Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
The eyes of Gwak Gyeong-gu, who heard Yong Jegeon’s signal to start the match, turned towards the chess board.
Ping.
After I, who was Black, pressed the chess clock, Gwak Gyeong-gu moved the pawn straight away as if he had come up with the chess opening beforehand.
White e2’s pawn moved to e4, the King’s pawn opening.
If I move black e7’s pawn to e5, it will become an open game and if I use other moves, it will turn into a semi-open game.
‘Shall I use a different pattern from the games before?’
I moved black g8’s knight to f6.
Gwak Gyeong-gu stared at the chess board as he fell into thoughts.
Looking at this appearance, I had a guess.
‘Looks like you studied me.’
The move I used, Alekhine’s Defense chess opening.
It was one of the hypermodern openings, which when it appeared, refuted old textbook chess theory that dominating two tiles from e4, d4, e5, d5 of the center tiles leads to victory, while it gave up the center to the opponent’s pawn.
It was a move which allowed white pawns to dominate the center to rather methodically hunt the other side’s pawns first.
‘Excluding the Scholar’s mate, it’s the most aggressive move I played until now. I went for a different pattern than what he thought, so I guess he is a bit worried, huh?[1]’
Did you come after studying me for that short period of time?
As I saw him in the game, he was a sincere character.
Through his solemn face with pressed lips while he was thinking about the next move, I could feel his unique firm character developed by martial arts[2].
‘It’s unbelievable he got twisted once.’
Before the game’s starting point.
By this current world’s standard, a year before.
Seventeen years old Gwak Gyeong-gu used his Gwangrim for the first time and fell into despair.
Because as the name of Gwak Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim suggested, ‘100 seconds of Grace’[3], one time usage was possible for only 100 seconds.
‘It’s an ability from the body reinforcement category, but it’s different from raising attack power. Between his father and Ju Su-hyeok, who were pointed out as a genius swordsmen, he was no match for them even with that skill, so Gwak Gyeong-gu probably had a big breakdown.’
Gwak Gyeong-gu’s misconduct was short and bold.
He was a pre-1st year highschooler, but using his face that looked older than a common reserve soldier, Gwak Gyeong-gu bought alcohol.
Then Gwak Gyeong-gu piled up Jenga from the soju bottles he gulped down in front of the dojo, while saying to expel him as he got crooked.
In the end, Gwak Gyeong-gu’s father, master[4] Gwak beat him up with soju bottles.
But even when a few soju bottles broke open, Gwak Gyeong-gu had not a single wound.
It was thanks to the activation of the body reinforcement Gwangrim ‘100 seconds of Grace’, which in addition to the already extremely strong Player’s body, strengthened it even more.
[Ah, fuc[5]. That scum-like Gwangrim can’t be used for nothing but being beaten up by soju bottles!]
Hearing Gwak Gyeong-gu’s drunk words, master Gwak stopped beating up his son with a soju bottle.
Instead he waited until the 100 seconds of Gwangrim activation ended, then dragged Gwak Gyeong-gu inside of the dojo, requested a spar and then beat him up for an hour holding twin swords.
Even after being beaten up like that, Gwak Gyeong-gu couldn’t come to his senses until entering Eungwang School.
Then through some kind of incident, he was influenced by his junior brother[6] Ju Su-hyeok and Gwak Gyeong-gu changed his mind, starting with training.
‘Ju Su-hyeok himself may not know, but he saved many people even before the game started.’
Ping.
Gwak Gyeong-gu played the next move and pressed the button of the chess clock.
Now it was my turn.
‘I hope that sparring with me will be of help for Gwak Gyeong-gu’s mental training.’
Currently Gwak Gyeong-gu became a new person.
Enough that he received an alias ‘Hundred Seconds’ from PlayerSAT–K.
‘Gwak Gyeong-gu is one of the characters with great potential.’
Before, Gwak Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim ‘100 seconds of Grace’ was thought to only simply strengthen defense power for 100 seconds.
But when it was revealed that his Gwangrim rapidly increased his body regenerative abilities based on his spiritually, he was raised to the rank of an OP character.
But the current Gwak Gyeong-gu is still in his growth stage.
‘At the initial phase, he was complicated to raise, but when he grew, it became easy. Even in the game wasn’t he the most helpful character when it came to clearing gimmicks?’
