Chapter 41: Evolution (3)
TL: Hanguk
The regional preliminaries of the national sports competition that I participated in for the first time.
I was eliminated in the first round.
The reason? I had to forfeit due to an upset stomach.
Since I had only participated for the experience, and it was more of a embarrassing memory, I didn’t dwell on it.
‘That must’ve been during my first year of high school, so... it’s been six years?’
What made me uneasy was the fact that Kim Hyun-soo remembered the face and name of his opponent from six years ago so vividly, even though I had just briefly crossed his path.
“But how did you recognize me when I was even wearing a hogu (Kumdo protective gear)?”
It was a natural question, and he flinched noticeably.
His confident aura had been deflated ever since the moment I didn’t recognize him.
Kim Hyun-soo let out a deep sigh.
“How could I forget? That was the first time in my life I got completely wrecked. And then you forfeited? What kind of humiliation is that? Especially from someone younger than me.”
If I remember correctly, I had the advantage in that match.
I was in a rush to finish the match quickly because of my stomachache, but he held out stubbornly, so I ended up forfeiting.
“So you looked into me personally because of that?”
“Well...”
As I showed discomfort, Kim Hyun-soo spoke as if trying to make excuses.
“I’ve been sharpening my skills, waiting for the day we’d rematch, to repay the humiliation of that day. But you never showed up at another competition. So I did some digging.”
So, it was all because of his competitive spirit.
He was burning with rivalry, and then his opponent just disappeared...
I can understand that, I suppose.
“Why did you quit kumdo anyway? I’m certain you would’ve made it to the national team in no time.”
National team? What kind of nonsense is he talking about?
“No, seriously, you would’ve. Even I, who got crushed by you, made it to the national team.”
“......”
For real?
Suddenly, I recalled something my former kumdo master, Jeong Gwan-jang, once said to me.
‘Baek-ho, you absolutely have to continue with kumdo. You could be the one to knock down Japan’s pride.’
It was because of him that I ended up competing in that national tournament, even though I hadn’t planned to.
But I failed to take care of my body, got eliminated in the first round of preliminaries, and let most of the master's words, meant to comfort me, go in one ear and out the other.
The reason was simple.
I had learned multiple martial arts, including Taekwondo and mixed martial arts, and I’d heard similar lines from my instructors in those as well.
So I assumed those words were just sweet talk to keep me as a student.
"How did you become a national team member?"
“You brat... Did you think I wouldn’t improve?”
Still, hearing that someone I once thought of as weaker than me had made it to the national team made me wonder if what my past teachers said was actually true.
But I quickly shook my head.
'Even if I had known that, I still wouldn't have become an athlete.'
In my view, being an athlete involves too much time and effort for too little reward.
If it were a team sport like soccer or baseball, maybe. But all the sports I was involved in were one-on-one combat disciplines.
In my weight class, only the top athletes in the world make real money.
‘In that sense, kumdo is even worse. It’s not an Olympic or Asian Games sport, and there aren’t many global tournaments either.’
As someone who’s more pragmatic, I don’t think there’s any way I would’ve stayed Kim Hyun-soo’s rival, no matter how many times I crunched the numbers.
As my brief interest faded and my expression returned to neutral, Kim Hyun-soo, seemingly frustrated, pounded his chest and made a proposal.
“Let’s settle things today, once and for all, about what happened six years ago.”
“Are you suggesting a rematch right now?”
“That’s right.”
He’s quite an amusing guy.
I smiled and replied.
“Goodbye. Let’s go, Willia.”
“Okay, Baek-ho ssi.”
Why should I waste my time?
I have plenty of things to do.
“Huh? W-wait!”
“I’ve never seen anyone ignore the captain like that.”
“Look at Hyun-soo hyung’s face. He looks like a fish out of water.”
“That girl... she’s a real beauty, isn’t she? She’s probably hiding her face for a reason, right?”
At my response, Kim Hyun-soo wore a dumbfounded expression, while his companions gave awkward chuckles as they watched their leader get ignored.
Judging by the way his subordinates behaved so casually around him, he didn’t seem like such a bad guy.
“W-wait a minute!”
Kim Hyun-soo was persistent.
He hurried after me, practically begging like a child.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
“Because I’m busy.”
