I took quick steps and arrived at the waiting room. Apart from Mad Dog and Hutton, everyone knew my ident.i.ty, so they weren"t surprised. Mad Dog had just headed to the stadium, while Hutton laughed. “It is ridiculous. Were you hiding your strength?”
“It wasn"t intentional.”
“I really want to fight you once.”
“Any time."
I looked around as I spoke. I was looking for Park Muyeol, but I didn"t see him. Just then, a whisper arrived.
-Gyeonso Dragon: Congratulations on your victory. You got me heated up. As expected of my brother.
-Jackson: Huhu, I had no choice.
-Gyeonso Dragon: By the way, can you go to the small alley in a corner of the waiting room for a moment? There is something to look at.
-Jackson: Huh? I know. I"ll be right there.
I was a bit puzzled to hear this but I was also curious. What was he going to show me?
“I will know when I go there.”
I walked to the alley in the corner where Gyeonso Dragon was waiting. I could see the two of them there. One was Gyeonso Dragon and the other was Park Muyeol, who I had been looking for. However, the atmosphere around my friend was a bit unusual.
“What? Why is this guy like this?”
Park Muyeol was floating in the air with crossed legs and his eyes closed. His body was surrounded by a subtle golden aura.
The moment I was about to ask what was going on, Gyeonso Dragon told me, “I feel like he is having a conversation with a constellation.”
“What...?”
Strong questions revolved around my head. He hadn"t eaten a Star Fruit, yet he was talking to a constellation. What was this...?
“I went with some sailors to the North Pole and the crew told me something. I was floating in the air for a long time with my eyes closed. This is what he looks like right now.”
“Umm...” I touched my beard while looking serious. I didn"t know this was going to happen here. Was it the same as the last time I talked to Prometheus?
“We must protect this place.”
“I think that would be best.”
“Yes. It might be a bad thing if his conversation is interrupted.”
Gyeonso Dragon nodded silently and sat in a nearby chair. Then his gaze s.h.i.+fted toward the floating crystal ball. Fortunately, there was another crystal ball here so I could watch the match.
“My granddaughter is going to start.”
“Umm. She should win...”
“She will be fine.”
“Yes.”
The host"s voice was heard from the crystal ball.
-Then let"s start the second match of the round of 8! Both players, please take your spots!
I crossed my arms and started to focus on the screen. Park Muyeol might be a friend but for me, my granddaughter was more important. It was undeniable.
“Win, Mido.”
* * *
Mido took a big breath. She was standing facing the clown. No, Mad Dog. He was strong. He beat her Oppas, who were pretty famous rankers in South Korea. She didn"t know his level, but his skills were really intimidating. a.s.sa.s.sins who used poison were really scary.
"Sigh, I"m going to try it. Choi Mido, don"t be distracted. You"ve worked hard. Believe in the result of the training you"ve been doing."
Perhaps as a non-combat cla.s.s, she wouldn"t be able to beat this person. Even so, Mido didn"t want to lose. In order to do so, she trained and trained until she was on the verge of death. She wanted to deal him one blow.
In the midst of the tension, a trumpet rang to mark the start of the match. At the same, the weapons of the two people collided.
“Hoh. You are pretty good.” Mad Dog laughed with one corner of his mouth raised up. It was like the Joker in the movie and Mido was creeped out. She used her sword to push him away and Mad Dog fell back from the force. At the same time, Mad Dog emitted energy into the air and created sharp daggers. He jumped fast and threw them sequentially at Mido.
“...!”
The surprised Mido swung the b.l.o.o.d.y Butcher in her right hand. Five daggers made of magic power were flying at her. One flew toward her face, two to her torso, and two to her legs. She was a bit clumsy, but she stopped the five daggers with her familiar swordsmans.h.i.+p. She heard a sharp clang five times and her eyes were wide as she stared at the daggers that had fallen to the ground. “I actually blocked this? Amazing. The result of the training is truly...”
Just then, a dagger pa.s.sed by the side of her head. Mido got gooseb.u.mps at this sensation. A piece of hair fluttered in front of her eyes before falling to the ground.
“Ah, I missed. It is unfortunate...” Mad Dog leaned forward and waved his hand like a baseball player. At the same time, a dagger flew toward Mido"s forehead. She shouted with astonishment and pulled a palette out of her inventory to block it.
“......”
[The durability of the Palette made of Dead Wood has been reduced by 18%.]
Fortunately, the palette blocked the dagger, but it had already lost a considerable amount of durability. It was made of dead wood and couldn"t be repaired. In fact, if the durability was lost and it broke, then she would have to buy a new one. She complained, “Hing. I bought this for a high price...”
“Hey, don"t avoid it.”
Mido lowered the palette and s.h.i.+fted her gaze to Mad Dog. He was licking his blade with his tongue and staring at her. He seemed insane no matter how she looked at it.
"Sigh. Don"t be distracted. He has a PvP-specific cla.s.s."
