Baekma Hill — Part 2
“I’ve lost.”
The lieutenant colonel barely managed to spit out those words.
His face was one of disbelief.
It was also an expression of someone unwilling to fully accept defeat.
I withdrew my sword and took a few steps back, speaking calmly.
“If you’d like, I can duel you again.”
“Would that be alright?”
“Oppa!”
“Hyung!”
The other officers raised their voices, trying to dissuade him.
But the lieutenant colonel seemed determined.
Feigning politeness, he bowed slightly.
“I humbly request another match.”
Would a second or third attempt make any difference?
The same result unfolded.
No matter how carefully he advanced step by step or how much he mixed in elaborate feints, he couldn’t endure a single strike from me.
Each time, his sword was sent flying, and his palm split open, blood trickling down in streams.
“I’ve lost. Just one more time…”
“One more time…”
“Just one…”
They say persistence in challenge is admirable?
What nonsense!
The lieutenant colonel standing before me was anything but admirable.
It was nothing but ugly floundering.
This wasn’t a beautiful challenge born of self-improvement or a desire to push one’s limits.
It was an unsightly display of jealousy and envy directed at me.
I was starting to understand.
‘The Legion Commander failed in raising his family.’
It made sense why he gave the Black Tiger Sword to a complete stranger like me.
Even with so many Level 7 warriors among his children and disciples.
‘The Sun Mage Tower Master raised his family better.’
Take Kim Mabeob, for instance.
Perhaps because the Sun Mage Tower Master set aside his pride and spent time with his grandson, the boy had grown into a well-rounded young man, even if he hadn’t inherited the intelligence of a mage.
He even apologized to me once.
In this messed-up world, that level of character is a rare sight.
But look at the lieutenant colonel before me.
Instead of the proud gaze of a tiger, his eyes reeked of the damp, predatory glint of a jackal.
No wonder the Legion Commander lamented that his family had no tigers, only jackals.
That’s why he gave me the Black Tiger Sword.
He must have realized there was no one among his bloodline fit to inherit his legacy.
“Thank you for the lesson.”
After no less than five duels, the lieutenant colonel finally lowered his head, his pride clearly wounded.
The look in his eyes was enough to make one shudder, as if he wanted to devour someone alive.
I imagined drawing a long slash across his face in my mind, then nodded in acknowledgment.
“Well fought. Does anyone else wish to spar?”
I swept my gaze over the other officers.
They all subtly avoided my eyes.
The lieutenant colonel was the strongest among them, so after watching him lose so decisively, it was natural for them to feel intimidated.
“You are truly remarkable. I’m Gu Seongwoon. Among my peers, I’ve never found a worthy opponent, but today I’ve been enlightened. The world is indeed vast.”
“You flatter me.”
“May I ask why you’ve come to this place? As you know, Baekma Hill falls under the Eastern Army’s jurisdiction and is part of the Cheorwon region. Ah, I’m not accusing you of anything, Sir Warrior. I’m merely asking as part of my duty.”
“I came to gain practical experience. I’ve been growing rapidly lately, to the point where even I don’t fully understand my own limits. I also heard some interesting rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“I heard that a powerful magical artifact is sealed in the depths of this place.”
“Ah, that legend… We’ve heard of it too. A zone like this requires an immense amount of mana to maintain. It would make sense for it to contain an extremely powerful artifact or at least several decent ones.”
As we continued talking, one thing stood out.
They referred to me as “Sir Warrior” rather than “Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
It wasn’t out of arrogance that I noticed this.
These individuals were nobles from the Eastern Army, part of the Black Tiger Sword family.
Thus, it was only natural for them to show respect to the Black Tiger Sword rather than to me personally.
The fact that they didn’t meant they didn’t acknowledge me as the rightful master of the Black Tiger Sword.
“What do you think?”
The lieutenant colonel suddenly spoke as if he had just thought of something.
“How about we make a wager?”
“A wager?”
