novelraw Chapter 220 : Amsa Station (2)
Chapter 220 : Amsa Station (2)
Chapter 220: Amsa Station (2)
While waiting for Jo Jinho, who hadn’t arrived yet. Sanghyun sat in the middle of the training ground with Shin Taeri, sharing an ion drink together.
“I try not to care too much about winning or losing now. It feels like a belated attempt at mental victory, though.”
“I held on with all my strength and focus in every moment. I fought like my life depended on it.”
“I think it’s because of my competitive spirit. If I don’t bring someone to their knees with skill, I just can’t let it go.”
“For me too, when I show a gap or collapse helplessly in front of someone, I get angry first.”
“Anyway, you’ve grown again, Sanghyun.”
“Your attacks have gotten sharper too, Taeri-nim. If I hadn’t had enough skills, I would’ve been in real trouble.”
“Is that so…….”
Shin Taeri trailed off and brushed her hair back.
Maybe because her hair was soaked with sweat, the strands that shimmered felt somehow sexy.
It was always the same—sparring with Shin Taeri always left Sanghyun with a lot to reflect on.
Given her style of pushing to the extreme, Sanghyun could never afford to let his guard down.
Because it was her instinct to find and stab into any gap no matter what, he had to block with everything he had.
As a result, he could clearly understand which parts might be seen as weaknesses from another’s perspective.
In a way, Shin Taeri was someone Sanghyun was grateful to—for helping him find his weaknesses.
Because every single moment they sparred, she was utterly serious.
At those moments, she sought out gaps that could kill her opponent, so naturally, her attacks held meaning.
That’s why Sanghyun thought he should continue sparring with her whenever he had time, something he’d been neglecting lately.
A relationship where both sides could sincerely point out each other’s flaws—it wasn’t easy to build something like that.
Not long after.
Once Jo Jinho arrived, the discussion turned to the main topic of their meeting—the rift at Amsa Station.
Sanghyun wondered how to bring it up naturally, then just decided to come out with it.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find a convincing way to package the situation.
So he said that when he was passing by Amsa Station, he felt an indescribable sense of discomfort.
A feeling like a rift might appear there. It might sound absurd, but that’s genuinely how it felt.
“Our guild does have detection equipment. I think it’d be worth checking out at least once.”
“Rifts can appear anytime, anywhere. It’s not like the Association scans the entire country, after all.”
Surprisingly, Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri didn’t brush off Sanghyun’s words as nonsense.
They didn’t just acknowledge it politely—they took it seriously and considered it meaningful.
“Thank you. I can’t help being sensitive when it comes to rifts. Especially after the recent incident at Jamsil Station.”
Sanghyun recalled that memory.
It was something tied to Park Jungmin, so it came back whether he wanted it to or not.
If a rift isn’t responded to properly in its early stages, it undoubtedly leads to severe casualties.
On the flip side, if you respond properly from the start, you can reap great rewards without any damage.
A rift, by nature, is an unstable place—and at the same time, an unpredictable reward zone.
“Actually, both Taeri and I don’t have any plans for today or tomorrow. Should we check it out together?”
“Sounds like a good idea. I really am on break right now, so I guess this counts as a vacation of sorts.”
“It’s your vacation—aren’t you both doing something unnecessary?”
“I’m a workaholic, so I hate sitting still even during breaks. Taeri’s been on vacation since a few days ago. And now she’s training like crazy. Haha.”
Even sacrificing their rest time, they were devoted to their work.
It made sense how they had reached their current level—they weren’t just talented; they worked hard too.
“Then I’ll leave it in your hands. This is hypothetical, but… what will we do if a rift does appear?”
Sanghyun asked subtly.
Part of it was greed for the rift, but mostly, it was because he couldn’t decide the handling of it alone.
Normally, after a rift is cleared, ownership goes to the state—but the critical point is who discovers it first.
At that point, there’s an unspoken rule that the discoverer is given the right to the first assault.
That’s exactly the part Sanghyun was getting at.
He was asking whether the three of them should attempt the raid, or whether the Eden Guild should mobilize its full power.
“What do you think, Sanghyun-nim?”
Jo Jinho returned the question.
There was no need to pretend modesty and hide his thoughts here.
Even if he said something different, the other two would see through it. No need to be needlessly laughable.
“I’d like for the three of us to do some scouting first. We can come up with a response after that—it’s not too late.”
As he said it, Sanghyun realized he’d never done a dungeon run with just the three of them.
They had been in the same space during the Subjugation Battle, but they each had separate routes.
“Sounds good. Let’s do that.”
“Oppa, I’ll go borrow the equipment. I’ve borrowed it a few times out of curiosity anyway.”
“Really?”
“I never mentioned it because it seemed like a weird hobby. But I sometimes check if there are any rifts nearby.”
Jo Jinho looked momentarily surprised by Shin Taeri’s words, then gave a small nod.
To Sanghyun’s eyes, it wasn’t a weird hobby—it seemed more like she had some unpleasant memories related to rifts.
He didn’t want to ask directly. Usually, those kinds of habits stemmed from bad experiences.
Like losing a loved one, or being forced to part with someone important. In short, it came from trauma.
"Right. Then let Taeri go borrow it, and shall we wait outside?"
