Chapter 16: How much is the discount?

‘Were my words too difficult to understand?’

Dante, who heard the request for a fight, had a look on his face as if he momentarily doubted what he had just heard.

And next to him, Reina, her mouth agape.

I looked at the two of them, then turned my gaze to check the chat window, which was exploding in real time.

-She’s asking Dante for a fight here?

-???

-Streamer-nim?

-What did I just hear?

-Didn’t she say it would be fun?

[King of Clubs donated 1,000 won.]
[Did I hear that correctly?]

“Yes, that’s right.”

-Oh sh*t

-Whew, thank goodness my ears are normal.

-But I don’t think the streamer’s head is normal hahaha

-Who asks for a fight as a reward? lololol

-Hmm, but if it’s Haerang-sensei, it might actually be okay.

-That’s true hahaha

-Her physical abilities are GOAT, after all.

-But it’s Dante?

-So it’s a bit ambiguous.

-Not respecting the elderly, but attacking the elderly haha

-Attacking the elderly, as expected of Haewang!

“I heard you were the former Commander, but is there more to it?”

[Bulramyeon donated 1,000 won.]
[In the original series, the Commander was mostly a background character… but that changed a bit when it became virtual reality.
For now, you can consider him the ‘former’ strongest in the world.]

-Damn, that old man was that strong?

-Even if ‘former’, he was the strongest in the world.

-Yeah, don’t you know the saying “beware of old men, children, and women”?

-But this isn’t a martial arts story.

‘The former strongest in the world…’

I thought he looked strong from the first time I saw him.

But I never imagined he would have been the strongest in the world, even with the word ‘former’ attached.

A slight smile touched the corners of my lips at that fact.

‘Yes, he needs to be at least that strong to make things interesting. And if you think about it, I’m also a ‘former’ strongest in the world, right?’

I thought it would be fun if two ‘formers’ fought.

“This sounds even more fun.”

-Breaking news) Streamer revealed to be a Saiyan.

-Was she from a warrior race? lololol

-Hahahaha

-Wow

Was it because he heard that?

Dante’s shoulders shook slightly.

At first, it was just a slight upturn of his lips, but—

“Hahahaha!”

Soon, he began to laugh to the point where it could almost be called an explosion of laughter.

-Wow, the old man’s got good lungs hahaha

-This is the first time I’ve seen him laugh.

Soon, Reina, as if she had come to her senses, started to lecture me.

“Are you crazy? What were you thinking, asking Grandpa for a fight!! Do you have a brain?! Or not?! Did Kukridyaa hit you on the head? Is that why you’re not in your right mind?”

“I am perfectly sane.”

If anything, my body was itching for a fight.

Reina, who had been biting her lip at my words, finally let out a cry close to a scream and tore at her hair.

“I’m really going crazy!!”

Behind her, Dante, who had stopped laughing, was looking at me.

“You always manage to make me laugh.”

“Then I’m glad.”

“A fight, you say… Is that truly what you desire?”

“Yes, my body has been itching for it since I first saw you.”

“You are more belligerent than I thought.”

“I hear that a lot.”

From the tips of my toes, to my ankles, through my knees, to my pelvis.

I began to loosen my body, joint by joint.

“Are you planning to fight this old man who can’t even see?”

“Are you really unable to see?”

“With this decrepit body, it’s hard to face a young person brimming with vigor like you.”

Dante shook his head, saying he was too old and it was hard for him to fight now.

Hearing his words, I directly refuted him.

“For someone saying that, you’re smiling, aren’t you?”

“Oh dear, have I been found out?”

“You weren’t even trying to hide it.”

Dante, chuckling, turned his body.

“Follow me. If we fight here, all the fish will run away.”

As I tried to follow him-

Thump.

Reina grabbed my arm.

“Do you know what you’ve just done? You’ve picked a fight with someone who was the Commander, even if he’s ‘former’. Can you handle it? You could get hurt.”

Her eyes were filled with worry.

That sight was quite amusing.

‘Is she kind, or just a pushover?’

Since my character setting was a newbie, we probably haven’t known each other for long.

To see her worry this much.

I gently shook off her hand.

“I knew what I was doing, so don’t worry.”

And I added with a slight smile.

“You should probably worry about that old man more than me. It would be troublesome if someone his age, excited by a surge of vigor after a long time, overdoes it and collapses, wouldn’t it?”

-Hahahahaha

-Does the person who picked the fight usually say that?

-The streamer is hilarious hahahahaha

-I’m so dumbfounded I can only laugh lololol

-It’s like the perpetrator worrying about the victim hahaha

Reina also let out a hollow laugh, perhaps finding my words funny.

“Does the person who picked the fight usually say that?”

‘Oh, she said the exact same thing as the chat.’

A laugh escaped me, and without a word, I walked past Reina towards where Dante was waiting.

Dopamine was already coursing through me.

---

The Wild Hunter Gallery was already keeping an eye on the streamer named Haerang, due to the news that a route to form a bond with

Dante early on had opened up.

The news brought by a user at that moment was enough to set the gallery on fire once again.

—–Wild Hunter Gallery—-

Title) Extra! Extra!! Watch this right now!

I’ve personally brought you all some dopamine-exploding news.

You all know Haerang of the Haerang Challenge, right?

She’s currently picking a fight with Dante and about to throw down.

Everyone come and watch.

I’ve already ordered chicken and am digging in hahaha

: Crazy, is it real?

OP: Yeah, they’re about to fight.

: No viral marketing.

OP: I said it’s not viral marketing lololol

: A guy like that doesn’t post a link!!!

OP: Ah, right. Sh*t.

