Turns Out To Be a Genius Duelist

As always, he just came and went like the wind. However, everything that had happened for the past ten days was recorded as data and was currently in Yoo Hye-ri’s hands.

“What do I do with this?”

It was self-evident that once it was uploaded, it would go viral. A well-hidden challenger with only a few details revealed to the public since they could not check out Choi Yoon-seok’s recent updates.

“Can I really post this…?”

Yoo Hye-ri sighed deeply and played the original file again. She had always felt like this, but this was a good start.

— Everyone, step back from the center and take out your weapons.

1,000 people consisting of top challengers without exaggeration. In fact, it would’ve been a hot topic if they gathered and had a barbecue party, but… Not only were they gathered there, but they also had to take out their weapons to oppose one person.

“…”

It was just a fight, and even though she had already replayed it several times, Yoo Hye-ri still got goosebumps all over her body due to Yoon-seok’s eyes.

“How can a person be like that?”

Indifferent yet arrogant. Violent presence naturally exuded by those who possessed absolute force. Nevertheless, the challengers were hostile and still determined to throw a punch against the man who was named most powerful.

“Yeah, everything was good up until here.”

Soon, a thousand challengers rush in, and Yoon-seok easily avoided them. A smooth movement like a choreographed musical. This alone would’ve stunned the viewers, and as if this wasn’t enough, Yoon-seok closed his eyes and said, “…Things went south,” taking out the dumbbell.

The reason why he called 1,000 challengers wasn’t for a mock duel or anything like that.

— … No way, does it increase? His stats?

— Then why did he ask us to come?

— His agility goes up every time he avoids it. A thousand respected and well-loved challengers would have been everyone’s idols, and they quickly degenerated into training tools.

— … Don’t make me laugh!

— He… He called us here… just for this…?

— … What have I been doing all this time? Facing the brutal truth. Those who were called heroes all fell into despair. However, things weren’t that bad until here.

— Training tools? What’s wrong with that?

— You never know. If we continue, he might even open his eyes, breaking everyone’s expectations.

The fallen heroes overcame the challenge and stood up.

— When the Tower of Truth-seeker was cleared, my magic power increased, and I was barely able to make it out alive. I will pay back the kindness.

— Me too! Without him, do you think challengers would be treated this well?

— My family was safe thanks to the timely arrival of the spacecraft.

Acknowledging their shortcomings and doing what they could. It must’ve been agonizing, but it gave strength to the guy who could achieve the impossible. Even Yoo Hye-ri, who had already watched it several times, was overwhelmed no matter how close doomsday was.

If everyone who stood at the front line were people like them, she would trust them. And suddenly, the light in question burst out.

— One muscle…?

At first, she didn’t know. Was that a slogan brought up by the Communist Party recently? In fact, there wasn’t an instant change. Yoon-seok continued to lift the dumbbells, and the challengers who paused for a while rushed back to Yoon-seok as they had never done so.

However, roughly an hour after that. The director, who was watching in real-time, gave a new order.

— From now on, please use the provided weapons.

The challengers stopped attacking and were given weapons by the headquarters. Could they even call that a weapon?

“What is that…”

Yoo Hye-ri couldn’t understand the situation at all. Regardless, the situation didn’t appear to be funny.

— … The director is smart.

— This would be more beneficial for both parties.

The challengers had no protest against the weapon they received. They were handed over normally and used to attack Yoon-seok. The wizard swung a heavily weighted barbell instead of a cane, and the archer threw a pendulum distributed in real-time at the back. A swordsman’s hand wasn’t a sharp sword but a 3m steel rod suspected to be torn off the building.

— Is that so? Is this the way to make him stronger…

— I get it now. What difference do he and I have?

Yoo Hye-ri, who quickly replayed the video, stopped breathing. Even though she was just watching the video, she could feel the sweat emanating from then.

“…”

Yoo Hye-ri sped up the video again. Nothing much happened after that. Just a repetitive ten days of sweating continuously without eating or resting.

