The Veteran Player Already Knows

Chapter 5 - Guild (1)

Instructor Gang Sa-ja was in a state of great bewilderment.

Sharing information with Headmaster Kim Kang-in when there was something interesting was a common occurrence, but a case like this was a first.

“What’s this kid’s name again?”

At Kim Kang-in's question after watching the video to the end, Instructor Gang Sa-ja fumbled through the documents he was holding.

His hands were practically dripping with bewilderment.

For the man who would ignore even top-tier climbers like they were insects to not only request the graduation exam video of a mere cadet, but to even ask for his name?

“Cadet Kim Gyu-sik, sir.”

“His class?”

Class referred to the three types of mana properties that each climber possessed.

As the characteristics of the skills they could use were limited accordingly, it was one of the important factors in evaluating a climber.

“The documents state he's close to the Vanguard class. For someone like that, I was surprised at how well he handled firearms.”

“Right. About that. This kid's pretty interesting.”

“Sir?”

At Kim Kang-in's words, Gang Sa-ja's eyes widened as well.

“…Are you perhaps saying he could have multiple classes?”

But, talent existed in every field.

There were sometimes humans who were born with multiple different mana types.

“Yeah. Definitely a multi-class. I can tell just by watching what he does in the video.”

“…That's, I don't know what to say.”

Gang Sa-ja replied in a trembling voice.

A climber with multiple classes was a precious resource no matter where they went.

The sample size itself was so rare that you could count them on one hand worldwide, and those with such traits were, without exception, all individuals who had their names on the list of top-tier climbers.

Wasn't Kim Kang-in right here one of that kind?

“On top of that.”

Kim Kang-in added another word, scanning the video with serious eyes.

“This kid, if he's good, he might be someone who uses all three.”

“…”

This time, Gang Sa-ja, completely at a loss for words, stared blankly at Kim Kang-in.

To be able to use three classes at the same time.

A talent with no precedent found until now.

“Ah, but this is just a guess. Don't go spouting it off carelessly.”

“Most people probably wouldn't believe it even if I did. If that's really true…”

“He'll reach the top.”

Kim Kang-in finished the part Gang Sa-ja couldn't say, smirking.

“It might take some time. But still, if he's really a three-way multi-class… this guy will wear the crown someday.”

“…”

It wasn't just anyone saying this.

It was a man who was unquestionably among the very top tier of current climbers.

As Gang Sa-ja swallowed dryly at the weight of those words, Kim Kang-in chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“Well, let's see when the time comes. It's not certain yet. But, a kid like this couldn't have gone unnoticed until now. Why didn't I know about him?”

“Until a week ago, Cadet Kim Gyu-sik was at the bottom of the ranks.”

“What?”

This time, Kim Kang-in's eyes widened, as if he was genuinely surprised.

“Did he deliberately slack off during his education or something?”

“No, sir. It's said that he often fainted during simple basic physical training. It's clear he didn't even have the capacity for that.”

“…But he suddenly uses a mix of different classes in the graduation exam?”

The awakening of mana classes required a very long period of training and effort.

How many cadets graduated from the Boot Camp without properly awakening even one?

And yet.

The worst-performing student at the very bottom suddenly pulls off a feat like this?

“This is the first time I've seen a cadet like this in all my time as an instructor.”

“It is strange.”

With his talent alone, he should be an undisputed genius.

And a guy like that was at the bottom of the ranks?

“Did he have some kind of epiphany recently?”

Kim Kang-in said with a smirk. He had no idea what had happened.

But rather, the fact that such a kid had suddenly shot up the ranks like this pleased him.

“From now on, keep a close eye on this kid.”

For now, it would be good to look forward to it.

The appearance of a mega-prospect.

“Because he might really be a three-class genius.”

***

‘…Can I use about 7 of them?’

I muttered inwardly while scanning the skill window.

Basically, there were only 3 classes of jobs in Conqueror.

But if you included the ones that only opened as a ‘Main Character Perk’, the number increased significantly.

And the number of combinations I could make right now was roughly about 7.

It would probably increase as I unlocked various skills in the future.

‘On top of that…’

Even learning skills was something I could do as much as I wanted, as long as I had ‘points’.

Considering that other people had to invest immense time and effort to learn to do similar things, it was no exaggeration to say my situation was optimized for getting a free ride.

Choosing the guild I was heading to now was also an action that came from that context.

“Want to go back, even now?”

It seemed there was one guy who couldn't understand that.

Yoo Ho-jun, who poked his head into the cabin, threw those words at me.

“Why go back.”

I replied while lying down with the chair fully reclined.

It was possible because we were in a classy train with partitioned cabins.

Hmm.

The guild I was heading to was a place you couldn't call great even as an empty compliment.

Still, seeing them provide something like this, I figured a guild was a guild after all.

