Ch. 24 — Park Siwoo 2

Park Siwoo gazed blankly at Kim Minwoo.

He was practically in a state of giving up on Awakening. Hearing those words in such a situation made him feel strangely emotional.

“…Thank you.”

“Yeah. You’ll do it?”

“Yes. What else can I say? When given an opportunity, you have to seize it. I’ll work hard!”

Park Siwoo nodded earnestly.

“Let’s pack up with your sister. I’ll arrange accommodation for you.”

“Yes.”

So the two returned to the orphanage.

“Oh my! This is wonderful! Both Siwoo and Arin are such diligent and kind children. I’ll entrust them to you!”

“Yes. I’ll take good care of them. Oh, and I donated some funds to the orphanage. I’ll come every year.”

“Yes? If you’re talking about donations… gasp! Ba, a hundred billion…?”

The director’s face softened at the substantial donation. The discharge of the two happened very quickly.

Park Siwoo and Park Arin.

Their accommodation was arranged in a luxurious apartment, not far from their original home.

“Oh, oppa… Are we really going to live here?”

Arin’s eyes trembled at the sight of what looked like a multi-billion-dollar apartment.

Park Siwoo also couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Hyung… This place seems too expensive…”

“It’s your home now. I’ve already transferred the ownership.”

“What?!”

“Don’t be so surprised. It’s just this much.”

The calm manner in which Kim Minwoo spoke left both of them speechless.

From casually donating billions to handing over top-notch apartments…

‘He really lives in a different world…’

Park Siwoo was astonished.

“By the way, I’m never going to take it back, just so you know.”

“…Thank you. Arin, you should say thank you too.”

“Oppa! Thank you so, so much! I’ll definitely repay this kindness!”

Their expressions of gratitude continued endlessly.

After handing over a house, Kim Minwoo set off with Park Siwoo.

“Have you tried everything you could so far?”

“Yes. But I still haven’t awakened.”

It was understandable.

While players might easily attempt challenges right after starting, Park Siwoo wasn’t a player. He didn’t know the conditions, so he could only stumble around.

“Let’s spar for just a week.”

“Spar?”

“Yeah. Let’s start by properly sharpening your senses.”

To challenge high achievements, Park Siwoo’s senses needed to be sharpened to the maximum.

And so, the hellish training began.

* * *

For a whole week, Park Siwoo sparred with Kim Minwoo.

And, he didn’t win a single time.

‘He’s amazing.’

Park Siwoo was impressed.

He had been confident in his swordsmanship since he was young. And that was because he had always won.

However, facing Kim Minwoo was different.

Despite the fact that the sparring was conducted at an ordinary level physically, Park Siwoo felt utterly powerless in front of Kim Minwoo’s sword.

‘I heard he was a swordsman recognized by the Sword Saint….’

Park Siwoo was experiencing firsthand the vastness of the world and the abundance of skilled individuals. Covered in sweat and collapsed, Park Siwoo looked up to see Kim Minwoo smiling.

“Are you tired?”

“Ugh. I feel like I’m about to die, hyung.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. Drink this potion.”

Kim Minwoo handed him a potion, which Park Siwoo gulped down. His body, which felt like it would collapse at any moment, began to recover in an instant.

“You’ve improved a lot. You’re quite usable now.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah, kid. Have you already forgotten the first day? You didn’t even manage to block twenty strikes. Now you’re blocking hundreds.”

“Seeing you, it’s hard to believe that I’ve improved…”

“You’re quite talented, you know.”

He said it casually, but Kim Minwoo’s true feelings were different.

‘He’s a real monster.’

He truly was a monster.

He had been absorbing experiences and expertise gained over fifteen years of playing games at an astonishing rate.

His growth rate was staggering.

‘I’m lucky he’s in a different class.’

That’s how much he had grown. It was fortunate that their classes were different, otherwise he might have been completely overshadowed.

‘But even so, his growth is starting to slow down now.’

Park Siwoo’s swordsmanship, which had been growing at an explosive rate, was starting to hit a wall. Unless he had some kind of sudden inspiration, it would be difficult for him to break through that wall in one go.

‘And it takes too long to give him that kind of inspiration.’

Achieving enlightenment was as random as it could be. It could come from a passing autumn leaf or it could leave you stagnant for years if you were unlucky.

‘He’s already reached the level I was aiming for, so this is enough.’

The current Park Siwoo was much more complete than he was when he played Park Siwoo himself.

It was a satisfactory result.

He would definitely be S-rank or above.

And luck was also on his side.