At Jo Jinho's words, Sanghyun nodded. And thus, the moment the Rift Exploration Team(?) was formed.
Some time later.
The three of them began exploring along the route they had decided on from Exit 1 of Amsa Station.
If they just moved wherever they saw fit, they might end up going only where they’ve already gone, and miss places they hadn’t.
So they planned a path centered around Amsa Station to avoid any overlaps, but also to make sure they missed nothing.
As expected, nothing happened for the first hour.
Though they might have felt bored or dull, Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri, rather, walked around happily like they were out on a rare outing.
Sanghyun naturally blended in, chatting sometimes about daily life and other times about guild matters with them.
Eventually, the conversation naturally flowed into the topic of the recent Death Match.
Jo Jinho spoke.
"From what I’ve heard... Well, it’s closer to a rumor than actual information. Anyway, after Ma Dongho died last time, it seems Joo Eunhye really took a heavy hit."
Joo Eunhye.
A debuffer player known to be fourth in rank, following Ma Dongho in the hierarchy.
"Well, it’s only natural since it brought shame to the guild. I’m sure there was pressure from above, too."
Sanghyun bit his lip.
He didn’t think he had done anything to earn the Sun Guild’s resentment, so why were they so twisted?
Of course, Sanghyun had been close to the Eden Guild. He had close ties with key executives too.
But even so, how narrow-minded would one have to be to hate and resent someone over that?
Still, just because he thought that way, didn’t mean their twisted hearts would change.
Sanghyun had already expected the Sun Guild to become enemies the moment he killed Ma Dongho.
He was also aware that he had now become entangled in an irreparable grudge with Joo Eunhye, who was deeply involved in the matter.
It was unfair.
But it wasn’t like he could stupidly let Ma Dongho kill him either, so he fought with all he had—and won.
Shin Taeri added.
"Joo Eunhye might come out herself for revenge. Of course, she won’t come alone."
Due to the inherent limitations of being a debuffer, direct killing was difficult for her.
But if she could handle just one good "blade" well, a debuffer could be deadly to the one on the receiving end.
That’s because she could break down all defensive mechanisms first, and then attack in a severely weakened state.
There’s a reason why they say: a debuffer is above a buffer, and even above a tank.
Because debuff skills can ultimately strip away all forms of fortification, making them fatal.
Sanghyun replied.
"I was prepared for that. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to just die for them, right? If I want to live, I have to kill. I’ll keep it simple."
That’s how it had always been.
He had never tried to kill anyone without a reason, but those who had tried to kill him were punished.
Tory and Nietzsche (Park Jungmin), likely already in the afterlife, were prime examples.
If Joo Eunhye wanted to follow in the footsteps of her fellow fallen senior(?), she was welcome to.
Right at that moment—
"Huh?"
Shin Taeri stretched her finger forward, as if she had spotted someone. Jo Jinho flinched in surprise too.
‘Sword Saint Jeong Heeseon.’
Sanghyun recognized her as well.
Right next to her stood a man glaring at them like he wanted to devour the world with his eyes.
Jeong Yunhak. Jeong Heeseon’s loyal retainer, someone who would give his life for her.
"Wow! Am I really seeing three famous faces here all at once? This is such a beautiful picture!"
Jeong Heeseon waved energetically toward them.
Judging by her expression, it seemed she was already acquainted with Shin Taeri and Jo Jinho.
Though it was Sanghyun’s first time meeting her, thanks to his memories from his previous life, she felt very familiar.
"Was it Shin Sanghyun, right? I watched the recent Death Match video! You were amazing!"
Jeong Heeseon extended her hand for a handshake.
She didn’t extend her hand to Shin Taeri and Jo Jinho, only exchanging glances as a form of greeting.
In fact, Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri didn’t look particularly pleased.
They recognized her, but their eyes said they didn’t want to be involved. There was a subtle hint of disdain.
"It’s an honor to meet a swordsman player I admire so much in person."
Sanghyun greeted Jeong Heeseon while wondering if he’d always been such a good liar.
The truth was, he didn’t know all that much about Jeong Heeseon.
In his previous life’s memories, she was the most opportunistic among the five named swordsmen.
She had a blurry sense of good and evil, and was extremely passionate about managing her reputation and fame.
If needed, she wouldn’t hesitate to use her friendly journalists to inflate positive stories or suppress scandals.
"I’m the one honored! I hope you grow even faster and break the current mold! Isn’t it boring how the same Top 5 swordsmen names are recycled like old soup?"
It sounded like she was whining, but if you read between the lines, she was just bragging.
After all, she was highlighting her own status.
Since she was the weakest among the named five swordsmen, for Sanghyun, she was a more attainable goal.
Sanghyun replied plainly.
"I’ll do my best."
Maybe because he remained consistently humble, Jeong Heeseon seemed to get into a better mood. She left one unexpectedly deep piece of advice even though it was their first meeting.
"It’s better not to make too many enemies. There are more players who don’t welcome the rise of latecomers than those who do."
"……."
Was she talking about another player? Or was it a roundabout way of expressing her own feelings?
Sanghyun let out a faint smile at her ambiguous advice.
He had never made enemies.
It was always others who made up reasons to treat him like one and force themselves into conflict.
His first encounter with Dokgo Yoon hadn’t been pleasant either. Was this meeting with Jeong Heeseon going down the same path?