Black Cloud Guild.
It was one of the larger-scale guilds that aimed for third place in Korea.
'They are far from normal.'
The Black Cloud Guild's recent rapid growth was based on its aggressive recruiting methods. Its guild leader, Hong Deok-pyo, also had several nasty rumors surrounding him.
In short, they were bad guys.
And this man had the tattoo of the Black Cloud—the trademark of the guild—on his skin.
"An acquaintance?"
Jin-hyuk asked Chun Yuseong.
"I've heard the name from a scout of the guild who offered to take me in."
Ah…
Now everything made sense. He showed interest in Chun Yuseong because the guild wanted him.
And, of course, this single-minded man must have rejected the offer immediately. In any case, a swordsman who didn't leave room for boredom was admirable.
The man asked again,
"Eh. I asked you. Are you Chun Yuseong or whatever your name was?"
"That's right. I'm Chun Yuseong."
"As expected. I was told to look for a dark face that looked like shit, and I was right. I'm Jong Do-hyun of the Black Cloud Guild."
Jong Do-hyun introduced himself.
"Is this an offer to join the guild? I already answered the scout."
"I know. I just heard about it."
"Then we have no reason to talk anymore."
"True, but it's annoying that a new rookie with just an AA rank is rejecting an offer from our guild. This time, I plan to make you accept it by force." Ɽ𝓪ΝóBЁ𝘚
"You… you're trying to force me?"
Chun Yuseong looked at him with an expression of disbelief.
"Ugh. Unlike your looks, you seem to have some gangster in you."
Jong Do-hyun bared his teeth, and killing intent began to leak from both sides in an instant.
Psss!
Magic from both sides collided, and dust flew up from the ground. Their hands moved toward the weapons at their waists.
And at that moment—
"Don't overdo it. Keep your weapons sheathed. You're not stupid enough to fight in front of the Association, right?"
Jin-hyuk intervened.
"He's the one who picked a fight!"
Chun Yuseong protested like a child. He knew well that fighting here would only cause trouble.
Clack.
"Kuak!"
Chun Yuseong shoved his sword back into its sheath. On the other side, Jong Do-hyun looked at Jin-hyuk with an evaluative gaze.
"What are you?"
What?
"I came to cheer for this guy since I knew he was participating."
"Cheer? Not participate, but cheer?"
"I didn't get an invitation."
"Ha… if you didn't get an invitation, that means your rank is low, right?"
"It's F. My personal favorite alphabet."
As Jin-hyuk calmly replied, Jong Do-hyun smiled as if the entire situation were ridiculous.
Clench!
As his joints loosened, the muscles that looked ready to burst moved grotesquely.
"If you came to cheer, you should be clapping quietly from the corner. How dare a mere F-rank block my way?"
If this had happened inside the Tower instead of at the Association, this man would already be dead.
But since they were outside, perhaps just breaking a finger or two would be fine.
As that thought crossed his mind—
He swung his magic-filled fist.
"He is my prey!"
Chun Yuseong shouted as he reacted instantly.
Srng!
The sword he drew shone brilliantly.
[Chun Yuseong Lv6 Soul Chasing Sword Qi activated!]
"As expected."
As if waiting for this moment, Jong Do-hyun turned toward Chun Yuseong.
Blue light erupted from his fists.
It was an enhanced skill capable of pulverizing rocks in a single strike.
"I'll even shatter that sword like chopsticks!"
And that was it.
That was the last thing Jong Do-hyun remembered.
Woong!
The two-meter-tall hulk collapsed to the ground. A dagger handle was buried deep in his temple, knocking him unconscious instantly.
"Now it's finally quiet."
Jin-hyuk retrieved the dagger with a casual flick of his hand.
And—
"…"
Chun Yuseong, who had witnessed everything, fell silent.
With a complicated expression, he dispelled the magic on his sword and slid it back into its sheath.
'That movement just now…'
No matter how careless the opponent had been, Jin-hyuk had struck a vital point in an impossibly short window of time.
It was so fast that even while focusing, Chun Yuseong couldn't see it.
Jong Do-hyun wouldn't even have realized what had happened.
'Damn it.'
Chun Yuseong clenched his fists.
After leaving the ruins, he had trained relentlessly, without resting for even a minute.
He entered time-extended labyrinths and pushed himself to the limit, facing countless monsters.
Yet—
Why?!
'Why does it feel like the gap between us hasn't narrowed at all?'
This was impossible.
No—no matter how many times he thought about it, he couldn't imagine a scenario where he could respond to that kind of surprise attack.
"What are you so shocked about? Hurry up and get inside before others see this. You said we were short on time, right?"
