Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Puzzled, the?hunter asked, “You’re talking about Dungeon Run, right?”

Dungeon Run was the nickname for SSL, the six-man team sport.

“No. I was talking about baseball.”

“Who watches baseball? Grandfather...”

“......”

“... My grandfather loves baseball, friend. Haha.”

“I see...”

“In any case, isn’t it a waste not to watch SSL? You should try watching it once or twice, at least. If you don’t have a favorite team yet, can I give you a recommendation? The Boston Giants are great.”

Choi Yeonseung thought the hunter’s words sounded familiar. Sports fans usually did this when recommending their favorite team. On that note, Hwang Gyeongryong was a fan of the Lotte Giants...

-Yeonseung. Do you like baseball?

-I can’t say I do, but I watch it while recovering my muscles after high-intensity exercise.

-Which team do you like?

-I just?watch?the LG Twins.

-Uhuh! You can’t just like anyone. There is a very good team with history and tradition called Lotte...

-Aren’t they at the bottom of the rankings right now?

-Do you want to be kicked out of the clan?

-?!

Choi Yeonseung asked a question upon recalling that memory. “How’s the Boston Giants’ performance?”

“... Why do you ask?” The hunter reacted fiercely! “S-Sorry, friend. I was agitated for no reason.”

“Since you’re in a clan, can’t you play as a player yourself?”

Just like the UHC, SSL was played in the Otherworld, so there would be restrictions on stats. Nevertheless, a B-grade hunter should?be more than capable to dominate in it.

“Did you sign a contract with the Icarus clan without even reading about the clan’s rules? Well, nobody does anyway since they just order their manager to do it for them. That being said, those in the Icarus clan aren’t allowed to play Dungeon Run.”

“Really?”

“We can join the UHC, though. Ah. It’s a pity. If I had permission, I would’ve already swept them all away.”

The big, black hunter?swung his fist. That movement alone made him exude a sense of intimidation.

‘Is he also a melee combatant?’

[You have seen through?your target's essence!]

[Honing your vision strengthens your power of existence!]

[Smallwood Highmountain]

Level: 256

Strength: 302

Agility: 315

Physical Strength: 331

Magic Power: 320

Intelligence: 308]

‘He’s stronger than I expected.’

In terms of level alone, he was above Elisabeth Gutierrez! In addition, he was an?all-rounder type. Rather than specializing in a specific area, he had a balanced build that didn’t have any weaknesses. Such hunters were always useful.

‘One really shouldn't judge a book by its cover.’

.

This hunter sat sloppily and was dressed more like a rapper than a hunter, but he was an all-rounder. It was a bit novel.

‘This is bad, though. I can see their stats but not their skills..’

There were two reasons why Choi Yeonseung joined the Icarus clan:?to create a social status and find useful household members! He could roughly tell what type of person they were based on their stats, but that alone wasn’t enough.

‘I need more information. I have to be able to see a bit more deeply.’

The man was a great B-grade hunter, but for Choi Yeonseung, that was it.

If he went to the Abyss and joined a constellation battle, he’d melt away in an instant! A hunter having stats or a level a bit higher than those who were far below Choi Yeonseung meant nothing. He had to look for potential growth.

‘Tempting them into my household... No, the hunters who have to be persuaded should have high growth potential.’

They had to be hungry for strength and full of talent! However, to determine if they did have those qualifications, he had to look at more than just their stats. Skills, motivation, background, etc...

If they didn’t know each other, then they couldn’t trust each other!

As Choi Yeonseung was lost in thought, Smallwood continued. “If I knew this would happen, I would’ve tried UHC, friend. I’m just not good at fighting hunters.”

“Dungeon Run... Why is SSL banned?”

“It has a tight schedule. Hunters who participate in Dungeon Run usually can’t do raids.”

During the league, they had to appear several times a week and compete like an athlete. Doing raids on top of that would be too much. The Icarus clan was seriously aiming for higher-rated dungeons. They couldn’t allow their members to join Dungeon Run since they had to train and do raids.

“Isn’t it the same for UHC?”

“You’re really asking me that question, friend? How disappointing. UHC is a 1:1 match between players. The schedule can be adjusted as much as you want. You just don’t have to play too much.”

UHC was closer to a martial art sport. As long as the two fighters agreed, they were free to adjust the schedule at any time. They could even play just one or two games a year if they wanted.

“Can one still maintain their popularity that way?”

“Hah. What do you think it takes to be a champion, friend? They don’t fight every day. On the contrary, they have fewer matches.”

“That’s true.” Choi Yeonseung nodded.

There was no reason for a high-ranking hunter to fight so much. On the contrary, the fewer matches they played, the higher?the demand for them! At that moment, Smallwood glanced at Choi Yeonseung.

“Would you help me if I really decide to learn martial arts?”

“?”

Choi Yeonseung was puzzled. Helping him wouldn’t be a big deal, but why? Other hunters were also interested earlier, but they dropped it due to the difficulty.

“I’ll help you if you want to learn. Why are you asking me this, though?”

“Hey, no hunter would just give away something for free, friend.”

Just as the raid industry was closed, so were the hunters. No one taught magic or even martial arts for free.

“That’s true. I really couldn’t care less, though.”

“?”

“I doubt people would be able to follow my teachings unless they try extremely hard. If I were to train a hundred people, only one of them would likely be able to follow me.”

“... I-it’s that difficult?”

Smallwood inquired, then thought, ‘Why did he study it, then?’

