Episode 30
One day after the double dungeon incident.
An emergency meeting was held at the New Korea Players Association building.
A conference room where a total of ten association executives are located.
Each and every one of them was a chairman with great power.
In front of them, Go Tae-wook opened his mouth.
"Thank you for coming despite our urgent request. "As this is a serious matter, we will start quickly."
"Where is the president of the association going and is the late deputy director sitting there?"
An old man wearing horn-rimmed glasses asked as if he was uncomfortable.
As the legal chairman of the Players' Association, he is the center of the anti-association president faction.
The president of the association was famous for finding fault with even the smallest details.
However, Go Tae-wook smiled and slightly bowed his head as if he was used to it.
"I'm sorry for not telling you in advance. The president of the association is currently away to deal with the incident. Please understand.
"haha. "Somewhere, Deputy Director Goh presided over a meeting once or twice."
"is it so. "Deputy Director Go, let's get started quickly."
Chairpersons who were favorable to Jin-hee Ji gave their support to Tae-wook Ko.
"Tsk."
Some people clicked their tongues as if they did not like it, but the meeting began at the urging of other chairpersons.
Ko Tae-wook also opened the material he had prepared and got straight to the point.
"As you know, the dungeon investigation has just ended. Results of a joint investigation with the Alchemist Guild. "It clearly looks like a double dungeon."
The term "double dungeon" brought out sighs here and there.
It was because I knew that what the word meant was not simple.
"haha… "It's a double dungeon."
"Are you saying that an S-rank dungeon suddenly occurred without a gate break?"
"How on earth did Night Walker measure the gate?"
"No, at this point, I should also be thankful for the lazy work attitude of the association's measurement office… ."
"The interference of the great powers will become more severe."
"This is unprecedented. You have to report it to the US first... ."
"Why does the United States come out there? "Maybe it would be better in China."
"Shouldn't we also talk to the Japanese side?"
There was shouting back and forth in the chaotic conference room.
The position of chairman cannot be considered unrelated to politics.
That is why statements that prioritize each person's interests continue to occur.
'The people called the chairman are pathetic.'
Go Tae-wook, who was watching, quietly created magic.
It is called a precision machine and has a history of torturing countless demons.
He knew very well how to deal with these people.
"Everyone, please pay attention."
Huh.
A voice filled with magical power passed through the chairmen.
In an instant, the magic power that swept around the conference room returned to Go Tae-wook.
"Hey."
"Sigh."
Putting magical power into words.
It was a technique that required more fine control than expected.
A level that can only be used if you are at least a top grade A or S grade player.
The attention of the chairmen who knew the meaning was focused on Go Tae-wook.
"It's a little quieter now."
"Hmm… ."
"Deputy Director Go… "We were very rude."
Go Tae-wook was able to do this because he was relying on Ji Jin-hee's trust.
Apart from that.
How many people can emit this much magical power with a grin?
Although the chairmen are also players, they are those who chose bureaucratic positions rather than the front line.
It was not at a level that could withstand Go Tae-wook's momentum.
As the chairmen quietly silenced themselves, Go Tae-wook smiled in satisfaction.
"As I said before, we don't have much time. "This has already happened, so I hope you face reality."
"that word. "I understand."
The legal chairman answered without hiding his displeasure.
Anyway, the political world is dominated by the law of the jungle.
Not having a sword as good as Go Tae-wook is also due to his own lack of capabilities.
"Forensic analysis results. It appears that there were at least thirty monsters in the dungeon named Apocalypto. According to an eyewitness, dozens of Death Knights... ."
Before we knew it, the meeting had become one where Go Tae-wook was speaking one-sidedly.
And after a while.
"Each chairperson should refrain from contact with the media as much as possible and do not neglect their duties. This is the president's message. Well then, this is the meeting... ."
"for a moment!!"
When Goh Tae-wook tried to end the meeting unilaterally, the less-than-powerful legal chairman raised his arms.
It was to somehow inflict damage on Ji Jin-hee.
"By the way, Deputy Director Go. Isn't it strange? An S-rank dungeon has been conquered, but there is only one survivor. "And that's just one test taker!!"
The Law Commissioner's agitation was effective.
Other chairpersons who had cowered regained their courage.
"Yeah, that's true too. "I was already going to ask you."
"haha. "I guess I wasn't the only one who thought that."
"Yeah, that's right. A C-grade candidate survives in a place where even A-grade players cannot survive? "It doesn't make sense."
"This is not an issue that can just be overlooked."
The slander targeting Ji Jin-hee began again.
Only the pro-association president faction and the neutral inspection chairman refrained from speaking.
"This is so… "The chairpersons seem to be mistaken."
gulp.
The chairmen, who felt the sting of Go Tae-wook's words, swallowed their saliva.
"It is certainly unfortunate that the three Thaumaturgy players and third test takers died. However, it is unpleasant to see candidate Kim Tae-hyun's life taken lightly."
"Huh! The new Korea is already short on electricity. If you compare a grade A player with a grade C awakener, naturally grade A is... ."
"I'm not just a C-rank awakened person."
"What? "What does that mean?"
"Candidate Kim Tae-hyun is currently classified as a level B awakened person."
