Chapter 153

Fоllоwing Rоdiоn’s announсеmеnt, раrticipants bеgаn filling the seаts in Arenа 1 in оrdеr.

Кhаn’s numbеr was 24, Sharin’s wаs 53, and Bуutеk’s was 67, but thеsе numbеrs hаd nоt beеn cаlled yеt.

Just аs hе wаs focusing, unsurе when his turn wоuld come, а nеw Quest message арpeared befоrе Khan’s eyes.

• [Асhieve 1 viсtorу in thе Undеrgrоund Arena Tоurnament.]

• Will уоu аccерt thе Main Quеst?

• Refusal will mаke future Quest prоgrеssion impоssiblе.

• Rewаrd: A cоnsiderable аmount оf Еxperiencе Pоints, рrоgressiоn to the nехt Quеst

Khan smilеd inwardlу аs sооn аs he sаw thе Мain Quеst.

Сontrary to his expectations, the Quest that appeared was incredibly easy, and the reward was decent as well.

‘A considerable amount of Experience Points… that should be quite a lot.’

He thought he might even be able to aim for a Level Up if things went well.

[Main Quest accepted.]

Khan accepted the Main Quest immediately without any hesitation.

Meanwhile, Rodion’s announcements continued, but strangely, the numbers of Khan’s group were not called.

“It’s strange how our numbers keep being skipped?”

“Hahaha! It’s common for participants with outstanding skills to be called later!”

Sharin and Byutek each made a comment as they waited for their numbers to be called.

The hundred makeshift Arenas were almost all filled, with only one left now.

Then.

“Number 67! Number 564!”

Byutek’s number, 67, was called last.

“Ooh, Hyungnim! I’ll go first! Please watch me closely!”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Kehahahahaha!! I’ll show you my changed self properly, Hyungnim!! Hey, you! Watch closely too! It’s not easy to see your older brother fighting seriously!”

“Ugh, stop with that ‘older brother’ talk already. People are staring! Speak quietly! I’m dying of embarrassment, really….”

“Hahahahahaha!!! What kind of man gets embarrassed by such things! A man is stronger and better the louder his voice is!”

“I’m a woman, you know?”

Perhaps because Byutek’s basic voice volume was so loud, everyone nearby was staring.

Byutek, who entered the last Arena, waited for number 564, who had not yet entered the Arena.

* * *

“Hahahahahaha!!! What kind of man gets embarrassed by such things! A man is stronger and better the louder his voice is!”

A rough, booming voice echoed in his ears.

A sensitive person might have found it irritating, and that sensitive person was Craven.

Craven was a somewhat famous Assassin active in the underworld, having killed numerous Knights, adventurers, and even Mages through Commissions.

‘That bastard… I’ll kill him with my own hands.’

The type of person Craven hated most were those with loud voices and heavy bravado, and that was exactly his opponent, number 67.

What Craven had felt during his over ten years of activity as an Assassin was that those big, dumb brutes were usually weaker in actual combat than one might think.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Craven quickly walked up to the Arena.

He entered the Arena and stood opposite number 67.

Then, the 67 standing before him laughed heartily and greeted him.

“Hahaha, nice to meet you! I am Byutek!”

“Shut up, you’re noisy.”

“Hahahahaha!! You’re quite a rude fellow!”

Despite Craven frowning and cursing, Byutek did not lose his smile and still shouted in a loud voice.

‘I’ll definitely kill this guy.’

Craven possessed the best Talent for an Assassin.

That was speed.

In terms of speed alone, he was incredibly fast, to the point where no one could catch him.

Those who died by his hand probably didn’t even know their own cause of death.

“Now, everyone, please look at the number here! The number on the pillar is the countdown to the start of the match! The match begins immediately when the countdown ends, so you can start fighting right then! Now, let the countdown begin!”

A number formed on the large cylindrical pillar where the match organizer, Rodion, stood.

The number, made of blue Mana, counted down according to Rodion’s shout.

“3, 2, 1. Begin!”

Fights began simultaneously in all hundred Arenas.

The hundredth Arena where Byutek entered was no different.

Whoooosh…!!!

Craven, the top Back-Alley Assassin, drew upon his Mana.

The reason he could move at an incredibly fast speed was because he had a Talent for Mana.

It wasn’t a massive amount of Mana, but blue Mana rose from Craven’s body.

Simultaneously, all the blue Mana gathered towards his legs.

