I Alone Resurrect Chapter 135
Black Market (1)
After the battle with Bano Kulsa, Kang Hyeon’s main interest was in gaining new powers.
“I can’t let myself be pushed around by insignificant flies anymore.”
Although Kang Hyeon had ranged attacks, their limitations were clear.
Kang Hyeon had realized this acutely during the last battle.
That’s why he had been desperately requesting skill books from Shin Tae-gil.
“You’re first.”
Kang Hyeon first learned a flying skill that would allow him to soar through the sky.
This was because he already had sufficient offensive power.
What was important now was having a means to approach in order to use those attacks.
“Aaaaargh!”
The result was a massive failure.
Kang Hyeon had no talent for flying.
“Haha! As expected of our idiot guild master!”
“I asked you to teach me, and you’re just mocking me!?”
“Are you going to hit me again? Go ahead! Try it! You can’t catch me~”
Yoon Na-rae, floating in the air, stuck out her tongue and teased Kang Hyeon.
“Flying so slowly, how do you expect to catch up? Even a turtle would be faster than that.”
“If I catch you, you’re dead.”
“You’ll never catch me in your lifetime!”
As time passed, he became somewhat able to fly, but with an F-rank skill, he couldn’t fly any faster than he could walk on the ground.
“Sigh… This is going wrong from the start.”
He thought he would quickly master skills and abilities because of his excellent sense for magic.
However, there was one thing Kang Hyeon didn’t know, that magic manipulation and skill utilization were separate domains.
This was evident from the ability users who could perfectly handle their skills and abilities even without any particular talent for magic.
Having realized this fact through flying magic, Kang Hyeon gave up on everything except for a few skills and abilities.
“Wow! Thank you, Guild Master!”
“As expected of the Guild Master! So generous!”
He distributed all the remaining skill books to the guild members, and seeing their happy faces gave him some consolation.
“Haa, what should I do now…”
While pondering over a beer, Kang Hyeon suddenly thought of something.
“I can just ask someone else!”
***
Ippotranslation
***
The leader of the Korean Ability Users Association and a man who was like the bible of dungeon conquests.
The long-unseen Choi Dong-woo was still the same as ever.
He seemed to greatly enjoy the unexpected meeting with Kang Hyeon.
“Little brother! It’s been a while!”
“Big brother. I should have visited more often.”
“No, no. We’re both busy, so it’s understandable if we can’t meet. Besides, you’re a hero of Korea now!”
After a brief reunion, Kang Hyeon quickly got to the point of his visit.
“Ahem, actually, the reason I came today is because I have something to ask.”
“Speak freely.”
“What do you think is necessary when fighting an enemy stronger than yourself, or one who has an advantage in terms of compatibility?”
“An enemy stronger than oneself… That’s a difficult question.”
Choi Dong-woo pondered Kang Hyeon’s question.
“As you well know, battle doesn’t end simply by swinging a sword or using magic. There are countless other factors at play.”
“Yes…”
Honestly, Kang Hyeon had only been thinking about simple things like swinging swords, hammers, and fists.
“Basically, you need to know your own abilities and those of your opponent, and consider various other variables to set up the situation. You need to ensure that you can win even under adverse conditions.”
“It sounds complicated.”
“It’s not easy to explain in words. To put it simply, you need to design the situation in advance, considering all factors that could occur in battle. Make everything work in your favor.”
Kang Hyeon furrowed his brow at Choi Dong-woo’s explanation.
“But we don’t always plan before fighting, do we? Sudden battles can occur at any time.”
“If you make it a habit to always plan and consider variables, you can quickly design the situation even in sudden battles. It’s about developing instantaneous wit.”
“I see…”
Come to think of it, Choi Dong-woo had always been this kind of person.
While he might look like even more of a combat fanatic than Kang Hyeon on the surface, in reality, he was a meticulous strategist.
The fact that even now, the ability user cultivation schools was still using and developing tactics that Choi Dong-woo had created in the early days as their teaching material said it all.
