The Player Who Stands Above All

Chapter 174

"But… that's not all, is it?"

Crowley's proposal was so good that it would make anyone's eyes widen.

It was Crowley, of all people.

The alchemist who stood at the pinnacle, respected by all alchemists in the world.

It was a proposal to give them a chance to try an artifact that Crowley himself had made, even if it was an experimental work.

Most people would probably nod their heads reflexively.

But those who heard Crowley's proposal thought the opposite.

It was that Lee Shin, of all people.

It was Lee Shin who would be sad if he were second to none in liking to torment others.

It was their thought that there was no way he would have called them just for the reason of preparing a good opportunity with that Lee Shin's personality.

"Is it a dangerous job by any chance?"

"Rather than dangerous, it's a painful job. Because the experiment basically proceeds with combat, so you don't know where or how you'll get hurt by the artifact."

At Eun Yeonwoo's direct question, Crowley also answered calmly without hiding anything.

Crowley said, pointing at Lee Shin with his finger.

"Personally, I recommend you refuse unless you're a crazy guy like that. Well, normally, I would have checked if your skills passed my standards before making such a proposal, but… this time, I'll just let it go for Lee Shin's sake."

Those who heard Crowley's words stared at Lee Shin with eyes that said, 'don't you have anything to say'.

"I said it at the airport, right? You guys seem to be used to fighting monsters to some extent, but you're lacking in fighting people."

"…You did say something similar to that."

"Yes, this is why I'm doing this now."

Pajijik-

Lee Shin, while saying that, unfolded the Lightning Ray Immortal Art in short succession and pierced the necks of Eun Yeonwoo, Lee Hyunseok, Lee Sieun, and Lee Jieun in order with his fingers.

Taak-!

At Lee Shin's sudden action, they were startled and distanced themselves from him.

At the same time, they gasped, imagining what would have happened if Lee Shin had done the same thing with a dagger instead of his fingers.

They couldn't do anything until their necks were pierced.

No, even though they were looking at Lee Shin with their own two eyes, they couldn't even see the moment he moved.

The survival sense they had accumulated while going through the dungeon break pounded their hearts roughly and urged them on.

Whether he knew of the change in the four or not, Lee Shin looked at them with his usual wide smile.

"It's annoying, so I just glossed over it with the words 'interpersonal combat', but to be more precise, you guys lack the skill to control or use your power. So even if you win against the monsters so far that just rush at you with force…"

Tuuk-

"You'll be easily taken down and killed by the cunning guys with working heads that will appear from now on."

At Lee Shin's gesture of tapping his own neck with the side of his hand, they couldn't say anything.

"Because you lack the skill to use your power, a lot of power is wasted. You're not good at fighting with numbers either, so your movements get bigger."

Lee Shin pointed out the parts they needed to fix one by one and then smiled.

"…Are you telling us to do this to solve those problems?"

"To summarize, that's about it. For reference, I'm not forcing you to do this."

After saying that, Lee Shin looked at them with eyes that said, 'what are you going to do'.

"Hah, I guess we have no choice."

At their answer, Lee Shin pointed at Crowley with his finger with a wide smile.

"For reference, the method of the experiment will be for all of you to fight Crowley while armed with his artifacts."

"All of us, fully armed?"

Lee Hyunyoung, who had heard Lee Shin's words, covered her mouth with one hand in surprise and looked at Crowley.

"Puhahaha!!!"

Lee Shin, who saw that, laughed to the point of tears and said.

Because he had seen worry arise in their eyes as they looked at Crowley.

"It seems they're worried about hurting you."

At Lee Shin's words, Crowley also chuckled.

That smile was mixed with a bit of ridicule, along with the generosity of looking at foolish children.

"Don't worry about me, just take care of your own bodies."

"Ah, yes…"

But even at Crowley's words, their gazes still held pity.

"Hah~ I guess it can't be helped~"

At that, Lee Shin smiled slyly at Crowley.

"It seems the kids will only be convinced if you show them your skills a little."

At Lee Shin's words, Crowley's impression frowned slightly.

"You were aiming for this from the beginning."

"And if I was?"

"I'll refuse."

Even at Crowley's words, Lee Shin opened his mouth with a sly smile.

"Hey, don't be like that. You must have wanted to test the new artifact you made anyway, right? You know better than anyone that a cooperative experiment partner like me is rare."

Crowley couldn't deny Lee Shin's words, so he let out a small sigh.

It seemed that if it were Lee Shin, he would say it was fun even after dying and coming back to life from an artifact, and would tell him the detailed improvements of the artifact with a smiling face.

Crowley, who had heard Lee Shin's words, stared at him for a moment and then let out a small sigh.

"It will be short. The spar will end as soon as the experiment on the artifact I have is over."

"Do as you please. But if you say that and it's below expectations, it won't just end with disappointment."

***

At Lee Shin's words, Crowley let out another small sigh.

To be honest, Crowley was also almost certain that the situation would flow like this.

