RCMT-Chapter 8

Ch.8 The Regression Of Calamity-Level Monster Tamer

[32nd Place, Nam Yo-han is defeated.]

[8th Place, Sancho Pedoro is defeated.]

[Confirmed that user’s combat ability is far superior.]

Third battle, time taken 48 seconds.

Fourth battle, time taken 1 minute 21 seconds.

Clearly, the Record Casket had matched me with difficult opponents.

However, Geri, Freki, and I.

The explosive synergy created by this trio of combinations simply far exceeded that.

‘Easy, so easy.’

In the blink of an eye, the final round approached.

‘Who will I get matched with for the last one?’

Wiping the sweat flowing from my forehead, I calmly waited for the next opponent.

“……”

[Matching…]

[Your opponent is ‘1st Place, Joo Geon-ryul’.]

“…Oh?!”

I had expectations.

872nd place. 104th place. 32nd place. 8th place.

The jumping ranks with each match were unusual.

But I ended up meeting one of the Three Venerables.

The Guardian, Joo Geon-ryul.

‘Actually, I wished I’d meet Julie Pearson…’

Because I wanted to meet the genius who invented Artifacts in person.

In fact, I never met her even before my Regression.

Because when I was climbing the lower floors of the Tower, she suddenly went missing.

‘She never showed herself again after that.’

Anyway, that was just personal curiosity.

For the final opponent, the sturdy Joo Geon-ryul was more suitable.

Because there was something I absolutely had to test.

For the journey ahead, and also to receive another ‘ticket’ from the Record Casket.

‘Actually, even better.’

Look at that physique.

Massive build.

Solid muscles covering his entire body like full body armor.

Triangular shields worn one on each arm.

“He really looks like he wouldn’t bleed a single drop even if stabbed.”

In fact, including my previous life, this was my first time seeing Joo Geon-ryul.

Because half a year from now, he dies while attempting to conquer the highest-grade Red Gate.

‘I’ll think about that later, for now let’s focus on combat.’

I heightened my senses toward Joo Geon-ryul’s movements, but he stood like a stone statue without budging.

“……”

“……”

‘The rumors must be true.’

The reason he got the nickname Guardian.

He was famous for absolutely never making the first move.

Because he had a combat style of using his opponent’s attacks against them.

“Then before the real experiment, shall I take a poke? Whiik―!“

As I whistled with my fingers, Geri and Freki burst out.

What I asked the two to use was ‘Elasticity (B)’.

“Krrng―“

Then the two’s size inflated in an instant, growing large enough to swallow the huge Joo Geon-ryul in one bite.

“Kwang―!“

Kung!

With a roar, they simultaneously pressed down on Joo Geon-ryul with their front paws.

However, Joo Geon-ryul blocked it without his expression changing at all, rather grabbed both their front paws and slammed them into the ground.

“Kkaeng!“

“Kkaegaeng―“

“Kids, back.”

At that moment, the Karambit cutting through the wind and spinning low.

The blade with its graceful curve flashed, aiming for Joo Geon-ryul’s ankle.

Kang―!

“…!”

Joo Geon-ryul and flexibility.

Though they seemed like contradictory words, he lightly jumped like a circus member and blocked my ambush.

Kang! Kagagang―!

A pair of triangular shields and a pair of daggers.

Several exchanges passed in an instant.

‘The more I exchange blows, the heavier my body gradually becomes…’

It was probably one of Joo Geon-ryul’s skills.

“Urk… What kind of monster did this monster meet to die in a Gate…?!”

The corner of his triangular shield flying precisely toward my Adam’s apple.

It was an attack that came in at an extremely exquisite moment.

‘That’s exactly why it’s my timing.’

I used ‘Blue Wolf’s Step (C)’.

Seureuk―

The triangular shield passed through my body that had become translucent.

If I miscalculate the skill effect time even slightly, it’s a technique where I’d say goodbye to life immediately.

‘But the effect is just as direct.’

Isn’t the reward right before my eyes?

Joo Geon-ryul’s side, fully exposed.

Without hesitation, I slashed horizontally with the Karambit and passed by him.

