Chapter 380

Chapter 380

Engulfed in the golden light, Ha-Young looked around. She felt a little unfamiliar.

‘This is similar to a microcosm.’

This place was just like the inner universe one could access through meditation. However, she also felt a strange sensation she had never encountered in the real world.

‘There is a video playing here?’

It was like she was alone in a dark movie theater. The hologram before her showed Cha Jin-Hyeok struggling. She also saw somewhat clumsy subtitles, which seemed to have been made in a hurry.

[‘It’s not that I’m being outclassed by his skills; it’s his items. How deplorable!’]

‘Are these Chul-Soo’s thoughts? Who would insert such corny inner monologue subtitles these days?’ Ha-Young soon understood. ‘Considering Choi Gap-Soo’s age, I can understand.’

She didn’t know why this hologram was playing before her, but after she watched it, her heart pounded.

‘I understand if a Player loses because of their skills, but if they lose because of item difference, it’s infuriating.’

Soon, a bright light burst out. The dark microcosm disappeared, and a universe filled with golden radiance revealed itself.

‘Even though I’m inside a vault, it feels like I’m in an open field.’ She felt like she were facing a horizon that human eyes could not dare to see the end of. It was like she had entered a world with no visible end. ‘So this is the vault of a Trinity Club member!’

However, the moment she touched a turquoise gem the size of a child’s fist, a strong spark flew out and rejected her. “Ow! So, I guess I can’t steal just anything.”

She utilized her innate sense as a Thief to ponder what she should steal here to make it the most righteous and cost-effective theft. Among the countless treasures, two items stood out the most.

‘A greatsword and dual swords?’

One was a huge greatsword with a bluish blade. She could see incomprehensible letters engraved on one side of the blade, and the blade was trembling and buzzing as if it were asking to be taken.

‘For now, I will just pick... no, steal this one.’ Unlike the gem she had tried to steal earlier, she could grab the greatsword without getting hurt. She didn’t even have to open her inventory; the sword disappeared into the inventory on its own. ‘It doesn’t feel like I’m stealing it; it’s like the greatsword was waiting to be grabbed. There is no point in me being a Thief at this point.’

The other item was a set of two white swords. They looked like they had been made by grinding white marble. They seemed closer to ceremonial swords rather than practical ones. These dual swords were also automatically sucked into her inventory as soon as she touched them.

‘These too? If it was going to be like this, why didn’t they just give them to me as gifts instead of telling me to steal them? They even personally opened the door to the vault! Huh?’

She then saw a note on the floor.

[Owner of the dual swords: Kim Ysael]

[Owner of the greatsword: Shelby]

Ha-young awkwardly smiled for a while. “Is it... telling me to deliver them?’

‘How dare they make the world’s greatest Thief just a delivery girl?’ Ha-Young’s eyes began to burn. ‘If you want to give these to them, just donate them directly! Why make me suffer like this?’

This was an act that tarnished her honor.

‘Even Thieves have honor! Now that it’s come to this, I have to protect my honor.’

She made up her mind to steal at least one thing no matter what.

***

Min-Ji worried so much that her mouth was dry. ‘What is she doing in there?’

It was fine until when she gave Ha-Young the two items—no, where Ha-Young stole the two items.

However, Ha-Young still seemed to be thirsty.

‘You can’t steal anything more in there with your current skills!’ Ha-Young could ‘steal’ those greatsword and dual swords only because Min-Ji had lifted the restrictions on them. ‘How long do you think you can endure being inside the vault with your human body, you foolish Thief!’

Ha-Young had to be reaching her physical and stamina limits. Seeing her act so stubbornly infuriated Min-Ji. ‘I can’t just stand idly by.’

Ha-Young’s safety here didn’t matter to Min-Ji, but if Ha-Young died here, it would be difficult for Min-Ji to help Jin-Hyeok. So, the Mad God transformed into Gap-Soo and revealed herself in front of Ha-Young.

“What do you want to steal the most?” Min-Ji asked.

“Uh... is it okay for me to steal in front of the owner?”

A white flash burst out. All the spectators in the arena, except for Marshmallow, squeezed their eyes shut.

Clang!

The clamorous clash of metal against metal rang out. Blood dripped from some spectators’ ears.

Woong! Woong!

Everyone heard the resonating of swords colliding and the vibration of the air.

“Mr. Chul-Soo, are you alright?” Ysael said.

Two blades blocked Artedal. The blades were pure white, contrasting with the pitch-black Ink Sword Artedal. That wasn’t the end.

“Die!”

Shelby showed up the next instant. She was much faster and more concise than she had been in her match with Jin-Hyeok. It was like she had become a giant arrow—as if a giant had pulled back a bowstring and shot her out. She became one with the greatsword and charged, instantly piercing Unknown’s heart.

Unknown collapsed with a large hole in his chest. Jin-Hyeok had not expected the appearance of these helpers, but he was not flustered at all.

“The strategy to defeat Artedal lies within itself,” Jin-Hyeok said.

Breaking Artedal was the only way to counter it.

***

Marshmallow was moved.

“The messenger of death is approaching.”

When he first heard those words, he had felt like it was a will. His marshmallow-shaped head melted down like melted cheese. If he weren’t livestreaming, he would’ve almost shouted, ‘No!’

However, he realized that it was a misunderstanding; Chul-Soo was referring to Kim Ysael, who had blocked the black Ink Sword with pure white dual swords, and Shelby, who pierced Unknown’s heart with a blue greatsword.

‘Those two... those two were the messengers of death!’ Marshmallow thought. His heart started to pound. ‘This is the plot twist!’

The viewers were also going wild.

-I thought it was a will!

-I didn’t expect the messengers of death to be those two.

-I thought even his will was so solemn and cool.

-But this is even cooler. T_T

-Where does reality end and the production begin?

-The plot twist was insane!

“The boundary between reality and fiction. Truth and production. Streamer Kim Chul-Soo perfectly recreated it! This can be said to be the part that shows why he participated in the Sword Emperor Tournament. Although Swordsman Chul-Soo may be defeated, Streamer Chul-Soo cannot be. This is the direction Chul-Soo will take, and the ideal he dreams of!” Marshmallow excitedly continued the livestream.

Moreover, Jin-Hyeok seemed to have found a way to counter Unknown.

“The strategy to defeat Artedal lies within itself.”

Jin-Hyeok approached the vulnerable Unknown and swung Miri.

Clang!

Back to being hammer-shaped, Miri had the optimal physical structure for breaking things.

Clang! Clang!

Like a blacksmith forging steel, Jin-Hyeok struck Artedal. Unknown, who had regained his stamina through Time Reversal, tried to resist, but due to the combined attacks of Shelby and Ysael, he couldn’t do anything to stop Jin-Hyeok from hammering Artedal. Moreover, Ysael and Shelby also struck fatal blows to Artedal.

As he was holding Artedal, Unknown could feel it. ‘Artedal is... starting to break!’

Deliark, who was watching the fight from a VIP seat, jumped up. He could also feel that fine cracks were forming on Artedal’s blade. So, he hurriedly said to his aide, “What are you doing? End the fight!”

Things had unfolded in a way completely different from his expectations.