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Chapter 96:
I took a look at Cheon Sooji.
[Player]
Name: Cheon Sooji
Age: 27
Level: 29
Class: Poison Shaman
Guardian: Soundless Serpens
Innate ability: [Lustvenom Finger]
State: Ridicule / Slight Contempt / Desire to Win
Disposition: Sadistic / Erotic / Queen
Summary: Queen Chasing Strength
The disposition/state/summary only show the most representative and can change according to the situation.
Because Eye of Perception’s proficiency is not high enough, viewing more detailed information is impossible.
In the three months while I was in the special hidden piece, most of the top Players hit level 30. Actually, leveling up to 30 was relatively easy. It was just that there were a ton of Players who weren’t able to push through the Hell Phase that was level 30 to 40 and fell apart after reaching the limits of their talent.
‘In any case, level 29 at this point in time puts her at the top.’
Her Guardian was the ‘Soundless Serpens’. Not much was known about them other than their exclusive sponsorship of Cheon Sooji. They only rarely sent the ‘Guardian is interested’ or ‘Guardian is watching’ notices that were so common.
“Mr. Kim Hyukjin. There’s something I’d like to ask before the PVP match.”
“Feel free.”
Song Kiyeol smoothly stepped aside, like he and Cheon Sooji had arranged this ahead of time. She asked, “Why did you ask specifically for a private PVP? This would be a good opportunity to become famous.”
She looked me up and down. Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, almost like she had found a tasty piece of meat. The look in her eyes was strangely provocative, the kind of ambiguous gaze that made a man’s heart thump.
“I didn’t really want to publicize it.”
I didn’t want to show the world how their team—my business partner—was crushed by a non-combat class Player.
“It seems you already know it will be a thorough thrashing.”
“Yes.”
Not me, but him. Byeon Gilsup was the one who would get thrashed.
“Are you a masochist by nature? What compelled a non-combat class to go into a PVP with a combat class, and one from Taeguk Shield, no less?”
“...”
“I admire your courage and backbone. It’s the sort of look I like to see.”
Cheon Sooji licked her red lips. Combined with the look in her eyes, she exuded an extremely ambiguous feel. It was like she was seduction made manifest.
Clearly, Cheon Sooji was well aware of her strengths. She seemed very well-versed in how she should act to look flattering, what kind of look she should produce to arouse her opponent, and how to use her appearance to her advantage.
She extended a hand as snow white as her face with natural grace.
“Make a promise with me.”
“What kind of promise?”
“If you lose to my teammate Gilsup, come drink with me once. At night. Just the two of us.”
“...”
“Reckless guys like you are my type, you see.”
But her state of ridicule and contempt exposed her too much for me to believe that. I looked at her extended pinky. Her little scheme was obvious to my eyes.
‘Innate ability, Lustvenom Finger.’
Her innate ability hadn’t been revealed even in the future, but I was able to see it with ‘Observer’s Eye’.
‘She’s got an amusing ability.’
Lustvenom Finger.
‘A finger that inflicts lust poison.’
Eye of Perception had long since shown me the name of her ability, and ‘Observer’s Eye’ traced the flow of mana in her body. I saw energy flowing towards her fingers. One part of her mana was gathered in her fingers, one part near her heart, and another part in her eyes.
I was almost certain I knew what she was up to.
‘She wants… to work me up before the PVP, I guess.’
It was hard to tell how effective Sooji’s current level of innate ability would be on me, but I guessed it would only cause a little acceleration in my heartbeat or breathing, at most.
‘But even just that could easily have a big influence on the PVP match.’
So what should I do? What would the Guardians like to see me do? What kind of Play should I show them? I thought for a moment.
Cheon Sooji stared openly at me with her white face and eyes of seduction that radiated the pheromones of the opposite sex.
“You won’t promise me?”
At the same time, my Eye of Perception perceived something.
[Eye of Perception perceives a ‘seductive energy’.]
[Eye of Perception is higher in grade than the ‘seductive energy’.]
[Eye of Perception completely destroys the ‘seductive energy’.]
It went beyond simple destruction.
[The grade difference between Eye of Perception and the ‘seductive energy’ has been evaluated as 'very high'.]
Oho. I’d never heard a notice like that before.
‘I did expect Cheon Sooji to take the initiative to approach me.’
That was something I had already known. I was sure she would approach me somehow and try to pull something. I was planning on using that to prepare for the ‘Centipede Cave’, but I hadn’t expected this kind of notice to come up.
[The proficiency of Eye of Perception is at least 2.]
[The unlock condition for a new Eye of Perception ability has been fulfilled.]
The ‘seductive energy’ Cheon Sooji used seemed to be an exceedingly low level ability. My Eye of Perception proficiency was at 2. The System recognized a very high grade difference, and thanks to that, a new Eye of Perception ability was unlocked.
[A power of Eye of Perception, ‘Mirror Sight’, has been activated.]
Last time, when I fought Kim Taechun, I got the additional power ‘Future Sight’. Yet another new power was activated. This time, it was ‘Mirror Sight’.
[Mirror Sight]
An eye that reflects intangible energy. This power has a strong reflective ability against all non-physical mental attacks, including vital energy. However, it will only activate when the energy trying to violate the wielder is markedly lower in grade than the wielder’s ‘Eye of Perception’. If Mirror Sight is used on an ability of equivalent or higher grade, the user may lose their eyesight.
The new power given to me, Mirror Sight, could reflect energies that were much lower in rank than Eye of Perception.
