Chapter 138
This place, where they were instantly transported upon accepting the VIP invitation, was a tremendously spacious and luxurious banquet hall.
The round tables in the hall were labeled with the names and nicknames of each guild representative, and the guild leaders moved to their respective seats.
Yeo Sunwoo was seated at the same table as Myth, Venom, and Wings.
“It’s been a while, Guild Leader Yeo Sunwoo.”
Sa Jae-Hyeok greeted him with a smile.
“Yes, it has been a while.”
Yeo Sunwoo returned his greeting naturally, wearing a business smile.
He then immediately greeted Min Jin-Ho of Venom and Kwon Yul of Wings.
“I heard the news. Ho-Yeong made a surprising move from the first round.”
When participating in the event, the list of participants was made public.
Myth quickly checked the list of Ho-Yeong, one of their competitors.
And they confirmed it.
The list consisted of a user in the 170s level range and a user who had just passed level 100 and hadn’t been playing the game for long.
“Ah, yes.”
Yeo Sunwoo responded awkwardly to Sa Jae-Hyeok’s words.
Sa Jae-Hyeok, not missing his reaction, smiled.
“They must have a plan, right? Ho-Yeong has always surprised me.”
“Yes. You’ll probably be very surprised this time too.”
“Haha, yes. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Sa Jae-Hyeok, as if he had nothing more to see, went over to Venom and Wings to chat.
Yeo Sunwoo was left alone, looking at the hologram in front of the banquet hall.
‘A plan…’
The list of participants for the first round, decided not by his own judgment but by his daughter’s.
Whether it was right or wrong would be revealed in time.
* * *
The first round was nearing its end.
In the beginning, everyone fought to secure bases and survive for as long as possible, but now the strategy had changed.
[If you stay hidden in the same zone for more than 1 hour, you will automatically die.]
[Move to a different zone within 1 hour.]
A new rule had been added 45 minutes into the first round.
As a result, users who were lying in wait had to hurriedly move to different zones, and many deaths occurred in the process.
[19 teams eliminated.]
Perhaps because of this, Jeong-Hoon also had to repeatedly change bases, engaging in constant battles, and the number of eliminated teams had accumulated to 19.
Moreover, his mother’s skills shone even brighter during confrontations with other users.
‘She’s amazing…’
Even though she hadn’t been playing New World for long, every shot she fired hit its mark.
‘Mom, you’re really amazing… I’m not lying! I think I understand why Jeong-Hoon is so extraordinary!’
Ever since his mother first entered New World, Yeo Min-Ji had always been generous with her praise.
Her mother’s shooting skills were unmatched.
“Mom… You get a headshot every time you shoot?”
“It’s because of my skill. Since the opponent doesn’t perceive me, I can easily hit their head.”
She spoke humbly, but Jeong-Hoon knew how incredible that was.
‘…Genesis Sniper.’
‘Trace Blocking,’ obtained when the Genesis Sniper ascended to Unique grade.
This ability completely erased her presence, making her undetectable even to monsters with a level difference of up to 150.
It was such an overpowered skill for a sniper that it shouldn’t even exist.
Combined with her perfect marksmanship, players were left screaming and writhing on the ground after being headshot.
Jeong-Hoon took advantage of the chaos to quickly finish off the other users, killing those who were struggling on the ground.
“Michael, any enemies?”
“Yes! There doesn’t seem to be anyone else here!”
Michael used his necromancy to scout the small village once more.
They had currently cleared six traps and were in the process of searching for the seventh.
They were able to search so quickly thanks to his mother being by his side.
‘My mother knows the exact locations of the traps.’
Without a single error.
‘…Even among Hidden Classes, she’s definitely top-tier.’
Just with ‘Trace Blocking’ alone, she could probably overpower most classes.
“Son, I think there’s one here too.”
It seemed his mother’s Trap Detection was sending a signal as they got closer to the trap.
This village was full of old mansions.
“Yes. Let’s go right away.”
Jeong-Hoon followed his mother into the village.
The seventh trap was hidden in a half-destroyed mansion.
Once they cleared this trap, they would head east through the portal.
“Master, wait a moment! It seems someone is approaching this base.”