Chwaaaak―

His muscles that were like solid armor also split open, revealing soft flesh.

“Whoo…”

I briefly kept distance from Joo Geon-ryul and caught my breath.

And then I witnessed an unbelievable sight.

“This is fucking crazy…”

His wound began healing at a rapid pace.

‘If he has that kind of ability, why did he block my attacks in the first place?’

Witnessing Joo Geon-ryul’s ability, I felt absurd yet inwardly pleased.

Because I thought he was perfect as an experimental subject.

‘Plus, Joo Geon-ryul doesn’t make first moves. I can focus comfortably.’

Keong―

Before I knew it, Geri and Freki approached both my sides.

I stroked them while conveying words of apology.

“I know you’re not the real Geri and Freki, but I’m still sorry. What I’m about to do will hurt you a lot…”

Originally, this is a technique I shouldn’t even attempt right now.

But this is virtual reality.

I don’t have to endure the side effects and penalties that come with using it in reality.

Moreover, it will also be a good opportunity to know what I’m currently lacking.

‘Most importantly… you’ve probably never seen anything like this. Watch closely, Record Casket.’

I closed my eyes tightly.

It started with a simple question: ‘Can’t talents be upgraded like skills?’

In the past, I immediately began research.

And eventually found it.

‘Talents can temporarily rank up using talents as a medium.’

Of course, other supplementary things are needed, but the core is ‘talent’.

‘Ultimately, only Double Talent possessors can use it.’

So I used Beast’s Friend (A) as a medium to rank up Empathy (C).

The result was the talent ‘Berserking (S)’.

A talent that could explosively increase a Magic Beast’s latent abilities.

The reason I was called a Kaiju Tamer.

‘If I want to get stronger even a moment sooner, Berserking is essential.’

Because Tamer Kang Si-woo couldn’t be discussed without that. So now is the best time to attempt a talent upgrade.

“Limit Break…”

The System had named this act that.

[User attempts Limit Break of ‘Empathy (C)’ using ‘Beast’s □□ (?)’ as a medium.]

[‘Beast’s □□ (?)’ fiercely resists this.]

‘…Huh?’

I hadn’t expected this case.

It wasn’t like the talent had self-awareness, yet it was refusing the command.

“What is this aga— Kuheok!“

Blood mixed with my cough.

Starting with that, coughing burst out without stopping.

“Kuheok… Kuheok, kuheok!“

That wasn’t all.

Messages announcing negative situations continuously appeared before my eyes.

[Level decreased by 1.]

[All Stats decreased by 1.]

[Level decreased by 2.]

[All Stats decreased by 2…]

…….

[All Stats and Level have become negative.]

[Falling into status ailments Magic Power Depletion, Nervous Breakdown, Near Death, Rhabdomyolysis…]

Even when I performed Limit Break back then, some sacrifice was necessary. That’s why I was prepared.

But this time it was severe.

“…This is crazy.”

They say life doesn’t go according to plan.

If I had used this in reality, I would have crossed the River Jordan immediately.

‘My vision is blurring.’

It seems the Coffin of Records intends to end the test.

‘Let’s think of it positively. Since there’s the variable of an unidentified talent, I realized thorough preparation is necessary.’

I gambled but failed.

However, the result wasn’t bad.

‘It’s regrettable I couldn’t put my name on 1st place, but I achieved everything I originally planned anyway.’

Getting total score A+.

And obtaining a ‘Record Transfer Ticket’.

The moment I tried to relax with that thought, an alarm sound grabbed my consciousness.

Ttiring!

[‘Beast’s □□ (?)’ has decided to observe the user’s actions.]

[Limit Break! Transforming into a new talent!]

[Talent ‘Promising Future (?)’ will be maintained for 60 seconds.]

[Promising Future]

―Rank: ?

―Content: Assumes a future where the Magic Beast’s latent abilities grow through smooth sailing and bloom to their maximum.

Realizes that assumption.

“Uh…”

I read the talent’s description and was dumbfounded.

Berserking?

Something so tremendous that it couldn’t even compare to that had emerged.

