SWNOVELXO Chapter 217: Knockout Tournament (4)
They say people leave names behind when they die, while beasts leave only their skins.
However, the bizarre actions of the Beast were an incident that was hard for people to shake off from their memories.
In the end, the Beast left behind a vivid name instead of mere leather.
People could only tremble in fear, unaware that it had already been defeated and killed.
‘Ugh….’
As I pondered the identity of the Beast, naturally, ‘that man’s’ face came to mind.
‘Creepy!’
Once, Brooklyn Morgan made a joke on a TV show.
Perhaps the Beast could merely be an S-Class Hunter whose attributes had not been revealed yet.
But considering the ambiguity of awakening abilities and the savage personality capable of killing the same person, a particular individual kept lingering in my mind.
‘No way.’
Blond. Triple-eyed. The sound of boots following me. Cold skin. A dragging longsword…
‘Eek.’
Sofia shook her head vigorously to escape the terrifying thought.
Yeah.
No matter how much I thought about it, this seemed like a completely pointless path to delve into.
Right now, I needed to focus on the immediate tasks at hand instead of worrying about that Oriental Hunter.
To repay the debt incurred from gambling, I had to somehow record a high rank in this tournament with a massive prize pool.
And the fortunate thing was, I wouldn’t encounter that frightening Oriental here!
Kim Gi-ryeo’s name was absent from the list of confirmed S-Class Hunters promoted by China.
‘If it were me, I’d have gone crazy over the Item Box and put my name down in a flash. Hmm. Well, anyway, I guess that’s a relief.’
With a more relaxed expression, Sofia began to stretch.
Of course, at that moment, she was unaware.
The reason China hadn’t used Kim Gi-ryeo’s name in their promotions was simply that the individual’s decisions were slower than others.
Just as she had thought, the basic reward of an Item Box was a fruit too big and sweet to pass up…….
.
.
.
Evenly laid paths.
An open sky.
And distant cheers from the spectators, or the annoying sound of drones flying around.
[Hwangryong Tournament Round 5~!]
Sofia thought as she listened to the organizers’ announcement being translated into three languages simultaneously.
[A commemorative match from an Awakened-level Hunter from Korea~!]
The gods are dead.
To be precise, the Lucky God named Tyche must be gone from this world.
Otherwise, her prayers for a good match-up couldn’t possibly have led to such a ridiculous outcome.
I couldn’t believe it. It was so despairing that I was on the verge of nihilism.
“Wow~”
“Amazing!”
“S-Class Hunter! S-Class Hunter!”
These days, drone camera resolutions keep improving daily.
So, by now, I’m sure my trembling pupils are broadcasted into living rooms around the world!
Sofia, sweating profusely, barely managed to lift her head.
What met her gaze was that very figure she had feared to see again, even in her dreams.
“……”
At that moment.
The man standing across the arena finally seemed to remember Sofia’s identity.
He fiddled with the cufflinks of his shirt and raised an eyebrow in realization.
But that was the only noticeable reaction.
The blond man fell silent again.
Since he had removed all magic-imbued equipment before entering the arena.
The Pixie’s translator was regulated, so it’s pointless to have a conversation now.
[Then get ready and…….]
[3]
[2]
Unlike S-Class Hunters, who were completely banned from using items, Sofia received permission to use her gear with a minor handicap.
[1]
However, as the countdown on the arena’s electronic clock decreased, all she could think about was wanting to throw away this weapon and run away.
[Match Start!]
‘God…….’
I shouldn’t have gambled in the first place…….
*
So, let’s find out how Sofia ended up in such a predicament.
Four hours ago.
Gi-ryeo was on a plane to China with Kang Chang-ho.
To be precise, it was the contractor’s private jet.
On their previous trip to Japan, they had all used a commercial airline, but Kang Chang-ho, citing discomfort from that experience, recently decided to buy a plane.
“Aren’t we supposed to be going for victory?”
A moment later, the S-Class Hunter sitting across from him popped open some champagne and said casually.
Claiming he wasn’t interested in things like ‘Triaina.’
