I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 286

After his conversation with Mole Man, Cha Jin-Hyeok gained a bit of enlightenment. ‘All the people around me seem to be going crazy.’

There had to be a law of conservation of madness in the world, he thought. As he was becoming more normal, others were descending more and more into madness.

“So, even though you are a Ruler, you are confident in your tracking skills? Even more than actual Navigators?” Jin-Hyeok asked Han Sae-Rin.

“Of course.” Sae-Rin smiled brightly. It was the happiest Jin-Hyeok had seen her look recently. “I’m glad you came to me. I was already aware of what was going on through your livestream. I had finished my preparations for the tracking on my own.”

“...”

“I would have been upset if you had gone to Mole Man instead of me.”

In fact, Jin-Hyeok had gone to Mole Man first. It was only because Mole Man, who claimed to be a Miner as his secondary Job, had offered to search for Soul Stones that Jin-Hyeok ended up going to Sae-Rin.

‘But what if I went to Mole Man first. Is that something to be upset about? Normally, one won’t ask a Ruler for help with tracking someone down. I guess she is crazy too.’

Before Jin-Hyeok’s regression, Mole Man and Sae-Rin had been rivals. This rivalry had started since their days as Navigators, and even after their paths diverged into those of a Navigator and a Ruler, they continued to be acutely aware of each other and competed endlessly.

After Mole Man’s interview, where he said, “If you dig too many wells, you won’t find water,” Sae-Rin had also conducted a similar interview.

“Do I feel lacking in my abilities as a Navigator? Not at all. I am solely focused on honing my abilities as a Ruler. Dwelling on Skills you are not good at only leads to missing out on what you can truly excel at.”

‘At that time, she was so full of conviction,’ Jin-Hyeok thought.

Sae-Rin was confident and full of self-belief, and Jin-Hyeok admired that aspect of her.

However, now, it seemed she had become the opposite of that. He decided to check something. “Shouldn’t you be focusing solely on your growth as a Ruler?”

“That’s what I am doing.”

“But you’re about to undertake a tracking mission.”

“What are you talking about? A great Ruler should possess at least some tracking ability.” Sae-Rin smiled. It seemed to her that Jin-Hyeok was testing her. “You can stop testing me. I have come to my senses. I will be as intense as you.”

***

After observing the entire process of Sae-Rin’s recruitment, Lessefim trembled with irritation. “She is not even a Navigator that specializes in tracking... And a woman at that?”

Marshmallow, who was enjoying tea with Lessefim after a long while, tilted his head. ‘Isn’t she a Ruler? Why is Lessefim saying that she is a Navigator?’

However, being well aware of Lessefim’s temperament, Marshmallow chose not to voice that thought. There was no point; it would only invite scorn. Among those Marshmallow knew, Lessefim was the most difficult to deal with. It was not widely known, but Lessefim and Marshmallow were distantly related, sixth cousins, to be exact. Of course, Lessefim was the elder.

“Alright, for the sake of the argument, let’s just say that this woman possesses exceptional tracking skills,” Lessefim said.

“...”

“Even so, could she be better than me?”

“It’s unlikely.”

“But why did Chul-Soo recruit her and not me?”

“...”

“Yo, Marshmallow, tell me! Is she prettier than me?”

“I don’t think Chul-Soo cares much about appearances...”

Lessefim did not listen to Marshmallow’s reply. “I’m prettier, aren’t I?”

“La di da di da.”

“Right? I am prettier than her.”

Clearly, Lessefim was only half-listening to her younger cousin’s words.

“La di da di da.”

“Of course, I’m prettier. And as a Navigator, my abilities are naturally far superior. But why? Why? WHY? Why did Chul-Soo choose her over me?”

“Di da la di da.”

After several rounds of similar conversations, Lessefim sensed something was off. “Hey, are you listening to me?”

“I am.”

“Didn’t I tell you to learn proper communication? Is that how a Streamer behaves?”

‘Damn it, she is taking it out on me again! I’m always the easy target. Do I look like the Marshmallow who would just do whatever you said like when we were kids?’ Marshmallow thought that, but he remembered the trauma from his childhood.

“I think the problem is that your abilities are too outstanding,” Marshmallow answered.

“What?”

“Chul-Soo has been rejecting a collaboration livestream with me too.”

“Why?”

“He says we are not on the same level yet.”

“Well, you aren’t on Chul-Soo’s level, so I guess that’s right.”

“No, it’s not like that. He says his level doesn’t match mine. That’s why he can’t agree to a collaboration livestream with me yet.”

Lessefim narrowed her eyes. It seemed Marshmallow’s words were particularly irksome. “What the hell are you talking about? Do you think you’re something special?”

“You are the only one in the universe who would say that about me. Anyway, through the last livestream, Chul-Soo might have felt that your abilities are too powerful for his next content.”

“...”

Marshmallow felt a chill down his spine. ‘Lessefim is actually listening to me?!’

This was astonishing. He was confident in communicating with anyone in the world, but he had never been confident in communicating with Lessefim. In other words, if he could successfully communicate with Lessefim, he could become a top-tier Streamer without fearing anything else in the world.

“Your abilities are far too superior,” Marshmallow said.