"Well, what is that... !!"
"no way… !!"
Ko Tae-wook smiled brightly as he glanced at the surprised committee members.
"Candidate Taehyun Kim. "He is a growing awakener."
The conference room became noisy once again.
* * *
'Did I collapse?'
Even unconsciously.
Taehyun sensed that he was dreaming.
This is because things that became images just by thinking about them were floating in front of my eyes.
The first thing that came to mind was my parents.
My parents passed away without ever seeing me awaken.
The next thing that came to mind was the colleagues I met while working as a porter.
From low level players to high level players and top level players.
There were people with good character, and there were also people who could be called human trash.
Nevertheless, Taehyun did not leave the Abyss.
Despite being a non-awakened person, he played an active role as a porter, and was eventually recognized for his skills and had the honor of exploring the depths of the Abyss.
As a supporting role, or as an extra.
'At least in this life. I will be the main character.'
When Taehyun was strengthening his will.
Some unknown memories began to replay.
Beyond the place where Asmodeus was discovered, the deepest part of the Abyss that even Taehyeon had never been to.
There, people in the shapes of devils, angels, and dragons began to reveal their magnificent bodies.
Taehyun took a deep breath at that presence.
'These guys… Surely it's not SS grade... SSS level?'
Even though it was clearly in a dream.
Each one boasted an intimidation that surpassed that of Asmodeus.
Taehyun's body began to tremble.
When they gestured, tens of thousands of monsters appeared.
It was full of monsters designated as S-class and SS-class.
'end.'
It was a word that passed through Taehyun's mind for a moment.
Even if only half of those monsters come to Earth.
There is no doubt that humanity is coming to an end.
At that time, a gate opened in the red-stained sky.
A man appeared at the gate.
Red eyes for detection.
Although the clothes were different, it was a face Taehyun knew.
king.
A being that didn't just regress itself, but gave it the mysterious power of predation and disappeared.
Even though there were countless monsters in front of him, no sign of nervousness could be seen on his face.
Grumbling.
Red. Blue. White. Black color.
Colorful, burning flames of magical power.
Flames of various colors swept through the monsters, and with each step he took, hundreds of monsters were extinguished.
The angel swung his sword, the devil radiated morale, and the dragon fired his breath.
Still, his steps did not stop.
The S-class monsters and SS-class monsters melted without even being able to resist.
And suddenly.
Time stopped.
The king turned his head and his red eyes fell on Taehyeon.
[I will be waiting.]
'what?'
[The deepest part of the Abyss… .]
Unfortunately, Taehyun opened his eyes without hearing what was said.
* * *
"ha… ha… ."
Taehyun took a deep breath and groped his body.
I touched the patient's clothes, which were wet and damp with sweat.
I later remembered coming out of the dungeon and collapsing.
"It seems like I wake up in the hospital room too often these days… "More than that."
What on earth was that memory from a little while ago?
It's too vivid to be called a dream, and unrealistic to say it's not.
Taehyun thought for a moment and shook his head.
"Only scholars should worry about such things."
I ignored the unanswered questions and opened the status window.
Name: Taehyun Kim
Age: 19
Grade: B
Strength: 100 Stamina: 100 Speed: 100 Horsepower: 150 Charisma: 30
Fatigue: 15%
Remaining horsepower: 150/150
[skill]
Predation (B) – Can prey on the desired target. Horsepower: 40
Stone Skin (B) – Can strengthen the body. Horsepower: 30
Stealth (B) – You can hide your body. Horsepower: 25
Paralysis (B) – Restrains the subject's body. Horsepower: 20
Lord's Heart (B) – Increases party members' abilities. Horsepower: 30
"at las!!"
Taehyun shouted without realizing it after checking the status window.
Just having the seal of predation lifted is a huge gain.
He became B grade and his physical stats also increased significantly.
The problem is that those numbers are equivalent to S-rank players.
I guessed it when I was fighting on equal footing with the Death Knight Lord, but now I am an S-rank in name and reality.
"This is my twelfth… ."
Currently, there are eleven S-rank players in New Korea.
If you just get certified by the association, you will be granted benefits that ordinary people cannot even dream of.
Although it didn't work out for the dead, it was a test that had no losses and only gains for Taehyeon.
'But how did you understand what Rod said? 'Is this also an effect of predation?'
S-class monsters are of a different class from low-level monsters without intelligence.
Even so.
Understanding the language of monsters was something I had never heard of even in my past life.
'furthermore.'
The status window has also changed subtly.
The percentage that appeared next to Predation has been changed to initials indicating the grade.
'Surely growth won't stop here?'
Now I have gained power equivalent to that of an S-rank player.
If it were true, it wouldn't have ended with a stomach ache.
at that time.
Dark red magical power overflowed from Taehyun's drenched body.
At the same time, a message window appeared.
Tiring.
[The King of Knights' magic power has been completely absorbed.]
[The Knight King's spirit (B) has been registered as a skill.]
"under… ."
Until now, I have never gained a skill by feasting on monsters.
But isn't it a skill so arbitrary that it changes the status window on its own?
"After all, predation is a blessing."
It was enough for me to say that I had grown up for now.
With satisfying rewards.
The final exam ended like that