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chapter 117
The underground training room suddenly became crowded with people.
“What’s going on? Why are there so many people?”
“Why? Because Team Leader Z and Executive Ho are having a sparring match! Come quickly!”
“Team Leader and the Executive?!”
No one knew exactly where the rumor had spread from, but the news of Lee Hyun and Executive Ho’s sparring match had spread not only through the training room but also throughout the company building.
“…This is getting out of hand.”
Kim Min-jung pressed her temple with her index finger, clearly frustrated. Fortunately, it was still during work hours; otherwise, the underground room might have already been packed to the brim.
Unaware—or perhaps unconcerned—Lee Hyun was lightly warming up in the empty training area.
“Senior.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll be over quickly. I won’t be late, okay?”
Lee Hyun answered Executive Ho without even glancing in Kim Min-jung’s direction.
Kim Min-jung’s temples throbbed even more.
“Of course, but… are you really okay?”
“About what?”
“What else? Your identity!”
Kim Min-jung whispered so that no one else could hear.
“Weren’t you hiding that you were Jet?!”
“Anyone who needed to know already does, right? There were people who saw when we took down Executive Jung.”
“That was just suspicion. Nobody ever openly admitted it!”
“It’s fine. The rumors spreading are annoying, but it wasn’t completely secret. Besides, my powers are back now.”
“But this is basically advertising, isn’t it?”
Lee Hyun glanced around and smiled lightly.
“Advertising… not a bad idea.”
“…?”
“Let them see or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. Honestly,”
He twisted the corner of his mouth.
“Now I don’t have to watch my step. Anyone who challenges me will just get their head smashed. That’s even better.”
“…!!”
Kim Min-jung’s eyes widened.
Lee Hyun stepped forward.
“Shall we begin?”
“Good. Everything’s ready.”
“Then I’ll go first.”
Lee Hyun pulled two axes from his inventory.
Since this was a friendly match, he was wearing minimal armor beyond weapon skills.
“Team Leader Z… could it really be Jet?”
“Team Leader Im parachuted him in and apparently he was active in taking down Executive Jung. But maybe it’s just a rumor?”
“Still, he’s talented, so Executive Ho might just be teaching him like before.”
“Executive Ho’s swordsmanship is a true art. To watch it… your eyes will feast.”
Most of the spectators didn’t rate Lee Hyun’s abilities that highly. Few had actually seen him fight Executive Jung. Even those who had were mostly from Team A and friends of Lee Hyun.
So during the Executive Jung incident, most thought Lee Hyun had ‘helped’ rather than ‘cooperated’ in the attack. It was hard to believe a ranker could fight on par with a high ranker.
Hence, this sparring match was seen more as a learning opportunity under Executive Ho, just like when he sparred with Um Gi-seon. The regulars in the training room, having observed Lee Hyun’s guidance matches, shared the same view.
Some cynics even slandered that Executive Ho’s teaching was only due to a request from Im Wonyoung.
“Team Leader A brought him here. He’s borrowing Executive Ho’s authority. Only his skills will show, though.”
“Hey, don’t forget they cleared 15 dungeons in 15 days. Just four people.”
“Yeah, but it was all tricks…”
Of course, such groundless claims always received pushback.
“Where did you get that statement?”
“Mr. So…?”
It was So Sung-hae from Team A, a popular figure at the Dungeon Strategy Headquarters, always smiling despite his overwork. Seeing him with a serious face sent chills down everyone’s spine.
But he wasn’t the only one. Behind him, other Team A members glared at Lee Hyun, clearly displeased.
The chatterers paled immediately.
“About the source claiming Team Leader Z is just a parachute and Executive Ho is only acting at Team Leader Im’s request…”
“T-That’s me…”
“Did you speak recklessly without evidence?”
“I-I’m sorry!”
He bowed hastily, but So Sung-hae’s cold response cut deeper.
“No need to apologize to me. Later, apologize directly to Team Leader Z.”
He twisted one side of his mouth in a smirk.
“Though, after seeing this, you won’t want to do anything else.”
The chatterers couldn’t ask why. The first clash had already begun.
As soon as Lee Hyun pulled out his two axes, he dashed forward.
BANG!!
A powerful shockwave shook the entire underground training room.
“…!”
“…!”
“…What is this!!”
Lee Hyun swung his axes downward with force, and Executive Ho drew his sword with a smile.
Even though steel struck steel, the waves generated by their colliding mana radiated several meters easily.
“Everyone, back up!”
“The shockwaves will accumulate!!”
Spectators finally realized this was a real sparring match, not a mere demonstration, and stepped back under the team leaders’ instructions.
Meanwhile…
“…Was Team Leader Jang really like this?”
“We should have realized when we heard he trained two rankers…”
Everyone swallowed nervously. Those who had gossiped about Lee Hyun were aghast, fearing he had overheard them.
Then,
[Rough shockwave detected. Reinforcing seismic structure and activating instance dungeon mode.]
The underground training room began transforming. It was a spatial item that isolated itself when high-level mana waves were detected.
