Chapter 78  

Every player had haters, but Maximilian had a lot of them. A handsome elf with an arrogant and obnoxious attitude!

-This XXX doesn’t deserve to be in the B-grade League! He should get lost.

-Is YYY still showing his face? Indeed, he’s an orc, so he’s probably shameless. Honestly, shouldn’t the bastard who turned into an orc not be allowed to participate for the sake of the league’s dignity?

-It is an elf if you twist it...

Even so, Maximilian was popular. In the end, hunters were defined by their skills?Most problems could be covered up as long as one was strong. So far, Maximilian had been able to make such remarks because he aimed at opponents weaker than him.

This time, the nameless hunter who rose from C-grade was one of the opponents. There was a 99% chance this hunter would lose. But...

-Hey! Hit him even just once! You’re going to die anyway. So if you get hit, don’t back down. If you’re going to lose, might as well do it fighting!

-Land a blow to Maximilian’s face! He keeps bragging about his no-damage matches! It’s annoying!

‘They’re heated up even though they aren’t fighting.’

Choi Yeonseung admired the shamelessness of his fans. They had no conscience! Instead of fighting, they told him to fight instead and just let him tank all the danger...

People’s conscience seemed to disappear as decades passed.

‘Um?’

Choi Yeonseung found some unusual people among the crowd. No matter how he looked at it, they seemed to have mastered martial arts!

‘Mount Hua Sect?’

He had seen a few of their faces the other day. They were definitely the young members of the Mount Hua Sect! They were mixed among the crowd and cheering for Choi Yeonseung.

‘I haven’t even accepted their proposal yet...’

Choi Yeonseung was slightly moved.

They came to cheer for me because we’re all martial artists.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of motivation.

‘Okay. I’ll show them proper martial arts.’

Today’s match was Maximilian’s execution, and...

At the same time, it was a place to show that martial arts weren't inferior to magic.

***

The middle of the huge circular arena contained the Otherworld. If two players went inside, the image would be magnified so the spectators could watch. It was so vivid it was as if the fight was occurring in front of them! That was the charm of watching it directly at the stadium.

-Greetings to everyone gathered here! I’m really excited to commentate this hot match of Maximilian Fitzpatrick and Choi Yeonseung!

-That’s right. This match can be viewed in many ways.

The commentator Brian cleared his throat. The competition among UHC commentators was also fierce. Among them, Brian was popular for his detailed and excellent commentary, which he achieved because he was also a hunter! The best rank he got was C-grade, and he had been retired for decades, but being a hunter was a rare strength as a commentator. He also put in a lot of hard work.

-First of all, I don’t think Maximilian needs an explanation. He’s one of the UHC B-grade League’s stars, after all, and he’s been very popular lately. He’s still ranked 21st, but experts are confident that he will soon break into the top 10.

-That’s right. Ah, Maximilian’s fans are cheering. Haha. I can feel his popularity from here.

-In comparison, Hunter Choi Yeonseung is a rookie. Shortly after passing the C-grade League qualifiers, his hunter rating was readjusted to B-grade. That’s how he moved up to the B-grade right away.

-Wasn’t there a lot of talk about this? Brian, what do you think? How often do ratings change in such a short period of time?

-It definitely isn’t something that happens often.

-So do you think he faked the rating as well?

-I don’t think so.

-Oh. Is that so? The host looked at Brian with surprised eyes.

-It’s because Hunter Choi Yeonseung is an Abyss returnee. He has been wandering around that place for thirty years.

-Thirty years! Wow, that’s amazing. Isn’t that a Guinness World Record?

-It isn’t strange for staying in the Abyss for that long to have all sorts of side effects. It could probably even cause one’s rating measurement to have strange results.

Brian’s words caused fierce abusive words to emerge in the stadium. They were asking what he knew and if he was taking sides. Numerous people also commented on the Internet, where it was being broadcasted live.

-Does it make sense for his rating to be mismeasured just because he went to the Abyss?

-Brian, I think you’re wrong this time.

-Those who haven’t even been to the Abyss are nothing but talk... Have you ever even been there?

-......

.

-......

-Where do you live?

Brian didn’t care about the reactions. He had accumulated so many years of experience as a commentator that he could no longer be shaken by this type of reaction.

-Of course, it is possible that he really faked the rating.

-Is it because he doesn’t have the confidence to break through the qualifiers of the B-grade League?

It was as the host said. The qualifiers of the B-grade League were fiercer and more intense than the qualifiers of the C-grade League. Hunters who were experts in individual combat would grit their teeth and rush in! There was a possibility that he faked his rating to avoid such qualifiers.

-But there is a way to know.

-Oh, what would that be?

-He just has to win. Would a hunter who beat Maximilian not have the confidence to break through the qualifiers? If he wins, that would mean he didn’t cheat.

-Uhahaha! That’s right! You’re absolutely right!

-Personally, I support Hunter Choi Yeonseung. He is a hunter who was active at the same time as me.

-Wow. Come to think of it, that’s true.

Brian’s words caused the live broadcast to heat up.

- ? ? ? ? .

-No way. He’s over fifty years old? Even if hunters age slower than normal, that still doesn’t make sense.

-It is a lie that hunters don’t age. Only the really strong hunters are like that. Most of them get old.

-I guess the Abyss caused that, then…

-The Abyss is said to have a different sense of time. If so, then isn’t it possible to stay there for a few days only to return and find out that thirty years have passed?

