Lightning made of immense mana struck down on the dummy stuck in the middle of the training room. The lightning didn’t stop at just one strike.
Dozens of lightning bolts appeared simultaneously in the training room. This alone was amazing, but the scene of all those lightning bolts striking down at one place at once was like a miracle.
Flash, flash. With each light that appeared, wounds increased on the body of the dummy made of the hardest material in this world.
Although it was an artifact with the power to repair itself even when broken and shattered, it ultimately couldn’t withstand the lightning striking down on it all at once.
Psssh, the man who finally turned the dummy to powder opened his closed eyes.
The pupil in the center of his mystical blue eyes was shining white.
“Seon-je! I think you should go outside soon. Vice Guild Master Jin Yeon-hwa said she’s coming too.”
At the voice heard from the side, Yoo Seon-je slightly turned his head. Ji Yu-ri, who faced him, blushed anew at his shining face.
It was an appearance that surprised her every time she saw it, even though she saw it every day.
The eyes with even the iris dyed blue didn’t suit Koreans very well, but Yoo Seon-je was an exception. Born with the blessing of mana, all his features were perfect to the point where he looked like a different race.
But if there was one flaw in his perfect appearance, it would be his expressionless face that showed no change to a terrible degree. Even though she had been assisting him by his side for several years, she had never seen him smile once.
Yoo Seon-je answered Ji Yu-ri’s words:
“I understand.”
Although he answered obediently, Yoo Seon-je’s mood wasn’t actually very good.
The reason Yoo Seon-je chose Sirius among the many guilds that approached him was simple. First, because it was the best guild in Korea. And second, because they promised not to reveal him carelessly until he was perfectly polished.
Yoo Seon-je glared at the dummy he had shattered.
It was a dummy that wouldn’t get even a scratch even if A-rank hunters pounded on it all day, but Yoo Seon-je succeeded in turning that dummy to powder in the end.
But…
Yoo Seon-je’s gaze turned to the scorched marks next to the shattered dummy.
Yoo Seon-je had intended to hit all the thousands of lightning bolts he summoned on that dummy. However, even with his mana control that had reached divine skill, a few strands leaked out.
It was an achievement worthy of admiration that only a few strands leaked out of thousands, but Yoo Seon-je wasn’t satisfied.
One Point. The name of the technique Yoo Seon-je wanted to perfect.
The ultimate lightning technique of stabbing thousands of lightning bolts into a single point.
Lightning is originally nature’s. It was something that mere humans couldn’t handle freely. Perhaps because of this, Yoo Seon-je’s mana was particularly free-spirited and destructive, to the point where it was especially difficult to control.
Gathering that power into one and hitting a small target was almost impossible.
In fact, most lightning sorcerers aimed to summon powerful lightning over as wide an area as possible rather than controlling lightning delicately.
Due to the nature of lightning talent, it was more suitable for dealing with multiple enemies rather than one powerful enemy, and it was almost impossible to control lightning.
But Yoo Seon-je, who dreamed of perfection, wanted even his lightning to be completely under his control.
Yet he hadn’t even completed the technique.
But this world, Jin Yeon-hwa, wanted to send out Yoo Seon-je under the name of Sirius.
“Hoo.”
He knows that this is also his own greed.
That he is strong enough.
But it’s not time yet.
Yoo Seon-je also knew that the schedule was moved up because of Weltschmerz’s lightning user.
‘Just because of that guy.’
In Yoo Seon-je’s view, Weltschmerz’s lightning user was nothing. Of course, its destructive power was great, but his ability to control lightning was very poor.
Although the video quality was degraded, the lightning that spread randomly here and there was clearly out of control.
Yoo Seon-je’s brow furrowed very slightly as he recalled his control, which was nothing more than simply summoning lightning and dropping it.
Yoo Seon-je intended to clearly show how foolish those who associated him with those Weltschmerz guys were through this opportunity.
He was going to prove that there was no one better than him in handling lightning techniques in Korea, at least.
