The Player Who Stands Above All

Chapter 60

Let's turn back time a little and look at when the guild members first sparred with the team leaders of each team.

"Am... am I shaking now?"

"I know, right? I'm getting nervous too."

At that time, the guild members were facing the team leaders, nervous about their first spar since joining the guild.

Just as the 6th team gathered blacksmiths and the 7th team gathered only production-class magicians, each team in [Wonderland] had its own unique characteristics.

For example, the 1st team, led by Choi Seok-ho, was made up of sturdy individuals who could act as the party's tankers, and the 2nd team, led by Shin Ye-eun, was made up of fast-footed people whose specialty was long-range attacks.

As it was their first spar, the guild members went to the team leaders with sharp discipline to show their best first impression and greeted them.

"Team Leader, please take care of us in the spar today."

"Ah, yeah. You too."

Choi Seok-ho said, patting each of the team members' shoulders as a sign of encouragement.

At that, the guild members smiled a little awkwardly and then asked Choi Seok-ho.

"By the way, we only heard that it was a spar, but we don't know exactly how the spar will be conducted. Is it a one-on-one match with the team leader in order?"

"Hmm? You haven't heard anything?"

At the team members' words, Choi Seok-ho looked at them as if puzzled, and then nodded as if he understood something.

"Haa, is this the guild master's doing? Come to think of it, she was someone who sometimes had these strange playful moods..."

Choi Seok-ho muttered softly so that the team members couldn't hear, and then looked at the team members and said.

"For now, wear the items you each have, just like before entering a dungeon. You have to go to a dungeon after the spar is over, so you each have your own items, right?"

"Ah, yes. I understand."

At Choi Seok-ho's words, the team members began to put on their items one by one, and Choi Seok-ho also began to put on items all over his body, just like them.

"We're all geared up."

At the team members' report, Choi Seok-ho nodded and said calmly.

"Then now, draw your weapons."

"Excuse me? Weapons?"

"Yeah. Ah, you guys don't have to worry. I'm not going to use a weapon, just armor."

"No, that's not it..."

The team members, sensing that something was strange about the situation, hesitated to draw their swords.

"Hmm..."

Choi Seok-ho looked at the team members for a moment, then took the sword that one team member had and swung it at his own arm without hesitation.

"Ugh!"

"Wait...!"

The team members, imagining what would happen next, screamed and tried to stop Choi Seok-ho, but.

Kaaang-!

The moment Choi Seok-ho's arm and the sword collided, they saw the sword bounce off and froze with a blank expression.

They knew about Choi Seok-ho's ability, but they hadn't thought it would be to this extent.

"See?"

Choi Seok-ho returned the weapon to the team member and looked at them.

"It's impossible to injure me, who is even wearing armor, with your attacks. On top of that, this training room has a magic circle that raises healing power, and a number of supporter teams are on standby in case of an emergency."

A heavy momentum, as if from a rock, flowed from Choi Seok-ho as he spoke.

"So, rest assured, draw your weapons, and get into your stances. It seems the other guys have already started."

Hearing Choi Seok-ho's words, the team members finally noticed that the sound of fighting was starting to come from the other side.

"Ah, for reference, the spar is a match between all of you and me. Form a good formation and attack."

Even at those words, none of them moved.

It was natural.

Even if he said he was safe, there was bound to be an instinctive reluctance to swing a real sword at a person.

Thump-

So Choi Seok-ho decided to move first.

And in that spar, Choi Seok-ho faithfully followed what Cheon Yuhwa had said.

Kwang- Kwang- Kwang-

To thoroughly and mercilessly shove defeat into the guild members.

And it was the same for the other team leaders, excluding Choi Seok-ho.

"......"

On that day, not a single guild member who had sparred left the training room on their own two feet.

***

"Ugh..."

"Keuk..."

After about 2 hours, the guild members who had fainted and collapsed slowly began to regain consciousness.

They got up, holding their heads or rubbing their bodies due to the aftereffects of their last memory, but there were no injuries on their bodies.

On the contrary, if you only looked at their physical condition, they were in a much healthier state than before they entered the training room.

The technical attacks of the team leaders, the outstanding potions of the alchemists, and the continuous healing of the supporters formed a trinity and made the guild members' condition the best.

"Hello? I came after hearing that you had regained consciousness."

Not long after the guild members regained consciousness, Cheon Yuhwa appeared in front of them.

The guild members asked Cheon Yuhwa as if to question her.

How could this be a spar?

It was natural for them to say that.

Because in the general sparring they had been thinking of, there was no such thing as being beaten to a pulp like this.

Seeing them like that, Cheon Yuhwa put on a shameless expression she had learned from someone and said.

"Sparring should be like a bloody real battle. It's not like there are any aftereffects, and it's only painful for a moment, so what's the problem?"

"...Excuse me?"

One of the guild members, seeing Cheon Yuhwa's shameless appearance, unconsciously uttered those words.

"You were wearing proper armor so you wouldn't get seriously injured, a supporter team was on standby to be deployed immediately if you got hurt, and the team leaders were all not even holding weapons."

"...Excuse me?"

Seeing them who were blankly staring, too dumbfounded, Cheon Yuhwa did not stop her machine-gun-like words.

"You were all wearing all the items you had, and you were in full condition after resting for 3 days. The team leaders probably gave you various advice while sparring. And decisively..."

