Chapter 91 : Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Duel (1)

“This is incredible.”

Seeing the crowd gathered outside the hotel room, Lee Si-yeong clicked her tongue.

We had just flown for a few hours on a plane, yet the Climbers here were all like people living in a completely different world.

“Guys who would be considered a joke in Asia are rolling around on the streets here. The ones that stand out could even aim for A-rank or S-rank. Are these guys really living the same life as me?”

“You already knew all this before you came, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah. Would it kill you to sympathize a little with what your little sister is saying?”

Lee Seong-jin, who was sitting on the adjacent bed looking at some documents, snickered upon hearing her words.

His expression said he was hearing all sorts of nonsense, but seeing a man so overworked that dark circles covered his face act like that, I felt more pity than anger.

“And the fact that you knew all this before coming means you have some expectations.”

“Huh?”

“There’s Gyu-sik. He’s going to pull something off here too, right?”

“...Of course, he will.”

Otherwise, there was no way I would have listened to the unreasonable request that guy made.

No matter how much he was the face of Renegade, the one holding the real power was me, the Guild Master.

And yet, the reason I decided to attend an event crawling with such terrifying Western Climbers, who always despised the East and tried to crush us at every opportunity, was clear.

That guy named Kim Gyu-sik had the potential to overcome even this environment.

Hadn’t he already proven it to her with more than enough results?

“I don’t know what he’s aiming for... but I already know that he won’t fail. And I also know that the guild will profit from the result.”

So, all I had to do was provide appropriate support from behind.

When I had a lottery ticket that was already a confirmed winner, there was no need for me to step forward and nitpick about this and that.

“For you, your evaluation of him is surprisingly generous.”

“Well, you’ve seen for yourself how much of a freak he is, oppa. Isn’t it weirder not to be generous?”

“I see. So when are you two going to start dating?”

“...”

Unfortunately, Lee Si-yeong, who happened to be sipping coffee at that moment, spat out every drop she was drinking and coughed violently for a long time.

It was to the point where Lee Seong-jin, the one who brought it up, was looking at me with an expression that said I was the strange one.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Oppa. You bastard. From one to ten, it's all so sudden I don’t know where to begin. Just how did you come up with such an idea?”

“Well, if he’s as capable as you say, is there any reason for him to stick with our guild?”

“...”

Uh.

Come to think of it, that was true.

I didn’t know what his exact goal was, but if it was simply to be widely recognized, there was no need for him to stay in a place like Renegade.

For all I knew, with his current recognition, he would be welcomed with open arms at a much larger place offering better conditions.

Wasn’t Seo Hye-in of the Hunting Alliance, whom we were often involved with, constantly exuding an air of coveting him?

“So I thought there was some kind of spark between my sister and him. Don’t you two spend a lot of time together?”

“That’s... true.”

But that was only when there was a specific reason. There had been no exchange of personal feelings whatsoever.

“Right. Then, if we approach it by process of elimination, isn’t that the reason?”

“No. Absolutely not. My gut says no.”

Lee Si-yeong replied, continuously scratching her somehow itchy face.

No, there’s a limit to nonsense.

Wasn’t it obvious to anyone that she and that guy weren’t in that kind of relationship?

“Really?”

“Yeah. He’s not the type to care about such things. There must be some other reason.”

“Then what’s the reason you’re not making a move?”

“...”

Lee Si-yeong narrowed her eyes and glared at her brother, but Lee Seong-jin just shrugged as if he was being serious.

“Isn’t it? Is there any reason for you not to hit on him? He’s already a confirmed winning lottery ticket.”

“You have no filter when talking to your sister. Are you really my brother?”

“Why. Do you personally dislike him or something?”

“...I don’t dislike him.”

That was about the extent of the distance.

I don’t dislike him. But I don’t particularly like him either.

Just about the position of a colleague?

“Then stick to him. Drive a stake in him.”

Lee Seong-jin said, brushing his hair back.

“The Magic Tower will start taking an interest in us, Si-yeong. We’re not in a position to be picky about the means right now.”

“...”

That was true.

The more Kim Gyu-sik’s recognition soared and Renegade became widely known, the more the possibility of the Magic Tower taking an interest in us would skyrocket.

For now, Lee Seong-jin was still officially known as the Guild Master, so the attention hadn’t reached her yet, but at this rate, it was only a matter of time.

And considering the relationship between her siblings and the Magic Tower.

That’s when a real incident would break out.

He must be telling me to create a safety net somehow before then.

“At the very least, promise me. That you’ll hold onto that guy by any means necessary. You know his value better than anyone, don’t you?”

“...Fine. I’ll try to get along with him.”

“Not just get along, drive a stake in him. Good. It’s homework. Within a week, develop your relationship to the point of holding hands—”

“Ah, so noisy! Really! I got it!”

Well, she could try. He was a guy she felt she could see in a good light if she tried to.

At least, although he often gave her the feeling that he was treating her roughly, in terms of reliability when he was by her side, he was at the very top of any man she had ever met.

“...”

Lee Si-yeong tilted her head.

Huh.

Was my favorability towards him high enough for me to have such thoughts? How strange.

I don’t think there was any particular reason for it.

That was what she was thinking, right up until Chang Meirin burst into the room.

“Mr. Kim Gyu-sik is in a fight at the party right now!”

“A fight? With whom?”

“The Arklight Guild!”

“...‘The’ Arklight Guild?”

“Yes, the Arklight Guild!”

Kim Gyu-sik, that fucking bastard.

