Chapter 182
“Such overwhelming pressure, wow.”
“He’s got a look that could kill, haha.”
“Is Odin not here?”
As the gods were revealed, reactions grew more intense. Cheon Ryang, seated and settled in front of his computer, checked the number of viewers.
『Viewers: 131,920』
Over 130,000 viewers.
This stream was the hottest topic in the industry. Even without its already rising popularity, the added provocative concept of the trial ensured its success.
“Great response.”
“If this keeps up, we might hit 200,000.”
Watching the viewer count climb relentlessly, Cheon Ryang clicked his tongue in astonishment.
130,000 was enough to be called a major streamer. It was hard to believe that this was a streamer who had only started streaming a short while ago. The name Lee Suhyuk was causing a new phenomenon, spanning over 20 years.
“At this rate, we’ll be able to charge several times more for the next ads. If we take a few ads during the Counter-Fight finals…”
Cheon Ryang muttered with a joyful smile.
“We might get a pretty significant bonus too.”
“Is money all you think about, you money grubber?”
Despite Un Hyang’s piercing gaze, which seemed like it could shoot lasers, Cheon Ryang’s thoughts were still filled with roses.
Well, with such performance, a substantial bonus was indeed expected.
“Why so serious? Our Lee Suhyuk’s stream is doing great. Aren’t you happy too?”
“Oh, when did it become ‘Our Suhyuk’?”
“From the very beginning.”
“You’re good at talking.”
Un Hyang laughed, amused by Cheon Ryang’s excited demeanor.
“Then, I’ll trust you to handle the manager’s duties, Cheon Ryang-nim.”
“…What? Cheon Ryang, ‘nim’?”
Both ‘our’ and ‘nim.’
Words he had never heard applied to him were suddenly used. For a moment, Cheon Ryang felt a chill run down his spine.
“What’s going on? What are you planning to make me do now?”
“Nothing. Just keep doing your job well.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Un Hyang downed the rest of her drink and stood up.
“I’ll be away for a while.”
“……Where are you going?”
Without thinking, Cheon Ryang reflexively grabbed Un Hyang’s wrist.
He knew he couldn’t hold her back, but he felt compelled to at least try.
Recently, things happening around her were quite unusual. The Divine Dragon Group sought her, she met Un Cheon-guk, and even the Heavenly Demon, though with different purposes, had come to see her.
She was in danger. If not, it would be strange.
“Sit down and let’s talk.”
“Why?”
“Going abruptly like this? Even though there’s a lot going on lately…”
“Lately? What?”
Un Hyang’s nonchalant question made Cheon Ryang pause.
Was she really asking because she didn’t know? His mouth hung open, speechless, while Un Hyang chuckled softly.
“What, concerned about me?”
“…Wouldn’t you be concerned?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not disappearing. We can still communicate via kit, so what’s there to worry about?”
Despite her playful, childish words, there was maturity underlying them.
Cheon Ryang saw in her the resemblance to the childhood Un Hyang who always wanted to buy sweets.
“…Are you starting again?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure? Once you start, you can’t stop.”
“It’s fine. I’m not alone anymore.”
“Are you really sure…?”
Cheon Ryang’s gaze shifted to the screen of the kit in his hand.
The screen showed Lee Suhyuk walking among the gods of Valhalla. Cheon Ryang let out a hollow laugh at the notion forming in his mind.
“He’s just a streamer.”
“Not just a streamer.”
“Do you really think Lee Suhyuk would risk his life for you just because he helped you once?”
Unlike usual, Cheon Ryang’s words had thorns.
Even if these words would stab her mercilessly, he hoped they wouldn’t pierce her heart.
If it could make Un Hyang hesitate now. If it could stop her, he didn’t care how much resentment he faced later.
“No way. Absolutely not. He’s just a points-chasing streamer. Don’t you know Lee Suhyuk’s nickname? He’s called ‘Money-crazy.’”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Are you crazy, seriously! Open your eyes and see reality! You can’t just throw your life away for this guy.”
Cheon Ryang was confident. Lee Suhyuk would never help Un Hyang.
He had occasionally fought alongside the martial artists of the Divine Dragon Group and the Sky Thunder Sword, but it had been nothing more than that.
No one in the world could fight alongside them without significant bonds. Especially not from a relationship formed at work.
“I know, me too.”
“You know?”
“I’m no kid. I don’t indulge in naive hopefulness. Who would risk their life for someone they’ve merely worked with a few times?”
“Then?”
It didn’t seem like she was just saying this to calm him down.
Cheon Ryang took a moment to quell his excitement and listened to her words.
“Quite the contrary.”
“Contrary?”
“I don’t want anyone I like, including you, to be in danger because of me. Even if I stay as I am now… that day will certainly come.”
He couldn’t say otherwise.
Un Cheon-guk and the Divine Dragon Group wanted Un Hyang’s talent.
The heavens had given Un Hyang an unparalleled talent, and they coveted it.
Would they stand idly by forever just because she stayed inactive?
Cheon Ryang knew better. Absolutely not.
“So, I have to protect it with my own strength. I can’t stay like this.”
A light returned to the eyes of the genius that had been dimmed for a long time.
Cheon Ryang could no longer stop her. Although he knew it was dangerous, he couldn’t tell her to just wait for an uncertain and ominous day to come.
Perhaps telling her to stop would indeed drive a thorn into her heart.
“This is not just some fan-girl behavior or foolish hope play.”
“……”
Having no more words to say, Cheon Ryang bowed his head deeply.
He had lost.
This was an invincible resolve.
At the same time, his heart ached, knowing her determination included him.