“Come on, can’t you just do me this one favor? Consider it helping a guy out.”
“You seem to be doing just fine. You look like the leader of quite a big group.”
“No! You don’t understand. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve kicked my blanket in frustration at night because of you!”
Shouldn’t I be the one kicking my blanket out of regret, having to forfeit a match I was winning because of an emergency bathroom situation?
“I’ll give you 10,000 coins. As a reward for the rematch.”
Well, now that changes things a little.
“You have the coins, right?”
“O-of course.”
It seemed like he really had been hoping for a rematch with me.
Considering how far he was willing to go.
Unlike me, who hoards all the profits for myself, to him, 10,000 coins must be a huge sum.
“Boss, are you crazy?”
“Hey, isn’t that your entire fortune?”
His companions rushed over, trying to stop Kim Hyun-soo, telling him he’d lost his mind, but he pushed them away.
“Let’s do this!”
There’s no reason to refuse a fight when there’s a profit involved.
In the end, I nodded.
“Alright.”
“YES!”
Is he really that excited?
When I gave my approval, he even threw his hands up in victory.
“I’ll take you to the location. Follow me.”
Kim Hyun-soo was quite well-known at this survival camp.
As his group moved, I noticed that all eyes were on us.
Some people, not just content with observing, began following out of curiosity to see what was happening.
However, Kim Hyun-soo’s companions quickly intervened and stopped them.
It seemed they didn’t want this impromptu match to be public knowledge.
After a short walk, we arrived at a middle school.
“What is this place?”
“Our team’s base. It’s where our members and their families live together.”
In game terms, it would be like a guild house.
It seemed that Kim Hyun-soo and his hunting team held quite a bit of influence.
After all, they had claimed an entire school as their territory.
“Impressive that the government managed to give you such a large space. Earlier, it didn’t seem like living areas in the refugee shelter were all that spacious.”
What’s more, there didn’t seem to be any monster spawn zones inside the school.
This must be one of the higher-grade safety zones within the refuge.
In response to my comment, Kim Hyun-soo shook his head.
“You think they gave it to us for free? We pay rent for this place. These days, you can’t deal with the government without shelling out coins.”
“Really?”
That was news to me.
It seemed the harmonious coexistence I’d observed earlier between the military and the hunting teams was due to those payments.
“But what can you do? This place is a pseudo-safety zone set up by the government. If you want to enjoy the comforts of civilization here, you have to play by their rules.”
“And are their demands reasonable?”
“So far, they’re still within the realm of common sense. The only issue is that the government and the military keep butting heads. I’m not sure whose tune to dance to.”
I had been operating in lawless zones, so I didn’t have to worry about such things, but from what he said, life in these seemingly safe refugee zones had its own set of hardships.
“Let’s fight here.”
“Sounds good.”
We arrived at the middle school’s indoor gymnasium.
A gymnasium with a wooden floor- it brought back memories.
“Here.”
Kim Hyun-soo tossed me a practice sword.
Judging by the various equipment and practice swords scattered around, it seemed his hunting team used this place for training.
“No skills allowed. First one to make the other drop their sword or admit defeat wins.”
Simple rules.
But there was one thing I needed to clarify.
“Are we considering this a kumdo match? Or a real fight?”
“It’s a real fight now.”
I nodded in acknowledgment, and thus, the duel began.
"Go, Captain!"
"Hyung! Don’t cry even if you lose!"
The duel proceeded under the watchful eyes of Kim Hyun-soo's hunting team.
Strangely enough, there were also some people cheering for me, so it didn’t feel like I was entirely in enemy territory.
"Baek-ho ssi, fighting!"
Willia’s timely cheer rang out.
The gymnasium momentarily fell silent, and then the people who had been cheering for me switched back to rooting for Kim Hyun-soo again.
"I’ve been waiting for this day!"
-Dada-da!
With a line that sounded vaguely familiar, Kim Hyun-soo quickly closed the distance between us.
His beast-like movement showed that his Agility and Strength stats were quite impressive.
He aimed for my head, swinging his sword, but as I raised my sword to block, he twisted his wrist and redirected his attack to my abdomen.
The fluidity of the movement made it clear that he had trained extensively and had accumulated considerable real-world combat experience.
