Chapter 173

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 173: Duel (1)

“H-Hold on a moment!”

The broadcast host hurriedly spoke.

Of course, it was Kim Minwoo’s freedom to accept the duel. But to accept it right now, during the broadcast?

If they weren’t careful, they could easily be branded as traitors to Korea.

If they had any common sense, would they just stand by and watch this as a scoop?

At least if they were Korean, the right thing to do at this moment was to stop it.

Or at the very least, pretend to try and stop it.

“Guild master. P-please reconsider. This isn’t…”

“Ah. Just in case anyone here wants to blame the broadcast staff, don’t. I’m the one who agreed to this. If you want to throw stones, throw them at me.”

Kim Minwoo added with a shrug.

The host made a tearful face.

Before he could even try to stop him.

Lucas nodded from the screen on the other side.

―So, he wasn’t just all talk, huh?

“You’re serious about risking your life, right?”

―Kid. Do you really think I, Lucas would go back on my word?

“Then come to Korea. I accepted a disadvantageous duel, so I believe you can do this much for me.”

―Alright. I’ll be there within half a day.

Click.

The German broadcast ended.

For a moment, silence filled the broadcasting studio.

‘What was that?’

‘He accepted it?’

‘Is he crazy?’

Or was he perhaps thinking of luring Lucas to Korea and capturing him?

But there were too many problems with that approach. There was no reason for a world-ranked awakened like Lucas to be easily captured, and the justification for capturing him was ambiguous.

Arresting him in Korea for crimes committed in Germany?

That was nonsense to begin with.

And if Lucas came, would he come alone?

He might bring every single magic knight from his family, just in case. Accepting the duel was akin to shaking hands with the devil.

In the silence, Kim Minwoo stood up.

“I have an appointment, so I’ll have to take my leave. Please excuse me. Goodbye.”

Kim Minwoo headed out of the broadcasting station without hesitation.

The host, rolling his eyes, immediately started his commentary.

“Uh… We will now take this time to analyze this duel! First, we’ll bring in some experts…”

He had already accepted the duel on a broadcast watched by hundreds of thousands of people. This meant that the outcome was unlikely to be reversed.

If that was the case, the top priority was to analyze whether there was a chance of winning or not.

From various broadcasting stations to all sorts of NewTubers.

Everyone started to pay attention to this duel.

* * *

NewTuber Kkammuk.

He was one of the top Awakened analyzers in Korea.

As expected, donations poured into his broadcast.

[Kkammuk nim. Did you hear the news? Kim Minwoo and Lucas are having a duel. They’re betting their lives on it.]

“Huh? What? Lucas, as in *the* Lucas? The guy who’s been making all the noise lately…?”

―Yep.

―The world’s 27th ranked mage, that guy;;

Kkammuk’s eyes widened.

“What? Is this for real?”

The answer came out instinctively.

Lucas and Kim Minwoo.

The two hottest people in Korea these days. Of course, one in a very good way, and the other with an image dirtier than sewage.

In any case.

It was practically a fight between David and Goliath, and Kkammuk, as an analytical NewTuber, had some knowledge about Lucas.

[Can’t Minwoo oppa compete? He’s been spending a lot of money lately.]

“Uh… well… Of course, he has spent a lot… Sigh. This seems very difficult because, in truth, money isn’t everything when it comes to strength. It’s more like… money is just a supplementary factor.”

Good equipment.

High-level skill books.

Doping potions and ingredients, etc.

There were certainly many things that money could do.

But, that was only up to a certain level.

To put it bluntly, if money was everything, there would have been world-ranked awakeneds from the Middle East.

[Exactly. Well said lol Money isn’t everything. Let’s look at talent. With Kim Minwoo’s talent, can’t he give it a shot? He was amazing at the airport.]

“Yes, he was amazing. I admit it. But to be honest, that was possible because the opponent wasn’t a real deal…”

[Griff’s elite mages? Are you saying their leader, Jonas, wasn’t a real deal?]

“Compared to Lucas, he’s far behind. Honestly. That old man is a world-ranked awakened. And that ranking was last recorded five years ago. Moreover… there’s something you haven’t considered. That dark power.”

The strange power that Jonas used had already been broadcast in detail through numerous channels.

It was speculated to be a power obtained through the Griff family’s dirty deeds.

Would the head of the family not use such power?

That would be too naive a thought.

[There’s Merhen, the nightmare of mages.]

“She’s definitely a nightmare alright. But would she be a nightmare even for a world-ranked awakened? Honestly, I can’t say for sure…”

―Definitely….

―We don’t know if it’ll work or not. And we have to consider the evil power as well.

―It’ll be tough; everyone was thinking it would be difficult anyway.

―Agreed;

“Even the level difference… That old man Lucas, there’s no official analysis record of him. We don’t know exactly what his level is, or how many skills he has. But how did he become a world-ranked awakened? Because he’s strong. Filthy strong. That’s why.”

Kkammuk said with a sigh.

Of course, he liked Kim Minwoo quite a bit.

Thanks to their collaboration, his subscriber count had increased significantly.

And since they were both Korean, it would be strange not to cheer for him.

But that was that.

“Honestly… it looks difficult. Even considering all the amazing things he’s shown us and his generous spending, it’s still difficult. But of course, it’s not hopeless. I’m the one who collaborated with Mr. Minwoo, after all.”

[Oh, do you know something?]

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

“No, it’s not like that, but… Kim Minwoo may seem very impulsive and reckless on the surface, but in reality, he’s a strategist who calculates everything behind the scenes, you know?”

