Chapter 86
Chapter 86
Over? ?two? ?meters? ?tall,? ?bulging? ?muscles,? ?violent? ?face...
Even? ?at? ?a? ?first? ?glance,? ?I? ?could? ?tell? ?that? ?they? ?aren’t? ?small? ?fries.
On? ?top? ?of? ?this,? ?their? ?armaments? ?were? ?quite? ?impressive? ?as? ?well.
They? ?wore? ?quality? ?metal? ?armor? ?and? ?wielded? ?metal? ?weapons.
However,? ?the? ?h.e.l.l? ?Difficulty’s? ?mountain? ?goblins’? ?true? ?power? ?lies? ?in? ?their? ?intelligent? ?combat? ?execution? ?and well-planned? ?formations.
Two? ?soldiers? ?with? ?shields? ?stood? ?at? ?the? ?frontline? ?with? ?two? ?spearmen? ?right? ?behind? ?them,? ?using? ?their? ?long spears? ?to? ?keep? ?the? ?enemies? ?in? ?check.
Behind? ?them? ?are? ?two? ?archers? ?providing? ?supporting? ?fire? ?from? ?relatively? ?safe? ?distance.
They? ?even? ?have? ?a? ?swordsman? ?to? ?fight? ?off? ?the? ?enemies? ?that? ?manage? ?to? ?break? ?through? ?their? ?defense.? ?The seven-soldier? ?formation? ?is? ?not? ?easy? ?to? ?pierce.
Challengers? ?who? ?had? ?always? ?been? ?in? ?groups? ?when? ?fighting? ?monsters? ?must? ?be? ?feeling? ?uncomfortable.
Unlike? ?their? ?past? ?experiences,? ?they? ?would? ?now? ?have? ?to? ?do? ?the? ?reverse? ?and? ?be? ?the? ?monster? ?who? ?runs wild,? ?aiming? ?to? ?break? ?through? ?a? ?team’s? ?formation.
The? ?power? ?of? ?a? ?proper? ?formation? ?had? ?been? ?proven? ?many? ?times? ?throughout? ?the? ?humanity’s? ?long? ?history of? ?war.
There? ?is? ?only? ?one? ?thing? ?that’s? ?needed? ?to? ?break? ?the? ?formation? ?alone:? ?overwhelming? ?power.
Overwhelming? ?power? ?in? ?comparison? ?to? ?the? ?goblins.
There? ?are? ?not? ?many? ?challengers? ?who? ?possess? ?such? ?power.
The? ?Tutorial? ?had? ?completed? ?fifteen? ?rounds? ?already.? ?However,? ?only? ?few? ?challengers? ?had? ?been? ?charging forward? ?wholeheartedly? ?toward? ?growth? ?and? ?clearing? ?stages? ?since? ?entering? ?the? ?Tutorial.
There? ?are? ?probably? ?only? ?a? ?few? ?challengers? ?who? ?could? ?overwhelm? ?the? ?goblins.
To? ?think? ?that? ?these? ?goblins? ?would? ?appear? ?at? ?the? ?preliminary? ?matches...
Now? ?that? ?I? ?think? ?about? ?it,? ?it? ?is? ?a? ?good? ?setting.
First,? ?those? ?who? ?are? ?not? ?used? ?to? ?or? ?are? ?weak? ?in? ?solo? ?fighting? ?will? ?be? ?disqualified.
Considering? ?that? ?this? ?is? ?the? ?individual? ?round,? ?people? ?who? ?were? ?familiar? ?with? ?supporting? ?others? ?from? ?the rear? ?are? ?unlikely? ?to? ?do? ?well.
The? ?lower? ?floor? ?challengers? ?who? ?entered? ?the? ?match? ?out? ?of? ?curiosity? ?will? ?also? ?get? ?disqualified.
The? ?difficulty? ?is? ?appropriate? ?for? ?weeding? ?out? ?challengers? ?who? ?lack? ?the? ?qualifications? ?to? ?be? ?in? ?the? ?main match.
On? ?top? ?of? ?this,? ?these? ?goblins? ?are? ?defense? ?oriented.? ?Considering? ?their? ?tendencies,? ?they? ?are? ?perfect opponents? ?for? ?the? ?preliminary? ?matches.
