bolt of lightning into the sky, dominating both the ground and air and leaving the people watching the video mesmerized. ¡®I was certainly good.¡¯ Of course, Su-hyeok watched as well. Although he wasn¡¯t as impressed as the others, he kept nodding as he watched himself fight. He hadn¡¯t realized it at the time, but it felt a bit different when he saw himself from the outside. ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t have done that there,¡± he unconsciously said when he noticed a small mistake. He was so immersed that he¡¯d forgotten where he was. ¡°What?¡± someone mumbled. ¡°Even here, someone is nitpicking.¡± ¡°People like him are armchair coaches.¡± ¡®I was just reflecting¡­¡¯ Even though he¡¯d said it quietly, everyone nearby had heard him. Su-hyeok lowered his head in frustration, but what could he do? The only thing he shared with his past self was his name. He continued to watch the video, engrossed in the fight. Swoosh¡ª Just before the video ended, a face that riled up the anger in Su-hyeok¡¯s heart appeared. ¡°We will remember him,¡± the man in a half-mask said. ¡®Kim Ilsu¡­¡¯ It was none other than a recording of Kim Ilsu cing a hand on his chest to pay his respects. ____ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Su-hyeok felt his insides churning. He thought he understood why and how the video he¡¯d just watched and the ce were created. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t be too disappointed. Even after death, you¡¯ll be remembered as a hero.¡± ¡®Damn it. Is this what he meant?¡¯ He figured he was still being revered as a hero due to Ilsu. In the past, Su-hyeok was the face of Blue Eyes itself, and Blue Zone was an allied guild that was sort of their shadow. In a world without the Blue Eyes Guild, Blue Zone would have had to either fall off or take Blue Eyes¡¯s ce. In order to make his guild stand out in Blue Eyes¡¯s ce, Ilsu probably needed the name and halo of Blue Eyes, and honoring Lee Su-hyeok as a hero was the perfect way to publicly take both of those things while seeming humble. ¡°You bastard¡­¡± Su-hyeok murmured in a low voice. A few people nced at him, but he was too angry to care. Whish¡ª He turned away before the video ended. There was no reason to keep watching. The more he saw Ilsu¡¯s face, the more ufortable he felt. Tap, tap¡ª Maybe it was due to the blood rushing through his head during his suppressed rage, but as he passed the photos, items, and videos of himself in his past life without so much as a sideways nce, he only heard the sounds of his own footsteps. Finally, farther into the memorial hall, something in particr caught Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes. Visitors had left a pile of flowers in front of his photo. ¡®Flowers??¡¯ It seemed most hadn¡¯t arrived empty-handed. He looked at the chrysanthemum flower he¡¯d purchased on his way there. There were so many flowers in front of the photo that his flower would only be one among many. It felt strange to think that so many people remembered him. Swoosh¡ª He ced the flower in front of his photo and truly felt the weight of realizing his old self, the Lee Su-hyeok everyone remembered, was dead, and 20 years had passed. A strange feeling enveloped him for a while. ¡°¡­?¡± After some time, he felt a familiar magic power in the pile of flowers. He reached out and searched through the pile, which caused others to start staring, but it wasn¡¯t the time for him to care about that. Finally, within the piled-up chrysanthemums, he discovered an unusually transparent ice flower. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ He picked the ice flower up and felt a cold chill through his fingers. A chrysanthemum made of ice¡­ His eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Siwoo¡­ He made this.¡¯ Su-hyeok turned and thoroughly looked through the memorial hall. His heart was pounding. Since the ice flower hadn¡¯tpletely melted yet, the one who¡¯d left it there probably hadn¡¯t gone far. * * * ¡°Somehow, we managed to survive another year.¡± On top of the clock tower overlooking the memorial hall, an old man with a hunched back looked down at the building. ¡°Once again, it was nerve-wracking.¡± Behind him, a woman wrapped in a robe appeared from the shadows beneath the tower. As if wanting toin, she bit her thick, red lips and asked, ¡°Did you really have to bring that? We should have just left a normal chrysanthemum.¡± Psss¡ª The skin on the old man¡¯s face peeled away, revealing a young man¡¯s face in its ce. Kim Siwoo¡­ He was a member of Blue Eyes who¡¯d supposedly died 20 years prior. ¡°You never know. That guy mighte back to life and find the flower I left.¡± ¡°Do you still think he¡¯s alive?¡± the woman asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t see him die with our own eyes, did we?¡± The woman stopped trying to argue. That wasn¡¯t the first time they had such a conversation. She had already heard Kim Siwoo¡¯s arguments many times. There was a problem, though. ¡°The problem is that there¡¯s a chance Kim Ilsu will find our location faster than we can find Su-hyeok, assuming he somehow lived.¡± Naturally, there was a chance Blue Zone would find the flower first. They were certain Ilsu was alive, and the chances of Su-hyeok being alive were close to zero. ¡°You never know,¡± Siwoo said, betting everything on that one phrase. Every year, on the same day, he¡¯d gone there and left that flower. If Su-hyeok ever saw it, the flower would be enough to let him know to look for them. Siwoo passed by the woman and vanished into the shadows. The woman let out a sigh. ¡°If that guy were alive, we wouldn¡¯t be hiding like this, you idiot¡­¡± Once again, she¡¯d failed to stop him. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Though Su-hyeok searched the area near the memorial hall for hours, he couldn¡¯t find Siwoo. Only after the sun started setting did he give up and return to his lodging. The small room was barely bigger than 13 square meters and was just big enough for a single bed, a desk, and a chair. The entire room was his home. Without even thinking to shower or change, he threw himself onto the bed. Flop¡ª He thought about the ice flower he¡¯d taken from the memorial. In the same way each person had a different fingerprint, each person also had a different color of magic. No matter how strong they became, the color never changed. It didn¡¯t matter how much time had passed. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize his long-time friend¡¯s magic. ¡®So he¡¯s alive.¡¯ He¡¯d thought they were all dead, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Though the news had reported Kim Siwoo¡¯s death, the flower was clear evidence to the contrary. Su-hyeok activated his yer kit. There were no saved contacts, and he was only using it for search purposes. [Do you want to search ¡®Kim Siwoo¡¯?] He tried to see if he could find any news rted to his friend, but there was nothing indicating he¡¯d survived. Thud¡ª Su-hyeok threw the kit toward the head of the bed and turned to the half-melted ice flower. His friend was alive and in hiding somewhere, and he¡¯d been in hiding for 20 years. The only trace of him was the ice flower. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± he mumbled, knowing Siwoo wouldn¡¯t possibly be able to hear him. He wasn¡¯t sure if Siwoo was the only one who¡¯d survived, but even if he wanted to contact them, he had no way of doing so. You had to register someone¡¯s fingerprint in a yer kit to contact them, after all. At least he was certain about one thing¡­ revenge aside, he had another reason for needing to rise to the top. ¡°Well, I guess what he¡¯s doing doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He smiled brightly for the first time that day. He¡¯d been reborn in a world full of people he needed to kill after losing therades who were like family to him. The loneliness and burning anger in his chest subsided a bit. ¡®As long as he¡¯s alive, we will be able to meet again.¡¯ Right, it didn¡¯t matter what his friend was doing. What mattered was that he was alive. All he could do at the moment was pray that others had also survived. ¡®Contacting them right now would be dangerous.¡¯ He calmed himself a bit and tried to organize his situation in his head. ¡®They have to have a reason for hiding, so I shouldn¡¯t draw attention to them.¡¯ He was nning to climb the tower. He was well-aware of the abilities he¡¯d used in his past life, and if he started climbing the tower with them again, it would undoubtedly draw quite a bit of attention. What would happen if he contacted the presumed-dead Siwoo while he was being scrutinized? Blue Zone and the other guilds would certainly take notice. ¡®First, I need to regain my power.¡¯ There were only two days left until the tutorial that would allow him to regain his yer status started. He sat up on the edge of his bed and thought about his course of action. After thinking about how he could get even more powerful than before, he reached a conclusion. ¡®If I could handle lightning properly, things wouldn¡¯t have gone that far.¡¯ Lightning was the most powerful weapon he¡¯d used. The stronger it became, the more damage it inflicted on the user¡¯s body. In other words, it was a sharp, double-edged sword. Of course, it was also the best ¡®sword¡¯ in the tower. ¡°As expected. The problem is Stamina.¡± In his past life, he¡¯d used skills and items that increased his Stamina to help deal with the self-inflicted damage from his lightning. Even then, it wasn¡¯t enough. He needed a way to reach an absurd amount of Stamina. Well, there was no way he would be able to immediately solve a problem that he hadn¡¯t been able to solve back when he¡¯d reached the 8th floor. ¡°The tutorial¡­¡± Su-hyeok looked at the ceiling. The tutorial was the first and most basic trial to evaluate a yer¡¯s capabilities. ¡°I wonder how many stages I can clear now,¡± he murmured as he recalled the contents of the trial. Every yer had probably wondered, at least once, how far they would be able to go if they could rey the tutorial. Such thoughts were flights of fantasy, but Su-hyeok had a unique opportunity. ¡®In my past life, I reached stage 25.¡¯ It was a record-breaking number. Even after 20 years, though all information about the tutorial had be known, only two yers had beaten that record. ¡®Climbing the tower again won¡¯t be a problem in itself, but that isn¡¯t good enough. I need to do better.¡¯ His gaze turned to the sword ced in the corner of the room. Since the tutorial wasing up, he¡¯d prepared his weapon in advance. He reached out and grabbed the sword. A familiar feeling spread evenly from his fingertips through his body, and he smoothly drew the weapon from its sheathe. It wasn¡¯t very good, but that made it feel even more like a fresh start. ¡°I must do well.¡± It was just a tutorial, but he had to give it his all on every trial and trial he faced. Climbing the tower wasn¡¯t enough. Instead, he needed to seed in everything with near perfection. His gaze fell upon the mask he¡¯d left on his desk. In essence, he had to beat none other than himself. * * * For two days, Su-hyeok gave himself time to get used to his new body. He felt heavier, his feet were sluggish, and his sword also wasn¡¯t as light as he was used to. Two days were enough for him to adapt, though. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He¡¯d repeatedly swung his sword and moved in a hunting ground near the vige for the past two days, and he encountered a few of the lowest-ranking monsters that appeared nearby during his training. ¡°How did you get beaten up so badly despite having such a body?¡± he asked himself. After all of his practice and a few fights against the easiest monsters, he was more aware than ever that he¡¯d lucked out with the body he received. All of his stats were over 10, and Concentration was at 14. He¡¯d unlocked Magic Power without having gone through the tutorial and was clearly very talented, just based on his stat numbers alone. The previous owner of the body just hadn¡¯t been able to use it all properly. ¡°Good.¡± Evenpared to his past self, it might¡¯ve been a better foundation. Since he¡¯d died, something called ¡®yer training institutions¡¯ had popped up that offered professional training until the moment a yer entered the tutorial, so it was only natural. He¡¯d been dissatisfied with his start at first, but after taking some time to judge it more objectively, he thought his new body was quite excellent. Chirp, chirp, chirp¡ª The bird chirped in the early-morning air. Su-hyeok, who¡¯d moderately sweated from his warm up, lifted his head. He¡¯d been keeping his senses heightened since he woke up. ¡®So it¡¯s starting.¡¯ The day of the tutorial had dawned. It was the day of Su-hyeok¡¯s return. ____ Chapter 4 Chapter 4 McHugo, the tutorial trial supervisor, stood atop a huge, white stage as big as several ying fieldsbined. He stood with his arms crossed and looked at the participant lying on the ground. Near the participant, two goblins, each about a meter and 20cm tall,y dead. ¡°Haa¡­ Haaa¡­¡± the participant was panting heavily. It was hard to believe a participant could struggle so much with just two of the lowest-ranking monsters, goblins. The pathetic sight made Hugo frown. ¡°I somehow seeded,¡± the participant said to himself. Hugo¡¯s eyes twitched. In his silver armor resembling that of a knight¡¯s, he approached the participant and asked, ¡°Do you want to challenge the next stage?¡± ¡°N-next stage¡­?¡± The participant looked confused. Soon, a message appeared before him. [Would you like to challenge the next stage?] [1 additional goblin will be added per stage.] [Additional rewards will be given for clearing higher stages.] ¡°No, I won¡¯t! Are you crazy? How am I supposed to defeat three?!¡± The participant¡¯s face turned pale. Three goblins? He¡¯d struggled with just two, so there was no way he could clear three. ¡°Shout again, and I¡¯ll knock you down,¡± McHugo said. As the trial supervisor, he couldn¡¯t harm the participants. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but give the participant an annoyed re when he saw their poor skills and rotten mental state. As expected, the participant seemed frightened and went pale before running away and giving up on the next stage. Swoosh¡ª The participant had defeated two goblins and could¡¯ve moved on to the next stage, but he didn¡¯t get any rewards other than the most basic of passing grades. In the tutorial, the real rewards were given from stage two. ¡®So that¡¯s his limit.¡¯ Most participants were like that. The tutorial was known to be significantly easier than the trials on the other floors, but less than half of the participants stepped up to challenge stage two. ¡®Evaluating individual skill, desire for improvement, and the courage to face multiple enemies simultaneously is why this tutorial exists.¡¯ Hugo sighed. ¡°I never imagined I¡¯d have to send such pathetic people up¡­¡± The participants in the tutorial that time were just too pathetic. Only two goblins¡­ Those who left to the next floor after giving up on going to stage two of the tutorial usually hit a wall in progression right away. The tower¡¯s trials were always like that¡ªit gave rewards to yers based on the greatness of their achievements; fools who thought they simply needed to climb as quickly as possible were never able to get far. ¡®At least there was one.¡¯ Hugo recalled a participant who had taken the trial a few moments prior. Isaac¡­ He was Reinhardt¡¯s son and had shown his natural talent by his ability to use magic on the 1st floor. With talent surpassing his lineage, he¡¯d only stopped after defeating more than 20 goblins at once. ¡°Stage 20 is almost record-breaking. Based on his talent alone, he¡¯s above Reinhardt.¡± Isaac used both swordsmanship and magic as a magic swordsman with talent in both areas, and watching him hadn¡¯t been boring. As Hugo was recalling Isaac¡¯s trial, the door to the trial hall opened, and the next participant entered. ¡°Lee Su-hyeok?¡± The name was unforgettable; even Hugo had idolized the legend at one point. Rather than excitement, he felt sympathy for the participant. ¡®He must have struggled due to his name.¡¯ The participant had probably always beenpared to the real legend, and he even used a sword¡ªthe same weapon Su-hyeok had favored. [2 goblins have been generated.] [Defeat the goblins.] Messages appeared in front of the participant. ¡°Kirii, kaa!¡± ¡°Ukik!¡± The goblins let out monkey-like cries and gripped their poison-tipped spikes. ¡°Start!¡± Hugo yelled. In the next instant, the participant¡¯s sword shed forward and decapitated the two goblins with lightning speed, sending their heads tumbling. Whoosh¡ª! ¡®What did I just see?¡¯ Hugo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Thud¡ª The goblins¡¯ bodies copsed to the ground a moment after their heads. Just like that, stage one wasplete within a few moments of the enemies appearing. [Would you like to challenge the next stage?] [1 additional goblin will be added per stage.] [Additional rewards will be given for clearing higher stages.] ¡°Challenge.¡± As if he¡¯d been waiting for it, Su-hyeok immediately made his decision. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Thud¡ª The goblin¡¯s head fell. ¡°Crazy¡­¡± Hugo, who¡¯d been counting the fallen goblins, gave up. He unfolded his arms, and sweat began forming on his clenched fists. The trial area was so cluttered with goblin corpses that there was nowhere to step. Their bodies would only vanish when the challenge ended, but Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t done yet. Again, his sword shed through the goblins¡¯ slender necks. Even while he was cutting them down, he continuously kept an eye on his surroundings. ¡®He isn¡¯t just swinging his sword. He¡¯s looking two or three moves ahead,¡¯ Hugo thought. He¡¯d noticed that the participant was keeping track of each and every goblin and their attacks to ensure he didn¡¯t get surrounded. What he was seeing wasn¡¯t just a matter of fighting skill. Hugo thought about it¡­ could he perform as well with the same stats and level as the participant in front of him? ¡®No, I can¡¯t.¡¯ Even though he was a yer who¡¯d cleared the 6th floor, replicating the participant would be impossible for him. Brrr¡ª He shivered. It wasn¡¯t that the participant could use magic like Isaac, nor did he have exceptional physical abilities. Still, Su-hyeok held the upper hand while fighting 50 goblins at once. ¡®Is he Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s reincarnation or something? How can he move like that?¡¯ Goblins were terrifying in numbers due to their poisoned weapons and fairly agile movements, but their ¡®poison¡¯ seemed nonexistent in front of the participant. sh¡ª The moment any entered the range of Su-hyeok¡¯s sword with their poisoned weapons, they ended up losing their heads. Not even their poison darts helped¡ªSu-hyeok avoided and dodged the darts as if he knew where they were going tond. If they couldn¡¯t touch him in the first ce, then what difference did poison make? ¡°Haa, Haa¡­¡± Su-hyeok caught his breath while slowly backing away. The goblins, seemingly frightened, hesitated. They were virtual monsters created by the trial, but they were still living creatures. Naturally, they feared death and could recognize a stronger opponent. Once again, Su-hyeok leaped toward them. ¡°Kirik, kii!¡± The three remaining goblins exchanged signals, likely trying to coordinate their attack. When they thrust their poisoned weapons at the approaching Su-hyeok, he slid beneath the attack without slowing. ¡°Kiik-?¡± The goblins were bewildered. A momentter, Su-hyeok cut through all three goblins¡¯ necks in one sh, cutting them down like wheat. sh¡ª! Thud¡ª With that, the stage came to an end. [You¡¯ve cleared the 49th stage.] [Would you like to challenge the final boss?] [Additional rewards will be given for clearing the highest stage.] ¡°Haa¡­¡± Su-hyeok caught his breath, which he¡¯d been controlling until then. Sweat soaked his hair, and he read over the message again as he swept his damp hair back. ¡®The final stage¡­?¡¯ It seemed that the tutorial only went to the 50th stage. ¡®This is great. I was just about to stop.¡¯ Up to that point, he¡¯d cut down over a thousand goblins in total over several hours. Though there was a break between each stage, his muscles were screaming in exhaustion. [Fatigue: 71] With his Fatigue so high, he was bound to be a bit sluggish. Either way, the next stage would be thest. Su-hyeok made up his mind. ¡°Challenge.¡± [You will challenge the final stage.] [You have a 10-minute break.] ¡¯10 minutes¡­¡¯ He thought they were giving him plenty of time to recover. Deciding to rest and bring his concentration to its peak, he sat down and closed his eyes. After the long but short 10 minutes passed¡­ [Boss: ¡®King of the Orcs¡¯ is appearing.] Wiinng¡ª Opposite of Su-hyeok. A giant monster many meters tall with a pig head appeared opposite of Su-hyeok. ¡°What¡­?¡± Hugo turned to Su-hyeok in surprise. ¡°Give up, now! Can¡¯t you see what the boss is?¡± Finished catching his breath, Su-hyeok opened his eyes and stood. The orc was about a head and a half taller than him, with rugged muscles and solid armor covering its whole body¡ªit was a monster several times stronger than a regr orc. ¡°You can still give up since it hasn¡¯t started yet! Don¡¯t be greedy! No matter how good you are, you won¡¯t be able to ovee the stat difference!¡± Hugo yelled. Of course, Su-hyeok was aware of that. The King of the Orcs wasn¡¯t an opponent a tutorial participant could defeat. ¡®With my current stats, I won¡¯t be able to inflict proper damage on that guy.¡¯ He probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to pierce far into its body. ¡®Still¡­¡¯ nce¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up.¡± He had already made up his mind and wasn¡¯t about to change it. ¡°You absolute¡ª!¡± Hugo cursed when he saw his confident attitude, but before he could finish¡­ ¡°AAWWRRGGH!¡± The King of the Orcs¡¯s roar shook the trial hall. Hugo was certain that, no matter who the participant was, they wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat such a monster. Even Su-hyeok¡¯s sword, which had sliced through the necks of countless goblins, wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything against the King of the Orcs¡¯s tough skin. [The final trial is starting.] Swoosh¡ª Thud¡ª A poisoned dart flew and pierced into the King of the Orcs¡¯s thigh. ¡°Grr~?¡± The monster gave Su-hyeok a confused look. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet.¡± Su-hyeok, after bending down and going through the corpses of several goblins, held several of the poisoned darts in his hands. ng¡ª He tossed his sword aside as if it were never needed for the fight and held several of the poisoned darts in each hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can catch me before you¡¯re turned into a pincushion.¡± ____ Chapter 5 Chapter 5 It was Su-hyeok¡¯s belief as someone who¡¯d been climbing the tower for years that it never presented an impossible trial. Countless other yers had reached the same conclusion. That belief also applied to the tutorial. Defeating multiple goblins wasn¡¯t impossible. Goblin necks were much thinner than human ones, after all, so it wasn¡¯t hard to slice through them. Of course, avoiding so many poisoned weapons and darts was nearly impossible, but it was, in theory, doable. The King of the Orcs was a different story, though. ¡®Such an opponent can¡¯t be defeated in a direct confrontation at his level.¡± Hugo felt chills when he saw Su-hyeok confront the boss. ¡®Is that the solution?¡¯ ¡®Right, the corpses don¡¯t go away until the trial ends, so it was all part of the trial¡­¡¯ Hugo noticed that, the moment Su-hyeok realized what he¡¯d be facing, he¡¯d looked around at the corpses. In that short moment, he¡¯d found the solution to the trial. Su-hyeok¡¯s strategic vision was broad enough to immediately connect the poisoned weapons to defeating the boss, and on top of that, he started by striking the boss¡¯s legs with two of the poisoned darts. ¡®He aimed for the legs from the start.¡¯ After the first two darts, Su-hyeok continued to throw the poisoned weapons and darts at the King of the Orcs¡¯s legs, instinctively realizing that the most critical aspect of the final stage was depriving the creature of its mobility. ¡®He¡¯s a genius¡­¡¯ Hugo thought. Su-hyeok was able to do more than just wield a sword well. Whoosh¡ª Thud, thud¡ª Su-hyeok threw poisoned fangs at the King of the Orcs¡¯s eyes. ¡°Woah!¡± Hugo couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration, seeming to forget about his dignity as a knight. When he realized he was acting like a child, he cleared his throat, seemingly embarrassed. That¡¯s simply how impressive Su-hyeok¡¯s skills were. ¡®He urately hit the eyes of a moving opponent from such a distance.¡¯ Had the candidate learned how to use throwing weapons from an assassin group? No, even if that were the case, it was hard to believe that not a single throw missed. Screech¡ª! The King of the Orcs covered its eyes with both hands and screamed in pain. First, it was the legs; then the eyes. Su-hyeok nned to first deprive the boss of its mobility, then its sight, rendering itpletely helpless. He made judgment very quickly, and his throwing technique was almost miraculous. ¡®A genius? No. Is this something that can be exined with such a word?¡¯ Everything about the candidate was on an entirely different level, from his swordsmanship to his precise throwing technique. Hugo¡¯s mind fell into chaos. That day alone, he¡¯d seen many people attempt the trial. Isaac was someone he¡¯d call a genius, but what would that make the person before him? ¡®Did Lee Su-hyeok really reincarnate?¡¯ ¡°GUOO-!¡± The King of the Orcs roared. The poison had spread through its legs, and it couldn¡¯t see, so it was no longer a threat. ¡°So it¡¯s over,¡± Hugo mumbled. Swish¡ª The King of the Orcs swung the massive club in his hand, but it was in vain. There was no way it could catch Su-hyeok in that state. Swish¡ª After dodging backward, Su-hyeok picked up more poison darts and held them between his fingers. Since he¡¯d deprived the boss of its mobility and vision, there was only one thing left to do¡­ Paf¡ª! ¡®I¡¯m turning you into a pin cushion.¡¯ He just had to whittle his prey down. He just had to cook that big prey slowly. * * * ¡°You shouldn¡¯t throw it like that.¡± Kim Yeryeong, a member of Blue Eyes, watched Su-hyeok as he practiced his dagger-throwing technique. ¡°Should I teach you?¡± She was a specialist in throwing daggers and other weapons. With her throwing technique that was even better than the ones from the famous Dang n¡¯s rankers, she was able to take down many enemies before anyone noticed. At first, Su-hyeok didn¡¯t want to ept her help due to his pride, but in the end, he nodded. ¡°Yes, please.¡± He still remembered how Yeryeong¡¯s expression distorted when she heard that. After shuddering in disgust, she took a stance and picked up a pen. It only looked like a slight throw, but the pen pierced one of the steel tes on the targets. She gave the target a look and said, ¡°Anything can be a throwing weapon if you know its center of gravity.¡± * * * Thuck¡ª! The poisoned darks continued raining into the boss¡¯s body. As he initially intended, Su-hyeok kept sticking more poisoned weapons into the King of the Orcs. ¡®I remember she theorized that power is proportional to rotational force. The longer you hesitate, the more your uracy decreases in proportion.¡¯ Thanks to her, he¡¯d been able to perfect his throwing techniques. Thud¡ª Hitting the King of the Orcs with a poisoned dark wasn¡¯t a difficult task. He didn¡¯t need to worry about dealing any critical damage because the goblins¡¯ poison would kill it in the end, not the little wounds it was umting from the weapons. Thud¡ª Finally, the boss¡¯s knees buckled. It didn¡¯t matter how resistant he was¡ªhundreds of poisoned darts were sticking from his body. Though they weren¡¯t individually fatal, when the poison umted to such an extent, the story changed. The boss copsed and trembled on the ground. nk¡ª Su-hyeok picked up the sword he¡¯d dropped on the floor. The King of the Orcs tried to stand as he heard Su-hyeok approach, but he was too weak. Su-hyeok neatly pierced his sword through the nearly dead boss¡¯s neck. Thrust¡ª ¡°Khuu¡ª¡± The King of the Orcs spasmed and let out ast, ragged breath before falling to the side. BOOM¡ª [You¡¯ve eliminated a boss: ¡®The King of the Orcs¡¯.] The boss was truly dead, and Su-hyeok struggled to pull his sword from its neck as he muttered, ¡°It¡¯s damn hard to pull this thing out.¡± Its skin was so thick that his sword seemed stuck. It was hard to imagine the tutorial had asked him to kill such a thing. If it weren¡¯t for the goblins¡¯ poison, it would have been impossible. [You¡¯ve perfectlypleted the tutorial.] [Your level has increased x9] [You¡¯ve earned 10,000 points.] [You¡¯ve earned 1,325 achievement points.] [You¡¯ve defeated the ¡®King of the Orcs¡¯.] [You¡¯ve earned 100 achievement points.] [You¡¯re the first to clear the final stage of the tutorial.] [You¡¯ve earned 1,000 achievement points.] [You can spend the earned achievement points and choose a reward.] ¡°Woah¡­¡± Su-hyeok eximed in surprise. Nine levels¡­ Since three stats were given per level, he¡¯d gained a total of 27 stats. The rewards were better than he¡¯d expected. On top of that, the 1,000 achievement points were even more of a surprise. ¡®Mere goblins gave this much¡­¡¯ He¡¯d earned a total of 2,425 achievement points. Considering that clearing the 20th stage of the trial rewarded 210 points, it was an overwhelming amount. ¡®I wonder what I can buy with so many points.¡¯ The ¡®Tutorial Shop¡¯ disyed all of the items that the participant could buy with their points. The cheapest item was only five points, which was why participants who¡¯d only cleared the first stage couldn¡¯t earn any rewards. He never imagined he¡¯d earn 2,425 achievement points from the tutorial. [Opening the shop.] Swoosh¡ª A long shop interface unfolded with so many items on disy that the page was almost as tall as Su-hyeok. Not even that was enough, and there were a few more pages. The more pages he passed, the more expensive the rewards became. ¡®The cheapest one is five points, and the one on the bottom of the first page is 200¡­¡¯ He saw everything from normal-rank items to F-rank skills. There were even ingredients he couldn¡¯t figure out the use for. The previous record was the 28th stage, so Su-hyeok ended up looking at items no one had seen before. ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­ Do they even sell this?!¡± he eximed in surprise after he moved to the next page and saw items all costing a thousand points or more. [Nameless Magic Sword] # Rank: Rare # Type: Weapon # An item made by the magic sword maker Kindre. Kindre doesn¡¯t name his failed works. The sword consumes the user¡¯s Stamina and mental health to enhance its cutting power and physical capabilities. ¨C Price: 1,000 achievement points ¡®I never thought I¡¯d see one of Kindre¡¯s works here.¡¯ Kindre was a fairly famous yer known as a magic sword maker. He was one of the top three cksmiths in the tower, but nobody knew if that was his real name or not. Magic swords consumed the user¡¯s stamina and mental health, but they were so overwhelmingly strong that many people sought them. ¡®I can¡¯t handle this right now.¡¯ Unfortunately, magic swords weren¡¯tpatible with Su-hyeok. ¡®Considering the lightning I¡¯ll getter, I need a holy sword¡­ not a magic sword.¡¯ Magic swords were powerful but consumed one¡¯s Stamina. Inparison, holy swords were less powerful but protected the user. Since he was going for lightning, he had no choice but to choose a holy sword. He needed to increase his Stamina in every little way he could. [Holy Sword Miranda] # Rank: Rare # Type: Weapon # A mithril sword imbued with the blessing of the temple. It reduces the user¡¯s Stamina consumption. ¨C Price: 1,300 achievement points That was the second item that caught his eye. Made from expensive mithril, its strength and cutting power were probably good enough. Its effect also suited Su-hyeok, but¡­ ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel like enough.¡¯ For some reason, it didn¡¯t feel satisfying. The magic sword he¡¯d seen earlier and the holy sword were both good items for the tutorial, though. Maybe it was because he¡¯d used items that were too good in his past life, but he wasn¡¯t interested in the holy sword. ¡®How I use these points is my foundation. I need to choose carefully.¡¯ At that moment, a skill caught his attention. ¡®An F-rank skill?¡¯ Higher-tier skills should¡¯ve appeared on the next page, but the first one he saw was registered as rank F. [Selfish Sacrifice] # Type: Skill # Rank: F # LV: 1 # Suppresses the side effects of skills and items that harm the user. # Points can be used to upgrade the skill¡¯s rank and level. # Required Points: 10,000P ¨C Price: 1,400 achievement points ¡°Huh¡­?¡± He doubted his eyes for a moment. It was merely an F-rank skill, and it required an incredible amount of points to upgrade. ¡®This effect¡­¡¯ A skill that suppressed the side effects of other skills? The fact it cost so many points despite its low level was actually weing news. It meant that, if he had unlimited points, he could ovee the side effects of any skill. ¡®¡­Maybe even lightning.¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes shone. Selfish Sacrifice had the potential to fix the only w with using lightning that he¡¯d struggled with in his past life. When he saw the possibility, there was no need for hesitation. ¡°I need to buy it.¡± Su-hyeok moved his hand. ____ Chapter 6 Chapter 6 After thinking for a while, Su-hyeok finally chose two things. One of the things, of course, was Selfish Sacrifice. It had the potential to negate lightning¡¯s weakness, so it didn¡¯t matter how many points it consumed. As for the other item he picked¡­ [You have purchased a ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] [You spent 1,000 achievement points.] [You can name the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] The magic sword waspletely different from the type of sword he¡¯d used in his past life, but the power of such swords was unparalleled. As long as he had the Stamina for it, the sword¡¯s damage would be outstanding. The problem was that it carried a heavy penalty, which meant it was usually a bad choice for beginners. ¡®I¡¯ll have to test this skill.¡¯ Selfish Sacrifice said it could negate the side effects of other skills or items, so it was a good time to test it. ¡®This skill and the magic word have good synergy together. It¡¯s better to use this from the start than to leave it untouched.¡¯ After choosing both the skill and the sword, he had 25 points left. [You have purchased a ¡®Low-ranking Healing Potion¡¯.] [You spent 20 achievement points.] After buying the health potion just in case he was injured, he had only a few points left. ¡°A magic sword¡­¡± Hugo mumbled as he approached Su-hyeok. Had he realized the rewards were done being chosen? p, p, p¡ª ¡°That skill and item are a good match, that¡¯s for sure. Still, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Even if the items had good synergy¡­ ¡°Why did you choose such a skill? You don¡¯t know if you¡¯re ever going to need it. Not only that, but it also isn¡¯t very efficient.¡± ¡°Do I have to tell you my reason?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°What¡­?¡± Hugo gave him a dumbfounded look. It was the first time he¡¯d ever seen a participant speak so informally to a trial examiner. Was it because he was ignorant, or was he just arrogant due to his talent? ¡®It¡¯s hard to change my way of speaking.¡¯ In reality, that¡¯s just who Su-hyeok was. He took a closer look at McHugo. Clearly, the man was a knight, and he wore heavy armor to match. Su-hyeok almost let his surprise show. ¡®To think this brat would be the examiner.¡¯ Back when Su-hyeok had first met the man in his previous life, he¡¯d been an apprentice knight in a guild called ¡®Chivalry¡¯. * * * ¡°C-could you give me your autograph?!¡± The young and inexperienced Hugo approached him and asked for his autograph during a meeting between Blue Eyes and Chivalry. ¡°My autograph¡­? I don¡¯t have one,¡± Su-Hyeok replied. ¡°Then at least your name, please!¡± Hugo held out a piece of paper and gave him a heavy look. Su-hyeok, wearing his trademark mask, just wrote ¡®Su-hyeok¡¯ in Korean for him. It was the worst handwriting ever, but just that one signature was enough to make Hugo bow deeply in gratitude. * * * That same guy was the examiner for the tutorial. ¡®Things have changed, huh?¡¯ Once again, he realized twenty years had passed. The reality that he was a novice challenging the tower again hit him hard. ¡°Anyway,¡± Su-hyeok finally said, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to answer that question. Even if I did, you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell anyone.¡± Examiners couldn¡¯t leak a participant¡¯s personal information outside. If they did, they would be immediately expelled from the examiner position and severely punished by the Association. ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s true,¡± Hugo agreed. ¡°Then, I¡¯m off.¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± Hugo tried to stop Su-hyeok from leaving. ¡°Are you interested in joining ¡®Chivalry¡¯?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± [Do you want to move to the 2nd floor?] ¡°Yes.¡± Su-hyeok quickly replied to the system message and vanished before Hugo¡¯s eyes. Paf¡ª ¡°Huh¡­?¡± * * * [You have cleared the tutorial.] [You¡¯ve arrived on the 2nd floor.] Everything shed white and then returned to normal, which was something that happened when you cleared a trial and moved on to the next floor. Exiting a shabby temple, Su-hyeok headed toward the nearest city. The 2nd floor¡¯s poption was especiallyrge. Luckily, there was always a vige at the starting point of a floor. ¡°Fresh seafood from afar! Fresh!¡± ¡°Special jerky! Try some samples!¡± ¡°Choose! We have everything! From precious metals from Murim to beautiful designs from Earth!¡± ¡®So I¡¯ve arrived.¡¯ Su-hyeok stared nkly at the bustling marketce along the street. Stepping onto the 2nd floor had special meaning for yers¡ªit meant they¡¯d cleared the tutorial, seeded in their first challenge of their yer career, and had taken their initial step. ¡®This is the beginning.¡¯ For Su-hyeok, it had a different meaning. Since he was doing things he¡¯d already done before, he had to do it better and surpass his former self as the all-time top yer. With that goal in mind, there was something he needed to make sure of. Step¡ª Su-hyeok passed through the market and went straight to the training grounds. The small training grounds, about 60 square meters in size, was frequented by yers for many purposes, such as personal training or testing new skills. ¡°Which floor are you from?¡± the training grounds manager asked, looking over Su-hyeok and noticing he was a novice yer without proper equipment. He knew it was the day of the tutorial, so he figured Su-hyeok had just reached the 2nd floor. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°I just arrived.¡± Su-hyeok answered as he handed over his yer kit, which showed a ¡®2¡¯ on the screen as proof he¡¯d just reached the 2nd floor. The manager checked the disy and said, ¡°Then go to training ground one. It¡¯s already prepared.¡± ¡°Please, assign me to training ground four,¡± Su-hyeok said. ¡°Training ground four?¡± The managerughed in disbelief. The higher the number, the harder the training ground was. Past 10, the training dummy moved on its own and was difficult for even higher floor yers to deal with. ¡°Did youe with this in mind?¡± the manager asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you make a mistake, you will get hurt. If you give up halfway, there will be no refund.¡± The manager worriedly clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯re going to lose your money. Just use number one. Well, as long as I get my part-time work payment, I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± Before the conversation could continue, Su-hyeok extended his hand to the manager. ¡°30 minutes, please.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± The manager sighed and grabbed Su-hyeok¡¯s hand. [You¡¯ve paid 50 points.] Points were drained through one¡¯s hand. With the 30-minute ticket, Su-hyeok entered training ground four. Creak¡ª Apletely soundproof, white room came into view. Traps were installed all over the room and would activate as soon as he stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I wasst here.¡± There was no better ce to test new skills and items than that training ground. Based on the chosen difficulty, he could easily gauge how his skills performed before going on a real hunt. ¡®First¡­¡¯ Screech¡ª [The ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ recognizes its master.] [All stats have temporarily increased.] [The user¡¯s Stamina and mental strength will be consumed.] A message appeared when he drew the magic sword. Typically, using a magic sword was unimaginable due to the side effects that came with it, but he wasn¡¯t interested in testing its power. Bzzt¡ª [The ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs the user¡¯s Stamina.] [Your stats will increase based on the Stamina consumed.] Drip¡ª Blood dripped from Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes, the veins on the back of his sword hand burst, and his fingers trembled. He was reaching his limit. ¡®So this is my current body¡¯s limit.¡¯ He never expected a body that¡¯d just reached the 2nd floor to be able to control a magic sword anyway. He just wanted to test how effective Selfish Sacrifice was. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV1¡¯ resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] [The user¡¯s Stamina and mental strength have been partially restored.] [Your Fatigue has slightly increased.] [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV1¡¯ fails to fully resist the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] ¡®Is this the limit of being level one?¡¯ Though the rare-rank magic sword was considered a failure, it was still one of Kindre¡¯s works. Magic swords could draw considerable power, but the Stamina required was also very high. Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t expecting an F-rank skill to be able to deal with it to begin with, but that wasn¡¯t the skill¡¯s limit. [Owned Points: 10,770] He had more than ten thousand points, which was enough to level up the skill once. Since he¡¯d drawn out the magic sword¡¯s power, it was time to level up Selfish Sacrifice. [You¡¯ve used 10,000 points.] [The skill level of ¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV1¡¯ has increased.] Points equivalent to almost all his wealth disappeared with a single click. He checked the skill again after leveling it up. ¡¾ Selfish Sacrifice ¡¿ # Category: Skill # Rank: E # LV: 2 # Suppresses the side effects of skills and items that harm the user. # Points can be used to upgrade the skill¡¯s rank and level. # Required Points: 20,000P ¡®Twenty thousand?¡¯ Even though the rank had only increased by one, the amount of points required for the next rank had doubled. Did it double after every skill level? If that were the case, then the effects should¡¯ve also increased ordingly. ¡®Let¡¯s check it out.¡¯ [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV2¡¯ resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword.¡¯] [Partial resistance sess.] [¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ uses a portion of the user¡¯s Stamina.] [Your stats have further increased.] Crunch, crack¡ª He felt his muscles contorting and his blood flowing backward¡ªthe rush of power from his rapidly increasing stats and the sense of relief were almost euphoric. ¡®It works.¡¯ Since Selfish Sacrifice had leveled up, using the magic sword was easier. Thanks to that reduced burden, it was also easier to draw out more of the sword¡¯s power. Squeeze¡ª He looked at the traps around the room. Training ground four was originally a ce a yer who¡¯d just passed the tutorial couldn¡¯t even dream of clearing. The traps couldn¡¯t bepared to the flimsy tutorial goblins. Paf¡ª Su-hyeok leaped forward, and all of the traps in the room activated, sending projectiles toward him. Swoosh-! * * * About 10 minutester, Su-hyeok left the training room before all of the avable time had passed. Drip¡ª Blood dripped from his forearm and fell to the floor, he walked with a stagger, and he looked so battered that it seemed he could copse at any moment. Still, he felt no regrets. Instead, he leaned against the wall and smiled. ¡°Woah¡­¡± he whispered to himself in joyous awe. ¡°It worked.¡± ____ Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The training grounds manager was dozing off with his chin resting on his hand. There were training grounds on every floor, and even though there was a 1st floor, the 2nd one was often considered the lowest floor. Few yers visited the training grounds there. On top of that, more yers were using the virtual training ground, even though it was more expensive, which left the 2nd-floor training groundsrgely deserted. Thanks to that, the manager there was often able to nap in such a manner. Tap¡ª ¡°Khu-?¡± The manager, startled by the sound of someone approaching, coughed and raised his head. It wasn¡¯t a new customer¡­ Instead, he heard the customer who¡¯d entered training ground four about 10 minutes prior staggering away. ¡®It isn¡¯t time yet.¡¯ Seeing the customer¡¯s unsteady footsteps, the manager clicked his tongue as he watched the customer leave and muttered, ¡°That¡¯s why you should have listened to me.¡± He got up from his nap and headed toward the training ground. Though only 10 minutes had passed, it was his job to clean up every training ground after use. Creak¡ª Still not fully awake, he opened the door to training ground four and took a look inside. ¡®It¡¯s probably clean. What could a newbie who just cleared the tutorial do here¡­?¡¯ The manager¡¯s tiredness slipped away when he saw the state of the training ground. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, thinking he might have seen it wrong, but the sight was just as shocking. ¡°Huh?¡± He took a step back in surprise, lost his bnce, and fell. Paf¡ª Instead of standing back up, he sat there for a while, thinking of what he was seeing. Arrows were scattered all over the floor among broken crossbows, the spears rising from the floor were all cut apart, and the walls were marked with sword shes. In short, training ground four was in aplete state of ruin. It seemed like it would take him the next few hours to clean it up. ¡°Wh-what happened here?¡± Rather than someone running through, it was the sight of someone who¡¯d methodically smashed every trap in their path. It meant the yer who¡¯d been there hadn¡¯t found it a challenge at all. ¡®Just who¡­?¡¯ No matter how much the manager thought about it, he only knew of one person who¡¯d recently entered training ground four. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­¡± * * * Su-hyeok immediately copsed after entering his lodging. Maybe it was because he¡¯d used the magic sword and taken his Fatigue to the limit, but his whole body ached, and he was a mess. In his exhaustion, he ended up sleeping for half a day straight. After waking up, he hurriedly washed himself and went outside. ¡®I¡¯m still a bit stiff.¡¯ He¡¯d taken things too far the day before, and sleeping for a night wasn¡¯t enough to make a full recovery. Kindre¡¯s swords were sometimes known to kill their users, after all. ¡®Should I be thankful that it ended with just this since the sword is considered a failed product?¡¯ He stretched his stiff neck and walked to a cafe, where he paid 30 points for a coffee and sat down. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it actually worked.¡¯ The quiet morning settled around him, and Su-hyeok recalled his session at the training grounds the day before as he took a sip of his steaming coffee. [Status Window] [Name: Lee Su-hyeok] [Affiliation: Earth] [Level: 10] [Strength: 17] [Agility: 17] [Stamina: 16] [Concentration: 18] [Magic Power: 8] [Fatigue: 61] His stats were definitely higher than they should¡¯ve been for someone who¡¯d just passed the tutorial, but trying to use one of Kindre¡¯s magic swords with 16 Stamina was still too much. Under normal conditions, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold the sword for even a minute. ¡®The physical burden significantly decreased, which made it so I could draw out more of the sword¡¯s power.¡¯ He¡¯d been able to use the sword for three minutes. It was quite a noticeable increasepared to a minute. Handling a magic sword would¡¯ve been a struggle for even his past self. Nobody would be able to imagine a 2nd-floor yer using one. It was all possible due to Selfish Sacrifice. ¡®This should work.¡¯ The magic sword and lightning had simr self-harm mechanisms. If he could suppress the burden from the magical sword; he figured he¡¯d also be able to do the same with lightning. Proper use of Selfish Sacrifice would be like the difference between walking and flying. ¡®In the end, it¡¯s a problem of level.¡¯ He checked Selfish Sacrifice¡¯s level, which he¡¯d used almost all of his points to raise. # Rank: E # LV: 2 # Required Points: 20,000 Normally, he would¡¯ve never spared an E-rank skill a second nce. The shop after the tutorial even had some B-rank skills among the 2,000-point options, after all. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s about money¡­¡± 10,000 points wasn¡¯t much, but it was a significant amount for someone who¡¯d just done the tutorial. All of it had evaporated in an instant. If he wanted the skill to get better, he needed 20,000 points. He had almost 0 points, and it was highly unlikely he¡¯d find someone willing to lend money to a 2nd-floor yer. ¡®The better the skill¡¯s effect, the more points you must invest. Right now, it can¡¯t even handle a single, rare-rank magic sword, let alone lightning¡­¡¯ Selfish Sacrifice was one of the hard-toe-by growth-type skills. Moreover, the only way to make it grow was through points. In other words, he needed to make money. Not just a little, but a huge amount. ¡°I never imagined I¡¯d worry about something like this.¡± Su-hyeok sighed and looked out the window. In his past life as part of Blue Eyes, he¡¯d never had to worry about such a thing. Back then, he even earned points passively. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * At the time, he could¡¯ve probably earned many more points if he were interested. Unfortunately, things had changed. ¡®What could I do to earn more money?¡¯ It was hard to ept he had to think about points before raising stats or obtaining skills. ¡°¡­¡± He gradually looked more and more frustrated as he stared out the window. Finally, he confidently muttered, ¡°Nothing.¡± He couldn¡¯t think of anything. Had he ever worried about things like that? He¡¯d earned points for doing nothing before, and most of his items had been directly earned, so why would he know anything about earning points? ¡°Why points, of all things? What¡¯s this, a game?¡± Soon, that frustration turned intoints. Why was it asking him to spend money? ¡®I can earn points by going up and clearing dungeons, but getting there would take way too long.¡¯ What Su-hyeok wanted to know was more immediate. If he regained his former strength, he would be able to earn a lot of points, but that was far off. He needed another way. It seemed impossible to think of one on his own, so he decided to borrow knowledge from others and took out his yer kit. [Do you want to search ¡®How to earn points¡¯?] Something immediately came up. It seemed many people searched for the same thing. [Earn points even while sleeping! Easily earn 10,000 points a month! Earn points with a side job¡­] [Healthy point betting. With this, I earned 100,000 points¡­] [Guaranteed high ie! Only the first three people¡­] The first articles to catch his attention were all aimed at tricking the gullible. Most of those posts were made by pyramid scheme fraudsters. Fortunately, even though he didn¡¯t know how to earn points, he had enoughmon sense to filter those guys out. ¡®There¡¯s nothing useful.¡¯ The only method he could think of was climbing the tower. As long as he passed the trials and climbed the tower, he could receive points, just as he had after the tutorial. Of course, from the 2nd floor, you also had to pay points to participate in each trial. ¡°So there¡¯s no other way¡­?¡± Just when he was about to close his yer kit, a certain article caught Su-hyeok¡¯s eye. [This is the age of ¡®yerz.¡¯ 1 out of 10 yers reveal that they have tried streaming before.] ¡®Streaming¡­?¡¯ When he thought about it, he had heard of it before. 20 years prior, back when he was active, he¡¯d heard of yers transmitting their personal streams on a certain site. Even his new self seemed to know about it a bit. ¡®yerz is a major website recognized by the system,¡¯ he thought to himself, roughly understanding the structure after researching more information. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand since it was simr to something he knew from his past life. ¡®This is very simr to YouTube.¡¯ After he read more about streaming, he could smell the money. No, in that world, it was called ¡®points¡¯. Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. Although it was a bit bothersome, it seemed like he¡¯d found a way. ¡°Oh, what? Su-hyeok?¡± A customer entered the cafe and happily called out to Su-hyeok as he approached. ¡°Did youe up too?¡± The man¡¯s long, blond hair reached his shoulders. He had distinct features and a delicate-looking face, but his eyes were fierce. Su-hyeok¡¯s excited heart suddenly sank as he realized the man before him harbored hostility. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find you here. It seems that you¡¯re staying nearby.¡± Without even asking for permission, the man sat in front of Su-hyeok. ¡®How rude.¡¯ Feeling the situation was unpleasant, Su-hyeok frowned and examined the man¡¯s face. ¡®Where have I seen him before?¡¯ It felt like it was just on the edge of his memory. Of course, it wasn¡¯t really ¡®his¡¯ memory¡ªit was the memory of the man who¡¯d originally owned his body. * * * ¡°Why¡­ Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t like your name, you bastard. Okay?¡± ¡°My name?¡± ¡°Yes, your name. Lee Su-hyeok? You have the same name as that bastard who died.¡± * * * A scene shed in his mind along with the name of the man sitting before him. ¡®Isaac.¡¯ Su-hyeok awkwardly scratched his head as memories surfaced. Although he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, he felt some guilt. ¡®Was it because of me?¡¯ Since Isaac didn¡¯t like the name, whether he was a fan or hater, the man had bullied the original owner of Su-hyeok¡¯s body. His hands shook slightly. ¡°I¡¯m staying in the building next to this.¡± Su-hyeok looked into Isaac¡¯s eyes while his hands involuntarily shook. The guy was still smiling. When had hest received such a look? It was a look of disdain. ¡°Really? That¡¯s interesting. I didn¡¯t think a buffoon like you would be able to pass the tutorial. I figured even a single goblin would be too much for you.¡± Isaac had gone to the same educational institution as Su-hyeok, inherited a great talent from his famous ranker father, and received ample support. ¡°I was lucky,¡± Su-hyeok answered in annoyance. Considering his age, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste his breath arguing with a young kid. Had he taken his words at face value? With a self-satisfied expression evident on his face, Isaac started to boast. ¡°I went up to stage 20. I even surpassed my father¡¯s record. Hugo praised me a lot.¡± ¡°Ah, really?¡± ¡°As a reward, I learned a skill¡­¡± Isaac kept chattering. Su-hyeok pretended to listen, the words passing through one ear and out the other. He had no intention of taking revenge for something that didn¡¯t happen to him. Anyway, he had already graduated from the institution, so there wouldn¡¯t be many opportunities to get involved with Isaac in the future. ¡°Hey, I got thirsty after talking so much. Buy me a cup of tea.¡± That was the line. Su-hyeok, who¡¯d been listening to Isaac with a nonchnt expression, suddenly sharpened his gaze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you rich? Buy it yourself.¡± Every point Su-hyeok had was very precious to him. ____ Chapter 8 Chapter 8 It might¡¯ve just been a cup of tea, but Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t tolerate the other man trying to take advantage of him when he was very sensitive about points. ¡®Does he think pointse out of thin air?¡¯ Maybe Isaac didn¡¯t have to worry about points due to his father, but it was a different matter for Su-hyeok¡ªhe needed to save every point possible so he could focus on leveling his skill. Isaac¡¯s expression turned cold when he say Su-hyeok¡¯s defiant look. ¡°Are you declining?¡± ¡°Does this look like a yes?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°How disappointing. What¡¯s the point of being friends if you can¡¯t even buy me a cup of tea?¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Su-hyeok¡¯s lips crept into a smile. All he could do wasugh at such a shameless remark. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes twitched. He hadn¡¯t been expecting such a reaction. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected to be cut off in such a manner. Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t acting like the man he knew. No, the problem wasn¡¯t just the man¡¯s reaction. Su-hyeok leisurely drank his tea while not even giving him a second nce¡ªit was as if he didn¡¯t matter at all. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s voice and atmosphere turned aggressive, leaving any semnce of his yful act behind. His magic red up. ¡°Do you think passing the tutorial changed anything?¡± ¡°Things have changed, of course.¡± Su-hyeok ced his coffee on the table and asked, ¡°Are you curious enough to test it?¡± ck¡ª He had no intention of getting involved in a childish fight, but if Isaac kept trying to antagonize him, then things would be different. No matter how young Isaac was, there was a limit to his patience. For a while, Isaac gave Su-hyeok a menacing re. The atmosphere was so tense that it wouldn¡¯t have been unexpected if he unleashed magic at any moment. ¡°Forget about it.¡± In the end, Isaac looked deted and stood. ¡°What¡¯s the point of hanging around with someone as lowly as you? We¡¯re not even in the same ss anymore.¡± Tap¡ª He patted Su-hyeok¡¯s shoulder and headed for the cafe door. ¡°As a former friend, let me give you a piece of advice¡­ I know you¡¯re excited about passing the tutorial, but you¡¯re going to get yourself killed without notice if you keep it up.¡± Su-hyeok raised his middle finger at Isaac¡¯s back. ¡°Friend?¡± He clicked his tongue and downed his cooled coffee in one gulp, the bitter liquid flowing over his tongue. Isaac¡¯s insincere mention of ¡®friend¡¯ reverberated through Su-hyeok¡¯s chest for some reason. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just because of Isaac. ¡°A real friend is¡­¡± Faces shed through his mind. ¡®MinJae, Suhun, JiYeong¡­¡¯ He remembered the man who¡¯d taken a spear for him, the one who was blown away by magic, and the friend who¡¯d lost their limbs. He could still vividly imagine their faces. Though 20 years had passed for everyone else, it was just a few days for him. They had died for him, but more than that, they were his friends. ¡°Damn it,¡± Su-hyeok muttered, feeling weird as he looked at where Isaac had been. ¡°If you dare bother me again, you better be prepared.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * There were two main ways in which a yer could grow. First, they could pass the trial and move up to the next floor. Whenever a yer passed one of the trials, they naturally grew. Though taking an trial cost points, they were guaranteed safety and didn¡¯t have to worry about death. The second way a yer could grow was by hunting monsters outside the safe zone or clearing dungeons to increase stats and gain experience. If done well, a yer could even earn points. Unlike the trials, hunting meant risking your life. Many yers avoided hunting because not many were willing to risk their lives to save some points. ¡®There¡¯s nothing as slow as the safe route and nothing as quick as the dangerous path.¡¯ Thud¡ª A drop of water fell from the cave¡¯s ceiling onto Su-hyeok¡¯s hand. He¡¯d entered a dungeon and just finished hunting. The nest of orcs was dead, and he took time to catch his breath. Thud¡ª ¡°I should get a separate sword. I can¡¯t handle such Fatigue levels.¡± Magic swords continuously drained a user¡¯s Stamina, even when not activated. He had Selfish Sacrifice to help, but the drain was still troublesome. ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that I leveled up.¡¯ Most would consider it a madman¡¯s errand to solo a dungeon. At least, that was the usual case. Typically, dungeons were tackled by parties of around 10 people, and multiple guilds had gotten involved with the ¡®Hydra Dungeon¡¯. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s possible.¡¯ He was confident he could handle it. Not only did he have a rare-rank item, but he also had a skill that allowed him to use it more easily. Above all else, though, he was Lee Su-hyeok. Was there any other exnation needed? It was almost disappointing that he couldn¡¯t find any dungeons with a higher rank. ¡®I guess I have no choice but to go up.¡¯ All that remained was the boss fight. During his break, Su-hyeok pulled out his yer kit. He wanted to get used to streams before challenging the next trial. He¡¯d concluded that streaming was the quickest way to earn points, but he still didn¡¯t know much about it and watched at first. He used his kit to enter a ¡®yerz¡¯ channel so he could watch another Earthling¡¯s stream. ¡°Wow! Friends! It¡¯s bald Su-hyeok~ Today, finally, we¡¯re going to take on the notorious ¡®Demon¡¯s Cave¡¯. 4th floor, here I go~!¡± The streamer was wearing a mask simr to Su-hyeok¡¯s and acting funny. Even his clothes were simr to what Su-hyeok used to wear. ¡®How many people are using this concept?¡¯ The streamer, who went by the name ¡®Bald Su-hyeok¡¯, had just reached the end of the 3rd floor. ¨C No, you¡¯re the only one struggling. ¨C It feels like I¡¯ve already seen this. ¨C You¡¯re right. This is his 8th try. ¨C Finally, he¡¯s at it again, lol. ¨C Bald hyung¡¯s just doing what he always does. The chat window quickly filled. It was incredible that he¡¯d fail the 3rd floor¡¯s trial eight times. ¡®So people can fail this¡­¡¯ Su-hyeok, who was always surrounded by his fellow Blue Eyes members, was shocked. ¡°You guys like sensitivity. Pretend you don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s act as if this were my first try.¡± ¨C Reported for stream maniption. ¨C Woah! Finally, the 4th floor! (Is this how we should do it, hyung?) ¨C This guy will die here. He won¡¯t get past the 3rd floor. ¨C Don¡¯t kill our bald hyung¡¯s spirit with such meanments! ¨C He absolutely won¡¯t be able to do it. Despite his long career as a streamer, the man was still stuck on the 3rd floor. [¡®Bald Idiot¡¯ has registered a mission.] [10,000 points if you pass on the first try.] Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. 10 thousand? It was a considerable number of points. Were they going to give the bald streamer so many points just if he passed an trial? ¡°Mr. Bald Idiot, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯ve chosen such an ID, but thanks for the mission! This time, I¡¯ll really pass the trial and recover the test fee.¡± [¡®I love baldy¡¯ has registered a mission.] [5,000 if you pass it on the first try.] [¡®Poor Wallet¡¯ has registered a mission.] [If this guy passes, I¡¯ll burn my hands. I¡¯m going to add 2,500 points.] [¡®Safe Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.] [2,500 USD. I¡¯m going to add another 2,500 points to make it 20,000.] ¡°Woah¡­¡± Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The missions for the streamer amounted to 20,000 points. If he were in the streamer¡¯s ce, he could immediately pass and raise Selfish Sacrifice¡¯s level again. Of course, one had to pass the mission, but that wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Su-hyeok. ¡®This trial is very easy.¡¯ Streamer Bald Su-hyeok had decided to challenge the trial without looking at the viewers¡¯ chat, but the result was still bad. Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Why can¡¯t he do it?¡± If it were the man¡¯s 8th attempt, it was impossible for him to not be somewhat proficient, right? Still, somehow it looked like it was the man¡¯s initial try. ¡®What kind of nonsense is he doing with my name?¡¯ He could no longer bear to watch it. In fact, Su-hyeok had the urge to toss his yer kit away. In the end, Bald Su-hyeok failed. He ended up being pierced through the head with an arrow and was eliminated from the trial, which resulted in him being summoned back to the trial hall on the 3rd floor. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Still, I improved a lot, right, guys?¡± ¨C Lol! ¨C My assets are still safe. Good job! ¨C Agree. ¨C Hyung-nim, just stop. ¨C That was really close¡­ ¨C Get the traitor!!! ¨C I wish people who disgrace the name of Lee Su-hyeok like this guy would disappear. If I were Lee Su-hyeok¡­ ¨C Get this overly-serious guy! ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Su-hyeok sighed as he watched the stream. He¡¯d been watching different streams over the past few days and was certain about something. ¡®This can make someone a lot of money.¡¯ Points were used as currency in the tower, and streaming was a great way to earn those points. The ¡®Bald Su-hyeok¡¯ streamer he¡¯d just seen had over 100,000 viewers. Contrary to his concept, he was a sessful streamer not because of his skills but because of how entertaining he was. Su-hyeok was known to be the greatest yer in history. The point of the bald imitator¡¯s stream was the stark contrast between them. ¡®I can¡¯t do something like this. It doesn¡¯t suit me.¡¯ There were several types of streamers:edy streamers had to make the viewersugh¡ªone needed to have an eye-catching appearance and talk with the chat a lot. There were also yers who streamed dungeon raids or trials. Finally, there were those whobined the three. ¡°Streaming, huh¡­¡± Su-hyeok wanted to show everyone his skill. * * * A few dayster¡­. After running through dungeons and getting used to how streams worked, Su-hyeok took out the mask he¡¯d thrown into a corner of his inventory and covered his face. Over the past few days, he¡¯d been thinking about the concept he¡¯d use. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ With his face covered by the mask, he headed toward the mirror on one side of the wall. His youthful face was covered, so he saw the Su-hyeok from his memory. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d use this again.¡¯ His dark eyes shone. He started it because he needed points, but since he was going to do it, he thought he should do it properly. He walked past the mirror and headed out of his room. Some might point fingers at him, saying he was imitating Lee Su-hyeok. So what, though? It didn¡¯t matter what others thought. After all¡­ [¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯ has started streaming.] ¨C I¡¯m the real one. ____ Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Crunch¡ª A woman yer from Murim, Un-hyang chewed on a walnut while watching the screen. ¡°Are they dumb? How can¡¯t they pass this with five people?¡± She sighed in disappointment Cheong-ryang, who was also watching from next to Un-hyang, asked, ¡°Who is it this time?¡± ¡°A streamer named Sangbbak. He¡¯s currently challenging the 5th floor.¡± ¡°Sangbbak? Isn¡¯t he that Lee Su-hyeok knockoff? Or is he Bbak Su-hyeok¡¯s knockoff?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he¡¯s a mixture of both.¡± She put another walnut in her mouth and turned off the stream. Crunch¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re streaming when they¡¯re so bad,¡± sheined. ¡°Streaming isn¡¯t just about skills. Don¡¯t be too biased. With that mindset, you won¡¯t be able to do this job,¡± Cheong-ryang warned. They were employees of Balhae Entertainment. High-ranking yers and popr streamers held influence akin to that of a celebrity¡¯s, and it was their job to maximize influence for more points. As for the two of them, they were tasked with contacting such streamers. ¡°Still, shouldn¡¯t they be above a certain standard?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t judge people based on your standards alone.¡± Cheon-ryang reached for the walnut Un-hyang was eating. ¡°Honestly, I still don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re here doing this job.¡± Among the many yers from Murim, Un-hyang was one of the ones who stood out the most. She¡¯d quickly reached the 8th floor and had enough talent to go higher, but she¡¯d suddenly stopped. One day¡­ ¡°Is yourpany hiring?¡± She¡¯d abruptly shown up at thepany, saying she wanted a job. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go higher? You seem like you could reach the top if you wanted,¡± Cheon-ryang said. Un-hyang sighed. ¡°Because it¡¯s no fun.¡± ¡°Fun? Is that the agony of being a genius?¡± ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Cheon-ryang shrugged and ended the conversation on a light note. Even if they took the conversation further, she would never reveal her true feelings. ¡®She wanted to go up to meet Lee Su-hyeok. Of course she would feel bored.¡¯ The moment she stopped climbing and lost interest in the world was when Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s death was revealed. It was a pity. As an old friend and as a yer, seeing Un-hyang¡¯s talent rot away seemed like too much of a waste. ¡°What? This guy.¡± Un-hyang suddenly frowned, speaking in a voice tinged with displeasure. Cheon-ryang asked, ¡°What? Is there a strange guy?¡± ¡°A Lee Su-hyeok imitator.¡± ¡°Another one?¡± Cheon-ryang got up and looked at the stream Un-hyang was watching. Sure enough, the stream showed a newbie streamer using the name ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯. It was a stream with 0 viewers. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± he asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Hey, why are you watching someone¡¯s stream when they have no viewers?¡± Balhae was an entertainmentpany that contacted streamers who had many viewers and coborated with them to make money, so why was she watching someone who had not a single viewer? ¡°What do you want me to do? It just popped up before me,¡± Un-hyang mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s because you always watch streams with Lee Su-hyeok involved, so rted videos pop up.¡± Cheon-ryang sighed. Un-hyang, unaware of Cheon-ryang¡¯s frustration, grumbled as if she were in a bad mood. ¡°It¡¯s really funny. I don¡¯t understand where they get such confidence from.¡± She was a fan of Su-hyeok. Not only that, but she was extremely enthusiastic about him. That¡¯s why she watched all streams rted to Lee Su-hyeok, regardless of the number of viewers. ¡°Then just don¡¯t watch it,¡± Cheong-ryang said. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m watching because I want to?¡± ¡°Listen. I understand how you feel, but personal emotions are prohibited in our job, especially when ites to contacting streamers.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Un-hyang trailed off and looked at the new ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯ streamer who had appeared on her kit¡¯s screen. ¡°Whenever they wear that mask, I can¡¯t help but have expectations.¡± If they were going to do it, shouldn¡¯t they at least be good enough to not disappoint her? Cheong-ryang closed eyes and thought, ¡®Yes, let¡¯s think positively.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that there wasn¡¯t anyone to have imitated Su-hyeok and done well. Before she entered thepany, there was one yer who had caught her attention. ¡°Yes. There are people like Cha Min-woo in the world. He began wearing a mask from the 3rd floor, right?¡± Un-hyang nodded. Cha Min-woo was the fastest yer to climb the tower among those who¡¯d started in thest 10 years. He¡¯d climbed so quickly that people often said he was at the level of an average Blue Eyes member already. Un-hyang also acknowledged his skills, but¡­ ¡°Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s still the best. He can¡¯t bepared to.¡± As expected, that man still couldn¡¯t bepared to Lee Su-hyeok. Un-hyang focused on the stream. [Viewers: 1] She became Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s first viewer. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Torches on the ceilings and walls lit the humid, stuffy air of the huge cave Su-hyeok found himself summoned to. He caught his breath at the familiar spell. [The 2nd floor¡¯s first trial is starting.] [Pass through the ¡®Beginning¡¯s Dungeon¡¯ and escape.] [You can earn achievement points based on how many monsters you defeat.] The first trial of the 2nd floor¡¯s ¡®Beginning¡¯s Dungeon¡¯ was to catch monsters inside the dungeon and escape. Since it was the starting point of the lower floors, the trial itself was simple. ¡®So it¡¯s finally starting.¡¯ Normally, Su-hyeok wouldn¡¯t be nervous about such trials. His nervousness was for another reason, though. Rather than being worried about failing on the 2nd floor¡­ [¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯ has started streaming.] [Viewers: 0] He had started streaming for the first time as soon as the trial began; maybe that was why he had no viewers yet. Well, one couldn¡¯t expect to be full after the first bite. No one wanted to watch a newbie yer who had just taken their first step. Su-hyeok put on the mask. ¡®Let¡¯s move for now.¡¯ He began walking through the damp and quiet dungeon. One could doubt whether there were monsters there at all. Tap, tap¡ª He walked slowly, keeping himself alert. All he heard were his own footsteps. His vision narrowed within the dim lighting of the cave, making his other senses sharper. That limited visibility was why the 2nd floor¡¯s trial was often done in teams. ¡®Something should appear soon¡­¡¯ ¨C Which floor is this? ¡®!¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes shone when words began appearing in the lower corner of his vision. [Viewers: 4] His viewer count suddenly went up to four. As expected, choosing ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯ as his theme was the right choice. ¡°It¡¯s the 2nd floor.¡± ¨C Do people start streaming from the 2nd floor these days? ¨C I¡¯ve seen some. Most of them quickly quit because of no viewers. ¡®I guess people from the lower floors don¡¯t stream much.¡¯ When thought about it, he¡¯d never seen a newbie yer from below the 3rd floor streaming. Even if their skills werecking, most were yers who had reached at least the 4th floor. Naturally, it was rare to see someone streaming on the 2nd floor. ¨C This guy¡¯s brave. To think he¡¯d start streaming with the Lee Su-hyeok theme from the 2nd floor. ¨C If you know, then why did youe here? ¨C Because it¡¯s fun. Also, I used to be a fan of Lee Su-hyeok. ¨C Ah, you too? Hey, so was I, lol. Another viewer had suddenly joined. Five viewers¡­ Although there weren¡¯t many people, the chat was very active with conversation about Lee Su-hyeok. ¡®What?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t expecting that. He just chose the theme to attract an audience. ¡®Were they my fans¡­?¡¯ He felt a bit flustered and embarrassed to see the chat blooming with stories about himself. 20 years prior, Su-hyeok was so focused on climbing the tower that he never had the chance tomunicate with fans. ¨C Is this the first try? ¡°Yes, this is my first try.¡± ¨C Woah~ A fresh newbie. ¨C First? This is actually better. The viewers seemed to find it interesting that he was a perfect beginner who had just passed the tutorial. Of course, there were some kind-hearted viewers who were worried about Su-hyeok. ¨C Are you going to be okay? ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¨C Is it okay to stream already? If it¡¯s the 2nd floor, this should be the ¡®Beginning¡¯s Dungeon¡¯. That means those dark ces¡­ Paf¡ª [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®One-Eyed Bat¡¯.] [You¡¯ve earned 1 achievement point.] He suddenly thrust the sword he was holding upward and pierced the eye of a monster flying overhead. It was a ¡®One-Eyed Bat¡¯, which was as big as a fist. ¡°You¡¯re right. They appear out of nowhere,¡± he casually said. ¨C ???? ¨C What was that??? ¨C Can¡¯t you tell? It was a one-eyed bat. ¨C Who doesn¡¯t know that? How did he do that? ¨C It seemed like it just flew into the sword on its own. ¨C What incredible luck. The chat window erupted in an instant. Su-hyeok shook off the one-eyed bat stuck on his sword onto the ground and checked the chat. ¨C It¡¯s a monster called a one-eyed bat. They suddenlye from dark ces. ¨C That¡¯s right, if one bites you, you¡¯ll at least suffer a severe injury. ¨C They usuallye from above, just like now. You can¡¯t just look ahead and walk. Bits of advice poured in. Su-hyeok nodded as he read the chat, but he couldn¡¯t follow all of it. ¡°Besides the one-eyed bats, one should also be careful of ¡®ground mermaids¡¯.¡± Ground mermaids were a type of fish thaty t on the cave¡¯s floor. Although they looked like fish, they crawled on the ground. ¡°Ground mermaids are less noticeable. After all, they usually lie t on the floor, waiting for prey.¡± ¨C Oh? ¨C Isn¡¯t this your first try? ¨C These days, there¡¯s a lot of information on the channels. You can easily find such information with a little research. ¨C Thumbs up for the effort. Most of Su-hyeok¡¯s viewers were also yers who had passed the 2nd-floor trial and moved up. That¡¯s why they were quite knowledgeable about how to pass the trial. Of course¡­ ¨C Don¡¯t be greedy, and move with your team. That¡¯s the answer. None of them had taken the trial by themselves like Su-hyeok was doing. ¡°Thank you for your advice, Mr. ¡®I love money,¡¯ but I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m challenging this by myself.¡± ¨C ??? Alone? ¨C Huh??? Didn¡¯t you do any research? ¨C You¡¯re screwed, lol. ¨C This is what I call a real newbie, lol. There was a heated reaction to Su-hyeok¡¯s revtion. It was understandable. After all, the 2nd floor¡¯s trial was designed for a five-person party. He¡¯d have to do the work of five people, so one couldn¡¯t simply say it was five times harder. In fact, less than five people had ever passed the 2nd floor¡¯s trial alone, making it extremely difficult. ¨C Mr¡­ Will you be really okay? ¡®I love money¡¯ sent another message asking him if he would really be okay. Su-hyeok swung his sword and replied, ¡°Yes, I want to give it a try.¡± sh¡ª [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®Ground Mermaid¡¯.] [You¡¯ve earned 2 achievement points.] ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± The waiting ground mermaid¡¯s head fell from its neck. ¨C ??? A ground mermaid??? ¨C Did anyone see that thing? ¨C I didn¡¯t. ¨C There was a ground mermaid, but now it¡¯s gone. Question marks flooded the chat again. The number of viewers increased to six. ____ Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡®Six people¡­¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes shone. His number of viewers steadily increased, probably because new ones were arriving and none were leaving. ¡°Ground mermaids rarely move alone.¡± sh-! Su-hyeok¡¯s sword decapitated another mermaid. [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®Ground Mermaid¡¯.] [You¡¯ve earned 2 achievement points.] ¡°Not only must you be careful of the ground, but you should also watch the walls. These guys stick to the stones, not the ground.¡± He shed at a seemingly featureless wall, and another ground mermaid died. ¨C Again?? ¨C It wasn¡¯t a coincidence? ¨C Isn¡¯t this your first try? Once could be a coincidence, but two or three times was something else. He easily found the ground mermaids and beheaded them with a single strike each, so the reaction was quite explosive. ¨C What happened? Why are you all reacting like that? ¨C Didn¡¯t you see the one-strike ground mermaid kill? ¨C Wasn¡¯t it a fluke? ¨C He already one-shotted two of them. ¨C Could it be that the one-eyed bat from before¡­? ¨C No way. He wasn¡¯t even paying attention to the ceiling. Though there were only six people, the chat was quite active. Su-hyeok¡¯s feats were just that fascinating. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll keep heading inside.¡± He couldn¡¯t remain still if he wanted to beat his past record and impress his viewers. Naturally, since he was aiming for a skill-based stream, he needed to continue. ¨C If you¡¯re alone, it¡¯s better to slow down a bit. ¨C Yes, if you keep going straight, the numbers are going to increase a lot. ¨C I¡¯m starting to get excited, lol. The viewers weren¡¯t fools. Those who¡¯d been watching since he killed the first one-eyed bat gradually started to have expectations of him. ¨C Isn¡¯t he going too fast? ¨C You¡¯re right. ¨C Be careful. I¡¯m starting to get nervous just from watching. Monsters that appeared in the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon could bergely categorized into two types: one-eyed bats and ground mermaids. Neither of them were particrly strong monsters. No matter howcking your stats were, most people could solo them. There was another reason they were dangerous, though¡­ You never knew when or where they would appear. ¨C When you look at this, it looks like it¡¯s his first try¡­ ¨C He¡¯s doing it alone, so that¡¯s a given. He¡¯s a total newbie. Thud¡ª Su-hyeok suddenly halted his rapid walk, turned, and swung his sword to decapitate two one-eyed bats in one go. Then he jumped upward. ¡°Grk-?¡± The ground mermaid made a grotesque sound and looked surprised in the instant before it was decapitated. sh¡ª! The monster¡¯s head flew into the sky, and the heads of the two bats and the mermaid all hit the ground at nearly the same time as Su-hyeoknded. Thud, thud¡ª [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®One-Eyed Bat¡¯. x2] [You¡¯ve earned 2 achievement points.] [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®Ground Mermaid¡¯.] ¨C What just happened? ¨C What?? ¨C What? Did something just happen? ¨C Something¡¯s¡­ happening¡­ The viewers didn¡¯t understand what was going on and sent confused chats. Three monsters had died in an instant. Not only that, but they had been killed with such a smooth movement that it looked like a single stroke. ¡°They came from above and below at the same time. They must be on the same team despite being different species.¡± It was amazing that Su-hyeok had been able to smoothly react to an attack that evenrge parties would have fallen victim to. ¨C Let¡¯s say that the ground mermaid is understandable, but how did you know about the one-eyed bats? A viewer, who no longer thought it was a coincidence, asked a question. Su-hyeok exined it. ¡°If you focus on the sound, you can tell where they areing from and how many there are.¡± ¨C What??? ¨C Well, theoretically, that¡¯s true, but¡­ ¨C Come on, who doesn¡¯t know that? It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t understand the exnation. One-eyed bats were monsters that suddenly appeared in the darkness, which was why you needed to rely on the sounds they made. ¡°One-eyed bats move and muffle their sounds like assassins. However, when they¡¯re about to fall from the ceiling, there¡¯s a second, distinct sound they make that allows you to determine their direction. Grab¡ª Cough¡ª! Su-hyeok reached out to the side and caught a one-eyed bat as it flew toward him. ¡°Their weak point is the eye. If you stab the eye, they will instantly die.¡± To show the eye was the weak point, he first subdued the monster before stabbing it in the eye. Stab¡ª Su-hyeok then dropped the monster to the ground and said, ¡°Like this.¡± ¨C Who doesn¡¯t know that?? ¨C You deceived us! You¡¯re a veteran! ¨C We also know that. We do, but¡­ ¨C I think I could do that. ¨C What floor are you on? ¨C The 4th. ¨C If you reached that far and couldn¡¯t do this, you¡¯d be an idiot. This guy¡¯s stating the obvious. ¨C Exactly, lol. Does he not know why everyone¡¯s surprised? Su-hyeok saw the chat and asked, ¡°You couldn¡¯t do this on the 2nd floor?¡± ¨C Usually, no. ¨C On the 2nd floor, your stats should be low, so your vision is still narrow. That¡¯s why most can¡¯t. ¨C Maybe starting from the 3rd floor? ¨C I¡¯m on the 3rd floor now, and there are plenty of people who can¡¯t do this. ¡°But it¡¯s easy¡­¡± ¨C Normally, it would be impossible. ¨C yers are all about talent. Didn¡¯t you know? ¨C This guy nailed the concept. It feels like I¡¯m seeing Lee Su-hyeok during his newbie days. ¨C You crossed the line. ¨C Right? Comparing him to Lee Su-hyeok just because he hunted some bats is a bit¡­ ¨C What? What did this person do? * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡®So most people wouldn¡¯t be able to do this?¡¯ Su-hyeok thought to himself. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d done anything impressive. After all, it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d hunted dozens of goblins and killed an orc king by using the goblins¡¯ poison, like in the tutorial. He¡¯d just hunted a few one-eyed bats and ground mermaids. He didn¡¯t expect such a reaction. ¡®Can¡¯t most people do at least this much?¡¯ Su-hyeok had always been surrounded by capable people¡ªall of his colleagues in Blue Eyes were top-tier yers. Thus, he hadn¡¯t known anyone incapable of at least what he was doing. ¡°How strange¡­¡± ¨C Hahaha. ¨C It seems that he doesn¡¯t understand, lol. ¨C Well, we don¡¯t understand you, so¡­ The chat was active. Su-hyeok checked the number of viewers. [Viewers: 10] He was in the double digits¡ªnew people wereing in, and no one was leaving. That meant everyone was focused on him. [Achievement Points: 10] After confirming the points he¡¯d earned, Su-hyeok said, ¡°So I¡¯m at 10 points¡­¡± It was disappointing to him since he wanted to gather as many points as possible before leaving the dungeon. ¨C If you¡¯re already at 10 points, you¡¯ve gathered a lot. ¨C With this much, he might be able to clear the dungeon alone. ¨C ?? Is this person alone? ¨C Seeing new viewers confused is funny, lol. ¨C Didn¡¯t you guys also just enter? Thinking that he¡¯d ¡®already¡¯ earned that much wasn¡¯t unreasonable. After all, the goal was survival. The dungeon was meant to confirm a yer¡¯s minimum skills before they took the trial. If that goal changed from ¡®survival¡¯ to ¡®hunting¡¯, it was a whole other story. That¡¯s why Su-hyeok didn¡¯t go back. Instead, he began looking for ces with more monsters. ¨C Come to think of it, he keeps going farther in. ¨C He¡¯s recklessly charging ahead, lol. ¨C Didn¡¯t you investigate beforeing? ¨C If you keep going in, it will be dangerous. ¨C If you keep going straight¡­ Squeak¡ª Squeak, squeak, squeak¡ª Squeak, squeak, squeak¡ª As soon as people began sending worried chats, a bunch of sounds were heard. The cave¡¯s passage widened out, and a stench wafted into Su-hyeok¡¯s nose. The one-eyed bats hanging upside down from the ceiling opened their eyes, and red glows appeared everywhere. ¨C See? ¨C I knew this would happen. ¨C He¡¯s done. ¨C See you in the next try~ That part of the dungeon with the dozens of one-eyed bats was known as a yer graveyard. ¡®There are a lot.¡¯ Thinking that he¡¯d gone to the right ce, Su-hyeok smiled. So far, he¡¯d been upset by how only one or two appeared at a time. In his eyes, the many enemies looked like arge amount of points. On top of that¡­ [¡®My Personal Small Stream¡¯ has registered a mission.] [100 points if you catch them all.] Though there were only a few viewers, a mission already appeared. Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. It wasn¡¯t a lot of money, but it wasn¡¯t bad for just starting. ¨C Lol. ¨C You evil bastard, lol. ¨C Seriously~ Of course, the mission was registered just to tease him. He didn¡¯t care, though, he¡¯d gone all the way there to earn points anyway. ¡°My Personal Small Stream¡­ Thank you for the 100 points.¡±¡® Su-hyeok expressed his thanks in advance as he approached the bats. * * * ¡°Argh! You idiot!¡± Bang¡ª Cheong-ryang, who¡¯d been watching the stream, mmed her hands on the desk. She was usually known for being calm andposed, but she had a reason for losing her cool. ¡°Damn it. Why did someone who¡¯s been doing well up to the 6th floor suddenly have to fail here? Huh?¡± yerz had a gambling section where one could gamble on whether a huge streamer wouldplete a mission or on the oue of events. There were many ways to gamble in yerz. Cheong-ryang was quite serious about gambling. Even during work. ¡°Were you gambling again instead of working?¡± Startled by Un-hyang¡¯s question, Cheong-ryang tried to defend himself. ¡°Th-this is part of my work.¡± ¡°Is watching streams all that there is to your work? Aren¡¯t you watching it for gambling purposes?¡± Un-hyang might¡¯ve been obsessed with all Lee Su-hyeok-rted streams, but Cheong-ryang had his own problems with gambling while working. Both of them were huge headaches for thepany, but they each thought the other was the problem. ¡°Just stop. Didn¡¯t you lose your sry again on that bet?¡± ¡°Wait. There¡¯s still one left.¡± ¡°You made more than one bet?¡± Un-hyang gave the man a pitiful look. Ignoring Un-hyang¡¯s gaze, Cheong-ryang stared at his yer kit again. ¡°Haa¡­ the team leader should know about this.¡± Un-hyang turned her gaze back to the screen. Both were focusing on their respective streams again. A few minutester, Cheong-ryang, who¡¯d been staring at the yer kit, suddenly stood up. ¡°Yes! To think you¡¯d save me!¡± he shouted without realizing it before casting Un-hyang a cautious look. He¡¯d just been reprimanded, but then he started celebrating earning points. Usually, she would have thrown one of her walnuts at him, but¡­ ¡®She isn¡¯t getting angry?¡¯ For some reason, there was no reaction. ¡°¡­?¡± She wasn¡¯t even bringing the walnut she¡¯d been holding to her mouth. Was something wrong? Cheong-ryang carefully approached Un-hyang and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Even though he¡¯d been cking off, wasn¡¯t calling him crazy a bit harsh? He realized that Un-hyang¡¯s gaze was fixed on the yer kit in her hand. ¡®What? She¡¯s still watching that stream¡­?¡¯ She was still watching the 2nd-floor yer who¡¯d just started streaming using the Lee Su-hyeok theme. Cheong-ryang turned his head to Un-hyang¡¯s screen. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Cheong-ryang couldn¡¯t help but be just as shocked as Un-hyang when he saw Su-hyeok break through the center of a dungeon that was purposely designed to be impossible to survive. ¡°Just how many did he kill by himself?¡± ____ Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Sash¡ª Wings fluttered like thin sheets of paper and tickled the ear while Su-hyeok¡¯s sword elegantly changed direction as if he were a performing acrobat. It was like he intended to make it one continuous swing from the start. Swish¡ª ¡°Su-hyeok, what you do is fascinating.¡± He remembered something Kim Siwoo had said long ago. ¡°You must have changed the sword¡¯s direction in the middle, but your breath stayed the same.¡± ¡°My breath?¡± ¡°It seems like you intended to swing the sword consistently, without any breaks or pauses. How do you do that?¡± Changing the direction of a sword would typically slow you down, and even a moment of hesitation would cause a break in flow, but Su-hyeok moved naturally, as if it were all nned from the start. It simply wasn¡¯t something he could teach someone else. ¡°I just¡­ can?¡± ¡°Woah, so annoying.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange to not be able to do it?¡± ¡°Most people can¡¯t.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re an ordinary person, huh?¡± He almost could hear Kim Siwoo cursing his subtle mockery. The type of weapon didn¡¯t matter. Whether it was a sword, a spear, or anything that could be held and swung, it made no difference. As long as he knew where the attack wasing from, there were no blind spots. Su-hyeok spoke to the viewers while cutting down the bats. ¡°When dealing with multiple one-eyed bats, you must give up on aiming for each one¡¯s eye.¡± Swish¡ª Again, with a single swing, he beheaded two of the creatures. [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®One-Eyed Bat¡¯ x2.] [You¡¯ve earned 2 achievement points.] ¡°The one-eyed bats mainly attack by biting and sucking blood. In other words, they have to stick their heads out.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Su-hyeok¡¯s other hand grabbed one of the bats by the neck. Snap¡ª ¡°Just like this.¡± The tip of his sword pierced the bat¡¯s eye. Thud¡ª Crack¡ª Blood poured over his hand, and Su-hyeok pulled his sword from the bat¡¯s head as he continued to speak. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t try to do this. If you can¡¯t grab them properly, you¡¯ll get bitten.¡± ¨C What the?! ¨C Weren¡¯t you a newbie? Weren¡¯t you a newbie? Weren¡¯t you a newbie? ¨C Something¡­ is happening. ¨C It already happened. ¨C Am I really getting a lecture from a 2nd-floor yer as a 4th-floor yer? ¨C I¡¯m also on the 4th floor and got chills from what I just saw. [Viewers: 19] It had been quite some time since he started hunting in the center of the dungeon, and viewers continued to pile up without anyone leaving. Most viewers reacted in one of the following two ways: they either were surprised or doubted the stream itself. ¨C This is 100% fake. How can a 2nd-floor yer do this~? ¨C Because he can¡¯t do it for real. He went down from a higher floor to act. ¨C I can also slice one-eyed bats and ground mermaids, lol. ¨C Seeing as he didn¡¯t share his progress, it¡¯s definitely fake. ¨C I guess this is his 20th try. Is this a show with a dungeon pro concept? Lol. Su-hyeok didn¡¯t feel particrly offended by suchments. Under normal circumstances, he might have felt otherwise. ¡®They¡¯re kind of right.¡¯ What they had said was true, in a way. No, it wasn¡¯t enough. They thought a decent veteran yer had gone down from a higher floor to make an imitation stream. He was the real deal, though¡ªLee Su-hyeok himself. Stab¡ª He pierced thest ground mermaid¡¯s neck. After passing through the ¡®swamp area¡¯ deep inside the dungeon, Su-hyeok was finally able to catch his breath. ¡°Haa.¡± ¨C Mister, you need to collect your mission reward. Su-hyeok realized he¡¯d forgotten about the mission. ¡°Ah, right.¡± He was doing it to earn money, after all. He¡¯d subjugated the one-eyed bats and the ground mermaids in the swamp area, so he¡¯d alreadypleted the mission. ¡°How do I do this¡­?¡± Even afterpleting the mission, he didn¡¯t know how to im the reward. ¨C Lol. ¨C He might have the skills, but he¡¯s definitely a newbie when ites to streaming. ¨C Su-hyeok¡¯s still a baby. He¡¯s a baby, but¡­ ¨C He¡¯s a baby indeed, lmao. Unlike when he was hunting, he seemed clumsy in things rted to streaming. ¨C You need to click on the mission at the top of the chat window to im it. Following the advice, Su-hyeok imed the mission reward. [You¡¯vepleted the mission.] [You¡¯ve received 100 points from ¡®My Personal Small Stream¡¯.] It was the first donation he received since starting the stream. It wasn¡¯t arge amount, but it still was meaningful. ¡®This is just the first step.¡¯ As his stream grew, the missions and donations would probably increase. It was a small stream with less than 20 viewers, but once the number increased to 2,000 or 20,000, things would change. ¡°How do I share the trial status¡­?¡± [2nd floor ¨C Beginning¡¯s Dungeon] [Pass through the ¡®Beginning¡¯s Dungeon¡¯ and escape.] [Attempts: 1] [Participants: 1] [Achievement Points Earned: 151] Was it because Su-hyeok mentioned the keyword? The trial details were disyed before his eyes. ¨C Woah, 151 points. ¨C What the¡­? ¨C He hasn¡¯t left the dungeon yet??? ¨C Where are the people who said he was faking things? Lol. ¨C So this really is his first try. ¨C (About a million question marks) The system¡¯s trial details couldn¡¯t be manipted. It was the most definite proof that Su-hyeok was taking the 2nd-floor trial for the first time. Unless one had died and been reborn, no upper-floor yer could take the trial again. ¡°Why did this suddenly appear?¡± ¨C I¡¯m suddenly confused, lol. ¨C With streaming, he¡¯s still a baby. Cute¡­ ¨C He¡¯s a baby, but¡­ ¨C After indicating your intent to share, you just have to say, ¡®Share the trial situation¡¯. ¡°Ah, thanks for the exnation.¡± It was something he would have to use frequently for the viewers¡¯ enjoyment. Su-hyeok memorized themand and started moving again. ¡®151 points? Not bad.¡¯ Most trials were usually conducted in teams, which decreased the difficulty. However, by doing that, you earned much fewer points. That¡¯s why, in his previous life, Su-hyeok only managed to earn about 100 points before leaving this dungeon. If he became satisfied with that, it would take him a hundred years to get revenge on Kim Ilsu. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯ From the moment Su-hyeok set foot in the dungeon, he had one goal. ¡®I wonder how many points that guy will give.¡¯ Squeak¡ª He grabbed the handle of the magic sword hanging from his waist. It was time for the finale of the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon. Even so, he needed to hold back on drawing the magic sword. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°Kyaa-!¡± Un-hyang, who was watching the screen absentmindedly, let out a high-pitched scream. Cheong-ryang, who was watching the test with her, stepped back, startled. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°Crazy¡­ He¡¯s absolutely crazy¡­¡± she mumbled in excitement. She was watching Su-hyeok cut down ground mermaids. He hadn¡¯t stopped once since the trial began. It was hard to believe that he was a beginner taking the trial for the first time. He¡¯d already earned more than 200 achievement points. After Su-hyeok dealt with another wave of monsters, Un-hyang turned to Cheong-ryang and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this unbelievable? Have you ever seen someone like him? How many points is he going to earn by himself?¡± ¡°Hey, calm down.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to calm down? This is seriously amazing.¡± Un-hyang, unable to calm down, abruptly stood and stomped her feet. Cheong-ryang broke into a cold sweat while checking the numbers. He also couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡®It¡¯s amazing. To think he¡¯d achieve such a score on his initial solo attempt.¡¯ Usually, one quickly failed their first trial. The ground mermaids and one-eyed bats in the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon were adept at ambushes, and most yers, despite knowing that, couldn¡¯t deal with them. That¡¯s why the average number of attempts it took to clear the dungeon was four. ¡®Has there ever been someone who passed this by themselves? And on the first try, on top of that?¡¯ As a scout, he had information on many yers. Some had soloed the 2nd-floor dungeon, but they were mostly veterans who had challenged the dungeon dozens of times to set records. It wasn¡¯t that they had recorded a score as high as Su-hyeok¡¯s. ¡®This is really something else.¡¯ He felt a chill run down his spine. He even thought that history might be being written before his eyes. Whether Un-hyang knew his thoughts or not, she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement and kept talking about the test. ¡°Do you see how he uses the sword? He cut down two one-eyed bats and a ground mermaid with a single strike! Without using any skills!¡± She was visibly excited, as if she¡¯d met her first love again. ¡°Where¡¯s he from? Ah, Earth, right? Wow, earthlings are really amazing. He¡¯s even named Lee Su-hyeok¡­¡± ¡°Stop babbling, my ears hurt.¡± ¡°Are you ignoring Lee Su-hyeok? Hey. Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m a 2nd-generation fan?¡± p¡ª! Un-hyang pped her hands loudly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it perfect? He¡¯s hiding his face with a mask, his name is Lee Su-hyeok, and he has amazing skills!¡± Since she was one of Su-hyeok¡¯s fans, seeing him in action was like rain during a drought. His name, concept, and skills¡­ Un-hyang couldn¡¯t help but be excited. ¡°You saw it too, right? He¡¯s really amazing. It¡¯s as if Lee Su-hyeok has been reincarnated!¡± ¡°Hey, can you do something about your tone?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m feeling dizzy. Cheong-ryang, I feel like I¡¯m going to faint.¡± ¡°She¡¯s fangirling over him so much that she became an idiot¡­¡± Cheong-ryang sighed. Un-hyang looked at him with sparkling eyes. Feeling startled, he shook his head. ¡°Hey, no.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You were thinking of bringing that guy over, right?¡± Cheong-ryang shook his head while crossing his arms. ¡°I said it¡­ no.¡± ¡°Hey, why not?¡± ¡°He seems to have potential, but he just started streaming today. He barely has over 10 viewers.¡± To scout someone, they needed to have a minimum level of recognition. Su-hyeok was a neer who had just started streaming¡ªa yer on the 2nd floor who was challenging the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon. Although the man was talented, Cheong-ryang had some concerns about approaching him so soon. ¡°Listen. Being skilled doesn¡¯t guarantee sess as a streamer. If he were really Lee Su-hyeok, it might be different, but right now, he¡¯s just on the 2nd floor. It¡¯s just the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then you should know that the team leader would insult us if you brought this up to him,¡± Cheong-ryang said. ¡°You were gambling just a while ago, so why are you acting all proper now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine as long as I don¡¯t get caught, but you want to brag about your foolishness to the team leader?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. I want to brag about it,¡± Un-hyang firmly replied. Her eyes hadn¡¯t sparkled in such a way in a long time. Cheong-ryang wanted to try arguing a bit more but stopped. As an old friend, he knew that, at times like that, persuading Un-hyang was impossible. ¡°I will definitely bring him over.¡± After making a determined statement, Un-hyang turned her gaze back to the stream on her kit. ¡°Definitely¡­¡± Su-hyeok was already getting close to the dungeon boss. ____ Chapter 12 Chapter 12 [Achievement Points Earned: 300] By the time Su-hyeok acquired 300 achievement points, he saw an unexpected message. [You can no longer acquire achievement points here.] [You can no longer¡­] [¡­] Even if he hunted monsters, he wasn¡¯t getting any more. ¡®Is this the limit?¡¯ He intended to gain as many points as possible, so it was a disappointing message. In the end¡­ ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to move on.¡¯ Concluding there was nothing more to gain there, Su-hyeok moved toward the end of the dungeon. After walking for about 10 minutes, he saw the end. ¡®Found it.¡¯ A huge door about five meters in height indicated his goal, and in front of it¡­ ¡°Grrr-.¡± A werewolf bigger than a bear and covered in dirty gray fur slept. ¨C Finally, the boss. ¨C That wolf bastard¡­ It¡¯s still intimidating. ¨C I was blocked by that guy eight times. ¨C Agreed, he rarely lets you easily pass. At first, I thought he was bugged. ¡®Wolf Warrior Greg¡¯ was a werewolf tribesman and the first major obstacle novice yers encountered. He had a massive, strong, and agile body, a tough hide and bones, and endless stamina. Although he didn¡¯t have any extraordinary abilities, unlike the novice yers who had just entered the tower, he was a properly trained warrior. [Receive recognition from Wolf Warrior Greg.] [You can enter the trial if you pass through the door.] The problem was that Wolf Warrior Greg was the gatekeeper. He assessed the skills of each yer to reach them and decided whether to let them pass. Most weren¡¯t able to get his recognition easily and failed multiple times. ¨C He will definitely pass. ¨C After seeing everything he¡¯s done so far, that¡¯s 100% likely. ¨C Will he really seed in the first y while solo? None of the viewers doubted that Su-hyeok would seed. After all, he had gone this far by challenging a trial that was meant for a five-person party. There was no way the warrior wouldn¡¯t acknowledge him. Their only question was how Su-hyeok would do against the warrior. [¡®Safe Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.] [3,000 points for defeating the warrior] He was given a mission, and it couldn¡¯t bepared to the ones he¡¯d received up to that point. ¡®3,000?¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes widened. 3,000 points was an amount that couldn¡¯t be ignored. In his previous life, he wouldn¡¯t have cared for such an amount. ¡®I¡¯m tempted.¡¯ To the new him, it was quite significant. ¨C Lol. ¨C What¡¯s up with that guy? Lol. ¨C He doesn¡¯t n to give it, lol. ¨C That means he won¡¯t give the points. ¨C Wolf Warrior Greg wasn¡¯t meant to be defeated in the first ce, lol. The mission-giver wasn¡¯t asking Su-hyeok to be recognized. In reality, he was trying to mock the streamer without intending to give the reward. Did the intention matter, though? ¡®I was nning to defeat it anyway, so¡­¡¯ Swoosh¡ª Su-hyeok grabbed the handle of his magic sword. He had saved up his power and hadn¡¯t used it yet for that very moment. Swoosh¡ª He drew the red sword, the sound of the de sliding through the scabbard sending chills. The unique, tingly feeling of the magic sword ran through his fingertips. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv2¡¯ resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] Thanks to Selfish Sacrifice, the magic sword momentarily calmed down. As the sensation in his fingertips became morefortable, Su-hyeok approached Wolf Warrior Greg. Tap¡ª Whether he sensed his presence or was set to wake up when someone approached within a certain range, the sleeping werewolf opened his eyes. ¡°Grrr- A guest?¡± The creature got up and looked down at Su-hyeok. His low and chilling voice echoed through the dungeon. Standing over two meters tall, his muscr body barely hidden by fur, the werewolf continued to speak. ¡°Are you alone?¡± The monster was set to talk with yers, though it didn¡¯t usually start speaking in such a way from the start. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one interesting human. I can smell that you¡¯re a great warrior.¡± ¨C The scent of a great warrior? ¨C He told me I stank. ¨C I was told I smelled like a rotten goblin corpse. ¨C A rotten goblin? Lol. The wolf warriors could smell special scents, not just body odor, but the essence of a person. ¡°You are worthy. You may pass.¡± ¨C ??? ¨C What¡¯s up with this guy? ¨C Isn¡¯t this discrimination? ¨C What? Has this ever happened before? ¨C I don¡¯t know. Is it a bug? The chat window was flooded with question marks. Su-hyeok was equally taken aback. Being acknowledged before even fighting was unexpected. ¡®I hadn¡¯t considered this possibility.¡¯ Su-hyeok scratched his head and answered the wolf warrior. ¡°Thanks for your kind words, but you¡¯re my goal.¡± ¡°Me? Wasn¡¯t your goal the door behind me?¡± ¡°Yes, but someone asked me to defeat you.¡± Su-hyeok stared at the monster as he spoke. Eyes burning with determination, the wolf warrior smiled and growled as he revealed his ws, each as long as a sword. ¡°As expected¡­ You have the soul of a great warrior.¡± Swoosh¡ª A chilling killing intent spread out from the werewolf. Su-hyeok tightly gripped his magic sword. It was his first time using it in an exam. Rather than it being a mindlessly picked fight, he was certain he could defeat the supposedly undefeatable boss guarding the exit. ¡®I can win.¡¯ [The ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs the user¡¯s stamina.] [Your stats will increase based on the Stamina consumed.] [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV2¡¯ resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] Crunch¡ª As he drew out the maximum power of the magic sword, his whole body felt as if it were thrown into a zing fire. A pained scream almost escaped his mouth, but Selfish Sacrifice soon reduced the pain, and he felt almost as light as a feather. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Su-hyeok let out a long exhale. All of his bodily stats had skyrocketed for a moment. As a result, he felt that the wolf warrior standing in front of him had shrunk. He could only maintain such a state for a maximum of three minutes. Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes met the werewolf¡¯s. BZZT¡ª ng¡ª! Sparks flew as his sword and the ws shed. Both moved without hesitation at the same time. The wolf warrior¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°As expected-!¡± ng, ng¡ª! A series of shes ensued. The boss was intending to test Su-hyeok¡¯s strength after a sh, but Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t showing any gaps. ¡°You¡¯re different, indeed! Awoo-!¡± The wolf warrior howled in joy and continued to swing his ws. As their fight continued, a long wound appeared along Su-hyeok¡¯s cheek. ¨C So he can¡¯t win, after all? ¨C Still, he¡¯s crazy good at fighting. ¨C At this rate, he¡¯ll probably beat him in two or three tries. ¨C The guy who made the mission should reflect. We could have seen a first solo try seed. At first nce, it looked like Su-hyeok was being pushed back. Such a thing was inevitable because, as logic went, receiving more wounds meant you were less capable than your opponent. The opponent was a wolf warrior. He wasn¡¯t a monster created for yers the trial challengers to defeat. ¡®Up until now, everything went as nned.¡¯ Even though Su-hyeok had more wounds, he didn¡¯t seem flustered. Tsss¡ª One more step, and Su-hyeok drew closer to the boss. ¡®Although he has 10 ws, in the end, the attacks areing from only two directions.¡¯ n¡ª! He dodged one hand¡¯s ws and blocked the other hand as he advanced step by step. Although he received some injuries in the process, the wolf warrior suffered more. ¡®His attack range is greater than mine, so I have to get closer.¡¯ He needed to take control of range first. It was the basic strategy against an opponent who could attack from a longer distance. ¡°When¡­?¡± the wolf warrior muttered in surprise when Su-hyeok closed in so that the ws couldn¡¯t reach him. Gradually, it became easier for Su-hyeok¡¯s sword to reach the boss. Paf¡ª * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The wolf warrior tried to forcibly create distance. ¡°Even though you¡¯re a boss, you¡¯re a 2nd-floor monster, so you¡¯re simple.¡± Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes brightly reflected in the wolf warrior¡¯s, seeming certain of victory. Paf¡ª Su-hyeok swung his sword upward without hesitation. ¡°If you move so predictably, there¡¯s no way I could lose.¡± sh¡ª A straight line appeared on the boss¡¯s neck. The werewolf halted in ce for a few moments before¡­ Thud¡ª His head fell to the ground. [You¡¯ve defeated ¡®Wolf Warrior Greg¡¯.] [The door has opened.] [Your level has increased x9.] [+2 Strength.] [+3 Agility.] [+1 Concentration.] [+2 Magic Power.] [You¡¯ve earned 500 achievement points.] ¨C ??? ¨C Huh??? ¨C Did he really hunt it? ¡°Haa¡­¡± Breath as hot asva leaked through Su-hyeok¡¯s mouth. As he hurriedly sheathed the magic sword, his burning-hot body quickly cooled down. Drip, drip¡ª Blood leaked from the wounds he¡¯d received from the wolf warrior. He¡¯d been quite injured and used up a lot of Stamina, but it was worth it. ¡®I did it.¡¯ His level had increased, and he¡¯d gotten 500 points on top of that. If he hadn¡¯t received at least that much, he would have been disappointed. The real satisfaction came from somewhere else, though. ¡®I defeated it.¡¯ He¡¯d finished a boss he hadn¡¯t been able to defeat in his previous life and felt a sense of relief. It didn¡¯t matter that no one else had been able to defeat it. After all, if Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t do it during his previous life, it meant that no one else could do it. He waspeting against himself. ¨C This stream is crazy. ¨C Isn¡¯t this a first kill? ¨C Yes. ¨C He did it solo??? ¨C Safe Asset must be crying, hahaha. ¨C Who could have known that he¡¯d really clear it? Lol. ¡®Ah, right. The mission.¡¯ He¡¯d almost forgotten about it. Su-hyeok took a ¡®Low-Ranking Healing Potion¡¯ from his inventory and drank it while receiving the missionpletion prize. [You¡¯vepleted the mission.] [You¡¯ve received 3,000 points from ¡®Safe Asset¡¯.] His wallet was thick at that point. Su-hyeok had used all the points he¡¯d earned in the tutorial to raise the level of Selfish Sacrifice, so he felt relieved. ¡®I won¡¯t have to worry about amodation fees now.¡¯ He sat down and closed his eyes. The healing potion didn¡¯t show an immediate effect. In reality, it merely enhanced the efficiency of rest. ¡®Three minutes, it¡¯s still not enough.¡¯ He closed his eyes to recover his Stamina. While doing so, Su-hyeok recalled the fight with the wolf warrior. ¡®I still have a long way to go to raise my level and Selfish Sacrifice¡¯s skill level.¡¯ He¡¯d only been able to defeat the wolf warrior thanks to his strategy. If he hadn¡¯t cut the monster¡¯s throat in one slice, he would have copsed first due to the length of the fight. ¡®As expected. What I need most is points.¡¯ As long as he had the magic sword, power wasn¡¯t an issue. The problem was his Stamina. He needed to increase the level of Selfish Sacrifice. ¨C It seems that he¡¯s resting. ¨C Since he hasn¡¯t ended the trial, I think he¡¯s going to move to the next one. ¨C I wonder how many skills will be avable for him. ¨C Please, let him live up to the name. ¨C If the Lightning Triales out, it¡¯s going to be crazy. The viewers couldn¡¯t leave. Taking a healing potion and resting meant that he would continue with the trials. They were looking forward to seeing what would happen when Su-hyeok, who had defeated the wolf warrior, passed through the door. About 30 minutester, Su-hyeok opened his eyes and stood up. Swoosh¡ª [Viewers: 53] First, he checked the number of viewers. For some reason, more had gathered during his rest. ¡°Thank you all for waiting.¡± The door was wide open since he¡¯d killed the wolf warrior. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± The chat window, which had been quiet for a moment, became lively again. Su-hyeok walked toward the doorway, which was letting out white light. The moment he stepped inside¡­ [You¡¯ve cleared the ¡®Beginning¡¯s Dungeon¡¯.] [Checking achievement points.] [Checking the yer¡¯s aptitude.] If the 1st floor¡¯s trial was about evaluating a yer¡¯s skill andbat capability, the trial on the 2nd floor was to test a yer¡¯s talent and potential. Fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, sky, iron, poison, etc¡­ The potential trials you could choose from depended on your talent and potential. ¨C How many options did you guys get? ¨C I got four. ¨C I got six. ¨C Wow. You guys are amazing. I only got two. ¨C That¡¯s the average. ¨C If the Lightning Triales up, it¡¯s game over. The rarest among the trials was the Lightning Trial, which Su-hyeok had cleared in his previous life. Immediately, trials that matched Su-hyeok appeared before his eyes. [You can challenge the ¡®Fire Trial.¡¯] [You can challenge the ¡®Water Trial.¡¯] [You can challenge the ¡®Sky Trial.¡¯] [You can challenge the ¡®Ice Trial.¡¯] . . . [Your aptitude for a specific skill is exceptional.] [Would you like to challenge the ¡®Lightning Trial¡¯?] ____ Chapter 13 Chapter 13 He was dazzled by the number of choices that appeared before his eyes. How many options were there? ¡®One, two, three, four¡­ Thirteen. Thirteen?¡¯ It was often said that the number of choices corresponds to a yer¡¯s talent. Usually, most were given one or two options. If you got a lot, you had three to choose from, and during his previous life, Su-hyeok had seven options. ¡°Too many appeared.¡± ¨C I¡¯m feeling dizzy¡­ ¨C 13? ¨C Haven¡¯t a total of 16 been revealed so far? ¨C So all except three appeared. ¨C We were asking for the Lightning Trial, not for all of them toe out, lol. Although the many choices were dizzying, there was one that caught more attention than the others. [Would you like to challenge the ¡®Lightning Trial¡¯?] The message was sparkling. It was as if the system were urging him to choose that one among the many others. ¨C Lightning. ¨C Of course, isn¡¯t it obvious? ¨C If he doesn¡¯t choose lightning, he should change his name. Seeing the chat made Su-hyeok chuckle. Most of them had been his fans during his previous life. The viewers, the system, and even he thought the same. [You¡¯ve chosen the ¡®Lightning Trial.¡¯] Fwoosh-! A white light surrounded Su-hyeok, and he stepped into the Lightning Trial. * * * The team leader of Balhae Entertainment¡¯s Management Division, John Tail, a yer from Earth, spoke in disbelief. ¡°So¡­ how many viewers does that streamer have?¡± ¡°Well¡­ He has around 20.¡± Cheong-ryang nervously replied. Half-dragged there by Un-hyang¡¯s persistence, he was nervously watching John Tail¡¯s reaction. ¡°No. It¡¯s over 30 now.¡± Un-hyang, who was next to him, kept giving minor corrections. ¡°Ah¡­ Really¡­?¡± If they weren¡¯t in the team leader¡¯s office, he would have probably shouted. 20 or 30, it was the same. John Tail thought simrly and leaned back in his chair as if he didn¡¯t need to listen anymore. Creak¡ª He looked at Cheong-ryang, who had his hands politely folded, and at Un-hyang, who was still busy watching the stream. ¡°Are you guys kidding me?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Cheong-ryang, do you think I don¡¯t know you gamble during work hours? The only thing I asked is for you to bring a guy worthy of scouting, but to think you¡¯d bring someone with 30 viewers¡­¡± Cheong-ryang lowered his head. The nagging continued for a while. Once John Tail started nagging, he didn¡¯t easily stop. ¡°Un-hyang, rather than bringing someone like this, why don¡¯t you just stream yourself? With your looks, you should easily be able to be popr.¡± ¡°Team leader¡­¡± Un-hyang said. ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°While you¡¯ve been nagging us for the past 30 minutes, his viewer count exceeded 50.¡± ¡°50?¡± John Tail¡¯s eyebrows twitched. In that short time, 20 more viewers had joined his stream. Although it was his first stream, viewers were joining quite rapidly. It meant that, despite the influx, no one was leaving. ¡°Mr. Lee defeated the wolf warrior.¡± Un-hyang started to speak formally about Su-hyeok. John Tail and Cheong-ryang didn¡¯t notice that change. ¡°The wolf warrior¡­?¡± ¡°Really? By himself?¡± The two were surprised. In fact, John Tail was so surprised that he jumped out of his seat. To hear that a boss who hadn¡¯t been killed until then was taken down solo made his expression change. ¡°Really? Did you see it wrong?¡± ¡°He¡¯s currently taking a break after killing it. Viewers arementing about him in themunities right now.¡± ¡°Woah¡­¡± The wolf warrior was to be an examiner who assessed the skills of the yers challenging the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon. Considering the boss¡¯s strength, it certainly looked impossible for a yer challenging the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon to defeat it. ¡°He¡¯s definitely something.¡± If you thought in terms of talent as a yer rather than a streamer, he was an incredible gem. The fact that he had defeated the wolf warrior was surprising, but to make things more impressive, he¡¯d done it solo. ¡®He just started streaming today, so it¡¯s just natural for his viewer count to be low. If that¡¯s the case, he might be worth investing in early, considering the long term¡­¡¯ ¡°Team leader¡­¡± Un-hyang said to John Tail, who was seriously thinking. ¡°Do you want to make a bet with me?¡± ¡°A bet?¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Lee just entered the Lightning Trial.¡± John Tail¡¯s eyes sparkled. For a streamer who had chosen to imitate Lee Su-hyeok, that was the optimal route. Not only did he seem skillful, but the skill that fit him the most seemed to be the same. ¡°So?¡± ¡°If Mr. Lee gets the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill, let¡¯s make a contract with him.¡± Jhon Tailughed in disbelief. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible.¡± The ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill was the best reward you could get from the Lightning Trial. It was hard to qualify for the trial, but even if you did so, obtaining the skill was almost impossible. Many guilds had supported yers who qualified for the Lightning Trial, but none of them had managed to get it. ¡°Isn¡¯t this his first try? The only one who ever got it so far is Lee Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°Yes, but he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Maybe it was because he had defeated the wolf warrior, but Un-hyang¡¯s belief in Su-hyeok was firm. Unlike before, John Tail also began seriously considering the streamer. ¡®Un-hyang¡­ If I think of her as a yer rather than an employee, she¡¯s better than most rankers.¡¯ She was once a rising star among the people from Murim. Though she¡¯d lost interest in going farther and was now rotting there, there was no doubting her ability. Also, in the first ce, it was the kind of thing John Tail was expecting from her¡ªdiscovering streamers with exceptional talent. So far, none of the streamers had caught her eye. ¡®Should I give it a try?¡¯ John Tail lit the end of his cigar. ¡°Keep monitoring him for now.¡± Un-hyang nodded as if it were a given, but her demands didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Also¡­¡± ¡°Also?¡± ¡°Make me his manager.¡± John Tail took a long drag on his cigar; then exhaled the smoke and waved his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that once the contract is confirmed.¡± It was a gesture asking her to leave. Un-hyang nodded and was about to turn around, but then¡­ ¡°W-wait.¡± Cheong-ryang, who¡¯d been watching Su-hyeok¡¯s stream, spoke in a flustered voice. ¡°This trial¡­ is this right?¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The nk world regained its color. Su-hyeok felt that he was floating before sensation began returning to his body. Just as he was getting used to the feeling in his fingertips, someone pushed him from behind. ¡°Move¡ª!¡± Thud¡ª He was pushed back a few steps, and a huge club flew toward where he¡¯d been standing. Whoosh¡ª Thud¡ª! The knight who had pushed Su-hyeok raised his shield to block the club. ¡°Come back to your senses, you idiot! Do you want to die?!¡± The knight in silver armor was holding back the club with trembling hands and shouting at Su-hyeok. From Su-hyeok¡¯s point of view, the situation could be seen as unfair. After all, he¡¯d just entered the trial. It seemed like they at least started the trial like that to ensure he wouldn¡¯t die from the start. [The ¡®Lightning Trial¡¯ is starting.] [Defeat the remnants of the giant race.] ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Su-hyeok didn¡¯t respond to the knight¡¯s words and instead looked around. BOOM, BOOM¡ª A giant was rampaging in the middle of the vige. The monster was over four meters tall, wore tattered clothes, and wielded a massive stone club. Su-hyeok looked at the remnant of the giant race andughed in disbelief. ¡®Why did he already appear?¡¯ ¨C ??? What¡¯s going on? ¨C Wasn¡¯t this the Lightning Trial? ¨C Yes, that¡¯s right. That mob appears in the middle of the giants¡¯ episode. ¨C ??? Why did it already appear? ¨C How should I know? The test was about defending against the giants. Usually, the giant going on a rampage in the vige should¡¯ve appeared in theter part of the trial, but surprisingly, the remnant had appeared right at the beginning. Thud¡ª ¡°Everyone, get out of the way! Until the soldiers return, hide anywhere you can!¡± ¡°Bring out the bows! Everyone except the knights, stay away!¡± The vige had no proper knights capable of facing a giant. Moreover, ording to the setting of the story, most soldiers were gone at the moment, which was why the vige was being destroyed by just one giant. ¡®Although it¡¯s slightly bigger than the wolf warrior, its movements are much slower.¡¯ Just a few moments ago, Su-hyeok had defeated the dungeon boss. Though the giant was big, it was a weaker monster than the wolf warrior. Su-hyeok charged toward the giant that had swung a club at him. Paf¡ª ¡°Hey! What are you doing?!¡± the nearby knight shouted in frustration. Had he saved him only for him to charge at the giant again? [The ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs the user¡¯s Stamina.] [Your stats will increase based on the Stamina consumed.] [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV2¡¯ resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] The magic sword turned red, and Su-hyeok leaped upward. The giant spotted Su-hyeok and swung its club at him again. Whoosh¡ª ¡°That reckless¡­¡± Just as the knight thought that the club would strike Su-hyeok, his eyes widened in surprise when Su-hyeoknded on the giant¡¯s arm. ¡°Ah¡­?¡± Thud¡ª Su-hyeok quickly stabbed the giant in the neck. ¡®It swings so slowly that there¡¯s no way I could get hit by it.¡¯ ¨C Woah. ¨C When did he get there? ¨C Is that possible? ¨C It should be possible because of how thick the arm is. ¨C That¡¯s only in theory. ¡°Grrr¡ª¡± The giant, with the sword stuck in its neck, let out a beast-like growl. Its species had a lot of Vitality, so it didn¡¯t die immediately. Of course, even with that being the case, it was already as good as dead. sh¡ª Su-hyeok, who¡¯d already put half of the sword into the giant¡¯s neck, ripped the sword through the monster¡¯s flesh. More than half of the bones beneath were cut through. Even a giant wouldn¡¯t be able to survive. The giant tilted sideways and fell. Boom¡ª Su-hyeoknded from its body. [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®Giant Race¡¯s Remnant¡¯.] [You¡¯ve cleared the 4th stage.] [Your level has increased x3.] [+1 Strength.] [+1 Agility.] [+2 Stamina.] [+1 Magic Power.] [You¡¯ve earned 4,000 achievement points.] [Item Obtained ¨C ¡®Giant¡¯s Heart.¡¯] [Item Obtained ¨C ¡®Thunderous Sound.¡¯] 1. [Do you want to continue the trial?] 2. [Do you want to move to the next floor?] Messages kept ringing. ¨C 4,000??? ¨C Why stage four all of a sudden? ¨C Wh-what¡¯s going on¡­? ¨C Why did the rewards from the first four stagese all at once? ¨C He was given the maximum reward possible. ¨C Is the system crazy? ¨C Wolf warrior defeat = 1st-3rd stage perfect clear. Su-hyeok¡¯s lips curled into a smile from behind the mask when he saw the rewards. ____ Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The rewards were so incredible that, for a while, question marks filled the chat. The rewards from every omitted stage were given at once. Su-hyeok smiled as he chose to continue. Naturally, he had no intention of stopping there. [Continuing the trial.] Su-hyeok¡¯s choice caused another uproar in the chat room. The 5th stage was quite challenging and a rarely-seen trial. Even if it was a trial from a lower floor, people couldn¡¯t help but be interested. Su-hyeok felt satisfied. ¡®It looks like things were settled okay.¡¯ Since the trial omitted the first stages, he¡¯d been worried that defeating the wolf warrior had backfired and caused him to miss out on the previous rewards. Contrary to his concerns, the system wasn¡¯t thatx. ¡®This is actually better. I¡¯ve avoided some troublesome processes.¡¯ He¡¯d gotten a ton of achievement points and all of the items and experience at once. Seeing that he¡¯d received 4,000 achievement points and each stage could give a maximum of 1,000, he¡¯d been given the rewards as if he¡¯d scored the highest in the omitted stages. That implied that, for anyone who defeated the wolf warrior guarding the entrance, up to the 3rd stage of the trial was meaningless. ¡®The item I was rewarded¡­¡¯ Just when he was about to check what he¡¯d received, the knight who¡¯d blocked the giant¡¯s swing a few moments prior approached. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± the knight warily said. ¨C Isn¡¯t that Falcon? ¨C Yes, it¡¯s him. ¨C Why is he so wary? ¨C Su-hyeok started on the 4th stage, so it¡¯s only natural for the knight to be wary. ¨C Ah, that¡¯s right. ¨C It must bepletely out of the blue from their perspective, lol. Su-hyeok still had to properly introduce himself since he¡¯d skipped the other stages. What would be the best way to do so? After a brief moment of contemtion, Su-hyeok looked at the knight and simply said, ¡°I came to hunt giants.¡± * * * The Lightning Trial was about a confrontation between giants and humans after the giants suddenly appeared and the viges struggled to survive. yers were tasked with working for the distressed viges. ¡°P-please¡­ Wait here for a moment.¡± Falcon provided Su-hyeok with lodging¡ªa small house with a cramped room attached to the living room. It wasn¡¯t a very grand reception for a hero who¡¯d just saved the vige. Well, they couldn¡¯t be med. They were struggling to even survive due to the giants, after all. Still, he was at least offered some tea. He didn¡¯t touch it, though. Something piqued his interest more. ¨C Show us the item. ¨C Show us! Show us! ¨C I think it should be Magic rank at minimum. ¨C Magic? I think it will be Rare, at least. He needed to look over his rewards. ¡°Alright.¡± Su-hyeok took the two items from his inventory. ¡°Let¡¯s all take a look.¡± ¡¾ Giant¡¯s Heart ¡¿ # Rank: Rare # A ring made from the heart of a giant. Increases Stamina and Stamina regeneration. # +2 Stamina ¡¾ Thunderous Sound ¡¿ # Rank: Rare # Clothes imbued with the power of thunder. You can borrow the sound of lightning once a day (User immune). # Uses: 3 ¡°Oh¡­¡± Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes sparkled. Of course, the Giant¡¯s Heart caught his eye first¡ªhe liked everything about it, from its design to its effect. ¡®Ring-type items are rare. Plus, it increases Stamina.¡¯ Stamina was the most important stat for him, and items that increased one¡¯s stats were rare to begin with. Rings were also easier to wear than most other items. If he were to sell it on the market, it would surely fetch a high price, but it was better for him to use it for as long as possible since it increased Stamina. ¡®I was in need of defensive equipment, so this is great.¡¯ On top of that, he¡¯d also leveled up three times. He was quite pleased with the rewards since Selfish Sacrifice had left him short of points, which meant he had some difficulty acquiring new equipment. ¨C Both are Rare. ¨C They seem pretty good. ¨C Pretty?? Is this what¡¯s considered just pretty good??? ¨C Even considering the equipment limit, it should be useful up to the 5th floor at least. ¨C The Giant¡¯s Heart can be used forever. That item¡¯s priceless. Su-hyeok, who was still awkward when it came to streaming, fidgeted with his teacup. ¡®I can¡¯t drink this.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t drink tea while wearing a mask. ¨C You¡¯re going to get the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill, right? Someone asked Su-hyeok a question in the chat. Su-hyeok slightly lifted his mask and took a sip of the tea Falcon had brought to him while answering, ¡°Yes, I will.¡± It was a natural question, and Su-hyeok didn¡¯t doubt he would get the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill. The problem was what came next. ¡®Of course, I¡¯ll get the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill.¡¯ He¡¯d gotten it once before, after all, but the question was whether he could go beyond that. ¨C Wow~ As expected! ¨C It¡¯s cooler because he answered so calmly. ¨C Hahaha, there¡¯s no way it will be as easy as he makes it look. ¨C Considering everything he¡¯s done so far, it seems possible. ¨C Yes. He¡¯s already nearing the 5th stage. ¨C There were quite a few others who made it this far. ¨C Fact: Wolf Warrior Greg had never been defeated. ¨C Fact: He won¡¯t get the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill. The chatroom became more heated than ever. People were divided on whether he would get the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill or not, and the general consensus was that they hoped he¡¯d get it but that it was unlikely. ¡®Is everyone expecting the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill?¡¯ Almost all of his viewers were people who were attracted to the name and concept of ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯. When coupled with the Lightning Trial, people who¡¯d been longing for the past naturally wanted to see the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill again. Soon enough¡­ [¡®Lee Su-hyeok, I love you¡¯ has registered a mission.] [If you get the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill, 5,000 points!!! Please, show it to us!!] A mission rted to lightning showed up, and it was for quite a considerable amount. ¡®Five thousand?¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Things didn¡¯t end there, though. [¡®I¡¯m Bald¡¯ has registered a mission.] [Lightning! I¡¯ll also post the mission. 5,000 points if you can get it!!] [¡®Mission Viin¡¯ has registered a mission.] [3,000 points for the same mission.] [¡®Safe Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.] [7,000 points. You won¡¯t get it, right?] Missions began appearing one after the other. Each of the rewards they offered was substantial. Even the guy who supposedly only posted safe missions posted one. ¡®They must really want to see the skill.¡¯ [Viewers: 301] His viewer count has surpassed 300. A significant number of those watching had probably been genuine fans of his in the past. Then, as a streamer, showing them what they wanted to see was probably his job. ¡°Yes, understood¡­ I¡¯ll definitely show everyone the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Falcon, who¡¯d been away for a while, returned with a rather noisy group. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± He was apanied by a knight in tattered armor. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Su-hyeok replied. The first thing the knight did was thank Su-hyeok. ¡°I heard you saved the vige while I was away. On behalf of everyone, thank you.¡± ¡°It was nothing.¡± Su-hyeok looked at the tanned knight who¡¯d arrived with Falcon. Felius¡­ He was the vige¡¯s representative and one of the knights who were fighting the giants. ¡°Excuse me, could I ask you one thing¡­?¡± Before even sitting, as if he were in a hurry, Felius went straight to the point. ¡°I heard you¡¯re fighting giants. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± To be more precise, he was there to hunt the giants, but it was the same thing, so Su-hyeok nodded. ¡°We n to settle things with them,¡± Felius said. ¡®Settle things?¡¯ The vige was too weak to say they were going to settle things with the giants. There were many giants, after all, and the vigers weren¡¯t fully aware of their forces. Su-hyeok could think of only one reason for Felius to say such a thing. ¡®They¡¯re probably prepared to die.¡¯ Indeed, Felius died in the next stage. That was certain, and his determination probably stemmed from his resolve. ¡°During recent reconnaissance, we were able to locate the giants¡¯ leader,¡± Felius exined. The trial¡¯s objective was simple¡ªeliminate the giants¡¯ leader. At least, that seemed to be the case on the surface. ¡°Please help us. We¡¯re begging you.¡± Putting aside his pride as a knight, Felius bowed and pleaded. Swoosh¡ª That plea was the trigger for the next stage. ¡°Alright¡­¡± [Stage 5 ¨C ¡®Survival¡¯, is starting.] ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± * * * They began moving immediately, hiking up the mountain without a word. Su-hyeok remained silent through the two-hour-or-so march. In total, including Felius, there were 50 soldiers they¡¯d been able to gather to fight the giants¡¯ leader. ¨C Felius ?? ¨C Felius, don¡¯t die ?? ¨C Is he going to die?? ¨C Could you stop spoiling it? ¨C Is there no moderator here? Can¡¯t you kick the spoilers? ¨C Here¡¯s a hint. Why do you think the stage is called ¡®Survival¡¯? lol. ¨C Ah, I¡¯m not curious. Shut up. The chat was in chaos. The viewers who knew what would happen and the viewers who didn¡¯t want to get spoiled were fighting, and the situation cascaded out of control as more viewers surged in. ¡®Is a moderator necessary?¡¯ Su-hyeok had nothing to do, but the chat certainly made him feel the need for a moderator. ¡®I¡¯ll look into it after the exam.¡¯ After the two hours passed, Felius raised his hand from the front and signaled. ¡°Stop.¡± The soldiers closely behind Su-hyeok stopped and caught their breaths. Felius whispered to Su-hyeok, ¡°It¡¯s that guy. He¡¯s the giants¡¯ leader.¡± Far away, amidst the bushes, a giant loudly snored in slumber. The creature was much bigger than the giant they¡¯d encountered before. Even while sleeping and using a tree as a headrest, it seemed to be well over five meters in height. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± Felius readied his shield and took a step forward. ¡°I¡¯ll draw its attention first. Su-hyeok, aim for its back¡­¡± The moment Felius started to walk forward, Su-hyeok grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go.¡± Thud¡ª ¡°That guy¡­¡± ¨C Hey, you FOOLS! The chat feaked out as Su-hyeok spoke. ¡°Isn¡¯t alone.¡± ¨C Why do you think the stage is called ¡®Survival¡¯? Hahaha. Rustle¡ª Crack¡ª Thud¡ª The sounds of bushes rustling and trees breaking and falling were heard from every direction as the giants woke up. The stage¡¯s ¡®survival¡¯ portion had truly begun. ____ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¨C I¡¯m not interested in the story anymore due to all the spoilers, damn it. ¨C The spoilers have ruined the fun. The viewers ended up learning the stage¡¯s story due to the ongoing chat about ¡®survival¡¯ during the stage. Felius had thought the giants¡¯ leader was alone, and the stage was about the yer surviving with the vigers who¡¯d gone to defeat the giant and been ambushed. ¨C If you know it¡¯s a trap, can¡¯t you just not go? ¨C Yes. Can¡¯t you just persuade them? ¨C How would you do that? ¨C Right? Hahaha. ¨C I¡¯m a yer, so I know. You can persuade them by saying the stage is a trap, lol. ¨C No, they were pre-set to go attack the giants¡¯ leader and die. Stopping Felius and the vigers, who were determined to risk their lives, wasn¡¯t something the yer could do. In order to proceed to the 5th stage, you had to go with Felius. Crack¡ª BOOM¡ª The trees fell backward. At the same time, the giants that¡¯d been waiting in ambush revealed themselves one by one. Felius was bewildered. ¡°Wh-what the¡­? ¡°They¡¯re giants,¡± Su-hyeok pointed out. ¡°I¡­ I know that, but¡­¡± Felius¡¯s mind went nk as he quickly counted the giants. Even at a nce, there were over a dozen of them. Could each person take down one giant? No, that was impossible. The soldiers, including himself, had only been expecting to fight the leader. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat,¡± Felius said amidst his panic. Su-hyeok, who had the Giant¡¯s Heart on his finger and was wearing the Thunderous Sound, said, ¡°You have to get ahold of yourself.¡± Grab¡ª Su-hyeok¡¯s grip on his shoulder brought the man back to his senses. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Crunch¡ª Felius bit his lips so hard that they started to bleed, and then he shouted to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Run back down the mountain! Hurry!¡± ¡°GRRR-!¡± The giants roared, and the mountain shook. ¡°R-RUN-!¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± ¡°AAAHHH-!¡± The soldiers were prepared to die from the start, but that didn¡¯t mean they wanted to die. If there were even a small chance of winning, things might¡¯ve been different, but when it looked like the chances were zero, they were engulfed by fear. Grab¡ª ¡°Benefactor, you must flee as well, hurry!¡± Felius tightly gripped his shield and stood alone to block the giants, prepared to die. ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± Ignoring the man¡¯s noble attempt at ast stand, Su-hyeok drew his glowing red sword. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Felius asked. ¡°You have to get out of here so you don¡¯t get in my way.¡± Su-hyeok hurriedly hammered the nail into the coffin so that the man couldn¡¯t argue. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then we can both die here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Lol. ¨C If you¡¯re pissed, die, basically, lol. ¨C Even if he tries, he can retry. ¨C If he dies, wouldn¡¯t it mean it bes his 2nd try? ¨C He doesn¡¯t know that, lol. After a moment of hesitation, Felius lowered his shield. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make sure to survive and meet again.¡± Felius turned around and began descending the mountain. Fwoosh¡ª Finally, Su-hyeok was thest one left. ¨C Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a survival stage? Why send the others first? ¨C The score depends on the number of surviving soldiers. ¨C Wasn¡¯t it about surviving alone? The difficulty is quite high. He managed to send the stubborn Felius down, so there was only one thing left to do. BOOM¡ª Su-hyeok aimed his sword at one of the chasing giants and stabbed it in the thigh. Swish¡ª ¡°Groar¡ª!¡± The wounded giant screamed, and all of the others looked over to see what was happening. Thus, the giants chasing the soldiers were momentarily stalled. ¨C Huh?? He¡¯s going to fight them? ¨C Isn¡¯t that suicidal? ¨C There are too many of them. More had gathered, and there were over a hundred giants there. Su-hyeok provoked them as if he were going to fight them by himself. He had a simple goal: make sure Felius and the other descending soldiers survived. ¨C Is he really nning to not let anyone die? All of the soldiers had to survive¡ªthat was the first goal Su-hyeok had set while nning for the trial. As the name indicated, the 5th stage¡¯s rewards varied depending on how many survived. ¡°GUOO-!¡± When he saw the giants rushing at him, Su-hyeok changed his priorities. Stab¡ª sh¡ª! He stabbed and shed at their arms and legs, facing them down while slowly drawing out his magic sword¡¯s power. ¡®This is doable.¡¯ He¡¯d been worried that he made the wrong decision due to the intoxication of the magic sword¡¯s power and Selfish Sacrifice¡¯s sweetness, but still, he believed he could do it. Thud¡ª * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * He stepped on a tree, jumped to the height of the giant¡¯s head, and resolved himself. ¡®Let¡¯s do it.¡¯ [The ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs the user¡¯s Stamina.] [Your stats will increase based on the Stamina consumed.] The sword turned a darker red, and he felt the power of his stats filling his body. As he drew more power from the sword, the speed at which he could swing and his damage output also increased. sh¡ª Entirely new things became possible, such as him decapitating one of the giants. Thud¡ª [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®Giant Race¡¯s Remnant¡¯.] [You¡¯ve earned 10 achievement points.] The giant was smaller than the other remnant he¡¯d defeated during the 4th stage, but the bigger problem was how many giants there were. Su-hyeok leaped off of the body before it could even hit the ground. Paf¡ª From that moment on, each body became a stepping stone for his leaps. ¡°GUOOOO-!¡± ¡°GUOO-!¡± He flew over the giants¡¯ heads, quickly cutting down whatever was in his path and piercing their skulls. sh¡ª sh¡ª Thud¡ª [You¡¯ve defeated a ¡®Giant Race¡¯s Remnant¡¯.] [You¡¯ve earned 10 achievement¡­] [¡­] Messages rang out continuously. The giants bared their teeth and swung their thick wooden clubs, only missing Su-hyeok by a narrow margin. The viewers watched the stream, holding their breaths. ¨C Damn. ¨C He¡¯s crazy, lol. ¨C If he misses a step, he¡¯ll die immediately. ¨C This seems unrted to stats. ¨C Wasn¡¯t aerialbat Su-hyeok¡¯s specialty? ¨C I¡¯m too nervous to watch, lol. ¨C Same. A single mistake would probably get him eliminated, but he still seemed calmer than his viewers. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV2¡¯ resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] [The user¡¯s Stamina and mental strength have been partially restored.] Trusting the message that repeatedly appeared before him, Su-hyeok pulled out as much of the magic sword¡¯s power as he could. ¡®With this much Stamina¡­ I still have some leeway.¡¯ The ring on his hand caught the sunlight and sparkled. ¡®Thanks to the two Stamina from Giant¡¯s Heart, I¡¯ll have a few more seconds.¡¯ Two stat points were a small variable, but he was basically walking on a razor¡¯s edge already, so it made all the difference. ¨C Where is he going? ¨C Right?? ¨C He doesn¡¯t seem to be escaping. ¨C ??? ¨C Is he going to the leader?? ¨C There¡¯s no way. WHOOM¡ª A giant¡¯s club swished over Su-hyeok¡¯s head, close enough to rustle his hair. Instead of retreating, Su-hyeok shed his sword through the giant¡¯s head. ¡®I¡¯m getting closer.¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s pupils reflected the giants¡¯ leader. ¡®Little by little¡­¡¯ Paf¡ª Before the body of the giant he¡¯d killed fell, he used it as another stepping stone. ¡®I¡¯m getting closer.¡¯ From the moment he¡¯d stepped foot on the stage, he¡¯d been confident he could easily pass the trial of merely surviving. If he were an ordinary yer, he would¡¯ve been satisfied with just that. When he¡¯d seen the giants¡¯ leader, though, he¡¯d gone above that basic goal and thought, ¡®What will happen if I defeat you?¡¯ Defeating the leader was the first step in turning the tables. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious too?¡± Was he too absorbed in the situation? A mumble leaked from his masked mouth. Even the giants¡¯ leader seemed to be aware of his intentions and mockinglyughed from afar. ¨C Is that even possible? ¨C There¡¯s no way. ¨C A trial he was guaranteed to pass is going to end in suicide, lol. ¨C Stop talking nonsense and cheer a bit. ¨C Did some anti-believers join in? ¨C If he didn¡¯t try anything strange, he would have easily gained the ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill. This is a bit frustrating to watch. ¨C Yes, to be honest, it¡¯s a bit disappointing. Cheers andins mixed. Su-hyeok¡¯s acrobatic movements as he flew through the air and stepped on the giants were awe-inspiring, but still, breaking through so many of them to reach the giant¡¯s leader seemed impossible. The real problem began when Su-hyeok started closing in on his target. ¡°GUOO-!¡± ¡°GRR-!¡± A group of giants surrounded the leader as if trying to protect him. Unlike before, the giants only became denser in number as he closed in on their leader. No wonder his viewers thought he wasmitting suicide. ¨C I bet all my points that he won¡¯t be able to break through. Thud¡ª As if agreeing with theirments, Su-hyeok stepped on the ground for the first time since he started taking on the giants. ¨C Huh? ¨C He made a mistake. ¨C Fact: Even monkeys fall from trees. ¨C GG. It seemed that was the end of the line. The giants looked down at him, and their slow brains concluded that they¡¯d finally caught him. ¡®Now.¡¯ Su-hyeok snapped his fingers. Snap¡ª [You¡¯ve used ¡®Thunderous Sound.¡¯] [Thunder spreads across the battlefield.] BOOM¡ª! A sound loud enough to burst eardrums reverberated outward, starting from Su-hyeok¡¯s armor. ¡°GUOO-!¡± ¡°UOOO-!¡± The giants dropped their clubs and grabbed their ears, thrown into temporary confusion by the sound. That brief gap in their defenses was what Su-hyeok was aiming for. Su-hyeok used Thunderous Sound and the Giant¡¯s Heart as if they were meant for that moment. Amidst the giant¡¯s confusion, he slipped through their numbers and reached their leader. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to get here, right?¡± The leader, who¡¯dughed at him from afar, was also clutching his ears in agony, affected by the thunder. ¡°Uuuu¡ª¡± [The ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs the user¡¯s Stamina.] The sword glowed an even deeper red than before. Drawing out enough power to make blood trickle from one of his eyes, Su-hyeok reached the giant¡¯s head. Drip¡ª ¡°I¡¯m right here, you arrogant bastard.¡± Stab¡ª ____ Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Puf¡ª His sword pierced the back of the giant leader¡¯s neck and stuck out the other side. ¨C ??? ¨C W¡­ What¡¯s going on??? ¨C How is the guy who bet everything he had doing? ¨C Forget about that guy, hahaha. How does this even make sense? Understandably, the chat was in chaos. ¨C Has anyone ever defeated him? ¨C No, definitely not. ¨C How do you even defeat it? The stage wasn¡¯t designed to be cleared like this. ¨C When did he realize he could kill it? It waspletely different from having defeated Wolf Warrior Gred. Neither boss was meant to be defeated, but there was still a marked difference in difficulty. Everyone had faced the wolf warrior at least once and fought him. Some skilled yers had even managed to leave scars on him, but the giants¡¯ leader wasn¡¯t like that. Approaching it should¡¯ve been impossible, let alone killing it. ¡°ROOAR¡ª!¡± The giants¡¯ leader mustered his remaining strength and screamed, the sword still sticking from his neck. When he did so, ¡®Thunderous Sound¡¯s¡¯ effect quickly faded from the nearby giants. ¡°Grrr-?¡± ¡°GUOO-!¡± The giants regained their senses. ¡°Human¡­!¡± the giants¡¯ leader managed to say. Was he a boss-level intelligence like the wolf warrior as well? Crack¡ª! WHOOM¡ª The giant pulled a nearby tree from the ground and swung it in an intense act of resistance. The giant¡¯s sheer size made it much strongerpared to other giants. For a moment, Su-hyeok¡¯s grip on his sword weakened, and he was almost sent flying away. ¡®This is a bit troublesome.¡¯ Though the giant¡¯s breath was being cut off, it was burning whatever it had left of its energy. ¨C How can someone survive with a sword stuck in their neck? ¨C From his perspective, the sword isn¡¯t that big, so it¡¯s understandable. ¨C Yes, that¡¯s right. Instead of stabbing, he should have shed the giant¡¯s neck. They didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. ¡®If I had tried to sh, the sword wouldn¡¯t have gone very deep.¡¯ It took a lot of strength to pierce through the neck. Of course, shing would¡¯ve been better if he could do it, but he¡¯d instinctively judged it to be impossible and focused his power on a single point for maximum efficiency. That was the only reason he¡¯d been able to pierce the monster¡¯s neck, and it was why the boss was struggling to breathe. ¡°GUOO-!¡± ¡°GRR-¡±. Rtively smaller giants were scattered everywhere around their leader. The moment Su-hyeok fell, his body would be shattered by their clubs. ¡°Human¡­!!!¡± the leader shouted. If Su-hyeok left things as they were, it seemed like the giant would survive for quite a while. The viewers were right about one thing¡ªthe sword was rtively smallpared to the giant¡¯s massive frame. ¡°Just die already!¡± He would have to increase the size of the wound. Crack¡ª He had no choice but to hasten the boss¡¯s death and twisted the sword embedded in its neck. ¡®The goal here is to survive, and this guy is the stage¡¯s boss. sh¡ª The wound widened, gradually creeping toward a fatal state, even for a giant. ¡®This guy has to die for the stage to end.¡¯ ¡°AGH¡­!¡± The giants¡¯ leader screamed, shaking Su-hyeok¡¯s eardrums. Was it his final death struggle? The boss resisted even more fiercely in its final moments, trying to shake Su-hyeok from its neck. WHOOM¡ª Crack¡ª! ¡°¡­!¡± Su-hyeok went flying from the giant¡¯s neck after the monster swung his fist. The punch itself didn¡¯t carry much power due to the odd angle, but the power that came with the giant¡¯s size couldn¡¯t be ignored. Crack¡ª! ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He felt dizzy from the impact and heard a thud at the same time as the giants¡¯ leader fell to the ground. WHOOM¡ª The clubs all swung at him at the same time, hitting the ground and breaking into fragments while Su-hyeok quickly moved to avoid the attacks. Crack¡ª! ¡®Without this armor, it would have been dangerous.¡¯ The Rare-rank Thunderous Sound beneath his clothes had enabled him to survive taking a hit. ¨C I can¡¯t see an answer. ¨C There are too many. ¨C Trying to defeat it was a mistake in the first ce. ¨C Still, it was impressive, right? ¨C Yes. It was very impressive. ¨C It looks like we¡¯re going to get to see a retry. ¡®No.¡¯ Su-hyeok rolled his eyes and dodged another club. ¡®It isn¡¯t over yet.¡¯ WHOOM¡ª Though he¡¯d taken a hit, the result of his efforts hadn¡¯t changed. He¡¯d reached the giants¡¯ leader and, just as initially nned, seeded in stabbing it through the neck. ¡°Grrr-¡± As expected, the boss struggled on the ground for a few moments before dying for good. [You¡¯ve defeated the ¡®Giants¡¯ Originator¡¯.] [You¡¯ve cleared the 5th stage, ¡®survival¡¯.] [You¡¯ve achieved an unbelievable aplishment.] [Your level has increased x2.] [+1 Strength.] [+2 Agility.] [+2 Stamina.] [+1 Magic Power.] Messages began appearing one after the other. The +2 stamina increase was very wee, and he felt energy surging through his body again, just when his Stamina had almost run out. ¡®I did it.¡¯ He had defeated the stage¡¯s boss, one he hadn¡¯t been able to conquer before. Taking his level and stat increase into ount, even with the energy that¡¯d returned to his body, he wasn¡¯t confident he could break through the giants¡¯ encirclement and escape. ¡®Please,e out.¡¯ The messages weren¡¯t over yet. Su-hyeok continued to dodge the giants¡¯ clubs and inwardly prayed. ¡®I need a skill or item that can help me right now.¡¯ It felt like time was flowing slowly. Finally, the rewards for having killed the giants¡¯ leader appeared. WHOOM¡ª! A streak of yellow lightning fell from the sky. ¡°GRR-?¡± ¡°GUOO-!¡± The giants hesitated and stepped back. BZZT¡ª BZZT¡ª ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Su-hyeok¡¯s mouth fell open when he saw the reward appear before him. Was he seeing it wrong? No matter how long he looked, the message didn¡¯t change. ¡®Why did this appear already?¡¯ * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Chirp, chirp, chirp¡ª The forest was filled with the chirping of birds, and a woman busily fiddled with a yer kit as she sat on a rocking chair in front of a small hut. Creak¡ª The old door opened, and a man stepped out, giving a cold impression. Kim Siwoo. He approached Kim Yeryeong, who was killing time and sitting in the rocking chair. ¡°What are you doing outside?¡± ¡°I like the sounds of the birds. The weather is nice too.¡± ¡°You should say that after putting away the kit in your hand.¡± Swoosh¡ª Siwoo sat on the pile of firewood next to the rocking chair. The weather was definitely nice, but Yeryeong hadn¡¯t gone out all the way there for that. Yeryeong looked at her kit and nkly asked, ¡°It¡¯s soon, right?¡± It was a question with no apparent subject, but it was easy to tell what she was talking about. ¡°Yes. Probably within a year, at most¡­¡± Siwoo replied. ¡°So my life ends soon. Well, I guess I¡¯ve lived long enough.¡± ¡°Stop joking. It isn¡¯t funny.¡± ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t funny. It wasn¡¯t meant to be funny.¡± Even as she said that, Yeryeong was still looking at the kit¡¯s screen. Although she was usually immersed in her kit, it was a bit extreme that time. Siwoo had purposely gone to sit with her, but she hadn¡¯t even nced at him. ¡°Can you stop using the kit so much? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°What else is there to do in this boring ce?¡± ¡°Have some tea, meditate¡­¡± ¡°You do that, old man.¡± Even as she said that, Yeryeong continued staring at the kit. Siwoo looked into her eyes. Somehow, they felt different. ¡°Is there something interesting?¡± ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Yeryeong turned the kit¡¯s screen and showed it to Siwoo. ¡°There¡¯s someone called Lee Su-hyeok. He¡¯s quite an interesting junior.¡± ¡°Su-hyeok? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°No, not that Su-hyeok. It¡¯s just a kid with the same name. He¡¯s just taking the 2nd floor¡¯s trial.¡± ¡°Ah, the 2nd floor¡­ a streamer¡­¡± Siwoo, who¡¯d started to stand in excitement, sat back down. If it were the real Su-hyeok, it would have been impossible for him to be taking the test on the 2nd floor. Moreover, the Su-hyeok they knew wouldn¡¯t stream, even as a joke. He felt bitter regret filling him. Yeryeong sighed when she saw his reaction. Every year, Kim Siwoo visited Su-hyeok¡¯s memorial and ced the flowers he made there. Fearing he might have false hope, she tried to convince him again. ¡°Let¡¯s let him go.¡± ¡°That again?¡± ¡°You know it too, right? If Su-hyeok were alive, there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t have killed Kim Ilsu, that bastard.¡± Siwoo nodded. It was true. Their friend, Lee Su-hyeok, had unparalleled skills and had blown them all away in hisst moments with the Banana Palm Fan. If he¡¯d survived, then even the names of those in Blue Zone, including Kim Ilsu, would have been wiped from the tower. ¡°Su-hyeok¡¯s dead,¡± Yeryeong stated. ¡°I know¡­¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t. How long are you going to stay in his shadow? Let him go, please.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Tap¡ª Siwoo went silent for a moment before reaching out and snatching Yeryeong¡¯s kit. ¡°Why are you watching this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for fun.¡± ¡°You used to watch Cha Min-woo¡¯s streams too, although you haven¡¯t since he joined Blue Zone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yeryeong bit her lips. At first, she thought she was just doing it for fun. Siwoo had noticed it before she had, though. ¡°You watch all the streams of those who wear that mask and imitate Su-hyeok, don¡¯t you? We¡¯re both the same. We can¡¯t break free from Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s shadow.¡± He returned her kit as it continued to y Su-hyeok¡¯s stream. Clench¡ª Gripping the kit tightly, Yeryeong lowered her head. She missed therades she¡¯d been with until twenty years ago. She missed Su-hyeok, who¡¯d foolishly used the Banana Palm Fan to save her and stayed behind alone. She missed them too much. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± She felt like she was about to cry. ¨C Enduring each day was very hard. Drip¡ª Lowering her head, Yeryeong eventually burst into tears. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Siwoo sighed and approached her, patting her shoulder. He¡¯d said something unnecessary in a moment of frustration. ¡®That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to talk about it.¡¯ He¡¯d known for a long time how Yeryeong felt while watching the streams of Cha Min-woo or other streamers who imitated Lee Su-hyeok. Even though she seemed unaware of it, he hadn¡¯t bothered to say anything. ¡®Yes, we¡¯re both the same. Both of us are living in his shadow.¡¯ Neither of them was in a position to me each other. Siwoo reached out to pick up the kit Yeryeong had dropped on the floor. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The reward Lee Su-hyeok had received from the trial was disyed on the screen. [Skill Obtained ¨C ¡®Lightning¡¯.] ¡®Lightning?¡¯ ____ Chapter 17 Chapter 17 [You¡¯ve earned 2,000 achievement points.] 1. [Do you want to continue the test?] 2. [Do you want to move to the next floor?] BZZT, BZZT¡ª A single strand of lightning faintly flickered before his eyes. There was a yellow effect to it, and even though he hadn¡¯t fully cleared the trial yet, just as the message indicated, it was definitely the ¡®lightning¡¯ he was after. ¨C What? ¨C What???? ¨C WOAH! ¨C OMG OMG OMG! The chat window was filled with astonishment and admiration. Chats went by so fast that Su-hyeok, who hadn¡¯t been looking at the chat during the trial, nced over. ¨C Is this how you get it? ¨C The difficulty is insane, lol. ¨C How do you get ¡®Lightning¡¯? You just need to defeat the giant race¡¯s leader! ¨C Now I understand why Lee Su-hyeok didn¡¯t say anything, lol. ¨C Right? No one would be able to do it anyway. What¡¯s the point of revealing it? People mistakenly thought that you had to defeat the giants¡¯ leader for the skill. ¡®No.¡¯ The only one who knew the truth was Su-hyeok. ¡®I didn¡¯t get it here.¡¯ Last time, he hadn¡¯t earned it untilter. He knew he might be able to defeat the giants¡¯ leader, but he didn¡¯t expect to get the skill from it. ¡®Should I be happy?¡¯ If the situation were different, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to hide his joy. Even though his Stamina had increased by two, it was almost depleted. Just like the magic sword, Lightning required Stamina, making it hard to use it effectively in the situation he was in. He didn¡¯t have time to think too much about it. Though it wasn¡¯t favorable, there was no reward he could use better. Grab¡ª He grabbed the lightning that had fallen before him. For a moment, he felt a tingling sensation passing through his hands and fingers and then shing through his mind. ¡¾ Lightning ¡¿ # Type: Skill # Rank: A+ # LV: 1 # Consumes Stamina and Magic Power to borrow the power of lightning. # You can add other strands of lightning to level it up. The skill¡¯s details appeared in front of him. Despite only being at level one, the skill had an A+ ranking. ¡®I¡¯d like to merge it with my body, but¡­¡¯ He almost fell into the illusion that he¡¯d be Blue Eyes¡¯s Lee Su-hyeok from the past and felt confident that he could sweep away the hundreds of giants in front of him in an instant. He needed to stay calm. He wasn¡¯t the Lee Su-hyeok who¡¯d held thepleted ¡®Lightning¡¯ skill. ¡®What I¡¯m holding right now is just a small strand that fell on the 2nd floor.¡¯ If he overestimated his power, he would surely fall to the giants. Lightning was like a well-forged double-edged sword, after all. It was sharper and more reliable than anything else, but it was capable of hurting the wielder as well. The properties were simr to his magic sword¡¯s. That was precisely why he¡¯d obtained a certain skill during the tutorial, though. ¡°Everyone, thanks for your sponsorship.¡± [You¡¯vepleted the mission.] [You¡¯ve received 5,000 points from ¡®Lee Su-hyeok, I love you.¡¯] [You¡¯ve received 5,000 points from ¡®I¡¯m Bald.¡¯] [You¡¯ve received 3,000 points from ¡®Mission Viin.¡¯] [You¡¯ve received 7,000 points from ¡®Safe Asset.¡¯] As hepleted the registered missions, donations poured in. [Owned Points: 24,860] The total number of points he had exceeded 20,000. ¡®I guess that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ Lightning consumed Stamina for more destructive power, and Selfish Sacrifice could reduce the burden on the user¡¯s body. He had already used the magic sword to confirm that such skills had synergy. [You¡¯ve used 20,000 points.] [The skill level of ¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv2¡¯ has increased.] With that, ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ rose to level three, but there was no time to check how much more effective it was before trying it in realbat. ¡°Since the points came in, it¡¯s time to react, right?¡± Su-hyeok used his Magic Power, and his eyes glowed with a golden light simr to the lightning he¡¯d picked up. BZZ, BZZT¡ª! He recalled the sensation he¡¯d felt when he picked up the lightning and controlled its power. [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates your hand.] WHOOM¡ª A giant¡¯s club swung toward Su-hyeok¡¯s head. Paf¡ª BZZT¡ª A yellow line sliced through the club. No matter how big such a club was, it was merely made of wood and couldn¡¯t match the power of a lightning-imbued magic sword. On top of that, the sh continued through the club, splitting the giant in two and boiling the giant¡¯s blood with electricity. ¨C Woah. ¨C Woah, hahaha. ¨C What the? How fast. ¨C This is it!!! Cheers erupted, but it was still too early to receive such praise. ¡®I¡¯ve only taken down one so far.¡¯ Right after swinging his sword, Su-hyeok¡¯s gaze moved to find an escape route. ¡°GROAR-!¡± The giants were blocking his path, but he envisioned a line connecting their necks. Following that line, he swung his arm with all of his might. [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates your hand.] WHOOM¡ª! Thunder cracked out as a red and yellow line appeared, killing three of the giants in one attack. Su-hyeok stepped over their bodies and jumped. BZZT¡ª * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A suppressed groan leaked from his mouth. His fingertips felt numb, and the tingling sensation made him frown. ¡®The problem with this skill is that it doesn¡¯t care about its user.¡¯ Lightning was naturally akin to a wild horse¡ªthe stronger it was, the harder it would be to control. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡¯ resists the damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.] That¡¯s why he¡¯d spent so many points on increasing the level of Selfish Sacrifice since his reincarnation. BZZT¡ª The electricity flowing through his hand started to blur, the pain subsided, and he regained enough strength to swing his sword. At that moment, a kind of euphoria he had never experienced before enveloped him. ¡®It worked.¡¯ He¡¯d tested it on the magic sword, but that was the first time he¡¯dbined the skill with Lightning. He was confident that it would be effective. However, thinking about it and experiencing it firsthand werepletely different things. Above all, the leveled-up Selfish Sacrifice exceeded his expectations. BZZT¡ª Lightning began flowing through his body. If possible, he wanted to unleash the lightning and fight as he pleased, but he still wasn¡¯t at a level where he could do that. WHOOM¡ª! The lightning he shot from his fingertips made a giant¡¯s head explode. At the same time, his finger became covered with sticky blood. After releasing a round of lightning, Su-hyeok surveyed his surroundings. ¡®I¡¯m about halfway there now.¡¯ Having lost their leader, only about half of the giants around him were still alive. ¨C Is it because the level is still low? It¡¯s a bit different from what I remember. ¨C Yes, I thought it would be more shy. Some viewers, who¡¯d been expecting more, seemed disappointed. They were yers who didn¡¯t know much about Su-hyeok, though. ¨C The newbies from above don¡¯t know anything, lol. ¨C Lightning being like this for now is the obvious thing. ¨C Lightning consumes a lot of Stamina. Honestly, it isn¡¯t a skill he should be able to use effectively yet. ¨C Yes. Getting this far must have consumed a lot of his Stamina. Lightning consumed both Magic Power and Stamina. Only when you had the two in ample abundance could you exert the skill¡¯s true power. ¡®Almost everyone knows.¡¯ Was it because most viewers used to be his fans? Most of those who were happy to see him obtain Lightning knew the difficulties he was facing. He was overflowing with Magic Power butcked Stamina. It wouldn¡¯t be good to wield the skill freely. He had no choice but to increase his concentration. [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates your foot.] BZZT¡ª The electricity flowing through his body concentrated in his foot. In an instant, his foot became lighter, and his movements elerated, allowing him to avoid the giants¡¯ clubs easily. That wasn¡¯t all. [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.] WHOOM-! As he swung the sword, thunder echoed out. One of the giants was unable to withstand the power of lightning, and its head exploded. Using the Lightning skill as efficiently as possible, Su-hyeok started to freely move through the crowd of giants. [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates your arm.] [¡®Lightning¡¯¡­] It was just the start of Lightning¡¯s power. ng¡ª! He advanced and continued to swing his sword, again and again, all while using the minimum amount of Magic Power and Stamina to handle the Lightning skill. He was well-ustomed to doing so, after all. sh¡ª To those who couldn¡¯t recognize such delicate techniques, it probably looked like he still had a lot of Stamina. ¨C He seems to be using it well. ¨C Huh? Right? ¨C It seems that he still has Stamina. ¨C After putting on such a show¡­? ¨C Hahaha. It¡¯s a show indeed. The Su-hyeok show! Swoosh¡ª The lightning was destroying his body. Although Selfish Sacrifice was fighting against the damage, he still had too little Stamina left. ¡®I just need to use one shot well.¡¯ BZZ¡ª He took a step forward and looked at the path he¡¯d been heading down from the start. He¡¯d almost broken through the encirclement. All he needed was a final push. ¡®The timing¡­¡¯ ¡°There he is!¡± someone yelled, and a familiar face appeared from the mountain¡¯s descent. ¡°Save our benefactor!¡± ¡°Distract the giants!¡± Arrows flew toward the giants¡¯ heads and necks. ¡°That fool,¡± Su-hyeok murmured as he cut a giant¡¯s neck. His lips tugged into a smile. Felius had arrived. He¡¯d gone through the trouble of drawing the giants¡¯ attention so they could escape, but it seemed like the soldiers had been watching instead of running away. Given the situation, there was no need to save energy any longer. He didn¡¯t need to run down the mountain¡ªhe just had to break through the path once. BZZ, BZZ¡ª [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword.¡¯] Electricity gathered at the tip of his sword. Even if you used the same technique, its power could greatly vary depending on how you used it. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡¯ attempts to resist the damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.] [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡¯ fails to fully resist ¡®Lightning¡¯.] [Your Fatigue is high.] [Your Fatigue has increased to 94.] [Your Fatigue has increased to 95.] [Your Fatigue¡­] He was getting numerous warning messages about his Fatigue, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®With this one attack¡­¡¯ Golden electricity wrapped around his sword. The weapon suddenly felt heavy, and the dense lightning around it was hard to handle. ¡®I¡¯m going to break through¡­¡¯ Regardless of that, he used all of his power and swung his sword at the giants blocking his path. sh¡ª! WHOOM¡ª! The giants were swept away, torn apart by the lightning in a blinding, thunderous cacophony of light and sound. Felius stood at the end of the path, looking surprised and seeming to wonder what¡¯d happened. ¡°This makes it pointless that I came to help,¡± he muttered in astonishment. ¡°Nice¡­¡± After breaking through the encirclement of giants, Su-hyeok raised his thumb. As his tension eased, Su-hyeok copsed onto Felius¡¯s shoulder. * * * Around the time he cleared the 5th stage, a user post appeared on the yer Community¡¯s trending section. ? The method for obtaining Lightning is out, lol. PS. Newbie-hyuk. ? ____ Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Lightning was one of the two things the yermunity considered to be ¡®broken¡¯. The other thing, of course, was Lee Su-hyeok. Both ¡®broken¡¯ things were included in that one post. [Crazy, lol. Yesterday, I heard some people making a fuss about a ¡®Newbie Hyeok¡¯, so I watched out of curiosity, but he really got the Lightning skill.] [How to get it? Easy. You just have to kill the giants¡¯ leader in the ¡®Survival¡¯ stage.] [Do you think I¡¯m lying? There¡¯s a link attached below.] The post, which included both ¡®Lightning¡¯ and ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯, quickly became a hot topic. ¨C ??? Isn¡¯t this a troll post??? ¨C It¡¯s 100% a troll post. ¨C Right? OP should have taken more time to make the troll post. There¡¯s no way someone would be able to hunt that, lol. ¨C Oh yeah, so easy. ¨C Don¡¯t feed the troll. At first, almost everyone was skeptical, but it wasn¡¯t hard to verify the truth. After all, there were already over 500 people watching the stream. ¨C The guys from above are saying the same things as the people who were watching the stream, lol. ¨C How did he kill it? Just watch the rey. ¨C Newbie Hyeok hasn¡¯t enabled reys yet. ¨C Well, today was his first stream, after all, lol. ¨C What?? Is this real?? ¨C I just checked, and it¡¯s true. How did this happen??? ¡®First stream¡¯, ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯, ¡®Lightning skill¡¯¡­ Although the description was short, it was extremely provocative. ¨C Lee Su-hyeok!!! I always believed in you!!! ¨C Su-hyeok¡¯s gang is ready!!! ¨C Although Su-hyeok is doing great, it¡¯s not like the real Lee Su-hyeok reincarnated, lol. ¨C Ting! [Lee Su-hyeok used ¡®Reincarnation¡¯.] ¨C Reincarnation? Lol. Although it was at the bottom of the page, it was still very popr. Moreover, among yers and streamers, many used to be fans of Lee Su-hyeok. Maybe that¡¯s why a streamer who had about 8,000 viewers, the streamer ¡®Hawk Eye¡¯, who focused on reviewing content, watched Su-hyeok¡¯s stream. ¡°Hello, everyone! Today, we¡¯re going to dissect and analyze the new Lee Su-hyeok streamer!¡± Hawk Eye smoothly started his stream. Next to his screen, another screen showed Su-hyeok surrounded by giants. ¡°Why ¡®currently¡¯, you ask? Don¡¯t be impatient¡­ Ah, no one asked? So what do you want me to do?¡± ¨C Hahaha. ¨C LOL. ¨C He¡¯s really blunt, lol. ¨C This is what makes Hawk Eye¡¯s stream great. ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s focus. This is a mad video of Lee Su-hyeok a viewer sent. They recorded it themselves.¡± Hawk Eye yed a short video for a few minutes that showed Su-hyeok killing the giants¡¯ leader, obtaining the Lightning skill, and escaping. Hawk Eyes¡¯s mouth fell open, and his eyes widened. ¡°Woah¡­¡± He seemed to be in awe, looking as if he¡¯d forgotten he was streaming as he watched in silence. ¨C Amazing¡­ ¨C Is this how good people on the 2nd floor are these days? ¨C He¡¯s drooling. ¨C Hawk Eye¡¯s reaction is genuine. ¨C Hawk Eye doesn¡¯t react to good ys on purpose. ¨C He goes silent when he sees good ys. Hawk Eye was a sessful streamer whose ability to analyze yers¡¯ fights had earned him recognition. He¡¯d watched and carefully observed all sorts of yer videos. Of course, he¡¯d also seen Cha Min-woo¡¯s videos, who had recently joined Blue Zone. He¡¯d also watched Kim Ilsu, the former Blue Eyes member¡¯s, videos. The legendary yer, Lee Su-hyeok, was no exception. ¨C He isn¡¯t as good as I thought. His lightning isn¡¯t as shy as the Lee Su-hyeok I remember. When he saw a viewer¡¯s critique, he snapped back to reality. It wasn¡¯t something that should¡¯ve been evaluated in such a way. ¡°First of all, everyone, refrain from making baseless criticism. This is insane. How can he even do this?¡± Hawk Eye shook his head at his involuntary exmation. It wasn¡¯t the right time for him to be stuck in admiration¡ªhe needed to proceed with the stream. ¡°Everyone, can you see the weapon he¡¯s using? It has a subtle red effect, right? That¡¯s a magic sword.¡± ¨C A magic sword? ¨C On the 2nd floor? ¨C He shouldn¡¯t be able to use it due to the Stamina restriction. Magic swords were famous items. Typically, people used them from the 3rd floor onward since they came with a heavy Stamina cost. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Stamina. That¡¯s the key, and if you can see the effect in such a situation, it means that it¡¯s at least a rare-rank magic sword.¡± ¨C Rare? ¨C Someone on the 2nd floor? ¨C His Stamina should have plummeted instantly. ¨C Against giants like those, a magic sword seems like a must. The chat quickly continued to scroll as people debated whether it was okay for him to use a magic sword or not. Hawk Eye was used to those kinds of chaotic situations and kept exining. ¡°Everyone, you know the Lightning skill¡¯s downside, right?¡± ¨C Ah, now that you mention it¡­ ¨C Lightning also consumes a lot of Stamina. ¨C Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s specialty was ending things quickly. ¨C Short and thick, lol. ¨C But too thick, lmao. ¡°That¡¯s right. Lightning is just like a magic sword¡ªit consumes a lot of Stamina, but look, that guy was swinging a magic sword nonstop. He even managed to pierce the boss¡¯s neck.¡± WHOOM¡ª! Thud¡ª Hawk Eye paused the video right when the Lightning skill dropped. ¡°Getting Lightning in such a state? Honestly, it was the worst possible oue.¡± Having depleted his stamina, he¡¯d been rewarded with a skill that also consumed Stamina. It really couldn¡¯t have been worse. ¡°What did Newbie Hyeok do in this situation?¡± Hawk Eye continued to y the video, showing Su-hyeok breaking through the encirclement after obtaining the Lightning skill. It was clear that Su-hyeok¡¯s damage output had increased, and his movements were faster and more agile. BZZT. BZZT¡ª Click, click¡ª * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * As the video yed, Hawk Eye paused from time to time to exin things. ¡°He controlled the lightning. When he needed to increase the speed of the sword, he concentrated it around his arms, and when he needed more power, he sent it to the sword, and when he had to move quickly, to the legs.¡± The lightning flowing through Su-hyeok¡¯s body was visible. Although the effects were small and the battle was chaotic, Hawk Eye had the sharpest eyes. ¡°He knew hecked strength and used his skills ordingly. He didn¡¯t waste energy even once!¡± Bang¡ª Hawk Eye suddenly hit his desk and stood. ¡°This concentration! I can¡¯t believe it. How can he do this with a skill he just got? Is he even human?¡± ¨C Huh???? Is that possible??? ¨C ??? What is he saying? ¨C Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t understand? ¨C Ah~ I understood it perfectly (I didn¡¯t). ¨C Hahaha, how could he have done that? It doesn¡¯t make sense. ¨C It¡¯s theoretically possible. ¨C If this is real, it¡¯s insane! After finishing his exnation, Hawk Eye reyed the video as if he were bewitched. When he looked at the chat, he saw viewers busily giving nicknames to Lee Su-hyeok. ¡®Newbie Hyeok, 2nd Lee Su-hyeok, Su-hyeok 2.0. Fake Su-hyeok¡­¡¯ Hawk Eye sighed and shook his head. ¡®Not even half of them understood me.¡¯ Controlling skills partially required high concentration and technique. When it came to high-ranking skills like Lightning, they were much more difficult to finely control than others. Lee Su-hyeok had used such techniques from the beginning. He¡¯d even only focused his lightning on the necessary parts in the midst of a fight. ¡®His judgment, concentration, and fine control¡­ All of this while not making a mistake.¡¯ He¡¯d achieved all that as soon as he picked up the skill. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Other than the real Lee Su-hyeok, it was the first time he¡¯d seen such a brilliant y. At first, he was going to run it as simple content, but his thoughts changed. He felt like he was going to be a real fan. ¨C Aren¡¯t you going to make a final review? Hawk Eye quickly returned to his senses. A final review¡­ he needed to conclude and summarize the observed y in one line. If he had to summarize it in one line, he couldn¡¯t help but give the highest praise. ¡°In terms of control alone, he¡¯s better than the true Lee Su-hyeok.¡± * * * Felius was an outstanding knight. Even if he needed to face huge giants, he had enough skill to handle two or three on his own. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that he¡¯d set out to defeat the giants¡¯ leader. After confirming that it was Felius who had lifted him and was running from the giants, Su-hyeok lost consciousness. [The 6th stage is waiting.] [Your Fatigue has decreased to 0.] [Do you want to stop the trial?] There were two conditions to stop and return in the middle of a trial: the first was to clear a stage and stop right before the next one started, and the second condition was to be at 0 Fatigue and in perfect condition. Even if you stopped in the middle, you needed to meet conditions that wouldn¡¯t affect the next trial. It seemed his Fatigue had reached 0 during his short break. However, there was something he needed to be wary of. ¡®Even though I¡¯ve recovered from physical fatigue, the mental fatigue remains.¡¯ One couldn¡¯t let themselves be deceived by the Fatigue level shown in the status window. Proper rest was necessary for concentration. The harder a trial, the more your sess or failure depends on the slightest difference. ¡®Lightning¡­ I need to have some time to test how it synergizes with Selfish Sacrifice.¡¯ He needed to check how muchbat power he could use while using Lightning and Selfish Sacrifice together when his Stamina was full. If he wanted to do that, he needed to take a short break. ¡°It was nice having met everyone today.¡± Before ending the trial. Su-hyeok left a farewell to the viewers who had entered his stream. [Viewers: 742] His viewers had steadily increased, even though he¡¯d rested until his Fatigue hit 0, so he was wondering why they were still watching. ¨C ??? ¨C Is today¡¯s stream going to end here? ¨C I only saw him rest. ¨C If you were going to end the stream, you should have told us sooner. Regrets andints erupted from the chat. ¡®Should I have ended the stream first?¡¯ It was understandable that the viewers who were waiting for him to recover were perplexed. After all, they¡¯d been waiting to see the next stage. If he were an experienced streamer, he would have anticipated suchints and ended the stream early. Su-hyeok made a mistake since he was too focused on the trial to pay attention to the stream properly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Next time, I¡¯ll tell everyone in advance.¡± ¨C It¡¯s okay. ¨C Since this is your first stream, it can happen. ¨C ?? Was this his first stream? ¨C I think I¡¯ve seen this question about 500 times today. ¨C When is it going to be the next stream? ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for a day and continue.¡± ¨C Subscribed. ¨C Subye~ ¨C Subye (It means Su-hyeok bye) ¨C Bye bye! The farewells continued. After a few moments, Su-hyeok ended the trial and the stream simultaneously. [Ending the trial.] [Ending the stream.] Swoosh¡ª Everything in view vanished until he found himself in a white room¡ªthe 2nd floor¡¯s rest site. Su-hyeok took out the kit from his pocket as he walked toward the door. ¡®I think it wasn¡¯t bad for the first day.¡¯ Most of the trial contents were things he knew. He wasn¡¯t worried about that. Instead, he was more concerned about the stream. Had he started with a strong foundation? Since he didn¡¯t know, he couldn¡¯t make a clear judgment. Feeling a sense of anxiety and anticipation, he turned his kit on to connect to the streaming site. At that moment, Su-hyeok received a message. [Mr. Lee Su-hyeok, this is Un-hyang from Balhae Entertainment¡¯s management department¡­] The message was quite long, and Su-hyeok tilted his head as he took off his suffocating mask. ¡°Balhae Entertainment¡­?¡± ____ Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°Kyaa! I sent it, I sent it!¡± Un-hyang was screaming and jumping around in Team Leader John Tail¡¯s office, seemingly having forgotten where she was and who she was with. ¡°Hey, Un-hyang. Calm down. Calm down a bit¡­¡± Cheon-ryang said. ¡°If you keep causing a fuss, you¡¯ll destroy the office!¡± John Tail shouted as he looked at the cracked walls. Just a few moments prior, Un-hyang sent a message to the Lee Su-hyeok streamer and hit the wall, causing a crack. ¡°Hey! Did you just send a love letter or something? Why are you making such a fuss?¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± ¡°Damn it! Hey, try to stop her. At this rate, the office is going to be destroyed!¡± ¡°How can I stop her?¡± Cheon-ryang asked. ¡°Even if there were a hundred of us, we wouldn¡¯t be able to.¡± Un-hyang had been a rising star in Murim at one point. Even high-ranking yers from a top guild would probably struggle to stop her. ¡°Why is someone like her even working here¡­?¡± In the end, John Tail had no choice but to watch her rampage for a while. Un-hyang only calmed down after dust started falling from the cracked walls. John Tail sighed and checked the reactions on the yers¡¯ Community. ¨C Thanks for teaching us how to get the Lightning skill. I¡¯ll just stick to knowing how to get it. ¨C Hahaha, even if you know it, it¡¯s impossible. ¨C Su-hyeok! What he did today was totally like the true Lee Su-hyeok! ¨C Well, you¡¯re right, but¡­ ¨C Hahaha, he¡¯s indeed Lee Su-hyeok. The meaning the Lightning skill carried was strong. After all, it was the skill that represented Lee Su-hyeok. If one could obtain that skill, stardom as a streamer and as a yer was guaranteed. That¡¯s why many streamers and guilds did all they could to get it. ¡®No wonder no one was able to get it.¡¯ No one had even thought of trying to defeat the giants¡¯ leader. Even if the method had been revealed, it was unlikely anyone would dare attempt it. After all, it was a trial only Lee Su-hyeok could clear. No¡­ ¡®Only THE Lee Su-hyeoks¡¯ can pass that trial.¡¯ John Tail instinctively felt it. ¡®This guy¡¯s going to be big.¡¯ He didn¡¯t think anyone else would be able to get the Lightning skill, which meant nobody could take the character from Su-hyeok. Streamers were all about character fights, and the symbol of ¡®Lightning¡¯ was the best when it came to building a character. Of course¡­ ¡®That¡¯s only if he continues to put on such a show.¡¯ ¨C Su-hyeok fans are very excited. ¨C Isn¡¯t he still just a Su-hyeok copy? ¨C Well, he¡¯s still on the 2nd floor. ¨C A Su-hyeok copy, lol. ¨C So that¡¯s what it meant? Not all reactions were positive. Given the nature of themunity, negative opinions could always be found. That was even the case for Su-hyeok during his lifetime. Of course, the imitation streamer, who hadn¡¯t even passed the 2nd floor¡¯s trial yet, would get some negativements. ¡°Team Leader¡­¡± Cheong-ryang suddenly called out. ¡°Y-yes?¡± John Tail asked, feeling startled from his thoughts. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard it arrived.¡± ¡°What did?¡± ¡°A reply, from Su-hyeok,¡± Cheon-ryang answered with a puzzled expression on his face, as if asking what John was thinking. After returning to his dormitory, Su-hyeok started looking into Balhae Entertainment. ¡®Balhae Entertainment. A leading MCNpany that grew through the streaming business.¡¯ Balhae Entertainment¡¯s partners were mainly categorized as popr star yers or streamers with thousands of concurrent viewers. Thepany earned points by using their partners for ads and other businesses. ¡°The world sure has changed a lot. I couldn¡¯t have imagined such a thing in the past.¡± He again realized how long 20 years was. He thought there were only streamers, but even seeingpanies that used them made him deeply feel the weight of time. ¡®It¡¯s a pretty bigpany. Among MCNpanies in the entertainment business, it¡¯s also one of the top ones.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to find information about Balhae. A single search brought up thousands of pieces of information. The number of streamers that were affiliated with them easily exceeded the hundreds. One of the streamers Su-hyeok knew, Bbak Su-hyeok, was also affiliated with Balhae Entertainment. ¡®Hawk Eye?¡¯ While searching for information about Balhae Entertainment, the name of a certain streamer appeared quite high up. He was interested due to the recent content the streamer had made. ?Breaking News! Hawk Eye says streamer Lee Su-hyeok has better control than the real one.? It was an eye-catching title. The view count was quite high as well, and there were dozens ofments on the post, even though it¡¯d only been up for a few hours. ¨C Hahaha, Hawk Eye is exaggerating again. ¨C This guy talks nonsense all the time. ©¸ Hawk Eye talking nonsense? Have you been living in a cave or something? ¨C He really praised him. ¨C Hawk Eye is known for being stingy with praise. Su-hyeok checked the video linked in the post. It was quite long and showed Hawk Eye reacting to Su-hyeok escaping from a group of giants after getting the Lightning skill. ¡°He knew hecked power and used his skills ordingly to ovee that. He didn¡¯t waste energy even once! This concentration! I can¡¯t believe it. How can he do this with a skill he just got? Is he even human?¡± It became apparent that Hawk Eye had good eyes. He¡¯d noticed all of that just by watching through a small screen? ¡®He lives up to the name.¡¯ His analysis of him was quite urate. Maybe if he¡¯d made up things to attract viewers, it would have been different, but if he had such a good ability to analyze things, Su-hyeok understood why he had such a nickname. He also liked the continued praise. ¡®I am better than my old self, after all.¡¯ Saying that his control was better than the ¡®real¡¯ Lee Su-hyeok was a given. After all, Su-hyeok was always getting better than he was in the past. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bbak Su-hyeok and Hawk Eye¡­ Both yers were affiliated with thepany. Apany being sessful didn¡¯t necessarily mean they were good, but they at least seemed trustworthy. Moreover¡­ ¨C He might have the skills, but he¡¯s definitely a newbie when ites to streaming. The moment he realized he didn¡¯t know how to receive the rewards for clearing the viewer mission, he knew hecked knowledge in streaming. ¡°Why did this suddenly pop up?¡± ¨C With streaming, he¡¯s still a baby. Cute¡­ ¨C After indicating your intent to share, you just have to say, ¡®Share the trial situation¡¯. He¡¯d even realized it after struggling to share his trial information. ¨C If you were going to end the stream, you should have told us sooner. ¡®It¡¯s true that there are many things I don¡¯t know about streaming.¡¯ He had confidence in his skills as a yer, but what about as a streamer? Although it was his first day, he couldn¡¯t say he¡¯d done a good job. He was left dissatisfied, so the viewers were probably even more upset. He¡¯d set the goal of growing by receiving sponsorship points from them, so¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s do it¡­¡± He thought he should also pay attention to streaming and replied to the message. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Crunch¡ª Isaac chewed on a sausage in the cafeteria while looking at his kit. He wanted to relieve the mental fatigue umted from doing the trial all day. At least, that was his original goal. ¡°In terms of control alone, he¡¯s better than the true Lee Su-hyeok.¡± Isaac frowned when he heard Hawk Eye¡¯s analysis. Screech¡ª The fork in his hand bent, and he kept listening, his face full of irritation. ¡°Why do I think so? Well, let me exin. Huh? No one asked? I¡¯m going to exin it anyway¡­¡± Tick¡ª He turned off the kit and covered its screen. He couldn¡¯t even properly taste the food he was chewing. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± Isaac had been watching the yerz video that Hawk Eye uploaded. It was a summary edit that focused on the core parts of the stream, but he couldn¡¯t stand watching the video to the end. ¡°Better than the true Lee Su-hyeok? Ha. A guy who just reached the 2nd floor?¡± A yer on the same 2nd floor he was on had gotten Lightning. It was natural for such a yer to gain attention. On top of that, the yer was streaming as ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯. ¡®He was just lucky. He got Lightning, which no one else could, thanks to taking the right route.¡¯ Though he¡¯d seen almost the entire video, Isaac didn¡¯t acknowledge Su-hyeok¡¯s skills. He just thought he¡¯d gotten Lightning due to luck. nce¡ª Isaac stopped eating and looked at his kit resting on the table. Hawk Eye was a streamer Isaac often watched who analyzed and taught others about the gamey of excellent yers. His eyes were quite urate. Thanks to him, he¡¯d learned a lot. ¡°This bastard¡¯s eyes are also off. When I go up, I should bury him or something.¡± An unexinable anger boiled inside him. No, although he pretended not to know, he knew where it stemmed from. Lee Su-hyeok, the yer who had defeated Wolf Warrior Greg for the first time and was second to get Lightning after the original Lee Su-hyeok was already beinguded as the true Su-hyeok¡¯s sessor, even though he was on the 2nd floor. ¡®I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ Originally, the position was supposed to be his. As Reinhardt¡¯s son, he had exceptional talent and was expected to reach the 8th floor in the shortest time. It was what everyone had expected from him when he started climbing the tower. Then, someone appeared and received more attention than him. He didn¡¯t like how the man was taking his spotlight and using Su-hyeok¡¯s name. ¡®I¡¯ve lost my appetite¡­¡¯ Isaac¡¯s gaze turned to Su-hyeok as he entered the restaurant. Swoosh¡ª ¡®Ah, the perfect target just came along.¡¯ His mood suddenly improved. Yes, Lee Su-hyeok should be just like that. ¡°The world is truly unfair,¡± he muttered a little louder, as if he wanted him to hear. ¡°How can you two live such different lives despite having the same name?¡± Isaac mockingly continued while looking at Su-hyeok. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, my friend?¡± Su-hyeok looked into Isaac¡¯s eyes, ignored him, and sat down. The veins in Isaac¡¯s forehead bulged. He felt upset at the thought of being ignored. Back when they were in the educational institution, Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with him. ¡®He changed all of a sudden.¡¯ Isaac stood up and headed toward the seat opposite Su-hyeok. nk¡ª He ced his te on the table and sat down. Looking annoyed, Su-hyeok said, ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°My colleagues are out, so I¡¯m bored. Entertain me for a bit. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Ignoring Isaac, Su-hyeok began eating his meal. Despite the continued disregard, Isaac narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Doing what?¡± ¡°Hunting. After all, I¡¯m a yer.¡± ¡°Hunting? You?¡± A chuckle slipped out as his lips curled into a smile. Normally, one would consider the others¡¯ feelings, but Isaac had never learned to do such things. ¡°Yes, me.¡± Su-hyeok reacted calmly. Rather, he waved his hand as if asking him to leave and let him eat in peace. ¡°¡­¡± Displeased, Isaac frowned again. Soon, he smiled and stood from his seat. ¡°Alright, alright. Enjoy your meal alone.¡± He went to return his half-eaten te of food. As he walked out of the cafeteria, Isaac nced back at Su-hyeok, who was eating in the middle of the cafeteria by himself, and smiled. ¡®Going hunting, huh¡­?¡¯ ____ Chapter 20 Chapter 20 People who streamed and also ran video channels were often gued with maliciousments, especially that time. Hawk Eye was receiving an unprecedented flood of hatements. ¨C Hahaha, is this guy blind in one eye or something? ¨C To think he¡¯d say that just because Su-hyeok got one Lightning skill strand. ¨C He ran away because he was scared of fake giants. He can¡¯t do anything. ¨C A guy like that is the 2nd Lee Su-hyeok? Lol. Most of the hatements either mocked streamer Lee Su-hyeok or dissed Hawk Eye for praising him too much. Hawk Eye wasn¡¯t just someone with good eyesight. He was able to understand how people were thinking just by reading theirments. ¡®The extreme fans are divided into two groups.¡¯ The original Lee Su-hyeok had transcended Earth and be an idol for all yers. 20 years had passed, and since another Lee Su-hyeok appeared and had also gotten the Lightning skill, people weren¡¯t sure what to think. ¡®They either became huge fans instantly or criticized him as a fake and became anti-fans.¡¯ Some liked him for resembling Lee Su-hyeok, and some hated him for being a fake. What the two kinds of people had inmon was that they were extremely biased. ¡®So far¡­ there are more of thetter.¡¯ That was the conclusion Hawk Eye reached after examining the ratio of thements. There were more people who disliked the streamer than those who recognized and liked him, and that dislike extended to them denigrating how Su-hyeok had used the Lightning skill. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said that?¡± Hawk Eye scratched his head. The new streamer¡¯s control surpassed the original Lee Su-hyeok, but he was taking quite the figurative beating for making that statement. Creak¡ª Hawk Eye leaned back in his chair and recalled the streamer¡¯s y. Though he¡¯d mumbled about regretting saying it¡­ ¡°There was no avoiding making thatment.¡± He hadn¡¯t started streaming to make up things that didn¡¯t exist, read public opinion, or not be able to say what he wanted. Most importantly, that was the very reason he was so sessful. Hawk Eye believed he should keep doing things his way, and it was the promise he¡¯d made to himself when he started streaming. Vrrrr¡ª A call appeared on his kit, disying the caller ID of ¡®Team Leader¡¯. ¡®Team Leader? Is it an ad?¡¯ Balhae Entertainment¡¯s John Tail was calling him. Since it was rare for the man to call, Hawk Eye looked puzzled as he answered. ¡°Yes?¡± Hawk Eye heard John Tail¡¯s loud voice. ¡°What were you saying about Lee Su-hyeok?¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * [You¡¯ve entered the ¡®Dungeon: Lair of the Exiled Lizardmen¡¯ boss room.] Bzz, bzz¡ª Yellow currents of electricity flowed through Su-hyeok¡¯s body. Although it stung and tingled, it was bearable. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡ä resists the damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.] Bzz¡ª The electric current quickly subsided. That much was bearable. Selfish Sacrifice had reached level three and was better than expected. ¡®In most situations, this level of power is optimal.¡¯ Creak¡ª The boss room opened, and he heard the cries of the lizardmen. Hiss, hisss¡ª Dozens of monsters with lizard heads stood over two meters tall, and beyond them¡­ BOOM¡ª [Boss: ¡®Smander¡¯ is appearing.] Hiss¡ª! The dungeon boss appeared amidst the massive, rage-filled lizardmen, engulfed in a subtle me. ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ ¡°I wonder how much damage I can deal,¡± Su-hyeok mumbled as he walked toward them. He was there to see how much damage he could deal with full Stamina and Selfish Sacrifice. The smander was one of the highest-ranking monsters on the 2nd floor and made for a worthy opponent. ¡°This feels familiar.¡± Hiss¡ª The huge lizards flicked their tongues as they approached Su-hyeok. Beyond them, the smander red at him. Though the lizardmen weren¡¯t as big as the giants, it felt simr to when he¡¯d killed the giants¡¯ leader. Paf¡ª [¡®Lightning¡¯ permeates your feet.] BZZT¡ª! Su-hyeok moved forward as if he were sliding over ice. Unlike the three-meter-tall giants, the lizardmens¡¯ necks were easy for his sword to reach. sh¡ª A golden line appeared, and the lizardmens¡¯ heads went flying. For a moment, the surviving monsters hesitated. Regardless, Su-hyeok advanced toward the boss. sh¡ª He slid toward the lizardmen. Hiss¡ª Screech¡ª! The lizardmen, having regained their senses, tried to block Su-hyeok as he approached their boss. Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes gleamed, and he saw the perfect opportunity to decapitate a few in one strike. ¡®I feel light.¡¯ With plenty of Stamina and Magic Power, he increased his speed and added strength to his sword. BZZT¡ª! [¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv3¡¯ resists the damage from ¡®Lightning.¡¯] sh¡ª! A yellow sh burst from Su-hyeok¡¯s sword in an instant. BOOM¡ª! A noise erupted outward, shaking the cave. Lizardmen with severed heads and charred necks fell to the ground. Far away, even the dungeon boss, the smander, seemed flustered. Paf¡ª It was differentpared to when he fought the giants. Su-hyeok cut down the lizardmen rushing at him and reached the boss. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­¡¯ He saw the dungeon boss, the smander, ovep with the giants¡¯ leader, who had survived despite his neck being pierced. [¡®Lightning¡¯ burns brighter.] BZZT¡ª! An electric shock traveled down his arm and into his sword. ¡®Let¡¯s see if you can survive this.¡¯ He felt a tingling pain along his arm. The more power he used, the more he damaged his body. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡¯ attempts to resist the damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.] [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡¯ fails to fully resist ¡®Lightning¡¯.] [Your Fatigue has increased.] As his Stamina decreased and his Fatigue increased, the electricity at the tip of his sword grew stronger. His body felt hot, and it even felt somewhat pleasant. He was familiar with Lightning, so Su-hyeok knew what would happen if he swung his sword. He leaped into the group of lizardmen, toward the approaching smander as flicked its tongue at him in a menacing manner. Swoosh¡ª! Su-hyeokunched the lightning. * * * WHOOM¡ª! The sound bounced off the ceiling and created an echo as golden lightning swept through the cave in waves, following the sword¡¯s path. The screams of the lizardmen were drowned out by the sound of thunder. [You¡¯ve cleared the ¡®Dungeon: Lair of the Exiled Lizardmen¡¯.] [Your level has increased.] [+1 Strength.] [+1 Stamina.] [+1 Magic Power.] That meant he¡¯d killed the boss. On top of that, he¡¯d wiped away all the lizardmen in his path in one strike. They¡¯d been trying to protect the boss, but instead, they¡¯d made a perfect target, and he¡¯d killed more than 10 with that strike. The remaining lizardmen, realizing they couldn¡¯t defeat Su-hyeok, fled. ¡°Haa.¡± Su-hyeok breathed heavily while sitting over the corpse of the smander, whose chest had been split and its corpse charred ck. He looked at the traces of lightning left on the ground. Char marks¡­ To think he could deal so much damage with the Lightning skill. A grin spread across his lips. ¡®It¡¯s better than expected.¡¯ He was still just on the 2nd floor, and he was level 22. To think he could deal so much damage despite that. [Fatigue: 61] ¡®I have quite a bit of leeway in Fatigue as well. Selfish Sacrifice was beyond my expectations.¡¯ Selfish Sacrifice was only at level three. That meant that there was still plenty of room for growth. Even at such a low level, it was very impressive. ¡°I could probably do more damage.¡± Lightning¡¯s power was proportional to Magic Power and Stamina, and Selfish Sacrifice reduced his Stamina consumption. He¡¯d always felt ack of Staminapared to Magic Power, so the skill naturally suited him. ¡¾ Selfish Sacrifice ¡¿ # Type: Skill # Rank: D # LV: 3 # Suppresses the side effects of skills and items that harm the user. # Points can be used to upgrade the skill¡¯s rank and level. # Required Points: 40,000P The rank had increased to D. Although it was still low, just seeing it go up one rank was enough to feel the improvement. ¡®40,000¡­¡¯ It had started with 10,000; then it was 20,000. For level four, he needed 40,000 points. It¡¯d doubled each time. ¡°When will I earn enough points to raise it again¡­?¡± The point system bothered him more than fighting or trials. At that rate, the amount of points needed might reach a million or 10 million. As Su-hyeok left the dungeon, he thought of thepany that had sent him a message. ¡®It was called Balhae Entertainment, right?¡¯ Several otherpanies contacted him too. Although he had been streaming for just a day, several MCNpanies partnered with multiple streamers had contacted him. That¡¯s how valuable he was. As the 2nd yer to receive ¡®Lightning¡¯ it was a great chance for thepanies to capitalize on the original Lee Su-hyeok, who still had many fans. It was only natural for manypanies to show interest. ¡®The otherpanies are too small.¡¯ Su-hyeok didn¡¯t even care about the other messages. ¡®If possible, a bigpany is better.¡¯ Su-hyeok had always been at the highest tier. Be it in the tower, his guild, or his status as a yer. That would remain the same for the path he was walking as a streamer. Since he¡¯d started, he wanted to reach the top. That¡¯s why he had no intention of partnering with any randompany. If possible, he wanted to partner up with the bestpany. Thud¡ª The moment he stepped out of the dungeon, he stopped and looked toward the trees spread out ahead of him. Swiish¡ª He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re quite persistent.¡± Rustle¡ª The leaves shook, and the man hesitating behind a tree revealed himself. ¡°I thought you¡¯d stopped following me. Why were you still waiting for me?¡± Su-hyeok asked. It was Su-hyeok¡¯s third time encountering the man in that 20-yearter world. ¡°I have a tenacious side. There¡¯s no one here but us, right?¡± Isaac red at Su-hyeok with clear killing intent. It was as if he¡¯d been waiting for that moment. ¡®This guy¡­¡¯ Su-hyeok had actedrgely indifferent toward the man until then. Finally, his eyes changed. ¡®He¡¯s crossed the line.¡¯ ____ Chapter 21 Chapter 21 With a casual hoodie on, Hawk Eye stepped outside and headed to the cafe in front of his house. Since his appearance wasn¡¯t particrly eye-catching and he wasn¡¯t a streamer known for his looks, no one recognized him. After ncing around the cafe for a moment, he ordered two coffees in advance and waited for his guest. While he was killing time ying with his kit, his guest arrived and sat across from him. ¡°How¡¯s streaming going?¡± John Tail asked while taking a sip of the still-steaming coffee. As Balhae¡¯s head of management, he always greeted him the same way. Click¡ª ¡°It¡¯s about the same.¡± ¡°No way. The data shows you¡¯re getting more popr.¡± ¡°Really? It was so gradual that I didn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better than a sharp increase. A sharp increase can result in a fall just as quickly, but a steady increase doesn¡¯t drop as easily.¡± Given their jobs, most of their conversation was focused on streaming. Hawk Eye had been streaming with Balhae for a long time. He¡¯d known John Tail since before he became the team leader, which was why they could speak so casually. ¡°So, what brought you here?¡± Hawk Eye asked. ¡°Your ce is very close to the office. It¡¯s not like it took much for me to get here.¡± ¡°Still, you aren¡¯t the type of person who woulde just for a cup of tea.¡± Since they¡¯d known each other for a long time, Hawk Eye knew John Tail¡¯s habits well. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Are you quick to notice thanks to your eyes?¡± John Tail asked. ¡°Everyone in thepany knows you¡¯re busy. If you wanted to hang out, we¡¯d be at a bar, not a cafe.¡± Hawk Eye shrugged as if it were no big deal. John Tail sighed and got to the point. ¡°It¡¯s about Lee Su-hyeok, the streamer you saw during yesterday¡¯s stream.¡± ¡°The new streamer?¡± ¡°Yes, the new guy. What do you think of him?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you watch my whole stream?¡± Hawk Eye felt that the conversation wouldn¡¯t take long. ¡°I meant what I said. I think he is more talented than the original Lee Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I want to bring him to ourpany.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Hawk Eyes¡¯s eyes widened, and his hand halted before he could bring the cup to his mouth. Slowly, he set his coffee down again. ¡°Why that reaction? Are you against it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m against it. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a bit surprised. So soon? You¡¯re a perfectionist.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± John Tail waved his hand as if to deny it. Still, Hawk Eye knew that John Tail wasn¡¯t the type of person who showed interest in a streamer unless their sess was certain. He was only interested in those close to being gems, not raw stones, which was why his interest in the new streamer was unexpected. While Hawk Eye saw Lee Su-heok as a yer, John Tail probably saw him as a streamer. ¡°Well, there¡¯s an employee who¡¯s been taking a close look at Lee Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Her name is Un-hyang. She¡¯s a recent hire.¡± ¡°Un-hyang¡­?¡± A certain name and a face popped up in Hawk Eye¡¯s mind. Looking shocked, he asked, ¡°Are you talking about the genius¡­?¡± She was an emerging yer from Murim. Up until a few years prior, when she suddenly retired and disappeared, she was one of the yers Hawk Eye had been keeping an eye on. He wasn¡¯t expecting to hear her name there. ¡°I was shocked too. She suddenly joined thepany, saying her childhood friend worked with us,¡± John Tail exined. ¡°Un-hyang¡¯s interested in that streamer, Lee Su-hyeok?¡± ¡°She said she was a huge fan of the real ¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯, but as soon as she saw that stream, she became aplete fan. Hawk Eye felt a sense of pride in his discerning eye. ¡°See? I¡¯ve still got it. If the genius is interested in him, then that means he¡¯s really as good as the original Lee Su-hyeok.¡± ¡°You pretended not to care, but those negativements bothered you, didn¡¯t they? John Tail asked.¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t feel bad about being criticized? Still, I respect my own judgment more.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± John Tail nodded, acknowledging Hawk Eye¡¯s perspective. Then he brought up the reason for their meeting. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this as the team leader, but as your former manager¡­¡± He had been Hawk Eye¡¯s manager before bing the team leader. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Whether hees to ourpany or not, let¡¯s try to coborate with him.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°There¡¯s no one here but us, right?¡± Isaac asked. Su-hyeok read the sly smile on Isaac¡¯s face. No matter how much one tried to hide their expression, it was hard to deceive the eyes. Moreover, Isaac wasn¡¯t even thinking about hiding his expression. The man¡¯s eyes clearly disyed his emotions¡ªContempt, disregard, anger, killing intent¡­ Su-hyeok almost burst intoughter. ¡°Yeah,¡± he confirmed there being no sign of anyone around before continuing, ¡°there¡¯s no one¡­¡± His words slowly trailed off. Isaac was convinced that Su-hyeok¡¯s tone was due to fear. They weren¡¯t right in the middle of the vige, nor were they in a busy restaurant. Rather, since they were in a ce where nobody coulde to his aid, it was only natural to be afraid. ¡°Why did you suddenly act tough and enter a dungeon? Huh, friend?¡± Isaac asked. Su-hyeok¡¯s mood plummeted. ¡°Why? Did you think you had be the real Lee Su-hyeok? Did you think you¡¯d get lucky as that streamer and get the Lightning skill?¡± Taking a step toward Su-hyeok, Isaac revealed the real reason for his anger. ¡± Isaac gritted his teeth and red at Su-hyeok. ¡°Fuck! Those insect-like bastards should know their ce. Acting tough just because they got the Lightning skill¡­ Don¡¯t you agree, friend?¡± ¡®Friend¡¯ again. Although he always approached Su-hyeok with that word, it was full of mockery. Also, Su-hyeok was included as one of the ¡®insects¡¯ Isaac had mentioned. Even with the word ¡®friend¡¯, Isaac was trying to trample on his pride. ¡®I had forgotten.¡¯ Right, he¡¯d forgotten about something. ¡°You better not appear in front of me again.¡± He decided to show Isaac, who lightly used the word ¡®friend¡¯, how scary an adult could be. Fwoosh¡ª mes flickered on Isaac¡¯s fingers. ¡°But what kind of dungeon is this? From how you look, it seems you couldn¡¯t clear it and ran away during the clear.¡± He waved his fingers and threateningly shook the mes. Su-hyeok had heard Isaac was good with magic. The man didn¡¯t even need to make any preparations to put on such a performance. Isaac continued speaking. ¡°You fool. If I were you, I¡¯d be too ashamed to stop and would try to clear it until the end, and¡ª¡± Su-hyeok interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t remember, but let me ask again¡­¡± Isaac¡¯s face twisted in anger. Su-hyeok drew his sword, which he¡¯d sheathed not too long after exiting the dungeon. ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡± He¡¯d asked the question once before, a long time prior. ¡°Why¡­ Why are you doing this?¡± The one to ask the question had been the previous owner of the body, though, who¡¯d been tormented by Isaac for a long time. ¡°That question again?¡± Isaac mockingly asked. He probably didn¡¯t know how much the old owner of Su-hyeok¡¯s body had struggled and suffered before gathering the courage to ask that question. ¡°I just don¡¯t like your name, you bastard.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t like your name, you bastard. Got it?¡± It was almost the exact same answer, word for word. Isaac¡¯s eyes gleamed with hostility, making it clear that he wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°Why? Everyone seems to like Lee Su-hyeok.¡± Su-hyeok had realized it during the stream, but there were more people who liked him than he thought. In his past life, he¡¯d always been too busy looking ahead and climbing the tower to notice. For some reason, people liked someone whose face was hidden behind a mask just because they shared the same name. He didn¡¯t truly understand it, but he felt grateful. ¡°You really don¡¯t know who my father is?¡± Isaac asked. The guy in front of him was the exact opposite. Su-hyeok had never seen him or met him in his past life, but he harbored strong resentment toward the real Lee Su-hyeok. Su-hyeok shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t. Should I?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know? Does the name ¡®Reinhardt¡¯ ring a bell?¡± ¡®Reinhardt?¡¯ Su-hyeok recalled the name from the body¡¯s original memories. Apparently, it¡¯d been mentioned several times during his time in the educational institution. Isaac was Reindhardt¡¯s son and the genius who would seed him. That¡¯s how he was known at the institution, but¡­ Su-hyeok remembered that name for apletely different reason. ¡®Reinhardt?¡¯ ¡°Are you talking about ¡®One Hit Defeat¡¯?¡± Isaac¡¯s expression distorted in anger. It seemed Su-hyeok had hit the mark perfectly. Thanks to that, he understood why the man hated the ¡®real¡¯ Lee Su-hyeok so much. ¡®If he¡¯d said so from the beginning, I would have understood.¡¯ Reinhardt was a ranker from a renowned magic family on the Rune Continent. Although he was a famous ranker, he had the notorious nickname of ¡®One Hit Defeat¡¯. Back when Su-hyeok was just emerging as a rookie under the name ¡®Blue Eyes¡¯, Reinhardst had publicly said, ¡°Lee Su-hyeok? A single sword strike is enough to defeat someone like him.¡± In the end, the man had been defeated with a single strike. ¡°You bastard¡­ How dare you say that?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°Is it because of your daddy¡¯s nickname? Is that why you hate me so much?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Isaac, unable to handle his anger anymore, swung his hand. mes surrounded them, cutting off any means of retreating. ¡°I hate that bastard. No, I hate all those sons of bitches from Blue Eyes!¡± Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes wavered when he heard Isaac curse his friends and formerrades. ¡°That bastard, Lee Su-hyeok!¡± Isaac vented all the anger he¡¯d been holding inside. ¡°That damn fry, Kim MinJae!¡± The face of the friend who¡¯d died with a hole in his chest rose in Su-hyeok¡¯s mind. He used to brag about being the fastest, only to die first fighting the enemies. ¡°Choi Suhun, that wretched pig!¡± He¡¯d foolishly stood in front of hisrades, blocking the enemies, only to be cut down and die kneeling. ¡°Ahn JiYeong, that bitch!¡± She had taken a sword for Su-hyeok. ¡°Kim Ilsu, why did that bastard survive?! Fuck!¡± Su-hyeok could agree with that one. ¡°Kim Siwoo, that¡ª¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Su-hyeok interrupted. Isaac had crossed too many lines. ¡°I can¡¯t listen to you anymore.¡± He swung his hand. Woosh¡ª [¡®Lightning¡¯ has activated.] sh¡ª BZZT¡ª! The mes surrounding the two were pushed back, reced by golden lightning. ¡°¡­!¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when his magic was repelled. What shocked him even more was the nature of the skill that had taken its ce. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The lightning shone with a golden color, and Isaac stared in astonishment as Su-hyeok put on a mask. Isaac recalled the words he¡¯d previously uttered. ¡°The world is truly unfair. How can you two live such different lives despite having the same name?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ ____ Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¡®There¡¯s no way.¡¯ Isaac shook his head. The guy who¡¯d always crawled at his feet all that time was the same Lee Su-hyeok who¡¯d gotten the Lightning skill and was considered to be more talented than the true Lee Su-hyeok by Hawk Eye? ¡°There¡¯s something¡­¡± He tried to deny it, but the golden lightning hurt his eyes with how bright it was. ¡°Wrong¡­¡± BZZT, BZZT¡ª Creating lightning of that magnitude was impossible, even for him. Moreover, that mask¡­ Although it was a cheap mask that could be bought anywhere, what were the chances of him having it at that exact moment? ¡®What¡¯s going on¡­?¡¯ Isaac wasn¡¯t a fool. He wasn¡¯t oblivious, either. He¡¯d already figured out that the Lee Su-hyeok standing in front of him was the Lee Su-hyeok he¡¯d seen on the stream that morning. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± He knew it, but he didn¡¯t want to ept it. Thud¡ª Su-hyeok took another step toward Isaac. ¡°No.¡± It¡¯d seemed like a single step, but before he knew it, Su-hyeok was right in front of him. BZZT¡ª ¡°It makes perfect sense,¡± Su-hyeok said before his fist impacted Isaac¡¯s chest, followed by an explosion of lighting. BOOM¡ª! Crack¡ª ¡°¡­!!!¡± Rather than a fist, to Isaac, it felt like a spear had impaled him. He flew upward, fell back, and rolled on the ground a few times. Paf¡ª! When he tried to push himself back to a standing position, his ribs pierced his lungs, the strength left his arms, and vomit spurted from his mouth. ¡°Ugh-!¡± After vomiting blood for a while, he lifted his head. Su-hyeok was closing in on him again and removed his mask as he leisurely walked forward, as if to say, ¡®Look at my face¡¯. ¡°Why do you think it doesn¡¯t make sense? Because I¡¯ve been taking hits from you all this time?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°You¡­ Just how¡­?¡± ¡°It seems that you never imagined you might be overtaken someday.¡± Clutching his broken ribs, Isaac barely managed to stand up. Holding one hand behind his back, he gathered mes at his fingertips and clenched his teeth as he prepared to counterattack. Fwoosh¡ª ¡°Y¡­ You¡¯re that Lee Su-hyeok?¡± he asked. Instead of answering, Su-hyeok looked into Isaac¡¯s eyes. He was certainly something. Despite his broken ribs and his organs having been ruptured, his eyes were still lively. Isaac¡¯s father, Reinhardt had lost to Su-hyeok, but he was still a skilled ranker. ¡°Seeing how a loser like you got the Lightning skill¡­ It seems that it¡¯s nothing special, after all¡­¡± Isaac said, as if he were trying to hypnotize himself to gain courage. He tried to tell himself that his opponent wasn¡¯t the new master of lightning. Rather, he was still a loser who¡¯d struggled throughout the educational institution and been at his feet. ¡°Just because you got that skill¡­ Do you think¡­ You can beat me?¡± Isaac struggled to say. ¡°Of course~¡± Su-hyeok replied. ¡°Take¡­¡± Isaac, who¡¯d been waiting for a chance, extended his me-wreathed hand from behind his back. ¡°This!¡± Fwoosh¡ª! The mes at the tips of his fingers surged forward over the swordspan distance between them. The surprise attack was difficult to even see, let alone react to properly. ¡®I got him.¡¯ Isaac triumphantly smiled. He was certain that Su-hyeok be able to avoid his magic from such a distance. sh¡ª! BOOM¡ª! A yellow line pierced through the five streams of fire he¡¯d sent forward, setting off an explosion and causing thick smoke to rise. The sharp odor of fresh ash stung his nose, causing him to cough and sending more pain through his chest. ¡°How dare you interrupt an adult when he¡¯s speaking? Where did you learn such manners?¡± Su-hyeok asked, standing unscathed as the smoke cleared. Whoosh¡ª Ash from the intercepted mes fell to the ground. Isaac¡¯s eyes shook as he coughed again. ¡°H-how?¡± ¡®How?¡¯ Isaac wracked his brain for an answer to his question. ¡®He dodged it? No, did he block it? Or maybe¡­ He remembered the yellow line. When he saw the sword in Su-hyeok¡¯s hand, his expression changed to one of shock. ¡°He cut them¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t one attack, but five. He¡¯d used his mes at such a close distance that they should¡¯ve almost instantly reached Su-hyeok. Despite that, the man had cut through all of the fire with a single swing of his sword. That meant his timing, uracy, and reflexes were all perfect. Hawk Eye¡¯s assessment shed through his mind. ¡®He¡¯s really better than the original Su-hyeok in terms of control?¡¯ A talent greater than the legend, Lee Su-hyeok¡­ Isaac fell into a state of despair as he watched the falling ashes. If that assessment were true, then was there any way for him to survive? Paf¡ª Su-hyeok kicked Isaac¡¯s rear leg, causing his bones to break and sending him falling back to the ground. Crack¡ª ¡°Aah!¡± He tried to stand with his other leg, but Su-hyeok stomped on it. ¡°Aaahhh-!¡± Crack¡ª! ¡°Honestly, leaving everything else aside¡­¡± Su-hyeok looked down at Isaac and spoke in a calm voice that contrasted with the echoing screams spreading into the forest. ¡°I just don¡¯t feel good.¡± Crack¡ª Usually, he would have cleanly cut the man¡¯s throat. There was only one reason why he hadn¡¯t done that. ¡°A brat like you has no right to insult those guys.¡± Su-hyeok was unleashing the anger he felt for the brat having insulted his friends who¡¯d died to save him. Crack¡ª ¡°You probably act like a spoiled brat with your dad, right?¡± He grabbed Isaac¡¯s shoulder as the man was still screaming from the pain of his broken leg. Isaac writhed in pain, and his eyes widened in surprise just as a bolt of lightning burst from Su-hyeok¡¯s hand. BZZT¡ª! ¡°¡­!!!¡± He opened his mouth to scream louder, but no sound came out. After trembling as if convulsing for a few moments, he fell forward. His skin was burned ck, and he couldn¡¯t move. Still, he wasn¡¯t dead yet and felt the end approaching. ¡°H-help me¡­¡± After barely lifting his head to make eye contact, Isaac said. ¡°If¡­ if my dad hears about this¡­ He won¡¯t let you go¡­¡± Since begging wasn¡¯t working, he tried using threats. Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes made it clear that begging was useless. ¡°You asked me earlier, right? If I¡¯m the Lee Su-hyeok from the stream.¡± No matter how great a ranker was, they weren¡¯t enough to threaten Su-hyeok. ¡°I¡¯m Lee Su-hyeok, but you¡¯re wrong about something¡­¡± Reinhardt¡­ To think Isaac would try to threaten him with such a name. Once again, Su-hyeok realized how much things had changed. ¡°Think about it. Can there really be two Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s?¡± Reinhardt was a ranker who had been nicknamed ¡®One Hit Defeat¡¯ after disgracefully losing to Lee Su-hyeok with a single move. ¡°What¡­? Nonsense¡­?¡± Isaac felt that Su-hyeok was speaking gibberish at first, but then his eyes widened in surprise. When he thought there couldn¡¯t be any more surprises, an absurd thought came to his mind. ¡°How dare you interrupt an adult when he¡¯s speaking?¡± That wasn¡¯t something a peer, someone from the same educational institute as him, would say. He hadn¡¯t thought much about it since the pain from his shattered leg had overtaken all other reasoning. ¡°I just don¡¯t feel good.¡± ¡°A brat like you has no right to insult those guys.¡± If Issac¡¯s absurd hypothesis were true, then what Su-hyeok just said would make sense. Lee Su-hyeok, the loser of the academy¡­ Lee Su-hyeok, the one who streamed while wearing a mask and who¡¯d just obtained the Lightning skill¡­ and one more person¡­ ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± Isaac screamed. There was also the Lee Su-hyeok who had defeated his father with one attack in the past. All those Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s being the same entity was unbelievable. ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± Even more than when he first learned Lee Su-hyeok had obtained the Lightning skill, he tried to deny reality. It was an unbelievable thing, after all. ¡°You¡¯re quite smart, huh?¡± Su-hyeok, who he hoped would deny it, nodded. ¡°A-are you really?¡± Isaac stuttered. Under normal circumstances, he would have never believed it, but Isaac clearly remembered how the Lee Su-hyeok he¡¯d beaten, insulted, and stole points from looked and acted during their years at the institution. The person in front of him didn¡¯t care about those things. Rather, he only cared about him insulting the members of Blue Eyes. It was as if he¡¯d forgotten about the past bullying. It was as if he were apletely different person. ¡®So he really changed¡ª¡¯ The moment that thought crossed his mind¡­ sh¡ª Si-hyeok cut Isaac¡¯s head off. Thud, roll¡ª Isaac¡¯s head rolled on the ground. BZZT¡ª The remnants of the lightning around them slowly sparked out. Su-hyeok took a long breath and shook the blood from his sword. ¡°I got too excited¡­¡± He¡¯d talked too much. He could have beheaded Isaac immediately, but he¡¯d waited. ¡°You talk too much when you¡¯re angry.¡± He recalled ament Yeryeong had once made in passing. He was normally quiet, but he became quite talkative when he was angered. Anger controls emotions, and when your emotions dominate you, your movements naturally be duller. Talking a lot was Su-hyeok¡¯s way of controlling his anger. Grip¡ª He gripped his sword tighter, looked up at the sky, and murmured, ¡°You guys are alive, right¡­?¡± * * * Swoosh¡ª After returning to his dormitory, Su-hyeok washed up first. Soaking in a hot bath for a long time and having a simple meal made him feel much better. With his stomach full, he checked the time. ¡®It¡¯s almost time for the appointment.¡¯ Before proceeding with the next trial, he¡¯d made an appointment to meet with someone from Balhae Entertainment. He wasn¡¯t satisfied with numerous aspects of his previous stream, and he wanted to solve those issues quickly. ¡°Who¡¯s that person?¡± ¡°A mask? Is it a cosy?¡± ¡°Is he, perhaps, streaming?¡± Su-hyeok had gone to a nearby cafe after his meal and was wearing a mask. He wanted to hide his face from as many people as possible. ¡®Taking into consideration the future, nothing good wille from my face bing known,¡¯ Su-hyeok thought while looking down at the steaming coffee. ¡®The fact that the others don¡¯t know what I look like is a great weapon.¡¯ One day, he would have to face Blue Zone and Kim Ilsu. If you didn¡¯t know who your opponent was, they could be anyone, so he had to take advantage of it as much as possible. ¡°¡­¡± Still, he thought that not being able to eat anything while wearing the mask was still quite inconvenient. He thought of making a mask that would allow him to open his mouth next time. ¡°Ah! Have you been waiting long?¡± The guest Su-hyeok was waiting for made a fuss and approached him. The ck-haired and tall manager from Balhae, Un-hyang, greeted him. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Un-hyang!¡± ____ Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Badump, badump¡ª Her heart was pounding hard. It felt as if someone were hitting her in the chest with a baseball bat. Un-hyang sat opposite Su-hyeok and looked into his eyes. ¡®He looks just like him.¡¯ She used to be a huge fan of Lee Su-hyeok, the legend of Blue Eyes, the all-time top yer. Lee Su-hyeok, whom everyone had praised, had always been her idol. Because of that, she remembered even the smallest details of Su-hyeok¡¯s mask and the man beneath. The eyes faintly visible through the eye slits in the mask were different, but his ck pupils and gaze closely resembled the Su-hyeok she knew. ¡®It¡¯s as if the original Lee Su-hyeok entered someone else¡¯s body.¡¯ Un-hyang¡¯s eyes sparkled. A voice came from behind the mask. ¡°Is there more you¡¯d like to say in greeting?¡± Startled by Su-hyeok¡¯s words, Un-hyang reflexively answered. ¡°N-no! It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over?¡± ¡°N-no. It isn¡¯t over. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Un-hyang was flustered, seemingly at a loss for words. It was almost as if a question mark floated above Su-hyeok¡¯s head. Although the mask covered his face, it felt like he was asking, ¡®You were the one who asked to meet. What is it? Are you messing with me?¡¯ ¡®Oh, no, this is bad¡­¡¯ She remembered what John Tail had said. ¡°The most important thing when first meeting with a client is to make sure they feel that you¡¯re trustworthy. Got it? You should never appear clumsy. Understood?¡± Most of the time, thepany was in charge of two things: making sure things were convenient and maximizing profits. There were other tasks as well, but those were the main two. For that, thepany needed their streamers to trust them. ¡®I screwed things up¡­¡¯ She¡¯d messed things up at the first meeting. She was so nervous that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he thought she was weird. ¡°Were you a fan of Lee Su-hyeok?¡± he asked. Un-hyang¡¯s conflicted mind instantly cleared. Lee Su-hyeok¡­ His name always brought her peace of mind. She smiled and nodded vigorously before answering with certainty. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the real Lee Su-hyeok, so you can rx. I¡¯m also probably younger than you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also a fan of you! I watched yesterday¡¯s stream from the start!¡± ¡°From the first viewer?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Un-hyang, who¡¯d been babbling until just a few moments prior, talked about the stream, from the first one-eyed bat hunt, which everyone thought was a coincidence, to passing through the Beginning¡¯s Dungeon and killing Wolf Warrior Greg¡­ She didn¡¯t even stutter once as she talked about how he¡¯d finished the Lightning Trial. ¡®Was she really the first viewer?¡¯ The first one-eyed bat kill wasn¡¯t a story that themunity circted much. How he¡¯d stabbed the one-eyed bat flying toward him with a single strike had only been seen by four people. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± The person standing before him was probably his first viewer. It seemed that she truly was a fan of Lee Su-hyeok. ¡®Thankfully, it seems that she likes me.¡¯ From his first stream, he¡¯d realized that more people liked him than he thought. That morning, he¡¯d truly learned a coin had two sides. Isaac had been theplete opposite of Un-hyang. ¡®For every person who likes me, there could be someone who hates me. It¡¯s just that they don¡¯t watch my streams.¡¯ Though Isaac had been annoying, Su-hyeok was thankful for what he¡¯d learned from him. Although he felt unpleasant when he recalled it, it was something he had to remember. Isaac had taught the lesson to him in a way he wouldn¡¯t forget. ¡°Right? It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? I thought it was fate,¡± Un-hyang said. ¡°So, is that why you came?¡± ¡°Yes. I asked the team leader. I really wanted toe,¡± Un-hyang said, her eyes shining. Her passion seemed genuine. If she were acting, it would be better for her to be an actress instead of a manager. ¡°Tell me what the conditions are.¡± ¡°First of all, as per Balhae¡¯s basic conditions for new talents¡­¡± Un-hyang continued to talk as she opened her bag. Su-hyeok cut her off. ¡°There¡¯s no need for exnations. Just show me the contract.¡± Un-hyang handed him a stiff piece of paper. Instead of checking the detailed terms, he focused on the revenue sharing section. ¡°As for the streaming donation revenue, you can choose to split it 80-20 or keep it all for yourself,¡± Un-hyang exined. ¡°What¡¯s the benefit of splitting it?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°If you choose to keep all of it, the distribution of additional revenue from things like advertisements decreases. Such revenue is usually 70-30, but it will decrease to 60-40 if you take all of the donations.¡± He had to decide whether to give up 20% of the donation revenue in exchange for increasing his advertising revenue or keep all the donation revenue and reduce the other. Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t sure how much the advertising revenue would be, but if he kept all the donation revenue, he wouldn¡¯t lose anything. ¡°How will the advertising aspect be handled?¡± ¡°We will take care of everything.¡± Un-hyang confidently patted her chest. ¡°Advertising, events, and video production of streamed content. Ourpany¡¯s role is to promote your brand and make as much revenue from you as possible. ¡°Then, my job is¡­?¡± Su-hyeok trailed off. ¡°You just need to stream diligently. In the case of skill-based streams like yours, you just have to keep taking trials.¡± As Su-hyeok¡¯s value increased and viewers poured in, his recognition would bring in advertisements. Handling such tasks and maximizing revenue was thepany¡¯s job. Un-hyang had more to add. ¡°Of course, we will also promote your stream. After all, the more viewers, the higher the advertising rates will be.¡± ¡°Do you usually offer such good deals?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°You got the Lightning skill. Also, the team leader seems to think highly of you.¡± In other words, the conditions were exceptional. She wasn¡¯t sure what the team leader had talked about with Hawk Eye, but John Tail¡¯s conditions for Su-hyeok had improved after he returned. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked, giving him a nervous look. ¡°Do you like them¡­?¡± After reading the contract for a while, Su-hyeok looked at her. ¡°Are all of Balhae¡¯s managers like you?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Un-hyang asked back, as if she didn¡¯t understand. Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t sure if she really didn¡¯t understand what he meant or not. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± He shook his head and observed her suddenly tense expression. ¡®Why is she working as a manager?¡¯ Su-hyeok tilted his head in confusion. He wasn¡¯t sure how far she¡¯d progressed through the tower, but even though she looked clumsy, Un-hyang gave off the impression of a well-honed sword. She had an unhideable aura. Since she didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of hiding it, it stood out even more. ¡®Has the standard of yers these days risen this much?¡¯ A manager from an entertainmentpany was at such a level? ¡®Since people haven¡¯t gone beyond the 9th floor, I thought they were still at a simr level¡­¡¯ Not knowing why Un-hyang was in thepany, he could only conclude that the average had risen. ¡®I¡¯ll have to do my best.¡¯ Thus, a small misunderstanding was born inside Su-hyeok, and a contract with Balhae was established. ¡°Please, take care of me.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * After that, Su-hyeok talked with Un-hyang for a while. Most of the conversation was about streaming. As someone who still didn¡¯t know much about the inner workings or revenue structure of the streaming industry, Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°Revenue shares depend on the streamer¡¯s character.¡± ¡°Mr. Bbak Su-hyeok? In his case, he gets most of his revenue from edited videos.¡± ¡°Advertisement rates differ for each streamer. They are mainly evaluated based on the number of subscribers, average viewers, recognition, and likability.¡± ¡°Before ending a stream, you must announce it in advance. If you suddenly go to sleep and only end the stream after waking, the viewers will be disappointed.¡± ¡°If you check the settings here¡­¡± At first, Un-hyang seemed clumsy, but she answered Su-hyeok¡¯s questions without hesitation regarding the inner workings of the streaming world and things he needed to pay attention to during streams. Su-hyeok was able to learn many things from the meeting. ¡°Thank you, that was very helpful.¡± ¡°You signed the contract, so it¡¯s only natural for me to help as your manager.¡± ¡°My manager?¡± Su-hyeok asked, clearly puzzled. Un-hyang reacted as if she¡¯d forgotten to mention something. ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯m your manager.¡± ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± ¡°Yes. If you have any questions or requests rted to streaming, feel free to contact me anytime. I¡¯ll also reach out if thepany needs something.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Only having one person he needed to keep in touch with was even better for Su-hyeok, and he nodded in agreement. He nced over at the coffee that¡¯d cooled during their conversation. Since he was wearing a mask, he couldn¡¯t eat or drink. The conversations was over, though, so he didn¡¯t need to sit there any longer. ¡°Well then, Manager, please take good care of me from now on.¡± ¡°Are you going to start streaming right away?¡± Un-hyang asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve rested enough.¡± He felt restless. ¡®I can¡¯t fall behind my manager.¡¯ As a streamer, Su-hyeok was aiming for a skill-oriented stream, but in terms of skill, his manager was better. Leaving aside the symbolism of the Lightning skill, it would¡¯ve been better for Un-hyang to be the one streaming. Not only did she have skills, but she also had the looks. ¡°Well, excuse me first,¡± he said, dismissing himself. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m going to watch today¡¯s stream too!¡± Un-hyang abruptly stood and said goodbye. Su-hyeok nodded toward Un-hyang and left the cafe. Thud¡ª ¡°Cheong-ryang¡­¡± Un-hyang watched Su-hyeok leave the cafe and then slumped back into her seat. ¡°I feel like I could die of happiness¡­¡± * * * An announcement appeared on Su-hyeok¡¯s channel. ¡ù Announcement : The stream will start in two hours. Un-hyang had taught him how to post announcements, among other things. She¡¯d told him to post announcements in advance so he could gather more viewers. ¨C Oh?? An announcement?? ¨C There¡¯s something biging. ¨C There¡¯s something biging!!!!! ¨C He learned how to post announcements? ¨C ©¸ Yeah, lol. Yesterday, he didn¡¯t know anything. ¨C ¡®I¡¯m baby Su-hyeok~ I don¡¯t know anything¡¯! ¨C He beheaded the boss in the survival trial, so what¡¯s next??? ¨C Right? I¡¯m also curious. ¨C I¡¯m getting dizzy. Hurry up and start the stream~ The response was hotter than expected. Him having obtained the Lightning skill had gathered many people¡¯s attention. On top of that, since he¡¯d killed the giants¡¯ leader, nobody knew how the trial would proceed. Surely, they¡¯d see somethingpletely new. Would Su-hyeok continue, or would he stop there? Naturally, many people were curious. ¡°Maybe my value will increase even more after this stream.¡± Before he started streaming, Su-hyeok closed his eyes for a moment and calmed himself. Badump¡ª For some reason, he felt more nervous than he¡¯d felt in the trial. ¡®I can do better than yesterday.¡¯ Everyone was clumsy at first when trying something new; he was no different. Since it was his second attempt, though, he was confident he could do better. Swoosh¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± Su-hyeok opened his eyes and started his second stream along with the trial. [¡®Lee Su-hyeok¡¯ has started streaming.] ____ Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The message wasn¡¯t only sent to Suhyeok¡¯s kit. Viewers who had seen his stream the previous day and those who had subscribed all received the alert at the same time. ¨C He¡¯s here! ¨C !!!!! ¨C I failed to be first, lol. ¨C Suhi! (Su-hyeok, hi) ¨C Suhi! ¨C Newbie, you¡¯rete. ¨C Seeing how he¡¯s wearing a mask, it seems today¡¯s theme will be the same. ¨C Theme? That¡¯s his real self. The chat window rapidly filled. He¡¯d been told that the chat was most enthusiastic right after a stream started and was having a hard time reading all of the messages. [¡®Lee Su-hyeok, I love you¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.] [Oppa!!! I¡¯ve been waiting!!! (Dangle)] ¡°Thank you for the thousand-point donation, ¡®Lee Su-hyeok, I love you,¡¯ but what does the ¡®dangle¡¯ at the end mean?¡± ¨C Ah¡­ That¡¯s¡­ ¨C Lol. ¨C That¡¯s, you know¡­ ¨C I know what it is, but it¡¯s hard to exin¡­ ¨C It¡¯s funny how everyone¡¯s unable to exin, lol. ¨C The nickname made me think you were a girl, but yourment tells me otherwise, lol. Su-hyeok looked confused as he read through the chat. ¡°How do you know that person is a guy?¡± ¨C Lol. ¨C So cute, lmao. ¨C Is he the same person who was chopping down giants yesterday? Rofl. [¡®Dangling¡¯ has donated 50 points.] [He might not know, why tease him?] ¨C Look at that nickname, lol. ¨C Fact: Not even the one who donated told him. ¨C You¡¯re worse, hahaha. ¨C You just want to tease him with donations, lol. The atmosphere was quite cheerful. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ The viewers joking around in chat wasn¡¯t a bad thing, especially since the main part of the stream hadn¡¯t started yet. Actually, the viewers¡¯ light atmosphere was wee. ¡®The number of viewers¡­¡¯ Only three minutes had started, and he¡¯d heard that you could more or less tell how the stream would go based on how many viewers you had at that point. [Viewers: 628] There were already more than 600 viewers, and the stream had only been up for three minutes. ¡®This number multiplied by three is the average peak view count, so¡­¡¯ Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes, hidden behind his mask, widened. ¡®1800?¡¯ That was more than he expected, especially since it was only his second day of streaming. Of course, that number was just a hypothetical that hadn¡¯t been reached yet. [¡®Mission Viin¡¯ has donated 100 points.] [What will today¡¯s trial be? I need to set a mission.] A viewer who, judging by the name, liked to set missions, asked about the contents of the trial. As more viewers gathered, more donations also arrived. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I guess we¡¯ll have to find out once it starts.¡± ¨C Go, go, go. ¨C Giant yer, let¡¯s go~! ¨C If he dies, will the Lightning skill reset? ¨C If he dies, he¡¯ll lose the acquired skill. ¨C Death would be a total disaster. ¨C Even if he dies, he¡¯ll probably get it again by following the same route. ¨C What¡¯s going to happen now? The viewers¡¯ urgency increased. Most wanted to see the new route, so it was only natural. That was also what Su-hyeok wanted. ¡°Alright.¡± [The 2nd floor¡¯s trial is starting.] The surrounding scenery changed. His gaze sharpened, and his previously gentle tone became firm. ¡°Let¡¯s begin¡­¡± [Stage 6 ¨C ¡®Legend¡¯ is starting.] * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Felius, Falcon, and a few other knights were gathered in one ce, bringing the total to 10 knights. All of the forces from the nearby viges were there and had heard news of the giants¡¯ leader being defeated. ¡°Is our benefactor not here yet?¡± Felius asked, clearly impatient. ording to the trial¡¯s setting, Su-hyeok had not yet awakened. Falcon shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s taking a while. Is the wound severe¡­?¡± Felius sighed. He felt ufortable at the thought of having to rely on an outsider again, but they had no choice. Of course, not all of the knights shared Felius¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m skeptical. Did an outsider really do it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Didn¡¯t they say he wasn¡¯t even a knight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that an outsider suddenly appeared and killed the leader of the giants by himself.¡± Many of the knights doubted Su-hyeok. No, among the 10 knights, only Felius and Falcon believed in Su-hyeok. They were knights, after all. They¡¯d held their swords throughout their entire lives and obtained their titles after being recognized for their skills. That was why most of them looked down on swordsmen who had no titles. ¡°Felius, you might have been deceived,¡± one of them said. ¡°Are you sure it was the leader? Maybe it was an ordinary giant.¡± The questions continued. Felius answered each of their questions, looking troubled. He knew how stubborn and prideful knights could be. Even he, who was rtively young, had simr thoughts. ¡®They won¡¯t believe it until they see it for themselves.¡¯ A question with a predetermined answer wasn¡¯t a question. Instead of trying to persuade them with words, Felius waited for their benefactor, Su-hyeok, who had saved their vige, to wake. ¡°S-Sir Felius!¡± The news they were waiting for arrived. ¡°Our benefactor has awakened!¡± * * * The soldier¡¯s voice reached Su-hyeok¡¯s ears. Everyone who was listening through his ears and mic also heard it. ¡°To be more precise, I didn¡¯t wake up, but the next stage started.¡± ¨C Hahaha. ¨C Was there a need to nitpick? ¨C Well, but it¡¯s true. ¨C So the setting is that you wake up when the next stage starts? Su-hyeok¡¯s words weren¡¯t heard by the soldier nearby. That was thanks to something else his manager had advised him on. ¡°You can adjust the microphone channel by performing a saved motion so only viewers can hear it.¡± That way, he couldmunicate with the viewers during the trial. Although he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it when the trial was at its climax, it was quite useful when things were idle. ¡°Please,e in.¡± Following the soldier¡¯s guidance, Su-hyeok entered themand tent. Inside, about 10 knights were gathered for a meeting. Some were familiar, like Falcon and Felius, but the others he was seeing for the first time. After reading the general atmosphere, Su-hyeok spoke to his viewers. ¡°Neither Falcon nor Felius seem to have much influence, since they¡¯re positioned at the very end.¡± ¡°So they were nobodies¡­¡± he mumbled. ¨C Lol, ¡®Nobodies¡¯. ¨C There are a lot of knights. ¨C Where did they all crawl from? ¨C Did Nobodies have his home taken? ¨C Everyone naturally started talking about Nobodies like it¡¯s a person, lol. The hierarchy among the knights was apparent at a nce: from the old knight, who subtlymanded the atmosphere and was positioned in the center, to Felius and Falcon, who were closest to the tent¡¯s entrance. ¡°Is that really the hero who killed the giants¡¯ leader?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look that strong¡­¡± ¡°His build is pretty small. Maybe those two saw wrong.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also suspicious that he¡¯s wearing a mask.¡± Even if they were whispering among themselves, they were inside an enclosed tent. It wasn¡¯t pleasant to hear, but it was impossible not to. ¡°It seems they don¡¯t believe I killed the boss. No, maybe they don¡¯t want to believe it?¡± Su-hyeok privately shared his thoughts with the viewers. ¡°They¡¯re quite arrogant.¡± ¨C Lol. ¨C Kingrrogant. ¨C It seems that he justughed. ¨C Look at that confidence, lol. Su-hyeok looked at the knights. Seeming amused, he said, ¡°Why did you call me?¡± The sixth stage of the trial started inside the tent, so lengthy conversations were unnecessary. Just because they didn¡¯t believe him didn¡¯t change the things he¡¯d already done. If he¡¯d achieved something out of desire for a title, it might have been different, but since that wasn¡¯t the case, it really didn¡¯t matter. From his perspective, the knights around him seemed different. ¡®Is changing their perception of me part of the trial?¡¯ Maybe it was a hint on what he needed to do. ¡°Hmm. First, I must thank you. I¡¯m Dale.¡± The old knight with a white beard sitting in the center spoke. ¡°On behalf of the entire city, let me express my sincere gratitude¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t youe from the other viges?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°How are things?¡± Dale furrowed his brow in anger after being interrupted. Regardless, Su-hyeok voiced hisints to his viewers. ¡°There¡¯s too much talking. What a waste of time.¡± ¨C Hahaha. ¨C Hey, let¡¯s proceed with things quickly, lmao. ¨C Fast Forward ON! ¨C On! Hahaha. Was it thanks to the viewers wanting things to go faster? Dale managed to control himself and began speaking. ¡°We were all trampled¡­¡± ¡°Trampled?¡± ¡°Yes, by ¡®that guy¡¯.¡± ¨C There it is, ¡®that guy¡¯. ¨C Who¡¯s that? ¨C I don¡¯t know. ¨C What the heck? You acted as if you did. ¨C It¡¯s almost a rule. If the word ¡®that¡¯ is mentioned, it¡¯s a strong opponent. Dale continued. ¡°He showed up after you killed the giants¡¯ leader. I have no idea where someone like him came from.¡± ¡°Is he more dangerous than the giants¡¯ leader?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know? We call them giants for convenience, but they were merely remnants of the old giant race.¡± Su-hyeok also knew the general lore of the giants, which was why Dale¡¯s next words shocked him. ¡°He¡¯s different. He¡¯s close to a true giant. I can¡¯t believe there are still some left¡­¡± Dale lowered his head, recalling the destroyed vige. ¨C ??? ¨C A true giant??? ¨C Why¡¯s that appearing? ¨C He seems to be exaggerating. ¨C If he¡¯s telling the truth, how¡¯s one supposed to hunt it? The difficulty had suddenly increased. Whether he was a real giant or not could only be confirmed in person, but it was clear that the opponent was entirely above what Su-hyeok had defeated earlier. ¡®Is this really meant to be cleared?¡¯ He knew the route had changed after he killed the giants¡¯ leader, but the level of difficulty was above what could be easily ovee on the 2nd floor. ¡°You want me to take him down?¡± Su-hyeok asked. ¡°What?¡± Dale smirked. The other knights thought simrly to him. ¡°You¡¯re too confident.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the ones asking, but still¡­¡± ¡°He must be saying it out of ignorance. Let¡¯s be understanding.¡± Annoyingments surrounded him, but Su-hyeok let them go in one ear and out the other. Felius, who¡¯d been quietly observing, spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s an ancient legend that has been passed down in this country¡­¡± Right, that was the name of the stage. ¡°Somewhere, at the top of Millennium Mountain¡­¡± Swoosh¡ª Felius recalled how Su-hyeok had broken through the giants and said, ¡°There¡¯s said to be a strand of lightning.¡± ____ Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Crack¡ª! The cabin¡¯s wooden roof copsed, and the hunch-backed giant who¡¯d been stomping on the dwelling turned his head. Fwoosh¡ª Breath as hot asva leaked through his slightly misaligned teeth. He was so huge that he towered over the rooftops, and his overwhelming presence and height of over 10 meters enveloped the vige. ¡°Paidal¡­¡± The giant¡¯s voice resonated. Many giants, much smaller than him, were destroying the vige. BOOM, crash¡ª! ¡°Guoo-!¡± Around a thousand giants were rampaging through the vige in anger over the death of their leader, seeking revenge on the humans. They destroyed everything they could and killed everyone in the vige. The unusually tall giant stood and watched it all. ¡°My¡­ son¡­¡± He¡¯d woken from a long sleep due to the grief and anger over the loss of his son. The giant slowly moved forward. Though his steps were slow, each stride was long. BOOM, BOOM¡ª A soldier fell back in fear when he saw the giant approaching. ¡°Ah¡­ aah¡­¡± BZZ, BZZT¡ª! A faint spark of lightning spread in the giant¡¯s eyes. He approached the human and muttered, ¡°I will soothe your soul with humanity¡¯s blood.¡± THUD¡ª The fallen soldier made eye contact with the giant, who was reaching toward him. The giant¡¯s palm blocked the sun. As soon as he realized what was about to happen, the man screamed out in terror. ¡°AAAHHH!¡± Crash¡ª! The giants continued forward on their rampage, meticulously destroying the vige as they went. * * * The scene in front of Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes dissipated like smoke. Having watched it from a human¡¯s perspective, he muttered in admiration and found himself on top of a horse when his vision returned. ¨C Woah¡­ ¨C Incredible. ¨C It was really big! ¨C Was that a real giant? The chat room flooded as soon as the cutscene ended. The giant had seemed tall enough to reach the sky and showed overwhelming strength, allowing him to destroy buildings with only a single punch or stomp. Strength alone couldn¡¯t be used to judge overall power, but it was still incredible that such arge monster was the boss. ¡®How does this even make sense?¡¯ Even Su-hyeok frowned. During the 5th stage¡¯s ¡®Survival¡¯ trial, he¡¯d killed the giants¡¯ leader. Even before getting the Lightning skill, he¡¯d made it through their encirclement to kill his target. ¡°Are they telling me to die?¡± Things were different, though. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed hopeless. ¨C Lol. ¨C The game is telling him to die. ¨C To be honest, that boss makes no sense. ¨C The trial: That¡¯s why you should have taken things easy ^o^ None of the viewers expected him to be able to kill the giant that¡¯d appeared in the cutscene. It was only natural. Even Su-hyeok had trouble estimating how tall it was, so there was no way the viewers would be able to tell its size. ¡®It isn¡¯t just about how big the giant is.¡¯ Su-hyeok recalled the faint lightning in the giant¡¯s eyes at thest moment. ¡®Maybe that guy also¡­¡¯ Su-hyeok fell into thought. He must have been shown that cutscene for a reason. The knights and soldiers were gathered around him in the vige. They were also there to fight the giants. At least he wouldn¡¯t be facing them alone. He must¡¯ve been shown the cutscene so that he had time to prepare in advance. ¡°It will take a few more days for the giants to get here,¡± he said. Before he left the vige, Felius approached Su-hyeok with a request. ¡°If you can¡¯t find the lightning strand, don¡¯te back. Without it, it will be impossible to kill him.¡± Was it a pre-set warning from the stage itself? ¡®No matter how much I think about it, there¡¯s no way I could kill it right now.¡¯ As he sat on the galloping horse, he thought of possible ways to fight the giant. ¡®In the end, this trial is the key¡­¡¯ He sighed. ¡°Why did a guy like that appear?¡± ¨C I wonder why? ¨C The one who killed his son: ¡®Why are you doing this to me?¡¯ ¨C Lol. ¨C From the giant¡¯s point of view, Su-hyeok 2.0 is the viin, lol. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Su-hyeok nodded. Since the giant¡¯s son had died, it was only natural for him to seek revenge in a story trial. [¡®I¡¯m Bald¡¯ has donated 100 points.] [Are you going for a second try?] The donation seemed sure of failure. ¨C Ah, another try. ¨C To be honest, this will probably need a second try. ¨C The dad card is cheating~ ¨C Was this the first try? -©¸ Wee, neer. After reading a few chat messages, Su-hyeok said, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as an impossible trial.