Chapter 69: 1st Players Convention (4)

Yesterday, Hyukjin said the following:

–Refuse him. It's fine if it makes me look a little cowardly. I'm not a direct combat class, anyway.

–...What?

–What? It's true. I'm not a combat class.

It wasn't a lie. He really wasn't a direct combat class… even though he did win a 1-on-1 PVP match against Shin Yeonseo. In any case, it was technically true that he wasn't a direct combat class.

–But if someone like that really shows up… He'll probably keep pestering endlessly for a PVP match, and a lot of Guardians will agree with that. PVP is content that Guardians go wild for.

If that happened, the mood would make it tough to completely refuse a PVP.

–So make someone other than me fight in the PVP.

Hyukjin knew the best person for that—the future Sword Empress, the strongest Player in 1-on-1 duels, Shin Yeonseo.

–Yeonseo would be a good fit.

–...I understand. If the situation truly occurs like Player Kim Hyukjin says, I will act like you have said.

And after saying that, Senia continued.

–...Very well. I'll wait and see if Player Kim Hyukjin's excessively detailed scenario will actually happen.

They even made a bet.

–If things happen like you say, I will open the intermediate-grade Item Shop one time for you.

But it actually happened. With one mistake, a massive pile of Coins flew away. Senia resolved to never make a bet with Hyukjin ever again.

"I refuse the PVP match. My exclusively contracted Player is a non-combat class. He is not suited for a 1-on-1 PVP match." Senia spoke quickly, seizing the initiative in the conversation with Percy. "However, I will select a teammate who can carry out the match in his stead, if she agrees."

As soon as Yeonseo heard 'she', she jumped forward.

"Me! Me! Me-me-me-me!"

Yeonseo actually thought she wouldn't have the chance, since she figured Hyukjin would take care of it. However, Hyukjin was ruled out of the PVP with the ridiculous reason of 'he's not a combat class', and now, she held the dice.

Hyukjin took a look at Yeonseo's summary.

Summary: Two-Faced Swordsman Aspiring to Become a Wife

Hyukjin almost tilted his neck in spite of himself.

'Something about this summary is weird again…?'

A swordsman aspiring to become a wife. Something about it was a little weird. Wife? Did that mean there was a husband somewhere? Somehow, all the summaries of the people around him were strange. That aside, just as he expected, Yeonseo was full of fighting spirit at the moment.

'Because Yeonseo is a Player who enjoys 1-on-1 PVP.'

She was the type of Player who really enjoyed 1-on-1 PVP, to the point that it wasn't an exaggeration to say that the future Sword Empress grew strong through PVP.

"You heard her, right?"

Hyukjin took a step back, and Yeonseo took a confident step forward.

"Nice, I was itching for some PVP."

Yeonseo rolled her neck and shoulders, loosening her muscles. Her 'hehe'ing appearance made her look every bit a kind and cute university student. However, the moment she grasped her sword, her aura would completely change. Hyukjin knew that very well.

'Two-faced swordsman.'

Yeonseo, whose growth was accelerated by Playing with him, was a Player contracted with the 'True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain', one who had already reached the realm of being one with the sword.

Kim Taechun gave a dumbfounded laugh. "Men are hiding behind a woman, huh? Can you guys still call yourselves men? You're nothing but dogs, you fucking trash."

And so, the PVP match between Yeonseo and Taechun began, and the result was obvious. As soon as the match started, Yeonseo moved rapidly, stopping in front of Taechun.

"What the heck, so boring. Why's this dude so weak?"

The tip of Yeonseo's sword rested on Taechun's throat. If she thrust forward with a little strength, his neck would be severed. It looked like the match would end that way.

I hadn't just predicted 'today'. I drew out today's situation, and I understood exactly what I had to do within that canvas.

'Observer's Eye.'

There was no better opportunity to practice using Observer's Eye to ascertain the situation. Having decided to give myself more time to research more about the Observer class, I read this PVP match precisely.

'Over in one. Taechun does look a little unreconciled.'

Although Taechun looked very unreconciled with the result, there were actually a lot of nuances in Yeonseo's movement.

'Though you'd need the eye to see it.'

The current Taechun probably wasn't able to read the entirety of Yeonseo's movement. For him, things simply ended with a cry of alarm, and she was there.

'This is Observer's Eye.'

I could perceive Yeonseo's movements more precisely than when I looked with my physical eyes. With a little exaggeration, it felt as if I could even see the movement of each of her muscles under her clothes. When she twisted, I saw the rotation start from the bottoms of her feet and go up her legs into her body.

'As expected… It's not a simple eye for observing alone.'

She twisted to dodge Taechun's large axe. Then, she activated her footwork technique, and 'Observer's Eye' read the technique in detail.

'A distance at which Taechun's axe won't reach. The angle at which he cannot swing. She aimed precisely for his blind spot and narrowed the distance.'

Yeonseo was at least one step ahead of Taechun in this close-combat fight, and I saw it all.

'I can see the flow of mana.'

