Junhyuk took Elise to her lab, and there, he could see Zaira on standby.

“What’s going on here?”

Zaira was part of Elise’s power, so she had to be summoned to be out, and Junhyuk was curious about how she was simply standing there. Elise pointed to the magic circles underneath the gynoid’s feet.

“That’s why. I can hold her here with those magic circles. Magic is really astonishing.”

“So, you are upgrading her?”

“Yes. Expect improvements!”

If Elise was telling him to expect good things from this, he should do so. She had never disappointed him.

Junhyuk smiled at her and said, “I always do with you.”

She smiled back and waved him off.

“I’ll let you know when everything is ready.”

“Sure. Are you going to stay in your lab?”

“That’s right.” ( ReadNovelFull )

“If Eunseo has any problems, I’ll tell her to contact you.”

“Sure.”

Junhyuk teleported to Eunseo, and when she felt his presence, she raised her head. She knew it was Junhyuk showing up, so she simply adjusted her gla.s.ses and greeted him, “Is the training over?”

“No. I’ll start on my own now.”

From his perspective, he was just starting his training. He hadn’t landed a single attack on Artlan or Halo yet, so he had a long way to go.

“There could be a monster wave at any minute now, right?”

“Right. The time they promised is up. I could start again at any moment.”

“That’s complicated.”

“I’ll stay in the training facility. If something happens, just let Elise know, and she’ll contact me.”

“I will.” Eunseo stared at him for a moment and asked him carefully, “Can you show me your training facility later?”

“Of course! I’ll take you there later.”

Junhyuk said goodbye then and went to see Jeffrey. The hero had his own private facility on Earth now. When Junhyuk wasn’t around, Jeffrey was the one who trained the champions.

Jeffrey was a close-ranged damager, and he was great at training the champions. Entering his facility, Junhyuk saw that Jeffrey was training alone.

While training by himself, Jeffrey’s techniques with the scythe had improved. Unlike Junhyuk, Jeffrey only had one weapon to master.

As Junhyuk approached, Jeffrey felt his presence and stopped his training, turning to look at him.

“When did you get back?”

Junhyuk walked up to Jeffrey and asked, “Eltor’s punishment is over. I went to see Eunseo about it.”

“With Eltor coming back, the monster waves can start again, right?”

“It’s highly possible.”

“No one knows what Eltor will do.”

“We need one more hero. Otherwise, there’s a chance that Eltor will go berserk.”

They were told that the monster waves would end then, but was that true? Would the monster waves really stop once they got a fifth hero?

Junhyuk didn’t trust Eltor at all.

“Are we meeting at the tournament?” Junhyuk asked.

“I wasn’t invited.”

“Why?”

“I’m not qualified.”

Jeffrey was certainly OK, but his team might have problems. Junhyuk shook his head and asked, “What will you be doing during the tournament?”

“Even though I can’t partic.i.p.ate in it, the league will continue. From now on, while the high-ranking teams are partic.i.p.ating in the tournament, those that get knocked out get pulled back into the league.”

“Is that right?”

Junhyuk laughed at Jeffrey’s explanation. That was the best way to make the season go faster, and Junhyuk liked that dynamic. It would allow him to become a legend in the shortest time possible.

Junhyuk patted Jeffrey’s shoulder and said, “You’ll be invited for the next one.”

“Sure. Are you joining the tournament?”

“I am.”

“I’m jealous. I want to partic.i.p.ate.”

Junhyuk patted his shoulder again. Junhyuk wanted to include Jeffrey in his team, but he already had a team set. While one had left, another had joined to fill the spot.

Junhyuk thought of this as a chance and said, “You won’t see me in the next tournament.”

“Are you going for the legends’ tournament?”

“It won’t be easy, but with better items, I think we can.”

Junhyuk was feeling confident even without a full set. Once he became a legend, they would make him a new set, and those items would grow in power as time pa.s.sed.

Junhyuk was fully stocked on the highest-tiered runestones now, so he decided to buy new equipment and upgrade it. His items were good and of high quality now. By upgrading them, he thought he would be able to fight in the legends’ tournament.

There was one more thing that needed to happen. He couldn’t get stronger by himself. Those who became legends all had balanced teams. That balanced enabled them to push through.