Seeing snow falling from the sky, he smiled. The timing, being winter, was perfect.

“I think we’re ready. Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll know when you follow me.”

He headed out of the training ground with Park Siwoo.

The car they boarded started to move off.

“……Brother, isn’t this an uninhabited island?”

Indeed, the destination was a small uninhabited island.

“Yeah. It is.”

“Why are we… here?”

“Have you been to an uninhabited island before?”

“Yes, only once.”

“Was it snowing that day?”

“No.”

“Did you fight?”

“No, I just swung my sword around a bit since I went alone…”

“And that’s it.”

Park Siwoo’s awakening condition was extremely specific. Without knowing it, it would be nearly impossible to find.

‘That’s why even chaebols can’t awaken if they don’t know the conditions.’

On the other hand, players were different. Park Siwoo’s first character had a very detailed tutorial.

The tutorial that starts with a ‘dream’.

‘It tells you everything there.’

The content of the dream is simple.

It started on a snowy uninhabited island, where monsters appeared for combat training.

At first, five goblins appear and if you defeat them.

A message kindly tells you, ‘I feel a strong feeling that I will awaken if I fight in this place.’

‘Well, if you can’t defeat goblins, it’s an infinite loop, but…’

That was why Kim Minwoo brought Park Siwoo here.

“Do you think I can awaken here, hyung?”

“I don’t know. But if you haven’t tried, there’s a possibility.”

“Well… maybe.”

Park Siwoo nodded, not having much to refute.

The awakening conditions were so diverse that no one could guess fighting on an uninhabited island in the snow would be one of them.

Of course, the likelihood was extremely low.

Just then.

“Come with me.”

At that moment, hundreds of skeletons were summoned with Kim Minwoo’s command.

Park Siwoo’s eyes widened at the sight.

It seemed there were well over 500 of them, far exceeding the approximately 300 mentioned in the media.

“Hyung, can you summon this many skeletons?”

“There’s a saying that you should hide 30% of your strength.”

This was not hiding 30%, but everything?

Addressing the astonished Park Siwoo, Kim Minwoo spoke.

“Your task is simple. Just fight these guys. Cedric?”

― Is that human the one who was supposed to be hidden?

“Yeah. Don’t just watch, but do it properly. Got it?”

― Of course.

“Siwoo, you’ll fight with my summoned creatures. Cedric will command them.”

“…Understood.”

Park Siwoo nodded.

Whether this would help him awaken or not, it didn’t matter.

He owed a great debt to his benefactor, regardless.

‘I’ll just do whatever he tells me to.’

That’s what Park Siwoo resolved in his heart. Surely Kim Minwoo wouldn’t act in a way that would bury him alive on this uninhabited island.

There was no reason for him to do so.

“Please, Cedric.”

― The master said you were a useful piece of material, but I don’t expect much.

Shortly after, the skeletons began to rush towards Park Siwoo.

—

Clang!

A skeleton viciously thrust its spear. Dodging the attack, Park Siwoo swiftly sliced through the skeleton’s torso.

On his path lay hundreds of skeletons turned to dust.

‘He’s amazing.’

Cedric was secretly impressed.

The average level of the skeleton soldiers was 17.

Despite only wearing basic equipment, they were much stronger than ordinary goblins, thanks to their accumulated combat experience.

And yet, an unawakened human like Park Siwoo had defeated hundreds of them.

‘He must have never been in a real battle before….’

Even so, there was no hesitation in his movements.

Clean and deadly blows.

The sight of him cutting through the bones of the skeleton soldiers in a single stroke, perfectly aligned with their vital points, almost made him clap.

‘I didn’t think there would be a swordsman of that caliber besides the master.’

As Park Siwoo engaged in combat, he grew stronger at an astonishing rate.

Cedric glanced at Kim Minwoo.

―… Where did the master find such a person?

“There’s a place called an orphanage.”

―An orphanage. To nurture such a swordsman, it must be an exceptional place.

“Well, I suppose.”

An orphanage.

He should visit it someday when he has the chance.

Who knows? He might find another talent like this.

With each battle, a blue aura began to intensify around Park Siwoo’s body.

The process of achievement blossoming.

Once all the battles were over, the achievements would be settled.

Cedric spun his spear.

The wall of skeletons had now become infinitely thin.

Another fight was imminent.

It seemed exciting.

Soon, Park Siwoo, battered and bruised, approached.

“Ha… Ha…”

―Tired?

“…Still going strong.”

Cedric nodded at Park Siwoo’s fiery determination, as if he could take on five hundred more skeletons.

―Human. What’s your name?

