章 37: Chapter 37
Nameless Divine Arts Three Talents Technique: Sage's Guidance.
The technique was representative of a sage showing you the way. Among Heaven, Earth, and Man, it represented Man.
'Most importantly, it's a technique focused on speed.'
It was the perfect technique for the situation he was in.
Fwoosh!
The Phoenix Arrow hadn't even left the bow yet, but the golden horse was already engulfed in flames.
The arrow had so much power behind it that it couldn't even be measured, and a curtain of fire obscured the arrow.
'I won't be able to break through this if I hesitate.'
He had to be faster and more precise than when he cut down the flesh golem.
He would only have a split second to react, after all.
'And to do that…'
He opened his upper elixir field and drew a straight trajectory with his sword as he aimed for the bow supporting the arrow.
If he wanted his strike to land, he had to clear the way first. He opened his middle elixir field, and a small clearing appeared within the raging fire for his sword to pass through.
Finally, he opened his lower elixir field and extended the sword, and Sage's Guidance flowed through him.
The Man technique of Heaven, Earth, and Man wasn't grandiose in movement. Those looking at it from the outside would just see his sword shake a bit, but…
The Sword Ki emitted from that one movement was beyond what an ordinary person could even imagine.
The Sword Ki shot from JiHan's sword in an instant and pierced through the center of the flames raging around the Phoenix Arrow.
Crack!
His strike crushed the huge bow and cleanly cut the string supporting the arrow in half.
[Hmm…!] The conqueror's statue exclaimed.
The extreme thrust Sung JiHan had shown him was an optimal attack to counter an archer with. You couldn't shoot an arrow without a bow, after all.
Swoosh-
The heat from the Phoenix Arrow died down, and the temperature started to decrease.
The statue looked at JiHan with a satisfied smile.
[Plunderer, what's your name?]
"Sung JiHan."
[Sung JiHan… Sung JiHan. Splendid. You're an impressive swordsman.]
Paf!
The arrow left his hands and stuck itself in the ground at JiHan's feet.
[Since you've shown me the highest form of respect, the Phoenix Arrow is yours to take.]
[You've been recognized by the Conqueror.]
[You've been exempted from the 7th floor's trial.]
JiHan's eyes narrowed. "Exempted?"
[You've already shown me the highest form of respect, so don't just show me the respect of a plunderer next time.]
After that, the statue began to scatter away.
[I look forward to meeting you on a better battlefield, not a place like this.]
"Yes…"
There were many battlefields on Battle Net, so if they were destined to see each other again, it was possible.
JiHan watched the statue disappear.
* * *
- Huh… what did he do?
- I saw it, but I don't know what he did… Isn't slow motion automatically applied to fast videos?
- The momentum was impressive… but it was so sudden!
The viewers couldn't tell what happened, which was understandable. Although it was a fast, linear attack, it was very secretive since it focused on a single point.
Even with Battle Net's viewer assistance features, it was impossible for the average person to comprehend.
On the other hand, JiHan made a satisfied smile after he said his farewells to the conqueror's statue.
'The power usage was much smoother this time.'
It was a significant improvement compared to the last time he used Nameless Divine Arts. Back then, Lightning Thunder Step had left lightning behind on the ground, and the Mount Tai Crush had extended into the earth.
He was able to use Sage's Guidance more smoothly.
'If I can handle the basic martial arts techniques, I could use the higher-difficulty ones.'
He finished thinking about martial arts and saw people going crazy in his chat window.
- Woah. If he can clear the dungeon like that, not even a suicide tactic will work.
- Take-chan~~ what will you do?
- Everyone… Take-chan's a poor salaryman. I wasn't the one who did it! (???????). Where would a salaryman get so much money…?
- Where have you been until now? Lol!
- He's already been found out.
- If I had three million dollars, I would live a lazy life. Why would I be going through all of these things? Please, believe me!!! (? ^ ? )
Takeda strongly denied being the one behind the suicide request. There wasn't definitive evidence, after all.
'There's no need to push Takeda away yet…'
He needed something to help develop his channel at the moment, but he would still need to get some solid evidence in preparation for the future.
'Ah, I just remembered something.'
JiHan picked up the Phoenix Arrow that was stuck in the ground before him.
Vroom- Vroom-
'It's quite heavy.'
Except for the fact that it was a bit heavy, it was a perfect spear.
He would probably be able to get used to it pretty quickly, so he didn't have to worry about finding a main weapon anymore.
'Should I try using it?' JiHan looked around.
Unlike the Archer, who'd already died from the arrow's flames, the Warrior was still alive.
Slide-
The Warrior's eyes filled with despair as JiHan aimed the arrow at him.
'Ah, no…!'
Although he'd lost his chance at the million, he'd consoled himself with the idea of getting a free ride, but the man in front of him wouldn't let him profit at all.
"Go follow your partners."
Stab!
JiHan's new weapon, the Phoenix Arrow, pierced through the Warrior.
Back within the Battle Net Academy's cafeteria…
Flash!
JiHan reappeared after finishing the game, holding the huge Phoenix Arrow in his right hand.