Gooooo―

Geri and Freki, whose appearances had changed before I knew it.

The guys exuded powerful energy in noble forms that seemed like they would only appear in myths.

“Kids…?”

At my call, the two blocked between me and Joo Geon-ryul.

“……”

Pat―

The moment I lost focus on the two in my daze, Joo Geon-ryul scattered into data fragments.

The two had finished off Joo Geon-ryul in the blink of an eye.

“…Is this right?”

Then, as if exhausted, they entered the Nest on their own.

It felt like playing a game while using hacks alone, to the point I felt sorry.

After a moment, a message announcing the end appeared.

[1st Place, Joo Geon-ryul is defeated.]

[User has won all five battles.]

[Rankings are changing.]

[1st Place, Kang Si-woo]

[2nd Place, Joo Geon-ryul]

[3rd Place, Miyamoto Daichi]

[4th Place, Julie Pearson]

[5th…]

[Ending recording.]

“Whew… I finished somehow anyway.”

I had thought the Player test would be easy, but I was more tired than expected.

‘Come to think of it, today has been too long.’

I desperately wanted to go home and rest.

Mother definitely said she’d wait after making spicy stir-fried pork.

But it wasn’t over until it was over.

[Discovered that talent can rank up.]

[New discovery!]

[Awarding 1 ‘Record Transfer Ticket’ as compensation.]

[Confirmed that user has 2 tickets.]

[Listing information of all recorded Players.]

‘No matter how hard it is, I have to receive what I need to receive.’

I mustn’t forget the reason I came here in the first place.

‘Whose should I steal and eat to make a good rumor?’

As I thought that, photos of all Players and their Status Windows appeared in a long list.

***

Zhuge Shang.

Deputy Guild Master of China’s representative Guild, Tian Dun.

The prominent figure was in Seoul for negotiations with the Korean government.

Because the Guild planned to conquer Gates on a large scale in the near future.

‘Korea doesn’t have outstanding heroes like Big Brother or that Japanese swordsman… but precisely because of that, it’s the country with the most developed Gate conquest methods.’

So he came to Korea for technical cooperation.

In exchange for teaching their own Player training techniques, they wanted to obtain the Korean government’s unique Gate conquest methods.

‘So I came out to give some advice to gain the upper hand before negotiations…’

But that opponent is a Tamer.

No matter how much of an Irregular, there’s a limit.

Tamer is trash among trash that can’t even be recycled.

No matter how much this venerable one tries to feed them, what use is it if the other side spits it out?

“What do you think, Great Zhuge?”

When Seo Gyeoul asked in fluent Chinese, Zhuge Shang fiddled with his splendid mustache and replied.

“Looking at the first battle, he seems to have the basics… but so what. His profession is Tamer. He would have achieved greatness if he’d become a Thief instead.”

“Is that so.”

“Plus, the second opponent is Liam Gamwell? That English archer, right? That young man will only get that far.”

At Zhuge Shang’s answer, Seo Gyeoul turned her head toward the monitor screen.

There, Kang Si-woo’s figure barely dodging Liam’s arrows was showing.

“Well, still, if Team Leader Seo desires it, I’ll try my best to train him. Then he can become a Player who’ll make some waves within Korea. He seems to have that much promise.”

“I see.”

“Instead, that… Red Gate conquest method… that thing. As our Big Brother mentioned—”

“Great Zhuge.”

“At least 70%… Hm? You called?”

“I think Kang Si-woo will beat Liam Gamwell, what do you think?”

At Seo Gyeoul’s words, Zhuge Shang frowned.

“Team Leader Seo, do you not trust my discernment?”

“There’s such a thing as ‘what if’, isn’t there?”

When Seo Gyeoul didn’t bend her opinion to the end, Zhuge Shang lowered his voice. His expression was also serious, different from before.

“…Then how about we do this. I will stake this Zhuge Shang’s ‘name’ on ‘that youngster being eliminated in the second battle’. If Team Leader is a Wizard, you should know what this means.”

“Of course.”

“If the opposite case occurs, how about Team Leader stakes the ‘Red Gate conquest method’ instead of your name?”

