The Player Who Stands Above All

Chapter 36

"It's been a while."

"It certainly has been a while since we've met and talked like this. Well, in reality, today is the first time. Ah, what should I call you? Should I call you Mumyeong (Nameless)?"

"Call me Yeonhwa (Lotus Flower). I have no desire to attract unnecessary attention, and that's my real name."

"Alright."

Cheon Yuhwa replied, smiling faintly.

And Kim Jae-hyun, standing slightly behind her, looked at Yeonhwa, who was speaking to her at eye level, with fascination.

He had served as her secretary since she was young, and thus had spent most of his time with her.

As a result, he naturally came to know how people reacted when they met her.

Usually, when people met her, not only people of a similar age, but even those older than her, could not treat her as an equal.

She was the daughter of the chairman of the Samcheon Group, the number one conglomerate in Korea, and she had a more radiant appearance than others since she was young.

Above all, she was born with the charisma to naturally encompass all of that.

But now, a man who exuded a similar atmosphere to her had appeared.

Curiosity naturally flowed from his eyes as he looked at Yeonhwa.

'A sword... I see.'

The cold yet sharp atmosphere that Yeonhwa exuded was similar to the unique energy that a sword emits, and the decadent feeling beneath it was like the appearance of a blood-soaked sword.

'This is the martial artist who rose to the position of a [King], the pinnacle of players, with just one sword. The Sword King, Mumyeong.'

As he was thinking various things about Yeonhwa inwardly, she and Yeonhwa were moving on to the main topic of their conversation.

"We've already roughly decided over the phone, but is there anything else you want to say?"

"No. I contacted you for that one thing in the first place."

At Yeonhwa's words, she smiled in satisfaction and extended a hand toward him.

"Good, it's a simple matter for me, so don't worry. I've prepared it much more perfectly than you think."

Yeonhwa said, shaking her hand.

"I'll trust you. At least you've never broken a promise."

She smiled faintly at his words.

"Right, so you have to move well as you promised too."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The two let go of their hands after those words.

Yeonhwa turned her back and went into her house, and she watched him for a moment, then took a candy out of her pocket and put it in her mouth.

"I didn't know because he always covered his face in the game, but that's what Mumyeong-nim looked like."

"Well, it was my first time seeing his face in reality today too."

She said, teasingly.

"How is he? He's much prettier than you thought, right?"

Pretty.

It wasn't an appropriate expression to use for a man, but he found it hard to deny her words and nodded.

Not only his flawless, fair skin, but also his light purple hair.

Even if Yeonhwa had introduced himself as a woman instead of a man, he would have nodded and moved on.

"Well, anyway, since it's been handled well, let's go back to where the cats are when he comes out. It seems it's about time for the people who entered the dungeon to come out."

"Yes, I understand."

As the two were talking, Yeonhwa, who had gone into the house, came out with a woman.

The woman with her long hair tied in one, looked a little older, but that rather made her look mature and gentle, a beauty.

"Ah, are those the people you were talking about last time?"

"Yes, that's right. They're my... friends."

Hearing Yeonhwa's words, she smiled faintly without realizing it.

Nostalgia was seeping into that small, leaking laugh.

'It's a scene I'm seeing again, but it's really awkward. When I first heard it, I couldn't believe such words would come out of that guy's mouth, so I just stood there with a blank expression.'

Mumyeong, who was called the Sword King in Pantheon, was famous for being a cold-hearted swordsman with few words.

Seeing him act like that, she once again realized that she had returned to the past.

-...

The future Yeonhwa didn't say anything and just focused on slaughtering monsters.

'I have to stop that from happening now.'

For Yeonhwa's sake, and to save the world, she had to do so.

Thinking so, she smiled at the woman who had come with Yeonhwa.

"Hello, mother. I'm Cheon Yuhwa, a friend of Yeonhwa. I've prepared a car, so you can get in the back seat."

"Oh, my. Hello, you're our Yeonhwa's friend?"

"Yes, we're close enough friends to be open about our requests."

"Oh, my."

Yeonhwa's mother, hearing her words, looked back and forth between Yeonhwa and her, her cheeks flushed with joy at the fact that her son had a friend.

She met her gaze and, at the same time, looked at Yeonhwa with a playful, teasing look.

"Haa..."

Yeonhwa breathed awkwardly in that situation.

He had been one-upped by her, but he couldn't say anything.

It was he himself who had introduced her as a friend to ease his mother's anxiety.

***

"Hoo..."

"Ah, you're back! Here's some water."