— Arghhhhhhhhhh!

— I won’t give up!

A thousand challengers, all named heroes. They sweated real blood and sweat, exhaled ragged breaths, and sometimes screamed and swung the rods. As the days went by, the heavy-weight weapons became heavier, and the video simply reached the end of madness.

— … Not enough. Hey Director! Can you increase the weight?

— Maybe because of the increase in muscle strength, it’s lighter now. Please change this.

— … Is this a 30t dumbbell airlifted from the Tower? It’s fun.

— My sweat… no blood is not seeping out yet…

Yoo Hye-ri felt like they had somewhat lost their minds, which was why she was worried. Could she really reveal this crazy video? This incident left a bad impression on those improved challengers.

“… Director Ashton has his plans, so it must be okay.”

After contemplating for a long time, Yoo Hye-ri gave up, and then the article summarizing the ten days was sent to her company with edited videos. After that, her work was done. On or off the Internet, there was only one recent hottest topic. What did the man, called the savior, do by calling 1,000 top challengers to a mock duel?

— It’s called a mock duel, so of course, they had a duel.

┗ By gathering 1,000 viewers?

┗ I know a federation staff said that they had an infinite battle one by one. Of course, the savior won.

┗ The federation staff you know gave me a good laugh.

┗ Why would a guy named savior conduct a mock duel? With the fawns who aren’t from duels at that. One shot of nuclear rays would’ve knocked them all out just the same. How can they be of any help?

┗ Isn’t it because he’s pissed that they go around like know-it-alls?

All kinds of rumors were rampant. Also, October 14th, exactly ten days after Yoon-seok appeared at the mock duel. A piece of news posted on the Internet ended all rumors.

[Exclusive] Revealed for the first time. Savior and 1,000 top challengers. What happened in the mock duel? People’s reactions were vague at first. There were so many clickbait articles those days, but the Global Challenger Federation posted an official link, and the number of views rose drastically.

“…”

Yoo Hye-ri read the fast-moving comments in real-time nervously. People were leaving comments in real-time while watching the two-hour video.

— As expected, it was a mock duel as I expected, but I didn’t expect him to face a thousand people at once…

— How can he avoid something so fast so easily? As expected, I thought the savior was freaking awesome, and even if it was slowed to 0.001 speed, I screamed.

┗ I guess I’m not the only one.

Since everyone was still watching the beginning, the response wasn’t bad. As everyone looked forward to it, they were thrilled to see the man’s strength called the strongest challenger.

— But how did K-Daily get this video? Looking at it, I think the federation approved it.

┗ It was said that Reporter Yoo Hye-ri knows the savior. From now on, only reporter Yoo Hye-ri will release the videos.

After leaving a comment with her sub-account, Yoo Hye-ri gulped.

“Is it starting now…”

The video was currently playing at 9 minutes and 2 seconds. It was about time for the scene to begin.

— Dumbbell? It’s a dumbbell, right? But why all of a sudden?

┗ They’re so lame that he wants to hold a dumbbell instead.

┗ [Breaking news] Savior, known to care about muscle loss!

— Wow, this is who the savior is. He’s just on a different level.

┗ The class is definitely different. From what I’ve seen so far, it seems certain that exercising improves his stats, but it’s a whole different league.

┗ I know right. They’re just treated as training tools.

Yoon-seok was lifting dumbbells in the video, and the challengers who realized his intention fell into despair.

— … Isn’t this too much? So the savior is someone like this, I’m disappointed.

— The challengers were all in a mental breakdown, but he’s still doing dumbbells with his eyes closed. Even Satan would cry. Just as she worried, there were bad reactions, but they disappeared over time.

— I felt choked up when Edwill cried out for what he did, and now I finally understand why Jovan Trosian tweeted, “It was because he’d gone to such lengths that he could become this strong,” and I choked up again.

— The savior wasn’t just a person, but their everything.

— I thought the top challengers were just keeping each other in check, but it was all my mistake. They’re all great. I’ll continue to support you! Because that’s the only thing I can do!