¡± It was a famous phrase Blue Eyes¡¯s Lee Su-hyeok had said during a past interview. Though he¡¯d said it because the situation was simr, to the viewers, it felt different. ¨C This is it! ¨C That confidence. ¨C What an awesome way to recycle a famous saying. ¨C As expected, he¡¯s a monster consumed by the concept¡­ ¨C ©¸ Rather than a concept, it feels more like a reincarnation. ¨C Su-hyeok 2.0! Su-hyeok 2.0! ¨C Mom, when I grow up, I want to be Su-hyeok 2.0! Although one of the messages was spot-on, most viewers were enthusiastic about Su-hyeok¡¯s statement. Most were fans who missed the old Su-hyeok, after all. The closer he seemed to their idol, the more excited they¡¯d get. That probably included Su-hyeok¡¯s manager, Un-hyang, as well. [¡®Safe Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.] [3,000 points if you kill it.] Even the viewers who only registered a mission when it seemed like he would fail started registering missions. [¡®Lee Su-hyeok, I love you¡¯ has registered a mission.] [I¡¯ll add 3,000 points to the same mission.] [¡®Make him do the work¡¯ has registered a mission.] [I¡¯ll modestly add 1,000 points.] [¡¯11th floor¡¯s resident¡¯ has registered a mission.] [I¡¯ll add 2,000 points.] [¡­] * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Several missions appeared, one after the other. Although some were meant to cheer him on, others were registered with the negative mindset of wanting to see him fail. Of course, no matter what the intent, all presented him with points that would be equally valuable when he received them. ¡®Nice.¡¯ ¡°Everyone¡­¡± Su-hyeok spoke to every viewer who¡¯d posted a mission. ¡°Thank you in advance for your support.¡± As always, he was full of confidence. None of the viewers were annoyed, though. A mission was meant to both support and be a sort of bet, especially in the case of challenging missions like the ones Su-hyeok received. Since those who supported missions with points enjoyed such gambles, they were all enthusiastic about Su-hyeok¡¯s bold responses. Of course, both those who¡¯d made the bets and Su-hyeok, who¡¯d epted them, were confident of their victory. ¡°Hihing¡ª!¡± The horse neighed and stopped after he pulled the reins. Getting off the horse, Su-hyeok looked at his destination¡ªa huge mountain reaching into the sky. That was where the 6th stage, ¡®Legend¡¯, would take ce. ¡°The strand of lightning is something that only appears in legends. Whether it¡¯s a special power, an object, or a person¡­ we don¡¯t know anything. We also don¡¯t know how to obtain it. All we know is the location of the mountain and the legend.¡± The story was quite barebones¡ªthey didn¡¯t know what the strand was or how to get it. None of that was relevant for Su-hyeok, though. ¡°What¡¯s certain is that, in the past, someone who handled the Lightning skill wiped the giants out.¡± Su-hyeok recalled the legend he¡¯d learned. He¡¯d thought he knew more about the Lightning stat than anyone else due to how much longer and better he¡¯d used it than others, but he didn¡¯t know much about where it came from or who¡¯d used it before. ¡®So there¡¯s a lightning strand here, right?¡¯ If that were true, it would probably be the key to dealing with the giant he¡¯d seen in the cutscene. Su-hyeok slowly approached the huge, rocky mountain before him. It didn¡¯t have any sort of entrance. Even though it was probably over a thousand meters tall, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything else about it that was special. He looked around the mountain for a while. No matter how much he searched, he couldn¡¯t seem to find anything out of the ordinary. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¨C Ta-da! It was a prank! ¨C What is he supposed to do here? -©¸ Who knows? ¨C Nobodies: Never mind. There had to be something there. He seriously believed there was no trial in the world that couldn¡¯t be passed. That being the case, there had to be something to help him clear the stage. ¡®This is the route I changed to after I killed the giants¡¯ leader. That means¡­¡¯ After pondering for a moment, Su-hyeok moved as if he had a destination in mind. * * * Un-hyang immediately called John Tail after securing her amodation. ¡°Team Leader! I seeded with the contract!¡± It was part of her job to contact him after securing the contract, after all. John Tail smiled and congratted her. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re being useful, Un-hyang!¡± ¡®Finally being useful?¡¯ Un-hyang looked puzzled and wasn¡¯t sure if that was apliment or not. ¡°Yesterday, I met Hawk Eye. As for what we discussed¡­¡± Thud¡ª Since she¡¯d done her job and reported, she cut the call. John Tail sent a text message right away, but she had something more urgent. ¡°I need to watch the stream~¡± Shey on the bed and turned on Su-hyeok¡¯s stream, feeling a sense of urgency with the time she¡¯d lost due to having to buy the room and report to her team leader. ¡°So they were nobodies¡­¡± It all started when Felius became ¡®Nobodies¡¯. ¡®I did well in telling him about the mic channel.¡¯ Making suchments was something streamers could do to add fun to their streams. Until then, Su-hyeok had been too focused on the trial. After all, what he said in response to the viewers back then was also heard by the characters in the trial. Thanks to the private channel, that inconvenience was gone. Laughter burst from all around, followed by scenes of knights being suspicious of Su-hyeok. ¡°It seems they don¡¯t believe I killed the boss. No, maybe they don¡¯t want to believe it?¡± He didn¡¯t seem upset. Instead¡­ ¡°They¡¯re quite arrogant.¡± He conveyed his honest feelings to the viewers. ¡°Kyaa!¡± she eximed. Yes, that confidence and the skills and achievements to back it up were what Lee Su-hyeok 2.0 was all about. She found herself so immersed in the stream that time flew by. Eventually, Su-hyeok began riding a horse to a mountain that was a bit away from the vige. Once he arrived¡­ ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Su-hyeok couldn¡¯t find anything. ¡°Yes, I wonder what¡¯s going on¡­¡± Un-hyang muttered. For a while, the chat was filled withments that teased Su-hyeok for his futile effort. Su-hyeok stood still for a while, as if he couldn¡¯t understand what to do. Suddenly¡­ ¡°Wh-what?¡± Un-hyang pushed herself upward in surprise. ¡°Wh-what is he doing?¡± ____ Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Su-hyeok went on a rampage on his stream, spreading lightning in every direction. WHOOM¡ª! ¨C ??? ¨C What is he doing? ¨C I don¡¯t know. ¨C Did he give up? WHOOM¡ª! Rocks shattered, and dust flew everywhere. Golden light flickered in Su-hyeok¡¯s eyes as he used more lightning. Although it looked cool, it also looked totally pointless. He¡¯d started shooting lightning without any sort of exnation, so the viewers¡¯ reactions were natural. ¡®That must consume a lot of Stamina,¡¯ Un-hyang thought. Lightning wasn¡¯t a skill that consumed Magic Power alone¡ªit was a double-edged sword that also ate away at Stamina, continuously hurting the user. Su-hyeok was shooting it recklessly without any apparent target. ¡®Just why¡­?¡¯ ¨C Is he dering a GG? ¨C Seems like it. ¨C That seems to be it. ¨C If he wastes lightning like this from the start, there¡¯s no chance. It¡¯s a skill you must use sparingly. ¨C Lee Su-hyeok (Fake) The chat gradually turned negative, and Un-hyang even contemted cutting the stream for a moment. ¡®No. If I act here, streamer trust will also drop.¡¯ No matter howzy she was, she was still the manager in charge of the streamer. A hasty sanction from the manager could make viewer dissatisfaction even worse, especially when the cause was with the streamer. Su-hyeok was a skill-based streamer, so cutting the stream would only reduce his viewers¡¯ trust in him. ¡®Let¡¯s wait and believe in him.¡¯ A few momentster¡­ ¡°Haa¡­¡± Su-hyeok stopped for a moment, covered in sweat, and muttered, ¡°I finally found it.¡± * * * Crack¡ª Thest bolt of lightning shattered a rock. He¡¯d been moving without stopping for quite some time, so he stopped for a bit to take heavy breaths and wipe the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Having finished with his frantic use of the Lightning skill, he once again felt how effective Selfish Sacrifice was. He looked at the debris of the broken rock and saw the thing that¡¯d been attracting his lightning beyond it. ¡°I finally found it.¡± Su-hyeok grinned behind his mask. He¡¯d used quite a bit of energy, but he felt that it was worth it. ¡°¡­?¡± Having loosened his focus a bit, the chat window became apparent. ¨C What? ¨C What? ¨C What? ¨C Is the show over? ¨C It seemed like he was possessed by a ghost for a moment, right? ¨C What did he find? It looked like the viewers were confused and frustrated by his actions. ¡®I guess I did too much without exining anything.¡¯ That was understandable. Since they were merely watching, they couldn¡¯t feel the area like he could. He felt embarrassed when he imagined how he must¡¯ve looked on stream. [¡®Beach Club¡¯ has donated 10 points.] [Su-hyeok 2.0, exin yourself!] He¡¯d have to tell them why he¡¯d moved so erratically. ¡°Mr. Beach Club, thanks for the 10 points. I must have looked strange. Just trust me and watch.¡± ¨C Hahaha. ¨C Just watch~ ¨C Grandma trusts Su-hyeok¡­ Instead of exining, Su-hyeok walked through the debris and cleared some of the rubble with his hands. He was tempted to use lightning to clear the rocks, but he needed to save Stamina. He wasn¡¯t sure how much more of the trial there would be, after all. Thud¡ª After he cleared the debris a bit, a rusty door with a height and thickness that were hard to measure appeared. The keyhole alone was the size of a man, so the door had to be huge. ¨C Huh? ¨C What¡¯s that? ¨C Is that a door? ¨C Why¡¯s the door so big? ¨C It seems to be a door for giants. The viewers quickly understood Su-hyeok¡¯s actions and realized he¡¯d been using lightning to find that exact door. Naturally, theirints dissipated. However, there was a problem¡­ ¨C How is someone supposed to open it? ¨C He doesn¡¯t have the key. ¨C Just break it. ¨C Lol, yes, he should break it. ¨C How do you even break that? Since he¡¯d found the door, the trial was probably going to continue. Opening the huge door didn¡¯t look possible, though. He didn¡¯t have a key, after all, and breaking such a massive door didn¡¯t seem feasible. ¨C Can you do it? ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± ¨C Lol. ¨C The viewers who had hope are getting wrecked, lol. ¨C Bring the real Lee Su-hyeok back~ ¨C Is this the end? Su-hyeok turned his gaze from the chat and looked up at the door. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The colossal door looked like the entrance to a fortress, and nobody could guess how thick it was. If it were a door meant for giants to use, it would be impossible for Su-hyeok to break it unless he had his previous life¡¯s strength. ¡®Is this really the 2nd floor?¡¯ The 2nd floor¡¯s trial was supposed to be about finding traces of true giants. The giants attacking the vigers were insignificantpared to the real ones. The giants Su-hyeok knew of were beings with godlike powers. ¡®That father giant didn¡¯t look ordinary¡­¡¯ He raised his hand to the door and lifted his head. Although it wasn¡¯t visible yet, he could instinctively feel it¡­ ¡®This is real.¡¯ Why had something like that appeared on a 2nd-floor trial? Was it because he¡¯d defeated Wolf Warrior Greg, because he¡¯d killed the son of that other giant, which shouldn¡¯t have been possible, or maybe¡­ ¨C What are you doing? He returned to his senses when he saw the chat. Right¡­ There was no point in specting¡ªhe just had to solve the problem in front of him. First, he needed to open the door. ¨C Are you leaving? ¨C It seems that he needs to find a key. ¨C Is there time to do that? The father giant looked very angry. Even at that moment, the giant¡¯s father was approaching the vige to avenge his son, so there didn¡¯t seem to be time to find a key. Fortunately, contrary to the viewers¡¯ concerns, he didn¡¯t need to find a key separately. ¡°I have a key.¡± He already had the key. ¡®This keyhole¡­¡¯ He gathered magic in his hand and formed it into a golden lightning bolt. Looking at the keyhole, his eyes shone. ¡®It¡¯s the perfect shape for lightning.¡¯ BZZT¡ª [¡®Lightning¡¯ has activated.] [¡®Selfish Sacrifice LV3¡¯ resists the damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.] It was different from when he shot lightning everywhere to find the door¡ªhe focused his attention and added a sharp edge to the lightning. As he continued to concentrate, the condensed lightning gradually grew. ¨C Again? ¨C Lightning, please! ¨C Is that the key? ¨C Is that really¡­? There was no need to answer¡ªhe just needed to show them. His arms felt like they were burning from the condensed electricity. It was his first time creating such powerful lightning with that body. Even with Selfish Sacrifice, creating a key big enough to open the door was no easy task. ¡®I have to open it with one shot.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t use something like that several times. Rather than trying to conserve his strength and failing, it was better to finish it in one go, even if it took a bit more effort. He made the lightning even bigger. ¨C Go, Su-hyeokmon!!! Just as someone posted that chat, Su-hyeok shot his condensed lightning into the keyhole. BOOM¡ª! BZZT¡ª! A bright light burst out, momentarily bathing the area in golden light as thunder echoed around him. The light in the keyhole gradually faded and didn¡¯tst long. ¡®So this is the best I can do for now.¡¯ It was definitely powerful. A 2nd-floor yer being able to use such an attack was unbelievable, but still, it wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy him. He understood that there was nothing he could do about it. After all, he wasn¡¯t that Lee Su-hyeok anymore. His Lightning skill was still fragmented, and his stats werecking. The road ahead was a long one. ¡®Still, this much¡­¡¯ It should¡¯ve been enough for the keyhole. WHOOM¡ª The door slowly opened, the ground shook as if an earthquake were happening, and the huge space on the other side of the door was revealed. ¡®The 6th stage, ¡®Legend¡¯.¡¯ The strand of the Lightning skill hidden within Millennium Mountain was the key to the stage. ¡®This wasn¡¯t a mountain in the first ce. It was meant to hide the door.¡¯ Su-hyeok looked up at the peak of the mountain, far above the clouds. Just what was inside that mountain? He knew it had something to do with the Lightning skill¡¯s legend, but he thought there could be more to it. ¨C Something big ising. ¨C Badump, badump. ¨C Let¡¯s go~ Thud¡ª As if responding to the viewers¡¯ reactions, Su-hyeok slowly walked through the wide-open door. The inside was dark, with no apparent ceiling in sight. As soon as he fully stepped inside, the door mmed shut, and the area lit up. Creak¡ª! BOOM¡ª! [You¡¯ve entered ¡®The Lightning¡¯s Path¡¯.] * * * Meanwhile, back in the vige barracks, all of the knights were gathered, and none looked happy. ¡°Can that man really obtain the lightning strand?¡± Old Knight Dale asked. Felius nodded. ¡°He¡¯s going to be able to get it. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± After sending Su-hyeok, there was only one thing they could do: prepare for a full-scale battle against the giants. It would be their final attempt to stop the giants from rampaging in their country. ¡°Your faith in him is remarkable.¡± ¡°He already proved himself once. There¡¯s no need to doubt anymore.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Dale nodded. The stranger kept his face covered, and he wasn¡¯t even a knight. What kind of power could he have? Felius was an exceptionally talented young knight. There must¡¯ve been a reason for his belief. Maybe he would really be able to obtain the lightning strand from the legend. ¡°L-lightning or not, we¡¯re all going to die¡­¡± A trembling soldier muttered. It wasn¡¯t nearly cold enough for such shaking. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t know¡­ Wh-what kind of power that giant has¡­¡± The man was a survivor from the vige the giant had swept away. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Although the lightning strand was something that appeared in legends, that giant was also a legendary being. Even if that stranger got the lightning, could he defeat the giant? Thud¡ª Felius walked toward the scared soldier. It seemed the man hadn¡¯t eaten properly for days, and his face was gaunt. ¡°Even so, we can¡¯t just give up like this, can we?¡± Felius asked. Many people were still left in the vige. All of those who¡¯d fought the giants and escaped were there as well. They couldn¡¯t just give up¡ªthey had to hold onto whatever hope they had. ¡°Don¡¯t be too scared. Let¡¯s have some hope. The young hero is acting for us, even without a reward waiting for him.¡± Thanks to Felius¡¯forting words, the soldier¡¯s trembling slowly went away. ¡°O-okay¡­¡± ¡°S-sir!¡± A messenger ran in from outside the barracks and urgently delivered a piece of news. ¡°H-he¡¯s here!¡± BOOM¡ª! The ground shook in the distance. Felius¡¯s pupils shook. ____ Chapter 27 Chapter 27 The stage was called ¡®The Lightning¡¯s Path¡¯. Besides the name, there was nothing he knew about the ce. A seemingly endless white space stretched out before him. ¡°They said there¡¯s a lightning strand hidden here¡­¡± He didn¡¯t bother adjusting the microphone as he spoke. Nobody was nearby anyway. ¡°There seems to be nothing here, though.¡± ¨C Lol. ¨C There really isn¡¯t anything. ¨C It seems the theme of this test is a prank. The white space was so startlingly empty that it was almost confusing, but there was no way things ended there. ¡®It isn¡¯t that there¡¯s nothing here. It probably just looks like that.¡¯ It was a trial, and he was a yer who had to somehow pass it. That being the case, he had to find a clue. ¡®I just can¡¯t ignore the name. The stage was called ¡®Legend¡¯, and he was in ¡®The Lightning¡¯s Path¡¯. If all he had was the name, he needed to find some meaning to it. Su-hyeok looked around. It didn¡¯t matter whether he rolled his eyes or moved his head¡ªhis view remained unchanged. Squeak¡ª When he realized having his eyes open or closed made no difference, he kept his eyes shut. ¡®This isn¡¯t a trial where you can find something with your eyes.¡¯ That meant there was only one way to clear it¡ªhe had to find something that couldn¡¯t be seen. BZZT¡ª With his eyes closed, he felt his surroundings with his body. Just a little bit ahead, there was a faintly familiar sensation. His skin tingled. Something was flowing in that space. He opened his eyes again and looked for a stone on the ground. He needed to confirm his theory. ¨C What is he doing? ¨C He¡¯s moving. ¨C What is he looking for? ¨C A stone? Su-hyeok grabbed a stone. ¡®It¡¯s an old-fashioned method, but¡­¡¯ There was nothing he could do about it. For someone like him, old-fashioned methods were the ones that were the most fitting. Swish¡ª With all his might, he threw the stone toward the long white path before him. Crack¡ª! With a loud spark, the stone he¡¯d thrown was charred ck mid-flight. The sight of the stone bouncing like popcorn with a loud spark in the seemingly empty air was truly shocking. ¨C Woah. ¨C What happened? ¨C What kind of trial is this? Numerous questions poured in. It was a natural reaction to the enigmatic trial¡¯s contents. Su-hyeok tried to exin what he¡¯d realized. ¡°It¡¯s lightning.¡± ¨C Lightning? ¨C Yes. The name of this ce is ¡®The Lightning¡¯s Path¡¯. ¨C So the stone exploded because of lightning. Su-hyeok nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just like the map¡¯s name implies¡ªit seems I have to walk through the lightning¡­¡± Step¡ª He slowly began walking. BZZ, BZZT¡ª A tingling sensation stimted his skin. It was such a familiar sensation that it even felt wee. The ce was covered in lightning. ¡°It seems that the theme this time is ¡®patience¡¯.¡± He reached out his hand, but it bounced off of empty space with a spark like the stone had. BZZT¡ª! His mouth fell open in disbelief as he clenched and unclenched his fist. ¡°The trial is telling me to die.¡± ¨C It seems so. ¨C Trial: This time, please die. ¨C Lol. ¨C Grilled Su-hyeok~ Although he¡¯d said it like a joke, that wasn¡¯t the case. He felt intense electricity flowing all over the ce. Based on what he learned from the stone, things were much worse farther inside. He needed to endure it and move forward? It felt like the trial was telling him tomit suicide. ¡°This is ridiculous¡­¡± Su-hyeok stood still for a moment without saying anything. For anyone watching, it looked like he was hesitating. [¡®Allergic to Air¡¯ has donated 100 points.] [Are you going to take the challenge?] That was what he was waiting for. Su-hyeok¡¯s lips curled into a smile. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C SCM Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Creak¡ª The old chair wobbled precariously. Siwoo and Yeryeong, who were sitting facing each other, observed each other¡¯s reactions. To be more precise, Siwoo was looking for Yeryeong¡¯s reactions. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Flinch¡ª Siwoo¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly at Yeryeong¡¯s question. He stealthily hid the kit he was holding and asked, ¡°Wh-what about you?¡± ¡°The same as always.¡± After turning her kit to him, Yeryeong said, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I wasn¡¯t watching that stream. I really quit.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Y-yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with that reaction?¡± Yeryeong asked, puzzled. Siwoo broke out in a cold sweat, and his gaze flicked to the yer kit in his hand. ¡®Because I¡¯m watching it right now.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t say that. He¡¯d gotten mad at Yeryeong and told her to stop watching Lee Su-hyeok-rted broadcasts. However, he was watching it himself. How could he say that without feeling embarrassed? ¡°I just wanted to say good job.¡± It was a rather awkward lie. Yeryeong, who¡¯d been giving Siwoo a suspicious look, soon lost interest. After calming his pounding heart, Siwoo focused on the stream again. [There seems to be nothing here, though.] The test site waspletely white. There was nothing to see. The only thing moving was the rapidly-scrolling chat. ¡®What do they want him to do there? I wish I could be there.¡¯ If he had been there, he would have probably been able to find something. After all, this trial was about finding something invisible. Through the kit, he could only see what was happening, and the visual aspect didn¡¯t matter much in that trial. He frowned in frustration for a moment; then he saw Lee Su-hyeok picking up something. ¡®A stone?¡¯ Swoosh¡ª The stone shot through the air, and a bright light covered the screen immediately after. BZZT¡ª! Electricity exploded with golden light. Siwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡®It¡¯s lightning.¡¯ He¡¯d found the clue. Sure enough¡­ [It¡¯s just like the map¡¯s name implies¡ªit seems I have to walk through the lightning¡­] ¡®Yes, that¡¯s it!¡¯ When he saw the streamer think the same way he did, Siwoo felt joy from a stream for the first time in his life. Wasn¡¯t Su-hyeok a yer who had just reached the 2nd floor? He was quite talented. Not only were his skills incredible, but there was no hesitation in how he went and progressed through the trial. Also¡­ [The trial is telling me to die.] He even told lighthearted jokes during the trial. ¡®He really¡­ reminds me of Su-hyeok.¡¯ While watching him, Siwoo had the absurd thought that maybe the guy might be a reincarnated Su-hyeok. He finally understood why Yeryeong had gotten addicted to his stream, and he nced around apologetically. ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to do this.¡¯ Just by seeing how the stone got burned, one could tell how much electricity was flowing there. That wasn¡¯t something a 2nd-floor yer could endure. It was known that yers who reached higher floors had bodies harder than rock or steel, but that streamer had just reached the 2nd floor. As a yer, he was still a newbie. ¡®Well, he got this trial after defeating the giants¡¯ leader in the first ce. That¡¯s why he was given one with such difficulty.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t in a situation toin about the difficulty. The harder the trial was, the greater the reward. Streamer Lee Su-hyeok had already received the Lightning skill. Naturally, he was just taking the next step. It wouldn¡¯t have made sense for him to get an easy trial. ¡®If this were him¡­¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as an impossible trial.¡± It was a phrase Su-hyeok always used to say when faced with difficulties. He didn¡¯t know when to give up. Even while they were hesitating with the hydra¡¯s subjugation, Su-hyeok confidently said, ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? I will win anyway.¡± He really ended up doing it and managed to take down the hydra. If it weren¡¯t for Kim Ilsu¡¯s betrayal, he would have truly be a hero. Su-hyeok never stopped challenging the tower. He didn¡¯t know when to give up, and in the end, he always seeded. That was who Lee Su-hyeok was. ¡®What are you going to do?¡¯ Siwoo¡¯s eyes shone while looking at the stream. Even if Su-hyeok died in the trial, he wouldn¡¯t die in real life. If you died in a trial, though, you would end up losing the reward you got in the previous stage. In the case of the streamer, he would end up receiving the worst possible penalty¡ªhe would lose the Lightning skill he got after so much effort. ¡®Will you take on the challenge, or will you stop here?¡¯ The screen was frozen. Streamer Su-hyeok seemed to hesitate for a moment. That attitude was clearly different from the Su-hyeok Siwoo knew. Gradually, his expectations faded. [¡®Allergic to Air¡¯ has donated 100 points.] [Are you going to take the challenge?] At the top right corner of the screen, a message appeared along with a donation. [¡®Mission Viin¡¯ has registered a mission.] [You won¡¯t be able to resist a mission, lol. 1.000 points if you seed.] [¡®Lee Su-hyeok, I love you¡¯ has donated 1.000 points.] [Mr. Su-hyeok, please don¡¯t do it ??. If you fail, you will lose the Lightning skill.] [¡®Let¡¯s live, yer¡¯ has registered a mission.] [2,000 points if you seed.] Messages poured in. Some people were discouraging him from challenging, but most were urging him through. In the end, the viewers wanted to see more stimting and fun trials. Moreover, the Lee Su-hyeok the viewers wanted to see could ovee all adversities and sessfully clear the trials. ¡°Everyone¡­¡± Su-hyeok made a decision. ¡°Thank you for your donations.¡± His answer was full of confidence, as if he¡¯d already cleared the trial. That attitude also resembled the Su-hyeok Siwoo knew, but¡­ ¡®This guy was intending to challenge it from the start.¡¯ The reason for hesitation was too different. ¨C He can¡¯t resist money, lol. ¨C Even if he dies, points are points~ ¨C Seeing this, he really is Su-hyeok 2.0. ¨C For real, the true Su-hyeok wasn¡¯t interested in points, lol. Points were the currency of the world and the lifeline of yers. No one hated money. Streaming was also a job, and one worked to earn money. Still, the Su-hyeok he knew would have never risked his life for points. He¡¯d said that a great yer should make money chase them, not the other way around. ¡®He¡¯s different from Su-hyeok.¡¯ Of course, he knew the person who was streaming was someone who had just taken on the concept of Lee Su-hyeok. What made him stand out from others was that he¡¯d acquired the Lightning skill and meticulously copied his speech and actions. In essence, he was just a guy making points by using the image of Siwoo¡¯s friends. ¡°We¡¯re both the same. We can¡¯t break free from Lee Su-hyeok¡¯s shadow.¡± He recalled what he¡¯d said the previous day. ¡®You idiot, what are you doing?¡¯ He became angry with himself. He¡¯d known all along that the streamer wasn¡¯t the real Su-hyeok. Su-hyeok, who had already cleared the 8th floor¡¯s trial, wouldn¡¯t be able to return to the 2nd floor¡¯s trial. Above all, he wouldn¡¯t be selling his image through streaming. After all, what mattered to him wouldn¡¯t be points¡ªit would be getting revenge on Kim Ilsu. ¡®What was I expecting?¡¯ Only then did Siwoo wake up from his dream. Thud¡ª On the screen, streamer Lee Su-hyeok started walking the Lightning¡¯s Path. ____ Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Crackle- Yellow sparks flew, stinging the skin. A familiar numbness spread from his fingertips. He had always directed lightning at others, never experiencing the shock firsthand. However. ¡®It¡¯s familiar.¡¯ It felt as natural as breathing. The sensation of the lightning coursing through his fingertips was very simr to the penalty that came with using lightning. ¡®Prove that you are worthy to handle the lightning.¡¯ In the 5th stage, he obtained lightning. In the subsequent 6th stage, he was being tested to verify his qualification to use it. It was a natural progression. ¡®I¡¯ve used lightning countless times.¡¯ If this was the trial, he had faced it hundreds of times before. No matter how powerful the force flowing here was. In essence, it was still lightning. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ Inside the mask. Suhyuk¡¯s lips curved into a smile. -He had a good idea. ¡ºYou have entered the ¡°Path of Lightning¡±.¡» ¡ºNavigate the ¡°Path of Lightning¡±.¡» ¡º0.12%¡» Two messages appeared before his eyes. Two thoughts crossed Suhyuk¡¯s mind as he read them. ¡®Quite a distance.¡¯ The path to navigate was longer than he thought. ¡®At least they show the end.¡¯ Though long, the end was in sight. ¡º0.17%¡» ¡º0.24%¡» Buzz, crackle- With each step, the percentage gradually increased. Maybe because he hadn¡¯t yet reached 1% of the path? For now, it was bearable. ¨C Why isn¡¯t he running? ¨C Is he scared? ¨C It seems better to just run fast. ¨C (Fast forward) ¨C (Fast forward)2 He didn¡¯t have time to read the chat while ascending. Suhyuk focused entirely on feeling the lightning spread around him. ¡®What is this ce?¡¯ The entire vast space was filled with lightning. The extent of the power flowing here was unimaginable. Normally, rushing to the destination would be the strategy. But Suhyuk set two goals for this trial. ¡®Reaching the end, of course-¡® Crackle- He felt the lightning flowing through his fingertips. For a moment, his eyes, visible through the mask, sparkled. Indeed. It seemed possible. ¡®Let¡¯s do it.¡¯ *** At that moment. Falcon Eye was watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream intensely, even after turning off his own stream. ¡°Let¡¯s try coborating.¡± John Dale. He already had content involving Suhyuk and Falcon Eye nned in his mind. ¡®How long has it been since the big brother personally handled content?¡¯ Falcon Eye was a long-running streamer in this field. After realizing his talent¡¯s limit as a yer but discovering a knack for observation, he dove straight into this industry and had been active ever since. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Only half of your stream¡¯s sess depends on you.¡± ¡°I know. The sess hinges on who the feedback subject is and which yers are notable at the time.¡± He had been hearing this for over ten years. The reason Falcon Eye, despite his consistent streaming, hadn¡¯t be a top-tier streamer. It wasn¡¯t just the limitation of having only one type of content. It was also because there was no star yer of the current era to carry the content along. ¡°This trial is telling me to die?¡± The stream of streamer Lee Suhyuk came into view. His manner of speaking was still somewhat stiff, possibly due to his unfamiliarity with streaming. After closely observing the stream, it was clear Lee Suhyuk was still a novice streamer. ¡®This doesn¡¯t feel like he¡¯s streaming. Rather¡­¡­.¡¯ It was not likely, but just maybe. ¡®¡­¡­it feels more like a seasoned yer¡¯s vlog.¡¯ Whether it was streaming or edited vlog videos didn¡¯t matter much. Falcon Eye was a streamer who specialized in observing yers¡¯ content. What caught his eye were the signs of experience that emanated from a novice tackling a second-floor trial. No. He wasn¡¯t just experienced. To add a bit more emphasis, he had never felt something like this from any ranked yer before. ¡®Did the big brother also get the same feeling?¡¯ The thought that suddenly crossed Falcon Eye¡¯s mind made him shake his head. ¡®No. That can¡¯t be.¡¯ John Dale was apetent person. But that was as a manager discovering streamers and creating content, not in recognizing a yer¡¯s talent. Which meant. ¡°Falcon Eye. This might be an opportunity. A chance to rise with a rising star and be a star in the sky together.¡± He probably saw Lee Suhyuk¡¯s value as a streamer. ¡°A star¡­.¡± Thinking too much made Falcon Eye remember the cigarettes he had quit. A star. In this industry, itmonly referred to major streamers. Even in Balhae Entertainment, there were only a few, the few who led thepany and represented the industry. Compared to them, Falcon Eye was just another pebble among countless others. ¡®Can I really be like them?¡¯ Falcon Eye knew himself well. As a yer, he was mediocre. That¡¯s why he fled and nted his feet in this industry. But. Even here, he was stuck in mediocrity. ¡°Sigh¡­ Ugh¡­¡­.¡± It was then. A groan flowed from the kit. The voice of someone enduring pain brought Falcon Eye back to his senses. Come to think of it, he had been watching Suhyuk¡¯s trial. ¡°Crazy. What was I thinking, daydreaming in the middle of work?¡± Reflecting on thepse in concentration and refocusing on the observation. Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes widened as he checked the trial a bitter. ¡°This guy is crazy, isn¡¯t he?¡± *** Crackle, buzz- The sensation of the electricity piercing his skin grew stronger. The further he moved forward. As if warning him not to proceed, the lightning intensified, tormenting Suhyuk even more. But that was fine. Slowly moving forward, Suhyuk continued to heighten his focus. ¡®Got it.¡¯ Crackle- Somewhere inside his body. Feeling the lightning flow into his fingertips, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡®It¡¯s starting to flow.¡¯ He moved forward as if relying on inertia, observing his body¡¯s internal state. Starting from the major meridians like the Ren and Du channels to the smaller meridians throughout his body. The paths where magic should flow smoothly were clogged. Naturally. His body was still that of a rookie yer. He hadn¡¯t trained in martial arts like yers from the Wulin world, nor had he leveled up and built up stats to clear the paths. However. Crackle- Right now. The blocked paths were beginning to clear, albeit just a little. ¡®Clearing the Ren and Du meridians is difficult. Overreaching could ruin the trial itself.¡¯ Buzz- The energy from the lightning flowed through the smaller meridians spread throughout his body. His body felt hot. Since the energy flowing through the meridians wasn¡¯t his own, it was natural that it brought pain. These paths were meant to be carved out using one¡¯s own magic. In other words, this was a shortcut. Easier but more painful. It was the process of eliminating impurities clogging the meridians. ¡®Clear and burn them away.¡¯ Crackle, buzz- Starting from his fingertips to his heart and abdomen. The lightning flowing through the meridians burned away the impurities. ¡ºThe meridians are being cleared.¡» ¡ºProgress: 20.7%¡» ¡º¡°Lightning¡± is infusing your body.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» A pleasant message. With the clearing of the meridians, bonus effects were also increasing his stats. yers referred to unearned stat gains as ¡®fortuitous events¡¯. For Suhyuk, now was exactly that moment. Depending on how he handled this, he could clear the meridians and gain as many stats as possible. ¡®Hold on.¡¯ To do that, Suhyuk constantly talked to himself. Otherwise, he felt like he might lose consciousness at any moment. ¡®Don¡¯t just be satisfied with clearing the paths and letting the energy flow. Achieve everything you can.¡¯ Crackle- ¡º¡°Lightning¡± is infusing your body.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºThe meridians are being cleared¡­¡­.¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» Messages popping up incessantly. But there was no time to be distracted by them. Crackle, buzz- ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± He bit his lip, enduring the lightning tearing through his body. The external shocks were one thing, but the energy flowing through the clogged meridians caused the most pain. It felt like a burning furnace inside his body. ¡ºState Abnormality: Electrocution has begun.¡» Electrocution. Since obtaining the lightning, he had been living with this constant status abnormality. It was, after all, the penalty from this lightning that had ultimately driven Suhyuk to his doom. His body moved out of sync with his thoughts. Slower and clumsier than expected. Moving a body in this electrocuted state consumed at least twice the strength and staminapared to being in a normal state. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ahhh¡­.¡± Drip- Plop, plop- Burnt impurities seeped out from his skin. His lips, bitten too hard, bled. Between the mask. The blood trickled down, falling below. ¨C This looks intense. ¨C Must be incredibly painful. ¨C Just run,e on!! ¨C Dumbass, don¡¯t you think he knows? There must be a reason. ¨C Exactly, so what¡¯s the reason? There was no time to answer the questions flooding the chat. No, it didn¡¯t even catch his eye in the first ce. What Suhyuk needed now was something else to heighten his mental fortitude. For that. ¡°There is no trial that can¡¯t be ovee.¡± Suhyuk recalled the words of the old Suhyuk, the all-time number one among yers, not his current self. ¡°Ther-there¡­ is no trial¡­ that¡­ can¡¯t be ovee¡­¡­.¡± He muttered those words he always used to say. ¡°In the end¡­ I¡­ always win¡­¡­.¡± ¨C OMG ¨C This crazy guy LOLOLOL LOL ¨C Doing his bit even now LOLLOLOL ¨C Gotta admit. This guy is the real deal ¨C The mottos of Suhyuk, now like renowned sayings. To the viewers, Suhyuk¡¯s behavior on the stream appeared to be nothing more than a fanatic conceit. But. ¡®It¡¯s because of me.¡¯ Step- One struggling step. As Suhyuk took slow steps forward, in his mind, those words resonated differently than how others perceived them. ¡®It¡¯s as good as if I killed him.¡¯ Grit- His teeth ground together, producing a sound in his mouth. The tension in his mrs was not solely due to the scorching heat consuming his body. 20 years ago. Or rather, what still felt like just a short while ago for him. He had spoken confidently to his friends who hesitated about the Hydra raid. ¡°There is no trial that can¡¯t be ovee.¡± If the opportunity given to him had been a regression rather than a reincarnation, how great would that have been? He might have ripped his own mouth apart for uttering such words first. ¡®If only I hadn¡¯t said those words¡­¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? In the end, I¡¯m the one winning.¡± Those words eventually persuaded hisrades. Grit- To push his body and mind, which felt on the verge of copsing. Suhyuk bitterly revisited the words he had spoken that day in his mind. ¡®None of us would have died.¡¯ TL¡¯s Corner: MC ridden with guilt. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 It¡¯s because of me. The guilt began to overwhelm him right after he realized Kim Ilsoo¡¯s betrayal. Why didn¡¯t he realize the betrayal sooner? Why had he pushed hisrades into a death trap with his baseless conviction? Moreover, why was he the only one given such an opportunity? Crackle-! ¡ºThe meridians are being cleared.¡» ¡ºProgress: 97.87%¡» ¡º¡°Lightning¡± is infusing your body.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» He let the lightning flow through his body, clearing the blocked meridians. Repeating this simple yet excruciatingly painful process, Suhyuk bit his lips. ¡®Do you resent me?¡¯ Minjae. Suhoon. Jiyoung. Shiwoo. Yerang¡­¡­ The faces of his friends, who were once united under the name Blue Eyes, shed through his mind. He couldn¡¯t see their expressions. No, he didn¡¯t dare to. Were they resenting him, or were they missing him just like he was? ¡®Even if you do resent me, I can¡¯t argue. It¡¯s a fact that I led you into the jaws of death.¡¯ Though Kim Ilsoo was the one who killed them, it was Suhyuk who had incited them to walk right into Kim Ilsoo¡¯s trap. ¡®So I¡¯ll go to hell and apologize.¡¯ But. He couldn¡¯t go just like that. ¡®I¡¯ll take Kim Ilsoo¡¯s head with me.¡¯ Grit- ¡ºFatigue has increased to 97.¡» Fatigue high enough that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he copsed right away. But what kept Suhyuk going was the memory of failing to take down Kim Ilsoo in his final moments. Crackle, buzz- The lightning grew fiercer. The end was nearly in sight. ¡®Just one more time.¡¯ He clung to his waning consciousness, using thoughts of hisrades as an anchor. Thanks to that, he maintained his focus and kept his mind sharp. The clearing of the meridians was almostplete. Now, there was just onest time. ¡ºThe meridians are being cleared.¡» ¡ºProgress: 99.01%¡» And the final spark was right in front of him. Buzz, hum- A small yellow light floated at a reachable distance. ¡º99.91%¡» The message confirmed it. The trial¡¯s objective was to cross the lightning and obtain that light. ¡®Not sure what it is, but¡­¡¯ Stagger- He moved his precarious body that seemed ready to copse any moment. Step- Suhyuk took onest step towards it. ¡®This is the key to this trial.¡¯ The giant he saw in the cutscene. No matter that he had obtained lightning and cleared his meridians, he couldn¡¯t think of a way to defeat it. It was an out-of-bounds entity that wasn¡¯t supposed to appear in this segment. Surely, this light was the key to defeating that giant. ¡®And also for me.¡¯ The final key to clear his blocked meridians. Suhyuk reached out for it. *** Inside the lodging. Un Hyang was sitting with a stern face, unlike her usual self. Her posture was so upright that it even seemed reverent. She was watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ahhh¡­!¡± Crackle-! Grit- The sound of teeth grinding could be heard. The blood trickling down from under his mask was painful even for the onlookers. He staggered with each step, appearing as if he could copse at any moment. It was unsettling. But he kept moving forward. He didn¡¯t have to, yet he pushed himself to his limits. ¡®Clearing the entire body¡¯s meridians. He¡¯s doing that here.¡¯ She was a yer from the Murim World. The technique of clearing the entire body¡¯s meridians using magic originated from the Murim World. As such, she understood how difficult this task was. Moreover, this wasn¡¯t using pure magic, but high-density electrical energy from the lightning. ¡®Is this even possible?¡¯ She too was known as a genius. When her name started bing known in the Tower, the word ¡®genius¡¯ was often attached to it like a nickname. Clearing the entire body¡¯s meridians? She had achieved that long ago. But what surprised her wasn¡¯t just that. To undertake such a task while moving, using a tremendous external energy that wasn¡¯t his own. That was something even she found challenging to control. Moreover. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Grit grit- The sound from within his mask. It was the sound of his lower lip being ground by his teeth. ¡°That must hurt¡­.¡± Having cleared her meridians long ago, Un Hyang understood it even more. Just sitting still and clearing the meridians was excruciating enough that nine out of ten would pass out. Some even fell into Qi Deviation during the process. But Suhyuk was walking, and not using calm magic but hot electrical energy. Could that be possible? Even though death in the trial did not equate to real death, the pain in the trial was no different from reality. ¡®How can he bear it?¡¯ There was only one way to endure such pain. Mental strength. Enduring pain took mental strength, which was more challenging than physical training. A strong body could be trained through practice and leveling up, but a steely mind could only be forged through sheer willpower. ¡®Why¡­.¡¯ That¡¯s why Un Hyang found it puzzling. ¡°Why is he going to such lengths?¡± Streaming was a job for making money. No matter how noble the reason, that didn¡¯t change. But why? In those eyes, enduring pain and zing with determination, there was not a trace of a ¡®streamer¡¯. For a moment, she forgot this was a stream and that she was Suhyuk¡¯s manager. She couldn¡¯t help it. At this very moment. The look in Suhyuk¡¯s eyes, visible through the mask, burned like the Suhyuk she knew. * Ferius and the knights gathered. Or rather. All the able-bodied people in the vige had gathered. Among them were people who had fled from other viges. There were over twenty knights and nearly a thousand soldiers. It was an inevitable battle, and thus, they steeled themselves. They had decided to fight the giants. However. Even before the battle began, their will was faltering. Thud, thud- The tremors in the ground grew closer. A gigantic figure, seemingly twice the size of the other giants, leading dozens of them. Their appearance paralyzed the entire vige with fear. Gulp- Ferius swallowed hard. ¡®It¡¯s a different ss altogether.¡¯ Humans and giants. He always knew there was a natural difference between the two species. Though these creatures weren¡¯t the true legendary giants, they were undoubtedly monsters different from humans. Even knowing that, Ferius couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of futility about the swordsmanship he had honed all his life in front of this massive being. No matter how spectacr or powerful his strikes were, could they prate that thick hide? Right now, in front of this giant, their existence felt just like¡­ ¡®Ants.¡¯ Clink- The sword he struggled to hold dropped to the ground. No matter how many ants there were, they could never defeat a human. He couldn¡¯t think of a way to fight such a being. Thud- The giant drew closer. Its slow movements. It didn¡¯t consider them enemies. It merely regarded them as insects that could be crushed at any moment. ¡°This might be our grave.¡± Said one knight, with others adding their thoughts. ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned after all.¡± ¡°Well, a legend is just a legend.¡± ¡°Perhaps he ran away?¡± Their words made Ferius think of Suhyuk. The stranger who had taken down the leader of the giants. He had left the vige, following the legend of a long-ago hero who had defeated a giant. For a vige that held no personal connection to him. For this vige. ¡°¡­¡­He will return.¡± Ferius¡¯s words drew the attention of the other knights. Another knight, Culliman, asked. ¡°Why are you so certain?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not certainty.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s trust.¡± One by one, they wore puzzled expressions. Faces that said it¡¯s all the same. Ferius raised his sword again and looked around at the knights. ¡°Can we afford to leave the vige¡¯s fate to a stranger we barely know and even doubt him?¡± The knights averted their gazes, confronted with Ferius¡¯s pointed words and shift in demeanor. He was right. Though they didn¡¯t believe the tale of the giant¡¯s leader being taken down, the stranger was moving to help a vige that was unrted to him. In fact, Ferius had consistently referred to the stranger as a ¡®benefactor¡¯. ¡°Haven¡¯t you any shame? You call yourselves knights.¡± Step- With those words off his chest, Ferius took a step toward the giants. ¡°He is right. He¡¯s absolutely right.¡± Thud- A hand on his shoulder stopped him from advancing further. Passing by Ferius, dale approached the giants. ¡°Defending the vige was our responsibility, to begin with. It¡¯s not about ming anyone.¡± With precise steps, he raised his sword high. The magic surging from Dale¡¯s body flowed through the sharp de with a blue glow. ¡°A knight is not one to be protected but to protect.¡± The determined spirit of the knights red up. His actions and resolve boosted the morale of the knights and soldiers. Thud- The giant advanced. The oppressive pressure from its size was now at its peak. ¡°We die today as knights.¡± Clench- Gripping his sword with all his strength. ¡°Let¡¯s go-!¡± sh- Dale took the lead. Humans and giants. The two species shed. *** Screech-! Dale leapt onto the body of the giant. Though not in his prime, his movements were distinctly different from the other knights. ¡°Hyaa-!¡± Screech- The sword, imbued with blue magic, cut through the tough hide. A wound appeared near the giant¡¯s neck. As the giant screamed, Ferius ran up and swung his sword with all his might at its ankle. St- Roar! The giant, with a wound on its ankle, staggered backward and fell. Simultaneously, the giant swung a huge wooden club, sending nearby soldiers flying. Crash- ¡°Argh-!¡± ¡°Sir Coil!¡± The force from its massive frame easily crushed the knights¡¯ armor. But there was no time to mourn the fallenrades. ¡°Now! Pierce it-!¡± Dale shouted urgently. Mourning the dead knights and soldiers was a luxury that could only be afforded after the battle. Right now, their top priority was to finish off the fallen giant. Stab, stab stab- Roar!!! Swords from the waiting soldiers and knights pierced the giant¡¯s body from every direction. Ferius focused intently on stabbing the giant¡¯s eyes. Even the smallest needle, if there were dozens or hundreds, could make a difference. Moreover, if among those needles, a powerful awl was mixed in? Crunch- A sword pierced through the bone. The tip of Dale¡¯s sword punctured the giant¡¯s throat. Groan, groan¡­ After a moment. When the convulsing giant went limp. ¡°Huuff, huuff-.¡± Gasping for breath, dale let out a cheer. ¡°We- wonnnnn-!¡± ¡°Uraaahhhh-!¡± ¡°We won, we did it-!¡± The surrounding giants were all dealt with. Though numerous soldiers had sacrificed themselves in the process¡­ We won this battle. Just as they thought that. ¡°This, this¡­ bastard¡­.¡± A survivor from the vige annihted by the giants. He looked down at the fallen giant and muttered in a trembling voice. ¡°It¡¯s not this one¡­¡­.¡± At that moment. Thump- With a heavy sound, something crashed into the middle of the battlefield. Boom-! All eyes on the battlefield turned towards it. Blocking the setting sun, a massive shadow appeared. Thick smoke spread. Growl- For a moment, the battlefield froze. The fallen giant on the ground looked insignificantpared to this one. Even Dale, who had steeled himself for the fight, was paralyzed by its presence. It was overwhelming. While they had at least felt some resolve fighting the fallen giant, with this one, there wasn¡¯t even a hint of such determination. The giant that had fallen from the sky. ¡°You¡­¡­.¡± The humannguage flowed from its mouth as it red at Dale. ¡°You killed my son?¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Boom, boom-! Lightning rumbled in his hand. The moment he grasped the glowing light, a massive bolt of lightning pierced through his body. ¡ºYou have acquired the ¡°Lightning Spear¡±.¡» ¡ºYou have cleared ¡°Stage 6 ¨C Legend¡±.¡» ¡ºLevel Up.¡» x 2 ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 2.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 2.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºYou have earned 2000 achievement points.¡» ¡ºWould you like to continue the trial?¡» ¡ºWould you like to move to the next floor?¡» ¡®Got it!¡¯ A cheer erupted from within. Stamina increased by 2. It rose by a good amount just when needed. When his fatigue was at its peak like this, every bit of stamina stat was crucial. The Lightning Spear. He needed to check what kind of reward this was, but there was still something he needed to do. Rumble- The lightning crackled in his hand. Thinking about using this to clear the remaining meridians made him chuckle. ¡®This is going to hurt like hell.¡¯ Clench- He squeezed his hand tight and closed his eyes. At that moment. Boom-! ¡°Urgh¡­¡± The lightning energy coursed rapidly through his meridians. It was fast and powerful. In short, it was uncontroble. From now on, his task was to channel this wild energy in one direction. ¡®Come this way.¡¯ Buzz, crackle-! The lightning flowed like waves through his cleared meridians. It wouldn¡¯t obey. It tore through his body as if to defy him. It felt like trying to lead a raging bull. If he couldn¡¯t control it, the result would be death. Enduring the pain? Nonsense. This was not something mental strength could handle. It had to end quickly. Crackle- Suhyuk utilized the lightning within his body. The energy that had been clearing the blocked meridians began to respond. If the lightning in his hand was the raging bull, the lightning in his body was the red g. The only way to lure it. Fortunately, it responded as expected. ¡®One, two¡­¡­¡¯ Counting quickly and steadily in his mind. ¡®Come this way.¡¯ Buzz- The small spark he controlled reacted to the raging bull. Boom-! ¡°¡­¡­!!!!!¡± With a silent scream, Suhyuk lost consciousness. ¡ºMeridian clearing isplete.¡» ¡ºMagic amplification rate increased by 20%.¡» ¡ºAll skill casting speeds increased by 20%.¡» ¡ºAll stats increased by 2.¡» *** Suhyuk slowly opened his eyes, holding something in his hand. ¡®Did I pass out?¡¯ ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Grasping his throbbing head, he struggled to lift his body. The omnipresent energy of the lightning that filled the area was gone without a trace. Of course. If he had passed out in such a ce, he would likely have been disqualified from the trial due to death by now. ¨C He¡¯s awake ¨C He didn¡¯t die ¨C Woke up a bit quickly this time ¨C But wow, that was intense. Top-notch concentration It was only when he opened his eyes that he noticed the chat. ¨C Intense? More like just walking LOLOLOL ¨CIt¡¯s kind of over the top LOLOLOL ¨C (Walking steadily) Wow¡­ what physicality ¨C The haters are too much LOLOLOL ¨C Haters? More like fanboys? There were more chats than he expected. A battle between those frustrated with Suhyuk¡¯s trial method and those supportive of him. Reading through the chat, Suhyuk scratched his head. ¡®How much time¡­¡¯ Wondering how much time had passed, he realized he could simply ask. ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¨C About 10 minutes? ¨C Around 7-8 minutes ¨C 10 hours ¡ª ???????? ¡º¡®Ggeulker¡¯ has been muted by the manager.¡» ¨C Should ban the guy above. Oh, already done? ¨C Do we already have a manager here??? ¨C A viewer who joked in the middle got muted. It seemed like 10 minutes was urate. ¡®It wasn¡¯t too long then.¡¯ Thankfully. If the ckoutsted too long, it could affect the trial results. Moreover, he had already experienced passing out for a long time during a stream before. ¡°Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¨C No worries, it¡¯s okay ¨C Happens often in trials anyway LOLOLOL ¨C Only the ones who left missed out ¨C Patience is key In response to Suhyuk¡¯s apology, the viewers indicated they were fine. In reality, checking the number of viewers showed little difference from before the trial began. ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ He let out a sigh of relief. He had been so focused on the trial that hepletely forgot about the stream. To be honest, if he had been worried about it, this oue might have been difficult to achieve. ¡®Fatigue level¡­¡¯ ¡ºFatigue: 81¡» His fatigue was much lower than before he passed out. It was still high, but manageable. Partly thanks to the brief rest, but the real reason was the increased stats. ¡®In the end, I did it.¡¯ Clearing the entire body¡¯s meridians. At the final moment, he had heard the message confirming it. The reduced fatigue was thanks to the increased stats achieved from that. Status Window Name: Lee Suhyuk Affiliation: Earth Level: 23 Strength: 27 Agility: 27 Stamina: 27 (+2) Focus: 23 Magic: 29 The most noticeable stat was the magic. Initially, it had been his lowest stat. But the number of magic stat points gained from this trial wasn¡¯t insignificant. While the other stats enhanced his physical attributes, magic increased the potency of his skills. Additionally, magic was the most efficient single stat among the five. ¡®Good results.¡¯ A smile crept up. ¡®Really good.¡¯ Clearing the entire body¡¯s meridians. He had aplished it quicker than he expected. No matter how extraordinary the opportunity was, he hadn¡¯t been sure it could be done this fast. Clench- Suhyuk moved his stiff hand. It still felt unnatural to clench and unclench it. It seemed the status abnormality from the electrocution still lingered. ¨C Haven¡¯t you checked the rewards yet? ¨C What exactly is that? ¨C Passed the mission like a boss LOLOLOL While checking his condition, the rising chat caught his attention. He realized there were several things to check at the moment. ¡°That¡¯s right, the money.¡± It seemed he had be quite the money grubber. The fact that he recalled the mission reward before even considering the trial rewards highlighted this. ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡º1000 points donated from ¡°MissionViin¡±.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡º2000 points donated from ¡°Liveyer¡±.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡º500 points donated from ¡°Baldies1¡±.¡» ¡ºMissionplete¡­¡­.¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» A series of messages appeared. Thanks to the increased number of viewers, there were quite a few missions. The small amounts added up, resulting in a substantial number of points. ¡ºCurrent Points: 20420¡» 20,000 points. That was about half of what was needed to raise the Selfish Sacrifice skill to the next level. ¡®Once I take down that guy¡­ I should have enough.¡¯ The giant he saw in the cutscene. Even though he had raised his stats and cleared his meridians, he still didn¡¯t think he could defeat it. The giant was on a different level from the other giants he had encountered in this trial. Buzz- He opened the yellow light ball he was holding in his hand. The system had called this the ¡°Lightning Spear¡±. Lightning did not have to take a single form. It could be a sword, a bow, or anything else. But among them, the most powerful and fitting form was undoubtedly a spear. ¡®If it¡¯s a spear, it¡¯s the form I used the most after the sword. I¡¯m confident.¡¯ The real question was whether this could take down the giant from the cutscene. Suhyuk checked the reward. ¡¾Lightning Spear¡¿ Grade: Legendary Non-tradable Requirement: None An ancient spear forged from thunder and lightning. Allows for one mighty strike. Activation requires a significant amount of concentration and magic. Usable Times: 1 ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. The viewers reacting to the reward also exploded with reactions. ¨C What????????? ¨C Are you kidding me ¨C Legendary??? ¨C This trial is all over the ce with the dad giant and now this LOLOLOL ¨C Why is this even here???? Legendary. That one word alone was enough to cause an uproar. There were several ranks of items. Normal, Magic, rare, Epic, Unique. And then there was Legendary. The highest known tier of items was Mythic-tier, but even Suhyuk had never possessed one. Even now, 20 yearster, fewer than five Mythic-tier items had been discovered. ¡°Why is this even here?¡± ¨C Exactly LOLOLOL ¨C What are we supposed to say to that LOLOLOL ¨C Dunno? ¨C Brain freeze ON ¨C At least it¡¯s single-use, so it¡¯s fair LOLOLOL Suhyuk nodded at a chat that hit the mark. ¡°You¡¯re right. At least there¡¯s some fairness.¡± He then clicked his tongue in disappointment and muttered. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a bit less fairness though¡­¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C Fairness, what is it? LOLOLOL LOL ¨C This guy is full of greed LOLOLOL Suhyuk was well aware of his own greed. If this were an item without usage limitations, it would truly disrupt the ecosystem. Most legendary-grade items usually required a minimum level of 50 to use, but this one had no such restrictions. ¡®A legendary item with a usage limit of 1.¡¯ A smile crept up inside Suhyuk¡¯s mask. ¡°I think this will do.¡± Items with usage restrictions shared amon trait. Once all uses were exhausted, the item would be destroyed, but its power was immense. And among those, single-use items were invariably extremely powerful. Moreover, this was an untradable item found during the trial. Its power was guaranteed. ¡º¡®SafeAsset¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºChange your username or something, damn it¡» ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C King SafeAsset LOL ¨C Exactly LOLOLOL He hasn¡¯t failed once LOLOLOL ¨C Will Lee Suhyuk win again this time? ¨C Didn¡¯t you know? Lee Suhyuk always wins ^0^ SafeAsset. True to his username, he only issued missions for trials that seemed impossible to seed. But since Suhyuk had never failed, he kept donating points. ¡°Thank you for the donation, SafeAsset. Exactly, live up to your name.¡± Continuing to clench and unclench his hand to loosen his stiff body, Suhyuk stood up. ¡°Fighting.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C Look at the mockery LOLOLOL ¨C How about betting your username? ¨C Username bet? Is something biging? While chatting a bit with the viewers, the numbness in his body started to subside. He was almost ready to move. His dulled senses were returning. ¡®This trial¡¯s reward is linked to the next one.¡¯ Stage 6, legend. The reward was a single-use item to defeat the uing giant. Though umon, linked trials sometimes worked this way. Clearing one stage and moving to the next one before receiving the reward, connected stages. In such cases, the difficulty was high, but the rewards were bundled together as well. ¡°Now that I¡¯m ready¡­¡± Crack- Suhyuk cracked his neck onest time and began to walk. ¡°Let¡¯s arrange a family reunion.¡± ¨C Family reunion LOLOLOL ¨C Giant child: Dad, when are youing? ¨C Let¡¯s show them the taste of lightning LOL ¨C SafeAsset, time to change your username~ Chapter 31 Chapter 31 John Dale watched the screen while resting his chin on his hand. Right after the trial ended, Suhyuk passed out. The chat exploded withments at the sight of the unconscious streamer. ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C He¡¯s passed out again ¨C Wonder how long it¡¯ll take him to wake up this time ¨C Here he goes again, damn it ¨C This was already the second time. The first time it happened, Suhyuk had pushed himself too hard in the trial to obtain the lightning. Back then, he had remained unconscious for almost half a day. ¡®He¡¯s reckless.¡¯ John frowned slightly. ¡®This isn¡¯t good at all¡­¡¯ There¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s an outstanding yer. In terms of potential, he¡¯s arguablyparable to the real Lee Suhyuk. But John was the head of streamer management. ¡®He¡¯s more of a yer than a streamer.¡¯ Professional streamers never took such reckless actions during streams. If they passed out like this, it would ruin the ongoing stream. Viewers hated boredom, and not many were willing to wait for an unconscious yer. In such situations, a streamer¡¯s rating naturally dropped. Focusing on trial achievements while neglecting the entertainment aspect of the stream was not the behavior of professional streamers John knew. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Just then, Suhyuk woke up from his unconscious state. It was a relief. He wondered what they would have done if he had taken a long time to wake up again. ¡°Hm-.¡± Tap, tap- While watching the stream, John tapped his fingers on the desk out of habit. ¡®This person is definitely not cut out for streaming.¡¯ He thought deeply. He couldn¡¯t gauge how valuable this streamer was. As a yer, he was 100 points. As a streamer, 0 points. Suhyuk was taking on trials recklessly without any concern for the stream. Yet¡­ ¡®Still, I have a feeling he¡¯ll make it.¡¯ His manager intuition was telling him. This guy will make it. Despite scoring zero in streaming skills, he would eventually seed. He would be a radiant star representing the industry. A major streamer, one among the few that even Balhae Entertainment could boast of. Buzz- The kit vibrated. ¡ºCaller: Falcon Eye¡» It was a call from Falcon Eye. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± -¡°Hyung. Can you talk?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can. I was just watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream.¡± Recently, John Dale and Falcon Eye had a mutual interest: Suhyuk. On his second day of streaming, and a novice yer who had obtained the lightning. They were keen to see how far he could go as a streamer. -¡°You saw it, right? What? Damn it.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Passing the trial? Why are you so worked up over that?¡± A question mark appeared in John Dale¡¯s mind. He had just watched Suhyuk¡¯s trial on the stream. The Hidden Stage, legend. A trial of passing through a space filled with lightning, which seemed somewhat dull to watch. The saving grace was Suhyuk¡¯s realistic reactions during the trial. With his lips bleeding and his steps faltering under his mask, Suhyuk¡¯s struggle looked excruciatingly real. But. ¡®Is it really that amazing?¡¯ The trial seemed harder than it looked, but that was about it. Viewers who didn¡¯t actually undertake the trial felt no deeper meaning beyond that. ¡°So you saw it that way too? Of course, right? That¡¯s what most would think.¡± ¡°Calm down and exin it to me so I can understand.¡± ¡°Forget it. What¡¯s the point of talking to a blind person like you?¡± Crack- Veins bulged on John Dale¡¯s forehead. Calling first and then saying there¡¯s no point in talking? He was stunned speechless by the absurdity. ¡°Then why did you even call?¡± ¡°You were right. This guy is going to be a star. Whether as a yer or a streamer.¡± ¡°Really? I was thinking he might becking in some areas though.¡± John Dale shared his thoughts. Then. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not cut out to be a streamer but a yer. Actually, he goes beyond being just a yer; he has talents close to what yers can only dream of.¡± Hearing this, John Dale¡¯s eyes brightened with realization. ¡°The true image of Lee Suhyuk that we think of. Isn¡¯t that the core of this stream?¡± * Crash-! The roof of a building copsed. Simultaneously, the bodies of the soldiers fleeing from the giant were crushed into piles of flesh. ¡°Take cover!¡± ¡°Run! Get far away!¡± ¡°D¡­ Damn it!¡± Boom, boom- With every step, the vige¡¯s terrain changed. A true giant in every sense. Compared to this one, the other giants they had feared seemed like mere dwarfs. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I told you so.¡± The survivor from another vige muttered. ¡°You¡­ You know nothing.¡± He crouched in the middle of the battlefield, waiting for his imminent death. Ferius grit his teeth. There was no time for retorts. To survive, they had to either fight or flee. ¡®Sir Dale.¡¯ Grit- Ferius looked at Dale, lying on the ground, bleeding all over. It had happened in an instant. The time it took for Dale, who had attacked the giant, to fall limply to the ground. Without even a chance to swing his sword properly, dale became a bloodied mess from the giant¡¯s crushing blow. ¡®I see no way to win.¡¯ The stranger who left to find the lightning. Even if he returned, what could he possibly do? ¡­ No. Facing the giant directly, even that hope dimmed. ¡®A way to escape¡­¡¯ He looked around the vige. -The darkening sky. With the sun setting, the situation had somewhat improved for escaping. Indeed, many people had already opted to flee. They all had the same thought. However. ¡®They¡¯ve got everything blocked.¡¯ The giants surrounding the vige. Ferius had always thought they were mindless monsters. Most of the giants knew nothing but hitting and breaking things. But now. Those same giants were surrounding the vige, preventing anyone from escaping. Just like well-trained soldiers. ¡°Damn giant bastards¡­¡± The resolve to gather all remaining forces for onest stand had long dissipated. Facing such a foe head-on was simply not feasible. This was a catastrophe. Something beyond human capability to handle. Running away was the best option, and even that required a miracle. ¡°Faidal¡­¡± Growl- The giant¡¯s mouth emitted humannguage. ¡°Who killed my son?¡± His red eyes gleamed menacingly. Just facing him made it hard to breathe, but it presented a sliver of hope. ¡®He¡¯s seeking revenge for his son.¡¯ For some reason, the giant understood human speech. Communication was possible. Which meant there might be a way to buy some time. ¡°I know-!¡± Ferius shouted with all his might, louder than he ever had in his life. ¡°Who killed your son! I know!¡± Growl- The giant¡¯s gaze shifted to Ferius. It worked. He seeded in drawing its attention. Indeed, the giant could both understand and listen. ¡®The benefactor isn¡¯t in the vige anyway.¡¯ It was uncertain when the stranger who left the vige would return. Hoping for his help in this situation was unreasonable. ¡®By this time, it¡¯s difficult to make a round trip to the mountain. So then¡­¡¯ Ferius¡¯s gaze flickered to Millennium Mountain, where the lightning supposedly rested, then returned. ¡°You know, do you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Who killed Faidal?¡± Faidal. It was the first time hearing the name, but it was clear who it referred to. The giant chief killed by the stranger. That¡¯s who it meant. ¡°That would be¡­¡± ¡°It was me, you damned giant!¡± Buzz- Someone jumped onto the giant¡¯s body and leapt upwards. A knight with one arm crushed and covered in blood. Dale aimed for the back of the giant¡¯s neck. Thrust- The sword, glowing with blue magic, stabbed into the back of the giant¡¯s neck. It was the final strike of an old knight who had wielded a sword all his life. A decisive blow filled with the resolve to pierce through no matter what. The moment the sword seemed to prate the giant¡¯s neck. Crunch- The giant swatted at his neck as if swatting a mosquito, grabbing Dale along with it. With his eyes rolled back, dale fell to the ground. With a st, the giant scratched at the back of his neck as if it were itching. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Swish- The giant turned, picking Dale up between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°A bug like you couldn¡¯t have killed Faidal.¡± The giant muttered with certainty, then turned his gaze back to Ferius. ¡°Tell me. Who killed my son?¡± Despite Dale¡¯s sudden interruption, Ferius had his answer ready. ¡°Over there!¡± Swish- He pointed with his sword. The direction Ferius indicated was the exact opposite of where Suhyuk had gone, towards the mountain. ¡°The human who killed your son went that way! To gather strength to kill you all!¡± ¡®Please be fooled. Just go that way.¡¯ The giant who had been invisible until now had suddenly appeared seeking vengeance for his son. If that was the case, then this lie would certainly work. It had to. This was theirst hope. But. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Snicker- The corners of the giant¡¯s mouth curled up. A slight smile leaked out. The giant nced once in the direction Ferius pointed before losing interest. ¡°What part of your story is a lie? That the human who killed my son isn¡¯t here? Or the direction you pointed with that pitiful de?¡± The giant was certain that Ferius was lying. Ferius had hoped the giant wouldn¡¯t believe, or at least be shaken, but now he stumbled back with a confused expression. ¡®How did he¡­¡¯ They needed to stall for time. To hold the giant¡¯s attention so others could flee the vige. Even if just one person could escape and continue the resistance elsewhere, it had to be done. But. Even the lie about the benefactor had failed. Thud- The giant dropped Dale to the ground. Like losing interest in a broken toy. The giant¡¯s eyes, now fixed on Ferius, glimmered menacingly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯ll soon be forced to¡­¡± sh- At that moment. From the opposite direction Ferius had pointed. The sun began to rise over Millennium Mountain, illuminating the vige devastated by the giants. ¡®Morning? Already?¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be. The sun had just set. No matter how disoriented he was, there was no way it could be daylight already. Ferius turned his head. When he looked towards the peak of Millennium Mountain. ¡°What, what is that?¡± In disbelief, Ferius staggered back, his eyes widening. Buzz, crackle-! A yellow pir of lightning shot skyward. Illuminating the vige as if the sun was rising. At the same moment. The giant, witnessing the same sight, curled his lips into a smile. ¡°So, it¡¯s you.¡± Boom-! Thunder roared from the sky. Thud- The giant moved his foot. ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed my son.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 The moment he stepped out of the mountain. Suhyuk and the viewers witnessed something astounding. ¨C Whoa¡­ ¨C What is that? ¨C Damn, that¡¯s freaking huge LOLOLOL LOL The giant could be seen starting from the mountainside. It looked like a toy vige made of Legos being trampled. The tiny dots under the giant¡¯s feet looked no different from a swarm of ants. ¡°Haa-.¡± With a sigh, he let his inner thoughts slip out. ¡°Why the hell does that bastard keep getting bigger¡­¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C For real, it does seem bigger LOLOLOL ¨C Still growing LOLOLOL ¨C Giant traits: Growth spurt At first, he wondered if he was mistaken due to the distance. But dismissing it as a simple misconception was impossible given the sheer difference. ¡®It¡¯s easily twice as big as it was in the cutscene.¡¯ No matter how far away it was, the increase in size was unmistakable. There had to be a reason for the giant¡¯s growth. And that reason was probably rted to¡­ ¡ºStage 7 ¨C ¡°Lightning¡± begins.¡» The grand theme of this trial. -It had something to do with the name ¡°Trial of Lightning¡±. -The trial¡¯s name is Lightning? -Salivating already -This is rare ¡®This is the final one.¡¯ His instinct as a yer told him so. As expected, that giant was the final boss of the ¡°Trial of Lightning¡±. No matter what stunts he pulled, there was nothing beyond this. Of course. The thought of something bigger than this showing up would make one despair at the heavens. ¡®Lightning, huh¡­¡¯ Buzz- He sparked a tiny lightning at his fingertip. Although acquired sooner than nned, the lightning was now in his hands. Something felt off. Could the reward at the end of this trial be just the lightning? ¡®No. Absolutely not.¡¯ Lightning. It was undoubtedly a powerful skill. Even a single fragment could unleash considerable A-grade power, and each additional fragment would multiply its strength. He knew. But still. ¡®It¡¯s not enough.¡¯ The moment he reached that conclusion, Suhyuk shook his head. ¡®It¡¯s too early to be greedy before even starting.¡¯ Thinking about rewards before the trial ended was premature. It was far too early. He needed to focus on the immediate goal. ¡®A head-on collision is out of the question.¡¯ No matter how many stats he gained or how well he cleared his meridians, facing such a giant head-on was impossible. No, that wasn¡¯t something to approach head-on in the first ce. ¡®Is this all I have?¡¯ ¡¾Lightning Spear¡¿ Grade: Legendary Buzz, crackle- The yellow sphere crackled with faint electricity in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. It seemed unable to contain its power even before activation. Just as the giant in front of him wasn¡¯t meant to appear in this segment, the same could be said for the legendary-grade item. ¨C Run away ¨C A chat message caught his eye. ¡°Run away?¡± Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¨C A real fight? With that thing? ¨C ssic Suhyuk, no backing down ¨C This is insane Wolf Warrior, Giant Chief. Despite having taken down all sorts of difficult bosses and passing trials, the viewers found it hard to believe in Suhyuk. It was understandable. No matter how exceptional Suhyuk¡¯s control was, how could he possibly kill such a colossal monster? And Suhyuk felt the same. However. This trial wasn¡¯t meant to be solved in the conventional way. ¡°No need to overthink it.¡± Clench- Gripping the Lightning Spear tightly in his hand. ¡°All I need is one good throw.¡± With his back turned to the path leading to the vige. Suhyuk¡¯s steps headed towards the mountain¡¯s peak. * Boom-! Thunder roared as bolts of lightning struck downward. A sky filled with thick clouds. The lightning from within gathered into his hand. ¡º¡±Lightning Spear¡± is initiating.¡» ¡ºInitiation Progress: 33.1%¡» Buzz, crackle-! It was hot. Despite the time that had passed since initiation, it was only at 33 percent. ¡ºFatigue increased to 84.¡» It felt simr to when using the lightning skill. The difference was that the penalty was far greater than just using it. ¡º¡°Selfish Sacrifice Lv3¡± resists the damage from ¡°Lightning Spear¡±.¡» ¡ºResistance failed.¡» ¡ºEffect is negligible.¡» It was a message he hadn¡¯t seen since he started using the skill. He knew skills also applied to items through the magic sword, but he hadn¡¯t expected resistance failure. Of course. No matter how growth-oriented the skill was, self-Sacrificing was still a D-grade skill. Its level was too low to withstand the burden from a legendary-grade item. ¡®This is just the beginning.¡¯ Lightning Spear. Fully initiating this item was the actual start of this trial. Buzz, crackle-! It went wild in his hand. With such power, creating a spear solely with skill was impossible for him at this moment. The only reason it was possible was one. A legendary-grade item. One that could be initiated only once, thanks to the ¡°Lightning Spear¡±. ¡®I can do it.¡¯ Skills and items that took a long time to initiate shared amonality. They would exert far higher powerpared to other items of the same grade. This was evident from the lightning raging in his hand. The small light sphere transformed into the shape of a spear, unleashing a power that couldn¡¯t be produced in this segment. ¡®Of course, that¡¯s if I hit properly.¡¯ Boom-! Once again, the lightning struck, and the spear in Suhyuk¡¯s hand swelled in size. Buzz, the electricity coursed through his palm and into his body. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± He staggered a bit. Each strike of the lightning brought a significant shock. He gripped the spear tightly, focusing to prevent it from slipping from his hand. ¨C Huh? Didn¡¯t we see this before? ¨C Got the lightning and now he¡¯s eternally in pain LOLOLOL ¨C Eternal agony Suhyuk LOLOLOL Seeing the chat, a small smile crept up on Suhyuk¡¯s face. They were right. A yer wielding lightning had to endure constant pain. The power of the lightning used the user¡¯s own stamina as fuel to burn brightly. ¡º¡±Lightning Spear¡± is initializing.¡» ¡ºInitialization progress: 50.0%¡» Boom-! As the progress hit 50 percent, a muchrger bolt of lightning struck. The lightning grew more intense. In the distance below the mountain, Suhyuk saw the giant¡¯s head turn toward him. ¡®It noticed.¡¯ No matter how far away it was, making such amotion couldn¡¯t go unnoticed. And it was nighttime now. The lightning, which had just begun to illuminate the mountaintop, was now lighting up the entire vige. ¡®Halfway there.¡¯ Initialization progress 50 percent. An equal amount of time was still needed for the item to reach its full potential. ¡°This is damn exhausting.¡± Drip- Sweat from his forehead dripped to the ground. This trial was truly brutal. There was only one way to pierce the giant¡¯s heart and finish it off. To fully initialize the Lightning Spear, the weapon he obtained from the sixth trial. ¡®No.¡¯ Buzz, crackle-! Suhyuk nced at the spear wildly sparking in his hand. ¡®This is the start.¡¯ Just like any weapon, no matter how powerful, if it missed its target, it was useless. Especially given the distance right now. ¡°Faidal-!¡± Thud- The giant, having spotted him, roared in rage. The giant began to charge towards the mountain where the lightning had struck. Fortunate or unfortunate, the situation changed slightly from what he initially thought. ¡°Whoa?¡± ¨C Damn LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C How fast is that thing? ¨C Is it the Hulk? LOLOLOL LOL ¨C Thud thud thud thud- It covered several meters in a single step with incredible leaping ability. The giant, leaping upward, quickly began to traverse the lower part of the mountain. ¡°Faidal-!¡± Growl- It climbed the mountain using its massive hand. The menacing red glow in its eyes and the growling reverberated through the mountain. The moment the giant saw Suhyuk, it realized. That he was the human who had killed its son. ¡°It¡¯s really pissed¡­¡± Suhyuk muttered, looking troubled at the speed of the approaching giant. ¨C Wouldn¡¯t you be pissed if he killed your son? ¨C True LOLOLOL ¨C Where¡¯s your conscience? There was no time to respond to each chatment. It wasn¡¯t as if he was saying it without knowing the answer. ¨C But how is he going to hit that? ¨C Yeah, it¡¯s too fast. ¨C If he misses once, isn¡¯t he screwed? ¨C Maybe the spear has a homing function? ¡ª As if it would. The giant was closing the distance swiftly¡ªwhat took a carriage a long time to travel, the giant was covering in mere moments. Whatever its physical capabilities were, the giant was practically flying up the mountain. At this rate, it would reach Suhyuk¡¯s location in just a few minutes. ¡®Focus.¡¯ Standing at the edge of a steep cliff, Suhyuk watched the giant rapidly approaching. ¡º¡±Lightning Spear¡± is initializing.¡» ¡ºInitialization progress: 76.6%¡» Fortunately, the giant¡¯s speed and the initialization time of the spear roughly matched up. The main question was whether he could hit the target. He only had one shot. His pupils dted. As his concentration peaked, the penalty from the lightning lessened. He heard a voice. ¡°Never take your eyes off the target.¡± Every time Suhyuk prepared to throw a spear, he remembered those words. Choi Suhoon. Arade from Blue Eyes, who stood nearly 2 meters tall and wielded a 3-meter long giant spear. On the first day Suhyuk crafted a spear using lightning, Suhoon taught him the art of javelin throwing. ¡°Never take your eyes off the target. That¡¯s where javelin throwing begins.¡± The giant¡¯s image loomed everrger as it raced toward him. The ground quaked, and the giant¡¯s form grew bigger in his vision. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the target. The javelin throw had already begun. ¡°Parabolic arcs, forget them. Predictions? You don¡¯t need them.¡± Suhoon¡¯s advice as he watched Suhyuk throw the lightning spear. ¡°Just throw it. You¡¯ve yed shooting games, right? There¡¯s a function called ¡®Hitscan¡¯.¡± Hitscan. A functionmonly used in first-person shooting games, where bullets reach the target instantly. ¡°Movement patterns? Forget them. Thoughts? Don¡¯t bother. You¡¯re different from other spear throwers.¡± Buzz, crackle- The sensation of the lightning running through his fingertips was exhrating. ¡º¡±Lightning Spear¡± is initializing.¡» ¡ºInitialization progress: 90.2%¡» The initialization was nearlyplete. With such power, it felt like it could pierce anything. But. ¡®That¡¯s not enough.¡¯ Just hitting the target was insufficient. If he hit less critical areas like the hands, legs, or shoulders, it would still result in failure. ¡®Vital spot.¡¯ He had to pinpoint and hit the most critical spot. Clench- Without taking his eyes off the giant. Suhyuk recalled the conversation he had with Suhoon during theirst training session. ¡°So what should I do?¡± ¡°After all, the thing you¡¯re trying to throw isn¡¯t an ordinary spear, right? Think of it as shooting, not throwing.¡± ¡°Shooting?¡± ¡°Yes, shooting.¡± ¡°It sounds the same. I asked you to teach me javelin throwing.¡± He expected Suhoon to teach him techniques involving posture, timing, and other javelin skills. But Suhoon¡¯s answer was different from what Suhyuk had expected. ¡°The same?¡± Suhyuk realized it only after he tried throwing the lightning spear. ¡°I doubt it. It¡¯s entirely different.¡± It was never the same. Thud, thud, thud- The giant was close. Close enough to see the pupils in its eyes. ¨C What are you doing? ¨C Throw it already, please!!! ¨C He¡¯s going to hesitate until the end LOLOLOL ¨C Throw it or don¡¯t, throw it or don¡¯t¡­ Suhyuk understood the frustration. The giant was close enough to reach out and grab him. He remained cautious, not stopping the initialization. ¡®Vital spot is¡­¡¯ Thud- The giant¡¯s footstep echoed loudly. Roar-! The giant leapt high, its gaze meeting Suhyuk¡¯s. It made it to his location. At that moment. Buzz- A small golden light flickered in the giant¡¯s eye as it stared straight at him. The hesitation ended. The decision was made on where to pierce the giant¡¯s massive body with the spear. ¡°-There.¡± ¡º¡±Lightning Spear¡± is initializing.¡» ¡ºInitialization progress: 100%¡» ¡ºInitializationplete.¡» Suhyuk¡¯ body, which had bent backward tounch the spear, snapped forward swiftly. sh-! Chapter 33 Chapter 33 The giant¡¯s hand stretched forward. Within reach. The giant intended to grasp Suhyuk in its hand and crush his body. But at that moment, a bolt of lightning had already been fired from Suhyuk¡¯s hand. Crack-! A streak of yellow lightning flew and pierced the giant¡¯s eye and head. Rumble-! Thunder roared. Yellow lightning enveloped the giant¡¯s body. As if time had stopped, the hand reaching for Suhyuk halted. The head, skewered by the spear, exploded, and scorched flesh fell to the ground. ¨C Did he really hit that? ¨C Crazy strong LOLOLOL ¨C One shot kill! ¨CI stayed for this moment sincerely Suhyuk only started paying attention to the chat after concluding that it was over. The reaction was explosive. The giant¡¯s head had exploded. That enormous giant had been killed instantly with one hit. Moreover, this was connected to Suhyuk¡¯s iconic lightning trial. It would be strange if there was no reaction. ¡®Is that¡­¡­.¡¯ The giant¡¯s head, which exploded along with its eye. Inside was something yellow. ¡®A jewel?¡¯ Within the exploded giant¡¯s head was a yellow jewel. A yellow stone, emitting a familiar magical power, shone brightly. Soon, it slowly flew towards Suhyuk. ¡ºYou have defeated the ¡°Seed of Lightning.¡±¡» ¡ºYou have cleared Stage 7 ¨C Lightning.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» x 3 ¡ºStrength increased by 2.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 2.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 3.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºYou have gained 5000 achievement points.¡» ¡ºItem ¨C ¡°Heart of Lightning¡± obtained.¡» A message indicating the end of the trial. And it identified the stone¡¯s true nature. ¡®Heart of Lightning? Is this it?¡¯ Not the second lightning, but the Heart of Lightning. It was a name he¡¯d never heard of before. He had obtained various pieces of lightning, but it was his first time seeing the name ¡°Heart of Lightning.¡± Whoosh-! A bright light emanated from the Heart of Lightning. The rumbling thunder vanished, and a brilliant halo enveloped Suhyuk. It happened so quickly that he couldn¡¯t resist or react. ¡°What is this?¡± A mumble escaped his lips. He was sure the trial was over, but it seemed there was something more. ¡®I¡¯m really at my limit now.¡¯ His fatigue was too high. He had used too much stamina to activate the Lightning Spear. If the trial were to continue from here¡­ Rumble. From within the halo of light, something began to reveal itself at that moment. Just as it slowly found its color, as if emerging from behind misty clouds, it wasn¡¯t a single entity. No, it wasn¡¯t an ¡°it¡±. It was ¡°them¡±. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Countless eyes peered down at him from the cloudy mist. They gazed upon him from above the clouds, sending various nces his way. Bzzzt, bzzzt-. Just meeting their gaze made his body tingle. It was his first time. Feeling so overwhelmed when facing something. Those shadowy figures had varying sizes and shapes. Some were as small as ordinary people. Others had eyes so enormous that they seemed like giants straight out of mythology. Gulp-. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth. ¡®What are yo¡ª.¡¯ Gasp-. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. No voice came out. No, that wasn¡¯t all. ¡º¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡± is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡± is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡°¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡± is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» Messages floated up one after another. Not a single name was readable. It meant they were existences that weren¡¯t permitted to him yet, beings he couldn¡¯t face at this point in time. Rumble-. An unseen force blocked them. Lightning and lightning descended from the sky, exerting oppressive power. The loud thunder made it feel like his eardrums would burst and tear apart. Drip-. In the end, blood flowed from his ears. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes turned towards the figures obscured by the clouds. ¡®What are you trying to say?¡¯ Why have you appeared before me at this point in time? It was almost simultaneous with that thought. ¡ºMain Scenario: ¡°Lightning¡± begins.¡» ¡ºYou can acquire hints in the vige through the Heart of Lightning.¡» With the message, the scenery shifted once again. * Whoosh-! As the halo of light vanished, the surroundings returned to normal. Suhyuk¡¯s gaze, as he scanned his surroundings,nded on the chat window. ¨C Excuse me? What are you doing? ¡ºLee Suhyuk has ended the stream.¡» ¨C The flower has bloomed~ ¡ª LOLOLOL Squid Game? ¨C Did he faint? ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The reactions were odd. The viewers talked as if he had just been standing there nkly. If they had seen the same thing as he did, it would have been iprehensible. They¡¯d surely be making a fuss about the huge urrence. Which means¡­ ¡®They couldn¡¯t see it?¡¯ The dense clouds in the sky and the myriad of beings hidden within them. It meant that he was the only one who had faced them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I might have fainted while standing.¡± An insincere excuse. But there was no real reason to doubt it. After all, it was true that Suhyuk appeared to have fainted while standing. ¨C Again????? ¨C LOLOLOL LOL How many times have you fainted in a single trial? ¨C Suhyuk, you sweet baby¡­ a bit of a wimp¡­. ¨C Wimp LOLOLOL LOL Fortunately, it seemed to have blown over well enough. Feeling relieved internally, Suhyuk nced around. The vige visible in the distance was still embroiled in battle. Even though the boss-level giant was dead, the remnants of the giant tribe still remained. But that wasn¡¯t his concern. The remaining soldiers and knights could handle that much on their own. ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ There was nothing more he needed to do. All that was left was to go down to the vige and check the remaining rewards as the message had indicated. Additionally¡ª ¡°Oh, right.¡± Aside from the trial, there was something else to settle. ¡°We still haven¡¯t finished calcting, right?¡± The happiest moment since starting the stream. It was time to tally the mission funds. ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou received 3000 points from ¡°SafeAsset.¡±¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou received 3000 points from ¡°IloveLeeSuhyuk.¡±¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou received 1000 points from ¡°MakeHimDoIt.¡±¡» ¡ºMissionpleted¡­¡­.¡» Messages flowed in rapidly. Such delightful messages. Because the missions were challenging, the amounts pledged were substantial, and many viewers had set missions for him. Thanks to that¡ª ¡ºPoints held: 40120p¡» He finally surpassed 40,000 points. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled. The next point threshold needed to level up his ¡°Selfish Sacrifice¡± skill was exactly 40,000. It was a close call, but he had managed to surpass it. ¨C Now go to the vige ¨C Check the Heart of Lightning too. Once the tallying wasplete, curious viewers began to urge him to continue. To check the rewards, go back to the vige, and gather clues for the ongoing trial. To ascend to the third level, there were quite a few remaining tasks. However¡ª ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired¡­.¡± Suhyuk decided it was time to end the stream. ¡°I¡¯ll be back next time. See you.¡± ¨C ¡­¡­? ¨C Right now? ¨C Wait a minute ¨C No way, damn it Ignoring the urgent chat messages that were quickly popping up. ¡ºLee Suhyuk has ended the stream.¡» Thus ended Suhyuk¡¯s second stream. * After stopping the trial and returning to his dormitory, Suhyuk copsed and fell asleep immediately. Though there had been no physical shocks, the mental fatigue from the trial had been umting. The next morning, after resting well, Suhyuk had breakfast in the dormitory and then went down to the caf¨¦ on the first floor to check themunity reactions on the yers Channel. ?Summary of Suhyuk¡¯s Second Day Broadcast? ¡º1. Passed the Path of Lightning. Obtained the Lightning Spear. Blew the giant¡¯s head off. Acquired the Heart of Lightning. Further rewards yet to be determined. ps. Ended the stream abruptly.¡» ¨C Summary is on point ¨C Not muchpared to the first day ¨C Clearly didn¡¯t watch the stream ¨C ROFL just hit the spear ¨C If you saw it live, you¡¯d get it ¨C ? All he did was throw a spear ¨C Over 100ments and more than 10,000 views. Though it hadn¡¯t made it to the top trending posts, it was still garnering quite a bit of attention. It seemed that many people were interested since the trial was rted to lightning. ¡°Is this going well¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going great.¡± Clink-. A teapot and a cup were ced in front of him. When he looked up, Un Hyang was standing there with a triumphant face. ¡°And tremendously so. Ah, may I sit?¡± ¡°By all means.¡± With Suhyuk¡¯s permission, Un Hyang sat down with a bright smile. She continued speaking while lifting her teacup. ¡°Did you know that the highest viewership yesterday surpassed 3,000?¡± ¡°3,000?¡± He didn¡¯t know. When Suhyuk shook his head, Un Hyang asked as if she had expected it. ¡°You didn¡¯t know because you were focused?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Suhyuk averted his eyes awkwardly. It was true that as a contracted streamer, he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to the stream. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Pardon? No, it¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. I intended to praise you, actually¡­¡­¡± Un Hyang stammered, unsure of what to say. Her original intention was not to criticize Suhyuk. ¡°Getting over 3,000 peak viewers on just the second stream is incredible. Plus, the stream content was highly engaging, so it¡¯s promising.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. And the timing of cutting off the stream was perfect.¡± Just as the trial ended and he was about to check the rewards. Suhyuk had ended the stream at precisely that moment. ¡°Fortune seems to favor you as well¡­¡­¡± ¡°So they¡¯ll tune in next time to see the continuation.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened at Suhyuk¡¯s words. As she reacted, Suhyuk picked up thest sausage on his te and continued speaking. ¡°It¡¯s the most curious moment, right? Even for me. Having just ovee a difficult trial, it¡¯s natural to anticipate the rewards.¡± It¡¯s amon precept. Though no one had instructed him, and even if they had, cutting the stream at that moment took considerable guts. ¡°So you did it intentionally?¡± Suhyuk nodded. ¡°I n to check the rewards in the next stream. That way, I can provide a more genuine reaction without having to act.¡± Hearing his exnation, Un Hyang blinked repeatedly in surprise. Not only did he time the stream end intentionally, but his approach to prepping for the next stream was also impressive. ¡®That man was worrying over nothing.¡¯ John Dale, who had been concerned about Suhyuk as a streamer. It appeared his concerns were unfounded. Suhyuk had a knack. Not just as a yer, but also as a streamer. Although during the trials, he sometimes forgot his role as a streamer, from Un Hyang¡¯s perspective, it wasn¡¯t a w. He was fulfilling his role wonderfully. That being said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a gift for you.¡± As the streamer¡¯s partner, they also needed to deliver results befitting Suhyuk¡¯s efforts. ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Would you mind turning on the stream? Search for ¡®Falcon Eye.¡¯¡± A gift while streaming? Puzzled, Suhyuk tilted his head but began operating the kit as instructed. ¡°It should be live right now.¡± ¡ºEntering ¡°Falcon Eye¡¯s¡± stream.¡» Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¨C Fal-hi ¨C Fal-hi ¨C Fal-hi (short for Falcon Eye Hi) ¨C What¡¯s with the stream title LOL ¨C Drumroll! There¡¯s a streamer leeching off a small channel? From the start, the chat window was buzzing. Without turning on the camera that showed his face, Falcon Eye took a moment to catch his breath. ¡º2nd Suhyuk? No, this is Lee Suhyuk.¡» It was quite a provocative title. Lee Suhyuk. His name had a radiance that outshone any other word. ¡®Things are getting wild.¡¯ ¨C This guy¡¯s really gone too far LOL ¨C Worshipper mode On ¨C Damn, even small-time streamers are using Lee Suhyuk¡¯s name now ¡º¡°HostileFalconCritic¡± has been forcibly removed by the manager.¡» ¨C For once, hostile Critic actually made sense LOL Watching the chat was dizzying. But on the other hand, it was also reassuring. The hotter the chat got, the more it proved that the bait had been taken. ¡°Sigh-.¡± With a final deep breath, Falcon Eye turned on the microphone and camera. ¡°Hello, brothers! Today, yes. You see the stream title, right? That¡¯s what we¡¯re doing today. Or should I say, ¡®doing again today¡¯?¡± A predetermined opening line. But from here on, Falcon Eye had no prepared script. Reality was the direction he aimed for in his streams. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, right? This guy, just in terms of talent, is better than Lee Suhyuk at his peak.¡± ¨C Seriously, overkill;; ¨C Saying that just because of one thing LOL ¨C Yesterday¡¯s stream had nothing special? ¨C Not that it was nothing, but it had less impactpared to the first day Opinions about Lee Suhyuk were divided. As the yer who obtained lightning, he had aplished something great, but that alone wasn¡¯t enough to rate him highly, given theparison. Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. He was an icon of an era, iparable to anyone else. ¡°Alright, alright, brothers. Calm down first and let¡¯s watch the video together. I¡¯ll exin everything.¡± ¨C Lol, okay, let¡¯s go ¨C Let¡¯s go~ ¨C No crotchety remarks today? ¨C Doesn¡¯t seem like it, given the mood Click-. Suhyuk¡¯s image appeared on the stream screen. ¡°They said lightning was hidden here¡­ but I don¡¯t see anything?¡± The Path of Lightning. Suhyuk, having arrived there, picked up a stone from the ground first. Crackle-! A loud noise. The stone turned ck and was flung away. ¨C ¡°That¡¯s lightning.¡± ¡°Quick judgment.¡± Entering observation mode, Falcon Eye nodded. It wasn¡¯t a grand exmation. But it was a situation worthy of praise. Utilizing the surrounding terrain in unfamiliar environments is a fundamental attitude of a seasoned yer. ¡°The map¡¯s name is quite literal. Walking amidst lightning indeed¡­¡± ¨C ¡°It seems the theme this time is ¡®endurance¡¯.¡± Falcon Eye chuckled at the ongoing stream. ¡°The stream is still in its infancy. You can see the awkwardness.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOL ¨C He¡¯s still a rookie LOL ¨C But seriously, he gets awkward as soon as he starts streaming ¨C The atmosphere wasn¡¯t bad at all. Before the main trial began, Falcon Eye checked the viewer count. ¡ºViewers: 9120¡» Already 9,000 viewers. Slightly more than his usual numbers. Considering it had been less than 30 minutes since he started streaming, it was a very positive trend. ¡®The real show starts now.¡¯ Step-. Lee Suhyuk began to move. Crackle-! The sound of an electric shock marked the beginning of the trial. Falcon Eye fell silent, watching intently even though he had already seen it live once before. And once again. ¡°Wow¡­ amazing¡­!¡± Seeing it again sent shivers down his spine. Then, after passing the trial, Suhyuk revealed a legendary-grade item. ¨C Wow ¨C Legend; ¨C My heart swells. It¡¯s truly legendary¡­ ¨C Note: It¡¯s actually a real legend The Lightning Spear. Though it was a one-time-use item, it was the first legendary-grade item to appear in the second-floor segment. Of course. Its intended use was predetermined from the beginning. Krrrrr-! From the top of the mountain, the giant looked down and rampaged through the vige like it was crushing tiny ants. ¨C It¡¯s massive even after seeing it again ¨C Can we even defeat that? ¨C Reviewing it since he seeded? Most of Falcon Eye¡¯s viewers hadn¡¯t watched Suhyuk¡¯s stream. Falcon Eye¡¯s current viewer count had just surpassed 10,000, while Suhyuk¡¯s highest was only 3,000, so it was understandable. Crash, rumble-! The thunderp marked the activation. Falcon Eye concentrated on the stream without uttering a word. It took only a few minutes for the giant to notice Suhyuk and start charging. ¨C Damn, it¡¯s super fast! ¨C It¡¯s huge but why so fast LOL ¨C Is he going to bete? ¨C Nope, one-shot kill iing ¡ª Spoilers, get banned, please Roooaaarrr-! The giant had reached almost within striking distance. But at that moment, the activation of the Lightning Spear finished just in time. Boom-! A spear of yellow lightning flew in a straight line. The Thunderp exploded right in front of him as the charging giant came to an abrupt halt. The screen shook violently. The power of a legendary-grade item wasn¡¯t something one would normally witness on the second floor. ¨C Wow, damn. That was startling ¨C The sound is massive LOLOLOL ¨C That was satisfying ¨C Look at the head exploding LOLOLOL ¨C It really was a one-shot kill ¨C The moment the giant¡¯s head exploded and it was confirmed. Click-. Falcon Eye paused the screen and began his review. ¡°Alright, up to here. Wow, damn. Brothers, did anyone see the same thing as me? Raise your hands if you did.¡± ¨C Hand ¨C Hand ¨C hand ¨C Foot ¨C Hand and foot? Damn? ¨C Misunderstanding no Hand and Foot ¡°Alright, brothers. Let¡¯s keep the chat clean. Please be polite.¡± After briefly calming down the rapidly flowing chat, Falcon Eye started his full review. ¡°First, this¡ªthe Path of Lightning. In my opinion, this is a very straightforward trial. Essentially, all you need to do is walk.¡± ¨C True ¨C But it looked super tough though ¨C Was it an act? ¨C Idiots, he said the structure is simple, not that the difficulty is low Falcon Eye nodded at thestment. ¡°HotdogGuy is right. Don¡¯t get it twisted. The structure is simple, but that doesn¡¯t mean the difficulty is low. No, in fact, it¡¯s probably really hard.¡± Moreover¡ª ¡°And here¡¯s the key point.¡± Falcon Eye rewound the footage to a specific point. Drip-. Drip, drip-. Impurities flowed out from Suhyuk¡¯s body, dripping to the ground. Dark burnt-looking, viscous substances. ¡°This. Brothers, you see this?¡± ¨C What is that? ¨C Sweating a lot ¡ª Damn, does that look like sweat to you? ¨C Please keep the chat polite This was a fleeting scene in the stream. But when Falcon Eye pointed out the ck liquids dripping on the ground, the viewers began to pay attention. ¨C Is that cleansing? ¨C No way? That¡¯s too much;; ¨C But it seems right A few viewers seemed to get it too, theirments trickling in. And around that time¡ª ¡°Yes. It¡¯s cleansing.¡± Falcon Eye confirmed the insane ordeal streamer Lee Suhyuk was going through. ¡°This person is unlocking the Full Body Meridian Path during the trial.¡± ¨C ?????????? ¨C ??? ??? ??? ??? ¨C Wow ¨C What does that even mean, you nerd? LOLOLOL ¨C Judging by the ignorance about cleansing, it¡¯s clear some people don¡¯t know LOLOLOL Cleansing. An abbreviation used by yers for the Full Body Meridian Unlock process. And the Full Body Meridian Unlock process was known among yers as the first gateway to bing a ranker. ¡°Those in the know will understand. This is freaking insane! How excruciatingly painful it is.¡± ¨C You don¡¯t know, though ¨C Yeah, you don¡¯t know Falcon Eye made a startled expression. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right about that¡­ But I did try it once, okay? It hurt like hell.¡± Though he had climbed quite high in the tower, he hadn¡¯t achieved the Full Body Meridian Unlock. Only the chosen yers could achieve that process. Falcon Eye was just one of those yers who had failed to unlock the meridian paths. ¡°Anyway, the Full Body Meridian Unlock requires immense focus, control, and mental fortitude. Everyone agrees on that.¡± Now it was time for the serious feedback. ¡°But can you do this with just mental fortitude? No, you can¡¯t. To unblock the meridians, you need considerable magic. That¡¯s impossible on the second floor.¡± Falcon Eye, speaking rapidly, leaned closer to the screen. ¡°So here¡¯s the question! Where did the magic for the cleansinge from?¡± ¨C Lightning? ¨C Understood¡­ it¡¯s mindblowing¡­ ¨C This guy is absolutely insane LOLOLOL ¨C Wow, so crazy LOLOLOL Bang-! mming his fist on the desk, Falcon Eye shouted. ¡°Exactly, lightning! What¡¯s the name of the trial area? ¡®Path of Lightning,¡¯ right? It means there¡¯s an abundance of magic everywhere.¡± A crazy idea. Using the ambient magic that threatens him to unblock his meridian paths. ¡°How did hee up with this? Even if he thought of it, how did he put it into practice? And how did he seed?¡± His voice rose in excitement. Anyone who realized how absurd this feat was would feel the same. Half-standing from his seat, Falcon Eye continued his final exnation. ¡°In a trial of endurance, he added another level of endurance. Heyered an additional trial on top of the existing trial!¡± ¨C Brother, calm down ¨C I wondered why he was struggling so much, now it makes sense LOLOLOL ¨C Truly a madman LOLOLOL ¨C What¡¯s with the tension today? Falcon Eye finally sat back down after calming his excitement. Though he often got excited seeing excellent y, this time it was enough to disrupt the stream itself. ¡°Phew-. Sorry, brothers. Let me rx for a moment.¡± After taking a few deep breaths. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m calm now. Sorry, brothers. Let¡¯s wrap this up.¡± Returning to his usual tone, Falcon Eye resumed the stream. Click-. The video resumed. Falcon Eye fast-forwarded the footage. This time, it was the part where Suhyuk activated the Lightning Spear. ¡°Honestly, there isn¡¯t much to say about this part. So I¡¯ll keep it short.¡± Boom-! The Lightning Spear hurled and pierced through the giant¡¯s head. A single strike. Watching Suhyuk hit the giant¡¯s head without blinking an eye, Falcon Eye gave his final impression. ¡°It¡¯s just Lee Suhyuk. What more needs to be said?¡± * ¡°It¡¯s just Lee Suhyuk. What more needs to be said?¡± Flinch-. Suhyuk¡¯s body trembled slightly at thosest words. It hit home. Hard. ¡®It¡¯s true, no matter how you look at it¡­¡¯ The name he used in his past life and the name he uses now. Both are Lee Suhyuk. But still, it felt like he was deceiving everyone. ¡®Anyway, he¡¯s good.¡¯ Adding another trial on top of the existing one. He simplified the concept of the Full Body Meridian Unlock so even viewers unfamiliar with it could understand. If it were him, he¡¯d likely be exining the entire process of the Full Body Meridian Unlock in detail. ¡®So, this is how streaming is done.¡¯ It was a valuable lesson. Moments like these made him painfully aware of how inexperienced he was as a streamer. ¡°Uh¡ª.¡± At that moment, Un Hyang, who had been watching the stream with him, cautiously spoke up. ¡°May I ask you something?¡± She seemed to have been contemting throughout the entire stream. Unsure whether to ask or not, constantly hesitating. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I know this isn¡¯t something a manager should ask. Really, I do! But I just have to know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± What on earth is she trying to ask that makes her this hesitant? After a long pause, Un Hyang finally gathered her courage and spoke. And her question was straightforward. ¡°Why are you doing this streaming thing?¡± It was definitely not a question a manager would typically ask. ¡°It¡¯s not for the money, right?¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Of course it isn¡¯t. *Looks sideways nervously* Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°Not for money, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Suhyuk paused at Un Hyang¡¯s question. The purpose of bing a streamer. In a straightforward sense, it was for the money. After all, earning points was necessary to level up his Selfish Sacrifice skill and ovee the drawbacks of his Lightning. Of course. ¡®She¡¯s not asking about that, is she?¡¯ Suhyuk stared intently into Un Hyang¡¯s eyes. She was a yer who had reached a fairly high level of mastery. She might have even surpassed the Full Body Meridian Unlock and achieved the Ren and Du meridians unlock. So, she would understand. How grueling, painful, and difficult what he had achieved was. However. ¡°It¡¯s for the money.¡± He couldn¡¯t answer honestly as she intended. How could he exin that he is the reincarnation of the real Lee Suhyuk? Even if she believed it, there were issues that couldn¡¯t be spoken about. This past had to be concealed. Only by doing so could he sharpen his de for longer. ¡°There are no other reasons.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Un Hyang sighed softly at Suhyuk¡¯s answer and nodded. ¡°Thank you for answering. I asked something unnecessary.¡± Her expression wasn¡¯t entirely satisfied. But fortunately, Un Hyang didn¡¯t press further. Like she said, this wasn¡¯t a question a manager should be asking a streamer. The conversation returned to business matters. ¡°Streamer Falcon Eye is affiliated with our Balhae Entertainment. He¡¯s a long-standing streamer who has been with us for over five years.¡± With those words, Un Hyang handed over an approval form. ¡°He has a solid fan base as a review content streamer.¡± ¡°He has a good eye. Absolutely.¡± Swish-. The documents in the approval form included personal details and stream information about streamer Falcon Eye. His main content was reviews and feedback. He had already reviewed Suhyuk twice before. ¡°The revenue from this stream will be split.¡± ¡°Revenue?¡± ¡°Yes. Including ad fees, donations, and video earnings. Everything.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled. There was no reason to refuse a share of the points. He had been strapped for pointstely. ¡®After leveling up Selfish Sacrifice, I only have 120 points left.¡¯ It was free money. Even if it cost him his hair, he needed the points now. ¡°Ooh¡­¡± ¡°Is it really that good?¡± Watching Suhyuk nod without a second thought, Un Hyang was taken aback. Seeing him so pleased was nice, but it was baffling to this extent. ¡®Is it really for the money?¡¯ Initially, she didn¡¯t think so, but now she was confused by his reaction. Suhyuk in front of her looked like someone obsessed with money. Like he was literally mad about it. ¡°I mentioned earlier that I had a gift for you, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, the gift isn¡¯t this stream. This is just a preview¡­¡± Un Hyang conveyed a proposal that came through John Dale. ¡°How about a co-stream with this person?¡± *** Having ended her conversation, Un Hyang returned to her dorm. Shuffle, shuffle. Dragging her exhausted body, she threw herself onto the bed. Plop-. She buried her face in the pillow. Suhyuk¡¯s words echoed in her mind. ¡°It¡¯s for the money.¡± Money. Suhyuk didn¡¯t make excuses for his purpose in bing a streamer. Behind the mask that concealed his face. The only visible part was his eyes. But Un Hyang was even more convinced after seeing those eyes. Despite the words he spoke. His reason for bing a streamer couldn¡¯t be just about money. ¡°He¡¯s so damn cool¡­¡± Pop, pop-pop-. Pow-! She punched the pillow, but failing to control her strength, the cushion burst. Feathers scattered through the air. But she was too preupied, her mind filled with thoughts of Lee Suhyuk. ¡®Absolutely no way.¡¯ She knew better than anyone how excruciating breaking through the full body meridian path was. Yet, to do it amidst the zing hot electrocution that left stones charred? To channel that kind of magic through his meridians? She could confidently say she wouldn¡¯tst a single minute. Yet¡ª ¡®He endured it. Through sheer willpower.¡¯ No matter how much someone loves money, it¡¯s hard to believe. The eyes behind the mask shown in the stream were not the eyes of someone just chasing after money. Even so¡ª ¡°There are no other reasons.¡± He went out of his way to block out the truth. ¡®It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to talk about it.¡¯ Just like his face was covered by a mask, it felt like he had many secrets. But secrets are inherently things one doesn¡¯t want to talk about. Therefore¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s not get curious.¡± Burying her face in the burst pillow, she chuckled. ¡°Because I¡¯m a manager.¡± She and he were in a manager and streamer rtionship. A manager¡¯s role included protecting the streamer¡¯s privacy. But what good would it do if a manager started prying into a streamer¡¯s private life? If, someday¡ª Suhyuk chose to open up to her and share his story, that might be different. Regaining herposure, Un Hyang got up from where she had been lying. And then¡ª ¡°Aaah! What the hell is this!¡± She screamed, looking around the room. The entire ce was a mess with pillow stuffing scattered everywhere. *** Click-. Like Un Hyang, Suhyuk returned to his dorm and removed his mask. His reflection in the mirror by the bed revealed a facepletely different from what he showed the world, except for his ck hair. ¡®What am I trying to hide?¡¯ He had grown too ustomed to wearing masks for a long time. In truth, there was no real reason to hide his face from Un Hyang. Even if Lee Suhyuk the streamer¡¯s face were revealed to the world right now, it wouldn¡¯t cause any particr issues. His real mask wasn¡¯t this thin piece of metal. ¡°It¡¯s not for money, right?¡± For some reason, her words lingered in his mind. Money. On a basic level, that was the reason he became a streamer. The currency in this world was points, and a sessful streamer could earn a lot of points. But. If he were to answer honestly, what was his ultimate goal? Revenge? Or finding his surviving friends? Countless questions and uncertainties floated through his mind. Unable to make a decision, his thoughts drifted. And then¡ª ¡°Both¡­ both, actually.¡± He realized he didn¡¯t have to choose one over the other. Minjae, Suhoon, Jiyoung. Three friends who had died right in front of him. He had no way of knowing how many of the other four had survived. He vaguely hoped that Shiwoo, at least, was still alive. He had no intention of just letting their deaths go unavenged. He wasn¡¯t going to choose one over the other. He had to aplish both. And to do that¡ª He had to obtain greater lightning and control it more perfectly than before. ¡ºYou have used 40,000 points.¡» ¡ºThe skill level of ¡°Selfish Sacrifice Lv3¡± has increased.¡» ¡°Ouch¡­¡± It pained him. ¡°My points¡­¡± ¡ºPoints remaining: 120p¡» Watching his points plummet, leaving him with a measly 120, Suhyuk closed his eyes tightly. Had Balhae Entertainment not provided him with amodation, he would have been out on the streets. But because of that¡ª ¡¾ Selfish Sacrifice ¡¿ Category: Skill Grade: C Level: 4 Suppresses the side effects of skills and items that harm the user¡¯s body. Points can be used to upgrade the skill¡¯s grade and level. Required points: 80,000p He had managed to increase the skill level of Selfish Sacrifice once more. ¡®Now it¡¯s C grade.¡¯ The grade was still low. But the grade wasn¡¯t particrly crucial for this skill. It was initially evaluated lowly because it was a supporting skill for other skills. The suppression effect of Selfish Sacrifice was more powerful than most holy swords. ¡®The cob stream is tomorrow, right?¡¯ The cob stream was scheduled to take ce on the third floor. The only thing left on the second floor was finalizing the rewards. He could move to the next floor whenever he resumed the trial. ¡°I¡¯d better prepare for the stream soon.¡± Today¡¯s stream was likely to be short. *** In the heart of the fourth floor. A man was looking at arge monitor inside a building with tall, blue-ss windows covering its facade, in the middle of a city packed with high-rise buildings. ¡°Honestly, there isn¡¯t much to say about this part. So I¡¯ll keep it short.¡± It was streamer Falcon Eye¡¯s stream. ¡°So, who exactly is this guy?¡± ¡°Falcon Eye. His name is in short for ¡®Eye of the Falcon,¡¯ and he usually has around 8,000 viewers.¡± ¡°A streamer? One of those clowns?¡± Snickering, the man¡¯s subordinate corrected him. ¡°We can¡¯t just dismiss them as clowns. Considering the influence and market potential of that field.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they just failures who couldn¡¯t cut it as yers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but recently, several rankers, including Reinhardt, have started streaming for fun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a hobby. Just because someone cooks for fun doesn¡¯t make them a professional chef, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. The man only mocked streamers who were professionals. He didn¡¯t dismiss the act of streaming itself. Boom-! The streamer introduced through Falcon Eye¡¯s stream was Lee Suhyuk. The Lightning Spear he fired caught the man¡¯s attention. ¡°Oh-.¡± Screech-. The man, previously half-lying on his chair, straightened up. ¡°That¡¯s impressive. Quite something.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°That guy didn¡¯t blink once. Don¡¯t you get it? Blue Eyes¡¯ spearman, Choi Suhoon, once said, ¡®The throw begins with keeping your eyes unblinking.¡¯¡± ¡°You even remember such things, Cha Minwoo-nim?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The man, Cha Minwoo, shrugged his shoulders proudly. ¡°Blue Eyes was the best. Not just Lee Suhyuk but the entire team.¡± Blue Eyes. Although a small guild consisting of only eight members, they were widely known. They were overshadowed by Lee Suhyuk¡¯s name, but every member was an exceptional yer. Of course. ¡°It¡¯s just Lee Suhyuk. What more needs to be said?¡± Regardless, one couldn¡¯t deny that Lee Suhyuk was the best. ¡°What nonsense is that idiot spewing?¡± Cha Minwoo¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. ¡°Just because he did well once, he¡¯s attaching someone else¡¯s name?¡± ¡°The biggest issue with streamers. They¡¯ll do anything for the sake of being sensational.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Cha Minwoo clicked his tongue briefly, then turned off the screen and asked. ¡°So, what? Why did you show me this?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea. Guild Leader Kim Ilsoo asked me to show you.¡± ¡°Ilsoo hyung?¡± Kim Ilsoo. He¡¯s the guild leader of Blue Zone and a yer Cha Minwoo respects the most. He was also¡ª Once a member of Blue Eyes, like Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Wasn¡¯t lightning originally the symbol of Blue Eyes? And Blue Eyes is the predecessor of our Blue Zone.¡± With that exnation, Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Are we recruiting him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The subordinate nodded and handed over a bag filled with points converted into currency. ¡°We¡¯ve allocated a generous budget, so make sure to bring him in.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Oh no, trouble is brewing. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡ºLee Suhyuk has started the stream.¡» No matter how renowned a streamer is, they start with zero viewers. The difference lies in how quickly those viewers increase. ¨C Su-hi! -Su-hi! ¨C You¡¯re quick LOL ¨C I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment sincerely ¨C Seriously felt like I got interrupted mid-pee yesterday The viewer count rapidly grew. About three minutes into the stream, Suhyuk checked the viewer trend. ¡ºViewers: 900¡» The viewer count was rapidly increasing. Just as he was about to begin the stream in earnest¡ª ¡ºIloveLeeSuhyuk has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºAnother long night tonight?¡» Along with the donation, a question popped up. ¡°Thank you for the donation, IloveLeeSuhyuk. No, it¡¯s going to be a short one tonight.¡± ¨C Su-hi! ¨C A short stream, damn it LOL ¨C Why? ??? ¨C Not going to the third floor? In the pristine white room of the trial site, Suhyuk turned on the camera and microphone. He believed it was necessary tomunicate a bit before starting the main content of the stream. ¡°Yes. Before ascending to the third floor, I think a bit of reorganization is necessary.¡± An amateur yer might be busy both mentally and physically. There¡¯s no redo in trials, and Suhyuk had no intention of ascending while failing. Rushing the challenge and failing would only prolong the time needed to conquer the tower. Like climbing stairs, calmly and steadily. One must proceed with a perfectly recovered condition and mental state to achieve perfect results. ¡°I also need to sort out what I gained from the second floor, so the strategy for the third floor will start in the next stream.¡± ¨C Ah,e on ¨C I wanted to see you going up to the third floor ¨C Seriously, let¡¯s see some lightning strikes LOL ¨C What¡¯s with the Heart of Lightning? A pertinent question came up for the progress of the stream. The Heart of Lightning. Probably, those tuning into his stream were here because they were curious about it. ¡°I¡¯m curious too. I haven¡¯t checked it yet, so we can all find out together.¡± ¨C Awesome ¨C A true streamer; ¨C You didn¡¯t sneak a peek, did you? ¡°No way.¡± Viewers empathize with the streamer¡¯s circumstances and mood. Knowing that, Suhyuk hadn¡¯t checked what the Heart of Lightning was beforehand. ¡®No mention of the cutscene.¡¯ No matter how much he read the chat, there was no discussion about the cutscene he saw at the end. The countless eyes looking down on him from above the clouds. Even through watching Falcon Eye¡¯s stream, it seemed like only he could see them. ¡®This isn¡¯t your ordinary cutscene.¡¯ What exactly was it? The myriad of names disyed as ¡ö¡ö¡ö. If these entities could avoid the eyes of yer¡¯s system-approved program, they were certainly not ordinary beings. ¡®Let¡¯s find out.¡¯ His eyes narrowed beneath the mask. ¡®Starting now.¡¯ ¡ºBegin the second-floor trial.¡» *** Whoooosh-! The view shifted. Like starting a new game, everything surrounding Suhyuk changed, revealing the scene of a destroyed vige. ¡°Gather the wounded to one side! Treat the severely injured first, and bring the herbal medicine¡­.¡± The first person he made eye contact with was Ferius. Upon spotting Suhyuk getting up, Ferius beamed brightly. ¡°Savior! You have awakened!¡± His voice was high-pitched. His speech was more formal, and even his approaching steps were courteous. Suhyuk muttered as he got up from the hard bed. ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ferius, who was approaching closer, looked puzzled. ¡°Oh, right. The microphone.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL ¨C Ferius looks confused LOL ¨C Starting off withughs LOL Suhyuk quickly adjusted his microphone. So that what he said wasn¡¯t audible to Ferius. ¡°It seems AhemFerius is getting better treatment now. Is it because I took down the giant?¡± ¨C Still calling him AhemFerius LOLOLOL ¨C Honestly, he deserves better treatment ¨C Seriously, if they still ignored him, that¡¯d be inhuman ¨C Ferius had always been a knight favorable towards Suhyuk. ¨C But even then, it had never been to this degree. ¡°Savior! Are you alright? We were worried when we found you copsed at the vige entrance. If you hadn¡¯t woken up¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± ¨C Shut up LOL ¨C Ohe on, we get it~ ¨C Seriously, good thing Ferius can¡¯t hear this Preparing to brush him off, Suhyuk made a mental note to adjust the microphone again. ¡°I¡¯m still feeling dizzy. Could you step back for a moment?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? I¡¯m sorry.¡± At Suhyuk¡¯s words, Ferius hesitated and then stepped back. Or so it seemed. In reality, he stood nearby, preventing anyone from approaching Suhyuk. ¨C Such dedication ¨C AhemFerius¡­ you are something else¡­ ¨C Maybe it¡¯s time to start reciprocating his feelings ¨C Start dating! Start dating! ¨C Let¡¯s go with the couple game!! Ignoring the chat, Suhyuk first surveyed the surroundings. ¡°The trial progressed quickly. It seems like the remaining giants have been cleared out.¡± Buzz-. The yellow jewel from his inventory emitted a faint light. The Heart of Lightning. It was the reward Suhyuk obtained after defeating the giant in this trial. ¡°Let¡¯s check the reward together first.¡± ¡¾ Heart of Lightning ¡¿ Grade: Unique (Growth) Wearing Restriction: ¨C Non-tradeable (Bound) Increases lightning attribute resistance by 30% Increases ¡®Lightning¡¯ attack power by 20% Majorly enhances immunity to ¡®Status Effect: Electrocution¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. He muttered a rare curse under his breath. ¡°What the hell¡­.¡± ¨C Oh ¨C LOL That¡¯s a curse, right? ¨C Is this disappointment or amazement? ¨C Ambiguous LOL Audience reactions were split. Some were pleased, while others were underwhelmed by the item. In reality, the item¡¯s grade was Unique, lower than the Legendary Lightning Spear used to defeat the giant. But Suhyuk had a different perspective. ¡®This is a jackpot.¡¯ Given a choice between the Lightning Spear and the Heart of Lightning, he would choose thetter without hesitation. Although it appeared modest, it had all the desirable traits for a user of lightning like him. ¡®For a user of lightning, resistance to lightning attributes is both offensive and defensive power. Moreover, it boosts basic attack power by 20%.¡¯ His eyes sparkled as he read thest option. ¡®And greatly enhances immunity to electric shock¡­¡¯ A smirk formed beneath his mask. If he had this item during his prime, how different would things have been? He might have fried not just Kim Ilsoo¡¯s neck but all the yers of Blue Zone. ¡ºMakeHimDoIt has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºNot satisfied with it?¡» Noticing his lukewarm reaction, a viewer asked with a donation. Regaining hisposure, Suhyuk replied to the question. ¡°No, I¡¯m satisfied. Very much so.¡± ¨C For real? ¨C Looks mediocre to me ¨C Must be decent if he can use lightning Judging by the chat, it was clear that not many understood the item¡¯s full value. No wonder. Though the grade of the item seemed high, its options appeared nd on the surface. Only someone who had actually used lightning could fully appreciate its value. ¡®It said to get clues in the vige.¡¯ Having finished the first task, Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted. Ferius. Currently, he was the most favorable figure towards Suhyuk in the vige. *** ¡°Yes, ask anything you¡¯d like!¡± Inside the old barrack. Ferius¡¯s eyes sparkled as he faced Suhyuk. This kind of enthusiasm was both a relief and a burden when he asked if he could ask some questions. ¡°He¡¯d probably tell me how many moles he has on his butt¡­¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOL ¨C (Calls him into the barrack) How many moles do you have on your butt? ¨C Whoa ¨C He¡¯d strip down to his underwear if needed LOL Fortunately, Ferius didn¡¯t hear that remark. Ensuring the microphone was adjusted, Suhyuk spoke. ¡°The legend was true.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw. Thanks to you, our city was saved.¡± Swish-. ¡°This came out of the giant¡¯s body.¡± Suhyuk first pulled out the Heart of Lightning from his inventory. ¡°This is an item called the Heart of Lightning.¡± The message had said to obtain clues through the Heart of Lightning. Without beating around the bush, Suhyuk got straight to the point. If he couldn¡¯t get any clues from Ferius, he¡¯d show it to someone else. But fortunately¡ª ¡°This is¡­¡± Seeing Ferius¡¯s reaction, it seemed the first step was a sess. ¡°Is this really the Heart of Lightning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The yellow jewel imbued with the power of lightning. Ferius¡¯s eyes sparkled as he discovered it. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Ferius¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know in detail.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¨C ?? ¨C Don¡¯t know? Don¡¯t know??? ¨C Just AhemFerius as always Suhyuk carefully observed Ferius¡¯s eyes. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s lying.¡¯ Judging by his reaction, it seemed like he genuinely didn¡¯t know. Seeing how anxious he was, it was clear Ferius wasn¡¯t faking it. ¡°W-what I know is only part of a legend. Whether this is true or not¡­¡± Suppressing a sigh, Suhyuk spoke. ¡°Tell me whatever you know, even if it¡¯s just a legend.¡± If this guy couldn¡¯t give him a clue, he¡¯d have to find another person. But that would be a hassle. Repetitive and tedious trials were what Suhyuk despised the most. ¡°What I know is¡­ just two legends.¡± ¡°Two legends?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Maybe one of them held a clue. Suhyuk listened closely to Ferius¡¯s words. ¡°The first legend states that lightning was used to annihte giants, just as you did, savior.¡± This was something Suhyuk already knew. Indeed, he had understood the origins of the lightning this way. ¡®It was a connected trial like this before too.¡¯ However, ording to Ferius, there was another legend. ¡°The second legend is about the gods and giants fighting over the lightning.¡± ¡°Fighting over it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Finally, a substantial clue. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°This is more of a legend within a legend. It says that the gods and the giants waged a war over the lightning, and in the process, the giants were defeated.¡± Gods and giants. The reason for their war being the lightning was intriguing. ¡°And this jewel¡­.¡± Staring intently at the yellow-glowing Heart of Lightning, Ferius¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I believe this was crafted.¡± ¡°Crafted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who made such a thing?¡± Ferius shook his head at Suhyuk¡¯s question. ¡°The legend doesn¡¯t say who made it. But the purpose is clear.¡± ¡°The purpose?¡± ¡°The primary purpose is for humans to wield the lightning.¡± Suhyuk nodded at this exnation. It was a usible story. The Heart of Lightning¡¯s options indeed specialized in handling lightning. ¡®Though it¡¯s a legend, it seems quite credible.¡¯ The weight behind Ferius¡¯s words added to its authenticity. As he prepared to listen to the next part, Suhyuk noticed Ferius¡¯s expression grew tense. Gathering himself with a deep breath, ¡°What I just mentioned is merely the primary purpose.¡± A sh of fear crossed Ferius¡¯s face. ¡°There is a greater goal.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The gods and the giants. Beings so great that humans cannot hope to challenge them with mere power.¡± After taking another deep breath, he continued, as if fearful to even utter the words, ¡°This was created to fight and defeat them.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: So gods and giants huh. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 At Ferius¡¯s exnation, Suhyuk examined the Heart of Lightning in his hand. Gods and giants. Beings that vastly surpass human capabilities. ¨C Could this really be an item made to fight and defeat them? ¨C Yeah right, Unique LOL At that moment, a chat message caught his eye. ¨C Seriously LOL No matter how grand it sounds, it¡¯s still just a Unique~ ¨C Have you ever seen an item¡¯s grade lie?? ¨C System >>> Ferius ¨C No matter what, this is a reward from the second floor, LOL ¨C If his words were true, it should be at least Legendary, right? ¨C If what he said was true, it could even be Mythic LOL ¨C Most of the chat was dismissing the item¡¯s value. But Suhyuk nodded. ¡®They¡¯re not wrong.¡¯ It was correct. The system did not lie. That was an undeniable truth recognized by everyone in the tower. The same applied to item grades. Unique. While it was a high grade, it was hard to fully ept Ferius¡¯s words at face value. ¡®If his words were true, this item would be rated at least Legendary, if not Mythical.¡¯ Mythic-grade. An item grade that even Suhyuk hadn¡¯t obtained yet. Even in the current era, twenty yearster, Mythical-grade items were exceedingly rare, countable on one hand. ¡®I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡¯ Regardless of the item¡¯s value, Suhyuk didn¡¯t let Ferius¡¯s words go in one ear and out the other. At the very least, the item was indeed highly efficient in handling lightning. The myths about lightning. The war between gods and giants. And the story of humans who fought against them. These were stories worth remembering. Moreover, while the viewers were unaware, Suhyuk had been assigned a scenario named ¡°Lightning¡±. This story was likely the beginning of that scenario. Sure enough. ¡ºYou have unlocked the story of the forgotten humans.¡» ¡ºYou have passed all the trials of ¡°Lightning¡±.¡» After Ferius finished speaking, a message indicating the end of the trial appeared. ¡ºYour aplishment points have increased the skill level of ¡°Lightning¡±.¡» ¡ºAplishment Points: 17050¡» ¡º¡±Lightning lv1¡å skill level has increased.¡» ¡º¡±Lightning lv2¡å skill level has increased.¡» ¡ºYou have obtained ¡°Lightning lv3¡±.¡» ¡°Oh-.¡± Suhyuk made a small exmation at the consecutive messages. He knew that the aplishment points obtained from the Lightning trial would be used to enhance the Lightning skill levels. But advancing by two levels at once was beyond his expectations. He hadn¡¯t entirely ruled out such an oue, but it was a highly satisfactory result. ¡®This is more than I could have hoped to gain from the second floor. No, it¡¯s much more.¡¯ He had reached level 26 and obtained the Lightning. He had secured stats by achieving the Full Body Meridian Unlock at an early stage and found a means to counteract the penalties of the Lightning through the Heart of Lightning. Additionally, he had elevated the Lightning skill level by two tiers in one go. ¡®I¡¯m satisfied.¡¯ This was more than enough. He had fulfilled all the desires that seemed insatiable, extracting everything the trial had to offer. Now, finally. ¡ºMoving to the third floor.¡» It was time to head to the next floor. Whoooosh-! Suhyuk¡¯s body was momentarily engulfed in light. With all the trials on the second floorpleted and the rewards finalized, there was no reason to remain any longer. ¡°Savior¡­?¡± Ferius stood up in astonishment at the sight. In the next moment, Pop-. Suhyuk¡¯s figure vanished from the spot. Leaving Ferius standing alone, blinking bewilderedly. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± * Whoooosh-! His vision whitewashed in an instant. With a sensation of floating, the world around Suhyuk changed. The white surroundings found color again. Columns crafted from marble and pristine white walls appeared. Arriving in the temple at the heart of the vige, Suhyuk blinked his eyes. ¡°Someone else has ascended.¡± ¡°A mask?¡± ¡°Is it a Lee Suhyuk cosy?¡± ¡°That trend doesn¡¯t seem to end.¡± yers gathered in the temple nced at Suhyuk. While it wasmon for yers to seed in climbing the tower and reach the third floor, the mask he was wearing undeniably drew attention. ¨C Finally, third floor ¨C Third floor hype ¨C Isn¡¯t it ¡°already¡± rather than ¡°finally¡±? ¨C Oh right LOL It¡¯s the third day of the stream today LOLOLOL Third floor. It was still considered part of the lower levels. It suddenly felt real. No matter how much he had obtained the Lightning and many rewards, he was just a yer in the lower levels. At that moment. Ding-. ¡ºIloveLeeSuhyuk has donated 1000 points.¡» ¡ºCongrats on reaching the third floor. How do you feel?¡» A substantial donation even though it wasn¡¯t a mission. The viewer with the nickname IloveLeeSuhyuk. This was their second donation today. ¡°Thank you for the 1000 points, IloveLeeSuhyuk-nim. How do I feel? Hmm¡­¡± He nced around. The temple, open on all sides. Used as a sort of free market, countless yers wandered in and out. *** ¡°E-excuse me.¡± A hesitant voice seemed to reach his ears. Kim Yerang. Initially, she had been shy around him. ¡°I lost my party, and I was wondering¡­ have you seen a person this tall?¡± She stretched one arm high to indicate the height. Choi Suhoon. A guy standing nearly two meters tall. *** ¡®It was here.¡¯ A faintugh escaped him. It was right here, on the third floor, that he had first met Kim Yerang and otherrades. Come to think of it, what would it have been like? *** ¡°I have.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°He went that way¡ª.¡± If at that moment, he had¡ª * Suhyuk forgot where he was for a moment, reminiscing. The third floor was where he had met Kim Yerang and his otherpanions. Meeting them had been a turning point. He refocused, mindful of the viewers and curious gazes. He needed to gather information and prepare for what was next. ¡®As expected, the third floor feels different.¡¯ A new set of challenges awaited. But first¡ª Suhyuk got ready to start exploring and engaging with the new environment. ¡ª ¡°Just follow me. We¡¯re heading in the same direction anyway.¡± ¡ª What if he had just given directions and ended it there? ¡®If I had, maybe everyone would still be alive.¡¯ Images of his fallenrades shed through his mind. Even as he squeezed his eyes shut to avoid the unwanted memories, the desire to see them again lingered. For a brief moment. When he reopened his eyes, he was still standing in the ce where he had first met Kim Yerang. ¨C So what are your thoughts on this? The chat urged him for a response, having noticed his prolonged silence. The soft nostalgia hardened into resolve. Back from the past, he returned to reality. Suhyuk answered the viewer¡¯s question, expressing exactly how he felt. ¡°It feels like¡­ing home.¡± ¨C Home??? ¨C No way, didn¡¯t expect that answer ¨C LOL How can you call it home when you just arrived LOL ¨C Told you he¡¯s the reincarnation of Lee Suhyuk! The reactions were as expected. No matter how impressive his trial results were, Suhyuk was just a yer who had barely ascended to the third floor. Not even close to being a ranker or a mid-tier yer. So, for a newly ascended yer to talk about home wasughable. -¡ºManager¡» Everyone, please maintain polite chat~ At that moment, Un Hyang¡¯s chat message appeared, and the audience¡¯s reactions began to simmer down. Suhyuk sensed it. -Now was the perfect time to end the stream. But before that¡ª ¡°Oh, right.¡± There was one announcement left. ¡°I¡¯m going to do a co-stream with Falcon Eye this evening.¡± ¨C Falcon Eye??? ¨C No wonder he was hyping you up LOL ¨C But honestly, it¡¯s worth the hype ¨C I learned about this stream from his stream LOL ¡ª 222222 Recently, Falcon Eye had been doing a lot of streams rted to Suhyuk. In fact, a significant number of viewers had tuned into Suhyuk¡¯s stream through Falcon Eye¡¯s streams. ¡°For that reason, today¡¯s stream ends here.¡± ¨C ???? ¨C Ending the stream like this? ¨C Even if it¡¯s a short one, this is just absurd ¡ºA9Monstrophe has been banned from chatting by the manager.¡» -¡ºManager¡» Polite chat ^^ The sudden announcement of the stream ending ignited the chat once more. In such situations, escaping was the best course of action. ¡°See you all on Falcon Eye¡¯s stream.¡± ¡ºLee Suhyuk has ended the stream.¡» Having hastily ended the stream, Suhyuk lifted his head. Then, he addressed the man approaching him. ¡°What is it?¡± The man had short blond hair and was dressed in a brown suit. He took out a business card from his holder and handed it over, disying his name and affiliation. ¡°John Dale from Balhae Entertainment.¡± Suhyuk took the card and examined it. Balhae. The MCNpany he belonged to. Moreover, he had heard of John Dale through Un Hyang. ¡°That old¡­ uh¡­¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Nice to meet you.¡± Old fart. Geezer. Those were the terms Un Hyang often used to refer to the team leader of the manager department. ¡°Un Hyang is on her way up now. As you know, moving between floors takes a bit of time, unlike simply climbing the tower¡­¡± He said ¡°as you know¡±, but the additional exnation implied he thought Suhyuk might not be aware of such nuances. No matter how talented, in John¡¯s eyes, Suhyuk was just a yer who had recently reached the third floor, so it wasn¡¯t surprising he didn¡¯t expect Suhyuk to understand everything. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you. Shall we move to a different location first?¡± * Suhyuk and John Dale headed to a nearby caf¨¦. Two cold coffees were served. After quenching his thirst with coffee, John Dale began to speak. ¡°Normally, I would have ryed this through Un Hyang, but I wanted to meet you personally. I was curious. It¡¯s the first time Un Hyang has praised a yer so much.¡± ¡°The first?¡± ¡°Well, there was one before. Lee Suhyuk of Blue Eyes, a somewhat old yer¡­¡± Trailing off, John Dale asked, ¡°You know, right?¡± A look that said there¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t know. Not just because they shared the same name. Even after 20 years, the name Lee Suhyuk was a legendary one. ¡°I know. Lee Suhyuk.¡± It felt strange every time he heard his own name. And it came with a peculiar sense of difort. For a clear reason. ¡®The reason my name is still passed down is partly due to Kim Ilsoo¡¯s influence.¡¯ The video of Kim Ilsoo from the memorialmemorating him. That¡¯s what came to mind. Blue Zone needed a hero. Kim Ilsoo was someone who knew his own limits. He understood that he could never be Lee Suhyuk. No. No one could be Lee Suhyuk, either in that era or this one. So Kim Ilsoo made his choice. To build a nation on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s dead body, whom he had killed, and to fill his coffers by selling that name. ¡°Un Hyang originally respected only that one yer. ording to her friends at thepany, she was a huge fan.¡± ¡°A fan of mine?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°No, no. A fan of the old Lee Suhyuk.¡± As Suhyuk hastily corrected himself, John Dale nodded. ¡°That¡¯s correct. But it seems that strict friend of ours has recently taken a liking to a new yer. Coincidentally, it¡¯s you, who has the same name.¡± The ttery made Suhyuk fiddle with his coffee cup. While pondering how to drink it, John Dale¡¯s question caught him off guard. ¡°By any chance, are you interested in the guild called Blue Eyes?¡± For a moment, the eyes behind the mask changed. Noticing the subtle shift in expression, John Dale flinched. ¡°You seem to be interested.¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Well¡­ actually, the reason I wanted to meet you separately is because of this.¡± Tick-tick-tick-. John Dale hurriedly tapped on his tablet and showed the screen to Suhyuk. ¡°A tournament starting on the third floor in five days¡­¡± Seeing the screen, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. In the picture. He saw a very familiar object. ¡°A relic of Blue Eyes. It¡¯s the prize offered by Blue Zone.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Blue Zone making its move, for real?? Chapter 38 Chapter 38 A pair of old boots that looked like military footwear. The only decoration was a small feather motif, making the item appear rather ordinary. But Suhyuk recognized it immediately. There was no way he couldn¡¯t. ¡ª ¡°Whose turn is it for item distribution? Suhoon¡¯s?¡± ¡°Hey! It¡¯s my turn this time!¡± ¡°Wow, you got lucky. Here you go.¡± ¡°Woohoo-!¡± ¡ª He vividly remembered the face of the one who ran excitedly around the dungeon with that item. And he saw just as vividly the image of that same person lying on the ground with a gaping hole in their chest. The memory was so clear, it lingered even when he closed his eyes. Grit¡ª. His mrs ground together from the tension. ¡®How dare they.¡¯ Buzz¡ª. Lightning crackled from his hand, clenched tightly under the table. Anger surged. The fact that his deceasedrades¡¯ possessions had ended up in Blue Zone¡¯s hands. That their relics were being used as booty and turned into mere entertainment prizes. John Dale continued speaking. ¡°The item, ¡®Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear¡¯. Are you interested¡ª¡± ¡°I am.¡± Suhyuk didn¡¯t let him finish. ¡°Very much so.¡± He had no intention of letting anyone else have Minjae¡¯s relic. The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. An item that increased the user¡¯s movement speed and allowed a second jump in mid-air. It was an item that perfectly suited Minjae, who was already naturally quick. He would retrieve it at all costs. He couldn¡¯t stand the thought of it ending up in Blue Zone¡¯s hands again. In fact, he couldn¡¯t stand it even now. ¡°Is that so?¡± John Dale, taken aback by the unexpectedly strong reaction, took arge gulp of his coffee before continuing. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. This content requires your participation¡­¡± ¡°Content?¡± ¡°Yes. Given the nature of your stream, the story of you obtaining relics from fellow Blue Eyes members would make forpelling content.¡± So this was what he wanted to discuss. ¡®I should have known.¡¯ He had briefly forgotten in his anger. The man in front of him was a team leader at Balhae Entertainment. He was someone who nned and managed streamers¡¯ streams. To him, this was, after all, a form of content. ¡®I don¡¯t like it¡­ but this is his job.¡¯ Seeing his reflection in the coffee cup, Suhyuk realized, ¡®No, this is my job now too.¡¯ Separating the two wasughable. Balhae Entertainment was his partner. John Dale sharing this information with him was also for the sake of the streaming business. A tournament with his friend¡¯s relic as the prize. His job now was to turn that into content. But. ¡®Still, maybe¡­¡¯ After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± John Dale¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t as enthusiastic as one might expect. It was as if Suhyuk¡¯s agreement was a given. Well, considering that he was unaware of Suhyuk¡¯s rtionship with Blue Eyes, it made sense. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll announce it to the viewers after the cob stream. Ah, I¡¯ll have Un Hyang ry the tournament details to you separately as well.¡± ¡°Does Balhae handle that kind of stuff too?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s our role to provide every convenience to the streamer.¡± It was quite convenient. Suhyuk had just been thinking about finding out where and how the tournament would be held. ¡°Just let us know if you need anything else.¡± ¡°Yes, there is something.¡± A prompt reply without hesitation. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This.¡± Suhyuk gestured alternately between his mask and the nowpletely lukewarm coffee. ¡°Could you arrange for a custom mask? I¡¯d like to be able to eat something.¡± * Under the blue sky stood a cabin. On a makeshift chair, Yerang was fiddling with her kit. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Just moments ago, she had been watching the kit with sparkling eyes, but now a sigh escaped her lips. A momentter. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± ¡ºLee Suhyuk has ended the stream.¡» With the familiar notification, the thrilling stream came to an end. Whip, whip¡ª She quickly turned her head to check her surroundings. She was worried that Kim Shiwoo might have caught her watching the stream. But, as expected. The usually busy Shiwoo was too preupied to notice what she was doing with the kit. ¡°Good.¡± She hadn¡¯t been caught. If she had been caught, she would have faced a barrage of nagging about watching that stream again. Clenching her fist in relief, she pocketed the kit and stood up. Crunch, crunch¡ª She crossed through the frozen forest, the sound of her clogs shing against the ice. The world, which had been green just minutes ago, had transformed into a forest of ice trees. ¡°What a mess.¡± The path was longer than expected. Judging by her experiences, it would likely take some time for the ice to thaw. It seemed they would be dealing with an unforeseen winter for a while. She had been walking for some time when¡ª Crrreak¡ª In the middle of the frozen forest. Hundreds of yers were frozen solid. ¡°Is it over?¡± Her question, naturally, was not directed at the frozen yers. Amid the white ice, Kim Shiwoo, who was the only one not covered in frost, turned around. ¡°It¡¯s been over for a while now.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I was debating whether to kill them or let them live.¡± Just because they were frozen did not mean they were dead. Death would be decided afterward. They could either die of frostbite inside the ice or break apart if their bodies froze entirely. Shiwoo had the luxury to decide their fate. ¡°What¡¯s there to debate? Just kill them. We know who sent them anyway.¡± ¡°If it were that obvious, I wouldn¡¯t be debating.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not obvious?¡± ¡°If it were Ilsoo who sent them, he wouldn¡¯t have sent such weaklings.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Agreeing with his logic, Yerang nodded. That made sense too. It was Kim Ilsoo. Once a member of Blue Eyes, he knew their capabilities well. ¡°These kinds of guys were a dime a dozen 20 years ago.¡± Twenty years had passed. While they might not have progressed quickly, they had been moving forward continuously. But the skill level of the yers who hade today wasughable even by the standards of 20 years ago. Moreover¡ª ¡°And with you here, sending a horde of half-baked goons would be useless.¡± Shiwoo was there. Fighting multiple opponents was his specialty. Had he had sufficient magic that day 20 years ago, things might have turned out differently. ¡°You¡¯re quite the quick thinker.¡± ¡°Use your own brain.¡± Crunch, crunch¡ª The ice on the ground rose. Countless hidden weapons formed, their sharp edges pointed at the targets. In that moment. Crack, crack, crack¡ª! The icy projectiles flew and pierced the heads of the frozen yers. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What are you doing all of a sudden?¡± Red blood flowed through the white ice forest. In an instant, Yerang had pierced their hearts and brains, hitting lethal spots. Nonchntly, she spoke. ¡°If we let these guys go, it will confirm that we¡¯re still alive, won¡¯t it?¡± At her words, Shiwoo looked away. Every time, Yerang made Shiwoo feel ashamed of his weak hesitation. ¡°Get a grip. You¡¯re too soft-hearted.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Shiwoo tousled his hair with one hand, trying to shake off his indecision. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s happened again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me with worry, you idiot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my older sister.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your birth month¨C¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Tick-tick-. Shiwoo pulled out the kit from his pocket, already bored with the oft-repeated exchange. ¡°I handled this one, so it¡¯s your turn next.¡± ¡°Huh? Next one? What are you trying to make me do now?¡± ¡°Just check it out first.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Shiwoo¡¯s expression was serious. Taking the kit, Yerang¡¯s face turned grim upon seeing the screen. ¡°That bastard¡­!¡± Whoooosh-! Crack, crack-crack-. Her emerging magic shattered the surrounding ice, sending shards flying everywhere. As if anticipating this reaction, Shiwoo casually deflected the shards with his hand. ¡°Right? It¡¯s infuriating, right?¡± ¡°Infuriating? This is beyond frustrating, it¡¯s maddening!¡± ¡°Gotta retrieve it, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Yerang answered stoutly, then realized her mistake. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Turning to Shiwoo to find his expression unchanged, she saw the slight, knowing smirk on his face. Gotcha. ¡°Great. Then off you go.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°You said it was obvious.¡± Things were off to a rocky start. Yerang inwardly chastised herself for her impulsive response, rolling her eyes. ¡°Well, yes, but wouldn¡¯t it be better if you went?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that too.¡± This time, it wasn¡¯t just about convenience. Shiwoo retrieved the kit from Yerang and looked at the screen. ¡ºReward: Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear¡» Below a clear photo was the name written. These boots had once belonged to theirrade, Minjae. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? It¡¯s bait. To lure us out.¡± Relics of Blue Eyes. They were important to Blue Zone as well. Their possessions served as proof that Blue Eyes was the predecessor of Blue Zone. Yet, Kim Ilsoo had put Minjae¡¯s item on the line for one reason only. To lure out any of them who might still be alive. ¡°He¡¯s figured it out. That we might still be alive somewhere.¡± ¡°So why me?¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m terrible at stealth. It¡¯s always been your and Minjae¡¯s job since the old days.¡± ncing around, Shiwoo surveyed the scene. The forest covered in white as if hit by a blizzard, a typical aftermath of Shiwoo¡¯s battles. In contrast, Yerang¡¯s abilities were the opposite of his. ¡°Make sure, though. We will retrieve it, especially in some stream.¡± Then Shiwoo finished his thought. The question was whether and how Shiwoo and Yerang would deal with the situation. Yerang was discreet and silent. Her specialties included stealth and infiltration. ¡°I should¡¯ve known.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You taking care of these guys before I even asked. It was just to make me handle this, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Shiwoo¡¯s grin infuriated her. She felt like pinching his cheek out of sheer annoyance. But she couldn¡¯t argue since he wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°You know, right? You need to handle this as quietly as possible.¡± ¡°You mean right now?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shiwoo shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too risky. They might have eyes watching the area.¡± ¡°You think I can¡¯t evade some watchers?¡± ¡°Your enthusiasm is great, but we have to be sure.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the n?¡± Shiwoo, noting Yerang¡¯s impatience, concluded. ¡°Steal it from the winner. It¡¯s much safer that way.¡± Yerang sighed, understanding the logic behind his words. Though she disliked being manipted into action, Shiwoo¡¯s n made sense. They needed to avoid drawing unnecessary attention and ensure their mission¡¯s sess. She nodded, ready to carry out the n. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll wait for the right moment and make my move.¡± Shiwoo smiled, satisfied with her agreement. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s make sure Minjae¡¯s relices back to us.¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Suhyuk entered the lodging arranged for him in Balhae and immediatelyy down on the bed. Sleep is the best form of rest. With that thought in mind, he usually tried to sleep whenever he could. But for some reason, sleep was remarkably elusive tonight. ¡®I despise this kind of thing.¡¯ He had participated in countlesspetitions in front of people. It was boring and exhausting work. That was Suhyuk¡¯s perception of such tournaments. But the prize alone provided enough reason to participate. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± He didn¡¯t know the event. But he was confident no matter what it was. Whether he liked it or not, these variouspetitions were what had made him who he was. ¡®What could it be?¡¯ He tried to visualize the tournament hosted by Blue Zone. ¡®It would be great if it was an individual event.¡¯ He knew that such thoughts were meaningless. Yet he continued these pointless musings simply because he couldn¡¯t sleep. And then. Knock-knock. At that moment, the person he had been waiting for knocked on the door. ¡°It¡¯s Un Hyang.¡± Suhyuk put on the mask ced beside the bed and rose. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and Un Hyang entered hesitantly. She seemed somewhat awkward. ¡°I-I¡¯ming in.¡± Her steps were painfully slow. Unsure where to go, she rolled her eyes and then headed towards the sofa opposite Suhyuk. ¡°Is it because this is a strange man¡¯s room?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If we fought, I¡¯d probably lose.¡± ¡°What?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. At a nce, she looked like an ordinary girl. But. ¡®She¡¯s definitely not an average manager.¡¯ You could tell just by her aura. An immacte demeanor, as if perfectlyposed and concealing her true self. She had reached a level that Suhyuk couldn¡¯t dare to fathom at his current state. He recalled the conversation he had with John Dale a few hours ago. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious. I¡¯ve never seen Un Hyang praise a yer like this before.¡± ¡°That strict friend surprisingly seemed interested in a new yer.¡± It was awkward praise for a manager. As if merely being acknowledged by her was a great honor, John Dale praised Un Hyang more than himself. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Nothing. Rather, I was supposed to receive some information about the tournament.¡± ¡°Yes. I came because of that.¡± Rustle. Un Hyang took out a few sheets of paper from her pocket and handed them over. ¡°The tournament¡¯s format is a contest. A simple fight over a single prize.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s an individual event.¡± ¡°Yes. Since there¡¯s only one prize, it makes sense.¡± He liked it. The nature of the event aside, he had just hoped it wouldn¡¯t be a team event. ¡°The stage will be set in a virtual testing arena. The entry requirement is that all yers on the third floor can participate. The entry fee is 1,000 points, and there are no participant limits.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t free?¡± ¡°What?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened. Surprised by his own words, Suhyuk quickly tried to cover up. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s more expensive than I thought.¡± More than anything, the entry fee had caught his attention. Ever since he started streaming to earn points, he seemed to have developed a bit of a miserly streak. ¡®Right now, the points I have are¡­¡¯ ¡ºCurrent Points: 1320¡» Fortunately, he had the entry fee. The problem was that paying the 1,000 points would leave his bnce almost empty. He sighed. When would he fill it up again? ¡°I¡¯ll send the tournament information to your kit in the form of a contest. Reviewing a few should give you a good idea.¡± Ding-. As Un Hyang said those words, a message arrived on Suhyuk¡¯s kit. It contained videos of contest-style tournaments held in the lower floors. So that¡¯s what she had been doing with the kit earlier. ¡ºMust-See Suhyuk Contests¡» ¡ºSuhyuk¡¯s 10-second Contest Highlights¡» ¡ºGuaranteed Win Suhyuk Contest Route (Photos)¡» ¡ºContests Through the Ages¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» Suhyuk¡¯s eyes twitched as he scanned the titles. ¡®Almost all about me.¡¯ They were practically his history. He yed one of the videos and saw scenes that brought back memories. What could she possibly want him to reference from these? iming to be his fan definitely showed in this aspect. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ As the materials indicated, he had participated in so many tournaments that he could do it in his sleep. Moreover, this was the third floor. A ce filled with yers who had just barely shed their rookie status after passing the second floor of the tower. ¡®If I fail here, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to face those guys out of embarrassment.¡¯ This was just the beginning. He had no intention of letting others take the relics of hisrades. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± ¡°Thank you? It¡¯s my job.¡± Seeing Un Hyang awkwardly wave her hands, Suhyuk felt a bit confused behind his mask. She had never seemed this tense since their first meeting, so something must be off today. Then she spoke hesitantly. ¡°And¡­ did you hear anything from the team leader?¡± As expected, something was definitely off. Something was going on. ¡°What story?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened. Her expression made it clear. She was hesitant to say something. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Actually-.¡± She closed her eyes tightly as she spoke. ¡°Blue Zone contacted us.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s expression stiffened instantly. ¡°They want to meet you¡­.¡± Moments like these were when wearing a mask in daily life paid off. He almost let his changing expression slip in front of Un Hyang. ¡°Blue Zone?¡± ¡°Yes. They couldn¡¯t find a way to contact you directly, so they emailed us. They want to meet streamer Lee Suhyuk¡­.¡± ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°Just a few hours ago.¡± A few hours. That meant John Dale probably knew about it too. Yet he hadn¡¯t mentioned it, likely because he didn¡¯t want Suhyuk to engage with Blue Zone. ¡®Faster than expected.¡¯ Though they hadn¡¯t approached him directly yet, he had always known they would show interest in him eventually. Blue Eyes were practically a symbol of lightning. Kim Ilsoo, who sought to inherit the legacy of Blue Eyes, would find Suhyuk¡¯s existence quite appealing. But. ¡°Ignore it.¡± Naturally, he had no intention of joining such a guild. ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I have no ns to join any guild.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened to that of a rabbit¡¯s at Suhyuk¡¯s response. ¡°R-Re-Really?¡± Her head jolted forward so suddenly that Suhyuk was the one who ended up startled. ¡°Y-Yes. Really.¡± ¡°Wooow- Wooo-.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes sparkled as she let out inexplicable exmations of amazement. The tension she had felt upon entering the room vanished. She wore a delighted smile. ¡°I¡¯m so d I told you. Hehe.¡± After standing up abruptly, her steps became lighter. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go prepare for the cob! See youter!¡± Her personality reverted to how it was initially. Suhyuk waved her off and then took off the mask he had been wearing. A cold expression surfaced. Blue Zone. He hadn¡¯t expected to hear that name so soon. ¡®He won¡¯t give up that easily.¡¯ Suhyuk knew Kim Ilsoo¡¯s character better than anyone. He wasn¡¯t someone who would give up so easily. His obsession with lightning was beyond normal. ¡°Then he¡¯ll being soon.¡± But so what? No way in hell was he joining the guild that guy created. * Evening. After a simple meal, Falcon Eye hurried to prepare for the stream. A spacious virtual testing arena. This was the location for today¡¯s stream and where he would meet streamer Lee Suhyuk. ¡°What is this? Is this the content?¡± John Dale skimmed through the content report prepared by Falcon Eye. The concept of today¡¯s stream was simple. ¡°Original Suhyuk vs. New Suhyuk. Talent Comparison Trial¡­.¡± ¡°How is it? The concept is good, right?¡± ¡°So, the reason you asked me to find Lee Suhyuk¡¯s trial material was for this?¡± Half of the buzz around streamer Lee Suhyuk was thanks to Falcon Eye. A bombshell statement iming that in terms of raw talent, the new Lee Suhyuk was better than the legendary one. Because of this, there was a lot of talk in themunity about who Lee Suhyuk was, and Falcon Eye¡¯s stream also saw an increase in poprity. ¡°Yeah. I thought it would be better than a simple trial.¡± ¡°You used your head well. But isn¡¯t this too risky? If he loses, it will hit you hard too.¡± John Dale¡¯s face was full of worry as he skimmed the material. ¡°And honestly¡­ I think it¡¯s going to be difficult.¡± Lee Suhyuk. He was a legend among yers. No matter how highly Falcon Eye thought of streamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s talent and achievements, it would be hard for anyone to confidently im to surpass the Lee Suhyuk of his prime. ¡°I¡¯m going head-on. And besides, I have to take responsibility for my statements.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. The one taking responsibility is Suhyuk, not you. Stop trying to act cool.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Falcon Eye scratched his head awkwardly and then took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m just feeling a bit nervous.¡± ¡°What? Are you scared?¡± ¡°No, not that. It¡¯s just exciting, you know. Seeing lightning in real life.¡± ¡°What, were you a fan of Lee Suhyuk too?¡± ¡°Calling me a fan seems a bit grand¡­ but you know, right? Among those who remember those days, who wasn¡¯t a fan of Lee Suhyuk?¡± ¡°True, true¡­¡± John Dale nodded. It was true. While the degree might vary, every yer who had lived through the Blue Eyes era had cheered for Lee Suhyuk. Falcon Eye was no exception. Before bing a streamer, he was just another yer who had once been an avid fan of Lee Suhyuk. ¡°How about you? Were you not a fan?¡± ¡°If you were a fan, then I was a fan too.¡± ¡°So, what then?¡± ¡°I just thought all fans were fanatical because of Un Hyang.¡± The fan John Dale had seen closest to Lee Suhyuk was Un Hyang. Compared to her, most people couldn¡¯t even be called fans. Her fanaticism for Lee Suhyuk was almost at a fanatical level. ¡°Is it that intense?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough. And remember, in this industry, you¡¯re the senior. Technically speaking, you¡¯re also the senior as a yer, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°No matter how talented he is, streamer Lee Suhyuk has just reached the third floor. Don¡¯t forget that and rx a bit.¡± ¡°I know, I know. As if I¡¯d forget that.¡± No matter how outstanding a yer was, they couldn¡¯t beat the power of time. Talent is like that. Though the speed may vary, blossoming always requires time. Streamer Lee Suhyuk had started climbing the tower as soon as he began his streams. As a yer, his career wasn¡¯t measured in years but in mere days. But. ¡°I know that¡­ but I still can¡¯t help feeling confused.¡± Though his mind understood, he remained uncertain. Images from streamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streams upied his thoughts. Could someone like that really be a yer with only a few days of experience? ¡®I need to see it for myself.¡¯ Streamers were often embellished on-screen, and viewers tended to hold illusions about them. The most reliable assessment woulde from a direct encounter. Knock-knock. ¡°Team Leader, we¡¯re here.¡± At that moment, Un Hyang¡¯s voice came through the door, apanied by a knock. She said, ¡°we¡±, implying she hade with Suhyuk. ¡°They¡¯re here. Come in.¡± Creeak- The door seemed to open agonizingly slowly. ¡®Is this finally the moment?¡¯ ¡°This might be an opportunity. A chance to ride the rising star and be a star in the sky together.¡± The words that had been circling his mind. Perhaps this meeting was the beginning of that journey. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Suhyuk entered the spacious virtual testing arena and surveyed the room. A roughly 40-pyeong empty space. All around were glowing spheres that served as lighting, enhancing the screen effect. In front was arge monitor connected to the kit. Falcon Eye checked the viewers¡¯ chat through the monitor. ¡®So, this is where they do the stream.¡¯ His gaze then shifted to Falcon Eye. A man with brown hair and thick eyebrows. With curious eyes, Falcon Eye extended his hand to Suhyuk. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m streamer Falcon Eye!¡± ¡°Streamer Lee Suhyuk. Nice to meet you.¡± After a brief handshake and exchange of greetings, Falcon Eye smiled andplimented him. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet such a famous person. Wow, honestly, I was blown away by that time you took down the Giant Chief.¡± ¡°Half of that fame is thanks to you, Falcon Eye.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. I just expedited the fame you were destined to have.¡± Though said jokingly, this was Falcon Eye¡¯s genuine thought. His role as a review streamer was simply to hasten Lee Suhyuk¡¯s sess. They briefly engaged in light banter, mostly centered on Falcon Eye¡¯s praises. A momentter. ¡°Alright, we should save getting to know each other for the stream. Streamers usually bond over their streams.¡± The atmosphere naturally shifted towards starting the stream. Streamers bond through streaming. Suhyuk nodded at that statement. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡± Suhyuk stepped slightly out of the camera¡¯s view. ¡º¡®Falcon Eye¡¯ has started streaming.¡» An alert sounded on the kit. Simultaneously, the viewer count at the bottom of the kit began to rise. -Fal-hi! -Fal-hi~ -Fal-hi -A rare cob? -Fal-hi The screen was still ck. Watching the speed of the rising viewer count, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®Already 2,000, no, soon 3,000.¡¯ ¡ºViewers: 2810¡» ¡ºViewers: 3104¡» ¡ºViewers: 3754¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» The numbers were increasing in real-time. ncing at Falcon Eye¡¯s expression, Suhyuk noticed his surprise as well. Falcon Eye watched the growing viewer count with his mouth agape. ¡®This is beyond expectations.¡¯ The viewer count had already surpassed 5,000. Falcon Eye¡¯s average viewer count was around 8,000. On good days, it sometimes exceeded 10,000. At this pace, they would surpass 10,000 even before the actual stream began. ¡®I heard it became a topic in themunity¡­¡¯ Maybe today. They might hit the highest viewer count since starting the stream. ¡ºViewers: 12004¡» When the umted viewers surpassed 12,000. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± John Dale signaled. Falcon Eye took a deep breath. Broadcasting in front of over 10,000 viewers was a rare event for him as well. Beep-. The screen on Suhyuk¡¯s kit lit up. The stream started. ¡°Fal-hi~ Hello, everyone! This is Falcon Eye!¡± -Fal-hi -Fal-hi -Fal-hi~ -Where¡¯s Lee Suhyuk? -Fake Suhyuk,e out! ¡°Hey folks, can¡¯t you see me? As soon as the stream starts, I¡¯m treated like leftover rice.¡± -You¡¯re the one who stirred the hype, lol -Exactly lol, why me us now -Our Fal-hyung is doing cobs with other streamers now¡­ he¡¯s grown up¡­ -Lee Suhyuk¡­ please take care of our Falcon Eye ?? ¡°Hey folks? I¡¯ve been streaming for six years, you know? I¡¯m a veteran, even if a small-timer. Lee Suhyuk¡­¡± In the bustling chat, Falcon Eye began interacting with his viewers. Suhyuk watched curiously. ¡®So, this is how it¡¯s done.¡¯ Falcon Eye was an experienced streamer. Unlike himself, who merely took trials, there was a discernible flow to Falcon Eye¡¯s stream. ¡°Those who¡¯ve watched my stream for a while know today¡¯s stream won¡¯t be long. Sorry if any of you expected a long cob.¡± ¡º¡®FalconEyeFootFan¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºRushing again? Learning all the bad habits ??¡» ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not running away. You know my style, right? No dragging things out. Do what needs to be done cleanly. Respect your valuable time, you know?¡± Interacting with the viewers, managing the flow, and addressing donations. While engaging yfully with the viewers, Falcon Eye¡¯s gaze shifted to Suhyuk. ¡°Anyway, as you all anticipated, we¡¯ve got someone special here today.¡± Swoosh-. The signal came. Suhyuk stepped forward. ¡°The next-generation master of lightning, streamer Lee Suhyuk!¡± -Wow! (apuse) -???? -Has the fake Suhyuk arrived? -Has hee to fight Falcon Eye? ¡ª What fighting? lol He¡¯s been working so hard ¡ª Someone hasn¡¯t watched the stream in a while lol Suhyuk stood beside Falcon Eye, slightly to the side. ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Lee Suhy-.¡± ¡º¡®ILoveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 3000 points.¡» ¡ºI love you, Suhyuk oppa!!! (bounce bounce)¡» A donation immediately popped up. Caught off guard, Suhyuk altered his greeting. ¡°Thank you, IloveLeeSuhyuk, for the donation here too.¡± After a brief thought, Suhyuk added. ¡°But if you really love me, it would be better to send donations on my stream¡­¡± -lolololol -The money-grubber lol He¡¯s still the same here lol Viewers familiar with Suhyuk burst intoughter. Though intensely serious during his trials, viewers from his stream knew him as a ¡°money-grubber.¡± ¡º¡®OyaJi¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºYou won¡¯t share this either? So cheap! Falcon! Eye! So petty!¡» Falcon Eye widened his eyes and waved his hands. ¡°No, no, wait! Of course, I¡¯ll share! Half of the donations today are going to Suhyuk!¡± -?? Then what was that earlier??? -Exactly ¡°Suhyuk, can you say something¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯re definitely sharing.¡± -Oh¡­ really? -He really did want to keep it all to himself lol -Money is nice~ After the yful chat, another question popped up. -Have you seen his face? -Is he good-looking? -Does his face resemble the real Suhyuk? Half of the iing questions were about Suhyuk¡¯s face. Apparently, viewers thought Falcon Eye might have seen Suhyuk¡¯s face since they were both streamers. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. From what I¡¯ve heard, even his manager hasn¡¯t seen it.¡± A quick nce at Suhyuk. This was information Falcon Eye had learned from John Dale, indicating that Suhyuk¡¯s face was keptpletely private. -Why? -Does he have a secret? -Is he super ugly or something? Twitch- Between the gaps of his mask, Suhyuk¡¯s eyebrows moved slightly. ¡°No, I¡¯m quite handsome.¡± ¡º¡®CriticExpert¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºIf you¡¯re so cocky, show us your face~¡» ¡º¡®HighestSry¡¯ has donated 50 points.¡» ¡ºLeave him be, he might really see it that way ???¡» ¡º¡®LifeOfHandsome¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºMy mom also says I¡¯m the most handsome. Just saying.¡» Chat messages and donations surged rapidly. Most donations were made to highlight their chat messages rather than for actual support. ¡®More donations here than on my stream, for sure.¡¯ Even though the amounts were small, the frequency of donations was impressive, and there were a few substantial ones mixed in. Falcon Eye was equally astonished. ¡®The influence is more significant than I expected.¡¯ ncing quickly between chatting with viewers, Falcon Eye monitored the swiftly climbing viewer count. ¡ºViewers: 19099¡» The viewers were nearly at 20,000. It was time to start. ¡°Alright, folks. Let¡¯s stop teasing our special guest and get into the content, shall we?¡± -Let¡¯s go~!!!!! -Let¡¯s go~ -???~~ Click- Whoooo¡ª As Falcon Eye snapped his fingers, the scenery of the testing arena transformed. ¡ºThe trial is starting.¡» The programmed trial began. The range of the system-applied arena expanded, revealing a vast arena. ¡°Today¡¯s trial is this. Destroying Scarecrows!¡± Ding ding ding ding- Along with Falcon Eye¡¯s signal, dozens of scarecrows appeared before Suhyuk and Falcon Eye. Scarecrows wielding a variety of weapons¡ªswords, spears, hammers, bows. Destroying Scarecrows, known as a ¡°trial¡± was quite popr among yers who had ascended to the third floor. ¡°So, why did I choose this trial? There are two reasons. First, nothing beats it for assessing control.¡± -?? -??? -As simple as it gets, lol -Anyway, isn¡¯t the time limit the key? The trial¡¯s content couldn¡¯t be simpler. Just destroy as many scarecrows as possible within the given time. A simple trial. A clear numerical metric. Additionally, Falcon Eye had another reason for choosing this trial. ¡°And the second reason. A little while ago, something I said became quite the hot topic.¡± Ding- ¡º1st ce ¨C Lee Suhyuk ¨C 43¡» ¡º2nd ce ¨C Hyles ¨C 36¡» ¡º3rd ce ¨C Kim Ilsoo ¨C 33¡» ¡º4th ce ¨C Kim Shiwoo ¨C 32¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» In the center of the screen. A ranking based on the trial results. At the very top, the name everyone had been waiting for was disyed. ¡º¡®CombatPowerAnalyzer¡¯ has donated 50 points.¡» ¡ºSeven more than Hyles ?? That¡¯s insane¡» ¡º¡®BlueEyesFan¡¯ has donated 30 points.¡» ¡ºBeen a while since I got chills. Guess it¡¯s time for a drink, hostess!!!¡» ¡º¡®HylesProtector¡¯ has ¡­¡­.¡» Just as expected, donations started pouring in. Though no significant amounts stood out, the frequency of donations was exponentially higher. And then, one caught his eye. ¡º¡®Kikikik¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºCan you beat that?¡» The question Suhyuk had been waiting for. ¡°Thank you for the donation, Kikikik. Suhyuk, we have a question-.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t lose.¡± Eyes shining, Suhyuk nodded confidently. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Destroying 43 scarecrows. Who knows how many attempts it took to achieve that insane record. Back then, it felt like ying a game. Of course. -Confidence overload lolol -One try possible? -It¡¯s still a maybe -Kingdome? Judging by the viewers¡¯ reactions, they weren¡¯t entirely convinced. ¡®If I can¡¯t beat that, I might as well bite my tongue and die.¡¯ Just as Suhyuk adopted that train of thought¡ª ¡º¡®SpicyKkang¡¯ has issued a mission.¡» ¡ºMore than 43, 10,000 points. Fail, show your face. Deal?¡» The timely mission made Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widen. Beat the record of top scorer Lee Suhyuk and receive the donation, but fail and reveal his face. It was a high-stakes mission. Although it was the first time he faced a mission with such personal risk, the reward was staggering. ¡®10,000 points?¡¯ Following that: ¡º¡®MaskFetish¡¯ has issued a mission.¡» ¡ºOh lol always curious about your face. I¡¯ll throw in 2000 points.¡» ¡º¡®DoReMiFart¡¯ has issued a mission.¡» ¡º3000 points added. Scared? lol¡» ¡º¡®SoupCoin¡¯ has issued a mission.¡» ¡º¡­¡» Missions flowed in one after another. Was it because of therge audience? The number and amount of missions far surpassed anything on Suhyuk¡¯s stream. Moreover. -But if you fail the mission, only fake Suhyuk will reveal his face. Is this also split 50/50? ¡°Split 50/50? Oh, that wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± Falcon Eye, eyes widened at the influx of missions, nodded at a chatment. ¡°Then, for this mission, all proceeds go to Suhyuk.¡± With that statement, Suhyuk¡¯s goodwill towards Falcon Eye soared. TL¡¯s Corner: Moneygrubber MC. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡®A learned person.¡¯ The total amount of money registered for the mission was substantial. Still, Falcon Eye generously conceded the sponsorship to him without much hesitation. Was it because Falcon Eye was not greedy for money? Or perhaps because his favorability toward him was exceptionally high? Or could it be¡­ ¡®Does he earn more than I thought?¡¯ ording to Un Hyang, Falcon Eye was considered a mid-tier streamer based solely on his stream audience. If you reach the level of Baksu-hyuk, you start to enter the ranks of major streamers, and asionally, some streamers even surpass an average of 100,000 viewers. If Falcon Eye was already at this level, just how much were those other streamers earning? ¡®I shouldn¡¯t underestimate them.¡¯ While Suhyuk was secretly feeling pleased, Falcon Eye posed a question. ¡°Will you ept?¡± Suhyuk nodded. ¡°They¡¯re offering to sponsor me, so I should gratefully ept it.¡± ¨C Hahaha, yet another victory promation ¨C Is this saying Old Suhyuk is barely worth anything? ¨C Lee Suhyuk,e out! The viewers were exhrated by Suhyuk¡¯s challenge. Viewers crave excitement. From that perspective, a battle between two individuals named Lee Suhyuk was an irresistible thrill. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯llmentate. Any objections, guys?¡± ¨C Yep ¨C Otherwise, we¡¯ll just watch and do nothing? ¨C You¡¯d do it even if we said no ¡°That¡¯s right. I asked just out of politeness. You know well.¡± Falcon Eye, nodding mischievously, asked the viewers who proposed the mission. ¡°Guys, how many coins should it be? Honestly, one try is too much¡ª.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it in one try.¡± Cutting off Falcon Eye, Suhyuk stretched his shoulders. ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll remove my mask immediately.¡± ¨C Whoa, whoa ¨C Whoa¡­ ¨C If he loses, he¡¯ll¡­ ¨C Hahaha, what a statement ¨C It sounded a bit odd, but that was the bet for the mission this time. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s record. If Suhyuk couldn¡¯t exceed that record, he would have to remove his mask. ¡°Really? Is one try enough?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The result was already decided anyway. Whether it was the second or third try, the oue wouldn¡¯t change. ¡°Wow, you sure are bold. Alright then, let¡¯s not waste time and start quickly.¡± Beep¡ª ¡º03:00¡» Three minutes. That was the time given to catch the scarecrows. ¡°Unfortunately, I only have one coin, so the stream might be shorter. Sorry for those who miss it; you¡¯ll have to watch the recording.¡± ¨C Another video cut, damn it ¨C Is this all staged? ¨C Seriously over the top ¨C Though there was some criticism, it wasn¡¯t necessarily bad. In this scenario, Falcon Eye took even criticalments positively. ¡®It means the expectations are high. The only issue is¡­¡¯ Step-step. He turned to look at Suhyuk heading toward the scarecrows. ¡®Can he meet those expectations in one try?¡¯ If he had more attempts, there would be no worries. Unlike the skeptical viewers, Falcon Eye hadplete faith in Suhyuk¡¯s talent and skills. The only problem was the opponent wasn¡¯t easy. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he dered he¡¯d do it in one try.¡¯ It was Falcon Eye himself who had set the challenge against Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. Even so, Falcon Eye wasn¡¯t confident whether Suhyuk could break the record. The opponent was literally a legend. Someone¡¯s dominance had not been surpassed for over 20 years. Surpassing that record? It was something no one could be sure of. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three and signal.¡± At Falcon Eye¡¯s words, Suhyuk nodded slightly instead of replying. His gaze changed. As he began summoning thunder, his eyes glinted with a golden hue. ¡°Let¡¯s do well.¡± It was apetition against no one else but his past self. ¡°I must not lose. And¡­¡± With a deep breath, magic intertwined with the air he exhaled. ¡°I must not win either.¡± Zap-. ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ is activated.¡» At that moment. Zap-! Suhyuk lunged forward. ¡º02:59¡» * ¡°The game has started!¡± Zap-! Leaving a trail of yellow magical residue, Suhyuk darted forward. Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes sparkled. It was his first time watching Suhyuk fight in reality, not merely on a stream. Given the nature of his stream, it was unlikely he¡¯d ever see such a thing again. Boom-! The head of the leading scarecrow shattered without the need for a sword, crushed underfoot. ¨C One shot? ¨C Why so easy? Immediate doubt surfaced. Falcon Eye began tomentate. ¡°The scarecrows increase in strength in the order they appear.¡± ¨C Ah ¨C So, the beginning is easy ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± Boom-! Suhyuk¡¯s elbow smashed down on another scarecrow¡¯s head. Another head easily crumbled. Programmed to mimic human anatomy, the scarecrow was instantly destroyed. ¡°Even if the sequence is early, the difficulty isn¡¯t as easy as you think. An average yer from the third floor area would struggle to surpass 15.¡± Sssk-. Finally, Suhyuk drew his sword. Simultaneously, a burst of lightning apanied the action. Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°It begins.¡± Swish-. Quickly, the necks of the scarecrows were severed. Enhancing his mobility, Suhyuk defeated over ten scarecrows in a sh without even taking a proper breath before moving on. Beep-. ¡º02:32¡» In under 30 seconds, 12 scarecrows had fallen. Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡®Could this be¡­?¡¯ ¨C So fast? ¨C Realistically, at this speed, even 70 is possible ¨C Nn, it gets harder the further you go ¨C That¡¯s why I said theoretically ¨C But still, maybe? As he surpassed the tenth, the pace noticeably slowed down. Weapons flew at him from all directions. Spearheads targeted him, arrows aimed at his head. And at that moment. Zap-. Gathering lightning at his toes, Suhyuk leaped, stepping on a scarecrow¡¯s head. ¨C Wow ¨C Seeing this again here lolol ¨C Is this a circus? lol ¨C Wasn¡¯t aerialbat Suhyuk¡¯s forte originally? Jumping off the heads of giants before, now Suhyuk leaped upwards using the heads of scarecrows. He swiftly escaped the range of the weapons aimed at him from all sides. After a high leap, Suhyuk surveyed the area below. With all his might, he prepared to swing his sword. Diving into the midst of the scarecrows, Suhyukunched his attack. Boom-! Lightning gathered at the tip of his sword exploded, sweeping the scarecrows away. The power was impressive, but the speed was even more remarkable. Falcon Eye nced at the remaining time. ¡º01:22¡» ¡ºScarecrows Defeated: 29¡» Now, he needed to defeat 14 more to surpass Lee Suhyuk¡¯s record of 43. The scarecrows became more challenging as the count rose, but the pace was beyond expectations. ¡°Could he really¡­?¡± A mix of bewilderment and anticipation spilled from Falcon Eye¡¯s lips. His eyes, entranced, followed Suhyuk¡¯s movements. Zap-! Crack-! The sword was halfway through a scarecrow before being stopped. Bodies became sturdier. For the first time since the trial began, weapons flew at him from all directions in this brief pause. Psshh-. Ssshh-. A spear grazed his cheek, narrowly cutting it. Despite this, he advanced further instead of retreating. Bam-. He drew the sword embedded in the scarecrow¡¯s neck, simultaneously kicking its head. With a crunch, like a tree falling, the scarecrow¡¯s neck broke. Beep-. ¡ºScarecrows Defeated: 30¡» ¨C Another scarecrow was added to the tally. ¨C At this rate, second ce is guaranteed! ¨C Could he actually do it? ¨C Bet-makers are screwed, hahaha ¨C One try, let¡¯s go~~~!! ¨C Tick, tick-. Time trickled away. Higher-ranked scarecrows didn¡¯t fall easily. The lightning¡¯s speed increased, and the destructive power grew stronger. Falcon Eye watched Suhyuk¡¯s movements without missing a beat. ¡®¡­This is strange.¡¯ Zap-. Watching Suhyuk leap into the air, Falcon Eye felt a peculiar sense of alienation. It was intense. With no moments to rest, he moved relentlessly, swinging his sword with perfectly coordinated moves. It felt almost like watching a meticulously scripted y; Suhyuk¡¯s movements were wless. That was the reason. The reason for the sense of discord in this fight. ¡®Why does it feel different?¡¯ Boom-! With the sound of thunder, the trial neared its end. ¡ºScarecrows Defeated: 41¡» ¡º00:13¡» Crackle-. Thirteen seconds remained. Only three more scarecrows to break Lee Suhyuk¡¯s record. The rapid-fire chat slowed noticeably. Viewers, sensing the historic moment, focused intently on the stream. Suhyuk cut down another scarecrow, turning his gaze to thest one. ¡®This isn¡¯t easy.¡¯ Crackle-. With a struggling sound, his sword embedded itself in the tough neck of the final scarecrow. ¡®This makes forty-three.¡¯ ¡ºScarecrows Defeated: 43¡» ¡ºThe trial has concluded.¡» ¡ºRecord is being registered.¡» ¡º1st ce: Lee Suhyuk¡» ¡º1st ce: Lee Suhyuk¡» A tie for first ce. The same number of scarecrows had been defeated. Lee Suhyuk remained in first ce, and simultaneously, Suhyuk was newly registered as first ce. At that moment. The momentarily quieted chat red up in excitement. ¨C What? ¨C 43?? ¨C Wow, insane lol ¨C He actually did it lolololol ¨C I can¡¯t believe he really did it ¨C If only he had taken one more down¡­ The chat surged so fast it was impossible to read all the messages. Falcon Eye, ncing at Suhyuk catching his breath behind his mask, hurriedly resumed the stream. ¡°F¡­ Forty-three! A tie with Lee Suhyuk!¡± Falcon Eye, unable to hide his excitement, spoke rapidly. ¡°The content of Lee Suhyuk versus Lee Suhyuk ends in a tie! Wow, what a close one! How was it, guys?¡± ¨C Amazing, no words needed ¨C I thought he¡¯de in second! ¨C Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect even second ce ¨C Seriously, what was this unknown guy? ¨C Suhyuk¡¯s stream was not very well-known. He had viewers in the thousands, but streamers with such numbers were numerous. Furthermore, his career wasn¡¯t long. Thus, this coboration was a significant turning point for Suhyuk. ¡º¡¯ThunderCocoC¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºIncredible¡­ Subscribing right away.¡» ¡º¡¯FeetWiperFalconEye¡¯ has donated 200 points.¡» ¡ºLOL, Falcon Eye going all out, this is intense.¡» ¡º¡¯TastelessHill¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» Donations poured in. While Suhyuk caught his breath, Falcon Eye quickly responded to the donations. ¡°ThunderCocoC, thanks for the 100 points. FeetWiperFalconEye¡­ I told you to change that nickname. Anyway, thanks. Is this Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream? No, you¡¯re in the wrong ce.¡± The flow of donations didn¡¯t stop. For a streamer, the frequency of donations was as important as the number of viewers. Donations represented both the streamer¡¯s ie and the viewers¡¯ loyalty. ¡®If it¡¯s this much now, what would the reaction have been if he had broken the record?¡¯ While continuing the stream, Falcon Eye kept ncing at Suhyuk. In his mind, the image of Suhyuk¡¯s movements reyed over and over. ¡®No matter how I think about it, something feels off. No, should I say¡­ unnatural?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t exin it in words. But throughout the scarecrow fight, Falcon Eye felt a peculiar sense of discord. Perhaps the viewers watching the stream didn¡¯t feel it. The small screen and the inability to capture subtle movements made a difference between watching it live and on a stream. ¡®Could it be just my imagination¡­?¡¯ Just as he was thinking that. ¡º¡¯Reinhardt¡¯ has donated 10,000 points.¡» A donation of 10,000 points. Along with it, the name that appeared made Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes widen. ¡®Reinhardt?¡¯ Chapter 42 Chapter 42 10,000 points. It was an amount seldom seen outside of major streamers. But more captivating than the amount was the donor¡¯s name. ¨C Reinhardt? ¨C Is it really him? ¨C Must be a fake. ¨C Why would the kfe here? ¨C If it¡¯s the real First Sword, this is insane! Reinhardt. To Lee Suhyuk¡¯s fans, he was better known as the ¡®First Sword¡¯. A ranker, but also one of the few who streamed as a hobby. ¨C No, it¡¯s legit. ¨C Yeah, it¡¯s really him. Checked his stream station. ¨C Big yer iing. ¨C Whether he¡¯s a big or mid-tier yer, does it matter? It¡¯s Reinhardt. The chat exploded like gasoline on a fire. Momentarily stunned, Falcon Eye saw this as a golden opportunity and quickly spoke up. ¡°Rein-Reinhardt-nim, thank you for the 10,000 points donation! Wow, what brings a ranker to my stream?¡± ¡º¡¯Reinhardt¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ve been enjoying your streams, Falcon Eye. Today¡¯s y by Lee Suhyuk was very impressive.¡» ¡°Thank you for the 1,000 points! You¡¯re incredibly generous. You¡¯ve been watching my streams? That¡¯s an honor.¡± Falcon Eye beamed as he carried on the conversation with Reinhardt. For Falcon Eye, a mid-tier streamer, the appearance of a ranker like Reinhardt was a huge boon. It promisedpelling content and potential traction in themunity, not to mention a substantial increase in points. The same went for Suhyuk. Ranker Reinhardt, though called the ¡®First Sword¡¯ disparagingly, was a high-profile figure. His acknowledgment would certainly benefit Suhyuk¡¯s stream. However. ¡®Why is he here?¡¯ Suhyuk, behind his mask, frowned. He knew Reinhardt¡¯s personality well. Petty, brimming with inferiority, and conceited¡ªall traits of a scumbag. Regardless of public perception, this was Suhyuk¡¯s assessment of Reinhardt. Moreover. ¡®Isaac, that bastard died just a few days ago.¡¯ A normal father would still be mourning. Instead, Reinhardt was donating to another¡¯s stream¡ªnot a normal circumstance. ¡®Why is he here? Did he suspect I killed Isaac?¡¯ Though he considered the worst-case scenario, the likelihood was extremely low. The most usible reason remained Reinhardt¡¯s ¡®inferiorityplex¡¯. ¡®It bothers him.¡¯ The First Sword. An inextricably linked nickname to Reinhardt. Even after 20 years, the name persisted, likely aplex for him. A new Lee Suhyuk emerging would be an enticing target for such an insecure individual. ¡º¡¯Reinhardt¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºLee Suhyuk, would you be interested in a coborative stream?¡» It was his fifth donation already. With Suhyuk¡¯s silence, Reinhardt tantly used donations tomunicate. A coborative stream. Clearly, that was Reinhardt¡¯s objective. ¨C A cob??? ¨C Wow, this is big. ¨C The First Sword for real? Voices of anticipation filled the chat. Falcon Eye¡¯s viewers seemed to include quite a few of Reinhardt¡¯s. However. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s response was lukewarm. ¡°I have events on the third floor and n to focus on the trial for a while¡­¡± His nce strayed off-screen to where Un Hyang and John Dale stood. Especially John Dale, who was vigorously signaling X with his hands. Sorry, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but let¡¯s schedule the cob another time. I¡¯ll reach out to you.¡± *** Cleaning up the chaotic atmosphere fell to Falcon Eye. By declining Reinhardt¡¯s invitation, Suhyuk had offloaded all the responsibility onto him. ¡°So I guess my role here is done.¡± ¡°What? No, Suhyuk, wait a moment¡­.¡± Falcon Eye sighed mid-sentence. Indeed, Suhyuk¡¯s part in this content had concluded. Additionally, the results were ster. Wrapping things up was Falcon Eye¡¯s task now ¡ª and dealing with the fallout of rejecting Reinhardt¡¯s proposal, which had inmed viewer sentiments. Suhyuk walked over to Un Hyang. Falcon Eye¡¯s chatter with the chat was no longer of interest to him. John Dale looked on the verge of tears. ¡°Why did you reject it?¡± John Dale¡¯s role was to support Suhyuk¡¯s stream, ensuring its sess. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of wasting such an opportunity that had practically fallen into theirps. ¡°It was a chance.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Coborating with a ranker isn¡¯t an easy feat.¡± Un Hyang chimed in, also feeling disappointed in her capacity as manager. Even with thepany¡¯s concerted efforts, such opportunities were rare. Yet, Suhyuk had willingly turned it down. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± But Suhyuk showed no sign of regret. ¡°I¡¯ll be a ranker myself anyway.¡± His primary content was climbing the tower. A ranker? Compared to what he had to achieve, bing a ranker was just a stepping stone. Growing the stream was important, but meeting Reinhardt now was not a wise move. ¡®With Isaac¡¯s incident and all, there¡¯s no benefit in facing that scumbag now.¡¯ Suhyuk knew he wasn¡¯t the Lee Suhyuk of the past. Back then, Reinhardt had been defeated in one strike and earned the ¡®First Sword¡¯ nickname, but he was still a ranker. In his current form, Suhyuk couldn¡¯t protect himself if Reinhardt showed his true colors. ¡®It¡¯s best to avoid him for now.¡¯ About thirty minutester. Falcon Eye finally ended the stream and returned, exhausted. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Un Hyang handed Falcon Eye a bottle of water. Falcon Eye downed it, thanking her. ¡°Phew. My god, I was sweating bullets. I must have seen a thousand messages asking for Suhyuk toe out.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°No worries. Thanks to you, the donations exploded! We got great footage too.¡± Even after Suhyuk left, Reinhardt proposed the cob multiple times. With each proposal, he donated 1,000 points. In total, Reinhardt alone had donated 17,000 points. Furthermore, Reinhardt¡¯s presence spurred additional donations, making the stream very lucrative in a short time. ¡°I¡¯ll share today¡¯s donation and video revenue with you. You did great.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do much.¡± ¡°Short but impactful, wasn¡¯t it? I didn¡¯t expect you to match the record¡­¡± Falcon Eye trailed off, giving a thumbs-up. Suhyuk, used topliments, nodded and asked a question. ¡°About the videos, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Videos? Oh, you mean the edited clips that go up on yers?¡± ¡°Yes. Are they profitable too?¡± Suhyuk knew streamers made a lot of money, but he didn¡¯t know much about the video aspect. ¡°A lot. Especially for someone like me.¡± ¡°Like you?¡± ¡°Feedback content tends to be short. But it¡¯s easy to clip into a video. Roughly speaking, I make about five times as much from videos as I do from donations.¡± ¡°Five times¡­?¡± The revenue was far higher than expected. He had assumed it was supplementary at best. ¡°For someone like you, the video revenue would beparable or slightly higher than donations. Impressive, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s beyond expectations.¡± ¡°For details, you can ask this guy. Isn¡¯t that what thepany is for?¡± Falcon Eye pointed at John Dale, who still looked regretful about missing the cob with Reinhardt. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you once the video goes up.¡± Barely finishing his statement, ¡°Since I answered your question, may I ask one?¡± As if he¡¯d been waiting, Falcon Eye asked, ¡°Your fighting seemed a bit off. Were you not feeling well or injured?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Un Hyang widened her eyes at Suhyuk, having watched the trial closely like Falcon Eye, feeling a simr sense of unease. Subtle awkwardness here and there. Something you couldn¡¯t catch on a stream but could notice in person. ¡®Did it show?¡¯ Suhyuk smacked his lips in regret. He had tried to be inconspicuous, but Falcon Eye¡¯s keen eye had seen through it. True. His sharp perceptions alone had allowed him to seed as a streamer. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s a loss whether I win or lose.¡± Suhyuk finally answered. ¡°Why would that be?¡± ¡°My stream rides on the aura of Lee Suhyuk. If I win, I¡¯ll gain that aura but tarnish Lee Suhyuk¡¯s legend.¡± The legendary yer, Lee Suhyuk. Though it was his own name, Suhyuk needed that legend. ¡°Losing is a problem too. It would solidify the belief that ¡®streamer Lee Suhyuk falls shortpared to the real one¡¯. So, in this trial, I needed to create a result where neither character of Lee Suhyuk was harmed.¡± The best result for that purpose. That was precisely this. ¡°A tie. This is just right.¡± Un Hyang, Falcon Eye, and John Dale all wore the same expression. Did he really think that far ahead? And even if he did, was it possible? ¡°Then¡­¡± With a hint of disbelief, Falcon Eye asked, ¡°Are you saying you could have done better?¡± This wasn¡¯t just any record. Lee Suhyuk. A great yer who defined an era. Creating a tie with Lee Suhyuk¡¯s record on his first attempt was astonishing enough; the fact that it was intentional was beyond belief. ¡°Well¡­¡± But Suhyuk had no intention of answering that question. ¡°Let¡¯s stick to one question per exchange.¡± Un Hyang and Falcon Eye both had disappointed expressions. They wanted to hear from this Lee Suhyuk if he could surpass Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Falcon Eye didn¡¯t press further. Pushing for answers when someone didn¡¯t want to speak only created animosity. ¡°So what are your ns moving forward? Considering the nature of my content, I¡¯m curious about your next steps.¡± ¡°I n to focus on the third-floor event for a while.¡± Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes lit up. The third-floor event hosted by Blue Zone. It aligned perfectly with Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream theme. ¡°That¡¯s a solid n. You made a good choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to thepany and my capable manager.¡± Falcon Eye grinned at Un Hyang upon hearing Suhyuk¡¯s modest reply. Indeed, she was a capable manager, though herpetency leaned more towards her ability as a yer. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you around, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Yes. It was a pleasure.¡± Suhyuk shook Falcon Eye¡¯s offered hand. He declined the afterparty suggestion; he had no time for idle drinking. On his way back, Suhyuk reflected on what he had said earlier. ¡°My stream rides on the aura of Lee Suhyuk. If I win, I¡¯ll gain that aura but tarnish Lee Suhyuk¡¯s legend.¡± He knew it. He was currently riding on the name of Lee Suhyuk. Though it was his past life, it still irked his pride somewhat. ¡®I can¡¯t keep riding on it forever.¡¯ A tie. People would now say that streamer Lee Suhyuk and Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk had the same level of talent and skill. And that meant¡ª ¡®Depending on what I do now, the value of the name Lee Suhyuk will rise together.¡¯ People would say that whatever streamer Lee Suhyuk aplished, Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk could also achieve. He had no intention of riding on his past life¡¯s name indefinitely. One day, he would surpass it. Higher, and further. The tie was just a temporarypromise for that purpose. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Crack-! The steel desk bent and copsed to the floor. A middle-aged man with long, luxurious blond hair cascading down to his chest. Reinhardt muttered, his eyes shing a menacing blue. ¡°This¡­ insolent brat¡­.¡± His gaze was fixed on the yer kit lying on the floor. A message shed on the kit: ¡º¡¯Falcon Eye¡¯s stream has ended¡¯¡». The time and points he had poured into that stream felt like a waste, but more than that, his pride had been scratched. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡± Creak-. At the loud noise from inside, Reinhardt¡¯s manager hastily opened the door and entered. Seeing the broken desk and Reinhardt¡¯s fierce expression, the manager flinched and took a step back. ¡°You know Lee Suhyuk, right? The one you told me about.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You mean the streamer?¡± Streamer Lee Suhyuk. The person who had informed Reinhardt about him was the very manager now standing in the room. Having taken an interest in streaming, Reinhardt thought it would help boost his notoriety, leading him to hire a personal manager for his streaming activities. ¡°Yes, that Lee Suhyuk. He rejected my proposal.¡± ¡°Rejected your proposal?¡± The manager looked surprised. This was Reinhardt, after all. Despite the infamous moniker, the title of the First Sword, coupled with his other name, the Golden Sword, marked him as a renowned high-ranker. Moreover, considering the rtionship between Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk and Reinhardt, a coboration between the two would be highly appealing content. Surely, even argepany like Balhae would see the value in it. ¡°It must have been the streamer¡¯s independent decision.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Balhae is profit-driven. They wouldn¡¯t refuse a coboration with someone like you. It seems to be Lee Suhyuk¡¯s personal judgment.¡± ¡°Why would he do that? By your logic, there¡¯s no reason for him to refuse.¡± ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not sure either. There¡¯s no apparent reason.¡± The manager nced at the broken desk, looking troubled. Reinhardt stared at the manager for a moment before gesturing for him to leave the room. Picking up the kit from the floor again, Reinhardt muttered, ¡°Pointlessly wasted points.¡± 17,000 points. Not a major blow, but it was still a waste. If he couldn¡¯t persuade them, there was no need to spend points in the first ce. Furthermore, ¡°And my pride, too.¡± Pride. It was worth far more than 17,000 points. Because of this incident, his name would buzz in themunity for a while. Some might even mock him, saying Lee Suhyuk rejected the First Sword¡¯s advances. Annoyance surged. Reinhardt¡¯s face contorted. Lee Suhyuk. Publicly crushing him was meant to dilute the lingering image of the First Sword in people¡¯s minds. Tick, tick-. Reinhardt picked up the kit again and checked the umted messages. Among them, his finger paused on one lower down the list. ¡°Isaac, what the hell are you up to?¡± Neither calls nor texts were getting through to Isaac. Reinhardt felt a growing sense of unease. *** Returning to the dormitory with Suhyuk, Un Hyang headed to her room and answered a call. The caller was John Dale. With a resigned sigh, she answered. ¡°Yes?¡± Do you always sound so tired when you answer my calls? Why no energy? ¡°You¡¯re calling about the coboration, aren¡¯t you?¡± -Of course, I can¡¯t just let such an opportunity slip by! As expected, it was about the declined coboration with Reinhardt. It was something Un Hyang could understand, but from John Dale and thepany¡¯s perspective, it was iprehensible. ¡°Understand, it¡¯s Lee Suhyuk we¡¯re talking about.¡± -I know. But he¡¯s also a streamer, isn¡¯t he? As his manager, you should try to persuade him. ¡°Climbing the tower takes precedence over cobs. That¡¯s how it is for yers. No¡ª¡± Un Hyang cut John Dale off decisively. ¡°For Lee Suhyuk, it has to be that way.¡± -¡­¡­ A moment of silence followed by a sigh. From that sigh, Un Hyang knew she had won the argument with John Dale. -Fine. I won¡¯t press the issue further. ¡°Of course.¡± ¨C I mean¡­ No, forget it. Actually, it¡¯s just that one thing that¡¯s frustrating; everything else is excellent. ¡°Everything else?¡± -Have you checked themunity? If not, do it now. I¡¯ll stay on the line. Un Hyang manipted her kit to ess the yersmunity. One of the best posts caught her eye. ¡ºLee Suhyuk vs Lee Suhyuk¡» The topic of today¡¯s stream. ¡®Already on the best?¡¯ The yersmunity featured 20 best posts. Each day, the posts with the most views and rmendations made it to the best, and a single appearance could easily boost a streamer¡¯s average viewers by 500. Of course, making it there was no easy feat. ?Lee Suhyuk vs Lee Suhyuk? ¡ºI thought he was just another unknown¡­ But from today, he¡¯s not just an unknown. This guy¡¯s the real deal.¡» The post featured a cleverly merged image of two Lee Suhyuks in identical masks. It seemed to have made it to the best list because of thisposite image. Just as important as the content were thements. Un Hyang quickly scrolled to read them. ¨C Hahaha the meme is crazy lol ¨C Was it two Suhyuks because there are two Suhyuks? ¨C So unfunny ¨C But isn¡¯t he still on the third floor? Aren¡¯t people overreacting? ¨C Just as you said, he¡¯s still on the third floor. Doesn¡¯t mean the future¡¯s clear. ¨C Isn¡¯t it certified they have the same talent? He even got Lightning. ¨C Shut up, I need to change my underwear Over 200ments had been posted. Unlike Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk, many people might have heard about the streamer Lee Suhyuk for the first time. The emergence of another talented yer and streamer was more than enough to pique public interest. ¡®Thements are stilling in? Even if it¡¯s the third floor, it¡¯s no ordinary feat¡ª.¡¯ -Haven¡¯t you checked yet? She had forgotten she hadn¡¯t ended the call with John Dale. ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¨C Do you even consider me your superior? John Dale asked, bewildered, sighing again. Though the sigh concealed undeniable joy. -Anyway, it looks like your contract with the streamer is a jackpot. Un Hyang chuckled. ¡°Well, thank you for acknowledging.¡± -Sigh. Just make sure to handle things smoothly. We¡¯ve got a good thing going here. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll keep things under control.¡± After ending the call, Un Hyang sat down, reflecting on how today¡¯s stream could be a turning point. She knew Suhyuk had something special and was ready to manage and harness it to the fullest. *** Suhyuk, back at the dormitory, began preparing for the trial that wouldmence the following day. The third-floor trial would be conducted in an open world. Unlike the trials on the second floor, this meant he could encounter other yers. Fortunately, the information avable through his kit was quite useful. ¡ºIs there lightning on the third floor too? Bluezone still challenges the unresolved tasks. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s determination continues.¡» ¡ºUnsolved dungeon. Is it really impregnable? A ce unsolvable by even 50 yers.¡» ¡ºThe 178th challenge. The schedule is¡­¡» ¡®This still hasn¡¯t been conquered?¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s eyebrow twitched. He had known the dungeon had a high difficulty level since his era, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to remain unconquered until now. Twenty years might have passed, but it seemed that little had changed above or below. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good for me.¡± Though it was frustrating that his sessors hadn¡¯t solved it, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing. If that dungeon truly held a fragment of lightning, Suhyuk had every reason to conquer it. ¡®It looks like I¡¯ll be busy starting tomorrow.¡¯ In a few days, the tournament would begin. Minjae¡¯s heirloom. The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. An item, as the prize for the third floor¡¯s big event. He had no intention of missing it. Nor did he n to simply rest until then. He aimed to conquer both the third floor and the tournament hosted by Bluezone spectacrly. Knock, knock. As he was examining his kit, someone knocked on the door. At this hour, he knew who it was. Suhyuk donned the mask he had left on the desk and spoke. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Yes~.¡± It was still a bright and cheerful voice. Un Hyang entered Suhyuk¡¯s room with a smiling face, holding a mask in her hands. ¡°The mask you requested is ready.¡± ¡°That was fast.¡± ¡°They had a finished mask that just needed a few tweaks.¡± Suhyuk epted the mask Un Hyang handed him. It was designed to allow the mouthpiece to be easily detached and reattached, adding to its conveniencepared to the previous mask. ¡°They must have a lot of these if they could get one quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Because it¡¯s Lee Suhyuk.¡± Because it¡¯s Lee Suhyuk. Such a simple phrase. For Un Hyang, everything seemed to be exined by those words. But unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t the same for Suhyuk. Despite it being his own story. ¡°Why do people like Lee Suhyuk so much?¡± Asking this, Suhyuk alternated his gaze between the mask in his hands and Un Hyang. Suhyuk was aware that he had many fans. However, because he was busy climbing the tower, he had never conversed with them. Indeed, he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Reasons, huh¡­¡± Un Hyang pouted her lips, deep in thought over Suhyuk¡¯s question. ¡°There are many reasons. Maybe because we¡¯re from the same Earth, or because you¡¯re cool.¡± Continuing to talk, a joyful smile spread across Un Hyang¡¯s face. ¡°Fans probably see him as a symbol of hope and resilience. He had achieved things they can only dream of. And then, there¡¯s his demeanor¡ªunstoppable and confident. It¡¯s inspiring.¡± Suhyuk listened, a contemtive look on his face. ¡°And above all else, Lee Suhyuk was our hope.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Hope? That was a grand word, something entirely unexpected. ¡°What kind of hope are you talking about?¡± Un Hyang smiled at Suhyuk¡¯s inquiry, as if looking at a child who knew nothing. Naturally, she was unaware of Suhyuk¡¯s true age. ¡°When I first came into this tower, there was nothing.¡± Suhyuk nodded at her words. He remembered too, the day he first entered the tower. ¡°Outside the cities, monsters roamed, and there were no means to earn food or money. It wasn¡¯t the stable world it is now.¡± This was not just something known only to veteran yers. The early days of the tower had been passed down through words and records even after nearly fifty years. ¡°There was only one way. Climbing up.¡± What was above? That anticipation was the only hope yers had. ¡°If you climbed the tower, you could earn points. With this world¡¯s currency, you could settle down here, and maybe even integrate this world as our own.¡± Making this world our own. Thinking back, there had been moments when such thoughts did cross his mind. ¡°Great yers give us hope that this tower can be conquered and ruled. Lee Suhyuk was the best among them. What he achieved wasn¡¯t just about exploring many floors.¡± ¡°Hope¡­¡± Suhyuk nodded. Listening to the exnation, he began to understand why so many people were passionate about the name Lee Suhyuk. But that was for the average yer. ¡°Do you feel the same way, Manager?¡± Un Hyangughed awkwardly at Suhyuk¡¯s question. ¡°That¡¯s part of it.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s more to it.¡± From what Suhyuk had observed, Un Hyang¡¯s fandom was extraordinary. Her enthusiasm for a streamer simply sharing the same name made him wonder what her reaction would be to the real deal. ¡°It¡¯s still a secret.¡± With a yful expression, she put a finger to her lips. ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised. Make sure you¡¯re ready when I decide to share it.¡± A secret. Be prepared. Did she even imagine? What kind of secrety within the person standing right in front of her? Reflecting on their conversation, Suhyuk felt a mix of unease and curiosity. Un Hyang¡¯s words hinted at depths he had yet to explore about her admiration and her reasons. Whatevery beneath, Suhyuk knew that understanding theseyers¡ªand how people saw him¡ªwould be crucial as he climbed higher, not just in the tower but in the hearts and minds of those who followed his ascent. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 The yers channel¡¯s streammunity was in turmoil. And not just the streamingmunity. High-ranking yers keenly interested in new rookies on the lower floors and various guilds were simrly abuzz. ?Why Fake Suhyuk is a Fraud? ?It¡¯s All Staged, how Can You Believe This?? ?Reasons Why Suhyuk Reincarnated (Photos)? Conspiracies emerged, iming the trial was orchestrated and faked by Balhae Entertainment. Meanwhile, many others believed in the authenticity. ¨C How would you fake that? Exin. ¨C Such paranoia, lol. ¨C Heree the conspiracy theorists. ¨C Why don¡¯t you just say the lightning is fake too, lol? Public opinion was fiercely divided. Guilds were also in a frenzy. Balhae Entertainment found itself swamped with unexpected contacts from guilds eager to speak with Suhyuk. The issue was that these contacts were mostly about guild recruitment, not streams. ¡°He won¡¯t join any guilds.¡± Amid this situation, Un Hyang ryed Suhyuk¡¯s decision to thepany. ¡°If they have something to say to him, they should do it through donations¡­.¡± John Dale could hardly believe what he was hearing. Tell them tomunicate through donations? It almost felt like he was managing a rookie streamer who barely started. ¡°Hmph, hmmm¡ª.¡± Humming a light tune, Un Hyang flopped onto her plush bed. Snacks such as jerky, sweets, and jelly were scattered across the bed. ¡°This is why being a manager is fun~.¡± Early in the morning, after finishing his meal, Suhyuk left the dormitory to take the trial. Taking the trial meant starting his stream. Un Hyang had stocked up on her favorite snacks and was eagerly waiting for Suhyuk¡¯s stream. While staring at her kit, waiting for the notification that the stream had begun, her mind wandered back to what she had said to Suhyukst night. ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised. Make sure you¡¯re ready when I decide to share it.¡± ¡°Ugh¡ª.¡± What had possessed her to say such a thing? ¡®He won¡¯t think it strange, will he?¡¯ It would have been better if she had said nothing at all. For the first time, Suhyuk had asked something personal about her, and in her excitement, she ended up saying more than she needed to. ¡°Ah¡ª! Aaaah!¡± Bang, pop! Once again, Un Hyang¡¯s fists flew at an innocent pillow. Feathers burst out and littered the room. As she privately wallowed in her embarrassment, a notification appeared. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» The message she had been waiting for. No, a message now awaited by over 10,000 subscribers, appeared on her kit screen. Un Hyang quickly readied herself, snacks in hand, and tuned into the stream, eager and filled with anticipation. Suhyuk¡¯s progress was about to be shared with many¡ªan exciting moment for fans and rankers alike. *** 3rd Floor Examination Room Standing at the entrance to the portal, Suhyuk greeted the viewers pouring in. ¡°Thank you for the 1000 points, ¡®IloveLeeSuhyuk¡¯. You¡¯re here again. Ah, ¡®MissionViin¡¯¡­ Yes, let¡¯s see if you can win today.¡± After a few sessions, he became familiar withmunicating with the viewers to some extent. ¨C The manager asked us to subscribe, so I clicked twice! ¨C Which faction will you choose for the 3rd floor? ¨C Not going into the Blue Zone? ¨C Su~hyuk! ¨C Soloing again this time? Maybe it was because many new viewers had joined? As soon as the stream started, countless questions came flooding in. Some of them came with small donations attached. He couldn¡¯t respond to every chat message, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the donationspletely. Moreover, given the nature of his stream, which required concentration on the trial, now was the time when donations flowed most actively, right after the stream began. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m soloing again this time. I find it morefortable alone.¡± ¡º¡¯Golden Lion¡¯ donated 500 points.¡» ¡ºAren¡¯t you doing a cob with the real Reinhardt?¡» Golden Lion. It was the name of the guild that Reinhardt belonged to. Judging by the nickname change, this viewer seemed to be a fan of Reinhardt. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be concentrating on Victory Tower for the time being.¡± ¡º¡¯WorldTree3¡ä donated 5000 points.¡» ¡ºHello Suhyuk. I am Raymond from the World Tree guild. I have something important to discuss. Do you have a moment?¡» The guilds were starting to show serious interest. Suhyuk smiled behind his mask at the generous donation. ¡°It¡¯s not the right time yet. Thank you for your donation.¡± Suhyuk had no intention of joining a guild. But that didn¡¯t mean there was nothing to gain from the guilds. Ten minutes into the stream. Suhyuk checked the viewer count. ¡ºViewers: 2,719¡» Two thousand seven hundred. The numbers had increased significantly. At this rate, it might reach 4,000, no, perhaps even 5,000. ¡®The coboration effect is strong.¡¯ The subscriber count also surpassed 10,000. Edited videos would be uploaded soon, and today¡¯s profits from yesterday¡¯s coboration would be settled as well. He could understand why thepany regretted missing the coboration with Reinhardt so much. ¡®The stream is going smoothly.¡¯ Everything would be fine if it continued like this. The speed at which he was umting points was elerating. All he had to do was keep providing the content they wanted to see. And that was too easy. Because- ¡®I am Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ Step-. He moved to take the trial. With his eyes gleaming through the mask, Suhyuk spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the stream.¡± Fwoosh-. As he stepped into the portal, a bright light enveloped his body. ¨C Let¡¯s go ¨C Let¡¯s gooo *** ¡ºStarting the 3rd Floor Trial¡» Amid a pure white background. With the message floating before his eyes, the trial began. ¡ºChoose your affiliation.¡» ¡ºOdman Kingdom ¨C Details¡» ¡ºConrad Kingdom ¨C Details¡» The oue of the 3rd floor trial varied greatly depending on the chosen kingdom. Each faction was antagonistic toward each other and offered different quests based on affiliation. ¨C Odman is definitely the way to go. ¨C Odman was like ages ago, LOL. ¨C Isn¡¯t Odman an empty house now since it¡¯s all drained dry? ¨C Still, choosing Conrad seems a bit rough. A brief debate about the two factions ensued. At this rate, there was no need to go through the hassle of looking up information. Which faction was better? While the answer to that question was evident, Suhyuk¡¯s choice was the opposite. ¡ºYou have chosen ¡®Conrad Kingdom.¡¯¡» ¡ºComplete tasks to earn performance points.¡» ¡ºCurrent performance points: 0¡» ¡ºRequired performance points: 10,000¡» Conrad. The chat zed again with his choice. ¨C LOL, this is it. ¨C I expected this, LOL. ¨C Odman is kind of predictable. ¨C Well, he might pull it off anyway. Conrad. Only about three percent of the total yers chose this faction. And there was undoubtedly a reason why so few yers chose it. ¡ºTransferring to ¡®Conrad Kingdom.¡¯¡» Fwoosh-! Color began to fill the pure whitendscape. The initially blurry view stabilized into clear scenery, like a mirage solidifying. The building, filled with the scent of men, came into Suhyuk¡¯s view, teeming with burly mercenaries. ¨C So, Conrad is full of mercenaries? ¨C Why are the facilities here so rundown? Mercenaries. This was the status assigned to Suhyuk and all yers belonging to the Conrad Kingdom. Just as Suhyuk began his trial in the Conrad Kingdom. ¡°What¡¯s this weak-looking guy doing here?¡± Thud-. A man brushed past, hitting Suhyuk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just standing there like an idiot? You¡¯re in the way.¡± The towering man nced at Suhyuk and clicked his tongue in disdain. There was enough space to pass by, but he bumped into him on purpose. Suhyuk wasn¡¯t naive enough to miss that. ¡°You hit me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled as he adjusted his microphone. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice to meet you?¡± ¨C LOL ¨C ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice to meet you.¡± ha, ssic. Suhyuk moved towards the man who had brushed past him. As Suhyuk ced a hand on his shoulder, the man turned to face him, furrowing his brows menacingly. ¡°What? You got a problem?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. You just hit my shoulder.¡± Suhyuk nced at the insignia hanging on the man¡¯s shoulder. A silver badge symbolizing a B-Rank mercenary¡ªa rather high rank. No wonder he had the confidence to pick a fight. ¡°What¡¯s with this guy? If you have something to say, spit it out. Are you mute?¡± The man¡¯s words made Suhyuk realize his current state. ¡°Oh right, my mic.¡± ¨C Forgot the mic again, LOL. ¨C He¡¯s good at everything but streaming, LOL. ¨C From the mercenary¡¯s perspective, he just got stopped and stared at nkly, LOL. Briefly embarrassed, Suhyuk quickly adjusted the microphone back to its usual state. Repeating the same words once more. ¡°So what? What are you gonna do about it? You¡¯re just an E-Rank.¡± E-Rank. That was the mercenary rank currently assigned to Suhyuk. All yers starting in Conrad are given an E-Rank mercenary ranking. E-Rank is three levels lower than B-Rank. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the rules here? If you¡¯re weak, low-ranked, and nameless, you get trampled.¡± The man sneered. ¡°Actually, you should be grateful for just bumping shoulders, right?¡± Murmurs spread. People started gathering around the brewing confrontation. ¡°What¡¯s going on? A fight?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that? A newbie?¡± ¡°Looks that way. But can he even fight? The rank difference is too big.¡± ¡°That Vulture, always picking on E-Rank.¡± The chatter of the onlookers reached his ears. Some were apparently hoping to see Suhyuk get beaten down. Well, mercenaries are known for being this way. Savage, sweaty, and violent. ¡®Especially small guilds in rural areas.¡¯ Suhyuk smiled at the gathering crowd. The audience was quite enough. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m an E-Rank.¡± Crackle-. Magic sparked at Suhyuk¡¯s fingertips. ¡º¡®Lightning¡¯ imbues your hand.¡» Zap-. His fist shot out, striking the man¡¯s chin before returning to its original position. ¡°But I won¡¯t be for long.¡± ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± Mid-sentence, the man lost strength in his legs and copsed. His eyes rolled back, showing the whites. Suhyuk pushed the falling man aside. Thud-. The wooden floor echoed as it met the man¡¯s heavy body. The onlookers were momentarily stunned. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Why did he fall down all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Is he okay?¡± Most didn¡¯t understand what had happened. It had urred too quickly. ¡°Hey, Vulture! Hey! Are you alright?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Did this guy do something?¡± ¡°He said his mother wasn¡¯t feeling well recently¡­¡± ¡°You idiot! Just because his mother is sick doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯d suddenly copse!¡± During themotion, the man¡¯srades rushed over. A group of C-Rank, D-Rank, and one B-Rank mercenary. They red at Suhyuk, grinding their teeth. ¡°You got lucky, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why are you staring? Should I rip that weird mask off your face?¡± ¡°Did he do something to him?¡± Having to deal with more trouble, Suhyuk scratched his head and adjusted his microphone. ¡°They didn¡¯t see it either.¡± nning to showcase a powerful punch for his initiation might have been too much. But it was a relief. Mercenaries are naturally provoked easily. Tap, tap-. Suhyuk rxed his clenched fists and continued. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll hit a bit slower.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Open world map. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Crack-! Another mercenary, his jaw dislocated, copsed unconscious. With thest of Vulture¡¯srades defeated, the final mercenary at Suhyuk¡¯s side was on edge. ¡®I can¡¯t beat him. But if I run away now¡­¡¯ A quick nce around showed nothing but pitiful looks directed at him. ¡®A mercenary who gets humiliated once is done for-.¡¯ ¡°No need to worry-.¡± Crunch-. Afortable impact on his jaw. With the voiceing from nearby, thest standing mercenary fell unconscious as well. ¡°Just sleep.¡± Thud-. With thest mercenary dealt with, Suhyuk raised his head. Some looked away, avoiding eye contact. Feeling their intimidated gaze, Suhyuk turned his microphone and mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s with them?¡± ¡º¡¯Shoulder Bump¡¯ donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºYou ttened ten people just because of a shoulder bump, and you wonder why they¡¯re scared?¡» Come to think of it, the situation was indeed like that. He had reacted with joy when his shoulder was bumped. ¡°It was self-defense.¡± ¡º¡¯First Strike Wins¡¯ donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºShoulder bump > ttening ten people > Self-defense???¡» ¡°Was it not?¡± Looking at the fallen mercenaries, Suhyuk scratched his head. Clearly, this was too much of an uproar for a mere shoulder bump. While the surrounding mercenaries avoided his gaze, someone spoke from a corner. ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the skills.¡± A young man, remarkably tidy for a mercenary, approached Suhyuk. His face had a sheen of youth, and his well-kept hair made him resemble a knight more than a mercenary. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem too bothered by a shoulder bump. Did you have an agenda?¡± Sharp-witted, too. Suhyuk nodded and replied. ¡°Surely there would be someone like you among this crowd?¡± ¡°Someone like me?¡± ¡°I figured there might be a rank assessor even in such a rural ce.¡± The man¡¯s eyes narrowed at Suhyuk¡¯s words. Rank assessor. That was the man¡¯s title. ¡°You¡¯re a newbie I¡¯ve seen for the first time today. Have youpleted any tasks?¡± To take a rank assessment, one needs achievements. An E-Rank mercenary has toplete given tasks to umte achievements and then take the rank assessment. Normally, that¡¯s the standard procedure. ¡°As you know, the tasks avable for E-Rank are quite limited.¡± ¨C Just bring something else already, LOL. ¨C All this fuss just to skip E-Rank tasks? ¨C The shoulder bump was just an excuse, LOL. ¨C RIP Vulture. The objective of this trial is to umte performance points. At least 10,000 points are needed to proceed to the next floor. However, the tasks avable to E-Rank mercenaries offer very meager rewards. The highest you could get is 50 points, and sometimes as low as 10. ¡®So how long do you expect that to take?¡¯ A method to skip ahead to higher-ranked tasks. For that reason, Suhyuk willingly epted Vulture¡¯s shoulder bump. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about creating shortcuts?¡± A Quote to Remember ¨C His concept is solid, LOL. The words Suhyuk just spoke were one of many left by Suhyuk in his past life. ¡°Shortcuts are to be made. There are no fixed routes in trials.¡± This was a truth Suhyuk had realized through his extensive experience as a yer. Even though the tasks given and the goals aimed for might be the same. The process and oue could be entirely different for everyone. ¡°You¡¯re not just any mercenary, are you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you an Otherworlder? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen one.¡± Otherworlder. This was the local term for yers. Compared to Odman Kingdom, which started with knights, Conrad was inefficient and thus had fewer yers. ¡°Your skills are undeniable, but I can¡¯t give you any special treatment. Procedures must be followed.¡± ¡°There must be a way to expedite those procedures?¡± ¡°There is, but why should we cater to an Otherworlder who¡¯s just going to leave soon?¡± Otherworlders eventually leave. They stay for a few months or years at most, but they must ascend to the next floor as yers. Knowing this, the man had no intention of giving Suhyuk any special treatment. Since he would eventually leave anyway. ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll do something you want.¡± ¡°Something we want?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What might that be?¡± ¡°Thunder Cave.¡± At the mention of the name, the man¡¯s expression changed. ¡°It¡¯s being contested by the Odman Kingdom, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¨C Hell yeah!! ¨C As expected!!!! ¨C This is it, LOL. ¨C I saw iting. The viewers cheered. Thunder Cave. It was a dungeon that had never been conquered on the 3rd floor. And also. ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll conquer it?¡± ¡°You catch on quickly.¡± ¡°Only A-Rank and above can take on that quest. But the problem isn¡¯t just about taking on the quest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. An impregnable dungeon. A matter of pride between the Odman and Conrad Kingdoms.¡± Impregnable. No yer, mercenary, or knight had ever been able to conquer the dungeon known as Thunder Cave. Furthermore. ¡°But to maintain their legitimacy, both kingdoms need the conquest of Thunder Cave.¡± For the mercenary guild, this quest was a double-edged sword. The reward was immense, but each attempt only resulted in casualties. And it was the same for the Odman Kingdom. The difference was that the Odman Kingdom continuously attempted the conquest due to the steady influx of yers. ¡°How about we do this?¡± ¡°What do you propose?¡± ¡°Give me an A-Rank badge, and I¡¯ll conquer Thunder Cave. However, the badge will only be used for the Thunder Cave quest.¡± A badge limited to Thunder Cave. That changed things. Suhyuk¡¯s condition was a clear deration of his intention to conquer Thunder Cave. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± The man fell into brief contemtion. Meanwhile, Suhyuk turned his microphone toward the viewers. ¡°If he refuses, this will get annoying.¡± Suhyuk pondered his next move. ¡°Should I knock him down too¡­?¡± ¨C ???? ¨C Yo, run away quickly. ¨C He¡¯s gonna get Vulture¡¯d too. ¨C Vulture¡¯d, LOL. Vulture¡¯d. Suhyuk briefly wondered what that meant, contemting it for a moment. ¡º¡¯Mission Viin¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºSolo clear Lightning Dungeon for 20,000 points. Deal?¡» The first mission since starting the 3rd floor trial. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¨C LOL, this dude¡¯s crazy. ¨C Mission guy took it up a notch, LOL. ¨C Mission Viin strikes again! ¡º¡¯Mission Viin¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºChicken out? LOL.¡» A type that enjoyed setting difficult missions and watching the struggle. However, the donation amount was iparable to any received before. ¡º¡¯Safe Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºThis better be safe¡­ Adding 10,000 points to the same mission.¡» ¡º¡¯On to Floor 10¡ä has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºAdding 5,000 points to the same mission. Chicken out? LOL.¡» Simr missions started appearing back-to-back. Once the momentum picked up, the amount snowballed. Suhyuk didn¡¯t immediately respond to epting the mission. He was busy calcting the total mission rewards. ¡®How much is this altogether?¡¯ While Suhyuk¡¯s mouth hung open in surprise at the unexpected donation sums, the man spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll write you a rmendation letter.¡± The man, having finished contemting, finally opened his mouth. ¡°A rmendation?¡± ¡°Yes. After all, your goal is to conquer Thunder Cave, not the mercenary badge.¡± Suhyuk nodded. The mercenary ranks would disappear as soon as he ascended to the next floor, serving only as a temporary status. What mattered was ess to Thunder Cave. The A-Rank rank was merely a means to that end. ¡°My rmendation letter will allow you to join. They¡¯ll probably have a position in the conquest team, anyway.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Though it wasn¡¯t exactly as nned, the result was satisfactory. It seemed the man who got caught in his scheme held quite a high status. ¡°My name is Raymond. I¡¯m the mercenary rank assessor for the eastern region.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°The Thunder Cave conquest team departs in five days. I¡¯ll write you a rmendation letter; you¡¯ll need to wait until then.¡± Five days. That perfectly coincided with the end of the 3rd floor tournament. ¨C This might end up shing with Blue Zone if this keeps going. ¨C Seriously, especially since he chose Conrad. Suhyuk narrowed his eyes, recalling that Blue Zone had set this schedule. ¡®Did they schedule the tournament to coincide with this?¡¯ Blue Zone was also interested in Thunder Cave. If the schedules ovepped, they wouldn¡¯t be able to send their yers into the cave, which made sense. ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡± Raymond said, leaving briefly. About ten minutester, he returned with a leather-bound document. ¡°It¡¯s a rmendation letter. This will grant you ess to the dungeon.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Conquering Thunder Cave¡­ Honestly, I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± Raymond¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly as he spoke. ¡°Do you know what kind of ce it is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an A-Rank mercenary myself. I was young once. I challenged Thunder Cave. That day, I lost half myrades.¡± Lostrades. Suhyuk¡¯s expression shifted slightly behind his mask. ¡°So be careful. You might end up like me.¡± This concern exined why Raymond was so unsettled by Suhyuk¡¯s intention to challenge Thunder Cave. With genuine concern and goodwill in his voice, Raymond advised Suhyuk. ¡°Thank you for the warning. But that won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Really? Well, you Otherworlders are strange beings who don¡¯t die, after all.¡± In this world, yers were known for seemingly never dying. But they were wrong. ¡®We die just the same.¡¯ Like Raymond, who lost hisrades in Thunder Cave. Suhyuk had also experienced losingrades a long time ago. It felt recent, despite the time that had passed. But there was another reason Suhyuk confidently stated it wouldn¡¯t happen. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ll be challenging it alone.¡± ¡°¡­Alone?¡± If there are norades, they can¡¯t be lost. Suhyuk nned to challenge the dungeon without recruiting any additional team members. ¨C Is he really going solo??? ¨C Don¡¯t you guys know? He cleared the 2nd floor alone too, LOL. ¨C But this is different! That dungeon hasn¡¯t been conquered for over 20 years. Reactions from both viewers and Raymond were simr. ¡°Thunder Cave is a 20-man dungeon. And you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll go solo?¡± ¡°Does it even get fully staffed in the first ce?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Raymond faltered at Suhyuk¡¯s question. Unlike the Osman Kingdom, where yers actively flowed in, Conrad had few yers. While yers, whose lives only resulted in point deductions, continuously challenged Thunder Cave, Conrad couldn¡¯t do the same. Hence, currently, Thunder Cave couldn¡¯t muster a full team. ¡°I thought you had morepanions.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Suddenly, the ice flower at the 1st-floor memorial came to mind. ¡°Not now.¡± Suhyuk never intended to stay alone forever. He would find them, whether he had to search them out or they came to him. The stream was a means to that end as well. TL¡¯s Corner: Time to get another lightning shard. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 For any mistakes, please raise it on our discord server. Also, we¡¯ll speedrun this thing until we catch up on the raw, which is at chapter 120 right now. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s really something else, this guy.¡± Crunch-. On the ship heading to the lower floor. Kim Yerang bit into a potato chip, her face nonchntly altered. In her hand was a yer kit streaming Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡°Is he really nning to conquer that alone?¡± Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be truly alone. Even if they weren¡¯t yers, there might be reckless mercenaries aiming for Thunder Cave, and Lee Suhyuk had no authority to exclude them. But. Given Lee Suhyuk¡¯s current reputation, forming a team of exceptional yers wouldn¡¯t be difficult. No matter how rare Conrad Kingdom yers were, surely he could gather 20 people? With this statement, Suhyuk effectively isted himself. ¡°He¡¯s just like the real Suhyuk. Except for the whole mission thing.¡± Crunch-. The stream ended sooner than expected. Lee Suhyuk, having secured the rmendation letter, dropped a bombshell. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in other trials. I¡¯ll be taking a break from streaming until then.¡± ¨C Didn¡¯t you say you were too busy for cobs?? ¨C ¡ºMessage obscured due to inappropriatenguage¡» ¨C What the heck?? Despite the viewers¡¯ uproar, Suhyuk¡¯s resolve was unwavering. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has ended the stream.¡» The message that soon followed. Viewers left in the stream without a streamer voiced their discontent. Kim Yerang was just as startled. She had intended to alleviate the boredom of travel, only for the stream to abruptly end. But that bewilderment was brief. ¡°Pfft.¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°Puhaha! Ah, this guy is really something.¡± Theughter stemmed more from reminiscing than amusement. Lee Suhyuk. It reminded her of her long-time friend. ¡®It¡¯s like Suhyuk himself is streaming, minus the whole mission thing.¡¯ He didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ perspectives. His chosen path was the correct one. That was how Suhyuk, whom Kim Yerang knew, thought. In that sense, streamer Lee Suhyuk resembled the Suhyuk she knew. Although sessful as a streamer, he refused to perform solely for viewers. Of course. ¡®If it were the real Suhyuk, he wouldn¡¯t be streaming at all.¡¯ Sess as a yer inevitably brought wealth and fame. Moreover, Suhyuk didn¡¯t enjoy the attention of crowds. For Suhyuk, disinterested in money or fame, being a streamer was unfathomable, like oil and water. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for that difference, the resemnce is uncanny.¡¯ He invoked nostalgia for Lee Suhyuk among the viewers. As a medium most unlike Suhyuk yet in a manner eerily simr to him. As she stared at the nk screen where the stream had ended. ¡®He¡¯ll probably join this tournament.¡¯ Kim Yerang suddenly thought. ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t win.¡± *** When Suhyuk exited the stream, Manager Un Hyang was waiting for him. Normally, as a manager, she should have given him a proper scolding for his recent actions. ¡°You did well.¡± Instead, she gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°If you¡¯re Lee Suhyuk, this is the way to go. Rather than solving petty quests like a clown, it¡¯s a hundred times better to end it here.¡± The reason was simple. She was a huge fan of Lee Suhyuk. Hence, Un Hyang was the most suitable person to be Suhyuk¡¯s manager. ¡°The viewers are quite displeased.¡± Suhyuk nced at the chat messages left by viewers in the ended stream. But Un Hyang shook her head firmly. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°If you had taken on those trivial quests, it would have only diminished the uniqueness of the stream.¡± For other streams, maybe. But for Suhyuk¡¯s stream, this was the right approach. He was Lee Suhyuk. Even as a streamer, he needed to appear genuine to his viewers. That¡¯s why, when Suhyuk was pondering the remaining stream time, Un Hyang whispered to him. -¡ºWhisper¡» Suhyuk, just do what you want. Don¡¯t worry about the viewers¡¯ reactions. That whisper was the deciding factor. Torn between continuing or ending the stream, Suhyuk ended it. The next stream would likely be during the 3rd floor¡¯s tournament, and the following one during the Thunder Cave conquest. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to your advice.¡± ¡°So, what will you do now? You ended the stream as soon as I told you to do whatever you want.¡± ¡°I n to hunt for a while. I need to level up.¡± Thunder Cave was a dungeon Suhyuk was challenging for the first time. Though he wasn¡¯tpletely uninformed, he still needed to be as prepared as possible. Moreover. ¡®I need to trial how far I can use lightning with my current stats.¡¯ In his past life, Suhyuk was obsessed with stamina stats. So much so that he wielded a holy sword and used stamina-focused items. But things were different now. There was the selfish sacrifice, and most importantly, the ¡®Heart of Lightning¡¯ he obtained on the 2nd floor. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯ There was still plenty of time before the tournament. ¡®How effective it will be.¡¯ Heart of Lightning. An artifact said to be created to allow humans to harness lightning. He wondered just how powerful the item would be. *** To ascend to higher floors, yers must hunt. Hunting is less efficient than passing trials. It also requires risking one¡¯s life. Despite this, exceptional yers, including those called rankers, never shy away from hunting. The reason is simple. It¡¯s to ensure they pass the trials. ¡°Why hunt? That¡¯s a really stupid question.¡± In an interview, Suhyuk once answered: ¡°If you fail the trial, you gain nothing. All the rewards reset, and even the levels you gained there drop.¡± To keep the rewards from the trial, you must not fail. That¡¯s why exceptional yers never neglect hunting. ¡°Trials make us stronger, but to take those trials, we must hunt. Hunting powers us to take the trials more perfectly.¡± Furthermore, Suhyuk added: ¡°The moment a yer stops hunting because they fear for their life, that¡¯s the end for them.¡± ¡®I said something like that, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Crack-! A spider¡¯s body burst under Suhyuk¡¯s kick. ¡®I haven¡¯t been able to hunt because of the stream.¡¯ The Anacre Dungeon. A dungeon with considerable difficulty on the 3rd floor,monly tackled by 10-man parties. Due to the sheer number of monsters, it was hard to hunt without AoE (Area of Effect) skills. Scurrying noises and eerie wails. Spiders approached from all directions. And in between. Numerous eyes glowed red from the dark depths of the cave. ¡°You¡¯vee.¡± The master of this dungeon. Anacre. It appeared, leading its brood. Zap-. ¡º¡®Lightning¡¯ imbues the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.¡» ¡º¡®Selfish Sacrifice lv.4¡¯ resists ¡®Lightning¡¯.¡» For a moment, the dark dungeon was brightly illuminated. Yellow lightning reced themps. Fueled by stamina and magic, the lightning unleashed destructive power beyond Suhyuk¡¯s current stats. Moreover. ¡º¡®Heart of Lightning¡¯ resists ¡®Lightning¡¯.¡» ¡º¡®Lightning¡¯ skill effect increases by 20%.¡» ¡ºResists status effect: Electrocution.¡» Kabang-. The sound from the sword¡¯s tip brought a smile to Suhyuk¡¯s lips. It was faint but indeed there. The sound of thunder he remembered. sh-! Kwahhh-! As the sword¡¯s tip dropped, a yellow sh extended outward. Spiders emerging from the depths, aiming for him, were swept away and incinerated. But they were not the target. Clearing the path, Suhyuk raised his sword high and charged forward. ¡°Got you.¡± sh-! With a streak of lightning. aash-. Anacre, the spider boss, was cleaved in half. ¡ºYou have defeated ¡®Anacre¡¯s Offspring¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou have defeated ¡®Anacre¡¯s Offspring¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou have defeated ¡®Anacre¡¯s Offspring¡¯¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡­¡» ¡ºYou have defeated the boss: ¡®Anacre¡¯.¡» ¡ºLevel Up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» The always satisfying message rang out. But now, his attention was elsewhere. Dozens of charred spiders, the lingering heat of yellow lightning on the walls. The power was substantial. Enough to instantly kill dozens of monsters and defeat the dungeon boss with a single strike. Yet, more impressive than anything was his current state. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Suhyuk rarely opened his eyes so wide, staring at his own trembling hand. A slight tremor. The aftermath of channeling lightning power in a burst. There was a bit of shaking, but this was manageable. No, considering the power disyed just now, it was beyond manageable. Level 4 ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯. And thanks to the increased resistance and immunity to paralysis from the ¡®Heart of Lightning¡¯. ¡®If I push to the max, even more should be possible.¡¯ He already knew the effectiveness of ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ from past experience. The unexpected part was the ¡®Heart of Lightning¡¯. Its effectiveness was far superior to the numerical values. Immunity to paralysis. Though concentrated on one attribute, there was no more crucial stat for Suhyuk than this. ¡®An artifact made by humans to defeat gods¡­.¡¯ He pulled out the Heart of Lightning from his inventory, examining it. A brilliant yellow gemstone, emitting a radiant light. Despite its appearance, its full capabilities couldn¡¯t be discerned. ¡®Could it be true?¡¯ Suhyuk recalled Ferius¡¯s words, which had enlightened him about past legends. ¡°Gods and giants. Magnificent beings no mere human could oppose. This is an item created to fight them.¡± An impressive description. And there was no way an item of that caliber would be found as early as the 2nd floor. ncing back, he noticed the item¡¯s description. Grade: Unique (Growth) Growth. It meant the item could be further enhanced. ¡®It implies there¡¯s more to it still.¡¯ The problem was how to further enhance it. There was no way to find information about it either. Where would one find details on an item appearing for the first time in the world? He had already searched the yer kit for a long time, looking up the Heart of Lightning. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got a new mission.¡± It dawned on him that despite using this power for ages, he hadn¡¯t truly considered what lightning was. He had always treated it as just another skill. But perhaps his struggles with lightning stemmed from not understanding its true potential. Clenching the Heart of Lightning tightly in his palm, Suhyuk resolved to find out. At this moment, there was no need to ponder too far ahead. He just needed to do what was necessary now. And that was, ¡®I always felt it was a shame, having to conserve stamina while hunting.¡¯ Hunting. Previously, his hunts were slowed down by the need to conserve stamina, often requiring long breaks. But now, he could continuously hunt. ¡®Four more days.¡¯ A rare smile spread across Suhyuk¡¯s face, relishing the ample time ahead. ¡°Time to level up.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Blue Zone yer, Na Dosik, had visited the 3rd floor. As a 5th-floor yer, he hade down the lower floors for one reason only: to meet a particr yer in person. ¡®So close to the next floor, yet I have to deal with this nonsense.¡¯ He fiddled with his protruding hair, grumbling in frustration. ¡°Damn that guy, ying hard to get for no reason.¡± Streamer Lee Suhyuk. A yer lucky enough to obtain lightning on the 2nd floor. For someone who just streams, getting lightning was absurd. ¡®No matter how symbolic it is, wanting a 3rd-floor yer for Blue Zone is just¡­¡¯ Na Dosik checked the map disyed on his kit as he continued walking. ¡°The world¡¯s going to hell.¡± Despite hisints, he soon arrived at his destination and looked up at a lodging house. ¡°This is the ce.¡± A clean-looking, fairly upscale lodging. Likely provided by Balhae Entertainment. Streamers evidently made quite a bit of money. Na Dosik walked into the lodging house, making a phone call at the same time. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve arrived.¡± The recipient was John Dale. The team leader from Balhae Entertainment. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on the first floor now¡­¡± ¡°Over here. This way.¡± The first floor of the lodging. A well-decorated lobby resembling a cafe. John Dale was seated in the middle, waving at Na Dosik. Slide-. Na Dosik sat across from John Dale. ¡°Would you like coffee? Or perhaps a light drink?¡± ¡°No thanks, just water will be fine.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± John Dale deduced from Na Dosik¡¯s response that he didn¡¯t intend to stay long. ¡°You mentioned you had business with our streamer?¡± ¡°Yes. Where is Lee Suhyuk right now?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t here. He went out on other business.¡± ¡°Other business? What kind of business?¡± ¡°That¡¯s personal, so I can¡¯t disclose that information¡­¡± John Dale trailed off, sipping his coffee. ¡°Besides, I believe we¡¯ve already conveyed our streamer¡¯s stance.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll discuss that with him directly.¡± ¡°That will be difficult. He¡¯s not easy to meet.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it that you don¡¯t want me to meet him?¡± Na Dosik frowned. He knew Balhae Entertainment wouldn¡¯t be cooperative. From their standpoint, they wouldn¡¯t want a lucky ticket like Suhyuk taken away by Blue Zone. However. ¡®If I return without even seeing Lee Suhyuk, I¡¯m getting disciplined immediately.¡¯ Regardless of personal evaluations, the guild was eager to have him. Desperately eager. Failing this mission would result in more than just a typical disciplinary action. ¡°For Lee Suhyuk, joining a major guild is a hundred times better than just being a streamer. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure. Sessful streamers nowadays make earningsparable to high-ranking yers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just talking about points. Honor, power, strength. I¡¯m talking about everythingbined.¡± ¡°Streamer Rain Cutters became a ranker through streaming and possesses more points and fame than rankers of simr standing.¡± John Dale wasn¡¯t backing down on any point. A tough opponent. Na Dosik¡¯s frustration grew more apparent. ¡°Your attitude seems to suggest you want to make an enemy of Blue Zone.¡± If persuasion didn¡¯t work, he would resort to threats. But he had met the wrong opponent. ¡°There are asional yers with prejudices against the streaming profession. I haven¡¯t met one recently who exuded that aura, though.¡± Na Dosik¡¯s face showed a question mark at this puzzling statement. Na Dosik gave John Dale a look that seemed to ask, ¡®So what are you getting at?¡¯ ¡°But among those people, there are very few who spout such nonsense directly in front of me. Do you know why?¡± John Dale¡¯s voice steadily grew firmer. ¡°Because we have the power to influence the public. And everyone knows how powerful that is, unless they¡¯re a toddler.¡± Eventually, a smirk appeared on his face. It was a sneer. ¡°Do you get it, kid? Just how ridiculous your words were.¡± ¡°Ki¡ªKid?¡± Na Dosik¡¯s face reddened as he sprang from his seat. However, he couldn¡¯t continue to use threats or act aggressively, leveraging his guild¡¯s backing, as he had before. ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯ Threatening words could only be used once. Crossing the line further against John Dale¡¯s warning would not only damage his reputation but also tarnish the guild¡¯s image. And at that point, truly, ¡®The discipline for losing Lee Suhyuk would be iparable.¡¯ Gulp-. For the guild, image was synonymous with reputation and honor. Thus, making an enemy of the prominent MCMpany, Balhae, wasn¡¯t feasible. He had no choice. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll regret this.¡± For now, he had to retreat. Bang-! Na Dosik walked out of the lodging, mming the door loudly as a final show of pride. ¡°Tsk.¡± Watching Na Dosik leave, John Dale clicked his tongue and downed the rest of his coffee. A bit harsh, but the message of refusal should have been clearlymunicated. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s fine by us¡­¡± Having ended the meeting with Blue Zone, John Dale muttered his lingering question. ¡°No matter how you look at it, he seems more like a yer than a streamer.¡± Lee Suhyuk had been out hunting for three days straight. Clearly, he was unlike any streamer John Dale had ever seen before. ¡ª Sssshhhaaa-! A massive snake, tens of meters long, screamed. With a body thickness of over two meters and covered in tough red scales, it was the Sky Serpent, a monster known as the king of the 3rd floor. However. ¡®Is this its final struggle?¡¯ The snake¡¯s head was in tatterspletely. Since the hunt began, Suhyuk had relentlessly targeted only its head. Crackkk-. The Sky Serpent lunged fiercely, shattering the ground. Suhyuk didn¡¯t dodge, keeping his gaze fixed on the approaching monster until thest moment. And then, in the final instant. ¡°Time to put an end to this.¡± Zap-! Suhyuk disappeared in a sh of yellow lightning. ¡°For you and me both.¡± Kabang-! A streak of lightning struck the Sky Serpent¡¯s head. Suhyuk¡¯s de pierced through the serpent¡¯s brain. ¡ºYou have defeated the boss: Sky Serpent.¡» ¡ºLevel Up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» The boss was indeed a boss. Ranking up in an instant again. Moreover, the final hunt had yielded more than just levels. ¡°Got myself some decent loot.¡± Something that wouldn¡¯t have interested him much in the past. The Sky Serpent¡¯s scales. ¡®These should fetch at least 10,000 points. The scales of a Sky Serpent are that valuable.¡¯ This was why Suhyuk had taken great pains while hunting the Sky Serpent. He needed to ensure he captured the scales with minimal damage. On the other hand, it also meant he had that much leeway during the hunt. ¡ºStatus Window¡» ¡ºName: Lee Suhyuk¡» ¡ºAffiliation: Earth¡» ¡ºLevel: 35¡» ¡ºStrength: 36¡» ¡ºAgility: 33¡» ¡ºStamina: 34(+2)¡» ¡ºFocus: 30¡» ¡ºMagic: 36¡» Suhyuk reviewed his gains from the past three days. With a focus on pure hunting to boost his level, he had acquired no additional items or skills. But the level gains were significant. ¡®Nine levels. Four on the first day, three on the second, and two today.