[A strategist? Kim Minwoo?]

“Yes. If he was just mindless… everyone, think about it. If he was like that, could he have moved so many countries so smoothly? Absolutely not.”

―Is that so?

―Makes sense XD. Do you think he moved the US, China, France, and Saudi Arabia with just strength? It must be all strategy Lol

―I guess so

―Considering that aspect of him, would he set a trap and try to catch him?

―If he cooperates with the US and gets Interpol to issue a red notice? Then it’s a possibility….

“No, I don’t think Mr. Kim Minwoo would choose that option. Kim Minwoo is all about pride. But to challenge someone to a duel and then set a trap to catch them behind their back? That’s too lame, isn’t it? It would greatly damage his built-up image.”

―Image lmao

―But Kim Minwoo is known for being reckless.

―Yeah. It would be a bit off if he acted like that after speaking so boldly.

Kkammuk, looking at the chat, narrowed his eyes.

He had roughly reached a conclusion.

“Anyway… considering that aspect of him… Ah, I got a feeling. Guys. I think something really big is coming. For real.”

[Something big?]

“What if Mr. Kim Minwoo has recently acquired an amazing skill? What if it’s a skill that can rival a world-ranked awakened? Or maybe it’s an item. Anyway, I think he has something. Something to take down that old geezer.”

[What kind of skill would he need to take down Lucas? A world-ranked mage with a level difference of at least 1,000?]

“Well, we’ll have to see, won’t we? In that sense, today’s outdoor broadcast will be switched to a relay. If you’re Korean, you have to watch this duel. Absolutely.”

[They’re fighting with their lives on the line. Will they broadcast it then?]

“I don’t know, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Countless viewers.

Kkammuk.

The Awakened of Korea.

No, the people of the world.

They were starting to pay attention to this duel.

* * *

Chairman Kim, Mrs. Choi, Hyungseok, even Naye. Starting with calls from his family, then guild members, and even the four elders, the phone calls started pouring in like crazy.

Even international figures like the US President, the Saudi King, and the Chinese President were calling.

The underlying concern was the same.

They were all worried.

The difference was that family and friends called out of pure concern.

While the leaders called out of concern that the agreements might fall apart.

‘It’s understandable.’

This wasn’t just a duel; their very lives hung in the balance.

Once it started, it couldn’t be stopped, and one of them would have to die for it to end.

If that happened?

The Saudi investment, the exchange with the US, the education agreement with China, all of it would fall apart.

Perhaps that’s why there were quite a few requests for mediation.

All of which were rejected.

‘Well, it’s always been like this.’

He always jumped into things that others would call crazy.

This time was no different.

‘Well, I’ve rarely been this confident before.’

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have thought of fighting Lucas with his life on the line.

A world-ranked mage who was involved with the Shadow, had a high level, and on top of that, wielded evil power?

Even with Cedric and Merhen, it would honestly be difficult.

At the very least, he would have raised his level a bit more and struck the Griff family.

But now, there was no need for that.

Guidance of Fate.

The insane cheat skill he obtained as a reward for truly clearing the gate.

A skill that summons a future comrade with the greatest talent into his body.

Park Siwoo, with his high favorability, was showing an even higher performance than the current Sword Saint.

On top of that, his favorability rating had risen even higher than when he had tested it before.

‘How can I lose this?’

No matter what he did, he couldn’t picture it.

The picture of him losing.

That’s why he readily accepted Lucas’s proposal.

“What an unlucky old man.”

A duel.

How wonderful.

There couldn’t be a cleaner way to catch him, who was stuck in Korea.

However.

“He really picked the worst option.”

He saw the news.

A plane had taken off from Germany and was flying through the air.

It was the Griff family’s massive private jet.

In addition to Lucas, numerous elite personnel would be on board.

Kim Minwoo, who was spending time at home, got up.

He called Han Siah and soon got into the car with her.

“A-Are you really sure about this?”

Despite hearing it over the phone earlier, she still looked at him with worried eyes as she asked.

Kim Minwoo smiled gently.

“I’m more confident that this fight will be easier than any I’ve had before. Don’t worry.”

“B-But how can I not worry! The whole world is saying you’re crazy…!”

“That old man is the crazy one. Challenging me to a fight, of all things.”

Han Siah gulped.

No, he said the opposite…

Her eyes darted around.

She didn’t understand.

This whole situation was too sudden for her.

Going on air and beating up Griff?

That was possible.

The head of the family appearing on the broadcast?

That was also possible.

But a life-or-death duel?

Less than half a day after the broadcast?

“Minwoo, you really have a plan, right? You’re not really going to fight with your life on the line, are you? You can turn this around if you want to. We’re in Korea…”

“Don’t overthink it. Just think about this. What do you want to do once you get your talent back? And what will you do?”

“…”

“Let’s go. To the airport.”

Vroom.

The long limousine started up.

The car smoothly sped down the road. Behind it, numerous broadcasting company vehicles were already following. When they arrived at the airport lounge, they saw a familiar face.

Mages in black robes.

Among them, the head of Griff, Lucas, and the cameras filming him.

Han Siah and Lucas’s eyes met.

“Do you want her back? Then fight me with your life on the line. That’s why you came here, right? To Korea.”

“You’re truly a foolish one. Have you set a trap? Is that why you’re so confident?”

“Welcome to Korea. Shall we head to the stage?”

Kim Minwoo turned around, ignoring Lucas, and led the way.

Lucas, with a cold sneer, followed behind.

The stage was set, so there was no reason for him to refuse.

Even if it was a trap, he had enough power to break it.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]