Mido grabbed the b.l.o.o.d.y Butcher again with her right hand. In her left hand, she lifted the wooden palette like a s.h.i.+eld. It was a bit of a waste, but she felt she needed it if she wanted to get revenge. If it broke, then she would ask her Oppas to buy her a new one. They would buy it if she asked in the name of revenge. “Hey, perverted mister.”
“Perverted mister?”
“Yes, perverted mister. Why do you keep looking at me like that? It feels bad.”
“Huhu. It is none of your business.”
“Are you going to keep throwing the daggers? Don"t you want to see this beautiful body up close? Or are you a scared coward? Mister, you"re not confident because you"re small, right?” Mido taunted Mad Dog. For her, it was a winning move. She couldn"t hit him if she kept avoiding or blocking the daggers. In any case, that poison was a problem.
“Hah. This b.i.t.c.h is saying pretty interesting things.”
Mad Dog"s mouth twitched as he made an absurd expression. This girl was making a strangely unpleasant provocation. For his standpoint, he was kicked and he wanted to hear her scream. As he said early, her body was pretty good...
"Still, throwing like this doesn"t taste good. I want to hear this b.i.t.c.h begging me to spare her."
He held the daggers in both arms, pulled his arms back and headed toward her at a rapid speed. He spun his body and aimed his daggers at her vital points. Mido remembered what she had practiced and started to block Mad Dog"s attacks. The attack speed was very fast, so it was important to deflect them briefly before stopping them again. Park Muyeol"s teachings flashed in his mind. The two of them exchanged blows in a short time as they weighed each other"s skills.
However, Mad Dog was still a tough opponent for Mido.
[The Palette Made of Dead Wood has lost all its durability and shattered.]
“Kyak!”
Fragments of the shattered palette obscured Mido"s vision. This moment was the decisive factor between victory and defeat. Mido frowned as she felt her arm being scratched. She widened the distance while wielding the b.l.o.o.d.y Butcher in her hand.
[You have been affected by an unidentified venom.]
[Your health will decrease at a rate of 10% per minute.]
[It is recommended to take an antidote as soon as possible!]
“Ugh.”
Mido quickly took an antidote out of her inventory and drank it. The other day, she had seen Eun Jeonghyeok die because there was no antidote. She felt fortunate that she had prepared one in advance. There was just one problem.
[The antidote you"ve taken can"t fully neutralize the venom.]
[Your health will decrease at a rate of 5% per minute.]
[The unidentified venom is too strong.]
Mido"s gaze s.h.i.+fted to her left arm where blood flowed. There was a strange spider pattern there. The antidote helped, but it was only a matter of time before she died. She just felt it was a pity that she couldn"t deal him a blow. She recalled Dark Wolf"s words.
“If it is dangerous then just fall off the field. I"m not the one saying this. It is your grandfather"s request.”
She once again tightly gripped the b.l.o.o.d.y Butcher in her right hand. She still wanted to get revenge with her strength. However, she couldn"t stretch out the sword with any strength. It was because the poison had started to spread through her body and she lost strength.
Mido sighed and slightly raised her sword-wielding hand. “...I will surrender.”
* * *
-The winner is Mad Dog! Mad Dog is in the top four!
I frowned at the host"s unwelcome announcement. Mido fought well so it was heartbreaking to see that she had lost. Even more so because I watched the entire process of her harsh training. Maybe Mido was crying right now.
“Mido...” I couldn"t help clenching my fists.
Someone placed a hand on my shoulder as if to calm my shaking shoulders. “Calm down, Brother. She fought well. In fact, you must"ve already been expecting it. She is a painter and was unlikely to win.”
“Yes, I know. I know that, but...”
My lips tightened as I stared at Mad Dog on the screen. I would flatten his face into a rice cake.
“It is now my turn,” Gyeonso Dragon told me.
“Ah, yes. Then...”
I looked back at Park Muyeol who was still floating in the air with crossed legs. The thing that worried me was the third match ending quickly. Then Park Muyeol"s turn would come. Frankly, it was complicated because I didn"t know when he would be back. In any case, it was a nuisance.
Gyeonso Dragon opened his mouth, “I know what you want to say. I will buy as much time as possible.”
“...I"m sorry.”
“No need. I want to fight against him as well.”
“Then I"m glad.”
“I am going.”
“Yes, please. I will send you a whisper when he wakes up.”
Gyeonso Dragon waved his hand at the NPC looking for the next player. I remembered that his opponent was Kim Hyeonu. He was a paladin. I heard this cla.s.s was the combination of a priest and a warrior. I was told that his attack power wasn"t strong and he had a lot of defense and health, so he wouldn"t die easily. To sum it up, he was a tough guy.
“Fortunately, it seems like Gyeonso Dragon will be able to buy some time.”
Just then, I could see Mido walking from the exit with slumped shoulders. I headed toward her to comfort her if she was depressed. “You fought well...”
However, at this moment, Mido"s delicate body collapsed like a building collapsing due to poor construction. I supported her and screamed with fright. “Mido, wake up. D-Doctor. Nurse! No, no, a priest! Is anyone here?”