novelraw Chapter 130 : Chapter 130
Chapter 130 : Chapter 130
Chapter 130: Entry
THUD-
I sat on the bench as if collapsing.
My lungs heaved uncontrollably.
This training, without fail, felt like death.
‘Kang Mooseong, you’re too persistent.’
I swung the sword for an hour on the platform.
Using skills the entire time.
Thanks to that, it might have been extreme training.
But the problem is that my body feels like it's going to collapse before anything else.
Just when I was barely maintaining consciousness with shallow breaths.
Something cold touched the back of my hand.
“Jinwoo! Drink this.”
What touched my hand was a cold energy drink can.
The one who handed it over was Lee Junhyeok.
“Ha, thanks.”
I opened the lid and gulped it down immediately.
It was cool enough to make me numb.
This is life.
As I was emptying the drink ceaselessly like that, Lee Junhyeok looked at my sword intently and said.
“I knew you were amazing from the start, but today I was especially surprised. How did you create such an upright sword momentum?”
Lee Junhyeok asked with shining eyes.
Extreme excitement and interest were reflected in his Eye of Deception.
It was just like a sword maniac who couldn't help himself when it came to matters related to swords.
But to be surprised by an upright sword momentum, Lee Junhyeok shouldn't be at a level to be surprised by that much.
“You’re the one who does it well.”
“Not at all.”
Lee Junhyeok answered firmly to my words.
Then, holding the sword, he took a stance.
WHOOSH-!
A single line cleanly cut through the air.
“I’m only this good.”
Lee Junhyeok shrugging his shoulders.
‘What’s the difference?’
In my eyes, it looked flawless.
Because it was precise and clean.
“It’s clean though?”
When I said it as it was, Lee Junhyeok calmly shook his head.
“The trajectory of the sword passing through, the flow of power, and body balance……. There are several factors to consider even in a single slash.”
Lee Junhyeok's characteristic old-man-like speech pattern activated again.
“If you focus on one, others go awry. Just like now.”
Lee Junhyeok swung the sword again.
But this time, I strangely seemed to understand what he meant.
‘……Shoulder.’
A feeling that the shoulder went down slightly more than before.
Was that the problem?
“Was balance the problem just now?”
“Correct. That minute error creates a big difference.”
Lee Junhyeok, who put away his sword, sat down next to me with a thud.
Soon, with a serious expression, he asked me.
“Jinwoo, what do you think about when you swing the sword?”
What do I think about?
At the sudden question, no thought came to mind.
“……I don't think.”
Since the skill does everything anyway, what would I think about?
If I had to recall something, there are skill names.
Like ‘Single Flash’, if I shout it inwardly, it acts as a trigger and goes out well immediately.
“You don't think?”
Wait, don't tell me this guy Lee Junhyeok asked me for advice just now.
The subtly heavy atmosphere was unusual.
Just when I was about to feel a bit embarrassed.
Lee Junhyeok's pupils dilated slightly.
“That might be the answer.”
Lee Junhyeok said quietly as if he realized something by himself and stood up from his seat.
‘This bastard, what on earth did he realize?’
The words I said were just meaningless sounds.
Would swinging without thinking be proper advice?
Rather, if I could give advice, I would say this.
‘Pick up a gun. Lee Junhyeok.’
Your real talent is not the sword but a super-large rifle.
Then perfect performance would come out with a state of no-mind.
This is real.
Even in the game, to cultivate Lee Junhyeok properly, you have to equip a gun in the weapon slot.
‘Well, there’s an opportunity later.’
Later, during the school festival, the Weapon Production Club opens a booth where you can experience various weapons.
If I take Lee Junhyeok there once and induce him to experience a gun, converting him afterwards will proceed smoothly.
“……Tsk.”
A faint sound of tongue-clicking was heard from somewhere.
It didn't seem like a sound made to be heard, but it was directed towards me.
When I turned my head, I immediately made eye contact with a guy.
The identity of the low tongue-clicking sound and intense gaze was Seo Seungbeom.
Recently, he hasn't particularly picked a direct fight.
He only glared or blatantly exuded hostility.
Looks like he's testing the waters.
He will probably crash into me once someday, since he's that kind of guy.
When he starts some action, I just have to feed him a counter-fuck.
Just as I was about to roughly ignore it and move on.
‘……Is he not looking at me?’
Suddenly, a sense of incongruity flashed.
Seo Seungbeom's gaze seemed to be watching my side rather than looking at me.
‘Lee Junhyeok?’