At that moment, Michael, who was using necromancy, called out to Jeong-Hoon with a serious expression.
“What about the hallucination?”
The debuff, Hallucination.
It sent ghosts to confuse the enemy, and he had seen today how effective it was in synergy.
Michael shook his head.
“It’s strange! The hallucination isn’t working.”
“Really?”
Jeong-Hoon’s eyes narrowed.
Was it Myth?
It was about time for them to show up.
Originally, Myth was the guild that took first place in this first round.
So the ones breaking through the hallucination were likely from Myth.
“Son, should I go and take position?”
His mother asked, pointing to a 7-story building.
That building would provide a good vantage point for sniping.
“Yes, I understand.”
“…Be careful.”
Even though it was just a game, it seemed she couldn’t help but worry about her son.
“It’s just a game. Don’t worry too much.”
Jeong-Hoon grinned and entered a nearby building.
“Master! Then I’ll deploy two ghosts in each building.”
Michael deployed two ghosts in each building and waited for the enemy to approach.
And soon, they appeared.
===
[Player Information]
– Nickname: Lucascas
– Level: 241
– Class: Guardian Swordsman (3rd Advancement)
===
[Player Information]
– Nickname: Ashbling
– Level: 244
– Class: Walker of the Abyss (3rd Advancement)
===
‘As expected.’
Jeong-Hoon’s eyes gleamed slightly as he saw them.
* * *
“Someone cast an illusion. There seems to be a user nearby.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Ashbling, or Lee Yeon-Soo, nodded.
His eyes were darker than usual.
Black Eyes.
The ability to see through everything.
“Then that means they’re a Dark Magician.”
Lucascas, or Lee Ji-Seok, drew the bastard sword he was carrying on his back.
His body glowed, and the Guardian’s Emblem was engraved on his chest.
“Don’t just rush in recklessly. Have you forgotten how dangerous it was at the beginning?”
Lee Yeon-Soo glared at him and pointed out.
“Bullshit. Have you forgotten that I tore them all apart in the end?”
“Sigh… Are you not going to consider the person supporting you from behind?”
“Your role is to support me. Shut up and do your job. Don’t try to control me.”
Lee Ji-Seok’s lips curled up into a smirk.
Just because they were both Hidden Classes didn’t mean they were equals.
He was a Guardian Swordsman.
The Walker of the Abyss could only handle the power of darkness more broadly, but he was the chosen one.
He was the Guardian Swordsman chosen by the God of War, Ullion!
“Wow, are you done talking?”
Lee Yeon-Soo tried to retort, but Lee Ji-Seok had already rushed towards the village entrance.
“I’ll kill you!”
“Seriously, fuck…”
He wanted to abandon him, but the mission Sa Jae-Hyeok had given him was to finish first in this first round.
Whether he liked it or not, he had to cooperate with Lee Ji-Seok for now.
Lee Yeon-Soo hurriedly chased after Lee Ji-Seok.
* * *
The Hidden Class members that Myth cherished dearly.
Two of them were currently rushing towards the village.
“M-Master? What should we do?”
“Quiet for now.”
Jeong-Hoon gestured for silence and heightened his senses to the maximum.
First of all, these two weren’t his allies in his previous life.
Lee Hwa-Rang and Park Jin-Hyeok had left Myth, so they could become allies, but the rest had remained with Myth until the end.
Moreover, Jeong-Hoon knew Lee Ji-Seok and Lee Yeon-Soo very well.
Because they would become some of the strongest players in the Myth Guild in the future.
‘So this is when they haven’t surpassed level 250 yet.’
They must have been ordered to take first place in the first round.
Otherwise, there was no way these two would be working together.
Jeong-Hoon first took out Anima.
‘Be careful. Especially the guy in front… He’s received the blessing of a god.’
Anima was an Ancient Dragon.
He was well-versed in the blessings of gods.
“Ah, it’s okay.”
Just because someone received a blessing didn’t make them invincible.
A blessing was like a buff that enhanced all abilities, not an invincibility skill.
Of course, the problem was that the buff was quite overpowered.
‘Master, he’s not affected by the hallucination!’