Yoo Seon-je, who came out of the training room, quietly put on the jacket Ji Yu-ri draped over him.
Although he had been training for hours, not a single drop of sweat came from his body. It was thanks to his perfect self-control.
“Shall we go then?”
Yoo Seon-je, who nodded, moved his steps following Ji Yu-ri. Although he was a rookie who hadn’t even had his proper debut match yet, gazes followed wherever Yoo Seon-je walked.
It was partly because of his striking appearance, but also because he was one of the few S-rank awakeners in Korea.
-I heard he’s having his debut match in an S-rank dungeon this time.
-Skipping even A-rank and going straight to S-rank. Well, it’s fitting for Yoo Seon-je. I wonder if he’s planning to get certified as 7-Circle right after clearing this Gate?
Expectation, envy, jealousy, and even a tiny bit of fear. These were familiar gazes to Yoo Seon-je.
Ji Yu-ri stopped in front of a door. Blue light shone around her body and the door opened.
Jin Yeon-hwa, who was sprawled on the sofa, slightly adjusted her posture and opened her mouth.
“Oh, you finally caaame.”
“Hello! Vice Guild Master Jin Yeon-hwa!”
Ji Yu-ri greeted her with a bow so deep her waist might break. But Jin Yeon-hwa’s gaze was directed only at Yoo Seon-je beside her.
Yoo Seon-je likewise nodded his head towards Vice Guild Master Jin Yeon-hwa.
“You called for me.”
“Let’s sit down first, shall we?”
This too was directed only at Yoo Seon-je. The chair was for one person only. Yoo Seon-je sat in the chair in front of the sofa.
“Well, as you all knooow, Seon-je will be having his debut match this time. Come on, applause!”
Only Ji Yu-ri clapped at those words. Even Lee Hye-won standing behind Jin Yeon-hwa didn’t move.
Ji Yu-ri stopped clapping with an awkward face.
“Well, anyway, that’s how it turned out. What to do, the schedule got moved up faster than I promised.”
To those words, Yoo Seon-je answered bluntly:
“It doesn’t matter.”
Although he hadn’t perfected One Point, Yoo Seon-je was already tremendously strong. He had also thoroughly built up experience going through lower Gates. Although he hadn’t experienced A-rank Gates, his judgment that he could go straight to S-rank wasn’t arrogance but confidence.
This must be a fact that Jin Yeon-hwa had confirmed many times through internal information.
The apology must clearly be empty words.
Jin Yeon-hwa’s eyes sparkled looking at Yoo Seon-je.
“As you know, Seon-je, we’ve become a bit of a laughingstock because of those villains running wild lately.”
Weltschmerz. Yoo Seon-je had seen the lightning he shot too. Lightning struck down with tremendous mana. It was neither beautiful nor delicate like his own.
Recalling that lightning, only the word pathetic came to mind.
It might have looked quite impressive to people who didn’t know anything, but not to Yoo Seon-je’s eyes.
But even so, the reason he couldn’t completely dismiss Weltschmerz was…
“He’s nothing if not for the complex talent.”
That guy could handle the water attribute, no less. Lightning and water have very good compatibility. If that guy really was an awakener who could handle both water and lightning attributes simultaneously, even Yoo Seon-je might not be able to easily guarantee victory.
“We don’t know who actually used that lightning though. You never know. There might be a hidden fourth member.”
Honestly, the theory of a fourth member made much more sense than the speculation that he had A-rank, S-rank complex talents.
“That’s riiight! That certainly makes more sense. As expected of Seon-je. But you see, those guys’ followers have needlessly increased. So we have no choice.”
Jin Yeon-hwa’s eyes sank as she said that.
“You can show them clearly, right?”
To those words, Yoo Seon-je looked straight into her eyes and said:
“Yes.”
“Good!”
The atmosphere that had become suffocatingly heavy brightened in an instant.
“Then, I’ll talk about the strategy.”
