NOVPUBInsulting Me is Something I Can’t Tolerate
[The winner is Hunter Baek Taeyang!]
Too easy.
Apart from my opponent not being from the Noble faction, there were no noteworthy points. With two S-rank gate clears under my belt, there are few hunters in Gladire who can stand up to me.
Among those few, I could count:
[Wow! Amazing! Yet again, Hunter Max swiftly KOs his opponent with incredible speed!]
Max Beramic, presumably from the Noble faction.
[Where does this strange and unknown source of power come from? Hunter Lee Joon quickly subdues his opponent!]
Likewise, Lee Joon, presumably from the Noble faction.
[An indomitable hero! The spirit of a scholar! The path of a true hero! Hunter Kim Minsoo overwhelms his opponent decisively!]
And Kim Minsoo, waving brightly in his stupid traditional scholar’s attire.
As expected.
Only the ones I predicted would advance made it to the semifinals. And, of course, there was no embellishment when I won. Even though Noble controls the tournament, the level of petty discrimination was laughable.
While others get grand announcements like “So-and-so wins with this and that,” all I get is “The winner is Baek Taeyang!” The way they discriminated was really childish. If they were going to disadvantage me, they should do it boldly, instead of these small, pathetic jabs to avoid the audience’s scrutiny. It was utterly pathetic.
[From the semifinals onward, the matches will proceed sequentially, not simultaneously as before. We will resume the main event after a short break.]
Finishing quickly had its perks. Since the Gladire tournament started and ended on the same day, managing one’s stamina was crucial. If you tried to draw out the match to gauge your opponent’s skill, you’d suffer for it. All the hunters who made it to the semifinals, including myself, had extremely short match times. No match lasted more than two minutes, proving that everyone understood the Gladire tournament well.
Minsoo… He’s probably been informed by Noble.
“Hey, Baek Taeyang. You won too? Well, that was expected.”
“Yeah…”
Kim Minsoo, as if he heard me badmouthing him, quickly approached me. His habit of clinging to me without maintaining distance seemed to be something that even death could not cure.
“I’ve been thinking, that Hunter Max Beramic and Lee Joon are probably from the Noble faction. The way they looked at me… it was fierce. Like I saw a hidden, ferocious beast in their eyes. Be careful. They don’t seem like opponents you can easily beat in a few minutes… especially, as per my scholarly insights, there might be some trickery…”
Minsoo seemed genuinely tense. His voice trembled slightly, unlike his usual boastful tone. Maybe he sensed something with his protagonist’s unique intuition. After all, he is the protagonist of this novel.
“…So in conclusion, Baek Taeyang, you better not lose, because I’m the one who has to defeat you.”
“Yeah, I get it. Just stop spraying saliva everywhere when you talk.”
“Sorry…”
So, am I really going to face Kim Minsoo in the finals? How anticlimactic.
Kim Minsoo hasn’t made any significant progress since The Tale of Chunhyang gate. The only reason he had a brief advantage back then was because his main skill had been enhanced. But in Gladire, where he can’t use his passive main skill, he has no edge over me.
His Brush Sword can be easily neutralized by my Greed Club, and my physical abilities surpasses his. The only variable is how many sub-skills he has, but even that’s likely in my favor since my Bash skill has been strengthened.
No matter how many skills you have, quality trumps quantity.
Assuming I win without any hitches, the remaining problem is the skill hunter. I’ve been regularly sending information about Noble to Jang Duchul, but there’s no concrete evidence yet. The best way will be to catch them in the act of stealing skills or documenting it somehow, but there hasn’t been any good opportunities.
I need to do something…
But time’s too short. Whenever I tried to do something, girls would come to cheer for me, and whenever I tried to investigate, the matches would start.
[The semifinals will begin shortly! The first semifinal match features Hunter Kim Minsoo versus Hunter Max Beramic! Please come to the stage immediately!]
Just like now.
“I’ll go to the finals first and wait for you there.”
“Yeah, good luck.”
I didn’t think Kim Minsoo would lose to Max Beramic. The story’s protagonist, cherished by the author, wouldn’t be allowed to lose in such a place. As for me, I was an exception because I had taken on a role unknown to the author, but Noble wouldn’t allow it.
‘They must be a thoroughly organized group.’
Even if the author didn’t interfere with everything, his basic stance of favoring Kim Minsoo wouldn’t change. Hence, the outcome of this match was pretty much a given.
Max Beramic was smiling brightly, just like Kim Minsoo, who was confidently expecting victory. It was clear that both were underestimating each other. And that certainty made me uneasy.
Could it be that Noble doesn’t plan to let him win?
They wouldn’t abandon Kim Minsoo. Yet, Max Beramic’s expression was one of sheer contempt for Minsoo. His smile was brimming with overconfidence, and his fists were full of power. Surely not.
[Let’s start the match right now!]
“Arrgh!”