-Bang!
“Kuk!”
But it was futile.
When it comes to one-on-one combat experience, I have far more than someone who fights with teammates by his side.
I didn’t fall for his feint and struck his sword hard with mine.
The resulting impact echoed loudly, and Kim Hyun-soo gasped.
He had almost lost his grip on his sword.
"T-this is crazy."
Even with just one exchange, he fully realized that the situation wasn’t going to be easy.
When I approached without giving him time to recover, he panicked and retreated using kumdo footwork.
'Sorry, but...'
I had no intention of going easy on him.
And I believed that was the proper way to treat a challenger who had been waiting six years for this moment.
-Clang! Ta-da-da! Tak!
I pressed him with rapid attacks.
Head, wrist, waist, knee.
I swung and thrust my sword at him unpredictably, without targeting any specific area.
“Kuh, why...?”
In response, Kim Hyun-su couldn't properly extend his sword once and was forced completely on the defensive.
As a result, his face was filled with confusion.
He had probably thought that with his current stats and swordsmanship skills, he would have the upper hand.
But when the fight began, that wasn’t the case at all.
He couldn’t claim superiority in power, speed, or the smooth, natural flow of swordsmanship.
“Damn it!”
In the end, Kim Hyun-soo switched tactics.
Even if he had to take a few hits, he aimed for a bigger blow.
He was going for the strategy of sacrificing flesh to break bones.
“Come at me!”
Kim Hyun-soo extended his left hand, deflecting my practice sword and abandoning the use of one hand to thrust his sword at my neck.
It was a real combat move, not something used in kumdo.
That made it somewhat refreshing.
But...
-Pak! Tak!
His decision turned out to be a bad one.
Because I had anticipated it from the start.
As if I had expected it all along, I lightly tilted my head, dodging the attack, and struck his solar plexus with the hilt of my sword.
The blow caused Kim Hyun-soo to collapse helplessly, falling flat on his rear.
"You lost, right?"
"Y-yeah."
The outcome was clear.
"......"
"I thought Hyun-soo hyung wouldn't have challenged without a reason but..."
"To lose so one-sidedly?"
Everyone who had watched the duel wore expressions of shock.
However, contrary to the reactions of those around him, Kim Hyun-soo’s face showed a sense of relief.
“Yeah, that’s exactly how it felt back then. Who the hell are you, really?”
At Kim Hyun-soo’s question, I shrugged.
"Maybe just a natural talent?"
“You’re one funny guy.”
***
Herald, the NPC at Wolgwang Island's Shrine, once again today splashed boiling hot water from a pot on the Orcs wandering around the safe zone.
"Here, have some holy water."
Sssss.
-Kuek!
The orcs yelped in surprise and fled.
"Why do they keep hanging around here if they can’t even get inside?"
Herald had a rather nasty personality.
He did it mostly out of boredom.
Then, as always, Herald spotted Kim digging the ground again today.
The place where Kim was digging was walled off, so it was visible from the safe zone but hidden from the orc territory.
"Do you enjoy digging?"
"When I sweat, it feels like I’ve spent the day productively."
Ever since he received news of his family, Kim had become even more optimistic.
"Is that so."
Herald gave a half-hearted response and continued watching Kim work.
"And who knows? What you see above ground isn’t everything."
"Are you saying there might be something underground?"
"It’s possible. After all, there’s an option written on this Golden Shovel that increases the chance of discovering relics and treasures."
"Do you think what you dig up will be of any use? I doubt something mediocre would satisfy a person like Seo Baek-ho."
"Baek-ho ssi said Wolgwang Island is a special island, so you never know."
And then it happened.
Despite Herald’s disinterested remarks, a hard sound echoed as Kim’s shovel struck something solid.
Thunk!
"That’s strange. Is there something even this Golden Shovel can’t dig up?"
"What did you hit?"
"......"
"Kim ssi?"
Herald tilted his head as he watched Kim, who was silent, pull something out of the ground.
"What is that?"
"That's what I'm wondering. What is this?"
It was a small stick, covered in dirt.
But it wasn’t just any ordinary stick- the problem was the item description that came with it.
[*** Artifact / Grade: Unidentified]
-A rod made from an unknown metal.
