STGB Episode 437
The Rival (3)
In the community, all special abilities are sealed.
That’s why the lie-detection ability that had troubled me so much outside doesn’t work here.
Not that it would matter even if I could use it—thanks to Auril Gavis’s gift, I could counter it anyway.
But that’s not what’s important right now.
‘…Is he testing me?’
There are two possibilities.
One: Lee Baek-ho can’t discern whether I’m telling the truth, so he’s getting serious and trying to double-check.
Two: He really does believe I’m lying.
Thump—!
My heart pounds.
Maybe I underestimated him without realizing it.
The guy managed to survive in this harsh world for decades. Just because he doesn’t have a lie-detection skill doesn’t mean he’s incompetent.
In fact, he might be even more sensitive without it.
It’s likely that he’s encountered countless patterns of liars through this ability, and has accumulated a vast amount of information.
‘The chance that he’s just fishing for a reaction is extremely low.’
In that fleeting moment, I reached a conclusion.
‘Rather than trying to make excuses, it’s better to admit my slip-up and apologize quickly.’
But Lee Baek-ho spoke first.
“Hyung.”
“…Huh?”
“Sorry, but I really can’t return the Cat.”
“What did you just say…?”
At my question, Lee Baek-ho wore a cold sneer.
“Have you gone deaf living as a barbarian?”
Never once had I heard such a scornful tone from Lee Baek-ho when I was in Lee Han-soo’s body.
He looked me straight in the eye and repeated himself clearly:
“I said I can’t return her.”
“…”
“You know, that cat you cared about so dearly.”
My mind went blank for a moment.
“You see, I think she’ll be more helpful to my goals than she would be to you. You want to live in this world, right?”
“…”
“Oh, and don’t worry,” He didn’t sound particularly upset.
“Once I’ve used her well, I’ll make sure to give her back.”
I can’t help but laugh.
Even now, I don’t know why, but I just find it amusing.
“Baek-ho, you…”
I know that his words are an obvious provocation.
That it would be right to prevent our relationship from worsening.
But—
“You’re such a broken fucker.”
Words came out of my mouth without filter.
I didn’t even regret it afterward.
“Wow, now you show your true colors? You’ve always been so soft in front of me.” Lee Baek-ho chuckled.
“You’re not in a position to call others either, are you?”
I also lift the corners of my mouth slightly.
In the end, no one here was not smiling.
But…
Tick, tick, tick—
Apart from the warmth of the fireplace, a chilly air settled between him and me.
“This is getting interesting.” I spoke up
“Yeah, it is,”he replied.
After muttering a line each, he was the first to speak again.
“Still, I don’t get one thing. Why am I the broken one?”
He no longer used honorifics.
“Isn’t it obvious that you’re the messed-up one, Hyung?
I laughed again, this time because it’s absurd.
Maybe, he too had something to say.
“Right? Your original life is somewhere else, yet you’re so infatuated with these NPCs that you’re staying here, clinging to this insane idea.”
It didn’t feel worthwhile to answer.
No matter what I say, he wouldn’t understand.
“Not that these guys are nobodies. You have the ability, you’ve got decent companion characters, your fame is solid, and to top it off, you even got a noble title—”
“So what’s your point?”
I cut him off, and Lee Baek-ho got to the main point.
“Don’t pretend you’re normal. It’s disgusting.”
“…”
“You’re definitely the one who’s a broken fucker.”
“…”
“Did you enjoy it? Meeting people and filling your deficiencies? Becoming stronger quickly thanks to the game information and feeling like you’ve become someone because everyone treats you like a hero? It makes you want to work even harder?”
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t wrong.
From a third-person view, anyone observing my changes might say something like that.
But whether it’s a fact or not doesn’t matter.
“Ugh, I really should thank Auril Gavis later—”
Ugh, how long does he plan to ramble?
That’s not how keyboard battles work.
“Yeah, Baek-ho, seems like you’re pretty pissed off,” I looked at Lee Baek-ho, maintaining my composure.
If this were a turn-based game, now it’s my turn to attack.
No need for long words.
“Still, I understand you, you were the one who got dumped, right?”
“…Dumped?”
He looked puzzled, as if he didn’t understand what I was talking about.
I kindly added an explanation.
“Why are you pretending not to know? The story of the girls you liked finding out you were an evil spirit and immediately running away is pretty famous.”
“……Heh.”
“So… that’s the real reason, isn’t it? The reason you’re so desperate to return?”
What is he, a kid?
“Tsk.”
Even though I spoke so quietly that Lee Baek-ho couldn’t hear, maybe he still eavesdropped like a pervert.
