Chapter 13

===================

Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

“You want to learn a technique to move quickly?”

An outskirts area with a shabby atmosphere.

Heading to the slum hideout, Han-bit faced a young girl with blonde hair.

[Ria]

Pickpocket Ria.

It was quite a famous name in the back alleys of Edlen.

Rather than stealing recklessly, she sort of imitated a righteous thief.

“Hmm.”

Standing up while dusting her shorts, she scanned Han-bit up and down.

At that moment.

Swoosh!

Suddenly, along with the sound of the wind, Ria’s body disappeared.

Tap.

“Too sluggish.”

Appearing in front of his eyes once again, Ria held a small sack in her hand.

“I took 5,000 Gold as the tuition fee. Super cheap, right?”

[You have lost 5,000 Gold.]

Just as the system described, 5,000 Gold disappeared from the inventory.

This flow, far too familiar, brought back old memories once again.

“What’s this? Why no reaction?”

“You said it’s a tuition fee? And you are going to teach me anyway.”

“… Of course. I don’t lie.”

Ria replied while pouting her lips.

Stowing the money into her bag, she turned her back.

“First, try and catch me. You can use whatever method you want, but if you can’t catch me, it’s invalid, got it?”

Tap!

Leaving those words behind, the girl vanished in an instant.

A message immediately popped up.

Ding.

[Quest]

Ria, who said she would teach you a technique, has run away.

Search through Edlen and try to find her.

Objective: Catch Ria.

Reward: Ria’s Swiftness Technique Book (Rank 1 – ?), 1 Stat Point, 100 Experience Points.

Time Limit: 3 Hours

– Instant runner?

– She comes back on her own when the time limit ends.

– Has anyone caught her within 3 hours?

– Waiting here is the best play.

– Yeah, she just comes back home anyway. Lol.

Advice from those who experienced it poured out through and through.

However, Han-bit leisurely moved his steps.

“Huh? You’re leaving? You’ll absolutely never catch her even if you get lucky and find her.”

“I know.”

“Then what are you going to do? It’s a guaranteed Common grade if the time limit passes.”

A natural question thrown by Yeon-woo.

The answer was far too simple.

“I just have to ask someone who can catch her.”

***

Atsbel’s peaceful general store.

Barging into that place, Han-bit abruptly spoke to her.

“Help me catch Ria.”

“Suddenly?”

Atsbel, who had welcomed Han-bit with a smile, changed to an absurd expression.

The reaction, far too vivid, set the chat window aflame.

– That AI performance. Shivers.

– Just what kind of game is RP.

– The woman who never smiles for me is smiling at Black Dragon.

– Just wait! I’m coming right now too!

– Breaking News) Still haven’t found a Bomb Slime.

– Please keep waiting until tomorrow~

“But how do you know Ria?”

“You two are sworn sisters, right? It was famous around the hideout street?”

“… Don’t tell me you got your pocket picked?”

She, who had experienced similar situations a few times, asked while slightly narrowing her brow.

Han-bit shook his head and answered.

“No, we’re playing a game of tag.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

This time, her eyebrows furrowed harshly.

“You’re going to help, right?”

“Hah…”

Atsbel let out a deep sigh.

Then, she stood up from her seat.

“Come out. I’m locking the door.”

Leaving the store, the two stepped out onto the street.

Looking around, Atsbel immediately moved her steps.

She was predicting exactly where the girl would be.

“So, does she say she’ll give you something if you catch her?”

“I’m trying to learn moving quickly.”

“Ah, it was that?”

She nodded her head as if she understood.

Atsbel and the pickpocket girl Ria.

The relationship between the two famous figures in the slum hideout was close to that of a guardian and a ward.

Having taken care of her for over 7 years, they were almost identical to real sisters.

Should one say right now was the girl’s season of adolescent rebellion.

Meow.

Purr.

Heading into a deep alley, the two stopped their feet.

A small staircase where sunlight uniquely shone down.

There, a girl was playing with cats.

“Ria.”

“Huh?”

At the familiar voice, Ria widened her eyes.

“I’m busy, so stop playing tag.”

“How did you, sis…”

The girl blankly looking alternatively between Han-bit and Atsbel.

