Entering the Mountains for Training (2)
Looking at the amethyst emitting resonant waves of light, Seowoon asked,
"Did you do something?"
"Just in case, I set up a barrier stone. From outside, this clearing can't be seen, and no sound or energy escapes either."
"There really are all kinds of items, huh."
"I bought it thinking it might come in handy. It's not a big deal, but it was pretty expensive."
"It'd be useful in the game, too. Why didn't you use this barrier stone back then?"
Kichan replied with a regretful expression.
"To be precise, this is an Earth-made item. While the materials might've come from another world, it was crafted by an alchemist on Earth… So it can't be used in Cloyd."
"Ah, I think I heard something like that during the tutorial. So Earth-made items can't be brought over at all?"
"No, I've heard that high-level subspace rings come out in games for fixed players. With that ring, you can bring Earth items into the game and use them freely."
"So you could bring in firearms too?"
"Yeah. There are lots of reports from people who've tried it."
"But isn't it hard to get firearms in Korea?"
"Not on the deep web. Especially not for players. If you've got the money, you can get a rocket launcher. Subspace rings make unimaginable smuggling possible."
Seowoon's expression hardened at Kichan's words.
He hadn't thought deeply about that angle before.
But hearing it now, it made sense—if someone wanted to use it for illegal purposes, there was nothing better than items from another world.
Kichan glanced around the area as he continued speaking.
"Still, I don't think they're that efficient. I've seen reviews from players armed with all kinds of firearms, but they generally don't recommend them. Once you become a fixed player, your enemies are strong, and apparently firearms just don't measure up to magic, skills, or martial arts."
"But things like sniper rifles, grenades… even landmines for booby traps…"
"Guns probably can't even penetrate a real knight's armor. The strongest knights are ridiculously tough. High-level mages have solid shields, and they can cast almost instantly like it's passive. As for martial artists… well, you know. From those reviews, if the opponent isn't weak, guns don't work well. Some even said fire magic was more effective than a rocket launcher."
Seowoon had to nod at that.
Firearms were indeed awkward weapons in Cloyd.
Even with a silencer, a gunshot was never quiet. The moment you fired, your position was revealed.
If the player was only at the level of hunting with a crossbow, maybe. But against stronger opponents, relying solely on firearms wasn't a good choice.
"That guy probably geared up with firearms hoping to save coins, but in the end, it didn't go well."
Still, there was a vague belief in firearms.
"But for mages, who clearly have physical disadvantages, there might not be a better self-defense item than a gun."
Kichan shook his head.
"That only works in the pond we floating players play in. In the fixed player games, it doesn't matter what your main combat style is."
"Ah!"
Indeed, in Cloyd Survival, boundaries disappeared. There was no rule saying mages couldn't use martial arts, or that carrying a bow automatically made you an archer.
Seowoon himself used both martial arts and bow magic, so there was nothing more to say.
If you let premature assumptions cloud your judgment, it could easily lead to a game over.
And fixed players—those so-called "stagnant waters"—knew everything about Cloyd. They were on a different level from the players Seowoon had encountered so far.
"You're right. The higher you go, the more those boundaries vanish."
"Still, most people won't change their core focus. Everyone wants to strengthen their main ability."
"Maybe… but mages are a bit…"
Seowoon trailed off after locking eyes with Kichan.
The person standing in front of him was a mage.
"Speak freely. You think mages are weak?"
"Well, compared to martial artists…"
"You've never seen a truly strong mage, have you?"
Kichan pouted a little, perhaps slightly sulky. Seowoon scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"I've seen two. One of them was pretty famous—Ascro."
"Someone bearing Ascro's name appeared in Cloyd?"
"You really know a lot about that world, huh?"
"I've played up to Quad 4, so I've heard plenty. Then you should know—real mages are never weak. Especially not their finishing moves. A mage's final blow is nothing to scoff at, even for martial artists."
Thinking back, Nam Sagwang had been taken out in a single hit by the old mage he had looked down on.
Just remembering that meteor spell still sent chills down his spine.
"And besides, mages are cool."
With that, Kichan pulled a robe from his subspace and put it on. Seowoon fell silent.
Clearly, personal taste played a huge role in these things.
Though he had read his fair share of fantasy novels, Seowoon still preferred martial arts stories.