“Yes. Our goal is also to reach the deepest part of this zone. We have a pretty good idea of what kind of artifact might be there. We agreed to split whatever we found among ourselves, but if you’re also after it, how about we compete? Whoever reaches it first gets to claim everything. What do you say?”
“A race to the depths…”
It wasn’t a bad suggestion.
But why should I agree to it?
Judging by their current state, these guys wouldn’t make it to the deepest part of the zone even if they were reborn.
They wouldn’t even make it halfway, let alone to the end.
They’d be overwhelmed by the undead waves.
When I made an uninterested expression, the lieutenant colonel smirked faintly, as if he had anticipated my reaction.
Then he untied a metallic object from his belt and held it out to me.
“This is something that’s become popular in America recently. They call it a weapon holster.”
“A gun holster, you mean?”
“No, a weapon holster.”
It looked like a gun holster at first glance.
However, its design was more intricate, with gold, silver, and various alloys arranged like a 3D magical array, giving it an unusual, functional aesthetic.
When I accepted it, I felt a strange magical resonance.
It reminded me of the spatial expansion magic embedded in my golf bag.
The lieutenant colonel glanced at my weapons, particularly the four guns I carried, before speaking.
“You seem to carry an excessive amount of weaponry, Sir Warrior.”
“Yes. I’ve been through all sorts of situations, so I ended up like this.”
“The weapon holster is made for situations like that. The one I’m offering is a smaller model, so it only holds two weapons. But regardless of type, you can store two personal weapons inside. Just place your hand on it and think about the weapon you want, and it will appear instantly.”
Ah, so it’s a quick slot.
In Arcane Seoul, there’s a system for primary and secondary weapons.
Normally, you would carry your primary weapon and switch to a special-attribute weapon or a ranged weapon with just a touch.
Of course, that alone wouldn’t be enough.
That’s why paid items allowed players to add secondary weapon slots.
The weapon holster seemed to serve a similar purpose.
“If you win, Sir Warrior, I’ll give this to you.”
“Not a bad proposal.”
Even now, I was carrying a shotgun and a sniper rifle on my back.
And that’s not all.
My golf bag contained a grenade launcher, a rocket launcher, a machine gun, grenades, land mines, magical traps, alchemy tools, various rare materials, healing potions, holy water, elixirs, and more.
On my waist were Mjolnir and two pistols.
If I could store just two of those in the weapon holster, it’d be a huge win.
“But on one condition…”
The lieutenant colonel glanced at the other officers.
He whispered something telepathically to them and then looked at me, his eyes gleaming with greed.
“If we win, we’d like you to introduce us to someone.”
“Who?”
“Chairman Seong Huiyeong of the Geumo Group. I’d like you to introduce me to her.”
To be honest, I was a little taken aback.
Seong Huiyeong?
Why her?
“I can arrange an introduction, but is that really necessary? Both you and the other officers here can meet Chairman Seong whenever you want. As far as I know, you’re a direct great-grandchild of the Legion Commander.”
“Ahem, ahem!”
The lieutenant colonel cleared his throat loudly, finally revealing his true intentions.
“I want to pursue a relationship with her, with marriage in mind.”
“…What?”
“I’ve admired Chairman Seong for a long time. That’s why I’d like you to help me get closer to her.”
What the hell?
Was he trying to mess with me?
Does he know about Seong Huiyeong proposing to me?
I stared intently at the lieutenant colonel, trying to figure out his true intentions.
And then, I caught a faint glimpse of them.
It wasn’t from his expression or body language.
I just… saw it.
It was thanks to the Prophet’s Ring on my left index finger, which was constantly drawing in my mana.
If I had to summarize his intention in one word, it would be this:
[Deception].
The matchmaking with Seong Huiyeong was just a smokescreen.
His true objective lay elsewhere.
I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but one thing was clear:
He desperately wanted me to accept the wager and participate in the race to the depths.
“I refuse.”
“What?”
