"Ah, fuck it. A man's got to have some pride. There's no way I'm going alone," Sung-gu said.
"…"
What the heck was with this guy? I was about to tell him to go alone, but he preempted me, as if he had an Eye of Perception and had read my mind.
"Sung-gu. Please listen to me carefully."
This is a place made by the 'Giant of the Sunset' for you. That Guardian has gone all-in for you and dislikes other people.
'And telling us to cross that ravine is like telling us to die.'
For now, it would be best to separate from Sung-gu and come up with a strategy. If we were with Sung-gu, the Giant of the Sunset who was only looking out for Sung-gu would find some way to kill us, in order to make it so that the rest of the rewards would go to Sung-gu alone.
"I believe you have a very high fire affinity, and you have even eaten the Essence of Flame."
The original level restriction for Essence of Flame was 40.
"Also, there's a high chance you even have a special skill that increases your resistance to fire."
Everyone knew that no fire on earth could harm the Flame Lord.
"Just as you said earlier, you can cross that ravine with no problems."
"Yes. 'Cause I'm a genius. I can cross it," Sung-gu said, cutting me off. "But still, how could I possibly go on alone, leaving you two behind? I have some pride. I won't do that."
The tight line of his lips seemed to express his powerful resolve.
'He's being sincere.' He was sincerely refusing to cross. 'But that's not actually helping me…'
You've gotta go ahead and clear this place on your own, dude. Sunhwa and I are probably blocked from entering the rest of the dungeon anyway, and the Giant of the Sunset will make it so you can clear this place no matter what.
"Sung-gu."
I stared at Sung-gu. I was grateful for his intent. If it were me, I might have made a different choice. In truth, I didn't open the convenience store door in the Tutorial Field in order to guarantee my own survival. I put my life before all others. I didn't think that was wrong or bad. It was just that Sung-gu was a little unique.
"Sunhwa and I can't cross that anyway. We would burn to death trying."
"That's why we need to figure out a way."
There was already a method. It was just that I didn't want to be noticed by the 'Giant of the Sunset'.
"No, I think it would be better for you to go through alone."
"And what I'm saying is, I'm absolutely opposed to that!"
"I'm not telling you to abandon us. I'm asking you to quickly clear this place before something happens while we wait here. As quickly as possible."
"…"
Choi Sung-gu's eyes widened. "…What?"
"You've even eaten the Essence of Flame and have the protection of a special Guardian. In your current state, you will be able to clear this dungeon."
"But, but still…"
Sung-gu wasn't an idiot. He was one of the 8 Heroes representing Korea. At first, he stubbornly rejected my proposal, but before long, he understood what I was getting at.
"Ah, dammit. Alright." Sung-gu's face twisted into a scowl. "Then I'll go clear this reaaaal quick, so just wait a sec."
What little I could read from Sung-gu's status with Eye of Perception changed slightly.
State: Apologetic / Determined / Fired Up
Summary: Emotionally Moved Champion
Sung-gu walked towards the Ravine of Fire. For some reason, his back gave me the impression that he was deeply moved.
"Thanks for making the correct judgment in this situation. And for not being greedy about the item and giving it to me. This is what Playing is. This is how Playing should be done. Thanks for teaching me that."
Ah. Was this why he was touched?
"I will definitely clear this goddamned place and save you. You guys stay right here and wait for me."
Um… this isn't really a 'goddamned place'. It was made for you, Mr. Emotionally Moved Champion.
Sung-gu crossed the Ravine of Fire first.
'Phew.'
I was relieved. The Giant of the Sunset would now focus his attention solely on Sung-gu, which meant it was now time for us to take the next step.
Sunhwa and I talked a little. What we said wasn't all that important. Just 'will it be okay?' and 'let's hope so', 'all we can do is wait here'. Stuff like that.
This little conversation was just to divert attention, to fool the 'Giant of the Sunset' in case he was in Senia's channel.
As I chatted with Sunhwa, I bought a 'Whisper Stone' from the Item Shop. It was an item that would allow me to have a private conversation with a Streamer, an Intermediate Administrator.
[Sending the Intermediate Administrator Senia a whisper request.]
[The Intermediate Administrator Senia has accepted your whisper request.]
Senia. Can you go stream some other Players? Or just turn off your broadcast entirely.
I will decide how I stream.
No, you idiot. You're a fucking beginner. Listen to your oppa.
I'm just going to be sitting here. It'll be boring for the Guardians, you know?
It wasn't that hard to coax Senia. It was a little tricky to carry on a voiced conversation with Sunhwa while whispering Senia, but this too, was manageable.
Senia. Think carefully. From the Tutorial Field to now, you've always just focused your streaming on me. And what has that process been like? I've come this far without much difficulty or hurdle.
Senia didn't respond. She simply stared at me, as if to tell me to go on.
That is to say, you've been directing the same way the entire time. With no sense of crisis, nothing. Just the same old method. You think that'll appeal to the Guardians, who are in constant pursuit of fresh excitement?
…
It seemed she was already half-convinced. It really was a breeze to coax beginner Streamers ten years ago.
That Ravine of Fire is a big trial for me. The Guardians must be curious about what I'll do, right?
This wasn't a lie.
[The 'Nameless Observer' closely observes you.]
[The 'Lady of the Scales' cannot wait to see how you will overcome the difficulty in question.]
[The 'Courageous Lion King' recommends that you challenge the Ravine of Fire.]
[The 'Whispering Devil' is bored.]
A whopping four Guardians who had revealed their names were watching me. The ones that hadn't revealed their names were probably kicking up a fuss altogether.