Because of that, he naturally had some unconscious admiration for martial artists.
That's why, even in Cloyd, he had been more fixated on martial arts and elixirs.
Kichan, now robed, even picked up a short staff.
It had a sapphire-like blue orb at the top, and Seowoon could feel the mana radiating from it.
"Hm?"
"Aren't you going to get ready?"
"Oh, right. We came here to train."
Seowoon had spaced out, and Kichan shot him a sharp look.
"Just because you've cleaned up once, you're underestimating me? I'll have you know, I'm about to become a fixed player."
With those words, Kichan swiftly retreated a few steps. His movement technique wasn't bad at all.
'So that's why he bothered to put on the robe.'
Even as Seowoon thought this, Kichan's staff continued to pulse with waves of mana.
"About that staff of yours…"
Crackle!
A bolt of lightning shot from Kichan's hand, streaking past Seowoon's feet and charring the ground black.
"Questions later. Training comes first!"
With that, Kichan moved swiftly, keeping his body in constant motion.
The more Seowoon watched, the more agile Kichan's movements seemed.
Smirking, Seowoon loosened up his shoulders with a light stretch.
— Master! Should I step in now…? —
'No.'
Hamit, who had been on the verge of transforming, quieted down.
"Ready?"
Seowoon, now fully warmed up, asked. Kichan responded not with words but with a blast of lightning.
Seowoon didn't bother dodging. He stood his ground and let the bolt strike him square in the chest, sending a sharp jolt through his body.
'No damage, no movement restrictions.'
It felt about as strong as a basic 1st-circle spell.
Then Seowoon moved.
The instant his form seemed to flicker, his figure multiplied into six copies.
Seeing himself quickly surrounded, Kichan raised his staff and aimed.
Bzzzzt!
A beam of lightning shot from the staff, instantly leaping to another Seowoon nearby, and in a flash, all the clones were wiped out.
'He's using chain lightning to trace through the clones.'
As the bolt tried to extend toward the real Seowoon, he intercepted it with a punch infused with internal force, severing the chain.
His shoulder tingled—a spell that shouldn't be taken head-on without preparation.
Compared to when they'd clashed in the Otherworld, his magic resistance was far too low now.
While breaking the attack, Seowoon pressed in, only for a wall to erupt from the ground, blocking his view.
Boom!
It was so close that Seowoon barely had time to raise both arms and shield his face before slamming into it, cracks spiderwebbing across the entire wall.
In the meantime, Kichan widened the distance, preparing a new spell.
The spell that conjured walls from every direction wasn't particularly dangerous, but it was certainly annoying.
But after a few encounters, Seowoon adapted, avoiding further crashes.
Whoosh!
A fireball, swelling as it flew, came hurtling toward him, only for Seowoon to casually punch it out of existence. But in that moment, a blade of wind sliced toward him in follow-up.
Seowoon sidestepped, letting it carve a deep gouge in the wall behind him.
Kichan kept his distance, launching spell after spell with precision. His balance was impressive—mages typically boasted powerful attacks but were weak up close and reliant on knights to hold the front. Yet Kichan compensated brilliantly, using superb footwork and effective spellcasting.
Especially when Seowoon pushed his silent movement technique Step to the limit, creating clones—Kichan always stayed on high alert, using chain lightning to wipe them out in a blink.
Seowoon's smile deepened.
'You're not the only one who can use magic.'
Two ice lances appeared over Seowoon's shoulders and shot toward Kichan.
Right behind them, Seowoon himself charged in.
Fwoosh!
A wall sprang up, blocking the ice lances just as a pillar of flame roared to life, melting them instantly.
In that moment, Seowoon leaped over the wall, fist thrusting at Kichan.
He used spatial punch techniques, adjusting the power just enough to send a fierce blast flying at Kichan. But Kichan twisted and weaved, narrowly evading the strike.
He definitely knew how to fight martial artists.
But that was enough for Seowoon.
Because while dodging the blast, Kichan hadn't been able to retreat to a safer distance.
Seowoon closed the gap in an instant.
Grab!
But just as he was about to strike, something clamped around his ankles.
Thanks to his quick reflexes and mastery of the Phantom Step, Seowoon managed to stay upright and regain his balance.
Glancing down, he saw two stone hands, risen from the ground, gripping his ankles tightly.
