Chapter 23 : Chapter 23
Chapter 23. Something New, and Something Not So New
When Hyunwoo planted his feet on the bottom and used the Skirma Swordsmanship, a whirlpool was generated.
This phenomenon hadn't occurred just a moment ago....
One step, two steps, and then a third.
The moment he took a step and savored the sensation, Frogman's words flashed through his mind.
[A Frogman's strength comes from his hind legs.]
‘…Wasn’t he just boasting about his long legs?’
[Even if you can move freely in the water, you're not using the Skirma Swordsmanship properly. Only when you plant your feet on a foothold and rise can you truly draw out its power.]
As Hyunwoo mulled over his teachings, looking down at his two feet.
Kueeeeeeeh―!!
“……!”
The Black Whale, which had been quiet, roared and charged at Hyunwoo.
A decisive move.
In any case, without the berries, I wouldn't last long either.
‘Foothold….’
Hyunwoo recalled the Skirma Swordsmanship and lowered his stance.
Guuuuuung―!
The vortex that had formed around the sword gradually grew in size.
He crouched his body like a compressed spring, just before leaping.
A single flow from his legs to his sword.
That flow drew in the surrounding water.
When he lifted his head, he saw the Black Whale charging with its massive mouth open.
Tuwoooong―!
The majesty of its overwhelming mass.
For a moment, Hyunwoo's face contorted from the generated water pressure.
His form shot up like a lightning bolt.
The water's resistance couldn't stop his breakthrough.
Rather, the flow of the water guided Hyunwoo's body, and when even that flow came under his control!
Hyunwoo became a single vortex, creating a pure white spray.
Black and white.
The black Black Whale and the pure white spray drew closer.
And then, soon.
Kugugugugugung―!!!
Hyunwoo's form was sucked into the Black Whale's mouth.
As if he had become prey of his own accord, the announcer let out a low gasp.
[Ah, he's been eaten after all. How unfortunate―]
Before his words could continue, a blue light burst forth, illuminating the faint darkness.
Pajijijijijijijijik―!
The Black Whale twitched in the blue lightning.
And.
The entire sea began to be dyed in a pure white light.
A pure white light that signified spatial transfer.
Engulfed in the light that brightly illuminated the dark sea.
Thud―!
The Black Whale, wrapped in a halo of light, fell into the arena.
A commotion erupted throughout the arena.
The gazes of the murmuring audience were focused on the suddenly summoned Black Whale.
And then, several small halos of light were generated, and the surviving gladiators were summoned one by one.
[Ah, it seems the match has ended because the Black Whale died! But….]
The announcer's voice trailed off as he looked around at the gladiators.
No, not just him, but everyone in the arena was looking for someone.
The human gladiator, the Rookie Hyunwoo.
In everyone's mind, the image of him fighting until the very end was drawn.
No matter how hard they looked, his figure could not be found among the gladiators sprawled across the arena.
…Had he finally died?
Just as everyone was predicting his death.
Puk―!
[……!]
A sword shot up from the Black Whale's broad mouth.
Jjiiik―
The sword split the Black Whale's mouth open.
Someone, covered from head to toe in the sticky mucus from the carcass, brandished the sword and emerged from between the gap.
The announcer was at a loss for words, unable to continue.
[No….]
The one who came out from within was, of course, Hyunwoo.
Haa― Haa―
He gasped for breath and collapsed on the spot.
Thud―
“…I won, you bastard.”
As if the situation had finally sunk in, the audience's cheers erupted.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah―!!!!
Hyunwoo looked around.
Gurgle―
A gladiator who had swallowed too much seawater was struggling to vomit it out.
“My, my leg! My leg!”
A gladiator whose leg had been severed screamed.
Groans of pain could be heard from all over.
It was laughable that I, who had succeeded in hunting the Black Whale, looked the most intact.
‘There is no paradise for those who flee.’
It was a truth that always held in the Demon World.
Hyunwoo tore his gaze from the gladiators and looked around.
The audience was screaming, savoring the afterglow of the Black Whale Survival.
“That was the best match!”
“What did they say that human's nickname was?”
“Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo! Remember it.”
The image of a single human who had killed the Black Whale was imprinted on the minds of the entire audience.
The name of the gladiator Hyunwoo began to spread throughout the arena.
[…Ah! The match has ended!]
As if the announcer's words were a trigger, the audience began to chant a single word.