It’s? ?just? ?that,? ?for? ?me,? ?they? ?are? ?such? ?a? ?disappointment.? ?What? ?a? ?letdown.
I? ?looked? ?at? ?other? ?rings.
“Kuuuuhhhk...? ?I...? ?I? ?surrender!”
That? ?was? ?quick.
An? ?archer? ?was? ?pouring? ?out? ?a? ?barrage? ?of? ?attacks? ?from? ?a? ?distance,? ?but? ?he? ?quickly? ?declared? ?his? ?surrender soon? ?after.
The? ?goblins? ?had? ?their? ?shields? ?in? ?the? ?front? ?and? ?safely? ?closed? ?the? ?distance? ?toward? ?the? ?archer.
When? ?they? ?got? ?near? ?enough,? ?the? ?swordsman? ?that? ?was? ?standing? ?behind? ?the? ?shields? ?quickly? ?dashed forward? ?and? ?tackled? ?the? ?archer? ?to? ?the? ?ground.
The? ?archer? ?immediately? ?declared? ?surrender.
The? ?goblins? ?were? ?teleported? ?away,? ?and? ?the? ?archer? ?was? ?teleported? ?to? ?the? ?stands.
From? ?the? ?looks? ?of? ?it,? ?I? ?think? ?the? ?challengers? ?who? ?specialize? ?in? ?long-distance? ?combat? ?will? ?have? ?hard? ?time getting? ?past? ?the? ?preliminaries.
Unlike? ?challengers? ?who? ?had? ?been? ?shying? ?away? ?from? ?combat? ?or? ?healer? ?types,? ?many? ?of? ?the? ?ranged? ?fighters had? ?entered? ?the? ?tournament.
It? ?seemed? ?they? ?were? ?thinking? ?they? ?could? ?achieve? ?victory? ?before? ?the? ?distance? ?closes? ?in? ?and? ?becomes? ?a one-on-one? ?duel.? ?However,? ?their? ?strategy? ?didn’t? ?work? ?at? ?all? ?against? ?the? ?goblins.
The? ?ring? ?next? ?to? ?the? ?archer? ?held? ?a? ?challenger? ?with? ?a? ?heavy? ?axe.? ?He? ?was? ?pounding? ?away? ?diligently? ?at? ?the goblins’? ?gigantic? ?shields.
What? ?the? ?h.e.l.l? ?are? ?you? ?doing?? ?It’s? ?not? ?like? ?you? ?are? ?chopping? ?down? ?firewood.
That’s? ?a? ?waste? ?of? ?your? ?strength.? ?What? ?a? ?numbskull.
If? ?he? ?wrestled? ?with? ?the? ?shields? ?like? ?that,? ?the? ?battle? ?will? ?be? ?decided? ?the? ?moment? ?his? ?stamina? ?runs? ?out.
Um...? ?I? ?think? ?more? ?will? ?be? ?disqualified? ?than? ?I? ?thought?
I? ?can? ?see? ?some? ?challengers? ?whose? ?lives? ?might? ?end? ?up? ?in? ?danger? ?if? ?they? ?don’t? ?surrender? ?quickly? ?enough.
Challengers? ?of? ?difficulties? ?other? ?than? ?h.e.l.l? ?don’t? ?have? ?much? ?experience? ?in? ?fighting? ?intelligent? ?opponents like? ?these? ?goblins.
Of? ?course,? ?I’m? ?sure? ?the? ?rankers? ?at? ?higher? ?floors? ?probably? ?have? ?met? ?such,? ?but...
Anyway...
“Why? ?aren’t? ?you? ?guys? ?moving?”
[T...? ?This? ?human? ?is? ?speaking? ?our? ?tongue.]
[Kek.? ?Don’t? ?be? ?fooled.? ?It’s? ?a? ?whisper? ?of? ?the? ?devil.? ?Kiiiak.]
What?
“Instead,? ?why? ?don’t? ?you? ?guys? ?just? ?surrender?”
As? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk? ?said,? ?during? ?the? ?first? ?part? ?of? ?the? ?tournament,? ?it? ?would? ?be? ?best? ?to? ?not? ?showcase? ?too much? ?of? ?my? ?power.
If? ?possible,? ?it? ?would? ?be? ?better? ?to? ?go? ?through? ?this? ?quietly.