“Well, thank you for your time.”
“Leaving already?”
“Yes. I’ll treat you to some beef soon.”
“You’re always welcome!”
Kang Hyeon didn’t see anything particularly worth learning from Choi Dong-woo.
“Instead of using time to think, it’s more profitable to throw one more punch.”
Muttering words that would have horrified Choi Dong-woo if he had heard them, Kang Hyeon’s next stop was the Dangun Guild.
“What brings you here?”
“There’s something I wanted to ask.”
Han Se-yeon, the guild master of Dangun, nodded as if to say ‘go ahead’.
“What do you think is necessary when fighting an enemy stronger than yourself?”
Han Se-yeon smirked at Kang Hyeon’s question.
“Well… I haven’t met an opponent I couldn’t defeat with my sword yet… so I’m not sure.”
Han Se-yeon’s eyes lowered slightly as she spoke.
There was clear disdain in those eyes.
“Oh, so you’re saying you’ve never met anyone stronger than you, so you’ve never had to worry about it?”
“That’s right. I’ve fought some of the most famous ability users in the past, but they were just mindlessly strong… nothing special.”
Han Se-yeon’s meaning was clear.
A direct interpretation would be, ‘Didn’t you also lose to me in the past?’
“Hearing that reminds me of someone.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. A very cowardly and dirty swordsman who ambushed an opponent whose strength was depleted.”
Han Se-yeon’s fine brows furrowed for a moment.
“Did you just call me a cowardly swordsman?”
“I said a cowardly blade-wielder. What, did that hit a nerve?”
“…”
Han Se-yeon’s face hardened at Kang Hyeon’s words.
“If you’ve never met someone stronger than you, I could show you one today.”
“That sounds really interesting. I’ve been feeling stagnant lately and have been getting bored.”
The man and woman stood up with wicked smiles.
“Both of you, please stop…”
Kim Yi-hyeon, who was assisting Han Se-yeon, sighed.
‘She’s usually so cool and aloof, but why does she get like this when she meets Kang Hyeon…’
And so, the meeting with Han Se-yeon ended leaving only wounds.
“Phew… I really didn’t want to visit this guy.”
The last person Kang Hyeon visited was Choi Min-jun.
“What brings you here?”
Choi Min-jun frowned openly upon seeing Kang Hyeon.
“This bastard starts picking a fight as soon as we meet?!”
“We’re not exactly on smiling terms, are we?”
“Want me to help? I could make you smile forever. I’ll make your mouth split right up to your ears.”
“If you’re going to talk nonsense, get lost. Unlike you, I’m a busy person.”
Kang Hyeon sighed at Choi Min-jun’s words and slumped down on the sofa.
“Fine, I came here to ask something, so listen.”
And then, just as he had done with Choi Dong-woo and Han Se-yeon, he asked about how to fight against stronger opponents.
“Interesting.”
“Right? If you think of anything, just say it freely.”
“I meant it’s interesting how far your stupidity goes.”
“Do you really want to die?”
For a moment, a vein bulged on Kang Hyeon’s forehead, but he soon sighed.
“Forget it, I’m asking seriously, so just answer.”
As Kang Hyeon asked with a serious attitude, Choi Min-jun also adjusted his posture.
“How to fight against strong enemies… As I’ve said in the past, humans become stronger through trials.”
“And?”
“In your case, you could say you’ve received an incredible blessing. You can repeatedly challenge any trial.”
“So, keep fighting until I die?”
“That’s right. How to fight strong enemies? It’s a problem that will be solved when you become stronger. The point is to constantly become stronger so that you don’t encounter enemies stronger than yourself in the first place.”
Kang Hyeon shook his head at Choi Min-jun’s explanation.
“We’re not on the same wavelength.”
“Is it strange? But this is the correct answer. You grow more by constantly experiencing trials. If there’s any other answer, I’d be curious to know.”
