All‑Master Who Regressed to Bronze - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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All Master Who Regressed to Bronze Episode 022

Player Training Ground.

Unlike its simple and common name, this place directly operated by the government was a famous destination visited by everyone from ordinary players to Diamond-tier players.

The reason was that there was no better place than here to test the abilities gained as a player.

The training ground, which boasted durability strong enough not to break even under a Diamond-tier player’s abilities, was a place worthy of such value.

Naturally, as many players visited daily due to its massive scale, Shin Hyeok appeared at that place.

“It’s Shin-hyeok Choi…”

“He hasn’t turned on his stream for several days and doesn’t seem to be playing Dimension Arena either, but now he shows up at the training ground?”

“Did something happen?”

“Whatever happened, the fact that he’s a super rookie hasn’t changed.”

“That’s true.”

As if proving that there was no longer a player in South Korea who didn’t recognize Shin Hyeok, the players who had arrived early and filled their spots couldn’t hide their surprise at Shin Hyeok’s appearance.

A prodigy who appeared in the placement exam.

A super rookie who captured everyone’s attention with just a single match.

If you didn’t know such an existence, you shouldn’t be calling yourself a player in South Korea.

What welcomed Shin Hyeok as he entered the training ground, leaving behind the gazes of countless players directed at him, was the training ground’s director.

“You’ve arrived, Player Shin-hyeok Choi.”

“Nice to meet you, Director Oh.”

The director’s name, who boasted visibly bulging muscles, was Sang-cheol Oh.

As he was both an active Diamond-tier player and served as director of the government-managed training ground, Shin Hyeok politely bowed his head to him as a government-affiliated player.

‘Director Oh is a decent person.’

Sang-cheol was not only equipped with outstanding abilities befitting a Diamond-tier player called the Iron Man in the martial arts category, but was also recognized by many players thanks to his generous personality.

Even when the integrated league opened later and the prestige of Diamond tier fell significantly, his network remained rock solid.

Even Shin Hyeok maintained his relationship with Sang-cheol after becoming a Challenger-tier player, which said it all.

As he conversed with Sang-cheol and felt nostalgic about the past.

“Shin-hyeok Choi!!!”

“…?”

At the voice shouting loud enough to shake the entire training ground, Shin Hyeok tilted his head and turned toward where the voice came from.

There, with a flushed red face, fuming—

“Lee Jooho?”

Lee Jooho was there.

The eldest son of the Osung Guild leader and the one who had been thoroughly defeated by Shin Hyeok during the placement exam.

When Shin Hyeok looked at him with apparent curiosity at his appearance, Lee Jooho approached with angry strides.

“That’s right, it’s Lee Jooho who has already reached Silver 2.”

“Oh, already? Weren’t you placed in Bronze 1? That’s pretty fast?”

Lee Jooho had been eliminated quite quickly from the placement exam because of Shin Hyeok.

Thanks to that, he was placed in Bronze 1, but having quickly reached Silver 2 through his natural ability and excellent financial resources, he didn’t hide his triumphant mood.

It was natural since he was only 1 tier away from Shin Hyeok at the moment.

Especially since Lee Jooho had immediately consumed all kinds of stat enhancement drugs like water upon entering Silver tier and filled his stats to the Silver league limit, his confidence was considerable.

“I request a duel.”

“…A duel?”

“That’s right, since we’re both in Silver tier, there’s no problem with having a duel, right?”

“That’s true.”

At the training ground, players compete with each other’s abilities under the name of dueling.

If there’s no tier difference, they usually accept, and even if there is a tier difference, it happens if the opponent agrees.

In that regard, a duel between Shin Hyeok, who was Silver 1, and Lee Jooho, who was Silver 2, wouldn’t be a problem.

‘He’s grinning, so it’s obvious he’s hiding something… Well, it doesn’t matter.’

However, from his appearance of smiling while requesting the duel, it was naturally clear that Lee Jooho was hiding something—

“Alright. Let’s do it, the duel.”

Shin Hyeok didn’t bother to refuse it.

Whatever the opponent had prepared and hidden, honestly speaking, he had no confidence he would lose.

‘He’ll serve as an appropriate sacrifice to test what I’ve gained this time.’

The reason was that Lee Jooho would be perfect for using things that would be too much to use against other ordinary players.

As he moved to the dueling room located in the training ground for the duel with Lee Jooho, Shin Hyeok looked at the middle-aged man positioned beside Lee Jooho.

‘Sword King, Lee Hoseok. Lee Jooho’s father and guild leader of Osung Guild. One of the few world-class players in Korea.’

If Shin Hyeok was now a player unknown to no one in Korea as a super rookie, then Lee Hoseok was a player unknown to no one even on a global scale.

Two Emperors, Three Sovereigns, Five Kings.

As one of the ten most powerful players in the world and a member of the Five Kings, he was a player who maintained his prestige until Shin Hyeok stood as a peerless existence before his regression.

‘Originally, I would have wanted to fight that gentleman… That’s a bit disappointing.’

A battle with a player belonging to the highest tier among Diamond-tier players could accelerate Shin Hyeok’s growth.

Therefore, Shin Hyeok stepped onto the sparring arena while feeling disappointed that a duel with Lee Hoseok didn’t materialize.

“Are you ready to be defeated?”

“For just one duel, I don’t need mental preparation. Besides, isn’t that something the challenger should do?”

“…Don’t act so arrogant when you’re only 1 tier ahead!”

On the sparring arena, Lee Jooho, who had climbed up first, was looking at Shin Hyeok with a confident face.

Even with Lee Jooho’s boldness as he was certain of his victory, Shin Hyeok remained unfazed.

