Chapter 40

Chapter 40

3 months.

In the meantime, Kim has been focusing on building the inner chamber. It wasn’t a peaceful or boring time. There was always something to do.

On a personal level, I’ve improved my shooting stance, which I once thought was stupid, and Ghost has taught me the simple art of stealth.

It was decided that Bryce would be in charge of Dustborn’s Kilikia branch. The handover was swift, including a face-to-face meeting with Kavek.

Occasionally, I’d jump in when we needed extra hands. Even then, I stayed out of the way as much as possible and followed Bryce’s lead.

I was ready to get out of the city at any time without any problems. The last of the loose ends were now being tied up.

– The winner is, yes, Asterique! With this final match point, the team finishes their inaugural season in third place.

– I wasn’t expecting much at first, because why, it’s all over the place, isn’t it? Players who were famous in the lower leagues, but when they came up, they sucked.

– Yes, that’s right, he actually had several losses as well.

– But! It’s been a completely different story since the game against Aluminum. Their recent record is 21 wins out of 21! They’ve even been dominant in every game.

Today was the end of the season for the league. Although the new season starts in less than a week.

The league’s results are finalized twice a year. In that sense, Asterique’s move was certainly unconventional.

– He’s also a controversial player, as he was promoted mid-season and had extra points added on from the lower leagues.

– But who cares, it’s a system that was created in the hopes that a star like that would emerge.

– That’s right. If you get rid of in-season promotion, it takes a year and a half for a rookie to get to the first division, who wants that?

– Look at the smiles on their faces, something you don’t get from so-called league officials. It’s a great crowd mobilizer.

The stands were packed with people. It was a huge gap. It seems like just yesterday that I was at a stadium in the fourth division.

However, the room was still quiet. Kim and Roscoe. Dustborn members enjoying their vacation and Leila enjoying the sights of Kilikia…….

They knew everything, and the only other thing they had was a hired medical staff.

“I didn’t sign a sponsorship deal after all.”

“I’ve had more offers than I can shake a stick at, and I’m sure there are more now, but Lady Asterike.”

“Why?”

“When he heard the length of the contract, he turned it all down, saying he didn’t need sponsorship because he didn’t have his own equipment anyway.”

“Well, it was something.”

“It’s just the industry standard. Some companies have offered as little as a year, but I guess that’s too long for you.”

Roscoe glanced at Kim; he knew how Asterike felt, afraid that she would leave him behind.

“As far as I’m concerned, you tend not to say what you need to say.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve seen what I’ve seen, so I have a general idea. You didn’t come to Kilikia for money or circumstances, did you?”

Kim has a purpose. His actions are driven by an underlying sense of purpose.

I thought he was just driven to succeed until he announced his intention to start his own company, but I soon realized that was just one step.

It’s like he’s racing to a destination. To some, it would be glorious, but to Roscoe, it was breathtaking to watch.

“I like Kilikia, I mean, it’s free, it’s full of people, it’s full of sounds, it’s a noisy city, that’s what I like.”

“…….”

“I’m grateful to you for bringing me here, and now that I’ve made some acquaintances, I’ll be able to earn some money doing something, and I’ll go to the games when I can.”

Kim stared at Roscoe wordlessly, until Roscoe punched him on the shoulder, telling him not to look so gross.

“You take care of her. You’d know better, but she’s got a bright but precarious personality, and she needs someone like you.”

“I am the will.”

I dropped the pot, and Rothko wrote Arrogance. The man who said he was dependable sat down like that.

“……I mean, you gotta have someone to hold you up, you know, when you’re all alone and frustrated and you’re like, “Fuck it, come with me.””

“Is that right?”

“You’re being a little harsh, but it doesn’t matter. The world isn’t a bed of roses, and coddling her doesn’t help. And you’re not hanging out with him.”

Bitterly, Kim sighed and finished her meal. What the hell does he think of people? But she didn’t have anything to say back, so she didn’t argue.

I locked eyes with Asterike just in time. Blood trickled from her cheek where the blade had grazed it, but she was smiling like a child.

“I’m not going to look bad.

The civilized cities of Polaris have better medical technology than the modern world. Kilikia is home to dangerous sports like league.

Kim responded by waving her pom-poms, Leila cheered from the sidelines, and Chelsea burst into tears.

“What is she crying about?”

“They said they bet. Fifty million.”

“To the other person?”

“No, to Asterike.”

Roscoe shook his head.

“Then why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s good enough to cry.”

“That’s… hard to understand.”

“You’re better off not knowing.”

It was an ordinary afternoon.

* * *

The top players aren’t necessarily the best. Although it’s not a common occurrence, sometimes non-athletes make it to the top.

The solution given as a commodity is often replaced with credits, as it is useless to the incapacitated. This means that you have to take the money from the beginning to sell it on the black market.

Naturally, Asterike received the solution. But unlike Kim, she didn’t inject it right away. Instead, she had a snowball fight with the flask.

“……, I think I’ll be fine.”

“What.”

“You can just let the strings take it.”

“I already wrote it.”

“Why not just write it twice?”

“Re… me?”

Game system-wise, it wasn’t possible. Agent performance would go through the roof if redundancy was allowed.

I was intrigued for a moment, then shook my head.

‘Because we don’t know what side effects it might have.

It’s likely to crash, maybe even break spells.

I can’t survive with an incapacitated body. Greed ruins the body. He thought of Chelsea, a slave to greed, and calmed his curiosity.

“I see what the fuss is about.

Even so, Asterike was having trouble controlling her spells. She was afraid that using the solution would cause the spell to go completely out of control.

“Probably not in the direction you think.”

