I Gave Up Being Stronger

Cha Jin-Hyeok narrowed his eyes, appearing as if he had fallen under the spell of Lady Harkoen’s seduction. “Do you love me, Harkoen?”

“Of course. My love for you is beyond words, and its depth immeasurable…”

“Were all your love letters to me sincere?”

Life sparkled in Harkoen’s eyes. She did not look surprised that her hidden letters had been discovered. To her, the most important thing was that her genuine feelings had reached Kim Chul-Soo.

“I swear, there is not a single lie in my letters to you,” Harkoen said.

Jin-Hyeok nodded slowly, raising his hand to gently cover Harkoen’s hand and looking directly into her eyes.

“Harkoen,” Jin-Hyeok said.

Their eyes met, and her pupils trembled incessantly.

“Harkoen…” Jin-Hyeok repeated.

She could not respond to Jin-Hyeok’s call, her mind going blank from just hearing her name.

Jin-Hyeok, for his part, felt as if he was exploring a whole new world. ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is working.’

He had found the inspiration for repeating her name from the enthusiastic Chul-Soo Landers.

[No.221: No.1 can die without any regrets now.]

[No.352: I’m so jealous. T_T I’m gonna die of jealousy. T_T]

[No.552: I’m going to change my name to Min-Ji!]

He had learned that acknowledging them by name was profoundly meaningful. Surprised by its effectiveness, he mused on the difficulty of the approach. ‘Hm… but it is more difficult than I thought.’

Right now, he was employing a new strategy. Previously threatened by Assassins, he had now progressed to hiring them himself. This was a new challenge and inspiration, but he could not stop there. He was an intense Streamer, after all. He decided to attempt the feared seduction tactic himself.

‘I hope this works.’

He had been seduced many times before, yet attempting seduction felt awkward and unnatural to him.

‘I don’t think I’m doing it right.’

It appeared to be working probably because Harkoen was out of her senses.

Jin-Hyeok said what he thought to be the ultimate seduction line, “Harkoen, will you hug me?”

Before his regression, he had been fooled by such lines multiple times.

‘I nearly died several times after trying to hug Assassins.’

Memories flashed through his mind.

‘But it wasn’t just Assassins, was it?’

There had been some genuine requests for hugs, but such experiences were so faint they hardly left a mark. Typically, only the most intense stimuli remained in memory.

Nonetheless, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat skeptical. ‘Is she going to hug me?’

Normally, asking for a hug meant ‘I am about to stab you.’ However, Harkoen gasped and embraced Jin-Hyeok.

‘This works?’

With her face buried in his chest, Harkoen sniffed him like she was bewitched, completely defenseless.

‘Wait, should I attack her now?’

Exposure to such vulnerability confused him about whether it was even right to attack. He mused that Assassins had to have their dilemmas too.

‘Still, I guess I have to attack her now.’

Instinctively, Jin-Hyeok gently stroked Harkoen’s back, and she relaxed under his touch.

“Harkoen, I am going to give you a gift,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“Chul-Soo, I would welcome anything from you.”

“Relax your body and wait a bit, will you?”

“If it’s your request, I can wait forever.”

Jin-Hyeok concentrated as he stroked her back.

‘Will this work?’ He did not relax even a bit till the very end.

“The Song of the Black Tiger.”

Seven black tigers appeared and devoured Harkoen.

“Instant Kill.”

The Instant Kill achievement took effect, and Harkoen slumped to the ground. Even as she collapsed, her fingers clung to Jin-Hyeok’s garment, embodying her tenacity and desperation.

‘Is this really working?’

Jin-Hyeok cautiously glanced around. Just then, Brick regained consciousness, shivering.

Sheathing his sword, Brick muttered, “Is it over…?”

Harkoen was indeed dead. Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok received an unexpected notification.

[You have completed a part of the universe-level Scenario ⌜Legacy of the Forsaken Queen⌟.]

***

While Jin-Hyeok had stumbled upon a clue to the Legacy of the Forsaken Queen, which had been hidden by a question mark until now, he was not particularly thrilled about it.

‘I feel oddly uneasy.’

As he walked down the mansion’s corridor with Brick, his mood contrasted starkly with Brick’s elation.

“Have you been intimidated by my bravery, Sir Chul-Soo?”

“...”

“Hello~ Am I speaking to a wall?”

Jin-Hyeok walked on with a stern face, focusing ahead. ‘Using the seduction technique was undoubtedly intense, but…’

Had he been his former self from his Sword King days, such a strategy would never have crossed his mind. This was certainly encouraging. A shift in perspective and flexibility in thought—both were excellent traits for a Streamer.

‘But it’s just not my style.’

This was close to Jin-Hyeok’s instinctive aversion to the seduction technique. Regardless of its merits, everyone had their preferences and dislikes. Having tried it once, he thought that the seduction technique approach did not suit his tastes. He found it awkward.

‘Is it even right for me to ponder this? Shouldn’t a true Streamer not dwell on such matters? Even if it’s not the seduction technique, shouldn’t Streamers be willing to embrace intensity in all forms?’

With these conflicting thoughts, Jin-Hyeok quickened his pace and soon stood before Fyurel, who was still emitting powerful energy and devastating the mansion.

