I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 45

Cha Jin-Hyeok had been doing a lot of thinking lately. After all, as a Job, being a Streamer had its limits. No matter how strong or popular a Streamer would become, they were ultimately non-combatant class Players. It was just like how a soccer player could not excel in archery.

As time went by, it would become increasingly difficult for Streamers to enjoy aggressive play like combatant class Players. In that sense, it seemed that he should make the most out of these low-Level stages and enjoy them as much as possible.

Jin-Hyeok had to admit this.

‘I’m not a good person either.’

He was someone who could not easily give up the fun of Playing. That was the case for most people.

They were all supposed to quit playing games and study, but everyone would keep playing.

They were supposed to stop drinking and take care of their health, but they would keep drinking.

They know smoking is bad for their health, but they still struggle to quit.

Jin-Hyeok was not the odd one out.

‘Well, it’s still just early stages of Open Beta, so I guess it’s okay to enjoy it a little bit.’

In the grand scheme of the Server, even if he did well, he would not receive much attention in this insignificant Server that had just started.

‘Yeah, who would care about someone like me, an insignificant Player?’

Even football fans would remember the names of famous teams or players but would have no idea about promising young players from Indonesia or the Maldives. In that sense, it seemed like it was okay to settle for first place at the moment.

This was not rationalization, but rather a fact.

Before regression, his life truly started deteriorating once he surpassed Level 200.

‘After all, I am just a non-combatant class Streamer, right?’

He could only exert some strength in the Level 100 or below range; anything beyond that was difficult. No matter how he thought about it, it felt a bit regretful to just let this stage pass by. He even had the Trait called Almighty Jack of All Trades, which was very useful and flashy for the low-Level stage.

‘For now, it’s best to maintain the quality of my livestream content.’

If he started going all out now, that was how his livestream’s concept would be shaped—as a Streamer that killed everything in his path.

However, it was difficult to sustain this for a long time.

It would be fortunate if he could retire in the low-Level stage, but he also had to consider the possibility that would not be the case. Jin-Hyeok was now trying to become a responsible person, he needed to think about the future.

‘Since things are not bad right now, I should just keep doing what I am doing and avoid exposing myself too directly in Play.’

It was not difficult. It was just a matter of doing it off the air.

‘Alright. Let’s just keep it like this till Level 100!’

This was only possible because he was in a low-Level stage.

Everyone and everything had their own timing. Wearing a cute headband and a school uniform at an amusement park was enjoyable when people were young, but it felt a bit off as they got older. Once he reached a high Level, he could no longer enjoy this stage.

‘Ah, this feels good.’

After making up his mind, a refreshing feeling rushed over him. It was like the fog that was blocking his path had lifted.

He decided to Play just like before, but only in the beginner stage—no more, no less.

“Sounds good. I’ll accept,” he said.

“Hm?” Katrina looked confused. “But I have not even told you the details yet.”

“It’s okay. Let’s hear about it now.”

It was customary for Jin-Hyeok to accept Quests first; then see what they entailed. If he started nitpicking, he would not accomplish anything.

He grew up that way and eventually became Korea’s Sword King.

It had been so long since he was this excited.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

‘Who in the right mind would rob Katrina’s shop?’

Katrina mentioned that someone had stolen a pair of precious necklaces while the shop was temporarily unattended. The suspect's face was caught on camera, and Katrina used his network to identify who they were.

“Then, why don’t you catch them yourself?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“This Server is in its Open Beta phase. It is difficult for me to exert direct physical power on the inhabitants of Earth. I have to consider the reaction from the Merchant Association. Also, if I create unnecessary commotion, it will only lower my credibility for not being able to protect my merchandise. It’s troublesome in many ways.”

It was quite fortunate for the thief who stole Katrina’s necklaces. If he had personally taken action, their body would likely have been separated from their head. As a side note, Katrina had a lot of money and ran a mercenary organization called Gryphons on another Server. If the suspect had been caught by them, it would have been a real nightmare.

‘I miss those days.’

The leader of Gryphons Mercenary Organization was very skillful with his spear. Jin-Hyeok remembered getting stabbed three times by him, and it was a lot of fun. Of course, Jin-Hyeok was able to stab him seven times. Some might argue that Jin-Hyeok lost the battle, but most people knew that it was a victory for him.

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“Anyway, I hope you can help me with this, handsome.”

“Sure.”

[You have accepted the Quest, 「Katrina’s Request.」]

Jin-Hyeok left Katrina’s shop.