[Spartan Rule]
Ancient Spartan warriors trained to fight without fear of death, repeatedly engaging without treatment or armor.
This space was designed as a rite of passage to reach the guardian deity Apollo. The more brutal the battle, the more pleased Apollo becomes.
-
Type: Combat support
-
Origin: Festival “Hyacinthia”
A transparent barrier formed around Lee Hyun and Executive Ho, naturally isolating the space. Internally, the area had expanded, with high shockwave absorption. They could continue their battle freely, but Kim Min-jung still worried.
It was 4:31 PM. Could they finish by 5 PM?
CRASH-BOOM
During Lee Hyun’s second attack, cyan-white lightning surged upward. Kim Min-jung let out a nervous laugh. The transparent barrier was overheating, steam rising—it was extremely hot inside. Thunder roared, shaking the barrier as if it might collapse. This was serious. Kim Min-jung quietly put away her watch, realizing she’d be late again.
[Duokshini’s Deep Breath (S+) outputs at maximum! Furious lightning fills the world!]
‘Let’s see how far I can showcase my skill…’ Lee Hyun spun his mana with all his might, wanting to fully master his Two-Paw technique, even without activating the Duok Brain Spirit fully.
[Rage Strike (S+) activated for barrage attack!]
[Trait: Two-Paw applied. Mastery increased to SS rank.]
…
[Stack accumulated.]
[Lightning strikes.]
Attack after attack…
[Horrific Pressure (A) immobilizes the opponent.]
[Gale Wind (A) forcibly swaps positions with the opponent.]
[Two-Paw integration raises both skills to S rank.]
Their skills fused, increasing in rank. Executive Ho barely flinched despite the brutal assault.
BANG! BANG! BOOM!!
Even deflecting the sword repeatedly caused axes to swing and lightning to dissipate. His blade penetrated tiny gaps with terrifying sharpness.
BOOM!!
Lee Hyun had to stop his attack and twist his body to raise the sword in response.
Most impressively, he hadn’t moved a single step since the sparring began.
Lee Hyun activated Hwa An Geum Jeong, a sacred technique.
[Sacred Relic: Hwa An Geum Jeong activated. Observing opponent’s mind carefully!]
[Rotating the long spear to find a gap.]
Even in his mind, Lee Hyun tried to find gaps in Executive Ho’s defenses, but the high-rank warrior’s fortress-like skill wouldn’t yield easily.
‘This is… a true high-ranker.’
The difference within the same rank was vast, incomparable to Jang Bai-en or Michael Shepard.
‘But this isn’t enough.’
He readjusted his neural output while moving. The “Fighting Dog” form hadn’t yet emerged.
Executive Ho’s nickname, Fighting Dog, was known for his feral intensity in battle.
“Not bad. You’ve improved even in just a few days.”
Executive Ho opened his eyes slightly. His gaze was fierce.
[Tradition, ‘Immortal Eating Iron’ growls ferociously!]
“You’ve learned something… impressive.”
“Thank you. I’ve learned more than my due.”
“Good. I’d almost doubt it’s the same person.”
“Thank you.”
“But this isn’t the end.”
Executive Ho laughed, baring his fangs.
“Show everything, or else…”
“You’ll die.”
Mana surged like a storm around him, his fangs gleaming, as if the world itself intended to devour Lee Hyun.
“I wasn’t hiding it. I just haven’t fully mastered it yet.”
[Yeo Chain deactivated!]
Black-gold chains unfurled around Lee Hyun, crackling with lightning. Connecting the chains to his axes made them hum violently.
“Looks like you mixed some iron I gave you?”
Executive Ho’s eyes widened. A new emotion formed: joy.
“Similar enough.”
“Then it will be powerful. Misstrike, and you’ll lose mana and tradition, right?”
“Yes. So be careful.”
Lee Hyun tossed the connected axe handle forcefully.
[Duokshini’s Rage erupts!]
Thunderous lightning struck, accompanied by the axe, as Lee Hyun swung a steel blade in his left hand, narrowly missing Executive Ho’s neck.
The iron sword, crude but lethal, surged forward.
[Tradition, ‘Immortal Eating Iron’ consumes opponent’s mana!]
[Attempting to corrupt the Sacred Relic with personal tradition.]
[Yeo Chain expresses displeasure.]
Devouring the opponent’s mana replenished Lee Hyun and damaged the item, potentially absorbing it fully.
‘This guy was famous for stealing sacred relics when he was young…’
During combat, his semi-mad nature once put him on Interpol’s red list.
Lee Hyun’s assault reignited Executive Ho’s suppressed fiendish temperament.
Sparks crackled as both felt the surge of feral power. Lee Hyun smiled at the fun ahead.
[Horrific Pressure (S) attempts to restrain the opponent!]
Invisible giant hands grasped Executive Ho from behind.
As Executive Ho’s feral energy resisted, Lee Hyun yanked the chain. The iron blade at the tip fell like a guillotine toward Executive Ho’s nape.