It was Gwak Gyeong-gu, which when his fostering was completed, his defense power and regeneration ability raised so exceptionally that he actually entered invincibility mode and super-healing mode for 100 seconds.
He was a recommended character to choose when you have to retrieve a key to a hidden barrier from the fire pit or key item from the inside of a trap.
‘Even so, the usability time is only 100 seconds. A thinking circuit is needed to remain calm even in the midst of pouring attacks or quickly finding a way out.’
Ping.
I played the next move and pressed the chess clock button to pass the turn.
Consequently since the opening I was playing offensive moves.
The headache was as excessive as before, but today my condition was the best.
It seemed that I would be able to play without making any mistakes even with offensive moves like this.
‘If he continues to come out with such a defense setup here, Gwak Gyeong-gu will be soon checkmated.’
I gave up the center to white pawns, but I was figuratively squeezing the breath out of the white chess pieces.
One move after another.
The turns continued, but Gwak Gyeong-gu didn’t simply go out to attack.
In the meantime, my chess pieces were gradually advancing forward to capture the white king.
“I give up.”
Gwak Gyeong-gu raised his hand and declared a surrender.
‘That’s a quick surrender…’
At the same time Gwak Gyeong-gu declared he gives up, the match ended with my victory.
Gwak Gyeong-gu stood up from his seat and asked for a handshake.
As I hesitated and then also grabbed his hand, Gwak Gyeong-gu slightly curled up his lips, which were firmly shut until now, as he spoke.
“You have a face like you want to ask why.”
Gwak Gyeong-gu looked down at the chess board as he said:
“Because whatever move I use, my king will be captured in four moves the fastest, in 6 moves the latest.”
Half frustrated, half satisfied expression.
Somehow I didn’t like that face.
It was the face he had when he met his end after 100 seconds passed after he put up his Gwangrim and assumed the role of Ju Su-hyeok’s shield.
“May I move white chess pieces?”
“Sure.”
From the white chess pieces that were Gwak Gyeong-gu’s camp, the white queen which almost didn’t move at all.
The white queen captured the black chess piece located in the center.
“This!”
With one move, the situation was reversed.
The white queen was in a location where both black king and queen could be captured at the same time.
It didn’t go up to checkmate, but it became a situation where I would have had to engage in the defense for a few moves.
It wasn’t a situation where I could declare a check in 8 moves like Gwak Gyeong-gu suggested.
“I didn’t see it…”
Gwak Gyeong’s shocked expression soon turned into a regretful one.
Rather than a face that looked to recognize the defeat and be comfortable with it, I liked that expression much more.
***
Gym no. 3, B-Block waiting room.
As the match between Yeom Junyeol and Bak Seung-hyeon had yet to end, the Stalemate staff guided me to the waiting room.
Left alone, I took out a recovery item card and used it.
When the card disappeared, the pain in my body momentarily disappeared, but it promptly reemerged.
‘I can’t get rid of this headache even with the usage of recovery items.’
I thought that headache and tinnitus appeared as symptoms of a brain overloaded with psychological trauma.
I expected that as the final result was a physical problem, it would be possible to solve it with recovery items, but I was off the mark.
‘Is it perhaps because of supernatural waves? If I unknowingly emit unstable supernatural waves, wouldn’t my body be affected?’
There was no way to control superpower waves with recovery items.
They could be only controlled by the concerned person themselves, or suppressed by force by another Player.
Like Hwang Jiho did with Kwon Jane and Jeok-ho.
Knock-knock—!
At the knocking sound, my thoughts stopped.
Did the Stalemate staff come to inform me about the next match?
“Yes, please come in.”
The one to open the door and enter was Bak Seung-hyeon.
Seeing Bak Seun-hyeon’s face, I immediately had a hunch.
‘You lost, huh?’
When I lived as a chess player, I saw that expression countless times.
I could recognize it straight away, even without him saying it.
“… Sorry, I lost. We won’t be able to see each other in the finals.”
Bak Seung-hyeon spoke with a dejected face.
Looking at the time, it seemed that the two people played for nearly the entire limited time, using all they got.
I didn’t see the game record, but with just Bak Seung-hyeon’s exhausted face, I could immediately sense just how tight of a battle it was.
“What are you apologizing for? Let’s play together next time.”