Since the setting was that even the smallest guild easily made profits comparable to a mid-sized corporation.

The profits earned by the tower and climbers were that immense.

“No. With your score, you could have gone to a much better guild. So why are you volunteering to go to the gutter?”

The question itself was reasonable.

In the original story, his score was so wrecked that he could only apply to the guild I was heading to now, but my current self was in a position to pick and choose wherever I wanted to go.

And yet.

“Do you really have to apply to a place that says ‘No Application Requirements’?”

“I've told you several times that I'm going because I want to.”

“That's because it makes no sense from a common-sense standpoint, you punk…”

True.

Who would understand someone who got a perfect score on the CSAT and then said they were going to a local community college?

I wasn't particularly hoping for that from this guy either.

But, I still had to make him move from this spot for a moment. Someone was coming.

“Ho-jun. Stop it and go to your cabin.”

“No, you bastard. It's not too late, so cancel your application right now and apply somewhere else. I'm not leaving until I see you do it.”

“You sure?”

I said, pointing a finger behind Yoo Ho-jun.

“Why? What's behind me…”

Yoo Ho-jun couldn't finish his sentence.

Because he had made eye contact with Seo Ah-in, who was emitting a dark aura that billowed down the hallway.

“The cabin assignments were probably paired up by people with similar graduation scores. So I'm in the same cabin as her. You want to join?”

As I said that with a chuckle, Yoo Ho-jun nodded.

“See you later, Gyu-sik.”

Hmm. A quick decision.

As Yoo Ho-jun disappeared with swift steps, Seo Ah-in glared at me from outside with dead eyes.

It was a look that said she couldn't understand why she was here.

“How long are you going to stand there? You're a nuisance to people passing by.”

I retorted with a smirk.

“…”

A look of disgust appeared on Seo Ah-in's face, but it seemed she herself agreed that standing in the hallway was a nuisance.

She walked in without a word and nervously shut the cabin door.

This girl, whether she was angry or not, avoided doing anything that might make her look bad to others.

It was partly because she was a young lady from a good family.

But basically, the kid was a bit timid.

Yep.

“Now, then.”

I spoke to the girl sitting opposite me, her face emanating a cold air.

“From now on, you and I are ‘colleagues’. Should we get along?”

“…”

She didn't answer, but she couldn't hide the fact that her expression was souring even more.

Actually, if you thought about it, this girl also had no reason at all to go to the guild I was going to now.

She had a rough time because of me, but she was still someone who had easily marked an S rank on the graduation exam.

But, well.

Seo Ah-in's family situation was quite complicated.

There was someone who hated her.

A person with such a nasty personality that they held enough power that she couldn't even rebel, and who would ‘deliberately’ send her to the place where I, who had publicly humiliated her in the graduation exam, was.

“…”

Hmm.

But.

The reason I tormented Seo Ah-in like that in the graduation exam ended right there. I didn't have any malice towards her.

Rather, I was about to say something that would be helpful to her from now on.

“Ah, by the way, do you know why they put people with similar graduation exam scores in adjacent cabins?”

“…”

It was a look of someone trying to consistently ignore me.

Whether she did or not, I picked up the terminal-shaped data sheet from the table in the center of the cabin.

“They said to take some time to evaluate each other's strengths and weaknesses before officially joining the guild. That's why they deliberately seated people of similar levels together.”

“…”

"Shall we do it then? The evaluation."

Ignoring Seo Ah-in who was deliberately staring off into the distance, I wrote various things on the sheet with the electronic pen.

The content I wrote was probably being recorded on Seo Ah-in's data sheet as well.

ㅡ Her use of mana, which can be called the core of combat against demonic beasts, is skillful and opportune. Traces of much research are visible.

ㅡClose-quarters combat is also top-tier, beyond what can be considered cadet-level…

Etc.

If evaluated solely on her capabilities as a climber, Seo Ah-in was a character with a full hexagon chart. To write down all the compliments, the entire page wouldn't be enough.

And at the sight of me writing down her strengths without a second's hesitation, Seo Ah-in's gaze, which had been looking elsewhere, kept returning to her data sheet.

She couldn't help but be interested. Because this was me pinpointing and stroking the parts she had worked hard on.

As the content I wrote grew longer, I could see her attention also starting to focus more and more on her data sheet.

By the time I had written to the end, she had turned her head completely and was staring intently at her sheet.

"…“

Smirking at that sight, I wrote down the next item.

-And it's clear that if she didn't have at least this, she would have been in big trouble.

When such a sentence suddenly intruded upon the continuous compliments, Seo Ah-in's expression immediately went blank.

-Ability to cope with unexpected situations is below standard. I am confident that her ability to handle sudden situations is lower than the average cadet level. Even if her skills are good, there is a high probability she can't use them properly in a real fight.