I? ?won’t? ?get? ?many? ?experience? ?points? ?even? ?if? ?I? ?slew? ?them? ?anyway.
[S...? ?Surrender?? ?Are? ?we? ?allowed? ?to? ?do? ?that?? ?Kiiiiac.]
[I? ?don’t? ?know.? ?Is? ?it? ?alright? ?if? ?we? ?surrender?]
They? ?whispered? ?to? ?each? ?other? ?and? ?entered? ?a? ?discussion.
They? ?exchanged? ?opinions? ?for? ?a? ?long? ?time.? ?Suddenly,? ?they? ?had? ?vacant? ?looks? ?on? ?their? ?faces.
That? ?is...
It’s? ?a? ?response? ?similar? ?to? ?when? ?Idy? ?tried? ?to? ?recall? ?her? ?past.
[Kiiiiac...? ?Kek.? ?We? ?must? ?fight.]
That’s? ?unfortunate.
It? ?seemed? ?the? ?system? ?was? ?making? ?it? ?mandatory? ?for? ?them? ?to? ?fight.
“In? ?that? ?case,? ?it? ?cannot? ?be? ?helped.”
I? ?took? ?a? ?step? ?forward,? ?and? ?the? ?goblins’? ?eyes? ?shook? ?wildly? ?in? ?fear.
[Kiiiaaak!? ?Kiiiac!? ?Please,? ?go? ?easy? ?on? ?us!]
One? ?of? ?the? ?goblins? ?were? ?especially? ?cowardly.
“I? ?got? ?it.? ?I’ll? ?go? ?easy.”
[Fool!? ?You? ?must? ?not? ?expect? ?mercy? ?from? ?the? ?devil.? ?That? ?will? ?lead? ?to? ?a? ?disastrous? ?outcome.]
Why? ?do? ?these? ?guys? ?keep? ?calling? ?me? ?the? ?devil?? ?We’ve? ?never? ?met? ?before.
That’s? ?spoiling? ?my? ?mood.
I? ?kicked? ?off? ?the? ?ground? ?and? ?jumped? ?to? ?the? ?front? ?of? ?the? ?shields.
I? ?pounded? ?the? ?top? ?of? ?the? ?shield? ?with? ?my? ?feet.
Kw.a.n.g!
Along? ?with? ?loud? ?echo,? ?one? ?of? ?the? ?shield? ?soldiers? ?and? ?an? ?archer? ?got? ?thrown? ?to? ?the? ?outside? ?of? ?the? ?ring.
I? ?lightly? ?swung? ?my? ?fist? ?at? ?the? ?other? ?shield? ?soldier? ?who? ?was? ?clearly? ?dumbfounded.? ?The? ?soldier’s? ?jaw? ?was turned.? ?I? ?took? ?his? ?shield? ?and? ?smacked? ?the? ?swordsman? ?with? ?it.
I? ?dodged? ?the? ?spears? ?thrusting? ?towards? ?me? ?and? ?narrowed? ?the? ?distance.
As? ?for? ?the? ?spearmen,? ?I? ?struck? ?them? ?both? ?equally? ?at? ?the? ?pits? ?of? ?their? ?stomachs.? ?They? ?fainted.
As? ?for? ?the? ?remaining? ?archer...
[E...? ?easy...]
“Easy?”
The? ?goblin? ?nodded? ?hard.
[Yes.? ?Go? ?easy!? ?Go? ?easy!]
I? ?am? ?not? ?sure? ?if? ?he? ?is? ?asking? ?me? ?to? ?go? ?easy? ?on? ?him? ?or? ?deliver? ?him? ?a? ?swift,? ?painless? ?death.
“Try? ?turning? ?around.”
I? ?struck? ?the? ?rear? ?side? ?of? ?the? ?obedient? ?archer’s? ?neck? ?and? ?he? ?collapsed? ?on? ?the? ?spot.
This? ?is? ?the? ?first? ?time? ?for? ?me? ?to? ?successfully? ?make? ?someone? ?faint? ?by? ?striking? ?the? ?rear? ?side? ?of? ?the? ?neck.
This? ?is? ?hard? ?to? ?use? ?for? ?some? ?reason? ?in? ?real? ?combat.