“Sigh. I must be crazy for coming to ask you.”
“You know it well. If you’re done, get lost.”
“I’m leaving because it’s filthy here. Bastard!”
Kang Hyeon slammed the door shut and left Choi Min-jun’s residence.
“Kya-ak! Ptui!”
After spitting refreshingly in front of the main gate, Kang Hyeon got into his vehicle.
“That bastard. Let’s see if I ever meet him again.”
Even on the way back to the guild office while driving, Kang Hyeon couldn’t stop thinking.
The people he met today are currently the strongest ability users in the country.
Yet, he gained nothing significant.
‘Did I target the wrong people from the start?’
They are talented individuals who have walked an easy path, passing through all eight tutorial stages from the beginning.
Enemies stronger than themselves? They might have encountered one or two, but they would have quickly surpassed them with their abnormal growth rate.
“Haa… It’s frustrating. Should I just go dungeon diving?”
He wondered if fighting in a dungeon would clear this frustration.
-Humans become stronger through trials.
-It’s a problem that will be solved when you become stronger.
Choi Min-jun’s words kept circling in his head.
“I just got upset for nothing.”
Kang Hyeon tried to shake off his thoughts and focused on driving again.
***
Ippotranslation
***
A vast hall.
This place was so expansive that it was hard to believe it was inside a building, and just standing there gave a sense of grandeur.
The pillars, window frames, even the handles had been touched by a master craftsman’s hand, reaching an artistic level.
In the center of this hall stood a magnificent throne.
A chair decorated high and luxuriously, as if meant for one who overlooks everything.
An undead wearing a crown sat there.
-What is it?
-I have something to report.
The one kneeling before him was also a skeleton, an undead.
-One of the Kulsa who moved to Earth has fallen.
-A Kulsa has fallen?
-Yes. It was Bano Kulsa, who was in charge of the eastern part of the continent called Asia.
-Bano Kulsa…
It was a name he had heard before.
He knew it was probably the one who had endured the longest among the Kulsa.
-According to the report, one of the Olun with him, Alos Olun, was first defeated by a human.
-And then?
-It seems Bano Kulsa went out to punish that human directly but ended up being defeated instead.
The crowned one scratched his skull with sharp fingers.
-It’s been only 2 years since magic started flowing into this place called Earth. And yet, a servant to whom I personally bestowed the title of Kulsa has fallen… Interesting.
Among all the Kulsa in history, the one who attained that position the fastest took just over 20 years.
Even that was an extremely exceptional case, and it’s generally expected to take over 100 years.
No matter how talented one might be, this fact didn’t change.
This meant that something he didn’t know about was happening on Earth.
-Those who use magic and wield swords. Ability users, was it?
-Yes, that’s correct.
-Intriguing. Where does the driving force for that growth come from, able to advance by decades or centuries…
There are humans here too.
He knew well, having once been human himself.
Even if one starts learning from infancy, without talent, one lives at a beginner’s level in magic for their entire life.
Occasionally, heroes who far surpass human limits appear, but they are extraordinary beings.
-The dimension’s administrator has done something quite interesting.
When he first made that sweet proposal to me, I wasn’t naive enough to believe it blindly.
I’ve already endured for over a thousand years.
Of course, I thought he would take some measures.
Sending Olun and Kulsa to Earth was also to detect such tricks in advance.
-Good. Very interesting.
Thinking about what would unfold from now on, he felt intrigued for the first time in a long while.
-Has Asas not crossed over to Earth yet?
-No, not yet. Sufficient magic hasn’t gathered on Earth yet. But it seems it will be possible when those things called dungeons evolve to the next stage.
-When will that be?
-The prophets are predicting at least a month from now.
-I see. You may withdraw.
With that, the hall was once again enveloped in silence.
A vast space meant for only one being.
The undead left alone there lightly tapped his fingers.
-Administrator. What will you do next?
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters.
Schedule: [Sun – Thur]
Please rate the series here.
Nice