Master Swordsman’s Stream - Chapter 282
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 282
Seo Jun was heading toward the passage after receiving quests and various equipment.
The passage was located on Cresit’s Private Land.
Seo Jun hadn’t known whether it was okay to just leave the passage to Chaos open, so he’d asked Cresit, and Cresit had said it was fine.
He’d given various reasons, but the crux of Seo Jun’s concern boiled down to this.
‘Something’s definitely going to go wrong.’
Mad scientists always say things are fine and then bring about irreversible catastrophe.
‘Well, at least it’s not Earth.’
He recalled the story about how people had worried a black hole would appear when they built the massive particle accelerator and swallow the Earth.
Anyway.
Seo Jun had heard several important things.
First, fighting was possible inside.
However, Cresit had made a small rune just in case, one that proved which Champion had attacked you if you were ever assaulted by another one.
So if the attacked Champion returned safely to the Current World and showed the rune, Cresit would make the attacking Champion a enemy of Train.
Don’t fight, in other words.
If you do fight, make sure you kill them there.
‘Not bad.’
Just like how players return to the well at the starting point in games, they could go to Chaos and, if they wanted, sit still for several seconds without being disturbed by anyone and Return.
This was why the creatures there couldn’t cross over.
The Rift, which was a passage, was guarded by Cresit’s elite mercenaries.
According to the History Records, Return Stones were used as Mana, and Chaos was a world where Mana didn’t exist at all.
For reference, Seo Jun also had a Return Stone. So he could Return to Asherus whenever he wanted.
‘Anyway, it seems like it’d be best to move quickly and gather more than others if possible…….’
It was when Seo Jun arrived at the place where the gateway to Chaos was located.
“Hey, Korean. How can you be so laid-back when you’re late?”
Someone approached. He spoke in Chinese, but it automatically translated and entered Seo Jun’s ears.
It was possible in real time within the game.
He was a Chinese pro player.
‘His name was…….’
Right.
“I’m Tae San.”
“I’m Kael.”
Rachel stepped back. She didn’t seem to want to get involved.
“…….”
“So why?”
“Just came to give you some advice.”
The pro player who’d introduced himself as Tae San spoke toward Seo Jun with a slight smile.
Seo Jun returned the smile. It was a smirk.
‘As if.’
Seo Jun jerked his chin.
He knew it wasn’t advice, but rather an invitation to see him put on more of a show.
Tae San’s slight smile faded for a moment at Seo Jun’s easygoing attitude, then returned.
With the ominous atmosphere formed, Seo Jun spoke first.
“Hey, you there in the back. Shin Geom?”
Seo Jun called out because he didn’t know why Shin Geom hadn’t approached.
It was better to make him charge out openly in front than to let him hide schemes from behind.
“Why aren’t you coming? What are you doing?”
“…….”
Shin Geom let out a small sigh, then approached Seo Jun.
“Finally we meet. Donation Terror.”
Shin Geom stood beside Tae San.
The two Chinese men seemed to be traveling together.
Seo Jun chuckled.
And Tae San showed signs of being somewhat displeased with Shin Geom’s remark.
Why would that be?
‘Is he embarrassed?’
It was quite possible.
“Yeah, it’s been a while. Has your skill improved?”
At Seo Jun’s sincere concern, Shin Geom’s expression twisted.
But he didn’t say anything.
The unexpected response made Seo Jun speak again.
“Giving up Beduah was impressive. That was quick thinking.”
This time it was genuine praise.
“Your head’s pretty good, but your sword skills are mediocre.”
Will he take the bait?
Shin Geom was finally hooked.
He goes down easy.
“Listen up! You won’t be able to do anything here! And when you get out, you won’t be able to do anything either!”
“Why?”
“Because you’re late to Train here, and wherever else, I’ll ultimately kill you!”
“You sure about that?”
“Of course. Absolutely.”
Oh.
Once his blood was stirred, Shin Geom declared war on Seo Jun, venting the words he’d been holding back like it was a relief.
Seo Jun found himself curious about why he’d been holding back.
“I see. I look forward to it. So what about you?”
Seo Jun turned his head toward Tae San this time.
“Well, I don’t hold ill will toward you. Not like those siblings.”
“So?”
“So I’m advising you. A late arrival won’t be able to get anything good here.”
“Hmm.”
“Think about it. Day two has already passed, and thirty more minutes have gone. Even if this Quest goes for about ten days or more, the time you missed is twenty percent.”
He had a point.
But was there not a way? Really?
“Right now many participants are still going at it without rest. So give up on getting anything here. Go somewhere else instead.”
Seo Jun chuckled lightly and said something he didn’t mean.
“What if collecting a lot of Materials isn’t actually the condition for getting a good reward?”
Seo Jun did think that collecting a lot of Materials gave the highest probability of getting a good reward.
“Haha. How foolish.”
“Is that so?”
The grounds were building up.
Seo Jun’s smile deepened.
“Yeah. So much so that I don’t understand how you ever beat Shin Geom.”
“Are you perhaps trying to eliminate the competition?”
“You? Competition? Hahahaha.”
Tae San laughed loudly.
“You’re saying something really funny. You’re not my competition. At best, you’re Shin Geom’s competition. Do you really think I, a pro, would consider you my actual competition?”