Crackle…
Meanwhile, Kichan had already widened the distance, raising his staff high. Sparks flared intensely at the tip, and Seowoon could feel the mana surging all around.
'Looks like he's about to unleash something big.'
Crunch! Crack!
Seowoon didn't plan on staying caught. He tensed his legs and wrenched them free, shattering the stone hands gripping him.
At the same moment, lightning surged from Kichan's staff, leaping from wall to wall around them, building in size before hurtling toward Seowoon.
Bzzzzzzap!
The bolt struck him square in the chest, electricity crackling violently across his body.
"Hup!"
But this wasn't his first time facing such magic.
Seowoon focused his inner energy, shielding his body, then channeled the lightning down to his feet, discharging it harmlessly into the ground as he stomped hard.
He quickly checked his tingling body.
At that moment, as Kichan prepared to unleash another spell, something lightly touched his back.
Just as Seowoon was briefly checking his tingling body, ready to brace himself, something touched Kichan's back just as he was about to unleash another spell.
Tap.
"Got you."
It was a chilling experience—he could see Seowoon smiling right in front of him, yet the voice was unmistakably coming from behind.
"When?! When did you swap places with the clone?"
"I figured you were up to something, setting up barriers everywhere and blocking my sight, so I used it to my advantage. While I dispersed your lightning, I slipped my real body behind one of the walls."
"I couldn't sense a thing…"
Kichan turned around, staring at Seowoon in disbelief. Seowoon grinned.
"I was practicing how to hide my presence. How was it? Pretty seamless?"
"In a real fight, that could definitely come in handy."
"Yeah?"
As Seowoon smirked, Kichan hesitated a moment, then asked, "But… you were holding back, right?"
"Was it that obvious?"
In truth, Seowoon hadn't gone all out. He was more interested in gauging Kichan's abilities than winning.
He had just been adjusting his moves on the fly to test Kichan's skills.
"Sigh. I did think things were going a little too smoothly. If I could've pushed you back that easily, I wouldn't have lost that 2-on-1 last time."
Hearing the disappointment in Kichan's voice, Seowoon felt a twinge of guilt and tried to offer some consolation.
"You seem a lot stronger than back then."
But as soon as he said it, he realized it didn't quite make sense. After all, Kichan had only gotten the basic coins because of Seowoon, and he hadn't been back on Earth long enough to have grown this much stronger.
Still, it wasn't just empty words. It really felt that way.
"You've got more control over your mana now, and more than anything, you've got this."
Kichan lifted his staff, showing it off. Seowoon noticed right away—it was something he definitely hadn't seen before.
Seowoon eyed the staff for a moment before speaking. "Is that from Earth?"
"Yeah. I got it in exchange for some rare materials. It's an amazing piece of gear—amplifies magic by 90% and can store up to five spells at once. If this were Cloyd, it'd easily be worth 100 coins."
At that, Seowoon tilted his head. "That seems… unbalanced. You traded just one material for something like this?"
"Well… how do I explain it? Coins don't always match up perfectly with item value. In Cloyd, unless it's a special item, coins are weirdly cheap. And there are quite a few alchemists who've washed out and can't go back to Cloyd anymore."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. If I had to compare it to a game, I'd say they're more into crafting and production than actual combat. And honestly, that stuff makes more money in the real world too."
It kind of made sense. That world had its own kind of appeal, after all.
"There really are all kinds of ways to make money."
"Why? Thinking of learning alchemy? It's got its own charm, you know."
"Nah. Not my style."
Seowoon shut that down immediately and backed off again, widening the distance between them.
Watching him retreat, Kichan smiled and began storing more spells into his staff.
***
"So, you're saying the Shingangnam faction took a hit?"
The man, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed and sweat dripping down his body, asked calmly. The burly man standing beside him gave his report.
"Yes. We were already keeping an eye on the guy, so it looks like one of ours witnessed the whole thing by chance."
"And this guy… sold Ascro's necklace at a pawn shop? That doesn't add up."
"Maybe he's just that confident?"
"Maybe. Interesting guy. He might be worth poking at."
The man opened his eyes, not even flinching in the sauna, where the temperature had climbed past 90 degrees Celsius.
He was a striking figure—solid, powerful muscles and sharp, piercing eyes.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]