Team events had always been loved by the public more than individual events.
Soccer, basketball, and baseball were representative examples.
And in those team events, this rule always existed.
Player substitution.
When did player substitution happen?
Usually when changing the positions in a match.
Or because some players were in poor condition or seemed sluggish during that match.
At times, player substitution changed the entire flow of a game.
John was surprised.
Could it be Hyunsoo?
Because he could predict who it might be.
It was true that if User Hyunsoo was substituted in, Team Korea would become faster.
But that was all.
It would not become a danger to Team USA.
“Have you forgotten who is on Team USA?”
John took pride in the fact that Team USA had been formed as the strongest team.
The four members of Team USA composed an impossibly strong team that should never have been allowed to exist.
Of course, John acknowledged one thing.
“Master Blacksmith Hyunsoo is one of the best users, yes. Thankfully, Korea, which was in last place, seems like it may rise to a fairly respectable rank.”
John admitted it.
Just as Sejin had said, they would become far faster than they had been in the first round.
“I don’t know whether they’ll be able to catch up to America, which will also be faster than in the first round.”
John wore a meaningful smile as he put on the fedora he cherished.
If Team Korea struggled desperately to win a medal, that was even better for America.
Because America would shine all the more brilliantly.
“Then I’ll be going.”
After he left, Sejin nodded.
He, too, agreed completely with John’s words.
And the idea that they would become faster.
It was not meant to warn John or America.
Team Korea requested a player substitution......
User Hyunsoo really had requested a player substitution.
Since User Hyunsoo was participating, it was only natural that they would become faster.
However, just as John had said, Sejin wondered whether there would be any meaningful result.
But.
There were also things John did not know and Sejin did.
Transcendent Elixir, Dante’s Blessing, Demon’s Gauntlet of the Admired One.
In that short period of time, User Hyunsoo’s growth had been dazzling.
And he thought of an easy way to resolve his curiosity.
That was to receive help from the supercomputer Ares.
Representative Lee Sejin tapped on the keyboard and asked Ares a question.
—What is the probability that User Hyunsoo joining Team Korea will allow them to win the gold medal?
A while later, Ares answered.
—0.3%.
Only that much?
It was a miserable result.
Is there no possibility?
Sejin was Korean as well.
He wanted the small country called Korea to create a miracle.
He did not want it to be merely the country that had given birth to Ares, but the country that led Ares.
With a bitter expression, he turned his head toward the window.
On the electronic billboard, a preview for tomorrow’s second round of Dungeon Breakthrough was being aired.
Bitterly enough, the preview for the second round of Dungeon Breakthrough was showing a despairing Team Korea and a cheering Team USA in alternating shots.
At that moment.
—2%.
“......What?”
Goosebumps rose over Sejin’s body.
When Sejin turned his head, he could clearly see that it had risen to 2%.
At that instant.
—2.5%.
—2.9%.
—3.4%.
The number continued to change.
Unable to hide his surprise, Sejin rose from his seat.
What the supercomputer Ares showed was the possibility as of “right now.”
And right now, that possibility was rising little by little.
How is this possible?
Soon, Sejin realized something he had overlooked.
“Where is User Hyunsoo right now?”
The answer soon came.
—At the forge.
Sejin’s wavering eyes hardened, and his fist clenched tight.
It was no different now than it had been in the past.
Possibility.
It was something made, step by step.
*****
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can keep going with you. The public is too frightening. I won’t participate in the second round.”
Hunter Paul.
He was a user known as Korea’s finest raider.
Most of Hunter Paul’s skills and titles specialized in monster hunting.
In addition, his party was called the best hunting party in Korea.
That was why they had participated in the Ares World Championship.
However, when Lily, the healer who had been with them for a long time, spoke with trembling lips, Paul said,
“There’s still the second round left, Lily.”
“......What would be different?”
At Lily’s words, Paul could not open his mouth.
Repeating it would not make the result change.
Rather, if they failed to show anything different the second time, they would receive even greater criticism.
“Let’s forfeit.”
At Lily’s words, no one there said anything.
