Chapter 456: Can I Call You Hyung?

Clang!

Thunderous sounds of metal clashing echoed; sparks flew all over the place as shockwaves shook the training room.

"Kuh!" Kim Tae-Hyun grunted in frustration.

'What's going on?'

He held the initiative; Kim Si-Hun's attacks were not hurting him in the slightest and Si-Hun could not take his attacks head-on. Tae-Hyun's attacks were also faster since he possessed Nostrian's Will.

'So why?'

Why was he not able to bring the battle to an end? Tae-Hyun anxiously stared at Si-Hun, who was panting heavily.

'I wanted to show myself flooring the Sword Dragon.'

Tae-Hyun expressed disappointment. He glanced at Kang-Woo, who was calmly observing the battle.

'Kang-Woo.'

Tae-Hyun's heart beat rapidly as he recalled when he first met Kang-Woo. He was like a hero who had come to the rescue when Tae-Hyun was on the ground, on the verge of being kidnapped by the Andras Guild as a sacrifice. He recalled Kang-Woo leaving to eradicate evil without hesitation right after saving him. He admired Kang-Woo.

'I want to be like Kang-Woo too.'

He wanted to become a hero who protected the weak as well. He wanted to become just like the protagonists in the stories he had read, which was why he did his best to level up despite being disrespected for being a rogue.

'And I finally got my chance.'

Tae-Hyun clenched his necklace, immense power flowing into him through it. He had no idea what kind of power this was or whose it was, but he was certain about one thing: that it would make his dream come true.

'Please watch me, Kang-Woo.'

Tae-Hyun looked at his idol; he wanted to look as cool as possible in front of him of all people. He took a deep breath in, lowered his stance, gripped his dagger tightly, and slowly blinked.

'Foresight.'

Riiing.

[Activating 'Nostrian's Eye.']

Tae-Hyun set aside the message window in front of him and scanned Si-Hun. Foresight was a skill that he acquired after obtaining the item known as Nostrian's Eye in the unknown dungeon. It was a broken skill that allowed him to look five seconds into the future. He was easily able to block any attack that came his way with it.

"Haap!"

Clang—!!

The sword made of blue light cleaved into two. Si-Hun created another sword immediately after and fluidly continued his barrage of attacks, but none of his attacks managed to get past the small dagger. Si-Hun's sword was deflected all too easily by Tae-Hyun's dagger as if he were looking into the future.

"Haaa, haaa, haaa," Si-Hun panted heavily.

His palms were torn, red blood dripping on the ground.

'Damn...'

Si-Hun couldn't believe that every single attack was blocked perfectly. It was like playing chess against a computer. The result was the same however many times he attacked and even if he added feints. It was like trying to climb an insurmountable wall. He could even feel his Qi quickly being depleted.

'If only... If only I had Deific Essence.'

If so, Si-Hun would not be so easily overwhelmed. He would be able to overpower the enemy even if they knew his every move, but he was powerless because he did not possess Deific Essence.

'No.' Si-Hun bit his lip. 'Hyung beat Constellations of Evil back when he didn't have Deific Essence.'

To stand by Kang-Woo's side and walk alongside him, Si-Hun also needed to surpass that wall.

'I can do it.'

He needed to stand against desperate situations just like Kang-Woo had.

"Haaaaaaaahhh!" Si-Hun roared.

He clenched his sword with both hands as blood poured from his torn palms and pulled out what little remained of his Qi. He brought the sword above his head and swung it down with all his might.

'Heavenly Dragon Flash!'

Boooooooom!!

An enormous explosion shook the training room.

"Huff, huff," Si-Hun panted heavily as blood flowed from his mouth and his vision blurred.

"Phew. That one was a bit dangerous."

Tae-Hyun was staring at Si-Hun in surprise. Despite blocking the attack by predicting the future, Si-Hun's attack had been a serious threat.

Si-Hun's expression stiffened. His all-out attack had been nothing but a bit dangerous to his opponent. He lowered his head and said reluctantly, "... I've lost."

Deathly silence fell on the training room. The shocked Guardians members stared at Si-Hun with their mouths agape. Kim Si-Hun, the Sword Dragon who was second only to Kang-Woo in terms of strength, had lost.

"S-Si-Hun," Layla called with a hard expression.

Si-Hun did not answer; he only had his head lowered with his fists clenched with blood pouring from them.

Kang-Woo remained silent as he stared at Si-Hun.

'Tsk,' he clicked his tongue. 'I guess not even Si-Hun can overcome the difference made by Deific Essence.'

The conclusion that Kang-Woo came to after watching their battle was simple.

'Deific Essence is just hella broken.'

Tae-Hyun fought hard by moving as if he could see the future, but Si-Hun was objectively above him in all aspects. Rather, Si-Hun proved his overwhelming power by dragging a battle that he never had a chance of winning in the first place for this long.

