The Player Who Stands Above All

Chapter 49

"For now, calm down. I was going to explain even if you didn't come out like that."

Even in the oppressive feeling of countless blades touching her neck, Cheon Yuhwa looked at Yeonhwa with a calm expression.

'This hedgehog-like guy.'

Because she knew that the reaction Yeonhwa was showing now was an instinctive threat that came out when he was flustered by a sudden situation.

As time passed in that state, as Cheon Yuhwa had expected, Yeonhwa slowly gathered the momentum he had been emitting toward Cheon Yuhwa and then bowed his head with a small sigh.

"I apologize. I'm sorry for suddenly doing this."

"It's fine. I expected something like this to happen when I came here."

Cheon Yuhwa said with her eyes slightly closed as usual and lightly sipped her coffee.

Yeonhwa, who had been looking at Cheon Yuhwa for a moment, closed his eyes and was lost in thought to organize his complicated feelings.

'What happened?'

But no matter how much he organized the situation, he couldn't understand the current situation.

Yeonhwa had never told anyone the name of the cultivation method he had created, let alone its incantations.

The name and incantations of the cultivation method that should only be in his head had appeared before him through Cheon Yuhwa.

And yet, he couldn't think that the incantations of the cultivation method written in the book Cheon Yuhwa had handed him were fake.

Because what was written on the page that had been turned over was clearly the incantations of the cultivation method he had created.

'No, on the contrary, it's a more complete incantation than the cultivation method I'm currently learning.'

As Yeonhwa was confused, Cheon Yuhwa asked him.

"Have you come to your senses to talk?"

"Haa, yes."

Seeing Yeonhwa clutching his forehead as if he had a headache, Cheon Yuhwa smiled slightly as if satisfied and nodded.

"First, it's true that I wrote the incantations of the cultivation method written in this notebook. The source of the information is my memory. But you won't be satisfied with just this explanation."

"......"

Yeonhwa answered with a flashing gaze.

Hoo~

Cheon Yuhwa, who had met Yeonhwa's eyes for a moment, let out a light breath.

Because she was a little nervous.

Although she had presented irrefutable evidence for what she was about to say, this alone could not perfectly prove her words.

But there was no choice to pass without saying it.

Because to change the future she remembered, it was not enough for her alone to grow.

Cheon Yuhwa pressed her chest with one hand to calm her trembling heart and then calmly opened her mouth.

"I have memories of what will happen in the future."

"...You foresaw the future?"

"No, it's more accurate to say that I came back to the past from the future. And what's in the notebook is what I wrote down after remembering the incantations that the future you created."

"......"

"......"

A strange silence fell between Cheon Yuhwa and Yeonhwa, and the two looked at each other as if searching.

"Hoo."

It was Yeonhwa who broke the silence first.

"Well, let's just move on for now."

"Uh... you believe me?"

Because it was much simpler than she had expected, Cheon Yuhwa said with a slightly bewildered face.

"I just moved on because the story wouldn't progress if I kept questioning it."

Yeonhwa said, drinking a little of the coffee that was on the table.

"Still, there's something I find hard to understand. Why did you know the incantations of my cultivation method?"

Was it because she had passed a big hurdle?

Cheon Yuhwa's voice was slightly lighter than before.

"The future you told me."

"I told you? Our relationship isn't deep enough for me to reveal my trump card to you as it is."

At Yeonhwa's words, Cheon Yuhwa gave an empty smile.

"Because it was a serious time where we could barely hold on by scraping together each other's trump cards."

Cheon Yuhwa recalled her past memories and slowly opened her mouth.

"As time passed, the players gradually couldn't keep up with the growth rate and increasing speed of the dungeons. Starting with a few countries, the countries gradually began to lose their functions due to the monsters, and thus society collapsed."

Sip-

"It's not impossible. I remember that the players who enjoyed Pantheon lightly only raised their level to about LV.2."

At Yeonhwa's words, Cheon Yuhwa, who had returned from the future, cleared her throat and said.

"That's why you revealed your cultivation method. To raise the players' skills in any way, we shared everything we could share with each other."

"I see."

"I wasn't a martial artist, but I memorized your cultivation method in the hope that there might be a key to raising my level in some way."

"Hmm, it's certainly not something I can't understand."

Cheon Yuhwa looked at Yeonhwa with eyes that asked if he had any more questions.

But Yeonhwa ignored Cheon Yuhwa's eyes, lost in thought.

He let out a small sigh in that state and organized his thoughts.

It was a very sudden story, so his head was a little blank, but he could somehow accept it.

"Anyway, according to you, you came back from the future, and what's written in that book is a secret manual that the future me wrote."

"That's right. For reference, this is a cultivation method that you newly organized after reaching LV.8. I heard you added Ganggi-gong and made various adjustments."

At Cheon Yuhwa's words, Yeonhwa widened his eyes and looked at the notebook in front of him.

If Cheon Yuhwa's words were true, this book had a value beyond what Yeonhwa had imagined.

Chuckle-

And Cheon Yuhwa also knew that fact.

"Haa, what is the favor?"

"You're accepting it?"

"Whatever comes out, it will be more than enough as a reward."

Seeing Yeonhwa put the notebook in front of him into his pocket, Cheon Yuhwa smiled slightly.

It was the smile of a fisherman looking at a fish that had taken the bait.

"Just take charge of one guild."

"What?"

Yeonhwa asked back at the unexpected favor.

"I've already created the guild. It has enough power to deal with all the Black Guilds that are rampant. You take charge of the guild master there. Ah, but that doesn't mean you're under me."

"Are you asking me to take on the role of hunting the Black Guilds now?"

At Yeonhwa's cold words, Cheon Yuhwa smiled lightly.