That thought clearly surfaced in Lee Si-yeong’s mind.

***

The whole process happened in an instant.

Without any warning or declaration of war, a blow filled with killing intent flew toward me. It meant they’d kill me if things went south. As expected of Western Climbers, who were said to be the best in the world at being vicious, their judgment was swift.

The one who swung the sword was the vanguard Climber called Aaron. The presence flying towards me was fierce.

Maximize reaction speed with Bullet Time. Confirm the path with Observation. Spread the Cloak of Darkness at the point of impact and prepare for a counter.

I had finished preparing to block and retaliate against this guy’s attack, but something else intervened.

“Aaron. Stop.”

A barrier of light created by Edgar blocked his path.

‘Hmm.’

It was Edgar’s special ability, one I’d seen countless times in the game. True to his nickname ‘Starlight’, he specialized in manipulating ‘light’. And that was almost omnipotent.

As long as there was even a little bit of light, he could use it to assemble ‘light’ and create anything.

It worked for defense, and it worked for offense.

Especially in a place like this, a brightly lit building interior, this guy was nearly invincible.

Which meant that, for now, I couldn’t beat him either.

“...Lord Edgar?”

“There’s no need to cause a commotion. That Climber seems to have learned his lesson, so let’s stop here.”

After saying that, Edgar looked back at Lina. She was walking out from the wall I had just slammed her into, her face scrunched up.

She looked like she was about to charge at me but then saw Aaron being stopped by Edgar and was now cautiously observing the situation.

“Lina doesn’t seem to be hurt either. After all, such a weak attack couldn’t even leave a scratch. Right, Lina?”

“Yes, Lord Edgar.”

Even while glaring at me as if she wanted to eat me alive, she turned to Edgar with a bright expression when he called her name.

I don’t know. At this point, it was almost like brainwashing; it was scary.

“Hey. You okay?”

“...Keuk.”

I helped Jeong Min-woo, who was lying on the floor, to his feet.

Seeing that he could at least open his eyes, it seemed I didn’t have to worry about him dying.

“Take him and get him treated. However, I will not forgive you if you do something like that again.”

Edgar said, still maintaining his expressionless face.

Voices of admiration flowed from the surroundings upon seeing his demeanor.

“Indeed, to forgive such rudeness. A person with qualifications befitting the holy light...”

“A dignity befitting the head of the Arklight Guild. It’s admirable.”

“...”

Hey, no.

Do you guys really think it’s holy to just let someone who was about to kill a defenseless person go?

I get that you want to unconditionally side with your own, since blood is thicker than water, but there’s a limit to this level of blind praise.

In that respect.

“Mr. Edgar.”

“...What is it?”

“We’re the ones who should be receiving an apology here, you fucking punk-ass thug.”

“...”

I hit him with the plain facts.

The atmosphere in the party hall, which seemed like it couldn't get any more shattered, escalated to the brink of explosion.

I could feel the gazes of even the Eastern Climbers who were sitting nearby all turning towards me.

They were gazes that pleaded with me to back down and not escalate the situation any further.

“Well, you don’t want to apologize either, do you? Right?”

“...What are you trying to say?”

“Let’s be fair. I’ll give you a chance to beat me up. You give me a chance to wring an apology out of your mouths.”

I continued, pointing alternately at Aaron and Lina, who were glaring at me.

“These two losers here. A duel with me, under observation. 2-on-1. Isn’t that a decent appetizer before the tournament that’s coming up soon?”

“...Is he crazy?”

“If he wants to get noticed, he’d be better off running away. A minnow, of all things...”

I could hear such murmurs from nearby. They all looked at me like an egg charging at a rock.

Even Aaron and Lina, the ones mentioned as opponents for the duel, looked so dumbfounded that they didn't even feel it was worth reacting.

But, I couldn’t care less about these bastards.

Only Edgar was still looking at me expressionlessly.

‘...See?’

This guy alone knew.

He knew what level of ‘capability’ I possessed. He had vaguely guessed it just from the brief exchange I had shown a moment ago.

That was also why he personally restrained Aaron. He genuinely saw the ‘possibility of losing.’

The reason Edgar Richter was a tricky opponent in the game stemmed from that.

He was a severe narcissist with a pretty messed-up personality.

But his ability as a Climber was solid enough to cover all of that and more.

That was the reason I had to cut this guy down beforehand.

If such a thorough guy got entangled with the mastermind, things would get quite troublesome.

“Climber Kim Gyu-sik. Mind your manners. This is a social gathering. Not a place for fighting.”

Edgar said in a flat tone.

Aha. So he was going to bring up decorum.

It was a ploy to protect his own image while making me out to be an irrational psycho. He had the justification on his side, too. After all, if we considered the sequence of events, Jeong Min-woo was the one who ‘attacked’ first.

Perhaps if I weren’t such a blockhead, I would have backed down here.

But what could I do.

“Nah, screw that. You in or not. Just tell me that. You scared or something?”

I came out here having decided to be a blockhead.

“That, that barbaric fellow!”

“Lord Edgar! Crush him! You mustn’t forgive him!”

As I even threw in a provocation, the Arklight Guild members went ballistic.

At this, Edgar’s eyebrow twitched.

Not because he was angry at my provocation, but because he realized that if he backed down here, his own reputation would be tarnished.

Yes. A fight was inevitable. Because I was going to make it so.

“...”

Edgar gritted his teeth and glared at me, but.

In the end, the answer was already decided.

“...I accept. The duel.”

That’s right.

He took the bait.

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