The Player Who Stands Above All

Chapter 192

Pajik-

Cheon Yuhwa pressed down on the bulging vein on her forehead and glared at Lee Shin.

"How about you stop using your hand tricks unless you want your wrist to fly off?"

"Hmm? Why do you think I'm using hand tricks? Isn't it just that you're terribly bad at it?"

Unlike the content of his words, which seemed to not understand, Lee Shin's lips were curled up so much that even a fool could notice, openly mocking Cheon Yuhwa.

At that sly answer, Cheon Yuhwa gritted her teeth with a grinding sound.

"The joker keeps coming to my hand, and you pass the joker to me as soon as you get it. Do you think this is a normal situation!"

"Do you have proof? It could just be that your luck is terrible."

"It's always the culprit who nitpicks about proof!"

"Ah, so do you have proof~"

"…What is this?"

While Lee Shin and Cheon Yuhwa were bickering and fighting over the cards, Crowley, who had finished his experiment, entered the room.

Thanks to that, the two's argument fell into a temporary lull, and Irehgue, who had been secretly telling Cheon Yuhwa the cards from behind, also finished his role and returned to his designated seat on top of Lee Shin's head.

Crowley, who had accepted the situation, let out a small sigh.

"Hah, you always bring trouble with you. If you want to play with your friend, use a different place, not the guild master's office."

"We're not friends."

"Even a bad friend is a friend."

Crowley, who had nonchalantly retorted Cheon Yuhwa's blunt words, sat down and looked at Lee Shin.

"So, the guy who disappeared saying he was going on vacation suddenly appears in my room and is playing cards?"

"Ah, this? I came here to steal a few things, but she caught me. Thanks to that, I couldn't run away and I'm stuck here like this."

At Lee Shin's words, Crowley, for a rare moment, had a slightly foolish expression.

"Why… did you make such a choice? Couldn't you think of buying or borrowing? No, at the very least, did you think of targeting another guild?"

"Hmm, it would be funny if I suddenly came to buy things after saying I'd see you in a month, right? And it's famous that [Meister]'s items are of the best quality, so there's no need to go to a place below that."

Crowley learned for the first time today that even the same compliment could sound so annoying depending on who said it.

Crowley stared at Lee Shin for a moment, then turned his head to Cheon Yuhwa.

"Do I have to believe this nonsense right now?"

"It's a foolish thing to say, but it's true. If I hadn't been here, that guy probably would have robbed the warehouse."

"…You sound strangely confident. Did I get done in by this guy like this in the original future too?"

"Not in this way, but you did get done in."

At Cheon Yuhwa's words, Crowley placed a hand on his head as if he had a headache.

"I should strengthen the security system… Then, I'm thinking of beating this guy up and handing him over to the police, so can you move aside?"

"Oh-ho! You can't do that. I'm here as a guest right now."

"You failed to steal the items, so now you're going to act like a guest?"

"I'm the type to think that there should be a second plan in case the first plan fails."

Although it was a statement that Crowley, as an alchemist, agreed with, hearing it in this way made him feel strangely reluctant to admit it.

As if understanding Crowley's feelings, Cheon Yuhwa said in a voice mixed with a sigh.

"I understand how you feel, but please bear with it a little longer. I still have something to get from him."

"Something to get?"

"Why he's suddenly preparing items like this… I absolutely have to know."

At Cheon Yuhwa's words, Crowley's head, which had been heated with annoyance, felt as if it were cooling down.

Although he didn't want to admit it, Lee Shin was strong.

The spear he wielded was sharp, and his techniques were flashy, catching people's eyes.

The killing intent he emitted made his enemies shrink, and the single blow that came out from within it, aiming for their lives, made their blood run cold.

That was why they couldn't be careless in a fight with Lee Shin, even though they were clearly at a higher level.

But now, such a Lee Shin suddenly wants to receive items?

For what purpose?

Crowley, whose thoughts had reached that point, unconsciously looked at Lee Shin.

At that, Lee Shin chuckled and said.

"Because from now on, I have to fight guys who are incomparably stronger than before. So I'm just trying to build up my strength a little more before then."

Lee Shin said that and looked at Crowley.

"Come to think of it, it's a good thing. Since I'm here, help me with my equipment. You're good at this kind of thing."

"I know roughly about you and your fighting style, but it's impossible. To match equipment, you basically have to know about that person in detail."

"Really?"

Lee Shin, who had said that, said nonchalantly while eating a snack.

"Then I'll share it with you."

"…You'll share it?"

"Yes, whether it's skills, status, or information about the items I have, everything."

At Lee Shin's words, not only Crowley, but also Cheon Yuhwa looked at him with a surprised face.

Because telling all the information about oneself was not just exposing one's weaknesses, but telling them how to defeat oneself.

"It seems the situation is much more serious than I thought."

"That's right. To be honest, even if I get the equipment, the probability of me losing and dying is greater than the probability of me winning."

Lee Shin, who had said that, looked at Crowley.

"How about it? Are you willing to help me with this much?"

"Hah, it seems I have no choice."

Crowley muttered in a low voice, wiped his monocle once, and then looked at Lee Shin.

At that quiet permission, Lee Shin called up his status window and told him the numbers written there one by one.

[Status]

Name: Lee Shin

Level: 4

First Path: Mad Dragon

Second Path: Ghost

Strength IV: 117

Agility IV: 143

Sense IV: 132

Intelligence IV: 113

Internal Energy: 170

"Ha, really…"

"Hmm…"

Cheon Yuhwa and Crowley, who had heard Lee Shin's status, looked at the numbers with a dumbfounded expression.

"I thought it would be like this, but his status is truly unique."