"You're also bothered by the Black Guilds."

At Cheon Yuhwa's words, Yeonhwa clicked his tongue.

"Did the future me even talk about such things?"

"No, I heard it from your mother, not you."

"Haa, well, alright."

Yeonhwa said and stood up.

"But I will hunt the Black Guilds entirely according to my own will."

"It doesn't matter. We need a deterrent that can make the Black Guild guys hold their breath. And for the detailed contents of the guild, call my secretary."

Yeonhwa turned his back and was about to go out, but it was faster for Cheon Yuhwa to open her mouth than for Yeonhwa to leave.

"And this is advice from me who has seen the future you."

Flinch-

"Get stronger with all your might. Once is enough to deal with a guy who has collapsed because he couldn't protect something."

"......"

Yeonhwa, who had stopped for a moment, moved his feet again and went out.

This time, Cheon Yuhwa didn't stop him either.

Because she had said everything she wanted to say.

"Hoo~ I've dealt with one."

Cheon Yuhwa, feeling relieved as if the burden she had been carrying had become lighter, called somewhere.

-Yep! Hello?

"It's me. But are you still playing?"

-Who... ah! Is it Alice-noona?

Thinking he was still a lively guy, Cheon Yuhwa chuckled.

-Wow! But how did you know my phone number?

"The power of money. As you know, I have a lot of money. By the way, the work ended earlier than I thought, so I'm going to pick you up. Where are you now?"

-Me? I'm reading comics at a comic cafe. Ah, should I recommend a comic? There are many, like 'Level Up Sorcerer' or 'The Wrestler'.

Ppajik-

At Baek Hyun-woo's answer, which meant he had no intention of coming at all, Cheon Yuhwa recalled Baek Hyun-woo for the first time in a long time.

'Right, this guy was a dog-like guy in many ways.'

He was a friendly guy who would approach people, wagging his tail vigorously.

But like a Jindo dog that would try to move on its own whenever it went for a walk, he was basically a very my-pace guy.

Cheon Yuhwa, while reminiscing about various memories, said kindly to Baek Hyun-woo.

"Really? Then just rest there for now. I'll go to where you are."

"Oh, really? Then I'll send you the address, noona."

"Alright."

Cheon Yuhwa answered and stood up.

A smile was on her lips as she stood up.

Since Yeonhwa was a martial artist who used a sword, there was little she could do for him.

It was just to spar with him once to show him the difference in skill and to convey the incantations that the future him had created.

But Baek Hyun-woo was an esper, an aura user, just like Cheon Yuhwa.

So Cheon Yuhwa could also raise Baek Hyun-woo's skills in various ways.

"For now, I'll have to make him say he's dead and then tell him the story of the future. After that, I'll have to start meeting other people in earnest."

Buuung-

The car Cheon Yuhwa was driving sped down the road without hesitation.

***

Munch, munch-

"Wow! Oppa, try this! This is incredibly delicious!"

"Right, I know. I'm eating a lot, so you eat a lot too, Hyun-young."

A good brother and sister who offered food to each other.

Eun Yeon-woo, who was staring blankly at the heartwarming scene, looked at Lee Shin next to him and said.

"Do I have to keep standing in front of the grill and eating like this? I want to eat comfortably."

At Eun Yeon-woo's words, Lee Shin, who had been continuously inhaling meat, said nonchalantly.

"Then are you going to tear apart the guys who are having a happy conversation over there? That guy's younger sister will look at you with resentful eyes."

At Lee Shin's words, Eun Yeon-woo imagined a girl who looked to be about a middle school student looking up at him with teary eyes as if to say 'I hate you'.

For Eun Yeon-woo, it was a scene that pricked his conscience, which was rare.

"Then why aren't you grilling, hyung-nim?"

At that, Lee Shin said as if it were obvious.

"If you wanted me to grill the meat, you should have bought the meat."

"...Damn it."

At Lee Shin's words, Eun Yeon-woo obediently accepted his fate and silently moved the tongs.

Lee Hyun-seok smiled brightly, as if he were also happy to see his younger sister's smiling face.

As the night deepened and their modest welcome party was heading toward its end, Lee Shin stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm running away because I don't want to do the dishes and clean up."

"You're so bold."

"If you have a complaint, you buy the food next time."

At Lee Shin's words, Eun Yeon-woo quietly shut his mouth, and at that, Lee Shin chuckled.

"I like your materialistic nature."

"I also like this way of thinking of mine."

Eun Yeon-woo said brazenly and started doing the dishes.

Lee Shin lightly tapped the shoulder of Lee Hyun-seok, who was about to move to help Eun Yeon-woo.

"Is your younger sister okay?"

"Ah, she went to wash up and go to bed, so it'll be quiet for a while."

"No, I mean, will your younger sister be okay when you go to the dungeon?"

At Lee Shin's words, Lee Hyun-seok thought for a moment and then answered.

"Yes, she'll be fine. Because she's a smarter younger sister than me."

At Eun Yeon-woo's words, Lee Shin recalled how Lee Hyun-young had looked at him with suspicious eyes from time to time.

'And yet, when our eyes met, she smiled innocently like a child.'

Lee Shin thought she would be good at everything in a shrewd way and nodded.

"Well, good. Then you go do the dishes and then go to sleep. You're this short because you don't sleep."

"...I'm about the average height for a Korean man."

"What are you talking about? There are many middle school students who are taller than you these days."

Lee Hyun-seok, unable to deny Lee Shin's words, grumbled and then approached where Eun Yeon-woo was and helped with the dishes.

Lee Shin chuckled and went out of the house, moving his steps.

"The dungeon app said it was around here."

The destination was a LV.2 dungeon.

(End of Chapter)