Then, as if she realized something, she raised her voice.

“This is foul play! Why did you bring Atsbel unni! More importantly, how do you two know each other?”

Visibly flustered, Ria made an expression of injustice.

“Didn’t you say to try and catch you using whatever method I want?”

“No…”

As he brought out the sound logic, she was left speechless.

The most effective move against Ria.

That was Atsbel.

“Hurry up and teach him. Ria, come back to the store. You know what happens if you don’t, right?”

“… Got it.”

At that warning, the girl’s shoulders drooped heavily.

“We’re done, right? I’m leaving.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Atsbel smirked and returned to the store.

Thump.

Approaching closer, Han-bit lightly patted Ria’s shoulder.

20 minutes.

It was the time it took to catch the pickpocket girl.

“Want to try more?”

“Forget it!”

Shaking off his arm, Ria glared at Han-bit while frowning.

Then, she pulled out a blue book from her bag and handed it over as if throwing it.

“A fast movement starts from proper stepping. Got it?”

Ding.

[Quest completed.]

[Based on the clear time, the paid reward is adjusted upwards to the maximum value.]

[You received Ria’s Swiftness Technique Book (Rank 1 – Unique).]

[Stat Points increased from 1 ⟶ 3.]

[Experience Points increased from 100 ⟶ 500.]

[Level has increased.]

[1 Stat Point is acquired.]

– So this works like this;

– Is iiiiiiiiit Unique again?

– How the hell am I supposed to know Atsbel and Ria are sworn sisters?

– At this point, isn’t the web novel the problem?

– Disclose the original work, seriously.

– What if Black Dragon is actually the author?

– I approve of that reasonable deduction.

The chat window became heated again, but he had achieved his goal.

“I’m leaving!”

Kicking the ground, the girl instantly vanished from sight.

Han-bit immediately used the book held in his hand.

Poof!

‘Swiftness’ registered to the skill tree along with the vanishing book.

Watching that, Yeon-woo asked with a dumbfounded expression.

“Is this really the end of it?”

“It’s a heartwarming ending where she goes to visit the store of the older sister who raised her since she was little.”

“… It is heartwarming, right?”

– Heart? Warming?

– The kid’s expression didn’t look good.

– Atsbel would probably be f*cking scary if she gets mad.

Yeon-woo and the viewers didn’t show much doubt regarding the relationship between the two.

They simply consider Atsbel and Ria as mere NPCs to learn skills from.

‘… I guess it can’t be helped.’

The players failed to form proper relationships with Atsbel.

Because they had all, without exception, sent her to prison, making even conversation impossible.

They probably just fervently followed the guidebook, but it can’t be undone now.

“People don’t all solely follow the guidebook, right?”

“Probably? There are a ton of solo players, and they don’t release all their information to the community either.”

Even if the majority followed the guidebook, people walking different paths existed.

However, since Atsbel’s quest appeared for the first time, it meant no one had found the correct method.

Naturally, Ria must have also remained an NPC with a faint presence.

‘There was another reason the main story was a mess.’

The story of Edlen confirmed in the guidebook.

Not even once did Atsbel and Ria make an appearance.

Thinking it was a snowball effect that started with Julio’s scam, it was a truly foolish story.

“Let’s go. Gotta learn the next skill.”

“Oh, the last was Swordsmanship, right? For this, I am truly your senior.”

– Bound to get his butt kicked like a dog later.

– For real lol.

– Highly recommend if Loafer shuts down the stream out of self-shame.

Swordsmanship, finally making its appearance.

Even though he said it was Yeon-woo’s main skill, the viewers were already teasing him.

“Ay, I still raised it to Rank 2, though? Do you know how hard I worked.”

“What’s the grade?”

“… Uncommon.”

– Oh, you too?

– Me too. Hehe

– Viewer average. Lol.

Proficient Swordsmanship, the second skill of the Swordsmanship tree.

It was just a passive skill that evolved from Basic to Proficient.

“You learned that following the guidebook too, right?”

“But there was nothing complicated in the first place. You just have to swing a wooden sword for about an hour and do a simple spar.”

“Good for you. You don’t have talent for Swordsmanship.”

