NSE-Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A NewTube channel with 6 million subscribers, ‘Today’s Awakened.’

This channel, which introduced the most talked-about Awakened every single day, was one of the most popular NewTube channels in Korea.

The notable thing was that the NewTuber himself was an ordinary person.

Instead, he had thorough research and skilled hosting ability.

Seo Ye-rim, who had been invited here, looked at the NewTuber Kkammuk.

They nodded at each other, and soon the live broadcast began.

“Then Kkammuk’s broadcast for today begins! I’ve invited a very special guest this time! Let me introduce her! An A-rank Awakened known as the Sword Phoenix! Ms. Seo Ye-rim!”

“Hello. I’m Seo Ye-rim.”

―Wow, big sis, shudder shudder shudder shudder

―I’m losing it, shudder shudder shudder

―Wow, the channel’s grown a lot lol. Even booking the Sword Phoenix lol

Kkammuk smiled at the donations pouring out heartily from the very start, but only for a moment.

He asked.

“Nice to meet you. As far as I know, the last time you appeared in the media, Ms. Ye-rim, was almost a year ago, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I wondered whether this would work out when I invited you, so I was really surprised that you accepted so willingly.”

Ye-rim’s hand twitched slightly. Just as he said, she didn’t like appearing in the media all that much.

She’d rather swing her sword one more time in that time.

Even so, the reason she had ended up appearing was her grandfather’s words.

Kim Min-woo’s declaration of a Gate clear.

Seo Jin-cheol, who had been laughing heartily at the sight of it, had looked at her with a meaningful gaze, and.

―Ye-rim, how about appearing on a broadcast this time?

―What? Me?

―Yes. From the looks of it, this guy seems to be trying to blow things up a bit, so there’s no harm in helping him while we’re at it.

―I wonder whether I can do it well…….

―It’s nothing difficult. Even if you just go out and show your face, attention will gather on its own.

A devoted worshipper of her grandfather, she could not refuse those words.

That was the reason she had come to appear on this channel, which had been continually sending her booking emails.

“Now then, shall we talk about today’s topic? Mr. Kim Min-woo, this person is really hot these days! They say he’s going to clear a Gate this time.”

“Yes. I heard too.”

“The F-rank Gate, Tomb of Osiris! I hear its difficulty is quite high. You’ve been there too, haven’t you, Ms. Ye-rim?”

Ye-rim nodded.

“Yes. I remember forming a party and clearing it around Level 40.”

“How was the difficulty?”

“It’s hard. If Gates of the same rank are between 60 and 80 points, this one seems to be around 95 points.”

“Ahh! As expected of the Sword Phoenix. The difficulty score released by the World Gate Association here is the same. Tomb of Osiris, 95 out of 100 points. It really stands alone among F-rank Gates, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Why is the difficulty score so high?”

Recalling the memory, she said.

“This Gate is really honest.”

“Honest. Could you explain a bit what that means?”

“There are almost no puzzle-like gimmicks. The path is simple too. But there’s just a huge quantity. The monsters’ patterns are tricky too. Unlike an F-rank Gate, they inflict all sorts of Status Ailments.”

―The Sword Phoenix is right. Even with a 5-person party it’s damn hard to break through. Mobs keep popping out lol

―Cut and ran at the Middle Zone while clearing it. Almost died for real lol

“Ah. That might actually feel harder. Since there’s no detour.”

Ye-rim nodded.

“Yes. All that’s needed to clear a Gate is power.”

“Power! Power is what’s needed. Thank you for sharing your opinion. But Mr. Kim Min-woo said he’d clear this alone, didn’t he? And at Level 1, no less.”

Ye-rim nodded.

“What did you think when you heard the news, Ms. Ye-rim?”

“Is he a lunatic?”

“……What?”

“Didn’t you hear? I pronounced it clearly.”

Ye-rim said calmly.

What Grandfather had asked for was to draw attention, not to praise Kim Min-woo.

So it should be fine to say this.

On top of that, this was also her sincere feeling.

Clear Tomb of Osiris at Level 1?

And alone, without a party?

That was nothing short of suicide.

―Kkammuk is super flustered lolololol

―Am I the only one who saw his eyes roll for a second? lolol

―He IS a lunatic lolol As expected of big sis Sword Phoenix lol She tells it straight, so refreshing lol

―Heard there’s a spicy broadcast here so I came lol

“Ah, ahh…… I see. Even so, there’s that saying, isn’t there! That you have to go crazy to succeed.”

