The Veteran Player Already Knows Chapter 44 : Chapter 44

Chapter 44 - Yellow, Blue (1)

The Guardian of the Tower watched the video playing before her with great interest.

The ‘Watcher’s Eye’, which could observe anything in and around the Tower, was showing the target she had been most interested in lately.

Kim Gyu-sik.

The only irregular she couldn't perfectly calculate.

-Currently observing the sa target for 120 hours. To ensure smooth managent operations, it is recomnded to observe another targe…

-Shut up.

She imdiately retorted to the system that seed to be informing her with a disgruntled tone.

The more experienced and wise a person was, the harder it was to take an interest in a specific target.

To put it slightly differently, if one found a target they could be interested in, it ant they would quickly step into a realm beyond re interest.

So, the Guardian was now watching this man's progress with an almost heart-pounding feeling.

‘What will you do now?’

She had seen countless people climb the Tower.

And how those who reached that floor usually passed through it.

“…”

Probably.

There were far more who couldn't grasp the proper situation even until the ‘Yellow Wolf’ completely devoured the ‘Blue Wolf’.

But that man, Kim Gyu-sik, was devising a plan on his own even without any information given.

It was just amazing how he was so proactively controlling the situation on his own, just like last ti.

If he were a thoughtless person, he would have imdiately fallen for the sweet talk of the Yellow Wolf, who promised a conspicuously glittering reward.

-…

When the Guardian switched the screen, a video of a pri example of such a thoughtless person was transmitted.

What was his na again? She rembered it was Han… sothing.

She could rember if she tried, but a human of this level was no different from dust to her. It felt botherso to even allocate a tiny space in her brain for him.

‘Boring.’

This one was chosen by the Yellow Wolf, but his overall behavior was boring to the extre.

Everything was by the book, he had no intention of doing anything himself, and was just following the set path that the Yellow Wolf had told him.

Stale. To the point that just watching was annoying.

While Kim Gyu-sik had suddenly jumped off a cliff to reach the core at once, this one was entering the core through the ‘shortcut’ the Yellow Wolf had told him.

It was safe, but in terms of speed, he was already far behind.

So Kim Gyu-sik had made the first contact with the ‘Spirit Beast’ and taken the initiative.

So far, it was Kim Gyu-sik's overwhelming victory in every aspect.

The only thing she didn't understand was.

-…Why are you siding with the Blue Wolf?

The Blue Wolf offered overwhelmingly fewer advantages than the Yellow Wolf.

In contrast to the Yellow Wolf, who provided various buffs and information, and even rewards for carrying out instructions, it was safe to say that one could receive no help at all from the Blue Wolf, at least while progressing through the floor's conquest.

To the point that even so of those who had a good head on their shoulders and could clearly grasp what was happening there chose the Yellow Wolf solely for convenience.

‘Although it’s not completely nonexistent.’

However.

The Blue Wolf did offer one advantage.

A very small, but surefire, knife-like advantage.

-You, could it be that you already know?

And if Kim Gyu-sik had figured that out as well.

Surely.

He might be able to gift that floor the ‘best ending’ she was thinking of.

-I’m looking forward to it.

The Guardian, smiling again, brought up Kim Gyu-sik's video.

It was just in ti for an interesting scene.

***

“I’ve always been curious about sothing.”

I scratched my head and spoke to the person entering the cave.

“Of all the animals, why did you choose Cheetah as your nickna?”

Hearing those words, Han Seong-wook's expression instantly crumpled.

It was an expression that said he didn't expect to find anyone else here.

Well, a natural reaction.

This one must have thought that Seo Ah-in and I were dead.

“…Tch.”

He glanced at and clicked his tongue once.

The kind smile he had been wearing until now was gone, and only an expressionless face that looked clearly vile was in its place.

Well, there was no one else around now.

“…Huh? Co to think of it, where are the others? Why are you alone…?”

