#351

Two days later, nearly eighty Players gathered in front of the southern wall of the city. Like the veterans they were, there wasn’t much bustle. All they did was give their equipment a final inspection while they waited for the announcement. Some of the ones who knew each other were gathered in twos and threes, conversing with each other.

“Looks like there are some pretty strong people here.”

“Yeah, I see Elder Phantom Sword and One-Eyed Blood Spear.”

“I’m personally looking forward to seeing the Sword of Gangneung[1] in action.”

“Who’s that?”

“Me.”

The air of the expedition team was pretty good. The mere fact they had all gathered here already made them feel reassured. At the very least, there wasn’t anyone who would drag them down.

“But who do you think is going to be the expedition leader?”

“An expedition leader? Bullshit. We’re just doing a short survey. Everyone can just do their own thing.”

“I heard a rumor that the Guardian Knight is joining us, actually.”

“Ha In-Ho? Yeah, I admit that he’s really strong… But I don’t want to be a pawn for the Goblin Guild.”

The Players here were from different Guilds and parties, ranging from one to five from each group. Moreover, they were all egotistical and prideful of their skills. Of course, they naturally wouldn’t want to receive orders from another person.

“If some loser steps up and tries to act like a leader, I’m gonna bash their head in.”

“You think he can bash the Guardian Knight’s head in?”

“Come on. I’m the Sword of Gangneung.”

“Yeah, and I’m saying I’ve never heard of—”

Deep inside, even if a show of force was necessary, everyone was ready to reject anyone’s orders if they didn’t like them. But just then…

“Thank you for your patience…”

The Vice Master of Goblin, Jang Kyung-Hoon, had arrived.

“We will carry out a final count before departure.”

He counted up the eighty Players and nodded.

“I shall hand out the rations, then. This is four days’ worth.”

He handed out a pack of snacks, chocolate, water, and other things to each person. The Players put them away into their own Inventory and stared at him expectantly.

“May we leave now?”

“Oh, before then, let me introduce the person who will lead this expedition team.”

“…Sigh, the rumors were true?”

They looked at him with annoyance, but Jang Kyung-Hoon spoke firmly, “If you have any complaints, tell him yourself.”

He then turned his head, and everyone looked in the same direction.

“Huh? Is that… Seo Jun-Ho?”

“No, don’t we have to call him Specter now?”

Their faces either became puzzled or strangely excited. Seo Jun-Ho silently accepted their stares and stepped forward. He scanned the expedition forces’ faces.

‘They all look a little intimidated like usual, but no one looks hostile.’

Funnily enough, he felt a strange sense of relief. No matter how much time had passed, he was still Specter. As such, if some person swaggered up and challenged his authority as their leader, he would feel very offended.

‘But it doesn’t look like they’ll keep their heads down and listen to everything I say.’

Still, they didn’t look like they doubted him. Instead, they looked pretty excited.

Why wouldn’t they be? If they went on a campaign with Specter, they could spend their whole lives telling that story.

However, they were also looking at him with a kind of curiosity. They wondered if he really were as strong as the rumors said and if they could even trust him with their lives.

‘If that’s what they want, I’ll show them, then…’

A picture painted a thousand words.

But just as Seo Jun-Ho started looking for a target, a man carefully walked up to him.

“I greet the legendary Hero. I am known as Elder Phantom Sword, as excessive as a title that may be.” The man had a thin, sheathed sword, and he put his fist into his hand in a Chinese-style greeting.

No matter how strong someone was, no one could escape the passage of time. The man was an old man. His back was slightly hunched, and he was skinnier than the others.

‘Wow.’

Seo Jun-Ho didn’t look down on him because of his physical features. After all, the old man’s eyes were very sharp as they looked at him.

“My name is Seo Jun-Ho. What business does a veteran like you have with me?”

“If you would allow it, I would like the honor of sparring with you. This is a dream I have been carrying my whole life.”

Seo Jun-Ho took in the man’s body.