“Hey, you’re that up-and-coming Streame—”

Jin-Hyeok simply walked past the Mad Sorceress Fyurel. The crimson flames emanating from her dwindled. She looked at him with a sense of disbelief.

“Is he ignoring me?” Fyurel said. The flames that had momentarily subsided flared up again. “Hey, Kim Chul-Soo!”

She irritably reached out to him, trying to grab him roughly, but missed by a whisker. No response came from Jin-Hyeok.

“How dare you ignore me!” She bit her lip. The flames emanating from her made her look like a small sun. Her presence was so intense it seemed capable of burning everything around her into ashes. The flames soon surged like a storm.

She muttered, glaring at Jin-Hyeok, “Shit! He’s so damn attractive!”

***

Marshmallow’s head, which was shaped like a marshmallow, perked up. ‘Finally! Chul-Soo is coming to me!’

He was expecting a request for a collaboration livestream. Marshmallow was thrilled but did not show it. Standing tall, he asked with a somewhat arrogant expression, “What brings you here, Chul-Soo?”

“I’ve come to seek your advice.”

‘Advice? From me?’ Marshmallow’s head vibrated incessantly. ‘Chul-Soo is asking for my advice?’

His heart pounded. ‘This must mean he acknowledges me!’

“Well, I am quite the esteemed senior, after all. So, what do you wish to ask?”

“I have just killed Harkoen.”

Marshmallow was momentarily at a loss for words. He knew Chul-Soo was a strong Streamer, but not strong enough to kill Harkoen. Despite Harkoen being the weakest among the heads of the Seven Great Families, it was unthinkable for a Streamer with a Level in the 200s to kill her—unless she practically asked for it.

‘Oh… she did ask for it, didn’t she?’ As Marshmallow listened to Chul-Soo’s story, it got more absurd. ‘Wait, he killed her with Instant Kill? And she just accepted it?’

It was a crazy outcome, but somehow, it made sense, which was irritating for Marshmallow. He could somewhat understand Harkoen’s feelings for Chul-Soo.

“Using Instant Kill must have required incredible preparation.”

Instant Kill sounded simple, but it necessitated extensive preparation. Even with Skills like the Song of the Black Tiger, which increased the probability of Instant Kill, the principle remained the same.

“I used the seduction technique,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“Hm…” That explained everything. Marshmallow now understood the situation. “So? What advice do you seek?”

“Using the seduction technique was a paradigm shift for me. It was a new challenge, and the outcome was excellent.”

“But?”

“I don’t want to use the seduction technique anymore.”

“Why?”

“It’s not to my taste.”

Marshmallow nodded, feeling he could now understand how Jin-Hyeok was feeling. “And you’re wondering if it’s right to be thinking about this, correct? You think a true Streamer should be able to ignore their personal tastes, right?”

Jin-Hyeok nodded.

“I understand that feeling well. I have used the seduction technique myself,” Marshmallow added.

Brick, who had suddenly appeared beside Jin-Hyeok, burst out laughing.

“Speaking frankly as a top-ranked Assassin, if you were to use the seduction technique, it would most likely be disastrous, Sir Marshmallow,” Brick said. Turning to Fyurel, who was glaring at Chul-Soo with burning eyes, he added, “Lady Fyurel. Harkoen is already dead. Therefore, it would be best to refrain from further disturbances. Even if what Sir Marshmallow is saying right now is nearly nonsensical.”

Marshmallow became anxious. He knew Fyurel’s temper all too well. She was the type to hurl fireballs at people who spoke to her that way.

‘I need to focus only on Chul-Soo right now!’ Marshmallow thought. The situation was getting too complicated for quality livestreaming. He felt the need to control the situation. ‘Huh?’

Unexpectedly, Fyurel was not causing a scene. The reason was unclear, but it was a relief. Hiding his complex feelings, Marshmallow continued the conversation with Jin-Hyeok. “To reach a certain level, one must strive relentlessly, regardless of personal taste.”

“I see,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“However, once you reach a certain stature, focusing on what truly matters allows for greater growth.” Marshmallow placed a hand on Jin-Hyeok’s shoulder. “You have already reached that stature, Chul-Soo.”

“...”

“If you are not genuine, then your livestream won’t be genuine either.”

Jin-Hyeok pondered about what Marshmallow just told him. His livestream could only be genuine if he was sincere. It was a profound insight.

“I see.” A spark of life returned to Jin-Hyeok’s eyes. This conversation had opened up his perspective. “Thank you, Marshmallow. I will take your advice to heart.”

“Hah, it seems you have fully grasped my advice.”

Jin-Hyeok murmured as if he was entranced, “I will try to genuinely appreciate the seduction technique.”

Marshmallow doubted his eyes. ‘That wasn’t the conclusion I wanted him to arrive at! Can we even call this a conversation? And, is it even possible to grow to like something you instinctively dislike through effort? Does he think that’s possible?’

Unaware of Marshmallow’s tangled thoughts, Jin-Hyeok asked, “Then, may I try it?”

“Try what?”

Jin-Hyeok looked more serious than ever. “I think I should seduce the Mad Sorceress.”

“Dude…”

‘Do you really think you can seduce her? You crazy bastard! And that madwoman just heard everything you said! I need to rein in Chul-Soo before he causes even more trouble!’