OP: Here’s the link (link)

: Thx thx

: OK OK, going.

: Thank you.

---

Standing a short distance from Dante, he tapped the sword hanging at his waist and spoke.

“I intend to use this sword. Are you planning to use the greatsword on your back? Judging by its appearance, it seems to be made from Domagirius materials. If you wish, I can lend you a weapon. For your information, my sword is made from the materials of an ancient dragon, so most weapons won’t be a match for it.”

At his words, I silently turned, slowly lowered the greatsword from my back, and stood it on the ground.

The heavy sensation felt at my fingertips.

“This is enough for me.”

“Will you be alright?”

“Yes.”

“If that is what you think, I will respect it.”

Dante, drawing the sword from his waist and pointing it towards me, spoke.

“Come at me first. This old man will concede the first move to a youngster.”

“Then I won’t refuse.”

Kicking the tip of the greatsword with my foot to quickly lift it, I charged straight at Dante.

The moment I reached him in a single breath and was about to swing the greatsword-

Swish!

The tip of Dante’s sword thrust rapidly towards my face.

I momentarily released one hand, shifted my center of gravity, and narrowly avoided the sword.

Using inertia, I retreated backward, narrowed my eyes, and glared at him.

“You said you’d concede the first move.”

Dante chuckled.

“I was kidding.”

-Dante is hilarious too hahahaha

-Why did Dante suddenly become a comedy character?

-Kidding, lmao

“That’s cunning.”

“When you get older, you only get better at tricks. Don’t you like it?”

I smirked at his words.

“No, not at all. It’s rather fun.”

Fighting monsters.

Of course, it was fun.

Even though it was a game, it was enough stimulation to reawaken senses that had been dulled by over a year of peace.

However.

Perhaps because it was still the early stages, there was something lacking.

All the monsters I had encountered so far were the type to rely solely on brute force.

Rather than using their heads, they would simply charge, scream, or rampage.

But Dante was different.

An opponent who attacks using such unconventional tactics.

We had only exchanged a single move, but it was enough to send shivers down my spine.

Perhaps my feelings were evident on my face.

“It seems this old man made a mistake.”

Dante wore a troubled expression.

I charged at him again, in the same way.

I could see Dante intending to block me in the same manner again.

At that moment-

I gathered strength in the tips of my toes.

Kwajijijik!

With the sound of the ground beneath my feet cracking, the greatsword whirled- diagonally and flew towards Dante’s torso.

I had thrown the greatsword straight at Dante, imbuing it with the rotational force that started from my toes.

Did he not expect me to throw the greatsword?

Dante slightly twisted his body, trying to deflect the incoming greatsword with his drawn sword.

-Hahahaha, she’s throwing the greatsword here?

-Wow…

-That’s f***ing insane hahaha

In that gap.

Carrying the remaining rotational force, I instantly reached Dante’s front.

Only then, a flicker of bewilderment crossed his face.

Actually, I had no intention of clashing weapons from the start.

It was obvious his weapon was better, so clashing directly would be a disadvantage.

However, unlike when choosing weapons, there were no restrictions on unarmed attacks now.

Taking advantage of that, I immediately closed in on Dante and swung my fist towards the area below his ribs.

Thud.

It wasn’t the sound of hitting flesh.

It was a hard, heavy, metallic reverberation.

Dante had barely managed to block my fist with the flat of his sword.

‘He blocked it.’

Such gazes were exchanged.

Before we knew it, ferocious, beast-like smiles were plastered on both our faces.

My fists relentlessly aimed for his vital spots,

And Dante parried every trajectory with the flat of his sword.

However, it seemed inconvenient to handle a sword at such close range.

Dante soon tossed his sword aside.

And then followed bare-handed combat.

Without either taking precedence,

If a fist extended, it was deflected with the back of a hand,

If a knee rose, the instep was stepped on and pushed away.

An exchange of offense and defense at a breath-close distance, relying purely on combat instincts.

The chat window, visible in the corner of my vision, no longer registered.

The only thing I could see was the old man before me.

The increasingly heated battle soon…

Hwok!

My fist stopped in front of Dante’s face.

And Dante’s hand-blade, aimed at my neck, came to a halt.

“I think I won.”

“No, this old man won.”

“I’m sorry, but my fist is closer.”

“My hand-blade would have reached you before your fist did.”

After that, without anyone saying anything further, we both let out a small laugh and composed ourselves.

“Then, shall I let you win, as a sign of respect for the elderly?”

“Is that really respect?”

“Of course.”

“Then, I won’t refuse.”

“You accept that… You’re more shameless than I thought.”

“As I said before, people naturally become more shameless as they age.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you do.”

As I turned to pick up the greatsword I had thrown earlier, I heard Dante’s voice.

“By the way, you.”

I paused for a moment.

Was he planning to argue more?

“Yes, what is it?”

I bent down and picked up the greatsword lying on the ground.

“You went easy on this old man, didn’t you?”

“Someone who knows that shamelessly claims victory?”

“Heh heh heh, so by what percentage?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking how much you held back against this old man. What percentage of your full strength were you using?”

Looking at him, I slightly raised the corners of my lips and quietly turned off my microphone.

The viewers went wild at the suddenly turned-off microphone.

-What, why did she turn off the mic?

-Streamer, your mic is off!!

-My ears are acting weird…

I glanced at the explosive viewer reactions and turned my head back towards Dante.

He was waiting silently, and I swallowed my silence for a moment.

And then, I smiled faintly.

‘This is respect for the elderly, old man.’

“Hmm… About 10%?”

Hearing my answer, Dante laughed hollowly.

“You’re a monster…”

[Cheonhyehyangijoah donated 1,000 won.]
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