¡¯ An unbelievably fast rate. However, it was evident that the pace was slowing as his level climbed. ¡®I should be satisfied with this.¡¯ He had reaped enough from hunting. Nine levels meant an approximate gain of 27 stat points. There was no need to be greedy. After stripping the Sky Serpent¡¯s scales, Suhyuk decided to return. Tomorrow was the day to retrieve Minjae¡¯s keepsake. ¡ª Back at the lodging, the first thing Suhyuk did was take a shower. He stored the Sky Serpent¡¯s scales in his inventory. Since his inventory space was insufficient, he had to leave about half of the scales behind. ¡®I need to get a bigger inventory bag when I have the funds.¡¯ As he contemted this in the shower, Suhyuk sighed. ¡°Who has that kind of luxury? I¡¯ve got a money-guzzling monster attached to me.¡± With that, he finished his refreshing shower and noticed a blue light blinking on his kit. A message had arrived. ¡ºUn Hyang: Once you¡¯re done showering, join me at the lobby caf¨¦. ?_^¡» That somewhat crumpled-looking emoticon. Suhyuk paused for a moment, scratching his head. ¡°Is that¡­ a wink?¡± More importantly, how did she know he was here? ¡®Well, given her skills, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible.¡¯ She was a yer Suhyuk admired for her abilities. If she set her mind to it, finding him within several kilometers would be a piece of cake. Suhyuk dried his hair and changed his clothes. Heading downstairs, he saw Un Hyang sitting at a table with a bright smile. ¡°Something amusing happen?¡± He took a seat across from Un Hyang. Two cups of tea were already set on the table. ¡°How was it?¡± Un Hyang asked back with a smile, responding to Suhyuk¡¯s question. How was it, indeed. It was odd enough that her question was answered with another question, but the meaning of her query remained unclear. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t checked?¡± ¡°What exactly am I supposed to check¡­?¡± In the middle of his response, a thought struck him. ¡°Oh, right.¡± He had forgotten about it while engrossed in hunting. ¡°The video¡­.¡± It was the edited stream video produced and uploaded by Balhae Entertainment. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t checked it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I was too focused on hunting.¡± ¡°Wow¡­.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± At Suhyuk¡¯s apology, Un Hyang shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I said ¡®wow¡¯ because that¡¯s so like Lee Suhyuk, and it¡¯s impressive.¡± She wasn¡¯t just making an emptyment. Un Hyang didn¡¯t have the acting chops to lie with her eyes. She was genuinely satisfied with Suhyuk¡¯s response, that he was so focused on hunting that he neglected everything else. ¡°Again, I must say, it¡¯s okay for you to be like that, Suhyuk. Being the most Lee Suhyuk-like is your greatest asset.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Again, Suhyuk felt fortunate to have such a supportive manager. Having someone cheer you on and knowing they are your partner was a blessing. ¡°So, you probably don¡¯t know how many points you¡¯ll be getting paid this time around?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Even if he had checked, he wouldn¡¯t know the exact amount. The revenue from the video and half the donations received from the cob with Falcon Eye. That was the money Suhyuk would be settling through Balhae Entertainment. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re different from the real Lee Suhyuk in this regard. You like points, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Just as Suhyuk was about to deny it, he remembered what he had told Un Hyang. When asked about the purpose of his stream¡ª ¡°It¡¯s for the money.¡± ¡ªhe had answered like that. ¡°¡­Yes, I do like them.¡± ¡°Hehe, then look forward to it.¡± Un Hyang was visibly pleased with Suhyuk¡¯s answer. And then, without dy. ¡°Ta-dah!¡± She pulled out the first settlement statement Suhyuk would receive since starting his stream. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 The settlement statement. It detailed the breakdown of the points a streamer receives from thepany. Where the revenue stemmed from, the ratio of earnings between the streamer and thepany, and the total amount settled. Suhyuk examined the statement and widened his eyes. ¡°Is this really the profit from just a few days?¡± An enormous amount. Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s surprised reaction, Un Hyang replied with excitement. ¡°This time, it¡¯s a bit of a special case. The sessful coboration with Falcon Eye and the significant donations of Reinhardt yed a huge part.¡± Suhyuk had anticipated some sess from the coboration. While streaming, he had seen the donations flowing in, calcting that half of it would be his share. But what astonished him was another part. ¡°The video revenue alone is 24,119 points.¡± That was the profit from just three days. ¡°The ad revenue is 6,000 points. An advertisement?¡± ¡°Yes, it started yesterday. While the rate isn¡¯t very high yet, it¡¯s a good sign that ads are already being ced.¡± The revenue from sources other than donations was split 60-40. Meaning the initial ad rate was actually 10,000 points. The same applied to the video revenue. If the settled revenue was 24,000 points, it meant the original earnings were 40,000 points. Additionally. ¡®The donation revenue is 18,000 points. The total is 49,000 points.¡¯ Total 49,789 points. A massive sum, close to 50,000 points, was his settlement this time. ¡®Far beyond expectations.¡¯ Especially since he had taken a break from streaming for a few days, causing his revenue to plummet. Though selling hunting yields could earn money, he thought he was still far from the 80,000 points needed for his next skill level upgrade. However, this changed things. ¡®If I y my cards right, I might reach the target in the next stream.¡¯ Each skill level upgrade required an exponentially increasing amount of points. It felt like a huge burden, but receiving such a considerable sum almost made him want to dance. ncing at the settlement statement, Suhyuk felt curiosity gnaw at him. ¡°I should check it out. What kind of video is it?¡± ¡ª Entering the yers Channel, Suhyuk searched for videos under ¡®Lee Suhyuk¡¯. Over tens of thousands of records appeared. Videos edited from Suhyuk¡¯s past exploits, analyses, or praises of him. And among them. ¡ºLee Suhyuk Reincarnated.¡» The first video that caught Suhyuk¡¯s eye was this one. A somewhat provocative title. ncing at Un Hyang, he decided to watch it. An empty stream with no viewers. The video started with Suhyuk¡¯s initial foray into streaming and entering the dungeon. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m your first viewer.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s triumphant voice made Suhyuk nod. He remembered it. He had been quite surprised at the time. The video quickly transitioned, showing the chat window with just four viewers. ¨C Do people even stream on the 2nd floor nowadays? ¨C I¡¯ve seen a few. Most quit quickly due to low viewer engagement. Being ignored was expected. The 2nd floor. A level so low it was almost embarrassing to call oneself a yer. Moreover, when he first started streaming, Suhyuk carried an air of inexperience. ¨C Should he even be streaming now? The 2nd floor is just the starting dungeon, suddenly emerging from the darkness. Nevertheless, despite such concerns. The video continued to capture Suhyuk¡¯s early attempts at streaming, his awkwardness gradually giving way to something more formidable. sh-. ¡°Yeah, it just pops out suddenly.¡± Suhyuk easily took down the monster. ¡°Do you know how surprised I was? It was so clean.¡± ¡°You can do it even more easily, can¡¯t you, Manager?¡± ¡°That¡¯s if we¡¯re at the same stats and level. Levels will eventually rise, but having that kind of sense is rare.¡± Her keen observation was impressive. Most wouldn¡¯t think that far. Suhyuk chose not toment further. There wasn¡¯t any need to nt unnecessary doubts. Already, the video had a provocative title suggesting reincarnation. In the video, Suhyuk¡¯s rampage through monsters continued. As simr scenes repeated, he approached the dungeon¡¯s end. Apanied by grand BGM. A close-up of the sleeping Wolf Warrior appeared. ¨C Finally, the boss. ¨C That wolf dude¡­ he¡¯s still intimidating. ¨C I got stuck on him for 8 tries. The Wolf Warrior stood out from the moment it appeared. With BGM, close-ups, and slow-motion edits, it was clear significant effort went into it. ¡®This is more fun than I thought.¡¯ The long stream waspacted into essential parts, and key moments had music and special effects making it movie-like. A lot of work had clearly gone into the fight with the Wolf Warrior. After all, ¡®Un Hyang said that Balhae Entertainment first took an interest in me because of this.¡¯ The Wolf Warrior wasn¡¯t meant to be defeated. It was designed to evaluate yers, not be conquered. Suhyuk¡¯s stream first garnered attention because he defeated an undefeatable boss. This video highlighted that moment. With the fight against the Wolf Warrior concluded. ¡ºYou can challenge the ¡®Trial of Fire¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou can challenge the ¡®Trial of Water¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou can challenge the ¡®Trial of Sky¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou can challenge the ¡®Trial of Ice¡¯.¡» . . . Among them, Suhyuk¡¯s choice was, of course, this one. ¡º¡¯Trial of Lightning¡¯ selected.¡» With that, the over 30-minute video concluded. ¡°It¡¯s a highlight video, but there wasn¡¯t much to edit out. There were too many important scenes.¡± Except for the travel time, most scenes were included. Suhyuk btedly checked the video¡¯s view count. ¡®240,000 views. Rating: 4.5 stars.¡¯ The view count was not as high as he expected. The truly high-viewed video was the second one. ¡ºHow do you obtain lightning? Just like this. It¡¯s easy, right?¡» An exceptionally long video, spanning about 40 minutes, with a whopping 1.4 million views. The video began abruptly with a battle against a giant, followed closely by a connected storyline. The scenario was named ¡°Survival¡±. It told the tale of humans targeting the isted giant chief to end the battle with giants. However, giants lurking in traps, waiting. Panicked humans started fleeing from them. At that moment. ¡°You¡¯re not going?¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t move until you go.¡± Suhyuk stepped forward. ¡®That¡¯s pretty cool, actually.¡¯ He was beginning to understand why people watched these videos. The quality was akin to watching a movie. Unlike just watching a live stream, there was a sense of pace and grandeur, enhanced by the BGM. Flying over the heads of giants, Suhyuk aimed at the giant chief. As the red impact of his magic sword gleamed in the close-up, the throat of the giant chief was pierced. ¡°Wow.¡± Even Un Hyang, who was watching the video with him, couldn¡¯t help but exim. Despite having seen the scene multiple times, she reacted as if it was her first time. Where she had gotten it from wasn¡¯t clear, but she was eating a cake loaded with fruit using a fork. ¡°That was really amazing, you know? Both the Wolf Warrior and the Giant Chief. How did you even think of taking them down?¡± ¡°I just¡­ thought I could do it.¡± ¡°Had you already evaluated them from the start? As expected¡­¡± As their brief conversation continued, the giant chief¡¯s life was extinguished, and thunder rumbled from the sky. Kabang-! And the next moment, a message appeared. ¡º¡¯Skill ¨C Lightning¡¯ acquired.¡» With that, the second video ended. ¡®Perfect timing to end it.¡¯ The death of the giant chief, followed by the dramatic appearance of lightning. Fans with a nostalgia for Lee Suhyuk watching this video would be dying to know what happened next. Sure enough. ¨C (best) Why cut it off here?? ?????????? ¨C (best) I¡¯ll hold my breath until the next episodees out if this gets topment. ¨C Sent ¨C Lee Suhyuk is crazy, LOL. Both of them are. ¨C When¡¯s this guy¡¯s live stream? ¨C No fixed time, does it when he feels like. ¨C Even his personality is like Lee Suhyuk? I like it even more. Thements were explosive, and the view count was still rising. ¡°We¡¯ll continue to settle revenues from subsequent views. And the more videos there are, the more the revenue will increase.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I started streaming.¡± For a yer to seed and generate significant ie, it would typically take a long time. In contrast, the streaming profession could generate substantial points from merely having poprity and topic relevance, regardless of a yer¡¯s abilities. Like Park Suhyuk and Falcon Eye. ¡°It seems everyone is waiting for your next stream, Suhyuk. Since the video went up, your subscriber count has increased by 20,000.¡± The video¡¯s poprity had brought additional benefits. Real-time stream subscribers had increased rapidly. It seemed like viewers were migrating from the videos. ¡°Tomorrow, right? Your return?¡± ¡°Calling it a return seems a bit much since I haven¡¯t been absent that long.¡± ¡°Time passes so slowly. Hehe.¡± Un Hyang awkwardly giggled as she brought the remaining cake to her mouth. Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Yes. I n to start again tomorrow.¡± A tournament on the 3rd floor. The tournament with Lee Suhyuk¡¯s former guild, Blue Eyes¡¯ keepsake, as the prize. And participating in that tournament would be the first content of Suhyuk¡¯s return stream. ¡°We¡¯ll show them. The victory.¡± Hearing Suhyuk¡¯s confident words, Un Hyang hesitated. She had a look that suggested she had something to say but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. It was the same expression she had when she mentioned contact from Blue Zone. ¡°What¡¯s troubling you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I doubt you. I don¡¯t doubt you at all.¡± ¡°The more you say that, the more it sounds like doubt.¡± Prompted by Suhyuk, Un Hyang quickly continued. ¡°I have a friend named Cheon Ryang who likes to gamble.¡± ¡°Gamble?¡± ¡°Yes. Betting on the winners of specific tournaments or specific guilds¡¯ victories. You know, putting money on those kinds of things.¡± ¡®Like a toto.¡¯ Not just streaming, this appeared to be a thing too? It seemed the world really had changed a lot. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Right now, your odds are 3 to 1.¡± ¡°3 to 1?¡± The odds were higher than expected. That meant there was another top contender for the championship. ¡°Yes. The main contender is a yer named Omar Schneider.¡± It was an unfamiliar name to Suhyuk. He had never concerned himself with 3rd-floor yers. ¡°He¡¯s been on the 3rd floor for over ten years. He belongs to Blue Zone.¡± ¡°Blue Zone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The affiliation didn¡¯t sit well with him, making even the name irksome. Suhyuk frowned behind his mask as he asked, ¡°Why is a ten-year repeat student getting such high expectations?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s not a repeat student due tock of skill.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°He has a purpose. And it¡¯s the same as yours.¡± This was also why this particr tournament was garnering so much attention. ¡°The Thunder Cave conquest. You might face him not only tomorrow but also in the next trial.¡± Suhyuk pondered this revtion for a moment. His initial reaction was one of annoyance, but it quickly shifted to determination. ¡°Then it seems we both have a lot riding on this.¡± Un Hyang nodded in agreement, looking serious for a moment. ¡°But remember, Suhyuk. You¡¯ve got your own path, and you¡¯re not alone in this.¡± With that, Suhyuk felt a renewed sense of purpose. Tomorrow¡¯s tournament was not just apetition but a crucial step towards achieving his goal. ¡°We¡¯ll show them what we¡¯re made of. Let¡¯s win this.¡± ¡°Absolutely. Let¡¯s give them something to remember.¡± With that resolve, Suhyuk was ready to face Omar Schneider and anyone else who stood in his way. This was just the beginning. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Omar Schneider. He was a well-known named yer, even among non-rankers. Only on the 3rd floor. Yet Schneider¡¯s name was renowned due to his entric obsession. Ten years. A full decade. For a talented yer, that¡¯s enough time to reach the 5th or even the 6th floor. But Schneider stayed on the 3rd floor for that entire duration. Despite meeting all the conditions to advance, he remained for one reason. His unwavering determination to conquer Thunder Cave. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll finally meet him.¡± Across from Omar Schneider sat yer Don Zhao, smirking. ¡°That arrogant bastard.¡± ¡°Indeed. iming he¡¯ll conquer Thunder Cave solo on his first try. Ridiculous.¡± The yer responding beside him was also from Blue Zone and had made several attempts at Thunder Cave alongside Schneider. In the Thunder Cave conquest team, the hot topictely was, of course, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s solo stream from a few days ago. ¡°I¡¯ll be challenging it alone.¡± iming he would tackle Thunder Cave solo. That shocking statement must have infuriated Schneider the most. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Team Leader?¡± ¡°He speaks as if he doesn¡¯t understand what Thunder Cave is about. Team Leader, don¡¯t mind him.¡± But to everyone¡¯s surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Contrary to expectations, Schneider seemed calm and unbothered. ¡°He has the right to be arrogant.¡± His eyes shone blue like embedded jewels. His beard was perfectly groomed, and his sharp features resembled a portrait. Schneider¡¯s reputation was partly due to his striking appearance. ¡°No matter how short his experience is, he¡¯s the new wielder of lightning. The very power we desire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but Team Leader, isn¡¯t he being too audacious?¡± ¡°Right. He thinks he¡¯s the real Lee Suhyuk just because he obtained lightning. Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Schneider shook his head at his team members¡¯ints. ¡°What we should have towards him now isn¡¯t envy or disdain. And certainly not to belittle his achievements.¡± ¡°Are you saying we should respect him?¡± ¡°If necessary, yes. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Having said that, Schneider turned to look outside the carriage window, signaling no more discussion. Hisrades, observing his words and actions, clicked their tongues in disbelief. ¡®Our Team Leader¡­¡¯ ¡®His pride¡¯s taken a real hit.¡¯ Although they spoke differently, it was obvious. They had been with Schneider for years, striving to conquer Thunder Cave. His pride was deeply wounded. Not because Lee Suhyuk obtained lightning. What pricked Schneider¡¯s pride was hearing the name Thunder Cave from Suhyuk¡¯s stream. Thunder Cave, Schneider¡¯s long-standing ambition and goal. As soon as it was mentioned by Suhyuk, Schneider eagerly awaited the uing tournament. ¡®This is trouble. For Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ Don Zhao watched the outside, thinking about how Schneider was now sharpening his knife mentally. ¡®Not just Thunder Cave¡­ What is Suhyuk thinking, provoking this monstrous man?¡¯ *** ¡®Omar Schneider¡­¡¯ Upon returning to his lodging and removing his mask, Suhyuk mulled over Un Hyang¡¯s words. ¡°Schneider is likely holding a grudge. Your deration of soloing Thunder Cave on the stream invalidates and mocks his ten years of effort.¡± He hadn¡¯t intended to do that. Suhyuk hadn¡¯t even known about Schneider. Yet, now he found himself intrigued by Omar Schneider. ¡°What an interesting weirdo.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to gather information about Schneider. Without even needing to search, Un Hyang had already prepared it. *** ¡°I knew you¡¯d be curious. Here you go.¡± Un Hyang was diligent in her role as a manager. What she handed him was a file summarizing information about Schneider. Rustle-. ¡®He started to stand out about five years ago. That¡¯s also when he joined Blue Zone.¡¯ The first article about Schneider was from five years ago. ¡ºA Late Bloomer: At the Heart of Thunder Cave Conquest.¡» Ate bloomer. The phrase sounded good, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a ttering descriptor. ¡®It means he¡¯s more of a hard-worker.¡¯ To a yer, talent was everything. Very few yers could surpass the limits of their talent, while countless others vanished without making a name for themselves, like grains of sand in the desert. However, there were the rare few. Those who overcame their limits and became known as te bloomers¡±, as the article called them. ¡®He¡¯s ovee his limits.¡¯ ¡ºOmar Schneider: Nearing the End of Thunder Cave. Just One More Step?¡» At least on the 3rd floor, he was an unrivaled powerhouse. His obsession with conquering Thunder Cave. The relentless effort to achieve that goal. The odds on yers Channel were also the lowest for him at 1.4. Most people were betting on Schneider¡¯s victory. ¡®I wondered why they were bold enough to hold such a tournament¡­¡¯ There was a reason why they confidently offered Blue Eyes¡¯ keepsake as a prize. They were certain. The yer from Blue Zone, Omar Schneider. They were sure he would win the tournament, and thus the prize would eventually return to their possession. ¡°Interesting, Ilsoo.¡± Would it really turn out that way? If that¡¯s what they anticipated, he wanted to ask them. Would they still think the same if they knew he was back? ¡ª A bustling street on the 3rd floor. The tournament hosted by Blue Zone made the streets busier than usual. Countless yers were out on the streets. Participants, their acquaintances, and casual onlookers alike. Where yers gathered, a marketce naturally formed. ¡°This condition¡­ the items are good, but it looks like they were hunted haphazardly.¡± Hephaestus¡¯s General Store. A grand name borrowed from a god, the shop lived up to its name by buying and selling all kinds of items. Items bought here were either sold at higher prices to other yers or passed on to the forge. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯d say about 1,500 points.¡± ¡°What? Only that much?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the best I can do. If you don¡¯t like it, try elsewhere. I doubt you¡¯ll get a better offer.¡± The store owner, Groloc, said as he scratched his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t like it? Well, nothing I can do. We won¡¯t be able to make a deal here.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll sell it for that.¡± Groloc inwardly chuckled while outwardly maintaining a neutral demeanor as he paid. The leather he received was from a red troll. ¡®Jackpot. Red Troll leather regenerates over time. Many don¡¯t know that, thinking it¡¯s useless once the creature is dead.¡¯ Groloc thought he had struck gold, capable of selling it at three times the buying price. He weed his next customer with an inward grin. ¡°Wee¡­.¡± Groloc¡¯s eyes widened. It wasn¡¯t the familiar mask that surprised him. He¡¯d seen a few of those recently. What caught his eye were the monster remains the customer brought. ¡°How much for this?¡± Gleaming blue scales, smooth and shimmering. The remains of the Sky Serpent, a rare and difficult beast to encounter, let alone capture so cleanly. ¡®S-ss. Almost no damage, perfect condition.¡¯ Although this wasn¡¯t his first time seeing Sky Serpent scales, he had never encountered scales in such pristine condition. His mouth watered. A significant deal was at hand. ¡°Ahem. Let¡¯s see, Sky Serpent scales.¡± The key to sessful trading is a harmonious blend of truth and lies. ¡°Oh, these are in great condition. A-ss. Whoever hunted this is incredibly skilled.¡± ¡°Did you take it down? Judging by this, you must be from a high ce.¡± ¡°The more white waves between the blue patterns, the older it is, and the more valuable it bes. This one¡¯s around 200 years old.¡± Compliments and sweet talk built rapport and trust. But the main point came next. ¡°But, well¡­ The timing isn¡¯t great.¡± ¡°What do you mean by timing?¡± This was the first time the customer, previously silent, had spoken up. A tough customer. Groloc hid his anxiety as he replied. ¡°You may not know, but there¡¯s recently been an influx of Sky Serpent scales. Demand has dropped, while supply flooded. Even kids know thew of supply and demand, right?¡± ¡°The market value has dropped, you mean?¡± ¡°Apologies if this disappoints you, but yes.¡± Worried the customer might leave, Groloc quickly added. ¡°Still, given the condition, I¡¯ll offer you a fair price. Normally, this amount would be worth around 10,000 points. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Groloc pulled out his kit and pretended to calcte. Even though it was a simple math, he pretended to work hard before speaking. ¡°Alright. I can offer you this much.¡± He turned the kit¡¯s screen towards the customer. ¡º11,000¡» The number 11,000 shed. Suhyuk, behind his mask, looked at Groloc with a surprisingly neutral expression. ¡®Not as cheap as I thought.¡¯ Despite Groloc¡¯s deceptive demeanor, the 11,000 points offer was slightly higher than Suhyuk¡¯s expected 10,000 points. ¡®Did I misjudge the market?¡¯ If not for Groloc¡¯s shady vibes, he might have epted the deal right then. While Suhyuk hesitated. ¡°You¡¯re lowballing him.¡± A man nearby, eavesdropping on Suhyuk and Groloc¡¯s conversation, clicked his tongue and interjected. ¡°This condition should fetch at least 5,000 points more.¡± Groloc¡¯s eyes widened. He struggled to maintain hisposure, but his eyes betrayed him. ¡°Lately, the supply of Sky Serpent scales has plummeted. They¡¯re exceedingly rare.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean? H-Haha. I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Groloc¡¯s flustered reaction was evident. The man¡¯s story was theplete opposite of Groloc¡¯s earlier lie. But Groloc¡¯s reaction was that of someone caught in the act. This confirmed Suhyuk¡¯s suspicion. ¡®He was lowballing me.¡¯ With a raised eyebrow, Suhyuk red at Groloc. He never intended to ept the initial price, but a 5,000-point undercut was uneptable. ¡®And this guy¡­¡¯ Suhyuk nced sideways at the handsome man who had interrupted his negotiation with Groloc. An unfamiliar face, yet¡­ Suhyuk had seen this man in the documents Un Hyang had provided the day before. ¡®Omar Schneider.¡¯ Blue Zone¡¯s hidden card for the uing tournament. Standing right in front of him. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡®It was quite a coincidence.¡¯ No matter how much they had gathered in the city for the same tournament, running into him in such a small shop was quite the twist. Moreover, that Omar Schneider was helping him. ¡®Well, that¡¯s that.¡¯ While the situation was intriguing, it wasn¡¯t the most important thing at the moment. ¡°Hey, mister.¡± ¡°M-Mister?¡± Groloc was momentarily taken aback by Suhyuk¡¯s sudden change in demeanor. ¡°I¡¯ll hear the price one more time. If I¡¯m not satisfied, I¡¯ll go elsewhere. If I am, we¡¯ll close the deal here.¡± Thud-. Suhyuk pretended to pack up the Sky Serpent¡¯s scales as if ready to walk out anytime. ¡°Think carefully and make a good offer. Let¡¯s make this mutually beneficial.¡± * After much deliberation, Groloc offered a price of 18,000 points. It was 7,000 points higher than his original buying price. Selling it again might yield some profit, but probably not a substantial amount. ¡®Sweet deal.¡¯ In addition, Suhyuk also sold various other monster parts. In total, he managed to gather 20,000 points. With the settlement money added, he had earned 69,789 points in total. ¡ºCurrent Points: 76,329¡» Upon checking his umted points, two thoughts came to mind. One was the expectation that he could reach his target points sooner than he thought. The other was the regret that he was just 4,000 points short of leveling up his skill. ¡®I can¡¯t exactly borrow money from anyone.¡¯ Borrowing points was akin to drugs. Eventually, borrowed points would have to be repaid. It was best not to start such a vicious cycle. ¡®Do I really have to wait for the next stream?¡¯ As Suhyuk smacked his lips in frustration. ¡°You¡¯re Lee Suhyuk, aren¡¯t you?¡± Schneider¡¯s sudden question. Clearly, he had approached him with prior knowledge. Of course, it would be hard not to know. Regardless of how many streamers used masks for cosy, not many would be wearing a mask at this exact time, in this exact ce. ¡°Have you been following me?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. You just stood out too much. Seeing the state of the Sky Serpent¡¯s scales confirmed it.¡± At those words, Suhyuk fiddled with the mask covering his face. ¡®Should I start going without it?¡¯ Reflecting on it, in his previous life, he often went without the mask when alone. After all, no one besides hisrades knew what his face looked like under the mask. ¡°You hunted that Sky Serpent?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it.¡± ¡°It was in excellent condition¡­¡± Schneider stroked his chin in astonishment. The Sky Serpent. A final boss-level creature that one could encounter on the third floor if lucky. Hunting the Sky Serpent with a team of fewer than ten was considered a sign that the team had the skills to graduate from the third-floor section. And yet, to hunt such a Sky Serpent, and in such prime condition? ¡°Would you like to have a cup of tea?¡± Checking the time, Suhyuk nodded at Schneider¡¯s suggestion. It just so happened that Suhyuk also had business with him. *** A corner seat in a bustling caf¨¦. Schneider ordered a parfait piled high with cream. Despite his appearance suggesting he¡¯d prefer a bitter espresso without sugar, he actually had a sweet tooth. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of this, but you can¡¯t drink tea with that mask on-.¡± Click-. Before he could finish, the mouth part of Suhyuk¡¯s mask opened. Schneider chuckled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s more advanced than I thought.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time.¡± After wetting his throat with some coffee, Suhyuk asked. ¡°So why did you ask me here? The tournament is right around the corner.¡± ¡°There are still three hours left. Besides, I¡¯ve also been quite interested in you.¡± ¡°Your interest is a bit overwhelming¡­ but given everything earlier, I suppose it¡¯s okay.¡± Suhyuk had received help from Schneider, which allowed him to get a better price for the Sky Serpent scales. Anyone who helped him make money was likable in his book. ¡°You¡¯re nning to tackle the Thunder Cave, right?¡± The sudden question caught Suhyuk off guard, lighting a spark in his previously disinterested eyes. Thunder Cave. It was true; he did n on tackling that dungeon, which hadn¡¯t been solved in over 20 years. And if anyone knew about the ce, it was Schneider sitting in front of him. It was a topic he couldn¡¯t help but be interested in. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Initially, I thought you were arrogant.¡± Schneider recalled when he first heard about Suhyuk. ¡°Think about it. A guy who just reached the third floor, dering he would conquer the Thunder Cave. It sounded arrogant.¡± ¡°Are you saying this because you¡¯ve changed your mind?¡± ¡°You¡¯re perceptive. That¡¯s half right.¡± Clink-. Suddenly, Schneider put down the spoon he was using to eat his parfait. ¡°Half wrong.¡± ¡°So your opinion hasn¡¯tpletely changed.¡± Schneider nodded. ¡°I heard you had acquired Lightning. I was surprised. That¡¯s why most people go to the Thunder Cave.¡± ¡°Most people?¡± ¡°Our guild, I mean. They¡¯re all obsessed with obtaining Lightning.¡± That implied lightning wasn¡¯t Schneider¡¯s goal. ¡°Anyway, you have talent. A lot of it. To the point where peoplepare you to the original Lee Suhyuk.¡± Since his coboration with Falcon Eye, Suhyuk¡¯sparison point had always been himself. The same trials, the same scores, even their names and the symbolic lightning were identical. Comparisons were inevitable at this point. But. ¡°Even so, I can only half-acknowledge you.¡± Suhyuk looked straight into Schneider¡¯s eyes. What he saw there wasn¡¯t simple envy or jealousy, nor a narrow-minded grudge. What he saw was the dedication and pride of a man who had lived his life focused on one thing. And it was obvious what that thing was. ¡®He¡¯s sincere.¡¯ He liked it. Even that dedication and pride. Most importantly, seeing that Schneider had no interest in lightning implied his connection to Blue Zone wasn¡¯t deep. Suhyuk leaned back into his chair and got to the heart of the conversation. ¡°So? Is this why you called me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Schneider also realized it was time to put a conclusion to their conversation. ¡°I want to make a bet.¡± ¡°A bet?¡± ¡°But first, is there anything you want from me?¡± Suhyuk grinned. As expected, Schneider knew precisely what he desired. ¡°There is.¡± ¡°Speak up.¡± ¡°Everything you know about the Thunder Cave. I want you to share it with me.¡± Omar Schneider. He was the specialist in conquering the Thunder Cave. No one in this tower knew more about it than he did. No matter how much information could be gathered throughmunities or articles, it couldn¡¯tpare to what Schneider knew. ¡°I figured as much.¡± ¡°And what do you want?¡± He definitely wanted something from him. The reason he bothered to arrange this meeting and asked what Suhyuk wanted first¡ªit was all for that. Sure enough. ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°To you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Schneider shook his head. ¡°To everyone watching your stream. No, to everyone who knows about the Thunder Cave.¡± He clearly had something he desired. Grit-. ¡°Go live and state that your soloing deration for the Thunder Cave was an arrogant mistake due to your ignorance. Admit you can¡¯t do it.¡± His gums ground together. ¡°Apologize.¡± He was talking about his pride and belief. ¡®He feels disrespected, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s statements on his stream had undoubtedly pierced through and wounded him deeply. The years Schneider had dedicated to attempting to conquer the Thunder Cave had been dismissed in an instant by Suhyuk¡¯s deration. Schneider¡¯s proposal was to rectify that. To glue back together the pride that had been torn apart by Suhyuk¡¯s stream. He wanted Suhyuk to apologize on his stream. ¡°The bet is obviously the tournament¡¯s oue, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an offer I can¡¯t refuse.¡± Schneiderughed at Suhyuk¡¯s confidence. ¡°You¡¯re epting the proposal rather easily.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ll win.¡± ¡°Hmm. Perhaps that will be the case eventually, in nine out of ten scenarios.¡± Schneider stood up, seemingly concluding that the conversation was nearly over. ¡°But at least for now, that¡¯s not the case.¡± Power surged in his blue eyes, barely contained. After ring at Suhyuk for a moment, Schneider turned around and left the caf¨¦. As if signaling the end of their discussion. ¡®Indeed. He¡¯s well beyond the third-floor level.¡¯ From the brief disy, Suhyuk could roughly gauge the extent of Schneider¡¯s prowess. Most yers fall into one of two categories: those who ovee the trials and rise, or those who hit a wall and give up. But Schneider was neither. His dedication to conquering the unrealistically difficult Thunder Cave had made him an extraordinary existence, with levels and stats unattainable for most third-floor yers. ¡®Ten years. They weren¡¯t wasted.¡¯ It was clear. Schneider had achieved more on the third floor than Suhyuk had in his past life. *** Outside the caf¨¦, Schneider¡¯spanions were waiting. ¡°Did you meet him?¡± Don Zhao approached Schneider, wearing a grim expression. He didn¡¯t need to ask what the conversation was about; it was likely centered on the Thunder Cave. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Not easy.¡± Rxing his tense expression, Schneider sighed. Seeing this, Don Zhao smacked his lips. ¡°It would be nice if we could get an easy apology.¡± ¡°Not so sure about that.¡± ¡°What do you mean, not sure? Easy is always good.¡± ¡°If it were easy, then that would mean an insignificant guy disrespected the Thunder Cave. That would be even more annoying.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± Don Zhao scratched his head. Their team leader certainly had a different way of thinking from others, especially when it came to matters rted to the Thunder Cave. ¡°But honestly¡­¡± ¡°Honestly what?¡± ¡°Meeting him has sort of calmed me a bit. At least it doesn¡¯t seem like a half-baked guy who happened to get lightning is acting up.¡± He wasn¡¯t just making that up. In fact, Schneider¡¯s face appeared much more at ease than it had been before entering the caf¨¦. ¡°His skills must be considerable.¡± ¡°He¡¯s no rookie. That much is certain.¡± ¡°Do you think you might lose?¡± Don Zhao¡¯s subtle provocation. ¡°Meeting him made me even more sure.¡± With a faint smile, Schneider shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t lose. Absolutely not.¡± With that confidence, Don Zhao refrained from asking further about the encounter with Lee Suhyuk. Although it was a chance meeting, it helped Schneider regain hisposure. That alone made the meeting worthwhile. As the warm atmosphere lingered, there was one thing neither Schneider nor Don Zhao were aware of. Someone was quietly trailing them. ¡°Is that him? Schneider or Shenaider or whatever stupid name he uses.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Balhae Entertainment¡¯s Management Office. With Un Hyang gone, Cheon Ryang¡¯s current focus was on the 3rd-floor tournament hosted by Blue Zone. Legal betting while working. Just the thought made Cheon Ryang feel like he was off-duty. ¡°The prize must be amazing. The number of participants is insane.¡± Over ten thousand yers were participating in this tournament. There was no cash prize for this tournament. Instead, the prize was an item that once belonged to a Blue Eyes member, Kim Minjae. In Lee Suhyuk¡¯s legend, Blue Eyes was always a part of it. The Blue Eyes relic was not only powerful on its own, but for collectors, it held an almost irresistible allure. In other words, it had a premium value. Crunch-. ¡°Darn, if I were still on the 3rd floor, I¡¯d have given it a shot.¡± Watching the tournament via Blue Zone¡¯s official channel, Cheon Ryang munched on potato chips. And soon after, he realized how futile his wishful musing was. ¡°Well¡­ if such a tournament had existed back then, Un Hyang would have definitely won.¡± Despite being friends and climbing the tower together, the talent gap between Cheon Ryang and Un Hyang was insurmountable. In fact, that gap would remain insurmountable for anyone. Only legendary yers like Lee Suhyuk, Kim Ilsoo, Heavenly Demon, and the Archmage Ha-ilz might rival her talent. Why else would her moniker be ¡®Genius¡¯? There was a reason for that. Buzz-. Right then, his kit buzzed. A call from Un Hyang. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± -What are you doing? ¡°Watching the stream. I was instructed to monitor it.¡± Crunch-. -That sounds like you¡¯re betting, aren¡¯t you? Un Hyang¡¯s sharp remark made Cheon Ryang¡¯s hand freeze. This was why old friends were tiring. They knew too much, grasping everything from the smallest hint. Realizing that excuses were futile, Cheon Ryang confessed. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But just a small amount this time, for fun.¡± -You know I¡¯ve told you to cut it out, right? Thepany told you to monitor Suhyuk¡¯s streams, not bet on them. As expected, the nagging began. Normally, the nagging would go on for a good 30 minutes. If her ire wasn¡¯t quenched, it might end with a smack on the head or, worse, some form of penalty exercise. Fortunately, Un Hyang wasn¡¯t in front of him this time. Cheon Ryang felt relieved, but then. -Anyway, show me how to do it. Surprisingly brief nagging this time. ¡°What?¡± -That betting thing. ¡°¡­ You want to bet too?¡± -Yeah, I want to give it a try. Un Hyang had never shown any interest in gambling before. She wasn¡¯t particrly focused on saving money either. In short, shecked greed for money. For her, working was merely a pastime. The only possible reason for her interest in betting? ¡°You¡¯re nning to bet on Lee Suhyuk, aren¡¯t you?¡± Pure fandom. The most dangerous type. -Yeah, so? Is that bad? ¡°Are you crazy? Do you have points to throw away?¡± -That¡¯s true, but¡­ wait, is that your way of saying Suhyuk will lose? Her voice turned colder. She had already transitioned from believing in Suhyuk¡¯s victory to being almost certain of it. ¡°Listen carefully. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m underestimating him or don¡¯t trust him. I¡¯m just speaking based on analysis and odds.¡± -Why are you rambling? Is it because of Omar Schneider? ¡°You got it.¡± Cheon Ryang was well aware of streamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s skills. He had been watching the stream with Un Hyang since day one; how could he not know? His talents might even surpass Un Hyang¡¯s; he was certainly notcking. That¡¯s why, knowing all this, Cheon Ryang anticipated his defeat. ¡°You might think it¡¯s because of the scarecrow trial, but if Schneider took that, he¡¯d probably take out 50.¡± -How do you know that? ¡°Around this timest year, Blue Zone streamed a Thunder Cave conquest. I watched it live.¡± To protect his friend¡¯s wallet. Cheon Ryang continued his argument desperately. ¡°That guy doesn¡¯t belong on the 3rd floor. Schneider didn¡¯t take the scarecrow trial because he didn¡¯t want his ten yearspared to Lee Suhyuk¡¯s talent, not because he couldn¡¯t beat that record.¡± -But iming he could take out 50 scarecrows sounds excessive. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, Schneider is that overwhelming.¡± With that, Cheon Ryang checked the odds again. The odds were changing in real-time until the tournament started. ¡ºOmar Schneider: 1.31x¡» ¡ºLee Suhyuk: 2.97x¡» ¡ºDon Zhao: 12.33x¡» ¡º¡­¡» Countless yers participated, but the rankings didn¡¯t change. The odds being lower simply meant those were the top contenders. Rankings crafted by analytical and sharp-eyed betting agencies rarely turned out wrong. ¡°Look at this. The data speaks for itself.¡± -What data? It¡¯s just the odds. ¡°That¡¯s what novices say. Chasing high odds to make big bucks and losing their entire stake.¡± Without realizing he was talking about himself, Cheon Ryang sneered. ¡°Why do you think the phrase ¡®underdogs must die¡¯ exists? Snap out of it.¡± -So you want to bet against me? Who¡¯s going to win? ¡°A bet?¡± -Yeah, I¡¯ll bet on Suhyuk. ¡°And I¡¯ll bet on Schneider?¡± Their betting choices were different. Aligning interests. -Next month¡¯s sry. Winner takes all. ¡°Fine by me.¡± The bet was set. -Prepare to lose your wallet. ¡°You too.¡± Afterward, Cheon Ryang exined the betting process to Un Hyang. She quickly grasped it and ended the call. The storm passed, and Cheon Ryang smiled in satisfaction. ¡°How can moneye in so easily?¡± But soon after, Cheon Ryang nced at the yer kit with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why is she suddenly interested in money? That¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡ª Knowing about the betting, Suhyuk felt a pang of regret. ¡®It would¡¯ve been nice if I could participate.¡¯ The yers Channel¡¯s betting system had a rule. Participants in tournaments or streams couldn¡¯t ce bets. A necessary safeguard against maniption. Understandable, yet frustrating. ¡®Can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Better to avoid turfing your reputation over betting allegations. Even if the forbidden fruit was tempting, it was wiser not to swallow it. Step-. Suhyuk walked down the passage allotted to participants. A colossal coliseum-like building. The tournament¡¯s venue and trial hall. ¡°A mask¡­?¡± ¡°Is that really Lee Suhyuk? The streamer?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he on the betting list? It must be him.¡± More people recognized him than he expected. Likely because those in the same floor section had more chances to keep up with his news. Suhyuk smiled behind his mask, feeling the anticipation and intrigue of those around him. This tournament was going to be interesting, to say the least. ¡°Hey, hey.¡± ¡°Schneider. Schneider.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Right next to you.¡± The reaction to Omar Schneider¡¯s appearance eclipsed the initial excitement over spotting Suhyuk. Step-. A massive crowd moved into the coliseum¡¯s stage. The bright lights pierced their eyes, and deafening cheers assaulted their ears. Cheers grew louder with each step. ¡°Schneider¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Lee Suhyuk with the mask?¡± ¡°Don Zhao-!¡± ¡°Schneider! I bet everything on you!¡± ¡°Suhyuk! Start the stream!¡± Loud cheers from the crowd. Most of the support was directed at Suhyuk and Schneider. Probably because the majority of the bets were ced on them. Especially. ¡®Schneider has the most fans.¡¯ Odds don¡¯t lie. No matter how much Suhyuk had gained recognition from his coboration with Falcon Eye, he couldn¡¯tpare to Schneider, who had built his reputation over several years on the 3rd floor. Naturally, the betting leaned heavily toward Schneider. Schneider stood there with his eyes closed. The vast stage felt cramped as ten thousand yers filled the coliseum. All the main participants were now gathered. Then. ¡°Greetings, everyone.¡± Bam-bam-bam-! The noise sounded like a party starting, apanied by loud music. A yer emerged. ¡°I am Go Hyunsu, a yer from the Blue Zone Guild, and I will be your host today. Nice to meet you.¡± A small man introduced himself from above. With narrow eyes and arms raised high, he shouted. ¡°This tournament, right here! Right now! We will have both the qualifiers and the finals¡­¡± Suhyuk lost interest in his words. He already knew the tournament format. The host¡¯s speech was mostly for the spectators. ¡°Now, before we start, let¡¯s interview just two participants. Anyone want to volunteer?¡± ¡°Schneider!¡± The response came immediately. The host¡¯s approach felt more like a festive event than a seriouspetition. ¡°Yes, Schneider. I expected that. Schneider?¡± ¡°I will consider this tournament as Thunder Cave.¡± A straightforward, unwavering statement. The crowd roared with approval. Dering the tournament as a substitute for Thunder Cave showed Schneider¡¯s strong determination. Everyone knew. Since Schneider mentioned Thunder Cave, he wouldn¡¯t treat this lightly. And now, for the second participant. ¡°Lee Suhyuk too!¡± ¡°Yes, got it!¡± Go Hyunsu turned to Suhyuk, standing among the participants. And Suhyuk, now seeing the host¡¯s face, gave a deliberatelyconic response. ¡°I will do my best.¡± A dry answer. Even such a curt reply didn¡¯t faze Go Hyunsu. ¡°Yes, quite an answer from a top-tier streamer! Thank you.¡± From then on, most of Go Hyunsu¡¯s words were outside Suhyuk¡¯s interest. But there was one thing that caught his attention. Something he couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°And finally, let¡¯s reveal the tournament¡¯s prize! The heirloom of a great yer, and the pride of our Blue Zone!¡± Fwaaash-! A blue light shot into the sky. Simultaneously, a pair of red leather shoes emerged, suspended in that light. ¡°Ooh-.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Collectors and yers yearning for items had their eyes lit up. For once, Suhyuk was no different. Though he was at a distance, he could clearly recognize it. ¡®It¡¯s genuine.¡¯ The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. Shoes once used by Hermes, the god. And an item that belonged to his friend, Minjae. ¡®Wait for me.¡¯ Grit-. Grinding his teeth behind the mask, he barely contained his rage. The thought of Kim Ilsoo, who dared to put that up as a mere tournament prize, infuriated him. ¡®I¡¯ll reim it soon.¡¯ Suhyuk became more determined than ever. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ¡ºLee Suhyuk: 2.91x¡» The odds were set. Un Hyang grumbled as she looked at the odds ced on Suhyuk. ¡°They must be blind. Does this make any sense?¡± Odds close to 3 to 1. It meant far more people had bet on Schneider. ¡°Well¡­ That guy is pretty strong now. I¡¯ll give him that. Just a bit.¡± Un Hyang, who rarely acknowledged others, couldn¡¯t deny Schneider¡¯s prowess. She wasn¡¯t acknowledging his talent but his determination and effort and what he had achieved through them. Though some might see it as foolish persistence. ¡®In this section, he¡¯s like a dragon.¡¯ Even though she bet on Suhyuk out of loyalty and had a wager with Cheon Ryang, she wasn¡¯t blind to the facts. Un Hyang could see clearly. Realistically, the probability of Schneider winning this tournament was higher. But. ¡°A draw. Just that much is good enough.¡± She kept thinking about Suhyuk¡¯s confidence shown during the coboration with Falcon Eye. As if he deliberately made it a draw. It felt like he could have done much more if he wanted to. ¡®Was it all for show?¡¯ Who knows? At least, the Lee Suhyuk she knew. Not the streamer Lee Suhyuk, but the Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk wouldn¡¯t act boastfully without reason. And now, her assigned streamer Lee Suhyuk. He was more like her idol, Lee Suhyuk, than anyone else. ¡®Let¡¯s trust him.¡¯ Un Hyang¡¯s gaze moved to the center of the colosseum. Not far from Schneider. Suhyuk stood there. ¡®As a manager, I must.¡¯ Then, she looked at the kit in her hand. The stream had started. Even though she was at the tournament, her world was right here. ¡ª The stream had begun. -Finally!! -Suhah! -Let¡¯s win this! -It¡¯s been a while! Seeing the viewers¡¯ greetings as they joined, Suhyuk smiled. What had started as a way to make money was bing genuinely enjoyable for him. ¡°Long time no see, everyone.¡± -Not us, you -We were always here -Yo, you¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t stream The viewers¡¯ints didn¡¯t bother him. By Un Hyang¡¯s words, theseints showed how much they liked him. The real issue was elsewhere. ¡®The chat is too fast.¡¯ Suhyuk tried his best to keep up with the viewers¡¯ messages. While it would be hard during the trial, he thought he could engage with them during moments like this. But reading the chat now was impossible. Even with excellent visual acuity, the messages sped up the screen too quickly to catch. ¡®This hasn¡¯t happened except during coborations.¡¯ Suhyuk reluctantly gave up trying to read all the messages. ¡®How many viewers¡­¡¯ ¡ºViewers: 3,179¡» How many minutes had it been since he started the stream? The growth rate of viewers was staggering. ¡®At this rate¡­ it¡¯ll definitely surpass ten thousand.¡¯ The effect of coborating with Falcon Eye. Combined with the strength of the edited videos. -Is this the real Lightning Room? -What does Lightning Room mean? -It¡¯s a term newbies from the videos use, LOL. -Hahaha newbies The video¡¯s impact was immense. For the viewership to spike this much. Today¡¯s stream might indeed be a significant turning point. -Are you in a tournament? A chat message caught his eye. It sparked a flood of tournament-rted questions. The chaotic atmosphere from the long hiatus seemed to settle a bit. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve entered a tournament.¡± -Saw you, LOL. -I¡¯m in the audience right now, streaming your stream, LOL. -LOL, watching the stream live from the audience, insanity. ¡°Isn¡¯t the view better from the audience?¡± He appreciated the enthusiasm but couldn¡¯t quite understand the reasoning. -They just want to interact. -Yeah, you can¡¯t converse just by cheering in the stands. ¡°Is it because of that?¡± It was a puzzling concept. Why would people go to such lengths just to support someone they¡¯d never met? He felt an inexplicable sense of responsibility weigh on his shoulders. Nodding, Suhyuk addressed his rapidly growing viewer count. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll repay you with a victory.¡± -Okay, deal. -Let¡¯s win like beasts! -LOL, he mighte second. -For real, this time¡¯s different. -I¡¯m honestly just curious when he¡¯ll crash and burn, LOL. Maybe it was because of Schneider¡¯s presence? Few seemed confident in Suhyuk¡¯s victory. The general sentiment leaned towards seeing his challenge as reckless. And nothing says reckless challenge quite like a wager. ¡º¡¯IloveLoveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ has created a mission.¡» ¡ºCheering for you, Suhyuk >_< If you win, 30,000 points!¡» The mission¡¯s promise brought a smile to Suhyuk¡¯s face. The stakes were set, his path was clear, and the challenges ahead only fueled his determination. It was time to show everyone, including Schneider, what he was made of. It was indeed a mission. -30k? -Big stakes here. -Hard to throw in a measly couple thousand now. -Chairman-level support, damn. Eyes widened. A 30,000-point mission. This was on a different scalepared to previous ones. Actually, considering the nickname, it was less of a mission and more of an encouragement. The viewer ¡®IloveLoveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ was one of Suhyuk¡¯s top supporters, often referred to as the ¡®chairman¡¯. ¡°Won¡¯t regret it?¡± ¡º¡¯IloveLoveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºNo.¡» -Wow, one word costing 100 points, cool. -Throwing 100 points per letter, crazy efficiency, LOL. Clearly, they possessed significant wealth. Grin-. ¡°Thank you in advance for the 30,000 points.¡± Smiling at the thought of an abundant wallet, but only for a moment. Buzz-. As the tournament began, a massive field unfurled within the coliseum. Fwoosh-! The field engulfed over ten thousand yers. Simultaneously, an identical message appeared before the participants¡¯ eyes. ¡ºDo you wish to participate in the trial?¡» No matter how spacious, the coliseum was too small to host ten thousand yers. Most importantly, without the trial¡¯s format, yers would face real danger. ¡°Participate.¡± One by one, yers, including Suhyuk, entered the trial grounds. The field spread throughout the coliseum. ¡ºYou have entered the ¡®Preliminary Round.¡¯¡» A vast forest appeared. Tall trees surrounded the area. Suddenly, Suhyuk found himself standing alone. The yers who had been around vanished. They had all entered the field created by Blue Zone with the system¡¯s power. ¡ºThe ¡®Preliminary Round¡¯ begins.¡» ¡ºFight until only 1,000 remain.¡» ¡ºSurvivors: 10,109¡» A straightforward and brutal rule. Suhyuk smiled. ¡°A solo match.¡± The trial¡¯s format was deathmatch. And it was naturally a solo match. Suhyuk had hoped for a solo format, and fortunately, the preliminary round delivered. Moreover, deathmatches were a category Suhyuk excelled in. ¡®Could I encounter him here?¡¯ Schneider. Perhaps, he might face Schneider quickly in this preliminary round. The number of survivors in the preliminary round would be about one in ten. And there were two ways to survive. ¡®Hide or reduce the numbers by my own hand.¡¯ Naturally, Suhyuk had no intention of hiding. That wasn¡¯t his nature, and it would make for a much more entertaining stream. Moreover. ¡º¡¯HolesAreTwo¡¯ has created a mission.¡» ¡ºDeathmatch? Can¡¯t miss that. 100 points per kill.¡» ¡º¡¯VongolePasta¡¯ has created a mission.¡» ¡ºKill-per-mission is a deathmatch rule, LOL. I¡¯ll go with 100 points per kill too.¡» ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has created a mission.¡» ¡º1,000 points for killing Don Zhao. 10,000 points for killing Omar Schneider.¡» Missions were being registered one after another. Instantly, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A kill per¡­ 200 points?¡± He had no intention of hiding initially, but now he had to adjust his strategy. 200 points per kill. If he took down 100 people in this preliminary round, that¡¯d him 20,000 points in an instant. And if he managed to kill Schneider, that¡¯d be another 10,000 points. Adding the victory mission¡­ ¡®60,000 points.¡¯ It would almost recover the funds spent on leveling up his skills. As his stream grew, the iing revenue significantly increased. -Look at his eyes rolling, LOL. -He does like money. -Lee Suhyuk, the money lover¡­ What a world. At that moment. Rustle-. The sound of something moving through the grass. Suhyuk¡¯s head turned to the side. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The man who met his gaze had a look of regret. It seemed he recognized Suhyuk. For one person, there was no need to use lightning. ¡°A walking 200 points.¡± The participant turned and ran. Suhyuk took a step forward, pursuing him as he spoke. ¡°Thanks for the meal.¡± ¡ª Step-step. Somewhere deep within the secluded forest. Schneider continued to walk at a slow pace. ¡ºSurvivors: 8,544¡» 1500 yers had already been eliminated. During that time, Schneider hadn¡¯t fought a single yer. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t encountered anyone. Just that everyone who did encounter him chose to flee rather than fight. ¡®My goal is singr.¡¯ Step-step. Throughout his walk, Schneider¡¯s mind was wholly focused on one target. ¡®Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ No one else mattered. Someone else would reduce the numbers anyway. In that moment, Schneider knew to focus entirely on preparing for his encounter with Lee Suhyuk instead of dealing with lesser threats. Rustle-. Not far off, the sound of rustling grass. Along with the breath of someone nearby, Schneider halted his steps. ¡°Think I¡¯ll just let you go, bringing a mob?¡± Snap-. Hebined the spears on his back into a lengthy spear. As Schneider readied his weapon, shadows hidden in the trees began to emerge. ¡°You catch on quickly.¡± ¡°You said there¡¯s no point in hiding.¡± ¡°We should¡¯ve gotten more¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. This will do.¡± Murmur-. Dozens of yers formed a circle. Their aim was clear: eliminating Schneider. ¡°You made a wise choice. Eliminating a top contender early improves your chances.¡± Schneider didn¡¯t panic. In their shoes, targeting him during the preliminaries was their best shot. However. ¡°Even a flock of sheep is still just sheep.¡± ¡°No numbers can match skill. Where do you get off being arrogant¡ª¡± Boom-! Mid-sentence, the head of the foremost yer exploded. Schneider¡¯s spear was pointed at his head, but the distance was too great for the spear to have physically struck. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with plenty like you.¡± Unable to gauge his strength, the yers began retreating. Chuck-. One person¡¯s presence overwhelmed dozens. Schneider advanced toward them unafraid, like a wolf calmly approaching a flock of sheep. And then. sh-. ¡°Gah¡­!¡± ¡°When did he¡ª!¡± Schneider moved into the midst of the group, swinging his spear in a wide arc. St-! Blood fountains erupted from the decapitated yers¡¯ bodies. ¡°If you wanted to take me down, you should¡¯ve brought at least Lee Suhyuk.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 sh-. Smoothly, necks were severed. Magic imbued into the spear¡¯s tip acted as a de. Using the extended reach of his spear, Schneider fought as if his arms extended. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ The disy even captured Un Hyang¡¯s attention. The colossal screens surrounding the coliseum disyed Schneider¡¯s battle against dozens of yers. ¡®He handles the spear well. His movements are fluid. Above all¡ª¡¯ ¡°Aaah-!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t run!¡± ¡°This is just a trial! Don¡¯t be scared!¡± ¡°Even so, this is too one-sided¡ª¡± Boom-! Another yer¡¯s head exploded. ¡®He¡¯s executing a one-sided massacre without even using skills.¡¯ Despite her bias towards Suhyuk, Un Hyang had once thoroughly researched Schneider. Famous yers had lots of data avable, and Schneider was no exception. She knew what skills he primarily used and his preferred fighting styles. From that perspective, Schneider didn¡¯t seem to be going all out yet. ¡®A ughter.¡¯ Swoosh-. With a soft sound, Schneider¡¯s spear pierced another yer¡¯s chest in two. Spears were typically designed for thrusting rather than shing. Yet his spear wielded the power reminiscent of a long sword. ¡°He¡¯s skilled. I¡¯ll give him that.¡± Un Hyang nodded. Professionally, she had seen countless streams, including those renowned for showcasing exceptional skills. She had also watched numerous rookie fights on yers Channel. Yet, the number of yers she acknowledged could be counted on one hand. ¡°Well¡­ The same goes for this one.¡± -Wow, that¡¯s 24 kills. -Sweet, sweet. -Boring. Schneider,e out@@ On Suhyuk¡¯s stream. Suhyuk had just taken down his 24th opponent on the road and was moving towards his next target. Even though it was a solo match, most yers moved in teams. The size varied, ranging from two to five members. But Suhyuk didn¡¯t seem to care at all. ¡°I¡¯d prefer meeting arge group next time¡­.¡± Instead, he seemed to be hoping to encounter more yers at once. -LOL crazy -Usually, hiding is the best tactic, LOL. -If theye all together? Even better. And such atypical situations were precisely what the viewers loved the most. Un Hyang, observing the stream¡¯s atmosphere, checked the viewer count. ¡ºViewers: 9,451¡» The viewers were rapidly increasing. Surpassing ten thousand was just a matter of time. And likely, the tipping point would be. ¡°If they sh, it¡¯ll be a beautiful sight.¡± The moment when Schneider and Suhyuk faced off. *** ¡ºSurvivors: 1,342¡» Suhyuk checked the number of remaining survivors. The rate of elimination was faster than expected. It exined why he had encountered so many yers¡ªit wasn¡¯t a coincidence. ¡°The field isn¡¯t that big, it seems.¡± It would¡¯ve been nice if more yers had remained. 200 points per kill. Once the preliminary round ended, this lucrative mission would be over, too. ¡°How many kills do I have now?¡± -97 kills -No, it¡¯s 98. -It¡¯s 98. You caught that one who tried to escape. 98. That was the number of kills Suhyuk had racked up in this preliminary round. It meant he had encountered an immense number of yers. No wonder. Thud-. Not far away, the ground caved inwards, descending into an abyss. Thend was slowly disappearing. It was designed to prevent yers from hiding in one spot indefinitely. The system was driving yers toward a single point. This would likely continue until only a thousand remained. ¡°Where should I go to meet someone?¡± While the stage was narrowing, Suhyuk didn¡¯t head straight for the center. Whish-. He examined the ground. Footprints and trampled grass indicated recent passage. ¡®A lot of movement. At least ten¡­ no, maybe more?¡¯ As time passed, group sizes grewrger. With a thousand survivors possible, yers were banding together to increase their chances of survival. But Suhyuk wasn¡¯t wary of these movements. Rather. He weed them. ¡°It¡¯s that way.¡± The direction was set. -Let¡¯s hunt them down, LOL. -Onest big haul guys¡­ or rather, a massive horde. Step, step. Suhyuk continued following the trail. Time was limited. ¡ºSurvivors: 1,202¡» The preliminary round would end as soon as the number of survivors reached a thousand. This group of about ten would likely be hisst prey in the preliminaries. Or perhaps. ¡®Maybe an even bigger catch.¡¯ The trail was chaotic. This meant only one thing. ¡®They¡¯ve encountered something. And¡­¡¯ Schuk-. Suhyuk drew his sword from its scabbard. In the next moment, he swung, slicing through the tall grass obscuring his view. Rustle-. With a clear view ahead, Suhyuk saw a long spear impaling a yer¡¯s body. Drip-, drip-. Blood trickled down the spear, pooling on the ground. Bodies of dozens of yersy scattered around. The one responsible for this carnage was unmistakably¡ª -It¡¯s Schneider. -Huge fight iing. -This is what we came for!!!! Omar Schneider himself. ¡°So we meet atst.¡± Thud-. Schneider tossed the impaled yer¡¯s body to the ground. Despite battling over ten yers, he showed no signs of fatigue. And looking at Schneider¡¯s smirk. ¡°Ten thousand points, huh?¡± Suhyuk immediately thought of the mission. -Can¡¯t miss out on 10,000 points, LOL. -Schneider? That¡¯s 10,000 points right there. -This is gonna be epic. ¡°Ten thousand points?¡± Close enough to hear, Schneider seemed puzzled by Suhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a mission.¡± ¡°What mission?¡± ¡°They¡¯re offering 10,000 points for taking you down.¡± ¡°Ten thousand¡­?¡± Schneider¡¯s face twisted with displeasure. ¡°Only?¡± 10,000 points were by no means a small amount. But for taking down Schneider on the 3rd floor, it was ridiculously low. Although for a streamer, it was significant money. ¡°You continually trample on my pride.¡± From Schneider¡¯s perspective, it was tantamount to belittling his ten years of dedication. -He looks seriously pissed. -Do they know each other? -Oddly feels like they¡¯re familiar. Chuck-. Schneider¡¯s blood-stained spear pointed at Suhyuk. He nced at the number of survivors and murmured. ¡°Another 150 to go¡­¡± There wasn¡¯t much time left for the preliminary round. Thud-. The sound of the ground copsing grew closer. ¡°This should be enough time.¡± Schneider grinned. And then. Boom-! A st sounded near Suhyuk¡¯s head. ¡®A skill?¡¯ Suhyuk narrowed his eyes, ducking sideways to avoid it. Schneider had moved his spear once and was preparing to thrust again. ¡®No, just a thrust.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a skill. He was channeling magic into the spear tip, releasing it with the thrust. More technique than skill. A true master. ¡®Indeed, worthy of his reputation. But. ¡®The real fight begins now.¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s focus zeroed in on the tip of Schneider¡¯s spear. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose sight of it. The spear extended farther than it appeared. Rather than gauging distance, he needed to watch the spear¡¯s direction. Crash-! As Schneider swung his spear, a strike cleaved through the ground in its path. The spear¡¯s power surpassed that of a sword. Simply shing head-on was ill-advised. ¡º¡¯Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs user¡¯s stamina.¡» ¡ºAll stats rise proportionally to consumed stamina.¡» ¡º¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv4¡¯ resists damage from ¡®Nameless Magic Sword.¡¯¡» A red impact radiated from Suhyuk¡¯s sword. With the magic sword¡¯s effect, his stats surged momentarily. Crash-. The sh between Suhyuk¡¯s sword and Schneider¡¯s spear sent shockwaves. Schneider¡¯s spear continued its relentless assault. Bang, bang-! Suhyuk deftly evaded and parried the spear strikes targeting his vital points. As if performing a choreographed act, he closed the distance between them. Once the gap closed sufficiently, Schneider halted his spear. He allowed Suhyuk toe closer. And in that instant. Zip-. Suhyuk dashed straight towards Schneider. Red impact trailed along his path, the magic sword¡¯s power boosting his stats dramatically. In a blink, the distance was gone. Within spear range, Suhyuk¡¯s sword aimed for Schneider¡¯s neck. ng-! Ssss-. Sparks flew as their weapons shed. Close enough now, Suhyuk red at Schneider. Few moments brought opponents so face-to-face as when they aimed for each other¡¯s throats. ¡°Your movements are swift.¡± It wasn¡¯t pure admiration. Schneider¡¯s face held a hint of dissatisfaction. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using your lightning?¡± Schneider was waiting for the lightning. The skill that made many know him. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s iconic skill. Only then would this fight hold its true value. However. ¡°It¡¯s too precious.¡± ¡°Too precious?¡± ¡°If I show it now, wouldn¡¯t it spoil the surprise? This is just the preliminaries.¡± ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Suddenly, a realization hit Schneider. Survivors. This battle had an implicit time limit. ¡ºSurvivors: 1,012¡» Only twelve more. The rate at which survivors were decreasing surprised them. Why so fast? As Schneider wondered, ¡°The closer the survivors get to the target, the more temporary alliances fall apart.¡± Suhyuk revealed the reasoning. The preliminaries were a solo affair. But over time, yers who understood the trial began to form teams. Forming a group would increase their survival chances, that much was clear. However, the purpose of those groups was solely to make it through the preliminaries. As the number of survivors neared the threshold of 1,000, there was no longer any need to stay in teams. That was exactly why the survivor count had plummeted so rapidly. ¡®Could it be that he¡­¡¯ Schneider¡¯s gaze wavered. ¡®Was he dodging my attacks while keeping track of the number of survivors?¡¯ That slight error in judgment could easily lead to a fatal wound. He had believed that narrowly avoiding his attacks was Suhyuk¡¯s goal. But he was wrong. Even in the heat of the moment, Suhyuk had been watching the survivor count and conserving his lightning. ¡®Could that even be possible?¡¯ Momentster. ¡ºSurvivors: 1,000¡» ¡ºThe preliminary round has ended.¡» ¡ºYou will now be transported to the finals.¡» Woooo-. The scenery began to blur. The remaining yers faded, signaling the end of the preliminaries. Right in front of him, with their des still crossed, Suhyuk mouthed silently. ¡®See you in the finals, ten thousand points.¡¯ With those words, Suhyuk¡¯s image vanished. Schneider looked down at his own body, slowly fading, and his expression turned incredulous. ¡°Ha, ha¡­ unbelievable.¡± He had considered the possibility of encountering Suhyuk in the preliminaries. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated this kind of ending. ¡®I underestimated him.¡¯ Schneider recalled Suhyuk¡¯s movements. ¡®He¡¯s not just some fool relying on lightning.¡¯ Grin-. Schneider¡¯s lips curled upward. Impressive. Yeah, this exins why he was so confident. ¡°Well, this is just the preliminaries.¡± There was no rush. After all, only he had the capability to defeat Suhyuk. As he slowly advanced towards the finals. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he faced Suhyuk again. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 ¡ºYou have been moved to the waiting room.¡» ¡ºA 30-minute break has been granted.¡» The ce Suhyuk was transported to after the preliminaries was a small room with nothing but a single bed, barely 4 pyeong in size. A 30-minute break. Fortunately, the schedule wasn¡¯t overly tight. -Ah, that was anticlimactic. -Too bad about the time limit¡­ -Felt really rushed. The chat buzzed with viewersmenting the abrupt halt in Suhyuk and Schneider¡¯s fight. It was to be expected since their battle was the most anticipated highlight of this content. And Suhyuk shared that sentiment. ¡°Indeed. My ten thousand points¡­¡± -LOL -Were you serious about that? LOL -He even said goodbye to Schneider as ten thousand points, LOL. Suhyuk genuinely saw Schneider as a ten thousand-point mark. Eliminating Schneider in the preliminaries would have immediately cashed in that mission, a substantial gain. However, Suhyuk chose to hold back his lightning and postpone his showdown with Schneider. The decisive factor was Un Hyang¡¯s whispered message. -¡ºManager¡»¡ºWhisper¡» Suhyuk, save the big fight with him for the finals! Gotta get good video content!!! Un Hyang¡¯s message popped up in the chat center. That prompted Suhyuk to reconsider his strategy. ¡®We need to build up the video content.¡¯ The battle with Schneider was the crux of this stream. Keeping Schneider alive would enhance viewer engagement and enrich the stream. The viewer count confirmed this strategy. ¡ºViewers: 11,009¡» The count not only surpassed ten thousand but soared past eleven thousand. This brought back a memory of a conversation he had with Un Hyang. ¡°Ten thousand viewers. The team leader says that¡¯s kind of a barrier. Almost there, but hard to breach.¡± ¡°What barrier?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but hitting ten thousand once means a streamer can survive. Not everyone, but for most¡­ that seems to be the case.¡± Ten thousand viewers. Since that talk, Suhyuk had subconsciously aimed for that number. Could he continue to thrive as a streamer? Would he fade away like many others after a brief stint of fame? To dispel that uncertainty, hitting ten thousand was crucial. And now, in this moment. Suhyuk¡¯s stream had reached that milestone. ¡®In the end, it wasn¡¯t a bad decision.¡¯ Both for the stream and the fight with Schneider. Holding back in the preliminaries proved wise. Suhyuk gazed at his hand. Despite the short time, he had exchanged several attacks with Schneider. His hand trembled slightly. The power behind Schneider¡¯s spear was not to be underestimated. ¡®My hand¡¯s still tingling.¡¯ The power behind Schneider¡¯s spear was stronger than expected. It wasn¡¯t due to any special skill, but rather his high stats and his adeptness with the spear. ¡®He is far above the 3rd floor level. His stats are probably higher than mine right now.¡¯ Suhyuk pondered Schneider¡¯s prowess and whaty ahead. Thunder Cave. The impregnable dungeon where Omar Schneider had spent a decade trying to conquer. ¡®He couldn¡¯t conquer it with this level of skill and power.¡¯ Or perhaps, this wasn¡¯t all. Just as he had held back his lightning, Schneider must have withheld some of his own abilities. As Suhyuk mulled over the fight with Schneider. -Do you think you can win? A viewer¡¯s concerned question. Suhyuk sat on the bed and responded. ¡°Yes.¡± Though Schneider was stronger than expected, the oue wouldn¡¯t change. No. It couldn¡¯t. ¡°Victory is mine. I have no intention of yielding.¡± It wasn¡¯t just for pride or the wager involving an apology video and information about Thunder Cave. The tournament¡¯s prize. That alone meant he couldn¡¯t afford to lose. And to ensure his victory. ¡°Oh, right. The mission.¡± This was crucial. ¨C LOL, suddenly talking about the mission ¨C Can he really think about the mission at a time like this!! ¨C Amazing, Lee Suhyuk! ¨C Truly, Money Suhyuk! ¨C 100 points per kill. ¨C Since two simr missions were active, it was 200 points per kill. ¨C And his total kills in the preliminaries were 98. ¡°Calctions must be done, after all.¡± ¡ºMission aplished.¡» ¡ºYou have received 9,800 points from ¡®HolesAreTwo.¡¯¡» ¡ºMission aplished.¡» ¡ºYou have received 9,800 points from ¡®VongolePasta.¡¯¡» A total donation of 19,600 points. ¡°Thank you for the support, ¡®HolesAreTwo¡¯ and ¡®VongolePasta.¡¯¡± That filled the need. ¡ºAvable Points: 96,029¡» His points surged rapidly. Collecting 80,000 points seemed daunting, but the conditions were met much faster than expected. ¡º80,000 points have been used.¡» ¡ºSkill level of ¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv4¡¯ has increased.¡» ¡ºRemaining Points: 16,029¡» Arge chunk of points was used in one go. Yet 16,000 points remained. ¡®This mission was an absolute bonanza.¡¯ If only every day had deathmatches like this. Then he could increase the skill level of ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ even further. With the preliminary round behind him and the finals ahead, Suhyuk was ready to face whatever came next with renewed vigor and determination. ¡®The skill¡¯s new grade is¡­.¡¯ ¡¾ Selfish Sacrifice ¡¿ Type: Skill Grade: B- LV: 5 Suppresses the side effects of skills or items that harm the user. Skill grade and level can be increased using points. Required Points: 160,000 Suhyuk tried not to look at the 160,000 figure at the end. How could he save up that much again? The doubling requirement was something he could never get used to. Still, there was one notable improvement. ¡®The grade has increased.¡¯ The skill had been stuck at C-rank but now it had risen to B. Although it was tagged with a minus (-), it was still an improvement. This meant the skill¡¯s effectiveness had significantly increased. As Suhyuk reveled in the dual feelings of satisfaction and bitterness from the upgraded skill level, his gaze shifted to the chat window he had previously ignored. -Why isn¡¯t he talking? -Probably resting. -Next is the finals, sharpening his focus. -Wow¡­ he does look cool. If only he didn¡¯t love money so much. -LOL totally agree Viewers seemed to think his silent sitting on the bed was a sign of him gearing up for the next battle. Should he clear up the misunderstanding? ¡®Let¡¯s leave it be.¡¯ Such misunderstandings were wee. Suhyuk decided to take his full 30-minute break. In a courtyard where the ice hadn¡¯t yet melted. Kim Shiwoo stroked his chin, watching Lee Suhyuk on screen, sitting on the bed, seemingly gathering his focus. ¡°This is different from him.¡± Gathering focus before a fight? That wasn¡¯t like the Lee Suhyuk he knew. Lee Suhyuk could demonstrate focus anytime, anywhere. Moreover, the longer he fought, the sharper his focus became. He was someone who was practical in battle and rxed during breaks. That was the Lee Suhyuk that Shiwoo knew. ¡°Not a spot-the-difference game¡­ What am I thinking?¡± Shiwoo shook his head, brushing aside unnecessary thoughts. The reason he was watching this stream was simple. Yerang was aiming for the tournament¡¯s prize. A tournament hosted by Kim Ilsoo. There were two main contenders for the victory. ¡®Schneider still has the higher odds.¡¯ Just now, for a fleeting moment, Suhyuk¡¯s hand had trembled. Not many would have noticed. It was a brief, subtle movement. Yet, that alone revealed the level difference between the two. ¡®On the lower floors, level is absolute.¡¯ Unlike the upper floors where unique skills,bat knowledge, and experience yed a big role, strength in the lower floors was primarily measured by level. And raising levels required effort and time. Schneider embodied both attributes. ¡®Suhyuk¡¯s only edge would be his lightning skill¡­.¡¯ Lightning. No one knew that skill better than him. Except perhaps for Yerang and Ilsoo, who had both carried the Blue Eyes name. Therefore, Shiwoo had a fair idea of how the match between them could turn out. ¡°If they fought ten times, Suhyuk might win one.¡± There was one main reason he thought this way. ¡°If he cannd one good strike.¡± The fatal w of Lightning. It consumed the user¡¯s stamina, making long fights difficult. Especially against an experienced yer like Schneider,nding a decisive blow was no easy feat. But if Suhyuk could pull it off, even Schneider would suffer a critical hit. ¡®The real Suhyuk would have managed that.¡¯ Yes. If it were the genuine Lee Suhyuk. A middle-aged woman with heavy makeup sat in the middle of the audience. Yerang, with a disguised face, sat cross-legged, watching the match with folded arms. ¡®This is quite entertaining.¡¯ She hadn¡¯t expected much from what she considered a children¡¯s brawl. In fact, most yers on screen were subpar, enough to make her frown. But there were two exceptions. ¡®I always knew about Lee Suhyuk¡­ but this Schneider guy is something else.¡¯ His skill with the spear was exceptional. Terms like te bloomer¡± or ¡°hard worker¡± were often used to describe him. But to Yerang, he was something else entirely. ¡®He¡¯s broken through his limits.¡¯ Obsessing over something for ten years was undeniably impressive. It required mental fortitude, and Schneider was a prodigy in that regard. That¡¯s how Yerang viewed Schneider. ¡®If he wins this prize and conquers Thunder Cave to ascend.¡¯ It painted a brilliant picture. ¡®He¡¯ll likely be a ranker soon.¡¯ Intriguing. Both the young man with strong mental fortitude and the boy named Lee Suhyuk, who shared a name with her friend. She wanted to keep watching them, not just for her goal but out of genuine interest. ¡°Ugh-.¡± Just then. ¡°Will he win¡­?¡± Next to Yerang, a dark-haired woman sat with her legs drawn in, gazing at her kit instead of the screen. ncing subtly, Yerang noticed she was watching a stream. ¡®A stream?¡¯ It was a familiar stream she was watching. ¡°Lee Suhyuk¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? You know him?¡± The woman¡¯s head snapped to Yerang. Their faces were ufortably close. ¡°Are you a viewer?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh¡­ yes.¡± ¡°Wow, nice to meet you. I¡¯m a fan too, for over 20 years.¡± 20 years. Lee Suhyuk the streamer had started streaming only about ten days ago. This meant Yerang was a fan of the other Lee Suhyuk. ¡®A fan of Suhyuk?¡¯ A peculiar sense of familiarity washed over her. Meeting someone who remembered them, meeting so close, how long had it been? ¡°My name¡¯s Un Hyang.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes narrowed in a smile. And then, the next moment. ¡°¡­And what¡¯s yours? Yerang realized something clearly. Un Hyang had seen through her disguise. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Inside a private room at the top of the spectator stands. The host, Go Hyunsu, checked the remaining wait time. ¡º05:29¡» About five minutes left. The finals would begin soon. Shortly after, the tournament would conclude, and the owner of the prize would be decided. A pair of red-tinged leather shoes. ¡®Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear.¡¯ A rare item of unique high grade. Footwear items were significantly more valuable than weapons or armor. But the true value of this item wasn¡¯t just its grade or effects. ¡®Could it be true? Is there really a thief targeting this?¡¯ Looking at the floating shoes. Go Hyunsu gazed down at the audience packed with people. ¡°And that person would target Lee Suhyuk¡­.¡± Click-. The door opened just then. Jumping up from his seat in tension, Go Hyunsu rxed when he saw who it was and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± ¡°Yes. You didn¡¯t answer your messages¡­.¡± It was Go Hyunsu¡¯s direct subordinate. He checked his kit and found three missed calls. ¡°Must¡¯ve been too upied. What is it?¡± ¡°Reinforcements have arrived from the guild headquarters.¡± ¡°More here?¡± Invisible from the outside, Blue Zone yers were hidden around the arena. Over a thousand were assigned to protect a single prize item. No matter how unique the item, it was an excessive number. Naturally. That many were waiting for ¡®someone¡¯ aiming for the item. ording to the intel, even this might not be enough. ¡°Who is leading them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cha Minwoo.¡± ¡°Cha Minwoo? Him?¡± Cha Minwoo. Once hailed as the next Lee Suhyuk due to his talent. He had indeed climbed the tower rapidly and be a ranker. Sending someone like Minwoo indicated how seriously the guild viewed this issue. ¡®Could it really be true¡­?¡¯ Go Hyunsu¡¯s gaze shifted to the tournament screen. The wait time was over, and the finals had begun. ¡®Will he really show up?¡¯ Just an event on the 3rd floor. From Blue Zone¡¯s perspective, even if nothing happened, Omar Schneider would win the prize, so it was a safe bet. It was supposed to be a straightforward tournament. But now, maybe¡ª ¡®The specter of Blue Eyes.¡¯ ¡ªhistory might change from this point onward. ¡ª ¡ºYour rest period has ended.¡» ¡ºThe finals have begun.¡» The room with just a bed disappeared. The walls separating yers blurred, revealing their positions to one another. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± ¡°We were this close?¡± Hidden by walls and sound barriers, they hadn¡¯t realized. They had been just in tiny 4-pyeong spaces, practically next to each other. With the walls gone, yers sized each other up, reestablishing their strategies for the finals. Lee Suhyuk took a deep breath, feeling the weight of theing battle. He wasn¡¯t just fighting for the prize, but for something more. And he wasn¡¯t alone¡ªSchneider, his main rival, was standing not too far from him, also ready for the final showdown. The battlefield was set, the stakes were higher than ever, and the legendary prize awaited its rightful owner. Staggering. The rules for the finals hadn¡¯t been released yet. yers were busy sizing each other up, trying to gauge the distance. And then, at that moment¡­ The rules for the finals were revealed. ¡º¡¯The finals¡¯ will be a territory capture match.¡» ¡ºTake over your opponent¡¯s territory.¡» ¡ºOnly two people can enter a single territory at one time.¡» ¡ºWhen you defeat a yer, you can take over their territory.¡» ¡ºThe yer with the most territories at the end of the time limit wins.¡» ¡ºTime limit: 2:00:00¡» A hum. Under the yers¡¯ feet, straight lines and different colors were painted. The boundaries were divided by lines and colors. The room where they had been resting transformed into the territory they now had to defend. The rules for the finals were clear. A territory capture match. It was a trial of taking away the opponent¡¯snd, as the name suggested. ¡®A thorough one-on-one rule.¡¯ ¡®This is even more of an individual match than the preliminaries.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no benefit in moving first.¡¯ Despite the start of the trial, no one moved. It was only natural. Even if you fought and won against the person next to you, you¡¯d only gain one territory. But if you fought and won against an opponent with ten territories, you¡¯d gain ten territories. On the other hand, moving early to seize territories would only waste energy. ¡®This is a game of wits.¡¯ ¡®Moving first is disadvantageous.¡¯ ¡®As long as you time it right, there¡¯s a chance for me, too¡­¡¯ Just as the participants¡¯ game of wits began. ¡°Wait a second!¡± ¡°Why already-.¡± Just two people. There were participants ying a different game. ¡°I¡¯m going to Suhyuk. Move aside.¡± One of them was Omar Schneider. The other person was. ¡°It¡¯s 300 points per kill.¡± Once again, a kill mission had been assigned to Suhyuk. ¡°I will enjoy this meal.¡± * The moment the exnation for the finals¡¯ rules ended. ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºHow can I hold back? Let¡¯s go for a kill mission right now. 100 points per kill. 0 for death. Go?¡» A mission window appeared before Suhyuk, who was searching for Schneider¡¯s location with his eyes. It seemed MissionViin thought Suhyuk was watching others just like the other participants. ¡º¡¯RebornRich¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºFor real, let¡¯s go full manly. I¡¯ll add 100 points too.¡» ¡º¡¯NoSafeAssets¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ll add too. Refusal is unmanly.¡» Three of the same type of mission. Altogether, it amounted to 300 points per kill, creating a fairly substantial prize pool. -Oh? -Now you really have to run? A trial where moving early puts you at a disadvantage. However, streamers often have to ept such disadvantages. It makes for more entertaining content for viewers and bes a form of content itself. Moreover¡­ ¡°Of course, I have to run.¡± Having just spent a whopping 80,000 points, Suhyuk couldn¡¯t afford to give up on this mission. Not that he ever intended to stay still. Of course, there was one thing that changed due to the mission. ¡®Even so, if ites to this.¡¯ He had identified Schneider¡¯s position. Originally, he was going to go straight towards where Schneider was. He thought it better to settle things quickly rather than appear to be avoiding him. But given the current situation¡­ ¡°I have to go the other way.¡± Swoosh. Suhyuk turned his body towards the opposite area from where Schneider was. * Once you step into an opponent¡¯s territory, you must defeat them to move to the next area. This rule frustrated Schneider. ¡°Suhyuuuuk!¡± Schneider¡¯s shout, chasing him, echoed from behind. Suhyuk was shing through participants in the opposite area, and Schneider was puncturing holes in the bodies of anyone who got in his way while chasing Suhyuk. ¡°Why are you going that way? Why?¡± Schneider¡¯s shout was almost a scream. His voice was filled with deep anger. It seemed he felt a sense of betrayal over Suhyuk¡¯s actions. Unfortunately, the two were positioned in exactly opposite directions. ¡ª He seems really angry¡­ He kept talking about a promise earlier; did something happen between them? Yeah, seriously, why is he so pissed off? Suhyuk spoke after cutting down his thirty-second opponent. ¡°Yes, there was a promise.¡± A promise? What promise? ¡°Just, let¡¯s have a head-on fight.¡± -??? But you¡¯re running away? ¡°I need toplete the mission.¡± -?????? -???? -????????????? The chat was filled with question marks in response to Suhyuk¡¯s exnation. No wonder Schneider¡¯s reaction seemed so odd; there was a reason for it after all. ¨C Seriously, you¡¯re something else¡­ ¨C I knew you were all about money lol ¨C Can¡¯t ignore a mission~ ¨C Of course. Isn¡¯t a mission a promise to us? Fortunately, the response that followed wasn¡¯t bad. In fact, people found it entertaining that he was prioritizing the mission over his promise with Schneider. ¨C This guy is really serious about missions, lol. ¨C Now that it¡¯se to this, just keep running away. ¨C You idiot, do you think that¡¯ll work? Running away won¡¯t change the fact that the initial territory still exists. ¨C Oh, right. Yeah, he¡¯s bound to get caught eventually. ¡ª What Suhyuk chose wasn¡¯t to run away. Running away in this trial was impossible from the start. Defeating other participants and capturing their territories would only increase the number of territories, but he couldn¡¯t get farther away from Schneider. In the end, it would only end once Schneider reached Suhyuk¡¯s territory. ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained 1 territory.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained a total of 41 territories.¡» The 41st territory. Suhyuk quickly took down the surrounding yers and pressed on. Meanwhile, Schneider kept running towards where Suhyuk was. How long had it been? ¡ºParticipant ¡®Omar Schneider¡¯ has entered the territory.¡» ¡ºThere are currently 2 yers in this territory.¡» ¡ºYou cannot enter a new territory.¡» Finally, Schneider reached where Suhyuk was. ¡°Suhyuk!¡± He flew in, emitting blue steam from his entire body. The threatening momentum. Just as the message ended, Schneider was right in front of Suhyuk. Swoosh! Without any further words, Schneider thrust his spear. Apparently, he was very angry. ng! The shing weapons made a loud noise. Forcing Suhyuk¡¯s body to fly backward, unable to withstand it. ¡®Trying to withstand it would only be a disadvantage.¡¯ If he tried to block it recklessly, he might end up breaking his wrist holding the sword. In such situations, it¡¯s better to go with the force applied. Thud! Suhyuk, who had flown far away and quickly regained his bnce, looked up. Right above him. Schneider was spinning his spear and falling downward. Boom! Swoosh. The spinning spear shed past Suhyuk¡¯s cheek. After a brief storm-like skirmish. Schneider red at Suhyuk with sharp eyes. ¡®He¡¯s really strong.¡¯ His hand was still tingling. Not only was his strength stat high, but his skill with the spear was also quite impressive. Above all, the blue steam flowing from his body. That was further enhancing Schneider¡¯s physical abilities. ¡°Draw the Lightning.¡± The reason Schneider, who seemed ready to end it right away, paused was this. ¡°Summon it while I¡¯m giving you time. If you try to run again, I¡¯ll definitely stab you in the back this time.¡± ¨C He seems really pissed, damn. ¨C But at least he¡¯s got manners. Even waiting for him to transform. ¨C Huh? The lightning is his transformation? Whether it was consideration or coercion, the suggestion was ambiguous. Suhyuk, inside his mask, made a wry expression. ¡°Let¡¯s make a few things clear.¡± Chzzt-. Sparks began to flicker off Suhyuk¡¯s body. ¡°You don¡¯t have to forcibly give me time. I can use the Lightning anyway. It¡¯s not a transformation or anything that requires your consideration.¡± Crackle-. As if to prove his words, the electricity flowing through Suhyuk¡¯s body grew stronger. ¡°And secondly-.¡± ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ is activating.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Lightning¡¯ is resisting ¡®Lightning.¡¯¡» ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯s skill effect increases by 20%.¡» ¡ºResisted the Status effect: Electrocution.¡» Crackle, crackle-! Once the Lightning started to ignite, it grew as if meeting oil. And soon, it began to take shape. ¡°Running away is for the weaker ones.¡± ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv5¡¯ resists the damage from ¡®Lightning.¡¯¡» Rumble-! Thunder roared. Oveing the burden on his body, Suhyuk finally formed a lightning spear in his hand. ¡°Does it still look like I was running away?¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 In the middle of the spectator stands, Yerang stared intently at Un Hyang, who was asking for her name. ¡®What¡¯s with this girl?¡¯ You could see it in her eyes. She recognized the disguise. Probably from the moment their eyes first met. However, Un Hyang only noticed the disguise, not the face hidden beneath it. But even if that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡®She¡¯s no ordinary person.¡¯ Among the yers she¡¯d recently encountered, Un Hyang stood out the most. She was iparable to the mediocre ones Kim Ilsoo had sent to find them. That made it peculiar. Meeting a yer of this caliber by chance at the mere third-floor tournament? ¡®Did Ilsoo send her to capture me?¡¯ But if that were the case, it wouldn¡¯t be this quiet. If her identity and location had beenpromised, the arena would already be in chaos by now. She wasn¡¯t a yer from Blue Zone. Un Hyang seemed more curious about the disguise than her true identity. Even now, she was merely asking for her name without making any other moves. Besides¡­ ¡®Un Hyang¡­ that name sounds familiar.¡¯ It felt like she had heard her name in passing somewhere. As Yerang was pondering this peculiar feeling, Un Hyang pressed on. ¡°I asked for your name.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s persistence made it clear that continued silence would raise more suspicion. Yerang eventually opened her mouth. ¡°Yejeong.¡± She altered her name slightly. It was better to be cautious since revealing her real name could lead to unforeseen consequences. ¡°Yejeong? Hmm¡­.¡± A dubious reaction. Un Hyang scrutinized Yerang¡¯s concealed face. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t ask what you¡¯re here for.¡± She spoke as if she was convinced there was more to it. Yerang responded with a casual smile. ¡°What else would I be here for? Just to watch the match.¡± ¡°Really? Just that?¡± Disbelief tinged Un Hyang¡¯s response. She shrugged her shoulders as if it was impossible. ¡°Anyway, just saying, don¡¯t try to ruin the match. If you have something to do, do it after the match. Otherwise, I won¡¯t sit idly by.¡± Though the warning carried a hint of threat, Yerang felt relieved. If Un Hyang had any inkling of her true identity, she wouldn¡¯t be speaking so arrogantly. She truly didn¡¯t know who Yerang was. Reassured, Yerang asked, ¡°Why won¡¯t you sit idly by?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the manager of this stream.¡± Un Hyang disyed the screen of Suhyuk¡¯s live stream. ¡°If the match gets ruined, so does the stream, right? That can¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Manager¡­?¡± Yerang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. No wonder she found it odd that Un Hyang was watching the stream in person. She was the manager of Suhyuk, the streamer she had been following. ¡°Really? You¡¯re Suhyuk¡¯s streamer manager?¡± Yerang¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. Un Hyang seemed taken aback by her unexpectedly enthusiastic reaction. ¡°Uh? Yes, actually.¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly enjoying the stream. Since the fight with the Wolf Warrior¡­¡± ¡°Really? Then you¡¯ve been watching from the very start.¡± ¡°Of course! Wasn¡¯t that the first stream?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Wow, you¡¯re a real fan.¡± ¡°Would I be a fake one?¡± The conversation, once started, flowed easily and continued seamlessly. ¡°Really? The first viewer?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s truly fate, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯re not lying about being the manager, are you?¡± Any initial tension evaporated as the two continued their conversation, bonded by theirmon interest. ¡°So, were you also a fan of Suhyuk from a long time ago?¡± ¡°Fan¡­?¡± The sudden question made Yerang pause. Most people watch Suhyuk¡¯s stream because they are fans. They share a sense of belonging under the umbre of being his viewers. Yerang also watched Suhyuk¡¯s stream. But honestly, could she consider herself a fan like them? ¡°A fan?¡± She couldn¡¯t answer. She wasn¡¯t just his fan; she was his friend. Though she missed Suhyuk like the others, their rtionship and the extent of her longing were undeniably different. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Un Hyang was just as taken aback by her reaction. Saying she watched since the fight with the Wolf Warrior meant she had been watching from the very first stream. That implied she specifically looked for Suhyuk¡¯s themed streams, yet she hesitated tobel herself as his fan. As Un Hyang continued to give Yerang a peculiar look¡­ Rumble-! A loud thunderp echoed. From the kit Un Hyang was watching. And also from the central screen of the colosseum. * Rumble-! The spear danced in his hand. Blood trickled down Suhyuk¡¯s hand as he gripped the lightning spear. ¡®To think it could really be created.¡¯ Forging a weapon purely from Lightning is no easy feat. It¡¯s worlds apart from merely imbuing a weapon with elemental properties. Of course, its power differed as much as its difficulty. ¡®Still, I have to show it.¡¯ But the current situation was perfect for this. ¡®It¡¯s a live stream.¡¯ ¨C Wow, what the heck? ¨C Can he already do that? ¨C I¡¯m so hyped for Suhyuk ¨C He tried this a while ago and already got the hang of it lol In the second-floor trial, Suhyuk had thrown a lightning spear. The lightning spear. A single-use, legendary-grade item. It had been a crucial item for defeating the Giant King. However¡­ ¡®Lightning was always more suited to a spear than a sword.¡¯ Though it was just one throw, the sensation of the spear resonated clearly in his hands. The trial of Lightning conveyed this to the wielder who took the trial through the lightning spear. Lightning isn¡¯t something to be swung. It bes the most potent weapon when thrown. ¡®Though it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve forged a spear¡­¡¯ The spear he¡¯d made back then wasn¡¯tparable to the one he now held. While his former spear was stronger during his prime, he could still dere confidently, ¡®This is the real deal.¡¯ This, indeed, was the true Lightning. Crackle-. A sharp current surged up his hand. The blood trickling down his hand ckened and solidified almost instantly. Although he had managed to create it, it still wasn¡¯t a trivial task. ¡®This is still too much to use.¡¯ Even he felt it: this weapon wasn¡¯t something that should be wielded on the third floor. He should be grateful that he could even create it in the first ce. And the biggest reason he could do so was thanks to. ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv5¡ä resists the damage from ¡®Lightning.¡¯¡» The level 5 Selfish Sacrifice¡¯s effect had made it possible. ¡®As the level rises, the efficacy is indeed increasing.¡¯ It was worth the points he poured into it. The more points he invested, the more the skill¡¯s effectiveness grew. Choosing Selfish Sacrifice to mitigate Lightning¡¯s drawbacks had indeed been the optimal choice. At that moment, a deep sigh rose from within his core. ¡®In the end, I have to earn more again.¡¯ Probably forever. This obsession with points would continue. ¡°That spear¡­¡± Schneider¡¯s eyes wavered as he looked at the lightning spear. ¡°What is that? How did you¡­?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t I the one asking questions?¡± ¡°What?¡± Caught off guard, Schneider recalled Suhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°Do you still look like I¡¯m running away?¡± He couldn¡¯t say yes. If he were to utter such nonsense after seeing that spear, it would be like spitting in his own face. ¡°¡­ No.¡± ¡°Then let me ask you one more thing.¡± Boom-! As Suhyuk raised the spear high, a small thunderp echoed once more. ¡°Will you run away?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Schneider remained silent. He knew. This was a provocation. A painfully obvious one. The meaning behind the question was clear, ¡°Running away is for the weaker ones.¡± Are you admitting that you are weaker than me? That¡¯s what Suhyuk was essentially saying. However, even knowing this, Schneider couldn¡¯t easily back down. ¡®If I can shatter this¡­.¡¯ A scene flickered before his eyes. That single step he had never managed to take. It resurfaced, making it impossible for him to turn away. ¡®This time, I can reach it.¡¯ Step by step, Schneider didn¡¯t run away. He walked towards the intimidating Lightning spear, clutching his own with resolve. The blue steam emitted from Schneider¡¯s body intensified. He could feel each muscle fiber. Magic expanded, coursing through every part of his body. Suddenly. As he walked into the Lightning¡¯s domain, a conversation from years ago came to mind. ¡°Team Leader, may I ask a disrespectful question?¡± This was back when he and Don Zhao were trying to conquer the Thunder Cave as a team. They had failed the raid three times. It wasmon for raid team members to change. No matter how much Blue Zone wanted the Thunder Cave conquered, it was often seen as a waste of time for individual yers. ¡°From the moment you say that, it¡¯s already disrespectful.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I was just curious why you¡¯re so obsessed with the Thunder Cave.¡± It was a question he had heard countless times. Anyone who knew Schneider would naturally wonder about it. What on earth could be in there that made him so obsessively dedicated? Frankly, he had no way of knowing whaty at the end of the dungeon. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°People like me, who are insanely obsessed with something, tend to forget the reasons.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Put grandly, it¡¯s a conviction. Put stupidly, it¡¯s an obsession.¡± Exactly. To anyone, this looked like an obsession. But such words didn¡¯t matter at all. ¡°One thing I can say for sure is that I believe my life will be different depending on whether I ovee this or not.¡± It was a thought that had struck him after failing about ten times. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t give up. If I give up here, I¡¯ll be a failure at everything.¡± ¡°And if you seed¡­ you¡¯ll be able to do anything.¡± In response to Don Zhao¡¯s words, Schneider had simply smiled. Conquering the Thunder Cave. For a yer not blessed with innate talent, oveing that was his first hurdle. And now. ¡®Is this my second wall?¡¯ Schneider faced his second barrier, akin to the Thunder Cave. Swoosh-! ¡°Ahhh-!¡± He aimed the spear at Suhyuk¡¯s neck and charged with elerating speed. Pouring every ounce of his strength from his toes to his head into that spear. *** Suhyuk, adopting a throwing stance, looked at the charging Schneider. ¡°Impressive.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge it. His determination towards the Thunder Cave hadn¡¯t been in vain. Look. Behold the image of a finished yer, throwing himself like apleted spear. ¡®I can¡¯t face him half-heartedly.¡¯ To honor his ten years of dedication, Suhyuk had to show his respect. That he hadn¡¯t underestimated the Thunder Cave. Rather, he simply possessed the qualifications to do so! sh-! Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Boom-! In an instant, a yellow light shed at the center of the arena. The loud thunderp drowned out all other noises. Participants, whether they were hesitant to move or just starting to fight, turned their heads towards the sound and light. Suhyuk and Schneider had shed. Likely, the winner of this duel would determine the victor of the entire tournament. While most people initially predicted Schneider would win, at this moment, certainty was nowhere to be found. ¡®Please let it be Schneider.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve gone all-in on you. If I¡¯m wrong again, I¡¯m doomed!¡¯ ¡®Is the underdog about to win?¡¯ In the spectator stands, those who had bet points on the oue sped their hands in anticipation. ¡®Doesn¡¯t matter who wins, just let them both be wrecked.¡¯ ¡®If their stamina drops, I might get a chance too.¡¯ ¡®If I aim for the leftovers¡­¡¯ The participants, watching the duel with bated breath, hoped for a window of opportunity in the aftermath. While everyone was eager to know the result, there was one ce already celebrating the oue. ¨C Nice underdog victory!!!!! ¨C This is it!!!!!!!!!! ¨C Clothes off, pants off!!! Everything off!! ¨C Damn, should¡¯ve trusted him >.< ¨C Lol there¡¯s someone who didn¡¯t believe? Lol smh~ It was Suhyuk¡¯s chat room. ¨C He actually won, lol ¨C It was easier than expected ¨C Right? Thought it¡¯d be intense ¨C The provocation probably yed a huge role ¨C Honestly, he did get pushed back a bit at first Ahead of the screens in the spectators¡¯ area, Suhyuk¡¯s stream disyed the oue. Crackle-. Yellow electricity coursed through Schneider¡¯s body. With arge hole in his torso, he sat on the ground, blood dripping from his mouth. ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained 39 territories.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained a total of 82 territories.¡» The message confirming the acquisition of territories sounded. It was a definitive end, clearer than any other confirmation, that Schneider had been defeated. Yet, he hadn¡¯t closed his eyes. ¨C Oh¡­ ¨C He died standing up? ¨C Like nothing happened¡­ ¨C Guess he really hated losing Schneider refused to close his eyes, still ring at Suhyuk. Suhyuk clicked his tongue as he observed. ¡®His mental fortitude ismendable.¡¯ It was his sheer willpower that had made him who he was. Even in death, he maintained his gaze on Suhyuk. Suhyuk inspected the hole in Schneider¡¯s body. The power of the spear he had just created should have ended him instantly. Yet, despite such injuries, Schneider had reached this far. The physical endurance to remain standing despite those wounds, coupled with the indomitable spirit to aim his spear at Suhyuk until the end. He was more than just a rookie on the third floor; he was already an exceptional yer. ¡®We¡¯ll meet again soon enough.¡¯ Whether in this arena or another. ¡®At the Thunder Cave.¡¯ The chance to sh with him again still awaited. And perhaps next time, the same provocations wouldn¡¯t work. This match was one Schneider fought alone, but in the Thunder Cave, he would have his team with him. Crackle, snap-. Time passed, and gradually Suhyuk and Schneider¡¯s figures became visible to those around them. Seeing this unexpected oue, the participants stared at Suhyuk in shock. ¡°Suhyuk¡­ actually won?¡± Their opponent was none other than Omar Schneider. A yer known for nearly conquering the Thunder Cave, considered impregnable. A veteran who had been on the third floor for ten years. Schneider was different from other yers who were stuck because they couldn¡¯t ovee the barrier to the next floor. Despite being qualified to move higher, he remained here, growing stronger as he pursued his goal in the Thunder Cave. This made him a standout anomaly wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. And yet, here was this result. Gulp-. Participants close by saw the 82 territories Suhyuk had imed. Whoever held those territories was undoubtedly going to win the tournament. Moreover, now there was only one disruptor left in the ecosystem instead of two. ¡®Can I win?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s injured. And those injuries came from his own skill.¡¯ ¡®Lightning consumes a lot of stamina. The recent fight might have significantly depleted his stamina.¡¯ ¡ª As participants began to view Suhyuk as prey, one after another¡­ ¡°Oh, right. The mission.¡± Catching his breath while looking at Schneider¡¯s body, Suhyuk checked the remaining time. Fifty-nine minutes left. Half of the trial time still remained. ¡°Not much time left. I¡¯ll have to hurry.¡± The winner was decided. Now, the only thing left was the 300 points per kill mission. ¡ª * Squeak-. The rocking chair tilted back sharply. Shiwoo, who had been watching the stream, stood up abruptly, muttering to himself. ¡°This is insane¡­.¡± Crackle, crack-. The area around him began to freeze again, centered around his feet. In no time, the intense cold had frozen the entire house he was in. But whether he noticed this or not, ¡°Is this¡­ possible?¡± Shiwoo muttered in disbelief as he continued watching the stream. The streamer defeating Schneider and then taking down other participants one by one. It was Suhyuk. ¡®That spear just now¡­¡¯ The lightning spear Suhyuk had created. Even for Shiwoo, who thought he knew Lightning well, it was unlike anything he had seen before. ¡®It was different from what Suhyuk used to wield.¡¯ The Suhyuk he knew also used spears. But the differencey in the simplicity of his weapon. A straightforward technique that merely condensed the power of Lightning. However, the spear created by the streamer Suhyuk seemed more intricate. Almost as if¡­ ¡®It looked like a yer-crafted item.¡¯ Blood dripping from his hands, his sword trembling as he swung it at other participants. Pretending nothing was wrong, yet clearly having expended a considerable amount of stamina. The spear that felled Schneider was a trump card, consuming significant stamina. Slice-. Another participant was cut down by Suhyuk. The chat was already in a festive mood. Let¡¯s go for the win~~~ ¨C Curious about the Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear¡¯ options ¨C For real, never thought I¡¯d see it on this stream, lol Viewers were confident of his victory. But Shiwoo, knowing the streamer¡¯s capabilities better than anyone, didn¡¯t share their certainty. ¡°Can he hold out?¡± From this point on, it was no longer a fight between Suhyuk and other participants. It was Suhyuk versus himself. A trial of how long he could endure. ¡®If he manages to hold out¡­¡¯ Minjae¡¯s relic would fall into his hands. And that would be the moment Yerang would make her move. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Yerang a fan of this stream-.¡± Just as he raised his head to check Yerang¡¯s vacant spot, ¡°What?¡± Only then did Shiwoo notice the frozen ground and his house. And while he excelled at freezing things, he couldn¡¯t thaw them. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m screwed.¡± * sh-. A sharp noise echoed as the steel shield was cut. The armored yer equipped with a shield fell with a grudging expression. ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained 3 territories.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained a total of 113 territories.¡» As the time limit dwindled, yers with multiple territories increased. Initially, he focused more on kills than on the number of territories, but midway, another objective emerged. ¡º¡¯IfYoureCuriousBet50000¡ä has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯re not focusing enough on territories? From now on, 100 points per territory.¡» Another type of mission. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes lit up. He began searching for yers with many territories. Three missions in the finals alone¡­ ¨C This is practically a big corporation now? ¨C Look at the viewer count lol already a mid-sizedpany A total of 4 missions were triggered during the finals. Adding the win-based mission made it fiverge missions. Missions of this scale were unheard of in smaller streams. In reality, Suhyuk¡¯s viewer count had already grown toorge to be considered a novice streamer. ¡ºViewers: 12,880¡» Approaching 13,000 viewers, Suhyuk¡¯s stream was now in the league of so-called ¡®mid-sizedpanies.¡¯ ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained 6 territories.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained a total of 153 territories.¡» He began to move, chasing after yers with many territories. Simultaneously, Suhyuk checked the remaining time. ¡¯20 minutes left.¡¯ Huff-, huff-. His breathing grew rough. Breathing had started to be difficult quite some time ago, but it was only now starting to show. ¡°That guy, he looks out of breath!¡± ¡°No wonder he¡¯s been taking short breaks after killing each one!¡± ¡°He¡¯s exhausted, he¡¯s just like the rest of us!¡± The weaknesses of Lightning were well-known by now. Up until now, Suhyuk had appeared so vigorous that everyone had forgotten, but once a weakness was exposed, it was only a matter of time before they exploited it. ¡°Don¡¯t give him time to rest!¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t catch him now, we might never catch him! Keep pressing him!¡± Now, participants were approaching him first. Suhyuk stopped and addressed his viewers. ¡°Quick to notice, aren¡¯t they?¡± One of the reasons Suhyuk always wore a mask was to hide things like hisbored breathing. If they had noticed his condition a bit earlier and hadn¡¯t given him any time to rest¡­ ¡®Then, I¡¯d really be in trouble.¡¯ ¨C R¡­right! ¨C (Nodding anyway) ¨C We got fooled too, lol The viewers had been just as deceived. With his breathing and expressions concealed by the mask, Suhyuk had moved first, hunting down participants to give the impression he wasn¡¯t tired. ¨C Who would have thought? That the wolf among the sheep was actually battered and exhausted inside. ¡°Get him-!¡± The participants kepting. If they let him rest, it was over. To seize even the tiniest chance, they had to strike while he was tired. With about one minute left, the final opponent approached. ¡ºParticipant ¡®Don Zhao¡¯ has entered the territory.¡» ¡°Suhyuk-!¡± Schneider¡¯srade, Don Zhao, charged at Suhyuk with a spear. Was it because they were long-timerades? Or had he specifically been trained? His spear resembled Schneider¡¯s closely. However, ¡°¡­ Still far from it.¡± It was only an imitation at best. Crackle-. Yellow electricity flowed from the tips of Suhyuk¡¯s left fingers. Timing it perfectly, he swung his sword at Don Zhao¡¯s spear tip. Thud-! The spear was sent flying high. Don Zhao¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡®A magic sword?¡¯ A red aura emanated from Suhyuk¡¯s sword. In that brief moment, Suhyuk had activated his magic sword. And in the next instant, Crackle-! Releasing the condensed electricity at his fingertip, he shocked Zhao¡¯s hand. ¡°Argh!¡± His grip loosened. Despite Zhao¡¯s will, his electrocuted hand had no strength left. ng-. Naturally, he dropped the tightly held spear. The moment he let go of his weapon, Don Zhao¡¯s neck was severed. sh-. ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained 17 territories.¡» ¡ºYou¡¯ve gained a total of 283 territories.¡» And with him, no more participants dared to charge at Suhyuk. ¡°Hua-.¡± ¡º00:00:05¡» Suhyuk checked the time and raised his head. His hair was soaked with sweat. He felt tired but also refreshed, making him smile. ¡°Tough.¡± ¡ºThe winner, with 283 territories, is Suhyuk.¡» ¡ºThe trial has concluded.¡» Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Waahhh-! The crowd¡¯s cheers filled the arena. In the colosseum, the yers who had finished their matches stood with regretful expressions. The winner was decided. Before the match started, everyone was a protagonist, but now a single protagonist was chosen. ¡°I wonnnnn-!¡± Un Hyang jumped up from her seat and cheered loudly. She seemed far more ecstatic than Suhyuk, who stood in the arena. On the contrary. Yerang was unsure if she should be happy or not. ¡®He really ended up winning.¡¯ Like many other yers, Shiwoo and Yerang had believed that the winner would be Schneider. No matter how talented Suhyuk was or that he had gained the Lightning, the Lightning couldn¡¯t be wielded by just anyone. The Lightning was a double-edged sword. In many ways, it was closer to a cursed weapon, given that it inevitably harmed its wielder. They thought it would take Suhyuk much more time to master it¡­ ¡®What was that spear? And how does he still have stamina after throwing that?¡¯ Everything was beyond expectations. He had his friend¡¯s name and surpassed his talents. It was incredible. ¡°So, unfortunately, eliminated participants, please exit! Only the winner should remain on stage!¡± The announcer¡¯s voice boomed from above the stage. Only one order of business remained. ¡°Next, the prize presentation!¡± The prize. The relic of Kim Minjae, a member of Blue Eyes and her friend. sh-. A pair of red leather shoes appeared above. Schneider¡¯s face was unreadable. He looked both angry and resigned. As all the participants vacated the area, ¡°The prize presentation will now take ce-!¡± Kim Minjae¡¯s relic was transferred to Koh Hyunsu¡¯s hand. Watching this, Yerang fell into deep thought. ording to the original n, ¡ª ¡°When the winner is announced, steal it. It¡¯s much safer that way.¡± ¡ª Now was the time for her to act. * Thud-. The shoesnded in his hand. As his eyes followed the slowly descending shoes, Suhyuk¡¯s expression wavered. It had been a long while. Not for him, but for these shoes. ¡®Twenty years.¡¯ There was a peculiar feeling. The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. Minjae¡¯s most cherished item. ¡ª ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t I tell you not to touch my shoes? Who wore them? Hey!¡± ¡ª The memory of him blowing up over a slight touch was vivid. ¡®More than afort item.¡¯ Thinking back to those times, he chuckled. And then, ¡°Oh, that? Ilsoo said he¡¯d borrow them for a bit.¡± ¡°Again? Arrgghh-!¡± Even unpleasant memories he didn¡¯t want to recall surfaced. The smile that had briefly appeared faded. His eyes, filled with nostalgia, sharpened and tightened with resolve. ¡®Yeah. Even he would¡¯ve known.¡¯ Suddenly, the reality of his friend¡¯s death hit him, dying at the hands of someone who had once been a closerade. ¡ª ¨C Nice ¨C Those Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear tho ¨C Lookin¡¯ slick ¨C Poor Suhyuk is ballin¡¯ with items now? ¨C He¡¯s so obsessed with points, he might sell them ¨C This thing could fetch a crazy premium for sure That¡¯s nonsense. No matter how urgent his need for points, he could never sell this. ¡°I¡¯m not selling.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± His response left Go Hyunsu puzzled. Unlike in the trial where he could control the microphone, the boundary wasn¡¯t clear here. ¡°Oh, I was speaking to my viewers.¡± ¡°Ah yes, you are a streamer. But saying you won¡¯t sell¡­ what does that mean?¡± ¡°A viewer suggested that the prize would sell for a high price.¡± ¡°Of course. It would probably fetch at least hundreds of thousands of points, if not more.¡± The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear carried the premium of being associated with Blue Eyes. Its value was high enough that it was difficult to quantify in points. For wealthy collectors, it was an unmatched item. ¡°Sell it to me-!¡± ¡°Just name the price! I¡¯ll pay any amount!¡± ¡°You want premium items? My family¡¯s vault has even better stuff! Just visit and¡­¡± The colosseum, once again, grew noisy after the tournament had ended. It was a natural progression. The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear was the main reason thisrge audience had gathered. ¡®They came to buy this.¡¯ The name Blue Eyes was still etched deeply in the Tower. It was part of the history he had created, a history that was turned into a legend by Kim Ilsoo. And the people present were collectors eager to get closer to that legend. Individuals whose aim was to purchase the winner¡¯s prize immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not selling it.¡± Suhyuk responded calmly. But themotion didn¡¯t subside. It grew louder. ¡°I¡¯ll bid two million points!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bid two-point-one million points!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay two-point-five million! Plus¡­¡± ¡°Three million!¡± The frenzy only intensified. It was as if they hadn¡¯t heard Suhyuk¡¯s words at all. Wealthy individuals vying for the item. And the audiences, finding the auction highly entertaining. Their voices became more distinct as the bidding escted. ¡°It¡¯s up to three million.¡± ¡°Looks like it might go higher.¡± ¡°Is that item really worth that much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a premium. Famous ranker used it¡­¡± ¡°This could go up to four million¡­¡± He had hoped to keep things quiet. Just to collect his friend¡¯s relic and leave. ¡®I can¡¯t stand this.¡¯ In the end, Suhyuk flipped. sh-! A yellow pir shot up into the sky above the arena. Boom-! Lightning rumbled through the stadium. In an instant, the rowdy atmosphere settled, and the auction-like chatter from the stands ceased. ¡°Let me make it clear. No amount of money will make me sell this.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s words echoed powerfully, underscored by the dramatic disy of Lightning. Only then did the people in the stands understand his resolve. But there¡¯s always one or two who just can¡¯t take a hint. ¡°Five million¡­.¡± A persistent voice called out. ¡°Even if I offer five million?¡± An astronomical sum escaped from his lips. ¨C Wow, five million. ¨C That¡¯s no joke. ¨C How many times the normal price is that? ¨C Man, this guy¡¯s being pressured hard. Just as murmurs began to rise again at that price, ¡°I¡¯ll say it onest time.¡± Suhyuk red, his voice deadly serious. ¡°I¡¯m not selling.¡± * The prize presentation ended with quite amotion. Despite the incredible offer of five million points, Suhyuk did not part with the item. As he walked out of the arena, Suhyuk turned his head, feeling unsettled. ¡®They just had to inte the price unnecessarily.¡¯ Five million. On reflection, it was an absolutely staggering amount. Most yers could neither dream of nor touch such a sum in their lifetime. With that many points, he could instantly raise the level of Selfish Sacrifice by several stages. However, even with that in mind, Suhyuk had no intention of selling. ¡®I can earn points.¡¯ Through streaming or by bing a ranker in the future. One way or another, there were methods to earn points. Even if it was slow, he believed he could eventually earn not just five million, but even ten million points. But this item was different. ¡®I might never be able to get it back.¡¯ He intended to reim every single item his friends had used. Minjae¡¯s shoes, for sure. Whether it was Suhoon¡¯s spear or Jiyeong¡¯s ne¡­ He vowed to find all of them. And this was just the beginning. ¡®Still, it kind of stings.¡¯ There was only one way to soothe that bitter feeling. ¨C Show us the item ¨C Seriously, curious about its options ¨C Aren¡¯t you going to im the mission funds? The missions. Various missions had been set up for the finals, resulting in substantial support. ¡°I have to im them, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºReceived 28,300 points from ¡®IfYoureCuriousBet50000¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºReceived 14,300 points from ¡®MissionViin¡¯.¡» ¡ºReceived from ¡®RebornRich¡¯¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» The pleasant messages continued to roll in. A total of 71,200 points. Far from the 5 million points bid in the earlier auction, but still a substantial amount nheless. ¡ª ¡ºCurrent Points: 87,229¡» ¡ª In an instant, his points exceeded 80,000 again, recovering what he had spent. ¡°Thanks for the missions, everyone. I feel a bit less bitter now.¡± ¨C You felt bitter? ¨C You were so firm, I thought you didn¡¯t care, lol ¨C Money-hungry Suhyuk, of course you would, rofl He wondered what kind of image he had cultivated. ¡®Was I really that obsessed with money?¡¯ He was sure he wasn¡¯t like that in his past life. ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºAh, shut up. If you¡¯re grateful, check the item¡¯s stats.¡» With the suggestion that came with the donation, Suhyuk nodded. He needed to check the item¡¯s stats anyway. Even if it wasn¡¯t worth 5 million points, it was bound to be useful. ¡®It¡¯s definitely a valuable item.¡¯ Minjae had cherished it for good reasons. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see¡­¡± Suhyuk continued the stream while appraising the item. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look together.¡± ¡ºNimble Thief¡¯s Footwear¡» Grade: Unique Level requirement: 30 Shoes of the nimble thief, ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö, imbued with the power to lighten the body. Movement speed increased by 25% Jumping ability increased by 15% Can use ¡°Cloud Step¡± once a day Movement speed and jumping ability boosts, along with a skill option. Despite its high grade of Unique, the level requirement was not excessive. Fortuitously, he could use the item immediately. However, the viewers¡¯ reactions to the item¡¯s stats were mixed. ¨C It looks good, but¡­ ¨C Not as impressive as I thought. ¨C This is Unique? This is worth 5 million??? Clearly, those were the opinions of people who didn¡¯t know the value of items. ¨C Idiots don¡¯t realize how rare movement speed items are, lol ¨C Aren¡¯t movement speed items what rankers would fetch from hell itself? ¨C 25% is insanely OP! They were right. Items that significantly boosted movement speed were incredibly valuable, regardless of their grade or level requirement. Such options were rare and their performance scaled dramatically with the user¡¯s level. Thanks to this, Minjae was able to have the swiftest feet among them. ¡®Well, even so, it¡¯s not worth five million points.¡¯ Realistically, the item¡¯s market value was probably around¡­ ¡®Two million¡­ maybe.¡¯ It was peculiar. For a third-floorpetition, the prize seemed way too significant. While it had undoubtedly boosted the event¡¯s scale, something about it felt unnatural. ¡®What kind of game are they ying?¡¯ As Suhyuk pondered this and inspected the item¡¯s options, his kit suddenly vibrated. It was a message from Un Hyang. ¡ºUn Hyang: Suhyuk-nim, is the stream wrapping up soon?¡» This was odd. No matter how urgent, she had never messaged him first during a stream. Especially not a personal message instead of chat. ¡ºReply: Almost done. What¡¯s the matter?¡» ¡ºUn Hyang: I spotted someone suspicious.¡» Her next message made Suhyuk turn his head. ¡ºUn Hyang: Be careful. They might be after the prize.¡» Chapter 59 Chapter 59 In an alley near the colosseum where the tournament had ended, Cha Minwoo leaned against the wall and sighed in admiration. ¡°He really won, that kid.¡± The screen on the kit he held disyed Suhyuk¡¯s stream. Suhyuk was receiving the tournament¡¯s winning prize, the Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. Snap-. Chap Minwoo took a long drag from his lit cigarette, deep in thought. ¡°This was unexpected¡­¡± ¡°I thought for sure Schneider would win.¡± Responding to Cha Minwoo¡¯s words was his partner, Park Hwiyung. With her bow slung over her shoulder, she was watching the same stream. ¡°Isn¡¯t it impressive? To think he¡¯s already strong enough to beat Schneider.¡± ¡°Talent of the highest caliber, no doubt. I admit.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be like Lee Suhyuk someday?¡± Here, she wasn¡¯t referring to the streamer Suhyuk. She was talking about the legend of Blue Eyes, Minwoo¡¯s idol, Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°He has enough talent, doesn¡¯t he? He even scored the same in the same trial.¡± She watched the stream with an intrigued expression. ¡°There¡¯s a saying going around: whatever the real Suhyuk can do, the fake Suhyuk can.¡± ¡°The real Suhyuk? The fake Suhyuk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what people say these days. Lee Suhyuk is the real one, and the streamer Suhyuk is the fake one. Real Suhyuk, fake Suhyuk.¡± ¡°What ridiculous nicknames¡­¡± Minwoo¡¯s face scrunched up in displeasure. ¡°And they got it backward. It¡¯s not that the fake Suhyuk can do what the real Suhyuk can. It¡¯s that the real Suhyuk can do whatever the fake Suhyuk can.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Something about the topic seemed to irritate Cha Minwoo profoundly. Whenever discussions about Lee Suhyuk came up, he almost regressed into a fan-struck child. ¡°Ah, that evesting fangirl heart¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You heard me? Yeah, I said it for you to hear.¡± Hwiyung shrugged and changed the subject. ¡°So what happens now?¡± ¡°What else? Change of ns.¡± ¡°And the prize?¡± ¡°What, you think we should just rob him?¡± Hwiyung had no response, understanding full well there wasn¡¯t much they could do now that the winner was decided. It was just frustrating. Handing over the relics of Blue Eyes to an outsider was a bitter pill to swallow for Blue Zone. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to take it forcibly, and look at that number of viewers. How many are there?¡± ¡ºViewers: 14,017¡» Fourteen thousand. Certainly not a small number. Even after the tournament had ended, new viewers were streaming in, likely to catch a glimpse of the prize. It meant it was a hot topic in somemunity somewhere. ¡°We can¡¯t touch him. There¡¯s nothing good that¡¯lle from it.¡± ¡°We should¡¯ve pulled him in before he got this big.¡± ¡°What can we do? Rejecting us means he¡¯s confident in his own skills.¡± Despite the guild¡¯s disadvantageous position, Minwoo still held a slight smile. ¡°He¡¯s confident. He believes his value will only increase over time.¡± ¡°Is that really the reason?¡± ¡°What else could it be? Is there a reason not to join our guild?¡± Minwoo was convinced. The streamer, Lee Suhyuk. Someday, he woulde under their wing. Because¡­ ¡°I can tell. This guy is obsessed with the legend of Blue Eyes.¡± He was undeniably of the same kind as him. ¡°Really?¡± Cha Minwoo always changed whenever topics rted to Blue Eyes came up. Hwiyung sighed as she looked at him. ¡°The problem is, that legend might be ending soon.¡± ¡°Must be a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± Hwiyung let Minwoo¡¯s words pass through one ear and out the other. Whatever else they were discussing, his words wouldn¡¯t carry objectivity in this mission. While the two were engrossed in their conversation, ¡º¡¯Suhyuk¡¯ has ended the stream.¡» Suhyuk had finished his stream after checking the item¡¯s options. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go see if that rumor is true or not.¡± Step-. Hwiyung began walking away. And with her steps as a signal, Step, step-. yers started moving from various corners of the alley they had been standing in. * After finishing his stream, Suhyuk entered the restaurant where Un Hyang was waiting. She had prepared enticingly grilled meat and waved at Suhyuk as he walked in. ¡°Over here, over here.¡± ¡°Why a BBQ ce?¡± ¡°You worked hard during the match. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± It was indeed mealtime. Suhyuk picked up the chopsticks and began eating the grilled meat. ¡°What was that text about?¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± Un Hyang paused, organizing her thoughts before speaking. ¡°I met a mysterious person in the crowd.¡± ¡°Mysterious?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Un Hyang narrated the encounter with the enigmatic woman in the audience. A suspicious yer with a concealed face. ¡°At first, I was suspicious, but then her words made sense, so I dropped my guard.¡± ¡°What do you mean by made sense?¡± ¡°She said she was a fan of yours. Just like me.¡± ¡°A fan?¡± ¡°Yeah, it didn¡¯t seem like a lie. I have a good eye for these things.¡± Fans can recognize one another. Un Hyang was convinced the woman¡¯s reactions weren¡¯t fabricated. ¡°But when you won, her expression¡­¡± Un Hyang recalled the woman¡¯s expression after Suhyuk¡¯s victory. It was a face with mixed emotions. Joy, despair, longing¡ªall tangled together in an unreadable expression. Not knowing how to exin it, Un Hyang moved on. ¡°Anyway, she then suddenly vanished.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s hand paused as he brought the meat to his mouth. ¡°¡­ Vanished?¡± ¡°Yes, suddenly.¡± ¡°Did she dodge your eyes?¡± Impossible. This was Un Hyang they were talking about. Though she was a manager now, her skills were exceptional. A yer known as a genius. How many yers could vanish from her sight? She knew this too, which is why she urgently texted Suhyuk. ¡®A yer who can disappear from Un Hyang¡¯s sight and conceal their face¡­¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s mind raced. There was at least one yer who fit the description. A vague yet familiar image took shape in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. ¡®No way?¡¯ Just in case. With that thought, Suhyuk asked, ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Is there anything more?¡± As he listened, he felt like an old, familiar picture was being drawn on a nk canvas. Who could it be? He needed more information to color in the picture. Un Hyang paused, contemting, before she answered. ¡°And um¡­ right, I asked if she was a fan of Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°No, no, not you, Suhyuk-nim. Of Blue Eyes.¡± It wasn¡¯t a strange question. Most of Suhyuk¡¯s viewers had memories and illusions about Lee Suhyuk. ¡°But her reaction was a bit odd.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°It was like¡­ she was neither affirming nor denying. But it definitely wasn¡¯t a no.¡± ¡°Not affirming or denying, then?¡± ¡°Like she was¡­¡± Searching for the right words, Un Hyang finally chose the closest term she could find. ¡°Like she missed him¡­¡± At that moment. tter-. Suhyuk stood abruptly. He dropped his chopsticks and the meat he was holding, and ran outside. ¡°Suhyuk-nim? Suhyuk-nim!¡± Un Hyang¡¯s urgent voice reached him, but he couldn¡¯t care less right now. Thud, thud, thud-. Just like when he had discovered the Ice Flower. Suhyuk began frantically searching the surroundings. * Yerang was seated on the rooftop of a building. From the rooftop, she had a clear view of the vige below. The vige was bustling with people who had just finished watching the tournament. Among them. Yerang noticed the distinct movements of certain yers. ¡°I knew it, I just knew.¡± Cha Minwoo and Park Hwiyung were at the center, surrounded by numerous yers in hiding. Mingling with the crowd, all aiming to capture someone. But. ¡°Your instincts have dulled, Ilsoo.¡± Yerang clicked her tongue as she observed them. ¡°Does he really think he can catch me with such rookies? Maybe if he came personally.¡± What else might he have up his sleeve? To her, the yers gathered here weren¡¯t a threat. Running away wasn¡¯t the issue. Even facing them head-on, she could kill them all and walk out easily. Maybe not twenty years ago, but with her current skills she could. Yet. ¡®Should I?¡¯ Her gaze shifted to one spot. Sprinting through the streets, wearing his usual mask, was streamer Suhyuk. She had no idea what he was frantically searching for. Regardless, what she needed was the shoes he was wearing. ¡®If necessary, I can just cut off his feet and take them.¡¯ It would take less than a second. That amount of time wouldn¡¯t even be enough for the others to notice, and even if they did, well. At least the small-like formation she could see before her could be torn through easily as she fled, so that was not a problem. The problem was¡­ ¡®Should I?¡¯ It was the inexplicable conflict within her. Even she couldn¡¯t identify the source of her hesitation. Was it because she had been enjoying his streamtely? No. No matter how entertaining, it couldn¡¯t hold as much importance as a keepsake from a friend who was like family. Despite that, the reason she hesitated was clear. ¡®What is so simr about him? It¡¯s infuriating.¡¯ The fact that, in his anonymous visage, she kept seeing Lee Suhyuk¡¯s shadow. ¡°When the winner is announced, steal it. It¡¯s much safer that way.¡± She had promised Shiwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Minjae cherished that item more than anything; I won¡¯t just leave it behind.¡± She couldn¡¯t go back empty-handed. No matter how much this guy resembled Lee Suhyuk. At the end of the day, it¡¯s just cosy. ¡®Lee Suhyuk is dead.¡¯ Twenty years had passed, and he never reappeared. Officially, Lee Suhyuk was dered dead. System-wise, retaking the lower-floor trials was impossible without a genuine reincarnation. They were different people. They could not be the same person. But¡­ ¡°I said I¡¯m not selling.¡± Every time she tried to move to cut his leg, reasons why she shouldn¡¯t came up. ¡°Damn it! Ugh, this is so frustrating!¡± In the end, she clutched her head and screamed in frustration. Then she jumped up and made a decision. ¡°You just wait. Join Ilsoo¡¯s guild, and I¡¯lle cut off that leg myself one day.¡± Failing to retrieve Minjae¡¯s most cherished item would be an unforgivable failure in her eyes. No, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to face her other friends in the afterlife. With a swift turn, she nced at Suhyuk once more. He was still frantically searching every corner of the vige. The feeling of regret was unfamiliar but undeniable after making her decision. ¡°Someday, it would be nice to have a conversation with him.¡± Because she felt, surely, talking to him would feel like talking to Lee Suhyuk. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Pakpakpak-. ¡°Huu, hu-.¡± It had been a while since he felt so exhausted without even using his lightning. Suhyuk searched every nook and cranny of the vige. From secluded alleys to building rooftops and crowded ces. Every possible hiding spot was thoroughly examined. But no matter how much he looked around, he couldn¡¯t find her. He knew. If what he was looking for was her, he would never be able to find it. ¡®Whether she¡¯s alive or not¡­¡¯ There were probably fewer than ten yers in the entire tower who could find her if she decided to hide. ¡®I can¡¯t find her now.¡¯ He thought rationally. He knew it was a futile effort. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t waste his energy on such a futile effort. But. He couldn¡¯t stop. Just like the day he first reincarnated. Just like the day he first discovered the ice flower. Even knowing it was futile, he couldn¡¯t just stand still. ¡®Are you alive? Really?¡¯ This time, it wasn¡¯t as certain as the ice flower. The unfathomable ice flower. Inside it, he could indeed feel Shiwoo¡¯s magic. Thanks to that, he was almost sure that he was alive. So he had hope that they would meet someday. It became his driving force to live. But maybe one more person. Not just Shiwoo, but maybe one more person was alive. ¡®Yerang¡­¡¯ The item he had sted away took four lives. But ording to records, no one survived that incident. If it weren¡¯t for the ice flower, he would never have known that Shiwoo was alive. But maybe, it wasn¡¯t just one person. ¡®Maybe all four?¡¯ Crack- At the absurd thought, Suhyuk bit his lip hard. He knew it was impossible. At that time, not only Shiwoo but all four of them were a mess. It would be fortunate if even one of them survived, and miraculous if two did. But all four? ¡®Don¡¯t be certain yet.¡¯ He stopped running and stood still, lifting his head. He was out of breath. Despair and hope mingled, creating aplex set of feelings. The only thing he could be sure of now was Kim Shiwoo. He couldn¡¯t be certain about Yerang just from Un Hyang¡¯s words. Because. ¡®If it were that guy, he would have definitely shown up.¡¯ Yerang wouldn¡¯t have stayed still in front of Minjae¡¯s memento. Maybe it was just a mere fan. It couldn¡¯t be ruled out that by sheer coincidence, an extraordinary yer happened to be a viewer. ¡®Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. Calm down.¡¯ He stood still and caught his breath. And only then did he realize who was behind him. Swish¡ª Un Hyang. She had been following him all along, maintaining a certain distance. ¡°Uh¡­ Are you okay?¡± Only then did Suhyuk realize how he must have looked to her. He had suddenly dashed out during a meal and ran around like a madman; of course, he must have looked strange. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew.¡± ¡°The person I mentioned?¡± ¡°Yes. But now that I think about it, it doesn¡¯t seem to be them. I must have been mistaken.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Since nothing had been confirmed, it could indeed be a mistake. But a woman¡¯s intuition was always frightening. In response to Suhyuk¡¯s hurriedly made-up words, Un Hyang spoke as if she found it odd. ¡°Suhyuk-nim.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any friends?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It was a question that pierced his heart with many implications. * Night had fallen. The streets grew quiet, and at Cha Minwoo¡¯s feet, a pile of discarded cigarettes was gradually forming. They were keeping an eye on the lodging where Suhyuk had entered. ¡°Did we miss them?¡± Hwiyung looked anxious. She was constantly on edge, worrying that they might have lost their target because of a mistake. ¡°No.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Just got a call from Ilsoo hyung.¡± Cha Minwoo turned over the screen of his kit. ¡°He said to pull out.¡± Disyed on the screen were the two characters for ¡°withdraw¡±. It was a message from Kim Ilsoo, the representative of Blue Zone. With those two words, he had the power to mobilize over a thousand yers scattered across the third floor. ¡°Withdraw? Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah. He said they didn¡¯te here. If they had, they wouldn¡¯t have just passed through.¡± ¡°What? Then¡­¡± ¡°It means they didn¡¯te here at all. We wasted our time, damn it.¡± Cha Minwoo grumbled irritably. He hade all the way down to the third floor, yet the mission hadn¡¯t even begun. And now, something else was souring his mood. ¡°And he also said¡­ even if it were a trap, they would have still gone for it.¡± With those words. Hwiyung was now certain of their target¡¯s identity. ¡°Then it¡¯s really¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems so.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say it was a ridiculous rumor?¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± He had hoped it wasn¡¯t true. But looking at Kim Ilsoo¡¯s message, those long-rumored suspicions might indeed be real. ¡°Did they really betray Lee Suhyuk¡­?¡± * Late at night when everyone was asleep. Suhyuk went up to the rooftop of his lodgings. The empty streetsy below, and the colder night air brushed his face. His mind was too tangled for sleep. For the first time in a while, he came out without his mask. There was no one to see his face anyway. He didn¡¯t feel the need to cling to his mask in such moments. Leaning against the railing, Suhyuk fiddled with the ice flower he had kept in a drawer. The flower Shiwoo had left behind. Half-stolen, but still given to him by Shiwoo. ¡°Are you really alive¡­.¡± If he was alive, just what was he doing and where was he now? ¡®Is it really because of this?¡¯ He took out his kit and looked at the screen. Articles that had surfaced quite some time ago. ¡ºBlue Eyes¡¯ Disbandment. Was Lee Suhyuk¡¯s death due to hisrades?¡» ¡ºGuildmaster Kim Ilsoo, tight-lipped about internal divisions. Noment.¡» ¡ºGuildmaster Kim Ilsoo¡¯s Withdrawal due to internal strife? The truth of that day?¡» Even the few articles that caught his eye revealed this much. For the past twenty years, such conspiracy theories continued to wriggle back to the surface whenever they were forgotten. Of course. Among them, there were also articles that cast suspicion on Kim Ilsoo. ¡ºWhat is the Truth of That Day? Is Kim Ilsoo Innocent Before the Truth?¡» Articles of this sort. ¡®It¡¯s like grains of sand in the desert.¡¯ In this way, Kim Ilsoo could naturally cover up his own wrongdoings. In fact, many journalists focused on vilifying the otherrades rather than Kim Ilsoo. After all, they were presumed dead. In contrast, Kim Ilsoo had grown into an enormous figure. ¡®There are indeed those who believe so.¡¯ Crunch¡ª Using him, they had sullied the names of hisrades. Yet, Shiwoo remained hidden. Why? In many ways, it was a sleepless night. Until he could judge and question the events of that day, he wouldn¡¯t be able to rest. ¡®It¡¯s been twenty years since then.¡¯ Suhyuk thought about what had happened today. ¡®No matter how slow, progress is progress.¡¯ Omar Schneider. Honestly, he was surprised. A yer on the third floor had be this powerful. Perhaps on the fourth, fifth floors, or even higher. There might be more like him. ¡®And Kim Ilsoo.¡¯ His old friend and nemesis, whose involvement in the events of that day needed to be interrogated. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t have stayed idle either.¡¯ No, rather quite the opposite. He was someone who worked harder than anyone Suhyuk knew. He was diligent in everything, and there wasn¡¯t anyone who contested his skills were second only to Suhyuk¡¯s. By now, that guy was probably much higher up. Maybe he had surpassed Suhyuk from twenty years ago. ¡®I need something more.¡¯ He was now theter. No matter how great a yer he was, oveing decades of gap wouldn¡¯t be easy. And for that, he needed something more. For instance¡ª ¡®Like that spear.¡¯ Swoosh¡ª He slipped the kit back into his pocket and raised his hand. The spear that had pierced through Omar Schneider¡¯s body. Though it wasn¡¯t as powerful as the spear that slew the Giant, it was definitely a different kind of weapon. Since the moment he wielded the Lightning Spear in the second-floor trial, he had thought. He might have been using this power incorrectly all along. Fzzzt¡ª Yellow electricity flowed from his fingertips. He had used this power for a long time, but it felt strangely unfamiliar now. No. It was more urate to say he had gotten to know it more deeply. ¡®Same yet different.¡¯ He thought he knew everything about the lightning. That if he had enough stamina, he could wield it. Hence, he focused more on his stamina. But that wasn¡¯t it. This wasn¡¯t such a simple power. ¡°The second legend is that the gods and giants fought over the lightning.¡± * The lightning legend Ferius had told him. A great power coveted by both gods and giants. Also. ¡°Gods and giants. Great beings against whom mere human strength could never contend.¡± * ¡°This was created to fight and win against them.¡± * A power that humans had started wielding to fight and win against them. ¡®I thought I was handling it well¡­¡¯ Fzzzt, Fzzt¡ª Grasping the surging electricity in his hand tightly, he mumbled in a quiet voice. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that, was it?¡± Smirk¡ª Realizing his own shorings, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. If he thought there was nothing more he could excel at, and that turned out to be wrong, then¡­ It meant he could reach even higher. And the next step towards that was. ¡®Thunder Cave.¡¯ Conquering that ce would reveal more. About the secrets of this power. Messing with Blue Zone and Kim Ilsoo was just a bonus. * The next day. Un Hyang visited a nearby cafe early in the morning. Cakes, tarts, pies, and tiramisu¡­ A plethora of sweet desserts awaited her. Visiting alone, Un Hyang ordered her favorite snacks abundantly and, as she savored her favorite cake, she spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you well. What did you say?¡± -I apologize for my impudence! The voice was loud enough to be impossible to miss. On the screen of her kit, Cheon Ryang was kneeling with both hands raised high. ¡°What did you say~~¡± -I apologize for my impudence¡­ Hey, can¡¯t you at least pretend you heard me with all this? ¡°What was that? I can¡¯t hear the whining of a guy who lost all his stakes.¡± -Aargh! Cheon Ryang grasped his head and screamed in frustration. The two had made a bet. Un Hyang bet on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s victory, while Cheon Ryang bet on Schneider¡¯s. And the result was Lee Suhyuk¡¯s victory. Cheon Ryang, who was already struggling financially, now had to give up his entire month¡¯s sry to Un Hyang. -Hey, you¡¯re rich! ¡°I have a lot of expensestely.¡± -You¡¯re just going to spend it on cakes again, aren¡¯t you? ¡°Spend it?¡± -Sorry. Though Cheon Ryang usually lived under Un Hyang¡¯s dominance, this time he had to be even more cautious with her. If he handed over an entire month¡¯s sry, he might really have to starve. -You already got a fourfold return. Can¡¯t you cut me some ck? ¡°You want it for free?¡± -What do you want? Should I bark? Woof? ¡°Don¡¯t say disgusting things. Ugh¡ª¡± Feigning to vomit, she pretended to think for a moment before speaking. ¡°Alright, just do one thing I ask.¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Around noon the next day. ¡º¡¯Falcon Eye¡¯ has started streaming.¡» Falcon Eye had begun his stream. The title of the stream was ¡®Blue Zone Tournament Review¡¯. The stream screen disyed a still image of an eagle. Viewers began entering one by one. -Open the door, boss Falcon@@@ -Fal-hi -Fal-hi -Knew this wasing lol -Sess with the straw! The waiting time was just about 5 minutes. During that time, roughly 8,000 viewers entered. This was around the usual number for Falcon Eye¡¯s streams. Considering the rising trend, he could potentially secure twice as many viewers. Pop¡ª ¡°Fal-hi! Hello everyone!¡± The stream began. The falcon image disappeared, and Falcon Eye appeared on the screen. Even though it was his first stream in a while, themunication time didn¡¯tst very long. ¨C Review! ¨C Review! ¨C Skip the game, let¡¯s go! ¨C Come on, just get to the review, teacher~ Falcon Eye¡¯s stream was a review show. Though there were fans who watched solely because they liked him, today was an exception. In a sh, the viewer count surpassed 10,000. Most of them tuned in to see Falcon Eye¡¯s review of the fight between Lee Suhyuk and Schneider. ¡°Aw man, feeling a little underappreciated here, folks.¡± ¡º¡¯FeetWiperFalconEye¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºReview¡» ¡°¡­ Of course, you guys get me. You know, right?¡± Before starting the review in earnest. Falcon Eye checked a post that had recently heated up themunity. ¡°Okay, first. Let¡¯s take a look at the public opinion up to the day before yesterday.¡± A post with over 50,000 views and 800 upvotes. It was an analysis pieceparing Lee Suhyuk and Schneider. ?Fake Suhyuk vs. Schneider? ¡ºThere¡¯s no chance Fake Suhyuk wins. Even if he got the lightning, that premature guy can¡¯t beat Schneider. Banban, you¡¯re totally right.¡» ¨C lolol premature ¨C True facts ¨C That lightning is kind of a premature skill haha ¨C Honestly, that guy just makes it a self-destruct weapon ¨C Premature Hyuk lol Reading the post along with the viewers, Falcon Eye grinned. ¡°Here¡¯s a legendary post. It¡¯s the topment.¡± Onement caught his eye. ¨C (Best) The only way to win is probably to go for a one-shot knockout lol ¨C Came here for the pilgrimage. ¨C Please make me win the yers Super Bowl ¨C Hmm~ It¡¯s sweet, so sweet with a 4x win ¨C Did you regress? How did you know Comments that implied his premature strategy had actually predicted the tournament¡¯s oue urately. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was a one-shot. But it wasn¡¯t premature.¡± Click-. Falcon Eye yed the prepared video. Boom-! With a p of thunder, a lightning spear appeared in Lee Suhyuk¡¯s hand. Schneider¡¯s surprised expression. ¡°See this expression? Even Schneider was taken aback. He thought he¡¯d win for sure, but his opponent was stronger than he expected.¡± And the next moment. Suhyuk¡¯s provocation followed. ¡°Then let me ask you one more thing. Are you going to run away?¡± Tap-. Falcon Eye paused the screen at that moment and said. ¡°It might seem underhanded, but I think provocation is a skill too.¡± It just feels like you¡¯re sucking up to Lee Suhyuk ¡°It¡¯s true that I have a soft spot for Lee Suhyuk. No, not that kind of soft spot. Anyway, I don¡¯t let personal bias affect my reviews. You guys know that, right?¡± ¨C Agreed ¨C Agreed ¨C Seriously, you ripped Roymon apart when you did that joint stream with him ¨C Roymon lol, he wasn¡¯t even that bad tbh lol Falcon Eye¡¯s streams are known for their harshness. Even promising yers groomed by guilds rarely receive his approval. Streamer Roymon had the ¡°skilled yer¡± persona. A long time ago. He did a joint stream with Falcon Eye and had to endure being torn to pieces in Falcon Eye¡¯s review the next day. ¡°Please refrain from mentioning other streamers. Mods, handle those crossing the line ASAP. Anyway, back to the main topic.¡± Quickly managing the chat, Falcon Eye returned to the review. ¡°Schneider responded to the provocation. It was a foolish move. I mean, just look at it. Doesn¡¯t it look insane? Instead of attacking, shouldn¡¯t he have thought of dodging?¡± Even as he said this, Falcon Eye wasn¡¯t overly critical. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a certain romanticism to it.¡± ¨C Agreed ¨C So true ¨C Schneider¡­ passed the romantic trial ¨C Honestly, Schneider won this one in my book. As a man lol ¨C No oneughed at Schneider for his recklessness. In fact, many viewers admired Schneider more for his actions. People tend to like honest fools. But. Boom-! ¡°Still, romanticism doesn¡¯t feed you. The result of shing with that is this.¡± Click-. The video paused, showing Schneider on the floor and Suhyuk standing. ¡°The important part here is this. The spear Lee Suhyuk created.¡± Rewinding the video, Falcon Eye showed Suhyuk when he first formed the spear. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look familiar?¡± ¨C Where? ¨C Isn¡¯t it the one Lee Suhyuk used to use? ¨C No, that looks different. I watched all of Lee Suhyuk¡¯s matches. ¨C Isn¡¯t that the one he used to kill the Giant? Snap-! Falcon Eye snapped his fingers and shouted at a particr chat message. ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s it! The lightning spear!¡± As soon as the awaited answer came up, Falcon Eye presented a prepared image. ¡°Remember this? Ah, some of you might be seeing it for the first time. This is the legendary item Lee Suhyuk acquired during a trial, the Lightning Spear.¡± Legendary. Excluding the few mythical items, it¡¯s practically the highest grade. A legendary-grade item typically nullifies any level restrictions for use. Moreover, the Lightning Spear is a single-use item. Given that single-use items possess greater powerpared to other items of the same grade, its strength wasn¡¯t in doubt. ¡°But look closely. Doesn¡¯t it resemble something?¡± ¨C Does it? ¨C Looks just yellow to me ¨C Somewhat simr ¨C Yeah, it does. The original one used by Real Suhyuk didn¡¯t look like that Among Falcon Eye¡¯s regr viewers were many who enjoyed analyzing details. Those who understood what Falcon Eye was getting at started making a fuss. ¨C ?? No way, lol ¨C Did he throw it once to trial? ¨C Thwack? ¨C Creating a legendary-level item~ The skill Suhyuk wielded was lightning. And the legendary item from the Lightning Trial was named ¡®Lightning Spear¡¯. Both shared the same fundamental property. So theoretically, creating a Lightning Spear using lightning wasn¡¯t impossible. However. ¡°So, this is my point!¡± It was possible only ¡®theoretically.¡¯ ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not as powerful as the spear he threw back then. This is merely an imitated copy. But that¡¯s because his stats are stillcking.¡± If Lee Suhyuk were given more time and his level and stats increased. He would eventually be capable of throwing the actual Lightning Spear that severed the Giant¡¯s lifeline. ¡º¡¯AlwaysCritic¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºIs it really that amazing?¡» A donation message appeared. The nickname suggested a critical stance towards Lee Suhyuk, but the question was quite fitting for the current discussion. ¡°Is it that amazing?¡± Falcon Eye, perplexed, rephrased the question. ¡°If you taught someone to walk and they started flying, wouldn¡¯t you think that¡¯s amazing?¡± * Ting-a-ling¡ª With a pleasant bell sound, the door opened. Inside the bar, sitting alone like he had reserved the whole ce, was Schneider. ¡°You¡¯re here? Take a seat.¡± ¡°Why are you drinking alone?¡± ¡°You¡¯re buying. Didn¡¯t you win a pricey prize?¡± ¡°Look who¡¯s being shameless.¡± Worried about how expensive it might be, Suhyuk nced at the menu. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t an expensive ce. Suhyuk sat next to Schneider and said. ¡°I¡¯ll have the same.¡± ¡°Cheers.¡± The bartender, with a scruffy beard, soon brought out some cheap vodka. Only 100 points per bottle, it was the cheapest drink in the house. ¡°Why not splurge on something expensive?¡± Suhyuk asked, puzzled as to why Schneider was drinking such cheap alcohol. Schneider let out a soft chuckle and tilted the bottle to take a swig. ¡°Back then, I had many people to buy me drinks.¡± His gaze swept across the empty seats of the bar. ¡°So I couldn¡¯t drink anything expensive. Too many mouths to feed¡­ my wallet would have emptied if I bought for everyone.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one paying, right?¡± ¡°I was. Back then.¡± As Schneider looked at his reflection in the bottle, he continued in a nostalgic voice. ¡°It was because of my stubbornness that everyone challenged the Thunder Cave.¡± At those words, Suhyuk¡¯s hand, which was opening the vodka, paused. Schneider was talking about the first time he challenged the Thunder Cave. ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s talk while we drink.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like alcohol.¡± ¡°Just drink enough to not get drunk. If you really can¡¯t handle it, use your magic to dissipate it.¡± Clink¡ª Saying so, Schneider forcefully clinked his bottle against Suhyuk¡¯s. Seeing the number of empty bottles, Suhyuk realized Schneider was quite drunk. ¡®This isn¡¯t something you talk about sober, I guess.¡¯ To match the mood, Suhyuk drank the vodka as expected. As if he had been waiting, Schneider began to speak. ¡°Everyone was poor back then. I was too. We didn¡¯t have the backing of a huge guild, nor were we skilled enough to confidently hunt.¡± It wasn¡¯t just that. In fact, most yers were like that. Now, Suhyuk could easily earn thousands or even tens of thousands of points thanks to his stream. But third-floor yers constantly struggled for points. ¡°You need points to take the trials. And if you die in the trial, you lose even more points.¡± Schneider murmured as he finished the rest of his drink. ¡°Life was such a grind¡­ You probably can¡¯t even imagine it.¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± Though Suhyuk wanted to hear about the Thunder Cave as soon as possible, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t right to rush him. ¡°What can we yers do to earn points? Only hunting. That day was the same. We went hunting to earn trial fees and level up even a little.¡± ¡°That day?¡± ¡°Yeah, that day.¡± Sadness flickered in Schneider¡¯s eyes. ¡°We met the Sky Serpent.¡± ¡°Sky Serpent¡­.¡± Just a few days ago. It was the monster whose scales Suhyuk had hunted and sold. It was also the encounter where Schneider and Suhyuk first crossed paths. ¡°At that time, it was way out of our league. Seven inexperienced yers couldn¡¯t even touch it.¡± Schneider now might be different. But twenty years ago, he was just an ordinary yer climbing the third floor. And for someone like Schneider and hispanions, the Sky Serpent was. ¡°Do you know what happened?¡± As if resigned to his fate. He let out a bitter smile and lowered his head. ¡°Four of them died. Myrades¡­ no, my friends.¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Bang¡ª The bartender, who had been listening to their conversation, brought another bottle of the same vodka. He had mentioned they used to drink together here about ten years ago. Judging by the bartender¡¯s expression, he was unsurprised, as if he already knew the story. ¡®So that¡¯s why he chose this ce for our meeting.¡¯ Suhyuk began to understand why Schneider was so obsessed with the Thunder Cave. ¡®Does he me himself for what happened back then?¡¯ Seeing Schneider, his head buried and arms wrapped around his head, Suhyuk saw a reflection of himself. ¡°There¡¯s no trial that can¡¯t be cleared.¡± His former self, who was confident in tackling the Hydra. Schneider, who led hisrades to challenge the Thunder Cave. Different paths to sess as yers, but were their actions fundamentally different? ¡°Therades¡­¡± His breath hitched as he tried to ask the question. He was scared. Scared of the answer. Gritting his teeth, Suhyuk reopened his mouth. But it was a question he had to ask. ¡°Did they me you a lot?¡± How did hisrades view Schneider? How did the friends who survived that day, and those who died thinking of him? In response to Suhyuk¡¯s question, Schneider slowly raised his head. ¡°me¡­¡± As if to question the obviousness of the inquiry. With a self-deprecating tone, he nodded. ¡°Yes, a lot.¡± Thud¡ª It felt like something dropped inside Suhyuk. ¡°They med me. They said it was all my fault. If only I hadn¡¯t been so stubborn, if only we hadn¡¯t gone to that damned Thunder Cave. They demanded I bring them back to life¡­.¡± Schneider, vividly recalling that day, uttered the words of his me-filledpanions. His words began to fade away. Nausea welled up inside Suhyuk, making him feel like throwing up. The words spilling from Schneider¡¯s mouth. They echoed in the voices of Shiwoo, Yerang, Minjae, and Suhoon¡­ The voices ofrades who died or were injured due to his choices that day. ¡°Stop¡­¡± With great difficulty, he opened his dry mouth. ¡°Stop! Stop it already.¡± Schneider ceased his words at Suhyuk¡¯s urgent plea and gave a bitterugh. He reached for the bottle beside him. ¡°Why? Feeling sorry for me?¡± ¡°¡­ No.¡± Suhyuk shook his head. It wasn¡¯t sympathy, but a sense of kinship. A strange empathy born from their simr situations. Schneider had been bearing the same guilt as him for ten years. ¡°You have no intention of giving up, do you?¡± ¡°Give up?¡± Schneider scoffed at Suhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°I urged them to take the challenge, causing their deaths. If I give up here, what does that make their deaths?¡± He was right. He would likely feel the same. If hisrades had died not because of Kim Ilsoo¡¯s betrayal but the Hydra. And if the Hydra hunt had ended in failure. No matter how many years it took, no matter what it required, he would have poured all his time and effort into oveing the Hydra. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s why I¡¯m obsessed with the Thunder Cave. Not that you¡¯d understand even after hearing this, right?¡± No. I understand. To Schneider, the Thunder Cave is akin to his own form of vengeance. If he doesn¡¯t seed, he can¡¯t face therades who died because of him. To him, conquering the Thunder Cave is the only way to find sce for their departed souls. ¡°And why are you telling me this?¡± Suhyuk felt it was an unnecessary story to hear. His ownrades might think the same way as Schneider¡¯s did. The thought had been gripping his heart, as if someone were squeezing it tightly. Moreover, if he were to conquer the Thunder Cave himself. ¡®What will happen to this guy, who has been charging ahead solely for the Thunder Cave¡­.¡¯ ¡°I saw hope. Thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± An unexpected response. His expression subtly twisted under his mask. He hade to provide information because he lost a bet, but hope? ¡°Listen carefully.¡± But Schneider¡¯s face wasn¡¯t one of despair. No. Instead, he spoke with more vigor than ever before. ¡°About what the Thunder Cave really is.¡± * Inside a house frozen white. In the frosty air that formed visible breath, Shiwoo paced back and forth in the same spot. ncing¡ª He kept ncing at the kit ced on the dining table. He murmured in a worried tone. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she contacting me?¡± It had been a while since Yerang had left. Thest time he heard from her was when she safely reached the third floor, so she must have also reached the tournament venue. ¡®Is she ying around midway? She probably would, but¡­.¡¯ Even though it was Yerang, she wouldn¡¯t be ying around in a situation like this. ¡®If she had obtained Minjae¡¯s memento, she would have contacted me first.¡¯ At least this time, she should have. So why on earth? ¡°Could it be¡­.¡± His anxiety caused the surrounding air to freeze even further. ¡°Did she get caught?¡± The thought horrified him. Yerang was a specialist in disguise and stealth. Particrly in stealth, no one could match her. Unless Kim Ilsoo himself came, catching her if she decided to run was impossible. No. Even if he came himself, she would probably escape safe and sound nine times out of ten. ¡°Then why?¡± He had sent her alone because he trusted her skills. He had absolute faith that she wouldn¡¯t get caught. But the problem was, she wasn¡¯t contacting him. ¡®I might have underestimated this. If Kim Ilsoo had prepared countermeasures to break Yerang¡¯s stealth¡­.¡¯ His thoughts spiraled into the worst possible scenarios. Crackle¡ª The air around him froze overpletely as he considered the possibility of losing Yerang too. Then suddenly. ¡°¡­Should I go find her?¡± Shiwoo¡¯s thoughts escted dramatically. He knew it was a foolish idea. Kim Ilsoo was surrounded by numerous yers, and fighting them alone without Yerang was like throwing an egg against a rock. But. Rather than surviving alone, he preferred challenging the rock, even as an egg. As Shiwoo was gathering his energy, deep in thought¡­ Bzzz¡ª His kit buzzed. Thinking it might be Yerang, Shiwoo quickly checked. However, ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» It was just an alert for a subscribed channel, notifying him that Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream had started. ¡°What the heck?¡± Disappointment washed over him. He thought it was Yerang¡¯s contact. ¡°I should just cancel the subscription or something¡­¡± Bzzz¡ª Then it buzzed again. Shortly after the stream alert, a message came through. ¡ºYerang: Sorry.¡» ¡°Sorry¡­?¡± Apologizing for contactingte? If that was the case, she had every reason to be sorry. Given the anxiety he had been feeling, even a hundred apologies wouldn¡¯t suffice. But. ¡®Still¡­ it¡¯s a relief she¡¯s alive.¡¯ As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered. No need for apologies, just returning safely was enough. She must have been in a situation urgent enough to preclude contact. Just as he thought that. Bzzz¡ª ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Another message from Yerang. ¡ºYerang: I just gave those shoes to Lee Suhyuk, hehe¡» Seeing that, Shiwoo hurriedly checked Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. And the moment he saw the crimson-tinted shoes he was wearing. ¡°This¡­.¡± The relief he felt moments ago turned into anger toward Yerang. ¡°Yerang-!¡± * Suhyuk started his stream a day after meeting Schneider. Usually, he would start his stream as soon as he began a trial, but this time, the situation was different. ¡®Just the travel took a whole day.¡¯ The time it took to travel to the central mercenary guild of the Conrad Kingdom. Under normal circumstances, he would have had to perform missions, build up credentials, and earn a higher mercenary rank while traveling. But Suhyuk skipped all that, heading straight to the central guild. It wasn¡¯t until he arrived there that he started his stream. -Su-hi! -Hey, hey -Where is this? -The building looks kinda fancy As he went live, viewers began pouring in. Of course, the number of viewers wasn¡¯t as high as before. ¡ºViewers: 3,022¡» This was the number of viewers even before the stream officially began. At this rate, surpassing 5,000 viewers and possibly reaching 8,000 seemed achievable. However. The speed of viewer increase wasn¡¯t as steep as it was during the tournament. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to exceed 10,000 viewers like during the tournament.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The tournament was a special case. There were bets ced, and naturally, people were more interested. Typically, tournament content draws 1.5 times the average viewership, sometimes even double.¡± Un Hyang had exined this beforehand, so Suhyuk wasn¡¯t too disappointed. No, even this was more than enough. ¡®I can increase my viewers againter.¡¯ Putting aside his greed, he officially started the stream. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lee Suhyuk. Nice to meet you.¡± His greeting was formal and stiff. -Su-hi! -Will he ever fix that stiff greeting? ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still not used to it.¡± Seems like he sucks at streaming after all. ¨C Is there a streamer who¡¯s good at everything except streaming? ¨C Lolol seriously, why call that a streamer? lolol Fortunately, the viewers seemed to have gotten used to it. And Suhyuk had also grown ustomed to streaming. ¡°So they say. The manager even scolded me about it.¡± ¨C For being bad at streaming? ¡°Yes. They said if I¡¯m covering my face and can¡¯t even host properly, what am I doing?¡± In reality, the words were softer, but the viewers liked spicymentary. Suhyuk intentionally added another remark. ¡°Guess I might get fired.¡± ¨C Lololol ¨C If you get fired, join anotherwork. ¨C Yeah, there are plenty of other agencies besides Balhae Entertainment. ¨C But no stream grows this fast. Some time was spent engaging with the viewers. For streamers, this was the golden hour. ¡º¡¯MoneySeekerHyuk¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºDid you celebrate after the tournament?¡» Viewers who wished to interact with the streamer were most active with donations during this time. ¡°No, I just slept at the lodging.¡± ¡°Am I friends with Schneider? No, we¡¯re not friends.¡± ¡°Thanks for the confession¡­ but I¡¯m not into men.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take off the mask¡­ oh, you want me to take off my pants? Manager, please mute that person.¡± There were a few odd donations mixed in, but Suhyuk diligently responded to the donation messages for a few minutes. And just as he thought it was time to start the main stream. ¡º¡¯Shortened as Delicious¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºAre you challenging the Thunder Cave today?¡» A timely question came in. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be challenging the Thunder Cave today.¡± -55555! -Knew it from when he started the stream lol -Was wondering when he¡¯d start because of all the donations -Is the first attempt possible? Just as Suhyuk was about to set off for his Thunder Cave quest. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Among the crowd that had been hovering around Suhyuk for a while. ¡°You¡¯re Lee Suhyuk, right? The one who streams.¡± A man with narrow, squinty eyes stepped forward and addressed Suhyuk. As if he already knew. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°d we ran into you here.¡± He spoke awkwardly, as if he was forcing himself to. ¡°We¡¯re also nning to challenge the Thunder Cave.¡± Suhyuk looked at the group of about ten people behind him. The party consisted of three women and seven men. They were not mercenaries from this world, but yers like Suhyuk. -They came to leech off you. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Not long ago. A post was uploaded to themunity. ?If We Party with Lee Suhyuk, can¡¯t We Get a Free Ride Through the Thunder Cave?? ¡ºSeems like a golden opportunity for those starting in Conrad¡» It started as a trivial joke. But quite a few people took an interest in the post. Although it didn¡¯t make it to the best posts, it amassed over 5,000 views. ¨C That¡¯s true? ¨C The guys on the Odman side are scrambling for a ride with Schneider lol ¨C Looks like we¡¯ve got a bus driver on our side too. ¨C Could it be Lee Suhyuk? And most of the interested parties were yers who had chosen the Conrad Kingdom. The Thunder Cave. The hottest dungeon on the third floor. The anticipated rewards were obvious, and the added fame as a yer forpleting it was a bonus. ¨C Should we try it? ¨C Party recruitment? ¨C Win or lose, let¡¯s gather in Conrad. Thus, a hastily gathered party was formed. But when blinded by greed, people often overlook what they should truly see. For instance. Among the dozens ofments, like this one. ¨C Lee Suhyuk would be really pissed lol * Un Hyang was the one who informed him of this. -¡ºWhisper¡»¡ºManager¡» Suhyuk! They¡¯re a hastily gathered party from themunity trying to leech off you! Whether she had already known or quickly realized, she immediately sent Suhyuk a whisper as the group approached. Thanks to her, it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out what was happening. ¡°We just received the Thunder Cave quest moments ago as well. If you ept the quest, we¡¯ll be grouped together.¡± The man extended his hand and introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Jeremy Bale from Earth, just like you.¡± He approached with a friendly smile. But that greeting only further twisted Suhyuk¡¯s mood. ¡®So that¡¯s what this is about.¡¯ From Earth. He assumed iming familiarity based on their shared world would build some rapport. The man, who appeared to be the least skilled, represented the group precisely for that reason. ¡°You¡¯re here to leech off me?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s blunt question caught the man off guard. ¡°Huh?¡± ¨C Lolol direct hit ¨C Refreshing ¨C Our Suhyuk has grown up! ¡°You guys formed your party through themunity, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s¡­.¡± Bale, having not anticipated such a direct question, hesitated momentarily before responding. ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s true. But don¡¯t pay too much attention to thements! That¡¯s just the way the atmosphere is there, it¡¯s not our actual intention!¡± ¡°Then what is your intention?¡± ¡°We want to clear the Thunder Cave together! We¡¯re here to contribute! We¡¯re not here to leech or ride a bus, I swear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already on my third attempt at the Thunder Cave!¡± Suhyuk scrutinized the expressions of Bale and the other yers. Some genuinely seemed aggrieved, but others clearly did not. Not everyone is an adept actor, after all. Even the supposedly aggrieved ones didn¡¯t fully conceal their real expressions. ¡®These guys have no chance in the Thunder Cave.¡¯ The Thunder Cave¡¯s known difficulty, especially what he learned from Schneider, meant these weaklings had no business there. However. ¡°¡­alone¡­ thing.¡± Schneider¡¯s words floated into Suhyuk¡¯s mind, making him smirk beneath his mask. ¡®I guess they mighte in handy after all.¡¯ This is why he couldn¡¯t give up the mask. Being able to hide his expression had its advantages. Suhyuk nodded and looked at Bale. ¡°Well, anyway, let¡¯s do our best.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve already applied for the quest, there¡¯s no turning back. I can¡¯t just kill you all because I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ That¡¯s, uh, quite intense.¡± Baleughed awkwardly, rolling his eyes. He appeared both frightened and relieved. ¡®Though I¡¯d prefer to leave them behind if possible¡­¡¯ Even if they had some utility, organizing amunity raid to leech off him was irritating. ¡®If I harm or kill fellow mercenaries, I¡¯ll face penalties.¡¯ The situation differed from when he previously subdued mercenaries. If he injured or killed the mercenaries here, he might be disqualified from taking the Thunder Cave quest altogether. ¡®Did they act with that in mind?¡¯ If they did, they were fairly clever. Knowing their own weaknesses, they set it up so Suhyuk couldn¡¯t act. Suhyuk smiled under his mask and left them with a final warning. ¡°And remember just one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This is a journey together, not a partnership. Don¡¯t expect anything more from me.¡± Meaning. Whatever happens there, it¡¯s your responsibility. * ¡°A rmendation letter, huh¡­¡± Fortunately, the rmendation letter Suhyuk received did its job. ¡°Well, well. It¡¯s from Raymond, so it can¡¯t be ignored.¡± It seemed that mercenary Raymond had quite a bit of clout. ¡°Just this once, though.¡± Thanks to the rmendation letter, Suhyuk could participate in the Thunder Cave quest. However. ¡°Pfft, Raymond¡­ Even so, letting an E-ranked¡­¡± He did have to endure some grumbling. Ah, the plight of being E-rank. ¨C E-Suhyuk lol ¨C E-Suhyuk hahaha Suddenly, Suhyuk found himself being humorously referred to as E-Suhyuk by his viewers. In any case. Thanks to the rmendation letter, Suhyuk sessfullypleted his registration for the Thunder Cave quest, even if it was a one-time deal. ¡°Departure is in an hour. Gather at the western exit of the city. See you then.¡± The mercenary, clearly still displeased with Suhyuk, spat out the words tersely. Having timed the stream to align with the Thunder Cave schedule, there wasn¡¯t much free time left. At the western exit of the city. There, he encountered Bale and his party, along with three mercenaries. ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± The three mercenaries appeared startled by the unexpected number of participants. Typically, a Thunder Cave raid wouldn¡¯t exceed five people. But this time, the group numbered a hefty fourteen. For them, this must have been quite baffling. ¡°Here.¡± Suhyuk handed over his mercenary badge and raid permit for identification. The raid leader scrutinized Suhyuk¡¯s badge and permit, then frowned. ¡°E-rank?¡± ¨C Lololol ¨C Forever E-Suhyuk lol ¡°How did an E-rank get here?¡± The raid leader, an S-rank mercenary named Demun, red at Suhyuk. It was as if he were looking at a student caught cheating during an trial. ¡°Isn¡¯t it written there?¡± ¡°Raymond¡¯s rmendation letter?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°I thought that guy had good judgment, even if his skills werecking¡­.¡± Clearly unimpressed, he looked Suhyuk up and down. ¡°Oh, an off-worlder? No wonder.¡± The mercenary finally nodded, seeming to understand. ¡°Guys like you don¡¯t know the value of your own lives. Unlike us.¡± At his provocative words, Suhyuk turned to his microphone and spoke. ¡°Should I just ¡®Vulture¡¯ this guy too¡­.¡± ¨C Lololol ¨C Vulture lol ¨C To ¡®Vulture¡¯ = To beat someone up first and ask questionster Vulture was the name of the mercenary who first picked a fight with Suhyuk. By subduing ten mercenaries at that time, Suhyuk earned the rmendation from Raymond. Since then, ¡°Vulture¡± had be a popr term among his viewers. ¡®Still, this guy seems pretty capable.¡¯ Suhyuk observed the openly hostile mercenary. An S-rank meant he was quite skilled. As the raid leader for the Thunder Cave, he was likely worth the equivalent of four or five A-rank mercenaries. The same applied to Bale and the other yers. Earning the authorization to enter the Thunder Cave indicated they had achieved A-rank mercenary status. It meant they were consideredpetent on the third floor. ¨C But this doesn¡¯t look like a solo raid anymore, no matter how you see it ¨C True, with these guys tagging along the solo idea is out the window ¨C No way, that¡¯s not fair ¨C For real, E-Suhyuk didn¡¯t gather this party on purpose Among the viewers, opinions about whether this still counted as a solo raid began to diverge. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the judgment to you and those who ced the missions,¡± Suhyuk addressed his audience. *** Odman Kingdom camp. Nearly thirty yers were divided into two groups, ring at each other. And in the center of it all. Schneider frowned and asked. ¡°Who ordered this?¡± ¡°Half of you need to step back. We¡¯ve been ordered to join the Thunder Cave raid this time.¡± The man who spoke scoffed and answered Schneider¡¯s question. ¡°The Guild Master ordered it. Is that clear enough?¡± ¡°Guild Master Kim Ilsoo¡­?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve lost your edge.¡± Whether it was out of loyalty or a desire to challenge his authority, a man with spiky hair¡ªa well-known figure even to Schneider¡ªbrazenly spoke up. ¡®Paul Rimen.¡¯ He was a notable yer who, despite being part of Blue Zone, wasn¡¯t originally from Earth. This was because he had only recently joined the guild. A talented yer who had been making a name for himself. Schneider had known about him since he dered his intent to raid the Thunder Cave about six months ago. He had always been trouble. Of all times, he had to run into him now as they went on this raid together. ¡°You should¡¯ve done better. Because of you, we lost precious rewards to some random guy, naturally earning the Guild Master¡¯s ire.¡± ¡°That sounds strange.¡± ¡°Strange?¡± ¡°You saying it¡¯s because of me implies it would have been different if it were you.¡± At Schneider¡¯s words, Paul Rimen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I wonder. Do you want to know?¡± ¡°Not particrly.¡± Schneider replied, lightly resting his spear on one shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s obvious without seeing.¡± ¡°Talking like that helps you regain a bit of pride, huh?¡± ¡°This guy is really¡ª¡± Unable to hold back, Don Zhao stepped forward, but Schneider stopped him with an outstretched hand. Paul Rimen nced at Don Zhao and shrugged. ¡°Anyway, our team will be joining this raid. This time, we might seed in conquering the Thunder Cave.¡± With that, Paul Rimen turned and walked back to his group. It was clear: decide among yourselves who the ten stepping out would be. ¡°That jerk really¡ª¡± ¡°Enough. Let it go.¡± Preventing Don Zhao from losing his temper again, Schneider watched Paul Rimen¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°Still, he did say one thing right.¡± ¡°He said something right? Like, something you¡¯d want to hit?¡± ¡°No. Not that.¡± ¡°What in the world was right in that gobbledygook?¡± Clearly furious, Don Zhao¡¯s face was bright red. In contrast, Schneider, who would normally be the most enraged, seemed oddly calm. ¡°There was one thing he said right.¡± Among Paul Rimen¡¯s words, there was one truth. ¡°That this time, we will seed in conquering the Thunder Cave.¡± This time, conquering the Thunder Cave would indeed happen. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The Thunder Cave was located between the Odman and Conrad Kingdoms. A dungeon situated precisely in the middle. Additionally, the raid schedule for the Thunder Cave was the same for both kingdoms. The entrance to the Thunder Cave opened and closed at regr intervals, making this inevitable. ¡°What a strange ce.¡± Gazing at the distant, enormous mountain, S-rank mercenary Demun muttered to himself. ¡°Opening the same gates at set intervals. It reeks of an artificial construct.¡± ¨C Who is he talking to? ¨C Master of talking to himself ¨C This guy sure is sentimental Suhyuk rubbed his ears, annoyed by Demun¡¯s murmuring right next to him. ¡°He¡¯s a ssic extra character.¡± ¨C Lololol ¨C True that ¨C Extra (definition: someone who exins everything) Suhyuk took in the whole view of the Thunder Cave. ¡®It¡¯s even bigger in person.¡¯ He had already seen pictures of the Thunder Cave via his kit. But seeing it in person was a different experience altogether. The mountain ridge seemed to be at least 500 meters high. The ridge stretched out, revealing the artificially created entrance to the cave, just as Demun described. Rumble¡ª The sound of thunder reached them even from a considerable distance. This was why the cave was named ¡®Thunder Cave.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At some point, Demun had assumed the role of the party leader. Suhyuk followed him toward the entrance of the Thunder Cave. Rumble, rumble¡ª The closer they got, the clearer the sound of thunder became. ¡°The entrance of the Thunder Cave is guarded by lightning, preventing anyone from entering.¡± ¡°You seem to know a lot about the Thunder Cave?¡± Bale asked, and Demun nodded. ¡°I do. This isn¡¯t my first attempt.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°This is my third time. Just so you know, fewer than twenty mercenaries have returned alive from the Thunder Cave. I¡¯m one of them.¡± Demun boasted about something no one asked about. Still, surviving previous attempts at the Thunder Cave indicated his prowess. ¡°Are you really nning to clear it? It won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Are you nuts? Unlike you guys, I don¡¯t have multiple lives.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°The Thunder Imprint. That¡¯s what I¡¯m after.¡± The Thunder Imprint. A rare material item that had surfaced on the market a few times. Even without reaching the end of the Thunder Cave, one could obtain this valuable item. And it was one of the few reasons mercenaries still took an interest in the Thunder Cave. ¡°Once I get the Thunder Imprint, I can quit this hellish life. I¡¯m tired of this dangerous mercenary work.¡± Essentially, he nned to strike it big in the Thunder Cave and retire. The Thunder Imprint was that valuable of an item. And it held the same value for yers as well. ¡°You¡¯re not nning to go all the way?¡± ¡°Of course not. You have no idea what¡¯s ahead, which is why you can say that.¡± Skepticallyughing at Bale¡¯s words, Demun turned to Suhyuk. ¡°Especially you, E-rank. Don¡¯t do anything. Or if you¡¯re going to die, do it early. Don¡¯t get in our way and cause trouble.¡± Demun¡¯s constant provocations. He clearly didn¡¯t like the fact that an E-rank mercenary had hitched a ride on the raid party with a rmendation letter. The party approached the Thunder Cave. The Thunder Cave had two entrances. One towards the Odman Kingdom and the other towards the Conrad Kingdom. Inside, the two entrances mirrored each other. This symmetry was why Suhyuk could use the intel he got from Schneider effectively. ¡®This is the entrance.¡¯ Boom-! The Thunder Cave. The entrance, over ten meters tall, looked like a giant maw. Lightning crackled across the entrance, preventing anyone from entering. The thunderous noise came from there. The entrance only opened once every two months and stayed open for just one day. When the lightning ceased, the raid began. Sizzle, crackle¡ª Rumble¡ª The entrance was still closed. Lightning violently struck the entrance amid the thunderous noise. Watching the entrance and the sky alternatively, Demun spoke. ¡°Judging by the position of the sun, the entrance will open in about an hour. Everyone, rest until then.¡± Demun, having taken on the role of party leader, gave instructions and leaned against the wall to rest. The mercenaries who followed him, along with Bale and the other yers, did the same. ¨C It¡¯s waiting time ¨C Got time to share your first love story? Viewers, feeling the boredom of waiting, shared the sentiment. On the other side, Schneider and the raid party from the Odman Kingdom, gathered to tackle the Thunder Cave again, were likely in the same situation. However. Sizzle¡ª Instead of waiting like the others, Suhyuk approached the entrance of the Thunder Cave. ¨C Where¡¯s he going? ¨C It¡¯s not open yet The viewers were bewildered, sending franticments in the chat. But Suhyuk chose to move forward instead of responding. ¡®It feels simr to that time.¡¯ The second-floor trial. Inside Millennium Mountain, where he went to obtain the Lightning Spear. The energy enveloping the Lightning Spear felt the same as the one at this entrance. Crackle¡ª He stretched out his hand to gauge the intensity. A brief sting, soon growing familiar. Yes. There was a significant difference between now and then. ¡º¡¯Heart of the Lightning¡¯ resists the ¡®Thunder Gate¡¯.¡» ¡ºResisted Status Effect: Electrocution.¡» Heart of the Lightning. An artifact created so humans could wield the great power of lightning. And it was now in Suhyuk¡¯s hands. ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± ¡°Is he insane? Does he have a death wish?¡± ¡°Suhyuk-nim?¡± ¡°Where are you going¡ª¡± Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s actions, Demun, Bale, and the other mercenaries and yers rushed towards him. But Suhyuk didn¡¯t stop and continued inward. The mercenaries chasing him came to a halt, unable to follow him inside. ¡®It doesn¡¯t harm me.¡¯ The initial sting was brief. Beyond that, it felt almostforting. ¡®So it wasn¡¯t just closed after all.¡¯ At first, he had intended to break through. But it seemed that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. ¡º¡¯Thunder Gate¡¯ is assessing eligibility.¡» ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ responds to ¡®Thunder Gate¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of the Lightning¡¯ responds to ¡®Thunder Gate¡¯.¡» Sizzle, crackle-! For a moment, the gate shook violently. It trembled as if about to explode, then slowly calmed down, akin to a dying ember. Crackle¡ª The electric currents drew together, converging into a single point and fading. And then. ¡º¡¯Thunder Gate¡¯ transforms into ¡®Thunder Imprint¡¯ and disappears.¡» Shine¡ª The concentrated electric charge of the Thunder Gate transformed into a yellow crystal and fell into Suhyuk¡¯s hand. The once fierce-eyed Demun¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°L-L-Lightning¡­.¡± The very reason he risked his life and sought the Thunder Cave repeatedly¡ªto secure his retirement and make a fortune. And now, the object of that questy in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. Demun had been to the Thunder Cave three times in search of the Thunder Imprint. But unexpectedly, the item was now in someone else¡¯s possession. ¡®Wasn¡¯t expecting this.¡¯ Suhyuk looked at the small crystal in his hand. A thumbnail-sized, yellow-glowing crystal. The Thunder Imprint was a rare material item that yers who challenged the Thunder Cave could obtain, albeit at very slim odds. Not only Demun, but even among yers, some sought the Thunder Cave for quick riches. Of course. Given the dungeon¡¯s difficulty and the fact it opened only one day every two months, finding the Thunder Imprint was akin to reaching for the stars. ¡®So it wasn¡¯t simply closed.¡¯ The thunderous noise faded, and the gate swung wide open. It felt as though it had been awaiting him. ¡®It was looking for its rightful owner.¡¯ Two keys unlocked the gate. The first was Lightning. The second, the Heart of the Lightning. In other words, the Thunder Cave on the third floor was an extension of the Lightning trial. ¨C Wow, incredible ¨C Why here of all ces? ¨C Lucky bastard, damn ¨C What¡¯s the market price for that? The chat exploded with excitement upon the appearance of the Thunder Imprint. Viewers were fervently debating its market value. Given it hadn¡¯t appeared on the market in years, its exact price was unknown. Meaning, it was a name-your-price item. But while his viewers were immersed in this joyful topic, Suhyuk moved swiftly. Whoosh¡ª Wham! An axe flew past, narrowly missing his head and smashing into the wall. Demun had aimed it at Suhyuk¡¯s neck. Demun, shocked at missing, red at Suhyuk, who had quickly moved out of range. ¡°Missed?¡± Of course, it was an axe meant to kill. Having observed Suhyuk¡¯s movements, Demun realized he wasn¡¯t facing a novice. His eyes hardened as he gripped the axe with both hands, pulling it out of the wall. ¡°Looks like you didn¡¯t get that rmendation letter for nothing.¡± tter¡ª Debris fell from the cracked wall. It was an impressive axe throw, enough to make him think Demun could have seeded as a lumberjack. Any substantial tree would likely fall with a single swing like that. ¡°Just hand it over, and I¡¯ll let you off easy.¡± ¡°Not exactly a friendly suggestion. Why should I?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant for you. You were just lucky it fell into your hands.¡± It was a facy. Demun probably had some inkling that the Thunder Gate transforming and the Imprint falling into Suhyuk¡¯s hands wasn¡¯t mere coincidence. Step, step¡ª Two mercenaries who had joined the party with Demun approached and stood by his sides. Though they weren¡¯t on Demun¡¯s level, they were confident enough in their skills to challenge the Thunder Cave. They each drew their weapons and red at Suhyuk with murderous intent. ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t from this world, dying must still matter to you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Demun grinned, showing his yellowed teeth. His statement was true. Even if death in the trials wasn¡¯t permanent, it didn¡¯t free one from pain. Moreover, failing the trial meant losing points as a penalty. Reattempting the trial required paying the entry fee again, which was a significant burden. Demun had likely killed many yers throughout his long mercenary career. However. ¡°This settles it then.¡± Suhyuk nodded, almost as if relieved, and said. ¡°I¡¯ll ¡®Vulture¡¯ these guys too.¡± Without adjusting his microphone. ¡°Vulture?¡± ¡°What is he babbling about?¡± Demun and hispanions didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Suhyuk¡¯s words and tilted their heads. They expected him to either negotiate splitting the loot or boast about his skills and challenge them head-on. But ¡°Vulture¡±? ¡°Seems like they¡¯re not up-to-date with thetest trends.¡± Suhyuk still hadn¡¯t adjusted his microphone. And then. ¡°They¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± He moved his feet to enlighten them about thetest trend. TL¡¯s Corner: Vulture these bitches. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Thud, thud¡ª Blood dripped from the corner of Demun¡¯s eye and fell to the ground. The crimson-tainted vision. Demun couldn¡¯t believe the situation unfolding before him. ¡®What, what¡¯s¡­ why¡­¡­.¡¯ His thoughts jumbled, unable to form coherent sentences. Puck¡ª ¡°Kkhre¡ª¡± The sound of anotherrade¡¯s breathing ceasing echoed from not far away. As he turned, he saw a sword piercing hisrade¡¯s neck. A sleek, crimson-hued sword. Pshewt¡ª The sword, now extracted from hisrade¡¯s neck, was pointed at Demun. ¡°Not bad, I suppose. You got one right.¡± Suhyuk nodded in acknowledgement. Demun¡¯s face still held an air of disbelief. Regardless, Suhyuk charged towards Demun. ¡°Hey!¡± Demun reflexively swung his axe. Though the force behind it wascking, it wasn¡¯t a bad defensive reaction. But. ¡°Good job.¡± Sshweet¡ª As the sound of flesh being sliced filled the air, Demun confirmed with his own eyes that his familiar body part was flying away. ¡°My¡­ arm?¡± The axe still clutched in his hand, Demun¡¯s arm had been severed. ¡°Ahhh!¡± The scream was more out of fear than pain. For a mercenary like him, losing an arm might be as terrifying as death itself. Blood spilled in clumps to the ground. His gaze wavered, stumbling backward. ¡°You reacted well. If you hadn¡¯t swung that axe, it would¡¯ve been your neck that got severed.¡± Suhyuk stood still, speaking in the same spot. ¡°It might¡¯ve been better for you, but¡ª¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Demun¡¯s gaze fixed on the crimson-hued sword in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re using a magic sword!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± At Demun¡¯s sudden outburst, Suhyuk tilted his head, looking puzzled. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡± Demonic swords consumed the user¡¯s life force. While it was true for low-grade demonic swords, the performance of higher-grade ones increased exponentially. In exchange, the magic sword demanded not just the user¡¯s stamina but their fundamental energy¡ª their lifespan. Demun seemed to think that the magic sword in Suhyuk¡¯s hand was of that kind. However. ¡°What can I say? This is my livelihood.¡± ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice lv5¡ä resists the damage from the ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯¡». ¡ºResistance sessful¡». ¡ºThe user¡¯s stamina and mental energy are fully recovered¡». The ability of the magic sword Suhyuk wielded was exactly at the level that the 5th-level ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ could handle. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy, you can buy one yourself with your own money.¡± ¡°This is¡ª¡± Scorch¡ª Just as Demun was about to say something. ¡°Ch¡ª¡­¡± A crimson afterimage moved, drawing a straight line across Demun¡¯s neck. Before he could finish speaking, Demun¡¯s head had flown off. Thud. ¡º¡¯Demun¡¯ has been defeated¡». ¡ºYou have been attacked by a party member¡». ¡ºNo penalty has been applied.¡» As Demun¡¯s lifeforce ceased, the message yed. Fortunately, there were no penalties for killing the three of them. Since they were the ones who had first seen Suhyuk as an enemy and attacked, it was only fair. With that brief episode concluded. ¡º¡¯18months¡¯ has donated 1000 points.¡» ¡ºSince when did ¡®Vulture¡¯ mean kill everyone? Let¡¯s make this ¡®Demun¡¯ from now on.¡» A donation came in as if it had been waiting for this moment. Suhyuk flicked the remaining blood off his sword and responded. ¡°Thank you for the donation, 18months. But ¡®Demun¡¯ doesn¡¯t sound quite right. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Despite his reluctance, the viewers had their own ideas. If ¡®Demun¡¯ is off, how about ¡®Demon¡¯? Let¡¯s go with Demon Sword. Shout ¡°Cry, Demon Sword!¡± and I¡¯ll donate more. Lolol ¡°Cry, Demon Sword!¡± hahaha ¡°Cry, Demon Sword?¡± Just imagining it gave Suhyuk a headache. He shook his head. From the start, his streams had been about skill, not clowning around like ¡®Bald Suhyuk.¡¯ ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pass.¡± After a brief interaction with his viewers. Suhyuk looked at Bale and his colleagues, who were watching him from the entrance of the Thunder Cave. Holding up the Thunder Imprint, he asked. ¡°Do any of you want this?¡± Bale quickly shook his head in rm. ¡°No, no! It¡¯s yours, Suhyuk, of course!¡± ¡°We have no im to it at all. It¡¯s all thanks to the lightning that you got it.¡± Both Bale and his colleagues vehemently refused. Having witnessed what happened to Demun and his men, no one was foolish enough to covet it. ¨C Cowards ¨C This is why little brats are quick on their feet¡­ ¨C If he asked for it, it would have been ¡°Demon Sword!¡± time ¨C LOL Demon Sword! Suhyuk, sharing the same objective, clicked his tongue in disappointment. It wouldn¡¯t have been bad to ditch them here. ¡®No helping it, I guess.¡¯ Suhyuk ced the Thunder Imprint in his inventory. Whether he would use it or sell it at an auction was still undecided. It wasn¡¯t something he needed to decide immediately, so he left it in his inventory for now. With preparationsplete, Suhyuk began walking into the cave. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± While contemting how to best utilize these leeches who thought of riding the bus. *** The interior of the Thunder Cave was unusually bright. The ceiling, though blocking out sunlight, was dotted with yellow lights that acted as naturalnterns. Step, step¡ª In the quiet cave. The only sound was the footsteps of the raid party led by Suhyuk. Everyone was tense, knowing that monsters could appear at any moment. And then. Bzzz¡ª On the path entering the Thunder Cave. Bale¡¯s kit buzzed. ¡ºJenny: Are you sure this is okay?¡» Jenny was the yer just behind Bale, whom he had met in themunity and formed a party with. ¡ºBale: What are you talking about?¡» ¡ºJenny: What we saw earlier. I have a bad feeling about this.¡» Theymunicated via text on their kits, fearing that even whispers might echo through the quiet cave. ¡ºBale: Don¡¯t worry. All we have to do is avoid doing anything dumb like those idiots earlier.¡» ¡ºJenny: Still, I feel like we¡¯ll just get med¡­¡» ¡ºBale: That¡¯s a risk we have to take. And until we make the first move, Lee Suhyuk can¡¯t do anything to us.¡» Tap, tap-tap¡ª Bale¡¯s fingers moved swiftly over his kit. ¡ºBale: All streamers are like this. Because of their image, they have to kowtow to people like us. We just need to quietly hitch a ride.¡» ¡ºJenny: Will he really share the rewards?¡» ¡ºBale: We¡¯ll just have to insist-.¡» As they were busy exchanging messages. Howl¡ª! From deep within the cave, the cry of a beast¡ªwhether dog or wolf¡ªechoed. And that howl. Howl, howl-howl¡ª! Quickly spread to the rear as well. ¡°At the back too?¡± ¡°But we just came through there; there was nothing!¡± The source of the howls soon revealed itself. Wolves with silvery fur tinged with a faint yellow glow. They bared sharp, agile-looking jaws and teeth as they howled. But calling them wolves seemed insufficient given their size. These creatures were closer to tigers than wolves in stature. ¡®Those must be¡­.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ll probably encounter Lightning Wolves first.¡± Schneider had informed him about these creatures. Though knowing their name wasn¡¯t particrly challenging, even without Schneider¡¯s help. The important part was not just the name. It was Schneider¡¯s wealth of knowledge, gained from numerous challenges and relentless research over many years. ¡°They¡¯re not impossible to kill, but it¡¯s a waste of stamina. There¡¯s an easier way.¡± Whoosh¡ª Ignoring the Lightning Wolves behind him, Suhyuk charged forward. Bale shouted in surprise. ¡°Suhyuk! What about us?¡± He felt like telling them to handle it themselves, but Suhyuk¡¯s focus was already on the smallest Lightning Wolf in the pack. ¡°They¡¯re quite peculiar.¡± Howl, howl-howl¡ª! Lightning Wolves blocked his path. ¡°Typically, the leader of a pack is thergest one, but not these guys.¡± Several Lightning Wolves lunged at Suhyuk, brandishing their ws and teeth. Instinctively, their long ws aimed for his heart, while their huge jaws sought to snap his neck. But even amidst this chaos, Suhyuk¡¯s focus remained on the smallest Lightning Wolf. Whissh, crack¡ª Two Lightning Wolves brushed past him on either side. Their ws and teeth gnawed at the air as Suhyuk smoothly dodged and passed them. Swish¡ª His steps became lighter. He nced at the shoes he was wearing. ¡®These work well.¡¯ The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. An item that increased movement speed and jumping power, ensuring simplicity and efficiency. Leaping over the two Lightning Wolves, Suhyuk dashed toward the leader of the pack. And in the next instant. Crackle¡ª Howl, howl-howl¡ª! The leader, glowing with yellow sparks in its fur, roared fiercely at Suhyuk before swiftly charging. sh¡ª Appearing as though it had used a lightning bolt, the Lightning Wolf leader materialized before Suhyuk¡¯s eyes. Crash¡ª! Thud¡ª The leader¡¯s front paw struck the ground so powerfully that it tore up the rocks. The speed and strength were far beyond the other Lightning Wolves. ¡®This is it.¡¯ Howl, howl¡ª! Crackle¡ª The leader¡¯s fur gradually turned more yellow. Size didn¡¯t matter. The thunderous power within it was the true mark of the leader. ¡®This one¡¯s the leader.¡¯ Thus, responding in kind: ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ is activated.¡» ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ imbues your feet.¡» Suhyuk increased his tempo. sh¡ª He spring-boarded swiftly into the air. The Lightning Wolf leader¡¯s snapping jaws bit into the wall where Suhyuk had been. Crunch¡ª Grar-? The disoriented leader felt something odd in its mouth. Thud¡ª A sharp red de pierced through the Lightning Wolf leader¡¯s head. ¡º¡¯Lightning Wolf Leader¡¯ has been defeated.¡» ¡º¡¯Lightning Wolves¡¯ morale decreases.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increases by 1.¡» ¡ºAgility increases by 1.¡» ¡ºStamina increases by 1.¡» Regardless of how many times he heard it, the message was always pleasing. The Lightning Wolf leader was a significant source of experience. And with the leader dead, the pack. Whimper, whine¡ª Grar¡ª Upon making eye contact with Suhyuk, they became like frightened puppies. The leader was dead. Now, only the final stage remained here. ¡°As long as you take down the leader, then from that point-.¡± Just as Schneider had informed him. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Suhyuk spoke to the Lightning Wolves. ¡°-Sit.¡± And then. Whimper¡ª Whine, whine¡ª Dozens of Lightning Wolves crouched and sat down. ¡°I¡¯ll be the new leader.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Demun is ?? and Demon is ?? And thest part. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Whimper, whine¡ª Bale and hispanions, who had been struggling against the Lightning Wolves, now wore bewildered expressions. The once-ferocious Lightning Wolves had be docile pups. The fierce beasts were now obediently lying down at Suhyuk¡¯smand. As if they were loyal dogs following their master. ¡°Su-Suhyuk, what is this¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Ignoring Bale¡¯s attempt at questioning, Suhyuk instead gave amand to the Lightning Wolves. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Howl¡ª! Howl, howl¡ª! At Suhyuk¡¯s words, the sitting Lightning Wolves rose and responded with howls. ¡º¡¯Lightning Wolves¡¯ have been subjugated.¡» ¡ºYou canmand the ¡®Lightning Wolves¡¯ within the Thunder Cave.¡» The pack of Lightning Wolves followed Suhyuk. Bale and hispanions murmured, staring at Suhyuk and the wolf pack. ¡°What on earth is happening¡­?¡± ¡°Why are the wolves¡­?¡± ¡°I feel like we¡¯re the stragglers here now.¡± Dozens of Lightning Wolves were beyond thebined strength of Bale and his group. But Suhyuk had somehow managed to subjugate them in a single move. ¡°Can we even keep up with him?¡± Initially, their n had been totch onto Lee Suhyuk, aiming to gain rewards and performance points from the Thunder Cave. But at some point. The thought crept in that even that might not be easy. ¡®Demun is dead, and the Lightning Wolves are under Suhyuk¡¯smand.¡¯ Nothing was going as anticipated. Perhaps. ¡ºStreamers are all the same, aren¡¯t they? Because of their image, they have to kowtow to people like us.¡» Even his own assumptions. Bale¡¯s anxiety grew. ¡®So, what happens next?¡¯ Step¡ª Filled with undefined dread, they trailed behind Suhyuk. ¡°Hey, everyone.¡± Thud¡ª Walking while surrounded by the Lightning Wolves, Suhyuk suddenly stopped and spoke. ¡°Howl. Loudly.¡± ¡°What, what do you mean?¡± Bale¡¯s eyes widened in rm. Howl? Right here? In the middle of the Thunder Cave? But it was toote to question him. Awooo¡ª! Awoooooo¡ª! The Lightning Wolves howled in unison. The cave reverberated with their howls, creating an ear-splitting noise. ¡°This is insane¡ª!¡± ¡°Suhyuk! What is this¡­?¡± Some of the quicker-witted yers realized the implications of the Lightning Wolves¡¯ howls. Cold sweat trickled down Bale¡¯s back. ¡°This is my way.¡± ¡°Your¡­ way?¡± ¡°Drive hunting.¡± Crackle, sizzle¡ª. Roar¡ª! Growl¡ª! Monsters with various appearances, all with yellow fur, began to emerge. Some resembled bears, others were snakes with yellow scales slithering along the walls, and even creatures made of rocks were present. How many were there? The number of monsters that came into view was at least dozens, and considering those lurking behind, it easily surpassed a hundred. ¡°What kind of drive hunt is this? This is s*****e!¡± The monsters in the Thunder Cave weren¡¯t like typical monsters. Even the Lightning Wolves Suhyukmanded required at least two or three yers on the third floor to hunt them down. ¡°With the Lightning Wolves, it should be manageable. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± ¡°W-what about us?¡± Bale¡¯s panicked question was met with a smirk from Suhyuk behind his mask. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? This is just a journey together.¡± At that moment. Bale realized something unmistakable. ¡°This is a journey together, not a partnership. Don¡¯t expect anything more from me.¡± From the very start, Suhyuk had nned this situation. ¡°Let each fight for their own survival.¡± * John Dale had a peculiar expression watching the chaos unfold on the screen. Hundreds of monsters from the Thunder Cave. They were creating an all-out melee with Lee Suhyuk, the Lightning Wolves, and the dozen or so yers who had tagged along. ¡°Is this¡­ alright?¡± The staff member, who was monitoring in ce of Cheon Ryang who was on leave, asked. She had immediately reported the situation to John Dale as soon as it happened. After hearing her report and seeing the situation on screen, John Dale¡¯s expression remained inscrutable. ¡°Team Leader?¡± ¡°It¡¯s neither fine nor not fine.¡± yers being swept up by waves of monsters. With no more to see, John Dale averted his gaze from the screen and spoke. ¡°In the end, it depends on how the streamer handles it.¡± ¡°But ultimately, this is¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯ll get some k.¡± Suhyuk had utilized the Lightning Wolves¡¯ howling to call forth monsters. As a result, his party was ced in jeopardy. This would be seen as team-killing and trolling. Ordinarily, that is. ¡°But this case is a bit unique, isn¡¯t it?¡± John Dale showed the screen he had found on the kit. It was a post from the yers¡¯munity recruiting party members for Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream specifically to leech off him. ¡°They wanted to hitch a ride. It wasn¡¯t just suspicion; they even provided solid proof. And those guys clearly don¡¯t have the skills to tackle the Thunder Cave.¡± Before he could finish speaking, yet another yer met their end. Reading the post, John Dale chuckled derisively. ¡°Not just anyone can hitch a ride on a bus, right?¡± ¡°Will public opinion agree with that?¡± ¡°Not everyone will. But still¡­.¡± John Dale watched Suhyuk ruthlessly deal with the leeching yers and nodded. ¡°This is probably the best bet.¡± ¡°The best bet? Isn¡¯t it safer to just take them along, even if it¡¯s a bit tedious?¡± ¡°It might be, just this once.¡± Just this once. John Dale emphasized that point. The monitoring staff realized btedly how shortsighted her initial thoughts were. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Exactly. Do you think people won¡¯t flock to a free bus ride? If he takes them along this time, expect hordes of them like ants next time.¡± The image is crucial for a streamer. And there are always those who would exploit that. This time was no different. As a streamer, Suhyuk understood the need to maintain his image. There were always those who, without the necessary skills ormitment, hoped to coast along and reap the benefits of his hard work. ¡°So, Lee Suhyuk the streamer is showing everyone.¡± He was sending a message to those who leech and to the countless future would-be Bails. ¡°Don¡¯t even dream of leeching off my efforts.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± The monitoring staff could only nod in agreement. This was Suhyuk¡¯s best option. It was the optimal choice both as a yer and as a streamer. However, the issue was that he was a streamer. ¡°But what did you mean by it depends on the streamer? Didn¡¯t he handle it well?¡± ¡°Sometimes, there are problems with no right answer. Our job is often like that.¡± An enigmatic response. Sensing that his exnation wascking, John Dale borated. ¡°Streamers, in situations like this, will always face criticism, whether they respond or not.¡± ¡°No matter which choice they make?¡± ¡°Exactly. Would you be able to handle it? A situation like this?¡± His question left her speechless. Handling it. That question was loaded with meaning. John Dale, the team leader of the management division at Balhae Entertainment. His experience with many streamers¡ªfrom those who couldn¡¯t handle criticism and retired, to those who pretended to be unfazed but lost their essence due to fear of criticism¡ªinformed this perspective. ¡°When I say it depends on the streamer, that¡¯s what I mean.¡± ¡°We know. We understand they¡¯re not at fault and that they had no choice. We¡¯re closer to them than the viewers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. It is difficult. That¡¯s why streamers need more than just streaming skills.¡± ¡°Then, what do they need?¡± ¡°Mental fortitude. The ability to withstand and sometimes ovee unfair situations and criticism.¡± John Dale¡¯s gaze returned to the stream screen. Watching Suhyuk finish the hunt, he continued, seemingly curious. ¡°I wonder, does Lee Suhyuk the streamer have that kind of mental fortitude?¡± * ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» Messages that were always pleasing to hear. But he couldn¡¯t afford to be too pleased with them at the moment. Roar¡ª! A bear with glistening yellow fur opened its jaws wide. Suhyuk reached out towards the drooling maw. Sizzle¡ª! Lightning shot from his fingertips. The head of the charging bear exploded, and he turned towards thest remaining creature. Hiss¡ª Slish¡ª! A serpent that had been silently crawling along the wall aiming for Suhyuk¡¯s head was sliced in half. ¡°Whew¡­.¡± Suhyuk exhaled deeply and surveyed his surroundings. The yers who had hoped to hitch a ride, as well as the Lightning Wolves that had followed him, were all dead. He was the only one still standing. ¨C He did it??? ¨C He actually killed them all, OMG ¨C I thought he was done for because of those leecher yers ¨C Doubting hoes lol, did you think he couldn¡¯t do it? ¨C For real lol ¨C Half of his viewers had doubted him, while the other half had believed in him. Given the sheer number of monsters in the Thunder Cave, it wasn¡¯t surprising that some were skeptical. ¡®I need to rest a bit.¡¯ To rid himself of these troublesome leeches, Suhyuk had taken drastic measures. While it didn¡¯t hinder his immediate progress, there was still a long way to go to conquer the Thunder Cave fully. Currently, he was merely at the entrance of the cave. Swish¡ª Turning to the now deserted rear, Suhyuk spoke. ¡°It counts as soloing now, right?¡± ¨C For real lol ¨C This totally counts, hahahaha ¨C He literally turned it into a solo mission lol The mission given to Suhyuk was to solo the Thunder Cave. However, the presence of Bale and the other ten yers hadplicated the mission from the start. Unexpectedly, Demun had coveted the Thunder Imprint Suhyuk had obtained, and Bale and the other yers were disposed of as initially nned. Thus, the condition for ¡®soloing¡¯ was now fulfilled. ¡º¡¯Ex-Convict12¡ä has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºWouldn¡¯t the result have been the same if you¡¯d just left them when the Lightning Wolves attacked?¡» Along with the donation came a message. ¨C True? ¨C If he left them, they probably would¡¯ve died anyway ¨C For real, they seemedpletely ipetent ¨C They were right. Even dealing with the Lightning Wolves was beyond the capabilities of Bale and the other yers. Had Suhyuk not taken down the Lightning Wolf leader, the situation would have resolved itself much sooner. Despite that, Suhyuk hadn¡¯t taken that approach. Because. ¡°Then I couldn¡¯t have made it clear.¡± He needed to make sure they understood. ¡°This is what happens if you think you can just hitch a ride.¡± Suhyuk chose the direct approach. To those ready to criticize and scrutinize the streamer. ¡®Come at me if you dare.¡¯ Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¡°So I had to make it clear. This is what happens if you think you can just hitch a ride.¡± Lee Suhyuk¡¯s voice echoed beyond the screen. John Dale, watching the stream with great interest, burst intoughter. ¡°Pffft! Hah, hahaha!¡± ¡°Team Leader?¡± The startled staff turned to look at John Dale. They had worked together for quite some time, but she had never seen himugh so heartily. What was so funny? Afterughing for quite a while, John Dale graduallyposed himself and spoke. ¡°Ahh, sorry about that. He¡¯s just something else, this guy.¡± Hisughter wasn¡¯t just for amusement. It was a mix of incredulity, astonishment, and a sense of relief. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s statement was unnecessary. Even with the donation question, he could have easily dodged or mixed in a bit of a lie. He could¡¯ve said he didn¡¯t expect this oue or med it on theck of skill of the yers who were left behind. Either way, he would have faced criticism. Some would me Suhyuk for the deaths of the yers who joined his raid. But Suhyuk didn¡¯t take that route. Instead, he did the opposite. He took it head-on. ¡®He¡¯s not foolish enough to be unaware of the impact of his words.¡¯ John Dale hadn¡¯t observed Suhyuk extensively, but he had been impressed by him several times. And that was not only as a yer but also as a streamer. ¡®Every action and answer is nned.¡¯ His guts were unbelievable. To deal with the leeching yers in such a decisive manner from the get-go. Just to be sure, John Dale called Un Hyang. -Team Leader. I¡¯m busy, don¡¯t¡ª ¡°This is regarding Lee Suhyuk, so don¡¯t hang up.¡± Anticipating that she would hang up to watch the stream, John Dale hurriedly mentioned Lee Suhyuk¡¯s name. This way, even Un Hyang, with her capricious nature, wouldn¡¯t hang up right away. -¡­ What is it? ¡°I just want to ask one thing. Did you tell Lee Suhyuk about themunity post?¡± -Yes, I did. Un Hyang answered without asking which post he was referring to. Given the content of the stream, it could only be about the Thunder Cave bus party recruitment post. ¡°Really? So, was this nned with you?¡± -What nning? Where would he have the time for that? If you¡¯re going to say nonsense, I¡¯m hanging up. Click. And with that, Un Hyang ended the call. ¡°Always so courteous.¡± It hardly felt like the attitude of a subordinate, but John Dale had grown used to it by now. In any case. ¡°So, it was all his idea.¡± Nodding, John Dale focused back on Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡°Then we also need to make an effort.¡± ¡°An effort?¡± ¡°You saved themunity post, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± ¡°Good. Well done.¡± An experienced staff knows to keep evidence in situations like these. John Dale smiled, cracking his fingers tired from working all night. ¡°Let¡¯s show them. Let¡¯s show Lee Suhyuk that he has a strongpany behind him.¡± *** The Odman Kingdom raid party. While waiting for the door to open, they began their raid into the Thunder Cave and were first faced with the pack of Lightning Wolves. Howl, howl¡ª! Howl¡ª! The wolves lunged at them with fierce growls. Paul Rimen, alongside hisrades, began cutting down the wolves. The yers from the Odman Kingdom were all elites. Each one handpicked by the Blue Zone, proven yers on the third floor. However. ¡°Schneider!¡± Schneider, who should have taken the lead and been the first to move, remained motionless. He simply impaled any Lightning Wolves that lunged at him. ¡°Are you protesting because I joined your raid?¡± Crash¡ª! Paul Rimen¡¯s massive greatsword shattered the heads of the charging Lightning Wolves. Paul Rimen was the recement card the Blue Zone had brought in to substitute for Schneider. Though he might not be Schneider¡¯s equal, he was undoubtedly a skilled warrior. But without Schneider¡¯s help, the raid party was bound to suffer casualties. ¡°Schneider¡ª!¡± Finally, Paul Rimen stopped fighting and approached Schneider. Then. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re annoyingly loud.¡± Don Zhao, who was battling Lightning Wolves nearby, said irritably. ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, just watch quietly. Don¡¯t interfere.¡± ¡°What? Interfere?¡± Paul Rimen¡¯s anger now turned towards Don Zhao. ¡°Defending him just because he¡¯s on your side¡ª.¡± ¡°Found it.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Not understanding Don Zhao¡¯s words, Paul Rimen followed his gaze back to Schneider. What had he found? When he turned to look, Paul Rimen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®A throwing spear?¡¯ Schneider, who had seemed dazed just moments ago, was now holding a javelin, pulling back his arm. Howl, howl¡ª! A Lightning Wolf charged at Schneider. Even as the swift wolf bore down on him, Schneider didn¡¯t blink, keeping his aim steady. And the next moment. Thwack¡ª! The spear in Schneider¡¯s hand flew. Boom¡ª! A hole exploded through the Lightning Wolf¡¯s body. Despite the impact, the spear continued in a straight line. The target was the smallest wolf within the pack. Thud¡ª! Schneider¡¯s spear punctured the wolf¡¯s head perfectly. Howl¡ª? Growl, growl¡ª. The pack of rampaging Lightning Wolves began to react differently. The bloodthirsty wolves started to hesitate and scatter. Then. ¡°Good boys.¡± At Schneider¡¯smand, they began to settle. ¡°Sit.¡± Growl, growl¡ª Whimper, whine¡ª The chaos was swiftly quelled. Schneider¡¯s team lowered their weapons, preparing for the next move. In contrast. Paul Rimen and the new team members looked bewildered. ¡°What the¡­.¡± Paul Rimen stared in astonishment at the Lightning Wolvesying t on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve dedicated ten years to the Thunder Cave.¡± Schneider, who had approached him, started speaking. ¡°You know nothing about the Thunder Cave. Neither does the guild leader.¡± Step, step¡ª As he slowly passed by, Schneider met his gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re smart, I rmend turning back. It¡¯s better than having your mediocre skills shattered and losing the confidence you¡¯ve built up.¡± Swish¡ª Schneider¡¯s words hung in the air as he walked past Paul Rimen. He looked further inside the Thunder Cave, a ce he had be all too familiar with. ¡®Not far now.¡¯ Countless attempts that couldn¡¯t be numbered. Today would be the day to see the end. ¡®Or so I hope.¡¯ Imagining the depths of the Thunder Cave yet unexplored, Schneider¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡®Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ * Suhyuk took a short break to recover his condition. During this time, he engaged with his viewers. He had grown quite ustomed to chatting with them. While most of the conversations were trivial and useless, he found them surprisingly enjoyable. ¡°A girl I keep in touch with? Hmm¡­ my manager?¡± ¡°Does my face resemble Bald Suhyuk? How does he look?¡± ¡°¡­ Manager-nim, could you please mute, no, just ban that viewer?¡± Time flew by as he engaged in these small conversations. asionally, donations came in, making the time spent feel far from wasted. In fact. ¡®I think interacting with viewers generates more donations.¡¯ While the amounts were small, the frequency was high. Donations ranged from 10 points to several hundred points. However, the number of viewers had not increased significantly. ¡ºViewers: 8101¡» Eight thousand. It was a considerable number, but still far from reaching ten thousand again. ¡®I¡¯ll need to continue the raid to hit ten thousand viewers again.¡¯ The rest period had been substantial. His condition and stamina were fully restored. This would suffice. As Suhyuk got up and began to move, the atmosphere in the chat shifted from casual interaction to anticipation. ¨C Is he going now? ¨C Finally setting off. ¨C Let¡¯s raid like crazy~ Step, step¡ª Suhyuk¡¯s footsteps echoed in the cave. There were no more annoying leeches. Suhyuk continued the raid, hunting the monsters that appeared. Sizzle¡ª! Boom¡ª! He unleashed lightning bolts and activated his magic sword. The deeper he went, the more numerous and powerful the monsters became. ¡®I heard the difficulty was high, but¡­¡¯ After several more hunts, Suhyuk understood why the Thunder Cave had such a notorious reputation. ¡®Why is something like this on the third floor?¡¯ No matter how he thought about it, this was not a dungeon fit for the third floor. It was only due to Schneider¡¯s exceptional abilities that any progress had been made; without him, no one would have dared to raid it. This dungeon was indeed unusual. Which made it all the more intriguing. ¡®Schneider said it was up ahead.¡¯ As he spoke less and continued the hunt, delving deeper into the cave. He finally saw it. ¡®There it is.¡¯ Not far off, the next stage of the cave came into view. A gate. A ratherrge and heavy stone door. Unadorned and simply marking the midpoint of the dungeon. *** ¡°The first step in raiding the Thunder Cave is the hunt. Nothing special about it. Just kill all the monsters you encounter, including the Lightning Wolves.¡± Just as Schneider had said. So far, the Thunder Cave¡¯s challenges, irrespective of difficulty, were straightforward. A typical dungeon setup. The approach changed starting from behind that door. ¡°I got up to that point pretty quickly as well. It took about three years. And then I faced that door.¡± ¡°The door?¡± ¡°Yes. And that¡¯s when I realized¡ªthe real Thunder Cave begins beyond it.¡± *** Suhyuk approached the door and extended his hand. Thud¡ª While it was quite heavy, it wasn¡¯t something a yer who had reached the third floor couldn¡¯t budge. Suhyuk pushed the door open and stepped inside. ¡º¡¯You have entered Thunder¡¯s First Chamber.¡¯¡» ¡°From there on, you only need one person. Well, you nned to solo this anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter for you.¡± ¡º¡¯The Trial of Thunder begins.¡¯¡» The door opened, revealing the interior. Brighter than the path he hade through. The inside was so brightly illuminated, it hardly seemed like a cave. As he read the message, Suhyuk shifted his gaze to the walls. Just as he had been told. The walls were covered with countless frescoes. ¡°It took me over five years to get through there.¡± Looking at the frescoes, Suhyuk recalled Schneider¡¯s words. ¡°How long will it take you?¡± Rustle¡ª The paintings began to move as if they were alive. In that instant. Step¡ª Suhyuk, who had been slowly observing the inside of the door, fully stepped into the chamber. ¡º¡¯Determining the eligibility for Thunder.¡¯¡» Chapter 68 Chapter 68 In the Thunder Cave, an unseen force flows. Many referred to this force as the power of lightning. Some called it lightning. And people often said, ¡°Aren¡¯t they the same thing?¡± ¡®Not exactly wrong.¡¯ The essence of thunder is the sound of a lightning strike. Sound is a part of lightning. Ultimately, both are lightning. So if people asked whether the hidden rewards in the Thunder Cave were rted to his own lightning powers¡­ ¡®No one knows for sure.¡¯ Just because it¡¯s the same elemental power doesn¡¯t mean the skills are identical. Even among lightning-rted skills, there are countless variations. While the lightning Suhyuk used was a prominent example, there were innumerable other lightning attributes. What people were really curious about was one thing: Could Suhyuk obtain the same lightning that¡¯s his trademark within the Thunder Cave? Step¡ª Suhyuk continued walking through the cave. Meanwhile, his eyes scanned the frescoes painted on the walls. ¨C What are those drawings? ¨C Just looks like a bunch of lines? ¨C They¡¯re too thick to just be lines. The yellow-painted frescoes on the walls were hard to decipher at a nce. If he hadn¡¯t heard about the frescoes from Schneider beforehand, Suhyuk might not have recognized them immediately. ¡°On my first attempt, I ignored the frescoes. When I heard about the evaluation of thunder qualifications, I was too tense, expecting some kind of trial.¡± Qualification of Thunder. The message didn¡¯t specify how this qualification would be evaluated. It only mentioned the presence or absence of such an evaluation. ¡°But ignoring those frescoes was a mistake.¡± Thud¡ª His steps halted at one particr spot. His gaze fixed on a section of the fresco. ¡®Found it.¡¯ ¨C Did that just move? A sharp-eyed viewer noticed the subtle change. It was a minuscule shift, yet they caught it. Squirm¡ª The fresco began to move slightly. As the movement grew more noticeable, other viewers picked up on it as well. ¨C Is that a dragon? ¨C A dragon? ¨C Looks like it. The part in front of Suhyuk looks like an eye. ¨C So those lines are its body? ¨C NO WAY, never saw thating. The frescoes started to move. Soon, the drawings on the wall sprang to life and emerged. A tail, a thick body, scales shimmering in golden light. Sizzle¡ª Rumble, rumble¡ª Amidst thunder and lightning, the dragon soared to the ceiling of the cave. ¡°That creature¡¯s role is simr to the Wolf Warrior you encountered in the starting dungeon. Proving your qualification for thunder means gaining its recognition.¡± Gazing up at the dragon in the air. Suhyuk recalled Schneider¡¯s words. ¡°But there¡¯s one significant difference.¡± ¡°A difference?¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk, you defeated the Wolf Warrior, didn¡¯t you? As if you didn¡¯t need its recognition.¡± Schneider had evidently studied Suhyuk quite thoroughly. Moreover, they had directly shed in the recent tournament just a few days prior. Ignoring Suhyuk would be like spitting in his own face, something Schneider was well aware of. Even so. ¡°But this one is different.¡± He had said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about defeating it. That is absolutely impossible.¡± Indeed. ¡°Once you see it, you won¡¯t even consider it.¡± As Schneider had predicted. Sizzle¡ª Boom¡ª! The size of the dragon emerging from the fresco filled the cave¡¯s interior. His entire body tingled. There was no mistaking the dragon¡¯s formidable presence. Don¡¯t even think about defeating it like the Wolf Warrior? ¡®Who do they think I am?¡¯ It was simr to the Wolf Warrior. That creature, too, was designed not to be defeated. But there had been ways to deal with the Wolf Warrior. Of course, that was because Suhyuk was Lee Suhyuk¡­ Nheless, this dragon was on apletely different level. Defeating it was impossible. A voice resonated throughout the cave. Suhyuk replied to the dragon¡¯s inquiry. ¡°Yes.¡± -Yes. -So cocky lol -Dragon: Oh¡­ okay -Can¡¯t afford to show weakness, for real Viewers thought Suhyuk¡¯s response was cocky, but they didn¡¯t understand. Suhyuk had encountered dragons multiple times during his ascent of the tower. ¡®Dragons don¡¯t have a concept of formal or informal speech. Their notion of etiquette is practically nonexistent.¡¯ For them,munication was purely about conveying information. Their posture didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was ensuring that his words didn¡¯t offend the dragon. Humm¡ª The dragon lowered itself, beginning to fly. Its eyes, gleaming like embedded jewels, descended before Suhyuk. ¨C ??? ¨C What is it saying now? ¨C Is this Wolf Warrior 2? ¨C Why do these creatures like Lee Suhyuk so much? Suhyuk felt a bit awkward in response to his viewers¡¯ints. This was different from what Schneider had told him. ¡°The ways the dragon demands proof vary each time. But not every one of my dozens of experiences was unique.¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°There are various types. Enduring electrocution, facing and oveing absolute terror with all senses blocked, or simply fighting summoned monsters.¡± ¡°Tell me more.¡± Suhyuk had grilled Schneider about the dragon¡¯s trials in detail. Excluding the final stage of the Thunder Cave, the sess of the raid depended on the type of trial he faced here. But then. ¡®Pouch?¡¯ By ¡®pouch,¡¯ the dragon was referring to the yers¡¯ inventory. And there was only one item in his inventory that could interest the dragon. Something far more valuable than the bread and jerky he had for sustenance. Suhyuk slowly took out the yellow, gleaming orb. The dragon moved closer, examining it closely. ¡°And what changes because of that?¡± Hearing this, Suhyuk wondered if the Thunder Cave was an extension of the Lightning trials. A possessor of lightning. And someone who had passed all the Lightning trials to obtain the Heart of the Lightning. The Thunder Cave awaited a yer who fulfilled these conditions. ¡°There are others who possess this, surely?¡± Suhyuk was subtly referring to Schneider. Having undertaken countless challenges, Schneider had, at some point, obtained the Thunder Imprint against incredible odds. But Schneider hadn¡¯t mentioned such a reaction from the dragon. If it had happened, he would have certainly talked about it. This meant. The difference between Schneider and himself was clear. ¡®Is it because I have lightning? Or the Heart of the Lightning?¡¯ Maybe both. Whether this was a blessing or a curse was still unclear. Nothing definitive had been revealed. One thing was certain. ¡®This won¡¯t be an ordinary trial.¡¯ The information Schneider provided might turn out to be useless. Schneider had never mentioned entering the Thunder Cave by opening the gate. The dragon spoke, gazing down at the Thunder Imprint in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°I have to¡­ swallow this?¡± Suhyuk looked down at the Thunder Imprint with eyes widened in surprise at the simplicity of the trial. On the surface, it appeared to be nothing more than a shiny, seemingly useless item. ¨C And now he had to swallow it? ¨C You can actually eat that? ¨C I heard it¡¯s used as a material for crafting items. ¨C Suhyuk was thinking of selling it for a fortune, now he¡¯s screwed lol ¨C His points are gonna tank lolol The viewers thought Suhyuk was hesitating because he was reluctant to waste his points. And. They were right. ¡®This thing is worth so much¡­¡¯ His mind really had fixated on the points. His first thought in this situation was how much the Thunder Imprint was worth. With this, he could potentially raise the level of his Selfish Sacrifice skill by several stages. On the other hand. ¡®What changes if I eat it?¡¯ The oue of consuming it was unknown. It was a gamble. ¡¾ Thunder Imprint ¡¿ Grade: ¡ª A crystal left after a thunderstorm. Its use is unknown. It may contain immense power, or none at all. The description seemed more like a riddle. The grade was unspecified. The description was vague and uninformative. Its use was unknown, and it was unclear whether it contained any power. Despite this, the item fetched high prices in the market due to its value as a ¡®material item¡¯. ¡®When used in crafting, it grants a lightning attribute and significant power.¡¯ Many yers eagerly sought this item. So, without finding any special use for it, Suhyuk intended to sell it after the raid¡­ And now he had to eat it. ¨C Eat it! Eat it! ¨C Eat it! ¨C Do it! Do it! ¨C Do it do it do it do it Even the viewers were united in their chants. Adjusting his microphone, Suhyuk sighed. ¡°Do I really have to eat this?¡± ¨C Of course lol ¨C Come on, just do it lol ¨C Lucky ones? Nope! Not you! ¨C Finally, Suhyuk gets tripped up! Why did it feel like he had be the viin? Apparently, this was a moment when the viewers were united in trolling their streamer. ¡°¡­You know how much this is worth.¡± ¨C Lolololol ¨C If you eat it, I¡¯ll donate 10 points. ^0^ ¨C I¡¯ll give a mission. 100 points worth. ^0^ ¨C Today, Suhyuk eats a thunder crystal. Nom nom~ This won¡¯t do. Reading the chat only seemed to aggravate him further. Suhyuk sighed once more, adjusting his microphone. He nced again at the Thunder Imprint, lost in thought. ¡®It¡¯s a gamble worth taking.¡¯ The Thunder Imprint held immense power. Its utility as a material item had already proven that. Above all, sessfullypleting the trial always guaranteed yers a significant reward. The question was whether that reward would surpass the value of the Thunder Imprint. Anyway, the item itself wouldn¡¯t be entirely wasted. And more importantly. ¡®Giving up isn¡¯t like me. No.¡¯ Suhyuk opened the bottom part of his mask and slowly brought the Thunder Imprint to his mouth. ¡®It¡¯s not like Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ He knew the potential loss was substantial if he failed. But to neglect the trial for points was equally unlike him. More than anyone, being true to himself¡ªLee Suhyuk¡ªwas his stream¡¯s motto. And, fundamentally, he really was Lee Suhyuk. ¡®Be myself.¡¯ With a swift motion¡ª He ced the yellow crystal in his mouth. Crunch¡ª He bit down on the Thunder Imprint, shattering it with his teeth. Gulp¡ª He swallowed. ¡º¡¯You have consumed the Thunder Imprint.¡¯¡» ¡ºThe Trial of Thunder begins within your body.¡» Chapter 69 Chapter 69 On the screen Un Hyang was watching, the dragon¡¯s words made her frown while munching on a snack. ¡°Is that crazy creature serious? Do you know how much that¡¯s worth?¡± The item in question was the Thunder Imprint, a highly rare and valuable material item worth a fortune. Obtaining it was akin to earning the points that even major streamers would need to work for months to umte. Yet, The dragon was urging Suhyuk to swallow it. ¡°Ugh, if that wretched worm were in front of me, I¡¯d just¡­!¡± Un Hyang clenched her fist and swung it through the air in frustration. She genuinely felt like socking the dragon if it were right before her eyes. Buzz¡ª Just then, her kit buzzed again. In the middle of an important scene, Un Hyang¡¯s expression quickly darkened. If it were John Dale, she would have ignored it and carried on. But the caller was someone different this time. ¡°¡­ Hello, Cheon Ryang.¡± She answered with a slightly trembling voice. On the other end, Cheon Ryang¡¯s voice was its usual calm self. -Yeah. I think I¡¯ll be arriving soon. ¡°Really? Already? Ah, it¡¯s closer from there, I guess.¡± -Of course. It¡¯s nearer than the third floor. Although Cheon Ryang replied casually, Un Hyang hesitated, which was unusual for her. It was Cheon Ryang, after all. A childhood friend, practically a sibling since they were kids. Talking to Cheon Ryang felt different, awkward for a reason she couldn¡¯t quite grasp. And that reason was probably¡ª ¡°¡­Hey.¡± -Hmm? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Truly.¡± Guilt. She felt guilty about asking him, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. Saying she¡¯d call off the bet was just an excuse. That meant nothingpared to this task. Still. -Just keep your promise. Don¡¯t ask for any more favorster, okay? Cheon Ryang joked, fully aware of the situation. -I called just to say that. Don¡¯t back outter. You know I¡¯m broke, right? Un Hyang nodded, though he couldn¡¯t see her. She wondered why he had to call just to say something he didn¡¯t need to mention. He was subtly telling her, ¡®I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m truly okay with it, so don¡¯t feel guilty.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not your fault.¡¯ -Okay, I¡¯m hanging up now. Keep monitoring Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. Click. He dropped the call without waiting for her response, probably in a hurry. As the phone clicked off, the screen and sound switched back to the stream. Suhyuk, swallowing the Thunder Imprint, didn¡¯t even register with her distracted state. * Walls as high as fortresses and structures reaching the sky. Returning to his hometown, Murim, Cheon Ryang paused to take a deep breath. ¡°Why did Ie back here¡­.¡± He knew the reason, despite his words. A few spoken words. That¡¯s why he hade back. His steps felt heavy. It wasn¡¯t as if he had walked the whole way; he had ridden in a carriage. ¡®I talked big, but¡­¡¯ He suddenly regretted his bold deration. ¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve just said I couldn¡¯t do it.¡¯ But havingmitted to it, there was no turning back. He just needed a bit more time to gather his resolve. ¡°Hah¡ª¡± Step¡ª Despite his efforts, his legs refused to move, so Cheon Ryang sought an excuse. ¡°I suppose I won¡¯t bete if I have just one te of dumplings, right?¡± Truly. He didn¡¯t want to do it. * Gulp¡ª The Thunder Imprint went down his throat. ¡º¡¯You have consumed the Thunder Imprint.¡» ¡ºThe Trial of Thunder begins within your body.¡» Boom¡ª! The sound of thunder echoed, but only Suhyuk could hear it. Instinctively, he knew. This thunder was for him alone. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Thud¡ª The strength left his body, and he fell to his knees. The moment he swallowed the Thunder Imprint, thunder surged through his throat, stomach, and spread throughout his entire body. In the blink of an eye, he felt the crackling sensation of electricity spreading through him. Sizzle¡ª! Electricity burst from his body, escaping through his skin. The pain was intense. His body burned, and he trembled from the shock. The painful reality was that he had relied too heavily on Selfish Sacrifice. ¡®This doesn¡¯t apply to Selfish Sacrifice.¡¯ The effects of Selfish Sacrifice increased resistance to self-sacrificial skills. In other words, it only resisted skills that consumed stamina to increase power, like the magic sword or lightning, but it didn¡¯t block all damage. Despite pouring points into leveling up Selfish Sacrifice, it offered no help in this situation. There was one thing resisting the pain. ¡º¡¯Heart of the Lightning¡¯ resists the Thunder Imprint.¡» ¡ºResisted Status Effect: Electrocution.¡» The Heart of the Lightning. But. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ Sizzle¡ª! Suhyuk¡¯s body recognized the thunder¡¯s power rampaging through him as an intruder. ¡®This is no joke.¡¯ The Thunder Imprint was a concentrated item designed to prevent intruders from entering the Thunder Cave. Countless yers had tried to break through the Thunder Gate to enter the cave, but none had seeded. This meant an immense force resided here. The only saving grace was that the Heart of the Lightning prevented electrocution. Had he been electrocuted, his body would have been paralyzed, and he would have lost consciousness, unable to resist this power. ¡®Stay focused.¡¯ As long as he could maintain his focus, he could figure out the next step. ¡®They said it contains the power of lightning.¡¯ Feeling the force rampaging inside him, Suhyuk widened his eyes. ¡®Let¡¯s see who wins.¡¯ Sss, sssss¡ª! The Thunder Imprint melted and spread throughout his body. The pain intensified, but so did the benefits. ¡º¡¯The Thunder Imprint¡¯ is being absorbed into your body.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFatigue increased.¡» ¡ºFatigue has reached 67.¡» With each stat increase, the fatigue intensified. As the damage umted, the pain didn¡¯t merely be familiar; it worsened. However, ¡®As long as I endure this, it won¡¯t be in vain.¡¯ Sizzle¡ª! Boom¡ª! The deeper the pain and the louder the thunder in his ears, the more Suhyuk smiled. It might seem masochistic, but mental fortitude was one of his greatest strengths. Enduring was one of the things he did best. ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFatigue has reached 73.¡» How many increases had it been already? ¡®Four? No, five?¡¯ His focus on enduring the pain made it hard to keep track. He would need to check his stat screenter for the details. But of course, ¡®That¡¯s assuming I survive this.¡¯ Suhyuk nced at the golden-scaled dragon hovering above him. It seemed to be watching him with a detached curiosity, like observing a bear in a zoo. ¡®I will endure. No matter what.¡¯ Gritting his teeth. Failing this trial would mean wasting the precious Thunder Imprint. Moreover, he would have to umte aplishments again and achieve A-rank mercenary status to retry the Thunder Cave, a cumbersome process. ¡®That¡¯s out of the question.¡¯ Wasting both points and time was uneptable. Thinking of going through that ordeal again gave him a renewed sense of determination. But. Szz, szzzz¡ª! ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFatigue has reached 81.¡» No matter how strong his mental fortitude, there were physical limits. Thanks to the Heart of the Lightning, he could barely endure. But Suhyuk¡¯s body was reaching its breaking point. Realizing this, he decided to change his approach. ¡®I need another method.¡¯ Rising stats were good. But this wasn¡¯t the same as breaking through meridians or unblocking energy channels; it was merely an infusion. Like forcing air into a balloon, if his body couldn¡¯t withstand it, it would burst. So, merely enjoying the stat boosts wouldn¡¯t suffice. Dying here would scatter these stats into nothingness. ¡®I need another way¡­¡¯ He racked his brain. Simply persevering through sheer mental will was not enough. There were two viable options. Although it was a pity, he might have to release the energy outside somehow. Otherwise¡­ ¡®Maybe I was wrong to think I had to endure this physically.¡¯ No matter how daunting the Thunder Cave was, expecting someone to merely endure it physically would be unreasonable. Though the challenges in the tower varied in difficulty, they were neverpletely impossible. This meant that¡­ ¡®It¡¯s not about enduring physically¡ª¡¯ Sizzle, sizzle¡ª With lightning crackling around him, Suhyuk shed the Thunder Imprint¡¯s energy with the lightning within him. Boom, rumble¡ª! The two energies collided, and suddenly, the raging thunderous energy began to concentrate in one direction within his body. The previously wild energy finally found a path. At the end of this path was a concentrated mass of lightning located near the top of Suhyuk¡¯s abdomen. ¡®I should have directed it here from the start.¡¯ He had gained quite a few stats, but it had also inflicted considerable damage on his body. Using lightning, Suhyuk guided the energy slowly toward one side. The immense movement of energy intensified his focus, making time feel slower. ¡®If it strays off course, it¡¯s over. I can¡¯t endure with this level of fatigue.¡¯ Releasing the energy outside was an option, but he didn¡¯t want to make a cowardly choice. More importantly, missing out on this opportunity wasn¡¯t an option. ¡®Forerunners in the ranking. 20 years. Blue Zone, Kim Ilsoo¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t enough to merely follow. To climb higher and faster, he couldn¡¯t always choose the safe andfortable path. ¡®Come here.¡¯ Sizzle¡ª He directed his will towards the rampaging energy. ¡®This way¡­¡¯ Continuing to direct it. But it didn¡¯t go as smoothly as he hoped. Focus heightened to its peak. Though he had found the method, he hadn¡¯t yet reached the solution. He was close, but not quite there. To close that gap, a more drastic measure was necessary. For instance¡ª ¡®This seems insane¡­¡¯ But this whole trial had been insane from the start. Swish¡ª From his inventory. Suhyuk retrieved the small, gleaming yellow gem and grasped it in his hand. ¡®A heart, they called it.¡¯ There had been something nagging at him. ¡¾ Heart of the Lightning ¡¿ Grade: Unique (Growth) Requirements: ¨C Non-transferable (Bound) Unique grade. No usage restrictions. A bound, non-transferable item. The part that puzzled Suhyuk was the ¡°usage restrictions¡± listed. ¡®It¡¯s not just something to possess; it¡¯s an item meant to be worn.¡¯ With his mouth dry as a bone, Suhyuk slowly brought the Heart of the Lightning to his mouth. ¡®If not, well, it¡¯lle out one way or another.¡¯ Gulp¡ª As the yellow gem slid down his throat. ¡º¡¯You have equipped the Heart of the Lightning.¡» The awaited message appeared. TL¡¯s Corner: Equip by eating. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Hummmm¡ª The dragon that hovered above Suhyuk began to fade. Suhyuk, who had swallowed the yellow gem, seemed to lose consciousness, his eyes rolling back as his head tilted. The dragon¡¯s form grew faint right after Suhyuk swallowed the Heart of the Lightning. Even as the dragon¡¯s image blurred, the fresco on the wall did not return. Its purpose fulfilled, now it was time for it to ascend. Having consumed the Heart of the Lightning, Suhyuk¡¯s ascent would be different. Although this new bearer wasn¡¯t as exceptional, he possessed something thest one didn¡¯t. The Heart of the Lightning. An essential item for humans to wield the power of lightning, akin to a divine weapon¡¯s antithesis. Though it wasn¡¯t fullyplete, being still in its early stages, there was room to cultivate the remaining aspects. The dragon¡¯s form vanishedpletely, dispersed like golden mirages, leaving Suhyuk half-conscious, sitting on the floor. As Suhyuk struggled to stay conscious, a long-awaited message appeared before his eyes. ¡ºThe skill rank of ¡®Lightning¡¯ has increased to S-.¡» And with that. Thud¡ª Suhyuk¡¯s body copsed to the ground. * Schneider, having entered through the door, couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment. ¡®What is this?¡¯ The room seemed different. And it didn¡¯t take him long to identify the change. ¡®It¡¯s gone. The murals.¡¯ The yellow lines that had been painted on the wall. The fresco of the Thunder Dragon that should have been there to prepare the trial was nowhere to be seen. What had happened? After thoroughly searching the room, Schneider had no choice but to ept that the dragon had disappeared. Finally, Schneider called the others inside. ¡°This finished rather quickly, didn¡¯t it?¡± Schneider had spent around thirty minutes searching for the dragon. That time was rtively fast. Moreover, Schneider appeared unscathed, with no signs of injury or burns. Don Zhao had assumed Schneider would grit his teeth and push through another trial. But. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The dragon is gone. Look.¡± Schneider pointed to the walls of the room. The interior walls looked no different than those in the other parts of the cave. Whether before or after the trial, the murals of the endlessly long dragon had always been there. But now. ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ gone?¡± Schneider had passed the dragon¡¯s trial multiple times. But never had the murals disappeared like this. ¡°Did you do this, Schneider?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even start the trial.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another one besides us inside the cave, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­ No way?¡± The Thunder Cave was interconnected. ording to Schneider, the dragon¡¯s mural extended from here to the Conrad Kingdom¡¯s side. This meant the trial could also be taken from the other side. ¡°Yes. From the Thunder Chamber onwards, there¡¯s no distinction between Odman and Conrad.¡± ¡°¡­ They already passed through here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it seems.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it a solo challenge? How could they already¡­ Never mind that¡ªwhy did the dragon disappear?¡± Confounded, Don Zhao¡¯s words tumbled out incoherently, and Paul Rimen interjected. ¡°Is this the time to debate that?¡± Paul marched towards Schneider. ¡°If Lee Suhyuk has already passed through here, we need to hurry after him. Do you want to let him take all the Thunder Cave¡¯s rewards?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be so bad, either.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m here just for some cheap rewards?¡± Paul Rimen was left speechless by Schneider¡¯s unexpected question. Theoretically, he could answer. Of course, that¡¯s why everyone is here. Isn¡¯t it obvious? But if asked whether Schneider fell into that category, Paul Rimen couldn¡¯t confidently say yes. Schneider was peculiarly obsessed with the Thunder Cave. Not all yers could fixate on one goal like he did. ¡°I¡¯ve faced countless failures, but finally, something¡¯s different. Someone other than me is nearing the end of the Thunder Cave.¡± Schneider spoke, barely containing his excitement. ¡°So I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t mess with me. I feel like I could explode with joy right now.¡± ¡°¡­Sure, that seems wise.¡± Seeing Schneider on the verge of exploding, Paul Rimen cautiously stepped back. Feeling somewhat sorry for Paul Rimen¡¯s submissive retreat, Don Zhao nced at him and spoke. ¡°No need to worry too much.¡± ¡°What do you mean, don¡¯t worry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve faced him in a tournament, you know? I got crushed, but still.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Even if there were two of him, the next part would be difficult.¡± Paul Rimen frowned at Don Zhao¡¯s confident words. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that imply even Schneider would find it difficult, even if there were two of him?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Catching Schneider¡¯s eye, Don Zhao hesitated. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what it means.¡± Schneider interjected, answering in Don Zhao¡¯s stead and downying his own abilities. ¡°Even if there were two, or maybe even three of me, it might still be challenging.¡± Step, step¡ª Saying this, Schneider began to move again. ¡°So stay alert. If you want to bask in the glory of conquering the Thunder Cave, you have to survive first.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, sure.¡± Paul Rimen¡¯s voice trembled in response. Schneider¡¯s demeanor had shifted. It had changed when they initially arrived at the Thunder Cave, but now it felt even more intense. ¡®Finally, we¡¯re here.¡¯ Step, step¡ª From the moment he confirmed the dragon¡¯s disappearance, Schneider had been riding a high. ¡®It¡¯s disappointing that I couldn¡¯t handle everything myself, but¡­¡¯ Step, step¡ª His pace quickened. ¡®Trusting that guy wasn¡¯t a bad decision.¡¯ Schneider, along with his team, walked for quite a while. After over thirty minutes of following the long, winding cave. A bend in the path shaped like a backwards ¡°L¡± revealed another door. ¡°Turn here, and we end up on the Conrad Kingdom¡¯s side. Beyond this door is the final stretch of the Thunder Cave that we¡¯ve confirmed.¡± ¡°It looks like Lee Suhyuk came through from that side.¡± Rather fixated on Lee Suhyuk, Paul Rimen nced toward the direction of the Conrad Kingdom rather than at the newly revealed door. Then, he turned his gaze to the massive iron door covered in dust. ¡°He might be beyond this door right now.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± He had to be. The key to this raid was in his hands. Thinking this, Schneider reached forward. Creeeak¡ª The rusty metal hinges groaned as the door opened. Leading the group, Schneider entered, revealing a stairway standing alone, reaching high into the cavern. ¡°¡­An exalted throne?¡± A stairway with seemingly a thousand steps. The cave¡¯s ceiling was artfully raised to amodate it. Judging by the structure, the stairway, and the throne at the top, it was clear. The Thunder Cave was no naturally urring dungeon. It was more like an artificial construct, deliberately created. ¡º¡¯You have entered Thunder¡¯s Second Chamber.¡¯¡» ¡º¡¯Sit on the throne.¡¯¡» The trial of the second chamber was straightforward. Sit on the throne before you. The stairs were high and might tire your legs, but even an ordinary person could aplish this. ¡°¡­This feels ominous.¡± Because of this simplicity, Paul Rimen felt a growing sense of unease. yers preferred trials that were not merely easy but those that presented a reasonable challenge, achievable with effort. When a trial appeared overly easy, it usually meant one of two things. Either the rewards were meager. Or there was an unseenplication. In this case, it was undoubtedly thetter. Why? ¡®There¡¯s no way he couldn¡¯t move forward because he couldn¡¯t climb those stairs.¡¯ Paul Rimen thought as he nced at Schneider¡¯s back. Schneider stood motionless, staring ahead. After a moment, he spoke in a hushed tone, his words partially omitted yet clear. ¡°¡­Not here.¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk.¡± It seemed Schneider had been searching for Lee Suhyuk. Paul Rimen didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°Well, maybe he¡¯s already sat in that chair and moved on.¡± Just because Lee Suhyuk was ahead didn¡¯t mean he was only one step ahead. He could be two steps, or even three or four steps further along. ¡®Looks like this might be another path Lee Suhyuk has already passed.¡¯ But that was a naive assumption, born of Paul Rimen¡¯sck of understanding of the Thunder Cave. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°To im that throne¡­¡± Step¡ª As Schneider took a single step towards the throne. sh¡ª! Boom¡ª! A thunderous sound bolted down with a yellow sh from the cave ceiling. ¡ºYou have encroached upon the throne¡¯s domain.¡» ¡º¡®Thunder Knight¡¯ appears.¡» ¡°¡­You have to defeat that.¡± Crackle, crackle¡ª With the sound of thunder, what descended from the ceiling of the cave was a knight d in full te mail, with remnants of electricity coursing through his body. He stood at the foot of the stairs, his face obscured by his helmet, and gripped an ancient, worn-out sword in his hand. It was as if he was dering that no one would ascend these steps without first oveing him. ¡°The Thunder Knight?