“Ooh, you can use Mana too… not bad! Then I should get serious too, haha!”

“Shut up!! I’ll kill you!!”

Byutek merely admired Craven’s Mana and didn’t seem tense at all.

Seeing Byutek like that, Craven reaffirmed his determination.

‘I’ll kill this guy no matter what…!’

Craven drew the short Dagger from his waist and went all out from the very beginning.

Craven, approaching Byutek at his top speed, swiftly swung his Dagger.

His Dagger traced a precise trajectory aimed at Byutek’s nape.

‘Got it!’

He was confident he could kill him, as Byutek couldn’t even react.

But then.

Clang!!!!

Something unbelievable happened.

“Ooh, as expected!! They said my skin could even block metal, and it was true!”

“You, you… what are you?!”

Craven continued to swing his Dagger.

However, his Dagger was merely deflected powerlessly.

“Kehahahaha, Hyungnim!! The defense of this Armor you gave me is no joke! It didn’t even get a scratch from such a fast and sharp Dagger!”

Byutek shouted like an excited child to Khan, who was watching him from outside the Arena, but Khan did not respond.

“Die! Just die!”

Craven was flustered for the first time that there was someone he couldn’t kill.

Even more absurd than that was this steel-like body that blades couldn’t penetrate.

‘This is impossible…!’

It was unthinkable for a human body to deflect a sword.

“Hahahaha!! It’s starting to sting a bit now, so I should get serious too! I’ll specially use only my fists!”

Shouting that, Byutek immediately clenched his fist tightly.

‘I, I have to dodge…!’

Craven prepared to dodge Byutek’s punch.

Being an Assassin, his reaction speed was fast, so he could dodge most attacks.

But then.

Whoosh…!!!!!

Suddenly, a fist of tremendous size appeared before his face.

It happened in the blink of an eye, so he couldn’t react at all.

Craven, hit in the face by the large fist and sent flying to the edge of the Arena, was knocked out cold.

Half his face was shattered, but fortunately, he was still alive as his body convulsed.

“Arena 100, number 67 wins!! Please exit the Arena immediately after the match ends!”

“Hahahaha!! Sharin, did you see?! Your older brother’s skills?!”

“Well… the opponent was too weak.”

Byutek laughed heartily and shouted.

Sharin showed little reaction, but all the spectators were astonished.

“Did you see number 67 just now? It’s a new face, but he defeated Craven in one go!”

“Unbelievable! How can a human body be that big? Look at that steel-like skin! The sword was deflected!!”

“Number 67… that guy might win this tournament.”

“Number 564 looked strong too…. But his movements were completely invisible in an instant. That number 67 guy doesn’t seem ordinary.”

It wasn’t just the people in the spectator seats.

Other participants watching the match from the Waiting Area also seemed to be somewhat wary of Byutek.

‘Byutek has definitely gotten stronger.’

Initially, Khan had thought it might be a bit dangerous for Byutek to fight number 564.

[LV.76 Back-Alley Assassin Craven]

The opponent was not only an Assassin but also a strong guy over level 70.

Moreover, Warriors or Knights originally had some vulnerabilities against Assassins.

Warriors or Knights usually moved much slower than Assassins, so they lacked the initiative. If an Assassin targeted vital points first, the Assassin often won the battle.

‘So I thought Byutek might lose, but I didn’t expect him to win so easily. And that steel-like skin is unbelievable….’

An Assassin over level 70 had attacked with all his might, and it was deflected effortlessly by bare skin.

From Khan’s perspective, Byutek seemed to have reached a point where calling him human was a bit ambiguous.

‘You could say he’s a Monster, not a human.’

Anyway, it was fortunate that Byutek won.

If Byutek had lost from the first match, both Khan and Sharin would have been in low spirits.

“Huh? It’s my turn now!”

Not long after, Sharin’s number was called.

Her opponent seemed to be an adventurer holding a sword, and he showed a somewhat dismissive attitude upon seeing Sharin.

“A kid like you shouldn’t be here…. I’ll finish this quickly.”

“What did you say…? I’m not a kid?!”

Whoooosh…!!!

Kwaaaaaaaang!!!

The result was Sharin’s victory as soon as the match began.

Her opponent’s Level was around 40, so it was an expected outcome.

A short while later.

“Now, I will call the next numbers! Number 24! Number 132!”

Finally, Khan’s turn had arrived.