“…Isn’t that too blatant?”

“Ahem… Then why don’t you make a proposal, Team Leader Seo?”

At Zhuge Shang’s words, Seo Gyeoul took out a document from the document envelope she was holding.

Contract details were written in tiny letters on white A4 paper.

“What’s that?”

“Isn’t a document more definite than words? So I made it in preparation for an unexpected situation. Since Great Zhuge is being so blatant, I’ll try making a blatant demand as well.”

“…You’re ruthless, Team Leader Seo.”

“I hear that often.”

Seo Gyeoul neatly organized the contract and held it out to Zhuge Shang.

“As you said, if Kang Si-woo is eliminated in the second test, I’ll stake my name and deliver the ‘Red Gate conquest method’. However.”

“…However?”

“As written in the contract, if Kang Si-woo wins up to the ‘fourth’ battle. Please promise a training dispatch from Tian Dun Guild.”

“…Oho? Instead of technical cooperation, you want to compete with a bet? Are you that confident? What exactly about that youngster makes you trust him so much?”

“He didn’t seem like someone who’d break a promise. That’s all.”

“…What?! Fine. Since Team Leader Seo is coming on this strongly, I wouldn’t be a real man if I backed down here.”

Zhuge Shang snatched the contract and scrawled his signature.

While he was distracted by the conversation and contract, the second battle had ended.

Seo Gyeoul, who was watching the screen, collected one of the two contracts and murmured quietly.

“First of all, I can no longer inform Great Zhuge of the ‘Red Gate conquest method’.”

“…What!?”

In the screen, Kang Si-woo was already pressing down on his third opponent.

“…Ah.”

By the time Zhuge Shang felt something had gone wrong, Kang Si-woo was already cornering his fourth opponent, a Spanish Wizard.

A powerhouse whose name was listed at 8th place.

“Just how…”

“Surely the great manly Great Zhuge wouldn’t go back on his word with one mouth?”

At Seo Gyeoul’s words, Zhuge Shang glared at her.

“I keep my word, so don’t worry. However, if that young man is a talent the Korean government deliberately raised…”

“You may investigate with Tian Dun’s information network.”

“Hmph.”

The irritated Zhuge Shang moved his gaze from Seo Gyeoul to the screen.

Inside the large display, the young man catching his breath had already finished the fourth battle and was facing only the final battle.

And that final opponent was precisely.

“Big Brother…?!”

Joo Geon-ryul, Guild Master of China’s representative Guild, Tian Dun.

Zhuge Shang had never seen in history a case where his Big Brother appeared in the Record Casket.

‘No… has there been a Player who summoned even one of the Three Venerables in nearly 10 years?’

Even he himself hadn’t reached that level.

‘This isn’t about Gate conquest rights or anything, that’s not the immediate problem. That young hero… I must capture him by all means, even by cooperating with the government.’

[Kagagang―!]

The battle was evenly matched.

The youngster and two wolves kept pounding on Big Brother’s shields.

However, he couldn’t picture Big Brother losing at all.

Because he had seen his strength directly from behind while crossing countless battlefields together with Big Brother since his youth.

‘If there’s a human closest to immortal, it’s Big Brother…’

As expected, when all attacks were blocked, the youngster became exhausted on his own.

Blink― Blink―

At that moment, the monitor screen started blinking as if broken.

So he thought the Coffin of Records was ending the test.

Because it could have calculated that the youngster’s win rate was zero.

[――Pat!]

The screen that had been blinking rapidly like that went off for a long time at one point, then turned back on.

“…!?”

“What?”

“Ah…!”

For some reason, Big Brother in the screen had disappeared and wasn’t visible, and only the young man stood alone.

Following that, the Record Casket announced the result with a cold AI voice.

[1st Place, Joo Geon-ryul is defeated.]

[User has won all five battles.]

[Rankings are changing.]

“……”

“……”

“……”

All dozen or so officials watching his test fell silent.

Zhuge Shang immediately took out his phone and typed without rest.

The recipient was Joo Geon-ryul.

His Big Brother, who was officially his superior and privately his sworn brother.