¡± ¡°A boss mob?¡± ¡°Why is there a human boss¡­.¡± Human-shaped monsters were rare. Especially in these lower levels, such cases were almost unheard of. The startled yers hesitated. The Thunder Knight radiated a golden glow from his eyes, intimidating the yers with sheer presence. ¡°That was him.¡± Facing the knight, Schneider spoke with a voice tinged with despair. ¡°The insurmountable wall I encountered here.¡± Not ten years, but twenty. Or perhaps he had wondered if he would ever ovee this mighty knight, even if he dedicated his entire life. The guardian of the Thunder Cave. A few months ago, Schneider had finally learned the knight¡¯s name from a source. ¡°Ferius.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Ferius is back as a boss. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Ferius. It had been less than half a year since Schneider first heard that name. A name given out of respect by the Thunder Knight, acknowledging a warrior who had reached a certain pinnacle. Ironically, Schneider heard the name again in a clipped stream video featuring Lee Suhyuk on yers. ¡°Please help us. We beg you.¡± ¡°Savior! You¡¯ve awakened!¡± ¡°Yes, ask me anything!¡± He could hardly believe what he saw. Could this really be the same person? The Thunder Knight he knew and the Ferius from Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream just didn¡¯t seem like the same individual. But. ¡®It¡¯s not amon name. It seems too much of a coincidence, especially given the simr nature of the trials.¡¯ It was possible the two Feriuses were the same person. No, it was highly likely. Thus, Schneider asked Suhyuk about the knight named Ferius on that night in the tavern. ¡°Ferius¡­ Ah, you mean Loserrius?¡± ¡°Loserrius?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we called him on our stream. But why do you ask?¡± ¡°That monstrous being gets called Loserrius on your stream¡­.¡± It was so funny that Schneider felt his drunkenness dissipate. To him, Ferius was a figure of despair, yet on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream, he was treated like a minor character. Laughing for a while, Schneider refilled his empty cup to regain his lost intoxication before exining more about the Thunder Knight. ¡°¡­And that guy introduced himself as Ferius.¡± ¡°A different person with the same name¡­ doesn¡¯t seem likely. No, better not to think that.¡± ¡°Yeah, considering both trials involve lightning, it¡¯s better to think they¡¯re the same.¡± Suho¡¯s reaction was one of mild surprise. ¡°That guy is the final boss there, huh¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain he¡¯s the final boss. There might be more to his story.¡± ¡°Then howe I only know about it now? Surely I¡¯m not the only one who knows Ferius.¡± Originally, Ferius was a character appearing in the middle stages of the Lightning trials. Even Suho¡¯s viewers knew that Ferius ended up dead, indicating they were well-versed in the Lightning trials. ¡°Even if many yers have met Ferius, I¡¯m the only one who knows the Thunder Knight¡¯s name. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t know the name Ferius.¡± The Thunder Knight had revealed his name only when Schneider¡¯s party was wiped out, leaving Schneider alone. And though Schneider remembered the knight¡¯s name, he never mentioned it to anyone. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s definitely a connection between this Thunder Knight and your lightning. So¡­.¡± ¡®It should¡¯ve been him here, not me.¡¯ Schneider frowned at the sight of the Thunder Knight ahead. Lee Suhyuk had certainly passed through the first chamber¡¯s trial before them, so why wasn¡¯t he here? ¡®Did he fail? Right after passing the trial?¡¯ If he could watch the stream, his curiosity could be eased. But now, he also had to face his trial, making it impossible to check the stream. Step, step. Ferius approached Schneider and his team. Looking directly at Schneider, standing at the front, Ferius spoke. ¡°I expected you woulde again.¡± Schneider had indeed challenged the Thunder Cave countless times. Schneider had shed with Ferius several times. And every time, it ended in Schneider¡¯s defeat. However, the Thunder Knight seemed certain that Schneider would not give up so easily. ¡°But the result will be the same. You can¡¯t pass through here with just sheer will.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re not waiting for me, are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you remember.¡± Those words drove Schneider into despair. ¡°No matter how many times you try, it will be useless. The one I¡¯m waiting for isn¡¯t you.¡± Schneider felt an indescribable emptiness upon hearing those words. He had be so obsessed with the Thunder Cave that he thought it was his destiny. Perhaps he even felt that the Thunder Cave was calling out to him. But. ording to Ferius, the Thunder Cave was not waiting for him after all. Who or what Ferius was waiting for remained a mystery. But it was clear that it wasn¡¯t him, and that was the very reason he couldn¡¯t pass through this ce. ¡°Then, the person you are waiting for hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡± ¡°No, they haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± Schneider closed his eyes at those words. He had held onto a sliver of hope, but it seemed that Lee Suhyuk had note after all. ¡®Nothing has changed.¡¯ He had hoped that things would be different after seeing the mural of the lost dragon. With a sharp sound, Schneider opened his eyes again and pointed his spear forward. ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ He would just have to challenge it with all his might once more. And at that moment. ¡°Surround him, everyone!¡± With Paul Rimen¡¯s shout, about ten yers began to encircle Ferius. It was the most basic tactic used when hunting a single yer. But sometimes. There are opponents whom tactics cannot reach. ¡°Wait! If you step forward like that first¡ª¡± Before the words were even finished. sh! Ferius¡¯s old sword shed, drawing a yellow line. Boom! With the sound of thunder, the sword swung. In the blink of an eye, a hole was punched in the formation encircling Ferius. The wave of electricity emitted from the sword swept away three yers. Ferius¡¯s sword then aimed at the center of the formation where Paul Rimen was. Paul Rimen instinctively used a skill. The sword in his hand grewrger and heavier. Paul Rimen¡¯s erged sword, easily three times his size, shed with Ferius¡¯s old, chipped sword. ng! A heavy, clear sound reverberated in all directions. It was the sound of the oversized sword and the chipped sword colliding. The result was. Crack, cr-crack¡ª Cracks rapidly formed on Paul Rimen¡¯s sword. ¡°You¡¯re a bit better than the previous three.¡± ¡®A bit?¡¯ Paul Rimen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Who was he? He was the hidden card sent by Blue Zone to conquer the Thunder Cave in ce of Schneider. Yet, he was only ¡®a bit¡¯ better than the three who went before him? While Paul Rimen was still bewildered by Ferius¡¯sment. ng! Paul Rimen¡¯s sword finally broke, and Ferius¡¯s sword flew towards his neck. ¡®I¡¯m going to die¡­¡¯ Thunk! Contrary to his expectation that his head would be severed, sparks flew before his eyes. A spear intervened just in time. Schneider, exuding a blue aura, had blocked Ferius¡¯s sword. ng, cr-crack¡ª And as if by a tacit agreement, they both¡­ began shing spear and sword. ng¡ª Schneider¡¯s spear moved rapidly, tracing countless lines. Ferius¡¯s sword emitted golden electricity, intertwining with the movements. Although itsted only a few seconds, Paul Rimen, alternating nces between his broken sword and the battle, felt a sense of powerlessness for the first time in his life. ¡®This is¡­ Omar Schneider?¡¯ He had only heard rumors. He hadn¡¯t participated in thepetition on the third floor, so he never had the chance to witness his skills firsthand. Perhaps on some level, he had thought that way. ¡®Isn¡¯t he just a loser struggling on the third floor?¡¯ But. ¡°Do you really think the guild sent you because they didn¡¯t trust the team leader?¡± Don Zhao knew from the start why Paul Rimen had joined the team. ¡°No. You were just meant to be a stimnt. To provoke the team leader¡¯s pride and push the team¡¯s tension higher.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a stimnt?¡± ¡°Did you think you were anything else?¡± His pride was hurt. But despite that, he couldn¡¯t say anything because of the spectacle unfolding before his eyes. Schneider and Ferius. Their battle seemed to take ce in a different dimension altogether. Boom! Buzz, ng¡ª The yellow electricity shing with the spear was blinding. It felt like stepping into that space, even for a moment, would tear his body apart. It was on another level. It made him question whether they were truly yers of the third floor and whether Ferius was a boss from the third floor. Watching a fight he couldn¡¯t dare to interrupt. Paul Rimen thought of someone who would be on the same level as those two. ¡®Did someone like Lee Suhyuk actually defeat such a guy?¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. A streamer who suddenly emerged one day and began making a name for himself. What kind of monster could he be? Boom! Electricity surged once more from the tip of Ferius¡¯s sword. Cr-crack¡ª The electricity shattered the cave walls, pushing Schneider back. Grimacing from the impact, he flew backward, clutching his spear. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Throb¡ª His hands, gripping the spear, trembled uncontrobly. Even though he tried to shield himself with magic, the electricity from Ferius numbed his body. He could barely keep up with the speed, but the destructive power was on a different scale. ¡®How much longer can I hold out?¡¯ It had only been about three minutes since the fight started. Last time, he copsed after holding out for just this long. The only reason he could endure a bit longer this time was that he hadn¡¯t expended energy in the first room. ¡®Another three minutes? Or maybe two?¡¯ Buzz¡ª He saw Ferius¡¯s sword drawing a diagonal line. This time, it wasn¡¯t aimed at him, but at his otherrades. ¡°This crazy¡ª¡± The reason he cursed wasn¡¯t anything else. It was because it was already toote by the time his body reacted. Boom! The electric wave from Ferius¡¯s sword swept away more of hisrades. There was no way to dodge or block it. This was the result of hisrades trying to attack Ferius to help Schneider. Of course. Thanks to that, Schneider¡¯s spear managed to get a bit closer to Ferius. Buzz¡ª ng¡ª When did he even turn his body? Ferius¡¯s sword shed with the spear. Then, Ferius¡¯s sword smoothly slid along the shaft of the spear. ¡°Gasp¡ª!¡± Gasping for breath, Schneider hurled himself backward. He managed to dodge a sh, but his stance was broken. ng, ng, cr-crack¡ª Sword and spear collided. The spear wavered dangerously, and his hand shook violently as he gripped it. ¡®What kind of strength is this¡­?¡¯ If he let his guard down for even a moment, he felt like he would lose his grip on the spear in an instant. It was like iling at the edge of a cliff. And that precarious feeling didn¡¯tst long. When Ferius¡¯s old sword shed one more time¡ª Boom! Thunk! With a loud p of thunder, Schneider¡¯s spear was flung toward the ceiling of the cave. Ferius¡¯s sword appeared right before his eyes. ¡®Is this the end again?¡¯ Schneider, as always, thought of the word ¡®failure¡¯. And at that moment. ng¡ª With a resonant sound, something flew in and deflected Ferius¡¯s sword. Ping, tiding¡ª A brief stillness settled in. Crackle¡ª Schneider¡¯s gaze followed the yellow line that extended far away. Towards the doorway of the second chamber they had entered. Standing there was the other conqueror of this ce, the one he had been waiting for so desperately. ¡°Lee Suhyuk?¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Before Suhyuk copsed. Even in his dazed state, the dragon¡¯s voice was clear. ¡®Realize my ass.¡¯ Everything the dragon said annoyed him, possibly because of the pain. Swallowing the Heart of Lightning had been an impulsive act driven by the thought that even if it was the wrong answer, he¡¯d just crap it out anyway. After all, he wouldn¡¯t lose it because it had a non-tradable option. The dragon¡¯s voice gradually faded. Just as Suhyuk¡¯s consciousness grew hazy to the point where he could no longer hear the loud voice. ¡®Is this my limit?¡¯ Crackle, crackle¡ª It felt like electricity, not blood, was flowing through his body. He no longer listened to the dragon¡¯s voice. As curious as he was about what it was saying, he had other things to focus on now. ¡®Almost there.¡¯ Crackle, crack¡ª The Heart of Lightning, positioned near his chest, was absorbing the remnants of the thunder. The recharged power began pounding like a real heart. The Heart of Lightning started distributing energy throughout his body. And at that moment. Snap¡ª Something snapped in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. ¡ºThe skill level of ¡®Lightning lv3¡¯ has increased.¡» ¡ºThe skill level of ¡®Lightning lv4¡¯ has increased.¡» ¡ºYou have acquired ¡®Lightning lv5.¡¯¡» ¡ºThe skill rank of ¡®Lightning¡¯ has risen to S-.¡» * His memory cut off halfway through. Judging by the fact that he was still inside the cave, it seemed he hadn¡¯t died. ¡®Did I pass out again?¡¯ That was his first thought upon waking up. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out how much time had passed. ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡± -About 30 minutes, I think? -Exactly 32 minutes. -Did he die again? -For real, he¡¯s always dying, lol. ¡®Ittojuk.¡¯ It was a term he saw for the first time. ¡°What does ¡®Ittojuk¡¯ mean?¡± -It means ¡®Lee Suhyuk dies again.¡¯ -For real, ittojuk is science, lol. ¡°But I didn¡¯t die¡­?¡± -Did anyone say you really died? -It just looks like you did, that¡¯s all. -Stop dying, Lee Suhyuk@@@ Suhyuk scratched his head in embarrassment. It seemed like he really had passed out a lot. The fact that such a ridiculous nickname had been born among his viewers proved it. Still, he was relieved to see that a considerable number of viewers were still there. More than 5,000 viewers had stuck around watching him while he was unconscious. ¡°Sorry, everyone. You must have waited a long time.¡± ¨C Just an apology? ¨C Is ¡°sorry¡± supposed to be enough? Suhyuk knew they were just teasing, but he did feel genuinely apologetic for just brushing it off. His pride also kicked in. ¡°If it happens again¡­¡± He pondered for a moment what he could do. ¡º¡¯King of Stamina¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºIf you ck out again, will you do a face reveal?¡» Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a bit much.¡± ¨C LOL ¨C Instant rejection, LOL ¨C The speed of that refusal is amazing, LOL ¨C He¡¯s definitely ugly, I¡¯m sure of it There were some somewhat offensive misunderstandings mixed in, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡®Not that it really matters.¡¯ No one knew his face anyway. Despite that, he was reluctant to reveal it due to John Dale¡¯s advice. ¡®He said Suhyuk¡¯s mysterious appeales from his hidden face¡­¡¯ It was a reason he hadn¡¯t considered himself, but it made sense. After all, John Dale¡¯s job was analyzing streamers and viewers. It was best to heed the advice of an expert in this area. ¡º¡¯King of Stamina¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºThen cob with Mad Suhyuk?¡» Another donation message. Suhyuk had seen Mad Suhyuk¡¯s streams a few times. Coincidentally, Mad Suhyuk was also a top streamer under the same agency. ¨C Seriously¡­ ¨C Mad LOL ¨C Sending him to the Destroyer, LOL ¨C There¡¯s an assassin here! ¡°¡­?¡± What kind of reaction is this? ¡®Isn¡¯t a cob a good thing?¡¯ Mad Suhyuk was a major streamer. His average viewer count easily exceeded 50,000, sometimes even 100,000. He was a star among streamers. Coborating with Mad Suhyuk seemed like a great opportunity. Then what was this reaction about? ¡®No need to hesitate.¡¯ It was better than revealing his face. More importantly, the viewers seemed to want it. Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¨C Ohohohohoho! ¨C Are we going to see fake Suhyuk on Mad¡¯s stream? LOL ¨C No, we¡¯ll see Mad on fake Suhyuk¡¯s stream ¨C He¡¯s not quite at Mad¡¯s level yet; give it time. The reaction wasn¡¯t bad. Quite a few viewers seemed to be looking forward to it. Among them, there were somements mentioning terms like ¡°Destroyer King¡± and other things he couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°I¡¯ll wrap up the chit-chat here.¡± Suhyuk stood up, his eyes shining once again. ¡°We haven¡¯t finished the raid yet.¡± Right. The raid wasn¡¯t over yet. This was the Thunder Cave. A dungeon that hadn¡¯t been conquered in decades, known to be impregnable. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down. Even he was at risk this time. ¡®How much fatigue have I recovered?¡¯ Suhyuk checked his status. ¡ºStatus Window¡» ¡ºName: Lee Suhyuk¡» ¡ºAffiliation: Earth¡» ¡ºLevel: 37¡» ¡ºStrength: 38¡» ¡ºAgility: 34¡» ¡ºStamina: 36¡»+2 ¡ºFocus: 31¡» ¡ºMagic: 48¡» ¡ºFatigue: 71¡» ¡°¡­?¡± Two things caught his attention. Fatigue level: 71. A considerably high number. No wonder his body felt exhausted. He wasn¡¯t in perfect condition. Of course, it wasn¡¯t so high that he couldn¡¯t fight, but still. The other surprise was something else. ¡®Magic is 48?¡¯ The stat, which had been 36, had risen by a whopping 12 levels. It was almost burdensome. With most of his other stats lingering in the 30s, Magic had nearly reached 50, causing serious imbnce. Moreover, the skill level of Lightning had increased. He had gained too much. Meanwhile, his endurance hadn¡¯t improved, and his fatigue was high. ¡®This is good, but¡­¡¯ Thinking about bnce gave him a headache. With his Magic stat surging ahead on its own, the destructive power might increase, but the sustainability could decrease. However, there was one thing he looked forward to. ¡®Heart of Lightning.¡¯ Thump, thump¡ª A small stone nestled near his heart. This stone, which felt almost like a real heart, was a tool for humans to handle thunder. * Crackle, crackle¡ª Heat flowed from Suhyuk¡¯s fingertips afterunching the spear. In the distance, he noticed Schneider¡¯s stunned face. ¡®I blocked it.¡¯ Having deflected the knight¡¯s sword, Suhyuk clicked his tongue in disappointment. He wanted to sever the arm holding the sword, not just deflect it. In thest moment, the knight twisted his sword to block the attack. ¡®He has excellent reflexes to react to a surprise attack. He¡¯s fast too.¡¯ Was that really Ferius? Images of ¡°Loserrius¡± came to mind. Back then, he struggled to take down even a single giant. Now, Ferius emitted an aura fierce enough to y not just giants but even the leader of the giant tribe. Step¡ª Suhyuk approached Ferius and Schneider, both of whom were eyeing him intently. Up until a moment ago, Ferius, who had been fighting Schneider, now gave him no particr attention since Suhyuk¡¯s arrival. ¡°Why are you sote?¡± Schneider¡¯s reaction to Suhyuk¡¯s arrival was ambiguous, not clearly expressing whether he was pleased or annoyed. ¡°I dozed off for a bit.¡± ¡°Dozed off?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± He didn¡¯t want to openly admit he had passed out, so he gave a roundabout answer. Schneider, tilting his head at the response, picked up the spear that had fallen to the ground and spoke. ¡°He¡¯s not an easy opponent.¡± ¡°Seems that way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep my distance and support you from behind like before. I don¡¯t have¡ª¡± Crackle¡ª Mid-sentence, Ferius¡¯s sword flew towards Schneider¡¯s neck. ng¡ª He barely managed to block it with the shaft of his spear. If he had been a little slower to react, his head would have been taken off. But. Crack¡ª The strong impact caused a crack in the already worn spear shaft. Crackle, crackle¡ª For some reason, Ferius, who had never shown such power before, raised his sword once more. Boom¡ª ¡°Ugh¡­¡± His body trembled as a numbing sensation spread through his entire body. Both the spear and the hand holding it seemed precarious. Schneider had faced Ferius several times before, but he had never experienced this level of output. ¡®Was I not the final opponent?¡¯ Even without this extra strain, he was already exhausted. ng¡ª In the end, the spear broke. His eyes widened in shock as his frozen body refused to move. ¡°Stay back.¡± sh¡ª Another surge of electricity burst forth. ng¡ª Ferius¡¯s and Suhyuk¡¯s lightning collided, scattering in all directions. Crackle, crackle¡ª The two swords shed. The heavy sensation in both hands made Suhyuk¡¯s eyes gleam. He couldn¡¯t hold back. He quickly realized that this was not an opponent against whom he could conserve his strength. Therefore¡ª ¡º¡®Lightning¡¯ is initiated.¡» ¡º¡®Heart of Lightning¡¯ is activated.¡» ¡º¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv5¡¯ resists the damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.¡» Now was the time to unleash his full power. Crackle¡ª Electricity poured out from the tip of his sword. Thanks to his increased Magic and the upgraded skill level, it was iparable to before. The burden on his stamina would be significantly greater, but¡ª ¡®I can manage it.¡¯ For some reason, the anticipated strain was not as severe as he had feared. Buzz¡ª Suhyuk¡¯s sword swung towards Ferius. Ferius met the attack head-on, showing no intention of dodging. ng¡ª Crackle¡ª The two swords shed, sending out bursts of electricity in all directions. Schneider, who was nearby, raised one arm to protect himself. Even the remnants of the scattered electricity were enough to put most yers¡¯ lives at risk. Boom, boom¡ª ng¡ª Each sh of the swords echoed with the sound of thunder, and the discharged electricity struck and shattered the cave walls. Schneider watched the battle between Suhyuk and Ferius with wide eyes. ¡®What happened in such a short time?¡¯ It had only been a few days since he had fought Suhyuk. Despite being taken down by a single strike of the Lightning Spear, Schneider had thought that he could put up a decent fight if they were to sh again. Even now, he was sure that belief wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. But still. ¡®His speed might be because of new shoes, but¡­¡¯ Boom! A yer capable of releasing such massive electricity couldn¡¯t be the same as any other yer on the third floor. ¡®What did he obtain here?¡¯ It felt like Suhyuk had be apletely different person in that brief period. And Suhyuk felt the same about himself. ¡®This feels new.¡¯ Was it because of the Heart of Lightning within him? It felt different from simply using thunder as a skill. The sensation of being able to freely draw on the thunder circting through his body like blood. And that feeling was not an illusion. Suddenly, the dragon¡¯s words came to mind. At the time, he had been too flustered to focus on anything but the noise. ¡®It really was a treasure.¡¯ The difference between merely carrying it and using it properly was this significant. What would it be like if he were in perfect condition? How much thunder could he unleash then? As this anticipation made him increasingly excited¡ª ¡°It really is you.¡± Sss¡ª Ferius, who had retreated a distance, spoke with glowing eyes from within his helmet. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, savior.¡± Chapter 73 Just as tensions were peaking, the fight was interrupted. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Suhyuk lowered his sword, which he had been amping up with lightning. He wasn¡¯t a child who could afford to get drunk on newfound power and lose control. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the stories.¡± Suhyuk spoke while ncing briefly at Schneider. His gaze indicated to whom he had heard the stories from. ¡°Ferius.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± As Suhyuk and Ferius exchanged rxed words, the surrounding yers were left in bewilderment. Just moments ago, they were fighting fiercely, giving no room for interruption. Now, they were suddenly engaging in polite conversation, which was understandable. ¨C Loserrius recognized him! ¨C I believed in you!!! ¨C Now that he knows, will he step aside? Viewers were also fascinated by the new development. With his sword lowered, Suhyuk started paying attention to the stream again. ¡ºViewers: 9,102¡» The viewer count had increased dramatically. Although it had dropped significantly while he was unconscious, many viewers were still interested in the conquest of Thunder Cave. Regardless of its level, Thunder Cave was a dungeon that Blue Zone had long invested in to obtain Lightning. ¡°I¡¯m d you heard it.¡± Clink¡ª Ferius removed his helmet. And revealed his face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll recognize me, but it¡¯s good to see you again, savior.¡± ¨C Oh wow¡­ ¨C Yikes ¨C What happened to his face? -;;; Ferius¡¯s revealed face was far from pleasant. A long burn scar ran diagonally across his face, and his nose was badly mangled. Whatever ident he had endured left him in such a state. It was clear that, contrary to his words, it wasn¡¯t exactly a joyful situation for him to be greeting Suhyuk. ¡°Where have you been all this time?¡± ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes, I searched for you. Because you have the Lightning.¡± The person Ferius had been waiting for. It was indeed Suhyuk, who held Lightning. As a Thunder Knight, Ferius had been waiting here for a very long time for his old savior. ¡°I thought you woulde here someday. Though, I didn¡¯t expect you to look so young.¡± ¡°Young¡­?¡± Despite the briefness of his words, Suhyuk could sense the long passage of time in Ferius¡¯s statement. Although Ferius didn¡¯t appear significantly aged on the outside. The time he had been waiting for Suhyuk seemed far greater than five or ten years. ¡°How much time has passed since then?¡± ¡°Well, you suddenly disappeared, and I thought it was strange. I see, you are an otherworlder as well.¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Time¡­ I don¡¯t know. After over 100 years, I stopped counting.¡± ¨C ??? How is he over 100 years old with that face? ¨C High-ranking yers don¡¯t age, right? Isn¡¯t it something like that? ¨C Oh, right, that¡¯s possible. ¨C Maybe he¡¯s cursed or something. High-ranking yers typically halted aging and ceased to grow older. If Ferius were such a ranker, it would make sense. However, in this case, it wasn¡¯t about the immortality of rankers. ¡®He¡¯s far from being a ranker.¡¯ Though Ferius¡¯s abilities far surpassed those of yers on the third floor, he was nowhere close to the level of yers who were called rankers. This meant that he had not aged or died for a different reason. More importantly¡ª ¡®Wasn¡¯t the Trial of Thunder a repeatable, virtual trial? How does he remember me then?¡¯ It had only been about ten days since Suhyuk passed the Trial of Thunder. Yet, over a hundred years had passed in this location¡¯s trial, and Ferius remembered him. Was this predetermined from the start? Or had Suhyuk¡¯s actions during the Trial of Thunder influenced the Thunder Cave? As his thoughts deepened, Ferius spoke again. ¡°Since learning about the existence of otherworlders, I¡¯ve wondered. Perhaps the savior who helped us back then was also an otherworlder.¡± ¡°Were you disappointed?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ferius shook his head. ¡°Even if you did not help us out of goodwill, it¡¯s a fact that we received help from you. That cannot be denied.¡± ¡°What happened to the vigers? And what happened to you, Ferius?¡± ¡°The vige eventually disappeared. I am the only survivor.¡± As expected. The giants who attacked the vige were just the beginning. Even though the trial ended, the threat to the vige remained after Suhyuk vanished. And to ovee that threat¡ª Ferius had to make a choice. ¡°I wanted to have power as strong as yours. So, I searched for the power you used.¡± ¡®As I thought.¡¯ Suhyuk realized he was responsible for Ferius¡¯s current state. ¡°I must have traveled for over ten years. I came close to dying numerous times, and that¡¯s when my face became like this.¡± Ferius¡¯s eyes deepened as he recalled the past. ¡°Then I found this cave. And I found it.¡± ¡°You mean the Lightning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ferius¡¯s response caused a stir among those gathered around. ¨C Woww ¨C No way, it¡¯s true ¨C Thunder was here too, LOL ¨C All those who doubted Blue Zone¡¯s efforts,e out, LOL As expected from Kim Ilsoo¡­ The chat was just as chaotic. Lightning. It was Suhyuk¡¯s symbol and a skill coveted by all yers. Until now, it was known that the only opportunity to obtain Lightning was on the second floor. Now there was confirmation that Lightning was also hidden in the Thunder Cave. ¡°It was real¡­¡± ¡°If I could just get that¡­¡± ¡°Shh. Lower your voice.¡± Greedy voices were heard from behind. Some were already preparing to stab Suhyuk in the back. Regardless, Ferius continued speaking. ¡°This power named Lightning was what I desired. But to gain this power without the proper qualifications, I had to pay the price.¡± ¡°Did you receive some kind of punishment?¡± ¡°In a sense.¡± Ferius twisted the corners of his mouth into a smile. ¡°The price for a man without qualifications coveting great power.¡± As he spoke, Ferius touched the area around his eyes. ¡°Losing my sight and being trapped in this cave, waiting for you.¡± His eyes glowed with a yellow hue. It seemed his sight was impaired. ¡°So, please¡­¡± nk¡ª Lifting his worn-out sword, Ferius spoke in a courteous voice. ¡°Please, pass over me.¡± With those words¡ª sh¡ª Ferius swung the raised sword forward. Boom¡ª Lightning surged through Suhyuk¡¯s body. Reacting wasn¡¯t difficult. The slow raising of the sword was practically an announcement of the attack. Though an enemy, Ferius showed a form of respect toward Suhyuk. ¡®No wonder Schneider couldn¡¯t handle him.¡¯ Crackle, crackle¡ª Even though he blocked it, the impact was quite harsh. Ferius¡¯s skills were undoubtedly way beyond Schneider¡¯s. And ordinarily, it would apply to himself as well. ¡®Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ His fatigue levels were high. He had plenty of Magic butcked stamina. What he needed now was a swift and decisive victory. Fortunately¡ª ¡º¡®Lightning¡¯ is initiated.¡» With a Magic stat of 48 and an S- rank Thunder skill, Suhyuk was ready to unleash considerable power. Crackle¡ª Boom¡ª The two swords shed, creating a deafening thunder. A distinct space formed around Suhyuk and Ferius, preventing any other yers from daring to intervene. Schneider was no exception. ¡®Both Suhyuk and Ferius weren¡¯t this strong before.¡¯ Boom¡ª Listening to the thunder and trembling at the lightning bursts throughout the cave. ¡®¡­ It seems Thunder Cave wasn¡¯t waiting for me.¡¯ Crash¡ª Crackle, crackle¡ª The thunder embedded in each sword repelled each other. The swords didn¡¯t sh but hovered in midair, vibrating. Sweat beaded on Suhyuk¡¯s forehead. ¡®There¡¯s only one chance.¡¯ If he had more stamina, things might be different. But continuing like this would just lead to him copsing first. So¡ª ¡®I can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡¯ Bang¡ª His hand trembled as he kicked Ferius in the chest. The distance gave him a brief respite. As he took a short breath, Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted to Ferius¡¯s foothold. ¡®He can¡¯t use his eyes anyway.¡¯ This meant¡ª ¡®He relies on his senses.¡¯ Ferius could only read the presence around him. There was no other way. Crackle¡ª Not giving him a chance to rest, Ferius charged forward, lightning at his feet. There was no time to think. Suhyuk moved his sword, searching for an opening. Bang, bang, bang¡ª Boom¡ª Swords shed with the sound of thunder. ¡ºFatigue has reached 78.¡» ¡ºFatigue has reached 79.¡» ¡ºFatigue has¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡®No need to rush.¡¯ The rising fatigue only sharpened his focus. ¡®I will win.¡¯ And then, a piercing strike broke through. Whoosh¡ª A spear came flying from afar. Crunch¡ª Thunk¡ª ¡°¡­!¡± A spear pierced through Ferius¡¯s arm. Naturally, Ferius¡¯s attention shifted towards the direction the spear hade from. Even without sight, the instinct to turn towards a threat was a primal reaction for any living being. ¡°Schneider?¡± The spear had been thrown with all his might by none other than Schneider. And in that brief moment of distraction¡ª ¡®That was a useful move.¡¯ Suhyuk seized the opportunity. ¡ºFatigue has reached 81.¡» ¡º¡®Heart of Lightning¡¯ is activated.¡» Thump, thump¡ª As fatigue increased, his heart pounded faster. It wasn¡¯t his real heart. Next to his heart was another, the Heart of Lightning. It beat harder and faster, boosting output. Boom¡ª He kicked off the ground, elerating. As Ferius¡¯s attention refocused on Suhyuk, he faced a wave of lightning. To counter the sudden surge in power, Ferius too pushed himself to the limit. ¡°Even with one injured hand¡­¡± mp¡ª Ferius switched his sword to his other hand, wrapping it in thunder. ¡°I still have another hand.¡± Boom¡ª Thunder roared with a mighty swing of his sword. Confident in his strike, Ferius¡¯s expression became puzzled. The de met nothing. It neither split flesh and bone nor shed with another weapon. Suhyuk had been charging straight at him, yet now¡ª ¡®The presence¡­¡¯ He scanned the front, sides, and back. Suhyuk¡¯s presence was nowhere to be found. Buzz¡ª And then, Suhyuk reappeared¡ª ¡ºUsing ¡®Sky Walk¡¯.¡» ¡ºMovement speed increased by 30% for 3 seconds.¡» ¡ºCan step on air for 3 seconds.¡» Above Ferius¡¯s head. Suhyuk was inverted in mid-air, poised to strike downward with his sword. ng¡ª Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ng¡ª With a burst of thunder, the sword swung. Schneider clearly heard the sound. Mixed within was the noise of flesh and bone being split. And then, the next moment. Thud, thud¡ª Ferius¡¯s head fell to the ground. A moment of silence ensued. Suhyuk¡¯s feet were still hovering in mid-air. ¡®What just happened¡­¡¯ Schneider couldn¡¯t see clearly. Even from a distance, Suhyuk¡¯s movements were too swift for the eye to follow. His speed had more than doubledpared to just a moment ago. Moreover, in the final moment, he moved through the air instead of on the ground. For Ferius, who was up close, it must have seemed as though Suhyuk had simply vanished into thin air. ¡®Is that even possible? For a yer on the third floor like me?¡¯ Many yers looked at Schneider with the same thought. How could a yer on the third floor exhibit such skills? But right now, Schneider himself was asking that question. That¡¯s how incredible Suhyuk¡¯s performance had been. Suhyuk had reached a level far beyond that of a third-floor monster yer, Omar Schneider. ¡°Ha, haha¡­¡± Any lingering resentment Schneider had about losing the tournament vanished. With such skills, it was only natural Suhyuk would win. Thump¡ª After floating in the air for a while, Suhyuknded back on the ground. At the same time, he quietly exhaled within his mask. ¡°Whew¡ª¡± Suddenly, his legs lost strength. Thump, thump¡ª His heart pounded rapidly, causing a painful sensation in his chest. Had he pushed his output too high? Or was it due to exhaustion? For a moment, his body felt utterly drained. Regardless¡ª ¡®I did catch him.¡¯ He nced at Ferius¡¯s head on the ground. He would likely find out what had happened to Ferius next. After taking a moment topose himself, Suhyuk stood up. And at that moment¡ª Whoosh¡ª Arge sword came flying from behind him. Buzz¡ª ttening his body to dodge the sword, Suhyuk leaped forward. As he distanced himself and turned his head, he saw Paul Rimen, looking disappointed. ¡°Damn¡­¡± Failing his surprise attack, Paul Rimen issued an order. ¡°Everyone, attack! Don¡¯t give him any time to recover!¡± He was well aware of the mechanics of Lightning. The stronger Suhyuk¡¯s disyed abilities, the harsher the penalties caused by Lightning. They couldn¡¯t give him any time to recover his stamina. Paul Rimen¡¯s assessment was quite urate. However¡ª ¡°You think I¡¯m an easy target just because I¡¯m tired?¡± Suhyuk was the one who fought to the end, even at a fatigue level of 90, and managed to take one of Kim Ilsoo¡¯s eyes. He had no intention of copsing just because he was slightly exhausted. ¨C Let¡¯s go for the vulture kill. ¨C Vulture iing! Swish¡ª Suhyuk leapt into the midst of the charging yers. He moved through the stabbing des and spears as if sliding, shing throats as he went. Avoiding infernal skills sent his way, the yers, out of sync, ended up hitting each other instead. His movements were fluid and without waste. Even without using Lightning, Suhyuk¡¯s skills were impable. ¡®Isn¡¯t he supposed to be exhausted?¡¯ Thunk¡ª Another yer fell as Suhyuk¡¯s sword pierced their throat. Paul Rimen gritted his teeth. ¡®No, he¡¯s definitely exhausted. The fact that he¡¯s not using Lightning proves it.¡¯ His guess was urate. But his mistake was underestimating one fact. Even when exhausted, Suhyuk was still Suhyuk. ¡®To take him down¡­¡¯ Paul Rimen nced to the side. ¡°Schneider!¡± Omar Schneider. He needed his help. ¡°What are you doing! Aren¡¯t you going to help?¡± For some reason, Schneider was merely watching the fight. He showed no intention to help or interfere. He even had his arms crossed. ¡°I have no intention of getting involved.¡± ¡°What?¡± Paul Rimen was baffled by his firm response. No intention of getting involved? If things continued, Suhyuk would conquer Thunder Cave. ¡°What about the reward?¡± ¡°That belongs to him.¡± ¡°The guild won¡¯t stand for this!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Schneider shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I joined Blue Zone just to get support for raiding Thunder Cave. Now that it¡¯s no longer my role, what does it matter if the guild kicks me out?¡± With Schneider willing to give up even the guild, there were no persuasive words left to sway him. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± It was clear Schneider would not intervene. Given that, there was only one option left. ¡°Suhyuk¡ª!¡± Raising his sword high, Paul Rimen called out Suhyuk¡¯s name. His shout caused Suhyuk and the yers charging at him to halt. ¡°I have a proposal.¡± ¡°A proposal?¡± ¡°Join Blue Zone! If you do, we will yield all the rewards from Thunder Cave to you.¡± It was a surprising offer. The rewards of Thunder Cave were already Suhyuk¡¯s to im; such was evident. And knowing this, Paul Rimen continued his proposal. ¡°In addition, we¡¯ll offer you the treatment of a semi-ranker. This isn¡¯t just from me but a message from the top of the guild!¡± ¡°Semi-ranker¡­?¡± ¡°For a yer on the third floor?¡± ¡°You possess the Lightning. Moreover¡­¡± While it seemed like a ridiculously generous offer, everyone started nodding in understanding. They had seen and experienced Suhyuk¡¯s prowess firsthand. It was a radical recruitment proposal from Blue Zone. If they offered semi-ranker treatment now, it was clear he would soon climb to prominent positions within the guild. ¡®Originally, I should have gotten the Lightning and taken that spot¡­¡¯ Paul Rimen ground his teeth in frustration at the missed opportunity. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped. Recruiting Suhyuk is the next best option.¡¯ Even this much was a significant achievement. Blue Zone had repeatedly tried to recruit Suhyuk, but meeting with him had proven difficult. But now, they were in Thunder Cave. Paul Rimen had the chance to meet Suhyuk directly and thus could extend the scouting offer. ¡°How about it? Seems like there¡¯s no reason for us to fight anymore.¡± Step¡ª With a grin, Paul Rimen approached Suhyuk. Slowly, the distance closed. ¡°There¡¯s every reason.¡± Suhyuk finally responded to his offer. sh¡ª A thin line appeared across his neck. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ His thoughts slowed, and his vision blurred. Even though his legs stood still, the world seemed to move on its own. As his head dropped to the ground, thest thing he thought was, ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°Your offer is declined.¡± Paul Rimen¡¯s consciousness ended. * On her way home. Yerang¡¯s steps slowed. ¡°He¡¯s going to be mad, right?¡± She had boldly promised to bring back Minjae¡¯s keepsake, yet she was returning empty-handed. She could already envision Shiwoo¡¯s reaction. Just as she had, he undoubtedly hoped to retrieve Minjae¡¯s keepsake. Moreover. ¡®I didn¡¯t fail to get it; I chose not to.¡¯ The winner was Lee Suhyuk. The streamer who shared the name with her friend. They both knew his recent activities through his streams, and they knew Yerang had not gone near him. More than anything else¡ª ¡®Pretending otherwise, that guy is definitely watching Suhyuk¡¯s streams.¡¯ They both silently acknowledged this fact. Both of them watched Suhyuk¡¯s streams. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As her home came into view, Yerang slowed down even more. The thought of enduring Shiwoo¡¯s nagging was already making her tired. How was she supposed to exin it? ¡°Ugh, that guy¡¯s temper is¡­ huh?¡± Yerang blinked in surprise. As she got closer, the house¡¯s appearance became clearer. The house was white and frosty. Certainly, it was Shiwoo¡¯s doing. ¡°He¡¯s really upset¡­.¡± She genuinely didn¡¯t want to go inside. With a heavy heart, she shuffled slowly toward the house. She quietly opened the door and stepped into the living room. Moving with stealth, she tried her best not to make a sound. Even Shiwoo wouldn¡¯t notice her if she was careful enough. ¡°Attack at the same time, you idiots!¡± ¡°Schneider! Why aren¡¯t you helping¡­?¡± ¡°Damn, why did it miss?!¡± Shiwoo¡¯s loud voice came from his kit. Hearing Schneider¡¯s name, it was clear he was watching Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡®As expected, he knows.¡¯ Should she run away now? Yerang was lost in her thoughts for a while when¡ª ¡°Juste out. I won¡¯t get mad.¡± Startled, Yerang shivered at Shiwoo¡¯s words. How did he find out? ¡°Ehh¡­¡± Sighing, Yerang slowly revealed herself. Standing behind him, she approached him cautiously. As she drew closer¡ª ¡°Whoa! You scared me.¡± Shiwoo jumped up from his seat as Yerang¡¯s presence startled him. ¡°What? Why are you surprised? You knew I was here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t really think you¡¯d actually be here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thinking you¡¯de back empty-handed, I knew you¡¯d sneak in.¡± Yerang¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Did you¡­ expect me?¡± ¡°After muttering to myself about ten times, it started to get boring.¡± Knowing each other too well was the problem. Shiwoo couldn¡¯t detect her stealth, but he knew exactly how Yerang would act. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Yerangughed awkwardly and took a step back. It seemed she had been caught. ¡°So, you¡¯re not really not angry then?¡± Shiwoo nodded. ¡°Half of it.¡± ¡°Half? Why half?¡± Now that she thought about it, it was odd. She had expected him to be furious, to rage at her for failing, but he was calm and collected. Just like Shiwoo could predict her, Yerang could also predict his reactions. ¡°You purposely left it behind, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°Be honest.¡± At Shiwoo¡¯s words, Yerang nodded slightly. Having a mouth felt useless. She had no words to say. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°¡­Because.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because he¡­ he¡¯s too simr to Suhyuk. Suhyuk is.¡± ¡°You saw his face?¡± ¡°No, who said anything about his face? It¡¯s just the feeling, you know.¡± She knew it sounded absurd, but it was her true feeling. Lee Suhyuk reminded her a lot of her friend. Although his current skills were far inferior, his talent and demeanor ovepped with Suhyuk. To sever Suhyuk¡¯s legs and take Minjae¡¯s keepsake? She couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. As Yerang¡¯s head lowered with this thought¡ª ¡°That¡¯s exactly how I feel.¡± Shiwoo wasn¡¯t angry; instead, he nodded. ¡°I was actually worried. Worried he¡¯d join Blue Zone eventually.¡± ¡°Join Blue Zone?¡± ¡°Yeah, just like Cha Minwoo. There¡¯s no way Kim Ilsoo would let a yer with Lightning go. He¡¯d use them symbolically in many ways.¡± Shiwoo thought that no matter who it was, even if it was Suhyuk, they had to take Minjae¡¯s keepsake back. Otherwise, it would be Blue Zone¡¯s property once more. But then¡ª ¡°This time, it seems your intuition was correct.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Exin it so I understand.¡± ¡°Suhyuk, I mean.¡± With a rare, genuinely happy smile, Shiwoo spoke. ¡°He turned down Blue Zone.¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Huff, huff¡ª Suhyuk¡¯s heavy breathing could no longer be concealed by his mask. Despite his already high fatigue level, he had continued to move without rest, making it natural that he was out of breath. Throb, throb¡ª Every muscle in his body screamed with fatigue. But rxing wasn¡¯t an option just yet; there was still one more to deal with. ¡°Are you going to fight too?¡± Omar Schneider. The only yer Suhyuk truly regarded as a threat. Fortunately, Schneider had not moved until now, but who could predict human nature? The allure of Thunder Cave¡¯s rewards could prompt him to attack at any moment. However¡ª ¡°I¡¯m just curious about what¡¯s up there.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting a truce?¡± ¡°Why, are you afraid?¡± Suhyuk nodded. The idea of a truce was worse than a straightforward fight. From Suhyuk¡¯s perspective, it would be better to have a clear battle right here. Carrying an unpredictable variable forward was not ideal. ¡°Really? Well, you might be right.¡± Sss¡ª In response, Schneider retrieved a throwing spear from his reserves, given that his original spear had been damaged in the fight against Ferius. ¡°Then¡­¡± Swish¡ª Thunk¡ª With a reverse grip, Schneider plunged the spear into his own legs. ¡°Grrmm¡­¡± He let out a soft groan, sweat dripping from his forehead as he looked up. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Suhyuk was taken aback by Schneider¡¯s resolve. Had he intended to fight, he might well have had a decent chance. Even if Schneider couldn¡¯t be sure of victory, he would have considered his odds to be about fifty-fifty. Despite that, Schneider chose to disable himself to ensure he could proceed with Suhyuk. Rather than risk losing a fight here, Schneider opted to secure his passage forward, even if it meant self-inflicted injury. ¡®Is he that desperate to see the end of Thunder Cave?¡¯ This went beyond mere passion; it bordered on madness. Suhyuk examined the self-inflicted wounds on Schneider¡¯s legs. The spear had gone through to the bone. Walking would be painful, running nearly impossible. Even if Schneider harbored ulterior motives, he wouldn¡¯t be capable of fighting effectively. Suhyuk turned his microphone to consult with his viewers. ¡°Should I take him along?¡± ¨C Yeah, you have to take him. ¨C Leaving him behind would be too much. ¨C Poor Schneider ??? ¨C This is romantic¡­ It¡¯s amazing. The viewers¡¯ sentiment towards Schneider was mostly positive. It seemed they didn¡¯t perceive any hidden motives on his part. Reading through the chat, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He adjusted the microphone so Schneider could hear. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Together.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°But with those legs, climbing the stairs will be tough¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rule that says everyone has to sit on the throne. As long as you sit, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That works.¡± Had Schneider shown any greed for the throne, Suhyuk might have reconsidered. But it seemed unnecessary. Step, step¡ª With the conversation concluded, Suhyuk began ascending the steps. Schneider trailed behind, limping as he moved to the base of the stairs. Though there were many steps, they were manageable. Thanks to his light-footed thief abilities, Suhyuk still felt rtively agile. Step, step¡ª As he continued his ascent, the throne came into view above. Therge, aged throne Ferius had guarded for so many years. Sitting on it might reveal why Ferius had ended up the way he did. Sss¡ª Suhyuk sat on the throne without hesitation. At that moment¡ª ¡º¡¯Unused Thunder Throne¡¯ has been upied.¡» With the message, his surroundings changed. * It felt like he had lost consciousness for a moment and then returned. With a single blink, the barren surroundings of the stone cave transformed. The seat remained the same. But the worn-down throne now gleamed as if it were brand new. ¡®Was this how it originally looked?¡¯ The once dpidated, seemingly crumbling throne was now shining and luxurious. No¡ªthis was likely its appearance before it degraded over time. Moreover¡ª ¡®Is this¡­a castle?¡¯ The cold stone cave walls had disappeared, reced by the grand and opulent architecture of a castle. The ceiling arched high like the sky, adorned with paintings depicting a battle between warriors on celestial steeds and demons. The sheer grandeur made him wonder who on earth ruled this castle. Screech¡ª A massive red door opened, heralding the entrance of someone who might answer his questions. Step, step¡ª A tall, lean man in golden armor, holding a hammer, walked in and approached the throne. He did not seem to see Suhyuk. As though Suhyuk were invisible, the man gazed up at the empty throne and spoke. ¡°I am not yet worthy to sit there.¡± Yet. That word echoed in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. ¡°Though you have prepared everything, I am still unworthy.¡± What could he possibly be unqualified for? The man stared wistfully at the throne for a long moment before turning to leave. ¡°I will return someday, when I am worthy to sit there.¡± As he walked out of the grand hall, he uttered a name, the source of his monologue. ¡°¡­Father.¡± * His vision shifted back. After the short cutscene, the Thunder Cave¡¯s scenery returned. Crack¡ª A fissure formed in the throne where Suhyuk was seated. ¨C What? ¨C Huh? The viewers were as bewildered as he was. Crack, cr-crack¡ª The cracks rapidly spread across the throne, which soon copsed entirely. Crumble¡ª The throne disintegrated into dust and settled on the ground. Rising to his feet, Suhyuk stared at the remnants with a perplexed expression. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The throne had not just cracked but disintegrated into dust almost instantly, as if it had been holding on for an eternity. Within the debris, Suhyuk noticed a singr blue gleam. ¡®A gem?¡¯ Suhyuk slowly reached out his hand toward the gem. Just as his fingertips touched it¡ª ¡º¡¯You have conquered the Thunder Cave.¡¯¡» ¡º¡¯You have obtained the Empty Heart of Thunder.¡¯¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increases by 2.¡» ¡ºAgility increases by 2.¡» ¡ºStamina increases by 2.¡» ¡ºFocus increases by 3.¡» ¡ºYou have earned performance points for the Mercenary Guild.¡» A series of messages appeared. Gaining three levels was excellent. Ending the raid while his stamina was waning was also a relief. However, one thing stood out: The Empty Heart of Thunder. The item obtained as a reward from the Thunder Cave was the issue. ¡®The name suggests it¡¯s simr to the Heart of Lightning.¡¯ But it being empty made the name somewhat ambiguous. Moreover¡ª Empty Heart of Thunder Grade: ?? ?????? ?????? The description was filled with nothing but question marks. It was unclear. Very unclear. If he at least knew its identity, he could judge whether it was good or bad. ¡®The only clue is the item¡¯s name.¡¯ He had to derive hints from the item¡¯s name. This was a first, but having some clue was better than none at all. ¨C What did you get? ¨C Show us too! ¨C Show (p)! Show (p)! Naturally, the viewers were most curious about the dungeon reward. He had nothing to hide. If it were something grand, keeping it hidden might be justifiable, but revealing itter would only lead to unnecessary criticism. Suhyuk promptlyplied with the viewers¡¯ request. Their reactions mirrored his own. ¨C Eh??? ¨C What is this? ¨C Is it good¡­? Or not¡­? Ambiguous reactions. ¡°Exactly my point.¡± Suhyuk stifled a sigh. Perhaps he had been secretly hoping for something grand. In reality, he hadn¡¯te out entirely empty-handed. ¡®No need to be too greedy.¡¯ He had already gained a lot from the first room. As much as it was disappointing, he had obtained significant stat boosts thanks to the mark of thunder and learned the proper way to use the Heart of Lightning. These achievements alone had exceeded his initial expectations. ¡®It¡¯s bound to be useful somehow.¡¯ He may not know its immediate use, but this was a reward from conquering the once-impregnable Thunder Cave. Surely, it had its purpose. And perhaps, once he discovered that purpose, he would uncover the secrets behind the man and the throne seen in the cutscene. ¡®The chat isn¡¯t mentioning it at all.¡¯ Typically, after a cutscene, viewers would be abuzz with interest in the story. But whether it was the giants from earlier or the recent cutscene, the viewers didn¡¯t mention anything. This implied that the cutscene hadn¡¯t been shown on the stream. ¡®Better to keep quiet for now.¡¯ There was no need to boast about having seen such a cutscene. As a streamer, exposing one¡¯s every move could be a serious weakness. But if he could keep some critical information to himself, he had no reason to stream it. Suhyuk descended the stairs. Schneider, nursing his injured leg, approached. ¡°What was that up there? What did you find?¡± ¡°This.¡± Suhyuk cut him off and held out the blue gem. ¡°It was inside the crumbled throne.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Check it out yourself.¡± Suhyuk shared the item¡¯s options with Schneider. His expression became even more crestfallen than Suhyuk¡¯s had been. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± ¡°Your guess is as good as mine¡­ though you might be the most curious.¡± No matter how interested Suhyuk was in the gem¡¯s nature, Schneider¡¯s curiosity might surpass his. He had dedicated his life to Thunder Cave. The one most eager to know whaty at the end was undoubtedly Schneider. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Schneider let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be one of your viewers until we figure this out.¡± He had hoped this raid would free him from Thunder Cave¡¯s grasp. Now he was bound to Suhyuk¡¯s stream until the gem¡¯s mystery was unveiled. ¡°Make sure to donate a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to do my part.¡± Schneider no longer had a reason to stay confined to the third floor. After a decade, he resolved to climb higher once more. ¡®He¡¯ll do well.¡¯ Schneider was already an exceptional yer, enough to impress Suhyuk. Despite the long time it had taken to hone his skills, that time had refined Schneider into a formidable yer. He was likely to advance through the fourth, fifth floors, and beyond at an incredible pace. ¡°Alright, we have some ounting to do, don¡¯t we?¡± ¨C Time for mission ounting ¨C He¡¯s going to rake it in again, LOL It was time to settle the missions for soloing the Thunder Cave. ¡°Do you acknowledge the solo?¡± ¨C Yes, absolutely ¨C No doubt ¨C Definitely solo, LOL There was unanimous agreement. Schneider had never been part of the team, and the other yers had been more of a burden. There was no one who wouldn¡¯t acknowledge it. This meant¡ª ¡ºMission aplished.¡» ¡ºReceived 20,000 points from ¡®MissionViin¡¯.¡» ¡ºMission aplished.¡» ¡ºReceived 10,000 points from ¡®SafeAsset¡¯.¡» ¡ºMission¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» With the series of missionpletions, a string of pleasant notifications appeared. A total of six missionspleted. Just as Suhyuk felt his mood lifting, the viewers shifted their discussion to another topic. ¨C How many performance points does Thunder Cave give? ¨C No idea ¨C We¡¯d have to have conquered it to know ¨C Definitely in the tens of thousands range Reading these chats, Suhyuk seized the moment. ¡°Everyone?¡± He took this opportunity to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll end the stream here for today.¡± ¨C ?????? ¨C So sudden??? ¨C Wait, hold on As soon as viewers became curious, now was the perfect time to end the stream. ¡°Goodbye.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: He passed out again. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has ended the stream.¡» The familiar message appeared on screen. Shiwoo and Yerang, watching the stream together, were left baffled. They had been just as curious as the other viewers, only for the stream to end abruptly. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± Yerang clicked her tongue in disappointment and nced at Shiwoo to gauge his reaction. Although he hadn¡¯t been angry earlier, she still had to be wary of Shiwoo¡¯s mood. Fortunately, Shiwoo seemed more preupied than upset, staring at the now-ended stream with a peculiar expression. ¡°Always something that sets him apart, isn¡¯t it?¡± He often mumbled to himself, though not all of his mutterings were meant solely for himself. This one was clearly for Yerang to hear. ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± ¡°Suhyuk.¡± Throughout the stream, Shiwoo had been thinking about Suhyuk. ¡°If it were him, he would never have broadcasted in the first ce.¡± Yerang nodded at his response. ¡°Right, that definitely makes sense.¡± ¡°But if someone threatened him that he had to stream or else¡­¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I mean, hypothetically.¡± Shiwoo¡¯s interruption made Yerang sigh as she continued. ¡°Anyway, if someone forced him into a scenario where he had no choice but to stream, maybe he would¡¯ve acted the same.¡± ¡°A situation where he absolutely had to stream¡­¡± No matter how hard he thought, Shiwoo couldn¡¯te up with such a scenario. Furrowing his brow in deep thought, Shiwoo asked. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen him in person.¡± Yerang recalled seeing Lee Suhyuk. Through the stream screens, the big monitors at the tournament, and even from a distance, she had observed him. And the feeling remained the same¡ª ¡°He was simr.¡± They resembled each other. The Suhyuk she knew. ¡°But they¡¯re not the same person.¡± Her firm statement took Shiwoo by surprise. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know you? You were wondering, weren¡¯t you? If this could be him.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t consider it too? But it¡¯s not him.¡± Yerang was certain. Undoubtedly, she had thought about it more than he had. Whether they could be the same person. However. ¡°For him to be that guy, two conditions would have to be met.¡± The more she thought about it, the less likely it seemed. ¡°First, he¡¯d have to have been reincarnated. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way he could have gone back to the first floor to start the trials over.¡± That was true. And it was the biggest reason why Shiwoo and Yerang didn¡¯t believe Suhyuk to be the same person they knew. A yer who had ascended the tower could not take the lower floor trials again. And the second reason¡ª ¡°The second is what we already talked about.¡± ¡°The situation where someone has to stream?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Those two reasons were precisely why Yerang was certain he was not the same person. ¡°The likelihood of a reincarnated Suhyuk having someone holding a knife to his throat, forcing him to stream¡­ How likely could that be?¡± *** In a castle located on the fifth floor, a visitor had arrived. His name was Cheon Ryang. One of the countless yers scattered like pebbles throughout the vast Murim World. Step, step¡ª However, today, Cheon Ryang was walking along a long red silk path, marching towards the center of the castle. nked on both sides by intimidating guards. ncing to his sides¡ª Cheon Ryang observed his ¡°escorts¡± knowing fully well they were there more for surveince and intimidation. He wondered why he hade this far. ¡°I knew this would happen¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The guard beside him asked, catching his whisperedint, causing Cheon Ryang to shake his head. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°If you have something to say, tell the Lord directly. No pointless chatter.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± He involuntarily hunched his shoulders. Although he had often visited as a child, he had not been to the castle in the past decade, making the experience all the more daunting. ¡®I never thought I¡¯de back here.¡¯ He would have preferred to avoid this ce forever. ¡°But I lost the bet, didn¡¯t I?¡± He had no choice. Otherwise, his already strained finances would bepletely depleted. Moreover¡ª ¡®Un Hyang, that guy¡­¡¯ Gazing at the massive doors adorned with dragon motifs, Cheon Ryang thought of Un Hyang. ¡°¡­Sorry it turned out this way. Just mark it down as a debt.¡± ¡®When was thest time I heard her say sorry?¡¯ Hearing an apology from Un Hyang was rare. The fact that she mentioned a debt indicated that she took the matter seriously. ¡®For how long had he been contemting?¡¯ Cheon Ryang knew, as did Un Hyang, that even betting a month¡¯s sry on a wager and then nullifying it was not a fair bnce. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± He exhaled deeply, watching as the grand doors slowly opened. Un Hyang had used the bet as an excuse, making an unusual request because he didn¡¯t want to cross that door. A person who rarely asked for favors had leveraged a bet she knew he would lose right from the start. ¡®How could I refuse after that?¡¯ Creak¡ª The doors fully opened, revealing the castle¡¯s opulent interior. Golden walls adorned with luxurious fabrics and the scent of incense more expensive than gold filled his nostrils. It was a ce hard to adapt to, making him feel as though he had entered a different world. ¡®And the most out-of-ce thing here¡­¡¯ Cheon Ryang¡¯s gaze traveled to the far end of the silk path, where a man sat alone, dominating the vast throne room. Someone he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, and even after a long absence, it was difficult to limate to his presence. Outwardly, the man appeared to be an amiable, middle-aged gentleman. His simple, gray silk robe shed with the castle¡¯s grandeur. Approaching the man, Cheon Ryang brought his hands together in a respectful gesture and greeted him. ¡°I greet the Lord of the castle. Have you been well?¡± ¡°No need for such formalities. Just call me ¡®uncle¡¯ as you used to.¡± Peculiar, golden-yellow eyes looked down upon him. ¡°Like in the old days.¡± The voice was warm and kind. To an outsider, it might even sound like a friendly greeting. But Cheon Ryang knew better than to be deceived by appearances. He knew he couldn¡¯t afford to show weakness. Thus he replied. ¡°Understood, uncle.¡± Cheon Ryang¡¯s provocation brought a smile to the man¡¯s face. He wanted to understand the expression better, but he couldn¡¯t decipher it. The more Cheon Ryang tried to know him, the deeper into thebyrinth he felt. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have called him ¡®uncle¡¯.¡¯ But it was toote to regret it now. Once he¡¯d called him ¡®uncle¡¯ he had to stick with it to the end. And this man before him¡ª The second-inmand of the grand guild ¡®Murim¡¯ and Lord of Shinryeonseong, Un Cheon-guk¡ªwas no exception. ¡°Well then, how have you been? No problems, I hope?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to your concern.¡± ¡°I hear you¡¯re working at Balhae Entertainment? How is it there?¡± Cheon Ryang felt his breath catch at that question. ¡°It¡¯s quite a substantial ce. I was curious when I heard you were working there, so I checked it out a few times. Lee Suhyuk¡­.¡± Un Cheon-guk¡¯s expression momentarily shifted as he mentioned that name before returning to normal. ¡°He¡¯s interesting. Or should I say, fascinating? You have an eye for talent, finding someone like him.¡± ¡°¡­Since when?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Since when did you know we were working for Balhae?¡± He had suspected Un Cheon-guk might already know. The fact that Un Hyang had sent him here indicated that Un Cheon-guk had found her again. But from Un Cheon-guk¡¯s words, it seemed it hadn¡¯t been a recent discovery. ¡°Well, is that really important?¡± ¡°It might not be significant to you, but¡ª¡± Cheon Ryang mped his mouth shut mid-sentence. Un Cheon-guk was smiling. Provoking him further wouldn¡¯t end well. Despite asking him to call him ¡®uncle¡¯, he was still the second-inmand of ¡®Murim¡¯, one of the dominant forces in this vast world. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss something else.¡± As Cheon Ryang stopped speaking, Un Cheon-guk naturally changed the topic. ¡°Since changing kits, I couldn¡¯t get in touch with Un Hyang. The same with you.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, there was a new release.¡± ¡°Is that so? I suppose. You two have always been close, so it makes sense you¡¯d change together.¡± epting the imusible excuse, Un Cheon-guk asked, ¡°So, did you bring Un Hyang¡¯s answer?¡± The reason Cheon Ryang was granted such grand treatment upon entering the castle¡ª The reason he could have a private audience with Un Cheon-guk¡ª ¡°Yes, I brought her answer.¡± It was precisely because of this. ¡°Really? What is it?¡± ¡°Her answer is¡­¡± Taking a deep breath, Cheon Ryang spoke, ¡°She declines.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Goong¡ª The hall slightly trembled. ording to Un Cheon-guk¡¯s emotion, the golden walls and floor began to crack faintly. And observing this, Cheon Ryang idly thought, ¡®The repair guys are going to have a hard time.¡¯ He knew very well that Un Cheon-guk would react this way. He knew the extent of his power. ¡°Decline, huh¡­ Decline¡­¡± Un Cheon-guk kept muttering the same word repeatedly. A habit for when something didn¡¯t sit well with him. After a moment of muttering, he asked, ¡°Do you know what question this answer pertains to?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t? Yet you came anyway?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cheon Ryang nodded, providing a usible context for this outrageous answer. ¡°Because we¡¯re friends. Inseparable.¡± Cheon Ryang truly didn¡¯t know. If it had been something he needed to know, Un Hyang would have told him when sending him here. But she didn¡¯t. All she said was¡ª ¡°All you need to convey is my answer: no.¡± She sent him off with just that single line. So he hadn¡¯t asked. Because it seemed like she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. ¡°¡­I see. You were, after all.¡± Un Cheon-guk¡¯s expression shifted subtly. It was hard to tell if he was displeased or perhaps somewhat pleased. As his rapidly changing expressions continued to flicker, Cheon Ryang sensed that his own fate would be determined by whichever expression he settled on. After what felt like an eternity¡ª ¡°It seems¡­¡± Un Cheon-guk spoke again. ¡°You are that person¡¯s envoy after all.¡± A peculiar conclusion. And with that conclusion, Cheon Ryang instinctively knew that a difficult situation was about to get even harder. ¡°Excuse me? No, I just lost a bet, and¡ª¡± ¡°Then ry this.¡± Un Cheon-guk didn¡¯t acknowledge the exnation about the bet. Cheon Ryang sighed. It was no use. Un Cheon-guk had no intention of listening to what he had to say. Ultimately, Cheon Ryang had no choice but to stand and listen to what Un Cheon-guk had to say. ¡°If she continues to act on her own, I won¡¯t just stand by and watch the ce you¡¯re involved with.¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 The next morning after the stream. Un Hyang came down to the first-floor lobby early to check the yers¡¯ Community. ? Yesterday¡¯s Lee Suhyuk Broadcast Legend ? The post had over a hundred upvotes and thousands of views. The video captured Suhyuk¡¯s final remarkable move, where he seemingly vanished into thin air and then appeared to decapitate Ferius. ¡°Wow¡­¡± She had watched it live, but even on rey, it was astonishing. While the speed at which he disappeared from sight was impressive, it wasn¡¯t what impressed her the most. It was the final moment when he swung his sword upside-down in mid-air. ¡®How did he urately decapitate from that position?¡¯ Many yers could move quickly. But few could control that speed so wlessly. Without the ability to harness their speed, yers who moved too fast would just be wild bulls, unpredictable and dangerous. Most yers Un Hyang observed, even those considered rankers, fell into that category. Yet, Suhyuk¡ª ¡®He doesn¡¯t make a single mistake even at that speed.¡¯ During such rapid movement, Suhyuk performed a leap, flipping his body 180 degrees in mid-air. His world must have been upside down during those moments. And yet, he executed a precise and fatal strike on Ferius. From Ferius¡¯s perspective, Suhyuk must have seemed to vanish momentarily. ¡®If it were me¡­¡¯ She pondered briefly. Could she have done the same? With that speed, using a skill from an item she had just acquired¡­ No, even if she were familiar with the skill, it would be the same. ¡®One out of three times. That¡¯s how often I¡¯d seed as clearly as he did.¡¯ Meaning, it was virtually impossible. A technique that had only a one-in-three chance of sess couldn¡¯t be used reliably in realbat. ¡°Crazy, really¡­¡± The morepetent she was, the more astounding it was. Watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream gave her the same thrill as watching Blue-Eyed Suhyuk from long ago. Slurping her tea, Un Hyang took in the rey once more. Then she resumed browsing themunity posts. ? The Real Reason Lee Suhyuk¡¯s Bus Riders Are the Worst ? ¡ºOne of those guys used to be in my party. Real jerk. Took all the loot and disappeared. And I saw him there lol¡» ¨C Really? Can you prove it? ¨C As expected, the proof police are here lol ¨C Honestly, if there¡¯s no proof, then what? ¨C (OP) I posted proof in a separate thread. Check it out. ¨C It¡¯s real;;; ¨C Suhyuk¡­ I believed in you¡­ ¨C It was Jeong29hyeon lol Her lips curled into a grin. Up until yesterday,izens who were looking for any w in Suhyuk¡¯s actions had shifted the focus of their criticism. It wasn¡¯t just this post. Several posts had gone up targeting yers who tried to leech off Suhyuk. Un Hyang made a call through her kit. ¨C What is it? You¡¯re calling this early in the morning? ¡°What else could it be?¡± ¨C Yeah, it¡¯s about the streamer Suhyuk. You wouldn¡¯t be calling otherwise. She heard a yawn through the line. It was faint, but Un Hyang¡¯s sharp ears didn¡¯t miss it. ¡°Did you stay up all night?¡± -Yawn. Yeah, I did. ¡°You¡¯re yawning again.¡± -I had things to take care of. ¡°This, it¡¯s your work, isn¡¯t it, Team Leader?¡± The reason Un Hyang had called John Dale early in the morning was due to the rapidly changing public opinion. -Those posts? ¡°Yes. You knew immediately, so it must be your work.¡± -It¡¯s half true. John Dale didn¡¯t deny Un Hyang¡¯s assumption. -Well, it would¡¯ve blown up eventually even if it wasn¡¯t me. Those guys were nastier than I expected. If the content of the posts were to be trusted, that was certainly the case. Not only had they taken advantage of the bus service, but they¡¯d also backstabbed team members during trials and ran off without distributing rewards. One of them was even a notorious scammer. -Well, that¡¯s the kind of people who would brashly take the bus ride. ¡°How did you manage it?¡± -By tracking them down, one by one. The reply was enough to make anyone¡¯s jaw drop. That was the reason he stayed up all night. Finding their past deeds with just names and faces required digging into their history meticulously, a painstakingly manual task. It was a job that couldn¡¯t have been done without confidence that their past was shady. And John Dale had that confidence. -From my experience, any jerk who tantly messes with a streamer and extorts them is always a repeat offender. John Dale had been certain they were habitual offenders. -The public opinion was that maybe those guys genuinely tried their best and were decent yers. ¡°Exactly.¡± -So our job was simple. We had to prove those guys weren¡¯t upstanding yers but were scum that everyone loves to hate. Un Hyang was impressed, knowing John Dale¡¯s efficiency but not expecting him to handle things this quickly. -So don¡¯t be disappointed in streamer Lee Suhyuk. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Un Hyang tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why would I be disappointed?¡± -Just in case. A small sigh was audible through the device. -You know, since you started managing streamer Lee Suhyuk, you¡¯ve seemed a lot happier. You used to just collect a paycheck but now you¡¯re actually working. ¡°Me?¡± -Yeah. So don¡¯t get disheartened and keep supporting streamer Lee Suhyuk. I believe a manager should be the streamer¡¯s biggest fan. ¡°Team Leader, could it be¡­?¡± It dawned on Un Hyang, so she asked, ¡°Did you do all this because of me?¡± -Consider it a mix of reasons. Streamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s performance also made it worthwhile. A half-admission. Un Hyang, uneasy, began touching her face. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of expression she had had before to be told this. -Anyway, I¡¯m hanging up. I heard there¡¯s no stream today, right? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± -I¡¯ll send some funds over. Make sure streamer Lee Suhyuk gets something good to eat. Ah, and let him know the next video will be uploaded tomorrow. Bye. Click¡ª Ending the call with a piece of news sure to make Suhyuk dance with joy, the conversation with John Dale was over. ¡°¡­What a guy.¡± Un Hyang mumbled while scratching her head. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± *** After finishing the trial and stream, Suhyuk slept untilte in the morning. He had been moving too busily until now. As soon as he finished hunting, hepeted in a tournament, and then immediately attacked the Thunder Cave without a moment¡¯s rest. And even today, the day he decided to rest, was no exception. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Looking at the blue gem sparkling between his fingers, Suhyuk furrowed his brows. ¡®I can¡¯t figure out what this is used for¡­¡¯ The difficulty of the Thunder Cave was not ordinary. It was questionable whether it was even created to be cleared. The monsters appearing from the entrance of the cave, the dragon¡¯s trial, and Ferius appearing at the end. It would have been impossible to win if he hadn¡¯t gained stats and Minjae¡¯s shoes before facing him. ¡®A dungeon set at that level of difficulty on the third floor. It wouldn¡¯t give just anything.¡¯ This too, like the Heart of Lightning, would certainly be useful. The problem was that finding its use wouldn¡¯t be easy. There was just one hint. ¡®That cutscene¡­¡¯ A man looking up at the throne where the orb was, unseen by the viewers. That man might know the identity of the orb. ¡®If only I could find him.¡¯ But where? Finding him on the third floor is difficult. The time difference between the cutscene and the third floor wasn¡¯t just decades but centuries. Continuing to ponder, Suhyuk scratched his head. ¡°For now¡­ I guess I have no choice but to continue as usual.¡± In the first ce, the Heart of Lightning, and the reward from the Thunder Cave. These were things he hadn¡¯t obtained in his previous life. And regarding the lightning, Suhyuk knew quite a bit. Even though the floors were different, the lightning trials wouldn¡¯t end. The trials would continue on the next floor, and then the floor after that. So. ¡®I will head upwards for now.¡¯ He had no intention of lingering on the third floor any longer. Though he didn¡¯t intend to say that Schneider¡¯s method was wrong, there was a reason many yers met the conditions and headed straight up. Above all, he was in a hurry. He wanted to kill Kim Ilsoo as soon as possible and meet hisrades again. ¡°Hoo-.¡± Thinking that pondering alone wouldn¡¯t reveal anything, Suhyuk put the orb back into his inventory. He considered swallowing it like the Heart of Lightning, but. It wasn¡¯t a trial, and he couldn¡¯t afford to gamble here. Knock-knock. It was then that a visitor knocked on his door. There was only one person who would seek out Suhyuk in his current life. Wearing the mask ced beside him, Suhyuk responded to the knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Click-. The unlocked door opened. Peeking in, Un Hyang looked at Suhyuk. ¡°Would you like to have a meal?¡± She added a line. ¡°A very expensive one.¡± *** In avishly set dining room. A feast of delicacies presented itself. Giant shrimp the size of one¡¯s forearm, thick T-bone steaks, steaming soups, and various grilled dishes whose names were unknown. Not just the ambiance but even the food itself screamed of high cost. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to a ce like this.¡¯ Recently, he had been so focused on saving points that he hadn¡¯t thought about investing money in meals. The only reason he coulde here was thanks to Un Hyang. ¡°Didn¡¯t we order too much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on thepany¡¯s dime, so we might as well eat well and leave the leftovers.¡± ¡°Is that really okay?¡± ¡°The team leader told me to buy you something expensive and tasty, Suhyuk-nim.¡± Although they didn¡¯t explicitly say ¡®expensive,¡¯ Un Hyang understood it that way. ¡°Eat up. If there¡¯s something else you want, we can go for a round two.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll enjoy it without reservation.¡± The food was quite delicious. Suhyuk felt no awkwardness since his personality matched well with Un Hyang¡¯s. Though most of the conversation revolved around streaming or other streamers, the dialogue flowed smoothly. As the meal was drawing to a close. ¡°Ah, right. About the next video.¡± Only after taking a bite of dessert did Un Hyang remember John Dale¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to go up tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow? That¡¯s quick.¡± ¡°Thepany has high expectations. They¡¯ve been thrilled with Suhyuk¡¯s recent reactions.¡± Nom-. Un Hyang naturally scooped ice cream into his mouth as he spoke, but Suhyuk still hadn¡¯t internalized it. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, there hasn¡¯t been another streamer like you rising so rapidly in ourpany, other than Bald Suhyuk.¡± Bald Suhyuk. A streamer from Balhae Entertainment, one who focused more onedy than skill in their streams. And possibly, a streamer Suhyuk might coborate with someday. But. ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing.¡± Taking a deep sigh, Un Hyang asked with a concerned expression. ¡°How about reconsidering the coboration with Bald Suhyuk?¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Bald Suhyuk. He first started streaming about five years ago. With his inherent cheerfulness, he began his stream by cosying Lee Suhyuk using a mask. A physical appearance that didn¡¯t match the mask at all and his poor gaming skills led to hrious moments. He was truly a natural-born streamer. ¡°A major streamer indeed. At his peak, over 100,000 viewers would watch his streams.¡± Nheless. Un Hyang seemed reluctant about the idea of coborating with him. ¡°But still¡­ it¡¯s a bit¡­¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Having finished his meal, Suhyuk set down his utensils. At this point, he was genuinely curious. Why was everyone so hesitant about coborating with Bald Suhyuk? If even Un Hyang, who wasn¡¯t a regr viewer, was advising against it, there seemed to be a valid reason. ¡°Bald Suhyuk has a nickname.¡± ¡°A nickname?¡± ¡°King of Destruction.¡± A question mark popped up in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. King of Destruction? The nickname seemed childish, but more importantly, it didn¡¯t fit Bald Suhyuk at all. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like someone who¡¯d earn such a grandiose title.¡± ¡°He is an incredible person, in many ways.¡± ¡°In many ways?¡± ¡°There have been over twenty streamers who¡¯ve coborated with him. But¡­¡± Un Hyang let out a deep sigh. ¡°They all failed.¡± ¡°Failed? The coboration?¡± ¡°No, the streamers themselves.¡± It was a statement hard toprehend. Not just the coboration failing, but the streamers themselves failing? What on earth did that mean? ¡°The coborations themselves generally went well. Bald Suhyuk is immensely popr, and the streamers he coborates with are quite popr too.¡± ¡°Then what is the problem?¡± ¡°There is no problem. For Bald Suhyuk, that is.¡± Finding it hard to exin, Un Hyang furrowed his brows even as he took another bite of something sweet. ¡°It¡¯s like a kind of jinx. A very strong one.¡± ¡°A jinx¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Most of the issues were with the streamers he coborated with. Rtionship problems, major idents during streams, or their streams slowly declining.¡± The reasons were varied. ¡°Not a single one of them could be med on Bald Suhyuk directly, but this much is clear: any streamer who coborates with Bald Suhyuk ends up failing.¡± ¡°So the nickname ¡®King of Destruction¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s called that because any streamer who coborates with him ends up destroyed.¡± With that exnation, Suhyuk recalled the viewers¡¯ reactions. ¡®Now it makes sense.¡¯ Coborating with Bald Suhyuk, the King of Destruction. To the viewers, it must¡¯ve felt like watching a moth flying into a me, not knowing if it was fire or water. However, rather than deter him, this information only sparked Suhyuk¡¯s interest further. ¡°There¡¯s definitely no issue with Bald Suhyuk himself, right?¡± ¡°That is¡­ correct?¡± Bald Suhyuk was a streamer under Balhae Entertainment. As a streamer from the samepany, Un Hyang could confidently say that Bald Suhyuk¡¯s nickname ¡®King of Destruction¡¯ was not his fault. It was just a cruel twist of fate. ¡°Then that¡¯s settled.¡± With that response, Suhyuk made his decision. ¡°Let¡¯s do the coboration.¡± ¡°What?¡± Un Hyang looked surprised. He had suggested against the coboration, but Suhyuk reacted in the opposite way. Initially, it seemed like Suhyuk didn¡¯t mind either way whether they coborated or not. But now he was showing a firm determination to coborate. ¡°But Bald Suhyuk doesn¡¯t just coborate with anyone.¡± ¡°Is it still not enough?¡± ¡°Well¡­ to be honest, I think you might be enough, Suhyuk-nim. But¡­¡± Un Hyang seemed to be trying hard to dissuade Suhyuk from coborating with Bald Suhyuk. ¡°Bald Suhyuk is also mindful of the ¡®King of Destruction¡¯ nickname. If he coborates and your stream fails, it would unfairly be his fault.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± A major streamer known as the ¡®King of Destruction.¡¯ A coboration with him would certainly create a buzz, and it would have a positive effect in one way or another. The only concern was the jinx that any streamer who coborates with him ends up failing. But Suhyuk was confident. ¡°I will absolutely not fail.¡± He was determined to fight and win, even against the ¡®King of Destruction¡¯, bak Suhyuk. * Recently, the hottest trending content on Falcon Eye¡¯s channel was ¡®Lee Suhyuk¡¯. For Falcon Eye, who focused primarily on reviews, rankers or streamers themselves were content. Andtely, the hottest rookie generating the most buzz was Lee Suhyuk. ¨C Fal-hi! ¨C Fal-hi! -Fal-hi ¨C Ei-ha! (indicating ¡°Hello to Lee Suhyuk¡± streamer) It wasn¡¯t surprising that viewers¡¯ reactions had turned like this recently. Falcon Eye had been reviewing every other day, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Lee Suhyuk became the most frequently featured subject on Falcon Eye¡¯s stream. At that moment, from a ck screen, Falcon Eye¡¯s voice flowed out. ¡°Yes, hello. This is Falcon Eye, the dedicated Lee Suhyuk review streamer.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C What¡¯s with the tone? LOLOLOL ¨C Just acknowledged it LOLOLOL ¨C Trantion: So what if it¡¯s true, you pesky viewers~! The chat filled withughter at Falcon Eye¡¯s greeting. Having broken the ice, Falcon Eye immediately showed his face and started the stream. ¡°Seriously, at this rate, I might end up being a dedicated Lee Suhyuk review streamer. I¡¯m kinda worried.¡± Weren¡¯t you already? You just admitted it, old man. ¡°That was a joke. But what can I do? There¡¯s something to review in every single stream. Even though I¡¯ve been doing this content for a long time, I¡¯ve never seen someone like him.¡± ¨C Starting off with high praise again ??; ¨C Get together! (p) Get together! (p) ¨C But seriously, he did clear Thunder Cave LOLOLOL ¡°Exactly! I knew he¡¯d challenge it, but I didn¡¯t expect him to seed on the first try. Honestly, I thought maybe five attempts? But¡­¡± As if struck by awe, Falcon Eye continued the stream with an excited expression and tone. ¡°But the most impressive part is the process and the result. I actually screamed while watching it live.¡± ¨C Definitely confirmed easy mode ¨C Just change your nickname to Easy Falcon Eye, bro ¨C This isn¡¯t easy mode; it¡¯s sweet mode. Indeed, the atmosphere of reviewing Lee Suhyuk¡¯s content was significantly different from other review content. Even when dealing with rankers, Falcon Eye¡¯s streams could be ruthlessly critical, but when it came to Suhyuk, the review turned so sweet it could give you a toothache. ¡®Indeed¡­¡¯ Falcon Eye recalled the stream from just the other day. ¡°No, you can¡¯t pull back now! If your shield¡¯s durability is still good, you should hold your ground with it!¡± ¡°Look, his stamina ispletely depleted and he¡¯s gasping for breath, but he has plenty of magic, so he retreats to heal himself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always said this: it¡¯s ideal for stamina and magic to be used in proportion.¡± ¡°This personcks basic fundamentals. Just because they¡¯re a ranker doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re all the same. This guy should go back to the first floor for basic training-.¡± The tone difference was significant. But it was unavoidable. Whether it was sweet, spicy, or bitter, every review had to be honest. That was Falcon Eye¡¯s motto. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to criticize here. So what do you expect me to do?¡± In the end, Falcon Eye shamelessly carried on. And fortunately, his shamelessness worked quite well. ¨C True, true ¨C There¡¯s really nothing LOLOLOL ¨C But this trolling was a bit¡­ ¨C Those bus riders were the real issue. Don¡¯t you know? As the chat started getting noisy over the finished topic, Falcon Eye hurriedly tried to calm the stream. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s stop talking about unrted stuff. Let¡¯s keep it short and sweet today.¡± Saying this, Falcon Eye yed the video. However. Contrary to the phrase ¡®short and sweet,¡¯ the video started quite far along. ¨C Hmm? ¨C Why start from here? ¨C Did you skip the beginning? The review began right from where Suhyuk entered ¡®2nd Thunder Chamber¡¯. Practically at the final stage of the Thunder Cave raid. Suhyuk spotted Ferius fighting Schneider in the distance and aimed his spear at him. ¡°The stance of throwing the spear was good. The target setting was also good.¡± Thwang-! The spear shot by Suhyuk deflected Ferius¡¯s sword. Actually. It looked like it deflected Ferius¡¯s sword. ¡°Honestly, I was more surprised by Ferius than Lee Suhyuk here. To react so quickly and deflect the spear while fighting Schneider¡ªit was incredible.¡± It wasn¡¯t Suhyuk¡¯s spear that deflected the sword. Instead. It was Ferius deflecting the spear shot by Suhyuk. ¡°It was here I thought, ¡®Ah, this won¡¯t be easy. No, it¡¯ll be difficult.¡¯¡± After pausing to gather his thoughts, Falcon Eye added. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the same old Loserrius.¡± ¨C Poor Loserrius LOLOLOL ¨C What¡¯s Loserrius? ¨C Why is someone here who doesn¡¯t know Loserrius? ¨C What¡¯s that, nerd ?.? The video continued. ¡°But unexpectedly, Lee Suhyuk fought really well. Honestly, I was a bit surprised here, but not that much. Why? Because it¡¯s Lee Suhyuk.¡± Because it¡¯s Lee Suhyuk. By now, he was bing someone who could be described with just his name. He was bing that, and Falcon Eye was crafting that narrative. ¡°The real surprise was this.¡± Click- At a certain point, the video yback slowed down. It was the part where Schneider¡¯s spear flew between the fiercely battling Lee Suhyuk and Ferius. ¡°This was the turning point. Of course, Ferius reacted. The issue was the brief opening that was created.¡± Even though it was supposed to be in slow motion, the speed seemed to be the same. No, it even appeared to be faster. ¡°Look, it¡¯s speeding up alone. Isn¡¯t that insane? How can this be considered a level three floor?¡± Falcon Eye¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°And this part!¡± Click- Lee Suhyuk leaped high, stepping on air right in front of Ferius. And he didn¡¯t stop there; he directed his feet toward the ceiling of the cave. ¡°If you flip your body like this in an instant, your leap strength skyrockets. From your opponent¡¯s perspective, it would feel like the enemy on the ground suddenly vanished or soared into the sky.¡± It was an acrobatic feat. One that was extremely difficult and spectacr. ¡°Justnding correctly from this position alone is impressive, but¡­¡± Swish- Lee Suhyuk shed Ferius¡¯s neck in that stance. In one clean cut, all the way through to the bone. Boom- ¡°This is the truly insane part! How can you achieve such an urate aim from that position?¡± ¨C That¡¯s insane ?? ¨C He made it look so easy, so I thought it was simple ¨C Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a bit ambiguous ¨C It looks doable The audience¡¯s reaction was a bit ambiguous. It was understandable. Most viewers didn¡¯t watch streams of lower-level segments. They typically watched streams of top-tier yers, the rankers. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Lee Suhyuk¡¯s y didn¡¯t seem extraordinary to viewers ustomed to the most stimting content. However. ¡°You think this looks easy? This?¡± Falcon Eye couldn¡¯t agree with that sentiment at all. ¡°No matter what skills you use, if anyone below the fifth floor can replicate this, let theme forward!¡± ¨C What if someone does? ¨C What will you do? ¡°If someone does¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Falcon Eye finally made a bold promation. ¡°I¡¯ll immediately donate 100,000 points to that person¡¯s stream!¡± And that statement marked the beginning of the ¡®Lee Suhyuk Challenge.¡¯ Chapter 79 Chapter 79 After a day of rest. Suhyuk resumed his trial and stream. ¨C Su-hi! ¨C Su-hi! ¨C Baby Suhyuk, hey hey ¨C He¡¯s grown up way too fast for a baby ¨C What is he eating to grow so big? ?? ¨C It¡¯s our points, of course From the start, the chat was bustling. Although it was just text, Suhyuk felt as if his ears were already noisy. At first, it was a bit dizzying. But now he had gotten quite used to it and even found it enjoyable. ¡®The viewers¡­¡¯ Barely five minutes had passed since the stream started. Suhyuk, having exited the Thunder Cave and returned to the mercenary guild, nced at the viewer trends. ¡ºViewers: 6,890¡» Almost 7,000 viewers. The trend was much faster than before. At this rate, surpassing 10,000 viewers was almost a certainty. ¡®It must have been a hot topic.¡¯ Clearing the Thunder Cave. He¡¯d heard that it stirred quite a buzz in themunity. Moreover, swiftly getting rid of yers trying to ride along the previous day also seemed to have contributed to the hype. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about public opinion. Fortunately, it passed smoothly.¡± ¡°Really? I thought it would take a bit more time.¡± ¡°The team leader acted quickly. It seems they dug up those guys¡¯ past actions and tipped off the victims.¡± A conversation with Un Hyang from their meal the previous day. Suhyuk suddenly remembered the presence of Balhae Entertainment behind him. ¡®I was ready to be criticized for a while though.¡¯ It was better to get criticized a bit than to keep being dragged by those kinds of people. Besides, eventually, public opinion would side with him even if he was criticized at first. He hadmitted to it thinking that way. But inwardly, he had braced himself for a period of criticism. It was a relief. As a streamer now, Suhyuk didn¡¯t want the chat to be noisy for other reasons. ¡®Today, my past stream segments were supposed to be uploaded.¡¯ Suhyuk, who initially thought having apany was neither here nor there, had to rethink. ¡®They¡¯re doing good work.¡¯ Managing public opinion, providing advice and information about the stream, generating additional revenue streams, etc. While he couldn¡¯t speak for otherpanies, Balhae Entertainment surely yed its role as a partner well. Shortly after. Suhyuk officially started his stream, turning on the microphone. ¡°Su-hi.¡± Suhyuk waved his hand. It was a very stiff greeting. ¨C What¡¯s with the tension? LOLOLOL ¨C Even if it¡¯s fake, try a bit harder, man¡­ ¨C It¡¯s so dry, I can¡¯t feel anything from this stream. Suhyuk awkwardly opened his hand in response to the viewers¡¯ reactions. ¡°Su¡­ Su-hi?¡± ¨C Awkward¡­ ¨C This is the first time I¡¯ve been so cringed out from two words. ¨C Just do it normally. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s do that.¡± His quick agreement filled the chat withughter. And soon, the viewers noticed Suhyuk¡¯s location. ¨C Broadcasting from the Mercenary Guild? ¨C Looks like he¡¯s going to settle ounts right away ¨C Going to get his achievement points and move on The third-floor trial involvedpleting requests for the Mercenary Guild and umting achievement points. The required achievement points to move to the next floor was typically 10,000. However, sometimes performing exceptionally well on high-difficulty requests allowed one to earn more than 10,000 achievement points. And the Thunder Cave clearing request was the highest difficulty among the Mercenary Guild¡¯s requests. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ll settle the ounts and move on immediately.¡± ¨C Oh!!! ¨C Loving the fast progression ¨C Fast? This should¡¯ve been done two days ago, smh ¨C Wonder how much he¡¯ll get The viewers were eager to see how many achievement points Suhyuk would get for clearing the Thunder Cave. Probably half of those who joined the stream immediately after hearing the alert were curious about that. ¡°I¡¯ll be settling ounts in five minutes. It seems like not many people have joined yet.¡± Today, he had even set a specific stream title. The title was ¡®Thunder Cave Request Settlement¡¯. It was Un Hyang who had suggested it. Saying that it would help gather viewers quickly, Un Hyang insisted on having a title today. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll take some questions.¡± ¨C How many hours do you n to stream today? ¨C What did you do during your break? ¨C Are you going to start the fourth floor right away? Among the various questions, Suhyuk answered thest one that caught his eye. ¡°I n to start the fourth floor immediately. My goal is to clear it in the shortest time possible.¡± ¨C As expected ??? ¨C This guy is always serious about his trials ¨C He¡¯s definitely going to set a new record Most of Suhyuk¡¯s viewers watched to see how he handled the trials. On the second floor, he obtained the Lightning, and on the third floor, he cleared the Thunder Cave. Once could be a coincidence, but sessfully doing so twice in a row meant the next time was even more anticipated. ¡º¡¯CivilDefense¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºBut doesn¡¯t that mean Schneider will also umte points? You did clear it together.¡» In response to the donation message, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Yes, I think so. Achievement points will probably vary based on contributions.¡± ¨C Wow ¨C Schneider is going to move up right away too ¨C If he amassed points for 10 years, that¡¯s going to be amazing ¨C Nah, his points reset every time he dies in the Thunder Cave LOL For ten years, Schneider had been fixated on the Thunder Cave. Whenever the Thunder Cave opened, he attempted the challenge, and during the off times, he leveled up and honed his skills. However, having failed the Thunder Cave dozens, if not hundreds, of times, Schneider had no remaining points. ¡®Well, I guess he¡¯ll still get enough to surpass 10,000 points. That guy too.¡¯ ¡ºViewers: 11,829¡» As more time passed, the speed at which viewers increased gradually slowed down. Feeling that he had waited long enough, Suhyuk started moving and spoke up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go settle the ounts.¡± Step by step. Suhyuk headed towards the settlement counter of the Mercenary Guild. At the counter, a bearded mercenary was sitting with a bored expression, propping his chin up. ¡°Mercenary badge andpletion certificate.¡± Yawning as if everything was a hassle. Suhyuk handed over the two items he requested. Swoosh- ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The mercenary¡¯s eyes grew wider and wider as he checked the mercenary badge andpletion certificate as usual. ¡°Otherworlder, E-rank¡­ Thunder¡­ Cave¡­?¡± An entirely mismatchedbination. As the mercenary looked up at him, Suhyuk handed over another document. ¡°Here.¡± It was a rmendation letter. Upon checking it, the mercenary looked utterly bewildered. ¡°Just¡­ just a moment, please.¡± His tone towards Suhyuk changed. Suddenly fully awake, the mercenary stood up and disappeared somewhere, only to return five minutester. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed. The Thunder Cave was truly cleared¡­.¡± ¡°Then please sign here. Right here.¡± Tap, tap- As Suhyuk tapped thepletion certificate, the mercenary hurriedly picked up a feather pen. The moment the signature waspleted was also the moment the settlement was finalized. Scratch, scratch- As the signature waspleted. ¡°Here it is.¡± The moment Suhyuk received thepletion certificate back from the mercenary. ¡ºYou havepleted the request ¡®Thunder Cave Clearance¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou have earned 300,000 achievement points.¡» ¨C 300,000? ¨C That¡¯s insane LOLOLOL ¨C They gave him 30 times the passing requirement ???;; Honestly, it¡¯s deserved. 300,000 achievement points. Since Suhyuk thought he could get anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000 points, it was exactly in the middle. Neither disappointing nor entirely satisfying. The real deal started from here. ¡ºYou have met the conditions.¡» ¡ºWould you like to end the trial?¡» Having no intention to linger like Schneider, Suhyuk made his decision immediately. ¡°Of course.¡± It was a tense and exciting moment. ¡®The stats are important, but¡­ I hope they give a lot of points too.¡¯ After this mission, Suhyuk had secured a considerable number of points. But unfortunately, he was still slightly short of the next goal of 160,000 points. ¡ºCurrent Points: 146,612¡» About 14,000 points remaining. If possible, Suhyuk hoped to secure all the necessary points this time. Soon after. ¡ºYou have passed the trial of the Kingdom of Conrad.¡» ¡ºYou have achieved 300,000 achievement points.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYour level¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡ºYou have earned 29,000 points.¡» As the rewards appeared, Suhyuk cheered inwardly. ¡®It worked.¡¯ His level increased by 6 stages, and he gained 29,000 points. Considering that he had been experiencing a rapid increase in magic and felt the need for more stats, the level up was the best reward he could have received. Moreover, he could now increase the level of Selfish Sacrifice. This significantlypensated for some of the drawbacks of the Lightning. ¡®The imbnce in stats can be ovee with Selfish Sacrifice and the Heart of Lightning. Plus, gaining four points in stamina¡­¡¯ Although he would need to trial it in practice to be sure, it felt like he had reached a stable point. At that moment, the final message continued. ¡ºMoving to the 4th floor.¡» Whirrr-! * The sensation of blinking and then the world reappearing. The feeling of the surroundings changing and the air and sounds around you feeling different was always mysterious. The 4th floor. Having arrived in the new world, Suhyuk looked around at the scenery. Chirp, chirp-. The pleasant sound of birds filled the air. The sky was blue, and beautifully shaped clouds floated by. In the distance, there was a tall, towering castle. Surrounding it were buildings in an old European style, lined up side by side. Flowers intertwined with splendid architecture, and people¡¯s faces were bright without a hint of worry. A beautiful world, as if on a vacation. This was the world of the 4th floor, ssium. ¡®The ce where most yers end up stopping.¡¯ Hence, the name ¡®The World Where Dreams Stop¡¯. In this fairy-tale-like world, many yers forget their dreams. The ambition to take trials, climb the tower, be rankers, and enjoy wealth and honor. Even the mission given when they first entered the tower, to prepare for ¡®the event that will begin someday¡¯. ¡®An event that will begin someday¡­¡¯ Suhyuk was lost in thought, reminiscing about when he first entered the tower. ¡°¡ºYou have been chosen by the tower.¡» Ascend the tower and prepare for ¡®the event that will begin someday.¡¯¡»¡± Suhyuk was not the only one who heard this message. Every yer who ascended the tower heard the same message. This was the reason all yers initially started climbing the tower. However. ¡®When exactly is that daying?¡¯ Unlike when he first began, Suhyuk no longer climbed the tower because of that message. He climbed it to take revenge on Kim Ilsoo and to find therades who might still be alive. And other yers were the same, having forgotten that initial goal. The peaceful scenery unfolded before his eyes. ¡®Everyone has forgotten the warning they heard back then.¡¯ Suhyuk interpreted that message as a warning. If you do not prepare for that day, something terrible could happen. Therefore, you must climb the tower. No. You must conquer it. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 After arriving on the fourth floor, Suhyuk briefly ended his stream. He had met the conditions to level up the Selfish Sacrifice skill and needed to visit the new amodations arranged by Balhae. Arriving at his new lodging, Suhyuk stood in front of the building, admiring it for a moment. ¡°Looks expensive.¡± It was a tall building that seemed newly constructed. Expensive materials had been used, and statues lined the entrance, making it look almost like a small castle. It definitely looked pricey. It was a stark contrast to the lodgings he had been using previously. Click-. ¡°What are you doing out here instead ofing in?¡± The door swung open quickly, and Un Hyang came out to greet him. Un Hyang had arrived early at the lodging. ¡°Just taking a look around.¡± ¡°Here? It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. Quite so.¡± This level of luxury was something Suhyuk could only dream of in his previous life. As Suhyuk wondered about the sudden upgrade, Un Hyang added an exnation. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve grown in stature, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Stature? You mean my stream?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re now a proper mid-tier streamer. One with significant growth potential.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s position had changed rapidly. Not long ago, he was a newbie who had just started streaming. Now, he was a mid-tier streamer with tens of thousands of viewers. Moreover. ¡°Thepany is anxious. They¡¯re worried you might up and leave for one of therge guilds.¡± Given Suhyuk¡¯s potential for both growing his stream and possibly transferring to another guild, Balhae Entertainment had to use various methods to keep him. Step by step. Suhyuk entered the lodging with Un Hyang. The lobby had a ceiling that seemed at least 10 meters high, with a fountain at the center. There was a tea zone for drinking tea and a dining area for breakfast. It felt like stepping into a grand hotel. ¡°How about a cup of tea? On thepany¡¯s tab, of course.¡± Un Hyang said this as he ordered arge amount of coffee and desserts. Thepany funds were flowing out. Suhyuk, who also ordered a cup of coffee, felt a bit uneasy. ¡°The change in treatment is so abrupt, it¡¯s almost overwhelming.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s all paid for with the money you¡¯ve brought into thepany.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve earned that much yet.¡± ¡°You will soon. Thepany wouldn¡¯t do anything unprofitable.¡± There was truth in his words. Suhyuk¡¯s video channel was growing rapidly, and even now, the view counts were rising. It was clear that the video of him clearing the Thunder Cave would gain significant poprity. ¡°There are already three ads on Suhyuk¡¯s videos. That¡¯s a sign your poprity is growing quickly.¡± ¡°Ads, you say?¡± ¡°Yes. There are also direct advertisement offers wanting Suhyuk to feature their products. The recent challenge seems to have boosted your poprity even more¡­.¡± ¡°Challenge?¡± Suhyuk raised his eyebrows as if he didn¡¯t understand, to which Un Hyang responded with a puzzled look. ¡°Haven¡¯t you watched Falcon Eye¡¯s stream?¡± ¡°I have.¡± ¡°Falcon Eye said if anyone could replicate Suhyuk¡¯s feat, he¡¯d give them 100,000 points, remember?¡± Indeed, he had said that. At the end of his stream. It was mentioned almost as a joke, but Falcon Eye wasn¡¯t someone to make promises he didn¡¯t keep. And streamers, knowing this. ¡°It seems that has be quite trendy these days.¡± It was known as the ¡®Lee Suhyuk Challenge¡¯. *** On the fifth floor, there was a streamer named Deroro. He was a streamer who, on average, recorded about 5,000 viewers. He was neither particrly sessful nor a failure as a streamer. He earned a decent ie from donations, and although slowly, he was steadily advancing up the tower. In the midst of this. Deroro started an intriguing new content. ¡°I¡¯m going to try the Lee Suhyuk Challenge.¡± The Lee Suhyuk Challenge had begun spreading like a trend among streamers. It was only natural for streamers, often struggling for new content, to take an interest in a new challenge. They could stream new content, and if they seeded, earn up to 100,000 points. Not attempting it would be foolish. Moreover¡­ ¨C Now that I think about it, there¡¯s Deroro LOLOLOL ¨C Doesn¡¯t he have a skill simr to flying? It didn¡¯t matter what skill you used. You just had to perfectly replicate the move. ¡°The practice target will be the trial dummy in the testing grounds.¡± What difficulty level? ¡°Level 1.¡± ¨C Level 1 LOLOLOL LOL ¨C Utterly despicable¡­ ¨C So you¡¯re just gonna sh a stationary target LOLOLOL ¨C Deroro! Shame on you!! Despite the audience¡¯s taunts, Deroro shrugged his shoulders. ¡°My pride isn¡¯t worth 100,000 points.¡± ¨C True, true LOLOLOL ¨C Deroro¡¯s pride? You could buy that for 100 points. ¨C Indeed LOL ¨C Deroro stared at the dummy in front of him. With a sword in hand, he focused his concentration. ¡®I am a yer on the fifth floor.¡¯ No matter how remarkable Lee Suhyuk was, he was just a yer who had barely passed the third floor. In contrast, Deroro had two years of experience on the fifth floor. What Lee Suhyuk could do, he could do as well. Furthermore, the opponent wasn¡¯t a Thunder Knight but a mere dummy. ¡®I can do this.¡¯ He temporarily forgot about the stream. -The purpose of the stream was just to record evidence of the challenge¡¯s sess. For now, seeding in the challenge and securing 100,000 points was the priority. When his concentration peaked. ¡°Challenge!¡± Shouting energetically, Deroro dashed quickly towards the dummy. ¡º¡¯Feather Step¡¯ has been activated.¡» ¡ºMovement speed increases by 20% for 5 seconds.¡» ¡ºAir time increases by 100% for 5 seconds.¡» Feather Step. It was one of the skills Deroro could use. While it didn¡¯t allow for stepping on air like Sky Walk, it increased air time and movement speed, making it a fairly high-tier skill. Thanks to this skill, Deroro could attempt the Lee Suhyuk Challenge. ¡®With a longer air time, this should be¡­¡¯ Woosh¡ª Reaching the dummy, Deroro pushed off the ground with force and leaped high. Up to this point, things were good. At this rate, he could decapitate the dummy in one swift motion. However. ¡®I need to¡­ flip my body¡­¡¯ The difficulty spiked when he tried to flip his speeding body upside down. Pointing his feet towards the sky wasn¡¯t easy. No, flipping the body wasn¡¯t the only problem. The bnce wavered. His inverted vision made it difficult to see the target properly. Moreover, swinging the sword with maximum force from such a position was challenging. *** ¡°Uh, uh, uh?¡± In the end, his steps got tangled. Crack- Deroro¡¯s sword cut off not the neck but the top of the dummy¡¯s head. Thud- Failing to maintain bnce due to the forceful swing, Deroro fell to the ground, unable tond properly. ¡°Ugh-!¡± Deroro grimaced in pain as hended hard on his backside. ¨C LOLOLOL LOL ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C Is he doing pstickedy? LOLOLOL ¨C Fail like Deroro! The viewers mocked him, the consequence of his failure. The moment he failed to cut off the dummy¡¯s neck, the challenge was over. He only had one chance. Feather Step could only be used once per day. Though he could try again without the skill¡­ ¡°This is insane.¡± Deroro didn¡¯t have the nerve to do that. ¡°How did he do it?¡± * If it were just about cutting, anyone could do it. But cutting precisely from an inverted position after a leap, and thennding properly, was a different story. asionally, someone would appear who could cut the dummy¡¯s neck while inverted. The issue was thending. ¡°How are you supposed tond from this?¡± ¡°I can flip, butnding is the problem.¡± ¡°Guys,nding on your head counts, doesn¡¯t it? Come on¡­ Oh, no recognition?¡± Many streamers attempted it, but no one seeded. Even if they managed to cut the dummy¡¯s neck urately,nding was the problem. It wasn¡¯t a matter of having enough stats. This was more like a stunt, unrted to stats. Finally. They reached one conclusion. ¡°You can¡¯t do this without Sky Walk.¡± ¡°Is Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear a good item? That¡¯s Blue Eyes¡¯ relic, right?¡± ¡°If I had that, I could do it too.¡± The Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. And the skill embedded in that item, Sky Walk. They concluded that without that skill, the challenge couldn¡¯t bepleted. And at that moment. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» * ¨C ??? ¨C What¡¯s with the sudden Lee Suhyuk stream? ¨C Two streams in one day? Rare indeed ¨C Su-hi! The unexpected stream delighted the viewers. By now, many regr viewers eagerly awaited Suhyuk¡¯s streams. Moreover. ¡ºLee Suhyuk attempts the Lee Suhyuk Challenge. ps. Barefoot.¡» The stream title was incredibly intriguing. After Falcon Eye¡¯s stream, the Lee Suhyuk Challenge spread rapidly. Now, Lee Suhyuk himself was attempting the challenge. Without the Nimble Thief¡¯s Footwear. Barefoot. ¡°Su-hi. Hello, everyone.¡± With a simple greeting, the stream began. ¡°This stream will be short. I need to start challenging the fourth floor again from tomorrow.¡± ¨C Still good. At least we get to see this ¨C The title is super interesting Suhyuk then showed where he was. ¡°I¡¯ll be challenging the level 5 of the virtual trial grounds. This challenge seems to be trending here these days.¡± ¨C Trending for just two days now ¨C It spread quickly though ¨C But everyone was doing it on level 1 The practice virtual trial grounds have different levels of difficulty for the dummies. From the level 1 dummies that just stand still, to the sturdier and faster-moving ones. Suhyuk was challenging the 5th level dummies, which could move faster than most yers in the lower floors. ¡°Who can¡¯t hit a stationary target? That¡¯s no fun.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOL ¨C Look at the cockiness LOLOLOL LOL ¨C They couldn¡¯t even do that though Un Hyang had rmended this content. ¡°Even without the donations, it would make for a great video, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s if you seed.¡± She seemed to be suggesting what she herself wanted to see. ¡®That¡¯s why her ideas are better.¡¯ Un Hyang was Suhyuk¡¯s best fan. She often boasted about being his fan for a long time, and both her tone and expression showed just how deep her fandom was. Because of this, she coulde up with content ideas that the audience wanted to see. She was a fan herself, after all. ¡°This content is a kind of fan service.¡± Recalling Un Hyang¡¯s words before starting the stream. ¡°No need to give missions today.¡± Suhyuk spoke in a different manner than usual. Yes. Today¡¯s stream wasn¡¯t about earning points through missions. What he was about to show briefly was. ¡°Because I¡¯m going to seed anyway.¡± This is Lee Suhyuk. It was a kind of showmanship to demonstrate just that. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°Because it¡¯s going to seed anyway.¡± The confident deration resounded from the stream. Un Hyang¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at the screen. ¡°As expected!¡± She was already satisfied, though nothing had been achieved yet. That confident demeanor and the consistent ability to realize that confidence. This was the biggest pleasure of watching Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡®The response is good, too.¡¯ Un Hyang didn¡¯t just enjoy the stream casually. As a manager, she did not forget her role, and she closely monitored the progress of the stream from time to time. How the public opinion in the chat was. How the number of viewers was changing moment by moment. ¡ºViewers: 9,372¡» Over 9,000 viewers had already gathered. At this rate, reaching 10,000 viewers seemed only a matter of time. If the content¡¯s sustainability was good, surpassing even 15,000 seemed quite achievable. Now, 10,000 viewers didn¡¯t seem that difficult anymore. This meant that more and more viewers were looking for the streamer Lee Suhyuk. ¡®There¡¯s only one thing left now.¡¯ Crunch. Having recorded the viewer trends, it was time to enjoy the stream while snacking. ¡®Toplete this challenge perfectly.¡¯ Much hinged on the sess of this challenge. If he failed here, a potential video clip would be lost. The failure of one content meant that the streamer¡¯s lifespan would be shortened ordingly. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡°To be honest, Lee Suhyuk is a dangerous streamer.¡± This was the words of John Dale, a seasoned veteran in the field. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s too outstanding.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand. Being good was an advantage. Especially for a yer, having outstanding skills is the best advantage. And Lee Suhyuk was such a gem-like streamer born with that best advantage. But. ¡°People who have always shown their excellence must continue to do so.¡± Un Hyang couldn¡¯t find any words to refute John Dale¡¯s statement. ¡°Such types of streamers stream with absolute faith. And their viewers think this way: this streamer never fails. They will show something great today, too.¡± Faith. A beautiful, nice word. But the name of a trust that has been broken once is doubt. ¡°A single failure. That will be the turning point.¡± That¡¯s why John Dale said Lee Suhyuk was a dangerous streamer. ¡°The moment he fails once, he will lose everything on his stream.¡± Every word was true. From that moment, even if Lee Suhyuk seeded as a yer, he would never be able to be a top-tier streamer. He would likely be just one of the many, moderate streamers. But. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Un Hyang didn¡¯t feel worried at John Dale¡¯s words; instead, she felt even more anticipation building. ¡°I know someone who has aplished what you mentioned, Team Leader.¡± ¡°Are you talking about real Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Un Hyang¡¯s answer, John Dale had a vague expression. And John Dale asked. Could he really be like Lee Suhyuk? ¡°See for yourself, Team Leader.¡± This content was for those like John Dale, who had such doubts. And for the countless viewers who shared the same thoughts as John Dale. ¡°This person will go even higher.¡± * ¨C Are you really doing it without Sky Walk? In response to a chat, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Yes. Would you like to see?¡± Then he showed his bare feet, which had nothing on them. ¡°Look. See, nothing.¡± Step by step, he walked slowly towards the scarecrow. Suhyuk started the Lee Suhyuk challenge. ¨C Oh, looks like he¡¯s starting. ¨C Can you really do it without Sky Walk? ¡°I can.¡± Unlike before, Suhyuk now had the leisure to watch the chat. It was an obvious difference. Suhyuk now was in better condition than before, and above all, the opponent wasn¡¯t Ferius but a scarecrow. Crackle. ¡º¡¯Thunder Lv.5¡ä imbues his feet.¡» His steps, which had been gradually speeding up, gained eleration. The scenery shown on the screen changed in an instant. In the blink of an eye, he reached the front of the scarecrow and continued hismentary. ¡°Run forward.¡± sh. Crackle. With thunder imbued in his feet, he leaped high into the sky. Swoosh. Cleanly, he beheaded the scarecrow. ¡°Just like this.¡± Thump. And then smoothlynded back down. ¡°And then youe back down.¡± ¨C ??????? ¨C ?????????? ¨C ???? ¨C What? The events that unfolded in the blink of an eye filled the chat with question marks. ¨C Is this¡­ right? Other people are struggling so much with this. ¨C Did you do something else? ¨C It¡¯s correct but¡­ is it really? Suhyuk asked the bewildered viewers, ¡°Should I show you again?¡± ¨C Yes yes ¨C Re- go go Suhyuk called another scarecrow. He then said, ¡°This time I¡¯ll do it a bit slower than before.¡± Sssssss. He performed the same movements at a slightly slower pace than before. ¨C Wow¡­ ¨C It¡¯s absurd how easily he does it. ¨C It¡¯s the gear, it¡¯s the gear, it¡¯s the gear, it¡¯s the gear, it¡¯s the gear. ¨C Is this really possible? lololol They thought the challenge was about seeding in one try. In reality, Suhyuk demonstrated not just by seeding on the first try, but mastering the speed to his liking. He proved that he could seed no matter how many times he tried. ¨C How did you do that? At a viewer¡¯s question, Suhyuk furrowed his brows under the mask. ¡°How did I do it?¡± Finding it difficult to exin, Suhyuk created another scarecrow. ¡°Just like this¡­¡± Paaat-. This time, without using lightning, he ran quickly and jumped high. ¡°Jump.¡± Swipe-. When he reached the height around the opponent¡¯s head, he sliced its neck with a de. ¡°sh.¡± Tap-. Hended softly with bnce. ¡°Bnce yourself, and then stand up again.¡± ¨C This is serious. I don¡¯t understand anything.. ¨C Aha! I perfectly understand! (I don¡¯t understand.) ¨C I said I understood! Hahaha, really! ¨C Someone seriously needs to nerf this guy. ¨C Simply put, you just have to do it. And it was indeed like that. He wanted to share the method but there was no way to teach it. ¡®I¡¯m not really good at teaching.¡¯ Unless there was some special tip, there was no way to exin what came naturally to him. Suhyuk scratched his head for a moment, then said, ¡°Anyway, the challenge isplete¡­¡± Waving his hand lightly, he concluded the stream. ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s stream. See you tomorrow.¡± ¨C ????? ¨C Wait a moment ¨C Is it really ending like this? ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has ended the stream.¡» *** The stream ended. As he often did, Suhyuk called Un Hyang right after the stream ended. Late evening. Un Hyang stepped outside the dorm and answered Suhyuk¡¯s call. ¨C Wasn¡¯t that too abrupt? ¡°You did well. The video angles were good, and the team leader mentioned not dragging out content for too long.¡± It served as a feedback session of sorts. They would discuss whether the stream went well, if there were any issues, or if anything needed improvement. ¨C It¡¯s a bit disappointing that I couldn¡¯t answer properly earlier. ¡°No, it¡¯s better this way.¡± ¨C Better, huh¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not just saying it. It looks more genius-like if even you don¡¯t know how you do it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Suhyuk readily agreed with Un Hyang¡¯s words. ¨C You¡¯re right. Suhyuk had vaguely sensed it too. Seeing him avoid detailed answers fit the image the viewers have of Lee Suhyuk. Although he thought exining a bit more would seem friendlier. ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, Suhyuk, just keep being yourself. No need to put on any act. No.¡± Un Hyang spoke with utmost certainty. ¡°That¡¯s how it must be.¡± ¨C Is that so? Reassured by Un Hyang¡¯s words, Suhyuk felt confident again. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be back a bitte because of a promise. Rest well.¡± Click-. With those words, Un Hyang ended the call. It was the first time she had ever ended a call with Suhyuk first, something she didn¡¯t realize at the moment. She slowly walked into the alley. She met the person she had promised to see. ¡°You came fast.¡± With one hand in his pocket and the other fiddling with a kit as usual, Cheon Ryang stood there. ¡°Why are you sote?¡± ¡°Work. Sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry, huh? You must really feel sorry if you¡¯re buying food first.¡± Un Hyang couldn¡¯t say anything to Cheon Ryang¡¯s remark. She had no right to. No matter how thick-skinned she was, she had sent Cheon Ryang to take care of something on her behalf, so she had no excuses. ¡°Pick whatever you want to eat. And drinks too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll choose something really expensive.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. Choose something expensive. Your nuna¡¯s rich.¡± Un Hyang responded yfully. She knew that Cheon Ryang¡¯s words were meant to ease her guilt. Their bantersted only a short while. Suddenly, Cheon Ryang¡¯s expression hardened, and he spoke in a changed tone. ¡°We¡­ might not be able to stay here much longer.¡± Cheon Ryang had spent a lot of time contemting before bringing this up. And eventually. He said it. ¡°That damned old man found out everything. Where you are and what you¡¯re doing.¡± *** 9th Floor. A world that only a very select few yers, who possess chosen talents and exceptional effort, can reach. If reaching the 8th floor earns a yer the title of Ranker, those who make it to the 9th floor are so rare that they are called High Rankers. In the heart of the busiest city in that world, the Blue Zone executive house was located. ¡°So, it¡¯s a rejection again¡­¡± A man with short, spiky hair and a tattoo on one arm mumbled while resting his chin on his hand. In front of him was a namete. Vice-Guild Leader of Blue Zone, Lee Wonjae. Just to be sure, he looked at the screen in front of him once again. ¡°I promised treatment equivalent to a semi-ranker. This message came not from me, but from the higher-ups of the guild!¡± Paul Rimen. He was a lower-floor yer belonging to Blue Zone. Though he was quite a low-ranking member, he had two important missions. The first was to serve as a catalyst for Omar Schneider to conquer the Thunder Cave. The second was to bring the streamer Lee Suhyuk into Blue Zone. However, ¡°There¡¯s no way there isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m rejecting that offer.¡± He had defiantly rejected the proposal. And he did so during a stream. So, it was only natural that news articles spread. ¡ºStreamer Lee Suhyuk Rejects Blue Zone¡¯s Recruitment Offer.¡» ¡ºWhat¡¯s Next for Lee Suhyuk? Will He Continue as a Streamer?¡» ¡ºNew Lightning Lord. The Missed Connection with Blue Zone.¡» Lee Suhyuk. Blue Zone. It was abination that would naturally draw high viewership. Rejecting the guild¡¯s recruitment offer during a stream was as good as drawing a clear line, stating he would never team up with them. ¡°Talking won¡¯t do¡­¡± The investment named Schneider to tackle the Thunder Cave had failed. After a moment of contemtion, Lee Wonjae dialed a number on his kit. The recipient was Kim Ilsoo. The master ruling over the vast world known as Blue Zone. And when he answered, ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± Lee Wonjae spoke immediately about the matter. ¡°It seems we need to resort to more aggressive methods.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Kim Ilsoo is a fucking bitch. It has be a habit to me to call any character I don¡¯t like a bitch. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 The next day. Early in the morning, Suhyuk left the dorm to challenge the next trial. The ce where Suhyuk started his stream was on the 4th floor testing grounds. In front of the white portal. As he turned on the stream and waited for a moment, viewers started to flood in. -Su-Hi -Su-Hi! -Did he just go live? The waiting time was 5 minutes. After about that much time had passed, the viewer count exceeded 7,000. And then. The stream began in earnest. ¡°Su-hi. Hello, everyone.¡± With these words, the stream began. -Su-Hi! -Hi hi -You¡¯re early today. Quite a number of viewers had tuned in early in the morning. By now, even Suhyuk had gotten used to responding to the viewers¡¯ chat messages. ¡º¡¯IloveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºSu-hi! Are you going to the 5th floor starting today?¡» ¡º¡¯Great Man Lee Wonjae¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºHeck, heck. Brother, please greet us once.¡» As the number of viewers increased, the frequency and amount of donations pouring in alongside the stream also grew. ¡°Thank you ¡®IloveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ for the 1,000-point donation. Yes, I¡¯m climbing up again from today. ¡®Great Man Lee Wonjae¡¯¡­¡± The time spent reading and replying to donation messagessted for a bit. Among them: ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºWhat crazy stunt are you pulling this time?¡» A question perfectly suited for the stream hade in. -What ¡®stunt¡¯ lolol -He did pull off some crazy ¡®stunts¡¯ lolol The objective for this trial. When asked about it, the viewers responded with great enthusiasm. Simple but this was the identity of the streamer Lee Suhyuk. Having passed the Trial of Thunder and conquered the Thunder Cave. Suhyuk had beenpleting trials by doing things that others could not. It seemed that viewers most anticipated this kind of feat from his stream. However, ¡°Well, this ce is somewhat boring¡­¡± Unlike other trials, the 4th floor¡¯s trial made it difficult to attempt something special. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do but to get through it as quickly as possible.¡± -This ce is a bit boring. -True, sad but true. -Why? I found it interesting. -But if this guy participates, doesn¡¯t he break the ecosystem? lol There were many disappointed reactions. Suhyuk also wanted to meet their expectations, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do. Even if other floors were different, the trial on the 4th floor was particrly restrictive for yers attempting to do something unique. Both Un Hyang and John Dale regretted that Suhyuk had to take on the 4th floor¡¯s trial during a key growth period for his stream. For in a sense, this trial was excellent content, yet its nature waspletely different from what Suhyuk typically offered. Steps could be heard approaching. Stepping forward. As he entered the portal, a message resonated. ¡ºYou have consumed 3,000 points.¡» ¡ºStarting the 4th Floor Trial.¡» Around him was still a whitendscape. The trial hadn¡¯t begun yet. Messages continued to appear. ¡ºYou have been assigned a ¡®Bronze 3¡¯ rank.¡» ¡ºAll abilities are adjusted to 50% ording to the Bronze rank.¡» ¡ºEarn points to raise your rank and achieve the ¡®Challenger¡¯ rank.¡» ¡ºThe ranking order is Bronze ¨C Silver ¨C tinum ¨C Diamond ¨C Challenger.¡» ¡ºYou can earn points by winning matches against the opposing team.¡» All the strength in his body drained away. His stats were halved, and even the effects of his items were cut by half. Win matches to earn points and raise your rank to achieve Challenger status. A simple yet tedious method. It was also a task that took a lot of time. As short as half a year. As long as a lifetime, it could be impossible to pass this ranking system trial. ¡®It feels horrible, as always.¡¯ Suhyuk frowned at the strange emptiness. The power that had filled his body suddenly halved. He had felt it long ago, but from the very start, this trial was designed to make the yer feel a sense of hardship. Of course, ¡®It¡¯s better than waking up in a trash can.¡¯ It was a hundred times better than the moment he thought he had died, only to wake up in a trash can having lost all his stats. ¡ºSearching for participants.¡» ¡ºSearchplete.¡» Swoosh-! The view began to change right then. The surrounding world shifted, and the air changed. Arge circr building appeared in front of him. In the distance, lush forests spread out, and three paths stretched far ahead. The mostmonly used map. The Forest of War. ¡ºVictor Roman: tinum 2¡» ¡ºNile Tool: tinum 3¡» ¡ºRoen: tinum 4¡» ¡ºLee Suhyuk: Bronze 3¡» ¡ª ¡ºLiandry: tinum 2¡» ¡ºLord: tinum 3¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡ª The names and ranks of allies and enemies were disyed. Suddenly, three yers appeared around him in a white light. And predictably, ¡°Bronze?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? Is it a bug?¡± ¡°Why is the bnce like this?¡± They showed displeasure and confusion at Suhyuk¡¯s presence, which didn¡¯t match the ranks. -?????? -Why is the queue like this? -It¡¯s a tinum field lolol. -Is it really a bug?? The viewers were equally baffled. Ranks weren¡¯t justbels. Just like the Bronze rank capped stats at 50%, stats varied greatly with each rank. Silver ranks retained 75% of their stats. Golds retained 100%, tinum retained 150%. And Diamond ranks retained 200%, granting them double stats. Which meant, tinum yers had roughly three times the advantage over Bronze yers. ¨C The system is really trolling us lololol. ¨C A Bronze in a tinum room? This is rare. ¨C Hahaha, I thought it would be boring, but it¡¯s actually amazing fun, isn¡¯t it? Thanks to this unexpected twist, the interest of viewers, which had cooled down before the trial began, suddenly heated up. Suhyuk was the only Bronze-ranked participant in a tinum room. No matter how skilled he was, the severe penalties imposed by the system couldn¡¯t be ignored. What was supposed to be an easy trial abruptly morphed into a hardcore challenge. ¡ºWee to the Forest of War.¡» ¡ºDefeat your enemies to grow stronger.¡» ¡ºDestroy the enemy base to win the match.¡» ¡ª Fight enemies to grow stronger and win. That was the core content of this trial. The problem was. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s really a Bronze?¡± The trial on the 4th floor was mostly team-based rather than individual. ¡°How does a Bronze get caught in the same queue as us? This is too much, even for bad luck!¡± Right from the start, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t good. A scrawny man was ring at Suhyuk right from the beginning. The name ¡®Nile Tool¡¯ was floating above his head. ¡°Wait a minute, isn¡¯t he Lee Suhyuk?¡± One of the fourrades, a female yer, looked at Suhyuk in surprise. It seemed she recognized Suhyuk. ¡°That Suhyuk? He¡¯s been dead for ages.¡± ¡°No, not that Suhyuk. Fake Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Fake Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Yes, the one who does streams¡­¡± But even after exining, Nile Tool¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°What, a streamer?¡± There were many yers who didn¡¯t watch streams. In fact, more people didn¡¯t know him than those who did. The only reason some old Suhyuk fans were interested was because of the unique nature of the Thunder power. Whether Suhyuk was a streamer or not didn¡¯t matter to Nile Tool, what mattered was his own trial. ¡°So what? Just because he¡¯s a streamer doesn¡¯t mean he can screw us over.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why this bug happened, but he didn¡¯t join our party on purpose¡­¡± ¡°So what, damn it! If he can¡¯t pull his weight, that¡¯s trolling!¡± Nile, unable to contain his anger, shouted furiously. At that moment. ¡°If you have a brain, why don¡¯t you use it?¡± Suhyuk, having heard enough, spoke up. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you keep getting angry until the match ends instead of starting properly, you won¡¯t achieve anything.¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°The system is the fairest of all. If you can¡¯t see the essence because of ranks, just gouge those eyes out.¡± ¡°What?¡± The already tense atmosphere became even more hostile. The tension was so high that it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if a fight broke out among the allies before the match even started. Seeing this, the only female yer, Roen, quickly intervened between the two. ¡°Come on, guys, let¡¯s not fight among ourselves. Right now, we¡¯re a team.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t team up with a guy like this¡­¡± ¡°You might meet as enemies again someday, right? So save the fighting for then.¡± Nile frowned and replied irritably to Roen¡¯s attempt at arbitration. ¡°I doubt that would ever happen.¡± Thanks to Roen¡¯s mediation, Nile didn¡¯t provoke any further. Perhaps realizing there¡¯s nothing good about shing too much with a streamer on stream. ¡°How about we decide our positions now? Does anyone have a preferred position?¡± Roen, trying to organize the situation, asked. Suhyuk responded. ¡°Anywhere is fine with me.¡± ¡°Send me to the bottom.¡± ¡°I can only do mid.¡± After hearing everyone¡¯s preferences, Roen pondered for a moment and then spoke. ¡°Then, Suhyuk, please go to the forest. You know how to y that position, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The forest position involved less direct confrontation with opponentspared to other positions. Roen¡¯s choice likely considered the characteristics of that role. ¡°We¡¯re in a bit of a disadvantageous situation, but let¡¯s try to win anyway. Suhyuk, you¡¯re talented, so I believe you¡¯ll do well.¡± In simple terms, she was asking him to at least pull his weight. Though she didn¡¯t speak harshly, Roen also didn¡¯t trust Suhyukpletely. ¨C He¡¯s really sidelined¡­ ¨C From being the strongest on the 3rd floor to this??? ¨C Can¡¯t be helped since Bronze fell into a tinum match. The viewers seemed to share the same sentiment. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll even manage to catch the creatures in the forest.¡± Nile couldn¡¯t resist leaving a snide remark. Suhyuk wanted to say something back but held his tongue. If he said anything more, it would only dy things further. ¡ºMonsters will spawn in 30 seconds.¡» The final warning message. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s stop fighting and get going. Suhyuk, you too. Do your best.¡± With Roen¡¯s final words, the team dispersed into the three paths. Suhyuk was left alone and entered the forest. With a brief moment of peace, ¨C But seriously, why did the queue end up like this? ¨C Right? ¨C Has this ever happened before? ¨C Sometimes we get matched with Silvers, but tinum is a bit much¡­ The viewers began to seriously question the situation only then. Why on earth was Suhyuk, a Bronze rank, stuck in a match with tinum-ranked yers? Of course, they could only specte and couldn¡¯t understand the exact intent of the system. But there¡¯s one thing for sure. There was one thing, however, that all viewers unanimously agreed on. If he manages to win this, he¡¯ll get a massive score boost. If Suhyuk could ovee this rank disparity, he stood to gain a substantial number of points. TL¡¯s Corner: Time for some MOBA¡­ Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Ever since the match started, Nile Tool hadn¡¯t been in a good mood. ¡®Streamer? Is that supposed to be a big deal?¡¯ He could see enemy yers and soldiers approaching from a distance. He needed to focus, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡®That Bronze bastard is all talk. What does he think he can do¡­?¡¯ From the start, this game was doomed. If what that woman Roen said is true, then he¡¯s supposedly a pretty skilled streamer. But the stat difference between Bronze and tinum is threefold. No matter how good his control was, it was an insurmountable gap. Thunk-! Swinging arge hammer to take down an enemy soldier, Nile gradually increased his stats. ¡ºYou have defeated a ¡®Soldier¡¯.¡» ¡ºStat increase by 1%.¡» ¡®Farming is going well.¡¯ There were three ways to get stronger in this game. Defeat enemy yers, hunt neutral monsters, or continuously kill respawning enemy soldiers. yers called repeatedly killing soldiers to increase stats ¡®farming¡¯. ¡®What does it matter? We¡¯ll lose because of one guy anyway.¡¯ Thinking that, Nile kept an eye on the enemy yer¡¯s position. A yer sticking close to a giant statue acting as a turret. The moment he attacked that yer, the statue would target him. ¡®There¡¯s no way to win except by getting kills. Is that why he¡¯s ying defensively?¡¯ The game seemed increasingly hopeless. ¡°Can¡¯t do this, damn it.¡± And at that moment. Swish-. The enemy yer who had been peacefully farming closed the distance as if on cue. ¡°Uh-.¡± Another enemy yer appeared from the bushes. Seeing the second yer appear, Nile felt utterly resigned. ¡®Fine, I knew this match was unwinnable anyway¡­¡¯ sh-! Boom-! A beam of light was followed by a deafening noise. ¡°Argh-!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? Where did ite from?¡± The enemy yer hit by the yellow lightning screamed, while the other looked around in confusion. And in that brief moment. sh-! A second spear of lightning flew. Boom-! ng-! Blocked by a shield, the lightning still shook the reacting yer. Despite the distance, the attacker hadn¡¯t even revealed themselves. ¡®Is that an ally?¡¯ A broad smile spread across Nile¡¯s face. A savior had appeared at the moment he thought he was finished. Despite having a Bronze in their midst, it seemed there was at least onepetent teammate. ¡°Find that yer first!¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the woods! You¡¯re supposed to find him!¡± The two enemy yers quarreled. Seeing his chance, Nile¡¯s eyes glinted. He used a high-magic-consuming skill. ¡ºUsing ¡®Palm Strike¡¯.¡» ¡ºSingle hit destructive power increases by 300%.¡» Buzz-. A swing of the club with a charge. ng-! The force of the club dented the enemy yer¡¯s shield. As one of them staggered back, an ally revealed himself from the forest. And at the moment Nile recognized his ally¡¯s face. ¡°Bronze?¡± Nile muttered in shock. Despite his stats being halved, Suhyuk was moving quickly towards the enemy yer. In the next instant. Buzz-. Leaping over the shield, Suhyuk swung his sword from behind. Boom-! With the sword strike, lightning shot out. Though the power was diminished, Suhyuk¡¯s de urately struck the enemy¡¯s neck. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Lord¡¯.¡» A notification shed for all participants. As one enemy fell, the other began to retreat towards the statue. No, he tried to. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go there.¡± As if he had expected it. Suhyuk warned the remaining yer. ¡°Well, toote?¡± ¡°Toote?¡± At that moment, the warned yer looked around. Zap, zzzz-. At their feet. A yellow circle glowed. A trap set in advance, predicting the movement path. By the time he thought of escaping, it was already toote. sh-! Boom-! From the ground up, a bolt of lightning surged. With his whole body electrified, the yer rolled his eyes back and trembled uncontrobly. And during that moment, another spear appeared in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. Thud-! A long yellow spear pierced through the body. ¡°Guh-.¡± With a short groan, the second yer¡¯s life ended. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Liandry¡¯.¡» In an instant, two enemies were down. Nile rubbed his eyes. ¡°What, what is that¡­?¡± But even after rubbing his eyes and looking again, nothing had changed. ¡°Is he really a Bronze?¡± Instantly. Nile recalled Suhyuk¡¯s earlier words. ¡°The system is the fairest of all. If you can¡¯t see the essence because of ranks, just gouge those eyes out.¡± At that time, he thought it was just prideful banter. ¡®That wasn¡¯t it.¡¯ Re-examining Suhyuk¡¯s skill with his own eyes, Nile¡¯s thoughts rified. The gap between Bronze and tinum was typically thought to be a threefold stat difference. Despite that, the system ced Lee Suhyuk among tinum-ranked yers. Which meant. ¡®His Bronze rank means his stats areparable to my tinum rank.¡¯ A chill ran down his spine. Nile thought. Just who did he pick a fight with? *** ¡º¡¯Liandry¡¯ has been defeated.¡» ¡ºStats increased by 20%.¡» After defeating two enemy yers, Suhyuk felt a surge of vitality. His stats were now almost back to their original levels, even though it was temporary for this match. ¨C Wow, amazing. ¨C Prediction shot was perfect. ¨C Isn¡¯t it obvious to run to the statue after one dies? ¨C It¡¯s impressive to do the obvious things so wlessly. Suhyuk had used two spears to hold the enemies in check, creating an opportunity for his ally to strike. And predicting that the remaining enemy would flee towards the statue, he had set traps beforehand. His recent performance was like a perfectly choreographed move. ¨C But is this really a tinum-level match? ¨C Right? ¨C He took them down too easily. Typically, tinum yers start with three times the stats of Bronze yers. Given the stat disparity, Suhyuk should have struggled more. Yet, he defeated his enemies effortlessly. ¡°What¡¯s he doing over there?¡± Suhyuk nced at Nile. Among the fighting soldiers, Nile stood there, staring nkly at him. ¡°Is he trolling?¡± ¨C Lololol ¨C He¡¯s in shock, isn¡¯t he? ¨C Speechless, huh? Can¡¯t say a word, right? Suhyuk approached Nile. ¡°What are you doing? Clear out the soldiers and push the statue. The enemies will respawn soon.¡± In the Forest of War, yers eventually respawn after a certain time, even if killed. The objective wasn¡¯t just to kill enemies but to destroy the enemy base. To achieve that, they had to first destroy the statues blocking their way. ¡°Uh, right.¡± Suddenlypliant, Nile quickly began clearing out the soldiers and attacking the statue per Suhyuk¡¯s instructions. With Nile getting back to action, Suhyuk returned to the forest. Awooo-! A wolf howled. A new neutral monster had spawned. As Suhyuk prepared to hunt it, an alert popped up. ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºClear the 4th floor within 1 month for 20,000 points. Deal?¡» It was the first mission registered since starting the 4th floor trial. The message he had been waiting for made Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkle. ¨C 1 month??? ¨C That¡¯s too short. ¨C It¡¯s Lee Suhyuk; he needs this kind of challenge lol. ¨C What was the record again? ¨C Wasn¡¯t it 3 months? ¨C 3 months and 2 days. It was the starting signal. ¡º¡¯IloveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºSuhyuk Oppa! (jingle) I¡¯ll also ce 20,000 points on the same mission! Fighting! (jingle)¡» ¡º¡¯Never Give Up¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºSame here, with an additional 10,000 points. Let¡¯s go!¡» ¡º¡¯Great Man Lee Wonjae¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºLooks like today¡¯s mission is huge? Adding another 10,000 points¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» Missions kept pouring in. Not only were there many missions, but the amounts were substantial. Because it was a month-long mission, after all. Moreover, the difficulty was no joke. A mission to reduce the current record by a third. On the surface, it seemed like an unreasonable challenge. However, none of the viewers said it was impossible. As expected. ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºI bet 50,000 points if you clear it within 15 days. Try it, lol.¡» Safety Asset. Known for betting on seemingly impossible missions, this viewer even halved the time frame. A mission that already seemed difficult now appeared almost impossible. Yet the viewers cheered at his appearance. ¨C 15 days lolololol. ¨C You devil lololol. ¨C Huh? But Safety Asset? ¨C The man with a 0% sess rate¡­ Safety Asset. Infamous for never paying up on any mission in other streams, had never won a bet in Suhyuk¡¯s streams. ¡°Safety Asset, you still haven¡¯t changed your nickname.¡± Suhyuk teased him once again. ¡°I¡¯ll dly ept your 50,000 points.¡± Suhyuk didn¡¯t even nce at the month-long missions. They would automatically be cleared if he passed MissionViin¡¯s mission. To achieve that, however¡­ ¡®15 days¡­¡¯ It seemed difficult through conventional means. ¡®It might not be fun, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Back in hisne, Lord murmured as he looked at the statue¡¯s stamina. ¡°Fortunately, the statue isn¡¯t destroyed.¡± Despite two members dying, the statue¡¯s stamina hadn¡¯t significantly decreased. This meant the impact wasn¡¯t severe. The issue was that the opponent had gained 2 kills, but that gap could be closed by farming. ¡®I was too careless earlier. I underestimated them because they were Bronze.¡¯ nce-. Lord nced in the direction of the forest. ¡®The opponent is Lee Suhyuk. Remember that.¡¯ He was aware of the streamer named Lee Suhyuk. A yer who had recently be a hot topic in the lower floors. Not just as a streamer, but also a super rookie coveted by major guilds. Despite being Bronze, he was a yer with the Lightning skill. ¡®Farm safely inside the statue¡¯s range and focus on growing stronger first.¡¯ Lord started taking down soldiers with the help of the statue. Although the statue¡¯s stamina decreased slightly during the process, it was worth the trade-off. Thanks to this, he could farm safely. As Lord nned to focus on thete game, Zap, crackle-! A much more powerful spear of lightning than before flew in, not from the front, but from beyond the bushes behind him. ¡°Gasp!¡± ng-! Desperately raising his shield, he barely blocked the lightning. His hand, gripping the shield, tingled, and he saw somethinging over his head. ¡®A dive?¡¯ Ignoring the statue¡¯s attacks to take down the opponent. It was a method rarely used due to the difficulty of dodging or blocking the statue¡¯s attacks. However, Buzz-! The opponent elegantly dodged the statue¡¯sser, descending directly atop him with a sword. ¡°You crazy¡­¡± Thunk-. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Lord¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has destroyed the first statue.¡» Messages popped up in quick session. Having swiftly destroyed the first statue, Suhyuk dered, ¡°I¡¯ll pave the highway.¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Lord¡¯.¡» ¡ºLord: I¡¯m done. Peace out.¡» Liandry¡¯s face hardened as he hunted neutral monsters and saw his teammate¡¯s chat message. Saying he¡¯s done. It was a clear deration of trolling. ¡ºLiandry: Why are you quitting just because you died?¡» ¡ºLord: I¡¯ve been getting 2v1¡¯d constantly. Is that my fault? Watch my back¡ª¡» ¡ºLiandry: What do you mean 2v1, you keep getting killed by a Bronze.¡» ¡ºLord: Yeah, forest diff~¡» Pop-. A vein bulged on Liandry¡¯s forehead. As much as he wanted to argue back, he had nothing to say. The differences in theirnes were real. But. ¡®What am I supposed to do about it?¡¯ No matter how he looked at it, he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. It was just that their opponent was too skilled. ¡®Isn¡¯t he supposed to be Bronze? What kind of skill is that? Is he really Lee Suhyuk or¡­?¡¯ Not only the initial counterattack but also the subsequent strategies. After getting 2 kills, the opponent had relentlessly targeted onene. Lord, who then recorded 5 consecutive deaths, lost his mentalposure and dered he was done. Even now, Lee Suhyuk continued to push thene. He had managed to get 6 kills. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± No matter how Bronze he was, if he kept racking up kills like that, he became hard to deal with. Especially when his teamcked one yer, making it a 3v4 situation. The game had already tilted in their favor. And this in just 10 minutes. * The game was overwhelmingly one-sided with one yer down. The Forest of War map was designed that way. If there¡¯s a yer missing, it¡¯s nearly impossible to win. However, the missing yer only sped up the game¡¯s conclusion; it didn¡¯t change the oue. Zap, buzz-! Hidden in the forest. Suhyuk moved stealthily, casting spears of lightning without revealing himself. ¨C Oh my, amazing. ¨C Watching this is so annoying, really. There was no need for him to show himself. The forest¡¯s terrain was perfect for hiding and throwing spears from a distance. As a result, ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°This game is so dirty!¡± Suhyuk received the highest form of praise from the remaining three enemy yers. One entirene waspletely devastated. Noticing the situation, Suhyuk¡¯s teammates joined in. The game ended in the blink of an eye. ¡ºYou have destroyed the enemy¡¯s base.¡» ¡ºThe game is over.¡» Boom-! They destroyed the final statue in thene and then the enemy base. The game took just about 17 minutes to conclude. Had his teammates joined him sooner, it would have ended even faster. ¨C 17 minutes, wow. ¨C That¡¯s half the time of a typical match. ¨C The otherne¡¯s mental state broke down in 10 minutes, they just gave up lol. Suhyuk relentlessly focused on onene. It wasn¡¯t out of any special grudge. He just determined it was the best way to end the game quickly. Indeed, after dying five times in a row, the enemy yer seemed to think there was no hope and didn¡¯t step out of the base again. ¡ºYou have earned 147 points.¡» ¡ºRank Up: Bronze 3 -> Bronze 2.¡» ¡ºLeveled up, earning 2 stat points.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 1.¡» Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened at the consecutive messages. ¡®147 points?¡¯ He had expected to earn a lot of points, but this was way more than anticipated. Typically, winning a match would around 20 points, so this was about seven times the normal amount. He thought earning about 100 points would be a lot. ¨C 147??? ¨C Is this a bug too??? ¨C Crazy lololol. ¨C Is he using hacks lololol. A 17-minute match. And seven times the normal points. Even with simple calctions, this meant he could earn points 10 times faster than an average yer. ¡°Safety Asset?¡± Suhyuk mentioned the first name that came to mind. ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºOh,e on, don¡¯t joke around ??.¡» It was the reaction Suhyuk had expected. ¨C Lololol. ¨C Safety Asset is crying lololol. ¨C It¡¯s dangerous¡­ Safety Asset¡¯s wallet is in danger. While gauging the viewers¡¯ reactions, Suhyuk calcted how long it would take to achieve his goal. ¡®I can¡¯t keep earning this many points indefinitely.¡¯ The reason he got 147 points was that his current rank was Bronze. As his rank increased, the points he would receive would likely decrease. But even considering that. ¡®If things go well¡­¡¯ ¡°If I don¡¯t lose a single match, I could do it in five days.¡± Five days. Assuming he didn¡¯t lose a single match, it seemed possible. At that moment. ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºThen how about an extra bet with me?¡» Safety Asset presented another mission. ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºForfeit all you¡¯ve earned from me if you lose even one match. But if you achieve Challenger with a wless record, 50,000 points.¡» 50,000 points. It was thergest mission ever ced in Suhyuk¡¯s stream. However, the risk of failure was equally high. ¨C Safety Asset is relentless. ¨C He¡¯s trying so hard to reim his points, lol. ¨C Achieving a wless Challenger rank isn¡¯t realistic. Suhyuk calcted the points he had received from Safety Asset so far and nodded. ¡°This is an interesting bet.¡± It was worth attempting. Avoiding such a bet neither fit his personality nor the nature of his stream. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Suhyuk smiled beneath his mask. Thanks to the mission, what he thought would be a boring trial on the 4th floor had be increasingly amusing. Beyond the time constraint, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose a single match. Moreover, this was a team battle rather than an individual one. He had to bear the burden of any mistakes made by his teammates. With the bet epted, ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºLet¡¯s see what happens.¡» Before the next game began, safety Asset sent another ominous message. * Streamer Water Moth was a Panthera native named Dedarra. He averaged about 50 viewers. Even though he had been streaming for quite some time, he hadn¡¯t gained much viewership due tocking any remarkable qualities. His main reason for continuing to stream was simply to scrape together some living expenses. ¡°Today, I will definitely reach Diamond, my friends.¡± Water Moth¡¯s rank was tinum 1. He had been stuck on the 4th floor for over three years. ¡°No, seriously, I will hit Diamond today. Don¡¯t believe me? Okay. No stream end until I hit Diamond.¡± ¨C As if you¡¯re not going to drop. ¨C A one-day Diamond isn¡¯t really a Diamond. ¨C This guy belongs in tinum. ¨C You won¡¯t make it. Despite the troublesome chat messages, he couldn¡¯t afford to shut down the stream. He needed to asionally receive donations to sustain his livelihood. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for this crappy stream, I would¡¯ve hit Challenger long ago.¡¯ The stress from streaming was immense. Challenger. Achieving it would elevate him to the 5th floor, where more skilled yers resided. With that, even if he couldn¡¯t join a major guild, he might secure a decent guild¡¯s sponsorship. ¡®Just endure until then.¡¯ While thinking this, ¡ºSearchplete.¡» The search for the match waspleted, and the new game began. ¡®Please. Please, let me get good teammates this time.¡¯ Water Moth sped his hands in prayer. The 4th floor¡¯s gamey was said to be half luck, indicating the importance of team support. Like any other yer, water Moth experienced wins and losses depending on his team. The map was themonly used Forest of War. Following this, the teams and enemies were sorted. ¡ºThorbik: tinum 1¡» ¡ºLee Suhyuk: Silver 4¡» ¡ºDedor: tinum 1¡» ¡ºDonkey: Diamond 4¡» ¡ºGolimaek: tinum 1¡» ¡º¡­¡» Names and ranks were disyed clearly. Despite being at the tail end of the spectrum, there were two Diamond-ranked yers due to the high average rank. Among them, however, one yer stood out due to vastly different rank. ¡°Silver? Lee Suhyuk?¡± Both the rank and name instantly caught his attention. As a streamer himself, water Moth knew Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Is it really him?¡± Whoosh-. Water Moth was transported to the Forest of War. He nced around to see the faces of his teammates. Then he spotted a familiar mask. In an instant, water Moth¡¯s face lit up. ¡®This could be a jackpot video.¡¯ Although his viewership was low, water Moth edited his own videos and posted them on the yers¡¯ Channel. Most were clips of games he had carried, leading his team to victory. The view count was typically in the hundreds, at most a thousand. ¡®With Lee Suhyuk¡¯s current fame, this should easily get tens of thousands of views. Maybe even more.¡¯ His joy was short-lived, though. ¡®Wait, should I be happy about this? No matter how good Lee Suhyuk is, having a Silver teammate makes things tough.¡¯ The stat difference between Silver and tinum was double. No matter how exceptional Lee Suhyuk¡¯s control was, it seemed almost insurmountable. While having a famous streamer on the team was exciting, losing the game wasn¡¯t. ¡®Well, this game¡¯s a bust¡­¡¯ At that moment. ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡º10,000 points if you lose the match.¡» An unexpected mission popped up. Water Moth¡¯s eyes widened. He hurriedly addressed his viewers through the microphone. ¡°Safety Asset, are you serious about this mission?¡± ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºOf course, I am. Once a mission is registered, that¡¯s it.¡» There was no denying it. Once a mission was registered, it couldn¡¯t be retracted. From now on, it was one of two oues. Either seed in the mission and pocket the 10,000 points. Or fail the mission and get nothing. And this mission was far simplerpared to any Water Moth had received before. ¨C This is basically telling you to throw the game, lol. ¨C Intentionally losing is going too far. ¨C Fake Suhyuk¡¯s viewers might terrorize you for that, though? The game involvednes and farming. Winning required both yer control and growing through hunting and farming. But having an empty spot in the team created an imbnce in growth. For this reason, having one yer fall behind often decided the game¡¯s oue. Of course, intentionally making the team lose would earn rightful criticism. ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Water Moth suppressed his glee. ¡°You just need to try your best and not intentionally lose, right?¡± Water Moth made up his mind. While the game was important, one game wasn¡¯t worth 10,000 points. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Let¡¯s go!¡± With that amount of points, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about points for a while and could focus on the game. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Suhyuk entered the forest once again. He could exert influence on allnes from there, and given his rtively low stats, securing stats in the forest was most suitable. The game had been underway for about 3 minutes. Just as he had defeated around 10 neutral monsters, a message popped up. ¡º¡¯Golimaek¡¯ has defeated ¡®Dedor¡¯.¡» A red message indicating that an ally had been taken down by an enemy. ¡®Already?¡¯ The game had barely started. And the crucial midne had been breached. ¨C This isn¡¯t a good start. ¨C Doesn¡¯t matter. Give it 5 minutes and he¡¯ll be raining lightning, vaporizing a wholene. ¨C It¡¯s trivial~ One death wasn¡¯t a huge issue by itself. But something felt off. Just a hunch, but¡­ ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be strange to encounter someone soon.¡¯ His instincts in these situations were rarely wrong. Suhyuk moved to verify his suspicion. Swoosh-. Approaching the forest near the midne, Suhyuk saw Dedor facing off against an enemy. Dedor seemed to stumble, losing his bnce and leaning forward. At that moment, the enemy¡¯s iron club crushed Dedor¡¯s head. Squish-! ¡º¡¯Golimaek¡¯ has defeated ¡®Dedor¡¯.¡» The same message appeared again. Dedor sent an apologetic message to the team. Though he apologized, Suhyuk was certain. ¡°He¡¯s intentionally throwing the game.¡± ¨C Intentional trolling. ¨C Purposefully causing the team to lose. ¨C Such yers were not umon. When conflicts with teammates grew unbearable, some yers would throw the game out of frustration. But this wasn¡¯t one of those situations. ¨C Right. ¨C He¡¯s dying too obviously. ¨C Did he think we wouldn¡¯t notice? ¨C Why¡¯s he doing that? It was still early in the game, and Dedor hadn¡¯t had any conflicts with the team. For trolling to ur, there usually needed to be a motive, typically conflict with teammates. While some yers might throw games for fun, it was unlikely at the tinum level. This left only one possible exnation. ¡°Someone must have paid him off with points.¡± He must have been promised some kind of reward for throwing the game. Sure enough, ¨C That guy is a streamer named Water Moth. Safety Asset ced a mission for him to lose. A viewer reported this information. And verifying the report was the task of the curious viewers. ¨C Whoa, it¡¯s true. ¨C Safety Asset is so petty. ¨C Does he really want to go this far, lol. ¨C If Suhyuk loses even one game, he has to forfeit all the points earned so far. That was the bet between Suhyuk and Safety Asset. ¡°So this is how you want to y?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes, visible outside his mask, narrowed sharply. He had considered the possibility of a teammate trolling, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be part of a mission from Safety Asset. ¡®The usual methods won¡¯t work.¡¯ With an ally intentionally trolling, onene waspletely ruined. If he stuck to his regr strategy, they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with the enemy¡¯s growth. Therefore, ¡®Though it¡¯s a bitte, I have no choice but to increase the tempo now.¡¯ Suhyuk, who had been hunting neutral monsters, changed his course. Since they yed dirty, he had to use a more dangerous tactic. Throughout the match, Johan was in a good mood. For reasons unknown, the enemy¡¯s midne was throwing. It would have been frustrating if it were his own team, but now he was on the benefiting end. ¡®This is an easy win.¡¯ He leisurely hunted neutral monsters. There was no need to perform any special roles for his position. Winning was just a matter of farming. ¡º¡¯Golimaek¡¯ has defeated ¡®Dedor¡¯.¡» And another pleasing message appeared. Johan continued hunting neutral monsters. Caw-! A giant crow,rger than a person, opened its beak and cried loudly. The neutral monster, ckbeak. It awarded stats equivalent to about five soldiers. ¡°So tedious, this guy too.¡± He had defeated it thousands of times. After wandering through this phase for several years, Johan longed to move up. Johan, wearing sturdy gloves, swung his fist at ckbeak. Thunk-. Caw-! ckbeak¡¯s aggro was directed at Johan. And at that moment, there was a sh from the bushes. Boom-! Instinctively, Johan reacted. His reflexes, honed by experience and bolstered by the Diamond-level stats, kicked in. But even so, avoiding a sudden sh of light from a hidden location was impossible. ¡°Ugh-.¡± A yellow beam pierced Johan¡¯s shoulder. His shoulder was momentarily paralyzed. The additional attack came from the ckbeak he was fighting. Caw-! Thunk-. The giant beak pierced Johan¡¯s side. He lost his bnce, his mind reeling from the impact. Swoosh-. And without a moment to breathe, an enemy de pierced his neck. ¡°One down.¡± Thunk-. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Johan¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Johan¡¯.¡» It was the third time the same message had appeared. Golimaek, who had just destroyed the first statue, finally lost his cool. ¡°You idiots!¡± It was a game they could have won effortlessly. Yet this team couldn¡¯t even manage that. Three times. By now, the impact on his own team was undeniable. ¡º¡¯Johan: He¡¯s in our forest, why aren¡¯t you stopping him?¡¯¡» ¡º¡¯Siniel: He only kills when thene is pushed, so we can¡¯t do anything.¡¯¡» ¡º¡¯Rebelli: What are we supposed to do if he¡¯s dead before we can cover?¡¯¡» The team¡¯s atmosphere was tense. Tension was slowly causing fractures. If one more team member decided to throw the game, things could easily tilt against them. ¡º¡¯Golimaek: Let¡¯s take it slow. I¡¯m well-fed; I can carry this.¡¯¡» It wasn¡¯t just an empty encouragement. Golimaek genuinely believed it. His base rank was higher, and he was still leading with 2 extra kills. As long as he met Lee Suhyuk head-on, he was convinced he could win. With that in mind, Golimaek continued the game. But then. Step-. Following thene where the first statue had been destroyed. He saw an unfamiliar face walking toward him. ¡°What the¡­?¡± No. He couldn¡¯t see the face. It was hidden behind a mask. And that mask was the most recognizable feature of the opponent. ¡°Lee Suhyuk?¡± The streamer known for his Lee Suhyuk persona, whose real name was indeed Lee Suhyuk. A yer who not only had the skills but also matched the persona, stepped out of the forest and confronted Golimaek head-on. But. ¡®A Silver, seriously?¡¯ Regardless of his reputation, he was still a Silver. Using only 75% of his potential stats, a pitiful rank. The reasons Lee Suhyuk had managed to gather kills so far were twofold. First, he had ambushed allies hunting neutral monsters, and second, his lightning skill was well-suited for the forest. Which meant, ¡°You¡¯ve made a mistake, haven¡¯t you?¡± If Lee Suhyuk stepped out of the forest, he wasn¡¯t that intimidating. ¡°What mistake?¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you leave the forest?¡± ¡°Why else? To fight.¡± Golimaek snorted at Suhyuk¡¯s reply. He knew Suhyuk was a great yer. He had watched his streams, although only once. But that was when they were in the same rank bracket. ¡°You¡¯re being reckless.¡± Golimaek was convinced. Leaving the forest to engage directly was a blunder on Suhyuk¡¯s part. ¡°Did you receive a mission? To stop skirmishing and have a real fight?¡± ¡°Too bad. I wish there was such a mission.¡± ¡°Even if there was, you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± Golimaek sneered as he spoke. ¡°In reality, maybe. But here, how could I possibly lose?¡± Silver versus Diamond. The difference in stats was more than double. Three Silver yers couldn¡¯t defeat one Diamond yer. Moreover, Golimaek wasn¡¯t just any Diamond either. ¡°Thanks to someone, I got a lot of kills.¡± 5 kills. Although they were mostly one-sided from a single yer, this had allowed Golimaek to grow significantly. And Suhyuk knew this well. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Golimaek was different from other opponents. Suhyuk¡¯s level and stats were fundamentally higher than most yers. While he was able to defeat multiple yers alone thanks to good skills and outstanding control, the impact of his stats couldn¡¯t be ignored. That¡¯s why a Silver yer like him got matched in games with tinum and Diamond-ranked yers. But the stats Golimaek had umted from multiple kills in a short duration were much higher than Suhyuk¡¯s current stats. However, ¡°If fighting was just about stats, there¡¯d be no need for the game.¡± This wasn¡¯t a card game where damage numbers were fixed. ¡°Stats are just one of many indicators. They don¡¯t necessarily prove absolute strength.¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± ¡°If you start acting like you¡¯ve already won before the battle even begins¡ª¡± Crackle-. Electricity began to flow slowly from Suhyuk¡¯s fingertips. ¡°I, on the other hand, think I¡¯m going to win.¡± It wasn¡¯t mere a bluff. Even with the same stats, the effectiveness depended greatly on who wielded them. It took considerable time for the body to adapt to even a single stat increase. There was no way a rookie like Golimaek, building stats rapidly through leveling and farming, could handle it. It was a difficult task, even for Suhyuk, who had previously handled much higher stats. Most importantly, ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ 3 kills. Additionally, he had hunted all the neutral monsters near the enemy¡¯s base to gather stats. He restored the stats lost due to his Silver rank, and also added up to 50% more stats. ¡ºStatus Window¡» ¡ºName: Lee Suhyuk¡» ¡ºAffiliation: Earth¡» ¡ºLevel: 40¡» ¡ºStrength: 42¡»+21 ¡ºAgility: 38¡»+19 ¡ºStamina: 40¡»+2+20 ¡ºFocus: 36¡»+18 ¡ºMagic: 49¡»+19 He felt power surging through his body. Although he wasn¡¯t at Golimaek¡¯s level, it was enough. Crackle, crackle-. Electricity flowed from his fingertips, spreading throughout his body. The yellow hue darkened, turning ck. Another heart beside his own thudded violently, warning of the danger. But for now, even the warning felt exhrating. ¡®How long has it been since I felt this?¡¯ The thrill of walking a tightrope. The electrifying sensation of feeling like he could incinerate himself if he lost focus for even a second made Suhyuk¡¯s eyes gleam. And at that moment, Boom-! With a thunderp, lightning struck Suhyuk¡¯s body. Demonstrating a power once shown by thete Lee Suhyuk. ¡º¡®Lightning Lord¡¯ dwells in your body.¡» TL¡¯s Corner: Watch out, we¡¯ve got an inter over here. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Lightning Lord. Suhyuk first acquired this skill long ago, around the time he conquered the 7th floor. During a continental war, the Earth team that Suhyuk belonged to was at a significant disadvantage. Panthera and Murim had allied. Reversing the numerical disadvantage in a deathmatch was far from easy. Out of ten representatives, only Suhyuk and Kim Ilsoo remained for Earth. ¡°It looks pretty grim, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Kim Ilsoo, his face pale and exhausted. Surrounded by more than ten elite yers from Panthera and Murim, each the top of their realms. In an almost hopeless situation, Suhyuk resorted to a desperate gamble. ¡°Let¡¯s all die together.¡± Boom-! Crackle-! With a thunderp, lightning struck, and the magic-infused heart pumped fiercely, dispersing energy throughout his body. For a moment, it felt as if someone had possessed him. When the next message appeared, Suhyuk thought it might not be an illusion after all. ¡º¡¯Lightning Lord¡¯ dwells in your body.¡» Crackle, crackle-. Standing before Golimaek, Suhyuk smiled beneath his mask at the familiar message. It was the same message as before. The energy, as if summoned from elsewhere, zed fiercely throughout his body. Lightning Lord. The skill that represented him and elevated him to the top. ¨C ck color? ¨C Isn¡¯t that the effect of ¡®Lightning Lord¡¯? ¨C ? No way. ¨C But the effect seems weaker than it should be. Crackle, crackle-. ck streaks mingled with the yellow lightning flowing through his body. Unfamiliar. Even now, it felt like an external force drawn into him. As if¡ª ¡®As if a god had possessed me.¡¯ Tss-. Suhyuk took a cautious step forward. Careful not to rush, lest the overwhelming power make him charge like a maddened bull. Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s change, Golimaek drew upon his own power. ¡°Is this some kind of Lee Suhyuk mimicry? What is this¡­?¡± In response to his gesture, the ground around him upheaved. Six rocky hands sprouted from Golimaek¡¯s back like wings. In awe of the spectacle, Suhyuk murmured, ¡°You really gobbled up those kills, didn¡¯t you?¡± The viewers¡¯ reactions weren¡¯t much different from Suhyuk¡¯s. Unlike the faint ck lightning around Suhyuk, Golimaek wielded skills that could fill an entirene. Each hand could crush a full-grown man with ease. This indicated that Golimaek had significantly benefitted from his Diamond rank and numerous kills. ¨C My heart is pounding¡­ ¨C That looks pretty powerful. ¨C Mission is going to fail miserably, lol. Even with Lightning Lord, the faint ck lightning around Suhyuk seemed minimal. Meanwhile, Golimaek¡¯s skills were vast in range and lethal. Golimaek was right. If Suhyuk had remained hidden in the forest for ambushes, he might have had a chance. But in a direct confrontation, victory seemed impossible. At least, it appeared that way. Crackle-. With each step forward, Suhyuk¡¯s hair stood on end, and his heart pounded fiercely. ¡º¡¯Lightning Lord¡¯ tests you.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Lightning¡¯ resists ¡®Lightning Lord¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Lightning Lord¡¯ penalty decreases by 30%.¡» ¡ª Thump, thump-. The two hearts alternated their beats. Lightning Lord sought to overwhelm Suhyuk¡¯s heart, increasing its output, and Heart of Lightning resisted, mitigating the penalty. Furthermore, ¡ª ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice lv6¡ä resists damage from ¡®Lightning Lord¡¯.¡» ¡ª The newly leveled-up skill, selfish Sacrifice, also served as a foundation to withstand Lightning Lord. ¡®This is enough.¡¯ Step- He could do it. With this conviction, Suhyuk didn¡¯t stop moving. ¡®You learn your instincts while on the move.¡¯ Pressing down with his heel, Boom-! Suhyuk¡¯s body transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot forward. In the blink of an eye, the distance closed. Golimaek¡¯s stone arms moved in response. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you gnat!¡± To his eyes, Suhyuk appeared as nothing more than an annoying gnat. Fast, but not powerful. But that was only in his imagination. Crash-! ¡°¡­!¡± The stone arm that collided with Suhyuk crumbled. Debris scattered into the air as the gap quickly narrowed. ¡°That¡­ that can¡¯t be¡­¡± Something was wrong. Golimaek, reconsidering his strategy, retreated towards their base¡¯s statue while swinging the remaining arms. Bang-, crash-! Boom-! Rocks shattered, and ck lightning shed alongside the thunder. Not only was fighting back futile, just buying enough time to reach the statue from Suhyuk in his current state was hard enough. ¡®Is he really the Lightning Lord?¡¯ Initially, Golimaek thought it impossible despite the ck lightning. And why wouldn¡¯t he? This was merely the 4th floor. If reaching the 5th floor signified a seasoned, experienced yer, the Lightning Lord was a technique once mastered by top-tier yers. The notion that such a technique would be replicated before him seemed absurd. Crash-! However, that absurdity was now real. Shattering all the stones he conjured, Thud-. The retreating Golimaek¡¯s back hit something. A gasp escaped as he turned to see what it was. ¡®The statue.¡¯ The most formidable ally any yer could have. With it nearby, there was no way Suhyuk could get closer. ¡°I¡¯m saved¡­¡± But there was something he didn¡¯t know. Thunk-. Suhyuk had been defeating enemies while ignoring statues long before using Lightning Lord. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Golimaek¡¯s throat was pierced. The remaining stones around him fell lifelessly to the ground, drained of power. ¡°There¡¯s one thing guys like you always misunderstand.¡± Zing-. The statue¡¯s head turned towards Suhyuk. ¡°You ce all your bets on shy effects, but can¡¯t even properly utilize a single skill you have.¡± Buzz-. Just before losing consciousness. Golimaek saw the statue lock onto its target and was convinced the fight would end in a draw. ¡®You¡¯re dead too, after all.¡¯ Even if the statue killed Lee Suhyuk, the kill would credit him. The statue would count its final target¡¯s defeat as a kill for thest enemy yer that it battled. Zing-. The statue¡¯s eyes began to emit a deadly beam. ¡®He can¡¯t dodge while he¡¯s stabbing me¡­¡¯ And at that very moment, Swoosh-. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes rolled back. Two messages appeared almost simultaneously. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has ended ¡®Golimaek¡¯s¡¯ kill streak.¡» ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Lee Suhyuk¡¯.¡» * ¨C Wow, he actually did it? ¨C So it counted as a self-kill, lol. ¨C The opponent must be crying, lol. But seriously, that was badass; bulldozing through without dodging anything. In the ck void. Suhyuk waited to rejoin the game. He had died. While most die 4-5 times in a single match, this was Suhyuk¡¯s first death in this life. He had managed to survive several close calls before now. ¡º¡¯Safety Asset¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºDamn¡­ I should¡¯ve bet on a no-death Challenger mission.¡» ¨C Such an annoying guy. ¨C All this trouble was due to him. ¨C And his premise was wed. ¡°If you had, I wouldn¡¯t have taken on this gamble.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s death was due to Lightning Lord. This wasn¡¯t reality but a trial. And in the 4th-floor trial, a single death had no significant consequences. This was the perfect opportunity to test Lightning Lord. He pushed its output to the limit, testing his boundaries before dying. And the result. ¡®More stable than I expected.¡¯ Even achieving the skill itself would have met his expectations. But thanks to Heart of Lightning, the output was more than 50% stronger than anticipated. Selfish Sacrifice¡¯s penalty suppression was also substantial. ¡®My path isn¡¯t wrong.¡¯ There were moments during his streams when he had doubts. Is this truly the right path? Was he over-relying on the Selfish Sacrifice skill? This experience confirmed his choices. Broadcasting was the right decision. Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Safety Asset.¡± Time passed. ¡°I will protect the mission reward you ced.¡± ¡ºYou have resurrected.¡» The ck scenery reverted to its original color. The resurrection point was at the allied base. It was time to win the match. *** The game was turning for the worse. Dedor, who had been staring at a ck screen for most of the match, chewed on his nails in anxiety. ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ He had over 15 deaths. At some point, dedor had started deliberately dying to the enemy. He had to. ¡®Are we going to win at this rate?¡¯ ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Siniel¡¯.¡» The kill messages kept appearing faster than he could die. All of this was happening because of a single person, Lee Suhyuk. ¡®What the hell is that idiot Golimaek doing? He can¡¯t even make use of his kills!¡¯ They were a yer down on their team. Moreover, the enemy team had yers he had been feeding kills to. It should have been an unlosable situation. However, the longer the game went, the more the momentum shifted to the other side. Eventually, the tipping scalespletely shattered. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Golimaek¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has defeated ¡®Johan¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has¡­¡» Three consecutive messages popped up. The long respawn timer meant Dedor had to sit and wonder what was going on. ¡°Did he seriously just take down three on his own¡­?¡± ¨C Lololol, a triple kill! ¨C Lee Suhyuk is doing a one-man show, for real. ¨C I knew he was good, but not this good¡­ ¨C It¡¯s ugly, uninspiring, and he¡¯s failed the mission¡­ The viewers¡¯ mockery made Dedor¡¯s head feel like it was about to explode from stress. Right. At this rate, it wasn¡¯t entertaining, inspiring, and he wouldn¡¯t earn any points. But no matter what he tried, he couldn¡¯t make his team lose. ¡ºThorbik: Thanks for the carry.¡» ¡ºDonkey: Huff¡­ Suhyuk, any chance you¡¯d consider duoing with me?¡» ¡°¡­?¡± Dedor¡¯s eyes widened, seeing his teammates¡¯ chat messages. It seemed like the game was nearing its conclusion. And indeed, Lee Suhyuk had taken down three yers just moments ago. ¡°This is insane¡ª!¡± Unable to contain his frustration, dedor swore. Over 500 viewers had tuned into his stream just to watch him fail. At that moment, a whisper arrived from Lee Suhyuk. ¡ºLee Suhyuk: If I couldn¡¯t handle scum like you, I wouldn¡¯t have started this mission.¡» Dedor felt a chilling sensation as Suhyuk continued. ¡ºLee Suhyuk: Even if you want to lose, you can¡¯t.¡» Chapter 87 Chapter 87 A post appeared on the yersmunity forum. ? Day 1 of Lee Suhyuk¡¯s Climb ? ¡ºStarted at Bronze 3, currently at Silver 1 in just one day, lol¡» It was a short post. However, yers familiar with the 4th floor trial found it hard to believe. ¨C Really?? ¨C No way, lol, how do you get to Silver 1 in one day? ¨C Lies. It¡¯s impossible to win that many matches in a row. Initially, everyone thought it was a lie. The gap from Bronze 3 to Silver 1 was six tiers. Considering you earn roughly 20 points per win and need 100 points to advance a tier, you¡¯d have to win about 30 consecutive matches. Skill aside, it seemed physically impossible. ¨C If that¡¯s true, he didn¡¯t lose a single match for at least 15 hours. ¨C He¡¯s only been streaming for 5 hours. ¨C Lies, lol. However, ¨C But he really is at Silver 1? ¨C ????? What? You said it¡¯s been 5 hours? ¨C Yeah, but he¡¯s really at Silver 1. ¨C What nonsense is this? What seemed physically impossible actually happened. ¨C Looks like he¡¯s getting 80-100 points per match. ¨C ??? Is that a bug? ¨C Then matching a Silver with a Diamond must be a bug too, lol. ¨C Maybe therge rank difference gives massive points? Unbelievable events were urring on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. And he wasn¡¯t the only one experiencing such oddities. Though it wasn¡¯t shown on stream, ¨C Schneider is also getting matched with tinum and Diamond ranks. ¨C Really? ¨C Yeah, a friend of mine who¡¯s a Diamond on the 4th floor faced him. Schneider was facing simr circumstances. And as these unprecedented events unfolded, users of themunity turned their attention to the streamer named Lee Suhyuk. ¨C His name is really buzzingtely. ¨C Is he any good? ¨C He¡¯s been quite popr in the lower floors. ¨C Yeah, he even won the tournament hosted by Blue Zone. ¨C But isn¡¯t he just a loser from the lower floors? Themunity generally focused on Rankers, and especially High Rankers within the top 100. It¡¯s hard for even the most famous streamers or rising yers to get mentioned in themunity. Despite this, ¨C It¡¯s Lee Suhyuk. ¨C Lol, when will his name disappear? ¨C He definitely knows how to attract attention, lol. The reason Lee Suhyuk was being mentioned in themunity was his name. ¨C But didn¡¯t he start his climb recently? ¨C Yeah? ¨C He¡¯s already at the 4th floor, damn; that¡¯s fast. And a few who noticed his progressmented: ¨C This guy has started a mission to reach Challenger without losing a single match for 15 days, lol. They began to realize how quickly he was climbing the ranks. ¨C At this rate, his climb is record-breaking. ¨C He¡¯s definitely fast. ¨C Falcon Eye said: ¡°In terms of talent, he¡¯s better than Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¨C What? That actually turned out to be true? Falcon Eye¡¯s statement caught attention amidst the chatter. Falcon Eye was a reviewer known for analyzing the gamey of High Rankers or emerging Rankers. This often made him a topic of discussion in themunity. Known for his critical reviews, he was referred to not just as ¡°Hawk Eyes¡± but ¡°Spicy Eyes¡± for his harsh critiques. Slowly but surely, the name Lee Suhyuk was spreading. * 15 hours. During that time, Suhyuk had reached tinum 3. He had climbed from Bronze to tinum in just one day. Notably, about half of that time was spent going from Gold to tinum. ¡®The points I¡¯m earning are starting to slow down.¡¯ The points from thest match were 40. As the matches progressed and his rank increased, the awarded points started to decrease. ¡®Even the match queue times are getting longer.¡¯ Slower points umtion and longer queue times were both anticipated issues. Fortunately, the points never dipped below 40. That was enough. Reaching tinum 3 in a single day was an impressive feat. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today.¡± ¨C tinum 3 in a day, wow. ¨C He seriously didn¡¯t lose a single match. ¨C At this pace, he¡¯ll reach his goal in a few days, not a month. 15 hours. It wasn¡¯t a brief period. For Suhyuk, who preferred taking trials in perfect condition, this was unusual. Yet, the reasons for his extended streaming session were twofold. First, the 4th floor trials weren¡¯t as tough as other trials, match by match. Second. ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 2,100 points from ¡®IloveLeeSuhyuk¡¯.¡» It was all because of this mission. ¨C 21 kills, lol. ¨C Sweet mission rewards for kills. ¨C Money-grubber mode on¡­ ¨C How much did he earn today? Missions were the primary ie source for streamers streaming from the 4th floor. Every match featured various missions. Winning, kills, farming records, and more. Revenue from these missions was substantial. Just today alone, Suhyuk earned over 40,000 points from them. ¡®It¡¯s almost a shame to move on to the next floor.¡¯ The missions were sweet enough to make him wish his points weren¡¯t increasing so rapidly. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he could go on streaming without any sleep. By now, havingpleted trials nonstop for about 15 hours, Suhyuk was starting to get tired. ¨C Coming back tomorrow? ¨C Probably. ¨C Usually, he takes a day off after moving to a new floor. Suhyuk nodded at his viewers¡¯ questions. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be on. I¡¯ll keep streaming without breaks for a while.¡± ¨C Whoa! ¨C ¡°For a while¡± = Until he gets to the 5th floor. ¨C At this pace, he¡¯ll be there in a few days. Comments hitting the mark. It seemed many viewers had learned Suhyuk¡¯s patterns as the stream went on. With short farewells, ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has ended the stream.¡» The long stream came to an end. Streaming from morning until dawn. The streets were quiet. Suhyuk felt hunger as he returned to his dorm. Realizing he hadn¡¯t eaten a single meal and had only been taking trials. Thinking he should eat something and get some sleep, he opened the door to his dorm. Right then, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± From inside. Un Hyang greeted him warmly with her ck hair fluttering in the breeze that came through the open door. ¡°Did you stay up waiting for me?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m your manager. I have to say good job.¡± She shrugged as if it was the most natural thing and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± A perfectly timed question. * Alcohol and food. Suhyuk chose the former as a nightcap. He didn¡¯t want to drink too much because of the next day¡¯s stream, but he thought a little alcohol might help him sleep better. Moreover, finding food at thiste hour without alcohol would be challenging. Slurp-. This time, they went to a tented street food stall run by a yer from Earth. He poured himself a drink and ordered some noodles and a few simple dishes. As Un Hyang sipped some soup made from chicken bones, she nodded. ¡°Oh, this is good.¡± ¡°Right? Everything¡¯s nice here.¡± ¡°Even in rough ces, there are always little gems like this.¡± Her expression changed as she thought of Cheon Ryang. Suhyuk noticed and asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No. I was just thinking about the stream.¡± She dodged the question. Although Suhyuk sensed that she was hiding something, he didn¡¯t press further. Forcing someone to speak against their will wasn¡¯t his style. ¡°There were thirteen thousand viewers at the end.¡± Perhaps to divert the conversation, Un Hyang brought up the stream. Thirteen thousand viewers. It was simr to the number from the previous stream. The number of viewers hadn¡¯t significantly increased or decreased. Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Not many people are interested in the 4th-floor trials.¡± This stream felt different from thest one. Suhyuk¡¯s streams typically showcased his ascent up the tower. Itbined his name, Lee Suhyuk, his concept, lightning, and exceptional gamey¡ªall contributing factors to his streams. However, this trial didn¡¯t fully allow for his usual streaming style. To grow his channel and quickly regain his former strength, he had to move up rapidly. But then, ¡°You¡¯re talking as if your stream is small.¡± ¡°Not really, but¡­¡± With nothing more to say, Suhyuk took a bite of stir-fried meat and drank some alcohol. Regardless, Un Hyang continued with her point. ¡°Many streamers disappear without even making a name for themselves. They fail to gather even a thousand viewers, stuck in ce while chasing impossible dreams.¡± That was something Un Hyang had long observed as a manager. Like many professions, only a few survive. And Suhyuk had quickly be part of that ¡®few¡¯. Despite this, ¡°For some reason, I always feel uneasy looking at you.¡± Suhyuk stopped eating. ¡°Like you¡¯re being chased by something¡­ or chasing something.¡± She had hit the mark. Chasing something. She was right. ¡®I have to.¡¯ He lowered his head slightly, a bitter smile forming. Twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye. No one knew his face under the mask. Or even if he took off the mask. Could he even say the face beneath it was his? Either way, it was just another mask for him. Friends who once knew his true face were mostly dead. The remaining few, he wasn¡¯t sure if they were alive or dead. Moreover, the person he sought revenge against was once his friend. He was chasing them. His urgency, driven by the need to catch up, was evident in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious. Do you have something you¡¯re dealing with?¡± It was an amusing situation. Suhyuk could only give the same evasive answer Un Hyang had given him earlier. ¡°No. Nothing.¡± It was a secret he couldn¡¯t share with anyone. Telling someone, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a reincarnated Lee Suhyuk.¡± wouldn¡¯t get him anything but a crazybel. Un Hyang, too, sensed his answer wasn¡¯t the truth. ¡°Really?¡± Feeling a bit dejected, she took another sip of her drink. Time passed, and although they had grown close enough to share a drink at night, this conversation introduced a peculiar distance. Each had a secret. And they didn¡¯t trust each other enough to share it. This meeting subtly confirmed that fact. ¡®I have my faults too.¡¯ Would there ever be a time when this invisible wall would crumble? That thought turned their simple meal into a deep drinking session. Both Suhyuk and Un Hyang. They drank together until the early morning. TL¡¯s Corner: Drunk Stream iing. There¡¯s nothing better for curing a hangover than a good workout. Sweat of that alchohol. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 The Next Day. Jung Yuhan, a 7th-floor yer, received a special mission from Blue Zone. Bring Lee Suhyuk to them. The method didn¡¯t matter¡ªcoaxing, negotiating, persuading. And if those didn¡¯t work, force could be used. Whatever means necessary to bring Lee Suhyuk in. ¡®From the vice guild leader himself.¡¯ Step, step- Walking somewhatzily, Jung Yuhan descended to the 4th floor, hands in his pockets. Vice Guild Leader Lee Wonjae. While he didn¡¯t have warm feelings towards the man, this task came directly from him. It wasn¡¯t something he could refuse. ¡°Should I consider this a vacation¡­¡± Regardless of how promising a rookie Suhyuk seemed, being summoned for a 4th floor task didn¡¯t sit well with him. It felt like a slight. Like he was fit for such lowly tasks. Moreover, considering it a vacation didn¡¯t quite sit right during such a crucial period for him. ¡°I was on the doorstep of the 8th floor¡­¡± The 8th floor. A dream for countless yers. Reaching it meant earning the title of ranker. From that point, yers would be assigned rankings by a mysterious organization known as the Ranking Management Bureau, assessing theirbat power, influence, and recognition. Naturally, bing a ranker exponentially increased a yer¡¯s value. Yet, at this critical juncture, he was wasting time on such an easy task. ¡°Not happy about this at all.¡± Stopping, he looked up at the building. A rather expensive lodging in the vicinity. Only rankers, or offspring of famous rankers, could afford such facilities. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t he thriving.¡± For a 4th-floor yer to lodge in such a ce¡­ He knew streamers earned good points, but seeing it firsthand made him envious. No matter how sessful, he was still just a rookie who hadn¡¯t progressed past the 4th floor. Whir- An automatic magic-stone door opened softly, weing Jung Yuhan. He scanned the luxurious hotel-like lobby for Suhyuk. And then, ¡°I just need to do it¡­¡± A voice reached his ears. Someone was watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream, sitting in a caf¨¦ in one corner of the lobby. But what caught his attention wasn¡¯t the content of her eyes. ¡®¡­ She¡¯s beautiful.¡¯ It was her appearance. Long ck hair flowing down to her waist, bright eyes, a sharp nose. Her skin was clear and white, coupled with a slender and well-proportioned body. She embodied everything men wouldbel as a ¡®beauty¡¯. ¡®I get it now¡­¡¯ Jung Yuhan indulged in an absurd thought. ¡®I¡¯m here to find my destiny.¡¯ The decision didn¡¯t take long. In fact, there was nothing to ponder. Jung Yuhan walked straight toward her. While she was deeply engrossed in the stream, Un Hyang looked up at the pale man approaching her. ¡°Are you alone?¡± A clich¨¦ pickup line. Having dealt with such situations numerous times, Un Hyang nced at him before responding. ¡°I am, but I prefer being alone.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re alone.¡± Scrape- Without hesitation, Jung Yuhan sat across from her. ¡°Then this means this seat isn¡¯t taken.¡± ¡°Yes, so it¡¯s best if you keep it that way¡ªownerless.¡± ¡°Come now¡­¡± Jung Yuhan pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°Here, this is who I am.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really pushing it¡­¡± As Un Hyang sighed, her eyes caught the three letters in one corner of the card: ¡°Blue Zone.¡± Seeing Un Hyang¡¯s reaction change for the first time, Jung Yuhan smirked. ¡®Predictable.¡¯ Being affiliated with a huge guild had its perks. The guild¡¯s name became synonymous with one¡¯s own, and that name usuallymanded respect. After a brief moment of staring at the card, Un Hyang spoke. ¡°You¡¯re from Blue Zone?¡± Jung Yuhan¡¯s smirk grew wider. For an instant, Un Hyang felt an urge to wipe that smirk off his face. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. So, are you interested now?¡± ¡°You have one minute.¡± ¡°One minute?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how long you can sit there.¡± Jung Yuhan looked taken aback. No one had ever reacted this way to his business card. His pride was wounded, but he couldn¡¯t just walk away¡ªUn Hyang¡¯s appearance kept him glued to his seat. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I came for guild business, so it¡¯s a bit sensitive to discuss.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then get up. We have nothing to talk about.¡± ¡°Wait, just a second.¡± Hurriedly, Jung Yuhan continued speaking in response to Un Hyang¡¯s firm words. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ rted to the stream you¡¯re watching.¡± ¡°This stream?¡± Un Hyang looked puzzled as she asked. ¡°Yes. But is it really that entertaining? You seem engrossed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very entertaining. Extremely.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t he just someone stuck on the 4th floor?¡± He subtly pushed his card forward, trying to imply that he was more significant than Lee Suhyuk. ¡°He¡¯s only on his way up. He¡¯ll get there soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something no one can predict.¡± Un Hyang raised an eyebrow at Jung Yuhan¡¯s words. ¡°Do you dislike Lee Suhyuk? Even though you¡¯re with Blue Zone?¡± ¡°Being with Blue Zone means I have to like him?¡± ¡°Blue Zone is the sessor to Blue Eyes, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a misconception.¡± Jung Yuhan scoffed. Blissfully unaware that his actions made Un Hyang¡¯s expression harden once more. ¡°Blue Eyes. And Lee Suhyuk. Legends, right? I know. I looked up to them back in the day.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°But a lot of time has passed. The world has changed.¡± Speaking as if he knew the absolute truth, Jung Yuhan began to raise his voice. ¡°Lee Suhyuk is an old hero. He was remarkable in his time, but now there are yers far greater than him.¡± Time held immense power. Twenty years had dulled Lee Suhyuk¡¯s achievements. In today¡¯s era, many had surpassed his legacy by reaching the 9th floor. Among these high-rankers was Blue Zone¡¯s guild leader, Kim Ilsoo. ¡°And you mentioned Blue Zone being the heir to Blue Eyes?¡± Jung Yuhan paused dramatically. As if revealing an important secret, he repeatedly made eye contact with Un Hyang before looking around. But. ¡°Enough of that act. What is it you actually want?¡± Un Hyang had no time for his theatrics. She was deeply connected to Lee Suhyuk¡¯s legacy¡ªnot just Blue Zone¡¯s name or title. For a man infatuated with a woman, secrets didn¡¯t exist. ¡°This is confidential, but¡­¡± Jung Yuhan hesitated momentarily before continuing. ¡°Well, whatever. Everyone will find out soon. There¡¯s an articleing out.¡± ¡°An article?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s ears perked up. At first, she thought he was merely an annoying scout trying to lure Lee Suhyuk. But now, she felt she might hear something far more intriguing. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s big news rted to Blue Eyes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°One of them is alive.¡± Them. His words wereced with hostility. And it soon became clear why. ¡°They¡¯ve allied with the demons.¡± Bang-! The door to the dormitory mmed shut. Practically thrown out, Jung Yuhan¡¯s face bore a confused expression. Despiteying out his cards, Un Hyang¡¯s reaction hadn¡¯t shifted one bit. ¡°Yes, I heard you. Oh, look at the time. It¡¯s been more than a minute.¡± With that, Un Hyang paid no further attention to Jung Yuhan. She seemed almost angry. Watching her return her focus to Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream, Jung Yuhan felt a surge of bewilderment. ¡®What¡¯s her deal?¡¯ Momentarily forgetting his original mission, he fixated on the image of Un Hyang in his mind. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ incredibly attractive.¡± That Night. Suhyuk finished his stream of the day. ¡°It¡¯s quitete.¡± Broadcast time: 14 hours. One hour less than the previous day, but the mental fatigue remained unchanged. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have had that drink.¡¯ The casual drinking session with Un Hyang had unexpectedly stretched long. Initially, he intended just to have a quick drink before bed, but they ended up drinking more than nned. Likely due to the topics and atmosphere of their conversation. He could¡¯ve used his magic to purge the alcohol from his system, but this time he didn¡¯t. For some reason, he wanted to relish the slight intoxication. ¨C Already at Diamond 2;; ¨C At this pace, he could reach his goal by tomorrow? ¨C The speed is insane; ¨C Is the undefeated run really possible? Diamond 2. The rank Suhyuk had reached in two days. An unimaginably rapid ascent. And this was possible due to Suhyuk¡¯s unique approach to matches. ¨C He¡¯s breaking the opponent¡¯s spirit at a rate of one per two games, lol. ¨C Seriously ruthless. ¨C He relentlessly crushes onene, lol. Bypletely breaking down onene, he forced opponents to give up on the match. With that gap created, the match quickly concluded. Suhyuk would then destroy the statues and charge the enemy base. A unteral and repetitive pattern. Even though his performance was outstanding, not all viewer reactions were positive due to its monotonous nature. But Suhyuk¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t just on entertaining ¡ª he had a goal, and he was relentless in pursuing it. ¨C It does feel like I¡¯m watching a rey on loop. ¨C True that. ¨C But it¡¯s fun when unexpected missions pop up, lol. ¨C While the pace was rapid, the repeated strategy made some viewers find the stream monotonous. However, For some reason, the number of viewers hadn¡¯t decreased; instead, it had slightly increasedpared to the previous day. ¡ºViewers: 14,903¡» Approximately 15,000 viewers. As many viewers left due to boredom, new viewers joined. Consequently, the number of subscribers grew faster than before. ¡®Subscribers at 60,000.¡¯ Finding out why the viewer count had surged wasn¡¯t difficult. ¨C I thought it was just good editing, but he¡¯s really that skilled, lol. ¨C No kidding, the fight against Schneider was real. ¨C Lee Suhyuk¡¯s challenges are legit in real matches. Edited videos had started uploading. Seeing the viewers¡¯ reactions, Suhyuk grew curious. ¡®What kind of editing did they do¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t checkst night because he had streamed and drank untilte. It seemed like he should check it out when he returned to the dorm. ¡°That¡¯s all for today¡¯s stream.¡± ¨C Already? ¨C He¡¯s been on for 14 hours, though. ¨C Let him go. ¨C Just tuned in, bummer. Suhyuk consoled his disappointed viewers with a final remark. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow. See you soon.¡± ¨C Got it, okay. ¨C Then it¡¯s eptable. ¨C Su-bye~ (short for Suhyuk, bye) ¨C Su-bye~ (not a curse word) With those final farewells, ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has ended the stream.¡» The second stream from the 4th floor concluded. Step¡ª. Dragging his tired body, Suhyuk headed from the trial grounds back to his dorm. Late hour. On his way back to the dorm. The midnight sky was pitch-ck, and the streets were silent without a soul. Except for one person. ¡°Being a streamer doesn¡¯t seem that easy, huh.¡± A man sat on a nearby bench, arms crossed, as if he had been waiting. He stood up and greeted Suhyuk. ¡°Care for a chat, junior?¡± Jung Yuhan. He waved at Suhyuk. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Suhyuk nced around briefly. In the middle of the square. Given thete hour, there was no one around. No presence could be felt; it was just him and the other person here. The feeling wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Jung Yuhan. I¡¯m with Blue Zone, and I¡¯m a semi-ranker.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyebrow twitched under his mask. It wasn¡¯t just the Blue Zone affiliation that bothered him. It was the way Jung Yuhan spoke. He loaded his introduction with ttering words. Putting aside the mention of Blue Zone, he deliberately used the term ¡®semi-ranker.¡¯ A semi-ranker would be at least on the 7th floor. And specifically, it referred to yers on the brink of reaching the 8th floor. ¡®So, he¡¯s got some influence.¡¯ Despite his messy personality, if what he said was true, he wasn¡¯t someone to be ignored. Reaching that level as a yer was no small feat. ¡°What do you think? Are you interested in talking?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. You must have heard already.¡± Jung Yuhan sneered. ¡°Join Blue Zone. We¡¯ll treat you well.¡± ¡°A scout?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve refused a few times, right? Trying to up your price?¡± Having tasted the allure of arge guild, Jung Yuhan assumed Suhyuk¡¯s refusals were driven by a different motive. He figured Suhyuk was trying to increase his value to join the guild. ¡°The guild has expressed a willingness to consider that. You can discuss it further with the vice guild leader.¡± ¡°The vice guild leader?¡± ¡°Yeah. Lee Wonjae.¡± Lee Wonjae. The vice guild leader of Blue Zone and a high ranker who had reached the 9th floor. A ce that even Suhyuk in his past life hadn¡¯t reached. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t even dream of meeting Lee Wonjae face to face. But, ¡®That brat became the vice guild leader?¡¯ From Suhyuk¡¯s perspective, Lee Wonjae was like an old lout who used to follow Kim Ilsoo. Though now hailed as a great yer who had reached the 9th floor, back then, he was just another rookie. ¡®That guy wants me¡­¡¯ No, more urately, he wanted the power of lightning. But, ¡°No thanks.¡± The more he thought about it, the less he wanted to join Blue Zone. He had no intention of joining any guild, but if it was Blue Zone¡­ Even if someone held a knife to his throat, he wouldn¡¯t go. That would be betrayal. ¡®To those I once knew.¡¯ With Suhyuk¡¯s firm refusal, the smirk on Jung Yuhan¡¯s face faded. Not only did he refuse to join right away, but he also declined to even meet. Such an answer wasn¡¯t on Jung Yuhan¡¯s list of options. ¡°¡­ Hey, didn¡¯t you hear me? Do you know who asked for you?¡± ¡°Lee Wonjae?¡± ¡°Wonjae?¡± ¡°What, should I show respect? He¡¯s not my superior. To me, he¡¯s just a stranger.¡± It wasn¡¯t a wrong statement. But nevertheless, no one spoke of Lee Wonjae this rudely. They couldn¡¯t. He was one of the rulers of this vast world. Reaching the 8th floor even in the same era as Suhyuk, he was a living legend among yers. Yet, to speak of Lee Wonjae like this¡­ ¡°¡­ You must have eaten something bad.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten anything, so I¡¯m hungry. I think I¡¯ve given my answer. Go and deliver the message. I¡¯m off.¡± Step- Suhyuk began walking directly away. But after only a few steps, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Jung Yuhan stopped Suhyuk once again within those few steps. ¡°We¡¯re not done talking.¡± Suhyuk sighed internally, hoping the matter would end here. Well, if it could be resolved simply through words, they wouldn¡¯t have sent someone like Jung Yuhan. Blue Zone spared no expense, sending a semi-ranker¡ªa valuable asset. Sending Jung Yuhan meant, they were prepared for physical force if necessary. ¡°So?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have toe with us.¡± ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°Your consent doesn¡¯t matter.¡± As expected. Suhyuk nodded, half-expecting this oue. One fortunate aspect was that Blue Zone prided itself on justice. And Jung Yuhan seemed deeply loyal to such ideals. ¡°You n to cause a scene here?¡± Suhyuk looked around. While the square was empty, continuedmotion would eventually attract attention. And a scene involving a recently famed 4th-floor streamer wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed. However, Jung Yuhan seemed indifferent. ¡°Anyway¡ª¡± Mid-sentence, the distance in the voice shifted. ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon.¡± Suddenly, the voice was right next to him. Crackle¡ª. A yellow light filled the dark square. Zap¡ª. Jung Yuhan¡¯s hand grasped at thin air as Suhyuk¡¯s body shot forward, widening the gap between them. Using his lightning agility, Suhyuk had evaded Jung Yuhan¡¯s grasp. ¡°Over soon? What was that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jung Yuhan¡¯s mouth closed. Even in the dim light, his face seemed to redden slightly. Quite embarrassing. ¡°But¡­ you handle yourself better than I thought.¡± Jung Yuhan mentally revised his assessment of Suhyuk. ¡®In terms of talent, he surpasses even Lee Suhyuk in his prime.¡¯ That was the assessment of streamer Falcon Eye. Jung Yuhan had thought it was overly generous praise from someone within the samepany. And he wasn¡¯t alone. Many yers believed there was some maniption in Suhyuk¡¯s scarecrow trial results. But, Jung Yuhan wasn¡¯t foolish enough to deny what he witnessed firsthand. ¡°Though it¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡± Hiss¡ª Magic quickly spread from Jung Yuhan¡¯s feet. sh¡ª! Suhyuk, who had tensed momentarily, realized he didn¡¯t need to dodge. It wasn¡¯t the type of skill to evade or block. ¡°You should appreciate the vice guild leader¡¯s foresight.¡± Step¡ª Jung Yuhan took a step towards Suhyuk. ¡°To see this far ahead.¡± The surrounding sound echoed oddly. As if hitting a wall and bouncing back, it sounded stifled. Suhyuk seemed to understand the nature of the skill. ¡®Silence. A field-type skill that silences and blocks sound.¡¯ Quickly analyzing the skill, Suhyuk realized that escaping this situation had just be more difficult. ¡®This is a nuisance.¡¯ Normally, causing a bit ofmotion would be enough to drive the opponent away. After all, spreading this situation wouldn¡¯t benefit them. ¡®Subtle tactics won¡¯t work.¡¯ The opponent was a semi-ranker. 7th floor. Nearing the 8th floor, in fact. Even considering Suhyuk¡¯s own abilities, oveing someone who had cleared three more trials than him wouldn¡¯t be easy. Crackle-. He summoned the lightning within his body. With Selfish Sacrifice in effect, the lightning¡¯s output increased. ¡®Summon the lightning and draw upon the power of the item.¡¯ Sling-. Drawing his sword, the red de of the magic sword gleamed. The Nameless Magic Sword. It was obtained after clearing the 1st floor, a creation by the famed cksmith Kindre. Though he hadn¡¯t yet used the item to its maximum potential, now wasn¡¯t the time for holding back. ¡ª ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ activated.¡» ¡º¡¯Nameless Magic Sword¡¯ absorbs user¡¯s stamina.¡» ¡ºAll stats increase proportionally to the stamina consumed.¡» His muscles felt as if they were being torn apart. Simultaneously, his body felt light, paradoxically filled with overwhelming power. ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv6¡ä resists damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv6¡ä resists damage from ¡®Nameless Magic Sword¡¯.¡» His endurance, built up over countless streams, kept Suhyuk going. Normally, he would use his skills conservatively, ensuring he could withstand the strain. But now, ¡®This isn¡¯t the time to be cautious.¡¯ Fighting the opponent before him required pushing his limits. ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice lv6¡ä failed to resist.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Lightning¡¯ resists damage from ¡®Lightning¡¯.¡» His entire body tingled. Yet, the power surging through him filled him with confidence. The past two days of grueling trials had been worth it. The stats he gained while ranking up amounted to 37. The 4th floor trials focused on securing a yer¡¯s basic stats. And for Suhyuk, those stats were crucial. ¡°You should havee two days earlier.¡± Step- Suhyuk¡¯s eyes glowed golden as he walked towards Jung Yuhan. ¡°Then maybe you could have won.¡± *** In front of the dormitory. The early morning air was chilly. Un Hyang paced back and forth near the building, unable to stay inside. She was waiting for Suhyuk, who had just ended his stream, and her mood wasn¡¯t great. ¡°Ah, what should I do¡­¡± Blue Zone¡¯s attempts to recruit Suhyuk had be quite aggressive. Though Suhyuk had expressed his refusal to her, human feelings could be unpredictable. If Blue Zone offered conditions that were impossible to reject, ¡®What should I do as his manager?¡¯ A manager¡¯s role was to act in the best interest of the streamer. That¡¯s what she had learned from John Dale. Even if the streamer shed with Balhae Entertainment, a manager should be on the streamer¡¯s side. And based on that principle, ¡°Should I let him go¡­?¡± Blue Zone was a huge guild. No matter how good the streaming profession was, they were a massive force that ruled this world. Balhae Entertainment was just argepany with a foothold in that world. If it was Lee Suhyuk, with his talent, he was sure to rise high within Blue Zone. Moreover, while Jung Yuhan¡¯s demeanor was slimy and unpleasant, Un Hyang liked Blue Zone as a guild. After all, its guild leader was once apanion who wrote legends alongside Lee Suhyuk. ¡®For the streamer¡¯s benefit¡­¡¯ After much contemtion, ¡°I should tell him¡­¡± Un Hyang decided to inform Suhyuk about what happened today. Thepany might not like her decision, but so be it. ¡°Sigh-.¡± Even after making the decision, she didn¡¯t feel any better. In fact, her expression grew darker. If her actions led Suhyuk to join Blue Zone, if he had to stop streaming due to nonpete uses or simply because he no longer needed to, she felt she¡¯d regret her decision. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t tell him¡­ Huh?¡± Just as she was wavering internally, her ears perked up. ¡°Suhyuk-nim?¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 sh-! A sudden re so intense it could blind pierced his eyes. Instinctively, Jung Yuhan shielded his eyes with one hand while drawing a weapon from his inventory with the other. ng-! And at that moment, two swords collided, sparking with the electricity of lightning. Crackle-. Like many yers from Earth, Jung Yuhan¡¯s primary weapon was a sword. But. ¡°Getting this close wasn¡¯t a very wise choice.¡± His real weapon wasn¡¯t something as simple as a sword. ¡°Now you can hear me better.¡± Bzzzzz-. A ringing echoed in Suhyuk¡¯s ears. When he noticed the strange signs and stepped back, it was already a step toote. ¡ºYou have heard the ¡®Curse of Confusion¡¯.¡» ¡ºAll pain increases by 100%.¡» ¡ºAll five senses are dulled by 50%.¡» ¡º¡¯Status Effect: Fear¡¯ has begun.¡» Skills were activated through speech. It was exceedingly easy to manipte for a curse-type skill. The Curse of Confusion. This skill, with an 80% proficiency rate, was the one that made Jung Yuhan who he was. The Curse of Confusion spared neither humans nor monsters. ¡®Once you¡¯re caught, it¡¯s over. Paralyzed senses and engulfed in fear¡­¡¯ At that moment, Crackle-! A of yellow electricity spread around Jung Yuhan. ¡°What the¡ª.¡± Boom-! Suddenly, the tightened with increased power. Jung Yuhan swung his sword, releasing his magic. A simple and inefficient expenditure of magic in a moment of crisis. Crackle-. Still, thanks to his high stats, tearing the wasn¡¯t difficult. But in that brief moment, Jung Yuhan realized that Suhyuk, who had been close by, had disappeared somewhere. ¡®This guy, where did he go this time¡­¡¯ At that moment, a blinding light shimmered before him, and something dangerous grazed past Jung Yuhan¡¯s head. sh-! ¡®A spear?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t see its form clearly. No, there was no time to see. Before he could identify it, Jung Yuhan ducked. Questions kept flooding his mind. Making a spear out of lightning this quickly and throwing it? But he couldn¡¯t continue fighting while pondering. Jung Yuhan revealed himself again and turned to face the approaching Suhyuk. ¡®Still, his movements aren¡¯t untrackable¡­¡¯ His thoughts suddenly cut off. A strange sense of incongruity. The sword that should be in Suhyuk¡¯s hand was gone. Where did it go? ¡®No way, the one he just threw?¡¯ If his thoughts had been even slightlyter, Jung Yuhan¡¯s life would have ended. Jung Yuhan¡¯s head turned backward. Right then, the sword he thought was a spear was flying towards him. ¡°Gasp!¡± He ducked again, narrowly avoiding it. The sword, carried back to Suhyuk¡¯s hand by maic force, was gripped tightly. Aimed at Jung Yuhan, who had dodged the flying sword. Vrooooom-. Suhyuk struck down with all his might, wielding a sword charged with lightning. Boom! As the sword touched Jung Yuhan¡¯s body, an explosion urred. A pir of lightning shot up so bright it lit up the entire square. All sound around them vanished. Suhyuk, unleashing the lightning, didn¡¯t stop there and swung his sword again. He didn¡¯t think Jung Yuhan would fall that easily. And as he thought, Jung Yuhan¡¯s hand extended out from the pir of lightning. Thwack-. When Suhyuk evaded and increased the distance between them, he saw Jung Yuhan, his face ckened from the burns. ¡®Maybe it was a bit too weak.¡¯ The power should have been stronger. To bridge the gap in basic stats, something unexpected was needed. And that unexpected tactic worked. The only downside was theck of finish. The damage wasn¡¯t sufficient to decisively cut off Jung Yuhan¡¯s breath in a single strike. ¡°Cough, hack.¡± Jung Yuhan gasped heavily, struggling for breath. Feeling a paralysis extending up to his neck, he red fiercely at Suhyuk. ¡®This damn¡­¡¯ His pride was severely battered. More than battered, it was torn to shreds, to the point he couldn¡¯t even lift his head. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like he was losing to a yer from the 4th floor. And the reason for the current turn of events was nothing other than a one-sided defeat in their strategic battle. ¡°If we are just talking control, you¡¯re better than Lee Suhyuk in his prime.¡± Streamer Falcon Eye¡¯s evaluation of Lee Suhyuk. In reality, Falcon Eye had mentioned several times that, purely in terms of talent, Lee Suhyuk was more outstanding than Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. Of course, Jung Yuhan didn¡¯t believe it. He dismissed it as a joke from the streamers who loved creating buzz. He thought it was pure nonsense. But. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that¡¯s true.¡¯ The specs of Lee Suhyuk, wrapped in lightning, were clearly not something to underestimate as a yer from the 4th floor. He was fast and powerful. Above all, his mastery over lightning was astonishing. ¡®Creating a out of lightning?¡¯ Creating a weapon using a single attribute is never an easy task. Unlike simply releasing energy, it requires high-level concentration and precise control. Moreover, maintaining such control and concentration while fighting was several times harder. Yet, the guy in front of him was creating not just a simple weapon, but a. How on earth he managed to create such a thing, even a semi-ranker like Jung Yuhan couldn¡¯t fathom. Moreover, ¡®He creates a maic field to freely control the weapon¡¯s position. Throwing the sword was to make me believe it was a spear.¡¯ His sense in using skills was top-notch, and he had a strategic mind that induced the opponent¡¯s misconception. Just how many things had he shown in this brief exchange? His talent had the power to overturn the difference in their weight sses. ¡°A monstrous guy.¡± Jung Yuhanposed himself and stood up. Though his face was slightly burnt, fortunately, there were no critical injuries. He regained hisposure as he fixed his gaze on Suhyuk once more. ¡°Still¡­¡± Hummmm-. He began gathering magical power from his toes, watching Suhyuk¡¯s face turning increasingly pale. ¡°The curse hasn¡¯t been lifted.¡± The Curse of Confusion. That had been gnawing at Suhyuk¡¯s brain since the moment the fight began. *** ng-! The swords shed, and Suhyuk¡¯s body was pushed backward. Quickly regaining his bnce, Suhyuk¡¯s body surged upward with a crackling sound. Pushed back, Suhyuk charged toward Jung Yuhan again. All around, spheres of lightning that Suhyuk had created floated in the air. ¡®Why?¡¯ Jung Yuhan didn¡¯t dodge but parried Suhyuk¡¯s sword. ng-! This time too, it was Suhyuk who was pushed back. ¡®To this guy, I must look like a terrifying monster. My sword swings must feel as heavy as a giant¡¯s club.¡¯ From the beginning, this was an unfair fight. An opponent caught by the Curse of Confusion has dulled senses and is ensnared in fear, fighting against their own nightmare. In other words, it¡¯s like fighting with several steel bars strapped to their body. Despite that, Suhyuk hadn¡¯t lost his resolve even a bit from the start until now. Boom-. With a thunderous roar, he relentlessly charged again. A feeling of difort and a peculiar sense of pressure hit Jung Yuhan simultaneously. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ And then, Jung Yuhan realized the source of that difort. ¡®Why does he seem to be getting stronger?¡¯ From the start, Suhyuk had been getting faster and stronger. Using lightning should have drained his stamina, making him weaker. Like a high-performance engine gradually heating up after ignition, Suhyuk was increasing his output. Thud-! This time, Jung Yuhan didn¡¯t parry but kicked. Suhyuk staggered backward after being struck in the shoulder. ¡°Damn¡­ I can¡¯t just kill him¡­¡± As he muttered in rising anger, Jung Yuhan¡¯s eyes widened. No way. ¡®Does he know?¡¯ Stagger-. Suhyuk, who had been kicked away, quickly regained his bnce. Lifting his head, Suhyuk looked at the draconic giant he assumed was Jung Yuhan. ¡®Annoying, this skill.¡¯ That was Jung Yuhan. There was no doubt about it. Unless he was dreaming, there was no way Jung Yuhan had suddenly turned into a dragon. The Curse of Confusion. From the moment he was caught in it, Jung Yuhan appeared as a giant with a dragon¡¯s head over 5 meters tall in Suhyuk¡¯s eyes. Suhyuk had been fighting such a creature all along. But. ¡®He¡¯ll try to capture me alive as much as possible.¡¯ Despite everything, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the essence of the situation. Though all his senses, including sight, told him that the enemy was a giant with a dragon¡¯s head. He was merely caught in the skill; it was undoubtedly Jung Yuhan. ¡®So¡­¡¯ The opponent¡¯s goal is capture. Therefore, he must maximize that to his advantage. ¡®No need to rush.¡¯ Thump, thump-thump-. His heart pounded. The heartbeat of his lightning heart quickened, increasing his power output. In the beginning, it was challenging to face him head-on. As time passed, colliding with the giant seemed increasingly doable. Crackle-. Lightning began to flow from his heart, gathering at his fingertips. Thanks to the kick, the distance between them had increased just enough. Crackle-! The spear of lightning started to take shape in his hand. Jung Yuhan, sensing the danger, charged toward him. Before the spear could fully form, Suhyuk initiated the throw. Whoosh-! Boom-! The lightning spear flew, aiming for Jung Yuhan¡¯s head. A ck veil unfurled from the tip of Jung Yuhan¡¯s swinging sword. The lightning spear broke through the veil, reaching right in front of Jung Yuhan¡¯s face. Boom-! The lightning spear exploded, sweeping the surroundings. While the power was reduced, the damage was considerable. Staggering, Jung Yuhan gritted his teeth. ¡®I can¡¯t win like this.¡¯ The thought of needing to capture him was holding him back. No. During the fight, he realized it wasn¡¯t just the idea of capture; the opponent was never an easy target to begin with. ¡®He needs to be killed.¡¯ There would be nothing worse than letting him escape here. What the guild emphasized most when assigning missions was discretion. Especially when force was necessary. However, the n had gone awry. What he thought was just a slightly bigger rat turned out to be a ferocious beast. ¡®Looks like he has made up his mind.¡¯ Suhyuk noticed the change in Jung Yuhan¡¯s demeanor. He had hoped Jung Yuhan would keep aiming for capture. But now, he had to change his strategy too. ¡®Can I do it here¡­?¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s most powerful card was undoubtedly the Lightning Lord. Activating that skill allowed Suhyuk to boost his specs as if he had be apletely different person. But right now, he could only use it for about 10 seconds. If he exceeded that time, the penalty could be fatal. ¡®Can I finish it within that time?¡¯ It was a risky gamble. And it wasn¡¯t a move Suhyuk preferred. He always sought methods that guaranteed victory. But now wasn¡¯t the time to be picky. ¡®Let¡¯s do it.¡¯ Crackle-. Just as Suhyuk was about to use the Lightning Lord, the wide-area silencing skill used by Jung Yuhan was torn apart. Screech-. Sounds could be heard. Someone had entered the area. Both Suhyuk and Jung Yuhan turned their heads simultaneously. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Thud-. The slow footsteps echoed loudly. When emotions run high, they often show more through actions than expressions or words. That was the case with Un Hyang now. Suhyuk, observing her seemingly calm demeanor, was certain. She was angry. ¡°You are¡­.¡± Jung Yuhan¡¯s eyes widened at the familiar face. She was the beauty he had seen on the first floor of Lee Suhyuk¡¯s ce. He had clearly remembered her face because he had fallen for her at first sight and tried to hit on her. But for her to be here now, ¡°What¡¯s your rtion with Lee Suhyuk?¡± Jung Yuhan asked, and Un Hyang replied. ¡°Manager.¡± ¡°Manager? Of this guy?¡± She hadn¡¯t mentioned that when they met before. Jung Yuhan frowned in displeasure. ¡°You deceived me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t deceive you; I just didn¡¯t tell you. Don¡¯t get it twisted.¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. But in that short and unremarkable conversation, Jung Yuhan felt a peculiar sense of incongruity. What was the difference? The woman in front of him looked the same, but she seemed like apletely different person. As if someone else¡¯s soul had entered her body. The chilling atmosphere, which seemed to lower his body temperature, made it impossible for him to speak to her as eagerly as he had in the morning. ¡°You said you were from Blue Zone?¡± At Un Hyang¡¯s question, Jung Yuhan looked troubled. Back then, mentioning the name of the giant guild had acted as a business card, a halo for him. Now, however, the name of that giant guild had turned into a weakness. The fact that a guild like Blue Zone was forcibly recruiting yers must never be revealed. Why had Blue Zone sent him? To handle such situations silently, they selected someone with the ¡®Silent Night¡¯ skill. But now¡­ ¡®Balhae is argepany. If they start spreading public opinion, things could get too big.¡¯ Such matters must be handled discreetly. Even if giant guilds aren¡¯t all good andw-abiding, these actions should nevere to light. If this matter were to be exposed, ¡®¡­I wouldn¡¯t just fall out of favor with the vice guild leader.¡¯ Shhh-. Jung Yuhan¡¯s gaze alternated between Suhyuk and Un Hyang. There were two options. Silence them through persuasion. Or¡­ ¡°Do you think you can manage?¡± Just as this thought urred, ¡°With your standing?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s voice came close. A voice as sweet as honey whispering in his ear. The moment he sensed that her breath mixed with her words, Jung Yuhan heard a cracking sound in his throat. ¡®What is¡­¡­.¡¯ As he felt his consciousness fade, Jung Yuhan¡¯sst vision was of Un Hyang twisting his neck. ¡®What happened¡­¡­.¡¯ Thud-. Jung Yuhan copsed to the floor. Suhyuk was equally stunned by the sudden event. ¡®How did she move?¡¯ Even with his dynamic vision, he couldn¡¯t see clearly. It seemed as if she kicked the same spot repeatedly, and suddenly her position changed to be behind Jung Yuhan. It felt like watching magic. It resembled some kind of footwork technique, but he couldn¡¯t tell what exactly it was. There was no longer any need to use the Lightning Lord. Suhyuk looked at Un Hyang with astonished eyes. ¡®I thought she was skilled, but¡­¡¯ Even though Jung Yuhan was injured and exhausted from fighting him, Un Hyang subdued a semi-ranker with a single move. Something that even many rankers would find difficult, Un Hyang had done with ease. Having such skills yet serving as a manager? She was a truly enigmatic person. ¡°Why are you looking at me as if I¡¯m a monster?¡± Did she notice Suhyuk¡¯s gaze? ¡°You can easily achieve this too, Suhyuk-nim. Just give it about six more months.¡± Six months. It was a generous evaluation. Although he didn¡¯t know the exact extent of her skills, it was clear that no ordinary yer could reach her level with just time and effort. That was the realm of talent. ¡°I never looked at you like a monster.¡± ¡°It seemed like you did¡­¡± ¡°I was just surprised. You fought better than I expected, and I was curious how you got here.¡± At Suhyuk¡¯s words, Un Hyang nced down at the fallen Jung Yuhan. ¡°I met him this morning.¡± ¡°This guy?¡± ¡°Yes. He suddenly hit on me, and I wanted to teach him a lesson.¡± The deadly aura from a moment ago was gone, and Un Hyang was back to her usual self. ¡°You should have. You could have easily done so.¡± ¡°He suddenly gave me his business card, saying he was from Blue Zone. I thought I should at least hear him out¡­¡± Un Hyang briefly exined what had happened with Jung Yuhan. Additionally, she shared the concerns she had until just a moment ago. ¡°Looking at it now, my worries were unnecessary. Seeing you fight like this, it seems you¡¯ve already made your decision.¡± ¡°If you mean that decision, I made it a long time ago.¡± ¡°But you never know, right? If given a huge offer, even you might waver. Besides, from what I see, you¡¯re worth it.¡± Despite pouring out her concerns, Un Hyang¡¯s face looked somewhat refreshed. She felt relieved, having resolved the issues that had been troubling her. ¡°But I was wrong. Even if you decide to join such a guild, I won¡¯t let you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already declined.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Haha.¡± Realizing she had been worrying for nothing, Un Hyangughed awkwardly. Torn between wanting to stay together and wanting the person she genuinely liked to be in a better ce. She had been debating between these feelings, but Suhyuk had already made his decision. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Un Hyang, realizing the gravity of the situation a bitte, prodded Jung Yuhan with her foot and asked, ¡°What should we do about this? We should report it to thepany, right?¡± Blue Zone had attacked a streamer. Whether a streamer or not, a giant guild oppressing an ordinary yer was a significant issue. If this information became public, it would likely hurt Blue Zone¡¯s image considerably. ¡°They need to be publicly shamed¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s report it to the team leader first. But let¡¯s hold off on making it public for now.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Because that would mean a full-scale war between us, Balhae, and Blue Zone.¡± Blue Zone is a giant guild. And in this tower, a giant guild is like a state, a massive organization with great power. Making enemies with such a force is never a good choice. However, it shouldn¡¯t be simply overlooked either. A worm that doesn¡¯t even squirm when stepped on keeps getting trampled until it dies. ¨C We needed to show that we have hidden fangs too. ¡°Being a streamer has its perks in situations like these.¡± Suhyuk smiled as he looked around. The clearing became a wreck after the fight. ncing at the scorched ground, broken and burnt chairs, and nters, Suhyuk continued. ¡°Let¡¯s go live. Right here, right now.¡± * In thete hours of the night. Lee Wonjae woke up in his dark room. Buzz, buzz-. His kit was ringing at thiste hour. Typically, such a thing wouldn¡¯t happen. Lee Wonjae didn¡¯t get annoyed or angry. Instead, he hurriedly checked the kit. The fact that someone would contact him at this hour meant it was an urgent matter. ¡°What is it?¡± Deputy Guild Leader, there is something you need to check. ¡°Check? At this hour?¡± The person on the other end was his personal assistant. Someone who handled everything from official tasks to minor chores¡ªhe wasn¡¯t one to make a fuss. ¨C Yes. A streamer named Lee Suhyuk¡­ Hearing the name, Lee Wonjae sat up in bed. ¡°Hang up.¡± Lee Wonjae checked the list of ongoing streams. Since he had always been interested, he had subscribed to Lee Suhyuk¡¯s channel. Despite thete hour, quite a number of viewers were watching Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡ºViewers: 5,533¡» Over five thousand viewers. Though it seemed many, it was actually fewer than usual for Lee Suhyuk, considering his regr viewership. However, what really caught Lee Wonjae¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t the number of viewers but the title. ¡ºTitle: Attacked Without Reason.¡» An ominous title. Not too long ago, he had ordered Jung Yuhan to bring Lee Suhyuk over. The timing suggested the two would have met today or tomorrow. Lee Wonjae entered Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. The location wasn¡¯t a trial site. It was an open space on the 4th floor, charred ck everywhere, with shattered and broken items scattered around. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect assassins even outside of the trial sites.¡± The stream was ongoing. It didn¡¯t seem too long since it started. That might exin why there were fewer viewers. ¨C Really? ¨C A real-life assassin¡­ This is rare. ¨C Rare? It¡¯s freaky as hell. ¨C Who did it? Naturally, the viewers were in an uproar. Their favorite streamer had been attacked. Fans were bound to be outraged. ¡®Did he fail?¡¯ This was an unexpected turn of events. Even if the persuasion didn¡¯t work, failure wasn¡¯t something he had considered. No matter how talented someone is, there are limits to that talent. Even if they possessed a brilliance akin to the real Lee Suhyuk, there was no way a yer from the 4th floor could win against a semi-ranker. So then, ¡®Did Balhae assign a bodyguard to him or something?¡¯ That was the only usible exnation. And surprisingly, that guess was nearly urate. The only difference was that it wasn¡¯t a bodyguard but a manager. ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ Now he understood why he was woken up at thiste hour. Lee Suhyuk was a rather famous streamer. Moreover, Jung Yuhan likely didn¡¯t use full force right away, so Lee Suhyuk must know who was behind this. If this information were broadcasted, blue zone would quickly be held ountable. Lee Wonjae furrowed his brow. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ His attention glued to the stream. Slowly, Lee Suhyuk began to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t know the mastermind yet.¡± A relief. If the name Blue Zone had been mentioned here, public opinion would have erupted. But still. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s words weren¡¯t finished. ¡°I have some guesses, but since nothing is certain yet, I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± Could that be true? It was odd. If it were true, it meant Jung Yuhan had tried to recruit Lee Suhyuk without revealing the mastermind. That made no sense at all. ¡®What¡¯s really going on¡­¡¯ And then it happened. Buzz-. A call came through the kit. Once again, it was his personal assistant. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m watching it now.¡± -It¡¯s not about that¡­ ¡°What is it then?¡± With his sleep disturbed and now dealing with this irritating situation, Lee Wonjae¡¯s voice sharpened like a knife. -There¡¯s someone who wishes to meet you, vice-guildmaster. ¡°Me?¡± -Yes. Before Lee Wonjae could inquire further, the assistant quickly added, -It¡¯s John Dale, the head of Balhae¡¯s management division¡­ Chapter 92 Chapter 92 The short stream ended. The content of the stream was simple. The stream wasn¡¯t aimed at the viewers but at a specific someone. ¡°Do you think they saw it?¡± Un Hyang asked with a worried voice. ¡°Considering thete hour¡­¡± ¡°Someone would have seen it. It¡¯s just a matter of time, but the message will get through.¡± After ending the stream, Suhyuk walked back to the dormitory with Un Hyang. ¡°Major guilds value their reputation above all else. And this incident is the perfect way to tarnish that reputation.¡± ¡°Why not just expose everything? It would feel so satisfying.¡± ¡°It would feel great, but¡­¡± Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°From that moment, Balhae and Blue Zone would be enemies. Me included.¡± It was still too early for that. ¡°Instead, it was a warning¡ªnever to try such a prank again. Using the medium of a stream.¡± Streamers. The power of this profession lies in its ability to rapidly disseminate information to a wide audience. And that power is precisely why major guilds hesitate to mess withpanies like Balhae easily. The same was true for Suhyuk. ¡°Well, the team leader will handle the details.¡± He had informed John Dale about the incident. Handling this was not Un Hyang¡¯s job as a mere manager. Even though her skills were remarkable, she wasn¡¯t at the level to confront a major guild. This was a time for words and strategy, not brute force. In that aspect, Suhyuk had considerable trust in John Dale. ¡°True. The team leader is exceptionally good at handling such things.¡± Though it sounded dismissive, Un Hyang also trusted John Dale. He was someone who could survive even in hell with just his tongue. Essentially, he yed the most crucial role in this incident. ¡°Can you stream tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not significantly injured. Just a bit tired.¡± Suhyuk honestly replied about his condition. There were no direct injuries or damages from his fight with Jung Yuhan. The heavy fatigue weighing on his body was entirely due to the bacsh from using lightning. ¡®What would have happened if the fight continued?¡¯ He continued the battle in his mind. Jung Yuhan, intent on killing. Suhyuk nned to quickly settle the score using the Lightning Lord. The time given was about 10 seconds. Could he have beheaded Jung Yuhan within that time? ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It seemed both possible and difficult. Faring this well against a semi-ranker wasmendable, but it left him thirsting for more. ¡®I still have a long way to go.¡¯ He needed to reach a level where his weapon could be real power, not just a stream. To climb higher and gain more strength as quickly as possible. ¡°I¡¯ll stream. And I¡¯ll take the trial too.¡± ¡°You could take a day off¡­¡± Un Hyang¡¯s voice trailed off, showing her concern. As they continued walking. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Un Hyang recalled something Jung Yuhan had mentioned and spoke up. ¡°This might be a bit trivial and unverified, though.¡± ¡°Trivial?¡± ¡°Yes. Should I not mention it? It¡¯s rted to Blue Eyes.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No, please. Tell me.¡± A firm answer, almost burdensome in its intensity. Un Hyang, not expecting such a proactive reaction, replied in a slightly awkward tone. ¡°Well, they say there¡¯s a survivor from Blue Eyes.¡± Thunk-. Suhyuk¡¯s foot came to an abrupt halt. The sounds of the world disappeared, leaving only Un Hyang¡¯s voice in his ears. It felt like his heart stopped, turning cold and rigid alongside his legs. ¡°A survivor?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes.¡± ¡°Where¡­ Where is that ce?¡± His words stumbled out, and his heart started beating several times faster, as if making up for the earlier pause. Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s serious reaction, Un Hyang answered hesitantly. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t hear where exactly.¡± And with her next words, Suhyuk¡¯splexion turned pale behind his mask. ¡°But that survivor is said to be colluding with demons¡­¡± * The next day. A notice was posted on Suhyuk¡¯s streaming station. ¡ºDue to personal matters, the streamer will take a day off today.¡» Unexpected news of a break. Naturally, the reactions of the viewers were intense. They thought it would only take another day or two to get to the next floor, but now this sudden break. ¨C Taking a break just like that¡­ ¨C So what¡¯s the personal matter? ¨C Is it because of the attack yesterday? ¨C Don¡¯t leave us in the dark, lOLOLOL ¨C LOLOLOL LOL Promises are meant to be broken, I guess? ¡°Sigh-.¡± Un Hyang, sitting alone at a cafe and reading thements, sighed. Seeing suchments on the notice she personally posted made her feel uneasy. But if she felt frustrated, what about the viewers who didn¡¯t know the situation? Who would have thought he¡¯d suddenly dere a break? ¡®The facts haven¡¯t even been confirmed yet¡­¡¯ Un Hyang lightly thumped her own head. ¡°Ugh. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± The source of the information was Jung Yuhan. Un Hyang had seen Jung Yuhan boastfully exaggerate himself before. In other words, his credibility was low. ¡®Why is he so obsessed?¡¯ Yet, despite theck of credibility, Suhyuk reacted more seriously than ever. ¡°There¡¯s a survivor from Blue Eyes.¡± ¡°That survivor is said to be colluding with demons¡­¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze changed at these two points. And both times, it was in response to stories rted to Blue Eyes. ¡®Does it have something to do with him wearing the mask?¡¯ She didn¡¯t believe he wore the Lee Suhyuk mask just for poprity. But neither did she think he was weak-minded enough to be shaken by an unconfirmed rumor. Then suddenly, she recalled the conversations they had while drinking a few days ago. When she mentioned it seemed like he was chasing something, Suhyuk had brushed it off, not wanting to answer. She thought they had grown closer. But he was further away than she had imagined. *** Suhyuk secluded himself in his room, staring intently at his kit. Since his reincarnation, he had never spent an entire day just searching through the kit like this. And, just like then, the reason remained the same. ¡®Could someone else still be alive?¡¯ Thump¡ª Since yesterday, it felt like his heart was hammering in his ears. ¡®Could it be Shiwoo or Yerang?¡¯ He had cast four people away using an item. Out of those, he suspected two might still be alive. Namely, Shiwoo and Yerang. ¡®No. That can¡¯t be.¡¯ Suhyuk shook his head. Demons. They were strange creatures that appeared sporadically in this world, capable of traversing floors like yers. Communicative with humans, capable of ascending and descending the tower, and growing stronger simrly to yers. Some yers imed that they were the nemesis they would have to fight in ¡®the battle toe.¡¯ Countless yers had died at their hands. Demons, much like how yers hunted monsters, actively hunted yers. Long ago, one of hisrades had been killed by their hands. ¡®Shiwoo and Yerang, of all people, wouldn¡¯t do that. If they were alive, they wouldn¡¯t.¡¯ Revenge aside, they were demons. Shiwoo and Yerang particrly harbored deep hatred towards demons. So, that left two. If anyone would willingly join hands with demons, there was one person who came to mind. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Suhyuk scrutinized the kit¡¯s screen closely. His search terms were ¡®Blue Eyes¡¯ and ¡®Demons.¡¯ He hoped to find any rted information, even if it was just a rumor. After hours, switching keywords and conducting hundreds of searches, Suhyuk found a few posts. ? (Conspiracy Theory) Was There a Traitor in Blue Eyes? ? ¡ºI heard this from a friend, so it¡¯s not confirmed yet. But there seems to have been someone in Blue Eyes who teamed up with the demons.¡» How many rumors like this had he seen? Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t hard to find rted information. In fact, they were more akin to fanciful stories rather than solid information. Unverified sources and mere hearsay. Due to its imusibility, it didn¡¯t gain much traction. However, the content aligned closely with what Jung Yuhan had said. ¡®Is there someone else with a big mouth like Jung Yuhan? Or¡­¡¯ Another possibility. ¡®Someone wants this rumor to spread.¡¯ Even though Jung Yuhan was a semi-ranker, Blue Zone had plenty of equally skilled members. If this information were highly ssified, Jung Yuhan wouldn¡¯t have known about it. Moreover, a major guild like Blue Zone wouldn¡¯t handle crucial information so poorly. Click¡ª Suhyuk turned off the kit and stared up at the ceiling. He felt he had gleaned all he could from the small screen. ¡®No matter how much I look at this, it¡¯s pointless.¡¯ Regardless of how many survivors there were, there was nothing he could do about it right now. It was time to stop wallowing. He had to climb higher. Suhyuk stood up. *** Inside the drapery shop, where carcasses of livestock hung like grim decorations, a many on the ground, blood dripping from his body, his eyes rolled back. In front of him stood Yerang, holding a thin knife in one hand, her expression grave. ¡°Is this real?¡± The question was directed towards Shiwoo, who was in the back. He shook his head while freezing the man¡¯s wounds, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t die immediately. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure. It doesn¡¯t seem like a lie, though¡­¡± ¡°If he¡¯s lying after all this, he¡¯s not human.¡± It had been hours of interrogation. No, to say interrogation was an understatement; it was essentially torture. Yerang was confident. If someone could lie after enduring so much, they were not to be found anywhere. ¡°The problem is whether what he knows is actually true.¡± ¡°Could it be a trap?¡± ¡°At this point, wouldn¡¯t that guy know we¡¯re alive?¡± Yerang nodded at Shiwoo¡¯s words. Certainly, considering the recent signs from the tournament on the 3rd floor and how various yers had been frequenting their base. There had been unusual signstely. Kim Ilsoo had caught wind of their presence. By now, he was almost certain of their survival. ¡°He might¡¯veid the bait, expecting us to bite.¡± Someone else could be alive. To Shiwoo and Yerang, that was a bait with an irresistibly sweet scent. Even if they knew there might be a sharp skewer hidden within, they couldn¡¯t help but bite. ¡°That guy¡¯s mind, back then and now¡­¡± Yerang clicked her tongue in disgust. Even though they wererades once, she never thought he would act like this. ¡°So, are we not going?¡± Yerang sighed at Shiwoo¡¯s question. It was an obvious question with an obvious answer. ¡°Of course.¡± They had to check. Even if there was only a one in a thousand, one in a million chance. ¡°We have to confirm it.¡± If someone was alive, they had decided to go, even if it was hell. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 A certain office located on the 9th floor. Lee Wonjae arrived there, sitting in front of arge, wide screen. Despite his busy schedule, the reason he came here was because of themotion that took ce early this morning. ¡°Begin.¡± At Lee Wonjae¡¯s single word and gesture, the people in the room sprang into action. Soon, the screen lit up. On the other side of it sat a person from a world too distant to reach this ce, facing Lee Wonjae. John Dale. The head of Balhae Entertainment¡¯s management division. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t have exchanged even a word. However, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet such a high official, even like this.¡± Ironically, now Lee Wonjae had to cater to the man¡¯s mood. Thus, he put on a broad smile, something he rarely did, and spoke. ¡°No, the pleasure is mine. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re the top contributor to Balhae¡¯s sess.¡± ¡°Top contributor? I¡¯m just a sried worker doing my job.¡± They checked each other¡¯s faces through the screen. Lee Wonjae nced down briefly at the report on John Dale. ¡®An elite background. He¡¯s too good to be in such a small ce.¡¯ The report contained details about John Dale. It was the result of a thorough investigation by Blue Zone¡¯s intelligence overnight. He wasn¡¯t someone who seeded as a yer. However, the achievements of John Dale were far from insignificant. ¡®A former strategist of the ¡®Mado¡¯ guild until 15 years ago. A former core member of a major guild, now reduced to a mere team leader at a smallpany¡­¡¯ Balhae was argepany. But no matter how big the dinosaur, when viewed from the sky, it was all the same size. But John Dale was different. He was once a bird flying in the same sky as them. Though he failed as a yer, he was a key member in running a guild. The statement that he was the top contributor to Balhae Entertainment was no emptypliment. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you too, vice-guildmaster. From long ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the second most credited person after Guild Leader Kim Ilsoo for bringing Blue Zone this far. A living legend.¡± Lee Wonjae¡¯s eyebrows raised. The next most credited after Kim Ilsoo. It sounded like praise but felt oddly grating to his ears. It felt like dragging the conversation would lead nowhere good. Lee Wonjae shifted the conversation¡¯s direction. ¡°This conversation is getting long. Shall we discuss yesterday¡¯s incident?¡± John Dale nodded and corrected Lee Wonjae. ¡°Not just yesterday. It happened early this morning.¡± The atmosphere changed instantly. ¡°I deeply regret the incident. Not just me, but I believe our streamer does too.¡± Twitch¡ª Lee Wonjae¡¯s brow furrowed. He had thought John Dale woulde out more humbly, but his tone was quite confrontational. ¡®Should I try intimidating him?¡¯ Lee Wonjae scrutinized John Dale in the short time he had. ¡®¡­Not the type to be intimidated.¡¯ A person¡¯s strength isn¡¯t solely judged by their physical prowess. Despite being on a screen, John Dale¡¯s demeanor suggested he was mentally strong. Trying to intimidate or threaten someone like him was foolish. It might escte a manageable situation. ¡°We haven¡¯t yet made a public statement about the incident. Considering the opponent, we need to be cautious. Haha.¡± Lee Wonjae¡¯s smile carried a single meaning beneath its facade. Yet. John Dale subtly implied that they could reveal the incident¡¯s details anytime. ¡°It seems there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe it¡¯s a misunderstanding too. But the fact that your yer attacked our streamer is undeniable¡­¡± Trailing off briefly, John Dale looked directly at Lee Wonjae. ¡°If such an incident happens again, we will have no choice but to consider it intentional.¡± And that meant¡ª If you mess with our streamer again, we will expose everything. *** 15 minutes. John Dale thought the mere 15 minutes of this call felt like the longest 15 minutes of his life. When the video call ended with a perfunctory farewell, he finally exhaled the breath he had been holding back due to tension. ¡°Phuh¡ª.¡± Though he outwardly maintained a confident demeanor, it was natural for him to feel nervous. His opponent was Lee Wonjae. The second-inmand of a major guild. A giant whom even the president of Balhae Entertainment, not just the team leader, would defer to. ¡°Great job.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Wow¡­ it¡¯s a relief we talked via video. If we had met in person, I would¡¯ve suffocated to death.¡± Gulp¡ª John Dale downed the water handed to him by an employee in one go. Only when his thirst was quenched did he begin to regain someposure. ¡°Still, you were amazing. You¡¯re probably the only one in ourpany who can speak to Lee Wonjae that way.¡± ¡°Of course I had to. Do they think they can act like gangsters? How dare they mess with our streamer?¡± Despite many years at Balhae with countless events, this was a first for him. A major guild risking its reputation to directly target a streamer was unheard of. They must have been aware of the risks of failure. ¡®Was the allure of the lightning that strong?¡¯ It made sense. Blue Zone was nearly synonymous with Lee Suhyuk¡¯s sessor. His legacy¡¯s symbolic power was so notable that it was the reason for Blue Zone¡¯s current status. Why else would they obsess over Thunder Cave? It was all about acquiring the lightning skill that symbolized Lee Suhyuk. But. ¡®They must covet it, all of it.¡¯ Name. Talent. And the symbolic power of the lightning. Lee Suhyuk was a spitting image of the past Lee Suhyuk, to the point where people might believe he was his reincarnation. He even wore the same mask while streaming. Of course, the mask was more of a stream gimmick. ¡®Still, things should be quiet for now.¡¯ No matter howrge, even the major guilds couldn¡¯t override public opinion. Many other major guilds existed alongside Blue Zone. They would have to tread carefully. If Balhae decided to turn this into a major issue and attack Blue Zone, it would cause trouble for the rest as well. However, ¡®¡­only for now.¡¯ The silence wouldn¡¯tst forever. The more valuable Lee Suhyuk became, the more attention he would attract. The sweeter the fruit, the more insects it would draw. ¡°Today¡¯s stream is canceled, right?¡± John Dale asked, and an employee replied. ¡°Yes. It seems he¡¯s quite shaken.¡± ¡°Understandable. After going through that, it¡¯s only natural to be shocked.¡± Real and trial fights were starkly different. While fundamentally simr, real conflicts equated directly to life and death. How one handles that terror often separates top yers from the rest, yet the aftermath of a first real battle affects everyone. ¡°Tell him to get plenty of rest. If he can ovee this, he¡¯ll be an even greater¡­¡± ¡°Uh, Team Leader.¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s starting the stream. Lee Suhyuk.¡± John Dale¡¯s eyes widened, interrupting his speech. ¡°What?¡± And at that moment, ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream went live. *** It was ate afternoon. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» An unexpected notification. Viewers flocked in with the feeling of receiving an unexpected gift. ¨C ?? ¨C Wasn¡¯t today a break? ¨C ??? ¨C Take off your pants~! Though there was no sound, it felt deafening even to his ears. Once a sufficient number of viewers had gathered, Suhyuk turned on the microphone. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bitte.¡± ¨C ???? (It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay) ¨C Did something happen? ¨C It¡¯s fine since you¡¯re here ¡°It¡¯s hard to go into detail. For those feeling frustrated, I¡¯ll give a hint: it¡¯s rted to this morning¡¯s stream.¡± ¨C Ah¡­ that¡­ ¨C ??; (Got it) ¨C As expected ?? (wow) ¨C Can¡¯t me you He had announced through a stream that he was attacked on his way back. Fortunately, given the seriousness of the situation, the viewers weren¡¯t being too inquisitive. Some were nosy enough to dig for details, but that was quickly quelled. ¨C Are you up for today¡¯s challenge? As an expected question came in, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be heading there today.¡± ¨C Not much time left ¨C But if you win without losing a match, it should be possible ¨C Though it looked tough from what I sawst night;; ¨C The difficulty of the matches goes up as the score increases. It¡¯s a given, but in Suhyuk¡¯s case, it was a bit more pronounced. While he could gain 40 points per match, the difficulty seemed to double ordingly. ¡ºThe match is starting.¡» sh-. The atmosphere changed and the scene of the arena came into view. It was a familiar feeling now. A winding path. With cliffs on both sides and abandoned, moldy houses scattered around. The box was sorge it required both arms to hold it tightly. The main task of the match was for one person to carry this box while the others protected it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A bug?¡± ¡°Oh, Lee Suhyuk?¡± Now, these reactions were quite familiar. One person recognized Suhyuk and widened their eyes. Interacting felt like it would unnecessarily prolong the conversation. There wasn¡¯t time for chatting. Today¡¯s focus was on advancing to the next floor rather than the stream¡¯s progress. Clench-. Suhyuk grabbed the box without a word. ¡°Hey, wait.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we decide on our positions before moving-.¡± At that moment. Crackle-. Electricity sparked from Suhyuk¡¯s feet. Boom-! Before anyone realized it, Suhyuk had already distanced himself from the rest of his team. He explosively elerated, sprinting straight towards the destination where the box had to be delivered. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Already here?¡± The opposing team spotted Suhyuk and couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Not even 30 seconds had passed since the match began. Yet, Suhyuk had already reached halfway to the goal, near the opposing team¡¯s starting point. The distance between them quickly narrowed. There was no time for overthinking. ¡°Block him!¡± ¡°Grab the box first!¡± ¡°He seems confident in his speed, but what can he do holding the box alone¡­?¡± Thunk-. At that moment, Suhyuk threw the box he was holding into the air. His hands were briefly free. Then, sh-! With a yellow sh, Suhyuk¡¯s sword sliced through the throats of four opposing yers. ¡°Indeed.¡± Thunk-. The box he had thrown into the airnded back in Suhyuk¡¯s hands. Turning back towards the goal, Suhyuk responded to the words he couldn¡¯t hear from his opponents. ¡°I¡¯m more confident than you think. Much more.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Half a day. The time it took for Suhyuk to achieve Challenger and ascend to the next floor. ¡ºYou have achieved ¡®Challenger¡¯ rank.¡» ¡ºStrength increases by 2.¡» ¡ºAgility increases by 2.¡» ¡ºFocus increases by 3.¡» ¡ºStamina increases by 2.¡» ¡ºMagic increases by 1.¡» ¡ºYou havepleted the trial of the 5th floor.¡» ¡ºAll stats increase by 2.¡» A total of 20 stat points. It felt like his limits had been raised significantly. There was no other ce where one could gain such a high number of stat points in an instant. A trial dedicated to securing stats. He thought that if Jung Yuhan hade a dayter, the fight would have been much easier. ¨C Cleared in 3 days ??? (amazing) ¨C He¡¯s insanely fast ¨C Safety first LOL LOL ¨C The mission waspleted. Originally a long-term mission that was supposed to bepleted within a month, Suhyuk shortened the time to one-tenth. There were two reasons it was possible. The first was that Suhyuk¡¯s matches ended very quickly. And the second was that he gained an excessively high number of points in each match due to the difference in rank. ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 20,000 points from ¡®MissionViin¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 20,000 points from ¡®IloveLeeSuhyuk¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 10,000 points from ¡®NeverGiveUp¡¯.¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 100,000 points from ¡®SafeAsset¡¯.¡» A string of missionpletion notifications appeared. Seeing the umted amount, even Suhyuk, who wasn¡¯t easily surprised, was taken aback by the sum. The 100,000 points in thest notification stood out the most. ¡®How much is all this?¡¯ Just as he was mentally calcting, ¡ºYou are moving to the 5th floor.¡» Along with the message, his body was enveloped in light once again. Whirr-! His vision flickered, and the scenery around him changed. For a moment, he felt his body float and disappear, and then reappear, as his sight returned. Colors filled the surroundings, and he stepped into another world. Low-rise buildings. The streets were lined with stalls selling herbs, spices, and silk, with warriors wielding swords roaming around. The delectable scents of dumplings and sweets made his stomach growl almost instantly. A familiar sight. Suhyuk remembered spending quite a long time here. But now, it felt like walking into the jaws of a giant monster. ¡®I¡¯ve made it this far.¡¯ The 5th floor. Many people referred to this world as: Murim (ÎäÁÖ). *** The stream ended early. Originally, there was no n to stream today. Yet, Suhyuk started the stream out of sheer impatience. His eyelids felt heavy. Feeling more fatigued than ever, Suhyuk trudged along with heavy steps. ¡®Maybe I overdid it.¡¯ He had used quite a lot of lightning during the fight with Jung Yuhan. Even with Selfish Sacrifice and the Heart of Lightning, using so much lightning in reality took its toll. His fatigue was high, and his muscles were screaming for a rest. To be ready for tomorrow¡¯s stream, he needed to rest now. Thunk. After walking for a while, he arrived at the location transmitted by Balhae through the kit¡ªa grand guesthouse with a tiled roof. Named Neb Inn (ÐÇë…¿Í—£), it was the most expensive guesthouse in the vicinity. And in front of it, ¡°Good evening! I¡¯m Cheon Ryang, your manager for the day, Lee Suhyuk-nim.¡± It wasn¡¯t Un Hyang waiting for him, but someone else. ¡°My manager?¡± ¡°Yes. Un Hyang will probably arrive tomorrow. It takes some time to get here.¡± Unless it was throughpleting a trial, moving between floors took a considerable amount of time. It seemed they sent another manager to bridge the time gap. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside first. Or would you like to eat first?¡± Now that he mentioned it, he was hungry. He had skipped breakfast and had used a lot of concentration taking the trials. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Is there any food you prefer? If not, I can rmend something since I¡¯m from around here.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Being a yer from the Murim realm wasn¡¯t particrly surprising. His appearance, ent, and clothing made it clear. ¡®Come to think of it, so is Un Hyang¡­¡¯ He vaguely recalled hearing about it. She had started working as a manager following a friend who was in Balhae. Cheon Ryang guided Suhyuk to the restaurant on the first floor of the guesthouse. The dishes he ordered were mainly fish and soup. After cing the order, Cheon Ryang turned to Suhyuk. ¡°The fish dishes here are extraordinary. You¡¯ll be amazed when you taste them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± ¡°By the way, I should mention that I¡¯m a big fan of your streams, Lee Suhyuk-nim. I¡¯ve been following since day one with Un Hyang.¡± Un Hyang might not be particrly quiet, but Cheon Ryang was exceptionally talkative. As Suhyuk blew on his tea, he found himself listening to Cheon Ryang¡¯s work stories. Fortunately, ¡®He¡¯s an interesting person.¡¯ It turned out Cheon Ryang¡¯s stories were quite amusing. Not only because the topic was about the streaming industry, which Suhyuk found intriguing, but also because Cheon Ryang had a natural knack for storytelling. While waiting for the meal, Cheon Ryang chatted away, and Suhyuk chimed in asionally. Then, suddenly, ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯ The situation itself felt unfamiliar to Suhyuk. ¡®This is probably the third time I¡¯ve had such a long conversation with someone.¡¯ The first time was with Un Hyang. The second was with Schneider. But with Schneider, it was purely a conversation driven by mutual interests. In a personal context, Un Hyang was really the only one he had shared such a conversation with. Suhyuk looked at Cheon Ryang¡¯s face. In that instant. A certain wicked thought crossed Suhyuk¡¯s mind. Soon, the food was served. Clink¡ª. As he picked up his chopsticks, Suhyuk asked his first question. ¡°You said you¡¯re friends with the other manager?¡± ¡°Un Hyang? Yeah, we¡¯re friends.¡± Cheon Ryang nodded, his gaze fixed on the steaming fish stew. ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°How long has it been now? We¡¯ve been sticking together like glue since we were this high. Back then, she was taller than me.¡± Their rtionship went back a lot further than Suhyuk had expected. The height Cheon Ryang indicated with his hand was that of a very small child. Well, ¡®She did say she was a fan of mine 20 years ago.¡¯ It made sense that she was older than she appeared. Exceptional yers no longer aged, making it meaningless to guess their age by their appearance. But that wasn¡¯t what Suhyuk was curious about. ¡°What kind of¡­¡± Hesitating for a moment, Suhyuk continued. ¡°What kind of person was she?¡± ¡°Un Hyang?¡± Cheon Ryang¡¯s expression subtly changed. He seemed hesitant to answer. Eventually, he set down his chopsticks and asked. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°She saved me yesterday.¡± Suhyuk recounted how Un Hyang had taken down Jung Yuhan with a single move. ¡°She¡¯s definitely not an ordinary person. Not by a long shot.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s prowess was anything but ordinary. If she started as a ranker, it would certainly cause a stir. And there was another thing. ¡°With her looks and skills, she could have been a sessful streamer herself, don¡¯t you think?¡± Un Hyang was very pretty. Exceptionally so. Even just being beautiful could guarantee a sessful stream. With Un Hyang¡¯s level of skill, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she quickly amassed tens of thousands of subscribers. Both Un Hyang and Balhae Entertainment must know this. Understanding Suhyuk¡¯s point, Cheon Ryang chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s a streamer¡¯s perspective.¡± ¡°I am a streamer, after all.¡± ¡°Is that so? From my point of view, it seems like you¡¯ve just dipped a toe in the water.¡± This time, it was Suhyuk¡¯s turn to pause with his chopsticks. ¡°Your heart is always elsewhere. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Thement hit home. To Suhyuk, being a streamer was a tool for revenge. It was like a whetstone to sharpen his de. Cheon Ryang¡¯s remark about him just dipping a toe in the water, though blunt, wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. ¡®He¡¯s perceptive, just like John Dale.¡¯ More insightful than he had expected. Though he had a witty demeanor, Cheon Ryang was far from lightweight. Cheon Ryang seemed to deliberate. ¡°If that¡¯s the reason¡­¡± By the time the steam was starting to fade from the food, ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright.¡± Just as Cheon Ryang began to speak, Suhyuk stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s better to hear it from her directly. Seeing you hesitate makes it even clearer that I should.¡± To understand what kind of person Un Hyang was, and why she insisted on being a manager despite her skills. Being curious but hearing it from someone else¡¯s mouth rather than directly from the person herself was indeed discourteous. If she chose not to speak, waiting until she was ready was the right thing to do. And Suhyuk¡¯s words brought a smile to Cheon Ryang¡¯s face. ¡°Hehe¡ª¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to tell you anyway.¡± Cheon Ryang resumed eating with his chopsticks. ¡°It won¡¯t take long, either way.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll hear it directly. Or you¡¯ll find out.¡± While the part about hearing it directly made sense, the part about finding out was vague. Cheon Ryang¡¯s words were unclear and somewhat ambiguous. It seemed like Cheon Ryang had no intention of continuing the same topic, as he shifted the conversation while munching on the fish dish. ¡°By the way, the lower floors are quite noisy right now because of that. The clearing got trashed in yesterday¡¯s fight.¡± The confrontation between Suhyuk and Jung Yuhan had left the clearing in ruins. Jung Yuhan¡¯s skill blocked sound and presence, but not the aftermath of the battle. ¡°That¡¯s for them to handle. Should we be worried about it?¡± Suhyuk didn¡¯t see it as a big deal. Even if this incident got out, it would harm Blue Zone more than him. In fact, it might even tarnish Blue Zone¡¯s image, which wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing for him. Of course, there was no way this incident would leak. ¡®Fights between yers happen often. Even if it gets out, they¡¯ll make sure to cover it up.¡¯ The events on the 4th floor were no longer his concern. John Dale had concluded negotiations, and his job now was to keep moving upwards. Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s reaction, Cheon Ryang didn¡¯t bring up the matter again. There was no point dwelling on something the streamer wasn¡¯t concerned about. There was something else to discuss. Cheon Ryang asked, ¡°Do you have any content in mind for this time?¡± Content. It was the biggest concern for streamers. Repeating the same stream wouldn¡¯t satisfy the viewers. While high-ranking yers had some leeway, on the 5th floor, something distinctive was necessary. However, Suhyuk had no intention of wasting time on content. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything special in mind, but¡­¡± So, with Suhyuk feeling pressed for time, there was only one type of content he could consider. ¡°How about ¡®Marathon¡¯?¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Marathon!!!! The term used is ??? ???, which has the literal trantion is ¡°To go all the way to the king.¡± The meaning is: ?? is a Korean acronym made from the TV show ¡°??? ???¡± ? is the verb ?? meaning ¡°turn on¡± (e.g. ¡°turn on a stream¡±) ? ?? is ?? + ~(?) ??. ~(?) ?? means ¡°while doing ¡­¡± Therefore ? ?? means ¡°while you are streaming¡±, ¡°while you are at it¡± ??? is ? + ?? which means ¡°until king¡± or in a game context ¡°until final boss¡± Therefore ? ?? ??? means ¡°streaming until reaching the final boss¡± source: /questions/7257065 I chose to trante it to marathon, since he won¡¯t be stopping until he reaches the final boss. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 On the outskirts of the city on the 6th floor, there was a wide open space. In that ce, the number of Blue Zone yers that started gathering one by one had soon exceeded a hundred. Among them, Cha Minwoo¡¯s face was full of discontent. ¡°Why the hell is there so much work?¡± Just recently, he had descended to the 3rd floor, and now something else hade up on the 6th floor. While they were already short on time to focus on climbing the tower, the guild kept assigning them tasks. Moreover, ¡°Based on such baseless rumors, too.¡± This particr task displeased him more than any other. ¡°The guild must have verified it to some extent before calling us.¡± Next to Cha Minwoo, as usual, was Hwiyung. Unlike Cha Minwoo, she was quite attentive to rumors. Cha Minwoo¡¯s brow furrowed at Hwiyung¡¯s words. ¡°Does that even make sense?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one thing that there might be survivors in Blue Eyes. But teaming up with demons, what¡¯s that about?¡± This rumor had two shocking elements. The first was that there might be survivors in Blue Eyes. The second was that these survivors might have allied with demons. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for joining hands with demons?¡± ¡°For power.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t make any sense. Huh?¡± Cha Minwoo spoke passionately, half-angry. ¡°Who were the members of Blue Eyes? Each one of them was as skilled as our guild leader. Not to mention Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°They must have needed greater power.¡± ¡°What reason would they have for that?¡± ¡°Not everyone has a reason.¡± Cha Minwoo couldn¡¯t refute Hwiyung¡¯s answer. That was true. Just as not every yer climbed the tower for a reason, not every yer sought power for a noble cause. And that was no different for the members of Blue Eyes. ¡°More importantly, there¡¯s no way the vice guild leader woulde all the way here for something unverified, right?¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± At those words, Cha Minwoo nodded, thinking of the man who would soon make an appearance here. From the 9th floor to the 6th floor. Lee Wonjae, the vice guild leader of Blue Zone, was descending. A giant of his stature wouldn¡¯t move without reason. Especially considering the number of yers ordered to gather here had well exceeded a hundred. ¡°If it turns out to be true¡­¡­.¡± The demons. If it was confirmed that they had allied with demons, there was only one course of action, no matter how formidable Blue Eyes was. ¡°They must be dealt with. Absolutely.¡± Saying that, Cha Minwoo looked around. Perhaps. They hade here to fight against Blue Eyes. *** A long day of rest. It was time to recover his condition. Once the tension eased, every muscle in his body cried out. The aftereffects of using Lightning were not insignificant. ¡®If I had used the Lightning Lord too, I would have been bedridden for several more days.¡¯ In the morning, looking out the window, Suhyuk slowly stretched his body. The visible fatigue level had significantly decreased. His physical condition, as he felt directly, wasn¡¯t bad either. The day ofplete rest had paid off. When he went down to the first floor for a meal, a familiar face was waiting for him. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Un Hyang. She was having a meal with Cheon Ryang. ¡°Would you like to join us? We ordered a lot.¡± Cheon Ryang¡¯s invitation was sincere. There was indeed a lot of food. Simple menu items like bread, eggs, and bacon, but enough for four or five people. With no reason to refuse, Suhyuk sat down, and Cheon Ryang shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We are eating on thepany¡¯s money.¡± It seemed she had predicted what Suhyuk might be thinking. Cheon Ryang¡¯s words were an exnation for why they had ordered so much. As they gathered for the meal and started eating, Un Hyang asked when they were somewhat full. ¡°Are you really going to do it?¡± She added a subject that followed. ¡°Marathon.¡± Marathon. An idiom meaning toplete something from start to finish once you¡¯ve begun. In the context of the trial, it meant a content where the stream wouldn¡¯t end until hepleted the trial on that floor. ¡°Once you dere it in the stream, it¡¯s hard to back out. If you break a promise once, the viewers will start doubting the streamer.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Are you really okay with it? Knowing how long the trial might take.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Suhyuk. He had the incredible record of passing the 4th floor trial in just three days. Undoubtedly, he would achieve results faster and more surely than the average yers. But even so, the Marathon content was no easy task. Premature challenges often led to ruining one¡¯s condition and the stream¡¯s longevity, or end up breaking promises to the viewers. Moreover, ¡°We don¡¯t even know what kind of trial is waiting.¡± The trial of the 5th floor was different from the 4th. Since not all yers took the same trial, there was no way to know what trial awaited until it began. ¡°Anyway, I won¡¯t be starting immediately, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°What?¡± Un Hyang widened her eyes in surprise at Suhyuk¡¯s answer. Although he seemed like he had to move to the next floor immediately, he now said he wouldn¡¯t start right away. ¡°I have someone to meet first.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Until now, Un Hyang had never seen Suhyuk meet anyone. He hadn¡¯t even mentioned any family or friends. So it was surprising to hear he was meeting someone. ¡°Not a friend exactly¡­¡± Suhyuk paused, contemting how to describe the rtionship, before answering. ¡°An old man.¡± *** A small vige located in a secluded corner of Murim. Even within that vige, Suhyuk set foot in an abandoned house located quite a distance away. ¡°This old man¡¯s taste hasn¡¯t changed.¡± It was an old, dpidated house that looked like it could copse at any moment. Suhyuk spoke toward the precarious door that seemed ready to fall with a single gust of wind. ¡°Anybody home?¡± There was no answer. He called out several more times, but again, there was no response. As he tentatively reached out and pushed the door, it creaked loudly and swung open. For a moment, Suhyuk stood there, contemting. What should he do? ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing in?¡± It was then that a cranky voice came from nearby. The owner of the voice seemed close, but he couldn¡¯t see them. Of course. ¡°Entering without permission means I can¡¯t return, right?¡± Everything visible in front of him was fake. The old, crumbling abandoned house. It was all the work of the man who had just spoken. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be just anybody.¡± ¡°Could you open the door?¡± Suhyuk took a respectful stance. He was a guest and hade to make a request. Now was the time to match the mood of his host. After a short moment, Wung-. The inside of the dpidated door shook. The formation partially dissolved, creating a path. ¡°I¡¯ll at least see your face. Come in.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Suhyuk bowed his head and entered through the door. Thankfully, the cranky old man seemed curious. He had worried about being turned away. ¡®Well, if that had happened, there wasn¡¯t much I could do.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have the strength to force his way through this door. Not just now, but even his former self wouldn¡¯t have found it easy. Contrary to its appearance, this ce was like a massive fortress. Without the owner¡¯s permission, one could never enter carelessly. Just setting foot here meant he was halfway to sess. Thud-. Upon entering, Suhyuk felt the air change around him. Like entering an examination site, his senses altered, and the surroundings transformed. The crumbling house vanished without a trace, revealing a spacious estate. Various vividly colored nts exuded a sharp, pungent aroma. And at the center of the estate, arge man stood in a fluttering robe, his wrinkled face stern. ¡°How did you find this ce?¡± Suhyuk couldn¡¯t answer immediately. This was the ce he intended to visit first upon reaching the fifth floor. He needed it, but he also had hoped to meet him again. Although the man wouldn¡¯t recognize him. ¡®You haven¡¯t changed.¡¯ Suhyuk could recognize him, so they could rebuild their rtionship. ¡°Are you not going to answer?¡± When Suhyuk dyed his response, the man pressed him for a reply. Knowing the man¡¯s impatient nature, Suhyuk hurried to speak. ¡°I heard a rumor.¡± ¡°A rumor?¡± ¡°Yes. That a very extraordinary person lives here.¡± It wasn¡¯t a particrly satisfying answer to alleviate curiosity. But there wasn¡¯t much else he could say. Few knew the man¡¯s presence here, and most of those that did were either not beneficial to mention or weren¡¯t credible. Fortunately, Suhyuk knew this man wasn¡¯t someone who cared much for reasons. ¡°So you must also know what kind of person I am.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°And that I don¡¯t meet just anyone.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suhyuk also found it puzzling. As the man said, he wasn¡¯t someone who would meet just anyone. The man Suhyuk knew had exacting standards, barely permitting a conversation. It was almost a fluke that Suhyuk had met him years ago. ¡®I didn¡¯t have high expectations.¡¯ But he hade with a sliver of hope. Who knew it would be this easy to get the door open? What words should he start with? Looking at the man standing before him, Suhyuk finally pretended not to recognize him and spoke. ¡°I would like to request a task from you, sir.¡± * 25 years ago. Suhyuk had been wounded in a fight against the demons, his body covered in ckened blood stains from severe burns. It was by far the worst injury he had ever suffered. He was separated from hisrades, with no one to support him. At that moment, he thought he might die soon. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re not dead.¡± A mysterious man appeared before Suhyuk. In one hand, he held a brush, and he wore a fluttering robe. His vision was blurred, so he couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly. As he slowly lifted his head, he felt the man¡¯s gaze observing him as if studying him. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ the wounds should be bearable. Burns? That¡¯s peculiar. Did you inflict them on yourself?¡± The man instantly assessed Suhyuk¡¯s condition. He knew that Suhyuk had harmed himself using Lightning. He knew he was half dead. ¡°What¡­ who are you, sir?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± The man chuckled at Suhyuk¡¯s address. He seemed like a strange person. But Suhyuk had no one else to rely on at that moment. Suhyuk reached out his hand. ¡°Are you asking for help? Hmph.¡± Despite the somewhat reluctant tone, the man immediately grasped Suhyuk¡¯s extended hand. Supporting his body and examining his wounds, the man spoke. ¡°If I¡¯m going to help, I might as well do it properly.¡± With those words, Suhyuk¡¯s consciousness slowly faded. ¡°So, you help me too.¡± That was how it all began. The first meeting between Suhyuk and the man. TL¡¯s Corner: Someone rted to formations, is he rted to Jaegal family? Since it¡¯s murim and and the man held a brush. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Thud, thud¡ª Following behind the man, Suhyuk was engulfed in a peculiar feeling. This vast estate they were walking through, and the man in front of him¡ªit was hard to believe that they were events from over 20 years ago. ¡°Nothing has changed.¡± The estate remained the same. It was still immacte, with no sign of human presence. How does he manage the cleaning all by himself? ¡°Do you know me?¡± The man asked as he led the way, his back turned. Though the man couldn¡¯t see it, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Have we met before?¡± Suhyuk hesitated. Should he say it? That he was actually Lee Suhyuk. That even though he had changed and it had been a long time, he was the same person from back then. He opened his mouth slightly, then closed it. It would be fortunate if he believed it. More likely, he wouldn¡¯t believe it. He might even end up hating him, thinking he was a fraud impersonating Lee Suhyuk. ¡°¡­ No. This is the first time.¡± ¡°Is that so? Yet you seem to know me well. There¡¯s something strangely familiar about you.¡± Saying so, the man nced back at Suhyuk. A sharp pang struck his chest. The situation made it hard to keep pretending he was aplete stranger, so Suhyuk answered, mixing in some half-truths. ¡°I dide knowing about you.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You were quite famous, weren¡¯t you? Not anymore, though.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Many might have forgotten him now, but decades ago, almost everyone knew him. Suhyuk included. The man who saved him turned out to be this person. ¡°Jinwoon-ajussi.¡± Myojae Jin Woon. He was a formidable martial artist and formation expert from Murim. After adopting new methodologies from the tower, hebined Murim¡¯s formations with Panthera¡¯s magic and then mysteriously disappeared. A giant who retired from Murim. That was the true identity of the cranky old man standing before Suhyuk. ¡°Indeed, I was famous. Long ago.¡± His tone suggested he still had questions. He stopped in front of a room that appeared to be their destination. ¡°You¡¯re here for work?¡± ¡°Yes. I wish to have a piece of art inscribed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a painting done with a brush, I presume¡­¡± Screech¡ª Jin Woon gestured toward the door, and it opened like an automatic door. ¡°So, you came for a procedure.¡± In the middle of the room, two cups of tea were set out, as if prepared for a conversation. The tea was still warm, indicating it had been set out recently, perhaps in anticipation of such a scenario. ¡°Have a seat. My legs are tired.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suhyuk sat down as instructed and immediately picked up the teacup. The tea was just the right temperature, warm but not ufortably hot. After taking a sip, Jinwoon spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t perform procedures on those whose faces I do not know.¡± He continued without touching the tea he had prepared. ¡°That was the case with Lee Suhyuk as well.¡± The name made Suhyuk¡¯s hand pause mid-drink. Jinwoon had mentioned his name. Was it intentional? Hiding his face behind the mask, Suhyuk looked at Jinwoon. As always, it was hard to read any intentions from his expression or eyes. ¡®A face¡­¡¯ Indeed, Jinwoon was one of the few who knew his face. He was someone Suhyuk trusted deeply and had received significant help from. If it weren¡¯t for him, Suhyuk might not have survived his previous life. ¡°Whatever you may have heard, if you truly wish to receive my work¡­.¡± Swoosh¡ª Jinwoon¡¯s words trailed off. Suhyuk¡¯s mask slipped off, revealing his clear, defined features framed by his ck eyes. Chun Jinwoon¡¯s pupils slightly quivered. It seemed he hadn¡¯t expected this. ¡°You¡¯re showing your face more easily than I anticipated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not such a grand face to hide.¡± It had been a long time since he had shown his face to anyone. Actually, this was the first time in this life. There wasn¡¯t any significant reason to keep his face hidden. It was partly because he was used to this lifestyle and partly to maintain an air of mystery for his stream persona. But justifying hiding his face was negligent in front of someone like Chun Jinwoon, who was too important. ¡°Naturally¡­.¡± After confirming Suhyuk¡¯s face, Jinwoon seemed slightly disappointed. ¡°You don¡¯t resemble him at all.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Just the same name, then. Tsk, tsk.¡± Clicking his tongue irritably, Jinwoon muttered, and Suhyuk fell into deep thought. A name. He recognized the name Lee Suhyuk. It wasn¡¯t just because of the mask. In this era, plenty of people donned the mask and cosyed as Lee Suhyuk. However, Jinwoon recognized him because he had watched his streams. A warm feeling enveloped Suhyuk. Jinwoon might have been disappointed, but Suhyuk felt a sense of joy. The fact that Jinwoon missed him was a deeply wee revtion. For the first time in a while, Suhyuk smiled without the mask. Even though he tried to suppress it, a slight smile crept up, causing Jinwoon to frown. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Did I smile?¡± Suhyuk tried to lower the smile that was hard to control and asked. ¡°It seems you¡¯re looking for someone in me.¡± ¡°Looking for whom? What are you speaking of?¡± ¡°Just a moment ago, you said I didn¡¯t resemble him at all¡­.¡± ¡°Just talking to myself, talking to myself.¡± Jinwoon tried to dismiss it with a wave of his hand, but Suhyuk remained unwavering. Eventually, ncing around as if hesitant, Jinwoon resigned and opened up. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s about Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No, not you. The one you¡¯re impersonating. Since you wear the same mask, I thought your personality might be the same, but the face is entirely different.¡± Indeed, the faces of Suhyuk¡¯s past and present lives were vastly different. In his previous life, he had a rather sharp appearance; now, aside from his gaze, he had a softer countenance. ¡°Why are you looking for that Lee Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Had a close rtionship. But, as you know, he suddenly up and died. Damn fool.¡± The words almost slipped out of Suhyuk¡¯s mouth in response to the grumbling. ¡°¡­¡­Do you miss him a lot?¡± Not alive, nor dead, but still here. I have returned. ¡°Miss him?¡± In response to Suhyuk¡¯s question, Jinwoon uttered words he would never have said if the real Suhyuk were in front of him. ¡°If I didn¡¯t miss him, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered to make you take off your mask.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Suhyuk, who had just managed to suppress his rising smile, finally broke into a bright grin. ¡°That makes me happy.¡± * Following Jinwoon, they arrived at arge pavilion. This ce, inhabited solely by Jinwoon, was expansive enough to amodate an entire mid-sized guild. As they reached the pavilion, Jinwoon nced at Suhyuk and spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything.¡± Click¡ª Jinwoon grabbed the door handle and pulled. Instantly, the same sharp scent that had hit Suhyuk when he first entered the estate assaulted his nose. The scent was so strong that anyone with a weak stomach might have retched immediately. Casually ncing around the interior, Suhyuk inwardly marveled. ¡®He¡¯s added more since then.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected everything to be unchanged. With the overall level of yers having risen, it stood to reason that Jinwoon hadn¡¯t remained idle over the past 20 years. The pavilion was Jinwoon¡¯s workshop. The workshop was filled with nts and liquids that reeked strongly, along with unique materials and tools like sharp awls and brushes. ¡°You might not know this, but my procedures are quite expensive.¡± At Jinwoon¡¯s blunt statement, Suhyuk nodded. Quite expensive was an understatement. But considering the effect of the procedures, it couldn¡¯t be said to be overly costly. ¡°How much are you prepared to spend?¡± ¡°As much as needed.¡± ¡°As much as needed, you say¡­.¡± Jinwoon appraised Suhyuk up and down at his answer. ¡°Then we must first find out how much you can handle. Take off your top and sit down. I¡¯ll examine you.¡± Complying with Jinwoon¡¯s instruction, Suhyuk stripped and took a seat. Jinwoon moved behind him and ced a hand on Suhyuk¡¯s back. ¡°The canvas isn¡¯t bad. For someone who just reached the fifth floor¡­.¡± Jinwoon referred to a yer¡¯s body as a canvas. His procedures usually involved intricate formations or drawings on a yer¡¯s back, simr to traditional formations. Slowly inspecting Suhyuk¡¯s body, Jinwoon murmured in a low voice. ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± He seemed genuinely surprised. Given his usual stinginess with praise, the statement was significant. Suhyuk¡¯s body was in exceptional condition, far beyond what one would expect for a fifth-floor yer. ¡°How much can you handle?¡± ¡°There are many kinds of procedures. The method and cost will depend on what you want.¡± ¡°What I need is stamina.¡± An answer he had prepared in advance. ¡°I need the stamina to endure Lightning.¡± That had always been an enduring challenge for Suhyuk, both then and now. Lightning. A skill with immense power that ced a significant burden on the user¡¯s body. Using it in the battle against Jung Yuhan had forced Suhyuk to take a day to recover his fatigue. Never mind the Lightning Lord. Despite having gained several dozen stat points since then, reaching that level was still out of reach. ¡®While I¡¯ve improved a lot¡­ it¡¯s still not enough.¡¯ He knew it was greed. In reality, much had already been improved to a surprising extent. Thanks to the Heart of Lightning, he had gainedplete immunity to electrocution, and his resistance had significantly increased. The skill level of Selfish Sacrifice was showing more remarkable performance with each increment. Yet, he needed to push his greed further. So far, he had ovee the penalties of Lightning by doing things he hadn¡¯t done in his past life. Now, it was time to incorporate what he had done in his past life as well. After all, Suhyuk had once managed to ovee half of Lightning¡¯s drawbacks. ¡°You desire what even we couldn¡¯t achieve.¡± We. Suhyuk and Jinwoon had long strived together to ovee Lightning. Suhyuk trained relentlessly to build stamina and continuously leveled up while climbing the tower. Jinwoon researched procedures to enhance Suhyuk¡¯s physique, constantly advancing his studies. Yet, as if mocking their efforts, lightning became increasingly powerful, cing heavier burdens on Suhyuk¡¯s body. ¡°Do you know that Lightning is what killed that man?¡± He was certain of it. In his previous life, Suhyuk was killed by nothing other than Lightning. That wasn¡¯t incorrect. If Suhyuk had ovee Lightning, he would have survived, killing Kim Ilsoo and all the enemies present at that ce. ¡°I suspected as much.¡± ¡°Knowing this, you still intend to take on the challenge?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nodding without hesitation, Suhyuk revealed his intentions inly. ¡°Even if the oue is the same, I won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Jinwoon burst intoughter, finding Suhyuk¡¯s answer amusing. He felt a strange exhration. The problem that had ended in failure felt like a returning opportunity. Jinwoon made his decision. ¡°In that case, I can help you.¡± He decided to ept the young man standing before him as a guest. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Swish, swish¡ª Suhyuk began putting his clothes back on. The state of his body had been thoroughly checked. By now, Jinwoon probably had a design in mind for the procedure. But now there was one problem. ¡°The issue is the cost, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was the expensive fee. ¡°Given how good your canvas is, it¡¯s going to be quite pricey.¡± ¡°How much do you estimate?¡± ¡°At the maximum, it could go up to a million. Maybe even more.¡± ¡°A million¡­?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. The cost was higher than he had anticipated. While that suggested the effectiveness would be tremendous, it was impossible toe up with that many points immediately. Even for his past self, that wouldn¡¯t have been a small amount. Though back then, he could have considered it a worthwhile investment by closing his eyes and bearing the expense. Suhyuk checked the points he had. ¡º230,016¡» Two hundred thirty thousand points. He had gathered a substantial amount quickly, thanks to the missions from the recent fourth-floor trial. Though revenue from the yer¡¯s Channel video would soone in, ¡®It¡¯s still not enough.¡¯ Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s troubled expression, Jinwoon asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you short on points?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I figured that would be the case. How much do you have?¡± ¡°Two hundred thirty thousand. Considering the trial fees, I have around two hundred twenty thousand avable.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jinwoon scratched his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, ¡°Normally, I don¡¯t do this, but¡­.¡± As if making a decision, Jinwoon spoke. ¡°I can ept payments in installments.¡± * ¡ºAvable Points: 30,016¡» The sight of points dropping all at once made Suhyuk sigh. Twenty thousand points vanished in an instant. Gathering them had been arduous, but spending them took mere seconds. ¡°Points just keep disappearing¡­.¡± Raising the skill level of Selfish Sacrifice required thirty-two thousand points. Additionally, more points would be needed to receive Jinwoon¡¯s procedures properly. No matter how much he earned, it seemed to leak away. Now that he had learned once, it was time to replenish the points. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it would be such an expensive skill.¡¯ Crackle¡ª As sparks danced at his fingertips, Suhyuk muttered, almost amused. ¡®Come to think of it, that was the same back then too.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just Selfish Sacrifice. Reflecting, everything from Jinwoon¡¯s procedures to holy swords and items with various stamina options had all been point-consuming. Of course, the cost was justified by the effect, which was always substantial, often exceeding expectations. ¡°Do you know that Lightning is what killed that man?¡± Jinwoon had been right. Increasing the skill level of Selfish Sacrifice, receiving Jinwoon¡¯s procedure, earning points through streaming¡ªit was all interconnected with facing the challenge of Lightning. It was all a desperate struggle to master the Lightning skill. Crackle¡ª As sparks danced at his fingertips, Suhyuk red at the Lightning as if it were his mortal enemy. ¡®Let¡¯s see who wins this time.¡¯ Thud¡ª It was then that Jinwoon returned. ¡°Are you bored? You¡¯re doing strange things by yourself.¡± In his hand, Jinwoon held a long needle and a sk filled with an inky ck liquid. He proudly disyed the items in his hands. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but this is all the rage among young people these days. Strange drawings they engrave onto their bodies.¡± Jinwoon¡¯s procedure involved directly inscribing formations onto yers¡¯ bodies. Like tattoos, these formations engraved deep into the flesh endowed yers with mystical attributes based on their design and materials. That was the essence of Jinwoon¡¯s procedure. ¡°It¡¯s called a tattoo.¡± ¡°Tattoo?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an art of engraving pictures on the body.¡± Jinwoon made a puzzled face, seemingly unfamiliar with the term. ¡°Is that some kind of procedure too?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just for style. Like clothes or essories.¡± ¡°Really? Engraving formations on the body is for style? I can¡¯t understand today¡¯s young people¡¯s taste.¡± For some reason, Jinwoon didn¡¯t particrly like tattoos. He imed they were aesthetically displeasing, although his procedures bore a resemnce to tattoos. Of course, the procedure¡¯s markings were mostly on the back, allowing them to be covered easily. Still grumbling in annoyance, Jinwoon positioned himself behind Suhyuk and asked, ¡°Are you like them too?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Are you also getting this for style?¡± Suhyuk chuckled at Jinwoon¡¯s question. It was a joke. They had already discussed the necessity of the procedure. As always, Jinwoon¡¯s jokes were never funny. So, he would match the joke at the same level. ¡°Yes. So please make it as pretty as possible.¡± Jinwoon grinned at Suhyuk¡¯s response. ¡°Alright.¡± And then, Poke¡ª The sharp sensation of the needle piercing his back made Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°I¡¯ll make it pretty, just as you asked.¡± * It had been two days since Suhyuk left the lodging. It took longer than expected. Un Hyang, having ordered a ton of coffee and desserts on thepany¡¯s dime since morning, kept ncing at the door. ¡°He¡¯s not back yet.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Munch¡ª A hand reached for another piece of candy. Un Hyang¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Why are you still here?¡± With an annoying expression and tone, Cheon Ryang answered while stealing more of Un Hyang¡¯s snacks. ¡°Because if I stay here, I can eat thepany¡¯s treats as much as I want.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to work?¡± ¡°Nope, no word to return yet. Hey, let¡¯s order another one of these. They¡¯re tasty.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s expression twisted at Cheon Ryang¡¯s nonchnt response. However, Cheon Ryang went ahead and ordered more snacks like candies and mooncakes, acting as if she had no cares in the world. In the past, Un Hyang might have smacked her on the back and told her to head back quickly. But because it was her request that had brought Cheon Ryang to this ce she hated, she had to tolerate it. ¡°Mmm, delicious. Maybe because it¡¯s free.¡± Ignoring Cheon Ryang¡¯s annoying delight in the new mooncake, Un Hyang turned her attention back to the door. ¡®It seems like the hiatus is managed, but¡­¡¯ Thankfully, despite the sudden break, the reaction from the viewers wasn¡¯t too loud. Having recently stream Jung Yuhan¡¯s ambush, and considering the nature of Suhyuk¡¯s skill-focused streaming, daily streams weren¡¯t mandatory. However, Suhyuk¡¯s unexined absence was concerning. ¡®I hope nothing¡¯s wrong.¡¯ It had been two days already. Moreover, there was no reply to the messages sent through the kit. What could possibly prevent someone from checking the kit for two full days? Even though John Dale said the issue with Blue Zone had been resolved, she couldn¡¯t be sure. Maybe Blue Zone had made another move on Suhyuk. Creak¡ª The door opened just then. The smoothly oiled sliding door opened, and Un Hyang immediately stood up. She hoped it was Suhyuk. However, ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Cheon Ryang, who was reaching for another snack, froze. Unexpected guests. yers from Murim, wearing swords at their waists, stepped in. Four men and one woman. Among them, the woman leading the group caught Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang¡¯s attention the most. She was cloaked in ck cloth up to her chin and wore a form-fitting white robe. ¡°¡­ Muhwi.¡± Un Hyang murmured her name, ncing over the men apanying her. ¡®Five of them.¡¯ They looked skilled, but that was it. They weren¡¯t a significant threat. By assessing the opponents, Un Hyang could gauge their purpose. Without standing up, she nced at Muhwi, who had approached. ¡°How have you been?¡± Muhwi greeted her with a respectful bow. Un Hyang gestured towards the men standing behind Muhwi with a nod. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. They¡¯re just for show.¡± ¡°Yeah, they look like it.¡± One of the men flinched at the dismissivement. ¡°See? They react immediately.¡± ¡°They¡¯re still inexperienced.¡± ¡°Are they Muhwi¡¯s trainees? You¡¯ll need to train them well.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡± The respectful tone from Muhwi caused visible difort among the men behind her. Muhwi then turned her attention to Cheon Ryang. ¡°Have you been well, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Senior Brother? That¡¯s ancient history.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll always be my senior brother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my junior anymore. So, just go back.¡± Cheon Ryang¡¯s response was firm. However, from the start, Muhwi¡¯s business was with Un Hyang. She took a step closer to Un Hyang and asked. ¡°Will youe with us?¡± ¡°If you take one more step.¡± Un Hyang gripped a pair of chopsticks in her hand. ¡°You know what happens, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Muhwi stopped advancing further towards Un Hyang. Her face held a smile, but an air of lethal intent emanated from her. The chopsticks in her hand might have been a simple utensil, but with Un Hyang wielding them, the situation was different. The allowed distance was exactly up to this point. Still, it didn¡¯t matter. She wasn¡¯t there to exert force; as long as they could talk, it sufficed. ¡°I was told to deliver a message.¡± There was no need to ask who sent the message. Muhwi served only one person. And if they were looking for Un Hyang, the identity was all too clear. ¡°He says he won¡¯t wait long.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Muhwi.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s answer was met with a shake of the head from Muhwi. It wasn¡¯t something Un Hyang could decide. ¡°You know you can¡¯t refuse.¡± Even Un Hyang, with all her confidence, couldn¡¯t refute this time. Indeed. It wasn¡¯t just about her own whereabouts; many things would shift based on her choice. The position of the second-inmand of the great guild Murim was precisely such a role. With nothing more to say, Un Hyang pressed her lips together, leaving Muhwi to bow her head. ¡°Then, we will wait.¡± * In the middle of Jinwoon¡¯s workshop, Suhyuk sat with his upper body exposed, for over two days now. Sweat poured from his body like rain. Whenever his focus wavered, he bit down on his lip, causing blood to flow from the cracks. He endured the pain, concentrating to ensure the procedure being etched into his body worked properly. Buzz¡ª The procedure on his back by Jinwoon continued. Neither eating nor sleeping for over two days wasn¡¯t just Suhyuk¡¯s burden but Jinwoon¡¯s as well. The engraving on Suhyuk¡¯s back, an effort spanning those lengthy hours, amounted to a small circle barely half a palm¡¯s width. ¡®It¡¯s hot.¡¯ Through the formation tattooed onto his back, Suhyuk felt intense heat. Whatever materials Jinwoon had used, they differed fundamentally from those in the past. Even though he couldn¡¯t see the image, he could still feel it deeply since it was etched into his body. The procedure was nearing its end. As if reading his thoughts, ¡°Time to wrap up.¡± Jinwoon, who had been engraving the formation on Suhyuk¡¯s back, wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of one hand. Then, in the next moment, Plop¡ª A small dot was ced in the center of his back, marking thepletion of the procedure. ¡ºThe ¡°Body Strengthening Procedure¡± has beenpleted.¡» Chapter 98 Chapter 98 ¡ºThe ¡°Body Strengthening Procedure¡± has beenpleted.¡» ¡ºStamina has increased.¡» ¡ºStamina recovery rate permanently increases by 32%.¡» With that message, the tension eased. He felt a searing heat on his back, like being branded with hot iron. The formation etched into his back and the condensed elixirs used instead of ink invigorated his body. Though weary from the over-two-day procedure, he paradoxically felt a surge of energy. This was the result of his body being strengthened through the procedure. ¡ºStatus Window¡» ¡ºName: Lee Suhyuk¡» ¡ºAffiliation: Earth¡» ¡ºLevel: 40¡» ¡ºStrength: 52¡» ¡ºAgility: 50¡» ¡ºStamina: 70¡»+2 ¡ºFocus: 49¡» ¡ºMagic: 57¡» ¡ºFatigue: 75¡» Suhyuk¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he checked his stats. The increase in stamina was particrly noticeable. 70. Combined with the stats earned from the fourth-floor trial, the procedure had almost added 20 points to his stamina. Additionally, ¡¯32 percent increase in stamina recovery.¡¯ The value of the recovery rate brought about by the formation engraved like a tattoo on his back was immense. Recovering drained stamina and shortening wound healing times meant he could fight for longer periods. Moreover, this procedure wasn¡¯t even perfect yet. ¡®If this is what 200,000 points get me, I can only imagine what a 1,000,000-point procedure would¡­.¡¯ Suhyuk marveled at Jinwoon¡¯s skills. ¡®You¡¯ve improved even more.¡¯ ¡°Do you like it?¡± Jinwoon asked knowingly from behind him. Suhyuk nodded. Of course he liked it. Despite the high fatigue, he could distinctly feel the benefits of the increased stamina. He was eager to fully recover and test out his enhanced body. At this level, ¡®I might even be able to use the Lightning Lord, if only for a short while.¡¯ The procedure had achieved the physical enhancement he aimed for. If Jung Yuhan came back to life, he would no longer need Un Hyang¡¯s help to deal with him. * After that, Suhyuk slept for more than half a day. Eating, sleeping. Then waking up to eat again. There was nothing better for recovery. tter¡ª Finishing his meal in silence, Suhyuk set his chopsticks down. A simple, clean meal without any meat. He rose from the table having eaten neatly. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡± ¡°Is your fatigue all gone?¡± ¡°Yes,pletely.¡± His body felt light, as though he could fly. The increased stamina brought vigor to his frame, and the enhanced recovery rate from the procedure further amplified his vitality. He was ready. He could tackle the trial at any moment. ¡°Alright. Next time, make sure toe back with a heftier payment. As it is now, there¡¯s nothing left over for me¡­.¡± Jinwoon grumbled intentionally loud enough for Suhyuk to hear. To Suhyuk, Jinwoon¡¯s words sounded like an invitation to return. ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Eight-hundred thousand points remained to be paid. Returning with those would ensure a more thorough procedure. * In the aftermath of streamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s departure, Jinwoon stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the door. ¡°That kid left in such a hurry.¡± He thought Suhyuk might stay for another day. It seemed that rushing nature was something Suhyuk had inmon with the Lee Suhyuk he knew. ¡°What a peculiar kid.¡± Barely three days. They¡¯d spent only a few hours actually talking. Most of their time together had been silent, focused on the procedure, leaving little time to build any sort of rapport. Yet, why did it feel like they¡¯d grown strangely close as if they had an unspoken understanding? ¡°Did I smile?¡± He had smiled without realizing it, and the following question had been even more bewildering. ¡°¡­Do you miss him a lot?¡± What kind of question was that? He wasn¡¯t the real Lee Suhyuk. So, he had responded ordingly. That brat wasn¡¯t the kid he knew. He was merely a streamer impersonating that kid. But still, he couldn¡¯t shake off the words and expression on the kid¡¯s face when he asked if he missed Lee Suhyuk. ¡°That makes me happy.¡± ¡°Really, now.¡± Happy? ¡°He said he was looking for Lee Suhyuk, so why was he happy about it?¡± Mumbling to himself, Jinwoon chuckled. Augh born out of absurdity. But oddly enough, he didn¡¯t feel bad. In fact, it felt as if a long-held ache of longing had slightly eased, and a subtle warmth filled his heart. Maybe that¡¯s why? After standing for a while, watching the spot where Suhyuk had departed, Jinwoon finally turned back and muttered, ¡°I should start preparing.¡± Jinwoon walked back to his workshop. Eight-hundred thousand points. Though not a small amount, he knew the kid would soon gather the points and return. When that time came, he would engrain the highest quality procedure fit for the kid, just as promised. * Donning his mask, Suhyuk returned to the dormitory and, as usual, found Un Hyang waiting for him on the first floor. He considered going straight to take the trial but remembered that she was his working partner. It was only right to exin where he had been and why he hadn¡¯t been reachable. ¡°A procedure?¡± Un Hyang tilted her head, clearly surprised by Suhyuk¡¯s exnation. ¡°Something like that exists¡­.¡± ¡°Not many people know about it. That man doesn¡¯t ept just anyone as a client in the first ce.¡± ¡°And who exactly is this ¡®man¡¯?¡± It was difficult to answer. Jinwoon didn¡¯t appreciate having his whereabouts or activities widely known. Even though Un Hyang was Suhyuk¡¯s manager, it was hard to casually mention Jinwoon¡¯s name after he had gone to such lengths to perform the procedure. So, Suhyuk revealed Jinwoon¡¯s other name instead. ¡°Myung-in¡­?¡± ¡°Myung-in?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s reaction was just as astonished. Cheon Ryang, caught off-guard, blurted out a curse, then smacked her own mouth with her palm. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s crazy. Ah, sorry. I was just really surprised.¡± Suhyuk understood the reaction. Even as a yer from Earth, he was aware of how significant the name ¡°Myung-in¡± was to those from Murim. ¡°A reclusive master reputed to be in the top three in the field of formations? And highly respected in the field of magic circles as well.¡± Myung-in. That was another name Jinwoon used. However, Jinwoon didn¡¯t coin it himself. It was an identity constructed from his various small, humble efforts to make ends meet, gradually building up over time. To recruit Myung-in, a hundred rankers once sought him out, only to end up trapped in his formations¡ªa well-known legend. ¡°How did you manage to¡­?¡± ¡°I was lucky. Turns out Myung-in had some connection with Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Myung-in had a connection with Lee Suhyuk?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s astonished expression showed as she covered her mouth. She was an ardent fan of Suhyuk. Although she now worked as manager for streamer Lee Suhyuk, she had originally been a fan of Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. Hearing new information about Lee Suhyuk from his namesake¡¯s mouth, Un Hyang¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°How was the procedure? Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°It exceeded expectations. Though it was quite pricey.¡± Naturally, Suhyuk shifted the topic towards the revenue. ¡°Speaking of which, how much did the video revenuee to? I need to prepare for the next procedure.¡± ¡°I was just about to give you a rundown now that you¡¯re back.¡± Un Hyang extended her hand. The joyful moment of ounting ensued. Suhyuk grasped her hand. Immediately, ¡ºYou have acquired 114,000 points.¡» He received a muchrger sum than expected. ¡°This is the first round of revenue. Another video went up yesterday, so that¡¯ll be included in the next payout in a few days.¡± ¡°It¡¯srger than I thought.¡± ¡°Your video views are doing really well right now. There¡¯s a lot of chatter in themunity too.¡± This was wee news. With many points still needed, Suhyuk would have to tighten his belt and continue earning diligently for now. ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Did anything unusual happen while I was gone? This is your hometown, after all.¡± Remembering that Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang were from Murim, he posed the question. However, his question caused Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang to exchange nces. An awkward silence followed. The brightness on Un Hyang¡¯s face gave way to a familiar expression. There it was again. The face he had seen before. For a moment, it was as if she had lost all vitality; her face was drained of life. ¡°For us, nothing out of the ordinary happened.¡± The answer came from Cheon Ryang. ¡°By the way, are you starting right away? No rest?¡± His tant attempt to change the subject was obvious. Suhyuk nced between the two. Had something happened as soon as they returned to their hometown? Both seemed to be concealing something they couldn¡¯t speak about. One thing was clear. Un Hyang had something rted to her hometown that she didn¡¯t want to reveal. Suhyuk figured that pressing further would likely yield no answers. More importantly, he thought practically. Right now, he wasn¡¯t stronger than Un Hyang. Therefore, most issues that she couldn¡¯t resolve were likely beyond his capabilities too. Building his strength was essential. That was the entire reason he had sought out Jinwoon for the procedure. And the task at hand was obvious. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve rested enough over there.¡± He needed to take the trial and continue climbing the tower. * Falcon Eye scoured various streams for his next content. Streamers and rankers. Even recently highlighted viral moments. But nothing seemed to catch his eye. ¡®I had high hopes¡­¡¯ He stared at the screen of his kit with a disinterested gaze. The video of Golden Lion, Reinhardt. His recent exploits against the demons had been a significant topic on streams. However, ¡®He should be able to do at least this much.¡¯ Reinhardt was a high ranker. A ranker of considerable stature, renowned enough to earn the moniker Golden Lion. His battles primarily involved overwhelming opponents with powerful magic. Strong. But there was little else to say. It wasn¡¯t a video worth reviewing as content. ¡°Meh.¡± Making a dissatisfied noise, Falcon Eye revisited Lee Suhyuk¡¯s videos. ¡°Is there really no one like Lee Suhyuk?¡± He had been holding back on reviewing his videos too frequently. But his streams always provided ample material for review. It wasn¡¯t just the uniqueness of Lightning. He continually performed astonishing feats. His excellent control, relentless pursuit of difficult challenges, and the star quality of eventually seeding in those endeavors. He had the makings of a star. The more Falcon Eye watched his streams over time, the more certain he became. Although the recent fourth-floor trial had been quiet due to repetitive challenges, he was already excited about what Suhyuk would show in the next trial. But for three days now, Lee Suhyuk hadn¡¯t gone live. ¡°Meh.¡± No content. Or rather, no yerpelling enough to generate content. Reviewing just any popr yer didn¡¯t satisfy him. ¡°It¡¯d be perfect if Lee Suhyuk started his stream now.¡± It was just then. Bzzzt¡ª An rm went off on his kit. It was as if his words had conjured it. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream had just gone live. TL¡¯s Corner: Ask and you shall be given. Also, Myung-in means master of art, Virtuoso could have been used, but it¡¯s not murim like, so I left it as Myung-in. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 ¡ºTitle: Marathon¡» At the sight of Suhyuk¡¯s stream title, the viewers immediately forgot about the three-day hiatus. ¨C Marathon? ¨C So that¡¯s why he took a break LOL ¨C He took a break to gather momentum! ¨C Let¡¯s go Marathon! The sudden three-day break. Viewers assumed that the time off was a preparation period for Marathon (a marathonpletion stream). They weren¡¯t entirely wrong. During that time, Suhyuk had indeed received a procedure from Jinwoon in preparation for the next trial. Standing before the pristine white portal that marked the start of his next challenge, Suhyuk turned on his stream for the first time in a while. After a brief clearing of his throat, he began to speak awkwardly. ¡°Hello, everyone. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¨C Still as soulless as ever ¨C Everything but streaming he¡¯s good at, lol ¨C Still handsome (with the mask on) The atmosphere of the stream was familiar. Despite the short hiatus, the number of viewers seemed to have increased, rather than diminished. Only five minutes into the stream, and the viewer count had already surpassed ten thousand. ¡ºViewers: 10,107¡» The growth in viewer numbers was remarkable. Even after taking a break, the growth seemed elerated. There was a clear reason. ¡®The challenge, maybe.¡¯ It was likely due to the recently uploaded video. ¡°The Lee Suhyuk Challenge has gained significant poprity. The video views are high, and many streamers have attempted it thanks to Falcon Eye¡¯s cash prize.¡± The Lee Suhyuk Challenge. This challenge, born from Falcon Eye¡¯s boast that no one but Lee Suhyuk could seed, had gone viral, serving as a driving force for spreading the name of streamer Lee Suhyuk further. Each time a confident streamer failed, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s reputation soared. Others couldn¡¯t do it, but he could? Curiosity about streamer Lee Suhyuk spread like wildfire. Eager to satisfy that curiosity, viewers began eagerly awaiting Suhyuk¡¯s streams. ¨C Hello, hello ¨C Is this the Lee Suhyuk from the Challenge? ¨C Are you doing the Challenge? ¨C Please show it once ¨C Requests flooded in. Among them were even a few donations, making the situation a bit tricky. Regardless of the amount, it wasn¡¯t feasible to go find a scarecrow and leave for the trial right away. ¡°Seems like many new viewers are here today. I apologize, but there¡¯s no Challenge nned for today¡¯s stream.¡± ¨C Then what¡¯s the n? ¡°Not sure what it¡¯ll be¡­but¡­¡± A n. Truthfully, there wasn¡¯t one. The goal of today¡¯s stream was straightforward. ¡°I promise to show you something more exciting than the Challenge.¡± To pass the trial and proceed to the next level in the best possible manner. ¨C A promise¡­ ¨C Getting hyped ¨C Something biging? ¨C How far will this ¡®something big¡¯ grow? The chat exploded, scrolling quickly with excitement at Suhyuk¡¯s deration. Despite only one statement, it ignited anticipation among the viewers for something significant in today¡¯s stream. Reflecting on their response, Suhyuk felt renewed determination. He knew what he had to deliver to his viewers. The expectation was his constant challenge, and hemitted to not letting them down. ¡®Let¡¯s see what we get.¡¯ The nature of the trial was crucial for this. The fifth floor held special significance for yers. Only from the fifth floor onwards, they faced trials tailored to their unique abilities. ¡®For me, it was always about Lightning.¡¯ For Suhyuk, naturally, it was Lightning. From the fifth floor onward, he consistently received trials rted to Lightning. And perhaps, this time would be no different. ¡°Then¡­¡± Step¡ª Suhyuk took a step forward. ¡º10,000 points paid.¡» ¡ºThe trial of the fifth floor begins.¡» ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± * Color seeped back into the previously nk world. His foggy vision cleared, gradually revealing the surroundingndscape. ¡°¡­ Hey.¡± What initially sounded like a distant noise grew clearer. It seemed the trial was off to a rough start. ¡°¡­ Get lost!¡± A burly, muscr man with dark skin, brandishing a spear, red at Suhyuk, shouting vehemently. What was he supposed to do from the get-go? The system understood the situation for him. ¡ºThe trial of the fifth floor begins.¡» ¡ºStage 1 ¨C Prove Your Worth as a Warrior.¡» ¡ºFight and win against the warriors of Valha.¡» Stage 1. Judging by the description, this trial appeared to be a scenario-based sequence where Suhyuk had to clear sessive stages, simr to the second-floor trial. ¡®Valha?¡¯ The name rang a bell. The grave of great warriors, a realm where gods rest after death. Winning against a Valha warrior from the start suggested a grand scale. ¨C Who¡¯s that? ¨C Just take him down quickly ¨C Valha? Sounds familiar The battleground seemed to be just outside a cave. The warrior stood guard there. ¡®Is he guarding that ce?¡¯ Suhyuk nced at the cave behind the warrior. It looked suspicious. The fight with the warrior seemed connected to his journey into the cave. Noticing Suhyuk¡¯s gaze towards the cave, the warrior could no longer contain himself and finally pointed his spear at Suhyuk. ¡°It seems¡­¡± Whoosh¡ª Leaping several meters into the air, the spear¡¯s trajectory aimed straight for Suhyuk¡¯s head. ¡°Words won¡¯t suffice, then!¡± Boom¡ª The spear had substantial power. If it struck, it could easily split a person and even shatter rocks. ¡®Comparable to Schneider.¡¯ A formidable skill level indeed, enough to instantly subdue an average fifth-floor yer. But naturally, Suhyuk wasn¡¯t included in that ¡®average.¡¯ ¡°Here we go.¡± Blue electric currents crackled around Suhyuk¡¯s body, and in an instant, he dodged the descending spear. ¨C Herees the Lightning! ¨C This is what I was waiting for! ¨C Let¡¯s see that Lightning! Suhyuk readied himself, electricity dancing around him, signifying his intent to unleash the power of Lightning. The trial had just begun, and both Suhyuk and his viewers were eager to see how he¡¯d fare against the warriors of Valha. Suddenly, a spear swung and fell into Suhyuk¡¯s grip. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The warrior¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. As if the spear had been embedded in solid rock, it didn¡¯t budge an inch. At that moment, when a question mark popped up in his mind, wondering what had happened. Boom-! An explosion of electricity erupted from the warrior¡¯s chest. The grip on the spear loosened. With the explosion, the body floated and the warrior was thrown far away. Thud, thud-. The body, along with the armor, rolled on the floor. In front of Suhyuk, who grabbed the spear and punched the warrior¡¯s sr plexus with an electrified fist, a message appeared. ¡ºYou havepleted ¡®Warrior¡¯s Qualification¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou have passed Stage 1.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» ¡ºYou have gained 5000 points.¡» ¡ºYou have acquired the Warrior¡¯s Pendant.¡» A level up. And an item with unknown options. Although the reward for passing one stage was a bit disappointing, it wasn¡¯t bad. After all, the difficulty of the test itself was low. ¡®Or should I say it might not be entirely easy?¡¯ The first stage is a measure to evaluate the difficulty of the test. In that sense, the test to defeat the warrior in front of him couldn¡¯t be considered easy. A warrior with skillsparable to Schneider. Mediocre yers would need considerable time just to defeat that warrior. ¡°Beyond this point¡­¡­.¡± Stagger-. At that moment. The warrior, whom he thought had copsed, was struggling to get up. ¡°Can¡­ go¡­¡­.¡± Sway-. He kept getting up and falling down repeatedly. From the system recognizing his defeat, it was clear he was already incapacitated. Yet he kept trying to stand up. His mental strength was really something. ¡°What¡¯s beyond that makes you do this?¡± Suheyok¡¯s simple curiosity turned into a question due to the warrior¡¯s reaction. He approached the warrior who was nearly crumbling, or rather, already crumbled, and asked. The warrior in front of him was the only clue and starting point of the test. There was no way he was there without reason. Enemy, or perhaps an ally. Or neither? The answer was with the man. But then. ¡°Just¡­ kill me, you bastard!¡± The man¡¯s reply waspletely unexpected. -What kind of sudden outburst is this? -Uh, no;; I just wanted to ask a simple question The viewers were of the same mind as Suhyuk. He genuinely didn¡¯t know and asked, only to be told to kill right away. There was some misunderstanding. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you. So¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Kill me!¡± ¡°Ugh, should I just kill him?¡± -LOLOLOL LOL -He probably wanted tomit s*****e LOLOLOL It was frustrating. Looking at his eyes, his resolve was firm. It seemed he was really prepared to die. It appeared that nothing could be learned from the warrior in front of him. ¡®Might as well check it out myself.¡¯ With that thought, Suhyuk started to head towards the cave behind the warrior. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Step-. From the dark cave, someone walked out, speaking in a beautiful voice like a crystal-clear gem. ¡°Because he is not an enemy.¡± Seeing the woman emerging from the cave, Suhyuk was momentarily speechless. Long, slender golden hair as if spun from silk. Eyes sorge they seemed to have jumped out of a cartoon. Her figure was hidden by a silver armor, but even that seemed deliberately adorned to enhance her appearance. Among the women Suhyuk had seen in this life, she was as beautiful as Un Hyang. -OMG -Nuna¡­ -(Chat from a dead person) Now he understood the viewers¡¯motion. But he couldn¡¯t keep staring, considering Un Hyang¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯tcking either. ¡°V-Valkyrie¡­¡± Hearing the fallen warrior¡¯s shocked words, Suhyuk¡¯s gaze wavered. ¡®Valkyrie?¡¯ A female warrior d in silver armor. Suhyuk had encountered Valkyries during a trial long ago. Noble female warriors who stood at the forefront of battles alongside the great god Odin. That was what Valkyries were. But. ¡®Why is a Valkyrie here?¡¯ Suhyuk asked, hardly believing it. ¡°Is this Valha? Or Asgard?¡± ¡°See.¡± The woman smirked at his question and asked back. ¡°Do you not know where you are?¡± ¡°Would I ask if I knew?¡± ¡°While I didn¡¯t think you were an enemy, this is unexpected.¡± Taken aback by the unexpected question, she revealed her name. ¡°I¡¯m Vi. As you¡¯ve heard, I am a Valkyrie. I don¡¯t know how you know about us, but this is not Valha. Nor is it Asgard.¡± ¡°Then where?¡± ¡°This is somewhere along the borders of the Conrad Kingdom.¡± -Conrad??? -What??? The Conrad Kingdom. The name was familiar. Suhyuk had taken a trial set in the Conrad Kingdom on the 3rd floor. ¡°What brings you to the human realm?¡± ¡°I was given a mission. Although I failed.¡± Vi spoke with difficulty, suggesting it was a painful subject. A Valkyrie failing a mission. He got a feeling. This trial was rted to the mission of the Valkyrie, Vi, standing before him. ¡°What is it? That mission.¡± When Suhyuk asked with eyes shining, the fallen warrior revived once again. ¡°V-Valkyrie! Be careful. In case¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®in case¡¯, Vigo. He knows who I am and doesn¡¯t attack.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Besides-.¡± Vi continued, looking into Suhyuk¡¯s eyes. ¡°He possesses the power of lightning.¡± That was why she trusted Suhyuk. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Suhyuk followed Vi into the cave. She seemed to sense that the conversation would be lengthy, so she invited him inside. The cave was better furnished than expected, with a neatly cut stone bed, a desk, chairs, and even a stash of fruit and other supplies. Torches mounted on the walls burned bright with oil. Though odd to see a Valkyrie in such a ce, the cave was surprisingly livable. ¡°It¡¯s a bit shabby to host a guest,¡± Vi said. She tended to the wounded warrior, a light emitting from her hands enveloping his body, gradually easing his painful groans. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Valkyrie¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I should have stopped it sooner.¡± Listening to their conversation, Suhyuk felt inexplicably guilty. He had simply retaliated against an attacker. -Let¡¯s bow our heads. -This time it¡¯s Suhyuk¡¯s fault. -Wahhhh! The viewers, naturally, sided with the pretty woman. For a different reason, Suhyuk also lowered his head at Vi¡¯s sad expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He misunderstood¡­.¡± As he spoke, Suhyuk nced at the warrior, Vigo, lying down. -He¡¯s actually apologizing LOLOLOL -As if he¡¯s saying ¡®he¡¯ not ¡®I¡¯ -Yup, Suhyuk said ¡®he¡¯ LOL Vi shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s because Vigo was too overly cautious.¡± -Such a kind heart. -Nuna, just kill me¡­ -Suhyuk is a demon, definitely a demon. Suhyuk scratched his head in embarrassment and looked around before asking. ¡°So, what is a Valkyrie doing here? A noble like you.¡± Indeed, it was rare for someone as esteemed as a Valkyrie, a great and noble warrior serving Odin, to be in such a humble ce. ¡°I could ask the same.¡± Vi scanned Suhyuk up and down and continued. ¡°Why is someone with the power of lightning here?¡± -Scanning him? -Is that a signal? -She¡¯s probably just curious about his shabby clothes. -By the way, what¡¯s he doing with all those points? With her gaze and the barrage of chat messages, Suhyuk examined his own appearance. Indeed, he hadn¡¯t had the time to properly equip himself due to busy point usage. His ability to knock out Vigo in one blow contrasted sharply with his ragged attire. It was clearly incongruous. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Just woke up here.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s answer was honest. He had indeed suddenly found himself here when the trial started. Asking why he was here was futile; he had no clue. ¡°Where did you gain the power of lightning?¡± ¡°I obtained it by defeating a giant.¡± ¡°You defeated a giant?¡± Vi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The chat window went wild again at her astonished expression, but Suhyuk focused on her words. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a giant from Muspelheim¡­ Then could it be¡­.¡± She nced at Suhyuk, then closed her mouth. It seemed like a difficult topic to discuss. Though he doubted she would answer, he asked anyway. ¡°What could it be?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Please, tell me. It might be rted to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a promise with the gods of another world. I can¡¯t speak of it, nor is there a way I can tell you.¡± Vi¡¯s polite refusal left Suhyuk unable to ask further. The fact that there was no way for her to speak meant it was the kind of story she literally could not tell. ¡®A filtered story, huh.¡¯ If that was the case, there was nothing he could do. Suhyuk knew there were limits to the information he could get on this floor. Pressing further would be a waste of time. ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn to ask.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve answered everything I can.¡± Honestly, unless he started with ¡°I¡¯m a yer¡±, there wasn¡¯t anything else Suhyuk could say. ¡°Alright. Given the situation, I do need your help right now.¡± Seeing Vi nodding, Suhyuk asked. ¡°What is this mission?¡± It was a mission assigned to a Valkyrie, no trivial task for sure. And judging by the context, the mission was likely rted to the trial. ¡°It¡¯s also rted to you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nodding, Vi continued. ¡°We came to protect the Thunder Throne.¡± At that moment. Whoosh-. The scenery in front of them began to change slowly. * The scenery changed. The temperature, humidity, and smell of the air covering their bodies stayed the same. Only the view in front of them changed. Suheyok had experienced this phenomenon several times before. -A cutscene? -Yeah, looks like it. -I can see the back of the Valkyrie. The first thing he noticed was Vi¡¯s back. She was kneeling alongside two other Valkyries before a man. ¡®Three Valkyries?¡¯ Vi was not alone. ¡°We came to protect it.¡± ¡®We.¡¯ There were three Valkyries in total. And the onemanding them was the man in front of them. His face was not fully visible. As if permission was not yet granted, the cutscene kept half of the man¡¯s face shrouded in darkness. Yet, even with just the silhouette, it was clear who he was. It wasn¡¯t the first time seeing that figure. ¡®It¡¯s that man from back then.¡¯ The man who appeared in the cutscene after Suhyuk conquered the Thunder Cave on the 3rd floor. The man who had chosen not to sit on the prepared throne, now stood before the three Valkyries. ¡®Was he really someone who couldmand Valkyries?¡¯ There weren¡¯t many who could control Valkyries. And the man held a hammer then as he did now. ¡®I have a rough idea of who he is.¡¯ While Suhyuk was internally piecing together the man¡¯s identity, surprised by the revtion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The man bowed his head, apologizing to the Valkyries. It was because of the task he was about to assign them. ¡°There¡¯s no need for apologies.¡± Vi spoke. ¡°Just give the order, and we will run to fulfill it, even if it means our grave.¡± Her words were met with silent agreement from the other two Valkyries. Looking at the three Valkyries, the man slowly shook his head. ¡°¡­I see. Thank you for saying that.¡± With that, the man stood up, still not raising his head. As though he had made up his mind. ¡°Until I take that seat.¡± The man looked at Vi and the other two Valkyries. ¡°You three are to guard the Heart of Thunder.¡± * Whoosh-. As the cutscene ended, the scenery slowly reverted back to normal. This time, it seemed the viewers had also seen the cutscene, judging by their reactions. -What, it ended? -I wanted to see the other two Valkyries. -Are all Valkyries as beautiful as the nun? Their focus was, of course, more on the Valkyries than on the mysterious man. The other two Valkyries who had taken on the mission with Vi were indeed significant clues for the current trial, but Suhyuk had another primary focus. ¡®The Heart of Thunder?¡¯ The name was familiar. Naturally, because Suhyuk already had it. ¡¾ Empty Heart of Thunder ¡¿ Grade: ?? ?????? ??????? As expected. ¡º¡®GreatDiscoverer¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºCome to think of it, doesn¡¯t he already have the Heart of Thunder?¡» -What?? -Oh yeah, he does. -Didn¡¯t he get some strange reward back then? Following the donation message, several viewers recalled the reward Suhyuk had obtained. The Empty Heart of Thunder. A reward he had no clue how to use at the time, now appeared in the cutscene. And it was something that the Valkyries were supposed to guard. -So it really is something important. -No kidding, considering it was the reward for conquering the Thunder Cave. -Yeah, just ying with marbles, huh? GG -LOLOLOL don¡¯t even joke about that At this point, even the viewers couldn¡¯t help but notice. The current trial was clearly centered around the ¡®Empty Heart of Thunder¡¯ obtained from the Thunder Cave. Shortly after the cutscene ended. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why we came here. To hide and guard the Heart of Thunder.¡± It seemed her exnation was supplemented by the cutscene. Suhyuk wore a puzzled expression beneath his mask, as the cutscene and Vi¡¯s exnation left one question unanswered. ¡°From whom?¡± To hide and guard the Heart of Thunder. That meant someone was after the Heart of Thunder. ¡°Muspelheim.¡± She pronounced the name slowly, enunciating each syble. ¡°From the giants who have allied with demons.¡± Muspelheim. A world inhabited by a special species. They were neither devils,monly known in Suhyuk¡¯s world as demons, nor giants directly opposing the gods. Yet, they were both, not belonging to either side, and at the same time part of both. That was the nature of Muspelheim¡¯s demons. ¡®This is muchrger in scale than I thought.¡¯ First Valkyries, now Muspelheim. Suhyuk¡¯s brow furrowed. The difficulty seemed too steep for just the 5th-floor trial. Would they really throw him into a war between Muspelheim and Asgard? ¡®No, a scenario like that should be on the 8th floor at least. It makes no sense.¡¯ A scenario involving gods was something Suhyuk had only experienced in his prime. The information he had about Muspelheim was just from following the Path of Thunder. There was no way he would be thrust into a full-blown war with Muspelheim on just the 5th floor. Suhyuk listened intently to Vi¡¯s further exnation. ¡°They¡¯ve caught the scent. They know the Heart of Thunder entrusted by the minor Lord is here.¡± ¡°How many of them are there?¡± At Suhyuk¡¯s question, Vi hesitated before answering. ¡°As long as the system remains, we cannot run rampant here. Evening down like this isn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°The system?¡± An all-too-familiar term left Vi¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes. The system is a constraint that prevents the gods, demons, and giants from deeply interfering in the human realm. It¡¯s literally a system to protect the human realm.¡± ¡°So, because of that¡­¡­¡± ¡°There are three Valkyries. And three subordinates of the Valkyries. That makes six of us who descended, directly to this ce.¡± If there were constraints on Asgard limiting them to three Valkyries, Muspelheim likely had simr restrictions. Roughly estimating, their forces should be bnced. ¡°Then, what happened to the Heart of Thunder?¡± ¡°It was taken.¡± Vi bit her lip as she spoke with difficulty. ¡°¡­By the demons.¡± As expected. Nodding as if he anticipated it, Suhyuk asked. ¡°Then, do I need to retrieve it?¡± ¡°No.¡± The answer was unexpected. Vi shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t properly answer your earlier question. About how many of them there are.¡± As if even exining it was difficult, Vi sighed deeply and changed the topic. ¡°My request is different.¡± It seemed finding the Heart of Thunder was not the objective after all. ¡°We need to rescue myrades. Please lend us your strength.¡± She had already given up on the Heart of Thunder. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 The mes surged fiercely above eye level, crackling and roaring. Reinhardt watched expressionlessly as his child was consumed by the fire. It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t sad. It just didn¡¯t feel real. ¡°My goal is you, Father.¡± Isaac. His only son. The boy who had left, promising to be an excellent yer, had returned as a corpse. ¡°Just wait. I¡¯ll catch up to you within twenty years.¡± He had been so confident. A boy with enough talent to back up his bold ims¡­ Drip-. Tears finally fell from Reinhardt¡¯s expressionless eyes. Several yers, familiar with him, wanted tofort him, but they were ultimately stopped. He needed time alone. ¡°Isaac¡­¡± It was iprehensible. Why had his son returned in this state? Even when contact suddenly stopped, Reinhardt hadn¡¯t been overly concerned. Isaac had never been the type to stay in touch frequently; he wasn¡¯t particrly close to his father. But during that time, Isaac had be a cold, lifeless body. ¡°Has the culprit been identified?¡± At Reinhardt¡¯s question, John, a yer from the Golden Castle guild, approached. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Not yet¡­¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°There are no traces. The cause of death¡ªwhether it¡¯s from burns or a de wound¡ªis unclear. Judging by the skill, it seems like the work of a professional.¡± ¡°A professional?¡± ¡°Yes. This seems more like¡­¡± John trailed off, unable to finish. Saying more would imply that it was done by someone holding a grudge against Reinhardt, something that shouldn¡¯t be said to a grieving father. But unfortunately, Reinhardt was quick-witted. Noticing what John meant, he nodded. ¡°Indeed. That might be the case.¡± ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°But don¡¯t be too biased. Look in various directions.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± John nodded. He couldn¡¯t verbalize his thoughts. It was likely an act of vengeance by a yer with a grudge against Reinhardt. The moment he said it aloud, Reinhardt would have to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. Bowing, John left to give Reinhardt some time alone. As the corpse was almostpletely consumed by the mes, watching the fire gradually die down, Reinhardt had a thought. ¡®A grudge¡­¡¯ Who could bear a grudge against him? Too many names came to mind. On his way to this position, he had decapitated and crushed countless people. But Isaac was different. The boy had only just started climbing the Tower; it was hard to imagine he had amassed any deadly grudges. Then, a memory shed through Reinhardt¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­Lee Suhyuk.¡± Isaac had mentioned it at some point. ¡°There¡¯s a guy named Lee Suhyuk here.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk? What an unpleasant name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the name. His skills are terrible, and his personality is even worse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bully him too much. We don¡¯t want any troubleter.¡± ¡°Sure thing, sure thing.¡± At the time, it seemed like an insignificant conversation, but perhaps it was the mention of that name by Isaac that made the memory resurface. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Swish¡ª Reinhardt pulled a kit out of his pocket. Lee Suhyuk was currently streaming. * ¡ºStage 2 ¨C ¡®Rescue¡¯ begins.¡» Rescue. A simple and clear title. It was directly associated with Valkyrie Vi¡¯s request. It seemed the other two Valkyries were in danger. Crackle, crackle¡ª Suhyuk watched the small campfire flickering inside the cave. Exhausted from running, Vi had fallen asleep immediately after treating Vigo. Anything else would have to wait until she regained her strength. ¡®Muspelheim¡­¡¯ How many enemies could there be? Vi had avoided giving a detailed answer to that question. Whether she thought it unnecessary or simply didn¡¯t want to talk about it was unclear. Suhyuk hadn¡¯t pressed further. There was no need to rush. Regardless of the enemy¡¯s numbers, Vi¡¯s primary goal was to rescue the other Valkyries. Until that was aplished, nothing else mattered. ¡®I was a bit worried about the stream¡­¡¯ ¡ºTitle: Continuing the clear. (Nomunication) Break time~ ^_^¡» Smiling at the new title, Suhyuk felt relieved. ¡®Good job.¡¯ Un Hyang¡¯s sense of title was impable. By clearly dividing rest time from the trial segments, it eased the obligation to interact with viewers. ¡º(Whisper) Manager: Don¡¯t worry too much. In marathon streams, the focus is more on finishing the trial rather thanmunication. Good luck, Suhyuk!! ^^¡» Thanks to this, he could think and rest without worrying about the viewers. ¡®Muspelheim.¡¯ He had only heard stories about them. A realm led by the giant Surtr, and a major adversary to Asgard. Even encountering Valkyries and Muspelheim¡¯s demons was unexpected so soon. Originally, such an encounter might have been rare¡­ ¡®Can¡¯t let this opportunity slip.¡¯ The Heart of Thunder was here. And in his possession was the empty heart he obtained as a reward from the Thunder Cave. It was too valuable to miss. No, it was impossible to miss. Simply climbing the Tower wasn¡¯t enough. He had to surpass expectations, much like he had acquired the Heart of Lightning during the 2nd-floor trial. That was his mission and what the viewers anticipated. Rustle¡ª Suhyuk took out a pendant and held it in his hand. A round and rugged pendant. This was the newly acquired ¡®Warrior¡¯s Pendant.¡¯ -Whoa -New gear? The previously quiet viewers perked up. Examining new items was always engaging content. Thanks to Un Hyang¡¯s title change, it was the perfect time for a quiet inspection. ¡ºWarrior¡¯s Pendant¡» Grade: Rare A ne given to the warriors of Asgard. Wearing it fills you with strength. Strength +2 Stamina +2 An item that boosts a total of four stats. Highly practical and convenient to wear as an essory. -Whoa¡­ -Not bad! -For something acquired in a single second, this is a steal. The viewers were generous with their praise. The vitality bonus was especially appealing to Suhyuk. ¡®This is perfect.¡¯ He had been considering items to boost his vitality anyway. With that as a temporary goal, the Warrior¡¯s Pendant was a very satisfactory reward. Rustle¡ª He put the pendant around his neck. Suhyuk then closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. * The next day. ¡°Thank you.¡± While packing up, Vi suddenly spoke. ¡°For helping us.¡± Suhyuk had decided to assist in rescuing the Valkyries. It was, after all, the second stage of the trial. His skills had already been proven by defeating Vigo. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just a simple proof. Vigo had been knocked out with one punch from Suhyuk. ¡°My power is rted to you and your kind, isn¡¯t it?¡± It wasn¡¯t just out of simple goodwill; Suhyuk had his reasons for helping. ¡°Then I should tag along and find out more about this power.¡± The rewards of the stage were indeed important. But more important was unraveling the mystery of his lightning power. ¡°In the first legend, lightning was used to annihte giants.¡± ¡°In the second legend, gods and giants fought over lightning.¡± Two legends about lightning told by Ferius. Wildly fantastical, but as time passed, he began to think they might not be entirely false. Even now, it felt true. Despite the system¡¯s restrictions, asgard sent Valkyries to hide the Heart of Thunder. Muspelheim sent demons to retrieve it. Gods, demons, and giants. All coveted this power. Ferius had said that the Heart of Lightning was created so humans could fight against these beings. ¡®It was lightning that defeated me.¡¯ Suhyuk didn¡¯t think he had lost to Kim Ilsoo. It was the lightning that had killed him. His greatest failure had been his inability to control this power. This time had to be different. For that reason¡­ ¡°Is it alright if I say something¡­?¡± While Suhyuk was mentally mapping out his n for the trial. With a dissatisfied expression and voice, Vigo spoke up. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Why you¡¯re helping us.¡± There was suspicion lingering in Vigo¡¯s eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to help us, is there?¡± ¡°Maybe not.¡± ¡°Even if it might get you killed?¡± His words grew shorter, and suspicion seeped further into his tone. Suhyuk sighed at this. The reward would naturallye afterpleting the second stage. But Vigo had no way of knowing that. In that case¡ª ¡°Alright, how about I receive something in return?¡± Suhyuk, looking around, pointed to an object that had caught his eye since yesterday. ¡°How about that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Vi looked startled when Suhyuk pointed at her sword. ¡°My sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a holy sword, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, but how did you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious at a nce.¡± He held back the rest of his thoughts. Among the numerous yers in the Tower, probably no one had handled as many holy swords as he had. In his efforts to wield thunder, he had held and broken many holy swords due to their durability. Now, he could tell at a nce whether a sword was an ordinary de or a holy sword. ¡°No matter what, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Vigo.¡± Vi stopped Vigo, who was ring with veins popping on his neck. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°But, Vi¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to give it up. As long as myrades are saved safely.¡± Suhyuk didn¡¯t know exactly how important a holy sword was to a Valkyrie. But for most swordsmen, their sword was as important as their limbs. However, Vi valued herrades more than her sword. -Huge gain. -What a bastard. -(Extremely harsh insults) Perhaps it was because of Vi¡¯s expression, but the viewers reacted strongly. But what choice did he have? They needed a reliable reason to trust him. ¡®Another reason to rescue the Valkyries.¡¯ It was indeed time to change his sword. A sword used by a Valkyrie would not be an ordinary item. Suhyuk needed a holy sword to handle thunder more effectively, and increasing his vitality was crucial. However¡ª ¡®It¡¯s rare to get a holy sword.¡¯ Unlike unstable magic swords, holy sword items were literally worth their weight in gold. Given his perpetually tight finances, buying a holy sword was impossible. But now, he had the opportunity to obtain one through this trial. Suhyuk grinned behind his mask. ¡®What a lucky break.¡¯ Chapter 102 Chapter 102 ¡°Yes, Team Leader. Really? It went through?¡± During Suhyuk¡¯s ongoing stream. Manager Un Hyang was busy at the dormitory. ¡°Okay. Got it. Bye.¡± Click¡ª She ended the call, having finished her business. Once again, she skipped the usual pleasantries with the team leader, John Dale. ¡°Why? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Oh, this? ¡®Bald Suhyuk¡¯. The coboration has been approved.¡± ¡°Bald Suhyuk?¡± Cheon Ryang, who was enjoying his favorite snacks, looked surprised. ¡°Hey, do you know what you¡¯re doing? Are you nning to ruin someone?¡± ¡°The jinx? Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re seriously going through with it?¡± ¡°Suhyuk agreed to it. Of course, I told him about the jinx.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a weirdo too, then.¡± Cheon Ryang stared intently at Un Hyang as she continued to look busy since morning. ¡°What else are you doing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a message from Reinhardt¡¯s side. They want to meet Suhyuk. I¡¯m replying to that.¡± ¡°Wow¡ª¡± Cheon Ryang leaned forward in curiosity. ¡°Have you always been this type of person?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t seem like someone who worked this hard¡­.¡± Cheon Ryang tilted his head. ¡°Are you really alright?¡± Flinch¡ª Un Hyang¡¯s hand paused at his words. ¡°Are you running away from something?¡± ¡°Running away from what?¡± ¡°I mean soon¡­¡± Cheon Ryang swallowed the rest of his words. There was no need to remind her of a reality she was trying hard to forget. This thought suddenly crossed his mind. But unfortunately, Un Hyang had already caught onto what Cheon Ryang was implying. No. She had known for a long time. ¡°Hey, I know. I know that.¡± Un Hyang responded to the words Cheon Ryang had intended to leave unsaid. ¡°This is something I enjoy doing.¡± ¡°Do you really like that streamer, Lee Suhyuk, that much?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Un Hyang nodded without hesitation. ¡°He feels like the same person.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s like they¡¯re twins or something.¡± It was a gut feeling. And when that feeling bes extremely sensitive, it turns into intuition. Un Hyang¡¯s intuition was sharper than anyone Cheon Ryang knew. And that same Un Hyang was saying. The two Lee Suhyeoks were exactly alike. ¡°Has he shown you? That mask¡ª¡± ¡°No, not his face. I haven¡¯t seen his face either. And honestly, would it even matter since I don¡¯t know what the real Suhyuk looks like?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Nodding as he pped his forehead, Cheon Ryang listened as Un Hyang continued her exnation. ¡°His behavior, his manner of speaking, even the way he fights. Everything. It¡¯s all so simr.¡± ¡°Jeez¡­¡± Cheon Ryang crossed his arms, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°No wonder people are talking about Lee Suhyuk¡¯s reincarnation.¡± ¡°I really hope it¡¯s true.¡± Un Hyang smiled widely, basking in the thought of such a possibility. She returned to responding to Reinhardt¡¯s message, while Cheon Ryang munched on his half-eaten snack, watching her. ¡®Lee Suhyuk, huh¡­¡¯ ncing at Suhyuk¡¯s stream on his device, Cheon Ryang was reminded of the day Un Hyang became enamored with Lee Suhyuk. ¡®Could this person really take Lee Suhyuk¡¯s ce?¡¯ It was an absurd hope. Yet, some part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder. * After packing up, Suhyuk and Vi left the cave together. The forest they entered was gloomy. The air was cold. The dense canopy of trees seemingly blocked any light from entering. ¡°I apologize for yesterday.¡± As they walked through the forest, Vigo cautiously approached Suhyuk. ¡°Looking back, I think I made a mistake.¡± ¡°Nothing to apologize for.¡± Suhyuk meant it. He was more inclined to thank Vigo because it had led to the agreement to receive Vi¡¯s sword. ¡°I was doubtful. How someone not from Asgard could possess such power.¡± ¡°Even after I knocked you out with one hit?¡± ¡°Being strong is one thing, but that power originally belongs to Asgard.¡± Suhyuk frowned behind his mask. This conversation had been repeated several times. ¡°So, whose power do you think it is?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Vigo.¡± Vi interrupted, cutting the conversation short and shaking her head at Vigo. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Vigo fell silent. Suhyuk sighed at the repeated pattern. Again. No matter how many times he asked, they refused to exin why they were so focused on his lightning power. -The suspense is killing me. -Seriously. Just tell him already. -They probably can¡¯t. It might be filtered info. Both Suhyuk and the viewers shared the frustration. However, feeling some remorse for the repetitive conversation, Vi offered an apology along with a hint. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But there¡¯s one thing I can tell you for sure. If you follow the path of Asgard, you will eventually meet someone.¡± She didn¡¯t specify who they would meet. Probably something she couldn¡¯t disclose. But Suhyuk had an inkling of whom she was referring to. ¡®That man.¡¯ The man with the hammer from the cutscene. The one who had sent Vi and the other two Valkyries here, hiding the Heart of Thunder on Earth, held the key. How could he meet him? As Suhyuk pondered this, they continued their journey. ¡°There it is.¡± After traversing the forest and moving far ahead. Down below the mountain, the ce where the other Valkyries were became visible. A massive fortress-like city surrounded by high walls. The capital of the Conrad Kingdom appeared before them. A city of enormous size, even at a nce. In its center stood a tall castle, and enormous mansions were visible even from this distance. In addition, there was a vast territory capable of housing hundreds of thousands of people. Though it looked like just a huge city on the outside, everything rted to this trial was right here. ¡°The Thunder Throne was in the capital of Conrad Kingdom.¡± ¡°The capital? In such arge city?¡± ¡°Yes. To hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. To hide a person, you hide them in a city.¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. The most suitable ce to hide the throne, the king¡¯s seat, was indeed where the king resided. The Valkyries had used the capital of Conrad Kingdom, the king¡¯s seat, to hide the Thunder Throne. However. ¡°It was perfect. No one has sat on Conrad Kingdom¡¯s throne for centuries.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The Conrad Kingdom hasn¡¯t had a king for the past five hundred years.¡± A kingdom without a king. That was Conrad Kingdom. An ideal ce to hide the throne. But somehow, the demons had discovered the secret of the empty throne. ¡®Everything is here.¡¯ Meeting Vi was just the first step toing here. ¡®The Valkyries, the demons of Muspelheim, and the Heart of Thunder.¡¯ Outwardly a city, but that wasn¡¯t the reality. Suhyuk defined the massive city before him as, ¡®This is a dungeon.¡¯ * ¡°Fresh bread! Only for the next 10 minutes, get it cheap!¡± ¡°Silk from Osman avable!¡± ¡°We buy everything! Bring it in! Clothes, metals, leather, we take it all!¡± The noisy marketce. Just past morning, the city square was bustling with people. In the midst of it all, Vi had her face wrapped in a cloth. ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you hiding?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s only natural to cover your face.¡± ¡°What about Vigo?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Vigo being less conspicuous allowed him to blend in more easily. Thus, they moved through the crowded market, disguised and prepared for the challenges ahead. Suhyuk¡¯s exnation still left Vi puzzled. But there was no helping it. It didn¡¯t matter if Vigo chose to conceal his face, but it was different with Vi. The reason for this differential treatment was simple. -Big presence LOL -Her face is like a ma -Vigo takes another L LOL It was because of her striking face. ¡®It¡¯s like announcing our location.¡¯ In such a crowded ce, Vi¡¯s face was too conspicuous. If any of Muspelheim¡¯s demons were nearby, they would easily spot her. ¡°Do you even know where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°We can sense it even if it¡¯s far away.¡± ¡°So where is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­this way for sure¡­¡± Suhyuk asked, just in case, ¡°Are they definitely alive?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Once again, Vi couldn¡¯t provide a definitive answer and trailed off. Judging by her darting eyes, it seemed she didn¡¯t know for certain. Her expression hinted that she might be running around to save someone who was already dead. ¡®They¡¯re probably alive, but¡­¡¯ Seeing her expression, Suhyuk sighed. ¡®I can¡¯t guarantee both are.¡¯ The title of this scenario was ¡°Rescue¡±. Given the content, a Valkyrie was likely alive. However, a rescue mission could mean saving even just one person. First, they needed to determine how many they were supposed to find here. Moreover, ¡°Rescuing Lady Belveim is crucial, but we must be most cautious of the demons.¡± For once, Vigo made a valid point. Yes, it wasn¡¯t just the Valkyries¡¯ lives they needed to worry about. Somewhere in this massive city were demons. Avoiding detection by them was the top priority. ¡°How many are there exactly?¡± Suhyuk asked, ready to fight if necessary. By this point, he hoped for a straightforward answer, and Vi finally spoke up. ¡°The confirmed number is in the hundreds.¡± ¡°Hundreds?¡± ¡°Yes. And they are all on the level of Valkyries.¡± -¡­? -Really? -LOLOLOL LOL The chat filled with hooks andughter at the absurd response. Suhyuk¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t much different. ¡®Is this for real?¡¯ Hundreds of demons, and all of them on par with Valkyries? This seemed excessive. Despite receiving Jinwoon¡¯s medical procedure and gaining confidence, a direct confrontation was unfeasible. A force of hundreds of demons was enough to wage war against a brigade of Valkyries. ¡®This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ The answer only deepened his confusion. Vi had mentioned that this world had a system restriction. The system. If it was the same kind of power Suhyuk knew, it was an immensely absolute one. Not even the Valkyries¡¯ king and the great god Odin himself could defy it. So, what could it be? Perhaps it was just a name simrity or there was another reason. If it were thetter, that would be fortunate, but if the former, an all-out war with the demons was out of the question. ¡°By the way¡­¡± While wandering aimlessly through the vast city, ¡°Vi?¡± In the middle of the street. An incredibly beautiful woman saw Vi and looked surprised. And upon seeing her, Vi¡¯s face lit up with joy and relief. ¡°Belveim?¡± She called out her name with the happiest expression. It was the moment they met the second Valkyrie, Belveim. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Belveim had a distinctly different aura and appearance from Vi. Dark blue hair and a somewhat sharp look. She was undoubtedly beautiful. If Vi was like a bright forsythia, Belveim was like a dark, thorny rose. -All Valkyries are gorgeous¡­ -My new dream is to be Odin from today. -Vi is pretty, but Beim¡¯s vibe is top tier. -Right? Belveim¡¯s chic charm is killer. -Beim¡¯s aura is unmatched LOLOLOL The viewers were clearly entertained by the appearance of another beautiful woman. Despite the lengthy stream, the viewer count rarely dropped below 10,000. In fact, it was steadily increasing. ¡ºViewers: 17,144¡» 17,000 viewers. If this trend continued, the highlight of the trial could attract over 20,000 viewers. The reason was apparent from the stream title. ¡ºTitle: Continuous Clear in Progress. (Nomunication) #SuperBeauty #DoubleValkyrie¡» Valkyries appearing on the stream, and they¡¯re beautiful. The title drew attention quickly. Just as many viewers came to see the Valkyries as they did to watch Lee Suhyuk. -This ce is literally a flower garden¡­ -I hoped you¡¯d be happy, but not this happy. -What¡¯s this trial even about? Grateful for the nomunication message, Suhyuk felt it was a blessing. ¡°Please, this way.¡± They reached their destination. Belveim guided them to a grand mansion located near the city center. A mansion so enormous it could be called a small ind. The garden was asrge as a park, and there were at least ten gardeners tending to it. ¡°Is this your house, Belveim?¡± Suhyuk was awestruck by the opulence. Compared to Vi¡¯s condition, Belveim¡¯s situation was poles apart. Vi had been hiding in a cave, fleeing from demons. In contrast, Belveim was living openly in a city known to harbor demons. And in such a conspicuous mansion, no less. ¡°Yes, it is. My home.¡± ¡°But how¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been here for five hundred years. Amassing this wealth is natural.¡± Belveim misunderstood the question, but it was understandable. It did raise the curiosity of how a Valkyrie acquired such a mansion. One thing, however, piqued another doubt, ncing at Vi, considering Belveim¡¯s statement, what about Vi? Sensing Suhyuk¡¯s gaze, Vi exined, ¡°I¡¯ve been living as a knight in the Count Vinzen family for a long time.¡± ¡°A knight?¡± Vi nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a legend in the Vinzen count family. Among the knights, there¡¯s an ageless guardian knight.¡± Scratching her cheek in embarrassment, she continued, ¡°That¡¯s me. I¡¯ve been living there, changing my name constantly.¡± ¡°The Vinzen count family is the closest to the Thunder Throne. They guard the royal family.¡± Belveim added, rifying why Vi chose that path. While exchanging a few more words, Suhyuk, Vi, and Vigo were guided by Belveim to the upper floors of the mansion. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare some food since you must be hungry. Please, make yourselvesfortable.¡± In the room prepared with pristine white bedding. Vi smiled brightly at the sight of a bed she hadn¡¯t seen in ages. ¡°Thanks, Belveim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡¯ve had it rough. Rest well, Vi.¡± The warm atmosphere filled the room. ¡°It seems safe here.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s words felt like a ssh of cold water. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°One of you is running from demons, yet the other is rxing as if it were your own house.¡± Suhyuk looked at Vi, demanding an exnation. She had asked him to save herrades. At that time, Suhyuk assumed they were in grave peril. Vi must have thought the same. ¡°The danger applies to me as well.¡± Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s words as an usation, Belveim began to exin. ¡°That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t move, even knowing Vi was being chased.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The ones whose identities were exposed were Vi and ine. But the demons knew there were three of us.¡± Three Valkyries. The demons started pursuing Vi and ine. ¡°If I move outside the city now, the demons will notice. Valkyries are so distinct and, well, they¡¯re on high alert for me.¡± Suhyuk nodded. Believable exnation. If true, staying put for now might indeed be the safest bet. Hide a tree in a forest. Hide a person in a city. Belveim was just following that principle to the letter. ¡°But, Vi.¡± Belveim raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve told me who this person is. Who is he?¡± She asked Vi about Suhyuk. Belveim could have asked directly, but the roundabout way seemed to reflect her annoyance from being questioned. ¡°He¡¯s someone who came with me to rescue you.¡± ¡°To rescue me?¡± ¡°Yes. This man is¡ª¡± ¡°Just a wandering swordsman.¡± Swish¡ª Suhyuk gestured towards Vigo, who stood behind Vi, with his sheathed sword. ¡°I knocked this guy out in one hit, so Lady Vi hired me as a mercenary.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Vigo looked puzzled, not understanding why he was being roped into the exnation. But Belveim seemed quite taken aback by it. ¡°Vigo?¡± While not on par with a Valkyrie, Vigo was still a formidable fighter. A human who could knock him out in one blow? Belveim nodded, thinking that it made sense why Vi would choose to travel with Suhyuk. ¡°Your skills must be impressive. Quite something for a human.¡± ¡°I can manage.¡± -Quite something, indeed LOLOLOL -But he¡¯s right LOLOLOL -Look at Belveim¡¯s expression -I¡¯d be stunned too LOLOLOL Belveim stood momentarily stunned before shaking her head and turning away. ¡°I¡¯ll get the meal ready. You must be tired from the long journey, so rest well today. Creak¡ª Thud¡ª The heavy wooden door closed smoothly. Once the three were alone in the room, Vi cast a sharp nce at Suhyuk. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Which part do you mean? Questioning your friend? Or interrupting halfway?¡± ¡°Both.¡± At Vi¡¯s response, Suhyuk stood and paced around the room. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That only this ce is safe. If there really are hundreds of demons in this city targeting Valkyries.¡± Arge mansion. When they were on their way back to the city, they hadn¡¯t expected such luxury. Belveim¡¯s im that staying put was the safest option seemed usible, but the underlying oddity couldn¡¯t be ignored. Vi seemed to feel the same. She hesitated, unable to immediately rebut Suhyuk¡¯s argument. ¡°It¡¯s odd, yes. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Does it really matter? Belveim isn¡¯t going to harm us.¡± Suhyuk internally sighed in relief at her response. ¡®So, she¡¯s not entirely clueless.¡¯ He had worried that she might be a simple-minded warrior, but she too had noticed the strangeness. The reason she hadn¡¯t shown it was clear. ¡®Trust.¡¯ Faith in her friend andrade, Belveim. ¡°Ten years, Suhyuk.¡± Suddenly, memories of the day he died came flooding back. ¡°I¡¯ve only prepared for today. So you need to understand.¡± What nonsense. Taking a moment to gather himself, Suhyuk slowly voiced the words he had been reluctant to say. ¡°¡­Try to question her.¡± He knew how difficult it was. Faith wasn¡¯t something that could be shattered just by deciding to doubt. But. ¡°You have to.¡± Failing to do so could lead to a fate simr to his own. * After the meal, Belveim urged Suhyuk and Vi to rest. They were given three rooms. In a mansion thisrge, there was no shortage of rooms. Rustle¡ª As the sun began to set in the evening, Viy on the bed, covered in delicate sheets, looking out the window. How long had it been since shesty on such afortable bed with soft bedding? Since hiding in the cave to avoid the demons about a month ago, she hadn¡¯t even bathed properly. ¡°¡­Try to question her.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s words lingered in her mind. The man with the power of lightning. His casual remark carried significant weight. The issue was that she couldn¡¯t determine whether she kept thinking about his words because he possessed the power of lightning or because they made sense. Question her? It wasn¡¯t something she wanted to do. To question Belveim, a friend she had spent countless years with. But there was no denying the truth in his words. This whole situation did feel off. Moreover, ¡®Belveim¡­¡¯ Was it just her imagination? Compared to five hundred years ago, there was something different about her aura. Swish¡ª In the end, Vi got up from her bed. Her eyesnded on the sword she had ced by the bedside. Should she take it? As she hesitated, Suhyuk¡¯s voice echoed in her mind again, urging her to question everything. Grip¡ª Finally, she took her weapon and stepped into the hallway. The sun had set outside, leaving the corridor dark. It was silent, devoid of any sound. Walking through the scarcely touched hallways, Vi felt a weird sensation. Why was that? Despite this ce being supposedly safe andfortable, the long hall felt more perilous than the cave she had been hiding in. ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯ What was this feeling? The strange sense of unease from Belveim. The cold, alien feeling emanating from the grand mansion. And the loud warning bells ringing in her instincts. It was too much to attribute to the words of someone she had met just yesterday. Step, step¡ª Turning a corner in the hallway. She heard another set of footsteps. ¡®Belveim?¡¯ If it was her she encountered here, what should she do? Should she be honest and tell her that she doubted her? Or should she stay silent and continue to distrust? As Vi pondered, caught in indecision, Step, step¡ª Her steps brought her closer to the corner. The approaching footsteps did the same. The two met around the corner as if on cue. ¡°Gasp¡ª.¡± ¡°Vi?¡± A startled Vi exhaled sharply while Suhyuk rxed his tense expression. Relieved, Vi ced a hand over her heart and asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I was actually heading your way.¡± Indeed, the direction Suhyuk was heading in was towards Vi¡¯s room. ¡°To my room? Why?¡± ¡°I misinterpreted who to rescue.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Belveim.¡± The target of the second rescue scenario. The name of the scenario that they assumed was about Belveim was not. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± It was Vi herself. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 In a forest where light cannot prate, Cha Minwoo maintained a steady distance from his pursuers while taking a sip from the water he retrieved from his inventory. ¡°Phew, this is driving me insane.¡± Even the act of drinking water required vignce. It was a situation where enemies could spring out from anywhere at any moment. Cha Minwoo nced back at Hwiyung, who was following closely behind him. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need to return?¡± ¡°This kind of wound is nothing. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Except, that¡¯s not just any wound.¡± Squish¡ª Blood, darkened and dead, oozed from the wound on Hwiyung¡¯s shoulder. Applying pressure to stop the bleeding was futile. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary wound. ¡°Damn¡­ these filthy demon bastards¡­¡± Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes zed with anger. He had suspected, but to find that the forest indeed harbored demon. They had ambushed Cha Minwoo, Hwiyung, and the Blue Zone yers indiscriminately. yers and demon inherently could not coexist. The conflict had escted, resulting in numerous injuries. It was unfortunate, but in some ways, they were lucky it wasn¡¯t worse. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± As Hwiyung used a skill to gradually heal her wound, she kept an eye on Cha Minwoo. ¡°The rumors might be true.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Cha Minwoo remained silent. Initially, he dismissed the idea, but with the current circumstances, it was hard to deny. Maybe, just maybe, a survivor from Blue Eyes could be here. Step¡ª They moved deeper into the forest. Reaching a peculiar spot where a single beam of light pierced through the trees, ¡°Wait.¡± Cha Minwoo, leading the group, raised his hand to halt them. ¡°¡­ Stop.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just stop. Ahead of us¡­¡± ¡°Ahead? What¡¯s there?¡± Hwiyung, curious, peeked over Cha Minwoo¡¯s shoulder to get a better view of whaty ahead. In the middle of an otherwise empty forest, someone sat atop a felled tree. ¡®What is that¡­?¡¯ Swoosh¡ª It seemed as though that spot alone had a different color. A dark aura surrounded the man, repelling anyone from approaching. Could he be a demon? The feeling suggested so, but something told them otherwise. In that case¡­ ¡°You-¡± Summoning his courage, Cha Minwoo, the group leader, took a step forward. ¡°Who are you?¡± Swoosh¡ª The man¡¯s head turned. Long, unkempt ck hair and a thick beard. Despite his disheveled appearance, his eyes glinted with a fierce light. ¡®Can¡¯t breathe.¡¯ Just standing in ce felt suffocating. Hwiyung tookbored breaths against the choking aura. It wasn¡¯t just her. Everyone except Cha Minwoo showed the same symptoms. Despite the man doing seemingly nothing, the pressure was overwhelming. ¡°Who am I?¡± Swoosh¡ª ¡°Youe into my territory and ask that?¡± Rising from his seated position, he turned his gaze towards Cha Minwoo. After scrutinizing Cha Minwoo¡¯s face, the man tilted his head. ¡°You¡­ I think I¡¯ve seen you before.¡± ¡°Seen me?¡± ¡°Ah, Cha Minwoo, right? The streamer who used to imitate Suhyuk.¡± Suhyuk. He referred to Lee Suhyuk, the legend, with familiarity. Moreover, for some reason, he knew about Cha Minwoo¡¯s old concept of streaming as Lee Suhyuk. Could he be a reasonable person to talk to? A glimmer of hope appeared. This had to be resolved through conversation. If a fight broke out, he was certain they would all be annihted. ¡°Have you seen my stream?¡± ¡°Yes. Back in the old days, before you joined that ursed guild.¡± The man¡¯s words wereced with hostility. ¡°Now that I think about it, that¡¯s irritating.¡± Shaa-. The surrounding leaves began to wither and fall away. ¡°It means those bastards havee all the way here?¡± ¡°Ugh¡ª.¡± ¡°Gah¡ª.¡± Several yers at the back clutched their throats, struggling to breathe. Their bodies dried up, and their eyes bulged out. Cha Minwoo red at the man in front of him. It was clear that he bore them ill will. ¡®Do we have to fight?¡¯ Though he knew the answer, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to step forward. It felt like death was staring him in the face. Trying to ovee the feeling, he gripped his sword tighter. ¡°Calm down.¡± Whoosh-! The magical power that choked the air around them dissipated. As the members of the Blue Zone guild copsed to the ground, gasping for air, the man turned to look at the unexpected intruder. ¡°Are you friends with these guys too?¡± ¡°Calling them friends would be a stretch; they¡¯re more like my subordinates.¡± ¡°Subordinates?¡± ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Lee Wonjae, the vice guild master of Blue Zone.¡± Lee Wonjae. He smiled as he looked at the man, whose brow furrowed at the introduction. ¡°Vice guild master?¡± ¡°Yes. And you¡¯re Hwang Kyuseong, right?¡± A hint of surprise flickered in the man¡¯s eyes. Simultaneously, Cha Minwoo¡¯s expression turned to one of astonishment. ¡®Hwang Kyuseong?¡¯ He had been a long-time fan of Lee Suhyuk. As such, he knew quite a bit about the members of Blue Eyes. Hwang Kyuseong. He was definitely one of the eight members of Blue Eyes. ¡°You came looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes. It took quite some time to find you.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯vee to the wrong ce.¡± Swoosh¡ª. Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s hand reached towards Lee Wonjae. ¡°Unless you came here tomit s*****e.¡± Whoosh¡ª A dark current surged towards Lee Wonjae, enveloping his body. Without attempting to dodge or drawing his weapon, Lee Wonjae crossed his arms. Fwoosh¡ª The zing dark aura clung to Lee Wonjae like mes. Although he wasn¡¯t immediately incinerated or disintegrated, the pain etched across his face was unmistakable. ¡°What the¡­ What are you doing?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te to fight.¡± Lee Wonjae brushed off the ck aura clinging to him, meeting Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have a proposal. I think you¡¯ll change your mind once you hear it.¡± Twitch¡ª A vein on Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s forehead twitched violently. His brows furrowed in deep thought. But only for a moment. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll listen. Think of it as yourst words.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be myst words.¡± Undeterred confidence. ¡°What I want is to kill Kim Ilsoo, whom you despise so much.¡± * After finishing their meal, while others were rxing, Suhyuk began to move alone. Unlike Vi, who wasfortably resting, Suhyuk had felt an unsettling chill ever since stepping into Belveim¡¯s mansion. It felt as though he had stepped into the heart of a dungeon. And it didn¡¯t take long for him to understand why. ¡®It¡¯s not just a feeling.¡¯ If it were merely a sensation, he wouldn¡¯t be going to such lengths. Had that been the case, he would be searching for demons outside rather than wandering around the mansion. The problem was, ¡®The Heart of Thunder is close.¡¯ The Heart of Thunder, supposedly taken by the demons, was felt somewhere within this mansion. Its presence was unmistakable; it was in the deepest part of the mansion¡¯s underground. While carefully traversing the corridors, Suhyuk received a sudden donation message. ¡º¡¯ILoveLeeSuhyeok¡¯ has donated 1000 points.¡» ¡ºWhere are you going?¡» A rare donation. The amount wasn¡¯t small, and the donor was a well-known big yer in Suhyuk¡¯s streams. Although avoiding interaction, Suhyuk eventually responded. ¡°I smell something fishy.¡± He turned on his mic and answered the donation. -Oh, he¡¯s actually responding. -As expected of the boss. -That was quick! LOL -Couldn¡¯t resist 1000 points LOL Was it because he interacted after a long time? With more viewers, the chat was scrolling at a blistering pace. ¡ºViewers: 19,210¡» The stream was nearing 20,000 viewers. Two Valkyries appeared in this trial, and encountering the demon from Muspelheim was a rarity even in top-tier trials. Naturally, the interest level was high. Although focused on the trial, Suhyuk was gratified that the stream was running smoothly. ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has donated 1000 points.¡» ¡ºWhat, you only respond to donations starting from 1000 points? Are you not doing any missions if you don¡¯tmunicate today?¡» At anotherrge donation, Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t do it at all¡­ Instead, I¡¯ll only ept missions that won¡¯t interfere with the trial.¡± -Missions that won¡¯t interfere with the trial: Fighting naked -Missions that won¡¯t interfere with the trial: Kissing Vi -Mission suggestions anyone? Where¡¯s KingAsset anyway? The mention of missions set the chat aze. There hadn¡¯t been many opportunities for missions in this trial. The first stage ended quickly with Vigo¡¯s defeat, and the second stage¡¯s specifics were still unclear. ¡º¡®SafeAsset¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºLOL Alright then, head out and kill all the demons, and I¡¯ll give you 100,000 points.¡» And, inevitably, ¡®that¡¯ viewer returned. -What??? -Is this the same¡­ -¡®That¡¯ g? -This is insane LOLOLOL Hunting hundreds of demons? Another impossible mission. But who was the viewer making this promise? With a 0% sess rate, SafeAsset was renowned on the yers channel for consistently failing missions. However, ¡°¡­This one is a bit much.¡± Even Suhyuk was stumped by this mission. Whether it was capturing a wolf warrior or defeating a giant chieftain, there was always a thread of hope. But ying hundreds of demons was an insurmountable task, no matter the strategy. ¡ºSafeAsset has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºThen kiss Vi for 50,000 points.¡» What sort of mission was this? ¡®They really want me to fail spectacrly.¡¯ It seemed SafeAsset¡¯s goal was to disrupt his trial. Attempting such actions here would ensure failure. ¡°¡­This is impractical.¡± -LOLOLOL Impractical indeed LOLOLOL -Prepare for the Valkyrie lip thief! -Dare to steal Olra¡¯s kiss and see LOL -Can SafeAsset finally win? The mission wasn¡¯t feasible, leaving Suhyuk disappointed as he continued down the stairs. Step, step¡ª After descending several floors, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Vigo?¡± He encountered Vigo, ascending the staircase. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I asked first.¡± Admitting that he was searching the basement due to suspicions about Belveim was tricky. Vigo would likely side with the Valkyrie. Surprisingly, Vigo was of a simr mindset. ¡°I was heading to Belveim.¡± ¡°To Belveim? Why?¡± ¡°Why else? You pointed it out earlier.¡± An unexpected response. Suhyuk had assumed Vigo would naturally trust the Valkyrie, but he was listening to Suhyuk¡¯s concerns. ¡°It¡¯s not just today that I found things odd.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Quite a while perhaps. Unlike ine or Vi who focused on the mission, Belveim lived almost like an actual human.¡± An actual human. Suhyuk sensed this wasn¡¯t meant as apliment. It implied that Belveim¡¯s interestsy in fulfilling personal desires rather than protecting the Thunder Throne. ¡°But doubting just because of that felt like a betrayal to a Valkyrie¡­¡± ¡°Repent or justify itter.¡± Swish¡ª Suhyuk indicated the stairs leading to the basement. ¡°Right now, let¡¯s confirm things first.¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 As Suhyuk suddenly encountered Vi, he narrowed his eyes. Cautious steps. Eyes widening in surprise. It was a reaction as if she had been caught in the act of stealing. ¡®At least she¡¯s not aplete fool.¡¯ No. On second thought, she was better than him. Suhyuk knew how difficult it was to suspect a friend orrade you trusted. If you think about it, wasn¡¯t he practically killed because he couldn¡¯t do that? ¡°What do you mean by that, exactly?¡± Vi responded with bewilderment, not understanding Suhyuk¡¯s words. To mistake the target to save. Not Belveim, but you. It was all iprehensible to her. Suhyuk felt equally unable to make her understand. In the end, Suhyuk opted for action over words and grabbed her hand, leading her. ¡°Juste with me. And don¡¯t make too much noise.¡± ¡°Wait, a¡­ moment¡­¡± Vi, still in a flustered state, was led down the stairs to a basement. A featureless stone door appeared. When they arrived in front of the firmly closed stone door, Vi felt as though the shapeless anxiety she had been feeling materialized right before her eyes. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Open it. See for yourself.¡± ¡°What could possibly be inside¡­?¡± Hesitatingly, she reached out her hand, slowly pulling the handle. Creak- Unlike other doors, it made an exceptionally old and worn-out sound. As the inside revealed itself, Vi¡¯s eyes widened to the extreme. ¡°What¡­?¡± Inside the unlit door. Vigo was seen holding someone. A familiar face. The woman with a short bob of golden hair, just like Vi¡¯s. She was cold and dead, with a hole in her chest, one of the people Vi had been searching for so desperately. ¡°ine¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ Vi.¡± Grip-. Vigo, ensuring he didn¡¯t let go, embraced the corpse tightly as he approached Vi. Slowly, Vi approached ine. Praying it was a mistake. But. ¡®Wishing alone doesn¡¯t change reality.¡¯ Vi eventually confirmed ine¡¯s corpse up close. Her initial reaction was silence. As if she couldn¡¯t grasp the reality, she stood there nkly, holding therade¡¯s body handed over by Vigo. But only for a moment. ¡°ine¡­¡± Soon, she fell to the floor, screaming. No. She attempted to scream. Smack-. ¡°Mm-mmph-.¡± Suhyuk quickly covered Vi¡¯s mouth with his hand. If she were to scream here, something unexpected might happen. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°Mmph, mmph-.¡± Squeeze-. Vi gripped Suhyuk¡¯s wrist. Her strong grip exerted pressure on his wrist. She was not only the target Suhyuk needed to rescue but also a great warrior known as a Valkyrie. Feeling the strength in her hand, Suhyuk frowned. Thanks to his high endurance, he managed to bear it. As long as she didn¡¯t draw her sword and swing it, he could still hold on. Just when he thought his wrist might actually break. ¡°Mm-mmph-.¡± Tap, tap-tap-. She signaled several times, releasing her grip on his wrist. ¡°Hah-, hah-.¡± As Suhyuk let go of her, Vi hurriedly inhaled. With tears and snot running down her face, she looked back at ine¡¯s corpse. ¡°ine¡­¡± ¡°Are you a bit calmer now?¡± Suhyuk whispered softly, and Vi shook her head, biting her lips. ¡°I can¡¯t calm down. It just¡­ feels like a lie.¡± ¡°It would.¡± Suhyuk knew well the pain of losing arade. If he hadn¡¯t found the flowers Shiwoo had left, he might have crumbled like her. ¡°It¡¯s Belveim¡¯s doing.¡± It was surprising. He was wondering how to convince her, but she said exactly what he wanted to convey. ¡°That sword wound. It was made by Belveim.¡± ¡°The wound on her abdomen?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m mistaken. I¡¯ve seen it for hundreds of years.¡± Her voice was full of certainty. There was no need to beat around the bush. Feeling relieved, he considered his options. ¡®The easiest thing would be to quietly leave the mansion.¡¯ This was likely the standard route for this trial. If they did, the second stage of the trial would automatically end. Given the difficulty, it was likely the end of the trial. But. ¡®Still¡­ I can¡¯t just leave it.¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted to the deeper part of the basement, where ine¡¯s body had been hidden. ¡®I can¡¯t leave without that.¡¯ The highlight of this trial was there. It was something desired by both Asgard and Muspelheim. It was no ordinary item. What he had was a heart with an empty core. If he could fill that heart, who knew what kind of strength it would gain him. ¡®I know it¡¯s difficult¡­¡¯ That knowledge only made him more excited. Trials were meant to reward those who overcame greater difficulties. ¡°What will you do?¡± Suhyuk looked at Vi. ¡°Will you seek revenge?¡± Vi hesitated before answering. ¡°¡­ I need to know why this happened first.¡± A reason. Come to think of it, he also didn¡¯t know. When he asked Kim Ilsoo why hemitted such acts, he never received an answer. Indeed. Why did it happen? ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me. I¡¯ll go alone if I must.¡± Resolute, Vi stood up. Suhyuk nced back and forth between ine¡¯s corpse and Vi before speaking up. ¡°There¡¯s something you forgot.¡± ¡°Forget? What?¡± ¡°The reason you all came here.¡± The reason Asgard sent Vi and the three Valkyries here was to hide and protect the Thunder Throne. However. ¡°That¡¯s difficult.¡± Vi shook her head at Suhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°It is impossible with just us. We need the help of the little master to reim it.¡± She seemed to have given up on the mission more quickly than expected. ¡®So that¡¯s how it unfolded.¡¯ She hadn¡¯t given up the mission. She had just decided it was impossible in their current state and was nning to request support. But Suhyuk knew what the oue would be by then. By the time support arrived¡ª ¡®The core would already be gone.¡¯ The empty Heart of Thunder in Suhyuk¡¯s inventory was proof of that. And if that was the oue, there was no way they could stop here. Above all. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That there are so many demons.¡± Even Asgard, constrained by the system, could only send three Valkyries. No matter how much Muspelheim tried, they wouldn¡¯t easily break that constraint. Moreover, if there really were hundreds of demons, it didn¡¯t make sense that Vi was still alive. ¡°It is strange. Of course it is.¡± ¡°Did you ever think about how that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Vi, who had been hesitating to answer, suddenly opened her eyes wide as if she remembered something. ¡°¡­ Yes, I did.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Belveim was the one who investigated that.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes narrowed. If that¡¯s the case, then the story changes. ¡°First, we need to capture her.¡± One of the three Valkyries assigned to protect the Thunder Throne. Capturing Belveim might unlock the secrets about the demons of Muspelheim. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to discuss.¡± Grip-. Vigo, who had been quietly mourning ine, grasped his spear tightly. ¡°We need to find Belveim right now¡ª¡± And in that instant. sh-! A blinding white light descended from the sky. Crash-! It split the mansion¡¯s basement in half. ¡ºStage 3 ¨C ¡®Betrayal¡¯ begins.¡» ¡ºEliminate the Fallen Valkyrie.¡» *** Rumble-. The ceiling of the basement copsed. As the mansion split in half, debris from the rocks fell like weapons. ¡°Gyaaah-!¡± ¡°Get out! Everyone!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with this sudden disaster-?¡± The butlers, servants, and gardeners residing in the mansion started fleeing in panic. Fortunately, the mansion wasn¡¯tpletely destroyed yet. Since the target was the basement, it only ended up with one side tilted. Suhyuk and Vi were also safe. ¡°Are you okay, Vigo?¡± Grip-. Vi held up a massive pile of rocks with one hand, rescuing Vigo. Thanks to her, he avoided death, but. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ okay. I¡¯m fine, but¡­.¡± Drip, drip-. A long sword wound appeared on Vi¡¯s back. In that brief moment, she had thrown herself to save Vigo. -What just happened? -It wasn¡¯t an earthquake. -Wasn¡¯t it a sword? A few observant viewers seemed to have noticed what had just happened. ¡®Such power in a single sh.¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned towards the copsed ceiling. ¡®A Valkyrie is still a Valkyrie.¡¯ A female warrior held a long sword as tall as herself. Belveim, now fully equipped in silver armor, was looking down at Vi and Vigo. ¡°You¡¯re too kind to be a warrior, just like before, Vi.¡± ¡°Belveim!¡± Vi shouted at Belveim, veins popping on her neck. Even though she already knew, seeing Belveim turned against her made her anger surge even more. ¡°Why did youe here? It would have been better if you had passed without knowing.¡± ¡°And you call that talking¡ª.¡± ¡°I just wanted you to leave.¡± With a bitter expression, Belveim looked at ine¡¯s corpse that Vi was holding with one arm. ¡°Unlike ine, you¡¯re someone without suspicion.¡± ¡°ine¡­?¡± Vi wondered why ine¡¯s body was here. It seemed ine had suspected Belveim even before Vi did. ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to lose both of my friends.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Grit-. Vi clenched her teeth. ¡°Why¡­ did you kill ine¡­ and me¡­?¡± Thud-. To save Vigo, she let go of the massive rock she had been holding up with one hand, allowing it to fall to the ground. ¡°Why are you trying to kill us?¡± ¡°I never intended to kill you.¡± Belveim¡¯s excuse began. ¡°You were myrades. And you were my friends.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I just wanted to drive you away from here. And that¡¯s what happened to you. If ine had just left, nothing would have happened.¡± But just as all things in the world, variables always exist. ¡°It was just yesterday. When ine came to see me.¡± One day. ine died just one day ago. That statement left a bigger scar on Vi¡¯s heart, perhaps because it meant there might have been a chance to save ine. ¡°After everything was over, I intended to give her a proper funeral¡­ but I didn¡¯t expect you toe back, Vi.¡± ¡°When did I ever ask about that?¡± Her sword, raised in anger, trembled. She shouted with unprecedented rage. ¡°I asked why you are doing this!¡± ¡°This situation isn¡¯t exactly what I wanted either.¡± Belveim continued, looking into Vi¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to underst¡ª.¡± At that moment. KABOOM-! A bright yellow surge of electricity engulfed Belveim¡¯s body. Belveim, who had already destroyed the mansion¡¯s basement in one swift stroke, swiftly lifted her sword to shield herself from the electric surge, living up to her title of a great warrior. But the price for not dodging was steep. Tingle, tingle-. A tingling sensation ran through the fingers gripping the sword. Belveim¡¯s gaze shifted to one side, where Suhyuk¡¯s fierce eyes were ring at her. ¡°Disgusting. I can¡¯t listen to this anymore.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 He felt nauseated. The reason for this overwhelming disgust became clear when Vi started asking her questions. ¡°Why did you do it, you bastard?¡± ¡°Why are you trying to kill us?¡± In the end, both he and Vi wanted the same thing. They wanted to know why they had been betrayed. But instead of answers, all they got was a one-sided story. ¡°Why don¡¯t people like you ever answer the questions asked?¡± Both Kim Ilsoo and Belveim. They wouldn¡¯t answer questions but spouted unnecessary words instead. As if to justify their actions. And Suhyuk found those justifications so disgusting that he couldn¡¯t stand them. ¡°If you betray someone, shouldn¡¯t you at least answer that much?¡± ¨C Exactly! ¨C Yeah, agreed ¨C Wow~ ¨C Well said, our Suhyuk Vi¡¯s viewers cheered enthusiastically in support. Some donation messages popped up, but there was no time to care about them. Belveim seemed surprised. Not because of Suhyuk¡¯s words, but because of the tingling sensation lingering in her hand. ¡°You¡­¡± With an incredulous expression. ¡°How¡­?¡± He had a good idea what she was asking about. Initially, even Vi had been quite surprised by the power Suhyuk wielded. But he had no obligation to exin. Crackle-. Instead of answering, Suhyuk enveloped his sword in lightning. Actions spoke louder than words. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡± sh-! Boom-! Once again, a yellow wave of electricity engulfed Belveim¡¯s body. This time, as it came from the front, Belveim swung her sword to defend herself. ng-! The sh of the two swords shook the mansion. The increased durability and the output from the Heart of Thunder were emitting considerable power. ¨C Wow, the impact ¨C No answers LOL ¨C So satisfying~ Belveim staggered as she fended off the electricity. The bright light momentarily blinded her vision. Searching for her opponent¡¯s position, she turned her head. ¡®Where is he¡­?¡¯ Just as she was trying to locate Suhyuk. Fwoosh-. Very faintly. A presence was felt above her head. ¡®Above?¡¯ Narrowing her eyes, she looked up. She saw the mansion¡¯s tilted high ceiling. When had he gotten up there? Someone with the power of lightning had appeared. Her mind hadn¡¯t even fully processed that yet. Crackle-! A spear began to form in Suhyuk¡¯s hand, hanging upside down from the ceiling. Starting from the tip, the spear slowly took shape, exuding an ominous aura. ¡®Should I block it? Or dodge it?¡¯ There were two choices. Either block it head-on or dodge the iing spear. She made her decision quickly. Grip-. Belveim gripped her sword tightly, preparing for the attack. Despite her betrayal, she was still a Valkyrie. She might have abandoned her pride, but her dignity remained. However. ¡°Did Ipletely forget her?¡± Schlick-. A sharp, scorching sensation spread from her back to her abdomen. In her blurred vision, Belveim saw the sword piercing through her body. ¡°Belveim.¡± Vi¡¯s voice was cold with anger. No matter how wounded, a tiger remained a tiger. Forgetting Vi¡¯s presence was Belveim¡¯s biggest mistake. ¡°Ah¡­¡± With Vi¡¯s arrival, Belveim realized. She never had a chance to win this fight from the beginning. BOOM-! * p-. Vi¡¯s hand struck Belveim¡¯s cheek. Belveim, who had lost consciousness, slowly opened her eyes. With a hole in her abdomen, her body electrocuted and charred, she was not dead yet. ¡®A Valkyrie is truly a Valkyrie.¡¯ Although he had expected she wouldn¡¯t die, Suhyuk didn¡¯t think she would regain consciousness so soon. Well. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Valkyries were considered the core force of Asgard. If she had died this easily, it would have been disappointing. ¡°Now, tell me. Why did you do this?¡± Vi desperately sought an answer, but. ¡°Why¡­ did you have to appear now¡­.¡± Belveim¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on Vi. Her eyes were on Suhyuk standing next to her. ¡°If you hade a hundred years earlier¡­.¡± ¡°A hundred years? What happened a hundred years ago?¡± Vi asked, and Belveim let out a bitterugh. The wound pierced by the sword continued to bleed profusely. The body charred by lightning was in a critical state. If not treated immediately, she would die. Even with treatment, there was no guarantee of survival. Perhaps that¡¯s why? ¡°The truth¡­ I learned the truth.¡± Belveim, who had seemed unlikely to speak, opened her mouth as if relieved. ¡°We were abandoned.¡± ¡°Abandoned?¡± ¡°Why do you think the God of Thunder who sent us here hasn¡¯t contacted us yet?¡± Vi was left speechless. It was the same question she had pondered for hundreds of years. It had been 500 years. Even though the lifespan of the gods extended from a thousand to ten thousand years, 500 years was a long and grueling time even for them. Vi and Belveim had dedicated most of their lives as Valkyries to this mission. But. ¡°They never intended to retrieve us. They nned to bury us here along with this ce.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°How do I know?¡± For a moment, the fire of rage ignited in the eyes of the dying Belveim. ¡°Because I went and asked myself, a hundred years ago.¡± * The scenery changed. It was the second time he had experienced this phenomenon during the trial. There was nothing new about it. It was the samendscape he had seen in the first cutscene. The only difference was that Vi and ine, the two Valkyries, were absent. Belveim was kneeling. In front of her stood the same man he had seen before, now with a beard. ¡°How much longer must we wait?¡± Belveim¡¯s voice sounded even more exhausted than it did now. Four hundred long years. For all that time, she had lived with one mission. She had looked forward to the moment when the man before her would descend from Asgard and take the throne. But. ¡°I will not go.¡± The moment she had been waiting for was an illusion that would nevere. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Exactly as you heard. Your mission is to hide and protect the throne, not to wait for me.¡± Belveim, who had been kneeling, suddenly stood up. ¡°Does that mean you will not take the throne?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The king¡ª.¡± Belveim, about to say something, fell silent. She realized that what she was about to say was presumptuous. But stepping back wasn¡¯t an option. Her 400 years had been too long for that. ¡°¡­You must inherit the thunder.¡± Her final attempt at persuasion. ¡°I already possess half of it.¡± ¡°Is just half enough?¡± ¡°I will train to fill the part Ick. So I won¡¯t bring shame to my father.¡± It was an unyielding response. Belveim¡¯s words weren¡¯t out of concern for the man in front of her or for the safety of the throne. It was about her own efforts and the reward for her time. ¡°We¡­¡± She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. ¡°Have we been abandoned by Asgard?¡± Feelings of anger, frustration, and betrayal overwhelmed Belveim. The noble and great warrior was falling into darkness right before his eyes, yet the man¡¯s reaction remained unchanged. And then, to her question about abandonment, the man responded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Valkyrie.¡± *** The cutscene ended. As the story concluded, Belveim, who had lost a lot of blood, was turning pale, nearing death. ¡°He couldn¡¯t even remember my name.¡± She had devoted hundreds of years to his single request. Yet, he couldn¡¯t remember her name. That was Belveim¡¯s answer to the question. A warrior whose name was forgotten was as good as abandoned. ¡°So¡­ you betrayed Asgard? And tried to kill us as well?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it through that far. Whether it was you or me, we were all abandoned.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I thought this.¡± Belveim¡¯s voice grew weaker. ¡°If I could take the throne¡­ maybe I could just live as a human¡­.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve just said that!¡± ¡°Said? I tried.¡± Belveim¡¯s gaze turned towards ine¡¯s corpse. ¡°To her.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes. She called me a disgrace to warriors.¡± With a self-mocking voice, Belveim looked up at Suhyuk. ¡°Yes¡­ rather¡­.¡± Her eyes slowly closed in death. The fact that she had lived long enough to speak was itself a miracle. ¡°If you want to end it¡­.¡± ¡°If you really want that, answer this one thing.¡± The reason for the betrayal was important, but Suhyuk needed this answer more. ¡°How was Muspelheim able to send so many demons?¡± If Belveim had investigated Muspelheim¡¯s demons and held the truth, then her words might be the key to reiming the Thunder Throne. But. ¡°How many¡­!¡± Thunk-. Just as Belveim was about to continue, a long spear pierced her chest. Vigo¡¯s sudden actions. Naturally, Suhyuk and Vi¡¯s gazes turned to him. ¡°Vigo-!¡± ¨C ???? ¨C What¡¯s wrong with him suddenly? ¨C Who pressed the panic button? Thud-! Unlike the startled Vi, Suhyuk swiftly kicked Vigo in the chest. He checked on Belveim just in case, but given her dire condition and the spear through her heart, it was unlikely she was still alive. Just as expected. ¡ºYou have passed Stage 3.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 2.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» ¡ºYou have earned 10,000 points.¡» ¡ºYou have obtained ¡®Holy Sword ¨C Valkyrie¡¯.¡» As the message confirming thepletion of the trial echoed, it was clear that Belveim had taken herst breath. Suhyuk turned to look at Vigo. Stumbling and faltering from Suhyuk¡¯s kick, Vigo flew weakly. The first thing Suhyuk checked was his eyes. ¡®His pupils are dted.¡¯ Empty, lifeless eyes like those of a dead dog. No matter how he looked at it, Vigo was not in a normal state. Such eyes usually appeared when one¡¯s consciousness was controlled by someone else. ¡®There¡¯s something in this mansion.¡¯ Someone who wanted Belveim dead, someone who needed to silence her. ¡®Muspelheim, perhaps.¡¯ The demons had begun to interfere seriously with this trial. Sure enough. ¡ºStage 2 ¨C ¡®Rescue¡¯ is in progress.¡» ¡ºDo you wish to start Stage 4 ¨C ¡®Mission¡¯?¡» The system asked Suhyuk. He could sleep as he is now. Or he could move forward andplete Asgard¡¯s mission. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 The difficulty of the stages increases as you progress. This is a very simple theory. Suhyuk was faced with two choices. Stage 2 and Stage 4. ¡®Run away or take on the challenge.¡¯ It was obvious what the viewers wanted. -Definitely Stage 4 -We need to go, LOL -Beat those demon bastards! -Scared? Scared? The viewers clearly didn¡¯t want Suhyuk to run away. ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºBreak the demon bastards¡¯ heads? Stage 4 challenge, 10,000 points¡» ¡º¡¯UnstableAssets¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºReim the throne, 20,000 points¡» ¡º¡¯Nunadie¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºComplete Stage 4, everyone survives, 50,000 points¡» ¡º¡¯ViDefenseForce¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºSave Vi and pass Stage 4, 50,000 poin¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» Was it because the trial¡¯s difficulty increased? Missions appeared one after another as if they had been waiting. This meant that many viewers wanted the tougher path. With riskes reward. And for Suhyuk, who needed a lot of points for skill levels, items, and enhancements like Jinwoon¡¯s surgeries, these missions were good opportunities to increase his returns. So. ¡°Thank you for all the donations.¡± Naturally, Suhyuk had no intention of refusing these missions. -LOL, already epted -He¡¯s in money mode -Possessed by Suhyuk Enthusiastic cheers filled the air. But some were also worried. -But is this really okay? -This is crazy -Let¡¯s just die quickly and retry Hundreds of demons. Each one of them had strengthparable to a Valkyrie. On their side, there was one Valkyrie, Vigo who was more of a hindrance, and Suhyuk himself. If their goal was to escape the city, it might be different. But if the demons¡¯ goal was the Thunder Throne, they would surely be desperate to protect it. It seemed beyond difficult, almost impossible. Step-. Just as Suhyuk made his decision, Vigo started moving again, stumbling. Was he about to attack Vi? He raised his spear again, preparing to strike. One of the missions was that everyone must survive. If Suhyuk couldn¡¯t just leave him behind, then he had to bring him along. Crackle-. With lightning at his feet, Suhyuk increased his speed. Given Vigo¡¯s current state, he wouldn¡¯t react in time. ¡°Get a grip.¡± Thump-. Suhyuk¡¯s hand grasped Vigo¡¯s throat tightly. Whether it be a machine or person, when there¡¯s a malfunction, brute force is often the remedy. Crackle-! Vigo¡¯s eyes rolled back in his head. After shaking briefly, he fell to his knees and copsed on the floor. Shortly thereafter. Whoosh-. A dark crimson energy that had inhabited Vigo¡¯s body began to seep out. ¡®That must be it.¡¯ The remnants of the demon that had controlled Vigo. Suhyuk didn¡¯t hesitate. He charged his fingertips with lightning andshed out. Boom! The sh of thunder apanied a surge of electricity that prated through the demonic residue. The dark energy burned away noisily, and as it dispersed, the natural color slowly returned to Vigo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Vigo sat there for a moment, dazed, looking around him. His gaze then turned towards Vi and the body of Belveim lying at her feet. ¡°So that wasn¡¯t a dream¡­¡± Vigo¡¯s hands shook as he was struck with shock and realization of what he had done. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t lost all memory of the events. It was convenient not to have to exin, but it was still unfortunate not to have heard more from Belveim. Swoosh-. Suhyuk picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground. The reward for Stage 3, ¡®Betrayal¡¯, was the sword that Belveim had used. ¡®So I¡¯ve acquired it like this.¡¯ It was a sword wielded by a Valkyrie. Despite the centuries that had passed, the de was neither dulled nor corroded, signifying it was no ordinary weapon. Suhyuk quickly checked the item¡¯s options. ¡¾ Holy Sword ¨C Valkyrie ¡¿ Grade: Unique This is the sword used by Belveim of Valha, a Valkyrie. It is imbued with the spirits of numerous warriors and a sacred power. Stamina +5 Stamina recovery rate +50% Inflicts 20% additional damage on demonic entities Permanently regenerates durability As he held the sword, the tips of his fingers felt as if they could be cut by the sharpness emanating from the de. It was like it had just been sharpened, maintaining the best condition. He felt revitalized all over. The sensation of his body feeling lighter, as if about to take flight, could onlye from wielding a blessed sword of high quality. ¡®Nice.¡¯ Both the performance of the sword and its options were pleasing. The addition of 5 stamina stats went without saying, and the stamina recovery rate was a hallmark trait of a holy sword. In fact, this was precisely why Suhyuk favored holy swords. ¡®The stamina option and recovery rate are great, but the sword¡¯s performance itself is better than what I was using before. It¡¯s a good sword.¡¯ He finally had a proper sword. Indeed, a holy sword was perfectly suited for wielding lightning. As he secured his reward and everything was ready. ¡°Screaaam-!¡± The cry signaling the start of the next stage rang out. The sound came from some distance away, but there were clearly many voices. ¡°Oh, demons!¡± ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡°Citizens¡¯ militia! The knights!¡± Citizens screamed at the emergence of demons, calling out for help, seeking the citizens¡¯ militia and the kingdom¡¯s knights. In an instant, the outside of the mansion turned into chaos. ¡°They¡¯ve arrived.¡± Vigo said, steadying himself after his earlier bout of self-reproach. ¡°I know.¡± Suhyuk responded, turning to Vi. There wasn¡¯t time for a long discussion. Suhyuk immediately shared his objective. ¡°I¡¯m nning to go find the throne.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suhyuk nodded. ¡°I have a basis for trying.¡± ¡°A basis?¡± ¡°We just saw it together, didn¡¯t we?¡± Suhyuk indicated Belveim, who had been in by Vigo while under control. While they hadn¡¯t gotten a definitive answer from Belveim, the recent events provided a significant clue. ¡®It means they¡¯re hiding something.¡¯ Suhyuk prided himself on having confronted demons more than anyone else in the Tower. And as such, he knew their habits well. ¡°If there were really hundreds of demons lurking in this city, they wouldn¡¯t need to resort to such tactics.¡± Vi¡¯s eyes widened as she realized something. Suhyuk was right. It didn¡¯t make sense for the demons to use such cunning tactics out of fear of just one Valkyrie and one human. It suggested they were hiding something. ¡°If there¡¯s any hope¡­¡± Valkyries were beings willing to sacrifice their lives countless times for their mission. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She nodded firmly, determined. ¡°Belveim was right. If it¡¯s a forsaken ce anyway, it¡¯s better for someone to upy it rather than let it fall to the demons.¡± That someone was obviously Suhyuk. Vi¡¯s eyes conveyed as much. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided.¡± Smirking behind his mask, Suhyuk smiled. Judging by her expression, she seemed to have no more hesitation. Having a Valkyrie as an ally would be a significant advantage. Most importantly, if they left her behind, the trial might end in failure, regardless of whether they reimed the throne. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡± ¡°No.¡± As Vi was about to step outside the mansion, Suhyuk stopped her. Confused, she looked at Suhyuk, who pointed in a different direction with his finger. ¡°We¡¯re going this way.¡± * The three Valkyries had each protected the throne in their own ways. ine, as a noble of Conrad Kingdom, had ensured no new king rose in the kingdom for 500 years. Vi, as the guardian knight of the kingdom, had protected the throne from the closest position. And Belveim. She had been stationed at the mansion connected to the throne, ready to safeguard it at any moment. ¡°I never knew this ce existed¡­¡± Vi walked through the underground path with a sense of wonder. The only way to illuminate the path in the darkness was a small orb of light that Vi had created. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Vi had served in the royal pce of Conrad Kingdom for hundreds of years. Even she didn¡¯t know about it, which meant no one else knew about this path. ¡°Then the secret was well kept. Belveim must have been dedicated to her mission in her own way.¡± Despite her betrayal, Belveim was still a Valkyrie. Until she discovered that Asgard had abandoned the throne, and by extension, abandoned them, she had been devoted to her mission more than anyone. ¡°With a path like this¡­¡± Walking along the path, Vi mumbled, contemting the possibilities. ¡°If the royal pce hasn¡¯t fallen, we might be able to retrieve the throne.¡± A glimmer of hope emerged. Vi¡¯s face began to show some signs of life. Suhyuk noticed the wound on Vi¡¯s back. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°This?¡± Vi nodded, indicating she was fine. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°The wound isn¡¯t small.¡± ¡°When the war with Muspelheim was at its peak, I fought even with wounds much worse than this. This is nothing.¡± Suhyuk nodded at her response. His concern wasn¡¯t just about the extent of the wound. Though the wound on her back wasn¡¯t small, he didn¡¯t think a Valkyrie would be unable to fight because of it. What he was more concerned about was something else. ¡®It¡¯s more a mental than a physical issue.¡¯ Her mental state. No matter how strong someone¡¯s mental fortitude was, she had lost tworades she had been with for centuries. Moreover, one of them had betrayed her and tried to kill her. ¡®I¡­¡¯ For him, it was an event that felt like just twenty years ago. He had been betrayed by Kim Ilsoo, whom he had trusted as an old friend, and half of his other friends had died. In his madness, he had chosen to die there alongside Kim Ilsoo. He had failed, but still. Back then, what had kept him going were his survivingrades. For Vi now, the only thing keeping her going was her mission. As they walked, drawing closer to their destination. ¡°You desire the power of lightning, right?¡± Vi asked, difficultly revealing her true thoughts. ¡°You already possess some of it.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Suhyuk didn¡¯t avoid answering. She was right. This was his true intention. He had no intention of hiding it. If he did, Vi would see him as someone inscrutable. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Vi nodded slightly and spoke. ¡°If something happens to me, prioritize the mission over me.¡± As expected. What was keeping her grounded was herst remaining mission from Asgard. Suhyuk directed his gaze forward. They came upon a staircase leading upward. This was the central temple of the Conrad Kingdom, leading to the Thunder Throne. Before they ascended. ¡°That will never happen.¡± Suhyuk responded, cutting off Vi¡¯s words decisively. Vi, who had a solemn expression, turned to look at the side of Suhyuk¡¯s face. Vigo also seemed surprised. Both were touched. But Suhyuk¡¯s response wasn¡¯t purely altruistic. ¨C Joking? ¨C Just try letting her die ¨C Protect her at all costs ¨C Haha, no way he¡¯d really do that, right? ¨C More than half the poprity of this stream was due to Vi. ¨C Perhaps that¡¯s why half of the new missions were directly tied to her survival. ¡®If she dies, the losses will be huge.¡¯ Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Conrad Kingdom¡¯s royal pce. In the central training grounds located underground, the knights were assembled. ¡°Demons, all of a sudden?¡± Silvas, the captain of the royal knights of Conrad Kingdom, emerged, donning his gear. Behind him, the knights lined up, ready to defend the royal pce. ¡°The numbers haven¡¯t been ascertained yet. Their identities remain ambiguous¡­¡± ¡°Ambiguous? What do you mean?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t confirmed any definite shapes or numbers.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Demons had appeared in the heart of the capital, near the royal pce, yet they couldn¡¯t even determine their numbers or shapes. It was maddeningly frustrating. ¡°I apologize!¡± ¡°First, find out their objective. Gather detailed intelligence on their forces! And¡­¡± Silvas clenched his hand, hesitating before he continued. ¡°Where is Lady Vi?¡± At Silvas¡¯s question, the vice-captain, Bron, had an incredulous expression. ¡°Are you suggesting that Lady Vi¡ª¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Silvas interrupted, shaking his head. ¡°But if demons have really appeared in the kingdom, then the legend might be true as well. It has to be.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Bron nodded and quickly issued orders to the knights. ¡°You heard him! From now on, each squad splits up based on their roles! The central knights will request cooperation from the temple and prepare for demon hunting!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Stop talking and start moving!¡± The knights¡¯ steps quickened. Silvas watched the knights leave and found himself alone. ¡°Demons¡­¡± He knew such beings existed. God and demons definitely existed and might even be nearby. But no demons had appeared in the history of Conrad Kingdom for the past few hundred years. Their existence was merely passed down through pictures and stories. And now. ¡®Why now, of all times?¡¯ Was it the end of the kingdom? Or, unlike the legends, was it just a passing storm? Silvas didn¡¯t have the answer. For hundreds of years. One knight, rooted in this kingdom like a legend, had safeguarded the kingdom. ¡°¡­Lady Vi.¡± Perhaps he had the answers. Creak-. Just then, a door on the floor suddenly opened. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Silvas widened his eyes in surprise. A woman with such beautiful blonde hair that one could never forget once seen. The very person they had been searching for stood before him. ¡°Sir, Lady Vi?¡± ¡°Yes, sir Silvas.¡± ¡°How are you here¡­ No, more importantly, what about this passage¡­¡± Silvas¡¯s gaze then shifted to Suhyuk and Vigo, who had followed behind Vi. He recognized Vigo, having seen him a few times. He knew Vigo was a close associate of Vi and a highly skilled knight. But. ¡°Who is this man?¡± A man in strange attire whose identity he did not know. Vi¡¯s sudden appearance raised many questions. How she had appeared here, what that passage was, and who this mysterious man was. But there was no time to exin everything. ¡°The demons are already inside the castle.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Gather the knights. We must reim the throne.¡± Silvas thought back to the recent situation. ¡°The knights are currently moving out to deal with the demons outside.¡± ¡°The demons¡¯ goal is the vacant throne of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Why would they be after the throne?¡± ¡°Because it came from Asgard.¡± Silvas¡¯s eyes changed at that answer. ¡°As expected, Lady Vi, you are¡­¡± ¡°I apologize for the deception.¡± Fwoosh-. A pure white aura emitted from Vi¡¯s entire body. As the Valkyrie¡¯s power was revealed, silvas¡¯s eyes widened, and he knelt. ¡°I bow to the messenger of the gods.¡± A legend existed in Conrad Kingdom. Since the founding of the kingdom, a single knight had always protected it. That knight was said to be a messenger from the heavens, and the true king of Conrad Kingdom was believed to be that knight. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, silvas. Now is not the time for formalities.¡± As if marking today as the final day of her mission, Vi revealed everything she had been hiding. Following her words, silvas stood up from his kneeling position. Respect for the Valkyrie was up to this point. Now was the time to deal with the demons that had appeared in the kingdom. ¡°As the Valkyriemands, I will recall the knights back to the castle. The objective is¡­¡± ¡°To guard the throne.¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely.¡± Silvas no longer regarded Suhyuk with curiosity. It seemed he had decided to trust anyone who was with Vi. One less thing to worry about. Suhyuk nced at Silvas, who was rushing ahead, and then lifted his head. ¡®This is strange.¡¯ The reaction made it seem as if it was the first time demons had appeared in the castle. Despite Vi having fled outside the kingdom because of the demons. Suhyuk, Vi, and Vigo followed Silvas to the surface. As soon as they emerged from the underground training grounds. ze-. A fiery scene greeted their eyes, with mes zing red. ¡°What¡­¡± A bewildered Silvas saw the fallen knights scattered along the corridor floor. The castle was already in chaos. mes erupted from the walls, and the bodies of knights, servants, and othersy strewn about. And through the window. Thud-. Demons from Muspelheim peered into the castle from beyond the windows. ¡°D-demons¡­¡± Silvas staggered backward. Suhyuk¡¯s gaze moved to the demons outside the window. Demons over 5 meters tall. Being originally giants, Muspelheim¡¯s demons reached heights equivalent to several stories. Seeing the giants engulfed in mes, Suhyuk narrowed his eyes. ¡®I have a rough idea.¡¯ Boom-! A giant¡¯s fist smashed the castle wall, causing mes to ze up. As Silvas hurriedly unsheathed his sword, something shed in front of him. Crunch-! The giant¡¯s fist was split in two. The mes that had been burning fiercely were extinguished in an instant, brightening the surroundings. ¡°Go up! Quickly!¡± With a single stroke, Vi severed the demon¡¯s hand. The demons¡¯ attention was drawn to the sword she wielded. ¡°Th-this way, please!¡± Taking the opportunity Vi created by holding off the demons, silvas guided Suhyuk and Vigo. While uncertain of the situation, he decided it was imperative to help Vi and herpanions. But then. ¡°What are you doing? Noting?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to leisurely take the stairs.¡± Instead of following Silvas, Suhyuk closed his eyes quietly. Using the stairs was inefficient. Though he felt slightly guilty, the only way to reduce their journey was to use his power. ¡®The direction is straight up.¡¯ Reopening his eyes, he looked upward. He gathered lightning into his hand. Recalling the feeling of creating the lightning spear, he prepared a powerful strike. The target wasn¡¯t the demons surrounding Vi. It was the ceiling that separated the floors. sh-! Boom-! The bolt of lightning shot through the ceiling, soaring high into the sky. No matter how sturdy the marble ceiling might be, it wasn¡¯t as thick as the castle walls. The lightning pierced through the royal castle¡¯s ceiling, reaching up to the clouds. ¡°A path is clear¡­¡± Vigo shouted at the gaping hole above them. ¡°Quickly, up!¡± Tap-. Suhyuk moved even faster than Vigo¡¯s shout. Though he didn¡¯t jump directly upwards immediately. Boom-! Lightning exploded on the head of a demon rushing towards Vi. Vi, who was about to swing her sword at the staggering demon, paused momentarily. And in that moment. ¡°This way.¡± Grip-. Suhyuk grabbed Vi¡¯s wrist and pulled her upwards through the ceiling opening. ¡°You go first!¡± ¡°No need to waste your strength.¡± ¡°Waste? How¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste, indeed.¡± Up on the ceiling that pierced through to the sky. Running towards the top where the throne was located, Suhyuk spoke with certainty. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± Leaping over several ceilings, Vi and Suhyuk arrived at the temple where the throne was located. Thud-. But arriving didn¡¯t mean it was over. ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Vi looked despondent, as if she had expected this. me-. The gigantic temple, spanning thousands of square meters, was aze. The high throne was surrounded by mes hotter thanva, and within the zing inferno, the silhouettes of dozens of demons glowed menacingly. ¡°Just a Valkyrie and a human, is it?¡± ¡°The human is slightly interesting. He possesses the power of lightning.¡± ¡°Why a human?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll soon find out. First, let¡¯s tear them limb from limb and ask questionster.¡± The giants¡¯ vicious conversation made Vi grimace in disgust. The demons below were nothing. The fearsome sight of the demons surrounding the temple made it hard for her to breathe. Though she had held onto even a sliver of hope, there was no such thing in this battle from the start. ¡°Vi.¡± Clink-. Vigo pointed his spear forward. His spear trembled. ¡°It¡¯s been an honor fighting alongside you.¡± Forcing a smile, Vigo continued. ¡°I had hoped to have a more valiant farewell, but¡­¡± ¡°Vigo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened with Belveim. I showed such a pathetic side.¡± The fearful aura of a warrior prepared to die flowed from him. With the determination to take at least one demon with him, Vigo braced himself to perform the impossible. But. Just as he was about to move. ¡°Don¡¯t act so foolish.¡± Grab-. Thud-. Suddenly, his cor was grabbed, and Vigo fell backward awkwardly. ¡°Ugh-.¡± ¡°Stay put.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I need to check something.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned to the throne engulfed in mes. ¡°¡­There¡¯s something I need to do there.¡± The mes around the throne were so intense that the throne itself was barely visible. Approaching it seemed nearly impossible. Step-. However, Suhyuk leisurely began to walk toward the throne. ¡°If you go alone, it¡¯s dan¡ª¡± ¡°Do not follow.¡± Without looking back, Suhyuk repeated to Vi and Vigo. ¡°I need to check something.¡± It was the same statement again. His calm voice was somehow reassuring. Vi and Vigo watched in a daze as he walked into the mes and the demons. His figure walking into the inferno seemed anything but suicidal. It was an unreal sight. Maybe. Perhaps he had found a way. me-. Suhyuk¡¯s form disappeared into the mes. Demon silhouettes, wielding swords and hammers, could be seen aiming at him. ¡°Suhyuk!¡± But despite Vi¡¯s shout, the mes roared even fiercer,pletely consuming Suhyuk. Whoosh-! ¡°Ah¡­¡± A sigh escaped Vi¡¯s lips. It felt like waking from a hopeful dream back into harsh reality. The small glimmer of hope vanished. The mes hadpletely devoured Suhyuk, and he was gone without a trace. All that was left was to wait for the mes to consume them as well. But then. ¡°Vi!¡± An astonished Vigo pointed somewhere with his finger. ¡°L-look, the throne!¡± ¡°The throne?¡± Vi¡¯s gaze followed Vigo¡¯s finger. Within the fierce mes. A faint, wavering silhouette could be seen. At the highest point of the temple, on Asgard¡¯s cherished treasure that no one had ever been able to sit on. Amidst the raging red mes, someone was sitting on the Thunder Throne. TL¡¯s Corner: Hell yeah, the king has returned. Or maybe arrived? Chapter 109 Chapter 109 ¡ºThe ¡®Thunder Throne¡¯ is identifying its owner.¡» When Suhyuk first sat on the throne, his heart skipped a beat for a moment. He thought it would be over once he sat down, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡®How annoyingly fastidious.¡¯ Previously, no such message had appeared. Granted. Back then, the names of the throne and the treasures hidden within were slightly different. The unused Thunder Throne. And the empty Heart of Thunder. This throne was originally supposed to be tattered and drained of power by the demons. However. ¡ºThe ¡®Empty Heart of Thunder¡¯ is governing the ¡®Thunder Throne¡¯.¡» ¡ºThe ¡®Thunder Throne¡¯ recognizes you as its owner.¡» Thanks to the shell that remained inside, Suhyuk was able to sit here. ¡®So, this item was the key.¡¯ To think the reward for conquering the Thunder Cave was merely a key. But considering the significance of the Thunder Throne, it wasn¡¯t just anything. This throne was originally prepared for the next king of Asgard. me-. The mes zed fiercely. It was as if they were telling him to get off the throne. ¡°That throne doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡± ¡°Step down! Otherwise¡ª¡± ¡°You will live forever in a hellish fire, neither dead nor alive¡ª¡± Whoosh-. The mes roared threateningly. Giant swords and hammers approached the throne as if to destroy it. But only for a moment. ¡°What a clich¨¦ line.¡± Crackle-! The demons¡¯ swords and hammers were blocked by the blue lightning surrounding the throne. ¡°You don¡¯t even have the strength for that.¡± Crack-. The throne, having found its master, split apart. Having experienced this once before, Suhyuk wasn¡¯t surprised. The Thunder Throne. This seat, which the ruler of Asgard intended to pass on to their sessor, hid treasures carefully guarded by the gods. Crack, crackle-. Once the throne cracked, it began to crumble rapidly. And as if not willing to wait. Thud-. Suhyuk reached into the broken throne and grabbed the desired item. ¡ºYou have obtained the ¡®Heart of Thunder¡¯.¡» And at that moment. sh-. ¡ºThe ¡®Memories of Thunder¡¯mence.¡» The final cutscene of this trial began. * It was blurry. Suhyuk thought the cutscene hadn¡¯t started yet, given the view before him. Many people were gathered around a single object. He thought the cutscene hadn¡¯t begun because their faces were obscured by dark fog. But then. -Pause? -Did someone break him? -Fal-hi? -(Action) It seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®Again.¡¯ Whenever Suhyuk undertook a test rted to lightning, a cutscene that wasn¡¯t stream to the viewers appeared. This cutscene was one of those. To the viewers, it seemed as if Suhyuk had simply frozen in ce. As Suhyuk briefly nced at the chat, it happened. ¡°No one is speaking.¡± Among those whose faces were obscured by dark fog, a man d in golden armor spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not an easy decision to make.¡± ¡°Whoever takes it won¡¯t be easily epted.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned towards the object in the center. It was the blue gem he held in his hand. Or rather, it looked simr but was different in one aspect. Its size. The gem looked at least twice asrge as the one in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°Who will take it?¡± It seemed this gathering was meant to determine the owner of the artifact. However, no one spoke up even as time passed. ¡°If no one wants it, I¡¯ll take it.¡± The man in the golden armor who first spoke made this deration, causing others to protest. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You already have the biggest share among us.¡± ¡°Your greed is excessive.¡± As if expecting such reactions, he responded indifferently. ¡°Then decide quickly. Who will take it?¡± They couldn¡¯t see faces or expressions. But it was clear from their reactions. Everyone present coveted that artifact. The only reason they hesitated was singr. ¡°We¡¯d like to take it, but¡­¡± ¡°There might be another bloodbath¡­¡± Too much blood had been spilled over that artifact already. Everyone watched each other warily, not daring to speak up. Then. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± One person finally stepped forward. ¡°If it¡¯s you, then¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you, I agree.¡± ¡°Not a bad choice.¡± ¡°Do as you will.¡± There was no opposition. As the decision seemed made, the person known as ¡ö¡ö stepped forward. When ¡ö¡ö grasped the blue gem with arge hand, ¡°I have one question.¡± The man in the golden armor asked. ¡°What do you intend to do with it?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention turned back to ¡ö¡ö. It was a question on everyone¡¯s mind, including Suhyuk¡¯s. What would the person do with the power of lightning? It seemed he had already thought it through, as his answer came quickly. ¡°I intend to give it to my son.¡± Son. The response caused a stir. ¡°You¡¯re not going to use it yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re passing it to your bloodline?¡± The unexpected choice created a murmur among the group. Though it became somewhat noisy, there was no outright opposition. In fact. It seemed that many were satisfied, thinking this might be the correct decision. ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°So in the end, none of us will take it for ourselves.¡± Some evenughed heartily. Suhyuk strained to see their faces hidden by the dark fog. ¡®Who are you people?¡¯ He knew he currentlycked the authority to know. The obscured names, the unseen faces were all filtered by the system. Despite this, Suhyuk tried to glean any clues about them. Getting even a small hint might bring him a step closer to understanding the power of lightning. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± The scene started to blur. The cutscene was ending. Without blinking, Suhyuk focused intently, trying to discern even one more detail. And then. ¡º¡®¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯ is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡®¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯ is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡®¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯ is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» A memory from long ago shed in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. He recalled the cutscene he saw when he first obtained the Heart of Thunder. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ The shadowy figures, the nameless gazes. They ovepped with the figures from that cutscene. ¡®Those from back then?¡¯ sh-. * me-. Within the roaring mes. The throne was crumbling and copsing. For a moment, a powerful burst of lightning seemed to threaten the demons, but it was fleeting. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ Biting her lip in anxiety and worry, Vi stared into the mes. Someone had definitely sat on the throne. Since unauthorized individuals couldn¡¯t sit on it, and the giants wouldn¡¯t sit there, it had to be Suhyuk. But how? She had wondered if he could be the new owner of the throne. But that was assuming the throne was undamaged. Prating through the zing inferno and contending with dozens or hundreds of demons seemed impossible. If he had such power, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to use the underground passage made by Belveim. Rumble-. The throne hadpletely copsed. There was no sign of Suhyuk, and they couldn¡¯t tell how their mission was proceeding amidst the engulfing mes. Step-. Someone emerged from the fire. It was Suhyuk, leisurely walking through the demons. In his hand was a blue gem. ¡®That is¡­¡¯ Vi¡¯s eyes widened at the familiar power emanating from the gem. She had no concrete evidence, but she was more certain than anything. For 500 years, she had lived for one thing, and she could not fail to recognize it. The Thunder Throne. The very item that the three Valkyries had been protecting all this time was that small gem. ¡°You said you needed to check something, right?¡± As Suhyuk approached, instead of exining the gem, he said somethingpletely different. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Shing-. He drew the sword from his waist. The silver de reflected the fieryndscape of the temple. Was he nning to fight now? Against that many demons? Before the doubt could even settle. Boom-! A deafening thunderp erupted from the blue gem in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. It was a familiar sound. Rather than being bothered by the piercing noise, Vi felt aforting sense of returning home. These sounds were identical to when she served in Asgard, when a little boy acquired another piece of thunder. ¡°Vi! Finally, I have received the recognition of thunder!¡± When was that? Over 500 years ago, almost a thousand years in the past. The young prince of Asgard who hadn¡¯t yet shed his boyish image. ¡°Look at this!¡± Boom-! He joyously swung his hammer, thrilled by the power he had acquired. Despite being so young, his strength was overwhelming, and the Valkyries couldn¡¯t stop him. ¡®Prince Thor.¡¯ The prince of Asgard who led battles with Mjolnir, a hammer forged from fragments of thunder and the blessings of countless stars. When he first swung Mjolnir, it made the same sound. As Vi was momentarily lost in nostalgia, overwhelmed by Suhyuk¡¯s disy of power. sh-! With a blinding light, Suhyuk¡¯s sword descended. Boom-! With the echoing thunderp, the zing red mes that engulfed the temple were split vertically. As if extinguished by a fierce wind, the mes within the temple wavered precariously. Whoosh-. What followed took Vipletely by surprise once more. ¡°What?¡± As the mes receded, the demons filling the temple disappeared like a mirage. One by one, without making any noise. They vanished as if they had never been there. ¡°Wh-what is this?¡± Vigo was equally bewildered. Could he have in all those demons with a single swing? No. It was impossible. Such a feat could only be aplished by a select few, including the king of Asgard and some of the greatest chosen gods. Though it was astonishing that Suhyuk had acquired a power simr to Thor¡¯s, it still didn¡¯t make sense. Unable to hold back any longer, Vi asked. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°I simply showed the truth.¡± Even now, the demons that had been before them continued to vanish rapidly. ¡°You wondered how Muspelheim managed to send so many demons, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°You were wrong.¡± Suhyuk shook his head and gestured to the split mes. ¡°There were no such demons to begin with.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 The scene hadpletely changed. Everything vanished like an illusion. The copsed throne. The now-empty temple. And in the middle of it all, only a single, feeble ember remained, flickering much more weakly than before. Swoosh-. Something emerged from that ember. A blood-red hand that seemed to have been dipped in blood. Red eyes, symbolic of demons. As Vi looked at the demon with long, dark hair tinged with crimson, she asked. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± ¡°A demon.¡± ¡°I can tell that much. But what exactly happened¡­?¡± There was only one. All those demons had vanished, leaving just one behind. ¡°There was only ever one.¡± The problem was the initial belief in the hundreds of demons. Only Vi and ine had confirmed it with their eyes. ¡°It¡¯s much easier to deceive the eyes of two Valkyries than to bring hundreds of demons here.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°An illusion-based demon.¡± Vi had seen hundreds of demons in the single demon before her. And ine had seen the same. With one exception. ¡°Belveim seemed to have known.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned to the demon slowly rising. ¡°Judging by how she desperately tried to keep it hidden.¡± ¡°¡­ When did you figure it out?¡± Suhyuk hesitated briefly before answering the demon¡¯s question. ¡°I suspected from the beginning.¡± There was no real need to answer the demon¡¯s question, but¡­ -The truth -How did he know? -Well said (image of a cow climbing) -Good question The viewers were just as curious. ¡°But I needed confirmation.¡± ¡°Confirmation?¡± ¡°Neither Asgard nor Muspelheim can intervene heavily here, right? That¡¯s what¡¯s set by the system.¡± That was the first point of suspicion. ¡°And the city was too quiet. If there were truly that many demons, the city would¡¯ve been in chaos long ago.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No. Surely not.¡± Up to that point, it was just a sense of something being off. He became certainter. ¡°You killed Belveim.¡± That was the biggest clue. Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned to the bewildered Vigo. ¡°You used him.¡± ¡°Me-me?¡± ¡°Yes, you.¡± Perhaps her death was a mechanism within this trial to ensure itspletion. If not for that situation, even Suhyuk wouldn¡¯t have been so certain. ¡°A demon with illusion abilities. If that demon has something to hide, it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± The most fundamental condition for breaking an illusion is realizing that it is an illusion. The same goes for illusions that fall under the illusion category. The moment you recognize it isn¡¯t real, its power diminishes. Therefore, demons or yers with illusion abilities put a great deal of effort into ensuring their illusions aren¡¯t discovered. Moreover, ¡°Above all, there is no such thing as an insurmountable trial.¡± Thest statement was directed into the mic. This was for the viewers. Terms like trials wouldn¡¯t make sense to demons or Valkyries. ¡®Was that why?¡¯ Listening to the exnation, Vi thought back to Suhyuk entering the mes. ¡°I need to check something.¡± From the start, Suhyuk knew the mes were fake. Entering the mes was a way to confirm it. But. ¡®Is merely knowing enough?¡¯ Though she was a swordswoman, Vi wasn¡¯t entirely ignorant about illusion abilities. Training to be a Valkyrie included dealing with the illusions and hallucinations used by demons. Even if she knew she was under an illusion, even recognizing the demon before her as an illusion was only the first step. ¡®Knowing and oveing it are different matters.¡¯ The illusion was crafted so well that even a Valkyrie was ensnared. Recognizing it as real, even for a moment, could mean instant immtion. To ovee it meant having immense confidence in one¡¯s own strength and mental fortitude. ¡°I¡¯ve answered everything, so let me ask you one thing.¡± Although his earlier exnation was for the viewers, Suhyuk took the opportunity to ask a question. ¡°How did Belveime to know about this? I doubt she figured it out on her own.¡± The one question that remained unsolved. Given that they had gone to great lengths to kill Belveim, it was clear she knew something, but the process was unclear. Fortunately. ¡°She came to see me because of that item in your hand.¡± The demon, who knew the reason, provided an answer. ¡°She wanted me to just take it. Her resentment towards Asgard was considerable.¡± The demon¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. Despite being exposed, he wasn¡¯t significantly disturbed. No. Instead, he looked past Suhyuk to Vi with mockery in his eyes. ¡°Is your household quite dysfunctional too?¡± The demon taunted Vi, using Belveim¡¯s betrayal as fodder. Having just been betrayed and stabbed in the back by her friend, Vi clenched her jaw so hard, her teeth threatened to break. ¡°Shut up. I don¡¯t want to hear it from someone worse than us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve always been like this. But you all weren¡¯t, were you?¡± The demon¡¯s taunt left Vi at a loss for words. He was right. Demons had never valuedradeship or friendship. For them,panionship was something to be betrayed at convenience, and when nourishment was needed, to be devoured like a meal. ¡°You pretend to be noble on the outside, but inside, you¡¯re hypocrites just like us.¡± The demon was essentially saying that they were no different from each other. What makes you any different from us? Briefly, the demon¡¯s gaze shifted to the gem in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. The Heart of Thunder. The artifact desired by Valkyries descended to earth and demons risen from hell. ¡°It¡¯s all because of that.¡± The demon¡¯s true desirey in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°You Valkyries have fallen and be no different from us demons.¡± Swoosh-. The demon reached out a hand. ¡°Hand that over to us. Then such tragedies will never happen again.¡± With that, Suhyuk nced at Vi. He could sense her wavering. Vi was already shaken by Belveim¡¯s betrayal and ine¡¯s death. What had held her together was the single word ¡°mission¡±. But. To hear that the mission was the reason herrades died. ¡°Don¡¯t listen.¡± Vi flinched at Suhyuk¡¯s voice and looked up. ¡°He¡¯s like a snake. His voice isced with illusions.¡± Hearing was as sensitive a sense as sight. Just as sight could be deceived by illusions, voice was often used as a medium to cast illusions. ¡°What? You figured that out?¡± ¡°Belveim fell for your tricks as well.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± The demon grinned at Suhyuk¡¯s deduction. ¡°You even got that right?¡± With an almost affirmative reply, Vi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make it seem like it¡¯s all my fault. Do you think I chose her for no reason?¡± Shrugging, the demon continued to taunt Vi. ¡°She already had deep doubts about the mission well before. I just added a bit of spice, something very stimting.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Grit-. Clenching her teeth, she exuded killing intent. Crack-. As Vi took a step forward, the temple¡¯s floor cracked. Her body was so tensed with anger that she didn¡¯t even care about the floor. Putting all her strength into her legs, she lunged at the demon. ¡°How dare you!¡± Wham-! With both hands gripping her sword, she swung it with all her might. The walls of the temple were sliced, and the ceiling trembled. Rumble-. Her strike cleaved the demon¡¯s body in two. But that didn¡¯t satiate her. She continued to swing her sword. Swing-. sh, sh-. In an instant, repeated blows split the demon¡¯s body into ten, a hundred pieces. Vi wasn¡¯t swinging her sword to kill the demon. She was using it to vent the rage boiling inside her. Momentster. As she was about to swing her sword at the now-unrecognizable demon again. ¡°Stop.¡± Grip-. A hand caught her wildly swinging arm. Suhyuk was the one who stopped her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stop.¡± ¡°If you were cutting him properly, I¡¯d let you continue.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wondering what he meant, Vi looked back at Suhyuk, who had stopped her. Whoosh-. Suddenly, the world around her changed. Feeling a strange sense of difort, she turned to the demon and saw that he wasn¡¯t cut into hundreds of pieces; he didn¡¯t even have a scratch. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You were wildly swinging your sword at empty air.¡± Crush-. With his other hand, Suhyuk crushed a long, red thorn he had grabbed with his grip. ¡°Without realizing that this was aiming for your neck.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Vi, drenched in sweat and exhausted, slumped to the ground. She looked half out of her mind. Part of it was due to moving violently while badly injured, but more than that, she seemed to have sustained significant mental damage. It made sense. An illusionist¡¯s power was always about wounding the mind more than the body. Of course. That didn¡¯t work on everyone. ¡°It seems it doesn¡¯t work on you.¡± The demon¡¯s expression changed for the first time, showing displeasure. Unlike with Vi, his ability didn¡¯t affect Suhyuk. He had assumed he¡¯d dealt with all of Asgard¡¯s Valkyries, but an unexpected variable had appeared. ¡°If it were any other time, even she¡¯d be a tough opponent.¡± Vi was a woman of great mental fortitude. Losing tworades and still running here for the mission showed that clearly. The reason she fell into the illusion multiple times despite this was simple. ¡°She¡¯s just¡­ hurting right now.¡± The pain of losingrades was something Suhyuk understood well. If it were him standing there instead of Vi, he too would have easily sumbed to the illusion. Right now, the demon in front of them was a perfect counter to Vi in her current state. Step-. Suhyuk walked past Vi and approached the demon. ¡°So, I¡¯ll just have to help her out for now.¡± ¡°You seem to be under a misunderstanding.¡± Creeeak-. Numerous blood-red thorns materialized around the demon. ¡°Do you think illusions are the only thing I can do?¡± It was as if the demon was wielding thousands, even tens of thousands of weapons. Considering the system¡¯s penalties, Muspelheim had chosen and sent one of their finest. This demon likely had the strength equivalent to three Valkyries, including Vi. Illusions were just one of his many abilities; he was undoubtedly a high-ranking demon. But. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± If this was the final trial. Sizzle, sizzle-. Suhyuk could use something powerful enough to ignore all that. Sizzle, crackle-! As lightning spread over Suhyuk¡¯s body, an eerie ck light began to envelop it. ¡°No matter what you can do.¡± At that moment. Boom-! With a thunderous roar, ck lightning struck Suhyuk from the broken ceiling of the temple. ¡ºThe ¡®Lightning Lord¡¯ dwells in your body.¡» Chapter 111 Chapter 111 The first memory of Volter, the demon from Muspelheim, was of gazes filled with prejudice and hatred. ¡°He¡¯s too small.¡± ¡°Such an unimpressive creature.¡± ¡°A disgrace to Muspelheim.¡± He remembered looking up at the demons who uttered those words for a long time. Muspelheim was the world of giants. Giants and demons. A world inhabited by a great race possessing the strength of both. That was what Muspelheim was. But in such a ce, ¡®Why am I so small?¡¯ Volter was born devoid of a giant¡¯s bloodline, possessing only the power of a demon. Crunch-. If his first memory was of hatred and prejudice, his first meal was a discarded bone with scraps of meat. Volter grew up eating such things. He survived by eating whatever he could and built up his strength. He avoided being trampled by giants several times and hid away. How much time passed like that? One day. Suddenly, he realized they didn¡¯t seem so big anymore. Drip, drip-. So he killed them all. On the day he stood atop the corpses of demons whose bodies were torn apart by thousands of thorns, Volter no longer feared other demons. Then one day. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± A different kind of demon came to find him. A demon of a different stature. A body so sturdy that the thorns couldn¡¯t pierce it. Much greater than the demons who had initially looked at him with disgust, an overwhelming sense of powerlessness enveloped him. ¡°I have a task for you.¡± The demon suddenly presented him with a whip and a carrot. ¡°If you do well, we¡¯ll ept you into ¡®us¡¯.¡± Us. Just the word made Volter¡¯s heart burn with fervor. Even though he had killed countless demons who scorned him, the truth was, he wanted to be a part of the group known as Muspelheim. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± At Volter¡¯s question, the demon whose head was hidden by clouds responded. ¡°Bring me thunder.¡± Thunder? Volter looked up at the sky with a puzzled expression. Even in Muspelheim, where the mes zed, thunder and lightning asionally struck. But Volter had never thought of it as something one could hold. Above all, ¡®Is it really necessary?¡¯ Even in the sky he looked up at, the demon before him was there. With overwhelming strength and stature. His presence, which naturallymanded awe, seemed iparable to the thunder and lightning striking from the sky. ¡®For someone like him?¡¯ These natural phenomena seemed like mere child¡¯s y in front of him. That was how Volter thought at that time. * BOOM-! He heard the sound in a split second. Something swept over his body. By the time he recognized it, the world had already turned ck. He felt it instinctively. He must not get hit. But he couldn¡¯t avoid it. Then, could he block it? His body moved before his thoughts did. Numerous thorns enveloped Volter¡¯s body like armor. Crunch-. Thousands, tens of thousands of thorns were crushed. In the blink of an eye, the ck wave shattered the thorn armor and swept through Volter¡¯s body. ¡®What just passed¡­¡¯ Crackle, crackle-. His body wouldn¡¯t move, as if paralyzed. He couldn¡¯t even feel the heat. By the time the ck-tinged lightning wave had swept through his body, his entire body had already been charred. ¡®-I see.¡¯ After a moment, Volter realized his situation. ¡®I¡¯m dead.¡¯ Thunk-. His body toppled over. In the moment he sensed his death, Volter struggled to lift his head and looked at Suhyuk. Crackle, crackle-. A faint ck aura was still flowing around Suhyuk¡¯s body. Whatever had entered his body¡­ He had be somethingpletely different from before. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ As he looked at Suhyuk, Volter recalled the demon who had once told him to bring the thunder. ¡®So that¡¯s why¡­¡¯ He began to understand why such a great demon desired that power so much. Sizzle-. Volter¡¯s body, which had fallen to the ground, crumbled into ck ash and scattered. ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 1.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 1.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 1.¡» As Volter fell, Suhyuk leveled up. Crackle-. The power that had filled his body drained away. As the presence of the thunder¡¯s master dissipated, he felt his body lighten. And at that moment. ¡ºYou have passed Stage 3.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 2.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 2.¡» ¡ºFocus increased by 2.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» ¡ºMagic increased by 2.¡» ¡ºYou have gained 20,000 points.¡» ¡ºYou have obtained the ¡®Heart of Thunder¡¯.¡» After hunting the demon, Suhyuk had already leveled up once, and now he leveled up three more times. He had also gained a substantial amount of points. While he wondered if there might be more rewards besides the Heart of Thunder, it seemed that this was indeed the final reward for the trial. ¡®Should I be satisfied with this?¡¯ ncing at the sparkling blue gem in his hand, Suhyuk pondered. The Heart of Thunder gleamed brilliantly. Though there were no additional rewards, it wasn¡¯t as if the rewards werecking. After all, it was an item so precious that both Asgard and Muspelheim coveted it. ¡®And not just them.¡¯ As seen in the cutscene, it wasn¡¯t only Asgard that desired the Heart of Thunder. Many other beings, whose faces he wasn¡¯t yet allowed to see due to his current level, all wanted this item. However, ¡¾ Heart of Thunder ¡¿ Grade: Legendary Type: Material Description: A raw gemstone imbued with the power of lightning. Note: It is a half-piece. The issue was that it was still difficult to use it properly in its current state. -Material?? -Feels a bit underwhelming¡­ -Underwhelming? LOL Look at the grade! -Do you see a Legendary grade as a joke? When he quietly revealed the item¡¯s options, a heated debate arose among the viewers about its value. Most of the opinions were positive. There was no particr reason. As with most yers, the first thing that caught their eye was the grade. ¡®Legendary grade¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the first time he had obtained such a grade. In the second floor¡¯s trial, Suhyuk had gotten his hands on a Legendary item. However, the ¡°Lightning Spear¡± he acquired then was a single-use item. Now, the next one he obtained was ssified as a material. ¡®It¡¯s better than a one-time use item, but still¡­¡¯ It gave him a headache. ¡®The problem is finding an artisan.¡¯ From his previous experience, he knew he could use the item even in its current state. It was highly effective. When he harnessed the item¡¯s power, even with rtively little effort, he could unleash higher output lightning. However, material items showed their true power only when properly crafted. ¡º¡¯VultureHeb¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºI know an artisan, want an introduction?¡» It started with that donation message. ¨C I also know a jeweler. ¨C My friend is a really famous artisan in the Murim World. ¨C My profession is artifact maker, LOL. From introductions to ims of being an item maker themselves, many messages poured in. It was difficult to tell if they were genuine or not, and pondering this, he nced at the chat briefly. ¡°Vi-Vi!¡± Vigo¡¯s urgent voice called out. Turning his head to see what was wrong, Vi had copsed unconscious. ¡°Move aside.¡± Fearing something might be terribly wrong, he approached and checked her pulse, hearing her gentle breathing. -She¡¯s out. -Sleeping tight. -Made herself at home. Relieved, Suhyuk let out a sigh of relief. ¡°She¡¯s asleep.¡± It seemed she had finally rxed. The wounds inflicted by Belveim were not minor, and she had pushed herself to keep moving. While most of the immediate problems were resolved, the trial wasn¡¯t over yet. There were still many things he needed to learn from her. *** In the dark forest, Yerang held the neck of a demon tight in her grip. ¡°Talk.¡± Her nails dug into the demon¡¯s flesh. The red-skinned demon¡¯s eyes filled with blood as his body trembled. ¡°Who was here? And what happened?¡± ¡°If you do that, he won¡¯t be able to talk even if he wants to.¡± At Shiwoo¡¯s intervention, a glint of killing intent shed in Yerang¡¯s eyes momentarily. She seemed quite agitated. It was understandable. ¡®To think no one would be here.¡¯ It had been quite some time since they entered the forest. During that time, Shiwoo and Yerang had not encountered a single trap, not even an ant. The only thing they found were demons hiding in the forest. From the demon¡¯s useless chatter, they were able to infer what had happened here. ¡°Quite the buffet today.¡± ¡°From Blue Zone to a couple of wandering ants?¡± Signs of battle were evident throughout the forest. They weren¡¯t old. Among them, there were quite a number of footprints. Just by looking at the footprints, Yerang could tell what had transpired here. ¡®A real fight took ce.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a trap meant for them. There was another reason why numerous yers from the Blue Zone were moving here. Which meant¡­ ¡®Could it really be that Gyuseong is here?¡¯ But why here, of all ces? Thud-. Yerang let go of the demon¡¯s neck. The demon, whose neck was punctured by her fingers, gasped and clutched his wound. ¡°Cuh¡­ Huff-.¡± ¡°Now answer. Unless you want to die painfully.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re certain you¡¯ll kill me.¡± ¡°Want to live? Then make it happen.¡± It was unclear if she was negotiating or being serious. While demons weren¡¯t afraid of pain, they weren¡¯t indifferent to death. Hearing Yerang¡¯s offer, the demon¡¯s gaze wavered. ¡°¡­ Lee Wonjae came from the Blue Zone.¡± ¡°Lee Wonjae?¡± Yerang¡¯s eyes narrowed. Lee Wonjae. The vice guild master of the Blue Zone, essentially Kim Ilsoo¡¯s right-hand man. The second-inmand of a major guild. Not someone who would typically move himself. For thatzy guy toe all the way here. ¡°Yes. And he took some human with him. They came for that person specifically and left immediately after.¡± ¡°What human?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his name. Someone much higher up took him in.¡± ¡°That kind of answer¡ª¡± Yerang was about to berate him for the unsatisfactory answer but closed her mouth. Clearly, the demon before her was a low-ranking one. Most of the truly formidable ones were far above the 6th floor and wouldn¡¯t be subdued easily. He probably was telling the truth. ¡°¡­ Anything else you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all there is. That¡¯s the end.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Nodding with understanding, Yerang stepped back. Then, Crack-. The demon¡¯s body began to freeze, and Shiwoo spoke up. ¡°I never said I¡¯d let you live.¡± Freezing the demon¡¯s body from head to heart, Shiwoo turned to Yerang. With aplicated expression, Yerang looked at him. ¡°Gyuseong.¡± Shiwoo shared his thoughts with her. ¡°It seems he¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Yerang shared that same thought. ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°Do you need to ask?¡± Crack-. Her eyes gleamed with determination. ¡°We¡¯ll find him. No matter what.¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 In the middle of the sea on the 7th floor. Cha Minwoo, having taken lodging on a small ind, looked up at the sky.. ¡°Was there always an ind like this?¡± He didn¡¯t know how far he was from the city or how he had gotten here. He had been blindfolded and had his hands and feet bound. nce-. Cha Minwoo¡¯s gaze turned to Hwang Gyuseong, who was basking in the sunlight in the grand courtyard of their lodging. To be taking a nap in such a situation. It seemed astonishingly carefree. ¡®Is that person really¡­¡¯ Hwang Gyuseong. One of the legends of Blue Eyes. It was still hard to believe that he was standing before him. ¡°All I want is to kill Kim Ilsoo, someone you despise so much.¡± Lee Wonjae¡¯s words to persuade Hwang Gyuseong. When he first heard those words, Cha Minwoo couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Vice Guild Master. What on earth do you mean?¡± When he went to question himter, instead of answering directly, Lee Wonjae responded with another question. ¡°Minwoo, you joined because you respect Lee Suhyuk, didn¡¯t you?¡± Since then. The conversation with Lee Wonjae had not left his mind. ¡®Could it be true?¡¯ Once again, Cha Minwoo¡¯s gaze turned to Hwang Gyuseong. Or rather, to where he had been. ¡°Why do you keep staring?¡± Swoosh-. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s hand moved to the back of Cha Minwoo¡¯s neck. ¡°To kill me?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± When did he even get there? Even though he was lost in thought, he hadn¡¯t sensed his presence at all. It was chilling. He had considered most high-ranking yers to be naive, but this was on a different level entirely. ¡°I understand you are not an opponent I can handle.¡± ¡°Really? Then why stare?¡± ¡°Just curious. If you¡¯re really Hwang Gyuseong.¡± Cha Minwoo was still uncertain. Could he really trust the man standing before him? Could he trust Lee Wonjae? His actions might be seen as a betrayal of Blue Zone, so he had to tread carefully with every step from now on. ¡°Do I need to prove I am who I say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to me.¡± ¡°And if it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°I need to ask.¡± Why Lee Wonjae was nning to betray Blue Zone. ¡°Did our guild really betray Blue Eyes?¡± At Cha Minwoo¡¯s question, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. It wasn¡¯t a smile of amusement. From that expression, Minwoo felt a chill he had never felt before. ¡®Is he angry?¡¯ Gulp-. Nervous, he swallowed hard but didn¡¯t take his eyes off Hwang Gyuseong. He couldn¡¯t avoid this. He had to know. The truth of what happened that day. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Hwang Gyuseong finally spoke. ¡°The conquest was a sess.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk¡¯s conquest was a sess.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk, that guy was really something. Maybe it was because of us? He seemed to be pushing himself, flying all over the ce.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk was genuinely impressive. He didn¡¯t stop using the power of the Lightning Lord, all for hisrades.¡± Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s words ovepped with those of Lee Wonjae. It was hard to believe they could say the same things unless they had coordinated to deceive one person. ¡°At that time, he stabbed us in the back.¡± ¡°He?¡± ¡°Kim Ilsoo. Your guild master.¡± Of course. They shared the same story. Hwang Gyuseong was saying the same things as Lee Wonjae. ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°No, not at all¡­¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known. They buried it.¡± The power of a major guild was beyond imagination. They could do whatever they wanted in this tower. Concealing the truth and manipting public opinion weren¡¯t difficult tasks for them. ¡°It¡¯s known that you all betrayed Lee Suhyuk.¡± Though notmon knowledge, yers who had reached a certain level had probably heard the rumor at least once. That Blue Eyes betrayed Lee Suhyuk. And that Blue Zone moved to hide that disgrace. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Which side is the truth?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to believe me, don¡¯t. I have no intention of exining everything to a kid like you.¡± Cha Minwoo nodded. Indeed. The man before him, Hwang Gyuseong, had no reason to painstakingly persuade him. He was strong enough that even if a group of yers like Minwoo attacked, it wouldn¡¯t faze him. ¡°Then let me ask just one more thing.¡± Therefore, Cha Minwoo asked just one more thing. Thest remaining question. ¡°Why were you there?¡± Nowhere else. The ce where Hwang Gyuseong was found was a forest inhabited by demons. Demons were enemies of the yers. To find Hwang Gyuseong there was naturally strange. However. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it odd?¡± This time, Hwang Gyuseong answered with another question. ¡°What?¡± ¡°These days, it looks like the big guilds and groups dominate this tower. But originally, this world wasn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°¡­ And?¡± ¡°Demons? Arch-enemies? That¡¯sughable.¡± Walking back to his original spot and lying down, he looked up at the sky with drifting clouds. ¡°You¡¯re all sofortable you¡¯ve forgotten why we were brought here.¡± With those words, a certain message floated in Cha Minwoo¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­ The event that will someday begin.¡± No way. Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°Do you know about that day?¡± That day had been an unsolved mystery for all yers. Even Lee Suhyuk. Even 20 years after his death, no one had found a clue about what would happen when that day came. Yet. ¡°Who knows?¡± The man before him. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you guys either, you see.¡± Hinted that maybe, just maybe, he knew something about that day. *** Vi reopened her eyes half a day after she had copsed. In a small annex reserved for the royal guests. As she woke up in a cold sweat, her eyesnded on Suhyuk and Vigo, who were having a light meal in the annex. ¡°Vi!¡± ¡°Are you awake?¡± Suhyuk, anticipating her potential needs, brought over a bowl of soup prepared for her. ¡°Please, have some. You must be exhausted just getting up.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± With a dazed voice, Vi epted the bowl. She spooned the warm soup into her mouth,forting her empty stomach. Suhyuk, who had nearly finished his meal, checked on her condition. ¡®She seems fine.¡¯ Her injuries were never life-threatening. The reason she suddenly copsed was likely due to the mental trauma. After finishing half the soup, Vi looked at Suhyuk and spoke. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thank you for helping me. Sincerely.¡± Rising from her seat, Vi bowed to Suhyuk. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I would never have learned the truth,pleted the mission, or avenged them.¡± Savior. Vi¡¯s way of addressing Suhyuk had changed. And then, Step-. She took a step closer to Suhyuk. She stepped right up, almost nose-to-nose, and then, Smooch-. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Their lips touched. Countless question marks flooded his mind. Vigo looked on in astonishment, almost ready to scream but covered his mouth with his hand. And soon, Swoosh-. The short kiss ended as Vi pulled away. -????????? -??????? -What the heck??? -Is this for real??? Suhyuk touched his lips. He had removed the lower part of his mask to eat, and suddenly his lips were stolen in a kiss. Why on earth? Seeing the puzzlement in Suhyuk¡¯s eyes, Vi knelt down before him. Thud-. ¡°I vow to serve the one chosen by thunder as my master.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for this¡­¡± A flustered Suhyuk tried to help her up but fell silent. A Valkyrie had knelt. Something she wouldn¡¯t do even with a sword at her neck. There must be a justifiable reason. And if there was a reason, it was likely because of the Heart of Thunder Suhyuk had acquired. ¡°There are many things I want to ask.¡± Since she vowed to serve him as her master, it would be much easier to get answers. Indeed, Vi¡¯s attitude had changedpletely, from her tone to her demeanor. ¡°Please, ask away.¡± ¡°What exactly is thunder? Why is Asgard so eager to protect it, and why does Muspelheim desire it?¡± It had been a persistent question. Vi had referred to the power Suhyuk possessed as the power of lightning. And essentially, though their names differed slightly, lightning and thunder were the same type of power. What exactly was the Heart of Thunder that made Asgard so determined to protect it? Why had those figures in the cutscene gathered to determine the owner of this item? Perhaps a Valkyrie like Vi might know the reason. ¡°A long time ago, there was a war over thunder involving gods, giants, and demons.¡± ¡°A war?¡± ¡°Yes, a veryrge one.¡± Gods, demons, and giants. All these were great races, iparable to humans. ¡°The gods won the war. Our Asgard also participated in it.¡± ¡°Asgard ¡®also¡¯ participated, meaning there were other gods?¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. I don¡¯t know all the details myself¡­¡± ¡°Heard?¡± ¡°Yes. The war took ce before I was born.¡± If it happened before Vi was even born, how ancient was this conflict? It was a long time ago, much longer than he had anticipated. Suhyuk fiddled with the small blue gem no bigger than his thumbnail and asked. ¡°What exactly is this that made them so greedy for it?¡± When he obtained the Heart of Lightning, it was the same. Many beings, their names and faces obscured, had focused their attention on him. Simply for having obtained the Heart of Lightning. ¡°You would need to meet the king to understand that.¡± nce-. Vi¡¯s eyes shifted to the Heart of Thunder in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°And perhaps¡­¡± Vi hesitated for a moment. Suhyuk knew what she was hesitating to say and asked. ¡°This is a half-piece, right?¡± Vi looked surprised momentarily but then nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± As expected. Among the myriad of gods, the unknown deity who had grasped the Heart of Thunder mentioned giving the thunder to his son. Even if he wasn¡¯t told the name, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce who he was. ¡®King Odin.¡¯ The king of Asgard. One of the gods with exceptional power, even among the great deities. Odin. He was the god who obtained the thunder. And the other half of the thunder he obtained was likely¡­ ¡®In Thor¡¯s possession.¡¯ The Heart of Thunder was a material item. The other half would likely take a simr form. This meant that one of the items Thor possessed was imbued with the Heart of Thunder. This was already giving him a headache. ¡®Finding it won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ It was impossible to forcibly take something from someone as significant as the prince of Asgard. It wasn¡¯t just about Thor; it would mean going against all of Asgard. ¡®Should I give up? No, first I need to understand why the other half was abandoned¡­¡¯ At that moment, ¡°Will you join me?¡± Vi, now standing, extended her hand to the pondering Suhyuk. ¡°To Asgard.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Okay, it¡¯s all good going to Asgard and all, but I can¡¯t ignore the side story. The heck? How big will Minwoo¡¯s role be in the story. Is he going to be the one to meet the MC and convey the MC¡¯s friend¡¯s message? Chapter 113 Chapter 113 A caf¨¦ located in the 6th-floor city. Un Hyang, watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream there, screamed. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Crash-! The table broke. Cheon Ryang, who was drinking coffee across from her, was startled and quickly grabbed his coffee cup. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ahhhh! What¡¯s with this woman! Why did she suddenly kiss him!¡± ¡°Kiss? What about it?¡± Curious, Cheon Ryang hurriedly checked the stream. Suhyuk, frozen in what seemed like shock, and Vi pulling away from the kiss. From the chat, he could gather what had happened. ¨C I can¡¯t believe Safety Instructor did that LOLOLOL ¨C LOLOLOL Mission aplished ¨C I didn¡¯t wish for you to be this happy, brother¡­ ¨C Me too¡­ Me too!!! Vi¡¯s kiss. That was why Un Hyang was so outraged. ¡°Earned 50,000 points.¡± Cheon Ryang, who often monitored Suhyuk¡¯s streams, saw this situation positively. A kiss from a beauty. Plus, 50,000 points. It was a win-win situation, worth celebrating. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about it!¡± Cheon Ryang looked puzzled at Un Hyang¡¯s angry outburst. ¡°Then what¡¯s so bad about it?¡± ¡°Suhyuk¡¯s lips were stolen!¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Ugh-.¡± Un Hyang clenched her fists and trembled with anger. Clearly, she was extremely displeased with the situation. And then, Vi¡¯s next words came. ¡°Will you join me?¡± ¡°To Asgard.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyespletely flipped. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± Crash-! ¡°Hey, hey!¡± The one who stopped Un Hyang from breaking another table wasn¡¯t Cheon Ryang but a caf¨¦ employee. Afterpensating twice the cost for the broken table, Un Hyang moved to another spot, still fuming. With a sigh, Cheon Ryang continued to monitor the stream after calming Un Hyang down. ¡®This stream is almost at its end.¡¯ Though not long enough to be called an marathon, it had been quite a lengthy stream. Originally, the trial would have ended with rescuing the Valkyrie, but Suhyuk had achieved more again this time. The pathway to Asgard had opened, a result of his efforts. Because of this? ¡®The viewers¡­¡¯ Checking the suddenly increased viewership, Cheon Ryang was astounded. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ What had seemed like a trivial content turned out to be a massive hit. *** Suhyuk hesitated for a moment at Vi¡¯s proposal. He couldn¡¯t readily say yes given the significance of the location. ¡®An invitation to Asgard¡­¡¯ This offer was certainly part of the trial. And whether or not he epted it would determine the direction of the next trial. ¡®Is it okay?¡¯ In his possession was the Heart of Thunder. Additionally, the Heart of Lightning, an object desired by the gods, was embedded within it. He couldn¡¯t predict how Asgard would treat him. They might even try to take away the Lightning and Thunder Hearts he held. However. ¡®To obtain the other half, I must go to Asgard.¡¯ Asgard was an impregnable fortress. Numerous Valkyries guarded it, and several gods protected its domain. Forcibly invading was impossible. But if he went with Vi, a Valkyrie, he could step onto thatnd as a guest. After significant deliberation. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± Suhyuk made his decision. And at that moment. ¡ºYou have chosen ¡®Asgard¡¯.¡» ¡ºYou have passed the 5th-floor trial.¡» ¡ºProceeding to the 6th floor.¡» The trial hadpletely ended. Whoosh-. As a white light enveloped him, the colors around him vanished. In an instant, the scenery changed. It felt like the world around him was transforming. This feeling only urred in two instances. When starting a trial, or when ending one. This time, it was thetter. In the new world before him, Suhyuk noted a familiar scent. ¡®It¡¯s the 6th floor.¡¯ A world filled with the smell of grass. The 6th floor was made up of a forest with tall trees. High buildings made of sturdy wood. Dew collected here and there. The world of the 6th floor, Elysium. ¡®Choosing Asgard must have been the final decision.¡¯ It seemed the scale of the 5th-floor trial was muchrger than he had anticipated. His choice had essentially predetermined the 6th-floor trial. It was nearly certain that the next trial would take ce in Asgard. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± ¡°See, I told you we¡¯d see him here.¡± ¡°Is that really him? Isn¡¯t it just someone with the same mask?¡± ¡°Idiot. If you watched the stream, you¡¯d know¡­¡± Hearing the murmurs, Suhyuk looked around. A considerable crowd had gathered. The mask likely drew attention, but some seemed to have been waiting for him specifically. ¡®Now that I think about it¡­¡¯ He had forgotten to keep track of the viewer count midway through. ¡ºViewers: 27,032¡» ¡°¡­?¡± Suhyuk looked surprised at the sudden spike in numbers. The viewership had increased by over ten thousand since the stream began. Surpassing twenty thousand was staggering, and now it had grown by an additional seven thousand. ¡°Well¡­ a lot of people came.¡± For a moment, he forgot about the surrounding gazes and spoke up. ¨C Hey hey ¨C Finally reading the chat. ¨C Interaction on again? ¨C Well, the trial¡¯s over LOLOLOL Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Of course, I need to interact.¡± The reason for stopping interactions initially was to focus on the trial without distractions. Considering the nature of the marathon content, constantly paying attention to viewers was difficult. Moreover¡­ There was an important reason to restart the interaction. ¡°I have things to receive too.¡± ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 50,000 points from ¡®SafeAsset¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 100,000 points from ¡®SafeAsset¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 50,000 points from ¡®Vi Protection Squad¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» The consecutive messages made his head spin. There were a lot of missions queued up. And he hadn¡¯t missed a single one of them. ¨C Even the ridiculous mission to kiss Vi. ¨C Ha LOLOLOL ¨C It was for the points, after all! ¨C 100% sess rate! ¨C Safety Instructor did it¡­ ¨C His pockets were suddenly bulging. He knew it would soon be empty, but it felt good nheless. ¡®Should I go for procedures first? Or increase my skill levels?¡¯ Happy thoughts filled his mind briefly. To focus back on the stream, Suhyuk quickly skimmed through the chat. At this speed, isn¡¯t he on track to be a ranker in record time? ¨C He¡¯s already in record time. ¨C No obstacles at all! ¨C Feels like it was just yesterday Baby Suhyuk began¡­ ¨C Just recently teased him about being a second-floor noob, and now he¡¯s above me LOLOLOL The chat was buzzing about Suhyuk¡¯s rapid progress in the tower. From being a stream and gamey newbie, Suhyuk had ascended to the 6th floor. yers who made it to the 6th floor were no longer treated lightly. They reached a point where they were revered in any guild, beyond just being seasoned yers. ¨C Isn¡¯t he going to join a guild soon? ¨C I¡¯d find one after bing a ranker. ¨C 22222 ¨C 2222222 The chat moved too fast for him to follow all the threads. With over 20,000 viewers, the chat flew by at a speed no one could read fully, no matter their visual acuity. And in the midst. ¡º¡¯Reinhardt¡¯ has donated 10,000 points.¡» ¡ºI have one question. Do you know a yer named Isaac?¡» Suddenly, a donation message caught his eye. ¨C What??? ¨C It¡¯s Reinhardt. ¨C Is it the real one?? ¨C The nickname confirms it. ¨C First Sword supported this stream before LOLOLOL ¨C Reinhardt. A renowned ranker and streamer, Reinhardt was a well-known figure to all viewers. Moreover, his indirect connection to Lee Suhyuk had earned him the nickname ¡®First Sword,¡¯ which made his appearance draw enthusiastic reactions from the audience. ¡®So, he¡¯s finally aware.¡¯ Suhyuk managed his expression to reveal nothing in his eyes. ¡®Things are getting closer.¡¯ Since the death of Isaac, and after Reinhardt¡¯s first donation to his stream. He knew it was inevitable they would sh someday. He wished that moment wouldeter rather than sooner. Ideally, not at all. He was in a hurry to take down Kim Ilsoo; shing with someone like Reinhardt would gain him nothing. Therefore, ¡°Yes.¡± To avoid suspicion, he couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°I know him.¡± * The long stream had ended. Walking toward the lodging whose coordinates Un Hyang had provided, Suhyuk felt a wave of exhaustion. ¡®A troublesome situation is approaching.¡¯ Reinhardt hadn¡¯t said much beyond confirming that Suhyuk knew Isaac. ¡º¡¯Reinhardt¡¯ has donated 10,000 points.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ll see you soon.¡» He woulde to see him. That was all he had said. Well. Considering a rtive had been killed, the anger must be unimaginable. His eyes were probably bloodshot with rage. ¡®He must have already found out I was his ssmate. And yet, he asked with such a significant donation, which means¡­¡¯ The answer was obvious without overthinking. ¡®He suspects me.¡¯ Reinhardt. Behind the slightly ridiculous nickname ¡®First Sword¡¯ he was a high-ranker known as the Golden Lion. The possibility of someone like him bing an enemy was worrisome. ¡°I could have done without this a bit longer.¡± The only silver lining was that Reinhardt hadn¡¯t found him sooner. Having passed the 5th and reached the 6th floor, and having mastered the power of the Thunder¡¯s Master. Suhyuk now had the means to fight stronger opponents. Additionally, ¡®20,000 points is a nice bonus.¡¯ Whatever the reason for it, the 20,000 points donation was quite sweet. Jingle-. With a pleasant chime, the lodging door opened. The 6th-floor lodging had a distinctly antique feel. Generally, Elysium didn¡¯t have luxurious buildings. The air in the lodging was filled with a pleasant mix of grass and woody scents. In a corner of the lobby, Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang were having tea. ¡°Over here!¡± Un Hyang waved when she spotted Suhyuk. The moment he announced the ¡°marathon¡± content, she quickly ascended to the 6th floor with Cheon Ryang. As Suhyuk joined them, Un Hyang, smiling even more than usual, spoke up. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°A lot of effort went into it.¡± ¡°What would you like to eat? They serve meals here.¡± Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m not particrly hungry, but I feel like eating something.¡± The food in Elysium generally had a healthy taste. Suhyuk liked this type of food and ordered several dishes. Before the food arrived, Un Hyang, Cheon Ryang, and Suhyuk chatted idly. ¡°The stream reaction was amazing. The viewership barely dropped.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare for a Valkyrie to appear in a trial. And the demons were practically a cheat code.¡± As Cheon Ryang pointed out, the theme of the trial yed a significant role in the stream¡¯s sess. Gods and demons. The confrontation with demons was naturally a fascinating theme for yers, especially those who saw demons as their nemesis. ¡°With peak viewership surpassing 30,000¡­ You might reach the criteria for being a major streamer soon.¡± Faced with the continual praise, Suhyuk responded modestly. He had little to say. Knowing that the stream was doing well was simply a relief. Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang, acting like long-time friends, bantered back and forth until their food began to arrive. ¡°By the way, about the reward for this trial.¡± ¡°Do you mean the Heart of Thunder?¡± For the first time, Suhyuk spoke up, and Un Hyang nodded enthusiastically as if she had anticipated his question. ¡°Yes. Have you thought about how you¡¯ll use it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a material item, so I need to make something with it, but¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know any artisans, do you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ever since his reincarnation, Suhyuk had beenpletely focused on trials and streaming. He had no connections with artisans. Un Hyang, expecting this, gave a confident grin. ¡°I know someone who could help.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She spoke with quite a bit of assurance. Sure enough. ¡°Have you heard of Kindre, the renowned magic sword maker?¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Hearing the name mentioned by Un Hyang, Suhyuk asked again. ¡°¡­Who?¡± ¡°Kindre. Don¡¯t you know? He¡¯s famous.¡± Suhyuk shook his head. He couldn¡¯t not know. Kindre was a renowned artisan who had made a name for more than a decade. Kindre had the skill to make even failed projects rank at Rare, and could effortlessly produce Uniques. In fact, the first weapon Suhyuk obtained, the ¡®Nameless Demon Sword¡¯, was considered a Rare item, yet it wasn¡¯t regarded as a failure among Kindre¡¯s works. He was one of the few artisans in the tower capable of crafting Legendary items. That was Kindre. But. ¡°How do you know Kindre?¡± This was the issue. Kindre had no known face. Everything about him was shrouded in mystery. His residence. His identity. His purpose. Even his gender was unknown. ¡°My sword is quite special. Few can repair it, so I found out through inquiries.¡± Un Hyang said this while tapping the sword at her waist. How special must it be for even repairs to be difficult? ¡°Well, I ended up helping him out a few times.¡± ¡°Helped him?¡± ¡°Yes. Some thugs tried to forcibly take items from him, so I dealt with them.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t really necessary. Kindre is incredibly strong too.¡± As Cheon Ryang chimed in, Un Hyang sheepishly scratched her head. ¡°It was just unnecessary meddling.¡± Suhyuk roughly understood how they had be acquainted. But one concern remained. ¡°But is it alright to introduce a hidden artisan to me?¡± ¡°Yes. You don¡¯t need to worry. He¡¯s not actually hiding.¡± Un Hyang sighed deeply, perhaps sensing Suhyuk¡¯s concern. ¡°He¡¯s not hiding; he¡¯s just too engrossed in making items toe out.¡± * Meeting Kindre would happenter. Knowing he could meet him was good news, but he had more urgent matters to attend to first. After a quick meal, Suhyuk rented a carriage pulled by blue-furred wolves. A transport costing a hefty 3,000 points. But the distance was too far to cover on foot. He intentionally removed his mask for the journey. It would be easier to move quietly without the mask drawing attention. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been barefaced.¡¯ It felt odd to have nothing on his face. However, it ensured no one paid undue attention to him. As dusk began to fall, In the distance, he saw yellow safety tape and warning signs. No Entry. Demonic Presence Area Although it indicated a restricted area, it confirmed he was at the right ce. This was it. Suhyuk dismounted the carriage and paused the blue-furred wolves. ¡°Stay here.¡± Growl-. The well-trained blue-furred wolves crouched down. After calming the wolves, Suhyuk looked toward the forest. It had an eerie atmosphere. It was a ce recently reported to have demon sightings. ¡®Will they still be here?¡¯ He had spent significant timepleting the trial. It might all be over by now. But even so. If he could learn even a little, he had toe here. Step-. And so, Suhyuk stepped into the forest where no light prated. *** In a forest so densely packed with trees, not a single ray of light prated. Even though it was nighttime, walking in a forest where not even moonlight could pierce through felt eerie. It was as if he was walking into the maw of a gigantic beast. Not only was this forest dark, but the air was also tinged with the metallic scent of blood. ¡®Not much time has passed.¡¯ He strained his eyes to survey the dark forest. Signs of a battle were scattered everywhere. Trees had been toppled in ces, indicating arge-scale confrontation. Yet, despite these signs, the forest was too quiet. It was as if the forest had fallen asleep along with the night. ¡®It¡¯s too quiet.¡¯ He could tell that something had swept through this ce. A guild had made a move. Clearly, something had happened here. Swoosh-. Following the traces, he moved forward. The Blue Zone yers that had gathered here were all gone. Their retreat could mean one of two things. Either they had aplished their goal, or they had utterly failed. Suhyuk hoped for neither. Aplishing their goal would mean that his livingrade had been killed, whereas failure would mean that hisrade had never been alive to begin with. Both oues were equally despairing. The night deepened. The air grew colder, and the silence stretched longer. The only sound was that of his own footsteps. ¡®Is there truly nothing here?¡¯ He had searched the forest throughout the night but found nothing of significance. All he spotted were traces of the battle and scattered corpses. Then. Thud-. Suhyuk¡¯s steps came to a halt at a particr spot. Pushing aside the foliage that blocked his view, he came across two demons with red skin. However, ¡®Frozen?¡¯ Their condition seemed peculiar. One was half-frozen to death, while the other was desperately trying to thaw the frozen demon. What on earth was going on? ¡°Another one?¡± The demon who finally noticed Suhyuk turned around, adopting a defensive stance. A young-looking demon with a boyish face. If not for the red skin and eyes, his round face wouldn¡¯t have seemed demonic at all. His nails were long and beast-like. Though he bared his fangs and exuded a killing intent, it was hardly threatening. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t much of a threat. That might be why he managed to survive. ¡°Another one?¡± At Suhyuk¡¯s question, the demon started shouting as if having a fit. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know! Twice now, you¡¯ve invaded our forest and messed everything up!¡± The demon¡¯s outburst left Suhyuk puzzled. Twice. ¡°Speak so I can understand. I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± The first time was likely the Blue Zone. They had sent forces into the forest, iming they were searching for the traitor who had allied with the demons of Blue Eyes. The signs carved everywhere indicated that arge group had swept through the forest recently. Then, what about the second time? No, more importantly¡­ ¡°Who did this?¡± ¡°My brother knows.¡± Apparently, the frozen demon beside him was his brother. ¡°I don¡¯t know much either. Two strange humans invaded the forestter on.¡± ¡°Two?¡± ¡°Yeah! Just the two of them! Those damn humans, do they think this is their home? Why did they suddenlye in and¡­ and¡­¡± The demon clenched his fists tightly as he looked at his brother, frozen and dead. ¡°Why did such monstrous humans suddenly appear¡­¡± Judging by his words, the two who cameter were incredibly strong. Suhyuk finally understood why the forest had been so eerily quiet. ¡®Either they¡¯re all dead, or they¡¯re afraid of me.¡¯ In the previous battle with the Blue Zone, many of the demons in this forest were likely killed. Additionally, the remaining stragglers were probably dealt with by the two humans who came afterward. The only survivors were likely the young demons standing before him now. Most of them seemed frightened of Suhyuk, alone in the forest. They must still be traumatized from their encounter with the two humans earlier. ¡®That ice¡­¡¯ Slowly, Suhyuk examined the state of the frozen demon. Half-melted ice. Despite not being exposed to sunlight, the ice was slowly melting. Step-. Suhyuk approached the half-melted ice. The demon, fingernails extended, tried to block his path. ¡°Don¡¯t get any closer¡ª¡± Zap-. Something shed. The young demon¡¯s eyes widened. Turning his head, he found Suhyuk already behind him. It was a situation where he could¡¯ve sliced his throat without hesitation. But Suhyuk had no interest in the young demon¡¯s throat. Swoosh-. He reached out to examine the surface of the ice. While touching the ice, which emitted a chilling cold even as it melted, Suhyuk suddenly reached into his inventory with a look of surprise. He pulled out an ice flower he had kept for a long time. ¡®It¡¯s the same.¡¯ The same mana. Though the properties were slightly different. Unlike the flower, which didn¡¯t melt at room temperature, the ice that had frozen the demon was slowly melting over time. But it was unmistakable. They were the work of the same person. ¡®A targeted act.¡¯ This was a ce where a battle between Blue Zone and the demons had taken ce not long ago. Leaving traces in such a ce wasn¡¯t beneficial in any way. ¡°¡­ This wasn¡¯t a waste after all.¡± Though it was different from what he had initially expected. He had made an unexpected discovery. Looking up at the dark forest sky, Suhyuk felt a sense of hope, even though he hadn¡¯t found his lostpanion. Kim Shiwoo. The likelihood that he was still alive had increased. *** By the time Suhyuk returned to the lodging, it was nearly dawn. An early morning, far too early. He expected no one to be there, but someone was waiting for him on the first floor of the lodging. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Un Hyang waved lightly, greeting him before turning her attention back to her kit. Standing momentarily at the entrance, Suhyuk took off his outer garment and hung it on the chair opposite Un Hyang, his expression one of mild surprise. ¡°Did you stay up all night?¡± ¡°Staying up one night isn¡¯t that hard.¡± Slurp-. Un Hyang said this as she sipped a coffeeden with sugar. Her response made it clear she had been waiting for him. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to wait.¡± ¡°You left in such a hurry. And you didn¡¯t even say where you were going.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. I won¡¯t ask.¡± Tink-. As she spoke, Un Hyang added a few more sugar cubes to her coffee and stirred it with a spoon. ¡°I was just a bit concerned, so I waited.¡± The coffee was almost syrupy from the amount of sugar still floating in it. Even Un Hyang typically didn¡¯t pour that much sugar into her coffee. Adding an extra sugar cube that wasn¡¯t needed, clinking the spoon as she stirred¡ªit was all awkward, fidgety behavior. ¡°There was nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Un Hyang gave an awkward smile and asked, ¡°Did things go well?¡± Suhyuk hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes, it went well. Though it wasn¡¯t as I initially thought.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Un Hyang pped her hands together, genuinely happy. Though he couldn¡¯t share everything, Suhyuk wanted to give her some sort of answer. For some reason, she had shown him unconditional trust and stood by his side. Initially, he thought it was because of their streamer-manager rtionship, but now he realized it wasn¡¯t. Although he hadn¡¯t seen other managers, Suhyuk was sure of one thing. No manager in the world would be as purely supportive as she was. ¡°Your face looks quite happy, you know.¡± ¡°My face?¡± At the thought of how she could tell, Suhyuk quickly touched his face, surprised. Un Hyang chuckled, amused at what she had seen. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing your mask today?¡± TL¡¯s Corner: She knows his face now. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ¡°You¡¯re not wearing your mask today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suhyuk was momentarily at a loss for words. He had forgotten that he was currently bare-faced. ¡®Where was my head?¡¯ He reflexively covered his face with one hand, but it was toote; the damage was done. And he knew exactly why he made such a mistake. ¡®Where else? Those guys.¡¯ His mind was preupied with Shiwoo and Yerang. Or more precisely, with the people he ¡®suspected¡¯ to be Shiwoo and Yerang. Even if it was just one person, it was worth it. If he could confirm they were alive, Suhyuk felt that all his past struggles would be rewarded. The problem was that he had been too excited about it. ¡°¡­ I forgot.¡± ¡°Things must have gone really well for you. To make such a mistake.¡± That was true. He had been so preupied that he momentarily lost focus. With a sigh, Suhyuk removed his hand from his face and nodded. ¡°It did go well.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°My face¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite handsome, you know? I was a bit worried I might be disappointed after seeing your face, but there¡¯s no need for that.¡± That wasn¡¯t what he intended to say. Un Hyang, however, was nodding with a satisfied expression. She seemed genuinely pleased with his appearance. Seeing her reaction, Suhyuk, who was initially embarrassed, shook his head. ¡®Well, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ While it was a ridiculous mistake, it wasn¡¯t a big problem. Only Un Hyang knew his current face, and the face of the former Lee Suhyuk waspletely different. Most importantly, ¡®It¡¯s not just anyone¡­¡¯ It was Un Hyang who saw his face. He had no doubts that she wouldn¡¯t use his appearance as leverage or for any underhanded purposes. And right on cue, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret from Cheon Ryang.¡± Un Hyang spoke again, now with a mischievous expression. ¡°After all, you didn¡¯t want to be found out, right? Naturally, I¡¯ll respect that.¡± It was as if she could read his mind, precisely addressing his concerns. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°In return, when we have meals together, sometimes let me see you like this.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, without the mask.¡± Un Hyang extended her pinky finger and smiled brightly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll guard your secret with my life.¡± *** Flop- Exhausted from staying up all night, Suhyuk threw himself onto the bed without even washing. Hey t on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Feeling frustrated and slightly idiotic for making such a mistake, he let out a deep sigh. Of course, ¡°Your secret is safe with me. I promise on my life.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like there was a significant need to worry. ¡®If it bes an issue, it¡¯ll beter.¡¯ Swish- Suhyuk touched his bare face. ¡®This face is a safeguard.¡¯ The face beneath the mask was another kind of mask for Suhyuk. One day, if he needed to conceal his identity and sh with Blue Zone, his unknown face could be a valuable asset. Swish- He retrieved the ice flower from his inventory and fiddled with it. ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s his.¡¯ Even now, the faint magic from the flower gave him that impression. Still, he couldn¡¯t be entirely certain. This flower would likely remain in its current state indefinitely unless someone deliberately melted it. It might have been created when Shiwoo was still alive 20 years ago. But the ice he saw in the forest was different. ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him, but¡­¡¯ One remaining question mark. ¡®Why is he hiding?¡¯ Was he afraid of Blue Zone? Suhyuk understood the immense power of major guilds. Moreover, their influence had grown exponentially over the past 20 years, far surpassing that of Suhyuk¡¯s generation. Even so, it didn¡¯t make sense for him to be hiding like this. If he was alive. Why had he been in hiding for two decades without doing anything? ¡®Could it not be Shiwoo?¡¯ Thinking about it made his mind feel like a tangled maze again. If only he would just appear in front of him clearly. Swish- After fiddling with the flower for a while, he put it back in the inventory. He had too many thoughts. Mulling over unsolvable issues would only harm him. What he needed now was positive energy to sustain his mental strength. ¡®I can meet him.¡¯ He untangled the maze of thoughts in his head forcibly. He was alive. And he wasn¡¯t far off. If he continued, he would surely meet him. More important now was why he had gone there. ¡®It must be for the same reason as me.¡¯ ording to the young demon, Blue Zone and Shiwoo visited the forest atpletely different times. Shiwoo arrived after Blue Zone had already withdrawn. This meant that, ¡®Their goal had nothing to do with Shiwoo¡­¡¯ Blue Zone quickly withdrew from the forest. If they hadn¡¯t aplished their goal, they would have searched much longer. ¡®Were the rumors true?¡¯ With that thought, a sense of foreboding crept over him. Suhyuk knew the rumors about a traitor in Blue Eyes were false. He had been there in person. But originally, Blue Zone had no reason to tarnish the reputation of Blue Eyes, which was like their predecessor. There was only one reason they would have. ¡®Someone else is alive.¡¯ And their retreat from the forest indicated they had achieved their goal. ¡°¡­ Was I one step toote?¡± Hope and despair coexisted. Hope that someone else besides Shiwoo might be alive. And despair that this hope might have slipped through his fingers by a narrow margin. ¡®If Shiwoo is alive, he¡¯ll handle things on that end.¡¯ Suhyuk forced himself to remain calm. With his current abilities, going to war with Blue Zone was impossible. Even facing Kim Ilsoo alone was out of the question. ¡®Step by step. One step at a time.¡¯ For now, it was time to focus on the one person whose survival was confirmed. ¡®If I follow Blue Zone, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find him. And to not be a hindrance when that timees¡­¡¯ Thud- Suhyuk picked up the blue gem he had ced on the breakfast table. ¡°First, I need to do well myself.¡± The magic sword maker, Kindre. Today was the day he was supposed to meet them. * After about four hours of sleep, Suhyuk had a quick meal with Un Hyang. Since he had fallen asleep in the morning, it was already noon despite having a short sleep. Checking the time, Suhyuk hurried. ¡°Why the rush?¡± ¡°We¡¯rete.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not that far.¡± ¡°Is it close?¡± That was surprising. Considering he was a reclusive artisan whose face was unknown, Suhyuk figured he¡¯d live far from the city. ¡°He said he needs to live in the city to gather materials.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a logical reason.¡± ¡°Right? His whole mind is consumed with this stuff.¡± Tap, tap- Un Hyang said this while pointing to the sword hanging from her waist with her finger. Apparently, this person was obsessively passionate about items. ¡°Still, let¡¯s hurry. There¡¯s no advantage in beingte.¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± Un Hyang always respected Suhyuk¡¯s decisions. The two got up from the table and started walking. It seemed like it was close enough to walk there. Even during this time, Un Hyang didn¡¯t forget her duties as a manager. ¡°Today, the video from thetest trial will be uploaded. Oh, and there¡¯s also a scheduled stream by Falcon Eye tonight.¡± ¡°Is it a review content?¡± ¡°Yes. The ¡®marathon¡¯ content was too long, so we decided to go with edited highlights. We¡¯ll charge a separate fee for the video transmission, and the revenue from Falcon Eye¡¯s stream content will be split 60-40. Also¡­¡± With Un Hyang¡¯s non-stop talking, a calctor started running in Suhyuk¡¯s head. So many avenues for points toe in. No wonder streamers partnered withpanies even if they had to share a cut. ¡°Since the viewership increased significantly, the ad rates attached to the videos also went up. Interestingly, most of these ads are guild-centric.¡± ¡°Guild-centeric?¡± ¡°Yes, probably because your stream revolves around exceptional gamey. It doesn¡¯t happen often, but in your case, the proportion is considerable.¡± ncing subtly at Suhyuk, Un Hyang added, ¡°Some even offered lucrative sries to have you join their guild as a streamer¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡± ¡°Right?¡± A topic repeated multiple times. Un Hyang no longer seemed especially bothered by it. She brought it up just in case, knowing well that Suhyuk had no intention of joining any guild. After roughly ten more minutes of walking, they arrived at an ordinarymercial building located in the heart of the city. ¡®Here?¡¯ Suhyuk looked puzzled behind his mask. He had imagined someone of Kindre¡¯s caliber would work in a much fancier or unique building. Rumors painted him as a madman obsessed with magic swords, a crazy old man who¡¯d go berserk at the sight of blood. ¡°Just going to stand there and stare?¡± Seeing him staring at the building, Un Hyang grabbed the door handle and led the way. ¡°Can we just go in?¡± ¡°We have to just go in. Even if you knock, he¡¯s too absorbed in his work to hear it.¡± Clearly, he had intense concentration. Un Hyang burst open the door and walked into Kindre¡¯s workshop. Though it felt odd, Suhyuk ultimately followed her. The inside of the otherwise ordinarymercial building was somewhat unusual. An endless staircase. It was hard to see how many floors the basement went down; the bottom appearedpletely dark. ¡°Kindre usually doesn¡¯t meet with people.¡± ¡°So I have you to thank for this opportunity.¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± As they descended the stairs, Un Hyang exined how the meeting with Kindre was arranged. ¡°I convinced them that we had some exceptional materials.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Suhyuk nodded, understanding her exnation. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exceptional.¡± For artisans, materials were both the starting point and the end. High-quality items made from excellent materials elevate the artisan¡¯s name and reputation, boosting their value in the market. That¡¯s why there was such amotion in the chat when Suhyuk revealed the Thunder¡¯s Heart on the stream. ¡®A Legendary-grade material item. No wonder it¡¯s coveted.¡¯ Not knowing any artisans himself, he had considered seeking help from his viewers. Fortunately, he got the chance to meet Kindre. ¡®I wonder what kind of person they are.¡¯ A yer renowned as the ¡®magic sword maker¡¯, having crafted multiple Legendary-grade magic swords. Certainly not an ordinary image. Judging from public opinion and rumors, Kindre was far from ordinary. Step- Gradually, the end of the stairs came into view. And below, he could feel a presence, careful even with their breathing. Upon reaching the deep basement where the workshop was, ¡°-Who¡¯s there?¡± A thin, clear voice reached them. The magic sword maker, Kindre. Seeing her face left Suhyuk¡¯s mind in turmoil. ¡°¡­?¡± A slender woman with red hair tied up. ¡°Un Hyang?¡± Kindre greeted them with tired eyes. TL¡¯s Corner: Pardon if there are pronoun confusion about Kindre before. The characters use gender neutral pronouns for her when mentioning her, so prior chapters might have used he/him pronouns instead of her. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 As soon as Suhyuk saw Kindre¡¯s face, he instinctively scanned the workshop¡¯s interior. Unlike a typical workshop, it had a chilling atmosphere, with bright, almost blinding lights illuminating the room. Sharp weapons such as swords, spears, and daggers hung on the walls, while arge vat containing blue molten metal sat in the center. An unusual workshop. But nowhere did he see what he was looking for. ¡®It¡¯s not here.¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s gaze naturally drifted back to Kindre. Apart from the girl standing before him, there was no one else in the room. The girl had pale, almost ghostly skin, and a delicate frame. What was happening here? ¡°Surprised?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s mischievous voice cut through his thoughts. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it at first either. But it¡¯s true.¡± It seemed she hadn¡¯t mentioned this beforehand just to see his reaction. If he had even known Kindre was a woman, he wouldn¡¯t have been so stunned. Apparently ustomed to such reactions, Kindre asked nonchntly, ¡°Is this the customer?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s Suhyuk, the streamer.¡± ¡°Oh, nice to meet you.¡± Kindre wiped the dark grime from her hands onto her clothes and extended her hand to Suhyuk. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± As he shook her hand, he was struck by how cold it felt. So cold that even a corpse would feel warmer. Her entire demeanor, from her expression to her temperature, was icy. ¡®Nothing about her matches what I imagined.¡¯ An old man. Hulking muscles. A workshop heated to boiling. Kindre was theplete opposite of everything Suhyuk had pictured. ¡°What do you want?¡± Without any further pleasantries, she jumped straight to the point, prompting Suhyuk to retrieve the Heart of Thunder from his inventory. ¡°A sword.¡± ¡°What kind of sword?¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer a holy sword, but¡­¡± Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°No, forget I said that. Please make it in the way you feel most confident.¡± Though she appeared to be just a young girl, if she really was Kindre, she was one of the most skilled artisans in the tower. It was pointless to give specific directions to someone like this. Trusting the artisan¡¯s judgment would yield the best result. ¡°Creating a good sword is the artisan¡¯s role. Using it well is the yer¡¯s role.¡± For the first time, Kindre¡¯s eyes glimmered slightly at his words. ¡°Good mindset.¡± She reached for the Heart of Thunder in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. Knowing it had to be entrusted to the artisan, he didn¡¯t stop her. Kindre examined the Heart of Thunder closely, her brows furrowing. ¡°It¡¯s difficult¡­¡± ¡°Difficult?¡± ¡°It would be ideal encased in something, like for a hammer.¡± She gestured towards the works hanging on the wall. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m confident in these.¡± Dozens of Kindre¡¯s works adorned the walls. Even at a nce, they were exceptional items. Despite not having met their owners yet, their des exuded an almost tangible sharpness. Any one of them could probably fetch tens of thousands of points at auction. Some might even sell for over a hundred thousand points. ¡°Are you rmending a hammer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not rmending it. I can make it into a sword.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a hammer, it¡¯s easier to suppress the material¡¯s power by using the properties of the metal. Handling will also be easier as the material won¡¯t be directly exposed.¡± ¡°And for a sword?¡± ¡°It would be powerful but difficult to handle. The item¡¯s performance might be a burden for the user.¡± From the way Kindre spoke smoothly, it seemed she already had a mental blueprint of the final item. Kindre presented two options: A hammer, which would be safer but less powerful, or a sword, which would be more powerful but carry more risks. ¡°If you want me to make it into a hammer, I can do that.¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Suhyuk shook his head at Kindre¡¯s provocation. He had already decided on the form. ¡°Make it into a pair of gloves.¡± ¡°Gloves?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kindre¡¯s eyes widened at Suhyuk¡¯s response. Then, a faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting choice.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given it a lot of thought.¡± ¡°But are you sure? It might be harder to handle than a sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want.¡± Though Kindre spoke negatively, Suhyuk took it as a reward. ¡°The more challenging it is, the more valuable it will be.¡± High risk, high reward. That saying had governed Suhyuk¡¯s life as a yer. Handling lightning had always been like that. The more he pushed his heart to burn hotter, the stronger the output he could achieve, and oveing that allowed him to reach even higher heights. This time was no different. No matter what, Suhyuk intended to master the item. Running away was not an option for him. ¡°I think the same.¡± Kindre¡¯s lips curved into a grin at Suhyuk¡¯s reply. ¡°I like your attitude.¡± Clenching the Heart of Thunder in her hand, she spoke confidently. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll make it the best.¡± ¡°Appreciate it. A discount would make it even better.¡± As Suhyuk joked, she readily agreed, catching him off guard. ¡°Just pay for the materials.¡± Feeling like he had struck gold, Suhyuk was about to ask the price when Kindre spoke up. ¡°300,000 points should do it.¡± It was outrageously expensive. * On their way out of Kindre¡¯s workshop, Suhyuk checked his remaining points after making the payment. ¡ºRemaining Points: 61,016¡» He sighed heavily. His once hefty bnce had dwindled drastically. Even with the discount, it almost wiped him out; had he paid full price, it would have been insufficient. Swallowing his pride, he had tried to ask for a bit more of a reduction, but it was a non-starter. ¡°To withstand this material, I¡¯d need at least Star Fragments. Any less, and it might break easily due to poor durability.¡± Star Fragments. A precious metal said to have fallen from a meteor. Known for its exceptional strength and hardness, itmanded exorbitant prices. More importantly, it was so scarce that even with the money, it was hard to find. ¡®To think she had a stockpile of it.¡¯ Kindre was indeed remarkable. She had several chunks of a material that most artisans struggled to acquire even a fist-sized piece of. ¡®Asking for a further discount would be shameless.¡¯ After hearing the details, 300,000 points even seemed cheap. So Suhyuk paid the amount withoutints and left. ¡°It¡¯ll take about five days for the creation.¡± Five days. That was quicker than expected. He had prepared himself for up to ten days, but it was half that time. Her speed was as impressive as her skill. This advancement moved up the timeline for the next trial considerably. ¡®I need to be fully prepared when starting the next trial.¡¯ There was a high chance the next trial would be connected to the 5th floor. That meant the setting would likely be Asgard. Given the stage, the difficulty level would undoubtedly be significant. The time given was five days. During those five days, Suhyuk nned to prepare for the next trial. And to do that, ¡®I need to gather the remaining points.¡¯ While leveling up through hunting was an option, Suhyuk¡¯s current level was too high for that to be efficient. The quickest way to boost his efficiency beyond his current level was to earn points. Items. Skill levels. Enhancements. With enough points, Suhyuk had numerous ways to amplify his abilities in a short time. The notion that points equated to strength wasn¡¯t exclusive to Suhyuk. There was a reason why yers with golden spoons always seeded. To achieve this, ¡°Are you ready?¡± A slightly inconvenient, yet necessary journey awaited. ¡°Yes.¡± Un Hyang, Cheon Ryang, and Suhyuk boarded a carriage. A means of transportation to travel between floors. Standing at the portal leading to the lower floors, Suhyuk already felt a bit nauseous. Just thinking about how much this carriage would shake made his head spin. ¡°Fortunately, Bald Suhyuk advanced to the 4th floor a few days ago. Otherwise, traveling would have taken even longer.¡± Bald Suhyuk. The streamer Suhyuk had initially watched, and one of the top streamers at Balhae Entertainment. This uing schedule involved a coborative stream with him. ¡®To handle the Heart of Thunder, I¡¯ll need higher stamina.¡¯ The current points bnce was 60,000. He still needed 440,000 more points to receive enhancements from Jinwoon. ¡®Is it possible?¡¯ ncing-. Suhyuk checked the yers Channel through his kit and verified the time. A new video was about to be uploaded. Coinciding with that, Falcon Eye¡¯s stream would start. It was now time for him to work as a partner. *** ¡º¡¯Falcon Eye¡¯ has started the stream.¡» Falcon Eye¡¯s stream had begun. As previously announced by the streaming station, today¡¯s content was a review of Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¨C Fal-hi ¨C Fal-hi ¨C Is the mild version here? ¨C The fake Suhyuk fanboy is here, hi ¨C The haters are here again, yikes; Falcon Eye and Suhyuk had be inseparable. The reason was simple. It attracted the most viewers and got the highest views. ¡ºViewers: 8,419¡» Within just 5 minutes of starting the stream, over 8,000 viewers had gathered. It seemed possible for Falcon Eye¡¯s stream to surpass 20,000 viewers for the first time. After a brief wait, Static- ¡°Fal-hi.¡± The screen flickered momentarily, and then Falcon Eye appeared on the stream. ¨C Fal-hi ¨C Fal-hi, Fal-hi ¨C Start the stream already, damn, I¡¯m getting anxious ¨C Seriously, hunting time In response to the enthusiastic wee from the viewers, Falcon Eye made his opening remarks. ¡°Sorry, sorry. Nothing interesting has been happeningtely. You know? I¡¯d rather not stream than do a boring one.¡± ¨C It wasn¡¯t entertaining enough for a video ¨C This guy is all about the video clicks ¨C Bro¡­ are we just props for your videos¡­? ¡°Come on, you know I¡¯d starve to death without you guys.¡± A familiar opening. It had been a while since hisst stream, and he was spending a few moments interacting with his viewers. The chat and donations teasing Falcon Eye, along with his banter, quickly passed the time. The review? An abbreviation for ¡®So when¡¯s the review?¡¯ often used by viewers of Falcon Eye¡¯s stream when the chat gets too chatty, and they want the review to start. ¡°Alright, fes. To the main event¡­ but before that.¡± ¨C Oh,e on ¨C Not again ?? ¨C Seriously pissing me off ¨C Whyyyyy The chat red up at Falcon Eye¡¯sment. As the chat rapidly ignited, Falcon Eye quickly waved his hands. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t do it. Just one thing to show before we start.¡± Falcon Eye said this while switching the screen. He showed a post from the yers Community. ? Pointing out why the fake Suhyuk is overrated ? ¡ºPeople say he¡¯s amazing, but he¡¯s barely scraping through the 5th floor LOL. If he was really that good, he would have breezed through.¡» A post that had garnered a high number of upvotes and downvotes. It was one of the typical posts belittling Suhyuk, which weremon to see. Showing the post on the stream, Falcon Eye addressed his viewers with a preparedment. ¡°Let me say just one thing.¡± ¨C Spicy Falcon Eye. ¨C In his usual review style. ¡°You idiot, do you not have eyes?¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 ¡°You idiot, do you not have eyes?¡± This was Falcon Eye¡¯s usual style. He didn¡¯t sugarcoat his words and had high standards. He didn¡¯t hesitate to curse if necessary. His streamer nickname ¡®Falcon Eye¡¯ was rumored toe from his ¡®spicy eyes¡¯, as in his sharp and scathing critiques. ¡°Anyway, these idiots in themunity seem to carry their eyes just for show. Or maybe, they don¡¯t have brains?¡± ¨C He¡¯s back! ¨C That¡¯s it, lOLOLOL ¨C He¡¯s always like this when reviewing Suhyuk, lMAO ¡°Come on, folks. It¡¯s not just that I¡¯m spicy. These guys genuinelyck both eyes and brains. And who are the people upvoting this garbage? If any of you are here, raise your hands.¡± ¨C Hands ¨C ??? ¨C Feet ¨C ?? ?? ?? ¨C ?? ?? ?? ¡°Manager, ban anyone who cursed. Those who raised their hands, kindly leave. You don¡¯t deserve to watch my stream.¡± Falcon Eye¡¯s spice didn¡¯t spare even his viewers. Initially, this level of provocation caused bacsh, but it had since be an established part of his persona. ¡°I¡¯ll exin why I¡¯m saying this in the review. It¡¯s not just venting; it¡¯s the core of today¡¯s review.¡± Click- The screen shifted. Showing the yers Channel, it disyed a highlight reel of Suhyuk¡¯s gamey. ¡°The full version is too long, so we¡¯ll use this new video. Don¡¯t worry; I got permission in advance.¡± The actual review began. ¡°¡­ Go to hell!¡± The beginning of the trial. The scenario titled ¡®Warrior¡¯s Qualification¡¯ started ying on the stream. ¡°The start is a bit random. Suddenly, he¡¯s told to fight some weird warrior.¡± Boom! The initial scenario ended almost too easily. ¡°A piece of cake, right? Just from this, you can see that Suhyuk¡¯s level far exceeds the 5th floor. One-hit kills, seriously?¡± ¨C It was easy though ¨C Can¡¯t argue with that ¨C He hasn¡¯t lost a single fight since the 4th floor, it¡¯s expected LOLOLOL The stream soon moved to the scene with Vi¡¯s entrance. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. He¡¯s not our enemy.¡± ¨C She¡¯s here ¨C The big moment ¨C Big entrance, whoa ¨C I¡¯m dying, noona! The chat quickly intensified. The Valkyrie of Asgard, Vi, had appeared. ¡°Honestly, I was surprised. A Valkyrie on the 5th floor? The scale suddenly got huge.¡± Even in significant trials, gods-like beings such as Valkyries rarely appeared. While Valkyries weren¡¯t widely known, their presence alone indicated that the scale of the 5th floor wasn¡¯t ordinary. Moreover, ¡°To the one who possesses the power of lightning, why are you here?¡± The Valkyrie treated Suhyuk with utmost respect. Falcon Eye swiftly added hismentary. ¡°This ¡®power of lightning¡¯ is the core of this trial. It¡¯s also the reason Suhyuk was given this test.¡± ¨C Is it because of the Thunder Cave? Snap-. ¡°Lee Suhyuk Panty Hyung, very precise.¡± Falcon Eye pointed out a viewer¡¯s chat while snapping his fingers. ¡°Those who have watched Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream will know. The reward from the Thunder Cave. That was the key that connected to this trial.¡± The conversation between Vi and Su-Hyuk was quite interesting even without any action. Especially as stories that could attract viewers¡¯ interest continued to flow from Vi¡¯s mouth. The mission of Asgard. Muspelheim. The treasure desired by two gigantic forces. It was a grand scale, hard to imagine as just a trial on the 5th floor. But then. ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s just the 5th floor, but why is the difficulty this high?¡± It was amon question among all the viewers. It seemed excessive for a trial that was supposed to be merely on the 5th floor. However. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled. The scale is grand, but the difficulty isn¡¯t high.¡± As if to respond to that statement. ¡°Then, should we retrieve that?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s impossible.¡± Vi answered Su-Hyuk¡¯s question. ¡°Seeing this, it¡¯s clear, right? Doesn¡¯t the Valkyrie outright say it? ¡®It¡¯s impossible.¡¯¡± The video continued, and Falcon Eye matched hisments to its pace. ¡°From the beginning, this trial wasn¡¯t about reiming the Heart of Thunder. That¡¯s probably something for muchter, above the 5th floor.¡± An abnormal route. Understanding that exnation wasn¡¯t hard. Lee Suhyuk had taken such trials before. ¡º¡¯Falcon Eye Panty Thief¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡®Didn¡¯t he get the lightning like that?¡¯ The lightning. A reward obtained through an improbable route of defeating the giant tribe¡¯s leader. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s trials always deviated significantly from the predetermined path. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s it!¡± By now, the video had fast-forwarded to the meeting with the new Valkyrie, Belveim. ¡°If it were originally, they would meet a new Valkyrie here and safely escort Vi out of the city¡­ Something like that.¡± Swoosh-. The video quickly transitioned to a battle scene between Lee Suhyuk and Belveim. ¡°The trial became skewed because Lee Suhyuk uncovered the Valkyrie¡¯s betrayal.¡± -Screw it, I¡¯ll go my own way LOLOLOL -He¡¯s a real tough guy -He never follows orders LOLOLOL Lee Suhyuk¡¯s trials were unpredictable. Rather than following the given trial, he always sought the best possible oue within it. And that was precisely why viewers were captivated by Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streams. ¡°Uncovering the Valkyrie¡¯s betrayal and defeating her. That was the route to obtaining the legendary-grade reward, the Heart of Thunder. And Lee Suhyuk was the one who pioneered that path.¡± Bang-! He punched the desk once and raised his voice. ¡°But what about these idiots? Struggling from the 5th floor? Do you morons really think this looks like the real 5th floor difficulty?¡± Without even ncing at the video, Falcon Eyeshed out at the viewers. ¡°And frankly, it¡¯s not even struggling. What about any of it looks like a struggle? Huh?¡± -Oh¡­ I get it¡­ -Calm down, hyung¡­ -I just got here and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯m super sorry -I can¡¯t tell if this is spicy or mild vor The stream wasn¡¯t much different from Falcon Eye¡¯s usual style. He was unhesitant in his criticism, and if necessary, he didn¡¯t refrain from swearing. Speaking without a filter was exactly Falcon Eye¡¯s style. But this stream was slightly different. Usually, Falcon Eye¡¯s harsh criticism was focused on the yer, the subject of the review. However, in this stream, the target of Falcon Eye¡¯s ¡®spicy vor¡¯ were themunity users who were undermining Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Fire Surge-!¡± In the meantime, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s test was entering a new phase. The final chapter of the test. It was the stage where demons of Muspelheim swarmed. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ Demons¡­¡± Silvas, the knight, was frozen in ce, unable to properly respond to the appearance of the demons. The walls crumbled under the giant¡¯s fist, and mes roared. ¡°Climb up! Quickly!¡± ¡°Come this way!¡± It was utter chaos. There were at least dozens of visible demons in front of them. Each one of them was strong enough that only Vi could barely stand against them. ¡°Seriously, look at this. How could this be a level 5 difficulty?¡± ¡º¡¯NostrilPimple¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºNo way, that was all a big lie¡» At the timely donation of the negative message, Falcon Eye narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yeah. It was a lie.¡± -Wait, that¡¯s a lie? -Yeah, it was all fake LOLOLOL -One demon was just messing around with illusions LOLOLOL -Can¡¯t they get rid of those spoiler jerks? The sudden donation message made thetter part of the video y a bit earlier, but it wasn¡¯t bad. Thanks to it, he could more smoothly continue with the necessaryments. ¡°But it has to be that way. If it were real, it would be an impossible test from the start.¡± That was something Lee Suhyuk had said as well. ¡°This is exactly what impressed me about Lee Suhyuk in this test. His control and skills were already known.¡± Falcon Eye quickly skipped the video. And at the prepared point, the video stopped, revealing the scenery of the holy ground where countless demons had disappeared. ¡°The real one is that.¡± -????? -What the heck is with the skip -I was enjoying that The viewers who were engrossed in the video expressed their dissatisfaction. ¡°Those who want to watch it, go to Lee Suhyuk¡¯s channel and watch separately. I¡¯ll continue my review.¡± One of the purposes of this stream was to promote Lee Suhyuk¡¯s video channel. Most of Falcon Eye¡¯s stream revenue came from live viewer donations, so sharing that influence had its effects. ¡°After all, whether it¡¯s Asgard or Muspelheim, isn¡¯t it impossible for them to intervene significantly here? That¡¯s what the system has set.¡± ¡°You killed Belveim, using this guy.¡± ¡°A demon with illusion abilities. If that demon was hiding something¡­¡± Lee Suhyuk¡¯s detective show. And the final touch was thestment that only the viewers could hear. ¡°Above all, there is no such thing as an impossible test to pass.¡± p, p-p. In the end, Falcon Eye apuded. ¡°This is confidence.¡± ¨C There¡¯s no such thing as an impossible test to pass. ¨C That was a saying synonymous with Blue Eyes¡¯ legend, Lee Suhyuk. Many streamers who followed Lee Suhyuk¡¯s concept often mimicked his words. But among the many concept streamers, none truly understood what Lee Suhyuk meant. No. To be precise, there was no one who could actually put it into practice. ¡°It¡¯s the confidence thates from the certainty that nothing I can¡¯t do will ever appear in the test.¡± That¡¯s something you can only understand when you have that level of skill. ¡°But the creepiest part is that it¡¯s true. Wasn¡¯t it? Every test that Lee Suhyuk couldn¡¯t clear was an illusion.¡± Lee Suhyuk¡¯s video had reached its highlight. The reason for Belveim¡¯s betrayal. Vi¡¯s fury and the Valkyrie falling into illusion again. And the one-on-one matchup between Lee Suhyuk and the demon. ¡°Do you think I only know how to use illusions?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Boom-! A ck lightning bolt struck down over Lee Suhyuk¡¯s head. The owner of the lightning. It was a technique synonymous with Lee Suhyuk. ¡°No matter what you know how to do.¡± And at that moment. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll conclude with the final review.¡± Click-. Falcon Eye paused the video there. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a test I can¡¯t pass. That confidence, certainty, and insight alling together in his y.¡± -??? -Wait, a moment -Why stop here??? -Falcon-hyung??? Question marks and frustrated messages quickly filled the chat. The one-on-one matchup between Lee Suhyuk using his signature lightning and the demon of Muspelheim was the highlight of this test. However. ¡°Lee Suhyuk isn¡¯t just good at fighting. As a ¡®yer¡¯ in the truest sense, he has the ability to control the test itself. This is my final review for today.¡± Falcon Eye shamelessly ignored all theints and concluded the review. And concluding the review meant. ¡°Sorry guys, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s stream.¡± It meant the review content stream was over. -What the heck -This is too much -Are you kidding? -Going to join the Suhyuk squad? Will I really go? Falcon Eyeughed delightfully at their intense reactions. ¡°Falcon-bye~.¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 yers Channel. For the yers of this era, it was no different from another vast virtual world. Videos, streaming,munity, betting¡­ With countless enjoyable features, eight out of ten yers used the yers Channel. And because of that, the channel had immense influence. ¡ºReal-time Rank 4: All the way to Asgard¡» Among the hundreds of thousands of videos uploaded on the yers Channel, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s video ranked fourth in real-time. Valkyries, Muspelheim, and Asgard. The video was packed with numerous exciting elements that any yer would find intriguing. Even the title was enough to arouse interest. However. ¨C Falcon Eye, you scumbag ??; Thements on that video were flooded with insults directed at a certain streamer. ¨C Falcon Eye, you bastard ?? ¨C Falcon Eye, you jerk ?? ¨C Falcon Eye, you piece of crap ¨C What¡¯s going on? The reason was simple. It was because of the viewers who came from Falcon Eye¡¯s stream. ¨C This and that happened, and that¡¯s what went down ¨C Oh, I see ¨C ?? What¡¯s with the ¡®I see¡¯ ?? ¨C LOLOLOL Falcon Eye just showed a preview of this video and then ended the stream In a short amount of time, Falcon Eye¡¯s stream recorded nearly 30,000 viewers. The impact of Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streambined with Falcon Eye¡¯s regr viewers. Adding to that was the word of mouth in themunity. As a result. ¡°¡­ This video is blowing up.¡± Checking the real-time views of the video, Un Hyang clicked his tongue. Within hours of being uploaded, the video had already surpassed 300,000 views. At this rate, it looked possible to easily exceed a million views. ¡°Is the reaction good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great, incredibly so. It even climbed the real-time rankings.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Moreover, the views on other videos are rising too. Subscriptions are increasing¡­¡± Although Lee Suhyuk didn¡¯t fully understand what was being said, Un Hyang¡¯s expression was very positive. Judging by his excitement, the response seemed to be very favorable. Indeed. ¡®It¡¯s bound to be interesting.¡¯ Even in Suhyuk¡¯s opinion, this test had many elements for sess. Abined test involving gods and demons. And the results were perfect. Even before this, he had been gaining attention as the new lightning user, and the test further amplified that. Additionally. ¡°If this coborative stream goes well, we could significantly increase our viewers in one go.¡± Suhyuk still had a coborative stream left. And it was with a major streamer, Bald Suhyuk. *** It was quite a long journey. The amodation prepared by Balhae was top-notch again this time. After unpacking in the luxurious amodation that resembled a hotel and filling his stomach with a hearty meal, Suhyuk was the first to get up from his seat. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I have something to take care of for a bit.¡± As Suhyuk stood up first, Un Hyang looked puzzled. It was rare for Suhyuk to go somewhere alone. Whenever he did, something always seemed to happen. Like getting ambushed or having his identity exposed. ¡°Give him some privacy. Suhyuk should be able to go somewhere alone, meet people, maybe even meet a girl-.¡± Whack-. Cheon Ryang, who made ament, was immediately kicked in the shin by Un Hyang. Ignoring Cheon Ryang who was rolling on the floor clutching his aching leg, Un Hyang spoke. ¡°You know you shouldn¡¯t be toote, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back within three hours.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s enough time.¡± Considering Suhyuk¡¯s schedule, Un Hyang nodded. Three hours was more than enough time before the coborative stream with Bald Suhyuk. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± After a brief farewell, Suhyuk promptly stood up. As he left the amodation. Swish-. Suhyuk took off the mask he had been wearing. Tap-tap-. He quickly made his way to a dark alley in the city. After passing through several alleys, he arrived at a dismal slum, hidden beneath the bright lights. Children in ragged clothes swarming with flies. Beggars who had lost their legs crawling and begging with their arms, and women throwing stones at them. The other side of the bright city was revealed. Amidst all this, Suhyuk, in his clean and neat clothes, stood out starkly. With everyone¡¯s attention on him. Suhyuk headed towards one of the shacks in the slum. ¡°What brings you here?¡± A beggar, stark naked except for a nket wrapped around him, greeted Suhyuk. A quite assertive statement for a beggar. Suhyuk responded to his question. ¡°I came to meet the penniless rich man.¡± The beggar¡¯s eyes gleamed. Whirl. Turning swiftly, he responded without even looking back at Suhyuk. ¡°You¡¯vee to the right ce.¡± Tap-tap-. He disappeared into the narrow interior of the shack. Literally disappeared. As if there was an unseen space behind it. Suhyuk quietly followed him. Stepping into the back of the shack, the space around him warping, apletely different scene emerged. Swish-. Inside a building lit by torches. Walking slowly down the long corridor, the beggar guided Suhyuk somewhere. ¡°Here to buy? Or to sell?¡± ¡°To buy.¡± ¡°How did you know toe here?¡± ¡°There are ces like this everywhere, aren¡¯t there? Why ask about something you¡¯re not even hiding?¡± The beggar had no words for Suhyuk¡¯s question and remained silent thereafter. At the end of the corridor, the beggar halted. Ahead, there was a tent-covered room. ¡°Enter.¡± ¡°Thanks for the guide.¡± Swish-. Suhyuk extended his hand towards the beggar. ¡ºConsumed 10 points.¡» A small tip. ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable.¡± The beggar chuckled and walked away, clearly pleased. Leaving the beggar behind, Suhyuk entered the tent. The first thing that greeted him was the blistering heat and light of the torches that made his face flush. The room was illuminated by even more torches. ¡°A new visitor, I see.¡± The room, containing only a desk and two chairs, stood bare. The owner of the room was entirely different in appearance and atmospherepared to the outside beggar. Adorned with gold ornaments all over his body, wearing expensive silk clothes, and revealing golden teeth with a grin. A man in histe twenties with dark skin, looking unmistakably like a ¡®rich man.¡¯ ¡°Wee. I am the penniless rich man you sought.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not.¡± Scrape-. Ignoring the man¡¯s words, Suhyuk pulled back the chair opposite to him and sat down. ¡°The penniless rich man refers to Dark Map.¡± ¡°Oh-.¡± The man nodded in approval, letting out a small exmation. ¡°Correct. The penniless rich man is the name of our guild. So, you really do know everything.¡± Penniless Rich Man. It was a term and code word referring to the guild ¡®Dark Map¡¯. And the reason Dark Map was known as the ¡®Penniless Rich Man¡¯ was simple. ¡°Yes, my name is Greg. Not penniless rich man. Anyway, what kind of information are you here for? To buy? Or to sell?¡± Because the product they dealt with was ¡®information¡¯. Information turns into money. Sometimes, it¡¯s even more valuable than any treasure. Even if you have nothing in your pockets, you can be rich if you monopolize all the world¡¯s information. That was the ideology of Dark Map. They existed everywhere in the tower. yers short on points would sell valuable information to earn points, while yers needing specific information sought them out. Instances of yers selling information about major guilds to Dark Map for a hefty sum urred dozens to hundreds of times a year. ¡°I¡¯m here to buy.¡± ¡°What information? Oh, by the way, the information about major guilds is expensive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Blue Zone.¡± ¡°Looks like I gave good advice.¡± Greg¡¯s expression turned yful. Smiling as if amused, he leaned back into his chair. ¡°So, what information about Blue Zone? Want me to find out Kim Ilsoo¡¯s underwear color?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Suhyuk waved his hand dismissively before continuing. ¡°I want to know what they did on the 6th floor, whether the rumors are true, and everything rted to that.¡± ¡°Oh, that rumor?¡± Greg was well-informed. From trivial rumors circting inmunities to detailed underground stories, his head was full of information. Naturally, he was already aware of the sensational stories about Blue Zone. ¡°It was an interesting story. Betrayer in Blue Eyes, they said.¡± Lighting his half-smoked cigar, Greg added his thoughts. ¡°But if it¡¯s about that, it¡¯s likely true.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because without it, I can¡¯t see a scenario where Lee Suhyuk fails.¡± An unexpected answer. Greg took a long puff from his half-burnt cigar. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Think about what kind of yer Lee Suhyuk was. And what about the yers around him? Kim Shiwoo, Kim Minjae, Choi Suhoon, Kim Yerang¡­ each one of them is a legend.¡± Facts known by everyone. But Greg added one more thought to those known facts. ¡°Those people, dying meaninglessly during a critical Guardian raid? I don¡¯t think that was an ident.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how big guilds operate. They¡¯re all rotten inside. Full of greed.¡± ¡°What does that greed have to do with betrayal?¡± ¡°It has everything to do with it.¡± Ssss-. As Greg extinguished his nearly finished cigar by pressing it against the table, he continued speaking. ¡°Competition.¡± ¡°Competitio?¡± Suhyuk raised an eyebrow, seeking a more detailed exnation. However, just like the extinguished cigar, Greg¡¯s exnation also came to a full stop. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it for your bonus. But why? Do you have any personal connection to that incident?¡± When Suhyuk frowned, Greg raised his hands with a mischievous smile. ¡°Just kidding~. As you know, we don¡¯t meddle in our clients¡¯ personal matters. When selling information, it doesn¡¯t concern us who the client is or how they¡¯ll use it.¡± This was already well-known. Dark Map was meticulous when it came to information. As long as payment was made, they would safely deliver any information to the client. Without such reliability, dark Map wouldn¡¯t have grown to its current stature. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have that information at the moment. It¡¯s something we¡¯ll need to acquire separately.¡± After rummaging through a kit for a while, Greg stroked his chin. ¡°The initial fee is at least 50,000 points. Additional costs, depending on the manpower needed to gather the information and its importance, will range from 100,000 to 1,000,000.¡± ¡°The range is too broad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s information rted to a major guild. This much is expected.¡± It was what Suhyuk had anticipated. Thankfully, the down payment was within his current point range. Although it pained him, Suhyuk extended his hand as if nothing was wrong. ¡°I¡¯ll ce the order.¡± ¡°Thank you for trusting us, esteemed client.¡± ¡ºConsumed 50,000 points.¡» An amount nearly equivalent to his entire fortune was deducted. After the transaction waspleted, Suhyuk took out a kit from his bosom and handed it over. ¡°Contact me at this number. Please make it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ding-. Greg registered Suhyuk¡¯s kit information into his own. Then, to store Suhyuk¡¯s name in his kit, he asked. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Register it under Jung Chan-yung.¡± ¡°Jung Chan-yung¡­¡± After saving the name in his kit, Greg looked at Suhyuk with a curious expression. ¡°That name really doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 After Suhyuk left the shop. Swish-. A few minutester, the beggar who first guided him to the shop appeared in Greg¡¯s room. In his hands were a bottle of strong, dark liquor and a cigar. ¡°I thought you might be running low.¡± ¡°Oh, indeed.¡± Greg first lit the cigar that the beggar handed over. The thick, pungent aroma filled his mouth. Feeling the buzz in his head, he kept staring at the name of the new client. ¡°What¡¯s bothering you?¡± ¡°He used an alias.¡± ¡°You mean that client earlier?¡± The beggar looked puzzled. Clients using aliases weremon. Among those who didn¡¯t trust Dark Map, there were often individuals involved in illegal activities. Especially when the information was rted to major guilds, they were even more reluctant to reveal themselves. ¡°Does something about this bother you?¡± ¡°Clients who request such information usually fall into one of two categories. Either they hide their faces, or they¡¯re already in our guild¡¯s database.¡± Dark Map¡¯s informationwork contained data on most yers. From rankers to notable yers from the lower floors, they were all recorded in their database. However. ¡°He¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡± His face had never been captured in Dark Map¡¯s informationwork. ¡°Could he be a proxy?¡± ¡°A proxy¡­¡± Greg doubted the usible guess the beggar mentioned. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°No need to worry too much. After all, client information is a privacy matter, isn¡¯t it?¡± After a moment of silence, Greg nodded in agreement. It was true. Dark Map never sold client information under any circumstances. The only exception was if the client didn¡¯t pay the full price for urate information. Unless something untoward happened, digging into the client¡¯s identity was a waste of time. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± With the beggar¡¯s words, Greg dropped his curiosity about the client¡¯s identity. ¡®If I don¡¯t know him, he probably isn¡¯t someone significant.¡¯ * After leaving Dark Map, Suhyuk put his mask back on. This was the second time he¡¯d revealed his bare face. The first time was when Un Hyang had identally seen him. ¡®It¡¯s actually safer to go without the mask right now.¡¯ Lee Suhyuk¡¯s mask was too well-known. Rather than drawing unnecessary attention, it was better to act with an unknown face. Since Suhyuk started his yer activities, he had always worn a mask. Before that, he had been stuck in a yer training institution, so it was unlikely even Dark Map would have information on his face. ¡®It would be better if they mistake me for a proxy.¡¯ He considered getting another mask to cover his face, but that might have the opposite effect. Dark Map didn¡¯t care too much about the client¡¯s identity as long as they didn¡¯t attract unnecessary suspicion. Trying to hide his face might just leave a suspicious impression. It was better to be seen as an insignificant yer or someone¡¯s proxy. ¡®Greg¡­¡¯ Dark Map, a major information guild, had branches all over the tower. The 4th floor wasn¡¯t particrly high. Thus, the people here weren¡¯t expected to be overly remarkable. He had only intended to use the vastwork of Dark Map through a request. However. ¡°But if it¡¯s about that, it¡¯s likely true.¡± ¡°Because without it, I can¡¯t see a scenario where Lee Suhyuk fails.¡± Although it was just a guess, he was grasping the truth. Of course, the truth was slightly different. The one who betrayed wasn¡¯t the target that Blue Zone was after but their leader, Kim Ilsoo. But even that was enough to leave an impression that Greg had a good sense. And there was one more thing. ¡°It certainly matters.¡± ¡°Competition.¡± It seemed like he knew something he didn¡¯t. ¡®I¡¯d also like to find out about that if possible¡­.¡¯ He clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡®That¡¯s probably expensive too.¡¯ All information from Dark Map came at a price. Greg¡¯s casually dropped hint itself seemed like it would be very costly even as a teaser. Given his current financial situation, this was his limit for now. ¡®It¡¯s all about points, seriously.¡¯ Who would have thought he¡¯d live a life constantly scrambling for points? But on the other hand, it was also fortunate. Since his reincarnation, he quickly found a way to earn points. After all, with enough points, the problems could be ovee. ¡®I hope I can find out.¡¯ 50,000 points. It was by no means a small sum. But if he could find out what Blue Zone did there and whether anotherrade was still alive, he¡¯d dly pay ten times that amount. However, there were two concerns. One was that the cost might be too excessive for him to gather enough points, and the second was that even Dark Map might not be able to find the information. If they couldn¡¯t uncover it, it was highly likely no one in the world could. ¡®Let¡¯s leave it to them for now.¡¯ This was the best he could do at the moment. What he needed to do next was to earn the money for the information. Tap-tap-. Suhyuk headed straight back to the amodation. Passing through the slum, he entered the bustling heart of the city. He opened the door to the amodation. Ding-dong-. On the first floor, several groups of guests were dining or having tea, taking a break. Among them, what caught Suhyuk¡¯s eye was a group of people sitting by the window. Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang. And three people sitting opposite them. Checking the time, it had been roughly three hours. ¡°Perfect timing.¡± As usual, Un Hyang was the first to notice Suhyuk. Suhyuk waved back to her gesture. The three people, who seemed to be guests, turned their heads towards Suhyuk. ¡°Nice to meet you, streamer Lee Suhyuk.¡± Among them. A particrly striking blue-eyed Caucasian man approached and greeted Suhyuk. ¡°Buzz-cut Suhyuk, I¡¯m Bald Suhyuk.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Suhyuk shook the hand extended to him awkwardly, wearing a puzzled expression. The first impression of Bald Suhyuk was simple. He was handsome. Extremely so. Although the mysterious eye color was impressive, his sharp features stood out. His nose was so high it seemed like it had been sculpted. It was hard to believe that the clueless, goofy image from the stream was the same person standing before him. ¡°See, this is the reaction I¡¯m talking about! Did you see? Huh? Huh?¡± Puffing his chest with pride at Suhyuk¡¯s reaction, Bald Suhyuk turned to his twopanions. ¡°You guys underestimate me, but I tell you, people would be all over me anywhere else!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, just sit down and be quiet.¡± ¡°Are you advertising ¡®I am Bald Suhyuk¡¯ or something?¡± The somewhat plump man and the bespectacled woman both sighed and tried to calm him down. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to lower your tension when we¡¯re outside¡ª¡± ¡°Just leave him be. He rarely gets to reveal his face.¡± The man, who seemed bewildered, and the woman, who appeared resigned, tried their best to manage Bald Suhyuk. Bald Suhyuk finally introduced the two a bitter. ¡°This is my manager, Netz, and my video editor, Ameri. They¡¯ve been with me since the beginning.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°We know. Your real name is also Lee Suhyuk, right? That¡¯s really interesting.¡± After a somewhat boisterous and long handshake, the introduction ended. Suhyuk had seen Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream a few times before. He thought he wouldn¡¯t feel awkward or embarrassed, but it was quite the opposite. His face was vastly different from his stream persona, yet his personality was exactly the same. ¡®Should I say it¡¯s different or the same¡­?¡¯ After the intense first impression, Suhyuk took a seat. Bald Suhyuk continued to look at him with curiosity. ¡°You¡¯re wearing your mask even here, Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not because of Bald Suhyuk. He usually does this.¡± Cheon Ryang hastily exined. He was more polite than Suhyuk had ever seen. No matter how yful he looked, Bald Suhyuk was a major streamer representing Balhae. ¡°Oh, really? I almost felt hurt.¡± ¡°Bald Suhyuk, why do you hide your face? If you revealed it, you¡¯d be hugely popr.¡± Cheon Ryang asked as if he couldn¡¯t understand at all, and Bald Suhyuk, feeling pleasantly surprised, grinned as he answered. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Cheon Ryang blinked, not understanding what he meant. ¡°Gaining poprity with my looks is boring.¡± A cheeky yet cool answer. Next, he took out a mask from his inventory, covering his handsome face as he continued. ¡°I¡¯m in this for fun. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± * After that, the group¡¯s conversation drifted towards the content they would use for the coboration stream. ¡°The most fun would be using the difference in skills.¡± ¡°Since taking the test together is impossible¡­¡± ¡°How about renting a virtual testing ground?¡± ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s boring.¡± ¡°¡­Then what do you suggest?¡± ¡°Instead¡­¡± The four busy discussing. The two streamers, who were left out of the conversation, caught each other¡¯s eyes. In that moment. Feigning a yawn to show boredom, Bald Suhyuk gestured towards the door. ¡®Let¡¯s go out.¡¯ Suhyuk nodded in agreement. It was better to leave this kind of content nning to the experts. If he tried to pitch in now, he¡¯d only disrupt the meeting. More than anything, Suhyuk also wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with Bald Suhyuk. After all, he was the first streamer Suhyuk had ever watched. Swish-. The two quietly slipped out. They exited the bustling downtown area and headed towards the quieter outskirts of the city. ¡°Why do they have to think so much about it when we can just do it?¡± Shuddering at the thought, Bald Suhyukmented as if the whole situation was tiresome. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Do you typically stream like that?¡± ¡°Like what? Oh, just doing it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As long as I show people I¡¯m having fun, they love it. Well, sometimes my manager ns the content, and I do that too.¡± After exchanging a few words, Suhyuk had a clear understanding of Bald Suhyuk¡¯s character. He was azy genius. Of course, that assessment wasn¡¯t as a yer but as a streamer. Strictly speaking, as a streamer, he certainly was a genius. Pure and passionate. He had no awkwardness in conversations and didn¡¯t fake anything. He was confident yet modest. He was undeniably likable. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve watched your stream a few times.¡± Suhyuk was surprised by the unexpected remark. It was something he had intended to say, as Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream was the first he had ever watched. ¡°Honestly, it wasn¡¯t super fun. It¡¯s intriguing, but since I don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on with the y, you know?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Saying it wasn¡¯t fun felt a bit embarrassing. However, he did say ¡®a few times¡¯, not just once. ¡°What¡¯s interesting isn¡¯t really the stream itself but your reactions.¡± ¡°My reactions?¡± ¡°Do you even know how popr you are? Or are you just taking it in stride?¡± ¡°¡­ Excuse me?¡± What was he trying to get at? The smiling, handsome eyes appeared a bit different from the initial impression. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. How you stay so calm while thousands of viewers tune in live.¡± For a moment, he had forgotten due to his childlike pure expression and tone. ¡°As if you¡¯ve experienced that kind of fame before.¡± Bald Suhyuk. He was a star among streamers, boasting millions of subscribers and tens of thousands of live viewers. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Pretending to be indifferent, Suhyuk continued walking while reying Bald Suhyuk¡¯s words in his mind. As if he¡¯s already experienced fame. It wasn¡¯t wrong. Although it was different in nature, Suhyuk had experienced enormous poprity in the past. And that, in a way, was far beyond his current fame. In fact, even the poprity that Bald Suhyuk was enjoying had ties to his past self. ¡°I guess this is just my natural personality.¡± It wasn¡¯t just an excuse. ¡®I didn¡¯t think too much about it back then, either.¡¯ Focusing more on the tasks ahead rather than being conscious of invisible poprity. Because of this personality, he had never felt burdened by poprity. Feeling the sincerity in Suhyuk¡¯s answer, Bald Suhyuk nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s a talent.¡± ¡°A talent?¡± ¡°Yes. While many people can gain poprity, not many can withstand it.¡± Looking contemtive, he continued. ¡°Poprity can weigh so heavily that it ruins streams or leads to self-absorption, like being drunk on power, causing them to stray off path¡­ The reasons for falling apart are varied.¡± ¡°Do many people end up that way?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s quitemon in this field.¡± For a brief moment, a look of bitterness crossed Bald Suhyuk¡¯s face. Although he soon returned to his usual expression, Suhyuk was reminded of one thing. ¡°There¡¯s a jinx.¡± The reason many streamers were reluctant to coborate with Bald Suhyuk. It was because of the absurd and frightening jinx that any streamer who coborated with him would end up failing. ¡°Is that why the streamers who coborated with you ended up failing?¡± Bald Suhyuk flinched in surprise and stopped walking. Just as Suhyuk wondered if he was about to say something profound, they arrived at an upscale-looking bar. After staring at the bar sign for a moment, Bald Suhyuk asked. ¡°How about a drink?¡± * The interior of the bar had a luxurious atmosphere with dim lighting and soft hues. Sitting on a clearly expensive sofa, Bald Suhyuk was the first to order drinks and snacks. ¡°Cheese and crackers, and any Elbafesan wine aged over 30 years, please.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened as he heard this from across the table. Elbafesan wine was notoriously expensive. If it was aged over 30 years, a single bottle could cost thousands of points. To order such a pricey wine on a whim. ¡°Why are you so surprised? You earn quite a lot yourself.¡± ¡°I do, but¡­¡± Taking a sip of water, Suhyuk spoke in a dissatisfied tone. ¡°It¡¯s the expenses that are the problem.¡± ¡°I suppose. yers like you must spend a ton on equipment and other stuff.¡± Although he had spent more points elsewhere, there was no need to rify. Nodding, Suhyuk heard Bald Suhyukugh and speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m treating. After all, it¡¯s not every day I get to coborate with a streamer like you.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one saying thanks?¡± Suhyuk still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Your viewers and subscribers far outnumber mine.¡± In the short time they¡¯d talked, the luxurious wine arrived. Ignoring the price, Bald Suhyuk immediately opened the bottle. ¡°True, but the rumors are so bad.¡± ¡°It bothers you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course. All the viewers know about it. Didn¡¯t you see thements on the notice?¡± ¡°Comments¡­¡± Suhyuk quickly took out his kit. ¡°You really don¡¯t pay attention to this stuff, huh? Since yesterday, there¡¯s been an uproar. People saying ¡®Do you want to ruin our brother?¡¯ and ¡®Bald Suhyuk¡¯s going to destroy another streamer.¡¯¡± As Suhyuk listened, he quickly checked thements. ¨C Again???? ¨C I support Bald Suhyuk, but this is a bit LOLOLOL ¨C Suhyuk, run away!! ¨C Which Suhyuk are we talking about? ¨C This guy still hasn¡¯t learned LOLOLOL How many streamers has he ruined with his own hands? ¨C It¡¯s not the worst thing to die while being apuded Thements were harsh. Although it was on his own stream notice, most of the criticism was directed at Bald Suhyuk. Pourrr-. ¡°I expected this to happen.¡± ¡°Then why did you agree?¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Bald Suhyuk handed a drink to Suhyuk, seemingly unbothered by the expensive liquor, and filled the ss to the brim. After taking a sip. ¡°My manager also tried to talk me out of it. Said there¡¯s nothing to gain from it.¡± ¡°Then, who made the decision¡­¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s this feeling, you know? That this time, it¡¯ll be different.¡± As he said this, Bald Suhyuk let out a smallugh. ¡°The problem is that my intuition isn¡¯t great.¡± It was an urate statement. Even from his stream tests, it was clear. He showed y that was messy enough to surprise Suhyuk, with not a hint of pretense. He had no intuition. Literally zero. And it seemed that thisck of intuition wasn¡¯t confined to just ying tests as a yer. ¡°I always thought things would be different each time, but the results were always the same. The stream suddenly became dull, or they got what I call ¡®celebrity syndrome¡¯, or scandals arose¡­¡± ¡°The scandals aren¡¯t your fault, are they?¡± ¡°Right. Just bad luck.¡± He nodded as he poured himself another drink. ¡°But that¡¯s why it¡¯s a ¡®jinx¡¯. As if I was cursed or something.¡± A curse. It was far from a grandiose term. When dissecting the cause of this jinx, there was only one possible exnation. ¡°The effect of the coboration must be substantial.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I mean, enough to make them feel pressured or get ¡®celebrity syndrome¡¯ due to the sudden spike in viewers.¡± Suhyuk had experienced the effect of a coboration before. After the coboration with Falcon Eye, Suhyuk saw a sudden increase in viewers. It was due to the promotion of his channel through Falcon Eye¡¯s stream and the subsequent influx of Falcon Eye¡¯s viewers. Sharing viewers. Securing and promoting viewers through coboration. That was the fundamental reason for coborations. ¡®If it¡¯s Bald Suhyuk, the effect of the coboration would be significantly greater.¡¯ He was a major streamer with over ten times the viewers of Falcon Eye. Naturally, the effect of the coboration would be much more pronounced. It wasn¡¯t surprising that sudden poprity might overwhelm a streamer, making it difficult to maintain direction. ¡°You¡¯re quite positive.¡± Slightly, but Bald Suhyuk¡¯s face brightened. ¡°In fact, I was hoping for something like this. I felt like nothing would faze you, Suhyuk-nim.¡± ncing at his reflection in the wine bottle, Bald Suhyuk muttered in a small voice. ¡°If it ends up the same way this time¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he shook his head. Then he filled his empty ss again and held it out. ¡°Let¡¯s stop with the bad thoughts and have a toast. Let¡¯s change this heavy topic.¡± His expression shifted instantly. Seeing Bald Suhyuk¡¯s face quickly return to its bright state, Suhyuk clinked his ss with his. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re curious about? After all, I¡¯m a senior in this industry.¡± ¡°How much do you make exactly?¡± ¡°Wow, going straight for it, huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re buying such expensive drinks, how could I not be curious?¡± * They emptied several bottles, but surprisingly, they didn¡¯t get that drunk. Getting drunk or not was the choice of the yers. If they wanted, they could instantly clear their system of alcohol. Though it wasn¡¯tmon to drink such expensive liquor only to waste it by clearing the effect. ¡°It feels like a waste.¡± As soon as they returned to the amodation, both of them instantly sobered up. ¡°We didn¡¯t have a choice. We have work to do.¡± ¡°Next time, let¡¯s have a proper drink.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± As Suhyuk and Bald Suhyuk walked in together, Un Hyang and Netz turned to look at them. ¡°When did those two get so close?¡± ¡°Looks like they had a drink together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Getting friendly will make the coboration¡¯s synergy better.¡± Suhyuk and Bald Suhyuk joined the meeting again. Having sobered up, Bald Suhyuk looked at his manager, Netz. ¡°Did you finalize the content?¡± ¡°Yeah. It might be a bit clich¨¦, but there¡¯s nothing better.¡± ¡°Ah, I think I know what it is.¡± Even with a brief exnation, Bald Suhyuk grasped the theme of the content. ¡°Master and apprentice.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Master and apprentice. The name alone gave a clear idea of what the content would be like. ¡°So I¡¯ll be teaching Bald Suhyuk?¡± Un Hyang nodded in response to Suhyuk¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s amon content theme when skilled streamers coborate withedy streamers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done any teaching before.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be good at it.¡± Bald Suhyuk shrugged at Suhyuk¡¯s concern. ¡°The whole point of this content is to see the apprentice beat the master.¡± ¡°Beat the master?¡± ¡°Yes. No matter how much the master teaches, the apprentice remains hriously bad.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Thinking through the content¡¯s structure, Suhyuk nodded. He had a good grasp of how the content would unfold. ¡®A content focus highlighting Bald Suhyuk¡¯s cursed talent.¡¯ Although he had only watched a few times, Suhyuk knew how terrible Bald Suhyuk¡¯s y was. He was a mess in every aspect. Frankly, it seemed a miracle that he had made it up to the 4th floor. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve done this content.¡± Un Hyang continued to exin. ¡°We¡¯ve already tried this coboration with some of our streamers. The reason we decided on this content again is because it received great responses.¡± ¡°Did they all fail?¡± The person who answered Suhyuk¡¯s question was Bald Suhyuk¡¯s manager, Netz. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a failure. Each time, the viewership exceeded 200,000.¡± 200,000. A staggering number. It was ten times the viewership of Suhyuk, who had around 20,000 viewers. It was clear why Bald Suhyuk was ssified as a major streamer. However. ¡°No, I meant¡­¡± Suhyuk¡¯s question was not about that. ¡°I¡¯m asking if they all failed to teach Bald Suhyuk.¡± With a more detailed exnation, Netz blinked and nced between Suhyuk and Bald Suhyuk. ¡°Seriously, you mean it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Netz looked perplexed. Bald Suhyuk¡¯s reaction was not much different. ¡°Suhyuk, have you watched our stream before?¡± ¡°I have. It was a mess.¡± ¡°And you really think you can fix him?¡± Although it might have been offensive, Bald Suhyuk didn¡¯t react negatively. It was a factual statement and the two had be close enough to speak this frankly. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible. And saying I¡¯d ¡®fix¡¯ him sounds a bit grandiose¡­¡± Master and Apprentice. A humorous content where the master struggles with the cursed talent of the apprentice. However. ¡°If he does get better, wouldn¡¯t that be awesome?¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be a shame to end it with such a mediocre conclusion? Suhyuk looked at Bald Suhyuk with determination. ¡°Let¡¯s give it our best.¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 ¡º¡¯Bald Suhyuk¡¯ has started the stream.¡» A notification that sends excitement through many hearts. Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream had begun. ¨C Bald-hi ¨C Bald-hello ¨C Bald-up! Bald-up! ¨C Is this really the coboration today? ¨C Literally two Soo-hyuks LOLOLOL The speed at which viewers were entering was incredible. Surpassing 10,000, 20,000, and then 30,000¡­. Seeing nearly 50,000 viewers join within a few minutes made Suhyuk click his tongue in amazement. ¡®This is no joke.¡¯ He knew Bald Suhyuk had a lot of viewers. 50,000 was nothing; on an ordinary day, he had around 100,000 viewers watching his stream. Moreover, today was the announced coboration. It was only natural that more viewers would be interested than usual. ¡°Bald-hi! Hello, everyone! Oh, nice to see you too. What? You came to see Suhyuk? Thanks¡­ Oh, not me? Okay, get lost.¡± ¡º¡¯Bald Suhyuk Baldy¡¯ has donated 500 points.¡» ¡ºHey, is it true that you¡¯re a handsome guy ording to rumors?¡» ¡°Who¡¯s spreading these rumors? Such excellent work. Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL Ohh LOLOLOL ¨C Bald Suhyuk LOLOLOL Handsome guy LOLOLOL ¨C But I did hear that rumor too, from a reliable source ¨C I¡¯m telling you, bald started that rumor himself~ There was a brief period of interaction with the chat and donations. Watching the stream from behind the scenes, Suhyuk waited for his turn. After a while. ¡°Thanks for the donation, bald Baldy¡­ Okay, okay, I¡¯ll get Suhyuk¡­ fine, fine, I get it.¡± Grabbing the timing, Bald Suhyuk looked at Suhyuk. ¡°Here is the master you¡¯ve been waiting for, streamer Lee Suhyuk!¡± Following the cue, Suhyuk stepped into view. ¨C Wowowowowow ¨C An esteemed figure in a humble ce¡­ ¨C (A soon-to-die streamer) ¨C Wee, small-time streamer It was hard to tell if they were weing him or cursing him. Standing side by side with Bald Suhyuk in front of the camera, Suhyuk greeted. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m streamer Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¨C Run away! ¨C The masks are identical, but the physical difference¡­ ¨C Fake Suhyuk is at least a head taller ¨C So who¡¯s this small-time streamer? Though they wore the same mask, the difference in their outfits and physiques made them easy to distinguish. ¡°For those viewers who might not know, please introduce yourself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nodding, Suhyuk introduced himself to nearly 100,000 viewers. ¡°I¡¯m the Fake Suhyuk. Currently a yer on the 6th floor, and my specialty is lightning.¡± Crackle-. Bang-! Lightning erupted from his fingertips and struck the floor. It was a small performance, but many viewers had been eagerly waiting for it. ¨C Wow ¨C Seeing this live ¨C Is this real?? ¨C Of course, it¡¯s real LOLOLOL Haven¡¯t you watched Fake Suhyuk¡¯s videos? Most of Bald Suhyuk¡¯s viewers sought entertainment rather than skill. Bald Suhyuk¡¯s gamey was far from skilled, to say the least. However, that didn¡¯t mean they had no fascination with lightning. From the start, Bald Suhyuk¡¯s concept was derived from Lee Suhyuk, so it was natural for them to be interested. ¡°Today¡¯s master is quite shy¡­¡± Bald Suhyuk muttered in a daze at Suhyuk¡¯s unexpected actions. Having heard Suhyuk¡¯s determination before the stream began, he had a feeling that today¡¯s stream would be quite exhausting. ¡º¡¯UglinessCaptain¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºBut how do you n to teach this hopeless case?¡» A simple question along with 1,000 points. Given therge scale of the stream, the donations that came in were significant too. Suhyuk answered the question. ¡°For now, I n to focus on feedback.¡± ¨C Feedback? ¨C Can that even fix him? ¨C Not a chance, undoubtedly Bald Suhyuk will win LOLOLOL Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream had a different vibepared to Suhyuk¡¯s. While Suhyuk¡¯s stream was usually filled withpliments, Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream was fundamentally tinged with skepticism towards him. And the purpose of this coboration was precisely. ¡°I watched all the previous content videos before starting the stream.¡± To break that skepticism. ¡°It seems doable.¡± There was a hint ofughter in Suhyuk¡¯s voice. A statement full of confidence. And with such confidence inevitably followed something. ¡º¡¯2ndFloorBestSword¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºIf Bald Suhyuk achieves more than 10 kills today, 100,000 points. If he fails, you both have to do a couple stream. Deal?¡» 100,000 points. An enormous sum was ced on the mission. Even with the risk of failure, it was hard to ignore. ¨C The vice president is here ?? ¨C 100,000 ohh LOLOLOL ¨C Can¡¯t resist the couple stream ¨C Ugh¡­ ¨C The missions didn¡¯t stop there. ¡º¡¯BaldingSuhyuk¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ll add 20,000 points to the same mission¡» ¡º¡¯RegretOfTheSun¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ll add 30,000 points too! Though I kind of want to see the couple stream ??¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» More missions poured in. Although the amounts were significant, something else astonished Suhyuk even more. ¡®Are they seriously offering this much for such an easy task?¡¯ They weren¡¯t asking for something as difficult as passing the 4th floor in a few days. They weren¡¯t asking to win a series of consecutive victories. Just a simple mission to secure more than 10 kills in a single game. ¡°Suhyuk¡­¡± A troubled look crossed Bald Suhyuk¡¯s face. He seemed uncertain about his chances. But unfortunately, the eptance of these missions was up to Suhyuk. And of course, Suhyuk¡¯s decision was the same as usual. ¡°We ept.¡± *** The content began. The first thing Suhyuk did was observe Bald Suhyuk¡¯s test. For that, Suhyuk started a separate personal stream. ¡ºTitle: Watching Bald Suhyuk¡¯s Room. Master and Apprentice¡» ¨C Was it because the title included Bald Suhyuk? ¨C As soon as the stream started, viewers flocked in. ¨C Hi, hi ¨C Curious about the reaction ¨C You¡¯ll regret underestimating our Bald bro Bald Suhyuk¡¯s viewers migrated to Suhyuk¡¯s stream. 10,000, 15,000¡­ In no time, the number of viewers surpassed 20,000. ¡®That¡¯s incredibly fast.¡¯ Most of them were likely viewers from Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream, but even so, the rate of increase was staggering. At this pace, reaching 50,000 viewers wouldn¡¯t be out of the question. ¡°Hello, everyone. This is Lee Suhyuk.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s greeting was brief and to the point. ¡°No need to say hello again, right?¡± After all, the greetings were already done on Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream. More importantly, the content had already started. Suhyuk looked at Bald Suhyuk¡¯s screen. Bald Suhyuk, who had started the trial, was entering the battlefield. ¡°No way, why do we have to do a couple stream, of all things? And with two guys? Huh?¡± He seemed to be worrying about the penalty already. Well, frankly speaking, Suhyuk didn¡¯t want to do that penalty either. ¡®Two guys doing a ¡°We Got Married¡± content? Absolutely not.¡¯ We Got Married¡± (?? in Korean) is a content where a streamer couple, typically a male and female, act as a married couple. However, a couple stream with two guys was closer to a punishment than content. ¡°It¡¯s the first round, so I¡¯ll take it easy. Trust me, master.¡± Bald Suhyuk looked at the long cliff and the two-path road, brimming with determination. But even getting into a match wasn¡¯t easy. ¡ºAllies¡» ¡ºDale Full: Bronze 4¡» ¡ºRao Fail: Bronze 4¡» ¡ºDeograte: Bronze 4¡» ¡ºBenito Roman: Bronze 4¡» A team consisting entirely of Bronze 4, the lowest rank. Due to continuous losses, the scores had dropped significantly, resulting in low-ranked teammates. ¨C It¡¯s a hell party LOLOLOL ¨C Seriously, I¡¯ve never seen a full Bronze 4 team LOLOLOL ¨C What happens if he loses again? ¨C He fails the test and has to blow more points, what else? Despite the low scores, Bald Suhyuk took it seriously. In an escort mission, where he was on defense, he bravely faced the enemies carrying the cargo. But. ¡º¡¯Ruder¡¯ has killed ¡®Benito Roman¡¯.¡» The result was no different from usual. ¡®So his real name is Benito Roman?¡¯ A real name learned through the notifications. It somehow seemed unfittingpared to the nickname Bald Suhyuk. ¡°A mistake, a mistake. I went in too hastily by myself.¡± ¡®But the opponent was alone, too.¡¯ Suhyuk sighed at Bald Suhyuk¡¯s excuse. The subsequent gamey was disastrous. He kept getting killed by enemies, continually feeding the opposing yers. How he even made it to the 4th floor was a mystery. At some point, it felt like he was doing it on purpose just for the stream. ¨C Look at his expression tightening, right? ¨C Can¡¯t even see but you know it ¨C The mask is crying, right? The viewers from Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream kept an eye on Suhyuk¡¯s reactions. In the Master and Apprentice content, all the streamers ying the master role had simr reactions. It felt like watching an unrepairable patient. They kept sighing, unsure where or how to start fixing things. ¡°Ah¡­¡± But Suhyuk¡¯s reaction was a bit different. ¡°That was a kill opportunity.¡± ¨C ??? ¨C What is he saying ¨C That was full HP A narration that seemed out of ce in the given scene. ¡°What? Suhyuk said it was a kill opportunity?¡± Somehow, that information was quickly ryed to Bald Suhyuk. ¡°Here I go-!¡± At that sight, Suhyuk facepalmed, or rather mask-palmed. ¡°He went andmitted suicide¡­¡± And in the next moment. Pop-. As Bald Suhyuk charged, the opponent hastily backed off. ¡°Huh?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°They let him live?¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOL ¨C It¡¯s the chaotic mess show LOLOLOL ¨C It wasn¡¯t suicide, but survival His mind was filled with questions. ¡®How did this even happen?¡¯ Both Bald Suhyuk charging in saying he¡¯d die, and the opponent letting him live. No one seemed to be ying properly. The rest of the test content was a chaotic mess as well. Even in the subsequent ¡®Forest of War¡¯, the situation didn¡¯t improve. Throughout watching Bald Suhyuk¡¯s stream, Suhyuk kept repeating simrments. ¡°That was a kill opportunity¡­ oh, it vanished.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t the jungler farming?¡± ¡°With this, it¡¯s an opportunity to reverse¡­ oh, never mind.¡± The second test ended. The final score: 1 kill, 10 deaths, 3 assists. A result that would be odd not to sigh at. As Suhyuk waited for Bald Suhyuk to return, he made his final assessment. ¡°Overall, everything is just aplete mess.¡± ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C Agreeing with the mess LOLOLOL LOL ¨C Told him to get 10 kills, and he gets 10 deaths¡­ What is Bald Suhyuk even¡­ A simple yet weighty statement. A mess. There was no better way to describe the current test. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡± Having been a yer for a long time, including his previous life, Suhyuk was genuinely surprised. ¡°Is this even real¡­¡± He had watched Bald Suhyuk¡¯s streams before, but those times were just to see what streaming was like, not to focus on the y itself. However, the world of Bald Suhyuk, when viewed with a focus on content, was vastly different from Suhyuk¡¯s own world. Still. ¡®That¡¯s why, actually¡­¡¯ ¡º¡¯BaldingSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºIf you¡¯re Lee Suhyuk, who wants to give up on the mission, raise your hand LOLOLOL¡» A timely donation message. At that donation, Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°Why would I give up?¡± Seeing Bald Suhyuk trudging back after the test, Suhyuk spoke confidently. ¡°It seems doable to me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 ¡°Overall, everything is just aplete mess.¡± Suhyuk started the feedback right away. ¡°Yes¡­¡± A despondent reaction. Seeing Bald Suhyuk¡¯s drooping ears and slightly bowed head, Suhyuk offered a bit of encouragement. ¡°But that ¡®overall¡¯ includes other people besides you, Bald Suhyuk.¡± This was the best encouragement he could offer right now. Even if he was feeling down, he couldn¡¯t give encouragement where none existed. ¡°Other people too?¡± ¡°Yes. Although Bald Suhyuk is particrly a mess¡­¡± Suhyuk quickly added. ¡°But they¡¯re all more or less the same. Given the rank, it¡¯s no surprise.¡± From what Suhyuk observed, Bald Suhyuk was a hardworking underachiever. Reaching the 4th floor with such talent was an undeniable aplishment. That would have been impossible without effort. Of course, that might also have been due to having the financial means to retry the test countless times. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re saying I¡¯m the worst, Master?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°This master is a bit harsh.¡± Suhyuk couldn¡¯t help but smile at Bald Suhyuk¡¯sment. He had worried that Bald Suhyuk might get too discouraged, but fortunately, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Upon reflection, it made sense. Bald Suhyuk had been told he was the worst nearly every day up to now. His mental strength was probablyparable to that of a high-ranking yer. ¡°Suggestions like ¡®fix this¡¯, ¡®react that way¡¯¡­ those are things that take a lot of time and may even be hard to achieve.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± Bald Suhyuk nodded. Indeed, that¡¯s how other masters had tried to teach him so far. Focus on the test. Manage your skills to conserve magic. Concentrate more when using a skill. These were things he understood mentally but couldn¡¯t execute. ¡°If I could do those things, would I be here now? Definitely not.¡± ¡°I was going to assume you don¡¯t know how to do any of those things.¡± ¡°So, what should I do?¡± Whether it was for the stream or just his natural personality, Bald Suhyuk sped his hands together with exaggerated actions and tone. After all, he also didn¡¯t want to do a couple stream with another guy. ¡°It¡¯s simple, really.¡± ¡°Simple?¡± ¡°Yes. Just make a few promises with me.¡± Bald Suhyuk looked puzzled. ¡°¡­ Promises?¡± * After the feedback session, Bald Suhyuk immediately began the next test. His mind was entirely upied with thoughts of what would happen if he failed the mission. ¡®I hate this. Absolutely hate this.¡¯ A couple stream with another guy. It was definitely something he wanted to avoid. He needed toplete this mission, not for the reward but to avoid the couple stream at all costs. ¡®He did say it was about promises.¡¯ ¡ºWee to the Forest of War.¡» ¡ºDefeat enemies to be stronger.¡» ¡ºDestroy the enemy base to win the match.¡» The message announcing the start of the test appeared. Bald Suhyuk began to focus. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this, guys.¡± Smack-. He smacked the mask on his face with his palm. As soon as the game started, the teammates, all in the Bronze 4 tier, recognized Bald Suhyuk. ¡°Huh? That mask¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Bald Suhyuk!¡± ¡°Bald Suhyuk? Isn¡¯t that the same guy? The Fake Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯d be in this tier? Of course, it¡¯s Bald Suhyuk.¡± Two of the teammates recognized Bald Suhyuk. However, one of them did not react favorably. ¡°Oh, great. We¡¯re doomed this round.¡± A yer named ¡°Diehard¡± grumbled in annoyance as he trudged away. ¡°I¡¯m going top.¡± ¡°Hey, you should at least discuss with the team¡­¡± ¡°Thene with me.¡± Without waiting for a response, diehard headed to the top. ¨C What¡¯s up with that guy? ¨C He¡¯s mad because he¡¯s teamed with Bald Suhyuk LOLOLOL ¨C Bald (annoying) Suhyuk LOLOLOL ¨C Not funny; Even in a friendly atmosphere, winning the test would be a challenge. ¡®We¡¯re doomed, this round.¡¯ The test started with bad feelings. Moreover, one teammate already had a grudge against him. A messed-up game from the start. To make matters worse, thenes got tangled. ¡°I¡¯ve never yed mid before¡­¡± Bald Suhyuk was assigned to the midne. Typically, his mainne was top. Mid was a role with more responsibilities, often avoided. Despite his attempts to avoid it, another yer had taken top right from the start. ¡°We¡¯re doomed¡­¡± ¡º¡¯Minions¡¯ have spawned.¡» Time passed, and the minions spawned. The test was officially underway. Arriving at the turret, he saw the enemy yer. A yer named ¡°Radol¡± wielded two daggers. Well-geared and looking quite capable. ¡°You don¡¯t have to try to do anything special. Just remember a few promises and stick to them.¡± Bald Suhyuk recalled the conversation he had with Suhyuk. A few promises. All he had to do was remember and keep them. Compared to other masters, this was much simpler feedback. ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s try this.¡¯ This mission was one he absolutely could not fail. He had to be persistent. For now, he had to trust Suhyuk. The spawned minions reached thene. Following directions, he began farming slowly. ¡ºMinion in.¡» ¡ºStats increased by 1%.¡» ¡°The tests on the 4th floor primarily focus on growth. Even if your control iscking, as long as you farm well, you¡¯re halfway there.¡± The first promise made with Suhyuk. ¡°Never go in first; just focus on farming from the start. Always.¡± Don¡¯t rush; just concentrate on farming. It was a sensible strategy. With hisck of control, Bald Suhyuk had no choice but to aim for growth. As long as he grew well, it wasn¡¯t impossible to overwhelm his opponents with stats alone. ¡ºMinion in.¡» ¡ºStats increased by 1%.¡» He farmed diligently. asionally, the opponent¡¯s daggers flew his way, but hiding behind allied minions made it easy to avoid them. It helped that Bald Suhyuk had ruled out the idea of fighting entirely. Time passed like this. ¡°God, this is annoying.¡± Pop-. Unable to stand it any longer, the opponent pushed in aggressively. ¡°When you keep farming the minions, there will be a moment when the opponent overextends out of frustration.¡± ¡®¡­ Huh?¡¯ Seeing the opponent charge in amidst the minions, Bald Suhyuk blinked. The situation unfolded exactly as if he had seen a preview. This left him with no hesitation for his next move. ng-! The daggers and sword shed. With the sharp sound of metal scraping, the battlemenced. But. ¡°What the hell, you¡¯re just blocking non-stop¡­¡± With no intention of fighting back, Bald Suhyuk focused solely on defending. It was a frustrating stalemate with no clear resolution. Then, during their skirmish. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Bald Suhyuk suddenlyughed in a creepy manner. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Got what¡ª.¡± In the momentary confusion during the battle. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Radol¡¯s eyes widened as he looked around. The area was suddenly filled with minions. The allied minions had focused their attention on defending Bald Suhyuk as he was attacked. Surrounded by more than ten minions. ¡°Early game minions are quite powerful.¡± ¡°If you can pull this off, it¡¯s as good aspleting half the mission.¡± Bald Suhyuk started his counterattack. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do a couple stream with a guy¡ª!¡± * ¡º¡¯Benito Roman¡¯ has in ¡®Radol¡¯.¡» An unbelievable situation unfolded. ¡º¡¯Benito Roman¡¯ has in ¡®Phatai¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Benito Roman¡¯ has¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡º¡¯Benito Roman¡¯ is on a killing spree.¡» Bald Suhyuk¡¯s killing spree. This was something that had never happened since he started the 4th floor tests. No. It was something he never thought would happen. ¡°Huh¡­? Why am I ying so well?¡± Even he seemed bewildered. It had only been about 15 minutes since the new test started. During that time, Bald Suhyuk had already scored 5 kills. ¨C How did he do that? ¨C Why is he suddenly ying so well? ¨C I mean, it doesn¡¯t really look like he¡¯s ying well, but kills keep rolling in;; A continuous string of bewildering situations. He didn¡¯t seem to be ying particrly well, but he kept getting lucky with kills. It was the same from the first kill. An opponent yer recklessly charged into the minions, putting themselves in a disadvantageous position, and Bald Suhyuk capitalized on it. After getting the first kill, Bald Suhyuk immediately moved to the topne and secured a second kill. Thanks to growing from those kills, he was now in a position to dominate the opponent with his stats. ¨C Is it because of those promises? Suhyuk¡¯s feedback was being streamed. But the feedback was so simple, it seemed almostughable. Yet. ¡°There¡¯s no need to request something difficult. It¡¯s not like you¡¯d be able to do it anyway.¡± The results were better than anyplex feedback. ¡º¡¯Fourth Floor Haunter¡¯ has donated 5,000 points.¡» ¡ºPlease, somementary. I beg you.¡» A substantial donation with a short, straightforward message. It seemed like a yer who had been stuck on the 4th floor for quite some time. ¡°Thank you for the donation, Haunter. I¡¯ll exin it briefly and simply.¡± Suhyuk said this while watching Bald Suhyuk push the second turret. ¡°Bald Suhyuk consistently abandoned farming to engage in fights. Actually, it¡¯s not just Bald Suhyuk; everyone in this rank does the same.¡± The first promise. Focus on farming until the opponent engages first. ¡°In the early game, there¡¯s no need to fight the opponent. If you focus solely on farming, there will naturally be more allied minions than the opponent¡¯s. And when the opponent can¡¯t stand it anymore and charges in, you use the minions to counter-kill them.¡± ¡º¡¯Fourth Floor Haunter¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºWhat if the opponent doesn¡¯t engage?¡» Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°Ny-nine percent of the time, they will.¡± In most cases, anyway. ¡°The yers here don¡¯t seem to think.¡± It was something that could certainly happen in Bald Suhyuk¡¯s tier. Reflecting on the past games, he thought. Even withcking control, this was a mission worth attempting. ¡°The past few matches show a pattern where the side that blindly charges, fights, and loses is the one that gets defeated. Breaking such an obvious pattern is as easy as flipping a palm.¡± Cursed physical skills? Then just fix what¡¯s outside those physical skills. ¡°Trials aren¡¯t just about hitting and shing. Even on the 4th floor, which seems simple, there are rules, and understanding them is necessary.¡± Suhyuk started counting on his fingers. ¡°Farming, stats, minions, turrets,nes, jungle¡­ There¡¯s so much to consider. And understanding the rtionships formed from these is the task the 4th floor tests present to us.¡± ¨C Am I the only one not understanding this? ¨C Oh! Ipletely understand! (Understand nothing) ¨C Didn¡¯t he say he¡¯d exin it simply? Suhyuk nodded at the viewers¡¯ reactions. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t exin it this way to Bald Suhyuk either. He wouldn¡¯t understand even if I exined it.¡± Poprly known as brainpower. But just like physical skills, brainpower also requires extensive training and practice. ¡°So I just ingrained a few simple promises in his head. Here, just following those promises already gives you a significant advantage.¡± Suhyuk looked at the stream screen. ¡°See?¡± ¡ºBald Suhyuk, the Avatar of the Battlefield!¡» Grinning widely at the points soon to be received, Suhyuk said. ¡°Simple, right?¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 The match result was announced. 13 kills, 2 deaths, 8 assists. The oue was, of course, a victory. Building on his early growth, Bald Suhyuk soared like he had wings. Although he exined it confidently on the stream, even Suhyuk was a bit surprised by the result. ¡®He did better than I thought.¡¯ He had anticipated needing a few more matches. He thought he would get results within the day but hadn¡¯t expected it to happen in the first match itself. ¡®His non-physical aspects aren¡¯t bad.¡¯ Even though he didn¡¯t fully grasp the intricacies of the test, he executed the promised feedback wlessly. Not fighting when the enemy jungle¡¯s position was unknown. Pushing minions into the turret and then moving to find the enemy jungle or helping anotherne. Prioritizing farming over uncertain kills¡­ These were simple rules. However, in the tier where Bald Suhyuk yed, most yers took the test without such rules. ¡®He¡¯ll improve quickly.¡¯ Bald Suhyuk, who had just finished the test and returned, ran toward Suhyuk. ¡°I did it! I did it!¡± Clearly overwhelmed with emotion. He must have really hated the idea of a couple stream. ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºReceived 100,000 points from ¡®2ndFloorBestSword¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºReceived 20,000 points from ¡®BaldingSuhyuk¡¯.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» A series of delightful messages. For a while, Bald Suhyuk held Suhyuk¡¯s hands and danced. ¡°Thank you so much for the 100,000 points, Vice President! Balding bro, RegretoftheSun, balding Echo Punch¡­ You all didn¡¯t think I¡¯d make it, did you? Huh?¡± Bald Suhyuk boasted confidently. Meanwhile, Suhyuk calcted the recently received points. ¡®Already this much¡­¡¯ The recent total amounted to more than 250,000 points. Even if split in half, it was over 120,000 points. It was an amount earned just a few hours into the stream. Plus, with the advertisement revenue attached to the stream, the ie would increase further. Additionally. ¡ºReceived 100 points from ¡®2ndFloorBestSword¡¯.¡» ¡ºUp for a kill-betting mission to keep the momentum?¡» The stream wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°A kill mission? How?¡± ¡º¡¯2ndFloorBestSword¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡º1,000 points per kill. Minus 1,000 points per death. Deal?¡» Another mission. Bald Suhyuk¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°Wh-what if I get more deaths than kills?¡± ¡ºReceived 100 points from ¡®2ndFloorBestSword¡¯.¡» ¡ºThen you can¡¯t end the stream until you have more kills than deaths LOLOLOL¡» ¨C LOLOLOL LOLOLOL ¨C Eternal no-end stream LOLOLOL ¨C Trapped in the stream The penalty was daunting. Not being able to end the stream until he had more kills than deaths. At that appealing proposal, the hyenas pounced. ¡º¡¯BaldingSuhyuk¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºSounds awesome? I¡¯ll add 500 points per kill. Same for deaths.¡» ¡º¡¯BaldingLicker¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ll add 300 points too. No-end stream~¡» The missions kept rolling in. This time, there were far more missions than before. A dizzying amount of numbers. ¡°Huh¡­? Huh?¡± Even Bald Suhyuk, who received the missions, was surprised at the amount. With high amounts of 1000 points and smaller amounts as low as 100 points, thebined total per kill exceeded 5000 points. ¡°Uh, guys¡­ thanks for the missions, but can we change the penalty-.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ept it.¡± It was Suhyuk who answered. Surprised, Bald Suhyuk looked at Suhyuk. ¡°What? Seriously?¡± ¡°Yes. Well, should we not ept it?¡± ¡°If the deaths outnumber the kills, we can¡¯t end the stream. It¡¯s not just me, but you too.¡± Suhyuk nodded. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to go home?¡± ¡°We just need to get more kills than deaths, right? How much do you think that will be, at this rate?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed from behind his mask. ¨C That¡¯s right, this guy¡¯s a money-hungry beast LOLOLOL ¨C Money-crazy Suhyuk on ¨C Is this where we see a human side of him¡­? Bald Suhyuk exchanged eye contact with Suhyuk, as if to say this wasn¡¯t a good idea. And Suhyuk responded with his eyes just as convincingly. We must do this. ¡°I¡¯ll make it work.¡± There was no way they could pass up on this lucrative mission. ¡°Trust your master this time.¡± Blinded by the points, Suhyuk saw nothing else. ¡°Let¡¯s get the most out of this.¡± * Bald Suhyuk performed better than expected. Proving that the previous game wasn¡¯t a fluke, in the next test, he scored 9 kills and 3 deaths. However. ¡°That was good. But starting mid-game, you weren¡¯t focusing enough on farming. Greed for kills made you miss out on them.¡± ¡°When the enemy attacks with their jungler, retreat towards your jungler¡¯s direction. Remembering this could have saved you from all three deaths.¡± ¡°Even in thete game, you must keep pushing minions first. This helps locate the enemy mid and jungler positions.¡± After each game, Suhyuk provided feedback. And with each session, Bald Suhyuk¡¯s kill count gradually increased. ¨C This is top-tier coaching, wow. ¨C So many useful tips in this. ¨C Is this guy a 4th-floor veteran? ¨C Nah, finished the 4th floor in 3 days and moved to the 5th. ¨C 3 days??? That¡¯s insane. The Master and Apprentice content had turned into a lecture series by Lee Suhyuk. Meanwhile, the mission rewards grew exponentially. As the kills increased, so did the mission rewards. Of course, most viewers had thought the first game was just a fluke and ced missions, only to start screaming in despair. ¡º¡¯BaldingSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºStop¡­ please stop! Just stop!!!¡» At some point, even desperate donation messages like these starteding in. The stream went on all day. While Bald Suhyuk was exhausted, Suhyuk was practically dancing with joy. ¡®How much is all this?¡¯ The content of the games was eye-straining, but each test was a goldmine of points. In the end, they achieved the rank of Bronze 1. A remarkable climb of three ranks. This was the achievement during the coboration. ¡°Alright, guys, we¡¯ll end the stream here for today.¡± With tired eyes, Bald Suhyuk began his closing remarks, and the donations poured in with cheers. ¡º¡¯SpitOnBalding¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºI¡¯m alive¡­! Or am I already dead?¡» ¡º¡¯HighSenseTrueComeback¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºI¡¯m broke ?¡» This mission was undoubtedly over the top. While the intention was to trap them in the stream through over deaths, the result was that only the viewers¡¯ wallets were emptied. Of course, no matter how good the results were, it was unsustainable to keep epting missions endlessly. As the tests continued, concentration would falter, and fatigue would umte. ¡°See you allter~ It was tough today, guys.¡± Not ¡°it was fun¡±, but ¡°it was tough¡± LOLOLOL ¨C Is this an apprentice or a ve? ¨C Basically a no-end stream LOLOLOL ¨C A stream as long as a king¡¯s endurance challenge. The long stream finally came to an end. Mentally exhausted, Bald Suhyuk slumped over a table in a nearby pub for the after-party. ¡°Ugh-.¡± A sigh mixed with a scream. Suhyuk brought him a beer as hey slumped over an empty table. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Oh, beer!¡± Bald Suhyuk gulped down the beer as if it were lifeblood. He drained therge foamy ss in one go, which revived him somewhat. ¡°Phew, I feel alive again.¡± ¡°You seemed very tired.¡± ¡°Of course. This is the first time I moved while thinking about so many things.¡± Tap, tap-. Bald Suhyuk tapped his own head with his finger. ¡°This got way more tired than my body did.¡± ¡°Still, you did very well. You learned a lot in just one day.¡± ¡°Honestly, I feel the same.¡± Bald Suhyuk proudly lifted his shoulders and nodded at Suhyuk¡¯spliment. He seemed quite satisfied with his performance today. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out this way. I thought I¡¯d fail again this time.¡± ¡°Unlike the 2nd and 3rd floors, the 4th floor has many strategies outside of physical skills.¡± No matter how desperate he was for points, Suhyuk wouldn¡¯t take on a mission doomed to fail. He wasn¡¯t about to do punishments without earning points. But this test had potential. A lot of it. ¡°You¡¯re on the 6th floor now, right?¡± ¡°Yes, just recently.¡± ¡°I heard you cleared the 4th floor not too long ago too.¡± Bald Suhyuk lifted his newly arrived beer again and continued speaking. ¡°When did you have time to analyze all this?¡± ¡°The tower¡¯s tests always have specific goals. If you put effort into identifying them, you can figure them out.¡± ¡°I felt the same even when watching the stream¡­¡± Gulp-. Bald Suhyuk took another swig of his beer and looked at Suhyuk in amazement. ¡°Suhyuk, you really are like Lee Suhyuk.¡± Like Lee Suhyuk. Suhyuk struggled to hold back a burst ofughter at thement. It was an obvious statement. And because it was so obvious, it was also the most ridiculous. Maybe he was deceiving everyone and earning points through his streams. After all, he was actually Lee Suhyuk. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s apliment!¡± The sudden interjection came from none other than Un Hyang. Having been drinking in celebration with Cheon Ryang and the editor, her face was slightly flushed. ¡°Lee Suhyuk, right? The best, right? Saying someone resembles such a person is the highest praise!¡± Grinning broadly, Un Hyang stared intently into Suhyuk¡¯s eyes. ¡°And I agree with Bald Suhyuk. You really do resemble him.¡± ¡°Were you also a fan of Lee Suhyuk, Manager?¡± ¡°Huh? Bald Suhyuk, don¡¯t tell me you were too?¡± ¡°Among the crazy people wandering around with masks like me, who wasn¡¯t a fan of Lee Suhyuk? Cheers to that!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Clink-. The clinking of sses. The two seemed to unite over their shared admiration for Lee Suhyuk. Just as the drinking party was getting rowdy. ¡°The live stream was great, but the video reactions are off the charts too.¡± ¡°Video reactions?¡± Bald Suhyuk¡¯s editor, Ameri, showed them the screen of her kit. On her kit¡¯s screen was a short, five-minute video. ¡ºTitle: The strategy that even made Bald Suhyuk win consecutively on the 4th floor. The appearance of an incredible master.¡» The video had been posted just over 30 minutes ago. She had quickly edited it during that short time. ¡°When did you edit this?¡± ¡°I just cut different scenes and added subtitles without any special effects. This much is quick work.¡± She was certainly a talented editor. No matter how simple the task, creating a video in such a short time wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°Look at the views.¡± ¡°The views¡­?¡± Only then did Suhyuk check the view count below the video title. Ten thousand, hundred thousand¡­ ¡°Holy¡­?¡± Over 500,000 views and still climbing rapidly. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Even with Suhyuk¡¯s limited knowledge of the industry, he knew this was extraordinary. He had heard from Un Hyang how rare it was for videos to surpass a million views and how expensive the advertisement cost for such a video was. The shocked Suhyuk was further astonished by her next words. ¡°This video is currently ranked first in real-time views.¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 The yers Community was in an uproar. And it was all because of one strategy video. ? Review of Fake Suhyuk¡¯s Strategy ? ¡ºTry instilling this in your head and see. Your win rate will skyrocket.¡» ? Controversial Strategy Breakdown ? ¡ºCan¡¯t post the video itself due to copyright, so I¡¯ll just post the link. Who the hell is this Lee Suhyuk guy? Is he really Lee Suhyuk reincarnated???¡» A short video barely five minutes long. The reason this video became a sensation was primarily because of its results. Bald Suhyuk had proven it. If a yer known forck of skill could seed, then others thought they could too. The strategy video gave hope to yers who were stuck on the 4th floor and unable to progress. ? I¡¯ve Figured It Out ? ¡ºWatched the video 20 times and figured out what my issue was. Moving up to the 5th floor starting today.¡» Some people even watched it dozens of times, finding it insufficient to watch just once. -This was why the video¡¯s views skyrocketed explosively. And as a result. ¡ºRemaining Points: 516,228¡» In just half a day, an enormous profit was generated from a single video. After the after-party, Suhyuk had a good night¡¯s sleep at the amodation, and when he checked the calcted earnings, he nearly burst outughing. As Un Hyang exined the earnings over coffee, Suhyuk listened. ¡°The coboration donation revenue was split 50:50, so we each got 280,000 points. Video ad revenue, additional ad revenue based on the number of views, minus the management fees¡­¡± But his attention drifted away. He was half-dazed by the enormous points he had just earned. No, more precisely, his mind kept wandering to other thoughts. ¡®Where should I spend it first?¡¯ The points needed to level up his next skill were 320,000. Even if he leveled up one skill, he¡¯d still have almost 200,000 points left. ¡®Selfish Sacrifice is a skill that pays off in ordance with the points invested in it. Although it¡¯s burdensome, investing in it won¡¯t be a bad choice.¡¯ As his thoughts deepened, the furrow in his brow grew deeper. ¡®But still, perhaps¡­¡¯ ¡°Suhyuk?¡± It was then. Un Hyang leaned in closer and called out to him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you listening?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard you.¡± He did hear her. After all, his ears were open. But his attention was focused elsewhere. ¡°Anyway, this coboration was really a big hit. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect it to be this effective.¡± Un Hyang seemed as excited as Suhyuk. She had been enthusiastically talking about the sess of the coboration since earlier. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°There is. Something even bigger than the immediate earnings.¡± ¡°Something bigger?¡± Could there be something bigger? The coboration had earned a whopping 500,000 points. Even Bald Suhyuk had gone wild, calling it a huge hit. But unlike Suhyuk, who was immediately in need of points, the manager was looking further ahead. ¡°The subscribers we gained this time.¡± She showed him the screen of the kit she had been looking at. ¡ºSubscribers: 131,077¡» 130,000. Nearly double the previous numbers. ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot¡­ it¡¯s increased a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s early to be surprised. The video channel has almost surpassed 500,000 subscribers. Its growth rate is more than five times that.¡± ¡°Five times?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened. Five times. That was indeed an unexpected level. ¡°That¡¯s incredible; no, it¡¯s beyond incredible. Do you know how many viewers now know about you because of this?¡± He now understood why she mentioned something bigger than the immediate earnings. For a streamer, the number of subscribers was akin to a yer¡¯s level and stats. The more subscribers, the more steady viewers, and thus higher views and ad rates for videos. However, increasing subscribers was never an easy task. Attracting new viewers was hard enough, but making them return a second time was ten times harder. He realized anew. ¡®That video must have been a massive hit.¡¯ Real-time number one. The impact of that video was significant. Even now, the subscriber count continued to grow. The video views had already surpassed 5 million. Un Hyang¡¯s eyes sparkled as she spoke. ¡°Real-time 50,000 viewers might be possible.¡± * Suhyuk¡¯s next destination after the coboration was the 5th floor. ¡°The Murim World?¡± Un Hyang asked, seemingly taken aback. Suhyuk nodded with a slightly puzzled expression. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be there for a short while.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be wherever you are, but why specifically there¡­?¡± ¡°I have some business to take care of. It happened faster than expected, though.¡± Jinwoon¡¯s procedures are expensive. Unbelievably so. 1,000,000 points was a sum difficult to gather even for most rankers¡¯ entire fortunes. But thanks to this coboration, Suhyuk could get closer to his goal faster than expected. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It could take as little as two days or as long as five.¡± The duration of the procedure varied greatly depending on its type. It wasn¡¯t a short amount of time but was absolutely necessary. The oue of a test depends on its results. Especially if it¡¯s in Asgard, where there are many things to aplish. Everything must be prepared. From gloves made with Heart of Thunder to procedures. Every avable method must be utilized. And also. ¡®I might get contacted at any time.¡¯ ncing at his kit with no notifications, Suhyuk thought of Greg. The yer he met at the Dark Map branch on the 4th floor. He had tasked Greg with investigating Blue Zone. The results would be knownter, but if he needed power immediately. ¡®He has to enhance his abilities right now.¡¯ For that, Jinwoon¡¯s procedure was the best choice. Raising the level of Selfish Sacrifice was another option, but the most reliable way was securing stats through a procedure. ¡°Two to five days¡­¡± Un Hyang repeated the same words, seemingly thinking hard, and then nodded. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing at all.¡± Waving her hand dismissively, she replied awkwardly. ¡°Nothing.¡± *** The ce Suhyuk chose for his amodation on the 5th floor this time was different from before. A small inn on the outskirts of a rtively quiet city. The small courtyard attached to the building was quaint but well-maintained. After Suhyuk left. Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang, left alone, waited for him to return at the inn. Sluurrrp. Sipping warm tea, Cheon Ryang gazed at the pond in the courtyard. A pond inhabited by two goldfish. In the serene atmosphere, for some reason, his chest felt constricted. ¡°I thought we¡¯d nevere back down here.¡± ¡°It just happened this way.¡± Crunch-. Biting into a piece of dangwa (Korean traditional sweets), Un Hyang looked up at the sky. The sky of the Murim World. A familiar sight she had seen since childhood, yet a world she never wanted to return to. Especially recently. Ever since she found out they had found her, she wanted to stay away more than ever. ¡°They¡¯lle, won¡¯t they? Again.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Un Hyang nodded, averting her gaze. ¡°They¡¯re already here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Creak-. Right at that moment, the front gate of the inn opened. With a creaking sound, a group of people entered the courtyard through the opened gate. Cheon Ryang stood up abruptly. The person leading the group was a familiar face. ¡°Back again?¡± ¡°Nice to see you again, senior sister.¡± A woman with a beautifully sculpted body, half of her face concealed by a ck cloth. Muhwi hade looking for Un Hyang once more. ¡°You brought more people this time?¡± Un Hyang popped thest piece of dangwa into her mouth and chewed. ¡°But they¡¯re just more riff-raff anyway.¡± Showing no signs of tension. Muhwi didn¡¯t find Un Hyang¡¯s attitude odd. She was someone who had both the right and the power to act that way. But. ¡°This time, I have to be a bit rude.¡± ¡°Why? Want to fight me?¡± ¡°Not right now, but¡­¡± Muhwi nced at the men who had followed her as she spoke. ¡°That time is not far off.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes narrowed. There was a reason she had brought more of these riff-raff. ¡°A warning?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Their numbers were a warning in itself. Right now, it¡¯s five or ten, but at any moment, it could be more. And they could wield enough force to take you away. ¡°Regrettably.¡± ¡°Indeed, it seems so.¡± Un Hyang nodded. Un Hyang didn¡¯t think Muhwi¡¯s words were lies. She knew that Muhwi genuinely felt sorry for her. That made her all the more angry. ¡°That¡¯s why they sent you.¡± The reason the Murim World sent Muhwi to her was right here. Un Hyang couldn¡¯t kill Muhwi. Knowing that she genuinely felt sorry for her, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Their rtionship had always been this way since childhood. Muhwi admired Un Hyang. And felt sorry for her. ¡°Are you really not going toe back?¡± ¡°What would happen if I went back?¡± Un Hyang gave a bitter smile. ¡°Would my life be there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Muhwi lowered her head. She had no answer. Because she knew it wasn¡¯t true. The Murim World, or rather, Un Cheon-guk¡¯s vision for Un Hyang¡¯s life, was far from the life she wanted. ¡°Listen, hwiya.¡± Un Hyang called Muhwi as if she wereforting a child. ¡°I¡¯m not going back there. I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s response was firm. ¡°Even if it means dying in battle, I will never¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Muhwi¡¯s gaze shifted to Cheon Ryang. ¡°You haven¡¯t told her yet, have you?¡± Cheon Ryang flinched at those words. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t return¡ª¡± ¡°A-ah, aah, aah¡ª¡± As if trying to stop Muhwi from speaking, Cheon Ryang made strange noises and approached her. With his rough hand, he covered her mouth, wearing a troubled expression and gritting his teeth. ¡°Hey,e on. Do you have to say that here?¡± Annoyed, Muhwi quickly brushed Cheon Ryang¡¯s hand away. Un Hyang frowned as she watched the two of them. What on earth were they talking about? ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll take care of it. So you step aside for now, okay?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on between you two?¡± At Un Hyang¡¯s question, Cheon Ryang waved it off. ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me?¡± ¡°Senior sister.¡± Muhwi spoke to Un Hyang, who looked ready to grab her by the cor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it hase to this. I wish I could take your ce, but¡­ unfortunately, there¡¯s no one who can rece you.¡± ¡°Enough. There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± Un Hyang sensed what the near future held. ¡°You¡¯lle again, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Probably soon.¡± Yes, this wouldn¡¯t be the end. The time Un Cheon-guk had given her wouldn¡¯t be long. ¡°As expected, huh? Then¡­¡± Un Hyang spoke to Muhwi and the men behind her. ¡°When youe next time,e ready to die.¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Jinwoon clicked his tongue as he looked at the points Suhyuk had amassed. ¡°Being a streamer sure is a good job. You¡¯ve gathered a lot.¡± On the veranda with a view of the spacious garden. Suhyuk nodded as he sipped the tea Jinwoon had given him. ¡°I¡¯ve earned quite a bit.¡± ¡°Why not just gather the remaining amount? You¡¯re only 300,000 points short.¡± Suhyuk had already paid 200,000 points. The remaining amount was 800,000. Jinwoon agreed to proceed with the procedure as points were provided. Thus, the pending points were 300,000. It would have been less troublesome if he just collected the remaining points andpleted the procedure all at once, avoiding multiple journeys and procedures. ¡°I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry.¡± But Suhyuk couldn¡¯t afford to wait. Even if it was inconvenient, he had to use the points he had collected immediately. ¡°The next trial is just around the corner.¡± And there was a possibility that Greg might contact him at any moment. Swallowing those words, Suhyuk urged Jinwoon again. ¡°Is it difficult?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hassle, but a customer is still a customer. Follow me.¡± He gave his affirmative answer in a rather mischievous manner. Suhyuk sighed in relief. If Jinwoon had told him toe back with the remaining points, he had nned to invest 320,000 points in ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯. That wouldn¡¯t have been a bad option, but it would dy thepletion of the procedure. ¡®Three sessions for this procedure¡­¡¯ Although it was a 1,000,000-point procedure, splitting it into multiple sessions was an inconvenience. Jinwoon¡¯s willingness to ept this without demanding the full payment was purely out of goodwill. ¡®Thank you, old man.¡¯ Following behind Jinwoon, Suhyuk sensed that the uing procedure would be long and arduous. But no matter how many points it cost, giving up on the procedure was not an option. The Heart of Thunder he had obtained wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle, just like the lightning skill. Even Thor, one of the higher gods, couldn¡¯t fully control aplete Heart of Thunder. Upon arriving at the workshop, Jinwoon delivered a warning first. ¡°This procedure will take longer than the previous one.¡± Swish-. As Jinwoon picked up a pointed surgical tool, Suhyuk took off his upper garment andid it aside. ¡°You must not fall asleep. No matter how much it hurts, you must not scream. The effects of the anesthesia will wear off.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Easier said than done.¡± Tch, Jinwoon clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t say you want to quit because it hurtster on.¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± 500,000 points was not a trivial amount. No matter how much it hurt, he was determined to endure. When it came to enduring, he had confidence. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Suhyuk gritted his teeth. The procedure began. *** Three days had passed since they lost contact with Suhyuk. Un Hyang waited for Suhyuk to return. She had nothing much to do and thought of it as a vacation. The only things she did asionally were check themunity and monitor the views on newly uploaded videos. ¡°I¡¯m suffocating here.¡± Cheon Ryang stood up from his seat. ¡°Why are you so silent?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, you. Who else is here besides you and me?¡± When Cheon Ryang pointed this out, Un Hyang nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just nod; talk. What have you been thinking about? You¡¯ve been quiet for days.¡± ¡°Thinking about what?¡± Un Hyang nced at the thin, long sword ced beside her. ¡°Just, sharpening it.¡± ¡°Sharpening¡­¡± Cheon Ryang, puzzled, tilted his head and then shut his mouth. It had been three days since Muhwi¡¯s visit. It wasn¡¯t the first time, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. He thought she hade to persuade Un Hyang once again. But it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®Is she preparing to fight?¡¯ From that time onwards, Un Hyang had been preparing for battle. She hadn¡¯t been active as a yer for a long time, living as a manager in the streaming world. A sword that hasn¡¯t been used for a long time tends to rust. Un Hyang was silently honing herself, sharpening her edges. Probably soon. She would have to use it. ¡°Is that so?¡± Trying his best to act nonchnt, Cheon Ryang stood up. ¡°Then keep sharpening. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± ¡°Are you really not going to talk?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What was said back there.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told her yet, have you?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t return¡ª¡± Muhwi¡¯s words had been cut off midway. Un Hyang kept thinking about what those words meant. If she didn¡¯t return. Surely, there must have been a threat behind those words. ¡°It was nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing, and you made such a fuss about it?¡± ¡°Yeah, well. You know how that guy is. Making unnecessary threats to scare people. No need to pay attention to it and ruin your mood.¡± Waving his hands as if he had no intention of discussing further, Cheon Ryang shook his head. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to bed now. You shouldn¡¯t stay up toote either.¡± Cheon Ryang retreated to his room at the end of the veranda. As she confirmed the door closing, she looked up at the sky. The moon shined brightly, obscuring all the stars. And in that moment, Un Hyang nced back at the inn¡¯s entrance. ¡®Who wille in?¡¯ It would be fortunate if Suhyuk returned. If that happened, they could head up to the higher floors immediately. Though it wouldn¡¯t necessarily be safe, it would be better than being in the middle of the Murim World. On the other hand, if Muhwi came through that entrance again¡­ Creak-. The door slowly began to open. The door she had left unlocked, hoping Suhyuk would return. As it opened wide, an unwee face appeared. ¡°This time it¡¯s you?¡± Un Hyang frowned. A man with a blue scabbard at his side, his mask lowered to reveal a scar running down one eye. He looked at Un Hyang with a calm gaze. ¡°You dare speak arrogantly to your master.¡± ¡°Master? She left that ce ages ago. Just call me Uncle Unhyeop.¡± ¡°Once a master, always a master. The bond between us is unbreakable.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s former master. He extended his hand toward her. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now, Hyang-ah. Everyone is waiting for you.¡± ¡°Like I care if those bastards are waiting or not.¡± Sssaaa¡ª. The sharp de she had been honing revealed its aura. Un Hyang¡¯s narrowed, gleaming eyes made the surrounding air grow cold. Among the men who followed Cha Unhyeop, some began to breathe heavily through their masks. As Un Hyang started to draw out her energy, it became difficult even to breathe. But there was one. ¡°It saddens me to hear you say that.¡± Cha Unhyeop alone remained unaffected, looking at Un Hyang with a wistful gaze. ¡°In the end, you leave me no choice but to use force.¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m going quietly?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re a genius. But Hyang-ah, you must understand that among those who stand atop the Murim World, none were not called geniuses in their youth.¡± Chiiik-. Cha Unhyeop ced his hand on his scabbard, causing blue electricity to spark. ¡°I was the same.¡± Cha Unhyeop. He was a follower of the Lord of Shinryeonseong, Un Cheon-guk. In his youth, he hadpeted alongside Un Cheon-guk to be the Lord of Shinryeonseong and was a martial arts master. Now, he was a giant supporting Shinryeonseong and a high-ranking yer. ¡®He¡¯s serious, huh.¡¯ Un Hyang frowned. She knew they woulde again. She had prepared for a fight and was ready to wield her sword after a long time. But Cha Unhyeop? He was no easy opponent. However. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste time talking¡ª¡± It wasn¡¯t something she could avoid either. ¡°Let¡¯s get started quickly. That¡¯d be better for you too, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Cha Unhyeop stopped Un Hyang as she stood up and grasped her sword. ¡°This ce is too cluttered. There are too many people around. Why don¡¯t we move to another location?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Un Hyang asked, her voice dripping with irritation. ¡°Why should I? Why should I hide your dirtyundry?¡± ¡°You should.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense¡ª¡± At that moment. Un Hyang¡¯s head turned back. It struck her that Cheon Ryang had been too quiet amidst themotion. Just then, she sensed a faint presence from inside the room. ¡°I was about to tell you myself, but you caught on first.¡± ¡°You bastards really¡ª!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doing something so petty.¡± Though she received an apology, it didn¡¯t make her feel any better. Whether that apology was sincere or not didn¡¯t matter. Pop¡ª. Thud-. Un Hyang, grabbing her sword and rushing to the room, flung open the door where Cheon Ryang was sleeping. ¡°Cheon Ryang, are you alright¡ª¡± Her words abruptly halted as her voice caught in her throat. A man had a sword pointed at Cheon Ryang¡¯s throat, whose body waspletely immobilized. Step, step. Cha Unhyeop walked up from behind. ¡°It seems that boy came to Shinryeonseong to represent you.¡± Cha Unhyeop¡¯s gaze moved past Un Hyang to the paralyzed Cheon Ryang. ¡°He¡¯s your closest friend, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°You people¡ª¡± Grinding her teeth, Un Hyang snarled. The entire point of Cha Unhyeop entering through the front door was for this. His presence had concealed the entry of another infiltrator into Cheon Ryang¡¯s room. Although the infiltrator¡¯s stealth was impressive, if he hade alone targeting Cheon Ryang, she would have noticed it immediately. ¡°I won¡¯t insist on going back to the castle. Let¡¯s just move to a quieter location.¡± ¡°At least you know how to be ashamed?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Cha Unhyeop nodded. ¡°If ¡®we¡¯ lose, we¡¯ll retreat cleanly.¡± And with those words. Whoosh, whoosh¡ª Numerous martial artists appeared, filling the garden of the inn. ¡°Really, you¡¯ve be so vile.¡± ¡°We will repay this many times over.¡± ¡°Today will be thest.¡± Swish¡ª Un Hyang turned around. As she slowly walked out of the room, she nced back at Cha Unhyeop. ¡°You, you¡¯ll die by my hand today.¡± Meeting her gaze, Cha Unhyeop felt a brief chill run down his spine. ¡®A genius¡­¡¯ Many were called geniuses, but none ever wore that title before their name. Except for one. The person who hade to use ¡®genius¡¯ as a moniker before her name was Un Hyang, standing right in front of him. Shinryeonseong desired her talents for that very reason. ¡®It was wise toe personally.¡¯ If he had sent lower-ranking disciples like Muhwi, they would have been utterly annihted. Swoosh¡ª As she walked, the martial artists surrounding her parted to make way. The martial artists of Shinryeonseong. To them, Un Hyang was both a living legend and an idol. Even though they met under these circumstances. She deserved their respect and honor. ¡°Release him.¡± At Cha Unhyeop¡¯smand, the man holding Cheon Ryang¡¯s neck let go. Thud¡ª Cheon Ryang¡¯s body copsed to the floor. Simultaneously, his head, still immobilized by the pressure points, lifted with difficulty. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t.¡± Pause¡ª Un Hyang¡¯s footsteps momentarily halted. But she couldn¡¯t turn back now. ¡°Just sleep a bit.¡± Without turning her head, Un Hyang began walking again. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before the next stream.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: This snippets of events in the background is like a preview of the events that the MC needs to tackle in the future. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 A secluded forest far from the city. Cha Unhyeop stepped into a reed field, a ce rarely visited by people. ¡°Just to be sure, I¡¯ll ask one more time.¡± Step. Cha Unhyeop stopped and turned to look at Un Hyang. ¡°Are you not willing to return quietly?¡± ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡± Swish. Un Hyang drew her sword as a firm rejection. As expected. Cha Unhyeop sighed. ¡°Why do you dislike home so much?¡± ¡°Home? You call that ce my home?¡± Snorting in disdain, Un Hyang shook her head. ¡°Not a chance. I¡¯ve never considered that ce my home.¡± ¡°Your thoughts do not matter. If the ce where you were born and raised isn¡¯t home, then what is?¡± ¡°That ce¡ª¡± Shaking her head, Un Hyang swung her sword side to side as if to dismiss the conversation. ¡°No, forget it. What good does it do arguing with you?¡± ¡°I cannot understand you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Un Hyang.¡± Recalling memories from long ago, Un Hyang closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Do you know why I hate that ce so much?¡± ¡°It is the fate given to you.¡± As she slowly reopened her eyes, Cha Unhyeop came into view. A follower of Un Cheon-guk. A high-ranker known by the title of Heavenly Thunder Sword. He stood there, ready with his sword to drag her back. ¡°This time, let me ask you, master.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s tone turned courteous. Cha Unhyeop sensed the impending fight and sharpened his magic. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not nning to just leave, are you?¡± It was a desperate plea. But. ¡°Of course not.¡± He too could not back down. ¡°Sigh. I figured as much.¡± With a sigh, Un Hyang¡¯s sword turned crimson. ¡°So you¡¯re insisting on dying by my hand.¡± ¡°¡­Everyone, get ready.¡± Swish. ng. The martial artists drew their swords. They were different from the previous ones. Unlike the riffraff who hade with Muhwi, these were Shinryeonseong¡¯s elite. Dozens of elite martial artists. Their sword tips all pointed at Un Hyang. But then. Whoosh! Suddenly, Un Hyang, scattering fierce winds all around, darted towards Cha Unhyeop. Boom! ng! The two swords shed fiercely. Un Hyang, who had swiftly reached Cha Unhyeop while weaving through the martial artists, shed her eyes. ¡°How about we skip the fodders and settle this between us?¡± ¡°Being out in the world for so long has made your tongue sharp.¡± ng-! Un Hyang swung her sword, deflecting Cha Unhyeop¡¯s attack. Sling¡ª. Whack-. Bamboo stalks were sliced and scattered. Hundreds of bamboo shoots were cut with a single stroke, each de forming a ripple. Ssss¡ª. A thin cut appeared on Cha Unhyeop¡¯s cheek. He couldn¡¯t avoid or block all the attacks, and one had slipped through. Thud-thud-thud¡ª. The severed bamboo tops fell like rain. When the trees that had been obscuring the moonlight toppled, the surroundings brightened instantly. And under that moonlight, the martial artists targeted Un Hyang from all sides. ¡°Stop¡ª!¡± But at that moment. sh¡ª. With a blue sh, a bolt of thunder shot toward Un Hyang. Boom! Blue electricity enveloped Un Hyang like a wave. Thanks to Cha Unhyeop¡¯s timely shout, the martial artists avoided being caught in the wave. Crackle, crackle¡ª. The terrain changed once more. Burnt ck bamboo copsed on its side. The ground caved in, and a long, powerful sword mark formed in the center. The martial artists of Shinryeonseong, who witnessed that strike, realized they were stepping into a storm. ¡°This is the power of the Heavenly Thunder Sword¡­¡± ¡°They say he summons thunder with a single strike. The rumors are true.¡± Most of them were born in the Murim World before bing yers. Thus, they had often heard the name of the Heavenly Thunder Sword Cha Unhyeop. A famous high-ranker in the Murim World. He was an idol to countless martial artists. ¡°Don¡¯t recklessly engage! Your role is to provide cover.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± They answered, but privately they wondered. After taking that strike, could she still be okay? It was a blow that changed the terrain. Normally, a person¡¯s body would be burnt and torn apart. But. ¡°Isn¡¯t that underestimating me a bit too much?¡± Step. From the midst of the fallen reed field. Un Hyang emergedpletely unscathed. ¡°Bringing only thirty people?¡± Her eyes gleamed red. More beautiful than anyone, she aimed her sword at them. * Boom! Thunder roared. A wave of blue electricity surged, covering her body. Within it, Un Hyang stomped her foot. Swoosh¡ª. The distance closed in a single stride. Cha Unhyeop red, bringing his sword to meet hers. ng¡ª! As the swords shed, sparks flew. When the swords scraped against each other, they created some distance again. Whoosh¡ª. It was at that moment that a sword flew from behind. One of the martial artists who had been watching the fight aimed for Un Hyang¡¯s back. In that instant, Un Hyang¡¯s hand shot out as if she had been waiting for it. Snap¡ª. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The martial artist¡¯s eyes widened as Un Hyang caught the sword with her bare hand. He had expected her to block or dodge it, but never did he imagine she would catch the thrusting sword with her bare hand. Thwack¡ª! Crunch¡ª. ¡°Ugh¡ª.¡± The chest bones of the martial artist shattered from her kick. The broken bones pierced his heart. Yet another martial artist lost his life. But even so, they showed no hesitation, like moths diving into a me. Whoosh¡ª. Smash! Two powerful sword strikes attacked simultaneously from different directions. Techniques taught at Shinryeonseong. Like the ws of a dragon, the sword strikes targeted Un Hyang¡¯s neck. But. ¡°So tiresome, really.¡± Swish¡ª. With a light swing of her sword, Un Hyang caused the two strikes to collide with each other. ng¡ª! The techniques,ing from different directions but with simr force, collided. With the same technique shing, the two martial artists simultaneously lost their bnce. She hadn¡¯t even used excessive force. She merely redirected the core of the techniques to alter their paths. ¡°Using Dragon w Sword against me? Pathetic.¡± She was born and raised at Shinryeonseong. Naturally, she knew all their techniques without exception. But there was one person. Swish¡ª. There was one she didn¡¯t fully know. ng¡ª! Cha Unhyeop¡¯s sword, apanied by a blue streak, pushed Un Hyang back. As the swords shed, Cha Unhyeop¡¯s hand pressed against Un Hyang¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± ¡°Damn it¡ª.¡± She swore, but it was already toote. ¡°They are only here to cover.¡± Boom! Blue lightning surged from Cha Unhyeop¡¯s palm, pushing Un Hyang far back. Crashing through bamboo trees, she tumbled across the ground, kicking up dust. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Quickly regaining her bnce, she clutched her abdomen. It felt as if her insides were tangled. The electricity coursing through her body made her feel paralyzed. The minor wounds inflicted by the sword were also a problem. ¡®It¡¯s the same pattern continuously.¡¯ The minor wounds and now this major one. All were inflicted while she was dealing with other martial artists. ¡°They picked some sophisticated bait this time?¡± Bait. That was the role of the thirty Shinryeonseong martial artists. They were there only to support Cha Unhyeop. But part of that ¡°support¡± role was also to divert Un Hyang¡¯s attention. ¡°They are not just any disposable pawns.¡± Tap-. Cha Unhyeop approached Un Hyang. His eyes were filled with sorrow. More than ten martial artists of Shinryeonseong had already lost their lives, so it was only natural. ¡°The deaths of these men won¡¯t even be recorded in history. They will merely be fertilizer, buried in the ground.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°So¡ª¡± ¡°So why don¡¯t you stop now? At this rate, they¡¯ll all die.¡± Un Hyang was confident. There were seventeen Shinryeonseong martial artists still alive. She was confident she could kill them all. Cha Unhyeop knew that Un Hyang¡¯s words were not mere bluster. However. ¡°Even if that were the case, you wouldn¡¯t win.¡± The problem was Cha Unhyeop himself, more than thebined force of the thirty martial artists. Even if she managed to kill them all, as long as Cha Unhyeop was alive, she couldn¡¯t im victory. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s okay for them to all die?¡± ¡°It would sting my heart a bit. But what can we do? They are martial artists under Shinryeonseong, carrying out their mission.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a senseless death.¡± ¡°It might be. But you know as well as I do that we cannot back down.¡± Cha Unhyeop was right. Returning would lead to the same result. If they went back now, they would all be killed by Un Cheon-guk. ¡°Then let¡¯s have a fair one-on-one match!¡± ¡°You know as well as I do that Shinryeonseong has its roots in the dark arts.¡± ¡°Oh, really!¡± Boom! Crash! Every time their swords shed, the sound of thunder roared. Cha Unhyeop felt his wrist tense up several times over as he marveled at Un Hyang¡¯s skill. ¡®That was true.¡¯ Beforeing here. Cha Unhyeop had been confident that he alone would suffice. But Un Cheon-guk had persuaded him otherwise. ¡°Take about thirty men with you.¡± It was a baffling request. No matter how much of a genius she was, Un Hyang was just a subordinate disciple. She was neither an active yer nor a martial artist¡ªjust a manager. ¡°Even I alone am more than enough.¡± ¡°No. It has to be excessive. It must be overly excessive.¡± ¡°I understand it¡¯s an important mission, but¡ª¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not about importance. It¡¯s about whether it¡¯s enough.¡± Enough. Understanding those words, Cha Unhyeop couldn¡¯t help but feel his pride wounded. ¡°I am not the weakling I once was.¡± ¡°I know. Cha Unhyeop, the Heavenly Thunder Sword, is a splendid title.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even care about me, so how do you know¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t know you, but because I don¡¯t know her.¡± Those words startled Cha Unhyeop even more. Un Cheon-guk, who never admitted ignorance, said he didn¡¯t know. ¡°She¡¯s a talent crafted by the gods. I cannot fathom how much she has grown.¡± A talent crafted by the gods. Un Cheon-guk¡¯s reserved praise. Even though she was his blood, he never used such words lightly. ¡°So take them with you. And if you¡¯re ever in doubt, use them as bait without hesitation.¡± It was no small shock. Cha Unhyeop, in his first sh with Un Hyang, reached the same conclusion. One-on-one wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡®A talent crafted by the gods¡­¡¯ A genius. Amid countless geniuses, as if chosen by the heavens to possess that title, that was Un Hyang. sh¡ª! Another martial artist who tried to sneak up on Un Hyang was cut in half by her sword. And in that brief opening. Cha Unhyeop, once more, thrust his sword charged with blue electricity. ng¡ª! ¡°Gh-¡­¡± Un Hyang staggered once more. Her wounds increased. Just like clothes soaked in drizzle, or a stone step eroded by raindrops, she was gradually crumbling. ¡®But¡­¡¯ And looking at her with pity. ¡®The heavens granted you talent but took away your fate.¡¯ Cha Unhyeop gripped his sword tightly. Now he felt confident he could take her down alone. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The sound of insects filled the air. It was quiet. So quiet that he could hear the insects chirping, the wind blowing, and even the faint rustling of mice. Twitch¡ª Cheon Ryang slowly moved his fingers. Cold sweat dripped down his body. It was the result of his desperate efforts to unblock his disrupted energy flow. As he started to regain movement little by little. Cheon Ryang forced his voice out in the direction where Un Hyang had disappeared. ¡°That¡­ bastard¡­¡± He struggled to utter each word, thinking of Un Hyang. Would she really return before the next stream? No way. ¡®Cha Unhyeop came.¡¯ Just as Un Hyang had long been part of Shinryeonseong, so had he. Even though he didn¡¯t possess the god-given talent that Un Hyang did, Cheon Ryang was well-versed in the workings of Shinryeonseong after having spent considerable time there. If anything, he was even more knowledgeable about Shinryeonseong¡¯s affairs than she was. Because that¡¯s how the weak survive. If you have strength, you can shut out the world and focus on yourself. But if you¡¯re weak, you must bow down and open your eyes and ears. That¡¯s the only way to know who you can¡¯t afford to provoke. And among them, Cha Unhyeop was. ¡®You can¡¯t beat him, you fool.¡¯ One of the few in Shinryeonseong who could truly threaten Un Hyang. ¡®Those other guys are elite too.¡¯ Moreover, there were thirty martial artists apanying Cha Unhyeop. Not a single one was an easy opponent. While they might not have posed a significant threat to Un Hyang, they were skilled enough to distract or annoy her. And that was fatal when fighting an opponent like Cha Unhyeop. Sending Cha Unhyeop alone would have been bad enough, but sending thirty more along? Shinryeonseong was serious. Clench¡ª As his energy flow started to return, strength slowly came back to his body. Gritting his teeth hard enough to crush them, he reached out his hand. His vision turned red as the small blood vessels in his eyes burst. With trembling hands, he managed to pick up his fallen kit and shakily dialed a number. ¡®I can¡¯t help.¡¯ With his skills, he couldn¡¯t even handle one of the martial artists following Cha Unhyeop, let alone Cha Unhyeop himself. Unlike Un Hyang, he wasn¡¯t born with talent and had stopped trying after facing setback after setback. But that didn¡¯t mean he could just stand by and do nothing. He needed someone who coulde immediately, who was much stronger than himself, and who could help. ¡®Please pick up.¡¯ Only one person came to mind. He wasn¡¯t sure if that person could change the situation. Nor was he certain that person would fight against a significant force like the Murim World for people he had only known for a few months. But. Step¡ª He had no one else to rely on. * Drip, drip¡ª Blood from his forearms¡ªwhose, he didn¡¯t know¡ªpooled at his fingertips and dripped onto the ground. The smell of blood stung his nose. The blood, mixed together, created a hellish scene. Nearly twenty martial artistsy dead. All ughtered by the sword of one beautiful woman. ¡®She¡¯s like a wounded beast baring its fangs.¡¯ Blood vessels had burst in Un Hyang¡¯s eyes, turning the whites red. Her presence was so terrifying that the remaining martial artists hesitated, retreating in fear. To make those ready to die for their cause retreat spoke volumes about her aura. ¡°What are you doing? Not fighting?¡± Even while staggering from heavy blood loss, Un Hyang didn¡¯t stop. Step¡ª. Un Hyang advanced towards Cha Unhyeop. As if her life had no value, she paid no heed to her bleeding. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t kill me anyway.¡± She had a point. Shinryeonseong¡¯s objective from the beginning was to capture her alive. Knowing this, Un Hyang could continue fighting despite the odds. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± In truth, Cha Unhyeop had to be cautious while fighting her. Even when he could have severed her head or pierced her heart. He focused on inflicting minor wounds rather than striking deadly blows. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the situation. It just takes a bit longer.¡± ¡°Your words are long.¡± Step¡ª. ¡°And your feet aren¡¯t moving.¡± Despite her injuries, it was Un Hyang who closed the distance. With her eyes now zing red, she red at Cha Unhyeop. ¡°Are you scared of me?¡± ¡°Gasp¡ª¡± Crackle¡ª. Blue electricity gathered on the tip of Cha Unhyeop¡¯s sword. ¡°Cutting Thunder¡ª!¡± Boom¡ª! With his sword strike, a blue wave surged forth. The already leveled bamboo forest¡¯s ground erupted, mixing ck soil with blue electricity. Swish¡ª. Un Hyang plunged through the chaos, closing the gap in an instant. Swipe¡ª. One hand swept the sand aside. Absorbing the shock of the electricity with her body, she swung her sword at Cha Unhyeop. sh¡ª. sh¡ª. A long cut appeared from his chest to his shoulder. If he hadn¡¯t twisted his body, she could have easily severed his neck in one blow. Moving slowly, he had thought she was exhausted. ¡®Does she still have this much strength left?¡¯ Boom¡ª! Wielding his sword imbued with electricity, Cha Unhyeop showcased his prowess as the Heavenly Thunder Sword. Un Hyang and Cha Unhyeop shed again. Both were injured, but Un Hyang had sustained more severe wounds. Drip, drip¡ª. Her arm was paralyzed and mangled. The wounds on her waist and shoulder were all critical. She tried to muster her focus, but her consciousness began to blur. ¡®Am I losing?¡¯ She had to admit it. Her opponent was Cha Unhyeop. He had wielded a sword long before she was even born and had trained relentlessly, bing a high-ranking master in the tower. Even in a one-on-one fight, she couldn¡¯t be sure she would win. And Cha Unhyeop was supported by thirty highly skilled martial artists. It was difficult. At this rate¡­ Blur¡ª. For a moment, Cha Unhyeop¡¯s sword appeared as two. Her consciousness slowly started to fade. Half-conscious, she swung her sword. Slice¡ª Boom¡ª! Cha Unhyeop¡¯s forearm was shed deeply, while an explosion of electricity erupted in Un Hyang¡¯s abdomen. Both staggered. With both sustaining injuries, they momentarily distanced themselves from each other. ¡°Truly a talent bestowed by the heavens.¡± A voice without a face spoke. Her vision blurred. She sensed Cha Unhyeop aiming his sword at her once more. With her eyes and mind hazy. As she instinctively swung her sword, hazy memories from the past unfolded before Un Hyang¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who are you, mister?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be the one teaching you from now on.¡± ¡°Teaching me?¡± It was Un Cheon-guk who answered Un Hyang¡¯s question. The man who spoke of heavenly talent and used difficult words looked at her with an expression akin to observing a curious animal. Boom¡ª! Once again, a wave of blue electricity enveloped her body. It felt strange. Just a moment ago, it hurt as if she was about to die, but now she felt nothing. ¡°So, is this mister my teacher?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Who is this mister anyway?¡± She wasn¡¯t genuinely curious when she asked. -To be honest, she found it amusing. A nameless stranger who suddenly appeared and imed he would teach her. ¡°How will you prove you¡¯re qualified to teach me?¡± She was merely eighteen. A confident youth. -And she had every reason to be. She was always the best among her peers, and even among the adults at higher ranks, not many could match her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be troublesome if the student surpasses the teacher too quickly?¡± She was confident there were few in the world who could teach her. But then. ¡°Prove it¡ª¡± The man proved his qualification in a manner far surpassing what Un Hyang had expected. ¡°Urgh¡ª.¡± ¡°Is this enough proof?¡± The man, right then and there, used his hand to pierce Un Cheon-guk¡¯s belly. Blood dripped down in chunks from Un Cheon-guk. Bright red blood stained the man¡¯s hand, and the overwhelming smell of blood hit her senses for the first time. All of this happened in the middle of Shinryeonseong. In shock, she was immobilized. When she asked for proof, she meant a sparring match with her. But he easily subdued Un Cheon-guk, inflicting near-fatal injuries. As if it didn¡¯t matter if he turned the entire Shinryeonseong into his enemy. It was terrifying. What had been confidence that no one could teach her now turned into fear at the prospect of having such a person as her teacher. ¡®That time¡ª¡¯ Recalling the past, Un Hyang let out a smallugh. ¡®If Father had died, what would have happened?¡¯ Un Cheon-guk survived. No one knew the secret behind his injuries. Despite the attack urring in his own private quarters, Un Cheon-guk kept everything strictly confidential. ¡®What if I hadn¡¯t met him?¡¯ Un Hyang learned the man¡¯s identity muchter. Probably after learning a great deal from him. ¡°Are you curious about who I am?¡± ¡°If I weren¡¯t, would I keep asking?¡± A man who had the power to subdue the Lord of Shinryeonseong in an instant, at the heart of Shinryeonseong. It was impossible not to be curious. It would have been odd not to be. After asking countless times, the man finally spoke. ¡°I am¡ª¡± She wished she hadn¡¯t heard it. If she hadn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t have to grapple with these thoughts now. Grit¡ª Clenching her teeth and pulling herself together, she focused back on Cha Unhyeop¡¯s face as their swords shed fiercely. It felt likeing back to reality. Boom¡ª! Cha Unhyeop unleashed thunder once more. The force was immense, but strangely, it didn¡¯t hurt as much as before. ¡®Are you going to go back like this?¡¯ A small voice whispered in her ear. She knew exactly whose voice it was. ¡®Shut up.¡¯ ¡®You hate it, don¡¯t you? Then make a decision.¡¯ Her mind wavered. She had made a decision long ago. But the thought of losing now was utterly repugnant. Losing to Cha Unhyeop meant returning to Shinryeonseong. ¡®Just close your eyes once.¡¯ She knew it wasn¡¯t just once. Most things that start by saying ¡®just once¡¯ lead to a beginning. But. ¡®Just once¡­¡¯ Sometimes, the inescapable horrors right in front of you make that ¡®just once¡¯ seem eptable. ¡®Fine.¡¯ Slurp¡ª The color of the magic flowing from Un Hyang¡¯s body changed. ¡®Just this once.¡¯ And at that moment. Flinch¡ª Cha Unhyeop paused, sensing the change in Un Hyang¡¯s aura. Her previously relentless steps halted, and the tip of her sword, which had been aimed at non-lethal points, wavered. Pop¡ª He hurriedly leaped back to increase the distance. Looking back, Un Hyang was still standing, albeit staggering. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ For a moment, the very air felt different. Even if it was only for a second, he felt as though his neck was severed, and his entire body was torn apart. As if he had felt fear. Swish¡ª Cha Unhyeop touched his neck as he looked at Un Hyang. Drip, drip¡ª She stood there, bleeding. Though both were injured, he still had the upper hand. ¡®The situation hasn¡¯t changed.¡¯ He had made a mistake by retreating and losing his advantageous position due to a momentarypse. ¡®I¡¯ll have to reflect on this when I get back.¡¯ Just as he was about to finish the fight with Un Hyang. sh¡ª! A yellow lightning bolt exploded in the sky. Boom¡ª! With a deafening roar, a massive bolt of lightning enveloped Cha Unhyeop. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 The procedure waspleted. It was a 500,000-point procedure. Naturally, it was more effective than the previous 200,000-point procedure. Although there was some fatigue after the procedure, conversely, it felt like his body¡¯s capacity had increased. ¡®To think my other stats would rise too.¡¯ It boosted his stamina and focus. But that wasn¡¯t all. Strength, agility, and magic also increased. His stats had risen across the board. It was proof of the saying: if you had enough points, you could be a god. He had a meal with Jinwoon, drank some tea, and exchanged farewells. On the way back after the procedure. Suhyuk checked the messages on his kit from the past few days. ¡ºBald Suhyuk: Reached Silver 1 ^^ Going for Gold soon~¡» ¡ºBald Suhyuk: Wanna grab a drink when I hit Gold?¡» ¡ºBald Suhyuk: Why no reply :(¡» ¡ºBald Suhyuk: Dropped back to Silver 2, haha¡» Most of the messages were from Bald Suhyuk. Seeing the daily messages, Suhyuk chuckled. ¡ºLee Suhyuk: Come to the 5th floor then.¡» He casually brushed off the promise. He figured Bald Suhyuk could reach Gold with a bit of luck, but then he¡¯d have to drop back down to the 4th floor. As he continued checking the remaining messages, Suhyuk¡¯s expression grew puzzled. He had expected messages from Un Hyang. But instead, there were messages from Cheon Ryang. ¡ºCheon Ryang: When are youing back~~~¡» Something felt off. ¡®Is something wrong?¡¯ Cheon Ryang, not Un Hyang, had messaged him. It didn¡¯t seem like a serious issue, but he had an odd feeling. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be wherever you are, but why specifically there¡­?¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± Her response seemed to indicate she wasn¡¯t entirelyfortable being in the Murim World. Suhyuk picked up on it too. He knew she had issues with the Murim World. But he didn¡¯t think there would be any major issues. Because she was strong. ¡ºLee Suhyuk: I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡» He replied but received no response. It waste. They might have been asleep by now. Step¡ª He saw the inn where Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang were staying. Buzz¡ª His kit buzzed then. It was a call from Cheon Ryang. Oddly enough, he seemed to check the message only upon reaching the inn. ¡°No need to answer¡ª¡± Click¡ª He sensed something amiss right then. The inn was too quiet. Eerily so. The front gate was wide open, and there were a few shallow footprints. Trained martial artists had passed through. Step¡ª His pace quickened. He walked into the inn and answered Cheon Ryang¡¯s call. And at that moment. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Holding the kit with difficulty, Suhyuk spotted Cheon Ryang crawling across the floor. *** Crackle, crackle¡ª In the spot where yellow lightning had struck. Cha Unhyeop stared at the man who appeared in the middle of the battlefield. ¡°Lee Suhyuk¡­.¡± His expression was obscured by a mask. Cha Unhyeop couldn¡¯t guess what had brought him here. He was merely a streamer. It seemed improbable that he woulde all the way here to be an enemy of the Murim World. ¡°What business do you have here?¡± The opponent was both a yer and a streamer. And one with a considerable number of viewers. Cha Unhyeop had no interest in the profession of streamers, but he did understand their considerable influence. ¡°Are you nning to fight us¡ª¡± Crackle¡ª Before he could finish, Suhyuk moved. Not towards Cha Unhyeop, but towards the other martial artists. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± ¡°Master.¡± Cha Unhyeop halted as he moved to intercept Suhyuk. He had momentarily forgotten due to the sudden turn of events. Who his real opponent was. ¡°If you touch him, you will really die.¡± sh¡ª! A long cut appeared on his back. Reacting instinctively and moving forward saved him from being split in half, but it was still a critical injury. ¡°Grr¡ª¡± Cha Unhyeop quickly distanced himself and refocused on Un Hyang. It was a mistake. Distracted by Suhyuk¡¯s unexpected arrival, he had lost sight of his true opponent. Facing Un Hyang again, Cha Unhyeop felt something had changed. ¡®She has changed.¡¯ Just moments ago, Un Hyang seemed on the brink of copse. And it wasn¡¯t only due to her injuries. The more wounded and cornered she became, the sharper and fiercer her aura grew. But now, with Lee Suhyuk¡¯s appearance on the battlefield. She wore the same calm expression she had at the start. ¡®Does she trust him?¡¯ Streamer Lee Suhyuk. Cha Unhyeop had heard his name in passing, even though he paid little attention to lower-rank affairs. A yer who was rapidly ascending the tower and making a name for himself. And he shared the same name as a legendary figure among yers. But. ¡®He joined the fray too soon.¡¯ No matter how skilled, to a yer who had just reached the 6th floor. ¡®This stage.¡¯ The elite of Shinryeonseong would still be formidable opponents. *** The trees cut down like missing teeth and the altered terrain created by Cha Unhyeop¡¯s thunderous waves formed an irregr forest. The martial artists of Shinryeonseong used this forest as their battlefield against Un Hyang. Direct confrontation was challenging, so it was the natural choice. Crackle, crackle¡ª A yellow glow spread through the dark and intricate bamboo forest. Shinryeonseong martial artist, Won-guk, eyed the sudden intruder on the battlefield. ¡®Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ He was the one who had infiltrated the inn and held a knife to Cheon Ryang¡¯s throat. A talented master of stealth and a high-ranking member of Shinryeonseong. That was Won-guk. ¡®A wasted talent with poor judgment.¡¯ Lee Suhyuk¡¯s talent was undeniable. Although it was a bold im, some evenpared him to the legendary Lee Suhyuk in his prime, noting that this Lee Suhyuk might surpass him. And proving that evaluation, Lee Suhyuk had climbed the tower at an astonishing rate. It was clear he would soon be a high-ranker. But what did it matter? ¡®He¡¯s going to die here.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like he was streaming. Just in case, they checked his stream channel, but as expected, the stream was off. Given that, there was nothing to hold them back. There were eight remaining martial artists of Shinryeonseong. And among them, including himself, four were high-rankers. It was an unbeatable force. Crackle, crackle¡ª Emitting lightning from his body, Lee Suhyuk stared down the martial artists of Shinryeonseong. He had presence, but that was all. ¡°Finish this quickly and secure the target.¡± At Won-guk¡¯smand, the martial artists began to move. And then it happened. Boom¡ª! A bolt of lightning struck down from the sky,nding above Lee Suhyuk¡¯s head. The remnants of the ck lightning were visible. Any yer who had watched Lee Suhyuk¡¯s matches would recognize the sight. ¡®Lightning Lord.¡¯ A unique ability that rapidly boosted the user¡¯s stats, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s signature move. A technique thought to be gone forever was now disyed right in front of them. ¡®We can¡¯t take this lightly.¡¯ Judging by the exchanged nces, the other Shinryeonseong martial artists shared the same thought. No matter that he wasn¡¯t yet a high-ranker; he was still Lee Suhyuk. The second user of thunder to appear in twenty years. With the activation of Lightning Lord, they couldn¡¯t afford any carelessness. ¡°Against someone like him, we can¡¯t afford any casualties. Form a siege and make sure¡ª¡± sh¡ª! The martial artist who was speaking was suddenly split in half. A ck streak from Lee Suhyuk¡¯s sword had sliced him diagonally from head to groin. Boom¡ª! The sound of thunder followed a beat slower. It was natural for sound to travel slower than light. But the fact that they didn¡¯t even see him swing his sword was rming. ¡°This is insane¡ª¡± In an instant, one of them was down. They had just discussed that they couldn¡¯t afford any casualties, yet one had already fallen. Crackle¡ª Lee Suhyuk tore through the remaining seven martial artists. Boom¡ª! By the time the sound reached them, anotherrade had been struck by lightning. Moving shadows and the trajectory of the sword. None could be seen. Was it carelessness? It wasn¡¯t even worth discussing against such an opponent. For a moment, Won-guk¡¯s eyes saw Lee Suhyuk and Cha Unhyeop ovep. Hepared him with one of the great high-rankers of Shinryeonseong, of which there were few. ¡°Rush him so he can¡¯t use his skills!¡± With that shout, five martial artists charged at Suhyuk. ng¡ª! Crack¡ª. The martial artists coordinated their attack. They trained daily in swordsmanship, honing their teamwork. In contrast, the opponent had just reached the 6th floor¡ªa rookie. Boom¡ª! This battle should not have been evenly matched. The exact opposite, in fact. ng¡ª. ¡°Gah¡ª.¡± Swords wrapped in magic shattered, and a body charred ck copsed to the ground. Now, only four remained besides him. Watching yet another one fall, Won-guk enacted his stealth technique. ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯ Swish¡ª. He had thought wrong. It wasn¡¯t about quickly dominating from the front. He needed to make full use of his specialty and surely aim for the back. ¡º¡¯Starting Point of the Night¡¯ is activated.¡» With the skill¡¯s activation, all traces of his presence vanished. As if separated from the world, all minor sounds like footsteps, breathing, and heartbeats were silenced. It was thebination of the martial arts technique of stealth and the skill that allowed Won-guk to be a pir of Shinryeonseong. ¡®Strike the vital spot cleanly in one go.¡¯ Lee Suhyuk was currently engaged with other martial artists. They were slowly being pushed back by Shinryeonseong¡¯s forces, but with this distraction, the oue was clear. ¡®The neck? Or the heart?¡¯ Blending into the night¡¯s darkness, Won-guk scrutinized the vital spot to target as he neared Suhyuk¡¯s back. Which one should he choose? As Won-guk¡¯s eyes followed Suhyuk¡¯s movements, they lit up. ¡®The neck.¡¯ At the very moment he made that decision: Pop¡ª. Won-guk¡¯s dagger thrust towards Suhyuk¡¯s neck. But. ¡°People like you reallyck creativity.¡± Squeeze¡ª. Suhyuk, who had spun around, caught Won-guk¡¯s hand holding the dagger. ¡°Why does everyone always aim for the back?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°There used to be someone who always hid and startled others.¡± That was Yerang¡¯s nasty hobby. The best at stealth techniques, she often used her strengths to y cruel pranks on her peers, including Suhyuk. Several never caught on to her stealth, but after a while, Suhyuk started to notice when she hid. Boom¡ª! The swung sword fell with the sound of thunder. ¡°How could¡­ a 6th-floor yer¡­¡± Won-guk¡¯s body split in two, creating a red streak as it did. How could he? To Won-guk¡¯s absurd question, Suhyuk replied while looking at the corpse. ¡°It¡¯s always the clueless nobodies who focus on the floor numbers.¡± The 6th floor. That was truly where he was at the moment. But the height a yer had reached was not the only standard by which their skills were judged. If that were the case, Suhyuk would have been focused solely on climbing higher, disregarding the tests. Collecting points before the tests, receiving procedures. Equipping weapons. He deliberately made the tests harder even when he could have ascended to the next floor. The reason he endured such exhaustion was simple. ¡°What matters is not how high you climb, but how you climb.¡± Chapter 129 Chapter 129 After Jinwoon¡¯s procedure waspletely finished. Suhyuk shared a simple meal prepared by Jinwoon. The modest table consisted of seasoned vegetables, braised radish, and an egg soup. Picking up the vegetables with his chopsticks, Jinwoon spoke. ¡°You¡¯re tenacious too.¡± He paused, momentarily taken aback by his own words. Suhyuk continued eating with his chopsticks and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­That was a slip.¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural topare. We even share the same name.¡± Tap, tap¡ª Suhyuk yfully tapped his mask with his chopsticks as he spoke. ¡°My face probably looks the same because of this too.¡± Jinwoon had mentioned ¡°you too,¡± implicitlyparing him to the past Lee Suhyuk. Jinwoon hadn¡¯t intended to voice his thoughts out loud, especially not in his presence. But the long hours of work had affected his focus. ¡®What¡¯s there to be upset about?¡¯ Suhyuk chuckled at Jinwoon¡¯s reaction while chewing on the vegetables. ¡®After all, they¡¯re both me.¡¯ In fact, he felt thankful. It meant they hadn¡¯t forgotten about him. Both Jinwoon and Un Hyang. Being with them brought a sense of ease, probably because of this very reason. ¡°I almost gave up once during the process. It wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡± His back still felt sore from the procedure. The tearing and burning pain hadsted for days, leaving him mentally drained. ¡°That¡¯s why I said you¡¯re tenacious. I thought you might stop at least once.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°How¡¯s the effect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great. After all, it¡¯s your procedure.¡± Suhyuk was the one taken aback this time. He had casually spoken as if he knew Jinwoon well. A quick nce showed that Jinwoon didn¡¯t seem to notice anything unusual in his words. Click¡ª Actually, Jinwoon seemed more curious about something else, as he paused his eating and asked, ¡°May I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡± ¡°Is this really necessary? For just the 6th floor.¡± So that¡¯s what he was curious about. It was indeed a reasonable question. If anyone, Jinwoon would be aware of Suhyuk¡¯s current condition. Naturally. ¡°When you perform a procedure, you learn quite a lot about a person. Especially regarding their physical state.¡± Jinwoon seemed toprehend Suhyuk¡¯s situation as if he were viewing a status window. ¡°You¡¯re more than a match for most high-rankers already.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, probably.¡± Even before the procedure, he could hold his own, but after, the gap widened even more. Post-procedure, Suhyuk had reached a level where he could rival most high-rankers without even using his Lightning Lord skill. ¡°Why do you do it? Perfectionism? For the stream?¡± ¡°For the process.¡± ¡°The process?¡± ¡°Yes. In tests, how you proceed is the most important. The result is merely a period at the end of that evaluation.¡± This was a value Suhyuk had held for a long time. ¡°If you only focus on climbing higher, there wille a moment when you hit a wall. Inevitably.¡± To conquer the tower, whose height was unknown, one had to proceed step by step, cautiously. ¡°Is that so?¡± Sip¡ª Jinwoon took a sip of the warm tea, hiding a faint smile he couldn¡¯t suppress. After all, they were alike. * Cha Unhyeop couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Even witnessing it, it felt unreal. Eight elite martial artists of Shinryeonseong had fallen. And it happened within just a few minutes. Among them was Won-guk. ¡®To detect Won-guk¡¯s stealth technique while fighting Shinryeonseong¡¯s elite.¡¯ When it came to stealth techniques, Won-guk was among the top three in Shinryeonseong. While Cha Unhyeop had drawn attention, it was Won-guk who had initially taken Cheon Ryang hostage, concealing himself perfectly. But Lee Suhyuk had even managed to cut down Won-guk. ¡®I miscalcted.¡¯ It was true that they had timed the attack to coincide with Lee Suhyuk¡¯s absence. But it wasn¡¯t because they feared his skill. The real danger Lee Suhyuk posed was his ability to attract tens of thousands of simultaneous viewers as a streamer. From Shinryeonseong¡¯s perspective, creating a ruckus was undesirable. However. Lee Suhyuk had not threatened them with his stream. Instead, he had cut down Shinryeonseong¡¯s martial artists purely with his skill. ¡®Lee Suhyuk and the genius.¡¯ Swish¡ª Lowering his sword, Cha Unhyeop sighed. ¡®Both far exceeded my expectations.¡¯ This mission had failed. His own condition wasn¡¯t great. The recent wounds bled profusely, and now he had another opponent to face. At this rate¡­ ¡®This might be my grave.¡¯ But then. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s over. Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Cha Unhyeop squinted at Un Hyang¡¯s unexpected remark. ¡°Leave?¡± ¡°Or are you nning to die here? Do you have two lives, Master?¡± She didn¡¯t seem to be bluffing. Her sword was lowered, and she appeared earnest. ¡°Just promise me one thing. If you return, nevere after me again. With that promise, I¡¯ll consider you dead here and let you go.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°If you keep hesitating, I¡¯ll change my mind. I¡¯ll count to five, and by then, you better be gone. One, two, three¡­¡± There was no time to think. Nodding, Cha Unhyeop leaped away. From the center of the devastated forest, Un Hyang¡¯s gaze followed the direction in which he disappeared. ¡°¡­Five.¡± And in that moment. Whoosh¡ª Faster than she had moved while fighting Cha Unhyeop, Un Hyang rushed to Suhyuk. ¡°Suhyuk!¡± * ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice lv6¡ä resists ¡®Lightning Lord.¡¯¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Thunder¡¯ is activated.¡» ¡ºResisting status abnormality: Electric Shock.¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» It seemed he was in a dangerous state. Judging by the continuous alerts. ¡®About three minutes.¡¯ Crackle¡ª The strength that had filled his body dispersed. As ¡®Lightning Lord¡¯ deactivated, he felt like a deting balloon. ¡®The procedure¡¯s effect sure is noticeable.¡¯ Although brief, it was sufficient forbat. Considering that 30 seconds was the limit before the procedure, this was a significant improvement. ¡®That¡¯s great, but¡­¡¯ He feltpletely drained, as if suffering from dehydration. But the fight wasn¡¯t over yet. There was still one left. The most dangerous one. ¡®I can¡¯t copse just yet.¡¯ ¡ºFatigue has reached 91.¡» His fatigue level was at its limit for furtherbat. But only he knew that. He couldn¡¯t let the enemy underestimate him. If possible, he needed to end this fight here. Fortunately, Cha Unhyeop had departed after conversing with Un Hyang. Immediately after. ¡°Suhyuk!¡± Un Hyang, running faster than he had ever seen, checked him over anxiously. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Any wounds? I saw you pushing yourself back there¡­¡± It seemed she knew his condition. After all. She was not only his manager but also a huge fan of Lee Suhyuk. She was well aware of the side effects of ¡®Lightning Lord¡¯ and Suhyuk¡¯s current capabilities. So, she must have realized. That his condition was far from okay. From up close, Suhyuk noticed Un Hyang¡¯s wounds. Severalrge wounds. Even more small ones. Though the blows missed vital spots, likely aiming to capture her alive, the extent of bleeding could have made her copse at any moment. ¡°What about you, Manager?¡± ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°You seem well enough to move.¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± As if just remembered, Un Hyang looked over her body. Then. ¡°Right¡­¡± She staggered as if dizzy, leaning on Suhyuk. Both of them were out of strength. If Cha Unhyeop had continued the fight, the situation would have been dire. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Suhyuk, who was in a slightly better condition, helped her up, intending to leave quickly before Cha Unhyeop could return. ¡°Un Hyang! Un-hyaaang!¡± From afar came Cheon Ryang¡¯s urgent voice. They exchanged relieved nces and smiles. * Cheon Ryang, who arrivedte, carried Suhyuk and Un Hyang back to the inn. After treating her wounds and bandaging them, Un Hyang quickly fell asleep. Or rather. She had already been nodding off on Cheon Ryang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This wasn¡¯t what I nned.¡± Cheon Ryang rotated his stiff shoulders, aching from carrying them. Suhyuk looked at Cheon Ryang, who appeared calm as ever. With dawn approaching, they sat side-by-side on the veranda. Inside, Un Hyang was fast asleep. ¡°Are you alright, Suhyuk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not injured. It¡¯s just the side effects of the skill.¡± His fatigue level was high, but he could still move. Since he had no wounds, there was no risk of reopening any injuries by moving around. Ideally, he wanted to sleep beside Un Hyang. But given the situation, he couldn¡¯t afford to sleep soundly. ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± To Cheon Ryang¡¯s gratitude, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± ¡°But still, you fought battles you didn¡¯t need to because of us. And¡­ with¡­¡± Cheon Ryang hesitated, struggling to verbalize the reality. ¡°¡­with the Murim World.¡± His apology was understandable. The Murim World was a vast power. In fact, it was more urate to call it an entire world rather than just a faction. Bing enemies with the Murim World was akin to making enemies with an entire world. However. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Nothing had changed. Only the timing had been elerated a bit. ¡®We would have shed with the Murim World eventually.¡¯ The Murim World were the ones who betrayed hisrades along with Kim Ilsoo. Suhyuk would inevitably have to sh swords with them in the future. But hecked justification. The Murim World valued justification above all else. If there was justification, there would be no problem; without it, the entire Murim World would move to eradicate the enemy. In that sense, this fight wasn¡¯t unfavorable for Suhyuk either. As a streamer, protecting his manager provided a solid justification. However. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to tell me now?¡± He had hoped she would tell him first if possible. But now, it was truly difficult to wait any longer. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m already involved.¡± The connection between Un Hyang and the Murim World. How the two were entangled, why the Murim World was targeting Un Hyang. Why Un Hyang hated the Murim World so much. ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Cheon Ryang nodded. Suhyuk had helped them without hesitating to make enemies with the Murim World. Now that things hade to this, it was time to tell him. ¡°It¡¯s time you knew.¡± And so, Cheon Ryang began his story. TL¡¯s Corner: Cue Miley Cyrus¡¯s ¡°The climb¡±. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 ¡°Un Hyang and I grew up together in Shinryeonseong.¡± The story began calmly. As he recalled the old days, a slight smile yed on Cheon Ryang¡¯s lips. ¡°I joined Shinryeonseong when I was young. At that time, Shinryeonseong would take in orphans from the Murim World and teach them martial arts.¡± ¡°That sounds like a good thing, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It was. If you look at it, it was part of their welfare projects.¡± Taking in orphans and teaching them martial arts. It was an excellent way to polish the group¡¯s image. Many guilds were already running such programs, with the Murim World leading the way. And the ce where Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang grew up in the Murim World was precisely¡­ ¡®Shinryeonseong¡­¡¯ Shinryeonseong. In the vast world of the Murim World, it was the secondrgest faction, after the Martial Alliance. A ce that symbolized the strength of the Murim World. That was Shinryeonseong. ¡®This involves a bigger entity than I thought.¡¯ From the opponent Un Hyang fought, it was clear that it was no small ce. But Shinryeonseong? ¡®At least it¡¯s not the Martial Alliance. I should be relieved about that.¡¯ As Suhyuk was lost in thoughts. ¡°Un Hyang is the daughter of Un Cheon-guk.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden bombshell. Whose daughter? ¡°Un Cheon-guk. Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Of course, I know.¡± There was no way he wouldn¡¯t know that name. Even a three-year-old child in the Murim World would know his name. Un Cheon-guk. He was the master of Shinryeonseong. And long ago. ¡®The crazy bastard¡¯s daughter?¡¯ He was also one of the countless yers who had once been trampled by Suhyuk. Un Cheon-guk¡¯s daughter. That exined most of the events that had happened so far. If this were true, Un Hyang wasn¡¯t someone who should be stuck as a mere manager at somepany. ¡°But why?¡± While many things were rified, many questions also arose. Why was someone of such noble birth here, and why were they so desperate to take Un Hyang? ¡°To her, that ce was hell.¡± The smile disappeared from Cheon Ryang¡¯s face. ¡°No. At some point, it turned into hell.¡± ¡°Hell?¡± ¡°Yes. It was for everyone, but especially for her.¡± Clench¡ª Cheon Ryang clenched his fist. ¡°Training, and more training. Since she was ten, she didn¡¯t live like a human. Her face would swell, her whole body would be covered in bruises and cuts. She¡¯d ther herself with ointments, and barely get proper sleep¡­¡± His voice grew more repressed. He was trying to calm his anger. Decades ago. In those distant days, Cheon Ryang recalled his and Un Hyang¡¯s childhood. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen you aroundtely?¡± ¡°Ra-young.¡± Even back then, Un Hyang was always bright and lively. Despite her body being covered in bloody bruises and cuts, causing her pain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about me.¡± ¡°Even as a child, she was an adult.¡± Un Hyang was strong. While young Cheon Ryang was afraid just to see her injuries, she never showed any sign of pain or struggle. ¡°She aplished everything. Just as her heart had grown prematurely, so did her body, bing an adult. She endured through that hellish ce.¡± Time passed. Both of them grew up quickly. And then, one day. ¡°I thought she was fine.¡± Cheon Ryang discovered the truth. ¡°Until I saw her crying.¡± That she was struggling immensely. ¡°It was baffling. How hard must it have been for her not to notice me standing right behind her?¡± Watching her cry for a long time, Cheon Ryang quietly left her alone. A few dayster. Once again, covered in bruises and bloodstains, she faced Cheon Ryang. ¡°She pretended everything was okay again. Whether she didn¡¯t know I had seen her or was just pretending not to know.¡± ¡°I got some money. Let¡¯s go get something sweet!¡± Recalling her smile, Cheon Ryang covered his face with both hands. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± It was a curse aimed at himself. Ament for his helplessness in doing nothing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything. No strength, no background. I was just a liability.¡± Listening to the story, Suhyuk carefully considered his words. Their past was heavy, demanding careful deliberation. ¡°What made her eventually choose to run away?¡± Un Hyang had endured Shinryeonseong¡¯s training for a long time. But in the end, she chose to abandon everything and flee. It might have been because she could no longer bear it, but it didn¡¯t seem that simple. ¡°If she had continued, she might have be the next master of Shinryeonseong.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s training was most likely preparing her to be the next master of Shinryeonseong. If she had given up from the start, it would be understandable, but she had held on remarkably well. Yet she abandoned it all in an instant. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was because of the harsh training.¡± Even after the fight, Un Hyang prioritized Suhyuk¡¯s well-being over her own injuries, showing her strength. ¡°She¡¯s not someone who would give up because of something like that.¡± There must be another reason. But. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Unfortunately, Cheon Ryang did not know either. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No. One day, she just told me.¡± The day before leaving Shinryeonseong. For the first time, she cried her heart out in front of Cheon Ryang. ¡°This isn¡¯t right¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That day, I left Shinryeonseong with Un Hyang. We had to make a living, so we found jobs, which led us to this work.¡± p¡ª At the end of the story, Cheon Ryang pped his hands loudly. ¡°That¡¯s all I know.¡± ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± After hearing the difficult story, Suhyuk bowed his head briefly in thanks. It was a short story, but it had a long history for both of them. It couldn¡¯t have been easy to share. However, not all questions were answered. Why Shinryeonseong imposed such extreme training on Un Hyang. And why Un Hyang decided to give up everything at the end. But those were questions only Un Hyang could answer, not Cheon Ryang. ¡®Shinryeonseong, Un Cheon-guk.¡¯ More questions formed in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. ¡®Do people usually get this obsessed with a sessor?¡¯ Suhyuk was well aware of Un Hyang¡¯s skills. With just a little more time, she could surely seed Un Cheon-guk as the master of Shinryeonseong. But even so, it was strange to be so fixated on a sessor who had voluntarily left. There was no point in cing someone who hated Shinryeonseong in a position of power. Finishing the conversation, Suhyuk felt his tired eyelids droop. It had been a very long night. * In her dream, Un Hyang stood in the middle of Shinryeonseong. A fortress connected by red silk and an expansive courtyard. The sounds of swords shing from all directions. Even the suffocating atmosphere was exactly the same. ¡°I really don¡¯t want toe back here¡­¡± She knew it was a dream. She had returned to this ce in her dreams more than a hundred times. While she had been tricked at first, she no longer was. However. ¡°Do you think you can escape?¡± Despite knowing it was a dream, Un Hyang faced the man before her once again. Swish¡ª A handsome man appeared as if out of a mirage. The great star of the Murim World, revered by all martial artists. Her father, Un Cheon-guk. ¡°I won¡¯t be fooled.¡± ¡°A dream, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, this is all just a dream.¡± She refused to be deceived. She had been deceived enough in the dozens of times she dreamt this dream. But despite her denial, Un Cheon-guk remained calm. ¡°True. It is a dream. But you know it too. Eventually, you will return here.¡± Step¡ª He took a step closer. ¡°That¡¯s why you keep having the same dream, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­ Stay back.¡± ¡°You cannot defy your destined path. You epted that destiny yourself.¡± ¡°I never did.¡± ¡°My daughter¡ª¡± ¡°No¡ª!¡± She shouted and released her magic. The ground of Shinryeonseong cracked, causing a momentary earthquake. But she knew. If this were truly that recurring dream. Vroom¡ª He would soon appear. The bright sky of Shinryeonseong turned ck. The sun was obscured, revealing a dark moon, and darkness descended. The presence of the man who would appear behind Un Cheon-guk felt many times, even tens of times, more overwhelming. ¡°You¡¯ve returned.¡± It was different from when she faced Un Cheon-guk. She could neither scream nor deny it, iming it was impossible. She had no courage to confront him. ¡°No matter how many times you run, dozens, hundreds of times, it¡¯s useless. You will eventuallye back here.¡± ¡®No.¡¯ Tremble, tremble¡ª Her body shook. She remembered. The end of this dream was always the same. It didn¡¯t matter whether she knew it was a dream or not. The moment the man standing behind appeared, the oue of the dream was predetermined. ¡®It¡¯s the same again.¡¯ Even though she had barely escaped, she returned to this ce in her dreams every time. And it always ended the same way. Returning to that dreadful hell. Living ording to the destiny spoken by these two men. ¡®Might as well¡­¡¯ Un Hyang¡¯s gaze turned to her own wrist. Would it be easier? As she contemted the same thought she had repeated countless times upon returning to this ce. Boom¡ª! Thunder shed in the dark night sky. It was a first. The darkness engulfing Un Hyang was dispelled. The enormous presence behind her faded, and for the first time, Un Cheon-guk showed a troubled expression. ¡°Who is¡­?¡± ¡°An uninvited guest, it seems.¡± Swish¡ª The forms of the two men who had invaded Un Hyang¡¯s dream began to fade. Boom, rumble¡ª Thunder illuminated the sky, and with it, both Un Cheon-guk and the oppressive presence disappeared without a trace. Another man had driven them out. Step¡ª A man with familiar ck hair, wearing a mask, entered Shinryeonseong. Although she couldn¡¯t see his face, Un Hyang recognized him. Lee Suhyuk. The great legend of Blue Eyes and her hero. ¡°Why are you here¡­?¡± It was strange. Despite dreaming this dream more than a hundred times, he had never appeared in it before. Why now, of all times, did he appear in her dream? The question was soon answered. ¡°Manager.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Su¡­ Suhyuk¡­¡± The man who had brought thunder and lightning into Shinryeonseong. ¡°Suhyuk?¡± He wasn¡¯t Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk, but Balhae¡¯s streamer Lee Suhyuk. Was it because they were in a dream? She had momentarily forgotten. Why she had been so captivated by the yer Lee Suhyuk. He was the one who had saved her. And. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Even though he might not be the same person. Being with him felt as if she would receive the same salvation. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Seeing Un Hyang tear up, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s eyes in the dream wavered. Un Hyang burst into tears. Copsing to the ground of Shinryeonseong she despised so much. Without any intention of stopping her tears, she cried her heart out. When she woke up, she felt truly rested for the first time in a long while. TL¡¯s Corner: So there¡¯s someone is behind Un Cheon-guk. Welp, it¡¯s probably Murim Alliance leader. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chirp, chirp chirp-. The first sound that reached her ears as she awoke was the chirping of birds, a serenade reserved for early mornings. Sunlight filtered through a crack in the slightly opened door, piercing her eyes. The soft, fluffy nket warmly embraced her body. It was a refreshing sleep. So long that she could not even remember thest time she had slept like this. Swish-. Un Hyang pulled back the nket and raised her upper body. For a brief moment, the memories of her dream lingered vividly in her mind. She had expected to have worse nightmares than usual because of what had happened yesterday. Instead, she had dreamt of being saved. Nod-. That was when she turned to her side. There was Suhyuk, dozing off while sitting against the wall. It seemed he had found it ufortable, since he had left his mask beside him. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± Recalling the end of her dream, Un Hyang moved closer to Suhyuk. She reached out her hand towards his face. The moment she covered his face and only his eyes came into view. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± His lips moved before his eyes opened. He must have sensed her presence, waking him up. ¡°Did you sleep here?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t really sleeping, just dozing off for a moment.¡± Suhyuk hastily rubbed his sleepy eyes after btedly opening them. Un Hyang blinked and pulled back the hand she had brought close to his face. ¡°Perfect timing.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Try putting the mask on. Quickly.¡± Un Hyang picked up the mask lying beside Suhyuk and held it out in front of him. Suhyuk looked baffled by the change in her tone. ¡°But you said I could take it off when we¡¯re alone?¡± ¡°That was then.¡± ¡°At least tell me the reason¡­¡± ¡°Oh, hurry up.¡± Faced with her unreasonable demand, Suhyuk put the mask on. After all, he¡¯d have to wear it again soon enough anyway. With his face covered, only his eyes were visible through the mask. Then. ¡°¡­It¡¯s exactly the same.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Exactly the same as Lee Suhyuk.¡± When Lee Suhyuk first appeared in her dream, she had naturally thought he was Blue Eyes¡¯ Lee Suhyuk. She remembered clearly. All these decades, he had been her hero and savior. However, ¡°Your eyes.¡± The Lee Suhyuk in her dream and the Lee Suhyuk in front of her had eerily identical eyes. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t all eyes look the same?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± Un Hyang shook her head firmly, despite having liked both versions of Lee Suhyuk without realizing it until now. She was confident that the vivid dream she had was not wrong at all. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating.¡± And because of that, it felt even more intriguing. ¡°They are clearly different people.¡± It was evident that the two of them were different individuals. Her hero, Lee Suhyuk, was undeniably the strongest in the Tower¡ªthere was no way he could be retaking tests on the lower floors. Additionally, though their gaze was eerily simr, their eye shapes and voices werepletely different. From an ufortably close distance, Un Hyang scrutinized Suhyuk¡¯s eyes. He could have dodged her scrutiny but didn¡¯t. After a brief moment, Suhyuk removed the mask he had been wearing and finally asked the question he had been holding back. ¡°Why do you like Lee Suhyuk so much?¡± ¡°Why? Are you jealous?¡± ¡°You still owe me from yesterday. Remember?¡± Suhyuk drew a clear line in response to Un Hyang¡¯s usual teasing. ¡°Please answer seriously. Consider it as repaying your debt.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suhyuk nodded. Her attachment to him was difficult to exin as mere fandom. It wasn¡¯t about simr eye shapes or eyebrows¡ªshe identified them as the same person just by their gaze. ¡®That¡¯s something even those guys couldn¡¯t pull off.¡¯ It was something he couldn¡¯t expect even from hisrades like Shiwoo or Yerang. The same would apply even if the roles were reversed. If Shiwoo were to reincarnate and stand before him, Suhyuk couldn¡¯t say he¡¯d recognize him just by his gaze. ¡°Because he¡¯s my hero.¡± Hero. It was an unexpected answer. But fortunately, he had a clue totch onto. ¡°Is it because of Un Cheon-guk?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened. Seeing her shocked face, Suhyuk exined further. ¡°I heard it from Cheon Ryang. That manager is Un Cheon-guk¡¯s daughter and the heir to the Divine Dragon Group.¡± ¡°Cheon Ryang?¡± ¡°I asked him. I ckmailed him just like I did with you, holding a debt over him.¡± A debt. If it could be converted into points, this was an enormous debt. It was a situation that couldn¡¯t help but be understood. Eventually, Un Hyang nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s because of Un Cheon-guk.¡± She didn¡¯t refer to Un Cheon-guk as her father. ¡°Have you seen it? Thirty years ago, the match where Lee Suhyukpletely defeated Un Cheon-guk in the Grand Battle.¡± Though he hadn¡¯t seen it, he must have fought that match. But Suhyuk couldn¡¯t immediately recall the specific match she was talking about. ¡®I haven¡¯t just met that guy once.¡¯ Suhyuk had won every match. So saying ¡°the match he won¡± didn¡¯t narrow it down. ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t seen it. Actually, I didn¡¯t watch it live either; I saw it on video.¡± ¡°Did you be a fan after watching that match?¡± ¡°Yes. It felt immensely satisfying.¡± Hesitating a moment, she then averted her gaze from Suhyuk and bowed her head slightly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the whole story, but¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The words barely slipped out. As she avoided his gaze, Suhyuk asked, ¡°Is it difficult to talk about?¡± ¡°Lter.¡± Un Hyang bit her lower lip and nodded with an awkward expression. ¡°Sometimeter¡­ definitely.¡± At her words, Suhyuk recalled what Cheon Ryang had said. ¡°Yes. One day, he just said it to me.¡± ¡°He said, ¡®This isn¡¯t it¡­¡±. Cheon Ryang, who had been his friend since childhood in the Divine Dragon Group, also did not know Un Hyang¡¯s secret. No matter how much help he had provided, it was clear he wouldn¡¯t hear it here. He had no intention of using it as a weakness either. Suhyuk nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Un Hyang looked at him with a bright smile. During their conversation, she realized why she had such pleasant dreams. * * * Inside the temple of the Divine Dragon Group. With red clothid out and dragon-patterned walls adorned, Cha Unhyeop entered the grand central hall of the temple. After healing his wounds and resting for a day, the first person he sought was his senior brother and the master of Divine Dragon Group, Un Cheon-guk. ¡°I am sorry, senior brother.¡± With his head bowed, Cha Unhyeop couldn¡¯t meet Un Cheon-guk¡¯s eyes as he lounged on the throne. How could he lift his head when he had lost thirty elite warriors and failed the mission? ¡°¡­ I failed.¡± In the end, he returned alone. Having lost everything and barely holding onto his life. But then, ¡°I expected as much.¡± At the unexpected answer, Cha Unhyeop¡¯s expression showed confusion. Expected as much? Even before the departure, Cha Unhyeop had thought it excessive. No matter how much of a genius Un Hyang was praised to be, she was far behind Cha Unhyeop in terms of distribution and experience as a yer. Moreover, he had thirty elite warriors, including more than ten rankers. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why I failed?¡± ¡°That child must have been stronger than expected.¡± ¡°That is partly true, but¡ª.¡± In the middle of speaking, Cha Unhyeop realized that wasn¡¯t the important matter. What mattered now was something else. ¡°If you thought I would fail, why did you send me?¡± ¡°I sent you to die. To be precise, I thought that would happen.¡± Cha Unhyeop lifted his head to study Un Cheon-guk¡¯s expression. Still, he couldn¡¯t fathom what he was thinking. Cha Unhyeop¡¯s heart sank, but Un Cheon-guk¡¯s mind seemed to be elsewhere. ¡°This wasn¡¯t in the calctions¡­¡± ¡°I need an exnation.¡± Cha Unhyeop stared directly at Un Cheon-guk. ¡°You know very well, don¡¯t you? I have no interest in that position. No, I couldn¡¯t possibly aim for that position.¡± Un Cheon-guk was a monster. A being that Cha Unhyeop could do nothing against. The master of Divine Dragon Group had been decided long ago, and Cha Unhyeop had no lingering attachment to that position. Then why? ¡°It was necessary.¡± ¡°For what reason¡ª¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t because of you but because of Un Hyang.¡± Un Cheon-guk cut off Cha Unhyeop¡¯s words midway, sounding quite noisy. ¡°If that child killed you, it would mean she grew up just as I wanted.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Anyway, step back for now. I¡¯ll summon you again when I have another use for you.¡± A tone as if using an object. Having nothing more to say, Cha Unhyeop bit his lip hard and turned his body. His crushed lip bled out of resentment and frustration, but at the same time, it could have been a relief. He might have died at Un Cheon-guk¡¯s hands right here. After all, Un Cheon-guk was a notorious tyrant in the Murim World. For now, he had to be content with just surviving. Creak¡ª. Just as Cha Unhyeop was about to exit the sanctuary, having turned around. Through the wide-open sanctuary door, Muhwi entered inside. Muhwi, who bowed her head in greeting, passed by Cha Unhyeop. As the sanctuary door closed, Muhwi came in and sat before Un Cheon-guk. ¡°You called for me?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± In response to Un Cheon-guk¡¯s question, Muhwi felt her breath catch as always. He was always like this. Throwing out questions with unclear objectives, as if testing his counterpart¡¯s intentions. However, he was fortunate that this time the question¡¯s meaning was clear. ¡°It seems someone intervened.¡± In the process of capturing Un Hyang, someone got involved. Nothing could be more evident than this. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because this couldn¡¯t have been done by my junior alone.¡± To Muhwi¡¯s answer, Un Cheon-guk nodded. ¡°It¡¯s Lee Suhyuk.¡± He already knew everything. It was for that reason he didn¡¯t bother asking Cha Unhyeop. ¡°If it was just that kid alone, there would be no way that bastard would have returned alive.¡± At those words, Muhwi wore a puzzled expression. It was iprehensible. Un Cheon-guk was implying that if it were only Un Hyang alone, Cha Unhyeop would have been killed. If that were the case, why send Cha Unhyeop there at all? ¡°Was it to kill my junior?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of killing that brat? If I wanted her dead, I would have done it myself.¡± It made sense. Un Cheon-guk never bothered withplicated schemes to kill someone. He was the kind to decapitate in a heartbeat. Then why? ¡°Moreover, Muhwi.¡± There was no time to think. After all, trying to read Un Cheon-guk¡¯s intentions was never a day¡¯s task. ¡°Yes, master.¡± ¡°Did you surely convey the message I told you to deliver to that child, Cheon Ryang?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Un Cheon-guk nodded and waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. You may go.¡± Even though it was a trivial question, Muhwi could already foresee what might unfold next. He felt uneasy. Muhwi sped her hands in front and bowed before leaving the room. Finally alone in the sanctuary, Un Cheon-guk¡¯s expression twisted for the first time. ¡°Lee Suhyuk¡­.¡± Lee Suhyuk. Who would have thought he woulde to utter that name again? Even though he was just some streamer, there was this oddly vexing feeling about him. ¡°Should I meet him just once?¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 After his body had recovered a bit, Suhyuk immediately left the 5th floor. Realizing the situation, he thought it would be best to avoid Murim whenever possible. If he needed a procedure, it seemed better toe alone. On the way to the 6th floor. Sitting in the car, Suhyuk fiddled with the innocent kit. ¡°It seems to be taking quite some time.¡± There had been no contact from Greg. It wasn¡¯t likely that Dark Map wasmitting fraud, so it appeared that the process was understandably taking a considerable amount of time. There was no need to feel disappointed. As long as it took time, he could make use of it by doing what he needed to do. As they sat facing each other, both ying with the kit, Un Hyang brought up a new topic. ¡°Which side do you think will win the uingpetition?¡± Thepetition. A grand festival where representatives from various worlds gathered topete. The party of opulence and despair, organized by the Tower, was a major event that drew the attention of all yers. ¡°Murim? Rerra? Or maybe, could it be the Elves this time?¡± The worlds listed by Un Hyang were strong contenders for victory. Although yers from dozens of different worlds were mixed in this Tower, only a few of those worlds had ever imed the victory. Curious, Suhyuk asked as he listened to the conversation. ¡°Which world won the most recentpetition?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Un Hyang widened her eyes in surprise. Suhyuk just shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I haven¡¯t been very interested.¡± ¡°Well, Earth¡¯s not going to be in the lower ranks, anyway¡­¡± With a faint hope, Un Hyang asked. ¡°Suhyuk, have you ever considered participating in thepetition?¡± Thepetition was a festival for rankers. Suhyuk still had quite some time left, but judging by his skills alone, it wasn¡¯t far off. Suhyuk had already reached a level where he could handle multiple rankers by himself. ¡°I¡¯ll participate.¡± In response to Un Hyang¡¯s question, Suhyuk nodded his head. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Even in his previous life, Suhyuk had been earnest about thepetition. ¡°Seriously, that wretched game.¡± Thepetition always sacrificed numerous yers. yers from the world that lost thepetition would die one by one based on their lower rank. To fill the spots of those who had died, the Tower would pull people from other worlds. In a world with the power of the upper ranks, this might be a festival, but in the lower-ranked worlds, it was a desperate struggle for survival. It was like someone was ying with human lives for their amusement. Thepetition was undeniably a horrifyingly cruel system. ¡°And what¡¯s more¡­¡± A thought floated in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. ¡°Thepetition.¡± Greg. The head of the Dark Map branch had given him a hint. ¡°The thing about these so-called giant guilds is that they¡¯re all the same. They¡¯re all rotten to the core. Greedy too.¡± He spoke as if he knew something. To be precise, there was a high probability this was internal information from the Dark Map. It likely had some connection with his betrayal and the counter-fight. Was monopolizing the victory the issue? However, if that was the entire reason, Kim Ilsoo¡¯s betrayal did not make sense. ¡®To find out, I have no choice but to dive in myself.¡¯ By participating in the Counter-Fight, he would likely discover something. However, his current skill level was insufficient for that. The Counter-Fight was a tournament where representatives from each worldpeted. He could handle rankers, but they were nothingpared to the stars of the worlds. Far beyond his current level. Only when he could fully wield lightning as his own would he truly make a mark in the Counter-Fight. ¡°The winnerst time was Panthera.¡± It was Cheon Ryang who responded to Suhyuk¡¯s question about who the winner was. ¡°As long as the Archmage stands firm, Panthera will probably keep winning for a while.¡± ¡°Hailz, you mean?¡± Archmage Hailz. She was someone even Suhyuk knew. Twenty years ago, she was a ranker with exceptional skills and was considered the greatest talent in Panthera. ¡°As expected, even if you aren¡¯t interested in the Counter-Fight, you know the Archmage.¡± Panthera¡¯s dominance was nothing new. More than half of that dominance was thanks to Hailz. ¡°Is there no one who can match Hailz?¡± ¡°Unless Heavenly Demon joins the Counter-Fight on the side of Murim or Lee Suhyuk is alive, it¡¯s hard to find anyone to match Hailz.¡± Heavenly Demon. Lee Suhyuk. The names mentioned from his mouth were people who made the Tower tremble. It was merely his personal view, but to even dare to mention their names alongside each other was telling of how formidable Hailz had be. ¡°The odds on Panthera are 1.1. Even if you bet on them to win, you only get a 10% return.¡± The Counter-Fight had be the Tower¡¯s biggest festival, partly due to the betting system. With bets on the winner, runner-up, and third ce, the Counter-Fight was a gambling paradise where many yers focused their attention. ¡°You bastard, are you really not going to quit gambling?¡± Un Hyang started nagging again at the talk of gambling. Cheon Ryang flinched momentarily but once again tried to persuade her. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m certain about this. Panthera will absolutely win.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®absolute¡¯ in this world.¡± ¡°Trust me. I¡¯ll score that 10% and even get the runner-up right.¡± ¡°Are you betting on the runner-up too?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cheon Ryang mped his mouth shut, realizing he had misspoken. As always, Un Hyang grabbed Cheon Ryang by the cor, and he tapped her arm in surrender. Suhyuk, who had been listening to their conversation, asked. ¡°What about Earth?¡± Of the contenders mentioned by the two, Earth was excluded. Clearly, during his own time, Earth had always been the champion of the Counter-Fight. Now, not only was Earth not the favorite, it wasn¡¯t even being mentioned as a contender. ¡°They¡¯re usually mid to upper tier, urk-.¡± The one more knowledgeable about Counter-Fight was, unsurprisingly, Cheon Ryang, who was passionate about gambling. Once the conversation with Suhyuk resumed, Un Hyang let go of Cheon Ryang¡¯s cor. ¡°Earth hovers around 10th ce. Recently, they¡¯ve been 11th or 12th.¡± ¡°12th¡­?¡± Suhyuk furrowed his brows. Their rank was falling. No matter how much his absence might affect things, this was too drastic a change. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Not only did Lee Suhyuk leave, but the guild that represented Earth vanished entirely.¡± The guild Un Hyang referred to was, of course, Blue Eyes. On that day 20 years ago, Blue Eyes had ceased to exist. Some members might still be alive, but for whatever reason, they had disappeared without a trace. But even though he knew this in his head, epting it as the truth was difficult. ¡°12th ce¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t an extremely dangerous rank. But it wasn¡¯t aforting one either. ¡°Are you very concerned about the Counter-Fight?¡± Un Hyang had a puzzled expression. He wanted to participate in the Counter-Fight despite not knowing Earth¡¯s rank or the current champion. It was hard to tell if he was indifferent or not. ¡°The Tower has three major systems.¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult to think of two out of the three Suhyuk mentioned. ¡°The Trials and the Counter-Fight.¡± ¡°Yes. We take the Trials to raise our ranking, and in the Counter-Fight, we sacrifice the lower-ranked yers.¡± On the surface, it seemed stable, but that was a peace only the strong could enjoy. The yers from the weaker worlds were risking their lives right at that moment, taking the Trials and preparing for the Counter-Fight to improve their rankings. The peace in this world was built upon the corpses of others. ¡°This world is, in the grand scheme, one big trial. To live and survive. The Trials and the Counter-Fight are connected in that way.¡± This was a long-standing thought. The Trials, the rankings, and the Counter-Fight. The system created by the Tower seemed like one big trial. ¡°And if this is a trial, there must be an end.¡± The three things prepared by the Tower. That final one. ¡°Something that will start someday.¡± Un Hyang finally recalled thest piece. The message he heard when he was first chosen as a yer. A word buried deep in his memory, as if it would nevere to pass. ¡°Right.¡± Suhyuk had been consciously thinking about it for a long time, so he wouldn¡¯t forget. ¡°Everything will be connected. The Trials, the Counter-Fight, and that thing that will start someday.¡± As if he was living for that day. * * * Once he reached the 6th floor, the first ce Suhyuk headed to was Kindre¡¯s workshop. ording to Kindre¡¯s prediction, it would take a total of five days toplete the item. Descending to the fourth floor and undergoing Jinwoon¡¯s procedure took well over five days, close to eight in total. It was more than enough time for the production to bepleted. ¡°I wonder what has been made. I¡¯m so excited¡±, said Un Hyang, reacting like she was about to visit an amusement park. The Heart of Thunder was an item associated with thunderbolts. Its value was so precious that it was considered a treasure in Asgard. Suhyuk felt the same anticipation. Naturally, his steps quickened. They finally arrived at Kindre¡¯s workshop located underground. As they descended the stairs, Suhyuk sensed a colder chill than before. ¡®It feels chilly.¡¯ The temperature was so cold that an average yer would feel as if their heart would freeze. Cheon Ryang, who had followed along, began to shiver and halted her steps. ¡°I, I, I¡¯ll just stay here¡­¡± ¡°Get upstairs, now¡±, Un Hyang said without a second thought, swiftly sending Cheon Ryang back up. What on Earth was going on down there? Ignoring the escaping Cheon Ryang, Suhyuk continued down the stairs. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Un Hyang asked. ¡°I have great stamina¡±, Suhyuk shrugged. ¡°This is nothing.¡± It wasn¡¯t an empty boast. In fact, Suhyuk¡¯s stamina surpassed that of most rankers. He wasn¡¯t stepping into a me, after all. This cold was nothing to him. But what was strange was¡­ ¡®What could be happening down there?¡¯ He hade to collect themissioned item, yet the unusual chill made him feel both anxious and expectant. As they descended the final step¡­ ¡°So, you must be the owner of this item¡±, Kindre¡¯s voice greeted Suhyuk and Un Hyang. ¡°Just in time, Ipleted it as soon as you arrived.¡± Kindre had scattered various tools like hammers, awls, and knitting needles across the workshop floor. Her eyes looked hollow as if she had not rested. Suhyuk dared to ask, ¡°Did you not sleep at all?¡± ¡°Of course not. I took a short nap for about four hours in between¡±, she replied. No wonder her dark circles seemed to touch the ground. Suhyuk focused on the gloves next to her that emitted a faint blue light. An item created from the Star Fragment and the Heart of Thunder. ¡°Is itplete now?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes. It took a bit longer than expected¡±, Kindre admitted. The initial expectation was five days. However, the item wasn¡¯tpleted until moments before Suhyuk¡¯s arrival, taking much longer. ¡®It must have been a tough job.¡¯ There were two possibilities. Either Kindrecked the skillspared to her reputation. Or the materials were harder to handle than she initially anticipated. The reason became apparent quickly. Kindre, who couldn¡¯t seem to contain herself, asked with eyes gleaming despite the sleepless nights, ¡°What exactly does this item do?¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 After leaving Kindre¡¯s workshop, Suhyuk entered a cafe with Un Hyang and examined his hand. At first nce, it didn¡¯t look significantly different from a bare hand. Only a person with exceptional vision could barely make out the faint blue glow. ¡®How exactly was this made?¡¯ There was no doubt about the power emanating from the glove, its description, or the fact that the Heart of Thunder was used as a material. But he couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how that stone could transform into such thin and soft gloves. It was clear why she was called the greatest artisan. ¡°It looks like you like them¡±, said Un Hyang, who was sitting across from him, noticing his intense focus on the gloves. ¡°Amazing craftsmanship, right?¡± ¡°Indeed, truly remarkable.¡± ¡°I knew you would be satisfied.¡± Un Hyang smiled contentedly, but then her expression turned sheepish. ¡°It seems like she was more satisfied than you this time.¡± In some ways, Kindre was indeed as much of a maniac as the rumors said. However, contrary to the corrupted rumors stemming from her fame as a magic sword maker, she was simply someone who was obsessed with handling materials and creating things. In this sense, she seemed almost pure. To someone like Kindre, handling precious and special materials was worth more than anything else in the world. ¡°That¡¯s fortunate then.¡± ¡°Are you going to start the test right away?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to test it out? It¡¯s a new item.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± The moment he donned the gloves, he instinctively knew how to use them. In fact, there was no need for exnations. ¡®The method is identical to the lightning glove.¡¯ It was an item he was already very familiar with. ¡°Really? Then¡­¡± Un Hyang took a sip of the freshly brewed coffee and moved on to discuss work matters. ¡°The stream this time will be a trial run, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡± ¡°The content is already set. So, without further ado, Suhyuk, you just need to do your part well¡­¡± Un Hyang trailed off, hesitating as she gauged Suhyuk¡¯s reaction. ¡°When we start the stream today, it might get a bit noisy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± Un Hyang was taken aback by Suhyuk¡¯s response. ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard why it¡¯s going to be noisy.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it about a guild offer?¡± It had been quite a while since various guilds started showing interest. Many were eager to catch the enticing bait, including huge guilds akin to sharks and whales. Blue Zone was one of them. However, there was one crucial difference between then and now. ¡°They¡¯re getting anxious because I¡¯m growing faster than they expected.¡± Indeed, Suhyuk¡¯s rapid growth was causing a stir. From the third to the fourth and fifth floors, most yers had expected Suhyuk¡¯s progress to hit a snag at some point. After all, running too fast could make you trip over a rock or encounter a wall. But Suhyuk had not shown any signs of slowing down. Moreover, ¡°The fact that the test is set against the backdrop of Asgard will pique even more interest.¡± From the fifth floor onwards, the scope of a yer¡¯s assessment could drastically influence their perceived value. Unlike floors 1 to 4, which assigned the same test to everyone, from the 5th floor onwards, the tests and rewards varied ording to each individual¡¯s personally. Among these, tests involving divine beings were rare cases. Moreover, if it was Asgard, it was a ce renowned even among the gods. ¡°The symbolism of lightning, the growth rate, and a test associated with Asgard. It would be strange not to show interest.¡± ¡°You know everything, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t know my own value, who will?¡± ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t interested in this kind of stuff, including streaming.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t know.¡± Lee Suhyuk was well aware of his own value. Although he had no need for it and closed his ears, it was certain that several guilds desired him. ¡°In fact, this-¡± Whoosh-. Un Hyang showed the screen of the kit she was looking at. A mail inbox filled to the brim. One page wasn¡¯t enough; there were multiple pages of emails. ¡°These are from the streaming station¡¯s mailbox. Naturally, all of them are emails addressed to you, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Even from the Blue Zone.¡± ¡°Only that caught your eye? There are also ones from the Murim Alliance, Panthera, Chivalry, and pretty much every major guild.¡± Suhyuk read one of the emails. It was a proposal offering an enormous sry alongside a guild invitation. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Keep blocking them just like you have been.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to refuse all of them, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was only natural. Suhyuk then smiled, looking at the streaming station¡¯s mail inbox filled to capacity. ¡°This way, they will keep reaching out noisily with their support, won¡¯t they?¡± * * * John Dale looked at his visitor with difort in his eyes. On the opposite side of the long circr desk, Reinhardt was leisurely sipping tea. Why had hee all the way here? ¡°Good tea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± ¡°This seems to be tea from the Murim. Indeed, when ites to tea, Murim surpasses Rerra.¡± It was unclear whether he was praising or disparaging Murim. However, John Dale felt thorns in his words. Did he hate Murim? Or was he in a bad mood? Feeling uneasy, John Dale asked. ¡°You didn¡¯te all the way here just for tea¡­ What is it that you want?¡± Reinhardt was a renowned ranker. Although he did stream, it was more of a pastime for entertainment. What could he possibly hope to gain from visiting Balhae Entertainment? ¡°There is someone I wish to meet.¡± ¡°Who¡­¡± ¡°Streamer Lee Suhyuk.¡± A chill ran down John Dale¡¯s spine. ¡°Where is he now?¡± The person in front of him was Reinhardt. The leader of the Golden Castle, a ranker so great he overcame the derision of being called the ¡°First Sword¡± to earn the nickname ¡°Golden King.¡± The pressure he exuded was overwhelming. However, John Dale had recently met someone even greater. ¡®Reinhardt is ranked much lower than Lee Wonjae.¡¯ But why? The pressure he faced was even heavier. There was only one possible reason. ¡®¡­ He has a dangerous purpose.¡¯ It was just intuition, but he was sure. He had note here for some trivial reason or purpose. Gulp. Struggling to swallow, John Dale opened his mouth. ¡°I have something to say first.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°We enter into contracts with streamers, earning profits by takingmission. In return, Balhae Entertainment provides various conveniences and services for the streamers.¡± A look of doubt appeared on Reinhardt¡¯s face. John Dale¡¯s answer didn¡¯t match his question. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Part of our role includes protecting our streamers.¡± Saaah-. The atmosphere changed. Reinhardt slightly closed his eyes. He had no intention of hiding his murderous intent, and the room was filled entirely with Reinhardt¡¯s magical power. ¡°For what reason¡­¡± Struggling to breathe, John Dale continued. ¡°Do you want to meet him?¡± ¡°My son is dead.¡± Though the story was calm, it was shocking enough to make John Dale¡¯s eyes widen. The death of a kin. It was a sufficient exnation to instantly understand Reinhardt¡¯s attitude, which had seemed to cross the line. ¡°And I suspect he might be the culprit.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk, the streamer¡­¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s a misunderstanding. But.¡± Clink-. Reinhardt, with the eyes of a beast, crushed the teacup he held with his grip. ¡°If he is the one, I can¡¯t just let it slide.¡± Once Reinhardt¡¯s anger was unleashed, there was no stopping him. Breaking the teacup and rising from his seat, he asked in a calm yet murderous voice. ¡°So tell me. Where is the streamer Lee Suhyuk right now?¡± John Dale¡¯s mind went nk. He seemed to understand the situation. But he knew nothing about it. Maybe Lee Suhyuk really was the culprit. But if that were the case, he must have had apelling reason. However, ¡®Even if there was a reason, would he understand?¡¯ No. There was no way. For there could be no reason in this world to justify epting the death of one¡¯s flesh and blood. Reinhardt had resolved for revenge. There were only two ways to stop him. By putting an end to his revenge. ¡°First¡­¡± Or. ¡°Would you like to meet Lee Suhyuk¡¯s manager?¡± By stopping him with force. * * * ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» This was Suhyuk¡¯s first stream after coborating with Bald Suhyuk. Standing before the portal of the trial, Suhyuk waited for the viewers to gather. ¡°How many will gather?¡± This stream had captured attention not only with its buzz but also with its perfect title. ¡ºTitle: Anyway, streaming Going to Asgard¡» Asgard had only been a name so far, and of gods that had never been revealed before. Although there were instances where deities appeared in the trials, it was extremely rare for a yer to tantly go to thend of gods. It was more challenging not to attract attention. For the viewers, and for the guilds as well. ¨C ???????? ¨C Are they really going? ¨C Sooha~ ¨C ???? ¨C Is fake Suhyuk here? In just a few seconds, viewers began to gather noisily. The chat scrolled so quickly it was hard to read it all with the naked eye. Most were greetings, but among them were some particrly noticeable chats and donations. ¡º¡¯Chivalry¡¯ has donated 10,000 points.¡» ¡ºHello, streamer Lee Suhyuk. This is the Chivalry Guild. Have you by any chance read the email we sent¡­.¡» ¡º¡¯World Tree¡¯ has donated 20,000 points.¡» ¡ºThis is the World Tree Guild. Have you heard of us by any chance? If you are interested¡­¡­.¡» ¡º¡¯Empire¡¯ has donated 10,000 points¡­¡­.¡» ¡º¡­¡» Various guilds sent donations and support messages. The amounts varied, ranging from at least 10,000 points to 20,000, 30,000, and up to 50,000 points. ¨C What¡­ What¡¯s all this? ¨C Fake Suhyuk ss, amazing; ¨C When did he grow this big? ¨C Guilds have been interested in him for a while, lol Waiting briefly for the donations to pause, Suhyuk turned on the screen and began hismentary. ¡°Looks like I have a lot of people to thank today. Seems like you¡¯re all from various guilds.¡± Suhyuk read out the names of the guilds who had donated points one by one. ¡°Chivalry, World Tree, Empire¡­ Yes, thank you all for your support.¡± Most of the messages were simr. Whether short or long, their purpose was the same. Why haven¡¯t you read the email? ¡°You¡¯ve sent quite a lot of emails, I see.¡± Right beforeing on, Un Hyang had shown him the heap of emails. Recruitment proposal emails from so many guilds that it was hard to count. But he had no intention of reading them all. From the outset, Suhyuk had no ns to join any guild. ¡°There are just too many to read. I also thought it was too soon¡­¡­.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t simply let this opportunity slip by. ¡°But I can¡¯t avoid it either. You¡¯ve all donated after all.¡± Suhyuk then smiled behind his mask, recalling the pile of emails filling the screen. ¡°Well then, I will read all the emails from those who donated by the next stream.¡± In other words, if you want him to read your email, you better donate first. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 The recruitment division of the guild ¡°Mercenaries¡± became chaotic due to a stream. The name of the streamer was Lee Suhyuk. He had just started his trial on the 6th floor. ¡°Isn¡¯t there any budget left?¡± The head of the recruitment division, mante, raised his voice urgently. Unfortunately, simply raising his voice didn¡¯t magically create more points. ¡°We only have 10,000 points immediately avable without additional approval¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not nearly enough! Can¡¯t you see? The minimum bid for these guys is 10,000 points!¡± 10,000 points. It was not a small amount. In fact, it was quite a substantial sum to be spent as a donation to a mere streamer. However, in this situation, 10,000 points was merely the baseline. ¡°Why not wait for an hour? By then, approval for 100,000 points coulde through.¡± ¡°By that time, he¡¯d be in the middle of the trial! Don¡¯t you get it? Whether the donation is 10,000 or 100,000 points, if it gets buried, it¡¯s worthless!¡± Among the employees cowering under mante¡¯s scolding, a brave individual stepped forward. ¡°Then how about we give up?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, do we really need to go to such lengths? He¡¯s not even a ranker yet, and there are better yers we could recruit under the same conditions, aren¡¯t there?¡± It wasn¡¯t a wrong statement. In fact, the recruitment conditions offered by the Mercenaries to Lee Suhyuk were quite high. The annual sry was enough to recruit multiple rankers. Some team members even felt the budget allocated to recruit Lee Suhyuk was excessive. But, ¡°You idiots.¡± mante looked pityingly at his team members who shared the same thought. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? This is the lowest his value will ever be.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s all hype?¡± ¡°Hype?¡± mante scoffed. ¡°As far as I can tell, it¡¯s the real deal.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your basis for that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s already on the 6th floor.¡± Bang. He mmed his palm on the desk with force, adding emphasis to his voice. ¡°It¡¯s a new record, a new record for the fastest climb.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it more important to climb the tower reliably than quickly? That¡¯s something the real Lee Suhyuk himself has said.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. He did say that.¡± mante sighed. He had forgotten that he was the only one here who had been interested in Lee Suhyuk from the beginning. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m more surprised.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Never mind, there¡¯s no time to exin. If he doesn¡¯t prove his worth, I¡¯ll resign. Just get him here, no matter what.¡± There was no room for persuasion in mante¡¯s resolute attitude. However much they protested, there was no immediate solution. ¡°Even if we did it right away¡­¡± Even at the fastest, it would take an hour for approval from above. By then, as mante said, the trial would begin, and the donation could easily be buried. The team members hesitated, watching each other. Seeing them, mante finally resorted to hisst means. ¡°Use my personal money.¡± It was the worstpany. ¡º¡¯Mercenary Guild¡¯ has donated 50,000 points.¡» ¡ºThis is Mercenary Guild. We support streamer Lee Suhyuk. Please make sure to check your email.¡» It was a concise and appropriate sponsorship message. After the Mercenary Guild, Suhyuk wrapped up the sponsorships. ¡°That¡¯s it for now.¡± The intervals between iing donations had noticeably lengthened. This was likely thest one for the day. -Bro, what did you collect today¡­? -How much did you make in such a short time, LOL -For real, this is top-tierpany stuff, honestly -Look at the number of viewers; In no time, his empty pockets had be full. Moreover, the number of viewers had reached a new record, and he hadn¡¯t even started his examination in earnest. ¡ºViewers: 39,120¡» A number approaching 40,000. Though it couldn¡¯tpare to his ¡®Bald Suhyuk¡¯ stream, it was the first time he¡¯d drawn in such a crowd. He figured that once the trial began, the number of viewers would increase even more. ¡°Fifty thousand viewers is definitely possible.¡± If he could record 50,000 viewers, the price of the advertisements on his videos would go up because that would ce him into the so-called ¡®top-tier¡¯ category. While 10,000 viewers were enough to survive as a streamer, 50,000 viewers meant sess as a streamer. ¡°Everyone, thank you for all the support. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d be able to repay you for this.¡± -To repay them, you¡¯ll have to join a guild. -Exactly LOL -ying dumb, pretending not to know LOL With the Mercenary Guild¡¯s donation, Suhyuk headed towards the portal that would lead him to the trial site. ¡°In return, I¡¯ll show you something you¡¯ve been curious about in this stream.¡± His steps were steady as he pretended not to see the chat. One more donation came through as he walked. ¡º¡±SafeAsset¡± has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºPoints secured~ LOL¡» * * * ¡ºYou have paid 20,000 points.¡» ¡ºStarting the examination on the 6th floor.¡» With the message, his vision flickered. His body floated, and gravity and sound disappeared. Everything morphed into minute particles and vanished, only to reassemble. He felt the examination had begun. His vision gradually returned, and the surroundingndscape started toe into focus. From his fingertips, the sensation returned to his body. He realized the wind was hitting his face and saw that the scenery around him was quickly passing by. ¡°Have you awoken?¡± When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a familiar blonde woman. -Oh wow -The goddess is here¡­ -Came back just to see this -You too? LOL Vi¡¯s poprity had indeed not waned. She had been the key figure behind Suhyuk¡¯s stream sess. As he looked around, clouds could be seen below. Suhyuk, startled, widened his eyes, and Vi exined. ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡± He already knew their destination. ¡ºThe Trial ¨C ¡®Midgard¡¯ begins.¡» ¡°¡­¡­To Asgard.¡± A flying carriage. And the heavenly horse pulling that carriage. Suhyuk, with Vi and Vigo, was on his way to Asgard. ¡®The plot progresses quickly.¡¯ Since he had chosen this path, there was nothing toin about. In fact, he weed the disappearance of boring parts. They flew for a while longer. ¡°It¡¯sing into view.¡± Neighhh-! As soon as Vi finished speaking, the heavenly horse neighed. A world above the clouds. And so high and vast that humans could not fathom its reach. ¡°Asgard.¡± The scenery of Asgard was nothing short of breathtaking. Amazingly, anotheryer of clouds floated within this world above the clouds. The grass was lush, and the air was so clear it cleansed one¡¯s eyes. It was an ideal world. Dazzlingly so. ¡°Different, isn¡¯t it?¡± Vi asked knowingly as Suhyuk momentarily lost himself in admiration. ¡°It¡¯s the first time in 400 years that I¡¯ve returned here.¡± ¡°Same for me, Lady Vi.¡± Vigo, who echoed her sentiments, looked as if he was about to cry. He had followed Vi blindly for so long that his feelings couldn¡¯t be much different. ¡°It must be quite poignant for both of you.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Four hundred years. Such a long span of time was hard to fathom. Vi, who returned to Asgard, had a face deeply imbued with emotion. Just as Vigo did, Vi¡¯s eyes moistened, but she quickly regained herposure and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. ¡°We should hurry. Things will likely get busy.¡± She tightened her grip on the heavenly horse¡¯s reins. Beyond the beautifulndscape, a high and massive wall came into view. A towering fortress wall stretching out, as if marking the world¡¯s boundary. As Suhyuk viewed it, Vi spoke. ¡°That¡¯s the Wall of Rasderikh.¡± ¡°What is its purpose?¡± ¡°What purpose? It¡¯s just a wall. It divides the realms we live in.¡± The heavenly horse gradually descended. No matter how mighty the flying horse, it seemed it could not surmount that fortress wall. ¡°Asgard is divided into four major realms: Midgard, Jotunheim, Alfheim, and Valha, where I was.¡± Midgard. The name of the current test. ¡°This is Midgard, ruled by the gods of Asgard. A world where half-gods¡ªneither gods nor giants¡ªlive together.¡± ¡°Half-gods?¡± ¡°Warriors like me.¡± Seeing Suhyuk¡¯s puzzled expression, Vigo added an exnation. ¡°Neither humans nor gods. Warriors born somewhere in-between.¡± Vigo spoke of himself with a hint of bitterness in his eyes as he looked at his world. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± As he said that, Vigo looked at the Wall of Rasderikh. ¡°If you head to Valha, I probably can¡¯t apany you. I¡¯m not yet entitled to step foot there.¡± Vigo¡¯s way of addressing Suhyuk had changed. Benefactor. From their perspective, Suhyuk was nothing short of a lifesaver who helped them sessfullyplete a mission spanning hundreds of years. It was their long-cherished wish, more precious than their own lives. ¡°Was our destination Valha?¡± ¡°Yes. After we get down, there is someone there who has an item simr to our benefactor¡¯s.¡± The one who had given the mission to Vi was seen in a cutscene. A man whose face was half-covered, holding a hammer. ¨C Are we meeting the final boss so soon? He was the young ruler of Asgard. ¡®This quickly?¡¯ It was strange. It was too peaceful to be a trial. Moreover, the trial¡¯s name being ¡®Midgard¡¯ instead of ¡®Asgard¡¯ bothered him. Suhyuk looked down at Midgard with perplexed eyes. No matter how grandiose the words like Asgard or demi-god sounded, to Suhyuk, it just looked like an ordinary city. A very peaceful city, no different from the human world. ¡®It¡¯s definitely not just a ce to pass by.¡¯ While pondering the direction of the trial, Suhyuk was lost in thought. ¡°Valha is further in.¡± As if to correct his misunderstanding, Vi spoke up. What Vi pointed to was a wall named Rasderikh. A boundary crossing four worlds. The world of Asgard Suhyuk imagined would probably be inside that wall. ¡°Why? Is it very different from what you expected?¡± ¡°Yes. Somehow¡­¡± ¡°This ce is like that. After all, it¡¯s the world of those unqualified.¡± There was a look of pride on Vi¡¯s face and in her voice as she spoke. ¡°Valha will be different.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± * * * ¡°You cannot enter.¡± In front of the gate passing through Rasderikh. Suhyuk and Vi were turned away, standing with the heavenly horse. The gatekeeper wore armor with a wing-shaped engraving and held a spear twice his height, guarding the door. ¨C LOL ¨C Expected that ¨C If they just let you through, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a trial~ ¨C No way they¡¯re letting you pass, haha~ Amidst the viewers¡¯ jeers, Suhyuk shrugged his shoulders and turned the microphone. ¡°I expected this too.¡± He hadn¡¯t had high hopes from the start. Meeting the ruler of Asgard immediately was something not even expected on the 8th floor. However, Vi, unable to ept it, frowned and asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Vi, you have been away from Valha for too long.¡± ¡°I received a mission. From Lord Thor.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t received any such message. All we know is that you have been living among humans for a long time.¡± ¡°Is that a crime?¡± ¡°You must have weakened. Spend more than 10 years purifying yourself in Midgard.¡± The gatekeeper¡¯s gaze turned to Suhyuk standing behind Vi. ¡°And of course, no matter what, humans are not allowed to enter thisnd.¡± Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Despite the soldier¡¯s resolute words, Lee Suhyuk stood with his hands behind his back. ¡°Really?¡± Vi was startled by it, it would take her ten years, and then she would be absolutely bound. ¡°You¡¯re speaking quite brazenly. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re sentencing me to jail.¡± -Imprisonment, LOL. -Then is ¡®Fake Suhyuk¡¯ getting a life sentence? -Seriously, what did he do to get sentenced? LOL Although he said it yfully, conscious of the stream, the situation was far from pleasant. ¡®It¡¯s one thing for me, but even sending Valkyries on a mission for ten years¡­¡¯ His expression under the mask became noticeably grim. Suhyuk stepped forward in front of Vi. ¡°When you mention ¡®qualifications¡¯ are you referring to inherent race?¡± ¡°No. Race doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then what is it?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± A puzzled look appeared on the soldier¡¯s face. It was due to Suhyuk¡¯s naturally altered tone. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show respect if you show it. Equally.¡± ¡°Did youe here not knowing where this is?¡± ¡°Valha, right?¡± ¡°¡­ You do know.¡± -LOL -He knows, LOL. -If you have a problem, just kill me. It¡¯s fine; I can do it again. The opponent was neither a high god of Asgard nor even a Valkyrie. There was no reason to treat the rude opponent politely. Of course, as the viewers suggested, Suhyuk indeed considered that if things didn¡¯t go well, he could just try again. ¡®For now, Vi outranks him.¡¯ Even though she left Asgard for a long time, she still resided in Valha. A Great Warrior who served Odin. As long as he was her benefactor, it was unlikely that Asgard¡¯s spear and sword would be aimed at him. As expected. ¡°He is my benefactor.¡± Unable to restrain herself, Vi intervened in their conversation. ¡°Show respect. Treat him as you would treat me.¡± ¡°Lady Valkyrie?¡± ¡°Should I draw my sword?¡± A spark of emotion flickered in Vi¡¯s eyes. Upon seeing her hand move toward her scabbard, the soldier straightened his posture. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Not to me, to my benefactor.¡± ¡°I apologize. I sincerely apologize.¡± The soldier¡¯s attitude changed. Although he blocked the path in front of Vi as per protocol, he was still beneath the Valkyrie. Moreover, ¡®She has changed.¡¯ Was it because she returned to Asgard? Or because the sixth-floor trial had started? Although it was just a glimpse, the sharpness emanating from Vi this time felt entirely different from before. ¡®This soldier isn¡¯t entirely useless¡¯, Vi thought. Even though they were mere gatekeepers, the soldiers guarding the gate to Valha exuded an intimidating presence. Moreover, there were dozens of them. This was the standard of Asgardian soldiers. However, regardless of that¡­ It was undeniable that, in terms of status and skill, Vi held a higher position. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, he is my benefactor. Furthermore, he aided Asgard in its mission.¡± ¡°I did not recognize you.¡± ¡°For these reasons, I wish to guide him to Valha¡­¡± Trailing off, Vi shot a nce at Suhyuk. ¡°If certain qualifications are required, could he take a test to obtain them?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡ºScenario 1 ¨C ¡®First Qualification¡¯ begins.¡» The first scenario on the 6th floor. That was the stepping stone to reaching Valha. ¡°Are you serious?¡± The soldier looked exceptionally surprised, far more than when Vi had initially returned. ¡°Yes, sincerely. If my benefactor is willing to take the test.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a test that even Valkyries barely manage to pass after hundreds of years of training. How can a human¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not an ordinary human.¡± ¡°No human has ever taken Valha¡¯s test.¡± It was understandable why the soldier was astonished. Firsts always evoked surprise. Human, Judging by their reactions, it wasn¡¯t hard to see how little the so-called gods thought of humans. ¡°Is there a specific rule that humans cannot set foot in Valha?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The soldier, unable to find an answer, finally responded with neither an affirmation nor a denial. ¡°¡­Give me a moment.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°Until I can get permission from my superiors. It¡¯s not something I can decide alone.¡± When Vi nodded, the soldier turned and left. * * * With some time to spare, Vi led Suhyuk to a famous turkey restaurant in Asgard. ¡°Asgard¡¯s roasted turkey is grilled while being basted with a special sauce to lock in the juices. If you pair it with this beer¡­.¡± Vi exined the dish, lifting a beer mug asrge as her head. In Asgard, the food was generallyrge. The meat, the beer, even the snacks were several times the size of ordinary food. ¨C Is this a date? ¨C Suhyuk really is living his best life @@ ¨C Why are the contestants in my trials always a bunch of losers?? ¨C If you¡¯re jealous, be Lee Suhyuk yourself lol Hearing the viewers¡¯ desperatements, Suhyuk let out a smallugh. Indeed, it was a day to be envious of: enjoying a free meal and having a date with a beauty. Of course, Suhyuk¡¯s focus was on the test from Valha that had yet to begin. ¡°How does one take this test?¡± Suhyuk inquired. Vi, who was drinking beer, carefully set her mug down and opened her mouth, her face full of regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t disclose the details of the test beforehand. It¡¯s against the rules¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It was regrettable. If only he had known the contents of the test in advance, he could have formted a strategy ordingly. ¡°What¡¯s important isn¡¯t that.¡± ¡°Then what is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crucial whether you intend to take the test.¡± Everything, from leading Suhyuk to Valha to requesting the opportunity for him to take the test, had been Vi¡¯s unteral decision. She had warned Suhyuk about the dangers of the test. ¡°The tests of Valha are not easy. Many warriors die, unable to pass it.¡± ¡°It will probably be more difficult than the test Vi herself experienced.¡± Vigo, who had not seemed pleased from earlier, broke the long silence and spoke. ¡°Although I am well aware of your skills, the gods of Asgard likely do not want humans entering Valha.¡± ¡°Vigo, that¡­¡± ¡°Miss Vi, don¡¯t you know? None of those who weren¡¯t born as gods have ever set foot on Valha.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Not even one?¡± It was strange that not even one resident from Midgard had been there, considering the humans. As his curiosity grew and he was about to ask for more details. Ssshh¡ª Suddenly, the surrounding scenery blurred, and a new scene appeared before him. ¡ªCutscene? ¡ªSo sudden? It was the start of a cutscene for the first scenario. ¡°That soldier from earlier.¡± The first perspective was from behind the soldier who had returned to Valha¡¯s castle. The soldier, d in armor with wing patterns, knelt before several gods inside the castle. ¡°¡­ For that reason, Valkyrie Vi wishes to test the human¡¯s qualifications.¡± At the soldier¡¯s words, the gods inside the castle began to murmur in surprise. ¡°A human in Valha?¡± ¡°An unprecedented event.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not against Asgard¡¯sws either.¡± ¡°Quite a tough choice.¡± Their appearances were varied. A female warrior in armor who appeared to be a Valkyrie, an old man with white hair and a long beard, even a blind man with his eyes closed. Among them, it was the blind man, who had been sparing with his words, who quieted the disorderly hall. ¡°Let him take the test.¡± His words silenced the surroundings. ¡°If he was chosen by a Valkyrie, he surely is no ordinary human. Furthermore, Valkyrie Vi was sent down under Thor¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know since when did the influence of one Valkyrie be so strong.¡± To the old man¡¯s words, the blind man nodded. ¡°You are correct. Hence, we are not suggesting letting him in without conditions. He must take the test.¡± Still uneasy, the old man snorted. ¡°Then it must be an extremely rigorous test.¡± The old man¡¯s words were a half-eptance. The blind man, not interested in further debating, nodded slightly and changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next issue.¡± Ssshh¡ª Slowly, the scenery began to disperse again. The golden grand hall and their voices all blurred and vanished. ¡°Midgard, again¡­¡± Pa¡ª The surroundings returned to how they originally were. As if nothing had happened, Vi continued sipping her tea. ¡ªBack to the date, it seems. ¡ªSuch an abrupt shift. ¡°Damn those gods for looking down on mortals; it¡¯s so infuriating.¡± ording to the cutscene, Suhyuk¡¯s trial seemed to have been confirmed. Just how amazing was Valha that it caused such an uproar? Ding-. The sound of a bell was heard as the shop door opened. When he turned his head, a familiar face came into view. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the one-armed man?¡¯ An old man with one missing arm. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the old grump?¡± This was the very old man they had seen in the cutscene just moments ago. ¡°T-Tyr¡­?¡± Vi and Vigo stood up abruptly from their seats. Their reactions piqued Suhyuk¡¯s curiosity, so he asked, ¡°Do you know this person?¡± ¡°Not just know him. That person is-.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Tremble-. Suhyuk¡¯s body trembled slightly. Was the distance always this close? Tyr¡¯s voice sounded as if it was right next to his ear. When he looked again, the distance had not dramatically changed. The old man had taken a good ten steps to approach Suhyuk. Step-. Despite his old age and hunched back, the old man was still simr in height to Suhyuk. ¡®¡­ He¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Just meeting his eyes made Suhyuk feel small. The old man exuded an aura of thousands or tens of thousands of years. Even without using any particr power, his presence was overwhelming. Would he be able to confront him, even if he regained his old powers? ¡®No.¡¯ He was not confident. The fight against Hydra, which had been so difficult, now seemed easierpared to facing the old man in front of him. And because of that, Suhyuk felt relieved instead. ¡®I won¡¯t have to fight this old man.¡¯ If this was a task the tower had set for him, it would be an utterly impossible trial. But there was another thing. ¡®He definitely isn¡¯t on my side.¡¯ It was clear from the cutscene. This old man definitely wasn¡¯t friendly toward him. In fact, if Asgard rejected humans, this old man would likely be leading the charge. ¡°Is it true? You¡¯re the human who wants to take Valha¡¯s trial.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suhyuk nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°I will be blunt.¡± Tyr spoke as if he had no intention of engaging in a lengthy conversation or even introducing himself. ¡°I don¡¯t like humans.¡± His gaze briefly flickered to Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°And I think I¡¯ll particrly dislike you.¡± ¡°What is it that you want?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I want anything. I¡¯m just not hiding my true feelings.¡± That appeared to be his only intention. He turned his hunched body away, his voice carrying a tone of displeasure. ¡°Pay up and follow me quickly. You will have your trial as desired.¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 While Suhyuk and Vi followed Tyr, Vigo headed to the Midgard garrison, finally alone. At the center of Midgard stood a tall tower. Ascending its steps, Vigo was greeted by a familiar, weing face he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Vigo-!¡± ¡°Captain Baldur!¡± A middle-aged man with green eyes approached Vigo and embraced him. Though an awkward greeting, it didn¡¯t matter considering it was their reunion after centuries. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Are you truly back now? Was the mission sessful?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all over now.¡± ¡°When I mentioned the Valkyrie¡¯s escort mission, you were so opposed. Yet, you were insistent.¡± ¡°No, it was a worthwhile mission.¡± Vigo smiled sheepishly and scratched his head. ¡°Oh, I heard you¡¯ve be Midgard¡¯smander in the meantime. Congrattions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re congratting me on something quite old. Come in first.¡± The two headed to themand room within the building. Vigo¡¯s eyes widened at the spacious room, new furniture, and luxurious teacups. ¡°You¡¯ve truly seeded.¡± Click-. Baldur personally served tea. In response to Vigo¡¯s admiration, he shrugged and asked back. ¡°So what? We¡¯re still beneath the gods¡¯ feet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± His words had a hidden sting. There was nothing more to say. It was a known fact that no one had ever traveled from Midgard to Valha, the gods¡¯ realm. In response to Vigo¡¯s awkward reaction, Baldur subtly smiled. ¡°Remember the old days when we used to have fun by talking behind the gods¡¯ backs?¡± With a yful tone, Vigo matched his smile. ¡°Yes, we did.¡± ¡°How have you been? Tell me about it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vigo recounted the events of the past. Four hundred years of tedious missions. Valkyrie Belveim¡¯s betrayal. The sudden inclusion of a human¡­ The lengthy story came to an end. ¡°¡­Really? Lord Tyr personally involved himself with that human?¡± Baldur¡¯s green eyes narrowed slightly. Holding his teacup, he mumbled. ¡°He must be really bored.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Slurp-. Following the lengthy story, the tea had gone lukewarm. After a brief sip of his drink, Baldur looked down at his reflection in the teacup and spoke. ¡°I hope that person passes the trial.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The gods need to know, don¡¯t they?¡± Click-. With that, he set the teacup down with a smile. To Vigo, Baldur seemed slightly different from themander he remembered. ¡°That Valha isn¡¯t just for the gods alone.¡± *** As Suhyuk and Vi followed behind Tyr, Suhyuk noticed one of his arms. Whether it was severed or uprooted, an arm was missing. It was the most noticeable aspect of Tyr¡¯s appearance. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°This arm?¡± ¡°Yes. I was wondering if gods like you can also get injured by others.¡± Tyr, who took the lead in walking, nced back at Suhyuk, who was following behind. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Seeing Vi¡¯s reaction, I understand that you must be someone of high standing.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, you wouldn¡¯t know, would you?¡± As he spoke, Tyr looked down at his missing arm. Seeing this, Suhyuk asked, driven by a sudden thought. ¡°Is your missing arm rted to your dislike for humans?¡± Snip¡ª. For a brief moment, it seemed as if Tyr was about to stop but then he continued moving. ¡°¡­ With that question, you¡¯ve just made me dislike you more.¡± ¡°So, if I make myself likable, will you answer my question?¡± ¡°Possibly.¡± Tyr let out a derisiveugh and quickened his pace. ¡°But that will probably be harder than you entering Valha.¡± ¡°It appears to be so.¡± Tyr was a rather strict god. Was it even possible to win his favor? If there was a reason behind it, then it could be possible. If there was a cause for his hatred of humans, there might be a way to squeeze through. But if there was no reason. If it was an instinctive dislike, like hating disgusting bugs or monsters. ¡®In that case, it would be impossible.¡¯ Suhyuk had two reasons for wanting to win his favor. The newly appeared high-ranking god made the trialrger and richer. If he could win his favor. It would be invaluable, something that couldn¡¯t be measured in points. On top of that: ¡ºThe ¡®God of Sickness¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºAsk him why his arm is like that: 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºThe ¡®God of Sickness¡¯ has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºGet an answer: 10,000 points hahaha.¡» There was also a small mission involved. Step, step¡ª. Following Tyr¡¯s guidance, the three reached a high staircase shrouded in clouds. It was a ce that invoked a reverent feeling. Suhyuk realized that the top of these stairs was the trial ground. ¡°The apaniment of the Valkyrie ends here.¡± ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± Vi, who hesitated for a moment, stopped without saying anything. Still, he thought she might argue at least once, considering her personality. It seemed she surrendered to Tyr¡¯s authority. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It looks like this is as far as I can go.¡± ¡°It was a trial I had to face alone anyway. Nothing to apologize for.¡± ¡°Please take this.¡± Vi handed a small item to Suhyuk from her bosom. A white, rectangr card-like object. When Suhyuk gave a questioning nce, Vi exined. ¡°It¡¯s a single-use voice transmission and reception kit. Please contact me once you finish the trial and return.¡± -What is this? What could it be? -Is she asking for an after-meeting? -Doo doo doo~ -Beep. It¡¯s a green light. -Bro¡­ I¡¯m jealous, should I just go die? The item Vi handed over was simr in shape and function to a yer¡¯s kit. The only difference was that it was inferior to a yer¡¯s kit. Suhyuk nodded after putting the kit inside his coat. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t repaid my debt to you yet. And that¡¯s a disgrace as a warrior.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to emphasize it so much, I¡¯ll get in touch.¡± She had been an important guide. He had nned to seek her out after the trial anyway, but now, things had be much easier. ¡°Well then, I¡¯m off.¡± With those words, Suhyuk began to climb the stairs. And slowly, he stepped into the clouds. * * * Suhyuk ascended the stairs into the clouds. Tyr, who had been watching him, clicked his tongue. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Having finished his business, Tyr turned around. He asked Vi, who had finished her farewell. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll pass?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the benefactor¡¯s skills.¡± Vi nodded with a voice full of confidence. ¡°He will definitely pass.¡± ¡°Indeed. That guy is better than most Valkyries.¡± His tone suggested he already knew the answer. Nheless, Tyr predicted Suhyuk¡¯s failure. ¡°It¡¯s not about skill.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°The problem is that he¡¯s human.¡± It was a difficult statement to understand. But a certain phrase suddenly came to mind. ¡°The gods of Asgard will never ept us.¡± At the time, she hadn¡¯t pondered its meaning deeply. She had thought it couldn¡¯t be true. ¡®Who was it again?¡¯ She traced back her memory. It wasn¡¯t hard to recall. He wasn¡¯t a person easy to forget. ¡®Commander Baldur.¡¯ It had been the words of Vigo¡¯s former superior. He had said it. For a long time, Vi had believed that Valha¡¯s trials were open to everyone. That those who passed the trials would earn the right to go to Valha, and that opportunity was equally given to all. However, Tyr spoke as if that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Confirming his entry into the trial is sufficient.¡± He turned around, already certain Suhyuk would fail. ¡°I¡¯lle to collect the bodyter.¡± * * * The inside of the clouds higher up the stairs felt quite cozy. Comfortable and fluffy. It felt almost as if he was actually walking on clouds. But perhaps due to his past experiences? Instead, Suhyuk found himself wary of this unfamiliar feeling. ¡®A moderate level of tension is necessary.¡¯ Suhyuk steeled himself internally to avoid being lured intocency by the clouds. However, oveing the boredom was entirely up to him. -How far do I have to go? -I must have been walking for over ten minutes. -A cardio workout from hell. The extended staircase continued for some distance. Lee Suhyuk was walking through the clouds when he heard footsteps that were not his own. Thud-. Suhyuk lifted his head and saw the blurred figure of a stranger hiding in the mist. ¡°Human?¡± Descending the stairs was a man with a butterfly-shaped tattoo on his face. Upon discovering Suhyuk, the man asked with a startled expression, ¡°Are you really the challenger here to take the Valha¡¯s Trial?¡± ¡°It seems that way.¡± ¡ºYou are starting ¡®Valha¡¯s Trial.¡¯¡» ¡ºWalk along the Valha¡¯s Staircase.¡» ¡ºThe memories of warriors await to test you on the stairs.¡» ¡ºReceive recognition from at least 10 warriors.¡» ¡ºThe more recognition you receive, the stronger Valha¡¯s blessing will be.¡» Reading the lengthy message, Suhyuk nodded. ¡®It sounds like I just have to defeat everyone and keep going up.¡¯ The warrior, who had no idea about the system, chuckled dryly. ¡°Well, even if I am just a memory from the past¡­ to face a human.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®a memory from the past¡¯?¡± Suhyuk asked. ¡°Just as I said. I am nothing but an old memory of the God To-Um who entered Valha.¡± Suhyuk questioned further upon the warrior To-Um¡¯s exnation. ¡°So, the test creates replicas?¡± ¡°Well, calling us replicas is still¡­ quite something.¡± At his words, Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted to the lengthy staircase behind To-Um. The stairs extended indefinitely, shrouded in clouds making it hard to see with the naked eye. But one thing was clear. As he ascended, stronger opponents would appear. ¡®If they reflect old appearances of gods, who else will show up?¡¯ There were no restrictions on this test. He was instructed to face a minimum of 10, but he could face even more. How far could he go? And who would be waiting at the end of the stairs? ¡®I¡¯m curious.¡¯ Interest and anticipation grew in him. His focus on the warrior before him was already fading. Did To-Um notice this? ¡°Where are you looking?¡± With an unpleasant expression, toeum drew the long spear from his back. ¡°You¡¯re acting as if you¡¯ve already surpassed me.¡± ¡°Well, you are the first one.¡± ¡°Do you know? Among the warriors challenging Valha¡¯s test, eight out of ten fail to surpass me.¡± Thud-. To-Um forcefully struck the bottom of the stairs with his spear. The staircase quivered slightly as he pointed at Suhyuk with his other hand. ¡°And you, a mere human¡ª.¡± At that moment. sh-. A yellow aura burst forth before To-Um¡¯s eyes. Boom-! ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± To-Um¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Overwhelmed, he lost consciousness before he couldprehend what had happened. Just like that, swiftly. Thud-. To-Um¡¯s body fell forward and rolled down the stairs. ¡°See? It was easy.¡± Thud-. Suhyuk began ascending the stairs again, passing by To-Um. ¡°The first one.¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 The name of the sixth opponent was Giringg. Suhyuk exchanged blows with him for about a minute. It was a rtively intense battlepared to the previous ones. Nevertheless, there were still no significant problems. Thud. Giringg¡¯s body, with a pierced neck, copsed forward. Once again, as Giringg tumbled down the stairs, a familiar message appeared. ¡ºYou have defeated the sixth warrior.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 1.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» A satisfying message. He had already leveled up twice. It was surprising, considering the opponents weren¡¯t that strong. ¡°Experience points are substantial.¡± Was it because he faced opponents who were copies of gods? Though they were mere illusions created by the trial, it seemed there was indeed a gap in species. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to have leveled up twice already. While he felt a sense of joy, a peculiar tension also apanied it. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± The fact that he was leveling up quickly in the trial meant the difficulty of the trial was high. However, the outward difficulty of this trial was not that intense yet. In other words, something unseen still lurked ahead. He couldn¡¯t know what it might be at the moment. Was it a trial of Valha? Or was the entire examination of the sixth floor named Midgard? He would understand its true nature as he progressed. But before that. ¡°Teacher Myeo.¡± ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have received 3,000 points from ¡®Teacher Myeo.¡¯¡» ¡°Thank you for the sponsorship.¡± Each time he faced a new warrior, minor missions apanied it. This time, the mission was ¡°Win without using lightning.¡± It wasn¡¯t a difficult mission. The current opponent was manageable with just his sword. -So boring -It¡¯s a bit dull without the lightning -Boring? His sword skills are freaking amazing! -Seriously, it¡¯s like his sword is possessed by a spirit, lol Opinions varied about the missions, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. He could earn points, and a bit of spice added to an otherwise monotonous trial made it more interesting to watch. Suhyuk continued to ascend the stairs. As expected, as he climbed higher, the opponents grew progressively stronger. Unlike To-Um, whom he faced first, the seventh opponent could withstand a degree of his lightning and retaliate. After defeating the ninth opponent, ¡°Hoo-.¡± For the first time, Suhyuk paused on the stairs. ¡°Now, the tenth.¡± The ninth opponent had been persistent. Even after being struck by lightning several times, they did not fall, ultimately forcing the output to be increased. ¡°After the seventh one, it¡¯s not easy.¡± Hoping to conserve stamina while ascending turned out to be a mistake. At some point, it became evident that the difficulty was escting sharply. The consumption of the Heart of Lightning¡¯s power while climbing the stairs had not been insignificant. As a result, the fatigue umted significantly. And now, the tenth opponent awaited just ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s take a short break.¡± And, of course, ¡°Since we¡¯re going to continue anyway.¡± Suhyuk had no intention of stopping at the tenth. ¨C Okay, okay. ¨C Even if you rest, this is legit. ¨C Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s see it through to the end. The obvious chatter. The rest was brief. After about thirty minutes of rest, Suhyuk began climbing the stairs again. It usually took around thirty minutes of walking to encounter each warrior. Thirty minutes just on the stairs. It was a tedious and leg-aching task. It almost felt like being able to ascend these stairs without a hitch might be the minimum requirement to enter Valha. Fortunately, Suhyuk prided himself on his stamina more than anyone else. He really ascended the stairs effortlessly, rising further into the dense clouds. At the top of the staircase enveloped in dense clouds awaited a slightly different scene from before. ¡°Statues?¡± Long rows of statues extended to the left and right of the stairs. The statues obscured by the clouds all depicted warriors d in armor and wielding weapons. ¡°They say the warriors of Asgard who die an honorable deathe to Valha.¡± A voice was heard at that moment. Suhyuk turned his head in the direction of the voice. ¡°That means being engraved here.¡± And at that moment. Ssssss- Another cutscene began. * * * Pourrr~ Clear wine, as transparent as a reflection, was poured into the ss. Sitting across a dining table located on an outdoor terrace under the clear sky, Tyr and a blind man tilted their wine sses. ¡°Are you really going to see that human?¡± The blind man¡¯s words from the previous cutscene. Judging by his speech, this scene took ce before Tyr came to meet him. ¡°Why? Does it bother you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely curious. I wonder if it¡¯s significant enough for Tyr to meet them personally.¡± ¡°You should know that it¡¯s not that human I¡¯m concerned with.¡± As he spoke, Tyr¡¯s gaze briefly flickered to his missing arm and back. As expected, his disdain for humans seemed rted to his lost arm. ¡°I just don¡¯t want that day to repeat.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± The blind man, as if he could see, naturally picked up his wine ss. ¡°Seeing that Vi has returned, it seems the possibility isn¡¯t too far-fetched.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring up such bad luck.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about that unfortunate event too, Tyr?¡± The blind man, speaking slyly, moistened his lips with the wine. Tyr had not touched his wine. Gripping his opposite shoulder with his remaining arm, he winced as if feeling a phantom pain in his missing limb. ¡°I still despise humans.¡± ¡°Then why do you insist on seeing that distasteful human in person?¡± ¡°I need to confirm it with my own eyes.¡± With a nod, Tyr, carrying a subtle but lethal intent in his gaze, replied, ¡°To see that fool take the test.¡± ¡°Do you mean to have him killed?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t believe for a moment that a human will pass the test?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an obvious conclusion.¡± Looking at the blind man seated across from him, Tyr continued, ¡°Because you will be there.¡± * * * ¡ºDefeat the Tenth Warrior, ¡®Memory of Heimdall.¡¯¡» As soon as the cutscene ended, a message appeared. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Turning his body, Lee Suhyuk looked at the blind man standing behind him. When had he gotten so close? The blind man appeared young. Given that this was a memory, he indeed looked much youngerpared to the cutscene. What shocked him more than failing to notice the man¡¯s presence was his name. ¨C Heimdall??? ¨C Why is he here? ¨C Sudden named appearance! Heimdall. Among the gods of Asgard known to yers, he was one of the highest-ranking deities held in great renown. And now, he stood before Suhyuk as the tenth warrior. ¡°How peculiar.¡± With closed eyes, heimdall faced Suhyuk, examining him slowly despite his blindness. ¡°Are you Thor? No, you seem too human for that.¡± Thor? Suhyuk thought there was no resemnce, then looked down at his own hand. ¡®It¡¯s because of this.¡¯ The item crafted from the Heart of Thunder. Though it was only a fragment, it was still something Thor himself possessed. Suhyuk had not yet used the new item. None of the warriors he had faced so far had necessitated its use. After a moment of consideration, Suhyuk answered Heimdall¡¯s question. ¡°I am not Thor. I am human.¡± ¡°Then why do you possess a piece of thunder?¡± Extending his hand forward, Suhyuk replied to Heimdall¡¯s curiosity. ¡°It seems Thor also has something identical to this.¡± ¡°For now¡±, heimdall responded, causing Suhyuk to reaffirm something. All the warriors here were not real but mere records of their past selves. ¡°That should have belonged to Thor.¡± Heimdall, instead of seeing with his blind eyes, measured Suhyuk with something else. ¡°You haven¡¯t stolen it, have you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not capable of such a feat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable.¡± Heimdall, deep in thought, crossed his arms instead of preparing to fight. Although he couldn¡¯t discern what Heimdall was thinking, Suhyuk found it challenging to make any sudden moves. As Suhyuk observed Heimdall lost in thought with his arms crossed, he gauged the distance between them. ¡®Can I win?¡¯ The distance between them was barely ten steps. It was a sufficiently close distance. If he intended, closing it wouldn¡¯t be much trouble. However, even at that proximity, Suhyuk had not detected Heimdall¡¯s presence until he spoke first. ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯ It was one of two things. Either Heimdall had a special ability, or he was at a level so high that Suhyuk couldn¡¯t dare to match him as he was now. ¡°Are you curious about what I¡¯m thinking?¡± Heimdall spoke as if he could read Suhyuk¡¯s mind. ¡°Or are you just curious about me?¡± It was both. Why this trial¡¯s difficulty had increased so dramatically and what was going through Heimdall¡¯s mind were both crucial clues for Suhyuk in facing the trial. ¡°I received two requests.¡± Fortunately, heimdall wasn¡¯t a particrly secretive individual. ¡°One was to ensure that if a human or anyone with human blood appeared here, they should not be allowed to ascend these stairs.¡± Heimdall¡¯s face still bore a troubled expression as he spoke. ¡°And the second request was to warmly wee anyone who possessed the power of lightning. He mentioned I would understand the reasonter.¡± At that moment, Suhyuk recalled an image of a man from a previous cutscene. ¡®That man.¡¯ The one who said he would pass on the Heart of Thunder to his son. That man, most likely, was Odin, the great god and ruler of Asgard and father of Thor. Wee anyone with the Heart of Thunder. In a way, it was a very warm-hearted request. He requested that his son be weed should hee to take Valha¡¯s trial. ¡°I came to understand whyter. But it¡¯s quite troublesome. You, a human, arrived bearing the Heart of Thunder.¡± Now, Suhyuk understood why Heimdall was so contemtive. He was stationed here at the request of Asgard¡¯s ruler, and the two requests conflicted with each other. Watching the still-pondering Heimdall, Suhyuk asked, ¡°Are you here to filter out humans?¡± Though he asked somewhat as a joke, heimdall nodded. Only then did Suhyuk understand the confidence Tyr exuded when he said Suhyuk would never pass the trial. With someone like Heimdall as the final opponent, it made sense. ¡®Odin has intervened in the trial.¡¯ To prevent any human from entering Valha. Whatever magic he used, odin had taken measures beforehand. ¡°Why do gods dislike humans so much?¡± ¡°Dislike¡­?¡± Heimdall shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not that we dislike them.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t dislike them, then why go to such lengths, almost obsessed, to keep humans out?¡± ¡°Obsessed to keep them out, that¡¯s quite urate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± What on Earth did that mean? Heimdall faintly smiled at Suhyuk¡¯s puzzled reaction. ¡°You¡¯ll understand someday. If you meet me in the outside world, I might give you an answer.¡± Heimdall, who said this, seemed to have finished his long contemtion. ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Tyr returned to Valha. It seemed he had confirmed that Suhyuk was taking the test and concluded his business there. Vi sought out Baldur, driven by Tyr¡¯s inexplicable certainty. Baldur. The former captain of the old Midgard Guard and now the currentmander of Midgard. He weed Vi along with Vigo. ¡°Wee, Valkyrie.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, sir Baldur.¡± Vi and Baldur shook hands. For a moment, Vi¡¯s gaze shifted to Vigo then back. There was nothing strange about Vigo being here. After all, Baldur was once Vigo¡¯s superior. ¡°You¡¯ve be themander, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Spare me the congrattions. This one here already gave me plenty.¡± Baldur shrugged his shoulders and motioned toward Vigo with his eyes. They moved to a reception room inside, and Vi broached the reason for seeking Baldur. ¡°I have something I want to ask.¡± ¡°To me? What is it?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Vi recounted the events with Tyr and Suhyuk. Even Tyr¡¯s conviction that no human could ever pass the test. ¡°Didn¡¯t you also once tell me that the gods of Asgard would never ept us?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Do you have a reason for being so certain?¡± A moment of silence hung in the air. Baldur took his time to respond, and Vi understood his hesitation. Perhaps this was a disgraceful aspect of Asgard. After a long silence. Baldur, with parched lips from not having spoken for a while, finally replied. ¡°Heimdall was there.¡± A hollow answer after such a lengthy silence. ¡°I know that much. But he¡ª¡± ¡°He would have just let them pass.¡± He interrupted Vi, speaking in a scoffing tone. ¡°Unlike with me.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The atmosphere shifted. Confused, Vi nced at Vigo standing behind Baldur. Whether Vigo had been told beforehand or already knew, his expression remained serenely unchanged. ¡°And that¡¯s why I dislike the gods. They build barriers like the Wall of Rasderikh, demarcating statuses, treating us like livestock to be exploited.¡± ¡°Sir Baldur?¡± ¡°Yes, perhaps you might not see it that way, Vi. But can you truly say the other gods don¡¯t?¡± Vi was at a loss for words. She couldn¡¯t deny it, especially not after just meeting Tyr. ¡°I dislike humans.¡± After hearing those words, she couldn¡¯t refute Baldur¡¯s statement. ¡°¡­Did Heimdall refuse to let you pass?¡± ¡°He refused to let ¡®us¡¯ pass.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because we are half-bloods. Partly human.¡± As if his anger had reached a boiling point, Baldur stood up and walked toward the window. Through his tightly clenched fist, he looked out at the distant, towering wall, rasderikh. ¡°He is an insurmountable mountain. You know that, don¡¯t you? Heimdall was even stronger before losing his eye.¡± ¡°Why is Valha¡¯s test such a¡ª¡± ¡°Someone must have intervened. Perhaps Odin.¡± It was an example thatpelled him to nod. Not many beings in this world could achieve such a feat. And Odin was one who possessed the capability to create a gap in Valha¡¯s trials. He was both a mighty warrior and a sorcerer beyondparison. ¡°So, I have made up my mind.¡± Baldur¡¯s eyes shone as he gazed out the window toward Rasderikh. ¡°I will show them my way of surpassing that.¡± Thud-thud-thud-. That was when it happened. The door to the reception room flung open, and the guards stormed in. ¡°¡­Sir Baldur?¡± Startled by the sudden interruption, Vi called Baldur¡¯s name in a voiceced with unease. And, as if to confirm her uneasiness, ¡°For that, Lady Vi.¡± Turning to her again, he spoke with apletely changed expression. ¡°I need your help.¡± *** ¡°I have decided.¡± Heimdall spoke as if Lee Suhyuk¡¯s fate was within his grasp. ¡°Show me the thunder. I will judge based on that.¡± The meaning of his words was clear. If he was pleased, he¡¯d let him pass, and if not, he¡¯d stop him. ¡®It won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ Lee Suhyuk realized he had no choice in the matter. Even though the distance between him and his opponent was merely ten steps, he couldn¡¯t gauge their prowess. The distance felt insurmountable. The opponent before his eyes was someone he could never surpass without acknowledgment. He was a foe akin to the Wolf Warrior he encountered in the starting dungeon. The difference being, ¡®This time is different.¡¯ This adversary showed no clear estimation like the Wolf Warrior did. There was only one path to choose. ¡®I was brought here because of this trial.¡¯ Lee Suhyuk took a deep breath. ncing at the chat, he saw the viewers were already in an uproar. ¨C Yeah, let¡¯s stop holding back ¨C Let¡¯s see that new stuff ¨C New gear, new Suhyuk~ Many viewers remembered the reward Suhyuk obtained on the 5th floor. It wasn¡¯t difficult for them to realize that the thunder Heimdall referred to was the Heart of Thunder. There was no reason to hold back. There was no other way. ¡°If you so desire to see it.¡± This time, he didn¡¯t adjust the mic. It was a deration to both Heimdall and the viewers. ¡°I will show you.¡± Crackle-. Yellow and blue lights intertwined in his hand. Bolts of different colors collided and sparked. As the visible sparks intensified, they began to affect Suhyuk¡¯s skin. ¡ª ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv6¡ä resists the damage of ¡®thunder¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv6¡ä resists the damage of ¡®lightning¡¯.¡» ¡ª Bzzt- The electric current flowing from his fingertips started to take on a clearer form. A mass of magic extending outwards from a single point. BANG¡ª! It wasn¡¯t properly controlled, causing the loudest noise heard so far. ¨C Oh, geez, what a shock! ¨C Can you at least signal a bit first? ¨C Uh¡­ Mom¡­ I can¡¯t hear¡­ The sound seemed to reach viewers beyond the monitor. Immediately after the noise erupted, a spear appeared in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡º¡¯Iplete Thunder and Lightning Spear¡¯ has been created.¡» It was a long rod that couldn¡¯t rightfully be called a ¡®spear.¡¯ A spear nearly three meters long, interwoven with two different colors. Its ipleteness stemmed from Suhyuk¡¯sck of proficiency. Tingle, tingle¡ª He felt the heat surging through his hand that was gripping the spear. It felt like his arm might burn if he held on any longer. The only reason he could even hold it was because of one thing. ¡®This is amazing, seriously.¡¯ It was thanks to the gloves Kindre made for him. An item simply named the ¡®Gloves of Thunder.¡¯ The sole effect of these gloves was to help control the power of lightning. The countless hours of Kindre¡¯s work and the costly materials, amounting to hundreds of thousands of points, were all for this one purpose. ¡°Remarkable¡±, heimdall said, impressed as he looked at the iplete spear Suhyuk had created. ¡°But can you throw that? It seems rather strenuous.¡± ¡°It needs to be at least this powerful to make you budge, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He still couldn¡¯t grasp howrge his opponent was. To truly feel it, Suhyuk probably needed a much higher level than now. However, confidence surged within him. If it¡¯s with this, it wouldn¡¯t bepletely futile. ¡°And even if throwing is too much¡ª¡± Thunk. Suhyuk pointed the spear tip at Heimdall. ¡°I can still stab with it.¡± ¡°Stab? Well, that¡¯s certainly one way.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± As Suhyuk nodded and prepared to thrust the spear at Heimdall¡ª ¡°That¡¯s enough¡±, heimdall interrupted. Shhhh¡ª The spear, which was aimed at Heimdall¡¯s heart, stopped mid-thrust. Suhyuk¡¯s hesitation caused his concentration to waver, and the iplete spear dissipated like mist. ¡°If you can¡¯t throw it, then stab it. Just making up your mind to do that is enough to pass.¡± ¡°Do I pass?¡± ¡°For now.¡± Heimdall nodded. And as if it were a signal, ¡ºYou have been acknowledged by the Memory of the Tenth Warrior ¡®Heimdall.¡¯¡» ¡ºYou have passed the Valha Trial.¡» ¡ºWould you like to continue?¡» Regardless of the message that appeared, heimdall continued speaking. ¡°But whether other gods besides me will acknowledge you, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°A god named Tyr said the same. He seemed to really dislike humans.¡± ¡°He has his reasons.¡± ¡°There seemed to be something between the gods and humans.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a simple intuition. There was a story that had always been nted in his mind. ¡°Gods and giants. Great beings that human power could never dare to confront.¡± ¡°This is something created to fight and win against them.¡± These were the words he heard from Ferius when he first obtained the Heart of Lightning on the second floor. The notion that humans tried to fight and win against such great beings as gods and giants meant that something had transpired between them. And perhaps, it wasn¡¯t unrted to why the gods, including Tyr, hated humans. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? If you meet me outside, I might let you know.¡± At those words, Suhyuk smacked his lips in disappointment. It appeared that no answers could be gained here. ¡°Well, then¡­¡± It didn¡¯t seem like there was anything more to gain from the conversation. Suhyuk looked past Heimdall and gazed up the stairs. ¡°Are you thinking of continuing upward?¡± ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any more opponents like you up there, right?¡± Heimdall was a device installed by someone to prevent humans from going further. Having ovee that obstacle was sufficient for now. From here, the true trials of Valha would await him once again. ¡°I¡¯m curious as well. Who might be up there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know after meeting you outside.¡± ¡°That would be appreciated.¡± He could feel Heimdall smiling behind him. Just as he took a step up the stairs. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to handle that.¡± Heimdall¡¯sst words continued. ¡°There must be a reason that it was split in half.¡± Swoosh-. Suhyuk, who was climbing the stairs, turned his head. Interestingly, no one was there. As if erased in an instant, heimdall, who had been speaking loudly and clearly, had disappeared. It seemed that he had fulfilled his role by passing Valha¡¯s trial. ¡º¡¯SafeAsset¡¯ has sponsored 100 points.¡» ¡ºThat¡¯s what they say? Lmao¡» Annoying sponsorship message. Suhyuk smiled under his mask at the appearance of the familiar viewer. ¡°Do you want to make a bet with me?¡± A viewer with a 0% win rate. Suhyuk simultaneously provoked both SafeAsset and Heimdall. ¡°Whether I can handle this or not.¡± -OMG LOL -Looking super tough -Is Kingtank scared? Lol Additional provocations were taken care of by the viewers themselves. From their perspective, a high-stakes bet was always entertaining to watch. But unfortunately, ¡º¡¯SafeAsset¡¯ has sponsored 100 points.¡» ¡ºYo¡­ Scared¡­¡» This time, SafeAsset bowed out with its tail between its legs. With that choice, Suhyuk started climbing the steps he had paused on. ncing, Suhyuk noticed the Gloves of Thunder on his hand entering his view. ¡®It won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ SafeAsset. His bad predictions had never missed once. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Crackling sounds reverberated in the air. The remnants of the lightning lingered and scattered on the ground. Lee Suhyuk grimaced as he pulled the broken spear from his shoulder. With a crunching sound, the spear that had been lodged into his bone was extracted. There was considerable bleeding from the wound. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at his staggering opponent. ¡®I should have used it.¡¯ The problemy in his attempt to conserve his strength by not utilizing the Lightning Lord. In this case, using it or not made no difference; the calction was the same. ¡°You were hiding the thunder¡±, spoke Brynhild, the fourteenth warrior, opening her mouth for the first time since facing Suhyuk. ¡°You still don¡¯t seem to know how to wield a sword properly, but it is impressive.¡± ¡°Is that apliment or a criticism?¡± he retorted. ¡°It¡¯s both.¡± Being able to handle thunder wasmendable. But he still couldn¡¯t properly wield a sword. That was Brynhild¡¯s total evaluation of Suhyuk. Disposing of the spear lodged in his shoulder, Suhyuk once again aimed his sword at Brynhild. She hadn¡¯t copsed yet. ¡°No need for that.¡± As Brynhild knelt on one knee, her body began to fade away slowly from her toes upward. ¡°I am finished now. Standing was just myst pride as a warrior.¡± ¡°Is that something to be proud of?¡± Suhyuk questioned. ¡°If you are the sword and shield of Asgard, it is a mentality you must possess¡±, she replied. At her words, Suhyuk clicked his tongue. Surely, it was that kind of spirit that had allowed her to be the leader of the Valkyries. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± With her final breath, she reiterated words she had heard countless times before. ¡°For a human to survive in Asgard.¡± ¡ºYou have defeated the Memory of Brynhild, the Fourteenth Warrior.¡» ¡ºDo you wish to continue the challenge?