Chapter 127 – White Knight (2)
Baek Hanho stopped punching the sandbag and pointed out the attitude of the members as he circled the gym. Due to his sensitive temper today, if he corrected a posture and they didn’t do it well, he would demonstrate it himself.
“……”
A female member watched with fear as Baek Hanho approached her.
‘Baek Hanho’s gym was a gathering place for men who had strength in the neighborhood and wanted to do some fighting. All of them were rugged and rough looking men. Such men had fallen at Baek Hanho’s gentle hand.
She was just an ordinary person who had a house nearby and wanted to become healthy. She laughed awkwardly when Baek Hanho stood in front of her.
“Hahaha… Manager-nim.”
“Have you practiced what I taught you before? Let me see it once. One two!”
“Uh…”
She closed her eyes. Then she extended her fist awkwardly.
Hwiik. Hwiik.
“One two, one two!”
“Aih!”
“Double this time!”
“Uhh.”
“Two one two one!”
Hwik hwik. Hwik! Hwik hwik hwik.
She flailed around. The previous men had fallen down right away. But for some reason, Baek Hanho was nodding.
“Good.”
“……?”
“You have been here for three months?”
“Four months…”
“Hahaha. That is very good. Exercising is good.”
“……”
She couldn’t help nodding dumbly because she had just witnessed a one-month member collapse from a low kick 1cm under the waist.
“But keep this in mind. Our physical body is a weapon. Martial arts is murder.”
“Huh?”
“If possible, especially if you are a woman, try to resolve the situation without fighting.” Baek Hanho gazed at a distant place and said. “It is a knight’s mission to protect ladies but this world…”
She forced a smile as Baek Hanho started talking nonsense.
“Knights have disappeared in modern times…”
Someone should tell him. But he was already in his own world. There was no one in this gym who could stop him.
At that moment. “What are you doing?”
“……”
It was Ian. Ian stood behind Baek Hanho. He looked at Baek Hanho with questioning eyes.
“Hum hum, you came.”
“Why are you speaking strange words all of a sudden?”
“What type of strange things was I saying?”
“Play games a bit more moderately.”
“Who are you to say…”
Ian and Baek Hanho started to walk towards the manager’s office while talking.
The female member stared blankly after them. After being left alone, the female member punched the sandbag and thought about Baek Hanho’s words. Their bodies were a weapon. Martial arts was murder. And ‘ladies.’
She laughed.
“How old-fashioned.”
Then she quietly stared into the air. Her hands were making strange gestures.
“Magic is to save people.”
In Elder Lord, she was a magician.
***
“What have you been doing? Yeori is worried about you.”
Ian’s eyes narrowed. “Yeori?”
“Yes, Yeori.”
“When did you talk to Yeori?”
“A little while ago.” As Ian stared at him, Baek Hanho shrugged and shook his head. “Oh, she showed interest because I am the one who taught you, but that is it. So don’t glare at me like that.”
“It is hard to believe when looking at you. Aren’t you playing as a knight too much in the game?”
“This kid, insulting your teacher. In the old days, this would be punished.”
Ian laughed. “What…if you are capable…”
Ian and Baek Hanho’s eyes clashed again. Sparks were flying from both pairs of eyes. It felt like they would head back to the ring again, but the two of them shook their heads and leaned back.
“I guess I’m too tired…”
“I did say…”
Ian wanted to take a break for a while after fighting Calmahart. While the capsule allowed him to control his character without moving a muscle, he was still mentally exhausted. Baek Hanho was also tired from his activities in Elder Lord so he didn’t want to bother with Ian.
They just leaned back in their chairs. Baek Hanho sighed and asked.
“What species are you?”
“It’s a secret.”
“Class?”
“Secret.”
“This guy.”
“What about Teacher? Are you a knight?”
“Will you tell me if I tell you?”
“No.”
“Phew, I brought up my disciple wrongly.”
“It is because of Teacher that your disciple grew up like this.”
“Well…your words aren’t wrong.” Baek Hanho laughed as he leaned back in his chair. “Ian.”
“Yes.”
“These days, this guy has been running wild.”
Baek Hanho raised a hand and a video appeared on the television screen that occupied a wall of the manager’s office. Ian flinched. It was Crockta.
“……”
To other people, Crockta looked really hideous. A heinous face, a fearsome body that was covered in tattoos, a hand that held the ignorantly large greatsword, regardless of fatigue. Just looking at his appearance, he seemed like a villain.