My unease became reality. As soon as the announcement ended, Kim Minsoo was driven into a one-sided defensive position.
“Hahaha! The indomitable hero isn’t much after all!”
With each punch from Max, Kim Minsoo was knocked back. His Brush Sword couldn’t land a proper hit, and even summoning creatures with “Dragon! Dragon!” was useless. The difference in power was overwhelming.
Whenever Max’s fists that looked capable of shattering mountains, swung, Minsoo struggled to block. When the fists struck the blade, Minsoo’s body shook. When he advanced with rapid steps, he focused solely on maintaining his balance.
Without his Indomitable Hero main skill, Minsoo was pathetically weak in a serious fight. It was a moment that showed how miserably a hero could lose when unable to use his true strength.
Wow, this is… This is very entertaining. Yes, this is what a novel should be like.
I had been feeling bored and sluggish due to the predictability of the tournament’s outcome. Minsoo has a strong mental fortitude, so he’ll probably recover quickly even after taking such a beating.
Everything was fine. Everything except for one nagging feeling.
Why do I feel so uneasy?
Kim Minsoo is the epitome of a pathetic character, a product of the author’s imagination. But why does watching him get beaten up irritate me so much?
Is it because I feel sorry for him? Pity? Anger?
None of those emotions seemed to fit. It felt more like…
Like when someone insults my little brother…?
It was like seeing someone who only I should be bullying get beaten by some nobody. I should be the one hitting him, teaching him a lesson, and making him feel miserable.
It felt like my role was being taken away. Seeing the bully who’s supposed to be Kim Minsoo’s designated tormentor here, beating him up so freely…
I can do it better.
And this guy couldn’t even make Kim Minsoo scream like a pig in his rookie attempt. When dealing with Minsoo, you have to start with a slap to get him to scream “Kuweeek” for five seconds straight.
“I, Max Beramic, will destroy all the Victory Academy students today and show them that the wall of being a hunter is still very high!”
“I’m not done yet!”
Despite Minsoo’s words, the outcome was already decided. Max was unscathed, but Minsoo was in a pitiful state. Blood was streaming down from his forehead, and his legs were trembling.
In this clearly hopeless situation, Max grinned widely at Minsoo’s refusal to give up and raised his fist high. As he did, light gathered around his fist, forming a large glowing sphere.
Bright…
It was as bright and hot as if the sun had been condensed into one spot. If it hit, even Kim Minsoo wouldn’t come out unscathed.
“Head to the infirmary first, Baek Taeyang will be joining you soon enough!”
“I’m not done yet!”
“All talk, no action.”
Had Max already figured Minsoo out in such a short time?
He’s not to be underestimated. He can’t be taken lightly.
“Goodbye!” As Max’s fist was about to connect with Minsoo’s cheek, the announcement came over the loudspeakers.
[Match stopped! That’s enough! The winner is Max Beramic!]
Upon hearing the announcement, Max halted his fist. It stopped just short of Minsoo’s cheek, but even without contact, Minsoo was sent flying out of the arena. Unable to control his battered body, he crashed into the wall.
“Hahaha! Looking at Kim Minsoo, I’d say you’re next, Baek Taeyang!” As soon as the match ended, Max turned his gaze to me and spoke. Even without a microphone, his voice was so loud it shook the nearby trees.
“This is the difference between an academy student and a real hunter. And Baek Taeyang! You and I…”
There’s an even greater difference between those born awakened and those who awakened later. Judging by his lips, it seemed Noble wasn’t ready to fully reveal themselves yet.
I can tolerate teasing and hitting Kim Minsoo to some extent, but… insulting me is something I can’t tolerate.
[We will now proceed with the next match! Hunters Baek Taeyang and Lee Joon, please come to the stage!]
I need to beat Lee Joon first, then go straight for Max.
I gripped my club tightly.
***
[And now, let the second semifinal match begin!]
Just as the announcement ended and I was about to rush at Lee Joon, he suddenly opened his palm and spoke, “Baek Taeyang, you’re too arrogant.”
“What?”
“I’m going to show you that there’s always someone above.”
From Lee Joon’s open hand, a black veil began to expand rapidly, enveloping the entire arena before I had time to react.
“This is one of the powers bestowed upon me by Noble. From now on, until the match is decided, no one will know what happens here. You’re going to lose all your skills and fall helplessly.”
Lee Joon’s stern words seemed genuine. Judging by his claim of taking skills, it was likely that he was the skill hunter. But the most important thing was something else.
“So no one outside can see?”
“Yes, scared? You will disappear here, alone and without any help.”
No one will see, huh?
[Demonization activated! Be careful! There is a high possibility of physical burden if the skill is maintained for a long time!]
“There are quite a few people who need a beating today.” no𝚟𝚙u𝚋.c𝚘m
It was very considerate of him to reveal his identity first. No need for complicated deductions or investigations; just a straightforward beating.
It’s time to smash Noble’s pillar.