I? ?cannot? ?say? ?that? ?I? ?skillfully? ?made? ?him? ?faint? ?like? ?how? ?the? ?main? ?characters? ?in? ?movies? ?do.? ?I? ?just? ?struck? ?him with? ?a? ?decent? ?amount? ?of? ?force? ?and? ?forced? ?him? ?to? ?consciousness,? ?so? ?it? ?looked? ?rather? ?crude.
Anyway,? ?I? ?think? ?I? ?met? ?the? ?challenge? ?condition? ?for? ?the? ?preliminary? ?match.
[You? ?pa.s.sed? ?the? ?preliminary? ?match? ?of? ?the? ?tournament’s? ?individual? ?round.]
[The? ?main? ?match? ?of? ?the? ?individual? ?round? ?will? ?start? ?at? ?12? ?on? ?the? ?first? ?day? ?of? ?the? ?tournament.]
[Would? ?you? ?like? ?to? ?move? ?to? ?the? ?stands?]
Nah.? ?I? ?didn’t? ?even? ?get? ?warmed? ?up? ?yet.
Besides,? ?I? ?can? ?feel? ?the? ?other? ?challengers’? ?gazes? ?from? ?the? ?stands.
They? ?don’t? ?need? ?to? ?be? ?so? ?surprised.? ?What? ?I? ?did? ?is? ?nothing? ?compared? ?to? ?anything? ?else? ?I? ?can? ?do.
“Move.”
As? ?soon? ?as? ?I? ?moved? ?to? ?the? ?stands,? ?I? ?went? ?to? ?find? ?where? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk? ?in? ?the? ?stands.
“Hey,? ?I? ?told? ?you? ?to? ?hold? ?back.”
“I? ?did? ?hold? ?back.”
“Yeah? ?right.? ?I? ?saw? ?two? ?goblins? ?being? ?thrown? ?off? ?the? ?ring? ?from? ?just? ?one? ?kick.? ?I? ?definitely? ?saw? ?it? ?with? ?my own? ?eyes.”
“That’s? ?what? ?I? ?mean? ?by? ?holding? ?back.”
“Ugh.”
Next? ?to? ?him? ?were? ?Park? ?Jong-shik? ?and? ?Park? ?Jung-ah.
So,? ?the? ?leaders? ?of? ?the? ?Order? ?were? ?all? ?gathered? ?here.
“Big? ?Bro? ?Jong-shik.? ?Did? ?you? ?not? ?enter? ?the? ?tournament?”
“I? ?did.? ?I? ?cleared? ?the? ?preliminary? ?match? ?first? ?and? ?got? ?here.”
Oh....
“Oh....”
“What’s? ?there? ?to? ?say? ?‘Oh...’? ?about.”
I? ?can? ?imagine? ?that? ?a? ?ranker? ?of? ?Hard? ?Difficulty? ?on? ?par? ?with? ?someone? ?like? ?Park? ?Jong-shik? ?pa.s.sing? ?the preliminary? ?match? ?with? ?ease.
“Hey,? ?introduce? ?yourself? ?to? ?her.? ?She? ?will? ?be? ?entering? ?the? ?team? ?match? ?with? ?you.? ?Her? ?name? ?is? ?Ms.? ?Lee
Yuu-jung.? ?You? ?know? ?her,? ?right?? ?She? ?is? ?the? ?keeper? ?of? ?the? ?Easy? ?difficulty.”
After? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk? ?introduced? ?her? ?to? ?me,? ?I? ?said? ?h.e.l.lo? ?to? ?the? ?woman? ?who? ?was? ?sitting? ?next? ?to? ?Park
Jung-ah.
“How? ?do? ?you? ?do?”
“Yes.? ?Yes.? ?Thank? ?you.”
What’s? ?there? ?to? ?thank? ?me? ?about?
Is? ?this? ?woman? ?scared? ?of? ?me? ?too?
It? ?seems? ?to? ?be? ?the? ?case.? ?Her? ?att.i.tude? ?screams? ?out? ?her? ?fear.
“Commander,? ?you? ?too.”
I? ?waved? ?my? ?hand? ?at? ?Park? ?Jung-ah? ?who? ?was? ?sitting? ?next? ?Lee? ?Yuu-jung.