“Are you thinking why I studied martial arts?”

“Gasp!” Smallwood was startled. “Is it possible to read minds using martial arts?”

“No. It’s just that everyone usually has the same question. Anyway, though I did say it has a slow growth rate, it isn’t to the point where it’s useless.”

“Woah. Really? Can you elaborate on that?”

Smallwood was tempted.

He didn’t expect to be on the same level as Choi Yeonseung just because he learned martial arts. Being able to use it like magic would be enough for him.

“If you have talent and continue to train for a decade or so, you’ll probably reach?the?second-class stage...”

“H-How strong is second-class?”

“It’s like being a C-grade hunter.”

“What if I want to reach first-class?”

“... That’ll probably take a hundred years.”

Choi Yeonseung was sincere, but Smallwood understood it differently.

“Damn. Its growth rate is that slow? And you can only use one martial art, too since you can't use more martial arts unlike magicians, who can just learn more spells.”

“You know more about martial arts than I thought you would.”

“I was a martial arts fan when I was young.”

“What? Really?”

Choi Yeonseung felt so happy it was as if he had met the goddess in the Abyss. Of course, they hadn’t actually met.

“When I was younger, my dream was to be a rapper. My parents?were also hip-hop enthusiasts.”

“What does being a martial arts fan have to do with rappers?”

Choi Yeonseung was taken aback.

Smallwood became even more flustered. “You’re a martial artist, but you don’t know hip-hop?”

“I’m sorry about that. I was wandering the Abyss for a long time.”

“... S-sorry. Don’t be so serious, man.”

Smallwood started to explain. Chinese martial arts movies had long been popular in the black community, from watching martial arts movies to martial arts novels being translated and released abroad! Thanks to that, many black rappers became martial art fans.

Choi Yeonseung didn’t know this, but that fan sentiment continued even after the gates had opened, resulting in quite a few early martial artists.

“Don’t you know the Wu-Tang Clan? They’re hip-hop legends!”

“I don’t know.”

“Where do you think they got their name?! It comes from the name of a martial arts movie!”

“I-I see.”

Choi Yeonseung wanted to say, ‘What about it, bastard?!’ but endured it. It was because he didn’t seem malicious.

“Where did Ghostface Killah come from?”

“... Was it the Ghost-Faced Killer?”

“That’s right! I knew you would know!”

“I’m sorry, but not all martial artists like martial arts movies and martial arts—”

Choi Yeonseung was about to say something, only to hesitate. Now that he had thought about it, martial artists in South Korea really liked martial arts movies and novels. There were those who’d giggle and say, “Hey, martial arts isn’t used like this~~”

“Anyway... So you mean you’ve liked and have been interested in martial arts since you were young?”

“It sounds childish when you say it like that, but that’s right. I was interested.”

“Why didn’t you learn it?”

“Are you serious? Of course, it was because I had no place to learn it from. Almost all the first-generation martial artists had retired when my time came. And to join a clan, one had to be a magician. With everyone using magic, who do you think I could learn martial arts from?”

“Okay. If you want to learn, then I’ll teach you.”

Choi Yeonseung nodded. He wouldn’t lose anything by teaching this man anyway. On the contrary, if Smallwood turned out to have outstanding talent, it would be extremely beneficial for Choi Yeonseung. He would be able to draw Smallwood into his household!

‘I don’t have any grandiose thoughts about resurrecting martial arts, but... It doesn’t make sense for martial arts to be ignored so much.’

If Choi Yeonseung showed his skills, then the status of martial arts would naturally rise. However, he was looking at an even bigger picture. What would people do if the status of martial arts increased thanks to Choi Yeonseung and they began wanting to learn martial arts again?

Just as everyone respected Li Yuyuan in the past, they would ask Choi Yeonseung, the martial artist who had reached the highest stage on Earth, for guidance! That would allow Choi Yeonseung to sit down, take care of his power of existence, and get useful household members.

Hiding and not sharing skills was something that only those who had no confidence would do. Choi Yeonseung had a completely different plan! This was the difference between a constellation and a mortal.

‘Kukukuk.’

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says it’s nice to hear your evil laughter!]

***

“Gasp. Richard Parker? Are you from the Parker family?”

“That’s right.”

“Let’s be friends!”

“?”

“It is an ironclad rule for me to befriend only people of worth.”

Richard Parker frowned at the hunter talking to him. Many people befriended him only because they learned he was from the Parker family. He also almost died because of such people.

“Don’t be wary. Give and take is another ironclad rule for me.”

“I don’t care. Don’t talk to me.”

“Phew. You’re like Antony Schneider. Do you know him? He only cares about himself.”

The hunter’s chattering made Richard even angrier. He just made a series of mistakes in the response training, and now there was a strange guy...

‘Son of a bitch. I can’t come this far only to get into the 2nd team.’

The Icarus clan was divided into two teams.

The 1st team participated in actual combat. The 2nd team gathered candidates who were still considered to be too much of a risk to join the 1st team. They said that the hunters in the 2nd team required more refinement, but Richard thought they were simply losers. They came here even though they could be treated like kings if they went elsewhere.

Of course, Hwang Gyeongryong’s great treatment was one of the reasons, but in the end, their main purpose here was so they could raid high-rated dungeons! They gathered to gain wealth, power, and fame that couldn’t be obtained through ordinary means.

“Don’t talk to me.”

“Haha. Won’t you regret it?”

“...... ”