-You’re right.

-He is the same generation as Brian ? ? He’s a 1st generation hunter, then.

-Isn’t this elderly abuse?

Choi Yeonseung had such an exciting background that even those who had been swearing just now started laughing as they listened to the story. Now, most of the retired 1st generation hunters were popping out like this! magic

-In addition, Hunter Choi Yeonseung is surprisingly a martial artist.

-A martial artist! I’ve never seen a martial artist in the B-grade League.

-That’s right. Martial arts seemed to have gone on a huge decline, but back then, there were quite a few martial artists.

-Haha. Mr. Brian, you have many stories of old today. What happened to the martial artists, then?

-Martial arts bring with them a sense of disadvantage. Magic becomes stronger as soon as you learn another spell. Meanwhile, martial artists can’t learn new martial arts. It takes a long time to perfect it.

-Hah. So that’s their weakness.

-In addition, martial arts is mostly focused on melee combat, which is the most dangerous combat style when fighting monsters. As a result, many of them have been hurt or killed. -This... Then Hunter Choi Yeonseung will also be attempting melee combat?

-I think so. A martial artist is good at narrowing the distance. I think the key to this match will be to see how he?approaches Hunter?Maximilian’s onslaught.

-Thank you for your great insight! The match is now starting! A martial artist who reappeared after a long time... What will Hunter Choi Yeonseung show against Hunter Maximilian? I’m really looking forward to this!

***

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Start.

The moment it started, Maximilian cast flying magic and soared up. He then frantically moved backwards. As a long-distance damage dealer, that strategy was fundamental! However, Maximilian’s speed was much faster than ordinary hunters. Even if two hunters were in the same position, the result still depended on how skilled they could handle it.

-Ah! Hunter Maximilian moved back and widened the distance! Hunter Choi Yeonseung acted too late! He can’t narrow it!

The host sighed. Several of Maximilian’s anti-fans also sighed. They knew how advantageous this distance was for Maximilian. In the past, Maximilian had often opened up this distance as soon as he started and hit the opponent unilaterally to win. In addition, the map just happened to be Collapsed Ruins. It had a few suitable obstacles.

Choi Yeonseung stood alone among the bleak ruins. To the spectators, it seemed like he had given up.

-Hunter Choi Yeonseung has to move! He shouldn’t just stay still! Hunter Maximilian is using the magic spell, Elf’s Shining Bow!

Maximilian immediately used magic the moment he reached a comfortable distance. He received Elf’s Shining Bow from the constellation Arrogant Light Elf. It took some time to cast, but once it was successful, it could shoot powerful arrows of light in succession!

Hence, the fight seemed to be over the moment he got to widen the distance and used that spell. Maximilian could now launch his attacks in a way that made it nearly impossible to withstand with defense or evasion.

“Do you feel like surrendering now, you cheeky brat?”

Maximilian spoke triumphantly. He sounded quite relaxed.

“Don’t think about being brave just because we’re in the Otherworld. I can bully and kill you as much as I want here.”

The Otherworld was a virtual space but the pain and fear felt here were real. A player like Maximilian had the confidence to play with and harass his opponent to the point of breaking them.

Choi Yeonseung stared intently before smiling. “You are a guy with no real experience... Anyone who sees your attitude will think you have cleared a hundred dungeons.”

“... Do you really want me to kill you, you bastard?!”

Maximilian made and fired arrows of light. He first only released four shots, each aiming for Choi Yeonseung’s arms and legs.

‘It’s fast, has great penetration ability, and even a guidance system? That’s fraudulent.’

Choi Yeonseung evaluated the magic. It had to have been given by a constellation. After all, it was too cost-effective for a B-grade hunter! Avoiding it would be difficult since it simultaneously and quickly rushed in from all directions. It was also hard to block due to its good penetration ability.

… Of course, that was only according to the standards of B-grade hunters. Although Choi Yeonseung was only a B-grade hunter or in the first-class stage in the Otherworld, he could enter the peak-class stage by a narrow margin. That risked tearing apart the Otherworld, though.

But it didn’t matter. Even if he were just in the second-class stage, not the first-class stage…

He could deflect all of Maximillian’s attacks.

[The skill ‘Covert Attack Reversal’ has been activated! You have successfully deflected the arrows of the Elf’s Shining Bow.]

[Your actions have displeased the constellation ‘Arrogant Light Elf.’]

The Arrogant Light Elf expressed displeasure at Choi Yeonseung’s behavior. He dared block an attack from his household member, and a skill he personally gave no less!

‘You shouldn’t be offended just yet.’

Choi Yeonseung was worried about Arrogant Light Elf. If he was already offended, then what he was about to do would be even more shocking.

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ shouts that you should utterly humiliate that long-eared bastard!]

[The ‘Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead’ is secretly cheering for you.]

“You dare!”

Maximilian created and fired eight more arrows. However, it didn’t matter how many shots flew in. Choi Yeonseung deflected them all with the back of his hand, returned them with his elbow, or hit them with his toes. His actions broke some of the arrows and caused the others to hit the ground. They then all disappeared.

-......

-......

The host and commentator were rendered speechless. It was as if he had blocked all his opponent’s magic without using any skills.

Was what they were seeing now real?

“Continue. I’ll wait.”

Choi Yeonseung said while looking at Maximilian. His voice was full of arrogance.