As if sensing sothing was off about his appearance, Seo Ah-in imdiately pointed out what I was thinking.

I shrugged and answered.

“He probably abandoned them all. They were all bait in the first place.”

“Bait?”

“Yeah. To take the ‘shortcut’ that annoying woman told him about, he would have needed people to clear out the Demonic Beasts at least halfway. Am I wrong?”

The annoying woman here was obviously referring to Yelena.

Indeed, upon hearing my words, Han Seong-wook snorted and drew his sword.

The fact that he didn't even offer a rebuttal was as good as a silent affirmation.

In the first place, his purpose for coming here was to capture the Spirit Beast under Yelena's command.

If that thing devoured the Spirit Beast, he could achieve his goal without having to get involved with the Blue Wolf.

To achieve that, he probably thought of the others as just bait to deal with the annoying Demonic Beasts blocking his way.

And now.

He must be thinking that he could just kill the two of us to silence us.

A longsword was drawn from his scabbard with a chilling sound.

“I should have listened to Yelena. I should have killed you first for sure.”

The words that followed were a confirmation.

I smirked and gestured for Seo Ah-in, who was about to join in, to step back.

“You rest for a bit.”

“But…”

“You’ve done well enough so far. Just rest.”

“…Ah, um. O-okay?”

“…”

Watching Seo Ah-in step back with a dopey smile, I was reminded of how weak she was to genuine praise, but now was not the ti to worry about that.

Han Seong-wook looked back and forth between and Seo Ah-in with sharp eyes and opened his mouth.

“I’ll ask one thing before I kill you. Where is the Spirit Beast?”

The Spirit Beast, he must be talking about the large wolf that was with us just a mont ago.

As for where it was, well. It was a bit difficult to answer.

I just ‘took care’ of it.

But it was funny to ask sothing of soone you were about to kill in the first place.

“If you’re curious, you should find out for yourself. You think the world is easy?”

“…”

As I said that and readjusted my grip on my weapon, Han Seong-wook's expression hardened.

“Co to think of it, you asked sothing earlier.”

He then took a stance with his sword and opened his mouth.

“Why my nickna is Cheetah.”

“Yeah. I was honestly a bit curious.”

At least the guys who took an animal as their nickna showed so consideration for style.

But what the hell was a Cheetah?

“…Hmph. A re stray dog wouldn’t be able to understand such sentint.”

He said that and grinned.

At this, Seo Ah-in flinched and took a step back.

“The cheetah… is smiling…?”

“…”

What are you doing?

Why have you suddenly beco the reaction person?

“No, for so reason, when I see sothing like that, I wanted to try this at least once.”

Why, in comics and stuff, everyone always does this.

While Seo Ah-in was shalessly saying that, Han Seong-wook also continued his sentence without caring about her reaction.

…This guy seems to have a thick skin too.

“Everyone else besides are all stray dogs, and I am a cheetah. Although there are many who are ahead of now-”

Let's quickly summarize the uninteresting story.

In short, this guy had been a Climber for a long ti, had accumulated so years, and was even treated as a veteran by those around him.

But he couldn't grow into a top-tier figure like Ms. Seo Hye-in, the face of a guild, so his heart was twisted with jealousy every day.

So, to at least feel like he was overtaking those people, he called himself a Cheetah.

He couldn't endure the pain of his narrow mind without so ntal victory, like telling himself that his potential hadn't been fully realized yet and that he could make it big if he really put his mind to it.

“…You summarized his ambitious explanation like that, and for so reason, the other party seems incredibly pathetic…”

Beside , Seo Ah-in muttered with a stunned expression, but facts were facts.

It was certain just by looking at Han Seong-wook glaring at with trembling lips.

“…H-huhu… You bastard, you’re really shortening your lifespan. A re F-class Climber daring to stand against this C-class Climber-”

“No, no matter how you look at it, it’s a bit much for a perennial C-class to be running his mouth…”

“…Shut up! You piece of trash!”