“I don’t like him.”
“W-Why?”
“I was trying to catch the enemy called Calmahart, but this guy finished it before I could even start.”
Baek Hanho changed the screen. This time, it was the best video site in the world, Youvids. The main screen of Youvids was filled with Crockta. After the news of Calmahart’s defeat had spread, the value of Righteous Orc Crockta rose again, meaning videos of Laney and other users who filmed him were constantly rising.
The number of views had already reached the peak. Video’s of Choi Hansung’s war had been pushed to the next level by Crockta.
“I will catch this guy!” Baek Hanho cried out.
Ian stilled.
“What, are you scared?”
“…No.”
Baek Hanho nodded. “I know. He is a frightening guy. No matter how strong he is, he is still a monster in the game! He has ridiculous strength and physical abilities.”
Crockta’s battle footage.
Chesswood. Ian’s mind sank into the memories of that time. Innocent people had died. They weren’t NPCs. Those who actually existed were killed by users connected to Elder Lord. Due to the ‘cognitive modification’ power of the god, others couldn’t even understand this possibility.
“Look. That beast-like movement.” It was a scene where Crockta pierced through spears and swords, killing them all. He jumped into the middle of enemy territory. The users started to run away. Crockta chased and stabbed his sword in their backs.
“The amazing thing is the speed of development.”
This time, it was a video of the past. Three players were confronting an orc. It was the user hunters he bumped into at Anail. They wanted to kill Crockta but he took the lives of the enemies in a flash.
“The boldness and determination are amazing. This person knows how to fight properly.”
It was a compliment from Baek Hanho but Ian felt strangely anxious.
Ian asked. “So?”
“I have to catch this guy.”
“…Why?”
“I don’t like him.”
Ian looked at Baek Hanho’s expression. He was sincere. That expression, he was going to swing his sword as soon as Crockta returned to the continent.
Ian calmly said. “Hold on. Crockta is strong, righteous and popular. He even has a fan club.”
“Fan club? I am one too.”
“Huh?”
“Huhuhu, do you want to know?”
“Don’t lie.”
“This guy…really. Of course, I won’t tell you. You can just wonder.”
“……”
Baek Hanho changed the screen again. As he did so, he unwittingly opened the menu of his favorite Youvids videos.
“……!”
Baek Hanho hurriedly turned it off and looked to see if Ian had seen his favorites menu. Fortunately, Ian was checking his phone.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
Baek Hanho coughed.
“I have to go now. I need to show my face at the cafe.”
“Yes. Don’t just let other people do the work. Unearned income makes people sick.”
In fact, the gym was mostly run under Baek Hanho’s supervision. Ian shook his head.
“Take care.”
“You too.”
Ian left Baek Hanho’s gym. Then he headed towards Cafe Reason.
***
He didn’t come empty-handed. He stopped by the bakery and bought a few things.
After arriving at Cafe Reason, Han Yeori grumbled and gave some to Yoo Sooyeon, who was arranging a few minor things on the counter. There were customers.
Ian opened his phone while sipping a latte that he made. He entered a search term.
‘White Knight Andre.’
Ian had briefly seen Baek Hanho’s favorites list. Baek Hanho’s favorites were filled with videos of a user called White Knight Andre. Immediately after confirming it, he pretended to be doing something else.
If he knew his enemy, he could win. Baek Hanho would surely come to him. It would be in the world of Elder Lord.
The first kill! He would do it.
The name ‘White Knight Andre’ was well-known.
“Uh, Boss-nim knows about Andre?” Han Yeori approached and sat down next to him.
“You know him?”
“I know. He is really cool.”
“…Cool?”
“Yes.”
Ian looked at the video playing with questionable eyes and Han Yeori said. “I don’t play the game but I’ve seen videos of this person.”
Then Ian almost spat out his coffee at the close-up appearance of the character.
Dazzling blonde hair. Clear blue eyes. A straight nose, white skin with no wrinkles and soft pink lips. Silver plated armor covered the entire body. It was the appearance of a medieval young knight. How much work could be done to customize his appearance to such an extent?
Furthermore, he was riding on a beautiful white horse with a flowing mane.
“Isn’t he cool?”
“Um…” Ian nodded.
In the video, Baek Hanho, no White Knight Andre was speaking.
“Diabolical ones who wield a sword against a lady.”