Kkammuk, wiping his cold sweat, said.

“Still, the chance of success isn’t zero, is it? From what I hear, Mr. Kim Min-woo bought everything including a +9 Skill Book and all sorts of equipment…….”

“Would that mean anything?”

“Do you judge there’s no chance of clearing it, Ms. Ye-rim?”

She nodded firmly.

“Yes. If he were a Swordsman, I’d have thought there was still a chance. His talent for swordsmanship was real.”

“Mr. Kim Min-woo’s talent for swordsmanship is real. I’m curious exactly how much that is.”

“……He wields a sword better than I do.”

―The Sword Phoenix, who’s a corpse without her pride, says that? What level is Kim Min-woo’s swordsmanship, anyway, shudder

―Crazy. Guess it’s true he pushed back the Sword Immortal in a spar.

“……Wow. He wields it even better than you, Ms. Ye-rim?”

“……Yes, he’s a true prodigy that Grandfather acknowledged among my age group.”

“Wow…… so the rumors were true. Bang, bang! It’s officially official, everyone! Kim Min-woo’s swordsmanship talent is real!”

The chat window heated up.

Soon, Ye-rim said seriously.

“But if it’s a Necromancer, it’s different.”

“Aren’t Necromancers strong too? Equip Summons, enhance Skills along the way…….”

“The Skeletons summoned at Level 1. How strong do you think they are?”

“Uh…… Hmm? Maybe similar to me?”

“One-on-one, you’d win, Mr. Kkammuk, as long as you don’t panic. They’re that weak. And stupid.”

“True, I’ve never heard of Undead at that level being smart.”

Nodding, Ye-rim spat out her opinion like a machine gun.

“Level 1. Assuming he has lots of money, so he boosted his Stats with Elixirs. Taking into account the +9 Skill Book and equipment options on top of that, he’d get about 150 out. This is similar to that. 150 ordinary people on Mr. Kkammuk’s level entering a Gate.”

“Right. And equipment added on top of that.”

Nodding, Seo Ye-rim said.

“Because of that Gate’s nature, monsters come in swarms of at least forty each, and considering the Skeletons’ combat strength…… they’d probably all get smashed just from encountering one group.”

“True. Skeletons are usually Summons only good as meat shields.”

Even to her own ears, it was quite a plausible opinion.

“But if it’s only about 150, doesn’t that fail to explain why Mr. Kim Min-woo bought equipment in bulk? I hear that following last time, he swept equipment at the Auction House once more this time too…… and that the volume was enormous.”

“Maybe he bought ahead because he was too lazy to go to the Auction House. You know. How that person originally had quite a spending habit.”

―For real lol. He was the king of luxury. Always on the news lol

―Damn. He burns tens of billions in advance because he’s too lazy to go to the Auction House? What kind of life does Kim Min-woo live……?

―The final boss of money-splurging shudder

―(Problem) But I’m jealous;;

“Ah, that could be the case. But isn’t there a variable. The Achievement grade.”

“Of course, if the Achievement grade is something like S, he could have obtained a good Skill. But Mr. Kkammuk, do you know that?”

“What are you referring to……?”

“Even among S-grade Achievement Awakened, no one has cleared a 95-point-or-higher Gate alone at Level 1. Not a single one so far.”

That was a fact Kkammuk also knew.

Because he had researched in advance.

But his actual attitude was to ask back as if truly curious.

“Not only in Korea, but in the whole world too?”

“Yes.”

“This is astonishing. So right now, Mr. Kim Min-woo is challenging a world record?”

“That’s right. If he succeeds, that is.”

“Why didn’t other S-grade Achievement Awakened challenge it like that? With S-grade, they’d surely receive big support from organizations, and a world record would have been an attractive challenge…….”

Ye-rim smiled coldly.

“Simple. Because it’s digging your own grave.”

“Digging your own grave?”

“Yes. Just because it’s an S-grade Skill doesn’t make it invincible, right? On top of that, Mana is a limited resource. And Potions can’t be chugged without limit either.”

“True. If you drink Potions often, you get overloaded or addicted. Challenging alone at Level 1 does seem extremely dangerous.”

Soon, Kkammuk, after pausing a beat, said.