Spell buffs are a kind of balance patch. Usually, if an agent is too powerful, it gives them useless options, and if they’re too weak, it gives them valuable options.

‘Ast was good at that, too.’

Your damage and skill duration remain the same. However, the percentage of damage dealt to allies when using the second skill is significantly reduced.

This means more control. Although the jury is still out on how helpful this will be in the real world.

“Anyway, close your eyes and poke it.”

“I can’t stab you if you close your eyes.”

“……Ah, frustrating. Give me your arm.”

Asterique rolled up her sleeves as I walked up next to her.

“If you’re going to be so docile, I’ll do it myself.

Suddenly, in the midst of the absurdity, Asterike’s face was stepped on in the snow. It’s a satisfied…. The corners of her mouth were slightly up. She looked strangely pleased.

…… didn’t point it out. No time to argue. I injected myself into a vein that was clearly visible through the white skin.

It was a very delicate thing to do to someone else. I carefully inserted the needle, afraid that Asterike might struggle.

After safely emptying all the flasks. Kim let out an unnecessary sigh of exhaustion.

“Done.”

“Huh? Already?”

“My eyes were really closed.”

“Yeah. It feels weird to look at it.”

It would be awkward to have a needle in my body. It’s not like Pekatum’s going to get vaccinated or anything.

“But… I’m not sure, what’s changed?”

“Well. Not as bad as I thought, huh?”

Nod.

Asterike bobbed her head up and down. Without seeing the agent records, it would be hard to notice the change at once.

I guess that’s good. Kim returned to her seat opposite Asterike and sank down on the couch. She felt drained.

“That’s it.

I’ve finished all my business in Kilikia. We’ve also solved the problem of connecting the Labs to the Council.

“Now we just need to set a date.”

“You’re leaving Kilikia, right?”

I cut back and forth and talked to myself, but I got a lot of attention. As Roscoe said, he seemed to be paying attention.

I decided to ask him what he meant.

“Asterike, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Huh?”

“You’ll be comfortable here,” I said. Roscoe agreed. You’ve got a bunch of fans, too. You’ll be able to live like you play and not be a southerner.”

Why would anyone want to leave that life behind? Kim wondered.

Asterique’s answer was surprisingly succinct.

“You can always do that.”

It’s as if he’s stating the obvious. Suddenly, Kim is overcome by a mysterious sensation. Asterique’s eyes were looking at her. The image of Ast, whom she half thought was someone else, was superimposed.

“Hey, look at the confidence.”

“It was actually quite scary at first. Before my debut, Roscoe had shown me a first team game.”

“……I don’t know about that?”

“I’m supposed to do market research,” he said, “but don’t tell Hyun that the tickets are expensive.”

The maniac.

“I don’t think I really saw the game, it was just a lot of people… everyone was so focused, it didn’t even occur to me that I could be like that…….”

Asterike giggled.

“Forget it. Everything you said is true. I could have fought the mafia, the League, and MetroCity.”

MetroCity. Her smile hardened slightly as she recalled the time.

“I killed people there. I don’t remember much of the end, but… I’m sure there were a lot more dead than I saw.”

“…….”

“He used me, and I don’t blame him, I’ve heard things here and there, so now I know what was going on.”

Asterique wasn’t a complete idiot. The reporters. Conversations with the people of Dustborne. There was no shortage of clues to the story.

It was something someone had to do.

As Kim told us at the time.

“Keep giving me ‘can-do’s’. And I’ll do it. Not being a southerner… would be nice, but that can wait.”

Kim was silent and shook his head. The current conversation made me realize. After all, Asterike and Ast were the same, but different people.

She was used by the mafia to become Ast in the game, and was drawn to Kim Yi-hyun to become the Asteriske she is today.

I don’t know if I’d call it maturity, but at least Kim was responsible.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Anything goes.”

“Then p….”

“Except for the pizza. Meat bites.”

“Pasta is.”

“I’m not feeling very noodly today.”

“Hmm.”

That day, they had pizza, steak, and pasta. Asterique didn’t want to eat, but she emptied her plate.

* * *

It’s 5 a.m., and the night air hasn’t even worn off yet.

“There you are, the three of you, good morning.”

“It’s not morning, is it?”

“If you wake up, it’s morning.”

At the plaza near the immigration office in Kilikia, Leila welcomed Kim and her group.

“Yeah, yeah. Leila’s right.”

“You guys are weirdly close.”

“We used to go everywhere together on our days off.”

“Yes. There were a lot of funny things that happened, like when Mr. Asterike was suddenly swarmed by people, right?”

It was an odd pairing. Ast and Leila didn’t work well together in the second iteration either.

We didn’t have a bad relationship. If they were, they would have been at each other’s throats, it just wasn’t relevant.

I mean, I don’t think there’s a nerd in the world that Leila wouldn’t have a personality match with.

Oh, there is.

“No good. Not good at all.”

“What?”

“I realized this season that I can’t just keep doing what I’ve been doing. I was at a make-or-break point in my life……!”

Chelsea half-dragged out of the blocks. She’s a gambling addict. Pathetic, pitiful eyes were fixed on her.

“Why, why do they look at it that way?”

“You bow to me next time. Leila, there’s no gambling in rap, is there?”

“Oh, yeah. Sure. Don’t worry!”

I could see Pablo’s mouth clamped shut, holding back his laughter. I’d be embarrassed if I said this shit in the lab, but I’ll keep it to myself then.

I’m in trouble from the start. Leila said awkwardly as she watched Kim start the day with a sigh.

“Well, shall we go?”

Celbrox Labs.

It’s time to explore your player’s faction.