“I’m Park Siwoo.”

―I’ll remember that.

An individual worth remembering.

Cedric aimed his spear.

―I’ve adjusted my physical abilities to your level

The spearhead instantly pierced towards Park Siwoo’s head.

“Ugh!”

Quickly dodging, Park Siwoo narrowly avoided the multiple spear thrusts aimed at him.

Veins of blood surged across his body. If he had reacted even a moment later, there would have been holes in his limbs.

‘He’s fast!’

Though their speeds were similar, it felt like he was moving much slower. The elongated spear completely dominated the space around it.

[Awakening in progress!]

[Achievements are starting to blossom even more!]

With each clash between the spear and the sword, a bluish light grew increasingly intense around Park Siwoo’s body.

‘I’m being pushed back.’

Park Siwoo quickly grasped the situation. Cedric was a master of the spear.

Closing the distance was incredibly difficult. He was gradually being cornered, like prey being hunted.

His body was already exhausted.

‘If this keeps up, I’ll be defeated without achieving anything!’

Park Siwoo instinctively felt it was a turning point.

If he hesitated here, it would be over.

His body was tired.

He had already faced many enemies.

Cedric was no pushover.

That was ultimately just an excuse.

‘What Minwoo hyung wants from me is high achievements.’

He didn’t know why.

It didn’t matter.

What mattered most was that Kim Minwoo wanted it.

He had invested generously in him.

He wanted to repay that kindness.

Park Siwoo’s eyes hardened as if he had made a decision.

Then, he stepped forward.

Naturally, Park Siwoo’s sword moved towards the spear blocking his path.

He lightly deflected the sword resting on the spearhead.

The direction of the spear, aimed at his heart, shifted slightly.

Without hesitation, Park Siwoo threw himself forward.

*Thunk!*

The spear pierced his side.

As the spear was lodged in his body, his sword slashed downwards in a single motion.

Swish!

The blade sliced through Cedric’s arm.

‘Damn it….’

He had aimed for his head.

Cedric’s response was also skilled.

He twisted his body for a moment, avoiding a fatal blow.

Thanks to that, the strike didn’t land as intended.

Park Siwoo collapsed to the ground, still pierced by the spear. Blood was gushing out of his side.

Kim Minwoo quickly pulled out a potion and rushed towards him.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Cough! Hyung, I’m… fine…”

“Don’t talk! Just stay still!”

As the potion was poured, the wounds began to heal. In a haze, Park Siwoo closed his eyes.

Then, a burst of blue light erupted from his body. It was an overwhelming glare that seemed to engulf the entire uninhabited island.

* * *

‘I didn’t expect him to throw himself at the spear like that.’

The judgment to trade flesh for bone.

A judgment made by a novice who had never experienced a real battle was incredibly bold.

Thanks to that, the tables almost turned.

If Cedric had reacted even a little slower, his head would have been split in two.

‘He’s something else, that kid.’

He looked at the unconscious Park Siwoo.

Since he had generously poured the highest-rank potion, he should be fine now.

By now, his achievements should be calculated. Judging by the intensity of the light, it was definitely S or higher.

Then, a message popped up.

– One of the main characters, ‘Park Siwoo,’ has achieved SSS-rank achievement!

– You have greatly changed ‘Park Siwoo’s’ fate!

– The story is beginning to change!

– Massive achievement points are awarded!

“Wow.”

Kim Minwoo exclaimed.

The significance of achieving an SSS-rank achievement was evident from Cedric’s reaction.

Although he was currently experiencing a lot of hardships due to his low level…

The knight who flew on dragons was rankd as SSS.

‘He deserves it.’

Not only had he hunted down 500 powerful skeletons stronger than goblins, but he also showed remarkable performance against an SSS-rank summon.

Achieving an SSS-rank achievement wasn’t too strange.

‘Anyway, my prediction was right.’

The expectation that giving a significant change to the main character would earn achievement points was spot on.

‘Achievement Shop.’

[Opening the Achievement Shop!]

[Rank: Bronze]

[Owned Achievement Points: 330]

[Product List]

[1. Limit Break Potion]

[Required Achievement Points: 100]

[2. ???]

[3. ???]

…

…

“300 points?”

Previously, he had earned 30 points from hunting Lee Seoyoon. Now, he had received ten times that amount.

The Limit Break Potion increased the level potential by 50 each…

‘So now I can go up to level 350?’

With over 1,800 days of gameplay.

Finally, Kim Minwoo’s level cap had surpassed that of a neighborhood F-rank Awakened.

This was nothing short of miraculous.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]