He got down from his horse. He rubbed the forehead of the white horse, as if telling it to wait a moment, before raising his sword towards the enemies in front of him. It was a well-worn longsword.
“I am Knight Andre, and I will let you know what justice is.”
Then he rushed towards the enemies in front of him. The opponents were bandits equipped with axes and swords. They swung their weapons. They were confused at first by Andre’s splendor but gained confidence due to their belief in their numerical superiority.
However, that only lasted for a short moment. Andre’s sleek swordsmanship stopped their breaths. There was no gory battle with blood and flesh. One pierce that gracefully penetrated the enemy’s weak points. Fluid techniques.
All the enemies were destroyed. White Knight Andre turned softly. The female NPC, who had been threatened by the bandits, stared at him blankly. Andre approached and grabbed her hand. Then he kissed the back of her hand and winked softly.
“Lady. I took care of the opponents. Please rest assured.”
A sweet smile! Then the video faded out.
Han Yeori poked Ian’s side. “So cool. He is a real Prince Charming. Isn’t that right? Boss-nim?”
However, Ian knew the reality so he couldn’t nod. Han Yeori giggled and went back to the counter. Ian wanted to erase his memories, no he wanted to clean his eyes and forget he ever saw this video.
Ian read the comments. At first, there were compliments.
└ Milky Andre: I’m Andre’s fan! ^^ Continue the video! Have strength Andre!
└ Fatal White Knight: >�
<
I want to see Andre every day… Where is it? The answer to my problems…Andre’s pink lips…Chu…
└ White Cacao: The background is Hesse Mountain! I will also kiss…”
└ Jung Min’s Mother: Andre,,,, a wonderful young man,,, ~^^
I want my daughter to play the game like Andre,,,~~?^^
Please continue to do justice ,,~~~~!ㅎㅎㅎ
└ Yiyu’s Mother: I am the same as well,,,~^^ our children are good,,,ㅎㅎ
However, the comments gradually changed.
└ Shochu is Tasty: Damn,,,,this labor,,,,to me,,,I’m not going to apologize,,,look at the eyes,,,a handsome man pretending to be good,,,~! Don’t tremble,,,reveal your nature,,, kyack,,,spit! Justice?Crockta is the best ~
└ Mt. Seolack Falcon: Aigoo,,,Hyung-nim,,,this comment,,, ㅎㅎ,, mountaineering club…why don’t you come…Hyung-nim…lonely.
└ Shochu is Tasty: Damn,,, I’m busy,,,kaack,, never,,, return,,, you should,,, live well~~~
└ Altruism with Long Hair: ㅡㅡPretending to be good to get women~ don’t talk to men like that ㅡㅡ don’t tremble ㅡㅡ
└ Going to be an Orc: This person is the definition of justice? Crockta is the definition of justice. I promise that he will be hit by Crockta.
└ Orc King: ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ When he meets Crockta ㅋㅋㅋㅋ take a video and upload it ㅂ�
ㅋㅋㅋ
└ Bul’tar Crockta: ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ Crockta will twist him up ㅋㅋㅋ A real man vs. a rural village gangster.
└ Xylitol One Shot: Are you talking about the definition of justice again? Where did this come from? Did Andre save a village like Crockta? Did he create a storm before leaving. What did he do except act good in front of women? ㅉㅉ
└ Barking Dog: Bark bark! Bark bark bark! Grrrr bark!
└ Moderation: How irritating… When I see a video of Crockta, I get a thrill… My hands and feet…
└ Philosopher: This friend is only brilliant when he is catching weak opponents. I miss Crockta.
Ian shook his head.
“……” His shoulders started to shake. “…Kuk…Cough…”
Ian’s shoulders moved up and down as he couldn’t help laughing.
“Puhuhu…puhuhuhuhut…!”
Sometimes the standards of the world were so different from his.
But. This wasn’t so different from his viewpoint.
“Ah. That’s right. Crockta is the definition of justice. It is in the eyes of the beholder.”
Gradually, the comments increased and it became ‘Crockta vs. Andre.’ Andre’s fans and his anti-fans engaged in a keyboard battle. In particular, Andre had recently said he wanted to fight Crockta so this remarks became more intense.
The two characters of justice. The women who had a crush on White Knight Andre! The men who supported Orc Warrior Crockta!
Han Yeori sighed as she watched Ian laughing.
“Why is he coming like that more and more…”