‘Seeing the callouses on his hand, it seems like he’s left-handed. And that sword of his…’

Even to others, the sword looked so natural on him that it seemed like a part of his body. This old man had likely trained with the sword for his whole life.

‘He’s very skilled. The perfect opponent to show off my abilities.’

Seo Jun-Ho knew very well what the expedition team wanted right now. It would easily be resolved if he just showed them what they wanted, so he had no reason to refuse.

“I accept.” Seo Jun-Ho nodded coolly, and Elder Phantom Sword’s face brightened to the point that it seemed like all the wrinkles in his face had momentarily disappeared.

“Then, I shall take my stance right—”

“Wait!”

Just then, a very muscular young man walked out from behind. Compared to the old man, his shoulders were broader, and his muscles were even bulkier. He was wearing an eyepatch with a violet spear hoisted over his shoulder. His entire being exuded confidence.

“I’m Kang Shin-Woo, the One-Eyed Blood Spear. Will you give me a chance, too?”

The old man’s eyes narrowed at the appearance of another challenger. “Look here, youngster. I asked him first.”

“Look here, elder. I don’t recall anyone saying that this would be first come, first served.”

“Hohoho. How rude of you. You are very daring.” Elder Phantom Sword stroked his beard.

Fwoosh!

A sharp aura spilled off of him. “If you apologize, I will give you a chance to step aside.”

However, Kang Shin-Woo only seemed to have gotten more worked up by the warning because he took a step forward.

“Tsk, tsk. So you insist on being punished.”

“We’ll see who ends up being punished in the end.” He grinned, and a vicious energy unraveled from him like a spool.

“That’s enough.”

“…!”

“…!”

Both Elder Phantom Sword and One-Eyed Blood Spear—no, every Player who had gathered here couldn’t help but take a few steps back when they felt a dangerous energy dig into their skulls. Of course, Elder Phantom Sword and One-Eyed Blood Spear received the biggest shock because they were closest.

‘What is this terrifying magic energy… Is this truly coming from just one person?’

‘…Ugh, shit. I was actually scared for a moment? Me?’

Seo Jun-Ho calmly took in their fearful looks. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Why are you fighting in front of me? You’re making me feel embarrassed.”

His meaning was simple. Since the other two weren’t being polite, there was no point in him being polite either.

The two of them could barely even open their mouths. Seo Jun-Ho looked at them and said, “Just come at me together. Wouldn’t that work?”

“That’s…” Kang Shin-Woo started, but he shut his mouth when he met Seo Jun-Ho’s cold eyes.

“Why, is that still not enough?”

The magic energy felt like it was crushing his whole body. The young man barely managed to resist it as he shook his head. “Let’s… do that…”

‘This bastard’s still being rude.[2]’

Was this another side effect of his inability to handle his emotions? Kang Shin-Woo was speaking in a very trivial manner. Seo Jun-Ho would usually let it go, but now, it was starting to piss him off a little.

He looked at his Vita. “Aren’t you going to attack? We don’t have all day.”

At his provocation, Elder Phantom Sword and One-Eyed Blood Spear exchanged glances. They were both famous Players, so for them to team up against a single Player hurt their pride. However, if they meekly stepped down at this point, there was no doubt that all sorts of rumors about them would start to spread. The two fighters raised their weapons and slowly surrounded Seo Jun-Ho.

“Unsheathe your sword,” the old man warned.

Seo Jun-Ho smirked. “Thank you for your concern, but I don’t think you should worry about me.”

“…”

“…”

As soon as the words left Seo Jun-Ho’s mouth, sweat instantly started to drip from the duo’s foreheads like rain.

‘Good god, I cannot believe this. Even though his back is turned, I cannot see a single opening.’

‘…What’s with this monster?’

Their opponent wasn’t even holding a weapon, and his hands were even clasped behind his back. However, they were the ones who felt intimidated instead.

“Dammit!”

Kang Shin-Woo was the first one to move. He found it hard to endure the heaviness boring down on him, which made him feel as if he were suffocating.

“…”

Seo Jun-Ho glanced at the spear flying toward him and unfolded his index finger.

‘Black Ball.’