Before saying that, Jin Yeon-hwa’s eyes turned to Ji Yu-ri.
“Could the manager there step out for a bit?”
Ji Yu-ri’s eyes widened in surprise. But only for a moment, Ji Yu-ri bowed her head deeply and went out of the room.
Even though she managed every move of Yoo Seon-je, she wasn’t allowed to hear this strategy.
For all that care taken for security, Jin Yeon-hwa’s strategy was simple.
Sirius doesn’t need to bother with various efforts for the conquest. Because the pillars supporting the giant dinosaur called Sirius are too sturdy.
But since it absolutely must not fail, Jin Yeon-hwa also hid a trump card.
“Don’t worry. Even if any problems arise, there’s a way to bring back at least Seon-je alive!”
* * *
Day broke.
In front of the S-rank Gate shining blue, Jin Yeon-hwa hummed a tune.
Jin Yeon-hwa, who always maintained a casual appearance, was neatly dressed just for today.
Yoo Seon-je, who would soon enter the Gate, was the same.
“Dressed up like this, you look just like a celebrity.”
“Thank you.”
“Seon-je is too boring.”
Jin Yeon-hwa, who said that, smiled looking down at the conquest team.
“Good, all preparations are perfectly complete.”
The status of Sirius’ conquest team was as follows:
Two 7-Circle hunters.
Thirty 6-Circle hunters.
Thirty 5-Circle or higher supporters.
Forty porters.
A total of 102 members in the conquest team.
It was such a small number that it was hard to believe they were going to break through an S-rank Gate. Considering that the average number of people in an attack force going out to conquer a normal S-rank Gate is over 300, they were setting out with less than half that number.
Of course, Sirius could have mobilized more hunters, but it was important to conquer the S-rank Gate with the ‘minimum’ number of people.
Although few in number, all the members participating there were forces that Jin Yeon-hwa cherished dearly.
They were members who had conquered S-rank Gates many times, and all were armed with artifacts of tremendous value.
Few in number, but all elites.
Especially impressive were the supporters, selected from the best within Sirius. It was a perfect force that could smoothly conquer any type of Gate that appeared.
She didn’t want to hear the words ‘Gate conquest failure’ even by the slightest chance.
She also paid attention to the personnel who would guard the Gate after the conquest team entered.
This was to prevent any possible Gate intrusion.
Numerous reporters were present at this scene to announce this challenge of the century.
Jin Yeon-hwa’s confidence that they would never fail even with minimal personnel was tremendous.
“Seon-je, come over here.”
As Yoo Seon-je stood next to Jin Yeon-hwa, the reporters standing around all took noisy pictures at once.
The interview that followed was also persistent.
“It’s your first time conquering an S-rank Gate, aren’t you nervous?”
“You’re only taking minimal personnel, aren’t you anxious?”
“Even for Sirius Guild, there’s public opinion that it’s reckless. Do you really think perfect conquest is possible?”
Yoo Seon-je answered all those questions.
“Yes. It’s possible.”
Yoo Seon-je answered all questions in that way.
It might sound obnoxious, but no one here minded that. The Yoo Seon-je in front of them was an awakener worthy of such words.
The moment the conquest team took their first steps into the Gate.
The reporters’ gazes fell on the hunters standing at the very front. The hunters were the core and protagonists of the conquest after all.
A few people also sent gazes to the supporter team standing behind. Because conquering Gates comfortably is impossible without supporters. From detection to pathfinding. Even buffs during battle. They were like salt.
And lastly, the porters who would provide miscellaneous conveniences inside. Actually, even though they’re called porters, they’re awakeners of at least 3-Circle rank.
Once you enter a Gate, the exit doesn’t appear until you finish the conquest. So even porters need to be high-ranked to avoid mana addiction symptoms. Veteran porters who had been through thick and thin were sometimes even more expensive than rookie hunters.
But porters are porters.
No one sent gazes to the porters.
And no one knew.
That a few uninvited guests had slipped in among those porters.