“… Your words are contradicting each other. Don’t tell me you’re gonna acquire this at Unique grade too?”

– No way.

– This one isn’t happening.

– Please say no.

– Information) The most people in RP take the Swordsmanship skill tree.

– That person is me.

Viewers who seemed to have already learned Swordsmanship cried out pitifully.

However, it couldn’t be helped.

“Let’s go.”

The two immediately headed into the forest.

A low mountain climbing along a winding path.

As they continued following the path, a small cabin came into view near the summit.

[Swordsman Balder]

A middle-aged man sitting at the table in front of the door.

He was holding a barrel of liquor in his hand.

“I came to learn some Swordsmanship.”

Gulp. Gulp.

At the question, the swordsman gulped down the liquor a few times.

Then, just shifting only his gaze, he spoke.

“Swing the wooden sword. Until I tell you to stop.”

Ding.

[Quest]

You must learn Swordsmanship from Swordsman Balder.

If you pass his test, you will be able to learn Swordsmanship fitting your level.

Objective: Swing the wooden sword until Balder gives the instruction.

Reward: Linked Quest Unlocked

Accepting the quest, Han-bit picked up the wooden sword mounted on one side.

Then, the atmosphere in the chat window slightly changed.

– It took me an hour and a half.

– Don’t you think there’s a minimum count?

– Nah, posture is important, but you just gotta endure until the end.

– Did you forget Black Dragon doing Archery? 30-minute cut.

– BS. Lol. The shortest time ever recorded is 28 minutes.

– Communities aren’t everything.

– Still, forced praise is a bit;

All sorts of advice and speculations poured out from viewers who had experienced it early on.

The orthodox view was that no matter how fast, it wouldn’t be under 40 minutes.

Reading through the chat window, Han-bit thought of something.

“Then shall we make a bet? Done within 30 minutes, or not?”

“Oh, I like that!”

Yeon-woo quickly picked up the words and responded.

– 30 minutes. Lol.

– Like hell that’ll happen?

– Is there no NSA?

[SwordGod has registered a 200,000 won challenge mission.]

[Success if finished within 25 minutes. If fail, don’t take the money and go bungee jump off a cliff.]

– SwordGod. Shivers.

– Shaved off 5 minutes like a rat. Lmaooo

– Look at that refreshing penalty.

– If he doesn’t give money either, he’s more vicious than NAA;

“25 minutes? No, that makes no sense!”

Yeon-woo reacted first to the increased difficulty.

Seeing that, Han-bit feigned surprise and replied.

“25 minutes? Hmm…”

“Even so, isn’t it too difficult?”

“I’ll just try it for now, why not.”

– He’s actually doing this. Lol.

– Isn’t this an abusive power trip, at this point?

– If it’s unfair, he just gotta succeed.

– If it’s 25 mins, I’ll place a bet too.

– Worth throwing a thousand won at.

– If he fails, it’s 0 won. Lol.

[KitchenKnife has supported 20,000 won to the challenge mission.]

[25 minutes. Lmaoooo]

[SwordMister has supported 70,000 won to the challenge mission.]

[Even so, 25 minutes is a bit…]

…

“Wow! 800,000 won! Thank you!”

[Prize Money: 807,000 won]

Along with Yeon-woo’s voice, the prize money broke through 800,000 won.

‘800,000 won?’

Han-bit’s eyes widened at the amount, nearly double what Archery had garnered.

He heard Swordsmanship was popular, but he didn’t know it was to this extent.

“Phew.”

Exhaling briefly, Han-bit gripped the wooden sword with both hands.

And he quietly closed his eyes.

– Pretending to be a super expert. Shivers.

– Chuunibyou ON

– He was full of emotions. Lol.

Han-bit’s body, which had focused in an instant, didn’t even have a tremor.

At his unfamiliar appearance, the viewers teased him while laughing.

However, the swordsman was different.

“…?”

His action of drinking liquor stopped.

A bizarre atmosphere that even wrapped around the silence.

Before anyone could fully discern what it was, Black Dragon’s wooden sword was swung.

Swish!

A single, sweeping motion that cut the wind.

A voice naturally leaked out from the mouth of the swordsman who had dropped his liquor barrel.

“Stop. That is sufficient.”