Because the Lee Shin he had seen so far would not have gone to another place obediently without fighting once.

'Still, I was hoping it would pass without any incident if possible.'

Crowley muttered that to himself and took out the equipment he had prepared in his inventory and put it on.

Watching that, Lee Shin smiled widely.

"What, you were already expecting it and were prepared."

"If I couldn't even predict the thoughts of a simple guy like you, I wouldn't have been able to make complicated artifacts."

Crowley said that and lightly straightened his clothes and checked his equipment.

A golden monocle that had become a symbol of Crowley, thanks to him wearing it every day without fail.

A luxurious coat with a white base and gold points, where the two colors mixed harmoniously.

"Hmm…"

But Lee Shin was not looking at the monocle that Crowley had obtained as a ranking reward or the coat that boasted of a defense like a castle wall using numerous magic stones, but at the pair of pure white gloves on Crowley's hands.

"What, you took my idea and used it without saying anything to me, the idea provider?"

"It's the opposite."

Cheolkeok-

Crowley said that and held a gun that looked similar to a Desert Eagle in each hand.

"It's a work made with my idea, not yours. The one glove you're wearing now is a guy made by picking out only the things you mentioned from the ideas I had."

Crowley said in a cold voice, as if telling him not to say such a thing again.

"But why do I only have a right-hand glove and you have both?"

"You're asking the obvious."

Crowley said that and aimed the muzzles of the guns he was holding at Lee Shin.

"Because one glove was enough to put in the performance you wanted, but both were needed to put in the performance I wanted."

Taang-!

Simultaneously with finishing his words, Crowley fired his gun.

"Really?"

Hwoooong-!

Lee Shin, with a smiling face as if he had expected it, took out the [Yagong] he had put in his inventory and swung it gently.

At that, the Yagong cut the bullet that had been fired at Lee Shin's head in half.

"Then can I have some expectations?"

Crowley's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the sight of the Yagong held in Lee Shin's hand.

At Crowley's appearance, Lee Shin lightly held out the Yagong and said.

"It's a new one I got this time, it looks good, doesn't it?"

"Certainly, it's meaningless to even compare it to a masterpiece made by a decent craftsman."

Crowley said that and touched his monocle, [The Eye of the One-Eyed Giant].

[The Eye of the One-Eyed Giant], which had grown to the Epic grade after going through many things, was showing Crowley.

That although it was still a little lacking, the thing held in Lee Shin's hand was also an object that held a potential that was on par with his own.

'It's going to be trickier than I thought.'

But contrary to that thought, a faint smile was already playing on Crowley's lips.

Crowley didn't particularly enjoy combat.

But the situation was a little different now.

Because as a researcher, it was always exciting to test his own things.

'It's going to be an interesting experiment.'

Woong-

As if he had heard Crowley's thoughts, Lee Shin held a spear in his hand using [Black Room], just as Crowley had taken out a pistol a moment ago.

Pajijijik-!

-Flame Lightning Tree God Spear

-Lightning

-300 Branches.

Simultaneously with Lee Shin holding the spear, the lightning made a loud noise, wrapped around the spear like a rose vine, and dyed it golden, and at the same time, he twisted his body and threw the spear he was holding at Crowley.

"What is that…!"

"That human!"

The onlookers were astonished as they watched the spear, which was flying, radiating a golden light, aiming precisely at Crowley's stomach, as if he had no intention of going easy.

Crowley was a mage.

And among them, he was an alchemist, who was called a non-combat class.

Logically, a one-on-one fight between a mage and a swordsman is disadvantageous for the mage.

If a mage is treated like that, there's no way a fight between an alchemist and a swordsman would even be a topic of conversation.

That was natural.

Because in the first place, alchemy was a profession chosen by people who thought it was fun to go into a workshop and research various things.

In other words, to put it simply.

Jiiing-!

The sight Crowley was showing now was completely destroying the common sense they had.

"Hmm, it's just at the level of changing the trajectory, so the output is lower than I thought. It needs some adjustment. But the coat's shock absorption rate is better than I thought."

The moment Lee Shin took out his spear and took a throwing stance, Crowley aimed his muzzle at him and put his finger on the trigger.

And the moment the spear left Lee Shin's hand, Crowley also pulled his trigger.

At that moment, a white beam of light shot out from Crowley's muzzle, collided with the spear Lee Shin had thrown, and twisted the trajectory of his spear.

It wasn't completely twisted, so the spear had reached Crowley, but that was because Crowley had been standing still.

While Crowley was calmly evaluating the artifact like that, the audience looked at him with astonished eyes.

It wasn't just that the artifact was powerful.

Because even if he had that artifact, it was Crowley who had aimed at the spear flying at his heart and pulled the trigger.

They recalled their thoughts from a moment ago and felt ashamed, and at the same time, they realized a little of the strength Crowley had.

They swallowed their saliva, indirectly feeling the weight of the name [King].

(End of Chapter)