Chapter 8
Joining the party of the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol in the game, Do Gyounwoo was subject to certain constraints.
As a result, players, aside from being forced to include Do Gyounwoo in party formation, generally avoided adding him to the party.
This was because those constraints significantly hindered Do Gyounwoo’s performance.
“His gift was both an advantage and a disadvantage.”
Do Gyounwoo’s gift, the instinct to evade.
The instinct to evade prompted him to move instinctively when sensing a life-threatening situation, helping him avoid danger.
For Do Gyounwoo, a nimble swordsman, this gift was extremely useful.
One could also view it as a gift that reflected Do Gyounwoo’s timid and delicate nature quite well.
That’s why it became a constraint.
[Do Gyounwoo refuses the command.]
[Do Gyounwoo evades the attack.]
Controlling instincts was not easy.
The instinct to evade was no exception.
The manifestation of the survival instinct to evade sometimes led Do Gyounwoo to defy the player’s commands and move as he pleased.
He would often ignore attack commands and opt for evasive actions instead.
From the player’s perspective, it was frustrating dealing with Do Gyounwoo’s defiance.
“Do Gyounwoo.”
– Sorry for causing you trouble for no reason…
If you knew, you should’ve fixed it.
However, once Do Gyounwoo underwent an awakening event in the latter part of the story, his evaluation completely changed.
“Do Gyounwoo.”
– I don’t want to die like this. I don’t want to be protected by others anymore. I… I will fight.
From that point on.
Do Gyounwoo gains control over his gift and no longer succumbs to fear.
Moreover, the player can now fully utilize Do Gyounwoo’s abilities.
The awakened Do Gyounwoo…
“It’s said that characters who awaken late are ridiculously strong.”
There’s no other way to put it.
Despite variations in Do Gyounwoo’s performance due to players’ training, fundamentally, he effortlessly evades most attacks and takes down enemies.
It was even said that…
With just Do Gyounwoo well-developed, the latter part of the game becomes much easier to progress through.
As exaggerated as it may sound, it was somewhat true.
Hence…
“If you wait until the latter part of the story, it’s too late. How can you wait for that?”
I thought that the awakening, which usually happens in the latter part of the story, could be brought forward to the present.
It might be impossible in the game, but in the real world, it would be entirely achievable.
There isn’t even a condition that awakening is possible only in the latter part of the story when I control my instinct to evade.
If it’s about how to awaken, it’s not difficult.
＜Water Dragon Style Attack Form 3＞
Lion Iron Blade
Pushing myself to the limit.
I swung my sword at the two goblins rushing towards me.
***
When facing goblins for the first time, my impression was, “This should be manageable.”
Observing the movements of the smaller creatures than me, I didn’t feel any danger.
In reality, I could easily kill that creature.
“Two should be doable as well.”
Facing two goblins wasn’t much different from before.
Just watch carefully.
Though my focus was divided, in the end, it was just a matter of following with both eyes.
One goblin per eye.
Having the goblins in sight, I measured the distance and swung my sword.
As a result, with one slash, I could split them vertically.
Their bodies scattered blue blood as they fell to the ground.
“Phew…”
Turning away from that sight, I said to my father,
“Next, please.”
“…Take a break.”
“I’m fine with this level.”
“Stubborn… 3 more to go.”
Exhaling as if resigned, my father released three goblins tied up.
Kicking the wobbling creatures without a hint of sympathy, he forced them towards me.
Kieeek!
Perhaps having fought twice already, the creatures quickly grasped the situation.
They exchanged glances, picked up weapons from the ground, and charged towards me.
“Is this a disruption tactic?”
Recalling the two previous battles.
To prevent them from entering my sight, I widened the distance, scattering them in all directions.
Then, he enveloped me.
“I can’t see the remaining two.”
Focusing on the one in front, I couldn’t move hastily as I was concerned about the others in different directions.
And then, it happened.
“…!”
For a moment, it felt like an electric current running down my spine.
Simultaneously, my body tried to move on its own, regardless of my will.
“The Gift has been activated!”
It was the instinctive evasion sensing danger and reacting instantly.
Astounded by the sensation that was hard to describe in words, I swiftly entrusted my body to that feeling.
Swish!
A throwing knife flew from behind.
While concentrating on the one in front, one of them had stealthily moved behind me and hurled a weapon.
I dodged the knife and caught sight of the one making a frustrated expression from a distance.
“I’ll take you down first.”
I immediately turned around.
Without hesitation, I ran towards the one who had lost their weapon.
Kieeek!
At that moment, a sound came from behind.
Two goblins were chasing after me, revealing their backs.
“It’s okay now.”
Once bitten, twice shy.
As I took the next step, I spread my internal mana around.
Sensory net.
The mana spread out in a ripple, detecting the presence of mana within a certain radius.
I could pinpoint the location of the two following me from behind.
Since they were a considerable distance away, I didn’t worry about being caught.
Of course, it was a sufficient distance for them to throw weapons.
Swish!
Still, there was no need to worry.
The instinctive evasion had been triggered.
The current that started from my neck swiftly passed through my entire nervous system.
I adjusted my course according to the instinct’s call.
Their attacks ended in vain.
And thus…
＜Basic Form of the Water King Style: Form 2＞
The Stance of the Fierce Tiger
I killed the target I had been aiming for.