My proficiency was only 1, so I couldn't see it precisely, but I could feel the rough strokes—how it was flowing, what kind of mana was moving, and how it was affecting the body.

-Flow Perception: Visualize the flow of nature.

This was the power of 'Observer's Eye'. Through it, I was able to see something I'd read about in textbooks more clearly.

'If I get used to this and my proficiency goes up…!'

Action Duplication: Copy the actions of an observation target (currently cannot be used).

Not right now, but in the future, I would definitely be able to use the ability. From the 'observing' I was doing now, I was able to grasp my own abilities a little more concretely.

Taechun didn't look all that frightened of the sword resting on his throat.

"It's not over, you know?"

He moved the huge axe in his right hand to his left and swung it with all his strength.

"You have to kill your opponent to end it, you arrogant bitch!"

I chuckled. 'You think Yeonseo didn't expect that?'

I had already seen it with Observer's Eye. The weak mana flowing in Yeonseo's body was already heading towards her legs, meaning she had prepared to dodge in advance.

'She's still the future Sword Empress.'

She did lose to Jo Sunghyun because of the bad matchup once, but she was still destined to become the strongest PVPer in both name and reality in the Korean server.

'Hold on a sec.' Something suddenly occurred to me. 'From here, in the position of an observer, I can see it well, but…'

Normally, it was easy to see things when you took a step back. You might not be able to play soccer, but you could easily offer advice while watching from afar.

'If I were really in the thick of it, would I be able to see other Players' movements like just now? If I could know in advance that mana was concentrating in someone's legs…'

Then that would mean I could move while predicting the opponent's movements, no? I would be able to react knowing how exactly they would move.

'Even if it's not a Player…'

It would be the same if the opponent were a monster. If I had eyes that could read the movements of muscles, the flow of mana, it meant I could assume a far more advantageous position in battle. The more experienced I became, the more marvelous the power of 'Observer's Eye' seemed to become.

'It's already this good… even though the proficiency is only 1?'

I felt my heart thudding hard. If the proficiency went up a lot, I would be able to go much higher, even higher than I thought.

"This guy's no good."

Yeonseo's sword plunged into the middle of Taechun's forehead.

"GAAAAAAGH!" he screamed.

[The PVP match has been concluded.]

Taechun died on the spot. The shocking sight stunned everyone to silence, which was quickly broken by the shutters of the journalists who had gotten in on the action.

"S-Sir. Can we really broadcast this? It's a murder."

"For now, keep shooting. Did you get it? Answer me!"

A few Players began to whisper as well.

"Isn't this murder?"

But then, they witnessed a miracle. Kim Taechun's body looked like it was becoming dust and disappearing, and at the same time, the body began to glow and became sparkling particles of light. Those particles began to reform into a whole, healthy body.

"A-Amazing!"

"H-H-He came back to life!"

Camera flashes went off nonstop. The likes of the 'Players Convention' wasn't important right now. Everyone had just witnessed the miraculous sight of someone dying and being revived in a PVP match.

"Wh-What I'm seeing right now is the truth, right?"

"No way, no way."

"What do you mean, no way? There are monsters, Streamers, and the world has changed. This is the world after the Cataclysm."

While the crowd was murmuring in awe, I heard a different notice.

[EXP acquired.]

If I hunted directly, I couldn't get EXP.

But it also meant that even if I didn't do anything and just sat around, my EXP would rise.

[Detailed Explanation]

Skill name: Observer's Domain (Current proficiency: 1)

Skill effect: Creates a field where 'Observer's Eye' takes effect.

For party Play, EXP +50%

Range: 5 meters

EXP +50% for party Play. Add onto that the title I already had, 'First Pioneer', with its +20% EXP effect, and I had a +70% EXP boost in total.

The System apparently recognized this as a party Play. Every time a party Play was recognized, I would get about 20% additional EXP.

'It's 20% additional EXP because the EXP is shared half and half with Yeonseo.'

For example, if we worked together in a party to kill a monster with 100 EXP, killing it would give us 120 EXP. If we had both contributed the same amount, that 120 EXP would be divided in half, with each person getting 60 EXP.

'If I get the additional 70% bonus here…'

I would get an extra 42 EXP of that 60, which added up to 102 EXP. To sum it up in simple terms, I'm actually getting more than if I PVPed on my own?

And it didn't just apply to PVP. When hunting, when clearing dungeons, it would be the same. Simply put, just watching from the back would net me the same reward as engaging in back-breaking labor in the front.

'Isn't this… amazing?'

This seemed to be the true value of the 'Observer' class.

'Is this really okay?'

It was kind of like stealing nearly half of Yeonseo's EXP even though I didn't lift a finger. Just as my thoughts were going that way, I heard someone clapping.

"Goodness, how very impressive. The beautiful lady over there, you're at an incredible level, aren't you? You were a marvel to behold."

Someone who wasn't a part of the picture I'd been drawing suddenly showed up, and the situation began to move in a way I hadn't predicted.

'Huh?'

Looking down, I saw [!!!] marks appear over Darongi's head.

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