“What I want is a completely different item. That thing is somewhat essential in illegal trading, and it rarely comes up in the black market. The sellers don’t put it out.”
“Ah.”
“It seems to be relatively easier to find in general Hunter markets.”
Gi-ryeo unconsciously asked, as an Alphauri would.
“Really? Then can’t you just delegate and buy it for you instead…?”
“Right. I’m already doing that.”
“Huh?”
“Of course, I’m having someone make the purchases. So, if I want to, acquiring items is possible.”
But with each response, the conversation became more baffling.
‘Then why the hell are we going to China?’
With Gi-ryeo keeping silent and looking perplexed, Kang Chang-ho explained as if he understood.
He hadn’t decided to participate just because of the items linked to the tournament.
After all…
“But China is a vast land, and people are scattered everywhere.”
The tall Hunter tapped near his eyes with his index finger.
“If the Awakened gather as they wish, there’s no reason not to go.”
“Ah.”
“The item side is merely a memento; my real goal is this. You understand now?”
Gi-ryeo quickly realized by seeing the magic tool rolling lazily under his eyelid.
‘Well, the Dragon’s Eye must have restrictions on its range…’
To the upper-tier Awakened, a gathering place would feel like a large fresh produce section for the owner of the [Enhancement Heart].
However, he had mentioned limited numbers for the skill stealing, hadn’t he?
Plus, he had prepared alternative sacrifices to replace existing contractors and was looking to observe the Awakened.
‘An Earthling who cannot be satisfied.’
Gi-ryeo inwardly clicked his tongue at the greed displayed by the man before him. Yet he couldn’t show any outward sign of it.
Kang Chang-ho was busy grabbing nuts from the plate.
Crack.
Then he crushed a walnut shell with his bare hands.
Gi-ryeo fell silent for a moment, witnessing the nutmeat that was revealed in an instant.
Honestly, even without awakening, he suspected Kang Chang-ho could crack walnuts due to his basic muscle mass, making him feel humble.
At this point, the Awakened across from him began making problematic remarks…….
“By the way, Kim Gi-ryeo, are you sure you don’t want to participate?”
“What do you mean?”
“The match.”
Kang Chang-ho soon said.
Since they had finally taken off in a private jet, considering fuel costs, it would economically make sense for him to show his face if possible.
Even though it was unlikely they would clash, why he was so certain about that was beyond him—if by any chance they met, he’d just concede, and he kept suggesting Gi-ryeo participate more.
To be honest, it was transparently obvious flattery.
He had felt it during the Gate in Kagoshima, but Kang Chang-ho was always eager to confirm his contractor’s value.
‘He is crazy to see magic in action.’
Nonsense, asking if he’d think about participating in the match of psionics.
‘Hmmm.’
Of course, he wouldn’t participate…….
It was right when he was about to respond.
Gi-ryeo momentarily lost his words. Upon reflection, the prize for participating as an S-Class Hunter was [Item Box (Rare)].
‘Item Box.’
The minimum price for a rare-grade Item Box is several billion.
He had ended up with a big shot after conning Jeong Ha-seong, but thinking it through, this was by no means a sum to ignore.
‘Considering my current state after recovery, I think I could at least win the first round against an A-Class.’
If the organizers had their wits about them, they wouldn’t drop an S-Class Hunter in the opening round, which was the crux of viewer ratings.
‘If I can only get matched against an A-Class…’
Several billion. Several billion.
Just to do simple calculations, let’s round it down to 1 billion.
Based on a part-timer’s hourly wage of 12,000 won, that’s approximately 83,333 hours.
3,472 days. That’s roughly 9.5 years.
Money that a regular person would need to spend a whopping 9.5 years of their life to earn could be gained as an S-Class Hunter in just about 3 minutes.
‘Hmm.’
Slide.
Gi-ryeo leaned his arm against the metallic aircraft frame, lost in thought.
Kang Chang-ho had long since given up persuading him to participate and had fallen silent.
Yet, for some reason, the numbers that had popped into his head wouldn’t leave him. 9.5 years and 3 minutes.
