Chapter 475: Begin again (5)

It was a sudden proposal, but his tone and words were reminiscent of Sung Gukeon.

My playable character’s boldness and broad-mindedness runs through the family.

The former head of the association seemed to be no ordinary person, preparing something as thorough as this even beyond his life.

If the former head remained in leadership in the association, players would’ve been treated better in society.

[You’d have to be prepared if you’ve come all the way to the boss’ room… but you seem flustered. Except for one person.]

The AI looked at me.

I only thought that he was so much like Sung Gukeon, but it seems that my reaction was perceived as calmness.

[I don’t mean to suggest a rough fight. I’d like to make a few conditions.]

The former head suggested three;

First, the one-on-one fight would take place in the boss’s room, and observation is not allowed.

Second, a rematch cannot be done in case of defeat.

Third, the player is prohibited from getting advice.

If other players coach another, they would be disqualified right away.

[That’s my condition. I’ll allow a strategy meeting. Once you’re ready, open this door and come in.]

The three conditions were all for the security of the battle.

We won’t know what abilities the former head would be using.

‘I can’t back down now.’

The former head closed the door to the boss’ room.

After the mechanical noise of the door closing had completely stopped, Gye Idam suddenly raised his hand.

“…”

“You wanna go, Idam-ah?”

Gye Idam nodded at Sung Siwan’s question.

He wants to go inside the boss’ room first.

Why did that nasty cheapskate volunteer?

‘Is it because he can seal energy waves?’

It is true that Gye Idam has an advantage over players, to the point where he was scouted by the association.

But what use would that be?

That Gye Bastard’s skill is not absolute.

Sung Siwan seemed to have the same opinion.

“But Idam-ah, you lost to me and you lost to Euishin too.”

The fact attack made Gye Idam’s hand lower a little.

Before I could say anything more, Sung Siwan’s cold words delivered in a friendly tone swept through Gye Idam.

“We don’t know what skills Grandpa has, but he’s very strong. That AI has a young appearance, so I think it’s set to his youth. You won’t be able to handle him with your usual powers.”

Pushed back by irrefutable words, Gye Idam completely lowered his hand.

After confirming that Gye Idam was convinced, Sung Siwan spoke again.

“I’ll go in first.”

I know Sung Siwan’s skills and abilities, but I was a little worried.

We don’t know what the former head of the association had prepared.

Wouldn’t it be better to put Gye Idam first and see how much he gets injured so we can estimate how strong our opponent is?

I thought so and looked at Gye Idam, but my body involuntarily shivered.

I don’t know where that bastard got the courage to volunteer first.

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about Grandpa. I’ve always been curious about him. I wanna fight.”

I realize that Sung Siwan also shares the same blood as Sung Gukeon.

People in their bloodline are used to talking with their fists.

I couldn’t stop him from wanting to fight his grandfather, so Sung Siwan eventually became our first representative.

Sung Siwan stood in front of the door, stretching his body and taking deep breaths.

“…Alright, I’ll be back!”

I felt nervousness and excitement in Sung Siwan’s voice.

The moment he got in, the door immediately closed shut.

It signaled, perhaps warned, us to wait outside.

Shake…

An unpleasant vibration was felt, and when I looked back, I saw Gye Idam leaning against a pillar and shaking his legs.

From his ugly appearance, I could tell that he was worried about Sung Siwan.

‘…I guess this Gye Bastard would never betray Sung SIwan.’

I can’t count how many times this guy hit the back of my head back at the military.

This Gye Bastard would punish my subordinates too for mistakes that I did but never take accountability for anything.

He was a little snake, but it was a bit new to see him worried about Sung Siwan.

He kept shaking his legs, and he eventually talked to me.

“…Hey.”

I’d only waste my energy by replying, but I decided to utter one word.

“Shut up.”

“…”

I had to shut up that Gye Bastard before he said anything more.

He’s not clueless, so he immediately shut his mouth.

‘Should I practice on him?’

This is an otherworld simulation after all.

It won’t be a problem if we’d have a rather violent confrontation.

Maybe I should try the idea that I had earlier.

I stared at Gye Idam, and he seemed to have gotten a hint.

He stopped shaking his legs and moved a few steps further away from me with a nervous face.

Wooong…!

After about an hour, we heard a mechanical sound again.

Gye Idam rushed back and looked at the door.

Beyond the light, we saw Sung Siwan slowly approaching.

“Siwan hyung!”

Gye Idam rushed toward Sung Siwan, the latter’s face quite blue.

I also rushed in to check on his condition.

‘He’s not injured but… his energy waves are a mess.’

After confirming that Sung Siwan wasn’t injured, I recalled the annoying words that came out of Gye Idam’s mouth.

‘Siwan hyung huh…’

This Gye Bastard is older than me, but he shamelessly called Sung Siwan his hyung.

Even though I do the same thing, I don’t like hearing it from that Gye Bastard.

[You’re too weak to be my grandson.]

The cold voice of the AI resounded.

It was difficult to think that he was addressing his grandson.