"Welcome back! Are there any injured? Oh? There are! Three of them!"

"Supporter team! Everyone except those preparing meals, gather here quickly!"

As soon as Choi Seok-ho and Shin Ye-eun's party returned, the supporters who had been waiting in front of the dungeon rushed over and began to hand them various things.

It was a movement so energetic it was a little burdensome, but the people in the party were all so tired that they didn't even have time to think about it.

"You're back."

"Hoo, that's right."

Although not as much as the party members, the two were also tired, so they drank the water they received from the supporters and sat down to rest.

"What happened to the other parties?"

"Ah, the parties of Team Leader Choi Seok-ho and Team Leader Shin Ye-eun arrived last, and all the other parties have arrived."

"Really?"

At the words of a passing supporter, Shin Ye-eun nodded calmly.

'It seems we were a little late. Should we have just not caught the last Black Jaguar and come back...'

As she was thinking so, Choi Seok-ho, who was next to her, grabbed a supporter and asked.

"What about the party led by the freelancer?"

"Ah, that party came first. No one was seriously injured, but I heard they're sleeping now because they came in so exhausted that they were all worn out."

"Is that so?"

Choi Seok-ho, hearing the supporter's words, looked back at the party he had led.

Even though he had stepped forward and blocked the attacks, a considerable number of players were injured.

'I have to get stronger.'

As he was strengthening his resolve, the players who had come out of the dungeon, except for those who were tired or injured, were all eating.

It was time for dinner, and they were hungry from using their strength in the dungeon.

"Wow, the food is delicious. It feels like we're camping."

"I know, right? The portions are generous, and it's not bad."

"Yeah, and they said there's still a lot left, so we can come get more if we're hungry."

Around the guild members who were eating, there were tents set up by the supporters, and honestly, from a distance, it felt more like they were camping than raiding a dungeon.

"So? You're not thinking of quitting being a supporter?"

Lee Shin was also eating the curry provided by [Wonderland] and talking to Eun Yeon-woo.

"Of course. Why should I do something so dangerous?"

"Hmm, but from what I see, you seem to have a talent for it. You know how much the difference in pay is between a supporter and a player, right?"

He tried to persuade him with his own logic, but he was a brick wall.

"Of course, and on top of that, I'm also well aware of how much the danger a player and a supporter face differs."

Nom-

"And back then, the reason I was able to react was only because my aura had blossomed in the direction of [Acceleration]."

"What I'm saying is that that's amazing."

"Anyway, I don't want to do dangerous things."

With those words, Eun Yeon-woo focused only on eating, as if he had nothing more to say, and he looked at Lee Shin for a moment and then fell into thought.

Feeling his gaze, Eun Yeon-woo gradually became anxious.

Although Eun Yeon-woo couldn't say he had moved with him for a long time, that short time was enough to grasp his personality.

'Ah, he's making that "it looks fun" expression again, he's probably going to keep bothering me.'

But Lee Shin acted differently from what he had thought.

"Alright, your feelings are important, so I'll give up too."

"...Really?"

"Of course."

Saying so, Lee Shin really focused only on eating, as if he wouldn't say anything more.

Seeing him like that, it was Eun Yeon-woo that became anxious.

'What is this? He's not the type to give up so easily.'

And as Eun Yeon-woo had expected, Lee Shin had no intention of giving up easily.

'From the looks of it, it seems he's like that because he has no particular reason to get stronger... Then I should just make him face a few life-threatening crises. Then he'll think he has to get stronger on his own.'

Lee Shin was eating and planning how to move him.

It wasn't that he had a reason to go to such lengths to make him stronger, but his perfect brick wall had lit a fire in something inside him.

"Mr. Lee Shin."

"Hmm?"

At that moment, someone called Lee Shin from behind.

At that, he turned around with a spoon in his mouth, and Kim Jae-hyun, who was wearing comfortable clothes instead of his usual suit, was standing there.

"The Guild Master is calling you regarding the spar."

At his words, Lee Shin smiled brightly as if genuinely happy, put down the food he was eating, and stood up.

"Where is it?"

"You can follow me."

"Ah, just a moment."

Lee Shin said, and was about to walk into the forest, but he grabbed him and looked at Eun Yeon-woo.

He was eating curry and looking at the two of them.

"What?"

"You come too."

"I'm eating right now."

"You can eat there too."

After a brief persuasion accompanied by a physical threat, Eun Yeon-woo was grabbed by his hand and stood up.

"Now, let's go."

"Yes."

Thus, the three of them left the place where the guild members were and entered the forest.

(End of Chapter)