‘I can’t use it carelessly.’
If I used it wrong, I could even lose my vision. However, it was safe to use it this time.
[Use Mirror Sight?]
I used it immediately. Since I just got it, why not give it a try? Cheon Sooji’s body instantly flinched. What was the energy I’d reflected just now?
‘Ah. It was seductive energy.’
Did that make me the one seducing her, then?
‘At its current level, she won’t get super seduced or anything like that.’
It would just make her eyes a little more drawn to me, or make me look a little more handsome for no reason. That was all, so I didn’t think it would cause any trouble for me.
Once Mirror Sight kicked in, Cheon Sooji’s mana flow got tangled up. By the looks of it, the activation of ‘Lustvenom Finger’ was cancelled.
I spoke to the momentarily speechless Sooji.
“What will you give me if I win?”
“Whatever you want.”
I stuck out my pinky and hooked it with hers. Her Lustvenom Finger had been deactivated, so it shouldn’t be dangerous.
“Don’t forget your promise. I want the ‘Rot Water’ that poison-class Players can make.”
After finishing what I had to say, I turned my gaze away from Cheon Sooji and fixed my eyes on Song Kiyeol right next to her.
“Guildmaster Song Kiyeol. You have disappointed me considerably.”
“...I apologize. Miss Sooji insisted so strongly that…”
Thankfully, Song Kiyeol didn’t deny it. He acknowledged his fault and immediately apologized. He wasn’t too unsightly.
“I apologize for acting rashly.”
No matter how successful and strong Cheon Sooji might be, she would have never made a move with Song Kiyeol right there unless he was in on it. That meant she had informed him of her intent in advance, and the Guildmaster had given her tacit consent.
“Yes, you were wrong. I would like this to be a fair PVP.”
The looks in the eyes of the Taeguk Shield guild members changed a little, as if they saw me in a slightly different light after I saw through Sooji’s little trick with one glance.
“But there won’t be a second time. Sound me out like this one more time and I will not work with Taeguk Shield.”
They were trying not to show it, but I could feel the guild members’ displeasure. They were probably thinking something like ‘Who the hell are you to think you deserve to work with Taeguk Shield?’
‘They must think they’re Korea’s top elites.’
They were a guild sponsored by Sungshin, after all. On a guild level, they were indeed the top in Korea.
‘But individually, they don’t reach the 8 Heroes.’
That went for the Taeguk Shield Song Kiyeol as well.
‘They’re still frogs in a well.’
I would show these frogs in a well a far broader sky.
* * *
Byeon Gilsup stood in front of me.
“My name is Byeon Gilsup. My main weapon is the spear.”
“My name is Kim Hyukjin. No real main weapon.”
For now, I tended to reach for the sword, but it was hard to call it my ‘main’ weapon, since my most-used skill, ‘Excellent Strike’, wasn’t limited to the sword.
We finished up our simple introductions.
“Class, sovereign.”
“Class, spearman.”
I took a look with Eye of Perception.
[Player]
Name: Byeon Gilsup
Age: 26
Level: 30
Class: Successor of the Rayn Family
Guardian: Gatekeeper of the Old Grave
Innate ability: [Instant Acceleration]
State: Desire to Win / Desire to Destroy / Restraint
Disposition: Risk-taker / Impatient
Summary: Spearman Full of Desire to Destroy
The disposition/state/summary only show the most representative and can change according to the situation.
Because Eye of Perception’s proficiency is not high enough, viewing more detailed information is impossible.
His innate ability was Instant Acceleration. I only learned this while interacting with future top Rankers, but there was a world I didn’t know about. There were countless people out there who couldn’t unlock a single innate ability, but these people had at least one innate ability starting from the beginner period.
‘This is why they say Playing is all about talent.’
A somewhat bitter world where you couldn’t stand on the top with effort alone vs. the wretched world of futility that I’d experienced in the past.
‘In any case—’
I wasn’t very nervous. I already knew a lot about Byeon Gilsup, including how he would attack.
Disposition: Risk-taker / Impatient
Summary: Spearman Full of Desire to Destroy
Using this disposition and summary as a base, I already knew how he would move. It was so very clear that I didn’t even need to use Future Sight. As soon as the match began, he would come charging at me full-blast.
‘Tsk, tsk, how can you be so worked up before we’ve even begun?’
The PVP zone was established through Senia.
[A PVP Zone has been declared.]
[The ‘Courageous Lion King’ is focusing.]
[The ‘Nameless Observer’ is observing.]
[The ‘Lady of the Scales’ is indicating her interest.]
[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ is full of anticipation.]
The start and end of this PVP was already set in stone. It was just the process in between that would change a little depending on the situation.
‘One more person. Who will it be?’
It would be great if the Herdsman of the Las Vegas or the Merchant of Venice were to send a notice. Depending on which of the two was focusing on me, I would change my Play style a little.
‘Not sending?’
Right on cue, a notice came in.
[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ watches with interest.]
It was the Herdsman of Las Vegas. Without missing the perfect timing, I spoke. It was true that life was all about timing, but the ability to create and seize that timing was also a skill.
“Mr. Byeon Gilsup. Do you like to bet?”
“...What?”
[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ is even more interested.]
As he should be. Gambling and bets were the first things to come to mind when you thought of the Herdsman of Las Vegas.
“Would you like to have a bet with me?”
Well then, shall we play? With the Herdsman of Las Vegas.
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