“Okay…”
Depressed Bak Seun-hyeon.
When I was considering what I should do to comfort him.
Bang—!
The door suddenly opened without knocking.
The guy in the school gym clothes, poked his head in and looked inside the waiting room, and then, after he discovered Bak Seung-hyeon, he walked up to speak to him.
“Hey! Why are you here? Go. Let’s go eat. I’m buying.”
“I wanted to see finals and then go.”
“What are you gonna do with that bone body[7]? Stalemate is making a live broadcast, so let’s watch it while eating. I’m buying.”
Looking closely, it was the guy I met in the dormitory lobby during April Fool’s Day.
Hearing the content of the conversation, it looked like he was close with Bak Seung-hyeon even now.
“No, you supported me so I should buy…”
“Can’t, don’t.”
The guy in gym clothes didn’t listen to Bak Seung-hyeon at all and started to drag him out to leave.
Thinking about Bak Seung-hyeon’s personality, it didn’t seem bad for such a guy to be at his side to take care of him.
“And you also play well. You’re a 1st year representative, so work hard.”
“Ah, Uisin! I’ll be cheering for you!”
And the two people crossed with Stalemate staff who came to inform about the opening of the final match on their way.
While I was talking with Bak Seung-hyeon, the headache and tinnitus lightened up a bit.
Chess tournament venue.
Yeom Junyeol walked out from the A block waiting room, and I walked out from the B block waiting room.
The moment we faced each other across the chess table, the cheers poured from the audience seats.
Whoaaa!
Did Yong Jegeon release the Space Art?
When I thought like that and looked around, the light inside the gym went out in an instant.
Paat!
In a moment, hundreds of thousands small spaces formed, emitting red light.
The block-like spaces interlocked changing into the shape of a dragon.
‘It’s exactly like Red Dragon!’
The red spaces shaped like Red Dragon, moved as if swimming in the sky and illuminated the audience seats.
Exclamations poured out of the students who came as an audience as they stared at the dragon or started to take pictures.
I saw the audience’s faces in the light emitted by the Red Dragon made out of space.
‘The Student Council came as a group, huh!’
Student Council president Tao Wonu, Student Council vice president Ji Myeong-su, secretary Yu Sang-hui.
And Gwak Gyeong-gu, who had played a game with me moments ago.
In addition, I even saw An Dain.
‘Our eyes met!’
While the people I knew waved their hands, Tao Wonu sent me and Yeom Junyeol equally ugly looks.
Yu Sang-hui said that she would cheer for both me and Yeom Junyeol, was he bothered by that?
I saw Yu Sang-hui, who saw Tao Wonu with that ugly and unhappy face, say something and Ji Myeong-su suppressed laughter.
The Student Council seemed the same as ever.
‘There are overwhelmingly many of Yeom Junyeol’s fans.’
Each of Yeom Junyeol’s fans holding various picket signs or unfolding holograms were illuminated by the Space Art’s Red Dragon and then disappeared
While smiling, Yeom Junyeol waved his hand towards his fans, and the cheers that filled the chess tournament venue grew several times louder.
‘I hope our class kids don’t get disheartened.’
When the Space Red Dragon made one round around the audience seats and disappeared.
This time, a space carrying pure-white lights emerged in the entire gym.
The dark ceiling of the gym was exactly like the Milky Way and the spaces engraving it looked like stars.
The biggest and brightest shining space among them started to spin around the gym.
‘It’s representing Unknown Supernova, huh!’
The space representing Supernova first illuminated the 2nd year class 0’s students.
I didn’t understand it, but it seemed that they came to support me anyway.
Geun Chansol, Wang Chansol, Yeon Garam and beside them the 2nd year class 0’s students, all had holograms.
The content was roughly ‘You’re suspicious, so suspiciously win’[8].
‘You didn’t miss out on the ‘suspicious’, huh?’
Next, the one to be illuminated was the Guideline Club.
It seemed that the previous year’s winner, Cheon Dong-ha, and Oh Hyeji and Ma Jinseung, who played a game with me, and the students in the same Guideline Club, were mostly neutral.
Among them, I saw Ju Su-hyeok put up a hologram supporting me.
‘I should send a thank you message later.’
The location where the Supernova going round and round stopped at last was above the 1st year class 0 children.