'Si-Hun would have easily won if he had Deific Essence.'

Tae-Hyun was also very impressive for blocking every single attack as if he could see the future, but his movements were honestly very poor.

'He didn't become that strong through accumulation of effort.'

He simply won because he had better items. However, considering that Tae-Hyun grew to become this strong only after a month of obtaining that unknown power, his potential was promising.

'Especially with his movements that look as if he can see the future.'

Tae-Hyun would become far more powerful with time, to a point that not even Kang-Woo could fathom.

'That aside.'

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes as he stared at Tae-Hyun's necklace with the grotesque eye on it.

'What the hell is that?'

What sort of item could allow a below-average Player to surpass Si-Hun?

'He's not an incarnation.'

The power that Kang-Woo could feel from Tae-Hyun was different from regular Deific Essence for that to be the case.

Kang-Woo stared at Tae-Hyun, who was waving at him with a bright smile.

'I'll have to keep an eye on him for a bit.'

It would be difficult to decide what to do with Tae-Hyun until he figured out exactly what that necklace was. Kang-Woo entered the training room and clapped.

"Great job, you two," he remarked.

"Hyung-nim."

"Don't be so down, Si-Hun." Kang-Woo lightly patted Si-Hun's shoulder. "You did your best."

Si-Hun aggressively bit his lip and lowered his head again, his shoulders subtly trembling.

Kang-Woo was about to say something to Si-Hun but decided not to.

He had recently experienced the pain that came with being weighed down by one's powerlessness.

'I should just... leave him alone for now.'

Si-Hun needed some stimulation since he barely had any since the incident with Tai Wuji.

'Si-Hun hasn't grown at all since then.'

He had stayed the same from the moment that he stabbed Tai Wuji.

'I guess it makes sense since the trauma pressuring him has disappeared.'

Si-Hun was freed from his trauma but now that he was free, he was no longer desperate.

'Si-Hun is already at a point where he can acquire Deific Essence on his own.'

However, he lacked something decisive that would allow him to surpass the wall and become even stronger.

'Not even this would be enough.'

Kang-Woo clicked his tongue as he stared at Si-Hun, who had his head lowered. He was devastated by the loss, but he likely thought that it couldn't be helped.

'He's probably thinking that he would've won if he had Deific Essence.'

If one lost in a game because of the difference in items compared to their opponent, they wouldn't feel desperation or aspiration. They would feel that they couldn't have done anything about it rather than a desire to improve themselves or aspire to become stronger.

'He needs stronger stimulation.'

Si-Hun needed something that would make him feel even more desperate.

"Ngh," Kang-Woo groaned.

It was hard to figure out what to do. He couldn't stage a Layla kidnapping again like last time either.

'He might digivolve into a Skull Greymon again if I push him too hard.'

Kang-Woo needed something that would push Si-Hun to just the right extent and make him desperate for just the right amount.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't think of anything. Just then...

"Umm... Kang-Woo," Tae-Hyun called,

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something."

"N-Not at all!"

Tae-Hyun quickly shook his head. Kang-Woo smirked. If Uriel was like a slightly cranky cat, then Tae-Hyun was like a loyal dog.

'Looks like I'm being rewarded for living like a saint.'

Kang-Woo would have never expected the rogue that he saved that day to come back to him in this way. The saintly life that he could swear by the heavens that he had lived was finally rewarding him. Kang-Woo smiled in satisfaction.

'I still can't fully trust him, but he'll become a good pawn as long as he stays this loyal to me.'

Kang-Woo smiled nastily.

'No, no.' He erased the impure thoughts. 'I could never use someone. I am light. I am light. I am light.'

Kang-Woo smiled brightly and extended his hand toward Tae-Hyun. "Welcome to Guardians."

"Ah..."

Tae-Hyun shook with excitement. He clenched his fists and muttered to himself, "Nice."

Kang-Woo chuckled at how genuinely moved Tae-Hyun was.

'He's the perfect pawn— I mean, comrade.'

It was as if a perfectly ripe truckload of watermelons was dropped in front of his house. Kang-Woo gripped Tae-Hyun's hand tighter as light filled his heart.

"Umm... K-Kang-Woo," Tae-Hyun called cautiously.

"Yes?"

"Umm... Could I..." Tae-Hyun gulped and continued, "P-Perhaps... call you hyung?"

"Oh, yes. Of course, you can."

It was not a difficult request; rather, Kang-Woo welcomed the idea of becoming closer to Tae-Hyun.

"Ah, hahaha! Th-Thank you very much, Kang-Woo hyung! You can speak casually to me!"

"Okay, sure." Kang-Woo nodded with a smile."... Hm?"

Kang-Woo saw Si-Hun drop his sword made of blue sword energy, which dissipated into the air before it hit the ground. He could see Si-Hun trembling in shock with his eyes wide open.

'The hell? What's up with you, Si-Hun?'