“Do whatever you want. I’m forfeiting.”
Lily logged out.
Paul could not stop Lily as she disappeared.
Paul, too, had no choice but to consider forfeiting.
“Let’s all rest and come back.”
After logging out, he could not hide his frustration.
It was fitting to say they had been unable to do anything.
Paul, especially, felt it more deeply.
He had a skill called Dungeon Analysis.
Dungeon Analysis allowed him to grasp a dungeon’s characteristics, weaknesses, and many other details after raiding it once.
That included the characteristics of the monsters inside.
However.
Even knowing all that, their levels are too high!
He had not known it would be at this level.
He had not known the rankers around the world would be this outstanding.
And he also realized how powerless he was.
At that moment.
A call came in.
It was from Master Blacksmith Hyunsoo, Team Korea’s captain.
—Player substitution. I will participate in Lily’s place.
Paul let out a hollow laugh.
“Wouldn’t it be better to forfeit now? Did you not see the video?”
—I saw it.
“And yet you think we have a chance?”
—Yes.
Paul was flustered.
Hyunsoo’s confident voice came through from the other side of the receiver.
—Hunters are known to possess Dungeon Analysis. Dungeon Analysis is the power to analyze how to respond to a given dungeon and what its compatibility factors are. I know the second attempt will be much faster than the first.
“I’m the one who has that power, so I know that better than anyone. But just because the second attempt will be faster doesn’t mean we can create a possibility.”
—What if we make tools and artifacts for that dungeon through your Dungeon Analysis?
Paul fell silent for a moment.
Dungeon Analysis was perfect.
Even if rankers cleared the first round and pooled their thoughts afterward, they could not conduct a more perfect analysis than Hunter Paul, who had completed a system-level analysis.
The dozens of analyzed details inside.
Moreover, Paul also had an analysis report on this dungeon labyrinth, analyzed through Dungeon Analysis.
If tools and artifacts were made based on that?
But even so, Paul could not see any possibility.
“Wouldn’t that just be struggling pointlessly......?”
At Paul’s depressed voice, Hyunsoo spoke from beyond the receiver.
—I also judge that it won’t be easy. I will respect your opinions. However.
Paul realized something in that voice.
—Remember that Dungeon Breakthrough is not over yet.
The call ended.
Paul, who had been sitting blankly, felt his frustration flare.
Just as he had said, Dungeon Breakthrough was not over yet.
And so Paul logged back into Ares.
[You have logged into Ares.]
He walked toward his “personal storage.”
Users often stored items in personal storage because of inventory weight limits.
And Paul’s personal storage was even more special.
After all, Paul was Korea’s greatest hunter in name and fact.
He had hunted more boss monsters than anyone else and had run three to four times more dungeons than ordinary high-rankers.
As a result, his storage was filled with the finest materials.
Right on time.
[Kas: I got a call from Master Blacksmith Hyun.]
[Hers: Same here.]
[Kas: We intend to follow the captain’s decision.]
[Hers: Have you decided, Captain?]
It was a question asking whether they would forfeit or keep going.
Paul, standing in his storage, soon nodded.
[Paul: Of course.]
*****
[Nell: Is there a reason you requested the player substitution?]
Hyunsoo had no absolute reason to lead Team Korea to victory.
He had already played active roles in several events and proven many things.
If he participated now in a field he was not good at and tasted defeat, it would create a negative effect.
[Hyunsoo: Because I might be able to gain Korea’s best hunting team through this match?]
Hyunsoo said it with a bitter smile.
To be honest.
When he had sat in front of the TV and seen the breaking news, it would be a lie to say his blood had not boiled and that he had not been angry.
Because in the end, he, too, was a citizen of the Republic of Korea.
After he subtly hid his true feelings, a reply came.
[Nell: I’m sure that’s the reason~]
Mm......
Nell certainly was sharp.
[Nell: It won’t be an easy fight. And Paul may not accept your proposal.]
[Hyunsoo: Then I’ll go out alone, I guess.]
Of course, for Hyunsoo, it was a horrifying thing just to imagine.