Yoo Hye-ri didn’t lose tension even while watching the favorable response. The biggest challenge hasn’t even begun yet.

— From now on, please use the provided weapon. Light exploded from Yoon-seok’s body, and the challengers’ weapon changed.

— Huh? Aren’t the countless swordsmen holding steel rods?

┗ If you look closely, there’s concrete on it. I think they just broke down a nearby building and took it for him?

┗ Why though?

┗ Just watch the video, and there’s also an explanation.

—One muscle, lol. Freaking insane.

┗ The believers will now carry dumbbells in their school bags.

— I’m currently a gym owner. I’ve been receiving many inquiries from Guwon-gyo about whether they can rent the place, but this must be why.

┗ Shouldn’t we change the name to the gym-rat cult?

┗ From today onwards, all gym rats worldwide will enter the cult.

┗ I made up my mind. I will avoid it whenever I see a Guwon-gyo.

— A victim of school violence here. Everyone, please believe in Guwon-gyo. Just believe that when the first level is cleared, your muscle strength will increase by +1. It applies to ordinary people like me.

┗ What is this feeling?

┗ What are you going to do with those muscles? You said you were a victim of school violence. Go ahead and tell us a satisfying story about it.

Although it was a completely different development, most understood it, finding it amusing. Everyone was overwhelmed after witnessing the slight madness that emerged among the challengers as time passed.

—It was funny at first, but now I’m getting scared… Is it just me?

Yoo Hye-ri nodded as if she could relate without realizing it.

—What a beautiful video. Thank you. Fighting until the day everyone gets great muscles, go Guwon-gyo!

┗ FYI, if you enter the cult now, we will give you a free gym pass, so please give us a lot of love!

—Recruitment of high-yield part-time jobs. Earn money while working out. Preferably for power-specialized challengers.

When did it start? When the world was going crazy. Meanwhile, at that time, returning to the waiting room, Yoon-seok quietly approached the tablet to confirm the results of his past training.

Muscle strength SS, Agility SS-, Physical strength SS-, Durability SS-, Magic SS+ He already knew. Still, a smile naturally formed around his mouth when he checked the figures with his own eyes.

“In terms of points, did I gain about 31 million?”

Finally, all his stats reached Rank SS. Even if it wasn’t his basic stats, the first level of ‘One Muscle’ was cleared, and his muscle strength increased by +1. Although he had to sacrifice a lot, such as going on exploration, adventure, finding colleagues, he said, “Honestly, isn’t it better to look at it as a point?”

Furthermore, the main dish remained. None other than the Rank SSS rank Personal Skillbook. Since the keywords related to growth were collected from repeated actions, there was a high possibility the skill he wanted might come out.

“It’s a bit unfortunate that I have to go to a duel in the midst of it.”

There were six days left before the 30th-day documentation was over, and the duel would begin in the next 18 hours. If he met an easy opponent, he could quickly overpower them and train, but… Otherwise, the keyword of the day would be filled with keywords related to battle, not growth.

“By the way, they were all cool people…”

Soon, Yoon-seok breathed heavily in the cool air. Was it because he sweated with people from his hometown who had similar thoughts? It was very refreshing. Therefore, it was necessary to trigger alertness.

“Let’s not let our guard down until the end.”

Earth’s top challengers were willing to invest ten days and even help him train. Even Yoon-seok was enthusiastic enough to be impressed. Why did they do that? The answer was simple without having to ask.

“They must’ve thought that was the best they could’ve done.”

They hoped. As one of the only rankers on Earth, he hoped he survived this duel and continued to be a beacon of hope. They did their best for this. He smiled. So, what was the best he could do? After thinking about it, Yoon-seok smiled.

It was extremely clear. ‘Winning.’ To fight for his life, win, and continue to move forward. Yoon-seok raised his head and checked the timer.

「Until the next duel, 18:10:09.」

He began to make final preparations. He kept feeling like his shoulders were heavy and light for some reason. It was a little strange, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.