¡» With a thud, Suhyuk sat down on the stairs, taking a brief respite after the not-so-short battle. Brynhild¡¯s body vanished without a trace over time. ¨C Brynhild, noooo ¨C Why did you kill our sister, why!! ¨C But it looks like he¡¯s getting exhausted Most of the chat messagesmented Brynhild¡¯s death. As befits the leader of the Valkyries, she was a beauty that could stand shoulder to shoulder with Vi. But still, there was no other choice. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d die, right?¡± To proceed, he had no choice but to fight. ¨C Yeah ¨C Of course ¨C Isn¡¯t that a reward? He had asked a pointless question. Shaking his head in disbelief, Suhyuk began to recover his spent energy and staunch his wounds while chatting briefly with the viewers. Then¡­ ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºIs this a stop?¡» A donation message popped up as if it had grown tired of waiting. The mission began the moment he surpassed the tenth memory of Heimdall. For every warrior he surpassed, he earned between 1,000 and 5,000 points, with a total of 12,000 points up for grabs. And to that question, Suhyuk slowly got up and answered. ¡°Go.¡± -gogogo -Go even if you can¡¯t take more -Who¡¯s next after Brynhild This mission was the type where failing once meant losing all the umted reward money. If Suhyuk were to lose to the next opponent, the 48,000 points he¡¯d amassed so far would vanish. But, ¡®Can I stop now?¡¯ He still had strength left to continue. Besides the points, the rewards for defeating each opponent grewrger as well. Moreover, as this trial continued, it was evident that the number of viewers was increasing. ¡ºViewers: 66,291¡» The number had already surpassed 60,000. With the intriguing backdrop of Asgard and the imposing gods appearing one after another, no one left but more joined. Naturally, the donations and missions increased as well. Climbing the steps slowly, Suhyuk reviewed the recent fight. ¡®Those were old records, right.¡¯ He had just overpowered with sheer firepower thanks to the lightning. When it came to skill in handling weapons, Brynhild was a step above him. Brynhild. The head of the female warriors of Valha, the Valkyries. She truly had the skill to represent Asgard. ¡®I wonder how she is now.¡¯ He was curious. If the memory of Brynhild from long ago was this skilled, how strong would the real one be? As he caught his breath, these thoughts ran through his mind. -Come to think of it, that old guy hasn¡¯t shown up yet One of the chatments caught Suhyuk¡¯s eye. ¡®Right.¡¯ He had forgotten. The god named Tyr he met outside with Vi. -He¡¯s too unheard of not to show up -He looked full of himself, though lol -Just an old geezer lol No. That couldn¡¯t be. Judging by Vi¡¯s demeanor towards Tyr and the scenes he saw in the cutscenes, Tyr wasn¡¯t a god of low status. The fact that Tyr hadn¡¯t appeared yet could mean one thing. ¡®Is he waiting further above?¡¯ Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted to the top of the stairs. Maybe not. He might not meet all the gods of Valha here, some might not be recorded in this ce. However, he had a strong gut feeling sometimes. Higher than Brynhild, the leader of the Valkyries. Tyr seemed to be waiting above. ¡°This looks interesting.¡± His footsteps quickened as he climbed the stairs. ¡°Valha.¡± The gods encountered here were invariably those who could be met in Valha. And nine times out of ten, they would be much higher up than when they fought against oneself here. What kind of scene would it be? Anticipation of entering Valha was already swelling up. And the viewers watching the stream shared the same sentiment. ¨C He¡¯s already confirmed to go to Valha, isn¡¯t he? ¨C ?? He already cleared stage 10. ¨C Just cross over quickly ?? A world where gods like Odin, thor, heimdall, and Brynhild lived together. There were as many viewers waiting to enter that ce as those who waited for the next trial opponent. It was hard to believe that the yer had already surpassed that world, which had been shrouded in mystery until now. It gave off an oddly easy impression. * * * A chill rose from the rough, hard floor. In a prison with only a small, palm-sized window as the source of light, Vi sat bound by both arms. Sssss-. When she tried to release herself by force, it wouldn¡¯t budge. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary rope. ¡®Did the guards have ropes like this?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that everything had been prepared in advance. This room, the rope that could bind a Valkyrie¡ªit wasn¡¯t something that could be procured overnight. nk-. Footsteps echoed from the end of the prison corridor. Was it Baldur? Vi straightened her body despite her bound hands. Her breath stopped, and her nerves sharpened with tension. Fortunately. ¡°Vi.¡± It was Vigo who hade to find her. ¡°Vigo!¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°For now. I¡¯m not hurt anywhere.¡± During her capture, Vi had not resisted at all. It seemed she had been taken too easily, but in hindsight, it was the correct decision. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you resist?¡± ¡°Resisting would have only hurt me and wouldn¡¯t have changed the oue. Baldur was there.¡± Baldur was themander of Midgard. The only reason he could hold the position ofmander was due to his own abilities. Even back when he was the captain of Midgard¡¯s guard, he could easily handle a few Valkyries. Let alone now that he had bemander. ¡°All I can do now is clear my name. I don¡¯t know what misunderstanding there is, but¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Your capture, Vi. It¡¯s not a misunderstanding or a mistake.¡± Vi¡¯s mind swirled with countless questions at Vigo¡¯s words. She swore she had never done anything to harm Asgard. It¡¯s not a misunderstanding, nor is it a crime. Then. ¡°Vigo. Do you know what¡¯s going on?¡± This implied there was a third reason. ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Vigo lowered his head heavily. After taking a long, deep breath, he finally spoke. ¡°Vi, you are a sacrifice.¡± ¡°Sacrifice?¡± It wasn¡¯t a pleasant word. It was a term often used by demons. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the objective before getting here?¡± There was indeed a memorable phrase. ¡°So, I made my decision. To cross over there, by my own means.¡± Rasderikh. The boundary that separated Valha and Midgard. Baldur had been eyeing the world of the gods ever since Asgard was established. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± This he could say firmly. ¡°Even if all of Midgard united, it would still be impossible. Let alone with just onemander and a few dozen followers?¡± ¡°There are more than a few dozen. About two hundred to be exact.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t make a difference.¡± The power of Valha was immense. As a Valkyrie who had resided there, she knew this all too well. There were countless Valkyries like Vi there. And there were also great gods like Brunhild, Tyr, thor, and Heimdall who governed them. Whether it was hundreds or thousands, having just one of them present would obliterate everyone. One thing was for sure; Baldur must have known this. ¡°That¡¯s why themander needs a Valkyrie.¡± Vigo did not refer to Baldur as amander. In his heart, Baldur remained as he was 400 years ago. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°To awaken Bergelmir.¡± Suddenly, Vi sprang up from her seat in shock. ¡°How on Earth?¡± ¡°Pure, uncontaminated blood and flesh of the divine race. It¡¯s thest ingredient to break the seal.¡± ¡°Bergelmir has been sealed here?¡± All Vi knew of Bergelmir, the ancestor of the frost giants, were legends. The ancestor who survived Ymir¡¯s flood. It was Odin, the god of Asgard, who sealed Bergelmir. But there were no records of that battle, only oral traditions that such an event happened. But then, ¡°Isn¡¯t it getting cold?¡± For some reason, Vigo knew far too much about Bergelmir. ¡°Bergelmir was the winter of Midgard itself.¡± Vi¡¯s eyes quivered violently. It wasn¡¯t because she learned why Midgard had winters or about Bergelmir¡¯s existence. Footsteps echoed in the prison. ¡°So, Lady Vi¡ª¡± Before Vigo could finish his sentence, a long red line appeared across his neck. ¡°Must¡­ protect¡­¡± Thwack. His head, losing bnce, tilted downward. Vigo¡¯s head rolled off with a powerless thud. ¡°Vigooooo!¡± ¡°I knew it. You were asking too many questions.¡± The person who had beheaded Vigo with a single strike was Baldur. He looked at Vi from beyond the iron bars, sprinkling Vigo¡¯s blood on the corpse. ¡°Good thing I checked, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Baldur, you¡­!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? What difference does it make, sharing this information?¡± Baldur¡¯s sneer was aimed at Vigo¡¯s lifeless body lying on the ground. Just a single Valkyrie imprisoned. The information that cost Vigo his life seemed meaningless to Vi. However, ¡°No. It does make a difference.¡± There was still something that could be changed. In her hand was themunication kit she had given to Suhyuk. * * * And at that very moment, ¡°¡­So, themander needs a Valkyrie.¡± Suhyuk mumbled as he watched the cutscene unfold before his eyes. ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 The cutscenemenced as they were ascending the stairs. Vi, imprisoned. Vigo, facing her from beyond the iron bars. ¨C Huh? ¨C What¡¯s going on here? ¨C Another betrayal? ¨C This family¡¯s a total mess, seriously. It was reminiscent of the trial on the fifth floor. In that trial, Vi had been betrayed by Belveim, a fellow Valkyrie. However, whether fortunately or not, this time, it wasn¡¯t a betrayal. ¡°Vi is a sacrifice.¡± ¡°Sacrifice? For what?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the objective beforeing here?¡± Those words reyed kindly beside Vigo. A man with a kind appearance and green eyes, blurry like a mirage, appeared and spoke while looking at Rasderikh. ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll try to get past there in my own way.¡± Suhyuk, watching the scene, clicked his tongue. ¡°That guy, he looks like a viin, obviously.¡± ¨C Yep. ¨C Agreed. ¨C Guys who look kind are usually worse. In response, Vi spoke firmly. ¡°Impossible.¡± There was no need to hear the following words. Suhyuk, now vaguely understanding what Valha was, knew it wasn¡¯t a ce for mere Midgard residents to set foot in. However, ¡°That¡¯s why the captain needs a Valkyrie.¡± The trial, as expected, wasn¡¯t proceeding smoothly. ¡°¡­¡­ Figured as much.¡± It couldn¡¯t be as simple as just fighting and entering Valha. The trial on the sixth floor was not going to be that straightforward. There was still more toe, and this cutscene was the starting point for it. ¡°For what purpose?¡± ¡°To awaken Bergelmir.¡± Bergelmir. What exactly that was remained unknown. But judging by Vi¡¯s response, the man¡¯s words with green eyes didn¡¯t seem groundless. The subsequent cutscene featured the man with green eyes. A man named Baldur shed Vigo¡¯s neck and ridiculed both Vi and Vigo from beyond the prison. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amusing? What do you think will change just by passing on such information?¡± However, to his words, ¡°No. It will change.¡± Vi responded confidently, holding themunication kit that had been handed to her. Hiss-. The cutscene gradually faded. However, even after the cutscene ended, Vi¡¯s voice continued. ¡°It will definitely change. Definitely.¡± A voice came from themunication kit in his pocket. It was a message meant for him. And at that moment¡­ ¡ºStage ? ¨C Would you like to start ¡®Bergelmir¡¯?¡» ¡ºWhen a new stage starts, Valha¡¯s trials will reset.¡» An unexpected stage marked by a question mark appeared. Lee Suhyuk showed a puzzled expression at its content. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this.¡¯ Not knowing which stage it was, made it difficult to guess its difficulty. Especially since it was a choice-type stage. He had to decide whether to pass Valha¡¯s trials and head safely to Valha, or to save Vi and prevent the resurrection of the entity named Bergelmir. Usually, such trials were measured to have high difficulty. Confronted with the new message, Suhyuk asked, ¡°Should I go back?¡± He asked as if he had a choice. ¨C You¡¯re not going back? ¨C Are you kidding? ¨C Abandon Nuna? ¨C Yeah, abandon her and see what happens, LOL The terrifying public sentiment. It wasn¡¯t a matter of any real choice for him. Half of the viewers watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream were Vi¡¯s fans. * * * Two hours had passed since Vigo died. Baldur, who had called someone to remove Vigo¡¯s corpse, returned to the prison where Vi was confined. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Vi, who had been sitting on the floor, looked up. Baldur asked her, seeing the hope still in her eyes, ¡°May I ask why you have that look?¡± ¡°You will fail, Baldur.¡± ¡°So, you still think you can survive.¡± Vi shook her head at Baldur¡¯s misunderstanding. ¡°It¡¯s not about whether I live or die. What¡¯s important is that your objective will fail.¡± ¡°Is your confidence perhaps because of that human you came with?¡± Vi chose silence instead of replying. She believed for sure her message had been delivered. But Baldur thought differently. ¡°He will not be able to return.¡± He was certain. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Those despicable gods have no intention of epting us.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because I have challenged Valha as well.¡± A sneer mixed into Baldur¡¯s smirk. ¡°And so did my wife.¡± ¡°Your wife?¡± She had vaguely heard about it from Vigo a long time ago. The captain, Baldur, had lost his wife early on. ¡°We had promised to go together to Valha. To be eternally happy there, chasing an impossible dream.¡± ng-. Baldur opened the door to the cell imprisoning Vi. At that moment¡­ ¡°Unlike me, my wife did note back alive. Do you know why?¡± Shiiik-. Vi lunged at Baldur, pulling out her nails and aiming them at his neck. ¡°Because she didn¡¯t give up.¡± Thud-. Thwang-! Baldur¡¯s hand grabbed Vi by the neck and mmed her against the wall. ¡°Guh-.¡± The impact on her back made her vision blur. Grasping at her fleeting consciousness, Vi stared into Baldur¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, abandon your hope that human will return. It¡¯s all because of those nonsensical rules you all have created.¡± Swoosh-. Thud-. As Baldur released his grip, his soldiers entered the cell as if they had been waiting. ¡°And even if he does return, there¡¯s no way he can get this far.¡± Watching Vi being dragged away, Baldur crushed her final hope. ¡°This is the headquarters of Midgard.¡± * * * Around the tall spire, the soldiers of Midgard stood guard. Gloomy weather. The dry and icy air made the soldiers shiver. ¡°Why is it so damn cold? Something¡¯s definitely about to happen.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t something already happened? You¡¯re aware a Valkyrie is being held here, right?¡± Conversations mingled with anxiety and anticipation. One of the soldiers lifted his head to gaze at the sky. ¡°Is it really starting?¡± ¡°As it¡¯s about to happen, I¡¯m feeling nervous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any regrets?¡± ¡°Regrets about what? It¡¯s better to make a stand than spend a lifetime cleaning up after the gods.¡± Midgard belonged to Asgard. Yet, their dreams alwaysy in Valha. Asgard¡¯s paradise. A world of beautifulndscapes, sweet rivers, with neither extreme cold nor heat. Probably not a single resident of Midgard didn¡¯t dream of Valha. ¡°Let¡¯s just trust themander and move forward.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote to worry about failure now.¡± In the distance, one of the soldiers could see Rasderikh. The boundary separating Midgard from Valha. The core of their n was to break it down and topple the realm of the gods. ¡°Isn¡¯t the sky on our side too? Luckily, a Valkyrie dropped into ourp.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Right. Our job is just to hold this position.¡± Before the words could even settle. Thump-. A stranger approached the headquarters¡¯ entrance guarded by the soldiers. ¡°Halt.¡± Click-. The guard at the entrance raised his hand forward, and other soldiers around aimed their weapons in alert. Dozens of weapons were pointed at him. Yet, instead of showing fear, he looked up at the towering headquarters. ¡°I need directions.¡± There was something unsettling about him. ¡°Is this the headquarters of Midgard?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡± ¡°So, my guess was right?¡± Skak-. Upon hearing the guard¡¯s response, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯vee to the right ce.¡± ¡°What are you talking about-.¡± Booom-. Boom-! Before the soldier could react, yellow electricity covered his body. ¡°Someone must be here, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an attack!¡± ¡°Who the hell is this guy?¡± ¡°How many?¡± As soldiers gathered around themotion at the entrance, Suhyuk stood in the center, grinning beneath his mask. ¡°100 points per kill.¡± The mission came at just the right time. The swarming soldiers started to look like delicious points to him. ¡°epted.¡± * * * A stealthy infiltration was not even considered. This incursion hinged on time being of the essence. Since Vi had been chosen as the sacrifice to awaken Bergelmir, there was no room for detours. Boom-! A widespread bolt of lightning obscured his vision. Given the number of enemies, Suhyuk had no choice but to expand the range of his skills to confront all the soldiers rushing from every direction. Buzz-. One of the soldiers pierced through the lightning and thrust a spear. The spear that aimed for Suhyuk¡¯s head grazed his cheek, while at the same time, the tip of Suhyuk¡¯s sword split the soldier¡¯s groin upwards. sh-. With the sound of bones and armor splitting, the soldier¡¯s breath ceased. When Suhyuk looked around again, the number of soldiers had increased even more. ¨C Stronger than I thought? ¨C But they¡¯re still demigods, right? ¨C Then they¡¯re idiots. ¨C Idiots, hahaha. That was right. This was Midgard. A world where humans and gods mingled, inhabited by demigods. The soldiers here possessed skills simr to that of Vigo. ¡°It¡¯s going to take some time.¡± If he could, he wanted to charge through using bolts of lightning generously. At the least, if he used the Heart of Lightning, the fight would be much easier. But that would be a bad move. ¡°Was his name Baldur?¡± The green-eyed man he saw in the cutscene. The enemymander who had captured Vi in this headquarters. He would likely be the boss of this trial. ¡°In the end, I have to defeat that guy.¡± He needed to save some stamina for that moment. Hence, he couldn¡¯t afford to rush ahead too quickly. However¡­ ¡º¡¯Bergelmir¡¯s¡¯ seal has begun to release.¡» ¡ºRelease rate: 1%¡» ¡ºRelease rate: 1.2%¡» ¡º¡­¡» Just then, a message popped up. ¨C What the¡­? ¨C Already? ¨C Is NOONA okay?? At this rate, he couldn¡¯t afford to go slowly. He had no idea about the situation on the other side, and once the seal waspletely lifted, there would be nothing he could do. It was obvious, wasn¡¯t it? Bergelmir was the countermeasure against the gods. Rasderikh, who sought to break the boundaries of the world, was precisely Bergelmir. ¡°I need to change my approach.¡± Energy surged to his head instead of his body. Squeeze-. He tightly clenched his hand, which was wearing the Glove of Thunder. Continuing to fight through these soldiers while advancing was not the right choice. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore his stamina either, so he needed to find another way. Hiss-. For the first time, Suhyuk took a step back amidst his advance. Soldiers surrounded Suhyuk as he stopped moving. ¡°Did he give up?¡± ¡°Surrender quietly! Then there will be room for leniency!¡± It seemed the soldiers thought he had given up when they saw him stop. ¨C Is this GG? ¨C Did he really give up? ¨C Aren¡¯t you going to save NOONA? ¨C Yeah, just y another round~ The viewers seemed to think the same. In this urgent situation, Suhyuk had taken a step back and stood still, making it appear that way. But if he were going to give up, he wouldn¡¯t havee back here in the first ce. ¡°I¡¯m going to give it a try.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted to the top of themand tower. ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can fly that far.¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Lee Suhyuk¡¯s signature skill was lightning. There was no room for disagreement on this. Suhyuk himself thought so, too. However, that didn¡¯t mean Suhyuk¡¯s fighting style was solely reliant on one-sided firepower using lightning. On the first day he reincarnated into his current body, Suhyuk had the chance to watch an old video of a battle against Anux at a memorial dedicated to him. ¡°This was back then, right? Twenty-five years ago, during the battle against the Anux yers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably it? He was amazing at that time.¡± Among the many battles, the only reason this particr video was recorded was because it was the day Suhyuk first unveiled his new technique, which dominated both the ground and the sky with lightning. Lightning was an intangible substance¡ªmerely a mass of energy with no physical mass. Jumping on it was supposed to be an impossible feat. But, ¡®From the beginning, I¡¯ve always fought by grabbing it.¡¯ If one could grasp it with their hands, why couldn¡¯t they step on it with their feet? There was just one difference: unlike the spear, which only needed to be created once in the hand, new lightning needed to be created with every step for the tform. This was indescribably difficult. ¡°It was insanely difficult.¡± This was what Suhyuk said in the interview immediately after the battle with the Anux. ¡°I just tried it to look cool, but I wouldn¡¯t rmend it.¡± He was sincere. It had all started from a curiosity¡ªCould it be possible? Ultimately, though he did manage to utilize it in battle, it wasn¡¯t an efficient method. No, it may have even been the most inefficient method imaginable. It required a considerable amount of magic, concentration, and control to materialize lightning enough to step on it. But, ¡®I need it now.¡¯ Midgard Headquarters consisted of towers so high they touched the sky. Jumping up was impossible. Besides, Suhyuk didn¡¯t have a skill that allowed him to fly. But if he rode the lightning. ¡®Let¡¯s try this.¡¯ Efficiency aside, this was undoubtedly the quickest way. Zap-. He stepped on the first lightning. The ground seemed to spring away as his body lightly floated up. He was airborne for a moment, as if flying, but it was nowhere near enough to reach the tower¡¯s pinnacle. -What¡¯s he doing? -As if that¡¯s gonna work, LOL. He hadn¡¯t expected to reach it in one go anyway. The real attempt started now. ¡º¡®Free Thief¡¯s Footsteps¡¯ steps on the sky.¡» ¡º¡¯Sky Walking¡¯ is activated.¡» His body became as light as a feather. Defying gravity, with each step in the air, Suhyuk began to ascend the tower. -Oh right. -Item buff, LOL. -He¡¯s using it? Suhyuk¡¯s foot touched the waist of the tower. But the skill¡¯s effect didn¡¯tst long. If there was an item that allowed someone to fly indefinitely, it would probably be not just Unique but Legendary, or even God-tier. ¨C Stillcking ¨C Feels like we¡¯re halfway there ¨C Finally, going for the second jump? ¨C If he drops now, he¡¯s done for The viewers sensed Lee Suhyuk¡¯s impending failure. They thought Suhyuk¡¯s attempt to fly was merely a leap using an item, thus their reaction was natural. However, his initial use of Sky Steps was nothing more than groundwork to save his magic and stamina. The real deal started now. Crackle¡ª Beneath his feet, yellow lightning converged, creating a foothold¡ªa solid and mighty tform he could step on with all his strength and leap from. Boom! A leap followed by another leap. As Suhyuk rode the lightning and ascended, the chat buzzed rapidly. ¨C ???? ¨C Wha-wha-wha??? ¨C ????? ¨C Why is this happening here?????? ¨C The grappler¡¯s losing it LOL Everyone who was a fan of Lee Suhyuk remembered that scene. It was the first time he had showcased that y during the confrontation with Anux. The technique was almost like a stunt that shook the essence of skills and made it uniquely his own. ¨C If Falcon Eye loves it, big thumbs up LOL That technique was reenacted after twenty years. ¡º¡¯Falcon Eye¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºBig thumbs up. Big big thumbs up!!!¡» * * * At the top of the spire. In the middle of a wide space covered by opaque ss, Vi was kneeling with her entire body bound. Strange objects unfamiliar to her were scattered irregrly in the room. Items that shouldn¡¯t exist in Midgard were mixed. ¡®A giant¡¯s skull and heart, frost stone, a cursed silver goblet¡­¡¯ Numerous items prohibited in Asgard were present. The most repulsive among them was the ck circle drawn all around the room. ¡®It¡¯s drawn with blood.¡¯ Judging by the color, it seemed to be the blood of the demon tribe. She looked up and stared at Baldur. He stood still with his eyes closed, overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°These couldn¡¯t be obtained in a day or two.¡± ¡°Of course, it wasn¡¯t just a day or two.¡± Baldur¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°It took a hundred years to obtain a giant¡¯s corpse. Another hundred years to get the cursed silver goblet. I invested half of my umted wealth to procure the frost stone.¡± A sense of madness exuded from him. It was not mere inferiority or impulsive anger, but madness driven by a clear goal. ¡°And the blood of a god. That¡¯s when you arrived.¡± The moment he finished speaking, Baldur¡¯s gaze changed. sh¡ª At an invisible speed, a cut ran across her chest. The long sh across her abdomen made her mind go nk for an instant. Drip¡ª Blood began to seep from the wound. She gritted her teeth and curled up, trying to stop the bleeding, but the wound was too big, making it a futile effort. Eventually, blood trickled down to the floor. And at that moment. Sizzle¡ª Vi¡¯s blood seeped into the ground. At the center of the magic circle, where the blood seeped in, was a white goblet. ¡®A silver goblet?¡¯ A cursed silver goblet. An ancient item used to break some kind of seal. As Vi¡¯s blood soaked in, all preparations were finallyplete. Gooo-. Saaa-. The tower trembled and the temperature instantly dropped. Thick dark clouds obscured the sky through the tower windows. ¡°It has begun.¡± Baldur¡¯s madness deepened. ¡°The barrier that divided the world of the gods will copse today.¡± Drip, drip-. More blood trickled out. Vi gritted her teeth at the thought that she was the final key to awakening Bergelmir. ¡®Stop the bleeding¡­.¡¯ Squeeze-. She curled up desperately, trying to prevent more blood loss. And to make sure that effort wasn¡¯t in vain. ¡°Stop them-!¡± ¡°An intruder-!¡± Below the tower. Distant voices rang out. ¡°¡­They really came.¡± Baldur muttered in a surprised tone. ¡°Suhyuk¡­¡± A faint smile yed at the corner of Vi¡¯s lips, pressing against her wound. Just when she was about to lose hope, he finally arrived. Her message had reached them. Baldur¡¯s expression showed faint cracks, indicating his dissatisfaction with the current situation. ¡°How did he get here?¡± ¡°He must have passed the trial, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Baldur shook his head. ¡°A human can never pass that trial.¡± ¡°Well, ordinary humans can¡¯t.¡± Vi continued with a victorious smile. ¡°He is someone recognized by the Thunder.¡± Boom-! At that moment, thunder roared from below. Baldur¡¯s eyes wavered. For the first time, he showed signs of disturbance. ¡°Thunder¡­ of Thor?¡± Thor. That name held special meaning here in Asgard. The lineal descendant of the highest god Odin, and the only one recognized and bestowed with the power of lightning. While he had currently disappeared somewhere, destined not to return, he was the great being meant to inherit this vast world someday. Yet, a mere human possessing the same power as Thor? Baldur shook his head, momentarily ovee by anxiety. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, it¡¯s already toote.¡± Chiii-. As more of Vi¡¯s blood flowed, the silver goblet gradually turned ck. Baldur¡¯s face, which had been looking at the silver goblet, calmed down again. ¡°The seal has already begun to break, and by the time he gets up here¡ª.¡± Boom-! Baldur¡¯s body turned toward the window. The sound was much closer than before. He could sense something was flying toward them. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say so?¡± Crash-! The window shattered. ¡°He woulde.¡± Thud-. An uninvited guest set foot on the top of the tower. * * * Thud-. The tension eased the moment his foot touched down. ¡°Whoosh-.¡± Fortunately, it was a sess. If he had misstepped even slightly, or if he had been slower in summoning the lightning, he would have fallen straight down. But it seemed his instincts were still sharp. ¨C Crazy! ¨C GOAT has returned. ¨C This time, 0.1 Suhyuk acknowledged. ¨C Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? ¨C Isn¡¯t the real one cosying at this point? LOL. The chat exploded as he reached the top of the spire. It had been over 25 years since such a performance had been replicated, so the reaction was intense. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to be ted by the showy performance. A few donations hade in, but more importantly, the situation at hand demanded his attention. ¡°It¡¯s that guy.¡± While sweating, he looked around. The first thing that caught his eye was a man with green eyes. ¨C Baldur. ¨C Is he the final boss? ¨C No, isn¡¯t the boss supposed to be that Burger guy? ¨C That one is a bit¡­ ¨C Still, I want to see him released, LOL. Although the seal on Bergelmir was in the process of breaking, it probably wasn¡¯t the boss. That guy was a giant meant to destroy Rasderikh. There was no way they would have him deal with such a being, so the green-eyed Baldur currently before him was the ultimate gatekeeper. ¡°What were you thinkinging all the way here?¡± Baldur narrowed his eyes at Suhyuk. In his hand was a sword, though when he had drawn it was unclear. But there was no time to engage in conversation. sh-. Suddenly, a yellow lightning bolt shed before Baldur¡¯s eyes. Sensing rapid movement, Baldur¡¯s sword traced an arc through the air. ng-! Rumble-. The room was filled with electric bolts. Suhyuk, who had crossed swords with Baldur, was gradually pushed back before being flung backward. ng-! Skid-. Suhyuk drove his sword into the ground, stopping his flight. When he looked up again, Baldur¡¯s sword wasing down at his head. Whoosh-. Scratch-. Baldur¡¯s sword split the ground where Suhyuk had been standing. Suhyuk swiftly increased the distance between them, eyeing the spot where Baldur¡¯s sword had struck. ¡°Phew, that was close.¡± The ground, sliced clean like a piece of cake, testified to the sharpness and lethality of Baldur¡¯s sword. ¡®So this is Midgard¡¯smander.¡¯ Indeed, he was different. Even if several fighters of Vi¡¯s caliber were to face him, they would be no match. With an expression filled with murderous intent, he red at Suhyuk. ¡°It seems you have no intention of answering.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the time for that.¡± ¡ºUnseal Rate: 3.3%¡» Three percent. The seal was breaking steadily, albeit slowly. The air around them was cold enough to see their breath. ¡°A bit tired, but-.¡± Sizzle, sizzle-. The color of Suhyuk¡¯s lightning began to change. The lightning turned ck. The ominous sensation made Baldur hasten his actions. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± Boom-. In an instant, the distance closed. A single strike aimed at Suhyuk¡¯s neck was poised to sever the top of the spire. At that moment, ¡º¡®Lightning Lord¡¯ possesses your body.¡» A new phase of the battlemenced. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 In front of the airship heading to the 7th floor. Un Hyang chewed her lip while watching Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡°Ugh, ugh-.¡± ¡°What, again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Despite Cheon Ryang¡¯s words, Un Hyang did not take her eyes off the kit. There were only 30 minutes left until the airship¡¯s departure. The two nned to go to the 7th floor first and wait there. Cheon Ryang, who was also monitoring the stream together, asked, just in case. ¡°Is it about that Valkyrie?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± An unhesitant answer. Suhyuk was currently storming the headquarters of Midgard alone to rescue the Valkyrie. ¡®Does she really like Suhyuk?¡¯ If there was anything she didn¡¯t like, that was it. But a manager having personal feelings for a streamer? If it became known, it wouldn¡¯t be overlooked easily. ¡°Huh, huh?¡± It was then. Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened, and her hands fluttered. ¡°Hey, hey! That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it!¡± ¡°That?¡± Wondering what she meant, Cheon Ryang tilted his head. On the screen, Suhyuk was riding the lightning and walking on the sky. ¡°25 years ago, in the Continental War with Anux-.¡± ¡°Ah, that time?¡± From her exnation, his memory returned. And even the interview content that Lee Suhyuk had done at that time. ¡°Didn¡¯t Suhyuk say this was incredibly difficult?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°It just looks like a flying skill¡­¡­.¡± Although rare, there were certainly types of skills that allowed for flight. However, Lee Suhyuk was a yer several levels above those rankers with such skills. On the surface, it didn¡¯t seem like much. But, ¡°It¡¯s not a skill that is supposed to let you fly in the first ce?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°This idiot, think about it. Lightning is originally-.¡± Sounding exasperated, Un Hyang abruptly stopped talking. Her gaze shifted to the back of the station. ¡°Why is someoneing¡­¡­.¡± He felt uneasy, thinking perhaps people from Murim had been sent again. Cheon Ryang tilted his head at the familiar face. ¡°Reinhardt?¡± A ranker from the guild Lion¡¯s Castle. Reinhardt, the dark swordsman of Anux and fellow streamer like Lee Suhyuk, was heading towards them. ¡°Seeing a celebrity here.¡± ¡°He¡¯sing to us.¡± ¡°To us?¡± ¡°We got a contact from the team leader.¡± ¡°Contact? What contact?¡± Reinhardt approached before Cheon Ryang could answer his question. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Reinhardt from Lion¡¯s Castle.¡± Reinhardt greeted Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang with a well-crafted smile. ¡°You know, right? Since you¡¯re in the same industry.¡± Arrogance within politeness. That was precisely Un Hyang¡¯s first impression of Reinhardt. ¡°Yes. I know.¡± ¡°Then this should make the conversation easier. You know I¡¯m not suspicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your son.¡± In an instant, the smile on Reinhardt¡¯s face vanished. ¡°So, you are looking for our streamer.¡± ¡°¡­That team leader, he talks too easily about others.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to us. Anyway, it¡¯s not for a good reason that you¡¯re looking for Suhyuk, right?¡± ¡°I appreciate your cooperation. It¡¯s a very important matter.¡± ¡°And if I say no, will you believe me?¡± Un Hyang was sure of it. Suhyuk was not the type to kill an innocent young yer for no reason. But she could tell just by looking at Reinhardt¡¯s eyes. He needed someone to take his revenge on right now. As expected, ¡°I will decide after meeting him.¡± He chose to divert the conversation instead of giving a direct answer. ¡°He happens to be streaming right now. Seeing that you¡¯re here, he must be nning to reach the 7th floor in this trial.¡± Step-. Reinhardt¡¯s steps headed towards the airship. ¡°I believe he will seed this time as well. Then, we can meet at the starting point of the 7th floor.¡± ¡°You are determined to meet him, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given up on meeting quietly. But I must meet him even if it gets a bit noisy.¡± ¡°Why go to such lengths?¡± ¡°Because that bastard might have killed my son.¡± He said he didn¡¯t know, but it was obvious at a nce. He believed Suhyuk was the culprit. No. To be precise, he seemed to wish Suhyuk were the culprit because that would allow him to avenge his son. It was so tant that even Cheon Ryang, who stood a step back, could see it. In this troublesome situation, Cheon Ryang racked his brains. ¡®If it¡¯s in the city, there shouldn¡¯t be a major problem.¡¯ The starting point of the 7th floor was in the middle of the city. Even someone like Reinhardt wouldn¡¯t be able to behave recklessly there. ¡®I should contact Suhyuk right away and secure a ce as soon as he arrives on the 7th floor¡­¡¯ Cheon Ryang was thinking that when suddenly, ¡°That¡¯s a bit problematic.¡± Un Hyang unexpectedly spoke up. ¡°As you know, in our line of work, the safety of a streamer is one of our duties.¡± ¡°Hey, hey! Un Hyang!¡± Startled, Cheon Ryang urgently called Un Hyang¡¯s name. Their opponent was Reinhardt. He had been a ranker for decades and had mastered both magic and swordsmanship to a grandmaster level. Though he was defeated in one stroke, he had once crossed swords with Lee Suhyuk as well. ¡°What do you intend to do then?¡± Reinhardt¡¯s spirit sharpened even more. His reaction was so fierce that it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if he drew his sword at any moment, and Cheon Ryang held his breath. ¡°What¡¯s the point of dragging out a conversation among yers?¡± Swoosh-. Un Hyang turned her body in the opposite direction of the airship. ¡°I promise you. If you beat me, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± * * * Having something possess one¡¯s body was not an entirely pleasant feeling. Whenever Lee Suhyuk used the Heart of Lightning, he always felt like another will was taking control of his body. This was why Suhyuk was reluctant to use the Heart of Lightning aside from the physical burden it imposed. ¡®It¡¯s as if the skill has its own will.¡¯ Crackling, crackle-. The ck electricity that enveloped his body overflowed with power. Baldur¡¯s sword looked much slower than before, and his presence seemed smaller than it did initially. Kaboom-! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Baldur, who had shed with Suhyuk, was flung backward. Swiftly rotating his body in midair to regain bnce, Baldur saw Suhyuk¡¯s sword before his eyes. sh-. Boom-! A single sword strike containing dark electricity extended into a long de, slicing the top of the tower. Baldur, bending his body to evade the sword, felt his strength intensify. Unlike at the beginning, he now collided with Suhyuk with all his might. ng-! Kaboom-! As the swords shed, the sound of thunder reverberated into the sky. Baldur, raising his magic to avoid losing, responded in kind. Zap, zap-. Suhyuk increased the output at his feet and charged at Baldur. Baldur barely managed to block the sword thrust like a spear, then struck the de down with all his strength. Crack-. Rumble-. The tower of the headquarters began to copse bit by bit due to their battle. The soldiers of Midgard couldn¡¯t easily intervene in their fight. Approaching the dark electricity radiating from Suhyuk was challenging, and even protecting themselves amidst the crumbling tower proved difficult. Crash-. Finally, the base of the tower copsed. A silver cup ttered as it rolled away. The giant¡¯s bones and heart fell to the floor below. And at the center of it all was Vi. Thud-. Vi was already on Suhyuk¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Since when?¡¯ Baldur¡¯s eyes widened. It appeared that rescuing Vi had been his goal from the beginning. He hadn¡¯t intended to defeat Baldur from the start. His pride was wounded. ¡°Where are you looking-.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t distracted.¡± Suhyuk nodded his head slightly. Upward. Baldur raised his head and looked up, eyes widening. ¡°Something by our side was disrupting the fight.¡± Zip, zzzip-. Above the dark clouds, giant clusters of dark electricity were visible. ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s here now.¡± Even from above the clouds, the power was visually evident. ¡®Since when?¡¯ Why hadn¡¯t he noticed such a significant technique? The question crossed his mind, and the answer came immediately. The dark clouds. The technique was hidden within the dark clouds and had been slowly building its power. All for this one decisive strike. Satisfied that Vi was secure, Suhyuk¡¯s hand dropped. Kaboom-! ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ck lightning engulfed their bodies. The headquarters¡¯ tower, unable to withstand the force, began to crumble rapidly. ¡°Gah¡­ Aaaaaah!¡± Crash, boom-. Rumble-. Baldur¡¯s scream was drowned out by the sound of the copsing tower. Thick smoke billowed into the sky. Midgard¡¯s soldiers were buried under the debris or scattered in all directions. In the midst of the chaos, Suhyuk leapt down, carrying Vi on his back. This time, there was no need to create lightning steps. Instead, he used the falling rocks from the tower as stepping stones. Jumping down from the tower, Suhyuk set Vi down from his shoulder. ¡º¡¯Lightning Lord¡¯ has been deactivated.¡» Zzzzzt-. The power that had filled his body rapidly dissipated. Apanying the sensation of floating, a wave of exhaustion surged over him in an instant. Suhyuk barely managed to steady his wavering body as he lowered himself. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Vi, staunching her own wounds, raised her head. ¡°Is anything getting in the way?¡± ¡°Judging by your sense of humor, it seems you¡¯re really alright.¡± Suhyuk examined Vi¡¯s injury. It was a rather deep wound, still bleeding steadily. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t life-threatening. ¡°If we treat it quickly¡­¡± Suhyuk trailed off as he turned his gaze toward the crumbling wreckage of themand tower. Amidst the ruins, staggered movements caught his eye. It was Baldur, struggling to walk, emerging from the debris. ¡®Did he dodge all that?¡¯ He had assumed Baldur would be buried under the fallen structure. Yet, the man¡¯s unstable walking indicated he wasn¡¯t unscathed; he must have pushed himself hard to avoid the falling debris. Suhyuk picked up his sword and stood again. ¡°Persistent, aren¡¯t you?¡± Suhyuk was also exhausted. He had rushed here right after the Valha trial, fought the Midgard soldiers, and even unleashed the maximum output of his lightning power. His stamina was about to give out. It was now a matter of whose endurance would deplete first. Fortunately, the answer soon presented itself. Thud-. Baldur, who had been staggering toward them, copsed onto his knees before Suhyuk had to do anything. ¡°Heh¡­ hehe¡­ heh-.¡± A strangeugh escaped Baldur as he strained to lift his head and look at Vi and Suhyuk. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve won?¡± ¡°Look behind you.¡± Suhyuk gestured toward the ruined Midgardmand center with a nod. ¡°Can¡¯t you see who has won?¡± ¡°This is a fight where no one wins.¡± ¡°What nonsense-.¡± Suhyuk was about to raise his sword, feeling there was no need to listen any longer. Ssss-. Crackle, crackle-. The temperature plummeted abruptly, freezing the ground swiftly. Feeling the change in the air, Suhyuk¡¯s pupils widened. ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense.¡± ¡ºRelease rate: 6.13%¡» At that moment, an rm went off. As if acknowledging it, Baldur shed a resigned smile. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not Ragnarok-.¡± ¡º¡¯Right Hand of Bergelmir¡¯ has been released.¡» ¡°You will definitely die.¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Cheon Ryang followed Un Hyang at full speed. Although he had been skilled in light footwork since childhood, closing the distance between him and Un Hyang was not easy. Her speed as she lightly stepped on tree branches was no different from Cheon Ryang¡¯s best effort. Perhaps she was consciously matching her pace to Cheon Ryang¡¯s out of consideration. ¡®Is she really going to do this?¡¯ Un Hyang had led a life far removed from fighting ever since she got a job in Balhae. However, recently, she has gotten into more fights. There was only one thing that had changed. ¡®¡­ Since she started managing Lee Suhyuk the streamer?¡¯ Pop-. Un Hyang, who had been leading, suddenly came to a halt. Cheon Ryang, who had been following right behind her, also stopped, and Reinhardt, who had been trailing at a distance, came to a stop as well. ¡°Good. It¡¯s secluded.¡± The location they had arrived at was a cliff on a mountain, far from the airship. A ce untouched by human hands and feet. ¡°A ce where no one would know if one of us died.¡± That was precisely why they had chosen this location. ¡°Or is it two?¡± ¡°Just one. I¡¯ll handle the opponent alone.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s one or two, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°That goes for me as well. As you can see, the other person is not much help.¡± When Reinhardt nodded at Un Hyang¡¯s words, Cheon Ryang was taken aback. ¡°If you were going to treat me like this, why did you bring me along?¡± ¡°To keep you by my side.¡± ¡°What?¡± An unexpected serious answer. Un Hyang was not one to usually say such cheesy lines. Only then did Cheon Ryang see her face instead of her back. Step-. Un Hyang walked past Cheon Ryang. As she closed the distance to Reinhardt, her usual bright and yful demeanor was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Do you really have to meet the streamer Lee Suhyuk?¡± ¡°And if I must?¡± ¡°Then I have no choice but to kill you here.¡± There was no particr confidence detected in her. Feeling an odd sense of incongruity at her demeanor, Reinhardt¡¯s expression darkened once he identified the atmosphere around her. Just as you don¡¯t need confidence to stomp on an ant, she spoke of killing him as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ¡°You can still stop now. You haven¡¯t seen anything yet. But once it starts, it can¡¯t be stopped.¡± With these words, a sudden thought shed through Cheon Ryang¡¯s mind. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°Hey, Un Hyang!¡± Calling out her name, Cheon Ryang was already certain. But before Un Hyang could respond to his call. Skaat-. ¡°Did you expect me to be afraid?¡± Reinhardt drew his sword with a fierce aura. ¡°I nned to kill you painlessly, but I¡¯ve changed my mind. First, I¡¯ll cut out your tongue and then dismember your limbs. That should make me feel a bit better.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s your choice, is it?¡± Swaaaa-. In an instant. ¡°It turned out to be unfortunate, didn¡¯t it?¡± Behind Un Hyang, the mirage in the shape of a human appeared and then vanished. ¡°For both you and me.¡± * * * Lee Suhyuk raised his hand and examined his palm. His skin was frozen and cracked from the biting cold. It was as if another winter had piled on top of the current one, with the weather changing at an iprehensible speed. ¡®Because of Bergelmir?¡¯ A change caused by a mere 6% release rate. A force strong enough to alter the weather. There was only one person Suhyuk knew who could show him something like this. ¡®If it was Shiwoo from the past¡­¡¯ Suhyuk shook his head with a sigh. ¡°This trial must have gone mad, sending out a boss like this.¡± His energy waspletely drained. Although it hadn¡¯t revealed itself yet, he was already sure. This couldn¡¯t be taken down. Absolutely not. Even if it was Shiwoo from the old days with full stamina, it wouldn¡¯t be achievable. Particrly now, with his energy depleted from Valha¡¯s trial and the fight with Baldur, it was impossible. ¡°This really might end up as a second run.¡± For the first time, Suhyuk let out a groan. ¨C Is he finally going to fail? ¨C Herees the second run, lol ¨C This is definitely overboard ¨C It felt iffy since they brought out that scenario hook, haha The viewers were also predicting failure. But unlike them, Suhyuk was clinging to onest hope. ¡®Even dealing with Baldur alone is already an excessive challenge.¡¯ The goal of this trial was to subdue Baldur and rescue Vi to prevent the release of Bergelmir. But even looking past Bergelmir, Baldur was not an opponent toe from the sixth floor. He was a boss with skills surpassing even several high-ranking individualsbined. ¡®Something is strange about this trial.¡¯ Was simply passing Valha¡¯s trial the correct answer? Had failure been inevitable from the moment he chose the route to save Vi? His mind was cluttered with thoughts. His stamina was at its limit, so he had to think of a way to find clues somehow. But there was no time for that. ¡°S-Suhyuk, sir.¡± Vi, shivering in the drastically lowered temperature, pointed her finger toward the sky. ¡°Th-there¡­¡± ¡°There?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze followed to where Vi was pointing beyond the dark clouds. As he looked up at the clouds, his mouth slowly fell open. ¡°No way.¡± Above the dark clouds. Within the clouds, a gigantic hand that was distinct and enormous enough to see with the naked eye was visible. A handrge enough to cover the sky. A gigantic palm stretching several kilometers long. ¨C Holy¡­ ¨C Is that a hand? ¨C That¡¯s really a giant, isn¡¯t it? ¨C That¡¯s beyond a giant; that¡¯s a mega giant¡­ -The Scale of the Trial is Insane When the ¡°Hand of Bergelmir¡± appeared, the viewers went wild again. It was a rare spectacle. No giant known so far could match that sheer size. ¡®So, they weren¡¯t just bluffing about toppling Rasderikh.¡¯ Frankly, Lee Suhyuk had been skeptical. How did they intend to bring down that enormous wall? It was obviously made of something extraordinary. But seeing that hand, he couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement. If just one hand was that immense, it was unimaginable how gigantic it would be if fully unleashed. Lying down and observing the scene, Baldur mumbled. ¡°This is the end of Midgard.¡± Emptiness, enlightenment, resignation. All these emotions were reflected in Baldur¡¯s words and expression. One shared simrity was that he was having moments of reflection, as if feeling something had concluded. ¡°Are you happy? That we¡¯re all going to die together.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t what I wanted, but¡­¡± Baldur nodded while still lying down. ¡°This too, in a small way, is revenge against those damned gods.¡± ¡°Why do you hate the gods so much?¡± Just because he couldn¡¯t enter Valha? Lee Suhyuk couldn¡¯tprehend it. Was it really that significant to the point of destroying his homnd? Suhyuk couldn¡¯t grasp the magnitude of it. ¡°It¡¯s better to die not knowing.¡± Baldur¡¯s gaze shifted from Suhyuk¡¯s back to the distant wall, Rasderikh. ¡°How repugnant those beings are.¡± ¡°Repugnant? Are you talking about Heimdall by any chance¡­¡± ¡°That repulsive god.¡± Behind Suhyuk, an obstinate and familiar voice, hard to forget, reached his ears. ¡°Are you perhaps talking about me?¡± ¡°T¡­ Tyr¡­?¡± Baldur¡¯s eyes widened. In that instant, he, who was on the verge of death, performed a surprising feat. Snap- Shuaaak- Grabbing the half-dropped sword, he quickly rose to his feet. With the sword de standing firmly, he swiftly thrust it toward Tyr¡¯s throat. But, ck- His sword tip was easily caught by Tyr¡¯s hand. ¡°Tyr-, tyyyyr-!¡± As if he had expected it to be blocked, Baldur showed no surprise at the interception. He just screamed at Tyr with such ferocity that his throat seemed to tear, and blood was almost drawn. The unexpected event left Suhyuk momentarily dazed. How could someone who was nearly dead move so fast? There was no other exnation than it being a miracle born from anger so deep that it defied reason. ¡°It seems you have resorted to these petty tricks because you see no way to kill me. I understand.¡± In contrast to Baldur¡¯s fury, Tyr spoke as if he was soothing amb. However, despite his tone, Tyr¡¯s face grew increasingly somber. ¡°But that tantrum was a bit excessive.¡± Looking up at the approaching gigantic hand, Tyr narrowed his eyes fiercely. ¡°You awakened that without even knowing what it is.¡± Crash. In Tyr¡¯s hand, Baldur¡¯s sword shattered like candy. Watching the sharp fragments fall to the ground, Baldur wore a look of utter despair. A thought crossed Lee Suhyuk¡¯s mind as he quietly observed the situation. ¡°Are you here to stop that thing, sir?¡± It had always seemed strange. No matter how you looked at it, that was not the boss that should have appeared on the sixth floor. Even Baldur was already excessively difficult, so how were they supposed to stop such a giant? If that was the destination of the test, it would have been an impossible test to clear. Therefore, there had to be another solution. And that solution was right there. ¡°I am the Regent of Midgard.¡± The god in front of them was Tyr. ¡°This is my duty, not yours.¡± ¡°For it being your duty, you sure took your time getting here.¡± -LOLOLOL LOLOLOL -LOLOLOL LOLOLOL -Oh, theter has a lot to say~ At Suhyuk¡¯s words, Tyr wore an embarrassed expression. As Suhyuk had pointed out, the governance of Midgard was Tyr¡¯s responsibility. That meant that resolving any problems in Midgard was also his duty. However, Suhyuk had been handling it so far, leaving Tyr with no room for argument. ¡°¡­ Not many dare to run their mouths at me like that.¡± Groaning, Tyr slightly bowed his head. ¡°This time¡­ indeed.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear it, then forget it. First, we need to take care of that before it gets any colder.¡± Bergelmir¡¯s hand was already close enough to cover the entire sky. The temperature continued to drop, causing the blood spilled on the ground to freeze solid. ¡°What exactly is that thing?¡± ¡°Bergelmir. A descendant of Aurgelmir and the progenitor of all frost giants.¡± Aurgelmir? Suhyuk didn¡¯t know what that was, but he understood thetter part. If Bergelmir was the progenitor of a race, especially giants, it made sense that he possessed such power and grandeur. Schrrk¡ª. Finally, Tyr drew his sword. It was an astonishingly white and long, pure white sword. With the sword drawn, he added onest exnation. ¡°And it¡¯s the giant that Odin and I sealed together.¡± ¡°Odin¡­?¡± ¨C all of a sudden? ¨C Who is this old man, and can he fight? ¨C Is this guy about to throw out his back? ?? It might have seemed like he was boasting, but there was no hint of insincerity. More importantly, his aura was genuinely serious as he held the sword. ¡°Fortunately.¡± Sssss¡ª. His sword moved as slowly as if it would make anyone yawn. His swordsmanship felt less like swinging and more like painting with a brush. ¡°Only one of its hands has been released.¡± Ssssshk¡ª. The sound of something being cut was soft yet clear. That sound came from the sky above Midgard. With a sense of disbelief, Suhyuk looked up. -No way? -????? -GOAT!!! -No way, no way, no way, no way! Splttt¡ª. Bergelmir¡¯s hand had been split into two. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 An unseasonable heavy snowfall nketed Midgard. In no time, the snow piled up so high that one¡¯s feet could almost disappear. The severed hand of Bergelmir fell and turned into snowkes. Mesmerized by this mysterious and extraordinary phenomenon, Lee Suhyuk momentarily emptied his mind and gazed at the snowy sky. ¡°It took just one strike.¡± He nced sideways and noticed beads of sweat forming on Tyr¡¯s face. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t swung his sword normally. But even so, severing such a massive hand with one strike was nothing short of astonishing. ¨C A sudden snowfall? ¨C Is that the hand from earlier? There were many inexplicable urrences in this trial. The hand of the progenitor of the frost giants was unsealed, sliced down by a god named Tyr in one blow, and that transformed into snow causing a heavy snowfall¡­ ¡°Bergelmir was Midgard¡¯s winter.¡± At Vi¡¯s words, Suhyuk looked down at her. She was beaming brightly, as if everything was over, having finished stopping the bleeding. ¡°Now, perhaps winter will be a bit warmer.¡± ¡°Do you say such things even after seeing this snow?¡± ¡°Snowfall always heralds warmer days.¡± Leaving aside her cryptic words, one thing Suhyuk realized from her statement was clear. Winter came to Midgard because Bergelmir was sealed here. That was the power of the oldest frost giant. However, Suhyuk¡¯s interesty elsewhere, rather than on Bergelmir. ¡®That old man¡­¡¯ It was focused on the identity of Tyr, who had severed Bergelmir¡¯s hand in one swift strike. ¡®He must have been an extraordinary god.¡¯ *** Rain of fire fell from the sky. ck smoke billowed upwards, forming clouds, and the mes spread across the entire mountain region. Crackle, pop, snap. ze. The fiery demon consumed thend. Cheon Ryang had to exert himself tirelessly to avoid the mes. ¡®They say he reached the pinnacle in both swordsmanship and magic¡­¡¯ Watching the hellish scenery unfold before him, Cheon Ryang broke into a cold sweat. ¡®His reputation is well-deserved.¡¯ Reinhardt¡¯s prowess was as expected. In an instant, he summoned a rain of fire from the sky, turned the mountain to ash, and split a cliff with a single strike. He not only mastered both sword and magic but also seamlessly integrated both abilities inbat. Seeing this spectacle, it was hard to believe the ridiculous nickname ¡°First Sword¡± ever suited him. ¡°Will she be okay?¡± Un Hyang and Reinhardt were still in the midst of their battle. It was pretty even still. Un Hyang dodged the rain of magic, parried his sword close, and even counterattacked at times, holding her own against Reinhardt. ¡°Did she train alone all this time?¡± The world already acknowledged Un Hyang as a genius. That much wasmon knowledge. Her moniker during the prime of her activity was ¡°Genius.¡± Even so, Cheon Ryang never imagined she could hold her ground in such a fierce battle with Reinhardt. Certainly. No matter how much, what¡¯s impossible is impossible. She heard a snicker. Un Hyang¡¯s waist got shed deeply. At the same time, an icy chill enveloped her, freezing her entire body. The sound of the ice slicing split the still air as Un Hyang escaped by cutting through it, gaining some distance. ¡°Is that Air Step? You¡¯ve mastered quite a few interesting skills, haven¡¯t you?¡± Un Hyang wiped the blood that had sshed from her waist to her face with the back of her hand. Her pupils started to turn red, little by little, as she saw her own blood. ¡°I wondered what made you so confident, but now I see. I remember now. The genius of the Murim World who went missing a few years ago is right here, it¡¯s you, right?¡± ¡°Is that something you¡¯re that curious about?¡± ¡°I have a slight connection with the Lord of the Divine Dragon Group. He seemed to be looking for that genius.¡± ¡°A¡­ connection?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s face rippled like ake disturbed by a falling stone. Divine Dragon Group. She never expected to hear that name here. ¡°Why is it? Why is a yer of your caliber acting as a manager? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°¡­Mister?¡± ¡°Let me ask you one thing. That connection you mentioned, is it a good one or a bad one?¡± At the sudden question, Reinhardt took a moment to read her intentions. ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°If I had to choose, it wasn¡¯t a bad one. I created a magic scroll for him as per his request.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s lips quivered slightly. She endured a sharp headache triggered by memories she didn¡¯t want to recall as she asked, ¡°What kind of scroll was it?¡± ¡°It was a curse-type magic that amplified pain. He said it would be used for torture.¡± Un Hyang bowed her head at Reinhardt¡¯s unbothered face, as if to say, ¡®Why does it matter?¡¯ ¡°It¡­ wasn¡¯t for torture.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was for training, to endure pain.¡± Saying so, Un Hyang tightly squeezed her eyes shut. She didn¡¯t want to remember. She shouldn¡¯t remember. When she opened her eyes, she saw Reinhardt standing there. ¡°It was a bad connection from the start, huh.¡± she muttered to herself. Beyond her association with Lee Suhyuk. Now, she had one more reason to kill him. ¡°For you and me.¡± Crackle, whoosh¡­ The mes that covered the forest began to flicker slightly. Like a fierce rainstorm blowing past, the mes rapidly started to lose strength and extinguish one by one. ¡°¡­?¡± Reinhardt frowned, sensing something amiss in the sudden phenomenon. ¡®What was this? This ominous feeling¡­¡¯ Without any prior indication or the activation of a special skill, the mes he had summoned were dying out. He felt defiant. It felt as though if these mes were to go out, it would mean his defeat. ¡®How unpleasant.¡¯ He snapped his fingers lightly. That was more than enough for him to turn the surroundings into a sea of fire once again. But why? Sizzle¡­ The fire did not ignite and died out feebly. ¡°There must have been some cost. It was a forbidden creation after all.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s voice echoed from all directions. The surrounding mes that had been so abundant vanished without a trace. The blinding, zing fire extinguished, leaving behind thick darkness. In that darkness, Reinhardt felt an eerie sense of doom. It felt as if something within that darkness would appear and tear at his nape like a beast. The premonition was so chilling, it turned into a tangible reality, bing visible before his eyes. Directly through Un Hyang. ¡°What was the cost? Was it the honor of gilding your proud face? Or points? Which one was it?¡± ¡®That is¡­¡¯ Reinhardt¡¯s eyes widened as Un Hyang¡¯s essence began to materialize. The aura, ck and crimson, started wrapping around her body like armor. It looked as if a demon was possessing a person and controlling them. ¡®No way.¡¯ The thought that shed through his mind quickly made Reinhardt shake his head in denial. ¡®No. It couldn¡¯t be.¡¯ If she had a disciple, it wouldn¡¯t have gone unnoticed. It would have caused a massive uproar in this tower, like a huge storm. Above all, she was a disciple of the Divine Dragon Group. She had to be. Gulp-. If not¡­ He was as good as dead, here and now. ¡°Could it be¡­ that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about ¡®could it be¡¯.¡± Un Hyang cut off Reinhardt¡¯s words sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t harbor any sense of hope.¡± Her voice still echoed, but this time he could determine the direction. Reinhardt turned his head to the side. Her voice came from right beside his ear. Drip-. Before he knew it, a de was pressed tightly against his throat. Her sword dug into his throat, right at his Adam¡¯s apple. ¡°Answer before I rip out your tongue and cut off your limbs. Then you may die a quick death.¡± At that moment, Reinhardt was certain. He understood why Un Cheon-guk, who seemed to have iron in his veins instead of blood, had desperately sought Un Hyang. And he epted that he was about to die. ¡°It costs a lot to learn magic.¡± That response was sufficient. Before his death, Reinhardt voiced hisst curiosity. ¡°How did you¡­ be a Divi¡­¡± sh-. But, Before he could finish his question, let alone receive an answer, his throat lost function. Thud, his head fell lifelessly. Once everything was over, the surrounding darkness dissipated. Feeling the strength drain from her body, Un Hyang copsed to the ground. It wasn¡¯t from exhaustion. No matter how firmly she prepared herself, she had crossed a line she should never have crossed. Shiver, shiver-. Her hands, shoulders, and entire body trembled like an aspen. As she tried to steady her uncontroble body and crouch down on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s good you won, but I can¡¯t praise you.¡± A voice, causing her body to tremble a little less, rang out. Un Hyang stopped crouching and looked up. There stood Cheon Ryang, attempting to conceal his surprise. ¡°Are you crazy? You said you wouldn¡¯t use it even if it killed you. And for someone else¡¯s matter, not even your own?¡± ¡°It is¡­ my own matter.¡± ¡°Then why are you trembling?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you tremble as well?¡± There was nothing more to say. No one knew better how long Un Hyang had been holding back more than Cheon Ryang. The power she had just used to kill Reinhardt was her most forbidden ability, one she should never have unleashed. In the end, Cheon Ryang could not hide his pity for her and spoke. ¡°If you start using this, Uncle will never give up on you.¡± The darkness that devoured the mes of the forest. This was exactly why the Divine Dragon Group and Un Cheon-guk desired her. So, to avoid all of this, she chose to seal off what they wanted. No. Even if it wasn¡¯t because of that, it would have been the same. She despised everything she had learned from the Divine Dragon Group. ¡°And also¡­¡± ¡°Ryang.¡± Cheon Ryang stopped talking at the sound of her sweet, melting voice. Even though he wanted to keep nagging out of frustration, he knew the truth. ¡°I know everything too.¡± She probably knew all of this better than anyone, tenfold, even a hundredfold over. ¡°But we can¡¯t keep running away forever.¡± The Divine Dragon Group found their location. They were too powerful to face just with Un Hyang¡¯s strength, and he himself was too feeble and insignificant. Sometimes he would wonder. Was this power that Un Hyang possessed truly something she learned from the Divine Dragon Group? He had pondered this countless times, beyond hundreds of times, but he never asked. Because he knew it was something she hated the most. ¡°¡­ Is it because of me?¡± So this time, he asked something different. He couldn¡¯t bear not speaking, feeling like everything was entirely his fault. But then. ¡°Ryang.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s watch the stream.¡± At Un Hyang¡¯s abrupt words, Cheon Ryang was stunned into silence. He opened and closed his mouth several times, not knowing how to react, and finally asked. ¡°Do you want to watch a stream in this situation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you want to change the subject, at least do it properly-¡± It was then. He noticed her body trembling slightly. She was pressing down on her own shoulders desperately to stop the shaking. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to watch it now.¡± ¡°¡­ You always do this.¡± In the end, Cheon Ryang reluctantly took out his device and turned on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. In truth, he had a vague idea. Why she was so obsessed with a streamer named Lee Suhyuk. Yes, it made sense. Now, more than ever, she needed Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. His existence had been her hope for decades. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Lee Suhyuk looked out the window while tending to Vi¡¯s bedside. Snow was still falling outside. At a nce, it looked as if it had piled up halfway to bury even a grown man. Vi was in a deep sleep. She must have been exhausted from losing so much blood. As he changed the wet cloth on her forehead, Suhyuk recalled the words she had spoken. ¡®That old man¡­¡¯ Tyr, a god of Asgard who had, with a single sh, severed Bergelmir¡¯s hand. ¡°He¡¯s an ancient god who, along with Odin, established Asgard.¡± The god of swords and war,w and duels. The order of Asgard was maintained by his hands. He held one of the highest ranks and possessed tremendous power in Asgard. ¡®No wonder he looks so old.¡¯ Humans believed that gods were immortal. And indeed, their lifespans allowed them to live what seemed like an eternity from a human perspective. Because of this prolonged lifespan, they hardly aged. Even someone like Vi, who was over a thousand years old, remained utterly beautiful without a single wrinkle. So, how old must Tyr be to look that aged? ¡°I thought he was just a god with a nasty personality¡ª¡± Suhyuk spoke into the microphone, careful not to wake Vi. ¡°Turns out, he¡¯s a high-ranking old god.¡± ¨C You still call him ¡®old man¡¯, huh, LOL ¨C Suhyuk¡¯s opinion: Tyr, the old man who lovesw and war ¨C But seriously, what can you do if he¡¯s a god, LOL While chatting briefly with the viewers, he heard someone approaching from outside the door. There was only one person who would visit here. Conscious of Vi, the person didn¡¯te inside but waited outside the door. Suhyuk carefully got up and walked towards the door where Tyr was waiting. His face was still full of dissatisfaction. ¡°You certainly took your timeing out.¡± ¡°Why hurry? As long as I¡¯m quick at other times.¡± Tyr was left speechless by Suhyuk¡¯s subtle reproach. When it came to being quick or slow, no number of words would suffice. ¡°Follow me. We need to talk.¡± Without waiting for Suhyuk¡¯s response, Tyr started walking first. Suhyuk watched his retreating figure. He didn¡¯t want to spend more time with this stubborn old god, but he had no other choice. ¡®The trial isn¡¯t over yet.¡¯ They had prevented Bergelmir¡¯s seal from breaking, but the trial wasn¡¯t finished. If the trial had concluded, he should have received a message. Yet, there had been no such message. This meant one of two things. Either there was still work to be done, or the reward calctions were dyed. Suhyuk felt it was likely thetter. ¡®That old man must be holding onto it.¡¯ Following Tyr, Suhyuk persisted. ¡°You said you had something to say?¡± When Tyr hesitated for a long time, Suhyuk urged him to speak. There must have been a reason he called for him but was hesitating to talk. ¡°Baldur was the greatest in Midgard.¡± The story he started to tell after a long silence was somewhat out of the blue. ¡°If that fellow had been a Valkyrie, the position of Brynhild would have been his by now.¡± ¡°Is the leader of the Valkyries that weak?¡± The Brynhild Lee Suhyuk had experienced was already a master of weaponry for a long time. Not only was she superior in terms of the amount of magical power and physical ability, but Baldur¡¯s swordsmanship was far below hers. ¡°Don¡¯t be arrogant. It doesn¡¯t mean Baldur is stronger than Brynhild. It just means if he wasn¡¯t half of what he is.¡± Apparently, Baldur was quite recognized even amongst the gods of Valha. Tyr, who had roamed the battlefield with Odin and established Asgard,pared Baldur to the leader of the Valkyries, no less. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between the two?¡± ¡°Birth.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s not a god.¡± Tyr, who was walking with his hands behind his back, nodded. It was an obvious question with an unchanged answer, but for some reason, it slightly irritated him. Ultimately, this situation stemmed from the gods¡¯ irrational and obstinate attitudes. ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°Tyr¡­ Tyr-r-!¡± It was still vivid. Baldur¡¯s cry as he screamed Tyr¡¯s name. His wail was as desperate and deste as a beast whose offspring had been snatched away. ¡°And what happened between the humans and the gods?¡± ¡°You ask too many questions.¡± ¡°Are you dodging again?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tyr, who was leading, turned his body around. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll answer.¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°Although I haven¡¯t grown fond of you, I owe you.¡± Tyr remembered his promise with Suhyuk. And because of this incident, he owed him, deciding to answer Suhyuk¡¯s questions. However, Suhyuk did not expect this stubborn-looking old man to acknowledge him andply so easily. ¡°Thank you for protecting Midgard. I should say this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s surprising. You seemed to dislike me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s humanity I dislike. And you are among them.¡± Tyr¡¯s gaze flicked toward Suhyuk¡¯s hand and then returned. ¡°Well, I do dislike you a bit more than others.¡± ¡°So you still don¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯ve done, do you?¡± Suhyuk recalled what he had done. If he was talking about the matter at hand, it was naturally preventing the seal of Bergelmir from breaking. That was the purpose of this trial, and having aplished it, he was awaiting his reward. And perhaps this meeting with Tyr was likely to be that reward. ¡°The poption of Midgard is 600 million. Bergelmir had the power to annihte all of Midgard.¡± ¡°600 million people? No matter what, that much? ¡°When it gets colder and the hearths freeze here, how many do you think would survive? Before they even have a chance to fight, the ¡®half¡¯ of Midgard would have frozen standing.¡± Even sealed, Bergelmir, the ancestor of the Frost Giant, had created winter in Midgard. If he had been released from the seal, things could very well have gone as Tyr said. ¡°And you think that¡¯s all? If his n had seeded and Ragnarok began, it might have resulted in a full-scale war between gods and giants.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s head spun as he listened to Tyr¡¯s story. The viewers listening along with him felt the same way. -What¡¯s with the scale? ¨C A sudden rise in status is really funny lol ¨C Are you saying you¡¯re just going to brush it off with a few words?? ¨C Well, they do say one word can settle a thousand gold debts ¨C Is that even possible? lol That seemed right. No matter how you thought about it, this wasn¡¯t something that could be glossed over with just a few words. ording to this, Suhyuk was the savior of Asgard. Even the stubborn Tyr couldn¡¯t deny this fact. ¡°Then let¡¯s settle thatter.¡± And naturally, Suhyuk had no intention of brushing this aside with mere words. ¡°Tell me about this first. Starting with Baldur.¡± ¡°I brought news of that guy¡¯s wife. It was me.¡± Tyr¡¯s words continued. ¡°Why¡­ why¡­.¡± ¡°She challenged Valha. Not once, but twice.¡± This was a story from over a thousand years ago. Back when Baldur was the captain of Asgard¡¯s guard. His wife, who had spent half her life with him, returned as a cold corpse. ¡°Heimdall¡¯s forgiveness is only once. The second time, there is no mercy.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t he impossible to surpass in the first ce!¡± Baldur and his wife had once challenged Valha. It was to keep their promise of entering Valha together and finding happiness. However, during Valha¡¯s trial, they encountered Heimdall and were frustrated when they couldn¡¯t ovee that barrier. Baldur gave up and epted it. Only gods chosen at birth could enter Valha. On the other hand, ¡°Exactly. You all should give up. Surrender. But sometimes, there are those like his wife who did not give up.¡± Baldur¡¯s wife did not give up. She didn¡¯t extinguish her dream of someday going to Valha and challenged it once again. ¡°So, did you console the guy who lost his wife?¡± ¡°I told him.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°She was punished for trying to fly without wings.¡± ¨C Wow, such a jerk; ¨C Terrible personality ¨C Is this guy for real? Gritting his teeth tightly, Suhyuk clenched his fist, feeling a surge of anger. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Building a wall called Rasderikh, drawing a line between gods and non-gods. Baldur and his wife were shunned by the gods just because they had human blood. It was iprehensible. Why did they hate humans so much? ¡°This would also answer your second question.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s question. ¡°Is it rted to that arm and your hatred for humans?¡± It was a question about the missing arm of Tyr. At that time, he had just asked for it as part of a mission. ¡°It was humans who did this to my arm.¡± That appeared to be the correct answer. ¡®Humans?¡¯ It was an answer not easily believed. Without having witnessed Tyr¡¯s prowess, one might have doubted, but Suhyuk knew he was not a being who would fall to humans. His power was so immense that he could split Midgard¡¯s winter with a single strike. ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not enough yet.¡± Suhyuk shook his head. Though he had received an answer, he still did not fullyprehend it. ¡°That exins why you hate humans, but it doesn¡¯t exin why Asgard hates humans.¡± Not all gods of Asgard were one-armed like Tyr. His exnation was a personal reason, not that of Asgard as a whole. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go and hear it yourself.¡± ¡°Go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± Tyr pulled out a stiff feather and a broken piece of a sword from his bosom and handed them to Suhyuk. ¡°It¡¯s the feather of the owl thatys golden eggs. It¡¯s your passage to Valha. Just say it¡¯s from me.¡± ¡°And the other one?¡± ¡°Just take it first. If anyone asks where you got it, tell them it¡¯s from me as well.¡± Suhyuk looked at the gift Tyr handed to him. As expected, the meeting with Tyr was to settle the rewards of this mission. However, the reward was not quite what he had anticipated. ¡®Entering Valha is a given¡­ the additional item is this sword piece.¡¯ A single piece of a broken sword with no clear purpose. With just this, he couldn¡¯t judge whether the reward was good or bad. Most likely, it was rted to the follow-up test. ¡®It seems I¡¯ll only understand it by seeing it through to the end.¡¯ Still, gaining entry to Valha was a sess. In doing so, he had achieved one of his primary goals. Suhyuk¡¯s objective was to meet the gods of Valha and obtain the remaining half of the Heart of Thunder. Just as he was receiving Tyr¡¯s gift, ¡°I wonder if the gods who bear the same wounds as mine will recognize you.¡± Tyr¡¯s words held deep meaning. Just when Suhyuk was about to ask what he meant by ¡®the same wounds¡¯, he was interrupted. ¡ºStage ? ¨C Passed ¡®Bergelmir¡¯.¡» ¡ºAcquired ¡®Feather of the Owl that Lays Golden Eggs¡¯.¡» ¡ºEntry to Valha is now possible.¡» ¡ºAcquired ¡®???¡¯s Sword Piece¡¯.¡» ¡º100,000 points acquired.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡ºPassed the test of the 6th floor.¡» Suhyuk¡¯s sixth test concluded. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Footsteps echoed rhythmically through the vintage corridor. Hwang Gyuseong followed behind Cha Minwoo. Outside the window, a pond with swimming carp and a fountain came into view. ¡°The world sure has improved a lot. Wonder how many points they splurged on this.¡± Bang-! Crack, crackle-. With a light punch, the wall shattered, causing cracks to spread in all directions. Cha Minwoo had lost count of how many times he had been surprised by this side of Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s personality. ¡®Is it refreshing, or just brute strength?¡¯ nce-. Cha Minwoo cautiously nced at Hwang Gyuseong, who was following as if nothing had happened. ¡®Or maybe he¡¯s just angry.¡¯ The time they had spent together was by no means short. Lee Wonjae had assigned Cha Minwoo to monitor and apany Hwang Gyuseong. But throughout their time together, all he learned about him was his personality. Fiery, wild, and at certain moments, chillingly rational. It was Lee Wonjae who had summoned Hwang Gyuseong for the current situation. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived?¡± He was not waiting in the room but hade out to greet them. Clearly, he had been eagerly waiting for Hwang Gyuseong. ¡°Come on in. It must have been a long journey.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared some refreshments inside.¡± Lee Wonjae treated Hwang Gyuseong with great reverence, as if addressing a new guild master to rece Kim Ilsoo. Inside, as Lee Wonjae mentioned, food had been prepared. Most of it was snacks suited for conversation, but there was enough to fill one¡¯s belly. Crunch-. As Hwang Gyuseong bit into a cookie, he sat on the ledge of the innermost bookshelf. ¡°Kill Kim Ilsoo, you say?¡± His demeanor was arrogant yet natural. A posture that only someone with immense confidence in their skills could disy. ¡°It¡¯s an appealing proposal. But how?¡± ¡°Hwang Gyuseong-nim, you must do it yourself.¡± ¡°You want to use me as a pawn? Fine by me. Knowing your motives puts me at ease.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll set the stage for you.¡± Hwang Gyuseong knew from the beginning. Lee Wonjae had chosen him because he needed a powerful shot to take on Kim Ilsoo. ¡°Calling you a pawn hurts. This is a fight where I lose if you fail.¡± ¡°Sucking up to me won¡¯t win you any bonus points. Fine, go ahead and set up the stage. But until this starts, I need to be a dead man. You get that?¡± ¡°Understood. I will keep that in mind.¡± A question mark appeared over Cha Minwoo¡¯s face. What did this mean? He had to be a dead man? In fact, Hwang Gyuseong had indeed been like a dead man for over 20 years. While he had thought there must be a reason, this conversation revealed that it was Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s own choice. There was something between the two of them that he didn¡¯t know. He wanted to ask but decided against it. It was certain that even if he asked, it wasn¡¯t a story he could get an answer to. ¡°Has the date been set?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the day the challenge starts.¡± The festival that was now just around the corner. Lee Suhyuk had prepared a special event for that festival. ¡°Let¡¯s kill him there. Kim Ilsoo.¡± * * * Half a day had passed since the trial ended. Upon arriving at the prepared lodging, Suhyuk was the first to fall asleep. The mental fatigue weighed heavily on his body, making it impossible to keep his eyes open. Even when he woke up, Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang were nowhere to be seen. They had clearly said they would arrive first. ¡ºUn Hyang: Got dyed due to some circumstances. Please rest ^^¡» A message sent with an unusual use of an emoticon. It seemed something was truly up. ¡®It better not be someone else again.¡¯ The first thing that came to mind after receiving the message was the recent event. The martial artists from Divine Dragon Group who hade to take away Un Hyang. Among them was even Cha Unhyeop, one of the members of the challenge. Although they managed to get through it somehow, Cha Unhyeop had returned alive that day. If he hade back for Un Hyang¡­. But fortunately, his bad premonition was off the mark. However, it was true that someone hade. ¡°Reinhardt came?¡± Suhyuk repeated Un Hyang¡¯s words after she returned to the lodging. It was apletely unexpected name. He expected something to happen, but he didn¡¯t imagine it would be because of Reinhardt. ¡°Why did that guye looking for the manager?¡± ¡°Why else? It¡¯s because of you, Suhyuk.¡± Cheon Ryang¡¯s tone had a slightly grumbling edge. Un Hyang quickly added some supplementary information, pinching his slightly protruding lip. ¡°A streamer¡¯s affairs usually go through their manager. That¡¯s the order of things.¡± ¡°This time, it wasn¡¯t because of those matters, though.¡± ¡°What?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s eyes widened at Suhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s about?¡± ¡°I have a hunch.¡± ¡°Then, that¡¯s really¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was no particr reason to hide it from the two. ¡°I killed him. Isaac.¡± ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s hand went limp, and Cheon Ryang¡¯s jaw dropped with a look of astonishment. ¡°Then did Reinhardt die in vain?¡± The anger Reinhardt harbored, seeking to avenge his son, wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding. The ones who misunderstood were Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang, who had unconditionally believed Suhyuk. ¡°Is there a reason why?¡± ¡°Because he tried to kill me.¡± Just as simple as that. From Suhyuk¡¯s point of view, that son of a gun deserved nothing less than death. ¡°So, I did the same to him.¡± Suhyuk briefly exined the long-standing incidents. He hadn¡¯t experienced them directly, but the memories of the bullying lingered. The provocations from their first encounter, and the eventual assault that crossed the line. Cheon Ryang¡¯s response after hearing the story was straightforward. ¡°He really was someone who deserved to die.¡± Un Hyang, standing next to him, nodded in agreement. ¡°If you had told the same story, would Reinhardt have backed off?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°I know him, a little.¡± Reinhardt was a ranker who had participated in the confrontation events from long ago. And during that time, Suhyuk had shed with him multiple times. Whatever transpired between Suhyuk and Isaac probably wasn¡¯t of interest to him. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve watched a lot of streams.¡± Of course, the two people who didn¡¯t know this could only think so. Finished with his exnation, Suhyuk took a sip of tea and looked at Un Hyang¡¯s face. He felt a bit sorry for seemingly dragging her into the mess, but he couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity. ¡°Was it difficult to handle him?¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Thinking the conversation had ended, Un Hyang spewed tea onto Suhyuk¡¯s face as he took a sip. With his face drenched, Suhyuk wiped away the moisture with one hand. ¡°Oh, um¡­ sorry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Was my question that tough?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ it just came suddenly¡­¡± ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that a dishcloth?¡± Un Hyang was obviously flustered, to the point where she¡¯d grabbed a dishcloth instead of a handkerchief to wipe Suhyuk¡¯s face. ¡®Looks like there¡¯s something there.¡¯ It did feel a bit strange. He had researched extensively about Reinhardt. Since he had killed Isaac, Suhyuk considered Reinhardt an inevitable opponent he would have to confront sooner orter. Despite the silly nickname Reinhardt earned after losing to Suhyuk, he was not someone to be underestimated. Considering the length of time he had been active as a ranker, it was even longer than Suhyuk¡¯s own. The umted knowledge and experience over that period made him an exceptional swordmaster. No matter how skilled Un Hyang was, even matching Cha Unhyeop, facing Reinhardt would not have been easy. ¡®Seems she doesn¡¯t want to talk about it.¡¯ This time, she brought a proper towel instead of a dishcloth. Wiping his face, Suhyuk decided not to pry any further. Just as he had his own secrets, she likely had hers as well. ¡°How about we talk about work?¡± Cheon Ryang hastily changed the subject. Suhyuk, who also wanted to move on, put down the towel and pretended not to notice, nodding in agreement. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°In conclusion, this stream was a huge sess.¡± She had prepared beforehand, turning on the screen to show the data. ¡°The peak number of viewers surpassed 90,000, with an average of 60,000 viewers. And even that number was constantly on the rise.¡± ¡°The coboration stream was truly effective.¡± The only difference between this stream and thest was one thing. It was the coboration with ¡°Bald Suhyuk¡±. From that point on, the attention to Suhyuk¡¯s stream changed significantly. ¡°The coboration with Bald Suhyuk was a sess, and the trial themes were perfect. The process and results speak for themselves.¡± Everything was perfect except for one thing. There was somethingcking in this stream. And that something was very important to Suhyuk. ¡°The only regret is the profit¡­¡± It was the revenue from the stream. ¡°Honestly, from Balhae¡¯s perspective, it doesn¡¯t matter much. The donation money goes entirely to Suhyuk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s Balhae¡¯s perspective, not mine.¡± Although Un Hyang was an employee of Balhae, she was currently the person who rooted for Suhyuk¡¯s sess more than anyone else. The main reason Suhyuk was streaming was for points. ¡°If you add up the small missions, it¡¯s not bad. Sure, the donation money is less than thest stream, but still.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we gave up on the biggest mission.¡± The spontaneous scenario to stop Bergelmir¡¯s seal appeared while Suhyuk was in the middle of a mission. In terms of points alone, it was right to safely take the trial of Valha. But that was absolutely impossible. No matter how urgently he needed points, it wasn¡¯t worth shaking the direction of the trial. ¡°Thanks to that, the stream stayed true to the content of the trial. That¡¯s why it received such positive feedback.¡± Cheon Ryang showed a message from thepany. It was a message about signing a new contract. Below it was the detailed content of the contract. ¡°The advertising rates have increased several times. We also got a major advertisement.¡± ¡°A major advertisement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a brand called Saint Lorek. They mainly manufacture equipment used by rankers.¡± Ranker-level meant Suhyuk¡¯s current status. yers who reached the 7th floor were generally grouped as rankers. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of them, right?¡± ¡°No way I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Saint Lorek was a brand known even when Suhyuk was actively ying. They supplied equipment inrge quantities while maintaining decent quality. ¡°I¡¯m not quite pleased.¡± An advertisement would mean having to use their items directly in the stream. But Suhyuk had no intention of taking trials using mass-produced equipment. ¡°The advertising rate is 600,000 points.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened at that amount. 600,000 points. It was a considerable sum to just let go. ¡°¡­They certainly are generous, being a big corporation.¡± ¡°Take your time to think about it. There¡¯s still plenty of time.¡± For Balhae, the advertisement was also an opportunity not to be missed. Unlike donations, advertisements were split between Balhae and Suhyuk. The 600,000 points lingered in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. While pondering, he came up with a good idea. ¡°By the way, can we use that advertisement in content other than the trial?¡± As long as he used the items in the stream, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue. ¡°Other content? It shouldn¡¯t be impossible¡­ Have you already decided on the next content?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had nned the content long before, not just recently. A festival made by yers with blood. ¡°The Tournament.¡± The preliminaries for the Tournament were imminent. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 ¡°Really? He epted?¡± John Dale jumped from his seat upon receiving a call from Un Hyang. His voice was loud enough that he felt the nces of people outside the team leader¡¯s office. ¡°Yes. But he wants to use it for something other than the test.¡± ¡°Other content? What is it now?¡± ¡°The tournament.¡± ¡°The tournament? Streamer Lee Suhyuk?¡± This was unexpected. Having reached the 7th floor, he was now eligible to participate in the tournament. However, participating without joining a guild did not offer much benefit. ¡®Is it really for the content?¡¯ If that was the case, it made sense. But somehow, it didn¡¯t feel like that. ¡®This is different from his usual behavior.¡¯ Since starting his stream, Streamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s goal had solely been points. He began streaming not out of special interest in fame or the profession itself, but purely for the points. Starting from the very beginning, the goals of Streamer Lee Suhyuk and Lee Suhyuk had diverged drastically. But why then? ¡®They seem so simr.¡¯ No matter how he looked at it, the two felt alike. Watching the streams felt like witnessing Lee Suhyuk¡¯s life tranted directly to the screen. A so-called ¡°money-crazed¡± streamer enamored by points. ¡®That¡¯s part of his charm as a streamer, though¡­¡¯ Even so, entering the tournament? This was going too far in resembling Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Boss?¡± ¡°Ah, yes?¡± John Dale snapped back to reality at Un Hyang¡¯s call. The call wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°Alright, if it¡¯s confirmed, we should announce it in advance. Make it a hot topic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already preparing for it.¡± ¡°How about some special events since it¡¯s unique content? Like giving prizes for predicting the rankings?¡± ¡°Great minds think alike, huh? I¡¯ve already put up a report for that.¡± John Dale clicked his tongue in amazement at her prompt response. Not too long ago, she was someone who couldn¡¯t perform well for years. Yet now, she was showing abilities surpassing many veteran managers. ¡°Why are you working so hard these days? It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to just ck off and take my sry, but I really like the streamer I¡¯m handling.¡± John Dale chuckled at Un Hyang¡¯s cheerful tone. But then, he suddenly remembered the guilt he harbored towards her. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry about the Reinhardt incident.¡± ¡°So, you do feel bad.¡± Her voice was cold, but it didn¡¯t convey any major grievances. Thankfully, she managed to ovee the challenge he had dumped on her. ¡°How did you really solve it? Did you fight?¡± He knew well of Un Hyang¡¯s prowess. It was John Dale who hid her in Balhae, knowing she was a genius of the Murim World. Even so, he never expected she could defeat Reinhardt. What John Dale counted on was her background. The massive backing of the Divine Dragon Group. That should be enough to suppress Reinhardt to some extent. But then. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Her enigmatic response only stoked his unease further. Lee Suhyuk checked the dates remaining until the tournament. ¡®Eleven days left.¡¯ He felt a sense of urgency. Inwardly, he questioned whether it was right to participate in this uing tournament. His current skills were not all that exceptional. However, avoiding it just because hecked confidence was not an option. If his strength was insufficient, he had to find a way to bridge the gap in the remaining time. With that thought in mind, Suhyuk decided to act. [¡îNotice¡î] [I decided to participate in the preliminaries of this tournament. Although my skills are stillcking, I will climb as high as I can. Please give me your support.] A short and concise notice. It was a notice written with difficulty at Un Hyang¡¯s request. He had pondered over it a lot, but simplicity was truly the best for conveying information. Though he heard a fewints about theck of finesse, fortunately, the response was enthusiastic. ©¸ ??? Tournament? Really? ©¸ Do you think you are really good just because people say you are? ©¸ To be honest, you are really good. ©¸ No, you are not. ©¸ Still, it¡¯s too soon for the tournament, lol. Negativements were attached to the notice. For yers, the tournament was a sacred domain. Especially for yers in a world where their lives were at risk, it was even more so. Moreover, Suhyuk had just reached the 7th floor. For the viewers, the floor level represented by a number was more important than the visible skills. It was only natural. It was far more intuitive. ¡°Only criticisms.¡± Looking at thements, Suhyuk eventually turned off the disy. There was no need to be disheartened. He was confident that he could change public opinion quickly. There were more important matters right now. [Owned Points: 528,128p] 528,000. Seeing the substantial amount in his pocket, he felt momentarily uplifted. Most of these points had been acquired by extracting them from the guilds. It was a delightful yet challenging concern. How should he spend this? Recently, he had been using all the points he earned for Jinwoon¡¯s procedures. But there was a drawback to the procedures. ¡®They take too long.¡¯ The time it took to travel back and forth to the Murim World, and the time spent on procedures. Adding all that up would waste half of the remaining time. Before the tournament started, Suhyuk wanted to take the next test if possible. So, there was only one way. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Back to basics. It was time to rediscover the reason he began streaming. [320,000 points have been used.] [The skill level of ¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv6¡¯ has increased.] [You have acquired ¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv7¡¯.] ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ had always been the cornerstone skill Lee Suhyuk used whenever he wielded lightning. Investing points to level up a skill meant that its level would increase, and its effects would be more potent. This skill, which devoured a staggering 320,000 points in one go, now required 640,000 points for the next level. Thud-. Suhyuk headed straight for a nearby hunting ground. The world of the seventh floor showcased a stark contrast between city and nature. Unlike the gothic architectural city, the outskirts were nothing short of wilderness. It was known as the world with the highest number of monsters. Once outside the city, countless monsters awaited. Hiss, hiss-. Squeak, squeak-. The cries of monsters echoed from the bushes. The sounds were faint, deliberately hushed rather than distant. ¡°You guys know too.¡± Knock-. He halted his steps and surveyed his surroundings. He had ventured in deeply enough. By now, the area was teeming with monsters. ¡°You know that I¡¯m here to hunt.¡± The monsters had better intuition than most rankers who walked around with their chests puffed out. They recognized that Suhyuk¡¯s solitary presence here was no ident. Realizing this, they likely called theirrades from all directions. Growl-! From the middle of the bushes, a monster, unable to withstand its hunger, lunged forward. But Suhyuk hadn¡¯te here expecting just one. sh-! Boom-! Lightning emanated from his punch, exploding the monster¡¯s body. The shattered pieces of the monster¡¯s corpse scattered in the air. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv7¡¯ resists damage from ¡®lightning¡¯.] So far, it felt like nothing. Even his stamina had increased significantly, making it impossible to feel any substantial penalties from the lightning at this stage. ¡°Today¡¯s objectives are two.¡± Crackle-. Blue currents of electricity seeped from the glove on his right hand. He squinted momentarily from the stinging sensation. [¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv7¡¯ resists damage from ¡®thunder¡¯.] Soon, Suhyuk felt a sense offort and continued speaking. ¡°It¡¯s going to sting a bit.¡± Buzz-. He used his fingertips to draw in the air, forming an image. A blue current extended longer, taking the shape of a spear. Gripping the thunder in his hand, Suhyuk hurled it with all his might toward the forest in front of him. sh-. Boom¨Cwooooom-! The thunder, screaming through the air, shattered the trees of the forest, spreading out like a fan. The bodies of the monsters swept away by that force were nowhere to be seen. Even if they had any substantial defense, it was unlikely they would survive there. ¡®The power is indeed strong.¡¯ Thunder differed in nature from the lightning he had dealt with so far. While lightning focused more on speed than destructive power, thunder excelled in destructive force. Of course, the creation speed of this technique was somewhat slower, but in situations where a powerful strike was needed, thunder felt several levels superior to lightning. ¡®The problem is merging the strengths of both.¡¯ Thunder and lightning. He had clearly understood the properties of these two forces. The challengey ahead. Combining the strengths of both forces. Creating a technique that merged the destructive power of thunder with the speed of lightning, utilizing only their advantages. And there was one more thing. ¡°I¡¯ve spent a lot of precious points on this.¡± 320,000 points. A bit more, and it would be enough toplete the remaining procedure for Jinwoon. Having given up all that to pour into this, he had to extract the maximum benefit possible. Grrr-. As Suhyuk¡¯s attacks continued, the monsters began to reveal themselves one by one. Suhyuk removed his stifling mask and bared his teeth toward them. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far we can go.¡± * * * At the center of the ruined forest. Suhyuk sat on a tree stump left as a makeshift chair, taking a rest. ¡®I¡¯ve leveled up once.¡¯ It seemed he had caught quite a lot. This proved that his sustainability had increased that much. ¡®The effect has undoubtedly increased.¡¯ The effect of the Skill ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ was certainly powerful. The skill effectively suppressed the penalties of both lightning and thunder and reduced the burden on his body. As the skill level increased, the required points also increased. And as the required points increased, the efficacy of the skill grew exponentially. However, Suhyuk faced a new problem as the skill¡¯s effect intensified. ¡®Am I bing too reliant on the skill?¡¯ The emptiness he felt right after using lightning and thunder was growing stronger. It wasn¡¯t entirely bad. It meant his capability to handle lightning had expanded that much. Yet, as that happened, his shorings became increasingly evident. The skill ¡°lightning¡± was a versatile skill capable of reinforcing physical abilities by enveloping the body in energy, besides having powerful offensive capabilities. In fact, Suhyuk had been fighting battles based on the excellent firepower of the lightning skill, which he had mastered for a long time. However, in the long term, it was inevitably a war of attrition that consumed his stamina. No matter how much the ¡°Selfish Sacrifice¡± skill leveled up, that wouldn¡¯t change. Ultimately, his current self would be exposed if his stamina ran out. ¡°There¡¯s no time¡­.¡± To supplement this, what was crucial was attaining a higher level and better stats. If his other stats could support him to the extent that he wouldn¡¯t need to burn his stamina to use lightning, there wouldn¡¯t be a need for a war of attrition using lightning. Existing rankers had built their abilities through leveling up via hunting and oveing trials. On the other hand, Suhyuk had been using shortcuts like lightning, Selfish Sacrifice, and procedures. Until now, those were the best choices avable. Leveling up through hunting took too much time after all. To catch up to Kim Ilsoo in a short period, he had no choice but to rely on significant rewards from trials, procedures, and skill support. But Suhyuk understood. One cannot reach the pinnacle with just one skill. ¡°I need to find a way.¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 A new issue had emerged in the yers Community. ¡ª ? Summary of Fake Suhyuk¡¯s Broadcast ? ¡º(Photo) Unforgivable, trembling with anger¡» ¡ª The post included a picture of Lee Suhyuk carrying Vi on his shoulder. Strangely, Suhyuk¡¯s hand appeared to be near Vi¡¯s thigh. It might have been a coincidence, but the author of the post had blown up the photo significantly. That single photo set themunity aze. ¡ª ¨C I want to go to Asgard too¡­ ¨C Bro, donate all your virtue points ¨C Pay off my debts too ¨C Honestly, guys over there are the real deal ¡ª With a peak viewership of 90,000. Suhyuk¡¯s stream had grown so much that it could no longer be called a ¡®small-time¡¯ channel. ¡ª ¨C Look at this guy, how did he grow so big ¨C Already on the 7th floor ¨C ?? I heard he was on the 3rd floor ¨C 3rd floor? That¡¯s old news, lol ¡ª In terms of viewership as well as prowess as a yer, Lee Suhyuk had be a streamerrge enough not to be ignored in anymunity. However, that being said, ¡®the Counter-Fight Tournament¡¯ was a different matter entirely. ¡ª ? Breaking News. King Suhyuk Participating in the Counter-Fight Tournament ? ¡ºTitle says it all¡» ¡ª News of Lee Suhyuk¡¯s participation in the Counter-Fight Tournament spread quickly. The post garnered hundreds ofments, likes, and dislikes just 30 seconds after it was posted. ¡ª ¨C Look at the speed of posting ?? ¨C Why did this happen? ¨C He seriously decided to participate? ¨C Just content-crazy lol ¡ª Public opinion on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s participation in the Counter-Fight Tournament was negative. No matter how fast he had ascended, he was still just a yer who had barely made it to the 7th floor. It was widely acknowledged that showcasing his skills against numerous rankers in the Counter-Fight Tournament would be quite challenging. Amidst the fiery discussion. ¡°Falcon Eye!¡± A stream began that poured oil onto the fire. ¡ª -Falcon Eye! -FE (Falcon Eye) -Something big ising -Coin value surging, congrats ¡ª It was Falcon Eye, who had been reviewing Suhyuk¡¯s streams since the early days. Thanks to this, Falcon Eye¡¯s stream was recording unprecedented viewership recently. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This guy will definitely rise to the top!¡± ¡ª -? When did you say that?? -You never said that -You just praised his control skills like crazy ¡°No, it¡¯s all the same, right?¡± 32,000 viewers. Nowadays, there were more people tuning in to see the content titled ¡®Lee Suhyuk¡¯s Reviews¡¯ than the fixed audience of Falcon Eye. ¡º¡¯FakeSuhyukLover¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºThere are a ton of Lee Suhyuk review contents these days, lol.¡» As the rted content gained poprity, it was naturally followed by an increase in streamers imitating it. ¡°Oh, those fakes? I¡¯ve seen them.¡± But, as far as Falcon Eye was concerned, it didn¡¯t matter. Falcon Eye exuded the dignity and confidence of the original. ¡°They talk like amateurs. They don¡¯t know what to look for, and they can¡¯t catch the important points.¡± ¨C Oh, lol ¨C So confident ¡°Of course, I am confident. I¡¯m Falcon Eye. Hey, I was the first to hitch onto Lee Suhyuk!¡± ¨C LOL ¨C Oh, hahaha ¨C Where¡¯s your pride, lol ¨C Is this really the spicy-eyed Falcon Eye? ¨C Beep beep. The ugliness has crossed the lethal dose. Falcon Eye¡¯s original nickname was ¡®Spicy Eye¡¯. Although his first nickname derived from ¡®Eyes of a Falcon¡¯, his reviews were so sharp and scathing that the new nickname naturally stuck. However, it was different when it came to Lee Suhyuk¡¯s reviews. ¡°No, what I mean is, it showed how exceptional my insight was.¡± Clearing his throat awkwardly, Falcon Eye nced at the viewer count. 33,000. Even before he officially started the review, a thousand more viewers had already joined. This number of viewers was unprecedented. Pretending not to care, his heart raced more than usual. ¡°Look at this. This might be an opportunity. A chance to climb onto a rising star and be a star in the sky together.¡± These were the words of John Dale, spoken once upon a time. Perhaps now was that moment. ¡°I¡¯m not amunication streamer, so no need for lengthy talks, right?¡± ¨C Okay, go go ¨C This is the refreshing taste of Falcon Eye The opportunity provided by Lee Suhyuk couldn¡¯t be missed. This stream needed to be sharper and more precise than ever. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the review.¡± Just as the review was about to begin in earnest, ¡º¡¯Big Mouth¡¯ has donated 10,000 points.¡» ¡ºHello? This is streamer Big Mouth. Sorry for the sudden request, but could we possibly do a joint review today?¡» A sudden substantial donation and a request for a joint review. ¨C ??? ¨C Big Mouth?? ¨C Legit? ¨C Don¡¯t you know nickname oveps aren¡¯t allowed? Of course it¡¯s legit. Commonly known as ¡®Big Mouth¡¯. He was a streamer who ran a news-style stream, delivering numerous pieces of information through his mouth. He was also a major streamer with numerous loyal viewers, akin to Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Bi, Big Mouth?¡± Falcon Eye¡¯s gaze wavered. The chance for this coboration was worth tens to hundreds of times more than the donation of ten thousand points. Contrary to Bald Suhyuk, who had a jinx that any coboration would end in failure, streamers who coborated with Big Mouth always soared in poprity. ¡°First of all, thank you so much for the ten thousand points donation. A coboration? Of course, it¡¯s possible. But have you done the review yet?¡± ¡º¡¯Big Mouth¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºNormally I don¡¯t, but it caught my interest. I heard Lee Suhyuk is going to participate in the tournament.¡» As expected. Falcon Eye nodded. He seemed to understand a bit why Big Mouth was interested in this review. It was because of the tournament. ¡®The tournament is a staple type of content for Big Mouth.¡¯ During this time, streamers who ran news-style content hit the peak season. Every tournament generated numerous events and news, and spreading this information quickly was precisely the role of streamers like Big Mouth. ¡°Talking through donations is cumbersome; how about we meet and talk on our channel?¡± Streamers had specific channels for smoothmunication. Streamers who were streaming would share passwords and connect to a particr channel to have a conversation. ¡º¡¯Big Mouth¡¯ has joined the channel.¡» Thus, Big Mouth connected to Falcon Eye¡¯s channel. ¡°Hello, Big Mouth.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, Falcon Eye.¡± Formal greetings. But their voices revealed different nuances. Falcon Eye¡¯s voice trembled slightly with nervousness, whereas Big Mouth¡¯s tone remained calm as usual. ¡°I enjoyed watching your stream. You do excellent reviews.¡± ¡°I often watch your streams too, Big Mouth. I¡¯m a real fan.¡± The unexpected coboration began abruptly. Falcon Eye introduced Big Mouth to his viewers. ¡°You all know, right? Big Mouth from Big Mouth¡¯s News Bulletin.¡± ¨C Who¡¯s introducing whom, LOL ¨C Shouldn¡¯t your big brother be introducing you? ¡°¡­ I know, but I can¡¯t introduce myself on my own stream.¡± The difference in their status was more than tenfold. While Big Mouth averaged over 150,000 viewers, Falcon Eye was recently clocking in the early 10,000s. ¡°So, Big Mouth, do you want to do a review together?¡± ¡°Yes. I think it¡¯ll be fun. Plus, I¡¯ve been interested in Lee Suhyuk for some time now.¡± Falcon Eye clicked his tongue at that response. Big Mouth¡¯s influence as a streamer was significant. An event that Big Mouth took an interest in could turn a trivial incident into a major event. Such a Big Mouth had now taken an interest in Lee Suhyuk. The impact would likely be iparable to the reviews Falcon Eye had done so far. ¡°I¡¯m nning to include Falcon Eye¡¯s story in this news as well.¡± ¨C Wow, insane ¨C Chosen one! ¨C Is this real life or a dream, bro? ¨C Am I dreaming, or is this real? Falcon Eye¡¯s mind, feeling dizzy, snapped back to attention. His brain raced faster than ever before. ¡°Then, perhaps¡­¡± After a moment of contemtion, Falcon Eye finally managed to speak up. ¡°When you deliver news rted to Lee Suhyuk, could I join for a coboration?¡± ¡°With you too, Falcon Eye?¡± A somewhat surprised voice. After a brief moment of contemtion, Big Mouth replied. ¡°Can I dy my answer by a day?¡± Big Mouth evaded giving an immediate answer. That was sufficient. It indicated he would respond differently depending on how satisfying his coboration with Falcon Eye would be. ¡°Of course.¡± Falcon Eye epted with delight. Now, the only thing left was to sessfullyplete the review. ¡°Shall we proceed with this coboration like this? Big Mouth, you can watch the video on my stream.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± The video began. Lee Suhyuk arrived in Midgard, flying on the Heavenly Horse alongside Vi. ¡°The background for this test is Asgard. Or more precisely, a ce within it called Midgard. What¡¯s the difference, you ask? I¡¯m not really sure myself.¡± Falcon Eye started by exining the background of the test. ¡°Asgard is the realm of the gods. Naturally, not much information is avable about it. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it, too, while watching Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it a few times. Mostly through high-ranking Rankers.¡± When Big Mouth jumped into the conversation, Falcon Eye asked in surprise. ¡°Do you have such connections?¡± ¡°They¡¯re confidential.¡± Well, it was understandable. A streamer of Big Mouth¡¯s caliber would indeed have such connections. There were even conspiracy theories floating around that he had ties with the upper echelons of major guilds. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough for background exnation. Let¡¯s keep watching.¡± The video Falcon Eye streamed was a live-edited version. It omitted minor details and was edited to focus only on the significant moments, almost like a film. ¡°The quality of the video is quite good. It could be uploaded to yers as it is.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the samepany. Thepany put some effort into it.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense. No wonder.¡± Big Mouth feigned innocence. But Falcon Eye was certain. The reason he came to Falcon Eye¡¯s stream and suggested a coboration was because he knew they were streamers from the samepany as Lee Suhyuk. The video moved swiftly. Meeting Tyr, challenging Valha¡¯s test, and then encountering Heimdall¡¯s memories. Sizzle-! And then, the appearance of a massive, formidable spear. Big Mouth, who had been silently watching, spoke up as he saw the spear. ¡°I fell in love with that.¡± ¡°With this spear?¡± ¡°Yes. Because it¡¯s a spear that even Lee Suhyuk didn¡¯t have.¡± A new type of spear, with blue and yellow colors intermingled. It seemed the existence of this spear had piqued Big Mouth¡¯s interest. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a powerful skill.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not interested, Falcon Eye?¡± ¡°There are much more impressive things.¡± Lightning. It was undoubtedly an impressive skill. But Falcon Eye had a knack for being interested in more obscure things. ¡°For example¡­¡± The video moved on to the next scene. Lee Suhyuk faced Brynhild after oveing Heimdall. Soon, he engaged in a fierce battle with Brynhild, their weapons shing. ¡°Something like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dazzling, in a different sense.¡± The fight between Lee Suhyuk and Brynhild was indeed a series of nail-biting moments. Weapons brushed and shed against each other. Like a well-choreographed dance, the two crossed their weapons seamlessly. Watching the battle, Falcon Eye shook his head. ¡°Yes. But it was disappointing.¡± ¡°This fight was disappointing? Is there a special reason?¡± ¡°The reason is not special. It¡¯s mundane.¡± From constantly observing and observing Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streams, Falcon Eye discovered his only w. ¡°His stats arecking.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 149 Chapter 149 ¡°His stats arecking.¡± At Falcon Eye¡¯sment, Big Mouth immediately asked back. ¡°Is there a specific reason you think so?¡± A hint of curiosityced his voice. This was likely the type of insight Big Mouth expected from Falcon Eye in this coboration. Unlike viewers who only sought entertainment, Big Mouth was someone who deconstructed and analyzed someone¡¯s gamey. ¡°Look here. See how Lee Suhyuk is taking several steps back?¡± ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll rewind the video a bit. Pay close attention to their foot positions.¡± Falcon Eye slowly rewound the video so Big Mouth and the viewers could verify it. As theypared the positions from a few minutes ago to now, it was clear the foot positioning had changed. -Oh, it¡¯s true. -He moved back bit by bit. -How did he even notice that? Falcon Eye¡¯s observation was spot on. Though it seemed like the two were evenly matched, Lee Suhyuk was indeed being pushed back. He couldn¡¯t advance and instead took steps back, choosing to defend. ¡°It¡¯s the expected oue. In fact, everything overall iscking for Lee Suhyuk.¡± -???? -Am I hearing this right? -Dude¡­? What¡¯s with you all of a sudden¡­? -He¡¯s totally selling out LOLOLOL Falcon Eye¡¯s exnation left the viewers perplexed. From the first review until now, Falcon Eye couldn¡¯t praise Lee Suhyuk enough. Although this went for other streamers as well, Falcon Eye was different. He was originally more famous for his harsh critiques. But now, for the first time, he began to criticize Lee Suhyuk. ¡°C¡¯mon guys, I need to point out the facts. Didn¡¯t I say this before? I¡¯ve never blindly praised him.¡± -Yes sir! -Indeed -Yep, exactly~ Unfazed by the viewers¡¯ teasing, Falcon Eye continued his review. ¡°First, let¡¯s talk about weapon skills. This part is obvious. His opponent is Brynhild, right? The head of the Valkyries who¡¯s been mastering weapons for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. How can anyone beat her with mere control? Just being able to hold his ground is already impressive.¡± Lee Suhyuk¡¯s control hardly needed more praise. From the first stream, every gesture and weapon skill, not to mention his mastery of lightning, was like a work of art. ¡°The issue lies with his stats. From what I see, Lee Suhyuk seemed to be trying to conserve his lightning.¡± ¡°Why would he do that?¡± Maybe it was because they were talking about lightning; Big Mouth, who had been quietly listening, suddenly showed heightened interest. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. As everyone knows, using lightning consumes a lot of stamina. He can¡¯t keep fighting by firing off lightning continuously, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°So, at first, he probably tried to fight while saving his energy.¡± But the ensuing result was as shown on the video. Lee Suhyuk was gradually being pushed back, and then he increased his lightning output to subdue Brynhild. ¡°But that didn¡¯t work. He used lightning bit by bit and eventually overwhelmed her with firepower.¡± Boom-! The moment lightning burst out from Lee Suhyuk¡¯s sword, Falcon Eye paused the video. ¡°This fight is different from what Lee Suhyuk initially nned. That¡¯s why I said it was disappointing.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you mentioned his stats falling short.¡± ¡°Yes. In a way, it¡¯s understandable. Given the speed at which Lee Suhyuk climbed the tower, he wouldn¡¯t have invested time in leveling up separately.¡± ¡º¡¯SpicyFalconEye¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡º¡¯Beating around the bush, but isn¡¯t he justcking skills?¡¯¡» ¡°Not to that extent.¡± Falcon Eye shook his head. ¡°Mastering lightning is also Lee Suhyuk¡¯s skill. Actually, it¡¯s his signature move that we all know well.¡± Feeling that the stream had be smoother, Falcon Eye grinned. He resumed the video and addressed the viewer who had just made the donation. ¡°You made a good point. That¡¯s exactly what I was focusing on.¡± -¡ºTransformation Mode: Fanboy ON¡» -¡ºFangirl Mode ON¡» -¡ºGuessing what¡¯s next LOL It¡¯s me¡» Those who watched Lee Suhyuk¡¯s livestream knew it. They knew where the highlight of this stream would be. It was a scene that every long-time fan of Lee Suhyuk would remember. ¡°Right here!¡± p-. It was a scene of him looking up at a tall spire. Falcon Eye paused the video and excitedly eximed. ¡°Many will remember this scene. Everyone knows, right? The great battle between Panthera and Earth about 25 years ago.¡± For those who might not remember, Falcon Eye yed a prepared video. ¡°This is the first video you¡¯ll see if you visit the Lee Suhyuk Memorial. It¡¯s the battle where he stood on lightning and rained down lightning from the sky.¡± ¡°I remember it too. It was around that time. Lee Suhyuk rose to a predominant position among yers.¡± ¡°It was bound to happen. It was that shocking.¡± Riding on lightning and soaring through the sky while dispensing lightning. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s match back then was reminiscent of Zeus. The matchsted only three minutes. yers on Panthera¡¯s side, whether fleeing or defending, couldn¡¯tst three minutes and were annihted. ¡°This is the interview from that time with Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡ºInterview¡» The art of riding on lightning. Lee Suhyuk showcased this technique a few more times afterwards, but none were as groundbreaking as during the Panthera match. The reason was the same as what he mentioned in the interview. It was difficult and inefficient. -If Lee Suhyuk himself says it¡¯s difficult, OMG -Officially confirmed: Difficult -Fact: It is Not everyone felt the same, but many people held Lee Suhyuk¡¯s words in high regard. People who wouldn¡¯t have believed a streamer saying it was difficult had no choice but to believe it if the real Lee Suhyuk said it. ¡º¡¯SolidSolidGuy¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºBut why is it difficult?¡» This was the question that had been anticipated and awaited. Falcon Eye responded to the question, his face lighting up. ¡°That¡¯s right, you might think that way! Obviously, flight skills are rare, but is it really something to make such a big fuss over?¡± Skills rted to flight were indeed rare. However, they weren¡¯t so rare as to be extremely difficult to find. From that perspective, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s ability to fly might not have been that extraordinary. However, ¡°But wasn¡¯t it lightning in the first ce, not a flight skill?¡± -What are you talking about? -OMG, that¡¯s right. -Bro, this just clicked for me¡­ Half understood, and half didn¡¯t. Falcon Eye continued his exnation. ¡°So this is the deal. Let¡¯s say you¡¯ve mastered a fire-type skill. Can you use it as a means of transportation? Or can you use a flight skill to attack with it?¡± -Huh¡­? -Of course not, haha! -Is that even possible? ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it. Now do you get why Lee Suhyuk said it¡¯s difficult? He¡¯s using a skill of apletely different nature in a totally different way.¡± Even as he spoke, Falcon Eye couldn¡¯t understand it. If it was Lee Suhyuk, though, he could understand. He was the best among the yers. ¡°There¡¯s a saying in one of Falcon Eye¡¯s videos.¡± Big Mouth, who had been listening to the review, asked in an interested voice. ¡°If you look purely at talent, he¡¯s better than the real one.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°Do you still think the same way?¡± At Big Mouth¡¯s question, Falcon Eye¡¯s eyes twinkled for a moment. With this one question, Falcon Eye could see why Big Mouth had be the top issue-based streamer. He knew better than anyone what the public was interested in. And in this content, what the public wanted was aparison between Lee Suhyuk and another genius with the same name, Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Of course.¡± And one more thing. ¡°Do you think Lee Suhyuk, the streamer, can perform well in the uing tournament?¡± The tournament. It was the fact that Lee Suhyuk the streamer would participate in the great festival of yers. ¡°It¡¯s about time for a general review.¡± ¡°A general review?¡± ¡°Yes. That question and the general review go together very well.¡± With that, Falcon Eye stopped the video. It was just after Suhyuk had ridden the lightning up, defeated the enemy, and rescued Vi. ¡ºRight Hand of Bergelmir¡± has been released.¡» It was the moment right as the highlight of the stream was about to start. -OMG! -I was enjoying that. -Bro, are you crazy? -The General Review Skipped The viewers, who had been deeply engrossed in the video, naturally reacted against it. With the inclusion of Big Mouth, the number of viewers had exceeded 50,000. ¡°The full video can be watched on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streaming channel. There should also be an edited version.¡± ¨C I knew this would happen. ¨C Nah, not watching~ ¨C Saying that, but will probably watch it like crazy, lol. ¨C I watched it live, haha. The usual repertoire had be predictable. Falcon Eye¡¯s streams inherently had a promotional aspect for Lee Suhyuk¡¯s channel. Viewers who hadn¡¯t watched Lee Suhyuk¡¯s channel would now be overwhelmed with curiosity. For a while, the chat was flooded withints, but Falcon Eye didn¡¯t bat an eysh and began his final review. ¡°The performance in the Counter-Force Tournament is something no one can predict. Although the Counter-Force Tournament is a festival for all of us, the main stars are all rankers.¡± Falcon Eye¡¯s exnations were akin to the overwhelming wave of public opinion. Rankers and non-rankers. The two were often perceived as existing inpletely different realms. ¡°Nevertheless, speaking as an original Lee Suhyuk specialist reviewer.¡± ¨C Lol ¨C So desperate, lol ¨C He seems bothered by it, lol ¡°His ability to control lightning is perfect. It¡¯s unbelievably good. Expecting much more from his control would be unreasonable.¡± It seemed like he had prepared his statements in advance; Falcon Eye continued without any hesitation. ¡°It won¡¯t look too shabby. Personally, I think Lee Suhyuk¡¯s skills are on par with most rankers.¡± Not too shabby. Even that was considerable praise. No matter how talented he is, Lee Suhyuk had only just reached the 7th floor and was merely a semi-ranker. However, ¡°Still, the physical stats arecking, and that¡¯s an unavoidable fact. Yes, I¡¯m talking about the stats.¡± The issue was, indeed, his stats. For some reason, although he handled the physically taxing lightning with rtive ease, Lee Suhyuk was significantlycking in statspared to other rankers. ¡°Of course, time will resolve this. But not right now. Hence, I think he will end up somewhere in the middle. That¡¯s my prediction.¡± ¡°But if¡­?¡± Perhaps even Big Mouth found his hypothesis too far-fetched, as he hesitated slightly before asking. ¡°If he somehow ovees all this miraculously?¡± ¡°A miracle?¡± ¡°Yes. Miracles sometimes happen, don¡¯t they?¡± For a moment, Falcon Eye instinctively wanted to respond that such a thing would never happen but stopped himself. Under normal circumstances, he would say that, but it didn¡¯t feel appropriate now. Somewhere in a corner of his mind, a very small, almost imperceptible shimmer of that miracle seemed to flicker. ¡®A miracle¡­¡¯ There was one reason. Because he was Lee Suhyuk. ¡°If that miracle does happen¡­¡± On second thought, his very existence was a miracle. He had always shown such perfect performance that it made one wonder if he were the reincarnation of Lee Suhyuk. If he were to. Truly ovee his only weakness. ¡°Then we should no longer call him ¡®Fake Suhyuk.¡¯¡± Then, the preliminaries wouldn¡¯t be a concern anymore. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 After the coboration between Falcon Eye and Big Mouth, articles were released immediately. ¡ºStreamer Lee Suhyuk, Unveiling His Spine-Chilling y.¡» ¡ºAsgard, within the Unknown Trial.¡» ¡ºStreamer Lee Suhyuk¡¯s Weakness? And Oveing It.¡» Three consecutive articles emerged. These articles added fuel to an already zing hot topic. Big Mouth¡¯s articles were always popr, as he not only reported on issues but also created them. And now, the two had joined forces. ¡°¡­The settlement amount came in.¡± Early in the morning. Before taking the test, Un Hyang, who was sharing a meal with Suhyuk, spoke with a slightly trembling voice. Unable to hide her joy, she had a bright smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s 670,000 points. This settlement amount.¡± ¡°670,000?¡± Suhyuk, taken aback, almost dropped the fork he was holding. A sausage he was about to eat fell to the te. Noticing Suhyuk¡¯s stunned reaction, Un Hyang exined further. ¡°Half of the advertisement fee we eptedst time was paid in advance. The rest is profit based on video views.¡± ¡°Were the videos watched that much?¡± ¡°We edited and uploaded all the recent stream clips. Plus, Big Mouth¡¯s promotional effect helped a lot.¡± ¡°Big Mouth?¡± When Suhyuk ended his sentence with a question mark, Cheon Ryang, who was sitting nearby, chimed in. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Big Mouth?¡± ¡°No. This is my first time hearing about him.¡± ¡°How can a streamer not know Big Mouth¡­¡± Thunk-! A heavy sound was heard from under the dining table. Cheon Ryang, who was bending his waist, suddenly stopped talking. It was obvious that it was Un Hyang¡¯s doing, but she pretended to know nothing. ¡°He¡¯s a unique news-focused streamer. Not only does he stream, but he also writes articles separately.¡± ¡°He must be an impressive person.¡± ¡°You remember the ¡®Jinx of Bald Suhyuk¡¯, right? Big Mouth¡¯s jinx is twice that, whether it¡¯s for good or bad.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Suhyuk knew about the ¡®Jinx of Bald Suhyuk.¡¯ It was a well-known story among streamers that anyone who coborated with him would inevitably fail. It seemed like Big Mouth had a simr jinx. However, unlike Bald Suhyuk, Big Mouth¡¯s fate went in two directions. ¡°He¡¯s a streamer who creates news. That means he can either boost someone up or bury them based on the news.¡± ¡°Like a double-edged sword.¡± ¡°Exactly. And a very sharp one at that.¡± Un Hyang, saying so, calcted the points for Suhyuk. 670,000 points. Staring at the massive amount, Suhyuk realized how this situation was affecting him. ¡°Fortunately, it seems to be in a positive direction.¡± ¡°If you look at the content, it¡¯s full of praise. Ugh¡­¡± Holding his side with one hand, Cheon Ryang showed the prepared data. ¡°From the first video to the most recent, the view count has more than doubled. Thetest video has reached a record high.¡± The cumtive view count was nearly vertical. The coboration with Falcon Eye, the intriguing backdrop of Asgard, and the newfound opportunity from Big Mouth allbined resulted in this skyrocketing graph. ¡°The view count is still rising. At this rate, you can expect good results when it¡¯s time for the settlement.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s great. Very.¡± Thanks to this settlement money, he could raise his level of Selfish Sacrifice before heading into the next trial. Though levels and stats were more critical at the moment, the joy of raising a skill level was always wee. ¡°Are you going to stream today as well?¡± Suhyuk nodded as he finished his meal in response to Un Hyang¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, I should.¡± ¡°Are you heading to the next floor again this time? Or¡­¡­.¡± As Un Hyang said this, she nced at Cheon Ryang. Unlike her, Cheon Ryang was a yer who had stalled on the 7th floor, blocked by the ranker¡¯s threshold. If Suhyuk ascended to the 8th floor, his journey with Cheon Ryang would end here. ¡°I will put it on hold for now.¡± Luckily, Suhyuk had no immediate ns to ascend to the 8th floor. Or rather, to be precise, he didn¡¯t think it would be possible yet. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t take it lightly. Not anymore.¡± There was a reason why yers who reached the 8th floor were called rankers. Many talented yers failed to surpass that one floor and gave up bing rankers. Even Cheon Ryang, standing in front of him, was a testament to that. He had also trained under the Divine Dragon Group with Un Hyang but couldn¡¯t cross the threshold of the 8th floor. Moreover, ¡®This is where the real Asgard begins.¡¯ He felt that this trial was different from all the others. The difficulty was absurd. No matter how he thought about it, the previous trial¡¯s difficulty was too high for the 6th floor. A giant with the power to change seasons, Bergelmir. And the god, Tyr, who cut off Bergelmir¡¯s right hand in one swift stroke. They all seemed like monsters straight out of mythology. ¡®And¡­¡¯ Valha would be teeming with gods like these. * * * After raising the level of Selfish Sacrifice, Suhyuk immediately started his stream. ¡º¡®Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» It no longer surprised him to see the viewer count rise quickly. Within a few minutes, possibly due to notifications, the viewer count had surpassed ten thousand. Suhyuk reached the massive portal located at the center of the world, the door to the next floor, and greeted the influx of viewers. ¡°Wee, everyone.¡± ¨C Suhyuk! ¨C Wee! ¨C Start the stream quickly! ¨C Oh, I thought you were taking a break till the tournament. About ten days remained until the battle match. Since he had dered that the next content would be the tournament, viewers had expected the next stream to be muchter. But contrary to their expectations, Suhyuk had returned to streaming just two dayster. ¨C When is this guy going to level up? ¨C Levels up even when sleeping lol ¨C Even Falcon Eye got screwed over ¨C Screwed isn¡¯t even the word Most yers took a moment to regroup after climbing each floor of the tower. It was a natural order of things. The difficulty of the trials increased drastically with each floor, and challenging them head-on without preparation would only waste time and points. They leveled up through hunting, secured more stats, and then challenged the trials again. This was the general way. ¨C Did you watch Falcon Eye¡¯s stream? ¡°Yes. I watched it for a bit on the way here¡±, said Lee Suhyuk as he stood in front of the portal. ¡°It made a lot of sense.¡± From this incident, Suhyuk realized once again how keen Falcon Eye was at observing yers. ¡®It must have been hard to distinguish.¡¯ It was never easy to differentiate between what was strengthened by skills and what came from stats. To know this required significant analysis and understanding of the yer. Falcon Eye must have analyzed him quite extensively. That was his job as a review streamer, after all. But even so, it was something that deserved apuse. ¡®If I fail this time, I should change my content too. To go hunting.¡¯ Though slow, it was the only option if he fell at this trial. In that case, he would have to focus on hunting for a while. And that was not something Suhyuk was particrly pleased about. ¡®For now, my only thought is to maximize my specs before the Counter-Fight Tournament.¡¯ Step. With that thought, Suhyuk took a step forward. ¡º50,000 points will be deducted.¡» ¡ºThe trial of the 7th floor begins.¡» A considerable amount of points was paid as the trial fee. His heart ached. Fortunately, he still had over 100,000 points left even after leveling up his ¡®Selfish Sacrifice¡¯ skill. With the now-familiar sh of teleportation, Suhyuk¡¯s body was transported to another world after he stepped into the portal. Ssshhh. The once-white scenery began to reveal itself gradually. The first thing that came into view was the slightly hunched back of an old man. Suhyuk recognized him just by his back. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you following?¡± It was Tyr. At his stern prompt, Suhyuk started to move again. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ming.¡± Suhyuk lifted his gaze to look beyond Tyr¡¯s back. Even if he didn¡¯t intend to look, he would have noticed it anyway. A massive, white marble wall that touched the sky. Rasderikh. ¨C It¡¯s gigantic. ¨C How can anyone destroy this, lol. ¨C Baldur is as pure as gold¡­ Even seeing it again, it was hard to believe. How on Earth did they break such a massive wall? ¡®Could Bergelmir have done it?¡¯ He imagined it for a moment. The enormous hands that once covered the sky, smashing this wall if they were released in full force. But pure imagination wouldn¡¯t provide any answers. Baldur¡¯s n had failed, and it seemed unlikely that Bergelmir would be released in the future. Having decided, he moved toward the entrance of Rasderikh. ¡°Halt. State your identity and name¡­¡± It was the entrance to Valha. The same soldier who had previously stopped Suhyuk and Vi opened his eyes wide in surprise and stood rigidly. ¡°It¡¯s Lord Tyr! Open the gates at once!¡± Tyr, who served as the regent of Midgard, was one of the gods who had passed through Valha¡¯s entrance multiple times. Naturally, there wasn¡¯t a single soldier unfamiliar with Tyr¡¯s face. Thus, Suhyuk followed behind Tyr and passed through the checkpoint without further procedures. ¡°Then why give me the pass at all?¡± Suhyuk asked, waving the feather that he held in his hand for the checkpoint. The stiff, golden, shimmering feather was handed to him by Tyr as a pass for Valha. ¡°Did you think that pass was just for crossing the gate?¡± ¡°Then what is it for?¡± ¡°It would be no fun to tell you too early. You¡¯ll find out when you need to use itter.¡± Why all the secrets? Creeeak¡ª. The heavy doors of Rasderikh began to open slowly, making a weighty sound. From inside the slowly opening door, a beautiful light mixed with all the colors of a rainbow seeped through. ¡°You¡¯re curious, aren¡¯t you?¡± While they waited for the door to fully open, Suhyuk recalled thest words Tyr had said during the previous trial. ¡°Whether gods with wounds like yours will recognize me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What exactly is this wound? Not all the gods inside are one-armed like you, right?¡± Surprisingly, Tyr responded without much emotion. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Step¡ª. Again, without giving a clear answer. He walked through the door of Rasderikh, from which the beautiful light was emanating. ¡°That useless piece of a sword was given to you for that purpose.¡± ¡®Piece of a sword?¡¯ Come to think of it, there was one more thing. Among the two rewards he received after passing the difficult trial, one was the pass to Valha, and the other was a nameless piece of a sword. Suhyuk followed Tyr to inquire about the use of this piece of a sword. But as he stepped into the great door of Rasderikh and entered the shining light, he was engulfed in a familiar sensation. As if the world around him changed each time he crossed a level. The air and temperature he felt on his skin shifted instantaneously. ¡ºEntering Valha.¡» ¡ºConfirming ¡®???¡¯s piece of the sword.¡» ¡ºEntry to Valha is pending.¡» ¡°¡­?¡± A puzzled expression appeared on Suhyuk¡¯s face at the unexpected message. To have his entry pending¡ª This was an unforeseen circumstance. Moreover, ¡º¡¯???¡¯s piece of the sword¡¯ had been consumed.¡» ¡ºEntering the Sixth Asgard.¡» ¡ºAn unknown power is at work.¡» ¡ºThe stream has ended.¡» Something unprecedented had urred. TL¡¯s Corner: Opp, cliffhanger. lol Chapter 151 Chapter 151 [The stream has ended.] Viewers were thrown into confusion by the sudden situation. -??? -What happened? -Technical issues? -They¡¯ll restart it, right? However, the stream that had been cut off did not return. The curious viewers were left in a state of puzzlement. This had never happened before, and there was no legitimate reason to suddenly end the stream. In fact, now was precisely the time they needed to stream. Valha was a ce that many viewers were curious about. Just revealing that ce was bound to attract viewers, and the future videos edited from this footage would generate significant revenue. -Why aren¡¯t theying back? -Ending the stream without a word is so rude. In that short span, over fifty thousand viewers had tuned in. As she observed their growing anger, Un Hyang shook her leg nervously against the desk. ¡°Could something have happened? Why did the stream just suddenly go off¡­.¡± She stared intensely at the cked-out stream screen. Like the viewers, she waited, hoping that maybe Suhyuk would restart the stream any moment now. However, several minutes passed, and Suhyuk did note back. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like he ended the stream himself,¡± Un Hyang remarked. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± asked Cheon Ryang. ¡°Our money-loving streamer wouldn¡¯t do this without a reason, right?¡± Un Hyang nodded, though she didn¡¯t quite like the term ¡°money-lover¡±. It was true that Suhyuk was very attached to umting points. Though she didn¡¯t know why, it was clear that he aimed for these points. Right now, it was a crucial time for the streamer, Lee Suhyuk. The flow of the stream had been going well, boosted by the huge advantage of a significant disclosure. He had every reason to put in more effort, not suddenly cut off the stream without any reason. Therefore, it meant one thing. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Nothing has changed from before,¡± Cheon Ryang said, shaking his head as he listened to Un Hyang¡¯s mumbled words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. He¡¯ll handle it well. That¡¯s the kind of person he is, right?¡± True. The streamer Lee Suhyuk was exactly that type of person. No matter what challenges he faced, he would always manage to ovee them. He was the very yer who best exemplified the term ¡®perfection.¡¯ Viewers watched his streams to see that side of him. ¡°While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s talk about what¡¯s bothering us.¡± Maybe it was a bitte, but it was a conversation that had to happen. ¡°Are you really going to follow him into the Counter-Fight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You might end up meeting everyone, even¡­ your father.¡± At first, her eyes wavered slightly, but it was only for a moment. Soon, she nodded her head and showed her determination once again. ¡°Un Cheon-guk is not one to cause trouble in crowded ces. It should be fine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯m nning to go. I can¡¯t keep living in hiding forever.¡± While living as the manager of Balhae, she had constantly been engulfed by anxiety. The anxiety of never knowing when her location might be revealed, and the tension of the Murim World and Un Cheon-guk possibly finding her. All these things piled up and gradually choked her throat. ¡°I need to breathe a little. Me too.¡± She began to catch her breath after meeting Suhyuk. Through Suhyuk¡¯s stream, she felt like she was stepping back out into the world. It really felt as if Lee Suhyuk was reincarnated, and she faced a vague hope. Avoiding the Counter-Fight here was no different from tightening her barely opened airways again. Looking at the Suhyuk¡¯s stream screen that wouldn¡¯t turn back on, Un Hyang voiced the resolve she had sharpened for a long time. ¡°I¡¯ll fight. No matter who it is. Win or lose.¡± * * * His vision was covered with all sorts of colors, like a rainbow. Messages flickered in his mind, and he felt nauseated as if he was heavily drunk. ¡®What happened to the stream¡­¡¯ Trying to restart the stream was useless. [An unknown force is at work.] [The stream is terminating.] The stream ended before even starting. He tried two more times, but the result was the same. The stream kept terminating under the reason of ¡®an unknown force.¡¯ And meanwhile. As the colorful light dissipated, the scene of the ¡®Sixth Asgard¡¯ gradually emerged. Rustle¡ª. Grass rustled underfoot. The scent of flowers pierced his nose, and beautiful colors filled his sight like a rainbow. Unknown flowers bloomed all around him. Clouds as white as can be floated leisurely across the sky. The breeze, the temperature, the visuals. Everything was like a perfect painting. ¡°Is this paradise¡­?¡± A beautiful world as if someone had created it. Standing still and immersed in the scenery, Suhyuk suddenly felt a sense of difort on his face. It was the mask he usually wore. Today, there was no reason to wear it. Click¡ª. He took off the mask on his face and put it in his inventory. Cool, refreshing air flowed into his nose without any hindrance. Not streaming had its perks. Feelingplete freedom was something he hadn¡¯t experienced for quite a while. As he enjoyed the brief moment of pleasant freedom, Suhyuk checked his inventory. ¡°As I thought, it¡¯s not here.¡± The sword fragment that had been in his inventory until a moment ago was gone. It seemed he used the sword fragment to enter this ce, just as the message indicated. ¡®It was consumed far too easily.¡¯ The sword fragment was a reward obtained after passing the 6th-floor test. It had been acquired after a hard-fought victory over Baldur. Although it seemed useless on the surface, Lee Suhyuk thought it couldn¡¯t be just an ordinary item, given that it was a reward for saving Midgard. However, it appeared that its purpose was to serve as a key to get here. ¡°What could be in here¡­?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Someone answered Lee Suhyuk, who had been speaking to himself more frequently due to his long-time streaming habit. Without knowing who was present, he hurriedly turned his head, following the voice. However, it was difficult for him to discern where the voice wasing from. It seemed as if it wasing from the sky. ¡°Where are you looking? I¡¯m right here.¡± The voice was clear on the second try. Only after turning his bodypletely around did Lee Suhyuk discover the person. A man who had one eye covered with an eyepatch and was wearing an elegant robe made of thick fur. Even though he was covered in thick clothing, it was clear he had a muscr build. He also appeared quite old, judging by the wrinkles on his face. How long had he been behind him? Or rather, had this person called out to him? ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare for a guest to ask for the host¡¯s name.¡± With the man¡¯s response, Lee Suhyuk realized his mistake. It was true. After all, he was just a first-time guest in Asgard, and this was their world. ¡°My name is Lee Suhyuk. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much more to introduce.¡± ¡°Why do you say there¡¯s nothing more to introduce?¡± The man¡¯s gaze flickered briefly toward Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°You have so much in your possession.¡± ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°Of course, why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Even though he spoke as if it was obvious, the man didn¡¯t exin why. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s curiosity grew. When he was about to ask more about it, the man spoke first. ¡°You seem to have many friends, but don¡¯t be too hurt. This is not a ce anyone can enter.¡± Friends. It seemed he was referring to the viewers who watched Suhyuk¡¯s stream. It was a fresh shock. The stream was a mechanism created by the system. To interfere with it was essentially equivalent to directly intervening with the system. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± Just who was this person? As that question kept revolving in his mind, the man pulled out a small item from his pocket. Swoosh¡ª. ¡°If you brought this, it means you came here on Tyr¡¯s rmendation, right?¡± It was an unidentified sword fragment that had been in Suhyuk¡¯s inventory just moments ago. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then, you are wee. d you came.¡± It was an unexpected wee. Due to Tyr¡¯s reaction, Lee Suhyuk had thought the gods would grind their teeth at the sight of any human. ¡°I have a story to tell, would you care to follow?¡± Before waiting for an answer, the man turned around. As if implying he would leave if Suhyuk chose not to follow. Suhyuk had no choice but to follow. It was clear as the day that the test wouldn¡¯t proceed if he didn¡¯t follow him. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°Wise choice.¡± Step, step. Lee Suhyuk started to follow the man. He wondered what the man might say, and at that moment, the world changed. Ssshh- The bright blue sky turned pitch ck. Like the beginning of a cutscene, a new environment emerged. A ck sky covered with storm clouds. A blood-soaked ground and corpses. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ As the scene fully revealed itself, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened as if they would tear apart. How many corpses could there possibly be? Everything in sight was a corpse. A world where there were more corpses underfoot than ground. Even knowing it wasn¡¯t reality, he felt an urge to vomit rising. ¡°Don¡¯t turn away, look closely.¡± The man watched the horrendous sight with a calm demeanor. ¡°This isn¡¯t an unrted story to you.¡± ¡°To me?¡± What on Earth did he mean by that? He was supposedly not unrted to these corpses. For some reason, the back of the man, standing in his fine clothes, blended well with the pile of corpses. Turning his head, Suhyuk saw a few people still standing, not yet dead. A man who had lost an eye was supporting arade who had lost an arm. An eye and an arm. Two people came to his mind. ¡°Tyr?¡± ¡°A friend who sent you to me.¡± With the man¡¯s affirmation, Suhyuk was convinced. ¡°Then, you¡¯re him.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± As expected. Suhyuk once again took in the sight of the battlefield. Though he had seen and experienced many horrific battlegrounds, this scene was the most chilling. Why did he feel this way? It didn¡¯t take long for him to realize. ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­ two factions shing.¡± Fear. The nausea from this battlefield was due to the chilling fear it induced. ¡°It¡¯s a massacre by a single person.¡± ¡°You have a keen eye.¡± ¡°What on Earth happened here?¡± The standing figures were not just the man in front of him and Tyr. Another man who had lost both eyes and was in despair, a woman barely clinging to life and writhing amidst the pile of corpses. Looking at the survivors, the man provided the answer. ¡°There was a war. With a human.¡± His words instantly dispelled the doubts Suhyuk had harbored. Why did the gods despise humans so much? Seeing such a horrific scene, it was understandable. However, a new question arose. ¡°A human¡­ one person?¡± One person. Was it really possible for a single human to massacre so many gods? Before his doubt fully cleared up, ¡°Shall I add one more thing? Why did that friend detested you so much?¡± Pointing a finger at Suhyuk¡¯s heart, the man dropped the second bombshell. ¡°The human who did this to us shares the same heart as you.¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Thump. He heard the sound of his heart. He knew it. The heart relentlessly beats every day, every moment, never taking a rest. But this heart was not his own. ¡°The gods and giants. Great beings that mere human strength can never hope to contend with.¡± ¡°This is an object created to fight and win against them.¡± Ferius¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. ¡®Is this what he meant?¡¯ Lee Suhyuk felt as if he had been drawn into the center of a vast whirlpool. Thump. What on Earth was this heart? Who was the human that possessed this heart¡­ And then, what was the lightning he had been wielding until now? ¡°No need to be so tense.¡± Sss-. The scenery returned. It was as if the hell he had just witnessed had been a lie. As the world regained its perfect, near-peaceful beauty, some of the tension that had frozen him began to melt. ¡°It happened so long ago, you see. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t you who did it, right?¡± There was no way to read his thoughts. Lee Suhyuk suddenly realized that he didn¡¯t even know the man¡¯s name, though he had been facing him directly. However, from what he had just seen, one name came to mind. ¡°Are you Odin, by any chance?¡± Odin. The great king of Asgard and a legendary god. He possessed a past where he had sealed Bergelmir alongside Tyr. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°I never expected you to answer so straightforwardly.¡± ¡°Why would I use grand words to state who I am?¡± It was a valid point, leaving Lee Suhyuk unable to respond. Surely, the fact that this man was Odin was shocking only to him. ¡°May I ask one more question?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What was the cause of that fight?¡± The battle between gods and humans. It was a story from quite some time ago. Ferius only knew it as a legend, and Vi seemedpletely ignorant of it. What possibly could have happened to spill so much blood? In the end, humanity lost. Judging by the heart now beating within his own chest, that much was clear. ¡°You¡¯re a bit hasty.¡± ¡°Hasty?¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to know too much. This problem doesn¡¯t just involve Asgard, but others too. I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Suhyuk swallowed his disappointment at the refusal. If he could discern the cause of the fight, it might give him more clues about lightning. ¡°You said I have the same heart as that human, right?¡± Lee Suhyuk asked, thinking there was nothing left to lose. ¡°Is this the same as well?¡± He raised his hand, revealing the Gauntlet of Thunder. As expected, Odin nodded. ¡°That must indeed be because of it.¡± ¡°Because of this?¡± ¡°The reason Tyr sent you here.¡± It was Tyr who sent Suhyuk to this ce. To be precise, the fragment of a sword that Tyr gave him led Suhyuk here. ¡°So that the same thing doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We decided to test you. To see if you can handle it or not. And if you do, in what way you will use it.¡± The words were still difficult to understand. Seeing theplex expression on Suhyuk¡¯s face, Odin faintly smiled and continued. ¡°To put it simply, it means to be a being fitting for thunder.¡± Rumble-. The ground Suhyuk stood on shook. Petals fell, and an ominous feeling engulfed his entire body. The source of that ominous feeling was revealed in the next moment. Crack-! As if it had been prepared from the start, the ground suddenly gave way. As Suhyuk fell deep into the ground, he stared at Odin¡¯s face. ¡°Do not rely on thunder. That is the way to control thunder.¡± He could step on lightning to ascend, just as he had done in the fight against Baldur. ¡®There¡¯s no need for that.¡¯ Suhyuk didn¡¯t do that. He felt himself falling rapidly. The sunken ground and deep underground were probably a stage prepared for him. In that case¡­ ¡®I must willingly ept it.¡¯ This was a test. Just as Tyr had acknowledged him, it was a test to be acknowledged by Odin. ¡ºThe Sixth Trial of Asgard begins.¡» Suhyuk had a gut feeling. This trial would not be short. If it was this difficult just to enter Valha, the road ahead was very long. It seemed he had made the right choice to tell Un Hyang to wait. * * * The ce where Suhyuk disappeared. In this ce filled with clear skies and fragrant flowers, Odin looked down into the deep pit. Crunch-. A second guest, arriving a bitte. Odin didn¡¯t need to see to know who it was from the footsteps. ¡°I thought you sent him alone. So a guardian is apanying him.¡± ¡°What guardian? I just came because I was curious.¡± Tyr scoffed at Odin¡¯s words. ncing at Odin¡¯s expression, Tyr noticed that Odin was looking at the human who had made it here alive with curiosity. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill him?¡± Tyr was a god who hated humans more than anyone. It was difficult to understand what his intentions were in letting a human live and sending him here. ¡°Because of him, we were able to prevent Bergelmir from being unleashed.¡± ¡°You owe him?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°If the worst happens, he could be an even greater monster than Bergelmir.¡± At Odin¡¯s warning, Tyr nodded. ¡°Like Thor?¡± At those words, Odin¡¯s shoulders flinched. That was the reason Odin had left his throne and was here. ¡°You chose Thor, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m choosing that guy. He has potential.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Basis?¡± ¡°He¡¯s human. He even beat Baldur.¡± ¡°Barely beating Baldur?¡± ¡°Yes, barely. That¡¯s why we¡¯re raising him now, aren¡¯t we? It¡¯ll be a big problem if he gets consumed by thunderter.¡± Tyr, with a meaningful gaze, looked down at the ground where Lee Suhyuk had fallen. ¡°It might be much better to be swallowed now, if you¡¯re going to be swallowed anyway.¡± * * * How long would he keep falling? After about ten minutes had passed, Suhyuk realized that he wasn¡¯t just falling. ¡®Was it magic?¡¯ He had thought he was simply plummeting. But then he realized it, he was being moved somewhere by magic. No. It might even be that the world around him was changing instead of him moving. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t just keep falling like this¡­¡± Perhaps influenced by the streaming, talking to himself had be a habit. A whileter, the sensation of falling gradually slowed down. ¡®Have I arrived?¡¯ Plop-. His back gently touched the ground as if gravity had be lighter. At that moment, the scenery around him transformed dramatically. It was as if the sky was filled with stars; colorful lights illuminated the world above his head. In front of him stretched a road, seemingly endless. ¡º¡¯Path of Strength¡¯ begins.¡» ¡ºYour strength will be tested and tested again.¡» Watching the world transform around him, Suhyuk once again felt the power of Odin. ¡®They did say he was the greatest wizard.¡¯ It was hard to distinguish whether what he was seeing was reality or illusion. Indeed, it was a power that could reshape the Heavens and the Earth. Odin was an existence fitting the name of a god more than anyone. Step-. Path of Strength. He still didn¡¯t understand how this path would test him. If there was something distinctive, it was just one thing. At the beginning of the path, there was a red line drawn. ¡°What lies beyond this line?¡± No need to overthink. He would find out by crossing over. Instinctively, he felt it. This test didn¡¯t require anyplex calctions. Suhyuk was already familiar with simr kinds of tests. Step-. Rumble-. As he crossed the red line, he heard a heavy thud, as if something had fallen near his ears. But this wasn¡¯t a sound. The weight on his body changed. Gravity increased, making his whole body feel sluggish as if he had plunged deep underwater. ¡®It is indeed a path of strength¡­¡¯ A test that perfectly matched its name. Where would it end? He was certain that as he progressed further, the gravitational force would increase more and more. Just like how the ¡®Path of Lightning¡¯ he walked through on the second floor was. Suddenly, Odin¡¯s words before he fell here echoed in his mind. ¡°I have decided to test you. To see whether or not you can handle it, and if you handle it, how you will use it.¡± ¡°In simple terms, it means you have to be someone worthy of thunder.¡± The purpose of this ce was twofold: a test and training. What would emerge from walking this path? It was hard to believe that just walking would make him someone who fits thunder. Nevertheless, there was only one thing he had to do now. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Huff-. He filled his belly with strength. Thud¡ª Lee Suhyuk started to walk down the path. * * * The road wasrgely as Suhyuk had expected. Thud¡ª With each step, it felt like the ground was shaking. The gravity increased so much that he had to put forth all his strength to take even a single step. ¡°Huff, huff¡ª¡± Sweat poured as if it were raining. It seemed as though all the moisture in his body was being drained. Just standing still made it hard for him to breathe, and he felt his limits approaching. There was only one reason he managed to get this far. ¡®I¡¯m fortunate to have high stamina.¡¯ He wanted to use Lightning. If he had, he would have been able to run down this path much more easily. However, Suhyuk chose not to do so. ¡°Do not rely on thunder. That is the way to master the thunder.¡± These were the words Odin had told him when he had fallen. And there was another reason. ¡ºStrength increased by 1.¡» Because of these messages that chimed in just when he was about to forget. ¡®That¡¯s the fourth one already.¡¯ He had felt he wascking in stats anyway. Though stamina was the most important stat for Suhyuk, recently he needed all his stats bnced. It was tough, but it was also a wee trial. Thud¡ª He continued to move forward. ¡°Is that¡­ it?¡± Far ahead, he saw a red line, simr to the starting point. ¡®They¡¯re pushing me just to the point of not dying.¡¯ The distance was considerable¡ªabout two kilometers, it seemed. Considering thebored steps he was taking, it would take him hours to reach there. But that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t make it. He had enough stamina; he just needed willpower. Then¡ª ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Beyond the red line, there was a man with unkempt, long blonde hair. Was there someone else here as well? Thud¡ª The man crossed the red line as if gravity meant nothing to him. He approached quickly with confident strides. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ What surprised Suhyuk wasn¡¯t the ease of the man¡¯s steps. It wasn¡¯t the vivid red eyes that became clearer as he got closer, nor the sharp teeth akin to those of a beast. It was the silver hammer in the man¡¯s hand that reacted to the Gauntlets of Thunder on Suhyuk¡¯s hand. Perhaps. No, certainly. ¡®Mjolnir?¡¯ The reason why Suhyuk hade all the way to this distant Valha was now in the stranger¡¯s hand. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Thud-thud-thud. A man approached in front of him. As the distance gradually closed, it became more evident that there was something abnormal about his appearance. Gruuuu-. A faint growl escaped from his lips. Bloodshot eyes. Drool seeping through his uncontroble, gaping mouth. He looked like a madman who had lost his sense of self. ¡®He¡¯sing.¡¯ The mad figure drawing closer was certainly familiar. It wasn¡¯t hard to associate him with Thor. No. It was so easy to tell that it didn¡¯t even require effort. Even though it was a cutscene, he had already seen him several times. Moreover, ¡®He has the other half.¡¯ Gruuuu-. The madman, Thor, revealed his teeth like a beast with no consciousness left, only raw instinct. There was no trace of the dignity and nobility seen in the cutscenes. ¡°Nice to meet you¡­ But talking is pointless, isn¡¯t it?¡± He tried to greet him, but stopped. It was obvious just by looking at him that a conversation was impossible. Thor circled around Suhyuk. As if gravity didn¡¯t apply to him, his steps were light. Crackle-, blue sparks flickered in Thor¡¯s eyes. He was so consumed by rage that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he exploded and reached out at any moment. Go. Please go. If he unleashed his mad rage here, the trial would end. He might have to start everything over again from scratch. Perhaps the missing sword fragment would never return. Gulp-. At that moment, as he held his breath and swallowed hard, Swish-. Thor, who showed no interest in Suhyuk¡¯s inaction, suddenly turned his body. Slowly, Thor moved away. It was only after observing and keeping guard that Suhyuk finally rxed his tension. Thor had moved so far away he was no longer visible. Only then did Suhyuk recall. The Mjolnir he possessed, the remaining half of the Heart of Thunder, was the very reason he hade to Asgard. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s going to take a while.¡± Even though the objective was right in front of him, he couldn¡¯t do anything. Fighting him was an absurd idea. Even if he hadn¡¯t been exhausted, nothing would¡¯ve changed. The aura he exuded was beyond what Suhyuk could dare contend with in his current state. With that, Suhyuk resumed his journey towards his goal. * * * Shooooo-. ¡ºYou have immersed yourself in the ¡®Bath of Strength¡¯.¡» ¡ºYour stamina is rapidly recovering.¡» He immersed himself in the bath located at the destination. The scorching hot water instantly drained his strength as he dipped his head in. ¡°Ah, this feels like living-.¡± He felt his muscle fatigue easing. Looking at the message indicating his stamina recovery, it was clear that submerging himself in the hot water wasn¡¯t just a simple warm bath. Adding to that. ¡ºThe Bath of Strength¡± seeps into the body.¡» ¡ºStrength increases by 1.¡» A message overflowing with the rewards of hard work. ¡°Is it Odin¡¯s arrangement?¡± The path of strength, and this bath. He felt like they were all gifts prepared by Odin. Handling thunder. At first, it was a perplexing notion, but he started to grasp it. ¡°Thor¡­¡± Though he had only glimpsed him briefly, his appearance was shocking. Eyes devoid of self-awareness like a beast. He seemed unable to control the lightning as if he had gone berserk. No matter how you looked at it, he was nothing like the prince of Asgard seen in the cutscene. ¡°Is this what happens when thunder is mishandled?¡± Though he couldn¡¯t be certain, it was the only thing that made sense to him. Otherwise, it was hard to think of any other reason why Thor would end up like that. Most of all. ¡°Because I had not thought about it myself.¡± Every time he used the Heart of Lightning, he felt a sense of disharmony. It always felt like someone else, not himself, was possessing his body, making him feel like a stranger to his own self. The Heart of Lightning possesses the body. It had been quite a while since he thought that the message might be literal. ¡°Why did Odin leave Valha toe to a ce like this¡­¡± It seemed to be because of his insane son. ¡ºStrength increases by 1.¡» While he pondered, the bath that had been full enough topletely soak him had somehow emptied more than halfway. His fatigue had remarkably recovered. The fatigue level, which was close to 90, had dropped below 20. ¡°I was lucky this time.¡± The fact that Thor didn¡¯t harm him and just passed by could only be attributed to luck. If Thor had bared his teeth and swung his hammer at him, the trial would have ended at that moment. But he couldn¡¯t rx just because it had passed. Ssshh-. Lee Suhyuk rose from his seat and got dressed again. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee I won¡¯t run into him again.¡± In this trial, Thor was like a walking catastrophe. There was no way to defeat him in this trial. Even without Mjolnir, he was inherently the highest-ranking god inheriting Odin¡¯s bloodline. If possible, it was best to avoid him. ¡°Mjolnir¡­¡± Thinking of Mjolnir, which had been in Thor¡¯s hand, Suhyuk scratched his head in frustration. Another half of the thunder¡¯s fragment. Originally, that was Suhyuk¡¯s reason foring to Valha. But the thought of snatching it seemed impossible no matter how he looked at it. Moreover, ¡°If I reach the same ce as Thor at the end¡­¡± New tasksplicated Suhyuk¡¯s mind. Was it really the right choice toplete the fragment of thunder? It might be a choice akin to a moth flying towards the me, leading to self-destruction. He saw the path to proceed. This time, it was a path painted in bright blue. Shaking off theplex thoughts from his head. ¡°Hopefully, I won¡¯t run into him so soon.¡± With his stamina recovered, Suhyuk moved forward again. The second path was the ¡®Path of the Wind.¡¯ As he walked, Lee Suhyuk felt as if he was floating, akin to traversing through space. If the Path of Strength was a test of enduring multiple times Earth¡¯s gravity, this one was theplete opposite. There was one more thing: wind blew here as the name implied. Whooooosh¡ª Pushed and carried by the wind, Suhyuk eventually realized the crux of the test. This wasn¡¯t a trial of resisting the wind itself. It was quite the opposite. The point was to adapt to the wind and utilize it. As Suhyuk grasped the core of the test and moved forward, ¡°Grrrr¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thor appeared before him once again. Due to this, Suhyuk lost his concentration and was blown backwards. ¡®I miscalcted.¡¯ Thinking he wouldn¡¯t encounter him again proved to be a mistake. Thor appeared before him once more. It was as if the limitations of this space didn¡¯t apply to him, as he walked towards Suhyuk briskly. ¡°Grrr, grrr¡ª¡± Fortunately, Thor did not attack Suhyuk this time either. However, unlike before, he didn¡¯t just leave immediately. He merely followed Suhyuk¡¯s side. ¡°Do you have any business with me?¡± ¡°Grrr¡ª¡± ¡°No, never mind.¡± Though Suhyuk attempted to engage him in conversation, he soon gave up. At this moment, he needed to be content that Thor wasn¡¯t harming him. There was nothing to gain and potentially much to lose by provoking him with casual conversation. One never knew when Thor might suddenly turn and attack. ¡®Just focus.¡¯ Suhyuk resolved to ignore him. He considered the possibility that Thor might be there to increase the difficulty of the test, to disrupt his concentration and force him off the path. Having understood the essence of the trial, Suhyuk moved his feet lightly, as if stepping on the wind instead of being carried away by it. After a while, he sessfully traversed the wind. ¡ºYou have sessfully passed the ¡®Path of the Wind¡¯.¡» ¡ºAgility increased by 1.¡» Once again, he managed to pass the path safely. ¡°Better than before.¡± Awaiting Suhyuk at the endpoint was a silver box. Using a key ced right in front of it, he opened the box to find a pristine white garment covered in dust. ¡¾ Wind ¡¿ ¨C Grade: Unique ¨C No Wear Restrictions ¨C A garment woven from wind itself, making the wearer¡¯s body lighter. ¨C Agility +8 The item bore an impressive stat increase of eight. Its grade was even Unique. He dusted off the dirt from his clothes. He took off the clothes he was wearing, ced them in his inventory, and changed into new ones. ¡ºThe Blessing of Wind rests upon your body.¡» For a moment, it felt like his body was floating on the wind. But that was just an illusion. His body felt that light. ¡®Nice.¡¯ He moved his body around. His agility increased significantly, and thanks to the performance of the item, he felt confident that he could move much faster than before. However, as great as the performance was, so was the anxiety. ¡®The reward is too generous for the difficulty.¡¯ He could ept it happily, thinking it was Odin¡¯s arrangement, but it wasn¡¯t something to take lightly. In any trial, the greater the reward, the higher the difficulty, naturally. ¡®It¡¯s like they¡¯re giving out rewards in advance¡­¡¯ Suddenly¡ª Thinking this, Suhyuk nced at Thor standing behind the box. ¡°Are you going to keep following me?¡± Thor still did not respond. There must have been some reason for his following, but hisck ofmunication while loitering around was quite nerve-wracking. Wouldn¡¯t he suddenly turn and attack? It felt like carrying a powerful bomb in his bosom. But what could Suhyuk do? He didn¡¯t have the ability to shake him off. ¡°Alright, then. Keep following.¡± Just as Suhyuk continued toward the next path¡ª Swoosh¡ª The Thor who had been following him suddenly blocked his way. He stepped aside to go around, but Thor kept blocking him. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Grumble¡ª¡± ¡°If you have something to say, say it. If you can¡¯t speak, convey it some other way.¡± By now, Suhyuk had figured it out. Thor wasn¡¯t trying to attack him. Surely, there was a clear reason he kept following. So, he needed to understand that reason to proceed. ¡°Are you seeking help?¡± Thor nodded. Fortunately, he couldn¡¯t speak but seemed to understand. Nodding or shaking his head. Suhyuk began to ask questions to figure out what Thor wanted. ¡°Do you want to leave here?¡± ¡°Grr¡ª¡± ¡°Do you want to return to your original state?¡± ¡°Grr¡ª, grr¡ª¡± ¡°Do you wish to see your father¡­¡± ¡°Growling¡ª¡± ¡°Never mind. Just don¡¯t get angry.¡± Even after asking several questions, there were no satisfactory answers. When nothing else came to mind, and Suhyuk hesitated, Thor finally acted for the first time. Thud¡ª Thor thumped his chest. Not knowing what it meant, Suhyuk furrowed his brow in thought. And then, suddenly¡ª ¡°Could it be¡­¡± With a chilling thought appearing in his head, Suhyuk asked. ¡°Are you asking me to kill you?¡± Thor nodded. TL¡¯s Corner: Sadje, Thor became a mindless beast. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Inside a high-rise office building reaching up to the clouds. Lee Wonjae walked down the corridor, looking out at the cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Guiding him ahead was the guild headquarters¡¯ secretary. ¡°Why is he looking for me?¡± It was a question he hadn¡¯t received an answer to, but he asked again anyway, hoping for a different result. However, as always, the unlikely remained the same. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. I was just told to escort you politely¡­¡± ¡°Do you really not know anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a secretary.¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. No matter how much of a secretary one was, it wasn¡¯t possible to know everything about the guild master¡¯s affairs. And usually, when summoned like this, it was for matters that needed to be handled discreetly. Lee Wonjae checked his reflection in the ss. Seeing a face that was no different from usual, he felt reassured. Following the secretary¡¯s lead, he headed toward the guild master¡¯s office. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in with me?¡± ¡°My job is only to guide you. The deputy guild master asked for you to go in alone.¡± With that, the secretary personally opened the door to the guild master¡¯s office. Creak. Groan. The door, which had been locked, opened, revealing a massive door nearly four meters tall. The room inside was not particrly spacious, despite therge door. In the roughly 10-pyeong space, a desk and chair were ced in the center, with a bookshelf filled with old books on either side. A room meant solely for one person, without even a seat for a guest. ¡°Here you are.¡± Kim Ilsoo. He picked out a book from the shelf and turned his head. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,e in, Wonjae.¡± Hearing his name called warmly, Lee Wonjae¡¯s mind became tangled. However, not wanting to show that, he stepped into Kim Ilsoo¡¯s space without hesitation. Creak. Bang. From outside, the secretary closed the door. The room, filled with the scent of books and wood, was unmistakably in line with Kim Ilsoo¡¯s tastes. Kim Ilsoo, holding the book he was reading, returned to his seat and Lee Wonjae stood before him like a guilty man. Lee Wonjae looked at Kim Ilsoo. It had been a long time since he had seen his face. Half of it was covered with a mask due to burns, while the other half smiled. ¡°Been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It has. Given the asion, couldn¡¯t you have chosen a better location?¡± ¡°So true. We should¡¯ve had a drink.¡± ¡°Should we move now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not rush. There¡¯s plenty of time to drink after we clear up the misunderstandings.¡± Misunderstanding. A word he had heard countless times in his life, but at this moment, it felt particrly sharp. Lee Wonjae didn¡¯t change his expression. Or rather, he didn¡¯t need to. He had certainty. ¡°I heard you found something in the forest?¡± Still, he didn¡¯t. ¡°And did you find it?¡± Know what he was doing. ¡°Yes, I found it.¡± ¡°Really? What was it?¡± ¡°It was something personal. Because it was rted to the demons, I had no choice but to move the guild.¡± A response that flowed without any hesitation. ¡°If you¡¯d like to know what it is, I can show you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s personal, isn¡¯t it? If it¡¯s something you want to keep secret, I should respect that.¡± Creak¡ª. Kim Ilsoo got up from his chair, pushed it back, and walked past Lee Wonjae toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The conversation is over.¡± ¡°Over?¡± A question mark lingered in his mind, refusing to clear away. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand what misunderstanding had been resolved in this conversation. Or, had it truly been resolved? ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to move? Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll treat you to some excellent drinks today.¡± For a moment, he pondered inwardly. He couldn¡¯t picture the image of stabbing a knife into his heart at all. * * * Beyond the forest on the 8th floor. There wasnd belonging to the demon world, known as the Demonic Realm. The ground was dark red, and the sky bore two moons. A world of utter night. Shiwoo and Yerang, who found themselves in that perilous ce, were sitting on the road, taking a brief rest. Munch-. Yerang chewed on a piece of dry bread and jerky. Though it didn¡¯t taste good, they couldn¡¯t afford to skip a meal. Their journey might be considerably long. ¡°What did that guye all the way here for?¡± Yerang spat out her frustration andints instead of the piece of rubbery bread she was chewing. Nodding quietly in agreement, Shiwoo nodded silently. ¡°Are we sure the human mingling with the demons is really Gyuseong?¡± ¡°Who else but him could get along with demons?¡± He was holding a kit in his hand, looking at something. Given that this wasn¡¯t the first time, Yerang continued speaking regardless of whether he was listening. ¡°That¡¯s true, but isn¡¯t this too deep in?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s here to meet the Demon King.¡± ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely impossible, considering his personality.¡± ¡°¡­¡­True.¡± Hwang Gyuseong had the shiest personality among theirrades. Whenever they took a vote on who would die first, he was always the top pick. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. But maybe¡­.¡­.¡± ¡°Maybe what? Just say it.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t his purpose be simr to ours?¡± At Shiwoo¡¯s words, Yerang snorted dismissively. She threw the remaining piece of jerky she was holding onto the ground, as if she couldn¡¯t eat any more. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that?¡± ¡°I thought maybe you didn¡¯t. That¡¯s why I answered.¡± ¡°What are you looking at so intently?¡± ¡°Nothing, really.¡± Shiwoo still stared intently at the kit as he responded. ¡°Lee Suhyuk is not streaming.¡± At some point, the two began discussing Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streams openly. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any stream today.¡± ¡°It got cut off halfway.¡± ¡°Cut off?¡± ¡°Yeah. It went off abruptly. There¡¯s been no news since.¡± With a voice thick with regret, Yerang chastised him. ¡°Get a grip. We¡¯re in the Demon Realm.¡± The Demon Realm was a world ruled by demons, not humans. Even the most skilled yers couldn¡¯t guarantee their survival here. ¡°I know.¡± Shiwoo knew this too. ¡®Right now, it¡¯s more important to focus on those who might still be alive rather than those who are already dead.¡¯ He stared at the nk screen of the kit, filled with regret. Even so, he pondered why he remained so fixated on this stream. Upon reflection, the reason he came up with was that, although Hwang Gyuseong was far away, Lee Suhyuk, seen through the stream, felt close. Although he was a fake, he really did resemble Lee Suhyuk. Shiwoo turned off the kit and put it back in his pocket. Taking a break from the stream made him appreciate the streamer even more. ¡®Next time, I should at least offer some support.¡¯ A token of gratitude to the streamer who made him feel nostalgic. He was gradually understanding why viewers made such generous donations. * * * ¡°Are you asking me to kill you?¡± Thor nodded. Shiwoo hadn¡¯t expected this. While he sensed an aggressive madness from Thor, he hadn¡¯t anticipated it would be directed at himself. Shiwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to Mjolnir in Thor¡¯s hand. If he killed Thor here, he could im Mjolnir. For a moment, greed red within him, but it quickly subsided, and Shiwoo shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Grugh-?¡± Thor tilted his head, questioning his reason. Thor pointed at his own heart again, as if pleading. But Shiwoo couldn¡¯t grant his request. This was Odin¡¯s world. There was no way Odin, Thor¡¯s father, wouldn¡¯t know about his condition. Odin might even be watching from somewhere. More importantly, ¡°I will return you to your original state.¡± Thor¡¯s request made Shiwoo realize his true goal for this trial. ¡°Somehow, I will.¡± ¡ºHidden Stage ¨C Begin ¡®Thor¡¯.¡» ¡ºRestore the lost sanity of Thor.¡» A new stage appeared just in time. ¡°Grugh, grr-.¡± Thor stared at Shiwoo for a long while. Then, as if making up his mind, he turned around after lingering for a moment. Step by step, he walked away slowly. Watching Thor¡¯s purposeless steps, Shiwoo gazed after him with pity. ¡®You wanted to live.¡¯ No one in this world wants to die. That holds true even for gods. They simply do not want to continue living in such a state. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡± Lee Suhyuk was not surprised by the sudden voice that came from nearby. It was a familiar voice, and he had been thinking about its owner just a moment ago. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± Odin. The King of Asgard and father of Thor, he appeared before Suhyuk. As if he had been there all along. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°One must try, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried. It was impossible for me.¡± Those words sounded like this, if it was impossible for me, it would be impossible for anyone. And it was likely the same for Thor as well. He must have had absolute faith in Odin, enough to consider the extreme choice of death. ¡°You didn¡¯t have this, did you?¡± Suhyuk said as he showed the Gloves of Thunder in his hand. ¡°It sounds like you think even I could do it if I had that.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Suhyuk tensed for a moment. Odin might choose to take the glove from him right there. But thankfully, Odin did not. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t resort to such petty means unless you fail. Even for me, that¡¯s not a desirable choice.¡± Feeling relieved inside, Suhyuk turned toward the next path. This time, it was marked in green. ¡°I will begin at the end of this path.¡± ¡°So, you intend to fully utilize everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way to increase the odds, even just a bit.¡± To control lightning, a strong body and magical power were necessary. And the path here provided that foundation. ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve bathed in the sacred water of Asgard and even wear clothes made from the primordial wind.¡± As expected. Odin¡¯s words confirmed for Suhyuk that this path was a grand arrangement put in ce by him. ¡°Why did you create this path?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make it for you.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Suhyuk started to ask a question but soon closed his mouth. There was only one other person in the world who could make Odin go to such lengths. But that person was now a madman. ¡®No wonder the reward seemed excessivepared to the difficulty¡­¡¯ An advance payment reward. In this case, the reward did not seem particrlyrge. If anything, it felt modest. It was something even Odin could not achieve. Restoring the heir of Asgard, who had be a madman, to normalcy. The difficulty of that task was beyond easy estimation. ¡°Fortunately, you haven¡¯t turned out like my son. Whether you haven¡¯t yet or won¡¯t in the future remains to be seen, but at any rate, the other half of thunder is now in your hands.¡± Odin had yielded the arrangements he had prepared for Thor to Suhyuk. ¡°So you must perfectly master Thunder and Lightning.¡± There was a reason he had to. ¡°I am asking this of you.¡± At that moment. With a soft sound¡ª ¡°Help my son.¡± The King of Asgard bowed his head, and a new cutscene began. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Grukk, grrrrr-. Krrrrr-. It was akin to a beast. Lee Suhyuk was taken aback as he stared at the cutscene unfolding before his eyes. ¡°Thor? Odin?¡± The faces were clear. There were other familiar faces besides the two. ¡°Brynhild.¡± The fierce female warrior and leader of the Valkyries, Brynhild, stood before him. Her face bore scars and wounds that he had never seen before, and she had Thor bound in thick ropes. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Should we be grateful that he¡¯s returned alive¡­?¡± Brynhild struggled to speak, unable to finish her sentence. Thor, growling like an animal, red at Odin. Soon, one of the ropes binding him snapped with a loud thud. Ka-boom-! Dark blue lightning shot from his fingertips towards Odin. Brynhild wasn¡¯t flustered. She believed Odin wouldn¡¯t budge at such a minor attack. Sure enough, Odin remained unscathed, even after the thunder had passed. ¡°It must have been difficult to subdue him.¡± ¡°Fortunately, he was quite exhausted.¡± ¡°Did he fight Surtr?¡± ¡°That appears to be the case.¡± Understanding the situation with just a brief exchange, Odin nodded. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. But what should we do about the Prince¡­?¡± ¡°Sadly, there is neither a rope in Asgard that can bind him nor a prison cell that can hold him.¡± Thor was Odin¡¯s blood. Since childhood, he had been an exceptional fighter. With the power of lightning, he had be an even more formidable warrior. ¡°Then, what should we do?¡± Snap, crackle-. Even in the midst of this, one by one, Thor¡¯s ropes were breaking. ¡°There are two options. Either I keep him restrained, or we kill him.¡± That statement shattered Brynhild¡¯s icyposure. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ¡°Absolutely not, which side are you on?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let the Prince die. Isn¡¯t there another way¡­?¡± ¡°The other way is for me to keep him restrained. But that won¡¯t be here in Valha.¡± Only then did Brynhild seem to grasp the gravity of the situation, her lips trembling. ¡°If I leave this ce, Surtr will certainly aim for it. The longer I¡¯m gone, the more likely it bes, and Asgard will be in danger.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you understand.¡± Unlike the agitated Brynhild, Odin stared at Thor with cold, emotionless eyes. ¡°So, the best option is to kill him.¡± * * * After the cutscene ended, Odin reappeared before Suhyuk¡¯s eyes. He was confused. Odin, who was now bowing and begging a human like himself to save his son. Could this truly be the same person from the cutscene? ¡®Is this his true intention?¡¯ The choices were starkly different. It was unclear whether this was a sudden change of heart or if his words didn¡¯t match his true feelings. Anyway, he hoped Thor wouldn¡¯t die. ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡± And at Odin¡¯s request, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°I will do my best.¡± Not just thinking of it as a trial. But thinking of it as helping a father save his son from now on. * * * After that, Suhyuk ran on the green path. ¡ºBeginning ¡®The Endless Path¡¯.¡» ¡ºRun with all your might.¡» A path with no defined end point. As the name suggested, it was an infinitely extending path. Suhyuk ran at full speed. It had been a while since he ran his hardest without using lightning. Running, and running again. As his breath reached its limit, Suhyuk finally sensed that the path had begun. ¡®I need to find a method.¡¯ While exhaling steadily, he thought of Thor. ¡®Separating Mjolnir from his hand¡­ He must have tried that already. Destroy it? That¡¯s the same. Then¡­¡¯ No matter how much he thought, it seemed like Odin had already tried every feasible method. There was one method worth attempting. ¡®The Heart of Thunder must be united as one.¡¯ The Heart of Thunder was originally one. It had been divided into two pieces, which was its current state. Separating them was pointless. Destroying them was equally futile or impossible. Therefore, the only remaining method was. To unite the divided pieces into one. ¡®Is it possible?¡¯ He pondered over it. He was not a cksmith like Kindre. However, he didn¡¯t think the purpose of this trialy in cksmithing skills. ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» Unlike other stats, the increase in stamina was slower. After gaining a few more stats, Suhyuk finally stopped his trembling legs. No, he fell down. Thud- He stopped running only when his legs were too ragged to run anymore. He had no idea how long he had run. There was no time to calcte that, as his mind was filled with other thoughts. ¡°Huff, huff-.¡± ¡®There¡¯s no need to think too hard.¡¯ He felt he would know intuitively what to do. Having finished his thoughts, Suhyuk raised his head. And in that moment. ¡°Uweeek-!¡± Having run so much, his stomach turned upside down. * * * Odin¡¯s third arrangement was a small piece of leaf. The moment he wondered what this tiny leaf was, a message appeared. ¡ºYou have obtained a fragment of Yggdrasil¡¯s Leaf.¡» The moment he checked the name of the item, Lee Suhyuk doubted his own eyes. Yggdrasil. Also known as the World Tree, it was a massive tree that was said to support several worlds, including Asgard. ¡®This tiny thing?¡¯ How on Earth had they managed to shrink down the leaves of such a colossal tree to this size? Once again, he marveled at Odin¡¯s abilities. Crunch. He put the leaf in his mouth and chewed. It was astringent, and extremely bitter. It was so bitter that he almost vomited again. But as the bitter taste faded, an incredibly clear and radiant sensation enveloped his entire body. Stamina surged. It was as if all the blood in his body had been drained and reced with new blood. ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» ¡ºStamina increased by 1.¡» ¡ºStamina¡­¡» As evidence, several stamina points were additionally increased. And that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡ºYou have received the Blessing of Yggdrasil.¡» ¡ºYou gain strong resistance to all status effects.¡» ¡ºYou gain strong resistance to all curses.¡» ¡ºYou gain strong resistance to all elemental damage.¡» This was an rm with value beyond mere stats. Resistance to all elements, curses, and status effects. This would undoubtedly be an immense power when fighting magical enemies or other adversaries. ¡°¡­¡­ This is too generous.¡± His depleted stamina hadpletely recovered as if it had never been drained. Fatigue: 0%. His condition was the best it had been since entering the tower. ¡°Andstly¡­ this must be it.¡± Trickling- At the end of the path where he had staggered to arrive, there was a small underground spring. ¡ºDrink as much as you want from ¡®Mimir¡¯s Spring¡¯.¡» The name was unfamiliar. Suhyuk approached the spring. The water was so clear that it mirrored his face. What kind of efficacy did this water have that he was told to drink it? Suhyuk reached out and hesitated for a moment. ¡®As much as you want, huh¡­¡¯ Under usual circumstances, he would have gulped it down greedily. He might have even plunged into the spring and swum around. The more you desire, the greater the gains. The riskier the task, the bigger the reward of the trial. But this time. Drip- He acted contrary to his usual instincts. Suhyuk put just a single drop into his mouth. It was tasteless and he only had one chance. Like a sudden drought, the spring dried up instantly. Even if he wanted to indulge more, he couldn¡¯t. And in the next moment, another change urred within Suhyuk¡¯s body. Hissss¡ª Just one drop. That single drop deeply permeated into his body. It felt like he had swallowed a strong liquor; his insides burned. In an instant, his mind sank into a cozy, profound sleep. Who knew how much time had passed? When Suhyuk opened his eyes again, there were foul-smelling and rancid liquids flowing around him. ¡®Did thise out of my body?¡¯ The sensation felt as brief as closing and opening one¡¯s eyes. However, Lee Suhyuk felt certain that he had lost consciousness for a significant amount of time. Evidence for this was the different energy flowing through his entire body. ¡ºStatus Window¡» ¡ºName: Lee Suhyuk¡» ¡ºAffiliation: Earth¡» ¡ºLevel: 59¡» ¡ºStrength: 83¡»+2 ¡ºAgility: 76¡»+8 ¡ºStamina: 98¡»+9 ¡ºFocus: 74¡» ¡ºMagic: 80¡» He had opened his stat window to confirm what he was feeling through his body. Indeed, his magic and focus had significantly increasedpared to before he had cked out. Although his level was still low, his overall stats were by no meanscking. Especially his stamina, which had the most exceptional value, likely thanks to Jinwoon¡¯s procedure. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d solve my concerns this quickly.¡¯ Lately, Suhyuk¡¯s concern had been his reliance on lightning due to his low level andcking stats. In the past, Lee Suhyuk had used the skill ¡°lightning¡± primarily, but it wasn¡¯t his only asset. Now, things were different. His exceptionally high stamina stat and Selfless Sacrifice. Utilizing these two aspects with his lightning skill. His dependence on this skill was due to his rtively low other stats. ¡®It¡¯s notpletely resolved yet¡­¡¯ Perhaps he would be able to solve it once his level increased further. In truth, even at this stage, he¡¯d solved half of the problem. The dissatisfaction was just because of his high standards. ¡°I¡¯ve received too much advance payment.¡± Upon seeing his increased stats, Suhyuk realized how precious and valuable Odin¡¯s arrangements were. Mimir¡¯s well water. Yggdrasil¡¯s leaf. Clothes made from Asgard¡¯s holy water and the primordial wind. Odin had ¡°invested¡± all these things in him. To reim his son. Boom-! A rumble was heard from afar. Though faint, the impact reverberated through the ground. The underground of Asgard shook. This was the signal that Thor, who had been barely maintaining his consciousness, had begun to rampage. ¡®Can I do it?¡¯ It was the same question, but the answer was different from before. Until then, the mere thought of approaching Thor had seemed impossible, but now it felt slightly more achievable. ¡®Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ No, it needed to be done. These gifts were not given out of affection. All of it was an extremely expensive investment to increase the likelihood of rescuing Thor, even by a fraction. Therefore, he had to prove that this investment was not made in vain. Rumble-. Thunder roared once again from Thor¡¯s Mjolnir, shooting up to the sky. And responding to Thor¡¯s thunder, Crackle-. Blue electricity formed in Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± The blue spear formed in his hand. Suhyuk threw it with all his might towards the sky. Boom-! A thunderous roar filled the underground as if Mjolnir had been swung. Creating a towering blue pir in the sky, Suhyuk moved his lips and spoke towards the distant, deranged figure who had lost his way. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Drip-drip-drip¡ª Above the gently flowing spring water. The reflection of Suhyuk standing with his eyes closed could be seen. Tyr, who was watching alongside, smirked as if he found it amusing. ¡°Is he without greed? Or is he just perceptive? Either way, he¡¯s a lucky fellow.¡± Tyr, standing with one arm behind his back, nced at Odin. ¡°What were you thinking, preparing something like that as the final gift? Nine out of ten would¡¯ve lost their sight.¡± Mimir¡¯s Well. It was a mystery known to very few, even among the gods of Asgard. But Odin and Tyr, who discovered that well together, knew. Mimir¡¯s wisdom was cruel and capricious, taking the two eyes of those who coveted it. ¡°If he had coveted the well, he would have lost both eyes. If he had taken a single sip without greed, then he would have lost one eye.¡± Mimir granted wisdom to none who desired nothing, yet did not forgive those who sought it with greed, making it a merciless existence. So, the correct answer was just one drop. Exactly as Suhyuk had done. ¡°Thor was a fellow who knew how to temper his greed. He would never have lost both eyes.¡± ¡°Of course. He is your son after all. But tell me this: how does it feel to live as a one-eyed man?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t one-armed men live as well?¡± ¡°You just never concede one word, do you?¡± Tsk, Tyr clicked his tongue in irritation and muttered. ¡°Anyway, that boy took everything.¡± Suhyuk opened his eyes in the reflection of the well. Upon seeing his image, Tyr couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. ¡°He¡¯s a different one from before he came here. That boy.¡± ¡°Considering all that he¡¯s absorbed so far, it¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. After all, he¡¯s taken half of what you intended to pass on to Thor.¡± In some ways, the human standing before them had received a blessing far greater than a lifetime of good fortune. ¡°I thought you were heartless and merciless.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The one who felt nothing about his own son bing one-eyed, who offered the Yggdrasil leaf to save his child, and who would even bow his head to a human.¡± Until a while ago, Odin had really seemed that way. He was the first to suggest that Thor should be killed, and it seemed he would truly go through with it. But Odin ultimately did not. He created a new Asgard to imprison Thor, and stayed here. Leaving the heavily treasured Valha Pce vacant. ¡°No need to justify yourself.¡± Tyr respected his whimsical choice. ¡°I may not understand it as someone without a son, but no one in your realm will cast a stone at you.¡± ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Because, before this single mistaken choice, you¡¯ve made thousands, nay, tens of thousands of right ones.¡± Asgard existed because of Odin. There likely wasn¡¯t a single inhabitant who didn¡¯t know that. Therefore, Tyr was confident. No one would disrespect Odin¡¯s choice. After a long silence, Odin finally spoke. ¡°I had no intention to justify myself.¡± Slowly, Suhyuk¡¯s image in the well began to open his eyes. He had taken all the treasures prepared for Thor and shed his human shell, bing an entirely new being. ¡°If a day everes when this choice proves wrong¡­¡± If he were to. Once again be a monster who ravages not only Asgard but also the gods of the past. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take responsibility for it myself.¡± * * * His eyes were clear. He felt as though his field of vision had expanded more than twice its original size. The vitality in his body was iparable to before. ¡°The effect of the elixir is really good.¡± He didn¡¯t know how many times he marveled at it already. Obtaining so many stats in such a short period was a first for him in this lifetime. It was like he had be an entirely different person in that brief moment. Kurr-. Right after firing a blue spear strike high into the sky, he felt Thor¡¯s aura approaching. The same aura started to resonate with each other. Thor did not resist and came toward him. Gulp-. As he gradually approached, the tension heightened. But it was alright. At that moment. ¡°I don¡¯t need to win the fight.¡± Hoo-. He exhaled deeply, easing the tension appropriately. ¡°If it were a problem that could be solved by fighting and winning, Odin would have resolved it already. He wouldn¡¯t have sought my help.¡± This was a perfectly reasonable thought. But just being conscious of such an obvious matter helped a lot. The tension slowly eased. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s eyes widened as the blue monster came into view. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± His tone had changed. Until then, he had treated it as if it were Thor. ¡°-You monster.¡± From now on, he had to consider it as an evil spirit to be exorcised. Crackle-. Thor¡¯s response to Suhyuk¡¯s words was the hammer in his hand. The item known as Mjolnir, created from the Heart of Thunder. That was the very cause of Thor¡¯s downfall. ¡°I can handle this.¡± Thud, thud-. His heart pounded violently. Even though he had undergone corporeal changes through Odin¡¯s arrangement, he was still not as strong as Thor. But he wasn¡¯t entirely without confidence. ¡°Ferius¡¯s legend wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± Thud-. As if responding to Suhyuk¡¯s thoughts, the Heart of Lightning beat more vigorously. ¡°The primary purpose is for humans to handle lightning.¡± He had said that this heart was created to control lightning. At the time, Suhyuk, as well as the viewers, had dismissed it as nothing more than an empty legend. But the truth about lightning and thunder he learned here in Asgard was no different from Ferius¡¯s words. ¡°This is an object created to fight and win against them.¡± Humans had fought against gods. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be alone.¡± That legend existed as history. But the result was the defeat of humans. The lone human had been defeated by numerous gods. He wasn¡¯t interested in predetermined victories or defeats. The past results couldn¡¯t be changed, and he had no intention of fighting gods to avenge unknown humans. But there was one thing he could clearly understand from that legend. If someone had done it, ¡®I can handle it too.¡¯ Thump-. By the time his determination had ended, Thor had approached within about ten steps of him. It felt close, as if he could touch him by stretching out his hand. Suhyuk¡¯s gaze still remained fixated on the Mjolnir held in Thor¡¯s hand. And Thor was no different. ¡°Growl-.¡± He stared intently at Suhyuk¡¯s hand. As if he was mesmerized, having met his lost half. ¡°Do you want this?¡± Feeling the greedy gaze on him, Suhyuk waved his hand. ¡°Then try taking I-.¡± Buzz-. Suddenly, Mjolnir moved. Boom-! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A blue lightning bolt grazed past his eyes. In an instant, the bolt struck the ceiling. Rumble-! The impact traveled from the ceiling down to the ground. The explosion was so immense, it could have leveled a small mountain, and the speed was beyond the visible reaction level. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something one could dodge. He missed. ¡°¡­¡­What a mess.¡± The power was immense, but it was not under control. That was par for the course. Even in that state, Thor still existed within. ¡®Should I trust it?¡¯ Grrr-. Watching Thor make increasingly beast-like sounds, Suhyuk took a deep breath. Simultaneously, Crackle, crackle-. Dark blue lightning began to rise from various parts of Suhyuk¡¯s body. ¡º¡¯Lightning Lord¡¯ imbues your body.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Lightning¡¯ resists ¡®Lightning Lord and Lightning¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv8¡ä resists ¡®Lightning Lord and Lightning¡¯.¡» Boom-! A bolt of lightning struck from the sky onto Suhyuk¡¯s head. A new and powerful energy canvassed his entire body. ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv8¡ä resists ¡®Lightning Lord and Lightning¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv8¡¯¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» He maximized the output. His umted efforts didn¡¯t even seem to matter as the power imbued in his body fought back. The output rose, and so did the burden. As the power surged, an unpleasant sensation enveloped his entire being. ¡®So this is what it feels like.¡¯ There had to be a process, much like his own, that had led to the current state of Thor. Someone else¡¯s presence invading, ripping apart both body and mind. Like a drug. The more intoxicated one became, the stronger they got, but that came at the cost of destruction and, ultimately, ruin. Thump-. But even knowing this, he couldn¡¯t let go of this power. Not now, and not in the future. He still had things to do, whether it killed or destroyed him. Crackle-! The output had reached its maximum. There was no more time to dy. Maintaining this state for too long was neither physically nor mentally advisable. Creak-. He took a step forward. He stepped directly toward Thor. ¡°I will trust you.¡± His tone towards Thor had changed. For a moment, his eyes cleared. Boom-! Almost simultaneously, Suhyuk¡¯s foot and Thor¡¯s Mjolnir moved. sh-! A pir of electricity shot up high into the sky, mixing blue, ck, and golden lightning. A fierce storm surged as the lightning reached the heavens. Whooo-. Dust clouds rose from the shattered ground. A pir of electricity formed between the two, acting like a wall that blocked each other. And within the dust cloud. Creak-. A hand reached forward and grabbed Thor¡¯s Mjolnir. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Thor¡¯s eyes looked at Mjolnir in his own hand. Suhyuk, whose face had turned ck from the burns, was holding Mjolnir with him, staring closely into his eyes. ¡°You did well.¡± In thest moment, there had been a brief hesitation in Thor¡¯s hand that wielded Mjolnir. Had that hesitation not been there, piercing through the thunder Thor wielded would have been impossible. Crackle-. Blue electricity flowed from the hand that grabbed Mjolnir. The energy from the Gloves of Thunder seeped into Mjolnir, discovering the fragment of thunder within it. ¡º¡¯Mjolnir¡¯ reacts to the ¡®Gloves of Thunder¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Mjolnir¡¯ rejects the ¡®Gloves of Thunder¡¯.¡» ¡°Kaak-!¡± Crack-. Thor¡¯s hand grabbed Suhyuk¡¯s neck. His airway constricted and his eyes felt like they would pop out. Squeeze-. Despite that, he tightened his grip on Mjolnir even more. Once he grabbed hold, he couldn¡¯t let go. If he let go now, the opportunity Thor created with much effort would be in vain. ¡°Aga¡­in¡­¡± Crackle-! He gripped Mjolnir as if to crush it. His hand burned as it discharged thunder, enticing the fragment of thunder within it. ¡°Be¡­one¡­again¡­.¡± No matter how he thought about it, this was the only way to restore Thor to his original self. Combining the Heart of Thunder, which had been split into two, back together. And that was also what Suhyuk had wanted from the beginning. For a moment. The two thunders shed, sparking wildly. Buzz-. ¡°A way to¡­handle you¡­.¡± Crackle-. Through Mjolnir, a faint voice was heard. ¡°¡­but this¡­¡± ¡º¡¯Viewing the Memory of Thunder¡¯.¡» TL¡¯s Corner: Look out it¡¯s a cliff ¨C says the driver driving off the cliff. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Just like the tape of an old camera, memories yed endlessly. Among them, the very first one that started was a memory from thousands of years ago. ¡°This will be your task from now on.¡± Odin handed over a blue jewel. The moment young Thor saw its beauty, he was captivated at once. ¡°What is this, father?¡± ¡°It is thunder.¡± ¡°Thunder? This?¡± Lee Suhyuk stood nkly, watching their past. It was supposed to be the memory of thunder, but no matter how he looked at it, these were Thor¡¯s memories. ¡®Why are they showing this to me?¡¯ He thought it might be another cutscene, but this was different from a cutscene. Instead of a single scene, it condensed a very long period of over a thousand years to show. ¡°I will make it mine for sure.¡± From that day, Thor dedicated himself to mastering thunder daily. Thunder was unruly. On some days, it was calm as if asleep, while on others, it exploded with uncontroble power. After narrowly escaping death numerous times, Thor had no choice but to admit it. ¡°You weren¡¯t waiting for me, were you?¡± In the end, unable to control thunder, Thor expressed deep regret. But he did not give up. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way.¡± At that time, someone approached him and whispered. ¡®Who is this?¡¯ The face was blurred, as if it had been mosaicked. The voice was distorted to a degree where one couldn¡¯t tell if it was male or female. It meant this being was not yet permitted by the system. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®a way¡¯?¡± ¡°You can split the thunder in half.¡± It seemed like a simple enough solution at first nce. But it was something Thor had never considered. Splitting thunder in half¡ªit was an arrogant thought from someone who had never dealt with it. And as if they knew what Thor was thinking, the mysterious figure continued speaking. ¡°You don¡¯t know until you try, right? Are you going to give up already?¡± Thor¡¯s expression noticeably changed. Those words deeply stirred something inside Thor. Yes. Let¡¯s not give up. This was a fateful task destined for him since the moment he was born. However, Hum. At that moment, Thor wasn¡¯t paying attention to the sound of the thunder in his hand. ¡®Was this the problem?¡¯ Lee Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned to the one whispering sweetly in Thor¡¯s ear. Splitting the thunder in half. Perhaps that wasn¡¯t what the thunder wanted. ¡®Is this why it was cursed?¡¯ **ZZZZZ, ZZZZZZZ-!** At this moment, thunder was roaring. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be like this. Leave me as I am.¡± However, Thor eventually epted his opinion. ¡°Split this in half, and if possible, make it something I can handle.¡± This was Thor¡¯s request to the greatest cksmith in Asgard. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled with a unique light as he watched the process. ¡®He knows Thor well.¡¯ The words the mysterious figure had just spoken were meant to provoke Thor. He had wielded a single, sharp sentence to control Thor. This would not have been possible without a deep understanding of Thor. Behind the guise of goodwilly clear malice. He was well-versed not only in Thor but also in thunder. In any case, the enigmatic figure¡¯s words were urate. In the cksmith¡¯s hands, Mjolnir was forged. Mjolnir wasn¡¯t just infused with thunder but also with various precious divine materials and metals existing in Asgard. With Mjolnir in his hand, Thor felt a surge of energy. In an instant, Mjolnir, guided by his hand, pointed toward the sky. **FLASH-!** **CRASH-!** Thunder struck him from the sky. Not just a single bolt, but a storm of thunder rained down, setting everything aze. It was a cmity. At that moment, Thor realized it. He had finally gained control over thunder. ¡°Father! I did it.¡± Thor immediately headed to Valha Pce where Odin resided. Odin¡¯s numerous possible voices echoed in Thor¡¯s mind. Well done. I believed in you. As expected of my son¡­. Despite Odin¡¯s usual reluctance to praise, Thor thought today would be different. But, ¡°A half-measure, isn¡¯t it.¡± Apparently, Odin could not be deceived. Even with just one eye, Odin saw things others with two eyes couldn¡¯t. His voice, as usual, showed no signs of either celebration or regret, criticism or disappointment. ¡°Neither a sess nor a failure.¡± Those words brought Thor¡¯s soaring spirits plummeting back to Earth. His once light steps returned to their usual heaviness. In that moment, the Mjolnir in his hand felt like a shameful weight. ¡°You¡¯ve made a dangerous choice.¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± ¡°Going against the nature of thunder¡­¡± Odin¡¯s gaze turned toward the Mjolnir in Thor¡¯s hand. He quickly swallowed his next words and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Go on.¡± Thor received neither congrattions nor rebuke. His steps out of Valha Pce were indeed heavier than before. ¡°¡­ I shouldn¡¯t rely on thunder any longer.¡± Despite appearing like a child before Odin, Thor was a warrior with a soul second in strength only to Odin. Even though he hadn¡¯t conclusively seeded or failed in a task to which he had devoted his life, he did not give in to despair. No. He, on the contrary, felt a new excitement. ¡°Am I finally free from the shackles?¡± The firm shackle of thunder loosened with a nking sound. Without dwelling on the results, he looked forward. But it was only momentary. ¨C Who gave you permission? nk. The shackle that had barely loosened tightened even more, as if it had never loosened at all. Now, it was so tight that he couldn¡¯t even move a finger. ¨C You won¡¯t be able to escape, not ever. Crackle, crackle-! Mjolnir¡¯s rampage began. He thought he could manage it, but it was arrogance. Mjolnir constantly devoured Thor. Like a cursed item, it clung to his hand, unremovable. With great poweres significant sacrifice. Thor, who wielded Mjolnir, garnered the epithet of the God of Thunder, but he feared that power himself. ¡°Do not use it any longer.¡± One day, Odin visited him. ¡°Consider it just a hammer that¡¯s convenient for swinging. Believing you could control thunder was my mistake.¡± Gulp. The emotions Thor felt at that moment were vividly conveyed. A mistake. It wasn¡¯t his pride that got hurt. Thor was not foolish enough to unt that. He merely felt guilty. It hurt that his father¡¯s life came to bear the stain of a mistake because of him. After Odin left. For a long time, unable to sleep, Thor sat in his chamber and murmured. ¡°¡­ I will make it not so.¡± Crackle, crackle-! At that moment, as the memory of thunder faded, unbearable pain began to transmit to Suhyuk¡¯s palm. ¡°Ugh.¡± Conscious of the pain, the world centered around Thor shattered. Thor¡¯s chamber vanishedpletely, and in ce of the face of a warrior with a strong spirit, there now was a monster. Crackle, crackle-! Mjolnir resisted fiercely. The more it resisted, the more Suhyuk clenched his hand tighter. ¡°Did you live all your life to end up like this?¡± He only observed briefly. He couldn¡¯t have seen even a fraction of how Thor lived and how intense his life was. But precisely because of that, Suhyuk found Thor¡¯s current state even morementable. ¡°Did you train so hard just to be devoured by this thing?¡± Suhyuk kept talking. As he watched the cutscene unfold, he understood. This trial was not something he could ovee alone. To master thunder, to be a warrior. It was a trial to be ovee alongside a great warrior who shed blood and sweat without hesitation to gain his father¡¯s recognition. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d ovee this out of sheer shame. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Thor¡¯s eyes showed agreement. I would, even more so. Squelch. It was at that moment when a crack appeared on Mjolnir. The other half of the thunder within Mjolnir began to be drawn in. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s dominance shone brighter than Thor¡¯s, who had lost consciousness. ¡®It¡¯s working.¡¯ Thor¡¯s consciousness was slowly returning. The mad glint in his eyes had dimmed halfway. At that moment. Boom! A thunderbolt from Mjolnir flicked Suhyuk¡¯s hand away. It happened in an instant. The current output was too much for Suhyuk to endure in his present state, resulting in his palm being charred ck and tingling. ¡º¡¯Heart of Lightning¡¯ resists ¡®Status Effect ¨C Electrocution¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯Blessing of Yggdrasil¡¯ resists ¡®Status Effect ¨C Electrocution¡¯.¡» The fact that he was able to withstand this much was thanks to the Heart of Lightning, and the Blessing of Yggdrasil prepared by Odin. At the moment his hand fell away, Thor turned his body. Crackle. In the blink of an eye, he was far away. Suhyuk did not chase him. It was impossible to chase Thor once he had made up his mind. Unlike before, when Thor had found him interesting, now he was afraid of him. No, to be precise, it was not Thor himself but the thunder within him that feared Suhyuk. ¡®It just might work.¡¯ At first, he was skeptical. Could he really break the curse on Mjolnir? Was Odin cing undue expectations on him for an impossible task? Or might he end up being consumed by the thunder this time? It was not an unfounded expectation. Suhyuk looked at his hand, ckened by Thor¡¯s thunder. This time, Thor hade to him. Next time, it would be the other way around. * * * Suhyuk climbed back to the surface. Odin had created steps for him to ascend, and Suhyuk walked up the thousands of steps. The expression on Odin¡¯s face, who had been watching the situation from below, wasplex. ¡°¡­Neither a failure nor a sess.¡± It was not despair over failure or joy over sess. However, one thing was certain. With this, he saw hope. ¡°As you can see.¡± Suhyuk raised his charred hand. ¡°He still doesn¡¯t listen to me. He just runs away.¡± ¡°Would it help if I captured him for you?¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s pointless, right? What we need isn¡¯t capture or suppression, it¡¯s breaking the curse.¡± Odin nodded. Even though he saw everything, he did not intervene because he shared the same thoughts. Odin said no more. There was only one thing he was curious about now. ¡°Is it possible?¡± ¡°It will take a little more time¡­ but it should be possible.¡± At that moment, Odin¡¯s expression brightened slightly. It was a very small change, but Suhyuk noticed. And he could guess how significant that small change was to Odin. ¡°How much time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Suhyuk could not give a precise answer at this moment. It was no longer a matter of how exceptional his abilities were now. ¡°That¡¯s not something I can decide.¡± ¡°Then?¡± After facing it once, he understood. How powerful Mjolnir, Thor¡¯s hammer, truly was. Why was the great prince of Asgard being controlled by such an object? It intrigued him all the more. ¡°The time depends on what the thunder wants from me.¡± If thunder had truly wanted, he would not be alive now. Why had it allowed him to live? Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Since that day, Lee Suhyuk continuously sought out Thor. Boom-! Whenever he fought him, he wanted to cover his ears. His arms trembled, and his whole body felt like it was burning up from the electrocution. It seemed like his ears would give out first before the rest of him did. Crackle-. He pulled himself out of the blue currents, putting strength back into his legs. He increased his output and charged at Thor again. As he swung his sword, Mjolnir came flying towards him. ng-! Boom-! The impact that shook the Earth made him feel like his whole body, starting from the hand gripping his sword, would shatter. But he had no choice. He had to push his output to the maximum just to barely match Thor¡¯s power. And so, for a brief moment. ¡°¡­Ngh.¡± Suhyuk, having fought Thor like a madman for a while, finally opened his eyes after a considerable amount of time had passed. ¡®How many times has it been now?¡¯ He had fought Thor so many times that he lost count. Was it six times? Or seven? Every time they fought, Suhyuk lost consciousness. He couldn¡¯t remember whether it was because he overused lightning and thunder and drained himself, or if it was because he got hit by Mjolnir. ¡°It¡¯s happened again.¡± It was then that Odin appeared before Suhyuk. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the eighth time. Do you think of me as some kind of stamina recovery potion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the eighth time? I thought it was seven.¡± ¡°Looks like you hurt your head too, can¡¯t even keep count.¡± Vroom-. A green light enveloped Suhyuk¡¯s body. The scent of fragrant flowers and herbs filled the air, and his tired body regained its vigor. ¡ºFatigue is being recovered.¡» ¡ºFatigue is being recovered.¡» ¡ºFatigue is¡­¡» ¡®It¡¯s fascinating every time.¡¯ How injuries and stamina could recover so quickly, he wondered. Though he felt sorry for Odin, Suhyuk did treat him as a stamina recovery potion. The recovery magic of the greatest archmage was unparalleled. Thanks to Odin, Suhyuk could sh several times with Thor in a short period. ¡°You¡¯ve improved somewhat.¡± ¡°Improved?¡± ¡°Yes. At first, you couldn¡¯tst ten seconds, but now you¡¯vested over a minute.¡± Thor was indeed extremely powerful. Using thunder as his weapon, Thor was probably one of the top warriors even in Asgard. Facing Thor was an invaluable experience for Suhyuk. ¡°But why are you doing this exactly?¡± Suhyuk had spontaneously started fighting Thor. His goal was always Mjolnir, but midway, it didn¡¯t even seem like he had that goal anymore. It was as if they were just testing who was stronger. They continued to fight, and each match ended with Thor¡¯s victory. But there were noints. Each time, Suhyuk survived. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for this, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if I had died a few times already¡­¡¯ Thump-. At this moment. Lee Suhyuk was keenly aware of how fiercely the Heart of Lightning was beating. ¡®Anyway, I haven¡¯t died even once.¡¯ The Heart of Lightning granted the strongest resistance against lightning attribute damage. Thanks to this, Suhyuk had managed to stay alive, even though he had lost consciousness several times while fighting Thor. ¡°When will I ever fight an opponent like that again?¡± Up until now, he hadn¡¯t had many opportunities to properly use lightning. Once the Counter-Fight started, he would be battling numerous rankers. He considered it training to prepare for that time. Thor was more than sufficient to confirm how far he hade. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes gleamed as he moved his recovered body this way and that. ¡°It¡¯s not certain¡­ but I think I know what that guy wants.¡± Odin understood that Suhyuk was not referring to Thor. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t press Suhyuk further. The current master of thunder was Suhyuk, and only another master of thunder could save Thor. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± * * * Several times a day. He fought and lost repeatedly. Thor no longer avoided Suhyuk. Suhyuk did not hesitate to collide with Thor. There were several moments when he was close to death, but he managed to survive each time. After several days. sh-! The thunder Suhyuk discharged engulfed Thor. Boom-! The blue thunder was far denser and more powerful than before. Suhyuk¡¯s hand trembled slightly from the high-output thunder he had unleashed in an instant. ¡®I got the feeling.¡¯ Sure enough. Thor, who had previously counterattacked immediately, stood still for the first time. Upon closer inspection, the cracks in Mjolnir had increased. Little by little, his attacks were getting through. In the split second Suhyuk¡¯s gaze was drawn to Mjolnir, Thor¡¯s foot moved. Crackle-. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With just a slight movement of his foot, the distance closed in an instant. Although it wasn¡¯t his first time experiencing this, he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed each time. Whirr-. Mjolnir, targeting Suhyuk¡¯s torso, cut through the air. The sound of the air being torn apart echoed in his ears, and Thor¡¯s grasp soon caught Suhyuk by the cor. Grip-. Instead of surrendering his throat, Suhyuk reached out his hand. Boom-! Without any distinction of who went first, electrical energy burst out, apanied by the sound of thunder. The severe burn that felt like his hand was on firested only a moment before Thor, who had dropped his hand, chased after the retreating Suhyuk. Bang, boom-! Rumble-. Thunder exploded from all sides. His entire body tingled from the incredibly high-output thunder. Colliding with it head-on, Suhyuk listened carefully to the sound of thunder. ¡®So this is how it¡¯s used.¡¯ The thunder borrowed through Thor¡¯s body spoke. This is how it¡¯s used. Even without words, he felt it through his body. He couldn¡¯t let fear get the better of him. In the moment of fear, this power would no longer be his own. ¡®I¡¯ve definitely improved.¡¯ Until now, Lee Suhyuk had dealt with lightning in a brutish manner, consuming his stamina. He thought that was the only way to handle lightning, so he focused on increasing his stamina to manage it better. It wasn¡¯t a wrong thought. After all, both thunder and lightning put a burden on the user¡¯s body. However, through his previous battles with Thor, or rather, with thunder, Suhyuk had learned one thing. How to handle it, both thunder and lightning could minimize the burden on the body and increase their power depending on how they were used. ¡®I was thinking too primitively.¡¯ Feeling thunder course through his entire body, Suhyuk looked at Thor. Thunder had shown him how to manage it using his own body. He had learned enough. In fact, Suhyuk had mastered controlling thunder much more easily than in the beginning. This would suffice. Now, it was time to awaken Thor. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you came to your senses?¡± The past days of fighting. They weren¡¯t just his own practice. This fight was one where he and Thor were against thunder together. ¡°Just for a moment. Trust me¡ª¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze momentarily flicked to Mjolnir held in Thor¡¯s hand. ¡°¡ªLet go.¡± Blurred¡ª For a moment, color returned to Thor¡¯s eyes. His blue eyes, reminiscent of thunder, focused. Crackling, the thunder emanating from Mjolnir wavered unsteadily. In that fleeting moment, Slide¡ª Mjolnir slipped from Thor¡¯s hand. Before it hit the ground, Suhyuk grabbed Mjolnir, holding it firmly. The moment he grasped the damaged and cracked Mjolnir, thunder struck from the sky. Boom¡ª! For a moment, his vision turned white as if he would lose consciousness. All sound vanished. It felt like falling into a white space devoid of color, sound, or anything else. If he lost consciousness, it would be over. Suhyuk focused on the sound of thunder emanating from Mjolnir, gripped in his hand. ¡º¡¯Heart of Thunder¡¯ whispers to you.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Thunder¡¯ shows interest in you.¡» He barely managed to read the message. It wasn¡¯t clear what it was saying or why it was showing interest. For some reason, he felt he could hear its voice. Thunder screamed. It imed this was cheating. How could he rely on Thor¡¯s aid? But who cared about that? Anyway, thunder was now in his hands. Crack¡ª The cracks on Mjolnir rapidly increased. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough that you tormented it this much?¡± Crackle¡ª! Mjolnir violently shook as if protesting against his question. He understood. It had been forcibly split in two; its anger was understandable. The curse of thunder wouldn¡¯t be resolved this easily. Thus, he had a thought. ¡°I promise.¡± Another way to quell thunder¡¯s wrath. ¡°I will hold the one who convinced Thor to make you this way ountable.¡± If that didn¡¯t work, there was no other choice. He had no option but to burn time until he could control the thunder. Zzzzzt¡ª. Fortunately, the thunder¡¯s rage gradually subsided. Thud, pieces of Mjolnir fell to the floor. Inside Mjolnir, which turned into a handful of stone dust in Suhyuk¡¯s hand, a small blue gemstone shone brightly. Suhyuk examined the shape of the gemstone in his hand. The second andst fragment of thunder. Although he obtained it sooner than expected, it didn¡¯t just bring him pure joy. ¡°What are you, really?¡± The truths he learned through this trial confused his mind. Thunder and lightning. What kind of person wielded that power, why did he fight against gods? And why did the thunder teach him how to wield itself? ¡ºHidden Stage ¨C ¡®Thor¡¯ has beenpleted.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYou have leveled up.¡» ¡ºYour level¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡ºYou have acquired the ¡®Heart of Thunder¡¯.¡» Blurred¡ª. His vision blurred. His body felt overwhelmingly heavy, like a sponge that had soaked up water in an instant. The Hidden Stage he aimed for was over. It was time to refocus on matters at hand. * * * The Counter-Fight was only two days away. At the dorm, Un Hyang was trembling with anxiety. Despite the passing time, Suhyuk had yet to return. ¡°Surely, he will return in time for the Counter-Fight?¡± Cheon Ryang, sitting opposite her, looked at her with an exasperated expression. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he turned on the stream? Are we sure something didn¡¯t happen to him? What if he never returns¡­¡± ¡°Just stop it already, stop.¡± Zap, Un Hyang red at Cheon Ryang. While she seemed intimidating, Cheon Ryang remained unperturbed. ¡°If something had gone wrong during the trial, he¡¯d be logged out and back by now. Since he isn¡¯t back yet, doesn¡¯t that mean the trial is going well?¡± It was afort she heard multiple times before. And it was also true. But despite that, her anxiety didn¡¯t easily dissipate. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a stream? There must be a reason. Maybe it¡¯s a trial he doesn¡¯t want to show on stream.¡± ¡°Really, do you think so?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had this conversation at least ten times already, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­Have we?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be back soon. Try not to worry too much.¡± Cheon Ryang sighed out of frustration. Un Hyang silently nodded and Cheon Ryang leaned back into his chair, sipping coffee. ¡°I¡¯m worried just as much¡­¡± Suhyuk¡¯s determination regarding the Counter-Fight had always been resolute. It was clear that his desire to participate in this Counter-Fight wasn¡¯t merely for the content. There was no way he¡¯d disappear for no reason right before the Counter-Fight. Something must have happened, for sure. ¡°Ah!¡± Then it happened. With wide eyes, Un Hyang suddenly stood up from her seat. ¡°He¡¯s really here!¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Cheon Ryang swiftly turned his head. Lee Suhyuk had approached the table where the two were seated. ¡°Why are you sote?¡± Cheon Ryang asked. ¡°The trial took a bit longer than expected¡±, Suhyuk exined. ¡°But why wasn¡¯t there any stream¡­?¡± Cheon Ryang nced at Un Hyang, thinking she should be the one to ask the question. However, for some reason, she remained silent. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any stream for this particr trial¡±, Suhyuk rified. ¡°A stream?¡± Cheon Ryang questioned. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry, but can I exinter? I really need to wash up first.¡± He hadn¡¯t bathed or eaten properly for nearly ten days. Noticing Suhyuk¡¯s evident fatigue, Cheon Ryang nodded. Suhyuk then headed straight up the stairs. Cheon Ryang watched him disappear before turning to Un Hyang. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Cheon Ryang had expected Un Hyang to make a fuss upon Suhyuk¡¯s return, but she showed no reaction. This was unlike her usual behavior. ¡°As long as he¡¯s back, it doesn¡¯t matter¡±, she replied. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what happened?¡± Cheon Ryang pressed. ¡°Of course, I am. But he¡¯ll tell us eventually.¡± Her trust in Suhyuk was far greater than Cheon Ryang had anticipated. To her, the fact that Suhyuk had returned outweighed the mystery of his disappearance. ¡°And besides¡­¡± There was something else that intrigued her just as much. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he seem¡­ different?¡± Un Hyang asked. ¡°Different?¡± Cheon Ryang tried to recall Suhyuk¡¯s reappearance. ¡°In what way?¡± * * * After washing up with hot water, Suhyuk began to eat. As they shared their early lunch, both Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang kept their eyes fixed on Suhyuk¡¯s face. ¡°Um¡­¡± Cheon Ryang hesitated but finally spoke as he observed Suhyuk eating eggs. ¡°Why did you take off your mask all of a sudden?¡± ¡°This?¡± Suhyuk paused, fork in hand, before replying. ¡°It was ufortable.¡± ¡°Ufortable?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± No matter how long he had worn it, a mask would never befortable. Cheon Ryang, embarrassed by the obviousness of the answer, rephrased his question. ¡°I mean, why did you decide to take off the mask now?¡± Suhyuk had never shown his face before. While the viewers believed he wore the mask as part of his stream persona, Cheon Ryang had always thought there was another reason. Perhaps Suhyuk was an ugly man or had scars. Maybe he hadmitted a crime that he needed to hide. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any special reason.¡± Lee Suhyuk, having roughly finished his meal, wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. ¡°I think it¡¯s just because Ick confidence.¡± ¡°Confidence?¡± At Suhyuk¡¯s response, Cheon Ryang examined his face with a puzzled look. ¡°But you look handsome¡­¡± ¡°Not that kind of confidence.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Cheon Ryang, who was about to ask another question, soon realized what kind of confidence Suhyuk was talking about. ¡®Is he talking about his skills?¡¯ That was the only thing he could think of. But if that was the case, it was strange. Suhyuk¡¯s skills shone brighter than his tall and striking appearance. Wasn¡¯t he the one who had helped Un Hyang defeat several rankers? It was evident that if he became a ranker, he would quickly ascend to a high rank. So, had he really beencking in confidence until now? Has something changed since then? In his puzzlement, Cheon Ryang silently watched Un Hyang as she focused on her meal. ¡°Don¡¯t you think something has changed?¡± Her words, suggesting that something had changed, made him think that she might have noticed something that he had missed. Around that time, Un Hyang finished her meal with a slight tter. ¡°Will you reveal it on the stream?¡± At her question, Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°No. That wouldn¡¯t be good for the stream. For now, it¡¯s just showing my face to you two.¡± It was a wise decision. Suhyuk¡¯s mask was part of his character, just as much as his ability to handle lightning. The mask yed a pivotal role in crafting the character of ¡°Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°The mask isn¡¯t the issue right now.¡± Cheon Ryang sighed. ¡°The viewers are really upset. The stream ended abruptly without any exnation.¡± ¡°They would be.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s reaction was calm. It wasn¡¯t shocking news. It was natural for the viewers to feel frustrated since the streamer had disappeared without notice. If he had prioritized the stream, he would have made an announcement in between, but Suhyuk had not done so. Meeting Odin and learning part of the secret of thunder and lightning were more important to Suhyuk, especially during this crucial trial. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± While waiting for Suhyuk¡¯s response, Un Hyang suddenly spoke optimistically. ¡°Okay? The stream might notpletely fail, but it will still take a hit.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll recover it.¡± Un Hyang asked confidently. ¡°What is the theme of our stream?¡± ¡°That would be Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Right. And what do the viewers want?¡± Uncharacteristically sharp and serious, she asked. After a moment¡¯s pondering, Cheon Ryang answered. ¡°That would be¡­ the best.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Satisfied, Un Hyang smiled. Then she turned to Suhyuk and spoke in a strong voice. ¡°The frequency and duration of the stream are important, but the most crucial aspect is the entertainment value.¡± It was only natural to want to watch more streams, more frequently. However, it was crucial not to forget the essence because of stubborn persistence. ¡°So, from now on, let¡¯s make it clear. Show how you¡¯ve changed, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And that was something Suhyuk already understood. ¡°I will. By the way¡­¡± Nodding, Suhyuk looked alternately at Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang and asked, ¡°Do we have any points settled?¡± There was something really urgent he needed to spend on today. * * * After finishing his meal, Suhyuk fell asleep until the evening. When he woke up, the sun had already set. There were only two days left until the Counter-Fight. What he needed now was rest. Overexerting oneself out of excitement was something only amateurs did. ¡®¡­even so.¡¯ Suhyuk eventually got up. It was simply too difficult to stay lying down. It felt as if Thunder, which had now be his, was urging him to move quickly. No, it wasn¡¯t just that. Two days. The Counter-Fight was just around the corner. Around this time, his body always got worked up, but this time it was worse. He couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling that something was prepared and waiting for him at the uing Counter-Fight. Step. Suhyuk eventually went outside. Although he didn¡¯t intend to move his body intensely, there was something he needed to do today. Outside, there was a festive atmosphere. People were gathering to watch the preliminaries of the Counter-Fight. In the midst of those people, Suhyuk reached a cepletely unrted to the Counter-Fight. A small, shabby tavern in a nearly deserted alley. There, he approached the drowsy proprietor. ¡°Do you have any owl-distilled liquor?¡± The hook-nosed proprietor opened his sleepy eyes and asked, ¡°Will you drink it now?¡± ¡°I n to drink it on a moonless night.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The man, as if he had never been dozing off, led Suhyuk inside. The inside of the tavern was a branch of Dark Map located on the 7th floor. There were several branches of Dark Map on the 7th floor, and this one was situated in the heart of the city where the Counter-Fight was taking ce. Right after he returned from finishing his test. Suhyuk had checked a message on his kit. It was a notification that the requested information had been secured and he needed to visit the nearest branch. The man who led him soon stopped in front of an old door lit by a candle. ¡°You have to enter alone here.¡± ¡°Thank you for the guide.¡± Suhyuk gave him a tip of 100 points. The man bowed and retreated, and Suhyuk opened the door and entered. Inside. ¡°Huh?¡± A man with bronze skin, surprised to see Suhyuk, looked at him. ¡°Seeing you again?¡± Greg, the informant Suhyuk had met at another Dark Map branch, was sitting there. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I was transferred here a while ago. Is this fate? It seems like you¡¯re going to be a regr customer of mine.¡± Lee Suhyuk sat across from Greg. He didn¡¯t intend to indulge in useless chatter and got straight to the point. ¡°Did you get the information?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about that request from before, I remember. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Greg rummaged through his desk drawer and pulled out a small piece of paper, which was an invoice for the information Lee Suhyuk had requested. ¡°The price is quite high. Was it difficult to obtain? It seems you got the information recently.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°300,000 points. What do you think? Can you pay for it?¡± Lee Suhyuk frowned at the price set by the Dark Map. The assigned price directly reflected the value of the information. The more expensive it was, the more valuable and difficult it was to obtain. 300,000 points. It was a somewhat ambiguous price. It was expensive, but not enough to qualify as S-ss information. It was probably moderately valuable and moderately useful information. ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡± Fortunately, Lee Suhyuk had that many points at his disposal. Thanks to viewers who had been eagerly watching his videos while he took a break from streaming. ¡º300,000 points have been used.¡» Once he paid, Greg began to speak. ¡°The request was about what Blue Zone did in the demon forest and the truth behind the rumors of a traitor in Blue Eyes.¡± He conveyed the information in a somewhat businesslike tone. ¡°Blue Zone managed to secure a human in the demon forest.¡± ¡°A human?¡± ¡°Yeah. We were a bit surprised about it too. A human living in the demon forest? Whoever it is, they must have nerves of steel.¡± With this, Greg hinted that he couldn¡¯t obtain detailed information about the human. ¡°As for the veracity of the rumors, it¡¯s still being investigated. To give you a mid-term briefing, there are many guild members within Blue Zone who im that Kim Ilsoo is the real traitor.¡± Lee Suhyuk already knew that much. But what he really wanted to know was where the information originated. Who spread the information? Is this person an ally? Could it be another one of Kim Ilsoo¡¯s schemes? Knowing this was essential to manipte the rumor. ¡°The price is too high for the information.¡± Blue Zone secured a human in the demon forest. That was all he learned for now. Thankfully, he had some leads. ¡®Shiwoo was looking for something there.¡¯ Shiwoo and another person visited the forest after Blue Zone had swept through it. Their purpose was likely simr to that of Blue Zone. ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ This was information worth 300,000 points to Lee Suhyuk, even if others might not see it that way. But clearly, there was a reason why the price was set at 300,000 points. ¡°Obviously, this isn¡¯t the end.¡± Greg continued as if the real story was about to begin. ¡°While we don¡¯t know the identity of the human, we did figure out who they are with.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°A person named Cha Minwoo. Do you know him?¡± Lee Suhyuk nodded. He had heard of Cha Minwoo. A genius yer who, like himself, once ran a Lee Suhyuk-themed stream before eventually joining Blue Zone. It seemed that Cha Minwoo was with the human secured by Blue Zone. ¡°Then, you would also know what time it is now.¡± In an instant, a thought crossed Lee Suhyuk¡¯s mind, and his eyes widened. ¡°Cha Minwoo is in this city.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 160 Chapter 160 The morning of the Counter-Fight dawned. Cha Minwoo ate his toast while searching for articles about himself on his kit. ¡ºCha Minwoo, will he be the new star of Blue Zone?¡» ¡ºLee Suhyuk of the new generation, Cha Minwoo. Reaches the 8th floor.¡» ¡ºGuild master Kim Ilsoo has high expectations for Cha Minwoo¡­¡» Articles about himself reaching the 8th floor. For the Counter-Fight, Cha Minwoo hadpletely cleared the 7th-floor trial. If it were a while ago, the articles would have been full of praise. The public¡¯s reaction would have been the same. However¡­ ¨C The next-generation Lee Suhyuk is just a second-rate Suhyuk? ¨C Cha Minwoo LOL, when was that LOL? ¨C When¡¯s the fake Suhyuk¡¯s stream starting? The public sentiment was different from before. He knew it well. The appearance of the new Lee Suhyuk had shocked the public greatly. ¡®It was the same for me.¡¯ Cha Minwoo himself had watched Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream, too. To be honest, he thought no matter how good Lee Suhyuk was, he would be simr to the other yers called geniuses. But he was mistaken. ¡®He¡¯s not just a reincarnation of the real Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ Streamer Lee Suhyuk was beyond the word genius. His y made many geniuses look like fools, including Cha Minwoo himself. ¡°Ugh.¡± ck¡ª. As Cha Minwoo roughly pushed his kit to one side of the desk, Hwang Kyuseong asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re in a bad mood?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°Then why were you so excited about passing the trial?¡± Observing Cha Minwoo¡¯s expression, Hwang Kyuseong asked with a smirk. ¡°Is it because of that streamer by any chance?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words. This was one of those times. Having watched Lee Suhyuk¡¯s streams during his downtime, Hwang Kyuseong nodded as if he understood. ¡°He is good. Still, don¡¯t let it get to you. Do you know how many rankers have been ruined because of that?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± Cha Minwoo had no means to exin this feeling of insignificance in words. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to deprivation or wounded pride. ¡°You¡¯ve got talent too.¡± Cha Minwoo made a surprised face at Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s casual remark. ¡°So hold your head high, man.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to say something like that.¡± ¡°Why? How did you think I would be?¡± ¡°You usually bring people down.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that, I can still do it now.¡± Perhaps because they had been in each other¡¯spany for an extended period, the two were able to engage in much friendlier conversations. Even so, Cha Minwoo still hadn¡¯t fully trusted Hwang Kyuseong. ¡°¡­ I still can¡¯t make up my mind.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The vice guild master suggested that I spend time with you to determine who you are, but until now, you haven¡¯t shown me anything.¡± What Hwang Kyuseong had done so far was simple. Eat, sleep, y. It was to the extent where even a loafer wouldn¡¯tpare; he basically did nothing. Questions continued to arise. Was the man before him truly Hwang Kyuseong? Was he really one of the Blue Eyes members like Lee Suhyuk, the legend who was said to have died? ¡°If I were the real Hwang Kyuseong?¡± Despite asking this, he didn¡¯t try to prove it. ¡°If it¡¯s true that Ilsoo betrayed you, would you really be able to stab him in the back?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± This was not a conversation they should have had on the day of the big event. It was something they should have talked about when they first met. Although it was toote, he was grateful. It was betterte than never. ¡°Because he also stabbed arade in the back. And thatrade was my idol and hero.¡± It was a simple calction. Cha Minwoo joined Blue Zone out of admiration for Lee Suhyuk. He joined Blue Zone for one reason alone: because Kim Ilsoo was once Lee Suhyuk¡¯srade. But if Kim Ilsoo truly betrayed Lee Suhyuk? Then there was no reason for him to remain in the Blue Zone. ¡°You must be quite a fan of his.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Fan? Hah. I¡¯m his friend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most impressive thing you¡¯ve said to me.¡± ¡°Impudent little guy.¡± Hwang Kyuseong rose from his seat and tousled Cha Minwoo¡¯s hair with hisrge hand. Walking to the window, he looked down at the crowd outside and spoke. ¡°You will know who I am once the task begins.¡± Even now, he knew he was no ordinary yer. The skill he¡¯d seen when Hwang Kyuseong overwhelmed Lee Wonjae in an instant was enough to believe the legends of Blue Eyes. Without witnessing it firsthand, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it in the first ce. Nheless, there was another reason he couldn¡¯t trust him fully. ¡°If you truly are Hwang Kyuseong, and Brother Ilsoo is a traitor to Blue Eyes¡­ why have you remained hidden?¡± ¡°That question again?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep asking until I get a clear answer. I won¡¯t fully believe you until then either.¡± It was a question he had asked multiple times. And each time, Hwang Kyuseong evaded it with vague responses. ¡°Not believing is mutual.¡± Cha Minwoo was taken aback. For the first time, Hwang Kyuseong gave a different answer. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone.¡± His eyes, looking out the window, reflected countless people. ¡°¡­ No one.¡± * * * There were two hours left until the preliminaries of the Counter-Fight. Cha Minwoo arrived at the stadium where the Counter-Fight was to be held. The stadium for the Counter-Fight preliminaries was a rough and unrefined arena. Unlike the main event, this arena featured simple games and stretched for several kilometers. The stands began to fill slowly. Though there was still plenty of time before the event started, they were already half-filled. Cha Minwoo and Hwiyung stood at the top of the empty sections and looked down. ¡°With this much space, you could even hold a war here.¡± This was the first Counter-Fight they were participating in. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to feel excitement or anxiety about it. ¡°What about the guy who used to hang around with you?¡± Her question about her partner in the Counter-Fight was answered by Cha Minwoo. ¡°He¡¯s with the Vice Guild Leader.¡± ¡°You know, this is pretty much a coup d¡¯¨¦tat if you think about it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°If Hwang Kyuseong isn¡¯t who he says he is, we¡¯re all dead. You know where he was found, right?¡± Cha Minwoo nodded. ¡°Possibly.¡± ¡°Do you truly trust him?¡± Instead of answering her directly, Cha Minwoo recalled Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s words: ¡°I trust no one.¡± He himself also did not trust anyone. Despite that, Hwang Kyuseong had left the forest. He had stepped out of the protection of the demons he was with and revealed his presence to the world after twenty years, seeking revenge against Kim Ilsoo. ¡°¡­ I wonder.¡± ¡°No matter how much I think about it, it feels strange.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop thinking about it. I¡¯ve thought about him enough.¡± ¡°No, not him. I mean the Vice Guild Leader.¡± ¡°The Vice Guild Leader?¡± ¡°Yes. What could he be thinking? What if we tell the Guild Master because we don¡¯t trust him?¡± It wasn¡¯t something Cha Minwoo hadn¡¯t considered. Should they inform Kim Ilsoo about this? This silence could be seen as aligning with Vice Guild Leader Lee Wonjae. Lee Wonjae hadn¡¯t killed them despite knowing about Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s existence. It wasn¡¯t purely out of trust. He surely had other calctions. ¡°Who knows. I don¡¯t¡­¡± At that moment, Cha Minwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to below the stands. He stared intently and then fell silent, his eyes wide with surprise. Seeing Cha Minwoo¡¯s reaction, Hwiyung followed his gaze. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Where Cha Minwoo was looking, two people stood at one corner of the stands. Both had noticeable appearances. One was an incredibly beautiful woman, the kind you rarely see. The other wore a familiar mask. ¡°People still wear masks like that.¡± It was a mask often seen around the time the Counter-Fight started. Twenty years ago, many people used that mask as a kind of nostalgia. Even though new heroes had emerged over Lee Suhyuk¡¯s name as time passed, there were still people who wore such masks asionally. ¡°¡­They¡¯re not just spectators.¡± ¡°Then who?¡± ¡°I need to check.¡± Cha Minwoo strode towards them. Cha Minwoo walked over. Lee Suhyuk, who stood with Un Hyang at one side of the audience seats, noticed him. ¡°He¡¯sing this way.¡± Lee Suhyuk had worried about what to say, but he didn¡¯t need to. The moment Cha Minwoo spotted him, he headed straight in Suhyuk¡¯s direction. Un Hyang, who was also paying attention, lowered her voice and asked, ¡°This can¡¯t be a coincidence, right?¡± Of course, she was quick to catch on. There wasn¡¯t enough time to give a detailed exnation. Besides, even if there were, not everything could be exined. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to meet him once.¡± That was all Lee Suhyuk could say for now. Fortunately, Un Hyang didn¡¯t demand a detailed exnation. He felt grateful to her for that. For a moment, he considered that, someday, he might tell her everything. ¡®She¡¯d probably faint.¡¯ A small chuckle escaped from his mask. He wondered how she¡¯d react if she believed he was actually the reincarnation of the real Lee Suhyuk. ¡°Huh? Are youughing?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Looked like you wereughing¡ª¡± In the brief exchange, Cha Minwoo drew near. ¡°Could we talk for a bit?¡± ¡°As much as you like.¡± Lee Suhyuk didn¡¯t refuse. He responded as if he had been waiting for this. Noticing this, Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You are, Lee Suhyuk the streamer, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fancy meeting you here. I¡¯m Cha Minwoo.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve introduced me well. Nice to meet you. This is my manager¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m Un Hyang.¡± Lee Suhyuk and Cha Minwoo shook hands. Over time, Cha Minwoo¡¯s gaze towards Lee Suhyuk grew even more intense. ¡°I heard you¡¯re participating in the Counter-Fight.¡± ¡°You watch my stream?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a loyal viewer.¡± No wonder. Seeing how he hade looking for Suhyuk, he had suspected it might be the case. In fact, part of the reason he wore a mask was to make it easier to interact like this. It worked, allowing a natural connection to form. ¡°You haven¡¯t been streaming recently.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m preparing for the Counter-Fight.¡± ¡°As I thought.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Nodding as if he¡¯d guessed right, Cha Minwoo finally voiced the purpose of his greeting. ¡°I¡¯m participating in the Counter-Fight too.¡± ¡°I heard the news as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m determined to earn a spot in the finals.¡± There wasn¡¯t just one spot in the finals. yers who performed well in the preliminaries earned direct entry to the final of the next Counter-Fight. Despite that, there was only one reason why Cha Minwoo brought this up. It was a deration that he wouldn¡¯t lose if they met in the tournament. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best together.¡± Was that not the response he expected? Cha Minwoo¡¯s expression briefly twitched at Lee Suhyuk¡¯s words. Regardless, Suhyuk got to the point he was curious about. ¡°Are you alone?¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 After a brief meeting, Lee Suhyuk parted ways with Cha Minwoo. This encounter barely scratched the surface. Whether it turned out to be positive or negative, any substantial connection between them would only form once the preliminaries of the Counter-Fight started. ¡°He has a strongpetitive spirit.¡± As they prepared for the stream, Un Hyang shared her impression of Cha Minwoo. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I felt from his streams.¡± ¡°You watched Cha Minwoo¡¯s streams?¡± ¡°A long time ago. He doesn¡¯t do them anymore, so I haven¡¯t seen themtely. Even if he did, I probably wouldn¡¯t watch.¡± It was known that she used to enjoy streams themed around Lee Suhyuk. Before Lee Suhyuk came into the picture, Cha Minwoo would have been a streamer that fit well with a Lee Suhyuk concept. ¡°Were you curious about Cha Minwoo too, Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Partly.¡± Indeed, Lee Suhyuk had sought out Cha Minwoo deliberately, but it wasn¡¯t because he was curious about him. What Lee Suhyuk was interested in was thepany he kept. ¡°Twopanions.¡± One of them was a yer named Hwiyung. She was nearby and was introduced to Lee Suhyuk by Cha Minwoo. A female yer who used a bow. There was nothing particrly special about her. She was simply another Blue Zone yer participating in the preliminaries with Cha Minwoo. ¡°And the other one¡­.¡± ¡°The other one isn¡¯t with us right now. That person is currently¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Hwiyung interrupted Cha Minwoo¡¯s words in the middle. The conversation felt unnatural. And from that conversation, Lee Suhyuk was certain. Cha Minwoo was the man Dark Map had informed him about. ¡®How should I meet him?¡¯ Inquiring more about hispanions would seem unnatural. Asking if he came alone was a natural question to start with, but anything beyond that could reveal his intentions. He couldn¡¯t leave a suspicious impression. No matter how secure Dark Map was as an information guild, he couldn¡¯t underestimate a giant guild like Blue Zone. ¡®For now¡­ I just need to make contact.¡¯ Luckily, there was still time. Cha Minwoo was participating in this Counter-Fight. As long as he didn¡¯t get eliminated, they would inevitably meet again. ¡°Do you think Cha Minwoo can pass the preliminaries?¡± Lee Suhyuk trusted Un Hyang¡¯s judgment. Though it had been a while, she had seen Cha Minwoo¡¯s streams before. Surely, she could evaluate his potential. ¡°The finals? It¡¯s fifty-fifty.¡± ¡°So, you mean you¡¯re not sure? Or¡­¡± ¡°No, I mean exactly fifty-fifty. I haven¡¯t seen him fight recently.¡± Cha Minwoo wasn¡¯t a long-time yer. Although his talent was proven by his rapid ascend up the ranks, he stillcked experience. ¡®So, fifty-fifty it is.¡¯ This preliminary round held significant importance. Not just because of the stream; this Counter-Fight seemed intertwined with hisrades too. ¡®Following Cha Minwoo might lead me to him.¡¯ The yer Blue Zone had discovered, the one who had been with Cha Minwoo. That person could very well be Hwang Kyuseong. * * * Before anyone realized, the stands for the Counter-Fight were filled. The start of the Counter-Fight was imminent. With hundreds of thousands of spectators gathering, the surroundings were bustling. At the highest point of the stands, in the room provided to VIPs who paid expensive admission fees, Hwang Kyuseong and Lee Wonjae stood side by side. ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Hwang Kyuseong answered Lee Wonjae¡¯s question with a sharper tone than he used with Cha Minwoo. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I believe we¡¯ve made our position clear.¡± ¡°You did see it. You tried to lure me with that kid, didn¡¯t you?¡± The reason Cha Minwoo stayed by Hwang Kyuseong¡¯s side until today, was because Cha Minwoo was the most ardent fan of Lee Suhyuk. Convincing him with words, even a hundred or a thousand of them, was futile. A few months was not enough time to trust someone. For that reason, Lee Wonjae chose Cha Minwoo. He knew how much Minwoo admired Lee Suhyuk. He intended to persuade Hwang Kyuseong by showing Minwoo¡¯s sincere admiration. ¡°Did it work a little?