"I can't understand it. What on earth did you do to create this kind of status?"

At the two's words, Lee Shin answered nonchalantly.

"I made it by self-harming."

"What, self-harming?"

As Cheon Yuhwa asked back with a surprised face, Lee Shin looked at her with a 'what's with her' expression, then told her the skills he had, such as [Mad Dragon], [Regeneration], [Thousand Poisons Immunity], and [Ghost], and then explained how he had raised his status.

Because it wasn't the kind of thing that could be copied just by knowing it.

"Crazy bastard."

"He's crazy."

That was their reaction after he explained it.

-There's nothing new, and it's not wrong, so what's the big deal.

'In Korea, there's something called defamation by stating facts.'

When Lee Shin answered Irehgue's words like that, Crowley, who had been quietly organizing Lee Shin's words on paper next to him, said.

"Are you not going to talk about the martial arts side?"

"Hmm? Do I have to talk about the martial arts side too? Unlike skills, I thought it would be a bit complicated to refer to, so I didn't say it."

At Lee Shin's words, Crowley thought for a moment and then said.

"No, it seems it's fine not to talk about the martial arts side. I have the data I obtained while fighting you, so I can just use that as a basis…"

"No, talk about the martial arts too. Write it down in detail, including the incantations."

The moment Crowley was about to answer that it would be fine, Cheon Yuhwa said.

"That part requires a paid payment, so give it up."

"Even if you didn't say that, I was planning on paying the price properly, so just hurry up and say it."

Cheon Yuhwa said that and took something out from her bosom and showed it to Lee Shin.

"What's that?"

"It's the heart method of the martial art Yeonhwa is learning."

At Cheon Yuhwa's words, Lee Shin's gaze changed.

Like a lion aiming for its prey.

And that change was clearly visible in Cheon Yuhwa's eyes, which were observing Lee Shin.

At that, Cheon Yuhwa gently shook the book in her hand as if to tempt him.

"You felt it too when you fought Yeonhwa before, right? That Yeonhwa's martial art can complement the lacking parts of your martial art."

"I did feel it."

Although he was half in a state of selflessness, he could clearly feel it in his spar with Yeonhwa.

That if he devoured the martial art unfolding in front of him, he could achieve great growth.

"So explain the martial art you're learning from beginning to end in as much detail as possible. If you explain it well, I'll give you this in return."

Cheon Yuhwa had no intention of missing this opportunity.

Although she felt a little sorry for Yeonhwa, Cheon Yuhwa wanted to uncover the secret of the heart method that Lee Shin had been refusing to talk about since the future.

For a moment, a power struggle occurred between Lee Shin and Cheon Yuhwa.

Grin-

And for a rare moment, the one who backed down first in that power struggle was Lee Shin.

"You're planning on telling Yeonhwa and the others as soon as I tell you about my martial art, right."

At Lee Shin's words, Cheon Yuhwa nodded her head without a moment's hesitation.

"Of course. Judging by the fact that you're preparing for this by giving up everything, I don't think anything ordinary will come out. Whatever it is, I'll make all the preparations I can."

Cheon Yuhwa, who had said that, looked at Lee Shin and smiled widely, just as he always did.

"Why, are you scared that you'll be defeated if your heart method is researched?"

At the blatant provocation, Lee Shin also looked at Cheon Yuhwa with a wide smile.

"You're certainly good at business, since you're from a business family. No, should I say provocation?"

Lee Shin said that and then grabbed the pen on the table.

"Crowley, sorry, but give me some more paper."

"Here you go."

Simultaneously with Lee Shin speaking, Crowley placed a notebook on the table.

"You carry a notebook in your inventory?"

"Most mages do. Because you can't just let a good idea slip away when it comes to you."

Lee Shin, thinking to himself that Crowley also didn't seem normal, quietly lifted the pen and moved it over the paper.

Utuk-

The moment it went over the white paper, Lee Shin's hand, which had been moving well, stopped.

'…Come to think of it, I don't really have anything that could be called an incantation for my heart method.'

Although he had learned numerous heart methods and had created the current [Flame Lightning Tree Divine Art] based on that experience, the process had mainly used his body's instincts rather than his head.

Since he had created the heart method like that, his body automatically remembered how to operate the heart method, and therefore, Lee Shin had not felt the need to create a separate incantation, so he hadn't made one.

In other words, for Lee Shin to get out of this situation, he had to write down the incantation for his heart method on the spot.

'To think I'd suddenly feel the pain of creation like this.'

-An unexpected obstacle. What are you going to do?

'…There's only one answer.'

"Crowley."

"Why do you call?"

"Sorry, but bring me a large amount of paper."

Lee Shin said that and quietly began to move his pen.

But it was not something organized like an incantation, but just pouring out what came to his mind in no particular order.

'If there's no incantation, I just have to make one.'

And so, Lee Shin began to scribble letters on the paper like a madman.

Cheon Yuhwa, who had been watching the scene, which was like a child who had held a pen and paper for the first time scribbling, for a moment, chuckled as she realized something.

'I was wondering why he was so adamant about not telling me, but now that I see it, it makes sense that he would say he wouldn't tell me.'

"How can you not even know the incantation of the heart method you're learning?"

Wince-

"Shut up. It's not like I'm going to take on a disciple, so there's no reason for me to make this."

Cheon Yuhwa, who had won an argument with Lee Shin for the first time, chuckled leisurely and watched him wield the pen.

"Tsk…"

At that, Lee Shin clicked his tongue in annoyance, but he silently moved his pen, wanting to get out of this situation even a little faster.

While contemplating how to express his martial art, everything he had learned so far, in writing.

(End of Chapter)