Turn off your broadcast here. Make it sound like I will either die or give up here, and then show them a recorded broadcast later. Dramatically.
In all truth, this technique was one that future Streamers often utilized, because it was more effective than showing the same material, creating the same pattern all the time.
In exchange, I will cross that Ravine of Fire. Using a method unique to me.
Is it really possible to cross the Ravine of Fire?
Of course it was. In the end, Senia accepted my proposal. See? She was planning on accepting it from the start.
I will pause the stream after thirty seconds. Afterwards, I will go into recording mode.
Senia asked one more thing, as if to satisfy her curiosity.
But, how… are you continuing to converse with Player Kim Sunhwa right now?
Speaking and whispering at the same time was confusing and tricky at first, but I quickly got the hang of it.
Why do you ask?
…It's nothing.
I could do it because it wasn't all that hard once I tried it. Come to think of it, I couldn't quite remember any Players in the future who could do both simultaneously. Or was I mistaken?
I was just… able to do it when I tried?
* * *
[Channel #19207 has closed.]
The channel was closed. Now, there were no Guardians who could watch me.
'Senia also looks super curious.'
She was probably very curious about how I would go across the Ravine of Fire. Even after getting her to close her channel, the trials didn't end there.
[The Ravine of Fire does not tolerate living beings.]
[The Ravine of Fire is moving to swallow all life.]
From that, I knew.
'The Giant of the Sunset is trying to make sure we're dead.'
Even if he couldn't see, he wasn't one to let things slip his grasp. He was one thorough bastard. You could see that from the way he designed things to kill us no matter what.
"Senia. Don't worry too much. We were planning on crossing it anyway."
"…"
The Ravine of Fire was getting closer? All the better. I was intending on going through it anyway, without catching the attention of the Giant of the Sunset. I moved towards the ravine. Since it was coming my way, my relative speed would actually increase.
'Maybe I need to thank him instead. Haha.'
"Sunhwa. It could get a little hot."
That being said, this kid had a body of stone. She wouldn't be greatly injured.
"Got it. I trust you, oppa."
I picked up Sunhwa. Even though she was in her first year of middle school, she was so petite that she could pass for an elementary school student. She wasn't very heavy.
'Hoo.'
This wasn't something I'd ever done before.
'Didn't think I'd be using Flash Step while holding someone.'
It wouldn't be easy. That Ravine of Fire was a trap put down by the Giant of Sunset to roast us to a crisp. The air was getting hotter and hotter. The Ravine of Fire was truly moving towards us.
'The Sword Empress used Flash Step like this before, too.'
Flash Step was different from a magician's Warp. Warp didn't have 'continuity'. It was teleportation between one point to another, with no in-between. But Flash Step moved via a 'line'. Your body moved quickly in order to go from one point to another, so quickly the opponent couldn't react.
'To put it another way, we have to go through those flames anyway.'
If I was using Warp, those flames wouldn't touch us, but with Flash Step, they would graze us for just a split second.
My heart thumped. I was intending on crossing it quickly with this Flash Step skill, but I would be doing it with Sunhwa in my arms. If I messed up, one of us could be seriously injured or even die.
The bright-red flames whirled and whipped. Even the Flame Lord Choi Sung-gu had gone through it, screaming, "Ow! Fuck! Fucking hell, it's hot! Fuckity fuck, it's hotttt!" while downing potions like a madman.
I stopped right in front of the ravine.
'It's outrageously hot.'
One tiny step, and my legs would come into direct contact with those flames. Sweat poured like rain from Sunhwa's body as well, and her face was wet with sweat. This degree of heat should be painful, but she didn't voice a single complaint.
'Hoo.'
From here on out, it would be the real deal. It wasn't possible to cross this thing with Flash Step alone. If we went through as we were now, those fierce flames would swallow us alive.
[Fox Tail]
A Six-Tailed Fox's tail. It's said that the Six-Tailed Fox uses the strength from this tail to carry out its spiritual arts, and if used by someone else, the Six-Tailed Fox's tail will lose its strength and be destroyed.
Can generate 'Foxfire'.Foxfire: A small field with very high fire affinity/resistance.
Can generate 'Fake Foxfire'.Fake Foxfire: A small field with slightly high affinity/resistance for attributes other than fire.
Can generate 'Clone Foxfire'.
Clone Foxfire: Summons a clone exactly like the user. The time the summoning will last is proportionate to the user's MP.
Uses: 0/1
I had a 'Fox Tail' from a previous fight. Of the three options, I would be using the first. Foxfire. It would make a very small field. Its range was about thirty centimetres around the ground I was standing on.
'Hoo.'
I took a deep breath. A distance of seven meters. I couldn't mess up.
'Here I go.'
I tensed my legs and slightly lowered my waist in preparation to jump. Flash Step could be used even without a preparation stance, but it should still be slightly more favorable to take a stance beforehand.
I drew out the motion in my head.
'The other side of the Ravine of Fire, past the surging flames.'
I had already used Eye of Perception to see how Choi Sung-gu got to the other side, which wasn't visible. I hadn't been able to see how much he had to walk with my eyes, but I did see it with Eye of Perception.
[Use Fox Tail?]
[Generating 'Foxfire'.]
[You are within the domain of 'Foxfire'.]
[Your fire affinity and resistance have dramatically increased.]
I used the Fox Tail.
[Using the skill Flash Step.]
Then, I used the Sword Empress' skill, Flash Step, immediately afterwards. I surged forward with Sunhwa in my arms. The moment I did so, I felt flames far hotter than I'd imagined enveloping my body. I clenched my teeth.
'Without fail… we will cross…!
Giant of the Sunset, you biased asshole. I won't die here!
____