Park? ?Jung-ah’s? ?eyes? ?suddenly? ?widened.? ?She? ?panicked? ?and? ?said,
“How!”
The? ?pitch? ?of? ?her? ?voice? ?was? ?all? ?wrong,? ?starting? ?from? ?the? ?very? ?first? ?word.
“How...? ?do? ?you? ?do?”
Why? ?are? ?you? ?being? ?so? ?formal? ?again?
During? ?the? ?last? ?day? ?of? ?the? ?great? ?harmony,? ?we? ?decided? ?that? ?you? ?would? ?talk? ?to? ?me? ?in? ?casual? ?tone.
What? ?was? ?all? ?that? ?embarra.s.sing? ?and? ?awkward? ?conversation? ?for? ?then?
“I!? ?I? ?have? ?a? ?place? ?to? ?be,? ?so...? ?I’ll? ?get? ?going? ?first.? ?See? ?you? ?all? ?later.”
Park? ?Jung-ah? ?b.u.mped? ?into? ?the? ?chair? ?next? ?to? ?her? ?as? ?she? ?got? ?up,? ?stumbling? ?with? ?her? ?legs? ?before? ?she awkwardly? ?left? ?the? ?scene.
What? ?now?? ?What? ?business? ?could? ?you? ?possibly? ?have? ?today? ?in? ?a? ?place? ?like? ?this?
Lee? ?Yuu-jung? ?quickly? ?followed? ?Park? ?Jung-ah.
Park? ?Jong-shik? ?muttered? ?as? ?he? ?watched? ?Park? ?Jung-ah? ?leaving.
“Did? ?her? ?att.i.tude? ?get? ?worse?”
“She? ?is? ?acting? ?awkward? ?like? ?that? ?because? ?of? ?what? ?happened? ?last? ?time? ?at? ?the? ?day? ?of? ?the? ?great? ?harmony,
isn’t? ?it?? ?Hey,? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk...? ?What? ?are? ?you? ?going? ?to? ?do?? ?That? ?just? ?made? ?things? ?worse.”
“I? ?don’t? ?know? ?anymore.”
This? ?is? ?a? ?serious? ?problem.
Last? ?time,? ?during? ?the? ?day? ?of? ?the? ?great? ?harmony,? ?we? ?asked? ?Park? ?Jung-ah? ?to? ?speak? ?to? ?me? ?in? ?casually.? ?We went? ?through? ?that? ?unnecessary? ?spectacle? ?because? ?Park? ?Jung-ah? ?was? ?being? ?excessively? ?respectful? ?toward me.
In? ?that? ?case,? ?how? ?about? ?her? ?att.i.tude? ?towards? ?me? ?now?
This? ?is? ?no? ?longer? ?just? ?about? ?my? ?position? ?in? ?the? ?Order? ?and? ?the? ?strength? ?of? ?Park? ?Jung-ah’s? ?leadership’s foundation.? ?This? ?is? ?going? ?to? ?damage? ?her? ?image.
“I? ?can’t? ?think? ?of? ?anything? ?in? ?particular? ?to? ?fix? ?this.? ?What? ?about? ?you? ?guys?? ?You? ?young? ?people? ?should? ?come up? ?with? ?something.”
“I? ?don’t? ?know? ?either.? ?Hey,? ?as? ?the? ?person? ?in? ?the? ?situation,? ?is? ?there? ?anything? ?that? ?comes? ?to? ?your? ?mind?? ?You high? ?and? ?mighty? ?rascal?”
High? ?and? ?mighty? ?rascal?
Now? ?where? ?did? ?that? ?t.i.tle? ?come? ?from?
Um...? ?A? ?way? ?huh...
Park? ?Jung-ah? ?is? ?treating? ?me? ?differently? ?probably? ?because? ?of? ?what? ?happened? ?on? ?the? ?very? ?first? ?day? ?of? ?the great? ?harmony.
It? ?is? ?true? ?that? ?I? ?saved? ?her,? ?so? ?she? ?had? ?a? ?good? ?reason? ?to? ?be? ?grateful? ?towards? ?me.
The? ?only? ?problem? ?is? ?that? ?she? ?had? ?been? ?excessively? ?idolizing? ?me? ?ever? ?since.