Michael reported an important fact to Jeong-Hoon, moving only his lips.
‘Okay.’
Jeong-Hoon quickly drew his bow and aimed at Lee Ji-Seok, who was running towards the entrance.
Just then,
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, and Lee Ji-Seok, who was running, knelt down.
The blessing engraved on his chest disappeared.
‘What the…?’
Anima’s face was filled with shock.
The blessing of a god wasn’t something that could be removed so easily.
‘It’s Mom…’
Jeong-Hoon turned his head and looked at the building.
The gunshot just now was his mother’s.
Genesis Sniper… As expected, it wasn’t just a simple class.
Anyway, now was the perfect time to eliminate Lee Ji-Seok.
He aimed at him again and released the arrow.
Whoosh!
The arrow flew and accurately pierced the back of Lee Ji-Seok’s neck.
“Cough! M-My skills aren’t working…!”
[Passive: Black Flame activated.]
With the low probability Black Flame also activated, black flames erupted from Lee Ji-Seok’s neck.
Jeong-Hoon immediately used his movement technique to arrive in front of him.
“Consider yourself unlucky.”
With those words, he ended his life in one swift motion.
Eliminating him after his blessing disappeared was a piece of cake.
‘Impressive… To think he could so easily defeat someone with the blessing of a god.’
Anima chuckled.
“Indeed. It feels like I’m the one getting carried.”
His mother’s support fire felt incredibly reliable.
“No way… Even though he’s a bastard, he’s not someone who would fall so easily…?”
Lee Yeon-Soo, who arrived late, muttered in disbelief.
“So it’s you. The Walker of the Abyss.”
“…An Intermediate Martial Artist?”
Jeong-Hoon’s level was only in the 170s.
And his class was Intermediate Martial Artist.
He hadn’t even reached 3rd advancement, still at 2nd.
“Hmm? Is there a problem?”
Jeong-Hoon tilted his head, and Lee Yeon-Soo frowned.
“How did you get rid of him? And in such a short time?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
Jeong-Hoon used his movement technique.
His fist was imbued with the aura of the Underworld King.
“Ha, I don’t know what tricks you’re trying to pull…”
Lee Yeon-Soo’s body turned black.
He intended to become the abyss itself and trap Jeong-Hoon within it.
But then,
Thud!
Jeong-Hoon’s fist struck his face.
“Ugh!”
Lee Yeon-Soo’s head snapped to the side.
At the same time, his eyes wavered in shock.
Thud! Thud!
And then came a barrage of Underworld King’s Fist Technique.
Jeong-Hoon started pummeling Lee Yeon-Soo, from his face to his abdomen.
“Ugh!”
Lee Yeon-Soo was confused by the intense pain.
‘This is strange… How is the damage getting through?’
Walker of the Abyss.
When entering the abyss, he wouldn’t take any damage for a certain period.
In exchange, he couldn’t attack either, so it was often used as an escape skill.
However, Lee Yeon-Soo used it as a warm-up for his next attack instead of an escape, and that was now being countered.
Thud!
Jeong-Hoon’s fist sharply pierced his abdomen.
“Ugh!”
Lee Yeon-Soo could only let out a painful groan, unable to speak.
The black aura surrounding Jeong-Hoon’s fist grew denser.
‘Shit… Shit!’
Lee Yeon-Soo finally realized.
That black aura was nullifying his abyss.
‘But how…?’
How could he overpower his abyss?
“Why? Because you’re weaker than me.”
Jeong-Hoon smirked and said.
Lee Yeon-Soo’s eyes widened.
“You have that ‘how did you know?’ look on your face. It’s all written there.”
Jeong-Hoon’s detailed stats far surpassed those of a level 173.
With the addition of the Legendary-grade Underworld King’s Fist Technique, there was no way an Epic-grade abyss could do anything against it.
“You… bastard…”
Lee Yeon-Soo glared at Jeong-Hoon with bloodshot eyes.
“I’m getting bored. Let’s end this.”
The Underworld King’s Fist Technique, now at 3rd Form.
Jeong-Hoon’s fist struck the opponent’s left chest, reducing his remaining health to zero.
Lee Yeon-Soo died on the spot.
———