“Wouldn’t it be disrespectful to Chairman Seong? Offering to arrange a matchmaking meeting as part of a wager? That’s just rude.”
“Are you saying you’re afraid you’ll lose? You just need to win, don’t you?”
A cute provocation.
I brushed it off with a hearty laugh.
“Accepting the wager itself would be disrespectful. Matchmaking is meant for people of similar standing, isn’t it?”
That was just an excuse.
The real reason I refused was that I didn’t want to play into the lieutenant colonel’s hands.
Do you know the basic rule of tactics?
You do the exact opposite of what your enemy wants.
In this case, I had already classified the lieutenant colonel and his officers as enemies.
“Do you think I’m unworthy of Chairman Seong?”
“Of course. Severely unworthy.”
The lieutenant colonel gritted his teeth.
But it was the truth.
Seong Huiyeong was a Level 7 superhuman and the head of a massive corporate group.
The lieutenant colonel?
As far as I knew, he was the eldest grandson of the Black Tiger Sword family, but aside from that, he had nothing.
And despite being older than Seong Huiyeong, he was only Level 5.
If I introduced him to her, she’d probably scold me relentlessly.
“You’re too harsh.”
“I’m not the one being unreasonable here. You’re the one aiming too high. Take this back.”
“Sigh…”
I handed the weapon holster back to him.
So, this is what’s trending in America, huh?
Judging by its mana, it was R-rank.
I’d rather spend my own money and buy an SSR weapon holster.
The lieutenant colonel reluctantly took the holster back.
“I didn’t think you’d be this unmanly, Sir Warrior.”
“For someone who lost to such an ‘unmanly’ person five times, you don’t seem to be in a position to say that.”
“What did you say?”
“Instead of running your mouth, why don’t you polish your sword? Maybe then you won’t lose five times to someone ten years younger than you.”
Warrior Kim was in his early twenties.
The lieutenant colonel, on the other hand, was in his early thirties.
When I pointed that out, the lieutenant colonel exploded in anger.
“You little—!”
Immediately, the other officers jumped in to hold him back.
“Hyung, stop it! What are you doing again?!”
“Are you crazy? If Uncle finds out, you’ll end up in the brig again!”
“We’re sorry! We’re really sorry!”
“This oppa loses his mind sometimes! We’ll talk sense into him, I promise!”
“Let me go! Let me go, damn it!”
“We’re sorry! Truly sorry!”
The two men dragged the lieutenant colonel away, while the youngest woman kept bowing to me repeatedly.
She bent at a full 90 degrees, as if she was truly apologetic.
I watched them disappear with a cold expression.
It was clear as day.
Their true intentions hadn’t changed from the beginning. [Deception].
All four of them were the same.
Even the apologetic young woman, who was a major, was no different.
‘They’re after something.’
The fact that they quickly left the Secret Forbidden Zone was a clue.
Originally, they must have planned to let me head to the deepest part of the zone while they quietly slipped away.
But when that didn’t work, they purposely created a commotion, pretended to hold each other back, and fled.
Why?
Why were they so intent on tying me down to the Secret Forbidden Zone?
‘They need time for something.’
Time for what?
I had a rough idea.
Their uncooperative attitude.
The atmosphere of the Eastern Army, especially the Black Tiger Sword family.
The officers I met when I received the Black Tiger Sword.
The warning I got from Gu Hyungwon.
When I put it all together, the answer became clear.
‘Someone’s coming.’
Most likely one of the Division Commanders.
It wouldn’t be a Brigade Commander.
A Level 6 superhuman wouldn’t be able to do anything to me.
Even those rookies know I’ve defeated multiple Level 6 superhumans.
So, the person they’re calling in must be…
‘Gu Jungju.’
The Legion Commander’s eldest son.
The wrinkled old man.
The man who had most strongly opposed me receiving the Black Tiger Sword.
I calmly recalled my memories of him.
My knowledge of the game was useless.
In the game, the old man was nothing more than a minor extra.