The scouts' eyes widened.
"Ahh… th-that!"
"It's equipment?!"
Among the four Battle Net game types, you could acquire all sorts of useful equipment in dungeons, so it wasn't strange for JiHan to come out with something. Rather, the scouts were surprised by something else.
"You can get equipment in a Bronze dungeon? I've never heard of that before!"
"Isn't one or two gold bars calculated as GP all you can get from the Conqueror's Tomb?'
It was a dungeon everyone called 'cheap,' since it didn't even drop simple support items, but the Phoenix Arrow that JiHan managed to get from it…
"It's at least A-rank…!"
Just a glance was enough for anyone to realize that much.
The tip of the arrow, more of a spear, really, was shining with a gold and silver light, and its aura was strong enough to send shivers down the spines of the scouts who were watching from afar.
"Inventory."
JiHan put the Phoenix Arrow into his inventory and sat back down.
Clink- Clink-
He shook his plastic cup as if he were trying to show it to HaYeon. The game hadn't taken long, so the ice still retained its shape, though it was half-melted.
HaYeon looked at JiHan in disbelief.
"You really returned before the ice melted…"
"Yes. I Keep my promises."
Sip-
JiHan smiled at HaYeon after he took a sip of his coffee.
"I'm curious about you, though. Are you the type of person who keeps promises?"
So far, HaYeon only smiled brightly before JiHan.
"Oh my… what a coincidence… I'm also the same… I thoroughly keep… my promises."
Her smile that time was noticeably forced, and she summoned her status window with a stiff expression on her face.
"Status window."
'Ugh…'
She pressed the share button at the bottom corner of the window.
'Take a look!'
With an average stat value of 9.5, her talent was respectable.
"I'm saying this just in case there's a misunderstanding…" She said with a flushed face as she presented her status window to him, "I didn't lie. Having a Support Gift is pretty much the same as having no Gift at all."
[Gift - Nurture (Rank A)]
- A support Gift that helps other players grow quickly.
"…"
JiHan's gaze deepened, and his suspicions were confirmed.
'Lee HaYeon… so you really are Zero.'
Despite being an immigrant, she'd become the leader of America First's offshoot guild.
Smile-
"How horrible… How could you laugh right in my face like this?"
"You misunderstand. I'm smiling because I like it."
Swish-
JiHan took out his phone. "Ms. Lee, give me your phone number."
"Ah…" HaYeon looked at JiHan's smartphone.
Many people had asked for her phone number throughout her life, but it was the first time anyone had asked so boldly.
"Isn't it on the business card I gave you last time…?"
She tried to deflect him, but the answer she got in return was a shock.
"Ah, I lost that."
"Huh…"
That comment shattered HaYeon's solid poker face.
'He doesn't even know where my business card is. Why's he suddenly asking for my number?'
His attitude had completely changed after he saw her Gift. Had such a useless Gift somehow attracted JiHan's interest? HaYeon couldn't understand it.
'First… I should do what must be done.'
HaYeon grabbed JiHan's phone and entered her number.
[Director, Lee HaYeon ♡]
On top of that, she even saved it with a name that would cause other people to misunderstand; then she confirmed his number with a call.
'Whatever he might be thinking, I need to use this chance to get his number as well.'
JiHan had proved that he wasn't just a promising talent—he was a sure bet.
Since things had gotten to that point, she needed to score points, regardless of his intentions.
"Here's my number."
"Thanks."
HaYeon held her smartphone with a bright smile on her face.
"But… are you really not going to make a contract with Twin Star?"
"As promised, I'll do it if I lose 1st place." JiHan stood up. "I'll contact you from time to time. Oh yeah, Director, you need to go see that teacher."
"Ah, aah! You're right! How quickly time flies… See you soon!"
As soon as JiHan started to walk away, he changed [Director, Lee HaYeon ♡] to [Lee HaYeon = 0].
"Mr. Sung! Do you have some time?!"
"Just a moment. Could you talk with…!"
The scouts that were waiting for him tried to approach, but…
'I have no business here anymore.'
JiHan stomped on the ground and vanished as if he'd never been there.
The scouts were plunged into panic again, and HaYeon sighed in relief.
'I'm glad I got his number…'
At least she wasn't chasing after him like a dog chasing a chicken.
'Should I… contact him first?'
Was that what it was like to be in the non-dominant position? How had things ended up like that?
HaYeon smiled bitterly at GaYeong. "GaYeong, let's go home."
"What about greeting your teacher…?"
"There's no way I'd do that."
* * *
Ring-
HaYeon was dragging her tired body toward the parking lot when she felt her phone vibrating.
The person messaging her was…
"Sung JiHan?!"
The content of the message was shocking.
[You said you were my subscriber, right?]
[I'll give you a match prediction.]
[August 15, Korea - Japan match result:]
[Match 1: Korea wins / MVP Lee Jin-Wook]
[Matches 2, 3, 4: Japan wins / MVP Ito Ryuhei]
[Enjoy.]
"What's this…?"
The first text JiHan sent her was a match prediction of the Korea-Japan match that would be held the next week.
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