-You can verify the item's information through an Appraisal Skill or by consulting a blacksmith NPC.
***
“What’s taking them so long?”
I was waiting for the transfer of 10,000 coins.
But instead of handing them over right away, Kim Hyun-soo was having a serious discussion with his team members.
After what seemed like they had reached a conclusion, Kim Hyun-soo approached me with a grave expression and spoke with utmost seriousness.
"How about becoming a co-leader with me for our team?"
And then came their conclusion.
They were already drinking their own kimchi soup, making assumptions about something I hadn’t even considered.
“No thanks.”
“......”
At my straightforward refusal, Kim Hyun-soo felt the need to explain further.
"Our team may not look like much, but we’re quite elite. I’m at Level 30, and we’ve got over 30 people at Level 20. Plus, we have about 200 members between Level 10 and 20 as our reserve force."
Impressive.
Their group was certainly more formidable than any other I had seen.
But I already knew that information.
Unlike others, I had the advanced skill Exploration, and that skill conveniently displays the levels of opponents above their heads.
"Even so, I’ll pass."
"Why?"
Why? Because it’s a hassle.
Rather than helping me, their existence would likely slow down my growth.
"Then... at least let’s form an alliance..."
"Let’s just keep it at friendly relations."
Kim Hyun-soo, determined to maintain some sort of connection with me, reluctantly accepted this compromise.
I then extended my hand, reminding him about the payment.
"Here."
[10,000 Coins]
I placed my hand over the coins in his hand, which existed in the form of physical coins.
"I’ll just take 5,000 coins."
As a gesture of goodwill, I took only half.
Kim Hyun-soo was deeply moved by this.
"Huh? You’re leaving?"
What's the point of staying longer?
I had already spent too much time on this.
"If you ever need any items, just let me know. As long as you pay the price, I’ll get them for you."
As I was leaving with Willia, Kim Hyun-soo made an unexpected offer.
Not a bad proposition, actually.
"If you find an Monster Taming Necklace, I’ll buy it for a good price."
"Really? Got it, I’ll look into it."
It was a moment when I gained a very convenient connection.
***
We arrived at Suji Ecological Park, located 3 kilometers north of Gwanggyo.
The reason we stopped here was, of course, the dungeon.
“Ah, it feels like coming home.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing...”
This place, situated between Seoul and Yongin, is a dungeon that no one has dared to attempt.
The reason is simple.
The monsters here possess powerful mental attack abilities.
[Hehehe, where are you going?]
“To Buddha’s side!”
[Wanna play with us?]
“Nirvana, here I come!”
The name of this dungeon is Mongma’s Shrine.
That’s right.
[Intermediate Succubus / Level: 30]
This was an upgraded version of the Mongma’s Dungeon from Wolgwang Island. The Intermediate Succubi here were even more destructive and seductive than the ones I had encountered before, tempting me relentlessly.
In the case of lower-rank succubi, you could block their mental attacks by simply avoiding their visual cues, but these ones were far more dangerous. They not only used visual seduction but also overwhelmed your sense of smell with a sweet fragrance.
As a result, I had to wear Silhouette Goggles, earplugs, and even block my nose to resist their attacks.
But still, whenever the nose plugs fell out due to carelessness and their Charm Skill broke through...
“N-N-noona, w-what kind of games are we playing?”
“Heal!”
“Gasp! I just lost my mind for a second, didn’t I?”
“Yes, don’t worry. I’m here.”
Willia, a priest with a strong resistance to the succubi’s demonic powers, used Heal to break the charm spell.
Succubi are monsters with clear strengths and weaknesses.
Their powerful mental attacks, like Charm, were dangerous, but once you blocked that, their actual combat strength wasn’t that high.
Thanks to that, we were able to advance more quickly than expected and soon reached the point where we would face the first named monster.
“Whew, I need to catch my breath in the Safety Tent. I’m exhausted.”
Since we were about to fight a named monster, it was better to prepare thoroughly.
So, while we took a break to recharge our magic power...
[Notice to all Main Scenario Fragment holders.]
[A new owner of the second shard out of the 20 allocated for the Korean Peninsula has appeared.]
A message like this popped up in front of me.
***
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