‘I’ve become someone who needs to be protected again.’
The two syllables of Cheon Ryang had always been Un Hyang’s old weakness.
And that stemmed from Un Hyang’s care for him.
With his own power, he could do nothing. No matter how insanely he tried to build strength and climb the tower, he knew it was nothing more than futile struggling.
But, while he couldn’t help her, there was at least a way not to be her weakness.
“Go and deliver the message.”
Recalling the words of Un Cheon-guk that hadn’t been conveyed to Un Hyang.
‘… I can’t continue being just a weakness.’
He slowly closed his eyes, not wanting to watch Un Hyang’s retreating figure.
* * *
Thud-.
At the center of the palace where the gods gathered.
Suhyuk stood, drawing all their gazes upon himself.
The gods’ eyes fixed on the odd human in Valhalla varied greatly.
“Why have they allowed a human here?”
“I heard Tyr chose him.”
“As if we didn’t know that?”
Skepticism.
“Are we really going to keep watching him?”
“I want to kill him right now.”
Contempt.
“He’s not an ordinary human.”
“Tyr, who despises humans the most, chose him….”
“There must be something special about him.”
Curiosity.
Suhyuk answered those curious gazes.
“Why, indeed?”
Crackle-.
Suhyuk immediately manifested thunder on the spot. Watching the blue electricity arise from his fingertips, several gods were startled and shifted their weight in their heavy chairs.
“That is….”
“Thunder?”
“Why is that in a human’s hands?”
For gods who were doubtful, Suhyuk increased the output.
Boom! Only after confirming with sound did the gods accept that what Suhyuk possessed was indeed thunder.
“Is this explanation enough?”
“Now I think we need another explanation.”
Regarding how he obtained thunder, Suhyuk elucidated.
The mission Thor had entrusted to Viola and the Valkyries. And the events that had unfolded while assisting with that mission.
“Did thunder choose a human as its owner?”
“Hard to believe.”
While the gods buzzed with chatter.
“They have to believe it.”
A uniquely commanding voice interrupted.
“Lightning originally belonged to humans.”
Lee Suhyuk glanced at the god who had spoken. It was a familiar face. Without scrutinizing his features too closely, the one with firmly closed eyes and scars was instantly recognizable.
‘Heimdall.’
The god who had lost his eyes but gained insight into the truth.
The gatekeeper of Valhalla, who filtered humans through trials, stared at him clearly despite his blind eyes.
“Still, this is problematic. In the past, it might not have mattered, but now that’s Asgard’s.”
“Giving, then taking back?”
“I’m not suggesting taking it back. However, to own it, you would need formal recognition from Valhalla.”
Even after entering Valhalla, another trial awaited. Suhyuk smirked beneath his mask.
“You’re being quite blatant with your discrimination.”
“Not at all.”
Heimdall shook his head.
“I’ve already heard about you. Thanks to you, bergelmir’s resurrection was prevented. I thank you on behalf of Valhalla.”
Instead, he bowed politely, representing other gods. It wasn’t a hostile reaction.
“This is a request from Tyr. He asked me to test if you truly belong in Valhalla.”
Tyr’s request.
At his words, Suhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
‘Another test…’
He had taken enough tests. Did Tyr not know this? Judging by his reaction, it didn’t seem so.
Tyr had notably stopped him from invoking Thor’s name.
That meant he had other thoughts.
“Is there more to see?”
Pop-.
At that moment, a new presence appeared behind Suhyuk.
It hadn’t approached rapidly. It had simply appeared.
Magic.
“Why not just kill him? Like this, snap-.”
A short, sharp object was felt at his neck. Probably an awl or dagger.
Though Suhyuk could’ve reacted, he didn’t. This one had no intention of killing him.
“Loki!”
“The day has come when the mischievous prince likes me.”
The reactions of other gods revealed his identity.
Loki.
The second prince of Asgard. He drooled behind Suhyuk.
“Enough, loki.”
Heimdall intervened.
“He’s Tyr’s guest.”
“I know. That’s why I won’t kill him immediately.”
Swish-.
Loki spun the awl lightly in his hand before disappearing again.
“It was just a joke. Just a joke.”
He reappeared in the midst of the empty seats among the gods.
With a dreary black head and a cunning smile, he had the most greedy eyes among the gathered gods.
“My apologies. If you were offended, my deepest regrets.”
“Not at all. So, what’s this test about?”
“Find and tame a Sky Horse, who doesn’t mingle with anyone in the sky. If you can do that, no god will be able to deny you.”
“Taming a horse?”
“It won’t be easy. Sky Horse is a sacred beast born with divinity, like us.”
Taming a Sky Horse.
The concept wasn’t easy to grasp. This was certainly not conventional horseback riding, and the Sky Horse Heimdall mentioned likely wasn’t an ordinary one.
Throughout the conversation, heimdall felt more inscrutable than the malicious and greedy Loki. His firmly closed eyes revealed nothing.
Still, there was one thing.
‘At least the bait worked.’
There was a result.
『’Scenario – Thunder’s Wings’ has begun.』
『’Scenario – Those Who Seek the Thunder’ has begun.』
‘It’s biting.’
It became clear.
Why did another unnecessary test come up?
Why Thor, who should’ve regained his senses after losing Mjolnir, was still hiding.
Those Who Seek the Thunder.
The name of this scenario was the core of this test.
Just as Suhyuk was about to step away.
Swoosh-.
The surroundings blurred as the sound disappeared. Recognizing the familiar phenomenon, Suhyuk paused.
The second cutscene of this test was beginning.