“Hyunwoo―!”
Hyunwoo's name spread through the arena like a plague.
“Hyunwoo―! Hyunwoo―! Hyunwoo―!”
The audience, united in one heart and mind, repaid the lingering excitement of the match with the gladiator's nickname.
The audience's chant, spreading like a fever, filled the arena.
‘What am I supposed to do at a time like this.’
Fan service was also one of a gladiator's virtues.
After all, I was a Rookie who had even received a gladiator nickname.
Hyunwoo, looking around at the audience, raised his sword high into the sky.
Flash―
‘Should this be enough?’
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah―!!!!
A cheer even louder than before filled the arena.
Hyunwoo, with a satisfied smile, waved his sword.
A very long match.
A long day had come to an end.
***
The next day arrived.
Hyunwoo, who had gotten up from his spot, clenched his fists and recalled the battle with the Black Whale.
It still felt like a dream.
‘Did I really catch it.’
The Black Whale.
A monster among monsters that he had rarely ever caught during the countless simulations he had run as tests.
He couldn't believe that he had personally caught such a formidable beast here, in this place that had become reality.
‘To be honest, the locations of the four hearts are pretty easy to find.’
However, even if he knew the exact locations of the hearts, the method of destroying them was the problem.
‘Skirma Swordsmanship’ for underwater movement, ‘Lads’ to drive into its hearts, a ‘lightning scroll’ to finish it off, and on top of that, ‘Pain Tolerance’ to withstand the electric shock.
‘…It was a good thing I got Pain Tolerance.’
It was something I had obtained incidentally while making other preparations, but it had been a surprisingly big help.
Only when all of these things were perfectly prepared could one even attempt the hunt.
Although I had declared that my preparations were perfect, when I actually tried to hunt it, it was different.
‘This isn't a game.’
The overwhelming pressure when first facing the Black Whale.
The pain from the wounds.
Even the fear of being plunged into the depths of the water.
The Black Whale becoming helpless when its hearts were destroyed was just something that happened in the game.
The beast never stopped struggling to live.
Everything in reality became a variable.
Hyunwoo's neck grew cold as he recalled the beast's final desperate struggle as it plummeted into the deep sea.
Thanks to that, he was able to be reminded anew.
‘…This place is real.’
He must never forget that fact.
It wasn't something he could just click—and restart like the simulations he had repeated countless times.
Hyunwoo tried not to forget the chilling sensation that engraved itself deep in his chest.
That was enough for a post-battle review.
In the end, he was the one who had succeeded in the hunt and survived.
Now that he had reflected on the past, it was time to think about the future.
There was clear proof that yesterday's dreamlike situation was not a dream.
‘A new trait.’
Moreover, the new trait he had obtained this time was a unique trait.
⌜Name: Kim Hyunwoo
Title: Rookie
Skills: ■Sabla Swordsmanship (2-Star)―70%, ■Skirma Swordsmanship (2-Star)―100%(M), ⊠
Unique Traits: Swordsmanship Synthesis, Master of Copy, Swordsmanship Genius, Pain Tolerance, Oxygen Tank (New!)
General Traits: Physique I, Swiftness I⌟
⌜Trait: Oxygen Tank
Description: ‘Adaptation to the environment is the greatest blessing given to living creatures.’
You gain lungs that circulate oxygen. You can endure for a long time with just a single breath.⌟
The moment the Black Whale's breath stopped, a system voice rang loudly in Hyunwoo's ear.
⌜Amazing achievement accomplished! You have succeeded in hunting the Black Whale!⌟
⌜You have obtained the unique trait ‘Oxygen Tank’ as an achievement reward.⌟
Even after being transported to the arena, the system voices praising his achievement continued, but he couldn't hear them well amidst the noise of the crowd.
‘Anyway, what's important is that I got a new trait.’
There were many extreme environments in the Demon World.
Among them, there were many environments where it was difficult to breathe.
The trait ‘Oxygen Tank’ he had obtained this time would be a great help in such environments.
It meant that when he left the arena and headed into the Demon World, the number of terrains he could choose from had increased.
‘Though I don't know when I'll be able to leave….’
That was still a distant story.
And still, there were many more things he had yet to receive.
The rewards planned for the Black Whale hunt remained.
‘10,000 mana stones. And….’
While Hyunwoo was thinking about the rewards, he heard footsteps from outside.
Familiar footsteps approached the door of his quarters and pulled on the doorknob.