“……”
Lee Baek-ho’s expression contorted ominously.
It only lasted a moment though.
“Hah… hahahahahaha! Khuh, bahahaha!”
Lee Baek-ho burst into genuine laughter as if he had heard something hilarious.
A typical pattern of coping—mocking laughter.
‘It’s such an unbelievable story, and that’s why I’m laughing like this.’ something like this
I just stared at him, and after a moment his laughter died away as he turned to me again.
“Hyung.”
“What.”
“You really love that cat, huh? Enough to lash out at me like this?
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. It seems like the biggest reason you don’t want to return?”
I remained silent.
“Kyah, even in this situation, you can’t admit it, huh? My Han Soo hyung is surprisingly shy, huh?”
No matter what I say now, I’ll fall right into his pace.
“Ah, wait a second!”
Just then, Lee Baek-ho paused for a moment.
“I just got a great idea.”
It was a statement that inevitably made me feel uneasy.
“It’s about the Cat girl……”
My ominous premonition proved correct.
“How about I just kill her?”
Shit.
“After all, you want to stay in this world because you’re too happy now, right?”
Each word he spoke tightened my heart.
“So if I just kill her, it wouldn’t be so bad. If this place becomes painful, won’t you naturally want to go back? Like a rabbit seeking a refuge when winter comes?”
That’s fundamentally why I never revealed my identity to Lee Baek-ho.
“Hmm, the more I think about it, the better it sounds.”
Lee Baek-ho, this fucker.
If it’s for his goal, he can do anything.
‘Broken things can sometimes be fixed, right?’
He looked at me and smiled.
A smile too bright for the situation.
Instinctively, I feel a chill run down my spine, perhaps due to fear.
But…
“Baek-ho.”
“What?”
There is an emotion flaring up in me even stronger than fear.
Killing intent.
A desperate urge to kill someone.
“If you keep saying stuff like that…”
I no longer need to mind-control myself as I did at the Round Table.
All I have to do is stop holding back.
I’ve been holding it in for a long time now.
“I’ll have to kill you.”
The darkest, most potent killing intent yet.
“……!”
As soon as my unrefined killing intent spread out, Lee Baek-ho flinched.
Of course, that time was extremely short.
Soon after, Lee Baek-ho opened his mouth again. The words he spoke were very different from what I’ve heard from others in the past.
No apologies.
No resentment.
No pleas for mercy.
If it were that corpse-collector bastard, he’d be choking on the floor by now, crawling like a worm.
But what he let out instead was:
“Wow……”
A simple, genuine exclamation.
“Hyung you’re really nuts… Most people would’ve pissed themselves by now.”
He showered me with what could be called compliments as he loosened up, stretched his stiff shoulders from side to side and slowly approached me.
“Hyung.”
One step.
“Don’t you remember?”
Two steps.
“I taught you.”
Three steps.
“The killing intent.”
When the distance between us is close enough that I could reach him with my stretched hand, I can feel it clearly.
“…!”
He’s showing me his killing intent, too.
***
Killing intent.
A trick used by veterans to scare newbies.
I’ve used it repeatedly at the Round Table and benefited from it, but I’ve rarely had it aimed directly at me.
In fact, it’s only happened once before.
On the day I became a member of the Round Table, the fox mask gave me a taste of it. That was the last time.
What a strange feeling.
That’s how I felt when I first faced killing intent.
Sharp, distinct killing intent pricked my skin and made my heart pound.
And that was it.
“Now then…”
But Lee Baek-ho’s killing intent is different.
From its density to its vicious energy, it’s on another level.
“Try saying that again.”
Now I fully understand why that corpse-collecting bastard trembled so much.
Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump!
My heart throbbed as if it might burst.
Cold sweat not only pooled but dripped down.
Even though theoretically I didn’t need to breathe, it felt like someone was forcibly choking me.
Moreover, my brain cells felt like they were burning.
But…
“What? That I’ll have to kill you?”
I’m not as shattered as the corpse-collector or the fox were.
Sure, it’s tough.
I want to run away right now.
I know I can simply leave the chat room and end this situation at any time…
“Hyung, you don’t seriously think you can do that, do you?”
I endure it.
Because I know:
As Bjorn Jandel, I learned that if I run away just because I’m scared, I’ll only face an even more terrifying situation later.
So, yeah…
“…Huh?”
I force my dazed mind, clouded by his killing intent, to focus, and step forward.
Then…
Step.
Now that we’re closer, I whisper in his ear as I look down on him.
“Not really.”
I’m not bluffing just for the sake of a psychological battle.
[Hyung cleared a 10x mod, right?]