‘Can I win against him?’
It was a close call.
Although he was rated lower than his younger siblings, and his skills and traits were lacking, a Level 7 was still a Level 7.
And there was one particular trait of his that couldn’t be underestimated.
‘Should I just go home?’
Perhaps that was the right answer.
Avoid the danger and retreat to safety.
But…
I couldn’t simply run away.
The General’s Sword, Satellite Gun, Gravity Staff, and Seven-Star Bead were all gathered in this place and this place only.
If not here, I’d have to scour auction houses, black markets, and even make inquiries overseas, and who knows how long it would take to collect them all.
I gripped the Black Tiger Sword tightly.
‘There’s a chance.’
He was weak for a Level 7, which made it possible.
If I went all out, if I fought with the resolve to die, there was a way.
Still, it was regrettable.
If [Grand Escape] had recharged, there’d be no need to hesitate.
A one-month recharge time… That was excessive, no matter how I thought about it.
‘Let’s break through as quickly as possible.’
The best plan was to grab what I needed and escape before the old man arrived.
I moved immediately.
Using aerial assaults, I ignored the undead Chinese forces and sprinted toward the deepest part of the zone.
“Graaaah!”
“Grrrgh!”
“Hyah! Hii-yah!”
I broke through like a flash of lightning.
I only fought when absolutely necessary.
With [Divine Power], [Holy Radiance], and [Divine Relic] fully activated, I hurled Mjolnir at anything in my path.
When that wasn’t enough, I infused my sword with mana to create explosive strikes, just as I had demonstrated in front of the officers earlier.
Boom! Crash!
The undead army was swept away without resistance.
As I advanced, a peculiar new trait was awakened.
The explosions grew more powerful, and the mana consumption decreased.
Acquired the trait: [Mana Explosion].
Not bad.
It’s a trait that excels at mowing down low-level mobs, and it’s also useful for creating variables in one-on-one duels.
It wasn’t as powerful as [Heaven’s Thunder Sword], but it had its uses.
‘Maybe I should’ve gotten my hands on the [World-Saving Sword Art].’
No, that wasn’t possible.
I didn’t have time for that.
It was already enough work recovering the Big Three Sword Arts.
Even if I had a top-tier traditional swordsmanship guide to help me reach Swordmaster faster, it wouldn’t have mattered. Becoming a Swordmaster quickly wasn’t the solution to everything.
As I mulled over these thoughts, I finally reached the innermost chamber.
A large burial mound loomed before me.
I stepped inside.
Contrary to my urgency, it took a considerable amount of time.
That was due to the enemies I encountered within the mound.
Level 6 bosses appeared one after another, and I had to defeat each one to acquire the magical artifacts they guarded.
“Tsk.”
After stepping back outside, I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
I was already too late.
The Prophet’s Ring showed me what I had dreaded: the man I had been expecting was guarding the entrance to the zone.
After taking a long rest, drinking holy water and healing potions, and even crafting and consuming elixirs, I began making my way toward the exit.
Even so, the undead Chinese forces slowed me down.
By the time I reached the entrance, quite a lot of time had passed.
“You’re late, Sir Warrior.”
The old man greeted me.
Dressed in the Eastern Army’s formal uniform, wearing the White Tiger Sword at his waist, stood a wrinkled Level 7 superhuman.
I calmly observed him.
[Gu Jungju]
Two stars.
His rank: Major General. A Division Commander.
His traits were unimpressive.
[Endurance], [Valor]—these were the only two physical traits he had.
[Tactics], [Administration], [Strategy]—his traits leaned more toward a soldier and staff officer than a warrior.
But there was one trait that could not be ignored.
It was this trait that allowed him to rise to the position of Division Commander.
It was this trait that let him boast as the Legion Commander’s eldest son wherever he went.
[Master of the Blade].
Gu Jungju was…
A Swordmaster.
–TL Notes–
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Nice, beat him up Kim!