It? ?seemed? ?that,? ?in? ?her? ?eyes,? ?I? ?looked? ?like? ?a? ?prince? ?on? ?white? ?horse? ?from? ?a? ?fairy? ?tale.
In? ?other? ?words,? ?because? ?of? ?her? ?fantasy? ?about? ?me,? ?she? ?has? ?a? ?wearing? ?a? ?pair? ?of? ?distorted? ?gla.s.ses.
[PR:? ?She? ?literally? ?doesn’t? ?have? ?a? ?pair? ?of? ?distorted? ?gla.s.ses.]
I’m? ?sure? ?that? ?I? ?have? ?demonstrated? ?many? ?times? ?that? ?I? ?am? ?not? ?a? ?perfect? ?person? ?from? ?moral? ?and? ?personality standpoints.
Despite? ?all? ?that,? ?the? ?distorted? ?gla.s.ses? ?remained? ?on? ?her? ?eyes.
“The? ?tournament? ?will? ?end? ?around? ?the? ?dinner? ?time,? ?right?”
“From? ?how? ?you? ?are? ?going? ?about? ?it,? ?I? ?think? ?it? ?could? ?end? ?sooner.”
“In? ?that? ?case,? ?let’s? ?go? ?drink? ?amongst? ?ourselves.”
“Drinks?? ?That’s? ?great.? ?Do? ?you? ?have? ?any?”
Park? ?Jong-shik,? ?with? ?gleam? ?in? ?his? ?eyes,? ?asked.
“Of? ?course.? ?I? ?have? ?quite? ?a? ?few? ?bottles? ?in? ?my? ?inventory.”
It? ?was? ?not? ?a? ?huge? ?quant.i.ty? ?of? ?booze.? ?However,? ?it? ?was? ?enough? ?for? ?four? ?people? ?to? ?enjoy.
I? ?had? ?plenty? ?of? ?snacks? ?too.
“I? ?like? ?the? ?idea? ?of? ?drinking? ?too,? ?but...? ?will? ?that? ?help? ?resolve? ?the? ?problem? ?of? ?? ?Park? ?Jung-ah?”
With? ?a? ?little? ?worried? ?face,? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk? ?asked.
“Well...? ?If? ?you? ?show? ?her? ?how? ?you? ?look? ?after? ?getting? ?all? ?boozed? ?up? ?and? ?making? ?a? ?fool? ?out? ?of? ?yourself? ?like? ?a dog,? ?then? ?that? ?will? ?shatter? ?her? ?fantasy? ?about? ?you.”
“Kiiiiaaaaa.? ?What? ?a? ?magnificent? ?answer.? ?Let’s? ?play? ?today? ?like? ?idiots!”
Park? ?Jong-shik’s? ?mind? ?was? ?already? ?at? ?the? ?drinking? ?table.? ?He? ?suddenly? ?got? ?up? ?and? ?shouted.
[The? ?individual? ?tournament’s? ?main? ?event,? ?the? ?matches? ?will? ?begin.]
Finally,? ?the? ?main? ?matches? ?started.
They? ?are? ?the? ?main? ?event? ?where? ?the? ?challengers? ?duel? ?each? ?other.
[Would? ?you? ?like? ?to? ?enter?]
Hold? ?on.
I? ?ignored? ?the? ?message? ?and? ?opened? ?the? ?rulebook.
The? ?main? ?matches? ?had? ?a? ?pretty? ?unique? ?rule.
It? ?was? ?like? ?a? ?tag? ?match.
Two? ?challengers? ?will? ?duel,? ?where? ?the? ?victor? ?will? ?stay? ?at? ?the? ?arena,? ?and? ?the? ?defeated? ?will? ?be? ?returned? ?to the? ?stands.
With? ?each? ?victory,? ?points? ?are? ?earned,? ?and? ?the? ?final? ?prize? ?will? ?be? ?set? ?based? ?on? ?the? ?points? ?earned.
Uniquely? ?enough,? ?the? ?very? ?first? ?challenger? ?who? ?starts? ?the? ?match? ?will? ?be? ?given? ?bonus? ?points.? ?Also,? ?the final? ?victor? ?has? ?a? ?separate? ?prize.