‘Hm… A pair of Berklev Necklaces…’

He was not sure if this was a coincidence or fate.

In his previous life, the Berklev Necklace was an item he got by accident around Level 80 and wore until just before he regressed.

The Berklev Necklace was just an accessory. It did not have any special effects on its own. However, after undergoing a special process, using six different materials, and asking the One-Eyed Giant to enhance it, it became an excellent necklace.

‘It was an overpowered item…’

Memories from that time came to mind, and Jin-Hyeok felt nostalgic. Now that he thought about it, his past life was not all about pain and torment.

‘Oh, here I go again…’

As time went by, he tended to romanticize the past, so he had to be careful.

Anyway, Jin-Hyeok called Angel Girl to see if she knew anything.

— I am a bit busy right now… Can we arrange a meeting later?

“But you’re not even in a Dungeon. How can you be busy?”

If she could answer her phone, it meant that she was not in a Dungeon. Then that meant she was not busy.

‘Activate the Golden Headband.’

[You have activated the Golden Headband.]

Jin-Hyeok heard a scream from the other end of the phone.

— Fine! I’ll go! I’ll go right now! Please stop it!

Jin-Hyeok was right. She was not busy.

Song Ha-Young took a cab and arrived at where Jin-Hyeok was.

“Why did you lie about being busy?”

“I was not lying. I was really busy.”

Jin-Hyeok felt like she was trying to tell him her story, but he was not in the mood.

“Do you want to tell me your story and feel the wrath of the Golden Headband, or just not say anything and not be in pain?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Was I about to tell you a story? Hehe, I don’t have anything to say~”

Jin-Hyeok wondered why she didn’t do that in the first place, which was a way more peaceful choice.

“Do you know this guy?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“What?”

He held out some photos.

“Wait.”

Angel Girl picked up the photos and looked at them carefully.

“I think I recognize this guy. I forgot his name…”

“I heard his Player name is Im Kkeok-Jeong.”[1]

“Uh, that’s right. Im Kkeok-Jeong. He is a Thief who operates near Sillim-dong. What about him?”

“I need to steal something from him.”

“You’re going to steal?”

Upon hearing that, Angel Girl suddenly chuckled. She seemed extremely excited at the thought of stealing. It looked like she was destined to become a top-tier Thief.

Jin-Hyeok gave her a rough explanation.

“But why steal? Can’t you just take it from him by force?”

Jin-Hyeok was just about to explain Katrina’s difficult situation but decided not to. He knew how to deal with crazies like this.

“Well, stealing is more fun, isn’t it?”

“You’re right.”

Jin-Hyeok expected this. She easily agreed.

“So, is this a formal request?”

“Um, yeah. Let’s call it a formal request.”

Jin-Hyeok wanted to just give her an order, but he stopped himself. She was the goose that laid golden eggs. He needed to feed her well so she could grow healthily.

“What’s the reward?”

“How much do you want?”

Jin-Hyeok was thinking of around one hundred million Dias.

“How about…”

“Ten million Dias. Anything less won’t do,” she said.

Her standards were lower than he expected. It made him wonder if dealing with VIPs with unimaginable wealth, such as Choi Gap-Soo and Wind Wanderer, had made him lose touch with reality.

“Five million Dias,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“That’s too little. I have to put my life on the line too.”

“Seven million Dias.”

“...Fine.”

They settled on seven million Dias.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

There was no official alliance that had been formed. However, Players with similar Jobs had gathered and formed their own forces, and the fastest group to do so was the information, merchant, and thief-class Players.

One of the founding members of the currently clandestine Thief alliance, called the Black Rose Alliance, was Song Ha-Young, also known as Angel Girl.

“I was actually planning to get my hands on him anyway. This works out nicely.”

There was a Thief who had set up a container warehouse called the Mountain near Sillim-dong as his hideout. That guy’s Player name was Im Kkeok-Jeong. He recently expressed his desire to join the Black Rose Alliance but was immediately rejected.

Among the Thieves of the Black Rose Alliance, there were their own rules, although they had not been fully established yet. They had three main rules:

They do not steal from the weak or vulnerable, such as the elderly or young children.

They do not steal from non-Players.

They should try to avoid shedding blood during sacred thievery.

However, that guy with the Player name Im Kkeok-Jeong had broken all three of these rules. According to the submitted documents, his Level was around 20. On paper, he might be a Thief, but based on his activities, he was nothing more than a typical robber.