As expected.
He was subtly looking down on Shin Geom.
Poor Shin Geom.
Anyway, Seo Jun wondered why Tae San was being so arrogant.
No matter how confident you are in your own victory, it’s difficult to speak your true thoughts so openly in front of the whole world.
Shouldn’t you be thinking about your image?
‘What about me?’
It’s all broadcast concept for me.
Is Tae San image-making too?
Or it could be that the Chinese audience wants them to be this way.
“You’re right, I’m not competition.”
“Huh?”
“Because obviously I’ll be the one collecting the most Materials.”
Seo Jun’s voice was matter-of-fact, as if stating an obvious truth.
And as if he’d expected this, Tae San laughed.
“Ha, I knew it! Definitely foolish. Like a moth to a flame. Fine. Don’t regret not taking my advice. I’m out.”
The fact that he’d expected this was shocking.
Anyway, the grounds were established, and the two Chinese men entered the green Rift, rather than portal.
Rachel approached.
“Uh, Seo Jun?”
“Yes?”
“Are you really going to collect the most Materials?”
“Yes.”
“But Kael seems to have other things to do. Even if you just dip your toes in, staying in the Train Quest when you don’t know when it’ll end seems like a loss, doesn’t it?”
“Don’t worry.”
“…….”
And as they were talking, a participant emerged from the Rift.
Both of their heads turned toward the Rift at once.
It wasn’t the Chinese man who’d entered moments ago. The participant was a massive Viking.
A Champion of Train—the Barrier Yon.
And a pro player.
His name was.
Seo Jun grinned wide.
“One of the things I believe in.”
Yon.
“Y-Yon hyung?”
* * *
“So you’re telling me to hand over all my Materials to you?”
Had he heard correctly?
Could the translation be wrong?
Yon scratched his head.
“Yeah, that’s right. Hand them over.”
Seo Jun demanded it matter-of-factly.
“No, hyung……. If you’re going to consolidate them, shouldn’t it be you giving them to me instead? I’ve put in time and effort. And time’s passing while we talk like this.”
The passage of time was fine. In ten minutes, fifty minutes of real time would pass, at which point the portal would naturally close and those inside would come out.
And then ten minutes of rest would be given.
Going in now and working hard for ten minutes wouldn’t create a big difference.
Persuading Yon was more important.
At least that’s how it was for Seo Jun.
“Hyung, do you think you have a chance of placing first? I see there are several teams that look like they could consolidate their materials, including the Chinese.”
“There is.”
“With Rachel added to that? The three of you? That’s a bit…….”
There hadn’t seemed to be any cases of three people consolidating for one person yet.
The reason was simple.
The risk was too high.
You don’t know how rewards will be divided, yet you’re giving up Achievement Points for two people?
That’s not it.
Even two people consolidating for one carries the same kind of risk.
However, the rewards from this Quest seemed to be consumables and appeared to be shareable, so they were willing to bear that level of risk.
The participants weren’t fools.
“Listen up.”
“Yes.”
“This is a last resort, but I have a way to absolutely guarantee first place. So don’t worry even if it doesn’t work out.”
“What’s that?”
“Just kill everyone else but me.”
Rachel, sensing the sudden bloodlust, stepped back.
But hearing Seo Jun’s words, Yon thought hard.
“But how would you know when the Quest ends so you can kill everyone? If it’s completed before you kill everyone, that’s it.”
“Don’t worry. I have a way to know everything.”
Rachel shook her head repeatedly.
But Yon nodded in agreement.
“But if we kill everyone, won’t it take a long time to complete the Quest?”
“Then we just call other participants. New participants can’t be higher than me anyway.”
Soon, hearing Seo Jun’s clear explanation, Yon’s face brightened, and he clapped his hands together.
“I see! ……Yes!”
“…….”
Rachel looked at the two of them, shook her head once more, and left.
“……I’ll try to gather at least in the remaining ten minutes and come back.”
And the two remaining men lowered their voices seriously.
“Alright then, let’s discuss the strategy, hyung.”
To be precise, only Yon lowered his voice seriously and began talking.
“The Monsters in Chaos.”
“Yes.”
“They said if you don’t kill them, they keep multiplying. And the more they multiply, the harder they become to deal with and incredibly dangerous, right?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s catch them.”
The byproducts of the Monsters were also included in the Materials.
“What?”
“Catch a lot. Very many. All at once.”
“No, hyung? Have you actually met that Monster before? Have you fought it even once?”
The large man was quite flustered.
* * *
Chaos.
Cresit, who discovered this place with its greenish afterlife-like atmosphere, named it Chaos.
Tae San, moving about to gather as many Materials as possible during the remaining time, looked at Shin Geom moving ahead and thought.
‘If I meet that arrogant bastard here, should I tell Shin Geom to provoke him? Use that as an excuse to kill him.’
The justification didn’t exist for him, but it did for Shin Geom.
So…….
“Hey Shin Geom! Catch this!”
Tae San, spotting a wild beast of Chaos from the left front, stopped thinking and shouted.
Catching the beast came first.
Even one of those was bothersome to catch.
And once time passed and they started multiplying, they copied endlessly.
And then?
Retirement.
‘I’ll think about catching Kael during the break later.’
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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