There? ?were? ?three? ?ways? ?to? ?earn? ?any? ?of? ?the? ?rewards.? ?One? ?could? ?be? ?the? ?first? ?challenger.? ?One? ?could? ?win many? ?times,? ?and? ?finally,? ?there? ?was? ?winning? ?the? ?entire? ?tournament’s? ?individual? ?round.
To? ?maximize? ?the? ?rewards,? ?the? ?best? ?thing? ?to? ?do? ?is? ?entering? ?the? ?tournament? ?as? ?the? ?first? ?challenger? ?and achieving? ?multiple? ?victories? ?until? ?you? ?win? ?the? ?entire? ?tournament.
It’s? ?just? ?that...
“Hey,? ?you? ?can’t? ?enter? ?right? ?now,? ?you? ?understand? ?that,? ?right?”
“I? ?got? ?it,? ?you? ?rascal.”
If? ?I? ?entered? ?now,? ?the? ?main? ?match? ?will? ?end? ?like? ?that.
I? ?really? ?wanted? ?the? ?rewards,? ?but? ?I? ?don’t? ?want? ?to? ?get? ?it? ?at? ?the? ?cost? ?of? ?pouring? ?cold? ?water? ?on? ?everyone when? ?they? ?are? ?enjoying? ?the? ?festivities.
Of? ?course,? ?the? ?prize? ?for? ?winning? ?the? ?tournament,? ?the? ?most? ?important? ?reward,? ?will? ?be? ?mine.
Meanwhile,? ?the? ?two? ?challengers? ?chosen? ?start? ?the? ?tournament,? ?were? ?summoned? ?to? ?the? ?arena.
They? ?were? ?both? ?melee? ?warriors.
After? ?one? ?minute? ?of? ?standby,? ?the? ?duel? ?started.
This? ?is? ?actually? ?pretty? ?exciting.
The? ?two? ?challengers? ?were? ?on? ?par? ?with? ?each? ?other? ?in? ?strength? ?and? ?skills,? ?so? ?the? ?duel? ?was? ?exciting? ?to watch.
As? ?usual...
“Fight? ?between? ?small? ?fries? ?are? ?most? ?entertaining.”
Park? ?Jong-shik? ?muttered? ?from? ?the? ?side.? ?He? ?shared? ?my? ?thoughts.
“This? ?is? ?super? ?fun? ?to? ?watch.? ?When? ?the? ?tournament? ?occurs? ?again,? ?should? ?we? ?bet? ?money?? ?How? ?about? ?it?”
“Betting? ?on? ?sports?? ?I? ?am? ?not? ?sure.? ?We? ?shouldn’t? ?take? ?gambling? ?so? ?lightly.”
“Even? ?if? ?we? ?don’t,? ?someone? ?else? ?will.? ?It? ?would? ?be? ?better? ?if? ?we? ?open? ?the? ?gambling? ?operations? ?instead.”
“Is? ?that? ?so?? ?I’ll? ?bring? ?it? ?up? ?during? ?out? ?next? ?meeting.”
I? ?brought? ?out? ?a? ?bag? ?of? ?potato? ?chip? ?from? ?the? ?inventory? ?and? ?continued? ?to? ?watch? ?the? ?duel.
Watching? ?their? ?intense? ?battle? ?unconsciously? ?excited? ?me.
Should? ?I? ?enter? ?during? ?the? ?match? ?that’s? ?two? ?matches? ?after? ?this? ?one?
“You? ?need? ?to? ?enter? ?when? ?it? ?is? ?about? ?to? ?end,? ?you? ?got? ?that,? ?right?”
Ugh,? ?I? ?think? ?this? ?guy? ?can? ?look? ?into? ?my? ?mind? ?sometimes.
“What? ?about? ?me?”
“Big? ?Bro? ?Jong-shik.? ?You? ?can’t? ?enter? ?either.? ?Big? ?Bro,? ?did? ?you? ?not? ?forfeit? ?yet?? ?Hurry? ?up? ?and? ?go? ?forfeit.? ?Relax and? ?enjoy? ?the? ?game? ?afterwards? ?instead.”
As? ?days? ?go? ?by,? ?I? ?feel? ?like? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk? ?is? ?turning? ?more? ?and? ?more? ?into? ?a? ?selfish? ?sister? ?in-law.