By winning continuously, those legends had gotten better items. That was why they were so strong.

Junhyuk had to stay alive, and that went for his team as well. Dying would weaken them.

Looking at him, Jeffrey said, “You looked different.”

“What?”

“You look confident.” Shaking his head, Jeffrey rested his body on his scythe and asked, “Do you want to spar with me?”

“What?”

“It’s been a while since we did it.”

“Now, you are the one who sounds confident.”

There was no reason for Junhyuk to refuse the challenge. Jeffrey was skilled now, but he also trusted his swordsmanship.

Junhyuk unsheathed his swords, and Jeffrey’s expression hardened. Junhyuk knew that something had changed within Jeffrey, and he knew what it was.

It wasn’t just confidence. Jeffrey looked imposing.

Jeffrey attacked first, meaning to show Junhyuk his skills. He summoned the Ghost White Tiger, and they attacked in unison. Jeffrey rode the tiger, and the two moved as one.

Junhyuk smiled at the Ghost White Tiger, and his swords moved.

—

Jeffrey was on the ground, and Junhyuk had thought that to be the obvious result. The hero laughed.

“I showed you my secret move, but even that wasn’t enough.”

“I didn’t work before.”

“I worked hard, but not enough.”

“I can tell you’ve been working at it.”

Junhyuk had been surprised in the sparring session. Jeffrey’s powers were dangerous to him, but with his Triple Yin Yang, he was able to hold Jeffrey back.

They were on Earth, so Junhyuk could use as much mana and as much of his swordsmanship as he wanted. He had melded three styles into one. He hadn’t really used his new style against Artlan or Halo, but now that he used it against Jeffrey, he was satisfied.

One could even call his swordsmanship a power.

Junhyuk had finally completed his swordsmanship. Jeffrey was on the ground resting, and Junhyuk looked down at him.

“Should I call Sarang?”

“To heal me? No need for a hero for that. There are three people within Guardians with healing powers now.”

“That many?”

“It’s due to the fear of monster waves. Everyone seems to be gathering here.”

“Yeah?”

The power people should stay at Guardians even once the monster waves ended. That way, there wouldn’t be any problems for society in general.

Those in power might create problems, and to prevent that situation, Guardians should remain in charge of the powered people.

Junhyuk got up and asked, “Do you want me to call one of them?”

“I can move on my own,” Jeffrey said, getting up. He looked at Junhyuk and smirked. “I wanted to watch the tournament, but I can’t. Since you are partic.i.p.ating, you should win.”

“Don’t worry. I plan to.”

Junhyuk went back to his room and reentered his training facility.

When he appeared, he saw a ma.s.sive lightning tornado and raised his force field.

Sarang had cast that spell. It wasn’t a power, but if a monster wave triggered, she would be tremendously helpful. Those were Guardians’ heroes.

Junhyuk waited inside his force field for the lightning tornado to dissipate.

“What are you doing?”

“This? I learned a new spell. It’s the most destructive spell I know.”

“It looks strong.”

“But, I can’t use it.”

“Why?”

“It takes too long to cast, five minutes.”

Five minutes would be far too long in the Dimensional Battlefield, but it was incredibly destructive. The training facility was in shambles. The spell didn’t hit with just electricity. It caused physical damage as well.

Junhyuk caressed her head and said, “If you have to cast it, I’ll protect you.”

“Really?”

She hugged him, and Junhyuk raised his force field again. The force field pushed her away from him, so Sarang pounded against it.

“Did you just push me off?”

“Yes,” he answered and laughed.

“Five minutes is too long. Shorten it.”

“I’ll ask Elise about increasing casting speed.”

“Don’t. Elise is busy. Ask Vera.”

“Should I?”

Junhyuk didn’t want Elise getting distracted from what she was working on. Thought they might come up against Vera at the tournament, Sarang should call her instead.

“Sarang, let’s win.”

“Sure, of course! We’ll be legends if we win.”

“Yes!”

“Then, I can wish for anything I want.”

Junhyuk laughed and asked, “You have a wish?”

“Yes,” she answered. Then, she stared at him silently and with beaming eyes.