3 minutes.
3 minutes…….
.
.
.
Thus, I now stood in this state.
“……”
With things having come to this point, what excuse would be of any use?
Yeah. I was blinded by the participation reward that China offered and stepped into the pleasures of these earthlings.
[Item Box (Rare)].
That magical pouch, several times wider than the generic one I was using, was indeed a reward I couldn’t easily pass up.
‘In the end, I’ve violated both my promise not to leave the house and my plan not to be unnecessarily greedy…….’
Damn it.
If only the period for participation application had already passed, I would have maintained the dignity of a Great Mage.
Since S-Class Hunters could enter even a minute before the match started, they didn’t necessarily have to wait.
‘A Great Mage like me is drawn to pile of coins. This is the real downfall of an intelligent being…….’
Thanks to Kang Chang-ho’s desire to see his contractor’s skills, I ended up rushing through the formalities like beans roasted over a fire, but now that I was in the arena, I regained my rationality.
But I tried to rationalize this choice while coming up with excuses in my head.
‘It can’t be helped.’
At this point, revealing the effects of the [Divine Tree Sapling] would help conceal that I was a weak F-Class.
Not that I needed to engage in mind games.
Besides, I’d recently fixed my respiratory issues.
Taking some time to circulate magic through unused lungs might not be a bad idea as a secondary benefit.
‘For some reason, the more I make excuses, the more embarrassed I feel about my own greed.’
Well, anyhow.
But the opponent I ended up meeting after this ordeal was surprising.
‘Her name was Sofia, wasn’t it?’
Her appearance was reminiscent of someone I’d seen before.
What a remarkable coincidence.
I was once again meeting the culprit of the Demirich attack incident.
Though she claimed to be a freelance Hunter, I was already aware of her intimately chatting with Enzo from the Spectrum through my transcendent detection ability.
‘Hmmm.’
The relationship with the Spectrum.
And when combined with the curiosity an ex-healer had about me, the past events finally began to make sense.
I had occasionally been curious about why the Demirich attack happened, and now that the doubts were cleared, I felt a sense of relief.
But that aside.
I had rushed into participating because I was blinded by the Item Box.
Honestly, I never expected there would be so much attention on this place…….
“Woahhh!”
In the distance.
Excited cheers rang out from the audience beyond several layers of barriers.
This was a crowd of planetary citizens gathered to witness the duel between Awakened individuals.
Furthermore, right before I stepped out, an unknown A-Class Hunter had delivered a match so intense that bones were exposed. Their expectations were soaring to the heavens.
‘Is it necessary to be that enthusiastic in such a plaything?’
Having met an A-Class Hunter in the match was fortunate, but the order of the matches didn’t seem favorable.
‘Savage mammals, indeed….’
Both Jeong Ha-seong and Esther seemed to react poorly every time I shed blood, and until now, I thought they might have some aversion to the blood of kindred.
But the Earthlings gathered here seemed to derive even more satisfaction, cheering louder every time someone was hurt.
Seeing their enjoyment of the fight clouded the concepts of Earth I had barely deciphered…….
‘Hmm.’
Well, whatever.
I feel sorry for the spectators who bought expensive tickets, but my match was intended to be a sort of a breather.
Having lost the Hydra and had my surprise box confiscated.
What exactly could an F-Class Hunter, who was essentially thrown out bare-bodied, accomplish?
[Basic Rules]
1. To win, either aim for and destroy the pendant part of your opponent’s necklace or incapacitate them.
[Detailed Rules]
1. Stepping outside the golden line of the arena results in a loss.
2. If the competitor cannot rise within 10 seconds after the referee’s whistle, it’s a KO loss.
3. The referee will rule the defeat of severely injured players at their discretion.
For now, I didn’t need to think about this part before the match.
What caught my focus were the tiny writings added at the bottom of the detailed rules section.
The participant application documents proposed by China clearly had such a phrase written down.
As an S-Class Hunter, simply showing up would grant you an astounding value item box.
But, you must not lose and must finish the first match safely!