A jet-black ball about the size of a ping-pong ball condensed at the tip of Seo Jun-Ho’s finger. The sight of it alone was intimidating.

‘Is that the rumored Watchguard of Darkness?’

Kang Shin-Woo’s body brimmed with energy. He even used magic to temporarily reinforce his body and focused everything on the tip of his spear.

‘I’ll break it instantly.’

His weapon pierced the air as if it were a flash of light.

‘Ah!’

Kang Shin-Woo had a good feeling about this. Those who trained with a weapon for a very long time could rarely perform a perfect strike. It happened when their stance, breath, movement, distance to the enemy, and magic aligned just right, and every weapon user would feel an immense thrill from landing the perfect strike.

‘How lucky!’

Kang Shin-Woo’s single eye flashed with euphoria. With this, he might be able to land a hit on the legendary Specter.

However, Seo Jun-Ho had been carefully watching his spear from the very beginning.

‘He’s good.’

For a 20-something-year-old, Kang Shin-Woo’s spearplay was very impressive. If he continued to devote himself to the spear like this, Seo Jun-Ho could see that he may become an even greater master of the spear.

‘That’s why I have to be even harsher.’

It was all the more reason to show Kang Shin-Woo that his pride was unfounded.

Swoosh!

Seo Jun-Ho coolly spun his finger, and the black ball followed, flying toward Kang Shin-Woo.

“I just have to get rid of that tiny ball!”

Kang Shin-Woo was right. The black ball wasn’t actually all that durable, and it would crumble easier than expected with just one attack. In the first place, it was made of darkness[3], so it was inevitable.

‘But they won’t be able to do that…’

The ball suddenly divided. In an instant, the ball split into dozens, then into hundreds of balls, which blocked Kang Shin-Woo’s vision.

‘What a simple trick. That ball didn’t actually multiply.’

The ball was just moving too fast for his eyes to follow. Kang Shin-Woo poured magic into his one eye, but it widened in shock.

“They’re real, actually…”

Hundreds of black balls shot into his body.

“Gaaah!” He screamed and was subsequently thrown back.

‘Elder Phantom Sword, was it?’

An elderly man with his phantom-like sword. Indeed, Seo Jun-Ho understood from his eerie strike why he had received such a nickname.

‘That’s why it’s even more disappointing.’

It was a fine sword. And if he steeled himself and poured everything into it, it would be even greater.

‘He would have been better if he were younger.’

People would lose more as they grew older, and the more they lost, the warier they became. If Elder Phantom Sword had been a younger man full of fire and vigor, even Seo Jun-Ho would have had to take him pretty seriously.

‘But he’s too careful…’

The old man only swung his sword in a manner that would guarantee his own safety with a way out. Seo Jun-Ho had no thoughts of being defeated by such a weapon.

Clang!

A black ball struck the flat side of the sword, and the mere shock of it tore Elder Phantom Sword’s hand.

“Gaaah!”

He stared as his sword fell to the ground in vain.

Seo Jun-Ho’s hands were still clasped behind his back as he asked sharply, “If you were younger, would you have let go of the sword that easily?”

“…” The man trembled slightly. For the past few years, he could feel that his skills weren’t improving. Neither he nor anyone else could find why. But at this moment, he finally realized something—he seemed like a frog that had finally escaped from a well.

‘Was I… Just settling?’

Elder Phantom Sword closed his eyes and thought for a long time. Eventually, he opened them. A healer quickly rushed over and started treating his hand, and he bowed his head at Seo Jun-Ho.

“Thank you for your guidance.”

“It’s nothing impressive.”

Sometimes, you had to look at things from a birds-eye perspective to see the things right in front of you.

“Alright then. We will depart in two hours.”

Seo Jun-Ho gave his order, and no one complained.

1. A city on the east coast of Korea. ☜

2. Kang Shin-Woo has been speaking informally this whole time, including to the old man. ☜

3. Jun-Ho once mentioned that the weakness of Watchguard of Darkness is that it has great offensive power but isn’t good for defense. ☜