¡± ¡°Just a tiny bit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate then.¡± Watching Lee Wonjae smile, Hwang Kyuseong thought to himself that he didn¡¯t trust anyone. But despite that, he had no choice but to grasp this hand extended to him. He had waited far too long for this moment. ¡°As long as I can kill Kim Ilsoo, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Hwang Kyuseong smiled coldly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t care why you¡¯re using me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. Our goals align.¡± ¡°He should being soon, right?¡± His heart, which had stopped, now beat again. The moment he had waited over 20 years might be approaching soon. Below the arena, a massive crowd could be seen. Did they know? That this ce would soon turn into a battlefield? * * * ? Can Suhyuk Make it to the Finals? ? ¡ºImpossible ¨C Upvote, Possible ¨C Downvote¡» A hot topic post on themunity board. There was ongoing debate over whether Lee Suhyuk would pass the preliminaries of the Counter-Fight. Lee Suhyuk had not yet be a ranker. Perhaps due to that, viewers¡¯ reactions were skeptical. ¨C Even if he says something usible, lol ¨C Upvoting for impossible, so disgraceful ¨C He won¡¯t fail spectacrly, will he? ¨C Nope, it¡¯s going to be an epic fail, lol ¨C Does the Counter-Fight seem like a joke to you? No matter how well he had appeared on the stream, he was still not a ranker. Expectations were bound to be different for himpared to Cha Minwoo. The Counter-Fight was a battle of stars. No matter how preliminary it was, many rankers participated, and there were numerous strong contenders who just missed making it to the finals. Apart from a few fans, most believed Lee Suhyuk wouldn¡¯t make much of an impact in the preliminaries. No. ¨C I don¡¯t want to see my bro lose, ?? Even those fans thought this time, Lee Suhyuk would fall from grace. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be okay?¡± Cheon Ryang, reading themunityments, asked with a worried voice. This Counter-Fight was risky in many ways. Suhyuk¡¯s stream was all about showcasing the best, providing vicarious satisfaction to viewers. Viewers were enthralled by their faith in Lee Suhyuk and his cool persona. But it was a double-edged sword. The moment he betrayed that trust even once, the sword would cut Suhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°Of course, he¡¯ll be fine. What are you asking?¡± ¡°Of course? What does he know about the Counter-Fight? And this is his first participation.¡± No matter how fearless someone was, the first time always brought tension. Especially for a majorpetition like the Counter-Fight. Even if Suhyuk had the skills to make it to the finals, nervousness might lead to mistakes. And that¡¯s what Un Hyang was worried about too. ¡°Let¡¯s start the stream already.¡± * * * ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» It was a message that rang after a long time. Viewers who had been waiting for over ten days. They swarmed in like bees. ¨C They¡¯re here!!! ¨C Exin yourself, Suhyuk!!! ¨C Why the silence?? ¨C Missed you, bro ??? The rapidly scrolling chats made it overwhelming. It seemed the viewers had been waiting for today. Lee Suhyuk waved his hand to them. ¡°Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again after a long time.¡± Chats demanding exnations and donations kept flooding in. With the donation messages piling up, he couldn¡¯t help but address it. ¡°The trial was in a region where streaming was impossible. I tried a few times, but it failed.¡± ¨C Is there such a thing? ¨C Isn¡¯t he lying? ¨C Fans don¡¯t trust you anymore, haha. ¨C First time hearing about something like that, hm? A trial where streaming was impossible? Such a thing had never been known before. ¡º¡¯ShineChocte¡¯ donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºSo what was that trial about?¡» A question came through a donation. Though exining would be long and interesting, Suhyuk shook his head at the question. ¨C No spoilers. ¨C ??? ¨C What, seriously? ¨C Later acting all confident?? ¨C If I tell you in advance, it won¡¯t be fun. You¡¯ll find out in the next stream what kind of trial it was, what I did there, and whom I met. ¨C This insane tease, haha. ¨C Where¡¯s your conscience? Frustrated, viewers erupted inints. Seeing the chat explode, Suhyuk smiled joyfully as always. Sure, it would be interesting to spill the beans right now. But raising curiosity and anticipation was the most important task in streaming. He had sparked curiosity. The next task was to build anticipation. ¡º¡¯SafeAsset¡¯ donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºIt better be worth it ¨C¡» And building that anticipation was exactly what he aimed to do. ¡°Just watch for yourselves.¡± It was going to be the stage for the Counter-Fight preliminaries. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s worth it or not.¡± * * * Wo-! Bang, bang-bang-bang-! Countless fireworks exploded over the stadium. The fireworks, which adorned the sky using magical powers, announced the opening of the preliminaries. Numerous yers were arrayed around the stadium.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om A sight to behold, most of the yers were rankers. Just watching them was a spectacle in itself. ¨C Here we gooo to the main round! ¨C Ah, do you really think he¡¯s gonna make it? LOL ¨C Well, you never know. ¨C Yeah, I know~ As the preliminaries approached, the chat was abuzz with discussions regarding Suhyuk¡¯s chances of advancing to the main round. Even though Suhyuk showed confidence, not many believed that someone who hadn¡¯t even be a ranker could make it to the main round. No, actually, saying that no one believed it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. There had never been a case where a yer who wasn¡¯t a ranker participated in the main round of the Counter-Fight. Among the numerous rankers present here, only a select few could participate in the main round. ¡°There you are.¡± As Suhyuk waited for the preliminaries, Cha Minwoo approached him from the group of participants. ¡°Oh, are you streaming?¡± ¡°Yes. Would you like toe on as a guest for a bit?¡± ¡°Is that alright, though?¡± Cha Minwoo had no hesitation about appearing on the stream. After all, he had done simr streams in the past. ¨C It¡¯s Cha Minwoo! ¨C Why is he here? ¨C He¡¯s participating in the preliminaries this time. ¨C Were the two close? Cha Minwoo approached Suhyuk first. Suhyuk didn¡¯t flinch at his approach and readily invited him to appear as a guest, which Minwoo epted. Since Cha Minwoo had a lot of fans, it was great for the stream as well. ¡°Absolutely. Being a guest just means you will be chatting with me.¡± ¡°Right, you don¡¯t seem to have much eloquence while killing time like this.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it really that boring?¡± ¡°Yes. No fun at all.¡± ¨C LOL ¨C Cha Minwoo dropping truth bombs LOL ¨C To be honest, his chat skills are not fun, I agree LOL Cha Minwoo¡¯s approach was also weing for this reason. For Suhyuk, the hardest moments were when he did nothing. ¡°You¡¯re not here just to save my stream. Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Ah, I wanted to tell you something interesting. You¡¯ll find out soon enough anyway.¡± ¡°Something interesting?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The opening ceremony.¡± The opening ceremony. An event marking the start of the preliminaries, typically featuring a famous star yer by tradition. Despite being for the preliminaries and not the main round, people¡¯s expectations for the opening ceremony were always high enough that they woulde to see it. ¨C I wanted to tell you first who¡¯s going to be attending. ¨C Seriously? ¨C Is it okay to reveal this on stream? ¨C It¡¯ll be out soon anyway LOL ¨C Let¡¯s go! Viewers were thrilled at the chance of knowing the opening ceremony attendee before anyone else. But Cha Minwoo¡¯s words made Suhyuk¡¯s heart start to race a little faster. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ A face appeared in Suhyuk¡¯s mind. There was only one reason why Cha Minwoo would know the attendee before others. It was because¡­ ¡°It¡¯s our guild master.¡± At that moment. Bang, pop-pop-bang-! The second round of fireworks, signaling the start of the opening ceremony, began. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Bang, pop-pop-pop! Fireworks exploded in the sky. Although it was still midday, the lights from the fireworks were intense and beautiful, disying an array of colors like a rainbow. ¡°Sttttretch.¡± Watching the fireworks, Hwang Kyuseong clenched his hand into a fist. The veins on the back of his hand stood out as if they were about to burst. Just as ominous dark energy began to emanate, Lee Wonjae, standing beside him, stopped him. ¡°Not now.¡± ¡°I know.¡± No matter how excited he was, he wasn¡¯t that much of an idiot. If he revealed himself right now, it would result in the worst possible oue. Knowing this, he was somehow able to suppress the dark energy and murderous intent that were about to burst out. He needed to calm down. When he saw him, he mustn¡¯t rush out immediately. Just as he resolved himself, he saw a familiar silhouette amid the fireworks. The face was half-covered by a mask. His formerrade who had betrayed him. And his old friend. ¡®Kim Ilsoo.¡¯ The veins in his eyes burst. As anger surged, his vision turned red, and he felt his entire body heating up. He was right in front of him. He felt like he could grab him by the cor and tear out his throat within seconds if he set his mind to it. But what his rage and instinct told him to do was different from what his reasonmanded. ¡°You must endure.¡± Grabbing his throat right now was impossible. If that had been possible, he would have already rushed out, but Kim Ilsoo was not someone who would be taken down so easily. If he ruined the opening ceremony, that would be the end. All the numerous rankers, spectators, and everyone else here would turn into enemies in an instant. ¡®It¡¯s difficult.¡¯ Suppressing the murderous intent and dark energy, he clenched his teeth. At this moment, stopping himself from rushing at Kim Ilsoo felt more arduous and intense than any battle he had ever fought. But no matter how difficult, he had to do it. He couldn¡¯t let one single mistake ruin the 20 years he had endured. During such moments, Hwang Kyuseong always thought of one person. ¡®¡­ You too.¡¯ If it were Lee Suhyuk. ¡®You would have done the same, right?¡¯ * * * ¡°Sttttretch.¡± The veins on the back of his hand stood out. He had never felt so grateful for the mask covering his face. If it wasn¡¯t for that, everyone watching the stream would surely have noticed something was off about his face. ¡®Of all people, this bastard¡­¡¯ He felt an overwhelming urge to tear off the remaining half of Kim Ilsoo¡¯s face. The effort it took to suppress this impulse caused cold sweat to drip down his back. He was thankful to Cha Minwoo. If Cha Minwoo hadn¡¯t informed him beforehand, he might have reacted uncontrobly the moment he saw Kim Ilsoo. ¡°Good afternoon.¡± Kim Ilsoo began the opening ceremony. ¡°My name is Kim Ilsoo.¡± Gulp- The moment he heard ¡°his name¡± from ¡°his voice¡±, the fury that he had barely suppressed welled up in his throat. He had to endure it. Currently, he doesn¡¯t have the power to approach him. He needed more time. He had to be stronger. This time, he would definitely make the lightning his own. He needed to find at least one of hisrades who might still be alive; only then would he be ready to fight him. ¡°It is an honor to be invited to today¡¯s opening ceremony. Actually, this isn¡¯t the first time. I stood here ten years ago too¡­¡± Kim Ilsoo¡¯s speech continued. He forced himself to listen to and let his voice flow through one ear and out the other. Concentrating on it would only make him angrier. At that moment. ¡°Do you believe that rumor?¡± Thanks to Cha Minwoo initiating a conversation, Suhyuk was able to divert his attention. ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°The rumor about the traitor in Blue Eyes.¡± -Suddenly? -Isn¡¯t that an old story? -It¡¯s been around for a long time. It¡¯s just resurfaced recently. The story about a traitor in Blue Eyes had surfaced repeatedly over the years. However, each time it emerged, it would subside again until recently when the rumor fully surfaced, entangled with the demons. ¡°Do you mean the rumor that the traitor allied with the demons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cha Minwoo wanted to hear Suhyuk¡¯s thoughts. And so did the viewers eagerly watching. After a brief contemtion, Suhyuk opened his mouth. ¡°I believe it halfway.¡± ¡°Why just halfway?¡± ¡°I do think there was a traitor, but I don¡¯t believe they allied with the demons.¡± There was no problem with this answer since it was just a personal opinion. What Suhyuk wanted was Cha Minwoo¡¯s reaction. Then, Cha Minwoo responded to his question. ¡°I¡­ think the same way.¡± Though he hesitated a bit, it didn¡¯t seem like an empty statement. If he indeed had been with Hwang Kyuseong, he must have heard the whole story. From this point, making sure the viewers couldn¡¯t hear, Suhyuk turned off his microphone and spoke. ¡°If Kim Ilsoo had betrayed Blue Eyes, what would you do?¡± Suhyuk saw it clearly. At his question, Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes wavered significantly. The viewers mored since they couldn¡¯t hear but now was not the time to worry about that. ¡°¡­Is it okay to talk about such things on air?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s why it¡¯s muted now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Cha Minwoo chuckled lightly before answering. ¡°If that were true, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay there anymore.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I joined the guild admiring Lee Suhyuk.¡± At that moment, what Suhyuk saw in Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes was pure and sparkling. For a very brief moment, Suhyuk saw Un Hyang in his eyes. Their eyes lookedpletely different, but somehow there was an ovepping aspect. ¡°I wanted to be like him. Embarrassingly, at first, I thought I could really be like that.¡± Cha Minwoo¡¯s smile, which had started cheerfully, turned bitter as he spoke those words. ¡°But after seeing you, I realized it. Ah, it wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°You mean me?¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? That I watched your stream. I was surprised. To think such a talent really exists. It gave me a glimpse of what Lee Suhyuk must have been like.¡± His words hit a sensitive spot. Lee Suhyuk found himself unwittingly uncovering such truth. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to meet you by all means. And I wanted to have a fight with you.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Is that why you entered this Counter-Fight?¡± ¡°Yes. To be honest, I felt that if it wasn¡¯t now, I¡¯d never have another chance to win.¡± Lee Suhyukughed at this statement. Despite being hidden behind a mask, Cha Minwoo could tell Lee Suhyuk was smiling. ¡°You have a roundabout way of asking for a fight.¡± ¡°Is it difficult to ask?¡± A passion burned in Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes. He acted as if his entire life as a yer had led up to this very moment. In any other situation, such behavior might have been burdensome, but now it was rather wee. The more desperate Cha Minwoo was, the more valuable he would be as a card to Lee Suhyuk. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult at all.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°As long as you grant me one favor, I¡¯ll fight you a hundred times if you wish.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Yes. Let me meet one of your other teammates.¡± Cha Minwoo wore a puzzled expression. It was a rather out-of-the-blue request. Moreover, it was something he couldn¡¯t grant. Before the operationmenced, no one was to meet Hwang Kyuseong. ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°I must meet him.¡± ¡°Why, when you don¡¯t even know who he is¡­¡± ¡°I know him.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Cha Minwoo¡¯s eyes widened. As the sudden silence fell, the viewers began moring in confusion. -Why did it suddenly go mute? -Are they discussing some secret? But at that moment, the chat was invisible to Lee Suhyuk. Lee Suhyuk was taking a gamble. He hoped Cha Minwoo would be the person he expected him to be. ¡°How do you¡­ No, why do you wish to meet with him?¡± ¡°I have something important to tell him.¡± ¡°And what might that be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I must tell him personally. It won¡¯t harm him or you, I promise.¡± Lee Suhyuk was desperate. This desperation had begun with the appearance of Kim Ilsoo. ¡®If the person next to him truly is Kyuseong¡­¡¯ Utilizing Cha Minwoo would be the fastest way to meet him. Quickly, Lee Suhyuk nced around at the audience. Finding Hwang Kyuseong among such a crowd was not an easy task. It wasn¡¯t like he would be wandering around in the open yard of the Blue Zone, making it impossible to spot him even if he tried. ¡°It is urgent.¡± If Hwang Kyuseong were here, he would also be watching Kim Ilsoo¡¯s opening ceremony just like himself. If that were the case, it was no coincidence. The reason Blue Zone sought Hwang Kyuseong and why Hwang Kyuseong willingly cooperated with Blue Zone toe here. Only one reason came to mind. Suhyuk¡¯s gaze turned to Kim Ilsoo, who was continuing the opening ceremony. ¡°He¡¯s here to target that guy¡¯s neck.¡± There was a problem within the Blue Zone. Someone was eyeing Kim Ilsoo¡¯s position and aspiring to be the new master of the giant guild. There was only one person who seemed capable of such ambition. ¡°It must be Lee Wonjae.¡± Lee Wonjae, the vice-guildmaster of Blue Zone. He was someone Suhyuk had encountered a few times before. He had followed Kim Ilsoo for a long time, was exceptionally clever, and possessed as much ambition as talent. If he was using Hwang Kyuseong to target Kim Ilsoo¡¯s neck and nning to be the new master of Blue Zone. Then, it made sense why Hwang Kyuseong, who despised Blue Zone so much, was with them. If that were the case. ¡°I must stop it.¡± Time was still on their side. Suhyuk was confident that, given more time, he could be stronger than before. First, he had to meet him. Somehow, he would find a way. He might even reveal to Hwang Kyuseong that he was truly Lee Suhyuk. But there was no time. They didn¡¯t know when things would start. Therefore, Suhyuk had to understand what kind of person Cha Minwoo was, and find a shortcut through him to meet Hwang Kyuseong. Suhyuk waited for Cha Minwoo¡¯s answer. Depending on his answer, they might find Hwang Kyuseong quickly, it might take several days, or in the worst case, they might never find him. His answer came after a long time. ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Then Cha Minwoo hurriedly added. ¡°But I have a condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If I win, reveal what¡¯s behind your mask.¡± It was an unnecessary proposal. There was no secret behind Suhyuk¡¯s mask that he was so curious about. Suhyuk¡¯s secret was not just ayer beneath the mask but much deeper. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°Your side too.¡± Therefore, it was a condition he could ept. No. He would have epted it even if asked to reveal his precise identity. Suhyuk was confident of winning. ¡°Then from now on¡­¡± Just then, the opening ceremony ended. After finishing his long speech, Kim Ilsoo dered the festival to the audience who had been waiting for a long time. ¡°I announce the start of this year¡¯s Counter-Fight.¡± Boom, boom, boom, boom-! Fireworks exploded even more magnificently as if to mark the finale. The opening ceremony ended, and it was the signal to start the preliminary rounds. Whoosh, the entire stadium was engulfed in light. The stands blurred, and the participants in thepetition started disappearing one by one. Cha Minwoo, burning with his fighting spirit even before the start, said. ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the center.¡± And so, Suhyuk and Cha Minwoo¡¯s figures vanished. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 As the preliminaries began, the entire stadium became engulfed in white light. First-time spectators of the Counter-Fight murmured with amazement. People expected the match to unfold in the wide arena, but the participants had disappeared into the light as soon as the eventmenced. Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang, having seen Counter-Fights before, were not particrly surprised. Cheon Ryang, excited to witness the event live after a long time, held a bunch of snacks in his hands. ¡°Watching live is the best. The screen is just stunning.¡± The white light cluster acted as a colossal screen. Once all preparations were finished, that ce would disy the scenes of the participants. ¡°What were they talking about?¡± ¡°Talking? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean the stream. You¡¯ve been just eating since earlier and not monitoring properly.¡± Cheon Ryang flinched at Un Hyang¡¯s nagging. The excitement of being back at the stadium had caused him to neglect his monitoring duties. With a small sigh, Un Hyang exined. ¡°We¡¯ve been on mute for a while now. It seems like Cha Minwoo and him are having a conversation¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, the viewers are going crazy.¡± ¡°Is something happening?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? They¡¯re probably discussing their next coboration.¡± ¡°Would they really mute it for that?¡± It indeed seemed strange. After all, they had only met for the first time today. What secret could they possibly have to discuss in private like this? Pondering for a moment, Cheon Ryang muttered with a mouthful of snacks. ¡°Anything could happen if they end up meeting. Wouldn¡¯t that be amazing content?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. The preliminary map is too vast.¡± ¡°You never know, maybe they¡¯ve arranged to meet somewhere.¡± ¡°If they have, it would indeed be interesting¡­¡± As Un Hyang was speaking, her face turned increasingly white. Her expression caused the atmosphere to freeze instantly. Only Cheon Ryang seemed to notice this change. The surrounding spectators continued to cheer,pletely focused on the stadium screen and oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Cheon Ryang shook Un Hyang¡¯s shoulder. For a brief moment, she felt detached from the tens of thousands of spectators. No matter how he thought about it, something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Why¡­.¡± She asked with parched lips. ¡°Why did youe personally?¡± ¡®Personally?¡¯ Cheon Ryang¡¯s eyes widened. His gaze shifted to the masked man sitting next to Un Hyang. A man with his face half-covered by a bamboo hat. The moment the man¡¯s face became partly visible, Cheon Ryang froze. ¡°You¡­¡­.¡± Un Cheon-guk. He was sitting right next to Un Hyang. ¡®Does no one realize?¡¯ Cheon Ryang nced around at the surrounding spectators and then back at Un Cheon-guk. Un Cheon-guk was the second most powerful figure in Murim. He wasparable to Kim Ilsoo, who had just given an opening speech over there. If it got out that he was sitting in the middle of the audience, there would be chaos. Yet curiously, no one seemed to notice his presence. ¡°Don¡¯t make too much noise. You wouldn¡¯t want to ruin a delightful festival just because of me.¡± ¡°Why did youe here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s disheartening that you¡¯re so hostile. Isn¡¯t it permissible for a father to visit his daughter?¡± Though he smiled kindly, Cheon Ryang felt that his demeanor was serpent-like. Each time Cheon Ryang faced him, he was reminded of a white snake disguised as a human. Un Cheon-guk, with his arms folded, greeted Un Hyang who was seated right next to him. ¡°How have you been? My daughter?¡± ¡°Who are you calling your daughter?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still saying that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back. Never.¡± It was hard to tell if those words were directed at Un Cheon-guk or at herself. One thing was clear¡ªher determination was unwavering. However, her resolve meant nothing to Un Cheon-guk. ¡°Going against one¡¯s natural rtionship is as hard as defying the heavens. If you intend to defy it, you should have the capability.¡± ¡°Leave me alone.¡± ¡°Have you been whining too long?¡± Squeeze. Blood trickled from her clenched fists. She gripped so hard her nails dug into her palms. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. Never.¡± She slowly began to raise herbat aura. Even at that moment, the surrounding spectators were oblivious. Immediately, Un Cheon-guk smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not for now. I just wanted to see you for a moment today.¡± Swoosh. When he stood up, the suffocating tension vanished as if it had been a lie. ¡°It was nice to see you. Next time, I¡¯ll see you at home.¡± After saying that, he pressed his bamboo hat down deeply and disappeared, blending in as an ordinary spectator. Cheon Ryang, feeling drained, sank into his seat in the stands. Within that brief moment, Un Hyang¡¯s face had already gone pale. ¡°¡­Are you alright?¡± ¡°Better than I thought.¡± Un Hyang didn¡¯t simply say she was fine in response to Cheon Ryang¡¯s question. Instead, Cheon Ryang felt relief at her honest reply. Though her face was pale, Un Hyang looked surprisinglyposed for someone who had just encountered Un Cheon-guk. When she had been in the Divine Dragon Group, she couldn¡¯t do anything in front of Un Cheon-guk, like a mouse facing a snake. ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯te just to see me. There¡¯s another reason.¡± Un Cheon-guk truly had said that. But Cheon Ryang didn¡¯t believe his words entirely. Un Cheon-guk was someone who deceived people like a snake, ying with truth, lies, and silence alike. How could anyone believe his words? It was surprising that Un Hyang, who knew him better than anyone, said such a thing. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have shown up like this if he came just to see me.¡± That was true. If the purpose was to see Un Hyang, he would have chosen a more discreet and secluded ce rather than a noisy tournament. ¡°So he really just came to see your face?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± ¡°Idiot? Of course, I know that¡¯s not true. It doesn¡¯t make sense for that stubborn man toe all the way here just to see your face.¡± There was another reason for Un Cheon-guk¡¯s presence here besides Un Hyang. Their minds were clouded withplexities. * * * At that same moment. ¡°It has started.¡± Lee Wonjae, who had been watching the opening ceremony, stood up from his seat. Hwang Gyuseong was already standing. ¡°Is it our turn to start?¡± ¡°Yes. We have grasped the itinerary, we start right after the opening ceremony.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go quickly.¡± Hwang Gyuseong, unable to contain his eagerness, couldn¡¯t stay still even for a moment. Since the start of the opening ceremony, he had been restraining his anger with his arms tightly crossed. ¡°May I ask a presumptuous question?¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ask while we move. This way.¡± Lee Wonjae guided Hwang Gyuseong. Following closely behind, Hwang Gyuseong asked, ¡°What is your question?¡± ¡°Between the two of you, who was stronger?¡± Kim Ilsoo and Hwang Gyuseong. Both had created legends in the old Blue Eyes. However, due to the exceptional individual named Lee Suhyuk, there weren¡¯t many stories about who was stronger between the two. But certainly, there was a ranking between them as well. ¡°Are you afraid I might be the weaker one?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± ¡°To answer your question, it was Kim Ilsoo in the past.¡± Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s unexpected answer came out. Given his strong pride, it was natural to expect him to say he was stronger. ¡°That guy was always second. The reason he left us was probably because of that. As long as Suhyuk was around, he could never be number one.¡± ¡°By saying ¡®in the past¡¯, do you mean the results are different now?¡± ¡°They would be different.¡± It wasn¡¯t groundless confidence. Though blinded by revenge, Hwang Gyuseong was not a foolish person. Instead, because he had the need to exact revenge, he used all means, methods, and rationality to look at Kim Ilsoo with the clearest of eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± In response to Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s reply, Lee Wonjae hastened his steps to guide him. ¡°I hope that is the case.¡± * * * Shuaaah-! The bright light that had continued for a while gradually faded. Like someone blinking to adjust after being temporarily blinded by a strong light, colors returned to the surroundings and a new field appeared. Cha Minwoo checked the field where the preliminaries would be held with his eyes. ¡®A cloudy urban field.¡¯ Patter, patter-. Rumble-. Raindrops fell from the sky. Even though it was midday, the weather was cloudy, and faint thunder and lightning rumbled from the thick dark clouds. It was a terrain he had practiced on many times if it was an urban field. With the guild¡¯s help, he had also learned how to utilize the terrain. ¡®Finally, it has started.¡¯ His heart beat quickly. He was finally standing on the stage of his first Counter-Fight, which he had been waiting for. The weather was just right. A rainy city. Wasn¡¯t it romantic? yers who had fallen not too far away were visible. Unlike him, seemingly indifferent to the Counter-Fight, they had already started moving cautiously. ¡ºThe Counter-Fight preliminaries are starting.¡» ¡ºThe rule of the first trial is ¡®Deathmatch¡¯.¡» ¡ºSurvive until the total number of participants reaches 100.¡» ¡ºAfter time pses, the 100 participants with the highest number of kills advance to the finals.¡» ¡º06 : 00 : 00¡» The rules were simple. Survive until the number of participants reaches 100. If time runs out, the one with the most kills wins. Surviving was crucial. However, merely surviving was not enough to ensure advancement to the finals. To guarantee a ce in the finals, one had to raise their score by killing opponents. There were two choices: either hide or hunt down weaker opponents somewhere. Step, step. However, Cha Minwoo¡¯s destination was already decided. ¡®Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ The designated meeting ce with him was the center of the map. The city center. Identifying the exact location was not difficult. In the distance, a lone, towering conical building reaching up to the sky stood out prominently. That was precisely the center of this map. Just as Cha Minwoo began heading toward the center of the map¡­ Whoosh-! A spear flew past, narrowly missing Cha Minwoo¡¯s head. Bang-! Rumble-. The missed spear struck the wall of a random building. The impact caused the several-story building to copse into rubble. Cha Minwoo turned his gaze toward the direction from which the spear hade. And at that moment. sh-. Cha Minwoo¡¯s figure vanished from his spot. ¡°Damn, you missed! Can¡¯t you throw properly?¡± ¡°You insisted on forming a team first, but your skills are pathetic¡­¡± ¡°Ugh, be quiet. I couldn¡¯t concentrate because of the noise.¡± On the rooftop of a building. Three participants gathered, quarreling loudly. One held a spear, while the other two held an axe and a sword respectively. The participant who threw the spear stood closest to the edge. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll definitely hit¡­¡± ¡°Seeing you team up with just anyone shows your skills.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The three participants widened their eyes at the unexpected voice. Reflexively, the spear and sword moved. Quick and nimble. Participating in the preliminary round of the Counter-Fight meant, at the very least, they were yers of semi-ranker caliber. However, their opponent was a poor choice. ¡°Three of you, not bad.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°My sword¡­¡± The axe and sword were gone from their hands. Somehow, Cha Minwoo had them in his possession. In the mere moment of realization from the three participants¡­ shed-. Shatter-. The rooftop of the opposing building and the waists of the three participants were sliced through. Cha Minwoo. He had been called the next Lee Suhyuk, before Lee Suhyuk even appeared. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Cha Minwoo attracted attention because of something he did during his personal stream. At the time, Cha Minwoo participated in a test on the fifth floor, teaming up with various yers. Of course, increasing the number of members made the test more difficult. However, rather than being helpful, his teammates, blinded by the rewards, ended up doing what they shouldn¡¯t have done. ¨C What are those guys doing? LOL. ¨C Do not touch this under any circumstances. ¨C Ah, when someone says don¡¯t do it, I want to do it even more~ ¨C LOL. Total trolls. LOL. His teammates had touched the sealed stone, which should never be tampered with. Due to their actions, the number of monsters attacking the vige increased several times. Cha Minwoo, whose mission was to protect the vige, found himself in a dire situation. To make matters worse, due to the release of the demons trapped in the sealing stone, all his teammates perished. ¨C It¡¯s over. ¨C GG ¨C If he clears this, I¡¯ll donate 10,000 points. LOL. Everyone thought he would definitely fail. ¡°Who was it that said they¡¯d donate 10,000 points earlier?¡± Cha Minwoo grabbed them by the cor and passed the test. A one-man show. In the end, the only survivor was Cha Minwoo. ¡°He did great as expected.¡± Following Lee Wonjae, Hwang Gyuseong mumbled. On the way to meet Kim Ilsoo, Cha Minwoo¡¯s image was disyed on arge screen in the distance. Although he had just be a ranker, his skills far surpassed most rankers. Even though the opponents were all rankers, he defeated them with ease. The difference was in their capabilities and the process of climbing the tower. ¡°He is the future of our guild.¡± ¡°Grow him for about ten years and give him lightning, he could be a decent knock-off.¡± Though it sounded sarcastic,ing from Hwang Gyuseong, it was an enormouspliment. Regardless of the requirement or time it would take, even if he was a knock-off, theparison target was none other than Lee Suhyuk. A few minutes passed since the match started. During that time, following Lee Wonjae, Hwang Gyuseong arrived at a door. ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Beyond this door. Kim Ilsoo was beyond this door. The moment he had waited for twenty years was just around the corner. ¡°Five minutes. You remember, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Since it was a room hosting a significant individual, the door was made of luxurious hardwood with a neat coating. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s teeth gleamed white as he reached out towards the door. Could there be a moment more joyful than this? Even though he could soon die, he couldn¡¯t contain hisughter. Atst. Creak¡ª. The door opened, and through the crack, Kim Ilsoo¡¯s face appeared. * * * In the distance, something sparkled. A few yers stationed on the rooftop of the building rubbed their eyes. ¡°Did you see something over there?¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s nothing there.¡± ¡°Did I see it wrong¡­?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t it just sparkle a moment ago?¡± Sizzle¡ª. In an instant, the sparkle had already moved far away. Lee Suhyuk looked up at the high spire that soared into the sky as if it was stepping on lightning. The moment the test began, Suhyuk ran towards the center of the test field as promised. Urban field. The most cautious thing here was undoubtedly sniper attacks from a distance. ¡®Have some of them already secured positions?¡¯ Participants capable of long-range attacks had already taken their positions. Early fights were likely to be battles for securing better spots. Under normal circumstances, Suhyuk would have jumped into that fight. He was confident in sniping, as he was skilled with spears, and he had never lost in early position fights before. ¡º¡¯SuhyukTwo2¡ä has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºWhat were you talking about earlier?¡»N?v(el)B\\jnn As the donation came in, he finally noticed the stream. Since meeting Cha Minwoo, viewers had been watching the stream with the sound muted. Normally, it would have been a streaming mishap, but it actually piqued the viewers¡¯ curiosity. The opponent was Cha Minwoo. He was a famous streamer when he did streams, and now he was a promising talent representing Blue Zone. Naturally, people were curious about the conversation between him and streamer Lee Suhyuk. Thud¡ª. Suhyuk was the first to arrive at the promised location. He had upped his speed explicitly to avoid any interruptions from anyone, so it was an expected result. ¡°Are you curious?¡± He had some time now. Though he wanted to finish the bet with Cha Minwoo as quickly as possible, he had no choice but to wait for him now. -???? -If you don¡¯t tell us, we¡¯ll assume you two are dating -Oh,e on~~~ Out of immense curiosity, several more donations came in. He couldn¡¯t reveal everything, but luckily, he could share what viewers wanted to know the most. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a match here.¡± -???? ¨C rly? -Wow, no wonder he rushed straight at the start. lol ¡°I apologize for the audio mute. I thought snipers might target us if I talked about it live on the stream.¡± A mix of truth and lies. It was true that they were going to have a match, but the audio was muted for a different reason. Of course, Suhyuk¡¯s excuse sounded usible. If he announced the promised location on the stream before the test started, given the nature of the map, snipers might aim for them. -Understandable under those conditions -It¡¯s going to be so entertaining -Cha Minwoo¡¯s form has been insely -lol, he¡¯s gonna get wrecked instantly Fortunately, the response wasn¡¯t bad. The viewers were just as excited about the uing match with Cha Minwoo. ¡®Seems like the viewer count has increased.¡¯ Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the stream because of Kim Ilsoo. The number of viewers he saw now was enough to make his eyes sparkle. ¡ºViewers: 90,948¡» 90,000 people. No matter how much the content of the Counter-Fight contributed, it was an incredible number. The number of viewers kept increasing, so it might even exceed 100,000. Of course, most of them were probably there to see Suhyuk break. ¡ºEquipmentChung¡± sponsored 100 points.¡» ¡ºWhere¡¯s your outfit from today? Never seen it before.¡» It was a viewer¡¯s question after noticing Suhyuk¡¯s changed attire. That was when Suhyuk remembered the advertisement he received. ¡°Oh, right. I need to do the advertisement first.¡± -What? Was it an ad? -I thought you bought it yourself. Suhyuk showed the logo of the white thin armor he wore on top of his clothing with the sword strapped to his waist. ¡°It¡¯s equipment sponsored by Saint Lorek. The quality is good. I like it.¡± -Bro¡­ Show some spirit¡­ -Never seen this before. Is Saint Lorek new? -Beep beep. This gear will soon be broken by Cha Minwoo. For a moment, Suhyuk wondered if this was okay. He had simply mentioned the ad without knowing how to handle it on the stream, but this was an advertisement worth a whopping 600,000 points. ¡®They¡¯ll figure it out.¡¯ If this led toints, it would be Un Hyang or John Dale¡¯s problem, not his. ¡ºMissionViin¡± has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºYou have to do the mission today, right? 500 points per kill ^^ But if you die, 0 points.¡» MissionViin, who always sets up missions. However, with the increase in viewers, there were a few new nicknames today. ¡ºAngryBaldySuhyuk has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºI¡¯ll also put 100 points per kill, lol.¡» ¡ºDon¡¯tWatchInMyRoom has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºDeathmatch kill mission can¡¯t be missed~ I¡¯ll also put 100 points per kill. No deaths for me.¡» ¡º¡­¡­¡» Missions kept pouring in. It was said that missions were popr in Counter-Fight content, and it proved to be true. There were so many that it was difficult to read them all. Some viewers added conditions like ¡°no deaths¡±, which meant making it to the top 100 and advancing to the final round. And thest one. There was always one viewer who added fun to Suhyuk¡¯s stream, with a win rate of 0%. ¡ºSafeAsset¡± has registered a mission.¡» ¡ºOver 1000 kills and I¡¯ll give you 1 million points lol, do it if you can~¡» SafeAsset. As if he had been waiting, he again set up an absurd mission. -1000 kills??? -Has SafeAsset finally lost it?! -Not even making it to the finals lol -Pissing on the mission, really Despite his nickname, SafeAsset¡¯s win rate was 0%. Thanks to this, he had be the most famous viewer on Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡ºSafeAsset¡± sponsored 10 points.¡» ¡ºWhat now? Think this guy is actually going to the finals.¡» -Kingception, LOL -Seriously, this is some, LOL -Upgraded the safe assets version, huh? Adding safety on top of safety. If it were the old him, he would have bet on making it to the finals, but this time he chose something far safer. ¡°1000 kills¡­¡± Lee Suhyuk showed a moment of perplexity at the safe asset mission. In such a deathmatch, even achieving 100 kills was an incredible record. Just finding opponents on the vast field was difficult, and he had to consider the continuous drain on his stamina during the fights. Moreover, the participants here were all yers with ranker-level skills. Scoring such a record against them was something even top-ranked yers found impossible. ¡°There¡¯s no penalty for failing, right?¡± Suhyuk asked after pondering briefly. ¡º¡¯SafeAsset¡¯ has sponsored 10 points.¡» ¡ºNotpletely heartless, LOL¡» At that response, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Well, let¡¯s give it a try.¡± -You¡¯re really epting this??? -SafeAsset finally gets a win, LOL -Today¡¯s winning streak might get broken -Why even do this??????? epting the mission was a considerable risk for Suhyuk. While SafeAsset imed there wasn¡¯t a penalty for failure, there was an invisible penalty, and it was quite significant. ¡°If a mission doesn¡¯t seem right to you, make sure to draw the line. For example, something like winning the Counter-Fight.¡± Un Hyang worried Suhyuk might take on an excessive mission this time because SafeAsset always set such extreme tasks. ¡°Suhyuk¡¯s winning streak has be the identity of the stream. The viewers are curious to see when his streak will break.¡± So far, Suhyuk had achieved a 100% mission sess rate. At some point, viewers, especially SafeAsset, viewed missions with Suhyuk as matters of victory and defeat, continuously setting seemingly impossible tasks. A 100% win rate. The longer the streamsted, the more impressive the record became, turning Suhyuk¡¯s show into a bigger draw. ¡°As long as that win rate is maintained, more viewers will gather, and more viewers will set missions. But¡­¡± ¡°If the win rate is broken, interest will fade, and missions will decrease.¡± ¡°Yes. Suhyuk, you¡¯re walking on a golden tightrope right now.¡± A single defeat would be fatal. He was aware of that. Still, Suhyuk epted the mission. ¡®There¡¯s no easy way to walk the tightrope.¡¯ That¡¯s right. He was on a golden tightrope. One misstep could cut him, but sess would mean walking a golden path. Such was the reality of the tightrope he was on. Turning down a seemingly impossible mission was bound to have repercussions. On the other hand, the reward for seeding in such a mission was sure to be several times the usual. More importantly, ¡®It¡¯s something I have to do anyway.¡¯ From the moment he stepped onto the field, Suhyuk had a picture in mind. And that picture wouldn¡¯t change whether he epted the mission from SafeAsset¡¯s or not. In any case, ¡°Just in time.¡± Suhyuk needed to finish this ordeal as quickly as possible. ¡°1 kill.¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Footsteps echoed as Hwang Gyuseong crossed the room towards the center. The room was filled with numerous rankers. They were all elite members belonging to Blue Zone. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a new face.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the vice guild master behind him?¡± ¡°There are a lot of guests today.¡± Although they showed their displeasure at Hwang Gyuseong, who entered without knocking, their looks quickly shifted towards Lee Wonjae, who followed closely behind him. No matter how rude Hwang Gyuseong might have been, they couldn¡¯t treat Lee Wonjae¡¯s guest recklessly. The room was noisy and chaotic. Despite the presence of dozens of rankers, none of them existed for Hwang Gyuseong. To him, only two people were in the room right now. ¡°Ilsoo.¡± He called the name quietly in his mind, feeling a difference in temperature from years ago despite it being the same name. He had traversed over twenty years. An old friend had be the worst enemy sitting right in front of him. Footsteps echoed again as Hwang Gyuseong walked towards him. Noticing something unusual, one ranker stepped forward to intercept him. However, Kim Ilsoo raised his hand to stop him. Just like Hwang Gyuseong, Kim Ilsoo too recognized that there should only be two people present here. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been a fucking long time.¡± At the greeting, mixed with profanity and hostility, the surrounding rankers flinched. Questions arose in their heads about who this person could be to show such an attitude towards Kim Ilsoo. Yet, no one dared to step forward. Kim Ilsoo had stopped them, and it seemed clear that the two had more than just a casual connection. ¡°You¡¯ve aged. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± ¡°Even if everyone else fails to recognize me, you shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really? Well, we were friends once.¡± ¡°Yes, we were.¡± It was surprising. He thought he would explode in rage or leap forward to strangle him upon meeting. However, he felt calmer now than he did when they were far apart. ¡°What is this?¡± A strange sense of discord. It didn¡¯t take long to recognize its source. An eerie sound swooshed behind him. A dagger aimed for his back was caught by Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s prepared hand. Lee Wonjae. He had attempted to stab a brilliant green dagger into Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s back. If it had been only one person, he might have somehow managed. No matter how suddenly they attacked from behind, Hwang Gyuseong trusted no one. ¡°You damned son of a-¡± But the assant wasn¡¯t alone. Puuk- Kim Ilsoo. He stabbed Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s side with a dagger identical to Lee Wonjae¡¯s. Crrrrk. ¡°You¡¯re as perceptive as I¡¯ve heard.¡± The dagger dug into his flesh and twisted against his bones. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s eyes narrowed in burning pain. This heat could not simply be exined by the feeling of metal piercing the flesh. It was more like-. Buzzzz-. Bang-! Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s fist mmed into Kim Ilsoo¡¯s face. With a shock powerful enough to shake therge room, Kim Ilsoo¡¯s head was torn from his neck and flew off. ¡°Guild Master-!¡± ¡°Th-The head¡­.¡± ¡°This is insane-!¡± There were intense reactions. They seemed quite flustered. If they thought about it for a moment, they would all know that Kim Ilsoo couldn¡¯t die so meaninglessly. ¡°What a ruckus¡­.¡± Hwang Gyuseong looked back at Lee Wonjae after turning away from Kim Ilsoo¡¯s fallen body. Having failed the surprise attack, Lee Wonjae was trying to put some distance between himself and Hwang Gyuseong. Then, the door opened, and uninvited guests entered. ¡°Has it already begun? It¡¯s a bit earlier than nned.¡± ¡°His keen senses made it unavoidable.¡± The bamboo-hatted man who entered first lifted the hat with his fingers, revealing his face. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s brows furrowed upon recognizing him. ¡°Un Cheon-guk?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see me?¡± With those words, Un Cheon-guk stepped aside. At that moment, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s eyes trembled fiercely, just like when he first saw Kim Ilsoo. ¡°Leader¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m retired now, so just call me by my name. Leader is a title from over ten years ago.¡± Neatly groomed white beard. Kind eyes. Eyes that juxtaposed with a steely gaze. The elderly man in blue martial robes with a sword at his waist was one of the few people who made even Un Cheon-guk lower his head. There was a saying in the vast Murim World. The number one in the Murim World was the retired Jin Doha, the number two was the leader of the Divine Dragon Group, while the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance was merely the third. And the person standing before him was indeed Jin Doha. Also, ¡°That¡¯s right, you were there too.¡± Twenty years ago. He had helped Kim Ilsoo betray and stab them in the back. He hadn¡¯t forgotten. He had merely put it aside forter. Finding him was a task to deal with after ensuring Kim Ilsoo, the top priority, was fully dealt with. ¡°Did they send you instead of that fake?¡± Kim Ilsoo asked, pointing to the decapitated body of Kim Ilsoo. ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s notpletely fake.¡± ¡°Of course, the one I just spoke with was real.¡± It was a trap. Kim Ilsoo was the massive bait to lure him in. And hidden within were Jin Doha, the leader of the Divine Dragon Group, Un Cheon-guk, and Lee Wonjae as the hooks. ¡°You nned to ensnare me from the start?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lee Wonjae remained silent. Hwang Gyuseong paid no further attention to him, consistent in his silence. What did it matter if it was from the start or if he had a change of heartter? Ultimately, having a change of heart meant he was just an enemy to be killed. Besides, now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about such things. ¡º¡¯Status: Poisoned¡¯ has begun.¡» ¡º¡¯Status: Poisoned¡¯ has escted to level 2.¡» ¡º¡¯Status: Poisoned¡¯¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» The green sword that had pierced his body was coated with a lethal poison. Feeling his vision gradually blur, Hwang Gyuseong stared at the dagger in Lee Wonjae¡¯s hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t an ordinary item.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a divine-grade item.¡± Lee Wonjae continued, showing the cross-section of the dagger. ¡°It¡¯s something that holds significance even for you.¡± ¡°Shit. I don¡¯t know anythi¡­.¡± Mid-sentence, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s eyes shed as if something had suddenlye to mind. The next moment. Vroom-. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body flew towards Lee Wonjae. sh-! Crack-. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s punch didn¡¯t reach Lee Wonjae; it was blocked. Un Cheon-guk¡¯s sword sheath intercepted the punch midway. Un Cheon-guk seemed to struggle with the force as the ground beneath him started to crumble precariously. Beside him, Jin Doha drew his sword, aiming at Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s neck. ¡°Could it be, it¡¯s Hydra¡¯s?¡± ¡°I see you recognize it.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Hydra. The boss and guardian of the eighth floor, it was the creature that had driven Lee Suhyuk to his death. A gigantic snake with nine heads that spewed venom. Back then, it was thought to be impossible to kill, but Lee Suhyuk had eventually seeded in hunting down the Hydra. Lee Suhyuk faced the Hydra¡¯s venom with his nine heads. He managed both attack and defense alone, ensuring none of hisrades were poisoned. ¡°It¡¯s the poison that killed your best friend.¡± The reward for hunting the Hydra¡ªthat was the divine-grade item now before his eyes. Grit-. Hwang Gyuseong gritted his teeth and red at Lee Wonjae. The trap was deeper than he had anticipated. Not only had Lee Wonjae prepared Jin Doha, but he had also deployed a divine-grade item. ¡°Your death will be the first step towards the stability and peace of the tower.¡± Jin Doha¡¯s sword moved slowly. Whoosh-. It seemed slow, but it wasn¡¯t. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body moved contrary to his thoughts, instinctively stepping back several paces as the sword grazed his head. ¡°As for me, I don¡¯t care about peace or stability. But I had made a promise.¡± Un Cheon-guk loosened his wrist, which had just blocked Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s punch. Regardless of any pretenses, he was still the second-best in the Murim World. ¡°This ce is a bit cramped, isn¡¯t it?¡± Swish-. Lee Wonjae pulled out a pocket watch with a frozen second hand. ¡°Do you remember? Five minutes.¡± Click-. As he manipted the second hand of the watch. Tick-. Countless second hands appeared throughout the room. The second hands moved without any discernible pattern, some even running backward. ¡ºYou have entered ¡®Chronos¡¯ Time¡¯.¡» ¡ºThe space will bepletely separated for five minutes.¡» Complete separation from the outside world. Originally, this item was meant for a fight against Kim Ilsoo. With the Counter-Fight in full swing, this was the only way to quietly target Kim Ilsoo. But now, that item was being used to trap Hwang Gyuseong instead. ¡®This is the worst.¡¯ Even facing just Jin Doha alone wouldn¡¯t have been easy. He was recognized by everyone as the number one in the Murim World, excluding the exceptional existence of the Heavenly Demon. However, now there were also Un Cheon-guk and Lee Wonjae present. Moreover, he himself had been poisoned by the venom of the Hydra. ¡®I can¡¯t run away.¡¯ The fight would be difficult. But unfortunately, no method of escape existed. Five minutes. During this time, escaping outside was impossible. Above all, Jin Doha would never let him go. A sly grin spread across Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s face. Being pushed to the edge of a cliff actually made him feel more at ease. The lingering unease he had always carried disappeared. Hwang Gyuseong looked at Lee Wonjae. ¡°Do you remember where I¡¯ve been?¡± The ce where Hwang Gyuseong had been found was the forest of the demons. He had hidden himself there, ever since he was presumed dead over 20 years ago. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now.¡± And Lee Wonjae did not know. Why he had been near the demons, of all ces. ¡°What I did for 20 years.¡± * * * The n had gone awry just the day before. ¡°I won¡¯t be there.¡± Kim Ilsoo, who hade down to the 7th floor for the Counter-Fight, had found Lee Wonjae. He spoke to him. ¡°So think carefully. Wonjae.¡± A friendly tone hiding thorns. Those thorns were right up against Lee Wonjae¡¯s throat. He had been caught. Where on Earth had the information leaked? He had been wary of all possible breaches. Yet, at least as far as he could assess, there had been no leaks. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this.¡± It was then that Kim Ilsoo handed over an item. One of the twin des. It was something very familiar. ¡°Stab him in the back with this. Then I will forgive everything.¡± At that moment, Lee Wonjae realized. ¡®I¡¯ve been used.¡¯ Thinking of betrayal, learning about Hwang Gyuseong, finding him¡ªall of it¡ªhad been orchestrated by Kim Ilsoo for this moment. ¡°Jin Doha wille. Un Cheon-guk, too. Rankers from the Murim World and Blue Zone willy a trap to catch him.¡± Jin Doha and Un Cheon-guk. They were the two towering figures of the Murim World. Jin Doha¡¯s ranking was even higher than Kim Ilsoo¡¯s, who was standing right in front of him. ¡°Now, choose.¡± There was only one choice. Lee Wonjae grabbed the dagger. Given the circumstances, the only option was to quickly subdue Hwang Gyuseong by stabbing his back and poisoning him with Hydra¡¯s venom. It shouldn¡¯t have been hard. Even if the ambush failed, capturing Hwang Gyuseong wouldn¡¯t be difficult with Jin Doha present. ¡­It should have been that way. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Boom¡ª! Watching the unfolding battle before his eyes, Lee Wonjae sensed that something had gone terribly wrong. ¡®That monster.¡¯ Chapter 166 Chapter 166n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Rumble¡ª. Rain fell from the dark clouds. The rain poured down thicker and faster than at first. Swish¡ª. It felt like a scene from a movie. At least, that¡¯s how Cha Minwoo felt at the moment. In front of him stood Lee Suhyuk. Although he thought that streamer Suhyuk was just a fake and only a streamer mimicking the real Lee Suhyuk, Cha Minwoo¡¯s emotions were different now. Two building rooftops of simr height. Cha Minwoo looked at Suhyuk waiting for him on the rooftop of the adjacent building. ¡®He looks just like the real thing.¡¯ His hair soaked in rain. His eyes. The mask that covers most of his face. Everything felt uncannily familiar. Clearly different, yet he approached Minwoo as if he were real. That¡¯s why the desire to fight him had grown so strong. ¡®Now is the time.¡¯ The illusion that Lee Suhyuk seemed to havee back to life. Minwoo knew it could never be real, yet he didn¡¯t want to escape this pleasant illusion. He wanted to fight him while this illusion lingered as vividly as possible. He wanted to experience the thrill of meeting andpeting with Lee Suhyuk and savoring victory. ¡®I can win now.¡¯ He knew it was a shameful thing to do. Regardless of skill or talent, he knew how short his career as a yer was. But that¡¯s why it had to be now. He would soon go to a ce far beyond Minwoo¡¯s reach. Thud¡ª. Cha Minwoo, who had subdued quite a few yers on his way here, already gripped his unsheathed sword tightly. ¡°You really resemble the person I admire.¡± Forgetting that the opponent in front of him was an active streamer, Minwoo opened up and shared his thoughts. ¡°And someday, I¡¯m sure you will be that person. You have the talent for it.¡± -Wow, such high praise. -Insane. -The whole world is a Lee Suhyuk fan, for real. -Falcon Eye wins again, lol. Everyone was aware of Cha Minwoo¡¯s fanatic admiration for Lee Suhyuk. To that extent, Minwoo¡¯s current words were the highestpliment he could offer. ¡°So, please, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Alright.¡± Suhyuk listened to his words while watching the rain pouring down from the sky. ¡°I probably won¡¯t.¡± Rumble¡ª. As if to boost the excitement of their fight, the weather worsened. Boom, the sky lit up with thunder and lightning. At that moment. sh¡ª! Cha Minwoo¡¯s sword glinted as the building Suhyuk stood on split in half. Rumble¡ª. The diagonally cut building slid apart. Minwoo¡¯s eyes darted around, searching for Suhyuk who had been on the rooftop. ¡®Where did he go?¡¯ For a moment, something shed and disappeared. The speed was so fast that Minwoo lost sight of his opponent. In an instant, his eyes scanned swiftly, spotting the opponent who had gained some distance. A tall spire reaching the sky. ¡°Is he trying to create distance?¡± It didn¡¯t seem like he was trying to escape. He was probably trying to secure a favorable position. It was unexpected. The Lee Suhyuk he had seen on streams had never fought by creating distance. There was only one exception. ¡®Is he nning to throw the spear?¡¯ He had seen it in a video uploaded on the streaming channel. During the trial of lightning, to defeat the final boss, Suhyuk had thrown the Lightning Spear from a distance. Even though the giant had quickly closed the gap, making the spear strike from up close. Even if the distance hadn¡¯t been closed, the result would not have changed. ¡®No chance.¡¯ Whirr-. Magic gathered at Cha Minwoo¡¯s toes. As wings spread beneath his feet, his speed explosively increased in an instant. Minwoo, flying like an arrow, violently leaped up the spire. The distance between him and Suhyuk shortened, and soon he was right behind Suhyuk. ¡®I got him¡­.¡¯ Just as he thought he had caught up. Swish-. Tap-. Suhyuk¡¯s hand touched Minwoo¡¯s chest. ¡®¡­ What?¡¯ Bang-! Blue lightning surged from Suhyuk¡¯s palm, pushing against Minwoo¡¯s chest. Feeling a paralyzing shock, Minwoo was flung back and began to plummet. Hastily, he moved his hand. Crash-. Scrape-. The sword pierced the spire¡¯s wall, halting his fall. Judging by the pain in his chest, some of his ribs were probably cracked. Understanding the situation wasn¡¯t difficult. It wasn¡¯t that Suhyuk had moved faster. ¡®He used my own speed against me.¡¯ In his frantic attempt to catch up, Minwoo had overly increased his speed. At the moment the distance closed, Suhyuk had naturally shifted direction and extended his hand. It was, in other words, a battle of timing. Whether Suhyuk¡¯s hand would reach out first or his sword would pierce Suhyuk¡¯s back first as the gap closed. The issue was that, in this timing battle, he should have had the upper hand. Crunch-. It was only for a moment, but even this was enough to reveal that he had lostpletely in terms of technique. Suhyuk stood on the side of the spire¡¯s wall. Literally. He wasn¡¯t clinging; he was standing sideways on the wall. As if defying gravity itself. ¡°Is he nning to overwhelm me with technical skill?¡± Standing on the wall was not particrly surprising. As long as one could concentrate magic into the soles of their feet to support their body, standing on the wall wasn¡¯t difficult. However, fighting in that state was a different matter. Taking irregr steps to maintain bnce was challenging, but the hardest part was swinging a weapon while focusing all nerve and magic in one¡¯s feet. It was like drawing a circle with one hand and a star with the other. Doing two entirely different things simultaneously wasn¡¯t just twice but several times harder. Nevertheless. ¡°You think I can¡¯t do it?¡± Cha Minwoo did not shy away from the provocation. Thud-. He nted his foot against the wall and stood up. He pulled out the sword he had embedded in the wall and slowly walked towards Lee Suhyuk. Perhaps he felt the stage was set, as he no longer ran away. ¡°Do you think fighting this way gives you an advantage?¡± As a technician, Cha Minwoo had confidence in himself. ¡°If you can do it, I can do it too. Who do you think you¡¯re dealing with?¡± He acknowledged his deficiencies in techniques. However, it was not a situation to despair over. As proof, Cha Minwoo caught up to Lee Suhyuk. The fact that he caught up to him using lightning was evidence that, at least in terms of physical ability or magical power, he was superior. ¡®Lee Suhyuk¡¯s weakness is hisck of experience.¡¯ No matter how much of a genius someone was, there were things that could not be ovee. And that was time. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Lee Suhyuk was also conscious of the time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t engage with you for long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for you to dec¡ª¡± In the midst of speaking. Thunk-. Lee Suhyuk took a step closer to Cha Minwoo. For the first time, he narrowed the distance between them. The tension heightened, and golden lightning emanated from Suhyuk¡¯s body. Boom, the sound of thunder echoed. For the first time, he heard the sound of lightning properly, not through a video. However, there was no leisure to get lost in admiration. Crackle-! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Before he knew it, his opponent was rushing right before his eyes. No, he was hurtling forward. His body moved before his mind, blocking with his sword. The sound of swords shing was drowned out by the thunder. ¡®When did he¡­?¡¯ Swoosh-. Again. His opponent disappeared from before his eyes. Fortunately, he could discern the direction this time. At thest moment, he saw where the tip of his foot was heading. ¡®To the left¡­.¡¯ However, Thunk-! A jolt struck Cha Minwoo¡¯s right side, causing his body to stagger. Although the direction was wrong, the preparation had prevented him from being blown away like before. ¡®It was clearly on the left, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ Such urrences continued. He thought it was above when it was below, and below when it appeared from above. Cha Minwoo, who had been watching his movements closely, btedly realized his mistake. ¡®It¡¯s not his foot.¡¯ If it were merely his footwork, he wouldn¡¯t have been wrong. But the stage they were fighting on was not t ground, it was the wall of a steeple. ¡®He¡¯s utilizing the height.¡¯ He elerated using the force of falling downward. Feigning a jump upward, he moved his foot and dropped downward, circling behind him. In this situation, he had a few more things to worry about. Whether Lee Suhyuk was running or falling, jumping up or just pretending to move upwards. And predicting attacks while thinking about all that was several times more difficult than fighting on t ground. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± he muttered. It felt less like a fight and more like watching a magic trick. Suhyuk was using optical illusions to make it seem like he was performing magic. His sense of direction started to fade. What had seemed to be on the right just moments ago no longer seemed reliable. It was confusing. It felt less likebat and more like a game of cat and mouse. ¡®Where is he now?¡¯ He squinted his eyes to make sure he could see his opponent, who had momentarily stopped attacking. There was a reason why another strike had note yet. Crackling-! This time, it was behind him. An immense power emanated from the top of the spire. Even from quite a distance, the electromaic force was strong enough to make his skin tingle. He turned his head to visually confirm the sight. It was ten bolts of lightning created by Lee Suhyuk. They all poured down on Cha Minwoo¡¯s body at once. Boom-! A shower of lightning bolts rained down upon him. There was no room to dodge. The only option was to unleash the most powerful skill to block and withstand the attack. Humming-. The tip of Minwoo¡¯s sword vibrated. The vibration, which seemed like it would split the sword apart, gathered at the sharp de. When he swung it with all his might, it collided with the lightning, creating a deafening noise and waves of impact. Crack-! Humming-, crackling-. The residual lightning bolts, which he couldn¡¯t fully block, enveloped his body. However, he could endure that much. The real problem was what came next. Crackling-. More bolts of lightning gathered in the sky. Having shown his skill, Suhyuk now seemed intent on overpowering him with sheer force, as bolts of lightning rained down relentlessly. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Surely, his opponent should have been struggling by now. Even the wless-looking Lee Suhyuk should have been running short on time and naturally had a lower level. Hence, there should have been weaknesses due to his insufficient stats. But what is this happening now? ¡®It¡¯s no contest.¡¯ In this brief skirmish thatsted less than five minutes, the oue had been decided. Whether it was technique or force. Nothing couldpare. ¡°I¡¯ve shown you everything I could.¡± His eyes, visible through the mask, seemed to say, ¡®So you should keep your promise.¡¯ Suddenly, a ¡°What if?¡± thought crossed Minwoo¡¯s mind. Maybe this was all a show of Suhyuk¡¯s showmanship just to match his level. ¡®Is there a chance I could win?¡¯ Thud-. A chilling sound rang clearly in his ears. He felt the cold but hot sensation of metal in his chest. He saw the de piercing his heart, a small, sharp dagger thrown by Suhyuk, hidden within the countless bolts of lightning. Seeing it, Cha Minwoo thought, ¡®¡­Wake up from this dream.¡¯ Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Inside the immense screen. Within it, Cha Minwoo, with a dagger embedded in his heart, fell helplessly downward. The audience roared with cheers. Seeing Cha Minwoo, who initially showed great promise, being utterly defeated, they were even more excited. Of course. Even among them, there were those unable to focus on the match. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just escape now?¡± At this moment, Cheon Ryang¡¯s mind was entirely consumed with thoughts of Un Cheon-guk. ¡°No, what good would running away do? If that guy puts his mind to it, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d fail to catch us¡­.¡± The sudden appearance of Un Cheon-guk. Due to this, Cheon Ryang had been unable to focus continuously. ¡°If it¡¯se to this, perhaps it¡¯s better to face him head-on¡­.¡± As he trailed off, Cheon Ryang realized that he had been talking to himself the entire time. Could it be that she was too shocked to even respond? Sneakily ncing at Un Hyang, he saw, contrary to his expectations, that her eyes were sparkling brightly. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What she was watching, of course, was the screen of the Counter-Fight. Among the numerous participants in the preliminary matches, the observer was showing the most exciting scenes on the screen. And there had been a fight disyed earlier. It was the battle between Lee Suhyuk and Cha Minwoo. ¡°It ended sooner than I thought.¡± ¡°Is Cha Minwoo weak?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see him slicing through everyone alone from the start? There¡¯s no way he¡¯s weak.¡± ¡°Then maybe he ran out of stamina¡­.¡± ¡°Do you think so? It¡¯s just that Lee Suhyuk fought well.¡± Even among the surrounding audience, conversations about Lee Suhyuk and Cha Minwoo¡¯s fight were in full swing. It seemed that among all these spectators, he was the only one to have missed that scene. ¡°Did you see? Did you?¡± To Un Hyang¡¯s question, Cheon Ryang answered internally. ¡®No, I didn¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°How can anyone fight like that? Utilizing the wall¡¯s varying heights to deceive about the distance and direction, and finally pushing in with a feint of sheer firepower tond the finishing blow¡­.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡­.¡± Cheon Ryang, about to ask if she¡¯d forgotten all about Un Cheon-guk, held his tongue. It wasn¡¯t the time to agitate someone trembling with anxiety; it was rather an act of folly to stir things up. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s fortunate.¡¯ Worried she might be trembling in fear, he found it a relief that she seemed vigorous. Whether she was pretending to be spirited or genuinely oveing it, he couldn¡¯t tell. Yes. For now, let¡¯s put it aside. For now, just focus on cheering for Lee Suhyuk, like Un Hyang. Cheon Ryang turned his gaze back to the screen. At that moment. Rumbling¡ª. Slight but distinct. The spectator seats, where Cheon Ryang and Un Hyang were seated, trembled as if an earthquake had urred. Moreover, Slicing¡ª. A sky-blue sword strike flew in from somewhere, splitting the giant screen of the arena in half. Boom-! A thunderous explosion reverberated through the air. Thick ck smoke billowed into the sky, and the audience erupted into a frenzy. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Is there a fight?¡± ¡°Some crazy guy dared to do something here-.¡± Rumble-. Once again, the arena trembled. Cheon Ryang took a sharp breath due to the suffocating pressure. Un Hyang¡¯s gaze was fixed on the thick ck smoke rising above the arena. ¡°What are you looking at right now¡­?¡± Bang-! Something flew through the VIP room in the spectator stands. It was moving so fast that its shape was unrecognizable until it crashed into the center of the arena. Out of the dense smoke emerged a human-like figure. If it was a person, could they still be alive? No, what kind of skill could have hit someone with such force that they could fly at that speed? These questions vanished like mirages the moment the identity of the figure became clear. ¡°Un¡­ Cheon-guk?¡± It was Un Cheon-guk, the Lord of the Divine Dragon Group. Her father fell into the middle of the arena, one arm dangling limply. ¡®What on Earth happened?¡¯ Un Cheon-guk was at the heart of this suddenmotion. He was not someone who would get involved in meaningless brawls anywhere. Which meant. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t happen now. I just came to see your face for a moment today.¡± It was true. From the start, he hadn¡¯te to see Un Hyang. He just happened to find Un Hyang at a ce where he had other business, so he merely came to see her face briefly. Should this be considered fortunate? Cheon Ryang ced a hand on Un Hyang¡¯s shoulder and whispered softly. ¡°It seems it¡¯s not really because of you¡­?¡± Cheon Ryang looked puzzled. Come to think of it, the direction Un Hyang¡¯s gaze had been focused on since earlier was strange. From before Un Cheon-guk flew in until now, she had continually been looking in an entirely different direction. Into the thick, billowing ck smoke. Toward the spectator stands where the VIP room was located. ¡°Deploy the Heavenly Net!¡± Woooong-. A lion¡¯s roar filled the vast arena and the spectator stands that were packed with tens of thousands of spectators. That voice startled Cheon Ryang. ¡°Jin Doha?¡± It was a voice he had heard only once before. Deep and gravelly, like the fierce waves stirred by a typhoon. It was unforgettable. Not just the voice, but also the brief moment many years ago when he had visited the Divine Dragon Group and encountered him. And it wasn¡¯t just the voice that made him think of Jin Doha. The powerful magical force, referred to as ¡®inner energy¡¯ in the Murim World, embedded in that voice was clearly beyond Un Cheon-guk¡¯s level. Step-. As if to prove his presence here, Jin Doha calmly approached and stood next to Un Cheon-guk. Though he hadn¡¯t run dramatically, his speed was tremendous. Through the blue sword in his hand, Cheon Ryang could tell that the strike splitting the arena screen earlier was his doing. ¡°Why is the former leader of the Martial Alliance here¡­?¡± And tomand the Heavenly Net. This, meaning the ¡®Net of Heaven and Earth¡¯, required an absurdly inefficient and outrageous amount of manpower to deploy. As the name suggests, it created a perfect encirclement with no escape routes, either in the sky or on the ground. It was an event that rarely urred even in the long known storied history of the Murim World. ¡°Even with Jin Doha, they need the Heavenly Net?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s because of that person.¡± After a long silence, Un Hyang finally spoke. Cheon Ryang, who had been engrossed in Jin Doha and Un Cheon-guk, then turned to look in the same direction as Un Hyang. ck smoke billowed up, thick and ominous. At first, it seemed like a fire, but upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t that at all. It felt like peering into the Abyss or a bottomless pit. A fierce and menacing aura twisted and consumed its surroundings, rising like smoke. It was no mere smoke. ¡°¡­ Demon?¡± It was magic. Demonic energy. The kind that had driven countless yers to their deaths. These beings were more monstrous than monsters themselves. That sinister power they wielded was emanating from that ce. If so, it made sense. That even someone as lethargic as Un Cheon-guk hade all the way here. Or that the former leader of the martial alliance, who was now supposedly retired, hadmanded to deploy the Heavenly Net with such difficulty. It could all be exined by the existence of one individual. ¡°The Demon King, then.¡± Cheon Ryang naturally assumed it must be the Demon King. It was the only thing that made this situation believable. However, ¡°No.¡± The one emanating that ominous and immense demonic energy was neither the Demon King nor a demon. As if to prove it. Jin Doha, who revealed himself towards the spectators, raised his sword high and shouted. ¡°From now on, we will hunt the traitor Hwang Gyuseong!¡± * * * Saaah¡ª. Boom¡ª! Rain poured down. Thunder and lightning roared in the sky as if they might crash down at any moment. Cha Minwoo, with his heart pierced, fell to the ground. He did not die instantly. His heart convulsed, spurting blood like a fountain, but the dagger that had pierced his heart wasn¡¯t thatrge. Splish¡ª. Lee Suhyuk approached, stepping on a puddle. In his hand, he held another dagger, identical to the one embedded in Cha Minwoo¡¯s chest. A hollowugh escaped his lips. In case Cha Minwoo managed to block or evade, Lee Suhyuk had prepared another attack. ¡°This way¡­ it¡¯s not even¡­ disappointing.¡± This was a fight he was destined to lose. Had there been even the slightest chance to win, it might have been a different story, but losing so perfectly made it neither regrettable nor disappointing. ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Is that¡­ what you came¡­ to ask?¡± ¡°I made a promise, after all.¡± Lee Suhyuk seemed worried he might not keep his word. Why did he care so much about meeting him? Cha Minwoo nodded weakly. The result was different from what he¡¯d expected, but the process had exceeded his expectations. ¡®It truly felt like fighting the real thing.¡¯ Would it feel like this to meet Lee Suhyuk again, alive and in the Counter-Fight? Climbing walls, ghost-like movements, handling lightning, and the ingenuity of mixing it with daggers in battle. As someone who¡¯s been a longtime fan of Lee Suhyuk, the thought that he would indeed fight like this kept creeping in. ¡°It¡­ was the best.¡± A smile formed on Cha Minwoo¡¯s lips. He had lost, but he felt good. Once again, people wouldpare him to Lee Suhyuk, but that didn¡¯t seem so bad. In fact, it felt like an honor. Gradually, his vision blurred. He would keep his promise. Not only was there a promise made to him, but he was also genuinely curious. What would Hwang Gyuseong feel when he met Lee Suhyuk? ¡º¡±Cha Minwoo¡± has been taken down.¡» ¡º1 kill achieved.¡» Cha Minwoo¡¯s breathing stopped. He was eliminated faster than expected. Judging by his skills, if he hadn¡¯t taken such a reckless gamble, he might have advanced to the finals. Nevertheless, Cha Minwoo did not look regretful. Far more than he had expected, he hade to like himself. ¡®The bet ends here.¡¯ Suhyuk looked up at the towering spire in the center of the map. ¡®My body still feels light.¡¯ Odin¡¯s preparations had worked better than he had anticipated. His basic physical abilities had improved immensely from before. His magic and stamina were still plentiful. It felt as if, once he started fighting, his magic continued to overflow and demanded to be expended. He hadpleted the first mission of this Counter-Fight. Now, he just needed toplete the viewers¡¯ missions and safely advance to the finals. But¡­ -It¡¯s chaotic outside. -Is that Jin Doha¡¯s voice? -Why is the former sect leader here? -What a mess in the Counter-Fight. LOL While exchanging final words with Cha Minwoo, the chat window went wild. Amidst it all, familiar names appeared. ¡®Jin Doha? Un Cheon-guk?¡¯ Both were quite provocative names. It was surprising that Un Cheon-guk, Un Hyang¡¯s father, was here, but even more so that the retired Jin Doha had appeared. Most notably, Jin Doha was someone he had to meet one day, along with Kim Ilsoo. He had wondered if Jin Doha was hiding somewhere after his retirement, but it seemed he had shown up at the Counter-Fight. ¡°A fight?¡± -The outside is a mess. LOL -The screen is split, and there¡¯s also the Heavenly Net, this is going crazy. -Is it the Demon Lord? There weren¡¯t many who could challenge these giants of the Murim World. Moreover, having a fight at such a grand event like the Counter-Fight was an unprecedented spectacle. But if their opponent was the Demon Lord, it made sense. The demons had been adversaries to the yers for a long time. But why? A strange sense of unease began to swell. Of all times, why were those two here at the Counter-Fight, and why had the Demon Lord appeared? It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. Kim Ilsoo. Jin Doha. Un Cheon-guk. Hwang Gyuseong¡­. Those names lined up in his mind. Just as his sense of foreboding intensified. -Why is Hwang Gyuseong here? The feeling of unease reached its peak. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 ¡®Hwang Gyuseong?¡¯ Thump. His heart, which had remained calm even during the fight with Cha Minwoo, now pounded fiercely. There was only one reason Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s name would suddenly be mentioned at this moment. -??? LOLOLOL -That lineup is insane. -This is more exciting than the Counter-Fight. He tried to grasp the situation while reading the chat. Viewers¡¯ attention had already shifted elsewhere. Although the number of viewers rapidly decreased, that wasn¡¯t important right now. Lee Suhyuk asked for details. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡º¡¯Speedwagon¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºHwang Gyuseong caused a terror attack by coborating with the demons. Jin Doha, Un Cheon-guk, Lee Wonjae, and others are trying to capture him now with the Heavenly Net.¡» A concise summary from a viewer. Before he could say thank you, Suhyuk¡¯s mind was cluttered. ¡®With the demons, Gyuseong?¡¯ There were rumors. Twenty years ago, on the day Lee Suhyuk died, there had been a traitor within Blue Eyes, and this traitor had coborated with demons. It was an outrageous rumor. Suhyuk, as someone present on that day, didn¡¯t even need to question its veracity. Thus, what was important wasn¡¯t the truth of the rumor. It was why such a rumor had spread. ¡®A mix of truth and lies.¡¯ That there had been a traitor was a fact. It wasn¡¯t necessary for him to reveal it to the world. Not all yers present during that event twenty years ago could be silenced, so the rumor had spread, albeit subtly. And knowing Kim Ilsoo¡¯s nature, he wouldn¡¯t have ignored the rumorpletely. That¡¯s why. Kim Ilsoo had spread the rumor that Blue Eyes¡¯ traitor had colluded with demons. ¡®Was he nning to pin it on Gyuseong?¡¯ Hwang Gyuseong did have deep ties with demons. His magic was peculiarly simr to demonic energy, which made demons amicable towards him. ¡°Sometimes I think.¡± One day, when deeply drunk, Hwang Gyuseong had confessed. ¡°To rise higher, maybe I need to change my species.¡± It was unimaginable how much he would¡¯ve agonized before making such a statement. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t hate demons. It¡¯s not just because I¡¯m close to them, but because, whether it¡¯s them or us, we¡¯re equally engaged in killing. I think we¡¯re the same.¡± It wasn¡¯t a wrong view. yers and demons killed each other. No, they hunted each other. Neither side was more wrong; they just existed as they were. Hwang Gyuseong was neutral in that sense. Neither fully human nor fully demon. Yet, he continued to live among humans because he was part of Blue Eyes. Grind-. Knowing that made Suhyuk¡¯s thoughts moreplex. No one in the world knew about Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s connection with demons. Only a fewrades, including Suhyuk, knew. And one of those few was, indeed, Kim Ilsoo. ¡®Was this his n all along?¡¯ Suhyuk had assumed Kim Ilsoo was preparing an ambush aimed at Gyuseong, but it seemed the n had been in motion long before the Counter-Fight began. They had been setting up a trap to catch Gyuseong and pin all the me on him. By the time Cha Minwoo asked how this had happened, he had already been eliminated. To talk to him, he needed to finish the trial, but doing so took too long. ¡®There¡¯s no time.¡¯ It was much faster than expected. And the situation was the worst. He needed to finish the preliminaries as soon as possible. For the trial to end, certain conditions had to be met. Either all the time had to pse, or only a limited number of yers had to survive. Dying right now was not an option. Even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave this ce until the trial ended. ¡®I will end it with my own hands.¡¯ Hoping that Hwang Gyuseong would be safe until then, Lee Suhyuk looked up at the top of the tower. Boom-! From the sky, thunder and lightning continued to pour down along with the rain. * * * The arena had turned into chaos. Spectators in the stands chose to flee to avoid getting caught up in the fight. Watching a fight was entertaining, but not many were willing to risk getting swept up in a war and meet a meaningless death. Over a thousand rankers had formed a siege formation. Outside the stadium, even more rankers had set up a defense.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Buzz¡­ The arena, shrouded in dark energy, had its sense of spatial distance distorted. Some of the ordinary spectators, who were not yers, suffocated and died just by witnessing it. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s dark energy was enough to mistake him for a demon king. There was only one person here who could face him head-on. Jin Doha, the former leader of the Murim Alliance and the best swordsman in the Murim world. Whizz-. A blue sh grazed the tip of his sword. The sword cut through the dark energy, splitting the clouds in the sky. Amidst the dark energy, Hwang Gyuseong revealed himself and charged towards Jin Doha. Boom-. ng-! Fist and sword shed. The resulting reverberation echoed around, shaking the ground. The screens projecting the match had already shattered. It could no longer be called a Counter-Fight. ¡°Your skills have improved significantly.¡± Creak-. Cold sweat dripped down Jin Doha¡¯s forehead as he blocked the punch. It felt as if he was swinging a fist made of adamantium or millennium iron. Each punch was so threatening that it even emanated a chilling frenzy. ¡°I¡¯ve abandoned everything. It¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°It seems so. Seeing as you¡¯ve joined hands with those vile demons.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Snap-. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s other hand, which he hadn¡¯t swung, grabbed Jin Doha¡¯s sword. Feeling the threat, Jin Doha¡¯s hand instinctively executed a technique. Whizz-. The sword slipped from Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s grasp. Jin Doha¡¯s sword gracefully drew the figure of a dragon. Although the technique was crude because he had to forcefully break free from the grip, it instinctively seemed necessary to avoid danger. Blood dripped from the wound on Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s cut hand. Despite the pain and the sting, Hwang Gyuseong continued to speak as if nothing had happened. ¡°I abandoned myrades.¡± ¡°How unfortunate. For someone who betrayed hisrades to say such things.¡± ¡°Betrayal? Betrayal, huh¡­¡± Mulling over what Jin Doha had said, Hwang Gyuseong repeated the motion of clenching and unclenching his wounded hand. ¡°Yeah. It might be something simr.¡± Whoosh-. A move flew at him from behind again. As a sword technique surged from the ground to the sky, Hwang Gyuseong turned his body, shielding himself with both arms. ng-! Ziiing-. His clothes tore, revealing scars on his body. Un Cheon-guk, with one arm hanging limply, relentlessly unleashed techniques toward him. ¡°Now! Attack all at once!¡± Lee Wonjae¡¯s shout. At his signal, hundreds of rankers rushed at Hwang Gyuseong. Naturally, Jin Doha was among them. ¡®Even though twenty years have passed¡­.¡¯ So much had changed in that time. The Hwang Gyuseong that Jin Doha remembered was tough and manly. His personality was reflected in his fighting style too, exhibiting honest and destructive traits. That essence hadn¡¯t changed much even now. What differed was the aura. ¡®It really feels like I¡¯m up against a demon king.¡¯ With demonic energy oozing from his entire body, he swung his fists like a beast that had lost its rationality. Most skills failed to prate the demonic energy surrounding him, and most defenses couldn¡¯t withstand his blows. It was tyrannical and violent. Plus, he was strong. Whoooosh-. Hwang Gyuseong, having grabbed Lee Wonjae by the cor, flew into the sky. Just as he was about to m him to the ground, Un Cheon-guk¡¯s sword cut his arm. Ssssk-. A thin cut. While it didn¡¯t reach the bone, it was enough to make him let go of Lee Wonjae. Below Hwang Gyuseong, who was floating high in the sky, hundreds of rankers were spread out. Looking down at the rankers waiting for him, Hwang Gyuseong grinned. ¡°Move!¡± Jin Doha shouted. For a brief moment, it felt as if he could see the future that would unfold behind that smile. And, disying that unease in physical form. Without dodging the numerous rankers beneath him, Hwang Gyuseong flew to the ground like a meteor. Rumble-. Boom-! The arena floor caved in, sending debris flying in all directions. Rankers who couldn¡¯t escape in time were shattered into pieces and crushed like meat. ¡°Jin Dohaaa-!¡± Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s half-mad roar echoed through the stadium. Who would believe he was someone poisoned by a god-tier item? He alone was taking on Jin Doha, Un Cheon-guk, Lee Wonjae, and hundreds of rankers. The thought of what might have been if he hadn¡¯t been poisoned was chilling. Step-. ¡°It seems your target is me.¡± Jin Doha didn¡¯t avoid Hwang Gyuseong, who screamed his name. ¡°I should give you a fitting farewell.¡± Jin Doha clearly felt it. If not for being poisoned by the Hydra¡¯s venom, there would be no chance to capture the person in front of himter. sh-. Jin Doha and Hwang Gyuseong locked eyes, then both disappeared simultaneously. Lee Wonjae and Un Cheon-guk simultaneously raised their heads to look up at the sky. ng-! The sound of a fist shing with a sword burst in the sky like thunder. In the sky, a dragon-patterned sword strike appeared, symbolizing Jin Doha¡¯s martial arts, and that stroke was tainted ck by Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s dark energy. Theirbat was swift and intense. With all his might, Jin Doha¡¯s sword sliced through several tiers of the empty spectator seats. Crack-. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s two palms grabbed Jin Doha¡¯s sword. It was a blow meant to split him in two, yet Hwang Gyuseong blocked his sword once again. ¡°So, you¡¯ve walked the path of corruption like the Heavenly Demon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not I who have been corrupted, it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°We?¡± ¡°Does it always have to be about which side¡¯s power is deemed corrupt? Absolutely not. To my eyes, you are the ones corrupted, blinded by greed, coveting things you should not.¡± Though Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s provocation was harsh, Jin Doha remained calm. When bearing his sword for battle, Jin Doha¡¯s emotions disappeared like a phantom. ¡°The standards of justice vary from person to person, naturally. I understand.¡± ¡°Like an eel, always slippery with words.¡± Thump-! Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s kick struck Jin Doha¡¯s abdomen. Raising his defensive energy to minimize the impact, Jin Doha prepared for the next attack. But then, surprisingly. ¡°¡­?¡± Jin Doha expected Hwang Gyuseong to attack right away. But Hwang Gyuseong didn¡¯t do so. No. For the first time, Hwang Gyuseong turned his back on Jin Doha and raised his fist toward the outside of the arena. ¡°What are you trying to do now¡ª.¡± The answer to his question became clear instantly. Hwang Gyuseong struck the ground with all his might. Boom-! The impact shook the ground, and the tremor reverberated around the arena. Rumble-. Crash-. The walls of the arena and the spectator stands crumbled. As the ground¡¯s tremor threw the rankers off bnce, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body shot out. It wasn¡¯t about preparing for whatever technique he might use. At thest moment, what he chose was. ¡°Catch him¡ª!¡± ¡°Hwang Gyuseong has escaped¡ª!¡± He fled. ¡°What the¡ª.¡± Momentarily perplexed, Jin Doha hurriedly deployed his light-footed technique. Letting Hwang Gyuseong escape here would be a significant failure. Even as the greatest swordsman, facing the fully recovered Hwang Gyuseong without the poison would be challenging. ¡®I must catch him here.¡¯ Chasing after the distant Hwang Gyuseong, Jin Doha¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡®Absolutely.¡¯ Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Lee Wonjae and Un Cheon-guk slumped their battered bodies to the ground. The condition of their bodies was far from normal. Un Cheon-guk¡¯s arm dangled loosely, and his other visible injuries were substantial. The number of broken bones was difficult to count. Lee Wonjae was in a simr state. He found it hard to breathe, possibly due to a broken rib puncturing his organs. Had the fight continued, he would have likely been the first to copse. ¡°He¡¯s a monster, that one.¡± This was Lee Wonjae¡¯s impression after facing Hwang Gyuseong. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect him to be this strong.¡± ¡°If we hadn¡¯t been discovered, the guild might have found new leadership today.¡± Un Cheon-guk spat out the blood pooling in his mouth and looked at his arm. ¡°It¡¯ll take months to heal.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we keep chasing him?¡± ¡°In this condition?¡± It was a question that left them speechless. Indeed, pursuing in their current state would be futile. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to the leader now. Our role ends here.¡± They had done more than enough. Un Cheon-guk muttered those words. However, unlike Un Cheon-guk who seemed to think it was over, Lee Wonjae still felt uneasy. ¡°Hwang Gyuseong might still manage to escape, couldn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Do you really think so? His condition should be worse than ours.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the poison?¡± ¡°And he¡¯s pretty wounded, isn¡¯t he?¡± It was true. From the ongoing fights, Hwang Gyuseong had umted quite a few wounds. While he didn¡¯t have any major injuries, constant minor ones would eventually break him down, like clothes getting soaked in a drizzle. Most importantly, hydra¡¯s venom was a lethal poison that had even brought down Lee Suhyuk. ¡°There¡¯s one thing that¡¯s bothering me¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°ording to rumors, Hwang Gyuseong might not be the only one left alive.¡± Lee Wonjae shook his head at the intelligence of the Divine Dragon Group. It was probably information that had leaked during the process of recruiting Jin Doha and Un Cheon-guk to this ambush by Kim Ilsoo. ¡°You¡¯re still as good as ever at feigning ignorance.¡± ¡°Did you notice?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend when there¡¯s no intent to hide.¡± Hwang Gyuseong wasn¡¯t the end. The legend of Blue Eyes still remained. Unless they were rooted out, incidents like this would keep happening. However, contrary to their concern, it wasn¡¯t something that would happen today. ¡°That¡¯s one thing you don¡¯t need to worry about.¡± ¡°You have something in mind?¡± ¡°By now, Blue Eyes should be looking at a mirage.¡± Upon learning this, Lee Wonjae decided never to think of betraying Kim Ilsoo for the rest of his life. ¡°They don¡¯t even know the real one is here.¡± * * * In Shiwoo¡¯s eyes reflected a man with ck hair and dark skin. A man, naked, but with wings draped around him like clothes. In terms of color, he was a raven-ck handsome man. The man lounged alone, propping his chin on his hand, at the gray throne located at the center of a crumbling castle, facing Shiwoo and Yerang. ¡°So¡­¡± Shiwoo, after listening to the man¡¯s story for a while, organized his thoughts and opened his mouth. ¡°So, Hwang Gyuseong came here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He said his name was Hwang Gyuseong. He said he needed power for revenge.¡± The man shed a captivating smile. Shiwoo and Yerang¡¯s eyes shook with intense emotion at his confirmation. ¡°And? What did he do here?¡± ¡°So, I taught him how to handle dark energy. I told him to go and kill humans.¡± ¡°Dark energy?¡± ¡°Yes. I taught him a few things, and he learned well on his own. After that, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know where he is or what he¡¯s doing now.¡± ¡°Is there any way to find out¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Yaaawn¡ª¡± The man yawned loudly and sprawled out on the throne. ¡°Leave now. Like that guy, I¡¯ll let you go too. You seem to share the same goal as him. Consider yourselves lucky.¡± With that, the man waved his hand dismissively. He was expressing that he was toozy to continue the conversation and that they should leave now while they were still alive. Since he had decided to let them go, they couldn¡¯t ask any more questions. Shiwoo, who had intended to ask more about Hwang Gyuseong, nced at Yerang beside him. At that moment, she too was holding onto Shiwoo¡¯s arm. Since they were both in agreement, now was the time to retreat. In the end, the two of them exited the crumbling castle. Their hands were sweaty as if they had just faced a dangerous dungeon boss and made it out alive. Yerang nced back at the ever-distant castle and asked, ¡°Is that guy really the Demon King?¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve finally found him, you¡¯re doubting it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just incredible to see one of the Three Demon Kings in person.¡± Among the demon tribe, there were three kings. These kings, who each ruled over different territories, were symbols of the demons and a high, challenging goal for the yers to ovee someday. However, those who had met them in person were rare. So far, the only two people known to have met the Demon King and survived were Lee Suhyuk and the Heavenly Demon. ¡°If we had kept talking to him, it would have been dangerous, right?¡± It might have been different if either of them were alone, but now the two of them were together. It was definitely not wise to risk their lives to find Hwang Gyuseong, who might be somewhere out there. Shiwoo nodded. ¡°Anyway, we confirmed he¡¯s alive. That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Do you think Kim Ilsoo knows?¡± ¡°He probably does. That¡¯s why he must have found him before us.¡± Learning that Hwang Gyuseong was alive left them feeling differently from their initial expectations. Stopping momentarily, Shiwoo nced back at the Demon King¡¯s castle. ¡°That bastard¡­ he went that far.¡± Hwang Gyuseong had sought out the Demon King on his own ord. From their conversation, it was clear that this happened right after he fled from the Blue Zone. The reason he had gone to such lengths to find him was obvious. ¡°He must be seeking revenge.¡± Revenge. It was everything on his mind after losing hisrades in a single day. ¡°Given his personality, it¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he didn¡¯te to us.¡± ¡°A yer who deals with dark energy is easily branded as an enemy.¡± A yer handling dark energy was an unforgivable existence. Knowing this, Hwang Gyuseong, despite realizing he had a knack for dark energy, had refrained from getting close to it. Undoubtedly, all therades who stayed together would be harmed. Naturally, there were two choices. To stay with the fewrades who had survived or to separate from them and choose revenge. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s choice was thetter. ¡°That idiot¡­¡± A slight smile spread over both of their faces. Although the situation was difficult, the conclusion was clear. Hwang Gyuseong was alive. The news that their friend, whom they thought might have been dead, was alive caused them to feel genuine joy btedly. ¡°We need to find him and freeze him.¡± ¡°I should stab him in the butt.¡± Even if he had joined hands with the Demon King, dealt with demonic energy, or had be a demon. As long as he was alive, they could meet him. Because he wasn¡¯t dead like Lee Suhyuk. * * * Swaaah-. In the city where the rain was getting heavier. Hwiyung slipped into a tall building. To avoid being spotted by other yers, she quieted her footsteps and concealed her presence. Her breath was rough from moving quickly to avoid sight. She was still shocked by the message she had received a few minutes ago. ¡°Cha Minwoo got eliminated so quickly.¡± ¡ºParticipant ¨C ¡®Cha Minwoo¡¯ has been eliminated.¡» It was a message that rang for all participants. Even at that moment, messages about eliminated participants continued to update. But none of the eliminations were as surprising as Cha Minwoo¡¯s. Having observed him closely, she knew how brilliant Cha Minwoo was. ¡°¡­Is it because of Lee Suhyuk?¡± Since deciding to participate in the preliminary match, Cha Minwoo had been looking forward to his confrontation with Lee Suhyuk. Even seeing him approach Lee Suhyuk and say something before the match started hinted that they might have already arranged a fight and set a location. ¡°How foolish.¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. From what she saw on the stream, Lee Suhyuk was indeed exceptionally talented, and even if he had skills surpassing those of a ranker, it was understandable. Thinking that this would be his only chance to defeat him was a natural thought. But that didn¡¯t mean it was smart to have the match with him. Even if he had safely advanced to the finals, Cha Minwoo¡¯s reputation would have soared higher, and his guild sry would have doubled.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°There he is-!¡± A shout came from the building behind her. ¡°Tch.¡± Hwiyung pulled her bowstring and leaped out of the window. Simultaneously, she released the bowstring, and an arrow flew in the direction of the sound. Piiing-. Fwhirrrrrr-. One arrow split into dozens and hundreds of fragments. Pabaabak, the sharp arrows pierced through the building¡¯s wall with ease, converging on one spot. Hwiyung leaped to the highest possible point. ¡®I have to secure the position.¡¯ This ce was filled with enemies. Having not made allies early on, she found herself in a situation where she had to pass the preliminaries alone. The only way for a yer handling a bow to face multiple opponents solo was to secure a favorable position. Fortunately, the location where she was positioned wasn¡¯t bad. She needed to cross to the building at the opposite side, climb the stairs, and the rooftop would be right there. If she managed to spot her enemies from there first, her chances of winning would increase. Thud, thud, thud¡ª. As light as her body was, her feet were swift. Soon enough, she opened the door leading to the rooftop. Creak¡ª. ¡®I¡¯ve arrived¡­.¡¯ ¡°Oh? Here you are again.¡± ¡°See? I told you that if we stayed put here, someone would get caught eventually.¡± The sound of her heart sinking echoed in her chest. Unexpectedly, the rooftop, which should have been empty, had five participants waiting for her. They weren¡¯t the ones who had been chasing her. They were lying in wait to hunt participants like herself seeking a higher position. ¡°This test is a bust, for real¡­¡± Had Cha Minwoo been there with her, facing five might have been different. But as things stood, it was impossible. She was, from the start, specialized in supporting someone as an archer. Though she had ambitions to make it to the finals, it seemed that would remain out of reach. That was something only someone with truly special talents, like Cha Minwoo, could achieve. Of course. It was also unlikely that the five before her were such talents. Cre-eak¡ª. Hwiyung pulled her bowstring. Even if she were to fall, she had to leave behind at least one cool scene on the screen somehow. That would be her value and worth in the future. Just as she was about to release the bowstring aimed at the five yers¡ª Whoosh¡ª. Rumble¡ª. Thunder roared noisily from the sky. Blindingly¡ª! With a blinding light, it struck down onto the rooftop of the building. Bang¡ª! ¡°Arrgh¡ª!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Their screams were drowned by the thunder. Soon after, the message that five yers had been eliminated popped up consecutively. Hwiyung breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she was just close enough to narrowly avoid being caught in the st. ¡°That was lucky¡­.¡± Hwiyung muttered to herself, her head tilted in confusion. It was odd. Lightning striking down from the sky to threaten yers was excessive, even considering the map¡¯s features. And before she could finish that thought¡ª Blindingly¡ª! Several times from the sky. The same blinding lightning struck down again. Rumble¡ª! ¡ºParticipant ¨C ¡®Dno¡¯ has been eliminated.¡» ¡ºParticipant ¨C ¡®Ma Poore¡¯ has been eliminated.¡» ¡ºParticipant ¨C ¡®Pnor¡¯ has been eliminated.¡» ¡º¡­¡­¡» Elimination messages for participants started popping up at a dizzying speed. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Atop the central, towering spire. Lee Suhyuk stood precariously bnced at its peak. ¨C CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY ¨C IT¡¯S INSANE ¨C Is he really a god? ¨C Debuting today as a ¡®new¡¯ yer;; ¨C LOL yeah, he¡¯s a ¡®newbie¡¯ LOL Lee Suhyuk hurled bolts of lightning. Literally, from the top of the spire, he threw lightning. Towards the participants who appeared as small dots in the distance. ¨C Can you see anything? ¨C Just dots LOL The spire was immensely high. Standing at its peak, the buildings below seemed like toy blocks, and people appeared as tiny ck dots like baby ants. He could see the entire map at a nce. Participants engaged in fierce battles below, those hiding in alleys, or conversing to form teams. He saw everything. Of course, it was only Suhyuk who could see such things. As if the purpose of this ce was just for this. Lee Suhyuk made the spire his stage. ¡º¡¯Generating Lightning¡¯.¡» Boom-! Lightning fell from the sky into Suhyuk¡¯s hand. With the weather aiding him, he grasped it like a god from mythology. ¡º¡¯WeLoveLeeSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºDidn¡¯t even think of the weather;;¡» Long ago. There had been an interview with Suhyuk who had participated in a Counter-Fight. ¡°Your performance is remarkable today; do you have any special secrets?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s raining.¡± ¡°Rain? What¡¯s the connection between rain and your performance¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in good condition when it rains.¡± People thought he was joking. But in reality, on days when it rained, specifically when there was thunder, Suhyuk became apletely different person. ¡®Luck was on my side.¡¯ The reason Suhyuk had epted SafeAsset¡¯s mission. It was precisely because of the weather. ¡®It¡¯s been so long since a day like this.¡¯ Swaaah-. Boom-! Thunder and lightning filled the sky, and rain poured down. Enemies, soaked in the rain, were more easily exposed to electrocution. Meanwhile, Suhyuk, drawing lightning from the sky, could produce high output with little effort. Furthermore, this towering spire. It was the perfect map optimized for unteral ughter by throwing lightning. Boom-! The lightning that flew from his hand struck a group of participants. Three fell in quick session, and he prepared the next bolt. And around that time. ¡®They have caught on.¡¯ Below, one by one. There emerged those who realized that someone was hurling lightning from up above. He never thought he could hide it until the end anyway. The participants here were all top-rank yers. Suhyuk was well aware that he could never deceive them till the end. ¨C How many did you take out so far? ¨C About 100, maybe? ¨C 129 kills. ¨C Including Cha Minwoo, it¡¯s 130. It was a lot, but there was still a long way to go. However, it didn¡¯t matter. This was actually a bit slower than he had anticipated. ¡®It¡¯s just the beginning.¡¯ Even if they realized who was above their heads, it was impossible to respond immediately. Most participants already had enemies around them, and if they took their eyes off for even a moment, they¡¯d fall to the nearest threat. This was the second phase Lee Suhyuk had nned. ¡®It won¡¯t take long.¡¯ For now, the enemies in front of them would seem more daunting, but as time passed, their priorities would inevitably change. Soon, he would likely be the enemy of everyone here. But, ¡®This is the only way.¡¯ He erased the mission from his mind; it was now a secondary objective. All he could think about was ending this test as quickly as possible and getting out of here. ¡º¡¯You have defeated Dorito¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯You have defeated Denma¡¯.¡» ¡º¡¯You have defeated Mikul Lift..¡¯.¡» ¡º¡­¡» Boom-! Every time he threw lightning, messages kept popping up. He didn¡¯t pay attention to them. The target count was still far from his goal, and the end of the test was even further away. He saw more targets in the distance. No, he focused all his senses so he could see them. Just as they appeared small to him, he too appeared small to them, just a dot. For now, he had no choice but to maintain his superhuman concentration. Ping-. At that moment, he noticed a small glimmer of light. His head turned reflexively. Whoosh-! Something brushed past his head with the sound of a strong wind. It happened so quickly, but he could instinctively tell what it was. ¡®An arrow.¡¯ Someone had aimed an arrow urately from this distance. Not an ordinary skill. Once the arrow attack began, more arrows continued to rain down. Shssshhh-. Arrows poured from all directions, converging on a single point, aiming for Suhyuk¡¯s heart. sh, the sword in Suhyuk¡¯s hand sliced through the converging arrows. Simultaneously, the lightning in Suhyuk¡¯s other hand shot toward the direction the arrows hade from. Boom, lightning surged in the distance. The opponent was a lone archer. ¡º¡¯You have defeated Kim Hwiyung¡¯.¡» That was the beginning. As soon as other participants spotted Suhyuk, they began tounch counterattacks. ¡®It¡¯s starting now.¡¯ He hoped to continue the one-sided ughter as before, but that was merely wishful thinking. From now on, they too would start their counterattacks. First of all, Whoosh-! It began with attacks flying in from a distance. ¡°There are quite a few yers with high uracy.¡± While blocking the iing magical bullets with his palm, Lee Suhyuk furrowed his brows. Even though it was just the preliminaries, this ce was still swarming with rankers. On this field, dozens of skilled individuals could urately target the high tower piercing the sky with their skills. Now, he had to keep blocking or dodging their attacks while continuouslyunching bolts of lightning. Crash¡ª! A bolt of lightning fell from the sky once again. Suhyuk altered its trajectory. From now on, the key task was to handlerge bolts of lightning with minimal power. The forting battle would be against time and stamina. * * * Crunch¡ª. He could feel the sensation of a neck snapping beneath his fingertips. Hwang Gyuseong, having cleared a path once again, began to move forward. Stumble¡ª. His body swayed, and he briefly lost bnce. He knelt on one knee to catch his breath. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± His breath reeked of blood and acrid bitterness. Blood mixed with spit trickled down the corner of his mouth, hitting the ground. ¡°Damn it, seriously¡­.¡± The more he moved, the faster the poison spread. He needed to find a ce to rest and either drain the poison or detoxify it, but there was no such luxury. The wounds sustained during the fight were not insignificant either. The minor injuries from Un Cheon-guk still hurt, and Jin Doha¡¯s sword had prated quite deep. The bleeding from these wounds elerated the poison¡¯s spread. ¡º¡¯Status Effect ¨C Poisoned¡¯ state.¡» ¡º¡¯Status Effect ¨C Poisoned¡¯ is¡­¡» The messages continued relentlessly. But he couldn¡¯t remain still forever. The encirclement he painstakingly breached would thicken with time. Step, step¡ª. Barely standing on his feet, Hwang Gyuseong began to change locations. The more the poison spread, the more he thought. ¡°That bastard¡­.¡± Lee Suhyuk. He recalled the back of his friend, who had continued fighting despite being afflicted by the same poison. ¡°He must¡¯ve suffered terribly.¡± Until then, he couldn¡¯t imagine it. Lee Suhyuk losing a fight? It was a scenario he¡¯d never considered, no matter how many enemies his friend faced or what condition he was in. But now, having been struck by the poison himself, he understood why. This was the power of a divine-tier item, one of the few in the world. This poison had the strength to push even the mightiest yers towards death. ¡°Cough, ptuh¡ª.¡± Blood surged up from inside. Just staying still caused his muscles to tear and his internal organs to twist in pain. Only now, after more than twenty years had passed, did he feel a sense of respect. Lee Suhyuk. How much pain had that guy endured to save them? ¡°Pathetic¡­.¡± Sizzle¡ª. He stopped moving forward and turned around once again. ¡°Embarrassing, Gyuseong.¡± That guy had fought. Yet he was showing his back, pathetically promising himself a future chance as he fled. ¡®Although Kim Ilsoo is a priority¡­.¡¯ He sensed someone approaching. It was exactly what he had been waiting for. ¡°To die like this would be so humiliating; how could I ever face that guy?¡± Shhh- He caught up quickly even though he had just decided to rest for a moment. Probably, even if he had tried to keep running without stopping, it wouldn¡¯t have been long before he was caught. Jin Doha emerged from the direction of the arena, parting the bushes. He stood before Hwang Gyuseong, maintaining a distance, without immediately swinging his sword. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to run?¡± His tone was polite, unlike at the beginning. In front of everyone, he had to brand Hwang Gyuseong a traitor, but now there was no need for that. This was the nature of Jin Doha. He was the finest swordsman and, at the same time, a strategist. ¡°Because it¡¯s humiliating.¡± ¡°Humiliating, you say¡­ I see. Yes, even I would have felt the same.¡± Jin Doha immediately understood Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s words. He had been there with him on thest day of the Blue Eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve thought well. Even if you manage to break through me and the Heavenly Net, there will be another trap waiting for you.¡± Indeed. He had thought it wouldn¡¯t end like this. It was certain that Kim Ilsoo, a perfectionist to a fault, wouldn¡¯t entrust everything to the Murim world. Once he broke through Murim¡¯s Heavenly Net, it was clear that Blue Zone would be forming another trap. ¡°Dying by my hands would be better than by theirs. It would be a more honorable and a less unjust death.¡± ¡°Are you speaking as if you are worried about me?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be unfair for you? To die at the hands of those who robbed you of all your glory.¡± Come to think of it, that was true too. The Blue Zone had taken away all the legends and glory the Blue Eyes had built. But to die at their hands, now that would be even more unjust. However, there was no need for such thoughts right now. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± In the first ce, he hadn¡¯t stopped in order to die. ¡°I am not going to run away. I will kill you, and everything else outside. I will simply walk out.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you realize that¡¯s impossible?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± No, actually he knew. In his current condition, it was not just difficult to get past the Heavenly Net or Blue Zone¡¯s trap beyond it, but even Jin Doha right in front of him. Nevertheless, Hwang Gyuseong had made up his mind. ¡°So what. I have to do it.¡± Whether it was possible or not. At the very least, he resolved not to harbor the thought of running away. As Jin Doha looked at Hwang Gyuseong, he ovepped with another person in his mind.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡®He resembles Lee Suhyuk.¡¯ Even though over 20 years had passed, he couldn¡¯t forget that day. A man who burned everything, even in a body that could die at any moment. A warrior who fought through his limits with the determination to save hisrades. ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Swoosh- Jin Doha lifted the sword he had pointed downward with both hands, holding it straight up. ¡°From now on, I will unleash five techniques. These five essences epass my entire life.¡± Buzz- Rumble- The sword, imbued with innate energy, emitted a crying sound. The dry sky trembled, the clouds shook, and winds blew like a typhoon. As if a dragon were ascending, the aura surrounding him shimmered like a mirage. ¡°If you withstand this, I¡¯ll let you go. I promise on my life and honor.¡± ¡°Should I thank you?¡± ¡°No need. Right now, I am the one who should apologize for acting cowardly.¡± Jin Doha bowed his head in a respectful gesture. ¡°I am honored to see the legend of Blue Eyes once again.¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°Why don¡¯t you use a weapon?¡± He wondered at what point this became obvious. Hwang Gyuseong hadn¡¯t used a weapon since the first time they met. Even using fists was fine to an extent, but he didn¡¯t even usemon gauntlets. ¡°It looks cool.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s that too.¡± The first reason was absurd, and the next was even more preposterous. ¡°If my body bes the ultimate weapon, then I shouldn¡¯t need to use any weapon in the first ce.¡± A body better than any weapon. His ideals were set higher than himself. Suhyuk smiled at his words. He didn¡¯t bother wearing a mask when he was with hisrades. ¡°You stuck to that flimsy reason pretty well.¡± ¡°Oh, you caught me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. What¡¯s left of you if your pride is gone?¡± ¡°What¡¯s left? Manliness, of course.¡± As he said that, Hwang Gyuseong showed his muchrger fists. Indeed, his fists were quite manly. Even though Suhyuk¡¯s hands weren¡¯t small, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s hands were almost a finger¡¯s length bigger. After finishing his disy, Hwang Gyuseong looked up at the sky. It was early dawn. While theirrades were all sleeping, only the two of them stayed awake. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping at this hour?¡± It was Suhyuk who broke the short silence. ¡°To keep up with a talented friend, I have to strain myself. What can I do?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You, obviously. Did you ask because you didn¡¯t know? You unlucky bastard.¡± ¡°Of course I knew. Just wanted to ask.¡± Hwang Gyuseongughed as though he was dumbfounded by Suhyuk¡¯s cheeky response. ¡°That¡¯s about me. But why aren¡¯t you sleeping? Even when you don¡¯t need to strain yourself?¡± ¡°Just. I feel uneasy.¡± ¡°What about?¡± ¡°¡®The event that will start someday¡¯, you know.¡± It was the message engraved on all yers when they received the tower¡¯s call. ¡°Wondering when it¡¯ll happen, what will happen. It makes me anxious.¡± ¡°The better the yer, the greater the anxiety about that day. Maybe it¡¯s like a curse.¡± Maybe it was because of thete hour, but they revealed deeper parts of themselves not usually seen. ¡°Knowing more about this world, I feel this way. What are they nning to make us do by giving us such power?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too seriously about it. Whatever it is, you won¡¯t do it alone.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it alone. Even so¡­.¡± Clenching and unclenching his fist nervously, Suhyuk spoke about the decision he had kept hidden for a long time. ¡°Whatever it is, I will be at the front.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Hwang Gyuseong knew he wasn¡¯t speaking lightly. He wanted to ask with a smile, why he thought he would be at the front that day. But he couldn¡¯t. Hwang Gyuseong was certain. No matter what that foretold day would bring, Lee Suhyuk would definitely represent all the yers in this world. ¡°I can¡¯t take the lead instead of you¡­.¡± That¡¯s all Hwang Gyuseong could say. ¡°If you die, I¡¯ll definitely avenge you, brother.¡± * * * ¡°You idiot.¡± Mixed feelings of anger and gratitude came to mind first. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s actions were reminiscent of a promise he had intended to keep, even though it wasn¡¯t on the predicted day. ¡º¡±Selfish Sacrifice Lv8¡å resisted the damage from ¡°Thunder.¡±¡» ¡º¡±Heart of Lightning¡± controlled ¡°Thunder.¡±¡» Zzzz-, Boom-! A blue lightning bolt struck the ground where the participants, wary of Suhyuk¡¯s lightning, were gathered. The imprable barrier, formed through the coboration of several individuals, shattered in an instant. Thunder, apanied by a louder sound and much greater force, demolished several buildings along with them. With this, most of the attackers from a distance were eliminated. Suhyuk checked the number of remaining participants. ¡®100 more to go.¡¯ There were roughly 200 participants left. Just 100 more to deal with. Once that was done, the test would end, and he would be able to leave. Blur-. For a moment, his vision turned white, and he felt his strength drain from his body. No matter how much help he received from the weather, using lightning excessively had taken its toll. Despite bathing in the holy water of Asgard, eating the leaves of Yggdrasil, and drinking from Mimir¡¯s well, this was the extent he could reach. No. Because of those blessings, he was able toe this far. ¨C Didn¡¯t he surpass 1000 kills? ¨C Yep, just did. ¨C Total annihtion, lol. ¨C Now he just needs to survive smartly. The mission was alreadypleted. From the start, it seemed an impossible mission, likely set to provoke him, but Suhyuk had aplished it. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t all over yet. ¨C Is this even possible? ¨C Seems like a high-ranker level. ¨C Falcon Eye¡¯s drooling over this. For a yer who hadn¡¯t even be a ranker to make it to the finals was a miracle. It was as difficult as a newly fledged bird crossing the ocean. However, Suhyuk had not only made it to the finals; he alone was dominating the entire test. ¨C Things are crazy outside, too. ¨C It¡¯s chaotic here as well. Despite his outstanding performance, there weren¡¯t many viewers. No matter how incredible the match in the preliminaries was, something even more extraordinary was happening outside. Crackle-. A group scaled the wall of the spire. They either dodged or blocked the precisely aimed lightning bolts as they closed in. ¡®They¡¯vee.¡¯ He gathered his wits onest time. Stopping them was the final task of this test. They were formidable opponents, capable ofpletely blocking lightning from a distance. Moreover, Suhyuk was currently exhausted to his limit. ¡®I don¡¯t need to handle all 100 remaining participants.¡¯ No need to rush. Even now, survivors were dwindling one by one. A phenomenon that urred as the test approached its end. Tempers red naturally among hastily formed teams. ¡°What about you?¡± Perhaps it was the same on their side. Suhyuk ceased firing lightning and focused on the base of the spire. The approaching participants fanned out. There were about twenty of them. ¡°That mask¡­.¡± ¡°Is that really Lee Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Just as I thought¡­.¡± The participants who moved swiftly recognized Suhyuk up close and clicked their tongues in amazement. The name of the streamer Lee Suhyuk was now known by quite a few yers. He was known as the new owner of lightning, but more than anything, it was his rapid ascent up the tower that drew attention. Once the match ended, his name¡¯s value would surely skyrocket. ¡°Ten guys.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Half of you here, ten guys, can advance to the finals.¡± The participants, who had spread out in a fan shape, flinched at Suhyuk¡¯s words. The finals. It was the destination every yer participating here desired. ¡°Stab the back of the guy next to you. There¡¯s no need to think of him as arade. Anyway, you all just met today, right?¡± Beep-. ¡ºParticipant ¡®Ra Junmyung¡¯ has been eliminated.¡» In the meantime, another participant had been eliminated. ¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s shallow. Your chances of advancing are higher this way than fighting me.¡± Crackle-! Boom-! Lightning shot up into the sky from Suhyuk¡¯s fingertips. Some participants recoiled at the sight, taking a step back. But it was only for a moment. ¡°That bastard is exhausted now!¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way his magic is infinite. He can¡¯t be fine.¡± ¡°Lightning consumes a lot of energy! Let¡¯s all rush him!¡± Among them, a few of them had made urate judgments. It was unfortunate, but it didn¡¯t matter. Just nting seeds of doubt in their minds was enough. Thebined attack of twenty skilled yers was a threat. Moreover, at such a close distance and with him being exhausted, it was even more so. But what if theirbined attack wasn¡¯t executed properly? With suspicions among themselves causing divided attention and nerves, their power would be halved. Screech-. A long line of sword energy was drawn at Suhyuk¡¯s feet. Thanks to a quick step backward, his foot wasn¡¯t cut. At that moment, a participant flew overhead, swinging a gigantic hammer the size of a building. Whoosh-. Boom-! The top of the spire shook. Unlike other buildings, the spire was much more robust and didn¡¯t copse easily. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± For a moment, the participants lost track of Suhyuk¡¯s location. He had disappeared without a trace. The first to spot him was the participant who had swung the hammer. ¡°My hammer-.¡± sh-. A sudden sh of light interrupted his words. The participant¡¯s neck was severed along with the hammer, spraying blood. Suhyuk was perched atop the hammer the participant had swung. It was so natural that to the others, it seemed as if Suhyuk had vanished entirely. ¡°Huff, huff-.¡± Even a brief, vigorous movement left him gasping for air. Suhyuk¡¯s current state was that bad. ¡®Not until I¡¯m the 101st.¡¯ He didn¡¯t mind being thest, the 101st, to die. What mattered was finishing this test as quickly as possible. Suhyuk didn¡¯t stop moving. Even if he was out of breath, even if every muscle in his body screamed. They had to keep moving now. ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep promises.¡± He didn¡¯t expect revenge or anything like that. That was his own burden to bear now. What he wanted from the person now was just to stay alive. ¡°That bastard is exhausted!¡± ¡°As expected, I knew it!¡± ¡°Keep attacking-.¡± Thwack-. With a swift motion, a de was thrust into the opponent¡¯s neck who had been shouting. Half-dazed, Lee Suhyuk fought, relying on a single de. His fatigue level had skyrocketed past 90. It reminded him of the day he battled the Hydra long ago. Back then, he felt like he was squeezing out every bit of his strength and will too. ¡°Just one more¡­¡± Thrust-. Pulling out the sword that had pierced through a heart, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes searched for the next opponent. ¡°More-.¡± Thud-! A powerful impact was felt on his back. The pain was so intense it felt like his spine was shattering, causing his consciousness to blur momentarily. The only thing that kept him together was his sheer willpower. Grinding his teeth, he fought to hold onto his fading vision. Thanks to clenching his knee with one hand, his body didn¡¯tpletely copse. In that position, Suhyuk spun his body in a full circle. Whiz-. sh-. Following the path of his sword, the enemy¡¯s neck was cut along with a hammer.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At the same time, Suhyuk, whose eyes had flipped, threw himself at the remaining participants. Thwack, crunch-. sh-! He stabbed hearts and snapped necks. Blood spurted from the shed wounds, covering Suhyuk¡¯s body and face. The participants who survived his rampage tried to flee. Suhyuk did not chase after them. In truth, he couldn¡¯t. His legs trembled and refused to obey. The remaining number was 130. He only needed to reduce that number by 30 more for the test to end. Besides, anyway. ¡°¡­Right.¡± No matter where they ran, as long as they couldn¡¯t pull him out from the top of this spire, the result wouldn¡¯t change. Crackle-! ¡º¡¯Lightning¡¯ started.¡» ¡º¡¯Thunder¡¯ started.¡» ¡º¡¯Heart of Lightning¡¯¡­¡» ¡º¡¯Selfish Sacrifice Lv8¡¯¡­¡» ¡°Try running.¡± Lightning and thunder soared from Suhyuk¡¯s hands to the sky. His entire body screamed for him to stop now. Suhyuk spoke to his body that had reached its limit. This would be thest. Even if he died after throwing this, it didn¡¯t matter. Even if he died and was eliminated from the test, this would end the trial. sh-! Suhyuk hurled the spear. Toward the participants fleeing far away. And toward those struggling to survive beneath the spire. Suhyuk shattered lightning and thunder into dozens of pieces and threw them with all his might. Rumble-! ¡ºThe test has ended.¡» ¡ºYou have died.¡» Chapter 172 Chapter 172 When he opened his eyes again, everything around him had changed. The sky was shrouded in thick, gray clouds. The spectator stands werepletely empty. The ground was riddled with craters and numerous traces of past battles. He had returned to the arena. Just moments ago, even moving a finger had seemed impossible, but now his body felt light. The test waspletely over. Throb-. ¡°Ugh-.¡± Just as he tried to get up, a sharp pain surged in his head. Even though his body had recovered, mental fatigue still lingered. No matter how trained a human body was, mental strength was not infinite. His body and mind were telling him to rest, asking how long he intended to keep pushing himself. However, Lee Suhyuk ignored all of these signals. ¡®Where is he?¡¯ Suhyuk strengthened his grip on his mask and scanned his surroundings. He had sessfully hurried to end his match. The problem was that, even after exiting, Hwang Gyuseong was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that the battle here had already been concluded. The participants were visible, but Hwang Gyuseong and the other rankers who should have been fighting were missing. He needed to find the direction. Suhyuk opened all his senses, scrutinizing his surroundings carefully. ¡°Lee Suhyuk-.¡± Just then, Cha Minwoo approached Suhyuk. ¡°Lee Suhyuk.¡± His face was a mix of resignation, surprise, and admiration. ¡°I watched the match. Honestly¡­ it¡¯s kind of embarrassing.¡± Having been quickly eliminated in a fight with Suhyuk, Minwoo had observed the rest of the match from the sidelines. Naturally, his interest was solely on Suhyuk, and he had watched Suhyuk¡¯s performance from beginning to end. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise. If you have time,e with me now¡­.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°We must end the stream here.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Minwoo¡¯s expression turned puzzled by Suhyuk¡¯s abrupt remark. Shortly after. ¡ºThe stream has ended.¡» Suddenly, Suhyuk¡¯s stream ended, and thunder roared from beneath his feet. Boom-! Suhyuk¡¯s figure rapidly disappeared. * * * In the middle of the empty spectator stands. Despite the life-or-death chaos, one person remained. ¡°¡­ This is incredible, really.¡± Wearing shabby clothes, with abnormallyrge sses, and trembling hands. The man, Big Mouth, mumbled to himself while looking at the spot where Lee Suhyuk had vanished. ¡°It was worthing here personally.¡± Big Mouth was a streamer specializing in hot topics. His current focus was on the streamer, Lee Suhyuk. He felt that his instincts had been right up until now. Suhyuk¡¯s skills were overwhelming, enough to quickly overpower the promising Cha Minwoo. ¡°If he somehow ovees all this miraculously?¡± ¡°A miracle?¡± ¡°Yes. Miracles sometimes happen, don¡¯t they?¡± In truth, that miracle had urred. Moreover, ¡®Lee Wonjae, Un Cheon-guk, Jin Doha¡­¡¯ *Clench.* He felt strength in his hands at the thought of finally catching a big fish after a long time. ¡°Hwang Gyuseong too.¡± A name that had slowly been forgotten. The legend of Blue Eyes appeared in the world once more. It had been known that only Kim Ilsoo survived, but there was another. The rumor that there was a traitor in Blue Eyes turned out to be true. Too many incredible events had transpired in such a short time that it was hard to keep up. People would certainly focus their attention on Hwang Gyuseong. But just as exciting as his return was the emergence of the new legend that would follow them, which whetted the appetite of Big Mouth. *Beep.* Big Mouth turned on his kit and dialed a number. A momentter, Falcon Eye answered. -Are you watching the stream too, Big Mouth? Falcon Eye¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. It seemed he too had been watching Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream until just now. ¡°Yes. I saw it. I confirmed with my own eyes that Lee Suhyuk the streamer has returned.¡± -What do you think? ¡°It exceeds expectations.¡± The expectations for Lee Suhyuk tranted directly to the expectations from Falcon Eye¡¯s review. Therefore, Big Mouth made a decision he never had before. ¡°You remember when I declined your offer?¡± -A joint stream? ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Big Mouth had previously refused a joint stream with Falcon Eye. While Lee Suhyuk¡¯s review was enticing, he didn¡¯t think it was worth straying from his original n. But now his thoughts hadpletely changed. Lee Suhyuk had performed a miracle. Actually, he had surpassed that. Though overshadowed by Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s sudden appearance, the preliminary round¡¯s results were unprecedented. Beyond interest or curiosity, a level of obsession began to take root. However, -I need to think about it. ¡°What?¡± -Enjoying something delicious alone might be better¡­ Thinking about it, I don¡¯t see apelling reason to cling to this. Falcon Eye¡¯s voice, tinged with a hint ofughter, suggested he held the key. -As you know, I¡¯m the ¡®original¡¯. Big Mouth squinted one eye. He was right. Of the current review streams, Falcon Eye stood to gain the most from anything rted to Lee Suhyuk. This time, the situation favored Falcon Eye more than it did him. ¡°Do you have any demands?¡± -Demands? I do. ¡°What is it? Profit sharing? A new issue? Or is there a particr article you want?¡± -Not that. Falcon Eye¡¯s answer was firm, suggesting he had something in mind. When Falcon Eye continued speaking, Big Mouth¡¯s expression turned to one of disbelief. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¨C Yes. That will suffice. Falcon Eye¡¯s condition was simple, particrly for a controversy-focused streamer like Big Mouth. Still, Falcon Eye had a singr reason for setting that condition. The moment the coboration was epted, this condition would wield great power. There was a substantial difference between having to fulfill even the easiest request and not. Above all. ¡°What can you gain from this?¡± No matter how much he thought about it, there seemed to be no benefit for Falcon Eye in this request. However, Big Mouth¡¯s calctions were wrong from the start. ¨C The gains are too many to count. Falcon Eye hadn¡¯t set the condition to gain something in the first ce. ¨C I¡¯m now returning one of them. * * * The forest split in half as if carved by a knife on a map. Jin Doha clutched a wound on his stomach with one hand. Blood gushed out continuously from the rather considerable wound. ¡°You have won.¡± In front of Jin Dohay Hwang Gyuseong. To any onlooker, the oue was the opposite of what Jin Doha had dered. However, he proimed Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s victory. No matter how many points one added for personal pride, the result didn¡¯t change. ¡°Just achieving this much in your current state is extraordinary. I respect you.¡± The move he wielded here was everything of himself. As a martial artist and a sword-wielder, and also as a yer. He infused all his life¡¯s enlightenment and strength into each strike without a moment¡¯scency. If there was someone who could withstand this move entirely, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give his life to them. Swish-. Jin Doha turned his body as promised. Not only did Hwang Gyuseong endure the move entirely, but he also left such a vast wound on Jin Doha¡¯s body. This wound would never fade, remaining as a deep scar both on his body and soul. ¡°It was an honor. Truly.¡± Poof-. With those words, Jin Doha vanished as promised. The state in which Hwang Gyuseong was left behind was in utter disarray. No, ¡°disarray¡± couldn¡¯t begin to cover it; he was a wreck. His chest and waist had been sliced, leaving his body in tatters. Poison seeped through the wounds, turning his skin pale and decaying in ces. Nine out of ten passersby would surely consider him a corpse. Nheless. ¡®I¡¯m alive.¡¯ Hwang Gyuseong was alive. Rather vividly, at that. He was undoubtedly in the throes of death but could stillprehend Jin Doha¡¯s words. Yet. There was too much regret to fully savor the joy of victory. ¡°If it was going to be like this, I should have died back then¡­.¡± In the end, his final thoughts were usations towards himself. He had lived for decades driven by revenge, yet all he had achieved was leaving a blemish on Blue Eyes. With this, the stigma of a traitor that had clung to Kim Ilsoo like a scarlet letter would be erased, and in its ce, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s name would be written. ¡°Are you moving separately?¡± He regretted it. ¡°Yes.¡± His decision, at that moment. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I can only do alone.¡± ¡°Is it dangerous? Whatever it is, let¡¯s do it together. At the end of the day, you think the same as we do, right?¡± ¡°I also agree with Shiwoo. Whatever you¡¯re thinking, let¡¯s not split up any further. Please.¡± He should have held their hands back then. He should have weakened at the sight of Yerang¡¯s eyes, which seemed like they would cry at any moment, and he should have been persuaded by Shiwoo¡¯s earnest eyes for the first time. If he had done so. They would have stopped him when he was about to make a foolish choice like now. ¡°No. I have to do it alone.¡± The disgrace of allegedly partnering with demons was a burden enough for him alone. It was sufficient for him to bear the scalding and dirty water alone. If there had to be someone to bear it with, it should have been Kim Ilsoo. But in the end, this was the result. ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± It felt like he could hear Shiwoo and Yerang¡¯s usatory voices. Why did you leave us like this? Didn¡¯t we say to stay together? The two of them constantly badgered him with questions. ¡°Damn¡­.¡± Damn it. His body became weak with utter hopelessness. No matter how strong his mental fortitude, he did not think he could survive this situation. All that remained was to await the moment of his death. And then. Bang-! A loud sound from somewhere snapped him back to awareness. His vision was blurry, likely from losing so much blood. The smell of burning filled his nostrils, and a wave of relief surged deep within his chest. He squeezed out his remaining life force to focus his vision. As it gradually returned, he saw a familiar and wee face. ¡®Lee Suhyuk?¡¯ The streamer Lee Suhyuk. A streamer wearing a mask identical to his beloved friend. ¡°Huff, huff, huff-.¡± Having run so fast, he was gasping for breath. Sweat trickled down from beneath his mask and fell. The mask hid his face. He had always wanted to see the expression behind that mask if they ever met, but never expected it to be like this. ¡®Those eyes.¡¯ In Lee Suhyuk¡¯s eyes looking down at him, many emotions were conveyed. Worry. Anger. Regret. Pondering. Longing¡­ A gaze mixed with all sorts of emotions. How could someone he met for the first time today disy such eyes? ¡°You¡­¡± He had many things he was curious about. But seeing those unmasked eyes in person, all his questions disappeared. He finally understood why he had been so interested in just a streamer. ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡± Chapter 173 Chapter 173 ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡± His sudden question left Lee Suhyuk speechless. Just moments ago, he had been wondering how to start the conversation. But with that one question, the man erased all his worries. ¡°No.¡± Suhyuk shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly alive.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not alive, does that mean you¡¯re dead?¡± ¡°Well, I was dead back then.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Seeing him chuckle slightly brought a brief sense of relief. But soon enough, upon noticing his pale face and his half-tattered state, Suhyuk snapped back to reality. It was a miracle that he was able to breathe and converse even now. Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s condition was so dire that it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if he had ceased breathing at any moment. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is.¡± His words held countless meanings. He continued speaking without any sign of pain or hardship. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy trying to save me. I don¡¯t n on wasting my time trying to stay alive either. It¡¯s too precious to squander on futile efforts, right?¡± At his words, Suhyuk stopped what he was doing. He understood. It was impossible to save him. Even if An Jiyoung, their team¡¯s best healer, had been there instead of him, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to save him with certainty either. True. Wasting precious time and energy on an impossible task was just too unfortunate. Eventually, Suhyuk withdrew his hands and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I got double-crossed, like an idiot. This time, it was by that guy¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°Lee Wonjae?¡± Suhyuk¡¯s eyes shed with intensity. He had asked with certainty, but Gyuseong brought up something entirely different, likely pressed for time. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m relieved¡­¡± He smiled brightly, a stark contrast to his dying state. ¡°I thought I couldn¡¯t keep my promise¡­ to avenge you.¡± Each word was a struggle to get out. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alive¡­ it means I didn¡¯t entirely fail.¡± ¡°Idiot, who asked you to keep such a promise?¡± Frustrated, Suhyuk regretted his words immediately. Now wasn¡¯t the time to act on shallow emotions. Bowing his head deeply, Suhyuk bit his lip. ¡°No, forget what I just said. I¡¯m sorry. Honestly, thank you so much. Really¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡­ It¡¯s not a misunderstanding. If it were me¡­ I would¡¯ve cursed too. Ha-ugh.¡± Gyuseong¡¯s sudden burst ofughter caused him to cough up blood, which he must have been holding back. Realizing time was running short, he stoppedughing and continued, ¡°Do you¡­ remember? ¡®The event that will start eventually¡¯.¡± ¡°Why bring that up now?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exin in detail¡­¡± Gyuseong seemed aware that his time was almost up. ¡°Try to meet¡­ the Three Demon Kings if you get a chance. Then¡­ you might understand.¡± ¡°Why mention this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Just, do as¡­ you¡¯re told, ugh!¡± Gyuseong¡¯s blood sttered onto Suhyuk¡¯s face. Lee Suhyuk tried to engrave every single word into his mind instead of worrying about his own condition. ¡°Yes. Got it. Understood.¡± ¡°You¡­ understood? Wow, damn. I¡¯m¡­ dying here.¡± The light in Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed as he groaned in pain. ¡°Onest thing¡­ this is really¡­ important¡­.¡± ¡°Take your time.¡± ¡°Hyomin¡­ was captured by Ilsoo.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Lee Suhyuk was so shocked that he briefly forgot Hwang Gyuseong was dying right in front of him. Lee Hyomin. She was one of the four people whom he had assumed to have been killed along with Hwang Gyuseong. Unlike Shiwoo or Yerang, there was no clue about her; he naturally assumed she was dead. ¡°She¡¯s alive? Then?¡± ¡°She is¡­ alive.¡± She was alive. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s mind heated up at those words. Why hadn¡¯t Hwang Gyuseong shown up for more than 20 years? Why did Shiwoo and Yerang not reveal the truth of that day? Those questions began to unravel. ¡°That crazy bastard-.¡± ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s a relief.¡± Before his anger fully ignited, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s pupils shook as he looked into the dimming eyes of the dying Hwang Gyuseong. ¡°Because¡­ you¡­ came back¡­.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Now¡­ Hyomin¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. The light went out in his dead eyes. Eyes that Lee Suhyuk had seen countless times before, cold and lifeless. His hand moved instinctively. ¡°¡­ Hey.¡± Crackle-. He shot lightning into Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s chest. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± Zap-! Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body convulsed and shot up from the ground. Hoping for his heart to beat again, hoping for a miracle, just momentarily. ¡°I barely made it back¡­ as you said¡­.¡± Zzzzt-! Lee Suhyuk continued to hit Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s heart with bolts of lightning. ¡°What do I do if you leave now, you bastard-!¡± * * * Had his body ever felt thisfortable? The temperature was just right. The air was as soft as down feathers. The monochrome scenery was neither dazzling nor dark. Standing in the middle of it all, Hwang Gyuseong couldn¡¯tprehend why he was there. Suddenly. ¡°Ah, I see, I¡¯m dead.¡± Realizing his situation, he scratched his head with his thick hands. There probably isn¡¯t a person who hasn¡¯t wondered what dying feels like. People think about death because they either want to die or want to live. ¡°So, this is it. Nothing special.¡± In that sense, it was anticlimactic. He expected something more extraordinary. But at the end of life, there was nothing. Thud-. He started to walk, determined to follow the path to its end, even though he did not know where it would lead. It felt as though he was taking steps in ce, as the scenery did not change. He began to wonder whether this path had an end. How long had he been walking like that? ¡°Huh?¡± For the first time, he saw something different. Faint human-like silhouettes appeared. They waved at him. ¡®Do they know me?¡¯ He could not see their faces clearly. The only distinguishing characteristic was that the person in the middle was very tall. He needed to get closer to be sure. The silhouettes seemed to be saying something to him. His pace quickened. As the distance between them lessened, their forms became more defined. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Three familiar faces greeted him. The tall one in the middle became clear first. ¡°Suhoon-.¡± To the left stood a small and talkative guy. ¡°Minjae-.¡± To the right was someone he had liked for a long time. ¡°¡­ Jiyoung.¡± They waved at him. Suhoon appeared delighted, minjae seemed on the verge of tears, and Jiyoung looked angry. Thump-.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He ran. He had never run this fast before, with all his strength. The distance closed quickly. As he had hoped, they were his friends, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s friends. ¡°Heyyyy-!¡± He shouted as he rushed toward them, hugging all three at once. For a while, he could do nothing but suppress the emotions surging inside him. It took a long time before he loosened his arms from around them. ¡°I must really be dead, seeing you guys again.¡± -Or this is all just an illusion. He did not voice the doubt that shed through his mind. If it was true, he feared this fantastic illusion would vanish the moment he spoke it. Had he really met people who had died, or was it just an exceptionally realistic illusion because he knew them so well? As expected, Jiyoung was the first to express anger. ¡°Are you happy with this?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you d to see me?¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯d be happy that you¡¯re dead?¡± ¡°Suhoon seems pretty happy.¡± At thatment, Suhoon¡¯s face twitched with a guilty expression. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. It happened without thinking.¡± ¡°And you canugh right now?¡± ¡°dness is dness. Jiyoung, you should smile too. Smile~¡± ¡°Yes, Jiyoung, calm down. Gyuseong tried¡­ very hard.¡± Choked up-. He tried very hard. Something boiled inside him at Minjae¡¯s added words. He had fought tooth and nail against the demons to keep one promise. He had saved Hyomin and isted himself for decades to prevent Shiwoo and Yerang from being tainted by his corruption. It was lonely and painful. In truth, he wanted toe back. To this ce where he could never return again. ¡°W-wait? Hey, he¡¯s crying?¡± Hwang Gyuseong cried loudly. When things were so hard, not a single tear had fallen. But seeing these three faces, his tears flowed uncontrobly as if his tear ducts were broken. Swish-. ¡°¡­ You did well.¡± Jiyoung embraced the sobbing Hwang Gyuseong. ¡°You really did well, Gyuseong. Thank you.¡± The tears didn¡¯t stop and it felt like his throat was tearing apart. Jiyoung didn¡¯t try to stop him from crying. Instead, she gently patted his back as if saying it was okay to cry more. Hwang Gyuseong, who had been crying in Jiyoung¡¯s arms for a long time, thought. He retracted his words that it was nothing. * * * Naturally, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s heart never beat again. Lee Suhyuk sat there for a while, nkly staring down at Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s face. ¡°¡­ He¡¯s smiling.¡± He didn¡¯t know how he himself was feeling. Hwang Gyuseong had the happiest smile Suhyuk had ever seen. It was thanks to him. Emerging from the shock, being able to get up again. ¡°Alright. You go first.¡± Hwang Gyuseong had left, leaving all his burdens behind. If left here, Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body would fall into the hands of Blue Zone and Murim. They would probably take pictures, releasing them, and perhaps even mark him as a traitor and disy him. Crackle-! Whoosh-. Lee Suhyuk snapped his fingers, causing sparks around Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body. The continuous sparks set the body on fire. Watching his friend¡¯s body burn brightly, Suhyuk continued the words he hadn¡¯t said earlier. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Hyomin.¡± Considering his personality, it was a miracle he had endured until now. He probably couldn¡¯t act recklessly for Hyomin¡¯s safety. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m better at holding back than you. I won¡¯t do anything foolish.¡± He wanted to storm into the Blue Zone right now, grab Kim Ilsoo by the cor, and demand Hyomin¡¯s release. But he knew he couldn¡¯t do that. Even with the same level of power, the one holding the hostage had a significant advantage. Currently, he couldn¡¯t even face Blue Zone, let alone Kim Ilsoo. Nevertheless. ¡°It probably won¡¯t take long.¡± Lee Suhyuk promised his burning friend. Just as he had spent decades keeping his promise to him, he too would do the same. He sensed people slowly approaching from afar. There was no more time to dy. It was time to conclude the farewell. ¡°Rest well. I¡¯ll be back again.¡± Biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, he turned away. And btedly, he added the words his friend might have been waiting to hear. ¡°Next time, with Shiwoo, Yerung, and Hyomin. All together.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Fuck, I feel emotional with this chapters. There are invisible ninjas cutting onions somewhere. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 After the abrupt end of the stream, Un Hyang continuously searched for Lee Suhyuk. She knew it was probably an unnecessary worry. No matter how much she thought about it, this situation unfolding right now had nothing to do with Suhyuk. But why, then? Somehow, she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he might be at the epicenter of this typhoon. And perhaps that was why, amidst all this chaos, she remained calm. ¡°This way.¡± Rustle-. She bent down, following the traces of the battle, moving quickly. From the traces, it looked like Hwang Gyuseong had fought his way through numerous rankers and advanced quite a distance outside the city. A shiver ran down her spine. He had single-handedly confronted two second-inmands of a massive guild and also faced Jin Doha at the same time. After that, he had managed to escape the arena and break through the Heavenly Net. The legend of Blue Eyes once again shook the world. But, ¡°This is the end of the line.¡± Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s blood, which had fallen to the ground, corroded the tree. The level of poison he had encountered must have been severe. He was lucky to be alive with such blood flowing in his body. Moreover, Step-. ¡°Is it you, hyang?¡± More importantly, the person who was tracking him was none other than this man. In the end, hwang Gyuseong¡¯s fate was sealed. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yeah. It has been. You remember, huh?¡± Jin Doha emerged from the forest. Though he bore some wounds, he did not look like a defeated man. He was neither a victor nor a loser. Somewhere in between, Un Hyang asked. ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°Are you talking about Hwang Gyuseong? Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯ve always been fascinated by the legend of Blue Eyes since you were young.¡± Jin Doha, assuming the reason she came here, answered her question. ¡°I lost the battle. But fate was not on his side.¡± ¡°Could you speak more clearly?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still as rude as ever.¡± Jin Dohaughed quietly, sping his hands behind his back, and walked past Un Hyang. ¡°The legend of Blue Eyes you adored so much has ended today by my hand.¡± ¡°Ended?¡± ¡°Yes. And as of today, my time has also stopped. The time of the loser does not deserve to flow, indeed.¡± The retreating figure of Jin Doha no longer seemed to be someone who would answer any more questions. After a brief hesitation, Un Hyang moved in the direction Jin Doha came from. With a rustling sound, her figure vanished, as the wind swept through the leaves.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She began to run at full speed. The scenery rapidly changed as she sped past the path Jin Doha had walked. How long did she run? In the distance, she saw ck smoke rising. ¡°There it is.¡± There was something there. As she was running towards that thought, ¡°Oh, oh?¡± An all-too-familiar face came into Un Hyang¡¯s view as she dashed forward recklessly. Unlike usual, it was Lee Suhyuk walking towards her, mask off and with slow, trudging steps. ¡°Suhyuk-nim!¡± Tap-. Jumping up tond right in front of him, Un Hyang greeted Suhyuk with a bright face. ¡°Of course, you were here!¡± ¡°What brings you here, manager?¡± ¡°I came to find you, suhyuk-nim.¡± ¡°Here, to find me?¡± ¡°Yes. Somehow, I had a feeling you¡¯d be here.¡± Un Hyang babbled on, exining why she came here. ¡°And as you know, I¡¯m a huge fan of Blue Eyes and Lee Suhyuk, right? I also wanted to see Hwang Gyuseong properly once¡­ Wow, but to think you¡¯d be here? My luck is great.¡± ¡°You said earlier you came to find me?¡± ¡°Did I?¡± She continued speaking even more cheerfully on purpose. It was because, in any small way, she wanted to share some of her brightness with Suhyuk standing before her. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Today, suhyuk looked unusually drained. His eyes were swollen as if he had been crying. His shoulders were drooping more than usual, as if all his strength had left him. More than anything, the eyes he had now were not the same eyes that used to peek from behind his mask. If he hadn¡¯t taken his mask off, she might not have recognized him as the same person. ¡°Oh, by the way, congrattions on winning. It was truly magnificent. As expected of you, suhyuk-nim, you shook the stage-.¡± She chattered away, speaking continuously. ¡°I monitored everything amidst that chaos. No matter how important Hwang Gyuseong is, suhyuk-nim¡¯s stream is still the best¡­.¡± Thetter part of her words barely reached Suhyuk¡¯s ears. She seemed to be saying something, but Suhyuk focused more on her voice than her words. It was strange. Just moments ago, he felt so deste, like he could break down at any second. The feeling of being left alone in the world without anything, but now it felt like he was not alone. ¡°I came to find you, suhyuk-nim.¡± A part of his heart warmed slightly. The emptiness and solitude he felt until just now had loosened. For a fleeting moment, it felt like he was in the embrace of friends bonded through the guild. Perhaps, someday, he might tell Un Hyang who he really was. No. He wanted to tell her, if he could. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you going to ask me?¡± ¡°Sorry? Ask you what?¡± ¡°Why did Ie here?¡± Seeing the small spark of life return to his weary face, Un Hyang didn¡¯t miss it and asked again with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask. But, do you want me to?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Then I should ask, right? I¡¯m dying of curiosity anyway.¡± She exaggeratedly took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Why did youe here, suhyuk-nim?¡± ¡°I just¡­.¡± His voice carried a hint of wetness as he answered. ¡°Hwang Gyuseong¡­ I miss him.¡± Plop. Finally, the tears fell. After hearing the answer to her question and seeing his reaction, she became even more curious. However, she chose silence instead of asking more. Swish. Un Hyang embraced Lee Suhyuk,forting him. Numerous questions crossed her mind, but she kept them tucked away. In the distance, she saw smoke rising and approaching. She had an inkling of what it was and whose it might be. Suddenly, she recalled something Jin Doha had said on their way here. ¡°The legend of Blue Eyes you adored so much has ended today by my hand.¡± He must have been referring to the significance of killing Hwang Gyuseong when he said that. ¡®No, Grandfather.¡¯ Feeling Suhyuk¡¯s sobs in her embrace, Un Hyang mentally negated Jin Doha¡¯s words. ¡®The legend I adored still remains. Right here.¡¯ * * * ¡°Confirmed deceased.¡± Under the blue sky, a man stood in a grand garden that resembled a pce, receiving the report. With bleached white hair and pale, unblemished skin that hadn¡¯t seen sunlight, the man¡¯s elegant appearance was contrasted by a grotesque half-mask that covered part of his face. He stopped what he was doing to ask, ¡°The cremation?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The body was properly cremated, wasn¡¯t it?¡± It was a perplexing question. He had meticulously nned the death of his oldrade, only to now inquire about the cremation. Though it was confusing, the woman who reported to Kim Ilsoo did not question him. ¡°Yes. By the time we arrived, it was already burning.¡± ¡°Already burning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Jin Doha supposed to handle it?¡± Kim Ilsoo knitted his brows, bewildered. ¡°What could have caused Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s body to catch fire in a fight against Jin Doha?¡± he wondered. ¡°Did anything go wrong?¡± ¡°No. Nothing at all.¡± In fact, it was all going well. This was the expression that Kim Ilsoo¡¯s underlings observed. After a brief silence, Kim Ilsoo resumed watering the flowerbed. ¡°We must pay the agreed price to the Murim World.¡± ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Although we¡¯re not as desperate as they are, it was something we wanted as well. This deal benefits both parties.¡± As if he had just remembered something, Kim Ilsoo asked, ¡°By the way, how did the preliminary rounds go?¡± ¡°I was just about to inform you of that.¡± Curious, he asked, although he had intended to report it anyway. It seemed something significant had happened during the preliminary rounds. ¡°There was one yer who dominated.¡± ¡°One yer¡­ could it be Minwoo?¡± Lately, the yer who had caught Kim Ilsoo¡¯s eye the most was Cha Minwoo. He was so talented that Kim Ilsoo had personally recruited him. But contrary to his expectations, the yer who had dominated was someone else. ¡°No, it was Lee Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk?¡± The moment he heard that name, his face hidden behind the mask throbbed with a dull pain. Even though he knew it wasn¡¯t the same person. ¡°Yes. The streamer Lee Suhyuk achieved remarkable results in the preliminary round.¡± As Sooha said this, she showed a video. The video,monly referred to as a Mad Movie, was a briefption of Lee Suhyuk¡¯s highlights, from defeating Cha Minwoo to climbing the tower and unleashing lightning. ¡°We need to recruit him.¡± Kim Ilsoo¡¯s response after watching the video was straightforward. Such talent had to be brought into the fold. No exceptions. ¡°He has already been approached by the vice guildmaster but failed.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually¡­.¡± Sooha briefly recounted what had happened between Lee Wonjae and Lee Suhyuk. Upon hearing the story, Kim Ilsoo shook his head. ¡°Then that¡¯s it. We need to drop it.¡± ¡°Are you giving up?¡± ¡°He¡¯s obviously not interested in joining the guild. He probably thinks streaming is more lucrative. And he¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What if we offered arger sry?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already tried that, but he won¡¯t join just for a slightly higher sry.¡± It was true. To properly entice him with a high sry, they should never have created any unpleasant incidents in the first ce. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on just two things: the Counter-Fight and the Guardian. Just those two.¡± ¡°The Guardian¡­ you haven¡¯t given up on that yet?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give up.¡± Kim Ilsoo muttered as he looked at the green dagger in his hand. ¡°After going to such lengths, I can never give up.¡± It was Lee Suhyuk who had defeated the Hydra, the Guardian of the 8th floor. But even after more than twenty years since his death, the Guardian of the 9th floor had not been defeated. It reigned like an unbeatable god, blocking the path to the 10th floor. ¡°Can I ask you one thing?¡± ¡°That question again? Why did I do it?¡± Kim Ilsoo sighed deeply. ¡°Why are you so curious about that?¡± ¡°Because I know my brother would never do such a thing.¡± Her designation changed from Guild Master to brother. She had reverted to the sibling who had been there when the Blue Zone was first established. ¡°I know how much you missed that ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s in the past.¡± ¡°Yes. And the legend of Blue Eyes also remains in the past.¡± Was it because Hwang Gyuseong had died? They seemed to talk more today. Kim Ilsoo remained silent. Faced with his unyielding silence, she eventually lowered her head. ¡°I believe you will tell me someday. Even if not to me, then to someone.¡± With that, sooha left. There was no more news to deliver, and continuing the conversation would be futile. Alone, Kim Ilsoo looked down at the now-wilted flowers. Just moments ago, they had been watered and blooming brightly. These flowers seemed to reflect his mood. ¡°It¡¯s hard. Being alone.¡± TL¡¯s Corner: Just when I thought I could not get anymore feels. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 On the day of the Counter-Fight preliminaries. A scandalous event erupted, causing amotion in the tower. ¡ºThe Traitor of Blue Eyes, identity Revealed as Hwang Gyuseong? The Truth of That Day.¡» ¡ºHwang Gyuseong Subdued by an Old Star of the Murim World.¡» ¡ºThe Fallen Legend of Blue Eyes. The Downfall of a Corrupt Legend?¡» ¡º¡­¡­¡» Numerous articles surfaced. Most of them delved into the secrets during the Hydra raid. There had been a betrayal that day. This rumor had been circting for some time. Some unnamed individuals imed it was Kim Ilsoo. However, no evidence emerged, and Kim Ilsoo neither made excuses nor provided exnations. Because of this, some spected that Kim Ilsoo had betrayed his oldrades and taken their ce. Yet. ¡ºThe Reason Behind Kim Ilsoo¡¯s Silence.¡» ¡ºFoolish Silence, or Loyalty.¡» The silence Kim Ilsoo had maintained over the years was now being framed as a form of loyalty. ¨C Did he really just let it slide because they were true friends? ¨C Loyalty my ass ???? Convincing the guy who coborated with demons ???? ¨C Exactly ???? ¨C Guys gotta stick together!!! Thanks to this, Kim Ilsoo¡¯s recognition skyrocketed. Of course, not all articles were about Kim Ilsoo and Hwang Gyuseong. ¡ºThe Legend of Blue Eyes Rises Again.¡» One notably sensational headline article. The author was none other than Big Mouth. Regardless of how much public attention was on Hwang Gyuseong, an article like this couldn¡¯t go unnoticed. ¡ºMain Text: Amidst the chaotic atmosphere, streamer Lee Suhyuk achieved remarkable results in the Counter-Fight. Although it was just the preliminaries, Lee Suhyuk¡­¡» Big Mouth¡¯s article focused on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s exploits. Indeed, had Hwang Gyuseong not emerged that day, the spotlight would undoubtedly have been on Lee Suhyuk. ¨C I watched it live, and it was insane ???? ¨C For real? I stopped watching halfway through ¨C Same ???? ¡¯cause there was something even more interesting? Big Mouth¡¯s intention was clear. ¨C Haha! Where¡¯d the small fries go when the big shots were ying¡ª ¨C ??? But isn¡¯t Lee Suhyuk no small fry? ¨C When Hwang Gyuseong, Kim Ilsoo, and Jin Doha are in the game, it has to be Lee Suhyuk, not ¡®2ndSuhyuk.¡¯ ¨C For real ???? To restore the spotlight to its rightful ce. And the role of doing so had always fallen to one streamer for a long time. ¡°Fal-hi! Hey folks, long time no see?¡± Falcon Eye began his stream. ¨C Falcon Boss, you here? ¨C Lee Suhyuk extractor, hi ¨C Falcon Eye feeling down because of Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s chaos, anyone agree? ???? ¨C ¡®The Original¡¯ loln/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Lee Suhyuk¡¯s specialist reviewer. That had been Falcon Eye¡¯s main content recently. ¡°Falcon Eye hater¡­ What¡¯s up with that nickname? Anyway, thumbs up for thatment. Yeah, this incident was kinda disappointing. The preliminaries were totally overshadowed because of it.¡± Typically, Counter-Fight was the most anticipated content among yers. Despite the unique nature of the preliminaries, they still attracted significant interest. ¡°So, even more so, the ¡®Original¡¯ here has prepared something really tasty this time.¡± ¨C ?????? ¨C The ¡®Original¡¯ ???? ¨C He¡¯s always been emphasizing that ???? Falcon Eye started his stream on a cheerful note. It took some time for enough viewers to gather. He spent the waiting time chit-chatting. Although some viewers pushed for the review, Falcon Eye skillfully managed their impatience. After a while, more viewers joined in. ¡º¡¯Tooth Grinder¡¯ donated 100 points.¡» ¡º¡°A lot have gathered now, time to start?¡±¡» 40,000 viewers. Falcon Eye waited until this point before starting the review in earnest. ¡°Well, as the title suggests, today¡¯s stream will be another Lee Suhyuk review. But today¡¯s stream will be from a different perspective.¡± He suppressed the excitement welling up. No one anticipated this review more than Falcon Eye himself. ¡°Previously, I reviewed an outstanding rookie with excellent control¡­ Today, it will be a review introducing a great ranker.¡± With that, the reviewmenced. Beep-. On the screen appeared Lee Suhyuk facing off against Cha Minwoo. Before the incident happened. It was a match between streamer Lee Suhyuk and Cha Minwoo, who had long been touted as the next Lee Suhyuk. ¨C It was insane ¨C I watched until here Since Hwang Gyuseong hadn¡¯t shown up at the venue yet, many viewers had watched up to this point. ¡°For some reason, it appears they had made a promise before the match began. We don¡¯t know why, but it worked out for us. We got to see this matchup.¡± The video yed. Pre-edited prior to the stream, it quickly skipped to the key moments. Swoosh-. Lee Suhyuk climbed the tower¡¯s wall. Following behind him was Cha Minwoo. ¡°The key to this fight is this. Fighting on t ground is boring, right? Let¡¯s raise the difficulty level!¡± Even without using lightning, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s skills vastly outmatched Cha Minwoo¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s rey the video to make it look as if it¡¯s on t ground. Doesn¡¯t Cha Minwoo look foolish? He couldn¡¯t properly locate Lee Suhyuk and iled around. Even though he wasn¡¯t moving all that fast.¡± ¨C I also thought this was strange ¨C Such a setup, isn¡¯t it? ¨C There we go again, setup trash-talker ¨C Exactly ???? No way Cha Minwoo would rig this ???? When viewed with the video turned sideways, it appeared much more bizarre. The fight seemed less about how amazing Lee Suhyuk was and more about how Cha Minwoo was iling by himself. ¡°The key is the feet.¡± Falcon Eye paused the video for a thorough review analysis. ¡°If you look closely here, you¡¯ll see Lee Suhyuk¡¯s toes turning to Cha Minwoo¡¯s right. But.¡± Click. In the resumed video, Suhyuk was moving in the opposite direction. ¡°How is it? It¡¯s the opposite, right?¡± -Wow? It really is! -I didn¡¯t even consider the foot positioning -How did that happen? To the bewildered viewers, Falcon Eye continued his exnation. ¡°Of course, it had to be this way. We manually rotated the video, but in reality, these two are fighting while clinging to a wall. As such, the variable of gravity, something we usually don¡¯t even consider, multiplies by hundreds.¡± Falcon Eye¡¯s speech quickened, a habit that surfaced when he was excited. ¡°Lee Suhyuk managed to freely utilize speed and sense of direction. While wefortably rotated the video, Cha Minwoo¡¯s senses must have been in disarray. A previously fast opponent suddenly seemed slow, a slow opponent seemed fast, and one he thought moved to the side appeared on the opposite side!¡± He spoke more steadily than usual, with a quicker speed. Falcon Eye might have been a reviewer with a bias towards Lee Suhyuk, but there wasn¡¯t a bit of falsehood or exaggeration in his reviews. ¡°This is the pinnacle of control. It¡¯s not just about handling weapons well or using magic proficiently¡­ his instincts are simply crazy.¡± -Okay¡­ take a breath -Wow, he¡¯ll pass out at this rate Despite the viewers¡¯ pleas, Falcon Eye showed no signs of calming down. ¡°Just based on this part, I was certain. I thought this segment would be the highlight of today¡¯s stream.¡± Since the review wasn¡¯t over, that was a given. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t. In fact, what I thought would be the highlight seemed trivial.¡± A lengthy introduction. It was around this time that Hwang Gyuseong swept through the tournament hall, causing the preliminary matches to fall into disarray. Due to that, the spotlight on Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream and the preliminary rounds faded. Falcon Eye knew the best way to restore that spotlight. ¡°Let¡¯s all just appreciate the rest together.¡± It was simple. Just watching it together. That exceptional and fantastic match. * * * The match was one-sided. Lee Suhyuk, who climbed the spire, rained down lightning from above. He dominated the sky, overwhelming everything on the ground below like Zeus, the great heaven¡¯s god from mythology. Everything was astonishing. Producing such potent lightning continuously. urately finding participants who appeared as tiny as ants from the tall spire. The precision in hitting them ¡ª everything seemed mystical. -Gosh¡­ -It¡¯s a one-man show, oh my -How¡¯s this even possible? -Seriously, can he reach 1000 kills? In no time, he surpassed 500 kills. Such a count was awe-inspiring, yet Lee Suhyuk wasn¡¯t stopping. For viewers who missed the stream due to the incident, their interest piqued btedly. The battle with Cha Minwoo was now a distant memory. As the video neared its end. Click. As usual, Falcon Eye paused the video mid-way. -Huh? -Oh no, here we go again -I knew this would happen, lol ¡°Much as I want to rewatch till the end, as you know, this isn¡¯t my video.¡± The primary purpose of the review stream was to promote Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream. ¡°Now everyone knows, right? If you want to see the full version, it should be uploaded by now, so go watch it.¡± -Okay, okay -It¡¯s up now -Really? Heading right over Viewers decreased rapidly. The count that had exceeded 50,000 dropped by 10,000 in an instant. Though many viewers left, there were still quite a few remaining. They aimed to watch Falcon Eye¡¯s review till the end instead of the disappearing video. ¡º¡¯Maechori¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºMaechori of today¡­ No, what¡¯s the overall review?¡» Falcon Eye¡¯s overall review was often referred to as ¡°Maechori¡±. So much so that some viewers specifically tuned in for this segment. To the extent that a video titled ¡°Falcon Eye Maechori Comption¡± was made separately. ¡°Overall review? Let me think, overall review¡­.¡± Falcon Eye pondered. He never prepared in advance for any review. Following a broad framework, natural reviews always led to the overall review. But this time was different. After watching such a magnificent match, what review could he give? ¡°Today¡¯s overall review is¡­.¡± After a not-so-brief deliberation. He uttered a review of a different nature than usual. ¡°Things seem noisy because of what happened at the tournament. I saw the articles too. Talks about the fall of the Blue Eyes or the end of a legend¡­.¡± He¡¯d deliberately avoided bringing this up. Falcon Eye believed Lee Suhyuk, who should¡¯ve been the focus due to that incident, was overshadowed. Nevertheless, when thinking about how to wrap up the stream, he couldn¡¯t help but mention that incident. No. ¡°My opinion is different. It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Not just Hwang Gyuseong, but all the legends led by Lee Suhyuk and the Blue Eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll dare to say.¡± He voiced a thought he had kept hazy and unspoken for a long time. ¡°This marks the beginning of a new legend.¡± People said that yesterday marked the end of a legend. The remaining Blue Eyes legend faced demise, and thus, a sacred legend was branded with betrayal. However, some viewed that day from an entirely different perspective. That day wasn¡¯t just about the fall of a legend; it was also the day a new legend was born. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Recently, the hottest streamer from Balhae Entertainment was undoubtedly Lee Suhyuk. He was an extraordinarily talented yer, to the point where it was hard to understand why he even became a streamer. He also possessed both topicality and stardom. One of the representative streamers of Balhae Entertainment. That was Lee Suhyuk¡¯s current position as a streamer. ¡°It¡¯s been five days already.¡± Consequently, John Dale couldn¡¯t help but worry about Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stamina and mental state as a streamer. ¡°Taking a break from streaming without any reason. Sure, Lee Suhyuk isn¡¯t in a position where he would be affected by such things anyway. But shouldn¡¯t we know?¡± ¨C What do you mean? ¡°Why is he taking a break? Is he really taking a break or is he just resting for a while?¡± Eventually, John Dale contacted Un Hyang. He was worried about Lee Suhyuk, who hadn¡¯t streamed for five days without any contact or notice. Having been in this industry, he had seen countless streamers neglect their streams and get caught up in leisure and entertainment, intoxicated by fleeting sess. John Dale didn¡¯t worry about such people. There was no need to. They were just those kinds of people who couldn¡¯t climb any higher; they didn¡¯t have the vessel or capability to do so. But Lee Suhyuk was different. ¡®From the preliminaries to the main event is just a month. Five days have already passed.¡¯ This was something that would never happen with the usual Lee Suhyuk.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡®So far, Lee Suhyuk has spent his time without rest, whether it was streaming or training. As if something was chasing him from behind.¡¯ This was an extremely important period for him. Moreover, it was a time when his stock value had hit its peak. Lee Suhyuk was not just a yer who was good at fighting. ording to John Dale, he was someone smarter than anyone else. He surely knew the importance of this period and wouldn¡¯t have wasted a single second if he could help it. ¡®Taking a break at this crucial moment?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t about thepany¡¯s loss due to his break from streaming. As mentioned earlier, Lee Suhyuk¡¯s reputation wasn¡¯t something that could be shaken by a few missed streams, and he was too outstanding a streamer to be scrutinized for that. The problemy with his condition. ¡®Did something happen? I have a gut feeling about this.¡¯ Injury? Burnout? Or perhaps, some higher level of damage? It didn¡¯t matter, as long as it was something that could be recovered from. Such worries piled up when. ¨C Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll be back starting tomorrow. ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¨C Yes. That¡¯s what Suhyuk said himself, so he¡¯ll definitely keep his word. John Dale blinked at Un Hyang¡¯s reply. Had he worried for nothing? Maybe it was presumptuous to think he knew everything about Lee Suhyuk just because he had known him for a long time. ¨C Don¡¯t worry too much. He¡¯s just taking a short break. Right. Everyone needed ama in their life. For Lee Suhyuk, thatma had just arrived suddenly, without notice. ¡®I was being too impatient.¡¯ Only then did John Dale realize how petty he had been. An unannounced five-day break. A strange sense of unease. And his arrogance from thinking he knew Lee Suhyuk too well. Those thingsbined to make it seem as if Lee Suhyuk had taken a significant hit. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s let him rest well. And please, make an announcement.¡± * * * ¡°Oh, he¡¯s so nagging.¡± Un Hyang grumbled after the call with John Dale. She was in the refreshment room of the best and most expensive lodging on the seventh floor. ¨C I haven¡¯t hung up yet. ¡°Yes. I said it so you could hear it. Now I¡¯ll end the call.¡± ¨C You, I¡¯m still your sup¡­. Beep. The call was coldly cut off as if there was nothing more to hear. Lee Suhyuk, who had been listening from across the room, asked. ¡°Is that alright?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still your boss.¡± ¡°Is he? Seems like it when you say so.¡± As if it was a problem she had never considered, she pouted and tilted her head. Then she brought a fork full of cake to her mouth. How she liked sweet things so much, and how she didn¡¯t gain weight despite eating them every day, was a mystery. Lee Suhyuk, who usually didn¡¯t touch sweets, looked at the desserts filling the table for a moment. These luxurious desserts and the sparkling,vish lodging ¡ª all of it was paid for happily by Un Hyang. ¡°Sweets are the best when you¡¯re not in a good mood.¡± Un Hyang¡¯s expression, with her cheeks full of cake, added genuine persuasiveness to her words. ¡°Have a taste. Why aren¡¯t you eating these delicious things?¡± ¡°Is it alright?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°This lodging. It can¡¯t be cheap.¡± It was avish lodging that he hadn¡¯t been able to visit often, even in his past life. It might cost thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of points just for one night. No matter how big Balhae Entertainment was, they wouldn¡¯t let their streamers stay in such lodging daily. So, this was clearlying out of Un Hyang¡¯s own pocket. ¡°Are we really going to talk about that again?¡± ¡°Yes, I should¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to suggest going fifty-fifty, that¡¯s a no. This conversation is over.¡± Lee Suhyuk was baffled by Un Hyang¡¯s firm refusal. While he appreciated her kindness, it was too much, and he worried about her financial situation. Also, a part of him found it intriguing. ¡®Is it the wealth of the Divine Dragon Group?¡¯ There weren¡¯t many yers who could casually stay in such luxurious lodgings. He wondered if it was the financial power she possessed as the heir to the Divine Dragon Group. ¡°I earned these points myself.¡± As if she had read his thoughts, Un Hyang began to share her story. ¡°The sry here isn¡¯t as small as you might think. Also, I had saved up quite a lot of points from before.¡± ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been a fan of masked people for a long time. I can tell everything just by looking at your eyes.¡± Feeling a bit awkward, Lee Suhyuk finally brought the cake he usually avoided to his mouth. Seeing him like that made Un Hyang giggle quietly. ¡°Don¡¯t feel so bad about it. This is for you too, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve put a lot on the line with you, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°Put a lot on the line? Do you mean a bet?¡± ¡°I never expected it¡±, Lee Suhyuk asked incredulously, and Un Hyang nodded in response. Given how she had often grabbed Cheon Ryang¡¯s neck over his gambling issues, it was indeed a baffling turn of events. ¡°I¡¯m different from Cheon Ryang¡±, she said. ¡°So, it was obvious again?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly trying to hide your expressions in the first ce.¡± ¡°At this rate, you might as well be reading my mind.¡± Un Hyang, clearly exasperated, continued to talk about Cheon Ryang, who wasn¡¯t present. ¡°He always wastes his sry on unsure bets. Unlike me, who bets only on sure things.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Cheon Ryang thought he was betting on something certain, too.¡± ¡°A bet on Schneider?¡± ¡°That was a bit foolish.¡± Omar Schneider¡ªhe was a yer from the Blue Zone who hadpeted against Lee Suhyuk on the third floor. At the time, most yers had predicted Schneider¡¯s victory. Despite Suhyuk gaining the Heart of Lightning, most believed it would be difficult to beat Schneider, who had spent over a decade mastering the Thunder Cave on the third floor. But in the end, it was Suhyuk who emerged victorious. ¡°You must have bet on me, Un Hyang.¡± ¡°Of course¡±, she replied, exaggerating a shrug that made Suhyuk chuckle. He seemed to understand what it meant that she considered this his win as well. Truly, her words brightened his mood a bit. ¡°Feeling a bit better now?¡± she asked as they were halfway through their cake. Suhyuk cocked his head for a moment before nodding. After all, he had been resting for days. ¡°I wasn¡¯t that tired to begin with. You know, there was no chance of getting hurt during the Counter-Fight¡ª¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± Grinning mischievously, Un Hyang looked at him. Instinctively, Suhyuk knew what she was hinting at. ¡°I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t bring that up.¡± ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t ask for the reasons.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that essentially the same thing?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± She stabbed a pancake drenched in syrup with her fork. ¡°Sometimes, people need to eat delicious food in a nice ce and get a good sleep. Physical exhaustion isn¡¯t the only fatigue one can feel; invisible fatigue and wounds need healing too.¡± That day, she had unexpectedly brought Suhyuk to this ce without asking for a reason. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯re feeling this way.¡± Interestingly, she seemed to see right through him, both then and now. ¡°It¡¯s not the type of wound that¡¯ll heal quickly¡±, he responded, his face showing a smile for the first time in five days. ¡°But I won¡¯t stay down for long.¡± He had a promise to keep¡ªan extremely important one he couldn¡¯t afford to break. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡®I need to find them too.¡¯ Hwang Gyuseong and Lee Hyomin were alive. That possibility gave Suhyuk hope that Shiwoo and Yerang might also be out there. His mood brightened as he thought of Shiwoo and Yerang. ¡°Feeling better now?¡± Un Hyang observed, startling Suhyuk into touching his face. She seemed to understand him better than friends who had been with him for decades. Suhyuk awkwardly changed his expression several times. The sight made Un Hyang burst intoughter. But suddenly¡ª tter¡ª Empty tes on the table began to shake gently. The previously pleasant atmosphere turned grim instantly as a suffocating pressure filled the air. Looking around, Suhyuk saw others at the tables seemingly unaffected, continuing their conversations as usual. ¡®¡­ What is this?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t sense any special power, any recognizable magic, or any skill¡ªit was just a presence. A familiar feeling he couldn¡¯t easily forget. An overwhelming presence he had encountered before. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Thud¡ª The presence slowly approached from beyond the restaurant door. Tremble¡ª Un Hyang¡¯s face turned pale, and her shoulders tensed up, trembling like a leaf. Only the two of them¡ªSuhyuk and Un Hyang¡ªseemed aware of the approaching presence. ¡°Run¡±, Un Hyang managed to say, her lips quivering. ¡°They¡¯re here for me. So¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± When had he gotten so close? Suhyuk had thought he was far away, but now he was standing right behind Un Hyang. Long, jet-ck hair cascaded down his back. His stern,bative gaze focused on them¡ªa strikingly handsome man over 190 cm tall. ¡°I¡¯m not here for you¡±, he dered, shifting his gaze to Suhyuk. ¡°I came to see this little sparrow.¡± His red eyes pierced through Suhyuk. Anyone with less mental fortitude would be overwhelmed by just making eye contact with him. Suhyuk recognized him, even though it was the first time seeing him in this life. No one in this tower would fail to recognize him. ¡®¡­Heavenly Demon.¡¯ The demon of the heavens, the Heavenly Demon. A colossal shadow within the Murim World, belonging yet not belonging to it. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s legend had vanished. The strongest yer of this era hade to find the two of them. TL¡¯s Corner: Heavenly Demon appears. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Heavenly Demon Jin Haryung. He was the figure who left the most profound bloodstains in the history of Murim. The first act he carried out after inheriting the title and position of the Heavenly Demon by his own strength shocked Murim. He massacred all the followers of Mt. Tian,monly referred to as the Ten Thousand Peaks Mountain Range. And that wasn¡¯t all. From there, he beheaded the leader of the Murim Alliance,pletely upheaving Murim within a matter of days. The Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance¡ª in other words, the entire world of Murim¡ª he turned them all into his enemies. A demon who single-handedly erased the Demonic Cult and beheaded the leader of the Murim Alliance. He was the Heavenly Demon in the truest sense. As the demon who stood tall in Murim and was the strongest yer of the present age, he looked down at Lee Suhyuk. ¡°You¡¯re much smaller than I expected.¡± Well, it was only natural. Lee Suhyuk¡¯s feelings as he looked up at Jin Haryung were indescribably peculiar. He had a rtionship with Lee Suhyuk that could never be severed. ¡®I knew this day woulde eventually¡­¡¯ Most people felt fear when they looked at the Heavenly Demon. And it wasn¡¯t much different for Lee Suhyuk. Even in his previous life, it was the same. There was a certain power or aura from the Heavenly Demon that fundamentally invoked fear in humans. But at the same time, there was a sense of familiarity. ¡®To think he woulde with this timing.¡¯ The Heavenly Demon was the reason why the yer named Lee Suhyuk became a legend and the best. A long time ago, by defeating the Heavenly Demon who participated in the Counter-Fight, the world recognized Lee Suhyuk as the strongest yer. Such was the man known as the Heavenly Demon. Being recognized as the best just by defeating him. No one other than Lee Suhyuk had surpassed him, and he remained a singr, unmatched existence. ¡®Who did hee as today, I wonder?¡¯ Lee Suhyuk did not avoid Jin Haryung¡¯s gaze as he looked down at him. When dealing with him, the first order of business was figuring out who he was. Was it the Heavenly Demon or Jin Haryung? Though they were the same person, they were decisively different beings. And one¡¯s manner of dealing with him differed depending on who he was. Now, Jin Haryung was a predator who could decapitate him in a single stroke. ¡®Today¡­ it¡¯s Jin Haryung.¡¯ Recognizing his identity through his eyes. Fortunately, he had note here as the Heavenly Demon today. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed.¡± Thus, what he needed to convey to him right now was this. ¡°There is still plenty of time. If you¡¯re here looking for a sparrow, it won¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Do you even know who the sparrow I¡¯m talking about is?¡± ¡°Of course¡± It¡¯s me. ¡°¡­It must be Lee Suhyuk.¡± Jin Haryung¡¯s lips curled up in a barely noticeable smile at Lee Suhyuk¡¯s response. From his expression, Suhyuk was certain. Jin Haryung hade to see another self through him. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not just empty words.¡± ¡°And you, on the other hand, seem different from what I¡¯ve heard.¡± To be precise, he should say, you¡¯re different from what I know. ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°Yes. The fact that you¡¯re sneaking around like this¡­¡± Lee Suhyuk¡¯s gaze swept around. Besides him and Un Hyang sitting at the same table, no one seemed to pay any attention to Jin Haryung. It was a situation he had intentionally created. Then, his gazended on Jin Haryung¡¯s left arm. ¡°And the fact that you got hit somewhere.¡± Bandages subtly visible through his clothes. Considering his personality, which didn¡¯t even bother to apply medicine to most injuries, it couldn¡¯t have been a light wound. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not an embarrassing injury.¡± ¡°Was there someone in this era who could injure the Heavenly Demon?¡± In an era without Lee Suhyuk, the Heavenly Demon was the strongest. That was an unchanging fact. Somepared the great mage Hylds to the Heavenly Demon, but they didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. She was still no match for the Heavenly Demon. ¡°No, there isn¡¯t such a person.¡± Jin Haryung replied. His opponent was not human. At that moment, foes capable of injuring Jin Haryung flickered through Suhyuk¡¯s mind. They were all like mirages. Only rumors existed, Suhyuk had seen them just once. ¡°Are you done probing?¡± At Jin Haryung¡¯s question, Suhyuk nodded. ¡°Yes. It seems this is as far as it goes.¡± ¡°Smart.¡± ¡°And you, have you finished your business?¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen you once, I¡¯m satisfied. I was curious to see what kind of fool was pretending to be a sparrow.¡± As if satisfied with just having seen his face, Jin Haryung turned away. ¡°Since you dared to act cheeky, you¡¯d better show something worthy of it. Otherwise, our next meeting won¡¯t be as pleasant as today.¡± Indeed, he wasn¡¯t the Heavenly Demon today but Jin Haryung. Though they were the same person, they were decidedly different. If Jin Haryung was scary, the Heavenly Demon was terrifying. If Jin Haryung was masculine, the Heavenly Demon was brutal. Between them, the one Suhyuk respected was undoubtedly Jin Haryung. Seemingly havingpleted his business, Jin Haryung left immediately. The main purpose of this meeting was really just to see his face once. But Suhyuk didn¡¯t attach much significance to this meeting. ¡®I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve truly seen him yet.¡¯ What he saw today was Jin Haryung. If the Heavenly Demon hade instead, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to show such impudence nor be alive right now. However, what had truly bothered him was Un Hyang. ¡°¡­ Are you alright?¡± Since Jin Haryung¡¯s arrival, her condition has been strange. She appeared terrified and frozen. It even seemed hard for her to take a single breath, as if she were a patient about to breathe herst. Even though the Heavenly Demon was a figure of fear. ¡®Something is off.¡¯ In normal circumstances, today¡¯s Jin Haryung had deliberately concealed his presence when approaching. Even though he revealed himself to them, it was still odd that Un Hyang was quivering in such fear. Though notparable to the Heavenly Demon, she possessed the skills to hold off Cha Unhyeop, the Heaven Thunder Sword. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me anything.¡± When Un Hyang stood up abruptly, he was just about to ask something. ¡°Just¡­ for now, nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Quickly, Un Hyang turned and followed behind Jin Haryung. As she walked away for thest time, Suhyuk noticed the resolute determination on her face. Suhyuk watched her quickly retreating figure. She always seemed bright and positive. But getting closer and peeling back theyers, her true self wasn¡¯t just a beautiful flower garden. The Divine Dragon Group, Un Cheon-guk, the Heavenly Demon, and Un Hyang. Pieces of a puzzle appeared one by one without fitting together. Gradually, he began to see what kind of picture it would create when they all came together. He wanted to ask her. What had happened in the past? But, ¡®There¡¯s no way I could ask.¡¯ ¡°I came here looking for you, Suhyuk.¡± ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d be here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask. But would you like to?¡± She never asked him anything. She must have found it odd, but she waited for him to speak first. So, just as he waited for her to open up first someday. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s still far off.¡± The table, which had felt narrow and close just a moment ago, suddenly felt distant andrge. Just as he had secrets he couldn¡¯t tell her, she had reasons she couldn¡¯t tell him. Now knowing they both had secrets, did that mean they were closer? Or further apart? * * * Un Hyang hurried outside. There were many people outside. The lodging where Suhyuk and Un Hyang stayed was in the busiest street on the 7th floor. A mixture of yers and residents, there for shopping or leisure, crowded the ce. Un Hyang plunged into the crowd. If he hade outside, he would be somewhere here. ¡®Where could he be?¡¯ Even without sensing his presence, she knew he hadn¡¯t gone far. He was definitely nearby.N?v(el)B\\jnn Sure enough. ¡°Surprisingly.¡± In the bustling crowd. The same voice from earlier came from directly behind her. ¡°It¡¯s surprising you¡¯re here. I thought you might have run far away.¡± She didn¡¯t have the courage to turn around. Regret for following him welled up. She hadn¡¯t known. There woulde a day when she would chase him rather than escape desperately. ¡°¡­ Leave my streamer alone.¡± ¡°Your streamer? Is that person special to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his manager. So-¡± Taking a deep breath, she spoke out with courage for the first time. ¡°If you n to harm him, then do it to me instead.¡± ¡°Harm¡­¡± His fading voice wasced withughter. ¡°Well. I haven¡¯t decided yet. Whether to harm him or not. How it will go.¡± ¡°Absolutely not-¡± ¡°But there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s certain.¡± Jin Haryung¡¯s voice grew closer. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can affect me just by trailing after me. Look at you. You can¡¯t even meet my eyes, let alone fight me.¡± Sizzle. Everything around them, except her and Jin Haryung, vanished. The ground they stood on felt like ava-filled hell, and the sky turned blood-red. ¡®He¡¯s here.¡¯ Jin Haryung disappeared, and the Heavenly Demon appeared. And that was the true form of him that she knew. He was back. Back to the world she originally belonged to. Thump, thump, thump- Her heart pounded violently as if it would burst. She struggled hard to escape this ce, but here she was, returning on her own feet. An overwhelming fear crept in, making her regret her hasty decision to run out. Theva was scorching, and the smell of blood was overwhelmingly pungent. Meanwhile, ¡°Don¡¯t be so afraid.¡± Woosh- the oppressive aura binding her heart disappeared as if it had never existed. Theva-filled ground and the blood-red sky returned to normal. Jin Haryung¡¯s voice faded. ¡°I don¡¯t n on taking you right now. My interest lies elsewhere, exactly as you feared.¡± Just as his presence began to fade. ¡°Absolutely not¡­!¡± Un Hyang quickly turned around. ¡°What?¡± A passing woman looked at Un Hyang with a puzzled expression. Jin Haryung had vanished. Realizing this made her legs give out. ¡°¡­ Hah.¡± Thud. A few people nced at her as she sat down. Regardless, Un Hyang was overwhelmed by a mix of worry and relief. ¡®That¡¯s right, he was always like this.¡¯ For a very brief moment, he showed the true face of the Heavenly Demon she originally knew. Someone who could turn the world into hell with just a thought. And such a person had taken an interest in Lee Suhyuk. She thought she had barely escaped. But now, because of the streamer she managed, she got entangled with him again. ¡°Really¡­¡± Sitting on the ground, she muttered in a voice full of weariness. ¡°Being a manager is tough. TL¡¯s Corner: Can I say that the Heavenly Demon appearing is quite impactful? Chapter 178 Chapter 178 The next day. Contrary to worries, thankfully, Un Hyang was cheerful. ¡°He has said he isn¡¯t interested, so get out quickly. We¡¯re busy preparing for the stream right now.¡± This marked the umpteenth visit from guild scouts seeking Lee Suhyuk. Pushing them out the door, Un Hyang smiled while veins bulged on her clenched fist. ¡°Not leaving? One, two¡­.¡± The guild scouts were no pushovers; among them were a few who were either rankers or close to it. However, this posed no real problem for Un Hyang. Wham! Regardless, she kicked the unmoving scouts out of the way with ease. A yer capable of oveing her and reaching Lee Suhyuk wouldn¡¯t be working as a mere scout. From a step behind, Cheon Ryang, who observed the scene, asked, ¡°Did the Heavenly Demon reallye yesterday?¡± His expression was unusually serious. Lee Suhyuk sensed that Cheon Ryang¡¯s reaction was not solely due to the name ¡®Heavenly Demon.¡¯ ¡°He seemed interested in me.¡± ¡°Is it because of the lightning?¡± ¡°That could be it. Plus, maybe I¡¯m just remarkable.¡± Although it sounded somewhat conceited, Lee Suhyuk believed this to be the truth. There was no other reason for the Heavenly Demon to seek him out. Yet, Cheon Ryang¡¯s next question was unexpected. He lowered his voice, ensuring Un Hyang wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°¡­Are you sure he wasn¡¯t looking for Un Hyang?¡± Lee Suhyuk¡¯s eyes narrowed at the question. ¡®So that¡¯s not the entire story from back then.¡¯ He recalled Un Hyang¡¯s past, which he learned after the Thunder Sword¡¯s attack. Despite Cheon Ryang insisting back then that it was the whole story, it became evident that it wasn¡¯t. But Suhyuk couldn¡¯t hold it against him, especially since he too had decided to wait for her to bring it up first, just like yesterday. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°Then¡­ well¡­¡± Cheon Ryang looked both confused and somewhat relieved. Meanwhile, as Un Hyang dusted off her hands after dismissing the scouts, she returned to where Suhyuk and Cheon Ryang stood. ¡°There sure are a lot of pests aroundtely. Right?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. It just shows how high Suhyuk¡¯s value has be.¡± Un Hyang gave Cheon Ryang a look that clearly said, ¡®I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡¯ Despite the intimidating re that would normally instill fear, Cheon Ryang appeared slightly disappointed. ¡°So, why¡¯d you leave me out yesterday?¡± ¡°Why bring you to such an expensive ce?¡± ¡°What about Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the same as Suhyuk?¡± ¡°Hey! We¡¯ve been friends for years, and now¡­.¡± ¡°Stop gambling, you idiot.¡± As they bickered, Un Hyang noticed Suhyuk putting on a mask and asked, ¡°Oh,e to think of it, are you okay?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Yesterday. You showed him your bare face.¡± Un Hyang referred to the Heavenly Demon as ¡®him¡¯. Guessing she was reluctant to even utter his name aloud, Suhyuk answered her question, ¡°He would recognize me with or without the mask. He¡¯s that perceptive.¡± ¡®Just like before.¡¯ In his past life, Jin Haryung recognized him without a mask as well. Heavenly Demon had the innate ability to perceive people beyond their outward appearance or masks. Such a feat was possible only because he was the Heavenly Demon. Disying his face to someone who can¡¯t be deceived by a mask wasn¡¯t an issue, to begin with. ¡°He¡¯s not the type to go bragging about my face around anyway.¡± ¡°Do you know him well?¡± ¡°No, not exactly¡­.¡± Struggling to find the right words, Suhyuk quickly continued, ¡°He¡¯s just that famous. The public enemy of all yers. The strongest and the worst yer.¡± In reality, no one didn¡¯t know the Heavenly Demon. He was notorious, drawing the hatred of all yers on the tower, not just the martial artists. It was the easiest answer he could think of spontaneously. However, Un Hyang¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem pleased with his answer. ¡°Is that¡­ right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Suhyuk looked puzzled by her reaction. Sensing the sudden dip in mood, Un Hyang quickly regained her usual expression. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s start the stream. I¡¯m sure the viewers have been waiting.¡± After that, Lee Suhyuk left to take the trial. Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang, left behind at the table for monitoring, sat facing each other. Unlike when Suhyuk was present, Un Hyang¡¯s face was shadowed. Cheon Ryang sighed at her expression. ¡°Why did you leave me out?¡± ¡°Is this really about that?¡± ¡°Oh wow. Still talking, huh.¡± He tried to lighten her mood with a joke, but it wasn¡¯t something that could easily be fixed. Crunch, Cheon Ryang bit down on some sweets and asked. ¡°What about running away again now?¡± Much time had passed since they had escaped from the Divine Dragon Group. Their current location was thoroughly known by the group. If they stayed here, Un Cheon-guk would surelye looking for them again. But, ¡°No.¡± Despite knowing this, Un Hyang¡¯s answer didn¡¯t change. ¡°Because of Lee Suhyuk the streamer?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any sense of duty about this. Is it because you¡¯re a fan? If it¡¯s really that, you¡¯re seriously crazy¡­.¡± Cheon Ryang quickly closed his mouth after blurting out those harsh words in anger. ¡°¡­ I take that back. Anyway, stop being so stubborn.¡± ¡°Ryang-ah.¡± When Un Hyang called his name, the corners of Cheon Ryang¡¯s eyes twitched. Again. When she called his name so gently, he couldn¡¯t push her any further. ¡°I swear, these days are the happiest of my life.¡± ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Yeah. Really.¡± He thought about it. Has Un Hyang ever said anything like that before? There was no need to think long. It was the first time. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s a streamer who became an enemy of Murim because of me. A friend who cares about me more than himself. These days, I just can¡¯t help but be really happy because I have so much.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m anxious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m not going back.¡± Un Hyang reassured Cheon Ryang. She made it clear that not running away wasn¡¯t a sign of despair. ¡°And I¡¯ll protect both. Definitely.¡± At that moment, Cheon Ryang realized she had made up her mind. In this instant, she was both a streamer¡¯s manager and a martial artist. A genius who had retired from Murim had returned. ¡®I am¡­.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ding-. An alert from the kit in his hand popped up just then. ¡®What can I do?¡¯ ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» ¡ª In front of the trial hall heading to the 8th floor. Standing before a giant portal soaring into the sky, Suhyuk briefly thought of Un Hyang¡¯s face. ¡®Will she be okay?¡¯ Her condition seemed precarious somehow. Before meeting the Heavenly Demon, she seemed manageable, but her appearance had been quite a shock. Un Cheon-guk and the Divine Dragon Group were already formidable opponents. But if the Heavenly Demon intervened, the situation would changepletely. He was a giant who dwarfed the Divine Dragon Group, making them seem like children. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s not something that¡¯ll change just by thinking about it.¡¯ Suhyuk shook his head. Most of the issues he was mulling over boiled down to matters of skill. The Divine Dragon Group, Lee Hyomin, the Heavenly Demon, Kim Ilsoo, Blue Zone¡­. Most of these problems couldn¡¯t be solved without sufficient skill. Yes. As Jin Harang had said, he was just a fledgling sparrow now. ¡º¡¯Lee Suhyuk¡¯ has started streaming.¡» There was only one thing he needed to do now. To go up as quickly as possible. ¨C First! ¨C 111111 ¨C Su-hi~ ¨C Here so fast, haha ¨C Thought I would die from missing you~ As soon as the stream started, viewers quickly gathered. Now, with an increasing number of subscribers, the stream had grown to the scale of arge streamer. From thousands to tens of thousands. Within minutes, viewers flocked in, and he officially began the stream. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, everyone.¡± -You said it¡¯s been a whilest time too, didn¡¯t you? -Aren¡¯t you going to stream regrly? -?_? -You¡¯ve changed!!! ¡°Oh, right.¡± Even on the day of the tournament, Lee Suhyuk appeared on the stream for the first time in a while. It wasn¡¯t that he deliberately took a break, but the viewers were not the kind to be considerate of such things. ¡º¡¯IloveSuhyuk¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºWhy did you take a break this time?¡» It was the first donation of today¡¯s stream. ¡°I was a bit tired. I didn¡¯t stop preparing for the Counter-Fight and kept pressing on. Fortunately, the results turned out well.¡± -?? -???? -??? -That was awesome, lol Everything is proven by results. This break was no exception. If the preliminary round results had not been good, there would have been moreints, but most viewers were satisfied with the results Lee Suhyuk had produced. ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± Ding- A myriad of rms popped up on the viewers¡¯ screens. ¡°I forgot to settle the donations before I ended thest stream.¡± He had hastily ended the stream while chasing Hwang Gyuseong, neglecting to settle the donations from various missions, including major ones. -Wow, how much is this? -How did Money Suhyuk forget this? -SafeAsset, crying, lol The amount was indeed huge. Looking at it now, it was hard to believe he had forgotten. That showed how preupied he was at the time. ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡º¡¯SafeAsset¡¯ has donated 1,000,000 points.¡» ¡ºMissionpleted.¡» ¡º¡¯MissionViin¡¯ has donated¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» ¡º¡­¡» The message windows appeared incessantly. And as soon as these rms subsided, a familiar nickname popped up once more. ¡º¡¯SafeAsset¡¯ has donated 10 points.¡» ¡ºDamn¡» -Lol, just two characters -Aughter bell, lol Once again, he lost a bet to Lee Suhyuk. Despite never winning and the stakes of their bets getting higher, he continued to challenge. Initially, he was just seen as a reckless person. True to his name, ¡®SafeAsset¡¯ always set ridiculous missions, but it seemed like he should have given up by now. ¡®What the hell does he do?¡¯ However, given the amount, it was hard to dismiss him as just a ¡®reckless person.¡¯ One million points; who else could afford to throw around such a hefty sum for a single mission? ¡°Thank you for the 10 points, SafeAsset.¡± Lee Suhyuk teased him yfully. SafeAsset responded with another donationced with insults. Despite his words, Lee Suhyuk was grateful to him. Not just him, but to all the viewers who took part in the missions and donated. ¡ºTotal points: 2,119,198¡» Without them, umting such points would have been difficult. He would have eventually gathered them, but it would have taken much longer. ¡¾ Selfish Sacrifice ¡¿ # LV: 8 # Required points: 1,280,000p The required points exponentially increased with each level. And the more points it consumed, the greater the effect of the Selfish Sacrifice became. ¡®With this, one more step closer.¡¯ The more adeptly he mastered lightning, the stronger his supporting abilities needed to be. And with that, he would gradually take one step closer. To Kim Ilsoo. And to Hyomin, whom he was holding captive. ¡º¡¯1,280,000 points used¡¯.¡» ¡º¡®Selfish Sacrifice Lv8¡¯ skill level has increased.¡» Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Boom, boom, boom, boom. ¡°Hey! Come out! How long are you going to stay like that?¡± Shiwoo had roughly knocked on the door of the hut. Inside, Yerang had shut herself in and had note out since a few days ago. It began right after she heard the news that Hwang Gyuseong had died. Bang, bang, bang! ¡°If you don¡¯t open up, I¡¯ll really break in, got it? One, two¡­¡± Once again, he hadn¡¯t managed to count to three. If he reached three, he would have to act on his threat to break down the door, and Yerang was not the kind to be consoled by such measures. ¡®If I force my way in, she¡¯ll just hide somewhere.¡¯ Yerang was a specialist at stealth. If she truly decided to hide, finding her would be incredibly difficult. It was better to let her keep herself confined in the hut. ¡°¡­ Haa.¡± He sighed deeply and sank to the ground. Leaning against the door, he grabbed his head with one hand, almost pulling at his hair. It wasn¡¯t just Yerang who was feeling guilty. Shiwoo felt the same way. ¡®What an idiot¡­¡¯ Creak. Chasing after Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s traces had been a mistake. At some point, it was as if they had been lured into unknowingly backtracking through his past. If Kim Ilsoo knew that Hwang Gyuseong and they were alive, then. ¡®He did it on purpose.¡¯ He became certain. It was all by Kim Ilsoo¡¯s design that they trailed after Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s past, that Hwang Gyuseong died when they were the furthest from each other. It was all orchestrated by Kim Ilsoo. They had been deceived again. And once more, the cost was a friend¡¯s life. What made him angrier was that even in their current situation, they could do nothing. ¡°I¡¯ll be the bait.¡± Among the four, Hyomin was in the rtively best condition. The other three barely kept their consciousness, incapable of fighting and hardly able to walk. No. Their injuries were so severe that they weren¡¯t sure if they could survive even if they escaped immediately. Hyomin made a decision. She would stay behind. ¡°Bait?¡± ¡°You know. We can¡¯t escape like this. One of us has to stay back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to die for us?¡± Yerang reacted the most fiercely. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to die. I¡¯ll find a way¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± They were the closest of friends. Yerang relied on Hyomin, and Hyomin relied on Yerang more than anyone else. ¡°I¡¯ll stay instead. Let me stay¡­¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Why not!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the type to draw attention. It¡¯s rather the opposite. And physically, I¡¯m in the best shape among us.¡± Recalling the situation, Shiwoo gritted his teeth. Unlike Yerang, he couldn¡¯t step forward. He had thought that everything Hyomin said was correct. The task of being the bait could only be done by Hyomin, who was in the best shape at the time. But, ¡®Was it something I couldn¡¯t have done?¡¯ He had asked himself that question hundreds, thousands of times since then. Did it really have to be Hyomin who stayed behind that day? Was there any reason it couldn¡¯t have been him? ¡°No! No one is going! Please, let¡¯s all stay together¡ª¡± Hyomin struck Yerang¡¯s abdomen as she screamed, almost in a fit. By harshly cutting off her consciousness, Hyomin conveyed her resolve. ¡°Everyone, survive.¡± Hyomin had fought off the pursuers trailing them. Using the time Hyomin bought, the rest ran again. Even injured, Hwang Gyuseong carried Yerang. He was stronger even in his hurt state. Only a few minutes. That was all it took before they heard a sound from behind. ¡°What a remarkable disy of friendship.¡± It was the voice of Kim Ilsoo. He had called out from afar. Not knowing where they were, he spoke in a voice loud enough to shake the ground. ¡°Saving your friends with your own life. Truly brings tears. Impressive.¡± Was he mocking? Given the past experiences with Kim Ilsoo, he thought there might be a hint of sincerity. ¡°But kids, I won¡¯t kill Hyomin.¡± In an instant, the running feet stopped. A mix of relief and anxiety swept over at the words that she wouldn¡¯t die. ¡°You are all as good as dead from today. It has to be. If you reveal yourself to the world again and try to uncover the truth of today¡­¡± Shiwoo, recalling Kim Ilsoo¡¯s words, closed his eyes tightly. ¡°Hyomin dies.¡± That statement was a shackle. From then on, they couldn¡¯t do anything. If it weren¡¯t for Hyomin, they all would have died, but because she was captured, they couldn¡¯t reveal the truth to anyone. If they showed themselves to the world again and told the truth of that day¡­ Then, Hyomin, who threw herself to save them, would die. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± *** Yerang was lying under a nket inside the cabin. Shiwoo¡¯s voice, which had been heard from outside, disappeared. It was already the umpteenth time, but she didn¡¯t go out. Her eyes were swollen. So much so that there was no need to confirm it with a mirror. She didn¡¯t want to show such a face. ¡®I thought we¡¯d be able to gather again¡­.¡¯ Hwang Gyuseong. Kim Shiwoo. Lee Hyomin. And Yerang herself. She imagined the scene of the four of them gathering and chattering. Just imagining it made her heart warm and feel soft. But now, it was an unattainable dream. It painfully saddened her. Buzz¡ª. At that moment, the kit in her pocket buzzed. Simultaneously, she felt the same vibration from outside. Yerang and Shiwoo. The kits of the two were receiving the same rm at the same time. ¡º¡±Lee Suhyuk¡± has started a stream.¡» When she checked the kit, a familiar name popped up. Lee Suhyuk. A streamer who looked strikingly simr to her friend. ¡°He¡¯s streaming even in this situation.¡± Yerang muttered and, for the first time since Hwang Gyuseong¡¯s death, let out a small chuckle. She thought inadvertently. If this guy were really Lee Suhyuk, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d be leisurely streaming. She realized she had thought the same every time she watched his stream. If it were Lee Suhyuk, he would do this. If it were Lee Suhyuk, he would do that. Oh, this is just like Lee Suhyuk. It was the most fun to have such thoughts. Sometimes, she felt as if it really was their friend Lee Suhyuk streaming, and her heart would swell enormously. As if possessed by something, she entered the stream.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I am a bit tired. Haven¡¯t stopped because of the preparations for the Counter-Fight. But as a result¡­.¡± He had just started the stream and was still chatting with the viewers. The stream was no different from usual. Awkward speech and flowpared to his poprity. It made sense why she thought Lee Suhyuk might be the one streaming. But¡­ ¡®His eyes¡­ are different.¡¯ The eyes exposed through the mask seemed somewhat different from usual. What was the difference? She didn¡¯t know. She usually prided herself on her sharp observation, but this was such a small difference it couldn¡¯t be put into words. After pondering for a moment, Yerang began to move her fingers. Shiwoo might nag if he found out¡­ Tap, tap, tap¡ª ¡ºHello. I enjoy watching your stream¡­.¡» Right now, she just wanted to have a little conversation with this guy. * * * He felt a sensation like electricity running through his body. The rise in skill level always came with a thrilling feeling. Especially, the more significant the difference, the more intense the feeling. This time, the shock was substantial. The awareness of the skill imprinted in his senses indicated a definite difference. The skills at level 8 and level 9 made the substantial investment of 1.28 million points worthwhile. Of course, ¡ºRemaining Points: 839,198¡» # Necessary Points: 2,560,000p The problem was that the next step became steeper with each climb. ¨C Why are you silent? ¨C Buffering. ¨C Did you lose your words at so many points? It was understandable that Lee Suhyuk was speechless, having received over two million points in an instant. In reality, he had just upgraded his skill levels and was immersed in the lingering emotion, but to the viewers, it appeared differently. ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you all so much. I should at least do something for your reactions¡­¡± As Suhyuk pondered momentarily, donations flooded in. ¡º¡¯Bbakain¡¯ donated 100 points.¡» ¡º¡±Bbakain?¡±¡» ¡°Bbakain? What is Bbakain?¡± ¨C There is a dance called Bald Suhyuk¡¯s dance, LOL ¨C If you don¡¯t know, search it, go go ¨C Come on, it¡¯s 100 million points; you should at least do this~ Curious about the dance, Suhyuk searched ¡®Bbakain¡¯ in his kit. There, he saw a masked version of himself, Bald Suhyuk, dancing to strange music. Bbakain~ Bald, bbakain, in¡­ Thud-. The screen turned off before even passing the intro. ¡°I¡¯ll just show you a better side of me.¡± ¨C LOL ¨C King of dodging, bellyugh~~ ¨C How much would it take for him to dance ¨C Breaking news: Lee Suhyuk, will repay with a better side¡­ Originally, Suhyuk¡¯s stream wasn¡¯t known for reactions oredic elements. Reactions were just an optional bonus in his streams. Just as he was about to end themunication with the viewers, another message dropped in. ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä donated 10,000 points.¡» ¡º¡±Hello. I enjoy watching your stream. You seem less cheerful than usual today. Is something wrong?¡±¡» 10,000 points¡ªa sizable donation. However, the nickname was slightly oddpared to other viewers. ¨C Default nick level ???; ¨C Just drops 10,000 points without changing the nickname~ ¨C Sniff sniff. Smells like a big spender. A default nickname. It meant the original, unaltered nickname assigned in the yers¡¯ stream channel¡ªa random string of characters with no meaning. Most donors crafted unique names to stand out, but this viewer didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Uh¡­ Thank you for the 10,000 points. An issue?¡± What should he say? Given therge amount, he wanted to answer sincerely, but no appropriate response came to mind. ¡®Did they notice?¡¯ He thought he had hidden it well. He hadposed himself over five days, thinking his emotions might show during a stream watched by potentially over a hundred thousand people. He started streaming when he felt confident he could present his usual self to the viewers. ¡®What should I say?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t simply say, ¡°Because Hwang Gyuseong died.¡± At the moment, he wasbeled a traitor to Blue Eyes, and this stream was likely being monitored by Blue Zone. Luckily, other viewers seemed unaware as he scanned the chat. Not assigning too much significance to a simple question, Suhyuk replied calmly. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything special. Thank you for asking.¡± ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡º¡±Oh, that¡¯s a relief.¡±¡» ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡º¡±Could I ask one more thing, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±¡» ¨C 1,000 points per question ??; ¨C Big spender gone crazy. ¨C Does he donate like chatting? ¨C Keep asking him. A thousand points per donation¡ªnothing to sneeze at¡ªcontinued to pour in. Whatever the question, there was no reason to refuse. ¡°Yes, feel free.¡± ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡º¡±Are you thinking about entering Blue Zone?¡±¡» At that question, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes turned cold. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 ¡®Was it just a scout?¡¯ That was the first thought that popped into Lee Suhyuk¡¯s head when he got the question. Recently, Suhyuk had been courted by scouts from several guilds. Their goal was singr: to recruit Suhyuk into their respective guilds by any means possible. ¡°I believe I already answered that question via email.¡± It felt strange to him. A viewer with a nickname he had never seen before, who had not even changed their nickname, suddenly sponsoring such arge amount of points seemed unusual. Suhyuk was convinced that this person was indeed a scout. ¡°If you insist, I can check the email you sent. But I don¡¯t think the answer will change.¡± The atmosphere felt off. But suddenly, an answer came in hastily. ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºOh, I¡¯m not a scout! I just wanted to mention that you should keep streaming solo¡­ that¡¯s all.¡» The donations continued incessantly, clearly indicating some level of distress. ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºI¡¯m sorry if I upset you. I didn¡¯t realize you might misunderstand.¡» ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºI really hate Blue Zone. Honest. I hope Blue Zone burns. That shitty guild, ugh.¡» ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºBut what did I do wrong? Suddenly getting all pissed off at me¡­¡» The messages and donations kepting one after another. ¨C LOL They really seem pissed ¨C Swearing so refreshingly LOL ¨C But is it okay to bash like this officially? ¨C Guild Leader, I was just watching¡­ A cascade of furious donations. Suhyuk felt flustered by the donor¡¯s reaction. ¡®Is it really not a scout?¡¯ It was perplexing. Given the explicitnguage like ¡®shitty guild¡¯, it genuinely felt like a misunderstanding. A bona fide scout wouldn¡¯t say such things, even as a lie. He had made the wrong assumption first, and now it was up to him to calm down the angry viewer. ¡°Oh no, um¡­ sorry for the misunderstanding. I don¡¯t like Blue Zone either¡­ uh, should I not say that? It¡¯s not your fault¡­ please calm down¡­.¡± The donations kepting regardless. Receiving points was nice, but the situation was undeniably awkward. Still, it didn¡¯t feel entirely bad. ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºReally sorry, okay?¡» Suhyuk nodded his head. ¡°Yes, sorry for not recognizing a big spender.¡± If ¡®q1w2e3r4¡ä was not a scout, then they were undoubtedly a valuable viewer for any streamer. Someone willing to donate such a significant amount without hesitation was clearly a big spender. ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡¯ has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºThen, just do me one favor.¡» ¡°Sure. As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with my trials, anything.¡± The donations had started pleasantly enough that he felt he could amodate most requests. As long as it wasn¡¯t something as bizarre as the previous ¡®blockhead.¡¯ Then, ¡º¡¯q1w2e3r4¡ä has donated 1,000 points.¡» ¡ºSay ¡®Kim Ilsoo is a bastard¡¯.¡» ¡®q1w2e3r4¡¯ requested something strange once again. ¨C LOL ¨C Can¡¯t believe they¡¯re asking that LOL ¨C Did they get pped by Kim Ilsoo or something? ¨C Will he do it? Really??? An unexpected and somewhat shocking request. However, Suhyuk felt they might actually get along pretty well. * * * ¡°It looks like they just enjoy teasing Suhyuk.¡± Yerang giggled under her nket. She kept tapping away at her kit, thoroughly entertained by Suhyuk¡¯s flustered reactions. She began to understand why people made expensive donations on streams. Seeing the streamer react to her words made it feel almost as if they were having a real, face-to-face conversation. It had been a long time since she hadughed this much. Even for a moment, it felt like Suhyuk, who had passed away, hade back to life and was talking with her. ¡®I used to tease him so much like this back then.¡¯ Yerang often pretended to sulk, and Suhyuk would do his best to cheer her up. The process was so amusing that she sometimes faked being upset just to prank him. ¡°Hey, Yerang!¡± Suddenly, the locked door burst open, and Shiwoo entered the room. Yerang, hiding under the nket, sprang up in shock. Shiwoo was holding a yer kit, just like hers. ¡°This is you, right?¡± ¡°What, what, what is it?¡± ¡°Lee Suhyuk stream sponsorship. This is you, right?¡± Yerang feigned ignorance. ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. If it¡¯s not you, then who is it?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± ¡°Give me the kit. Is it because you have too many points?¡± ¡°No way!¡± In an instant, both of them turned into children. Yerang ran around the cabin, trying to prevent the kit in her hand from being snatched, while Shiwoo hurriedly moved his slow feet to chase her. Fortunately, Yerang did not disappear. He thought she might vanish the moment he broke down the door and entered. Finally giving up on catching Yerang, Shiwoo stood in ce, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. It was a sign of his consent. ¡®Feeling a bit better now.¡¯ Yerang, standing with both feet attached to the ceiling, stuck out her tongue at Shiwoo. Shiwoo burst intoughter at the childish taunt. Both he and she had chosen to escape from this situation. And oddly enough, they met again in that escape. ¡°Let¡¯s get up now.¡± Shiwoo barely managed to pull Yerang up. ¡°The nned day isn¡¯t far off. We can¡¯t keep moping around like this.¡± The promised date was not far away, and time was still ticking. ¡°We lost Gyuseong, but¡­ we need to find Hyomin.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then get down now. Stop watching the stream.¡± Whoosh-. Before he finished his sentence, Yerang descended from the ceiling. ¡°You nag after seeing the map.¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± ¡°And didn¡¯t we promise not to criticize each other¡¯s streams?¡± ¡°The situation¡¯s a bit different now. Why are you sponsoring streams? Geez, really.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s fun. Wanna try?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± He said as if he wasn¡¯t interested, but he was, in fact, curious. Streamer Lee Suhyuk. This person had always caught his attention. If it weren¡¯t for this situation, he would have liked to meet him and ask,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°How do you know my friend so well?¡± ¡°Kim Ilsoo, you son of a bitch.¡± Broadcast sounds continued to flow from the kit in Shiwoo¡¯s hand. * * * -Wow lolololol -He¡¯s really doing this lololol -Money grubber ON -Lee Suhyuk controversy. Statement: Kim Ilsoo is a son of a bitch! -Guys, keep it cool~ Even though it was at the viewer¡¯s request, it felt satisfying. He could publicly curse at Kim Ilsoo in front of all these people. ¡®This feels relieving.¡¯ His gratitude doubled. Since it was a request that came with the sponsorship money, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue separately. Lee Suhyuk cautiously asked, hoping he could freely curse once more. ¡°Is there any other request?¡± He waited for a moment, but no reply came back. The viewer, who had been requesting each phrase for a thousand points, suddenly disappeared. ¡°q1w2e3r4-nim? Hello?¡± -lololololol -He bailed -Added controversy and ran lol Suhyuk scratched his head in disappointment. ¡°Did he really leave¡­?¡± -lolololol -He¡¯s disappointed over the points lol -Stop calling him, Suhyuk¡­ It¡¯s pathetic Viewers, unaware of the circumstances, thought Suhyuk¡¯s reaction was due to the points. Of course, that wasn¡¯t entirely untrue. Though disappointed, he couldn¡¯t help it. Neither could he wait indefinitely for q1w2e3r4. ¡°Today, I talked more than usual.¡± Step-. Suhyuk slowly took a step towards the portal. ¡°Thank you all for waiting so long.¡± ¡ºViewers: 81,310¡» Eighty-one thousand. The number didn¡¯t surprise him anymore. As the stream continued, more viewers would join. This was the one thing so many viewers were eager to see. To join Lee Suhyuk in the making of history. And to experience that moment live. ¡°Let¡¯s start the test.¡± Hwaaaak-! ¡ºCommencing the test of the 7th floor.¡» * * * Along with the cluster of light, he felt a renewed sense of every sensation in his body. The temperature of the air, the textures and sensations on his skin, the positions of his hands and feet¡ªall felt different. It was as if he had closed his eyes and opened them to find himself in an entirely different world. And that was exactly the case. When Suhyuk opened his previously closed eyes, he found himself staring at a ceiling in a strange ce. ¡®Where am I again?¡¯ He nced around with slightly opened eyes. Walls decorated with golden curves, a chandelier emitting a soft light that wasn¡¯t harsh on the eyes, a pleasant fragrance filling the room, and a marble floor. Even the warm and cozy nket wrapping his body made him feel that there couldn¡¯t be a more perfect ce for rest. -Where is this ce? -Now that I think of it, they skipped the previous test -Can someone exin? The previous test hadn¡¯t been broadcasted. The world where Odin had trapped Thor was designated as a ¡®non-stream area¡¯ due to his power. ¡®Good thing this time.¡¯ Seeing the chat, Suhyuk sighed in relief. He had been worried that this test wouldn¡¯t be broadcasted either, but luckily, that wasn¡¯t the case. It seemed that with the change of location, the restrictions had also disappeared. The test in that ce had concluded with him breaking Thor¡¯s Mjolnir. ¡°Where are we, you ask¡­.¡± He was about to say that he didn¡¯t know when, ¡°We are in Asgard.¡± A melodious voice he had never heard before stimted his ears. -!!!! -Looks familiar -Damn, she¡¯s gorgeous A woman with soft bronze skin and neatly cut golden blonde hair down to her shoulders. Her sharp and strong eyes exuded an aura of a ¡®warrior¡¯, despite her slender physique. ¡°¡­so she says.¡± Suhyuk continued his sentence. Asgard, huh. He found it bothersome to have to go there again, but since the test with Thor had ended, the transition was skipped. ¡°I was ordered to protect you while you were unconscious. It¡¯s a relief you woke up.¡± Thud-. She approached Suhyuk. ¡°How¡¯s your body?¡± Instead of answering, Suhyuk stared at her face closely. -Her beauty is insane¡­ -My love, I found you¡­ Sorry, sister! -She¡¯s even prettier up close The chat was abuzz withments about the woman¡¯s beauty. Given that someone of Vi¡¯s level of beauty had appeared as soon as the stream started, it was no surprise that the reactions were intense. Suhyuk thought about who she might be. The face seemed familiar. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t hard to remember. ¡°Are you Brynhild?¡± ¡°You must have taken Valha¡¯s test.¡± Brynhild. The leader of the Valkyries, to which Vi belonged, and Odin¡¯s most powerful sword. She immediately understood how Suhyuk recognized her. ¡°If it¡¯s you, you must have passed it brilliantly. Otherwise, Tyr wouldn¡¯t have brought you here himself.¡± ¡®Tyr?¡¯ The person who had brought him here was Tyr? It was odd. Thest test was under Odin¡¯s domain. ¡°Thor¡­¡± He was about to ask what happened to Thor when, -Don¡¯t say it. A voice echoed in his mind. Reflexively, Suhyuk shut his mouth. Creak¡ª. The door opened, and someone walked in. Seeing the figure enter, Brynhild bowed her head. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°You woke up early.¡± With his hand behind his back, Tyr entered the room. Passing by Brynhild, he looked down at Suhyuk and asked, ¡°To think you¡¯re so worn out by just the test of Valha¡­ humans truly are weak.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Just the test of Valha, he said. But the test he had undergone was no small feat. Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Tyr slightly shook his head. It appeared that the fact Thor had awakened was still a secret. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Murim¡¯s stronghold which was located on the 7th floor. Un Cheon-guk, with bandages wrapped around him, gazed far into the outside scenery from the three-story pavilion that made up the stronghold. ¡°Your wounds are quite deep.¡± The elderly man, who had applied medicine and changed the bandages, presented a beneficial decoction. epting the dish, Un Cheon-guk gulped down the decoction, then wiped the residue from his mouth and asked, ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°To fully recover, a convalescence of at least fifteen days will be necessary.¡± Fifteen days. Considering the depth of the wounds, it was a surprisingly short period. If not for the tower¡¯s mysteries, Un Cheon-guk¡¯s injuries were severe enough to require not fifteen days, but half a year of recuperation. Recalling the battle from that time, Un Cheon-guk frowned. Hwang Gyuseong. Each of his punches was so fierce it reminded one of death. If he hadnded a blow on a vital point even once, it wouldn¡¯t have ended with just convalescence. ¡°Is there no way to shorten it?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, given what the Divine Doctor said, it must be so.¡± Divine Doctor. He was one of the doctors representing Murim, alongside the Demon Doctor. If he said fifteen days, then it was fifteen days. There was no way to shave more time off. ¡°Besides the external injuries, the demonic energy that infiltrated your body has wreaked havoc on your blood and internal organs. Treating the external wounds hastily would only be toxic.¡± ¡°I get it. No more nagging.¡± ¡°You should treat your body with more care, Lord.¡± ¡°This time, there was no other choice. You know that better than anyone, old man.¡± He didn¡¯t think it would be easy to capture Hwang Gyuseong. Setting aside the variable of demonic energy, Hwang Gyuseong was a yer who had written countless legends. ¡°My point is, focus on your recovery.¡± ¡°I suppose I should, right?¡± ¡°Do you have an urgent matter?¡± ¡°Not really, just¡­¡± Far away. Un Cheon-guk smiled faintly, looking toward the lodge where Un Hyang was staying. ¡°I just miss my daughter. I couldn¡¯t greet her properly.¡± ¡°That child will want to escape.¡± ¡°I know. Probably I know it better than anyone else. But what can we do? It¡¯s her fate.¡± Rustle-. Un Cheon-guk said, as he put on the clothesid beside him. ¡°If the treatment is done, please leave. Time¡¯s up.¡± ¡°You still have medicine to take¡­¡± ¡°Leave it.¡± Whoosh-. At that moment, a faint presence entered the space where the two men stood. ¡°If you¡¯re toote, you¡¯ll die.¡± Chill-. The Divine Doctor¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to turn around. Just as he was about to identify the presence. ¡°Don¡¯t even turn around. You¡¯ll die if you do.¡± ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°A person you shouldn¡¯t be curious about.¡± The Divine Doctor was wise enough not to risk his life out of curiosity. Though dedicated to his medical vocation, he too was a yer who had climbed to the 7th floor of the tower. Shuffling-. With his back bent and eyes closed, the Divine Doctor retreated backward to avoid turning around. Once the Divine Doctor had withdrawn. Swish-. Rising despite his injuries, Un Cheon-guk knelt. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± He then called out a name that was difficult to utter. ¡°¡­ Heavenly Demon.¡± * * * In the sky, a winged horse strolled, and the sun and moon hung together. The clouds, from red to purple, were striped with a myriad of colors, as if they had split a rainbow. A world simr yet different from the world of humans, truly a realm of the gods. Asgard. Within it was a world called Valha, exclusively for the gods. Suhyuk followed Brynhild, exploring this world. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Look at the scenery.¡± ¡°If it were me, I would live here.¡± ¡°Look at the clouds!¡± It was beautiful and mysterious. Asgard was a realm that yers had only heard about but had never seen before. It remained a mystical, unknown world until now. Given this, Un Hyang had changed the stream title to match the viewers¡¯ interests. ¡ºTitle: Anyone want to see Asgard (Valha)? Showing now. Multiple Valkyries.¡» The title was simple and straightforward. While a provocative title might usually be necessary to attract viewers, there was no need for one right now. The situation itself was exceptionally stimting for the audience. ¡ºViewers: 123,170¡» The number of viewers had surpassed 120,000. The chat was filled with conversations about Valha. People were visibly excited at the news that Thor would appear. ¡º¡¯232Suhyuk¡¯ has donated 100 points.¡» ¡ºWhat¡¯s the story? Dying to know.¡» Everyone was naturally curious about what had happened to suddenly encounter Thor. After a moment of contemtion, Suhyuk adjusted his microphone so Brynhild wouldn¡¯t hear and answered. ¡°You¡¯ll see when you watch.¡± -Really? -You¡¯re hiding this? -Suhyuk, is this how I raised you? Comints were inevitable. For those eager to have their questions answered immediately, it could be frustrating. However, despite theints, Suhyuk¡¯s decision was the right one. As proof, a whisper from Un Hyang popped up in the fast-moving chat. ¡º-Whisper¡»¡ºManager¡» : Well done ^^ Creating curiosity and anticipation was a streamer¡¯s duty. Suhyuk continued to fulfill that role. ¡°It looks very different, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Brynhild, who had been walking ahead with Tyr, spoke to Suhyuk. Tyr continued to remain silent, either because he had nothing to say or because he was naturally reticent. Suhyuk turned his microphone back and replied. ¡°Yes, it does look different.¡± ¡°In Asgard, there is no day or night. Here in Valha, the same sun and moon are always in the sky.¡± She continued, while looking up at the sky as Suhyuk did. ¡°It¡¯s a magical sky. Literally.¡± ¡°Literally?¡± ¡°Yes. That sky was created by magic.¡± Hearing that, Suhyuk¡¯s perspective shifted. All of this was magically created? He couldn¡¯t imagine it. What kind of magic was capable of such a thing? ¡®I¡¯ve just crossed one wall¡­¡¯ Midgard and Valha. The two worlds were separated by a massive wall called Rasderikh. He could see it even now if he looked far enough. The boundary built by the gods. Suhyuk knew from the trials on the sixth floor how many people shed blood and felt despair trying to cross that boundary. Many inhabitants of Midgard dreamt of Valha, believing it to be and of beauty, happiness, honor, and pride. But, ¡®I¡¯m not so sure.¡¯ He recalled the image of Thor, who had be a madman after being consumed by Mjolnir. ¡®¡­ I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s true.¡¯ Just then, Tyr suddenly stopped walking. ¡°This is the second time a human has entered Valha.¡± Tyr brought up humans once again. He didn¡¯t like humans. Suhyuk was an exception but that didn¡¯t mean he liked him. ¡°They won¡¯t look at you kindly. It¡¯s your responsibility to ovee that.¡± ¡°I have no prejudices.¡± ¡°You should stay quiet.¡± Contrary to expectations, Brynhild wore a bright and smiling face. Tyr clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to this guy. He¡¯s always been unreliable.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Right now, the gods are gathering over there.¡± In the direction Lee Suhyuk was walking with Tyr, there stood a massive temple. ¡°A lot of them have gathered just to see you.¡± ¡°What do you want to hear from me?¡± ¡°What is it you want to gain here? Surely, you¡¯re not thinking of living among the gods.¡± What Lee Suhyuk wanted in Valha. Initially, what he sought here was the other half of thunder. However, he had unexpectedly obtained that half too quickly. But that did not mean he had no tasks left toplete here. ¡°The human who came here before me.¡± Tyr¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°I n to follow his trail.¡± Skaaak-. In the blink of an eye, Tyr¡¯s sword was drawn and pointed at Suhyuk¡¯s neck. Lee Suhyuk could have reacted if he wanted to, but he didn¡¯t. He knew Tyr would be furious about losing one arm to a human. It was a moment to fully ept that fury. ¡°You¡­ are you associated with him?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°I want to know.¡± Suhyuk¡¯s gaze shifted to Tyr¡¯s empty arm. ¡°I wondered just how formidable one must be to make your arm like that.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°I need power¡­¡± Chiik-. His neck got a small cut, and his skin split apart. ¡°¡­If possible, I n to follow his trail.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°You finally said it.¡± -thud-. Looking at the blood dripping onto the ground, Suhyuk thought, luckily, he was not killed. ¡°You¡¯ve seen how terrible a choice it was, yet you¡¯re going to make the same one. Fine. Do as you wish.¡± Swoosh-. With that, Tyr turned away abruptly. Watching him pass by with rough steps, Suhyuk sighed. ¡°Should I consider this permission¡­?¡± ¡°What does this even mean?¡± Brynhild looked puzzled, clearly unable toprehend. She likely did not know that Suhyuk possessed thunder. ¡°You will find out soon.¡± Fortunately, she did not press Suhyuk for an answer. Perhaps it was not that she trusted Suhyuk, but rather, she had faith in the great god, Tyr. They hurried and reached the front of the temple. The door, several timesrger than them, opened on its own as they approached. Creak-. Rumble-. The vast interior of the temple came into view at a nce. The high throne at the front was empty, and among the sparsely-ced chairs with holes, dozens of gods sat with their arms crossed. The gods of Valha. Not all of them were gathered, but as Tyr said, quite a number of them were waiting here to see Suhyuk. Tingle, tingle-. The hostility they emitted made his body tingle. With dozens of gods all simultaneously showing hostile intent, it brought to mind a specific scene. ¡®It¡¯s simr to that time.¡¯ Thump, thump-. In the midst of the silent gathering. ¡®The eyes watching¡­¡¯ ¡º¡¯¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯ is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡¯¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯ is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡¯¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯ is looking at you.¡» ¡º¡­¡­.¡» Second floor, the Trial of Lightning. The cutscene that had appeared after defeating the king of the giants. The eyes that had looked down on him from within the clouds. The eyes that had watched him then ovepped with the eyes of the gods gathered here. ¡®You were there too.¡¯ The main scenario of the second floor, ¡®Lightning.¡¯ In the end, every trial from then to now had been connected as one. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 ¡°Such overwhelming pressure, wow.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a look that could kill, haha.¡± ¡°Is Odin not here?¡± As the gods were revealed, reactions grew more intense. Cheon Ryang, seated and settled in front of hisputer, checked the number of viewers. ¡ºViewers: 131,920¡» Over 130,000 viewers. This stream was the hottest topic in the industry. Even without its already rising poprity, the added provocative concept of the trial ensured its sess. ¡°Great response.¡± ¡°If this keeps up, we might hit 200,000.¡± Watching the viewer count climb relentlessly, Cheon Ryang clicked his tongue in astonishment. 130,000 was enough to be called a major streamer. It was hard to believe that this was a streamer who had only started streaming a short while ago. The name Lee Suhyuk was causing a new phenomenon, spanning over 20 years. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll be able to charge several times more for the next ads. If we take a few ads during the Counter-Fight finals¡­¡± Cheon Ryang muttered with a joyful smile. ¡°We might get a pretty significant bonus too.¡± ¡°Is money all you think about, you money grubber?¡± Despite Un Hyang¡¯s piercing gaze, which seemed like it could shootsers, Cheon Ryang¡¯s thoughts were still filled with roses. Well, with such performance, a substantial bonus was indeed expected. ¡°Why so serious? Our Lee Suhyuk¡¯s stream is doing great. Aren¡¯t you happy too?¡± ¡°Oh, when did it be ¡®Our Suhyuk¡¯?¡± ¡°From the very beginning.¡± ¡°You¡¯re good at talking.¡± Un Hyangughed, amused by Cheon Ryang¡¯s excited demeanor. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll trust you to handle the manager¡¯s duties, Cheon Ryang-nim.¡± ¡°¡­What? Cheon Ryang, ¡®nim¡¯?¡± Both ¡®our¡¯ and ¡®nim.¡¯ Words he had never heard applied to him were suddenly used. For a moment, Cheon Ryang felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What are you nning to make me do now?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just keep doing your job well.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Un Hyang downed the rest of her drink and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be away for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Where are you going?¡± Without thinking, Cheon Ryang reflexively grabbed Un Hyang¡¯s wrist. He knew he couldn¡¯t hold her back, but he feltpelled to at least try. Recently, things happening around her were quite unusual. The Divine Dragon Group sought her, she met Un Cheon-guk, and even the Heavenly Demon, though with different purposes, hade to see her. She was in danger. If not, it would be strange. ¡°Sit down and let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Going abruptly like this? Even though there¡¯s a lot going ontely¡­¡± ¡°Lately? What?¡± Un Hyang¡¯s nonchnt question made Cheon Ryang pause. Was she really asking because she didn¡¯t know? His mouth hung open, speechless, while Un Hyang chuckled softly. ¡°What, concerned about me?¡± ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t you be concerned?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not disappearing. We can stillmunicate via kit, so what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Despite her yful, childish words, there was maturity underlying them. Cheon Ryang saw in her the resemnce to the childhood Un Hyang who always wanted to buy sweets. ¡°¡­Are you starting again?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Once you start, you can¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not alone anymore.¡± ¡°Are you really sure¡­?¡± Cheon Ryang¡¯s gaze shifted to the screen of the kit in his hand. The screen showed Lee Suhyuk walking among the gods of Valha. Cheon Ryang let out a hollowugh at the notion forming in his mind. ¡°He¡¯s just a streamer.¡± ¡°Not just a streamer.¡± ¡°Do you really think Lee Suhyuk would risk his life for you just because he helped you once?¡± Unlike usual, Cheon Ryang¡¯s words had thorns. Even if these words would stab her mercilessly, he hoped they wouldn¡¯t pierce her heart. If it could make Un Hyang hesitate now. If it could stop her, he didn¡¯t care how much resentment he facedter. ¡°No way. Absolutely not. He¡¯s just a points-chasing streamer. Don¡¯t you know Lee Suhyuk¡¯s nickname? He¡¯s called ¡®Money-crazy.¡¯¡± ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± ¡°Are you crazy, seriously! Open your eyes and see reality! You can¡¯t just throw your life away for this guy.¡± Cheon Ryang was confident. Lee Suhyuk would never help Un Hyang. He had asionally fought alongside the martial artists of the Divine Dragon Group and the Sky Thunder Sword, but it had been nothing more than that. No one in the world could fight alongside them without significant bonds. Especially not from a rtionship formed at work. ¡°I know, me too.¡± ¡°You know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no kid. I don¡¯t indulge in naive hopefulness. Who would risk their life for someone they¡¯ve merely worked with a few times?¡± ¡°Then?¡± It didn¡¯t seem like she was just saying this to calm him down. Cheon Ryang took a moment to quell his excitement and listened to her words. ¡°Quite the contrary.¡± ¡°Contrary?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone I like, including you, to be in danger because of me. Even if I stay as I am now¡­ that day will certainlye.¡± He couldn¡¯t say otherwise. Un Cheon-guk and the Divine Dragon Group wanted Un Hyang¡¯s talent. The heavens had given Un Hyang an unparalleled talent, and they coveted it. Would they stand idly by forever just because she stayed inactive? Cheon Ryang knew better. Absolutely not. ¡°So, I have to protect it with my own strength. I can¡¯t stay like this.¡± A light returned to the eyes of the genius that had been dimmed for a long time. Cheon Ryang could no longer stop her. Although he knew it was dangerous, he couldn¡¯t tell her to just wait for an uncertain and ominous day toe. Perhaps telling her to stop would indeed drive a thorn into her heart. ¡°This is not just some fan-girl behavior or foolish hope y.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Having no more words to say, Cheon Ryang bowed his head deeply. He had lost. This was an invincible resolve. At the same time, his heart ached, knowing her determination included him. ¡®I¡¯ve be someone who needs to be protected again.¡¯ The two sybles of Cheon Ryang had always been Un Hyang¡¯s old weakness. And that stemmed from Un Hyang¡¯s care for him. With his own power, he could do nothing. No matter how insanely he tried to build strength and climb the tower, he knew it was nothing more than futile struggling. But, while he couldn¡¯t help her, there was at least a way not to be her weakness. ¡°Go and deliver the message.¡± Recalling the words of Un Cheon-guk that hadn¡¯t been conveyed to Un Hyang. ¡®¡­ I can¡¯t continue being just a weakness.¡¯ He slowly closed his eyes, not wanting to watch Un Hyang¡¯s retreating figure. * * * Thud-. At the center of the pce where the gods gathered. Suhyuk stood, drawing all their gazes upon himself. The gods¡¯ eyes fixed on the odd human in Valha varied greatly. ¡°Why have they allowed a human here?¡± ¡°I heard Tyr chose him.¡± ¡°As if we didn¡¯t know that?¡± Skepticism. ¡°Are we really going to keep watching him?¡± ¡°I want to kill him right now.¡± Contempt. ¡°He¡¯s not an ordinary human.¡± ¡°Tyr, who despises humans the most, chose him¡­.¡± ¡°There must be something special about him.¡± Curiosity. Suhyuk answered those curious gazes. ¡°Why, indeed?¡± Crackle-. Suhyuk immediately manifested thunder on the spot. Watching the blue electricity arise from his fingertips, several gods were startled and shifted their weight in their heavy chairs. ¡°That is¡­.¡± ¡°Thunder?¡± ¡°Why is that in a human¡¯s hands?¡± For gods who were doubtful, Suhyuk increased the output. Boom! Only after confirming with sound did the gods ept that what Suhyuk possessed was indeed thunder. ¡°Is this exnation enough?¡± ¡°Now I think we need another exnation.¡± Regarding how he obtained thunder, Suhyuk elucidated. The mission Thor had entrusted to Vi and the Valkyries. And the events that had unfolded while assisting with that mission. ¡°Did thunder choose a human as its owner?¡± ¡°Hard to believe.¡± While the gods buzzed with chatter. ¡°They have to believe it.¡± A uniquelymanding voice interrupted. ¡°Lightning originally belonged to humans.¡± Lee Suhyuk nced at the god who had spoken. It was a familiar face. Without scrutinizing his features too closely, the one with firmly closed eyes and scars was instantly recognizable. ¡®Heimdall.¡¯ The god who had lost his eyes but gained insight into the truth. The gatekeeper of Valha, who filtered humans through trials, stared at him clearly despite his blind eyes. ¡°Still, this is problematic. In the past, it might not have mattered, but now that¡¯s Asgard¡¯s.¡± ¡°Giving, then taking back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting taking it back. However, to own it, you would need formal recognition from Valha.¡± Even after entering Valha, another trial awaited. Suhyuk smirked beneath his mask. ¡°You¡¯re being quite tant with your discrimination.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Heimdall shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about you. Thanks to you, bergelmir¡¯s resurrection was prevented. I thank you on behalf of Valha.¡± Instead, he bowed politely, representing other gods. It wasn¡¯t a hostile reaction. ¡°This is a request from Tyr. He asked me to test if you truly belong in Valha.¡± Tyr¡¯s request. At his words, Suhyuk¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®Another test¡­¡¯ He had taken enough tests. Did Tyr not know this? Judging by his reaction, it didn¡¯t seem so. Tyr had notably stopped him from invoking Thor¡¯s name. That meant he had other thoughts. ¡°Is there more to see?¡± Pop-. At that moment, a new presence appeared behind Suhyuk. It hadn¡¯t approached rapidly. It had simply appeared. Magic.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Why not just kill him? Like this, snap-.¡± A short, sharp object was felt at his neck. Probably an awl or dagger. Though Suhyuk could¡¯ve reacted, he didn¡¯t. This one had no intention of killing him. ¡°Loki!¡± ¡°The day hase when the mischievous prince likes me.¡± The reactions of other gods revealed his identity. Loki. The second prince of Asgard. He drooled behind Suhyuk. ¡°Enough, loki.¡± Heimdall intervened. ¡°He¡¯s Tyr¡¯s guest.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t kill him immediately.¡± Swish-. Loki spun the awl lightly in his hand before disappearing again. ¡°It was just a joke. Just a joke.¡± He reappeared in the midst of the empty seats among the gods. With a dreary ck head and a cunning smile, he had the most greedy eyes among the gathered gods. ¡°My apologies. If you were offended, my deepest regrets.¡± ¡°Not at all. So, what¡¯s this test about?¡± ¡°Find and tame a Sky Horse, who doesn¡¯t mingle with anyone in the sky. If you can do that, no god will be able to deny you.¡± ¡°Taming a horse?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. Sky Horse is a sacred beast born with divinity, like us.¡± Taming a Sky Horse. The concept wasn¡¯t easy to grasp. This was certainly not conventional horseback riding, and the Sky Horse Heimdall mentioned likely wasn¡¯t an ordinary one. Throughout the conversation, heimdall felt more inscrutable than the malicious and greedy Loki. His firmly closed eyes revealed nothing. Still, there was one thing. ¡®At least the bait worked.¡¯ There was a result. ¡º¡¯Scenario ¨C Thunder¡¯s Wings¡¯ has begun.¡» ¡º¡¯Scenario ¨C Those Who Seek the Thunder¡¯ has begun.¡» ¡®It¡¯s biting.¡¯ It became clear. Why did another unnecessary teste up? Why Thor, who should¡¯ve regained his senses after losing Mjolnir, was still hiding. Those Who Seek the Thunder. The name of this scenario was the core of this test. Just as Suhyuk was about to step away. Swoosh-. The surroundings blurred as the sound disappeared. Recognizing the familiar phenomenon, Suhyuk paused. The second cutscene of this test was beginning. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!