Episode 250
S-rank top player.
It is said that its luster has faded somewhat with the creation of the SS-tier player license.
Its status was by no means something to be trifled with.
In the first place, the SS-rank player license itself is a level that the highest S-rank players reach by building up their status.
In other words, it is a state where there are infinite possibilities for growth at any time.
That was the level of an S-class top player.
And now.
There was another player who climbed over the wall in front of Taehyun.
Every time you exhale, white breath comes out.
The temperature in the training room had already dropped to an abnormal level.
All of this was the result of Lim Ah-young alone.
‘Is the skill grade around S?’
Taehyun’s past life just before his regression.
Even at that time, the only awakened level was SS, and the last player license was SS level.
Due to Taehyun’s return, strong people from his past life were quickly emerging to the surface.
The same goes for Lim A-young.
What Taehyun sees now is no longer the inexperienced player he was before.
“You’ve become really strong.”
Taehyun praised ‘Ice Age’ for completely freezing one of his arms.
It is said that ‘Apocalypse’ was lifted to bring out her full power.
This is because it deserves praise for producing this level of output.
“Huh… Huh….”
Lim Ah-young, who was actually the one involved, could only exhale heavily without any time to be happy.
‘Is this even… unattainable?’
Come on.
Ayoung’s face distorted.
She had outstanding talent from the beginning.
Consistent efforts were added to that, and I gained rare experience as a main member of the unexplored dungeon raiding team.
Talent plus effort led to rapid growth.
A level that is accepted not only in New Korea but also around the world.
An exhilarating feeling of inspiration made her heart flutter.
Just stay like this a little longer.
If I work a little harder, gain experience, and grow, I will be able to reach Taehyun.
I thought I could be active on the same front line as him.
For her, the battle with the shadows became a stimulant.
This is a guy who has been corrected from an S-class upper class to a top-tier mine.
If you have a good party, if you plan a good strategy, you can unleash your skills.
It might be worth doing something.
‘Like a fool.’
Wow.
Ayoung clenched her fist.
Reality was cold.
It was no match for me at all.
The guy came and went, and before she could unleash her skills, he inflicted a fatal wound and disappeared.
Many players moving together lost their lives or were seriously injured.
It was fortunate that she, too, did not lose her life.
Afterwards, Park Seong-jin, Kwon Kang-hyuk, Kwak Si-yang, Ji Jin-hee.
Those who were said to be the leaders of the new Korea who surpassed her suffered a helpless defeat.
Shadow is a guy who surpasses even the top S-class players.
It’s natural that she couldn’t do anything.
Such an evaluation was made.
Mental recovery took longer than physical recovery.
But the truly strong choose to stand up rather than fall down.
She had already been quite shocked by Taehyun during the player license test.
Ayoung overcame defeat and stood up.
What was the problem?
What do I have to do to get over the wall?
I constantly thought, analyzed, and worried.
What she chose was not skill ‘strengthening’ but skill ‘fusion’.
It is said that Go Tae-wook went from A grade to S grade by strengthening his skills.
Simple growth has its limits.
I decided that I couldn’t aim for SS grade at that level.
That is why we chose complex growth called convergence rather than the intuitive growth called reinforcement.
“The will of the parties is important in skill fusion.”
These were the words Chaesu Bang gave me when I found the lab after much deliberation.
Ambition to be with Taehyun.
her older sister. A desire to defeat Yoo Ah-young and put everything back on track.
The desire for growth is an essential prerequisite for all of that.
Her will was sufficient and her choice was successful.
‘Body Strengthening’ and ‘Weapon Strengthening’, which were only B-grade, were reborn as S-grade skills called ‘Ice Heart’ with her blue magic.
It was a personal buff skill that not only increased ‘Ice Age’ but also the stat itself.
The S-rank skill ‘Ice Age’ strengthened with the S-rank skill ‘Ice Heart’.
Multiplication, not addition.
Now I can finally feel what those words mean.
Absolute power obtained without the risk of skill overload.
When you enter the sparring hall and use a skill.
He realized that he had become New Korea’s seventh S-rank top player.
Nevertheless.
‘I can’t reach… I can’t…’
Ahyoung let out a deep breath and got up with a creaking body.
It was an aftereffect from Taehyun’s skill ‘Apocalypse’ a little while ago.
How many times have I knelt down?
The more you attack, the more tired you become, and your magic power also fluctuates.
All Taehyun did was freeze his arm while he was taking his time.
Looking at his expression, he didn’t seem to be very shocked either.
The feeling of defeat and defeat tore through my entire body.
Wow.
She bit her teeth.
I just realized that despite my incredible growth, there was an unbridgeable gap between me and Taehyun.
Will I be able to reach Taehyun by becoming an SS-rank player?
no.
‘It’s no longer a level that can be categorized into grades.’
I felt like I was facing a wall I couldn’t climb.
It’s miserable.
More than when I was hit by a shadow.
I feel embarrassed.
Even more so than the mocking gaze of her older sister Yoo Ah-young.
Is that why?
Even though I knew that there were risks if I increased my power any further, I chose to go beyond my limits.
“Properly…deal with…Kim Taehyun…!!”
She shouted, summoning up the last of her magical power.
Tiring.
[Skill Ice Age (S) has been strengthened. Magic consumption is accelerated.]
[Skill Ice Heart (S) has been strengthened. Magic power consumption is accelerating.]
[Stamina has reached its limit.]
[Magic power has reached its limit.]
Negative messages appeared one after another.
She raised her magic power without hesitation.
I’m crying.