[Perhaps it’s because you grew up in a peaceful era… but I’m not satisfied with it. I can’t give a clue to a player who’s on this low level.]

Sung Siwan lowered his head at his grandfather’s words.

Gye Idam looked at Sung Siwan, worried at the pain that the words might’ve caused.

The former head stared at Sung Siwan for another second before turning his back.

[I will wait for the next challenger.]

Woooong…!

The door of the room closed again.

When the door completely closed, Sung Siwan spoke in a serious tone.

“Sorry. I lost.”

“I should’ve gone first.”

“…No, it’s good that I went first.”

Because of the conditions set by the former head, Sung Siwan wasn’t allowed to say what happened inside the room.

‘Just what the hell did he go through? Was it really a simple battle?’

Seeing that Sung Siwan’s body wasn’t injured, something else might’ve happened inside.

But it’s possible that his injuries were hidden so as to not reveal anything about the AI.

If so, the AI must’ve recovered Sung Siwan before he left.

‘He put an AI modeled after the consciousness of a boss enemy, and if it’s that much, I can deal with him without difficulty.’

We have no choice but to go in and find out.

Sung Siwan already lost, so only Gye Idam and I were left.

“…Do you need to go to the nurse’s office?”

“Hahaha, no it’s not that bad.”

Gye Idam was too worried about Sung Siwan.

He’s in no condition to fight.

If Sung Siwan couldn’t win, then this bastard surely can’t too.

It would be a waste of time to send him in.

I confirmed Sung Siwan’s safety again before presenting myself.

“I’ll go in.”

“…Euishin-ah.”

Sung Siwan looked at me as if he wanted to say something, but he didn’t say it.

If he says something wrong, I’d be disqualified.

“There’s an important clue that I need to get here. I have no choice but to fight with my bare hands.”

After I said so, Sung Siwan gave up on dissuading me.

He smiled helplessly and sent me off.

“Be careful.”

* * *

After Jo Euishin disappeared into the room.

Sung Siwan had a very downcast face.

He looked at a loss, feeling sorry that his hoobae had to fight because he lost.

Gye Idam consoled Sung Siwan.

“It’s your grandfather so it couldn’t be helped, Siwan hyung. He must have a lot of experience… and it would’ve been difficult to deal with him if you had similar abilities.”

Sung Siwan made a strange expression.

“Yeah… thanks for cheering me up.”

Sung Siwan thanked Gye Idam and turned his words outright.

He wanted to change the topic entirely, afraid of mistakenly talking about the battle inside the boss’ room.

As Sung Siwan talked, Gye Idam recalled his reaction.

He noticed that Sung Siwan reacted oddly when he said similar abilities.

‘…Is that AI’s abilities completely different from Siwan hyung’s?’

Because of heredity and similar environments, players are usually born with abilities similar to their families.

Both Sung Siwan and Sung Gukeon learned martial arts at the same dojo.

Gye Idam thought that their grandfather would use the same techniques as the two, but his prediction seemed to be wrong.

Sung Siwan was completely obliterated.

‘…Well, that poisonous punk would do something about it.’

Gye Idam thought so, recalling user jo2god111.

* * *

Inside the boss room.

The former head of the Players’ Association greeted me.

[I didn’t expect the youngest player to come next.]

Sung Siwan was actually the youngest of us three, but I couldn’t reveal that.

While the former head greeted me, I took the time to check the surroundings.

The most important thing to keep in mind in tower-type otherworlds like this is the environment.

Finding a way to overcome the environment favorable to the enemy is the fundamental technique.

But…

‘…Nothing catches my eye. It’s an empty room. Nothing more nothing less.’

Even the density of energy waves felt normal, and I didn’t feel that the AI was strong enough to beat Sung Siwan like that.

‘He must have a special power. I need to be prepared to defend right away.’

While I was observing the former head, he came over and evaluated me as well.

He looked at me and nodded his head.

[Your overall ability and quality of energy waves are excellent. My grandson was good too, but in front of my light skill, a trained body and excellent abilities are useless.]

He gave Sung Siwan such harsh criticism back there, and I didn’t expect that he’d compliment him in front of me.

What’s more important is how he overpowered his grandson.

If a trained body and excellent ability don’t work, then…

‘Don’t tell me, his light skill is…’

Since coming to this world, there has been a type of power that I’ve been most wary of.

I prepared to overcome it, but I thought it was best to avoid having to face it.

[Alright, the battle starts now!]

Perhaps it noticed that I guessed something, the AI rushingly announced the start of the battle.

‘I should defend, no, it’s best to knock him down before he…!’

However, the former head meshed into the surroundings faster than my thoughts had formed.

He had already disappeared from view.

The space where there was nothing began to expand, bloom, twist, flip, and change.

I don’t know if it was the space or if my mind was imagining it.

‘This is…’

After the change stopped, I was more appalled by the surroundings.

My hands began to turn cold.

‘A chess tournament hall…!’

It was the last chess tournament I played in.

The place where I was immersed in competition without knowing that my family had died.