“I heard he beat up a middle school kid to a pulp,” Angel Girl said.

“Why?”

“Apparently he was stealing from that kid.”

“But that’s robbery, not theft.”

“That’s why it is so unjust!”

“...”

“And do you know what he stole?”

“What did he steal?”

“A cell phone.”

“...”

“Aren’t you pissed?”

“Why should I be pissed?”

‘Should I be angry at the fact that he hit a young kid? Or that a Thief engaged in a robbery?’

“He stole something that is not an item! It was just a phone that’s worth five hundred thousand won!” Angel Girl said.

“...”

Jin-Hyeok could not tell if she was angry because Im Kkeok-Jeong stole a technological device, or because it was only worth five hundred thousand won.

“He has no pride as a Thief!”

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Ha-Young and Jin-Hyeok arrived in Sillim-dong.

“There, inside the vacant lot. That's the guy’s hideout.”

“But can we just rob your fellow Thief like this?”

“He is tarnishing the honor of Thieves. We need to show him the true nature of a Thief.”

Jin-Hyeok asked something he had been curious about since earlier.

“Do Thieves really have honor?”

“Thieves have their own pride and honor, you know! My dream is to become a just Thief.”

She was definitely crazy. There was no point in trying to reason with a crazy person, so he just let it slide.

“You wait here. I will get the item myself.”

After using her stealth ability, she began to move to the hideout.

‘That container warehouse is his hideout,’ Ha-Young thought to herself.

An old safe came into view, and she matched the numbers to open it, revealing a pair of Berklev Necklaces.

‘Well, that was a piece of cake.’

She attached a note to the desk that said ‘I gotchu~’.

Just as she was about to smoothly exit the container warehouse, her body suddenly froze.

‘Is this poison?’

It felt like she had been poisoned by an odorless and colorless toxin. She hurriedly tried to use an antidote, but before she could, a rope flew toward her. An item in the form of a rope instantly ensnared Ha-Young’s body.

“I got you, you little rat.”

A man in a gas mask came closer.

“Oh, it’s a female rat!”

Ha-Young was in a bind. It seemed like she had fallen into a trap.

‘Damn it. I can’t move.’

Im Kkeok-Jeong approached her.

“I gotchu? Oh, so you’re the infamous Angel Girl.”

He peeled off the note from the desk and crumpled it in his hand. He crouched down next to Ha-Young’s head.

“Now why would you do that to a fellow Thief?”

He forcefully shoved the ‘I gotchu~’ note into Ha-Young’s mouth.

“I heard rumors that Angel Girl was a founding member of the Black Rose Alliance, but I guess it is just baseless gossip if you are caught this easily…”

Ha-Young fell to the ground, desperately trying to free herself from the rope. Although she had the Skill to break free, she was too distraught to activate it.

“How are you going to pay for this?”

He chuckled, his eyes scanning up and down Ha-Young’s face and body. Then he gulped.

“I didn’t expect you to be such a beauty. If you cooperate, I might spare your life. How about it?”

Ha-Young responded with the calmest expression possible. She could not speak properly because of the note in her mouth.

“Mmmph mmph mmph. Mmm mmmph mmm mmph?”(I was just playing around. How should I cooperate?)

Perhaps sensing Ha-Young’s cooperative attitude, Kkeok-Jeong took out the note that he had put in her mouth. She desperately tried to smile with her eyes.

“I was just playing around. How should I cooperate?”

“I think you know better than me, don’t you?”

He gently scratched Ha-Young’s cheek with his index finger and then started to touch her neck. It felt as if a snake was slithering all over her body. It was clear what he desired. A shiver ran down her spine, but that was not important at the moment.

“Alright. Since I failed as a Thief, I will pay the price. Do as you please.”

“Good. No backing out now.”

Kkeok-Jeong chuckled and stood up.

“Let’s each undress ourselves,” he said.

He took off the jacket he was wearing and tossed it backward.

At that moment, something pierced through the jacket!

“ARGH!”

It was none other than a dagger that shot out like an arrow. The dagger was stuck in the back of his head.

Thud!

He collapsed to the ground.

Jin-Hyeok was walking toward him.

‘Wow! I finally remembered you, Im Kkeok-Jeong!’ Jin-Hyeok thought.

It seemed inevitable that he would find the Necklaces here.

1. Im Kkeok-Jeong was the leader of the peasant rebellion in Korea from 1559 to 1562. He is like a Korean Robin Hood. ☜