‘Ugh.’
In other words, if I wanted that Item Box, I had to achieve victory in this first match somehow.
And the only way for an F-Class to win in a competition was one.
I raised my right hand and wrapped it around the pendant part of my match necklace on my chest.
–Swoosh
Fortunately, the effect of the Divine Tree Sapling was not considered item wearing by the Earthlings.
This sort of sturdiness would soon expose its shortcomings in front of a true powerhouse.
But my opponent right in front of me was not a mad beast wielding a Battle Ax.
If a genuine S-Class had been matched, they would have immediately forfeited instead of worrying about basic prizes.
However, as you can see, the opponent in this match was an A-Class. One that couldn’t penetrate the sacred protection of the Divine Tree with bare hands.
I initiated the plan I had thought of from the airplane bound for China.
‘Endure!’
I relied on the epic [Guard] effect and prepared a certain sorcery.
Magic.
As the casting time increases, the mana consumption proportionally decreases.
‘There’s a reason why mages have the concept of incantation.’
Of course, this method wouldn’t reduce required mana indefinitely. It simply allows a more economical use of the spells at hand.
And that was enough.
I planned to execute it as strongly and accurately as possible, making the most of the 3 minutes limit of the match.
‘I may be trapped in the vessel of F-Class, unable to pop someone, but I can still aim for the pendant of the match!’
[-Match Start!]
However, what worried me a bit was.
No matter how I thought about it, the audience probably wouldn’t favor such evident stalling tactics…….
‘Hmmm.’
For a sorcerer who enjoys the spectacle of magic, the current situation was indeed frustrating.
But what were my options?
Once again, having lost the Hydra, I was nothing but a sturdy punching bag.
Moreover, I stood in a position where I could not even deal with a summoner rumored to be weak in close combat.
Now it didn’t matter how much criticism—of showing no enthusiasm for the match or lacking conscience—I had to endure it.
‘Either way, a body swap is just around the corner. There’s no need to fear slight image depreciation.’
I quietly repeated a short apology to the host body and collected my stray thoughts.
The American with a bob cut standing across from me was still sweating profusely, unsure of what to do.
Honestly, the longer the standoff lasted, the more favorable it was for me, so I didn’t feel inclined to interfere…….
‘Hmm?’
But then.
About ten seconds into the match.
At first, I thought it was just a brief moment of Sofia’s confusion, but for some reason, her opponent was still sluggish and showed no signs of action.
Neither summoning nor rushing to stab weapons.
Standing frozen, just rolling her eyes.
‘Is she strategizing like me? Is she planning to hold out until the two-minute mark to get a payout?’
The previous match between the third S-Class of Korea and an A-Class certainly hadn’t had such a silence.
Because the S-Class Hunter had an additional handicap.
“(Basic) Match time is 3 minutes. If a winner is not decided within this time, after an additional 2 minutes, if there is still no determination, the referee will declare a winner for safety concerns.
(A-S match only) however, in Hwangryong Tournament with significant disparities, if no result is reached in 3 minutes, the Liu Xing side automatically loses.”
In a culture driven by entertainment, rules designed to ensure fights would inevitably arise.
The A-Class side had to make an all-out struggle since they could only return with compensation for their travel costs if their pendant was destroyed too soon. They had to run for additional rewards.
And even for S-Class Hunters, if they acted nonchalantly and exceeded 3 minutes, it’d be troublesome, so they typically exerted themselves early on to pressure their opponents.
So a match where both sides merely stared at one another had never taken place until now.
“……”
“……”
15 seconds into the match.
In the cooling atmosphere, I slightly tilted my head and observed Sofia with a questioning expression.
‘She’s not moving. Did she realize I’m just a sturdy can?’
But right after that, something unexpected happened.
I had only slightly expressed some curiosity, but suddenly her opponent’s face twisted in horror as she began to amass power.
‘What the?!’
Moreover, it was followed by a series of unexpected full-scale attacks.
‘What the?!’
The blond American suddenly began to unleash every bit of magic in a desperate frenzy!