Cheon Yuhwa looked at each of the guild members' faces and said.

"...What?"

Cheon Yuhwa's provocative words were very successful.

Because on the faces of those who had been blankly staring, too dumbfounded, a cross-shaped blood vessel mark appeared.

Everyone in this place was a talented player who had made a name for themselves in Pantheon.

Therefore, their pride and self-esteem in their own skills were greater than anyone else's.

'It's easy to handle since I mainly picked people with strong fighting spirit.'

In the first place, Cheon Yuhwa had also picked people who were likely to show this kind of reaction.

"Well, if you really can't do it, it's okay to leave the guild."

"......"

At that moment, the memories of the past 3 days, which were like heaven, flashed through the guild members' minds like a panorama.

Those memories seemed to make their tongues stiff, preventing them from saying that they would leave the guild.

Everything was exactly as Cheon Yuhwa had planned.

Seeing the hesitating and confused guild members, Cheon Yuhwa opened her mouth.

Now that she had swung the whip, it was time to give the carrot.

"Well, don't be too depressed. There's also a bonus you'll get if you beat the team leader once."

"...A bonus?"

"Yes, a bonus. To tell you roughly what's in the bonus..."

Gape-

On that day, no one in that place said they would leave the guild, and everyone burned with fighting spirit for the spar.

Cheon Yuhwa, seeing them like that, nodded in satisfaction and supported them in various ways.

That day was the founding anniversary of the Revolutionary Council.

***

"Team Leader 1, perhaps because he has recently gained enlightenment, has become more proficient in hardening his skin using his aura..."

"Team Leader 2, not only with her bow and arrows, but also the number of wooden daggers she handles has increased, making her tricky..."

"Team Leader 3, he said he had gained something, and he really swings his wooden sword like the wind..."

"I heard that Team Leader 4's magic research has recently..."

"Team Leader 5 also..."

The meeting proceeded as the people in the room shared their opinions and information one by one.

After that, they each put forward their opinions and, repeating affirmation and negation, created a single strategy.

The guild members were creating a strategy at a level similar to when they were doing a boss raid in Pantheon to defeat the team leaders.

Now, for the guild members of [Wonderland], the dungeon was a place to confirm the assumptions they had made through growth and meetings, to cultivate their strength, or to vent their frustration from the sparring.

For them, the main event was the sparring with the team leaders.

And in reality, the sparring with the team leaders was more difficult than the dungeons they were going to.

Honestly, at first, the carrot of a bonus had spurred them on, but now, the bonus was secondary.

Stubbornness, tenacity, and a desire for revenge for the pain they had suffered so far were leading them like inertia.

As the meeting proceeded, time passed, and the time for the spar approached.

They stood up from their seats and gathered their hands in the center of the table.

"For the revolution!"

"For the revolution---!!!!!"

They shouted the slogan so loudly that the room shook, put on a determined look, and moved to the training room.

They were not the only ones heading to the training room.

"Hmm? It's the Revolutionary Council. Is it time already?"

"I know, right? It's already this time."

"Let's stop by the lounge on the way and get some popcorn."

Not only the 6th and 7th teams, but also various people from the guild were moving to the training room to watch the spar.

There were people who were going for simple entertainment, but there were also people who were going to get some ideas.

"Hmm, if that player fights in that way, I'll need to modify the item to be a little more curved than the existing one."

"It wouldn't be bad to make a sticky potion with high instant adhesion so that it can be used more freely in that situation."

In this way, this spar, which took place every morning at 10 o'clock, had become like a specialty of [Wonderland].

The guild members, who had been walking with a determined face, stopped in their tracks at the appearance of unexpected figures.

"Huh?"

"Team leaders?"

The team leaders, who should have been on the opposite side, were waiting for them in front of the door, fully armed.

"Ah, you're here."

Jo Yu-hyeon, who had the most easygoing personality among the team leaders, approached the guild members who were flustered, not yet grasping the situation.

"Um... Team Leader 3. What is this situation right now?"

"Hmm? Didn't you hear from the vice guild master? Today is a special spar. You guys and all of us are on the same side."

"...Excuse me?"

At the sudden situation, they were flustered and murmured.

At their reaction, Choi Seok-ho, who had approached them, added.

"Well, except for the fact that the number has increased, nothing much has changed, so don't think too complicatedly."

"No, isn't that a huge change?"

"That's true. But you don't have to worry too much."

Hahaha-

But among the guild members, there were some whose expressions were as stiff as stone.

"Hmm? What's wrong with you? Do you want to go to the bathroom?"

"You idiot! We and the five team leaders are on the same side!"

"Yeah, I heard that too."

"Ugh! So, I don't know who it is, but our opponent this time is someone so strong that it's judged that they will win even if everyone here attacks them!"

Hearing those words, the guild members finally realized the seriousness of the situation and stiffened their expressions.

But that was also for a moment.

"When was it not?"

"Yeah, let's just do our best to win."

"That's true."

Seeing the guild members like that, the team leaders smiled warmly and then opened the door to the training room.

Screech-

"It's been a while."

Then, from beyond the door, a handsome man with red hair like flames and a golden bridge like lightning striking, but who looked like he had a bad personality, waved his hand and greeted them.

(End of Chapter)