Because the entire world would laugh at Hyunsoo appearing alone.
However, Hyunsoo soon gave a faint laugh.
Because he realized through Paul, Kas, and Hers, who had appeared, that it had been a needless worry.
Paul was a famous Legendary class hunter user.
Kas was a mage and was known to specialize in the fire attribute.
And Hers was an archer.
It was an ordinary party composition without anything particularly distinctive.
Ah, now that the healer’s gone, I guess it isn’t ordinary anymore?
Paul, who had approached, greeted him and asked,
“I’d like to hear how you intend to craft them.”
It was important information for Paul and everyone here.
Paul was curious.
The labyrinth he had gone and confirmed.
Since Hyunsoo had seen the video, Paul assumed he had grasped it to some degree.
However, what he was curious about was whether the artifacts—or the things Hyunsoo would make for them—could truly create any meaningful change.
“I intend to maximize the hunter class. In the first attempt, the hunter failed to resist the status ailment, and the buff was released. Hunter’s Benevolence could not exert its power either. This time, I’ll put in power that can resist status ailments, along with power that can maximize the hunter.”
“Maximize the hunter?”
“By making it so the artifact improves the effects of your buffs.”
The buff effects would improve.
The meaning struck him immediately.
There were few cases like the hunter class, where a buff was granted to the entire party.
He was saying he would use that advantage.
However, Paul, Kas, and Hers did not particularly feel it yet.
Because hearing and seeing were different.
Because of that, Hyunsoo drew a crafting method.
The crafting method was drawn in an instant, and it was not even imbued with God’s Crafting Method.
“Check this.”
Paul received it and checked.
(Hunter’s Armor Crafting Method.)
Grade: Unique~Legendary
Defense: 443
Crafting Restriction: Blacksmith Level 350 or higher.
Crafting Material: Dwarf Steel, Black Mithril.
Substitute Material: Mithril, Leanma Steel.......
Special Abilities:
· An exclusive artifact for hunters.
· Increases all buff effects possessed by a hunter by up to 41%.
· Increases status ailment resistance by up to 150%.
· When set artifacts are equipped, all effects become 20% more outstanding.
Description: A crafting method for hunters, with materials and crafting method designed by Hyun from beginning to end.
“......?”
Paul was amazed when he saw it.
Hyunsoo had merely drawn it out with a few casual strokes.
But now, what was written in the effects of the crafting method.
It increased buff effects by up to 41%.
In other words, every party member would be able to enjoy that effect.
Hyunsoo added,
“I intend to craft a set artifact.”
Paul, deeply impressed, said,
“I see. It really wasn’t over yet.”
Paul’s heart burned hot.
Boos and criticism.
While everyone said it was over, the person standing before him had said it was not over yet and shown him the possibility of making that true.
So Paul made one decision.
“I will participate. And this is what we gathered together.”
[2,831,910 gold.]
[You acquire Legendary-grade Felamin’s Storm.]
[You acquire Legendary-grade Aios’s Breath.]
[You acquire Legendary-grade Zelkova Flower.]
[Legendary-grade.......]
[Unique-grade.......]
[Unique-grade.......]
Hyunsoo was surprised when he saw what they had handed over.
Because they were truly tremendous materials and funds.
And there was one reason Paul, Kas, and Hers had not given up.
“Please help us fight with everything we have.”
Even if they came in last again this time, they wanted to fight without regret.
Paul bowed his head.
“I request your crafting.”
It was a crafting request the three made by offering everything they had.
“I accept the request.”
However, even in that moment, Paul doubted.
There were only twenty-four hours left.
He wondered whether it was truly possible in such a short, painfully short time.
And Hyunsoo gave an order to the nation of Hyun, where darkness had settled.
“Light the fires.”
At that instant.
“He says to light the fires!”
“Light the fires!!”
FWOOOSH—
FWOOOOOSH—
FWOOOOOSH—
Hundreds of forges that had been standing by lit their fires at the same time.
It was the moment that made them realize this place was the nation of Hyun.
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