“Isn’t it good to have superior abilities?”

“That would be true if Chul-Soo were an ordinary Player. But he is not. He’s a Streamer. His goal is not just to clear Dungeons and achieve feats; he needs to create fun to entertain his viewers. Being a Streamer myself, I know that all too well.”

“So?”

“So, it’s hard to create fun with you. Playing games with cheat codes isn’t fun, right? That is why he needs a partner who might be less skilled but can create drama together, someone like Han Sae-Rin.”

“That means...” Lessefim bit her lip, feeling aggrieved. Then, she realized something. “If I match my level to the content Chul-Soo is creating, that should solve the problem, right?”

“That’s one way to look at it, but your abilities are already...”

“I just need to level up a secondary Job.”

“What?” Marshmallow’s eyes widened.

Lessefim, who had always focused solely on one path, was suddenly considering leveling up a secondary Job.

He asked with a skeptical look, “Weren’t you the one who said anyone leveling up a secondary Job before becoming top-ranked in one Job was an idiot?”

“That Lessefim is dead.” Determination filled her eyes, reminiscent of the passion she had when she first started Playing. She fell into deep thought. ‘What Job should I choose?’

***

Sae-Rin suddenly realized just how remarkable Jin-Hyeok truly was. “Thank you. Because of you, I now have the chance to venture into Arvis.”

She was the second person from the Earth Server to set foot on Arvis. Recently, Arvis had been heroizing Trituri and, consequently, had extended many privileges to Trituri’s disciple, Jin-Hyeok. Thanks to this, Sae-Rin, a Player from Earth, could visit Arvis.

“Have you started recording?” Sae-Rin asked.

“Yes.”

“You’re not doing a livestream?”

“Going live would give away our location. It would be giving too much information to the enemy.”

“Ah, so stream sniping could be an issue?”

“Exactly.”

Sae-Rin tilted her head. “Wouldn’t that make it more intense and better?”

Jin-Hyeok wanted to ask, ‘How can one track someone effectively with a livestream giving away every move?’ However, a part of him felt there could be some truth in her words.

‘No, I can’t be swayed into becoming crazy like her,’ Jin-Hyeok thought.

Everyone around him was going crazy. He needed to stay sane. Jin-Hyeok resolved to hold onto his sanity tightly. “It might add to the intensity, but the tracking process needs to be more gripping and thrilling. Showing everything live would create too many dull moments.”

“Hmm, I see.” Sae-Rin looked at Jin-Hyeok with eyes full of affection, nearly causing him to take out Miri.

“Please, don’t look at me like that.”

“What did I do?”

“Don’t look at me with those affectionate eyes.”

[#Amazing. #That’s real professionalism. #Please be my man.]

For Jin-Hyeok, it was uncomfortable to think that a comrade-in-arms harbored such indecent and horrifying thoughts toward him. The mere idea sent shivers down his spine.

‘Is it a crime to look at the man I like with affectionate eyes?’ Before Sae-Rin could voice her thoughts, she reconsidered. She had come to understand Jin-Hyeok in her own way.

“You might not realize it, but I am quite popular. Are you not aware of the memes about me circulating in various online communities? They are praising me as the prettiest Ruler in the universe,” Sae-Rin said.

“So?”

“If I act pretty and cute like this...”

‘Sae-Rin pretending to be pretty? Pretending to be cute?’ Jin-Hyeok felt even more uncomfortable.

“...the viewers love that! You mostly livestream in first person, which can maximize the viewers' reaction,” Sae-Rin said.

Jin-Hyeok felt as if he had been hit on the head.

“You are committing a crime by only considering your feelings and not thinking from the viewers’ perspectives,” Sae-Rin continued.

“I see.” Jin-Hyeok felt like he had overlooked a professional aspect. Sae-Rin’s use of the word crime left him with no room for rebuttal. “I’m sorry. I was shortsighted.”

Having gained significant insight, Jin-Hyeok steadied his heart and began the pursuit of the enemy.

***

The Lady from Arvis, a doll collector named Harkoen, struck her loyal and trusted servant, Hyde, across his face. “How dare you speak to me like that, as the chamberlain?”

With his cheek reddened, Hyde maintained his composed posture and spoke again. “I advise you that now is the time to give up on Chul-Soo.”

Slap!

Harkoen could not accept Hyde’s words at all. “Anyone else might not understand me, but you, as my chamberlain, should understand me!”

“...”

“You should be on my side!” Harkoen’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. She seemed like someone who had been betrayed by Hyde. Unable to contain her anger, she repeatedly struck Hyde’s cheek, and he accepted the blows in silence. “Say it again. Say that you will bring Chul-Soo to me.”

“It is not possible. The timing is not right. I also oppose the plan to set a trap using Corporation Alpha Male.”

“I want Chul-Soo. I must have him. Please, I’m begging you.”

“Even so, it is difficult at this moment. It would be better to wait for another opportunity.”

“No!” With no more strength to strike Hyde’s cheek, she bit her lip hard. “Get out.”

“...”

“I can’t stand the sight of you. Get out! You’re fired.” Harkoen unleashed curses that were hard to bear, and Hyde was forced to leave the mansion that he had served for decades.