Hot blood flowed out, unsuitable for the cold training room.
I didn’t mind.
The man he had set as his goal.
If only I could reach Taehyun Kim.
‘A body like this… how many times…!!’
Tiring.
[The proficiency of the skill Ice Age (S) has increased.]
[The proficiency of the skill Ice Heart (S) has increased.]
A magic power that was incomparable to before flowed from her body.
It was the effect that caused the skill to explode.
Blah blah blah.
Crystals of cold gathered in her hands.
Crack. Crack. Quad deuk.
The cold crystals coagulate, coagulate, and coagulate again.
With unbelievable power in hand.
Jerk. Jerk. Jerk.
She walked to Taehyun.
Every time I took a step, I felt unstable, as if my magic power was flowing backwards.
Taehyun quietly watched Ayoung coming towards him.
If you want to avoid it, you can avoid it as much as you want.
Her condition is clearly not normal.
If he dodged and attacked, he would probably fall down due to backflow of magic without even having time to recover.
But this is not a contest.
Confirmation of growth and training.
Tae-hyeon was planning to accept the time when A-young used her skills to the point of going out of control.
A battle that took place in Japan a little while ago.
The image of Yoo Ah-young, who unleashed the power of Rosaria, came to mind.
What is the probability that the sisters are both S-rank top players?
What are the odds of having to defeat all of those sisters in one day?
‘Seeing as they cause trouble, sisters are sisters.’
The corners of my mouth went up at the two women’s recklessness.
Taehyun knows the will for growth better than anyone else.
Ayoung, who had already reached the corner, stretched out her hand.
Pazzzzz ie.
The condensed ice crystals headed towards Taehyun’s chest.
“Good job.”
Taehyun inadvertently praised her bravery.
and.
Tiring.
[Skill Demonization (S) has been activated. Specify the mimicry part.]
Kwaaaaa.
Let’s wait for a moment to see the brown magic bloom from Taehyun’s body.
Quad deud deuk.
The right arm swelled like that of a beast-type monster.
Kwasik!!
The magical hand grasped the ice crystal.
Blah blah blah!!
Ayeong’s blue magic flowed through her arms and engulfed her entire body.
Zzzzzzzz.
It was threatening to freeze the entire building.
Taehyun received all of that magical energy into his own body.
The ice crystals that were emitting blue cold did not stop even after freezing the entire body.
“Cough… “Ugh…”
Ayoung splattered blood on the floor.
To put it bluntly.
It is clearly an attack that can inflict effective damage even on SS-rank monsters.
Nevertheless.
Taehyun, trapped in ice, was smiling.
“Damn….”
He shakes his head.
Ayoung cursed and fell down.
After a while.
Chii Iik.
Purple magical power bloomed.
The ice that was restraining my body melted in an instant.
Taehyun looked at the ice crystal floating in the air.
It’s a skill that doesn’t disappear even when the caster falls.
If left like this, it was clear that it would have an impact beyond the training room and into the building.
Tiring.
[Skill Devil’s Saliva (SS) has been activated.]
Taehyun held the crystal with his purple hand.
Cheeeeeeeek.
The crystal failed to provide any resistance and disappeared.
Taehyun then looked down at Ayoung, who had collapsed.
“Your younger brother is pretty good too, right?”
It was a pure feeling after finishing a short battle.
It was clearly powerful enough to be considered the season of an SS-rank player.
I accepted it because it was Taehyun.
If it was a normal SS-rank monster, it would have definitely been a big shock.
“Skill stability is a little low, but…”
At least it was a much more positive growth than the already deceased Alex Watson and Daniel Grint.
‘If I refine it a little more, I can work as an SS-rank player.’
Yoo Ah-young, who has already achieved the power of an SS-rank player, and Lim A-young, who shows potential to become an SS-rank player.
‘There are two SS-rank players.’
If I did well, it seemed like the period of time I could leave for the Abyss could be extended.
* * *
A week later, Taehyun visited Bang Chae-soo again.
The delay was due to Ayoung’s training.
It was said that Kim Tae-hyun was chasing Lim Ah-young like a rat in a private training room.
It was said that Night Walker’s Yoo Ah-young had already fainted and was recuperating.
It is said that he trampled on the saint and forced her to obey him.
It is said that the next target is guild leader Kwon Kang-hyeok, who is disrespectful to the association president.
It was a time when such rumors were circulating among New Korea players.
“I heard some really strange rumors.”
Bang Chae-soo said as he prepared for skill fusion.
“A horse without feet travels a thousand miles.”
“….”
Bang Chae-soo was speechless for a moment due to a response that was not appropriate for his age.
“I heard you harpooned Ms. Ayoung…? Is it okay? I heard he is recuperating in the intensive care unit…”
Bang Chae-soo was worried about the masterpiece created by his own skills.
Even though it is a masterpiece with diamond strength, it is not surprising if it breaks if the opponent is Taehyun.
“No need to worry. “That guy will get stronger.”
“Become stronger… as strong as you?”
Taehyun shrugged his shoulders with an expectant look in his eyes.
“I’m ready.”
“How long do you think it will take this time?”
Bang Chae-soo looked at Tae-hyun’s status window.
As Taehyun grew, Bang Chae-soo also improved his skill level by dealing with numerous players.
Is that why?
Some of Taehyun’s skills that were previously invisible to his eyes began to appear.
“Well… it would be nice if I didn’t pass out in the middle of it…”
“I guess I should at least meditate.”
Taehyun, sitting cross-legged, closed his eyes and the third skill fusion began.
