novelraw Chapter 164 : Invitation - (4)
Chapter 164 : Invitation - (4)
Chapter 164: Invitation - (4)
“Heh heh.”
Sanghyun let out a hollow laugh.
Was it a deliberate mistake, or truly a pure accident? In truth, whether it was a mistake didn’t matter.
At this level, it was better to assume the invitation would arrive. It was only a matter of timing.
The tournaments triggered by invitations were largely divided into two types.
Safety Match.
A battle ensuring safety, where protective gear was worn, and the match ended when the gear’s durability dropped below a certain threshold.
However, it was a match thoroughly ignored by the public. Because there was a more thrilling alternative.
That was the Death Match.
A fight where one’s life was on the line.
Both parties signed consent forms acknowledging the risk of death, and all actions that occurred during the battle were recognized as self-defense.
Even the Player Union did not raise issues with this, and it wasn’t subject to special laws regarding players.
This was the match that captured people’s attention.
Moreover, it provided strong motivation for players.
If they won.
Not only did they receive a hefty reward paid by Mystery, but they were also granted rare Artifacts.
Depending on the level of the match, Unique, Epic, and even Legendary-grade Artifacts were offered as prizes.
As long as one won, they could secure a truly worthwhile reward.
That was why many players even waited for the invitation. It could be a chance to turn their lives around.
“May I cautiously share my personal opinion?”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“Even if the invitation comes, I urge you to refuse. Mystery enjoys putting promising candidates from various countries through trials and then crushing them. It’s a sick hobby of theirs.”
“I’m aware it’s a sick hobby.”
“Mr. Sanghyun, I believe you are a talent that needs to be nurtured strategically within Korea. You’re not someone who should be dragged into tabloid-level incidents and recklessly put in danger.”
“My opinion is a bit different.”
“What do you think?”
“I actually think this is a great opportunity to promote myself publicly. It’s a good time to expand my range of activities—shall we call it a showcase?”
Sanghyun’s eyes sparkled.
As Park Jungmin had said, he could refuse. For example, if the opponent was outrageously strong.
In that case, even if he declined the match, there would be a valid justification.
There was nothing to be ashamed of.
From the start, Sanghyun wasn’t one to get swayed by public opinion. The public’s evaluation didn’t matter to him.
Even if the world called him a coward, as long as he didn’t think of himself that way, that was enough.
“Going straight through. That’s certainly a good idea. But are you confident? It won’t be easy.”
“If it’s really someone with a twisted taste, they’ll match me with someone worth watching. That’s what makes it entertaining, after all.”
“Mr. Shin Sanghyun, you’re even more bold and thoughtful than I had imagined. I might have only seen one narrow side of you.”
“It’s not a pleasant situation, but at the very least, I’m ready to accept it.”
Sanghyun nodded.
An invitation.
If that arrived officially as well, he would truly have a lot to do.
While the mountain of challenges related to dungeons and gates still needed to be tackled, now he had to prepare for battles against other players too.
But he also believed that this was a time when he would gain much as well.
Especially for Sanghyun, who was aiming to expand overseas, the invitation was a golden opportunity that could serve as a definite turning point.
The interview ended in an instant.
That was because Park Jungmin was so skilled at leading everything naturally, from the atmosphere to the entire situation.
Sanghyun finished the interview feeling refreshed, as if he had been talking to an old friend.
What Sanghyun always felt when he saw Park Jungmin was that despite him being a player, he had never seen his actual skills.
He hoped to see them one day, but Jungmin avoided revealing them.
In any case, the interview went well, and since it was Park Jungmin, Sanghyun wasn’t worried about how the article would turn out.
All he had to do now was focus on the next objective.
The Blood Tower.
The time had come to face the notorious quest.
Valentin Schneider.
It was an important move by Sanghyun to get there before the infamously future top-ranker claimed it.
Five minutes before the scheduled entry time.
“Whew.”
Having arrived at the Quest Area near Jamsil Station, Sanghyun was met with a barrage of flashing lights.
The flashes blinding him from all directions made him instinctively sigh.
“Shin Sanghyun, fighting!”
“Show them the power of Korean players! And don’t betray the trust of our Kyungsoo Oppa!”
“So cool! I truly believe you’ll succeed!”
“Let’s get drunk on national pride! Go and come back safely! We’re rooting for you!”
People who recognized Sanghyun showered him with cheers and encouragement. Among them were quite a few of Do Kyungsoo’s fans.
Since the last large-scale raid.
Do Kyungsoo’s fans had started calling Sanghyun “Little Kyungsoo,” recognizing him as a new skilled player.
Of course, Sanghyun didn’t like that nickname. He wasn’t someone’s replacement—he was his own person.
Just then.
Vrrrmmm!
The necklace Sanghyun wore began to vibrate.
It was the necklace given by Do Kyunghye, designed to detect Constellation Devourers. A Constellation Devourer was within a 5-meter radius!
Whip!
Sanghyun turned his gaze in the direction the mana pointed.
And there—a foreigner with blue eyes, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, instantly turned away.
He had been closely observing Sanghyun from within the crowd, but now turned without hesitation.
‘Damn it.’