Kkiiik―
The door opened and Van appeared.
He had been expecting rewards, but Van's hands were empty.
“Don't tell me… the rewards?”
“We have administrative procedures too.”
“It was a pre-announced reward, and you're saying it's not ready right away?”
“No one in the arena would have expected you to hunt the Black Whale.”
Well, that was understandable.
Even Hyunwoo himself hadn't been certain he would actually succeed in the hunt.
“Then why did you come?”
“Follow me.”
Van left only those words and stepped outside the quarters.
Then, he turned around and added one more thing.
“Congratulations. It's a promotion.”
“A promotion?”
“From now on, you are a Silver Gladiator. I will guide you to the Silver Dormitory.”
At those words, Hyunwoo immediately came outside.
He should have said that first.
It was time to say goodbye to the cramped Bronze Dormitory.
Hyunwoo's footsteps were light as he followed Van.
***
Following Van along a winding path, Hyunwoo nodded his head.
‘It was expected.’
It was entirely predictable.
It would be too ridiculous for a gladiator who had caught a Black Whale to be a Bronze Gladiator.
‘Actually, I thought I might even become Gold….’
Perhaps that was too drastic a measure, so they decided on Silver Gladiator.
Still, this wasn't bad.
Van, who had been guiding him, stopped in his tracks.
A new dormitory appeared before him.
“This is….”
“This is the Silver Dormitory.”
Kkiiik―
His first impression upon opening the door and entering the new quarters.
It was spacious.
At a single glance, it was incomparable to the Bronze Dormitory.
If the Bronze Dormitory was the size of a small studio apartment, this was now on the level of a family home.
It was excessively large for one person to live in.
More important to Hyunwoo than the size of the quarters was something else.
“The food? I'll get something proper now, right?”
He was sick of the lump of flesh that tasted like pig slop.
“You can request that from the new administrator.”
“What…? You're quitting?”
Flustered, the words slipped out.
This wasn't a normal workplace, what did he mean by quitting?
Fortunately, instead of pointing out his slip of the tongue, Van explained the reason.
“I am a Bronze Administrator. Well, it's also true that I became a Bronze Administrator by chance, thanks to you.”
The ‘Human Iron Cage’ where Hyunwoo had been was a waiting room where only death was scheduled.
Van, who managed it, didn't even have a separate title.
When Hyunwoo became a Bronze Gladiator, Van also inadvertently became a ‘Bronze Administrator.’
He went on to explain that from now on, an official staff member of the arena would be in charge of him.
I understood the whole situation.
Hyunwoo nodded and opened his mouth.
“Congratulations.”
“…What are you talking about so suddenly.”
“Congratulations on the promotion. Silver Administrator? You can just keep doing that.”
“Did you not listen to my explanation properly? I don't have the ability to manage gladiators of Silver rank or higher….”
“What is the role of an administrator?”
“To adjust a gladiator's match schedule, report the gladiator's condition to the higher-ups, and also….”
“It's nothing much other than bringing food.”
“……”
Van, as if at a loss for words, scratched the bridge of his nose.
The real reason Hyunwoo wanted Van as his administrator wasn't because of the food.
It was simply because of the fact that he had been the administrator of the ‘Human Iron Cage.’
‘It means he has no connections.’
The existence of an administrator who reported his every move to the higher-ups was very burdensome.
In that respect, Van had the potential to cooperate with him.
“If I request it, it's possible for you to become the new administrator, right?”
“Certainly… if you, a Rookie, wish for it. It would probably be possible.”
“Then it's settled.”
“But….”
For Van, it was an unintentional promotion.
Hyunwoo, looking at his helpless expression, scratched his head.
He seemed moved by the gesture of me looking out for him….
But it was embarrassed because I had done it thinking it would be to my advantage, without considering any benefit for him.
Forced melodrama was not my thing.
“If you understand, then go and bring me some food. It better taste good. Or I'll return you along with it.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Van nodded his head vigorously, snorted, and left the quarters.
Hyunwoo stared blankly at his back for a moment before drawing his sword.
There was nothing else to do.
Swish―
Sword training was now as natural an action as breathing.
Hyunwoo took the opening stance of the Sabla Swordsmanship, which he hadn't been able to use for a while.
‘Master the Sabla Swordsmanship.’
Hyunwoo's eyes sparkled as he reminded himself of his next goal.
Shiik―!