Of course, he is also glaring at me often.
If calculated by ratio, about 8:2. 8 is Lee Junhyeok and 2 is me.
‘It’s not like he’s jealous or anything…….’
[Seo Seungbeom]
[Irritation, Jealousy, Sense of Inferiority]
He is jealous, right?
The Window of Deception conveyed the truth.
Come to think of it, the rivalry between Seo Seungbeom and Lee Junhyeok originally existed.
To be exact, it's a composition where Seo Seungbeom alone considers Lee Junhyeok a rival.
Taking it a step further, Seo Seungbeom is a guy who takes pride with the mindset of ‘Lee Junhyeok’s only rival is me.’
That's why the sight of Lee Junhyeok discussing swords with me seemed offensive to him.
‘Crazy in very diverse ways.’
The human mind is truly unknowable.
“Are you planning to go straight to the dormitory?”
Meanwhile, Lee Junhyeok asked me while packing his things.
“No, stopping by the club.”
If I had my way, I'd want to go into my room like this and sprawl out, but I had plans.
Because I had business at Zero Times.
“Then I’ll get going first. Thanks for the advice.”
“……I never gave advice though.”
“You did. Very helpful advice at that.”
Lee Junhyeok smiling broadly.
What kind of advice did he take from my words that I swing without thinking?
With a satisfied expression, Lee Junhyeok left the training room.
Seo Seungbeom, whose expression was openly crumpled, left the training ground as if chasing after Lee Junhyeok.
“Seungbeom! Wait for us!”
“I haven't finished organizing yet!”
Behind him, his gang followed closely like chicks following a hen.
Is this also youth if called youth?
I don't know.
***
That evening.
I walked slowly along the quiet corridor.
7th floor of Zero's Academic Hall, a secluded corner corridor.
I didn't see even a glimpse of a person on the way.
On the sparsely populated corridor.
‘……15 steps.’
I stopped walking.
To the side, an unremarkable white wall stretched long.
‘Is it around here?’
Since only the same wall stretched out, I was half in doubt.
However, the method to check if it was the correct destination was simple.
I took out my press pass and lightly tapped it on the wall.
RIPPLE-
Simultaneously, wave-like ripples spread on the wall surface as if a stone was thrown onto water.
A circular line formed by a hologram spread out for a while, then created a thick line on the outside.
Before I knew it, a completed square frame.
The wall surface protruded and took the form of a door.
WHIRR-
With a low mechanical sound, what used to be a wall began to open smoothly.
‘Correct.’
As soon as the hidden door was revealed, I stepped inside immediately.
The moment I stepped inside, looking back, the previous door had vanished without a trace.
The inside was a small lobby structure.
There was one front desk in the front.
Standing beyond that was a guide robot in a neat suit.
As I approached the robot, a red scanner light scanned me.
BEEP-!
“Trainee Journalist Ryu Jinwoo confirmed! Welcome!”
The robot welcomed with a cheerful voice.
This is the club room of Zero Times.
So-called club room.
And as the robot said, I was currently a Trainee Journalist.
It can be called the lowest grade.
But it didn't matter.
Because I came here today to become an Official Journalist.
Before going to Jeju Island, I was already in a situation where I would become an Official Journalist if I wrote one more article.
And I wrote and sent that last article from Jeju Island.
It was a reportage article dealing with the Hero Land incident.
As of yesterday, the article was officially distributed.
Thanks to that, the performance was achieved, and Zero Times called me directly.
WHIRR-
The door leading to the left corridor opened.
What revealed itself was a man with sea-blue hair wearing a Zero uniform.
Zero Times' Deputy Bureau Chief, Jin Cheonglim.
He looked somewhat lethargic as if lacking spirit, yet relaxed.
“Long time no see.”
“Jinwoo, you’re back? Aren't you tired?”
“I am tired.”
Since I returned from Jeju Island, stayed up almost all night, and even went through hellish training.
I felt like I would sleep if I closed my eyes.
“Haha, don't worry. I won't hold you for long. By the way…….”
Jin Cheonglim looked closely at my training bag.
He seemed to be looking for something.
“What is it?”
When I asked, Jin Cheonglim answered.
“Wondering if you forgot, as expected.”
Forgot?
What is he talking about?
At that moment when doubt flashed.
‘Don't tell me.’
It suddenly came to mind.
“Ah! What you asked for…….”
I couldn't continue speaking.
The items Jin Cheonglim asked me to get before going to Jeju Island.