His eyes were still directed toward Lee Hoseok, not Lee Jooho.

Knowing this, Lee Jooho vented his anger and took out his equipment from his inventory to wear.

“You’re wearing some good stuff.”

“The current me can win even against Gold-tier players. I’ve become an existence that someone like you, who doesn’t even properly play Dimension Arena, cannot defeat!”

Lee Jooho’s equipment was impressive even by the standards of Shin Hyeok, who had the eye of a Challenger-tier player from before his regression.

At minimum Rare grade.

Moreover, the weapon he was holding was a Unique+ grade weapon that was hard to find even worldwide.

Of course, Shin Hyeok also had a Unique+ grade weapon, but that was thanks to Sejin, a world-class blacksmith, and it was a weapon that ordinary players would find hard to handle even after the integrated league opened.

‘His basic stats would have been raised to 100, the Silver league limit. Adding the additional stats from various Rare and Unique grade equipment, it would approach nearly 200. He’s definitely strong.’

Lee Jooho’s strength, built up with all those things, was indeed powerful enough that ordinary lower Gold-tier players would find him difficult to handle, just as he claimed.

Total stats approaching 200.

Powerful attack and defense filled with various Rare and Unique grade equipment.

These would be the source of Lee Jooho’s current confidence.

In response, Shin Hyeok also took out his equipment from his inventory and put it on.

“…Is that all?”

“Yeah.”

“Ha! This is ridiculous. Does Shinwha Group not have money?”

The Absorption Armor and Se-jin Bang’s Well-Made Holy Sword.

Seeing Shin Hyeok wearing only two pieces of equipment, Lee Jooho didn’t hide his mockery.

Even though the Absorption Armor was growth-type equipment and Se-jin Bang’s Well-Made Holy Sword was a Unique+ grade weapon, it was an excessively modest outfit.

But Shin Hyeok didn’t mind.

“Kkamak.”

He simply summoned his pet, which he had named Kkamak.

“Status window.”

[Status Window]

Name: Kkamak

(Stats)

Strength: 21 Stamina: 16 Intelligence: 11 Mana: 18

(Traits)

1. Equipment Transformation

“Not bad.”

After summoning Kkamak and checking its status window, Shin Hyeok didn’t hide his satisfaction.

The stats were low and it only had one trait, but that was enough.

It was natural for Kkamak to have low stats since it was still Common grade, and Equipment Transformation was a trait Shin Hyeok was well familiar with.

‘It probably transforms into equipment with abilities equivalent to about half of the stats it possesses.’

In other words, if he turned Kkamak into equipment, he would essentially gain gear with nearly 10 in all stats.

This alone made Kkamak’s value more than sufficient.

“Equipmentize.”

-Caw!

Swoooosh!

Having confirmed that much, Shin Hyeok transformed Kkamak into equipment.

Wearing Kkamak, which had transformed into a muffler or cloak made of crow feathers, Shin Hyeok pointed his sword tip at Lee Jooho in a relaxed stance.

“I’m ready, so come at me.”

“…Fine, if you want to be defeated so thoroughly in front of everyone, I’ll grant you that wish!”

At this display of ultimate arrogance, Lee Jooho spat out his rage and charged toward Shin Hyeok.

His speed, which had surpassed the stat limits through various equipment, was so swift it couldn’t be followed with the eyes.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

‘I’ve watched your combat videos until I was sick of them. With the “Sword King Style” that father passed down to me, there’s no way I can lose!’

During the few days Shin Hyeok had been unconscious, Lee Jooho had dissected and examined Shin Hyeok’s Dimension Arena gameplay videos.

Thanks to that, Lee Jooho was able to completely understand how Shin Hyeok moved.

In contrast, Shin Hyeok wouldn’t know anything about Lee Jooho, so it was obvious this would be an unfair match.

However-

“Stats are merely lubricant that helps you move better and exert stronger power. In the end, what matters is one thing. How well you handle what you have. In that regard… your Sword King Style is the worst, Lee Jooho.”

“…!”

That was only Lee Jooho’s thinking.

Shin Hyeok knew Lee Jooho well.

Furthermore, he also knew well the Sword King Style of Lee Hoseok, which formed Jooho’s foundation.

It was the result of Shin Hyeok’s will, who had been at the bottom more than anyone and desperately wanted to climb up.

Therefore, Shin Hyeok’s sword tip, which haded the Sword King Style that Lee Jooho deployed in a single strike, headed toward Lee Jooho’s heart.

“Twist Thrust.”

Thruuust!

Choi Shin-hyeok Style Chapter 1 – Twist Thrust unfolded and precisely pierced through Lee Jooho’s heart.

“Kugh! Cough!”

“Be grateful to your rich father. If it weren’t for that, you’d be dead.”

No, that would have been the case if not for the unique-grade armor Lee Jooho was wearing.

However, since the impact itself couldn’t be completely negated, leaving behind Lee Jooho who was vomiting what he had eaten with a pain-filled face, Shin Hyeok grinned at Lee Hoseok, who was looking at him with a hardened expression.

“May I ask my friend’s father to teach me a lesson?”

“…You little bastard. Fine, I’ll properly teach you a lesson. About the gap between you and me.”

From the moment Lee Jooho first appeared, Shin Hyeok’s eyes had been on Lee Hoseok.

Lee Jooho?

He was no longer an existence that could be called Shin Hyeok’s opponent.

Feeling Shin Hyeok’s gaze, Lee Hoseok rolled up the sleeves of the suit he was wearing and stepped onto the sparring arena.

It was the moment when Shin Hyeok’s provocation had worked perfectly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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