Today’s suspicious hologram’s phrase didn’t change, but it got bigger and more extravagant.
It seemed that they bought a new paid font and hologram application.
In addition, when was it painted? One more side-profile portrait of me painted by Min Geurin was added.
“Work hard, vice president!”
“Please feed us beef, Uisin!”
“Please win!” [9]
Midst cheers pouring for Yong Jegeon’s splendid space show.
Our class children’s words were heard weirdly clearly.
After the Space Art’s Red Dragon and Supernova finished the course around the gym.
Yong Jegeon commanded me and Yeom Junyeol to decide who was white and who was black.
“Stalemate Cup Chess Tournament, the final round starts. Please start the match.”
I was White, Yeom Junyeol was Black.
With the Black Yeom Junyeol pressing the chess clock button, the final match started.
***
“Good, I’ll accept the deal. Ungnyeo of Grief.”
The Demon, wrapped in the whole-body robe from head to toe, replied happily.
The robe engraved with the seal of one of the demon gods of 7 deadly sins, Invidius, was dyed black[10] by the superpower waves emitted by the Demon.
It looked like he was seriously pleased with this deal.
“Huhu, sure. It’s good, huh.”
Ungnyeo of Grief, wearing a red dress, slightly leaned her body as she replied.
“Do you need more? In exchange of adding the condition of keeping it a secret from the Bear of Delight and Bear of Hatred, I’ll provide a service.”
At the Demon’s delighted voice, Ungnyeo of Grief fell into thoughts for a moment, then she smiled showing her neat teeth.
“There is something I want to find with those eyes.”
Ungnyeo of Grief brought her lips to the Demon’s ear.
She whispered a certain name.
*~*~*
[1] huh? – translator’s paranoia time. Jo Uisin uses here ‘군’ particle, which basically expresses surprise. That’s rather unusual for him as what he more often uses is ‘구나’. Both have the same feeling, but 군 was supposed to be used by younger people more often from what I heard? Funnily enough, the ones to use it most often seem to be Jin people in this novel… I usually don’t transcribe 군 because I don’t know how to differentiate it from 구나, which I translate as ‘huh’. Here is a question for you, readers, I suppose, should I use something like ‘hu?/hu!’ for 군? (Because it’s just shortened 구나…) … Ah, the paranoia time was about why he would change it here. Don’t worry about it. It’s Grammar Time!
[2] material arts – or wars, military techniques related.
[3] Grace – did I ever explain that grace here refers to a blessing of a god-like being or a favor from a person of higher rank? Well, in any case, now you know. Also the word is ‘Eun-chong’ (은총).
[4] master – martial art master. Different word from ‘master’ used by Yeom Junyeol for example, which is just a more honorific form of teacher.
[5] fuc – it’s a censored word which corresponds to english ‘fuck’, but censored, it sounds like Shiva.
[6] junior brother – same word that is used for a ‘priest’, but here I’m pretty sure it refers to a junior disciple of the same school.
[7] bone body – skinny and starved body.
[8] You’re suspicious, so suspiciously win – it’s a pun that is untranslatable. The word 수상하다 has two meanings, one: suspicious and second: to be awarded. So basically the slogan is ‘Suspicious (수상하다), be awarded (수상하다).
(* 수상하다 has also a third meaning: to be wounded. But I’m sure it’s not a part of the joke here.)
[9] Please win! – Sawol Seeum’s sentence, but also, it’s 수상하다 again, so Sawol Seeum could be also shouting ‘Please be suspicious!’.
[10] dyed black – black could mean just dark or could mean evil.
Translator’s note: Hm… This chapter is called invisible deal or invisible past and future… Jo Uisin is playing black this one time… Gwak Gyeong-gu is a swordsman… If this chess tournament really is a weird parallel to the past and future… Suspicious =.=
Note about supernatural and superpowers:
It’s something I should have cleared up earlier, but forgot ^^” When this translator uses supernatural and superpowers, they mean the same word in Korean. That’s why you may have seen me switch between supernatural instrument/ superpower instrument or supernatural wave/superpower wave. I just forget which word I was using before. Generally, the best term should be superpower instrument, superpower wave as I use ‘superpower’ for the player abilities quite consequently, but… Uh. I’ll do my best, but please forgive me if you see supernatural used somewhere.
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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