“Even so, if he proceeds very slowly, couldn’t he at least reach the Middle Zone? If he only gets that far, he can escape for now…….”

“……We’d have to hope so.”

She answered quietly.

Thinking of Kim Min-woo, her impression was closer to dislike than liking, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to die.

She just kind of wanted to gouge out those perverted-looking eyeballs, that was all.

“Thank you so much for your opinion, Ms. Ye-rim! The broadcast is really thriving today. The live viewer count has passed 1 million for the first time! Ah, is this the Sword Phoenix’s ticket power?”

“……It’s just because Mr. Kkammuk runs a good broadcast.”

They took a breather, flattering each other moderately.

After a moment.

“Ah, while we’ve been talking, it seems Mr. Kim Min-woo’s Gate entry time is approaching? Three broadcasters say they’ll run live broadcasts, and we plan to watch together too. I really hope he comes back alive.”

“I hope so too.”

“Um, but, you know.”

“Yes.”

“If, just if, really. If Mr. Kim Min-woo not only succeeds in clearing but even achieves his pledge of the shortest clear time, what would happen?”

“……If that happens?”

“Yes. You’re curious, aren’t you? Just imagining what would happen.”

“Hmm…….”

Not that it would happen.

If, by one in a thousand, no, one in ten thousand, such a thing really happened…….

Seo Ye-rim, letting out a chuckle, answered.

“Japan would be jealous, China would be envious, and the world would be shocked.”

“……What?”

“I mean the national pride NewTube channels would boom.”

―Sword Phoenix big sis lurks on the internet a bit lolololol

―Spat out my beer damn lolol Unbelievable lolol

―But if he really pulls it off it’d be legit lolol Ah lol Does a world record look like a joke to you lolol

―Ahh, tavern maid! Ladle me a bowl of national pride here!

Just then…….

The TV beside them turned on, and a broadcast flowed out.

―This is SKS News reporter Seo Jin-yeong. I’m now at the F-rank Gate ‘Tomb of Osiris.’ Over there, Mr. Kim Min-woo is…….

* * *

The checkpoint in front of the Gate, where soldiers and Awakened were stationed.

Reporters had gathered there in such numbers that they were swarming.

“Kim Min-woo! There’s Kim Min-woo!”

“Mr. Kim Min-woo! A word before you enter the Gate, please!”

“Mr. Kim Min-woo! Last time, through the Status Window sharing, you disclosed only your Level and Class! Do you have any intention of disclosing your Achievement grade, owned Titles, or Stats?”

Would you, if you were me?

He had no intention of answering them one by one. He went inside the checkpoint and received a pass permit from the soldiers.

He looked at the Gate far away.

[Gate: Tomb of Osiris]

[Grade: F]

Looking at the reporters one last time, he opened his mouth.

“I made a pledge, didn’t I. That I’d set a world record.”

“I understand the number one record is French S-rank Awakened Miss Isabella’s solo clear of a similar-level Gate at Level 49! Even she, with full-scale support from her country, took a full two days to clear it! Are you saying you’re confident you can finish in less time than that?!”

Two whole days to clear a Gate of this level?

It was obvious.

She must have drunk one Potion every few hours and advanced bit by bit.

Kim Min-woo, pointing at the reporters’ cameras, said.

“Is that so? I’ll be back before your cameras there cool down.”

It was the moment he turned away from the reporters and was about to head to the Gate.

“Mr. Kim Min-woo! The Sword Phoenix, Ms. Seo Ye-rim, declared in a broadcast just now that clearing the Gate is absolutely impossible!”

Halt.

His steps came to a stop.

The reporter, whose eyes lit up at the sight, asked like lightning.

“She appraised that your swordsmanship is decent, but said it would be fortunate if you merely came back alive from the Middle Zone! Do you have any opinion on this?”

“Seo Ye-rim? Ah, that swordsmanship scrub?”

“……What? But she’s someone called the Sword Phoenix…….”

“Sword Phoenix? Hmm…… is she only that good?”

Soon, his body was sucked right into the Gate.

[(Breaking news!) Kim Min-woo, Is Seo Ye-rim a Swordsmanship Scrub?]

[(Breaking news!) Kim Min-woo Discusses the Sword Phoenix! Hmm…… Is She Only That Good?]

[(Breaking news!) The Sword Phoenix, who was running a live broadcast, You damn XX! Spits out harsh curses and is hit with a live broadcast suspension…….]