I genuinely believe I can do it.
[“Maybe in 10 years, you’ll be like me?]
Even if right now my strength is somewhat lacking compared to him—
[I’m almost out of ways to grow stronger myself…]
If I’m given a little more time-.
‘What’s a mere 10x difficulty scenario anyway?’
I can defeat Lee Baek-ho.
Perhaps he sensed my conviction.
As I spoke, Lee Baek-ho’s body, which had been rigid, began to relax again, and he forced a smirk.
“…Interesting.”
Like hell it is.
“Hey, don’t piss me off.”
I clicked my tongue, returning his earlier words to him as they were.
“Why are you lying again?”
Lee Baek-ho tilted his head, clueless, and I continue calmly.
“Just now…”
“…”
“You’re not having any fun at all.”
If he was, why is he stepping back—
“Whoa, whoa! Enough, enough!”
Suddenly, Lee Baek-ho raised his hands dramatically, backing away three steps.
“Ah! Seriously, Hyung! Can’t even take a joke?”
And that’s where the scene ends.
Suddenly, his expression and atmosphere had changed 180 degrees.
Before I could even adjust to his new mood, Lee Baek-ho spoke up.
“Come on, like I’d really kill the cat woman. I was just kidding, just kidding! I mean, how much do I like you, Hyung? I’ve been so good to you since we first met!
Like hell he likes me.
Well, maybe he does, in his own twisted way, since he must have found some use for me.
“So threatening to kill Misha was just part of that ‘liking’ me?”
“Relax, relax! Threatening is such a harsh word! I told you, it was just a joke!”
Though he joked flippantly in his frivolous tone, the truth doesn’t change.
It was a threat… yes, that was clearly a threat.
“Why would I kill the Cat Woman? There’s nothing to gain.”
Sure, if I think about it rationally, that makes sense.
He’d lose the Twin-Blade Ice Swordsman and turn me into a mortal enemy on top of it.
It’s far from a reasonable choice from any angle.
But…
“If the threat had worked, you’d have gained leverage to shake me down.”
Just imagining the scenario if I had lost the battle of nerves a moment ago made me dizzy. The conversation we’re having now would be completely different.
“Ai, come on! Where do you even get these ideas, hyung? I’m not that black-hearted!”
If that were true, he wouldn’t be smiling like he is now.
He wouldn’t be going back to calling me ‘hyung’ over and over in that submissive tone…
And he wouldn’t be proposing a ‘deal’ like this.
“So, if you’re not that black-hearted, that’s great. Then hand Misha over.”
“I will. If you do me a favor first.”
He wouldn’t be saying this if his earlier plan had worked out.
‘So, is this situation his Plan B?’
Thinking that, I stared at him blankly. Lee Baek-ho opened his mouth awkwardly:
“I won’t tell you to return with me. Now I know how serious you are.”
“Get to the point.”
“Still, we could work together, right?”
He paused for a moment, giving me a suggestive look.
Of course, I didn’t intend to play along.
“…Continue.”
“You know your current situation better than I do, right?”
Yeah, I probably know it better than you.
It’s not good. Troubles are piling up like a mountain.
Every single day feels like walking on thin ice.
“And?”
“I’ll help you. I’ll help you get through these tough times, both openly and behind the scenes. In return, when I tackle the 10th floor, you help me out.”
Lee Baek-ho’s proposal actually sounded quite reasonable.
Unlike me, he’s free to act without many constraints.
Hell, even if he just assassinated the Marquis for me, that’d be a huge help.
But…
“Baek-ho.”
“…Yes?”
“Before you ask me for a favor, isn’t there something you should do first?”
“…”
I didn’t elaborate.
I can’t fully understand why he wants me this badly,
but…
“Bring Misha here first. Then we’ll continue this conversation.”
“…”
“And your answer?”
Despite my repeated question, Lee Baek-ho remained silent.
He seemed deep in thought.
Well, as soon as he hands over Misha, he’ll lose another card in his hand—
“Hyung.”
He finally broke the silence.
“We’ve both been a bit worked up today. Let’s leave it at that.”
His response was a hold.
“What…?”
“Come on, we’re both not thinking straight right now. Let’s talk about this another time. As for the cat woman, I’ll think her over. Okay?”
Okay?
“Okay—”
—what.
I was about to continue when—
“Hyung, you said okay?”
“…What?”
“Then I’m going to leave now!”
“Hey, wait! Wa—”
I desperately reached out, but in this spiritual space, there was nothing physical I could do.
Thump.
As soon as my fingertips almost touched him,
“Poof!”
His body transformed into a burst of light and disappeared.