He was close, but there were too many people to chase recklessly.
More importantly, the man quickly vanished among the crowd in the blink of an eye. It seemed like complete stealth.
‘This is getting troublesome.’
It seemed he would come into deeper contact with the Constellation Devourers even sooner than expected, and that left a bad feeling.
The traces were already left behind.
What remained was only a matter of when they would meet again.
The die had already been cast.
“So it begins. As I thought, I’m better off alone. Solo suits me. Whew.”
Leaving behind the cheers and applause of the rather large crowd, the Blood Tower quest had commenced.
The once noisy surroundings transformed into a desolate and silent environment the moment the quest began.
Upon entry—
◎ Do not hesitate!
◎ The moment you look back, you will die instantly.
A debuff had been applied.
This was precisely one of the defining traits of the Blood Tower.
In every section, a debuff would absolutely be applied to the challenger. One would always follow.
“I’ll need to be careful with habits.”
Sanghyun tightened the muscles in his neck.
Turning around on the battlefield was more common than one might think.
Understandably so—there’s nothing more dangerous than getting attacked from behind where you can’t see.
“Two more Artifacts ahead. If nothing major interferes, I’ll likely obtain them when I defeat the mid-boss of Section 2.”
A guaranteed Epic reward.
The part Sanghyun especially wanted to secure was a bracelet. His current one was rather lacking.
Section 1: Human-type rhinoceros, Sgald.
Section 2: Frenzied Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara.
Section 3: Nameless (無名).
These three were the culprits responsible for taking the lives of many players in the Blood Tower.
And the place where Sanghyun aimed to utilize the effects of his 777 title was precisely Section 2. He had to move quickly.
As soon as Sanghyun began to move forward—
Ruuumble!
The ground trembled behind him, accompanied by chaotic noise.
Anyone could tell by the ruckus that a large group of monsters had appeared.
“……”
He twitched his neck slightly but stopped.
The debuff applied was clear. The moment he turned his head, he would lose his life, fitting the Blood Tower’s notorious reputation.
“In that case.”
Sanghyun began moving toward an open clearing.
He quickly accelerated and reached the wide-open space, where he stood still and focused on the approaching sounds.
Judging by the noise, there were about thirty monsters. From the sound of their footsteps, they didn’t seem particularly agile.
『Steel Storm』
Gripping the True Demon Sword, Sanghyun entered a state of deep focus.
He had a skill that allowed him to attack enemies without having to turn around.
Whoooosh!
A whirlwind with maximized rotational force began roaring around Sanghyun.
This alone should have been enough to make the monsters flinch or hesitate.
But the monsters mistook the sudden windstorm for a mere gust and boldly charged into the area.
And then—
KIEEEHH! KUEEEGH!
Every single one of them was swept up by the Steel Storm and began spiraling upward into the sky.
It was a fatal misjudgment born from their arrogance in underestimating, even outright ignoring, Sanghyun’s skill.
The upward draft of Steel Storm was overwhelming, and in mere moments, the monsters had flown dozens of meters into the air.
Then—
“Whew.”
Sanghyun let out a sigh and deactivated the skill.
KIEEEEH?
With their upward momentum gone, gravity was the only thing left for the monsters.
In other words, it was the beginning of their fall.
UEEEEGHH!
A fall with no wings.
With his arms crossed, Sanghyun watched the monsters fall helplessly.
The monsters, flung by Steel Storm, were dropping straight in front of him.
Then—
THUD! CRACK! SNAP!
The sounds of bones shattering echoed from all around, and the monsters died without even being able to scream.
Given their massive bodies and the fact they landed head-first, there was no way they could have survived.
However—
GRRRR!
Apparently, one had not been caught in the whirlwind. A sound of angry snorting erupted behind Sanghyun.
『Raging Wind Barrage』
GRRRR! THWACK!
Sanghyun immediately redirected a wind sphere from the Raging Wind Barrage using a rock to his right front side.
Since the monster had brazenly made noise and revealed its location, a quick counterattack was the only fitting response.
And then—
THWACK!
……!
That was the end.
The monster, struck squarely in the face by the wind sphere, had its neck snapped back 180 degrees and died instantly.
Its final state—folded backward like a rubber band—was so pitiful and wretched it evoked pity.
Having finished the situation, Sanghyun activated a movement skill and advanced quickly.
Each section applied a different debuff, and clearing a section without dying granted a reward.
Later—
As Sanghyun moved far enough ahead, the moment the first debuff was lifted—
[You have successfully overcome the first debuff, ‘Do not hesitate!’, and cleared the section.]
[Preliminary reward for the breakthrough is being revealed. All stats increase by 10.]
[This preliminary reward will be tallied and granted at the end of the quest.]
“This is what I was aiming for.”
A smile formed on Sanghyun’s lips.
There was a reason why the Blood Tower quest was called a land of opportunity.
Although it threw constant life-threatening trials at challengers, the rewards for overcoming them were undeniable.
All Stats +10.
In less than a few minutes, Sanghyun had gained 10 points in every stat—a total of 70 points.
Stats that others might struggle to raise even after days of effort were pouring into Sanghyun like a rising tide.