“…Wait. I finished the mock battle just fine.”

Yep.

I already know that you're a choker who only does well in mock battles.

-In all her actions, a tendency to exclude others and try to stand out herself is noticeable. For a climber who must overcome difficulties as a team, this is a fatal flaw.

“…Wait a minute. Hey. You.”

-On top of that, she's unnecessarily harsh with her colleagues. She definitely has no friends.

“Hey.”

Ignoring Seo Ah-in who was chattering away in front of me, I filled out the weaknesses section at a tremendous speed.

Well.

This girl's individual combat power was certainly at an outstandingly good level.

But all the various auxiliary factors that would help her use it in a real fight were duds.

At the volume of text, which was more than double the strengths I wrote earlier, Seo Ah-in's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

“…Your words are too… harsh…”

In the end, she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

But seeing as she couldn't properly refute it, it seemed she herself knew that this was true to some extent.

I chuckled and moved on to the next item.

And now, the item for the overall evaluation.

ㅡThere is a strong feeling of unconsciously trying to follow a routine she has practiced herself. It feels like she is trying to imitate someone else's movements exactly.

Seo Ah-in's gaze sank heavily.

Well, what I was about to touch on was her sore spot. A natural reaction.

ㅡWhy don't you stop imitating your dad?

"…!"

Seo Ah-in gritted her teeth and shot up from her seat.

"How dare you… What do you know…!"

“Hey.”

I sighed and put down the pen.

“Sit.”

When I spoke seriously, wiping the smile off my face, Seo Ah-in flinched.

She was probably wondering what was up, since the guy who had been consistently making fun of her suddenly turned serious.

"…"

She still looked furious, but she flinched when I silently made serious eye contact with her.

Well.

The evaluation this girl was giving me right now would undoubtedly be not just at the bottom, but at a subterranean level.

But it must have been clearly imprinted on her during the graduation exam that my skills were not something to be ignored.

The fact that she sat down quietly even while glaring daggers at me proved it.

"It's an evaluation, an evaluation. I'm not trying to insult you, I'm pointing out areas where you can improve."

"…Are you sure? I find that hard to believe."

"Then let me ask you this. If you were to take the mock battle again right now, are you confident you could beat my record?"

"…"

No answer. But her expression crumpled even more.

“If you don't want to hear it, then don't. I was going to tell you how to improve, too.”

And in that state, I just kept staring at her without saying anything.

She was someone who cared a lot about her pride, but I knew well what she prioritized over that.

The desire to improve.

After a long silence, she finally opened her mouth.

“…What is it.”

“I can't hear you well? Is it because of your tone?”

She glared at me as if she wanted to kill me.

But I paid her no mind and just met her gaze.

In the end.

While trembling all over, with tears dangling from the corners of her eyes, and with a beet-red face.

She finally opened her mouth.

“…Tea…ch me.”

“A bit short?”

“…Please…”

"Good.“

I glanced down at what I had written on the data sheet.

ㅡWhy don't you stop imitating your dad?

"A way to become stronger than anyone you know. I know one."

"…"

A look full of disbelief came back. Well, even I would find it hard to trust someone who spoke like this.

But, if an irrepressible desire was brimming on her face from beneath that full disbelief.

It was as good as half-successful.

"Interested?"

"…If the guild is small.“

Seo Ah-in opened her mouth, her voice low and gloomy.

“It doesn't just end at being inconvenient. In the first place, since most of the major guilds monopolize the opportunities to enter the tower, it means we have no chance to gain real combat experience, nor to obtain good artifacts and weapons.”

“Uh-huh. I guess it looks that way to you.”

“…”

Seo Ah-in's expression contorted again.

It was at a level where she should start worrying about getting wrinkles.

“First thing.”

I said leisurely, clasping my hands behind my head.

“One year.”

“What?”

“Within that time, this guild won't be ignored anywhere.”

“…On what grounds?”

“Because I'm joining as a guild member.”

Seo Ah-in blinked stupidly.

It was the most dumbfounded expression I had seen from her today.

It was also a common reaction when seeing someone confidently spouting illogical nonsense.

“…Dreaming is nice. But didn't you misspeak and mean 10 years?”

“Nope.”

I said one year because one year was enough.

[Renegade].

It might be a guild the size of an ant right now, but it was a place with enough potential to grow into a top-tier guild.

‘That's because.’

This was the guild that formed the backbone of the main scenario, after all.

This guild, which you couldn't help but see often in the game for one reason or another, was practically a field of cheat keys.

It was a place where you could monopolize all sorts of immense fortuitous opportunities through all kinds of events.

‘And.’

Probably.

The chances were high that I was the only one in the entire world who knew that properly.

Now.

So.

‘I'll gladly suck this dry.’

Thanks for the honey pot.