Thinking of it as a free-for-all, I slashed the neck of the one who lunged at me horizontally.
Instantly slowing down my running speed, I pivoted on one foot as an axis to change direction.
*Keyeok!*
I ended up facing the guys who were chasing me from behind.
I aimed my sword at the guys who were slowing down their speed belatedly.
──!!
Compressing the mana within my body, I rotate it.
Then, I infuse the mana that escaped from my heart into the mana circuit contained in the joint necessary to swing the sword.
Furthermore, I envelop the sword with mana.
＜Water King Style Attack Form 1＞
Lion’s Roar Decapitation
A slashing strike that seems like tearing apart.
I released the energy imbued in the sword.
*Shi-ik!*
The form of the strike is not smooth.
It is a technique that leaves uneven wounds on the target hit by the jagged and sharp strike.
A strike that slows down recovery.
…Kiaaah!
As the strike engulfed the goblins, it tore them apart as if devouring them.
“Next, I’ll take on the four.”
“…Understood.”
—
Increasing from three to four made no significant difference.
As long as I remained vigilant and fought, I could handle them adequately.
“Having more foes is getting annoying.”
Of course, it did require a fair bit of mental strength.
As I aimed at one, I had to be alert in case others attacked me, which consumed more mental energy than physical.
“I can’t go on like this.”
After finishing the fourth battle without realizing it,
I wiped the sweat off my forehead and got lost in thought.
For the game’s protagonist, the awakening comes when they realize that without fighting tooth and nail, neither they nor their comrades could survive.
It meant they were pushed to their limits physically and mentally.
Hence, I needed to push myself even further into a corner than I am now.
“Now, is this the final one? I’ll go right ahead.”
“There’s no need to rush.”
“I think I can do it.”
“Don’t let your guard down and get hurt. It’s the final stretch, so be more careful.”
“Yes, I will.”
Father offered his advice.
I nodded to Father and kept an eye on the remaining goblins.
Five of them.
They were at least a head taller than those we had faced before.
“These ones might be a bit different. They are the ones who have been observing you fight closely, turning their heads as they watch you.”
Even if Father hadn’t said that, I could sense it.
These goblins were different from the others, starting from their gaze.
The untied ones seemed to have been waiting, stood up as if on cue, picked up their weapons, and headed towards me.
Soon, the battle commenced with them…
Key-yaah…
While it was quite a long battle fighting off the five, I managed to gradually reduce their numbers and gain the upper hand.
Finally, the last goblin met its end, pierced by my sword.
[Successfully conquered the gate.]
At that moment.
As that message popped up….
Whoosh!
Particles of light gathered before me, transforming into a key-like form.
It was the gate key that Father had inserted into the artificial gate.
“….”
The key fell into my hand.
It was deemed that the gate had contributed the most to the conquest by me.
Unlike in the game where gate keys automatically belonged to the protagonist, in this world, they belonged to those who significantly contributed to the conquest.
The gate key in my palm looked different from when Father first took it out, with the handle now transparent.
‘…I guess I can’t use it again until the cooldown is over.’
Having activated the gate once, the power stored in it had been depleted.
Of course, it wasn’t a permanent depletion.
Each gate key would absorb mana from the atmosphere while idle and automatically restore its power.
‘What should I do….’
That’s why my focus was not on the depleted key, but elsewhere.
‘I shouldn’t be like this….’
I hadn’t fully awakened yet.
Lost in that thought, I couldn’t bring myself to move from where I stood.
Could there be more goblins around?
Even though I knew there shouldn’t be, I found myself glancing around unnecessarily.
However, naturally, as expected.
There were no goblins left at the conquered gate.
I had to accept reality.
“….”
I never imagined the plan would go awry.
They tried to push me into a life-or-death situation to stage an awakening event, but I never expected it to end before I could fully immerse myself in that situation.
It was because I was stronger than anticipated.
Then, my father approached.
“Why are you staring blankly like that? Can’t believe you conquered the gate and still can’t trust it?”
My father spoke with a tone that seemed impressed.
“To be honest, I was quite surprised.”
“….”
“I thought you could handle up to four, somehow. But to effortlessly deal with not just four, but five.”
“hahahaha….”
My father shook my shoulders.
I awkwardly laughed as I swayed under his touch.
Even though I successfully finished the actual combat, I couldn’t be happy as I didn’t achieve the most important goal.
Soon, my father pointed behind me.
“There’s still some time left before we agreed to use the artificial gate, but there’s nothing more to do here, so let’s tidy up and go back.”
“….”
“Give me the key.”
As we conquered the gate, in the direction my father pointed with his thumb, there was a dimensional door that hadn’t been there just a moment ago.
By stepping through that door, I would return to the world I originally belonged to.
“Dad.”
“Why? What’s the matter?”
In other words, I was postponing my chance to awaken to a distant future.
I didn’t know when that moment would come.
It could be in the near future, or it might even be towards the end of the story.
I couldn’t leave it to chance.
I had to achieve it now, at this moment when the threshold of limitation was low.
That’s why I spoke up, hiding the gate key.
“Are there no other gates?”
“What?”
“It feels like there’s something more to realize, and I feel reluctant to just go back home like this since there’s still time. Shouldn’t we try conquering another gate in the meantime?”
Something a bit more challenging.
At my words, my father blinked.