He even gave me the memo itself.
‘Totally forgot.’
As soon as I went, I ran the Olle Trail, almost died in the Ultra-High Heat Bulgama, and the Hero Land incident overlapped with the exam.
It was understandable to forget…… as an excuse, but I completely forgot the request of a direct senior in the club.
‘I’m fucked.’
An unexpected landmine exploded.
I looked at Jin Cheonglim with my mouth open.
He burst into laughter, PUHAHA!
“Don't worry! I have no intention to blame you. There were many incidents and accidents, right? It’s understandable to forget.”
Jin Cheonglim patted my shoulder and continued.
“Above all, I have absolutely no intention of embarrassing the new Ace over such a trivial matter.”
While telling me it's okay, he naturally attached a peculiar title.
“Ace?”
“Yeah, for now, can you give me your press pass for a moment?”
I held out the press pass, and Jin Cheonglim took it, inserted it into a square machine, and touched the screen.
A sign indicating upgrade in progress appeared.
“Because it seems a big-shot journalist has been born.”
“Yes?”
“Think about it. From your first article, you experienced the expo terror scene directly and wrote a reportage, right? On top of that, the Hero Land incident this time.”
Jin Cheonglim's eyes sparkled with interest.
“You are the first in the history of Zero Times to handle such big incidents in succession while being a trainee journalist.”
As he tapped the watch on his wrist, a hologram window popped up.
[Nevertheless, Hero Land Did Not Collapse.]
It was the title of the reportage article I wrote.
I was slightly embarrassed.
Feeling like reading a diary together.
“Did you know that established media rushed to reference your article regarding this incident? Thousands of articles cited your writing. A vivid record experienced directly by a cadet. The photos included in the article were perfect too. It had no choice but to be popular.”
I had no idea.
“Thanks to that, it was helpful financially too. Haha, is it a bit much to talk about this?”
Not at all.
Money talk isn't bad. Rather, it's good.
“A part of the profit will go to you too at the end of the month. The information fee is quite salty, so you can look forward to it.”
There's an information fee?
And a salty one at that?
It's an element not implemented in the original game.
To think there are cases where reality is better than the game.
“So forget about the trivial items. I’m saying please take care of things in the future too. As expected, you seem to have a talent for attracting incidents.”
I wonder if that is indeed a good talent.
But being recognized and even receiving money is definitely a good thing.
“Congratulations on becoming an Official Journalist.”
Jin Cheonglim handed a handshake along with the press pass.
DING-!
[Tactical Manual]
[Promoted to Official Journalist of Zero Times.]
[Acquired 50,000 SP and ‘Official Press Pass’ as performance reward.]
Recognized, paid, and even SP?
It became a very good experience.
DING-!
[Passive Skill ‘Reporter’s Sense’ is enhanced.]
[Access authority of ‘Press Pass’ is improved. Acquired B-Class Access Pass effect.]
[As an Official Journalist, you can enter ‘MacGuffin’.]
Additional benefits obtained by becoming an Official Journalist continued.
Among them, what stood out was MacGuffin that appeared at the end.
‘Shall I check if it’s the same as in the game first.’
A place I will be frequenting often from now on.
The best space to obtain information within the Academy.
It was also the root of how Zero Times could be the center of information.
Besides, there are things I'm curious about and things that would be good to check once more in advance.
‘Regarding the Moonlight Stone too.’
Since I thought of it, I immediately asked him to explain MacGuffin, pretending not to know.
“Senior, it’s written in the press pass authority, what is this ‘MacGuffin’ entry function?
“Are your instincts good? Or did you already know? I’m curious. You grasped the most important thing immediately.”
As I asked, pointing at the word with my finger, Jin Cheonglim's blue eyes narrowed as if amused.
“I think it would be better for you to go and check it yourself. Since you’ll be using it often from now on.”
CLAP CLAP-
He clapped his hands twice.
FIZZ-
Then, the ceiling lights turned off one by one, and the entire lobby became dim.
Following that, faint hologram lines appeared on the wall surface behind the guide robot, which was standing with its back to it.
“From here on, only Official Journalists or higher can enter.”
Jin Cheonglim placed his palm on the wall.
The watch, press pass, and his biometric information were recognized simultaneously, and a signal beeped.
WHIRR-
Soon, the hidden door slid sideways and opened.
Electronic sounds spread out quietly along with cool air from beyond.
“Shall we go?”
Jin Cheonglim pointed with his thumb and stepped inside.
I also took a step towards the dim passage.