The characteristic of a person with nothing to say is that they start with insults.

As I shrugged my shoulders, Han Seong-wook raised his sword with a truly furious expression.

“The Cheetah is the king of speed! I’ll show you why I’m called that! Take my blow!”

“In the first place, that Cheetah thing is self-proclaid, isn't it?”

“…You can only afford to be relaxed for now!”

See. He's changing the subject because he has nothing to say again.

As I was thinking that, Han Seong-wook drew Mana from his entire body.

Seeing the yellow sparks erupting from the tattoo Yelena had engraved on him with a terrifying aura, it was safe to say he was using everything he had.

It seed he wanted to finish off with this one blow without even testing the waters. He must have been really pissed off.

“The cheetah… is starting to run…!”

“…How long are you going to do that?”

As I added a word to Seo Ah-in, who was spouting nonsense again, she scratched her head and replied.

“No, isn't it you who is too relaxed, Mr. Kim Gyu-sik?”

She said that and pointed at Han Seong-wook with a stiff face.

“Still, that person is quite sothing, isn't he? If you're so relaxed, you'll be in big trouble!”

“…If that were the case, I wouldn't be having a conversation with you in the first place, would I?”

In the first place, it was funnier to tell to be tense about a C-class Climber now, after having dealt with people like Jeong Woo-jin and Lee Si-yeong until just recently.

And probably annoyed by the sight of us bantering while he was preparing a finishing blow, Han Seong-wook soon charged at .

“This son of a bitch-!”

And as if Seo Ah-in's words had decisively pushed his button, Han Seong-wook shot forward.

Certainly, it was a terrifying speed, enough to justify his earlier boast.

Probably even a reasonably skilled Climber would have been killed without a trace if they were hit by this.

But.

As I said before.

There's always a reason why guys who've been active for a long ti can't climb to the top.

For example.

[Cloak of Darkness]

Even a guy like could easily keep on hand a ans to nullify a simple ‘powerful blow’.

At the sa ti as a black curtain soared in front of , Han Seong-wook's sword collided with it with terrifying force.

Seeing that, Han Seong-wook shouted triumphantly.

“Ha! A thin barrier like this cannot block my attack! A blow honed over 10 years cannot be stopped by sothing like this-”

His voice soon trailed off.

Like his Mana, which dissipated imdiately upon colliding with the Cloak of Darkness.

“…Wh-what! Impossible! This is an attack that even an A-class Climber couldn't withstand…!”

“If it hits, maybe. If it hits.”

I smirked and told him.

“But you probably won't find many people who would take such a straightforward attack, even without going up to A-class.”

“…Ha! Then show how great your attack is! My ability doesn't just end with speed!”

He laughed boldly and took a defensive stance.

It was an unavoidable choice since he had poured most of his Mana into the last attack, but his skill in packaging it was admirable.

“Even if you don't say it.”

[Shadow Secret Arts: Forceful Blow]

Dark Mana gathered on my arm.

A basic strike-type technique among those that use Qi. The effect was simple. Damage ratio x2.

And here's a simple, practical, compressed tip.

In Conqueror, the damage multiplier is calculated very honestly.

For example.

[Double Pulse]

If you use a skill with a x2 damage multiplier and a skill with an x8 damage multiplier together, it simply ans 16 tis the damage is dealt.

-!

At the sa ti as my fist slamd into his abdon, with a sound almost like a bomb exploding, Han Seong-wook's body was sent flying.

The sight of him fainting with his eyes rolled back was twice as shabby in contrast to his triumphant appearance just a mont ago.

“Indeed, you are the king of speed.”

I smirked and nudged him with my foot.

“Seeing as how fast you get your ass kicked too.”

“…Mr. Kim Gyu-sik, are you really a devil?”

Seo Ah-in said, looking down at the unconscious Han Seong-wook.

The sa smiling expression he had before I hit him, drooling and all.

The cheetah was smiling.

Only smiling.