"…Yes."
Chun Yuseong walked forward with heavy steps.
13th Floor Training Hall of the Awakened Association
The entire floor was made of magic stones and special alloys capable of absorbing magic. It was a place where players could fight without restraint.
Kakang!
Kang! Kang!
The sound of clashing blades echoed throughout the arena. The format was a 24-player battle royale, resulting in all kinds of unique abilities and skills being unleashed.
"Haha. Park-hyung, why does your body look sluggish? Aren't you relying too much on your abilities?"
"I'm still warming up, you brat. Be careful unless you want to end up with the healer on the 5th floor."
Since only high-ranking players were present, most of them seemed to know each other.
They even chatted while fighting.
That didn't mean they were holding back.
They just weren't killing each other.
With pride and honor on the line, everyone fought seriously.
At the same time, rankers from various guilds and broadcasting officials observed from the audience.
"This is a pretty high level."
"Yeah. The public will like this."
"Still, it's only a temporary measure. We need to break through the 3rd floor soon."
Most discussions revolved around humanity's future.
But not everyone shared those concerns.
Some cared only about strengthening their guild.
People seated at the center glanced toward a man with hawk-like eyes.
Hong Deok-pyo—the only S-class and Guild Master of the Black Cloud—was present, along with his scouts.
"That duo over there looks promising."
A scout pointed to an elderly flame wielder and a young female summoner.
The summoner handled defense with her beasts, while the old man pressured opponents with fire whenever an opening appeared.
Their coordination was flawless.
However, Hong Deok-pyo ignored them.
He was focused on one person.
Chun Yuseong.
'…Good.'
A lean yet powerful build.
An aura so sharp it chilled the air even from a distance.
'There must be flaws in the awakening test.'
There was no way he was merely AA rank.
Hong Deok-pyo had already felt exhilarated just watching him swing his sword.
"It's understandable that he refused the offer."
"Ah, hyung! Are you really saying that? I almost had him, but some worm hit me in the back of the head!"
Jong Do-hyun fumed.
"You expect me to believe an F-rank dared to do that?"
"Y-You don't believe me?"
"How could I believe you failed because of a mere worm?"
"Tch. It's frustrating. I'd rather be sent down and crush that trash myself—make Chun Yuseong kneel before me!"
"Ssh! Isn't it time for the fight? Pay attention. Interviews will start soon."
Jong Do-hyun didn't participate in the match due to the press conference scheduled afterward.
Among all awakened individuals, only one in 500,000 could reach AAA rank.
Given his growth rate, Jong Do-hyun had the talent to reach S-class within three years.
And having such a person in a guild—
Would raise that guild's status tremendously.
"I spent a lot of money to arrange this. You understand, right?"
"Don't worry. I'll handle it properly."
Jong Do-hyun smiled.
Not far from the Black Cloud Guild's seats—
Jin-hyuk yawned as he watched the matches.
What was this? A joke?
Even without real danger, it was painfully dull.
The only interesting part was seeing Min Jung-woo and Lee Yuri again—the pair he'd met at the National Museum of Korea.
'It's nice seeing them again.'
They seemed to have grown stronger since then.
The rest, however, made him question what they were doing in the Tower of Trials.
Still, the crowd's reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
At this level, people genuinely believed the future was bright.
It was exhausting.
Was he supposed to say this was the world's accepted standard, when Elise would burst out laughing at the sight?
'Damn it. At this rate, Chun Yuseong will win.'
Jin-hyuk sighed as he watched Chun Yuseong dominate the arena.
Even if everyone teamed up, they wouldn't be able to scratch him.
And to prove that—
Chun Yuseong began subduing players one after another.
"Kuak!"
"Kua…!"
Players with minor injuries surrendered quickly. The gap was too wide.
In the end, only fifteen minutes were needed.
"Ah—w-we have a winner!"
The staff announced shakily.
Clap!
Applause erupted from the audience.
"Congratulations, Player Chun Yuseong. You may now choose between the two rewards: a replica, or—"
"There's no need for a replica. I want an opponent."
The crowd exploded with excitement.
'As expected…'
'A real monster.'
'Who would even fight someone like him?'
Everyone assumed it would be a top-ranked Korean powerhouse.
Then—
"Come out."
Chun Yuseong pointed his sword toward a man in the audience.
PS1 :
Black Cloud Guild – A major Korean guild known for aggressive recruitment and underhanded methods.
Hong Deok-pyo – Guild Master of the Black Cloud Guild; the only S-class in the organization.
Jong Do-hyun – High-potential guild member; arrogant and violent.
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