Another? ?unique? ?thing? ?about? ?the? ?tournament? ?was? ?that? ?there? ?were? ?no? ?other? ?restrictions? ?during? ?the? ?duel.
All? ?items? ?were? ?permitted.
Expendable? ?single-use? ?items? ?were? ?allowed? ?as? ?well.
There? ?was? ?no? ?restriction? ?about? ?striking? ?critical? ?points? ?either.
In? ?fact,? ?even? ?murder? ?was? ?possible? ?in? ?middle? ?of? ?the? ?match.
This? ?is? ?not? ?like? ?boxing? ?or? ?mixed? ?martial? ?art? ?tournament.? ?Instead,? ?this? ?is? ?closer? ?to? ?duels? ?that? ?took? ?place? ?in real? ?colosseums.
Of? ?course,? ?the? ?Order? ?of? ?Vigilance? ?strictly? ?forbid? ?murder? ?during? ?the? ?tournament.
They? ?could? ?give? ?the? ?circ.u.mstance? ?a? ?consideration? ?if? ?the? ?loss? ?of? ?life? ?was? ?a? ?result? ?of? ?unforeseen? ?mistake.
However,? ?if? ?it? ?resulted? ?from? ?even? ?a? ?little? ?bit? ?of? ?intentional? ?motif,? ?they? ?were? ?going? ?to? ?punish? ?the? ?offender
immediately.? ?The? ?Order? ?of? ?Vigilance? ?notified? ?the? ?community? ?actively? ?so? ?that? ?n.o.body? ?would? ?be? ?caught unaware? ?of? ?the? ?rules.
Not? ?just? ?murder,? ?but? ?the? ?Order? ?also? ?forbid? ?excessive? ?hara.s.sment? ?of? ?the? ?opponent? ?and? ?immobilizing? ?the opponent’s? ?hands? ?or? ?sealing? ?the? ?mouth? ?to? ?make? ?the? ?opponent? ?unable? ?to? ?surrender.
Because? ?most? ?of? ?the? ?challengers? ?who? ?made? ?it? ?to? ?the? ?main? ?matches? ?were? ?high? ?level? ?rankers,? ?Park
Jong-shik? ?choose? ?to? ?give? ?up? ?the? ?tournament? ?and? ?be? ?on? ?the? ?standby? ?in? ?case? ?of? ?an? ?unexpected? ?situation.
It? ?was? ?so? ?that? ?he? ?could? ?quickly? ?neutralize? ?and? ?punish? ?the? ?perpetrator? ?if? ?such? ?an? ?incident? ?happened.
Several? ?of? ?the? ?Strike? ?Division? ?of? ?the? ?Order? ?were? ?already? ?on? ?the? ?standby.? ?However,? ?some? ?of? ?the partic.i.p.ants? ?of? ?the? ?matches? ?were? ?going? ?to? ?be? ?hard? ?for? ?them? ?to? ?handle.
Some? ?said? ?the? ?Order? ?was? ?going? ?too? ?far? ?on? ?restricting? ?things? ?that? ?were? ?allowed? ?by? ?the? ?system.
However,? ?thanks? ?to? ?the? ?Order’s? ?decision,? ?people’s? ?minds? ?were? ?at? ?ease,? ?so? ?the? ?number? ?of? ?challengers entering? ?the? ?tournament? ?out? ?of? ?curiosity? ?had? ?increased.? ?In? ?the? ?end,? ?the? ?tournament? ?itself? ?became? ?a more? ?peaceful? ?event.
Meanwhile,? ?Park? ?Jong-shik? ?just? ?could? ?not? ?help? ?himself? ?and? ?entered? ?the? ?preliminary? ?match.? ?However, ultimately,? ?Kim? ?Min-hyuk? ?decided? ?that? ?Park? ?Jong-shik? ?must? ?not? ?enter? ?the? ?main? ?matches.
“Hey,? ?Ho-jae.”
“Yes,? ?Big? ?Bro?”
“Can? ?we? ?switch? ?roles?? ?Can? ?you? ?be? ?the? ?guardian? ?instead? ?of? ?me?? ?If? ?I? ?win? ?the? ?tournament,? ?I’ll? ?give? ?you? ?the reward.”
“I? ?don’t? ?want? ?to.”